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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - Jesus and The Moral Man

January 21, 2026 | 27:29

Greg Laurie - Jesus and The Moral Man
Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
#WordofGod #Morals #Imagination #Religion #Guilt #Respect #Messiah #Wisdom #Creation #GregLaurie

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Jesus and The Moral Man | January 21, 2026
  • ...
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  • Greg laurie: god demonstrated his love toward us, the bible
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  • Says, that while we were yet sinners, christ died for us.
  • 00:00:08.507 --> 00:00:11.577
  • And god's love is unconditional, there's nothing you can do to
  • 00:00:11.677 --> 00:00:12.745
  • Earn it.
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  • I think somehow we think, well, i have to earn god's love.
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  • No, god loves you already.
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  • He loves you as you are.
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  • Now, that doesn't mean he approves of all the things you
  • 00:00:24.289 --> 00:00:26.325
  • Say and do, but you need to know that he loves
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  • You unconditionally.
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  • God's love is for everybody and it's universal.
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  • He loves all people.
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  • The bible says whosoever will call upon the name of the lord
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  • Will be saved,
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪♪
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  • Greg: so just imagine for a moment, if you will, if
  • 00:01:05.364 --> 00:01:08.834
  • You could have a personal appointment with jesus, just you
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  • And the lord hanging out maybe over a cup of coffee, you could
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  • Ask him any question, no topic was off limits, just you
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  • And jesus.
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  • A younger person might have some different questions than an
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  • Older person might.
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  • A younger person might ask about their identity or their purpose
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  • In life or what course their life would take, an older person
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  • Might ask questions about the afterlife or their mortality.
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  • Studies have shown that's what people think about as they
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  • Get older.
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  • In fact, it's what they ought to be thinking about as they get
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  • Older, and we have a similar situation in the story
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  • Before us.
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  • We have an elderly gentleman thinking about his mortality,
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  • Realizing he may not have that much longer to live, and he
  • 00:01:57.683 --> 00:02:01.086
  • Comes to jesus, and the name of this man is known to most of us,
  • 00:02:01.086 --> 00:02:04.723
  • His name was nicodemus.
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  • Nicodemus was effectively a household name.
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  • He was known to be a great spiritual leader.
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  • He was an intellectual.
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  • He was a deeply moral man, obviously a very religious man
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  • And a leader of the highest order, and now he encounters a
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  • Humble, a completely uneducated or comparatively uneducated poor
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  • Carpenter from nazareth.
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  • So, here we have the intellectual elite with a man
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  • That was controversial, but it really wasn't a rabbi and a
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  • Carpenter, this is effectively a conversation between god
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  • And man.
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  • And we could nominate--we could not nominate a better
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  • Representative than nicodemus.
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  • He was sort of the finest of humanity, sort of speaking on
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  • Our behalf.
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  • And so, jesus unfolds the mysteries of life to nicodemus,
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  • And christ also utters probably the best known bible verse of
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  • All time, john 3:16.
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  • But before this conversation begins to unfold in john 3, we
  • 00:03:05.684 --> 00:03:09.588
  • Have what happened before it in john chapter 2, verse 23.
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  • Look at that with me.
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  • "because of the miraculous signs jesus did in jerusalem at the
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  • Passover celebration, many began to trust him."
  • 00:03:19.431 --> 00:03:22.601
  • Okay, that sounds good.
  • 00:03:22.601 --> 00:03:24.036
  • Maybe your translation says many believed in him, but then this,
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  • "but jesus didn't trust them, because he knew all people.
  • 00:03:28.006 --> 00:03:32.477
  • No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what
  • 00:03:32.477 --> 00:03:36.081
  • Was in each human heart."
  • 00:03:36.081 --> 00:03:38.016
  • Wow, powerful statement.
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  • Many trusted in him but effectively he didn't trust
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  • In them.
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  • Many believed in him, but he didn't believe in them, why?
  • 00:03:44.456 --> 00:03:47.259
  • Because their faith was superficial.
  • 00:03:47.259 --> 00:03:49.394
  • It was based on the spectacular, on miracles that they had seen,
  • 00:03:49.394 --> 00:03:53.398
  • It wasn't a genuine and real faith.
  • 00:03:53.398 --> 00:03:56.168
  • When someone is really seeking god, the lord will reveal
  • 00:03:56.168 --> 00:03:59.671
  • Himself to them, but if you're not a true seeker, god won't
  • 00:03:59.671 --> 00:04:02.941
  • Reveal himself to you.
  • 00:04:02.941 --> 00:04:04.643
  • Now, in contrast to this, we come to chapter 3, "but there
  • 00:04:04.643 --> 00:04:07.713
  • Was a man of the pharisees named nicodemus."
  • 00:04:07.713 --> 00:04:10.449
  • Now, when the bible was originally written, there were
  • 00:04:10.449 --> 00:04:12.818
  • Not chapters and verses.
  • 00:04:12.818 --> 00:04:14.886
  • Jesus did not begin a statement with, "chapter 1, verse 1."
  • 00:04:14.886 --> 00:04:18.890
  • We added that later so we could find our way around in our
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  • Bibles, so this is a flow of thought.
  • 00:04:22.294 --> 00:04:25.330
  • So, these people believed in him, but he didn't believe in
  • 00:04:25.330 --> 00:04:28.667
  • Them, but there was a pharisee named nicodemus.
  • 00:04:28.667 --> 00:04:32.104
  • So, in contrast here's a true seeker.
  • 00:04:32.104 --> 00:04:34.573
  • Let's look at it, john 3, we read that "there was a man of
  • 00:04:34.573 --> 00:04:38.844
  • The pharisees named nicodemus, a ruler of the jews.
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  • This man came to jesus by night."
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  • You might underline that, we'll come back to it.
  • 00:04:45.083 --> 00:04:47.452
  • He came to jesus by night, "and said to him, 'rabbi, we know
  • 00:04:47.452 --> 00:04:51.089
  • That you are a teacher come from god, for no one can do these
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  • Signs that you do unless god is with him.'
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  • Jesus answered and said to him, 'most assuredly i say to you,
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  • Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of god.'
  • 00:05:00.966 --> 00:05:05.404
  • Nicodemus said to him, 'but how can a man be born when he's old?
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  • Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?'
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  • Jesus answered, 'most assuredly i say to you, unless one is born
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  • Of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of god.
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  • That which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of
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  • The spirit is spirit.
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  • Don't marvel that i have said to you, "you must be born again."
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  • The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it but
  • 00:05:30.796 --> 00:05:33.899
  • Cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes.
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  • So is everyone born of the spirit.'
  • 00:05:36.501 --> 00:05:38.737
  • Nicodemus answered and said to him, 'how can these things be?'
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  • Jesus answered and said, 'are you the teacher of israel and
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  • You don't know these things?'"
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  • We'll stop there.
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  • So, here's nicodemus, a man who was hungry for real truth.
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  • He had everything one would want in life,
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  • But something was missing.
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  • You know, as long as we think our dream is gonna be realized,
  • 00:06:00.125 --> 00:06:04.930
  • We may press on in life.
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  • We set certain goals, i'm gonna go to school, i'm gonna go to
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  • College, i'm gonna get that degree, i'm gonna get that good
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  • Job, i'm hopefully gonna get, you know, promoted in my job and
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  • Then i'm gonna get married and then we'll have kids.
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  • These are all goals that we set, and maybe we meet those goals,
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  • And after we've been married for, you know, 15 years, we say,
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  • "i don't know, maybe i'll marry somebody else," and so we trade
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  • Our spouses in.
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  • And then with the kids you say, you know, i enjoy having kids,
  • 00:06:32.991 --> 00:06:35.794
  • But are they ever gonna leave the house?
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  • They're all in their 50s now.
  • 00:06:37.963 --> 00:06:39.464
  • And so, you know, we just keep thinking when i get to this
  • 00:06:39.464 --> 00:06:44.269
  • Certain place, then i'm gonna be happy, and then you get to that
  • 00:06:44.269 --> 00:06:47.973
  • Place, and you're still not happy.
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  • Here's something that's true of every person, i don't care if
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  • They're young or old, famous, infamous, or completely unknown.
  • 00:06:52.978 --> 00:06:57.182
  • Doesn't matter if they're a man or a woman, everyone deep down
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  • Inside is empty, and why are they empty?
  • 00:07:00.886 --> 00:07:03.688
  • Because effectively god created us with a void in our life that
  • 00:07:03.688 --> 00:07:08.026
  • Can only be filled with him.
  • 00:07:08.026 --> 00:07:10.762
  • The bible says he made the creation subject to emptiness.
  • 00:07:10.762 --> 00:07:14.299
  • So, you'll try to fill that void with so many things,
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  • Relationships, sexual experiences, drugs, alcohol,
  • 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:24.643
  • Accomplishments, possessions, the list goes on, but you'll
  • 00:07:24.643 --> 00:07:28.914
  • Only find the satisfaction you seek in a relationship with god.
  • 00:07:28.914 --> 00:07:32.050
  • Number one, everyone's empty.
  • 00:07:32.050 --> 00:07:33.418
  • Number two, everyone's lonely.
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  • You may have a lot of friends, you may be at a party with
  • 00:07:35.454 --> 00:07:38.390
  • People all around you and a deep sense of loneliness just sweeps
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  • Over you.
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  • That's a loneliness for god.
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  • Thirdly, everyone is guilty.
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  • We feel guilt.
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  • We try to mask it, we try to pretend it's not there, but it
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  • Is there, and you know why you feel guilty?
  • 00:07:52.637 --> 00:07:55.073
  • Because you're guilty, because you're a sinner, i'm a sinner.
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  • We've all broken god's commandments.
  • 00:07:58.643 --> 00:08:00.812
  • And lastly, everyone is afraid to die.
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  • I know we'll show great bravado and laugh at it.
  • 00:08:04.049 --> 00:08:06.852
  • No, deep down inside, when you're laying your head on the
  • 00:08:06.852 --> 00:08:10.322
  • Pillow, you think of your mortality and people are afraid
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  • To die.
  • 00:08:14.726 --> 00:08:16.061
  • Well, the gospel answers all of those issues.
  • 00:08:16.061 --> 00:08:18.129
  • So, coming back to nicodemus, here he is, powerful, rich,
  • 00:08:18.129 --> 00:08:21.833
  • Famous, people went to him for answers, but he had questions,
  • 00:08:21.833 --> 00:08:26.838
  • So he comes to jesus.
  • 00:08:26.838 --> 00:08:28.540
  • And verse 1 says he was a pharisee.
  • 00:08:28.540 --> 00:08:32.444
  • Now, the pharisees and the sadducees were the two main
  • 00:08:32.444 --> 00:08:36.314
  • Religious groups of the day.
  • 00:08:36.314 --> 00:08:39.751
  • They didn't agree on much.
  • 00:08:39.751 --> 00:08:41.720
  • The only thing the pharisees and sadducees seemed to agree on was
  • 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:45.857
  • Their hatred of jesus because he was bad for business and he blew
  • 00:08:45.857 --> 00:08:50.762
  • Their cover and exposed their hypocrisy.
  • 00:08:50.762 --> 00:08:53.298
  • But the pharisees believed in an afterlife and an eternal reward
  • 00:08:53.298 --> 00:08:57.969
  • And the sadducees did not.
  • 00:08:57.969 --> 00:09:00.138
  • The sadducees believed that when you died, you simply cease to
  • 00:09:00.138 --> 00:09:03.808
  • Exist, which is a pretty bleak outlook on life.
  • 00:09:03.808 --> 00:09:07.312
  • Maybe that's how they got their name, sadducee, they were sad,
  • 00:09:07.312 --> 00:09:11.816
  • You see, right?
  • 00:09:11.816 --> 00:09:13.184
  • And we usually think of the pharisees in a negative light,
  • 00:09:16.855 --> 00:09:20.425
  • And understandably so because christ saved his most scathing
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  • Words for these religious leaders, but they weren't
  • 00:09:24.629 --> 00:09:27.799
  • All bad.
  • 00:09:27.799 --> 00:09:29.801
  • In fact, nicodemus was a good pharisee, he was looking
  • 00:09:29.801 --> 00:09:33.371
  • For truth.
  • 00:09:33.371 --> 00:09:34.739
  • But they were a select group, never numbering more than 6,000,
  • 00:09:34.739 --> 00:09:38.410
  • And each had taken a solemn vow before three witnesses that they
  • 00:09:38.410 --> 00:09:42.714
  • Would dedicate their entire life to the keeping of the
  • 00:09:42.714 --> 00:09:46.384
  • Commandments of god.
  • 00:09:46.384 --> 00:09:48.620
  • But they weren't satisfied with the scripture alone, so there
  • 00:09:48.620 --> 00:09:52.390
  • Was another group called the scribes that came up with a
  • 00:09:52.390 --> 00:09:55.594
  • Whole 'nother book, very thick, called the mishnah.
  • 00:09:55.594 --> 00:09:58.797
  • It had 24 chapters alone dedicated to how to keep
  • 00:09:58.797 --> 00:10:02.834
  • The sabbath.
  • 00:10:02.834 --> 00:10:04.169
  • And in addition to the mishnah, the scribes wrote a commentary
  • 00:10:04.169 --> 00:10:07.305
  • On the mishnah called the talmud.
  • 00:10:07.305 --> 00:10:09.841
  • So, they have all of these books and all of these rules and all
  • 00:10:09.841 --> 00:10:13.878
  • Of these regulations, and they felt if we do all of these
  • 00:10:13.878 --> 00:10:17.315
  • Things, we will be pleasing to god.
  • 00:10:17.315 --> 00:10:20.952
  • They also would put on displays of piety and religiousness.
  • 00:10:20.952 --> 00:10:27.859
  • When they would pray, they would pray loudly on a street corner.
  • 00:10:27.859 --> 00:10:31.596
  • You remember the story that jesus told of a pharisee and
  • 00:10:31.596 --> 00:10:34.866
  • A publican that went into the temple to pray, and the pharisee
  • 00:10:34.866 --> 00:10:39.537
  • Said, "god, i thank you i'm not like other men.
  • 00:10:39.537 --> 00:10:42.607
  • I fast, i tithe, and i'm not like this publican over here,"
  • 00:10:42.607 --> 00:10:48.680
  • And the publican, who is a tax collector, just said, "god, be
  • 00:10:48.680 --> 00:10:52.250
  • Merciful to me, a sinner."
  • 00:10:52.250 --> 00:10:53.585
  • But that's typical pharisetical behavior, "i'm so
  • 00:10:53.585 --> 00:10:56.421
  • Awesome, i'm better than everybody else," but you know we
  • 00:10:56.421 --> 00:10:58.923
  • Can be like pharisees, too.
  • 00:10:58.923 --> 00:11:00.859
  • We can do things for theater.
  • 00:11:00.859 --> 00:11:02.994
  • We can do things to make people think we're more spiritual than
  • 00:11:02.994 --> 00:11:06.031
  • We really are.
  • 00:11:06.031 --> 00:11:07.399
  • I mean, they had all of their extra volumes to the bible, we
  • 00:11:07.399 --> 00:11:09.801
  • Can have all of our commentaries that we carry with us to church,
  • 00:11:09.801 --> 00:11:13.204
  • Commentaries, really big bible, our bible's bigger than
  • 00:11:13.204 --> 00:11:16.608
  • Anyone's bible.
  • 00:11:16.608 --> 00:11:18.243
  • And we take pictures of ourselves doing devotions with
  • 00:11:18.243 --> 00:11:21.446
  • Our bible and all of our commentaries in front of us, and
  • 00:11:21.446 --> 00:11:25.016
  • We're, wow, look at me, you know?
  • 00:11:25.016 --> 00:11:26.818
  • And we're learning a few greek words now and we use them all
  • 00:11:26.818 --> 00:11:29.688
  • The time even when we don't need to.
  • 00:11:29.688 --> 00:11:31.990
  • You don't need to use greek when you're ordering it at in-n-out
  • 00:11:31.990 --> 00:11:34.426
  • Burger, but you do it anyway.
  • 00:11:34.426 --> 00:11:36.494
  • You just do things that cause people to think you're more
  • 00:11:36.494 --> 00:11:39.497
  • Spiritual than you really are.
  • 00:11:39.497 --> 00:11:41.199
  • Here's the bottom line, if you're a really spiritual
  • 00:11:41.199 --> 00:11:43.935
  • Person, you won't be a show off, you'll be more humble.
  • 00:11:43.935 --> 00:11:47.739
  • You wanna search yourself and say look how great and awesome i
  • 00:11:47.739 --> 00:11:51.443
  • Am, you'll do the very opposite.
  • 00:11:51.443 --> 00:11:53.812
  • After years of walking with god, the apostle paul himself said,
  • 00:11:53.812 --> 00:11:57.782
  • Hey, it's not that i've already attained, but i press on toward
  • 00:11:57.782 --> 00:12:02.921
  • The mark for the prize of the upward call of god in christ.
  • 00:12:02.921 --> 00:12:06.524
  • Loose paraphrase, hey, i've got a long ways to go.
  • 00:12:06.524 --> 00:12:10.261
  • But that's the way the pharisees rolled, and they thought that
  • 00:12:10.261 --> 00:12:13.932
  • They were better than anyone else.
  • 00:12:13.932 --> 00:12:15.967
  • So, along comes nicodemus.
  • 00:12:15.967 --> 00:12:17.869
  • Now, he's one of the primary leaders.
  • 00:12:17.869 --> 00:12:20.338
  • He's identified as a ruler.
  • 00:12:20.338 --> 00:12:21.673
  • There was a ruler among the pharisees.
  • 00:12:21.673 --> 00:12:23.441
  • So, now we have the pharisees that are an elite group, now we
  • 00:12:23.441 --> 00:12:27.045
  • Have the sanhedrin that rules over the pharisees, and
  • 00:12:27.045 --> 00:12:30.582
  • Nicodemus was on the top of the heap.
  • 00:12:30.582 --> 00:12:34.552
  • He was the goat, right?
  • 00:12:34.552 --> 00:12:37.856
  • Someone called me the goat the other day, i was
  • 00:12:37.856 --> 00:12:39.657
  • Really complimented.
  • 00:12:39.657 --> 00:12:40.992
  • Hey, goat, they said, old goat, get out of the way, that's it's.
  • 00:12:40.992 --> 00:12:45.063
  • Wait, how did you mean that exactly?
  • 00:12:45.063 --> 00:12:47.766
  • I was offended. [bleats]
  • 00:12:47.766 --> 00:12:49.400
  • I just moved, you know, very quickly, as quickly as an old
  • 00:12:49.400 --> 00:12:53.004
  • Goat can move, actually.
  • 00:12:53.004 --> 00:12:56.007
  • I was talking to some gen z kids and they told me about the term
  • 00:12:56.007 --> 00:13:00.311
  • Rizz, he had rizz, right?
  • 00:13:00.311 --> 00:13:02.747
  • It means he had charisma.
  • 00:13:02.747 --> 00:13:04.082
  • Well, he did.
  • 00:13:04.082 --> 00:13:05.483
  • He was the man that others went to for advice, and so he comes
  • 00:13:05.483 --> 00:13:11.089
  • To jesus and we look at this now in three ways this
  • 00:13:11.089 --> 00:13:16.561
  • Conversation goes.
  • 00:13:16.561 --> 00:13:17.929
  • Number one, they had a conversation face to face.
  • 00:13:17.929 --> 00:13:21.099
  • Face to face, verses 2 to 3, mind to mind, verses 4 to 8, and
  • 00:13:21.099 --> 00:13:26.371
  • Finally heart to heart, verses 9 to 21.
  • 00:13:26.371 --> 00:13:31.409
  • So, here's point number one, nicodemus came to jesus by
  • 00:13:31.409 --> 00:13:35.180
  • Night, but at least he came.
  • 00:13:35.180 --> 00:13:37.816
  • He came to jesus by night, but at least he came.
  • 00:13:37.816 --> 00:13:41.119
  • So, it was nic at night.
  • 00:13:41.119 --> 00:13:43.488
  • I want to get that joke out of the way.
  • 00:13:43.488 --> 00:13:46.224
  • It's a dated joke because there is no nick at nite anymore,
  • 00:13:46.224 --> 00:13:49.027
  • Is there?
  • 00:13:49.027 --> 00:13:50.728
  • So, people who are older go, yeah, i remember that.
  • 00:13:50.728 --> 00:13:54.732
  • Okay, so he comes at night, now why, why did nicodemus come
  • 00:13:54.732 --> 00:13:59.637
  • At night?
  • 00:13:59.637 --> 00:14:00.972
  • Well, the obvious reason would have been he's nicodemus,
  • 00:14:00.972 --> 00:14:04.475
  • Everyone knows him, he's the guy that's supposed to have
  • 00:14:04.475 --> 00:14:07.412
  • The answers.
  • 00:14:07.412 --> 00:14:08.880
  • He didn't want to be seen talking to jesus, that could be
  • 00:14:08.880 --> 00:14:11.883
  • The reason.
  • 00:14:11.883 --> 00:14:13.318
  • Another reason could be that, well, jesus was a busy guy and
  • 00:14:13.318 --> 00:14:18.823
  • To the point so was nicodemus.
  • 00:14:18.823 --> 00:14:21.259
  • Excuse me, jesus, every day was filled with activities, he was
  • 00:14:21.259 --> 00:14:25.997
  • Raising the dead, he was healing the sick, he was giving the
  • 00:14:25.997 --> 00:14:29.701
  • Greatest teachings ever given, teaching them parables so much,
  • 00:14:29.701 --> 00:14:34.572
  • And at the end of the day he would be exhausted, but.
  • 00:14:34.572 --> 00:14:36.941
  • Nicodemus did not want a moment with the lord, he wanted a
  • 00:14:36.941 --> 00:14:41.980
  • Conversation with christ.
  • 00:14:41.980 --> 00:14:44.883
  • He effectively wanted an interview, and so he came
  • 00:14:44.883 --> 00:14:49.420
  • At night.
  • 00:14:49.420 --> 00:14:50.755
  • Point number two, better to have a weak beginning and a strong
  • 00:14:50.755 --> 00:14:54.259
  • Finish than the opposite.
  • 00:14:54.259 --> 00:14:56.694
  • So, nicodemus didn't have the strongest beginning.
  • 00:15:00.064 --> 00:15:02.367
  • He kinda comes under the cover of night, has this conversation
  • 00:15:02.367 --> 00:15:05.904
  • With christ, but in the end he came through for jesus.
  • 00:15:05.904 --> 00:15:11.309
  • In the end, nicodemus, along with a man named joseph, excuse
  • 00:15:11.309 --> 00:15:15.413
  • Me, of arimathea, came and claimed the body of
  • 00:15:15.413 --> 00:15:19.183
  • Christ publicly.
  • 00:15:19.183 --> 00:15:20.685
  • That was a very unpopular and even dangerous thing for the two
  • 00:15:20.685 --> 00:15:24.622
  • Of them to do, but it's even said nicodemus who came to jesus
  • 00:15:24.622 --> 00:15:29.327
  • By night came with joseph of arimathea to take the dead body
  • 00:15:29.327 --> 00:15:34.299
  • Of christ and bury it.
  • 00:15:34.299 --> 00:15:37.201
  • So, there's some people that have a strong beginning but they
  • 00:15:37.201 --> 00:15:40.605
  • Have a bad ending, and the christian life is compared to a
  • 00:15:40.605 --> 00:15:44.042
  • Race on more than one occasion.
  • 00:15:44.042 --> 00:15:46.844
  • And the key of this race that we're running is not only to win
  • 00:15:46.844 --> 00:15:51.215
  • To the best of our ability, but it's to finish it well.
  • 00:15:51.215 --> 00:15:55.219
  • The apostle paul said, "i wanna finish my race with joy."
  • 00:15:55.219 --> 00:16:00.458
  • Then he wrote to timothy, "i fought the good fight, i kept
  • 00:16:00.458 --> 00:16:03.494
  • The faith, i finished the course, henceforth there is
  • 00:16:03.494 --> 00:16:06.898
  • Laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the lord the
  • 00:16:06.898 --> 00:16:10.234
  • Righteous judge will give to me in that day, and not to me only
  • 00:16:10.234 --> 00:16:13.604
  • But to all who love his appearing," so finishing well.
  • 00:16:13.604 --> 00:16:17.442
  • Maybe nicodemus had a strong--i mean, a weak beginning, but he
  • 00:16:17.442 --> 00:16:21.412
  • Had a strong finish.
  • 00:16:21.412 --> 00:16:22.747
  • Consider this, judas iscariot was an apostle in good standing
  • 00:16:22.747 --> 00:16:27.218
  • While old nicodemus was groping his way in, but in the end of
  • 00:16:27.218 --> 00:16:31.255
  • Our lord's ministry, judas betrayed christ and nicodemus
  • 00:16:31.255 --> 00:16:36.227
  • Came through with flying colors.
  • 00:16:36.227 --> 00:16:38.563
  • Now, nicodemus has a lot of respect for jesus.
  • 00:16:38.563 --> 00:16:41.532
  • This is shown by what he says in verse 2, "rabbi, we know that
  • 00:16:41.532 --> 00:16:46.371
  • You're a teacher come from god, for no one can do these signs
  • 00:16:46.371 --> 00:16:50.808
  • That you do unless god is with him."
  • 00:16:50.808 --> 00:16:53.244
  • That's amazing because nicodemus was the rabbi's rabbi, and he
  • 00:16:53.244 --> 00:16:58.983
  • Comes to jesus and calls him rabbi.
  • 00:16:58.983 --> 00:17:02.854
  • "rabbi, we know that you're come from god," and nicodemus being a
  • 00:17:02.854 --> 00:17:06.357
  • Student of the bible probably read what daniel said
  • 00:17:06.357 --> 00:17:10.528
  • In chapter 9.
  • 00:17:10.528 --> 00:17:11.963
  • Daniel spoke of the messiah arriving and actually gave a
  • 00:17:11.963 --> 00:17:16.134
  • Very exact timetable.
  • 00:17:16.134 --> 00:17:18.936
  • And if nicodemus took the time to look at that timetable, he
  • 00:17:18.936 --> 00:17:22.807
  • Would have discovered messiah should be alive at that very
  • 00:17:22.807 --> 00:17:26.677
  • Moment, but then daniel goes on to say, "but the messiah will
  • 00:17:26.677 --> 00:17:30.648
  • Then be cut off."
  • 00:17:30.648 --> 00:17:31.983
  • In other words, the messiah was going to die, so nicodemus is
  • 00:17:31.983 --> 00:17:35.319
  • Thinking i'm getting old, messiah is here, he could die at
  • 00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:39.857
  • Any time, i've got to find him.
  • 00:17:39.857 --> 00:17:42.060
  • Could jesus be this messiah?
  • 00:17:42.060 --> 00:17:45.196
  • And i think nicodemus thought jesus was the messiah, but he
  • 00:17:45.196 --> 00:17:49.033
  • Just wanted more information, he wanted more evidence, if
  • 00:17:49.033 --> 00:17:53.871
  • You will.
  • 00:17:53.871 --> 00:17:55.206
  • He was a man that was searching for god, and i think all around
  • 00:17:55.206 --> 00:17:58.709
  • Us there are people that are searching for god today, they're
  • 00:17:58.709 --> 00:18:02.280
  • Just waiting for someone like you to tell them how to
  • 00:18:02.280 --> 00:18:06.484
  • Find him.
  • 00:18:06.484 --> 00:18:07.819
  • God in his wisdom has chosen to reach people that do not believe
  • 00:18:07.819 --> 00:18:12.723
  • Through people who do believe, through the proclamation of
  • 00:18:12.723 --> 00:18:16.661
  • The gospel.
  • 00:18:16.661 --> 00:18:18.029
  • How can i understand this unless someone shows me the way?
  • 00:18:18.029 --> 00:18:22.867
  • That was nicodemus.
  • 00:18:22.867 --> 00:18:24.469
  • He wants to know how, how do you do this, what do i do?
  • 00:18:24.469 --> 00:18:29.874
  • And so, here he comes to jesus and this conversation begins and
  • 00:18:29.874 --> 00:18:35.012
  • Jesus tells him you must be born again.
  • 00:18:35.012 --> 00:18:39.817
  • 2 corinthians 5 sums it up perfectly, "if any man be in
  • 00:18:39.817 --> 00:18:44.322
  • Christ, he is an altogether different kind of person.
  • 00:18:44.322 --> 00:18:49.093
  • Old things have passed away, behold, everything becomes fresh
  • 00:18:49.093 --> 00:18:53.764
  • And new."
  • 00:18:53.764 --> 00:18:55.967
  • Jesus says you must be born again.
  • 00:18:55.967 --> 00:18:59.103
  • It means born from above.
  • 00:18:59.103 --> 00:19:01.072
  • You must experience a spiritual rebirth, nicodemus.
  • 00:19:01.072 --> 00:19:05.643
  • All of your rules and your regulations and reading the
  • 00:19:05.643 --> 00:19:09.013
  • Mishnah and the talmud and all the rest of it hasn't got you
  • 00:19:09.013 --> 00:19:12.950
  • Any closer to god.
  • 00:19:12.950 --> 00:19:14.585
  • You need to be born all over again.
  • 00:19:14.585 --> 00:19:17.121
  • Nicodemus is like, you mean go back into my mother's womb?
  • 00:19:17.121 --> 00:19:20.625
  • No, i don't mean that, it's a metaphor, buddy.
  • 00:19:20.625 --> 00:19:24.929
  • It's a picture of what will happen to you spiritually.
  • 00:19:24.929 --> 00:19:28.666
  • Bringing me to point number three, god loves you.
  • 00:19:28.666 --> 00:19:31.836
  • Oh, i know it seems like a cliche but it's absolutely true.
  • 00:19:31.836 --> 00:19:36.774
  • Some people picture god as a cosmic killjoy out to ruin their
  • 00:19:36.774 --> 00:19:40.311
  • Lives, but the reality is god loves you and has a plan for
  • 00:19:40.311 --> 00:19:45.349
  • Your life and he longs for a relationship with you.
  • 00:19:45.349 --> 00:19:48.986
  • Now, the pagan gods of this time were so different.
  • 00:19:48.986 --> 00:19:53.357
  • They would show favor to certain individuals or groups, but their
  • 00:19:53.357 --> 00:19:57.595
  • Favor was based on sacrifices or offerings or somehow
  • 00:19:57.595 --> 00:20:01.632
  • Being appeased.
  • 00:20:01.632 --> 00:20:02.967
  • There was no concept of a loving deity wanting a relationship
  • 00:20:02.967 --> 00:20:07.171
  • With mankind.
  • 00:20:07.171 --> 00:20:08.539
  • So, jesus comes along, speaking of the true and living god, "for
  • 00:20:08.539 --> 00:20:12.710
  • God so loved the world," and god proved his love by sending
  • 00:20:12.710 --> 00:20:18.082
  • His son.
  • 00:20:18.082 --> 00:20:19.417
  • "god so loved the world he gave his only begotten son."
  • 00:20:19.417 --> 00:20:23.421
  • You know, we can talk about love all day long, but god
  • 00:20:23.421 --> 00:20:26.057
  • Demonstrated his love for us in a tangible way.
  • 00:20:26.057 --> 00:20:30.228
  • Jesus said, "greater love has no man than this, that he lay down
  • 00:20:30.228 --> 00:20:34.332
  • His life for his friends," and christ laid his life down for
  • 00:20:34.332 --> 00:20:37.969
  • Each of us.
  • 00:20:37.969 --> 00:20:39.503
  • God demonstrated his love toward us, the bible says, that while
  • 00:20:39.503 --> 00:20:43.040
  • We were yet sinners, christ died for us, and god's love
  • 00:20:43.040 --> 00:20:46.010
  • Is unconditional.
  • 00:20:46.010 --> 00:20:47.812
  • There's nothing you can do to earn it.
  • 00:20:47.812 --> 00:20:50.748
  • I think somehow we think, well, i have to earn god's love.
  • 00:20:50.748 --> 00:20:54.118
  • No, god loves you already.
  • 00:20:54.118 --> 00:20:56.954
  • He loves you as you are.
  • 00:20:56.954 --> 00:20:58.322
  • Now, that doesn't mean he approves of all the things you
  • 00:20:58.322 --> 00:21:00.124
  • Say and do, but you need to know that he loves
  • 00:21:00.124 --> 00:21:02.493
  • You unconditionally.
  • 00:21:02.493 --> 00:21:04.762
  • He loves you all the time.
  • 00:21:04.762 --> 00:21:06.097
  • Now, some extreme calvinists would say god's love is only for
  • 00:21:06.097 --> 00:21:10.468
  • The elect.
  • 00:21:10.468 --> 00:21:11.836
  • God only loves the elect.
  • 00:21:11.836 --> 00:21:13.804
  • They believe in something called limited atonement, which means
  • 00:21:13.804 --> 00:21:17.408
  • Jesus died only for the elect, and who are the elect?
  • 00:21:17.408 --> 00:21:20.811
  • These are the people that were chosen before they were even
  • 00:21:20.811 --> 00:21:23.681
  • Born, and some even believe in what you would call double
  • 00:21:23.681 --> 00:21:26.450
  • Predestination, which means god not only chooses some people to
  • 00:21:26.450 --> 00:21:30.087
  • Go to heaven, he also chooses others to go to hell.
  • 00:21:30.087 --> 00:21:33.391
  • I reject this view completely.
  • 00:21:33.391 --> 00:21:36.193
  • I reject it completely.
  • 00:21:36.193 --> 00:21:37.628
  • There's no limited atonement.
  • 00:21:40.865 --> 00:21:42.500
  • The blood of jesus was shed for all people and anyone
  • 00:21:42.500 --> 00:21:47.038
  • Can believe.
  • 00:21:47.038 --> 00:21:48.372
  • "for god so love the world he gave his only begotten son."
  • 00:21:48.372 --> 00:21:51.776
  • I love the words of the great evangelist d.l. moody,
  • 00:21:51.776 --> 00:21:55.179
  • Who once said, "lord, save the elect and then elect
  • 00:21:55.179 --> 00:21:58.716
  • Some more," right?
  • 00:21:58.716 --> 00:22:00.051
  • Now, that's--god's love is for everybody, and it's universal.
  • 00:22:00.051 --> 00:22:04.722
  • He loves all people.
  • 00:22:04.722 --> 00:22:06.090
  • The bible says,"whosoever will call upon the name of the lord
  • 00:22:06.090 --> 00:22:09.860
  • Will be saved."
  • 00:22:09.860 --> 00:22:11.195
  • Jesus said, "he that would come to me,
  • 00:22:11.195 --> 00:22:13.297
  • I would in no way cast out."
  • 00:22:13.297 --> 00:22:15.633
  • And god's gift of salvation is available
  • 00:22:15.633 --> 00:22:18.369
  • For everyone who believes,
  • 00:22:18.369 --> 00:22:20.805
  • Everyone who believes.
  • 00:22:20.805 --> 00:22:22.807
  • "whosoever believes in him should not
  • 00:22:22.807 --> 00:22:25.209
  • Perish but have everlasting life."
  • 00:22:25.209 --> 00:22:27.611
  • What a beautiful message.
  • 00:22:27.611 --> 00:22:29.313
  • God loves me, god will forgive me, god will change me from the
  • 00:22:29.313 --> 00:22:34.485
  • Inside out.
  • 00:22:34.485 --> 00:22:35.820
  • Why would anyone reject this message?
  • 00:22:35.820 --> 00:22:38.889
  • Some would say, well, you know, they reject it because there's
  • 00:22:38.889 --> 00:22:41.959
  • Too many hypocrites in the church.
  • 00:22:41.959 --> 00:22:43.794
  • Give me a break.
  • 00:22:43.794 --> 00:22:45.363
  • Can you imagine the apostles saying, hey, judas was a
  • 00:22:45.363 --> 00:22:48.866
  • Hypocrite, i'm walking away from jesus.
  • 00:22:48.866 --> 00:22:52.036
  • It'd be like, hey, jesus didn't let us down, judas did.
  • 00:22:52.036 --> 00:22:55.806
  • Just because people fall short it's not a reflection on christ
  • 00:22:55.806 --> 00:22:59.844
  • Himself, though i'm sorry it happens, but here's the thing,
  • 00:22:59.844 --> 00:23:03.881
  • People don't say no to jesus because there's too many
  • 00:23:03.881 --> 00:23:07.218
  • Hypocrites in the church, nor do people say no to jesus because
  • 00:23:07.218 --> 00:23:11.122
  • Of the problem of human suffering.
  • 00:23:11.122 --> 00:23:13.758
  • Well, the reason i'm not a christian is i just deal with
  • 00:23:13.758 --> 00:23:16.227
  • Human suffering and i can't wrap my mind around the idea that a
  • 00:23:16.227 --> 00:23:19.897
  • Loving god would allow so much tragedy in the world.
  • 00:23:19.897 --> 00:23:22.633
  • That's a real issue, it's something to think about, but
  • 00:23:22.633 --> 00:23:25.403
  • That's not why you are not a christian.
  • 00:23:25.403 --> 00:23:28.439
  • You wanna know why a person is not a christian?
  • 00:23:28.439 --> 00:23:31.776
  • Jesus gives us the answer right here in john 3, verse 19.
  • 00:23:31.776 --> 00:23:36.046
  • "this is a condemnation, that the light has come into the
  • 00:23:36.046 --> 00:23:38.983
  • World, and men love darkness rather than light, because their
  • 00:23:38.983 --> 00:23:44.021
  • Deeds are evil."
  • 00:23:44.021 --> 00:23:45.356
  • Listen, "everyone practicing evil hates the light and does
  • 00:23:45.356 --> 00:23:49.794
  • Not come to the light, lest his deeds be exposed.
  • 00:23:49.794 --> 00:23:53.364
  • But he that does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may
  • 00:23:53.364 --> 00:23:57.001
  • Be clearly seen if they have been done in god."
  • 00:23:57.001 --> 00:23:59.537
  • So, why do people really not believe?
  • 00:23:59.537 --> 00:24:02.673
  • "everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to
  • 00:24:02.673 --> 00:24:06.744
  • The light."
  • 00:24:06.744 --> 00:24:08.112
  • So, really it's not an intellectual issue, it's a
  • 00:24:08.112 --> 00:24:11.649
  • Spiritual and moral issue.
  • 00:24:11.649 --> 00:24:13.684
  • We don't wanna change because the powerful light of jesus
  • 00:24:13.684 --> 00:24:18.456
  • Christ shines into our life and it exposes things that we don't
  • 00:24:18.456 --> 00:24:23.394
  • Want exposed.
  • 00:24:23.394 --> 00:24:24.995
  • And so, that's why we don't come to the light.
  • 00:24:24.995 --> 00:24:28.265
  • That's why we say no to jesus.
  • 00:24:28.265 --> 00:24:30.601
  • This is an either-or proposition.
  • 00:24:30.601 --> 00:24:32.837
  • You accept it and you reject it, and it's for every person.
  • 00:24:32.837 --> 00:24:37.174
  • In fact, your name is here in the text, really?
  • 00:24:37.174 --> 00:24:40.444
  • Oh, yeah, your name's right there.
  • 00:24:40.444 --> 00:24:42.446
  • "whosoever believes in him should not perish but have
  • 00:24:42.446 --> 00:24:46.183
  • Everlasting life."
  • 00:24:46.183 --> 00:24:47.518
  • That's you, whosoever.
  • 00:24:47.518 --> 00:24:50.054
  • If you will believe, you will be forgiven.
  • 00:24:50.054 --> 00:24:52.923
  • There are other whosoevers in the bible.
  • 00:24:52.923 --> 00:24:56.427
  • Revelation 20:15 says, "whoever was not found written in the
  • 00:24:56.427 --> 00:25:00.130
  • Book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
  • 00:25:00.130 --> 00:25:03.667
  • Listen, if you're included in the whosoever of john 3:16, you
  • 00:25:03.667 --> 00:25:08.005
  • Won't be included in the whosoever of revelation 20:15.
  • 00:25:08.005 --> 00:25:12.610
  • Greg: hi, my name is greg laurie.
  • 00:25:16.413 --> 00:25:18.249
  • I started searching for god at a very young age, and my search
  • 00:25:18.249 --> 00:25:22.920
  • Led me into a lot of wrong directions including drug use
  • 00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:26.857
  • That i almost destroyed my life completely.
  • 00:25:26.857 --> 00:25:29.660
  • But someone told me about jesus christ and it changed
  • 00:25:29.660 --> 00:25:33.831
  • My life forever.
  • 00:25:33.831 --> 00:25:35.299
  • And i want you to know that whatever course your life is on
  • 00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:38.168
  • Right now, it can change if you realize there's a god in heaven
  • 00:25:38.168 --> 00:25:41.872
  • Who loves you and he has a plan for your life.
  • 00:25:41.872 --> 00:25:45.910
  • I prayed this prayer to ask jesus into my life
  • 00:25:45.976 --> 00:25:48.779
  • At the age of 17, but here i am at the age of 70,
  • 00:25:48.779 --> 00:25:52.716
  • And i can tell you i made the best choice i ever could make.
  • 00:25:52.716 --> 00:25:56.186
  • You can make that same choice yourself.
  • 00:25:56.186 --> 00:25:58.455
  • You could just say, "jesus help me.
  • 00:25:58.455 --> 00:26:00.658
  • Forgive me of my sin.
  • 00:26:00.658 --> 00:26:02.293
  • I wanna go to heaven when i die.
  • 00:26:02.293 --> 00:26:04.194
  • I want a relationship with you."
  • 00:26:04.194 --> 00:26:07.031
  • If you would pray a prayer like that, god will hear you
  • 00:26:07.031 --> 00:26:09.633
  • And answer you.
  • 00:26:09.633 --> 00:26:11.635
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:11.702 --> 00:26:14.805
  • Greg: you know, when jesus hung on the cross,
  • 00:26:14.872 --> 00:26:17.408
  • Three times he called out to the father.
  • 00:26:17.408 --> 00:26:20.511
  • The beginning, middle, and end of the crucifixion.
  • 00:26:20.511 --> 00:26:23.781
  • His first words from calvary were, "father, forgive them,
  • 00:26:23.781 --> 00:26:26.750
  • For they know not what they do."
  • 00:26:26.750 --> 00:26:28.852
  • Then as all the sin of the world was placed upon him, he said,
  • 00:26:28.852 --> 00:26:31.989
  • "my god, my god, why have you forsaken me?"
  • 00:26:31.989 --> 00:26:35.593
  • And finally he said to the father, "into your hands,
  • 00:26:35.593 --> 00:26:38.495
  • I commit my spirit."
  • 00:26:38.495 --> 00:26:40.497
  • This is a reminder to us that we should call
  • 00:26:40.497 --> 00:26:42.733
  • On god at the beginning, middle, end of our life.
  • 00:26:42.733 --> 00:26:46.737
  • You know, if you're young and you're watching me right now
  • 00:26:46.737 --> 00:26:49.540
  • Remember the best thing that you can do
  • 00:26:49.540 --> 00:26:50.874
  • Is commit your life to jesus.
  • 00:26:50.874 --> 00:26:52.876
  • I became a christian at the age of 17.
  • 00:26:52.876 --> 00:26:56.380
  • That was about 51 years ago.
  • 00:26:56.380 --> 00:26:59.650
  • And i've never regretted that decision.
  • 00:26:59.650 --> 00:27:02.186
  • The bible says, "remember the creator in the days
  • 00:27:02.186 --> 00:27:04.521
  • Of your youth."
  • 00:27:04.521 --> 00:27:05.923
  • But then in middle age sometimes we're preoccupied,
  • 00:27:05.923 --> 00:27:08.959
  • We're getting our family going,
  • 00:27:08.959 --> 00:27:10.995
  • We're pursuing our career, and we forget about god.
  • 00:27:10.995 --> 00:27:13.797
  • Now listen, god has not forgotten about you.
  • 00:27:13.797 --> 00:27:16.233
  • Keep god at the forefront of your life
  • 00:27:16.233 --> 00:27:18.535
  • And certainly at the end
  • 00:27:18.535 --> 00:27:20.270
  • When we're at eternity's door and we know we'll see him.
  • 00:27:20.270 --> 00:27:23.607
  • Call out to him, call out to the lord,
  • 00:27:23.607 --> 00:27:26.043
  • At the beginning, and the middle,
  • 00:27:26.043 --> 00:27:28.412
  • And the end of your life.
  • 00:27:28.412 --> 00:27:29.999