WEBVTT - Living In The Tension (Robert Madu) 0:00:02.120 --> 0:00:04.640 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 0:00:04.920 --> 0:00:07.160 Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 0:00:07.160 --> 0:00:10.479 you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 0:00:10.520 --> 0:00:12.560 it builds your faith. Hope it gives you perspective to 0:00:12.560 --> 0:00:15.360 see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message, 0:00:18.440 --> 0:00:21.200 and I get the distinct privilege too to introduce you 0:00:21.239 --> 0:00:23.840 to our guest. Today. We got a special guest. We 0:00:23.920 --> 0:00:28.040 got Pastor Robert Madeu in the house. Him and his 0:00:28.080 --> 0:00:34.720 wife Taylor are with us, and he spoke here three 0:00:34.720 --> 0:00:36.839 months ago at the beginning of this pandemic, and he's 0:00:36.840 --> 0:00:39.080 spoken here multiple times, so I think it's official. We 0:00:39.080 --> 0:00:42.240 no longer call him a special guest. We call him family. 0:00:42.640 --> 0:00:45.280 Pastor Robert will do. Him and his wife, the Medusa 0:00:45.280 --> 0:00:47.320 are having a ministry that's happening all around the world. 0:00:47.440 --> 0:00:50.320 If you haven't had a chance to meet Pastor Robert, 0:00:50.479 --> 0:00:54.400 he's probably the sincerest, most genuine, and maybe one of 0:00:54.440 --> 0:00:57.640 the nicest people you'll ever meet. But even more important 0:00:57.680 --> 0:01:01.240 than that, he loves the Word of God. He's a preacher, 0:01:01.560 --> 0:01:03.840 and we get the distinct privilege of him opening up 0:01:03.880 --> 0:01:07.120 God's word and sharing it with us. Today, So Elevation Church, 0:01:07.160 --> 0:01:09.440 you know how we do it. Let's put our hands together, 0:01:10.000 --> 0:01:26.319 Let's get ready and welcome Pastor Roberts Madou. Come on, 0:01:26.480 --> 0:01:31.240 somebody bless the Lord today. Wherever you're watching, Come on, 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:33.960 would you give God just the best praise that you're God. 0:01:34.560 --> 0:01:37.280 If you're in your living room, give him praise. If 0:01:37.280 --> 0:01:40.160 you're in your kitchen, give him praise. If you're in 0:01:40.200 --> 0:01:42.959 the car, give him praise. Come on, No matter what 0:01:43.040 --> 0:01:46.040 you're facing right now, his name is still worthy. He 0:01:46.240 --> 0:01:49.480 deserves the glory, the honor, and the phrase God, we 0:01:49.600 --> 0:01:57.960 lift you up because you are here Boom. I'm telling 0:01:58.000 --> 0:02:01.000 you I sense the presence of the Lord right here. 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:04.480 I don't know where you're watching from Elevation Church, but 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:06.800 I want you to know God is with you. His 0:02:06.880 --> 0:02:10.040 presence knows no limits, His presence knows no bounds. He 0:02:10.280 --> 0:02:13.600 is there with you right now. He can I tell 0:02:13.639 --> 0:02:18.000 you have a reason to give God praise today, He said, Robert, 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:20.200 what are you talking about? You don't know what I'm facing. 0:02:20.480 --> 0:02:23.240 If there is still breath in your body, come on, 0:02:23.280 --> 0:02:25.079 you got a reason to give Him praise. If you 0:02:25.200 --> 0:02:28.440 woke up this morning, you still got a reason to 0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:33.679 give him praise. I feel you. I've had moments, especially 0:02:33.720 --> 0:02:37.480 in this the last few weeks, I've just had to say, Lord, 0:02:37.520 --> 0:02:38.800 I don't know if I got it in me to 0:02:38.880 --> 0:02:41.919 lift up my voice. I had to talk to myself. 0:02:42.240 --> 0:02:43.679 I mean, you know, you're only crazy if you don't 0:02:43.720 --> 0:02:47.000 talk to yourself. Now, do like David did and say, 0:02:47.040 --> 0:02:49.960 Bless the Lord on my soul and all that is 0:02:49.960 --> 0:02:54.120 within me. Bless his Holy name. And I think in 0:02:54.200 --> 0:02:56.400 times like this you need to lean into his presence, 0:02:56.440 --> 0:02:59.040 lean into his word. And I'm believing He's going to 0:02:59.120 --> 0:03:01.920 speak to you today and your life is never going 0:03:01.960 --> 0:03:06.400 to be the same. Amen. Amen, we got some people 0:03:06.440 --> 0:03:10.040 in the room. Y'all can be seated. I'm absolutely honored 0:03:10.520 --> 0:03:13.440 to be back at Elevation Church. There is no place 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:17.200 like Elevation Church. I get tempted to move to Charlotte 0:03:17.240 --> 0:03:20.640 every time that I come here, and it's pretty amazing. 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:22.600 Pastor LB mentioned that I am a part of the 0:03:22.639 --> 0:03:25.520 family now and last time I was here. We're at 0:03:25.520 --> 0:03:31.720 the beginning of COVID nineteen, this virus we're trying to 0:03:31.720 --> 0:03:35.960 figure out. Then the challenge of the virus was how 0:03:35.960 --> 0:03:40.720 do we stay apart? So we can stay together. Now 0:03:40.800 --> 0:03:46.240 here we are again back at elevation, and there's another virus, 0:03:46.920 --> 0:03:51.920 virus of racism has been embedded in this nation. Now 0:03:51.960 --> 0:03:55.960 the challenge is we got to come together so we 0:03:56.000 --> 0:03:58.720 don't fall apart. And I'm telling you where my hope 0:03:58.800 --> 0:04:00.880 is in. My hope is in the Church of the 0:04:00.960 --> 0:04:03.840 Living God. Come on, if you're looking for hope and 0:04:03.880 --> 0:04:06.160 look to Jesus and then look to you. We are 0:04:06.440 --> 0:04:10.160 the hope of the world. And I'm believing what Jesus 0:04:10.200 --> 0:04:13.040 prayed his last prayers, that we would be one, that 0:04:13.120 --> 0:04:16.240 we would come together. And to that end, I'm excited 0:04:16.240 --> 0:04:18.520 to minister God's word to you today. It's gonna be good. 0:04:18.880 --> 0:04:20.960 I want you to lean in. I hope you like 0:04:21.120 --> 0:04:23.360 who you're watching the Word of God with today. If 0:04:23.360 --> 0:04:26.200 you don't, just move to another section e faan wherever 0:04:26.240 --> 0:04:28.200 you are. But this word is gonna bless you, it's 0:04:28.200 --> 0:04:31.000 gonna encourage you, and I want to jump straight into it. 0:04:31.080 --> 0:04:34.920 I do bring your greetings from the country of Texas 0:04:35.120 --> 0:04:38.599 where I live and there with my incredible wife who 0:04:38.640 --> 0:04:41.160 is here today help me. Thank God for my wife, Taylor. 0:04:41.560 --> 0:04:44.680 She's here with me. We left the kiddos at home. 0:04:45.440 --> 0:04:48.280 And you know there's no seminary class you can take 0:04:48.320 --> 0:04:51.520 on how to lead in a pandemic, how to lead 0:04:51.600 --> 0:04:53.840 in so much turmoil. But here's what I love is 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:57.480 that Elevation Church is best blessed with the best of 0:04:57.520 --> 0:04:59.680 the best. I want you to help me thank God 0:04:59.680 --> 0:05:03.680 for Sir Stephen and Holly Fredick, who have set the pace, 0:05:03.720 --> 0:05:07.200 who have set the tone not just for Elevation but 0:05:07.240 --> 0:05:12.279 for the church at large. If they're incredible leadership and 0:05:12.320 --> 0:05:15.280 how they've led so well. And uh man, if you 0:05:15.400 --> 0:05:17.600 got something to be thankful for, be thankful for the 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:21.680 gift that is in Pastor Stephen Fredick. Every word he 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:24.560 preaches has minister to our souls. This minister to me 0:05:24.720 --> 0:05:27.200 and you will not find a better preacher. And I'm 0:05:27.240 --> 0:05:29.479 thankful for his friendship. Come on one more time, even 0:05:29.520 --> 0:05:33.120 in the chat, just say thank you so much, Elevation Church. 0:05:33.200 --> 0:05:36.800 Thank you so much Pastor Steven and Holly, and I'm 0:05:36.800 --> 0:05:38.359 glad to be here today. I want you to go 0:05:38.440 --> 0:05:42.920 with me to the Gospel of John today, John chapter 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:46.360 number eight, and I want to look at verses one 0:05:46.400 --> 0:05:51.120 through eleven John Chapter eight one through eleven, and then 0:05:51.120 --> 0:05:57.120 I want to look at John chapter one, verse fourteen. 0:06:00.040 --> 0:06:05.040 After eight, starting at verse one, will land of verse 0:06:05.120 --> 0:06:08.640 number eleven, and then John chapter one, verse number four teen. 0:06:09.839 --> 0:06:14.039 It says, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 0:06:14.640 --> 0:06:16.960 Now early in the morning he came again into the temple, 0:06:17.040 --> 0:06:20.760 and all the people came to him, and he sat 0:06:20.839 --> 0:06:24.440 down and taught them. The scribes and pharisees brought to 0:06:24.520 --> 0:06:27.760 him a woman caught in adultery. And when they set 0:06:27.800 --> 0:06:30.680 her in the midst they said to him, teacher, this 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:34.160 woman was caught in adultery in the very act. Now 0:06:34.200 --> 0:06:36.800 Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stone. 0:06:36.839 --> 0:06:41.400 But what do you say this, they said, testing him, 0:06:41.680 --> 0:06:44.400 that they might have something of which to accuse him. 0:06:44.760 --> 0:06:47.960 But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:51.520 his finger, as though he did not hear, straight up, 0:06:51.520 --> 0:06:55.119 ignoring him. So when they continued asking him, he raised 0:06:55.200 --> 0:06:57.720 himself up and said to them he was without sin 0:06:57.800 --> 0:07:00.359 among you. Let him throw a stone at her first, 0:07:01.040 --> 0:07:03.719 and again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 0:07:04.520 --> 0:07:07.960 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, 0:07:08.440 --> 0:07:11.600 went out, one by one, beginning with the oldest even 0:07:11.760 --> 0:07:14.880 to the last, and Jesus was left alone, and the 0:07:14.880 --> 0:07:18.400 woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised himself 0:07:18.480 --> 0:07:20.200 up and saw no one but the woman, he said 0:07:20.200 --> 0:07:24.680 to her, woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has 0:07:24.720 --> 0:07:29.559 no one condemned you? She said, no one. Lord. Jesus 0:07:29.600 --> 0:07:33.480 said to her, neither do I condemn you? Go and 0:07:33.560 --> 0:07:36.960 sin no more? Can you say? Amen? He found wherever 0:07:37.040 --> 0:07:40.400 you're watching. And then John chapter one, verse fourteen, just 0:07:40.440 --> 0:07:43.280 one verse of scripture. Here it says, and the word 0:07:44.000 --> 0:07:49.280 became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld the glory. 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:51.200 The glory is of the only begotten, of the Father, 0:07:52.120 --> 0:08:00.640 full of grace and truth, Full of grace and truth. 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:08.920 Jesus is full of grace and truth. Think of all 0:08:09.040 --> 0:08:12.400 the adjectives that we could ascribe to Jesus. Come on, 0:08:12.440 --> 0:08:14.240 we can say he's a provider. We can say he's 0:08:14.240 --> 0:08:16.600 a protector. We can say he's our peace. We can 0:08:16.640 --> 0:08:18.720 say he's our shelter. We could go on and on. 0:08:18.840 --> 0:08:22.840 But I love John because he skips the commas, makes 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:26.040 it clear and concise, and says, when you see Jesus, 0:08:26.600 --> 0:08:31.840 you will see two things, grace and truth. I had 0:08:31.880 --> 0:08:34.439 an encounter with Jesus. That means you had an encounter 0:08:34.520 --> 0:08:42.000 with grace and truth, the tension of grace. And I 0:08:42.040 --> 0:08:44.760 want to talk to you today from this idea living 0:08:45.320 --> 0:08:48.520 in the tension, living in the tension. There's so much 0:08:48.559 --> 0:08:52.600 tension right now, political tension, economic tension, racial tensent. What 0:08:52.640 --> 0:08:57.679 do you do with grace and tru living in the tension? 0:08:58.000 --> 0:09:00.320 I mean working out one time and I had my 0:09:00.400 --> 0:09:02.800 weights in my hand, and the trainer, while I was 0:09:02.840 --> 0:09:05.600 holding the weights, put this thing as from the devil, 0:09:05.760 --> 0:09:09.679 put one of those resistance bands on me. While I'm 0:09:09.679 --> 0:09:11.240 holding the weight, I said, I already got the weight 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:12.640 in my hand, what is this for? It just just 0:09:12.720 --> 0:09:15.240 put the resistance band. And I had the resistance band 0:09:15.400 --> 0:09:16.840 on it, and I thought it was good because it 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:19.040 was already heavy. And the trainer said, no, no no, no, no, 0:09:19.200 --> 0:09:22.480 you got to keep the tension in the resistance band. 0:09:22.520 --> 0:09:24.880 That's what it's for. So here I am already holding 0:09:24.920 --> 0:09:29.520 a weight but also having to deal with the tension. 0:09:29.600 --> 0:09:33.120 What do you do when you're living in the tension. 0:09:33.320 --> 0:09:35.320 That's what I want to talk about today. So let's 0:09:35.320 --> 0:09:37.679 pray as we go into this. Father, thank you for 0:09:37.720 --> 0:09:43.720 your word speak today all the Epham said, Amen, Amen. 0:09:43.800 --> 0:09:49.040 Living in the tension, like many preachers during this quarantine 0:09:49.080 --> 0:09:52.680 and shelter in place and gathering restrictions, I've had to 0:09:52.840 --> 0:09:57.760 adjust how I preach and how I communicate. I've learned 0:09:57.960 --> 0:10:02.319 to calm myself down and preach while sitting in the stool. 0:10:01.840 --> 0:10:06.200 I've learned not to say touch your neighbor, but to 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:10.160 say type in the chat. Because we've had gathering restrictions. 0:10:10.200 --> 0:10:13.480 I've learned that although we have awesome people here in 0:10:13.520 --> 0:10:16.839 the room, I've learned to make sure I stay connected 0:10:16.960 --> 0:10:19.680 and locked in to the camera. In fact, in this 0:10:19.760 --> 0:10:22.240 room right now, we got camera. There's one, two, three, four, 0:10:22.240 --> 0:10:26.120 about four, five, about eighty cameras in this room all over. 0:10:26.160 --> 0:10:30.240 And these cameras are able to get different angles while 0:10:30.280 --> 0:10:33.400 I'm preaching, different angles. While I'm preaching to be able 0:10:33.400 --> 0:10:36.720 to connect to you different angles, these cameras will get 0:10:36.800 --> 0:10:39.560 different shots. It doesn't change me. It just gives you 0:10:39.600 --> 0:10:43.439 a different angle of me, a different view. And this 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:46.760 is what I love about the Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, 0:10:47.000 --> 0:10:50.560 and John because all four of these gospel writers are 0:10:50.640 --> 0:10:54.239 talking about the same Jesus, but they give us different angles. 0:10:54.320 --> 0:10:58.880 Say give us different views. These four cameramen, if you will, 0:10:59.240 --> 0:11:02.400 They're all have their view on the same subject who 0:11:02.559 --> 0:11:05.760 is Jesus, but they're able to give us different angles 0:11:05.800 --> 0:11:09.280 of who this Jesus is. I love almost like four 0:11:09.320 --> 0:11:12.160 film directors who've been given the same subject to film, 0:11:12.160 --> 0:11:15.880 but if given their own cinema cinematic license to film it, 0:11:16.000 --> 0:11:18.720 they give us a different view of who Jesus is. 0:11:18.960 --> 0:11:21.760 That's why. If you like long documentaries, please read the 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:25.960 Book of Matthew. Because Matthew he's writing to a Jewish audience, 0:11:26.160 --> 0:11:29.320 so he begins this long process of letting you know 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:33.440 that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies. 0:11:33.840 --> 0:11:36.560 If you like sci fi movies, please read the Book 0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:40.080 of Luke, because Luke is the doctor, and so Luke 0:11:40.160 --> 0:11:43.920 goes into detail to explain these miracles that Christ did, 0:11:44.200 --> 0:11:47.200 how his miracles could do what medicine could not do. 0:11:47.600 --> 0:11:50.920 If you like action pack movies, please stay in the 0:11:50.920 --> 0:11:55.280 Book of Mark, because Mark is all about Jesus in action, 0:11:55.520 --> 0:11:58.080 of Jesus who will roll up on you and does 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:01.560 not play games with you. He's all about the actions 0:12:01.559 --> 0:12:05.760 of Christ. But John, Oh, John, is a love story. 0:12:06.360 --> 0:12:10.720 John is a romantic chick flick. I love the Gospel 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:14.800 of John. Who else but John, the disciple that always 0:12:14.840 --> 0:12:17.880 had his head on the chest of Jesus. He can 0:12:17.960 --> 0:12:22.160 hear his heart beat. That's why John's gospel pulsates with 0:12:22.240 --> 0:12:26.520 the personality of Jesus Christ. He gives us insight that 0:12:26.600 --> 0:12:29.520 none of the other gospel writers give us love. Who 0:12:29.600 --> 0:12:32.240 else but John would tell us that God so loved 0:12:32.240 --> 0:12:35.240 the world that he gave his only begotten son, that 0:12:35.400 --> 0:12:38.960 whosoever would believe in him would not perish but have 0:12:39.200 --> 0:12:44.240 everlasting life. I love John. John does not give you 0:12:44.360 --> 0:12:48.480 Jesus earthly lineage. But John wants you to understand that 0:12:48.600 --> 0:12:51.760 he is God in the flesh. He wants you to 0:12:51.840 --> 0:12:54.880 understand that he is divined, that he is a deity. 0:12:55.200 --> 0:12:57.800 That's why when he begins his gospel, it's almost like 0:12:57.880 --> 0:13:01.000 he's retweeting the Book of Genesis, because he says, in 0:13:01.080 --> 0:13:04.000 the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, 0:13:04.040 --> 0:13:07.000 and the Word was God. All things were made by Him, 0:13:07.120 --> 0:13:09.920 and without him was not anything made that has been made. 0:13:10.120 --> 0:13:12.840 And in the verse fourteen he turns all the way 0:13:12.920 --> 0:13:17.600 up and says, and the Word became flesh and dwelt 0:13:17.640 --> 0:13:23.120 among us the word. Let me pause, right there, the 0:13:23.160 --> 0:13:27.240 word became flesh and it dwelt among us. How many 0:13:27.240 --> 0:13:29.760 you know there is power in that verse right there, 0:13:29.960 --> 0:13:33.600 that the word became flesh and it dwelt among us. 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:37.360 That is deeper than a Christmas verse. There is power 0:13:37.520 --> 0:13:41.000 in the fact that the word became flesh and dwelt 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:43.440 among us. Hear me, The only way we can have 0:13:43.559 --> 0:13:46.960 hope in the dark world is because the word became 0:13:47.120 --> 0:13:50.480 flesh and dwelt among us. The only way we can 0:13:50.559 --> 0:13:54.640 have life and hope is because the word became flesh 0:13:54.880 --> 0:13:59.280 and it dwelt among us. You understand that the incarnation 0:13:59.760 --> 0:14:03.080 is the greatest picture of empathy. People want to know, 0:14:03.320 --> 0:14:05.680 how can we change what's going on in our world today? 0:14:05.800 --> 0:14:08.959 We need empathy, and that's what Jesus did in his 0:14:09.160 --> 0:14:13.080 carnation incarnation. He understood that he could not redeem us 0:14:13.160 --> 0:14:16.240 from heaven. He had to put on human skin and 0:14:16.400 --> 0:14:19.280 feel what we feel and know what we go through. 0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:23.600 And the word became flesh and it dwelt among us. 0:14:23.920 --> 0:14:28.000 Thank God for a savior who can feel what I feel, 0:14:28.440 --> 0:14:31.320 and know what I go through, and can understand when 0:14:31.320 --> 0:14:35.040 I'm weeping that night because I'm seeing senseless murders. Can 0:14:35.160 --> 0:14:39.120 understand why tears come down my face and sometimes I 0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:41.400 don't want to lift up my hands. He knows what 0:14:41.520 --> 0:14:44.280 it feels like to have heard and pain because the 0:14:44.440 --> 0:14:48.760 word became flesh and it dwelt among us, some of 0:14:48.840 --> 0:14:51.160 y'all and not getting to see if I'm sick. If 0:14:51.200 --> 0:14:55.360 I'm sick, please don't just throw me a medical book. No, 0:14:55.560 --> 0:14:58.520 get me a doctor. You know why, because that doctor 0:14:58.640 --> 0:15:02.120 personifies the principle that are in the medical book. Soucie. 0:15:02.280 --> 0:15:05.080 If if I'm in trouble with the law, please don't 0:15:05.120 --> 0:15:07.920 just give me a law book. Give me a lawyer. 0:15:08.240 --> 0:15:12.120 You know why. That lawyer personifies the principles that are 0:15:12.160 --> 0:15:14.200 within the law book. Somebod y'all gonna get it in 0:15:14.240 --> 0:15:17.920 a minute. If I'm about to lose my mind, please 0:15:17.960 --> 0:15:21.600 don't give me a book on psychology. Give me a psychologist, 0:15:21.840 --> 0:15:25.640 because that psychologist is going to personify the principles that 0:15:25.680 --> 0:15:29.360 are in the psychology book. Do you understand when humanity 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:32.720 was lost in our sin and we had no hope 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:36.040 of redemption, we needed more than just the law. We 0:15:36.080 --> 0:15:39.840 needed more than the Ten Commandments. We needed Jesus because 0:15:39.960 --> 0:15:44.080 Jesus personifies the principles in the Word of God. He 0:15:44.360 --> 0:15:48.600 is the word made flesh. Oh, and it made it 0:15:48.840 --> 0:15:53.600 dwelling among us. And the word was made flesh. That's 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:58.840 what empathy is. It's the word becoming flesh. He knew 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:02.040 he could not read EMUs and be removed from us. 0:16:02.200 --> 0:16:05.920 He had to come where we were, and he put 0:16:06.000 --> 0:16:11.160 on human skin, and the word became flesh and dwelt 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:14.200 among us. Would you just slap your neighbor or whoever 0:16:14.240 --> 0:16:16.880 you're watching with at home and make sure you know him, 0:16:17.080 --> 0:16:20.640 and just say the word became flesh. Now tell him 0:16:20.640 --> 0:16:25.640 the word became flesh and it dwelt among us. We 0:16:25.720 --> 0:16:29.520 beheld the wonder of his glory, the only begonden of 0:16:29.520 --> 0:16:34.120 the Father. Then it says this that he's full of 0:16:34.200 --> 0:16:41.120 grace and truth. He's full of grace and truth. And 0:16:41.240 --> 0:16:45.120 there is the tension. How in the world can Jesus 0:16:45.720 --> 0:16:50.960 be full of grace and truth? Hold up John, Those 0:16:50.960 --> 0:16:55.560 two words don't go together, grace and truth. How can 0:16:55.680 --> 0:17:00.480 Jesus be full of grace and truth? On one of 0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:04.600 these things is not like the other. Grace and truth. 0:17:04.680 --> 0:17:08.320 This is beauty and the beast. How can Jesus be 0:17:08.520 --> 0:17:12.800 full of grace and truth? On the surface, these two 0:17:12.880 --> 0:17:17.479 words do not go together, grace and truth. Come on, 0:17:17.640 --> 0:17:20.080 just for a moment, would you consider if you can 0:17:20.440 --> 0:17:23.600 the grace of God? Come on, if you can even 0:17:23.760 --> 0:17:27.080 fathom the grace of our God, to think that, no 0:17:27.119 --> 0:17:29.760 matter what you've done, no matter where you've been, that 0:17:29.840 --> 0:17:33.639 God's grace can meet you right where you are. How 0:17:33.680 --> 0:17:37.440 many you know there's something incredible about God's grace. If 0:17:37.560 --> 0:17:40.320 grace doesn't make tears well up in your eyes, you 0:17:40.359 --> 0:17:43.480 don't know what grace is to no matter where you've been, 0:17:43.760 --> 0:17:46.360 that God can reach you, no matter what you've done, 0:17:46.400 --> 0:17:49.080 that his grace can come to you. Come on, that 0:17:49.200 --> 0:17:52.000 God would go through a hell that he didn't deserve 0:17:52.200 --> 0:17:55.280 so that we can receive a heaven that we don't deserve. 0:17:55.359 --> 0:17:58.800 There is something about the grace of God to the 0:17:58.840 --> 0:18:02.240 point that his grace has been lavish upon us. Ooh, 0:18:02.359 --> 0:18:04.600 some people are rich in other things. God is rich 0:18:04.680 --> 0:18:08.119 and grace. His grace will never run out. His grace 0:18:08.160 --> 0:18:11.120 can meet you right where you are. That we can 0:18:11.160 --> 0:18:15.240 approach the throne of Grace with confidence, with boldness. There's 0:18:15.280 --> 0:18:19.520 nothing like the grace of God. Amazing grace, How sweet 0:18:19.600 --> 0:18:22.600 the sound that saved the wretch like me. His grace 0:18:22.680 --> 0:18:27.280 is powerful, His grace is intoxicating. His grace is wonderful 0:18:27.880 --> 0:18:30.800 and the right. When you're resting in his grace, then 0:18:30.840 --> 0:18:36.919 you got His truth, his standard, his holiness that is 0:18:37.000 --> 0:18:40.600 so high, that is so perfect, that is so flawless, 0:18:40.640 --> 0:18:46.000 that on your best day, your righteousness is as filthy rags. 0:18:46.080 --> 0:18:50.119 On your best day, your righteousness is ratchet. How in 0:18:50.200 --> 0:18:55.960 the world can you deal with grace and true truth? Oh? Yes, 0:18:56.000 --> 0:18:58.920 His truth will set you free, But how many know 0:18:59.160 --> 0:19:02.919 it generally will tick you off before it does. People 0:19:03.000 --> 0:19:06.240 can't handle the truth. Come on, Amama, only one during 0:19:06.280 --> 0:19:09.960 this COVID nineteen that was forced to look at yourself 0:19:10.160 --> 0:19:12.959 when everything went on pause and you begin to see 0:19:12.960 --> 0:19:16.600 some things, some truth that you did not like. Oh, 0:19:17.000 --> 0:19:20.240 I'm telling you a lot of us can't handle the truth. 0:19:20.480 --> 0:19:22.840 Truth is appealed that everybody wants to give out, but 0:19:22.920 --> 0:19:26.119 nobody wants to swallow. Even right now in the world, 0:19:26.320 --> 0:19:29.720 we're looking at some truth that is ugly. To deal 0:19:29.840 --> 0:19:35.040 with the truth hurts. His grace is wonderful, amazing grace. 0:19:35.160 --> 0:19:39.359 But then you God truth how can he be full 0:19:40.200 --> 0:19:45.560 of grace and truth? This paradox attention is in the 0:19:45.640 --> 0:19:48.720 grace and the truth, And if we're honest, most of 0:19:48.800 --> 0:19:53.720 us go to one of the extremities, grace or truth. Yeah, 0:19:53.720 --> 0:19:55.280 you got the grace people, you know where you are. 0:19:55.320 --> 0:19:58.200 You grace people cannot wait for the shelter in place 0:19:58.240 --> 0:20:00.600 and all these gather restrictions to be gone because you 0:20:00.680 --> 0:20:04.200 just want to hug everybody. You want to love on everybody. 0:20:04.280 --> 0:20:07.080 All you grace people. You're like, grace, Grace, Come, why 0:20:07.119 --> 0:20:09.920 can't we all just get along? Can't we just hug 0:20:09.960 --> 0:20:13.440 it out? Oh grace. People are quick to forgive, they're 0:20:13.520 --> 0:20:16.320 quick to love. Always got a smile on your face, 0:20:16.520 --> 0:20:19.760 talking longer than you should. The people, oh grace, grace, 0:20:19.840 --> 0:20:22.720 grace all over the place, and they just want to love. 0:20:22.840 --> 0:20:26.080 But the problem with the grace people is sometimes in 0:20:26.160 --> 0:20:30.959 an effort to show grace, they lower the standard of truth. 0:20:32.040 --> 0:20:35.200 Then you got the truth people, and all you truth people, 0:20:35.240 --> 0:20:37.840 you will tell it like it is. Truth people aren't 0:20:37.880 --> 0:20:40.679 afraid of anybody. Truth people will let you know what 0:20:40.760 --> 0:20:43.280 they think about you. I mean, they will slap you 0:20:43.359 --> 0:20:45.600 and not wait to see you hit the ground. Truth 0:20:45.640 --> 0:20:48.280 people will get on your Instagram or your Facebook page 0:20:48.400 --> 0:20:51.119 and never like the picture or said anything nice, but 0:20:51.200 --> 0:20:53.280 they will let you know what they think about you. 0:20:53.520 --> 0:20:56.960 In one post truth people are so quick to put 0:20:57.000 --> 0:20:59.479 their finger in your face and let you know, I'm 0:20:59.520 --> 0:21:01.960 gonna tell you about you. I'm gonna tell you who 0:21:02.000 --> 0:21:04.960 you really are. But the problem with the truth people 0:21:05.520 --> 0:21:08.720 that they're so busy touting their truth and pointing their 0:21:08.760 --> 0:21:12.520 finger that they forget they're gonna need the grace that 0:21:12.560 --> 0:21:17.960 they refuse to give the tension of life is how 0:21:18.720 --> 0:21:26.199 do you balance grace and truth? Because grace without truth 0:21:27.119 --> 0:21:33.080 ceases to be grace. Truth without grace crushes people and 0:21:33.160 --> 0:21:38.440 ceases to be truth. Let's say another way, Grace without 0:21:38.520 --> 0:21:49.000 truth is meaningless. Truth without grace is me. Grace and 0:21:49.119 --> 0:21:54.879 truth is medicine. And Jesus says, I Am the total 0:21:54.920 --> 0:22:01.119 amalgamation of grace and truth, and it brings and in 0:22:01.160 --> 0:22:05.280 the world where everything is divided, where there's chaos, how 0:22:05.280 --> 0:22:08.760 many know we need some believers who are tethered to 0:22:08.880 --> 0:22:14.119 the tension of grace and truth, showing grace when it's needed, 0:22:14.359 --> 0:22:18.040 speaking truth when you have to. Oh, not fifty percent truth, 0:22:18.119 --> 0:22:22.000 fifty percent grace but one hundred percent truth, one hundred 0:22:22.000 --> 0:22:26.119 percent grace, because hear me, the Gospel flies on the 0:22:26.160 --> 0:22:32.800 wings of grace and truth. We need both grace and truth, 0:22:32.920 --> 0:22:37.960 the tension of grace and truth. It's like the strings 0:22:38.000 --> 0:22:41.800 on a violin grace. If it's too loose. If it's 0:22:41.880 --> 0:22:44.280 too loose, how many are you gonna get an ugly 0:22:44.520 --> 0:22:47.040 sound out of that string? But if you tighten it 0:22:47.080 --> 0:22:50.480 too tight, truth, people, you're gonna pop the strings on 0:22:50.560 --> 0:22:54.120 the violin. But if you got the perfect tension, all 0:22:54.160 --> 0:22:58.000 of a sudden you will hear beautiful music. And the 0:22:58.040 --> 0:23:01.960 world right now is a list for believers who are 0:23:02.080 --> 0:23:10.240 full of grace and truth. Jesus lived in the tension 0:23:11.040 --> 0:23:14.280 of grace and truth. This is what the teachers of 0:23:14.320 --> 0:23:17.680 the law could not understand. They could not understand how 0:23:17.800 --> 0:23:21.800 this rabbi, this rabbi who was supposed to uphold the truth, 0:23:22.400 --> 0:23:27.399 how he kept hanging out with shady, messed up, disfunctional 0:23:27.960 --> 0:23:31.879 tax collectors and prostitutes. They could not comprehend that if 0:23:31.880 --> 0:23:34.480 he's supposed to uphold the truth, why in the world 0:23:34.560 --> 0:23:37.720 is he hanging out with mess up people. This is 0:23:37.760 --> 0:23:40.439 what the teachers of the law could not comprehend because 0:23:40.440 --> 0:23:43.359 you do know that Jesus had a reputation for hanging 0:23:43.400 --> 0:23:46.080 out with shady, messed up people. Come on, if you 0:23:46.119 --> 0:23:49.520 got issues, you are in great candidate to be connected 0:23:49.520 --> 0:23:53.480 to God because he always just had this draw, this 0:23:53.600 --> 0:23:59.280 pull of marginalized, messed up people they loved coming to Jesus. 0:23:59.359 --> 0:24:01.199 And I think we have to ask ourselves at the 0:24:01.200 --> 0:24:04.120 twenty first century church that if we are not attracting 0:24:04.160 --> 0:24:07.040 the type of people that Jesus attracted, are we really 0:24:07.080 --> 0:24:11.320 preaching the same gospel that Jesus preached Because sinners and 0:24:11.600 --> 0:24:15.520 tax collectors have messed up people that were just drawn 0:24:15.600 --> 0:24:20.480 to him. He loved them. And one day he's in 0:24:20.640 --> 0:24:26.040 the temple teaching and he sat down to teach, and 0:24:26.080 --> 0:24:29.879 it says all the people came to him as he 0:24:30.000 --> 0:24:32.720 sat down to teach. All of a sudden, in the 0:24:32.760 --> 0:24:39.159 middle of his message, the Pharisees, the pretentious, pompous, stuck 0:24:39.240 --> 0:24:42.480 up teachers of the law, they burst in the middle 0:24:42.560 --> 0:24:45.480