The Hour Has Come: Understanding the Victory and the Battle

[00:01:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:01:33] Thank you for coming out and being with us. We've got a lot of them at home right now in their pajamas, drinking a cup of coffee. The Lord is good. You didn't have that luxury 25 years ago. So that technology, when it works, is a good thing, and they'll be able to hear the worship service and also be able to hear the wonderful singing that we have. So again, we thank you for being here.
[00:02:07] want to welcome our Facebook crowd and then also our ones that watch us, I mean listen to us on WHIP radio at one o'clock. Yesterday I had a God moment. My wife and I were at Sam's and we
[00:02:24] were getting some chicken for the Wednesday night dinner and had four packs of it and we had orange juice and all that stuff and my wife has these 31 bags. Is that what they call it? 31 bags?
[00:02:35] that you got to put all this stuff in there and so we're putting all this in the in the cart and she made a comment she said oh you can get some more in there i said but i'm the one that's got
[00:02:47] to carry it and and she has a lot of faith in me i used to be a lot stronger and at that moment i thought the lord has never not been able to carry me there's nothing ever happened in my life that
[00:03:01] that he couldn't reach out and pick me up uh and it was just one of those things you just for one moment just made you think about the lord uh in in that moment so uh he does he is
[00:03:14] our sustainer so we're glad you're here with us this morning uh we do have a few announcements if you came in this morning at the back there were some bottles i'm sorry they had them back there
[00:03:23] they had them over here uh pick up one of those bottles uh for about the next month it's called baby bottle boomerang it's for the late norman pregnancy center down here put your change in
[00:03:33] it bring them to the church you can fill up more than one and we'll take that money along with some other donations and donate it to the late norman pregnancy center uh they as they do the baby
[00:03:45] bottle boomerang they'll have a walk and all that so pick up one of those little bottles fill it out i mean fill it up and bring it back to the church and we'll make sure that they get it also
[00:03:54] remember our Wednesday night dinners every Wednesday night at 530 this week Steve and I will be doing it chicken pot pie it's a big deal it's good it's not the chicken pie dinner it's chicken pot pie and this one has
[00:04:08] vegetables so we will do that come out and be a part of that with us the ladies met yesterday over at Bridge of Hearts and had a mission day over there helping do the bags
[00:04:18] so thank you to the ladies that came out and was a part of that as well We'll have a mission meeting next week What time is it?
[00:04:27] 2.30 We'll have a finance meeting this Thursday night At 6.30 And then next week we'll have our Administrative council meeting at 3.30 Those are on the back of your bulletins As well. Any other announcements that I forgot?
[00:04:41] Yes sir Good morning

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:04:44] God is good All the time

[00:04:48] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:04:48] Amen

[00:04:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:04:50] If you brought soup today If you want to put the soup in the traveling soup display, we had it up here one time, then we had it down there one time.
[00:05:01] I believe it's in the Narthex now.
[00:05:03] So if you brought soup for our Super Bowl soup collection that will go to help feed hungry families, if you want to drop it off in the Narthex, our goal is 1,000 servings of soup.
[00:05:16] So 1,000 cans, or you can buy the ramen, you can buy the little cups of soup, whatever you'd like.
[00:05:21] Our goal is 1,000. I know that's a lot, but last week if I said everybody brought 20, that would be great.
[00:05:30] When Jimmy said if everybody would bring like four or five every week, we would make our goal.

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:05:37] I have a question.

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:05:39] Yes, ma'am.

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:05:39] So if they want to do that, could someone give some money and someone would buy their 20?

[00:05:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:05:46] Yes, yes. We've actually had that. We just give the money to Angela. She doesn't know I just said that.
[00:05:51] But she orders some soup online, which actually is a really good deal as well.
[00:05:55] So if you'd like to do that, give that to Angela.
[00:05:58] If they're too heavy for you to carry, the Lord will carry you.
[00:06:02] Correct?
[00:06:03] All right.
[00:06:04] So thank you so much for this.
[00:06:06] It's a great ministry.
[00:06:07] And I know last year when we collected, the lady was just overwhelmed by the amount that we brought.
[00:06:13] Thank you.

[00:06:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]
[00:06:13] Yesterday we had 227.

[00:06:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:06:16] We had 227 already by yesterday.
[00:06:19] All right.
[00:06:20] We're getting there.
[00:06:21] Thank you.

[00:06:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:06:24] All right, I'll turn it over to Steve for worship.

[00:06:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:06:25] All right, let's worship.

[00:08:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:08:11] Gracious God, again, we come to you on a new week.
[00:08:14] We thank you for your goodness and your mercy in the past week.
[00:08:17] And, Lord, even in some of the trials and temptations that people face and we heard about, Lord, your goodness is there.
[00:08:26] And, Lord, you will sustain each person.
[00:08:28] We thank you, Lord, that you're always present in our lives.
[00:08:31] Be with us in this hour.
[00:08:33] Lord, I know it's raining outside and it's cold.
[00:08:37] Lord, but you bless us.
[00:08:37] we're in a warm building. Your Holy Spirit is warm and it comforts us.
[00:08:42] Allow this to be a time, Lord, that we just prepare our hearts and our minds for the new week while we worship you. We'll give you glory and praise in Christ's name. Amen.

[00:08:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:08:52] Well, it's your time, Mr. St.
[00:08:54] We're going to get to Apostles 3.
[00:08:56] We're going to get to the praise song.
[00:08:58] Let's recite the Apostles 3.
[00:09:01] It should be on both screens for you.
[00:09:06] I believe in God, the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit.
[00:09:19] I'm over there at stake, and know what I will say.

[00:18:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:18:26] You have to pay attention don't you? You have to hear and you have to understand what I'm saying. But if somebody that was deaf was signing to you, you would have to pay attention. You would have to see and understand.
[00:18:43] Okay. But you know the, at least some, part of the alphabet, right? C, F, G, H, I, J, A, I get stuck on P, Q, S, T, W, X.
[00:19:26] It's interesting. We have to listen. We have to pay attention when somebody is signing. We're not deaf, so we have to pay extra attention to what people are saying to us. Like, you know, when your mom says, you know, you really shouldn't be doing that or you really need to be doing this, do you ignore her? No, we shouldn't ignore, you know, the preachers and our teachers and our parents.
[00:20:15] we don't want to ignore them.
[00:20:17] We want to pay attention so that we will understand.
[00:20:22] So paying extra special attention is what it's all about.
[00:20:26] Especially with the Simon.
[00:20:27] We certainly become better when we hear what we need to hear and we change for the better. So say to yourself when someone is speaking to me I'll listen carefully and try my best to understand. So let's do
[00:20:45] the same when we hear God speaking to us.
[00:20:47] You know, God speaks to you too.
[00:20:51] You may not hear Him like you're hearing me, but you'll know.
[00:20:58] So you have to understand what He says.
[00:21:01] It says in the Bible, it says, hear and understand.
[00:21:04] I said that all the time.
[00:21:06] Let us pray.
[00:21:08] Dear God, please be with all of us.
[00:21:11] Be with these girls and be with everyone here today.
[00:21:14] And help us to hear what you have to say to us.
[00:21:20] and help us to understand what you're saying we ask in your name amen as i looked out at the

[00:21:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:21:46] congregation this morning of course again weather people staying home i glanced back to covid we had about 10 people that would come for several weeks and just do the worship service and the sound and all that and it was you got used to it in a kind of way but it was hard to do it
[00:22:09] you hear the echo in here when there's more people there's not an echo and it was always different to preach to an empty room i don't think we realize what our presence in the house means
[00:22:24] coming to church being here it's great that we have this wonderful technology to sit at home and be sick still be able to hear music and worship but it doesn't take the place for being here, being in God's
[00:22:38] house. Thank you for coming this morning and being with us. We share our prayer requests at this time.
[00:22:44] I got a text message from Donna Stroutman. She said, remember her?
[00:22:48] She's got vertigo, so keep her in the prayers. I have not heard about Ms. Ruby.
[00:22:53] I heard she was doing better, but I didn't get an update on her.
[00:22:58] So keep Ruby in your prayers.
[00:23:00] Ed and Johnny are home.
[00:23:02] Doing well. Johnny got released from the hospital, but keep them in your prayers as they continue to recover from the shoulder and the hip injury that they had. Did I miss him? I'm sorry. Yeah. Remember Bill
[00:23:17] Horty. Thank you. Uh, I found Bill. He took a fall at home and apparently was there for about a week before they found him. He was taken to a hospital.
[00:23:31] Uh, I searched for about a day and a half trying to find him and then he hit me call richard this is a soda shop up here uh he was actually at hunterville the one hospital
[00:23:43] that i couldn't get an answer at it just played the music never could and i actually talked to somebody else and they fixed it but uh believe it or not they wouldn't have the phone uh i went to
[00:23:55] see him he's he's he looks good but uh keep him in your prayers he he's shaking a little bit uh Apparently it was meningitis. I think what it was and it caused him to pass
[00:24:08] out. And so bruised up a little bit. He was in the hospital for about eight days before I found out he was in the hospital. So I said this last week to y'all, please, you do not offend me about reminded me somebody's name or
[00:24:23] somebody condition and I'll follow up. You know, I'm thankful that somebody about bill you know could be a lot worse but keep them in your prayers any other prayer requests this morning yes ma'am thank you any other prayer requests yeah that's right
[00:24:57] Anna and I had a hit replacement we went to see her and Marla was with her but But, yeah, we'll keep Marla's mother in your prayers.
[00:25:06] Thank you.

[00:25:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:25:06] She is.

[00:25:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:25:26] Any others in prayer requests this morning?
[00:25:31] Anyone have a praise report they'd like to share with the Lord this morning?
[00:25:36] Amen.
[00:25:37] We're here.
[00:25:38] Amen.
[00:25:39] Any other?
[00:25:39] Yes, ma'am.

[00:25:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:25:40] I see 70 youth.

[00:25:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:25:58] 150 kids, I count, 148.
[00:26:01] 6.30 in the morning singing and worshiping Jesus.
[00:26:05] And this young man got up and preached.
[00:26:07] And what's she at?
[00:26:10] Kenny.
[00:26:10] What did they do after he preached to that young man?
[00:26:15] High-fived him and clapped and everything.
[00:26:19] I said, I don't know if I've ever got a high-five after a sermon.
[00:26:23] But the young man did a great job, great job.
[00:26:26] And the singing was great.
[00:26:28] Any others?
[00:26:31] Angela, will you pray for us this morning?

[00:26:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]
[00:26:32] Sure, Lord.
[00:26:37] Thank you for bringing us here this morning.
[00:26:41] Not so kind to us today, but for the ones who did come out, Lord, thank you for each and every one having a safe trip here.
[00:26:47] Lord, I pray that each of these requests that have been brought to you this morning, Lord, you have every one of them in the palm of your hand, Lord, and you know the needs, and you will deliver and follow through and be there
[00:26:59] and hold each and every one in comfort.
[00:27:01] I pray, Lord, that we all get home safe, bring us back together, and I pray, Lord, that you, we pray the prayer now that you taught us to pray.
[00:27:10] Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

[00:27:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:27:15] Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
[00:27:20] Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
[00:27:33] For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
[00:27:39] Thank you.

[00:27:43] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:27:43] Holy, holy, holy.
[00:27:44] It's hymn number 64. As I was growing up down at Southside, it was always hymn number 1 in the hymnal.
[00:27:51] So we sang that one a lot. Hymn number 1. Holy, holy, holy. This is one of my favorites.
[00:27:56] Let's sing it to the Lord. Holy, holy, holy. Let's sing it as we sing it.

[00:34:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:34:39] Reminded that you went to a cross, you paid a price, you bought and brought to your Heavenly Father a group of people your church we thank you well for supplying our needs for watching over us
[00:34:56] to carry us through this life regardless of what takes place we ask now that if we bring back our tithes and offerings to you lord may we be good stewards of all things lord may they be blessed
[00:35:09] and may they work for the salvation of those in our community and around the world

[00:35:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:35:14] and we give you praise and honor for christ in christ's name amen over scriptures and i write

[00:39:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:39:56] my notes down, they lead to a sermon a few weeks later. As I was writing this sermon this week, I dared to say, Lord, you made a mistake. This was a sermon I should have
[00:40:10] preached last week, and the sermon I preached last Sunday, I should have preached this Sunday.
[00:40:14] Maybe it's a little bit in reverse. But I remember, back as a contractor, I don't remember where we was at, but Scott and I used to listen to pastors and preachers on radio and music,
[00:40:32] and I want to say was David Jeremiah was preaching on this scripture and he made a statement that it's one of the most underappreciated events in the life of Jesus what happens in this particular moment and I don't remember too much
[00:40:56] about a sermon so I went back in my notes and I actually preached on a couple of these verses about this same time last year not the same sermon but this was an event that took place in the life of jesus leading up to his crucifixion and it
[00:41:13] comes from john chapter 12 verses 20 through 33 now there were certain greeks among those who came to worship at the feast then they came to philip philip who was from bethsaida of galilee and asked him saying sir we wish to see jesus now get the picture there's a big crowd of people
[00:41:34] and there's these greek people that are gentiles and they want to talk to jesus jesus came and told andrew and in turn andrew and philip told jesus but jesus answered them saying the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified most assuredly i say to you unless a
[00:41:53] grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone but if it dies it produces much grain he who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his life in this world will keep it
[00:42:05] for eternal life if anyone serves me let him follow me and where i am there my servant will be also if anyone serves me him my father will honor now my soul is troubled and what shall i
[00:42:20] say father save me from this hour but for those these purposes i came to this hour father glorify your name then the voice came from heaven saying i have both glorified it and were glorified again
[00:42:36] therefore the people who stood by and heard it said it had thundered others said an angel had spoken to him jesus answered and said this voice did not come because of me but for your sake
[00:42:49] now is the judgment of this world now the ruler of this world will be cast out and if i if i am lifted up from the earth will draw all people to myself the heck this he said
[00:43:05] signifying what death he would die this is the Word of God for us children of God what's amazing about that scripture at the very beginning as these Greeks come to Jesus who's spreading this new gospel to Jewish people he's offering
[00:43:26] this new thing called salvation my kingdom is at hand all these people who have been under the law are now given this new soon to be new covenant and these greeks want to talk to jesus what i find
[00:43:45] interesting there is according to what i read he never talks to him they come to philip and say we want to talk to this guy jesus and i don't know what question they were going to ask
[00:43:58] But in that moment, he doesn't entertain man.
[00:44:05] He doesn't respond.
[00:44:08] He doesn't say, well, as soon as I get done over here, I'll come talk to you.
[00:44:12] Give me a couple minutes.
[00:44:14] He doesn't look to Philip and say, well, set me up an appointment with him.
[00:44:20] No, he doesn't do any of that.
[00:44:22] He ignores him.
[00:44:24] If you read on in verse 23, it shows his intentions.
[00:44:28] He won't get distracted by men.
[00:44:31] and in this moment he's going to tell them all that's going to take place coming up in the next week.
[00:44:39] He says the hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
[00:44:46] There are several people who've made their way through that crowd and want to talk to Jesus but he doesn't entertain it.
[00:44:54] He just simply says the hour's here.
[00:44:59] Jesus said it took him time to talk to many people to preach and teach and share the message to the lost sheep of the night.
[00:45:06] the house of Israel, and all of a sudden he just ignores their request.
[00:45:13] He's going to complete a mission.
[00:45:15] He's not going to tell the Gentiles what he's going to do.
[00:45:18] He's going to show them.
[00:45:21] He's not going to preach.
[00:45:23] He's just going to acknowledge this is an important time.
[00:45:27] The hour is here.
[00:45:29] When Angela was pregnant with our first child, Lainey, she woke me up about 1.20 in the morning, 1.30.
[00:45:38] Get up.
[00:45:38] baby's coming that moment was urgent he got up got ready left fast forward about 25 years I'm in a recliner sleep one day in him in the living room one night in the living room and I didn't
[00:45:56] know she had been up for about an hour she comes she said you got to take me to the hospital I said go back to sleep she wasn't pregnant no I got a pain I said go back to sleep she said if
[00:46:12] you don't tell me i'm gonna take myself in both those moments there's a sense of urgency two different events one i took serious one i kind of passed off come to find out she had a kidney stone
[00:46:26] but jesus says this is an important hour the hour has come he said that a few times before you remember when he his mother was at a wedding his first miracle he did and she comes to jesus
[00:46:45] her son and she says uh ran out of wine what's jesus say my hour has not yet come or when jesus was teaching and preaching and he upset some people twice i think one time they
[00:46:59] wanted to throw him over a cliff another time they wanted to stone him and it said he slipped through the crowd and it said his hour had not yet come or what about when his friends his brothers
[00:47:10] were bickering among themselves about jesus and who who he really was and that he should go on into the city for the feast of tabernacles and and tell people who he was and he says my time
[00:47:24] has not yet come that's an important statement by jesus the men who wanted to speak to jesus instead of operating to their call he stays focused on god he said in that one verse the
[00:47:40] hour has come in verse 24 most assuredly i say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone but if it dies it produces much grain jesus says in this hour
[00:47:54] i'm preparing the world for my death i'm going to die for y'all i've been placed in this spot i'm going to be that grain of wheat and from it's going to spring forth this is where i have my
[00:48:08] issue with me and the lord this thing called the church this new generation of people and it's going to be for all people not just the jewish people it's going to be for those very gentiles
[00:48:20] that want to talk to jesus he's willing to die so that a generation of people a church can be born don't tell me jesus don't love you and then he goes on there saying i remind you this is after
[00:48:35] a simple request from jewish from gentiles he said he who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life if anyone serves me let him follow me
[00:48:47] And where I am, there my servant will be also.
[00:48:50] If anyone serves me, my father will honor.
[00:48:53] Now my soul is troubled.
[00:48:58] He's in pain.
[00:49:00] He's hurting for what is about to happen.
[00:49:03] He said, but what shall I say?
[00:49:04] Father, save me from this hour.
[00:49:08] But for this purpose, I have came to this hour.
[00:49:12] He says, Father, glorify your name.
[00:49:16] There you go.
[00:49:17] It's all about the father again.
[00:49:19] It's all about carrying out his will.
[00:49:22] And then something happens again.
[00:49:24] This happened a couple times in Jesus' life before.
[00:49:27] It says the Father responded to him.
[00:49:30] He did the same thing in his baptism.
[00:49:33] He did the same thing at the mountain of transfiguration.
[00:49:36] And he does it again.
[00:49:37] That's why I think that David Jeremiah talked about how important this passage in the Bible was.
[00:49:45] It says a voice came from heaven saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.
[00:49:50] so now you have an hour that's come and God speaking that's a pretty significant event all in that one moment from a few Gentiles wanting to talk to Jesus now listen to what Jesus says
[00:50:08] in that hour that has come in the next verse verse 30 Jesus answered and said this voice did not come because of me but for your sake now is the judgment of the world now the ruler of this world
[00:50:22] will be cast out and if i'm lifted up from the earth i will draw all people to myself what i find amazing about that is he could have stopped what he was doing went and talked to
[00:50:37] those gentiles but in that moment this whole conversation i think he answered every question they were going to have he laid everything out for what was about to take place i don't think think those gentiles could have asked a more important question then how can we receive this
[00:50:55] new gospel and he said this is how you're going to do it jesus said i've come to draw all people to save all people not just jewish people all people who come to me not just the seed of abraham
[00:51:10] who heard god's voice and followed him now all people can come to me god has sent me to save all mankind i think about those greeks can you imagine those greeks that were standing there
[00:51:24] watching and hearing all this heard that voice come out of that cloud jesus is coming to them and he's saying my father will be glorified in this moment he's fixing to do something for the
[00:51:38] world that will bring them all back to him but it's going to involve me since the fall of man adam and eve when they moved away from god every person in this world is separated from god at
[00:51:52] birth i said to you last week about all the things that are happening in our world today it seems like each generation is worse and worse just when you think it can't get any worse they
[00:52:05] do something to top the next one humanity lives this way it's because sin nature is in all of us it's a rebellion against god i pointed out all those issues last week as i pointed you to the
[00:52:21] church and who you were in christ to remind you that god's plan and god's will always goes forward jesus knew this an example would be that he would offer a response god would offer a response
[00:52:35] from humanity's sin i think he's telling all of us don't get distracted don't be drawn away by the things that happen in this world as i sat there and i put these notes together i thought the world
[00:52:50] is so anti-God. Even when we try sometimes in the world to do things, when we talk about loving people and loving one another, sometimes there's often a hidden agenda behind it. The world seems to be rebellious
[00:53:09] and self-centered. I think in this moment when Jesus is telling them about what's about ready to take place, if there had been any goodness in the human race whatsoever, Jesus wouldn't have had to say these words he wouldn't have had to told him that a grain of wheat has to be placed in the
[00:53:28] ground and it'll bring forth a new people in this moment if there was any good in humanity jesus doesn't have to die on a cross jesus would not have had to take in that moment and point it
[00:53:44] out that what was about to happen would have would glorify his father the bible tells us Even our best is filthy rags.
[00:53:55] The only way we can be found righteous in the eyes of God is for Him to look on each one of us that knows Him as Savior and He sees the blood of Jesus Christ that covers our sins.
[00:54:08] Man cannot do one right thing without God.
[00:54:12] Man can do nothing without God.
[00:54:16] God allows all things to take place.
[00:54:20] Now sure, there are periods of good in humanity and we see things that take place in the world and we can say that was something good, that was something that helped people.
[00:54:30] But each one of us is born to sin.
[00:54:34] The Bible says this about humanity.
[00:54:37] There is none righteous, no, not one.
[00:54:40] John Wesley took a much harsher tone.
[00:54:44] As I sat down and I read this from one of his sermons, it was about that long, and I shortened it to about that long.
[00:54:51] Listen to what John Wesley said.
[00:54:52] They knew not that all men were empty of all good.
[00:54:56] and filled with all manner of evil.
[00:54:59] They were wholly ignorant of the entire deprivation of the whole human nature, of every man born into the world, and every faculty of his soul, not so much by those particular vices which reign in particular persons,
[00:55:13] as by the general flood of atheism and idolatry, of pride, self-will, and love of this world.
[00:55:22] This, therefore, is the first grand distinguishing point between hedonism and Christianity.
[00:55:28] The one acknowledges that many men are affected with many vices, and even born with a proneness to them, but supposes with all that in some natural good must, excuse me, I lost my place, and then declares that all men are convinced in sin and shapen in wickedness,
[00:55:49] That hence there is in every man a carnal mind, which is at anonymity against God, which is not, cannot be subject to his law, which so infects the whole soul, that there dwelleth in him, in his flesh, in his natural state, no good thing.
[00:56:08] But every imagination of the thoughts of the heart is evil, only evil, and that continually.
[00:56:16] That's sin.
[00:56:18] That's what God is getting ready to take care of with Jesus on the cross.
[00:56:23] Man will do whatever they can to gain power, money, authority, prestige.
[00:56:30] It's because they're fallen creatures.
[00:56:33] And nothing can fix the depravity of man except what Jesus is getting ready to do in the next few days.
[00:56:40] Jesus said, now is the judgment of the world.
[00:56:43] If you want to see the complete darkness of humanity's soul, watch what's going to take place.
[00:56:50] In the next week or so, the worst of humanity is going to take place.
[00:56:55] Man in their awful state of sin will take a perfect lamb, a sinless man.
[00:57:02] They'll whip him, beat him, scourge him, place a crown of thorns on his head and crucify him and reject the Son of God.
[00:57:12] you think it gets bad now that's the worst day in the history of humanity in the hours to come Jesus is going to expose all of humanity to their sin in the darkness of it he's going to be willing to be that perfect lamb to take
[00:57:30] it away though in my opinion this is one of the most I get as I said earlier underrated accounts in the Bible Jesus could have had a meeting with those people and talk to those people instead he points out sin and what it's going to
[00:57:47] cost Jesus lays out God's plan through him God comes to save humanity and they're going to nail him on a cross they're going to lift him up from the earth spit on and mock on but Jesus is now the judgment of this world grace
[00:58:07] versus sin and yet even his man spirals down in their sin and their evil God says if you want to see the goodness of god the true love of god for this world god will take
[00:58:20] their worst and use it for his greatest he will use their evil and their wickedness to offer salvation to all people he will give them salvation and do it in abundance that's the best picture you can paint of the grace of god when he takes the worst that humanity has
[00:58:42] and it gives us the greatest gift from it.
[00:58:46] The ability for our souls to be saved and point back to God.
[00:58:51] The total mercy of God being greater than the total depravity of man.
[00:58:58] When Jesus says, now the judgment of the world, understand that the world has already been judged.
[00:59:04] It was judged to be against God.
[00:59:06] It was judged to be defiant and hopeless because of their state of sin.
[00:59:11] It rejected all things good by God But what God does with Jesus, in that moment, there has never been a blessing, an answer prayer, or divine intervention greater than when God gave Jesus to the world.
[00:59:29] He says, now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
[00:59:33] The ruler of this world will be cast out.
[00:59:38] I want to try to make sure I say this right.
[00:59:43] If the ruler of this world is going to be cast out, as a believer and a Christian, You hear people say they're running from the devil or they say the devil is on me.
[00:59:55] No such thing.
[00:59:58] You're giving credence and a voice and power to something that can't affect you.
[01:00:04] The Bible says greater is he that is in you than he that's in the world.
[01:00:10] But what does Jesus say?
[01:00:12] He said, now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
[01:00:15] From the moment Adam and Eve sinned and fell in the garden, Satan has been in control.
[01:00:19] Satan has had dominion over this world.
[01:00:21] He's used every device he can and every disposal, every trick at his disposal to wreak havoc in the world, even death.
[01:00:30] But now he has no power or control through Jesus Christ.
[01:00:36] Because Jesus said in that verse, and I want to take you back to what he said in that moment, the hour has come.
[01:00:42] He says, Father, glorify your name.
[01:00:46] Do you see what happens?
[01:00:47] when we allow God to work and be glorified in our life in our daily lives in our activity God doesn't just glorify himself in that moment God does some of his greatest work God takes the worst things
[01:01:01] that happens in our life and he'll use them for his glory he will be glorified he says in verse 32 and if I am lifted up from this earth I will draw all people to myself
[01:01:15] let me add something to that Not putting words in Jesus' mouth.
[01:01:22] Jesus tells them what's about to happen.
[01:01:24] He says, if I'm going to be scourged and I'm going to be whipped and I'm going to be mocked.
[01:01:28] And I'm going to be humiliated and I'm going to be nailed to a cross.
[01:01:33] And after you do all that to me.
[01:01:36] And God raises me up on the third day.
[01:01:39] I'm going to be able to draw all people back to me.
[01:01:43] The Jews and the Gentiles.
[01:01:46] That's why Paul can go over to Romans 8 and say, Therefore, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
[01:02:00] He can say that because Christ was lifted up, and all men can be drawn to him.
[01:02:06] Satan can't stop it.
[01:02:08] He can't even change it because of what Christ did on the cross.
[01:02:15] As believers, the enemy is defeated.
[01:02:18] He has no authority over us as a believer.
[01:02:22] His time is rapidly running out.
[01:02:25] So then rather than saying the enemy is doing this or doing that to you, he made me do this, he made me do that.
[01:02:34] I thought about myself.
[01:02:36] I have to take responsibility for my own life.
[01:02:40] If I sin, it's because I sin.
[01:02:41] If I fall, it's because I fall.
[01:02:45] The enemy has no control over the believer.
[01:02:48] If you would, stand with me, please.
[01:02:55] We have authority over all things in our life.
[01:02:58] The enemy is not a factor.
[01:03:00] in our heart and our soul that belongs to god it belongs to god because god chose jesus to be crucified and lifted up on that cross jesus said in verse 31 now is the judgment of the world
[01:03:17] now the ruler of the world can be cast out and if i am lifted up from this earth i draw all people myself Jesus is still drawing people even today Jesus made a stand in a
[01:03:32] decision in that crowd that day he could entertain the questions and the comments of men or he could point out what God was fixing to do through him and he chose the latter we serve a remarkable God a God that goes to great lengths for
[01:03:52] each one of us we get frustrated sometimes when this world when we feel like we're being done unfairly or got too many issues in our life jesus had a big issue he said what should i say it's for this moment that god brought me to this place i'll glorify god in it
[01:04:15] sometimes we have to do that the lord gives us those trials and those issues and in that moment instead of looking at him as something awful in our life what if we turn around and glorified god
[01:04:32] with it lifted him up offered our praise and our worship to him god still offers grace god still offers mercy and god still saves to this day the god of heaven is still being glorified and he's
[01:04:51] being glorified through each one of us that are members of his holy church in the name of the

[01:04:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[01:04:56] father son and the holy spirit amen my jesus 172 also be on those three y'all watch out for the

[01:06:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[01:06:58] snow okay it might snow a little bit but when you see those snow that snow if you see a few flakes give thanks to god it's one of the most beautiful things you can watch is the snow come down enjoy
[01:07:14] that moment let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart get set to go in that sight, O Lord, you are my strength and you are my redeemer.
[01:07:23] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and all God's children said,

[01:07:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[01:07:29] Amen.