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 - My Friend Jesus! (Part 2) | January 13, 2025
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- ♪♪♪
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- Allen jackson: hey, it's such a privilege to be with you today
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- And to open the word of god together.
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- We're doing a study on "my friend jesus."
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- It's not intended to be a cute little phrase.
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- It's the fundamental approach i have to my faith.
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- More than i wanna be a pastor or a religious person or a church
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- Person, i wanna be jesus's friend.
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- I wanna know what makes him smile and what makes him
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- Celebrate, and i wanna invest my life in those things.
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- We're gonna see him before too long.
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- Well, we're gonna take a few minutes in the scripture today
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- And look at a heavenly perspective of jesus.
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- I wanna pull back the curtain and see what the attitude in the
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- Heavens are towards our lord at some specific
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- Points in the unfolding of our story.
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- I believe it'll help us to know how to
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- Respond in the season of turmoil.
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- Enjoy the lesson.
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- Allen: well, let's take a minute.
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- We've got some pretty good windows into the person of jesus
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- And how he's understood and what he's going to do.
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- We can look at the heavenly perspective for a moment.
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- I like this one.
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- It's kind of fun, and it's very plainly said.
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- Luke chapter 2, is a part of the
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- Birth narrative in luke's gospel.
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- We're gonna look at the angelic announcement
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- In the shepherds's fields.
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- We usually talk about this in december,
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- But we'll slip one in middle of the year.
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- Says, "there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby,
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- Keeping watch over their flocks at night, and an
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- Angel of the lord appeared to them, and the
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- Glory of the lord shone around them.
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- They were terrified."
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- Makes sense to me.
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- You're standing out in the field at night,
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- And all of a sudden, it gets lit up.
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- They didn't have a lot of electricity in
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- The shepherds's fields in bethlehem.
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- "and the angel said to them, 'do not be afraid.
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- I bring you good news of great joy
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- That will be for all the people.'"
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- That's the message, at least, from this particular--
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- We're gonna look through some windows to try to see.
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- You don't get the full view from any window.
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- If you look out the window of your house, you get
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- A perspective from what you can see in that direction, and the
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- Window we're looking at here is in the shepherds's
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- Field with the heavenly host, and what they
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- Said to the shepherds is "don't be afraid.
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- You don't have to be afraid.
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- There's some frightening things happening around
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- You, but you don't have to be afraid.
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- We brought you good news."
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- So i wanna know jesus in that way.
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- I don't have to be afraid.
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- There's good news.
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- Where jesus is attached, where jesus is present, fear has to
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- Go, and there is good news 'cause jesus is present.
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- What do you have to fear if you're standing close to jesus?
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- Storms? i don't think so.
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- Roman soldiers? not so much.
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- Sickness? nah, it's not really a problem.
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- Not enough food? no, he's got that one covered.
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- So what is it--nothing. you don't have to be afraid.
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- If you're afraid and you don't have a sense
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- That the news in our world is good, you're not
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- Standing as close to jesus as you might.
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- "don't be afraid.
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- I bring you good news." and that's what it said.
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- I didn't really make it up. "'do not be afraid.
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- I bring you good news of great joy
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- That will be for all the people.
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- Today in the town of david a savior has been born to you.
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- He's christ the lord. this will be a sign to you.
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- You'll find a baby wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger.'
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- Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the
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- Angel, praising god and saying, 'glory to god in the highest.'"
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- Heaven is about to bust open. what's the message?
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- They've watched humanity suffer, be victimized, diminished,
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- Berated, belittled, attacked, destroyed.
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- "glory to god in the highest.
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- On earth peace to men on whom the favor of god rests."
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- What was the demonstration of the favor of god?
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- Jesus is here.
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- We're not talkin' about his arrival.
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- We're not saying he's going to come.
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- It's not some prophetic passage.
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- "today in the town of david, good news.
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- You don't have to be afraid anymore."
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- I've got good news for you, church.
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- We don't have to be afraid.
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- There is good news. jesus is here.
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- He said he'd never leave us or forsake us.
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- He won't forsake us through a pandemic.
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- He won't forsake us through a supply chain interruption.
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- He won't forsake us through knuckleheads doin' stuff.
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- It's a term of endearment.
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- In revelation chapter 5, we get another window,
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- Different perspective, different scene.
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- Revelation is the end of the age, the conclusion of this age.
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- Jesus is preparing to come back to the earth as the
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- Judge of all the earth, the conquering king.
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- It's a very dramatic book.
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- Chapter 5, this is john.
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- He said, "i wept and wept because no one was found who
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- Was worthy to open the scroll or look inside."
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- There's a message, and he said nobody
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- Could--nobody knew the password.
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- "then one of the elders said to me, 'do not weep.
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- The lion of the tribe of judah,
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- The root of david, has triumphed.
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- He's able to open the scroll and the seven seals.'
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- And then i saw a lamb." he looks to the throne.
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- He said, "i saw a lamb, looking as if it had been slain,
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- Standing in the center of the throne, encircled
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- By the four living creatures and the elders.
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- He had seven horns, seven eyes, which are the
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- Seven spirits of god sent out into all the earth.
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- And he came and took the scroll from the right
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- Hand of him who sat on the throne.
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- And when he had taken it, the four living creatures
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- And the 24 elders fell down before the lamb."
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- Look at the way they're responding to jesus.
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- It's not overly casual.
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- "each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls of
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- Incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
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- And they sang a new song: 'you are worthy to take the scroll
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- And to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your
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- Blood you purchased men for god from every tribe
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- And language and people and nation.
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- You've made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve
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- Our god, and they will reign on the earth.'
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- Then i looked, and i heard the voice
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- Of many angels, numbering thousands upon
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- Thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand."
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- That's a lot of angels, an almost
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- Innumerable company of angels.
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- "they encircled the throne and the living creatures and the
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- Elders, and in a loud voice they sang, 'worthy is the lamb, who
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- Was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom
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- And strength and honor and glory and praise.'"
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- What's the heavenly perspective on jesus in that window?
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- It said, "no tears.
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- Don't weep." they said, "don't weep."
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- Revelation's a pretty intense book.
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- Enormous sections of the population of the world are
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- Gonna be destroyed, come under the judgment of god.
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- That's new testament.
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- But the--to john, they said, "don't weep.
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- The lamb is worthy. you don't have to weep.
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- There's one who is worthy to deliver his people."
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- He's the head of the church.
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- He destroyed the power of the enemy.
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- Sin and generational sin and curses and darkness don't have
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- The power to place you under the judgment of god.
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- You don't have to weep.
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- There is one who is worthy to deliver his church.
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- That is such good news, folks.
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- We have a message the world needs to hear.
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- It's not an angry message. it's not a condemning message.
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- Telling people the truth about god's word and a
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- Biblical worldview and biblically informed morality
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- Is not condemnation and judgment.
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- It's a pathway to freedom.
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- We say to people, "you can't smoke on an airplane."
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- We're not judging them.
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- We're saying, "well, that's really not healthy."
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- So, in that environment, we're all gonna try to be healthier.
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- That's not criticism or judgment.
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- You can choose to do what you want to do on your time in a
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- Place where it doesn't infringe upon someone else.
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- How is it we've lost our courage to tell the truth to our world?
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- Somebody says, "well, i feel judged."
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- "i'm sorry for that.
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- I know that's not the intent. it's not the purpose.
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- I'm telling you that behavior is destructive."
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- "well, i don't believe that."
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- "well, when the plane lands, i'll lend you a lighter."
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- We've been confused. we don't have to weep.
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- The lamb is worthy.
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- Look at those last--that last sentence, "worthy is the lamb,
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- Who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom
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- And strength and honor and glory and praise."
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- ♪♪♪
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- Female announcer: if you look, you'll find good
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- News everywhere.
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- Female: our baby was born healthy and strong.
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- Female: we have the groceries we need.
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- Male: another year cancer-free.
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- Female: we bought our first house this year.
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- Female: the raise came through when i needed it most.
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- Male: i have a working car.
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- Female: my husband came home safe.
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- 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."
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- 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
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- Enterprise are how we begin and how we conclude.
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- So, the beginning of a new year is a tremendous opportunity.
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- 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 a
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- Bit more intention than perhaps has been our pattern in
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- The past.
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- We wanna start our year with an attitude of appreciation and
- 00:10:32.622 --> 00:10:35.658
- Gratitude for the blessings of god in our lives.
- 00:10:35.658 --> 00:10:38.895
- So, we've designed this journal so that you can use it as a part
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- Of your devotional.
- 00:10:41.898 --> 00:10:43.232
- It's something you could include the children, the grandchildren.
- 00:10:43.232 --> 00:10:45.468
- You could take it to work and create a good news journal for
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- The people you work with.
- 00:10:47.904 --> 00:10:49.505
- 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.
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- I know there's challenges and we have places where we need god's
- 00:10:57.747 --> 00:11:00.483
- Help, but we're gonna begin with gratitude and walk into the
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- Blessings of god in this year.
- 00:11:04.387 --> 00:11:06.756
- I think you'll enjoy the journal.
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- God bless.
- 00:11:08.491 --> 00:11:09.826
- Female announcer: when you keep a good news list, you'll notice
- 00:11:09.826 --> 00:11:11.928
- How god is constantly at work all around you.
- 00:11:11.928 --> 00:11:15.198
- Our new 52-week, good news notebook gives you a place to
- 00:11:15.198 --> 00:11:19.135
- Record your good news, prayers you saw god answer, and your
- 00:11:19.135 --> 00:11:22.739
- Current prayer requests.
- 00:11:22.739 --> 00:11:24.507
- As you look back on your lists over the weeks and months to
- 00:11:24.507 --> 00:11:27.376
- Come, you'll find a personal record of god's faithfulness
- 00:11:27.376 --> 00:11:30.313
- To you.
- 00:11:30.313 --> 00:11:31.647
- Allen: we are trusting god for a year like no other for his
- 00:11:31.647 --> 00:11:34.050
- Breakthroughs this year.
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- I believe the good news journal can be a part of our journey in
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- Each of our lives.
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- Female announcer: request your good news notebook when you
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- Donate $20 or more today at allenjackson.com or by
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- Calling...
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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.
- 00:11:54.103 --> 00:11:57.006
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- Daily devotion right in your inbox.
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- Here with allen jackson ministries.
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- Allen: well, i wanna wrap this up.
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- The jesus story can't be told completely
- 00:12:25.802 --> 00:12:29.872
- Without talking about his resurrection.
- 00:12:29.872 --> 00:12:33.810
- The resurrection simply means to be made alive,
- 00:12:33.810 --> 00:12:37.313
- And there's two perspectives on that.
- 00:12:37.313 --> 00:12:39.849
- In the resurrection, we were made alive.
- 00:12:39.849 --> 00:12:42.051
- The bible says, "we were dead in our sins," but we were made
- 00:12:42.051 --> 00:12:45.154
- Spiritually alive, that we were dead to god.
- 00:12:45.154 --> 00:12:47.256
- We have a new birth, and we're made alive to god again.
- 00:12:47.256 --> 00:12:52.094
- And then the bible talks about physical resurrection.
- 00:12:52.094 --> 00:12:56.265
- Let's start with the spiritual component.
- 00:12:56.265 --> 00:12:57.600
- In colossians chapter 2, it says, "when you were dead in
- 00:12:57.600 --> 00:12:59.902
- Your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful
- 00:12:59.902 --> 00:13:02.772
- Nature, god made you alive with christ.
- 00:13:02.772 --> 00:13:05.308
- He forgave all our sins."
- 00:13:05.308 --> 00:13:07.844
- That's a pretty powerful statement, isn't it?
- 00:13:07.844 --> 00:13:10.379
- He made us alive with christ spiritually.
- 00:13:10.379 --> 00:13:12.915
- What makes you spiritually alive?
- 00:13:12.915 --> 00:13:14.250
- Joining the right church, reading the right
- 00:13:14.250 --> 00:13:15.585
- Translation, singing the right--no.
- 00:13:15.585 --> 00:13:18.688
- Joining the right denom--no.
- 00:13:18.688 --> 00:13:20.890
- Keeping the right set of rules? no.
- 00:13:20.890 --> 00:13:23.492
- The only way we can find spiritual life
- 00:13:23.492 --> 00:13:25.695
- Is through the person of jesus.
- 00:13:25.695 --> 00:13:27.029
- It brings back the centrality.
- 00:13:27.029 --> 00:13:28.431
- Our friend is important. god sent his son.
- 00:13:28.431 --> 00:13:32.535
- It's the incarnation, and every component of that matters.
- 00:13:32.535 --> 00:13:38.975
- We've been reluctant to say jesus is unique.
- 00:13:38.975 --> 00:13:40.877
- "well, maybe there's many ways to god."
- 00:13:40.877 --> 00:13:42.945
- Well, if there are, then jesus is a liar
- 00:13:42.945 --> 00:13:44.347
- And a deceiver and a manipulator.
- 00:13:44.347 --> 00:13:48.317
- We have to sort this out.
- 00:13:48.317 --> 00:13:51.787
- We've been so afraid we would offend someone.
- 00:13:51.787 --> 00:13:55.491
- I don't know why we have that timidity with our faith, and we
- 00:13:55.491 --> 00:13:57.793
- Don't have it in the other arenas of our lives.
- 00:13:57.793 --> 00:14:01.130
- You'll hire a hitting coach for your four-year-old grandson so
- 00:14:01.130 --> 00:14:05.835
- He can dominate the other four-year-olds playin' t-ball.
- 00:14:05.835 --> 00:14:14.877
- Not only with a clear conscience, you'll brag
- 00:14:14.877 --> 00:14:16.445
- About it, "he's gonna crush 'em."
- 00:14:16.445 --> 00:14:25.321
- If you're an advocate for a college team, you know that the
- 00:14:25.321 --> 00:14:28.925
- Other teams in your conference serve the devil.
- 00:14:28.925 --> 00:14:34.330
- "they all cheat.
- 00:14:34.330 --> 00:14:37.099
- They pay their players.
- 00:14:37.099 --> 00:14:39.869
- Their home-field advantage is so unfair.
- 00:14:39.869 --> 00:14:42.605
- We don't even like to compete there.
- 00:14:42.605 --> 00:14:45.875
- I mean, it's crystal clear.
- 00:14:45.875 --> 00:14:48.110
- Anybody should be able to see it.
- 00:14:48.110 --> 00:14:49.578
- Espn is against them."
- 00:14:49.578 --> 00:14:55.751
- And we start to talk about jesus, "well, you know, i don't
- 00:14:55.751 --> 00:14:59.455
- Wanna be such an advocate that someone would be offended."
- 00:14:59.455 --> 00:15:02.058
- What do you mean?
- 00:15:02.058 --> 00:15:05.061
- If you really don't think there's any difference
- 00:15:05.061 --> 00:15:06.395
- In jesus and buddha, worship buddha.
- 00:15:06.395 --> 00:15:14.637
- And if there is a difference, again, we don't have to be
- 00:15:14.637 --> 00:15:17.340
- Angry or belligerent or condemning.
- 00:15:17.340 --> 00:15:19.642
- We need to understand why we're advocates.
- 00:15:19.642 --> 00:15:25.548
- How'd i get there? spiritually alive.
- 00:15:25.548 --> 00:15:29.819
- Jesus, one of the aspects of jesus's earthly life
- 00:15:29.819 --> 00:15:32.388
- And ministry that we're familiar with, he's not only
- 00:15:32.388 --> 00:15:35.558
- Prayed for the sick, but on more than one
- 00:15:35.558 --> 00:15:37.626
- Occasion, he raised people back to life.
- 00:15:37.626 --> 00:15:40.997
- Physical resurrection.
- 00:15:40.997 --> 00:15:42.531
- Matthew 9, says, "jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the
- 00:15:42.531 --> 00:15:45.768
- Flute players," this is jairus, "and the noisy crowd."
- 00:15:45.768 --> 00:15:48.671
- They hired professional mourners if you had the ability to do so.
- 00:15:48.671 --> 00:15:52.875
- Even how you mourned the loss of someone you
- 00:15:52.875 --> 00:15:55.011
- Cared about was a part of social status.
- 00:15:55.011 --> 00:15:58.681
- And jesus put the professional mourners out.
- 00:15:58.681 --> 00:16:00.483
- "he said, 'go away. the girl is not dead.
- 00:16:00.483 --> 00:16:01.951
- She's just asleep.'
- 00:16:01.951 --> 00:16:03.919
- And they laughed at him.
- 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:06.555
- They laughed at him."
- 00:16:06.555 --> 00:16:08.424
- If you decide to stand up for jesus, some will laugh at you.
- 00:16:08.424 --> 00:16:12.395
- It's okay.
- 00:16:12.395 --> 00:16:14.063
- Do you think people haven't laughed
- 00:16:14.063 --> 00:16:15.398
- At you when you chose to be wicked?
- 00:16:15.398 --> 00:16:20.269
- It's really okay.
- 00:16:20.269 --> 00:16:23.406
- It really is.
- 00:16:23.406 --> 00:16:25.207
- It's kind of good if we, just, kind of,
- 00:16:25.207 --> 00:16:26.542
- Established that together.
- 00:16:26.542 --> 00:16:29.311
- It's why i can read scripture in elmer fudd's voice.
- 00:16:29.311 --> 00:16:31.380
- It's okay.
- 00:16:31.380 --> 00:16:33.716
- You'll laugh at me on the way home.
- 00:16:33.716 --> 00:16:35.051
- We might as well have a chuckle while we're all together.
- 00:16:35.051 --> 00:16:40.523
- "but they laughed at jesus.
- 00:16:40.523 --> 00:16:42.558
- And after the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the
- 00:16:42.558 --> 00:16:44.994
- Girl by the hand, and she got up."
- 00:16:44.994 --> 00:16:50.332
- Matthew says that kind of, just, gently.
- 00:16:50.332 --> 00:16:54.103
- "he took her by the hand, and she got up."
- 00:16:54.103 --> 00:16:55.771
- She was dead.
- 00:16:55.771 --> 00:16:59.041
- "news of this spread through all that region."
- 00:16:59.041 --> 00:17:02.111
- I'll bet it did.
- 00:17:02.111 --> 00:17:04.580
- There's something missing in the narrative.
- 00:17:04.580 --> 00:17:06.015
- It tells us about those who made fun of jesus.
- 00:17:06.015 --> 00:17:08.184
- It tells us about the desperation of
- 00:17:08.184 --> 00:17:10.753
- The girl's father in trying to get jesus to
- 00:17:10.753 --> 00:17:12.988
- His home before his sick daughter died.
- 00:17:12.988 --> 00:17:17.460
- He didn't succeed at that, and jesus said, "it's okay."
- 00:17:17.460 --> 00:17:19.795
- There's quite a few details that are given there.
- 00:17:19.795 --> 00:17:22.531
- To me, the most glaring deletion is the response.
- 00:17:22.531 --> 00:17:30.172
- What do you think the dad had to say?
- 00:17:30.172 --> 00:17:33.275
- "thank you for stopping by, jesus.
- 00:17:33.275 --> 00:17:37.546
- Would you like a cup of coffee?"
- 00:17:37.546 --> 00:17:41.217
- I mean, what's missing is the response to that.
- 00:17:41.217 --> 00:17:45.754
- It says, when jesus is revealed in his glory--we read it just a
- 00:17:45.754 --> 00:17:48.491
- Moment ago--that we will marvel at him.
- 00:17:48.491 --> 00:17:52.795
- How many of you think, in that household,
- 00:17:52.795 --> 00:17:54.430
- There was a little marveling going on?
- 00:17:54.430 --> 00:17:58.400
- I did a memorial service this week--or i was
- 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:00.536
- Part of a team that did--for a child.
- 00:18:00.536 --> 00:18:05.708
- And i stood beside that casket.
- 00:18:05.708 --> 00:18:07.576
- It was a broken place, and i stood there for a few minutes.
- 00:18:07.576 --> 00:18:14.183
- I had a few moments by myself,
- 00:18:14.183 --> 00:18:15.784
- And i was thinking of that passage.
- 00:18:15.784 --> 00:18:18.954
- I thought, "what would be the response if that child sat up?"
- 00:18:18.954 --> 00:18:24.894
- If we reported it in the scriptural language, "most of
- 00:18:24.894 --> 00:18:27.363
- The people in town talked about it."
- 00:18:27.363 --> 00:18:32.134
- I don't think that's adequate.
- 00:18:32.134 --> 00:18:35.271
- We haven't really paid attention.
- 00:18:35.271 --> 00:18:37.273
- I mean, we know the words.
- 00:18:37.273 --> 00:18:38.607
- We could give the definitions if
- 00:18:38.607 --> 00:18:39.942
- We were asked to write them down.
- 00:18:39.942 --> 00:18:43.746
- We understand the language.
- 00:18:43.746 --> 00:18:45.481
- We haven't really paused to think about what it means to be
- 00:18:45.481 --> 00:18:49.018
- In the proximity of jesus, to be included as his friend.
- 00:18:49.018 --> 00:18:53.656
- It doesn't eliminate us from the realm of human suffering.
- 00:18:53.656 --> 00:18:57.092
- The bible is very clear from that.
- 00:18:57.092 --> 00:18:58.427
- Jesus didn't raise everybody from the dead.
- 00:18:58.427 --> 00:19:02.898
- He did on more than one occasion,
- 00:19:02.898 --> 00:19:05.534
- A widow's son, his friend lazarus.
- 00:19:05.534 --> 00:19:08.637
- Even his followers did in his absence.
- 00:19:08.637 --> 00:19:10.406
- It didn't stop with jesus.
- 00:19:10.406 --> 00:19:11.740
- Peter. paul.
- 00:19:11.740 --> 00:19:13.676
- Paul preached so long, they went to
- 00:19:13.676 --> 00:19:15.010
- Sleep and fell out the window.
- 00:19:15.010 --> 00:19:19.915
- We don't have any chairs next to the windows.
- 00:19:19.915 --> 00:19:21.383
- Have you noticed?
- 00:19:21.383 --> 00:19:23.552
- Just lay your head back and have a nap.
- 00:19:23.552 --> 00:19:25.020
- Paul and i will commiserate.
- 00:19:25.020 --> 00:19:29.758
- It didn't stop.
- 00:19:29.758 --> 00:19:33.429
- And some of you say, "well, you know, it's hard to believe.
- 00:19:33.429 --> 00:19:35.331
- I don't know what i think about that."
- 00:19:35.331 --> 00:19:39.468
- Well, look at john chapter 5.
- 00:19:39.468 --> 00:19:41.937
- Jesus is speaking.
- 00:19:41.937 --> 00:19:43.606
- He said, "as the father has life in himself, so he's
- 00:19:43.606 --> 00:19:46.242
- Granted the son to have life in himself.
- 00:19:46.242 --> 00:19:49.345
- And he's given him authority to judge
- 00:19:49.345 --> 00:19:51.080
- Because he's the son of man.
- 00:19:51.080 --> 00:19:53.349
- Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are
- 00:19:53.349 --> 00:19:57.152
- In their graves will hear jesus's voice and come out.
- 00:19:57.152 --> 00:20:05.060
- Those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have
- 00:20:05.060 --> 00:20:07.396
- Done evil will rise to be condemned."
- 00:20:07.396 --> 00:20:11.700
- Jesus said there's a day ahead of us
- 00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:14.970
- When all the dead will hear his voice.
- 00:20:14.970 --> 00:20:20.376
- Physically dead, their spirits are still
- 00:20:20.376 --> 00:20:22.077
- Alive, and there'll be a resurrection.
- 00:20:22.077 --> 00:20:30.219
- See, when we talk about our friend jesus, it's not just a
- 00:20:30.219 --> 00:20:33.489
- Systematic theology or a theory of faith.
- 00:20:33.489 --> 00:20:38.560
- It's the power of the creator of all things, the one who has
- 00:20:38.560 --> 00:20:42.231
- Supremacy over all, the one who holds all things together to
- 00:20:42.231 --> 00:20:47.836
- Help us navigate our journey through time.
- 00:20:47.836 --> 00:20:53.876
- Now, that's a gift.
- 00:20:53.876 --> 00:20:56.712
- And perhaps rather than think of it as a burdensome religious
- 00:20:56.712 --> 00:20:59.581
- Duty or the joining of a specific group that fits our
- 00:20:59.581 --> 00:21:04.253
- Personal taste or even surveying the room to see if it's gonna
- 00:21:04.253 --> 00:21:08.891
- Meet the needs of our social aspirations, it seems to me a
- 00:21:08.891 --> 00:21:15.497
- More appropriate approach is "what could i do to be included
- 00:21:15.497 --> 00:21:19.401
- In the people who are identified as jesus's friends?
- 00:21:19.401 --> 00:21:26.408
- I wanna be as all in as i know how."
- 00:21:26.408 --> 00:21:32.247
- It's important.
- 00:21:32.247 --> 00:21:34.516
- It won't diminish you.
- 00:21:34.516 --> 00:21:36.618
- It won't take something away from you.
- 00:21:36.618 --> 00:21:38.754
- In fact, i would encourage you to begin to talk to the lord and
- 00:21:38.754 --> 00:21:41.857
- Tell him those places where you have those concerns.
- 00:21:41.857 --> 00:21:46.228
- See, i think you can be very honest with him.
- 00:21:46.228 --> 00:21:48.464
- I got a couple of minutes, and i would be just as plainspoken and
- 00:21:48.464 --> 00:21:54.970
- Do it--you do it in the privacy of your home, and if your home
- 00:21:54.970 --> 00:21:57.973
- Is not private, do it when you're driving someplace or
- 00:21:57.973 --> 00:22:00.676
- Whatever that has to be for you, but tell him the truth.
- 00:22:00.676 --> 00:22:05.013
- Say, "lord, i'm afraid that, if i really yielded to you, there's
- 00:22:05.013 --> 00:22:07.950
- Some things about my life i would need
- 00:22:07.950 --> 00:22:09.451
- To change, and some of 'em, i like.
- 00:22:09.451 --> 00:22:16.058
- Would you help me?"
- 00:22:16.058 --> 00:22:18.927
- Or "there's some parts of my journey that are so dark,
- 00:22:18.927 --> 00:22:22.798
- I'm ashamed to bring 'em to you."
- 00:22:22.798 --> 00:22:27.169
- Or "to be honest, i'm concerned about what
- 00:22:27.169 --> 00:22:28.670
- Other people would say 'cause my perception
- 00:22:28.670 --> 00:22:34.977
- By others has meant a great deal to me."
- 00:22:34.977 --> 00:22:37.112
- It matters to all of us.
- 00:22:37.112 --> 00:22:38.447
- When you say you don't care what other people think, we all care
- 00:22:38.447 --> 00:22:40.849
- About what somebody thinks, and at some time or another in
- 00:22:40.849 --> 00:22:45.454
- All of our lives, that's a barrier for us.
- 00:22:45.454 --> 00:22:47.089
- You're not unique.
- 00:22:47.089 --> 00:22:48.424
- There's no unique shame in that, but you don't
- 00:22:48.424 --> 00:22:51.727
- Wanna miss what jesus has for you.
- 00:22:51.727 --> 00:22:55.431
- Or maybe you could just say, "you know what?
- 00:22:55.431 --> 00:22:56.765
- I've done pretty good on my own," because some of us have.
- 00:22:56.765 --> 00:23:04.940
- "and i haven't really understood even what
- 00:23:04.940 --> 00:23:06.542
- It would be to be dependent upon you.
- 00:23:06.542 --> 00:23:08.544
- I don't like to be dependent upon anybody, but it seems like
- 00:23:08.544 --> 00:23:14.917
- There might be something i've missed out on."
- 00:23:14.917 --> 00:23:17.252
- Just start to tell him the truth.
- 00:23:17.252 --> 00:23:20.889
- He will help you.
- 00:23:20.889 --> 00:23:23.125
- I have lived this out.
- 00:23:23.125 --> 00:23:26.228
- I have hidden from him.
- 00:23:26.228 --> 00:23:29.198
- I've acted like he wasn't clever enough
- 00:23:29.198 --> 00:23:30.666
- To know what was really in my heart.
- 00:23:30.666 --> 00:23:37.606
- You know, we've imagined that, if you could fool the pastor or
- 00:23:37.606 --> 00:23:40.409
- You can fool the teacher or you can fool the boss or you can
- 00:23:40.409 --> 00:23:43.212
- Fool the neighbor or whomever, you could fool god.
- 00:23:43.212 --> 00:23:50.018
- Not so much.
- 00:23:50.018 --> 00:23:52.287
- It's a much more helpful decision
- 00:23:52.287 --> 00:23:55.257
- To begin to tell him the truth.
- 00:23:55.257 --> 00:24:03.699
- Jesus is our friend.
- 00:24:03.699 --> 00:24:07.669
- Folks, we live in a season where there's tremendous turmoil and a
- 00:24:07.669 --> 00:24:11.540
- Lot of confusion with evil and violence and destruction and
- 00:24:11.540 --> 00:24:17.746
- Challenges, candidly, that we haven't seen in a long, long
- 00:24:17.746 --> 00:24:20.983
- Time, and i think they will intensify before they get
- 00:24:20.983 --> 00:24:25.654
- Better, but i would encourage you
- 00:24:25.654 --> 00:24:29.358
- Not to focus your attention on that.
- 00:24:29.358 --> 00:24:32.261
- Think about your friend. don't ignore them.
- 00:24:32.261 --> 00:24:34.730
- We'll talk about what's happening in the world.
- 00:24:34.730 --> 00:24:36.231
- We do it as a matter of habit.
- 00:24:36.231 --> 00:24:38.534
- We're not gonna ignore it. we're not gonna wish it away.
- 00:24:38.534 --> 00:24:41.637
- We're not gonna pretend it's not happening.
- 00:24:41.637 --> 00:24:43.272
- We'll talk about it, but the reason we have hope in the midst
- 00:24:43.272 --> 00:24:46.008
- Of it is because of who our friend is, and my
- 00:24:46.008 --> 00:24:51.113
- Desire is that everybody would be his friend.
- 00:24:51.113 --> 00:24:54.049
- We've got a couple dozen people bein' baptized tonight.
- 00:24:54.049 --> 00:24:57.953
- Isn't that good?
- 00:24:57.953 --> 00:25:03.225
- And we had that many baptized last week and about twice that
- 00:25:03.225 --> 00:25:05.694
- Many the week before that, and i forget how many the week
- 00:25:05.694 --> 00:25:08.196
- Before that, and i pray we have to get more pools.
- 00:25:08.196 --> 00:25:14.403
- Come on.
- 00:25:14.403 --> 00:25:17.372
- I hope our process breaks that we have so many people that
- 00:25:17.372 --> 00:25:19.875
- Wanna be baptized, we have to build a bapt-o-matic.
- 00:25:19.875 --> 00:25:21.677
- It looks like a ferris wheel with a pool at the bottom,
- 00:25:21.677 --> 00:25:23.745
- Just--[sputters lips]
- 00:25:23.745 --> 00:25:28.483
- I'm kidding. please, don't.
- 00:25:28.483 --> 00:25:33.522
- Someone was callin' osha. "that was not good.
- 00:25:33.522 --> 00:25:35.457
- It just won't work."
- 00:25:35.457 --> 00:25:40.228
- Jesus has good things for you.
- 00:25:40.228 --> 00:25:43.765
- You could trust him.
- 00:25:43.765 --> 00:25:46.535
- I brought you a proclamation.
- 00:25:46.535 --> 00:25:49.171
- I want to invite you to say it with me.
- 00:25:49.171 --> 00:25:50.505
- Why don't we stand together for this.
- 00:25:50.505 --> 00:25:57.179
- We'll just do this one all together.
- 00:25:57.179 --> 00:26:00.582
- If you're at home, you can stand and say it with us as well.
- 00:26:00.582 --> 00:26:04.486
- "i believe jesus of nazareth is the son of god.
- 00:26:04.486 --> 00:26:07.856
- He is the lord of my life.
- 00:26:07.856 --> 00:26:09.791
- I choose to live for his glory and purposes.
- 00:26:09.791 --> 00:26:13.095
- I serve at his pleasure.
- 00:26:13.095 --> 00:26:15.063
- He has rescued me from the kingdom of darkness
- 00:26:15.063 --> 00:26:17.933
- And accepted me into his eternal kingdom.
- 00:26:17.933 --> 00:26:20.702
- I am not afraid, i am not weary, i'm not discouraged.
- 00:26:20.702 --> 00:26:25.307
- The one who has called me is faithful, and i will see the
- 00:26:25.307 --> 00:26:28.744
- Triumph of my king in the land of the living!
- 00:26:28.744 --> 00:26:32.114
- Amen." god bless you.
- 00:26:32.114 --> 00:26:38.887
- Male announcer: join us every week for another exciting
- 00:26:42.991 --> 00:26:44.860
- Message from pastor allen jackson, and until then, visit
- 00:26:44.860 --> 00:26:48.296
- Us online and discover remarkable information and
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- Resources to help take your christian life to the next
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- Level, and if you're visiting the nashville area, we'd love to
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- See you at world outreach church in murfreesboro.
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- We're easy to find, so look us up when you're traveling
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- Through, and don't forget to connect with pastor
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- Jackson every day through social media.
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- Thanks so much for joining us
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- And being a part of this ministry.
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- We'll see you again next time for another
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- Encounter with pastor allen jackson.
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- ♪♪♪
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