John 9 - Light Has Come
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The following transcript is a direct copy from the Youtube automatic transcript. It may not be 100% accurate but it is being provided until we can produce a better and more accurate transcript of the sermon.
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good morning how's everybody doing today
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good deal hey if you get a chance to see Curtis Gloria or Esther make sure you
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wish him a happy birthday happy birthday Gloria you're welcome and uh we got just a few announcements
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where we get started I would like to point out that uh we are having church tonight right
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okay that'd be awesome yeah yeah be here for church there is church Sunday night
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and then uh
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right right I also want to take time to thank all the guys that showed up for uh Men's
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breakfast uh yesterday that was a lot of fun I did want to point out that uh us guys
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are getting together a couple times this month you'll notice the first time is Thursday March the second
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uh but uh uh that's uh you're ready to do the Jeopardy
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you get Jeopardy already I'm ready so this Thursday uh us guys
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we're going to get together here at the church it's a bring your own uh lunch or dinner
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um I don't know Hunter you might bring a whole chicken or something but whatever you want to bring it's fine and uh we're
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gonna have a Biblical Jeopardy so we're gonna have some fun playing a game and uh later on in the month we're going to
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get together uh to Fellowship for dinner before we start our study in April and
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as you could see earlier on the screen I think they rolled up some of the ladies events coming up uh Thursday March the
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9th that Joanne's house up here and then you can see or you could go over to
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Becky's house so you got a couple opportunities to do the study there in Romans that the girls
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are doing and also I wanted to highlight that there's a senior luncheon coming up
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on March the 13th that's where there's going to be a meeting at The Brick Road
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Bistro there in Lewisburg and there's a sign up sheet if you plan to attend and
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I got to tell you that's some wonderful food I don't know if you've had their food their soup sandwiches everything up there is really delicious
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and then our next Men's breakfast is at the end of March on Saturday March the
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25th and I'd also like to mention that our members meeting is coming up this
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Wednesday so you all are invited to attend our members meeting in place of
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regular Bible study is at 6 30. to be honest with you everybody on the
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leadership team is kind of looking forward to share with you guys in a very brief way what God's been doing in his
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church and as a member you know it's important for you to attend be there just to hear what's going on
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and we'll try to be real brief with our comments so I won't be up talking an hour about
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something yeah right and if I talk for more than five minutes
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my wife will say you talk too long so we got we got spouses that are going to hammer Us in and tell us to be brief
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and so we won't we won't be here for hours on end trust me and uh I just
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thought uh maybe too I would highlight too that if you could be in prayer for uh Debbie who's going to be going to
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serve in the military she's going to be what is it Monday Debbie that you're leaving Monday awesome so if you can be
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in prayer for her I know we all prayed for her in Sunday School and we'll continue to do so this church
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is very blessed to have uh not one but two members in the active military and it's amazing that it comes from one
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family the drivers so uh be in prayer for uh Kevin and Angie as well as
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they need a little patience sometimes to hear from their kids and uh
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and uh let's go Lord in prayer this morning um Father in heaven we just humbly come
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before you Lord knowing that you are the Creator you are
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the mighty one the Lord of Heaven's armies and we just want to
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just ask that your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven O Lord we love you may we be able to express
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that with our singing out loud as a Joyful Noise comes from our heart
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we are very joyful Lord about you extending your grace and mercy that we
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can even breathe the very air that you created today and we thank you for for giving our sins
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please help guide us and direct us throughout our week but as we're here this morning
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uh please help our our thoughts and our heart be prepared for the word that you
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have uh decided to bring this morning through uh through uh Ben on uh in
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Rodney and and Lord I just thank you for my brothers in Christ they're just so
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beneficial to me and may they be a benefit to all of us here as they share some scripture with us after our worship
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service today uh thank you thank you for healing some of our sisters and brothers in Christ as
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well and bringing them back to here so we can all worship Your Great Name together
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Lord in Jesus name amen
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if you'll stand with us as we uh sing our first song
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[Music]
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the waters
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the heavens [Music]
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glory to the Lord
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God wonders [Music]
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foreign
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[Music]
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I will celebrate this [Music]
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year [Music]
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[Music]
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streams
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oh Lord of Heaven
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foreign [Music]
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[Applause] Hallelujah
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[Applause] [Music]
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God wonders
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[Music]
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[Music]
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heaven [Music]
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[Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]
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Hallelujah the Lord of Heaven
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[Music]
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[Music] what are you turned into wine
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Open the Eyes [Music]
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I like you
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[Music] till the darkness
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[Music]
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[Music]
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foreign
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[Music]
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[Music]
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like [Music]
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our God is great our God is stronger
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yeah
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[Music]
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[Music] and if our God is for us
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[Music]
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[Music]
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our God is greater our God is
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[Music]
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[Music]
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[Music]
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may be seated for the scripture reading
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foreign
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good morning let's see that was a great song that actually ties into what I want to speak
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about today pretty well so the theme for today is going to be on the sovereignty of God and if you would
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please turn with me to the Psalms if you'd like to listen that's fine as
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well we'll be in Psalm 46 I'll be reading from the ESV
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today and and here the the title The Passage is
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God is our Fortress so we'll read all 11 verses and again
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that is Psalm 46 verses 1 through 11.
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and I'll begin God is our refuge and strength a very present help and trouble
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therefore we will not fear though the Earth gives way though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea though
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its Waters Roar and foam though the mountains tremble had its swelling there
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is a river whose streams May glad the city of God the holy habitation of the
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most high God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved God will help her
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when morning Dawns the nation's rage the kingdoms taught her he utters his voice
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the Earth melts the Lord of hosts is with us the god of Jacob is our Fortress
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come Behold The Works of the Lord how he has brought desolations on the Earth
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he makes War cease to the end of the Earth he breaks the bow and shatters the spear he burns the Chariots with fire
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be still and know that I am God I will be exalted among the Nations I will be
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exalted in the Earth the Lord of hosts is with us the god of Jacob is our
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Fortress there's a lot that could be said about this Psalm because there's 11 verses
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here but one that really stood out that I think we could continue to take with us today is verse 10. and looking back
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at the first line there be still and know that I am God I think that sums up
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a lot of things in the Bible beginning with the gospel God made it immutable
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that means unchanging so the Gospel of Jesus Christ never changes and because
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God is Sovereign it will always be that way our Salvation in Christ is always secure
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and uh life never slows down there's demands that always have to happen in
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life with work with moving there's a certain type of pressure that can really Crush
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you and being able to sit back and look at Psalm 46 and then specifically in
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verse 10 and to remember that we can be still and know that God is God and he he doesn't change
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and he's Sovereign and the work that he's began in us he will complete I think that gives me a lot of Courage
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just moving forward in life to be able to look at something like this and may God give us the ability to be still as
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well and know that he is the Lord let's pray
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uh dear heavenly father thank you for the fellowship today and thank you for these wonderful songs
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that really exalt your sovereignty for you to be Sovereign Lord it
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practically means that if we continue to be obedient to you you've made ways for us to have peace in this life
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and joy and even though we suffer we can always remember that you're Sovereign over everything
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and you've given us an opportunity to grow in Christ through salvation to be more conformed to his image and to enjoy
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what he enjoys and so if we remember that you are sovereign we can continue to be still in life at times and reflect
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we shouldn't just move through life without reflection and prayer so I pray that you'll give us the
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mindset that's in Psalm 46 looking at verse 10 and really seeing that you are
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sovereign Lord and if we're still and we pray and we reflect that life can get better that we can
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have comfort in you and what you've done in Christ I pray for everyone here as we continue in worship
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that we will be able to see more of Christ and everything and I want to pray for pastor Rodney as well that he is
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able to have clarity as he exposes the word of God today I pray all these
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things in your name amen
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you'll stand once again as we sing in Christ alone [Music]
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he is
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[Music] the solid ground
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foreign [Music]
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my holiday [Music]
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I stand In Christ Alone flesh
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[Music]
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is [Music]
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[Applause]
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to stay still on their cross
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says Jesus Christ [Music]
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there in the ground is
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[Music]
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Mercy forth in glorious day
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of Brothers [Music]
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[Music] foreign
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[Music]
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foreign [Music]
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[Music] [Applause]
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he broke his death till he returns or calls me home
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here in the path of Christ
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[Music]
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may you please bow your heads our Lord in heaven Jesus Christ thank
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you for allowing us all to be here today it's such it's such a nice and sunny day
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it's such a great day to sing in Your Glory we are all grateful to be here for all
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of those that could not be here today please watch over them and heal any sickness that they may have
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all of this in Your Great Name Jesus
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foreign [Music]
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foreign [Music]
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[Music]
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[Music]
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foreign [Music]
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[Music]
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[Music]
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thank you when I'm weary from the struggles of it all
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[Music] right
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[Music]
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Heaven sound and sweeter all the time
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[Music] seems like lately
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Heaven's always [Music]
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someday today I'm Gonna Leave This World
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Behind [Music]
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for heaven sound and sweeter
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all the time foreign
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[Music]
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[Music] foreign [Music]
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[Music]
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[Music]
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all the time seems like lately
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Heaven's always on my mind someday
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[Music] today I'm Gonna Leave This World Behind
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[Music] for heaven
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sound and sweeter all the time
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[Music] ever
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sound and sweeter all the time
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[Music] [Applause]
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all right
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good morning how are you all this morning great people started answering before I
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even finished the question you're all anticipating the same question now aren't you
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I'm have to I'm gonna have to mix that up I'm gonna have to do a different greeting from now on
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no that was good it's great to be with you all today you know sometimes I'm really excited to get up here and I I you know it doesn't
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happen every week some some weeks I mean I'm always excited to deliver the word of God don't get me wrong but there are
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some times when I can't wait to get up here and when I hear a song like that I I really want to just get up here and Shout like Hallelujah you know praise
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the Lord I don't know hopefully you were amen and I was amending during the song because that's the way I feel I want to
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be in heaven I mean I Heaven sounds so sweet compared to what we see down here
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and I hope I hope you listen to that song and it spoke to your heart as much as it did mine I want to leave this
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world we're pilgrims here if you're a Christian person you're a pilgrim here we're only just here part-time we're
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here for a moment and then we're gone and you know someday whether we're raised out of a grave or whether we're
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called up into the clouds with the Lord as a living person the Lord's going to return and he's going to call us home
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and she even mentioned in the song The Blessed hope that's the Blessed hope you you have to be ready for the Lord to
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return and so if you don't know Christ please please please trust the Lord and
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you want to be part of those people we people who will be called into Heaven by the Lord someday whether whether you
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live or are dead at the time you'll be called up even out of the grave and
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taken into heaven it's going to be amazing open with me if you would to John chapter 9.
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sometimes too when I preach and last week was one of those is I knew that
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sermon was going long and I think in some ways it needed to but there were some parts of it that I
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didn't get to deal with even as well as I wanted to because there was so much to
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start dealing with in that passage and you know I think we all needed to take a good hard look at what was being said by
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the disciples and Jesus's response so I'm going to revisit one of those points and you'll hear it just in a few
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minutes but I'm going to revisit one of those points much in a much lengthier way and we're
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going to actually look at some other scriptures because there's there's a piece of that that I don't want you to
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miss and so I'm going to ask a couple of questions a few questions and then I'm
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going to pray and then the Lord willing we'll get into the sermon titled light has come and if you'll remember last
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week the question to you wasn't are you a liar even though that's what was on the board initially it was are you blind
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and we all need sight even if you have your physical site you need spiritual
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sight you need spiritual life to come into your world into your person into your
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being and that only happens through the Lord Jesus and so while in this in this
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account he opens the eyes of a blind man we'll see much later in this text he also saves this man he leads this man to
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spiritual sight which is the most important thing the whole illustration
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of him healing a blind man here is all about spiritual life not physical life
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and so let me ask you these questions do you know why Jesus came into the
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world if you don't by now you're either not paying attention to the sermons we
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preach here every Sunday and the Bible studies we do week in week out Wednesday nights Sunday nights because it's a lot
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of what we do is talk about why Jesus came the Book of John itself we are through eight complete chapters and on
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into chapter nine and it has over and over and over again told us who Jesus is
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and why he's here so you should know but do you
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has the light of Jesus come into your life now the question is more specific
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has the light of Jesus been shined into your heart to the point where you've trusted
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and if not why
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these are questions that you need to think about and hopefully throughout the com the course of the sermon you'll be able to
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answer but then on the other side of this if light has come into your life
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what are you doing with that light Christian Church
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how are you using that light if that light is in you
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well Jesus said some words in The Sermon on the Mount John chapter 8 and even
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even in here talking about himself but obviously helping us to understand
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Jesus is the light of the world and then he said you Christian you believer are the light
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of the world what are you doing with it how do you walk
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how do you walk knowing that the Light of Christ is in you and when I say how
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do you walk not how you walk like this how do you live what's your life like
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let's pray together and hopefully these questions will come into sharp Focus see
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a lot of illustrations when we're talking about light dealing with the eye huh because you know do you know how you see
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stuff do you understand that light is of critical importance for you to see
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in this physical world if all the lights were darkened and turned out and there was no light at all
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whether you had eyesight or not wouldn't matter because you couldn't see a thing
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you know that curse I were just discussing this yesterday at men's bible study we had a
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conversation about the very thing you couldn't see anything if the if the lights were turned out even if you had
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eyesight it requires a light let's pray together hopefully this will
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all start to come together and two and coalesce into a sermon Heavenly Father we praise you and thank
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you for your love for us God we humble ourselves now before you and before your word knowing that you've
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given us the truth you've sent your son Jesus to be the light of the world and to show the world
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how to live perfectly doing your will and accomplishing your purposes Jesus was sinless
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but Gotti also came to pay for sin and we are so grateful he did because we would still be lost in our sins and
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trespasses without the Lord Jesus and the sacrifice he made for us on that cross
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dying and shedding his blood as a perfect payment for sin the only payment for sin God that you will accept
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and father then he came back from the dead conquering all of his enemies defeating Satan defeating all of the
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enemies all of the evil ones and now he sits at your right hand in
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heaven awaiting the moment when you look at him and say son go get my children
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and he will come back and he will take the Church of God to be with him and with you in heaven
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father we long for that day to come we long for the day when the Lord will return and take us to be in that perfect
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and holy place in heaven but God while we're here we pray that you'll use us For Your Glory
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that you will accomplish your purposes through us the father we will be about your business the way that the Lord
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Jesus was that we would wake up each and every day saying father how do you want us to live
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today and what do you want us to do and then walking and following and being obedient to what
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you've commanded so God we pray that you will do this work not only in our lives as the church
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but also in all those who are here if they don't know you that you will transform them and save them and father
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cause them to live as a holy vessel before you father we pray that the results of this
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sermon will be light and life not that the sermon itself is special
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but your word is being proclaimed and it will be taught clearly that you are the light of the world and
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that the Lord Jesus has come into this world to save sinners so father please do the work that only
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you can in the hearts of the people here the hearts of those who may watch this on the stream today or even in other
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days and God we pray that you will receive all glory that honor will go to you and that your
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Fame will grow throughout the world and the kingdom of God will increase
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father we love you and praise you we thank you for our church and I praise you for each one you've sent this
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morning to worship together to Fellowship together to come together as the Church of God the Ecclesia the
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called out ones but the ones called together to be in an assembly together
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worshiping you we love you and praise you in Jesus's holy name
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amen start in verse 1 with me in John chapter 9.
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now as Jesus passed by he saw a man who was blind from birth and his disciples asked him saying Rabbi
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who sinned this man or his parents that he was born blind Jesus answered neither
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this man nor his parents sinned but that the works of God should be revealed in him
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I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day the night is coming when
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no one can work as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world
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when he had said these things he spat on the ground and made clay with so with the saliva and he Anointed The Eyes of
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the blind man with the clay and he said to him go wash in the pool of Siloam which is translated sent so he
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went and washed and came back seeing therefore the neighbors and those who
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previously had seen that he was he was blind said is not this he who sat and
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begged some said this is he others said he's like him he said I am he
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therefore they said to him how were your eyes opened he answered and said A Man Called Jesus
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made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me go to the pool of Siloam and wash
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so I went and washed and I received sight then they said to him where is he
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he said I do not know that's where we're going to stop today I
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know I read the whole passage to you last week but I figured I don't have to labor the whole passage again because
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we're not going to go past that verse did you notice in here and we we already
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dealt with the disciples question you know Lord who sinned this man or his
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parents Jesus said neither this man nor his parents there's a third option that you
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fail to see here disciples God is going to be glorified in this man's blindness
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and in fact he's going to be glorified in the Son of God because the Son of God is going to heal this man's blindness
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and so we've already talked about that we spent an entire long sermon about that but look at the next verse verse 4
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I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day and he says the night is coming
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when no one can work and and I mentioned some of this last week but again I spent very little time
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on it and this is what I want to make up for because I don't want you to miss a major part of
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what Jesus is saying and doing now in This Book of John if you were to
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turn back to chapter one you would see very early on in this book that light and darkness are being
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contrasted and they have been used in contrast to one another for the entirety
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of this book so far back in chapter 8 Jesus made the statement I am the light of the world
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another time this is important stuff for you to know that John through the power of the holy
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spirit is contrasting light and darkness now is he doing that just so we'll
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understand the bright part of the day and the dark part of the night no light
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and darkness are representative of a few things let's talk big picture and that's where
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I'm going to start here death and life Darkness represents death
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whether physical or spiritual particularly of importance to us today is spiritual death
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all people start there all human beings since the time of Adam
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eating the fruit and falling sinning before God you could go to Romans
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chapter 5 and read it yourself if you want to I in fact I encourage you to do so all human beings have inherited a sin
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nature from Adam not from Eve Eve was deceived but Adam was the head
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of the house Adam sinned willingly and he broke God's command and now all
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humanity is suffering Darkness a sin nature
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spiritual blindness spiritual Darkness because of sin
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all humanity and yes if you're wondering that includes you you're part of all of humanity
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unless you're a hybrid creature which I'm teasing
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teasing you're a human you know it I know it none of us are dogs none of us are rabbits
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so you are suffering the sin nature that has come into this world through Adam's sin the first man made sinned and all
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now are subject to sin that's Romans 5.
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now Darkness represents death spiritual death
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but light on the other hand represents life spiritual life
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and so this light when Jesus says I am the light of the world it means a couple of things because it
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also means life and life and you'll remember early on John chapter one those are used almost
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interchangeably Jesus is the light of the world but Jesus is also life in John 14 6 many of
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you could quote it it's written outside in in a couple ways in our foyer there Jesus said I am the way the truth and
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what did he say the light no he said the life I am the way the truth and the life no
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man comes to the father except through me Jesus is the light of the world and he
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brings his light or the life into the world the world is completely dark
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and then the Son of God enters into the world bringing light into the world into
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the darkness the ability or the power
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remember this is an act of God God is Sovereign in Salvation I'm not saying that all can choose to
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believe in God and we're going to see that clearly here but Jesus brings the power for anyone
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to believe to have life or have liked contrasting
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with the darkness spiritual death spiritual life comes through the Lord
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but he says here verse 4. I'm at work the works of him who sent me while it is Day so a couple of things he
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may be saying here one Jesus knew he was on a clock
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do you know Jesus was on a clock that clock was counting down you know
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you might think of an hourglass in a situation you know all the Sands at the bottom you flip it over now the Sand's
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at the top and it goes through the little part in the middle a little bit at a time at an even Pace until what all
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of that sand is in the bottom again and it tracks a certain amount of time most most of your little hourglass shaped
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figure things track one hour of seeing but Jesus's life had so much time so
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much sand in the top and it was being filtered down into the bottom and that time was running short
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because ultimately Jesus came for one purpose right to die
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so he's headed to a cross and so he says I must work the works of him who sent me
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which is the Father in Heaven by the way he's made that clear in previous chapters we don't have to reiterate it
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I have to work the works of him who sent me while it is day while I still have life
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because as a human which he put on the Flesh of humankind he was headed to death
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and guess what folks even if you don't realize it you as a
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human being are headed for death sometimes philosophers and Poets will
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describe it as we're born to die kind of thing yeah it's morbid and it sounds awful but
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the truth is we have a short time to live the Bible describes Our Lives as a
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vapor that appears and then it's there for a moment and that's it and then poof it's gone
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and that's the way our lives look in the grand scheme of History and so you must use the time you have
46:07
now for the purposes that God called you to do and that's what Jesus is saying I
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have to work the works while it's day and then he makes another shocking
46:19
statement on the heels are right in line with that one the night is coming when
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no one can work and again I think he's saying a couple of things here one he's saying we'll all
46:30
die someday you know I'm going to die the Lord is saying I'm going to go to a
46:36
cross and die the work the father has sent me to do must be done before I get
46:42
there you notice that Jesus stayed around on
46:47
the Earth post-resurrection but not not preaching and teaching the way he did before he shows up in very specific
46:54
cases to disciples just telling them hey I'm alive I'm alive I rose from the dead kind of
47:00
thing giving them a few instructions the Great Commission comes post Jesus's
47:06
resurrection there are a few things he says to the disciples but you notice he does not
47:12
show up in public any more to the Pharisees to the dark world that is there he is no
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longer ministering or preaching to any of them after he dies and rises from the dead
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in fact 40 days after he rose from the dead he ascends into heaven and is now
47:30
seated at the right hand of God there will be a time when all of our Lives come to an end
47:37
we no longer can work because the night has come death comes that's first
47:43
but in addition to that there's even more there is a there are periods of time in
47:51
human history in our lives in the lives of the Saints in the lives of the early
47:56
church I mean you think about it there are times when Christian persecution is so heavy no one can work
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no one can do what they did before you know there are times when in
48:10
countries and America has been accepted from this for now but will it always we don't know there
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have been times in countries where you can't stand up In a Pulpit and preach at all period that can't happen anymore
48:23
and if you're going to have a church it's going to be Underground it's going to be driven into places
48:29
where the government can't see where those who persecute Christians can't find them
48:35
now that may come to American Shores someday but it happens in the world today China
48:42
if you don't register your church church with the government and be under their
48:48
thumb and their scrutiny and live by their policy you can't have a church in China
48:56
and so the real Church the true church is driven underground in China it's thriving but it's thriving in a way
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that you and I could harshly scarcely understand because we don't recognize anything
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about an underground Church we've never had to do that personally
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here in America will we maybe
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but things can get very dark listen to this Matthew 26 starting in verse 31.
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then Jesus said to them now he's talking to his disciples this is just before he's crucified
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then Jesus said to them all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night for it is written I will strike
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the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered but after I have been raised I will go
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before you to Galilee Peter answered and said to him even if all are made to
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stumble because of you I will never be made to stumble you love Peter don't you
49:59
and you all know what follows this Jesus said to him assuredly I say to you
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he's looking at Peter this night before the rooster crows remember this
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is in the middle of the night they had gone to Gethsemane there in the garden and he's about to be arrested and he's
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telling them all of this before the rooster crows you will deny me three
50:27
times oh Lord I'll never deny you I'll never
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run away I'm the best Christian ever Lord
50:40
and listen you have to know I believe with all my heart Peter was sincere
50:46
I believe why the Lord was standing right there Peter was sincere you'll recall and we're not going to read it
50:53
we're not going to read it but you'll recall when the high priest servant came up to grab Jesus and to take Jesus under
51:00
arrest to the high priest Peter pulls the sword out
51:06
and he goes for the guy's head and we know he goes for the guy's head because he takes a swipe and the only
51:13
thing he cuts off is the ear and you might say well what how do you know he didn't swipe like this well
51:18
nobody won first swipes at somebody like this with a sword overhead you know the only thing you're going to
51:25
do is chop his ear and maybe cut his shoulder up here no Peter went for his head and the guy ducked took his ear off
51:34
so Peter demonstrated Lord I'll fight for you I'll die for you
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I don't think it was a weakness of faith in Peter I think that Peter much like us is
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presumptuous with the way we live and what we will be willing to do when
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the swords at our throat when the Noose is put in the middle of town and the lines of Christians are
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lined up see I think many times right now while
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times are good when there's no persecution oh Lord we're with you we'll do anything
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there's no way we would ever deny but the minute that they start lighting
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the fires to throw Christians into them the minute they start the nooses or the
52:25
The Guillotines or whatever it is which ones of us are actually going to
52:30
still be standing there see the rest of the statement here he says
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you're going to deny me three times Peter said to him even if I have to die
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with you I will not deny you and listen to this most of us don't
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remember this part and so said all the disciples
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they all said it it wasn't even just Peter you got 12 guys standing there
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well you got 11 guys standing there the trader had already run off by this moment
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you got 11 guys standing there Lord we won't deny you we will fight you're the
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Messiah you're the you are bringing in the Kingdom to Israel we're your first
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Warriors and they meant it but did you notice the first stuff Jesus
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told them when they strike the shepherd the Sheep are going to go scattered everywhere and that's a
53:30
prophecy out of Zechariah Chapter 13 Verse 7. go read it that prophecy was
53:36
made 700 years before the time of Jesus that the shepherd would be stricken and
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the Sheep would scatter away and in fact when we look at the cross and we look at Jesus hanging up there on
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the cross do you remember how many disciples were standing there at the foot of the cross
53:55
one the guy who wrote the book we're reading about it from right now
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John the Apostle that's it the other 11 were so cowardly
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they would not stand near The Cross for fear of their own lives some were far
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off and some of them were probably just gone I'm not staying around
54:17
because anybody with him is going to go on one of those crosses
54:24
you got to start understanding that the night the night can come in a spiritual way to
54:30
your life and if you don't have the principled character to live for God and be fervent
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in your faith no matter the cost right now when it's good right now when it's
54:42
easy there is no way you will do it when the when the knife gets put to your throat
54:50
and I know you're hoping I know you're hoping well hey the Lord will just give me the strength in that
54:55
moment yes if you've developed that conviction in that principled nature and the
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ability to share the gospel now even in the face of mockery and and persecution that isn't quite to the point of pain it
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isn't quite to the point of death yes if you've developed that
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no doubt the holy spirit will will give you the firmness to stand
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but how many of us will flee the moment now am I saying you're an unbeliever no do I believe these disciples were
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unbelieving it's not these 11 men go on to lay the foundation
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in Jesus's place he's in heaven remember for the church in the world
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these are the strong the Mighty the Brave the Bold
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which means you and I in our generation those of us who have trusted Christ
55:53
we're the strong the Brave the Bold now but could it be that we would turn tail
55:58
and run in the face of persecution Maybe
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I'm certainly not accusing any of you and if I came and talked to every single one of you each one of us myself
56:09
included would say there's no way I'll deny the Lord there's no way I'll run
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I'll stand there and take it and that's really easy to say until that swords at your throat until
56:22
that gun's at your head till that noose is hung up and you're the next one to walk up the stairs to be
56:29
placed in the news it's real easy to say it's a lot harder to stand there in the
56:36
moment when it happens the night is coming
56:42
listen to Romans 1 16-17 and this comes from a man who absolutely knows
56:48
persecution firsthand Paul
56:54
verse 16 in Romans chapter 1 and some of you ladies you just went through this didn't you so you're going to know
57:00
you're doing Romans in your women's study for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to
57:08
Salvation for everyone who believes for the Jew first and also for the Greek for in it the righteousness of God is
57:15
revealed from Faith to Faith as it is written the just shall live by faith
57:22
and if you don't develop the toughness the tenacity
57:27
the faithfulness to share the gospel now when times are relatively good
57:34
sure you might get laughed out of a room you might get called names oh there's the bible thumper
57:41
there's a person who's always got that Jesus stuff he's talking about
57:46
yeah you might get a little bit of pushback in persecution but barely will there be a person out
57:53
here is going to have a knife put to their throat or a gun put to their head over the gospel
58:00
and if you won't do it now you think there's any chance you'll share the gospel under that kind of
58:06
Christian persecution you think there's any way you could share the gospel with with a a police
58:14
officer or a soldier or one of your neighbors
58:19
who is ready to kill you over preaching Jesus's name
58:24
if you won't share the gospel now and there's shame and fear now how in the world will you do it in those
58:31
circumstances no you won't be honest with yourself
58:37
look at yourself for who you really are remember these are the 11 guys who lay
58:44
the foundation for the church and we could say 12 because we've added
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Paul in here who is the 12th apostle these 12 men they are the foundation
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stones of the church Jesus being the Cornerstone the one who starts it all
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and it can't be here without Christ
59:06
Jesus says As Long As I am in the world he moves on in verse 5. as long as I am in the world I am the
59:13
light of the world contrast that strongly in your minds with the darkness or the light and the
59:20
Darkness that John has been talking about here there is this light this salvation this
59:29
gospel message the word of God in the world the truth
59:34
contrast it strongly with the forces of evil Satan Darkness demonic activity
59:43
all of those who would oppose the truth all of those who are okay with things
59:49
either being gray or even evil superseding truth
59:54
you know another one of those Romans things that some of you ladies might have studied through here
1:00:00
you know people suppress the truth in unrighteousness even though God has shown himself to
1:00:07
them they say there is no God or that they don't need to believe in
1:00:13
God even though God has revealed himself to them made himself known
1:00:19
and it says in that passage they suppress the truth in their unrighteousness they don't want to give
1:00:25
up their wickedness they don't want to move out of Darkness to light and we've been told that right why does someone
1:00:31
not want to move out of Darkness to light because their deeds are evil
1:00:38
you shine a light in somebody's life they don't want that if they're living in sin and Evil don't don't it's none of
1:00:45
your business what I do is you're not my judge that's a life life being lived in
1:00:51
darkness you can guarantee it because someone is living in the light they don't care if you come shine a light go ahead I know I'm a sinner and I
1:00:58
do mess this up sometimes but go ahead because if there's something wrong I need you to help me find it because I don't want to live as an enemy
1:01:06
of God I don't want to walk in darkness so please come into my life and show me
1:01:11
what I'm doing that's sinful that I'm missing help me
1:01:16
a person walking in darkness would never do that don't look at me don't talk to me don't
1:01:22
come into my home don't come into my life I don't want you there why because there's too much Darkness
1:01:30
John 8. before this Jesus said then Jesus spoke to them this is verse
1:01:35
verse 12 and chapter 8. then Jesus spoke to them again saying I am the light of the world he who follows me shall not
1:01:42
walk in darkness but have the light of life
1:01:48
what's he saying there and we already went through chapter eight so we had we did a whole sermon on these things
1:01:54
he's saying look if you say you're mine and if you're genuinely mine and you're
1:01:59
my follower then you must live the way I lived Jesus lived sinlessly he never sinned he
1:02:06
never did one thing that offended the father not one that's our responsibility
1:02:12
live righteously live in the light live in truth if the Bible says Thou
1:02:19
shalt not lie or you you should not lie do you lie
1:02:25
if the Bible says hey don't don't steal
1:02:30
does it say that Thou shalt not steal King James
1:02:35
do you steal do you blaspheme do you use God's name as a curse word
1:02:43
God bleep is that you
1:02:51
could slip out of your mouth does it pop into your head it's blasphemy
1:02:57
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain and while that means more than just speaking his name poorly
1:03:04
or in vain it really means don't say you're a Christian and then live in
1:03:09
darkness that's really what it means and that's what Jesus is saying here he
1:03:14
who follows me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life if you're a Christian and you're going
1:03:20
to claim to be one then you ought to live a holy life you ought to live a life of
1:03:25
righteousness it should not be a life lived in sin sin should be a rare thing for you not a
1:03:33
common thing and yeah I know it's it's always in Vogue for us to say well
1:03:39
we know we're Sinners too we're Sinners too and we are and I'm not claiming that we can be completely holy
1:03:46
but the standard is holiness your life should not be marred by sin
1:03:54
after sin after sin after sin as a Believer you should be growing in
1:04:00
righteousness following the Lord in righteousness
1:04:06
this is the command this is what he said to do I already quoted John 14 6 so I won't use it again but I have it here
1:04:13
we're to be light shining forth the Light of Christ we need to be a beacon of Truth and righteousness in this world
1:04:21
when you go out and talk to people do you cower away from saying the truth
1:04:27
hey God said a man can be a man and a woman can be a woman and no man can be a
1:04:34
woman and no woman can be a man because God created the male and female do you
1:04:40
go out into the world with that message or do you go into the world saying oh no it's okay we gotta let live Live and Let
1:04:48
Live oh it might be true for them it's not true for me but but it might be true
1:04:55
no you want there's one standard there's one standard God made men and women
1:05:03
can men marry men why because God said
1:05:09
man will leave father and mother and he will cleave to his wife and they will become one flesh
1:05:15
he doesn't even add the option men can go cleave with men
1:05:21
he doesn't add the option women can cleave with women
1:05:26
and you know exactly why I'm bringing those two points up because that's what's in culture today
1:05:32
those are the popular things Hollywood can't produce a piece of
1:05:38
content any longer without gay people in it or transgender this transgender that
1:05:46
what's on your lips Christian I can't speak for Wicked in dark Hollywood other than just to say they're
1:05:53
overwhelmed in darkness I get why they do what they do it's
1:05:58
complete sin and darkness and demonic activity but you
1:06:04
why would you ever tell a person hey you're a woman and you've got a
1:06:09
strong sense that you want to be a man and that's okay why would you ever say such a thing to a
1:06:15
person you you are putting them in a terrible position
1:06:20
because you ought to be the beacon of light and truth you might be the one source of truth that God put in their
1:06:26
lives to say hey you're about to destroy your life and
1:06:31
your relationship with your creator if you do this you're going to do something in in some
1:06:37
cases that can't be reversed now the mindset could be reversed but
1:06:43
some of the physical stuff that goes on it can't be reversed and you're going to Doom them to a life
1:06:49
of depression frustration better than 40 percent possibility that
1:06:56
they will commit or attempt suicide
1:07:02
when you could have been a Beacon of Hope and said hey wait I'll slow down the train God made male and female and
1:07:07
that's it you're a beautiful woman because that's who God made you to be
1:07:12
let's talk about that let's talk about what's important you don't need to be a man you need to
1:07:18
be the woman that God designed you to be and if you're having this conversation with a male the same thing you're a male
1:07:26
you've been made to be strong and to leave your home and to
1:07:33
want to be a woman and deal with the heart preach the gospel to them
1:07:41
listen to this this is from Matthew 5 14-16 and I think most of you knew we'd
1:07:46
eventually get here because there are only three places in the New Testament where the phrase you are the light of
1:07:53
the world appear and Matthew outside John 8 and John 9 Matthew 5 is the only other one The
1:08:00
Sermon on the Mount Jesus says this starting in verse 14. you are the light of the world a city
1:08:08
that is set on a hill cannot be hidden nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lamp stand and
1:08:14
it gives light to all who are in the house let your light so shine before men
1:08:20
that they may see your good works and glorify your father in Heaven see your light is supposed to be shining
1:08:27
in culture and Society so brightly that others see it and they give glory to God
1:08:34
on your behalf hey that person is so loving they are they meet so many needs
1:08:41
in my life and other lives that man I can't believe it God has just blessed
1:08:47
this person or that person is so honest I've never told that person something that they've
1:08:52
lied to me about or that they've shared and and went and gossiped about it their
1:08:58
character is wonderful man isn't God something
1:09:03
they follow Jesus and that's how they live that's going to be a stark contrast to their own life isn't it if they don't
1:09:10
follow God see that's what you should be and you shouldn't be putting your light under a
1:09:15
basket oh wait I'm in this environment I'm at work or I'm at school and I'm just going to put a basket over
1:09:22
it while I'm here I can't let anybody know that I'm a Christian here
1:09:27
I'm just going to put a basket and I'm going to walk around and blend in like everybody else I'm going to look
1:09:35
like part of the darkness that's not what we're commanded to do
1:09:40
it's not what the Lord has told us to do through his Holy Spirit and through his word
1:09:46
know a city that's set up on a hill a bright shining light a Beacon of Hope in
1:09:51
the Name of Christ should be a bright shining Beacon of Hope when somebody is lost in the wilderness and whether
1:09:57
they're on the road or they're in the woods they should see the bright Beacon of Hope up there
1:10:04
hey when their life falls into turmoil they should be able to come to you or see you up there and know that
1:10:10
hey they'll pray for me I can go to them and they'll pray for me I watch them pray for these other people
1:10:16
and God healed those people or God did such amazing things in the lives of those people I know they pray I'm
1:10:23
hurting I'm in trouble who do I run to
1:10:28
but see if we're all putting the basket over our lives and we're all just blending in with the darkness they don't
1:10:34
know who to come and talk to they don't know who to look at
1:10:41
listen flip over to John chapter 12 with me for a minute and I can't I'm not going to do all the text here that I was
1:10:47
going to do I'm too long long-winded and we'll
1:10:52
eventually someday in months down the road get to John 12 Lord willing
1:11:02
um look at verse 32 I'm just going to read a few verses here and then and Skip around a bit In this passage
1:11:09
verse 32 says and I if I am lifted up from the earth will draw All Peoples to
1:11:15
myself and you'll notice peoples is italicized he actually says I will draw all to myself
1:11:20
and what he's saying is when I'm lifted up I'm crucified all of those who God is saving are going to be
1:11:27
drawn to me from every tribe Nation tongue it's not just Jewish people everywhere they will all be drawn to me
1:11:36
all those who God is saving will come to me and and Jesus was crucified and guess
1:11:42
what all those who are being saved are being drawn to him and they have been since
1:11:48
since right after he died and rose from the dead and so this definitely happened
1:11:54
but he says these words and he's in verse 33 says this he said signifying by what death he would die
1:12:01
the people answered him we have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever and how can you say the son of
1:12:08
man must be lifted up who is this son of man now he doesn't go on and directly answer
1:12:14
that question but you and I know from earlier in John the son of man is referring back to the prophecies in the
1:12:21
Book of Daniel Prophecies of the coming Messiah the one who will come and set up a kingdom and
1:12:26
will rescue Israel and will set Israel at the top of the pile and not the bottom anymore at a certain time when
1:12:33
the kingdom years come but he says this he says verse 35 then Jesus said to them a little while longer
1:12:39
the light is with you walk while you have the light less Darkness overtake you
1:12:46
why does he say that remember he's talking to a mixed group of people these are believers and
1:12:51
unbelievers alike these are religious leaders these are you know just just bystanders these are just regular Jewish
1:12:57
people some of them He Who Walks in darkness does not know where he is going
1:13:04
do you look at the world and say Well they're in darkness well God saved me so he'll just automatically go save them
1:13:10
well you know God's will will ultimately be done but the way God takes the gospel
1:13:16
to the world is not normally through visions and dreams and that kind of
1:13:21
thing guess how he has set up to do it in the church you can go read go read Romans chapter 8
1:13:29
9 and 10 especially 10 and you'll see God sends preachers now it doesn't mean
1:13:35
pastors like me who preach week after week but people Christians to go and preach
1:13:41
the truth of the Gospel to people and what God does through the gospel message is the ones he's going to save he
1:13:49
changes their heart and they are they are reaped from the gospel message being shared
1:13:55
so if you're waiting around for God just automatically flip dip switches in people you're being disobedient
1:14:02
Christians you have been given the gospel to go out into this world and throw that seed everywhere throw that
1:14:10
seed everywhere now sure some of it's going to land on
1:14:15
the hard path some of it's going to land in the rocky soil some of it's going to be choked out
1:14:20
by the weeds but some of it's going to what land on the soft good soil
1:14:27
that's going to bring forth a plant that's going to yield fruit because there are some that God will save
1:14:33
but if you're not sharing the gospel you're being disobedient we have to be light in this world we've
1:14:41
been called to do so we've been commanded to do so Jesus tells us right here someone that is
1:14:48
walking in darkness they don't know where they're going what was Jesus's statement when he was
1:14:54
on the cross did he say oh I judge and condemn all of you to hell
1:15:00
no he said father forgive them they don't know what they're doing because if they had known they were
1:15:06
putting the Savior and the son of God their God on the cross they would have
1:15:12
never done it right but for the glory of God and for the power of Salvation to come into the
1:15:18
world God sent Jesus to die Jesus willingly died and the fact that they
1:15:23
put him there while a sin on their part was life from the dead on our parts
1:15:30
right we wouldn't have been saved if Jesus didn't die on a cross but those in darkness they don't know
1:15:37
what they're doing Christian Church you've got to understand you got to take the gospel
1:15:42
out there and show them show them why Jesus came show them the message of the gospel and
1:15:49
share it with them this is what we're to do turn with me again turn with me to
1:15:57
Isaiah chapter 6.
1:16:03
I don't know how many of you are familiar with Isaiah chapter 6. but this is an important passage that
1:16:09
you and I need to hear and and I'll and I'll point you back to
1:16:15
John chapter 12 between verses 32 and 48 on your own time after we've reflected a
1:16:22
minute on Isaiah 6 I want you to go back and look at more of that conversation we
1:16:27
just started reading go all the way to verse 48 from where we were reading on your own time
1:16:33
because Isaiah 6 is going to come up there but I don't have time to do both so
1:16:39
Isaiah chapter 6. now you'll see it's 13 verses listen to this I'm going to start
1:16:44
in verse 1. in the year that King Uzziah died I saw
1:16:50
the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up and the train of his robe
1:16:56
filled the temple this is the prophet Isaiah he's receiving a vision of God
1:17:01
sitting on the throne just just so we're clear what's happening above it stood seraphim each one had six
1:17:09
wings with two he covered his face with two he covered his feet and with two he
1:17:14
flew now those are the same six-wing characters you see in Revelation chapter four and five standing near the Throne
1:17:21
of God just to be clear Isaiah is looking at the Throne of God in this Vision in this dream
1:17:28
and one cried to another and said holy holy holy is Yahweh of hosts and I know
1:17:35
in your Bible it says Lord but notice it's all capitalized the name of God is here why is he
1:17:42
described as Thrice or three times holy because we know he's Father Son and Holy
1:17:50
Spirit if you've ever wondered why you get three holies Old Testament New Testament in visions
1:17:58
of God holy holy holy because God is in three persons
1:18:04
and even in heaven the Angels know him to be the Triune God
1:18:10
father son Holy Spirit the whole earth is full of his glory
1:18:17
amen right is that true there's nothing been created that he did
1:18:23
not make there is nothing you know that God did not bring into existence
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and I know your mind might jump to something like well does that mean he brought evil to no evil is doing the opposite of what God Said but all of the
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universe all of the Earth God created it his it is everywhere
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when you look at a tree or a mountain or a beautiful lake or the ocean have you ever been just mystified by the ocean
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when you see it the Grandeur of it the vastness of it you can't see Beyond the Horizon it's just huge I remember the
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first time I saw it I was overwhelmed I was mesmerized
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verse 4. and the post of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out
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and the house was filled with smoke so I said woe is me remember this is
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Isaiah he's like you and me he may be a prophet of God but he's a sinner and so he says woe is me for I am undone
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everything's coming apart all my frailties coming out right now all of it's being being loose right in
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front of me because I am I am a man of unclean lips
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he's admitting he's saying I'm a sinner and I dwell in the midst of a people of
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unclean lips hey I live a bunch of amongst a bunch of sinners
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I'm one and they're Sinners and I'm seeing God for my eyes have seen the
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king he's somehow getting to see Jesus
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physically on the throne in heaven with his eyes Yahweh of hosts
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you have to understand that while Isaiah is a prophet and certainly he's heard the word of God he's heard the voice of
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God as far as we can tell based on what he says here this is the first time he's ever seen him
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that his eyes have ever been able to to land on God could you imagine
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what would you do if God put you into a vision State and you are seeing his glory
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hopefully the same thing that's here when we saw that in the Book of Daniel or we saw that with John in the Book of
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Revelation what both of them do they fell down like dead men when they saw him
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verse 6. then one of the seraphim flew to me having in his hand a live coal which he
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had taken with the tongs from the altar and he touched my mouth with it and said behold this has touched your lips your
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iniquity is taken away and your sin purged
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see who takes away sin is it you can you make up for your sin
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can you do anything to fix it no only God can Purge your sin
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and this live coal off the altar is like judgment
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and it's touching the lips of Isaiah and in this case it's being used enigmatically or figuratively to say hey
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I've forgiven and I've removed your iniquity from you and trust me when you and I repent and
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we trust Jesus that's what God does for us it isn't by any work we've done that
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corrects our situation with God it's only through the blood of his son and the imputation of righteousness from
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Jesus that we have freedom from sin the blood of Christ
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also I heard the voice of the Lord or the voice in this case it is Lord saying
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Whom Shall I sinned and who will go for us then I said here I am or here am I
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send me verse Isaiah 6 8 by the way is a is a verse you guys should memorize this
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is one we have the kids always memorized who you know when the Lord asks who shall I send or who shall go for us
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are you going to be the one to stand up and say I'll go Lord Isaiah did
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and he said go and tell this people keep on hearing but do not understand
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keep on seeing but do not perceive make the heart of this people dull and
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their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with
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their heart and return and be healed and you might say man that's mean
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two things God is sovereign and God gets to use his vessels as we
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learn from Romans 9 very recently any way he wants that should be at the top of the pile
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and that should be your thinking but secondly he's referring to the people of Israel the people who Isaiah comes from
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and these are a very rebellious and people who have revolted against God
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over and over again they've gone after foreign Idols over and over again
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how patient has God been with Israel just go read the Old Testament folks and
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and you won't feel the same way you do maybe now and think that God's being mean here
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verse 11 then I said Lord how long
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how long are they not going to be able to hear are they not going to be able to know
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and he answered until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant the houses are
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without a man the land is utterly desolate Yahweh has removed men far away and The
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Forsaken places are many in the midst of the land but yet a tenth will be in it and will
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return and be for consuming as a terabenth tree or as an oak whose stump remains when it is cut down so the holy
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seed shall be its stump no no a couple things about Israel
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and you could go to Romans 11 to read the rest of this but with Israel specifically God blinded them in part
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for their unbelief and he scattered them if you'll remember he did it a couple times he took parts of them back to
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Babylon at the time of Nebuchadnezzar not the whole nation but some of it was taken into captivity but after the Roman
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occupation and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D and the years that followed up
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to about 130 A.D or so the Romans thoroughly cleansed Israel of Jews
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and so God dispersed them around the world where they remained until 1948.
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I mean really it started in the late 1800s they started to return but they were declared a nation again in 1948.
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and so the Lord brought his prophecy about where he kept them away but he's brought them back too because
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he has plans for them again and it's just like us you know sometimes
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you know we were born Gentiles we were born many of us in places where maybe God wasn't the central figure
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you know you think about the Gentiles around the whole world there are many Islamic Nations they're Buddhist Nations
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there are all sorts of religions and faiths and things out there that don't worship God and people are born into
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them all the time but God also sends his gospel into these places doesn't he
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you and I we were saved if you're a Believer out of Gentile peoples most of us some of
1:25:54
you may be Jews but most of us aren't most of us were not raised in the Bible
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and even if we were in the church in the United States somewhere in our ancestry
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not going back too far they were gentile people who did not worship God by and large as a people
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this is important thing for you to remember and for you to see that the Sovereign God is responsible and in
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charge of Salvation in the world but he sends his Messengers and he sends
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his Messengers to preach the gospel he did with Isaiah go and preach to this
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people now there were some I'm sure who heard Isaiah's messages and believed trusted God
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but there were many who didn't and guess what you Church you're going to take the
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gospel out to the world if you're faithful to do so and there'll be some who will believe
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but there will be many who won't and it's sad but God gets to Blind who he blinds he
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gets to harden who he hardens and he gets to soften and save who he wants
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it's us it's up to us to do the work of the gospel because that's what we've been left to do but it's up to God to reap a harvest
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do you really trust God to do this and to save all the people he plans to save
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your life is going to show whether you do or not whether you go out and share the gospel or you just sit at home and
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say I'm not doing it that's for somebody else
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I wouldn't live that way if I were you you may be saying
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deep down inside whether you know it or not that you're not gods that you're unbelieving because you
1:27:39
won't do what he said but if you're just being rebellious repent
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and go do what God has said and take the gospel to the world
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you notice here go back to John real quick and we're going to finish very quickly
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Jesus actually healed this blind man didn't he did you notice he healed him I want you
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to notice something about him healing him though did you notice that he makes clay puts it on the guy's eyes and all he
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says to the guy is hey go wash in the pool of Siloam he doesn't say hey I'm going to give you
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back your sight he doesn't tell him I'm healing you
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he just bends down takes the dirt takes takes the spittle
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and mixes it together puts it on the guy's eyes and says hey go wash
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that guy took some faith for that guy to go didn't it write this down I'm going to point you to another passage in the
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Old Testament so you can see second Kings chapter five some of you might remember the account
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with Elisha the prophet and a man named Naaman he's a commander in the Syrian Army
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and a very well-known and popular Commander and he goes and asks the prophet of God
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to heal him from leprosy and when when the prophet Allah when he
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goes to the prophet Elisha the prophet Elisha sends a servant out to him and says hey tell him to go wash seven times
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in the Jordan River the commander of the Syrian Army was offended he was insulted
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the prophet didn't even come out to see him more than that he told him to go wash in
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this dirty Jordan River over here and Naamans like aren't all the rivers
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in Syria better they're better rivers and cleaner Rivers bigger Rivers
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he won the bigger sign a bigger miracle Elisha said no just go wash seven times
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and you'll be healed and one of the guys servants had to say to him hey look if he told you something
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really spectacular and amazing to go do it wouldn't you have done it you know if he said go climb Everest you'd go you'd
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have went and climbed Everest to get rid of the leprosy but here all he says is a little thing to go wash in this Dirty
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Old River and you don't want to do it I said Naaman goes and he washes in the
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river and guess what happens just like you'd expect from a prophet of God God heals his leprosy
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same thing here and this stuck out in my heart when I'm preparing this message that you know this blind man very much
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like Naaman he's just given instructions by God he isn't really told all the results and he isn't given like every
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detail go wash the guy does it and when he gets the clay off of his eyes guess what
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he can see you need to know that I think the whole picture
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in part is for me and you it's so that you'll know when you share
1:30:47
the gospel with somebody when you do what God has asked you to do there are going to be some people's eyes who are
1:30:53
open now you may want some big flashy thing because what Naaman said is why didn't the Prophet come out wave his hands over
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me why did he make a big show of it you know why do you chant
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or do some big production
1:31:10
they'll need a big production does it simple faith do you trust God
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or don't you in church I'm asking you and the holy spirit's asking you
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do you trust God if the light has come into the world and the light has entered you and you are
1:31:29
now left here to be the light of the world while Jesus is in heaven doing the work of ministry
1:31:34
what are you doing with the light it's a question we asked earlier
1:31:40
if you aren't using it for the gospel what in the world are you doing
1:31:46
I don't I'm not trying to be offensive because I have to ask this bozo the same thing
1:31:52
what are we doing God is going to save some people through
1:31:57
his son and through the power of the Gospel message through faith
1:32:03
but we have to take that message you want to see the world transformed for Christ then you personally ought to
1:32:10
take it as your mission to go and share the gospel with as many Souls as you can don't let another day pass where the
1:32:18
gospel doesn't leave your lips and see what God does
1:32:23
he's not going to tell you to go on to a stage and make a big production about it what he's asking you to do is go simply
1:32:30
and share with your friends your neighbors people in your household people at your job the people in your
1:32:37
sphere while you're living your life share Jesus and God will save some of them
1:32:44
he will he saved you and I it can be done he can save big old sinners really
1:32:49
big ones notice I'm not pointing at you he can say big sinners
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people sinned a lot let's pray together I'm going to leave that with you you know Jesus is the way
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truth and the life you know the message he died we've already said it a number of times
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it's up to you and I to share let's pray father you are an amazing God
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we are truly humbled by what you've done in your word and in the person of Jesus as he came and he ministered
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in the Physical Realm to people who are sinful sinners
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and God he opened the eyes of the Blind and he opened the eyes of the spiritually blind many times
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and father he has opened some of our eyes and we pray God that you would help us to take the gospel message that you will
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use to open more eyes that are blind father do this work
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do this work through us and encourage us to be about your business each and every day
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father you are wonderful teach us to be holy
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transform our lives that we might be faithful God I pray that you bless each person
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you've sent here today whether saving them because they need you and they don't know you today
1:34:11
or whether you convict each one of us to go and to be a faithful Witness
1:34:17
father we love you and praise you and thank you for your son we thank you for the church that you've built
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for this very purpose we love you and Praise You In Jesus holy name amen thank you very much
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you'll all stand as we sing
