1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: Let us pray. Let all your things be done with 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 1: charity for Corinthians sixteen fourteen. My God and my Father, 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: thank you for your unconditional love. Allow everything that I 4 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: do to be done out of love. It's easy for 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: me to get lost in my daily tasks and forget 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,600 Speaker 1: my purpose. Please help me to be kind and encouraging 7 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: as I start my day. Remind me to be loving 8 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: and attentive to the important people in my life. And 9 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: may I always see your hand at work in my 10 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 1: future and trust you with a great plan that you 11 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,279 Speaker 1: have for my life. May your light always shine brightly 12 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 1: upon me. Amen. Thank you for listening to to day's 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 1: daily prayer for more inspiration and an incredible message from 14 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: our feature pastor stay tuned to Pray dot COV's Sunday service. 15 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 2: Revival It's a term uttered often, whether in the recounting 16 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 2: of a powerful historical event or in the whispering of 17 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 2: a solemn prayer for the future. But as often as 18 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 2: we speak of revival, do we really understand what it is. 19 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,759 Speaker 2: Revival is not simply divine intervention. It's a divine response, 20 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: God's response to our obedience to his word. That's what 21 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 2: Jim Graff's new book, Character Counts, experiencing a cultural comeback 22 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 2: is all about. In it, we discover how Godliness protects 23 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 2: us and allows us to experience fulfilled purpose. If we'll 24 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,040 Speaker 2: engage in this war for our future, revival is not 25 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 2: just likely, it's promised. 26 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 3: Today. 27 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 2: For your gift of any amount, we'll send you a 28 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 2: copy of Character Accounts. We believe that as you apply 29 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 2: the principles found in its pages, you'll be on your 30 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 2: way to experiencing personal revival that leads to a broader 31 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 2: cultural comeback. So give today at a significant life dot 32 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: com and together let's experience our long awaited revival as 33 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 2: we build Character that Counts. 34 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 3: Thank you for being with us. 35 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 4: You know, Tara is such a joy to help people 36 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 4: experience God the same way that we've experienced God and enjoyed. 37 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 3: How good He's been to us. 38 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 4: And today's message is going to talk about the fact 39 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 4: God has determined outcomes for victory planned for our lives. 40 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 4: He has certain blessings prepared that we can step into 41 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 4: if we learn to trust. 42 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 5: Them right and today we're so blessed by the riches 43 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 5: of God's word and we're going to help today. We're 44 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 5: going to help see how important it is that we 45 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 5: do more than celebrate big events. In the Bible, God 46 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 5: calls us to celebrate the great privilege of having Him 47 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 5: at work in our lives. And you know that's clear 48 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 5: in the Bible. And we'll see that's the case in 49 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 5: our life too. We've seen it, you know, in our 50 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 5: thirty five years of pastoring. People come, for instance, to 51 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 5: an Easter service and they get excited when we talk 52 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 5: about Jesus' victory over death and the grave, and we 53 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 5: should because that's good. But we'll see today that the 54 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 5: disciple Martin made it a point to describe how determined 55 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 5: Jesus was for us to experience the victory God planned 56 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 5: for us as well. And our world doesn't change until. 57 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 6: We do that. 58 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 4: That's really for sure. That Jesus doesn't just want us 59 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 4: to celebrate his victory. He wants us to celebrate the 60 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 4: victories that He longs to bring into our lives. And 61 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 4: I remember, as a young Christian walking out of an 62 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 4: Easter service, and I was so grateful for the empty tomb. 63 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 4: But until I learned to deal with the emptiness of 64 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 4: my own heart, until I let God learn, God do 65 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 4: something about that, you know, I always lived with the 66 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 4: longing that I didn't know how to have fulfilled. And 67 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 4: I'm so glad today that I've learned what it means 68 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 4: to have God's power at work in my life. It's 69 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 4: really the greatest joy of my life, and the second 70 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 4: greatest joy is really helping others to do the same. 71 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 3: So enjoy the message today. 72 00:03:47,320 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 6: We're so glad you're with us. 73 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 4: I really enjoy looking at beautiful pieces of art. My 74 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 4: missionary travels have given me the opportunity to see artwork 75 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 4: is not just beautiful, but it's legendary. A lot of 76 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 4: us have seen the print, for instance, of Leonardo da 77 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 4: Vinci's Last Supper, and this is the painting of it. 78 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 4: It's on a Dominican monastery in Italy. And when I 79 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 4: first looked at that painting, I thought, man, it is 80 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 4: so beautiful. And then I learned two facts that really 81 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 4: surprised me. Number One, that you know, it took him 82 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 4: three years to paint that picture, and of course some 83 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 4: of it's because it's so big. It's fifteen feet tall 84 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,280 Speaker 4: by thirty feet wide, and so that would take you, 85 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 4: you know, a good amount of time. But the second 86 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 4: thing I learned is that He literally got a person 87 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,919 Speaker 4: to pose for every single one of the people that 88 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,159 Speaker 4: he painted as a disciple. So he had to look 89 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,039 Speaker 4: for people. He had, you know, to check a lot 90 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 4: of people out. He had to recruit them, and then 91 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 4: they posed, and literally he painted each one of their faces. 92 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 3: So you could you imagine if you grew up in 93 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 3: that town, You said. 94 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 4: Man, I can't believe he made Uncle Luigi into John 95 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 4: And how did Uncle Dominic become Judas? I mean, I 96 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 4: can't believe he's going to be in that wall forever. 97 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 4: But listen, folks, it takes time sometimes for masterpieces to 98 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 4: be created. And here's another interesting fact about that painting, 99 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 4: and that is it said that the first person that 100 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 4: he painted was Jesus, and he looked for somebody who 101 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 4: was so kind, so pure, who looked like sin had 102 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 4: never hardly affected their life, and he painted the face 103 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 4: of Jesus. Then the last person that he painted was Judas. 104 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 4: And for Judas, he went into a prison and he 105 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 4: looked for somebody whose face was so hardened that this 106 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 4: person looked like they could betray their very best friend. 107 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 4: And it said that whenever he got done painting Judas, 108 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 4: and they were taking him back to prison that Judas 109 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 4: said to da Vinci, Hey don't you recognize me? And 110 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,039 Speaker 4: da Vinci said, no, I don't recognize you. Why he said, well, 111 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 4: three years ago you painted me as Jesus, and now 112 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 4: today you're painting me as Judas. 113 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 3: And I don't know about that. But can I tell 114 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 3: you what I do? 115 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 6: No. 116 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:24,280 Speaker 3: I can tell you that I know that. 117 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 4: I've seen sin ruin a lot of great plans that 118 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 4: God had for people's lives. And I've seen sin ruin 119 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 4: the best version of people that God wanted to bring 120 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 4: out of them. But the good news is I've also 121 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 4: seen that there's a power that can restore, there's a 122 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 4: power that can redeem, there's a power that can make beautiful, 123 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 4: and it's the power of Jesus Christ. Paul spoke about 124 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 4: this in Ephesians chapter two, verse ten, when he said 125 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 4: we are God's masterpiece, and he said He's created us 126 00:06:57,320 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 4: anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good 127 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 4: things that God planned for us long ago. You know, 128 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 4: I can still remember the first time I heard that 129 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 4: scripture read, the first time I heard that scripture taught on. 130 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 4: I was in a Sunday night Vesper's service in the 131 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 4: college that I attended, and I remember walking back to 132 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 4: the athletic dorm at the university where I stayed, and 133 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,679 Speaker 4: I thought, you know what, Lord, if you see beauty 134 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 4: that you want to bring out of my life that 135 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 4: I can't see and I could never bring out of 136 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 4: my life, I want to do whatever's necessary, Lord, so 137 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 4: that you can do what you're trainment about doing with 138 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 4: my life. And I can tell you forty five years 139 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 4: later that you know, I'm not everything I wish I 140 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 4: was as a person, but I do have the joy 141 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 4: of seeing beauty that God brought out in my life 142 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 4: that I couldn't see. I could have never developed without 143 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 4: a relationship with Jesus Christ. 144 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 3: And that's what Mark's Gospel is going to talk to 145 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 3: us about today. 146 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 4: It's interesting when you read Mark's Gospel that really it's 147 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 4: in three sections when he talks about the resurrection, and 148 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 4: in the first eight verses he talks about the event, 149 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 4: he talks about Jesus when in the victory over death, 150 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 4: Hell and the Grave. But then in the next part, 151 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 4: in the next six verses, he talks about how even 152 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 4: though Jesus won the victory his followers, we are still 153 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 4: dealing with the same things they dealt with in their life. 154 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 4: And we see the determination of Jesus, the tenacity of Jesus, 155 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 4: the compassion of Jesus, and we see that Jesus wasn't 156 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 4: content for people he loved, not to live in victory. 157 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 4: And I love how God inspired the Four Gospels because 158 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,319 Speaker 4: in the Four Gospels we get such a different view 159 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 4: of the beauty and majesty of Jesus based on the 160 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:47,079 Speaker 4: personalities of the author. For instance, whenever Matthew wrote his Gospel, 161 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 4: you know, Matthew's kind of in the face of. 162 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:51,080 Speaker 3: The religious crowd. 163 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 4: He starts it out with the genealogy and he says, 164 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 4: you know what, you can think whatever you want to 165 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 4: think about Jesus, but he fulfilled three hundred pre per 166 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 4: day events in his life, and he's the messiah God 167 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 4: promised us long ago, and we need to deal with 168 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 4: that fact. And then he's the only one that talks 169 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:15,679 Speaker 4: about how there was this great earthquake whenever Jesus breathed 170 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 4: his last breath, and whenever that earthquake happened, this curtain 171 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 4: that symbolized that man needs forgiving of sin to experience God. Right, 172 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 4: that curtain was torn from top to bottom whenever Jesus died, 173 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 4: And it says, if Matthew is saying to us, man, 174 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:35,679 Speaker 4: this has to shake us up. Man, you're not saved 175 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 4: just because you know about God. But how many of 176 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 4: you know when you know Jesus, he's going to save 177 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 4: your life because he has so much life on the 178 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:43,199 Speaker 4: inside of him. 179 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 3: Right. 180 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 4: And then we come to Luke's Gospel. And I love 181 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 4: Luke's gospel because it's so detailed. It documents the story 182 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 4: of Jesus and he says to us, now, I'm going 183 00:09:55,960 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 4: to give you infallible proof about Jesus you could never deny. 184 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 4: But he also goes into such great details. So when 185 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 4: I read Luke's gospel, I'm just astonished at how merciful 186 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:11,839 Speaker 4: Jesus was. That he was sympathetic to people, whether they 187 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:15,239 Speaker 4: were the worst person who made all kinds of poor choices, 188 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:17,439 Speaker 4: or whether they were a person who had a lot 189 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 4: of things done to them and they really needed help. 190 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 3: He was so wise. 191 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 4: When I read the Gospel of Luke, I think, you know, 192 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 4: whatever I'm still working on, Jesus has enough wisdom. If 193 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 4: I honor it, He's going to work things out. Whenever 194 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 4: I read about how Jesus prayed so much and had 195 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 4: such an incredible supernatural anointing on his life. When I 196 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 4: read Luke's gospel, I want to be a person of prayer. 197 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 4: And then we come to John's gospel, and it's easy 198 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 4: for me to see that John was the little brother 199 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 4: of James, and also he was the youngest of the 200 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 4: disciples because the brother needed help. There's just no other 201 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 4: way to say this. When he says of himself, I'm 202 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 4: the disciple Jesus loved. You know, somebody should smack somebody 203 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 4: for saying that, right, because he loves all of us. 204 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 4: And then it gets even worse when he describes the 205 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 4: resurrection account and how the women told he and Peter 206 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 4: that Jesus' body wasn't in the grave. He said, Peter, 207 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 4: and I took off running for the tomb, and I 208 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 4: want you to know I outran Peter. Now, how many 209 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 4: of you know when that guy got to heaven. I 210 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 4: bet he got a noggie whenever he got to heaven. 211 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 4: If you don't know what a nuggie is, it's when 212 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 4: your older brother takes his knuckles and he applies pressure 213 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 4: on your head because he's saying there's something stupid in there, 214 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 4: and somebody has to do something about it. But then 215 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:39,719 Speaker 4: we come to Mark's Gospel, which we're going to talk 216 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,199 Speaker 4: about today. And here's what scholars have written about Mark's 217 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:47,439 Speaker 4: gospel that the three most obvious characteristics of Mark's gospel 218 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 4: are compactness, and vividness, and orderliness. In other words, in 219 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 4: the Gospel of Mark, we have the shortest of the 220 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 4: four gospels. 221 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 3: We also have very. 222 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 4: Vivid description of the things that happen, and you can 223 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 4: feel the emotion of Mark, not just the facts of 224 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 4: what happened, but what Mark was feeling is all these 225 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 4: events were happening wherever Jesus went. And then it's orderly. 226 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 4: It caused us to something very important. And I'm only 227 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 4: going to be able to preach on two out of 228 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 4: three things this morning, because I don't want your brisket 229 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,679 Speaker 4: to burn, Okay, But basically Mark talked about three and 230 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 4: he said, first of all, he said, the church needs 231 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 4: to celebrate the victory that Jesus gave us in a 232 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 4: big way, and I'm going to talk about that event 233 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 4: number two, he said, you need to celebrate victory in 234 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 4: your life. You need to celebrate the beauty that God 235 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 4: wants to bring forth in your life, and he shows 236 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 4: us the reason why it's kept from us, even though 237 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:48,559 Speaker 4: God wants it for us so bad. And then he says, 238 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 4: it's the people who experience Jesus who now have the 239 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 4: power to express Jesus to a world that needs him 240 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:59,079 Speaker 4: so bad. But when we read this today, I reference 241 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 4: that because I want you to feel the kind of 242 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 4: feeling that Jesus has in his heart for the things 243 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 4: that have happened to you. I want you to feel 244 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 4: the kind of feeling he has in his heart for 245 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 4: what he wants to do in your life, because that's 246 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 4: really what the Gospel of Mark is all about. And 247 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 4: here are the questions that Mark wants us to ask ourselves. 248 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:23,319 Speaker 4: Number One, am I only celebrating jesus victory over sin 249 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 4: death in hell today? Because how many of you know? 250 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 4: If that's all you celebrate? Men, that's awesome, because how 251 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 4: many of you are glad to swarn there's some people 252 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 4: you love and they're not alive anymore, But you know 253 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 4: they're not in your path there in your future because 254 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 4: Jesus said, because I live, you're going to live too, 255 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,719 Speaker 4: and you're going to spend an eternity with me. Amen, Jesus' 256 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 4: victory over death and the grave and hell should be 257 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 4: celebrated great in the church. 258 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 3: But here's the second question we're. 259 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,959 Speaker 4: Going to focus on, and that is, am I celebrating 260 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 4: my victory over those things that I have because of 261 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 4: the lordship of Jesus Christ in my life? Because let's 262 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 4: face it, most Easter productions don't do a good job 263 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 4: of this. Most Easter productions. Basically, Jesus pops out of 264 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 4: the tomb and we all start clapping for Jesus because 265 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:14,119 Speaker 4: he overcame death. 266 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 3: Hell and the grave. 267 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 4: And if you're a modern day evangelical, everybody starts singing, 268 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 4: He's alive. He's alive, He's alive and unforgiven. Heaven's gates 269 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 4: are open wide. If you're a traditional evangelical, you may 270 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 4: have sung because he lives, I can face tomorrow because 271 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 4: he lives, all fear is gone. Or if you were 272 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 4: Catholic like me, we sang Christ, our Lord has risen today. 273 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 4: Lou Yeah, right, and we celebrated this great victory that 274 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 4: Jesus accomplished. But Mark writes about that victory, but he 275 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 4: writes about more. 276 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 3: So let's go through the story. First of all. 277 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 4: In verse one, it says when the Sabbath was over, 278 00:14:55,520 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 4: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salomi brought 279 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 4: so that they may go to anoint Jesus's body. So 280 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 4: the first thing we learned is that the original spice 281 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 4: girls came from the Bible, right, And it says very 282 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 4: early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, 283 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 4: they were on their way to the tomb. 284 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 3: And they ask each other, who will roll. 285 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 4: The stone away from the entrance of the tomb. Now, 286 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 4: this stone weighed four thousand pounds, y'all, So two women 287 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 4: in his spirit, as I'm sure these two women were, 288 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 4: we're not going to move the tomb from the front 289 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 4: of Jesus's grave. And the Bible says when they looked 290 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 4: up and they saw the stone had been rolled away, 291 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 4: they entered the tomb and they saw a young man 292 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 4: dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side. 293 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 4: And they were alarmed, and the angel said, don't be alarmed. 294 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 4: You're looking for Jesus the Nazarene. He's been crucified, but 295 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 4: he's risen. He's not here. Look at the place where 296 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 4: they laid him. Now that's the first victory that we 297 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 4: celebrate on Easter. But then John goes into the second 298 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 4: victory that we celebrate and he teaches us three things. 299 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 4: Number one, he teaches us that if we're going to 300 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 4: have victory in our life, powders need to turn into 301 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:12,120 Speaker 4: people who start celebrating what God promised to do in 302 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 4: our life. The next verse says that Jesus rose early 303 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 4: on that first day, Resurrection Day, and he appeared first 304 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 4: to Mary Magdalen, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 305 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 4: I don't know what those demons were. Maybe they were anxiety, 306 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 4: maybe they were bitterness, maybe they were depression. Maybe she'd 307 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 4: been abused as a little girl and she had a 308 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 4: lot of issues that she was dealing. 309 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 3: With in her heart. 310 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 4: But I know that Mark is making it clear to 311 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 4: us that Mary had these issues. She wasn't getting passed 312 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 4: in spite of the fact that God was a God 313 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 4: who clearly demonstrated himself as a God who fulfilled promises. 314 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 4: And Mark goes on to say in the next verse, 315 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 4: he said that after Mary had Jesus appeared to her, 316 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 4: that she went back to the other people, and the 317 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,400 Speaker 4: Bible says they were all weeping as well, and they 318 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 4: didn't believe what happened. And it just tells us that 319 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 4: even though we are celebrating the first victory, which is Jesus' 320 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 4: death on the cross, it's so easy for us at 321 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 4: times to say, what's going on in my heart is 322 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,479 Speaker 4: bigger than what happened on the cross. What's going on 323 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 4: in my heart is still bigger than what happened in 324 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:26,159 Speaker 4: the tomb that day, and Jesus will say. 325 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 3: No, it's not bigger. 326 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 4: I need you to get over the pouting so I 327 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 4: can bring forth what I promised you that I would 328 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:33,359 Speaker 4: do in your life. 329 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 3: Amen. 330 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 4: John's account gives us the most detailed description. He says 331 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 4: in verse eleven and John twenty that Mary stood outside 332 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 4: the tomb crying, and as she wept, she bent over 333 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 4: to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels 334 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,200 Speaker 4: in white seated where Jesus's body had been, one at 335 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 4: the head and the other at the foot. And the 336 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 4: angels ask her, woman, why are you crying? And listen 337 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 4: to what she said. She said, they've taken my lord away, 338 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,200 Speaker 4: and I don't know where they put him. And at 339 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 4: this she turned and she saw Jesus standing there, but 340 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 4: she didn't realize it was Jesus. Now I want you 341 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 4: to mark that phrase because we're going to hear it 342 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,719 Speaker 4: again later in this message that Jesus, for some reason 343 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 4: chose to appear in a form that they didn't totally 344 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 4: recognize whenever he came to them. And then notice, whenever 345 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 4: she looked around, the Bible says she saw Jesus, and 346 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 4: notice Jesus asked her the very same question that the 347 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 4: angel asked her. Jesus said, woman, why are you crying? 348 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 4: What are you looking for? You know what Jesus was saying. 349 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 4: He was saying, listen, what are you looking for in 350 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 4: the resurrection? Because if you're pouting, there's something I want 351 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 4: you to see that's going to change everything about your life. 352 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 4: And that is I want you to see that there's 353 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:51,360 Speaker 4: a God who loves you. There's a God who has 354 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 4: power over the power of sin. There's a God who 355 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 4: fulfills everything that he promised. Had said so well in 356 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 4: Romans chapter eight, Paul said, what can separate me from 357 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 4: the love of God? Trouble that I don't know how 358 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 4: to take on hardship I've been through. 359 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 3: I don't know how to handle. 360 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 4: Listen, I've learned a great reality and that is I 361 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 4: can be more than a conqueror through Christ who loved me. 362 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 4: Can say, man, Jesus rose from the dead, and he 363 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 4: can help me rise up above it. But you notice 364 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:24,400 Speaker 4: that first God wanted to help the powders say there's 365 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 4: something about the resurrection I need to embrace that's going 366 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 4: to cause God to fulfill his promises in my life. 367 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 4: And then there was a second group of people that 368 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 4: Jesus appeared to. It's in verse twelve, and it says 369 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 4: after appearing to Mary Magdalen, Jesus appeared in a different 370 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 4: form to two of them while they were walking in 371 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 4: the country. And this is talking about a man named Cleopus, 372 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 4: who is also called Alpheus and also called Clopus at times. 373 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 3: In the Bible. 374 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:56,880 Speaker 4: And he was a very dedicated, very mature disciple of Jesus, 375 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,680 Speaker 4: but he'd gotten highly discouraged. You want to know how 376 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 4: powerful he was as a person. One of his children 377 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 4: was one of the twelve, His son James, not James 378 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 4: the brother of John the Apostle, but the one called 379 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 4: James the lesson Scripture was the son of Cleopus. Also, 380 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 4: his wife Mary was so dedicated and devoted to Jesus 381 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 4: that when he was hanging on the cross and being crucified. 382 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 4: She boldly stood there and she poured out her love 383 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 4: on Jesus because. 384 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 3: They knew who he was. 385 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 4: But sometimes even dedicated mature Christians get discouraged. And I 386 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 4: want you to notice what Jesus did. It said best 387 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 4: in Luke's Gospel, which is. 388 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 3: Very very descriptive. 389 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 4: It says, now that same day, two of them were 390 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 4: going to a village called Amaeus. It was seven miles 391 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:49,680 Speaker 4: northwest of Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other 392 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 4: about everything that happened. And as they talked and discussed 393 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 4: these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and 394 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,239 Speaker 4: walked along with them. But again they were kept from 395 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 4: recognized him. Now why were they kept from recognizing him? 396 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 4: I believe it's because, listen, you can always find God, 397 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 4: but you're going to have to seek him. He's not 398 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 4: going to force himself on you. He's a gentleman. Sometimes 399 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 4: people say, well, pastor, God just doesn't speaking to me. 400 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:16,679 Speaker 4: And you know what I do, just because I'm a 401 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 4: bit ornery as a pastor. I take my Bible when 402 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 4: I do this, and I say, He's speaking to you 403 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,359 Speaker 4: right now, these words right here they will heal you 404 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 4: and they'll deliver you from all of your destruction. Can 405 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 4: somebody give me a good amen? And here's the reality. 406 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 4: If you will read God, you'll have no trouble hearing 407 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 4: God in your life. 408 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:35,640 Speaker 3: But let me tell you, the devil is deceptive. 409 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,919 Speaker 4: And you've got to watch whenever the talking and the 410 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 4: pillow talk starts happening, because he's very good at knowing 411 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:46,159 Speaker 4: your emotion and he's very good and knowing how to 412 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 4: get you off track in life. And so Jesus came 413 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 4: in to these discouraged disciples who needed a course correction, 414 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 4: and verse seventeen says that Jesus asks them, what are 415 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 4: you discussing together as you walk along? And they stood 416 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 4: still with their faces downcasts. 417 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 3: Can I tell you. 418 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 4: Something I wish I learned earlier than I did, And 419 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 4: that is there's only one emotion that I should allow 420 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 4: in my heart, and it's the emotion of joy, because 421 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 4: any other emotion tells me the devil's playing with my heart. 422 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 4: He's trying to tell me I can't get past this difficulty. 423 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 4: He's trying to tell me what he's doing is bigger 424 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 4: than what God's doing in my life. But when I 425 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:28,959 Speaker 4: get into joy, I realize there's a god who not 426 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 4: only fulfilled his promise in that empty tomb years ago. 427 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:34,360 Speaker 4: How many of you are glad we have a god 428 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 4: who won't let us have an empty life, will let 429 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 4: us have an abundant life because of who Jesus is. Amen, 430 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 4: And Jesus says, why are you downcast? And they say, well, 431 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 4: didn't you hear about Jesus of Nazareuth. He was a 432 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 4: prophet powerful in word indeed, and the chief priests and 433 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 4: our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, 434 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:55,679 Speaker 4: and they crucified him. But we hope that he was 435 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 4: the one who was going to redeem Israel. 436 00:22:58,240 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 3: And what's morris? 437 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 4: The third day, since all this took place, and some 438 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:03,880 Speaker 4: of the women amazed us. They were at the tomb 439 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:07,400 Speaker 4: early this morning, but they didn't find his body. They 440 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 4: came and told us that they had seen a vision 441 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,679 Speaker 4: of angels who said he was alive. Then some of 442 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 4: our companions went to the tomb and they found it 443 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 4: was just as the women had said, but they didn't 444 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:23,199 Speaker 4: see Jesus. Now do you see how crazy discouragement is? Basically, 445 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 4: they said Jesus did everything he promised us he would do. 446 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 4: We're sitting here discouraged, and they went to the tomb 447 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 4: and the angels told us he's alive. The women said, 448 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 4: he's not there, but we're still living here in our discouragement. 449 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 4: And can I tell you something before discouragement lifts off 450 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 4: your life, lifts off your family, before God bursts the 451 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,640 Speaker 4: new beginning and a legacy of blessing you never want 452 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 4: to miss. 453 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 3: Because listen, the most beautiful work of art I've. 454 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 4: Never seen isn't hanging in a museum somewhere. The most 455 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 4: beautiful works of art I've ever seen are in front 456 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 4: of him this morning. It's kids whose dad walked away, 457 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,359 Speaker 4: and they said, Jesus is going to lift me up 458 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:09,479 Speaker 4: above that. It's two dysfunctional people who came together in marriage. 459 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 4: They said, Jesus is going to lift us up above that. 460 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 4: It's people who were fighting addictions and they fell down, 461 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 4: but they didn't give up, but they let the mercy 462 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 4: and the grace of God heal them. Whenever people looked 463 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 4: at him and said, there's no way. 464 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 3: And that's what this is about. 465 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 4: Jesus wants to birth victory in our lives. How determined 466 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 4: he was not just the rise of the dead, but 467 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 4: to find Mary who let the demonic power back in 468 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 4: her heart. And she was so depressed and so discouraged 469 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 4: to find these two mature disciples who somehow got confused 470 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 4: and they needed. 471 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 3: A course correction. 472 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 4: You know a number of people have sent me messages 473 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 4: this week about how in our nation, you know, powerful 474 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,680 Speaker 4: people are making a big deal out of how this 475 00:24:55,760 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 4: is to be like the transgender Day of Visibility. They're 476 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 4: not talking about Easter. They're talking about you know that, 477 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 4: And they say, pastor, what do. 478 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 3: You think about that? Can I tell what I think? 479 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,119 Speaker 4: I think that the America that I was raised in 480 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 4: is very different than the America i'm pastoring in right now. 481 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 4: And we live in a very confused society. And you 482 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 4: know what God wants from his church. He told us 483 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 4: in Micah sixth eighth. He said, I've told you, oh man, 484 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 4: what's good and what the Lord requires of you. 485 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:27,439 Speaker 3: I want you to do justice. 486 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 4: I want you to stand up for what's right, because 487 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 4: what's right is what causes people that have a great life. 488 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 3: Can you say, amen? 489 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,719 Speaker 4: But I don't want you just to do justice. I 490 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 4: want you to love mercy. I want you to love 491 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 4: people even more than you love truth. And I want 492 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 4: you to walk humbly with your God. Hey, I got 493 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 4: news for you. The devil's messing, but God's going to 494 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 4: start blessing. There's going to be a revival come to 495 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 4: this country as the Body of Christ does our part. 496 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 3: Can you say amen? 497 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 4: And then there's a third group of people that Jesus 498 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:01,439 Speaker 4: appeared to, and it was the eleven. Sadly, Judas had 499 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 4: died at this time, he had committed suicide. But verse 500 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 4: fourteen says later Jesus appeared to the eleven as they 501 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 4: were eating, and he rebuked them. Everybody say he rebuked them. 502 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 4: He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their 503 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:18,480 Speaker 4: stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after 504 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 4: he was risen. In other words, Jesus was saying, ma'am, 505 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:23,120 Speaker 4: what do I have to do. 506 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 3: To get you all to believe? And I love the 507 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 3: fact that he loved. 508 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 4: Them so much he just kept coming back to them. 509 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 3: But can I tell you. 510 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 4: Something, If you're here today and you have any unbelief 511 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 4: about who Jesus Christ is, you don't have any valid 512 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 4: reason to have any unbelief in your heart for who 513 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 4: Jesus is If you study the three hundred predictive prophecies 514 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 4: made about him, if you look at the miracles the 515 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 4: Holy Spirit did to accreditate the life of Jesus, there's 516 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,639 Speaker 4: no doubt that Jesus Christ was the son of God. 517 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 4: Some of us may have stubbornness in our heart. The 518 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,639 Speaker 4: stubbornness might come because of what happened to us, because 519 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 4: of even what happened to us in the church. And 520 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:05,199 Speaker 4: I just want to say to you that hopefully you 521 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:08,439 Speaker 4: have family members and hopefully you're in a church like 522 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 4: faith family where our motto is, We're not here to 523 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 4: see through you, we want to see you through How 524 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 4: many of you know, when you know God has great 525 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:16,719 Speaker 4: things in people's lives, you don't want to give up 526 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 4: on the great thing. You want to see the beauty 527 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 4: and the masterpiece be brought forth. Can say, Man, that's 528 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 4: what Jesus calls us to. And that's why he kept 529 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 4: coming to the powder, kept coming to the one who 530 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 4: needed the course correction, kept coming to the people who 531 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,159 Speaker 4: were stubborn and they had unbelief in their heart, and 532 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 4: he helped them and somehow Jesus changed. 533 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:39,200 Speaker 3: The world through them. 534 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 4: Hey can I tell you what my greatest joy is 535 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 4: at Faith Family Church. I'm not looking at perfect people 536 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 4: this morning, but I'm looking at passionate people this morning, 537 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:51,920 Speaker 4: who love Jesus with all of your heart. And how 538 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 4: many of you know because of that you can know 539 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 4: that your blessing will not be because you were perfect. 540 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,399 Speaker 4: It's because you just kept saying yes to the one 541 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 4: who is perfect, and he brought blessing into your life. 542 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 3: Amen. I close with this scripture. 543 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,439 Speaker 4: It's in first John five four, and this is what 544 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 4: it says, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. 545 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 4: Say that with me for everyone. Now look at your 546 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 4: neighbor and say, so, what's your excuse? 547 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 3: Would you go ahead and do that? 548 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:25,200 Speaker 4: If everyone born of God can overcome the world, then 549 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 4: what's my excuse? And then listen to how John closes. 550 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 4: He says, this is the victory. Everybody say, this is 551 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 4: the victory. This is the victory that's overcome the world, 552 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:41,480 Speaker 4: even our faith. If you have faith, God has more 553 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 4: than enough power to overcome what the enemy's up to. 554 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 4: He has more than enough power to bring blessing and 555 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 4: a beautiful legacy into your life and into your family's life. 556 00:28:57,000 --> 00:28:59,320 Speaker 2: Revival as often as we speak of it, do we 557 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 2: really know what it means. Revival is not just divine intervention. 558 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:06,480 Speaker 2: It's a divine response, God's response to our obedience to 559 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 2: his word. That's what Jim Graff's new book, Character Counts. 560 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 2: Experiencing a cultural comeback is all about. In if we 561 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 2: discover how Godliness leads to revival, today, for your gift 562 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 2: of any amount, we'll send you a copy of Character Counts. 563 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 2: Give today at a significant life dot com. Together, let's 564 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 2: experience the revival we prayed for. 565 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 3: You will be like. 566 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 5: God, human unity. God was suffered, and through it all, 567 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 5: God's promise remain true. 568 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 1: Follow me, April, and I will make you great. 569 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 3: This means the chosen people. Listen to the chosen people 570 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 3: at the Chosen. 571 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 1: People dot com. 572 00:29:52,640 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 5: That's the Chosen People dot Com.