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?
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- 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
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- Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable,
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- It's a good news journal.
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- We wanna help you set a habit this year to do something with
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- A bit more intention than perhaps has been our pattern in
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- 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
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- The people you work with.
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- Wherever that may be, let's start our year out purposefully,
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- Intentionally saying, "thank you," to the lord for his
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- 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
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- 00:11:53.829 --> 00:11:57.433
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- 00:11:59.201 --> 00:12:02.071
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- Here with allen jackson ministries.
- 00:12:52.221 --> 00:12:56.258
- 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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- ♪♪♪
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