Light Your World Part 4 - Archie Callahan

0.000000 6.120000 Again, good morning and welcome to bridge church and once you take out your bibles and turn to Matthew chapter one

6.120000 11.440000 It's good to see you whether you're online or in the building my name is Archim lead pastor here

11.440000 14.600000 These guys did a great job. Didn't they man? That those guys can play

14.600000 22.840000 They took Psalm 150 very seriously, you know praise the Lord with a harp in the lyre amen and

22.840000 29.640000 They worship the Lord we just believe in worship because worship man really begins to form

29.640000 36.740000 Your world and we are called to be worshipers in fact all of us are worshipers every person in here

36.740000 39.240000 We're all worshipers

39.240000 41.440000 But not all of us are worshiping God

41.440000 47.000000 You hear that there was a there was a low tone

47.000000 52.920000 That's true everybody on planet earth is a worshiper

52.920000 57.920000 We just have to locate the object of our worship and for believers the object of our worship is

58.320000 65.520000 God Almighty a man who has revealed himself in the person of Jesus we continue the series called light your world and

65.520000 72.440000 We've been taking this series the main passage of scriptures out of Isaiah chapter nine and Isaiah's a prophet

72.440000 74.520000 prophesying under

74.520000 81.640000 Roman tyranny and he's prophesying of a better day coming to the nation of Israel and in verse two

81.640000 84.480000 It says this the people walking and darkness

84.920000 92.680000 Have seen a great light that great light is Jesus on those living in the land of darkness a light has

92.680000 96.360000 Don't today. I want to talk about the light of the world

96.360000 100.600000 We talked about the light of hope the light of peace the light of joy last week

100.600000 108.200000 We're gonna talk about the light of love today and we're gonna look at Matthew chapter one verse 21 and it says this

108.200000 112.160000 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about

112.840000 120.160000 I want you to notice something about Matthew Matthew focuses on Jesus. His focus is Jesus as the Messiah

120.160000 122.760000 He talked about that a whole lot

122.760000 131.640000 John who was John the revelator the forefront of Jesus the forerunner of Jesus he talked about Jesus being life and love

131.640000 139.240000 But Matthew talks about Jesus as the Messiah and he goes on to say this because Joseph her husband

139.480000 145.000000 God you got that right back there Joseph her this is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came up now

145.000000 150.100000 We're just making sure everybody's okay. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph

150.100000 156.760000 But before they came together she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. That is kind of weird in it

156.760000 163.480000 We read the stories like their pristine. They they have no problems. Well think about that

163.480000 169.440000 She was pregnant through what the Holy Spirit because Joseph her husband was faithful to

169.440000 174.000000 The law and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace

174.000000 177.040000 He didn't want to disgrace her

177.040000 179.440000 He had in mind to divorce her what?

179.440000 185.320000 Quietly quietly he did it quietly, but after he had considered

185.320000 193.680000 He had considered this an angel of the Lord appeared to him and a dream and said Joseph son of David do not be afraid

193.680000 199.120000 Take Mary home as your wife because what is conceived in her is from

199.120000 207.680000 Who the Holy Spirit she will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from

207.680000 210.200000 There since we're going to talk about

210.200000 216.660000 Love today the light of love. I remember years ago back in 1991

216.660000 225.480000 I heard a pastor a speaking on this subject and he began to talk about the love of God and he asked this question

226.720000 234.540000 To his congregation the people that were listening to him that day he says who can get into your circle of love

234.540000 242.820000 Who can get into your circle of love and he began to explain that that that love is is something that is

242.820000 248.220000 Bidled to the heart of God and sometimes we draw our circle of love to small

248.220000 256.700000 Sometimes our circle of love is is reserved for people that we're very close to and and people that look

256.700000 260.100000 Like us think like us dress like us and live where we live

260.100000 271.020000 But he began to expound on scripture saying that Jesus came to teach us how to draw our circle of love a lot larger than it

271.020000 277.720000 Presently is see love is a central theme in the Bible the Bible says that God is love

277.720000 282.620000 It doesn't say God loves it just says God is love

282.620000 291.060000 It means that that God's very nature is one of love and we need to be like God and love those that are around us

291.060000 296.220000 God is love and we must let his love shine brightly where through us

296.220000 300.940000 Through us we got to let it shine brightly through us

300.940000 309.020000 Mark chapter 12 says love the Lord God with all your heart with all your mind with all your soul and with all your strength

Mark 12 · chapter mention

309.420000 314.340000 He says the second command is like the first but love your neighbor as

314.340000 317.020000 Yourself

317.020000 324.140000 Jesus came and redefined what it meant to be neighborly or who your neighbor was and the New Testament for the Jewish people

324.140000 329.740000 Their neighbor was just Jews the people that live next door to them the people that live down the street

329.740000 336.940000 But Jesus comes and he expands this thought of being neighborly to go beyond the boundaries of the Jewish nation

337.060000 344.260000 Over to the Samaritans to the Romans and all the known world and Jesus said I didn't just come for these people

344.260000 353.020000 I came for all people and we need to love each other. How many you know the proof of our Christian life

353.020000 360.700000 It is not how much money we give the proof of it is love they will know us by our love for one another

360.700000 364.940000 Let me ask you this are you having a hard time loving the people around you?

365.740000 368.580000 Are you having a hard time loving those people at work?

368.580000 374.260000 Are you having the hard time loving that person that cut you off at the mall to get a parking spot?

374.260000 381.060000 Are you having a hard time loving the person who's directing traffic in the parking lot here at bridge?

381.060000 386.300000 Do you get mad when they tell you to go all the way around the building to get to a spot that was

386.300000 392.220000 Ten yards from you, but you had to circle around and get there there is a there is a

392.740000 396.440000 Rhyme to the reason there's some madness that's going on out there

396.440000 401.820000 But it's the key people safe amen, and so we have to love one

401.820000 409.460000 Another you say what is love oftentimes in our culture love is reduced down to a feeling

409.460000 414.260000 an emotional feeling oh, I just love him I

414.260000 422.340000 Just love her and we reduce this thing down to these butterflies that are on the inside of us is this

422.620000 425.500000 Feeling but how many you know your feelings change quite often?

425.500000 430.340000 It changes like the weather in Virginia Beach

430.340000 435.060000 One day is 70 the next day is 19

435.060000 440.180000 That's the way our feelings are but in the new testament. It doesn't reduce

440.180000 445.820000 Love down to a feeling we begin to understand that love is a commitment

447.060000 454.120000 Love is deeper than a feeling it it overflows in a commitment and God is

454.120000 461.900000 Committed to the redemption of the world. He his love is one of commitment and Paul in the New Testament

461.900000 464.260000 He begins to define for us what love is

464.260000 471.420000 And first Corinthians chapter number 13. He gives us a 16-fold definition of love

471.420000 474.740000 He says if you don't have love you're just a noisy person

475.220000 481.940000 You're clinging symbol and he says this about love. He says love is patient. Now when I say love

481.940000 487.660000 I want you to put your name there put your name love is patient. Archie is patient sometimes

487.660000 497.220000 Sometimes not all the time look here love is patient love is kind. It does not envy love does not boast love is not proud

497.220000 499.700000 It is not rude is not self-seeking

499.700000 504.900000 It is love is not easily angered love keeps no records of wrongs

504.900000 513.460000 It's an old joke that a man came to the council and said councilor my wife is just

513.460000 517.580000 Historical he says you met hysterical. No, she is hysterical

517.580000 523.620000 Every time we get in a fight she brings up all these things. I've done 20 years into the past

524.980000 531.420000 Love keeps no records of what wrong love does not delight an evil, but rejoices with the truth

531.420000 536.260000 Love always protects love always trust love always hopes love always perseveres

536.260000 543.340000 Love never fails verse 13 now faith hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is

543.340000 545.380000 Love

545.380000 547.380000 Love is eternal

547.380000 549.380000 Love comes from God

549.700000 557.220000 First John talks about love in chapter four and chapter five that we first love God because he loved us

557.220000 566.540000 We love God because he first love does and and this is love that Christ laid down his life for his brother and and we're called to lay down

566.540000 571.300000 Our lives for one another that that's what true love is. It's it's willing

571.300000 573.860000 It's willing to give up its own right

573.860000 575.860000 It's willing to give up its own position

576.340000 584.460000 Willing to let other people first and and we have to be people that exude love. We have to shine brightly in a dark world

584.460000 592.700000 Where where love is needed and your love your love is needed the love that God has put in you is need it where you work

592.700000 599.780000 And where you shop and and where you live love is needed in fact and and over there Matthew

600.020000 606.100000 24 and Jesus says in the last days the love of many will grow what cold?

606.100000 614.060000 You know why it will grow cold in the last days because people will be become de-sensitized

614.060000 618.980000 We live in a world where you can watch somebody get murdered in real time

618.980000 625.580000 We live in a world where video games have become very realistic

626.420000 630.860000 In their debauchery and in their murder and in their

630.860000 633.540000 reveling and in their

633.540000 641.300000 Pushing down of people and so somehow even when we watch the news and we listen to the news

641.300000 643.300000 It doesn't impact us anymore

643.300000 645.700000 Why because we have become jaded

645.700000 648.980000 We have become hard and

649.540000 656.820000 And once again, we need the the presence of God to come into our hearts and soften our hearts and make our hearts

656.820000 663.620000 Pliable help us to love one another. I believe we need to weep with people who weep

663.620000 667.620000 And we need to rejoice with people who rejoice

667.620000 674.660000 And so this love the Bible says has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit

675.140000 680.820000 So if I'm filled with the Holy Spirit the fruit of the spirit is love

680.820000 685.860000 I know we say it's love joy peace patience goodness kindness meekness self-control

685.860000 690.180000 But how many you know all those others are wrapped up in love

690.180000 697.460000 If I've got love I'm going to be gentle if I've got love I'm going to be kind if I've got love

697.460000 704.100000 I'm going to be good so love is is the supreme thing is the eternal thing is the thing that will last

704.340000 711.140000 It actually reflects the nature of God into the world and we need to be people of love

711.140000 713.140000 You say pastor you don't know the people I work with

713.140000 717.220000 You don't know the people that live in my home

717.220000 721.220000 You don't know the crazy people in the river bro driving

721.220000 724.740000 You don't know all these crazy. Yeah, I shop

724.740000 729.140000 I drive on the roads. How many know I'm in the people business

729.140000 733.460000 People can be weird

734.340000 736.340000 They can be fickle

736.340000 739.780000 They can be cray cray

739.780000 747.140000 Like they think I'm Jesus and I can save the world

747.140000 753.380000 And all that pressure is dumped on pastors I live in the same world you live in I pay taxes

753.380000 759.460000 I've got a house payment. I've got a car payment. I've got kids in college

759.460000 762.580000 They have cash app

763.300000 765.300000 I

765.300000 772.180000 I've got grandkids. I've got grown kids that still think they should get big gifts for christmas

772.180000 776.420000 We live in a crazy world

776.420000 785.140000 But we have to love and we have to say lord help me to love the unloving

785.140000 788.340000 Now we get back to Matthew

788.340000 790.580000 Matthew

790.580000 795.620000 With a tax collector more than that he was a Jewish tax collector

795.620000 798.980000 He was hated by his fellow Jews

798.980000 803.220000 He was helping

803.220000 805.220000 Roman government

805.220000 809.140000 To tax his fellow people

809.140000 813.220000 Tax collectors were the

813.220000 817.620000 The waste of society they were looked down on they were hated

818.260000 824.820000 By the people in society because they always overtaxed so they could cut some money off the top and live wealthy

824.820000 828.260000 Matthew

828.260000 832.740000 Being a tax collector was approached by Jesus and Jesus said come follow me

832.740000 840.340000 His name is also Levi. He leaves his tax collecting business and begins to follow

840.340000 843.300000 Jesus

843.300000 847.380000 He gives us an account of the birth of Jesus

848.260000 852.100000 The surrounding temperature when Jesus was born

852.100000 855.140000 It's a little bit different than Luke chapter 2

Luke 2 · chapter mention

855.140000 860.340000 Luke chapter 2 gives us an account of the birth of Jesus through the eyes of Mary

Luke 2 · chapter mention

860.340000 863.460000 This gives us the account through the eyes of Joseph

863.460000 868.500000 How many you know marries account and Joseph's account is totally different

872.020000 878.100000 Mary's account is all about angels and the Holy Spirit and I'm the chosen one

878.100000 884.100000 Joseph's account is him having to believe that Mary's pregnant and has never been with a man

884.100000 891.460000 That's totally two different

891.460000 893.300000 Viewpoints in it

893.300000 896.100000 Matthew gives us the genealogy

896.100000 899.540000 That comes all the way to Joseph in Bethlehem

901.300000 905.780000 He gives us the genealogy starting out with Abraham

905.780000 910.180000 So Abraham and then you have David

910.180000 916.100000 Then you have Babylon which is the captivity of the Israelites in the Babylon and then you have Jesus

916.100000 920.180000 There are 14 generations between Abraham and David

920.180000 925.700000 King David there are 14 generations between King David and Babylon

925.700000 930.340000 There are 14 generations between Babylon and Jesus that's 42 generations

930.500000 935.060000 So he gives us a 42 generational genealogy of Jesus

935.060000 942.580000 Jesus is called the son of David the son of Abraham goes all the way back 42 generations

942.580000 948.420000 But if I were Matthew there were some people I would never put in the genealogy of Jesus

948.420000 951.460000 I would try to hide some of those folks

951.460000 955.060000 And you know you got people in your family you try to hide

955.060000 959.380000 You don't introduce some of the weird people of your family to other people

960.180000 964.500000 But but but Matthew doesn't leave some of these critters out

964.500000 968.900000 He brings into this genealogy

968.900000 971.300000 Look here. He brings Jacob

971.300000 974.420000 Jacob was a swindler

974.420000 976.260000 He was a trickster

976.260000 978.500000 He was crazy. I would have left him out

978.500000 984.420000 He brings David. I know all y'all think David was righteous, but David was a peeping Tom

984.420000 989.220000 He would have been arrested

989.940000 991.940000 in our debt

991.940000 997.300000 He had incest in his family

997.300000 1000.500000 He commits adultery

1000.500000 1005.540000 He kills you rather hit high that she was husband and hides it

1005.540000 1008.500000 He's in the genealogy of Jesus

1008.500000 1012.820000 I think I would have hid David

1012.820000 1016.020000 I think I would have just left him out. I would have skipped him

1016.020000 1018.820000 No, I'm not gonna write that down

1019.780000 1021.300000 And then there's another one

1021.300000 1024.180000 This one's a lady

1024.180000 1027.380000 Ray Havne

1027.380000 1030.020000 A prostitute

1030.020000 1033.220000 I want you to look what Matthew's doing

1033.220000 1036.420000 He's putting a trickster

1036.420000 1041.060000 An adulterer and a prostitute in the genealogy of Jesus

1041.060000 1046.020000 You thought you had some weird folk in your genealogy

1048.340000 1051.860000 Why was he doing that? Why did why is that

1051.860000 1054.740000 Inspired in scripture

1054.740000 1063.300000 It tells us that Jesus was not afraid to be numbered among the transgressors

1063.300000 1067.540000 That he wasn't scared to have jacked up people in his family

1067.540000 1070.660000 That's why he came into the world

1070.660000 1076.580000 To save a Abraham to save a Jacob to save a David to save a Ray Havne

1077.380000 1081.540000 He came to save those people that were sick those people that were lost

1081.540000 1083.940000 Those people that needed to be redeemed

1083.940000 1088.980000 And that's why he came and sometimes we we try to get our lives so pristine

1088.980000 1093.140000 That that we can't relate to people that are hurt and down and out

1093.140000 1096.820000 And addicted and bruised and battered and divorced

1096.820000 1101.220000 But Jesus is not is not scared to be associated with those people

1101.220000 1103.220000 And Matthew the task collector writes this

1103.220000 1107.060000 So he gives us a view

1107.860000 1109.300000 Of Jesus's birth

1109.300000 1114.100000 Through his own eyes and in this story in Matthew

1114.100000 1117.220000 We see a love that is revealed

1117.220000 1119.700000 A love that is demonstrated

1119.700000 1122.420000 And they love that saves

1122.420000 1126.180000 Love reveal look what it says in verse 20

1126.180000 1132.340000 But after he had considered this an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream

1132.340000 1136.580000 And said Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary home

1136.580000 1138.420000 As your wife

1138.420000 1143.700000 Because what is conceived in her is from what the Holy Spirit

1143.700000 1146.980000 Now I know

1146.980000 1150.420000 Man, I don't know if I could have been Joseph

1150.420000 1155.620000 This 1314 year old comes to me and says

1155.620000 1158.260000 I'm already betrayed to her legally he's already

1158.260000 1161.780000 bound himself to this lady

1162.740000 1167.860000 In Jewish custom there was three parts to a wedding first there was the engagement

1167.860000 1171.140000 Then the betrothal which was a legal contract

1171.140000 1175.700000 And then the marriage which was one year after being betrayed

1175.700000 1180.100000 So he's legally bound himself to this woman

1180.100000 1182.740000 Mary

1182.740000 1184.980000 Mother Mary

1184.980000 1188.420000 And she comes to him and says I'm pregnant

1188.420000 1192.660000 But it's not what you think

1192.740000 1194.740000 I

1194.740000 1197.780000 Been with no man

1197.780000 1200.660000 Now I was born at night, but not last night

1200.660000 1204.660000 I don't know what I would have said

1204.660000 1210.260000 I wish Matthew would have went in greater detail and gave us some of the words that Joseph spoke

1210.260000 1213.380000 I wish it had gave him some of the thoughts he had

1213.380000 1220.340000 See we we make Joseph pristine we make him real clean we we make him real holy

1220.660000 1223.860000 I don't know any man that would not have said something

1223.860000 1231.780000 Any man in here y'all would have y'all would have y'all would interrogate it Mary wouldn't you I would have I was there what you talking about

1231.780000 1235.780000 There ain't but one way to get pregnant Mary

1235.780000 1242.100000 But he I'd never heard this before Mary are you crazy?

1242.100000 1246.260000 I'm going to take you to the hospital

1247.540000 1249.540000 A mental one

1249.540000 1254.820000 You are having a mental breakdown something's wrong upstairs, baby

1254.820000 1261.780000 You telling me you pregnant and you've never been with a man over here in Nazareth and galley

1261.780000 1265.140000 I'd be asking every man hey

1265.140000 1267.860000 You know Mary

1267.860000 1274.660000 Have you have you seen her slipping out at night anywhere

1276.340000 1280.980000 Just tell me I'll pay you I'll pay the price I'd have been all over Nazareth

1280.980000 1285.220000 I'd have been all over the region of galley man. I I would have thrown a fit

1285.220000 1293.300000 See we think Joseph was this quiet little dignified holy of a man. I don't believe it was like that

1293.300000 1300.740000 I believe he had some questions. He had some I think he had some even when the angel I know the angel showed up to it

1300.740000 1304.900000 But even after the angel appeared I believe he had some questions

1305.460000 1309.620000 I'm on I'm gonna do what you say but man, I don't know

1309.620000 1313.300000 I'm going I'm on I'm gonna stay

1313.300000 1317.140000 But I don't know stay with her Joseph stay with her

1317.140000 1323.460000 What's what's happening to her is is is conceived in her by the Holy Spirit

1323.460000 1327.460000 I understand what you're saying angel Gabriel your good guy, but I'm still confused

1327.460000 1331.220000 But you know just let me process this he was like every man

1331.220000 1334.020000 It takes him a little bit to process. It's like when your wife comes this

1334.180000 1336.500000 Let's get a $80,000 vehicle hold up

1336.500000 1340.660000 Give me 18 days to process this

1340.660000 1344.740000 And I'll come back with an answer. Oh, we need to write it hold up

1344.740000 1350.420000 Let me process. I believe he had to take some time to process what was going on with him

1350.420000 1354.420000 He finally gave in to the plan of God

1354.420000 1360.500000 But what we see is love revealed not just God's love for us by sending his son

1360.740000 1364.020000 But Joseph's love to love Mary

1364.020000 1368.500000 unconditionally

1368.500000 1371.860000 Even though he couldn't understand everything with his mind

1371.860000 1378.020000 See in the New Testament we have some Greek words that mean love

1378.020000 1382.980000 I don't translate well in English sometimes

1382.980000 1387.140000 The first one is Falea which is a friendship type of love

1387.140000 1390.100000 It's like I got friends man. I love my friends. You know

1390.500000 1392.340000 I love my peeps

1392.340000 1393.860000 My groupies

1393.860000 1395.700000 Yeah, I love them

1395.700000 1402.420000 Then you have this other word eros which is an erotic love. It's a passionate love between love us amen

1402.420000 1408.180000 Then you have this store gay love which is family love which is a

1408.180000 1414.020000 A natural love for family members. Hey man. I hadn't seen my family in a long time

1414.020000 1419.940000 But when you get together you can feel the love. Hey man. Don't touch my family. We gonna fight. I love my family

1420.900000 1424.340000 Don't look at my mom wrong. We're gonna fight. Amen. I love my mom

1424.340000 1430.740000 I said famous store gay love and then you have this agape love which is this unconditional

1430.740000 1434.500000 sacrificial love of God

1434.500000 1443.460000 That God was willing to send his son and and and and Joseph has this unconditional love this agape loves

1443.460000 1449.700000 I believe it was a supernatural love that that was revealed in this passage of scripture to

1449.700000 1458.820000 Mary because he had to walk with his lady. She was probably looked at by society and looked down on but other ladies and and they heard the story

1458.820000 1465.380000 I know they didn't have Facebook and they didn't have text and they didn't have Twitter or X

1465.380000 1469.540000 I know they didn't have Instagram, but guess what they had tell a woman

1469.540000 1476.020000 That was before telephone

1476.340000 1483.700000 That news traveled all through Galilee and around Nazareth. It was just like traveling and so people knew that

1483.700000 1488.580000 Joseph was with a woman who was mad. She said she pregnant but she hadn't been with a maid

1488.580000 1492.820000 So he had to keep loving this girl

1492.820000 1494.820000 Keeps loving this girl

1494.820000 1500.660000 So it was revealed at that moment that Joseph really loved marrying but it had to be demonstrated also

1501.220000 1507.060000 See love not only is revealed but it's demonstrated often go to my wife and say baby. I love you

1507.060000 1512.740000 Well, you're so fine. You're just like wine. You get better with age. Hey, man

1512.740000 1516.180000 You know what she says? Show me

1516.180000 1520.500000 Show me you love me

1520.500000 1523.460000 Show me

1523.460000 1525.620000 Prove it

1525.620000 1528.660000 Demonstrate it stop the jabber

1529.140000 1531.140000 It

1531.140000 1537.620000 Prove it and I believe love has to be demonstrated look what Matthew 121 says

1537.620000 1541.380000 She will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name

1541.380000 1544.420000 Jesus

1544.420000 1547.460000 God

1547.460000 1549.460000 Demonstrates his love

1549.460000 1553.860000 The eternal

1553.860000 1556.180000 Becoming a baby

1556.340000 1558.340000 and

1558.340000 1561.300000 Some aspects

1561.300000 1564.260000 Mary gives birth to God

1564.260000 1567.540000 The one who created her

1567.540000 1572.900000 God becoming man

1572.900000 1575.940000 The eternal becoming temporal

1575.940000 1580.100000 The divine becoming human

1580.100000 1584.500000 That is the mystery of the incarnation

1585.540000 1587.540000 Of God into the world

1587.540000 1596.740000 That God somehow could become man fully man and live out our experience so that love could be demonstrated

1596.740000 1605.460000 If God would have stayed in heaven and never came into our world there would be no demonstration of the love of God and God would not be love

1605.460000 1615.520000 So he he demonstrates his love by coming into this world and coming to us when we couldn't get to him

1615.680000 1619.360000 He demonstrates this unique love that he has

1619.360000 1626.960000 You will give him the name Jesus the name Jesus means y'all way is salvation

1626.960000 1635.360000 Josephus and historical writings that he has he mentioned 12 different Jesuses during that time

1635.360000 1640.320000 So Jesus was not a unique name many people had the name of Jesus

1640.320000 1642.800000 But everybody knew this Jesus

1643.600000 1653.840000 We know this Jesus we know the one that that God is sent to save us he will save his people from what their sins

1653.840000 1659.520000 He comes to us and he saves us

1659.520000 1663.360000 So this love has to be demonstrated can I ask you this?

1663.360000 1667.040000 How are you demonstrating the love of God to your neighbors?

1670.080000 1672.240000 I'll never see my neighbors they never come out of their home

1672.240000 1680.080000 We live in a world where people don't come out of their house because everything they need is at the touch of the finger

1680.080000 1685.520000 You can get your groceries delivered you can get your shoes delivered you can get your

1685.520000 1688.480000 Your clothes delivered

1688.480000 1690.960000 And never come out

1690.960000 1693.600000 But we're not called to live like that

1693.600000 1697.280000 Because redemption is relational

1699.760000 1705.680000 Meaning that I have to step out of where I'm at and become relational to the people around me

1705.680000 1709.680000 If I'm going to bring redemption if I'm going to bring the light of love to people

1709.680000 1714.720000 I can't cocoon in my home I have to get outside and that's what bridge churches all about

1714.720000 1719.200000 It's about building bridges and connecting all people to the person power and purpose of Jesus

1719.200000 1724.800000 It's about reaching outside of the walls. That's why we have cameras and that's why we go into all the world

1724.800000 1729.680000 That's why we do Christmas outreaches that touch 73 kids that we're not going to get Christmas

1729.680000 1735.680000 Now this Christmas they're going to have Christmas 53 seniors and cypress point a living home

1735.680000 1742.560000 Assistant living home are going to get gifts and and be minister to why because love gives love has to be demonstrated

1742.560000 1750.800000 That's why we receive a Christmas offering to reach beyond the walls of this church. I want to encourage you

1750.800000 1753.520000 You said pastor. I don't have any money this Christmas. Do you have 50?

1758.960000 1763.040000 Everybody gives different levels but everybody has to sacrifice

1763.040000 1772.960000 It got quiet in here why because when you when you touch the God or the idol of money people get quiet

1772.960000 1781.760000 The gospel is free, but it takes money to get it out there

1781.760000 1788.160000 That's why we do the Christmas offer it reaches beyond this building

1788.880000 1790.880000 It reaches church planning

1790.880000 1794.880000 Missionaries around the world. It reaches into the unwed mother's home

1794.880000 1801.440000 It reaches into the prices crisis pregnancy center. It reaches pin ministries people in need ministries

1801.440000 1804.960000 It reaches down into restoring hope center in North Carolina

1804.960000 1811.440000 It reaches down into curta county where we help with human trafficking all that last Christmas

1811.440000 1816.880000 We gave 100,000 dollars away to strategic partners outside of this building

1817.360000 1819.360000 Helping people that are in need

1819.360000 1821.840000 Why because love has to be demonstrated

1821.840000 1829.760000 It has to be demonstrated if it's not demonstrated. It's not true love

1829.760000 1833.040000 Love was revealed

1833.040000 1839.280000 Love was demonstrated and there's a love that saves I love that word saves

1839.280000 1844.480000 Can I tell you something about salvation

1846.640000 1853.520000 Salvation is not a one-time event where I come and shake a pastor's hand

1853.520000 1858.560000 It's an everyday thing

1858.560000 1869.840000 Because in reality we can say it like this. I am saved. I made the commitment to follow Jesus

1869.840000 1871.920000 He's giving me a new heart

1871.920000 1875.680000 That's the New Testament. He takes out my heart of stone. He gives me a heart of flesh. So I can obey him

1875.680000 1880.320000 He gives me a new attitude. He gives me all this new thing so I can obey him

1880.320000 1885.760000 But though I've been saved I am deemed saved every day

1885.760000 1890.560000 Because if we were really real in church

1890.560000 1895.680000 We would really understand that there are parts of me that are more saved than other parts

1900.320000 1904.720000 Some of us yet we know we're saved in our heart. It just hasn't got to our tongue yet

1904.720000 1909.680000 Whoo

1909.680000 1914.320000 We use words

1914.320000 1918.880000 That are unholy why because we're not truly totally saved

1918.880000 1923.520000 But we are being saved to the level we submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives

1923.520000 1930.160000 I mean, we shouldn't be able to bless God with this tongue and then turn around and curse men

1930.160000 1934.160000 Who are made in his image. I love James. Don't you? That's the book of James

1934.160000 1937.920000 He's a hard hitter. He punched you in the mouth and just watch you believe

1937.920000 1946.560000 You know men are good at this. We're compartmentalized man

1946.560000 1950.160000 We have our business life, our married life, our father life

1950.160000 1955.440000 We have our hobby life and we have a life we don't want anybody to know about and we compartmentalize this

1955.440000 1958.880000 But salvation has to reach every compartment of your life

1960.000000 1968.320000 Every part of your life so I'm saved being saved and ultimately will be saved glorified when I get to heaven

1968.320000 1972.080000 Notice what he says he will save his people who's his people

1972.080000 1979.760000 Is he talking about the Jews there? No, his people is the world. That's why he came and and said man for God

1979.760000 1985.760000 So love the world that he gave is one and only something that who's so ever believes in him will not perish

1985.760000 1991.760000 But have everlasting life he will save all of humanity from their sins

1991.760000 1998.560000 What sin has he saved us he saves us from the penalty of sin

1998.560000 2005.840000 You know what the penalty of sin for all his sin and falling short of the glory of God the wages of sin is what

2005.840000 2010.320000 Death that's the penalty of sin is death

2011.440000 2016.640000 See oftentimes as parents we tell our kids we want you to be good little boys and girls

2016.640000 2019.600000 And we think

2019.600000 2024.160000 The whole gospel is about being good or evil. No, it's about life and death

2024.160000 2030.560000 I you know what I teach our kids if you're gonna make a decision don't make don't base it on good and evil

2030.560000 2035.520000 Based it on life or death is that decision you're gonna make is it gonna produce life and you are death in you

2037.600000 2043.760000 You'll totally think a different way because the reality is the gospel the whole Bible is about two trees

2043.760000 2047.760000 It's about the tree of the knowledge of getting the evil and the tree of life. Which tree are you gonna eat from?

2047.760000 2053.200000 Jesus is the tree of life

2053.200000 2060.080000 So we we make decisions based on him so he has freed us from the penalty of sin number two the power of sin

2060.080000 2063.200000 When you come to Christ

2063.920000 2070.480000 And he recreates your spirit and gives you a new heart the power of sin is broken over your life

2070.480000 2079.680000 But you've got to realize that by becoming a disciple of Christ. You say pastors the Bible talk about that. Yes, Romans

2079.680000 2083.440000 Amen, I'm glad you ask

2083.440000 2091.440000 He said present the members of your body as instruments of unrighteous of righteousness and not unrighteousness

2091.920000 2098.800000 The power it's dominion over your life because you have become a child of God has been broken over your life

2098.800000 2107.360000 How do I know that collotions one 13 and 14 he rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the sun

2107.360000 2110.240000 He loves and whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sin

2110.240000 2115.840000 So the power of sin has been broken through the death barrel and resurrection of Jesus Christ and my

2116.240000 2121.760000 acceptance of that through faith that I don't have to be bound every day of my life

2121.760000 2128.320000 Jesus didn't come just to give you a fire insurance so you can stay bound till you get to heaven

2128.320000 2131.440000 He came to free you through the gospel

2131.440000 2137.040000 But that takes a little bit of effort on my part not trying to get free

2137.040000 2140.640000 But just understanding what Jesus did by reading the New Testament

2142.480000 2148.400000 Look here not only they free me from the penalty and the power of sin

2148.400000 2152.240000 But finally from the presence of sin when does that happen

2152.240000 2156.560000 When I die and he gives me a glorified body

2156.560000 2159.440000 That's going to be a beautiful day

2159.440000 2163.760000 Some of you might not die you might go when Jesus returns

2163.760000 2166.320000 You might be called up with him in the heavens

2166.320000 2169.200000 But that's going to be a glorious day

2169.360000 2173.840000 He's not going to come destroy the earth he's going to recreate if he's going to make the heavens new

2173.840000 2176.720000 And the earth knew and there's going to be no more sin

2176.720000 2179.760000 That's a beautiful thing there's going to be no people fighting

2179.760000 2183.680000 There's you're not going to be mad at your siblings you're not going to be mad at your parents

2183.680000 2188.480000 Parents are not going to be fighting you'll have to pay no more taxes government will not be corrupt

2188.480000 2191.920000 He's going to recreate make all things that's a beautiful thing

2191.920000 2197.120000 You won't have to watch Fox News or CNN there be no need for all that garbage no conflict

2197.120000 2204.560000 No distortion of the truth they'll just be a pure earth a pure cosmos a pure feeling

2204.560000 2209.200000 He's going to deliver us from the very presence of sin

2209.200000 2212.640000 It's going to be beautiful

2212.640000 2214.720000 That's going to be a beautiful day

2214.720000 2216.880000 I'm longing for that

2216.880000 2225.520000 That the penalty and the power and the very presence of sin

2226.480000 2228.880000 swallowed up in the victory of the resurrection

2228.880000 2233.840000 The birth of Jesus would be no good without the resurrection

2233.840000 2239.840000 Without the resurrection we would not even be meeting here today

2239.840000 2243.600000 We're meeting because the tomb is empty

2243.600000 2248.320000 Our faith is powerful because the tomb is empty

2248.320000 2251.600000 My preaching is powerful because the tomb is empty

2252.240000 2254.800000 I have new life because the tomb is empty

2254.800000 2257.280000 I have redemption because the tomb is empty

2257.280000 2259.600000 I can be healed because the tomb is empty

2259.600000 2262.400000 I can be free because the tomb is empty

2262.400000 2266.560000 I am free because of what Jesus did on the cross

2266.560000 2269.120000 He died a brutal cruel death

2269.120000 2273.200000 So I can live a new life in him for the resurrection

2273.200000 2277.920000 It's reaching out to you today

2278.160000 2285.840000 There is a love that's been revealed

2285.840000 2289.920000 There's a love that's been demonstrated

2289.920000 2292.640000 There's a love that saves

2292.640000 2297.120000 Roman says this

2297.120000 2302.800000 God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners

2302.800000 2305.840000 Christ died for us

2306.720000 2311.920000 He didn't die for you when you made it to church enough times be worthy of it

2311.920000 2316.640000 He didn't die for you when you stopped cussing

2316.640000 2320.560000 Now he died for you when you were a sinner

2320.560000 2324.240000 When I was a sinner

2324.240000 2327.280000 I deserved the penalty of sin

2327.280000 2333.680000 But he himself on the cross died

2334.720000 2336.320000 So I could live to righteousness

2336.320000 2343.840000 46 years ago

2343.840000 2346.960000 I was a young whipper snapper

2346.960000 2353.120000 It was with a friend and we were fishing

2353.120000 2357.440000 A best friend, Octavish Johnson

2357.440000 2360.240000 Lives in Atlanta, Georgia now

2362.880000 2366.560000 We were fishing in an old pond, actually an irrigation hole for a farm

2366.560000 2369.840000 It was very hot

2369.840000 2373.200000 Said I'm gonna swim, I jumped in and swam to the other side

2373.200000 2376.080000 Got up on the other side, jumped back in and swam to where he was

2376.080000 2379.200000 I had shorts on

2379.200000 2382.240000 He decided he wanted to swim to the other side and come back

2382.240000 2385.440000 But he jumped in with

2385.440000 2388.320000 Blue jeans on and a shirt

2389.200000 2394.480000 He swam to the other side, he was a great athlete, athlete, he was a great baseball player, basketball player

2394.480000 2401.600000 Octavish got to the other side, turned and threw up a fist and victory that he made it and he jumped back in

2401.600000 2404.400000 But on the way back

2404.400000 2406.960000 He lost all energy

2406.960000 2409.200000 It's blue jeans

2409.200000 2411.200000 Wading him down

2411.200000 2413.200000 shirt weighing him down

2413.200000 2416.320000 And he began to bob up and down

2417.200000 2420.400000 Like a cork gasping for breath

2420.400000 2424.640000 I panicked, really did, I panicked, I'm like

2424.640000 2426.960000 Watching my best friend die

2426.960000 2433.120000 And I went to jump in and something stopped me

2433.120000 2441.440000 It was just like God stopped me, I think God has angels that doesn't

2441.440000 2446.560000 I came to my senses, an immediate split second, if I jump in he'll drown me

2447.520000 2448.960000 I was only about 14 years old

2448.960000 2453.760000 And I looked around frantically while he's he drowning

2453.760000 2455.440000 And I find this long stick

2455.440000 2461.200000 That walk down in the water and push it way out as far as I extended as far as I could go

2461.200000 2464.000000 Because that irrigation pond dropped straight down

2464.000000 2467.440000 There was a ledge that you could walk on but it would drop straight down I would be under

2467.440000 2469.600000 I reached out

2470.880000 2477.040000 And in his fraling and panicking and and desiring life he reaches out and he grabs that stick

2477.040000 2482.240000 And holds on to that like a rat terrier holding on to a rat

2482.240000 2485.120000 And I pulled him in

2485.120000 2491.840000 He laid on that bank coffee spitting up water

2491.840000 2497.840000 You know what that is? It's a picture of people

2499.040000 2502.720000 sinking in sin without Jesus

2502.720000 2510.880000 And just as those pants, blue jeans and shirt weighed him down

2510.880000 2519.280000 Our sin without Jesus weighs us down into the myry pit of death

2519.280000 2524.800000 And Jesus was born in Bethlehem

2526.560000 2532.480000 Not just so we could be nostalgic and gather around a little manger

2532.480000 2537.440000 No, he did that so that we could be saved

2537.440000 2541.200000 Delivered, set free

2541.200000 2544.960000 And just as I reached out that stick to my friend

2544.960000 2548.640000 God's reaching out a cross to you today

2548.640000 2550.400000 A wooden cross

2550.400000 2552.880000 And it's through the cross

2552.880000 2555.760000 It's through what Jesus did, his death bearing resurrection

2556.560000 2557.760000 That we are saved

2557.760000 2560.000000 God

2560.000000 2563.040000 Demonstrates it by sending his son

2563.040000 2569.520000 By allowing his son to die. It wasn't just his son. You can say it this way. And God came

2569.520000 2572.960000 himself

2572.960000 2576.640000 And he died from me

2576.640000 2582.240000 Won't just stand please. I want you to bury his

2582.240000 2588.800000 This is not a religious game

2588.800000 2592.880000 Please nobody walk and just just stay where you're at

2592.880000 2597.120000 This is not a time to go use the bathroom

2597.120000 2602.560000 So not a time to go get another sip of coffee. I don't mind you bringing coffee in

2602.560000 2607.040000 But there's something greater than all that right this moment

2607.040000 2609.760000 It's the salvation of your soul

2610.240000 2613.200000 The penalty of sin

2613.200000 2616.880000 Swallowed up at the cross

2616.880000 2623.120000 So how do I receive that by faith we're saved by grace through faith

2623.120000 2627.040000 This power has

2627.040000 2629.440000 But I thank you that while we were yet sinners

2629.440000 2632.480000 Christ died for us

2632.480000 2635.200000 Love prevailed

2635.200000 2637.200000 Love won

2637.200000 2639.360000 And love wins today

2639.360000 2641.014625 [Music]