WEBVTT 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:04.719 Welcome to this week's message from the church at Chelsea Westover. 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:10.800 Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth. 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:13.359 We pray that this message changes your life. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:17.600 Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you. 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:22.320 Take your Bibles and turn to Jonah chapter 3. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:26.960 Jonah chapter 3 and don't miss next week. 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:29.039 Don't miss next week. 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:33.359 It's going to be a fantastic week. 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:34.719 It really is. 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:39.840 Trunk or treat, meeting today in the sanctuary. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:45.039 Right after we get through, we're going to, for you that'll be working, we need a help. 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:47.039 David will be telling you more about that. 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:51.200 We're going to have a short meeting as we're eating today. 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:53.280 So you don't want to miss that. 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:58.719 And then also pick up a bag for the food drive that we do and fill it up. 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:02.479 It's a little piece of paper in there telling you all that you need. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:08.879 That would be an unbelievable blessing to you as we give back for Thanksgiving. 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:12.239 Thanksgiving's right around the corner. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:23.920 And again, invite every fireman, policeman, any civil service person that responds for emergency services. 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:26.560 We want to honor them next week. 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:37.280 You know, this week, as I'm always out in the I I study all morning and then I go into the community all day and visit at nights. 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:40.319 And just always sharing the gospel, the good news. 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:50.400 And uh I was sharing about Jonah and how he had tried to run away from God and uh how God had gotten his attention and brought him back. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:54.079 Now, if you do not have a worship guide, raise your hand so that you can have one. 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:58.959 I think everybody, Chris over here needs one and one in the back, okay? 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.159 Well, Joshua, you got one right there, all right. 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:08.240 And uh, but anyway, uh, and a gentleman asked me a profound question. 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:12.560 He asked me, he said, Pastor, I've been away from God a long time. 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:15.439 Kind of shocked me a little bit. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:19.360 He says, but you said Jonah came back to God. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:26.319 And I say, yeah, not only Jonah, David went astray too and came back to God, a man after God's own heart. 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:38.879 In fact, God made the profound statement about David being a man after his own heart after David had sinned uh pretty badly with Bathsheba. 00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:41.919 Actually had her husband killed, Uriah. 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:53.199 And so I said, if there's a sincere repentance, then there will always be a sincere restoration. 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:57.280 He said, Well, let me ask you a question, Pastor. 00:02:57.599 --> 00:02:59.520 How do you come back to God? 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:07.599 And I just paused for a minute because I knew I, you know, you always wonder, is he trying to, you know. 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:09.759 But I could see he was sincere. 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:14.719 I said, you come back to God where you left God. 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:23.840 Now, one, if you don't know God, you're lost, and you need to come to know Christ as your Lord and Savior. 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:25.039 That's the first step. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:38.639 But if you've saved, and many of you, several, one of the things that we've seen God do here at CCW is bring people that had been saved but had been away from the church, which is away from God. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:42.319 You can you can label it any way you want to, but you know I love you. 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:43.759 I just tell it like it is. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:47.919 If you're away from church, you are in a wayward state from God. 00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:50.400 Because this is God's house, not man's house. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:51.759 Can I get an amen? 00:03:53.919 --> 00:04:00.080 So, and many of you had been out of church 15, 20 years, and you came back. 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:03.199 And you came back because you felt the love of God. 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:04.800 Loving God and loving people. 00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:05.520 That's who we are. 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:08.719 And by the way, a true church, you'll feel the love of God in it. 00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:09.599 Amen. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:16.079 Because the love of God through the power and the person of the Holy Spirit will be loving you through people. 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:17.920 You'll feel that. 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:19.360 You'll know that. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:20.560 I promise you. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:23.360 By the way, you'll know when it ain't there, too. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:26.240 I guarantee you. 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:32.560 I've left churches that I preached in, and I told Susan, I said, I don't ever want to go back there and preach again. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:35.040 That's the coldest place I've ever been. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:37.759 See, it's cold when people don't love. 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:45.040 When it's when the love of God's there, it's warm and it's friendly and it's caring and it's helpful. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:47.040 Yeah, it is. 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:50.000 Spirit bears witness to our spirit that we are the children of God. 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:53.040 So anyway, I left there after sharing with you. 00:04:53.279 --> 00:05:00.160 And God just dealt with my heart, and so I went home, and the next morning in my quiet time, I said, You know what I'm gonna do? 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:01.600 God spoke to me just like that. 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:07.920 I'm gonna bring a message on Friend Day, even though it won't be out of the book of Jonah. 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:14.319 It will be Jonah as as an example of uh how do you turn back to God? 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:16.399 It will be powerful. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:17.759 It will be powerful. 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:21.519 We're gonna look at the steps you must take to come back to God. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:25.120 And uh so it's gonna be a powerful message. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:28.079 And Jonah will be our example, and I will use some. 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:30.560 But anyway, you don't want to miss next Sunday. 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:33.120 It's gonna be a fantastic Sunday. 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:35.199 Jonah chapter 3. 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:38.240 We got two messages in chapter 3. 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:40.720 Today's the God of the second chance. 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:42.240 Can I get an amen? 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:46.000 Aren't you glad that he's the God of the second chance? 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:49.040 Man, is that not encouraging? 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:53.439 Is that not exciting to understand that? 00:05:53.920 --> 00:06:13.519 And so let's pick up chapter three, and we're gonna look at the first four verses, and then uh Sunday after the next message, we'll look at the greatest revival in the Old Testament, the rest of the chapter, and then we'll have one more message, and I'll finish up preaching chapter four, the following. 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:25.680 So we have really three messages left, and then we go into our Christmas time, and we'll be looking at the Christ of Christmas, and that's gonna be very exciting as well. 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:28.480 Chapter 3, verse 1. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:40.639 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go into Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:44.639 So Jonah arose and went unto Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:45.600 That's important. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:52.160 Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey, long ways. 00:06:52.399 --> 00:07:01.839 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried and said, Yet 40 days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:03.360 Five words. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:04.800 He had one message. 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:11.519 Five words, five powerful words, and he told them, What? 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:17.759 That Nineveh shall be overthrown in 40 days. 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:18.639 Wow. 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:19.439 What? 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:24.879 What would you think if the prophet of God came into Chelsea, Westover? 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:36.000 And said, Chelsea, Westover, in 40 days, the judgment of God's coming upon this city. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:37.680 Wow. 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:39.920 Would that get you attention? 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:42.160 It better get you attention. 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:44.079 It could happen. 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:46.560 And watch what he says here. 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:47.279 I love it. 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:51.600 Jonah's detour of disobedience is about to end. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:55.360 God is preparing to put him back on course. 00:07:55.600 --> 00:08:05.360 And not only that, back on course for his blessedness, his usefulness, his effectiveness, and service if Jonah is willing. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:08.399 Do you realize you may be running from God this morning? 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:10.720 And if you are, God knows it. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:14.720 God's, and by the way, the hounds of heaven are on your track. 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:15.519 Amen? 00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:16.319 They're there. 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:28.720 And he's wanting you to come back to where you left him so that he can bless you, so that you can be an effective tool, ambassador for him, so that you can be useful for him. 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:31.120 That's why he wants you back. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:32.080 He loves you. 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:34.240 He wants that relationship back. 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:37.360 And because of that, I want us to look at four things this morning. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:44.000 Number one, Jonah's given a great chance. 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:49.279 Number one, a great chance to come back to God. 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:53.440 He's given, if you wanted to put it, a second chance. 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:55.840 Now, I want you to notice something here. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:02.799 Soon after Jonah repented, he came face to face with God's orders again. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:04.799 That's important you understand that. 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:13.200 See, when you leave God, you leave God from disobeying what he's called you to do. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:17.759 So when you repent, guess what God does? 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:21.840 God immediately says, okay. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:29.039 Remember what I told you to do when you left me and you rebelled against me and you left. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:30.000 Guess what? 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:32.159 You gotta go do it. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:35.279 You gotta go do it. 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:39.840 Hey, you can't get right with me until you go and do what I told you to do. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:49.759 You can't get right with me until you come back, and true repentance is showing with sincerity that you're repented by doing what God tells you to do. 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:51.039 Can I get an amen? 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:52.480 Man, that's good. 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:54.799 And we see that right here. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:55.679 Notice what he said. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:57.919 And the word of the Lord came into Jonah. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:09:58.480 What? 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:00.720 The second time. 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:04.559 He put it right back in his face. 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:08.639 This is a usual experience of anyone who repents. 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:20.320 One reason we see here the repenting person is confronted with God's command so quickly after repentance is to check the sincerity of his decision. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:24.320 See, if your decision is sincere, you will act on it. 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:25.759 Amen. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:33.120 If your decision is sincere, church, you're gonna act on that repentance. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:34.240 And we see that. 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:38.399 God's orders, hey, uh, in fact, I really believe this. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:46.399 True repentance should and will make a person's attitude toward God's orders much different than before they repented. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:51.279 You'll change from a rebellious attitude to a submissive attitude. 00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:52.159 Amen. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:54.080 You really will. 00:10:54.320 --> 00:11:00.320 There's a whole difference in my attitude when I'm walking in the spirit and when I'm walking out of the spirit. 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:01.039 How about you? 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:02.480 And you know it. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:03.679 You really know it. 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:06.879 Now you don't tell anybody, but you know it. 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:09.679 You think everybody else doesn't know, but guess what? 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:10.159 They know it. 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:14.159 That is a walking with that. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:17.120 Now if they're doing with those things, you just got to do with those people. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:31.759 What's your first acknowledgement? 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:38.240 Put them back in third before I left you. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:41.039 Put them back in service where I left you. 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:42.080 I'm ready. 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:46.000 Well, and again, did Jonah really repent? 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:46.960 Absolutely. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:48.240 Because why? 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:50.080 We need to pass the basic test. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:51.200 What is the basic test? 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:56.960 The basic test is if you truly repent, you go back and start doing what God called you to do. 00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:08.159 And you do it with the right attitude, with the right spirit, with a cheerful spirit, with a cheerful attitude, with an excitement, with a pathos, with a passion, with an ethos, an enthusiasm. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:10.320 You get so excited. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:19.039 It's kind of like in a practical sense, the adulterer, when he truly repents, will keep himself pure and stop living sensually. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:22.320 Hey, the drunkard will quit drinking, drinking. 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:23.279 He'll become sober. 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:24.399 Can I get an amen? 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:27.759 The drug user will quit using and become clean. 00:12:27.919 --> 00:12:29.200 That's what we're talking about. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:41.120 Hey, the gossiper will quit destroying people through their tongue and start exhorting people with their tongue and trying to better them and speak well of them. 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:48.320 And then we also see the bitter person will forgive and liars will quit lying. 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:50.960 That's true repentance. 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:52.559 It's a mm-hmm. 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:55.840 I'm talking about a talking of talking about a change of master. 00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:56.799 Now, look at the word. 00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:57.600 Look at this phrase. 00:12:57.679 --> 00:12:58.399 This is good. 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:01.279 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:05.840 Reveals that God confronts us again with the same waters. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:10.879 Now, when I saw that, in fact, one of the great verses here is in Revelations. 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:11.840 I want you to see this. 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:15.519 Revelations chapter 2, verses 4 and 5 to prove this. 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:28.480 The church at Ephesus was, hey, it was only the only church in the seven churches of Asia Minor that God kind of talks favorably at the beginning, and he says, Hey, you're doing good works, you're doing this, you're doing that. 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:32.399 I mean, you're doing things that you think you ought to be doing, which is a lot of churches. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:35.840 But then when he gets to chapter, the verse 4, notice what he says. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:41.360 But nevertheless, he says, after you're doing all these good things, you're preaching, you're even dealing with sin. 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:46.720 But nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love. 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:58.879 Do you realize you can be in church, you can be obedient, you can even read your Bible and still not have that spirit-filled attitude and that spirit-filled life. 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:00.159 Do you realize that? 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:02.720 Now that's dangerous. 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:05.120 Because you think you're alright. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:06.799 Here's why you think you're all right. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:18.559 Because you're going to church, you're reading your Bible, you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, but there's no joy, there's no excitement, there's no contentment, there's no peace. 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:22.080 Because you're not doing what God's called you to do. 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:26.080 Do you know you can be faithful to church and still not be doing what God's called you to do? 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:28.240 Woo! Oh me. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:31.360 And here we see this. 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:35.840 He said, Never let someone against have someone against thee because I've lost their first love. 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:36.799 Look at verse 5. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:38.000 Now, how does he get back? 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:39.279 How do we get back to God? 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:41.360 And this is where I'll be going next Sunday. 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:42.720 How do we get back to God? 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:43.360 Here it is. 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:55.360 Remember, therefore, from whence thou are fallen, where you know that God told you to do something and maybe you were doing it and you quit doing it, or maybe he told you to do something and you never started doing it. 00:14:56.639 --> 00:15:09.519 Repent, he says, where you had fallen, where you turned and was and you were disobedient to God, and repent, that means turn back and do what he says and do the first works, or else I will come into thee quickly. 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:11.039 And you know what he means there? 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:12.480 I'll come and take your light out. 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:15.440 I'll take your witness out, I'll take the spirit out. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:19.600 That's why you can go into church and it can be as cold as ice. 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:21.600 There's no spirit. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:26.000 And the reason is there's no spirit, the church has lost its first love. 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:27.679 Hello? 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:28.559 You with me? 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:29.919 They've lost their first love. 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:31.200 You say, What's the first love? 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:33.120 It's the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:38.960 It's talking about having an intimate relationship with an awesome God. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:40.480 Jesus is awesome. 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:42.720 That's what it's talking about. 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:45.600 That he's on your mind 24 hours a day. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:48.240 You say, yeah, but he can't be on my mind when you're sleeping. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.200 Oh, yes, he can. 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:51.200 You can dream about him. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:52.879 Amen. 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:56.000 He ought to be your number one. 00:15:56.159 --> 00:16:02.080 Now, I love my wife, and I've been wonderfully, marvelously married for 35 years. 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.200 34 years? 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:04.799 35, thank you. 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:05.519 35. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:07.919 35 wonderful years. 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:12.639 And she is unbelievable, but she's not number one in my life. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:15.360 But she's a close second. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:19.440 The Lord Jesus Christ is number one in my life. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:20.399 Same with her. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:27.200 And because he's the Lord of her life and not me, we have a pretty good relationship. 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:32.320 Because we love the mediator, it's the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:33.600 It's not each other. 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:38.000 And when I get out of whack, she doesn't have to talk to me, but she does. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:39.759 But she doesn't have to. 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:43.279 I probably shouldn't have said that. 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:50.000 But but but hey, all she has to do is go to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God and say, hey, you get him. 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:53.919 When I get upset with her, I just don't have to say anything. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:56.320 I just say, Lord, you get her. 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:58.240 I don't say that very much. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:00.960 I'm always saying he's getting me. 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:04.240 But anyway, that's what we see here. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:08.240 He's and then Jeremiah 3.22, you know the verse, it's powerful. 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:12.079 It says, uh, return ye backsliding children. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:13.279 Now, what does he say? 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:13.920 Read it. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:14.880 And I will what? 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:17.519 Heal your backsliding. 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:22.400 In other words, I will replace that first love in your heart again. 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:23.599 Man, that's good. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:27.839 Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:31.200 Now, there's a couple things here you gotta realize. 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:34.400 When we look at this, it's so powerful. 00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:35.200 Two things. 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:42.960 Number one, we get back into the will of God at the place we took the detour, where we left his will. 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:44.240 Feel that out. 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:45.759 That's very important. 00:17:47.359 --> 00:18:06.480 And then number two, the second chance that God gives to us is also demonstrated in God's grace as well as a test of Jonah's repentance. 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:13.920 See, when God gives us a second chance, it really demonstrates two powerful things in our lives. 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:16.559 One, it demonstrates God's grace. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:17.839 Can I get an amen? 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:21.519 If you and I got what we deserve, we would deserve. 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:22.559 You know what we deserve? 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:24.400 We all deserve to die and go to hell. 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:24.880 Amen. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:25.759 What is grace? 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:28.079 But grace is unmerited favor. 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:29.519 It's unmerited favor. 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:33.039 You didn't deserve it, but God loved you so much that He gave it to you. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:35.359 He loves you so much that He died for you. 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:36.400 And it's a gift. 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:38.400 You don't have to do anything for it. 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:41.759 For by grace are you saved through faith and not of yourself. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:45.279 It is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:46.720 Now listen to me. 00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:47.920 This is good. 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:50.799 So it's a demonstration of God's grace. 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:52.400 It's by God's grace. 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:53.440 Now I love this. 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:55.279 His grace is sufficient. 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:58.000 His strength is made perfect in our weakness. 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:02.400 That's why we can glory in our infirmities, our problems, our trials, our tribulations. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:07.599 Because when we are weak, 2 Corinthians 12, 9. 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:08.000 Amen. 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:11.519 And you remember my favorite verse we looked at last week, 2 Corinthians 9.8? 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:12.559 All grace. 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:16.880 All grace for all sufficiency for all things. 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:18.559 2 Corinthians 9.8. 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:19.119 Great. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:21.440 Now notice the second thing it demonstrates, though. 00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:26.799 The second thing it demonstrates is our sincerity in our repentance. 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:32.720 In other words, if you truly repent, it will be evident in your life. 00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:36.640 It will be evident in your actions and it will be evident in your attitude. 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:38.160 Can I get an amen? 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:40.160 That's so good. 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:41.839 That's so good. 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:44.000 Listen, it is so good. 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:45.599 Now watch. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:49.200 Every one of us deserves a second chance. 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:50.960 Say this with me, church. 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:53.200 God is the God of second chance. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:55.759 God is the God of second chance. 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:59.920 Actually, he's a God of second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth chance. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:14.240 How many times did God come to you and speak to your heart through the power of the Holy Spirit, through the teaching and preaching of the Word of God, or through somebody that loved you, that was witnessing to you, but yet when you got when they got through witnessing, you didn't respond. 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:16.079 You didn't make a decision. 00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:17.920 It took God alone. 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:19.359 It took him more than one time. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:22.960 Now, sometimes one, like the thief on the cross, somebody said, How do you know? 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.839 You know, everybody said about the thief on the cross. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:27.119 Have you ever thought about that? 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:30.480 They said, Well, you know, he got saved right before he died on the cross. 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:32.640 And I believe in deathbed decisions. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:33.279 Amen. 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:36.000 I think that's a powerful demonstration of that. 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:36.799 But you know what? 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:38.480 Somebody says, Well, you know what? 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.200 I wonder. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:40.559 I wonder about that. 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:43.359 Because I wonder why the thief had not gotten saved. 00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:47.039 I believe that was the first time the thief had ever heard the gospel. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:51.920 It was the first time the thief had ever seen the love of God so magnified, so strongly. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:54.960 When he saw the real thing, he got saved. 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:58.960 Let me remind you, thieves were not in the habit of going to church. 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:01.359 Amen. 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:04.960 So I really believe it was his first time. 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:05.839 So I believe that. 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:08.000 But most of the time that's not the case. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:13.200 The Lord keeps prodding you, he keeps convicting you, and finally, he gets your attention. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:18.799 And sometimes he may have to put you in the big belly of a fish, but he gets your attention. 00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:25.920 And you give your life to him, or you come back to him. 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:30.400 Well, that is evidence of two things. 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:32.319 Evidence, first of all, of God's grace. 00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:33.680 Can I get an amen? 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:38.240 And secondly, that your repentance is a true repentance. 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:45.200 Because, see, there's a lot of people, and let me just go on record saying this is here's the Greek word for what I'm about to say, hogwash. 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:50.160 I don't know if there's a Greek word for hogwash. 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:52.319 But a lot of people say, well, you know, okay. 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:56.000 Hey, hey, I'm saved, and I can just live like I want to, and then I can repent and come back. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:58.319 God again, I can just make that a cycle. 00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.440 Let me tell you, that's not true. 00:21:59.519 --> 00:21:59.759 Repent. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:03.039 And that's not salvation either. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:08.079 That mentality is right from the pits of hell. 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:13.920 I meant true repentance means true change. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:17.599 Not for a little while. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:25.759 So you got to realize God has been mindful of us to bless us. 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:28.400 Second chances are found throughout all scripture. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:28.880 Listen to this. 00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:29.759 Remember Abraham? 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:30.960 God called Abraham. 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:32.240 He got detoured. 00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:35.200 Remember in Haran with his dad? 00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:36.240 Then his dad dies. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:38.000 God comes back, calls him again. 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:38.640 Boom. 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:40.880 Then he takes the people where he's supposed to go. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:41.759 What about Moses? 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:44.480 His first attempt to deliver the people, he failed. 00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:47.599 The second attempt, he was successful. 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:48.480 Amen? 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:49.759 God of second chance. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:51.359 Wait, what about Israel? 00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:56.240 Boy, that was brought to Kadesh, Barnea to go into the promised land. 00:22:56.319 --> 00:23:00.640 They rebelled against God and wandered for 40 years. 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:06.640 But God gave him a second chance, and Joshua led them into the promised land. 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:09.759 What about, hey, what about Jacob? 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:12.400 Felled again and again, but God never gave up on him. 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:14.160 What about David with Bathsheba? 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:15.039 We talked about. 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:18.960 What about Simon Peter cursed the Lord three times? 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:25.119 But God gave him a second chance and confronted Peter, and three times Peter said, I love ye. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:25.759 I love you. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:26.319 I love you. 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:30.160 He denied him three times, so the Lord said, Now you're going to tell me you love me three times. 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:35.039 And on the third love, it was more than just the uh the phileo love. 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:45.200 It was the agape love, which, okay, you tell me, I know you phileo me, but I want you to agape me, which means I want you to be so wrapped up in who I am. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:46.799 Amen. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:50.960 That you're, hey, when I say jump, you say ha ha. 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:53.039 Amen. 00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:55.839 And that is so true. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:56.880 And then John Mark. 00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:59.440 John Mark, hey, John Mark quit. 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:02.640 Quit the ministry the first time he went out with Paul. 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:03.920 Too hard. 00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:05.599