Speaker 1: 0:00

Good morning everybody, and let's begin with a word of prayer. Father, thank you for your family that is in here this morning. Thank you for the opportunity to gather like this and worship you. We thank you for your Holy Spirit that you sent to us, and we just ask that it is in this place this morning. Father, we thank you for your Son and what he chose to do for us to die for us. We can't even imagine it, lord, but we thank you that he did that for us and it's in his name we pray. Amen, amen.

Speaker 2: 0:34

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path, a light unto my path. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path when I feel afraid, I think I've lost my way, still you're there, right beside me. Nothing will I fear as long as you are. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Speaker 2: 1:47

I will not forget your love for me, and yet I'll forever be wandering. Jesus, be my guide, hold me to your side. Be my guide, hold me to your side. I will love you to the end. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Thy word is a and a light unto my path. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Speaker 2: 2:39

I am a poor wayfaring stranger while traveling through this world of woe. Yet there's no sickness, toil or danger in that bright world to which I go. I'm going there to see my Father. I'm going there, no more to roam. I'm only going over Jordan, I'm only going over home. I know dark clouds will gather around me, I know my way is rough and steep, but golden fields lie out before me where God's redeemed shall ever sleep. I'm going there to see my Father. I'm going there, no more to roam. I'm only going over Jordan, I'm only going over home.

Speaker 2: 4:35

I'll soon be free from every trial, my body sleep in the church yard, I'll drop the cross of self-denial and enter on my great reward. I'm going there to see my Father. I'm going there, no more, to roam, I'm only going over Jordan. I'm only going over Jordan, I'm only going over home.

Speaker 2: 5:42

How deep the Father's love for us. How vast beyond all measure that he should give His only Son To make a wretch His treasure, treasure. How great the pain of searing loss. The Father turns His face away as wounds which mar the chosen one Bring many sons to glory. Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders. Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice scoffers. It was my sin that held him there until it was accomplished. His dying breath has brought me life. I know that it is finished. I will not boast in anything no gifts, no power, no wisdom, but I will boast in Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection. Resurrection. Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer, but this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom.

Speaker 1: 8:38

Amen.

Speaker 4: 8:39

Good morning. Today's scripture reading comes from Galatians 2, 16. Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law.

Speaker 5: 9:06

So we begin with a word of prayer. Father God, we thank you so much for your love. God, we thank you so much for this family. As we can gather together as brothers and sisters in Christ and be reminded of the great love that you have for us, to be encouraged by one another and motivated in your love. Father, we ask that you open up our hearts and our ears to the things that you want to see here today, so that we can go out into the world and we can love in all situations, whether it be comfortable or uncomfortable, that we can share the love of Christ in all situations. Thank you for Jesus, thank you for his love and his example. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that you give us that helps guide us in our walk. Thank you for Jesus. In his name, we pray, amen. Good morning. A couple things as we get started this morning.

Speaker 5: 9:56

I want to take just a few minutes to explain the bracket. I know Bryce has done that just a little bit. We did this last year, we're doing it again this year. These are if you looked at the bracket, you thought, well, how did they come up with these songs and why is it my favorite song on there. Well, we picked songs that we've been singing over the last year. We literally just went back and picked all the songs that we've been singing over the past year and kind of put them in the bracket. We left off some of the ones that were in it last year, put in some of the newer ones that we've been singing, and so we're going to give you two weeks to fill this out. If you can bring it back on the 16th, that'll give us time to kind of tally it up. And yes, there's hard decisions that come with it. I've had people come up and tell me how in the world did you put those two? Well, we just did Okay, you got to make a tough decision in the bracket. Next year we'll just do it family feud style and just say survey says and we'll do it that way, but that's the bracket. Just wanted to give you some more information on that. Just a fun thing that we do. And then on the 23rd we're going to have Praise and Worship Sunday, where we spend a lot of time singing those songs, and so we encourage you to be a part of that and cast your votes and things like that. I also had a birthday reminder as well it is AJ's birthday on March 6th, so, aj, we hope you have a great birthday this week, brother.

Speaker 5: 11:19

So we're going to get started this morning. We're talking about the idea of uncomfortable love. We've talked about this last week. Conflict is something that you're always going to have, because there's always going to be people, and when you put people together, there's conflict because there's difference of opinions and things like that. This morning, as we get started though, I want to skip past this one we're going to on your outline, you should have Paul and Peter listed about 10 times.

Speaker 5: 11:51

Okay, so here's what's going to happen this morning. The conflict that we're going to get into involves Paul and Peter, and Paul and Peter were two of the biggest names in all of Scripture, especially the New Testament, and Paul and Peter are both very bold in the things that they did and the things that they said, and so what I have here this morning is I have ten quotes that either come from Peter or from Paul, and we're going to see if you can guess which one they came from. So I'm going to read a quote. I'm going to say number one. I'm going to read the quote. You're going to circle whether you think it was Peter or it was Paul? Everybody got that Makes sense. Just a fun way for us to learn about who we're talking about today.

Speaker 5: 12:33

So the first one is this I do not understand what I do, for what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Don't shout out the answer, riggo. I do not understand what I do, for what I want to do I do not do, but I what I hate I do. Everybody got it all right. The answer is that one is paul. Very good, how many of you got that one right? Very good, very good. All right, here we go, keep going. Number two Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Is that Peter or is that Paul? Starts with a. P.

Speaker 5: 13:24

Starts with a P. Riggo says Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, was said by Peter in Acts 2. Now in the 830 service, we argued that Paul probably said something very similar. But that exact quote came from Peter in Acts 2, verse 38, when he's speaking to the crowd. Here we go. Number three I am ready to go with you to prison and to death. I am ready to go with you to prison and to death. That should be number three I am ready to go with you to prison and to death. Who said that? That is peter, who's got them all right so far. All right church, all right.

Speaker 5: 14:18

Number four this one's my favorite. This is my favorite quote you foolish people, that's it. End of quote. You foolish people. I can only imagine what it would be translated to today. You foolish people who said that that is Paul. It actually, if you break it down, he really says you foolish Galatians, and he's speaking to Alright. Number five Again, I say don't think that I am a fool to talk like this, but even if you do think I'm a fool, listen to me as you would to a foolish person while I also boast a little. End of quote. Again, I say don't think that I am a fool to talk like this, but even if you think I'm a fool, listen to me as you would to a foolish person while I boast a little bit. That is, that's Paul. And then he goes on to boast about his suffering. Is what he's. Some of you gave me faces like what's he boasting? He's boasting in his suffering for Jesus. All right.

Speaker 5: 15:40

Number six Lord, this one's easy. We should in church, we should get this one real fast. Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you walking on the water. The answer is Peter. Okay, thank you, that's a layup for you. I gave that one to you for free. Alright, here we go. Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you. Even if I have to die with you, I deny you. Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you. Famous last words. Guess what he did immediately following that? Denied him not once, not twice, but three times. That is Peter, our friend Peter. Number eight you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Number nine that is the Son of the living God. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. That is, that is Peter. That is Peter. Out of you say Paul, that was Peter. Alright, this one isn't much a quote, but this is just the thing that happened to him. Number nine he was bit by a snake. He was bit by a snake. He was bit by a snake. Peter or Paul, that was Paul. And, last but not least, thou shalt never wash my feet. Thou shalt never wash my feet. That was Peter. Very good, so here we go as we dive into this morning. Paul and Peter were both two high energy people, but the truth is, and the thing that we have to remember this morning as we dive into this story, is that, yes, they were two high energy people, they were two bold people, but they both loved Jesus. They both had a relationship and loved Jesus and had a passion for sharing the gospel for two other people so that they could believe and fall in love with Jesus.

Speaker 5: 17:33

Well, this morning, as we get started, everybody has a personality. Right, there are people that are morning people. Right, they wake up and they're just happy to be awake. Right, those people are annoying. No, I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding, but there are. There's people, that's their personality. They wake up in the morning and they're just ready to go, but at 6.30 at night they're ready to go to bed, too. Right At 5 am they're ready to go, smiles. At 6 pm they're ready for bed. Okay, there's those people.

Speaker 5: 18:06

Then you have the people that are just the nice people. They're always nice, no matter what. They're just going to be nice. You could punch them and they would say thank you, right, there's just those people in your life that are just always the nice person. No matter what you do, they're going to have a nice compliment to give you. And then you have the quiet people, the people that are in the room and you never know. They're in the room but they're sitting and they're listening and they're watching and they're taking notice to everything that's taking place. But they're just going to sit in their quietness. And when they do speak up, it's going to be something real powerful and really eye-opening. But in the moment they are just the quiet people. And then you have the high energy people, the people that always have something to say, even when they shouldn't have something to say. They feel the need to say something. Okay, that is who we're talking about this morning, and when we talk about Peter and Paul, we're talking about two guys that just ultimately always had something to say. They always had something to do and they're going to get in a confrontation this morning.

Speaker 5: 19:11

The story that we're going to look into and it really would be like the ultimate showdown of two of the biblical spearheads in all of Scripture. Peter was a dude that was with Jesus. He saw many different things. He saw miracles. Peter was responsible for a lot of things happening. Peter was the guy that cut off a dude's ear because they were trying to arrest Jesus. He swung the sword and it's one of my favorite stories because Jesus just picks it up and says, no, we're not going to do that right now and puts it back on.

Speaker 5: 19:40

But Peter is that kind of guy. He's the guy that says I'm never going to deny you Jesus, but then he denies Him three times. He's the guy that has the boldness, or is scared enough to say, hey, jesus, if it's really, you have me walk on water, and he walked on water for a few steps. That was Peter. He's the same guy that had to tell Jesus three times. He loved Him after all of that. And then you have Paul. Paul was the ex-murderer. He had killed some guys. He had seen some things. He was in prison many times Sat in prison cells. He had healed some people along the way. He wasn't always welcomed everywhere he went. He'd been shipwrecked. He'd been bit by a snake. He liked to call people foolish. Those are the two guys we're talking about this morning. If we had to take this story, it would have been like a celebrity boxing match to have these two in the argument that they're going to get in.

Speaker 5: 20:35

I told you last week that we're human. There's always going to be conflict, and one reason there's always going to be conflict is because our actions don't always align with what we're saying. We don't like shady people, do we? We don't like hypocrites, do we? We don't like people that say one thing and do another thing. If you're going to talk the talk, you need to walk the walk. Don't be shady.

Speaker 5: 21:07

But we've all been there before. We've all had that one friend. That's a little weird, but he's like your best friend, and when no one else is around, that's the friend you hang out with, right? You know who I'm talking about. You all got that friend in mind, or maybe you are that friend You'll discover that in a second but we all have that one friend that maybe he's not the coolest guy or maybe not the coolest person ever, but he's your friend and you claim him when it's convenient for you to claim them. But then when other people come around, sometimes you're just kind of like well, see you later, buddy, I'm going to go hang out with my friends over here, right, you've watched this play out before, and so you go over and you hang out with your cool friends and then the weird friend comes over and starts talking and you're like who is that guy? Do you know that guy? We've had those moments. And maybe, if you're saying I don't know that friend, maybe you are that friend.

Speaker 5: 22:03

And sorry about that this morning, but that's frustrating, isn't it, to watch that scenario. I've watched my kids do that as they've grown up. They hang out with a certain kid and then when other kids get there, they just kind of abandon that one friend. It's like, no, we're not going to do that, right, that's what happens in our story this morning.

Speaker 5: 22:21

You have Peter hanging out with some people and he's really cool with them and he's telling them how much he loves them and how much God loves them, and he's spending time with them and he's saying hey, this gospel thing, this Jesus coming to live and die and raise again, that's great. This Jesus coming to live and die and raise again, that's great and that's awesome. I want you to know all about that. And he's sharing that with a group of people. He's saying I want you to know everything about the Gospel and how great it is. When he's speaking to the Gentiles, he's reassuring them that if you just have faith in Jesus, then you have forgiveness. If you just believe in the Gospel, then you're good. Just believe in the gospel, then you're good. You see, but Paul gets upset with Peter because Peter flips a little bit and he gets a little bit shady.

Speaker 5: 23:03

We read here in Galatians, chapter 2, verse 11,. It says but when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers who were not circumcised. But afterwards, when some friends of James came, peter wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of the criticism from those people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter's hypocrisy and even Barnabas was led astray by his hypocrisy.

Speaker 5: 23:35

You catch what's going on? Peter is hanging out with the Gentiles and he's saying Gentiles, you are great, you are awesome. If you just believe in Jesus, you are set free, you are saved. He's telling them that he's hanging out with them, but then when his Jewish friends come around, he starts hanging out with his Jewish friends and he acts like he doesn't know the Gentiles anymore, acts like he doesn't know the Gentiles anymore and in fact he's starting to question whether they really are saved from the Gospel. He's starting to believe maybe they need to go back and follow the law, maybe they need to be circumcised, maybe they need to follow certain rules, maybe they need to eat certain foods. And Paul is writing to Peter and saying don't do that. Don't act one way and be another way. Paul says I had to oppose him face to face.

Speaker 5: 24:21

Now we don't get the details of this argument or this interaction. I wish we did. I told you last week I don't like confrontation. I like watching confrontation, like I'll stand back here and my hands will be sweaty and I'll be nervous, but I'll watch the fight that's going to take place over there. I wish we got that here with Paul and Peter. We don't get a whole lot of details. Paul just tells us why he's angry with Peter. We don't get the full conversation. Now he goes on to tell us a little bit more details that we're going to look into in just a minute. But in all seriousness we get this conflict because Peter is acting one way and he's telling the Gentiles if you just believe the gospel, you're saved. But then when he gets around other people he says wait a minute, maybe you do need to do these other steps, maybe you need to follow the law.

Speaker 5: 25:14

We see Paul gets frustrated with Peter because of a few things. Paul has a passion for the Gentiles. He's almost like a first-generation Christian and in the moment when he had his come-to-Jesus moment, god told him on the road to Damascus that you are going to be an instrument, that you are going to be a tool for the Gentiles to receive the Gospel. And so Paul was instructed by God that you are going to be an instrument for the Gentiles to be freed from their sin. And so we understand that Paul kind of has a passion for those people, for the Gentiles. But also he's kind of frustrated because he knows that Peter has had a vision where God showed him this sheet and there's all different kinds of food and Peter tried to have this argument well, this is unclean and I shouldn't be eating that. And God says, no, just take it, it's for you. And he describes, and he shares with him, that the Gospel is in fact for the Gentiles. And so Peter has been taught, peter has been teaching that the gospel is for all people, but now he's choosing to kind of go back to his roots.

Speaker 5: 26:29

Does that make sense where we're at in the story? So what do we learn about uncomfortable love? Well, the first thing we learn is that confrontation doesn't have to be negative and it can be done in love. Paul confronts Peter face to face because Peter's actions were misrepresenting the Gospel. Peter was influenced by fear of judgment from a group of Jewish Christians, so he withdrew from eating with his Gentile friends and it created division. I wrote this down for me. This is a message for Josh this morning. Sometimes love means speaking up when you see someone going astray. That just because I don't like confrontation doesn't mean that there has to be confrontation. Sometimes it's the loving thing to do. We might be afraid of damaging relationships or we might worry about how others are going to perceive us, but love that is truly rooted in the gospel is not passive. It can't be. It doesn't sweep things under the rug, but it confronts it. And that's what Paul was really good at confronting things. Think about all the letters that he wrote to the churches confronting the issues that were going on. Made a good point in the 830 service, though this one was face-to-face. It wasn't a letter, it wasn't a text message, it wasn't a Facebook post. But Paul went straight to Peter face-to-face and said hey, I have an issue with what you're doing. You're costing the Gentiles freedom, you're wasting their freedom because you're doing these judgmental things. He goes face-to-face because the gospel love confronts sin head-on. And his goal, paul's goal I truly believe this was out of love head on. And his goal, paul's goal, I truly believe this was out of love. His goal was to restore, to reconcile, the Gentiles' belief.

Speaker 5: 28:27

I was talking to Jeff this week. We were reading through this story and trying to uncover what all this was about, and so I always pick Jeff's brain because he's the counselor guy and he's smarter than me, so I'm picking his brain. I said what is going on here? And he said well, he said fear has the tendency to make us run to what we think will save us and I forgot to add this or make us feel comfortable. So fear has the tendency to make us run to what we think will save us or make us comfortable. And so for Peter, it was to run back to the law, not the gospel Peter's uncomfortable. He run back to the law, not the gospel Peter's uncomfortable. He wants everybody to like him, he wants to fit in, and so for everybody to do that, he just kind of falls back to the law, because that's what he's had to believe for so long. And so the law was is you need to be circumcised, you need to eat these foods, you need to follow these laws, instead of falling back on the gospel. So, being uncomfortable and in his fear, he fell back to what he was used to, and that's a natural tendency. You and I do too. We fall back to what makes us comfortable, and that's where Peter's at, and Paul just calls him out in a loving way.

Speaker 5: 29:24

We learn another thing Uncomfortable love bridges divide. Peter was a Jew and he had once been comfortable eating and fellowshipping with the Gentiles. But when certain people came around, he started to change his behavior. Uncomfortable love, as Paul shows us, is a love that breaks down walls. It breaks down divide. The gospel unites the Jew and the Gentile. The gospel unites the rich and the poor. The gospel unites the male and the female, the black and the white. In Christ we are united. That was the purpose of the gospel, and we can't claim to love others if we build up walls based on our fear and our prejudice and our tradition. Does that make sense? The gospel came to demolish all of that and to unite us. The gospel unites us in Christ. I believe that's there on your outline. The gospel unites us in Christ. I believe that's there on your outline. The gospel unites us in Christ.

Speaker 5: 30:18

And then, number three uncomfortable love must be rooted in truth. Uncomfortable love must be rooted in truth. We get verse 16. This is after Paul confronts him and he says I opposed him face to face and I let him know what he was doing was wrong. And he keeps on writing to let him know what the gospel does for us. And he says yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in who In Jesus Christ? Not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be made right with God because our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. So who do we put our faith in Jesus? We put our faith in the gospel. We put our faith in the things that God has done. We don't put our faith in tradition. We don't put our faith in our personal belief. We put our faith in Jesus belief. We put our faith in Jesus. We like things simple.

Speaker 5: 31:22

I was reading an article this week about the top 100 influential children's books. Okay, and I have the top three with me this morning. Number three on the list of top influential children's stories is Green Eggs and Ham. Children's stories is green eggs and ham. Sam I am you remember this story. Somebody tell me the lesson behind this story Try something new. We get all of these rhymes and all of these riddles and all of this green eggs and ham to teach us a lesson that we are to what. I obviously didn't read this enough as a kid because I'll stick to my dino nuggets and fries. This is the number three top-selling children's book and it influences kids and the message is simple. It is try things that are new or try new things. The second one and this one's weird. I don't know. I had to use chat GPT to tell me the meaning behind this story.

Speaker 5: 32:26

This one is called Good Night Moon. Anybody ever read this one? Number two selling children's book. You know what all it says. This one is called Good Night Moon. Anybody ever read this one? Number two selling children's book? You know what all it says Good night moon. Good night cow jumping over the moon. Good night mush. Good night hush. Or grandma sitting in the chair hushing or something here. You know what we got time In the great green room.

Speaker 5: 32:56

There was a telephone and a red balloon and a picture of the cow jumping over the moon and there was three little bears sitting in chairs and two little kittens and a pair of mittens and a little toy house and a young mouse and a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush. See, I was right. This is basically all it says. And a quiet old lady who's whispering. Yeah, you guys got it. Good night room, hold on. Good night. Anybody know this one memorized Good night moon. Good night cow jumping over the Good night light and the red balloon Good night bears and good night light and the red balloon.

Speaker 5: 33:28

Good night bears and good night chairs. Good night kittens and good night mittens. Good night clocks and good night socks. Good night little house and good night mouse. Good night comb and good night brush. Good night nobody. Why is that in there? Good night mush and good night to the old lady. Whispering hush and good night stars. Good night air. Good night noises everywhere.

Speaker 5: 33:54

What in the world is the meaning of this book? Here's what Google tells you, the meaning of this book and what it teaches our children. It teaches us the comforting power of familiar routine and the security of saying good night to beloved objects, signifying a sense of peace and readiness for sleep, particularly for young children. As a bunny in the story bids farewell to the items in his room, creating a soothing repetition that helps them transition to bedtime, it essentially represents the idea that, even while you drift off to sleep, your familiar surroundings will always be there when you wake up. That's the simple lesson behind that story. It's a simple story, but kids love it, don't they? Our kids read that story as well. And then there's the last one.

Speaker 5: 34:37

This is the most influential children's book and it's a really simple story. It's about a tree and a boy. It's called the Giving Tree. How many of you read this story? It's a popular story. It's about a boy and a tree and the boy essentially goes the first time and he needs a snack, and so he takes an apple from the tree. The second time he goes back and he wants to build something. So the tree says here you can take some of my branches and build it. Then he wants to build a boat and he says the while the tree is giving up things for the boy. Finally, he wants to build a house for his family and the tree says take anything you need until he's just a stump. The man grows old and he comes back and he sits on the stump.

Speaker 5: 35:20

You know what this teaches us Sacrificial love. That's the simple message behind it. It's a great story, but it's telling us how to love. Sometimes things just need to be simple. Sometimes we overcomplicate things.

Speaker 5: 35:34

Paul stops Peter and he says don't complicate this, peter. The gospel is really easy. The gospel doesn't have to be hard. Did I click this Act like you? Didn't see that Everybody got it? Erase that from your memory. Didn't see that Everybody got it. Erase that from your memory. Paul says we're going to keep things really simple for you, peter. Don't overcomplicate the gospel. It's a really easy thing.

Speaker 5: 35:57

Okay, if I told you to get on Facebook, what would you learn about the world today? Yeah, all right, let's do this together. Okay, I need help. Aidan, come here. You got big muscles. This thing's really heavy. You're just going to hold this like this, yeah, but like, hold it like you're like on a game show, like you're proud of it. Okay, ready, all right. So we got two circles. All right, so we got two circles.

Speaker 5: 36:30

If we get on Facebook, it's going to tell us the world is what's the matter? You, good, is you looking at him? No, okay, you good. All right, we get on Facebook. It's going to tell us about the world. What's it going to tell us? The world is full of drama. It's crazy. There's just all kinds of mess going on. It's just a mess, okay, so we got a mess. But we woke up this morning and we looked outside and we saw the sun rising. What do we see? It's going to be nice. That's a good answer.

Speaker 5: 36:57

We're reminded of God's creation and His love for us, and so in the beginning there was God's creation. We're going to draw a heart there. Okay, I'm quite the artist, ain't I? Okay, so we have the world and we got the craziness of the world and we have God's love. Well, in the beginning God created man and we chose to run where we ran? To the world. We wanted to know more. Adam and Eve wanted to discover more. They wanted to know the craziness of the world. And so now we run to. This is us running. That's what those three lines are. That's us running. We're running to the world. And now we try to do everything we can to get out of the world. And we can't get out of it. We chase fame, we chase money, we chase everything. We may fall into addiction, whatever it is. We're trying to get out of this crazy world.

Speaker 5: 37:44

So God decided this wouldn't be the end of the story. There had to be more to the gospel. And so he sends Jesus. So we got Jesus here, j-e-s-u-s. So he sends Jesus and he says, okay, this can't be the end of the plan. We just can't have humanity being separated from God. There has to be more to the plan. So he sends Jesus and says you have an opportunity to get to Jesus, because Jesus is going to come to earth. He's going to die on the cross and he's going to raise again. Everybody see that, get out of the way. That's what Jesus did. You saw that before? No, you didn't. You didn't see that. So Jesus comes and he lives on earth and he dies on the cross and he rose again. He defeated death for our sake.

Speaker 5: 38:35

And so the Gospel is simply this If we can get to a moment where we recognize that this is true, that's a man kneeling. Everybody got that. You can see that. If we get to this moment where we decide I don't want to be a part of the world anymore, I want a relationship with Jesus and I want to make Him king over my life, then God says if you just take me on in baptism, I will make you new and you will be a new creation so that you can join me in heaven. Does that make sense? That's a simple thing. I didn't create that. That's been around the world for all. I don't know. Somebody way smarter than me drew three circles. I just copied it. But we've overcomplicated the gospel.

Speaker 5: 39:20

The gospel is simple. The world was broken. The world was broken and God said I have a better plan. I'll send Jesus, he'll die, he'll go to the cross, he'll raise again and if you just choose Him, you can be made new again and experience the love that God has for you and you can spend forever for Amen, amen. It's a simple Gospel.

Speaker 5: 39:38

Paul says Peter, just get back to this. Don't throw in all these rules and all these laws and all this stuff. Just go back to this. Don't throw in the laws. Keep it simple, because we like simple stories. Right, keep it simple. All right, you want to take that home with you? You can hang it on the wall at school. The kids at OU will love that. Yeah, take it home with you. I tried again on the 830, so you got a double copy there. You want me to sign it After service? Hi, I drew that last night. This is my good drawing last night. Just kidding, that's a picture off of Google. That's what I was trying to create, right there. Okay, the gospel is simple. Paul says let's just get back to the plan. He sent Jesus, he died, he rose and we can be made new if we're baptized into Christ and we can have that relationship. Peter got lost in the world and the world wants to complicate it and the world wants to make it harder. But Paul says let's just get back to the basics.

Speaker 5: 40:44

Number four uncomfortable love is all for Jesus. Verse 20 says this my old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me. Paul's powerful words in verse 20 says I have been crucified with Christ. It's I no longer who live, but Christ who lives in me. Paul's powerful words in verse 20 says I have been crucified with Christ. It's I who no longer who live, but Christ who lives in me. He emphasizes that true love involves sacrifice. It's putting to death our desires, our comfort, our control and our preferences to follow Jesus, and it means allowing the life of Christ to be made evident in us. Paul is reminding Peter it's all about Jesus. It's not about you, it's not about your comfort, it's not about being liked. It's all about allowing people to discover Jesus. Uncomfortable love reflects the heart of Christ, the kind of love that changes lives, transforms communities and brings people closer to the heart of God. Uncomfortable love reflects the heart of Christ. It's the kind of love that changes lives, transforms communities and brings people closer to the heart of God.

Speaker 5: 42:09

Let's pray, father God. We thank you so closer to the heart of God. Let's pray, father God. We thank you so much for the gift of Jesus. God, we thank you for, through him, that it's. He makes us right with you, god. We know that we are not saved by what we do, but in our faith in you, god, help us to remember that your grace is enough and that we don't need to earn your love. Guide us to live in the freedom that you've given us, trusting in you daily. Help us to stand firm in the truth of the gospel and share your love with others. Allow us to not get in the way, father, of your great love for us. Thank you for making us new in Christ, and it's in Jesus' name we pray, amen for me and that thou bidst me come to thee.

Speaker 2: 43:18

O Lamb of God, I come, I come. I come, just as I am, though tossed about With many a conflict, many a doubt, conflict Doubt With fears Within and pose Without. O Lamb of God, I come, I come, just as I am. Thy love unknown, the cross of unknow I come, I come. You call me out upon the waters, the great unknown, where feet may fail. And there I find you, in the mystery, in oceans deep. My faith will stand and I will call upon your name and keep my heart above the wind. When oceans rise, my soul will rest in your embrace, for I am yours and you are mine.

Speaker 2: 46:06

Your grace abounds in deepest waters, your sovereign hand will be my guide when feet may fail and fear surrounds me. You never fail and you won't start now. So I will call upon your name and keep my eyes above the waves. When oceans rise, my soul will rest in your embrace, for I am yours and you are mine. Oh Spirit, lead me where my trust is, without borders. Let me walk upon the waters Wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my.

Speaker 2: 47:35

Savior Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior, and I will call upon your name and keep my eyes above the waves. When oceans rise, my soul will rise to you in praise, for I am yours and you are mine. I am yours and you are mine.

Speaker 1: 48:44

Amen. God bless you everybody. Have a great week. Tell somebody about Jesus this week.