Allen Jackson - God Sent His Son

December 24, 2024 | S24:E5203

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 - God Sent His Son | December 24, 2024
  • ...
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  • Allen: we did five christmas eve services and i went
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  • Through the birth story of jesus in every one.
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  • I wanna talk about jesus this morning but i need
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  • To get out of the barn.
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  • You know, the greatest christmas gift we'll ever receive is the
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  • One god gave us.
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  • It may be the best-known verse in the new testament that god so
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  • Loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten son.
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  • Jesus changed everything, and i wanna take a few minutes
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  • With you and just celebrate the person of jesus.
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  • He's changed my life.
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  • I do what i do today because of the person of jesus.
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  • My whole life changed when that matthew 16 became real to me
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  • Where jesus said, "i'll build my church."
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  • And i thought, "well, what better could you do
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  • With your strength?"
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  • Anything i can do to help advance that cause, i'm in.
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  • I didn't really like pastor as a job, i didn't like ministry
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  • As a profession.
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  • I mean, there wasn't--the ones i had known, they were not--it was
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  • Not an inviting picture to me.
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  • But being an advocate for jesus has become
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  • A consuming part of my life.
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  • And so we're gonna take a few minutes.
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  • I'll start in john 20 and verse 27.
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  • Hope you received an outline when you came in.
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  • If you didn't, maybe somebody would share.
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  • On christmas morning, that would be like a really good idea.
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  • If you're joining us online, you can download it.
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  • They're available from the websites or the apps.
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  • John 20, verse 27: "he said to thomas, 'put your finger here;
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  • And see my hands.
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  • And reach out your hand and put it into my side.'"
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  • I know it's another holiday, but never mind.
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  • "'stop doubting and believe.'"
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  • You know, we all have to do that.
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  • Everybody in here battles doubt.
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  • You're not the only one.
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  • You're not the only one that has a brain or a heart that
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  • Questions the word of god, or that questions its authority
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  • Over your life.
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  • And you'll have a choice to make.
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  • I have a choice to make: am i gonna believe?
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  • I'm gonna have to override doubt and say, "i choose to believe."
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  • "and thomas said to him, 'my lord and my god!'
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  • Then jesus told him, 'because you've seen me,
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  • You have believed; but blessed are those
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  • Who have not seen and yet have believed.'"
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  • I brought you a christmas blessing.
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  • Did you hear it?
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  • Jesus said if you believe in him and you haven't seen him in the
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  • Physical body, you're blessed.
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  • So hear that.
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  • Jesus personally pronounced a blessing over your life.
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  • There may be some aspects of your life that aren't great.
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  • There may be some circumstances of your life that you're not
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  • Particularly grateful for, but please receive jesus's blessing.
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  • Our lord himself blessed you because you've chosen to believe
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  • In him, but you didn't see him on the earth yet.
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  • We will.
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  • Woo-hoo!
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • Allen: acts chapter 4 and verse 9.
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  • These are the disciples in jerusalem.
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  • This is post ascension.
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  • Now they're standing on jesus's behalf.
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  • "'if we're being called to account today for an act of
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  • Kindness shown to a cripple and we're asked how he was healed,
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  • Then know this, you and all the people of israel: it's by the
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  • Name of jesus, the messiah of nazareth, whom you crucified but
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  • Whom god raised from the dead, that this man stands
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  • Before you healed.'
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  • And when they saw the courage of peter and john and
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  • Realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they
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  • Were astonished and they took note that these men
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  • Had been with jesus."
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  • I have an objective.
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  • I want to spend so much time with jesus that when remarkable
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  • Things happen through my life, people go, "that makes no sense.
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  • He's not too clever, he's a lot country."
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  • And the only plausible explanation that they'll be able
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  • To land upon is, "well, he sure did spend a lot of time
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  • With jesus."
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  • Folks, if you'll spend time with jesus, he will change the
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  • Trajectory of your life.
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  • Please don't think of jesus as an intrusion, as a burden,
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  • As a limit.
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  • He's more profitable than exercise and i believe
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  • In exercise.
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  • He's more beneficial to you than eating a good diet, and i
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  • Believe in eating a good diet.
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  • We have diminished it.
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  • We've tried to figure out how little we can do with jesus or
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  • Spend with him and still get the benefit we want.
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  • That is backwards thinking.
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  • The things that limit our lives don't limit him.
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  • The things that frighten us don't frighten him.
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  • The things that bring grief to us don't cause him to withdraw.
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  • I want to spend time with jesus.
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  • He is the point of differentiation in our lives,
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  • Both in time and for all eternity.
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  • You know, jesus is the great dividing line in human history.
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  • If you take the world's great religions today, islam, judaism,
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  • And christianity, you could forge a document of agreement
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  • Between those three where they would stand in unity, if you
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  • Could remove jesus.
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  • In fact, you will hear more and more of that in the years ahead.
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  • Attempts to diminish the person of jesus.
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  • You see, if they can deny his divinity, if they can swipe
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  • Aside the incarnation, if they can make that mary story
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  • Irrelevant and tell you it's a myth, if they can say the
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  • Crucifixion and the resurrection are more about an idea and a
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  • Principle than they are physical history, then they can reduce
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  • Jesus to some shadowy figure that may have talked to crowds
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  • Of people and done an occasional miracle, but he certainly was
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  • Not the incarnate son of god.
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  • What you need to know is that jesus is not your savior.
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  • So don't ever trade away those components.
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  • I can't explain the virgin birth but, fortunately,
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  • I don't have to.
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  • I can't explain the resurrection, but i'm not called
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  • Upon to do that.
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  • I'm just asked to believe it.
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  • And jesus changes everything.
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  • You know, even pagans believe in a god.
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  • There's no real victory in saying, "i believe in god."
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  • It's jesus that is the stumbling point.
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  • Jesus makes god personal.
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  • Jesus brings a morality to our faith.
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  • He brings a sense of responsibility to our faith.
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  • He brings authority to our faith.
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  • He said, "you can use my name."
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  • Now that may not have a great deal of effect at walmart,
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  • But in the spiritual realm it changes everything.
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  • Even the demons shudder at the name of jesus.
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  • Remember what the demonized man said to the sons
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  • Of the high priest?
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  • They said--they said to the evil spirit, "you come out of him in
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  • The name of jesus that paul preaches."
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  • Remember what the demon said?
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  • Said, "well, paul we know and jesus we know, but just who do
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  • You think you are?"
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  • And they stripped--there were seven of 'em, and the one man
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  • Stripped them and beat them, with some demonic assistance.
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  • There's authority in the name of jesus.
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  • We've stepped away from that for too long.
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  • We've tried to ignore it.
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  • It's a little uncomfortable sometimes.
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  • I'm gonna take a few minutes.
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  • I think we can find some strength this christmas in the
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  • Words of jesus and the people who spent time with him.
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  • I think there is encouragement for us in the experiences that
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  • They had.
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  • I like to read my bible and try to imagine that i'm in
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  • The crowd, that i was spending the day with peter while he's
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  • Interacting with jesus.
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  • I don't need to use any words.
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  • I'm pretty sure i could have been quiet for at least a few
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  • Minutes.
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  • In john 18, it's the story in the garden of gethsemane where
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  • They're coming to arrest jesus.
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  • Most of us think of peter as the one who denied the lord, who
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  • Almost drowned in the sea of galilee.
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  • We forget some things. he did walk on the lake.
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  • He's the only one other than jesus that's done that at all.
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  • The rest of the clowns stayed in the boat.
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  • Peter climbed out.
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  • Well, in gethsemane, when they came to arrest jesus, it's john
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  • 18 and verse 10, it says: "peter, who had a sword, drew it
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  • And struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right
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  • Ear.
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  • And jesus commanded peter, 'put your sword away!
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  • Shall i not drink the cup the father has given me?'"
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  • I love that passage.
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  • Peter's outmanned, he's outnumbered, he's outgunned.
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  • And he doesn't care.
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  • They've come for his friend.
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  • They have come for his friend.
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  • I don't think he's particularly even good with the sword,
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  • 'cause i think it's a pretty safe assumption that
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  • He wasn't aiming for the guy's ear, right?
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  • I mean, the best he could do was an ear?
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  • I'm not encouraging violence.
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  • I'm just telling you, peter was in.
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  • There's none of the other names mentioned.
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  • Nobody else picked up a rock or broke a branch
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  • Off an olive tree.
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  • Peter said, "i got this."
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  • But jesus stopped him.
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  • Now, i'm sure in that moment, peter didn't understand.
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  • I have come to learn that about following the lord.
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  • So oftentimes in the moment when i'm being asked to be obedient,
  • 00:08:41.870 --> 00:08:45.707
  • I don't really understand the full context of what that means.
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  • I'm usually much smarter in hindsight.
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  • When i look back and i go, "oh, the lord really was leading me
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  • Through that.
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  • I just thought it was miserable."
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  • Peter, put your sword away.
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  • If i needed help, i could call legions of angels
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  • And we'd smoke these men.
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  • Well, i wanna read you something in 1 peter.
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  • This is written near the end of peter's life.
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  • He's had a lot of life experience between gethsemane
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  • And when he writes that epistle.
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  • And now he's gonna talk about his friend, but i would submit
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  • To you that it isn't theory to him.
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  • It's not something he learned in a classroom.
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  • He's thinking back to that day in gethsemane.
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  • He's thinking back to following the crowd through the streets of
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  • Jerusalem while a broken jesus barely able to carry the--a
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  • Portion of the cross, struggles through the streets.
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  • He can hear jesus saying to him, "peter, if i needed to, i could
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  • Call legions of angels."
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  • Listen to what he writes about his friend.
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  • "when they hurled their insults at him, he didn't retaliate;
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  • When he suffered, he made no threats.
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  • Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
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  • He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we
  • 00:10:10.091 --> 00:10:13.962
  • Might die to sins and live for righteousness; and by his wounds
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  • You have been healed."
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  • That all of a sudden is no longer a theory to me.
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  • It's not even just biblical text.
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  • It's a personal expression from an eye witness.
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  • "when they beat him almost to death, he didn't say anything.
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  • When they insulted him, he soaked it up."
  • 00:10:37.552 --> 00:10:41.856
  • But then peter turns it and faces it towards us.
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  • He said, "he himself," it's a way of emphasizing.
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  • It seems redundant, that "he himself."
  • 00:10:48.897 --> 00:10:50.899
  • It's a way of saying "he and only he, jesus," bore our sins
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  • In his body on the tree.
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  • He did that for us.
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  • That's our jesus.
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  • That's why we celebrate christmas.
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  • That's why we blow up amazon.
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  • That's why we're gonna eat all that food like gluttons today
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  • And then swear tomorrow we'll never eat again,
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  • While we eat leftovers.
  • 00:11:12.987 --> 00:11:14.322
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:11:14.322 --> 00:11:20.228
  • Allen: 2024 has almost slipped past us.
  • 00:11:20.228 --> 00:11:23.498
  • Thank you for your partnership this year.
  • 00:11:23.498 --> 00:11:25.600
  • It's been the most remarkable season we've ever known together
  • 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:28.870
  • And i thank you for your faithful investment of time,
  • 00:11:28.870 --> 00:11:31.740
  • Energy, and prayers in our ministry.
  • 00:11:31.740 --> 00:11:33.875
  • Change is taking place in the earth.
  • 00:11:33.875 --> 00:11:36.177
  • We're seeing in our own nation, god responded to us with
  • 00:11:36.177 --> 00:11:39.047
  • Tremendous mercy and grace.
  • 00:11:39.047 --> 00:11:41.616
  • We have leaders that are headed to washington d.c., to enact
  • 00:11:41.616 --> 00:11:44.652
  • Changes to restore a set of values that have brought
  • 00:11:44.652 --> 00:11:47.122
  • Strength to our nation.
  • 00:11:47.122 --> 00:11:48.590
  • It's a time of great optimism and hope and anticipation and i
  • 00:11:48.590 --> 00:11:52.560
  • Believe that's true in the church as well.
  • 00:11:52.560 --> 00:11:54.596
  • Folks, we can't stand on the sidelines and expect somebody
  • 00:11:54.596 --> 00:11:57.365
  • Else to be the change.
  • 00:11:57.365 --> 00:11:59.134
  • We need the presence of god to emerge in our schools, on our
  • 00:11:59.134 --> 00:12:02.237
  • College campuses, back in our churches.
  • 00:12:02.237 --> 00:12:05.406
  • And so i think it's a critical time that we bring the message
  • 00:12:05.406 --> 00:12:08.243
  • Of the truth of jesus christ.
  • 00:12:08.243 --> 00:12:09.911
  • It's a hopeful message.
  • 00:12:09.911 --> 00:12:11.279
  • It's a message of wholeness and healing and deliverance and
  • 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:14.182
  • Freedom that we desperately need in our cities, in our
  • 00:12:14.182 --> 00:12:17.685
  • Communities, wherever god's people gather.
  • 00:12:17.685 --> 00:12:20.221
  • Join us.
  • 00:12:20.221 --> 00:12:21.556
  • Let's be a part of what god is doing in the earth and we will
  • 00:12:21.556 --> 00:12:24.225
  • Celebrate his faithfulness to the people of our generation.
  • 00:12:24.225 --> 00:12:27.896
  • Thank you for being a part.
  • 00:12:27.896 --> 00:12:29.264
  • Female announcer: god has uniquely blessed us.
  • 00:12:31.166 --> 00:12:33.668
  • The best is yet to come.
  • 00:12:33.668 --> 00:12:36.471
  • God has heard our prayers.
  • 00:12:36.471 --> 00:12:39.040
  • God has delivered us from oppression.
  • 00:12:39.040 --> 00:12:42.911
  • We live in a season of shaking, but together we stand, united in
  • 00:12:42.911 --> 00:12:49.284
  • Heart and purpose, to accomplish the will of god in
  • 00:12:49.284 --> 00:12:52.587
  • Our generation.
  • 00:12:52.587 --> 00:12:55.089
  • We will not stop.
  • 00:12:55.089 --> 00:12:57.158
  • Allen: i wanna ask you to make a sacrificial investment in
  • 00:12:59.160 --> 00:13:01.930
  • Our ministry.
  • 00:13:01.930 --> 00:13:03.298
  • We have a generous partner who'll match every gift between
  • 00:13:03.298 --> 00:13:05.366
  • Now and the end of the year.
  • 00:13:05.366 --> 00:13:06.734
  • We're making plans for the year ahead with a boldness and a
  • 00:13:06.734 --> 00:13:09.704
  • Courage unlike anything we've done in the past.
  • 00:13:09.704 --> 00:13:12.707
  • We wanna make as clear a statement for the gospel of
  • 00:13:12.707 --> 00:13:15.310
  • Jesus christ.
  • 00:13:15.310 --> 00:13:16.678
  • We wanna strengthen the church.
  • 00:13:16.678 --> 00:13:18.313
  • We want to tell the truth in a way that people can rally
  • 00:13:18.313 --> 00:13:21.316
  • Around it.
  • 00:13:21.316 --> 00:13:22.684
  • God is moving in the earth, and we intend to participate
  • 00:13:22.684 --> 00:13:25.320
  • With him.
  • 00:13:25.320 --> 00:13:26.654
  • I hope you'll join us as we look forward to the new year.
  • 00:13:26.654 --> 00:13:29.624
  • Thank you in advance for your generous
  • 00:13:29.624 --> 00:13:31.626
  • Investments in what god is doing.
  • 00:13:31.626 --> 00:13:33.294
  • God bless you.
  • 00:13:33.294 --> 00:13:34.996
  • Announcer: as we step into this new season, let's be faithful to
  • 00:13:34.996 --> 00:13:38.466
  • Seek god.
  • 00:13:38.466 --> 00:13:40.034
  • Let's make room for him to refine our hearts so we can join
  • 00:13:40.034 --> 00:13:43.471
  • Him in what he's doing.
  • 00:13:43.471 --> 00:13:45.473
  • Pastor allen's new 90-day devotional journal called, "set
  • 00:13:45.473 --> 00:13:49.477
  • Apart for his purposes," can help.
  • 00:13:49.477 --> 00:13:52.247
  • Each day brings a new scripture, teaching, prayer, and a
  • 00:13:52.247 --> 00:13:56.017
  • Journaling prompt.
  • 00:13:56.017 --> 00:13:57.352
  • We'll also send custom page markers so you can flag anything
  • 00:13:57.352 --> 00:14:00.788
  • You want to revisit.
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  • Request your copy of "set apart for his purposes," when you
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  • Donate $50 or more today at allenjackson.com or call...
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  • Announcer: we are committed to helping you grow in your faith
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  • And have tools for your journey no matter your schedule.
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  • Get daily encouragement and insight with pastor allen's
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  • Daily devotion right in your inbox.
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  • Just sign up on the website.
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  • With everything happening here
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  • With allen jackson ministries.
  • 00:14:46.634 --> 00:14:48.202
  • Allen: i'll give you one more.
  • 00:14:51.673 --> 00:14:54.776
  • With jesus, there's a purpose to life.
  • 00:14:54.776 --> 00:14:59.747
  • Look in john 8 and verse 42: "jesus said to them, 'if god
  • 00:14:59.747 --> 00:15:01.983
  • Were your father, you would love me, for i came from god
  • 00:15:01.983 --> 00:15:06.154
  • And now i'm here.
  • 00:15:06.154 --> 00:15:07.956
  • I haven't come on my own; but he sent me.'"
  • 00:15:07.956 --> 00:15:12.026
  • I'll tell you what's missing in that.
  • 00:15:12.026 --> 00:15:13.761
  • You don't hear jesus saying, "this is my life and i'm gonna
  • 00:15:13.761 --> 00:15:15.730
  • Do what i want.
  • 00:15:15.730 --> 00:15:19.300
  • I only get one time to be 30 and i'm gonna live 30s for jesus."
  • 00:15:19.300 --> 00:15:24.372
  • No, he said, "look, this is not my life.
  • 00:15:24.372 --> 00:15:27.508
  • God sent me."
  • 00:15:27.508 --> 00:15:29.911
  • Luke 17, this is a fun scenario to me.
  • 00:15:29.911 --> 00:15:33.247
  • "the apostles said to the lord, 'increase our faith!'"
  • 00:15:33.247 --> 00:15:35.016
  • He's just given 'em a lesson in obedience
  • 00:15:35.016 --> 00:15:37.618
  • And forgiveness and they're struggling with it,
  • 00:15:37.618 --> 00:15:39.287
  • And they said, "increase our faith."
  • 00:15:39.287 --> 00:15:40.655
  • "'suppose one of you had a servant plowing
  • 00:15:40.655 --> 00:15:42.623
  • Or looking after sheep.
  • 00:15:42.623 --> 00:15:44.158
  • Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field,
  • 00:15:44.158 --> 00:15:46.127
  • "come along now and sit down to eat"?
  • 00:15:46.127 --> 00:15:48.997
  • Wouldn't he rather say, "prepare my supper, get yourself ready
  • 00:15:48.997 --> 00:15:52.000
  • And wait on me while i eat and drink; and after that you may
  • 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:55.236
  • Eat and drink"?
  • 00:15:55.236 --> 00:15:56.671
  • Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told
  • 00:15:56.671 --> 00:15:58.840
  • To do?
  • 00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:00.441
  • So you also, when you've done everything you were told to do,
  • 00:16:00.441 --> 00:16:02.877
  • Should say, "we are unworthy servants;
  • 00:16:02.877 --> 00:16:06.848
  • And we have done our duty."'"
  • 00:16:06.848 --> 00:16:09.884
  • You know, something that's missing from so much of
  • 00:16:09.884 --> 00:16:12.153
  • Contemporary conversation is a sense of duty.
  • 00:16:12.153 --> 00:16:19.527
  • We have a lot of conversations about what we're entitled to,
  • 00:16:19.527 --> 00:16:21.896
  • What we have a right to, what we dream about.
  • 00:16:21.896 --> 00:16:26.701
  • We don't really talk much about duty.
  • 00:16:26.701 --> 00:16:29.971
  • We don't talk about younger people honoring older people.
  • 00:16:29.971 --> 00:16:34.308
  • We don't talk about men honoring women.
  • 00:16:34.308 --> 00:16:36.144
  • It's not chic any longer.
  • 00:16:36.144 --> 00:16:38.012
  • It's "patriarchal."
  • 00:16:38.012 --> 00:16:40.548
  • We've lost a sense of duty.
  • 00:16:40.548 --> 00:16:43.818
  • We've stopped, you know, we've started asking far more
  • 00:16:43.818 --> 00:16:45.787
  • Frequently what can the country do for me than what can we do
  • 00:16:45.787 --> 00:16:47.622
  • For the country.
  • 00:16:47.622 --> 00:16:50.625
  • I mean, our priorities are way out of whack and you know why
  • 00:16:50.625 --> 00:16:53.161
  • That's true?
  • 00:16:53.161 --> 00:16:54.996
  • It's because the church has failed.
  • 00:16:54.996 --> 00:16:58.399
  • It's the weakness of the church.
  • 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:01.969
  • It's our perspective.
  • 00:17:01.969 --> 00:17:03.404
  • It's that god perspective in us that it's not my life, that i've
  • 00:17:03.404 --> 00:17:07.942
  • Been redeemed from an empty way of life, that i've been brought
  • 00:17:07.942 --> 00:17:10.478
  • Into the kingdom of god by my friend jesus.
  • 00:17:10.478 --> 00:17:15.516
  • And therefore, the greatest use of my days and my strength and
  • 00:17:15.516 --> 00:17:17.351
  • My intellect and my resources is to honor him.
  • 00:17:17.351 --> 00:17:22.523
  • That's not just my privilege, it's my duty.
  • 00:17:22.523 --> 00:17:27.228
  • And when i've spent myself in that cause, and when my days are
  • 00:17:27.228 --> 00:17:31.866
  • Gone and my strength has diminished,
  • 00:17:31.866 --> 00:17:34.836
  • I don't deserve applause.
  • 00:17:34.836 --> 00:17:36.170
  • I've simply fulfilled my duty.
  • 00:17:36.170 --> 00:17:41.609
  • Somehow, our calibration's gotten off.
  • 00:17:41.609 --> 00:17:45.046
  • We've gotta find the joy in serving the lord again.
  • 00:17:45.046 --> 00:17:47.949
  • If he didn't answer another prayer, if he didn't do another
  • 00:17:47.949 --> 00:17:49.717
  • Thing for us, if he didn't give us another gift, if he didn't
  • 00:17:49.717 --> 00:17:52.253
  • Provide another meal, if he didn't give us one more day of
  • 00:17:52.253 --> 00:17:54.822
  • Liberty, if he didn't do anything else for us except see
  • 00:17:54.822 --> 00:17:58.292
  • To it that we could participate in his kingdom, we should serve
  • 00:17:58.292 --> 00:18:01.762
  • Him with joy for the rest of the run.
  • 00:18:01.762 --> 00:18:05.466
  • Now, i don't believe he's done.
  • 00:18:05.466 --> 00:18:09.070
  • And i'm not recruiting for anything; it's christmas
  • 00:18:09.070 --> 00:18:11.072
  • Morning, we're celebrating.
  • 00:18:11.072 --> 00:18:13.007
  • But i want you to know that there's a duty towards the lord.
  • 00:18:13.007 --> 00:18:17.311
  • We don't earn our way into heaven.
  • 00:18:17.311 --> 00:18:20.414
  • Nonsense.
  • 00:18:20.414 --> 00:18:23.484
  • But the best expression of appreciation and gratitude for
  • 00:18:23.484 --> 00:18:26.721
  • The goodness and the grace and the mercy of god is to serve
  • 00:18:26.721 --> 00:18:29.524
  • The lord with abandon.
  • 00:18:29.524 --> 00:18:32.860
  • With abandon.
  • 00:18:32.860 --> 00:18:34.996
  • And if i could make a suggestion this christmas.
  • 00:18:34.996 --> 00:18:37.732
  • You know, i know we don't always feel that, and i wanna give you
  • 00:18:37.732 --> 00:18:41.802
  • A gift if you'll allow me.
  • 00:18:41.802 --> 00:18:45.573
  • Start a new habit this christmas.
  • 00:18:45.573 --> 00:18:48.109
  • Tell the lord the truth.
  • 00:18:48.109 --> 00:18:53.581
  • If serving him does not seem inviting, tell him.
  • 00:18:53.581 --> 00:19:00.188
  • He already knows.
  • 00:19:00.188 --> 00:19:03.090
  • Say, "lord, i've been a lot more interested in many other things
  • 00:19:03.090 --> 00:19:07.695
  • Than i have in serving you.
  • 00:19:07.695 --> 00:19:11.766
  • I've seen that more as an obligation than a privilege.
  • 00:19:11.766 --> 00:19:16.170
  • And i'm not even exactly sure how to fix it but i would like
  • 00:19:16.170 --> 00:19:19.307
  • To honor you with my life.
  • 00:19:19.307 --> 00:19:21.042
  • Would you help me?"
  • 00:19:21.042 --> 00:19:24.612
  • I've done that with the lord at this point in a number of ways
  • 00:19:24.612 --> 00:19:28.683
  • Around a number of topics where i knew i didn't have inside of
  • 00:19:28.683 --> 00:19:33.020
  • Me the attitude or the inclination that i needed.
  • 00:19:33.020 --> 00:19:37.225
  • I did it with my bible at one point.
  • 00:19:37.225 --> 00:19:38.693
  • I used--you're supposed to read your bible, right?
  • 00:19:38.693 --> 00:19:40.928
  • Every christian know that?
  • 00:19:40.928 --> 00:19:42.330
  • You know you're supposed to read your bible?
  • 00:19:42.330 --> 00:19:43.898
  • I didn't. i mean, i'd try.
  • 00:19:43.898 --> 00:19:46.734
  • I mean, way back and when i was in college, i'd get up in the
  • 00:19:46.734 --> 00:19:48.736
  • Morning and read my bible.
  • 00:19:48.736 --> 00:19:50.238
  • I'd go to sleep every morning with my bible open.
  • 00:19:50.238 --> 00:19:51.572
  • [snoring]
  • 00:19:51.572 --> 00:19:53.107
  • And when i was up half the night.
  • 00:19:53.107 --> 00:19:54.809
  • But i'm trying and i finally thought, you know,
  • 00:19:54.809 --> 00:19:56.143
  • "this is nuts.
  • 00:19:56.143 --> 00:19:57.478
  • The bible doesn't say, 'sleep with your bible.'"
  • 00:19:57.478 --> 00:20:00.881
  • And so i said, "lord, i know that i'm supposed to read
  • 00:20:00.881 --> 00:20:03.718
  • It but, with all due respect, it's a dull book.
  • 00:20:03.718 --> 00:20:08.589
  • There's no pictures, the plot's confusing."
  • 00:20:08.589 --> 00:20:14.595
  • I mean, i like to read but i was having trouble.
  • 00:20:14.595 --> 00:20:16.364
  • I said, "i will--if you will help me, i will read it."
  • 00:20:16.364 --> 00:20:19.700
  • So i get the most fruitful, most alert time of my day, i blocked
  • 00:20:19.700 --> 00:20:22.336
  • It out to read my bible.
  • 00:20:22.336 --> 00:20:25.006
  • It didn't happen in a day or a week or a month,
  • 00:20:25.006 --> 00:20:26.641
  • But somewhere along the way it became the more fascinating
  • 00:20:26.641 --> 00:20:28.376
  • Thing i've ever read.
  • 00:20:28.376 --> 00:20:31.045
  • It's still alive to me.
  • 00:20:31.045 --> 00:20:34.248
  • And i could tell you place after place in my life,
  • 00:20:34.248 --> 00:20:36.284
  • Praying.
  • 00:20:36.284 --> 00:20:37.618
  • You say oh, prayer's a burden, you know, let the women pray.
  • 00:20:37.618 --> 00:20:40.521
  • Let the people that can't do something pray.
  • 00:20:40.521 --> 00:20:43.724
  • I said, "lord, you said i should always pray and never give up.
  • 00:20:43.724 --> 00:20:46.460
  • I need to pray.
  • 00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:47.795
  • Lord, would you help me?"
  • 00:20:47.795 --> 00:20:49.630
  • And i haven't--i don't think i've finished that course but i
  • 00:20:49.630 --> 00:20:53.034
  • Have come to value the privilege of prayer and proclamation,
  • 00:20:53.034 --> 00:20:57.638
  • Taking what god has said.
  • 00:20:57.638 --> 00:21:00.574
  • But i think around this notion of duty, there's a place where
  • 00:21:00.574 --> 00:21:04.211
  • In the church we've wandered a long way away from this.
  • 00:21:04.211 --> 00:21:09.383
  • And i think it'd be a good place to talk to the lord and say,
  • 00:21:09.383 --> 00:21:11.585
  • "lord, you know, i don't really have any sense that i have a
  • 00:21:11.585 --> 00:21:15.056
  • Duty towards you at all.
  • 00:21:15.056 --> 00:21:19.560
  • I've been indoctrinated that my salvation is ironclad, that i
  • 00:21:19.560 --> 00:21:25.566
  • Said the prayer, got dipped in the pool, and i'm golden.
  • 00:21:25.566 --> 00:21:33.207
  • Awaken me to what it would be like to lead a life that was
  • 00:21:33.207 --> 00:21:37.411
  • Aware of my responsibilities to you.
  • 00:21:37.411 --> 00:21:44.752
  • Help me to live that out for my children and my grandchildren,
  • 00:21:44.752 --> 00:21:48.856
  • My brothers and sisters in christ, the people i work with.
  • 00:21:48.856 --> 00:21:55.229
  • Make anybody that knows me know that i live with a sense of duty
  • 00:21:55.229 --> 00:22:00.501
  • To almighty god.
  • 00:22:00.501 --> 00:22:04.839
  • No thanks is expected.
  • 00:22:04.839 --> 00:22:08.008
  • No applause will be sought.
  • 00:22:08.008 --> 00:22:10.544
  • I am honored to own my lane.
  • 00:22:10.544 --> 00:22:13.614
  • You show me where that lane is, lord.
  • 00:22:13.614 --> 00:22:15.116
  • I'll be there."
  • 00:22:15.116 --> 00:22:20.154
  • Folks, one day you're gonna see jesus.
  • 00:22:20.154 --> 00:22:23.157
  • You will see jesus.
  • 00:22:23.157 --> 00:22:31.699
  • I gotta hush, i know i do.
  • 00:22:31.699 --> 00:22:34.168
  • It's christmas.
  • 00:22:34.168 --> 00:22:35.803
  • I'll tell one story on myself.
  • 00:22:35.803 --> 00:22:37.338
  • Talking about seeing jesus.
  • 00:22:37.338 --> 00:22:38.873
  • I was visiting my grandfather in the car.
  • 00:22:38.873 --> 00:22:41.308
  • He didn't have a great education but he had tremendous faith.
  • 00:22:41.308 --> 00:22:45.980
  • And i don't know what we were talking about but i remember
  • 00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:47.648
  • Asking him the question when he got to heaven who he wanted to
  • 00:22:47.648 --> 00:22:51.685
  • Talk to.
  • 00:22:51.685 --> 00:22:56.157
  • I looked--i thought he was really close to heaven.
  • 00:22:56.157 --> 00:22:57.725
  • I look back, he was probably younger than i am.
  • 00:22:57.725 --> 00:22:59.193
  • But never mind.
  • 00:22:59.193 --> 00:23:02.263
  • And i thought he would say, you know, he wanted to talk to moses
  • 00:23:02.263 --> 00:23:04.632
  • Or he wanted to talk to abraham lincoln or--and we pulled up to
  • 00:23:04.632 --> 00:23:09.336
  • A stop light 'cause he looked over at me.
  • 00:23:09.336 --> 00:23:12.173
  • It's the only time in my life i ever remember him looking at me
  • 00:23:12.173 --> 00:23:14.041
  • As if i didn't have enough sense to get in out of the rain.
  • 00:23:14.041 --> 00:23:17.878
  • And he said, "well, i wanna talk to jesus."
  • 00:23:17.878 --> 00:23:20.815
  • I thought, jesus.
  • 00:23:20.815 --> 00:23:23.851
  • I never forgot it.
  • 00:23:23.851 --> 00:23:26.253
  • One day we will see him.
  • 00:23:26.253 --> 00:23:29.957
  • Do you know what a privilege that'll be?
  • 00:23:29.957 --> 00:23:32.626
  • Folks, all the rest of this is in preparation for when we see
  • 00:23:32.626 --> 00:23:35.429
  • The lord.
  • 00:23:35.429 --> 00:23:37.932
  • In revelation chapter 1 when john is--on the lord's day it
  • 00:23:37.932 --> 00:23:40.968
  • Says he's in the spirit, and jesus comes to see him.
  • 00:23:40.968 --> 00:23:44.972
  • You remember john's response?
  • 00:23:44.972 --> 00:23:47.508
  • He knew who--he knows who it is.
  • 00:23:47.508 --> 00:23:50.077
  • He heard the voice and he turned around and he describes in this
  • 00:23:50.077 --> 00:23:52.446
  • Very prophetic, brilliant language, but he understands
  • 00:23:52.446 --> 00:23:56.884
  • It's his friend.
  • 00:23:56.884 --> 00:23:59.253
  • Remember how he responded?
  • 00:23:59.253 --> 00:24:01.722
  • Said, "i fell at his feet like i was dead."
  • 00:24:01.722 --> 00:24:05.493
  • He put his hand on me and said, "i'm the living one.
  • 00:24:05.493 --> 00:24:08.696
  • I was alive and i was dead, but i'm alive forevermore."
  • 00:24:08.696 --> 00:24:12.600
  • You're gonna see jesus.
  • 00:24:12.600 --> 00:24:16.103
  • Now, i don't know what challenges you've brought to
  • 00:24:16.103 --> 00:24:18.739
  • Christmas, but i'm telling you next to jesus they're
  • 00:24:18.739 --> 00:24:20.241
  • Small stuff.
  • 00:24:20.241 --> 00:24:21.742
  • I'm not saying they're not real.
  • 00:24:21.742 --> 00:24:23.511
  • I'm not diminishing them.
  • 00:24:23.511 --> 00:24:25.446
  • I'm telling you we've gotta get closer to jesus.
  • 00:24:25.446 --> 00:24:29.149
  • I brought you a prayer but i'd rather pray for you,
  • 00:24:29.149 --> 00:24:30.818
  • If you'll allow me.
  • 00:24:30.818 --> 00:24:32.152
  • That's a great prayer.
  • 00:24:32.152 --> 00:24:33.487
  • You could pray it today with your family.
  • 00:24:33.487 --> 00:24:35.489
  • Christmas day, you're allowed to have a prayer before you eat.
  • 00:24:35.489 --> 00:24:39.126
  • You can say, "my pastor told me we should pray."
  • 00:24:39.126 --> 00:24:40.694
  • Blame it on me. let 'em get mad at me.
  • 00:24:40.694 --> 00:24:46.200
  • Won't you stand with me?
  • 00:24:46.200 --> 00:24:48.869
  • If you're at home christmas morning,
  • 00:24:48.869 --> 00:24:50.204
  • You can stand with us too.
  • 00:24:50.204 --> 00:24:51.539
  • Put the coffee down.
  • 00:24:51.539 --> 00:24:52.873
  • Wipe the coffee cake crumbs off your chin.
  • 00:24:52.873 --> 00:24:57.311
  • We're gonna talk to the king.
  • 00:24:57.311 --> 00:25:02.850
  • Ah, it's good to be with god's people.
  • 00:25:02.850 --> 00:25:06.320
  • Have you a place where a god event in your life
  • 00:25:06.320 --> 00:25:07.988
  • Would be okay?
  • 00:25:07.988 --> 00:25:10.591
  • Look at us, hallelujah.
  • 00:25:10.591 --> 00:25:14.261
  • Father, i thank you for this day.
  • 00:25:14.261 --> 00:25:16.897
  • I thank you for the honor and the privilege we have of
  • 00:25:16.897 --> 00:25:19.033
  • Standing in the public place and lifting our hearts and voices in
  • 00:25:19.033 --> 00:25:22.536
  • Praise and thanksgiving to the king of kings.
  • 00:25:22.536 --> 00:25:26.073
  • I thank you for your great mercy for us that you called us out of
  • 00:25:26.073 --> 00:25:29.443
  • Darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your son.
  • 00:25:29.443 --> 00:25:32.980
  • And lord jesus, i thank you that you were willing to be born in a
  • 00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:35.416
  • Stable, to walk the hills of galilee and the streets of
  • 00:25:35.416 --> 00:25:40.721
  • Jerusalem, to stand silently before those who accused you
  • 00:25:40.721 --> 00:25:47.261
  • And to not retaliate.
  • 00:25:47.261 --> 00:25:52.266
  • I thank you that in your love for us you bore our punishment
  • 00:25:52.266 --> 00:25:58.973
  • That we might be forgiven.
  • 00:25:58.973 --> 00:26:01.976
  • And we turn our faces to you today, filled with gratitude and
  • 00:26:01.976 --> 00:26:07.548
  • Thankfulness that our sins have been forgiven.
  • 00:26:07.548 --> 00:26:12.586
  • I pray that you bring health and strength to our bodies, peace to
  • 00:26:12.586 --> 00:26:16.357
  • Our minds, hope to our souls, boldness where
  • 00:26:16.357 --> 00:26:22.696
  • We have been frightened.
  • 00:26:22.696 --> 00:26:25.199
  • I thank you for it.
  • 00:26:25.199 --> 00:26:27.901
  • And in the authority of jesus's name, i speak to every
  • 00:26:27.901 --> 00:26:31.205
  • Expression of fear: you go in jesus's name.
  • 00:26:31.205 --> 00:26:34.041
  • Your power over us is broken.
  • 00:26:34.041 --> 00:26:36.543
  • You're a liar and a thief, an intruder.
  • 00:26:36.543 --> 00:26:38.679
  • You go now in jesus's name.
  • 00:26:38.679 --> 00:26:42.549
  • Lord, where there is need, i thank you
  • 00:26:42.549 --> 00:26:45.252
  • That you'll bring abundance.
  • 00:26:45.252 --> 00:26:48.255
  • Where we need wisdom, father, that you will give us thoughts
  • 00:26:48.255 --> 00:26:51.458
  • Beyond ourselves.
  • 00:26:51.458 --> 00:26:55.095
  • We praise you for it today.
  • 00:26:55.095 --> 00:26:57.898
  • I thank you that we're not alone.
  • 00:26:57.898 --> 00:27:01.669
  • I thank you that our name is known in heaven and that the
  • 00:27:01.669 --> 00:27:06.840
  • Angels are ministering spirits sent forth on our behalf.
  • 00:27:06.840 --> 00:27:11.478
  • We praise you for it all, in jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:11.478 --> 00:27:27.361