WEBVTT 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:20.559 Heavenly Father, we're in this place right now and we're giving you worship and we're giving you praise and we're lifting you high, Father, even though that there is hardship and there's pain and heaviness and maybe even tragedy. 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:24.719 It's right outside of the door today. 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:29.199 God, I pray right now, Lord, that you would meet us in this place. 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:33.280 God, I pray right now, God, that you would strengthen us. 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:41.520 That God, the ones that come into the doors today that are strong, that God, today they would be made stronger by the power of your word. 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:50.079 The ones that walk through the door today, God, in a life that has been decimated in the middle of hardship. 00:00:50.399 --> 00:01:00.399 God, I pray, Lord, that this would be a place where they would be found, loved, changed, and held by your grace. 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:06.719 So, Father, right now we intercede on behalf of our city, as floodlot waters rise. 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:21.599 God, we pray right now, Lord, that you would have your church, your body, be a display of your love, your grace, God, your steady right hand. 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:29.280 So, Father, as we learn from your word today, God open our minds, change us, ready us. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:34.159 In the strong name of Jesus, everybody said, Amen. 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:58.959 As you grab your seats, we're jumping into week two of this series, and I just need to be honest with you guys that I um my heart has been heavy since Friday morning. 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:11.199 Getting a phone call from some of our school administrators about uh the elementary age boy Gabe, who lost his life on Friday to the flood waters. 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:20.400 Actually, Gabe went to Hearn Elementary, which we have several teachers and administrators who are part of our church who are at Hearn. 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:54.400 And uh I got to speak with uh uh principal Miss Megan Barton, as she was had to talk to her last night and try to encourage her in the midst of there's just no playbook for that, but to be able to be a place of refuge and of strength for a school and for students and even some that are here today who are thinking about that, and then now with flood waters rising, it's it it just has felt heavy. 00:02:54.479 --> 00:03:32.000 And I don't know if you felt that way as well, but I'm grateful to have a savior who knows what it's like to feel the heaviness and the weight of things and to walk through tragedy, and today we're gonna take a look at specifically that in the second message of blood, sweat, and tears that is titled Freely Given, one of the lyrics that we just sang a few minutes ago, and reflecting on the fact that Jesus gave his everything for us. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:36.400 And when you give your blood, sweat, and tears, that's exactly what it means. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:41.680 You leave it all out there, you poured all of yourself into something. 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:53.599 But I wonder in our life of faith, what do we do when the cost of our faith or our obedience? 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:56.000 It costs more than you thought it would. 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:06.479 Maybe there was a time in your life where you voluntarily did something out of faith. 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:30.399 Maybe it was something kind that you did for somebody else that was a sacrifice, or maybe a ministry moment, or an adoption story, or a financial sacrifice that you made, or something that you stepped into some type of pain, and you're walking in the tension of what that looks like for you to pour out and to do it by your own choice. 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:38.399 That's what we're gonna look at today as we look at this moment in Jesus' life where he was in this place called the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:39.920 Now, this is a real place. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:42.560 This is a place that I've been to before a few years ago. 00:04:42.639 --> 00:05:04.399 When I got to go to the Holy Land, there's this garden that has all these olive trees, and there's they look like they're ancient and twisted and mangled, and they have uh the olives that are there, and there's a press because the the Hebrew word Gethsemane means a press or oil press, a crushing, a weight, a pressure. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:25.120 And it's in that garden where Jesus made the greatest surrender in all of history, where he was pressed, this place where olives are pressed into oil, and Jesus was pressed as well. 00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:33.920 We're gonna take a look at this scene from the garden. 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:44.000 And even presently today in the garden next to it, there's this basilica called the Basilica of Agony that is intentionally dark inside. 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:49.199 And it just kind of shows the scene of Jesus in prayer in the garden. 00:05:50.399 --> 00:06:01.839 There's a stone there that traditionally Jesus was at as he prayed and as he sweat and as he poured out to God. 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:24.160 And I think about my life, and maybe you felt this way too, with the backdrop of what Jesus has done for us and the agony and the pain that we know in the story of the Passion of Easter, many times we're okay with our faith as long as it's comfortable. 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:32.879 When we get asked to surrender, though, it can feel scary. 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:39.439 It can feel scary, maybe even if that surrender may even lead to some suffering. 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:45.199 See, oftentimes we want God's will as long as it aligns with ours. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:56.959 And there's this internal resistance that we have to fully trust what God has for us in his plan. 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:07.519 But what if the path that God has you on for peace and purpose requires some pain as well? 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:15.439 What if the healing that God's doing in your life, well, it's predicated by wounds? 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:23.199 See, we say that we want God's will, but I think that most of the days what we truly want is comfort. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:32.000 Which is an aspect of the Holy Spirit, that the Holy Spirit is our comforter and comes to us in our times of trouble. 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:39.279 But we're gonna see what Jesus said in this moment where he was willing to say, God, not my will, but your will be done. 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:56.399 Because Jesus is here in the garden on the night that he's arrested, and he begins to pray and ask for God to intervene, if there's any way that this can happen, for God to remove it. 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:02.399 In this beautiful moment of surrender that we're going to learn from today. 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:05.120 This is in Luke chapter 22, starting in verse 39. 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:06.079 Here's the story. 00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:10.879 And he came out and he went as was his custom to the Mount of Olives. 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:12.879 And the disciples followed him. 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:17.920 And when he came to that place, he said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation. 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:27.040 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw and knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:30.959 Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:36.480 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:47.519 And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:57.519 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, Why are you sleeping? 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:01.360 Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation. 00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:11.440 While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and a man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them, and he drew near to Jesus to kiss him. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:19.679 And Jesus said to him, Judas, would you portray the Son of Man with a kiss? 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:39.120 Jesus, in a moment of preparation of what he knew was about to befall him on the cross, he takes time to go and to pray to the Lord and ask for God if there's any other way that this mission can be accomplished, would you do it, God? 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:45.600 And in agony and in pain and sweating, he surrenders. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:55.600 It reminds me of what he said in John chapter 10, verse 18, where he said, No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:58.080 Jesus wasn't a victim. 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:01.519 He gave his life voluntarily. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:18.320 See, he had freely given to God his obedience so that God could do something on a cosmic scale for the salvation of the world. 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:20.080 And he said yes. 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:25.840 And oftentimes for me, I know I want to say yes to God until it hurts. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:36.320 Maybe you're in that place where you feel the press of obedience and you're just kind of wishing for an easier way out. 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:39.919 And you're wanting control more than you're wanting surrender. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:51.039 And what will help each one of us is if daily we follow Jesus' example in the truth that we would choose God's will over your wants. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:56.320 Choosing his will over what our desires are. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:00.720 But the world will tell you, hey, just figure it out yourself. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:02.159 You you got this. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:04.240 Just follow your gut. 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:06.320 Do what feels right. 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:11.600 Surrender doesn't always feel good, but it always leads to good. 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:31.840 And Jesus, he surrenders with sweat dropping from his brow to supply to us what's freely given, but not free. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:38.639 See, Jesus' surrender and his sacrifice for us, it was freely given, but it wasn't cheap. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:43.840 It was freely given, but that doesn't mean it didn't cost anything. 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:47.360 It was freely given to us, but it wasn't free. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:55.360 And so maybe that looks like for you that you need to in the morning start to pray to God, not my will but yours be done today, God. 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:05.679 Maybe there's an area of your life where you're resisting to follow God's leading and be obedient, and you need to release it to Him in prayer. 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:15.039 See, this night, Jesus' prayer happens, and it comes right after what we talked about last Sunday, as Jesus was in the upper room. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:20.559 And during that time in the upper room, and they had they celebrated the Passover meal. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:32.720 And at some point in the evening, Jesus grabbed a towel and some water and a basin, and he began to wash his disciples' feet, including Judas, who was about to betray him. 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:46.639 And Jesus praised this incredible prayer for the church and for its unity that would still be a prayer that would be coming to fruition 2,000 years later with us right now. 00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:55.279 And he takes the bread and he takes the cup and he tells them that this is the cup of the covenant of my blood poured out for you. 00:12:55.679 --> 00:12:57.039 This is my body. 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:00.080 This bread is my body broken for you. 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:02.000 Do this in remembrance of me. 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:09.279 And we're still doing this and remembering what he did for us now, 2,000 years later. 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:18.480 The communion that we have with God, the cup and the bread. 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:29.679 And Jesus in the garden, he's praying, God, if there's any way that you could remove this cup, would you do it? 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:33.360 Not my will, but yours be done. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:37.919 And so it begs us to ask the question: what was in the cup? 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:43.279 What was in that cup? 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:45.919 Was it Jesus? 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:48.960 Was he afraid physically? 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:54.879 Obviously, he was in Israel and he grew up in Israel. 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:56.399 He'd seen crucifixions before. 00:13:56.559 --> 00:14:01.120 He knew was was about to take place and what he was going to endure. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:10.720 Jesus asking for it to be removed of betrayal. 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:16.639 His friend, who he'd poured his life into, was about ready to sell him out. 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:20.480 That he would go to his death. 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:23.360 What was in the cup? 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:30.639 What needed to be passed or removed? 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:33.039 What was Jesus asking for? 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:36.799 We have some clues from the Old Testament and from the New Testament. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:48.080 At the very end of the book in Revelation, as judgment is being poured out on the earth, the angels that are pouring out this judgment. 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:58.799 In Revelation 14, we see this picture of the angel that is enacting God's judgment. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:09.120 And in verse 19, we see the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:18.799 And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and the blood flowed from the winepress as high as a horse's bridle for 1600 stadia. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:21.440 Jesus. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:47.120 This was to come. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:48.879 This was a part of the plan. 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:56.480 God's justice was not just going to be overlooked, but instead it was going to be poured out and it was going to be satisfied. 00:15:56.639 --> 00:16:02.480 And Jesus said to us, I'll drink this cup so that you don't have to. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:19.679 Freely given, but not free. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:28.559 Jesus takes on the wrath and judgment that was intended to burn against sin. 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:46.000 Those who are outside of God's salvation, outside of his seal, Jesus willingly drank the cup of God's wrath. 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:52.080 And one of the bloodiest times in American history. 00:16:54.799 --> 00:17:05.039 Union soldiers who were fighting for a number of reasons, not least for the abolishment of slavery, the institution of slavery in America. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:13.839 They sang this song that we're still familiar with today, called the Battle Hymn of the Republic. 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:17.440 As they would go into war, into battle. 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:26.079 And you've probably heard this at one time or another, but some of the lyrics go, Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:31.440 He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored. 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:35.119 Glory, glory, hallelujah. 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:37.759 Glory, glory, hallelujah. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:41.519 His truth is marching on. 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:26.960 Choosing to follow God. 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:58.240 And maybe you find yourself in here today, and there's some level of obedience, something that you've been avoiding that may even cause you some pain, and you must be thinking, like, oh, well, if it causes any pain, well then God's not in it. 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:02.079 Well, if it hurts, then it can't possibly be God. 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:11.359 But we see in this decision and choice of Jesus, for him to say, Not my will, but yours be done. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:13.920 And he gave us his life. 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:18.000 And so he's asking for you to give him yours in return. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:20.079 That's the truth. 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:23.920 Jesus gave his life so that you will give yours to him. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:29.119 See, pain doesn't mean that you're somehow off track. 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:38.640 It may actually mean that you're right where God is molding you and where he's helping you to become the person that he's made you to be. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:40.400 What does that mean? 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:48.559 Well, that means that some of us may need to take the step to forgive that person, finally forgive that person who hurt you. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:50.480 To step into it. 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:58.559 Maybe that means that some of you need to stop putting off the thing that God has told you that you already should have done. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.519 The thing that He's already placed into your heart. 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:02.720 He's already told you. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:07.200 And stop holding back and waiting and kicking the can down the field. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:15.440 And maybe that looks like for some of us that we need to wake up in the morning and we need to just say out loud, your will over mine. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:27.599 But the world's gonna tell us, like, can you just like chill out about this Jesus stuff? 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:32.880 Is it really like that serious? 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:37.039 Like, there's a lot of religions out there, there's a lot like chill out. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:49.039 I remember when I was growing up, there was a youth leader in the youth ministry that I looked up to a lot, and he was heading to be a pastor and was in seminary school and was super encouraging to me. 00:20:49.279 --> 00:21:05.599 And a few years later, my mid-20s, after God had called me to ministry, and I met up with him, and at that point he had uh left the ministry call and left church, and I was just asking, like, man, like what what happened? 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:08.880 What why what what's going on? 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:10.319 Like, what in the world went on? 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:14.319 And and he looked at me, he said, you'll figure it out when you get older. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:28.240 Like there's like just kind of this inevitability of life that like the fervor that you once had for Christ that you know, like as you get older, well, you know, you see some things, you go through some things, you know, just sit chill out. 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:32.640 Well, now I'm a lot older, and I still don't understand them. 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:37.519 I still don't understand the thought of like, well, you know, just chill out. 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:49.680 Because Jesus is the one who went to the cross and bore on the pain and bored, I'm gonna sin, and bored on the shit and some of them, give it to them, it's gonna be crossing them and for me. 00:21:50.559 --> 00:22:03.680 And then the people who And complain about trivial things when it comes to church and church life. 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:07.839 These are people who don't love anybody who's lost. 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:10.799 They've never known or don't love a prodigal. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:21.200 When you actually care and love about people who don't know Jesus, you don't worry about these minute details and conflicts. 00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:31.440 You're worried about if they're gonna walk through these doors on a Sunday and if God's gonna meet them, and I want to see a environment created in this place where somebody can come to know the saving knowledge of Jesus. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:43.119 They never loved the prodigal, they never had somebody in their life that you're just they're just waiting for them to walk through these doors. 00:22:46.319 --> 00:23:00.480 Jesus, gave us this cup of grace that we get to follow as it's poured out of grace to us that we let it flow to others. 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:11.920 And only by him surrendering his will can we carry his will for our lives. 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:18.960 Freely given, but not free. 00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:35.599 You're worried about something. 00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:51.519 Something that maybe in the tragedies and things that we're we're just bracing for what's happening with our city right now, and you're you're you're worried and you're wondering, and you're sweating, thinking about it. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:54.240 Jesus knows right where you are. 00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:59.920 Because later in the story, we see that Peter, as he's denying Jesus, he's standing around a campfire. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:03.279 It was not warm that night, it was cold, and Jesus was still sweating. 00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:11.440 He was sweating under the agony that he knew what was about to happen and the tragedy that was going to be right in front of him. 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:18.480 And he carried the will of God into it even still. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:21.920 And maybe some of you're like sweating it out right now. 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:29.920 And I want to ask you that you may be sweating it out in your faith, and there may be in the midst of this something that God is forming in you. 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:35.920 He's changing in you, he's helping you to become more like his son, Jesus. 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:53.680 Wanting you to trust in him and be obedient to him, even when it's difficult or challenging or hard. 00:24:55.839 --> 00:25:06.240 Jesus has said, nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:15.759 And there's so many times in my life where I want to be free without letting go. 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:27.200 Like I want I want to feel free, I want to do all the things that God has for me, but I'm not willing to let go of what I need to let go to. 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:31.200 Instead, I'm holding on to what God has called me to lay down. 00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:42.000 And maybe for some of you today, that is what God is literally waiting on you to do is to release what you're holding on to and lay it down for Him. 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:49.279 Just as Jesus was willing to say, nevertheless, not my will but yours be done, God. 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:51.200 And he spoke it out. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.920 He said it to the Lord. 00:25:54.160 --> 00:26:02.960 And we learn in this that our surrender to God, it's not something that's secret, it's not something that's hidden, it's not silent. 00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:10.480 Our surrender is something that we speak out and as we surrender to God and we receive what he's given to us. 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:16.880 We learned last week that the receiving of his grace, this isn't something that we just take as a gift and then we put it up on the shelf. 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:19.359 Or we open it, we take it as a gift, but then we never open it. 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:23.519 But the receiving is actually that you receive the gift and then you use it. 00:26:24.720 --> 00:26:36.799 That you receive God's grace for you and you don't just like have it and have this like great, oh wow, I've got the grace of God, but you actually take it out and you utilize it for your life and see other people be able to receive it as well. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:42.000 It's not something that's silent, it's something that you carry with you. 00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:56.400 And you're able to drink the cup of communion and carry your cross because Jesus already carried his for you. 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:02.079 Freely given. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:35.759 He actually ended up serving 17 years in the state penitentiary here in Frankfurt and downtown because he helped 47 slaves cross into the north. 00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:44.400 And during his time at the prison, where he served two stents and received, ended up see receiving two pardons. 00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:58.000 But during his 17 years, he recorded in his biography that he endured 35,000 lashes, whippings. 00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:34.640 And he counted the cost to see others' lives paid for. 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:53.119 One of the men that he helped to escape, Lewis Hayden, made his way to Boston, a freed slave, and he began a campaign to raise funds from Boston to help Fairbank to ultimately be released. 00:28:58.400 --> 00:29:03.440 He was willing to help those that he could to find freedom. 00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:09.440 And he paid for it with some serious suffering. 00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:10.799 Listen to me. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:12.400 Jesus paid more. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:25.200 So then you could give everything to him. 00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:30.960 He chose to take the cup. 00:29:31.359 --> 00:29:34.079 He chose to take the cross. 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:39.920 He freely gave so that you could freely give. 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:51.440 So that you could drink from the cup of communion with God. 00:29:52.720 --> 00:29:59.839 He willingly gave up his will and surrendered his so that you would live. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:11.920 One of the last verses in the Battle Hymn of the Republic goes like this: In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea. 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:16.480 With a glory in his blossom that transfigures you and me. 00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:26.319 As he died to make us holy, let us die, that all be free while God is marching on. 00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:36.960 That we would be the ones in recognition of the cross of Christ and the cup that was poured out on him. 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:40.240 That we were the ones that were seeing freedom. 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:46.400 And we were the ones that were made holy so that then we can see other people be made free as well. 00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:58.799 That we would be able to, in the middle of pain and tragedy and hardship, that we would be the ones that are carrying the grace of Christ on our lips and on our lives and our hands? 00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:04.640 Can you imagine? 00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:13.759 Can you imagine your life if you would stop resisting what God is asking you to do and you started to fully trust Him? 00:31:14.319 --> 00:31:18.400 Can you imagine what it would look like? 00:31:20.319 --> 00:31:29.920 If you believe that the Father had good plans and purposes for you, even if it's painful at times, but it's going to lead to your good. 00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:42.559 Jesus, he drank the cup of wrath so that we could taste his mercy, his grace. 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:46.960 What was freely given, but not free. 00:31:48.880 --> 00:31:50.880 And we sang it earlier. 00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:55.599 It's never been about deserving or earning. 00:31:56.160 --> 00:31:58.640 It's a gift that's freely given. 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:02.640 Let me tell you, it's only by the blood. 00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:11.839 This freely given salvation that we have, that Jesus gave all of himself, and we don't have to earn it. 00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:13.359 We don't have to deserve it. 00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:15.920 We just have to say yes and mean it. 00:32:17.920 --> 00:32:26.000 And so I wonder in a room today, is there anybody in here that you haven't yet said yes to Jesus and truly meant it? 00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:33.359 Maybe you prayed a prayer one time when you were young, but there has been zero fruit of your salvation the rest of your life. 00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:41.119 At one point you said that you gave your life to Christ, but the rest of your life you've just been doing whatever you wanted to do. 00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:47.200 Give everything to Him. 00:32:56.319 --> 00:33:10.480 And I want to tell you that if you haven't given your life over to Jesus and received His death, burial, and resurrection on the cross for you, for you then to be made alive, the wrath of God will pour out on you. 00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:15.200 From this life into the next. 00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:19.920 By the blood of Jesus, you can be set free. 00:33:20.640 --> 00:33:21.920 And you can be saved. 00:33:22.640 --> 00:33:28.400 And your last breath on earth be the first breath in the presence of God in heaven. 00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:34.319 Don't wait. 00:33:38.079 --> 00:33:40.640 Bow your heads, Father, all across this room. 00:33:40.880 --> 00:33:52.880 Lord, I thank you, God, for those in the room that walk in today securely in your freedom and your grace. 00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:57.519 God, let us not take for granted what you did for us. 00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:12.320 Let us not feel routine or be cheapened, but instead, God, that we would flow out the grace that poured out for us. 00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:35.760 And Father, I pray right now that today, God, if there's anybody here who's not received you as their Savior, who's not been set free and forgiven, who's not asked for your forgiveness, confessed you as Lord, believed in your death, burial, and resurrection, that today would be the day of their salvation, that they would pray, Jesus, save me in their heart and their mind. 00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:45.920 I believe that you're the Son of God, that you died on the cross for my sin, that you gave everything for me, and that you're alive. 00:34:46.880 --> 00:34:50.079 I give you my life today. 00:34:51.199 --> 00:34:56.400 Cleanse me, wash me so that I can be in heaven with you one day. 00:34:59.760 --> 00:35:01.440 I commit my life to you. 00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:05.199 Thank you for giving me yours. 00:35:06.159 --> 00:35:07.039 In Jesus' name. 00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:08.239 Nobody looking around. 00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:11.519 Today you prayed to receive Christ as your Savior. 00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:16.400 Today you prayed to receive his forgiveness. 00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:23.280 At the count of three, I want you to raise your hand to heaven as a sign before God, and so I can pray for you if that's you. 00:35:25.519 --> 00:35:26.800 Lift that hand up, ready. 00:35:26.880 --> 00:35:28.159 One, two, three. 00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:30.079 Anyone in here? 00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:35.199 Father. 00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:45.679 I pray, God, that we would be people who have your grace on our lips and your purposes in our heart. 00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:50.559 That they would be people even this week. 00:35:51.519 --> 00:36:01.119 That God we're able to extend, show love, in the way that you've called us to, and you've given us the example for. 00:36:02.400 --> 00:36:02.960 We praise you. 00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:04.559 We thank you, God. 00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:06.639 For your mighty work. 00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:08.000 In Jesus' name. 00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:09.679 Everybody said Amen.