1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 2: For more resources to help you in your walk with Christ, 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 2: please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. Well, this morning, 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,479 Speaker 2: we're going to begin what we're something we're going to 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 2: be looking at for the next couple weeks, and that's 6 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 2: the representation of Jesus that we're given in the Gospel 7 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 2: of John, in the first chapter in particular. And so 8 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 2: today we're going to be looking at John chapter one, 9 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 2: verses one through five. It's not a very long section, 10 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 2: but one of the things that we're going to see 11 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:37,639 Speaker 2: is we look at this portion of God's word as 12 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 2: we prepare our hearts for this season of the year, 13 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 2: is we're just going to be looking at the fact 14 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 2: that this scripture refers to Jesus or portrays Jesus as 15 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:48,160 Speaker 2: the eternal. 16 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 1: Son of God. 17 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 2: And so we're going to look at that and we're 18 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 2: going to talk about what that means. So turn with me, 19 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 2: if you would, to John chapter one again. I'm going 20 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 2: to be reading the first five verses of the passage, 21 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 2: and this is what it states, says, in the beginning 22 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 2: was the Word, and the Word was with God, and 23 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 2: the Word was God. 24 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: He was in the beginning with God. 25 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 2: All things were made through him, and without him was 26 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 2: not anything made. That was made in him was life, 27 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 2: and the life was the light of men. The light 28 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 2: shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 29 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 2: Let's pray, Lord, thank you so much for your word, 30 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 2: and thank you for the privilege that it is to 31 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 2: be able to come together today to worship you, to 32 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 2: study your word, to grow in our relationship with you. 33 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: Lord. We truly desire that. Lord. We're just so grateful for. 34 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 2: The privilege that it is during this time of year 35 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 2: to have a few extra reminders of the mission that 36 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 2: you have been accomplishing on this earth and the purpose 37 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: for which your son was sent into this world. And so, Father, 38 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 2: we pray that as we look at this portion of 39 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 2: your word or a portion of scripture that gives us 40 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 2: very important details of just the nature of your son, 41 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:10,679 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ, we pray that we would take these things 42 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 2: to heart. We pray that we would grow in our 43 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 2: walk with you. We pray that you would fill us 44 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,679 Speaker 2: with your spirit, and that we would be men and 45 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 2: women who bring glory to your name. We thank you 46 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 2: for all these things in Jesus' name. 47 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: Amen. 48 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:26,679 Speaker 2: So it's been interesting to me over the course of 49 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 2: my adult life to notice how consistently some people seem 50 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 2: to miss or maybe fail to understand, or fail to 51 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 2: appreciate who Jesus really is. And the truth is a 52 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 2: lot of times when I see that happening, I don't 53 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 2: think that it's done maliciously. I don't think that people 54 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 2: are necessarily maliciously not understanding these things. I just think 55 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 2: that sometimes people end up focusing on the wrong things, 56 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 2: or they tend to miss some of the details that 57 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 2: scriptures clearly portrayed to us. Now, during the Christmas season, 58 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 2: in particular, we may hear the name of Jesus mentioned 59 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 2: many times. I certainly hope that we do, But again, 60 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 2: I often wonder if people really understand who they're speaking 61 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 2: about when they hear the Christmas story or when they 62 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 2: tell the Christmas story. And most people when they start 63 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 2: the Christmas story where they retell it, they often start 64 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 2: the story in Bethlehem. And then you look at what 65 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 2: the apostle John does here in John chapter one, and 66 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 2: he doesn't do it that way. He recognizes that those 67 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 2: details are important, but he also recognizes that those details 68 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 2: have been given elsewhere in the other Gospels and being 69 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 2: that this gospel was written last, what he wanted to 70 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 2: do was to portray another angle. And so what he 71 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 2: does here is he doesn't begin with the manger, he 72 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 2: doesn't begin with the star. What he does is he 73 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: forces us to see additional details of the eternal nature 74 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 2: of Jesus Christ. 75 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: So he's not just a child born to marry. 76 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 2: He's the eternal son of God who existed before time, 77 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 2: not just a baby wrapped in cloths, but the creator 78 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 2: who designed everything that you and I have ever seen. 79 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 2: And so one of the things I like about John 80 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 2: chapter one here is that, in the midst of a 81 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 2: season that has certainly a lot of, you know, like 82 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 2: moments that we would say are sentimental and soft and 83 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,799 Speaker 2: enjoyable moments, there's also something here that's not really soft 84 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 2: or sentimental. It's very strong, it's very clear, and it's 85 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 2: very unapologetic. John clearly wants his readers to understand without 86 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 2: a doubt, who Jesus is. That Jesus is God, that 87 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 2: Jesus created everything, that Jesus is life, that Jesus is light, 88 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 2: that darkness cannot overcome him no matter how hard it thrives. 89 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 2: And so if you want to look at a passage 90 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 2: that really cuts through the confusion about Jesus and really 91 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:49,039 Speaker 2: shows us who indeed he is. This is one of 92 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 2: those passages, and so we're going to try to walk 93 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 2: through it today with the same kind of clarity that 94 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,040 Speaker 2: John uses. And again it's not a long portion of scripture, 95 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: but each statement, each of these verses, as we walked through, 96 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 2: you'll notice something powerful that it reveals to us about 97 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ. Now, in verse, the first verse, let me reread. 98 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: It for us. It speaks of Jesus this way. 99 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 2: It says, in the beginning was the Word, and the 100 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 2: Word was with God, and the Word was God. So 101 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 2: he starts off this book and maybe you notice a 102 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 2: pattern right as I started reading this yere, but he 103 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 2: starts off with a phrase here that's loaded with meaning 104 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 2: because he says in the beginning. So that's how he's 105 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 2: starting off this gospel. 106 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: In the beginning. 107 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 2: I believe that John's deliberately attempting to point us right 108 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 2: back to Genesis one one. So you look at how 109 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 2: he starts off this gospel here, it sounds very much 110 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 2: like the first verse of scripture Genesis one one. John 111 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 2: wants us to see that Jesus born in Bethlehem, is 112 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 2: the same God who spoke creation into existence that we 113 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 2: see in Genesis one one, which means Jesus didn't begin 114 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 2: at his birth. That's what most people seem to miss 115 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 2: during this time of year. They think of Jesus as 116 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 2: beginning at his earthly birth. His humanity began there, but 117 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 2: not his existence. 118 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: He is eternal. 119 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 2: Scripture here refers to him as the Word, meaning he's 120 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 2: the full and perfect revelation of God. If you want 121 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 2: to know how God thinks, if you want to know 122 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 2: how God acts, if you want to know how God loves, 123 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:25,600 Speaker 2: if you want to know how God rules, look at Jesus. 124 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,600 Speaker 2: In fact, what did Jesus say to his followers? He said, look, 125 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 2: if you've seen me, you've seen the Father. What he's 126 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 2: doing is he's revealing the heart and the nature of 127 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 2: God to us. And it's kind of interesting because this 128 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 2: is a time of year that tends to be filled 129 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 2: with all sorts of distractions and noise and things like that. 130 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: Everybody's got opinions, everybody's got thoughts, everybody's got a theory, 131 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 2: a message of prediction, things like that. Christmas Seas intends 132 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:52,280 Speaker 2: to have all sorts of layers of noise, and then 133 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 2: you look at this portion of scripture and you realize 134 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 2: God's word is not competing with the noise. God gave 135 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 2: the definite word Jesus. So I look at this here 136 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 2: and I think this is a time of year that 137 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 2: can be fun, and there's a lot of things going on. 138 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: But if your life during. 139 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 2: This season feels particularly disordered, or if it feels unorganized, 140 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 2: or if it feels like there's a lot of things 141 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 2: that are on your mind or on your heart, or 142 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: maybe even a whole variety of things that you're attempting 143 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 2: to juggle, don't take cues from the chaos around you. 144 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 2: Go back to the word, allow your heart to be pointed. 145 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 2: Right back to this portion of scripture that reminds us 146 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 2: that Jesus was present before the world started, and he's 147 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 2: fully capable of bringing order to our lives right now. 148 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 2: But again it says, in the beginning was the word, 149 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 2: the word was with God, and the word was God. Now, 150 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 2: when you look at that statement, you realize that John's 151 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 2: trying to be perfectly clear. He's not trying to leave 152 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 2: any room for confusion, and he leaves he makes two 153 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 2: very direct statements here about Jesus very direct. They're not ambiguous, 154 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 2: they're not mysterious. He makes these statements very directly. First 155 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 2: he says Jesus was with God, distinct person, real relationship, 156 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 2: eternal fellowship. Jesus was with God, the Word was with God. 157 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 2: And then second he also makes it very clear Jesus 158 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 2: is God, not God like, not close to God, not 159 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 2: simply sent by God, but that Jesus himself is God. 160 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 2: Wouldn't you say that that's the piece that most people miss. 161 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: I think that that's the thing that people don't always understand, 162 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 2: you know. I hear his name mentioned so many times. 163 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 2: I don't think people realize who they're actually speaking of. 164 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 2: So that means that when we talk about the Christmas story, 165 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 2: when we celebrate these things with our children, with our families, 166 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 2: with our church family, even the different ways that we 167 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 2: as a church celebrate this in our singing, in our discussions, 168 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 2: in our study of God's Word, and the things that 169 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 2: we teach the children, this means as we tell the 170 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 2: story of the Christmas season here, the story of Christmas, 171 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 2: we're not telling a story about a morally admirable baby. 172 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: That's not what the story's about. 173 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 2: This is the story of God entering into the very 174 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 2: world he created. That's the story we're telling. It's a 175 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 2: way better story. We're talking about God entering the very 176 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: world he created. I like what it says in the 177 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 2: Book of Isaiah. When you look at verse fourteen, it 178 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 2: says this, Therefore, the Lord himself will give. 179 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: You a sign. 180 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 2: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and 181 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 2: shall call his name what Emmanuel. Now, at Christmas time 182 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:38,199 Speaker 2: we see that term. We even sing, oh Come, Oh 183 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:43,680 Speaker 2: Come Emanuel. That term that name literally means we know 184 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 2: what it means, right, God with us, God with us. 185 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,199 Speaker 2: So that's the story that we're telling at this time 186 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:50,559 Speaker 2: of year. 187 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: That was the sign. Right, the sign was ultimately that. 188 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 2: You know, we're told a virgin will conceive and bear 189 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:00,679 Speaker 2: a son and shall call his name Emmanuel with us. 190 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 2: That that's what this would be all about. So when 191 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 2: we picture Jesus this season, we're not picturing him as 192 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,960 Speaker 2: a harmless infant. We're saying, all right, here is the 193 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 2: eternal God in human flesh, coming, deliberately, coming personally, coming 194 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 2: for the world, and specifically we could also say coming 195 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:21,079 Speaker 2: for us. 196 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: So again, think of this portion of scripture. 197 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 2: If you've ever felt ignored, or if you've ever felt overlooked, 198 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 2: or if you've ever felt unnoticed, God literally is showing 199 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 2: us in this portion of scripture that he stepped toward you. 200 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 2: He didn't wait for you and me to get wise, 201 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 2: he didn't wait for you and me to rise to 202 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 2: meet him. He came right into the world that we're 203 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 2: living in and came to meet us. And so John 204 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 2: wants to make that very clear. He makes a statement 205 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 2: ultimately Jesus is God and that this is ultimately a 206 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 2: reality that we need to wrestle with. And then when 207 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 2: you look at verse two, he elaborates further. He says 208 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 2: he was in the beginning with God. And you look 209 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 2: at this and you're like, all right, well, isn't there 210 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 2: some repetition there, because again when you look back at 211 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 2: verse one, it says it says in the beginning was 212 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 2: the Word, and the word was with God, and the 213 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 2: Word was God. And then you come back to verse two, 214 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:22,559 Speaker 2: it says he was in the beginning with God. And 215 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 2: so you look at that and you're saying, all right, well, 216 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 2: is there repetition? Now those of you who have had 217 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 2: the privilege and blessing of raising children or influencing grandchildren. 218 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 2: Can recognize that there are very few times in your 219 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:36,959 Speaker 2: life that you've ever given instruction that you only had 220 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 2: to say. 221 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: It one time? 222 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 2: And wouldn't parenting be just so easy if you only 223 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 2: ever had to say it one time? 224 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: Or grandparenting would it? 225 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 2: Wouldn't it be so easy if you just had to 226 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 2: say it one time and that was it. There's several 227 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 2: of you that are involved in education. How many times 228 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:57,839 Speaker 2: your students hears something one time and then all of 229 00:11:57,880 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 2: a sudden it's internalized. They think, you know, a teacher, 230 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 2: I don't you never have to say this ever again. 231 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 1: I look at some of you. 232 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 2: I know some of you are involved in training people 233 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 2: in your professions. When you're training people, what do you do? Repetition? Repetition, repetition, 234 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 2: And here you have John repeating himself on purpose. People 235 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 2: drift into false beliefs about Jesus all the time. Some 236 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 2: people look at Jesus in our present day culture and 237 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 2: they treat him like he's a symbol. I see a 238 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 2: lot of versions of Christianity that I think are treating 239 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:31,840 Speaker 2: Jesus almost like he's a life coach or a therapist. 240 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: And then you look at what John is doing here, 241 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:35,559 Speaker 1: and he's not. 242 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 2: Allowing that he's reinforcing the truth he was in the 243 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 2: beginning with God, meaning Jesus existed before time. Now he 244 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:48,319 Speaker 2: stepped into time, but he existed before time, before creation, 245 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,680 Speaker 2: before everything that you know and that you and I 246 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:52,560 Speaker 2: have the opportunity to see with our eyes on a 247 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 2: daily basis, And being that Jesus is our eternal God 248 00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 2: who has existed before time was first measured, we can 249 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,439 Speaker 2: all be confident that he continues to operate with wisdom 250 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 2: and intentionality regarding our own lives in the present. So, 251 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:09,559 Speaker 2: in a very personal way, think about what that would 252 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 2: have to mean. That would have to mean that if 253 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 2: the Lord is that intentional, that you, your circumstances, and 254 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,079 Speaker 2: your life are not an accident. 255 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: It's all intentional. 256 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 2: You aren't random, your story isn't some sort of. 257 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:26,440 Speaker 1: A side plot. 258 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 2: Before you existed, Jesus already knew your entire life, meaning 259 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 2: nothing surprises him, nothing confuses him, nothing catches him off guard. 260 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 2: It's also interesting when you go back and read the 261 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 2: Book of Proverbs. The Book of Proverbs obviously gives us 262 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 2: lots of wise counsel lots lots of wisdom. Many people 263 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 2: when they look at Proverbs chapter eight, they look at 264 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 2: it gives us a description of God's wisdom working in creation. 265 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 2: And many people see there a picture of Christ being 266 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 2: illustrated in Proverbs eight. And then when you get to 267 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 2: the New Testament, the New Testament specifically calls Jesus the 268 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 2: wisdom of God. And I look at that, and I 269 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 2: think that connection matters. It reminds us that Jesus works 270 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 2: with purpose, and it reminds us that he works with precision. 271 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 2: And so I look at that sort of thing, and 272 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 2: I like the fact that it's a reminder that when 273 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 2: our path may feel unclear, his plan isn't. 274 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 1: I actually take a great deal. 275 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 2: There's a variety of things about God that bring a 276 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 2: lot of comfort to my heart. But I have to 277 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 2: tell you one of the things, one of the major 278 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 2: things that brings comfort to my heart is the intentionality 279 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 2: of God, the purposeful nature of God, the fact that 280 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 2: everything that he does is there's no accidents with God. 281 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 2: The fact that God looks at my life and looks 282 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 2: at your life and has it thought through and plan through, 283 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 2: and that it's working out to an end. One of 284 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 2: the things that I love about the prophetic portions of 285 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 2: scripture is that they tell us what's going to happen. 286 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 2: And if it's able to tell us what's going to happen, 287 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 2: what the ultimate outcome is the logical reality there is 288 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 2: that That means all the things leading up to it 289 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 2: are thought through as well. If you're able to tell 290 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 2: somebody how it's going to end, it doesn't just resolve 291 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 2: right at the end. That means all the little steps 292 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 2: leading up to it work out. Now I've mentioned to 293 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 2: you so many times. I hope you don't think I'm 294 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 2: being too redundant. That I take a lot of comfort 295 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 2: in this because I like to plan. I like to 296 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 2: think things through. I like when I know things ahead 297 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 2: of time. Sometimes I do like surprises, which is an 298 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 2: odd reality, the fact that I would like anything to 299 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 2: be a surprise, because my wife can tell you, and 300 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 2: my kids can tell you. I like to do things 301 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 2: very methodical. I like to think things out. I like 302 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 2: to plan things out. My son once quoted to me 303 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 2: he said this to me recently. He said, you know, Dad, recently, 304 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 2: I saw you doing something. I don't remember what I 305 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 2: was doing, and I questioned what you were doing and 306 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 2: then I remembered something that you told me when I 307 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 2: was younger, and I was like, Okay, what did I say? 308 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 1: He said, you told me once, son. 309 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 2: I don't do a whole lot of things on accident. 310 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 2: And I now, obviously I have errors and moments of 311 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 2: accent in my life, but as far as like when 312 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 2: you're seeing an intentional act, I said, Son, I don't 313 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 2: do a lot of things on accident. He's like, I 314 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 2: always thought that was interesting to observe that. He's like, 315 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 2: you really don't. It's like, no, what are we trying 316 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 2: to do when we try and behave that way? If 317 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 2: that's your personality too, in effact, what are we trying 318 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 2: to do? We're trying to copy the intentionality of our Lord. 319 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 2: I love how Scripture tells us in First Corinthians, A 320 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 2: god's a god of order. He's a god of order. 321 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 2: And I try and keep my life in an orderly fashion. 322 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 2: You probably do the same, but I also know that 323 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 2: I can't perfectly keep it there, and so things kind 324 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 2: of get away from me at times, or things, you know, 325 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 2: I'll look at things, I'll be like, right, this wasn't 326 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 2: part of my plan. And one of the things that 327 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 2: I have as a planner that can drive you nuts. 328 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 2: And then I look at that and I think, yeah, 329 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 2: maybe it wasn't part of my plan, but if it happened, 330 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 2: then it's certainly part of God's plan. And so when 331 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 2: I look at this sort of stuff, I recognize that 332 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 2: the Lord's sovereignly in control of this entire creation. And 333 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 2: it honestly reduces anxiety in my life when I let 334 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:08,919 Speaker 2: my heart in my mind just sit in that for 335 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 2: a minute. Because if you're a planner, the fault that 336 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 2: comes with that is that you try and control things 337 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 2: you can't control. And that's the mistake I've made so 338 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 2: many times in my life. And I've noticed there are 339 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 2: a couple things in my life that. 340 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 1: Will produce anxiety. 341 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:26,360 Speaker 2: If I try and control things that I can't control, 342 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 2: that'll produce anxiety. 343 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:28,680 Speaker 1: And if I. 344 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,359 Speaker 2: Try and do things alone that I'm supposed to do 345 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 2: in connection with other people or just to simply depend 346 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:37,399 Speaker 2: on the Lord to accomplish it, if I'm trying to 347 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 2: do something alone that isn't my job to do alone. 348 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 2: And when I've noticed that about myself, I thought, you 349 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 2: know what, Lord, I think that you wanted me to 350 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:46,680 Speaker 2: kind of get to the end of myself, so that 351 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 2: I would learn what it means to be more dependent 352 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 2: on you and more confident that when things don't work 353 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 2: out the way that my plan said they were going 354 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:58,880 Speaker 2: to work out, that your plan is always better than 355 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 2: anything that I've ever come up with. And so I 356 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 2: look at this portion of scripture and I see a 357 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 2: lot of intentionality. He was in the beginning with God. 358 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:09,360 Speaker 2: He was in the beginning with God. It's like before 359 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 2: time this was taking place. And then what does he do? 360 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 2: When you look at verse three, you see the intentionality 361 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:21,640 Speaker 2: of our Lord. It says all things were made through him, 362 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 2: and without him was not anything made that was made 363 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 2: all things. So you have John trying to be very 364 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 2: very intentional here, as he says, is he leaves no loopholes. 365 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 2: There are many people that think of Jesus as a 366 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 2: created being. Jesus is not a created being. The scripture 367 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 2: here is making it very clear. This is not the 368 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 2: only scripture that speaks of this, by the way, but 369 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 2: here it's making it very clear. He is the creator. 370 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 2: All things were made through him. And then some I've 371 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 2: even heard some people say, yeah, well except himself. John 372 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 2: seems to anticipate that somebody might say that. It's like, no, 373 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 2: that's not how that works, he says. And without him 374 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 2: was not anything made that was made. So if there's 375 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:06,160 Speaker 2: something that's made, it's made through him. There's no exceptions, 376 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:12,159 Speaker 2: there's no loopholes. Jesus created everything. That's who we're worshiping 377 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 2: at this time of year, and Lord Willing, our whole 378 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:20,359 Speaker 2: lives right. Jesus created everything. He didn't just create some 379 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 2: of creation. He didn't just create most of creation, all 380 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 2: of it. There's nothing that exists that came into being 381 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 2: apart from him. So you look at mountains, you look 382 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 2: at the oceans, you look at the stars, you look 383 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:36,879 Speaker 2: at the details of your own body. Jesus made it all. 384 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 2: Psalm thirty three, verse six says that the heavens were 385 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 2: made by the Lord's word. 386 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: He spoke it into existence. 387 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 2: Kind of interesting when you think about that in light 388 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,199 Speaker 2: of what John says here in John chapter one. He 389 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 2: refers to him as the Word, the one who spoke 390 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 2: creation into existence. And John tells you who that word is, 391 00:19:57,280 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 2: it's Jesus. When you look at the Book of Colossians 392 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 2: after one, verse sixteen. That chapter also confirms these very 393 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 2: statements saying that everything was created through him and for him. 394 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 2: In scripture also tells us that everything that was created 395 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 2: is also being sustained by his word. So what he 396 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 2: spoke into existence, he sustains by his word. So let's 397 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 2: look at that just from a practical sense, for just 398 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 2: a quick moment. I hope that prayer is a pattern 399 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 2: of your life. I hope that in your day to 400 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,400 Speaker 2: day life, you take time to pray, even if it's 401 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:33,800 Speaker 2: just quick, even if it's just brief. I hope that 402 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 2: prayer is something that you just welcome in as a 403 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 2: pattern in your life. So when you pray, don't picture 404 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 2: a fragile newborn when you're praying. Here, picture the creator 405 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 2: who holds galaxies into place by his powerful word, the 406 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:55,880 Speaker 2: one who's spoken in new existence. That changes how you 407 00:20:55,960 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 2: perceive prayer. If he can speak a galaxy into exist 408 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 2: and hold it in its existence by his powerful word, 409 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 2: is it too much for him to intervene in your 410 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 2: circumstances or mine? If he's literally doing that at present, 411 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,440 Speaker 2: holding all matter together. If his word is that powerful 412 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 2: that he can hold all things together, he could speak 413 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 2: galaxies and planets and all these things into existence. If 414 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:24,360 Speaker 2: he can do that, and then I say, Lord, would 415 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:27,919 Speaker 2: you intervene in my life or intervene on behalf of 416 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 2: this particular person. Isn't that a wonderful thing to think about? 417 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 2: Does that not boost your confidence and prayer? I don't 418 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:38,480 Speaker 2: know if you remember this taking place, but I was 419 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 2: thinking about this this week. Remember several years ago a 420 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:45,400 Speaker 2: family in the community that was not part of our church, 421 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 2: but was familiar with me and my wife. They knew 422 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 2: our family, and they knew of our church, but they 423 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 2: had never personally been here. They reached out to me, 424 00:21:55,600 --> 00:22:00,399 Speaker 2: and the family said this. They said, across the street 425 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 2: from the church at the hospital, our son is dealing 426 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 2: with the effects of a pretty severe drug overdose. He 427 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 2: keeps going in this direction. The doctors have told us 428 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 2: that he's probably not going to survive this one. Is 429 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 2: there any chance after your worship service that you might 430 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 2: come over and pray with us? And I remember that 431 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:22,120 Speaker 2: particular Sunday. I made sure that the recordings were off 432 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,119 Speaker 2: and all of that, and I asked the congregation just 433 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 2: to stick around for an extra minute and join me 434 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 2: in prayer. And I told everybody, I said, listen, this 435 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:30,720 Speaker 2: is the scenario. I'm about to step across the street. 436 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 2: I'm going to be praying with this family. And all 437 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 2: I'm asking is ask God for the big thing. If 438 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:39,199 Speaker 2: he who speaks a galaxy into existence, could absolutely do 439 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,280 Speaker 2: a miracle in a person's life. And so I said, 440 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 2: we don't know what God's will is, so we're going 441 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:45,400 Speaker 2: to trust whatever his will is, but let's ask him 442 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:48,119 Speaker 2: for the big thing. Let's ask him to do something 443 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 2: miraculous in this young man's life. And so we prayed 444 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 2: together as a church family. And then immediately after that, 445 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:55,679 Speaker 2: I went across the street over to the hospital and 446 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 2: I sat with the family and I looked at the mother, 447 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 2: and the mother looked at me, and he was at 448 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 2: a spot where emotion emotionally she had just kind of 449 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 2: given up. 450 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:04,880 Speaker 1: She had just given up. 451 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 2: And she said, we've done everything that we can think 452 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 2: to do, and there the son is unconscious on that bed, 453 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 2: just unconscious. There the doctors had essentially given up hope. 454 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 2: She said, we've done everything that we could think to do. 455 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 2: And her comment to me was, I guess I just 456 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,399 Speaker 2: need to start making peace about him passing away. And 457 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:27,720 Speaker 2: I said, I don't know what God's will for your 458 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 2: son happens to be in this particular moment. I don't 459 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 2: know if the Lord's going to allow him to stick 460 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 2: around a little bit longer, or if this is the finale. 461 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 2: I don't know if the doctors are right. I don't 462 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 2: know what happens next. 463 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 1: But I do know this. 464 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:40,159 Speaker 2: I know that we can come to the Lord and 465 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 2: ask him to do things that seem humanly impossible. And 466 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 2: I've absolutely seen Him do things that seem humanly impossible 467 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 2: many times. 468 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:50,160 Speaker 1: And so I'm just letting you know. 469 00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 2: That our entire church family just prayed for you before 470 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 2: I came over here, and we're going to pray together 471 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 2: right now. 472 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: We're not just going to pray like we're going through 473 00:23:57,560 --> 00:23:58,360 Speaker 1: some routine. 474 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 2: We're not going to just pray like this some sort 475 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 2: of formality that we're, you know, asking the Lord to 476 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 2: bless the saltine cracker we're about to eat or something 477 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 2: like that. We're gonna pray and we're gonna ask God 478 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 2: to do something big, and we're just going we're gonna 479 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 2: pray in faith, and we're just gonna pray right now 480 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 2: and see what God does. 481 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:16,119 Speaker 1: And uh. 482 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,880 Speaker 2: And so we prayed, and we prayed in faith, and 483 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,199 Speaker 2: we prayed with tears, and we asked the Lord to 484 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 2: intervene and do something miraculous. 485 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 1: And you know what he did. 486 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 2: Later that day he came out of the coma and 487 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 2: miraculously lived and recovered and got better, and the story 488 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 2: ended well. And I remember looking at that and I thought, 489 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 2: you know what, Lord, I know it's hard for us 490 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 2: at times to think that. It almost feels presumptuous, doesn't it, 491 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 2: to come to the Lord and ask him to do 492 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,239 Speaker 2: such a big thing. And even when you look at 493 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 2: some of the things that we end up praying about, 494 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 2: we look at some of those things, we think, Lord, 495 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 2: I'm in this mess because. 496 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: Of bad decisions I made, right. 497 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,640 Speaker 2: Like this is totally my fault or this is totally 498 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 2: his fault. And we're saying, Lord, can you just bail 499 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 2: us out? Like we made bad child is now, can 500 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 2: you bail us out? And you know what I love 501 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:06,359 Speaker 2: about the Lord that quite frequently he looks at us 502 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 2: and he's like, can't wait, It's gonna be great. We're 503 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 2: gonna have a good story on the other side of this. Also, 504 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 2: how about you trust me next time? How About when 505 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,399 Speaker 2: I say something, maybe you listen to it so that 506 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 2: we don't end up in this pickle. But what did 507 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 2: Jesus come to this earth to do? To rescue lost 508 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 2: sinners that couldn't figure things out. He didn't come to 509 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 2: this earth to just shine up people that were already shiny. 510 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 2: He didn't come to this earth to say, you know what, 511 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:34,399 Speaker 2: you don't really need me here because it looks like 512 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,440 Speaker 2: you're handling things perfectly fine on your own. 513 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: He came to this earth. 514 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:42,640 Speaker 2: To say, it's completely lost, it's completely messed up. There 515 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 2: is absolutely no hope for you if I don't do this. 516 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 2: This is literally the only option you have, and I'm 517 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 2: here to be that option. 518 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 1: There is no plan B. 519 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:56,680 Speaker 2: And so you have the Apostle John, What does he say? 520 00:25:56,720 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 2: This is your creator that you're approaching. This is your creator. 521 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 2: This is the one who does miraculous things like speak 522 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 2: worlds into existence, and he can do miraculous things in 523 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:08,640 Speaker 2: your life and in my life. I have to tell 524 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 2: you there's some miraculous things that I'm praying about right now. 525 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 2: And you know, I'll let you in on a secret. 526 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 2: There's always something miraculous that I'm praying about, and I 527 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 2: know that you guys are as well. There are people 528 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 2: that I'm praying for right now that they would come 529 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 2: to know Jesus. Their hearts seemed far from him. Well, 530 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:26,120 Speaker 2: if he could speak a galaxy into existence, he could 531 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 2: take a heart that's distant and bring it close. And 532 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,640 Speaker 2: you look at this portion of scripture here and again 533 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 2: you have John saying, understand who it is who came 534 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 2: to rescue you, the one that spoke the world into existence. 535 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 2: All things were made through him, and without him was not. 536 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 1: Anything made that was made. 537 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 2: And then John goes a little bit further to show 538 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:52,400 Speaker 2: us what that means. He goes on into verse four 539 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 2: and he says in him was life, and the life 540 00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:00,400 Speaker 2: was the light of men. Now, I recognize that people 541 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 2: are trying to find life outside of Christ. 542 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:04,720 Speaker 1: But what's John saying? No, in him was life. 543 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:08,439 Speaker 2: So Jesus doesn't receive life, He doesn't borrow life. He 544 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 2: carries life within himself. Every breath we take exists because 545 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 2: he allows it. Every heartbeat happens why because he sustains it. 546 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:20,080 Speaker 2: Meaning you and I are going to be here exactly 547 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 2: as long as he wants us to be. And then 548 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,719 Speaker 2: when our last day comes, he's going to take us 549 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 2: to be with him. He's sustaining everything that's taking place 550 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 2: in your life and in my life and all around us. 551 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 2: And he's also the source of eternal life. That's what 552 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:37,359 Speaker 2: John is ultimately getting out here. He's sustaining physical life 553 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 2: for sure, but he's the source of eternal life. Humanity 554 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 2: died spiritually when Sin entered the world in the days 555 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:45,840 Speaker 2: of Adam and Eve been studying the Book of Genesis 556 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:48,400 Speaker 2: with our Wednesday Night group. I've been sharing various things 557 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:50,919 Speaker 2: about the Book of Genesis online. You could see the 558 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,440 Speaker 2: effect of Sin on humanity. Jesus came to this earth 559 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:56,960 Speaker 2: to restore what was lost. When you go back to Genesis, 560 00:27:57,040 --> 00:28:00,719 Speaker 2: chapter two, verse seven. There it describes God breathe life 561 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 2: into Adam, breathing life into him. And what does Jesus 562 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:07,919 Speaker 2: do for us as we trust in him? He breathes 563 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 2: life into us. He makes us alive. It's like what 564 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 2: he was telling Nicodemus. He's saying, look, you gotta be 565 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:16,439 Speaker 2: born again. And Nicodemus is saying, I don't understand what 566 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 2: that means. What do you mean I have to be 567 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 2: born again? And Jesus is basically saying, look, you've been 568 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 2: born physically, and I'm sustaining you physically, but you have 569 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:25,399 Speaker 2: to have a spiritual birth. 570 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 1: You have to be born again. 571 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 2: You have to understand what it means to have this 572 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 2: new life that I'm offering you. 573 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 1: And so John also. 574 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 2: Says that his life is the light of men. That's 575 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 2: the phrase that he uses in verse four here of 576 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 2: John chapter one. Well, what does light do? 577 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 1: I have to tell you? 578 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 2: As we were pulling up to the church this morning, 579 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 2: happen to notice that the sign out front, the light 580 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 2: was on in the sign. And my wife said this 581 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 2: in the car, she said, oh good, knowing that we 582 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:53,040 Speaker 2: have a dinner after church and we got to plug 583 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 2: in a lot of crock pots and stuff like that. 584 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 2: She looked at She's like, well, it's good. Church has power. 585 00:28:58,480 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 2: Glad we have power. In the midst of u snow, 586 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 2: we have power. And where there's power, there's light. Well, 587 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 2: John here is calling Jesus light and he says his 588 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 2: life is the light of men. What does light do? 589 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 2: It does a lot of variety, just a variety of things. 590 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 2: It reveals what's real, It exposes lies, It guides forward, 591 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 2: It removes fear, and it doesn't ask darkness for permission. 592 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 2: When you insert light where there's darkness, it just takes over, 593 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 2: takes over. Now, I imagine there are probably some things 594 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 2: in your life if you are truly, truly, honest and transparent. 595 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 2: And since there's a smaller crowd today because of the snow, 596 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 2: we'll go around and we'll just confess these things to 597 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 2: each other. If that's all right, No, all right. I'll 598 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 2: be sensitive of the timing just the same. But if 599 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 2: there's areas of your life right now that seem foggy, 600 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 2: or areas of your life right now that seem heavy 601 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 2: or seem directionless, pay attention to what this. 602 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:52,640 Speaker 1: Portion of Scripture is revealing to us. Vary directly. 603 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 2: Jesus isn't offering a little flashlight, like a pocket flashlight. 604 00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:58,760 Speaker 1: He's saying that he is the light. 605 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 2: And when he's saying that, what he's inviting us to 606 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 2: do is to walk with him so that we stop 607 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 2: stumbling in spiritual darkness, because if we don't walk with 608 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 2: the light, we're going to stumble in spiritual darkness. Now, 609 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:14,240 Speaker 2: this is a time of year that we celebrate with lights. 610 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 2: They're all over the place. In fact, I happen to 611 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:19,160 Speaker 2: notice in my neighborhood this year, maybe my family noticed 612 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:21,800 Speaker 2: this as well. There's more Christmas lights this year than 613 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:22,960 Speaker 2: any of the previous years. 614 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 1: You notice that too. I noticed that. I was like, Wow, there's. 615 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 2: Way more lights in the neighborhood this year than I've 616 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 2: noticed other years. 617 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 1: And you look at those things. 618 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 2: The whole reason that's done at the Christmas season is 619 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:36,840 Speaker 2: it's supposed to be a reminder that the greater light 620 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 2: is already shining, the light that came into this world 621 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ, the light that we actually need. And when 622 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 2: you look at verse five, what does John say? He 623 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 2: says it this way, the light shines in the darkness, 624 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 2: and the darkness has not overcome it. The light shines 625 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:55,200 Speaker 2: in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 626 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:57,440 Speaker 2: I love how that verse hits us hard in a 627 00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:00,800 Speaker 2: real good way. The light shine in the darkness, and 628 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 2: the darkness has not overcome it. I find that verse 629 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 2: very motivational. There's portions of scripture that I like to 630 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 2: read that get me fired up in a healthy way, 631 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 2: like in a good way, and I find that verse 632 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 2: very motivational. It's a helpful and it's a needed reminder. 633 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 2: The light shines. Look at how it said there the 634 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:25,040 Speaker 2: light shines. It's a present tense statement. The light shines, 635 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 2: Darkness pushes against it, Darkness attacks it, but darkness doesn't win, 636 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 2: and it never will because the light shines. Think back 637 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,240 Speaker 2: to Isaiah chapter nine, verse two. Let me read that 638 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 2: for us. What does it say there? It says the 639 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 2: people who walked in darkness have seen a great what 640 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 2: light those who dwelt in. 641 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: A land of deep darkness? On them? Has light shown? 642 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:57,040 Speaker 2: Now when you look at this, you recognize that that 643 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 2: prophecy was fulfilled. How well, when Jesus entered the world, 644 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:03,800 Speaker 2: he came ultimately to be that light people walking in 645 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:07,760 Speaker 2: deep darkness. Jesus came to be that light. Jesus is 646 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 2: that light. Darkness did not stop him then, even though 647 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:16,240 Speaker 2: it attempted to do so, and it cannot stop him now. Now, 648 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 2: when you and I look around, we see a world 649 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 2: that's broken. We see families that are fractured, we see 650 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 2: hearts that are wounded, we see lies that spread easily. 651 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 1: But don't let that stuff fool you. 652 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:30,840 Speaker 2: And in fact, I don't know if it would be 653 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 2: helpful for your heart to do this. I know it's 654 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:34,720 Speaker 2: helpful for me from time to time to do this. 655 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,320 Speaker 2: Take a break on the news. Take a break on 656 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 2: the news. This is going to sound like strange advice, 657 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 2: but lately I realized I was watching too much news 658 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 2: on YouTube. In particular, I'm like, I'm just watching way 659 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 2: too much news. I need to take a break. So 660 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:53,360 Speaker 2: you know what I watched yesterday? Watched a guy that 661 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:57,959 Speaker 2: rented out a store at a mall and decided to 662 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 2: just live in the store and sell some of his 663 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 2: belongings for a dollar each and see if he could 664 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 2: get a thousand people to show up at his store 665 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:10,080 Speaker 2: and buy his belongings. And he made friends with the 666 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 2: guy that sold popcorn a few booths down, and he 667 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 2: made friends with the lady that sold chicken wings, and 668 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 2: he made friends with the people that sold furniture, and 669 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 2: he filmed the whole thing. And I was like this, 670 00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 2: like turn this into a family. And as I'm watching this, 671 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 2: I'm like, you know what, this is great? I was like, 672 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 2: why don't I watch this? Why don't I watch this? 673 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 2: And so that's what I watched, and I thought to myself, 674 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 2: this is not very educational, but it is very interesting, 675 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:43,720 Speaker 2: and I think it's a little bit of good medicine. 676 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:46,400 Speaker 2: If you're tempted to follow the news a little too closely, 677 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 2: like maybe sometimes I am. So watch a guy just 678 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 2: lock himself into a mall for three straight days and 679 00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:53,320 Speaker 2: watch him make friends with everybody. 680 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: I'll send you the link to the video if you 681 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: want it. It was very wholesome. It was great. 682 00:33:58,360 --> 00:33:59,680 Speaker 2: But I look at this, I think, you know, in 683 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:02,640 Speaker 2: the middle world that's got so much going on, isn't 684 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:06,160 Speaker 2: it nice to have reminders, in particular that Jesus is 685 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:09,760 Speaker 2: the light, meaning you can see beyond what this world 686 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:14,160 Speaker 2: is throwing at you. Jesus entered the world to crush darkness. 687 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 2: He's crushing darkness, darkness around us, but also darkness within us. 688 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:24,360 Speaker 2: He changes your perspective. You can see beyond trials because 689 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 2: Jesus literally crushes darkness. He's not negotiating with darkness. He's 690 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:31,879 Speaker 2: not being polite and friendly with darkness. He's crushing it. 691 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:34,040 Speaker 2: I give you just a couple quick things that I 692 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:36,359 Speaker 2: hope are some takeaways that we take from this as 693 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:39,080 Speaker 2: we just kind of look at John chapter one, What 694 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:40,360 Speaker 2: does this mean for us today? 695 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:42,120 Speaker 1: Let me give you a few things that I think 696 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 1: are helpful. They certainly help me. 697 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,080 Speaker 2: First of all, looking at John chapter one, it reminds 698 00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:51,160 Speaker 2: us Jesus is the eternal word, so don't treat his 699 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:55,120 Speaker 2: voice like an optional voice. Let his word correct where 700 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:57,640 Speaker 2: it needs to correct. Let his word shape where it 701 00:34:57,680 --> 00:34:59,640 Speaker 2: needs to shape. Let his word direct where it needs 702 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:03,640 Speaker 2: to direct. Jesus is the eternal word. Secondly, in just 703 00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:05,920 Speaker 2: these brief five verses, what else did it reveal to us? 704 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:11,240 Speaker 2: It reveals that Jesus is fully God, so don't offer 705 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:16,919 Speaker 2: him half hearted worship, give him everything, don't hold back. 706 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 2: Third John chapter one reveals that Jesus is the creator. 707 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:25,799 Speaker 2: So if he's the creator, then by application of that, 708 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:29,240 Speaker 2: is you trace that back. That means that your life 709 00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:33,360 Speaker 2: isn't random, including the unexpected things that have happened to 710 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:36,560 Speaker 2: you along the way, they're not random. There is purpose 711 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:39,239 Speaker 2: in every detail. And if you wait long enough, you're 712 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:42,800 Speaker 2: going to see what the Lord's doing with those surprise moments, 713 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 2: and you're gonna look back at them and you're gonna say, 714 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:47,280 Speaker 2: thank you Lord for that. Because I had a plan 715 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:49,319 Speaker 2: that was different and that was your plan, and your 716 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:51,799 Speaker 2: plan ended up being better. You're gonna thank him, I 717 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:55,759 Speaker 2: promise you you're gonna thank him. Fourth thing, Jesus is 718 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:59,440 Speaker 2: life and light. So where you feel dead, where you 719 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:05,279 Speaker 2: feel warned out, understand he brings life. Where you feel confused, 720 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:11,480 Speaker 2: he brings light or clarity. And also understand this Jesus 721 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:16,400 Speaker 2: is victorious. Darkness has its limits. It can only push 722 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 2: so far. Jesus defeats it. Jesus doesn't have those limits. 723 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 2: You know, this is a time of year that I 724 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:26,920 Speaker 2: think it has a clever way of exposing things. 725 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:28,560 Speaker 1: That maybe we would prefer to keep hidden. 726 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,040 Speaker 2: I think sometimes this, as festive as this time of 727 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:35,440 Speaker 2: year is, it reveals some things that sometimes tend to 728 00:36:35,520 --> 00:36:36,280 Speaker 2: be ignored. 729 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:36,600 Speaker 1: You know. 730 00:36:36,719 --> 00:36:39,520 Speaker 2: It could like it might be pain or sorrow or 731 00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:42,000 Speaker 2: a sense of loss. It could be tension that's been buried, 732 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:45,319 Speaker 2: maybe some disappointment that you didn't process, or doubt in 733 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:47,640 Speaker 2: your mind that you don't really want to admit. And 734 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:49,719 Speaker 2: I see people from time to time try and hide 735 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:51,520 Speaker 2: those things. And if I'm honest with you, sometimes I 736 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:51,879 Speaker 2: think I. 737 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:53,040 Speaker 1: Tried to hide those things. 738 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 2: But I've learned and I'm learning that that's not typically 739 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:00,880 Speaker 2: effective over the long term. So like when that stuff 740 00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:03,560 Speaker 2: gets exposed in you, when the Lord reveals it to you, 741 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:05,520 Speaker 2: thank him for it, because it's not effective to try 742 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 2: and hide that stuff over the long term. And then 743 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:09,759 Speaker 2: when you look at what Jesus came to this earth 744 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:12,280 Speaker 2: to do. He didn't come to this earth to ask 745 00:37:12,360 --> 00:37:15,480 Speaker 2: us to hide what's on our heart. He didn't come 746 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:18,600 Speaker 2: to this earth to try and invite us to hide 747 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:20,880 Speaker 2: the burdens that we've been attempting to carry in our 748 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:25,319 Speaker 2: own strength. He already knows these things. He came to 749 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:28,719 Speaker 2: this earth to do something about this. He invites us 750 00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:31,719 Speaker 2: to bring them to him. He is the Word who 751 00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:36,359 Speaker 2: has existed forever. So we bring our burdens. We bring 752 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:40,080 Speaker 2: these concerns to our God, who became flesh. We bring 753 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:43,960 Speaker 2: these things to the Creator who never loses control. We 754 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 2: bring these things to the light that the darkness cannot overcome. 755 00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:48,919 Speaker 1: Again. 756 00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:50,960 Speaker 2: I love looking at John Chapter one, and we'll look 757 00:37:50,960 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 2: at it a little bit more in the coming weeks. 758 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:56,400 Speaker 2: But John Chapter one, in the first five verses, it 759 00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:59,160 Speaker 2: invites more than just soft and subtle reflection. If you 760 00:37:59,239 --> 00:38:01,399 Speaker 2: really think about what John was trying to drive home 761 00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:04,320 Speaker 2: with this forceful statement right at the beginning of his book, 762 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:07,240 Speaker 2: it's actually a call to conviction. He's trying to convict 763 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:09,960 Speaker 2: us to understand who we're talking about when we're speaking 764 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:14,319 Speaker 2: of Jesus. Jesus is God, Jesus is life, Jesus is light. 765 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:19,120 Speaker 2: Jesus is victorious over evil, and he delights to share 766 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:23,680 Speaker 2: that victory with anyone and everyone who's willing to trust 767 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 2: in him. And I'm not just talking about trusting him 768 00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:28,880 Speaker 2: for the very first time. I'm talking about also the 769 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:32,360 Speaker 2: kind of trust that exists when you live your life 770 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:36,239 Speaker 2: walking with him. He will stretch your faith, but he's 771 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:38,279 Speaker 2: going to deepen your faith, and he's going to prove 772 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:40,240 Speaker 2: to you in the midst of those seasons that stretch 773 00:38:40,280 --> 00:38:44,400 Speaker 2: you that he's absolutely reliable and that he's an anchor 774 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:48,520 Speaker 2: that you can count on. He's holding every single thing 775 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:52,600 Speaker 2: together by the powerful word that he expresses, because he 776 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 2: is the word. Let's pray, Lord, thank you so much 777 00:38:57,120 --> 00:38:59,400 Speaker 2: for the fact that you allow us to look at 778 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:01,480 Speaker 2: these things and think about. 779 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:02,799 Speaker 1: The things that you reveal in your word. 780 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:06,600 Speaker 2: We know Lord, that in and of ourselves we wrestle 781 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:07,560 Speaker 2: with all sorts of things. 782 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:08,440 Speaker 1: There are things that. 783 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:12,640 Speaker 2: Burden our minds, things that burden our hearts, things that 784 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:15,360 Speaker 2: weigh us down, things that really do need to be 785 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:18,160 Speaker 2: brought to the surface. And so Fathers, as these things 786 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:19,680 Speaker 2: sometimes come to the surface in our mind. 787 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:21,200 Speaker 1: Help us to know what to do with them. 788 00:39:21,719 --> 00:39:23,480 Speaker 2: Help us to look at a portion of scripture like 789 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:26,640 Speaker 2: this that reminds us that your son, Jesus Christ is 790 00:39:26,719 --> 00:39:32,440 Speaker 2: one with you, the eternal son of God Father. We're 791 00:39:32,480 --> 00:39:36,359 Speaker 2: so grateful for this revelation. We're grateful that as we 792 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:38,600 Speaker 2: look at what John happened to say, here is your 793 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:43,080 Speaker 2: spirit inspired him to pen these words, that we're shown 794 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:46,839 Speaker 2: the backstory that oftentimes gets missed as we look at 795 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:51,440 Speaker 2: what was humanly visible. Obviously, Father, were grateful for what 796 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:54,640 Speaker 2: your son accomplished when he took on flesh, as he 797 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:57,000 Speaker 2: was born among us, as he lived the perfect life 798 00:39:57,040 --> 00:39:58,920 Speaker 2: we couldn't lives. 799 00:39:58,960 --> 00:39:59,960 Speaker 1: He atoned for our sin. 800 00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:03,520 Speaker 2: He rose from the grave, he ascended to heaven and 801 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:06,120 Speaker 2: promised that he's going to come back in bodily form 802 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,280 Speaker 2: at a future date, and it could be today. 803 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:11,040 Speaker 1: Lord. 804 00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:14,040 Speaker 2: We're grateful for all of that, but it's so helpful 805 00:40:14,120 --> 00:40:16,960 Speaker 2: for us to be able to look at the details 806 00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:20,320 Speaker 2: of what was going on before that even took place. 807 00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:23,440 Speaker 2: I think in a genuine way, it truly helps us 808 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:28,239 Speaker 2: appreciate what we're thinking about talking about celebrating, even as 809 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:31,680 Speaker 2: we think about the incarnation of your son. So thank 810 00:40:31,680 --> 00:40:33,799 Speaker 2: you Lord for these reminders. We pray that they would 811 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:36,600 Speaker 2: be fresh on our mind throughout this Christmas season and 812 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:39,360 Speaker 2: ultimately throughout the course of our lives. And thank you 813 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:42,440 Speaker 2: Father for the victory that your son Jesus Christ secured 814 00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:45,560 Speaker 2: over sin, satan, and death, a victory that shared with 815 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:49,040 Speaker 2: all who trust in him. So we commit ourselves to you, Lord, 816 00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:51,240 Speaker 2: and we pray that our trust and your son Jesus 817 00:40:51,360 --> 00:40:55,120 Speaker 2: Christ would be strong and growing and continue to build. 818 00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:57,480 Speaker 2: We pray this all in Jesus' name. 819 00:40:58,719 --> 00:40:59,040 Speaker 1: Amen.