WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.800 You have been declared not guilty, 2 00:00:01.800 --> 00:00:04.000 all those who placed their faith in Jesus. 3 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:06.900 You're forever declared justified and not guilty. 4 00:00:06.900 --> 00:00:10.200 God calls you His Son, His Child. 5 00:00:10.200 --> 00:00:11.500 You are heirs of God. 6 00:00:11.500 --> 00:00:13.800 He's actually made you equal with Himself. 7 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:18.600 He's caused you to sit together in heavenly places in Christ. 8 00:00:18.600 --> 00:00:20.100 How did all this happen? 9 00:00:20.100 --> 00:00:21.800 You were bought. 10 00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:26.200 You needed perfect holy blood and that's the high price. 11 00:00:26.200 --> 00:00:28.600 Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. 12 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:32.000 Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word 13 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.600 and discover the hope and truth that He has for us. 14 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:37.900 If you want to connect with City Light Church, 15 00:00:37.900 --> 00:00:41.400 feel free to visit us at citylightnyc.com 16 00:00:41.400 --> 00:00:44.800 that's citylightnyc.com. 17 00:00:44.800 --> 00:00:49.400 Pastor Boyan Jansik and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit 18 00:00:49.400 --> 00:00:52.500 is already working in our hearts and minds. 19 00:00:52.500 --> 00:00:54.500 As you listen to today's teaching, 20 00:00:54.500 --> 00:00:57.500 remember that you are deeply loved by God. 21 00:00:57.600 --> 00:00:59.900 That you are surrounded by His grace 22 00:00:59.900 --> 00:01:02.900 and that He has a real hope and a future for you. 23 00:01:05.900 --> 00:01:09.600 Sometimes you have to remind yourself that you're saved 24 00:01:09.600 --> 00:01:11.100 in case you forgot. 25 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:17.900 And how wonderful it is that the Lord brought you to Him, 26 00:01:17.900 --> 00:01:21.400 that He softened your heart and opened your eyes. 27 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:25.100 The Bible says that there's none that seek after God. 28 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:30.100 That means we didn't seek Him out of some innate, holy curiosity 29 00:01:30.100 --> 00:01:33.100 that we had deep within ourselves. 30 00:01:33.100 --> 00:01:34.700 There's none that seeks after God. 31 00:01:34.700 --> 00:01:38.100 We're all by nature, turning our backs on Him 32 00:01:38.100 --> 00:01:40.100 and rebelling against Him. 33 00:01:42.600 --> 00:01:45.100 But He came to you. 34 00:01:45.100 --> 00:01:48.100 He thought of you. 35 00:01:48.100 --> 00:01:52.100 And He's the one who softened your heart, 36 00:01:52.100 --> 00:01:54.100 opened your eyes to His Word, 37 00:01:54.100 --> 00:01:56.600 opened your eyes that you understand that you have a need 38 00:01:56.600 --> 00:01:59.100 for a Savior that you're in need of saving. 39 00:02:00.800 --> 00:02:02.800 He's the one who opened your mind to understand 40 00:02:02.800 --> 00:02:07.500 that salvation comes through the blood of Jesus, 41 00:02:07.500 --> 00:02:10.000 faith in His substitutionary death for you. 42 00:02:13.100 --> 00:02:14.100 Isn't that good news? 43 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:18.400 When you remind yourself of these things, 44 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:20.900 you realize just how special you are. 45 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:23.500 I think about that. 46 00:02:23.600 --> 00:02:28.600 Jesus said some just really frightening things. 47 00:02:30.900 --> 00:02:35.900 Like straight an arrow is the way that leads to life everlasting. 48 00:02:37.200 --> 00:02:39.200 It's an arrow's little street. 49 00:02:40.200 --> 00:02:43.700 And broad is the highway. 50 00:02:43.700 --> 00:02:44.600 Broad is the way. 51 00:02:44.600 --> 00:02:49.600 It's a Broadway that leads to destruction. 52 00:02:49.600 --> 00:02:53.100 And many there be the go down that Broadway. 53 00:02:55.300 --> 00:02:57.100 But He put you on this straight an arrow. 54 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:00.300 And for that, I'm eternally grateful. 55 00:03:00.300 --> 00:03:01.100 Amen. 56 00:03:02.200 --> 00:03:04.000 Well, are you ready for the word this morning? 57 00:03:06.700 --> 00:03:08.300 It's not Christmas, 58 00:03:09.300 --> 00:03:13.000 but let's begin in Luke chapter 1 verses 26 through 38. 59 00:03:14.200 --> 00:03:16.600 I say it's not Christmas just because when I was preparing 60 00:03:16.600 --> 00:03:17.500 this message, 61 00:03:18.900 --> 00:03:21.700 I felt like I had read this verse just a few months ago, 62 00:03:21.700 --> 00:03:24.200 and probably I have at least to myself maybe right here 63 00:03:24.200 --> 00:03:25.000 from this pulpit. 64 00:03:26.100 --> 00:03:28.200 Usually we take it out during the Christmas season. 65 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:31.700 It's when the angel visits Mary. 66 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:38.100 Now, if you were just that hand, that's thank you. 67 00:03:38.100 --> 00:03:39.400 Now in the sixth month, 68 00:03:40.100 --> 00:03:44.100 the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee, 69 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:48.600 named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man 70 00:03:49.600 --> 00:03:52.400 whose name was Joseph of the house of David. 71 00:03:53.300 --> 00:03:54.800 The Virgin's name was Mary. 72 00:03:56.100 --> 00:03:59.500 And having come in the angel set to her rejoice highly favored 73 00:03:59.500 --> 00:04:01.700 one, the Lord is with you. 74 00:04:02.300 --> 00:04:04.800 Blessed are you among women. 75 00:04:06.500 --> 00:04:11.200 And just note that that's the longest and most detailed description 76 00:04:11.200 --> 00:04:12.700 of Mary that we have in the Bible. 77 00:04:13.600 --> 00:04:15.600 She was highly favored and blessed among women. 78 00:04:17.500 --> 00:04:18.100 Just saying. 79 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:22.000 A lot more was added later, 80 00:04:23.100 --> 00:04:26.100 but she's highly favored because she was chosen to be the vessel 81 00:04:26.100 --> 00:04:28.500 through whom God and the flesh would come through. 82 00:04:29.800 --> 00:04:31.900 And that qualifies her to be blessed among women. 83 00:04:32.400 --> 00:04:35.100 Doesn't say anything about worshiping her or a.k.a. 84 00:04:36.200 --> 00:04:39.000 venerating her or praying to her, 85 00:04:39.700 --> 00:04:43.600 but she's most blessed among women because Messiah came through her. 86 00:04:46.400 --> 00:04:47.800 And when she saw this angel, 87 00:04:47.800 --> 00:04:50.900 she was troubled at his saying and considered what manner of greeting 88 00:04:50.900 --> 00:04:51.600 this was. 89 00:04:52.100 --> 00:04:53.300 Then the angels said to her, 90 00:04:53.300 --> 00:04:54.600 do not be afraid, Mary, 91 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:57.600 for you have found favor with God and behold, 92 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:00.600 you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son 93 00:05:00.900 --> 00:05:03.100 and shall call his name Jesus. 94 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:07.200 He will be great and will be called the son of the highest 95 00:05:07.700 --> 00:05:10.900 and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David. 96 00:05:11.700 --> 00:05:14.700 And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. 97 00:05:15.300 --> 00:05:16.500 And of his kingdom, 98 00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:18.500 there will be no end. 99 00:05:18.500 --> 00:05:19.600 How many of you can agree? 100 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:23.200 This is a lot right now for teenage Mary. 101 00:05:23.900 --> 00:05:26.000 She's having an angelic visitation. 102 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:28.500 Not like from a hallmark card. 103 00:05:30.200 --> 00:05:31.200 This is Gabriel. 104 00:05:31.200 --> 00:05:34.300 So we imagine he had some stature to him. 105 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:39.100 The glory of the Lord radiating off of him. 106 00:05:41.700 --> 00:05:42.900 She wasn't expecting this. 107 00:05:42.900 --> 00:05:45.100 She just thought it was another night as usual. 108 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:48.100 And she gets this news that she's the one chosen 109 00:05:50.300 --> 00:05:53.600 to supernaturally give birth to the savior of man. 110 00:05:58.000 --> 00:05:59.500 My verse is a bouncing here. 111 00:05:59.500 --> 00:06:01.000 Did I read the one before that? 112 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:04.000 Okay, verse 34 then. 113 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:04.500 Thank you. 114 00:06:04.500 --> 00:06:06.000 Then Mary said to the angel, 115 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:09.000 how can this be since I do not know a man? 116 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:13.500 How can this happen since I haven't been physically intimate with anyone? 117 00:06:13.500 --> 00:06:15.500 And the angel answered and said to her, 118 00:06:15.500 --> 00:06:20.000 the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the highest will overshadow you. 119 00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:25.000 Therefore also the Holy One who is to be born will be called the son of God. 120 00:06:25.500 --> 00:06:27.000 Now indeed Elizabeth, 121 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:31.000 your relative has also conceived the son in her old age. 122 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:35.000 And this is now the sixth month for her who was called Baron. 123 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:38.000 For with God nothing will be impossible. 124 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:39.000 I love that verse. 125 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:41.000 That's not a part of my message. 126 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.000 That's a whole separate message. 127 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:47.000 But for God with nothing will be impossible. 128 00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:52.000 When you really look at that verse, the Hebrews excuse me. 129 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:55.000 Their word for thing was word. 130 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:58.000 Because they believed words would become things. 131 00:06:58.000 --> 00:06:59.000 Word? 132 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:00.000 Word. 133 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:01.000 Word. 134 00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:06.000 I said their word for thing was word. 135 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:10.000 Because they believed that life and death are in the power of the tongue. 136 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:12.000 And then your words become things. 137 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:16.000 So you can paraphrase that verse to say for with God, 138 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:23.000 no thing, no spoken word of God will be impossible for him to perform. 139 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:27.000 That means if you have a promise from God, you can take it to the bank. 140 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:30.000 Of often said, I can go through any challenge, any obstacle. 141 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:34.000 I can do anything as long as I have God's word on the subject. 142 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:39.000 As long as I can see it in the scripture and he's reiterated to me in my spirit. 143 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:48.000 And he's commanded me to do something in the very word of God is the power to fulfill the obligation 144 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:50.000 that comes along with that word. 145 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:51.000 Amen. 146 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:58.000 For with God, no spoken thing, nothing he tells you will be impossible for him to perform. 147 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:05.000 Verse 38, then Mary said, behold the maid servant of the Lord. 148 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:13.000 And here's a frightened teenage Mary who just got the text of all texts. 149 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:16.000 What a bombshell of an use event. 150 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:22.000 And here's what she says, let it be to me according to your word. 151 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:26.000 God's will be done. His word is his will. 152 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:30.000 And this must have pleased the angel so much that he had nothing else to say, 153 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.000 but it was on that note that he departed. 154 00:08:33.000 --> 00:08:40.000 The same angel Gabriel visited her cousin, Elizabeth, who gave birth to John the Baptist. 155 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:48.000 He actually visited Zachariah, her husband, and he just started mounting off and kind of arguing with the angel 156 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:55.000 and was filled with so much doubt and unbelief that the angel actually struck him to be mute. 157 00:08:55.000 --> 00:09:01.000 Like you're just spewing so much gibberish and you're going to mess this whole thing up. 158 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:04.000 I got to cause you supernaturally to be quiet. 159 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:10.000 But Mary had the right response, be it unto me according to your word. 160 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:16.000 And so I have a question to ask you, whatever happened to the will of God. 161 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:22.000 Here you have a submitted Mary, a Mary who prizes the will of God. 162 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:28.000 And this is, when I think of Mary, this is the statement I most closely associate with her life. 163 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:32.000 Let it be to me according to your word. 164 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:38.000 When I was waiting on the Lord, asking him for word for you this Sunday. 165 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:49.000 I actually had the thought, if this was my last Sunday, if I could leave the church with just one last sermon, what would it be? 166 00:09:49.000 --> 00:10:01.000 And it's this, to bend the knee to Jesus, to surrender to his will, to fully receive the Lordship of Christ in your life. 167 00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:05.000 Not 50%, not 80%, but 100%. 168 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:10.000 Because if he's not Lord of all, he's not Lord at all. 169 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:14.000 And he's asking us for everything. 170 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:22.000 It's a fair request since the Bible says that we've been purchased with a very high price, with the precious blood of Jesus. 171 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:24.000 And he's given us his all. 172 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:31.000 And just the time, the time for games, it was never a good time for games with the Lord. 173 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:34.000 But now more than ever. 174 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:37.000 I'm sorry, I just got PTSD, COVID flashback. 175 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:40.000 When COVID started, everything was now more than ever. 176 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.000 Right now, more than ever. 177 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:43.000 I understand, I get it. 178 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:49.000 But really, now more than ever. 179 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:54.000 Let me just go to Philippians 317 through 19, because it shows, 180 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:59.000 the whole warns of a people that are the exact opposite of this. 181 00:10:59.000 --> 00:11:07.000 Brethren, join in following my example and note those who so walk as you have us for a pattern. 182 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:11.000 Paul says, note those, note those who walk in the faith. 183 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:14.000 And it's good to always have people in the body of Christ that you look up to. 184 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:16.000 It doesn't just have to be in leadership. 185 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:23.000 There's always a time when I have a group of people that I'm just like, I love how that person walks in love and how kind they are. 186 00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:26.000 I want to note them. I want to emulate them. 187 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:28.000 I like how that person prays. 188 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.000 They have obviously very passion and fiery prayer life. 189 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:37.000 I note them. That person seems to always be walking in faith. 190 00:11:37.000 --> 00:11:39.000 They're taking risks. 191 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:43.000 Their faith is an active faith. It's not a dormant faith. I note them. 192 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:46.000 He says, you have us for a pattern. 193 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:50.000 Verse 18. 194 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:59.000 For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. 195 00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:10.000 And then he describes what an enemy of the cross of Christ is, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly. 196 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:14.000 This doesn't mean that they're gluttonous and they eat a lot. 197 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:26.000 This means that they have traded the authority of God's word, traded, submitting to the Lordship of Christ to whatever their own personal appetites are. 198 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:28.000 And the warning here is dire. 199 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:32.000 And once again, I know this is eternal scripture. 200 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:35.000 This was written 2,000 years ago. It was true back then. 201 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:38.000 But I dare say that it's even true here today. 202 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:41.000 More than ever. Now, more than ever. 203 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:44.000 In a time where people are telling you that 2 plus 2 equals 5. 204 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:53.000 Now when a culture is being so corrupted and that which is evil is being passed by as that which is good and that which is good is being passed for that which is evil. 205 00:12:53.000 --> 00:13:02.000 It is a time to submit to the Lord, to really truly surrender to his Lordship and say, Lord, I just want you. 206 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:06.000 I just want your will. I'll do whatever you want me to do. 207 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:13.000 Knowing that whatever he asks you to do, there will be a grace on you to do what he's asking you to do. Amen. 208 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:21.000 He's not unfair that way where he'll require something of you and then hold back the power to fulfill the need and the obligation. Amen. 209 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:30.000 He says that God is their belly whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things. 210 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:38.000 May our church be a church that's fully surrendered to Jesus. Hallelujah. 211 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:46.000 May the Holy Spirit come now and do a deep work in our hearts and make any adjustments that are necessary. 212 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:54.000 And may you be soft-hearted so that you can say yes to Jesus. Hallelujah. 213 00:13:54.000 --> 00:14:05.000 Mary learned such a powerful lesson when that angel visited her, John 2 verses 1 through 5, it shows what her life attitude was. 214 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:12.000 I was reminiscing last night with Emily as we were discussing the Lordship of Christ. 215 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:20.000 And we just talked about all the times where it wasn't easy to say yes to the Lord, but we said yes anyhow, and how that always worked out. 216 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:33.000 And she just reminded me of how I went to Liberia in the summer of 2014 when Victor was just a couple of months old and Liberia was in the middle of the Ebola epidemic. 217 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:38.000 I couldn't even get into Liberia. Only two flights a week were going to Liberia. 218 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:47.000 And one of them was from Casablanca. I remember getting excited about that. I thought, when would I ever go to Casablanca? 219 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:51.000 So romantic. 220 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:57.000 Except when you land in Casablanca and you realize it's not the movie. And all the buildings are brown and gray. 221 00:14:57.000 --> 00:15:05.000 And everything you eat is weird. And you're just waiting for that one flight to take you to where you're supposed to be, which is Manrovia Liberia. Amen. 222 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:21.000 You can cross Casablanca. It's just side note. You can cross Casablanca off your bucket list. It wasn't all that. 223 00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:34.000 No Sam's bar. No nothing. Just people doing their laundry in place like this in a bucket. Really? 224 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:44.000 I'm like, I can see that back in my own home country. I don't need to come to go up a little bit into the mountains. It's the whirlpool. 225 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:53.000 But I landed there and he had arranged the ministry were supporting had arranged for somebody from the military to pick me up so I can't get in. I remember asking, how much should I give them? 226 00:15:53.000 --> 00:16:04.000 How do you know? What's a good bribe? I mean gift for somebody. You never know. He said, brother, $100 is plenty. I'm like, cool. Great. This count rate. 227 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:13.000 And that spent 10 days there, ministering in the largest churches in Manrovia Liberia, being able to meet government officials, thousands of people came out to here. 228 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:21.000 Who's the one crazy American who would come to minister and encourage us in the middle of Ebola? And because of city light church, we were able to purchase a Toyota truck. 229 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:34.000 I have to say Toyota because that's like a G wagon here. A Toyota. Toyota is indestructible. We purchased a Toyota truck for the ministry there, gave away laptops to the ministry there and had an incredibly fruitful week. 230 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:43.000 But it happened because I said, yes, amen. And really, you reminded me of that, but I never thought of that as a difficult decision. 231 00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:51.000 It wasn't like I was struggling with the Lord because when you're in the Lord's will, you realize that's the safest place for you to be. 232 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:58.000 We had to go and wash our hands everywhere we went in a mixture of bleach and water and everybody was terrified. 233 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:12.000 But the whole time, I'm just happy. I'm smiling. I feel like I'm in a bubble of his goodness and grace. I feel untouchable. The safest place for us, for any of you, is knowing that you're not outside of the will of God. 234 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:26.000 Not rebelling against them. Not doing things as it seems right to you. The Bible when describing a rebellious people, it talks about those who do whatever is right in their own eyes. 235 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:32.000 I don't want to be that person. 236 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:41.000 And when you read the Old Testament, which is written as an example to us, there's a phrase that's often used with the rebellious people. 237 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:47.000 And that's stiff-necked. You ever have that inflexible friend? 238 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:53.000 They always, I hope I don't get husbands and wives in trouble this morning. We came to church, we walked out fighting. 239 00:17:54.000 --> 00:18:00.000 They always got to meet at the same place and you suggest the place and I know we're going to this place. 240 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:07.000 And it's got to be the time that's good for them, the day that's good for them, and it's like that every single time. 241 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:14.000 That's what God said, the people who rebel against them are like, they're not flexible. 242 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:22.000 They don't mold them and conform themselves to Him, but they expect God to mold and conform Himself to them. 243 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:31.000 And that's one of the biggest problems right now in the culture of the countries that people are making God and turning Him into their own image. 244 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:36.000 Changing the scriptures, twisting the truth of God's word to suit their own belly. 245 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:47.000 Their God is their belly, their own appetites, no matter how wild they are, changing the goodness and the truth and the glory of God to really do whatever is right in their own eyes. 246 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:52.000 And the Bible says their way and their end is a destruction. 247 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:56.000 I have one soul. I'm frankly, I'm jealous for it. 248 00:18:56.000 --> 00:19:01.000 It's not a video game where you get to do over. I have one soul. I want to finish well. 249 00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:16.000 Amen. I'm saved. I'm saved by grace, not because of anything good that I do, and I stay saved by continually staying in the faith and looking to Jesus and His righteousness to be imparted to me. 250 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:31.000 And I have a job and I have to see every single one of you of the same mind, firmly rooted and grounded in Him, and not playing that hoki-poki with the Lord with one foot in and one foot out and playing games, but saying, Lord, I am yours. 251 00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:39.000 You are mine. Whatever you tell me to do, I'll do it. I'll have instant obedience. Amen. 252 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:42.000 That is maturity in Christ. 253 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:47.000 John at the wedding feast. 254 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:58.000 Now, both Jesus, chapter 2, verse 1, and the third day that was the wedding in Canaan of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. 255 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:07.000 Now, both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding, and when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, they have no wine. 256 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:19.000 Jesus said to her, woman, which some preachers read, woman, and really make Jesus sound so harsh, right? Woman, to his own mother. 257 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:27.000 Woman, what does your concern have to do with me? Keep that verse up. Let me just talk about this for a second. My hour has not yet come. 258 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:41.000 I just want to talk about what a sexist Jesus was. No, actually the exact opposite. He was the one who broke social norms all the time, and invited woman to participate in the spreading of the gospel. 259 00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:53.000 But this is actually Jesus being playful and doing a twist on words. She's saying, hey, they have no wine. Now, what's wine a symbol of? The Holy Spirit. 260 00:20:53.000 --> 00:21:02.000 And he's playing where there's no sheets that they don't have the Holy Spirit. And he says, hey, what does this have to do with me? My time, my hour has not yet come. 261 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:21.000 Every single time Jesus talks about his hour, what is he talking about? The crucifixion and the resurrection. It was only after the crucifixion and the resurrection that the Holy Spirit was able to come then on the day of Pentecost and be given as a gift to the entire world to whoever would call upon the name of Jesus and receive, amen. 262 00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:39.000 This is a beautiful Jesus. She's saying they have no wine. And essentially saying, the wine is coming. But my hour has not yet come. But just hang around my ministry for a few more years and you'll see when I get crucified and I'm raised from the dead. It's going to be new wine for everybody, amen. 263 00:21:39.000 --> 00:22:00.000 Verse 5, his mother said, but she got the joke, by the way, because she didn't go, boy, you talked that way to me at a wedding in public. She got the wink. And then she turns to the servants and says, she's essentially imparting her own heart of submission. 264 00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:13.000 And her bending the knee to the Lordship of Christ, to the servants, they're saying, whatever he says to you, do it. Whatever he says to you, do it. 265 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:23.000 If you were to hear Mary talk today, you know what she would say? She would point to Jesus and say, whatever he says to you, do it. Hallelujah. 266 00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:43.000 And by the way, what he said was, gather some stone pots. Six to be exact. Now, you just read that. You think stone pitcher, like our gallon jug of milk, but the Bible is clear. Each pot held 20 to 30 gallons. 267 00:22:43.000 --> 00:22:59.000 And he said, gather the stone pots, fill them with water. You know the servants were like, why are we doing this? Because you didn't just turn on the garden hose and fill them up. You had to now go fetch the water. 20 to 30 gallons. Let's lose the, use the low and 20 gallons. 268 00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:14.000 This was a lot of work. And it didn't make sense in the natural mind, why are we doing this? I don't know. She just said whatever he says, do it. And he didn't even have a reputation then because this is the very first miracle that he worked. 269 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:30.000 Which please note also that of all the miracles Jesus could have chosen to be his first. It was a miracle of provision that he chose. Just winking at us, just letting us know that I, first of all, I'm the God of parties. 270 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:57.000 And I'm the God of provision and abundance. And with me, they will never be lack. Amen. But they had a decision to make. Do we stop? Because why are we just fetching water? Something about wine? And is he, what's he trying to do? But they just have to obey whatever he says to you to do it. Hallelujah. This is why, by the way, city light church exists. 271 00:23:57.000 --> 00:24:17.000 Because people gathered around me who were willing to say, okay, whatever he says to us will do. Because it made no sense in the natural at all. I could barely time my own shoes at age 26 when I decided to launch and plant city light church yet now 22 plus 22 years. Can you believe it in a couple of weeks? Amen. 272 00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:30.000 Hallelujah. And it made no sense. But there is a reward to obedience. A great reward. Amen. 273 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:57.000 I want to read 1 Samuel chapter 15 verses 20 through 26. Going back into the Old Testament, King Saul, he was given some explicit instructions by the Lord through the Prophet Samuel. And he was about 85% obedient. 274 00:24:57.000 --> 00:25:18.000 And Saul said to Samuel, but I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me and brought back a gag king of Amalek. I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder. Now he wasn't supposed to do that. 275 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:36.000 They took of the sheep and oxen. Some things were just too luxury and too good to burn down. The best things, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed to sacrifice to the Lord your God and Gilgal. He said, we didn't want to destroy these things. 276 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:57.000 But you know, we took these great things so we could sacrifice. Now there's a problem here. He wasn't supposed to do that. He's anointed as king. He has a mandate to be a king, not a priest. He stepped outside of his boundaries. He stepped outside of his mantle. The mantle was on the priest to offer sacrifices, not the king. 277 00:25:57.000 --> 00:26:17.000 Verse 22. So Samuel said, has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord, behold to obey is better than sacrifice. Many of you have heard this verse. 278 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:38.000 We know what it means under an old covenant. He's literally talking about obeying is better than sacrificing when it's not your job to sacrifice. But today that could mean it is better to obey obey the voice of the Lord than any other external religious work that you can present to him. 279 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:51.000 Even if it seems like a good external religious work, like coming to church every Sunday, he would much rather have your heart, the fullness of your heart, then you will not only come to church each Sunday, but he'll have your entire heart. 280 00:26:51.000 --> 00:27:03.000 There are some people, they make a decision to tie. It's like pay off money for God. They give them a tenth of all their income and they feel that then they can do whatever they want because they send protection money up to heaven. They're going to be okay. 281 00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:12.000 People who pray, but God is after your obedience first, your whole heart, you to say yes to whatever he asks of you. 282 00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:21.000 And why am I preaching all this today? Because I do, I believe that the challenge to say yes to him is only going to increase. 283 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:34.000 We're going to watch old shows and go, wow, we thought it was tough to be a Christian back then. It was actually so easy. 284 00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:43.000 I mean, everyone thought I was crazy 30 years ago for being a Christian, but today they think I'm utterly insane. 285 00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:49.000 They don't even know they're constantly being programmed with an anti-Christian sentiment. 286 00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:56.000 Being a pastor in New York City was never popular. They're one of the worst questions, I hate when someone asks me what do you do? 287 00:27:57.000 --> 00:28:01.000 Because I know, I've done it already, hundreds of times, so what do you do? 288 00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:10.000 I give away life insurance for free. No, I tell them, I'm a pastor. 289 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:19.000 Tell them, and then you can just see though, because they don't really know what they're trying to find what compartment to put you in. 290 00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:25.000 The head is spinning, and it's never, ever good, and it's never, ever. 291 00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:28.000 Do you meet someone who I'm a pastor? 292 00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:41.000 And now there's such an anti-Christian sentiment, an temptation to hide your Christianity, don't do it. 293 00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:49.000 An attempt to change the truth of God's Word in order to fit in. Don't do it. 294 00:28:51.000 --> 00:29:00.000 I mean, it would seem crazy just a few years ago to suggest this, but now it's not crazy, that one day what you believe will be labeled intolerant hate speech. 295 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:08.000 Because Jesus said something not very tolerant. He said, I am the way, the truth and the life. 296 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:15.000 No one can come to the Father except through me. That's not very tolerant. 297 00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:27.000 Jesus said, there is no other way to heaven except through me, because I am the only one who's going to give his life in exchange for yours. 298 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:40.000 My clean and perfect life will be punished as though you were me, and your sin will be punished in me, and I will with my own holy blood purchase your salvation. 299 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:46.000 That's why, look, if there was another way or other ways, then Jesus died in vain. 300 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:55.000 Jesus would have stayed in heaven and said, look, if being a nice person and playing with crystals could get the job done, 301 00:29:55.000 --> 00:30:04.000 he'd be still with the Father going, let him have added. But he did what he had to do because he had to do it. Amen. 302 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:20.000 So can you imagine, and I can, the way culture is going, where it's just labeled that to believe in John 3.16 or to believe in John 14.6 where Jesus says, I am the way, that really just is too triggering for too many people. 303 00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:30.000 It really hurts their feelings and makes them feel like they're on the outside, and that's not nice when people don't feel great about themselves all the time, 24-7. 304 00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:33.000 And so therefore, John 14.6 is hate speech. 305 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:40.000 Nah, not here, not in America. 306 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:54.000 But I'm preaching to city lighters though that they may come, because I don't want that data to surprise us, and we have a bunch of weak Christians who are terrified of the world and terrified about taking a stand. 307 00:30:54.000 --> 00:31:03.000 And let God be true, the Bible says, and every man a liar. Hallelujah. 308 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:13.000 And the people in your life you would compromise the word of God for, you have yet to learn, they don't care about you at all anyway. 309 00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:26.000 It's true. Jesus will always be there for you, but to care what people think, I mean people. 310 00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:38.000 These are the people in the Bible. On Sunday, they said, Hosanna, and they greeted Jesus with palm leaves and king of kings and Lord of lords. 311 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:47.000 By Friday, they were shouting, crucify him. That's people. And the book of Acts, it didn't even take five days, took one day. 312 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:57.000 Paul and Barnabas were preaching so good that they said the gods have come to us in the forms of men. 313 00:31:57.000 --> 00:32:08.000 That's a superfan right there. The next day, they picked up stones and stone them. That's how quickly human emotions will turn from loving you to hating you. 314 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:15.000 And some of us live an absolute fear of what people will say, what people will think. They really don't think. 315 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:24.000 They're too busy thinking of themselves to think anything about you. You think they're thinking about you, but that's only because you're the main character in your own movie. 316 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:34.000 But they're not thinking about you. They're wondering what you're thinking about them. 317 00:32:35.000 --> 00:32:47.000 To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. 318 00:32:47.000 --> 00:33:00.000 And stubbornness is as an equity and idolatry. Now listen to this. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, because you were an obedient to King Saul, 319 00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:10.000 he also has rejected you from being King. And this is where the anointing, the mantle of the King was stripped from Saul. 320 00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:17.000 This happened to be an example unto us. Thankfully, we can fall and the blood of Jesus is still on us. 321 00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:21.000 And we can get right back up again, but this should still serve as a warning. 322 00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:31.000 Now, I'm not going to lose my salvation through one act of disobedience, but there are things in the natural that if I just do whatever is right in my own eyes, I will mess up. 323 00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:40.000 I can hurt my relationship with my wife or with people who are close to me or with the church through one act of rebellion, one act of disobedience. 324 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:45.000 Because disobedience, it could hurt it, cripple it for years, maybe forever, on this side of heaven. 325 00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:53.000 So to walk in wisdom, and there should be a healthy amount of the fear of the Lord. 326 00:33:53.000 --> 00:34:00.000 And it's like we have to be broad enough in our thinking to both understand that he loves us and we're the apple of his eye. 327 00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:05.000 I walk around the things of God with fear and trembling. 328 00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:10.000 Because I know left up to my own devices, I will make a mess so quickly. 329 00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:15.000 So Lord, I walk in the fear of the Lord. Hallelujah. 330 00:34:15.000 --> 00:34:19.000 First Corinthians 620. 331 00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:24.000 Did we finish that out? Okay, let's go to first Corinthians. 332 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:27.000 We had two more verses. Let's read them. 333 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:31.000 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, verse 25. 334 00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:34.000 Oh, verse 24, you were right. 335 00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:41.000 I have sins where I've transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words because I fear, oh yeah, I fear the people. 336 00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:46.000 Why did he do it? Because of everything we just already talked about. 337 00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:50.000 He didn't submit and fully obey the voice of the Lord. 338 00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:55.000 He did a nice 85% partial obedience, which always comes out to be total disobedience. 339 00:34:55.000 --> 00:34:58.000 And he actually reveals the root of why he did this thing. 340 00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:04.000 He feared the people and obeyed their voice. 341 00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:09.000 What a weird dance. We have to dance as Christians where we are to love people. 342 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:14.000 And then at the same time, absolutely not care what they think about it says at all. 343 00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:19.000 Seems a little one sided, huh? Only through Christ can we have that kind of grace. 344 00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:24.000 I really love you. Not in a closed way, but I give my heart to you. 345 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:29.000 And if you slap me in the face, I'm like, I can't take it personally. 346 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:35.000 How do you do that? You only do it if you're receiving mega doses of the love of God through prayer and worship every single day. 347 00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:37.000 Hallelujah. 348 00:35:37.000 --> 00:35:43.000 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may worship the Lord. 349 00:35:43.000 --> 00:35:46.000 But Sam, you'll say to Saul, I will not return with you. 350 00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:49.000 For you have rejected the word of the Lord. 351 00:35:49.000 --> 00:35:54.000 And the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel. 352 00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:57.000 Everyone say this. Obedience is better than sacrifice. 353 00:35:57.000 --> 00:36:03.000 Obedience is better than external religiosity. 354 00:36:03.000 --> 00:36:06.000 Ha. All right. 355 00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:13.000 First Corinthians 620. 356 00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:30.000 In the NLT, for God bought you with a high price, when this is real to you, when this is real to you, 357 00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:34.000 that you realize you have been bought. 358 00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:40.000 The whole reason you know that you'll be in heaven forever with him. 359 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:49.000 The whole reason you know that all of your sins are completely forgiven you and that there is therefore now no condemnation for you. 360 00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:52.000 You understand? You have been declared not guilty. 361 00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:57.000 All those who place their faith in Jesus, you're forever declared justified and not guilty. 362 00:36:57.000 --> 00:37:02.000 God calls you his son, his child, you are heirs of God. 363 00:37:02.000 --> 00:37:04.000 He's actually made you equal with himself. 364 00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:09.000 He's caused you to sit together in heavenly places in Christ. 365 00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:12.000 How did all this happen? You were bought. 366 00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:18.000 You needed perfect holy blood and that's the high price that the Bible speaks about. 367 00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:25.000 I'm not my own. That's actually where my confidence comes from to face the future to think of eternity. 368 00:37:25.000 --> 00:37:31.000 You ever have a moment where you think this might be it? 369 00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:37.000 I've had a couple of those on an airplane where you actually think, where you start to think like, 370 00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:41.000 like you're really confronted with eternity. 371 00:37:41.000 --> 00:37:44.000 It was actually a plane ride to Ethiopia. 372 00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:48.000 I mean, it was like a giant took the plane and was just going like this with it. 373 00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:50.000 The plane kept getting hit with lightning. 374 00:37:50.000 --> 00:37:53.000 You see that sometimes on video. 375 00:37:53.000 --> 00:37:57.000 I was like, you don't know it back in the 80s, the original Twilight Zone movie, 376 00:37:57.000 --> 00:38:01.000 where there's the Gremlin on the plane. That's what it felt like. 377 00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:10.000 And I remember someone from our church probably watching right now donated her miles. 378 00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:16.000 She said, since you're going to Ethiopia, you're going to fly first class. I was like, praise the Lord. 379 00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:22.000 The Ethiopian heir or whatever, the first class was not what you might think. 380 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:29.000 It had these, instead of an actual fur, it was a regular chair with metal stirrups for my feet. 381 00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:35.000 And the whole thing is jingling and jangling. And then the metal stirrups pop out, come on done. 382 00:38:35.000 --> 00:38:39.000 And then I'm being shaken. And in those moments, you're like, Lord, maybe this is the time. 383 00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:44.000 I was single at the time. No children, Emily, and you just go into your hands, Lord. 384 00:38:44.000 --> 00:38:47.000 I commit my spirit. 385 00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:54.000 And here I am. We made it. But I go back to that moment. 386 00:38:54.000 --> 00:39:00.000 And I think, Lord, I'm pretty happy with the lack of panic I had. 387 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:06.000 There was a confidence there. There was a strength. Why? Because I know I've been bought. 388 00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:11.000 I've been purchased at a high price with a blood of Jesus. 389 00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:21.000 I'm forever his to be absent in the bodies, to be present with the Lord. If anything happened, I was just, whoah! 390 00:39:21.000 --> 00:39:25.000 And anybody who even steps foot in heaven, they never want to go back. 391 00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:31.000 Even the accounts, whether you believe in them or not, of those who made it back, there was like, no! 392 00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:39.000 But your mission is not yet finished. Don't send me back. It's too awesome here. 393 00:39:39.000 --> 00:39:49.000 Oh, Hallelujah. Luke 646. 394 00:39:49.000 --> 00:39:54.000 Jesus here asks a good question. 395 00:39:54.000 --> 00:40:09.000 Hey, just know this. It is really weird and intellectually dishonest if you think you're kinder than Jesus. 396 00:40:09.000 --> 00:40:15.000 Like Jesus is God, and He's truth and carnage. 397 00:40:15.000 --> 00:40:22.000 And some of the things He said were pretty divisive. You say, prove it. Well, they crucified Him. 398 00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:29.000 They didn't do that for nothing. They did that because He was a troublemaker. 399 00:40:29.000 --> 00:40:45.000 They didn't like the things He said. And there's a lot of weird teaching going around right now where people, they take this false pride in making themselves out to be more compassionate and kinder than Jesus. They're not. 400 00:40:45.000 --> 00:40:52.000 You can't be kinder than Jesus. 401 00:40:52.000 --> 00:41:00.000 When you speak the truth even in love, it sometimes stings. Those of you who are married, you know what I'm talking about. 402 00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:14.000 My wife, very loving, very gentle. Sometimes she speaks the truth. And it's like, ow! Thank you for that. 403 00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:30.000 He asks a question. Why do you call me Lord Lord and do not do the things which I say? 404 00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:34.000 Why do you call me Lord Lord and do not do the things which I say? 405 00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:41.000 Whoever comes to me and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like. So he's saying there's two kinds of people. 406 00:41:41.000 --> 00:41:47.000 He's going to present you two kinds of people. One, someone who actually receives Jesus as Lord. 407 00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:54.000 Everybody wants him a Savior, but he's got to be Lord and Savior. 408 00:41:54.000 --> 00:42:02.000 The man who receives Jesus as Lord and actually would submit. And I get it, some things. 409 00:42:02.000 --> 00:42:11.000 I hope I've never ever preached to you from an angle or standpoint where it comes across as, I have arrived. Be like me. 410 00:42:11.000 --> 00:42:15.000 Behold the perfection of the Lord God. 411 00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:28.000 I have shared my struggles with you. Every single season, every single day, I have to give myself a fresh to the Lord. 412 00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:33.000 And I'll present myself a fresh and make sure that his Lordship is in every area of my life. 413 00:42:33.000 --> 00:42:43.000 And there are sometimes where I struggle. There are sometimes where he presents a plan to me, a direction he wants me to go down. 414 00:42:43.000 --> 00:42:48.000 And I'm like, I don't trust him. Even though he's only been good to me. 415 00:42:48.000 --> 00:42:55.000 And there's a few parts where some bad things happen. But every one of those bad parts, you know what I can directly do? 416 00:42:55.000 --> 00:43:04.000 And directly trace those bad seasons to something I did in a stiff-necked way. Every single time. 417 00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:12.000 But still, being human, he'll ask me to step out in faith and do something. And I'm like, secretly, I'm thinking, this is one of those times, right? 418 00:43:12.000 --> 00:43:19.000 Where you ask me to do XYZ, but really, I just end up in the wilderness for 40 years. And it's going to be some great story and some great testimony later. 419 00:43:19.000 --> 00:43:24.000 But I don't want it right now. It's going to hurt. 420 00:43:24.000 --> 00:43:32.000 Lord, I can see the promise land. I'm taking the express train. And you're asking me to, is like, you got to trust me. Go this way. That way. 421 00:43:32.000 --> 00:43:35.000 No, but Lord, just let me. 422 00:43:35.000 --> 00:43:41.000 I do what I want to do. Always pain. Do the Lord's way. 423 00:43:41.000 --> 00:43:45.000 Much better. Try my way. Try his way. His way is better. 424 00:43:45.000 --> 00:43:50.000 But even if you have to wrestle with the Lord, roll around on your carpet. 425 00:43:50.000 --> 00:43:56.000 This is metaphorical, by the way. But there are times where I'm rolling around on the carpet. 426 00:43:56.000 --> 00:44:02.000 I don't start that way. I start very demure, praying on my knees. Next thing, and I'm like, ugh. 427 00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:06.000 Oh, Lord, are you asking me to, because I don't really. 428 00:44:06.000 --> 00:44:14.000 Some of you know what I'm talking about. Next thing you know you're doing cartwheels. 429 00:44:14.000 --> 00:44:19.000 40, you're wrestling with the Lord. You're like, Lord, I want to do your will. 430 00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:27.000 But I'm out of me, doesn't deal with me right now. That's okay. That's good. 431 00:44:27.000 --> 00:44:34.000 That's where we have that whole example of Jacob wrestling with God. And what God was done with him, his hip was a thrown out of alignment. 432 00:44:34.000 --> 00:44:42.000 So Jacob with no longer have to lean on himself and his own cunning craftiness and his own earthly wisdom. 433 00:44:42.000 --> 00:44:49.000 But now he would have to use the Lord, his God, as his crutch. Hallelujah. 434 00:44:49.000 --> 00:44:54.000 Because the Lord is working on some of you right now. 435 00:44:55.000 --> 00:45:04.000 What I'm asking you to do is to submit every area of your life to the Lord. 436 00:45:04.000 --> 00:45:08.000 And for some, that's scary. Because if you were really to give it all to him right now, 437 00:45:08.000 --> 00:45:12.000 you couldn't even go out to where you wanted to go out to tonight. And that's scary. 438 00:45:12.000 --> 00:45:18.000 Your whole week would be different. You're like, it does gummies in my sock drawer. I'd have to throw them out. 439 00:45:19.000 --> 00:45:26.000 I was definitely awarded the Lord in the first service to try to try again in a second to see if it just came out of my spirit in the first service. 440 00:45:26.000 --> 00:45:33.000 And it was like a throughout summer. If the shoe fits, wear it. 441 00:45:33.000 --> 00:45:41.000 No, but for somebody, let's use that. Wave of discomfort. That's where I feel best. 442 00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:50.000 The whole notion of submitting everything to the Lord is daunting, 443 00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:55.000 because you don't even know what you'd look like by Wednesday. Your whole life would be different. 444 00:45:55.000 --> 00:46:06.000 Just chill. Inhale, relax. Take him by the hand and one step at a time. Amen. 445 00:46:06.000 --> 00:46:13.000 God loves ugly. He's not afraid by your ugly. And he's willing to work in the midst of your ugly. 446 00:46:13.000 --> 00:46:18.000 As long as you're honest about the ugly, as long as you can call ugly ugly, 447 00:46:18.000 --> 00:46:24.000 as long as you're not bending scripture, rationalizing and presenting a lie instead of the truth, 448 00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:29.000 God will get right in the quagmire with you and help you out of your ugly over time. 449 00:46:29.000 --> 00:46:36.000 Yes, He will. He's that awesome. I know this is how He works. This is how He did it in my life. Amen. 450 00:46:36.000 --> 00:46:41.000 And also the ones I've seen grow up and mature. This is how He does it. 451 00:46:41.000 --> 00:46:45.000 We're works in progress. But don't be overwhelmed by Lord. I can't give you everything. 452 00:46:45.000 --> 00:46:51.000 I'll give you my awe after I just get these things done that I really can't do with you on board. 453 00:46:51.000 --> 00:46:55.000 And then eventually I'll clean myself up enough to where I can present myself to you to make you look. 454 00:46:55.000 --> 00:47:02.000 No, that they will never come. And you'll be in misery waiting for it to come. 455 00:47:02.000 --> 00:47:08.000 The man who does what Jesus says, he is like a man building a house who dug deep 456 00:47:08.000 --> 00:47:15.000 and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against the house 457 00:47:15.000 --> 00:47:20.000 and could not shake it for it was founded on the rock. Amen. 458 00:47:20.000 --> 00:47:24.000 We all love these verses. There's songs we sing that contain these verses. 459 00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:29.000 The fortress, the solid house built on a sure foundation. 460 00:47:29.000 --> 00:47:35.000 What might have skipped our attention is that that's actually talking about the man who's made Jesus Lord of his life. 461 00:47:35.000 --> 00:47:41.000 The one who does what he says. That's the man whose house whose life is built on a rock. 462 00:47:41.000 --> 00:47:47.000 And let me tell you something, the thunderstorms will come. The wind will blow. 463 00:47:48.000 --> 00:47:54.000 The man who does what Jesus says whose surrender to his Lordship, his house will stand. 464 00:47:54.000 --> 00:48:03.000 But he who heard worship him, you can come up. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation. 465 00:48:03.000 --> 00:48:08.000 Against which the stream beat vehemently and immediately it fell. 466 00:48:08.000 --> 00:48:13.000 And the ruin of that house was great. 467 00:48:13.000 --> 00:48:17.000 In my walk with the Lord, I have been both men. 468 00:48:17.000 --> 00:48:23.000 Man one is better. I'll leave it at that. Amen. 469 00:48:23.000 --> 00:48:30.000 Luke 22, 39. We're closing with this. 470 00:48:30.000 --> 00:48:37.000 It's Jesus in the garden, our ultimate example. 471 00:48:38.000 --> 00:48:45.000 Coming out, he went to the Mount of Olives as he was accustomed and his disciples also followed him. 472 00:48:45.000 --> 00:48:50.000 When he came to the place, he said to them, pray that you may not enter into temptation. 473 00:48:50.000 --> 00:48:57.000 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw and he knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, 474 00:48:57.000 --> 00:49:04.000 if it is your will, take this cup away from me. 475 00:49:04.000 --> 00:49:11.000 If there's some way, this is Jesus in his humanity, understanding what lies ahead. 476 00:49:11.000 --> 00:49:18.000 Physically speaking, the pain is too much to bear. But that's just physically. 477 00:49:18.000 --> 00:49:30.000 I don't believe, for one second, Jesus was actually this terrified over the lashings or the 10 pegs, the nails, the size of 10 pegs and railroad spikes that were about to go through his flesh. 478 00:49:30.000 --> 00:49:37.000 What really was terrifying Jesus was that this would be the moment where he would take on the sin of the world. 479 00:49:37.000 --> 00:49:46.000 And for the first time in history, be separated from God the Father, where he would cry out, my God, my God, why have you abandoned me? 480 00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:52.000 And that the holy wrath of God would be poured out on him. 481 00:49:52.000 --> 00:50:02.000 Spikes the size of 10 pegs and a crown of thorns and beatings that pills in comparison to the holy wrath of God for billions and billions and billions of people being poured out on you. 482 00:50:02.000 --> 00:50:08.000 That's what he's talking about here, is if there is another way, let me take that other way. 483 00:50:08.000 --> 00:50:13.000 Is there a plan B? He knew there wasn't. It just shows what he was going through. 484 00:50:13.000 --> 00:50:21.000 Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. This is his prayer of dedication and consecration. 485 00:50:21.000 --> 00:50:27.000 This is something that I pray throughout the years and that I want to invite you to pray. 486 00:50:27.000 --> 00:50:36.000 This is him coming to the end of himself and saying, Lord, I truly receive you as Lord. 487 00:50:36.000 --> 00:50:43.000 You are my God. You are my Lord. All I want to do is what you want me to do. 488 00:50:43.000 --> 00:50:50.000 I won't go my own way. I'll go your way. I won't do my own thing. I'll do your thing. 489 00:50:50.000 --> 00:50:57.000 I trust you, not just a Savior, but as Lord. I'd like every head bowed, every eye closed. 490 00:50:57.000 --> 00:51:09.000 If you sense the Holy Spirit moving on you and you want to dedicate your life afresh, you want to surrender to the Lord's ship of Christ, raise your hand all throughout this building. 491 00:51:09.000 --> 00:51:16.000 You're saying, Lord, I want to pray to you, the prayer of dedication and consecration. 492 00:51:16.000 --> 00:51:24.000 Not what I want to do, but what you want me to do. Not my will, but yours be done. 493 00:51:24.000 --> 00:51:31.000 Lift your hands up high. 494 00:51:31.000 --> 00:51:39.000 Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. 495 00:51:39.000 --> 00:51:45.000 Let's all stand. Those of you who have raised your hands come on up to the front right now. 496 00:51:45.000 --> 00:51:54.000 We're just going to worship the Lord to the song. 497 00:51:54.000 --> 00:52:00.000 All the way to the front where God is going to meet you at this altar, 498 00:52:00.000 --> 00:52:09.000 and there'll be an impartation of the Holy Ghost upon you and an anointing and a fresh in feeling. 499 00:52:09.000 --> 00:52:14.000 I know there were times in my life where I said, Lord, can you really just come back and be Lord of my life? 500 00:52:14.000 --> 00:52:23.000 I've just made such a mess with such an irreparable mess like a broken antique vase. 501 00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:28.000 And you go, there is no amount of superglue on the planet where I can restore this thing. 502 00:52:28.000 --> 00:52:35.000 God comes in and restores it better than you. When God fixes, He makes better than you. 503 00:52:35.000 --> 00:52:45.000 Just shout this out loud, Lord Jesus. I surrender. I give you my all, just like you gave me your all. 504 00:52:45.000 --> 00:52:57.000 Realign me. Not my will, but yours be done. In Jesus' name. Amen. 505 00:52:57.000 --> 00:53:03.000 This is the City Light Church podcast. If you've missed any part of today's message, 506 00:53:03.000 --> 00:53:07.000 or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Janskik in City Light Church, 507 00:53:07.000 --> 00:53:13.000 visit us at citylightnyc.com. That's citylightnyc.com. 508 00:53:13.000 --> 00:53:19.000 Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. 509 00:53:19.000 --> 00:53:25.000 We pray that you have been encouraged today, that you have been reminded how much God loves you, 510 00:53:25.000 --> 00:53:29.000 and that you are surrounded by grace. Thank you for listening. 511 00:53:29.000 --> 00:53:35.000 Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church Podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.