WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.679 Chapter 18. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:05.200 Jesus is betrayed and arrested. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:13.519 After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kendron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. 00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:21.519 Judas, the betrayer, knew this place because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples. 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:28.879 The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and temple guards to accompany him. 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:34.640 Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove. 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:40.399 Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:41.679 Who are you looking for? 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:42.399 He asked. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:44.640 Jesus the Nazarene, they replied. 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:46.320 I am P, Jesus said. 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:49.359 Judas who betrayed him was standing with them. 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:54.000 As Jesus said, I am he, they all drew back and fell to the ground. 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:56.320 Once more, he asked, Who are you looking for? 00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:59.039 And again they replied, Jesus the Nazarene. 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:00.479 I told you that I am he. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:04.480 Jesus said, And since I am the one you want, let these others go. 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:06.879 He did this to fulfill his own statement. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:09.920 I did not lose a single one of those you have given me. 00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:16.560 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest's slave. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:20.560 But Jesus said to Peter, Put your sword back into its sheet. 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:24.480 Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me? 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:28.640 Jesus at the high priest's house. 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:36.560 So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up. 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:42.480 First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest at that time. 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:48.719 Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders It's better that one man should die for the people. 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:51.120 Peter's first denial. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:56.640 Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciples. 00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:00.000 That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest. 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:03.680 So he was allowed to enter the high priest's courtyard with Jesus. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:06.159 Peter had to stay outside the gate. 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:12.400 Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate and she let Peter in. 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:16.080 The woman asked Peter, You're not one of that man's disciples, are you? 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:17.680 No, he said, I am not. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:22.479 Because it was cold, the household servants and the guards had made a charcoal fire. 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:28.400 They stood around it, warming themselves, and Peter stood with them, warming himself. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:31.840 The high priest questions Jesus. 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:38.000 Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about his followers and what he had been teaching them. 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:41.360 Jesus replied, Everyone knows what I teach. 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:46.240 I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the temple, where the people gather. 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:48.479 I have not spoken in secret. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.120 Why are you asking me this question? 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:53.120 Ask those who heard me. 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:54.400 They know what I said. 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:59.280 Then, one of the temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:01.680 Is that the way to answer the high priest? 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:02.400 He demanded. 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:06.560 Jesus replied, If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:10.319 But if I'm speaking the truth, why are you beating me? 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:15.840 Then, Annas found Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest. 00:03:16.319 --> 00:03:18.639 Peter's second and third denials. 00:03:18.879 --> 00:03:26.719 Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, You're not one of his disciples, are you? 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:29.039 He denied it, saying, No, I am not. 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:38.319 But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, Didn't I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus? 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:42.800 Again, Peter denied it, and immediately a rooster crowed. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:46.319 Jesus' trial before Pilate. 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:50.960 Jesus' trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:54.319 Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. 00:03:54.560 --> 00:04:00.319 His accusers didn't go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn't be allowed to celebrate the Passover. 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:04.960 So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, What is your charge against this man? 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:07.439 We wouldn't have handed him over to you if he weren't a criminal. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:08.159 They retorted. 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:10.240 Then take him away and judge him by your own law. 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:11.120 Pilate told them. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:13.520 Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:18.639 The Jewish leaders replied, This fulfilled Jesus' prediction about the way he would die. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:23.120 Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:24.480 Are you the king of the Jews? 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:25.279 He asked him. 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:28.160 Jesus replied, Is this your own question? 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.079 Or did others tell you about me? 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:31.279 Am I a Jew? 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:32.240 Pilate retorted. 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:36.800 Why? 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:37.680 What have you done? 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:40.720 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:45.920 If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:47.920 But my kingdom is not of this world. 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:49.839 Pilate says, So you are a king. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:52.720 Jesus responded, You say I am a king. 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:57.360 Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:00.879 All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true. 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:01.920 What is truth? 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:02.959 Pilate asked. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:05.439 Then he went out again to the people and told them. 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:15.360 Would you like me to release this king of the Jews? 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:18.720 But they shouted back, No, not this man. 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:20.480 We want Barabbas. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:23.519 Barabbas was a revolutionary. 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:41.759 No matter if you're uh on a road trip, in a theme park, in an office building. 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:48.720 There's some words, a sentence that men never want to hear. 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:52.720 You look lost. 00:05:56.240 --> 00:05:58.319 Just something in our pride. 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:01.839 Even if we are, we don't want to look that way. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:05.279 We want to look like we have it all together. 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:12.560 Daniel Boone once said, I've never been lost, but I have been confused for a couple of days. 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:18.879 See, we're in this series, Lost and Found. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:34.480 And as we're looking through the Easter story, we've been zeroing in on different people and individuals across the story, in the beginning, in the middle, and the end, that have lost their way on the path. 00:06:34.959 --> 00:07:02.079 As we enter into this holy week and we're on this Palm Sunday, we think about Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where there were hordes of people who were lining the streets, putting down palm branches in their coats as Jesus came into the city and they're singing and shouting, Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest, praising Jesus, the same crowd a few days later that would scream, Crucify Him, crucify him, crucify him. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:06.879 That quickly to lose the way. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:23.199 And maybe for some of us in the room today, you may have come in today and you're on your life's journey, your life's path, and you may not realize it that you've veered off of course of the plan and the purposes that God has for you. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:35.680 Or maybe you're one of the ones who are in the room today, and you know that there's some things that are happening in your life, some secret things, and you know that the path has diverged, but you don't want to look lost in any way. 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:44.160 But maybe there's some of us in the room that you've come in today and you're seeking, you're saying, I need something different. 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:49.600 The path that I'm walking down right now in my life, things are not working out. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:57.120 And maybe, just maybe, just maybe this God thing, maybe this thing about Jesus, I don't know, somebody invited me. 00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:00.480 Amen in the room, I'm just trying this out. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:13.360 And so what we're gonna look at of this passage of scripture that we just went through is to kind of imagine John chapter 18 as like a Netflix episode. 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:21.279 See, if this was, if if if chapter 18 was a Netflix episode, it would be the one right before the finale. 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:36.399 Because we have these different individuals that are in the story, and we're gonna take a look at each of them quickly, and we're gonna analyze what path and pitfall they've fallen into. 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:45.519 So that they is a warning sign that we won't also follow into, follow a path away from Jesus. 00:08:48.879 --> 00:09:02.399 See Matthew, or chapter 18 of John that we just went through in the beginning of the next chapter, is when they fix a crown of thorns on a Jesus' head. 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:07.519 And they beat him beyond recognition. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:13.279 And they whip him, and they tear the flesh from his back. 00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:19.039 And he carries his cross up the hill. 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:29.600 See, the first of these paths that diverge away from Jesus is the path that the priests are on. 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:33.440 These priests, these religious leaders that have it all figured out. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:36.720 They know exactly what the Messiah is supposed to look like. 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:41.600 They know exactly from from how studied they are and how smart they are. 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:51.200 That this humble Jesus from Nazareth that he couldn't possibly be the Messiah and he didn't fit the mold of what they wanted. 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:54.399 And so they were walking down a path of pride. 00:09:56.559 --> 00:10:13.279 So oftentimes in our lives, we want to make Jesus into our image instead of us following Jesus and making ourselves into his image. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:16.879 This path of pride. 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:21.600 In verse 12, so the soldiers and the commanding officers and the temple guards arrested Jesus. 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:22.879 They tied him up. 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:29.120 First, they took him to Annas, since he was the father of Caiaphas, the high priest, at that time. 00:10:29.200 --> 00:10:35.039 And Caiaphas was the one who told the other Jewish leaders, it's better that one man should die for the people. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:37.200 We saw this passage last week. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:39.440 Caiaphas, the high priest. 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:43.279 He says, it's better that one man should die for the people. 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:45.600 But that wasn't a spiritual statement. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:52.320 That wasn't Caiaphas saying, Oh, Jesus the Messiah, he's going to die for our sins and he's going to save the whole world. 00:10:52.480 --> 00:11:10.480 No, what he was saying is that it's better for this person, this Jesus, to die, than for Rome and the emperor and our oppressors to come with their military might and political might and destroy us because of some kind of uprising. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:17.600 So they were thinking about their political position, their power, their influence. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:31.519 And for us, we look at that and we think to ourselves, and should think to ourselves, the amount of humility that we should be walking in. 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:40.559 The Jesus of the scriptures will be the Jesus that we follow. 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:47.519 And not the one that we want to pick and choose and turn into the Jesus of our preferences. 00:11:51.360 --> 00:12:05.440 See, in this same vein of the political and military was Pilate, this powerful governor, who stands in the judgment seat over King Jesus. 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:10.240 Even asking him, Are you the king of the Jews? 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:17.279 And you can see the moral decay and corruption in him. 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:25.840 That he takes this path of least resistance to allow an innocent man to be killed. 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:37.120 He's succumbed to this path of political power, of political correctness. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:51.919 This governor that's supposed to be, he's supposed to be a judge, one who holds up truth, one that's in a place of authority, but then he looks at Jesus and he says, What is truth? 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:54.399 What is truth? 00:12:55.039 --> 00:13:08.480 He had gotten to the place that his path had gone so far off that he basically was willing to do whatever he could in order for him to keep his political power, have no convictions. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:16.399 And you think about that compared to our Christian brothers and sisters in the first century. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:25.840 See, we don't really think about it through this lens, but the earliest of Christians, the first followers of Jesus, had zero political power. 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:34.080 So much so that the earliest of Christians, many of them, died for their faith. 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:40.960 Some of them, even in Roman Colosseums, being torn apart by lions for entertainment. 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:48.399 Hung is hanging candles, burning alive at parties for the Roman emperors. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:14:01.759 See, even in a town like ours, it's possible for politics to become a religion. 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:14.000 And the centuries of time have taught us that politics is a terrible savior. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:22.879 See, Jesus is not an elephant, and he's not a donkey. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:25.519 He's a lion and a lamb. 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:29.440 He transcends it, he's beyond it. 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:35.519 Do we walk out our faith and does it inform how we go, what which way we go in life, and what we do and our decisions? 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:36.320 Absolutely. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:38.480 But Jesus is king. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:43.759 He's above any political system, he is our Lord of lords. 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:49.200 And so we submit ourselves to him. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:59.679 So then, even like Pilate, when it's not politically expedient for us to be followers of Jesus, we still follow him. 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:12.799 It was Jesus who said in Luke chapter 9, verse 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:15.039 See, this is the trap. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:19.759 This is the path and the trap and the pitfall that Peter fell into. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:24.720 Because Peter followed down this path of preservation. 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:33.200 Out of fear and uncertainty of what would happen in the pressures from the crowd, he falters in the face of adversity. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:41.120 Because in verse 17, a woman asked Peter, Are you not the man's disciple? 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:41.919 Are you? 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:44.000 And he says, No, I'm not. 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:47.039 And then he's asked again, and he says, I'm not. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:51.120 And he's asked again, and he says, I'm not. 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:53.919 And then the rooster crows. 00:15:57.360 --> 00:16:01.039 Peter's following down this path of fear. 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:08.559 That when somebody would ask him the question so plainly, are you one of the disciples? 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:11.360 Did you follow that Jesus? 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:15.919 His answer ashamed was no. 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:20.799 What will our answer be? 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:26.799 When yes, I'm a follower of Jesus, it's not politically correct to say. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:32.320 It doesn't help us get that promotion. 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:37.919 It doesn't help us get favor with our neighbors. 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:41.360 I think about in the 1930s. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:46.720 In the 1930s in Germany, Hitler was quickly rising to power. 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:58.799 And his ideology, the Fuhrer ideology, was gaining ground and gaining traction and was becoming the popular opinion of the day. 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:09.440 This evil Aryan purity ideology to exterminate, genocide a whole group of people. 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:24.160 And in the late 1930s, the majority of pastors in Germany at the time fell in line with Hitler and supported him. 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:30.240 They supported him because it's Jesus who was rising to power. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:18:04.000 All the people knew it, even though what he was saying was not the way of Jesus, but he was saying that he was this Christian leader, and for their own expediency, they came in alignment with Hitler, himself, and the Nazi Party, only for just a few short years later, the majority of those pastors to be sent and die in Nazi concentration camps after Hitler took control of the church in Germany. 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:08.079 See, they followed this political correctness. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:16.880 And they thought that it was gonna be good for them to just fall in line. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:20.720 The rooster crows. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:39.119 And it flashes back to just a few chapters earlier in John chapter 13. 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:54.799 And this is Jesus after the Last Supper, and after he's gotten down and he's washed their feet, and he begins to teach them, and he tells them that somebody's gonna betray them, and Judas goes off to sell Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver. 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:57.839 And Jesus says this in verse 31. 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:06.160 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, The time has come for the Son of Man to enter his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:11.519 And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:13.519 And he will do so at once. 00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:19.599 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:24.960 As I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you cannot come where I'm going. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:26.400 Verse 34. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:30.319 So now I'm giving you a new commandment. 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:32.079 Love each other. 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:34.880 Just as I have loved you. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:37.279 You should love each other. 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:39.519 And then verse 35. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:50.319 And Simon Peter asked, Lord, where are you going? 00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:53.039 What are you talking about? 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:59.440 And Jesus replied, You can't go with me now, but you'll follow me later. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:03.920 But why can't I come now, Lord? 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:04.480 He asked. 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:06.799 I'm ready to die for you. 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:10.240 And Jesus answered, Die for me. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:13.119 I tell you the truth, Peter. 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:20.480 Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:26.319 We can't be too harsh on Peter, though. 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:34.000 Because there's another group of individuals in this story, and that's the people, the crowd. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:49.680 That follow the path of popular opinion to hatred and to violence and the prevailing winds of what was popular to be said. 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:56.480 Pilate stands and he gives them this option in verse 39. 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:01.759 But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:04.160 Would you like me to release this king of the Jews? 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:07.039 But they shouted back, No, not this man. 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:11.920 We want Barabbas, who was a murderer, who was a revolutionary. 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:19.359 And just a few short verses later, they're screaming, crucify him, crucify him, crucify him. 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:27.519 They follow this path of what's popular at the time. 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:43.279 Reminds me a time I was on a path, Emily and I, when we were dating years ago, down, I know I went to Cumberland, so down in that southern uh area of Kentucky, went to Cumberland Falls, and we went out to this special place out at Cumberland Falls. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:45.440 It's one of the falls that you have to hike back to. 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:54.240 When you get to it, it opens up, and there's this beautiful waterfall and this lagoon, and we're hanging out and having food, and we're just so in love. 00:21:57.920 --> 00:21:59.759 And we swam together and we talked. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:06.000 Together and as the day went on, we didn't realize that it was getting closer and closer tonight. 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:11.519 Quite a long way away from the vehicle. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:24.880 All of a sudden, we find ourselves in darkness with nothing but a little flashlight to light our way. 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:28.640 Now, this was not even one of the new flashlights, like one of the older flashlights. 00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:31.200 These nice bright ones. 00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:34.640 And so we're on this path, and it's pitch black. 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:35.440 There's no moon. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:38.480 The cover of the trees are covering over, and we're on the path. 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:45.519 And Emily's got a hold of the back of my shirt, and we're taking a step at a time and lighting up, trying to figure out are we okay? 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.319 Are we still on, are we still on the trail? 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:49.440 Where are the markers? 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:50.240 Where are the trees? 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:53.839 And I'm trying to keep my light on my feet and on hers here. 00:22:53.920 --> 00:23:02.000 I'm just doing this whole thing, everything, trying to light it up because I don't want to stumble over a rock or a stump and fall on my face. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:14.400 And I'm lighting up the path, and I'm lighting up my feet, and I'm lighting up my path, and I'm lighting up my feet just so that I can stay on course, that we can make it back to the car. 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:20.559 It's God's word. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.200 It's a lamp unto my feet. 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:31.440 And a light unto my path. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:34.319 It's both. 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:45.440 To know which way we should go in this life. 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:52.720 And it's a light for our feet so that if we stay walking with Jesus, that we don't stumble and fall. 00:23:55.599 --> 00:24:19.039 That if we follow on the path, the path that Jesus wants us to follow, which is this path of promise, a path of hope, a path of the one that bled and died to light our way. 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:24.880 That we would follow the promise of God. 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:35.039 That the Savior of this world, that just a few verses later, is hanging on the cross. 00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:49.039 Bloody and beaten, unable to breathe, a crown of thorns on his head, King of the Jews written over. 00:24:54.880 --> 00:25:03.519 Before he takes his last breath, they put a sour wine on his lip. 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:13.440 And then he says on the cross, It is finished. 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:18.720 And then the earth began to quake. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:24.000 And darkness filled the earth. 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:27.599 And the veil that was in the temple tore in two. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:33.359 And the Roman soldier fell on his face and he said, Surely this is the Son of God. 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:41.039 That Jesus finished work on the cross for you today. 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:47.039 That today would be the day that you say, God, I'm going to allow you to light my path. 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:53.759 I've been on my path, my way, for so long that it's time for me to be found. 00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:04.960 In a few minutes, we're going to celebrate these baptisms together. 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:15.680 And it's this beautiful picture and a celebration of the ones that are proclaiming and saying, Jesus, I follow you. 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:23.200 Everyone, let me proclaim that my life is Jesus. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:25.680 It's given to him. 00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:34.640 I'm no longer on my own path in the darkness, but I'm walking in the glorious light of my Savior. 00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:37.839 And we're going to celebrate that here in just a few minutes. 00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:39.519 And I can't wait. 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:41.680 On our second birthday. 00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:50.480 But I wonder, I wonder if there's anybody else in the room today. 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:54.240 That today is your day. 00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:59.039 That you need to receive the finished work of Jesus on the cross. 00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:09.039 He bled and died in your place so that you could walk in his way, in his path your life, for his promises over you. 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:24.720 That you'll walk from this life into the next, into eternity with God, in relationship with him, and not separated in a place called hell because of our sin, but forgiven and found by the power of the blood. 00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:26.720 Would you bow your heads with me now? 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:28.799 Father, I pray all across the room right now. 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:34.079 Lord, there's people in our midst, Father, that know that they're walking on the wrong path. 00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:40.400 They come here today, and Lord, I pray, God, that this will be a moment that they turn their heart and mind over to you. 00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:41.759 They give it to you. 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:57.200 Father, I pray right now, all across the room, Father, someone who's come into this place that's in a desperate spot, and they need you to find them, to pick them up and show them the way. 00:27:57.440 --> 00:28:04.319 Father, I pray, God, that today, that today, God, would be a day of a moment of change. 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:09.519 Not by our own power, but by your power. 00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:20.559 And so, God, I pray all across the room right now, Father, if there's anybody in this place who's not accepted you as Savior, Father, and walking with you, that today would be the day of their salvation. 00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:28.559 Today would be the day that they give their heart and their life to you, that they turn from their sin and walk on the path with you. 00:28:28.720 --> 00:28:34.160 And if that's you here this morning, I'm gonna ask you to pray right now to the Lord. 00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:38.240 Pray to the Lord right now in your heart and your mind, from a genuine place. 00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:40.400 Jesus, save me. 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:45.599 I believe that you're the Son of God and that you're alive. 00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:59.200 Forgive me, cleanse me as white as snow, so that I can be in heaven with you one day. 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:06.960 I give you my life as you gave yours for mine. 00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:10.319 Thank you for saving me. 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:14.240 Head bowed in this room today. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:42.160 If today was the day that you prayed that to be forgiven, to walk on the path with Jesus, for you to receive his salvation and finish work on the cross, if today was the day that you prayed that to follow Jesus, to be made new, to give your heart and your life to him, what I'm gonna do is on the count of three, I want you to raise your hand so I can see you, so I can pray for you. 00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:52.640 If today is the day that you've prayed that, to walk in the path of Jesus, to receive him as Savior, if that day is today, the count of three. 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:54.480 One, two, three. 00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:55.519 Anybody? 00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:57.119 Yep, right over here? 00:29:57.359 --> 00:29:58.720 Yep, right here in the back. 00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:00.240 Anybody else? 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:02.160 Anybody else right here? 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:06.000 Father, in the back. 00:30:06.160 --> 00:30:06.799 I see you. 00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:17.440 Father, right now, Lord, the ones that have raised this hand towards you, God, I pray, Lord, that this has come from a genuine place of them giving their heart and life to you. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:23.279 That God, that this this moment of salvation, that God, it would be sealed. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:33.119 That God, that they would be forgiven and that we would walk with you every single day. 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:36.240 From now and into eternity. 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:42.640 Thank you, Father, for new life in this place. 00:30:43.440 --> 00:30:44.799 In Jesus' name. 00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:46.559 Everybody said, Amen. 00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:49.519 Church, will you celebrate together as we stand and we sing?