WEBVTT 00:01.516 --> 00:04.896 Welcome to the Valley Baptist Church sermon podcast. 00:04.896 --> 00:06.396 We're so glad you're here, 00:06.396 --> 00:08.356 and we hope this message inspires you, 00:08.356 --> 00:09.476 builds your faith, 00:09.476 --> 00:12.536 and moves you toward a deep relationship with God. 00:12.536 --> 00:15.616 Today, you'll find great insight into the Bible 00:15.616 --> 00:18.276 and learn how you can apply it straight to your life. 00:18.276 --> 00:20.716 So welcome and enjoy the message. 00:21.749 --> 00:23.829 If you have your Bible, please open it with me 00:23.829 --> 00:27.489 to 1 Thessalonians 1, 00:27.489 --> 00:32.309 in a message I'm calling Marked as the Real Deal. 00:32.309 --> 00:35.289 Last week, we started a verse-by-verse study 00:35.289 --> 00:37.749 of the book of 1 Thessalonians. 00:37.749 --> 00:40.069 And we're gonna see in this short letter 00:40.069 --> 00:41.989 that the Apostle Paul is writing 00:41.989 --> 00:46.029 to encourage the believers in Thessalonica 00:46.029 --> 00:47.769 and to answer a few of their questions 00:47.769 --> 00:50.549 concerning the second coming of Jesus. 00:50.555 --> 00:55.555 Now, a number of months earlier, the Apostle Paul and his team had gone to Thessalonica 00:55.555 --> 00:57.155 and they'd shared the gospel with him. 00:57.595 --> 01:02.275 And many people believed and were saved and a new church was formed. 01:03.076 --> 01:06.836 Now, ideally, Paul and his team would have stayed there 01:06.836 --> 01:08.796 for a long time with these new believers, 01:08.796 --> 01:12.496 discipling them to the point where they were strong enough 01:12.496 --> 01:15.796 to be left alone, but they didn't have that luxury 01:15.796 --> 01:18.636 because persecution quickly hit 01:18.636 --> 01:23.056 and the governing authorities forced Paul to leave. 01:23.056 --> 01:26.056 So it appears that Paul, Silas, and Timothy 01:26.056 --> 01:30.716 were only in Thessalonica for a few short weeks 01:30.716 --> 01:32.516 before they were asked to leave. 01:32.523 --> 01:36.363 So for months now, the Apostle Paul and his team, 01:36.363 --> 01:40.023 they had no clue what came of those new believers. 01:40.023 --> 01:42.923 And they were even concerned that that little church 01:42.923 --> 01:45.763 that they had started had died. 01:45.763 --> 01:48.923 That's why Paul writes in chapter three, verse number five, 01:48.923 --> 01:52.023 he says, for this reason, when I could no longer endure it, 01:52.023 --> 01:54.323 I sent to know your faith, 01:54.323 --> 01:57.923 lest by some means the tempter had tempted you 01:57.923 --> 02:00.123 and our labor might have been in vain. 02:00.232 --> 02:04.352 So Paul was very concerned that their gospel work 02:04.352 --> 02:07.972 in Thessalonica didn't bear any lasting fruit. 02:07.972 --> 02:10.932 Now that might sound like Paul's being a little bit 02:10.932 --> 02:14.892 of a pessimist, but the truth is there's a lot of people 02:14.892 --> 02:18.972 who make professions of faith in Jesus who aren't genuine. 02:18.963 --> 02:21.963 And Jesus is who actually told us that. 02:21.963 --> 02:26.203 He said that his kingdom is like a farmer who goes out and he scatters seeds. 02:26.203 --> 02:32.723 Some of the seed falls on good soil and it roots itself and it grows and it produces a crop. 02:32.723 --> 02:37.803 Other seed falls on hard ground and the birds of the air come and they snatch it away. 02:37.803 --> 02:41.123 Other seed falls on rocky soil. 02:41.120 --> 02:43.480 and it's unable to root very deeply. 02:43.480 --> 02:48.800 And so when it grows, soon enough, it withers away and it dies. 02:49.340 --> 02:52.980 So Paul is not being a pessimist. He's being a realist. 02:53.480 --> 02:55.440 And so after he could take it. 02:56.122 --> 02:57.061 No longer. 02:57.062 --> 03:01.162 He sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to see how these new believers were doing. 03:01.722 --> 03:07.822 And after his visit, Timothy returned to Paul with a glowing report. 03:08.462 --> 03:10.642 Their gospel work had not been in vain. 03:11.182 --> 03:12.342 It had changed. 03:12.473 --> 03:14.633 met the Thessalonians with power, 03:14.993 --> 03:20.173 and their lives had been completely, radically transformed by the grace of God. 03:20.333 --> 03:22.773 And so Paul has written them this letter, 03:22.873 --> 03:25.153 the letter that we're studying in the coming weeks, 03:25.533 --> 03:27.353 in order to encourage them. 03:27.353 --> 03:29.293 We pick up in verse number 2. 03:30.462 --> 03:33.342 He says, we give thanks to God always for you all, 03:33.822 --> 03:35.462 making mention of you in our prayers, 03:36.022 --> 03:38.862 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, 03:39.522 --> 03:42.022 labor of love, and patience of hope 03:42.022 --> 03:45.462 in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of our God and Father. 03:46.257 --> 03:49.457 So Paul is clearly proud of this young church. 03:49.457 --> 03:51.717 He's almost giddy, I think, as he writes. 03:51.717 --> 03:55.137 We thank God for you, for your incredible transformation 03:55.137 --> 03:56.897 that's taken place in your life. 03:56.897 --> 03:58.417 What he's basically saying here, 03:58.417 --> 04:01.717 and I think through the rest of chapter one, 04:01.717 --> 04:05.157 is that I'm thankful to the Lord that you're the real deal, 04:05.157 --> 04:07.077 that you are genuine in your faith. 04:07.077 --> 04:09.957 And Paul lists out some specific markers in their life 04:09.957 --> 04:12.377 that he's thankful for that were evidence 04:12.377 --> 04:14.597 of genuine conversion. 04:15.012 --> 04:18.792 Now there are a lot of so-called cultural Christians 04:18.792 --> 04:20.072 within the United States. 04:20.072 --> 04:22.232 These are people who kind of run at times 04:22.232 --> 04:23.432 with the Christian crowd. 04:23.432 --> 04:24.912 Maybe their parents were Christian 04:24.912 --> 04:26.912 or their grandparents were Christian. 04:26.912 --> 04:28.632 Maybe they claimed the name Christian. 04:28.632 --> 04:30.832 They even attend church from time to time. 04:30.832 --> 04:34.052 But if they were ever arrested and placed on trial 04:34.052 --> 04:35.672 for being a Christian, 04:35.672 --> 04:38.292 there wouldn't be enough evidence to convict them. 04:39.143 --> 04:41.143 That was not the church of Thessalonica, 04:41.763 --> 04:44.963 because it met them with power. 04:45.343 --> 04:48.923 Because when God's grace and God's spirit come upon a person, 04:49.023 --> 04:50.223 that person doesn't leave the same. 04:50.443 --> 04:51.762 They leave changed. 04:51.763 --> 04:52.863 They're transformed. 04:53.023 --> 04:56.123 They're marked by God with some distinguishing marks. 04:56.843 --> 04:58.963 Now let's be clear up front. 04:59.748 --> 05:02.188 All these marks that we're gonna be discussing this morning 05:02.188 --> 05:03.808 that we see from chapter one 05:03.808 --> 05:06.648 aren't all equally visible in our lives. 05:06.648 --> 05:10.128 There might be some of these marks that aren't visible, 05:10.128 --> 05:11.548 very visible in your life. 05:11.548 --> 05:12.608 Now, that's not good. 05:12.608 --> 05:14.708 That's a problem that needs to be addressed. 05:14.708 --> 05:18.128 But as you yield to the Lord and walk with him, 05:18.128 --> 05:21.848 he will grow you in these areas where those marks 05:21.848 --> 05:25.348 will become more visible and evident within your life. 05:25.347 --> 05:29.767 Now, Paul first says, I'm thankful for your work of faith. 05:29.867 --> 05:33.987 We see here that Christians are marked by an act of faith. 05:34.727 --> 05:38.527 Some people have so-called faith that is inactive. 05:39.227 --> 05:41.027 It's sort of a name only. 05:41.767 --> 05:43.767 Now, this phrase, work of faith, 05:44.067 --> 05:48.647 it's referring to works that are produced by faith, 05:49.247 --> 05:51.807 a faith that's alive, it's active, 05:51.807 --> 05:54.307 it's producing something. 05:54.305 --> 06:00.145 Now, the Judaizers of Paul's day said it's Jesus plus works, 06:00.665 --> 06:04.345 Jesus plus circumcision, Jesus plus keeping the law. 06:04.885 --> 06:09.745 But Paul argued throughout the New Testament, no, it's Jesus alone. 06:09.745 --> 06:13.145 And we're saved by grace through faith alone. 06:13.625 --> 06:19.585 But Paul also taught that genuine faith produces genuine works. 06:20.005 --> 06:21.785 Ephesians chapter 2, verse number 8 says, 06:21.965 --> 06:27.065 For by grace you've been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God. 06:27.245 --> 06:29.325 Not of works, lest anyone should boast. 06:29.325 --> 06:34.065 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, 06:34.125 --> 06:38.045 which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 06:38.669 --> 06:42.409 So we're not saved by our good works, 06:42.409 --> 06:44.929 but we are saved for good works. 06:45.389 --> 06:47.549 Martin Luther, the great reformer said, 06:47.629 --> 06:48.969 we're saved by faith alone, 06:49.049 --> 06:51.489 but the faith that saves is never alone. 06:51.489 --> 06:52.421 Amen. 06:52.422 --> 06:56.922 And so let me ask you, is your faith alone? 06:56.922 --> 06:59.442 And if it is, if there's no obedience 06:59.442 --> 07:02.002 accompanying your faith, you have some reason 07:02.002 --> 07:04.842 to do some soul searching between you and the Lord 07:04.842 --> 07:06.622 to examine your life. 07:06.622 --> 07:09.742 Is my faith actually the real deal? 07:09.742 --> 07:11.522 Paul rejoices over their work of faith, 07:11.522 --> 07:15.122 but he also thanks God for their labor of love. 07:15.122 --> 07:19.462 You see, Christians are to be marked by a laboring love. 07:19.726 --> 07:22.366 Now, it seems like those two words don't go together, 07:22.466 --> 07:23.465 but they do. 07:23.466 --> 07:27.106 The word labor here means working with intensity. 07:28.286 --> 07:30.626 You see, love is not just some feeling. 07:30.886 --> 07:32.266 It's not just words. 07:32.726 --> 07:34.866 It's sometimes an intense labor. 07:35.943 --> 07:39.983 Now, as a Christian, you can labor and not love, 07:39.983 --> 07:43.783 but you cannot love and not labor. 07:43.783 --> 07:47.523 Because love, it gets involved in people's lives. 07:47.523 --> 07:49.723 It gets involved even in the messiness 07:49.723 --> 07:51.343 of other people's lives. 07:51.343 --> 07:54.303 That's what James said in chapter two, verse 15. 07:54.455 --> 07:56.275 He said, if a brother or sister is naked 07:56.275 --> 07:57.995 and destitute of daily food, 07:58.275 --> 07:59.455 and one of you says to them, 07:59.815 --> 08:02.395 depart in peace, be warmed and filled, 08:02.915 --> 08:04.935 but you do not give them the things 08:04.935 --> 08:06.235 which are needed for the body, 08:06.235 --> 08:07.615 what does it profit? 08:09.203 --> 08:11.283 Love takes action, doesn't it? 08:11.283 --> 08:13.623 Look at 1 John 4, verse seven. 08:13.623 --> 08:17.823 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, 08:18.683 --> 08:21.783 and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 08:21.783 --> 08:25.943 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 08:27.523 --> 08:30.463 The Apostle Paul knew the Thessalonians were the real deal 08:30.463 --> 08:32.843 because they were marked, their life was characterized 08:32.843 --> 08:35.923 by a laboring of love. 08:35.917 --> 08:42.417 Now, he also refers here to their patience of hope in Christ. 08:42.837 --> 08:47.257 See, Christians, we are also to be marked by a persistent hope. 08:47.697 --> 08:52.617 Now, whenever you read the word hope within the New Testament, 08:53.157 --> 08:56.337 don't think of the kind of ways that we use the word hope. 08:56.497 --> 09:01.057 Like, you know, I hope Oklahoma wins the national championship next year. 09:01.697 --> 09:02.966 That's... 09:02.967 --> 09:03.967 Dreaming, right? 09:04.127 --> 09:05.207 I mean, it might happen. 09:05.287 --> 09:06.427 I hope it happens. 09:06.547 --> 09:10.287 But that kind of cockeyed optimism, that's not biblical hope. 09:10.787 --> 09:13.387 Biblical hope is a confident expectation, 09:14.007 --> 09:16.927 an expectation of the future that's anchored in reality 09:16.927 --> 09:19.447 because it's anchored to the promises of God. 09:20.348 --> 09:22.728 Now the word patience here could be translated 09:22.728 --> 09:25.588 as persist or endure. 09:25.588 --> 09:28.628 And so you might be wondering as you read this passage, 09:28.628 --> 09:31.148 were they enduring in hope 09:31.148 --> 09:34.368 or were they enduring because of their hope? 09:35.148 --> 09:36.548 Perhaps both. 09:36.548 --> 09:39.828 You see, their work was produced by faith. 09:39.828 --> 09:42.828 Their labor was motivated by love, 09:42.828 --> 09:46.648 and their endurance was inspired by hope. 09:46.648 --> 09:50.848 You see, faith believes the truth of the past. 09:50.848 --> 09:53.808 Love meets the needs of the present, 09:53.808 --> 09:58.008 and hope longs for the promises of the future. 09:58.013 --> 10:03.973 And that future longing, that future hope in many ways is the main theme of 1 Thessalonians. 10:04.793 --> 10:07.753 Persecution, affliction had hit these new believers. 10:07.933 --> 10:12.853 And Paul says, keep on enduring with hope because Jesus is coming back. 10:13.493 --> 10:19.113 Now, in verse number four, Paul is still in the midst of giving thanks to the Lord. 10:19.113 --> 10:26.773 And he says, he says, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 10:27.292 --> 10:32.172 We see here that Christians are marked by God's choosing. 10:32.172 --> 10:37.172 Ephesians chapter one says that God chose us in him 10:37.292 --> 10:39.672 before the foundation of the world. 10:39.672 --> 10:41.392 And that led Charles Spurgeon to say, 10:41.392 --> 10:43.832 it's a good thing God chose me before I was born 10:43.832 --> 10:46.472 because he surely wouldn't have afterwards. 10:47.677 --> 10:50.977 I think that sounds pretty accurate in my life, I know. 10:51.697 --> 10:55.677 Paul wants to make clear, that's what he's doing here, that he's thankful to God, yes, 10:56.057 --> 10:59.177 but he's thankful to God for what he's done, not what they've done. 10:59.777 --> 11:06.657 Their faith, their work, their love, their hope was ultimately a result of God's grace in their lives, 11:06.717 --> 11:07.797 and he gets all the glory. 11:09.117 --> 11:09.782 Now, 11:09.783 --> 11:12.023 There are a lot of people who want to get into a debate. 11:12.023 --> 11:14.083 Every time the word election comes up in the Bible, 11:14.083 --> 11:15.643 they want to fight about it, right? 11:15.643 --> 11:18.043 And there's two basic camps out there. 11:18.043 --> 11:21.683 There are Arminians and the Calvinists. 11:21.683 --> 11:27.443 Arminians emphasize that we choose God in salvation. 11:27.434 --> 11:32.434 Calvinists, they emphasize that God chooses us in salvation. 11:32.434 --> 11:35.434 But the Bible emphasizes both, 11:35.434 --> 11:38.954 that God initiates and chooses us in salvation, 11:38.954 --> 11:43.614 and that we respond and are to choose him in faith, right? 11:43.614 --> 11:46.414 Now, that's what's called a paradox. 11:46.418 --> 11:48.618 It's an apparent contradiction. 11:48.618 --> 11:50.858 Now, it's only a contradiction in our own mind. 11:50.858 --> 11:53.058 It's not a contradiction in the mind of God, 11:53.058 --> 11:56.138 for his ways are above our ways. 11:56.138 --> 11:58.858 It was Charles Spurgeon who suggested that perhaps 11:58.858 --> 12:01.438 when we get to heaven, over the gates of heaven, 12:01.438 --> 12:04.358 it will say, whosoever will may come. 12:04.358 --> 12:06.038 And if we were to walk through the gates 12:06.038 --> 12:08.458 and we were to turn around and look back at that gate, 12:08.458 --> 12:10.298 then it would say, chosen in him 12:10.298 --> 12:12.398 before the foundation of the world. 12:12.389 --> 12:16.529 Some things are beyond our ability to fully grasp. 12:16.529 --> 12:19.369 Now, some people will read a verse like this in the Bible 12:19.369 --> 12:22.109 and they focus all of their attention 12:22.109 --> 12:24.569 on trying to explain it away as meaningless 12:24.569 --> 12:27.469 and they miss out on the wonderful blessing 12:27.469 --> 12:29.489 of the truth that it contains. 12:29.489 --> 12:32.849 Some people say, well, I just don't believe in election. 12:33.483 --> 12:35.063 Well, if you're a Christian, 12:35.063 --> 12:36.423 you don't really have that option. 12:36.423 --> 12:39.383 Now, you may disagree with the nuance 12:39.383 --> 12:41.883 of how people articulate election, 12:41.883 --> 12:42.722 but you can't just say, 12:42.723 --> 12:45.743 I don't believe 1 Thessalonians 1, verse number four. 12:46.358 --> 12:49.378 We don't get to make up God's word as Christians, 12:49.378 --> 12:52.098 we receive it by faith, don't we? 12:52.098 --> 12:54.598 The language of election and God's choosing, 12:54.598 --> 12:57.298 it actually permeates the scriptures. 12:57.298 --> 13:01.258 In the Old Testament, the Bible says that God chose 13:01.258 --> 13:03.038 the nation of Israel. 13:03.038 --> 13:05.398 And He chose them not based on how good they were 13:05.398 --> 13:08.658 or how smart they were or how powerful they were. 13:08.658 --> 13:12.738 No, He chose them based on His sovereign love for them. 13:13.105 --> 13:15.945 We see that in Deuteronomy 7, verse seven. 13:15.945 --> 13:18.105 It says, the Lord did not set his love on you, 13:18.105 --> 13:20.705 nor choose you, because you are more in number 13:20.705 --> 13:21.925 than any other people. 13:21.925 --> 13:24.225 For you are the least of all peoples, 13:24.225 --> 13:26.985 but because the Lord loves you, 13:26.985 --> 13:28.705 and because he would keep the oath 13:28.705 --> 13:31.625 which he swore to your fathers. 13:31.625 --> 13:36.105 So clearly, we see here that God chose the nation of Israel. 13:36.545 --> 13:40.225 But what's a little different here in Thessalonians 13:40.225 --> 13:44.325 is the church was made up mainly not of Israelites, 13:44.325 --> 13:45.565 but of Greeks. 13:45.565 --> 13:46.705 And so Paul is saying, 13:46.705 --> 13:49.205 I thank God something new is taking place. 13:49.205 --> 13:51.925 God has chosen you. 13:51.925 --> 13:55.685 You are, I'm thankful for your election. 13:55.685 --> 13:58.205 Now Jesus said in John 15, verse 16, 13:58.205 --> 13:59.865 you did not choose me, 13:59.866 --> 14:02.026 but I chose you and appointed you 14:02.026 --> 14:03.446 that you should go and bear fruit 14:03.446 --> 14:04.986 and that your fruit should remain. 14:04.986 --> 14:07.406 And whatever you ask the Father in my name, 14:07.406 --> 14:09.206 he may give you. 14:09.206 --> 14:10.506 So as a believer, 14:10.506 --> 14:13.046 election should not cause us to fight in war, 14:13.046 --> 14:15.266 it should cause us to be thankful 14:15.266 --> 14:18.466 and rest and be encouraged to how much God loves us 14:18.466 --> 14:20.806 and produced his incredible confidence 14:20.806 --> 14:24.046 and security in our salvation because God loves us 14:24.046 --> 14:26.506 and he loves us so much that he chose us. 14:27.170 --> 14:30.950 1 John 4, verse number 19 says, 14:30.950 --> 14:31.849 "'We love him.'" 14:31.850 --> 14:32.689 Why? 14:32.690 --> 14:36.530 "'Because he first loved us.'" 14:36.530 --> 14:39.710 Verse number five, Paul continues, he says, 14:39.710 --> 14:43.670 "'For our gospel did not come to you in word only, 14:43.670 --> 14:46.910 "'but also in power and in the Holy Spirit 14:46.910 --> 14:49.510 "'and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men 14:49.510 --> 14:51.870 "'we were among you for your sake.'" 14:51.870 --> 14:53.890 Here we see that Christians were marked 14:53.890 --> 14:56.590 by a powerful work of the Holy Spirit. 14:57.055 --> 15:03.415 I mean, when you think about it, these people were not really discipled like Jesus told us to disciple people. 15:03.555 --> 15:08.115 Jesus told us to teach them to observe everything I've commanded. 15:08.175 --> 15:09.094 They only had a few weeks. 15:09.095 --> 15:11.035 There's no way they possibly could have done that. 15:11.675 --> 15:15.835 And yet, the Holy Spirit discipled them, didn't he? 15:16.343 --> 15:18.383 Now the word gospel that's in this verse, 15:18.383 --> 15:20.463 it means good news. 15:20.463 --> 15:22.403 But before there's good news in the Bible, 15:22.403 --> 15:24.903 we have to recognize that there's some bad news. 15:24.903 --> 15:27.323 And the bad news is that we're all sinners. 15:27.323 --> 15:29.583 The Bible says, for all have sinned 15:29.583 --> 15:31.223 and fallen short of the glory of God. 15:31.223 --> 15:33.683 And for the wages of sin is death. 15:34.332 --> 15:41.172 It's separation from God, physical death, spiritual death, to spend eternity away from the presence of God. 15:41.172 --> 15:49.052 But the good news of the gospel is that God loves us so much that he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. 15:49.392 --> 15:52.012 And then he rose again the third day. 15:52.412 --> 15:59.552 Romans chapter five, verse number eight says, but God demonstrates his own love towards us. 15:59.692 --> 16:04.032 And that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 16:04.319 --> 16:07.639 So Jesus didn't die for us because how good we are. 16:08.059 --> 16:11.879 No, he died for us in spite of how bad we are. 16:12.479 --> 16:16.819 Now, the question is, why in the world would he do that? 16:18.099 --> 16:19.659 It's because he loves us. 16:21.650 --> 16:25.430 It's because he loves us and he really loves us. 16:25.430 --> 16:27.850 In spite of your sin, in spite of all your failure, 16:27.850 --> 16:31.310 your messed up life, your mistake upon mistake upon mistake, 16:31.310 --> 16:34.250 he still looks at your life and he loves you. 16:34.250 --> 16:37.430 And he loves you so much that he sent his only begotten son 16:37.430 --> 16:39.170 to die on the cross for your sins, 16:39.170 --> 16:41.910 to die on the cross for the sins of the world. 16:41.910 --> 16:43.750 That's the gospel. 16:43.750 --> 16:47.190 And Paul says this wonderful good news gospel, 16:47.190 --> 16:48.950 it wasn't just words to you. 16:48.953 --> 16:49.952 No, no, no. 16:49.953 --> 16:54.333 It was accompanied with the power of the Holy Spirit that came upon you. 16:55.173 --> 17:01.053 Did you know that there's nothing we could possibly ever do to earn our salvation, 17:01.513 --> 17:02.573 to save ourselves? 17:02.993 --> 17:04.410 Nothing. 17:04.411 --> 17:06.031 The Bible says we're dead. 17:06.571 --> 17:08.511 We're dead in our trespasses and sin. 17:08.751 --> 17:10.771 A dead man can't earn his salvation. 17:11.571 --> 17:13.491 No, he must receive his salvation. 17:14.051 --> 17:17.911 He must receive a powerful touch from the Holy Spirit of God. 17:18.031 --> 17:20.891 And that touch from the Spirit, it brings new life. 17:21.631 --> 17:26.851 And that new life comes by means of faith. 17:27.571 --> 17:29.711 Of saying yes to Jesus Christ. 17:29.808 --> 17:33.748 of responding by trusting in him. 17:34.328 --> 17:37.808 The Bible says we are new creations in Christ Jesus. 17:38.328 --> 17:39.848 All things, they've passed away. 17:39.968 --> 17:42.828 Behold, all things have become new. 17:43.648 --> 17:46.148 See, what we desperately need in this life, 17:47.408 --> 17:51.068 is the touch of God, deep, 17:51.068 --> 17:53.668 a deep place where only he can get to 17:53.668 --> 17:55.448 and for his spirit to touch us. 17:55.448 --> 17:57.168 And there's no formula for that. 17:57.168 --> 17:59.708 We can't manipulate it, we can't fabricate it. 17:59.708 --> 18:01.828 We simply receive it by faith. 18:02.174 --> 18:03.334 by trusting in him. 18:03.334 --> 18:14.094 And when we do that, the Holy Spirit, he brings a sense of security and assurance to our souls as we walk with him, doesn't he? 18:14.494 --> 18:17.174 Romans chapter 8, verse number 16 says, 18:17.414 --> 18:24.154 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are indeed the children of God. 18:25.462 --> 18:27.822 Verse number six, Paul continues. 18:28.022 --> 18:34.302 He says, and you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much 18:34.302 --> 18:37.382 affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit. 18:37.602 --> 18:41.922 So you became examples to all Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 18:43.142 --> 18:46.682 Christians are to be marked by joy. 18:47.782 --> 18:48.461 Did you know that? 18:48.462 --> 18:49.524 Did you know that? 18:49.525 --> 18:50.725 Sometimes you meet Christians, 18:50.725 --> 18:53.265 you wouldn't learn that from them. 18:53.265 --> 18:55.285 But we are to be marked by joy. 18:55.285 --> 18:57.865 The Apostle Paul, when he was in prison in Rome, 18:57.865 --> 18:59.705 he wrote to the church of Philippi and he said, 18:59.705 --> 19:03.085 "'Rejoice always, again I say rejoice,' 19:03.085 --> 19:04.625 while he's in prison." 19:04.625 --> 19:06.665 You see, Paul knew, and amazingly, 19:06.665 --> 19:09.865 these new believers in Thessalonica knew that our joy 19:09.865 --> 19:12.665 is not connected to our circumstances of life, 19:12.665 --> 19:15.185 it's connected to Jesus. 19:15.175 --> 19:20.175 And Paul said, you received the word in much affliction. 19:20.195 --> 19:23.395 In other words, when you finally trusted Christ 19:23.395 --> 19:26.575 with your life, a lot of bad things started happening to you. 19:26.575 --> 19:28.955 Persecution hit, but nevertheless, 19:28.955 --> 19:31.095 in the midst of all that affliction, 19:31.095 --> 19:34.515 you received the word with joy. 19:34.515 --> 19:38.955 Now, how can those two things exist at the same time 19:39.815 --> 19:43.995 in the same person of affliction and joy? 19:44.977 --> 19:48.197 It's because joy is a gift that comes 19:48.197 --> 19:50.677 from the Holy Spirit, isn't it? 19:50.677 --> 19:52.197 It's not a gift that's connected 19:52.197 --> 19:54.317 to our circumstances of life, 19:54.317 --> 19:57.997 it's connected to Jesus and Jesus alone. 19:57.997 --> 20:02.997 Now, this world, it can take a lot of things from you, 20:03.297 --> 20:05.017 but it can never take Jesus from you. 20:05.783 --> 20:10.103 Once we're connected to Jesus, he has a hold of us, we have a hold of him. 20:10.163 --> 20:15.523 His spirit has molded us and mended us and put us together. 20:16.718 --> 20:19.038 And joy comes from walking with him. 20:19.418 --> 20:24.578 Joy is the fruit that's produced in our life when we abide in Christ and we walk in the Spirit. 20:25.518 --> 20:30.098 You see, when we remain in this connected relationship with Jesus, 20:30.298 --> 20:33.098 the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of joy. 20:33.198 --> 20:35.158 Now, there's a lot of fruit that he produces. 20:35.158 --> 20:36.818 He certainly produces joy. 20:38.398 --> 20:44.718 So my question becomes, why are so many Christians and churches grumped up 20:50.519 --> 20:52.899 Well, there could be a number of reasons. 20:53.019 --> 20:57.199 It could be that they have unconfessed sin in their life that's robbing them of joy. 20:58.439 --> 20:59.918 That happens. 20:59.919 --> 21:08.219 After King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and he had her husband Uriah murdered on the battlefield, 21:09.402 --> 21:13.142 He finally came to a point of confession and repentance 21:13.142 --> 21:14.602 in his prayer of confession. 21:14.602 --> 21:17.682 He said, Lord, please restore to me 21:17.682 --> 21:20.462 the joy of your salvation. 21:20.462 --> 21:21.982 He didn't say restore your salvation. 21:21.982 --> 21:23.682 I don't think he lost his salvation, 21:23.682 --> 21:25.802 but he had lost the joy of it. 21:25.802 --> 21:27.482 And so it could be sin in your life 21:27.482 --> 21:29.522 that's unconfessed to the Lord 21:29.522 --> 21:32.222 that's just stealing that fruit of joy 21:32.222 --> 21:34.042 that God wants to give you. 21:34.042 --> 21:35.304 Or, 21:35.305 --> 21:39.745 It could be that you're allowing other people 21:39.745 --> 21:41.545 to steal your joy. 21:41.545 --> 21:46.225 Legalists will do that if you let them. 21:46.225 --> 21:48.725 If you let them, they'll get you focused on rules 21:48.725 --> 21:51.425 all day long instead of your relationship with Jesus. 21:51.425 --> 21:55.225 And a focus on rules will always rob you of your joy 21:55.225 --> 21:58.065 because joy doesn't come from rules. 21:58.065 --> 21:59.805 It comes from Jesus. 22:00.449 --> 22:02.089 And so when you're focused on rules, 22:02.089 --> 22:04.689 you're trying to measure up to some standard. 22:04.689 --> 22:07.609 But the problem is, no matter how hard you try, 22:07.609 --> 22:09.069 you're never gonna be enough. 22:09.069 --> 22:11.069 You're never going to measure up. 22:11.069 --> 22:12.929 The standard is too high. 22:12.929 --> 22:14.829 Joy comes from God. 22:14.829 --> 22:17.409 And it comes upon a person and to a person 22:17.409 --> 22:21.209 and within a person who knows already they don't measure up. 22:21.209 --> 22:23.489 And so instead, they walk confidently 22:23.489 --> 22:25.949 in the grace of God in their life. 22:27.049 --> 22:28.069 Verse number eight. 22:29.542 --> 22:33.322 He says, for from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth. 22:33.422 --> 22:35.022 In other words, you've started telling others. 22:35.522 --> 22:38.902 Not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. 22:38.902 --> 22:45.002 Your faith toward God has gone out so that we do not need to say anything. 22:45.995 --> 22:49.055 We see here that Christians are to be also marked 22:49.055 --> 22:50.675 by their witness. 22:50.675 --> 22:52.155 Did you know that? 22:52.155 --> 22:55.295 That should be normal, not abnormal. 22:55.295 --> 22:57.415 In our world, it's kind of the abnormal, 22:57.415 --> 23:01.055 it's for the elite Christians. 23:01.055 --> 23:03.655 No, this should be normal. 23:05.315 --> 23:07.075 But somehow it's not. 23:08.015 --> 23:12.055 The Thessalonian believers didn't just receive the word, 23:12.055 --> 23:15.215 they became conduits of the word. 23:15.543 --> 23:19.263 And I think they became a very contagious, infectious church. 23:19.403 --> 23:22.663 People saw their love for one another, their joy. 23:22.763 --> 23:27.583 They saw their hope and it was infectious and they shared Christ with others. 23:28.283 --> 23:33.743 Now, we know from the book of Acts that Paul and his team did not go to every city in Macedonia. 23:33.743 --> 23:35.023 They didn't go to all of Europe. 23:35.183 --> 23:39.203 It appears that they were strategic as God led them to be. 23:39.353 --> 23:43.173 You see, Thessalonica was a strategic city. 23:43.733 --> 23:48.013 It was a capital of the providence of Macedonia, 23:48.813 --> 23:51.553 and it had about 200,000 people in it. 23:51.553 --> 23:55.653 So this is a large city that had a lot of traffic through there 23:55.653 --> 23:57.373 to go worship the Greek gods. 23:58.422 --> 23:59.661 It's your teaching. 23:59.662 --> 24:03.942 And Paul says, the word is already going out from you, 24:04.002 --> 24:07.042 not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but beyond that, 24:07.342 --> 24:11.442 so that we're not even needed to go to these places you've been to. 24:12.496 --> 24:15.096 Amazing witness for the Lord. 24:15.096 --> 24:17.276 William Carey, who was called to be a missionary 24:17.276 --> 24:22.076 in the late 1700s, a man in his church said to him 24:22.076 --> 24:24.476 after he expressed that he wanted to go to India 24:24.476 --> 24:26.456 as a missionary, he said, young man, 24:26.456 --> 24:28.276 if God wants to save the heathen, 24:28.276 --> 24:30.416 he can do it with or without you. 24:32.256 --> 24:35.076 And I suppose that's true, God can do anything he wants, 24:35.076 --> 24:38.016 but that is not God's chosen means. 24:38.876 --> 24:40.436 God's plan, 24:40.643 --> 24:42.623 It's for those of us who know Jesus 24:42.623 --> 24:46.083 to tell those who don't know Jesus about him. 24:47.343 --> 24:49.343 And this church, I think, responded exactly 24:49.343 --> 24:51.103 how you would think people would respond 24:51.103 --> 24:53.083 to the message of the gospel. 24:53.083 --> 24:56.003 They told everyone they could think of 24:56.003 --> 25:00.083 about the amazing news that God loves them, 25:00.083 --> 25:04.563 that this world full of sin and pain and suffering and death, 25:04.563 --> 25:06.163 it's not all that there is, 25:06.163 --> 25:09.203 that God has a plan for eternity, a plan for your life now. 25:09.203 --> 25:11.603 He loves you so much, he sent his son Jesus 25:11.603 --> 25:13.163 to die on the cross for your sins, 25:13.163 --> 25:14.943 and he rose the third day. 25:16.857 --> 25:19.237 And yet many Christians today, 25:21.717 --> 25:24.597 they may go a lifetime without telling another soul 25:24.597 --> 25:26.157 about Jesus. 25:26.157 --> 25:27.677 That's hard for me to fathom. 25:27.677 --> 25:29.617 It's hard for me to get my mind around. 25:30.537 --> 25:32.597 Let's say on a cold foggy night, 25:32.597 --> 25:36.277 we understand fog here in Bakersfield this morning. 25:36.277 --> 25:38.497 I don't know, was it foggy out just a little bit? 25:38.497 --> 25:40.237 It was early when I showed up to church. 25:41.562 --> 25:45.442 Let's say you're out on a cold, foggy night 25:45.442 --> 25:50.162 and you're approaching a bridge that you're about to cross 25:50.162 --> 25:51.982 but you see someone out in the road 25:51.982 --> 25:54.722 just waving you down frantically to stop you 25:54.722 --> 25:57.162 and they stop you and they say the bridge is out ahead. 25:57.162 --> 25:59.642 I've been warning people, some people have already gone over 25:59.642 --> 26:01.882 but I'm warning people, I need to go get some more help. 26:01.882 --> 26:04.022 Will you stay here and will you warn people 26:04.022 --> 26:06.022 that the bridge is out? 26:07.600 --> 26:10.520 How many of us would just stand to the side of the road 26:10.520 --> 26:14.720 and watch car after car go by to their destruction 26:14.720 --> 26:16.700 off that broken bridge? 26:16.700 --> 26:18.620 None of us would do that. 26:18.620 --> 26:20.800 There isn't a single person who would do that, 26:20.800 --> 26:24.080 and yet it seems that's what so many Christians do 26:24.080 --> 26:28.460 when they don't share about the wonderful news of Jesus. 26:28.460 --> 26:30.580 You see, this world is in a death spiral, 26:30.580 --> 26:32.140 and it's a painful death spiral, 26:32.140 --> 26:34.100 and it's not gonna get any better for them. 26:34.100 --> 26:36.260 It's only gonna get worse without 26:36.254 --> 26:43.114 Jesus. Our job is to warn them and to lovingly tell them about the wonderful news that God loves 26:43.114 --> 26:48.194 them and will meet them right where they're at and that he's full of love and grace and mercy 26:48.194 --> 26:56.274 for those who yield to him. Verse number nine, Paul says, for they themselves declare concerning 26:56.274 --> 27:03.834 us what manner of entry we had to you and how you turn to God from idols to serve the living 27:03.834 --> 27:05.314 and true God. 27:06.443 --> 27:11.023 Now, Thessalonica was only 50 miles from Mount Olympus, 27:11.023 --> 27:14.623 which was home to some of the most famous Greek gods, 27:14.623 --> 27:19.283 Zeus and Poseidon and Hermes and others. 27:19.283 --> 27:22.743 And so, idolatry was rampant in Thessalonica. 27:22.743 --> 27:25.343 It was just like part of their culture, 27:25.343 --> 27:27.683 not to mention the worship of Caesar. 27:28.415 --> 27:29.755 And so Paul says, 27:29.755 --> 27:31.355 "'We have heard about how you have turned 27:31.355 --> 27:36.355 "'from those dead false idols to the true living God.'" 27:38.915 --> 27:41.295 What he's talking about is repentance. 27:41.295 --> 27:45.535 You see Christians, we are to be marked by repentance. 27:45.535 --> 27:47.855 Now the word repentance in the Bible, 27:47.855 --> 27:51.655 it's kind of the flip side of the same coin of faith. 27:51.655 --> 27:53.975 Repentance means to turn. 27:54.807 --> 27:59.327 You're going one direction towards the life of sin, and you turn. 27:59.787 --> 28:03.987 You start going the other direction towards Jesus. 28:04.887 --> 28:09.627 The Thessalonians had repented of their idol worship, and they had turned to Christ. 28:10.227 --> 28:12.907 Now, sometimes we're tempted when we read a verse like this, 28:12.907 --> 28:16.687 I can't really relate to that because there's no idol worship today. 28:17.927 --> 28:19.127 Think again. 28:21.284 --> 28:23.084 We may be a little more sophisticated. 28:23.084 --> 28:25.864 You may not have a carved image that's sitting in your house 28:25.864 --> 28:27.984 that you bow and you worship, 28:27.984 --> 28:32.984 but we make idols of all kinds of things that consume us. 28:34.064 --> 28:38.444 Money, sex, power, hobbies, comfort, 28:38.444 --> 28:39.283 on and on we could go. 28:39.284 --> 28:42.684 Now, all of those things are bad in and of themselves, 28:42.684 --> 28:44.664 but they are bad when we pursue them 28:44.664 --> 28:46.724 instead of pursuing God. 28:47.845 --> 28:49.945 A Christian is someone who says, 28:49.945 --> 28:52.845 I'm gonna turn from all of my sin. 28:52.845 --> 28:54.285 It starts in the heart. 28:54.285 --> 28:56.985 It's a change of mind, a change of heart. 28:56.985 --> 28:59.465 I'm gonna turn from that, 28:59.465 --> 29:01.765 and I'm gonna turn also from the idols 29:01.765 --> 29:03.385 that have consumed my life. 29:03.961 --> 29:06.781 that I've been putting as priority, 29:06.781 --> 29:08.521 they're not gonna be priority anymore. 29:08.521 --> 29:11.761 I'm gonna serve instead the Lord Jesus. 29:11.761 --> 29:12.821 And then you start pursuing, 29:12.821 --> 29:14.601 that doesn't mean you do it perfectly, 29:14.601 --> 29:16.761 it means that you're pursuing the Lord. 29:16.761 --> 29:18.901 You fall down, you get back up by his grace, 29:18.901 --> 29:22.021 and you keep on pursuing. 29:22.021 --> 29:25.261 Now in verse number 10, Paul says that, 29:25.949 --> 29:28.049 They also wait. 29:28.049 --> 29:31.069 It says, they wait for his Son from heaven, 29:31.069 --> 29:32.529 whom he raised from the dead, 29:32.529 --> 29:36.369 even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 29:36.369 --> 29:38.749 Now in all five chapters of 1 Thessalonians, 29:38.749 --> 29:41.289 the second coming of Jesus is mentioned, 29:41.289 --> 29:43.449 and this is the verse in chapter one. 29:44.569 --> 29:48.729 Now this last mark might be the faintest mark 29:48.729 --> 29:50.629 among many of us, 29:50.629 --> 29:53.329 but I think it's clear here that Christians 29:53.329 --> 29:55.829 should be marked by their anticipation 29:56.611 --> 29:57.711 of Christ's return. 29:59.251 --> 30:00.891 One of the marks of spiritual maturity 30:00.891 --> 30:04.671 is to think about eternal things 30:04.671 --> 30:07.431 and not just the here and the now. 30:08.631 --> 30:13.551 A mark of immaturity is to only 30:13.551 --> 30:15.411 be able to think about the here and now. 30:16.051 --> 30:18.071 And kids are like that, right? 30:18.071 --> 30:21.111 I mean, your little guy will ask you for something, 30:21.111 --> 30:23.111 you say, wait five minutes after dinner, 30:23.111 --> 30:23.950 then you can have it. 30:23.951 --> 30:26.231 And you would think, you told him the world's ended. 30:26.231 --> 30:28.331 I can't wait five minutes. 30:28.331 --> 30:30.971 Patience belongs to maturity, 30:30.971 --> 30:34.351 to the person who can look down the corridor of time 30:34.351 --> 30:36.671 and wait patiently and expectantly 30:36.671 --> 30:38.611 for something that's worth waiting for. 30:39.751 --> 30:40.831 Know what I'm waiting for? 30:42.308 --> 30:44.088 I'm waiting for Jesus to come back 30:44.088 --> 30:46.408 and fix this whole mess of a world. 30:47.608 --> 30:50.088 And when he does, he's gonna deliver us, 30:50.088 --> 30:52.488 it says, from the wrath to come. 30:52.488 --> 30:54.488 That is God's wrath. 30:54.488 --> 30:55.868 For those of us in Christ, 30:57.028 --> 30:59.708 we'll be clothed in the righteous robe of Jesus, 30:59.708 --> 31:01.388 forgiveness, grace, 31:01.388 --> 31:03.668 and we're not gonna experience God's wrath. 31:04.668 --> 31:05.968 We'll be delivered from it. 31:06.988 --> 31:10.348 You know, Christ's return is viewed 31:10.348 --> 31:11.888 in a lot of different ways. 31:12.987 --> 31:14.667 For some people who reject Jesus, 31:14.667 --> 31:18.267 his return brings about fear. 31:18.267 --> 31:21.187 The uncertainty of it brings fear. 31:21.187 --> 31:24.287 For some who simply study Jesus, 31:24.287 --> 31:27.467 his return is something they speculate about. 31:28.787 --> 31:32.927 But for those of us who have received Jesus, 31:32.927 --> 31:35.847 his return is something we long for. 31:37.667 --> 31:39.067 Vance Havner, the old preacher, 31:39.067 --> 31:41.447 told a story about a woman who was, 31:42.434 --> 31:45.614 waiting at the train station for her fiance to arrive. 31:45.614 --> 31:49.194 He was coming in on the train, and when he got there, 31:49.194 --> 31:50.674 the two of them were gonna get married. 31:50.674 --> 31:52.374 And so she's there at the station, 31:52.374 --> 31:53.814 and she's waiting on that train, 31:53.814 --> 31:56.794 and she's excited, she's giddy, she's looking, 31:56.794 --> 32:00.754 she's listening for it, she's longing for it to arrive. 32:00.754 --> 32:04.514 And there with her was the old station master, 32:05.502 --> 32:06.341 He was also waiting. 32:06.342 --> 32:07.422 He had all his charts out. 32:07.422 --> 32:08.261 He had the schedule. 32:08.262 --> 32:10.322 He knew exactly what time it was supposed to arrive, 32:10.322 --> 32:12.402 when it left, and all of these different things. 32:12.402 --> 32:13.281 And he was waiting too, 32:13.282 --> 32:16.142 but he wasn't waiting like she was waiting. 32:16.142 --> 32:18.242 She was waiting with anticipation 32:18.242 --> 32:21.282 because her bridegroom was on that train. 32:22.702 --> 32:24.782 Folks, our bridegroom, 32:25.448 --> 32:29.008 The Lord Jesus Christ, he says, I'm coming back for you. 32:29.548 --> 32:32.508 And we're going to find out in chapter 4 that the dead in Christ, 32:32.828 --> 32:34.188 they're going to miss out on his return. 32:34.308 --> 32:35.588 They're going to rise first. 32:35.888 --> 32:37.788 We're all going to be there when he returns. 32:38.008 --> 32:40.928 And what a glorious day that will be. 32:41.388 --> 32:45.128 We need the spirit of the young lady not to speculate about the return, 32:45.128 --> 32:49.068 but to long to see Jesus face to face. 32:49.327 --> 32:53.147 Come, Lord Jesus, come in all of your glory. 32:53.147 --> 32:55.927 Usher in your kingdom in full. 32:56.027 --> 32:57.867 What a day that will be. 32:58.067 --> 33:01.867 But until then, we wait. 33:03.627 --> 33:07.647 And as we wait, we work out our faith. 33:09.387 --> 33:11.447 We labor in love. 33:12.267 --> 33:15.307 And we endure with hope. 33:17.305 --> 33:25.585 Now, as we close today, this message has been about marks of genuine conversion. 33:27.845 --> 33:31.965 Marks that come upon the life of someone who's the real deal. 33:32.725 --> 33:40.285 You see, when God saves someone by his grace, his children, he marks them as his own. 33:42.065 --> 33:46.685 New life means you're different than when you had spiritual dead life. 33:48.743 --> 33:57.243 It could be that today some of you are realizing that perhaps some of the marks of Christianity are very, very faint in your life. 33:59.783 --> 34:01.383 Almost non-existent. 34:04.423 --> 34:14.883 Others of you may be prayerfully reflecting, and the Spirit of God is making clear to you today that those marks are non-existent. 34:18.646 --> 34:22.286 Either camp, the solution's the same. 34:24.046 --> 34:25.586 Draw near to the Lord. 34:27.586 --> 34:29.765 Draw near. 34:29.766 --> 34:33.886 Allow him to transform you by his amazing grace. 34:34.466 --> 34:36.466 You know, sometimes people panic with a message like this 34:36.466 --> 34:38.766 and they go, I need to start working harder 34:38.766 --> 34:40.806 so the marks of my salvation, they show up 34:40.806 --> 34:42.866 so people see them, so I see them, 34:42.906 --> 34:44.446 so I will be a genuine Christian. 34:44.586 --> 34:46.246 No, that's not how it works. 34:46.246 --> 34:47.602 It's not how it works. 34:47.603 --> 34:52.863 You don't work harder to prove and to make somehow you'd be a genuine Christian. 34:53.463 --> 34:57.343 The answer is simply to respond to Jesus. 34:58.683 --> 35:02.123 Yield to him with childlike faith. 35:03.003 --> 35:03.642 Come to him. 35:03.643 --> 35:07.943 God says that if you seek me, you will find me. 35:10.098 --> 35:12.658 He will transform your life, and he's the only one that can do it. 35:13.038 --> 35:17.758 The Bible says, whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 35:17.858 --> 35:21.138 No one ever missed being saved who wanted to be saved. 35:22.438 --> 35:24.498 If you want to give your life to Jesus today, 35:25.018 --> 35:27.678 then you just come and you give your life to Christ today. 35:28.441 --> 35:30.881 The invitation is open. 35:30.881 --> 35:34.601 It's an open invitation for all to come to faith in Christ. 35:34.601 --> 35:36.781 Jesus said, if I be exalted and lifted up, 35:36.781 --> 35:39.761 I will draw all men unto myself. 35:39.761 --> 35:42.981 You see, the Bible ends with an invitation. 35:42.981 --> 35:45.301 The Spirit says, come. 35:45.301 --> 35:47.981 The bride, that is the church, we say, come. 35:47.981 --> 35:49.601 Let him who thirsts come 35:49.601 --> 35:52.861 and taste of the water of life freely. 35:53.483 --> 35:58.583 So I want to invite you to taste of the goodness of God today. 35:59.663 --> 36:04.883 Let me ask you, are you thirsty for more in life than what you have? 36:06.463 --> 36:09.743 Are you hungry for new life? 36:10.803 --> 36:15.523 If that's the case, I want to invite you not to work harder, but to surrender. 36:17.123 --> 36:19.883 And just to place your life... 36:20.483 --> 36:24.743 in the arms of Jesus and just find rest there 36:24.743 --> 36:27.723 and allow the Spirit of God to do a work 36:27.723 --> 36:30.143 that you haven't been able to do on your own. 36:31.383 --> 36:36.123 Come to Jesus today and experience his love and his grace. 36:36.123 --> 36:39.023 Let's bow together in an attitude of prayer, if you will. 36:41.183 --> 36:44.483 This is a holy moment in the life of our church 36:45.383 --> 36:50.363 where we've dedicated this moment to respond to God. 36:51.314 --> 36:56.034 And my prayer and my desire is that every single person listening today 36:56.034 --> 37:01.114 will do some prayerful business with the Lord. 37:02.554 --> 37:08.154 Invite him in to touch your heart where it needs to be touched. 37:13.910 --> 37:15.270 Just a moment, I'm going to pray. 37:15.890 --> 37:18.290 And after I pray, we're going to stand to our feet. 37:18.370 --> 37:21.450 There's going to be pastors and other leaders and prayer partners here at the front. 37:21.950 --> 37:23.930 We're going to invite you to give your life to Christ. 37:24.870 --> 37:32.410 First of all, I want to speak to those of you that it's becoming clear to you that you need Jesus. 37:32.550 --> 37:36.849 You know you need him. 37:36.850 --> 37:38.490 And you want him. 37:40.490 --> 37:41.930 You want some new life. 37:41.930 --> 37:42.970 You know you need it. 37:44.825 --> 37:48.665 Maybe you're aware of your own failure and your sin today. 37:51.105 --> 37:57.785 That's the Spirit of God convicting you, pursuing you because He loves you. 37:57.905 --> 38:01.185 And so I want to invite you to say yes to Jesus. 38:03.665 --> 38:07.005 To respond to His Word today. 38:07.005 --> 38:08.617 Amen. 38:08.618 --> 38:11.558 I wanna invite you as soon as we stand to our feet, 38:11.558 --> 38:14.898 if you just come forward, walk down one of these aisles, 38:14.898 --> 38:16.338 walk down one of these staircases 38:16.338 --> 38:17.938 and take one of these leaders by the hand 38:17.938 --> 38:20.798 and say, I wanna give my life to Christ. 38:20.798 --> 38:22.598 They'll know exactly how to help you. 38:24.638 --> 38:26.338 And we'll help you take the next steps 38:26.338 --> 38:27.838 in your journey with the Lord. 38:31.378 --> 38:33.658 Maybe you are a Christian. 38:34.842 --> 38:44.162 You've met God by His grace, but somehow, someway, the marks of being a Christian have become very faint in your life. 38:48.262 --> 38:59.602 I want to invite you to confess whatever needs to be confessed and to renew your pursuit of the Lord. 38:59.602 --> 39:04.052 Amen. 39:04.053 --> 39:07.573 to just walk with Him. 39:11.798 --> 39:14.818 Maybe God's touching on your heart to be baptized, 39:15.058 --> 39:19.118 to go public with your faith like others today have done and are doing. 39:20.298 --> 39:22.878 We'd love to talk with you about the meaning of baptism 39:22.878 --> 39:25.338 and set up a time for you to do that. 39:26.138 --> 39:28.598 Maybe you want to join our church family and say, 39:28.678 --> 39:31.298 you know what, I kind of want to make this thing official, 39:32.158 --> 39:34.038 become an official member of this church 39:34.038 --> 39:39.738 so that the pastors here can be your pastors. 39:41.853 --> 39:45.913 so you can serve and be connected to us in that way. 39:45.913 --> 39:50.133 If God's leaning and leading you to do that, 39:50.133 --> 39:54.333 come, we'd love to talk with you about what that means. 39:54.333 --> 39:56.633 However God leads in just a moment, you come, let's pray. 39:56.633 --> 40:00.973 Father, thank you for your amazing grace. 40:02.673 --> 40:05.053 Thank you, Lord, for doing a work for us 40:05.053 --> 40:07.873 that we just couldn't do it. 40:08.833 --> 40:10.353 We have all failed to do it. 40:11.063 --> 40:12.963 We've all tried and we've all failed. 40:13.903 --> 40:18.523 And so you stepped in and you made a way 40:18.523 --> 40:20.123 where there seemed to be no way. 40:21.483 --> 40:22.923 Thank you for your son, Jesus. 40:22.923 --> 40:25.743 Thank you for the honor and the privilege of my life 40:26.683 --> 40:29.103 of knowing him, of knowing you. 40:32.263 --> 40:36.283 Please help others today that desperately need you. 40:36.528 --> 40:41.828 I pray that you give them the courage that it's going to take to surrender to you, the faith. 40:43.528 --> 40:44.447 Nudge them, Lord. 40:44.448 --> 40:45.587 Open their eyes. 40:45.588 --> 40:47.507 Soften their heart. 40:47.508 --> 40:49.047 Prompt them, Lord. 40:49.048 --> 40:50.428 Pursue them, please. 40:51.228 --> 40:55.048 Give them the courage it's going to take to step out and come today. 40:55.508 --> 40:56.888 We give this time to you. 40:56.988 --> 40:58.567 It is all yours. 40:58.568 --> 40:59.888 We pray in Jesus' name. 41:00.388 --> 41:01.822 Amen. 41:01.823 --> 41:03.263 Thanks for listening today. 41:03.263 --> 41:04.923 We hope you enjoyed this message. 41:04.923 --> 41:07.023 And if you did, we would be so grateful 41:07.023 --> 41:08.703 if you left us a review. 41:08.703 --> 41:11.143 Also, go ahead and subscribe to the podcast 41:11.143 --> 41:12.443 if you would like to be notified 41:12.443 --> 41:14.343 when a new sermon is released. 41:14.343 --> 41:15.983 If you feel the Lord calling you 41:15.983 --> 41:17.603 to take the next step in faith 41:17.603 --> 41:21.903 through salvation, service, or giving, don't wait. 41:21.905 --> 41:25.025 reach out to us by texting podcast to 88988. 41:25.365 --> 41:27.645 That's podcast to 88988 41:27.645 --> 41:30.585 or connect with us on one of our social media platforms. 41:31.245 --> 41:34.365 You can also visit our website, valleybaptist.org 41:34.365 --> 41:36.345 to find even more great resources. 41:37.045 --> 41:38.705 No matter where you are in your journey, 41:39.285 --> 41:40.544 know that we love you. 41:40.545 --> 41:41.665 We're praying for you 41:41.665 --> 41:44.685 and we can't wait to see what God will do in your life.