back to indexBerean Community Church Sunday Service 2/16/25
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- Good morning, welcome to Boone Community Church. 00:09:02.600 |
First of all, if you purchased a Korean fundraiser, 00:09:08.600 |
as you were coming in, you probably saw a table out there 00:09:12.600 |
they're right by the cafe entrance and to the right, 00:09:19.600 |
so if you want to still buy it, the cost of it is $50, 00:09:32.600 |
and so it is to kind of give resources to the families 00:09:41.600 |
older families who've kind of wrestled with this for a while, 00:09:45.600 |
and then there's some people who are working in that field, 00:10:00.600 |
if you are working with children at our church, 00:10:03.600 |
it is a requirement that you have safety training, 00:10:07.600 |
that safety training is happening at 1:30 p.m. 00:10:17.600 |
If you are new to the church and you have questions 00:10:21.600 |
meet some of the leaders, this lunch is for you, 00:10:37.600 |
where you've been married three years or less, 00:10:41.600 |
On March 15th, there will be a hike and a seminar 00:10:45.600 |
that will follow after that in biblical manhood, 00:11:14.600 |
Married people have asked if they can come, right? 00:11:17.600 |
And it's not to reevaluate their husband or wife. 00:11:23.600 |
they want to make sure that we're kind of on the same page 00:11:25.600 |
as they're assisting young couples who are dating. 00:11:28.600 |
And so if you are interested in coming to that, 00:11:32.600 |
All three of the pastors will be involved with this. 00:11:37.600 |
sorry, biblical view of dating versus the world's practice, okay, 00:11:42.600 |
what's happening today and how the culture practices dating 00:11:47.600 |
what part is not biblical, what's wise, what's not wise. 00:11:52.600 |
Second will be what to look for in choosing a partner, 00:11:56.600 |
a godly partner, whether it's your wife or your husband. 00:12:03.600 |
So all three pastors will be directly engaged in this. 00:12:07.600 |
That's happening on March 15th at 2 p.m. through 5 p.m. 00:12:14.600 |
All right, so I'm going to pray for the offering. 00:12:16.600 |
And after our time of worship, our sister Jocelyn is going to come up, 00:12:19.600 |
and she's going to give her testimony and be baptized this morning. 00:12:25.600 |
Father, we thank you so much for this morning. 00:12:33.600 |
as we are prone to be entangled with things of this world. 00:12:37.600 |
Help us, Lord God, to see the eternal things that you have promised, 00:12:42.600 |
that all that we have, all our hopes and our joys, Lord, 00:12:47.600 |
Help us, Lord God, as we have come to worship you, 00:12:50.600 |
to truly do it in a manner that is worthy of the calling that you've given, 00:12:58.600 |
I pray that you would help us to give it as an act of worship, 00:13:01.600 |
and may it be multiplied for the sake of your kingdom. 00:13:42.600 |
Let us all rise and let's spend a few moments 00:13:54.600 |
to greet the neighbors around us before we continue. 00:23:06.600 |
and I feared that my family would break apart. 00:23:17.600 |
Though my parents thought that I wanted to tag along 00:23:20.600 |
or that it was a cute act their six-year-old did, 00:23:22.600 |
I knew it was because I thought that if I didn't accompany them, 00:23:30.600 |
Again, nothing occurred to make me think this way. 00:23:52.600 |
Seeing how this question became tiresome to answer, 00:23:57.600 |
Instead, I would wash my hands, close the faucet, 00:24:00.600 |
and turn my head towards the mirror five times. 00:24:02.600 |
If I touched anything on the way back to my room, 00:24:04.600 |
I would feel dirty and have to do the same thing all over again. 00:24:08.600 |
I now feared that if I didn't do certain actions, 00:24:11.600 |
that it would be my fault if something happened to my loved ones. 00:24:21.600 |
I spent 15 years feeling as if I carried the responsibility 00:24:31.600 |
I thought I knew who God was, and I thought I loved Him. 00:24:34.600 |
But ultimately, I realized I was living in tradition. 00:24:38.600 |
On the nights where my thoughts were too much to handle, 00:24:40.600 |
I would pray and cry, asking God for His help. 00:24:44.600 |
There was a moment where I felt His calmness and peace 00:24:49.600 |
relieving me of my anxiety and drawing me to a restful sleep. 00:24:52.600 |
Yet I did not fully comprehend the depth and value 00:24:57.600 |
On March 13, 2020, I went to a church retreat. 00:25:03.600 |
At retreat, I was able to fully spend time in the Lord's presence, 00:25:06.600 |
beginning to desire a more intimate and personal relationship with Him. 00:25:13.600 |
I wanted to read the Bible and ask my mom to buy me one. 00:25:16.600 |
Here, I began to comprehend what it meant for Jesus 00:25:36.600 |
During those 15 years, I knew that Jesus was Lord and Savior, 00:25:39.600 |
but seeing how I had lived my life in fear and anxiety, 00:25:57.600 |
The Lord, in His truth, led me to the freedom 00:26:04.600 |
"For you have not received a spirit of slavery 00:26:29.600 |
He had broken my chains of bondage to sin and fear 00:26:40.600 |
"You were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, 00:26:43.600 |
engaged in evil deeds, yet He has not reconciled you 00:26:55.600 |
My sister asked me if I was going to get therapy 00:27:02.600 |
But I knew that Jesus' peace was all I needed, 00:27:04.600 |
no longer believing I had a say over my family's lives, 00:27:07.600 |
no longer feeling like I needed to control everything, 00:27:10.600 |
but trusting that my life is in the palm of His hands 00:27:17.600 |
Jesus had taken my past, present, and future sins 00:27:21.600 |
resurrecting on the third day and defeating death. 00:27:24.600 |
He washed me clean more than any hand-washing 00:27:33.600 |
By His grace, He saved me from my fearful life, 00:27:44.600 |
purely by His strength I continue to surrender 00:28:32.600 |
All right, thank you, Jocelyn, for that great testimony. 00:28:44.600 |
If you can turn your Bibles with me to Luke, chapter 10, 00:28:47.600 |
we're going to be reading from verse 21 through 24. 00:29:10.600 |
And then He tells them that they come back rejoicing 00:29:23.600 |
"is written in the book of life, of your salvation." 00:29:36.600 |
"'I praise you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, 00:29:55.600 |
"'and anyone whom the Son wills to reveal Him.' 00:29:57.600 |
"Turning to the disciples, He said privately, 00:29:59.600 |
"'Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see. 00:30:02.600 |
"'For I say to you that many prophets and kings 00:30:50.600 |
whatever brings the most happiness or joy in your life, 00:31:00.600 |
because our human nature is to pursue happiness, 00:31:07.600 |
you make your whole year's calendar around traveling, 00:31:18.600 |
and you find some food delicious out somewhere, 00:31:21.600 |
and you risk your life to go to someplace gang-infested 00:31:25.600 |
because they have some $2 tacos that you want. 00:31:37.600 |
you memorize who's on what team and their stats, 00:31:54.600 |
that you've been waiting for for the last six months, 00:31:58.600 |
and you're willing to stand in line for hours and hours 00:32:12.600 |
As you guys know, last Sunday was Super Bowl, 00:32:14.600 |
and Super Bowl is the biggest watched sports event, 00:32:21.600 |
and that's why the advertisement on there is ridiculous. 00:32:24.600 |
Millions of dollars for a minute of commercial time. 00:32:34.600 |
That's more than a third of the country that watched it. 00:32:37.600 |
The cheapest ticket to watch this game was $2,800. 00:32:43.600 |
Average cost of the Super Bowl ticket was $7,000. 00:32:49.600 |
The most expensive ticket, at least that they have record of, 00:32:52.600 |
and they might have been some privately sold things 00:33:02.600 |
Now, why are people willing to pay thousands of dollars 00:33:09.600 |
So if you don't like football, if you don't understand sports, 00:33:12.600 |
you're just like, "What? They paid $25,000 for that?" 00:33:19.600 |
you're probably thinking, "I wish I had that money. 00:33:24.600 |
And people travel from all over the country to just go 00:33:29.600 |
whether they can afford it or not, to watch this game. 00:33:31.600 |
And the simple reason is because it brings them pleasure. 00:33:36.600 |
But the question is, why does watching this sport, 00:33:47.600 |
because the Bible says that we have been created 00:33:52.600 |
Image-bearers basically means that we are to reflect 00:34:05.600 |
when we are worshiping something greater than us. 00:34:14.600 |
that where we are in the presence of something greater than us, 00:34:17.600 |
for whatever the reason, it brings us great pleasure. 00:34:21.600 |
But the problem is, the rebellion of mankind, 00:34:26.600 |
instead of living in the way to bring glory to God, 00:34:41.600 |
wanting to be recognized, wanting to be a little bit better, 00:34:53.600 |
until we see another person with a better car. 00:34:56.600 |
We buy a decent house and we feel perfectly fine 00:35:01.600 |
and then all of a sudden we don't have enough. 00:35:23.600 |
Because we find pleasure in satisfying ourselves. 00:35:29.600 |
The Bible tells us that God created us to be worshipers. 00:35:51.600 |
"and in Your right hand there is pleasure forever." 00:35:56.600 |
So He says, "In His presence, there is path to life. 00:36:04.600 |
But because the Bible says that all have sinned 00:36:10.600 |
we have rebelled and desire to be the ones worshiped. 00:36:14.600 |
That's why Satan, we talked about it last week, 00:36:23.600 |
Instead of ascending, he ended up descending to Sheol. 00:36:56.600 |
And in this tower, they said they wanted to reach God. 00:37:08.600 |
And as a result of his own desire to exalt himself, 00:37:12.600 |
he has been separated from the author of life. 00:37:25.600 |
That's why when Jesus comes and he talks about life, 00:37:38.600 |
"I have given them so that they can exist forever." 00:37:44.600 |
whether that soul exists forever here or in judgment. 00:37:51.600 |
he's not simply saying somebody who didn't exist, 00:37:55.600 |
The word that is used for life here is "zoe." 00:37:58.600 |
There's two Greek words that's translated for life. 00:38:02.600 |
And one is "bios," where we get the word "biology," 00:38:08.600 |
I am 10 years old, 50 years old, 100 years old, 00:38:14.600 |
But in every instance the Bible uses the word "life," 00:38:38.600 |
that whosoever believes in him shall have eternal "zoe." 00:38:43.600 |
When he says he's going to give life, give this life abundantly, 00:38:46.600 |
he says I'm going to give you "zoe," what you lost. 00:38:57.600 |
All our pursuits of wanting to find joy and pleasure 00:39:10.600 |
his primary reason why he came was to restore us. 00:39:13.600 |
And so last week we saw that he says above all the things, 00:39:23.600 |
But if you're going to rejoice over anything, 00:39:27.600 |
that your name is written in the book of life, 00:39:29.600 |
of your salvation, that no one can take away. 00:39:39.600 |
So this text, we're going to look at the Trinity, 00:39:44.600 |
and what role they play in bringing this new life to us, 00:39:52.600 |
"At that very time he rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit." 00:39:56.600 |
Now what does he mean by rejoicing in the Holy Spirit? 00:39:59.600 |
He just has an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit? 00:40:03.600 |
He's just saying that he notices something about the Holy Spirit 00:40:05.600 |
and he says, "Man, the Holy Spirit makes me so happy." 00:40:12.600 |
the same thing that he told the 70 disciples who returned. 00:40:19.600 |
that your name is written in the book of life. 00:40:22.600 |
And when he says he rejoices over the Holy Spirit, 00:40:25.600 |
he's talking about the role of the Holy Spirit 00:40:34.600 |
"The Holy Spirit will remind us of the things of God." 00:40:40.600 |
the Holy Spirit is the agent in which he begins to remind people, 00:40:53.600 |
the Holy Spirit is the one who's going to convict people of sin. 00:40:57.600 |
So you can sit here and hear the Word of God, 00:41:00.600 |
and if there's any part of you that understands what's being said, 00:41:10.600 |
this is just some pudgy Asian guy just talking. 00:41:25.600 |
But if there's any part of you where the Word of God is going forth 00:41:29.600 |
and is molding your heart and you're hearing the voice of God, 00:41:34.600 |
And then in Acts 1.8, it says the Holy Spirit is the one who empowers people. 00:41:39.600 |
What causes these words become powerful enough 00:41:45.600 |
that somebody hears it, repents, turns their life around, 00:41:48.600 |
and gives it to Christ and begins to follow him 00:41:50.600 |
and his destiny of eternity is changed forever? 00:41:56.600 |
He says it's the power of the Holy Spirit that's working in you. 00:42:00.600 |
In fact, Romans 8.16-17, it says the Spirit himself testifies 00:42:05.600 |
with our spirit that we are the children of God. 00:42:09.600 |
Our own assurance of salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:42:13.600 |
And if children, heirs also, heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ, 00:42:17.600 |
if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 00:42:21.600 |
It is the Holy Spirit that reminds us, convicts us, empowers us, 00:42:29.600 |
So when Jesus says, as you rejoice over your salvation, 00:42:33.600 |
I rejoice over the work of the Holy Spirit in you. 00:42:37.600 |
And then he says the Father is the one who initiates this joy, this life. 00:42:43.600 |
Verse 21, "At the very time, he rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit and said, 00:42:48.600 |
'I praise you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, 00:42:51.600 |
that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent 00:42:57.600 |
Yes, Father, for this way was pleasing in your sight.'" 00:43:07.600 |
To hide these truths of salvation to the wise and the intelligent. 00:43:16.600 |
Why does this bring him joy, and why does he do it this way? 00:43:24.600 |
Why does he hide these things to the wise and intelligent, 00:43:31.600 |
He says, "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, 00:43:37.600 |
And God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things that are strong, 00:43:43.600 |
And the base things of the world, and the despised God has chosen, 00:43:47.600 |
the things that are not," and listen to this, 00:44:01.600 |
He said everything that he has done, the reason why he brings in pleasure, 00:44:12.600 |
Because the main rebellion of mankind is to elevate himself, 00:44:24.600 |
we save up money, buy a bigger house, move to a better neighborhood, 00:44:27.600 |
we raise our children so that we can be better, 00:44:34.600 |
smarter than our neighbors, wiser than our neighbors. 00:44:38.600 |
And it is at the core of human rebellion to elevate himself. 00:44:48.600 |
If anybody had a right to come before mankind and said, "Worship me," 00:44:57.600 |
but did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 00:45:00.600 |
but he emptied himself and became a man, a servant. 00:45:10.600 |
and then he tells his followers, "You do the same." 00:45:14.600 |
If you want to live, if you want to live, deny yourself, 00:45:21.600 |
and you pick up your cross, and you follow me. 00:45:26.600 |
He didn't say, "You know what, I've given you these things, 00:45:28.600 |
and make something of yourself." That's not what he said. 00:45:32.600 |
"I've given you these talents, make something of yourself." 00:45:42.600 |
Deny yourself and follow him, because at the core of human rebellion 00:45:50.600 |
"For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves." 00:45:57.600 |
If you grew up in the church, we sang this in Sunday school. 00:46:01.600 |
"It is not of yourself, it is a gift of God, not as a result of works, 00:46:11.600 |
He's so concerned that even after we are saved, 00:46:22.600 |
He says, "No," he said, "the reason why he saved you this way 00:46:26.600 |
is to nullify the things that you are pursuing. 00:46:30.600 |
You had nothing to do with this, so stay humble, 00:46:38.600 |
Because he knows at the core of the rat race that you and I are in 00:46:49.600 |
And it's our constant collecting because of our pride. 00:47:00.600 |
Some say, "You are Elijah." Some say, "You are John the Baptist." 00:47:07.600 |
And Peter makes the right confession and says, 00:47:09.600 |
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 00:47:20.600 |
"Jesus said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, 00:47:22.600 |
because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, 00:47:36.600 |
Peter, you didn't make this confession because you're better 00:47:42.600 |
You don't know me because somehow you're more moral and righteous 00:47:45.600 |
and more disciplined and wiser than the others. 00:48:01.600 |
And the reason why they don't get it and the reason why you get it 00:48:03.600 |
is not because you are more righteous than them. 00:48:06.600 |
It's because the Father has chosen to nullify the system of this world 00:48:12.600 |
You had nothing to offer me, and I revealed this to you 00:48:29.600 |
the apostle that was going to bring the gospel to the Gentile world, 00:48:42.600 |
And he says, "My grace is sufficient for you." 00:48:46.600 |
He said, "I'm going to leave it there to humble you 00:48:50.600 |
so that all the revelation that's coming through you, 00:48:53.600 |
that you do not think that it's because of you." 00:48:57.600 |
Because as soon as pride gets in, you are ruined. 00:49:07.600 |
"Do you hear what these children are saying?" 00:49:10.600 |
"Yes, have you never read out of the mouth of infants, 00:49:13.600 |
nursing babies you have prepared, praised for yourself?" 00:49:19.600 |
I have already told you this is the way I'm going to work. 00:49:23.600 |
That I'm going to raise up infants to glorify me. 00:49:26.600 |
Not the wise, not the clever, not the most disciplined, 00:49:35.600 |
and they're the ones that I'm going to ordain to praise my name. 00:49:45.600 |
you have established strength because of your adversaries." 00:49:58.600 |
In other words, you're chosen because you have nothing to offer me. 00:50:03.600 |
I used you because you couldn't take any praise for yourself. 00:50:10.600 |
What does this tell us about man's biggest problem? 00:50:16.600 |
What is the greatest hindrance to the work of God? 00:50:26.600 |
Whatever it is that you're good at, that's your Achilles heel. 00:50:31.600 |
That's your Achilles heel because through that will come pride. 00:50:34.600 |
And as soon as pride comes in, you're ruined. 00:50:39.600 |
You're baking a cake and you find something dirty in there. 00:50:49.600 |
Whatever it is that you think you're good at, 00:50:52.600 |
and as soon as a little bit of pride comes and touches, you're ruined. 00:50:56.600 |
If you're good with numbers, it's through that lens you judge everybody else. 00:51:02.600 |
If you're good at athletics, through that lens you judge everybody else. 00:51:06.600 |
And so as soon as we begin to think like I got something to offer God, 00:51:20.600 |
He didn't say become somebody, train and get ready. 00:51:26.600 |
In a large house, there are articles of noble purposes and ignoble purposes. 00:51:31.600 |
If you want to be used for noble purposes, he says empty yourself of ignoble things. 00:51:37.600 |
When Paul says, "I buffet my body and make it my slave, 00:51:41.600 |
and after I have preached to others that I may be disqualified," 00:51:52.600 |
That somehow, somehow in his education, in his knowledge, in his great experience, 00:51:59.600 |
he's got something to offer God, and he is nullified. 00:52:04.600 |
In Proverbs 6, 16-19, it says, "There are six things which the Lord hates, 00:52:13.600 |
And obviously, the authors use this as for the purpose of emphasis. 00:52:20.600 |
So the first time you read this, "Is that six or is that seven?" 00:52:25.600 |
The Bible uses this for the purpose of emphasis. 00:52:29.600 |
This is something that you really need to pay attention. 00:52:31.600 |
Six things, seven things that God detests, and guess what's on the top of that list? 00:52:38.600 |
I've already mentioned to you multiple times, when you see lists in the Bible, it's very purposeful. 00:52:43.600 |
It's not thinking about seven random things and just put it in order and you figure it out. 00:52:47.600 |
It says, "When whatever is on the front, whatever is in the back, it's for one purpose." 00:52:53.600 |
So when he starts by seven things that he detests, 00:52:57.600 |
and the first thing that is on there is haughty eyes, is pride. 00:53:04.600 |
It is his desire to be noticed, to be somebody that ruins everything else. 00:53:26.600 |
Why it bothers us so much when somebody speaks ill of us. 00:53:33.600 |
Because we try so hard to work on our reputation and how people view us. 00:53:40.600 |
And then when somebody pokes a hole at that, we can't stand it. 00:53:45.600 |
And so as a result of that, we say, "Well, then you deserve this or you deserve that." 00:53:49.600 |
And all the strife that comes in to human history is because our pride is hurt. 00:53:58.600 |
And this is the reason why he says in Mark 10:15, "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God 00:54:03.600 |
like a child will not enter it at all until we are first empty." 00:54:11.600 |
Repentance means that all that I had, all that I was pursuing, all that made me happy, 00:54:18.600 |
all that I have hoped for, I was going the wrong direction. 00:54:28.600 |
These are things that have nothing to do with God. 00:54:31.600 |
It's all artificial things that I've been pursuing because I have been alienated from the presence of God. 00:54:49.600 |
In Luke 10:22, he says, "All things have been handed over to me by my Father, 00:54:53.600 |
and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, 00:54:58.600 |
and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal him." 00:55:12.600 |
You know, when people ask, especially if you're young, "What field should I get into for work?" 00:55:22.600 |
And some of you parents aren't going to like me after this, okay? 00:55:27.600 |
I tend to--consider going into a trade school. 00:55:32.600 |
Consider going to a trade school because in the Asian culture, if you don't go to Ivy League, 00:55:36.600 |
if you don't go to a top school, something--we have failed as parents, you know? 00:55:40.600 |
Like, our job is to get them into the best schools possible. 00:55:44.600 |
Right now, people are not going into trade schools. 00:55:46.600 |
So you have electricians and plumbers, and, you know, I know it's a lot of hard work, 00:55:52.600 |
but you're running your own business, and you can pretty much make whatever you want to make, 00:56:02.600 |
So if you think about the practical ramification of that, a trade school is a good option. 00:56:12.600 |
But of all the things that I suggest, electrician is like, oh, yeah, yeah. 00:56:18.600 |
You know, that's one of the fields that every four people retire, only one is coming in, they said. 00:56:23.600 |
So basically, you're going to have a monopoly in the next 10, 20 years. 00:56:29.600 |
I can do plumbing. I can do construction. I can do everything else, but not electrical. 00:56:32.600 |
And the reason why is because of fear, because of fear. 00:56:37.600 |
Because we don't know, like, what if it pops, and I don't know what if I cut the wrong thing. 00:56:44.600 |
And that's a healthy fear, because you understand the power of electricity. 00:56:53.600 |
People have less fear of God than electricity. 00:56:58.600 |
They think about, they're going to just walk toward, you know, the presence of God. 00:57:03.600 |
No, the whole purpose of the Old Testament is to teach us that we've been separated from God, 00:57:08.600 |
just how sinful this sin is, this rebellion, this desire to be somebody, to be recognized, 00:57:14.600 |
to be the center of attention, to be worshiped. 00:57:17.600 |
And the damage that that has done, that death has rained on mankind. 00:57:23.600 |
And he said he gave the law in the Old Testament, the prophets, all to remind us the necessity of Christ. 00:57:31.600 |
So that when Christ came, that they would recognize a need for a Savior. 00:57:39.600 |
He says, John 17, 25, 26, "O righteous Father, although the world has not known you, yet I have known you, 00:57:45.600 |
and these have known that you sent me, and I have made your name known to them, 00:57:49.600 |
and will make it known, so that the love with which you love me may be in them, and I in them." 00:57:57.600 |
So the whole reason why he came is to bring us to God. 00:58:05.600 |
A lot of people think their salvation is simply that they've got to get out of jail cart from hell. 00:58:11.600 |
I don't know if you've ever watched the movie Shawshank Redemption. 00:58:16.600 |
And in that movie, basically, you have people who lived their whole life in prison, 00:58:20.600 |
and then you have this older man, I forgot his name, and he gets released. 00:58:31.600 |
When the doors were open, he came back, and he didn't want to go. 00:58:35.600 |
Because there was no other life waiting for him outside. 00:58:40.600 |
And a lot of people who confess to know Christ experience Christ in the same way. 00:58:46.600 |
We've been delivered from judgment, but they have no understanding to what we have been delivered for. 00:58:54.600 |
The Bible says that we have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of his beloved Son. 00:59:04.600 |
If there is no new life in Christ outside of prison, 00:59:07.600 |
all that has happened was the prison that you're in, the doors have become wider. 00:59:12.600 |
The rooms have become bigger. The courtyard has become larger. 00:59:19.600 |
But the reason why Christ came is to restore us back to God. 00:59:25.600 |
It is in his presence we find life. In his presence we find pleasure. 00:59:33.600 |
That's why Jesus says, "I have come to give life." 00:59:41.600 |
The natural question is, why does he do this? 00:59:46.600 |
In fact, Hebrews chapter 12 says, "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfect of our faith, 00:59:51.600 |
who for the joy set before him endured the cross, 00:59:55.600 |
despite the shame, has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." 00:59:59.600 |
He said the reason why he endured the cross, despite the shame, was he was pursuing joy. 01:00:08.600 |
He picked up the cross. He lived in humiliation. 01:00:15.600 |
And he endured all of that, he says, to pursue joy. 01:00:20.600 |
I remember the first time I was doing quiet time through this years ago, 01:01:01.600 |
And so the natural question is, why does this bring joy to him? 01:01:09.600 |
Well, there's anything that you've worked on, and the more you've worked on it, 01:01:19.600 |
So if you pray for anything, maybe for a week and God answers prayer, joy. 01:01:23.600 |
If you pray for something for decades and God answers it, exponential joy. 01:01:33.600 |
Maybe you've been working in a med school and you had to go to school for, what, 50 years? 01:01:43.600 |
The Bible tells us from the moment Adam and Eve fell, he said, 01:01:50.600 |
the seed of the woman is going to crush the head of the serpent. 01:01:53.600 |
The serpent is going to come and bruise the heel of the seed. 01:01:57.600 |
And then from Genesis chapter 3, he's been following his promise. 01:02:04.600 |
And that's why he has genealogy after genealogy. 01:02:08.600 |
Because he's keeping a record of his promise. 01:02:13.600 |
And again, if you don't understand the context, you don't understand why these genealogies are there. 01:02:18.600 |
That's why when the New Testament started, it starts out with Jesus' genealogy. 01:02:27.600 |
So for thousands of years, he's been laboring. 01:02:40.600 |
All so that Christ's sacrifice would open the door to restore us back to God. 01:03:04.600 |
All that he had prepared was coming to fruition in Christ on the cross. 01:03:16.600 |
But why did he choose to labor to begin with? 01:03:32.600 |
We know what the answer is, but it remains a mystery. 01:03:36.600 |
He says, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son." 01:03:55.600 |
And the psalmist asked the question, "What is man that you are so mindful of him?" 01:04:00.600 |
God demonstrates his own love toward us and that while we were yet sinners, he died for us. 01:04:06.600 |
In a fallen world, it's like, "I don't understand hell." 01:04:13.600 |
If you blaspheme an almighty God, what do you think is going to happen? 01:04:23.600 |
A God who can flip a switch and judge you for every wrongful thought and rebellion against him 01:04:32.600 |
And then he says, "You're going to be punished." 01:04:39.600 |
That a rebellious people rebelled and cursed his name. 01:04:44.600 |
What doesn't make sense is why would he love us? 01:04:54.600 |
It says in Isaiah 26.5, "For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you. 01:04:59.600 |
And as a bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you." 01:05:21.600 |
He says, "Because of the joy set before him, he endured the cross." 01:05:29.600 |
And then Luke 10.23-24, "The blessed are the eyes which see the things which you see. 01:05:35.600 |
For I say to you that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, because 01:05:41.600 |
"Behold, what manner of love is this that He would allow us to call Him our Abba Father, 01:05:48.600 |
that we are the children of God, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you 01:05:56.600 |
It is this mystery of His love which produces worship. 01:06:13.600 |
Romans 8.35, "Who was separated from the love of Christ? 01:06:16.600 |
Would tribulation, distress, persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sore?" 01:06:21.600 |
Romans 8.38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 01:06:26.600 |
nor things present, things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created 01:06:31.600 |
thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 01:06:38.600 |
The growing understanding of what it is that we have in Christ is what causes us to be 01:06:57.600 |
God is looking for people to worship Him in spirit and in truth, and He says it brings 01:07:05.600 |
And the only answer, you can ask all the questions, all the things that don't make any sense, 01:07:12.600 |
and every one of your questions will lead to that question, "Why does He love us?" 01:07:23.280 |
As you guys know, some of you guys know, my oldest son got married last year, right? 01:07:29.000 |
And I've been at, you know, many, many weddings, right? 01:07:32.600 |
I don't know, it's got to be several hundred. 01:07:38.560 |
At the end of the wedding, not everybody, at the end of the wedding, there's some dancing 01:07:46.560 |
And usually that's my cue to leave, my cue to leave. 01:07:49.400 |
So as soon as the music gets, starts going, and the light starts flashing, and then people 01:07:54.360 |
start wiggling, like, I'm out of there, and all the older people leave, right? 01:08:01.200 |
In the beginning, it used to bother me because, you know, I come from a generation where, 01:08:05.880 |
you know, the dancing is clubbing, and drinking, and debauchery. 01:08:09.240 |
And that's what I, in fact, when I first came to Biola, I actually had to sign a paper saying 01:08:12.840 |
I will not dance, because it wasn't allowed, right? 01:08:17.840 |
So in the beginning, I was like, "What is this?" 01:08:20.280 |
You know, they're dancing, it's just like, okay. 01:08:24.440 |
But years ago, I went to a synagogue, you know, it was required from our seminary class, 01:08:29.720 |
just so you can have an idea of what the synagogue worship was like. 01:08:32.280 |
And at the synagogue, the rabbi would come, and he would read some passages, and I would 01:08:37.640 |
say 70% of their worship is singing, they would sing the psalms, and then he would give 01:08:45.960 |
And then, before the service is over, he gets everybody to stand up, and we would just go 01:08:49.720 |
to the back of the sanctuary, and they would stand in a circle, and they have fellowship 01:08:53.280 |
refreshments on the side, and they would just start dancing, and it was so weird, right? 01:09:00.800 |
There's the lights, you know, and we started dancing, and I realized that that was part 01:09:07.920 |
Like King David, he entered the courts with singing and dancing, it says, and they were 01:09:13.360 |
And so, I started to say, "Okay, it's a little bit more," it was because of my cultural, 01:09:17.600 |
you know, what I was taught, and I said, "Okay, so there's a celebration going on, as long 01:09:22.480 |
as you don't dance a weird way, you know what I mean? 01:09:27.640 |
And that you are selective of the music, you know, that, okay, I can see this as a celebration." 01:09:38.720 |
So usually, when they're like, everybody knows, when the lights are down, PPK is gone, right? 01:09:50.360 |
So I was there, I'm trying to stick around, 'cause I'm trying to help clean up, and then, 01:09:54.040 |
you know, the music comes on, and I found myself so happy. 01:10:01.520 |
Not because of the music, you're right, not because of the DJ, because my son and his 01:10:10.560 |
And I was just watching, you know, taking a video of that, and he's like, "They're so 01:10:17.020 |
And they were dancing, and, you know, some of you guys said that I was dancing, I don't 01:10:24.680 |
But I videotaped that, and I have it on my phone, and I watch it from time to time, because 01:10:38.340 |
And I remember just sitting there until the music stopped, just soaking it all up, because 01:10:45.080 |
my son has a new bride, and he's so happy, and you could see the joy on his face, you 01:10:49.320 |
could see the joy, you know, on his bride's face, on the bride's, and the friends coming 01:10:53.560 |
in, and then, just jumping up and down, and, you know, just sitting there, just so happy 01:11:11.360 |
And I say again, "Rejoice," because that's what He came to bring. 01:11:18.160 |
A new life, an abundant life, an eternal life in Christ. 01:11:24.040 |
So it brings Him pleasure to see us enjoying our new life, celebrating who He is. 01:11:33.800 |
It brings Him pleasure to see us worshiping Him, and rejoicing, and even dancing, because 01:11:56.640 |
You know, people always ask me, like, "Isn't it hard, on Sunday, preaching three times?" 01:12:01.600 |
Sunday's my favorite day, yeah, my favorite day, because, you know, all week, you know, 01:12:06.960 |
I'm reading the Bible, and studying, and praying by myself, and then, I get to come and do 01:12:15.640 |
You know, you can play basketball by yourself, but BBA is much more fun, because you get 01:12:25.600 |
You can pray by yourself, but it's much better when you're praying with other people. 01:12:33.600 |
I get to do it three times, and it brings our Lord pleasure. 01:12:43.960 |
I pray that this mystery of Christ, that you would soak in, that you would soak in, so 01:12:52.280 |
that you and I would be the aroma of Christ wherever we go. 01:13:14.760 |
Help us, Lord God, to understand deeply what it is that we have in Christ, that all that 01:13:21.040 |
we do would simply be a response, a reasonable response. 01:13:26.800 |
Help us, Lord God, to take our eyes off of ourselves, off of this world, and fix it on 01:13:32.120 |
Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. 01:13:58.440 |
I will trust my Savior Jesus when my darkest hours befall. 01:14:25.440 |
I will trust my Savior Jesus, trust Him when my strength is small. 01:14:53.160 |
Jesus, only Jesus, help me trust You more and more. 01:15:03.160 |
Jesus, only Jesus, may my heart be ever Yours. 01:15:14.760 |
I will trust my Savior Jesus, He has said His way is best, and I know the path He's 01:15:45.520 |
Jesus, only Jesus, help me trust You more and more. 01:16:06.520 |
Jesus, only Jesus, help me trust You more and more. 01:16:35.080 |
Oh, on that cross, how it was seen, I can go now ever trusting in the One who died 01:17:16.960 |
What could I bring for Your gift is complete. 01:17:45.400 |
Jesus, only Jesus, help me trust You more and more. 01:18:13.880 |
Jesus, only Jesus, help me trust You more and more. 01:18:36.120 |
Jesus, only Jesus, may my heart be ever Yours. 01:18:42.120 |
1 Peter 1 3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to 01:18:48.520 |
His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection 01:18:53.120 |
of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled 01:18:59.520 |
and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, for protected by the power of God 01:19:05.200 |
through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 01:19:09.700 |
In this, you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you 01:19:17.800 |
Help us, Lord God, to recognize what it is that we have in Christ, that we would worship 01:19:24.300 |
You in spirit and in truth, that we would declare Your new life, Your glory, wherever 01:19:36.360 |
God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus, He came to love, He left the world, He lived 01:20:02.860 |
in us, He came to buy my soul, He came to buy my heart. 01:20:31.500 |
And I know, because of You, all fear is gone, because I know, He owns the future, and life