WEBVTT 00:01.516 --> 00:04.176 Welcome to the Valley Baptist Church sermon podcast. 00:04.896 --> 00:08.256 We're so glad you're here, and we hope this message inspires you, 00:08.476 --> 00:12.036 builds your faith, and moves you toward a deep relationship with God. 00:12.576 --> 00:15.156 Today, you'll find great insight into the Bible 00:15.156 --> 00:17.836 and learn how you can apply it straight to your life. 00:18.216 --> 00:20.396 So welcome and enjoy the message. 00:21.136 --> 00:25.836 If you have your Bible, please open it with me to 1 Thessalonians 00:25.836 --> 00:28.916 and the message I'm calling Our Pride and Joy. 00:28.916 --> 00:30.152 Amen. 00:30.153 --> 00:35.973 1 Thessalonians is a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to a young church in Thessalonica. 00:36.733 --> 00:41.933 Just a few months earlier, Paul, Silas, and Timothy had gone to Thessalonica 00:41.933 --> 00:45.193 and shared the gospel within the good news of Jesus, 00:45.373 --> 00:47.533 and many of the God-fearing Greeks believed. 00:48.597 --> 00:53.137 Well, that upset the Jews of the city, and they caused quite a stink. 00:53.217 --> 00:56.537 And so they stirred up the crowd, they went to the city officials, 00:56.737 --> 01:01.957 and they ended up kicking Paul and Silas and Timothy out of the city. 01:01.957 --> 01:03.007 Okay. 01:03.008 --> 01:11.688 Now, several months later, the Apostle Paul finds himself writing a letter to them in order to encourage them in their faith 01:11.688 --> 01:15.688 and to answer a few questions they had about the second coming of the Lord 01:15.688 --> 01:21.388 and about what happens to Christians if they die before the Lord returns. 01:21.608 --> 01:25.568 And I have to tell you, I've come to absolutely love this book. 01:26.178 --> 01:31.398 In seminary, it was the first book that I ever translated directly from the Greek, and 01:31.398 --> 01:37.998 I fell in love back then, but as we study now, my love only grows. 01:37.998 --> 01:40.998 In chapter 2, we see the heart of the Apostle Paul. 01:40.998 --> 01:43.218 I mean, he just bears his heart open. 01:43.218 --> 01:49.178 He exposes it for all of us to see and for all of us to learn from. 01:49.178 --> 01:53.458 He started out chapter 2 by saying, we didn't come to you in vain. 01:53.458 --> 01:55.718 We came to you with the truth. 01:56.266 --> 02:02.126 And he said, I shared with you not only the gospel, but we shared our very own lives. 02:02.186 --> 02:04.806 He said, I was like a nursing mother to you. 02:04.906 --> 02:07.726 I was like an encouraging father to you. 02:07.766 --> 02:08.965 And we came to you. Why? 02:08.966 --> 02:10.906 So you would walk worthy of God. 02:11.588 --> 02:15.808 Now, we pick up the rest of chapter 2 in verse number 13. 02:16.068 --> 02:16.447 He says, 02:16.448 --> 02:33.848 He says, 02:34.285 --> 02:40.885 In chapter 1, we saw that Paul thanked God that the Thessalonians had a great work of faith, 02:41.045 --> 02:43.705 a labor of love, an endurance of hope. 02:43.805 --> 02:46.005 He thanked God that they were the real deal. 02:46.965 --> 02:50.005 And here in verse number 13, he jumps back to Thanksgiving again. 02:50.105 --> 02:54.005 He says, I'm also thankful that when we preached to you the good news of Jesus, 02:54.005 --> 02:57.365 you didn't hear it and receive it as the words of mere men. 02:57.485 --> 02:59.565 You received it as the word of God. 03:00.475 --> 03:08.075 So here's our principle. Christians, we welcome the gospel into our lives as the very word of God, because that's what it is. 03:09.098 --> 03:11.838 In fact, that's how the Christian life begins. 03:11.838 --> 03:16.158 It begins by someone hearing the word God speaking 03:16.158 --> 03:19.598 to a person, a person listening, 03:19.598 --> 03:23.498 and then a person receiving by faith. 03:23.498 --> 03:26.158 Now, what exactly did the apostle Paul 03:26.158 --> 03:29.338 and his team originally preach to the Thessalonians? 03:29.338 --> 03:31.978 Well, we find that in Acts chapter 17. 03:31.978 --> 03:35.978 If you read the account, what they preached was the gospel. 03:35.980 --> 03:39.840 And the word gospel simply means good news. 03:40.220 --> 03:43.140 But before anyone can understand the good news of the Bible, 03:43.600 --> 03:46.460 you've got to come to grips with the bad news that's shared. 03:46.580 --> 03:48.800 And the bad news is that we're all in trouble. 03:49.531 --> 03:56.651 without Jesus. Because the Bible teaches that God is holy and He's just and He's always right and He 03:56.651 --> 04:05.271 hates evil. He hates wickedness. He cannot tolerate sin within His presence. Well, that creates quite 04:05.271 --> 04:11.171 a problem for all of us because the Bible also says in Romans chapter 3 verse 23, 04:12.042 --> 04:15.882 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 04:15.942 --> 04:17.062 All of us have sinned. 04:17.062 --> 04:18.482 Romans 6.23 says, 04:18.642 --> 04:21.022 For the wages of that sin is death." 04:21.222 --> 04:23.602 But the gift of God is eternal life 04:23.602 --> 04:25.602 in Christ Jesus our Lord. 04:25.602 --> 04:29.722 Now, the wages of sin is death part, that's the bad news. 04:29.722 --> 04:31.902 The gift of God is eternal life 04:31.902 --> 04:34.482 through Jesus Christ our Lord, that's the good news, 04:34.482 --> 04:37.022 that part, that's the gospel. 04:37.022 --> 04:40.362 That God sent his only begotten son into this world, why? 04:40.362 --> 04:42.022 Because he loves us. 04:42.022 --> 04:45.342 And that Jesus, his son, lived the perfect life 04:45.342 --> 04:48.402 that is required in order to get to heaven. 04:48.391 --> 04:51.831 Then he died a gruesome death upon the cross, 04:51.831 --> 04:55.331 the death that all of us deserve to die because of our sin. 04:55.331 --> 04:57.831 And on the third day he rose. 04:57.971 --> 04:59.570 That's the gospel. 04:59.571 --> 05:01.851 Now the gospel must be received. 05:02.482 --> 05:09.162 And that is that God offers us grace through a great transaction that takes place when we believe. 05:09.382 --> 05:10.382 And here's the transaction. 05:11.022 --> 05:17.602 All of our sin, all of our failures in our life is placed upon Jesus on the cross. 05:17.602 --> 05:21.362 He who knew no sin, the Bible says, became sin for us. 05:21.642 --> 05:26.722 It's placed upon him in his perfect life that he actually lived on the earth. 05:26.942 --> 05:30.422 His righteousness is now placed on us. 05:30.916 --> 05:34.676 to make us right with God, to make us be forgiven. 05:34.916 --> 05:36.336 Now, this part's important. 05:37.276 --> 05:39.856 Only people who receive Jesus as their Savior, 05:40.456 --> 05:45.536 only those who receive and believe what he did upon the cross for their sins 05:45.536 --> 05:48.756 will experience that great transaction. 05:49.516 --> 05:53.756 Only those who believe in Christ are going to experience grace. 05:54.625 --> 05:55.885 and be given eternal life. 05:56.305 --> 05:58.085 So Paul says, we came to you. 05:58.125 --> 06:01.145 We came to you sharing and proclaiming the gospel. 06:01.865 --> 06:03.925 And when you listened to it, 06:04.625 --> 06:07.445 you heard it not as the words of mere men, 06:07.565 --> 06:09.165 but the words of God. 06:10.167 --> 06:24.727 Let me ask you, whenever you hear the good news of Jesus, whenever you hear God's word read or God's word proclaimed or whenever you read it for yourself, do you receive it as a message from God to you? 06:25.523 --> 06:26.523 Because that's what it is. 06:26.843 --> 06:30.143 It's a message from Almighty, the creator of the heavens and the earth, 06:30.203 --> 06:32.543 and he's speaking to us through his word. 06:32.643 --> 06:36.083 Now, not everyone receives it as a message from God. 06:36.143 --> 06:37.383 In fact, most people don't. 06:37.563 --> 06:39.363 Look at Hebrews 4, verse 2. 06:39.623 --> 06:40.762 It says, 06:40.763 --> 06:44.583 For indeed, the gospel was preached to us as well as to them. 06:44.583 --> 06:49.003 But the word which they heard did not profit them, 06:49.563 --> 06:53.063 not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 06:53.637 --> 06:57.837 So what he's saying is not everyone who hears really hears. 06:57.837 --> 07:00.337 Some people, the Bible says, have become dull of hearing. 07:00.337 --> 07:02.937 Now that's not talking about them being physically deaf. 07:02.937 --> 07:06.277 It's talking about them being spiritually deaf. 07:06.277 --> 07:10.597 They hear the word of God, but they don't really hear it. 07:12.117 --> 07:16.917 Occasionally, Kelsey will ask me a question of some kind 07:16.917 --> 07:18.897 while I'm watching an Oklahoma football game. 07:20.198 --> 07:24.058 I try to tell her this is not the best time to ask me a question. 07:24.238 --> 07:29.298 But something simple like, do you care if the girls go to a friend's house this evening or something? 07:29.398 --> 07:30.918 And later I'll be like, where are the girls? 07:32.318 --> 07:35.478 And she's like, don't you remember our conversation that we had? 07:35.618 --> 07:37.978 I said, no, this is the very first time I've heard about it. 07:38.018 --> 07:40.158 She said, no, I asked you. 07:40.258 --> 07:41.518 You said you didn't care. 07:41.518 --> 07:43.298 We had a conversation about it. 07:43.318 --> 07:45.628 And I'm like, I did? 07:45.629 --> 07:48.109 Husbands, guys, we have the ability to do this. 07:48.169 --> 07:51.489 I don't know how, but what is happening there 07:51.489 --> 07:55.749 is I am operating and even responding on autopilot. 07:56.598 --> 08:03.498 hearing her, but not really hearing her. Paul says, I thank God that when you heard the good 08:03.498 --> 08:09.618 news of Jesus, you really heard it. You really listened as if God was giving you a message from 08:09.618 --> 08:15.798 him because he was. Now he uses the word here, welcome, which is a beautiful word. They welcomed 08:15.798 --> 08:20.578 it into their lives with humility. They embraced it. 08:21.016 --> 08:27.576 And that's what all of us must do when we encounter what God has to say to us in his word. 08:27.676 --> 08:31.216 We, in humility, need to respond and embrace it. 08:31.856 --> 08:37.536 The Bible teaches that some people have a heart of stone while other people have a heart of flesh. 08:37.656 --> 08:40.916 Some one of pride and others one of humility. 08:41.096 --> 08:46.696 Now, the word of God, the good news of Jesus, it bounces off the person who has a heart of stone. 08:47.577 --> 08:50.377 It's like it's in one ear, out the other, 08:50.377 --> 08:53.497 but the person with a heart of flesh, they receive it. 08:54.517 --> 08:56.757 They embrace it, it soaks into their life. 08:56.757 --> 08:58.257 If you were to take a pitcher of water 08:58.257 --> 09:01.197 and you were to pour some water over a stone on the ground, 09:01.197 --> 09:05.877 a rock of some kind, that water would splash off the stone. 09:05.877 --> 09:08.137 It would splatter everywhere, probably making a mess. 09:08.137 --> 09:10.217 But if you take that same exact water 09:10.217 --> 09:15.217 and you pour it over a large sponge, oh, now, 09:15.961 --> 09:18.421 The sponge soaks it in. 09:18.621 --> 09:19.740 It's absorbed. 09:19.741 --> 09:20.600 It's taken in. 09:20.601 --> 09:21.681 It's received. 09:22.481 --> 09:25.261 All of us need hearts like the sponge. 09:25.261 --> 09:31.721 When God is pouring into our life that we don't reject it, but we receive all of his love and his blessing. 09:31.981 --> 09:35.001 We receive his truth, the truth of his word. 09:35.141 --> 09:36.120 Why? 09:36.121 --> 09:37.721 Because God's word is powerful. 09:38.995 --> 09:39.995 It is powerful. 09:40.375 --> 09:47.275 Paul says here, the word that you welcomed, he says it effectively works in you who believe. 09:47.515 --> 09:48.755 Energia in Greek. 09:49.155 --> 09:50.195 We get our word energy. 09:50.355 --> 09:52.055 It energizes you spiritually. 09:53.495 --> 09:57.255 You know, one of the great truths of the Bible. 09:58.790 --> 10:00.729 is that it works. 10:00.730 --> 10:02.069 Did you know that? 10:02.070 --> 10:05.530 I mean, God's word really works. 10:05.610 --> 10:07.270 That's why those of us who are Christians, 10:07.370 --> 10:08.670 we can't hardly get enough of it. 10:08.710 --> 10:09.750 Give me some more of that 10:09.750 --> 10:12.230 because it's transforming the inside of me, 10:12.270 --> 10:13.470 not just the outward behavior, 10:13.610 --> 10:15.730 but it's actually affecting my attitude 10:15.730 --> 10:17.590 and my desires and my wants. 10:17.690 --> 10:19.470 It's giving me joy and peace 10:19.470 --> 10:21.030 and all these wonderful blessings 10:21.030 --> 10:24.810 because God does something in us 10:24.810 --> 10:26.590 when we receive it. 10:26.583 --> 10:32.143 See, the Word of God is not just some collection of words on a page. 10:32.263 --> 10:34.363 No, it's alive and it's active. 10:34.843 --> 10:40.543 And as we hear it, the Holy Spirit, who's the author of it, accompanies it. 10:41.382 --> 10:46.062 He accompanies it and he brings it to life in those who believe. 10:46.862 --> 10:49.382 Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12 says, 10:49.502 --> 10:54.302 For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, 10:54.502 --> 10:58.902 piercing even to the division of the soul and the spirit, and of joints and marrow, 10:59.622 --> 11:03.042 and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. 11:03.062 --> 11:08.302 The word of God is so very powerful to transform our lives from the inside out. 11:09.800 --> 11:12.480 Verse number 14, Paul continues, he says, 11:12.560 --> 11:18.360 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God, which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. 11:18.500 --> 11:24.360 For you also suffer the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, 11:24.420 --> 11:30.500 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and persecuted us, and they did not please God, 11:30.760 --> 11:36.120 and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that's the non-Jews, 11:36.108 --> 11:37.248 that they may be saved. 11:37.688 --> 11:41.488 So as also to fill up the measure or the cup of their sins, 11:41.968 --> 11:44.768 but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. 11:46.468 --> 11:48.868 See, for the Thessalonians, they were suffering, 11:48.968 --> 11:52.968 and they were suffering at the hands of their own fellow countrymen, the Thessalonians. 11:53.608 --> 11:57.728 And Paul says, you're just like those who are in Jerusalem and those Judean churches, 11:57.728 --> 12:01.168 because they also suffered at the hands of their own countrymen. 12:01.640 --> 12:09.380 the Jews. And then he says the Jews who killed Jesus and the prophets and have forbid us to 12:09.380 --> 12:14.100 share the good news of Jesus with the Gentiles. You see, Jews didn't want Gentiles to be saved. 12:14.560 --> 12:19.860 I think that's actually one of the reasons they hardened their heart to the good news of the 12:19.860 --> 12:24.860 gospel, because they didn't want it for everyone else. They want it for themselves. Now, 12:25.552 --> 12:29.532 Some have accused the Apostle Paul of being anti-Semitic here. 12:30.272 --> 12:33.472 We've got to remember that Paul is a Jew. 12:34.272 --> 12:37.332 In other places, he said, I'm a Hebrew of Hebrews. 12:37.472 --> 12:40.532 I'm like the poster child of being a Jew. 12:40.992 --> 12:43.172 He loved deeply his fellow Jews. 12:43.252 --> 12:45.392 He wanted them to come to faith in Jesus. 12:45.392 --> 12:48.412 So Paul's not being a racist towards his own race. 12:48.472 --> 12:50.212 He's just trying to be historical here. 12:51.218 --> 12:52.437 It's what happened. 12:52.438 --> 12:55.038 We know that Jesus was killed at the hands of the Jews, 12:55.138 --> 12:59.318 and then the Judean church was persecuted at the hands of the Jews. 12:59.698 --> 13:03.838 Now, we know that the Romans certainly were also responsible, 13:03.838 --> 13:09.718 and ultimately all of us were, as it's our sin that nailed Jesus to the cross. 13:09.798 --> 13:14.238 But Paul says you're experiencing what the Jerusalem churches experienced, 13:14.518 --> 13:16.578 and I think he means this as encouragement. 13:17.493 --> 13:19.513 He says, you're just like them. 13:19.713 --> 13:22.273 You must be doing something right. 13:22.933 --> 13:25.033 Look at 2 Timothy 3, verse 12. 13:25.133 --> 13:33.213 He says, yes, in all who desire to live godly in Christ, Jesus will suffer persecution. 13:33.213 --> 13:34.313 Here's our principle. 13:34.473 --> 13:38.313 Christians should expect persecution. 13:40.072 --> 13:43.692 Now, persecution takes on many different forms. 13:43.692 --> 13:47.072 For most of church history, all throughout the world, 13:47.072 --> 13:51.152 the persecution of Christians has often been violent. 13:51.152 --> 13:53.132 And there are many pockets in the world today 13:53.132 --> 13:55.932 that it is violent even now. 13:55.932 --> 13:58.032 But in the United States, we have been blessed 13:58.032 --> 13:59.252 with the freedom of religion. 13:59.252 --> 14:02.812 And for the most part, we've escaped 14:03.022 --> 14:10.122 violent persecution, but we face other forms from time to time, most often in the form of ridicule. 14:11.302 --> 14:12.862 It's interesting to me that 14:15.104 --> 14:21.844 how upset some people get when you just try to live a good, wholesome life, a holy, pure life. 14:21.944 --> 14:27.044 You know, if you don't cuss, if you don't drink, if you don't sleep around, if you don't tell dirty jokes, 14:27.104 --> 14:32.684 if you don't want to listen to dirty jokes, people around you can sometimes start feeling uncomfortable. 14:33.284 --> 14:36.744 They might even lash out at you. 14:37.666 --> 14:43.006 Growing up, I was a pretty vocal Christian in my school, especially when I got to middle school. 14:43.706 --> 14:46.966 In sixth grade, I had a Sunday school teacher here by the name of Tom Fain. 14:47.026 --> 14:52.346 And Tom was just a blue-collar guy who was a cowboy at Tahoe Ranch, but he loved Jesus. 14:52.486 --> 14:57.426 And he told me and my friends, he taught us how to tell people about Jesus, the gospel. 14:57.578 --> 15:02.838 And then he took us down just the road here to Fruitvale North Park, and he would let us out. 15:02.858 --> 15:04.518 And he'd say, okay, go tell them about Jesus. 15:04.678 --> 15:05.437 And we went. 15:05.438 --> 15:06.357 We didn't know any better. 15:06.358 --> 15:07.598 We just told people about Jesus. 15:08.358 --> 15:11.438 And so I learned through that experience to share my faith. 15:11.538 --> 15:14.818 And so I shared with many of my classmates in middle school. 15:15.878 --> 15:21.478 And it didn't take long before some kids, you know, started poking fun at me. 15:22.115 --> 15:26.835 I remember on the bus, some guys saying some very inappropriate things to the girls and 15:26.835 --> 15:29.235 saying that I said that about those girls. 15:29.915 --> 15:33.035 When I hadn't said that, they didn't believe I said it, but it's still very embarrassing 15:33.035 --> 15:34.775 for a middle school boy. 15:34.973 --> 15:42.053 And eventually it picked up, and a few of them tried to start a fight with me and push me, 15:42.213 --> 15:46.393 and without provoking one time just slapped me hard across the back of the head. 15:46.473 --> 15:54.213 And I never retaliated, although I was very tempted because I was already an accomplished wrestler. 15:54.213 --> 16:01.133 I had no doubt I could take them, but I chose not to. 16:02.193 --> 16:04.473 Matthew 5, verse 11 says, 16:05.373 --> 16:09.113 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you 16:09.113 --> 16:13.133 and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. 16:13.713 --> 16:17.493 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. 16:17.833 --> 16:20.873 For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 16:21.734 --> 16:23.974 You know, there's a real joy and blessing 16:23.974 --> 16:26.914 that is actually, actually connected 16:26.914 --> 16:28.374 to being persecuted for Jesus. 16:28.374 --> 16:30.854 And I'm not saying it's fun, it's not fun. 16:30.854 --> 16:33.554 I remember times as a kid getting very angry 16:33.554 --> 16:35.134 and fighting all kinds of emotions. 16:35.134 --> 16:37.954 Maybe it would be easier if I just adjusted a few things 16:37.954 --> 16:40.814 in my life so I could better fit in with this crowd 16:40.814 --> 16:43.954 that's kind of making life hard on me. 16:45.074 --> 16:48.774 But then I remembered what Jesus said 16:49.055 --> 16:53.135 did for me and how he suffered ridicule for me and much more than ridicule, 16:53.215 --> 16:56.135 how he was nailed to the cross and murdered for me. 16:56.135 --> 17:01.675 And then the Holy Spirit, I believe, put a smile on my face in the midst of that situation 17:01.675 --> 17:06.495 as I remembered how I was counted worthy to suffer for Jesus. 17:07.435 --> 17:11.235 It is very hard to explain to someone who has never experienced it, 17:11.315 --> 17:17.975 but there is a true joy connected to suffering for Christ. 17:19.345 --> 17:25.805 Now, according to the Bible, this is not really according to American Christianity of what we normally see, 17:25.885 --> 17:32.385 but according to the Bible, persecution is not the exception, it's the rule. 17:33.365 --> 17:35.308 Did you know that? 17:35.309 --> 17:39.409 Sometimes in an attempt to plead with people to come to Jesus, 17:39.989 --> 17:43.689 we can be guilty of over-romanticizing the Christian life, 17:43.729 --> 17:47.509 and we talk about all the blessings of peace and joy and these wonderful things, 17:47.509 --> 17:50.489 but we don't talk very much about the cost sometimes. 17:51.509 --> 17:52.849 And there's a cost to following Jesus. 17:53.269 --> 17:55.729 That's why Jesus said, take up your cross and follow me. 17:55.969 --> 17:57.169 Die to yourself and follow me. 17:57.409 --> 18:01.309 One of the costs to following Jesus is persecution. 18:02.410 --> 18:04.790 So don't you believe the lie, please don't believe it, 18:04.790 --> 18:06.910 that if you give your life to Jesus, 18:06.910 --> 18:09.870 oh, all your wildest dreams are gonna come true, 18:09.870 --> 18:12.330 you're gonna be happy and everything's wonderful, 18:12.330 --> 18:13.710 you're gonna be healthy and wealthy, 18:13.710 --> 18:16.770 that's not New Testament Christianity. 18:16.770 --> 18:21.770 Jesus said, if they hated me, they're also gonna hate you. 18:22.810 --> 18:25.750 Now, Jesus also said in John 16, verse 33, 18:25.750 --> 18:30.030 he said, in the world, you will have tribulation. 18:30.592 --> 18:31.672 but be of good cheer. 18:32.452 --> 18:34.492 I have overcome the world. 18:36.012 --> 18:41.692 This world is full of pain and trouble and evil. 18:42.572 --> 18:46.512 When the world out there tries to, you know, 18:46.572 --> 18:50.992 throw all of that trouble and dishes all that trouble onto us as Christians 18:50.992 --> 18:52.712 and we're targeted in that way, 18:53.492 --> 18:56.032 Paul is saying in verse 16 of our chapter here, he said, 18:56.352 --> 18:58.132 what they're actually doing as they do that, 18:58.192 --> 19:00.012 they're filling up the cup. 19:00.916 --> 19:03.856 of their sin more and more. 19:03.856 --> 19:06.596 And he's saying as they fill up that cup of their sin, 19:06.596 --> 19:10.256 because God is just and he punishes sin, 19:10.256 --> 19:12.836 as their cup of sin fills up, 19:12.836 --> 19:16.536 the cup of God's wrath fills up to match their level of sin. 19:17.896 --> 19:20.196 And did you know that's what happens in all of our lives? 19:20.204 --> 19:21.964 That no sin goes unpunished. 19:22.104 --> 19:23.944 Every one of our sins has to be punished. 19:24.084 --> 19:25.504 God is just, he's perfect. 19:25.904 --> 19:27.443 But here's the gospel. 19:27.444 --> 19:32.384 That for those of us who believe that Jesus comes along and he drinks the cup of our sin 19:32.384 --> 19:35.124 and he drinks the cup of God's wrath and we are forgiven. 19:35.244 --> 19:35.663 Why? 19:35.664 --> 19:36.784 Because he loves us. 19:37.564 --> 19:42.044 God wants us to experience not his judgment, but his grace. 19:43.184 --> 19:45.786 Here's the problem. 19:45.787 --> 19:49.087 Most people reject God's grace. 19:49.967 --> 19:52.827 I mean, he pursues them with his love, and they reject. 19:52.967 --> 19:53.666 They're angry. 19:53.667 --> 19:54.366 They're upset. 19:54.367 --> 19:56.526 They're full of sin. 19:56.527 --> 19:57.587 They're the hardest hearted. 19:57.767 --> 19:59.546 No, no, no. 19:59.547 --> 20:04.467 Metaphorically speaking, they spit in the face of God who died on the cross for their sins. 20:05.647 --> 20:12.087 When a person rejects grace, the only thing left is wrath. 20:13.225 --> 20:15.625 Verse number 17, he continues, he says, 20:15.625 --> 20:21.885 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, 20:22.845 --> 20:26.485 endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. 20:26.605 --> 20:33.025 Therefore, we wanted to come to you, even I, Paul, time and again, but Satan hindered us. 20:34.437 --> 20:38.137 We see throughout this letter that Paul had a special bond, 20:38.997 --> 20:42.217 a special affection for the Thessalonians. 20:42.297 --> 20:45.657 And he says here, we were taken away from you. 20:45.697 --> 20:47.877 Now that word taken away is an intense word. 20:47.977 --> 20:51.757 It was a word that was used in the first century of a child being taken 20:51.757 --> 20:54.397 and ripped from his parents to become an orphan. 20:55.210 --> 21:00.610 So Paul is under intense grief, I would even say, of their separation. 21:00.790 --> 21:02.270 He's expressing that to them. 21:02.490 --> 21:04.630 Now, why is he under such grief? 21:04.710 --> 21:11.710 Well, it's because Christians, we all have a deep need for connection with other Christians. 21:12.810 --> 21:16.110 Now, some people kind of, they're just all by themselves as a Christian. 21:16.250 --> 21:18.270 That is not a good place to be. 21:18.270 --> 21:21.130 That's not going to be a happy place to be, I can tell you. 21:21.434 --> 21:27.114 Paul says, I desperately wanted to come back to you a time and time again, but Satan actually hindered us. 21:27.434 --> 21:32.694 Now, we don't know contextually or historically what had happened for Satan to have hindered. 21:32.754 --> 21:34.234 Maybe they got sick. 21:34.934 --> 21:36.574 There's a whole host of possibilities. 21:36.734 --> 21:37.954 We just don't know. 21:38.454 --> 21:40.714 The word hindered means to place an obstacle. 21:40.874 --> 21:43.394 You're going down a road and there's an obstacle in the road. 21:43.394 --> 21:47.374 Satan had placed an obstacle so they could not get back. 21:48.755 --> 21:53.575 You know, sometimes the Lord hinders us from going a particular direction, 21:54.415 --> 21:56.035 and sometimes Satan does. 21:56.375 --> 21:59.495 I mean, earlier we saw a few weeks ago in the book of Acts 21:59.495 --> 22:04.675 that the Holy Spirit forbid Paul and his team to go to Asia at that time. 22:05.195 --> 22:08.195 Well, now Satan is not allowing them to go. 22:08.295 --> 22:10.755 In the moment, it's sometimes difficult to discern which is which, 22:10.755 --> 22:11.855 but Paul knows. 22:12.375 --> 22:14.575 He says, Satan has hindered us. 22:15.468 --> 22:22.628 This deep connection and this bond and this affection that's pouring out of Paul, 22:23.248 --> 22:25.288 it's a bond that all of us need. 22:27.010 --> 22:35.550 Paul says, we're not with you physically, but we are with you in heart, in spirit. 22:36.790 --> 22:46.350 Did you know that it's important for all of us as Christians to experience a deep connection and bond with other Christians? 22:48.205 --> 22:51.945 Maybe a time in your life you've experienced that, 22:52.005 --> 22:54.845 maybe in a life group or some sort of ministry out there, 22:55.225 --> 22:59.265 and if you've ever experienced it and then had that removed from your life, 22:59.345 --> 23:01.125 it's like part of you has been taken away. 23:01.985 --> 23:04.245 It's like part of you now is missing. 23:04.945 --> 23:10.865 You see, our fellowship is like a red hot coal in the middle of a hot fire. 23:11.525 --> 23:12.865 But if you take... 23:13.417 --> 23:18.737 You take some tongs and you grab that hot coal and you remove it and you put it off to the side. 23:18.837 --> 23:24.197 It will not be long until that hot coal grows cold and dim. 23:24.897 --> 23:28.977 You put it back in the hot fire, it's going to light up again with heat, isn't it? 23:29.465 --> 23:30.945 And we're the same way. 23:31.405 --> 23:37.545 We need one another in order to be on fire for Jesus, to stay on fire for him. 23:37.705 --> 23:40.185 That's why our church, we emphasize life groups so much. 23:40.465 --> 23:43.145 I mean, sometimes it's like we're a broken record because we are. 23:43.385 --> 23:45.845 It's because we know how much we need one another. 23:46.390 --> 23:50.070 It's important to remain connected to other believers in fellowship. 23:50.630 --> 23:56.690 You see, God created us as highly relational beings, highly relational. 23:57.010 --> 24:00.230 First and foremost, he created us for a vertical relationship with him, 24:00.230 --> 24:03.690 but he also created us for a horizontal relationship with others. 24:04.250 --> 24:08.590 And we experience that horizontal relationship with others best 24:08.590 --> 24:11.170 when we're in close proximity with them. 24:13.373 --> 24:19.293 Social media is a cheap replacement for human, face-to-face human interaction, isn't it? 24:19.313 --> 24:22.753 Our culture is learning that in a painful way. 24:23.833 --> 24:30.753 Paul Harvey, years ago on his radio program, shared a study that showed that babies who 24:30.753 --> 24:35.993 were touched throughout the day grew 10% faster than babies who weren't touched throughout 24:35.993 --> 24:37.537 the day. 24:37.538 --> 24:42.698 He shared that study with his wife that babies grow 10% faster if they're touched, 24:42.758 --> 24:44.258 and she said, never touch me again. 24:48.098 --> 24:49.698 We need one another, don't we? 24:50.618 --> 24:52.978 We need to be close. 24:54.295 --> 24:56.535 Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verse number 9 says, 24:56.535 --> 25:00.575 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 25:00.695 --> 25:03.415 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. 25:04.155 --> 25:09.295 But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. 25:12.487 --> 25:18.027 Years ago, when I was just a little kid, there were these commercials on TV about a device called LifeCall. 25:18.167 --> 25:22.727 It was sort of an emergency contact program for people who needed medical help. 25:22.847 --> 25:24.947 I did not remember what the commercials were about. 25:25.007 --> 25:27.087 I had to look it up this week, but that's what they were about. 25:28.007 --> 25:33.647 What I do remember about the commercials is that an elderly person would fall down, 25:33.647 --> 25:37.887 and then they would yell out, help, I've fallen and I can't get up. 25:39.925 --> 25:42.765 And as kids, we had a good time with that. 25:42.885 --> 25:44.285 I mean, we thought that was hilarious. 25:44.585 --> 25:48.685 We quoted that line all, help, I've fallen and I can't get up. 25:52.312 --> 26:04.012 But now, now that I'm a pastor, I hear way too many stories about elderly people who actually do fall when they're all alone. 26:05.352 --> 26:11.812 Sometimes they'll remain on the ground for hours and hours with a broken arm or broken leg or a broken hip. 26:13.192 --> 26:14.891 They fall. 26:14.892 --> 26:16.232 It's a serious thing. 26:17.287 --> 26:20.687 Something terrible about a person falling down 26:20.687 --> 26:23.367 with no one around to help them up. 26:23.367 --> 26:25.707 And here's the deal, life is full of falls. 26:27.749 --> 26:29.209 We're all going to fall. 26:29.869 --> 26:31.969 And I'm not talking just physical falls. 26:32.069 --> 26:33.069 There are all kinds of falls. 26:33.169 --> 26:34.208 There are sinful falls. 26:34.209 --> 26:35.529 There are marital falls. 26:35.649 --> 26:36.669 There are financial falls. 26:36.809 --> 26:38.009 There are emotional falls. 26:38.089 --> 26:38.928 There are all kinds of falls. 26:38.929 --> 26:39.988 We're going to fall. 26:39.989 --> 26:41.449 And you know, whenever you fall, 26:42.109 --> 26:45.329 it's very important that you have people close enough within your life 26:45.329 --> 26:48.609 who love you and care for you and can reach out their hand 26:48.609 --> 26:51.569 and they can help you back up on your feet. 26:51.729 --> 26:53.169 And that's what the church is for. 26:53.369 --> 26:54.709 That's what our life groups are for. 26:54.849 --> 26:57.189 That's what spiritual connection is for. 26:58.597 --> 27:00.277 Verse number 19, we wrap up. 27:01.517 --> 27:01.956 Paul says, 27:01.957 --> 27:06.237 For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? 27:06.357 --> 27:12.057 Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 27:12.817 --> 27:16.657 For you are our glory and joy. 27:19.454 --> 27:25.334 Now as Christians, it's dangerous for us to have pride and joy in anything other than Jesus. 27:25.534 --> 27:29.934 It's dangerous for us to talk about having glory in anything other than God, 27:29.974 --> 27:34.294 because to God and God alone belong all glory and honor. 27:35.114 --> 27:42.114 With that said, Paul, under the inspiration of the Spirit, says here, 27:43.574 --> 27:46.694 you are our glory and joy. 27:48.817 --> 27:52.217 You're our pride and joy is what he's expressing. 27:53.217 --> 27:54.276 Here's our principle. 27:54.277 --> 27:59.637 Christians experience incredible pride and joy in those that they impact with the gospel, 27:59.797 --> 28:02.537 those that they lead to faith in Jesus. 28:03.817 --> 28:08.097 Paul started this chapter off by saying, our coming to you was not in vain, 28:08.177 --> 28:10.897 and now he ends it by saying, you're actually our crown of rejoicing. 28:11.897 --> 28:13.917 See, Paul was like a proud father. 28:14.037 --> 28:16.057 He's beaming with godly pride. 28:16.157 --> 28:17.777 He's full of godly joy. 28:17.777 --> 28:19.596 See? 28:19.597 --> 28:26.937 When he thinks about these people in Thessalonica that God used him of all people. 28:27.137 --> 28:29.097 Later he says, chief of sinners. 28:29.277 --> 28:30.437 He does elsewhere in the New Testament. 28:30.797 --> 28:32.937 And God would use me to save you. 28:33.077 --> 28:34.837 You're my joy and my glory. 28:35.097 --> 28:36.997 You're my crown of rejoicing. 28:38.437 --> 28:43.957 You see, there is no greater joy in all the world outside of faith in Jesus 28:43.957 --> 28:46.077 than leading someone else to faith in Jesus. 28:46.077 --> 28:49.380 Did you know that? 28:49.381 --> 28:51.281 If you've experienced it, you know it. 28:52.541 --> 28:55.401 I mean, faith in Jesus, that's number one joy. 28:55.721 --> 28:58.501 Number two, leading someone else to faith in Jesus. 28:59.101 --> 29:01.321 Nothing, in my opinion, takes a backseat to that. 29:03.221 --> 29:10.161 One day during COVID, we were meeting as a church family over on Olive Drive campus outside under those beautiful trees. 29:10.161 --> 29:13.341 And my dad had just preached a very powerful message. 29:13.441 --> 29:18.101 And we stood up to our feet and we sing a song like we're going to do here in just a moment. 29:18.980 --> 29:22.120 And we sang and we asked people to respond to the message. 29:22.120 --> 29:24.180 And so I'm standing up there towards the front, 29:24.180 --> 29:27.120 ready to receive people and talk with them 29:27.120 --> 29:28.540 and pray with them. 29:30.080 --> 29:33.000 And a middle-aged man walked up to me that day. 29:34.580 --> 29:36.920 And he said, you may not remember me, 29:37.760 --> 29:40.060 but years ago when you were just a little kid, 29:40.060 --> 29:42.200 I was hanging out at Fruitvale Norris Park 29:42.200 --> 29:43.460 making some trouble. 29:44.580 --> 29:48.620 And you walked up to me and you told me about Jesus. 29:49.473 --> 29:52.433 And I prayed that day to receive Jesus as my Savior. 29:52.533 --> 29:54.353 And I just want to say thank you. 29:56.633 --> 29:57.793 I'll tell you right now. 29:59.293 --> 30:03.553 That man is my glory and joy. 30:04.458 --> 30:08.958 And by God's grace, there are others that I've been privileged to in my life that also 30:08.958 --> 30:11.658 are my glory and my joy. 30:11.658 --> 30:17.138 And as much joy as it brings me today, imagine the joy that it will someday bring me when 30:17.138 --> 30:25.158 that man and others are in the presence of the Lord at his coming with me when he returns. 30:25.158 --> 30:26.158 That's what Paul says. 30:26.158 --> 30:34.318 He says, hear my joy and glory when Jesus comes back. 30:36.166 --> 30:44.666 When Jesus returns and he's coming back, will that be a moment of great joy for you? 30:44.666 --> 30:50.926 Or will it be a terrifying one and an embarrassing one? 30:53.626 --> 30:58.746 Your life answers that question. 31:01.445 --> 31:06.305 I heard about a guy who flunked out of college and he was nervous about that. 31:06.305 --> 31:10.445 So he wrote his mom and he said, well, I flunked out. I'm coming back home. 31:12.065 --> 31:16.225 Prepare dad. And she just wrote back. She said, 31:17.125 --> 31:19.685 dad, prepare, prepare yourself. 31:25.825 --> 31:27.105 Jesus is coming again. 31:28.175 --> 31:30.335 That's one of the main themes of 1 Thessalonians. 31:30.335 --> 31:33.555 In fact, Paul mentions it in all five chapters. 31:34.095 --> 31:36.195 Jesus is coming back. 31:36.335 --> 31:43.735 And the only question that remains related to that is, are you prepared? 31:45.826 --> 31:47.266 Are you prepared for his coming? 31:47.266 --> 31:49.246 Are you ready? 31:49.246 --> 31:51.706 And if you're not ready, how do you get ready? 31:51.706 --> 31:55.086 Well, you get ready by receiving the good news of Jesus, 31:55.086 --> 31:58.346 not as the words of men, but as they are in truth, 31:58.346 --> 32:00.386 the very words of God. 32:00.386 --> 32:02.666 And then you don't just let them go in one ear 32:02.666 --> 32:05.306 and out the other, but you actually receive it 32:05.306 --> 32:07.846 and you welcome it into the depths of who you are 32:07.846 --> 32:11.506 and you allow it to transform you from the inside out. 32:11.506 --> 32:12.926 That's how you're ready. 32:14.868 --> 32:18.848 This whole world is going to come to an end very, very soon. 32:19.068 --> 32:23.068 And when you think about it, there's only two things on earth that are going to remain forever. 32:24.948 --> 32:29.008 The Word of God and the souls of people. 32:30.108 --> 32:32.048 That's it. Everything else is going to burn up. 32:32.428 --> 32:40.328 God's Word and the souls of men and women, boys and girls. 32:42.982 --> 32:45.542 So let me ask you, what are you valuing in life? 32:46.762 --> 32:48.682 What is your life centered around? 32:48.682 --> 32:51.462 What consumes your thoughts? 32:51.462 --> 32:53.022 What consumes your time? 32:53.022 --> 32:54.622 What consumes your energy? 32:54.622 --> 32:57.362 Where do all your resources go? 32:57.362 --> 32:58.602 What are your priorities? 32:58.602 --> 33:01.642 What are you valuing the most in life? 33:04.382 --> 33:08.862 John Wesley said, I now value all things 33:08.862 --> 33:12.302 only by the price they shall gain in eternity. 33:14.015 --> 33:20.055 What he's basically saying is, I now value all things only by the cost they're going to have in heaven someday. 33:22.535 --> 33:27.335 You know, most things that we value most here in life are very, very cheap in heaven. 33:28.715 --> 33:30.494 Gold. 33:30.495 --> 33:31.955 The streets are going to be made of gold. 33:32.015 --> 33:34.015 The dirt's gold. 33:35.355 --> 33:36.435 Jewels, diamonds. 33:36.655 --> 33:38.775 That's just building materials for the walls. 33:40.655 --> 33:41.074 People? 33:41.075 --> 33:42.617 People? 33:42.618 --> 33:48.878 Ah, that's the true prize of heaven, the eternal souls of people. 33:52.218 --> 33:55.978 I thought about my dad a lot this week as I prepared this message. 33:59.498 --> 34:04.118 I thought about all the people, many of whom are in heaven with him, 34:05.558 --> 34:08.918 many of us who are still here on the earth. 34:12.402 --> 34:16.062 about how when Jesus returns, 34:16.402 --> 34:18.822 we will be his crown of rejoicing, 34:19.382 --> 34:21.882 his glory and joy. 34:23.342 --> 34:24.822 Who's your crown of rejoicing? 34:28.202 --> 34:29.362 When the Lord returns, 34:29.682 --> 34:31.302 is there anyone that's your crown of rejoicing? 34:31.362 --> 34:32.742 Is there anyone you can point to and say, 34:32.842 --> 34:35.562 man, that person is my glory and my joy. 34:35.662 --> 34:38.002 God used me to impact their life 34:38.002 --> 34:40.982 so that they now know God. 34:42.524 --> 34:44.724 Is there anyone you can point to? 34:44.784 --> 34:48.144 If not, it's time to get to work. 34:49.724 --> 34:51.763 And here's the thing. 34:51.764 --> 34:53.504 This is not about a guilt trip. 34:53.584 --> 34:57.264 You got to tell more people, but we get to tell people about Jesus. 34:58.084 --> 34:58.903 That's the whole point. 34:58.904 --> 34:59.743 You're our glory and joy. 34:59.744 --> 35:04.904 This is like the most fun thing to do is to see God use your life to impact others. 35:04.904 --> 35:06.064 There's nothing greater. 35:06.244 --> 35:07.664 That's the greatest high you can get. 35:09.305 --> 35:11.565 I just want to invite you, if you're a believer, 35:12.405 --> 35:16.305 please invest not in that which is temporary, 35:16.925 --> 35:18.805 not in that which is cheap in heaven, 35:18.905 --> 35:20.445 but that which is valuable. 35:21.345 --> 35:22.604 People. 35:22.605 --> 35:24.685 Let's bow together in an attitude of prayer, if you will, 35:24.765 --> 35:26.885 both here and at Olive Drive. 35:27.545 --> 35:30.365 This is a holy moment in the life of our church. 35:33.045 --> 35:34.825 You may be listening today, 35:35.005 --> 35:37.885 and you have the thought of... 35:39.443 --> 35:42.883 investing in other people, other people be my glory and my joy. 35:44.003 --> 35:47.183 My mind can't even go there yet because I'm a mess. 35:48.523 --> 35:51.402 I'm broken. 35:51.403 --> 35:52.603 I'm hurt. 35:55.183 --> 35:58.483 My life is full of a lot of junk. 35:59.283 --> 36:06.363 My heart, my motives, my attitude, my actions, it's full of a lot of junk. 36:09.042 --> 36:13.282 And so your mind is not even towards making an impact on other people's lives. 36:13.482 --> 36:16.062 You just, you need help yourself right now. 36:17.562 --> 36:18.662 And we were all there. 36:18.762 --> 36:20.502 I was there at one point in my life. 36:21.022 --> 36:24.982 I'm still there from time to time, and I've got to keep coming back to the Lord. 36:24.982 --> 36:27.782 But maybe you're there, and you've never met Jesus. 36:31.542 --> 36:32.722 You've heard about him. 36:34.456 --> 36:37.516 Maybe even in your mind you sort of believed in him, 36:37.636 --> 36:43.896 but it was more like the belief in words of men than belief in the words of God. 36:44.976 --> 36:46.355 There's a difference. 36:46.356 --> 36:48.676 James said even the demons believe and yet they tremble. 36:48.736 --> 36:49.315 What's the difference? 36:49.316 --> 36:52.936 They're not receiving the message with humility. 36:54.276 --> 36:56.936 I want to invite you to get to know God today. 36:58.283 --> 37:01.443 The Bible says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, 37:01.503 --> 37:06.843 that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. 37:06.883 --> 37:09.102 God loves you. 37:09.103 --> 37:11.303 Oh, how he loves you so very much. 37:12.303 --> 37:14.363 And he's offering you his love. 37:15.483 --> 37:18.183 He's offering you forgiveness and grace. 37:20.083 --> 37:21.643 But you've got to receive it. 37:22.643 --> 37:24.643 If you push it away, you're going to lose it. 37:25.300 --> 37:26.840 with the hardness of your heart, 37:26.840 --> 37:29.380 if you let it bounce off of you today, 37:35.360 --> 37:36.780 sin has to be paid for. 37:37.780 --> 37:41.460 Either you're gonna pay for it someday in eternity, 37:41.460 --> 37:43.080 or you're gonna let Jesus pay for it. 37:43.080 --> 37:45.060 I wanna invite you to let Jesus pay for it 37:45.060 --> 37:47.340 because it's the best thing possible 37:47.340 --> 37:49.060 that you could do in your life. 37:49.060 --> 37:52.600 He will bring a change in you that you cannot even imagine. 37:54.038 --> 37:57.658 If you've never given your heart and life to Jesus, in just a moment, I'm going to pray. 37:58.278 --> 38:01.238 And when I do, we're going to stand at both campuses. 38:01.518 --> 38:05.418 And there's going to be pastors and other leaders and prayer partners at the front. 38:06.038 --> 38:08.258 We're just going to invite you to come as you are. 38:08.978 --> 38:10.198 Walk down one of these aisles. 38:10.338 --> 38:11.678 Walk down one of these staircases. 38:12.638 --> 38:15.358 And say, I want to give my life to Jesus. 38:15.538 --> 38:17.958 These folks know exactly how to help you. 38:17.958 --> 38:19.078 They're not going to embarrass you. 38:19.178 --> 38:21.938 They're not going to ask you a question that you can't answer. 38:22.018 --> 38:23.058 They're just going to help you. 38:24.262 --> 38:27.222 They're going to help take your hand and place it in the hand of Jesus. 38:30.842 --> 38:32.782 So you just come as you are. 38:32.902 --> 38:34.502 That's the only way we can come. 38:34.642 --> 38:37.002 Some people think, I've got to clean up my life first. 38:37.082 --> 38:38.202 I don't want to be a hypocrite. 38:38.762 --> 38:39.801 No, no, no. 38:39.802 --> 38:43.742 You come as you are and let God meet you as you are. 38:44.302 --> 38:45.662 That's why it's called grace. 38:47.722 --> 38:51.802 Maybe you want to come and say, I want to be baptized like others today. 38:51.942 --> 38:53.402 Or I'd like to join this. 38:55.075 --> 38:58.235 Church family, we'd love to visit with you about that, 38:58.235 --> 39:00.935 let you know what that means, what that doesn't mean. 39:02.635 --> 39:04.635 Maybe you just wanna come to these steps. 39:05.795 --> 39:08.515 You don't need to talk with a pastor. 39:08.515 --> 39:10.715 You need to talk with your master today. 39:13.595 --> 39:15.115 The one who loves you more than anyone, 39:15.115 --> 39:18.455 the one that bought you with the blood of Christ. 39:19.535 --> 39:21.175 You need to do some business with him 39:21.175 --> 39:23.835 because maybe you haven't been letting your light shine 39:25.923 --> 39:32.683 Or maybe you have been letting it shine, but there are some people that have loved darkness more than light in your life. 39:32.783 --> 39:35.703 And you want to keep shining brightly. 39:35.843 --> 39:38.423 And you need some courage to do that. 39:39.263 --> 39:40.623 Why don't you just ask God? 39:42.083 --> 39:48.983 He'll give you boldness and He'll give you courage to be a witness even in the face of fear or ridicule. 39:50.663 --> 39:54.343 I promise you He'll give you courage if you ask Him. 39:56.028 --> 39:57.988 However God leads us, respond in faith. 39:58.088 --> 39:58.547 Let's pray. 39:58.548 --> 40:01.928 Father, thank you so much for your incredible love. 40:03.648 --> 40:07.348 That while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 40:08.428 --> 40:11.208 That we love you because you first loved us. 40:11.288 --> 40:13.308 You pursue us in your love. 40:15.668 --> 40:19.388 Thank you for speaking to us through your word. 40:20.848 --> 40:22.188 I pray, Lord. 40:25.036 --> 40:28.916 for people to receive it as a message from you, your word. 40:31.936 --> 40:36.936 Would you open eyes that have been tightly closed shut? 40:40.116 --> 40:43.976 Would you soften hearts that have been hearts of stone? 40:45.176 --> 40:48.776 Maybe they over time have been hardened by sin. 40:51.158 --> 41:00.058 by other people's sin, by pain, grief, suffering, substance abuse. 41:04.058 --> 41:08.978 Your heart has been hard, Lord, but would you please, by your Spirit, 41:09.098 --> 41:13.818 would you touch their heart of stone and just melt it today? 41:16.876 --> 41:22.396 Lord, would you give people the courage that it's going to take to step out in faith, 41:22.476 --> 41:25.076 to walk down one of these aisles, one of these staircases. 41:25.596 --> 41:27.516 Give them the courage it's going to take, Lord. 41:28.056 --> 41:29.015 Help them believe. 41:29.016 --> 41:32.876 Make it easy on them, Lord, to believe. 41:35.084 --> 41:36.444 Lord, we love you so much. 41:36.624 --> 41:39.304 There's so much that we have that we're undeserving of, 41:39.324 --> 41:40.704 and we just want to say thank you. 41:41.144 --> 41:43.024 And I just also want to pray for those 41:43.024 --> 41:45.304 that don't yet have those wonderful blessings. 41:45.844 --> 41:48.064 Lord, would you change that today? 41:48.244 --> 41:50.764 May you touch their heart, we ask in Jesus' name. 41:51.364 --> 41:52.650 Amen. 41:52.651 --> 41:54.091 Thanks for listening today. 41:54.091 --> 41:55.751 We hope you enjoyed this message. 41:55.751 --> 41:57.851 And if you did, we would be so grateful 41:57.851 --> 41:59.531 if you left us a review. 41:59.531 --> 42:01.971 Also, go ahead and subscribe to the podcast 42:01.971 --> 42:03.271 if you would like to be notified 42:03.271 --> 42:05.171 when a new sermon is released. 42:05.171 --> 42:06.811 If you feel the Lord calling you 42:06.811 --> 42:08.431 to take the next step in faith 42:08.431 --> 42:12.751 through salvation, service, or giving, don't wait. 42:12.749 --> 42:16.209 reach out to us by texting podcast to 88988. 42:16.209 --> 42:19.749 That's podcast to 88988 or connect with us 42:19.749 --> 42:22.129 on one of our social media platforms. 42:22.129 --> 42:25.269 You can also visit our website, valleybaptist.org 42:25.269 --> 42:27.849 to find even more great resources. 42:27.849 --> 42:30.049 No matter where you are in your journey, 42:30.049 --> 42:32.769 know that we love you, we're praying for you 42:32.769 --> 42:35.749 and we can't wait to see what God will do in your life.