Allen Jackson - Christ and Antichrist (Part 1)

January 14, 2025 | S25:E14

Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Christ and Antichrist (Part 1) | January 14, 2025
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen jackson: i began a discussion in the previous
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  • Session about, "my friend jesus!"
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  • I'd like to continue that in this particular session and
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  • Focus on the christ and the antichrist,
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  • If you prefer, the true and the false,
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  • Light and dark.
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  • We need to recognize that those forces stand in opposition to
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  • One another, and they are shaping much of
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  • What we see in our world.
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  • There's so much confusion today.
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  • We're living in a very turbulent time,
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  • A tumultuous time.
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  • And, you know, my conclusion, just the most simple way i know
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  • To state it is, the routine of life is just difficult.
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  • Aren't you glad you got dressed up and came to church
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  • For that nugget?
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  • But would your experience support that?
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  • You know, just the routine of life,
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  • Just the things that life brings to you,
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  • It's difficult.
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  • There's good things in it and there's happy places in it and
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  • There's wonderful victories in it,
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  • But it's frequently difficult.
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  • Disappointments are part of the journey.
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  • If disappointments come to you, you're not unique,
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  • You're not being picked on, you haven't been singled out.
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  • Everybody i know, and i know a pretty significant slice of
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  • People, faces disappointments.
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  • Despair will seek entry into your life.
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  • It will look for a window that it could enter through.
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  • Despair is disappointment that comes to stay.
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  • Despair clouds your view.
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  • It will rob you of your joy and your hope.
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  • It will rob you of the strength to face the day with the
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  • Enthusiasm that you might have had.
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  • Weariness, i have discovered, is a frequent caller.
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  • I don't mean just wearing is from exertion,
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  • Weariness from a busy day, but a weariness with the process,
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  • A weariness with the journey, a weariness with the challenges,
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  • A weariness with the disappointments.
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  • Weariness would like to slip right in through that same open
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  • Window where despair would like to come.
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  • Why does it have to be this way?
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  • That's the part of all of our journeys.
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  • In fact, often the challenges are just more
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  • Challenging than we would prefer.
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  • Does that feel right?
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  • You know, i saw a little clip in the newspaper that said,
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  • "lion tamer wants tamer lion."
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  • I feel that way some days.
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  • Well, i would submit to you that all of those things i have
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  • Described thus far are just part of life.
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  • That's part of the journey.
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  • If you're gonna spend days under the sun,
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  • That stuff's coming.
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  • It may not come every day, it may not describe every week or
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  • Every month or every season, but those things will come to every
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  • Life, no matter how successful, how wealthy,
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  • How affluent, no matter how well educated or not.
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  • I don't know a barrier that can keep you from the challenges and
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  • The difficulties of life.
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  • They come to people of faith and people who are agnostic.
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  • Being a person of faith does not remove you
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  • From the realm of disappointments
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  • In life, it does not.
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  • Jesus said, "in this world, you will have trouble."
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  • Jesus said it. it's not a negative confession.
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  • Somebody's confession meter just went off, whoop, whoop.
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  • Jesus said it, but he said, "be of good cheer.
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  • I've overcome the world."
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  • But beyond that set of things that i would attribute to
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  • Normal, routine, a typical journey through time,
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  • I would submit we're experiencing a spiritual
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  • Struggle of unique intensity.
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  • In fact, the best way i would know to describe
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  • It is a desperate demonic effort to thwart the purposes of god in
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  • This unique generation.
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  • It isn't typical.
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  • I've had enough birthdays to see other things and what we're
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  • Watching these days is not really normal.
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  • Their expressions of evil are celebrated.
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  • I mean, they're celebrated in the public square of things that
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  • When you look at them you go, "that's just evil.
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  • That should not elicit a celebration."
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  • And yet, it does.
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  • Compromise within the church, forget outside,
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  • Within the church, compromise is far too common.
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  • Common sense these days is uncommon.
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  • Can we have a class?
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  • Shame has been replaced.
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  • Shame is no longer chic.
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  • We have replaced it with just a brazen rebellion against god.
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  • It seems almost unimaginable to think of a behavior or a
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  • Statement or something you could engage in no matter how vile,
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  • No matter how repugnant that its response is one of shame.
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  • And the temptation, i think, amongst god's people
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  • Is just to look away.
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  • It's too much.
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  • "i'd rather not think about it. i'd rather not notice.
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  • Can i put my fingers in my ear and sing?"
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  • Or maybe we'll just yield to distraction?
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  • Can we find something else to do?
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  • Can i find--go find a happy place,
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  • Something that revitalizes me and renews me,
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  • And i won't have to pay any attention to what's happening?
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  • Or perhaps we just avoid our assignment and shrug it off and
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  • Say, "well, you know, i've been godly.
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  • Let somebody else be godly for a while."
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  • Or we sing more loudly
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  • So we don't hear the cry of the desperate.
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  • "didn't hear a thing."
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  • I've read more than one account of the christians in germany
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  • During world war ii when the trains were going fast filled
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  • With the jewish people and those on their way to the camps for
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  • Their extinction.
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  • And the trains were close enough to some of the churches that
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  • They could hear the cries for help.
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  • And if they were worshipping on sunday,
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  • They would simply worship with more enthusiasm.
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  • I think in our own ways, that's a temptation for us these days.
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  • Or maybe we just pretend that nothing's changed.
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  • "well, we had kind of a rough patch,
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  • But we're back now."
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  • I want to spend the time we have today and ask you to focus with
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  • Me on jesus.
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  • I want to turn my attention and invite you to turn your
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  • Attention to the one who can deliver us,
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  • To the one who is triumphant over all of his adversaries.
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  • See, what you give your attention to is very important.
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  • I'm not asking you to ignore evil.
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  • I'm not asking you to disengage, in fact, quite the opposite.
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  • I'm doing my best to prepare you to engage in a way for which i
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  • Believe the lord would reward you.
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  • But being focused on the corruption and the darkness and
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  • The wickedness and the evil will overwhelm you,
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  • Even if you're focused on the challenges
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  • You're personally facing.
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  • Again, i'm not asking you to ignore them.
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  • I'm asking you to turn your attention to the lord and become
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  • So full of who he is and what he can do,
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  • That our challenges become secondary.
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  • It's not easy.
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  • It's more difficult than any physical training
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  • I've ever done.
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  • And physical training takes some determination,
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  • Some self-discipline, some willingness to ignore the
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  • Messaging that says, "stop this."
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  • And spiritual discipline, for me at least,
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  • Takes far more determination than physical discipline does
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  • Because there's not nearly as much encouragement
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  • For spiritual discipline.
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  • You can go to the gym and find a whole group of people who are
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  • Willing to submit to some sort of physical discipline,
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  • Some far more than that that you've submitted to.
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  • And you look at them and go, "wow,
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  • Could i look like that?"
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  • Probably not.
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  • Genetics has a lot to do with it and some of us just got a
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  • Different blessing.
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  • But spiritual discipline is of enormous importance,
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  • And i'm gonna ask you to think with me about jesus,
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  • Our friend.
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  • And i'm going to ask you to become more comfortable talking
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  • About true church and false church,
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  • About the christ and the antichrist,
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  • Without wringing your hands in fear or anxiety or dread because
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  • I think all of those things are increasingly going to be a part
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  • Of our lives.
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  • I want to start in revelation chapter 1,
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  • Jesus called us his friends.
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  • He said he didn't any longer call us his servants,
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  • But he called us friends.
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  • I like that image because it's so available to us.
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  • We know what a friend is.
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  • We know how to imagine friendship.
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  • And i put one caveat in that because i've spent a good bit of
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  • Time around the church and god's people,
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  • And sometimes i think we make that notion of friendship too
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  • Casual, too presumptive.
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  • And i don't want you to have a presumptive attitude
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  • Towards the lord.
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  • I'm privileged, i have some friends,
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  • And i value their voice in my life
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  • And their presence in my life.
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  • I don't have a great deal of time with a lot of them.
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  • Sometimes our time is limited and when i'm with them,
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  • I try not to be presumptive.
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  • I have some friends who have professional--
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  • I have some who are doctors, physicians.
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  • And i don't walk into their offices and walk past the
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  • Receptionist and go walking down the halls of the clinic going,
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  • "hey, doc, where are you?"
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  • It would be an abuse of the friendship.
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  • Doesn't mean that i don't have a relationship.
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  • It doesn't mean that there is a trust in place
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  • Or confidence in place.
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  • It means that friendship comes with respect.
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  • And i would encourage you, as you think about jesus,
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  • Not to shrink from him in fear or dread or terror,
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  • But to address him with the appropriate respect.
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  • And sometimes when i hear christians talk,
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  • I get a little uncomfortable with their language.
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  • I wouldn't be disrespectful towards my friends or i wouldn't
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  • Maintain the friendships very long.
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  • I wouldn't try to speak of them one way when they were present
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  • And another way when they weren't.
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  • I wouldn't be silent if i heard them denigrated,
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  • Diminished, criticized, i'd stand up.
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  • So i like this image or this notion of friendship because i
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  • Think it's so available to our imagination,
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  • And it's really the question of the day,
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  • And we're gonna explore it in some technical, biblical ways.
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  • But are you willing to be jesus's friend?
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  • That's different than being religious or churched or joining
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  • A group or having a membership intact or imagining
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  • That there's some set of rules.
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  • Do you live in such a way that you're really jesus's friend?
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  • What arenas in your life, what realms in your life
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  • Do you deny that friendship?
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  • Do you hide it? do you diminish it?
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  • Do you put it away?
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  • To what extent is it consistent across all the places that your
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  • Life takes you?
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  • Do you really intend for jesus to be a part of every aspect of
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  • Your life?
  • 00:09:49.338 --> 00:09:54.377
  • Female announcer: if you look, you'll find good
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  • News everywhere.
  • 00:10:00.016 --> 00:10:01.884
  • Female: our baby was born healthy and strong.
  • 00:10:01.884 --> 00:10:05.755
  • Female: we have the groceries we need.
  • 00:10:05.755 --> 00:10:08.324
  • Male: another year cancer-free.
  • 00:10:08.324 --> 00:10:11.694
  • Female: we bought our first house this year.
  • 00:10:11.694 --> 00:10:15.631
  • Female: the raise came through when i needed it most.
  • 00:10:15.631 --> 00:10:19.268
  • Male: i have a working car.
  • 00:10:19.268 --> 00:10:22.872
  • Female: my husband came home safe.
  • 00:10:22.872 --> 00:10:26.742
  • Female announcer: philippians 4 tells us to, "think about
  • 00:10:26.742 --> 00:10:28.577
  • Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable,
  • 00:10:28.577 --> 00:10:34.183
  • Excellent and praiseworthy."
  • 00:10:34.183 --> 00:10:36.452
  • All of these things honor god and when we take time to notice
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  • Them, we welcome god's presence and experience his peace.
  • 00:10:39.755 --> 00:10:43.626
  • Allen: you know, the two most critical junctures of any
  • 00:10:45.394 --> 00:10:47.930
  • Enterprise are how we begin and how we conclude.
  • 00:10:47.930 --> 00:10:51.367
  • So, the beginning of a new year is a tremendous opportunity.
  • 00:10:51.367 --> 00:10:55.304
  • We've prepared a tool we want to share with you.
  • 00:10:55.304 --> 00:10:57.106
  • It's a good news journal.
  • 00:10:57.106 --> 00:10:58.974
  • We wanna help you set a habit this year to do something with
  • 00:10:58.974 --> 00:11:03.012
  • A bit more intention than perhaps has been our pattern in
  • 00:11:03.012 --> 00:11:05.981
  • The past.
  • 00:11:05.981 --> 00:11:07.316
  • We wanna start our year with an attitude of appreciation and
  • 00:11:07.316 --> 00:11:10.352
  • Gratitude for the blessings of god in our lives.
  • 00:11:10.352 --> 00:11:13.589
  • So, we've designed this journal so that you can use it as a part
  • 00:11:13.589 --> 00:11:16.592
  • Of your devotional.
  • 00:11:16.592 --> 00:11:17.927
  • It's something you could include the children, the grandchildren.
  • 00:11:17.927 --> 00:11:20.162
  • You could take it to work and create a good news journal for
  • 00:11:20.162 --> 00:11:22.598
  • The people you work with.
  • 00:11:22.598 --> 00:11:24.200
  • Wherever that may be, let's start our year out purposefully,
  • 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:27.970
  • Intentionally saying, "thank you," to the lord for his
  • 00:11:27.970 --> 00:11:30.973
  • Goodness to us.
  • 00:11:30.973 --> 00:11:32.441
  • I know there's challenges and we have places where we need god's
  • 00:11:32.441 --> 00:11:35.177
  • Help, but we're gonna begin with gratitude and walk into the
  • 00:11:35.177 --> 00:11:39.081
  • Blessings of god in this year.
  • 00:11:39.081 --> 00:11:41.450
  • I think you'll enjoy the journal.
  • 00:11:41.450 --> 00:11:43.185
  • God bless.
  • 00:11:43.185 --> 00:11:44.520
  • Female announcer: when you keep a good news list, you'll notice
  • 00:11:44.520 --> 00:11:46.622
  • How god is constantly at work all around you.
  • 00:11:46.622 --> 00:11:49.892
  • Our new 52-week, good news notebook gives you a place to
  • 00:11:49.892 --> 00:11:53.829
  • Record your good news, prayers you saw god answer, and your
  • 00:11:53.829 --> 00:11:57.433
  • Current prayer requests.
  • 00:11:57.433 --> 00:11:59.201
  • As you look back on your lists over the weeks and months to
  • 00:11:59.201 --> 00:12:02.071
  • Come, you'll find a personal record of god's faithfulness
  • 00:12:02.071 --> 00:12:05.007
  • To you.
  • 00:12:05.007 --> 00:12:06.342
  • Allen: we are trusting god for a year like no other for his
  • 00:12:06.342 --> 00:12:08.744
  • Breakthroughs this year.
  • 00:12:08.744 --> 00:12:10.112
  • I believe the good news journal can be a part of our journey
  • 00:12:10.112 --> 00:12:13.082
  • In each of our lives.
  • 00:12:13.082 --> 00:12:14.416
  • Female announcer: request your good news notebook when you
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  • Here with allen jackson ministries.
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  • Allen: well, in revelation chapter 1,
  • 00:12:57.359 --> 00:12:58.694
  • We get a little window into a picture of friendship.
  • 00:12:58.694 --> 00:13:00.496
  • John, the apostle john, one that jesus recruited from the shores
  • 00:13:00.496 --> 00:13:04.300
  • Of galilee many years earlier when he was a young man,
  • 00:13:04.300 --> 00:13:09.004
  • James and john and peter and andrew
  • 00:13:09.004 --> 00:13:10.573
  • And the crew, you know them so well.
  • 00:13:10.573 --> 00:13:11.907
  • Jesus recruits them and says, "follow me,
  • 00:13:11.907 --> 00:13:13.242
  • And i'll make you fishers of men."
  • 00:13:13.242 --> 00:13:14.577
  • And they're brash young men.
  • 00:13:14.577 --> 00:13:15.911
  • They have no idea what they're in store for.
  • 00:13:15.911 --> 00:13:18.347
  • Well, the last book of the new testament is a revelation that
  • 00:13:18.347 --> 00:13:20.683
  • Jesus gave to john.
  • 00:13:20.683 --> 00:13:22.318
  • It was a revelation he wanted to give to his people in the earth.
  • 00:13:22.318 --> 00:13:24.787
  • And when the question was posed, "who could we give this to that
  • 00:13:24.787 --> 00:13:27.256
  • Would deliver it?"
  • 00:13:27.256 --> 00:13:28.591
  • Jesus said, "my servant john."
  • 00:13:28.591 --> 00:13:31.627
  • Of all the disciples, he was the closest to jesus,
  • 00:13:31.627 --> 00:13:33.662
  • We're told that in the gospels.
  • 00:13:33.662 --> 00:13:35.865
  • But by the time we get to the book of revelation,
  • 00:13:35.865 --> 00:13:37.333
  • He's an old man.
  • 00:13:37.333 --> 00:13:38.667
  • His peer group was gone, at least by church tradition.
  • 00:13:38.667 --> 00:13:41.303
  • They've all been martyred. john has been exiled.
  • 00:13:41.303 --> 00:13:43.439
  • He's imprisoned on an island.
  • 00:13:43.439 --> 00:13:46.008
  • It's an island where they mined copper.
  • 00:13:46.008 --> 00:13:47.543
  • It's a safe assumption that he was being forced to do hard
  • 00:13:47.543 --> 00:13:50.846
  • Labor in the mines as an old man.
  • 00:13:50.846 --> 00:13:55.618
  • And we're told that on the lord's day,
  • 00:13:55.618 --> 00:13:56.952
  • He was in the spirit and he hears a voice behind him.
  • 00:13:56.952 --> 00:14:01.757
  • It's verse 17, "when i saw him,
  • 00:14:01.757 --> 00:14:03.125
  • I fell at his feet as though dead.
  • 00:14:03.125 --> 00:14:06.362
  • He placed his right hand on me and he said: 'don't be afraid.
  • 00:14:06.362 --> 00:14:10.132
  • I am the first and the last.
  • 00:14:10.132 --> 00:14:11.467
  • I am the living one: i was dead,
  • 00:14:11.467 --> 00:14:12.801
  • And behold i am alive for ever and ever!
  • 00:14:12.801 --> 00:14:15.070
  • And i hold the keys of death and hades."
  • 00:14:15.070 --> 00:14:17.840
  • I would submit to you john saw his friend, not his buddy.
  • 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:23.946
  • He didn't want to hang with jesus,
  • 00:14:23.946 --> 00:14:27.216
  • But they had a relationship.
  • 00:14:27.216 --> 00:14:29.251
  • There was a trust between them, a confidence between them,
  • 00:14:29.251 --> 00:14:32.955
  • An understanding between them.
  • 00:14:32.955 --> 00:14:35.758
  • I want to be jesus's friend.
  • 00:14:35.758 --> 00:14:38.294
  • In fact, more than i have aspirations for anything
  • 00:14:38.294 --> 00:14:40.262
  • That i can think of, i want to be jesus's friend.
  • 00:14:40.262 --> 00:14:45.034
  • I like life. i like the world.
  • 00:14:45.034 --> 00:14:46.835
  • I mean, i like the beautiful places and the--i do.
  • 00:14:46.835 --> 00:14:50.105
  • I enjoy those things, but they're secondary to me
  • 00:14:50.105 --> 00:14:55.044
  • To being jesus's friend.
  • 00:14:55.044 --> 00:14:57.780
  • It's an idea.
  • 00:14:57.780 --> 00:14:59.114
  • I just want to plant the seeds in your heart.
  • 00:14:59.114 --> 00:15:00.449
  • You could ask him about that.
  • 00:15:00.449 --> 00:15:01.784
  • "what would it be like for me to be a better friend?
  • 00:15:01.784 --> 00:15:05.654
  • How would that change who i am and how i behave if i chose to
  • 00:15:05.654 --> 00:15:10.059
  • Be a better friend of jesus?"
  • 00:15:10.059 --> 00:15:12.161
  • I don't want you to be more religious.
  • 00:15:12.161 --> 00:15:13.495
  • I don't want you to be more churched.
  • 00:15:13.495 --> 00:15:15.731
  • I don't want more pretense.
  • 00:15:15.731 --> 00:15:17.066
  • I'm not looking to add on more rules.
  • 00:15:17.066 --> 00:15:20.302
  • But when you see him one day, i promise you,
  • 00:15:20.302 --> 00:15:23.405
  • You want him to look at you with the awareness of friendship,
  • 00:15:23.405 --> 00:15:29.044
  • And it's the way i want to know him.
  • 00:15:29.044 --> 00:15:32.147
  • I'd be happy to put my face on the ground when i see my friend.
  • 00:15:32.147 --> 00:15:38.921
  • And in the midst of the troubles and the strains and the
  • 00:15:38.921 --> 00:15:40.789
  • Pressures, there's nothing quite like a trusted voice
  • 00:15:40.789 --> 00:15:46.161
  • Or a trusted face.
  • 00:15:46.161 --> 00:15:48.731
  • Some years ago, kathy and i were traveling to east africa for a
  • 00:15:48.731 --> 00:15:52.301
  • Pastors' conference, and we had some flight trouble.
  • 00:15:52.301 --> 00:15:55.137
  • And there are a lot of delays and what was gonna be relatively
  • 00:15:55.137 --> 00:15:58.407
  • Compact trip ended up being an extended travel time.
  • 00:15:58.407 --> 00:16:00.809
  • And we landed at the airport, this was some years ago,
  • 00:16:00.809 --> 00:16:03.645
  • And the airport in nairobi was overcrowded.
  • 00:16:03.645 --> 00:16:06.315
  • Lots of people and lots of pushing.
  • 00:16:06.315 --> 00:16:08.951
  • It was an airport where we hadn't been before.
  • 00:16:08.951 --> 00:16:11.920
  • Look across this sea of humanity and on the other side of
  • 00:16:11.920 --> 00:16:14.790
  • Passport control, we saw our host.
  • 00:16:14.790 --> 00:16:19.862
  • And kathy leaned over and said, "don't take this personal,
  • 00:16:19.862 --> 00:16:21.530
  • But that's the best-looking man i have ever seen right there."
  • 00:16:21.530 --> 00:16:27.369
  • 'cause in a strange place, in an uncomfortable place,
  • 00:16:27.369 --> 00:16:29.605
  • She saw a friend, and she trusted him in
  • 00:16:29.605 --> 00:16:32.908
  • That setting more than she did me.
  • 00:16:32.908 --> 00:16:34.243
  • So no harm, no foul, i understood.
  • 00:16:34.243 --> 00:16:36.912
  • I was glad to see him too.
  • 00:16:36.912 --> 00:16:40.249
  • He's in heaven today.
  • 00:16:40.249 --> 00:16:42.651
  • Jesus changes everything.
  • 00:16:42.651 --> 00:16:44.420
  • I want to start with that and this
  • 00:16:44.420 --> 00:16:45.888
  • First bit may be a bit technical.
  • 00:16:45.888 --> 00:16:47.222
  • We'll move beyond that, but the technical is important.
  • 00:16:47.222 --> 00:16:51.060
  • You know, if your fundamentals are sloppy,
  • 00:16:51.060 --> 00:16:52.995
  • Your foundation is inadequate for stress.
  • 00:16:52.995 --> 00:16:56.165
  • And if you don't understand fundamentally why jesus changes
  • 00:16:56.165 --> 00:16:58.567
  • Everything, this isn't just some sloppy relationship.
  • 00:16:58.567 --> 00:17:02.438
  • It's not something casual.
  • 00:17:02.438 --> 00:17:03.772
  • It's not because he's cute or he's chic,
  • 00:17:03.772 --> 00:17:06.208
  • Because oftentimes, he isn't chic.
  • 00:17:06.208 --> 00:17:09.545
  • Oftentimes, conventional wisdom won't support your friendship
  • 00:17:09.545 --> 00:17:11.680
  • With him.
  • 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.215
  • Oftentimes, to be a friend with jesus,
  • 00:17:13.215 --> 00:17:14.716
  • Particularly i believe in what's before us,
  • 00:17:14.716 --> 00:17:17.386
  • In fact, it will put you at odds with what is chic and supported
  • 00:17:17.386 --> 00:17:21.623
  • By much of conventional wisdom, but the fundamentals matter.
  • 00:17:21.623 --> 00:17:26.161
  • I'll start in ephesians chapter 1.
  • 00:17:26.161 --> 00:17:28.530
  • It says, "praise be to the god and father of our lord jesus
  • 00:17:28.530 --> 00:17:30.899
  • Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every
  • 00:17:30.899 --> 00:17:33.902
  • Spiritual blessing in christ."
  • 00:17:33.902 --> 00:17:36.405
  • I'm just gonna tag them as we go through this.
  • 00:17:36.405 --> 00:17:37.873
  • We have every spiritual blessing in christ.
  • 00:17:37.873 --> 00:17:39.808
  • Now, if spiritual things don't mean much to you,
  • 00:17:39.808 --> 00:17:41.610
  • You won't care.
  • 00:17:41.610 --> 00:17:43.679
  • But if you believe that spiritual things are real,
  • 00:17:43.679 --> 00:17:45.314
  • It's important in noting that every spiritual blessing is
  • 00:17:45.314 --> 00:17:48.183
  • Available to you and to me, not because of my stature or my
  • 00:17:48.183 --> 00:17:51.453
  • Education or my affluence or the church in which i worship or the
  • 00:17:51.453 --> 00:17:55.257
  • Translation of the bible i read or the verses i can quote,
  • 00:17:55.257 --> 00:17:58.227
  • But because i'm affiliated with jesus.
  • 00:17:58.227 --> 00:18:02.097
  • He is the doorway. he said, "i'm the door.
  • 00:18:02.097 --> 00:18:03.665
  • No one comes to the father except by me.
  • 00:18:03.665 --> 00:18:05.701
  • Anybody that comes in any other way is an intruder."
  • 00:18:05.701 --> 00:18:09.838
  • All paths don't lead to the same place.
  • 00:18:09.838 --> 00:18:11.340
  • All faiths are not equal.
  • 00:18:11.340 --> 00:18:14.276
  • I know that's not popular, but it is true.
  • 00:18:14.276 --> 00:18:18.847
  • Verse 4, "for he chose us in him in jesus before the creation of
  • 00:18:18.847 --> 00:18:23.018
  • The world to be holy and blameless in his sight."
  • 00:18:23.018 --> 00:18:26.655
  • He chose us.
  • 00:18:26.655 --> 00:18:28.190
  • "in love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons."
  • 00:18:28.190 --> 00:18:31.293
  • How? "through jesus christ."
  • 00:18:31.293 --> 00:18:33.262
  • Folks, if it weren't for jesus, you have no opportunity in the
  • 00:18:33.262 --> 00:18:36.231
  • Eternal kingdom of god.
  • 00:18:36.231 --> 00:18:38.867
  • You are forever trapped in the kingdom of darkness.
  • 00:18:38.867 --> 00:18:42.971
  • That's just fact. you can't change it.
  • 00:18:42.971 --> 00:18:45.741
  • You can't be kind enough, good enough,
  • 00:18:45.741 --> 00:18:47.242
  • Generous enough.
  • 00:18:47.242 --> 00:18:48.677
  • You can't serve enough.
  • 00:18:48.677 --> 00:18:50.012
  • You can't worship with enough enthusiasm.
  • 00:18:50.012 --> 00:18:52.314
  • Apart from jesus, there is no escape
  • 00:18:52.314 --> 00:18:55.317
  • From the kingdom of darkness.
  • 00:18:55.317 --> 00:19:01.156
  • "to the praise of his glorious grace,
  • 00:19:01.156 --> 00:19:02.824
  • Which he has freely given us in the one he loves.
  • 00:19:02.824 --> 00:19:05.494
  • In him, in christ, in jesus, we have redemption through his
  • 00:19:05.494 --> 00:19:08.864
  • Blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of
  • 00:19:08.864 --> 00:19:13.769
  • God's grace that he lavished on us
  • 00:19:13.769 --> 00:19:15.404
  • With all wisdom and understanding."
  • 00:19:15.404 --> 00:19:16.805
  • How do we find forgiveness?
  • 00:19:16.805 --> 00:19:18.407
  • How do we get redeemed out of that place?
  • 00:19:18.407 --> 00:19:20.309
  • There's only one way, through the blood of jesus.
  • 00:19:20.309 --> 00:19:23.178
  • That's my friend.
  • 00:19:23.178 --> 00:19:25.547
  • When i talk to people about jesus,
  • 00:19:25.547 --> 00:19:27.182
  • I'm not trying to make them religious.
  • 00:19:27.182 --> 00:19:28.517
  • I'm not trying to change their habits.
  • 00:19:28.517 --> 00:19:29.851
  • I'm trying to introduce them to my friend.
  • 00:19:29.851 --> 00:19:31.186
  • He can make your life better.
  • 00:19:31.186 --> 00:19:34.590
  • You ever had somebody introduce you to a friend that helped you?
  • 00:19:34.590 --> 00:19:36.525
  • They had an expertise in an area?
  • 00:19:36.525 --> 00:19:41.163
  • It makes a lot of difference, doesn't it?
  • 00:19:41.163 --> 00:19:42.497
  • You need a friend who has expertise in redemption.
  • 00:19:42.497 --> 00:19:46.935
  • And why wouldn't you introduce somebody to him?
  • 00:19:46.935 --> 00:19:50.472
  • "well, they might not like him."
  • 00:19:50.472 --> 00:19:51.807
  • Well, they may not today, but if they ever recognize they need
  • 00:19:51.807 --> 00:19:54.076
  • Redemption, they'll be glad to have his card.
  • 00:19:54.076 --> 00:20:00.315
  • What is wrong with us?
  • 00:20:00.315 --> 00:20:01.850
  • It's because we don't care that much about our friend,
  • 00:20:01.850 --> 00:20:03.719
  • We treat him incidentally, he's insignificant.
  • 00:20:03.719 --> 00:20:07.823
  • "and he made known to us the mystery of his will according to
  • 00:20:07.823 --> 00:20:11.827
  • His good pleasure, which he purposed in christ."
  • 00:20:11.827 --> 00:20:14.630
  • The creator of heaven and earth is willing to let us know what
  • 00:20:14.630 --> 00:20:17.966
  • His purpose is for this planet and the people on it because of
  • 00:20:17.966 --> 00:20:23.171
  • Our affiliation with jesus.
  • 00:20:23.171 --> 00:20:25.374
  • "to be put into effect when the times
  • 00:20:25.374 --> 00:20:26.875
  • Will have reached their fulfillment."
  • 00:20:26.875 --> 00:20:28.210
  • Do you know that time will be fulfilled?
  • 00:20:28.210 --> 00:20:30.879
  • Time is not without end.
  • 00:20:30.879 --> 00:20:32.214
  • I know there's a debate amongst the scientists about young
  • 00:20:32.214 --> 00:20:35.417
  • Earth, old earth.
  • 00:20:35.417 --> 00:20:37.352
  • I'm not--i'm gonna try not to step into that right now.
  • 00:20:37.352 --> 00:20:40.722
  • But i'll tell you, this time will come to an end.
  • 00:20:40.722 --> 00:20:44.359
  • God created time. god is beyond time.
  • 00:20:44.359 --> 00:20:47.162
  • Your spirit is not subject to time, it's eternal.
  • 00:20:47.162 --> 00:20:50.599
  • No, your body, your earth suit, it's got a countdown clock,
  • 00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:52.801
  • Mine too.
  • 00:20:52.801 --> 00:20:54.970
  • If you don't know that, just hang on.
  • 00:20:54.970 --> 00:20:58.974
  • It's coming for you too.
  • 00:20:58.974 --> 00:21:01.910
  • "to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one
  • 00:21:01.910 --> 00:21:04.246
  • Head, even christ."
  • 00:21:04.246 --> 00:21:05.914
  • Jesus will be supreme over everything in heaven and earth.
  • 00:21:05.914 --> 00:21:08.850
  • You might want to be his friend.
  • 00:21:08.850 --> 00:21:11.219
  • Why would you choose him as an adversary?
  • 00:21:11.219 --> 00:21:14.990
  • I'll tell you the reason, so you can be in charge 'cause the
  • 00:21:14.990 --> 00:21:18.960
  • Nature of the relationship is jesus is lord.
  • 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:22.064
  • And if you're not willing for jesus to be lord,
  • 00:21:22.064 --> 00:21:23.632
  • It's because you probably prefer to be,
  • 00:21:23.632 --> 00:21:26.668
  • And you can make that choice.
  • 00:21:26.668 --> 00:21:28.537
  • He loves you enough, he'll give you that freedom.
  • 00:21:28.537 --> 00:21:31.106
  • But the counsel of scripture is to make peace with him because
  • 00:21:31.106 --> 00:21:34.943
  • Ultimately, he will be supreme over everything,
  • 00:21:34.943 --> 00:21:36.945
  • And it's better to be friends with the one who's in charge.
  • 00:21:36.945 --> 00:21:41.049
  • I mean, you can pick the fight if you want to.
  • 00:21:41.049 --> 00:21:44.519
  • Most of us have tried.
  • 00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:46.488
  • Verse 11, "in him we were also chosen,
  • 00:21:46.488 --> 00:21:48.957
  • Having been predestined according to the plan of him who
  • 00:21:48.957 --> 00:21:51.126
  • Works out everything in conformity
  • 00:21:51.126 --> 00:21:52.861
  • With the purpose of his will."
  • 00:21:52.861 --> 00:21:55.364
  • God will work it all out.
  • 00:21:55.364 --> 00:21:57.799
  • In romans 8 it says, "in all things,
  • 00:21:57.799 --> 00:21:59.134
  • God works for our good."
  • 00:21:59.134 --> 00:22:00.502
  • There's some things i'm thinking,
  • 00:22:00.502 --> 00:22:01.837
  • God, i don't see any way there's any good in this.
  • 00:22:01.837 --> 00:22:05.307
  • And the answer to that is that's why i'm the creature
  • 00:22:05.307 --> 00:22:07.008
  • And he's the creator.
  • 00:22:07.008 --> 00:22:09.244
  • Hush and keep moving.
  • 00:22:09.244 --> 00:22:11.380
  • "well, i'm walking through a pretty difficult valley."
  • 00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:13.048
  • Keep walking.
  • 00:22:13.048 --> 00:22:15.484
  • Don't stop and carve your name in the wall.
  • 00:22:15.484 --> 00:22:18.019
  • "well, i didn't expect this outcome.
  • 00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:19.354
  • I don't like this season."
  • 00:22:19.354 --> 00:22:20.756
  • Duly noted.
  • 00:22:20.756 --> 00:22:22.591
  • You know, with children, we call that maturing.
  • 00:22:22.591 --> 00:22:26.828
  • And they scream heartily, right?
  • 00:22:26.828 --> 00:22:28.563
  • "i don't want to eat my vegetables.
  • 00:22:28.563 --> 00:22:31.266
  • I don't want to wash my hands.
  • 00:22:31.266 --> 00:22:33.168
  • I don't want to say thank you."
  • 00:22:33.168 --> 00:22:36.104
  • You watch that little thing in them just rise up.
  • 00:22:36.104 --> 00:22:39.174
  • I mean, they're out, they're out--what's the right metaphor?
  • 00:22:39.174 --> 00:22:47.182
  • Outgunned doesn't seem appropriate these days.
  • 00:22:47.182 --> 00:22:51.920
  • They're outclassed in about every way.
  • 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:54.790
  • Their adversary's taller, stronger,
  • 00:22:54.790 --> 00:22:56.425
  • Better educated, more nimble, and they'll stand there.
  • 00:22:56.425 --> 00:22:59.661
  • I mean, they can barely stand.
  • 00:22:59.661 --> 00:23:00.996
  • They're kind of wobbling going, "no."
  • 00:23:00.996 --> 00:23:04.800
  • And we'll look in the face of the creator of all things
  • 00:23:04.800 --> 00:23:06.802
  • And go, "no, me do it."
  • 00:23:06.802 --> 00:23:10.939
  • And say, "just rock on, with your bad self.
  • 00:23:10.939 --> 00:23:17.012
  • "works out everything in conformity with the purpose of
  • 00:23:17.012 --> 00:23:18.980
  • His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope
  • 00:23:18.980 --> 00:23:21.216
  • In christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
  • 00:23:21.216 --> 00:23:25.387
  • And you also were included in christ when you heard the word
  • 00:23:25.387 --> 00:23:27.522
  • Of truth, the gospel your salvation.
  • 00:23:27.522 --> 00:23:31.460
  • Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal."
  • 00:23:31.460 --> 00:23:35.430
  • See, we have to respond to him.
  • 00:23:35.430 --> 00:23:36.765
  • The fact that jesus exists is not enough.
  • 00:23:36.765 --> 00:23:39.768
  • We have to choose him.
  • 00:23:39.768 --> 00:23:41.269
  • God gave us a free will. it's a tremendous gift.
  • 00:23:41.269 --> 00:23:44.172
  • We're not driven just by instinct.
  • 00:23:44.172 --> 00:23:47.209
  • We're not just driven by our dna.
  • 00:23:47.209 --> 00:23:50.011
  • God created you with the free will,
  • 00:23:50.011 --> 00:23:51.513
  • Something that escapes the laboratory experiments
  • 00:23:51.513 --> 00:23:55.083
  • On our persons, and we have to choose the lord.
  • 00:23:55.083 --> 00:23:58.253
  • We have to choose to believe that we were marked with him.
  • 00:23:58.253 --> 00:24:01.990
  • "the promised holy spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our
  • 00:24:01.990 --> 00:24:04.593
  • Inheritance until the redemption of those who are god's
  • 00:24:04.593 --> 00:24:08.396
  • Possession--to the praise of his glory."
  • 00:24:08.396 --> 00:24:10.632
  • You see, our redemption hasn't been completed in time.
  • 00:24:10.632 --> 00:24:13.969
  • The fullness of our redemption won't be understood
  • 00:24:13.969 --> 00:24:16.304
  • Until we see eternity.
  • 00:24:16.304 --> 00:24:18.840
  • The fullness of our redemption won't be understood until this
  • 00:24:18.840 --> 00:24:20.876
  • Present age comes to a close.
  • 00:24:20.876 --> 00:24:24.112
  • That takes a bit of faith, a bit of belief.
  • 00:24:24.112 --> 00:24:27.849
  • We read a passage in the previous session that says we
  • 00:24:27.849 --> 00:24:29.684
  • Will marvel at who jesus is when we see him.
  • 00:24:29.684 --> 00:24:33.622
  • We will stand slack jawed.
  • 00:24:33.622 --> 00:24:36.024
  • "i had no idea.
  • 00:24:36.024 --> 00:24:38.827
  • I had no imagination. i had no understanding.
  • 00:24:38.827 --> 00:24:42.130
  • It never occurred to me. i didn't know that was possible.
  • 00:24:42.130 --> 00:24:44.733
  • I've never known anyone like that.
  • 00:24:44.733 --> 00:24:46.434
  • Do you know he's my friend?
  • 00:24:46.434 --> 00:24:49.704
  • Wow."
  • 00:24:49.704 --> 00:24:52.374
  • At the moment, we're limited.
  • 00:24:52.374 --> 00:24:54.843
  • There are things we can't see. there are things we don't know.
  • 00:24:54.843 --> 00:24:57.979
  • I don't know why that's such a hindrance to our faith.
  • 00:24:57.979 --> 00:25:00.682
  • Most of you've been listening for a couple of years,
  • 00:25:00.682 --> 00:25:02.050
  • Lots of voices chirping in us to follow the science.
  • 00:25:02.050 --> 00:25:04.019
  • And i'm good with that, i'm happy with that.
  • 00:25:04.019 --> 00:25:05.654
  • But one of the things anybody that is fully committed to
  • 00:25:05.654 --> 00:25:08.189
  • Science will tell you is, "there's more that we don't know
  • 00:25:08.189 --> 00:25:09.858
  • Than we do.
  • 00:25:09.858 --> 00:25:12.327
  • We're very much on the front end of that learning curve,
  • 00:25:12.327 --> 00:25:14.329
  • And there's so much we don't know."
  • 00:25:14.329 --> 00:25:15.697
  • Good scientists say, "we don't know" all the time.
  • 00:25:15.697 --> 00:25:17.132
  • That's the premise of science.
  • 00:25:17.132 --> 00:25:18.466
  • We don't know, let's see what we can learn.
  • 00:25:18.466 --> 00:25:21.202
  • Why is it we're offended when we come to our faith
  • 00:25:21.202 --> 00:25:22.871
  • And we say we don't know?
  • 00:25:22.871 --> 00:25:24.205
  • Just keep learning.
  • 00:25:24.205 --> 00:25:25.540
  • "well, i don't like that. i want to know."
  • 00:25:25.540 --> 00:25:27.042
  • Okay.
  • 00:25:27.042 --> 00:25:29.044
  • Allen: hey, i want to pray with you before we go,
  • 00:25:29.110 --> 00:25:30.845
  • But i want to be certain we understand
  • 00:25:30.845 --> 00:25:32.781
  • The one we're trusting.
  • 00:25:32.781 --> 00:25:34.449
  • See, our future isn't secured by the government or by our church
  • 00:25:34.449 --> 00:25:37.218
  • Or by our faithfulness.
  • 00:25:37.218 --> 00:25:38.954
  • It's--our future is secured by the faithfulness of
  • 00:25:38.954 --> 00:25:41.523
  • The one we call our friend.
  • 00:25:41.523 --> 00:25:42.857
  • His name is jesus, and jesus changes everything.
  • 00:25:42.857 --> 00:25:46.728
  • He changes everything about our lives.
  • 00:25:46.728 --> 00:25:48.663
  • The power of sin is broken over us because
  • 00:25:48.663 --> 00:25:51.433
  • Of jesus's redemptive work.
  • 00:25:51.433 --> 00:25:53.134
  • Satan's authority over our lives is destroyed
  • 00:25:53.134 --> 00:25:56.037
  • Because of jesus's work.
  • 00:25:56.037 --> 00:25:57.839
  • Whatever challenge you face today,
  • 00:25:57.839 --> 00:25:59.841
  • Jesus is sufficient.
  • 00:25:59.841 --> 00:26:01.843
  • Let's invite him into our lives.
  • 00:26:01.843 --> 00:26:03.678
  • Lord jesus, we want to welcome you today.
  • 00:26:03.678 --> 00:26:05.413
  • We need your help.
  • 00:26:05.413 --> 00:26:06.748
  • Bring strength to our bodies and peace to our minds
  • 00:26:06.748 --> 00:26:09.084
  • And hope to our souls.
  • 00:26:09.084 --> 00:26:10.619
  • We trust you.
  • 00:26:10.619 --> 00:26:11.953
  • We want to honor you as never before.
  • 00:26:11.953 --> 00:26:13.688
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:26:13.688 --> 00:26:16.958
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