The #1 Thing People Get WRONG About JESUS!

So whenever we think that God is severe and harsh and we question, like, does he really love me? That is what the enemy would have us think.

It is not what the Lord would have us think. And this is why salvation by sincere obedience that is preached in final justification and lordship salvation at points and federal vision and new perspectives on Paul and pietism all over the—this is why, with every fiber of my being,

I hate it. Because this is the tactic of the evil one, to cause the beloved children of God who are known and loved and cherished by Jesus Christ to question whether God really loves them.

I mean, we all agree, Jesus is the good news. And it is through our union with him by faith that we then receive all his benefits.

Sometimes I just feel like preaching is academic. Too academic. Too academic, yeah.

It feels more like lecturing and teaching, which is a necessary part of our diet. Of course. And less proclaiming the wonder of Christ.

Less heralding. Mm -hmm. We never want to pit doctrine and experience against each other.

Because it is not either or. It is not one or the other. But you disconnect it from doctrine. Doctrine does become cold.

And I would say you lose the benefit of the relationship, as you said earlier this morning, the experience of Christ in your life.

You know, the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years in Mark chapter 5. Put yourself there. She has not been well for 12 years.

Then you have on top of it, in the Jewish community, she is ceremonially unclean. She's an outcast.

She's marginalized. And she's heard clearly. She's heard about Jesus. She's thinking to herself, man, if I can just, if I can get near him and if I can just touch him, maybe

I'll be well. You know the account. Like there's this, I mean, basically a moving parade as Jesus is on the way to Jairus's house, right, because his daughter's dying.

And she touches the hem of his garment. And Jesus feels that power left him.

And he asked the question, he said, who touched me? And the disciples were like, the disciples react like we would.

Jesus, what are you talking about? Look at all these people. Observation. It's not that he doesn't know.

Why does he ask the question? Because he wants to have the interchange with her.

It says that she came to him trembling. I mean, put yourself there.

She comes to him trembling and she told him everything. And then what does he say to her?

He says, daughter, your faith has made you well.

Go in peace and be healed of your disease. Right? Like this is Jesus.

Lazarus is dead. And Jesus hears about it. We know all the things, right? How he waited two days.

You know, he's going to, he's going to demonstrate the glory of God and raising Lazarus from the dead. We know that part. That's epic.

That's great. But don't miss these pieces in the middle where he gets to Bethany and he's talking to Martha who runs out to see him.

And she is, again, put yourself in the situation. A person you've loved dearly is dead.

She's grieved. And Jesus looks at her and asks her question. And he says, in the midst of this heartbreak and all the things that are going on, he says, do you believe that your brother will rise again?

And she says, yes, Lord, I believe on the last day that he will. To which Christ looks at her in the midst of heartbreak and grief.

And he says, I am the resurrection and the life and anybody who believes in me, though he died, yet shall he live.

You know, and it's like, listen to what he's saying to her, how he's ministering to her. And he's like, look, like I, I am,

I am your hope. I'm your brother's hope. I'm the hope of every human being that like, if you are in me and you trust me and you believe in me, like know that I love you and I've got you and I will raise you up on the last day, which is what he had said in chapter six.

This is where my peace, if I have any, it's where it comes from. It's like, I'm going to put myself there and it's like, he's talking to me and he's talking to you, blessed one, beloved one of the

Lord. He knows you and he loves you. And, and, and it's like, all really is well, and we really are secure because we're known and loved by him.

Without those stories, what I'm about to say makes no sense. There's nothing for you to grasp on and say, you know, that's true.

For instance, when it says he's a sympathetic high priest, cast all your burdens on him for he cares.

Run with boldness into his presence when you need forgiveness and strength.

None of those make sense. But when you go, Hey, all of these stories about these people, do you know that they apply to you?

Like that's how he treated them. And here's the doctrine. He also will treat you the same way.