WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:03.359 So I thought this morning we would begin with a little true false. 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:05.360 So I have five true false questions. 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:06.320 Here's how we'll do it. 00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:10.000 There's no reward here, so you can kind of calm down on that. 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:12.480 But if you think it's true, you'll just raise your hand. 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:14.080 If you think it's false, you'll keep your hand down. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:15.199 So that's how we'll do it. 00:00:15.359 --> 00:00:16.960 All right, here's the I have five of them. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:19.600 The first one, a mix, a mix of topics. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.960 The first one, Kanye West and Kim Kardeshian's children are named North St. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:26.640 and Chicago. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:29.199 If you think that's true, you can raise your hand. 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:30.640 Think that's true. 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:32.079 You raise your hand. 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:34.079 That is true. 00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:35.600 Okay, that's true. 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:36.960 We were horrible at that one. 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:38.240 We're warming up, warming up. 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:39.600 I saw a lot of you are even hesitant. 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:41.280 You're like, I don't know if I should raise my hand. 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:43.359 Second question, true or false. 00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:52.479 The sun, the sun makes up 99.8% of the solar system mass. 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:55.039 True or false? 00:00:55.119 --> 00:00:56.399 Raise your hand if you think it's true. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:00:58.000 That's also true. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:00:59.119 Isn't that crazy? 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:00.479 It's a crazy statistic. 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:02.479 I mean, you're like, I can't believe that's true. 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:05.519 Alright, maybe, maybe you're like, oh, those are overwhelming. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:10.799 Oreo cookies existed before chocolate chip cookies. 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:12.560 If you think that's true, raise your hand. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:15.519 If you think an Oreo cookie existed before chocolate chipping. 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:18.640 That's true, wouldn't have guessed that. 00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:22.159 1912, the Oreo cookie. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:29.040 1938, and the toll house inn, two chefs invented the chocolate chip cookie, just so you know. 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:31.599 Alright, number four, fourth one. 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:35.439 Hot water freezes faster than cold water. 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:37.359 If that's true, you raise your hand. 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:38.159 That is true. 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:40.799 I've always thought that's just that's just I still don't believe it. 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:42.799 It's probably like, yeah, right, okay. 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:43.280 Yeah. 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:45.519 I can see it happen, and I'm still not gonna believe it. 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:46.560 That doesn't make any sense. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:48.959 So hot water's gotta become cold before it freezes. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:50.159 This is this is what I know. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:52.159 All right, number five. 00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:57.760 Florida is the closest US state to Africa. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:02.480 If you think that's true, Florida's the closest US state to Africa. 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:03.760 No, it's false. 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:04.719 It's Maine. 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:06.319 Isn't that crazy? 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:08.479 That was I actually looked that one up. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:11.199 I'm like, that does not seem right at all. 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:14.319 I looked it up, I was looking at maps, I was Googling and stuff. 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:16.080 All right, so that one messed with my head. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:17.439 All right, so those are the five. 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:19.520 And some of those mess with our head, right? 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:20.800 Like that doesn't seem right. 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:26.080 Like hot water, freezing before, you know, cold water, you know, Maine is closer to Africa than Florida. 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:34.879 That doesn't that doesn't seem right because sometimes, sometimes things seem like they should be true, but they're not really true, right? 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:35.759 Right? 00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:46.400 You you you you knew a guy, he was so great, you thought he was into you, you knew a girl, you thought she was so great, you thought she was into you, and then Friday Night Chili's, you saw them with somebody else, right? 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:47.759 Like you know what I'm talking about. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:52.639 You thought something was true, and then all of a sudden you thought this business deal was gonna happen because this guy was so honest. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:54.240 I mean, they shook your hand, they looked you in the eye. 00:02:54.319 --> 00:03:00.560 I mean, for sure this thing was gonna happen, and then two days later, he's he's doing the deal, she's doing the deal with somebody else. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:04.479 We know these feelings, and this is our beginning point this morning is this. 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:13.759 Some things are true, and some things are false, and sometimes it's just hard to see the difference. 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:14.560 Right? 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:18.639 So some things are true and some things are false, and sometimes it's hard to see the difference. 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:20.000 Let's work our way through this passage. 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:22.000 I think that'll make a little bit more sense as we go. 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:26.319 Luke 3, I'll read a few verses, we'll make a couple points, read a few verses, make a few points. 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:28.800 Luke 3, verses 7 through 9. 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:31.680 He said therefore to the crowds, so this is John the Baptist. 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:33.039 We talked about John the Baptist last week. 00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:35.280 If you need to catch up, you could listen to that online. 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:41.360 He said, therefore, to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, you brought of vipers. 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:42.560 Isn't that interesting? 00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:45.520 A lot of crowds want to come out to hear that, right? 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:50.400 Uh you brought a vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:55.599 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:59.759 For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children from Abraham. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:06.400 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees, every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:14.240 So, point number one, very similar to all of last week's sermon, is this there is true repentance and there is false repentance. 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:17.120 Verses seven and eight are showing this to us. 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:23.600 So the crowds are showing up, and for some they just want to be baptized to avoid punishment. 00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:27.759 Or for some, they're showing up and they just want to be baptized because they say, you know what? 00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:28.879 It's my heritage. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:30.079 It's not personal. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:32.160 There's no heart in it. 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:32.959 Right? 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:34.879 Verse 7 is saying this. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:37.360 That sort of religion is not enough. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:39.199 That's what John is saying. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:41.600 And verse 8, what he's saying, he's saying, no, no, no, no. 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:44.639 You need repentance with fruit. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:48.879 So repentance that begins inside of you, that has heart in it. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:53.759 Last week we made the distinguishment between religious repentance and gospel repentance. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:05:06.160 And we said, religion makes, so like a self-reliant, moralistic, I'm gonna get good enough to please God, that type of religion, that sort of thinking, that makes repentance self-centered. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:12.959 We're sorry, but we're just trying to escape punishment with nothing more than fear as our motive. 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:14.720 So we're not truly sorry. 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:16.399 You're not truly sorry. 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:19.519 You just you just want to avoid pain or consequences. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:20.959 That's not truly sorry. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:22.720 That's still self-centered. 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:25.199 Like, we're not sorry for the sin itself. 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:30.079 We're still just selfishly sorry for what might happen to us, right? 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:31.920 So it's it's fake, it's not from our heart. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:33.439 That's what we said last week. 00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:35.120 But we also said there's another way. 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:41.120 There's the gospel repentance, true repentance, which begins inside love. 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:47.439 Romans 2, 4, by God's kindness we are led to repentance. 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:48.639 Right? 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:53.920 There's nothing to fear here, so we get to repent our heart from inside of us. 00:05:54.319 --> 00:06:07.360 And we quoted Jack Miller, who said, repentance is our ongoing calling to collapse on Jesus, acknowledging our need and our receiving of his supply for us. 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:16.480 So it's a turning, but the turning is not this like moralistic, I'm gonna do better, it's all on me, I will do it, I'll perform the checklist, I'll get better. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:19.360 It's not all us and us and us and self-centered. 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:22.079 The turning is a death in and of itself. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:29.120 It's a death to that, it's a surrender into God's provision for our forgiveness and our righteousness. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:31.600 Verse 10 comes around. 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:34.480 The crowds ask John the Baptist, what then shall we do? 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:37.839 You just unloaded on us, so what should we do? 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:44.800 And another way to ask that question would be what should be the effect of my inner life change? 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:46.399 That would be the same question. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.879 What should be the effect of my inner life change? 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:53.759 And so John goes on, he says to some people says, Hey, you share your clothes, like share your food. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:57.759 To another group of people, he says, Hey, uh, stop collecting more taxes than you should. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:06:59.439 You're basically stealing to soldiers. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:03.680 He says, Hey, and you just stop taking advantage of people, stop stealing from people. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:14.639 And then in verse 15, we get this verse, it says, as the people were in expectation, so they're all they're all in expectation, they're wanting something, they're wanting a deliverance, they're wanting the Messiah. 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:20.959 And they're all questioning in their hearts concerning John whether he might be the Christ. 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:24.720 So that's beginning in them to claim him as the Christ. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:26.160 And this is point number two. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:30.399 There are false saviors, and there is a true savior. 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:33.199 Have you ever been feeling a little bit down? 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:40.639 You're just a little down, a little unsure yourself, life hasn't worked out, you're it's not going well, you're feeling inadequate, maybe you're feeling guilty, maybe you're feeling ashamed, whatever. 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:42.160 And you meet somebody. 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:43.519 Maybe this was years ago. 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:48.079 You meet somebody, you meet him at the at the I don't know, Home Depot or church or the bar, I don't know. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:49.759 You met him somewhere, Kroger. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:55.040 And you meet them and you think you think this person, who is that, who is this person? 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:57.439 Who is this person that makes me feel alive? 00:07:57.680 --> 00:07:58.560 Oh my gosh. 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:05.040 Like, if this person could be a part of my life, I bet my I bet my life would, I bet my life would change. 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:08.079 If I could only have this person, this person, right? 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:11.360 And then what if this person actually speaks into your life a little bit? 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:12.879 Right? 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:17.199 And then maybe you date, maybe you married, maybe you did marry, maybe you did this. 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:29.279 And we won't raise our hands on this next statement, but then maybe it turns out that they're all so messy and sometimes dysfunctional and sometimes selfish. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:32.559 And they're not quite the savior you thought they would be. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:33.759 True or false? 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:34.240 Anybody? 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:36.639 No, we're not gonna, okay, not true or false. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:37.840 Right? 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:46.320 And it takes us sometimes a little bit of time to realize that we will call a John the Baptist a Christ. 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:49.519 Here's what I mean. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:53.360 We're quick to ask people who have a little influence over us. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:57.759 We're quick to ask a person who has a little influence over us. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:01.440 We're quick to ask them to be our deliverer. 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:06.159 These people in this text, they're wanting a political saving. 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:08.159 I mean, they're under a lot of pressure. 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:12.399 They lived in tension in the Roman Empire, the system is set against them. 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:19.200 They're longing for a messiah, but for many of them, the their concept of messiah is will save us from Rome. 00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:22.799 And so they long for a day to be saved from this type of rule. 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:29.279 And in any environment of fear, any environment of fear, true or coerced, a crowd will gather. 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:34.399 There's no better way to gather money or people than to create fear. 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:37.440 And these people are afraid, they have some fear in their lives. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:39.759 They're under an oppressive regime. 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:42.399 And so the crowd is gathering. 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:46.639 Here's this charismatic guy making big proclamations. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:53.440 And what's interesting here is how eager they are, how quick they are to call him the Christ. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:55.279 It was so quick. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:57.679 And we still do this. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:06.480 We still give our hearts to people who have no ability, no ability to restore our hearts or redeem our hearts. 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:09.360 We do it politically just like they did. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:12.960 Because, oh, oh, this guy, this guy's gonna do it. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:14.159 Have you heard about this guy? 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:15.120 This guy will do it. 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:16.320 Oh, she will do it. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:17.039 We need her. 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:17.679 That's who we need. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:19.600 If we have her, oh yeah, that last guy. 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:20.480 No, no, no, no. 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:23.759 I was wrong about that last guy, but this next guy, this next guy's gonna be the one. 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:25.279 I'm hearing a lot about him. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:26.879 He's gonna be the one. 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:32.320 Michael Ware, who's a faith and politics consultant, he wrote this on his blog. 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:47.440 If political positions are not just political positions, but the highest expression of one's being and morality, then we will tithe to their coffers and worship at their altar. 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:50.799 Politics is not detached from morality or faith. 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:52.159 They are related. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:55.679 But political judgments are ultimately prudential. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:11:03.120 We should have great humility in our own positions and great humility in casting moral judgments on others' politics. 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:04.480 Now, that was a lot. 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:06.480 We can unpack that for a long time. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:09.360 But did you hear that first line, the very first line? 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:15.919 Political positions can't be the highest expression of one's being. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:18.720 It can't be your saving. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:22.480 If it is, all of a sudden it becomes your worship. 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:23.600 Right? 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:27.360 The position or the party becomes your saving. 00:11:27.519 --> 00:11:32.240 Not just your opinion, but your identity in a certain way. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:34.159 Which was never meant to be. 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:37.600 Because then ultimately then we just become servants to it. 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:40.159 And we're being bombarded, right? 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:57.519 I mean, we're all bombarded with hundreds of millions of dollars being spent attempting to convince us to tie our very beings to claim, to claim a non-savior as a savior, to convince us that this would be the one. 00:11:57.679 --> 00:11:58.879 This is the one. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:02.080 And it's not true. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:10.000 All of those people, all of them are should be servants for society, not saviors for our souls. 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:13.919 Never a definition for our identities. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:19.440 You know, the last thing a political party or a brand name, right? 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:20.399 Or a brand name. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:27.679 The last thing either of them want is for any of us to be a free, independent thinking person. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:35.200 I mean, I I think Patagonia clothing got me years ago, right? 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:36.080 I'll just be honest. 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:42.480 Like I can handle through the political sphere pretty well, but Patagonia clothing, that got me years ago. 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:46.159 I know I pay more than I should, and I just do it. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:49.840 I just do it because I can't imagine wearing something else. 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:52.799 I mean, what would that mean for me as a person? 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:54.559 I can't imagine. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:55.759 Right? 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:57.360 That's crazy, right? 00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:00.799 To be tied in that much for identity to be tied in. 00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:03.200 Can you imagine driving another brand? 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:06.000 Can you imagine wearing another brand? 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:07.679 Right? 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:09.679 We're calling something a savior. 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:11.600 It's merely supposed to be a servant. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:18.000 Never a part of our identity, never an expression of our being in the highest extent. 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:20.159 And all this is spiritual. 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:22.720 A little bit of a tangent, but spiritual. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:29.360 These people find John the Baptist to be a courageous leader and think, oh, he could do the job. 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:31.679 He could say, maybe, maybe he's the savior. 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:35.759 He never claimed to be the savior, but how quick they are to want to put that on him. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:40.799 And all he says in response, he says, No, no, no, no, that's not me. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:42.080 I'm not that. 00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:44.080 A greater one is coming. 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:48.639 Now, that's not a popular political speech, but it would be a really good political speech, right? 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:52.720 Just for somebody to say, like, hey, um, I'm a servant of society. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:54.720 That's it. 00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:56.720 I can't deliver you. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:58.720 I can't be your hope. 00:13:58.960 --> 00:13:59.360 Right? 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:03.840 It's also not a good first date conversation, but it would actually be a really truthful one. 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:08.799 Hey, I'm glad, I'm glad we're here together at Chili's, but I have no hope in me. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:10.639 I hope you don't place hope in me. 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:11.200 Right? 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:14.080 Not good, but it would be really truthful. 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:15.919 I don't recommend it. 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:19.039 Verses 16 through 18. 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:23.440 John answered them all, saying, I baptize you with water. 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:34.240 But he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:44.080 His winnowing fork is in his hands to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff you will burn with unquenchable fire. 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:48.960 So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people. 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:52.000 So all that language that seems a little daunting, like, oh, oh goodness. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:55.039 And then all of a sudden, verse 18 says, Oh, yeah, by the way, that was good, that was good news. 00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:56.559 Isn't that interesting? 00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:59.360 Point number three is this. 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:02.000 We all know a lot about false saviors, right? 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:07.840 So maybe I maybe I stepped on your toes with something with politics, or maybe I stepped on your toes with a little something with a brand name, right? 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:09.279 Like we all know about false saviors. 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:13.200 Maybe the romance thing, like you met you did meet somebody at Kroger and you thought they were gonna save you. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:13.519 Right? 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:14.879 We all know about false saviors. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:16.720 We all know about false saviors. 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:20.000 But true saving is by God's grace in Jesus. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:25.279 So there's a strong warning in this passage, but an even stronger promise. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:33.440 Theologian Fred Craddock says this When repentance and forgiveness are available, judgment is good news. 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:38.639 The primary aim is to save the wheat, not to burn the chaff. 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:46.159 So the judgment is real, we should hear it, but the promise for us in Jesus is so much, so much greater. 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:49.440 And John is trying to get people to understand this. 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:54.639 But here's what's interesting: John's trying to do that, but the people are reacting differently. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:16:01.600 The people are so attracted to his message of certainty in him as a charismatic leader. 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:04.559 And isn't there always attraction to that? 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:09.679 Isn't there always attraction to somebody who's just willing to tell you what to do on some level? 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:11.039 Like part of us reacts to it. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:17.039 But man, if you could give me some tips, like just give me five tips and then I can leave and I can go do them. 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:18.399 Wouldn't that be nice? 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:20.720 Like, do this and you will live? 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:23.279 Like give me a few keys, a few tips. 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:29.360 We love that on some level, but it doesn't work for our, it doesn't work for our hearts. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:38.639 Like it may work like to get better shoulder muscles because somebody gives you five tips for like five new exercises, and all of a sudden you do them for a year and you have better. 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:42.720 Like it could work for your shoulders, but it's not gonna work for it won't work for your heart. 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:44.000 It just won't. 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:47.919 Telling people to change doesn't help them change. 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:51.279 There's a shortcoming in John's message. 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:55.759 With any message of law or demand, there's a shortcoming. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:17:01.600 See, theologically, we say it this we say we say the law cannot deliver what it demands. 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:03.440 And you know this. 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:16.960 Because you had a rebellious kid, or you have a friend that is uh going way off, and you're like, oh, I'm gonna try to straighten them out, or your your spouse, you can't get your spouse to do what you want your spouse to do. 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:20.240 And what you've tried is you've given them some tips. 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.759 I'll give them some tips. 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:31.920 You've tried to urge them, maybe you yelled at them, but until they desire to do it, there's no change. 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:32.640 Right? 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:38.400 Until you somehow work your way into their heart, nothing changes. 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:39.200 Right? 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:42.720 Something deeper is always needed. 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:45.680 The law cannot deliver what it demands. 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:48.000 And John's actually aware of this. 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:49.920 He's aware he comes up short. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:55.279 That's why he's he keeps, he's preaching this, but at the same time, he's pointing to them hey, there's a mightier one coming. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:00.960 Nobody does the message of repent and change better than John. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:03.279 I mean, he's fantastic at this. 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:06.400 But it doesn't hold enough power. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:12.799 It's never meant to save us, this message of repent and change. 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:15.519 It's meant to lead us. 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:18.079 The law leads us to grace. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:20.400 John leads us to Jesus. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:23.759 This is why he says, I baptize you with water. 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:29.440 But he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:32.720 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:40.480 It's a way of him saying, Jesus immerses you with presence and the power of God. 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:41.920 Right? 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:47.119 In Acts, and in him we live and move and have our being. 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:52.160 See, this is our position with God in Jesus, as imperfect people. 00:18:52.400 --> 00:19:00.079 That in Jesus we are immersed in the righteous presence of God, his righteousness over us. 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:05.920 And the gospel is about what comes at us and in us and given to us. 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:18.559 Because our sins are taken away from us and put on the cross, and his righteousness is given to us, and that great act of imputation for us, imputed, given to us. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:23.440 So it is, it is a forever righteous presence for us. 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:24.720 That's a fire. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:30.400 That Holy Spirit in us claiming us every moment of every day. 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:33.119 That is a fire that never ends. 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:36.880 So, my brothers and sisters, may you let the law lead you to grace. 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:40.240 Let John lead you to Jesus. 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:45.920 Because in Jesus, and only in Jesus, do we have saving, do we have delivering, and do we have life. 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:47.279 Let's pray together. 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:52.319 God, we thank you that we are not saved by brand names, political leaders. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:54.640 We are not saved by romance. 00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:57.440 We are not even saved by ourselves. 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:00.480 But we are saved only by your grace to us. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:05.039 That while we are sinners, you move toward us. 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:09.440 You don't wait for us to get our act together or for us to be good enough. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:15.920 That into our mess and into our rebellion, you come. 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:21.519 And you come with righteous, forever, never-ending fire. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:22.880 Presence. 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:28.160 Powerful presence that claims us while we're imperfect. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:31.519 That works in us inside of our hearts. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:35.359 And to that and out of that, we repent. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:41.200 For we want to collapse on Jesus in greater ways. 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:44.960 For all the ways that we find false saviors in this world. 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:47.759 And we need to rest in the true Savior. 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:50.960 The one that grants joy and peace. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:53.599 And our forever righteousness. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:55.200 In Jesus' name. 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:56.079 We pray. 00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:56.880 Amen.