WEBVTT 00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:13.199 Well, thank you, Steve and Kathy, for your years of partnership and friendship and ministry. 00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:15.439 And thank you to each one of you. 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:22.960 After 21 years as the pastor of discipleship, this is my final message to you. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:27.760 You're at midnight on Tuesday, New Year's Eve. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:30.800 I've already been cleared for final approach. 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:34.399 And so at midnight I will make a full stop. 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:37.119 Mission accomplished. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:40.320 I'm thankful for the opportunity we've had here. 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:50.240 For some time I have sensed that God is having me step aside to make way for an excellent cadre of young pastors. 00:00:51.280 --> 00:01:03.359 These men are smarter, more articulate, more creative, more energetic, and more theologically sound than I ever was on my best of days. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:11.680 And I am convinced that Emmanuel is in great hands and the future is extremely bright. 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:18.319 On behalf of Deshua and myself, our family, we want to thank you for sharpening us. 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:25.200 Proverbs 27, 17 says, as iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:26.719 We are sharper. 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:37.920 We are different because we've been here at Emmanuel Bible Church, and we're so thankful for you, and thankful for the body of Christ, which we call our family. 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:39.760 And you know what I mean. 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:40.799 This is family. 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:46.879 We're all believers and brothers and sisters in Christ, and we are very thankful for that. 00:01:47.680 --> 00:02:01.760 Last service, we had all 18 members of our family here, and I'm very thankful for the fact that Desha and I have been able to raise four very courageous children who have chosen to do hard things. 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:12.479 The stories I could tell you of my two daughters missionaries and my two sons serving the country, we're just thankful for them and that they're walking with Christ. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:16.400 They've all married excellent spouses. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:22.719 They've given us eight wonderful grandchildren, very energetic, but we're just thankful for them. 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:28.000 And finally, those of you who know me know that I married way above my pay grade. 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:33.199 You know, I met I met this woman, Deshua, at a Bible study in Pensacola, Florida. 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:35.360 I had just gotten there for flight school. 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:39.280 She was an English teacher at Pensacola Christian High School. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:40.960 We're both from New York. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:42.639 I recognized her accent. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:44.400 She recognized my accent. 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:46.639 It was love at first accent. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:51.520 And we've been married now 41 and a half years. 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:56.879 I'm thankful for her because she's so wise and so kind and such an encourager. 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:02.560 But mostly I'm thankful for her for her example of what it means to walk with Christ. 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:08.479 So if you have a Bible with you, and I hope that you do, open with me to the book of Colossians, chapter one. 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:13.919 Colossians chapter one, it's on page 983 in your Pew Bible. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:18.080 I'll actually be speaking this morning from the New American Standard. 00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:20.800 I like that rendering of this short passage. 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:25.599 Put a placeholder near the end of that chapter one of the book of Colossians. 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:33.039 Recently I received an email from my Naval Academy class president. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:36.960 He was asking for volunteers from our graduating class. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:40.080 There was close to a thousand of us who graduated. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:04:01.840 And he wanted us to assist with a number of special events that'll take place over the next four years as our class, the class of 1979, will welcome coach mentor and eventually join to celebrate the graduation of the upcoming class of 2029. 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:10.879 You see, one of the, by way of background, one of the most honored Naval Academy traditions is called Another Link in the Chain. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:18.399 And involves a connection with the class that will graduate 50 years after your graduation day. 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:25.839 We obviously, the class of 79, were called to invest in the class of 2029. 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:29.279 That'll be our link in the chain with that class. 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:48.879 So over the next four years, members of our class, myself included, will regularly counsel, teach, mentor, and encourage that upcoming class of 29 as they matriculate through that four-year crucible, the Naval Academy over in Annapolis. 00:04:49.279 --> 00:05:05.839 Furthermore, on graduation day, as many as are able of my classmates and I will join them at their graduation in Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and welcome them into a life of military service for our great nation. 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:30.879 On that morning at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, as they receive their diplomas and walk down the ramp back to their seats, they will pass through a very orderly but long receiving line of myself and classmates who will shake their hands and congratulate them and look them in the eye and almost to a man will say, Remember this day. 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:35.519 Remember this day. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:38.879 You know, it's much more important and significant spiritual sense. 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:53.199 I liken the intentionality that the Naval Academy instills upon its graduates to what the Apostle Paul said to his spiritual understudy, Timothy, in 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 2. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:55.759 Here's what the Apostle Paul said. 00:06:56.720 --> 00:07:10.560 He said, The things that you've heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, he said, entrust these things to faithful men who'll be able to teach others also. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:16.959 You think about that, the apostle Paul speaking to his understudy, Timothy. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:30.480 I'm speaking to you, Timothy, entrust what I'm telling you, what you've seen, what you heard from me, to faithful men who then will be able to replicate that and teach others, and teach others, and teach others. 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:34.480 And aren't you thankful, friends, because it eventually came to us. 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:41.199 There was an other that was trained along the way with the gospel that actually came to us. 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:45.680 They invested in us, and now we walk with Christ. 00:07:46.399 --> 00:08:19.279 And so today, at this time and in this place, as men and women who have been blessed by God as husbands and wives, and fathers and mothers, and grandmothers and grandfathers, and boys and girls, and leaders in the community and here in our congregation, we ask, what are the things that the Apostle Paul said we should entrust to others that we now are called to entrust and to share with those who desperately need to hear? 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:23.279 What is our individual commissioning? 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:24.959 What is our mandate? 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:33.200 Well, I believe the Apostle Paul lays it out very clearly in the last two verses here in Colossians chapter 1. 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:38.240 This is really the mandate the Apostle Paul gives to each one of us. 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:46.639 I can't think of a better way to remind ourselves as we step into yet another year, the year 2025. 00:08:46.879 --> 00:09:04.799 Can you imagine having the Apostle Paul's words that are here on this page, chiseled in stone and presented to each of us as a reminder of our high calling as men and women of God, shepherds of not only of our own families, but also the flock of God. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:06.320 Here is the mandate. 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:08.399 This is our commissioning. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:27.679 The Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians chapter 1, verse 28, he said, We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:39.840 For this purpose, verse 29 says, Also I labor, striving according to his power, which mightily works within me. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:43.919 This is our mandate. 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:47.120 This is what you and I are called to do. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:54.559 Somebody shared the gospel with us, and now you and I bear a tremendous responsibility. 00:09:54.799 --> 00:10:04.799 And notice from these two verses that the mission that the Apostle Paul took on himself and gives to each one of us is not a mission that is passive. 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:07.759 These are action verbs that he gives us here. 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:17.440 In fact, there are five action verbs that I think apply to our lives that the Apostle Paul gives us in these last two verses of chapter one. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:19.919 First of all, look what he says. 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:22.720 We, here's the key word, proclaim him. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:24.639 We proclaim him. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:29.840 You and I are called to proclaim the truth and the centerpiece of the gospel. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:34.799 That is Jesus Christ and him crucified. 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:42.080 We are to repeat and proclaim the declaration that Jesus himself gave to his disciples. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:44.399 John chapter 14. 00:10:45.039 --> 00:10:47.679 Jesus is about to go to the cross. 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:54.720 He's been ministering alongside with his disciples, and he tells them, I go to prepare a place for you. 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:57.120 Where I will be, you will be there one day. 00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:01.360 Thomas, my namesake, asked the question: how are we going to know the way? 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:08.879 And Jesus, without any hesitation, definitively in verse 6 says, I am the way. 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:11.360 I am the truth. 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:13.039 I am the life. 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:16.159 No one comes to the Father but by me. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:18.399 Friends, there's no other way. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:21.600 And we need to proclaim that to the world. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:24.799 The world says there's many ways to get to Jesus. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:26.799 There's many ways to get to heaven. 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:28.879 There's many ways, roads you can take. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:30.559 There's many gods you can serve. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:33.919 As long as you're faithful to your God, to your belief. 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:36.480 There's only one way. 00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:43.200 And you and I need to be bold and willing frequently to preach and teach that. 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:49.840 The Apostle Paul said in the first chapter of his book of Romans, he said he was under obligation. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:53.120 He was compelled and eager to preach. 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:55.919 He said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:00.720 It the gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:02.960 He proclaimed the truth. 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:06.799 He set the example for what it should look like for you and I. 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:24.240 That's exactly why when we develop the core competencies for men here at Emmanuel Bible Church, the very first of the four we ask men to abide by is that every man, every man here at Emmanuel Bible Church be willing to tell their salvation story. 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:34.080 I was once blind, and now I see, and Jesus made the difference between my spiritual blindness and my eternal life. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:38.080 Between death and life, Jesus is what lies in the balance. 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:45.279 That every man, but it's not just men, that every one of us should be willing to proclaim the truth of the scriptures. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:47.840 Who Jesus is. 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:52.480 We need to be willing to say He is the only way. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:13:01.600 Even the psalmist in the Old Testament, Psalm 107, says this: let the redeemed of the Lord say so. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:09.600 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, that we would be unashamed about what God has done in our lives. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:13.120 That let the redeemed of the Lord say so. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:23.759 We still bear the mandate to proclaim him and him alone to those who will listen, and even louder and more boldly to those who will not listen. 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:31.600 So not only are we called to proclaim him, but the second action verb is that we're called to admonish. 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:34.879 He says we're called to admonish every man. 00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:45.840 And I believe the admonishing of every man is giving every man warning and exhorting every man with intentional, personal, consistent counsel. 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:58.639 For the non-believer who we're called to admonish as well is pointing out the cause and effect of their sin nature and pointing out their desperate need for a relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:01.919 Even the unbeliever needs to be admonished. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:14.240 I mean, you think about it, which one of us would stand on the side of the road, knowing that the bridge was out ahead, and we would just let cars pass without flagging down a single one. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:22.240 We can't let non-believers just drive off the cliff into eternity in hell. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:25.039 We need to be willing to admonish. 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:28.480 Paul says, every man. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:54.639 And the admonishing of every believer is comparing the life of the believer against the word of God, and allowing that person to see areas of their life where they have fallen short, where they're not walking in a manner worthy of the sacrifice that was made on our behalf. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:57.519 And we admonish even the believer as well. 00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:08.639 Aren't you thankful to have people in your life that are willing to hold you accountable, willing to come alongside when you know you're struggling and say, brother or sister, I'm not gonna let you go there. 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:16.399 Aren't you thankful for a church like a manual Bible church, written even within our constitution as a discipline policy? 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:18.879 That we're not gonna let people ruin their families. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:25.120 We're not gonna let people give up on their marriages, that we're gonna hold people accountable to what the Word of God says. 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:28.799 We're admonishing, willing to admonish every man. 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:39.200 Thirdly, the Paul says, not only are we called to proclaim, but not are we called to admonish, but he says we're also called to teach every man. 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:42.000 He says we do it with all wisdom. 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:51.759 We're called to use the word of God to teach non-believers and believers about the facts of the one whom we proclaim. 00:15:53.279 --> 00:16:09.519 Therefore, we teach every man, the believer and unbeliever, about the facts of the life of Jesus, how he came, why he came, how he taught, how he died, how he was raised, how he lives today, how he's returning. 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:19.519 We're to teach them as the Apostle Paul reminds us, with great patience and with great instruction. 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:25.279 2 Timothy chapter 4, the Apostle Paul reminds us that. 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:50.000 The Apostle Paul said, the non-believer, speaking of the non-believer, he said the things of God are foolish to the non-believer. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:54.000 They can't understand them, they're spiritually appraised. 00:16:54.159 --> 00:17:05.839 The Holy Spirit has not dwelt them, they can't understand them, so that we're for we preach and teach with great patience and with great instruction. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:10.480 We need to be reminded to teach them carefully. 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:24.319 And it's Him that we proclaim, and we're teaching every man and every woman so that they would one day be better equipped to follow him and obey him in their walk. 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:32.319 I don't think I can overstate the importance of making sure that we never uncouple admonishment from teaching. 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:42.079 That we admonish and we teach, we hold them accountable to what the Word of God says, but we also teach them the things of God with great patience. 00:17:42.319 --> 00:18:00.480 But we can't uncouple them because if you think about it, if all we did was teach them and teach them and fill their mind with facts, yes, they'd know a lot about the Bible, a lot about God, a lot about Jesus, but they're still without transition and transformation, they would be spiritually lost. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:03.920 And they'd be the smartest people in hell. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:06.799 But how sad that would be. 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:16.960 And if all we ever do is admonish them and tell them how their bad behavior is affecting their lives, all we ever do is admonish, admonish, admonish. 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:22.960 They'll adjust their behavior, but they'll be no different than the Pharisees. 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:27.039 Jesus challenged them, calling them whitewashed tombs. 00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:32.960 They look great on the outside, but the sin was crippling them on the inside. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:38.000 So the Apostle Paul says that we are proclaiming him. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:41.680 We're admonishing every man and we're teaching every man. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:46.640 And we're doing it with all wisdom, with great patience and instruction. 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:58.400 And he says the reason that we're doing that, and there's our fourth action verb, is so that we can then present every man, every woman complete in Christ. 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:02.559 That's why we proclaim, that's why we admonish, that's why we teach. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:09.839 The goal is so that we can then present every man and every woman complete in Christ. 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:27.440 By the way, let me be quick to say that when I say we present every man and every woman complete in Christ, it is not, I repeat, it is not saying that you and I have any part in making a person positionally complete before God. 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:33.599 Everything that Jesus did on the cross when he said it is finished, it is finished. 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:36.079 There's nothing more that needs to happen. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:43.680 Nothing more any of us need to do or any of us could possibly do to make their salvation any more secure. 00:19:44.240 --> 00:20:08.720 But what it does mean when Paul says we're to present every man, every woman complete in Christ, is we're called to remind every man of what it means to be positionally complete in Christ, justified before God, declared righteous, completely and forever forgiven of sin, awaiting future glory with our Heavenly Father. 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:26.400 You and I, I believe, have a responsibility to urge every man towards Christ-likeness, growing in sanctification, or I love the way this one author put it, to help every man become in practice what he already is in position. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:33.039 To help every man become in practice what he already is in position. 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:39.599 Some years ago when I was on staff to the Naval Academy and I was the officer representative for the football team. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:41.680 I traveled with them all the time. 00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:49.200 And that year we were playing Notre Dame, Navy plays Notre Dame every year, but this year we were playing Notre Dame at Notre Dame in South Bend. 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:53.920 It's a wonderful, magnificent college football genre there. 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:55.440 It just really is spectacular. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:21:08.000 I remember coming out of the locker room, Notre Dame had placed a placard, a metal placard, above the transom, and it's on their home locker room as well as the visitors. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:15.039 And every player goes out and smacks that as a reminder, and it says, play like a champion today. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:18.880 In other words, you already are a champion. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:20.240 They were acknowledging that. 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:23.440 You're an outstanding athlete just to be on the team. 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:28.400 But go out of the field and play like the life that you really lead. 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:29.759 A champion. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:52.799 And that's what you and I are called to do, to present every man, every woman complete in Christ, that we're helping every man become in practice what he already is in our position, saved, chosen before the foundation of the earth, completely sanctified, justified, declared righteous. 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:56.559 Be in practice what we already are in position. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.759 And lastly, the last action verb that Paul gives us. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:12.720 He says, for proclaiming, admonishing, teaching, and presenting, he said, for this purpose, at the beginning of verse 29, for this purpose also I labor. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:16.319 There's an action verb, I labor. 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:20.400 And he says, I do it striving. 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:26.559 By the way, that word striving in Greek is the word agonizomai. 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:30.079 It's where we get our English word, you can hear it, agony. 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:40.960 In other words, for Paul, the proclaiming, admonishing, teaching, and presenting every man, every woman complete in Christ is something he agonized over. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:42.960 This was not a hobby for him. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:46.079 This was not a side gig for the Apostle Paul. 00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:47.920 This was his life. 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:58.480 When he was saved on the road to Damascus and Jesus commissioned him and sent him out, Paul began and he continued right up until he was beheaded. 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:03.279 He labored, striving, agonizing. 00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:08.079 And he did it not under his own power. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:09.920 Look what the scripture says. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:16.880 Striving according to his, meaning God's power, which mightily works within me. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:25.119 Paul acted, he ministered as if it all depended on him. 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:36.799 But he also acknowledged that it was only through God's power that he would be able to proclaim, admonish, teach, to present every man and woman complete in Christ. 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:40.079 He understood it was God's power. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:44.240 Do you remember when Jesus was about to ascend to heaven? 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:48.400 It's recorded by Luke in Acts chapter 1, specifically verse 8. 00:23:48.640 --> 00:24:01.759 Jesus said to his disciples, You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses here, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the remotest part of the earth. 00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:03.519 Go back to that word power. 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:05.680 He said, You receive power. 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:08.079 Speaking of the Holy Spirit's power. 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:11.440 That word in the Greek, power, is the word dunamis. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:15.519 It's the root of our word, dynamite or dynamic. 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:17.920 It means it's explosive power. 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:26.720 So the apostle Paul is saying, I have been called to proclaim, to admonish, to teach, to present every man complete in Christ. 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:29.920 But I realize I can't do it under my own will. 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:33.759 I have to rely on the power of God. 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:36.160 And you know what? 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:38.319 So do we. 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:41.519 So do you, and so do I. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:45.519 We should act as if it all depended on us. 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:57.440 In other words, that's the striving, that's the agonizing over it, but we realize it will never happen unless we rely on the power of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:10.000 Well, we come to the end of verse 29, and you ask yourself, at least I do, what's the application for me? 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:12.799 See, every time we look at the scripture, we say, what does it say? 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:13.920 What does it mean? 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:16.559 And now we're at the point, what am I supposed to do? 00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:19.200 Joyce, what are you calling me to do? 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:20.799 It's a mandate. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:23.759 It means there needs to be a response to that. 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:32.319 Well, I believe anytime we look at the scripture, we make application both for the believer and for the non-believer. 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:35.759 And you may say, I get it, I get the believer application. 00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:37.200 That's clear. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:39.440 But what about the non-believer? 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:44.240 All scripture, I believe, is inspired of God and profitable, right? 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:47.920 And teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:49.359 That's what Paul says. 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:52.960 So it applies to the believer, but also to the non-believer. 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:55.680 And here's how we know it applies to the non-believer. 00:25:55.920 --> 00:26:08.079 Because Romans chapter 1, when the apostle Paul was writing in verse 18, he said, the unbeliever, those that are separated from God, they understand the truth, but they suppress the truth in their unrighteousness. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:11.039 In other words, they know what's going on. 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:14.880 They're not ignorant, but they're arrogant. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:16.799 They're pushing the truth down. 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:18.160 They suppress it. 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:20.960 But they're still responsible to it. 00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:26.640 And you and I have that responsibility to tell them the bridge is out ahead. 00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:29.839 Pull over, make a change in your life. 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:31.440 The bridge is out ahead. 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:33.440 We still have that responsibility. 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:39.119 And so today, this morning, I want to make application both for the believer and the non-believer. 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:41.599 I want to start, though, with the non-believer. 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:44.960 Because to me, that's the most critical. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:53.440 And friends, if you're here today, there's not been a time that you put your faith and trust in Christ, in Jesus Christ alone, for your salvation. 00:26:53.599 --> 00:27:05.519 By that I mean if there's never been a time that you've put your sins upon Jesus and the work that he did on the cross, you're going to have to pay for all of those things that you did wrong. 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:08.640 All of your sin, you're going to pay for those yourself. 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:16.480 Jesus offers to take all of that sin on him, he did at the cross, and he still does today. 00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:28.640 We're living in a life here that's really just a down payment for what's going to come in the future. 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:35.759 At most, you may live 70, 80, 90, maybe even 100 years here on earth. 00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:39.440 But you're going to spend eternity somewhere. 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:45.440 And where you will spend it depends on your relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:48.559 I want to be extremely clear about this. 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:56.319 You may have walked in here this morning and said, I don't know anything about Jesus. 00:27:57.039 --> 00:28:01.920 And you were probably ignorant then, but now you know the truth. 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:04.880 And if you reject it, that's arrogance. 00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:14.799 The decision we make about Jesus while we're here on earth will affect where we spend eternity once we die. 00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:22.480 None of us wants, those of you who don't know him, to spend eternities separated from him. 00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:26.799 I'm warning you, I'm telling you, the bridge is out ahead. 00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:32.960 Hell is not a place where you want to spend a millisecond, much less eternity. 00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:39.279 If you've never given your life to Christ, now is the time to give your life over to him. 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:44.799 Accept what he did on the cross as complete payment for your sin. 00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:47.680 Life will never be the same. 00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:51.519 Trust me, and those who have come to know him. 00:28:53.119 --> 00:29:01.279 For the believer in Jesus Christ, I think the mandate here, the application for us is obvious. 00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:04.079 We need to proclaim him. 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:15.119 We need to admonish every man and teach every man so that we can then present every man complete in Christ, and we should labor over that as well. 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:19.440 That's been my desire here on staff as one of your pastors. 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:27.200 We have opportunity that we cannot turn our back on. 00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:30.640 You know the story of Matthew chapter 14. 00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:36.240 Jesus has been giving a full day of ministry, healing people and preaching truth to them. 00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:39.839 The crowd was burgeoning, the crowd just kept getting bigger and bigger. 00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:43.519 It was really getting concerning for Jesus' disciples. 00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:49.279 And at the end of the day, they went to Jesus trying to send the people away. 00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:57.839 I'm thinking in my mind, maybe the disciples were a little concerned that don't let their problem of hunger become our problem. 00:29:58.000 --> 00:29:59.680 We got to provide and find food for them. 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:00.960 We had nothing. 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:06.000 So they go to Jesus and said, please, Jesus, send your people away. 00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:09.599 And Jesus said, Send them away. 00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:14.960 In his mind, they're coming here for help. 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:17.599 They're coming to us for help, and you want to send them away? 00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:19.680 Jesus said, You feed them. 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:22.000 You feed them. 00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:24.720 We know the rest of the story. 00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:29.440 I mean, Jesus with a couple of fish and loaves of bread, he feeds everybody. 00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:34.000 There might have been like 18 to 20,000 people there, including the women and children. 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:35.599 He fed them all. 00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:42.799 Leftovers for his disciples to see the miracles that he could do and how he would work through them. 00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:45.200 You want to send them away? 00:30:46.640 --> 00:30:47.599 Feed them. 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:50.559 Jesus loved those people. 00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:54.160 And so he fed them. 00:30:55.119 --> 00:30:57.200 My friend, let me ask you a question. 00:30:57.440 --> 00:30:58.640 Who do you love? 00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:02.000 Are you willing to feed them? 00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:09.200 Are you willing to proclaim, admonish, teach so that you can present them complete in Christ? 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:19.279 This current situation in the Middle East reminds me of an opportunity I had nearly 30 years ago while deployed on a carrier. 00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:22.799 USS Carl Vinson, we were in the Persian Gulf. 00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:29.359 Tensions with Iran had risen quite significantly, and we were there for a long time. 00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:33.519 In fact, we spent more than 140 straight days at sea. 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:42.480 It was in the summer months, and the average temperature on the flight deck was somewhere between 125 and 130 degrees every single day. 00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:51.039 The prevailing winds were coming across the Persian Gulf and just blowing that sand all over the flight deck and all over us and in the airplanes. 00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:51.839 It was a mess. 00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:52.720 We were tired. 00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:54.000 We were exhausted. 00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:57.839 I remember I just came back from a lengthy combat air patrol mission. 00:31:57.920 --> 00:31:59.359 We just landed on the carrier. 00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:04.240 Right after me, the commanding officer and my squadron landed, and we all got out of our airplanes. 00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:15.920 We were down in the ready room getting ready to debrief, taking off our flight gear, and in frustration, he just yelled out, Does anybody have any idea why we're in this Middle East area? 00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:19.039 What's so important about the Middle East? 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:23.039 Without thinking, I said, I think I know. 00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:28.400 It's one of those things where the words go out of your mouth and you go, Oh, come back, come back. 00:32:29.519 --> 00:32:32.880 And he said, Okay, Joyce, Mr. 00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:34.880 Know Everything About the Middle East. 00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:39.119 You're gonna now give a brief to the squadron on Thursday. 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:44.400 15 to 20 minutes, I'll give you to tell us everything you know about the Middle East. 00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:46.000 So I went and prepared. 00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:58.000 I mean, I pulled out my books, I'm in the scripture, pull on eschatology stuff, so I remember, you know, I'm asking people things, and Thursday comes around, and he almost forgot about my briefing. 00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:00.880 In fact, the the executive officer leans over to me. 00:33:00.960 --> 00:33:05.039 Hey, remember Joyce has got that religious briefing he's gonna give. 00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:07.119 So he, hey Joyce, come on up here. 00:33:07.279 --> 00:33:11.200 So he gives it, gives me my 15 minutes, and I just went into it. 00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:17.279 And I started off with you know, the fall of man, Adam and Eve, and why each one of us is now doomed. 00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:21.039 And I talked a little bit about the Abrahamic covenant and Davidic covenant. 00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:23.039 Their heads were kind of spinning about that. 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:28.960 But um, I got to eschatology and talked to, and they were they were overwhelmingly excited about the rapture. 00:33:29.119 --> 00:33:30.480 They thought that was the coolest thing. 00:33:30.640 --> 00:33:33.119 Let's take, let's make a movie out of that. 00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:42.000 Um and so then the question started, and my 15 to 20 minute brief lasted two and a half hours. 00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:48.079 As they were asking question after question, the commanding officer asking probably the most questions. 00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:51.039 And that they wanted to know a lot of stuff about the rapture. 00:33:51.119 --> 00:33:53.359 That was really of interest to them. 00:33:53.599 --> 00:33:56.559 And when I talked about the rapture, they said, Well, who goes in the rapture? 00:33:56.640 --> 00:33:57.920 I said, The people that are saved. 00:33:58.079 --> 00:34:03.119 Well, one of my Christian buddies in the back of the ready room yells, How does somebody get saved? 00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:14.239 I just proclaimed him and was able to lay out the truth of the gospel. 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:17.280 You see, I love these guys. 00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:23.360 And I wanted them to one day be presented complete in Christ. 00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:27.199 And so I shared the good news of the gospel with them. 00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:35.920 As a funny side note, because of the rapture discussion, they were so overwhelmed with that. 00:34:36.320 --> 00:34:41.360 Uh, on official Navy document, there's a Navy flight schedule for that squadron. 00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:43.519 For the next day, I'm listed twice. 00:34:43.599 --> 00:34:46.400 I'm flying in the morning and I'm flying late at night. 00:34:46.639 --> 00:34:50.480 And there's an asterisk next to my name with a note at the bottom. 00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:54.719 So-and-so will fill in for Joyce if the rapture occurs. 00:34:56.880 --> 00:35:00.719 That's on an official Navy flight schedule somewhere. 00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:07.519 The word had traveled around the carrier about the briefing. 00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:17.360 The interest was great, and I wound up giving that same presentation of about the same length to every one of the nine aviation squadrons on that carrier. 00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:34.159 We proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man to present every man complete in Christ. 00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:47.360 For this purpose, I labor, striving according to his power that mightily works within us. 00:35:52.320 --> 00:35:55.840 Remember this day. 00:36:05.360 --> 00:36:09.360 We receive it as a mandate that you have called us to. 00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:24.079 As embedded as we are in our understanding of the scriptures, understanding of you who you are in our lives, we take this on as a mandate. 00:36:25.119 --> 00:36:34.719 This is what you've called us to do, to be willing to proclaim, admonish, teach, present every man, every woman complete in Christ. 00:36:36.880 --> 00:36:57.360 Father, I do pray if there's any here today who do not know you, they've yet to put their faith and trust in you, that you'll bring them to that point like you brought each of us, where we believe what you did on the cross and the sufficiency of your death and payment for our sin, that they would come to know you. 00:37:01.760 --> 00:37:02.960 Would you use us? 00:37:03.199 --> 00:37:06.960 We'll be eternally grateful, and we pray in the powerful name of Christ. 00:37:07.280 --> 00:37:07.920 Amen. 00:37:10.320 --> 00:37:11.280 Thank you, Tom. 00:37:20.559 --> 00:37:25.119 Thank you again for scattering that seed and presenting the gospel. 00:37:25.280 --> 00:37:28.800 And perhaps today there's someone who could wants to know Jesus Christ. 00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:35.519 There's a brochure uh on a credenta uh off into the lobby through that door and straight ahead. 00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:37.840 It says, uh, I want to follow Christ. 00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:38.559 Now what? 00:37:38.719 --> 00:37:49.519 This is an opportunity where you can uh take a look at this and uh begin your life following Jesus Christ, uh, just as Tom has uh encouraged you to do today. 00:37:49.760 --> 00:37:52.000 Would you please stand and we'll be dismissed? 00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:54.719 I have a uh a benediction for you. 00:37:55.039 --> 00:38:03.360 Tom uh said, Him we proclaim warning every and now for a parting word for Pastor Jesse Johnson. 00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:04.800 Thanks for joining us. 00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:06.400 If you're in the Washington, D.C. 00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:09.039 area, I would love to see you at Emmanuel Bible Church. 00:38:09.199 --> 00:38:14.239 For more information on our church or our current service times, go to ibc.church. 00:38:14.400 --> 00:38:17.519 For more information about the Master Seminary and their Washington, D.C. 00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:20.320 location, go to TMS.edu. 00:38:20.800 --> 00:38:28.559 I hope this resource has been a blessing to you and it helps you seek the Lord daily, serve others around you, and share the gospel with boldness.