WEBVTT 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:04.240 Thanks for listening to the His Hands Church podcast. 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:12.880 If you're using the His Hands Church mobile app, please turn off the auto lock on your phone's general settings so that you can listen to the message uninterrupted. 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:16.160 And thank you for being part of what God is doing at His Hands. 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:19.120 Well, good morning. 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:23.039 So as you just saw, Baptism Sunday is May 5th. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:30.960 It's uh it's one of the most exciting Sundays of the year for a lot of different reasons, mainly because 50 to 70 people go all in with Jesus, which is worth celebrating, I think. 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:42.479 Um we wanted to announce that this morning because if you would like to sign up uh to be baptized, or if your family, someone in your family wants to be baptized, we have a sign-up sheet at the info desk and you can go there, uh just put your name down. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:44.399 You know, you don't have to sign up to get baptized. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:51.359 If you decide one minute before or even halfway through, uh you may be a little more wet than normal, not have clothes to change into, but we'll let you do it. 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:54.640 It just really helps us to kind of know about how many people to expect. 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:05.359 One thing I I would love to say about that though is if you've never stayed after for for Baptism Sunday, what we do is we do a normal Sunday, and then afterwards we uh we we have baptisms over on this side of the room. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:06.640 It's amazing. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:12.879 There is nothing like seeing a ton of people have this incredible all-in experience with Jesus. 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:14.400 It is a supernatural thing. 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:20.000 And the way we like to think of it is that it's not a big event, it's like fifty or seventy or however many people are getting baptized. 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:20.959 It's that many big events. 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:24.640 Because in those people's lives, it's one of the most important days that they will ever have. 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:26.079 And so that's gonna be May 5th. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:26.959 It's a few weeks away. 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:28.319 Uh but be looking forward to that. 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:31.920 And again, if you do want to be baptized, go ahead and sign up at the infodesk. 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:34.079 Next week is also a pretty big day. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:36.640 Uh next week, next Sunday, is Easter Sunday. 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:38.719 It is, yeah, one week away. 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:39.200 Oh. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:42.239 You guys want to know something? 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:44.400 Jesus was dead and now he's not. 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:45.760 Isn't that incredible? 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:47.040 I mean, seriously. 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:50.959 There is nothing like that. 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:55.200 I was just thinking about that this week is that Jesus wasn't dying, he was dead. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:56.959 And now he's alive. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:00.799 And not only is he alive, but it's just like we shared about he's alive and he is ours. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:05.280 In fact, in his word, he says that I will be, I will be your God and you will be my people. 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:08.800 That he's not just alive, but he is out, he's he's alive and he's ours to have. 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:10.719 And that is an incredible thing to celebrate. 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:20.319 So every Sunday is a celebration of the fact that we are not we're not worshiping the memory of someone, we're not worshiping the idea that someone put forth 2,000 years ago. 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:23.759 We're worshiping the person that is alive to this day, and he's active in our lives. 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:27.199 And next Sunday, I know the Holy Spirit is gonna be moving in a powerful way. 00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:32.080 I just want to encourage all of us uh to be here, to invite friends to share about it, but to be ready. 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:36.879 To be ready to experience God in an amazing and incredible way, because I know it's gonna happen. 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:38.639 Um, a couple of different ways you can do that. 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:41.599 You can share about Easter, just invite your friends, invite your neighbors. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:45.199 You can go to our website actually, and I've said this for the last few weeks, but it really helps out. 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:54.560 If you just go to our website, click on Easter Sunday, and then in the top left corner, you'll see some buttons that you can click to share it on Facebook, on Twitter, or even invite people via email. 00:02:54.639 --> 00:03:04.000 Um, you have no idea how powerful that can be for someone who might be going through a really difficult time, and you just say, Hey, you know, if you feel like you need something in your life made alive again, come. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:05.280 And God will do that. 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:06.240 I know that he will. 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:07.360 I know that he will. 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:16.879 One other thing you can do to help us for Easter Sunday if you'd like, and that's for today, is we've got to add a bunch of chairs to this room to get ready for all the extra people we're gonna have, which is an exciting thing to think about. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:21.280 If you can stay after for a little bit and help us get all the chairs just out. 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:22.960 We have a room full of chairs. 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:26.400 If you've seen the chair room, you know what I'm talking about when I say the chair room. 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:27.439 It's just it's chairs. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:28.159 That's what's in there. 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:30.560 And we need to move them out of the room and into this room. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:32.639 If you can stay after for a little bit, help us out. 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:35.599 Um, there'll be a guy named Brian, he'll be at the the back of the sound booth. 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:38.800 He will give you all the direction you need, but uh it shouldn't take very long. 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:40.560 It'll be a huge, huge help. 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:42.319 Oh man, what else is going on? 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:43.360 Let's see what do I have next? 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:43.919 I I forgot. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:45.199 I'm so excited about Easter. 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:46.080 Is there anything left? 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:47.439 There's not, okay, good. 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:49.680 Um I do have one thing I want to say though. 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:52.319 It is a huge thank you to everyone who's helping out financially. 00:03:52.879 --> 00:03:54.479 Uh you guys are doing so many incredible things. 00:03:54.560 --> 00:04:02.159 Your generosity is not only allowing us to do what what we're doing as a church, to allow God to do what he's doing through this church, but it's affecting the community as well. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:10.719 And this morning I just want to say that that that I'm so grateful that we have a generous church because God is using it, it's needed, and he's using it in incredible ways. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:12.479 There's four columns at the back that you can give. 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:13.919 You can also go online. 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:23.199 Uh, one thing I want to mention specifically, a very specific opportunity, if you'd like to help out this morning, is we have an incredible road trip coming up for our high school. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:24.240 We do it every year. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:25.839 There they are. 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:28.319 You guys are awesome. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:30.160 You're like, oh in cute, we didn't practice this or anything. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:30.639 I love it. 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:31.680 Um we really didn't. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:38.319 So our high school group goes to Gatlinburg, Tennessee every year, and it's just a it's a trip that God moves in powerful ways upon. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:45.040 And in fact, so many of our students will say, you know, I believed in God, but it was that trip three years ago or four years ago where I knew he was real. 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:48.480 We've had over a hundred students get baptized on the trip in the last five years. 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:52.560 Uh countless kids that have said, I'm I I I came, I didn't know Jesus, now I do. 00:04:52.800 --> 00:04:54.879 And every year we have a lot of kids that can't afford to go. 00:04:54.959 --> 00:04:56.480 We do everything we can to make it affordable. 00:04:56.560 --> 00:05:01.439 It's$195, and we have never turned a student away for financial reasons, and we never will. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:12.480 Uh one thing you can do to help us out with that is that if you if you feel led, if it's something you want to do to sponsor a student, I've already had several come to me this year and say, I want to go, we can't afford it, and of course we're gonna let them go. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:21.920 But if you could help with that, when you go to the back columns and you go to the giving kiosks, uh, there'll be an option if you go to giving for the general fund, but there'll also be an option for the youth trip. 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:28.800 If you could just select that, and if you're willing to sponsor a student for$195 or partially sponsor, it goes a long way. 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:33.600 And I'm telling you, the blessing that those kids have, I tell them every single year, hey, come talk to us. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:35.360 If you can't afford to go, just come talk to us. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:36.720 And they're still nervous to do it. 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:42.639 But when they come to us and they say, Hey, I really want to go, but I can't, and we say, We've got you covered, someone sponsored you. 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:47.120 And then it's on that trip that they get saved, that they get baptized, they go all in with God. 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:49.519 I mean, what more could we invest in? 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:51.199 You know, it's it's an incredible thing. 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:52.879 So please just think about doing that. 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:57.120 Let's go ahead and pray, and then uh and then we'll bring Ken Kington out with us to share. 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:09.199 Jesus, thank you so much for uh for being so glorious, for giving us a God to worship, a God that's worth worshiping, a God that is alive and active in our lives to this day. 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:10.639 Lord, we know you're here, Holy Spirit. 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:15.600 We pray that you would speak through your word, that you would speak through every word that Ken shares this morning. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:17.920 We just want to know you more. 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:22.720 We just want to walk out of this room more in love with you than we are right now. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:25.680 Lord, we just pray all this in your name. 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:26.959 Amen. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:29.680 Welcome Ken Kingston with us this morning. 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:46.240 There's on. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:49.839 It's you'd think it was like 50-50 shot, and I always get it wrong. 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:51.199 So that's that's awesome. 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:54.959 It is so great to be with you guys on the Sunday that I call Priester. 00:06:55.279 --> 00:07:03.040 Uh it's the pre-Easter, and I and I love this Sunday because so much is happening in this one week that changes everything. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:03.680 Everything. 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:07.519 And I love the my friend over there who said this is an actual palm branch. 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:25.839 And I mean, imagine that this is Palm Sunday, and that Jesus is on a small donkey's riding in town, and people are just throwing these at his feet, and and and he rides in the triumphant entry, is what it's called, and they just bring that, and then literally days later, he's gone from being adored to being crucified. 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:27.920 It's just like, how messed up is that? 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:31.600 That these same people who go, Oh, you're awesome, would just say, Yo, crucify him. 00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:34.160 That's just that's and so much happened during that week. 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:47.120 And and I just think if I'm Jesus and I'm not, but if I'm Jesus and I'm looking at this, going, wow, from a human standpoint, the roller coaster of that week, of his friends leaving and then just all that going on. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:48.720 He did that. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:50.240 Why did he do that? 00:07:50.800 --> 00:07:56.319 This morning I want to just share a glimpse of why that is, because of I've caught a glimpse of God's desire. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:57.439 Why would you go through that? 00:07:57.600 --> 00:07:58.639 Why would that happen? 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:05.439 And I'm gonna start it off by sharing a couple very cool personal examples about what's coming up on May 9th. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:10.800 And I it's not just this time, it's not just uh another, hey, let's get together in laugh time. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:11.920 That will happen. 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:13.279 It will definitely happen. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:19.839 And there's some cards out there like this that are out there, and I'm gonna tell you in a second what to do with those, but I want to encourage you to take one of these. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:22.800 It's just a little magnet, and just says, pray for May 9th. 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:23.759 That's all it says. 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:25.040 And there's a bunch of those out there. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:31.199 Put it on your refrigerator, and every every time you say it, pray because as I've all I can say is this is unique. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:40.159 I have not been through this experience in a couple decades where I've sensed God's hand on a specific day, time, and all that, and and I'm just trying to catch it all. 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:45.120 And when I had this idea of just praying for it, the word full came to my mind. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:46.720 And I'm just like, okay, full. 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:55.600 Lord, you know, it'd be great if it was full and full of full of your spirit, that every person that walked through the door, whatever their need was, wherever they were on the journey, you would just hit them personally. 00:08:55.840 --> 00:09:03.840 And that full of joy, not laughter, but joy, that we would laugh so hard, but then we would tip into joy that goes far beyond that. 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:11.440 And just full of, full of, and as you pray, just pray, God, that you would be full, and then whatever He fills in the blank, pray for that fullness. 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:13.279 Because that's what's gonna happen. 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:19.679 And I and I want to hear the stories, and I don't think it's gonna be till eternity that we hear them all, but I'll never forget one of the first ones. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:22.639 It's where I met a couple of the his hands folk for the first time. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:25.679 This is back in 2001 when we had the first one. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:31.840 And I'll not forget this lady who came up afterwards, and and it was actually her friend that brought my attention to it. 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:34.879 She just literally came up and smiled, and she goes, Thanks. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:36.960 I I really needed that. 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:38.320 And then she just walked off. 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:41.759 And and now I get a lot of people come up after the show, go, man, that was hilarious. 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:42.399 I appreciate that. 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:44.080 Thanks for what you do, that was awesome. 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:47.039 And then her friend came back, waited until everybody came through. 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:48.639 I signed everything, and then she came through. 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:52.159 She goes, I just I don't think you understand what happened tonight. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:53.440 And I was like, Well, okay. 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:55.279 And she goes, This was incredible. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:56.399 She says, I have a friend. 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:58.320 She came up and she said, Thanks, I needed that. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:00.240 And I'm like, Okay, I'm kind of shy, lady. 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:02.320 She goes, Yeah, but you don't understand. 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:06.879 She said, My friend lost her husband in a car accident. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:11.679 And then six months later, her son was died of cancer. 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:15.360 I haven't seen her smile in over two years. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:20.960 And then I just sat next to her and watched her laugh for an hour. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:25.279 And I saw the weight of the world just lift off her shoulders. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:33.279 And there are very few experiences in life than laughing with your friends that gives us perspective and healing and joy and all those different pieces. 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:36.480 And all I can tell you is on May 9th, that's gonna happen. 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:37.600 It's gonna happen. 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:38.799 So here's what I want you to do. 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:42.960 I do want you on the way out to take a couple of these cards and just have them with you. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:49.519 And when God brings you across the path of somebody who needs to laugh, just go, hey, I'm going to this, and it's gonna be awesome. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:50.720 And it is. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:55.200 Uh, the folks at Satellite Radio have already contacted us and said, hey, when's the project due? 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:56.879 We want the new stuff to be on the radio. 00:10:57.200 --> 00:10:59.039 Got distributors going, hey, when is it done? 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:00.000 We want to put it on TV. 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:00.960 And I'm like, that's awesome. 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:01.679 It's not done yet. 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:03.200 We haven't just filmed it yet. 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:08.559 But how cool is that that you can be, you can literally see it on TV here on the radio and go, I was there. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:11.840 I was there, and it's gonna be so stinking fun. 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:18.639 It's gonna be one of those times where I want to tell you the people that are, I've already invited my friends who are not church people, they don't go. 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:27.120 And you know, on Wednesday of Holy Week, Jesus, that was the Wednesday where he went to the temple and he flips over the tables and he says, get religion out of here. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:31.039 And he broke down the barriers for people to be able to just come. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:34.080 That's what this night is in our reality for our time. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:35.679 It's that time of saying, you know what? 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:39.759 Think about that friend who says, Well, if I went to church, man, lightning would strike. 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:43.519 That person and bring them. 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:47.600 Because I promise you, they're gonna have more fun than you will. 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:48.480 I promise that. 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:53.200 They will laugh harder than you laugh because they have no inhibitions and they'll just be like, this was awesome. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:12:01.120 And I love the call, actually, the email I got last year from a friend in California when we did the tour out there, she said, Hey, I just had to shoot you a quick email. 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:04.000 I'm going out to do a funeral back in California. 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:14.799 And I'm like, Okay, she goes, but I just had to tell you, the gentleman that we are memorializing, that we're doing it, he he actually was one of our best volunteers, one of the greatest guys. 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:16.080 And he was in our area. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:21.600 The first step he took towards faith was a friend invited him to the comedy theater. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:23.440 And he said, I don't do church. 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:24.559 You're like, you don't understand. 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:25.840 This is just gonna be funny. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:32.000 And he came and God just let him catch a glimpse of what joy was, and he he kept coming back. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:35.600 And she said, he was just his whole life just transformed. 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:43.200 It can be that first step, and it's gonna be a special night, and I hope you take part of that, but not just be here, maybe you just need a good laugh, so come. 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:45.919 But I would encourage you to take the take the magnets. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:48.720 These are normally$50, they're free today, though. 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:50.320 So those are there. 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:54.480 Um tickets at his hands only. 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:56.960 You can get them here for 10 until the end of this month. 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:59.120 So you've got a couple weeks, you can still get them for 10. 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:00.480 They're out there as well. 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:11.440 But this morning I want to just kind of take that and and I just have a desire, a desire to see what God wants to do in this time, not only May 9th, but in this season of time. 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:14.320 And I want to take a look at a couple of his desires. 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:23.919 I look at myself as a father, I have three kids, two boys, and I tell my boys all the time, I said, My job is to teach you how to be a man. 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:25.360 That's my job. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:29.279 And I love those times with my sons that we we get away on a trip. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:32.399 I take them on a one-on-one trip every year, and I'm like, what do you want to do? 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:33.279 Where do you want to go? 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:34.000 Who do you want to see? 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:39.200 And we go to ball games, we go to different parts of the country, we have experiences I'm really a little scared about this year. 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:43.120 My middle son, he's like, Dad, you say, Remember we went on that mission trip to Costa Rica? 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:44.000 I'm like, Yeah? 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:46.399 And he goes, You remember how they taught us how to surf? 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:47.519 I'm like, Yeah? 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:50.080 He goes, I want to go surfing again. 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:56.159 Oh, I'm in my late 40s, and that just that's painful just thinking about it. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:57.200 But I'm just like, wow. 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:00.799 And I'm willing to endure that because of that time. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:14.000 Something happens on those trips where I get to pour into my sons and I get to let them know, and something will happen, maybe in the car, the plane, it may be in a in the hotel room where we're just sitting around and they'll go, Dad, can I ask you about this? 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:15.200 I'm like, Yeah. 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:19.919 See, because I want to be, and here's the first desire God has for us. 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.720 He longs to be our guide. 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:24.399 He longs to be our guide. 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:25.600 Why would Jesus come? 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:26.799 He wants to guide us. 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:29.120 Why would Jesus, God, take on human flesh? 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:42.720 He says, because I want to experience every emotion you experience, every struggle you have, every desire you have, and I want to experience all that so that I can guide you through life. 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:44.240 I want to be your guide. 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:46.480 And I catch a glimpse of this as a dad. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:51.759 And I love the way Jesus put it in in John chapter 16, verse 33. 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:58.320 And he's being honest, it's just like, come to me, and your life will be easy, and everything will be great, and you'll never have a problem. 00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:00.559 You'll be rich and famous, and there's no problems. 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:02.080 No, this is what he says. 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:06.879 He says, I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:10.720 In the world you will have trouble. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:12.240 But take heart. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:14.960 I have overcome the world. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:16.559 I've overcome it. 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:23.279 This morning I wanted to just ask a simple question where it says, Will, we will encounter trouble. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:32.559 How many of you would say, maybe it's not this year, but maybe before, that you can honestly say, in my life, I've dealt with trouble. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:36.639 How many of you would be honest enough to say, yeah, some way, some shape, some form? 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:38.799 Some of us are probably in the middle of it right now. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:41.039 And if we're not, then it'll come down the road. 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:42.320 It's gonna happen. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:49.440 One of my favorite verses, and you can refer back to this one, you can put it in the margin of John 16 is Isaiah 41, 10. 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:50.240 I've been living there. 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:51.840 I shared it last time I was here. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:54.960 It says, Do not fear, for I am with you. 00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:56.399 Don't be dismayed. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:57.679 I am your God. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:02.559 I will strengthen you, I will teach you with my righteous right hand. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:03.919 I'm gonna do that. 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:05.279 I'm with you. 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:07.279 And Jesus longs to be our guide. 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:15.440 If you are one of those here this morning and you're going through it right now, whatever it is, realize that God's desire is to be with us. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:16.559 I love the other word there. 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:18.480 It says, you may have peace. 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:19.200 You may. 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:20.480 It is conditional. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:30.159 We have to accept not only that relationship with God initially, but we have to accept his presence with us right now and acknowledge that. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:35.519 And it can be as simple as my acknowledgement so many times of just praying a very simple prayer. 00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:36.639 Help! 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:38.639 Help! 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:40.960 God, do you not see what I'm doing? 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:46.080 And I wish I could hear God audibly, because I really think you'd be sitting there going, yeah, I do see it. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:47.200 I do know. 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:51.120 But I'm God, and I'm not the God of oppression. 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:55.200 I'm the God of freedom and peace, and I don't come where I'm not invited. 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:57.759 And the second you invite me, I am with you. 00:16:57.919 --> 00:16:58.720 I'm right here. 00:16:58.799 --> 00:16:59.519 I see it all. 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:02.480 I got it, but you gotta invite me to be with you. 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:06.559 And he longs to be our guide, but he does not impose that upon us. 00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:12.720 Not only does he long to be our guide, he says, I have told you, and I love this, just the personal aspect of this verse. 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:14.400 And I want us to get personal this morning. 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:17.599 I want to challenge you to maybe do what I've been doing lately. 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:20.400 That verse, John 16, 33. 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:29.440 Take a look at it there, and it's just, I have told Ken these things, so that in me he may have peace. 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:32.400 In the world, Ken will have trouble. 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:34.720 But take heart, I've overcome the world. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:36.079 I would encourage you. 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:37.200 Put your name in there. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:38.319 You can pray for me if you want. 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:40.160 You can pray that way if you want. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:47.759 But I would encourage you to take your name, start putting your name in Scripture because it is true and it is true of you and me. 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:49.440 And start putting that in there. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:50.160 Get personal. 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:52.480 That God, do you really want to be my guide? 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.759 Well, yes. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:59.440 Then, God, I just accept your truth that you have told me this and that I can have peace in you. 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:02.720 Not only is our guide that I shared this story. 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:08.960 This is kind of a best of piece because these truths kind of come to a head at Easter. 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:13.759 I shared probably a year and a half ago about my middle son. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:15.920 I coached basketball. 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:19.359 And he had a tragic experience in one of the games. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:20.880 He'd gone up to block a shot. 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:26.240 He came down, somebody took his legs out, and he came down wrong, and he snapped both bones in his arm. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:29.519 And when I got up to the scene, his back was to me. 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:33.200 When I got there, you could literally see the bones sticking up and sticking down. 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:34.559 His arm made a Z. 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:38.400 And he was in shock and he was just trembling. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:42.880 And I remember thinking, that's the most gruesome thing I've ever seen. 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:47.680 And I'll never forget stabilizing it and taking it there and going through that entire night. 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:51.920 I'll never forget wheeling him into the hospital and keeping his hand still. 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:55.359 And my wife, who had not seen it, going, I want to see his arm. 00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:57.279 And I'm like, No, you really don't. 00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:59.759 Because she doesn't do well with icky things. 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:03.359 And they got to triage and they said, I gotta unwrap it. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:05.200 And I said, Okay, just keep it as still as you can. 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:07.119 He's holding it still, and she goes, I want to see it. 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:08.480 And I said, No, you don't. 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:12.000 And I'm behind Cody, and he looks at his mom and goes, You really don't, Mom. 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:13.359 I can't look at it. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:16.400 And she looked at me and I tried to whisper. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:18.160 Now I had my terminology wrong. 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:25.119 I thought it was compound, it's actually spiral, but I said, I whispered over his head to her, it's a double compound. 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:28.720 And she looked at me and she goes, Don't tell me to calm down. 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:29.839 You calm down. 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:46.880 And right at that moment they unwrapped it, and you could see the Z in his arm. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:49.680 And she just went, Oh, wow, okay. 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:51.200 I need to sit down now. 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:52.400 Oh, wow. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:53.920 And she went and sat down. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:58.079 I'll never forget him going through it and walking and guide him through this. 00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:02.480 I remember sitting in the room, they said, we have to take an x-ray, and I just cringed. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:04.960 And I said, Cody, he said, Is it is it bad? 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:07.279 And I said, Well, your arm's very badly broken. 00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:09.119 I said, They're gonna have to take an x-ray. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:10.799 But he, I'm gonna, I'm gonna be with you. 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:14.079 I said, But I'm gonna be honest, this is gonna be the most painful part. 00:20:14.160 --> 00:20:15.200 And he says, What are they gonna do? 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:21.119 And I'm like, they're just gonna lay your arm on a table, but dude, when it's unsupported, I just I'm with you, dude. 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:23.039 But that's gonna be the most painful part. 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:27.119 And sure enough, we're coming out of the x-ray, and he's got uncontrolled. 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:30.240 He held it in, but he's just got wet cheeks. 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:34.000 And he said, Dad, that was so, oh, that hurt so bad. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:35.039 And I'm like, dude, I know. 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:36.240 I said, but it's over. 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:37.119 It's over. 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:38.880 That was the most painful part. 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:47.440 And they came in and they did the pressure and they put in the, they tried to find a vein because it was so swollen, it was hard seven times to get a vein. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:53.440 And finally they got one, and the she put in the pain medication, and she goes, Oh my gosh, his vein just collapsed. 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:55.519 I don't know if the medication got in. 00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:59.119 And then just right after she said that, Cody went and said, Mom. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:04.400 And Heather said, Yeah, and he goes, Mom, my pain is zero. 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:15.759 And all the all the nurses laughed and they said, Yep, I think it got in. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:20.960 And uh they were able to set his arm. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:26.079 The doctor was able to set it without surgery, and it healed up, and but it was on the way home. 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:28.640 It was on the way home that my emotions caught up. 00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:37.200 I had held it together, I saw it gruesome, and I'd walked through it, and and I was tough, and I guided him through there, but it was on the way home that I just it it hit me. 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:49.759 And I tell people not to be crass, but it really is true that I'm emotionally retarded in the sense that I I stuff it and I set it aside and I deal with what I got to, but later those emotions come up, and I'm driving home. 00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:54.240 Heather's asleep, and and Cody's in the back with his new cast, and he's asleep. 00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:58.880 It's one or one: thirty in the morning, and and I literally am sitting there just talking to God. 00:21:58.960 --> 00:21:59.759 Now, God has never spoken. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:05.759 To me audibly, but in these places, in these times in my heart, I'm like, God, how did you do it? 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:07.759 How did you do it? 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:10.480 I mean, your son is on the cross. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:15.200 And and I saw the look in my son's eye with a broken arm. 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:20.559 And that look on his face was terror and just help me. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:22.240 Help me. 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:27.519 And I remember doing everything I could to stabilize it and help him. 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:34.319 How did you do that with Christ crying out, Dad, why are you forsaking me? 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:36.160 How did you handle that? 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:37.039 Why? 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:39.119 Why would you do that? 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:51.119 And I got that question out of my mind, and no more did I have that God just threw into my brain the moment that I turned around and saw his arm and the look in his eyes. 00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:55.440 And God whispered in my heart, Ken, what did you think at that exact moment? 00:22:56.160 --> 00:23:03.440 What was it that exact what did you think at that exact moment when your son looked with terror and he's longing to see you? 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:06.960 And just with desperation, you got there. 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:09.519 What was your first thought? 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:14.559 And that question came to my mind, and I instantly said it, and I realized it before I answered it. 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:23.680 I said, I would do anything to I would do anything to trade places with my son. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:27.279 I would do anything to take away that pain. 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:28.960 Give it to me. 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:30.880 I would do anything. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:35.359 And in the midst of that, God was like, that's why. 00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:37.200 I saw you. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:41.119 I saw you in your failure and your frustration and your sin. 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:45.519 And I would do anything to trade places with you. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:46.720 Anything. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:48.799 And I love that joy. 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:55.440 And I this week I came across that exact concept in 2 Corinthians 5 21, where Paul is writing. 00:23:56.319 --> 00:24:00.720 And God's desire is simply to trade, to trade places with us. 00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:10.319 And it says, God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:12.799 And that's it. 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:14.160 That's Easter. 00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:20.319 I would encourage you, take a second, and I want you to throw your name in there and personalize it. 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:28.640 I did it this way, and it was simply this God made Jesus, who knew, who had no sin, to be sin for Ken. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:33.920 So that in Jesus Ken might become the righteousness of God. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:37.680 I can tell you this: I will never be the righteousness of God. 00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:39.279 I'm not good enough. 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:42.000 On my best day, I am not good. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:45.039 Apart from Christ in me. 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:47.279