WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:02.560 It is so cool to be with you guys this morning. 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:06.559 And if you have a Bible, I want to encourage you to open it to Acts chapter 2. 00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:08.000 That's where we're going to dive in. 00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:08.800 Thanks, bro. 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:11.519 What an incredible time of worship. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:12.960 Let me ask a question. 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:20.079 How many of you, whether it's written down or just mentally, have some form of a bucket list? 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:24.960 Things I'd like to do before I die, kick the bucket. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:30.079 I actually a couple weeks ago had the joy of getting to check one off of my list. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:36.880 I was invited to perform at the coach's dinner at the final four. 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.759 And I am a basketball freak. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:44.000 I love basketball, and I've always dreamed about going to the final four. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:49.759 Several years ago, my middle son and I went down to the initial first round of the tournament, and that was incredible. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:52.799 But this I got to go to the final four. 00:00:52.880 --> 00:00:57.119 And part of the deal was they said, Well, you know, we can't pay your whole fee, but we're going to pay you something. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:00.240 And we're going to give you a hotel throughout the entire weekend. 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:04.799 And we're going to give you four tickets to the final four and to the championship game. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:07.200 And I'm like, I'm so there. 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:10.319 And so my boys got to go with me. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:13.760 Um, if you don't follow basketball, it was in New Orleans. 00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:15.840 Woo, New Orleans. 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:17.359 What a unique place. 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:23.680 And our hotel, our hotel was on the corner of Canal Street and Bourbon Street. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:30.640 Now, yeah, some were like, some were like, oh, and that's that's exactly it. 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:32.000 You just nailed it. 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:34.000 It is it is one of the most unique places. 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:40.239 We actually ended up staying at the same hotel with the University of Kentucky basketball team, which was amazing. 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:42.319 I couldn't have planned this any better. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:45.280 And and in New Orleans, they have a phrase, who dat. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:46.239 Who dat. 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:47.280 Who-dat. 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:53.439 Well, after walking around New Orleans for a few days, I think they should change that to what that. 00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:57.599 I've never been to a place. 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:00.159 The first one should be what that smell. 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:01.760 What is that smell? 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:07.519 I mean, literally, some of the most unbelievably wonderful aromas you'll ever smell. 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:09.280 We went to Emeralds one night for dinner. 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:11.680 We went to the City Palace Cafe one night. 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:13.039 It was just unbelievable. 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:19.199 And you go to these amazing aromas, and five steps later, you're just like, oh goodness. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:22.879 What is that smell? 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:25.919 And then the other is, what is that? 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:28.560 Because we walked out of our hotel. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:32.719 Now we're literally we're around the corner from Bourbonon Canal, and we're on the corner. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:34.319 And I'm not making this up. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:39.840 I just we're standing there, and Graham and Cody are there with me, and they're just like, Why is what is that? 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:46.000 This guy, before, he's about six foot two, six three, without the stiletto heels. 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:57.680 And he had on tights and a mini skirt, and this fist net thing with a black hat and a veil. 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:04.000 And and and my son looked at me, I'm like, what is the that is just weird. 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:07.599 And I looked out, and all these people were looking, and they're right there with us. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:09.520 They're just like, look at that weird guy. 00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:11.840 And then I realized they were pointing at me. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:16.719 And if you're normal there, you're weird, okay? 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:18.560 That's just it just blew my mind. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:26.960 But I just thought about this one time, the final four, and the final four in New Orleans, and I watched these guys, and I just soaked up this experience. 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:36.400 And we were at the championship game, and I thought, these guys are literally several of three of the starters for Kentucky were in high school last year. 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:44.159 And now they're on a floor in front of over 70,000 people playing for a national championship, and they won. 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:45.840 And I literally thought back. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:53.120 Now, I've never been an athlete at that level, but I've sat down with some and and they tell me your life is never the same. 00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:58.159 That one moment, that one decision, that one point of everything kind of culminating. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:04.879 I had a friend who won a Heisman trophy, and we were sitting down at lunch one day, and he said it really didn't sink into me. 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:15.439 He says, But I'm sitting there with all the other Heisman winners, and after I won the trophy and after the hoopla had worn down, every one of them, every one of them came up and said, Your life will never be the same. 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:18.000 And he's like, and they were right. 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:21.519 He says, Because you're always this, and it changes. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:23.360 For some, it changes for the better. 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:27.279 For some, it changes for the worse, because they can never get over that point. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:30.800 That becomes their identity, and they're always living in the past. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:36.000 For others, they take that and as a springboard to do amazing and incredible pieces. 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:45.680 But that moment in life, and for you and I, we have that same real opportunity, not in a sport sense, but in life sense. 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:54.959 And really, there are in our faith, there are three pieces that if we'll grasp onto, and I want to kind of jump off of what Steve shared last week. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:05:00.240 And let me just say, if you you weren't here last week, or or even if you were, I'd encourage you to listen to the podcast. 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:06.800 It was unbelievable how he laid out that relationship that God wants and has with us when we choose that. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:22.480 But this point is one, and if you're in Acts chapter 2, I want to just dive right into a passage starting in verse 22, where it is being written, men of Israel, starting in verse 22 of chapter 2, men of Israel, listen to this. 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:36.160 Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:48.639 This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge, and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:57.120 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:06.720 We have to look at the reality that in this point in time that I want to look at today, these three pieces, it all starts with where Steve shared last week. 00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:09.040 Why would Jesus go through that? 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:11.759 Well, it was a foreknowledge and it was a plan. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:14.879 Jesus was born as a man for a purpose. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:22.240 And that purpose, as it so beautifully put last week, for the joy set before him, he endured the cross. 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:26.079 Well, what joy is worth dying for? 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:35.279 And the wonderful, wonderful answer to that, which was so simply and wonderfully put last week, is you and me. 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:38.800 Jesus said, You, you are my joy. 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:40.639 You're worth going through that. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:44.399 And this morning, what I want us to do is unpack what that really looks like. 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:52.160 And to do that, we have to look at three pieces of a, you can call it a triangle or just a puzzle, but three pieces that make all the difference in the world. 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:55.279 The first one is we really need to take a look at history. 00:06:55.519 --> 00:07:04.959 The history of scripture, that where it really started and what it moved to, and that it lays out perfectly to point to Jesus, to why it all happened to begin with. 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:09.680 And the part I love about the biblical history is that it's so real. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:12.240 It is not pristine and perfect. 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:20.240 God uses these extreme examples of just craziness to show himself to us. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:23.360 And you don't have to go there, but I just want to give you a reference. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:35.120 If you want to start way back, you can go to Genesis, first book in the Bible, chapters 16 and 21, where God is laying out that plan, and we hear of Abraham, and God goes to Abraham and he says, Abraham, I'm gonna birth from you a nation. 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:41.279 And if you know the story, you know that Abraham goes, Oh, cool, I'm gonna get this, but then he gets older and older and older. 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:52.240 And we see an incredible story and principle that we don't have time to dive into, but as he gets older, his wife says, Hey, obviously God's called you this, but maybe we need to help God. 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:54.800 So, here's my idea. 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:59.680 And his wife Sarah says, Why don't you, I've got a maidservant, why don't you have a child with her? 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:01.279 And maybe that's God's plan. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:04.879 Well, let me just give you a quick synopsis of principle. 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:12.720 If your wife ever tells you to have a child with another woman, it's gonna end badly. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:18.240 Historical fact, it is not gonna be good. 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:20.240 And it was not good. 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:23.920 And we today, you want to see history and reality? 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:30.319 The turmoil in the Middle East today is 100% from that decision. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:36.399 The Palestinians and the Jews, they say, Well, we are, we have the birthright because we were first, the Palestinians. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:39.840 And the Jews go, No, we're the called people, and both of them are right. 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:41.600 And there's a history there. 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:46.399 But Abraham's history went on to David, and King David was one who says, You know what? 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:48.080 I God anointed me king. 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:51.519 When everybody else looked past me, God said, I see the heart, and I'm there. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:57.840 And look what it says in Acts chapter 2, verses 25 through 29. 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:01.519 And the incredible part is this is a reference back to a psalm. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:10.879 But here's the deal: it says in verse 25, David said about him, I saw the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand. 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:12.799 I will not be shaken. 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:25.440 Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices, my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me from the grave, nor will you let your holy one see decay. 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:28.080 Don't miss that, because he's going to explain it in a second. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:31.039 You have made known to me the paths of life. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:35.759 You fill me with joy in your presence. 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:38.799 God is leading us in this way to say, you know what? 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:39.840 Here's the deal. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:41.600 There's a history here. 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:55.679 David is saying, you know what, I've got the key here that not only am I the descendant of Abraham, but here's the deal: it is about a relationship, about a personal God coming to a personal man and saying, I'm not going to abandon you. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:10:02.559 I have a plan for you, and through you will come me, my son, in the flesh. 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:10.240 There is a history, and that history is not a religious history, it is a relational history. 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:17.039 Every other religion in the world has sets of rules of do's and don'ts, and it's about control. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:27.759 Unfortunately, I I know some who are even in the Christian faith, use this book as a book of rules for do's and don'ts to control people. 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:32.320 But I'm so thankful for a place like His Hands that says that that's not what we're about. 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:36.240 We're about the living truth that gives freedom. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:38.320 And it's about that relationship. 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:48.159 We want to point everyone to that reality that Christ within us, when we choose him through this historical fact that changes us. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:53.360 So once we get that piece of history, there's a second amazing mystery. 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:56.320 And it's not a mystery that we can't figure out. 00:10:56.879 --> 00:11:03.440 It's a mystery that it is so complex yet it is insanely simple. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:30.960 Let me put it to you this way Christianity, the way God designed it through the Bible, is the only faith, the only religious concept, the only theology that is personal and that is based on not what we can do to earn heaven and life, but what God did to give us forgiveness and grace and purpose and life. 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:38.080 Every other faith, if you ever want to evaluate, you just look and you have to ask some simple questions. 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:39.759 Well, what is good and bad? 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:42.399 And most of them say, Well, I hope I'm good enough. 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:46.320 And every other faith is based on trying to be good enough. 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:48.480 Good enough. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:52.799 But there's never a definition of what's good enough. 00:11:53.759 --> 00:12:02.320 I've listened to, I had the privilege of getting to hear one of my favorite uh apologetic communicators, probably one of the best of all time. 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:04.240 His name is Ravi Zacharias. 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:13.759 And Ravi is an incredible debater who's been all over the world, Cambridge, Harvard debates, debates literally the heads of other faiths. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:19.039 And he made a great comment when he was invited to speak to the National Day of Prayer in Washington. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:24.000 He said, every faith has to be evaluated on four main pillars. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:27.519 First, you have to define what is evil. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:29.519 What is evil? 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:33.919 And in faith, in Christianity, it's very simple. 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:34.480 Sin. 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:36.080 Sin is what's wrong. 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:36.480 That's it. 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:37.840 Clearly defined sin. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:40.320 And it gives us that so that we can see what sin is. 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:44.879 He says in every faith there has to be justice or judgment. 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:47.279 How are you going to judge that? 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:53.279 And that's where it breaks down in most faiths because it's like, well, I don't get to judge, only God judges. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:55.039 Well, what is the judge based on? 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:57.120 In your writings, what is he determined? 00:12:57.200 --> 00:12:58.399 Here's what it is. 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:01.600 And it's never clear, and it's never defined. 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:05.200 He says, for it to be true and genuine, there has to be justice. 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:08.480 Then there has to also be an opportunity for forgiveness. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:12.320 How are you going to decide who gets forgiven and how that's judged? 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:16.080 And you have to define ultimately what is love. 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:19.039 Those are the four pillars that have to be defined. 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:20.559 Here's the incredible part. 00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:30.320 Our faith, those of us who have said, you know what, I'm going to take this word as God's living holy word, that He spoke it, and it is living and active. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:33.279 And he says, I'm going to define for you evil. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:37.039 There's a verse, and you can write it in the side of your Bible, just James 2.10. 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:45.600 He says, For whoever keeps the whole law yet stumbles on just one point, is guilty of breaking all of it. 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:47.840 He says, I'm going to tell you what's evil. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:49.519 I'm going to tell you how I'm going to judge. 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:53.039 You're either perfect or you're not perfect. 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:54.080 Period. 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:58.559 That's that's the way it's going to be defined. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:13:59.200 That's evil. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:00.320 Sin is evil. 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:02.159 And he puts it another way in Romans. 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:04.559 He says, for all have sinned. 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:06.000 Bummer. 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:09.759 That we're all at that point where we're not perfect and we're all sinful. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:14.799 And when we get to the heart of the matter on a personal level, we realize that's true. 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:16.879 I I have made mistakes. 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:21.759 And if you're debating on that, of what that is, let me ask it a simple way. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:31.759 How many of us would be in this room today that would not say, in my life, if I look back, there are some things I wish I should have done, but did not. 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:33.600 That would have been best. 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:38.320 Some things I could have done, but I did not. 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:44.000 Or things that I could have done right, but I chose what was wrong, and I regret it. 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:49.360 Or those things that would be, but they won't be, because of a decision that I made. 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:50.799 That regret. 00:14:51.200 --> 00:14:53.840 God knows our hearts and he knows that that is real. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:56.399 The truth is though, he says, You know what? 00:14:56.480 --> 00:14:58.639 I have something bigger than that for you and with you. 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:02.159 I want you to experience my fullness and my forgiveness. 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:04.080 Look at this with me. 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:07.519 Verse 30. 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:17.200 He says, But he was a prophet, knew that God had promised him an oath, that he would place one of his descendants on his throne, which was Jesus. 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:26.320 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, and that he would not be abandoned to the grave, nor would his body see decay. 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:32.000 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of this fact. 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:34.480 They had seen Jesus. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:36.080 It was a fact. 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:37.440 It is a fact. 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:39.759 That that mystery became a man. 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:42.799 And now here's the mystery made simplicity. 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:45.279 And I loved it when Robbie shared this. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:46.960 It blew my mind. 00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:56.720 There is only one time. 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:19.279 One time in the history of man, one time where evil clearly defined as sin was met with the justice of God dealing with that sin through the love of the only perfect man, Jesus, to provide complete forgiveness. 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:25.360 And there's only one time in history where all four converged at one moment in one person. 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:26.879 Only once. 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:30.000 And it was on Calvary through Jesus. 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:35.120 That is the power of the history become mystery. 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:43.519 But that power, that power that is true, is where we have to go to this third piece. 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:48.399 Those two pieces are clear, but there is a third piece that makes it real. 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:53.279 It's not just the history of the mystery, but it's the personal key. 00:16:53.840 --> 00:17:01.120 The personal key that unlocks that door of power and forgiveness and grace. 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:05.519 That personal key, I can't help but see it this way. 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:12.799 When we're at the final four in the championship game, we're in the arena with over 71,000 people. 00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:15.440 And it was electric. 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:30.079 Half the crowd was probably for Kansas, the other half for Kentucky, and it's building up to the start, and it is just this buzz and electricity, and the announcements are over, and the game is going to begin, and they bring the teams on the court and they're about to tip off. 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:33.759 And my middle son Cody says, Dad, look at this. 00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:40.319 And I looked, and in front of him was a boy that looked to be about a 10 or 11 years old. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:43.680 Sitting there playing a Game Boy. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:48.240 And Cody said, What the heck? 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:52.319 And I said, He's missing it. 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:54.880 This bucket list item. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:58.559 This unbelievably difficult ticket to get. 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:00.960 A life memory. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:04.720 And he is playing something meaningless and useless. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:07.440 And he did throughout almost the entire game. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:09.839 And I'm like, what a waste. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:11.920 What a waste. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:26.640 And then I got to thinking this perfect example that God has given everyone who seeks and accepts it forgiveness and grace and purpose and life. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:29.680 And it is proven through history and fact. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:32.799 And it is given through the mystery of Jesus. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:40.559 But until we accept that and we live in that, the heck. 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:42.640 Why don't we grab that? 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:43.759 Why don't we walk in that? 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:45.039 Why don't we live in that? 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:48.240 Because that is where true freedom comes from. 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:49.759 It's not about religion. 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:56.720 Religion is controlling freedom and grace and forgiveness is what God longs for us to experience. 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:06.160 And if I could leave this mental picture, it's a beautiful picture, a very tangible picture of what all that together means. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:20.319 That if you and I, for those of you who may be here this morning and you've heard about Jesus and the history, and you even believe intellectually in the mystery, that all that did come together in Jesus on the cross. 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:26.880 But you've never taken that personal key and unlocked that door and said, please come in to my life. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:29.839 And that's actually a picture that Jesus uses. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:32.960 In Revelation 3.20, he says, I stand at the door and knock. 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:35.279 If you open the door, I will come in. 00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:36.720 It's a promise. 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:42.000 But as it was explained to me as a 13-year-old, said it's a trick door. 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:45.599 There's only one doorknob, and it's on the inside. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:48.160 We have to choose to open that door. 00:19:48.559 --> 00:20:03.039 And once we do, we get not rules and regulations, we get forgiveness and grace and adoption into the family that God says, I have a purpose for you. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:12.640 After the championship game, we drove over and met my wife and my daughter and our friends at the beach in Gulf Shores. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:15.920 My in-laws have a beautiful beach house there and they let us use it. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:30.960 And as we're at this beautiful beach house, one of my favorite activities of the beach house, one of my favorites, it's just therapeutic to me, is I love to fish, but not put a worm on a hook, throw it out there, watch the bobber. 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:33.359 That's not the kind of fishing I like. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:36.079 I like to cast net fish. 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:43.599 And there's a lagoon, it's the size of a small lake, it's huge, behind their house. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:54.079 And the way the sand has come through, you can walk between knee and chest deep for about 130, 140 yards, and you can just walk out. 00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:57.200 And I walk out with my net, it's a 12-foot net. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:09.759 It took me about two years to really get good at it, but you grab it and you got to hold it a certain way, and then you get the angle, and then you get it, and you throw it, and it becomes this huge openness, and it lands and it sinks, and you pull it in and it draws the net and it comes in. 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:11.200 It's just fun, it's therapeutic. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:14.480 And I take out a little raft, fill it with water as my live well. 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:17.119 Whatever I catch, I put the fish in there and take it back. 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:22.559 And Kennedy or the boys, they look in, oh, Dad, got a fish, you know, and then we let them all go, and it's just a blast. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:28.400 Well, I'm out there fishing, and from the dock, my wife says, Hey, come here a second, come here a second. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:32.559 So I come in and she said, These are my parents' friends. 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:34.799 And he's been over to Ukraine with my dad. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:36.000 I'm like, that's so great. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:37.119 Nice to meet you, Rob. 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:44.400 And I didn't realize until later, kind of figured it out through the process of that day that this is the family that's adopted some kids. 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:47.759 Well, one of their kids is a 16 year old, Evan. 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:52.160 And he's out rowing in this raft while I'm out fishing. 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:57.119 And Rob, the dad, Rod, he said, Hey, he loves outdoors. 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:58.000 Nice to meet you. 00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.759 We've met once before, and I'm like, yeah, I remember. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.799 Number now, and and then Evan, he says, he just loves the outdoors. 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:06.480 So Rod kind of walked over. 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:07.359 I said, Evan. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:09.759 He says, Well, he's my adopted son. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:11.920 We adopted him a few months ago. 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:14.319 He's literally only been here a matter of weeks. 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:15.440 He's from the Ukraine. 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:17.440 He doesn't really speak a lot of English, but a little bit. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:18.240 And I'm like, okay. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:19.599 I said, he likes to fish. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:21.119 He goes, Oh, he loves to fish. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:22.480 Has he ever cast netfish? 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:23.519 No, he's never cast it. 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:27.039 I said, So he kind of wanders away and I said, Evan, come here. 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:30.720 And Evan comes over, a little bit tentative at first, but excited about this idea. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:31.839 I said, You want to fish? 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:33.200 He goes, Yeah. 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:34.319 I said, Okay. 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:35.680 He's 16 years old. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:39.200 And I sat there and I showed him how to do it, and I threw it a couple times. 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:43.839 And I've gotten to the point where when I pull it in, I can tell when there's something in the net. 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:47.279 So the first time I felt a fish, I'm like, hey, uh, pull this one in. 00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:50.720 And he pulls it in, and sure enough, there's two decent sized fish. 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:51.839 He's like, oh my goodness. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:59.599 And he's he puts it in the raft or oh my goodness, and whatever it is in Ukrainian, and he pulls it in and he's just excited. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:01.119 And we fished. 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:05.279 And we fished, I don't know, probably an hour, maybe an hour and a half. 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:09.440 Rod came out a little later and he goes, if you need to go, you just go. 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:10.880 And I'm like, no, we're having a blast. 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:12.880 He goes, but I don't want to monopolize your time. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:13.680 I know your family's here. 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:15.519 I'm like, I've plenty of time. 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:17.039 It's really no problem. 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:19.680 I love fishing with him, and he was so excited. 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:21.599 And I taught him how to hold it and throw it. 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:24.079 And he started, and he says, Well it's good. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:25.759 And I was like, better, better. 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:27.440 And he had no idea what better meant. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:28.880 And so he started throwing it out there. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:29.839 He's like, better. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:33.680 And I was like, yes, you're getting better. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:39.119 But two things struck me about Evan. 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:43.680 Evan's favorite word in the world is dad. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:48.960 He looked at Rod and he would go, Dad, watch, dad, dad, watch, watch this, dad. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:50.000 Dad, watch this. 00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:53.359 Dad, dad, dad, watch, dad, dad, dad. 00:23:53.920 --> 00:24:05.759 See, because Evan was the older brother of the two children that Rod and his wife had met on a mission trip and that hosted the previous summer and fell in love with them. 00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:10.000 And although their children are older, they said, God just laid on their heart, we need to adopt these kids. 00:24:10.160 --> 00:24:12.160 And they told them, We're going to work on this. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:17.039 They fly over to the Ukraine and for seven weeks go through the process to adopt these two children. 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:22.880 And they find out within the last week or so they have an older brother who's 16. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:25.119 And they made a decision. 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:26.720 Well, we're not going to break up the family. 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:28.319 So they adopted him too. 00:24:28.559 --> 00:24:29.839 And it was Evan. 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:36.880 As I sat there with Evan, I saw what it really meant: the joy of being adopted, part of a family. 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:38.880 His joy is dad. 00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:40.000 Dad. 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:43.440 And I love this part too. 00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:45.440 Because Rod will introduce him. 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:47.440 This is my son Evan from Ukraine. 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:50.000 And he said, Evan pulled him aside after a couple days. 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:53.759 He says, Dad, um, can I just be your son? 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:57.039 Not from the Ukraine, but can I just be your son? 00:24:57.359 --> 00:25:00.079 And he said, Yes, yes, I'm sorry. 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:02.319 So he just introduced him, this is my son. 00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:04.480 And he says, I'll explain the rest later. 00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:06.240 He says, but this is my son. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:11.119 And then he just really grabbed my heart because he told me about Evan. 00:25:11.279 --> 00:25:17.440 And after we got done fishing, I'm going back and I said, Listen, you tell him anytime I'm out here, come out here, I love to fish. 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:19.200 He goes, but you don't understand. 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:25.200 Evan's not comfortable around adult men, and I'm blown away that he just spent an hour with you. 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:27.680 He says, You don't know how special that is. 00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:29.440 And I said, Well, okay. 00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:30.720 And I said, it's no big deal. 00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:34.799 He says, No, no, no, but to him, that is amazing. 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:41.279 God is doing something through here because he's having a blast and he's not that way. 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:46.559 And he shared with me a story that grace is overwhelming. 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:52.079 He said that they had gone fishing off the wharf a few days before. 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:53.759 And Evan was so excited. 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:54.880 Dad, look what I can do. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:55.839 Dad, I can cast. 00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:56.960 Look at Dad, look. 00:25:57.119 --> 00:26:02.799 And he says, Evan went to cast one time and he said he didn't see me walk behind him and he caught me in the leg with the hook. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:04.799 And he went, oh, oh. 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:06.319 And he says, It's okay, okay. 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:09.119 And he says, I got the hook out, and there's a little scrape. 00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:14.559 And he says, but for the next hour and a half, Evan was just totally quiet, wouldn't say anything, and just kept his head down. 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:16.319 And after a while, Rod went over. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:18.319 He says, Evan, what's wrong? 00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:20.079 And he said, Nothing. 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:22.319 And he says, No, what's wrong? 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:27.119 And Evan said, I was I was waiting for you to beat me. 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:29.920 And he said, No. 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:32.559 No, why would I do that? 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:34.880 Because that's all he's ever known. 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:37.680 And he said, No, no. 00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:39.680 It was a mistake. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:40.319 No. 00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:45.680 And that moment taught me a lesson about grace. 00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:52.079 God is not up there waiting with a baseball bat to beat us when we've made mistakes and screwed up. 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:57.039 God is waiting with grace to say, you made mistakes. 00:26:57.440 --> 00:27:02.880 My grace is sufficient and it is amazing and it is overwhelming. 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:05.119 Let me love you. 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:19.200 Let me take your greatest failure, your greatest regret, your greatest pain, and wash over you and overwhelm you with my love and grace and my complete forgiveness. 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:22.480 That is the key. 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:25.440 That personal key opens our heart. 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:34.160 The two pieces of these three, the third piece I want us to really grasp is the simple fact God's forgiveness is complete. 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:36.480 His grace is available. 00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:41.759 And what's really amazing to me is that he longs to overwhelm us with that. 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:45.759 And that that grace is contagious. 00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:51.359 And when we start, because we can't give it until we experience it. 00:27:51.680 --> 00:28:02.480 But once we experience it, when we start living our days with the reality of God's love, forgiveness, and grace, it changes who we are. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:05.279 But we can't give it if we don't have it. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:12.559 And that God longs for us to experience that every day, to come to Him and say, God, here I am again. 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:18.000 Just remind me that you love me and that your forgiveness is complete. 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:22.400 And God, overwhelm me with your grace to the point where I can give it today. 00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:25.279 Will you do that with me and for me? 00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:28.960 And with that, I realize that grace is contagious. 00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:33.200 We cannot spread grace and forgiveness until we get it. 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:42.960 And we cannot get an endless supply until we receive it through Jesus Christ continuously to be contagious. 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:48.799 I love this last couple verses, and I want to read in verses 38 and 39. 00:28:51.119 --> 00:29:07.599