Steve Gentry
[0:00] I’m gonna not be brief this morning because I know that you have eight hours of pregame footage [0:06] to go [0:08] waste your time on [0:10] where they’ll talk about how the coaches dress and how they’re brothers and [0:15] You really shouldn’t care [0:17] Go ahead and open your Bibles to John chapter 15 John chapter 15
[0:22] My wife had our second child last week, so I’m pretty tired [0:28] Yes, praise God praise God [0:31] I’m pretty tired and you’re gonna pay the price for that this morning [0:35] so [0:36] I’ve got a lot of caffeine in me and it’s not really working. So I don’t know what to do if I start yelling. That’s why [0:43] But in the past couple of weeks minus last Sunday, we’ve been talking about John 15
[0:49] We’ve been going through this chapter of God’s Word where he talks about [0:54] Jesus actually is speaking to his disciples is what’s sometimes called the farewell discourse really the last message [1:00] He gives to his disciples and in chapter 15 [1:03] He gives what what I really think is some of the most important [1:07] Words that we can live by in the Christian life and he starts by talking about the reality that we find our identity [1:14] In who Jesus is and what he has told us to do and who he has told us we are through him
[1:20] and that the way that we think about Christ is [1:24] Really where abiding in him starts [1:27] It’s this reality that we cannot move past Jesus [1:31] We cannot move away from Jesus and have any hope of finding life or having the life that we were designed to have [1:39] Because he is the very source of life and to disconnect ourselves from him is really to begin to die and [1:48] to live a life that is inevitable and
[1:51] Getting to a place of condemnation because only life is in Jesus now [1:57] Last the week before that or the week after that where are we? [2:01] We talked about how we act as we abide in Christ the fact that he’s told us to be absolutely [2:07] Dependent on him and that if we are dependent on him, then he will [2:12] Tell us what to do. He will guide us in the life that we’re supposed to have [2:16] He will give us the steps to take and he’s revealed in his word and he promises that through his Holy Spirit
[2:22] He’s going to remind us of everything that he’s told us to do and everything that he’s told us [2:26] We are and that when life gets tough and it will
[2:31] That we are to find our hope in him and him alone and that leads us to this week now the end of John 15 [2:37] Is not a section of Scripture that I’ve really heard preached much because it is a difficult passage [2:43] It’s not something that you wake up in the morning read through and you’re like, alright [2:46] I can face the day really brighter and more inspired now because he talks about hate [2:51] Six times in this passage. He talks about how the world either hates him or the world’s gonna hate you and [2:59] There’s this reality that we get through the first 17 verses and he ends verse 17 and it’s just is so consumed with love
[3:07] So consumed with the love that he has for us so consumed with the love that he has for the world that if we abide [3:13] In his love we will live a life as it was designed to live [3:19] But then in verse 18 he gives the most [3:22] Contrasting statement to verse 17 that we can really find in Scripture and he goes from saying love to saying the very opposite [3:29] Of love and that is hate [3:31] So in John chapter 15 verse 18, I just want to read that first verse and then we’re gonna kick it off from there
[3:38] In John 15 18. Jesus says this if the world hates you [3:43] know [3:44] That it has hated me before [3:47] It hated you [3:49] Now this is where he really draws a distinct line into the life that we have in him [3:56] Because you got to understand that as he’s saying this he knows full and well that within a few days
[4:02] He’s gonna be crucified some people believe it happened even the next day [4:07] So he’s telling the disciples all about what life is like in him [4:10] But then he gives them a stark warning and that is the warning that he’s about to enter into [4:16] Himself and that is a great the greatest persecution that you can know as a believer [4:21] And that is losing your very life [4:24] But Jesus doesn’t say this so that we can become masochistic and take joy in the fact that people hate me
[4:30] Because sometimes we’re looking for an excuse about that and we’ll look for that. We’ll look at that later [4:34] But what Jesus is saying is is [4:36] Understand that you’re not going to endure anything in your life if you follow me that I myself have not endured and [4:43] Then he proves that by going to the cross right after this [4:47] But the question really begs is we just sang a song Jesus paid it all and you know as I listen to you worship [4:52] As I listen you take joy in a song that you should take joy in it seems kind of odd that anyone would hate him
[4:59] And we’ve heard you know the sayings that you know [5:02] I’d love Jesus, but I don’t like his followers because they’re so unlike Jesus because Jesus right here says well [5:08] They don’t like you they don’t like me [5:10] And if they say they like me, and they don’t really know me well, then they like something else a redefinition of who I am [5:19] What Jesus is dealing with here is who he actually is that he is God made flesh and the reality that a God that makes [5:27] Himself known to a world that wants to be their own gods is offensive
[5:34] So really quick. I want to take you through just a few reasons [5:38] Why there could be hate in your heart towards Jesus or in someone else’s heart towards Jesus? [5:44] Because he starts as often [5:45] It’s very important to understand that he says if the world hates you know that it hated me first [5:49] So why would a world hate a God who comes to redeem humanity? [5:55] Jesus reveals number one a God opposed to a self-centered world
[6:02] God is not all about [6:05] Me being the commander of my own destiny [6:09] God is not all about me having authority over my life [6:15] God is not all about me being in charge or me being in the driver’s seat or me being in control and [6:23] Jesus reveals that and that’s about as offensive as you can get in a world that craves [6:28] Authority and a world that craves control in a culture that’s kind of obsessed with being a leader and having leadership
[6:37] While that’s very important understand that our leadership does not start with us having any authority over this life to begin with [6:45] So what is it about Jesus making himself known in God? [6:48] Revealing himself to the world that could possibly bring any hatred well the first thing about that is that it’s a self-centered world and [6:55] So we don’t really want to think that outside of ourselves. We have any responsibility to anyone else
[7:01] but Jesus [7:03] Makes himself known as the one to whom we are responsible
[7:11] God makes himself known to humanity and this is a humanity that has kind of turned its back on God [7:17] If humanity had not then we probably wouldn’t have killed Jesus [7:22] So the fact is that when Jesus makes himself known into the world he makes himself known to a world by saying [7:28] Understand that you are responsible to God if there is a God [7:33] Let’s think about it this way if there is a God who created all that exists [7:38] There is a God that designed who you are there is a God that has the power to speak the world into existence
[7:45] Then that is a God if I’m his creation that I am necessarily [7:50] Responsible to the one who created me I should live the way that he determined that I live [7:56] I should be the way that he designed me to live
[8:00] But if I’m not [8:04] Then something’s gone wrong [8:07] But if I’m in control of my own life if I’m in control of my own destiny if I have absolute [8:12] Authority over myself and I can redefine things the way in which that I think they should be then whom am I to whom am I responsible? [8:21] myself [8:23] The landscape that Jesus came into two thousand years ago is a landscape where the very nation that God chose
[8:30] To reveal himself to and to reveal his law to are a people who have taken the very law that he made and have [8:38] Perverted it into such a way that they could be judgmental to one another and they could show who’s better under this system [8:44] And they had a pharisaical system once the Pharisees stood in front of everybody and say see how great we are you should be like us
[8:51] When in reality any revelation of who God is and that’s what the law was is a point to not show how much better [8:58] We are than one another but rather to show how great God is
[9:02] And so even the very revelation of God was taken and pointed towards us [9:08] Because we do not want to be responsible to anyone
[9:15] You ever had a boss that called you on a mistake that you made
[9:19] At first before you realize he was right weren’t you offended a little bit how dare he point out a flaw [9:26] Who does he think he is? [9:29] He’s probably the one that makes the rules and you broke them you ever been pulled over for speeding
[9:36] And [9:37] And at first aren’t you just so angry at the cop oh [9:41] He’s just trying to fill a quota or you were going 20 over the speed limit. It’s one of those two things [9:47] It’s one of those two [9:50] But what we see in those things when we make mistakes and we’re called on them when we do things that we’re not supposed to [9:56] And somebody figures it out is
[9:57] Immediately I’m offended at them [10:01] How dare they say I have a responsibility for anything outside of myself
[10:07] Because what those things do in those very moments is they show an absolute lack of control that I have [10:13] It shows that I am NOT the end-all in authority [10:18] It shows there is authority outside of myself, and I think that’s actually a general revelation that God gives us of who he is [10:26] And so when Jesus comes on to the scene, and he says I’m God [10:31] By the way, he does say that many times in Scripture
[10:37] Who does this guy think he is because if he’s God he can call us on not following God
[10:46] It’s offensive [10:46] Secondly a God who makes himself known and he does through Jesus
[10:52] brings judgment [10:54] Well the most amazing things about the scriptures [10:56] And I love the book of John for this is because it shows so much of who he is as God [11:02] It shows him and it does through the rest of the gospel as well as he makes the blind see he makes the lame walk [11:08] He raises one of his best friends from the dead [11:12] Jesus does all of these miraculous things, but in each and every one of these miracles
[11:17] I want you to understand that there’s judgment [11:21] Because what Jesus is doing when he makes that which is not right right [11:26] He’s showing that the world is not the way that he wants it and every time he’s pointing out that there is [11:35] sin [11:35] Because ultimately all sickness exists not necessarily because of a specific sin that I have done but because there is sin in general [11:44] And then everything that goes a little bit wrong is heading us towards a little bit of death and sin exists
[11:52] Even one time in the scriptures Jesus heals a blind man and the Pharisees try to trip him up and they say hey [11:58] Why was he blind was it because of sin on his account which the scripture say was blind from birth? [12:03] Couldn’t have been or was it his parents sin and Jesus says it was neither. It was so that I could be glorified
[12:13] See in his very judgment he’s loving [12:17] And he’s saying it doesn’t exist [12:20] Because you are something that is on love but rather it exists so that I could show you what supreme love is in redemption [12:27] But there’s another judgment in that and that is that we need to be redeemed
[12:34] That’s about as judgmental as you can get it’s to look at someone and say hey you’ve sinned and [12:41] You need redemption from that sin. It’s not okay that you stay that way and [12:45] Jesus brings that type of judgment even to those who are the most moral of that day the Pharisees read Matthew chapter [12:53] 23 someday and he just looks at them and he says well unto you you brood of vipers you whitewash tombs the most religious [13:00] Elite the most moral people of that day who went down into their spice racks [13:05] So things really odd that they had those anyway, they had these spice racks and they would tithe out of their spice racks
[13:12] And Jesus says yeah, you’ve done that but you’ve ignored the weightier matters of the law [13:16] Which you couldn’t do you couldn’t be just you couldn’t be righteous [13:19] You couldn’t be loving because that’s only from God and since you don’t have God you can’t really do that. Can you? [13:27] It’s a Jesus comes and he judges everyone
[13:32] Even when he goes to someone that the world has said you are a sinner [13:36] And we’re going to kill you for it the woman found in some type of adultery [13:40] And some type of fornication he goes there and then man the Pharisees are getting ready to stone her and they say hey [13:45] Jesus what should we do and I don’t know what he wrote in the sand that day read the passage [13:49] But I have a feeling it was a little bit of a laundry list [13:53] Bob you did this Fred you did this
[13:56] And it says they whoever has not sinned cast the first stone and Jesus confronts them. This is your sinner [14:02] But even to her he says you go and sin no more [14:06] And so everyone is laid waste as Jesus reveals himself to us [14:14] Because Jesus brought judgment [14:16] And then Jesus if there is a God who is there and he makes himself known [14:23] Specifically to us as to who his actual identity is it changes everything
[14:29] It changes [14:31] Absolutely everything because it’s one thing for me to look out there and look at the beauty of creation [14:37] Look at the beauty of science look at the beauty of how everything works in this world and say there must be a God [14:44] Who did all of this, but it’s another thing for God to show up and say hi. My name is Jesus
[14:50] Because now I’m left without excuse I can no longer say well, maybe this one’s right or this one’s right God says it’s me [14:59] That changes everything we are left without excuse into a self-centered world [15:08] We don’t want that [15:10] We don’t want to have to settle for one thing we want to have options I [15:17] loved multiple choice tests [15:19] Because usually they had like four and I hated the teachers that gave me like ten options
[15:24] Because then it’s down to ten percent [15:27] But with four twenty five percent pretty good odds
[15:32] So that’s kind of what we want God to be for us [15:34] We would rather him be like a multiple choice test well [15:37] Maybe all roads are leading to that one God what if God actually showed up and said no this is the one [15:44] This is the one well then we’re without excuse and it changes everything because if Jesus is God then Jesus [15:50] Demands our worship he demands our submission [15:54] And he demands that we follow him and him alone
[15:58] You see in Jesus we see that he is inclusive in reach [16:04] But he’s exclusive in grasp [16:08] It’s something when people ask me is Christianity an exclusive religion [16:12] Can’t you kind of have to understand the way your semantics work in that because it’s not contradictory here [16:17] But I want you to understand something really quick in Titus chapter 2 verse 11 [16:21] This is what it says is for the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all people in 1st
[16:26] Timothy 2 for the scriptures say [16:28] Talking of God that he desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth [16:34] It’s very inclusive in other words that Jesus in being God has this great [16:40] Capacity and what he’s doing for all people to come to faith in him that no one has to be left out that [16:48] All people can come to the saving knowledge of who Jesus Christ is because he is God and we can know that
[16:56] But it’s also very exclusive [16:59] Because Acts chapter 4 puts it this way and there is salvation in no one else [17:04] For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved [17:09] And Jesus himself in John chapter 14 says I am the way the truth the light no one comes to the Father but by me
[17:18] Lord yes, he wants the whole world, but he wants the whole world [17:24] There’s no other way [17:26] It’s Jesus into a world that wants to command its own destiny that is [17:33] Offensive we cannot remove that offense [17:36] To do so would be unloving because then we disguise truth under the veil of [17:44] plurality
[17:45] There is one way to come to faith and that’s through Jesus Christ [17:49] So that is why Jesus is saying understand that if the world hates you hated me first [17:56] Because Jesus is not a simple God who’s just come to kneel at the feet of our choice [18:03] Rather he is a great creator sovereign God who comes and say and says kneel and worship me [18:11] Because he is God if he was anything else he couldn’t be God
[18:20] Look at verse 22. I want to skip ahead just a little bit and then I’m gonna back up
[18:26] Because I want to talk about Jesus before I talk about us
[18:30] verse 22 [18:31] Puts it this way [18:33] He says if I had not come and [18:36] Spoke into them [18:38] They would not have been guilty of sin [18:40] But now they have no excuse for
[18:44] Their sin see that [18:47] That’s interesting Jesus says there
[18:50] Jesus in his exclusivity
[18:55] Exposes our sin [18:57] You say wait a second didn’t he give the law of the thou shouts and the thou shouts not in the Old Testament [19:03] So how is he saying we’re not responsible to our sin when we had it all those years
[19:09] It’s not that Jesus comes and says this is sin because you were totally clueless of this no they knew what sin was [19:18] Jesus leaves us without excuse because through him we know what right looks like
[19:24] See all that a sinful world has to compare is one another and you see through the Pharisees in the book of Matthew [19:30] Especially how that can go wrong [19:33] Because when we compare one thing to another if you compare a sinner to a sinner your best hope is to get sinners [19:41] You’re never gonna get righteous by sinners, but when Jesus comes he is the first human [19:49] To ever step onto the scene and [19:52] Say this is what it actually looks like to obey the law of God fully without flaw
[19:59] And so that’s why humanity is now without excuse because we’ve never seen anything like that before but in Jesus we see it [20:06] Every time they try to trip him up they fail and they ultimately end up crucifying him because he was honest about who he was and [20:14] That they said you’re blasphemous because you can’t be God
[20:18] And in that he exposes the very sin that I have because I can never measure up to anything quite like that [20:27] I can never completely obey God’s law because even if I do I look at my motives [20:33] And then I find out that my motives were just to look better than the next guy and in that I’ve sinned
[20:39] Because ultimately everything finds its stem in some kind of pride that I have
[20:44] And so what Jesus does and he comes and not only were his actions pure, but so were his motives how dare he
[20:53] To a world in that day and age that was surrounded by him that were doing everything they could to find righteousness in and of themselves [21:01] That was very offensive
[21:06] We would not know [21:08] What it is to be responsible for our sin what it is to be judged for our sin and what righteousness actually looks like [21:16] apart from knowing who Jesus himself is
[21:21] Jesus demands a humility in which we must admit that we’ve messed up [21:27] We must [21:29] Look at the times in scripture where sinners come into the face excuse me come face to face with Jesus [21:34] There’s never a moment where anyone that kind of finds salvation in Jesus or finds that he is God or worships him [21:42] Where they just kind of say face to face well, that’s a good thing that you’re God. Thanks for showing up [21:48] Every time we find people humbled so much that they’re down on their face
[21:53] We find women caught in sin washing his feet with the most expensive of perfume [21:57] We find Peter after he denies Jesus. He’s just so torn and he weeps [22:02] We find Judas that when he’s confronted with his sin, he hangs himself and commits suicide
[22:08] It’s a deep humility when you come face to face with who Jesus is and when you are a self-obsessed [22:14] Self-absorbed human which we all without Christ are is very offensive because it demands change [22:23] Because it demands us to look in the mirror admit that everything is not all right [22:29] And I need a hope that I cannot find in and of myself
[22:35] Jesus is God
[22:38] So what does that do to us [22:41] Well the most scandalous aspect of the gospel [22:45] Is all of the responsibility responsibility judgment and change that Jesus brought and he shows us
[22:54] We’re taken by him to death as he offered himself up as a sacrifice for the very people offended by his presence [23:02] Jesus doesn’t come to condemn he came to redeem
[23:08] And when you come to that reality [23:11] That he is a God that knows what love actually is because he loves the very ones who were steeped in rebellion [23:19] against him
[23:23] Well [23:23] That is what humbles you to the point of salvation [23:28] But if you do not come to a point where you’re honest about that and you stay on the offense of how dare [23:35] He say that I need redemption you will spend your time in hatred of him and then ultimately in [23:43] Hatred of those who humble themselves to that point
[23:49] You must know God through Jesus, but to know him is to know the only redemption that man can ever know
[23:59] And there’s only two responses that you’re going to have there is no apathy [24:04] You’re either going to love him desperately and find him the most beautiful God that could possibly exist and the only one that does exist [24:11] Are you going to live your life? [24:14] aggressively against those who do find him beautiful
[24:23] Friends following Jesus thirdly this morning is countercultural
[24:29] It is [24:30] Is against everything culture stands for and there’s no way to remove that [24:35] When we attempt to remove that our best [24:38] Hope is to have a gospel and a God that is just a little bit off of who he actually says that he is [24:45] Look at what he says in verse 19 [24:48] If you were of the world the world would love you as its own
[24:54] But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world [24:59] Therefore the world hates you remember the word that I said to you a servant is not greater than his master if they persecuted me [25:07] They will also persecute you
[25:10] Notice the words there [25:14] What he’s talking about is this reality [25:18] That if you are going to follow Jesus with your life there will be conflict [25:25] There will be opposition [25:27] because your life [25:29] For it to necessarily be in following Jesus it will be in the direction away from everyone
[25:34] That’s not following Jesus some of this is just good logic
[25:42] Jesus changes your affections
[25:46] Matthew chapter 10 verse 35 puts it this way [25:50] Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth [25:54] Have not come to bring peace but the sword that’s verse 34 verse 35 for I have come to set a man against his father [26:02] And a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law [26:07] And I’ve seen a lot of daughter-in-law’s a mother-in-law’s that don’t get along so that’s that’s normal [26:11] But the first ones that he sets
[26:14] Man against his father daughter against her mother [26:18] That’s so weird [26:20] This great Jesus that brings redemption this great Jesus that brings a hope he himself says [26:27] Understand that this is going to bring conflict into your life because there is going to be a battle that wages from one [26:35] Kingdom against another one is the kingdom of this world the one that says that we have [26:41] Authority the one that says that we are responsible to ourselves and ourselves alone that hope is only found in what we can do
[26:47] And the kingdom of God is the only religion the only revelation about God that looks at divine accomplishment [26:55] That looks at what God does for us rather than what we do for God
[27:02] And when we come up against any [27:05] competing allegiance [27:07] There will be opposition and conflict because we will be on a journey if we’re following Jesus [27:14] To where it’s gonna be difficult at first because we’ve got all this different affection inside of us [27:20] We want to follow God [27:21] But we love to follow sin and as we follow him we fall more and more in love with him
[27:26] Giving more and more of ourselves to him and guess what you will have less and less in common with those who do not love him
[27:34] It’s a reality that cannot be removed because it’s a reality of what it looks like to follow Jesus [27:39] Because more of your sight will be on him more of your devotion will be to him [27:43] More of your affection will be for him and you will be looking for more and more things in your life that you can trade [27:48] To have something better in Jesus because that’s what following Jesus looks like and when you’re in a world that does not want that [27:56] Then there’s going to be conflict even within [28:00] families
[28:03] And that’ll be the most painful part that’s why I looked at that one [28:07] Because that’s the hardest thing you could ever do in life because those are the people that you love the most
[28:14] But remember two weeks ago when we talked about [28:17] What loving people looks like that it always looks like us devoted to the cross it always looks like us pushing people towards the cross [28:24] If you compromise on following Jesus you’re compromising on what actually is love for your family
[28:32] The compromising the truth of Jesus Christ is not love for your family [28:36] It’s actually hate because the only hope your family has is the hope of Jesus Christ [28:41] And so the more that you can be devoted to him the more that you can be captivated by him the more you can live [28:48] In worship of him the more hope that those around you will have even when they respond in bitter hatred towards you
[28:56] He changes our affections he says that you are not of this world
[29:03] So there are going to be things that are true of you that the people who do not follow Jesus they will not [29:10] Understand you cannot both abide in Christ and abide of this world
[29:21] Jesus also changes your values [29:24] Jesus will change your values [29:27] And I want to get back a little bit to that judgment and responsibility that we talked about Jesus and how that [29:31] Translates over into us because there is a way and there is coming a cultural shift [29:37] Even in this society in which more and more authority is on the self [29:43] More and more thought and responsibility is in the self
[29:47] So we desire to take authority into ourselves and be able to make certain [29:52] Choices for things that God would not have us to choose because he has defined them already [29:57] That which God has defined in Scripture is not open for evolution because culture changes around it [30:05] Certain values cannot evolve because God has made blanket statements in the Old and New Testament about it [30:11] So I want you to understand that in following Jesus there will be [30:16] changes in your values and
[30:19] I want to be very specific and all I could spend like a day talking about this [30:23] But I want to talk about two different things right now that are really the hot ticket items [30:28] last Sunday [30:30] Was this the the anniversary of Roe versus Wade [30:33] And I want you to understand that in a world that says that we have the right to choose [30:39] life or not choose life your
[30:43] Foundational values as a Christian will be challenged because I do not believe that we have the authority to take life because God is [30:48] the designer of that life
[30:52] Last a week ago Friday I held my newborn daughter in my arms [30:57] And I looked at a life that is precious to God [31:01] The scriptures tell us in Psalm 139 that in the womb God knitted us together [31:07] Therefore in the womb my authority is stripped away friends [31:13] In a culture that desires comfort and leisure [31:16] We do not have the right
[31:19] To make choices that God does not desire to have the right [31:24] We are not allowed to pick the winners and the losers only God has that right [31:30] We live in a culture that would sacrifice life in order for their own gain [31:35] And I say that as a follower of Jesus we must be the voice in this culture that says only [31:41] God has the right to take a human life
[31:47] We cannot live in a culture and be silent on these issues because then we run the risk of being complicit [31:54] With a culture that would take an authority that is not their own friends
[32:01] But rather we must be the people that stand up and do something about it [32:05] We should be at the forefront of adoption [32:07] We should set our lives up in such a way that we have room in our homes to adopt [32:11] We should be at the forefront of caring for those who have [32:15] Special needs we should be in the forefront of caring for those who are handicapped [32:19] We should be at the forefront of those whom when others cry choice we cry life
[32:24] It is not anti-abortion it is pro-life
[32:28] Because God is the author of life and I am NOT [32:32] I do not have that authority and Jesus reveals to me that I do not have that authority
[32:40] Jesus wants to change your life [32:43] And I don’t mean that all we have is this responsibility to vote a certain way I mean [32:51] Socioeconomically we have the responsibility given by God to set our lives up [32:56] Financially so that we have enough margin to do something
[33:02] That is what following Jesus looks like [33:05] when we reduce things to a [33:08] Is [33:09] People but when we actually set our lives up to do something well that is love [33:15] This is not a red or a blue issue, and I am NOT a Republican
[33:21] This is an issue of what following Jesus looks like
[33:28] Secondly I gotta go fast secondly [33:31] I have we do not have the authority to define sexuality however we see fit
[33:40] We do not this is old joke that I used to hate [33:46] God didn’t create Adam and Steve. I still hate that joke
[33:53] Mostly because my name Steve
[34:01] I [34:01] Mostly I dislike it because I think it makes a very complex issue very simplistic [34:07] Very simplistic when it’s not a simplistic issue, but I want you to understand
[34:13] That God has defined things that will never evolve past the way he defined it I [34:21] Was created to love my wife
[34:25] Who is a woman I
[34:29] Was not created to love someone of the same gender with that type of romantic love I [34:37] Don’t have much time, but I want you to understand
[34:40] That the option is not to take authority to follow an affection that God did not [34:46] Designed to be for something that it should not be the option that we have is [34:51] Obedience in face of everything and I do not believe that God would have everyone to actively pursue [34:59] Heterosexuality necessarily, but I do believe God would have some pursue abstinence
[35:05] It is better to be obedient to God than disobedient any day of the week
[35:12] It is better to deny myself than to find myself in disobedience to God
[35:19] God has created our affections to be a certain way and to be for a certain thing and the option is not to take [35:26] authority and responsibility and say [35:29] That’s outdated [35:31] It’s not outdated if that’s the way the eternal God [35:34] It’s funny that sometimes we can look at God who’s eternal and say that we think something’s outdated. He’s always existed [35:42] He’s like well may seem old to you, but it seems really old to me
[35:48] He has designed life and we cannot change that [35:54] What we can do is live to proactively redeem it
[36:01] It’s following him as counterculture
[36:06] I want you to understand that Jesus not only changes our affections and our values, but he changes our mission [36:14] And this is where we get into the difference between hate and love
[36:19] This is the world is going to hate certain things about us and sometimes it’ll blow down to they seem to hate us [36:27] But what Jesus is really saying here is that the world isn’t hating you the world’s hating me
[36:33] But I want you to understand something very important you can read through this entire passage I
[36:43] Want you to understand that you will not find any place where we are called to hate the world
[36:49] That’s very important, I think that’s one of the supreme important parts of this passage [36:53] Is that you are never called to respond in hate you are never called to hurl insults [36:58] Especially with those two hot ticket items in this culture [37:00] I want you to understand that you are not called to respond and hate because if you do you are responding in a way that [37:05] Jesus did not [37:07] Jesus always responded in love he responded in truth
[37:10] But he also responded in compassion [37:14] That our call is not to trump certain issues and say that if you don’t believe the way that we believe well [37:20] You’re just you know you’re a hellion and God hates you no God loves them because he went to the cross for them
[37:27] Just like he went to the cross for me [37:30] You fill you in there’s no center bigger than me, and there’s no center bigger than you we’re all centers [37:36] So when you begin to compare and contrast you begin interest you begin interestingly [37:40] To look a lot like those Pharisees that Jesus looked at and said there were a brood of vipers and whitewashed tombs [37:46] You know it is to be a whitewashed tomb [37:49] Because you know aren’t aren’t headstones. They’re beautiful. They’re also very expensive. That’s why I’m avoiding death at all costs, but
[37:57] It can be really pretty you know they put when you’re born when you died [38:02] But Jesus is making an analogy here that you can really clean that up you can make it sparkle [38:06] You can use marble you can use the finest granite, but when you get down into that grave [38:10] There’s nothing but a bunch of bones and grossness
[38:14] That’s what death looks like [38:17] And so when we begin to say we’re better than other people well guess what we’re becoming responsible for ourselves and grabbing a hold [38:23] Of a little more authority by our very morality and Jesus wouldn’t have us do that because he’s given us a mission [38:28] That’s going to be offensive to the world and that is a mission in which we see he says and I want you to let’s go on [38:33] down there [38:34] So I don’t get ahead of myself, and you know how I can do that
[38:40] Verse 23 says whoever hates me hates my father also [38:44] If I had not done among them the works that no one else did they would not be guilty of sin [38:48] But now they have seen and hated both me and my father
[38:53] But the word [38:55] That is written in their law must be fulfilled they hated me without cause therefore, I don’t believe we’re supposed to give them cause
[39:03] Look at verse 26. It says some interesting things here [39:06] He says but when the helper comes whom I will send to you from the father [39:11] The spirit of truth who proceeds from the father he will bear witness about me and [39:18] You also will bear witness [39:21] You see that you also will bear witness [39:27] He’s given us a mission the very same mission that he gave himself and that mission is that we are to
[39:34] Pursue those who do not know God with a message of who God is in the news of what God has done on our behalf [39:40] That Jesus took our sin to the cross with him and we are to give that to the world that is our mission [39:48] That is what we exist to do and the only way that we will make it through life giving the world a [39:56] Message of redemption that is offensive to them because it says they need to be redeemed is by finally this morning number four abiding in [40:04] Jesus [40:05] gives endurance through a loving hope
[40:09] This is not a call to respond in hate but to endure in hope [40:15] The first Corinthians chapter 1 this is how Paul puts it he says but we preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to Jews and
[40:25] folly [40:26] to Gentiles [40:28] And Luke chapter 6 he says but I say to you who hear love your enemies do good to those who hate you [40:33] Bless those who curse you pray for those who abuse you [40:37] That isn’t easy is it? [40:40] That’s tough
[40:41] It’s why in verse 26 he says but the helper is gonna come the spirit [40:48] Who will live in you who will testify to you about who Jesus is who will guide you as you live for him? [40:55] Who will give you a mission that is not your own but rather he will give you a mission that belongs to the God who? [41:01] Is eternal the God who has always been there the God who loves enough to come to a world that is? [41:08] determined to kill him and [41:10] He says well, okay
[41:12] I’ll go through the greatest pain that’s ever been known [41:15] I will sink myself into the greatest depths of suffering that has ever been but understand one thing [41:21] I’m also the God who has power over death
[41:25] And then three days later he rose again
[41:29] We do not follow a God who can be trifled with we follow a God who is all-powerful [41:34] We follow a God who is all sovereign so as we endure we endure with the very hope that even if they kill us
[41:44] It’s a good thing I know a God who raises the dead
[41:49] And he’s promised to do that
[41:52] It’s the greatest promise that God has ever made [41:56] That there is coming a day where real life will be had in a real kingdom that [42:02] Exists in the way that he has [42:05] Originally designed this world to be and that is a kingdom where there is no pain a kingdom where there is no suffering [42:12] a kingdom where there is no hate a kingdom where only the red hot love of God [42:18] rules, and it will rain forever and
[42:22] That is the hope [42:24] That it gives us
[42:29] But when we respond with anything less than the gospel [42:33] I want you to understand that we respond in a way that God would not have us to respond that we are not showing a [42:41] Great allegiance to Jesus. We’re showing a great offensiveness for our feelings being hurt
[42:49] Also want you to understand [42:51] That the offense of the world is the gospel and nothing else
[42:57] I [42:58] Think it’s very important. We’re gonna spend about a minute on this, but make sure it’s the gospel that defend [43:02] That’s offensive and not just your personality
[43:07] I’ve run that man. I know what that’s all about if anybody’s got a sinful personality. It’s me I [43:14] Believe that that those who aren’t sarcastic just aren’t witty enough
[43:21] One of my core values it’s not a godly one though [43:26] But here’s the thing I think sometimes we we disguise our [43:33] Narcissistic tendencies and and our our little flaws in in ways that are really ugly [43:41] And we want to be hated to excuse ourselves from our responsibility [43:48] To love those who strike us
[43:53] This is the best way I can put it being weird is not a spiritual gift
[43:59] It’s not in the list go to first Corinthians [44:03] Don’t try to be weird [44:06] Don’t because it’s not what God has called you to do [44:09] God has called you to love the world no matter what they say [44:13] But he’s also called you to reach the world [44:18] So don’t buy thousands of acres in Montana
[44:23] Form a compound [44:26] That is not the godly way [44:29] Finally this morning. I want you to understand that real love endures hate
[44:35] Real love endures it Jesus did you know that’s the only way I know that I can because Jesus did [44:44] He did and he’s promised to give me strength to face it in 16 one he says [44:52] I’ve said these things to you to keep you from falling away [44:58] This isn’t just a warning. It’s a compassionate plea for what our hope is called to be in [45:06] Endurance is found in knowing the truth of who God wants us to be in Jesus [45:10] We find our identity in him and live by acting in the love that Jesus shows us through his life and on the cross
[45:18] The key to endurance is not in hiding. It’s an engaging [45:23] It’s not in fighting [45:25] It’s in loving [45:28] It’s a hard road to walk in a world that does not know him [45:31] Our reward is found in a life of knowing and loving God who has promised us his perfect kingdom [45:38] And our fight friends is to reach the world with the good news of Jesus Christ
[45:47] When you tell someone God loves them [45:50] It’s true [45:52] Because it’s true in Jesus [45:56] That is what we’re to live our lives around bands gonna come up right now [46:03] We’re gonna finish in [46:05] The only way that I know how to be faithful and that is singing to Jesus
[46:14] We’re going to praise him [46:16] Because that brings us the type of endurance when the spirit fills us when we align our lives with truth [46:23] When we speak truth when we preach the gospel to ourselves and preach the gospel to our neighbors
[46:31] All over the room is six stations in the front and in the back [46:36] Is communion I [46:39] Like to call it the Lord’s Supper
[46:43] Because it’s the time in which Jesus has called us to come face to face with what the gospel is [46:50] If you’ve never been here before this is something that we do every week [46:54] What it represents is the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus Christ [46:59] This juice and and this bread [47:02] What the scripture says that it does is it shows in a physical way in a metaphor [47:09] the life of Jesus entering into our own lives
[47:13] Because as he shed his blood as his body was broken [47:18] Physical life was leaving him [47:21] but through it [47:23] spiritual life [47:25] Comes to us and we know what life is [47:31] Because he gives it to us
[47:33] If you’re a follower of Jesus, he calls you to come and in this way [47:38] Proclaim your belief to one another. That’s why we do it publicly [47:43] So that we can tell the truth to one another so that we can see what is offensive about the cross [47:51] Is the sacrifice of a God who loves us? [47:57] If you don’t know him this morning, I want you to understand you can [48:01] Once you don’t understand that you can have a relationship with God today
[48:07] I’ll be right over here [48:09] There’ll be some out in the foyer [48:12] I’d love to have a conversation with you and tell you what it is that you must do to be saved as many in Scripture ask
[48:21] And you can come to this table today
[48:24] And have communion mean a connection between you and the God of the universe [48:30] for the first time [48:33] When you’re ready come