WEBVTT 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:08.960 This podcast is a ministry of Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:14.000 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:16.879 Amen. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:18.000 Let's pray together. 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.440 And Father, we sang in that song in the middle of the mystery. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:28.239 And so we acknowledge, God, there's going to be moments in our life where we don't know what we're supposed to do or where we're supposed to go or what direction to turn. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:30.719 And in those moments, God, we just need to hear your voice. 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:32.799 You're the good shepherd, and we're your sheep. 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:34.799 We hear your voice and we follow you. 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:43.439 And so, Lord, when life feels like a mystery, God, we can rely in faith on you because you're faithful, you're constant, you're consistent, and you're good. 00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:47.840 And so, Lord, because of all of these realities are true, uh, we get to experience those. 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:48.960 And for that we're grateful. 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:54.560 Lord, say something today that stirs our head, God, uh, that engages our mind and our affections. 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:55.520 Lord, we love you. 00:00:55.600 --> 00:01:00.000 We open up the word because we want revelation, we want clarity, we want direction. 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:01.600 So speak to us now, Lord. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:05.359 Your people are listening, and so we say, speak, and speak in Jesus' name. 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:07.280 And everyone said, Amen. 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:07.760 Amen. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:08.560 You could have a seat. 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:12.400 If you've got a Bible, I invite you to take it and open it up to John chapter 10. 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:14.480 John chapter 10. 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:17.359 If you have a Bible, it's one of your roll on page 896. 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:22.879 And we started into this set this text or scripture uh last week, but it is so rich. 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:30.560 It's kind of like uh, well, while you're finding John 10, let me tell you, there's a restaurant down here in Town Center, a little area of our city called Town Center. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:34.239 There's a restaurant down there called Perry's Steakhouse and Grill. 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:44.560 I've been to Perry's many times, probably more than I should, but I've been there many times, but I've never had a steak, even though it's called the Steakhouse and Grill, I've never had a steak, because I always have the same thing. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:46.000 I have the pork chop. 00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:51.040 And I'm sure they have other things on the menu, and you say, Well, I don't know what you mean. 00:01:51.439 --> 00:02:00.959 I promise you this: anytime you go to Paris, or just go down there and stand across the street on the sidewalk, you'll see people, you'll see people walking out with a little black bag in their hand. 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:04.400 And in that black bag is the rest of the pork chop they couldn't eat. 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:08.960 Because it is not a pork chop like you think of a pork chop, like that thick or thick, cut like that. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:10.560 That thing's like a rump roast. 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:12.960 It comes out, it's got tie-downs on it, okay? 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:18.960 And they set it down, and there's just a little, like they have a caulking gun, and they just kind of go, a little mashed potato. 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:20.960 Because you're not gonna mess that mashed potato. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:26.639 They go, This is the eye, and this is the lash, and you're just like, back up, I'm fixing to get gout, okay? 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:29.120 Uh despite your best efforts, you cannot eat the whole thing. 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:31.919 They're bringing a little to-go thing, and then you walk out your little black bag. 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:36.319 Sometimes the Bible's so dense and so rich, it's like the pork chop at Paris. 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:38.639 You cannot consume it all in one setting. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:40.000 This passage is like that. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:42.319 And so I want to read in John chapter 10. 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:45.199 Last week we talked about how Jesus is the only way to God. 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:49.439 This is foundational truth that informs everything else that comes in this passage. 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:52.080 Because Jesus describes himself as the door. 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:53.520 He says, I am the door. 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:57.680 I am not a door, I'm not a way to God, I am the only way to God. 00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:05.680 And because Jesus says this and the Bible teaches it all throughout, it puts a really increased emphasis and significance on the words of Jesus. 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:10.960 And we all come to the Bible with questions, but today the Bible comes to us with questions of its own. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:17.039 So when I talk to you this morning about questions the Bible asks us from John chapter 10, starting verse 1. 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:23.919 And Jesus says, Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in another way. 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:25.759 That man is a thief and a robber. 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:28.319 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:29.840 To him the gatekeeper opens. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:34.560 The sheep hear his voice, he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:39.599 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:47.199 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know, excuse me, they do not know the voice of strangers. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:52.319 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:57.199 So Jesus again said to them, Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:01.759 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:02.639 I am the door. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:07.599 If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and go in and out and find pasture. 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:10.159 The thief comes only to steal and to kill and destroy. 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:12.800 I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 00:04:12.960 --> 00:04:14.000 I am the good shepherd. 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:16.399 The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:25.279 He was a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and he leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:28.959 He flees because he's a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:30.160 I am the good shepherd. 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:39.279 I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep, and I have other sheep that are not of this fold. 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:42.240 I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:44.800 So there will be one flock and one shepherd. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:49.439 For this reason, the father loves me because I lay down my life, that I may take it up again. 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:57.600 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord, and I have the authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:00.000 This charge I have received from my father. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:03.120 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:06.480 Many of them said, He has a demon and is insane. 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:07.680 Why listen to him? 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:11.600 Others said, These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:14.160 Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:19.360 It's a reference to the fact that Jesus had healed a man back in chapter 9 who'd been blind from birth. 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:22.959 Now, when I say questions that the Bible asks us, what do I mean? 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:25.600 Uh like that they just rise up out of the text. 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:33.040 Now, we don't take points that we don't come up with things and put them down over the biblical text in an effort to kind of dilute it or explain it away. 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:40.639 No, these realities rise up out of the text, and they will cause us to think about ourselves in ways that we don't normally think about ourselves. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:42.000 And that's a good thing, okay? 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:44.720 Here's an example of a question the Bible asks us. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:48.560 The first question is this How did God design this relationship to be? 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:51.040 How did God design this relationship to be? 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:53.839 Let me give you some background of shepherds and sheep. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:06:07.600 When shepherds, they would be with their flocks, grazing their flocks all day, and at night, multiple shepherds would pull their sheep together in one common area, kind of like a holding pin, and they would pitch their tents all on the outside in a circle, and they would put all the sheep in the middle. 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:16.399 That could be as many as 600 to 1,200 sheep, gathered together, just one throbbing mass of wool, and they would be surrounded by this enclosure and have a gate. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:18.240 And they would select somebody to be the gatekeeper. 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:26.399 He would either stay up all night, or if he slept, he would lay down across the gate, so the sheep would have to get over him and he would, he would, it would wake him up. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:39.600 And in the morning, the shepherd would come, the gatekeeper would see him, would recognize him, open the gate, he would come in, and he wouldn't start going, Hey, okay, I think this one's mine, and that one's mine, and that one right there, and somebody else, no, that one's mine, you're trying to steal my sheep. 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:45.360 Now the shepherd would walk into the sheepfold and he would just look around and go, talk to his sheep. 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:47.519 Let's go! Everybody belongs to me, let's go. 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:48.480 And he would walk out. 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:53.439 And if he walked in there with 148 sheep, 148 sheep would walk out with him. 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:55.199 Just at the sound of his voice. 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:56.160 Here's why. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:07:03.199 Because what Jesus is winking at us and saying, Hey, by the way, when he says, Hey, how did this how did God design this relationship to be? 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:06.160 It was supposed to be ruled by intimate communion. 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:07.519 Intimate communion. 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:08.959 My sheep hear my voice. 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:17.439 Now, when you hear that, when you see this picture of the shepherd coming to the gatekeeper and just walking in and going, All right, all my sheep, let's go, they followed him. 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:21.519 Now, because Jesus understood, and the people he was talking to understood. 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:22.639 They'd seen this before. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:25.040 Now hear verses three to six again. 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:28.240 To him that the gatekeeper opens, the sheep hear his voice. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:30.560 He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:35.680 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:42.319 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:45.759 This, beloved, is the way God designed this relationship to be. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:56.160 Not to be ruled by guilt or manipulation or pressure, but just by this intimate communion, a shepherd and sheep who hear his voice and follow him. 00:07:56.560 --> 00:08:00.959 Now, one of the reasons are actually two of the reasons I don't think people enjoy their relationship with God. 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:03.600 Number one is they don't really have one. 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:06.959 They believe in God, they believe in a higher power, they believe in church. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:09.040 Church is a moral force for good. 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:10.800 I want my kids to get instruction. 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:15.920 All of those are great things, but you can want all those things and never have a relationship with God. 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:20.319 Secondly, they don't understand the nature of the relationship as God craved it to be. 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:22.800 We say this a lot here at our church. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:24.480 This is not about religion. 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:26.000 This is about a relationship. 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:27.120 Let me give you a picture. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:30.319 I heard a guy talk once, and he said it was in the seventh grade. 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:33.600 Every six weeks they would focus on a different uh like activity. 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:41.039 Like he said, we had bad knitting for like six weeks, and then we had basketball for six weeks, and towards the end of the year, and it was guys, girls, PE. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:50.480 The girls at one end of the gym, the guys at the other end of the gym, never the twain shall meet, except we're almost to the end of the school year, and they said for the next six weeks, we're gonna focus on dancing. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:51.360 Here's what we're gonna do. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:53.360 Line doll, seventh grade. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:54.240 Did you get that? 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:55.120 Seventh grade. 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:58.559 A bunch of hairless electric chihuahuas, seventh grade. 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:01.600 Guys on this side of the gym wall, girls on this side. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:06.159 The coach walked out there, he got a female uh teacher to come out there, and he said, Dancing's easy. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:11.679 He said, Our coach was a former drill instructor of the Marine Corps, big barrel chested man that just screamed at us. 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:13.279 And he said, Dancing's easy. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:14.320 Any idiot can do it. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:16.399 Here, it's like this just a box step. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:19.200 One, two, three, four. 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:26.080 And so they were lined up, and he had them on the wall, and he said, When I blow the whistle, I want you to walk out to the center court to the middle of the gym floor. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:28.879 And whoever's standing in front of you, that is your put your partner. 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:31.840 You're gonna you're gonna pair off, and the music starts. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:33.759 Just practice the box step. 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:37.120 He said, I thought in my mind, I've got to do this for six weeks. 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:38.559 We're gonna learn different dances. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:42.720 He said, I walked out there, and the girl in front of me was one of the prettiest girls in the seventh grade. 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:46.399 I was so overwhelmed with just oh, I was embarrassed. 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:54.000 He said, I I took her by the hand and I didn't want to touch her, and I was just kind of, yeah, I just put my fingers on her hip and she said, You can put your hand right there. 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:55.360 And he's like, No, I'm good, I'm good. 00:09:55.519 --> 00:10:02.240 And so um he said, I finally put my finger in the loop of her shorts, and I started stepping all over her. 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:06.000 Every time we took a step, he said, We're supposed to do it for 30 minutes, okay? 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:07.440 Just keep practicing this. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:12.240 He said, I might have lasted maybe five minutes, and finally I said, Hey, I'm not really good at this. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:12.799 Never mind. 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:18.799 He said, I went and sat on the wall, stood on the wall, and the coach came over there and said, if you don't participate, you're gonna get a zero for a daily grade. 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:20.000 And he said, I don't care. 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:24.240 I was so humiliated, I would rather fail than face humiliation. 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:31.360 Now, you probably should be thinking right now, what has this got to do with the way God designed this relationship to be? 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:36.960 Some of you, that's your experience with any kind of God or Christianity or religion or whatever. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:42.960 You attempted it and you realized you weren't good at it, and you went over and stood on the wall, you just said, I'll take a zero. 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:48.559 And I'm saying to you that God is not a God of shame, God is a God of invitation. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:51.360 And what if he set this thing up to be as simple as this? 00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:56.240 My sheep hear my voice, they they know my voice, and they follow me. 00:10:56.559 --> 00:11:02.879 Second question the Bible asks, because, and by the way, this is not, I mean, this is not something just random and pulled out of the New Testament. 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:04.720 The Bible's always been this way. 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:07.120 Just this is the way God set it up. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:19.200 You go back in the Old Testament, the book of Isaiah, chapter 30, uh, God's people are rebellious, and he says, Hey, if you turn to the left or to the right, you'll hear a voice behind you saying, This is the way, walk in it. 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:20.559 Intimate communion. 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:23.600 But the people said, We will not have any of that. 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:24.960 We're not going to listen to you. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:27.679 Psalm 32, the Bible says it like this in verse 8. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:30.399 He says, I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go. 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:32.720 I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:41.120 Be not like the horse or mule without understanding, which must be curved with a bit and a bridle, or it will not stay near you. 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:44.799 If you always have to have the bit and the bridle, that should be a sign to you. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:50.480 Because when you get a relationship with God, what you get is a desire for God and the things of God. 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:56.000 So the first question the Bible asks us is, hey, I want you to think about how God designed this relationship to be. 00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:58.799 Second question in the text is Do you recognize the voice? 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:00.320 Do you recognize God's voice? 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:02.240 Do you recognize God's voice? 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:04.240 Jesus said, Hey, I'm the good shepherd. 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:06.879 My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:08.720 Do you recognize God's voice? 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:11.120 Here, if you write anything down today, write this down. 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:17.120 The primary way that God speaks to us is by his son, through his spirit, in the Bible. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:23.039 The primary way God speaks to us is by his son, through his spirit, in the Bible. 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:24.480 You say, I don't know what you mean. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:25.039 That's okay. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:25.759 I'll explain. 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:27.360 Two verses from the book of Hebrews. 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:29.919 The first one is Hebrews chapter 1, verse 1 and 2. 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:31.120 This is what the Bible says. 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:36.000 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:42.879 But in his last days, he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom he also created the world. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:46.879 Let your eye be drawn to those six or seven eight or nine words. 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:50.720 He has spoken to us by his son. 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:54.320 In these last days, he's spoken to us by his son. 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:55.360 What is that saying? 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:58.960 When you look at the life of Jesus, Jesus is a megaphone. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:01.200 The life, the totality of his life. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:04.879 Life, death, burial, resurrection, the life of Jesus. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:06.480 He's spoken to us by his son. 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:13.039 The life of Jesus is like a megaphone that God uses to speak to us, to rouse a sleeping world. 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:18.080 The second thing the Bible says is in Hebrews chapter 3, verse 7 to 9. 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:27.120 Now again, keep in mind that what we're looking at is this simple phrase that the primary way God speaks to us is by his son, through his spirit, in the Bible. 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:28.559 This is what this is based on. 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:30.320 Hebrews 3, verse 7 says this. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:43.759 Now, that's a reference to something that happened. 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:51.279 It's called the Exodus, where God's people were in slavery, take a guy named Pharaoh, and God raised up a guy named Moses who was a murderer. 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:54.720 Moses had killed a man and buried him in the sand. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:58.320 So he had a really sordid past he didn't want anybody to find out about. 00:13:58.480 --> 00:13:59.600 Now, why do I tell you that? 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:03.840 Because all of us in this room have killed some people and buried them in the sand in our past. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:04.639 Amen. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:09.519 Y'all are like, I'm not falling for that religious trick. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:10.159 No. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:11.759 Put your hand down, honey. 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:12.399 Sure. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:21.120 Every one of us in this room got something in your past that you just kind of think, man, I sure hope nobody goes back and why do I tell you that? 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:21.919 This is free. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:24.720 This is not even nothing to do with the sermon to say this. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:27.440 You don't have to be perfect to be used by God. 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:30.480 Moses had disqualified himself. 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:34.879 Moses sold his house, moved to the wilderness, and was just eking out of existence. 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:37.440 And God appeared to him, and Moses was like, Hey man, really? 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:40.559 I mean, I hate to break it to you, but here's the reasons I can't be used. 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:45.279 I stutter, I'm a murderer, and I've kind of got some fear issues, okay? 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:48.080 And God said, Not a problem, you're my man. 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:49.919 And Moses said, What about my brother? 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:52.320 And God said, What about shut up? 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:56.240 Now, why do I tell you all that? 00:14:56.399 --> 00:15:08.159 Because in the book of Hebrews, New Testament, he says, Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, and then it starts today, if you hear his voice, that from today, if you hear his voice, that's a reference to the 95th Psalm in the Old Testament. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:12.240 What the Bible is telling us is whenever the Bible speaks, the Holy Spirit speaks. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:13.519 God speaks. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:24.399 When you read the Bible, you're hearing the voice of God, which is why I say to you that the primary way that God speaks to us is by his son through his spirit in the Bible. 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:25.679 Now, why do I say that? 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:30.480 Because we live in a day and age where God speaks through everybody and everything. 00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:32.320 It's called pantheism. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:33.440 God's in everything. 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:40.320 But if you're not careful, like I remember I saw a lady for counseling once, and for whatever reason, our sessions ended after this. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:46.000 She's married, had three kids, if I remember correctly, and she said there's a guy at work that keeps hitting on me. 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:49.679 And I prayed that he would stop, and he hasn't stopped. 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:55.279 And so I'm wondering if God's sending me my soulmate because my husband is not my soulmate anymore. 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:57.840 And in my mind, I'm like, what are you in the seventh grade? 00:15:58.000 --> 00:15:58.960 Are you kidding me? 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:03.440 Lady, you got three kids and a husband and a mortgage and all this stuff. 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:11.120 But so I prayed because, see, again, you know that you're not really hearing God when God sounds like what you always want to do. 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:17.039 See, the Bible says, God created us in his image and we've returned the favor. 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:19.519 We've created God in our image. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:26.559 And so she said, I even prayed and said, God, if you don't want me to hook up with him, take this desire away. 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:30.080 And I'm like, well, what? 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:33.200 See, this all became God's fault. 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:40.320 The beauty of making every desire of yours the voice of God is that you're not responsible for your behavior. 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:43.120 Now, why am I telling you that? 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:43.919 You got to be careful. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:47.120 See, when attributing something to God, you should ask three questions. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:50.080 Number one, does this line up with the clear teaching of the Bible? 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:52.080 God doesn't change his voice. 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:55.360 He never says anything that violates what he's revealed in the Bible. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:58.720 When people disguise their voice, God doesn't disguise his voice. 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:02.080 When people disguise their voice, they do not want to be found out. 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:05.359 God speaks loud and clear because he wants to be known. 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:09.200 Second question you should ask is, does this in any way grieve the Holy Spirit? 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:16.640 Like I asked this lady, I said, Hey, when you feel yourself making plans with this guy at work, this is called an affair, it's called sin. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:18.480 Do you feel any sadness in you? 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:26.880 She goes, Yeah, I feel a pang of guilt, but I just think, you know, in our last church, my pastor told us that God, after all, wants us to be happy. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:32.640 Feel free to just write his name down right here on this tablet. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:35.039 We may need to pay him a pastoral visit. 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:39.039 She says, I just feel a pang of guilt, but I just, I just I just push that down. 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:40.640 Hear this, hear this. 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:46.640 I've said no to myself for so long in the name of motherhood, I think I've earned the right to say yes to myself. 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:51.759 I've never been a mother. 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:54.480 So don't email me, ladies. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:56.400 But look at me. 00:17:57.119 --> 00:18:02.559 Hey, you think you're gonna be saying done saying no to yourself when the kids leave your house? 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:04.000 They're gonna be coming back. 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:07.839 I said, Ha! Her kids were all under the age of nine. 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:12.880 And I said, Because I'm full of compassion, you're not done saying no to yourself. 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:19.839 Matter of fact, if you've practiced saying no to yourself so much in the name of motherhood, why can't you say no to yourself in the name of obedience? 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:26.960 Because you can't complain about it over here and then exercise it over here when you want to hook up with this loser at work. 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:31.440 Well, I think our session should be done. 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:32.400 Okay. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:35.920 One less person to talk to in the world. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:38.480 Please, Bird Rabbit, don't throw me in that briar patch. 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:40.160 And here's my point. 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:43.039 If you're visiting today, I'm full of compassion. 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:54.960 Just don't come and tell me that God said this is okay. 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:55.680 No. 00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:56.319 No. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:57.519 Here's the third question. 00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:00.160 Is this in keeping with the character and nature of Jesus? 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:03.920 Is this in keeping with the character and nature of nature of Jesus? 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:05.599 Because God has set this up. 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:14.240 This is God set this relationship up to be characterized, to be ruled and informed by this intimate communion between shepherd and sheep. 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:16.960 You've got to ask yourself, do I recognize God's voice? 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:21.759 Third question the Bible asks us is this what experiences characterize Christianity? 00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:24.240 What experiences characterize Christianity? 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:26.079 Now put a star by this in your mind, okay? 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:27.920 I'm gonna read right out of verse 9. 00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:28.799 This is in red. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.920 If you've got a red letter edition of the Bible, that means it's the words of Jesus. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:33.039 So I didn't say this. 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:43.839 Jesus teaches this because we live in a day and age that kind of says, because there's so much pluralism and multiculturalism, it's kind of like, yeah, well, we don't really know who's really a Christian, so let's just don't be judgmental. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:45.359 I'm not saying be judgmental. 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:51.359 I'm saying, no, you can tell who really knows God and who's just kind of, hey, uh, what do you mean? 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:52.480 Look at verse 9. 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:54.240 Jesus says, I am the door. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:57.839 If anyone enters by me, two definite statements got made. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:58.799 I am the door. 00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:01.759 I am not a door, I'm not a way, I am the door. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:10.319 Secondly, if anyone enters by me, in other words, if anyone comes into a relationship with God through me, here's these three realities you'll see in their life. 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:14.480 He says, He will be saved, he will go in and out and find pasture. 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:18.960 He'll be saved, that person will live in freedom, and that person will experience provision. 00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:20.160 What do you mean to be saved? 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:21.519 It's the Greek word sozo. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:22.720 He will be saved. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:28.400 We live in such a such a cowardly time in the church that we don't even use the word saved anymore. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:32.000 We don't tell people, hey man, you're you're you need to be saved. 00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:34.160 Because our first question is, saved from what? 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:39.920 Like, I'm talking with a guy not long ago, uh, very laid-back guy, and he said, Well, you know, I'm into Jesus. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:42.480 I love Jesus, I love that he's loving and compassionate. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:48.480 He loved prostitutes and he gave money to the poor and he did miracles to bless people, and that's great. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:49.920 I said, Anything else about that? 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:51.920 No, I just love that he was so merciful. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:53.200 He was so merciful. 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:56.960 I said, he was merciful, but he's also mighty. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:59.200 And he said, What do you mean? 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:04.240 I mean, and he said, Hey, I just think if Jesus was alive today, I could smoke a cigarette with him. 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:06.240 And I said, I don't know. 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:09.279 Maybe, I don't know, maybe Jesus is the Marlboro man, I don't know. 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:12.559 But you can't just say God's merciful because God is merciful. 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:13.119 You okay? 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:14.720 You didn't check out on me there, did you? 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:18.240 Uh God is merciful, but he's also mighty. 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:20.079 And I said, see, here's the problem. 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:22.720 You have this underdeveloped view of God. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:26.160 It's just, oh, Jesus is love, and Jesus did all those things. 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:32.079 But if you look in Revelation 19, start by verse 11, it talks about Jesus' coming back and what he's like. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:42.480 And it says he's gonna be riding a white horse with a sharp mouth coming out of his mouth with which to strike down the nations, and he will tread the wine press of the wrath and the fury of God Almighty. 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:47.440 The problem in America is that the God we talk to people about, you don't need to be saved from him. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:50.640 Because all he's come to do is make your life better. 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:53.680 And the Bible, and he goes, Well, where's that in the Bible? 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:54.960 I said, You think I'm making this up? 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.000 Well, I just never heard that. 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:58.480 It's Revelation 19, starting about verse 11. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:21:59.759 He said, Well, I'll check that later. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:00.559 And get back to me. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.680 I said, check it and get back to me. 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:05.440 Because hey, by the way, he's mighty, but that doesn't cancel out his mercy. 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:08.240 His might magnifies his mercy. 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:09.599 He is this. 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:10.720 He says, Well, what's the difference? 00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:11.920 I said, That's a great question. 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:14.559 And by the way, this is starting to feel like an argument. 00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:17.839 I don't want to argue, but if we're going to argue, let's take our shirts off. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:20.799 And he's like, What you say? 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:23.359 You should say things people don't expect coming. 00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:24.880 That makes it interesting. 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:29.119 He's like, Okay, I said, I'm just kidding, leave your shirt on. 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:31.119 And I said, Here's the thing. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:32.000 It's a great question. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:34.720 You say, what's the difference in the Jesus you're talking about? 00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:36.079 And same thing. 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:37.200 I said, but here's the thing. 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:41.119 For Jesus to leave heaven and come to earth, he had to give up some of his glory. 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:42.400 And he took on humanity. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:45.680 So when he was here, he was fully God and fully man. 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:52.160 But when Jesus ascended back into heaven, he said to his father, Give me back the glory I had with you before the world began. 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:55.039 So when he comes, he's coming full of glory. 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:57.839 And that is going to be mighty, my man. 00:22:57.920 --> 00:22:59.680 That's the God you need to be saved from. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:03.279 And he's like, Whoa, whoa. 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:08.480 Oh, I said, now you might want to lay off some of them left-handed Democratic cigarettes you'll be hitting up on. 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:13.519 And he's like, How'd you know I smoke? 00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:14.799 I said, Man, I can tell. 00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:17.200 Your brain's a little slow on the uptake here. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:19.359 How long have you been smoking the wacky tobacky? 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:21.279 And he goes, Oh, since I was about 15. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:22.480 How old are you now? 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:23.680 31. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:30.079 Woo! I know some of you pot smokers out there, get off marijuana, Pastor. 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:34.559 The man can't sustain a thought. 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:38.400 The synapses in his brain lacked the sufficient calcium. 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:40.720 He's just like, and I said, Hey, I'm not mocking you. 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:45.119 I'm just saying, be careful you don't smoke yourself into a numb state of being. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:48.720 He goes, bro, I'd like he kept calling me bro. 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:51.279 I was like, I'm strangely warmed by that. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:54.079 He said, bro, if I lived in your city, I'd come to your church. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:55.839 I said, and you'd be welcome. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:57.519 He goes, Are you serious? 00:23:57.839 --> 00:23:59.440 I don't know if I agree with what you're saying. 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:02.240 I said, You think everybody that comes to my church agrees with me? 00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:06.480 He's like, oh, okay. 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:07.039 Hmm. 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:09.920 So what experiences to characterize Christianity? 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:11.279 The first one is being saved. 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:13.759