Seeing People Through God’s Eyes | Greg Fritz | World Outreach Church

our pastors are away and uh they were

away, you know, they did a trip before

and now now they're going on another

trip. And um I I just wanted to bring

this up. They would there's no way that

they ever asked me to do this or say

this. In fact, he told me to preach

whatever I want. So, I'm taking that

literally. And uh but I'm glad they're

getting some rest.

>> Um you know, I see things differently as

as after 30ome years of traveling. Most

of my friends are pastors. I spend most

of my time with pastors and I've seen

all versions of pastors, but I I

remember years ago I had a pastor

friend. I preach for him every year or

even more often. And he was so bound. He

was just under such a load. And I'd talk

to him every time I'd come. I'd try to

get him to to take some time off, get

away. He Oh no, my church don't want me

to leave. And they get upset if I'm gone

too long and if I go too often. they

don't want me spending the money. And he

said, and he was so he was so focused on

the needs of or the complaints of his

church that he never would leave. And

what I've learned about pastors, which

is different than guys like me, when you

travel, your battlefield is wherever you

go.

>> You go there, you fight your battle, you

come home, you're free. But pastor's

battlefield is is at home that in the

city they live in. and they never truly

get free from that unless they get away.

And so I've spent much of my time

encouraging pastors, take a trip, go

somewhere. And our pastors especially,

they've got the nations and travel in

their blood. I'm just glad they're here.

You know what I mean? They could be

anywhere in the world, but but God's put

them here for us.

>> So, I'm getting to something, and I want

you to stick with me. So, we were

talking with them about about this last

trip and then this next trip, and they

were very sensitive to to your needs and

your wants. And they said, "I don't

know. We were just gone and we're going

to go again. Should we do it?" And I

took it upon myself to speak for us.

And I said this, I said, "I don't care

where you go or how long you stay, just

so you come back." Amen.

>> I said and I believe I speak for the

church when I say we are so glad to have

you. We want you to go whenever you you

have earned the right

>> 50some years. Who stays in a career for

50ome you can if you work for the

railroad for 40 years you're a old-timer

50ome years and they're not even slowing

down.

So, in my opinion, whatever pace they

need

>> to stay here long term is fine with me.

>> So, I am so thrilled that they even did

it cuz I know they felt funny about it.

And I told them, I've read books and

I've met pastors that take off three

months at a time or a month every year

and they're like, "Oh, no. We could

never." I said, "No, you don't have to

take off three months, but surely

that'll make you feel better about what

you do."

>> Amen.

because there are ministry trips that

that they need to take because they got

the nation in their hearts and I've

watched them here for many years. They

send out people all the time and I know

there's times that they wish it was them

and yet they send them off and they

bless them and they support them and and

you know from time to time it is them

and we should rejoice over that.

>> So and and I believe you you're all with

me but I thought it needed to be said. I

I want to make sure we don't we take the

brakes off and totally release them

because we're really doing it for

ourselves. It's a matter of longevity

>> and and I after I dealt with that pastor

years ago and he didn't retire and he

didn't quit. This pastor died. He never

got out. He never got out from under the

load and he finally it was too much for

him. And so I just promised myself if I

ever get a chance, my pastor's not going

to be in that position.

>> My pastor's not going to burn out. I'm

not going to get this phone call. I

can't do this anymore. I'm I just I got

to quit. I got to get I can't do it

anymore. That that's not going to happen

to our pastors. I believe they're going

to love what they do. And we're going to

make it so good for them. And you know,

as you progress, you your pace changes a

little bit. And whatever that means,

[clears throat] I'm all for it. How

about you?

>> In fact, and I I got to clear this with

the board or somebody. I don't know.

Robert, how about you, [laughter]

>> Robert? He He's good enough. I think we

ought to send them somewhere. How about

that?

>> So, we'll we'll we'll work on this and

let's just get together and say, "Hey,

not only do we not mind,

>> we're going to help you go somewhere."

And just because they always come back.

Have you reali? Have you? They come back

full of fire and vision and and and you

you you just can't, you know, you can't

do anything all the time without a

break. It's just not healthy. So, um

maybe we can send them somewhere special

um just as a church. I would certainly

give toward that and and we pay for it.

They go and have a good time. And I just

think that's important. I think it's

healthy. And there's no way they would

have ever told me to say this. You know

that, right? [laughter]

So I I may get fired for this, but my

heart was right.

All right, let's talk about something

totally opposite.

Dealing with difficult people.

>> Let me make a few statements and then

we're going to dive into this.

Actually, [clears throat]

uh, Timothy, Paul tells Timothy how to

deal with people that don't agree with

us. And, and if you haven't noticed, the

world is more polarized than it's ever

been before. We're dealing with people

that it's it's kind of a a contradiction

in terms. They're the most offended

people in the world, and yet they're the

most offensive.

>> And it's all one way. It's all against

Christians and Christian values. And

that's just the world we live in. So

people are going to rub you the wrong

way. You see things all the time that

that bother you that that you know it's

not right even if you don't say it out

loud. The Bible says that um that um Lot

vexed his righteous soul from day to day

by seeing and hearing their ungodly

deeds. And that certainly happens in our

day all the time. So Paul told Timothy

this in 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 24. He

2 Timothy 2:24

said, "A servant of the Lord must not

quarrel, but be kind to everyone, able

to teach, and be patient with difficult

people. Gently instruct those who oppose

the truth. Perhaps God will change those

people's heart, and they'll learn the

truth. Then they'll come to their senses

and escape from the devil's trap,

for they've been held captive by him to

do whatever he wants." And when you see

that, you realize people that disagree

with the truth are deceived and they're

being used by the devil. And rather than

resent them and have an us against them

mentality and and and have, you know, a

resentment that exists toward the world,

we should rather sympathize with them

and have compassion on them. There's no

upside to serving the devil. There's

people that he uses, he he abuses them,

he uses them up, and he throws them

away. There's no reward for serving the

devil. There's no happily ever after for

serving the devil. It's it's a it's a

it's a meaningless hopeless life. And

those poor people, if they don't find

the truth, one day they're going to

stand before God and they're going to

realize that their whole life was spent

in vain.

>> I don't envy that.

>> I'm I'm compassionate, patient with

people like that. And that's exactly

what he told us to do is be patient and

um and perhaps God will change their

hearts and they'll learn the truth. So

[clears throat] actually in in studying

the word,

one of the things that surprised me the

most is that spiritual maturity is the

true measure of spiritual maturity is

someone's love walk. Not not their power

and anointing, but their their love

walk. The barometer by which spiritual

maturity is measured is love.

>> Because God is love. And so to grow in

God is to grow in love. To mature in God

is to mature in love. And by walking in

love, we're able to be part of the

answer, not part of the problem. If we

fight them the way they fight us,

nothing is accomplished. We're not here

to win an argument. We're here to win

souls.

>> We're not here to make a point. We're

here to get converts to help people

escape the snare, the trap that they're

in, and that maybe they don't even

realize it. You know, some [snorts]

people are so adamant about proving

their point and pushing their agenda

down our throats, they've forgotten to

ask themselves, "Are they even happy?

Does life have any meaning to you? Are

you just a miserable person? And why?"

And and so really all humans were put

here on earth to to to to be born to

come to some kind of self-awareness and

seek and find God

>> and have a relationship with God. That's

really the purpose of of of this

dispensation we're in is so that people

can find and know God. So as Christians,

we are supposed to be part of the

ministry of reconciliation. We should be

part of the answer,

>> not part of the problem. And so we don't

have a political message. We have a

spiritual message. And it transcends

politics.

If you have you noticed that politicians

mostly fight.

Even the ones that are right are still

fighting and hateful. And that's we have

a higher calling than that.

>> And and and our message will change

hearts, not just minds. our our our the

love of God through us is supposed to

convert people and help them see the

truth. And you don't do that by fighting

fire with fire. Walking in love allows

us to go [snorts] through the the the

trials that we face, the challenges of

other people. And not only uh do we not

get bitter, but we get better

>> through through the through the process.

I don't want to end up a bitter, angry

old man.

I just want to end up an old man.

So, I'm going to give you three examples

if we have time. I think we will of of

Jesus

ex doing exactly what I just talked

about, walking in love, having

compassion, being patient, and helping

people come from darkness to light. and

and you'll see how Jesus was able to see

beyond the initial encounter and and and

and convert people. He he was

incredible. Of course, he's our our

leader, but I'm going to show you some

things you know about, but but maybe

you've never really uh seen him in this

light before. So, let's first go to John

John 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3 and verse one. And this is a

man named Nicodemus. And Nicodemus, I'm

going to classify him as the annoying.

the annoy. He's just annoying.

And and and and and I'll tell you why.

Here here in verse one, there was a man

of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, the

ruler of the Jews. This man came to

Jesus by night.

Anybody know why he came at night?

He didn't want to ruin his reputation by

being seen with Jesus.

If he'd have called me before I

understood this message here today and

said, "Hey, I'd really like to meet with

you, but I don't want anybody to see me

with you because I got a reputation to

uphold. So, would you like meet me at

2:00 in the morning so that we can have

a private meeting and nobody will find

out?" It would be like, "No,

just just uh I got plenty of people that

want to see me that aren't ashamed.

I'll spend my time with them. Thank

you." But but but that's not what Jesus

did. Jesus loved people. Jesus saw

through these things and didn't get

diverted. And it's so easy to get

diverted when people are annoying. And

and and it and it goes on here. Here's

what happened. So the man came to Jesus

by night. This is verse two. And said,

"Rabbi, now [snorts]

I I'm going to set this up for you. This

man is about to have an encounter with

God in the flesh. Do you understand?

This is the most important day of his

life." That it doesn't get any more

important than this right here. And

we're all watching. We're all listening.

It's recorded for all of eternity. And

here he is. And he gets an audience with

God.

Can I give you some advice? If you ever

get one of these, ask a question.

Just at least ask some ask who's going

to win the Super Bowl. Anything. Just ju

but don't do what this guy did. Here's

what he here's the most important moment

of his life. He's got the floor. Got

God's attention right there. Anything

you want to say. And here's what he

said. He said, "We know that you're a

teacher who's come from God because

nobody does these signs that you do

unless God is with him." He doesn't take

a stand. He doesn't ask a question. He

doesn't reveal Jesus' true identity.

He's kind of neutral. He's kind of like

one of these people that doesn't like

absolutes, like everybody's good.

Everybody, all roads lead to God. I

don't want to offend anybody and I don't

want to offend you. I don't want to

offend the the the Jews. And so, you

know, we we've tried to figure out how

you could do miracles without God, but I

don't think you could, but I'm not

really sure. It's just blah blah blah

blah blah blah blah.

And and that's annoying. So, you don't

want to admit his true identity. You

don't want to be a true believer. You

don't want to take a stand. You don't

want to be like the man born blind who

said if he was a prophet, if he wasn't a

prophet, he couldn't do anything. If he

wasn't from God, how could a man be

healed that was born blind? And at least

he took a stand. Nicodemus had all the

credibility in the world and he just

danced around the truth and he wasn't

willing to take a stand. And he just

he's demanding Jesus time without really

giving him anything in return. And Jesus

looked at him with compassion.

He didn't slap him. He didn't walk away.

Here's what Jesus said, and it's just

the most incredible thing you've ever

you've ever seen. In verse three, Jesus

answered and said to him, "Most

assuredly I say to you, unless one is

born again, he cannot see the kingdom of

heaven."

Nicodemus didn't ask how to see the

kingdom of heaven, did he?

>> That that that wasn't even the subject

matter.

Jesus answered the question that

Nicodemus should have asked.

>> If I could put words in his mouth, I

would say, "Nicodemus, if you ever have

a chance to meet Jesus in the flesh, ask

him, how could a man like you ever go to

heaven?" Ask that.

Ask him, "Is there any way that human

beings can get right with God? Is there

a way to do that?"

But he didn't ask. And the world's not

asking. How many of you noticed the

world hadn't asked? How many of you

would be ready to lead one to the Lord

if they fell at your feet and said,

"What must I do to be saved?" How many

of you could take it from there?

And how many times has that happened?

You understand what I'm saying? Is these

people are so far from the truth, not

only do they not know the answer, they

don't even know the question.

They're so far from Christianity and the

Bible. The culture has blinded them so

completely. They don't even know what to

do wi when God shows up. They're they're

they're totally in. We've got to fill in

the blanks for them. We have to have

compassion for them. We've got to stop

resenting them. If if we saw the world

through their lens, we'd probably be

doing the same stupid things they do.

They don't see the truth. You know,

you'd have compassion on a blind person

if they walked into a wall. You wouldn't

condemn them and say, "What's the matter

with you? That's not healthy."

Jesus cared about Nicodemus even though

Nicodemus was neutral and annoying and

and and interrupting his sleep. And he

answered the question that Nicodemus

should have asked. And he took that

opportunity to introduce this term, the

new birth, being born again into the

world. It was a revolutionary idea. And

he did it at night with no audience,

just a man who was ashamed to be seen

with him in public.

Isn't that an amazing statement? You

know, I I I had a boat. I sold it and um

and and I but I had a boat and I went to

the lake and it was good for me because

I traveled for 30 years and I've been

around Christians and churches and

pastors and so I went to the lake and I

got around everybody else and uh and

it's funny because they they kept

picking around till they found out what

I did. So then I became the preacher.

You know, if you're an insurance

salesman, they don't go there goes the

insurance salesman.

It's just old Bob or whoever. But if

you're a preacher, you're always the

preacher. You're only the preacher and

everything you say is judged and

whatnot. So anyway, I'm at the lake and

I'm we're trying to cook and I'm with

some people that we met out there and

they're not church people and um and

we're we're trying to I was trying to

actually start the fire to cook

something on the grill and I'm walking

around doing stuff and and this guy

starts following me and and just out of

the blue he goes, "I cussed too much."

And I'm like, "What?"

And he goes, "But I don't do it around

my kids." And [laughter]

okay, I didn't even respond. I don't

know how to respond to that. It wasn't a

question. It's like, [laughter]

"You want your steak medium rare or

It's like I'm out I'm out there at the

lake policing everybody's language or

something." I never told them how to

talk. I I I just want to have fun in the

sun like everybody else. In fact, it

wasn't a work. I was supposed to be off.

A few minutes later, he comes up and he

goes, "I drink too much." I'm like,

"What?" He goes, "Yeah, but I don't get

drunk in front of my kids, and I don't

get drunk. I I just I just drink, but I

don't get drunk." And okay.

And then he made some other confession

unsolicited.

And I finally looked at him and I said,

I said, you know, Christianity is not

about

what you do right and what you do wrong.

And if you do more right than wrong, you

go to heaven. I said, it's about a

relationship with Jesus Christ. And when

you're ready for that,

you come to me and let me know. And you

know, a few weeks later, he did.

>> And uh he came to my office. We prayed

with him. he got saved and started going

to church. But but that's another

example of of course he wasn't annoying

as annoying as Nicodemus, but but it was

a little out of place and but but he he

didn't know the qu he he knew he needed

something, but he didn't know what it

was and he didn't know how to ask and

and so he just said what he did know and

it was silly.

And yet if if we if we can see past uh

their awkwardness and their and and and

even even their belligerance and their

arguing, I believe we can help people.

Don't you?

>> We can help win converts, not win

arguments.

>> And so and so what Jesus did was get him

on the right track. Here he's talking

about we don't know if you're from God

or not. We kind of think you are. And

Jesus said, "If you want to go to

heaven, you got to be born again." And

then Nicodemus says, um, how can these

things be?

In other words, you know, how can you be

born again? How can a man who is old go

into his mother's womb and be born

again? Good question.

Now, we're getting somewhere.

But he didn't know what to do at first.

He needed to be directed by somebody who

cared about him.

He didn't need to be corrected. He just

need to be directed a little.

>> That's right.

>> He Jesus was basically saying, "Here,

let me help you ask this."

And then Jesus explained to him the new

birth and and and I know Nicodemus got

saved. We see him at the resurre after

after the death, burial, and

resurrection or after the death and

burial of Jesus. He was part of the team

that took care of his body. He Jesus won

a convert.

I like that. Don't you?

>> In the very next chapter, we get to the

divisive.

So, there's the annoying and then

there's the divisive. And this one's a

little more difficult.

Let let me go down here to verse 5. This

is John 4:5. So he came to a city of

John 4:5

Samaria which is called Saikar near the

plot of ground that Jacob gave to his

son Joseph. Now Joseph's well was there.

Jesus therefore being wearied from his

journey sat thus by the well. It was

about the sixth hour. It's about noon

and he'd been walking all day. And u a

woman of Samaria came to draw water.

Now this was a public well.

I can come down here. Can I?

>> Pastor does it all the time. I did this

in one church that had a balcony and

they couldn't see me the rest of the

service. I got in trouble for that.

[clears throat]

Uh so, so it's a public well and and

Jesus is thirsty and the reason he

needed her help was he didn't there was

no bucket. There was no way to get the

water out of the well and she had a

bucket. So, it's pretty simple.

I mean, if you're a guy, you can

understand this.

There's more. And and so Jesus said very

simply, [snorts] "Give me a drink."

And the woman SAID, "HOW IS IT THAT YOU,

a Jew, would ask a drink from me, a

Samaritan? We don't like each other. We

don't like Jews, and Jews don't like us,

and you're asking me, "What do you mean

by that?"

And Jesus said, "Like, I'm thirsty."

[laughter]

No, that's not good enough.

Have you ever been around somebody

that's just looking for a fight?

>> I mean, no matter what you say, they

turn it around and they're ready to use

it against you.

>> Jesus didn't take the bait. Once again,

this is the most important day in this

woman's life. She's standing before God.

We're all watching and and she's about

to blow it. She's trying to make have an

argument with God.

She's trying to have an argument with

Jesus. And and and what's so cool is

Jesus Jesus didn't defend himself. He

didn't say, "No, I love Samaritans." He

didn't even He just totally ignored it.

>> In other words, he's saying, "Woman,

we're not going down that road. I don't

have time and you don't have time. This

is too important.

>> We're not going down that road."

He didn't even He didn't even

My wife didn't do this, but I always

blame it on her. But have you ever had

that situation where you say, "You look

good today."

And they say, "What do you mean today?"

[laughter]

"Didn't I look good yesterday?" "Well,

yeah, you did." "Well, why didn't you

say so?" "I don't know. I'm not smart

enough for this.

>> [laughter]

[panting]

>> You look nice. [laughter]

[snorts]

for a drink. It's free. He didn't have a

bucket. It's simple. She's trying to

start a fight. And notice how Jesus just

diffuses. I'm amazed.

They could have argued for an hour. And

Jesus could have proven to her why Jews

don't like Samaritans. Or he could have

proven to her that God loves everyone.

He's not opposed to anyone. He likes

everyone of all kinds. And he made

everybody different. He loves them all.

He didn't do that. Here's what he did.

He said,

[snorts]

"If you knew the gift of God and who it

says to you, give me a drink," you would

have asked him and he would have given

you living water.

>> Isn't that powerful? The subject's

water. He found a way to make water, not

Jews and Gentiles or Samaritans and Jew.

found a way to make water the

illustration and help her ask a decent

question before she missed her

opportunity. Cuz this is a once in

a-lifetime deal. You don't stand before

Jesus very often like this and then you

want to start an argument. You'd be

sorry forever for that. So he says, "Let

me help you.

If you knew what was happening right

now, you'd ask me for water." And then

she said, "Sir, you have nothing to draw

with, and the well is deep. Where do you

get this living water? And are you

greater than our father Jacob, who gave

us this well and drank from it himself?"

In other words, who are you, Jesus? Good

question.

Did you figure that out by yourself?

Nope. Jesus had to help her. He had to

love her. And instead of trying to win

an argument, he wanted to win her heart.

And so what he said was governed by

that. It was controlled by that. He

wasn't out to make a point. He wasn't

out to try and and vindicate himself. He

He said, "We we only have a little bit

of time here. We're not going to fight.

Let me help you. I have water, too, and

you need to ask me for water." So she

says, "Who are you?" And and and Jesus

said, "Whoever drinks this water will

thirst again, but whoever drinks the

water that I will give him will never

thirst, but the water I will give him

will come a fountain of water springing

up into everlasting

life." Isn't those isn't that neat? And

the woman said, "Sir,

give me this water." Her defenses were

gone. She's not ready to fight. She

wants this free offer of the free water.

So, it went from tense to angry to

amazing.

And then it's going to get awkward.

You know what Jesus said? Ever concerned

about her and her future and her

thoughts and her understanding, Jesus

said to her, "Go call your husband and

come here." And she said, "I'm single.

awkward.

And then Jesus said, "That's right. You

don't have a husband. You've had five

husbands, five divorces, and you're

living with a man right now." And she

goes, [clears throat] "Um, that mountain

over there, we have really been trying

to figure out the problem with that

mountain. There's a lot of people

confused about that mountain over there.

And eventually he just says, "I'm the

Messiah."

There's probably not a a more precious,

holy, complete encounter in the Bible.

Maybe the man who was born blind, but

but those two where Jesus totally told

them, "I am the Messiah." And they

worshiped him. So why did he bring up

her secret sins? Why?

Because she didn't think he knew.

And if you let a person like that leave

the well after you offered him living

water, you know what they're going to

think? If he knew

what I was really like, there is no way

he'd be giving me living water. I hope

he never finds out what I'm really

because he would not like me at all if

he knew. And Jesus said, "You're not

going to live like that for 30 seconds."

>> Good stuff.

>> Not even for 30 seconds. He followed it

up by saying, "Go get your husband." He

knew the answer. That's right.

>> In other words, woman, I know everything

about you.

And the offer for living water still

>> stands.

>> Isn't that great? Jesus even said, "I

didn't come to judge the world. I came

to save the world. I didn't come to

condemn the world. I came to save the

world." We are his agents. We're his

ambassadors. It's our job, too. We need

to rise above it. It's not right against

left or Christians against Muslims. It's

it's it's everybody. We're for everyone.

God's for everyone. And and he wants to

win people from every tribe and every

people and every nation. There is no

distinction with God.

>> In fact, when the disciples got back,

they had another issue. Everybody's got

issues.

So, she thinks it's a problem because

you're a Jew and I'm a Samaritan. The

disciples got back and said, "He's

talking to a woman."

Like, "That's a crime." Or I don't I

didn't know it was a crime to talk to a

woman. Evidently, it was offensive. Did

you know something will offend everyone?

>> Everything we do will offend somebody.

Jesus didn't see a Samaritan and he

didn't see a woman.

>> He saw a soul.

For God so loved the We've got to see

the world through God's eyes. We need to

see the world the way God sees them.

Their souls and they're lost and they're

hurting and they're angry and they're

offensive, but they're empty. They need

what we have. Whether they know it or

not, we know it.

>> And they may think we're the problem.

And a lot of them do.

>> They think we're the problem. Christian

values in the Bible. They think that's

the problem, but we're the answer.

>> Be patient. Paul told Timothy, "Be

patient, correcting those who are in

opposition

that someday somehow God can reveal the

truth and they can be rescued from the

devil by whom they've been taken

captive. They're slaves to do his will.

They're doing the will of the devil.

There's no reward for that. There's no

no no

happiness, no joy in that.

How many of you'd rather win a soul than

win an argument? And finally, they came

to Jesus and and and offered him food

and he says, "I have meat to eat that

you don't know about." In other words,

I've been here. I'm so full right now.

Because what made him tick was reaching

people, loving people. Don't Aren't you

glad that God is a hands-on God? Jesus

wasn't in some balcony blowing kisses.

He was down there with them, laying

hands on them, multiplying loaves and

fishes, hugging them, touching lepers,

and being around people, being in the

press where people were bumping up.

There were so many people bumping around

Jesus when the woman with the issue of

blood touched he could they couldn't

tell who it was.

>> Isn't that Isn't that the kind of God we

serve? He loves people.

>> We need to see the world as our mission

field. It's our goal. It's not, you

know, I I know it's getting more and

more coarse, more and more polarized,

more and more offensive, but our mission

has not changed. How many of you love

God?

If God so loved the world, then so do I.

You know, I was teaching on love and I I

realized that that Jesus, you know,

people, some people think walking in

love, trying to diffuse is weakness, but

it's really not.

We'd be better off to die loving the

world than to live hating the world. And

guess who else agreed with me? Jesus.

Jesus loved and he gave and he died

and the world has been changed forever

because of it.

Can I give you one more?

>> Man, we may get out early. Don't count

on it. But we might. We might.

John 21. This is these are all in John.

in John 21. This is um Peter's um

encounter with Jesus at the Sea of

Galilee.

And and I'm just going to set this up

for you and say this.

Every Bible commentary that I've read

agrees that this was this encounter was

Jesus restoring Peter.

>> So, so the third type of people we're

going to talk about here, first was the

annoying, then the divisive. This would

be those that have failed.

Man, the world's full of people that

have failed. The church is full of

people that have failed. And if you

hadn't failed yet, just prepare

yourself. Have you ever heard people

say, you know, I just wish I could live

my life over again?

Like, if they had one more chance,

they'd be perfect. Can I just tell you,

no, you wouldn't. [laughter]

Have you learned some things along? Yes.

But if you had another life to live,

you'd find a way to mess that one up,

too.

So God said, "I'm not going to give you

a hundred times to do this wrong. One

time's enough. And you're going to prove

to me and to you, to the world, that you

can't live your life without God." How

about that? You need a savior. And it

doesn't take but one life to prove that

you need a savior. So people have

failed. We deal with people that have

failed. And God's method of restoration,

frankly, is shocking. When you see how

God deals with Peter, it's just not what

you would think

would happen in a normal regular

restoration. Same with the prodical son.

We don't have time to do that one today,

but it's the same situation where

somebody has failed big time and now

they're standing in the presence of God.

What's he going to do? What's he going

to say? So, to set it up, uh Jesus told

Peter, uh, you know, I'm going to be

betrayed. you're all gonna run away and

leave me." And Peter said, "Not me. I'll

die for you." And Jesus said, "Peter,

before the rooster crows, you're going

to deny me three times."

>> Peter didn't believe it and went on

[snorts] his way. If I'd have heard

that, I think I'd lock myself in the

closet [laughter]

until it's over, you know, but anyway,

um, till the rooster crowed anyway. But

he didn't. And so, um, you know, Jesus

is being beaten and and falsely accused.

It's his weakest moment, his most

desperate moment in his life. And of

course, all the disciples had left and

there's Peter in the courtyard. And

somebody says, "Well, you're one of

his." No, I'm not. And then again, how

many of you read that account and it

just How many of you have compassion on

Peter?

>> You wish he hadn't have done it. You

know how he feels and you're pulling for

him. How many of you want him to just go

to hell because he did that? Just like

Peter, you're you should just die and go

to hell. There's no hope for you. Nobody

feels that way about Peter.

>> Did you know God doesn't feel that way

about people who fail either?

>> If you can have compassion on Peter, how

much more would God have compassion on

someone who failed? And then the third

time he it says he cursed and swore

>> that he didn't know Jesus. And Jesus was

right there.

And then the rooster crowed and he's

like

and he wept bitterly. Why? Because he

failed. That's not what he set out to

do, but that's what he did. How many of

you know sometimes reality catches up

with you?

>> So, what are we to do? Is there hope?

How do we deal with someone who's

failed? How do we deal with ourselves

when we fail? What what what is our

future? Are And I just want to say this.

You may be a Christian, been a Christian

a long time, and you've done a lot of

things wrong. And you think somehow now

you're tarnished. You're some kind

secondass Christian citizen. Can I tell

you, you're not? That your righteousness

and you're the new creation person that

you are is because of what he did, not

because of what you did. That God made

you the righteousness of God and you're

still just as righteous as you ever

were. Thank God we don't get dirtied and

tarnished at over time because the blood

of Christ continually cleanses us from

all unrighteousness.

>> If you failed today, I want you to get

back in the game. We need you.

>> Quit looking back and start looking

forward.

>> So So, and I I don't need to read the

rest of this because it's you you know

the story. So Jesus meets the disciples

on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and

he's got fish cooking and some bread and

they catch fish. He says, you know, let

the net down on the other side and they

catch all these. So off they go. Peter

finds out it's the Lord. He jumps in and

swims over. And so there's Jesus and

Peter. And this is recorded for our

benefit.

So Peter has made the biggest mistake of

his life.

Jesus has made the biggest sacrifice

anybody could possibly make. And here

they are. So Jesus had the greatest

success. Peter just had his greatest

failure. And they're standing together

and Jesus is going to restore him. You

would think it would go something like

this. Peter,

are you ashamed of what you've done?

Did you learn anything?

Why did you go out and do what I told

you not to do?

How can I ever trust you again?

You're going to have to prove yourself

to me, Peter, because how can I count on

you when the pressures on you failed to

deliver?

He didn't say any of that.

What he did say was just unbelievable. I

I still

can hardly wrap my head around what

Jesus said. So, he's trying to restore

Peter from a huge mistake. He denied

Jesus three time cursed and swore. How

many of you have ever been that far in

the wrong? If you want to classify sins,

that's pretty big. [snorts]

And he says, "Peter,

do you love me?"

It's like, what a strange question. What

do you mean, do I love you? I'm

wondering if you still love me. I'm the

one that did you wrong. What do you

mean? Do I I wept bitterly. I I'm I

can't get over what I did. I'm I'm hurt.

I'm broken because of I can't even

function anymore because of what I did

because I love you. You know I love you.

And then Jesus said, "Okay, I got

another question for you. Do you love

me?" It's like, how this is restoration?

Yeah.

Why? Because what he's saying is, Peter,

what you did didn't affect heaven at

all. It didn't stop my love for you, my

plan for you, my future for you, your

destiny, your value. It's done nothing

as far as heaven is concerned. How about

you, Peter? Do you still love me?

Because that's the only variable here.

That's all you bring to the table.

You're the only one that can change this

deal. You, not me.

>> Isn't that powerful?

>> And he said, "Yes, Lord. I love you."

And the third time he says, "Peter,

do you love me?" In other words,

everything else is still in place. All

you got to do is tell me you love me.

Make the main thing the main thing.

Don't go back. Don't get stuck in the

past. Don't relive that event anymore.

Stay here with me, Peter. We need you.

>> We need you to do what God's called you

to do. We need you to fulfill your

destiny. Peter's destiny was feed the

sheep. You know that, right? His

ministry was to help the Jews. That's

what God called him to do. So feed the

sheep represents your future. Whatever

God's called you to do, that's what it

represents. So what he's saying is,

Peter, right here, not back there. Right

here. Do you love me? Yes. Then do what

I called you to do.

>> Go do what you were born to do. Do what

the world is waiting for you to do. Do

what the sheep are waiting for you to

do. Don't get caught up in this trap of

guilt and condemnation over what you've

done because it's not about what you've

done. It's about what I did.

>> And there are Christians everywhere that

have disqualified themselves because

they can't get over what they did. And

their problem is they're too focused on

what they did.

>> And they don't realize that what he did

was so much greater that it cancels all

that out if you'll let it.

>> God will never give up on you. That's

right.

>> That that was really what he was saying.

I will never give up on you. Have you

given up on me? No. I love you. Okay,

then. Are we done here?

No. I don't have to sit down and go

through it. No. I don't have to go back

and relive. No.

There's people stuck in the past that

have never let themselves go because of

what they've done.

And I'm here to tell you, God needs you.

He needs all hands on deck. He needs us

all get on the same team and go forward

and do what we were all called to do.

>> Amen.

>> God will never give up on you

if you don't give up on him.

>> So the question is not what did you do

and do you feel bad about it? Of course

you need to be if you're living in

unrepentant sin, you need to get out of

sin. you you've got to repent. But

that's what the weeping bitterly was all

about. And I would dare say most

Christians that have made a terrible

mistake have wept bitterly. You've done

that part. You you're just trying to get

over the fact that you did it to begin

with.

And the point is we've got a future. If

the enemy can remind you of your past

and keep you trapped, then you you're

you're not free to go on with your

future and to do do what God's called

you to do. We can be self- condemned and

not God condemned.

>> Yes.

>> But it has the same effect. If you're

self- condemned, you disqualify yourself

by default.

How many of you could accept what Jesus

did

for yourselves and for others, for those

that have failed?

Hallelujah.

Don't you love God? There's restoration

in God. He's so serious about

restoration. He's so serious about using

unusable, broken vessels. He He's He's

made a He He He can use people. He's

good at it.

He's good at it. Hallelujah.

>> So, so, so you know, and I've said this

many times, I really we we've got to

have a a real understanding of the

doctrine of forgiveness in the church

because if you don't get that, um, you

it's hard to go forward. And not only

forgiveness, we've got to accept

forgiveness for ourselves and we've got

to forgive ourselves and we got to

forgive others.

>> It goes it goes two ways, but but

forgiveness is a cornerstone in the in

the kingdom. And and you've so you you

have to allow God to forgive you and

take him at his word that he did. And

and now we can go forward. Now we can

move on with no guilt, no condemnation,

no inferiority complex. I am who God

says I am. I can do what God says I can

do. He hasn't changed his mind about

you. He's not mad at you. He's not

ticked off because you just do so many

things wrong. He loves you and he's

rooting for you.

>> Amen.

>> And again, it's it's I know, you know, I

I deal with Christians all the time.

Well, you don't know what I've done. No,

I I don't know what you've done. You

could tell me, but are you trying to

tell me that you of all people have done

something that not even the blood of

Jesus is valuable enough to wash away?

So, you're the only person in the world

that Jesus can't forgive because he

forgave all of us.

>> We all got it and you didn't get it.

You're so evil. You're so bad that

you've out you've outpaced what the Lord

Jesus did. No, he he died one time for

all sins, for everyone

>> and and forever.

>> You know, some people who failed need to

humble themselves and just accept

forgiveness.

>> Just say, you know what, God, I wouldn't

have forgiven me.

>> That's obvious,

you legalistic thing. But you're not

God. That's right.

>> And if God wants to forgive me, I'm

going to accept God's forgiveness.

>> Why? We need you.

>> Listen, this is the end of the end. If

you don't believe that, listen to Joe

Morris.

[laughter] Every time I hear Joe want to

go home and pack my bags for heaven, you

know, I'm ready.

This is the end of the end. We need to

run faster. We need to be stronger. And

you got to get over the P. Don't don't

allow that to hold you back any longer.

>> Some Christians, I believe some

Christians think that they're having to

do plan B because they failed so

miserably at plan A. That wasn't the

case with Peter. Jesus didn't say,

"Peter, now I did have plans for you,

but you're going to have to do something

else now because you were so

unfaithful." No, he's ready to forgive

if you're ready to go forward.

>> Amen. Amen.

>> Did you get anything out of that?

>> So, we deal with difficult people, the

annoying, the divisive, and those who

failed. God has an answer for each and

every one of those. God is is inviting

and calling and forgiving and comforting

people in that position.

>> Amen. Boy, if we could just see

ourselves the way God sees us. I know

that's hard to do, but if you you look

in the mirror of the word, you'd see it.

[snorts]

You're the righteousness of God. You're

a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a

peculiar people. You're kings and

priests. You're victorious. You're

you're overcomers by the blood of the

lamb and the word of your testimony.

You're you're his workmanship, created

in Christ Jesus under good works. you're

blessed with all spiritual blessings in

heavenly places. It goes on and on and

on and on and nowhere does it say unless

you make a mistake and then we're going

to start taking some of these blessings

away from you because you've been so

bad. No, let's get over it. Let's see

ourselves as who we are and live up to

it like Jesus told the woman caught in

adultery. I wish we had time to talk

about that, but he he forgave her

obviously, but he said, "Go and sin no

more." He didn't say, "It doesn't matter

what you do. Just do whatever you want.

I'll forgive you." He said, "No, go and

sin no more." But I'm telling you, the

past mistakes are not going to stop you.

>> Your past failures are not enough to

stop you. Go and sin no more. Do what

you were put here to do. Can we do that?

>> Can we be that, people? Praise God.

Would you stand with me?

I You know, they didn't tell me what

time to be done.

So, I'm going to go another what? 30

minute. No, I don't know. No, this is a

holiday weekend. You're going to get out

and you're going to be able to do good,

but let's take care of business here.

Can we do that? Let's take care of

business in this service. Would you bow

your heads with me? You know, if you're

here today and you say, "Man, I I love

God. I can say that. I love Jesus,

but I still have some remnants from the

past that are trying to condemn me. I

still have those voices, those accusing

voices in my my mind, my head condemning

me, and I want to move on. And maybe up

until now, you didn't know if it was

possible. Maybe you thought, you know,

I'm just going to have to after all I've

done, I'm just going to have to deal

with this the rest of my life. You can

be free.

You can be free from the past in Jesus

name.

Christianity is the only religion that I

know of where God doesn't wait for you

to become what he wants you to be. He

just makes you that upfront. He just

say, "Here's what I want you to be. I'm

just going to do it for you." And we

become a new creation just like that.

And that does not change.

It does not change. you're still

pleasing to God. God loves you and and

and you're still pleasing to him. So if

if if there's anything from your past,

it's holding on to you

and and because of this message, because

of the atmosphere here, you feel like,

you know what, I could get free from

this today. If that much light has come

to you in this moment, could I ask you

to raise your hand? Say, that's me.

That's me.

Are there others say, man, this is it.

You know, I get so

I I want to say riled up, righteously

indignant

when I see Christians because I know how

God sees them

and how they they The reason you're

self- condemned is because you're

sensitive. You care. That's why Peter

wept bitterly because he cared.

You wouldn't do that if you didn't care.

So yeah, the enemy is using your own

sensitivity

against you. And that just makes me mad.

Let's deal with it. Can we deal with it?

I mean free like never before. Like calf

out of the stall. Free. Like dancing in

the spirit. Free. Like running around

the church. Free. Like totally free.

Once again, and I know most of of us are

Christians here. [music]

Can I see your hands again? You say,

"Hey, I'm I'm up for this. I want this.

I came for this. Would you do me a

favor? And I don't always do this, but I

want would you come down here? Come on.

Come on. Come on.

And and I can't say this enough. We we

want divine revelation. Come on. And you

know what? If you've never accepted

Jesus as Lord and Savior, you see, when

I haven't even been a Christian and and

you need to accept him, come on and join

these. Come on right now and say, "I

want to I want to give my life to God. I

want to be saved. I want to be born

again." [snorts]

But I can't say this enough.

It's not about

what you did.

I I like to make this statement because

it shocks people. Sin [snorts] is not as

bad as you think it is. It's worse.

One little sin which breaks the law

makes you guilty of eternal separation

from one little sin. There's not in the

new covenant. There's no big sins and

little sins. It's all sin. And it's bad.

It's it's it's exceedingly bad. It's

death sentence bad.

So we all are in that group.

But once you accept what he did forever

more, it's about what he did.

It's not about what you did. Of course

you failed. Of course you feel bad. Of

course it was wrong. Yeah, but it hurt

people. That's what sin does. Yeah, but

I knew better. That's exactly what sin

is. Yeah, but I was mature and I did.

Adam knew what he was doing.

That's exactly what sin is. That's why

Jesus had to come. You're simply proving

the point that we cannot live life

without a savior. Can you just accept

that? And now let's move on because he

understood that before you did. And he

made arrangements. And now let's let's

go. Let's move forward. Let's accept

completely accept. You know, TL Osborne

said this one time and I thought it was

very powerful. He [snorts] said, "To the

degree that you feel guilty over past

mistakes, to that degree you don't fully

accept the sacrifice that Jesus made on

the cross." [snorts]

Isn't that a powerful statement?

To the degree that you feel guilty for

your past, to that degree, you haven't

accepted what Jesus [music] did. It

either worked or it didn't.

>> You're either forgiven or you're not.

There's no in between.

And then this is the big one. Yeah, but

I did this when I was a Christian.

Well, join the club. I got saved at

seven.

You know what that means? Every mistake

I've made in my adult life, I made as a

Christian.

Sometimes I I envy those people that

live like the devil for 40 years. You

know, they were in a cult. They kill

people and then they get saved and it's

like, wow, all that's gone. All my stuff

was Christian oriented, you know? I

mean,

I didn't kill anyone, but man, I'd made

some mistakes and I was a I knew better.

You got to deal with that. It'll mess

with your head.

It's not unusual what you're dealing

with. Not unusual at all, but it's it's

preventable. It's curable. Are you

ready? Let's pray with them. Lift one

hand to heaven and say, "Lord Jesus, I

know you died for my sins. [snorts] I

know you shed your blood to pay the

penalty for sin in my life. And today, I

fully accept it. I apply the benefits

[snorts] of that shed blood to my past.

I repent. I'm not in willful

>> I'm not in

>> habitual

>> unrepentant

>> sin

>> I I want to sin no more

>> I want to s

>> but I accept

>> what you did for my past

>> I embrace it

>> and if you say I'm forgiven

>> you say I'm

>> then I am

>> If you say I'm righteous

>> then I am

>> If you say I'm free

>> then I'm free.

>> And I thank you for doing it. Thank you

for doing it.

>> In Jesus [music] name. In Jesus name.

>> I give you one scripture. There is

therefore now.

>> Everybody say now.

>> Now.

>> As opposed to before. Now

>> no condemnation

to those who are in Christ Jesus who

walk not after the flesh but after the

spirit.

>> Do you accept it, man? You know what?

I've got some free scripture cards

um called Living with No Regrets.

[snorts]

There's also you can download those

scriptures. But if you will, there's a

section in there on past mistakes.

[music] And if you'll take those

scriptures and feed on them every day,

it'll cure you.

>> Especially if it's something that you've

tried before and it just came. Sometimes

we just feel like we just need to

reject, reject, reject. No, you really

need to replace

>> because the the the the the word of God

works by displacement. So you I've got a

whole list of forgiveness scriptures and

you begin to feed on those until they

just push everything else out of your

life and and you can get them free. I

don't have them here, but you can get

them free of charge. Uh or go to the

Bible yourself and just look up all the

scriptures on forgiveness. But I tell

you, this is something worth fighting

for [snorts]

>> because we need you. We need you in the

race. We need you in the fight. We need

you in the arm and arm in the army.

You're really, you're not any different

than any of the rest of us. Maybe you're

a little more sensitive.

Amen. [music] Can you give these guys a

hand? Thank you. Thank you for coming.

Amen. You can be seated.

Amen. Amen. Well, that turn we took a

little different direction than I

intended, but I believe the spirit is

working. How many of you believe that?

I'm so grateful to the Holy Spirit and

and the example that this church sets,

you know, I was thinking about this. Um

mo most preachers, Holy Ghost preachers

are definitely open to the spirit, but

their secret prayer is God, don't

interrupt my message. If it's at all

possible, I want to preach this. I I

please don't inter but in this church

it's like

because some of it is just really life

rights and and and benefits and

privileges until you see yourself the

way you are and there's only one place

you you look out of the world out of

these two eyes wouldn't even be able to

defend yourself. They might say you're

may not even be true, but how are you

going to defend it if you'd never seen

yourself?

But spiritually speaking, that

boy, once you begin to $15, I know I

think it says $15,

$20 and the book this Memorial Day

weekend then right here in our church.

Amen.

>> And we're going to just take a moment

and we're going to sew in to Reverend

Greg Fritz's ministry. I don't know

about you, but I'm real excited about

doing that

because what he spoke with us today will

go and hit other churches, other people

all over the place. And we can be a part

of helping him do that.

Listen to what Galatians 6:6 says in the

Galatians 6:6

Amplified Classic. It says this, "Let

him who receives instruction in the word

of God share all good things with his

teacher, contributing to his support." I

don't know about you, but that's the

heart of God to support and to get

behind this ministry and help him go

forth and do what God's called him to

do. Amen.

>> So, we're going to take a moment and

prepare our hearts for that. You guys

can go ahead and come up. Just prepare

your heart for a minute. I'm just going

to say a couple of quick things. I want

to make sure that you remember there is

a book table out there. He's got got

some materials. Make sure you go to that

book table. I also want to share a

little bit more information. You can go

to gregfritz.org.

That is his web page, gregfritz.org.

There is so much good material on there

uh that will bless your life. Um please

go check that out. Also, you can

subscribe on YouTube at Greg Fritz

Ministries

and listen, I went through there and

there is so much good content.

It will bless your life. So, make sure

you go check these things out and be a

part of that. Amen. This is good stuff

for us. He's so good to us. Amen.

Father, we thank you for this. We thank

you for the ministry of Reverend Greg

Fritz. We thank you for the word that

you spoke to us today. We give you honor

for that. Now, Lord, we sew back into

this ministry

and we pour our love over it. And we

thank you, Father, [music] that this

message will go forth into the world

through this ministry. And we thank you,

Lord, as we give, it will be given unto

us. Good measure pressed down and shaken

together, you will give back to us. And

we thank you for that in Jesus' name.

And everybody said, "Amen." Amen. Uh

just a couple of quick uh reminders

here. If you were a first-time guest,

thank you again for being with us. Don't

forget to text welcome to 918-2157066

and get that drink of your choice. We

really want to bless you with that.

[snorts] Uh also, tonight at 6 PM, we

have WOC Young Adults, uh small [music]

group, uh designed for community and

spiritual growth. the young adults come

and bring somebody with you. Amen. Do I

hear some young adults in the house?

>> All right. Also, prayer group open

enrollment ends May 31st. So, please

make yourself avail. You can go to

wctosulsa.org/p

prayer groupoups or stop by the connect

center, find a prayer group, get

connected, get hooked up. It will bless

your life. Amen. Amen.

>> Also, we'll have pastoral care

assistants up here at the front. Anybody

needing prayer concerning anything, if

there is anything after this great

message and what just happened, but if

you do have something a need, we want to

pray and agree with you. Amen. So,

they'll be right up here. So, let's say

our vision statement as we leave. We

live by the word.