WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:18.239 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:21.359 Stand in this for a minute. 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:40.240 You can tell where you've been by how you leave. 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:45.679 Don't get in the habit of hurrying into and out of God's presence. 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:49.759 Sometimes you just need to not take a shower and take a bath. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:53.200 Just sit down and light you some candles. 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:55.600 Tell your husband, bring mama something. 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:58.960 And sit here on the edge of the bathtub, leave me alone for three hours. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:02.799 You ever been to a good concert? 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:04.640 You don't leave in a hurry. 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:05.280 You notice that? 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:06.640 You encore the band. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:11.920 And if they're good, they come back and they've got something, you know, that third encore, they just crush it. 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:15.920 You can tell where you've been by how you leave. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:31.200 This just be in the presence of the Lord. 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:34.159 We don't come to church. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:35.040 We are the church. 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:36.959 We we gather to worship God. 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:41.200 And when we gather to worship God, something gets set off in here. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:43.120 Remember that. 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:48.640 We voice a prayer. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:50.079 Lord Jesus, thank you. 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:51.280 We just don't want to hurry. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:57.840 We don't want to take for granted your presence and the fact that we enjoy you and you enjoy us. 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:02.799 So, Holy Spirit, increase our capacity to enjoy you today. 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:06.239 From your word and by your spirit, we pray these things in Jesus' name. 00:02:06.319 --> 00:02:08.080 And everyone said, Amen. 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:08.560 Amen. 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:09.199 You could have a seed. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:12.400 If you got a Bible, I invite you to take it and open up to 1 John chapter 5. 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:13.840 First John chapter 5. 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:16.719 And uh, if you're our guest today, we're preaching through the book of 1 John. 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:19.280 Uh, we kicked off our service with a Father's Day video. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:20.800 It is our our our habit. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:23.919 We acknowledge the day, but we leave it up to you to celebrate your dad. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:29.759 But what that means in practical terms is I don't have a sermon on five steps to being an incredible father or any of that kind of stuff. 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:30.800 I love being a father. 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:31.840 I've got two daughters. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:33.039 I'm deeply proud of them. 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:35.039 I love who they are and how they are. 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:37.360 Uh, and and and neither one of them are here today. 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:38.000 Amen? 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:46.560 Uh and so you raise them and they leave, and anyway, uh so no one don't smoke. 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:47.439 Thanks for asking. 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:50.080 Uh, I want to talk to you today about the power of knowing. 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:55.520 The power of knowing, because when I say you can tell where you've been by how you leave, we're in the last little section of 1 John. 00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:59.680 We're gonna finish the book of 1 John next week, but I don't want us to hurry out of it. 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:05.280 And so there's five things in this last section that John says you can know, you can know, you can know. 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:19.439 And so the Christianity ought to be characterized by this sense of certainty, not high-mindedness, not arrogance, not intolerant love, but just certainty that says, My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:23.039 I'm not gonna trust anything else because I have this sense of certainty. 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:32.560 And I want to say to you from the top this morning that you as a Christian can have and experience and enjoy this deep and abiding sense of certainty. 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:36.879 This is why John writes, that records the epistle of first John, okay? 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:40.159 And so I want to talk to you about today about the power of knowing. 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:41.599 There's five things we can know. 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:48.240 We'll just cover two today because I don't want to hurry, because one of them's kind of thorny, and you're like, no, wait a minute, what do you mean by that, okay? 00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:51.039 So let's just read the Bible and let it lead us into this. 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:53.360 First John chapter 5, verse 13. 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:59.039 He says, I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:01.520 And this is the confidence that we have toward him. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:04.879 For if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:10.400 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request that we have asked of him. 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:19.360 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin, not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:21.439 There is a sin that leads to death. 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:23.600 I do not say that one should pray for that. 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:27.519 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is a sin that does not lead to death. 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:35.759 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:40.560 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:50.560 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son, Jesus Christ. 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:53.199 He is the true God and eternal life. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.319 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:57.439 The power of knowing. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:04:59.040 The first two things that we can know. 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:04.240 First of all, number one is simply this we can know that we have the life of eternity in us. 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:06.959 We can know that we have the life of eternity in us. 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:10.560 If you're visiting today, you may be thinking, shouldn't it just be eternal life? 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:16.800 Uh, we have labored, and the epistle of first John has taught us that eternal life doesn't start when we get to heaven. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:18.319 It's the life of eternity. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:20.319 You can experience that here on earth. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:22.800 It's what Jesus talked about, not in fullness. 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:23.680 Let me be clear. 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:27.519 We don't, we don't do not want to have an over-realized eschatology. 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:33.439 But Jesus says in the model prayer, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:38.079 It's not just living forever, it's living the life of forever in the now. 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:40.720 It's not just quantity, it's quality. 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:44.399 It's what God says to the apostle Paul in 2 Timothy chapter 1. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:53.360 He begins the whole thing by saying, Paul says, I Paul, an apostle by the will of God, according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus. 00:05:53.519 --> 00:06:03.199 In other words, God says to Paul, you see the life you see being manifested and lived in Jesus, you're going to get to experience the supernatural measure of life here on the earth. 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:05.600 And Paul's like, I'm down for that. 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:07.759 And so this is what Christianity is. 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:09.839 It's not, we'll come, we'll end on this note. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:15.279 So Christianity is not just perpetual forgiveness, it's perpetual fullness. 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:19.519 And the more you experience fullness, the less sin appeals to you. 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:27.120 And so this sense of certainty, when I say we can know that we have the life of eternity in us, John records the gospel of John so that people might be saved. 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:32.879 He records 1 John so that we who believe would live with this deep and abiding certainty. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:38.800 It means if you're a student, middle school, high school, college, single adult, your friends are like, hey, we're gonna get blah, blah, blah. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:40.879 You can just smile and go, you know what, that's not a part of my life. 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:42.879 Doesn't really interest me, but thanks for the offer. 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:43.360 Why? 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:46.959 Because you have this, the you have this sense of fullness inside of you. 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:50.879 Um, one of the things that characterizes Christianity is certainty. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:54.319 Uh, however, this is not the experience for many Christians. 00:06:54.399 --> 00:07:01.920 And so back when we began first John, I told you there were three reasons for him recording this letter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:06.399 Now, these three reasons are also three realities that every Christian should experience. 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:11.439 And I'll just tick them off here for you: joy, holiness, and certainty. 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:14.639 Joy, he says in chapter one, we write these things. 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:17.279 I write these things to make our joy complete. 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:21.600 So this would be the experience of a Christian, not happiness, that's an emotion. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:23.600 Joy is a state of being. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:28.000 It's something that God has brought you into that you live in this sense of joy. 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:36.000 And so, joy, secondly, holiness, he says in 1 John chapter 1, he says, we write these things to you so that you will not sin. 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:38.000 Now, listen very carefully. 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:40.879 We write these things so that you will not sin. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:42.079 You don't have to sin. 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:46.480 Sin no longer has power over you, talking to the believer, not the unbeliever. 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:50.399 Uh he says, I write these things to you so that you will not sin. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:55.439 Now, don't hear sinless perfection, but do hear this sinning less. 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:56.879 You hear the difference? 00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:58.399 Sinless perfection, sinning less. 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:07.439 Like one of the questions you should ask yourself today or talk about at lunch is simply this hey, how is your relationship to sin changed the longer you've been a Christian? 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:11.680 How is your relationship to sin changed the longer you've been a Christian? 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:17.680 Because again, we get taught this false gospel, it's no gospel at all in the American church, and it's this basically. 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:22.319 We use different language, but we make it sound like the best thing about God is he forgives you for whatever. 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:23.680 So let me ask you a question. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:25.759 In that scenario, why not sin? 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:32.559 See, we've been taught forgiveness is the fruit of the gospel, and I'm telling you, fullness is the fruit of the gospel. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:37.519 This sense of being and living at a place of fullness, it's John 10, 10. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:40.960 Jesus said, I came so you could have life and have it to the full. 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:47.679 There's a fullness of life that you only get from Jesus, and the more you experience that fullness, the less sin appeals to you. 00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:55.519 And so when he says, Hey, joy, holiness, and uncertainty, it's verse 13 right here, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:58.080 He says, These things, I write these things. 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:00.320 He's talking about the entire epistle of 1 John. 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:01.519 Everything in here. 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:06.080 So if you're here and you like certainty about where you are with God, there's five chapters. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:12.720 You can read it in one setting, you can read one a day, Monday through Friday, and just kind of marinate and soak your soul in that. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:13.279 Why? 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:19.679 Because the epistle of 1 John is intended to give the believer this deep sense of certainty. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:24.240 So then the question becomes you got to ask yourself, do I experience these realities? 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:26.000 And if not, then why not? 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:30.399 There's three common reasons why most believers don't have a sense of certainty. 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:34.320 Number one is they have uncertainty or doubt about their conversion experience. 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:35.919 They have uncertainty or doubt. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:40.240 I, as a pastor, I ask people all the time, hey, tell me when you began your relationship with God. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:44.000 And I hear the number one answer is, I've been a Christian my whole life. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:47.440 And the number one response for me is that's biblically impossible. 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:48.960 And they're like, Well, what do you mean? 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:50.080 I mean, you can't be judged by me. 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:55.600 I'm not judging you, I'm just saying, biblically speaking, coming from the perspective of the Bible, no one is a Christian their whole life. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:57.360 And then people go, Well, how do you know? 00:09:57.519 --> 00:10:01.600 Well, in the Bible, the Gospel of John, Jesus is talking to a very religious person. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:04.240 You know that religion will not save you, right? 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:07.120 Hello, let's try that again. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:08.559 Religion will not save you. 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:14.080 Be the religious person, go into church, that will not make that, that will not change your heart, okay? 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:22.399 And so when I say uncertainty, death, I say, hey, listen, Jesus talking to a guy in John chapter 3 in Nicodemus, he's a member of the Sanhedrin. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:26.000 As such, you have you have to have memorized the first five books of the Bible. 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:28.240 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, number. 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:30.320 Have you read Leviticus lately? 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:33.120 Try memorizing that bad boy. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:35.120 You just hate yourself, you'll just quit. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:39.039 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, had it memorized, Numbers in Deuteronomy. 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:41.519 The Pentateuch, the first five books, memorize. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:46.240 And Jesus says to this cat, hey, listen, marvel not that I say to you, you got to be born again. 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:48.240 And Nicodemus is thinking horizontally. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:53.120 Jesus is talking vertically, and Nicodemus is like, dude, you want me to crawl up in my mom's womb a second time? 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:54.159 That's just creepy. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:58.159 And Jesus is like, No, you religious moron, not at all. 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:02.480 Because this is all Nicodemus could think about because he was locked in horizontally. 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:08.639 And Jesus is talking about God so changing your life that it's like being born all over again. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:11.840 Have you ever noticed when a kid gets born, it's all good? 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:18.159 No one shows up the hospital and looks at your little baby, swallowing that little thing, and man, that kid's gonna be fat one day. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:23.679 No, no one shows up and looks and goes, Man, I pray to God he doesn't look like his father. 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:26.000 No, it's just it's all good. 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:27.679 People send you flowers. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:29.279 I've never understood that. 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:34.000 They're not gonna need flowers, they're gonna need cash because you cannot buy diapers with flowers. 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:37.840 Yes, yes, it's all good. 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:46.080 Jesus is inviting Nicodemus into the experience that it's all good, that it's so transformative that it's like starting your life all over again. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:49.279 Ask yourself today, has that ever happened for you? 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:55.360 Here's the second reason that people uh do not experience certainty, this what I call ongoing baggage. 00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:56.559 Ongoing baggage. 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:59.840 Don't turn there, but the Bible talks about it, Hebrews chapter 12, verse 1 and 2. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:10.799 It says this, he says, Yeah, uh, since we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles and run with endurance, the course marked out for us. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:12.799 And he goes on, but we'll just stop right there. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:18.960 Uh since we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, talking about Hebrews 11, all these great men and women of faith. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:27.919 And then he says, because we're not alone, we're not the only people doing this, let us run uh uh with it, let's lay aside every encumbrance and the sin. 00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:34.159 Now I talk about baggage, ongoing baggage, it's not just bad things like sin, it's good things like an encumbrance. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:37.200 An encumbrance is a good thing that keeps you from the best thing. 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:43.759 Like recently I talked to a lady and she said, Hey, I'm dating this guy and I want him to come to church, but I can't continue to get him to come. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:44.399 Pray that he'll come. 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:45.759 And I said, How long have you been dating? 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:47.039 She said, Seven months. 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:48.960 I said, He won't come to church in seven months. 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:51.279 I said, He's probably not a believer, not interested. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:52.559 He's interested in you. 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:55.200 And if he came to church, he would just be placating you. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:13:02.720 You're on your way if you keep this relationship going, you're on your way to being a woman who comes to church with your kids while your husband's at the dear least. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:08.000 And that wasn't good news for a 26-year-old who's ready to be married. 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:11.519 And there's worse things than being singles, ladies. 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:16.399 What's worse than being single is being married and wondering if you made the right decision. 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:23.519 Some of these women are like, I'm not even making eye contact, I'm staring straight ahead. 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:24.879 Yes. 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:26.159 Because here's the thing. 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:30.320 I said to her, I said, you are not created by God to be the spiritual leader of your family. 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:32.320 You shouldn't be dragging him to church. 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:38.080 He should be telling you, Hey, listen, if you date me, we're gonna get, you're gonna get with this, we're gonna be in church. 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:40.799 Yeah, see, see, see, men, this is free. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:42.559 Little father say, free me here. 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:46.240 Leadership is not just provision. 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:51.600 Provision is like the bathroom in your house, and it's the smallest and most necessary room there. 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:53.200 You need to be providing for your family. 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:55.200 People say, Well, I provide for my family. 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:59.600 If you are not leading your family spiritually, you're not providing, you're failing. 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:02.879 It's it's just God made us to do. 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:07.759 I I I I got kids, I provide, I work hard, all that good stuff. 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:11.600 But but if I don't lead spiritually, and I try to help this lady understand it. 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.559 And she said, What do you say? 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:18.639 And I said, I just think he he could he sound like he said, he he and she's like, Well, we'll just come out and say it. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:20.639 I said, Okay, I'll I'll I'll I'll just say it. 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:22.639 Uh, it sounds like he's an encumbrance. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:25.440 Well, there's not that many good guys out there. 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:26.799 I don't think you have one. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:30.480 Your dating relationship confirms what you just said. 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:32.240 Well, is it not helpful? 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:36.159 I'm gonna listen, you don't want to just the clock is not ticking, so you've got to be desperate. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:41.600 A lot of times, ladies, the equation is how lonely can you be to the glory of God before you settle? 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:46.639 Because when you're 15, you make a list at youth camp, he's gotta have this and gotta have this and gotta have this. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:48.639 You're 26, he's gotta have a pulse. 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:50.080 That's the only thing on your list. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:55.519 A pulse, a job, a mortgage, and a vehicle. 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:57.120 Okay, we'll start with that. 00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:59.519 Yeah, it's ongoing baggage. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:00.240 Here's another one. 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:00.960 Here's the last one. 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:05.279 It's basically just a lack of biblical knowledge slash experience. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:07.279 Not knowledge up here, but experience. 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:11.679 Ask yourself, how often do I experience what I know the Bible teaches? 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:13.200 Now, when you say, What do you mean? 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:16.720 You should read the Bible absolutely, but here's one of the things I see a lot. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:24.879 A lot of people now, there's two reasons that the Bible, two main reasons the Bible has given us to us to cause faith and to nourish faith. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:26.960 To cause faith, to bring you to faith. 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:32.879 You should you can read the Bible and see enough in there to bring you to a faithful relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:39.039 But the Bible also, in first John, that that's the gospel of John, first John the epistle is to nourish your faith. 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:44.240 I see a lot of people who had a genuine conversion experience and stopped right there. 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:48.639 They didn't, they don't go to a church where the Bible's taught, and so their faith doesn't get nourished. 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:49.519 They don't feel equipped. 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:54.399 Matter of fact, they get to work and something happens and somebody says, Hey, Bob, what about that hurricane? 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:55.519 Where's your loving God now? 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:56.799 Why do you rescue all those people? 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:58.879 And Bob is like, uh, uh, uh, uh. 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:00.879 And Bob just backs out and says, you know what? 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:02.000 This is kind of embarrassing. 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:05.440 I don't want to be embarrassed anymore, so I'm just gonna keep it on the down low. 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:15.679 And what I would say to the Bobs of the world is you need to find a church that teaches you the Bible so you're equipped to experience and understand what the Bible says, but experience what it says to be who it is. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:19.840 The Bible says you can be, but experience what the Bible says you can experience. 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:23.120 And what John tells us is this is the life of eternity. 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.960 This is this life that you get to experience in this life. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:28.480 And so the Bible's very clear. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:33.039 The first thing that we can know is that we have the life of eternity inside of us. 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:35.600 It's not just eternal life when I die, I go to heaven. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:40.000 No, I'm bringing heaven to bear on the earth right now in the way I live. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:42.879 The second thing we could know is that God answers our prayers. 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:46.960 Verse 14 says this, and this is the confidence that we have toward him. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:52.000 Ask yourself the simple practical question: do you feel confident towards God? 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:56.879 Are you kind of like, oh, somebody else talked to him on my behalf? 00:16:57.120 --> 00:17:02.720 And this is the confidence we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:07.680 And if we know that he hears us and whatever we ask, we know that we have the request that we have asked of him. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:12.799 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin, and this is kind of, hey, here's the truth. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:13.839 Now let's apply. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:16.000 That's the lecture, here's the lab, verse 16. 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:24.720 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin, not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:27.119 There is a sin that leads to death. 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:29.759 I do not say that one should pray for that. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:34.319 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:40.319 Now, the Bible says we can know that God answers our prayers, and this is the confidence that we have towards Him. 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:41.920 Do you have this confidence? 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:46.880 Now, three times I've taught you over the years, when you read the Bible, look and listen for what's repeated. 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:51.839 Okay, three times in five chapters, John makes a big deal about this confidence thing. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:52.559 Confidence. 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:55.359 He says we have confidence in regard to these three realities. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:59.200 Number one, we have confidence in regard to the second coming. 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:02.640 Uh, number two, we have confidence in relation to judgment day. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:05.200 And then thirdly, we have confidence when it comes to prayer. 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:06.880 Now, why do I make a big deal out of that? 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:15.519 Because it's important that you understand what this reality means as it relates to these other realities: the second coming, judgment day, and prayer. 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:18.799 If you want to get into a good conversation, talk about the second coming. 00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:21.359 Ask somebody, hey man, you ready for Jesus' comeback? 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:23.279 They're like, oh, excuse me. 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:24.799 Or judgment day. 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:27.440 Hey man, you got any thoughts about judgment day? 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:29.279 Uh, not really. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:30.640 Gotta go. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:32.240 But the Bible says this. 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:34.559 Now, listen to how practical the Bible is. 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:39.759 The Bible says that you and I can have confidence in relation to all three of those things. 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:41.359 And here it talks about prayer. 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:46.319 So because the Bible says this is what we can have, we need to understand what we mean by confidence. 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:49.680 It's the Greek word potassea, potasia, and it means this. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:53.200 It means now you may be thinking, why do you reference Greek? 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:55.440 Because the Bible was originally written in Greek. 00:18:55.519 --> 00:19:00.000 And look at me, it's translated into English, and nothing was lost along the way. 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:02.960 They didn't change some things and leave some stuff out. 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:15.920 Uh, but this is what what what the English word confidence means in the Greek: freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, a free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:20.160 Ask yourself what would change about your prayer life if you had this towards God. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:22.559 What would change? 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:24.319 Because, see, here's my concern. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:28.720 Most people uh learn to pray by listening to other people pray in church. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.359 I did not become a Christian until I was 18, okay? 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:36.480 And when I became a Christian, and I and I went to the first Baptist church, I went a little small East Texas town. 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:39.599 Good people, good people, but everybody kind of prayed the same prayer. 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:43.440 And it was off-putting to me because I would just tell God how I really felt. 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:52.640 And so I would go to church and they'd say things like, Lord, bless the gift and the giver, hide the pastor behind the cross, be with the sick and the infirmed and the shut-ins in Jesus' name, amen. 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:56.240 The first time I went to Sunday school, this is a true story. 00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:57.920 They said, You got any prayer requests? 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:03.200 And just me and a bunch of high school guys that I partied with, played football with, let it get him prayer requests. 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:04.880 I was like, Yeah, pray I don't smoke pot. 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:06.079 I miss smoking pot. 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:10.160 And the Sunday school teacher said, Neil, uh staff for class, I'll help you with that. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:11.200 I thought, great. 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:12.720 This guy's got some insight. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:14.400 Maybe he's overcome this. 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:18.799 Some of you right now are thinking we're supposed to pray not to smoke pot. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.079 Yes, yes, you are. 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:21.440 That's a whole nother sermon. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:26.640 But anyway, uh, the man keeps me after class and basically just shames me into silence. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:29.599 He says, Uh, we don't say things like that in the church. 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:34.240 And I was like, and he said, uh, I said, What do I do? 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:35.359 Because I didn't know the rules. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:36.160 I didn't know anything. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:37.119 I was just like, What do I do? 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:42.079 And he said, Well, you raise your hand and you say, I have an unspoken prayer request. 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:45.759 Hey, you've been to that church too, huh? 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:49.920 Hey, basically, let's keep up the facade that we've all got it together. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:50.720 Hey, listen to me. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:54.400 If you're jacked up, broken, and screwed up, I want to be your pastor. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:57.440 I want you to tell me anything because I'm going to change my mind about you. 00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:59.359 And I said, How are they supposed to know? 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:02.559 He goes, Well, God knows, and you know, and that's enough. 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:04.000 People don't need to know your business. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:06.960 And I'm just thinking of my mind because I couldn't party anymore. 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:08.559 So I would go to work and go home. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:14.799 I would eat supper in front of the TV with my mom watching MASH, and I'd go to my room and read the Bible for hours while I went to bed. 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:15.839 Fascinating. 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:20.160 The Jesus that I found in the Bible was not the Jesus they talked about at church. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:22.240 Was very off-putting to me. 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:26.640 And people talk like this take the Bible, take your Bibles and open to the book of John. 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:29.279 That's one, if you're Hispanic. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:32.240 And I'd be like, What? 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:33.519 What? 00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:34.720 It was lonely. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:39.200 And so the guy says, You just, you just, so we don't need to say things like that ever again. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.559 Don't put your business down the street. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:43.759 I said, Oh, they all know I smoked weed before I got saved. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:44.880 He goes, How do they know? 00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:46.880 I said, they all smoke weed. 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:52.000 Why do you think I hang out with these rich kids? 00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:53.680 They got better weed than I do. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:57.200 These private school pot smokers right here. 00:21:58.640 --> 00:21:59.519 Don't you feel that? 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.880 I'm like, don't make fun of the private school. 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:05.279 Them homeschoolers, they grow their own. 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:07.119 It's even better than private school. 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:11.039 Here's my raised elevated beds. 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:13.279 But look at me. 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:16.480 There is no reel you back in here. 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:17.119 Come back. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:18.079 Come back. 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:21.200 Some of you are like, no, that happened. 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:23.119 I went to big church. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:24.400 That's what I call big church. 00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:25.599 I just sat there numb. 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:26.480 And here's what I thought. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:28.880 If you've ever gone to church, this is not true. 00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:31.279 But it descended, it hung over me like a dark cloud. 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:35.119 I sat in church just thinking, I am an idiot wrapped in a moron. 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:37.039 I could never come back to this church ever again. 00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:41.200 I'm the only person here that struggled because I miss smoking weed. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:43.440 And you said, Do you still miss it? 00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:45.359 Only in elder meetings. 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:55.039 I want to stick in his Steve Miller band Book of Dreams eight-track and just get blazed up. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:57.119 That's a joke. 00:22:57.359 --> 00:23:01.680 Now, somebody after the last service came to me and said, When's the last time you spoke marijuana? 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:02.880 1982. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:06.400 July 2nd, 1982. 00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:08.720 Three days before I was converted. 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:13.119 And when I first got converted, when you I wasn't addicted, I just enjoyed. 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:14.559 You kind of have a craving. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:16.400 If you know what I mean, say amen. 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.839 I'm not gonna fall for that trick. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:23.359 So I went to church. 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:24.000 Look at me. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:26.400 I went to church with confidence before God. 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:28.079 God knows this, God knows it. 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:33.359 I'm like, eh, oh Jesus, I can only watch mash with my mom so much. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:38.640 I got an unspoken prayer request. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:42.880 So I sat in church and felt like the only dirty sinner in the room. 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:45.119 And I did not enjoy church. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:50.400 But the more I read the Bible and understood who God was, I began to really enjoy God. 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:54.720 And I love the churches, they're good people. 00:23:54.799 --> 00:24:08.000 I was just like, again, freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, a free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance. 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:08.960