WEBVTT 00:00:09.740 --> 00:00:13.320 Hello, and welcome to the Kalamazoo church of Christ podcast. 00:00:13.539 --> 00:00:14.839 Thank you so much for listening. 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:16.199 We're startup church. 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:23.460 We just planted in September, 2020 and at the Kalamazoo church, we believe that Christianity is done best when it is done together. 00:00:23.559 --> 00:00:32.299 And so if you live in the Kalamazoo area, we would love to connect, be it coming to a Sunday service, one of our small groups, or even just grabbing coffee with a member to learn more. 00:00:32.500 --> 00:00:36.439 You can visit kalamazoo.church in order to do that. 00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:40.399 We pray that you are inspired by what you hear today. 00:00:41.179 --> 00:00:42.039 Welcome, welcome. 00:00:42.460 --> 00:00:47.100 Um, if you guys are grabbing food, go ahead and finish up the old, uh, food grabbing thing. 00:00:47.179 --> 00:00:56.859 If we could have somebody pray, um, very powerfully, uh, just like if you're just talking to God, somebody, just one person pray, uh, who wants to do that? 00:00:56.899 --> 00:00:58.020 It could be in any language. 00:00:58.179 --> 00:00:59.679 It doesn't have to just be in English. 00:01:01.619 --> 00:01:02.100 All right. 00:01:02.100 --> 00:01:02.740 Maybe a student. 00:01:02.899 --> 00:01:03.479 Let's say a student. 00:01:03.598 --> 00:01:04.099 Let's say a student. 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:06.560 Dan graduated a few years ago. 00:01:08.700 --> 00:01:09.500 Yeah, do it. 00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:10.019 Do it. 00:01:10.099 --> 00:01:10.459 Great. 00:01:11.019 --> 00:01:13.000 Whatever language, but you just got to preach it, man. 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:13.439 Preach. 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:13.840 Preach. 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:16.519 Cool. 00:01:16.819 --> 00:01:17.060 Okay. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:18.439 Best thing that happened this week. 00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:20.079 What was the best thing that happened? 00:01:20.180 --> 00:01:21.859 You can just shout it out. 00:01:22.420 --> 00:01:22.819 Sleep. 00:01:23.980 --> 00:01:24.379 Sleep happened this week. 00:01:24.459 --> 00:01:25.060 Amen to that. 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:25.680 Yeah, absolutely. 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:26.439 For some of us. 00:01:26.500 --> 00:01:27.439 Not all of us, but some. 00:01:27.540 --> 00:01:27.700 Yeah. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:28.019 Sleep. 00:01:28.859 --> 00:01:29.819 We went to Tallinn. 00:01:30.019 --> 00:01:32.099 Yeah, we were in Tallinn for a few days. 00:01:32.219 --> 00:01:32.579 Absolutely. 00:01:33.060 --> 00:01:38.579 Um, we thought we lost Nick about four times, but we didn't. 00:01:38.819 --> 00:01:40.379 He's here and I don't know how. 00:01:40.659 --> 00:01:41.459 By God's grace. 00:01:42.219 --> 00:01:42.620 Absolutely. 00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:42.959 Yeah. 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:43.280 He came. 00:01:43.379 --> 00:01:44.319 He found his way back. 00:01:44.420 --> 00:01:44.680 Absolutely. 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:45.540 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:01:45.719 --> 00:01:47.060 What other great stuff happened? 00:01:47.859 --> 00:01:48.540 Sharing faith. 00:01:48.700 --> 00:01:49.019 Okay. 00:01:49.060 --> 00:01:49.859 We shared our faith. 00:01:49.859 --> 00:01:50.079 We're here again. 00:01:50.180 --> 00:01:50.859 We're here right now. 00:01:50.939 --> 00:01:51.099 Amen. 00:01:51.700 --> 00:01:52.140 Awesome. 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:58.379 Uh, well, I, I have the, uh, the challenge, the task to preach the word this evening. 00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:02.200 Um, we're kicking off this thing and it's, it's called win the world. 00:02:02.379 --> 00:02:12.379 Uh, maybe you've been following along, uh, if you were here in Riga or even in Tallinn, we did morning, some morning devotionals and we, uh, we were talking about what it means to win the world. 00:02:12.460 --> 00:02:15.860 We looked at a lot of stories in the, uh, in the old Testament. 00:02:15.860 --> 00:02:18.879 I'm going to few in the new as well about winning the world. 00:02:19.539 --> 00:02:23.860 Um, you know, this is, it's going to be a fun topic, but before that, I want to share just a little bit about myself. 00:02:24.300 --> 00:02:25.479 Uh, my name is Jaron. 00:02:25.860 --> 00:02:28.439 I've been in ministry for nine years. 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:34.659 Um, I graduated with a business degree and, um, we're going to talk about, uh, in college I played basketball. 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:38.199 Um, actually I, I, we met, I met Dan in college. 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:39.439 He had already been reached out to. 00:02:39.500 --> 00:02:42.879 I think his, his, his mom, uh, grew up in there, was in the church. 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:45.740 And so he was kind of like the worst of the worst kingdom kid. 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:48.340 And I was like the second to the worst kingdom kid. 00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:50.620 Um, and so we became fast friends. 00:02:50.659 --> 00:02:54.000 Uh, we really all through college, we really tried to call each other higher. 00:02:54.300 --> 00:02:55.840 Um, you want to hit the next slide. 00:02:55.860 --> 00:02:58.819 So this is a picture of my wife and my two girls. 00:02:59.020 --> 00:03:02.080 Um, you guys know Bianca, those two ones there. 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:06.520 I'm excited to see them on Monday, uh, like Monday evening, give or take. 00:03:07.020 --> 00:03:09.719 Um, so that's, uh, that's them. 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:12.819 Jordan is three, Madison's one and a half. 00:03:13.340 --> 00:03:15.879 And, um, they were, they were playing, they were having a good time. 00:03:16.259 --> 00:03:17.819 Uh, so that's, that's who they are. 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:21.360 That's the most of, uh, the fun parts about my life. 00:03:21.460 --> 00:03:25.759 Um, they've helped me to become more emotional and understand, uh, my emotions. 00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:29.919 Because if I don't, then I'm, then they're going to make me understand their emotions. 00:03:30.039 --> 00:03:30.900 Uh, you know what I'm saying? 00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:34.039 Uh, it's, uh, it's just so much fun to be here. 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:38.680 Uh, part of the church that I'm a part of, we give to the Baltic Nordic Missions Alliance. 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:50.039 And so that's a group that helps, uh, support, uh, financially, spiritually, relationally, uh, the churches in the Baltics, which, which is, which is you guys as well as the Nordics as well. 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:52.080 And, uh, and it's just so much fun. 00:03:52.099 --> 00:03:57.860 It's so great that we can have connections and relationships that it's, it's not just, you know, money. 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:05.020 And then that's it, that, that it's so cool that the leaders in your churches decided, okay, we, we not only do we, uh, we're grateful for the finance. 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:07.439 We actually want relationships as well. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:09.580 We want to be close and we want to grow. 00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:10.800 And you guys have called us higher. 00:04:10.900 --> 00:04:13.360 Your leaders have called us higher, um, as well. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:20.060 I also, uh, I also want to quickly thank, um, Adrian and Adriana, if we could get a round of applause for them. 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:26.680 It was just a really short amount of notice. 00:04:26.779 --> 00:04:32.980 They put all of this together and, uh, and I know they, the students in, um, in the, the Regan church helped a lot as well. 00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:34.279 Thank you to you guys. 00:04:34.279 --> 00:04:37.560 You guys know where we're talking about winning the world. 00:04:37.720 --> 00:04:39.060 You can go to the next slide there. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:42.480 Um, and, and the topic today is what, what is winning the world? 00:04:42.540 --> 00:04:43.740 Like, what does that even mean? 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:45.019 A good question. 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:48.019 And I think, uh, this is, this is what I've come to. 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:49.259 You can go to the next one right away. 00:04:49.540 --> 00:04:55.600 Uh, winning the world is joining in and fighting for the side that is already victorious. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:08.519 You know, it's the idea actually in the American Bible, almost every translation, maybe there's some that there's not, but you can't find the phrase when the world, uh, there's it's nowhere. 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:16.379 Maybe it is, maybe it translates that way in your language, but today we're going to reframe our whole mindset about what it means to win the world. 00:05:16.660 --> 00:05:23.139 Uh, so, so consider for a moment here, uh, you know, there there's do we have any Harry Potter fans or not really a little bit. 00:05:23.180 --> 00:05:23.439 Okay. 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:25.420 I was like, man, am I going to miss you guys or not? 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:25.600 Okay. 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:30.800 So there's, there's, I think it's in the first, uh, book, um, sorcerer stone. 00:05:31.060 --> 00:05:32.939 There's this, this mirror basically. 00:05:33.079 --> 00:05:37.980 And this mirror, uh, it tells you when you look at this mirror, it shows you everything that you want. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.019 Like it shows you what's your best day basically. 00:05:40.379 --> 00:05:51.000 Uh, so consider for a moment for you guys, if you guys could think about what is your, your best day when, when, when you, when first, when you hear the word win the world, what does it mean to you? 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:51.939 What does it look like? 00:05:51.939 --> 00:05:57.019 And we're not going to share it, but take a moment to consider what is winning the world to you. 00:05:57.079 --> 00:05:58.040 Maybe it's a relationship. 00:05:58.199 --> 00:05:59.019 Maybe it's a family. 00:05:59.019 --> 00:06:00.060 Maybe it's wealth. 00:06:00.300 --> 00:06:01.079 Maybe it's status. 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:02.100 Maybe it's respect. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:04.180 And of course, yeah, yeah. 00:06:04.259 --> 00:06:08.420 I love God too, but, but perhaps that's not the first thing that comes to mind. 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:13.740 Uh, you'd be in a good company if it wasn't the first thing that comes to mind. 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:21.120 But I hope that when we leave, we're just one step closer to Jesus and to the idea of what does he talk about when he says winning the world? 00:06:21.220 --> 00:06:21.360 Amen. 00:06:22.220 --> 00:06:22.579 Awesome. 00:06:22.759 --> 00:06:24.620 Let's, let's, uh, let's go over to John 16. 00:06:24.899 --> 00:06:29.540 Um, and, and also if you guys want to follow along, there's going to be some scriptures up there. 00:06:29.620 --> 00:06:32.180 The first point is Jesus has already won. 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:37.500 Um, and so John, John 16, this is Jesus. 00:06:37.660 --> 00:06:46.699 Now he's in the, at the end of his, his life on earth and he's in the garden, uh, or he's right before to go, he goes to the garden. 00:06:46.839 --> 00:06:48.220 This is the last supper now. 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:57.319 And he's talking to his disciples and he's giving them encouragement and he's sharing with them some things that are going to happen. 00:06:58.439 --> 00:07:10.240 It says this, do you now believe Jesus replied in verse 31, a time is coming and in fact has come when you all will be scattered each to your own home. 00:07:10.660 --> 00:07:12.699 You will leave me all alone. 00:07:12.860 --> 00:07:15.660 Yet I am not alone for my father is with me. 00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:23.899 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace in this world. 00:07:23.899 --> 00:07:26.699 You will have trouble, but take heart. 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.379 I have over come the world. 00:07:31.500 --> 00:07:35.579 This word overcome is the one that we're going to talk all about today. 00:07:35.699 --> 00:07:42.899 There's, I did a little study of, of the word and, and it's, it's really powerful and we'll talk about all of the other stuff that, that it means. 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:44.639 But Jesus is talking to his disciples. 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:48.639 And imagine if you were in the room with Jesus, how you might be feeling. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:51.600 This is the guy that you walked with for three years. 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:53.920 He told you everything about yourself. 00:07:53.980 --> 00:07:56.100 He's helped you become so close to God. 00:07:56.199 --> 00:07:57.540 He said, he's got it. 00:07:57.620 --> 00:08:01.019 And you actually believe him, or he's the son of God and you actually believe him. 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:08.660 And then he's saying these things that you're going to leave me or you're going to, and I'd imagine you might feel confused. 00:08:08.819 --> 00:08:13.459 You could feel sad and it would just be a weird time. 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:16.899 And then on top of that, he says, I have overcome the world. 00:08:18.199 --> 00:08:24.439 When you think about Jesus overcoming the world, I think maybe the first place you go, just like the first place I go is that, Oh, he rose from the dead. 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:25.459 He overcame the world. 00:08:25.819 --> 00:08:27.240 How did Jesus overcome the world? 00:08:27.300 --> 00:08:28.540 How did he conquer the world? 00:08:28.939 --> 00:08:29.779 He rose from the dead. 00:08:29.899 --> 00:08:30.519 That's how he did it. 00:08:30.620 --> 00:08:32.538 And this is before he rose from the dead. 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:33.620 He's saying, you know, no, no, no, no. 00:08:33.940 --> 00:08:37.879 I've already overcome the world already based on how I live my life. 00:08:37.980 --> 00:08:39.480 I've already won. 00:08:39.558 --> 00:08:41.980 It's going to look like I've lost, but I haven't. 00:08:42.019 --> 00:08:43.799 I've won the world already. 00:08:45.820 --> 00:08:48.080 You think, think about Jesus for a moment. 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:49.080 He says, take heart. 00:08:49.080 --> 00:08:51.059 But what is, what does he think about? 00:08:51.320 --> 00:08:53.320 Why could he possibly say, take heart? 00:08:53.460 --> 00:08:57.159 Well, what, well, he, Jesus never did anything wrong. 00:08:57.860 --> 00:09:00.100 You know that, but think about that for a moment. 00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:03.740 Think about, he never said anything wrong. 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:07.860 He never thought like he wanted to hurt anybody. 00:09:08.419 --> 00:09:10.320 He never wronged anybody. 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:14.019 He only said everything the exact right way. 00:09:15.740 --> 00:09:17.340 He was always patient. 00:09:18.100 --> 00:09:19.740 He was always loving. 00:09:21.179 --> 00:09:23.460 He was never distracted in conversation. 00:09:23.580 --> 00:09:24.340 I don't know about you guys. 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:29.639 Sometimes in a conversation, I can be talking to somebody and something more interesting is happening. 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:34.779 And I'm like, I want to listen to this conversation, but I need to be giving in this conversation here. 00:09:35.379 --> 00:09:36.419 Jesus never felt that. 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:45.279 If you were talking to Jesus, you could be telling them about the color of your shoes and he would be locked in staring at you, engaged with what you were saying. 00:09:47.799 --> 00:09:49.120 And we'd say, well, he's God. 00:09:49.220 --> 00:09:50.019 So of course he did that. 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:50.559 He's God. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:50.879 Of course. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:51.679 But wait a minute. 00:09:51.740 --> 00:09:52.960 He never called on his power. 00:09:53.059 --> 00:10:00.259 Really the only time that Jesus called on his power was when it was for the benefit of you and me and people like us, right? 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:01.759 He rose the dead, called on his power. 00:10:02.259 --> 00:10:05.419 He taught his disciples a great lesson, walked on water, right? 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:06.659 He fed 5,000. 00:10:06.759 --> 00:10:11.500 He called on his power, but the areas where he didn't call on his power, I think we should take note. 00:10:11.500 --> 00:10:17.139 If he's God and he is, he, he had the ability to never feel tired. 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:21.159 Who here is just a little bit more tired than usual. 00:10:22.059 --> 00:10:23.039 Just a little bit. 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:23.840 Amen. 00:10:23.980 --> 00:10:24.860 Oh, that's great. 00:10:24.899 --> 00:10:25.360 That's great. 00:10:25.419 --> 00:10:25.779 That's great. 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:26.980 I'm glad you guys are fired up. 00:10:27.240 --> 00:10:28.700 He, he had the ability. 00:10:28.779 --> 00:10:30.179 If he's God, he could never feel tired. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:31.240 I'm never going to sleep. 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:32.000 I'm not going to feel tired. 00:10:32.100 --> 00:10:36.360 He's got, he never had to feel hungry, man. 00:10:36.419 --> 00:10:39.879 I just, he never had to feel low energy as he was walking. 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:45.299 And actually he never had to be in only one geographic location at a time. 00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:46.340 It said the Bible's clear. 00:10:46.600 --> 00:10:49.519 He walked to this place and then he resolutely set up for Jerusalem. 00:10:49.899 --> 00:10:50.899 He never had to do that. 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:53.899 He didn't call on his divinity in these moments. 00:10:55.980 --> 00:11:01.360 So Jesus is saying, look at my life and understand, just take heart, take courage. 00:11:01.980 --> 00:11:03.720 I've already overcome it. 00:11:04.460 --> 00:11:11.120 You know, when, when the person that you're, when you realize that victory is assured, it changes the way you act, right? 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:14.000 Go to the next slide and maybe the next right after that. 00:11:14.600 --> 00:11:14.980 Okay. 00:11:15.100 --> 00:11:15.320 All right. 00:11:15.659 --> 00:11:16.980 So we'll get there. 00:11:17.340 --> 00:11:18.399 What does this mean? 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:18.539 Okay. 00:11:18.620 --> 00:11:21.500 So this is how Dan met me, actually. 00:11:21.700 --> 00:11:25.080 This is, this is like, this is the Dan that, that, that he probably remembers. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:36.039 So I, I, I played basketball in college and this is, we were in a conference that we, this is my junior year in school. 00:11:36.039 --> 00:11:38.559 So I was 20, 20 years old here. 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:43.340 And we were supposed to finish, that we were picked to finish eight out of 11th. 00:11:43.340 --> 00:11:43.539 Okay. 00:11:43.539 --> 00:11:46.600 So we were supposed to have a bad season, but some good things happened. 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:47.620 We got a little bit lucky. 00:11:47.620 --> 00:11:50.039 And so we ended up actually finishing fifth. 00:11:50.740 --> 00:11:54.220 And so right, it's the middle, it's the middle, but we had a very good season. 00:11:54.299 --> 00:12:00.240 We made the playoffs and we were in the playoffs now playing this team that we'd already played in the regular season. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:04.340 And it was, it was, we went into their own house basically. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:05.940 And we were, we played so well. 00:12:06.100 --> 00:12:08.240 Like it was the best that I've ever seen. 00:12:08.299 --> 00:12:12.639 And I, at the time I was, I was shocked at how well we were playing first. 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:13.600 This guy hits a shot. 00:12:13.700 --> 00:12:14.779 And I'm like, wow, that's amazing. 00:12:14.980 --> 00:12:16.460 The next thing down, I hit a shot. 00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:16.679 Wow. 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:17.200 That's amazing. 00:12:17.399 --> 00:12:19.379 The next time down, they missed two shots in a row. 00:12:19.419 --> 00:12:20.759 And we just get up. 00:12:20.779 --> 00:12:22.539 And so now we're up 17 points. 00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:28.039 Usually when you're up 17 points, it's, you know, the game is, is pretty well in hand. 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:28.480 Basically. 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:29.500 It seems like you're going to win. 00:12:29.500 --> 00:12:31.259 This team was awesome. 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:33.299 And we were up 17 points against them. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:36.419 And I was surprised they were the better team. 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:37.460 They were more physical. 00:12:37.460 --> 00:12:39.279 They had guys that were even taller than me. 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:43.320 They had at least two guys in their starting five group that was, that were taller than me. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:52.820 One thing struck me in the middle of the game though, is that these guys, it was weird because we were up by a lot and they weren't really that scared. 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:54.620 They weren't, they weren't concerned. 00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:59.259 I was like, they should feel like some stress that they're down by a lot of points. 00:13:00.860 --> 00:13:02.139 And we were the young team. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:03.360 They were the more mature team. 00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:09.019 What happened is we went for after the first half, we went to the locker room and our coach said, I just keep doing what you guys are doing fine. 00:13:09.620 --> 00:13:11.460 And we thought, yeah, let's just keep doing what we're doing. 00:13:11.539 --> 00:13:11.740 Fine. 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:16.059 I don't know what happened in that other locker room, but it came back and they were a totally different team. 00:13:16.539 --> 00:13:19.440 They still, they didn't, they didn't play more aggressively. 00:13:19.559 --> 00:13:21.919 They just did everything exactly right. 00:13:21.940 --> 00:13:29.279 And it was, it was incredible because slowly but surely this lead was from 17 to 12 to eight to two. 00:13:29.419 --> 00:13:31.960 And then they ended up actually winning by about 15 points. 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:39.639 I think about this and I think about it a lot is when you know, victory is assured. 00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:42.299 It just changes your outlook and mindset. 00:13:42.940 --> 00:13:44.899 These guys were, they knew they were better than us. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:45.899 They were more physical than us. 00:13:45.940 --> 00:13:46.799 They were smarter than us. 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:49.639 And so just being up by a little bit, they said, it's not that big of a deal. 00:13:49.740 --> 00:13:50.779 We're going to win this game. 00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:52.139 Just keep doing what you're doing. 00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:54.700 Jesus is saying the same thing. 00:13:54.740 --> 00:13:58.159 You're going to have some tough times for you and me. 00:13:58.480 --> 00:14:01.100 There's times when things are just really difficult, right? 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:03.539 When you're sharing your faith and nobody says yes. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:07.820 When you're trying to say no to sin and your friends don't want you to say no to sin. 00:14:07.899 --> 00:14:09.039 Jesus says, no, take heart. 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:10.600 I've already overcome. 00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:11.019 Amen. 00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:17.240 Yeah, that's great. 00:14:17.340 --> 00:14:17.539 That's great. 00:14:19.179 --> 00:14:24.820 Jesus says he's overcome, you know, but it doesn't always feel that way, but we have to trust that it is that way. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:31.419 Uh, what Jesus is saying though is change your perspective, change your understanding of what the word overcome means. 00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:33.580 Uh, we'll, we'll go over to Romans eight now. 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:49.240 And so winning, overcoming, conquering, these all three words, uh, it's, it's one word in Greek and we're going to talk about that word triumph is another word in Greek, at least it's translated in English, but it's the same word in the original language that, that the Bible was written in. 00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:54.519 The first point is that Jesus has already won. 00:14:54.600 --> 00:14:57.779 And we talked about it feeling like sometimes it just doesn't feel that way. 00:14:57.779 --> 00:15:06.039 And so for you and I, we have to assess what standard are we using to judge and winning is not judging by earthly standards. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:12.399 And in Romans eight verse 35, this is Paul making the argument. 00:15:12.539 --> 00:15:14.980 He says, what shall separate us from the love of Christ? 00:15:15.299 --> 00:15:26.700 Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword, as it is written for your sake, we face death all day long. 00:15:26.700 --> 00:15:30.220 We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:35.019 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:52.740 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 00:15:55.340 --> 00:15:59.240 He says, in all of these, you are more than conquerors. 00:16:01.460 --> 00:16:08.600 This is, this Paul is using this word and he's turning it entirely upside down because think about being persecuted. 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:15.279 Think about having no food, being naked, no clothes, being in danger of getting killed. 00:16:15.460 --> 00:16:17.600 That doesn't really feel like you want, right? 00:16:19.340 --> 00:16:21.559 You know, but for you and me, you don't consider this though. 00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:25.879 There are times I was just thinking about it because I can't relate. 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:32.480 You know, I can't relate to the trouble and persecution that the disciples felt in the, in the first century. 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:36.019 I can't relate to being at risk of dying. 00:16:36.179 --> 00:16:41.120 I can't relate to not having food and knowing I don't have enough food to survive. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:42.740 I don't have enough food to give my family. 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:45.759 I can't relate to not having a close or shelter. 00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:46.779 I can't relate to that. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:51.879 But I tried to think what are some ways that I can relate or what are some things that I can do to relate? 00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:57.919 You think about being trouble and persecution and he says, Hey, what kind of persecution is going to separate us? 00:16:58.559 --> 00:17:06.519 These are basically these are challenges from the outside that can force us to cave in our faith, force us to, to put our faith to the side. 00:17:08.680 --> 00:17:14.078 Maybe this is what your friends think successes, what your friends think victory is and saying, you know what? 00:17:14.220 --> 00:17:15.660 They're looking down on me. 00:17:16.299 --> 00:17:18.160 This is the trouble and persecution. 00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:19.358 I've just got to cave. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:20.318 I've lost this one. 00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:35.220 When you think about famine or nakedness, these are, if you guys, I, again, I don't know exactly, but there's like in the hierarchy of things that we need food and shelter is like everybody needs those in order to feel comfortable or in order to accomplish anything. 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:43.400 There are TV shows, I assume here, but I know in America, there are TV shows where they're trying to see how long people can live without food or shelter. 00:17:43.400 --> 00:17:47.579 And they just put them on a random Island or in a really like tough situation. 00:17:47.579 --> 00:17:54.160 They say, go, go, they, they have a backpack and they tell them, okay, now you have to just, just go find a way to live. 00:17:54.220 --> 00:17:58.640 And whoever lasts the most days gets this prize or something like that. 00:18:01.420 --> 00:18:02.599 But think about that. 00:18:02.680 --> 00:18:10.119 This would, what is being said is that neither of these things are necessary in order to be a victor in order to be a conqueror. 00:18:10.180 --> 00:18:11.900 Neither of these things is actually necessary. 00:18:12.980 --> 00:18:15.460 And then danger or sort of your overall security. 00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:29.920 There's, maybe there'll come a time when we have to, to face a chance where either we choose to live for God or we, we choose to be put in prison or we choose to to, to be physically harmed in these situations. 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:41.200 Our, our decision, we have to choose the, the ability to say, I'm a conqueror, not based on what's going on on the outside, but based on who Jesus has made me who, who, okay. 00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:42.119 So I have a question now. 00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:45.579 This is a, does anybody know Greek by chance? 00:18:45.579 --> 00:18:47.000 You guys know a lot of different languages. 00:18:47.380 --> 00:18:49.039 Does anyone speak any Greek or not? 00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:49.339 Really? 00:18:50.279 --> 00:18:50.680 Awesome. 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:51.039 Great. 00:18:51.160 --> 00:18:53.960 So this is, this is where now I'm in my territory. 00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:55.119 Cause I don't speak Greek either. 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:56.539 So we're on the same playing field. 00:18:56.579 --> 00:18:56.819 Okay. 00:18:57.059 --> 00:18:59.460 So we might say this word totally wrong. 00:18:59.960 --> 00:19:01.319 But nobody's going to know. 00:19:01.400 --> 00:19:01.700 Okay. 00:19:03.180 --> 00:19:11.180 This, this word conqueror is, is actually well, this is more than conquerors is who bear Nick, Nick kale. 00:19:11.180 --> 00:19:17.480 And what it sounds like, basically you think about this word, you can switch to the next one real quick. 00:19:18.740 --> 00:19:23.599 Actually it comes from this, this word Nike or Nike is where, what, what the root word is. 00:19:23.779 --> 00:19:25.059 Who is anybody wearing anything? 00:19:25.140 --> 00:19:26.000 Nike right now. 00:19:26.740 --> 00:19:27.660 Who's wearing Nike. 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:28.940 We raise your hand if you're wearing Nike. 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:29.140 Okay. 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:32.000 Who owns something Nike that's Nike relate. 00:19:32.059 --> 00:19:32.980 Okay, great. 00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:33.740 Me too. 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:34.400 Yeah, absolutely. 00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:40.019 And so I want you to go ahead and find whoever's wearing something Nike and just tell him, Hey, you're a winner. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:41.259 You're a winner. 00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:42.579 You'll find whoever, whoever it is. 00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:43.559 Tell him you're a winner. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:43.940 Late. 00:19:44.019 --> 00:19:45.160 Got some Nike thing on. 00:19:45.660 --> 00:19:46.359 Lake's a winner. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:49.160 You're a winner. 00:19:50.579 --> 00:19:51.559 Oh, I don't know. 00:19:51.640 --> 00:19:52.019 They're Jordan. 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:52.980 Not today. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:53.400 Not today. 00:19:53.420 --> 00:19:53.900 I'm a loser. 00:19:55.640 --> 00:19:56.220 Somebody else. 00:19:56.299 --> 00:19:56.920 We got some winners. 00:19:57.140 --> 00:19:57.500 Absolutely. 00:19:59.059 --> 00:20:09.779 You know, whenever, again, this word I have to, I want to also challenge you guys. 00:20:09.779 --> 00:20:17.579 But whenever you see this word Nike just to consider, okay, that, that means someone, whoever is wearing the word Nike. 00:20:18.059 --> 00:20:18.420 Wow. 00:20:18.539 --> 00:20:18.819 Okay. 00:20:18.980 --> 00:20:20.759 That, that reminds me of being a conqueror. 00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:23.380 That reminds me that, man, I'm, I'm a winner somehow. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:24.480 God made me a winner. 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:26.460 He loves me so much that I'm a winner. 00:20:26.519 --> 00:20:30.339 Whenever you see, whenever you're putting on your Nikes in the morning, you're like, no, I'm a winner. 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:30.799 I'm a winner. 00:20:31.240 --> 00:20:32.680 Whenever you see somebody walking. 00:20:32.819 --> 00:20:34.059 Now you guys bless your hearts. 00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:35.579 You've got some bootleg Nike stuff. 00:20:36.359 --> 00:20:37.160 It's okay. 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:38.500 Hey, it's okay. 00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:39.980 It's all good. 00:20:40.200 --> 00:20:41.460 But you can still be a winner. 00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:43.980 Even with even with counterfeit Nike stuff. 00:20:44.019 --> 00:20:44.259 Amen. 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:49.960 Pay attention though. 00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:52.559 It says that, that you say, wow, we're, we're victorious. 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:53.240 We're winners. 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:54.079 This is amazing. 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:54.920 But why is that? 00:20:55.140 --> 00:21:06.819 So the Bible says that the only reason that we can call ourselves hyper conquerors or total winners or whatever, whatever you want to say is because of Jesus. 00:21:07.539 --> 00:21:14.839 He's saying, Hey, the only, he's saying what we're looking at is none of this stuff can separate us from God's love and God's love is what makes us winners. 00:21:15.900 --> 00:21:17.460 And so it's, it's not by you or me. 00:21:17.579 --> 00:21:18.839 It's not by trying really hard. 00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:20.660 It's not by wanting to so much. 00:21:20.740 --> 00:21:21.779 So we persevere. 00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:22.640 That's not it. 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:33.460 This, this word in, in that day was used all of the time to talk about a physical victory, like in battle, or it was used to talk about in sport winning. 00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:36.640 It was used to talk about in a, in a lawsuit winning. 00:21:36.900 --> 00:21:39.839 And, and what's being said here is something totally different. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:40.400 He says, no, no, no. 00:21:40.420 --> 00:21:42.380 It's not any of this competition stuff. 00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:43.579 You've already won it. 00:21:43.619 --> 00:21:46.579 You are in Christ last scripture. 00:21:46.740 --> 00:21:53.599 We're not the, well, the last point I should say is that the only way to win is with Christ or it's through Christ. 00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:55.000 Let's go over to John first. 00:21:55.119 --> 00:22:01.549 John five says, this is how we know that we love. 00:22:02.210 --> 00:22:07.069 This is how we know that we love the children of God by loving and carrying out his commands. 00:22:08.470 --> 00:22:10.410 First John five verse four. 00:22:10.509 --> 00:22:20.130 In fact, this is love for God to keep his commands and his commands are not burdensome for everyone born of God overcomes the world. 00:22:20.849 --> 00:22:23.390 This is the victory that has overcome the world. 00:22:23.589 --> 00:22:26.630 Even our faith, who is it that overcomes the world? 00:22:26.849 --> 00:22:32.250 Only the one who believes that Jesus is the son of God. 00:22:32.970 --> 00:22:36.509 I was with everyone who's born of Jesus overcomes the world. 00:22:38.049 --> 00:22:40.170 Everyone who's born of Jesus wins the world. 00:22:40.309 --> 00:22:46.589 Whatever, whatever triumphs over the world, whatever word that you want to put in there, that is what this original text means. 00:22:47.710 --> 00:22:50.049 But the Bible says that, Hey, who does it? 00:22:50.130 --> 00:22:50.710 Who does it? 00:22:50.890 --> 00:22:53.089 It says only the one who believes in Jesus. 00:22:53.230 --> 00:23:05.109 And so that doesn't mean, you know, it can feel, it can feel tempting for you and me to look at the world and to see that, man, there's a lot of different ways to understand who God is. 00:23:05.190 --> 00:23:10.029 There's a lot of different ways to experience God and they're all pretty much right. 00:23:10.170 --> 00:23:11.750 Christianity is mostly right. 00:23:11.890 --> 00:23:13.930 And so Christianity is good for me. 00:23:14.049 --> 00:23:18.109 And maybe a different religion or a different ideal is good for somebody else. 00:23:19.089 --> 00:23:20.430 The Bible says that's not true. 00:23:20.630 --> 00:23:23.170 The Bible makes this high, incredible claim. 00:23:23.230 --> 00:23:27.710 He says, no, no, no, only through Jesus can we be victorious. 00:23:30.539 --> 00:23:33.579 There's, there's some realities of what is victorious look like. 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:51.180 And you can say in terms of religion, but think about even in, in terms of, I'm not saying religion as far as Christianity necessarily, or Islam, but think about the religion that comes from just talking to people who are searching for something, maybe they're atheist or agnostic, the religion of wanting to become wealthy. 00:23:51.380 --> 00:23:53.000 I want wealth. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:55.559 You know, you know, something that's incredible. 00:23:55.559 --> 00:24:00.819 And this is a statistic in America that's proved true from 2001 and 2012. 00:24:01.160 --> 00:24:08.220 And I don't know if I have the latest things, but the suicide rates among the wealthy is, is the highest. 00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:13.539 So among the most wealthy demographic of people, the suicide rate is the highest. 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:18.539 Think about status. 00:24:18.700 --> 00:24:22.079 I'm wanting to seem impressive driving a great car. 00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:25.059 And in, again, I'll speak for America right now. 00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:28.339 I bet there's similar things happening in your part of the world. 00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:31.200 There's so much debt that's been taken on right now. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:34.619 And there's a full, if they call it in America, a debt crisis. 00:24:34.700 --> 00:24:38.799 If you typed in debt crisis, us, you would see people talking about, this is what we have to do. 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:39.700 This is what happened. 00:24:39.799 --> 00:24:43.640 And all of it is for people trying to say, I look, I want to look better than I really am. 00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:49.619 You think about somebody that's just, I want to gain so much knowledge. 00:24:49.619 --> 00:24:51.539 I want to learn this and I want to learn that. 00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:53.339 And I want to be the smartest in the room. 00:24:53.339 --> 00:25:00.680 So you know, those people and so many of them are too wrapped up in what they're learning to be able to communicate effectively to anybody, right? 00:25:01.059 --> 00:25:02.119 That's not attractive. 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:07.279 You think about family and look, I want to just build a family. 00:25:07.380 --> 00:25:08.960 And that's a deceptive thing as well. 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:10.480 It seems really noble. 00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:11.480 What a good idea. 00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:15.299 The, the, the Bible actually Solomon talks about it. 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:17.180 We won't look at it this, this evening. 00:25:17.460 --> 00:25:18.480 Solomon talks about it. 00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:24.660 He says, you know what you, you do whatever you want to do, but at the end of the day, your family is actually going to forget about you and you're going to raise your money. 00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:27.400 You're going to give a bunch to, uh, to your family. 00:25:27.480 --> 00:25:29.619 And you don't even know if they're going to take care of your wealth. 00:25:31.490 --> 00:25:33.589 There's no promise that your family will love you. 00:25:35.369 --> 00:25:40.930 And so whatever, whatever religion you, you, you look to and you can talk on the streets and people have these different feelings. 00:25:41.890 --> 00:25:45.509 The only hope of a life fulfilled is by winning through Jesus. 00:25:47.369 --> 00:25:52.289 And so I, over these last two weeks, I've been able to meet with a lot of you guys. 00:25:52.289 --> 00:25:57.250 I think I've talked in close contact with some, um, talked in generally with, with most of you. 00:25:57.309 --> 00:26:03.289 And I want to share something and maybe this doesn't apply to you, but I wouldn't be so quick to say it doesn't apply to me. 00:26:03.309 --> 00:26:03.490 Okay. 00:26:03.509 --> 00:26:06.470 So maybe it doesn't, but I think it probably might. 00:26:07.690 --> 00:26:14.829 I feel concerned for this group and I feel concerned that you guys enjoy the church more than you love Jesus. 00:26:21.589 --> 00:26:23.829 I'm, I'm, this is my concern now. 00:26:23.849 --> 00:26:29.670 And if I'm so far off that I'm so far off, I realize I'm just a foreigner coming in meeting for two weeks. 00:26:29.769 --> 00:26:35.549 I do not have the full scope of everything, but, but I do have the Holy spirit. 00:26:36.529 --> 00:26:46.269 But I I'm concerned that that this group, maybe, maybe that you, uh, care about people because someone tells you, tells you to, not because you're trying to be like Jesus. 00:26:48.549 --> 00:26:53.210 I'm concerned that maybe you show up to church and you enjoy church because you really love the friendships. 00:26:53.269 --> 00:26:57.869 Or maybe you're interested in a guy or a girl and you're like, I gotta show them that I'm a church goer. 00:26:59.960 --> 00:27:03.819 My, my concern is that, uh, you guys, uh, it's not enough. 00:27:04.059 --> 00:27:12.599 Um, it's, it's not enough for you to just follow what the Bible teaches because not doing the alternative, uh, is more difficult. 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:13.859 There's a point in time. 00:27:13.940 --> 00:27:22.240 Maybe you felt that where like, I have to go to church because if I, I felt that at times I'm like, I can't not go to church because then I'm, my dad's not going to let me not go to church. 00:27:22.299 --> 00:27:25.579 I can't say, Hey, I'm going to skip this Wednesday service. 00:27:25.619 --> 00:27:26.480 I'm going to skip Sunday. 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:28.599 He's like, okay, you're also going to skip dinner too. 00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:29.400 Then I guess, right? 00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:31.299 Good, good luck. 00:27:31.380 --> 00:27:35.220 Good luck paying for your basketball or good luck paying for X, Y, and Z. 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:37.759 Uh, you gotta start paying me rent is what he would say. 00:27:41.369 --> 00:27:47.930 You know, I've seen people, uh, in, in the time that I I've been in campus ministry, college ministry. 00:27:47.930 --> 00:27:56.029 And then, uh, the time I served in the ministry, I've seen so many people who are in love with the church, in love with their family. 00:27:56.029 --> 00:28:01.450 Uh, I've seen people who are trying to follow what the Bible teaches to, to be successful. 00:28:01.710 --> 00:28:06.549 I've seen people who are in love with the friendships that God and God's family provides. 00:28:07.170 --> 00:28:10.569 But if you're not in love with Jesus, those things are not going to make it. 00:28:10.589 --> 00:28:11.430 You're not going to make it to heaven. 00:28:12.769 --> 00:28:25.869 You're not going to end your life as an overcomer or as one who triumphs or as a victor, if it's for the church or if it's for your family, or if it's for success based on what the Bible teaches, or if it's for friendships, you're not going to make it. 00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:34.480 And so we're closing in for coming in for a landing here. 00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:35.460 And you think about that. 00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:36.000 What does that mean? 00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:37.759 What does it mean to fall in love with Jesus? 00:28:37.900 --> 00:28:38.480 How do I do that? 00:28:38.500 --> 00:28:41.299 That sounds too, uh, like a fairy tale. 00:28:41.359 --> 00:28:44.559 That doesn't, as a guy, that doesn't sound attractive. 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:45.240 How do I fall? 00:28:45.420 --> 00:28:47.339 Why would I want to fall in love with Jesus? 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:50.400 But you have to read the Bible. 00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:51.640 That's, that's what I would start. 00:28:51.720 --> 00:28:56.599 You have to see the importance of digging into God's word and understanding what it says. 00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:59.380 And you, you have to connect through prayer. 00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:05.539 And then, and then hear me now, you actually have to connect through helping somebody else learn about Christianity as well. 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:11.920 I was living a life that was like half Christian, like almost barely, uh, was I a Christian? 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:13.640 I would show up to devotionals on Friday. 00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:15.640 I would show up to church on Sunday. 00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:23.579 I would show up to a Wednesday church only because I knew that I would basically, it was a different church than what my family grew up in. 00:29:23.579 --> 00:29:29.779 But I knew that my dad had friends in this church and I would get a phone, he would get a phone call from them if I didn't show up to church. 00:29:29.900 --> 00:29:31.480 And so I'm like, I just need to show up. 00:29:31.819 --> 00:29:34.319 Uh, and I can do whatever else I want the rest of the time. 00:29:34.579 --> 00:29:42.839 Uh, what totally changed my life was when I was just sitting down and this, this guy is basketball player that I had, I, we played a whole season together. 00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:43.960 We weren't very close friends. 00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:46.859 And I felt really embarrassed about Jesus. 00:29:47.039 --> 00:29:50.980 I was like, it was the worst evangelism you could ever imagine. 00:29:51.059 --> 00:29:52.799 I was, I had set out time. 00:29:52.900 --> 00:29:54.519 I'm going to read my Bible during this time. 00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:57.980 Then he just knocks on the door and comes in and is like, Hey, what's up, man? 00:29:58.039 --> 00:29:58.619 Good to see you. 00:29:58.660 --> 00:30:01.980 And we started talking, but I knew I had this time set to read the Bible. 00:30:02.119 --> 00:30:04.140 And so I said, Hey David. 00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:05.900 Um, oh yeah, David, there you go. 00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:10.599 Uh, but I said, I said, Hey David, you don't got to come with me. 00:30:10.700 --> 00:30:11.859 I'm very sorry. 00:30:12.220 --> 00:30:13.500 I'm going to go read the Bible. 00:30:13.640 --> 00:30:14.839 Don't, I'm sorry. 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:16.000 I'm really sorry. 00:30:16.059 --> 00:30:17.019 It's not a big deal. 00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:18.000 You don't got to come upstairs. 00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:19.039 Fine. 00:30:19.900 --> 00:30:22.079 There was a study area on the top floor of our dorm. 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:24.880 Um, if you want to, but you don't have to, don't worry about it. 00:30:24.940 --> 00:30:25.519 Please don't worry. 00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:28.240 And I just went upstairs and I was like, well, there we go. 00:30:28.299 --> 00:30:29.619 I didn't even barely reach out to him. 00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:34.839 I sit down, I start reading the Bible and I see the elevator ding and I see David walk out. 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:38.539 And all this time I'm still living like a half Christian life. 00:30:38.619 --> 00:30:42.039 I'm showing up to church, but I'm also partying and I'm talking to women. 00:30:42.039 --> 00:30:47.839 And I'm trying to do anything I can to kind of look like a Christian, but not really act like a Christian. 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:52.660 And I remember asking him, Hey, do you want to come to church? 00:30:52.680 --> 00:30:53.240 And he said, yeah. 00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:54.259 I said, do you have faith in God? 00:30:54.319 --> 00:30:56.460 He said, I have a little bit, but it has been a long time. 00:30:57.059 --> 00:31:01.099 I remember studying the Bible with him and I remember him becoming a disciple. 00:31:01.180 --> 00:31:08.619 And I remember the time when something clicked was when we looked at the discipleship study and he just looked and we, it was so heavy for him. 00:31:08.660 --> 00:31:09.980 And he, we were driving home. 00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:20.299 We went to our campus minister's house and then we were driving home on campus and he was quiet and he said, Hey, if this is true, then almost nobody is saved. 00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:22.960 I said, yeah, I guess so. 00:31:23.059 --> 00:31:25.640 But that let's, let's, I mean, that starts with you. 00:31:25.759 --> 00:31:25.960 Right. 00:31:27.099 --> 00:31:35.160 And I, it totally transformed my life to be able to realize that I can partner with God in order to win the world. 00:31:35.799 --> 00:31:40.140 It was something that like from that point on, I was in 2011. 00:31:40.140 --> 00:31:41.640 That was a long time ago. 00:31:42.579 --> 00:31:46.420 It was, it was in, it was in April of 2012, March of 2011. 00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:53.460 But from that point on, I've just been enamored with the idea of partnering with Jesus in order to help as many as possible. 00:31:55.759 --> 00:32:05.359 If you're going to win the world, if we're going to win the world, but if you're going to win, stay on the good side, I should say, or get on the good side, then you've got to, then you've got to grow in your relationship with Jesus. 00:32:07.900 --> 00:32:09.319 You know, it's really powerful. 00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:11.880 We're going to close in Revelation 17. 00:32:12.960 --> 00:32:16.400 This idea of overcomer and a winner and all of that stuff at the end. 00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:18.000 It's, it's amazing. 00:32:18.180 --> 00:32:24.900 So this word it's used like 28 times in the whole, in the whole new Testament. 00:32:25.660 --> 00:32:31.880 It's used 17 times in the book of Revelation over, over half of the time. 00:32:31.940 --> 00:32:32.839 I'm not going to do the math. 00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:34.200 You guys are good at that stuff. 00:32:34.279 --> 00:32:37.700 Somebody can let me know, but it's like maybe 65 or something percent. 00:32:39.339 --> 00:32:45.220 It's 65% of the time it's used in this one book in the Bible right at the end. 00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:46.500 What does that mean? 00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:46.920 Who cares? 00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:48.599 Why, why does, what's the point? 00:32:48.900 --> 00:33:05.099 I think John, the author through the Holy spirit wants to make sure that we know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is victorious, that Jesus has triumphed over any struggle and issue that you felt because he went through it and he, and he overcame. 00:33:05.259 --> 00:33:05.440 Amen. 00:33:06.700 --> 00:33:10.299 Without a shadow of a doubt, Jesus has conquered this scripture. 00:33:10.859 --> 00:33:13.299 Let's, let's gain encouragement from it, from it. 00:33:13.359 --> 00:33:25.579 As we close out, it says in Revelation 17, this is in verse 14, they will wage war against the lamb, but the lamb will triumph. 00:33:25.799 --> 00:33:33.000 And that's this word, but the lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. 00:33:33.619 --> 00:33:35.480 And this is the fun part for you and me. 00:33:35.480 --> 00:33:39.960 And with him will be his called chosen and faithful followers. 00:33:41.299 --> 00:33:42.680 What an amazing promise. 00:33:42.779 --> 00:33:44.180 It'd be enough for a break. 00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:45.599 Jesus is just handling it. 00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:46.240 He's taken it. 00:33:46.599 --> 00:33:48.140 And I think we'd say, that's awesome. 00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:49.720 Let him just do it, do it all himself. 00:33:49.859 --> 00:33:50.039 Right? 00:33:50.640 --> 00:33:53.819 But no, he says there's going to be whatever kind of war. 00:33:53.900 --> 00:33:54.599 I don't, I don't know. 00:33:54.660 --> 00:33:58.700 There's, there's some imagery in revelations that I'm just not smart enough to fully understand. 00:33:58.920 --> 00:34:07.638 I haven't studied it enough, but in whatever way, shape or form, when Jesus comes and triumphs, we're going to be alongside of him triumphing as well. 00:34:07.699 --> 00:34:07.859 Amen. 00:34:08.599 --> 00:34:24.039 Let's, let's remember that as we go into this week and let's make our weekend, I should say, and make every effort to consider what it looks like for you to grow in your relationship with Jesus and to totally transform your view of what winning the world is. 00:34:24.139 --> 00:34:24.380 Amen. 00:34:24.860 --> 00:34:25.420 Awesome. 00:34:25.539 --> 00:34:25.880 Thank you. 00:34:32.219 --> 00:34:36.760 Thank you so much for listening to the Kalamazoo church of Christ podcast. 00:34:37.139 --> 00:34:40.420 If you're in the Kalamazoo area, we'd love to get connected. 00:34:40.659 --> 00:34:48.059 Please go to kalamazoo.church and fill in your information to come to a Sunday service or any other event that we have going on. 00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:50.679 In any case, you'll be hearing from us next week.