WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grant Parkway Baptist, helping people to know, joy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:18.000 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit GrandProquay.org. 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:20.800 Pray to go. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:22.399 Lord, that is our confession. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:25.199 This did all other ground is sinking sand. 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:31.280 We sailed our ship of insecurities until it sank, and we crawled upon your shore. 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:35.439 And everything we have, we bet on the blessed Redeemer in the night. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:38.479 If you don't come through, we don't have a plan B. 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:40.799 But this is the great thing about you, God. 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:44.079 You do not have the capacity to not come through. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:45.920 You always come through. 00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:50.159 There's a certainty to your being that we can build and bank our life on. 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:59.359 That's why Jesus, you said, hey, if anybody hears these words of mine and puts them into practice, like a man who built this house, dug down deep and built this house on the rock. 00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:04.799 And so we're here to dig down to some solid material that we can build and bank our life on. 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:11.519 So when the storm comes and beats against our life, we don't collapse and then just try to save ourselves. 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:13.280 We've tried that, God. 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:19.519 And so we just come back to the rock that is certain and sure, constant and consistent. 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:21.760 That's who you are, and that's how you are. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:24.079 And so today, God, feed us from your word. 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:26.000 Holy Spirit, illuminate the Bible. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:29.280 It's not words on a page, it's not a book that was written by men. 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:39.040 It was breathed out by God, recorded by men, and given to us as a gift because you want us to know who you are and who we can be because of who you are. 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:41.840 And so we want to grow in that experience today. 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:44.239 We want to taste and see that you're good. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:48.239 Understand what you've done that makes who we can be possible. 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:49.439 This is our prayer guide. 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:50.640 We prayed in Jesus' name. 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:52.480 And everyone said, Amen. 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:52.959 Amen. 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:53.599 You have a seat. 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:56.719 If you got your Bible, I invite you to take it notebook to 1 John chapter 4. 00:01:56.799 --> 00:02:01.359 If you're our guest, we're preaching through the book, the epistle of 1 John, kind of towards the back. 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:02.719 There's the Gospel of John. 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:05.359 It's early in the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:11.599 And then that same person recorded three little books called epistles, kind of towards the back, almost to the book of Revelation. 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:15.759 We're in 1 John chapter 4, I'll start reading verse 13. 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:19.199 I want to talk to you today about the certainty of faith and love. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:20.719 The certainty of faith and love. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:25.120 I wanted to title the sermon, uh, The Progressive Certainty of Faith and Love. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:28.240 But some of you hear progressive and you don't think of an insurance company. 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:30.159 So I decided to drop that word. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:32.319 The certainty of faith and love. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:35.280 If I said progressive certainty, somebody like, what you talking about, Willis? 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:37.919 But anyway, uh, I'll start reading verse 13. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:39.759 The Bible's very self-explanatory. 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:40.800 Here's what I'm gonna do. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:44.400 If you've never been to our church, I'm gonna read from verse 13 down to verse 21. 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:46.639 I have two points that the Bible makes. 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:51.360 Uh, and so I'm gonna point to the certainty of faith and the progressive nature of love. 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:54.800 Now, at the end, some questions will come up, and we'll just kind of be still. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:03:03.199 And the questions are written about the text that we're going to read, and they are there for you to kind of think about it, ask yourself, what does that look like with my life wrapped around it? 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:09.120 Okay, and I have a bag of goodness in here that only one person in this room is gonna get to enjoy. 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:11.680 And it's not you. 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:14.479 So, anyway, uh, let me just let me just start reading. 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:16.560 First John chapter 4, verse 13. 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:23.199 The Bible says this by this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his spirit. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:27.919 And we have seen and testified that the Father has sent his son to be the Savior of the world. 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:33.039 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:36.800 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:41.599 God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:50.560 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in the world. 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:54.400 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:59.520 For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:01.680 We love because he first loved us. 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:07.840 If anyone says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar, and he does not love his he is a liar. 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:13.520 For he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:19.120 And this commandment we have from him whoever loves God must also love his brother. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:24.800 Uh verse 13 and verse 17 both start with this phrase, by this, by this, by this. 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:32.160 When you read the Bible, look and listen for things that are repeated, because the Bible is kind of saying, hey, here's a tangible demonstration of what we're talking about. 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:36.480 And so I want to talk to you, first of all, I want to point out the certainty of faith. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:42.160 The certainty of faith, verse 13, he says, by this we know that we abide in him and he in us. 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:42.959 How is that? 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:47.199 Because we prayed the prayer, because we were sincere, can we remember the day? 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:48.399 Do you believe in God? 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:49.360 See, here's the point. 00:04:49.439 --> 00:04:54.800 We have a lot of unbiblical standards by which we evaluate our faith, whether or not we're Christian or we feel Christian. 00:04:54.959 --> 00:04:57.360 I've even heard people say, Do you feel Christian? 00:04:57.519 --> 00:05:01.040 Let me just confess to you, there's some days I don't feel very Christian. 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:02.000 Okay? 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:04.480 That doesn't mean I'm not, that doesn't mean I doubt my faith. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:10.319 That means that some days I just look around and just kind of think, oh my gosh, we're a long way from the garden. 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:12.720 This is the jacked-up world we live in. 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:16.879 But the Bible gives us this certainty that we can build and bank our life on. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:22.240 And look at me, it is not based on our experiences, it is based on what God has done in us. 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:25.839 By this, we know that we abide in Him and He in us. 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:26.720 How is that? 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:30.399 Because He has given us of His Spirit. 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:45.120 Now, here's the way you ought to ask yourself: Do you if you're trying to ask a question to determine the validity of your faith or evaluate your faith, ask yourself this simple question: Do I experience the power of the Holy Spirit in my life? 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:56.079 Because then it takes it out of the realm of the subjective and puts it into this kind of, because this is the way the Bible always talks about it, but this is not some one-off thing in a book tucked away towards the back of the New Testament. 00:05:56.319 --> 00:06:01.279 Matter of fact, the book of Romans says the very much the same thing in chapter 8, starting in verse 9. 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:07.199 He says to the uh Paul records these words and says, You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the spirit. 00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:13.759 If in fact the spirit of God dwells in you, anyone who does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:15.439 Now let me just stop right here. 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:17.120 Hear that first sentence again. 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:19.920 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the spirit. 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:29.439 If in fact the spirit of God dwells in you, the spirit of God, look at and listen, the spirit of God does not come to dwell inside of you to forgive you for living out of your flesh. 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:31.120 That's not what he does. 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:35.279 The Holy Spirit doesn't come just to say, hey, here's 24-7 forgiveness. 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:37.519 Keep sinning, I got you covered. 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:39.920 No, you're not in the flesh, but in the spirit. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:47.199 If in fact the spirit of God dwells in you, because if you continue to live in the flesh, it's a sign that the spirit of God does not dwell in you. 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:50.879 Anyone who does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:57.199 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness. 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:08.560 If the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells in you. 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:12.800 You see, think of it this way: He gave himself for you on the cross. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:16.720 He gave himself to you when he gave you the Holy Spirit. 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:20.319 Now, we talk about one of those a lot more in the church than the other one. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:21.360 Let me say it again. 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:27.920 He gave himself for you on the cross, but he gave himself to you when he put his spirit inside of you. 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:33.279 When a person becomes a Christian, God comes to live inside of them by the Holy Spirit. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:34.240 Does that make sense? 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:35.360 Say amen. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:38.560 If you're a little bit confused, say amen. 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:41.680 You're like, I'm not going for that. 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:43.680 Perhaps a visual will help, okay? 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:46.160 I'm gonna ask my friend Asher to come up on the stage right now. 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:49.199 Asher, make your way out of your world there and come up here on the stage. 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:49.600 That's the way. 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:50.480 Clap for Asher. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:51.920 He does better when you clap. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:07:59.920 Now, Asher, do you have any idea what's in this bag? 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:04.160 This what is in this bag is an explanation of the Holy Spirit. 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:07.920 We don't say that out loud. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:09.600 Uh anyway, no, I'm just messing with you. 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:11.279 He's like, oh, gee whiz. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:12.800 Yes, yes, yes. 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:14.560 Listen, it's not a chicken, okay? 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:15.120 Relax. 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:16.079 It's not a snake. 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:20.800 Because most of the time you talk about the Holy Spirit, and especially in the Baptist church, your mind goes to some extent. 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:23.600 We're gonna have to like swing snakes around and like chase chickens. 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:24.720 No, no, no, no, no. 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:26.720 This is what the Holy Spirit is like. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:28.720 This is you. 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:31.120 Okay, let me put this down here, right here, okay? 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.840 This is a glass, and this milk has been in the freezer in my office. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:38.000 It is ice cold, okay? 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:41.440 And so you say, What what's that got to do with me? 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:43.840 This is I'll put this right here. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:45.519 This is your life. 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:48.080 The Holy Spirit is tasty. 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:51.200 This is what happens, Asher. 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:52.879 This is somebody, okay? 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:55.039 This is what happens when they become a Christian. 00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:58.159 The Bible says the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of them. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:01.200 You like a little bit of the Holy Spirit or a lot? 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:02.720 A lot. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:03.919 Me too, Asher. 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:08.399 Matter of fact, I just let's just talk for a minute because it just fills up. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:11.600 Oh, the milk is getting to the very top. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:12.480 We better stop. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:15.360 Now, if I ask you, Asher, what is that? 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:16.320 What would you say? 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:22.399 It's called chocolate milk, right? 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:24.799 You're all wrong. 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:25.679 Look at it. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:29.759 That's not chocolate milk, that's milk with chocolate stuff at the bottom of the glass. 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:33.200 This this is a great picture of many Christians. 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:45.600 You have the Holy Spirit, but you don't walk in the Spirit, so the Holy Spirit just sits dormant at the bottom of your glass because you've grieved the Spirit so much that he's just he's just like, I can't really do anything because you keep being a knucklehead. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:50.320 You have the spirit, you've just never walked in it. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:57.200 Matter of fact, you you you don't think about it, you don't pray to the Holy Spirit, you don't say, Holy Spirit, lead me into the truth about this situation. 00:09:57.519 --> 00:09:59.360 See, this is just milk with chocolate stuff. 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:03.600 Look, there's probably an two, two, maybe an inch and a half of chocolate stuff down there. 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:05.279 But see, you know what this is? 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:07.679 These are spiritual disciplines. 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:18.559 When you do things like pray and read the Bible and go to church and hang out with other believers, all of a sudden the change becomes obvious, Asher. 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:23.039 There's so much chocolate syrup in here, Asher, this is gonna taste like chocolate syrup. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:24.720 Do you like chocolate milk? 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:25.840 Yeah. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:27.519 I mean, are you a communist? 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:28.559 You better. 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:31.360 Yeah. 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:35.519 Now, if I was to ask you, Asher, hey, you know what? 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:36.159 I changed my mind. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:37.200 I want just white milk. 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:38.960 Could you get the chocolate out of that for me? 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:41.600 Why not? 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:45.679 It's not possible. 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:47.679 In the same way. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:50.159 When God puts his spirit inside of you, this is what the Bible says. 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:51.279 It's right here in verse 13. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:52.000 Don't go anywhere. 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:55.759 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his spirit. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:59.840 When God gives you of his spirit, it's impossible for you to lose that. 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:05.919 The Bible says, as a matter of fact, in Ephesians chapter 4, about verse 30, you've been sealed by the Spirit to the day of redemption. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:09.200 Now God gives you his spirit, he seals you with his spirit. 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:10.639 Why does he do that, Asher? 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:12.000 There you go, Asher. 00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:14.000 So you could just enjoy the Holy Spirit. 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:16.399 And so here's your goal in life. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:17.919 Now that glass is cold, isn't it? 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:19.440 I told you it's been in my freezer. 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:20.320 I'm not kidding you. 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:26.960 I want you to go back to your seat and I want you to just look at it, make eye contact with as many friends as possible and just kind of hold it up and take a big drink. 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:31.759 And for the rest of the sermon, just be like people looking at you, just like, hey, there you go, this is for you. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:33.120 Enjoy more, okay? 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:34.720 Because how old are you right now? 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:36.000 It's 13. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:36.639 What if? 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:39.679 And this is what I'm telling you, it's not just a what if, it's a certainty. 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:46.159 What if the reason God established a relationship with you is so that you would learn to enjoy the Holy Spirit? 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:48.799 That's what Christianity is. 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:50.799 That's why He comes to abide in you. 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:53.200 Now, go enjoy the Holy Spirit. 00:11:57.679 --> 00:11:59.200 Now, look at me. 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:00.320 Look at me. 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:02.399 This is where the certainty comes from. 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:03.919 He puts his spirit inside of you. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:04.879 He's not gonna take it back. 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:07.200 He's not gonna say, Oh, I didn't know you were gonna do that. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:07.919 No, no, no. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:08.879 He puts the spirit in you. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:14.399 That's why in Galatians chapter 5 he says, Hey, walk in the spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:18.080 Because that chocolate milk is so enjoyable, you don't want to go back. 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:20.799 Now, all you're like, did he spill any? 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:23.200 That's what somebody's looking at. 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:24.720 By the way, here's my favorite part. 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:26.879 His sister's sitting right next to him. 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:29.919 And he's just like, Here's to you, sis. 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:32.720 No, it's what the Bible says. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:39.039 Now, now, by the way, not only remember he gave himself for you on the cross, he gave himself to you by giving you the Holy Spirit. 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:40.320 Now, why does he do that? 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:41.519 This is what the Spirit does. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:44.960 There's three things the Spirit does right here in the text that I want you to see. 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:46.879 The first one's in verse 14. 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:48.799 He leads us to understand the mission of Jesus. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:50.000 Look at it, verse 14. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:54.159 He doesn't just come and just sit dormant at the bottom of our glass. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:13:00.159 Verse 14, and we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his son to be the savior of the world. 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:02.320 He leads us to understand the mission of Jesus. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:06.960 The mission of Jesus, Jesus did not come to be right, even though he was right. 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:09.279 He came to be the savior of the world. 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:15.919 And so you have to ask yourself today, is your mission in life an echo and a reflection of the mission of Jesus? 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:20.159 Or did you just come to be right and win spiritual discussions at work? 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:24.559 Or do you remind people, hey, by the way, Jesus came to be the savior of the world? 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:30.000 I was talking to somebody recently, like this past week, and the guy's like, Man, I'm I said, pretty bad. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:31.759 He goes, I've been sinning a long time. 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:33.840 I said, Yeah, since you were born. 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:36.879 And he's like, Oh, I mean, yeah, I mean, you gotta remind me. 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:40.879 And I said, But see, here's the thing, and I told him, I'm gonna talk about this to my church on Sunday. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:46.159 Here's the beauty of you being honest, because Jesus came for people like you. 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:52.000 He goes, Well, I said, he said, I didn't come for people that are well, I came for sick people that need a doctor. 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:54.879 And he's like, I'm pretty jacked up. 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:57.039 I said, Jesus came for jacked up people. 00:13:57.279 --> 00:13:58.000 That's in the Bible. 00:13:58.159 --> 00:13:59.759 He goes, jacked up's not in the Bible. 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:01.759 Yeah, but it says this in Luke chapter 19. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.639 He said, I came to seek and save that which is lost. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:06.080 You're not bad. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:10.480 It's not bad versus good, you're lost versus found. 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:15.600 He's like, what if I don't want to get found just yet? 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:17.919 I said, You're a real sinner, aren't you? 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:21.200 He said, Yeah, I just I said, here's the thing. 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:23.120 Hold out as long as you can. 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:26.399 He's like, aren't you supposed to be talking me into this? 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:27.919 I couldn't talk you into this. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:32.960 But when God reveals himself to you, he will draw you to himself. 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:34.960 So I don't have to put pressure on you. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:40.159 So if you're here today and you're sitting there on the ground floor up in the theater seats back there, and you're like, Yeah, I'm kind of like that guy. 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:43.200 There's no pressure coming, there's no boogeyman Jesus coming. 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:51.039 They were riding down the road, smoking marijuana, listening to deaf leopard, and their Camaro burned. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:52.960 No, no. 00:14:53.759 --> 00:15:01.039 Here's the thing the Holy Spirit leads you to understand the mission of Jesus, and the more you understand the mission of Jesus, your mission will become like that. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:04.399 Jesus did not come uh to make people feel bad. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:16.159 He didn't come to picket or to register people for a certain political party or to protest or to cash out and get out and go live on 40 acres out in the wilderness with no neighbors because that's your idea of heaven. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:23.679 No, Jesus came to get down in the nitty, gritty details of life with the beat up, the burned out, and bedraggled people. 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:25.360 This is his mission. 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:26.879 Is that yours? 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:31.600 Second thing the Holy Spirit does, the spirit leads us to understand the deity of Christ. 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:32.879 Look at verse 15. 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:39.120 By the way, I want you to notice because you talk about the Holy Spirit, I want you to notice how doctrinally sound the Holy Spirit is. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:46.159 Look at verse 15. 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:52.240 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he in God. 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:54.639 How do you confess that Jesus is the Son of God? 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:59.519 The Bible tells us elsewhere that you can't do that except by the Spirit at work inside of you. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:02.480 And so the Spirit leads us to understand the deity of Christ. 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:04.399 Okay, why is that a big deal? 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:07.440 It's a big deal because Jesus is the Son of God. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:13.600 What that means is that we have definitive proof that God has acted personally to do something about our sin. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:17.600 Let me say that again and I'll connect it to the news this week. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:25.919 The fact that Jesus is the Son of God is a big deal because you have definitive proof that God has acted personally to do something about your sin. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:27.279 Why is that a big deal? 00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:29.039 It's a big deal in and of itself. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:35.200 But then also when something happens that is so evil, you're tempted to lose hope, you can be reminded, you know what? 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:40.000 God has acted personally before to do something about a catastrophic situation. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:43.919 Let's pray that He will act personally in this circumstance. 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:46.320 You know who I've been praying for ever since I heard this? 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:49.360 And when I heard it, I was like, oh, oh my gosh. 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:52.720 Some and when new layers of information come out. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:17:01.200 Basically, what happened in Uvaldean, and it's not this person's fault, but a teacher propped the door open that the guy got in. 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:05.680 And that teacher, I'm just like, I don't know who that person is. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:08.559 I don't want to know, but I'm just like, oh my gosh. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:10.319 So I've been praying for that person. 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:13.920 I want that person to understand, hey, God loves you. 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:16.240 You you didn't see this coming. 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:19.440 Now, some of you, I've been, I got phone calls, people, oh, what's the deal? 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.880 I mean, it's God, blah, blah, blah. 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:21.680 Here's the deal. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:24.799 In 30 seconds or less, because we had little kids in here. 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:28.000 30 seconds or less, God created everyone with a free will. 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:28.400 Okay. 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:33.440 Some people exercise their free will for evil, some people exercise their free will for good. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:37.279 That does not make God responsible for how people use their free will. 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:38.640 Okay? 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:40.880 So don't roll up, oh, where's God? 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:43.680 Same place he's always been, on the throne. 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:48.640 And the spirit is at work in God's people, leading you to understand the deity of Christ. 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:52.079 God has acted personally and he continues to act personally. 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:53.680 Here's the third thing the Spirit does. 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:57.519 The Spirit convinces us of the of the love that God has for us. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:05.759 He doesn't convince us, he doesn't convict us or convince us that God loves us, but he convinces us of the love God has for us. 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:07.039 Look at verse 16. 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:08.720 He said, What do you mean? 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:13.440 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:19.680 Now ask yourself, you're smart people, why would the Bible say, so we have come to know and to believe? 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:22.480 You know a lot of things that you don't really believe. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:23.920 Are you aware of that? 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:25.599 You know them up here. 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:32.480 Now that word to believe is the Greek word pestuo, and it means to believe to the place of putting confidence in. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:33.839 What do you mean? 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:38.400 If you have an NIV, a new international version of the Bible, it says verse 16 like this. 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:43.440 It says, For we have come to know and rely on the love God has for us. 00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:50.079 Ask yourself as you sit here this morning, do you rely more on your love for God or on God's love for you? 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:56.559 Because the church in America, I believe, is full of people who rely on their love for God. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.519 And so they're always feeling as if I don't quite measure up. 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:00.559 There's something missing. 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:07.039 But the Bible says here that the Holy Spirit convinces us of the love that God has for us. 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:15.519 And this is so powerful from this point on, we not only know this love, but we rely on it because we have confidence in it. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:23.279 And ask yourself: have you progressed in your understanding of God's love such that you not only know it, but you rely on it? 00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:25.759 Or are you still relying on your own ability? 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:32.799 This is not in my notes that I sent to the guys, but let me just give you four uh evidences that you're still relying on your love. 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:33.279 Okay. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:41.599 People that rely on their ability to love God, they they lack certainty, they're always tired, it's never enough, and they're rarely joyful. 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:48.960 They lack certainty, they're always tired, it's never enough, and they're rarely joyful. 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:49.599 Why? 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:55.039 Because they know the love of God, but they rely on their ability to love God. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:20:01.680 And I'm not saying we don't love God, I'm saying what buckles your knees is the love God has for you. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:05.279 He says in verse 19, we love because he first loved us. 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:07.599 Your loving God was not your idea. 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:10.319 Stop trying to sustain it in your own momentum. 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:15.039 The second thing we see in the text is that we see the uh the is the progression of love. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:16.079 The progression of love. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:19.519 Verse 13 starts off with by this, look at verse 17. 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:20.400 By this. 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:22.319 It's given a definite picture. 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:30.400 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in the world. 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:33.680 There's no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:35.599 For fear has to do with punishment. 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:39.440 And whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:43.599 Just notice, I want you to circle in verse 17 the two words with us. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:47.759 By this is love perfected, then those two words with us. 00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:49.359 With us. 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:51.599 Very important thing that you notice. 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:52.079 Why? 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:56.240 Not only is love being perfected, but we are also being perfected. 00:20:56.319 --> 00:21:01.920 This means that biblically, you cannot stay the same person you've always been and just try to be more loving. 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:03.359 Let me say that again. 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:13.599 Biblically, sanctification, becoming more Christ-like is this progressive reality that is always getting more and more Christ-like, and we're being perfected with us. 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:16.720 So as you become more Christ-like, you become more loving. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:17.759 Does that make sense? 00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:18.720 Say amen. 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:22.799 If you want to see what I'm talking about, don't turn there, but write down John chapter 8. 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:30.559 John chapter 8, the Pharisees, religious leaders of the day when Jesus was walking the earth, uh, they're always trying to trick Jesus and get him in trouble. 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:32.720 And so they got a woman that had a little setup. 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:34.480 They got a woman caught in the act of adultery. 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:40.559 They throw her at the feet of Jesus and they say, Now, Jesus, the law rocks in hand, the law says we should stone such women. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:41.839 What do you say? 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:45.279 And Jesus, the Bible says, just stoops down and writes in the dirt. 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:49.359 And he looked up and he said, I tell you what, whoever's without sin cast the first stone. 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:52.559 And then the Bible says this they dropped their walks and departed. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:55.200 Here's the phrase the older ones first. 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:57.519 Because, see, love. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:22:00.880 It being perfected with With us. 00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:04.559 As you mature as a believer, you should become a more loving person. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:05.039 Why? 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:08.000 Because you're being perfected and love is being perfected. 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:13.039 Now that word perfected doesn't mean perfection, it means you're accomplishing the goal. 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:16.720 It's from the Greek word telos, is the root word. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:20.400 And here it's the word, it's a tense, telaos. 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:23.440 And it's, hey, I'm I'm reaching the goal. 00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:24.880 I'm I'm being perfected. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:26.160 I'm being more Christ-like. 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:30.640 I'm maturing, and the love of God in me is maturing at the same time. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:40.720 If not, then what happens is that you find yourself in situations where you see love as nothing more than another form of impression management. 00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:42.000 You say, What do you mean? 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:48.240 Unless you understand the correlation between these two realities, love just becomes another form of impression management. 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:55.359 The kind of love is not something you can turn off and on to get you out of social encounters where you run into people you hate. 00:22:55.599 --> 00:23:00.640 Here's how you know that you're not being perfected with love, okay? 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:04.960 Because you get in certain situations, you see certain people, and you're like, oh, hey, good to see you. 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:06.960 Yeah, we're gonna be there at the picnic. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:12.720 And your kids are behind you looking at each other like, who is our mom right now, okay? 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:15.359 Everybody knows my mom hates this person. 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:20.400 Love, because you're not been perfected with love. 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:24.400 You you're the same person you've always been, and you just say, Oh, be loving. 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:26.640 And your kids are watching you be phony. 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:31.759 And they're just like, they're just in the backseat rolling their eyes. 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:33.279 And you're like, what are you kids doing? 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:34.640 Nothing, mom, nothing. 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:36.960 Here's what's here's what's not happened. 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:40.480 You have not been perfected with love. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:44.480