1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:10,600 Alrighty, you got a Bible, turn to Luke chapter 7, and I love going through this gospel. 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:17,000 I might divert from it next week, not sure yet, but I'm never sure of anything, except 3 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,780 for Jesus is coming, and I do have to pay taxes. 4 00:00:19,780 --> 00:00:28,420 I think death is in there somewhere too, right? 5 00:00:28,420 --> 00:00:33,440 We looked at that last week, and so that's no big deal, because Jesus has power over death, 6 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:33,740 amen? 7 00:00:33,740 --> 00:00:45,340 And so in verse 17, it says, and this report about him went throughout all Judea and all 8 00:00:45,340 --> 00:00:51,840 the surrounding region, no kidding, because it's not every day that a kid that's dead gets 9 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,260 up and walks out of his casket. 10 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:07,020 So the news travels fast when this thing called death has been dealt with, and in Jesus 11 00:01:07,020 --> 00:01:13,800 it has been dealt with, and so I don't know about you, the fear of death should have no 12 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,200 hold on us, though there are times, right? 13 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:27,900 When you get close, or when you get in a car with me, that death is very apparent that it 14 00:01:27,900 --> 00:01:28,520 could happen. 15 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:37,640 And this week we drove up the canyon there, Gallatin Canyon, going from Big Sky up to Bozeman, 16 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:43,000 and that is a pretty scary stretch of road, no matter what kind of driver you are. 17 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:50,480 So, but it's a real thing that we all are going to have to deal with, and here the Lord deals 18 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:54,680 with it, and then the news travels fast. 19 00:01:54,680 --> 00:02:02,680 And so that caused a meeting with Jesus and the disciples of John the Baptist. 20 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,120 And so let's just read that real quick. 21 00:02:05,540 --> 00:02:11,020 Well, probably won't be quick, but we'll start in verse 18 and read through the verse 35. 22 00:02:11,020 --> 00:02:12,280 And it says, 23 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:17,040 And then the disciples of John, this is Luke chapter 7, verse 18. 24 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:22,640 Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things. 25 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:27,540 And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, 26 00:02:27,540 --> 00:02:31,680 Are you the coming one, or do we look for another? 27 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,820 And when the men had come to him, they said, 28 00:02:34,820 --> 00:02:40,920 John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, Are you the coming one, or do we look for another? 29 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:48,260 And that very hour he cured many infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits, and to many 30 00:02:48,260 --> 00:02:49,960 blind he gave sight. 31 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:56,220 And Jesus answered and said to them, Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard 32 00:02:56,220 --> 00:03:04,160 that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, 33 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,180 the poor have the gospel preached to them. 34 00:03:07,180 --> 00:03:11,940 And blessed is he who is not offended because of me. 35 00:03:11,940 --> 00:03:17,160 And when the messengers of John had departed, he began to speak to the multitude concerning 36 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:17,680 John. 37 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,860 What did you go out into the wilderness to see? 38 00:03:20,860 --> 00:03:23,340 A reed shaken by the wind? 39 00:03:23,340 --> 00:03:25,300 But what did you go out to see? 40 00:03:25,300 --> 00:03:28,180 A man clothed in soft garments? 41 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:35,240 Indeed, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in king's courts. 42 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:37,280 But what did you go out to see? 43 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:38,120 A prophet? 44 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:44,300 Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet, this is he of whom it is written. 45 00:03:44,300 --> 00:03:49,680 Behold, I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way before you. 46 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:55,380 For I say to you, among those born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the 47 00:03:55,380 --> 00:03:55,780 Baptist. 48 00:03:55,780 --> 00:04:00,320 But he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 49 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:06,980 And when all the people heard him, even the tax collectors justified God having been baptized 50 00:04:06,980 --> 00:04:08,600 with the baptism of John. 51 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:14,240 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been 52 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:15,440 baptized by him. 53 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:20,560 And the Lord said, to what then shall I liken the men of this generation? 54 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:22,620 And what are they like? 55 00:04:22,620 --> 00:04:27,620 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying, we played 56 00:04:27,620 --> 00:04:30,420 the flute for you, and you did not dance. 57 00:04:30,420 --> 00:04:33,880 We mourned to you, and you did not weep. 58 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:39,700 For John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking, or eating bread nor drinking wine. 59 00:04:39,700 --> 00:04:41,180 And you say he has a demon. 60 00:04:41,180 --> 00:04:43,600 The son of man has come eating and drinking. 61 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:48,880 And you say, look, a glutton and a wine bibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. 62 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:53,860 But wisdom is justified by all her children. 63 00:04:53,860 --> 00:04:54,640 Shall we pray? 64 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:56,680 Lord, thank you for your word. 65 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:05,600 Lord, and in our finite, feeble understanding, Lord, we miss so much when it comes to looking 66 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:06,340 at your word. 67 00:05:06,340 --> 00:05:11,940 For it is life, and it is spirit, and it is eternal, Lord. 68 00:05:11,940 --> 00:05:17,600 And so I just pray that it would speak to our hearts this day, Lord, that we would truly have 69 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:18,320 ears to hear. 70 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:23,260 I know that by your Holy Spirit, you're going to be speaking many things to many different 71 00:05:23,260 --> 00:05:24,400 people, Lord. 72 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,760 And we just thank you for your word that is truly our guide. 73 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:35,100 And Lord, we ask that you would, that we would glean precious eternal treasures from the truth 74 00:05:35,100 --> 00:05:37,480 of this passage of scripture in Jesus' name. 75 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:38,040 Amen. 76 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:39,580 Amen. 77 00:05:39,580 --> 00:05:44,180 And so right off the bat, John hears what's going on. 78 00:05:44,180 --> 00:05:44,900 He's going, wow. 79 00:05:44,900 --> 00:05:46,360 Right? 80 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:47,380 He's there in prison. 81 00:05:47,380 --> 00:05:49,380 You guys know why he's in prison. 82 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,580 Many of the Old Testament prophets would say, thus saith the Lord. 83 00:05:53,580 --> 00:05:54,700 Right? 84 00:05:54,700 --> 00:05:59,300 And then there would be possibly condemnation or judgment in their words. 85 00:05:59,300 --> 00:06:02,320 They would maybe quote the law, which is the law. 86 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:03,700 The Bible says the law kills. 87 00:06:03,700 --> 00:06:05,360 You and I. 88 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,740 You read the Ten Commandments. 89 00:06:07,740 --> 00:06:09,220 And what does it do? 90 00:06:09,220 --> 00:06:14,020 It points a big, fat, ugly, righteous finger at you and me. 91 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:17,260 Well, it's only ugly because we're ugly. 92 00:06:17,260 --> 00:06:18,660 I guess it's our reflection. 93 00:06:18,660 --> 00:06:21,460 Because that's what the law does. 94 00:06:21,460 --> 00:06:21,680 Right? 95 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,840 It reflects back what's wrong with you and what's wrong with me. 96 00:06:25,840 --> 00:06:28,060 That's the only thing the law can do. 97 00:06:28,060 --> 00:06:33,420 It just points out to me how depraved I am. 98 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,440 How desperately wicked I am. 99 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,040 That's what the law shows me. 100 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,320 And therefore, I deserve the judgment of God. 101 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:42,600 Therefore, the law kills. 102 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:47,100 And many of the prophets would speak in that way. 103 00:06:47,100 --> 00:06:52,300 And so John the Baptist comes to Herod, who has his brother Philip's wife. 104 00:06:52,300 --> 00:06:57,060 I think that's called incestuous adultery, something like that. 105 00:06:57,060 --> 00:06:58,220 I don't know. 106 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:03,700 But he swoons his brother Philip's wife. 107 00:07:03,700 --> 00:07:08,000 And John goes, that ain't right. 108 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,080 That's sick and wrong. 109 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:11,500 Right? 110 00:07:11,500 --> 00:07:13,220 You're not to have your brother's wife. 111 00:07:13,220 --> 00:07:14,840 Don't you know that's unlawful? 112 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,920 And so it makes Herod mad. 113 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:18,180 And he chucks him in prison. 114 00:07:18,180 --> 00:07:20,420 Because he called a spade a spade. 115 00:07:20,420 --> 00:07:24,820 I think there's probably quite a few people in prison today for just telling the truth. 116 00:07:24,820 --> 00:07:26,340 Simply telling the truth. 117 00:07:27,140 --> 00:07:28,840 And so here he is. 118 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:29,620 He's in prison. 119 00:07:29,620 --> 00:07:34,000 And he hears report of all the things that Jesus is doing. 120 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:41,160 And so he sends two of his disciples to Jesus to ask this question. 121 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,100 Are you the one? 122 00:07:43,100 --> 00:07:45,380 Or do we look for another? 123 00:07:45,380 --> 00:07:48,120 Well, didn't John know? 124 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:52,500 We've all read the first few chapters of the Gospel of John, right? 125 00:07:52,500 --> 00:07:59,380 Where John sees Jesus and they're at the Bethabara where he's baptizing. 126 00:07:59,380 --> 00:08:03,700 That place that literally means the house of passage. 127 00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:08,140 That Jesus goes there and gets baptized by John. 128 00:08:08,140 --> 00:08:12,200 And John proclaims, behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. 129 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,240 Did not John know that he was truly the coming one? 130 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:20,460 But he has, dare I say it? 131 00:08:20,460 --> 00:08:21,520 Doubts. 132 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:23,380 He has doubts. 133 00:08:23,380 --> 00:08:24,160 You ever had doubts? 134 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,280 I've had doubts. 135 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:31,280 I don't think doubting is unbelief. 136 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:34,560 I think if you stay in a place of doubting long enough, it could be. 137 00:08:34,560 --> 00:08:40,940 Remember when the doubter, Thomas, and Jesus confronts him? 138 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:43,500 He says, hey, Tom, looky here. 139 00:08:43,500 --> 00:08:44,420 Go ahead. 140 00:08:44,420 --> 00:08:45,200 Stick your finger. 141 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:46,500 Go ahead. 142 00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:47,840 Go to, I won't even watch. 143 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:48,540 Just stick your finger. 144 00:08:48,540 --> 00:08:50,340 How about here? 145 00:08:50,340 --> 00:08:52,620 Go ahead and chuck your hand right up in there. 146 00:08:52,620 --> 00:08:53,920 Must have been a pretty big hole. 147 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:59,280 And he says, don't be doubting, but be believing. 148 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:04,580 And that's when Thomas, you know, drops to his knees and says, my Lord and my God. 149 00:09:05,420 --> 00:09:09,840 He recognized this Jesus is obviously God. 150 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:16,460 And Jesus says, blesser you, Thomas, for seeing you believe. 151 00:09:16,460 --> 00:09:21,260 But more blessed are those who believe without seeing. 152 00:09:21,260 --> 00:09:22,520 Right? 153 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:24,800 So here we are. 154 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:26,940 Ka-ching. 155 00:09:26,940 --> 00:09:29,920 Right? 156 00:09:30,140 --> 00:09:31,060 Thank you, Lord. 157 00:09:31,060 --> 00:09:32,520 Thank you, Jesus. 158 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:34,340 It's just. 159 00:09:34,340 --> 00:09:41,140 But when tough times come and we have those. 160 00:09:41,140 --> 00:09:44,760 I hate them, but they're real. 161 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:46,900 We have those why questions. 162 00:09:46,900 --> 00:09:47,380 Why? 163 00:09:47,380 --> 00:09:48,560 Why? 164 00:09:48,560 --> 00:09:50,080 Why? 165 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,000 Why? 166 00:09:52,680 --> 00:09:54,000 I don't know why. 167 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:55,860 Right? 168 00:09:55,860 --> 00:09:57,420 But I know that God knows. 169 00:09:57,420 --> 00:09:59,900 And God's going to use it all together for good. 170 00:09:59,900 --> 00:10:01,780 I believe that by faith. 171 00:10:01,780 --> 00:10:05,820 But sometimes those why questions are just overwhelming. 172 00:10:05,820 --> 00:10:13,680 And I've come to realize that it's a waste of energy sometimes. 173 00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:20,020 I was called one early one morning. 174 00:10:20,020 --> 00:10:22,700 I just so happened to get up at about 430. 175 00:10:22,700 --> 00:10:33,160 And I noticed my trusty high-tech phone was going off. 176 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:34,340 And I looked. 177 00:10:34,340 --> 00:10:37,760 And sure enough, it was somebody that I knew. 178 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,260 And so I listened to the message. 179 00:10:40,260 --> 00:10:42,780 And a kid from our school had gotten killed. 180 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,340 And he hadn't been there for a couple years. 181 00:10:45,340 --> 00:10:47,840 But I was fairly close to him and his family. 182 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:54,000 And I remember thinking, oh, my gosh, this is tragic. 183 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:58,360 And no doubt, maybe a little bit of a why. 184 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:04,940 But I was blessed by the mom as I got there. 185 00:11:04,940 --> 00:11:09,380 And she was kind of walking back and forth between her breakdowns and stuff. 186 00:11:09,380 --> 00:11:12,120 And I heard her as she walked through the living room. 187 00:11:12,500 --> 00:11:13,320 I was just sitting there. 188 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:20,140 And if you ever go to somebody's house that's lost a loved one, it's good to use very few words. 189 00:11:20,140 --> 00:11:22,140 So sometimes you just go and sit with them. 190 00:11:22,140 --> 00:11:23,480 And I was just sitting there. 191 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:29,500 And as she walked through the living room, she said, I wonder what the Lord is protecting him from. 192 00:11:29,500 --> 00:11:31,980 Right? 193 00:11:31,980 --> 00:11:35,680 Because it was obviously the Lord had reached down and said, all right, you come with me. 194 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,560 And I thought, that's a good way to look at things. 195 00:11:41,560 --> 00:11:43,520 What's the Lord doing here? 196 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:44,740 Right? 197 00:11:44,740 --> 00:11:47,700 Maybe it's just something for you. 198 00:11:47,700 --> 00:11:49,420 And maybe it was something for them. 199 00:11:49,420 --> 00:11:53,820 Maybe he was protecting them from something on down the road. 200 00:11:53,820 --> 00:11:55,400 I don't know. 201 00:11:55,940 --> 00:12:01,860 But I know that fear can come no matter who you are, no matter how great your faith is. 202 00:12:01,860 --> 00:12:09,580 And John here probably had a pretty good idea that his head might be on the chopping block with Herod. 203 00:12:09,580 --> 00:12:14,280 Knowing that he probably wasn't intimidated at all. 204 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:16,360 It takes John's life from him. 205 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:22,140 But we know from other scripture that he was, in fact. 206 00:12:22,140 --> 00:12:26,420 A little nervous about who this John character was. 207 00:12:26,420 --> 00:12:27,140 Because why? 208 00:12:27,140 --> 00:12:29,220 Because he spoke with the authority. 209 00:12:29,220 --> 00:12:31,240 Because the Holy Spirit was upon him. 210 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:38,460 And I think even the world can recognize the authority and power of the Holy Spirit when he begins to move on someone's life. 211 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,980 And so this is happening to John. 212 00:12:42,980 --> 00:12:44,840 And maybe he's thinking, okay. 213 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:46,220 Maybe this is it. 214 00:12:46,220 --> 00:12:51,920 Maybe this is the fulfillment of what John himself said about Jesus. 215 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:52,700 Right? 216 00:12:52,700 --> 00:12:54,980 In John 3, verse 30, he said, 217 00:12:54,980 --> 00:12:56,920 He must increase. 218 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:58,360 And you guys know it. 219 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:00,540 I must decrease. 220 00:13:00,540 --> 00:13:02,920 I must decrease. 221 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:04,080 I'm going to go away. 222 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:09,680 And you think, man, somebody's so young. 223 00:13:09,680 --> 00:13:14,320 And this fear may be questioned in his heart. 224 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:15,760 I'm going to die. 225 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:19,600 And I need to know if I got this right with Jesus. 226 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,520 So that's why he sends his disciples. 227 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:31,080 Facing death at the age of 30, as opposed to the age of 70 or 80, is probably quite a bit different. 228 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:31,980 Right? 229 00:13:31,980 --> 00:13:38,520 Because when you're 30, I don't know, most of us men, we think we're nine feet tall and bulletproof at 30. 230 00:13:39,100 --> 00:13:44,780 Although when I turned 30, I was curled up in the fetal position on my bed and I mourned. 231 00:13:44,780 --> 00:13:47,080 30 years old? 232 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:48,460 I'm ancient. 233 00:13:55,420 --> 00:13:59,300 I see all the people with the gray hair really snickering right now. 234 00:13:59,300 --> 00:14:03,000 Well, I guess that'd be me too. 235 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,900 But it's just amazing how fast it goes. 236 00:14:05,900 --> 00:14:06,160 Right? 237 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:08,720 But he's 30 years old. 238 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:13,620 But he recognizes this truth that God had a plan for his life. 239 00:14:14,060 --> 00:14:15,980 God has a plan for all of our lives. 240 00:14:15,980 --> 00:14:17,220 Right? 241 00:14:17,220 --> 00:14:23,320 Whether it's three years or 103, God has a plan for our life. 242 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:28,400 And he's going to work his plan no matter what. 243 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:37,080 And so John is probably thinking, okay, this might be it. 244 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:47,340 And I don't know if doubts have creeped in, but maybe his confidence on why Jesus came was maybe a little bit shaken. 245 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:52,940 And I love what the scripture says about, especially in the New Testament. 246 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,160 Because John is at a point where he doesn't see the resurrection yet. 247 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:59,620 He doesn't see the power of that. 248 00:14:59,620 --> 00:15:07,080 Though he may have read about it when he read through the prophet Isaiah, where it says that your dead will live together with your dead body. 249 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:08,800 That the earth is going to cast out the dead. 250 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:10,200 That the dead are going to be raised. 251 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:19,200 And maybe John realized this, but there were some things written later that we have that John didn't have. 252 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,760 That's Hebrews chapter 2, verses 14 and 15. 253 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:24,520 And I love this passage of scripture. 254 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:25,640 It's so powerful. 255 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:32,720 And when we really let it sink deep in our hearts, it's very beneficial to us believers. 256 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:40,280 It says, since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity. 257 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaking of Jesus. 258 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:47,720 So that by his death, he might break the power of him who holds the power of death. 259 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:49,120 That is the devil. 260 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:56,340 And free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 261 00:15:56,340 --> 00:15:58,520 Isn't that cool? 262 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:04,800 That by his death, he comes along and he releases us from the fear of death. 263 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,100 Because naturally, we all have it. 264 00:16:07,100 --> 00:16:08,640 We all have this fear. 265 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:18,120 And even when it, for Christians, when it comes to getting close, sometimes you kind of see where they're at in their walk. 266 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:22,280 When people get close to taking their last breath. 267 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:27,240 And I've seen all kinds of Christians die. 268 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,280 Some didn't go out so well. 269 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:34,440 And others, like you're going, wow. 270 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:38,380 You really do believe this stuff, don't you? 271 00:16:38,380 --> 00:16:46,060 I mean, this is sunk deep into your soul, this fact of eternal life. 272 00:16:46,060 --> 00:16:47,920 You're experiencing it even now. 273 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,780 So we're reminded that Jesus came. 274 00:16:55,780 --> 00:17:00,520 He came to release us, those from the fear of death. 275 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:05,700 And John hadn't totally maybe got that. 276 00:17:05,700 --> 00:17:09,760 Romans 8, 38 and 39. 277 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:11,240 Many of you know this passage. 278 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:18,940 I think even President George W. Bush quoted part of this after 9-11 where it says, 279 00:17:18,940 --> 00:17:46,280 It's a very powerful thing to be ready for this. 280 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:50,980 And so you watch people. 281 00:17:50,980 --> 00:17:52,160 I watch people. 282 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:59,900 When they get ready to face death and see how they handle it. 283 00:17:59,900 --> 00:18:09,120 Years ago, our pastor down in Twin Falls told a story of a six-year-old boy who had a terminal brain tumor 284 00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:12,420 that they weren't able to get and it was growing extremely fast. 285 00:18:12,420 --> 00:18:15,760 And the doctors were only given the parents. 286 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,460 This kid only got weeks to live. 287 00:18:18,460 --> 00:18:24,020 And so the dad, who had been in ministry, was a strong believer. 288 00:18:24,020 --> 00:18:26,080 And he said, he said his boy down. 289 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:28,980 He said, son, this is what the doctor is saying. 290 00:18:30,120 --> 00:18:35,860 And he says, are you afraid to go be with Jesus? 291 00:18:35,860 --> 00:18:42,080 And I'll never forget it because as a father, I was so impacted by what this kid said. 292 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:45,820 When he looked at his dad, he said, no, dad, not if he's like you. 293 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:54,840 I'm just like, wow, I got some work to do as a dad, right? 294 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:56,640 Not if he's like you. 295 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,200 I was taken back. 296 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:02,340 That story really impacted me. 297 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:11,700 And shortly after I heard this story, I heard another story that was much closer to home there in Twin Falls, 298 00:19:11,700 --> 00:19:15,540 a family that I had been acquainted with. 299 00:19:15,540 --> 00:19:17,580 In fact, our kids went to school together. 300 00:19:17,580 --> 00:19:21,720 Their youngest son had a brain tumor and died at six. 301 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,900 His name was Jesse David. 302 00:19:24,900 --> 00:19:26,360 Go get that. 303 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:28,120 You can't get much more biblical than that. 304 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:29,880 Jesse David Evans. 305 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:34,060 And the cemetery that I worked at is where Jesse was buried. 306 00:19:34,060 --> 00:19:36,160 And I would drive by almost every day. 307 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:44,320 And his headstone was right next to the little track we would take on our carts that we drove around the cemetery on. 308 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:47,440 And his little headstone was there. 309 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:53,920 And I would think of his parents all the time about it. 310 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:57,860 And they're just incredible people. 311 00:19:58,260 --> 00:20:03,880 That whole saying is, when you go through hard things, you get bitter or you get better. 312 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:04,880 Right? 313 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:06,680 And these people had just gotten better. 314 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:11,440 And in fact, this morning, I went and looked up one of Jim's sermons. 315 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:12,800 He's a pastor there in Twin. 316 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,360 And he just retired last week. 317 00:20:15,360 --> 00:20:20,580 And I'm thinking, wow, you guys are finishing really well. 318 00:20:20,580 --> 00:20:25,080 And they're going to be able to see old Jesse here before too long. 319 00:20:26,380 --> 00:20:34,300 And so that hope that this Christian faith that we so embrace, I hope you embrace it. 320 00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:38,080 I hope it's not just a, oh, this is just something we do. 321 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:40,520 No, I hope this is your life. 322 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,940 That the word of God, that the Lord Jesus Christ is your life. 323 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:52,400 People, I remember people accusing Rick and me going, this Jesus thing, it's become your whole life. 324 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:53,340 Duh. 325 00:20:59,260 --> 00:21:04,860 And so fear, I don't know if John's totally afraid. 326 00:21:04,860 --> 00:21:05,980 Maybe some doubt. 327 00:21:05,980 --> 00:21:13,480 John may be thinking, wow, this, this, things aren't going according to what we had planned here. 328 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:14,020 Right? 329 00:21:14,020 --> 00:21:15,600 Messiah was going to come. 330 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:19,540 And we know that this is the Jewish mindset of the Messiah coming. 331 00:21:19,540 --> 00:21:22,100 Even to this day, this is what Jews think. 332 00:21:22,100 --> 00:21:22,780 Right? 333 00:21:22,780 --> 00:21:29,140 It's, it's found in Acts chapter one, verse four. 334 00:21:29,500 --> 00:21:32,780 And it says, and being assembled together with them. 335 00:21:32,780 --> 00:21:33,980 This is after the resurrection. 336 00:21:33,980 --> 00:21:34,380 Okay. 337 00:21:34,380 --> 00:21:35,860 This is in Acts chapter one. 338 00:21:35,860 --> 00:21:38,060 This is after the resurrection. 339 00:21:38,060 --> 00:21:41,460 And they're assembled together with Jesus. 340 00:21:41,460 --> 00:21:48,020 And it says, being assembled together with them, he, Jesus, commanded them to not depart from Jerusalem, 341 00:21:48,020 --> 00:21:56,600 but to wait for the promise of the father, which he said, you have heard from me for truly John to baptize with water, 342 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:01,640 but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now. 343 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,200 And John's going, or Jesus is saying, so sit tight. 344 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:05,620 Right? 345 00:22:05,620 --> 00:22:06,920 The Holy Spirit's going to come. 346 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:10,860 He's going to give you power from on high to go out and to do what? 347 00:22:10,860 --> 00:22:12,060 To be my witnesses. 348 00:22:12,060 --> 00:22:21,000 And so, and so it says, therefore, when they had come together, they asked him saying, listen, 349 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:25,920 Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel? 350 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,820 What? 351 00:22:28,820 --> 00:22:31,020 The kingdom of Israel. 352 00:22:31,020 --> 00:22:33,300 Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom of Israel? 353 00:22:33,300 --> 00:22:36,440 That was the Jews mindset. 354 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:41,320 When Messiah come, he was going to put Israel back on top. 355 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:42,360 Right? 356 00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:47,720 They were going to be the, the light, the highest nation. 357 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:49,660 That's what they thought. 358 00:22:49,660 --> 00:22:54,460 That's what they still think today. 359 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,080 But Jesus responds. 360 00:22:59,080 --> 00:22:59,820 But Jesus responds. 361 00:22:59,820 --> 00:23:07,460 And he said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons, which the father has put in his own authority, 362 00:23:07,460 --> 00:23:17,560 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the other ends of the earth. 363 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:24,780 Jesus saw his coming much different than his people did. 364 00:23:24,780 --> 00:23:26,180 Right? 365 00:23:26,180 --> 00:23:27,360 They thought, oh no. 366 00:23:27,360 --> 00:23:31,200 So John might be a little bit miffed going, dude, what are you doing? 367 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:32,340 Right? 368 00:23:32,340 --> 00:23:34,700 You're supposed to be establishing your throne in Jerusalem. 369 00:23:34,700 --> 00:23:35,300 Right? 370 00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:40,280 You're supposed to wipe out the Romans and we're supposed to be back on top and you're going to rule and reign. 371 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:42,260 Not yet. 372 00:23:42,260 --> 00:23:48,760 Because Isaiah put it in perspective when he said, no, he's got to suffer and die. 373 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:52,200 Be bruised and wounded for our transgressions. 374 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:54,420 That's what has to happen first. 375 00:23:54,420 --> 00:23:56,180 They didn't see it that way. 376 00:23:58,260 --> 00:24:06,000 So his doubt of how Jesus was doing things may have caused some confusion. 377 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:15,040 The Jews, John included, thought that the Messiah would set up his kingdom. 378 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:19,680 And that wasn't the way it was at all. 379 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:28,620 Because Jesus, before Israel could be restored as a nation, was going to first establish his church. 380 00:24:28,620 --> 00:24:29,680 Isn't that what he told Peter? 381 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:34,180 You guys remember when he asked Peter, hey, who do they say that I am? 382 00:24:34,180 --> 00:24:36,480 Right? 383 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:37,680 Who do they say that I am? 384 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:41,240 It wasn't the king of Israel. 385 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:44,880 He said, well, they say that you're the Christ, the son of the living God. 386 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:47,700 And he said, bingo. 387 00:24:47,700 --> 00:24:52,420 Upon this statement, a lot of people think Peter was the first pope. 388 00:24:52,420 --> 00:24:53,820 Peter was not the first pope. 389 00:24:53,820 --> 00:24:54,580 Okay? 390 00:24:54,580 --> 00:24:55,880 Sorry, any Catholics here. 391 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:56,340 No offense. 392 00:24:56,340 --> 00:24:57,680 Right? 393 00:24:57,680 --> 00:24:58,260 No. 394 00:24:58,260 --> 00:25:00,540 It was the statement that Jesus said. 395 00:25:00,540 --> 00:25:01,760 Right? 396 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,620 Upon this rock, I am going to build my church. 397 00:25:04,620 --> 00:25:08,900 And that's what he came to do. 398 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:13,740 And it was one by one. 399 00:25:13,740 --> 00:25:20,800 Over the next 2,000 years, people came to Christ one by one, building his church. 400 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:26,040 It's that people would have a personal encounter with the living God. 401 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,980 Have you had that personal encounter with the living God? 402 00:25:28,980 --> 00:25:29,920 Right? 403 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:32,860 A personal encounter with the living God. 404 00:25:32,860 --> 00:25:35,400 And being filled with his Holy Spirit. 405 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:42,960 Then collectively, we come together and we're this huge organism around the world that the Spirit of God indwells. 406 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:45,300 It's not the nation. 407 00:25:45,300 --> 00:25:47,760 That's going to come a lot later. 408 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,060 Some 2,000 years later. 409 00:25:50,060 --> 00:25:57,860 And we've seen it happen there on May 14, 1948, where Israel became a nation again. 410 00:25:58,140 --> 00:26:00,420 And God is going to be dealing with these people. 411 00:26:00,420 --> 00:26:13,840 So, one by one, Jesus was going to come to people, whether it's the preaching of the gospel. 412 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:14,220 Right? 413 00:26:14,220 --> 00:26:16,240 And they would receive him in conversion. 414 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:21,840 And that they would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to live out this Christian life in obedience to him. 415 00:26:22,780 --> 00:26:30,100 And so, his response to John's disciples is, hold that thought. 416 00:26:30,100 --> 00:26:31,560 Are you the coming one? 417 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:33,440 And it's like they come to see Jesus. 418 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:35,040 He goes, hold that thought. 419 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:38,260 And then it's like he turns his attention to the people. 420 00:26:39,420 --> 00:26:50,780 And in whatever verse it is where he says, it says, when the men had come, they said, are you the coming one? 421 00:26:50,780 --> 00:26:57,960 And it says, and at that very hour, he cured many infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits. 422 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,200 And to many blind, he gave sight. 423 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:04,360 And so, Jesus just started ministering to these people. 424 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:08,140 And the disciples of John, no doubt, were watching this. 425 00:27:08,140 --> 00:27:14,720 And then he said to them, now, he says, now, go tell John the things that you have seen. 426 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:18,000 Go tell him what you're seeing. 427 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:19,080 Right? 428 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:21,680 It wasn't a political rally. 429 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:23,820 They weren't trying to make Israel great again. 430 00:27:23,820 --> 00:27:29,260 It was a person. 431 00:27:29,260 --> 00:27:31,700 It was God visiting mankind. 432 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:39,260 And Jesus is going to tell him, you're not going to find anyone else. 433 00:27:39,260 --> 00:27:49,060 You're not going to find anyone else that's going to give sight to the blind or is going to heal the leper or cure the lame or raise the dead. 434 00:27:49,060 --> 00:27:50,400 You're not going to find anyone else. 435 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:52,800 Go tell John what you see. 436 00:27:52,800 --> 00:28:00,100 And he gives his display, right, of works one by one. 437 00:28:02,260 --> 00:28:05,820 Now, verses 22 and 23. 438 00:28:05,820 --> 00:28:17,780 It says, Jesus answered and said, go tell John the things that you see, that you have seen and heard, that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear. 439 00:28:17,780 --> 00:28:18,100 Listen. 440 00:28:18,100 --> 00:28:20,020 And the dead are raised. 441 00:28:20,020 --> 00:28:22,740 The poor have the gospel preached to them. 442 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:26,220 And blessed is he who is not offended because of me. 443 00:28:26,220 --> 00:28:29,680 So he starts, right? 444 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:39,360 He starts there with the lame and the lepers and the deaf and the dead. 445 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:44,760 And then last of all, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 446 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:47,380 That's the premier thing. 447 00:28:47,380 --> 00:28:53,960 That's the premier commission he gave to his disciples when he left. 448 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:56,720 Go into the world and preach the gospel. 449 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:58,640 Signs and wonders will follow. 450 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,500 People will get healed, right? 451 00:29:01,500 --> 00:29:03,520 They'll follow the preaching of the gospel. 452 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:04,780 It shouldn't be the other way around. 453 00:29:04,780 --> 00:29:07,280 That's where the church has gotten in trouble so many times. 454 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,440 They go and try to follow signs and wonders. 455 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:10,960 Don't follow signs and wonders. 456 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,380 Follow the preaching of the gospel. 457 00:29:13,380 --> 00:29:14,880 That's what's powerful. 458 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:16,980 That's what changes people's lives. 459 00:29:16,980 --> 00:29:17,760 Guess what? 460 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:19,980 This lame person, they're going to die again. 461 00:29:19,980 --> 00:29:22,120 They'll get lame again when they're on their deathbed. 462 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:22,720 Right? 463 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:24,340 The leper, he's going to die. 464 00:29:24,340 --> 00:29:27,680 The guy that's raised from the dead, he's going to die again. 465 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:32,580 No, the principal thing is the gospel. 466 00:29:32,580 --> 00:29:36,020 That Jesus came and he died. 467 00:29:36,140 --> 00:29:40,360 Because the healing of these people, the signs and wonders that he was doing were temporary. 468 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:41,920 The gospel is eternal. 469 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:43,680 It's eternal. 470 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:45,100 It's forever. 471 00:29:45,100 --> 00:29:46,560 It's eternal life. 472 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:48,840 It's the thing that you and I desire. 473 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:55,480 When the trouble of this life is over. 474 00:29:56,160 --> 00:30:03,280 These verses could have possibly jarred John's memory of Isaiah 61. 475 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:07,200 We read this back a couple chapters ago where it says the spirit. 476 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:09,560 This is John 61 verse 1. 477 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:16,540 The spirit of God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. 478 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:18,360 This is Jesus. 479 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:30,020 He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to open the prison to those who are bound, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of the vengeance of our God. 480 00:30:30,020 --> 00:30:32,200 Notice what it starts with. 481 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:33,540 What's he first to proclaim? 482 00:30:34,380 --> 00:30:35,020 The good news. 483 00:30:35,020 --> 00:30:36,140 The gospel. 484 00:30:36,140 --> 00:30:38,520 The good news is going to be proclaimed. 485 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:42,380 And then when people hear it and receive it, they're set free. 486 00:30:42,380 --> 00:30:43,640 They're delivered. 487 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:45,360 Their sins are forgiven. 488 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:46,820 They're on their way to heaven. 489 00:30:46,820 --> 00:30:48,700 Hallelujah. 490 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:52,740 I could get Pentecostal on you here. 491 00:30:52,740 --> 00:31:03,260 I said that one time, this old boy that was pretty, pretty Pentecostal up in the front row. 492 00:31:03,260 --> 00:31:04,800 He goes, do it. 493 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:06,020 Do it. 494 00:31:06,020 --> 00:31:15,620 And he goes on there in verses, I think, two and three. 495 00:31:15,620 --> 00:31:43,080 When Jesus and John the Baptist came preaching, what did they say? 496 00:31:45,220 --> 00:31:48,260 Repent, right, for the kingdom of Israel is at hand. 497 00:31:48,260 --> 00:31:50,740 No, he didn't say that. 498 00:31:50,740 --> 00:31:54,880 He said, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. 499 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:57,840 And then Jesus comes along and says, where's the kingdom of God? 500 00:31:57,840 --> 00:31:58,820 It's within you. 501 00:31:58,820 --> 00:32:04,040 The kingdom of God is within you as you receive Christ. 502 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:06,880 Because he is all of the above. 503 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,080 Everything that we need. 504 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:13,000 He is truly our life. 505 00:32:14,140 --> 00:32:19,660 So Jesus tells him, he says, you go tell John what your eyes see and what your ears hear. 506 00:32:19,660 --> 00:32:23,160 Because it's happening now. 507 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:26,340 It's happening now. 508 00:32:27,340 --> 00:32:34,520 What every Old Testament prophet was looking for is here now. 509 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:38,560 And they were seeing it. 510 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:46,360 1 Peter 1, verses 10 and 12 says, 1 Peter 1, 10 and 12 says, 511 00:32:46,500 --> 00:32:47,500 Of this salvation. 512 00:32:47,500 --> 00:32:54,600 Of this salvation, the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you. 513 00:32:54,600 --> 00:33:07,840 Searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when he testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 514 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:08,840 To them it was revealed. 515 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:22,240 To them it was revealed that not to themselves, but to us, they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. 516 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,420 Things which angels desire to look into. 517 00:33:25,420 --> 00:33:28,580 All of the prophets were pointing to this. 518 00:33:28,580 --> 00:33:29,580 All of them. 519 00:33:29,580 --> 00:33:31,300 To the Messiah. 520 00:33:31,300 --> 00:33:32,740 That he was going to come. 521 00:33:32,740 --> 00:33:34,320 And it was the hope. 522 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:37,060 It was the consolation of Israel. 523 00:33:42,500 --> 00:33:44,460 The gospel is being preached. 524 00:33:44,460 --> 00:33:45,920 Souls are being saved. 525 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:47,780 It's the greatest priority. 526 00:33:47,780 --> 00:33:52,540 The blind, the lame, and the lepers also are being healed. 527 00:33:52,540 --> 00:33:59,540 And so, the difference between this life and eternal life. 528 00:33:59,540 --> 00:34:06,400 Jesus spoke in Matthew 16, verses 19 and 20. 529 00:34:06,500 --> 00:34:10,480 And so, when after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven. 530 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:12,660 And he sat down at the right hand of God. 531 00:34:12,660 --> 00:34:14,540 And they went out and preached everywhere. 532 00:34:14,540 --> 00:34:19,300 The Lord working with them and confirming the word through the company signs. 533 00:34:19,300 --> 00:34:23,080 And so, that's what he did. 534 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:26,480 He imparted the great commission. 535 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:29,880 And it wasn't to restore Israel as a nation. 536 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:31,420 God was going to do that. 537 00:34:31,420 --> 00:34:34,760 Just like God was going to save you and me in the future. 538 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:36,000 And he did. 539 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:40,100 And Jesus is coming back in the future. 540 00:34:40,100 --> 00:34:41,020 And he will. 541 00:34:41,020 --> 00:34:46,260 And we're seeing these things happen. 542 00:34:46,260 --> 00:34:48,700 Some things happening so fast. 543 00:34:48,700 --> 00:34:52,980 I've been prodded by a couple of people here. 544 00:34:52,980 --> 00:34:56,560 I shared Wednesday night kind of just a little prophecy update. 545 00:34:56,560 --> 00:34:59,160 And there's only a few of us here on Wednesday night. 546 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:03,700 And the people said, oh, you got to share this with the whole church. 547 00:35:03,700 --> 00:35:05,080 I said, really? 548 00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:09,520 I said, you know how much stuff has happened even since that Wednesday a couple weeks ago? 549 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:11,600 All the more reasons. 550 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:16,460 So, next week we might be out of the book of Luke. 551 00:35:16,460 --> 00:35:19,880 And kind of just do a little overview of some of the stuff. 552 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:20,840 Some of the current events. 553 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:21,980 The things that are going on. 554 00:35:22,660 --> 00:35:27,060 So, Jesus wraps it up with blessed is he who is not offended. 555 00:35:27,060 --> 00:35:28,380 There in verse 23. 556 00:35:28,380 --> 00:35:31,000 Blessed is he who is not offended. 557 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:33,440 Maybe John was a little bit miffed. 558 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:34,640 Going, come on, man. 559 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:36,540 You're supposed to be setting up that kingdom. 560 00:35:36,540 --> 00:35:38,160 What's wrong with you? 561 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:42,420 Some think that. 562 00:35:42,420 --> 00:35:43,460 It's funny. 563 00:35:43,460 --> 00:35:48,880 When you read commentators on this, they're kind of all over the place on this whole, you know, John the Baptist. 564 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:52,040 Why he's, you know, calling Jesus into question. 565 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:58,380 But he said, blessed is he who is not offended because of me. 566 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:03,140 And this word offended is kind of interesting. 567 00:36:03,140 --> 00:36:10,020 It means to properly set a snare or a stumbling block. 568 00:36:10,020 --> 00:36:13,540 To hinder right conduct and thought. 569 00:36:13,540 --> 00:36:15,360 To cause to stumble. 570 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:18,380 Literally, to fall into a trap. 571 00:36:18,380 --> 00:36:20,980 You offended by Jesus? 572 00:36:20,980 --> 00:36:27,340 Are there certain circles that you find yourself in that you're not as apt to talk about Jesus? 573 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:32,260 I get called on the carpet for that. 574 00:36:32,260 --> 00:36:33,280 Occasionally. 575 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:35,120 Fear enters in. 576 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:37,060 Oh, they don't want to hear about Jesus. 577 00:36:37,060 --> 00:36:39,580 Now, it's one thing. 578 00:36:39,580 --> 00:36:40,380 If you've established. 579 00:36:40,380 --> 00:36:43,240 I know sometimes you establish it with family members. 580 00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:46,080 I'm a follower of Jesus now. 581 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:49,420 I remember having to clearly convey that to my family. 582 00:36:49,420 --> 00:36:50,600 I follow Jesus now. 583 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:51,520 And my old friends. 584 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:53,560 I don't smoke dope anymore. 585 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:56,700 I don't sleep with girls anymore. 586 00:36:56,700 --> 00:36:59,360 I don't do this anymore. 587 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,160 Because I'm following Jesus. 588 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:05,780 And you should follow Jesus or you're going to hell. 589 00:37:05,780 --> 00:37:08,540 How loving is that? 590 00:37:13,780 --> 00:37:16,060 And I, so you establish that. 591 00:37:16,060 --> 00:37:18,940 Once you establish that, you don't have to keep browbeating them, right? 592 00:37:18,940 --> 00:37:19,880 They know where you stand. 593 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:21,120 He's following Jesus. 594 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:24,600 Right? 595 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:28,500 And hopefully, if you kind of just be quiet and not be an abrasive jerk, 596 00:37:28,500 --> 00:37:32,260 once you've established your relationship with Jesus, with your friends and family, 597 00:37:32,260 --> 00:37:34,280 then walk it out and let them watch. 598 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:37,120 And be a witness. 599 00:37:37,120 --> 00:37:40,960 And leave it there. 600 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:44,420 Because you get nowhere by being a jerk. 601 00:37:44,420 --> 00:37:45,480 Right? 602 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:49,140 It's amazing. 603 00:37:49,140 --> 00:37:51,160 I, I, the people I meet. 604 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:53,180 And you start talking about Jesus. 605 00:37:53,180 --> 00:37:54,160 And you can kind of see them. 606 00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:56,940 They kind of stiffen up and bristle up a little bit. 607 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,480 And you're going, oh, this, this might be casting pearls before swine. 608 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:02,920 So I, I, I don't always do that. 609 00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:05,820 But it's usually because people have a problem with God. 610 00:38:05,820 --> 00:38:07,980 Oh, I got a problem. 611 00:38:07,980 --> 00:38:09,660 I got a bone to pick with God. 612 00:38:09,660 --> 00:38:10,060 Really? 613 00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:11,540 You're going to win that bone? 614 00:38:11,540 --> 00:38:13,040 I don't think so. 615 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:20,720 So many people do. 616 00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:23,520 Like, you, you really got an argument with God? 617 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:28,420 You got a why question that is so big that it's turned your heart against God? 618 00:38:28,420 --> 00:38:31,020 Why? 619 00:38:31,020 --> 00:38:32,540 No pun intended. 620 00:38:32,540 --> 00:38:33,320 Why? 621 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:44,400 So, Jesus says, blessed are those who not offended me. 622 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:47,860 And then he touts John the Baptist. 623 00:38:47,860 --> 00:38:49,960 He, he puts John the Baptist up here. 624 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:51,200 He speaks very well. 625 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:53,160 How would Jesus speak of you? 626 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:56,740 How would he speak of you? 627 00:38:56,740 --> 00:39:02,540 Look, look how he speaks of John the Baptist here in verse 24. 628 00:39:02,540 --> 00:39:04,460 And when the messengers of John had departed, 629 00:39:04,460 --> 00:39:07,080 he began to speak to the multitude concerning John. 630 00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:07,320 He says, 631 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:09,820 What did you go out into the wilderness to see? 632 00:39:09,820 --> 00:39:11,280 A reed shaken by the wind. 633 00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:13,180 But what did you go out to see? 634 00:39:13,180 --> 00:39:15,020 A man clothed in soft garments. 635 00:39:15,020 --> 00:39:18,860 Indeed, those who are gorgeously appareled 636 00:39:18,860 --> 00:39:21,820 and live in luxury are in king's courts. 637 00:39:21,820 --> 00:39:23,400 But what did you go out to see? 638 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:23,960 A prophet? 639 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:27,120 Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 640 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:27,900 Right? 641 00:39:27,900 --> 00:39:30,380 This is he of whom it is written, 642 00:39:30,380 --> 00:39:33,300 Behold, I send my messenger before your face 643 00:39:33,300 --> 00:39:35,480 who will prepare your way before you. 644 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:36,520 Right? 645 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:38,500 He's saying, there's nobody like this guy. 646 00:39:38,500 --> 00:39:40,060 This John the Baptist. 647 00:39:40,060 --> 00:39:41,180 Right? 648 00:39:41,180 --> 00:39:45,220 Not only was he prophesied by the Old Testament prophets. 649 00:39:45,220 --> 00:39:45,920 Right? 650 00:39:45,920 --> 00:39:47,340 He was prophesied. 651 00:39:47,340 --> 00:39:48,740 He fulfilled prophecy. 652 00:39:48,740 --> 00:39:51,700 And then he was a prophet. 653 00:39:51,700 --> 00:39:54,980 He's the greatest of the prophets. 654 00:39:54,980 --> 00:39:56,100 This John. 655 00:39:58,700 --> 00:40:02,480 We see him in Isaiah prophesied. 656 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:03,380 Isaiah 43. 657 00:40:03,380 --> 00:40:05,220 The voice of the one crying in the wilderness, 658 00:40:05,220 --> 00:40:06,480 prepare the way of the Lord. 659 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:10,520 Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 660 00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:11,600 What highway? 661 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:14,440 Highway from north to south in Israel? 662 00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:16,620 No, it's a highway to the human heart. 663 00:40:16,620 --> 00:40:19,520 Because Jesus is the one that can come along 664 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:21,880 and cure all of your diseases 665 00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:23,460 and meet all of your needs. 666 00:40:23,940 --> 00:40:25,120 That's the highway. 667 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:28,420 Jesus is the highway to heaven. 668 00:40:28,420 --> 00:40:36,680 Are you caught on a side road or an off ramp somewhere? 669 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:39,240 Just get on the highway, man. 670 00:40:39,240 --> 00:40:41,560 We're going and we're going fast. 671 00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:43,640 This thing's going so fast. 672 00:40:44,720 --> 00:40:46,000 It'll make your head spin. 673 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:54,020 He was the last of the Old Testament prophets. 674 00:40:54,020 --> 00:40:59,820 He had the privilege of God's messenger 675 00:40:59,820 --> 00:41:01,880 to introducing the Messiah to Israel. 676 00:41:08,820 --> 00:41:11,940 He goes on there and he says, 677 00:41:11,940 --> 00:41:12,780 For I say to you, 678 00:41:12,780 --> 00:41:14,800 among those born of women, 679 00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:18,800 there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist, 680 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:21,400 but he who is least in the kingdom of God 681 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:22,340 is greater than he. 682 00:41:22,340 --> 00:41:23,900 You believer in Jesus today, 683 00:41:23,900 --> 00:41:25,400 you're greater than John the Baptist. 684 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:28,860 Really? 685 00:41:28,860 --> 00:41:30,540 Yeah. 686 00:41:30,540 --> 00:41:32,140 Didn't you see that? 687 00:41:32,140 --> 00:41:34,840 There's none greater than John the Baptist. 688 00:41:34,840 --> 00:41:37,400 He who is least in the kingdom of God 689 00:41:37,400 --> 00:41:38,980 is greater than he. 690 00:41:38,980 --> 00:41:40,340 That's you and me. 691 00:41:40,340 --> 00:41:41,880 Hot dog. 692 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:42,660 Really? 693 00:41:42,660 --> 00:41:43,560 Yeah, really. 694 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:46,960 Greater than John the Baptist? 695 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:48,700 Why? 696 00:41:48,700 --> 00:41:51,280 John didn't get to see the full work 697 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:52,260 of what Jesus did. 698 00:41:52,260 --> 00:41:56,360 He didn't have a total grasp 699 00:41:56,360 --> 00:41:57,520 of that good news 700 00:41:57,520 --> 00:42:01,480 that Christ would walk out of the grave 701 00:42:01,480 --> 00:42:03,760 three days after his crucifixion 702 00:42:03,760 --> 00:42:06,400 and offer eternal life 703 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:08,540 to anyone who would hear and receive. 704 00:42:08,540 --> 00:42:13,700 That's why you and I agree. 705 00:42:13,700 --> 00:42:15,140 We have a greater understanding 706 00:42:15,140 --> 00:42:17,580 because of what we've seen. 707 00:42:17,580 --> 00:42:19,540 All we have to do is look back through history. 708 00:42:19,540 --> 00:42:21,500 It's confirmed. 709 00:42:21,500 --> 00:42:24,280 It's a fact 710 00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:26,320 that this man, 711 00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:27,640 this God-man, 712 00:42:27,640 --> 00:42:28,560 rose from the dead. 713 00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:29,660 So therefore, 714 00:42:29,660 --> 00:42:31,360 anyone who believes in him 715 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:33,560 is greater than John the Baptist. 716 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:41,840 And when all the people heard him, 717 00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:43,840 even tax collectors justified God 718 00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:44,700 having been baptized 719 00:42:44,700 --> 00:42:46,580 with the baptism of John. 720 00:42:46,580 --> 00:42:47,960 Listen to this one. 721 00:42:47,960 --> 00:42:49,640 This one really stings. 722 00:42:49,640 --> 00:42:50,600 Verse 30. 723 00:42:50,600 --> 00:42:52,160 But the Pharisees 724 00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:54,000 and lawyers rejected 725 00:42:54,000 --> 00:42:56,060 the will of God for themselves, 726 00:42:56,060 --> 00:42:58,400 not having been baptized by him. 727 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:02,740 The humility of people 728 00:43:02,740 --> 00:43:04,120 is really important. 729 00:43:04,120 --> 00:43:05,720 Your humility 730 00:43:05,720 --> 00:43:07,000 is really important. 731 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:09,980 How do you humble yourself 732 00:43:09,980 --> 00:43:10,680 before the Lord? 733 00:43:10,680 --> 00:43:12,160 These guys had 734 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:13,640 ample opportunity 735 00:43:13,640 --> 00:43:15,320 to humble themselves 736 00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:16,700 before the Lord 737 00:43:16,700 --> 00:43:17,980 with John the Baptist 738 00:43:17,980 --> 00:43:18,780 and his preaching 739 00:43:18,780 --> 00:43:19,720 and his baptizing. 740 00:43:19,720 --> 00:43:21,700 And they could have been baptized. 741 00:43:21,700 --> 00:43:22,980 Right? 742 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:24,100 And Jesus, 743 00:43:24,100 --> 00:43:26,240 he cries out 744 00:43:26,240 --> 00:43:29,860 there at Jerusalem 745 00:43:29,860 --> 00:43:30,680 there before 746 00:43:30,680 --> 00:43:32,720 they crucified him. 747 00:43:32,720 --> 00:43:33,680 In verse 37, 748 00:43:33,680 --> 00:43:34,060 it says, 749 00:43:34,060 --> 00:43:35,040 Oh, Jerusalem, 750 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:35,620 Jerusalem, 751 00:43:35,620 --> 00:43:37,740 the one who kills the prophets 752 00:43:37,740 --> 00:43:38,920 and stones those 753 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:39,900 who are sent to her. 754 00:43:39,900 --> 00:43:40,980 How often 755 00:43:40,980 --> 00:43:42,260 I wanted to gather 756 00:43:42,260 --> 00:43:43,560 your children together 757 00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:45,360 as a hen gathers her chicks 758 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:46,460 under her wings, 759 00:43:46,460 --> 00:43:48,580 but you were not willing. 760 00:43:48,580 --> 00:43:50,340 You were not willing 761 00:43:50,340 --> 00:43:51,260 to humble yourself. 762 00:43:51,980 --> 00:43:53,060 How do you humble yourself 763 00:43:53,060 --> 00:43:53,640 before God? 764 00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:55,660 You have to ask yourselves 765 00:43:55,660 --> 00:43:56,260 that question. 766 00:43:56,260 --> 00:43:58,140 Right? 767 00:43:58,140 --> 00:44:00,420 I know when I worked 768 00:44:00,420 --> 00:44:00,920 at the school, 769 00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:02,020 I would humble myself 770 00:44:02,020 --> 00:44:02,720 before the Lord 771 00:44:02,720 --> 00:44:03,700 by going in 772 00:44:03,700 --> 00:44:05,000 and have kindergartners. 773 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:06,180 I would get on my knees 774 00:44:06,180 --> 00:44:07,140 and I would have those kids 775 00:44:07,140 --> 00:44:07,940 pray for me 776 00:44:07,940 --> 00:44:10,320 because 777 00:44:10,320 --> 00:44:12,480 they know Jesus. 778 00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:16,160 And I'm just like, 779 00:44:16,160 --> 00:44:17,120 Oh, this is power. 780 00:44:17,120 --> 00:44:18,340 This is power right here. 781 00:44:18,340 --> 00:44:19,960 Humility is a good thing. 782 00:44:20,760 --> 00:44:21,160 Right? 783 00:44:21,160 --> 00:44:23,320 Do you come up 784 00:44:23,320 --> 00:44:25,040 and how many of you, 785 00:44:25,040 --> 00:44:25,880 pride keeps you 786 00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:26,400 from coming up? 787 00:44:26,400 --> 00:44:27,440 You know you need prayer 788 00:44:27,440 --> 00:44:28,980 and there's a prayer team up here 789 00:44:28,980 --> 00:44:30,160 and pride will keep you 790 00:44:30,160 --> 00:44:30,760 from coming up 791 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:31,980 every single time. 792 00:44:31,980 --> 00:44:33,460 That's why sometimes 793 00:44:33,460 --> 00:44:34,180 I step off 794 00:44:34,180 --> 00:44:34,860 and I have somebody 795 00:44:34,860 --> 00:44:35,560 pray for me. 796 00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:38,280 Humble yourself 797 00:44:38,280 --> 00:44:39,580 under the mighty hand of God. 798 00:44:39,580 --> 00:44:40,760 You want him to lift you up? 799 00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:41,860 Then humble yourself. 800 00:44:41,860 --> 00:44:43,900 We have to humble ourselves. 801 00:44:43,900 --> 00:44:45,900 God loves, 802 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:46,920 He's drawn to it 803 00:44:46,920 --> 00:44:50,720 like a fly to honey, man. 804 00:44:50,720 --> 00:44:53,520 He is drawn to humility. 805 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:55,280 He loves it. 806 00:44:55,280 --> 00:44:56,460 He says, 807 00:44:56,460 --> 00:44:58,140 You were not willing. 808 00:44:58,140 --> 00:44:59,380 These people, 809 00:44:59,380 --> 00:45:00,640 these religious, 810 00:45:00,640 --> 00:45:02,780 pew-sitting, 811 00:45:02,780 --> 00:45:05,160 legalists 812 00:45:05,160 --> 00:45:07,480 went to church every Sunday 813 00:45:07,480 --> 00:45:08,260 but they refused 814 00:45:08,260 --> 00:45:09,120 to humble themselves. 815 00:45:09,980 --> 00:45:11,000 God has no part 816 00:45:11,000 --> 00:45:12,100 with anyone 817 00:45:12,100 --> 00:45:13,160 who won't humble themselves. 818 00:45:13,160 --> 00:45:15,640 No part at all. 819 00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:21,580 It is a powerful thing 820 00:45:21,580 --> 00:45:23,260 for us to bow our knee 821 00:45:23,260 --> 00:45:24,860 before the God of heaven 822 00:45:24,860 --> 00:45:27,100 and then 823 00:45:27,100 --> 00:45:28,420 He'll hear. 824 00:45:28,420 --> 00:45:32,460 And so 825 00:45:32,460 --> 00:45:35,100 they wouldn't, 826 00:45:35,100 --> 00:45:38,040 not having been baptized by Him, 827 00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:38,540 they weren't, 828 00:45:38,540 --> 00:45:39,540 it wasn't about 829 00:45:39,540 --> 00:45:40,940 to get their 830 00:45:40,940 --> 00:45:43,000 phylacteries wet. 831 00:45:49,380 --> 00:45:50,200 and yet 832 00:45:50,200 --> 00:45:53,180 what they missed out on, 833 00:45:53,180 --> 00:45:53,920 the life 834 00:45:53,920 --> 00:45:55,020 that they missed out on 835 00:45:55,020 --> 00:45:57,660 by sticking 836 00:45:57,660 --> 00:45:59,760 to their religious ideals. 837 00:45:59,760 --> 00:46:01,380 Verse 31, 838 00:46:01,380 --> 00:46:02,140 And the Lord said, 839 00:46:02,140 --> 00:46:03,120 To what then 840 00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:03,760 shall you liken 841 00:46:03,760 --> 00:46:04,960 the men of this generation 842 00:46:04,960 --> 00:46:06,220 and what are they like? 843 00:46:06,220 --> 00:46:07,320 They are like children 844 00:46:07,320 --> 00:46:08,460 sitting in the marketplace 845 00:46:08,460 --> 00:46:09,560 and calling to one another 846 00:46:09,560 --> 00:46:09,920 saying, 847 00:46:09,920 --> 00:46:11,620 We played the flute for you 848 00:46:11,620 --> 00:46:12,780 and you did not dance. 849 00:46:12,780 --> 00:46:14,360 We mourned to you 850 00:46:14,360 --> 00:46:15,480 and you did not weep. 851 00:46:15,480 --> 00:46:16,300 For John the Baptist 852 00:46:16,300 --> 00:46:17,580 came neither eating bread 853 00:46:17,580 --> 00:46:18,560 nor drinking wine 854 00:46:18,560 --> 00:46:19,540 and you say 855 00:46:19,540 --> 00:46:20,740 he has a demon. 856 00:46:20,740 --> 00:46:21,740 The Son of Man 857 00:46:21,740 --> 00:46:22,820 has come eating and drinking 858 00:46:22,820 --> 00:46:23,280 and you say, 859 00:46:23,280 --> 00:46:23,620 Look, 860 00:46:23,620 --> 00:46:24,960 a glutton and a winebibber, 861 00:46:24,960 --> 00:46:26,500 a friend of tax collectors 862 00:46:26,500 --> 00:46:27,080 and sinners. 863 00:46:27,080 --> 00:46:27,860 Thank you, Jesus, 864 00:46:27,860 --> 00:46:28,720 for being a friend 865 00:46:28,720 --> 00:46:29,920 of tax collectors 866 00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:30,480 and sinners. 867 00:46:30,480 --> 00:46:31,060 But, 868 00:46:31,060 --> 00:46:32,880 wisdom is justified 869 00:46:32,880 --> 00:46:34,040 by all of her children. 870 00:46:34,040 --> 00:46:36,420 It's a wise thing 871 00:46:36,420 --> 00:46:38,420 to give your life to Jesus. 872 00:46:38,420 --> 00:46:39,820 Right? 873 00:46:39,820 --> 00:46:42,600 It is a wise thing 874 00:46:42,600 --> 00:46:44,460 to give your life to Jesus. 875 00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:46,180 That is wisdom. 876 00:46:46,180 --> 00:46:47,200 Right? 877 00:46:47,200 --> 00:46:48,960 Because it's obvious. 878 00:46:48,960 --> 00:46:49,300 Like, 879 00:46:49,300 --> 00:46:50,780 we can't do this. 880 00:46:50,780 --> 00:46:52,300 Right? 881 00:46:52,300 --> 00:46:53,600 I mentioned at the beginning 882 00:46:53,600 --> 00:46:55,000 when you look at the Ten Commandments, 883 00:46:55,000 --> 00:46:56,280 we've all failed 884 00:46:56,280 --> 00:46:57,780 and we're all under judgment 885 00:46:57,780 --> 00:46:59,020 and we should be 886 00:46:59,020 --> 00:47:00,200 and justifiably. 887 00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:00,620 Right? 888 00:47:00,620 --> 00:47:01,700 That would be justice. 889 00:47:01,700 --> 00:47:03,160 And God has come along 890 00:47:03,160 --> 00:47:03,940 with this mercy 891 00:47:03,940 --> 00:47:04,820 and this kindness 892 00:47:04,820 --> 00:47:06,220 and this love 893 00:47:06,220 --> 00:47:08,060 that spread its hands 894 00:47:08,060 --> 00:47:08,900 and arms 895 00:47:08,900 --> 00:47:10,480 and body out on a cross 896 00:47:10,480 --> 00:47:11,340 and was willing 897 00:47:11,340 --> 00:47:12,120 to be poured out 898 00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:12,960 as a drink offering 899 00:47:12,960 --> 00:47:14,360 for you and me. 900 00:47:14,360 --> 00:47:18,000 The least we can do 901 00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:20,160 is bow our knee 902 00:47:20,160 --> 00:47:21,600 and say, 903 00:47:21,600 --> 00:47:23,740 Lord, 904 00:47:23,740 --> 00:47:24,880 my hat's off to you 905 00:47:24,880 --> 00:47:27,100 because I got nothing 906 00:47:27,100 --> 00:47:29,500 and so it is with you. 907 00:47:29,500 --> 00:47:31,180 So may you come to him 908 00:47:31,180 --> 00:47:32,140 even now. 909 00:47:32,140 --> 00:47:32,600 Let's pray. 910 00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:33,440 Father, 911 00:47:33,440 --> 00:47:35,660 we just come before you 912 00:47:35,660 --> 00:47:37,600 and we're overwhelmed, 913 00:47:37,600 --> 00:47:37,960 Lord, 914 00:47:37,960 --> 00:47:39,740 at how you work 915 00:47:39,740 --> 00:47:44,040 and how you're willing 916 00:47:44,040 --> 00:47:45,220 to bless anyone 917 00:47:45,220 --> 00:47:47,240 who would humble themselves 918 00:47:47,240 --> 00:47:51,240 and just as John the baptizer 919 00:47:51,240 --> 00:47:52,920 was in that place of humility 920 00:47:52,920 --> 00:47:54,120 and in that prison, 921 00:47:54,120 --> 00:47:54,500 Lord, 922 00:47:54,500 --> 00:47:57,280 and willing to humble himself 923 00:47:57,280 --> 00:47:58,800 and send messengers, 924 00:47:58,800 --> 00:47:59,180 Lord, 925 00:47:59,180 --> 00:48:00,740 are you the one? 926 00:48:00,740 --> 00:48:02,340 Lord, 927 00:48:02,340 --> 00:48:05,680 just really may even 928 00:48:05,680 --> 00:48:06,900 confess in his humanity 929 00:48:06,900 --> 00:48:11,060 and we're all weak 930 00:48:11,060 --> 00:48:12,820 and we all need strength 931 00:48:12,820 --> 00:48:13,680 in our faith 932 00:48:13,680 --> 00:48:15,020 and your word tells us 933 00:48:15,020 --> 00:48:16,180 that you give us a measure. 934 00:48:16,180 --> 00:48:17,240 So, Lord, 935 00:48:17,240 --> 00:48:18,360 would you increase our faith 936 00:48:18,360 --> 00:48:21,040 and cause us to walk 937 00:48:21,040 --> 00:48:22,640 in a way that is just, 938 00:48:22,640 --> 00:48:24,700 it's pleasing in your sight, 939 00:48:24,700 --> 00:48:25,020 Lord, 940 00:48:25,020 --> 00:48:26,660 that we don't have it all pegged. 941 00:48:26,660 --> 00:48:28,360 We know you're coming 942 00:48:28,360 --> 00:48:29,800 and I don't know 943 00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:30,740 about all these guys 944 00:48:30,740 --> 00:48:32,020 but I know I want to be ready. 945 00:48:32,220 --> 00:48:32,600 So, Lord, 946 00:48:32,600 --> 00:48:34,180 would you just help us 947 00:48:34,180 --> 00:48:34,840 to get ready? 948 00:48:34,840 --> 00:48:35,640 Lord, 949 00:48:35,640 --> 00:48:36,960 would you bring to mind 950 00:48:36,960 --> 00:48:38,260 and into our hearts, 951 00:48:38,260 --> 00:48:38,560 Lord, 952 00:48:38,560 --> 00:48:41,400 those things that are important 953 00:48:41,400 --> 00:48:42,840 are important to you 954 00:48:42,840 --> 00:48:44,020 and, Lord, 955 00:48:44,020 --> 00:48:44,960 that those same things 956 00:48:44,960 --> 00:48:46,040 would be important to us 957 00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:46,660 as your people 958 00:48:46,660 --> 00:48:48,140 in these last days. 959 00:48:48,140 --> 00:48:49,000 So, Lord, 960 00:48:49,000 --> 00:48:50,380 bless your people. 961 00:48:50,380 --> 00:48:51,220 I pray for those 962 00:48:51,220 --> 00:48:52,900 who need to draw near to you, 963 00:48:52,900 --> 00:48:53,840 maybe humble themselves 964 00:48:53,840 --> 00:48:54,840 this morning, Lord, 965 00:48:54,840 --> 00:48:55,700 that they would just come 966 00:48:55,700 --> 00:48:56,240 for prayer 967 00:48:56,240 --> 00:48:58,700 and draw near to the one 968 00:48:58,700 --> 00:49:00,380 who can touch 969 00:49:00,380 --> 00:49:00,900 and heal 970 00:49:00,900 --> 00:49:02,660 and bring life 971 00:49:02,660 --> 00:49:04,240 to that which has been 972 00:49:04,240 --> 00:49:06,320 squashed by this world 973 00:49:06,320 --> 00:49:08,320 and by the fear of death, 974 00:49:08,320 --> 00:49:08,640 Lord. 975 00:49:08,640 --> 00:49:09,500 So, we just, 976 00:49:09,500 --> 00:49:10,780 we worship you, 977 00:49:10,780 --> 00:49:11,260 Lord. 978 00:49:11,260 --> 00:49:12,180 Thank you so much 979 00:49:12,180 --> 00:49:13,360 that you make a way. 980 00:49:13,360 --> 00:49:15,840 It's not always easy 981 00:49:15,840 --> 00:49:17,080 but it's sure simple, 982 00:49:17,080 --> 00:49:17,900 Lord, 983 00:49:17,900 --> 00:49:18,940 if we'll humble ourselves 984 00:49:18,940 --> 00:49:19,540 before you. 985 00:49:19,780 --> 00:49:21,080 so bless that humility, 986 00:49:21,080 --> 00:49:23,220 I pray in Jesus' mighty name 987 00:49:23,220 --> 00:49:24,840 and all God's people said, 988 00:49:24,840 --> 00:49:25,340 Amen. 989 00:49:25,340 --> 00:49:26,560 If you need prayer, 990 00:49:26,560 --> 00:49:28,080 the prayer team's gonna be over here 991 00:49:28,080 --> 00:49:29,060 as we sing this last song. 992 00:49:29,060 --> 00:49:29,660 Let's all stand, 993 00:49:29,660 --> 00:49:30,060 shall we? 994 00:49:30,060 --> 00:49:30,920 Thank you. 995 00:49:30,920 --> 00:50:00,900 Thank you.