What Is The Most Profound Truth You Have Ever Known? - Andy Cain's 1st Sermon

God Centered Theology

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Well, it's been a long time ago, but I vaguely remember my first sermon.

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I say vaguely because I'm not sure what my first one was, you know, I'm kind of like sort of situation sort of like has evolved with Andy here.

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He did the Young Inspirations devotion last month and gave his testimony a little over a year ago at our

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Thanksgiving Eve service. So, you know, I did some things like that kind of worked into it and then eventually they came when

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I actually got to give a full sermon. So Andy's not totally inexperienced. He's been busy. The Lord's been using teaching

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Sunday school class and doing these other things and he'll be and we would need to continue to pray for him and support him as he be getting involved in studies in the days ahead.

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And it's a privilege for me in any time that I can invite someone or encourage someone who feels the call of the

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Lord on their life to speak, especially have the privilege of hearing him for the first time. So we rejoice in that thankful for Andy and Gina and their faithfulness and their work.

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Like I mentioned here in the church and I feel like the Lord's given

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Andy a message for us tonight. And I know a little bit because I know what he's preaching on and kind of got a glimpse of it ahead of time.

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So I trust the Lord will use it in all of our lives. Brother, you come and speak to us if you would.

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God bless you. Before I turn this mic on and go fish on record, I just want everybody to know

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I've never been this nervous in my entire life ever.

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Pastor, thank you so much for this. Just give me a second. I'll be all right in a second.

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I've done a lot of different things in my life, but I've never had these emotions going through me because when you start thinking about getting up to do something like preaching the word of God, it does a number to your mind.

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And it's just I'm very thankful to be standing here. Also very quickly, I just want to thank the church.

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Me and Gina just love it here. I couldn't imagine ourselves anywhere else. The things that you've done for us, whether personally, the friends

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I've met, some of the best friends I've ever had in my life. And that's I wouldn't say it if it weren't true.

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With that, while I get started, if you would please be turning in your Bibles to John Chapter 14,

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John Chapter 14. In a minute, we're going to read verses five through seven.

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What is the most profound truth you have ever known and how has it affected you?

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What is the most profound truth you have ever known and how has it affected you?

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You see, I used to think that I knew the answer to this question. I used to think that it needed to be some smart, well -planned out, cleverly worded answer.

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It wasn't until I heard a story one time in a sermon where I heard this question asked and answered in such a simple way and yet it was such a life -changing answer to my soul that I don't think

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I've ever looked at the Bible or the things of God quite the same way since.

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So I want you to consider how you would answer this question while I speak tonight on a subject that ties into it so well.

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And I'm going to tell this story that I heard in a few minutes. And when I tell this story, you'll understand exactly what

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I'm talking about. Let's go back to our text. John 14, beginning in verse five.

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Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way?

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Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the

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Father but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my

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Father also. And from henceforth ye know Him and have seen

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Him. Father, thank you so much for this opportunity.

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Tonight is going to be a night where you show me just how much you were thinking of me when you called me to do this.

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I don't know how long it will be before I become a full -time pastor or whatever particular instance you want me to do.

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I don't know when that will happen. But I know I'm on the road to preparation for it. And I know this is one of the steps along the way.

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I have no doubt that this is what you want me to do. And I just pray that you will bless me tonight.

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Just help me to be focused. Help me to give the message that you have given me to give. And also just be with the hearts and minds of everyone here,

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Lord. Just help them to be alert. Help them to be focused on what you would have to say to them.

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And we'll give all the honor and glory to you. In Jesus' name, Amen. Now, what did

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Jesus mean when He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life? Why would anyone say that? Well, Jesus is the way because He said

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He was the way. He didn't say I'm the best way, somehow implying that there are other ways to heaven.

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It just so happens He's the best one. He didn't say, you know, I think I'm the way, or I want to be the way, or I'm even maybe the most efficient way.

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He said, I am the way. But He follows it up in the verse by saying, No man cometh unto the

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Father but by Me. He's saying I am the only access man has to the Father.

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I am the only highway that leads to the correct destination. I am the only way you will ever see the streets of heaven.

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He's simply saying here, I am the way, period. Now, everyone is saying that it doesn't really matter what you believe.

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That, you know, you shouldn't force what you believe on other people. You know, we have this religion of tolerance in this country where it doesn't matter.

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You know, oh, it's okay, it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe something. That is a lie by Satan to confuse and darken and lead people astray.

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You see, that is one thing we'll all have in common in heaven one day. I heard this preacher in Roanoke Rapids.

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He talked about, he sort of envisioned, you know, all of us sort of standing around in heaven, one of the many great events going on, something of that nature.

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He said the great thing about it is you can look all around you, and no matter who's standing behind you, you can ask them the same question, you'll get the same answer.

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You can turn to the gentleman on your left, say, Sir, how did you get here? And he'll say,

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Well, I got here by the blood of the Lamb. You could turn to the lady on your right, say, Ma 'am, how did you get here?

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And she'd say, I got here because Jesus up there died for me. You can turn to the guy behind you and say,

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Sir, how did you get here? He'd say, Well, I got here because Jesus died for me so that I wouldn't have to die.

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You can even look way, way, way, way, way over there and say, Hey, buddy, how'd you get here? I got here by the blood of the Lamb.

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One thing we'll all have in common. Now, Jesus is also the way because he was the perfect substitute for you and for me.

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You see, sin is a word that no one wants to talk about, much less mention anymore. People don't think they need us because they've been told all their lives that they're really not all that bad.

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Even in our churches and a lot of churches, places I see on TV, things that I read in the news, not the newspaper, but in books and the

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Internet, things of that nature. You don't hear it mentioned. You don't hear anything about Jesus mentioned. You're just told that, well, if you have enough faith, you'll be a victor, not a victim.

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I don't know what that means. Faith in what? I don't know. But that isn't what the Bible says. The Bible paints a very different picture.

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The Bible says, Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world, and so death by sin, and so that sin passed upon all men, for they all have sinned.

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The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, his Son. But God commendeth his love toward us, so that while we were yet sinners,

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Christ died for us. And of course, the all -familiar, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten

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Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. You see, this is very, very interesting to me.

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You see, God knew in his perfect wisdom that man would sin and that man would need a Savior. And that Savior was

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Jesus. And he also knew in his wisdom that any other way besides Jesus would involve some effort on our part, leaving man to say,

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Look what I did. You know, hey, I did a lot more than that guy. See him over there? I got here first, or I got here on better terms than he did.

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No, no, no, no, no, no. It's not what about man did, it's about what he did. He was the only perfect, sinless sacrifice that we could have ever had, hoped for, or ever even dreamed of.

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He came on his own accord, died for us. Now, Jesus is also the truth of God.

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So it says in the verse here, it says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is also the truth of God.

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Everything that he is, everything that he does, is the perfect interpretation or explanation of who

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God is and what God does, because he is God. Now, let's read verse 7 again.

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It says, If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. And from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

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You see, to see Jesus is to see God. To know Jesus is to know God. So if you want to see

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God, you have to go to see Jesus. If you want to get to know God, you have to get to know

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Jesus. Very simple. Now, what are some of the truths about Jesus?

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Now, up front, we could take everybody's lifespan in here tonight, double it, multiply it by a billion, and you wouldn't even begin to cover one speck on the full spectrum of the truth you could say about Jesus.

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So I'm not even going to try to do that. But what I am going to do is I'm just going to mention a few truths about Jesus that I feel are very appropriate to the subject

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I'm talking about tonight. In Jesus, we can have continual rest from the worries and problems of everyday life.

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Now, that doesn't mean we're going to stop having problems, or that our problems are going to go away. It doesn't mean that at some point

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Jesus is going to say, Hey buddy, you've handled enough, you're not going to have more problems the rest of your life. You just coast on into eternity and you'll be okay.

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In fact, in most cases, I would say that most people here would agree, problems either multiply, get worse, or a combination of the two as you get older and experience more.

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The point here is that Jesus says, As you go through these things, I will be there for you.

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I will help you through them. You don't have to do them alone. Now, what are some enemies of this rest?

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Very quickly, presumption. We think we know exactly what we need. We think we have the answer to solve every problem.

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Okay. Panic. This is one I do a lot. The tendency to jump into an issue, try to apply a familiar fix, without considering unseen issues or consequences.

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That's got me written all over it. I'll just tell you that right now. Also, you've finally got pride.

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Now, God hates pride. A feeling of self -sufficiency or some type of self -adequacy, that we don't need anything else.

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It's very interesting, too, that the time when we least think about God is when everything is going really, really good.

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I don't know if that's true every time, but I know it's been true in my life a time or two. Everything is going really good, and I don't really consider, well,

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I'm going through a good period. I wonder what God would have me do right now. No, when things go bad, it's like, Oh, Lord, help me.

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Everything is going good. You don't really think about it. That's something I'm always working on. Another truth about Jesus is where you can find

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Him. And you know, very interestingly enough, you can find Him all throughout the Bible. I'm not going to go through every book, but I'm going to give you kind of an idea of what

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I'm talking about here. In Genesis, you will find Him there as the seed of the woman. In Exodus, He's the

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Passover lamb. In Leviticus, He's our atoning sacrifice. In Deuteronomy, He's the prophet.

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In Job, He's my Redeemer. In Psalms, He's my all in all. In Proverbs, He's my pattern.

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In Ecclesiastes, He's my goal. In Song of Solomon, He's the lily of the valley and the fairest of 10 ,000 in my soul.

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In Isaiah, He's wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, and the

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Prince of Peace. I love that one. I just, I love that one. In Jeremiah, He's the

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Lord of righteousness. In Haggai, He's the desire of all nations. And in Malachi, He's the refiner's fire.

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Slide on over into the New Testament. Guess what? You'll find Him there. You'll find Him everywhere. In Matthew, He's the

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King. In Mark, He's the servant. In Luke, He's the Son of Man. In John, He's the

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Son of God. In Acts, He's God the Holy Ghost working through the New Testament church. In Romans, He's my justifier.

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And you know what else? In 1 and 2 Corinthians, you'll find Him there as our risen Lord. In Galatians, He is the pure grace of God.

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In Ephesians, He's the head of the church. In Colossians, He is the image of the invisible God. In 1 and 2

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Thessalonians, He's the bridegroom coming for the bride. In 1 and 2 Timothy, He's the bishop of our souls.

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In Titus, He's our blessed hope. In Philemon, He is the settler of our account.

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In Hebrews, He's our sacrifice. In James, He's the glory of God. In 1 and 2

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Peter, He's our returning Lord. In 1 and 2 and 3 John, He's life and love.

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In Revelation, He's Lord God omnipotent coming to rule and reign here on this earth. You know what?

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Jesus is also the life. The Bible says in 1 John 5, verses 11 and 12, and this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

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He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

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You know, one day when we die, if you die before the Lord comes back, and you've trusted

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Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you're not just going to cease to exist, as some people believe. You're not going to come back as a cow or a duck -billed platypus, as some others believe, in reincarnation or something crazy like that.

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No, when you die, you will instantly be in the presence of the

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Lord. Now that is life. You see, we were dead in trespasses and sins.

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Jesus saved us, and now because of that we can have life and have it more abundantly. I can't think of any better way to describe the word life than that.

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No better way. Now, let's get back to our question. What is the most profound truth you have ever known?

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And how has it affected you? Everything I've just talked about, keep that in mind, but I want you to know something that's just mere facts and information, unless you know this next one.

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What is the most profound truth you have ever known? Better than all of them. None of the others matter unless you know this one.

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How has it affected you? Now, I want to tell you that story. My granddaddy told this story, and I'm not going to give you all the background details like he did.

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I want to cut to just the core of it. But he was going through a tough time, had just overwhelming problems, and he just seemed like he needed a reminder or just something to stir him up again and let him know everything's going to be alright.

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So he went out riding one night, and he put in this tape. And this is what's great about it.

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He said it was just at the place that he needed. Isn't it amazing how God shows up right when you need Him?

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It's so amazing. He put it in, and there was this pastor preaching. He said he had heard of this old saint of God that had been preaching for at least 50 years.

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He said, I have to go see this guy. I have to ask him something. So he goes all the way to see him, and he says,

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Sir, you've preached for over 50 years. You've read the

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Bible from cover to cover many times. Sir, what is the most profound truth you've ever discovered in the

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Bible? And this old saint of God sort of lifted himself up best he could, got up on one elbow, and he began to sing,

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Jesus loves me, this I know. Praise the Lord. My granddaddy said he got his old car up on two wheels, spun all out in the median, finally got it settled down, grabbed his old handkerchief, ran out into the field next to where the road was at, and he just said,

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Jesus loves Bill Burr. Jesus loves me. You know what?

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Jesus loves Andy Cain. He loves Kevin. He loves you too, Brandon. He loves you, brother. He loves everybody in this room.

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That is the most profound truth you will ever discover in the Bible. It is the most profound truth you will ever know.

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Without knowing that Jesus loves you, nothing else matters. But if you know Jesus loves you, then everything matters.

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Everything takes on new meaning. Jesus is not just the way, the truth, and the life anymore. He is your way to heaven.

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He is your truth you need every day. And He is your life that you needed so desperately.

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Now, this didn't go as long as I thought it was going to go to, but that's okay. In conclusion,

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I want to tell you two more things. You say, well, Andy, that's the most profound truth.

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How has it affected you? Well, knowing that Jesus loves me, I am looking forward.

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Oh, I'm looking forward to the day where I can stand in front of Him face to face and say, thank you.

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Thank you, Lord. Because you saved me when I didn't deserve it. You called me to preach even though you probably could have found plenty of better people than me.

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You did everything that I did probably doesn't even stack up an inch compared to what you've done for me, but you did it anyway.

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I just want to thank Him for it. You know, because when I fall, He lifts me up.

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When I am weak, He is my strength. When I am lost, He is the way.

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When I am afraid, He is my courage. When I am hurt, He heals me.

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When I am blind, He leads me. When I face trials, He is with me.

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And when I face death, praise God, He carries me home. And also, just very quickly before I quit,

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I want to read you a quote. This is very important, and I won't get through it somehow.

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But I want to read you a quote. This was said by a man that was a great, great, great, great saint of God.

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And he said this later in his life. And just to hear these words speaks to the character and conviction that this man had.

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You knew by hearing this that this man knew this profound truth. And you also knew that his life was affected by it.

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And I quote, I don't know how long I'll have, but I'll tell you this.

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I intend by the grace of God and the Spirit of God that lives within inside of me to live every day to the very fullest.

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I'll just repeat it one more time. I don't know how long I'll have, but I'll tell you this.

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I intend by the grace of God and the Spirit of God that lives inside of me to live every day to the very fullest.

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There's a couple people in this audience that I already know who said this. The person that said this quote was my granddaddy

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Bill Burr in a sermon of February 2006. Now if ever a man lived that knew what the most profound truth you could ever know was, it was him.

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He knew it. He lived by it. It affected him. And all I hope, this is all I hope,

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I don't want anything else for anybody in here. I just hope that tonight, we can all say,

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I know that Jesus loves me. And knowing this profound truth has changed my life so greatly, and I owe it all to Him.

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Because He is my way to Heaven. He is my truth that I need every day.

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And He is the life that I needed so desperately.