The Incomparable Friendship of Jesus | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

2nd Timothy chapter 4. Next week will be our last time

in this book. And so cherish these moments.

And second Timothy chapter 4, we have two verses that we will ask

2 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

the Lord to help us with beginning in verse 16.

God's word says, through the writing of Paul at my first

defense, no one came to Stand By Me but all deserted me may not

be charged against them but the Lord stood by me and

strengthened me so that threw me.

The message might be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles

Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's

mouth, the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed.

Bring me safely into his Heavenly Kingdom to him.

Be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Amen. Pray with me.

Lori saying of your greatness. Now, we want to hear of it

through your word. And Lord we admit in your

presence that it does not matter how.

Well crafted a message might be how structured in might be apart

from the power of the Holy Spirit.

We will not know the full force of these words.

We will not know what can happen to our faith.

We will not know the depths of your beauty and your infinite

glory. And so Lord, we humble ourselves

before you as we open your word. And we ask that by your spirit,

you would assist us to receive all that you have to say, Lord,

we pray that nothing would be set out of the flesh.

We ask Lord that nothing would be missed because of our flesh.

We asked oh Lord, that you would just be the teacher that you

tell us who you are and to teach us these things.

And that Lord, it would make an impact on our lives.

And that Lord, he would polish us so that you would see a

greater reflection of yourself. As you look at our hearts, Lord

Jesus. Protect the service from Satan's

attacks from the distractions that he would bring it.

To make us miss what you have to say hello.

We want all that you have to say whether it hurts us in the

moment. We want to all Lord and we pray

that you would meet us in Jesus name we pray.

Amen. Learning about Paul's fragmented

friendships last week, hopefully and prayerfully convinced, you

and me. That's our relationships with

other people will not be without its share of difficulties.

The joys of knowing and growing with other Christians are often

mixed with the temptation to be frustrated.

Disappointed. Downcast and sometimes outright

devastated. You and I are through what we

heard last week called to be expected of such things.

Even the greatest Saints can cause sorrow to your heart and

mind. And Paul's account of some

less-than-ideal circumstances. And the flaws of others is

followed up in this verse, by the mention of a different

friendship, a different relationship in the context of

complicated relationships. This man of God, draws our

attention to the person of Jesus Christ.

Why does he bring up the Lord? Does he want to speak about the

Lord's deity? Does he want to share some

aspect of his nature? Does he does?

He want to tell us something about his present Ministry in

heaven or something about his Redemptive work.

Not, in this case, Paul is not introducing Jesus to change the

subject. In fact, the reason why he is

bringing up Christ right here, right now is to teach each of us

that there is no friend like him.

The incomparable friendship of Jesus Christ, that is exactly

what he is trying to do here as he contrasts the Lord to all the

people that he mentions before this, and what he will mention

after this, he is unlike any other unmatched.

Unparalleled God, created you and I to be relational beings,

you know what that means? That by Nature you crave

relationships. You want to seek out and

establish and enjoy communion with others.

And that is normal. That is the way God intended it

to be. And as you, and I seek to do

that to discover the blessings that God has reserved within

those relationships. You, and I also cannot forget

that God made us to know friendship with himself.

Friendship with almighty God on an individual basis, not as the

bride being a corporate thing. But you individually as a child

of God, have been created by Him to know him.

And that that's, that's very familiar, Christian rhetoric,

but it's rarely testified as a reality in so many people's

lives. We cannot forget this.

God has made this clear in the old and the new.

When he talks about Moses, he says that he had spoken to him

face-to-face. As one does with a friend and

Isaiah, he claims explicitly, that Abraham was his friend and,

and the new it is exciting, Lee obvious, that Jesus makes it

clear. That we are not just his

servants, but also his friends friendship with God relationship

with the Lord intimate knowledge of who Is it's not just

important for you and I to know so that we can relate to him in

a certain way. Again, I make the point, it's

important to know so that we can realize that he is the truest of

friends. That he is the most reliable

that he is, unfailing that he is flawless.

And that there is nobody else in this world, no matter how much

you love them or how much they love you.

There is no one else in this world that can bring more

satisfaction to your soul and the one who made it.

Because you see as much as Paul could thank God for Timothy and

as much as he could trust somebody like karpis the

greatest of these men could not ultimately fulfill the needs

that this man had and that goes for you and me as well.

We need to understand that because if we don't understand

that you and I will not even consider pursuing that knowledge

of God. We won't even let suggestions

not even appealing you and I cannot even begin that Pursuit

Of God that goes beyond it exceeds, be on a set of

doctrinal affirmations. We won't explore what the soul

can know. And that is this, he is really

someone that I can know. He's really someone that is

present in my every moment. He's really someone that I

Commune with. And that is aware.

That actually cares about the details of my life.

He is really someone that I can just reach out to and he's

giving me his full attention. He's really someone that can

intervene at any time in my life.

He's really someone that I can say like Paul, he stood by me.

I may have not seen him physically, I may not heard an

audible voice, but I just know in the depths of my soul that he

is more than just my Creator. He is more than just my savior.

He is more than just my Vindicator.

He's my friend. He's my friend.

And as I said earlier, our hearts will not even Explore

such things until we are first convinced that as much as God

designed us for horizontal relationships and to enjoy, so

much out of it, there is a cap, whatever healing comes from, a

friend of a brother of your wife of your husband, no matter what

kind of Harmony and Symphony. You can own your soul by the

joys that come from relationships with those that

also love Christ. they cannot perform on only Christ, can

provide They cannot. And that's exactly what he

highlights here. He says here in verse 16 at my

first defense. No one came.

No one came to Stand By Me. But all deserted me.

When Paul says his first offense, he speaking about his

preliminary hearing on his trial.

This is speaking about a court setting and Paul was not a

stranger to the court seen this. Man, this man was familiar with

such environments, often. This man would be wrapped with

changed, as he stood before tribunals Emperors and rulers.

And they would try to convict them or try to find some fault

in him. But he eloquently and

persuasively proved his innocence and all this men was

an evangelist, even and those settings, he would take

advantage of those times to preach the Possible to those in

high positions and that great mind of his.

So he can argue his way out of punishment and though he can

make those men who are drunk with power, be sobered with

conviction for a moment. He still felt the pain of what

we see. In this verse.

He was still human. You and I are called to give up

everything when we follow Jesus. But don't forget this, you don't

lose your emotions. You don't lose your feelings in

the process. And here we see the transparency

of this great man. Of God, the reason why he pens

as though he is led by the spirit is because there was

genuine disappointment. when you said all deserted me, Why would

he mention this? Because there is an opportunity

for someone even just one. To come into that place and to

make it defense for Paul to come and to to stand by him and to

plead his cause there is even an opportunity for some to maybe

not even be in that immediate setting.

But to encourage him, as he is being falsely accused but

nothing of the sort, you read that list of names and Romans 16

how Paul greets them each individually.

And my question is, not one of you could have shown up Not one,

not one person could have made the trip to make sure that not

just for a psychological well-being.

But even for his legal case, who knows what could have happened.

If there is another voice to speak on his behalf But all

deserted me. None came to my defense.

This is abandonment, this is not an unrealistic expectation.

This is a genuine relational need and it was unmet.

There was disloyalty here. There was a failure, from even

the greatest of his friends. No one came to Stand By Me

Wonder. Why, why didn't they come?

If they could have come. And I believe the main reason is

because it was too dangerous. I'll In their minds, widespread

persecution has bursted fourth. Narrow is drunk with his

craziness, and he is, blaming his foolishness on the

Christians. And to dare to be associated

with a man, like Paul was a death sentence and itself.

And so when Paul went to court people, hid in their homes, we

will not dare maybe afterwards, but not in this time step foot

in that place and have people know that we are associated with

this, great leader of the Christian Movement.

None came to my defense but all deserted me.

What's the point here for you? And I For no one to show up in

Paul's case. Teaches us that even in our

case, every single person that, you know, in life is capable of

failing. You Every single one, not the

majority not those that you might think would fail you

because they are inconsistent with their character.

Everyone, maybe you don't feel the weight of that.

So let me illustrate somebody to help you feel it.

I want you in this moment to just think about those that, you

know, on a greeting level, maybe even in this place today, you

don't know anybody Beyond high in by think about those people

for a moment, they're there in your mind, you know who they

are. Now, go beyond that, and think

about those that you may not know so well.

But you serve alongside with, and you do ministry within a

consistent basis and from time to time, you have small talk,

you talk about your day and how work was that week?

And how things are with the family, doesn't go beyond that.

Now, go beyond that. I think about those that you've

developed a deep bond with, you spend time with these people

outside of the church services that we have on a weekly basis.

You've sat with him into the late hours of the night and

you've given something of your heart, a deeper, Of who you are

has been exposed because you feel like there's a kindred

spirit there and that you can share these things and receive

counsel and comfort. And Honan now think about those,

think about those that you can trust with everything, you know.

And everything you have think about those people.

Now as you as you put those people in your world and those

different categories know this that there's a banner over every

single one of them and it is this they can all Let You Down.

Every single one of them, I know that's not the most uplifting

thought on the Sunday afternoon. But it's probably going to be

the most helpful thing, you can understand concerning your

relationship with God. Why?

Because there are some genuine lovers of Christ.

Who cannot who cannot understand that he is the most steadfast

reliable Eternal rock that you can know in this life.

There's just a little bit too much expectation on someone who

is a sinner, like you And Paul makes a contrast.

He's not just making a contrast, he's making a case for Christ.

He did not write this with self-pity.

He didn't write this with bitterness.

He wasn't trying to shame these people who have indeed failed

them. He's trying to make a point, and

we can know that he is not filled with unforgiveness

because he says in the same verse may not be charged against

them. I genuinely do not desire that

those who did not come to my defense.

I don't want that to be held against them on that day when

the Lord will judge. What we've done as Christians.

I don't want God to even bring that up to them, that's a free

was, that's how liberating he was.

That's how that's how forgiving he was.

And I think that is so powerful because we have to understand

something what Paul is saying here.

It's, it's so important to believe the weakness of other

people. But to understand how they can

fail, you is not to cause you to be reserved or resentful.

To understand how they can fail, should just prepare you to be

all the more forgiving. To be all the more merciful to

be all the more gracious. You and I need to understand

that posture of love, when we comprehend a universal

possibility of relational sorrow, you know what will

happen if you. And I don't you're not going to

have very much friends. You're not going to know the

longevity. The beauty of relationships that

grow throughout time and that have memories and trials

together, unforgiveness cuts off the life source of friendships.

It does not preserve precious people in your life.

Who at some moments just like you and me can become selfish,

right? We are quick to just condemning

cut off. We will rob ourselves ultimately

because forgiveness heals and restores.

It can actually enrich relationships because it offers

a fast as of Christ on a horizontal level that can bring

about a greater worship to him. When you become merciful, people

can see Christ in you and you know that when people have been

merciful to you have you not thank God for that Mercy.

If and when people fail, you please understand what I am

saying. Never allow it to convince you,

that they are Unworthy of unforgiveness, but there's more

dangerous than that. There's more dangerous than that

when people come and they were facing disappointment and they

let us down. There's another thing that

people don't realize is lurking. And that is the doubt that may

be cast upon the person that they claim to represent.

This is so crucial. Paul could never fathom the

thought of associating, the failures of Christians to Christ

himself, he that could even enter into his mind.

To think that he could abandon the one who is the most faithful

to him, because there are those who claim to be faithful to him.

Who weren't? As tempting as that might be as

much as that suggestion, my present itself.

Remember this servant of God, remember this man who would not

dare to allow the faults of others to blur his vision of

Christ. If anything, all of that, just

served as a backdrop to highlight the beauty of Jesus

Christ. My wife has failed me.

My husband has failed me. My kids have failed me.

My pastor has failed me. Christ has never failed me.

He's never let me down. He's never disappoint.

He was always constant. He's always been the same.

He's never changed. And so learn to recycle their

hurt of other people to help. You see the incomparable

goodness of God, recycle it and only way you can recycle it as

by revelation. And that's exactly what he's

doing here. He wants to tell Timothy as he's

about to endure difficult times in Ministry, by mentioning his

personal experience of the goodness of God.

In the midst of relational mess-ups, Timothy, you need to

know what I'm about to say about Jesus because you need to rely

on him and love him through it all.

And so, he tells him about the extent of his support God

support, but the Lord verse 17, stood by me and strengthened me.

Everybody failed me, everybody disappointed me but the Lord

himself stood by me and strengthened.

Now what's the difference between that and let's say

Jonathan who came to David side and strengthen his hand in the

Lord can't people offer that? Well yeah they can and it is an

extension of God's mercy through people.

And there are many differences though and one of the most

important differences between God's support and man's support,

is this that the Lord's Aid in our lives is unbroken and

uninterrupted. It's always available, always.

Especially when those all of those have deserted you, the

Lord stood by me, he was there. And here's what's so important,

Paul is not speaking about God's care in generalities, he's not

speaking about it. In a general sense, he's

speaking about a particular event in his life and he truly

believed that the Lord was there for him during that singular

event. Here's why I'm bringing this up.

You have many good hearted Christians, who believe in

Christ, but don't believe that he deals with the Of your life.

It's like, he's an idea, he's a, he's real, but he's

disconnected. The one day, I'm going to be

connected to him. He's something to be trusted

theologically but not to be known intimately. and every

single one of us must be totally convinced that the resurrected

Lord is constantly by us, as we function, in our day-to-day,

like, always, Always. And and even when you're

distracted, by your duties know that God's thoughts are for you

and his attention is on you, and he is closer to you than your

own skin is to your body. And sometimes that reality is

manifested. But let me tell you, most of the

time you just gotta believe it by faith and that faith, not to

just be wishful thinking. But to cause you to worship that

truth, the Lord, stood by me, he was actually with me and not

just in a sense, or God's, always present because he's

omnipresent know. He was with me to strengthen me.

As an individual as a select child of God, he actually caters

to my need and that just is always with me because he's with

all of God's children. No, no, no, it was deeply

personal. It was deeply personal and we

are not to only believe that his presence is with us at all

times. We were also to trust with all

of our hearts, that he provides a strength to every stride day

by day, day by day Moment by moment moment by moment.

I don't believe Paul was speaking here about a miraculous

manifestation of Jesus while he was in prison at this time,

that's happened. More than once.

But I believe here he is speaking by faith.

The Lord stood by me and strengthened me And I think that

Paul here is saying this by faith because he learned in

previous experiences by miraculous.

Manifestation, that Christ is surely.

Always with me. Here's proof go to your Bible

Xanax. 23:11, this is when he was in prison in Jerusalem,

and at this point, we can begin in verse 10.

And acts 23 verse 10. At this point, he was almost

Acts 23:10

ripped to shreds because of a mob in Jerusalem that accused

him falsely of breaking certain laws in the temple.

And it says here in verse 10. And when the dissension became

violent, the Tribune, afraid that Paul would be Torn to

Pieces by them commanded, the soldiers to go down and take him

away from among them by force, and bring him into the barracks.

The following night, the Lord stood by him.

The Lord stood by him and said, take courage for as you have

testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem.

So you must testify also in Rome you know what's so fascinating

about the Lord standing by Paul here in a miraculous way in the

Lord standing by Paul and that final prison cell before his

execution Is the way in which he strengthened him.

It says, the following night, the Lord stood by him, it didn't

say that the Lord stood by him and then slaughtered the guards

that were surrounding him and opened the Iron Gate.

So that he can be delivered. He showed up in the prison cell

and kept him in the prison cell. There are times where you can

shop in the prison cell like an Peters case and bring you out in

such a way where you don't even know if you're dreaming or not.

But it's often the case where he shows up in the trial and

intends to keep you in the trial, he shows up in the test,

not to make the test Easier by rescuing you from it all

together, but to provide a Grace and to provide a joy that would

testify of his power just as much If we think that God's

strength is only known in him reaching down into our problems

and pulling us out of it, we have been gravely mistaken.

In the ways of God, God doesn't just come to prove his power by

silencing our enemies and slaughtering them and bury them

under the Red Sea. Oftentimes God proves his

strength to say, I'm going to sustain you.

So that when people see you they can say such a man.

Surely is dependent upon a source outside of himself.

That's how God does it. He shows up in this cell Paul

stays in the cell, but there's something else I was deposited

him and infusion of Grace and same in.

Second Timothy, I'm not going to let you go away.

I'm not going to rescue you from martyrdom.

I'm just going to make you smile on the face of it.

That's the strength that you and I have to understand about about

God and Isaiah 43:2. God says, when you pass through

Isaiah 43:2

the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they

shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you

shall not be burned and the flame shall not consume you.

One of the most precious promises in the Old Testament,

but I believe one of the most misinterpreted, at the same time

Because the way we read it is, when you pass through the

waters, I will take you out of it.

I will, I will redirect the river so they don't overwhelm

you. You're never gonna know heat

fire. You're never going to walk

through it. I'll make sure to extinguish it.

That is not what God is saying. When you go through it, in fact,

he says, when you walk through the fire, he doesn't say when

you run through it and take some time for you to be in the fire,

you're gonna walk in, you're gonna, it's probably going to be

a long walk but know this that my strength is in the fact that

I will be there with you through it, all you.

And I have to grasp that as we are enduring, these things that

are difficult in life to nothing that God loves us less because

it seems to be prolonged. And it seems to be so painful.

But it is a way in which you will prepare for you to

understand a power from his hands that you wouldn't know,

otherwise God never promised the absence of problems.

But he did promise the empowerment through his presence

in the midst of them. That's what he promised.

But the promise of his presence, the promise of his power, check

this out, it's conditional. I'm sorry.

It's conditional. And that's proven in the verse

of our time. Today in second, Timothy verse

17 of chapter 4, read it very carefully.

Notice what Paul says When he says that the Lord stood by him

to strengthen him, there is a purpose for that and it says

here. So that through the through me,

the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles

might hear it so that the Lord stood by me and he strengthened

me, More than just for us to be comforted.

He stood by me and strengthened me so that attask would be

accomplished. So that I would be able to

Proclaim to more Gentiles in Rome and the center of the world

of Known World at a time that the gospel will ReSound through

that Capital place and other people other Gentiles were

received the gospel. So what am I trying to say?

The presence in the power of Jesus Christ, always has a

purpose and the purpose is beyond for you.

And I to just be numb from these things that would otherwise

crush us. So, God's assistance comes.

For a particular few. What am I trying to say?

This tells us that if we are to know what Paul knew, which was a

supernatural sustaining strength than we must align our hearts to

pursue the purpose that Paul had.

Paul lived for the glory of God. Paul lived to obey the commands

of God. Paul was sold out to the cause

of Christ to which some might have Jake.

But are you telling me brother, that God doesn't treat all his

children the same way to which I answer?

Soberly. No.

He doesn't, he loves us all the same, but we experience that

love differently upon conditions.

The same way you and I believe I'm sure that Satan doesn't

treat all of God's children. The same, does he The Satan

harass, all of God's children in the same way.

Or does he have a special Target on those who have sold out their

lives for the purposes of the kingdom of God?

And in like manner, the same way God also supplies and reserves a

special Mercy for those who are truly his servants in this

world, you can't tell me that a church will be blessed by God if

they don't obey God's commands. How can that be?

We can't believe that a Believer can know all those glorious

things. That that Christ promised, if

they live in a way that contradicts his commands.

There's no way Let me prove it to you.

You've heard the statement, right?

And lo I am with you always. And lo, I Am With You Always to

the end of the age and we Comfort ourselves.

We console others with that truth.

Here's the problem. You quoted a third of it.

You and I quote parts of God's word.

And what we do is we set up people to not experience the

promise of God because we cut out the conditions.

So go to Matthew 28, let me just prove it to you, Meeks.

Hopefully, you believe me? Matthew 28 verse 19. and verse

Matthew 28:19

20, you know, this, we've memorized it Matthew 28:19.

Matthew 28:19

Go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations, baptizing them

in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy

Spirit, teaching them to observe all that.

I have commanded you and behold. I Am With You Always to the end

of the age. We got ourselves a lot of

trouble when we take portions of verses.

Who did he say that he would be with always?

Who did he say that? He would be with always to the

End of the Age those who obey him?

Those who are serious about the gospel, those who have made

their lives about either with their time, energy efforts, or

resources to fuel, the advancement of God.

Skim, those who are serious Christians.

That's what I'm trying to say. Those who really live under the

Mandate of the kingdom of God. It is, they, it is those that

Jesus Promised, I'm with you, I'm going to support you.

I'm going to strengthen you. It's going to be ugly.

It's going to be difficult. It's going to be rewarding at

times, but no, this, I'm constantly by your side.

I'm constantly with you Christ. Promises is uninterrupted

intervening Grace to those who are willing to sacrifice and

were set apart for his purposes. And so you have to understand

that there are great. Great difficulties ahead as

obedient children of God. But there are also great

manifestations of his power and presence as we walk in his ways

as he walk in his ways, I've I've been told and it's always

stuck with me. That the holy spirit is called

the comforter. but someone wise he once told me well how is he

supposed to come for you until you put yourself in

uncomfortable situations And I can tell you this, that he has

manifested his comfort and those times where seemed uncomfortable

in terms of obedience to him saying things, that would offend

most people, his comfort is there, evangelizing to people at

work or your family members and it can be awkward.

It's amazing how his comfort is there his he Comforts for a

purpose. He Comforts for a purpose so

God's presence and power is not some sprinkling of some kind of

Happiness over us as we cruise through life.

Selfishly, that's not how it works.

It's for those who have been consecrated unto the Lord.

They can know this blanketing goodness from heaven.

I think that's important to me as a distinction but he doesn't

just mention the extent of his support.

He mentions the depth of his support in verse 18.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me

safely into his Heavenly Kingdom.

These are one of those verses that you just have to read them

without much explanation and you can feel the power of it, you

can just you can just read it and and Noah Grace to your faith

and a surging of Hope. That only a verse like this can

provide but when you understand the context, when you understand

what was intended, what Paul was thinking, when he wrote this,

the application and the immediate sense has even more

tough for us. What did he mean by by saying?

The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed.

Well, let's do a process of elimination.

Number one, it can't mean that you'll be free, you'll be

Untouched by physical verbal. Assault.

That's impossible. Paul all you had to do is just

pull down his gown to show you the scars on his back to prove.

Otherwise all you have to do is read the verses before this to

understand his comments to realize that it is not meaning

that you and I will evade every type of attack.

Nor does it mean that you and I will escape death, even if that

death is martyrdom because Paul, with full Assurance as writing,

this believing that his death was imminent.

Okay? So if it doesn't mean that I

won't be physically, harmed or my character won't be assaulted

or that I will escape death and go up into heaven with fiery

chariots like Elijah. What does it mean?

I believe it means this the closest conclusion is that as as

he is approaching his execution, He would be able to overcome

every Temptation, that would present itself.

In that moment. The pressure to deny Christ.

The overwhelming temptation to blaspheme the name of the Lord

to escape pain. The persuasion to to let go of a

truth that you stood for and you preached about for the sake of

self-preservation, what Paul is saying is I will be able to

overcome every single one of those Temptations, even in the

face of grueling torture. And I Rejoice over that because

this verse is a glorious statement that should comfort us

to know that, no matter how overwhelming oppression may be

or how seductive sin. Maybe Christ assures us.

I will hold you up and you don't have to sink into this.

You don't have to give in to this.

And I read that verse and I say, what a friend, what a God, what

a master, he doesn't just expect me to be faithful to the end.

Enables me to he enables me to have you ever thought that I've

had many conversations and I would wonder if Isis came to

America and they put my head on a chopping block.

I don't know what I would do. The Lord will rescue me from

every evil deed, that's what he will do.

He will give you the grace to stay faithful until the very

end. No matter.

If Devils themselves come up from hell and try to take your

life. Because that's what he's saying

here and bring me safely into his Heavenly Kingdom.

I'm Goin In. I'm going in safely.

Yes. By the grace of God but also

with faithfulness in my hands And I rejoice in that and I

think one of the strongest examples of the goodness of God,

even in the face of death is with the first Christian martyr,

and this is what we're ending today, it's an axe chapter 7.

And consider this account and apply it to your own life.

And light of knowing Jesus as the incomparable friend and I

exception. Verse 54.

Steven. He preached a fiery sermon.

If you want a hint of it, look at verse 51.

You stiff-necked people. Uncircumcised in heart and ears.

You always resist the Holy Spirit.

That's a way to end a service. He rebukes them, calls them out.

And they're pulling their hair at this point.

And in verse 54, we see that when they heard these things,

they were in Rage and they ground their teeth at him.

Have you ever experienced somebody grinding their teeth at

you? That's a that's a particular

type of viciousness if I may say so myself grinding their teeth

at him. They're so upset with what he

just said. Now, look what happens.

But he being Stephen Full of the Holy Spirit gazed into heaven

and saw the glory of God. Now, hold on there, full of the

Holy Spirit, as he is dead center around ravenous mob.

That's ready to just chew em up. You know what he does.

You know where his attention is heaven.

He's gazing into heaven. While these men are growling

with their beautiful beards and their gowns.

Ready to destroy him and stone him, full of the Holy Spirit.

He's looking where Jesus is The holy spirit will do that to you.

And I He is able to coach us and redirect Us in the midst of

great trials to look where our help comes from.

To look where Jesus is to set our minds on things above and

then, to soar above what else is happening in this world.

He's looking at Heaven. That's where his gaze is.

Not the face of these men, not their words, not about, what's

about to happen to him. He's somewhere else.

And when you're filled with the Holy Spirit, that's what can

happen. When things are happening, you

can be somewhere else because the holy spirit is taking you

somewhere else. And so, he's looking above.

And he's looking to where he's about to go and he's looking to

where his help is in the moment. And what does he see?

What will God in his Mercy? Decides to peel back a few

curtains so that he can get a glimpse into glory and he sees

the glory of God, but he sees something that is unique to the

rest of the Bible. He saw the glory of God and

Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

That is the only time you will see Jesus standing at the right

hand of God. Throughout the scriptures.

We read that he is at the right hand of God.

We read that he is sitting at the right hand of God as a

posture of his rest from his completed work and Redemptive

purpose. But here we see Stephen seeing

and Luke being so precise that dr.

Luke he writes Jesus standing Jesus is standing.

The question is, why why? And consider a few options.

I believe he is standing here to Showcase his attentive care for

his child. As he's about to be killed.

Here is his master standing in the heavens, but totally aware

of what's Happening. He's not disconnected, he is not

unaware. He is present.

He is standing the Lord stood by me and the Lord is standing here

and he is watching. What is taking place and in this

crisis Christ disconnected. He's observing, he's seeing it,

he's taking it into account and that does my soul good.

I don't know about you. Okay, so all these men are

standing against him. This this group of the

Sanhedrin, and yet, there is one standing in heaven for him.

And he's not just standing for him in that moment and giving

Steven the Revelation that Christ is fully aware of what's

happening right here, right now, but he is standing prepared to

welcome him as he comes home. He knows that the first

Christian martyr is about to step into those heavenly Gates.

And as he stands there as an advocate, would I believe, as

one person said so beautifully. That Steven has been confessing

Christ before men and now he sees Christ confessing the

servant before God. That's what's happening.

So who cares who stands against you?

There's one in heaven who stands with you and was ready to

welcome. You.

You think you're any less than Stephen?

You think Christ loves you. Less than he does.

Stephen his love is the same how we experience it.

Yes. Can differ based on how we

respond to his word, but his love is the same.

But I believe there's something else going on here.

He says in verse 66 56 and he said, behold, I see the heavens

opened and the son of man standing at the right hand of

God, but they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their

ears and rushed together at him. Can you imagine that site?

That sounds like children that sounds like kids when they're

upset, they plug their ears and they run around screaming.

They're rushing at him, ready to take him, throw him outside the

city and stone him to death. And I wonder why they reacted

this way. And I believe in great part,

it's because what they heard. They believed to be a

Blasphemous you're telling me that man, that we crucified on a

cross is standing at the right hand of God that he's the

Messiah and that he's going to, you telling me that he's alive

and they couldn't even they couldn't even register that

without reacting like animals. But could it be that there's

something else happening? Could it be that Jesus standing

in this moment is more than just him, ready to welcome his

servant. But it's, in fact, something to

say against those who are against his servant. when you

look at scripture, you see that when royalty stands In different

contexts. It can mean that they are

honoring whoever is before them or it can mean that they are

ready to execute judgment whoever is before them.

That enraged, they arise from that place ready to do something

to satisfy their Justice. In fact, Isaiah himself, the

prophet uses that language concerning the Lord when he is

ready to judge. And I believe there's a

connection here and Isaiah 313. We are told.

The Lord has taken his place to contend.

He stands to judge people's Let me say that again, the Lord has

taken his place to contend. He stands to judge people's the

Lord will enter into judgment with the elders and princes of

his people. It is you who have devoured The

Vineyard, the spoil, the poor is in your houses.

Do you see what Isaiah seeing that?

The Lord is standing from his throne and the reason why he is

standing is because he is ready to judge those who have rejected

his word. And could it be in part?

I don't think it's the major reason, but could it be in part

that in Stephen saying, I see, I see him standing at the right

hand of God. He's not only knowing something

that will comfort him in this moment, but something that will

convict those who are ready to do something that doesn't just

touch Stephen, but touches Christ himself.

Christ is standing to say I will vindicate.

You Steven, I will do something with those who have taken your

life. And I love that.

Because that just proves that there is no friend, like Jesus.

He is not just our provider, he is our protector.

He's not just one who comforts us, he is one who takes into

account the things done to us. He will not leave any Injustice

on dealt with. He realizes it.

He sees it and he will do something about it.

He is our friend. Our friend who is a king and as

I Look to a verse like this, I think to myself, What other king

is like him. What other king is like and who

stands for somebody who's been saved as a sinner, who's ready

with joy and with honor to welcome those who are the least

deserving of it. It says, here in verse 59, and

as they were stoning, Stephen, he called out Lord.

Jesus receive my spirit. If you need a verse to show you

that you can pray directly to Jesus.

There it is. Lord, Jesus receive my spirit.

You know, what's so amazing? Even though he saw him in the

heavens so far away in the distant so far away from this

corrupt broken, filthy World. Steven new innately that I can

speak to me as though he's right in front.

I mean, he can hear me. Lord, Jesus.

Receive my spirit. Do you talk to Jesus?

Do you speak to them in your pain?

Even if that pain are Stones being thrown at you literally Do

you believe he's standing by you standing for you and we'll do

something about those who would stand against you as you stand

for Christ? I want to tell you something,

there is no one like him. and if you don't know him today, I'm

not saying you're missing out on a buddy, you're missing out on

eternal life. This is not an option.

This is a command Christ is a friend.

Yes, but he is a judge as well. And Christ wants you to become

his friend wants you to become his child but you must first

deal with the thing that is separating you and him and that

is your sin. If you have sinned against God,

even once just like one digit being off on a phone number, you

are disconnected from him. And you need to repent and

believe on him. He extends his hands of Mercy,

not just to wipe your state clean so that you can avoid

hell, but that you can know life in Christ now and forevermore.

And if you have not made that decision and hearing about

Christ, I want you to know that he is just as present.

Now as he was with Stephen in that setting, he is just as

present in this place, as he was with Paul in that prison cell.

And all you need to do is understand that by faith You

call upon Him, He will do the supernatural work on your heart

to make you realize that all the more, but you have to repent and

believe in him. If you haven't done that, do it

today. He died for you.

He died for you. He wants to forgive you.

And wash, you and rescue you from your sin.

Don't reserve your faith. Don't hold back.

Your heart. To the one who made it.

And believer, as you come to eat and drink today at the Lord's

table. Realize that his body was broken

and his blood was shed. So that you would know his

presence forever and ever and ever.

Realize that this event right here.

This ordinance is not to reflect on the past merely but the look

forward to the future of a fellowship with Christ.

And he purchased that for you. Let's pray.

Help us realize your friendship Lord.

The Deep affection that you have for us the enjoyment, you even

have for us. Well, we don't want to live this

life. Just affirming a few theological

truths and missing out on the realization of your nearness and

your genuine care for each of us.

Look for the person who doesn't know you.

We ask that they would taste your goodness.

The goodness that leads us to repentance.

For us to do know, you remind us again.

Remind us again, Lord. That you were to be known and

adored and loved doing communed with, forgive us.

If we've been absent, minded of that thing. forgive us Lord for

just making you something of an idea instead of a person to be

known and loved What is we break bread and drink flood our hearts

and Minds with the revelation of the gospel and renew, the joy of

your salvation? We give you everything.

Oh God, in Jesus name we pray. Amen.

We give you everything. Oh God, in Jesus name we pray.

Amen.