Jesus Calls His First Disciples: Part 2

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Jesus Calls His First Disciples: Part 3

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Well, we go to our text this morning and you could turn to John chapter 1 as we continue to study our way through and our little journey together as Followers of the
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Lord Jesus Christ through the wonderful gospel of John Here we see
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Jesus calls his first disciples is not the permanent call, but it is a call
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Actually is more of a following if I were to title it right because it's um
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We see these disciples Following the Lord Jesus Christ first we see here john which he does not name himself and andrew
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And lord willing we will continue. Um, I want to break this up To the end of the chapter we see we will be approaching philip and nathaniel
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And we'll be looking start looking at that lord willing next week But as of right now
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The theme is no doubt. Um speaking of making disciples and that's
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Really that is the the main command Of the great commission that is given from our lord we're looking at this and Let me begin by saying this through the writings of the apostle john here
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The holy spirit of god has given us a perfect a perfect pattern to follow
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Just to recap a little so far as we've seen in john chapter 1 verse 1 through 18
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Which by the way constitutes a solid foundation of who jesus is his person who he is
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Begins theologically it's theology, um, which is Is different in comparison to the synoptic gospels which most um
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A couple I know begins with the genealogies Matthew martin luke the synoptic gospels and john is quite different the apostle john begins
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His gospel actually what is called the prologue the prologue Which introduces to us the major themes?
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That the apostle would treat especially especially as the main theme unfolds
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And what is that main thing the main theme of course Is jesus is the christ.
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He is the messiah The son of the living god that is the main theme Jesus is the christ the messiah the anointed one the son of the living god
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There are several key words as we've seen that's been repeated through this wonderful gospel such as life
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Uh light, um witness glory which appear
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In the first chapter of john in which we've looked at the remainder
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Of the entire gospel develops the theme That jesus is the christ the anointed one
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It develops that theme in the prologue as to how the eternal son became flesh and ministered among men so that all
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Who believe in him? would be saved That is really the the focal point of this gospel
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And if you notice that that's that's really another key word is believe believe believe you see john constantly is
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Repeating that word by the holy spirit throughout this gospel so in chapter 1 as we've seen verse 1 through 18, it's basically
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The foundation that is being laid is theological concerning the glorious person of the lord.
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Jesus christ Jesus christ who he is As brother keith mentioned this morning.
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We need a clearer view of christ and how can we get a clearer view of christ? Right here in this wonderful book right here
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On our knees before god with an open bible uh The more of this revelation we get and fill our minds and hearts with the more we have a clearer picture
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And a right view of god and a clearer view of who jesus is is in the scriptures in the revelation of scripture this book is
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Unique it's actually 66 books Compiled into one great book but um
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You have 27 of the old testament books and 39 of the new testament books and it's compiled
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It is the great revelation it is the mind of god it is the word of god It is the voice of god if we really want to know
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How god is like open your bible I like what john calvin said. He said if you want to hear god speak
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Read your bible out loud, um The word of god is the mind of god it is the the voice of god and everything we know about god is through the scriptures, but if you notice the first half of the chapter 1 verse 1 through 18
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It's theological for a reason it sets the setting of Who jesus is?
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It's foundational then in verse 19 to 37 there is a
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Transition that takes place the apostle john presents to us the first of many witnesses Concerning jesus christ for the reason to prove that jesus is the messiah the son of the living god by By which by the way reinforces his main theme throughout the gospel
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So the first witness which testifies concerning who jesus is is none other than john the baptist john the baptist
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Basically In verse 7 if you notice he is a man sent from god This man came for a witness
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To bear witness of the light that all through him might believe verse 8 He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light
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So John the baptist The forerunner of the lord jesus christ.
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He was a herald to trumpet the the message that jesus
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Is coming and he's here he's among us and He comes to testify
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He's sent from god and he gives testimony and that testimony is a public confession
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Before the world Of who jesus is He testifies of jesus on three different days to three different groups of people as we've seen on each of these days
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He gives three messages And just to recap again, this is so important because it's taking us right to our text on day one
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He is here basically that's what john is saying verse 26. I baptize you with water
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But there stands one among you whom you do not know He's speaking there basically to the sanhedrin sent from the pharisees
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On day two he says Look at him look at him on verse in verse 29.
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The next day john saw jesus coming toward him And said behold the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world
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So he says look Behold the lamb of god look at him
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That brings us to our text doesn't it? Our text basically says on day three
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And this is day three follow him He's basically Pointing to christ and speaking to his own disciples that follow him
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Notice verse 35 to verse 42 Hear the word of the living god again, the next day john stood with two of his disciples
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And looking at jesus As he walked he said behold the lamb of god
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That these two disciples heard him speak and they followed jesus Then jesus turned and seeing them following said to them.
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What do you seek? They said to him rabbi Which is to say when translated teacher
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Where are you staying? Listen to that question jesus asked a probing question then they reply with the question verse 39 he said to them come and see
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And they came And saw where he was staying And remained with him that day now.
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It was about the 10th hour Verse 40 one of the two who heard john speak and followed him was andrew simon peter's brother
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He first found his own brother simon and said to him. We have found the messiah which is translated to christ verse 42 and he brought him to jesus
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Now when jesus looked at him, he said You are simon the son of jonah
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You shall be called cephas which is Translated a stone
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Let's pause Right here and let's pray please our father in heaven as we
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Come before your throne and worship our hearts
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First say hallowed be thy name Hallowed be thy name We thank you father
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And our prayer is today lord within the within the remaining hour of this
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Worship as we open your word That we may see jesus and jesus only
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Help us lord to by your grace to continue to follow him in lowliness and obedience
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And may our ultimate goal and our priority be to know him more intimately The lord we pray this for your honor and glory help me father
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To deliver this message that would be pleasing to you lord of what the text is saying here
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Lord i admit I am so weak here and the task is heavy
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It's heavy lord, it's a heavy message of discipleship. So lord help us we I need much grace
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We all need much grace lord And we thank you that your grace is sufficient and we praise you and we ask this in jesus name amen
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Well in verse 35 to 37 we have as we first But our first point was that we've seen
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By the text of scripture that jesus is followed by the disciples Jesus is followed by the disciples not all the disciples, but two here as we pointed out john does not name himself because of the humility that he
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Brings it's you'll see this all the way through his gospel that always speaks of the one in whom jesus loved speaking of himself
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And then andrew is named. So those are the first two disciples They were john the the they were basically the disciples of john the baptist
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Again the text and next the next day john stood with two of his disciples verse 36 and looking at jesus his is his he walked
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And he said behold the lamb of god The two disciples heard him speak and followed jesus now
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All that was left For john the baptist and his life and his mission
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Was basically for him to do was make room to decrease
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Now, let's look a little bit more at john the baptist because he's the forerunner. He's very crucial here
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This is a very important transition that's taken place He is to decrease
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And to leave the scene He said it himself in john 3 30, it's one of the great verses of scripture and especially here in the gospel of john he must increase
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But I must decrease basically christ must increase
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I must decrease that Should be our theme as well
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So Jesus is always to increase we are to decrease his mission.
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His purpose was complete He took delight And what's amazing here?
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He took joy And pleasure in this glorious privilege that god given had given him
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We see this in john 3 verse 26 beginning at verse 26 if you want to flip over To a couple pages here
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In john chapter 3 and we're going to cover this a little bit more in detail later on as god wills it
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But we see here that he says and they came to john and said to him basically his disciples
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Rabbi notice they call him teacher He who is with you beyond the jordan to whom you have testified behold
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He is baptizing and are all are coming to him Verse 27
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John answered and said listen to the answer john gives a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven
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You yourselves bear witness that I said I am not the christ but I have been sent before him
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He who has the bride is the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom
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Who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice Therefore notice what he says this joy of mine
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Is fulfilled? It's been fulfilled So john the baptist is basically saying here and the weddings of that time period back in The eastern culture was much different than the weddings
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We have here in the west in america It was really a big big deal for days and days and days
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But john is basically saying here that he is the friend of the bridegroom
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That's like a best man. He is the best man in this wedding Uh who has organized the details
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He's put together All the uh, the the details that is to take place
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To introduce the world To the bridegroom He's the best man in a sense
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This friend of the bridegroom found his greatest joy In watching the ceremony take place without any problems
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What a privilege that john the baptist had And and as you well know that john the baptist did decrease literally
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He was put in prison He was out of the way Jesus was gathered disciple.
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He chose And calls the disciples and john the baptist's disciples follows christ and John loses his head
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As he's in prison still preaching He literally decreased
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Jesus said out of all this all men that's been born and women. There's none greater than john He was the greatest outside of christ
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Because he had the grand privilege of introducing the world to the greatest person that ever lived
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So john fades away from the scene His mission is done And he actually lived to say one sentence
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Behold the lamb of god Who takes away the sin of the world he lived for that one moment?
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none other He lived to point his disciples to jesus christ verse 35 again the next day he
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John stood he stood you can actually see the scene he stood
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With two of his disciples. We know who is john the apostle to be and andrew
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And you can see it. John is standing and then the two disciples right next to him and jesus is walking by And looking at jesus
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He's looking at jesus And you can see him as he walked as jesus walked by He tells his two disciples behold the lamb of god so basically meaning he was
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Pretty much telling them follow him follow him Interesting to note
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As I was studying this Yesterday in my study and I was praying and trying to Uh as I was reading different commentaries on this.
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I finally found some remarkable insights here I never noticed this but in this text jesus is shown to be rather passive Have you noticed that?
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He's rather passive Only once he is shown Here in the text in this chapter as we will see to call someone that is found in verse 43
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And we'll be approaching it soon here The following day jesus wanted to go to galilee and he found philip
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And said to him Follow me Generally The future disciple either comes to jesus on his own or is brought to him through the efforts of another disciple
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That's very interesting as mentioned the present account Helps illumine the disciples the willingness which is shown in the synoptic gospels
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Which is the call to abandon their trades and follow jesus as the permanent call is given
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This is why john the baptist was really crucial here a crucial witness to jesus because but also in the initial source
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From which jesus drew his followers now
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Commentator keener Says this concerning john the baptist quote and this is a
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Wonderful quote i'm going to tie this in with another commentator By the name of morris
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Who is really a great commentator, uh, I know pastor macarthur uses him
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A great deal brother keith. You mentioned that to me um so Really some good insight here listen to this quote
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He says to recommend disciples to a greater teacher was rare required great humility
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And and um denoted confidence
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And and the other teachers superiority Morris says this the present shift in allegiance
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From the baptist to jesus. He says also illustrates john's humility And submission to the divine will
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It is the mark of a truly great man that he can gently but firmly detach them his followers
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So that they may go after a greater And he closes the comment with this and I love this
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This is a refreshing example in our day When the human tendency is to build empire centered on certain individuals end quote
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So You see you see the humility of john the baptist This man was truly a humble man
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He even said that He's not even worthy To unstrap or unloose the latch of jesus's sandals when jesus comes to him and says
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Basically to baptize him john says you come to me to baptize you It's almost like you got to be kidding me
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I am not worthy of this Because he knew the greatness of the character of who jesus was
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He was a humble man folks well The second point as we looked at in verse 38 to 40 jesus speaks to the disciples.
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Jesus speaks to the disciples. We see this in verse 38 Then jesus turned
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Seeing them following and said to them What do you seek? What a what a question
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What do you seek Gets right to the heart's motives, doesn't he? The first utterance right here in this gospel that we are given of jesus christ
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Is this question? What do you seek?
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We need to ask this question to us every single day, what are we seeking the first utterance
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In this gospel by our lord jesus Asking nothing but a very simple probing
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Convicting question that strikes to the very heart and motive What are you looking for what are you seeking
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Probing and challenging, isn't it? It is well
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As he says and asks the disciples, what are you seeking? What is he doing he's he's as the master he is forcing them to define their purposes
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And heart motives and their goals In other words, what's your purpose?
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What's well It's almost like christ is saying to them Why why do you want to why do you want to follow me?
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What a question Warren weirsby comments here. He said Were they looking for a revolutionary leader to overthrow rome?
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Then they had better join the zealots Little did andrew and john realize that day how their lives would be transformed by the son of god
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End quote now, that's so true So we see here the two disciples the two disciples answers the master in a question from a question
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Which by the way is the wisest way to answer, right? He said they said to him rabbi which is to say when translated teacher
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Where are you staying? Where are you staying? Another translation says where are you dwelling?
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Where are you dwelling? This may be suggested this If you are really too busy now, we can visit later
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Um, but our lord graciously invites them doesn't he he graciously invites them
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To spend the day with him Time period was about 4 p .m
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We're not told the details But i'm sure our lord reveals his heart to andrew and john
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And what he shared with them We don't know
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But i'm sure whatever was said Was penetrating life -changing
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Verse 39 he said to them come and see come and see The bible says they came and saw where he was staying
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No details are given there where he's staying But it it does tell us and they remained with him that day they they spent the whole day there
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And if you notice in your in the scriptures there in parentheses now, it was about the 10th hour
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Some commentator says it was 10 a .m. That's not true It in that time period is hours it's a 12 -hour day
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The day starts at 6 a .m. If you take it to 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2
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Uh, I miscounted see I I have a hard time counting but I do know about counting the calls though But if you do 10 10 hours, it's basically 4 p .m
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From 6 To to the 10th hour the 4 p .m,
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but but here's Regardless of how poorly I I brought that out
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This is what's important And this is what we should not forget That john's first meeting with jesus
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Was so powerful It was it had such an impact on his life
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And so life -changing that he remembers the exact hour that he first met the lord
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I think that's the important thing we need not to forget It says it right there
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He did not forget that time period that's You know when something is life -changing in our lives
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We don't forget that it's like a landmark. We we go back to that time period and think
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Lord it was right there. You you met with me and changed my life Now sometimes we don't know uh
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Yeah, it's act like the new birth. I'm I can't tell you exactly that hour and time and I was born in Into the kingdom of god, but I know the life
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Changing transformation that took place but there are times when the lord does meet with us We never forget it do we and john here puts in parentheses it was at that hour 4 p .m
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Jesus inviting the disciples to his home Also may be compared to the statement
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And the synoptic gospels that's especially found in luke. And by the way This text is really hated by prosperity false teachers
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They hate this and i've quoted it to them before and they They they basically try to twist it and turn it.
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But jesus says foxes have holes the birds have nests Of the air has nests but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head
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I believe brother zach referred that today. You didn't know that was in my notes. Did you but god god knows praise god
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Quote that to a prosperity faith teacher. I guarantee That it hit hard because jesus being the son of man
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Who owned it all made it all? Comes to his world in which he makes pitched his tent and basically lived homeless
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Basically proposes that here he's given hospitality To give these disciples a place for the night
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He's he's thinking of them and their needs In that sense, but the most important need is that they knew he knew that they knew that they needed him
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But he offers to them hospitably in a way Since it was too far for them to travel back to their homes that night
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I don't know whether they to walk back to bassadia Was from capernaum.
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We don't know Which was a few hours walk or from nazareth? Which was even further because which was a very a full day's journey
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But jesus invites them to stay with him Remarkable, isn't it?
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the third point i'd like to get to here is Jesus is shared by the disciple
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Andrew jesus is shared by the disciple andrew. Let's look at andrew a little bit verse 40 one of the two
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Who heard john speak and followed him was andrew simon peter's brother interesting to note that wherever you find andrew um
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In john's gospel. He's always bringing someone to jesus Isn't he? I love this about andrew.
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He's in the shadows. He's always under the shadow of his brother Peter because in the list peter is always first He's always in the shadow, but he's the one that introduces peter
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To jesus Here in the text he's bringing his his brother simon peter to the lord
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Also, if if you were to read in john 6 verse 8, he's bringing a lad with loads of fishes
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He goes and reaches out to the young man With with a little lunch
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And jesus says here's a lad And But what does he have what is this among so many and jesus, you know does the miracle of multiplying the loaves and the fishes
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To feed all the people that was following So you see andrew is the one that brings the lad to jesus in john 12 20 to 21.
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He's seen bringing the greeks Who wanted to see jesus? He brings the greeks to jesus
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Yes Well, let me comment here. We don't have any record
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In the scriptures of any sermons from andrew none whatsoever But I tell you this beloved.
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I think this is more important than a verbal sermon Even though sermons are important preaching of the word of god, but what's more important is this
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That no doubt Andrew certainly preached great a great sermon and many sermons in his life and his actions
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That is the most important thing That we are living epistles And we see andrew living
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Like an open sermon he lives the sermon And notice it's he's a one -on -one soul winner
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He's one -on -one Well verse 41.
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He first found his own brother and that beautiful the way the text brings it. He found his own brother
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Simon and said to him We have found the messiah which is translated the christ.
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So The first thing we read here in this verse is andrew Is joyfully tells his brother simon peter about jesus and he goes first to his own brother
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That makes me think he is no doubt his brother's keeper opposite of can um, he thanks much of his brother he
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Wants to go tell his brother He first found his own brother simon and said
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We have found the messiah. We have found the messiah. You can almost sense the excitement here in in him
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Which is translated the christ the anointed one We found him John the apostle by the holy spirit is the only new testament author by the way to use the term messiah
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That's interesting isn't it? And in chapter 4 verse 25 But the expression is very important It comes from a verb that means to anoint
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To anoint the anointed one the messiah He is the anointed one
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The expression is transliteration of the arabic hebrew word means anointed one
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And as you well know the old testament anointed was used quite often variously refers to the king of israel
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In first samuel 16 6 and second samuel 1 14 as being anointed
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Also the high priest in leviticus 4 3 and also of prophets in psalm 105 15
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Or others who were set apart consecrated for a particular office We see this in the old testament and notice what
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I just mentioned prophet priest and king Jesus fulfills every bit of that He is the great prophet, but he's more than a prophet.
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He is the messiah He is the king of kings. He's the king of israel
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He is um the priest of priests Jesus Is the anointed one the coming one he is the coming one
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That was prophesied in the the old testament and they knew some something of the old testament in these prophecies
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Because that's where they're deriving the messiah well Verse 42 says and he brought him to jesus and then when jesus looked at him
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He said you are simon the son of jonah or john You shall be called cephas
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Which is translated as stone Now we see andrew brings simon to jesus and this is how
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The kingdom of god advances isn't it beautiful an ordinary man by the name of andrew
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Brings his brother. He's a one -on -one soul winner Let us never be discouraged
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Therefore we just invite one to jesus That the kingdom of god is advancing
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And this is the way jesus intended it One -on -one bringing another to jesus notice the text now when jesus looked at him.
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This is interesting. He looked at peter in this case Some commentators said this this means that jesus looked at peter with penetration and insight.
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I don't know about you but If you'd been there, how would how would you have
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Taken it by jesus looking with a penetrating look of great love
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And insight within your eyes the gate of your soul he looks right into it
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Wow It changes peter's life here to the point that this encounter with jesus
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Was was completely life -changing Christ knows everything about him.
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He knows everything about us He looks right into his eyes penetrating he looks at him
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He knows Who he would become? And that that's that's what
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I love about the lord. He knows everything about us, but he's the one that loves us the most And jesus says to him you shall be called cephas which is translated peter
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Cephas is the arabic word which was common language of that day They spoke
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But jesus gives him a a wonderful name peter Peter is from the greek
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Word it means stone or rock So our lord is predicting what peter will become
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You know, it makes me think it's good It's almost like the lord's saying it's going to be rough and tough you're going to have many crosses and many losses
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There's going to be many challenges And even failures among the way But there's one thing that will not fail peter
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Is his faith? And we read this That his faith does not ultimately fail because jesus prays for him
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And aren't you glad that jesus is praying for you? That ultimately your faith will not fail my faith will not fail that's what's important christ intercedes for us
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He intercedes before the father And every prayer you can read it through the scriptures every prayer that jesus has prayed the father answers it and you know
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Here's the beginning of we see in peter and you know the end of the story You go all the way to the end of the gospel of john and he's being restored
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Jesus is lovingly restoring him He denies peter denied the lord three times and three times he asked him peter.
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Do you love me? Feed my lambs Do you love me?
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Incredible, but he restores him now. There's a connection here. I like to take this to go to matthew
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Chapter 16. This is a very familiar Verse it's another time that That this was revelation was given but starting with verse 13
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Well, very well known uh Passage here, but notice in verse 13 when jesus came into the region accessaria philippi
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Horrific place, isn't it right in the heart of a horrific hell? he asked his
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Disciples here's the this is the 12 now. Okay There's many other disciples.
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There was larger groups of disciples. There's a small the 12 So he's asking the 12 saying
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Then notice the great teacher that jesus says he's asked the question. Who do men say that I the son of man am?
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He brings them in right he brings them right in into the conversation by probing them a question
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So they said some say john the baptist some elijah others jeremiah One of the prophets so we we read a little bit right there how jesus is preaching was and his life was because it's very familiar with the fieryness of john the baptist or the
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Elijah the prophet of fire jeremiah the weeping prophet or One of the prophets but then in verse 15, he said to them, but who do you say that I am?
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Wow, what a question now he's getting right down to the dare. Who do you say that I am?
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That's one of the greatest questions asked by our lord simon peter He was the one he was like the spokesman of the 12.
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He answered and said you are the christ the son of the living god I want you to think about that what he just said
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He didn't come up with that in his head. Did he? why The text tells us verse 17 jesus answered and said to him
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Blessed are you simon berjona? For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven
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And then jesus says this In other words, it came by revelation was not has not revealed this to you
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In other words flesh and blood has not revealed this to you. The father revealed this to you verse 18, but and I also say to you
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That you are peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it
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Let's stop right there notice the word for peter petros
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Petros means a small stone He's a small living stone
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Okay A small stone jesus used to play on words here With the word petra
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Peter petros a small stone. Jesus is the petra the boulder which means
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He is jesus himself is the chief cornerstone. He is the foundation boulder so Christ is both the foundation and the head of the church
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Peter being an apostle. Jesus basically says you're a small stone What is that picture in your mind what's the truth saying here it's built on the petra the boulder the foundation boulder
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Paul the apostle says this in ephesians 2 20 Having been built on the foundation
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Of the apostles and prophets jesus christ himself being the chief cornerstone
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Verse 21. Let me read further in whom the whole building
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Being fitted together Grows into a holy temple in the lord verse 22 in whom also you
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Also are being built together. Don't take that word together out. This is together.
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We are together in this As jesus is building his church and then paul says for a dwelling place of god in the spirit
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The real dwelling place and the real temple and the church is not this structure here We just come here to meet which was so thankful for it
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I think god's going to use this in a great way that you and I are the dwelling place of god
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With god's presence dwells within our hearts by the holy spirit fitted together built together
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I'm Jesus says on this rock. I will build my church speaking of himself the boulder the great petra
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And peter is that small stone Even though very significant. We're much smaller believe we're pebbles
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But but we but jesus will put all those sands of pebbles together make a great
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Wonderful church jesus says it's my church. It's his church. It doesn't belong to evangelists.
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It doesn't belong to preachers It's his church Emphasizing he it's his it belongs to him.
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He's building it You could guarantee it's going to be built We just need to do our part and taking the gospel
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To the in in the sense of our responsibility and means but jesus will bring them
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Bring them those lost souls to himself, right? He knows who the elect are
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So it belongs to him. He's the head. He's the head of the church. He's the chief architect He's the chief builder.
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He's the chief cornerstone. He's the owner. He's the lord Aren't you glad? It's invincible
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And he says the gates of hell shall not prevail against it The church actually the word church in the greek here means called out ones
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Separated from the world to reach the world by god's grace and power Well, peter was completely changed.
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Was he wasn't he not his this encounter with jesus and our text changed him
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Need more so he was changed here. Y 'all find something very interesting here And let me just bring this to light while i'm here at this text
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After jesus points out who he is what the father reveals to him It's almost like pride comes in his way
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He's in the spirit. The revelation is given to him by the father Notice what jesus says and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven
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Basically, there's authority that's that jesus has given to him Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.
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Whatever you loose on earth will be loose in heaven That does not mean demons and and and all those nonsense, uh things that the the word of faith people, uh preach
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Even among pentecostals preach that it's basically speaking about the forgiveness of sins and church discipline here
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The first thing that jesus is mentioning Verse 20 then he commanded his disciples.
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Notice what he says after this was all said He commanded his disciples that they should tell no one that he was jesus to christ.
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That sounds odd You think oh, no, wait, don't lord. Don't you know want people to know no
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He wanted to wait first after he was put to death Put on a criminal's cross buried three days and risen again.
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Now you go tell them But here verse 21 from that time jesus began to show to his disciples
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And this was really significant that he must go to jerusalem And suffer many things from the elders and the chief priest and the scribes and to be killed
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Be raised the third day Then peter took him aside. Oh now now here here's something here peter takes the lord aside
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And began to rebuke him. Could you imagine peter doing this began to rebuke the lord jesus christ.
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What did he say? Far be it from you lord This shall not happen to you
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You know, he got the person of jesus, right, but he didn't understand his work at that time
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Jesus turned to turned and said to peter get behind me satan You are an offense to me
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For you are not mindful of the things of god, but the things of men Wow Stop right there.
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You know, we as redeeming grace church We need to be awful careful when we begin to work the word.
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We know we get we see who jesus really is We need to have both of it right the person and the works of christ
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And I I have already seen this beloved and I know you have as well.
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We need to be really on guard of satan's tactics
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Even among god's people when we are really engaging in the cause of christ
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Warfare will be coming at us because anytime we released god's truth To a lost and dying world.
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I can guarantee you When the light of the gospel goes out satan will do everything he can to cause an upheaval even among ourselves
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Don't we need to be on guard? I'm speaking to myself beloved you know, we we need to be careful and not allow our pride to get in the way, but we need to think of others more highly than we think of ourselves and encourage one another and And i'm telling you
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I'm far from perfect I know you've seen this in me You do not have a perfect pastor
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I've failed many times and you're going to see more failure. By the way. Spurgeon says if you find a perfect church run from it
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You're not going to find one here on this side of heaven, right? The perfect church is the church triumphant in heaven
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As far as right now we are redeemed We're redeemed and each one of us has flaws and each one of us like a family have you noticed in a family unit
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You see each other's flaws But we have to be patient with one another we have to love one another we continue to love
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I can I can speak a lot volumes of this as having five children in in our home and you know, theresa knows what i'm talking about, but You we see each other's flaws
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And we see each other's cracks and crooks and all these things and I'm i'm far from Being where I should be
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But it's what's encouraging is the lord knows what we are and he wants us. He knows what we're going to become
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I like the children song. He's still working on me To make me what I ought to be children, you know that one
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It took him just a week to make the moon and the stars right But jesus is still working on us
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He's still working on me And that's the purpose of sanctification well
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Let's go a little further here I got a lot to say here. I don't know if i'm gonna get all this in because my time's running out
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But I got we're talking about the cost of discipleship Well Um, let's let me start with some application which
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I think is uh, very Convicting here. So hold on to your seat belts
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If there's one finger going that way is four pointing right here folks What would be a good application here
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And this application would focus on what it means And what would cost us to be a disciple followed jesus christ
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I've chosen what came to my mind as I was thinking of this and praying about it Go with me to luke's gospel
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Chapter nine And I like for you to see this Jesus is speaking
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There's three sets of three sets of uh men here people we don't know if all of them's men, but And in luke chapter nine beginning with verse 57 look at this now it happened as They journeyed on the road that someone said to him lord.
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I will follow you wherever you go Listen to that I will follow you wherever you go, uh beginning with this.
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Um This man volunteered to follow jesus without reservation didn't he?
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What was his problem his problem was that he had not realistically counted the cost
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Of what it means to follow jesus the sacrifice He at the moment of the excitement
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Just says I will follow you lord I will and jesus knew that he knew his heart
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There's enthusiasm Based upon his feelings Don't you know people like that his feelings of the moment the excitement of the moment
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And not faith not faith Not He would not be strong enough to sustain
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Him during the trials that lay ahead for him Jesus says to him verse 15 jesus said to him foxes have holes
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The birds have air of the of the air have nests but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head
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Notice what jesus is saying to him not even jesus
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Himself had the ordinary comforts of home What jesus is saying he said he's basically it's going to cost you something to follow me
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It's going to cost you everything Look at verse look at verse 59
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Jumps to another person Then he said to another follow me
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But he said lord, let me first There's the key word first go and bury my father
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Now this aspiring disciple placed his family responsibilities ahead Ahead of following the lord now,
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I don't get me wrong your family means something, right? We are to take care of our family
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The father and mother has duties and responsibilities. We're to love our children We're to do our duty, but the lord jesus christ comes first The concerns of home where this man's stomach block was his his heart
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He he actually worshiped his family above the lord. I know many people like this, don't you?
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He put his family first before the lord How do we know this notice in the text lord let me first go and bury my father
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Now what's interesting with this that the man's excuse was his father, but his father was not even dead because of the way they they
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Buried people back at that time. This man was really saying Was that he wanted to delay the lord and following him.
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He wanted to procrastinate until his father died and until he got an inheritance Put it off Procrastinate It made me think as I was studying this how many people in hell right now that procrastinated against the lord and rejected
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Jesus christ because they put other things first before christ I'll tell you this this is really convicting because it searches my own heart unlike the 12
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This particular man was not willing to leave everything to follow jesus He was not willing to follow christ and leave it all
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He was the example. I believe that jesus speaks of and the parable of the soils when he says jesus says the seed which fell among the thorns are are those
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Ones of those are the ones who have heard heard as they go on their way they
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Heard the word they choked out the word with the worries And the riches And the pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to maturity in other words the pleasures of life
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Everything in the world literally chokes out the word of god like thorns and weeds
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Choke it out a good A good plant that's going to give
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The fruit but it doesn't get fruit to maturity Verse 60 jesus replied with a proverb in a sense a proverb saying that That which was a rebuke of this man's wrong priorities
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Jesus said to him He said let the dead bury their own dead. Listen to what jesus is saying, but you go preach the kingdom of god
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Now jesus puts it right where it goes He hit this man's heart as jesus always does
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Now let me say off the cuff here what jesus's rebuke implies and what it don't imply it does not imply
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And does not mean that believers are forbidden to attend funerals, okay You you know that not to attend to the dead relatives and affairs
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But it is to say that the spiritually dead can't bury Their own dead is to say that there are issues in that person's priorities to those who are spiritually dead, but do not
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Uh, but not to those who are alive in jesus christ I should say jesus here challenges this individual
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To leave the temporal passing things the earthly matters
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To worldly people people and not make them an over riding priority
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Didn't jesus say this on the sermon on the mount in matthew 6 33 a very familiar verse continue seek first The kingdom of god and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.
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He's saying There are earthly things Don't worry about those things you
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Put the lord jesus christ First and foremost and all that you do and seek him first and seek his righteousness
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And jesus says god will provide the rest When when actually the text says will be added unto you god
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Jesus is saying god the father will provide those things and what's the things?
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just the simple things of food and clothing The simple things that are needful that we need
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God to take care of secular people are preoccupied with secular matters, right? Spiritual people are preoccupied with spiritual matters
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And actually our hearts should be on eternal manners as well Well, he was to go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of god the call of god
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And following jesus must receive first priority look at verse 61 and another also said lord
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I will follow you but here again but Let me first go and bid them.
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Farewell who are at my house again Another one a disciple Here's a disciple
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Let me first go and Bid my home farewell
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But jesus said to him no one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of god
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That I don't know about you that that what jesus says really hits right here
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Jesus remarks a very serious warning that demonstrates the seriousness of commitment the seriousness
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Putting a hand to the plow means engaging in the task serving god in god's kingdom
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You put your hand to that plow You start looking back what happens this happens
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Everything goes crooked everything goes crooked, but you got to stay straight ahead
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Look at looking up to jesus the author and finisher of faith and you will plow a straight plow hebrews 10
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Full of admonitions and warnings notice what it says in hebrews 10 Verse 36 i'll start right there for you have need of endurance
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So that after you have done the will of god You may receive the promise for a little while and he
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Who is coming will come and will not tarry Now the just shall live by faith
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But if anyone draws back My soul has no pleasure in him but We here's the encouragement we are not those who draw back
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To perdition But of those who believe to the saving of the soul
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We don't draw back. Let me um close this with a quote from Spurgeon Listen what spurgeon says on this comment on this what we just read
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He says this quote sometimes nobody appeared to come to christ No one appeared to come to christ
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He preached but no followers appeared as a result of his preaching And another time we see that many came and desired to be numbered with his disciples
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But they were not all of the right kind Luke has collected here
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Three instances that I think are typical of many more of those who seem to be true followers of jesus christ
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Who none nevertheless did not continue with him and were not really converts
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And listen what spurgeon says here This is very important. We need to get this
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One thing I do not like about these three people Is that none of them appears to have any sense of sin
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Nothing is said about repentance Or about their deep need of a savior
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He could put that together no sense of sin Nothing is said about repentance
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Or about their deep need of a savior He says this I regret that there should be so many persons outside of my text who have no repentance
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They seem to jump into the religion as men do into their morning bath and then they jump out again just as quickly
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Converted by the dozen and unconverted One by one till the dozen has melted away.
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Not really converted Otherwise, they would never be unconverted again
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The marks of a true disciple Is found in luke 14 25 through 33 and I'd like to save that lord willing for next week
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But you see there are the true marks and counting the cost And i'll just touch on this real quickly, but I want to pick this up later on because it's very deep folks
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But read this in your devotional time Leaving all to follow christ i'll read it real quick now great multitudes went
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With him and he turned and said to them and see jesus saw all these people followed him
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He knew he knew that they were following him for the wrong reason And what he gets right down to it
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He says if anyone comes to me and does not hate his father mother wife children brother sister
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Yes And his own life also he cannot be my disciple and that word hate means in comparison to god
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Christ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple
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For which of you intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost Whether he has enough to finish it least
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After he has laid the foundation is not able to finish all who see it begin to mock him
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Saying this man began to build and was not able to finish Or what king going to make war against another king does not sit down first consider whether he is able
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With ten thousand to meet him and comes against him with twenty thousand Or else while the other is still great way off he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace
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And notice what jesus gets to so likewise Whoever of you does not forsake all forsake all that he has cannot
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Be my disciple the words of the lord jesus christ And god help us god give us grace
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To continue to look to him the author and finisher of our faith, let's pray lord.
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These are some strong words They are so convicting But lord
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As heavy as this is and as heavy as the cross is And following you
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And some days it seems so overwhelmingly heavy we will never back down lord
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By your grace, we will not dare be haughty and say lord. It's our own strength and our own confidence
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God forbid lord save us from ourselves It's in great weakness that you come to be strong Because your grace is sufficient lord lord.
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I pray heavenly father Sovereign lord work a great work in our hearts today
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All in all of us lord until we are resolved to count this cost and follow christ
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Lord bring about first of all a clear new understanding of the glory of who jesus is in our lives
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And make us ever thankful lord For the great love and mercy that has saved us that has sanctifies us and that continues to sanctify us
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Granted by your spirit By your will and your power lord,
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I pray I pray for each and every one of us today Lord pray I pray for everyone here.
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I pray for the little ones as well lord that you would encourage us with this truth
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And what it means to truly follow you and be your own disciple Fill us with your joy lord your peace your grace
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And make us faithful lord help us to be faithful witnesses In our
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Jerusalem That others may know who jesus is And we pray this for your honor for your glory