WEBVTT 00:00:00.020 --> 00:00:00.480 Isaiah. 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:15.701 Dr Ed Anderson kicked it all off with the mystery that Jesus came as God in the flesh, and Bruce de Ford unwrapped the mystery that Jesus came in weakness, interesting Today's mystery. 00:00:15.701 --> 00:00:20.853 Jesus came as a sacrifice for sin, not to seize power. 00:00:20.853 --> 00:00:23.181 Think about it. 00:00:23.181 --> 00:00:24.466 What does power look like? 00:00:24.466 --> 00:00:30.702 I mean, if you could illustrate it, if you're an artist, or photograph it, if you're a photographer, what would it look like? 00:00:30.702 --> 00:00:33.692 Would it look like, maybe a pile of cash money? 00:00:33.692 --> 00:00:36.268 What do you think that's power for some people? 00:00:36.268 --> 00:00:38.503 What about a big office? 00:00:38.503 --> 00:00:45.844 You know, the one with the corner glass, the big, tall leather chair, highback, 17 monitors. 00:00:45.844 --> 00:00:52.774 Maybe it would look like a sports car, something fast, definitely red and loud. 00:00:52.774 --> 00:00:56.667 Yeah, what does power look like? 00:00:56.667 --> 00:01:03.679 I submit to you, ladies and gentlemen, this morning this is what true power looks like. 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:05.609 That's right. 00:01:05.609 --> 00:01:07.680 The television remote Think about it for a moment. 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:10.620 The one with the remote controls what you watch. 00:01:10.620 --> 00:01:15.414 The one with the remote controls how loud you hear it. 00:01:15.414 --> 00:01:21.659 The one with this remote, with a single button, can hit pause or even power down. 00:01:21.659 --> 00:01:24.808 Now that's power, baby. 00:01:24.808 --> 00:01:31.412 By the way, do you ever wonder where all those remotes go that you can't find? 00:01:31.412 --> 00:01:39.885 They go to a remote island In a moment of irony. 00:01:39.965 --> 00:01:43.393 I just read that the inventor of the television remote died this week. 00:01:43.393 --> 00:01:53.403 His funeral will be held this coming week and he's going to be buried, I'm told, between two couch cushions At West Sub here. 00:01:53.403 --> 00:01:58.453 One of the elders took me aside, knowing about this message, and told me the interesting story. 00:01:58.453 --> 00:02:00.063 I won't reveal this person's name. 00:02:00.063 --> 00:02:09.110 It was offering time and a lady opened up her purse to get out her offering and you know what tumbled out A huge TV remote. 00:02:09.110 --> 00:02:13.133 And he reaches down to get it off the carpet and he whispers. 00:02:13.133 --> 00:02:18.150 Do you mind my asking, do you always take a TV remote with you at a church? 00:02:18.150 --> 00:02:23.592 She says no, but my husband refused to come with me today. 00:02:23.592 --> 00:02:24.481 So I figured. 00:02:24.502 --> 00:02:32.306 This is the most evil thing I could do legally when our kids were younger. 00:02:32.306 --> 00:02:35.680 In that day you didn't have 7,000 remotes for everything. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:41.618 There was one, there was one remote and when that baby was gone, it was gone. 00:02:41.618 --> 00:02:44.550 But we didn't ask hey, who's got the remote? 00:02:44.550 --> 00:02:47.792 No, we said, who has the power? 00:02:47.792 --> 00:02:49.680 We did, who has the power? 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:55.373 See, we humans like power, we love it, we lust for it. 00:02:55.373 --> 00:03:00.205 Power in every possible shape, color, size. 00:03:00.586 --> 00:03:08.668 But one of the mysteries of Messiah, his coming, is this he came as a sacrifice for sins, not to seize power. 00:03:08.668 --> 00:03:12.919 The proof that's found on almost every page of the Gospels. 00:03:12.919 --> 00:03:23.551 But I want us to take a look at an intriguing passage this morning in John's Gospel that blasts a bright light on this amazing mystery, this profound truth. 00:03:23.551 --> 00:03:30.698 I hear from our choir members who are in the Christmas concert that the lights are really intense and they can hardly see. 00:03:30.698 --> 00:03:35.713 Well, this light on this truth in John 12 is equally intense, if not more so. 00:03:35.713 --> 00:03:41.328 John chapter 12 is where we're going, and you and I don't typically see this as a Christmas passage. 00:03:41.328 --> 00:03:51.740 We don't, and reading it almost makes you wonder what if Christmas is really more about Easter than this little story that we've come up with. 00:03:51.740 --> 00:03:59.347 I think we make a mistake there and in creating this thing called Christmas and divorcing it from the rest of Scripture. 00:03:59.347 --> 00:04:02.300 Christmas isn't a nicely boxed little story. 00:04:02.300 --> 00:04:05.968 In the New Testament it goes all the way back to Genesis. 00:04:05.968 --> 00:04:10.080 It's hinted at a Genesis, chapter 3, and continues. 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:23.684 So, if you're comfortable, would you join me in honoring God's Word by standing right now we're going to read together, following the words on our screen John, chapter 12, verses 20 through 28. 00:04:23.684 --> 00:04:25.266 Let's read together Now. 00:04:25.326 --> 00:04:31.182 There were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast. 00:04:31.182 --> 00:04:44.255 These people then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were making a freak from him, saying Sir, we wish to see Jesus. 00:04:44.255 --> 00:04:47.322 Philip came and told Andrew. 00:04:47.322 --> 00:05:01.346 Then Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus, but Jesus answered them by saying the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified Truly. 00:05:01.346 --> 00:05:13.838 Truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 00:05:13.838 --> 00:05:24.060 The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. 00:05:24.060 --> 00:05:34.021 If anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am there, my servant will be also. 00:05:34.021 --> 00:05:38.814 If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 00:05:38.814 --> 00:05:42.382 Now my soul has become troubled. 00:05:42.382 --> 00:05:44.665 And what am I to say? 00:05:44.665 --> 00:05:47.992 Father, save me from this hour. 00:05:47.992 --> 00:05:52.000 But for this purpose I came to this hour. 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:58.351 Father, glorify your name, and a voice came out of heaven. 00:05:58.351 --> 00:06:03.646 I have both glorified it and will glorify it again. 00:06:03.646 --> 00:06:14.146 Thank you for that, and please be seated as we take a look now at three uncomfortable truths and one outrageous reality. 00:06:14.146 --> 00:06:16.029 Fasten your seatbelts. 00:06:16.029 --> 00:06:25.473 Uncomfortable truth number one bearing much fruit has a price Death, death. 00:06:25.473 --> 00:06:26.435 Keep in mind that. 00:06:26.454 --> 00:06:27.937 This group who came to see Jesus. 00:06:27.937 --> 00:06:34.298 They just wanted to hang out, I mean, maybe they wanted his autograph, maybe they wanted a selfie with Jesus. 00:06:34.298 --> 00:06:43.425 Nothing doing, the text says, but Jesus answered them, meaning he immediately cuts to the chase, no small talk. 00:06:43.425 --> 00:06:48.040 He said the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. 00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:59.165 Truly, truly, I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 00:07:00.086 --> 00:07:01.247 Now, what's Jesus doing here? 00:07:01.247 --> 00:07:12.165 What Jesus does best, it's like he's offering a picture book to these people to show them the story of his life and impending death. 00:07:12.165 --> 00:07:21.016 See, there wasn't a single one of them who hadn't handled seeds and planted seeds, or married into families where they did that full time. 00:07:21.016 --> 00:07:30.791 You and I, though we kind of we live in the digital age, right we do very little with seeds, so maybe we need some insight here from a farmer. 00:07:30.791 --> 00:07:33.898 Ken Baum is a guy who knows farming. 00:07:33.898 --> 00:07:36.242 He's out in Bureau County, illinois. 00:07:36.242 --> 00:07:47.382 Diana grew up with him, his family and we thought we'd get some expert insight from Ken Baum to help us understand this passage a bit more in this brief video clip we'll watch now. 00:07:56.970 --> 00:07:57.351 Good morning. 00:07:57.351 --> 00:07:57.913 I'm Ken. 00:07:57.913 --> 00:08:02.831 I've been farming for 50 years and it's my pleasure to talk to friends this morning. 00:08:02.831 --> 00:08:05.959 I'm holding a single kernel of corn. 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:16.728 In every spring we take a bag of seed corn, one kernel by itself, it can sit in that bag forever and it does absolutely nothing. 00:08:16.728 --> 00:08:28.396 But when we take that kernel, put it in the ground by itself, one at a time, it begins the process of dying, and dying it creates something better. 00:08:28.396 --> 00:08:42.697 In three months this will produce a corn plant eight feet tall, and in two more months it will produce an ear of corn that contains not one but 680 kernels from one kernel. 00:08:42.697 --> 00:08:46.605 And until we put it in the ground and it dies, it does nothing. 00:08:48.850 --> 00:08:49.934 As a believer in Christ. 00:08:49.934 --> 00:08:52.947 Ken understands this passage, I think, better than most of us. 00:08:52.947 --> 00:09:04.437 Jesus was going to die, going to be placed in the earth just like a seed you saw on that screen, covered over and going to bear much fruit because of it. 00:09:04.437 --> 00:09:14.480 Death is the price for bearing much fruit, and if you and I want to bear fruit, much fruit, death is still the price. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:23.570 Death to self, death to ambition, death to pride, death to secret sins and secret idols, death to sensuality. 00:09:23.570 --> 00:09:33.336 And Luke 9.23, jesus said if anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. 00:09:33.336 --> 00:09:38.666 I never once heard of a cross that didn't lead to death, have you? 00:09:38.666 --> 00:09:44.479 1 Corinthians 15.51, paul says I die daily. 00:09:44.479 --> 00:09:47.283 What about you and me? 00:09:47.283 --> 00:09:50.048 Do we die daily? 00:09:50.048 --> 00:09:53.297 Do we die ever? 00:09:53.297 --> 00:10:06.046 You know, I have to confess that, like any time I ever deliver a message, the preparation time for this is just not fun, because I'm forced to go through this. 00:10:06.046 --> 00:10:08.250 Have this worked on me? 00:10:08.250 --> 00:10:20.500 And in the process, I really, really discovered how much I hate dying to self, how I much prefer to defend the self, promote the self. 00:10:20.500 --> 00:10:24.067 Oh my, a hundred times, a thousand times. 00:10:24.067 --> 00:10:27.898 This came at me again and again and again. 00:10:27.898 --> 00:10:35.097 Dennis is kind enough to comment the beauty of these decorations that Lila has put up with Diana's assistance. 00:10:35.097 --> 00:10:38.625 And me, I mostly grumbled. 00:10:38.625 --> 00:10:40.028 I didn't die to self. 00:10:40.028 --> 00:10:41.591 I didn't die to self. 00:10:41.591 --> 00:10:45.981 Do we die to self? 00:10:45.981 --> 00:10:48.046 I don't like dying to self. 00:10:48.547 --> 00:10:50.410 Today's passage confirms it, though. 00:10:50.410 --> 00:10:57.461 We're all seedy people, but the seed has to die for it to bear much fruit. 00:10:57.461 --> 00:11:02.034 And bearing much fruit has a price death. 00:11:02.034 --> 00:11:10.195 Jesus paid the ultimate price by dying, the ultimate death death on the cross, death for our sins. 00:11:10.195 --> 00:11:15.945 Jesus came as a sacrifice for sin, not to seize power. 00:11:15.945 --> 00:11:19.514 Who holds the power in your life? 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:24.043 There's a second uncomfortable truth in this text. 00:11:24.043 --> 00:11:30.923 Loving life excessively has a price Loss, loss. 00:11:30.923 --> 00:11:33.148 Jesus says in John 12, 25,. 00:11:33.148 --> 00:11:39.629 The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. 00:11:39.629 --> 00:11:41.832 What is Jesus saying? 00:11:41.832 --> 00:11:45.638 Does he mean hey, no, smiling for you ever? 00:11:45.638 --> 00:11:49.571 Does he mean hey, pray, you don't wake up tomorrow morning? 00:11:49.571 --> 00:11:51.659 No, jc Ryle tells us. 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:52.802 The meaning is plain. 00:11:52.802 --> 00:12:03.333 He who loves his life or thinks more of the life that now is than that which is to come, shall lose that which is the best part of his life his soul. 00:12:03.333 --> 00:12:15.808 He who hates his life or cares little for it compared to the life to come, shall preserve to eternal glory that which is the best part of his life, to wit, his soul, boy. 00:12:15.808 --> 00:12:18.793 That stands in opposition to a world full of self love. 00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:21.287 Self love, I mean, it's become ubiquitous. 00:12:21.287 --> 00:12:25.520 It's almost as if self love is our national secular religion. 00:12:25.520 --> 00:12:28.527 Loving the self, we love to love ourselves. 00:12:28.527 --> 00:12:34.482 You know, on Instagram there are 98.5 million hashtag self love posts. 00:12:34.482 --> 00:12:45.504 98.5 million TikTok videos with that same hashtag have racked up 56.1 billion views. 00:12:45.504 --> 00:12:47.107 What is that? 00:12:47.107 --> 00:12:49.534 One view for every human on the planet, just about. 00:12:49.534 --> 00:12:59.240 By contrast, matthew Henry warns many a man hugs himself to death and loses his life by over loving it. 00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:05.349 Do we over love our lives Careful? 00:13:05.349 --> 00:13:08.254 This is a really big deal to Jesus. 00:13:08.254 --> 00:13:09.500 You want to know how important. 00:13:09.500 --> 00:13:11.224 Thanks for asking. 00:13:12.407 --> 00:13:19.748 In addition to this passage, in John 12, jesus is quoted as saying the same thing in five other times in the gospels. 00:13:19.748 --> 00:13:23.677 Let me prove it Matthew 10, 39. 00:13:23.677 --> 00:13:29.455 The one who has found his life will lose it, and the one who has lost his life on my account will find it. 00:13:29.455 --> 00:13:31.601 Matthew 16, 25. 00:13:31.601 --> 00:13:37.421 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 00:13:37.421 --> 00:13:39.625 Mark 8, 35. 00:13:39.625 --> 00:13:48.429 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospels will save it Luke 9, 24. 00:13:48.429 --> 00:13:54.707 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake, this is the one who will save it. 00:13:54.707 --> 00:13:56.893 Luke 17, 33. 00:13:56.893 --> 00:14:02.570 Whoever strives to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will keep it. 00:14:02.570 --> 00:14:05.182 Why such an emphasis from Jesus? 00:14:05.182 --> 00:14:08.889 Matthew Henry tells us this doctrine. 00:14:08.929 --> 00:14:19.394 Christ much insisted on it being the great design of his religion to wean us from this world by setting before us another world. 00:14:19.394 --> 00:14:22.541 Are you weaned from this world? 00:14:22.541 --> 00:14:24.605 Are you in love with it? 00:14:24.605 --> 00:14:29.533 Consider 1 John, 2, 15, 17. 00:14:29.533 --> 00:14:33.841 Do not love the world or anything in the world. 00:14:33.841 --> 00:14:37.188 If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 00:14:37.188 --> 00:14:48.490 For everything that is in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, the boasting of what he has and does, comes not from the Father, but from the world. 00:14:48.490 --> 00:14:54.785 The world and its desires pass away, but the man, the woman who does the will of God lives forever. 00:14:54.785 --> 00:14:59.895 How much do you love this world? 00:14:59.895 --> 00:15:04.003 How much do you love your life? 00:15:06.046 --> 00:15:08.789 Lots of talk these days about your best life. 00:15:08.789 --> 00:15:30.388 Have you noticed that your best living your best life and I wonder where did that phrase come from Turns out in 2005, oprah Winfrey published a book called Living your Best Life, and in 2010 she hosts a TV special, live your Best Life, and ever since then it's become a cultural icon. 00:15:30.388 --> 00:15:32.614 I would argue it's an idol. 00:15:32.614 --> 00:15:43.905 I read one blogger who wrote living my best life says everything at this moment, despite society's standards, is just the way I want it to be. 00:15:43.905 --> 00:15:58.581 We choose our own paths and define happiness in our own ways, even if that happiness is us spending our last $25 on buffalo chicken wing dip ingredients for the Super Bowl Boy. 00:15:58.581 --> 00:15:59.421 That's Amen, high. 00:16:03.501 --> 00:16:07.803 Jesus never called us to live our best life. 00:16:07.803 --> 00:16:10.264 He calls us to lose it. 00:16:10.264 --> 00:16:20.452 He said the one who loses his, the one who loves his life, loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world Will keep it to eternal life. 00:16:20.452 --> 00:16:26.548 Loving life excessively has a price loss. 00:16:26.548 --> 00:16:37.167 But there's a third uncomfortable truth we must grasp serving Jesus has a price follow, follow. 00:16:37.167 --> 00:16:45.528 In John 1226, jesus says if anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am there, my servant will be. 00:16:45.528 --> 00:16:50.726 Also, if anyone serves me, the father will honor him Exactly. 00:16:50.787 --> 00:16:54.350 How motivated are you to follow Jesus? 00:16:54.350 --> 00:16:56.913 What about me, hey? 00:16:56.913 --> 00:17:07.794 What if our motives were fully transparent to those people around us, so that when we sang hymns, the words came out the way we really intended them to come out? 00:17:07.794 --> 00:17:11.953 Now, those of us who grow around hymns, who grew up around you'll get this. 00:17:11.953 --> 00:17:16.210 The rest of us, sorry, honest hymn singing. 00:17:16.210 --> 00:17:17.939 And this might be how you really feel. 00:17:17.959 --> 00:17:23.309 I have decided to Follow my friends. 00:17:23.309 --> 00:17:27.734 My hope is built on nothing much. 00:17:27.734 --> 00:17:32.502 Blessed be the tie that doesn't cramp my style. 00:17:32.502 --> 00:17:36.352 I, I surrender some. 00:17:36.352 --> 00:17:43.490 Take my life and let me be when he leads me. 00:17:43.490 --> 00:17:46.130 I will consider following. 00:17:46.130 --> 00:17:49.772 See, to follow someone is to serve them. 00:17:49.772 --> 00:17:56.196 To surrender, you're surrendering your time, your effort, you're surrendering your status. 00:17:56.196 --> 00:17:58.703 Somebody who serves is no longer the boss, right? 00:17:58.703 --> 00:18:08.015 I Don't know about you, but I find service inconvenient, costly, not to mention exhausting. 00:18:08.015 --> 00:18:10.490 You know, here's the dirty truth. 00:18:10.490 --> 00:18:18.374 I don't mind serving others when it's on my terms, when it fits my schedule. 00:18:18.374 --> 00:18:20.788 This is my slot for serving. 00:18:20.788 --> 00:18:22.132 How may I serve you? 00:18:22.132 --> 00:18:24.637 And boy Don't I feel good for doing it. 00:18:24.637 --> 00:18:27.321 See, that's John's definition of serving. 00:18:27.321 --> 00:18:31.737 Yeah, but serving on my terms, isn't really serving. 00:18:32.886 --> 00:18:45.867 One of the great Mistakes I think many of us husbands make and I'll put my name at the top of the list is the idea that we create little slots, little compartments into which we do our serving, our loving. 00:18:45.867 --> 00:18:48.170 This is my slot. 00:18:48.170 --> 00:18:49.575 How may I help you? 00:18:49.575 --> 00:19:00.826 But human beings, especially wives, weren't meant to, meant to fit into little boxes, married or single. 00:19:00.826 --> 00:19:05.736 Human need doesn't run on a schedule, does it? 00:19:05.736 --> 00:19:07.720 Maybe you've noticed? 00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:14.737 So servants have no schedule of their own, not if they're true servants. 00:19:14.737 --> 00:19:26.451 Jesus says if anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am there, my servant will be also Keeping your life as a price service. 00:19:26.451 --> 00:19:29.878 So what it means to follow Christ and that's rarely convenient. 00:19:29.878 --> 00:19:38.777 You don't get to pick and choose your moments Out at the King's camp, where Diane and I spend a whole lot of weekends. 00:19:39.547 --> 00:19:47.744 They do a lot of potlucks out there and Invariably some wonderful soul will put together a summer fruit salad bowl. 00:19:47.744 --> 00:19:52.402 There are three ingredients in this summer fruit salad bowl. 00:19:52.402 --> 00:19:57.396 We've got watermelon, we've got cantaloupe and what's the third one? 00:19:57.396 --> 00:19:59.027 Honeydew. 00:19:59.027 --> 00:20:00.528 Thank you, honeydew. 00:20:00.528 --> 00:20:03.755 Not happen to love all three, but here's the thing. 00:20:03.755 --> 00:20:06.200 Can we have an honest conversation about summer fruit? 00:20:07.464 --> 00:20:14.130 Cantaloupe is good, but have you noticed a lot of times it's Not so sweet. 00:20:14.130 --> 00:20:18.691 Maybe little crunchy and Honeydew, oh my goodness. 00:20:18.691 --> 00:20:21.752 Nine times out of ten it disappoints. 00:20:21.752 --> 00:20:23.037 It's hard. 00:20:23.037 --> 00:20:26.009 Be honest, can you agree with me? 00:20:26.009 --> 00:20:26.652 It is. 00:20:26.652 --> 00:20:30.611 It just isn't good Crunchy not sweet. 00:20:30.611 --> 00:20:34.494 I mean when it's good it's great, but nine times out of ten a day? 00:20:35.826 --> 00:20:37.713 Little kids are not stupid. 00:20:37.713 --> 00:20:40.290 They know these things. 00:20:40.290 --> 00:20:42.973 So when they go through the line, what did they do? 00:20:42.973 --> 00:20:49.355 They take the watermelon, they pick it out of there and they leave the other unsweet crunchy stuff to you and me. 00:20:49.355 --> 00:20:53.055 Actually, I've seen adults do the same thing. 00:20:55.366 --> 00:21:08.377 I myself may or may not be guilty of such, but if you're a follower of Jesus, you don't get to pick and choose the good stuff in serving and following. 00:21:08.377 --> 00:21:15.515 Jesus did not pick and choose his moments and we don't get to pick and choose ours either. 00:21:15.515 --> 00:21:21.156 Jesus said where I am there, my servant will also be. 00:21:21.156 --> 00:21:26.273 It's easy to follow Jesus as he blesses the little children. 00:21:26.273 --> 00:21:27.676 Right, how nice. 00:21:27.676 --> 00:21:43.375 It's easy to follow Jesus as he's up there on that scenic hillside, the vista overlooking the Sea of Galilee, and there you are scooping up Baskets of leftovers of fish and bread from that miraculous feeding of the five thousand. 00:21:43.375 --> 00:21:45.200 Oh, it's wonderful, it's easy. 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:52.378 It's easy to follow Jesus past the cheering throngs as he enters Jerusalem to the cries of Hosanna. 00:21:53.308 --> 00:22:05.525 But ultimately, if you follow Jesus long enough, you end up on a hill of suffering and death, which takes us to an outrageous reality. 00:22:05.525 --> 00:22:09.765 Outrageous Jesus came to die. 00:22:09.765 --> 00:22:12.890 He came to die. 00:22:12.890 --> 00:22:14.553 John 12, verse 27. 00:22:14.553 --> 00:22:15.775 Jesus cries out. 00:22:15.775 --> 00:22:18.019 Now my soul has become troubled. 00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:19.483 And what am I to say? 00:22:19.483 --> 00:22:22.227 Father, save me from this hour. 00:22:22.227 --> 00:22:26.067 But for this purpose I came to this hour. 00:22:26.067 --> 00:22:27.692 What purpose? 00:22:27.692 --> 00:22:31.910 To die, to be buried in the ground like a seed? 00:22:31.910 --> 00:22:34.318 He says it elsewhere, mark 831. 00:22:34.318 --> 00:22:46.906 And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed and after three days, rise from the dead. 00:22:46.906 --> 00:22:49.259 John 3, 14 and 15. 00:22:49.259 --> 00:22:50.242 You know this scene. 00:22:50.242 --> 00:22:58.746 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent and the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in him. 00:22:58.746 --> 00:23:06.669 Jesus didn't come to earth so we could decorate our houses and our trees and buy truckloads of gifts from Amazon Prime. 00:23:06.669 --> 00:23:09.205 He came for one purpose. 00:23:09.205 --> 00:23:13.470 He came as our only way out of sin our only path to heaven. 00:23:13.470 --> 00:23:15.226 Jesus came to die. 00:23:15.226 --> 00:23:18.450 He had to die and so he did. 00:23:18.450 --> 00:23:23.490 Jesus does not disappoint ever. 00:23:25.441 --> 00:23:34.026 A classmate of mine at Moody Bible Institute went on to Dallas Theological Seminary where he has served training pastors and missionaries and Christian leaders for decades. 00:23:34.026 --> 00:23:46.692 His name is Greg, greg Hatterberg, great guy, and last year Greg learned that a fellow faculty member was facing a serious health crisis kidney failure. 00:23:46.692 --> 00:23:54.594 The guy was in desperate need of a new kidney and then I don't know how, but Greg learned that he was a compatible donor. 00:23:54.594 --> 00:23:58.412 But should he go through this painful surgery? 00:23:58.412 --> 00:24:03.874 Bear in mind four years previous he'd lost his wife, he had children. 00:24:03.874 --> 00:24:06.550 What were they to do if something went wrong with him? 00:24:06.550 --> 00:24:09.880 Surely God would not ask that of him. 00:24:09.880 --> 00:24:13.398 Without hesitation, greg made his choice. 00:24:13.398 --> 00:24:18.193 The surgery was scheduled, the kidney was given. 00:24:18.193 --> 00:24:24.160 We met both Greg and I just interviewed the other guy who received that kidney on the phone recently. 00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:29.798 It's a lovely story, but Christ gave so much more than a kidney. 00:24:29.798 --> 00:24:31.938 He gave away his life. 00:24:31.938 --> 00:24:36.099 Jesus came to die. 00:24:36.099 --> 00:24:37.598 I want you to remember that. 00:24:37.598 --> 00:24:49.152 I want you to re-hear the words of a familiar carol Good Christian men, rejoice with heart and soul and voice. 00:24:49.152 --> 00:24:51.627 Now ye need not fear the grave. 00:24:51.627 --> 00:24:52.580 Jesus. 00:24:52.580 --> 00:24:55.689 Christ was born to save. 00:24:55.689 --> 00:24:57.153 Do you hear it? 00:24:57.153 --> 00:25:00.146 Do you hear Jesus' mission there? 00:25:00.146 --> 00:25:03.095 For this purpose I came to this hour. 00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:07.814 Oh, and don't miss the fabulous next stands of that Christmas carol. 00:25:07.814 --> 00:25:16.000 It says of Jesus he calls you one and calls you all to gain His everlasting all. 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:18.229 Christ was born to save. 00:25:18.229 --> 00:25:21.885 Christ was born to save. 00:25:21.885 --> 00:25:26.708 But have you gained His everlasting all? 00:25:26.708 --> 00:25:29.709 It's a poetic way of saying eternal life in heaven. 00:25:29.709 --> 00:25:36.608 Do you have that everlasting all, or is it for you just everlasting hell? 00:25:36.608 --> 00:25:40.630 Sorry, the Bible offers two options only. 00:25:40.630 --> 00:25:51.931 Maybe you've never really received the very thing that Jesus came here to purchase the forgiveness of your sins, a restored relationship with God. 00:25:51.931 --> 00:25:54.259 Today's the day to do that. 00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:57.709 We're glad to pray with you after the service. 00:25:57.709 --> 00:26:00.819 It's Christmas. 00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:11.878 But what if this Christmas, instead of getting and buying, our lives were about giving and dying? 00:26:11.878 --> 00:26:14.505 You want to bear fruit. 00:26:14.505 --> 00:26:17.403 It's gonna cost you. 00:26:19.009 --> 00:26:26.209 If you took the note page Sheet from the ushers and I hope you did we've got three assignments. 00:26:26.209 --> 00:26:27.271 We're gonna make this practical. 00:26:27.271 --> 00:26:30.890 You don't get just to listen and go home and forget about it. 00:26:30.890 --> 00:26:34.325 Three assignments get out that sheet if you've got it. 00:26:34.325 --> 00:26:37.131 Assignment number one if you want to bear fruit. 00:26:37.131 --> 00:26:38.814 Be with Jesus. 00:26:38.814 --> 00:26:41.326 Be with Jesus. 00:26:41.326 --> 00:26:43.704 Where does Jesus want you to go? 00:26:43.704 --> 00:26:45.210 I don't know. 00:26:45.210 --> 00:26:45.810 Maybe it's a. 00:26:45.810 --> 00:26:49.711 Maybe it's to a neighbor next door who would just use a friend. 00:26:49.711 --> 00:26:51.965 Maybe they need to play the cookies from you. 00:26:51.965 --> 00:26:53.230 Start a relationship. 00:26:53.230 --> 00:26:59.144 Maybe it's a relative you have sort of shunned, I Don't know who it is. 00:26:59.144 --> 00:27:02.907 Write it down in your paper there. 00:27:02.907 --> 00:27:04.817 This Christmas I need to be with Jesus. 00:27:04.817 --> 00:27:05.279 By what? 00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:07.085 By what? 00:27:07.085 --> 00:27:09.330 I'll give you 15 seconds to write it in. 00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:25.851 Assignment number two serve like Jesus. 00:27:25.851 --> 00:27:30.788 He said if anyone serves me, the father will honor him. 00:27:30.788 --> 00:27:32.592 John 1226. 00:27:32.592 --> 00:27:34.394 I don't know what that might look like for you. 00:27:34.394 --> 00:27:41.385 We all live and work in different circles, but the essential task is the same serve like Jesus. 00:27:41.385 --> 00:27:41.968 Write it down. 00:27:41.968 --> 00:27:44.854 This Christmas I need to serve blank, that's who. 00:27:44.854 --> 00:27:47.067 By doing blank, that's what. 00:27:47.067 --> 00:27:51.098 Who needs you to serve them this Christmas? 00:27:51.098 --> 00:28:05.963 And we continue with our third homework. 00:28:06.003 --> 00:28:09.553 Assignment number three die like Jesus. 00:28:09.553 --> 00:28:11.983 Die like Jesus. 00:28:11.983 --> 00:28:20.567 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires, desires of their sinful nature, to his cross and Crucified them there. 00:28:20.567 --> 00:28:22.484 Colossians 5, 24. 00:28:22.484 --> 00:28:25.224 What do you need to die to sin? 00:28:25.224 --> 00:28:31.535 An unhelpful habit, a Personal pursuit that's become too big in your life. 00:28:31.535 --> 00:28:32.740 Write it down. 00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:36.864 This Christmas I need to die to what. 00:28:36.864 --> 00:28:50.256 It's one thing. 00:28:50.256 --> 00:28:54.247 To write it all down, it's quite another live it all out. 00:28:54.247 --> 00:28:56.742 That needs prayer. 00:28:56.742 --> 00:29:02.992 Shall we pray, lord? 00:29:02.992 --> 00:29:04.355 It's tough to wrestle with all this. 00:29:04.355 --> 00:29:17.232 We like Christmas warm and fuzzy and twinkly, and it's more about death and blood and suffering and serving. 00:29:17.232 --> 00:29:20.744 Thank you that you came. 00:29:20.744 --> 00:29:25.468 Would you help us now be with Jesus? 00:29:25.468 --> 00:29:31.781 Would you help us serve like Jesus and Lord? 00:29:31.781 --> 00:29:34.971 The hardest thing of all, would you help us die like Jesus? 00:29:34.971 --> 00:29:39.128 We cannot afford to continue living like us. 00:29:39.128 --> 00:29:42.328 They want to be like Jesus, even in his dying. 00:29:42.328 --> 00:29:44.505 Show us what that means. 00:29:44.505 --> 00:29:51.288 Give us the grace, the courage, the obedience In Jesus name, amen.