Speaker#1:
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Let’s pray Lord we just are so thankful that Jesus you died for our sins you rose from the grave and you are alive and our

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heart’s desire this

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morning Lord is that we would experience a greater revelation of you

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00:00:16.26 – 00:00:33.669
that our hearts would just overflow with the power of your love and the power of your resurrection life We just submit our lives to you again today and say Lord manifest your kingdom in us Amen Let’s turn that down a little more Hallelujah

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The title of today’s message is what was born when the world died

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00:00:42.22 – 00:00:54.979
And the first thing I want to talk about is the challenge of an Easter message It was really um on my heart all weekend And that’s why I really appreciate what Chris shared And in one sense it really is an

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awesome celebration

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of a historical reality I I I

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would call it

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00:01:01.65 – 00:01:05.559
three of some of the most important days

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00:01:05.569 – 00:01:06.589
in history

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00:01:08.26 – 00:01:11.48
Uh Obviously the birth of Jesus Christ

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00:01:12.01 – 00:01:14.279
is another one of those important days

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I would challenge and I don’t know why it doesn’t get into the national holiday list But the day of Pentecost is another one of those days

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and then

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the greatest day will probably be the return of the Lord

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And that is exciting Right But

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these are three of the most important days in world history and that is what they are history

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00:01:40.05 – 00:01:47.8
They’re not just a story they’re not just a myth it’s not just a a religion that is made up it’s historical fact

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and people can research it and look into it and many who have who wanted to discredit it ended up coming to faith because as they looked into it they couldn’t

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deny it’s real and it happened

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00:02:02.33 – 00:02:08.119
and you can see the effects of that resurrection of Jesus impacting the world to this very day

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But it was really on my heart

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00:02:12.82 – 00:02:17.089
because so many people are going to go to church today all across the world

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and they will come to

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church

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and they still may not come and have a relationship with Jesus

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They could still miss the

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point

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they could go to

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church and yet never know the Lord

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They could come to church and go away dead in their sins and transgressions

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And so my heart was just grieving and breaking over the

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fact that it’s not just a day to come to church not just a day to spend with family to celebrate with meals If we miss the point

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of these three days of Good Friday and Easter

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and that day that he was in the grave

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we miss the very thing that Jesus did it all for

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And the only thing that can change the world is for this to become real

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to people once again

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And one of the things that I love and I hear time and time again from people who have become part of life springs church that it is real

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to the members of our church It’s not just a story it’s not

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just a ritual it’s not

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just a social community but it’s a community that’s genuinely gathered because we believe and are fully convinced that what Jesus Christ has done is the very heart of living life Well

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on planet Earth it’s not just the heart of what it means to have a divine insurance policy so that we can go to heaven when we die

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It’s the heart of a life lived well

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lived in service and worship and praise and adoration to Jesus Christ

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I would say it’s not meant to be a day celebrating only what Jesus did 2000 years ago

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But it’s about entering

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into the life

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that he died that we might live Christ is all about How then shall we live

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How should we love one another

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How should we live life

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together

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One of the things I want to point out which I think is really funny because today there’s this

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I’ll take a step back and describe it another way I think

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that oftentimes in Christianity when we do not experience the Holy spirit We start to hunger for

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things

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because we really have a longing to experience His Holy Spirit And when we’re not

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experiencing his Holy Spirit we turn

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to all kinds of

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things And so one of the things that’s really popular now is connecting with the ancient near east and the Jewish roots of the church

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00:04:54.049 – 00:05:01.14
And so I run into one person after another that almost feels like God will curse them if they don’t celebrate the feast

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00:05:01.149 – 00:05:03.269
of Israel I’m not exaggerating

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00:05:03.279 – 00:05:05.63
I’ve met them in the last number of years

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00:05:06.359 – 00:05:12.989
and and really it’s this longing for I know there’s got to be something more than I’m experiencing

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00:05:13.869 – 00:05:41.029
And I would challenge that something more is the Holy Spirit And another way to describe the Holy Spirit it’s the same spirit that rose Christ Jesus from the dead on Easter morning that same spirit you God wants you to experience it personally for yourself And that’s the living water That is the deeply satisfying element of Christianity that’s lacking in so many churches and in so many believers lives

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00:05:41.97 – 00:05:43.899
Oh I am thirsty

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for what

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Jesus said It’s better that I go away

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for If I go away the Father will send the Holy Spirit

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00:05:53.299 – 00:06:08.079
and that’s what’s lacking So there’s so many people that I know that are getting involved in this kind of Jewish roots of the Christian church and and now they literally come and talk to me and say oh we got it all wrong brother We should be meeting on Saturdays

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00:06:09.2 – 00:06:10.23
Right

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00:06:10.989 – 00:06:13.769
And I was like but do you know why we meet on

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00:06:13.779 – 00:06:14.739
Sundays

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00:06:15.88 – 00:06:16.649
No

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because Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week And what And that

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reality

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changed everything

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It changed everything so completely

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00:06:33.88 – 00:06:42.26
that the church gathers on Sundays to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead has changed world history

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00:06:43.14 – 00:06:46.709
I would dare challenge as we’re gonna talk It It is the

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00:06:47.44 – 00:06:50.049
other side of what happened on Good Friday

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But we’ll get into that later

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00:06:54.579 – 00:06:58.14
One of the other things that I want to point out because it would almost be wrong

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00:06:58.72 – 00:06:59.95
You know like

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00:07:00.57 – 00:07:17.19
Pastor David every time that Easter comes around I see him getting giddy like literally giddy and everybody who knows Pastor David knows Yes this happens perpetually year after year after year after year he starts getting

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00:07:17.2 – 00:07:29.709
excited Easter’s coming spring is coming New life is springing forth It’s so exciting I mean it’s like built into the the the seasons of the year and it’s built into Pastor David’s

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soul

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right So it would be wrong Not to mention that Easter is the story of divine reversal

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00:07:37.42 – 00:07:47.19
It’s the story of when everything seems impossible when there looks like there’s no hope in the world When it looks like evil has triumphed

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00:07:48.91 – 00:07:51.82
God turns it all around and is suddenly

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So in one sense we are celebrating Easter and I talked to one person after another that says I think this whole world

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00:08:00.48 – 00:08:02.119
is in deep trouble

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00:08:06.07 – 00:08:09.04
We really don’t know do we If it’s in deep trouble

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00:08:10.179 – 00:08:20.29
You know people who remember the Jesus movement remember Time Magazine God is dead And then next thing you know Time Magazine the Jesus movement

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00:08:20.799 – 00:08:21.6
right

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God is dead The ti even God can’t sink the Titanic

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I mean sometimes I joke poorly and I know that you gotta bear with my sense of humor

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So God you can’t save America

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It’s a joke like right Because

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who says God can’t turn things

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00:08:43.379 – 00:08:46.468
around in a suddenly that’s what we’re celebrating

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00:08:46.479 – 00:08:50.388
on Easter God can turn things around in a suddenly And also by

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the way God doesn’t respond to reverse psychology

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but

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that divine reversal is not just for um world history it’s not just for nations or communities or families It’s

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for every individual

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00:09:09.549 – 00:09:11.63
every human being in life

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will experience trials

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and tribulations believer and unbeliever alike

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That’s just the truth

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One person said it Well the difference

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between the seed of Christ

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00:09:24.929 – 00:09:29.59
and the false seed is that that which is from Christ rises again

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00:09:31.0 – 00:09:43.21
Jesus is the God of divine reversals And many times people go through really hard and difficult and trying situations in their life and they often feel like there’s no hope

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00:09:43.34 – 00:09:43.809
and some

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00:09:43.82 – 00:09:46.809
people actually give up hope and they give up

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00:09:48.239 – 00:09:50.869
But people who hold on to Jesus Christ

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and say Lord don’t you slay me yet I trust in you I will worship you I will follow you

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00:09:58.84 – 00:10:06.58
They are the people that see divine reversals But those divine reversals usually do not come until we’ve submitted to the cross

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00:10:08.26 – 00:10:12.32
What do I mean by that I had somebody ask me will this ever end

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00:10:13.14 – 00:10:13.94
I don’t know

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00:10:14.63 – 00:10:15.63
in this life

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00:10:16.45 – 00:10:25.0
But I can tell you that he’s promised a day where there’s no more sorrow no more suffering no more pain no more tears I can promise you that it does have an end

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00:10:27.32 – 00:10:34.14
But all I can tell you is this that our hearts have to be Lord If this is what brings glory and honor in your life then so be it

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00:10:35.349 – 00:10:46.46
blessed to be your name I’m gonna worship you I’m gonna praise you I’m gonna pour out my heart and gratitude and adoration for what you’ve done for me on the cross

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00:10:46.979 – 00:10:48.95
I wanna celebrate Jesus that

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00:10:48.96 – 00:10:50.039
you still

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00:10:50.89 – 00:10:52.9
change people’s lives

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00:10:54.57 – 00:10:56.989
and that all who call on your name shall be saved

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00:10:57.88 – 00:11:02.049
So it is Easter is the story of divine reversals from darkness to light

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Easter is a challenge for how we live our life That’s the burden that’s been on my heart Easter is a challenge because it has the potential to change everything

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And one of the things that is always on my

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00:11:16.309 – 00:11:18.64
heart is this awareness

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00:11:19.159 – 00:11:20.059
When I study the

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00:11:20.07 – 00:11:22.969
Apostolic Fathers when I study church history and world

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00:11:22.979 – 00:11:28.059
history that the gospel of Jesus Christ has brought light to the darkest

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00:11:28.07 – 00:11:29.26
people on earth

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00:11:29.83 – 00:11:49.799
It has lifted up some of the most broken lives and broken people groups in the world They’ve turned from barbarians to servants and sons of God who love and self sacrifice and has done some of the most amazing things in the most pagan and dark cultures

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Ireland being a perfect example

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00:11:52.7 – 00:11:55.32
The human sacrifice was so

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00:11:55.33 – 00:11:56.52
horrible

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00:11:57.03 – 00:12:02.309
even in Britain that it would go down Rome knew about it how bad it was

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00:12:02.89 – 00:12:04.969
And yet it was Christian

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00:12:04.979 – 00:12:06.76
missionaries like Patrick

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00:12:07.869 – 00:12:12.5
and others that brought Christ to the British Isles

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00:12:13.78 – 00:12:15.659
That’s the power of the gospel

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And what we are seeing

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00:12:17.659 – 00:12:19.039
in America today is a Reagan

Speaker#1:
00:12:19.33 – 00:12:23.489
Organization of America We’ve worshiped and served other

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00:12:23.5 – 00:12:34.549
gods We’ve turned away from Jesus Christ We’ve believed that there is no eternal God There is no creator We we don’t see that there’s a heavenly Father that loves

Speaker#2:
00:12:34.559 – 00:12:50.38
that is numbered every hair on our head that has a purpose for our lives So many in America believe that we are just a product of chance and that this is a cruel dark evil world of survival of the fittest So if you want to survive you need

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00:12:50.39 – 00:12:52.53
to fight for survival

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00:12:53.69 – 00:12:54.53
in that cold

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00:12:54.539 – 00:12:59.64
dark world does not foster humanity and compassion

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00:13:00.429 – 00:13:02.219
It can throw off life as

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00:13:02.229 – 00:13:03.5
disposable

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00:13:04.13 – 00:13:06.08
because we are just a product

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00:13:06.09 – 00:13:10.88
of chance Many say that we’re nothing more than just another animal

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00:13:12.64 – 00:13:20.08
and we are headed towards a dehumanization of humanity that only the gospel of Jesus Christ can turn around

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00:13:21.489 – 00:13:23.169
Will it turn it around

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00:13:24.0 – 00:13:26.239
That’s really up to the church I believe

Speaker#1:
00:13:26.979 – 00:13:33.44
I believe that with my whole heart go and make disciples we have received power from on high

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00:13:34.01 – 00:13:42.299
We’ve received the same Holy Spirit the same gospel that those first apostles received We have the opportunity

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00:13:43.419 – 00:13:51.229
to turn things around through Christ working in us I believe that with my whole heart I feel kind of like

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00:13:52.059 – 00:14:00.659
when the king asked me and to go can your God deliver you from the burning fiery furnace He said my God can deliver me

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00:14:01.33 – 00:14:04.429
But even if he doesn’t we will not bow down

Speaker#2:
00:14:05.359 – 00:14:21.419
And so that’s I guess some of the challenge that was on my heart when I was thinking about the Easter message is it is a day to celebrate It is a day to rejoice It is a day to shout our hallelujah and praise the Lord He has risen Indeed Amen

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00:14:22.119 – 00:14:25.39
But it’s also a day to let it sink into our hearts

Speaker#1:
00:14:26.07 – 00:14:28.119
that this is real

Speaker#1:
00:14:29.01 – 00:14:30.38
and the stakes are real

Speaker#1:
00:14:31.229 – 00:14:32.349
but there really is

Speaker#2:
00:14:32.359 – 00:14:33.229
power from on

Speaker#1:
00:14:33.239 – 00:14:33.859
high

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00:14:34.57 – 00:14:36.51
to turn everything around

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00:14:37.15 – 00:14:41.51
And as strange as it may sound he’s hidden that power

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00:14:42.09 – 00:14:42.78
in you

Speaker#1:
00:14:44.33 – 00:14:45.21
in us

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00:14:46.369 – 00:14:48.109
He’s hidden it in us

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00:14:48.719 – 00:14:51.539
To me it doesn’t get any more exciting than that

Speaker#1:
00:14:52.07 – 00:14:56.08
And you would say God look at us what can we do

Speaker#1:
00:14:57.27 – 00:15:00.419
if only we had eyes to see and ears to hear

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00:15:01.5 – 00:15:03.239
the same spirit

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00:15:03.89 – 00:15:06.32
that rose Christ Jesus from the dead

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00:15:07.64 – 00:15:09.39
dwells in us

Speaker#1:
00:15:12.989 – 00:15:14.049
So thinking about

Speaker#2:
00:15:14.059 – 00:15:17.19
Easter since we don’t do our Good

Speaker#1:
00:15:17.2 – 00:15:24.929
Friday service at Life Springs Church I just can’t help it That’s why I said what was born when the world died If you listen to that

Speaker#2:
00:15:24.94 – 00:15:26.21
mess title that message

Speaker#1:
00:15:26.219 – 00:15:27.869
it’s Good Friday and Easter

Speaker#1:
00:15:29.96 – 00:15:32.19
the world died Good Friday

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00:15:32.76 – 00:15:34.88
The world was reborn Easter

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00:15:35.469 – 00:15:37.58
That’s really what we’re looking

Speaker#2:
00:15:37.59 – 00:15:41.53
at And if we had eyes to see the whole world as

Speaker#1:
00:15:41.539 – 00:15:43.059
it was died

Speaker#1:
00:15:43.729 – 00:15:45.539
on Good Friday it

Speaker#2:
00:15:45.549 – 00:16:01.71
really died the rule and Dominion of sin and death was broken The wall of separation between us and God was broken The very heavenly themselves were cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ The whole world died

Speaker#1:
00:16:03.479 – 00:16:04.919
If we had eyes to see

Speaker#1:
00:16:05.58 – 00:16:08.409
And on Easter morning a whole new world was born

Speaker#1:
00:16:09.219 – 00:16:10.58
a new creation

Speaker#1:
00:16:11.34 – 00:16:15.95
That’s reality That’s another way to understand Good Friday and Easter

Speaker#2:
00:16:16.469 – 00:16:27.5
So Good Friday The day the world died John 1928 to 30 says this after this Jo Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished

Speaker#2:
00:16:28.38 – 00:16:52.289
I think that’s so interesting isn’t it Jesus is on the cross I kind of to save time I jumped way ahead and didn’t read the full accounts So just to fill in the gaps Jesus is on the cross at this moment And while he’s on the cross scripture says after this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished

Speaker#2:
00:16:53.369 – 00:16:57.38
that scripture might be fulfilled Said I thirst

Speaker#2:
00:16:58.69 – 00:17:12.02
Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there and they filled a sponge with sour wine put it on his and put it to his mouth So when Jesus had received the sour wine he said it is finished

Speaker#2:
00:17:13.489 – 00:17:14.319
and bowing his

Speaker#1:
00:17:14.329 – 00:17:16.609
head he gave up the spirit

Speaker#2:
00:17:18.229 – 00:17:20.078
I just think it’s so amazing

Speaker#2:
00:17:20.93 – 00:17:27.719
Jesus knew that all things were accomplished and then he gave up his spirit

Speaker#2:
00:17:28.579 – 00:17:33.359
Well what do you mean I mean that the world as it was

Speaker#2:
00:17:34.02 – 00:17:34.949
had died

Speaker#2:
00:17:35.459 – 00:17:37.79
that sin had been made an atonement for

Speaker#2:
00:17:39.88 – 00:17:43.109
that All that he came to accomplish was completed

Speaker#2:
00:17:43.859 – 00:17:44.93
except for the last

Speaker#1:
00:17:44.939 – 00:17:46.51
part his actual death

Speaker#2:
00:17:47.699 – 00:17:52.13
And so the very last thing he did he sealed it with his blood

Speaker#2:
00:17:54.339 – 00:17:57.089
It’s so important that we pause on Good Friday

Speaker#2:
00:17:57.64 – 00:18:01.79
to really wrestle with what happened It is

Speaker#1:
00:18:01.8 – 00:18:02.729
finished

Speaker#2:
00:18:03.339 – 00:18:06.579
it is done and it can never be undone

Speaker#1:
00:18:07.869 – 00:18:14.16
Our sins have been a tone for and there is forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ

Speaker#2:
00:18:17.089 – 00:18:27.229
And I’ve had and it was interesting because it was two people last week actually said I don’t know why we call it Good Friday It’s not Good Friday It should be called Dark Friday or Evil Friday

Speaker#1:
00:18:27.239 – 00:18:30.06
or Bad Friday Well they didn’t add those other

Speaker#2:
00:18:30.069 – 00:18:32.17
things They just said I don’t know why we call it Good

Speaker#1:
00:18:32.18 – 00:18:34.979
Friday It’s not really good Jesus died

Speaker#1:
00:18:36.76 – 00:18:38.3
It’s Good Friday

Speaker#1:
00:18:40.14 – 00:18:41.65
It is Good Friday

Speaker#2:
00:18:44.52 – 00:18:46.78
because that’s the day the wall came down

Speaker#2:
00:18:47.63 – 00:18:56.26
that’s the day sin was a tone for That was the day the prisoners went free That was the day everything turned around

Speaker#1:
00:18:57.599 – 00:19:00.78
Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world

Speaker#2:
00:19:02.68 – 00:19:05.39
I mean to let this touch our hearts

Speaker#2:
00:19:06.15 – 00:19:08.28
It’s so important that what

Speaker#1:
00:19:08.29 – 00:19:12.14
we read and what we talk about touches our hearts that

Speaker#2:
00:19:12.15 – 00:19:26.03
it gets past just an intellectual barrier but it captures our heart grips us and motivates us and becomes the driving passion of our life And it should for God so loved the world that he

Speaker#1:
00:19:26.04 – 00:19:28.319
gave his only son

Speaker#1:
00:19:30.15 – 00:19:34.17
that we might not perish but have everlasting life The world

Speaker#2:
00:19:34.18 – 00:19:36.609
was condemned and he came

Speaker#1:
00:19:37.27 – 00:19:38.54
to turn it around

Speaker#1:
00:19:40.569 – 00:19:43.81
while we were yet enemies Christ died for us

Speaker#2:
00:19:44.349 – 00:19:45.119
We don’t

Speaker#1:
00:19:45.13 – 00:19:48.5
deserve His mercy or grace We don’t

Speaker#2:
00:19:48.51 – 00:19:49.209
deserve

Speaker#1:
00:19:49.219 – 00:19:51.5
salvation That’s one

Speaker#2:
00:19:51.51 – 00:19:53.16
element of the truth

Speaker#2:
00:19:54.439 – 00:19:59.14
And what happens sometimes when we focus on that too much

Speaker#1:
00:20:00.449 – 00:20:04.42
we often continue that thought we’re not good enough

Speaker#1:
00:20:05.369 – 00:20:13.459
we’re not good enough We’re a total failure if it’s not balanced out with for God so loved the world

Speaker#1:
00:20:14.439 – 00:20:17.25
He saw some value in us He saw some

Speaker#2:
00:20:17.26 – 00:20:19.479
worth in us who for the joy

Speaker#1:
00:20:19.489 – 00:20:22.229
that was set before him endured the cross

Speaker#1:
00:20:24.63 – 00:20:25.619
for some people

Speaker#2:
00:20:25.63 – 00:20:26.77
It’s really hard to believe

Speaker#1:
00:20:26.78 – 00:20:29.01
that God could see anything good in them

Speaker#2:
00:20:29.719 – 00:20:30.699
for some people

Speaker#1:
00:20:30.709 – 00:20:33.76
It’s really hard to believe that God could actually like them

Speaker#1:
00:20:34.68 – 00:20:37.199
and enjoy to have a conversation with them

Speaker#1:
00:20:38.05 – 00:20:38.979
It’s hard for so

Speaker#2:
00:20:38.989 – 00:20:41.93
many people even to believe that God could use

Speaker#1:
00:20:41.939 – 00:20:42.38
them

Speaker#1:
00:20:44.38 – 00:20:47.28
But these are the challenges of changing the world

Speaker#1:
00:20:48.26 – 00:20:57.339
because we have to believe that He loves us We have to believe that he’s forgiven us We have to believe that he actually likes us

Speaker#1:
00:20:57.849 – 00:21:01.03
We have to believe that he’s given us his spirit

Speaker#2:
00:21:01.54 – 00:21:03.319
and that spirit is fully

Speaker#1:
00:21:03.329 – 00:21:05.54
equips us for every good work

Speaker#2:
00:21:06.54 – 00:21:11.579
So many people feel like they don’t know enough that they’re not holy

Speaker#1:
00:21:11.589 – 00:21:14.569
enough that they’re not good enough to go

Speaker#1:
00:21:16.239 – 00:21:23.589
But it’s actually the people that dare go that see that sees God works through them

Speaker#1:
00:21:24.54 – 00:21:26.17
that God is with them

Speaker#1:
00:21:26.79 – 00:21:28.5
that God does love them

Speaker#1:
00:21:29.219 – 00:21:31.77
and they experience God working through them

Speaker#1:
00:21:33.839 – 00:21:36.02
There’s a bondage even

Speaker#2:
00:21:36.03 – 00:21:37.65
in the people of God post

Speaker#1:
00:21:37.66 – 00:21:38.67
resurrection

Speaker#1:
00:21:40.4 – 00:21:43.27
when we don’t believe the truths of scripture

Speaker#1:
00:21:44.5 – 00:21:50.56
that takes the good news of the gospel and makes it bad news Does that make sense And

Speaker#2:
00:21:50.569 – 00:21:52.38
until we dare to believe the good

Speaker#1:
00:21:52.39 – 00:21:55.54
news especially right there on Good Friday

Speaker#1:
00:21:56.54 – 00:22:00.329
I know he loves me So many people wrestle with that

Speaker#2:
00:22:00.599 – 00:22:21.459
and and I get it like when you go through difficulties when you go through hardships when you go through trials when everything in your life falls apart when it seem and e even worse when you know that you messed up in the process And maybe you may be messed up a lot in the process And then you think I’m getting what I deserve

Speaker#2:
00:22:24.41 – 00:22:25.489
We wrestle

Speaker#1:
00:22:27.17 – 00:22:30.089
with the obnoxiousness of the gospel

Speaker#1:
00:22:30.89 – 00:22:35.459
yet he loves us How do I know he loves me Good Friday

Speaker#1:
00:22:37.14 – 00:22:39.14
Does God really love me Oh I

Speaker#2:
00:22:39.15 – 00:22:41.099
wish I could just know whether God loves

Speaker#1:
00:22:41.109 – 00:22:41.53
me

Speaker#1:
00:22:43.42 – 00:22:44.38
It’s history

Speaker#1:
00:22:45.68 – 00:22:46.569
Good Friday

Speaker#1:
00:22:47.38 – 00:22:48.31
He loves you

Speaker#1:
00:22:49.25 – 00:22:50.489
He’s proven it

Speaker#1:
00:22:51.869 – 00:22:55.26
He has proven it It’s historical fact

Speaker#1:
00:22:56.01 – 00:22:56.939
He loves you

Speaker#1:
00:22:58.189 – 00:22:59.319
and he’ll forgive you

Speaker#1:
00:23:00.219 – 00:23:05.42
and he delights in you He delights in you so much that He sacrificed his own life for you

Speaker#1:
00:23:06.01 – 00:23:12.03
We’ve got to let this truth seep in because when it seeps in it changes everything

Speaker#1:
00:23:12.829 – 00:23:16.719
because then the next thing is we start to realize he didn’t just die for me

Speaker#1:
00:23:17.93 – 00:23:19.64
He died for the world

Speaker#1:
00:23:20.349 – 00:23:22.14
He loves the whole world

Speaker#1:
00:23:22.93 – 00:23:25.63
and he wants the whole world to be reconciled to him

Speaker#1:
00:23:26.469 – 00:23:33.79
So Lord put your love into my heart for others put your love into my heart for a broken world that needs Jesus

Speaker#2:
00:23:34.05 – 00:23:38.579
a world that is still living out the immediate response to the fall there

Speaker#1:
00:23:38.589 – 00:23:41.53
in and ashamed and there and hiding from

Speaker#2:
00:23:41.54 – 00:23:45.079
God And God is saying Adam where are you come out

Speaker#2:
00:23:47.14 – 00:23:49.479
The world is broken and lost

Speaker#1:
00:23:52.569 – 00:23:54.43
And Jesus has made the way

Speaker#1:
00:23:55.14 – 00:24:03.18
to turn it all around and he does turn it around for every person who calls on the name of the Lord

Speaker#2:
00:24:03.959 – 00:24:24.64
There’s not a single person who calls on the name of the Lord who honestly seeks God who doesn’t find Him as it says in Hebrews we have to first believe that God exists and He rewards those who diligently seek him There’s no one who has ever put their trust in the Lord who has ever been put to shame

Speaker#2:
00:24:25.369 – 00:24:26.91
But people run from Him

Speaker#1:
00:24:27.43 – 00:24:29.609
they run from a relationship with Him

Speaker#2:
00:24:30.3 – 00:24:35.229
They they they we get all kinds of lies that makes us hide from God

Speaker#1:
00:24:36.839 – 00:24:38.16
I’m not good enough

Speaker#1:
00:24:38.709 – 00:24:44.03
I’m not worthy And those kind of people can never build a kind of community

Speaker#1:
00:24:45.28 – 00:25:07.359
that will bring light to a world in darkness because it’s not just about you having the light and me having the light It’s about a community that walks with God together so that the family and household of God so that God can bring people in and they can experience the love of God for themselves and have their lives transformed for themselves

Speaker#1:
00:25:09.829 – 00:25:19.04
People matter I think that’s one of the most important messages of good Friday Jesus died on the cross for people

Speaker#2:
00:25:19.38 – 00:25:20.089
People

Speaker#1:
00:25:20.099 – 00:25:20.8
matter

Speaker#1:
00:25:21.66 – 00:25:30.18
When we think of what has value in this world people matter most Yes Christ died to reconcile all things

Speaker#1:
00:25:30.88 – 00:25:32.979
But I tell you it was people

Speaker#1:
00:25:34.469 – 00:25:36.089
that he had in his heart

Speaker#1:
00:25:39.27 – 00:25:43.67
Go tell Mary go tell my disciples I’m alive

Speaker#1:
00:25:45.479 – 00:25:47.099
He didn’t say go find my dog

Speaker#1:
00:25:48.859 – 00:25:50.089
You see what I’m saying

Speaker#2:
00:25:50.829 – 00:25:51.77
And we’re living in a

Speaker#1:
00:25:51.78 – 00:25:53.55
world where people are

Speaker#1:
00:25:54.109 – 00:26:04.16
isolating they’re disconnecting They’re losing humanity And there we are looking at the cross and it cries out People matter

Speaker#1:
00:26:04.829 – 00:26:20.31
people matter People are the ones that feel the worst pain and the greatest joy People are the ones that need encouragement and support and people are the ones that need to celebrate together He’s designed us that way

Speaker#1:
00:26:21.78 – 00:26:23.91
But usually it’s sin

Speaker#1:
00:26:24.849 – 00:26:31.8
not trying to bring guilt but think about it Sin builds walls to disconnect people

Speaker#1:
00:26:33.25 – 00:26:35.069
to dehumanize people

Speaker#1:
00:26:35.81 – 00:26:38.359
And Christ died to tear those walls down

Speaker#1:
00:26:39.609 – 00:26:41.609
Matthew 27 50 through 50

Speaker#2:
00:26:41.619 – 00:26:48.469
two And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit You see I’m reading it from another gospel

Speaker#1:
00:26:48.479 – 00:26:52.589
account again I start in the middle Jesus is on the cross He

Speaker#2:
00:26:52.599 – 00:27:05.199
yielded up his spirit then behold the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom and the earth quake and the rocks were split This is neat History isn’t it

Speaker#2:
00:27:05.54 – 00:27:15.78
And the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the graves after his resurrection

Speaker#1:
00:27:16.5 – 00:27:20.52
This is I mean think about a movie like this right It’s pretty wild

Speaker#2:
00:27:20.75 – 00:27:28.0
They went into the holy city and appeared to many I mean that’s wild I mean sometimes you gloss over that That’s what actually happened

Speaker#2:
00:27:28.52 – 00:27:30.219
It’s pretty cool isn’t it

Speaker#2:
00:27:33.199 – 00:27:41.969
I mean some of the interesting parts where you know the earth quake and the graves were ripped open and the people came out and appeared in the city

Speaker#2:
00:27:42.849 – 00:27:44.91
But the most important thing there

Speaker#1:
00:27:45.78 – 00:27:46.9
was the temple

Speaker#1:
00:27:48.03 – 00:27:51.449
and that curtain in the temple was torn in two

Speaker#2:
00:27:52.449 – 00:27:54.5
That was the greatest

Speaker#1:
00:27:54.51 – 00:27:55.589
symbol

Speaker#1:
00:27:56.92 – 00:27:59.579
that the world that was has died

Speaker#1:
00:28:00.93 – 00:28:03.699
The world as it was is over

Speaker#2:
00:28:04.16 – 00:28:05.93
that it is finished What do you

Speaker#1:
00:28:05.939 – 00:28:06.43
mean

Speaker#1:
00:28:07.14 – 00:28:12.52
the holy of Holies in the temple And the temple on earth was a shadow of heaven

Speaker#1:
00:28:13.069 – 00:28:14.8
That’s what it tells you in Hebrews

Speaker#2:
00:28:15.329 – 00:28:19.689
and all all of the temple service in the Old Testament was just a

Speaker#1:
00:28:19.699 – 00:28:22.319
shadow of the true temple

Speaker#1:
00:28:25.13 – 00:28:34.52
in that temple on earth had a curtain between the holy of holy where the Shaina glory of God was to reside

Speaker#1:
00:28:35.13 – 00:28:36.569
We’ll just leave it there for now

Speaker#1:
00:28:37.68 – 00:28:50.199
And that curtain symbolized that the way into the Holy of Holies was shut off The way back to God was shut off That humanity was separated from God

Speaker#1:
00:28:52.839 – 00:28:53.699
from sin

Speaker#1:
00:28:55.189 – 00:28:56.65
When that curtain rent

Speaker#1:
00:28:57.54 – 00:29:06.15
it was a sign that the way to God has been made open the way of salvation had been made open

Speaker#1:
00:29:06.729 – 00:29:10.949
Everything forever changed That day

Speaker#1:
00:29:13.76 – 00:29:18.16
Lord let the weight of this reality Get hold of us

Speaker#1:
00:29:18.79 – 00:29:41.65
let it move us let it stir us I remember as a new Christian my passion when I read you like you would you know how like when you’re a new Christian and you learn things and you’re all excited and everything excites you And I learned about the glory of God that was in the holy of Holy And that if a person went in there to die and I thought boy I wish I could go I wish I could go out that way

Speaker#1:
00:29:42.219 – 00:29:44.01
That’s what I was thinking as a new CRE

Speaker#2:
00:29:44.02 – 00:29:46.06
like what a great way to go

Speaker#1:
00:29:46.219 – 00:29:56.069
Right How did you get busted I went into the Holy of Holies and boom smoke crispy critter Go straight to heaven unless you you really offended him I don’t know

Speaker#1:
00:29:56.619 – 00:29:57.15
But

Speaker#1:
00:29:58.79 – 00:30:00.229
the weight of this

Speaker#2:
00:30:00.849 – 00:30:03.589
because it was that it was that imagery that captured my

Speaker#1:
00:30:03.599 – 00:30:06.93
imagination the very glory of God The very

Speaker#2:
00:30:06.939 – 00:30:11.63
presence of God is in the holy of Holies It’s really there

Speaker#2:
00:30:12.52 – 00:30:17.75
and yes and if you go in you’ll die but you it’s there That’s where I wanna go Lord

Speaker#1:
00:30:19.06 – 00:30:19.989
wait a minute

Speaker#1:
00:30:20.81 – 00:30:21.8
The gospel

Speaker#1:
00:30:22.569 – 00:30:26.869
the way into the Holy of Holy has been made open

Speaker#1:
00:30:27.5 – 00:30:29.469
We have access

Speaker#1:
00:30:30.39 – 00:30:31.66
to experience him

Speaker#1:
00:30:32.619 – 00:30:33.77
to know him

Speaker#1:
00:30:34.949 – 00:30:37.839
in one of the greatest tragedies

Speaker#1:
00:30:38.689 – 00:30:42.469
is that we would go through forms of religion

Speaker#1:
00:30:43.41 – 00:30:45.51
and never encounter the Lord

Speaker#1:
00:30:46.359 – 00:30:54.78
Never experience our father in heaven Never let have the spirit cry out and bear witness with our spirit father daddy

Speaker#1:
00:30:57.239 – 00:31:00.0
That’s the tragedy of dead religion

Speaker#1:
00:31:01.05 – 00:31:04.06
that it has forms of Godliness with no power

Speaker#1:
00:31:04.68 – 00:31:06.709
and it doesn’t move us because

Speaker#1:
00:31:07.66 – 00:31:09.479
the spirit is just missing

Speaker#1:
00:31:10.26 – 00:31:20.229
But when the Holy Spirit is moving our hearts are touched and they’re touched deeply And when the spirit is moving we start to love one another and have compassion and have mercy and

Speaker#2:
00:31:20.239 – 00:31:21.199
we have grace The

Speaker#1:
00:31:21.209 – 00:31:27.28
Holy Spirit changes everything And when the word tells us that we have access into the holy of holy

Speaker#2:
00:31:27.29 – 00:31:31.28
then we have access into the Holy of Holies But that access

Speaker#1:
00:31:31.29 – 00:31:33.859
doesn’t do us any good If we don’t enter in

Speaker#1:
00:31:35.689 – 00:31:41.53
we have access We have the right We have the key card but we have to enter in

Speaker#1:
00:31:42.89 – 00:31:45.4
Well how do I enter in seek Him

Speaker#1:
00:31:46.479 – 00:31:47.77
And you will find Him

Speaker#1:
00:31:48.599 – 00:31:53.689
ask and you receive seek and you will find knock and the door will be opened

Speaker#1:
00:31:54.579 – 00:31:57.25
God that we serve is not a God

Speaker#2:
00:31:57.819 – 00:31:58.92
who is far away

Speaker#1:
00:31:58.93 – 00:32:01.43
But in Him we live and move and have our being

Speaker#1:
00:32:03.52 – 00:32:08.339
And if we will seek Him he will make himself known

Speaker#1:
00:32:08.859 – 00:32:15.28
It’s not maybe he will he will If anyone genuinely seeks the Lord you will find Him

Speaker#1:
00:32:15.93 – 00:32:21.15
If you’re hungry to know Him you will know Him If you ask for his holy spirit

Speaker#2:
00:32:21.16 – 00:32:22.56
you will receive

Speaker#2:
00:32:23.359 – 00:32:25.369
You don’t have to live without

Speaker#1:
00:32:25.38 – 00:32:26.229
knowing Him

Speaker#1:
00:32:27.729 – 00:32:28.54
That’s why he

Speaker#2:
00:32:28.55 – 00:32:29.26
died

Speaker#2:
00:32:29.829 – 00:32:33.79
That’s why he died So that this way to the Father would be open

Speaker#1:
00:32:33.8 – 00:32:39.729
as we were talking with pastor Mike the other couple Sundays ago our father is the very first clause of

Speaker#2:
00:32:39.739 – 00:32:40.65
the Lord’s

Speaker#1:
00:32:40.66 – 00:32:45.599
prayer Our father we want to know you You can know Him

Speaker#1:
00:32:46.51 – 00:32:51.54
And the greatest tragedy of Christianity would be going to church and not knowing Him

Speaker#1:
00:32:52.55 – 00:32:57.41
for it not leading to an encounter with him and an experience with him

Speaker#1:
00:32:58.43 – 00:32:59.479
Good Friday

Speaker#1:
00:33:00.15 – 00:33:01.52
made that way open

Speaker#1:
00:33:02.839 – 00:33:06.369
that whole world where we were cut off from God died

Speaker#1:
00:33:07.689 – 00:33:09.88
But there’s a world that was born when

Speaker#1:
00:33:10.459 – 00:33:11.51
the world died

Speaker#1:
00:33:13.329 – 00:33:16.13
Second Corinthians 5 17 through 19

Speaker#2:
00:33:16.42 – 00:33:21.25
Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation

Speaker#2:
00:33:23.069 – 00:33:39.81
old things have passed away and behold all things have become new Now all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the Ministry of Reconciliation that as God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not

Speaker#1:
00:33:39.819 – 00:33:44.25
imputing their trespasses to them and has committed to us

Speaker#1:
00:33:44.819 – 00:33:46.79
The word of reconciliation

Speaker#1:
00:33:50.16 – 00:33:51.729
Christ died

Speaker#1:
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to bring forth the new world

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in all who believe in Him it says become a new creation

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We become something completely new when we are born again

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Is that exciting

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And what that is

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is we receive the very life of Christ the new Adam

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we become something new

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And this is part of God’s reconciling the world

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And I just want to bring this idea out because he’s entrusted us the ministry of Reconciliation is it’s actually

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really if you let the weight of this come

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through

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it’s very interesting Jesus died to reconcile the whole world Well doesn’t that do it

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well Yes it did do it and it did it all and it’s inevitable

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But then he entrusted us the Ministry of reconciliation

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Wait a minute

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If you don’t believe me these principles are biblical principles God has a sense of humor doesn’t he Dwayne

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A sense of humor Hey my people Israel What’s that I’m gonna give you a promised land

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Ok God we want the promised land Oh it’s a very good land How good is it Flowing with milk and honey I want it Sign me up This is gonna be awesome He’s gonna give it to me And then through all of the journeys out of Egypt brings them to the promised land and they’re like wait a minute God there’s

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giants in the land

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and it’s occupied

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and we’re like grasshoppers in the midst of giants What do you mean Go take the land I thought you said you’re giving it to me What do you mean Go take the land

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You no God that’s not fair You said you’re giving me the land and now you’re saying go take it He says yes I’m giving you the land now go and take it

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Oh I guess I didn’t really ask you what you meant by Him giving you the land

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See what I’m saying I am giving you the land go and take it

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I’ve reconciled all things now go and reconcile them

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I have overcome all things Now Go all power and authority is yours Go

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that’s the power of Easter and the power of the resurrection But so much Christianity is sitting around waiting for you said you’re gonna give us the land

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You said you’re going to reconcile all things So what are you gonna do Well I’m gonna get my popcorn and sit down and watch it

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Nothing’s happening God why is nothing happening Because I said go

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I’m with you

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What do you mean God

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I have anointed

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you

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I have called you I am with you now Go That takes

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courage That takes faith that takes boldness that takes the Holy Spirit

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That’s what the church of Jesus Christ needs on an Easter Resurrection Sunday morning for us to wake up to this truth and go

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and that going may not mean even outside of these walls to start Well what do you mean I am so convinced in my heart from what I’ve seen in the past that when God gets a community that’s full of life and full of faith and full of love and full of boldness and full of the Holy Spirit

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the going happens And you don’t even realize it

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when we get fully alive and break down the walls and dare to believe that he loves us that he is for us that he’s torn down the wall of separation that he’s given us the same spirit that rose Christ Jesus from the dead And he’s entrusted to us this ministry of reconciliation

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revival

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breakthrough

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transformation

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divine reversal

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When we have the Holy Spirit resting on us

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all of a sudden we don’t say impossible anymore

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When faith has arisen in our hearts we literally can say my God can deliver me from the burning fiery

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furnace

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But even if He doesn’t we will not bow

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down

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when the spirit of God is on us Instead of sawing his armies in front of Goliath A little shepherd boy comes down and says today giants will fall The spirit of God is on me The same God that was with me against the lion and the bear He will prevail for against this uncircumcised pig

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Today your head

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is coming off with your own sword

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It’s not triumphalism It’s actual genuine faith that we can go and set the people free that we can go and bring people from darkness to light from bondage to liberty from death to life that God wants to make us partners in this ministry of Reconciliation

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It’s awesome isn’t it

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But it’s the Holy Spirit And if we’re lacking it we need to ask if we are discouraged If we are hopeless if we lack boldness and we need to seek him and ask and hunger and cry out to him for more

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and he’ll give it

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he will give it

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It’s incredible isn’t it To wrestle with this Easter reality

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A new world was born but it’s a seed It starts as a seed and it grows and every generation has this opportunity in their generation to see the world become more like heaven

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through the gospel of Jesus Christ or become more like hell

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because that’s what sin does

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But we have power from on high

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But so much of the church of Jesus Christ right now has lost hope

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has lost faith So much of the church of Jesus Christ expects destruction expects the triumph of sin and the triumph of devil to the devil and the triumph of evil

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We have so little expectation of the triumph

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of the gospel

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The early church really actually believed something totally

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obnoxious What’s

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that That we’re gonna go and turn them from the darkness

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to the light from the power of the devil to the power of God

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We get stuck arguing eschatology When we really need to be challenged with Easter Sunday

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we need to be challenged with resurrection power We have to be challenged with this idea that we can go that he’s placed this treasure in these jars

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of clay

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But then once you become convinced of that you say ok well what’s the

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strategy Lord

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with the strategy is simple

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build my house

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It’s really actually quite simple Love one another

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the great Apostle John love one another

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It’s actually a horrible thing Love one another

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Rejoice always

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and give thanks in all circumstances Have hope have joy righteousness

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peace and joy

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Wow What a horrible kingdom

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My sarcasm is awful

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But think about it like ok I’m sold I’m bought in sign me up Lord I wanna go Where do you want me to go

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start in

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Jerusalem

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Love one another

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Build up my

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house That was a challenge that that that God gave their profit You’re all busy building your house and the house of God lies in ruins But if we want to win the world for Jesus Christ we’ve got to build a house to

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bring the people in

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Right

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That’s the first challenge of the gospel Build them a house

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Why Because you don’t

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want to have kids

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without a house

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you have to have somewhere to bring them so that you can have food together and have conversation together and be together

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and grow together and love

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one another

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Build my house

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That’s what I’m excited

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about what God is

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doing at life springs right now because I can see it

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and it’s happening

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from internal motivation rather than external forms

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because there’s a machinery that can be put in place in the in Christianity

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and we can do a lot and that machine can do some things

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But if we’re really

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genuinely honest what is satisfying is when our hearts are brought in

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What is also satisfying is when

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we know that in the midst of it what I’m longing for is genuine connection

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in relationship

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and fellowship

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to be seen to be loved to be appreciated

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It’s really kind of simple isn’t it Beloved love one another Hey great Apostle John What are you gonna what do you want us to What do you want to tell us today Love one another Got it next day What do you want us to know Great Apostle John Love one another OK Yeah I heard it all before John next day What do you want us to know Love one another John Come on don’t you have any other message Beloved love one another Literally

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it’s how we build

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transformation begins in the house of God We’ve got to get beyond forms of Godliness without power

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We have a if I was so now we’ll put the law on You gotta have a little guilt in church Right Here’s your guilty law Here is your law You need to connect with God and enjoy him

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and you need to connect with each other

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We think about it

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It’s it’s almost obnoxiously simple isn’t it Pastor Mike

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But we need to love the Lord celebrate life celebrate Easter celebrate resurrection celebrate his spirit But remember that Christ died for people

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and he cares about people

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and he loves people

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and he wants all people to come to know Him

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He doesn’t want to rub their face in their own

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dirt

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He wants to bring him out of the dirt

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like the pro and welcome them home

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and he’s entrusted us to go out and find the pros and welcome them home

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He says build me a home for my protocols

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build me a home for them to come and love them When I send them to you care for them celebrate them weep with those who weep rejoice with those who rejoice

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live your stories together

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Part of his story

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Ministers of reconciliation That’s really what Easter is about isn’t it

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It’s a whole new world where the rule of love can reign where righteousness can reign where we can experience God and love him and love one another We’re no longer in bondage to fear no longer in bondage to sin no longer in bondage to anything

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We are free to love one another

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If we’ve got walls up in our hearts that we push people away then we need healing

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and He has it for you

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If we are afraid to connect with people if we have lost that love for people he wants those walls coming down

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He has healing

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He has forgiveness He has grace

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The gospel really we say it again and again is a worldwide liberation movement

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But it begins by building our lives and building our community

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on the authenticity

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of a real relationship with God the Father fellowship with Him

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with his son Jesus Christ

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with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit

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And we remember that the number one thing

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in God’s agenda

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is love one another

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all healings all miracles all answers to prayer

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are not the goal not the end They are just a means to love one another and to experience his love

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all ministry all being used by God All great wisdom and tongues of angels and tongues of men

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They are just means for what to love one another

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because that’s how we love God

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And he’s given us the power of the resurrection this morning

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to do it

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That’s majoring on the majors Remembering what Easter is all about Christ died to reconcile us

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Now go

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and reconcile the world I’m giving you that ministry Go with my grace go with my power Wake up throw off doubt throw off discouragement Throw off every weight that weighs you down I’m telling you learn to discern what is alive and what is dead and stay away from the dead things How do I know they’re dead Because they rob me of life They rob me of joy they rob me of peace they rob me of hope

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The ultimate proof is they rob me of the power to love others

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that means dead Things are lurking about

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and God doesn’t want us to feel guilty about it He just wants us to walk away from them

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Every thought that robs you of life every desire

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everything

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that hinders that flow of God’s love into your heart and his love out through you

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is dead

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We get those things out of the way and you’ll see how incredible the power of the resurrection is when the things that are stopping the flow of resurrection power are removed simply by changing our mind usually

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changing our perspective changing our attitude

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And how do I know how to find it

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Make love your aim and you’ll find it

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What do you mean Most of the dead things are so and so’s a jerk

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God Where are you I can’t find you You keep calling him a jerk Oh yeah Maybe maybe that’s dead Lord You love that person Lord put your love in my heart for them Oh I’m alive again

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See how simple it is Learn to recognize the things that are dead and the things that are alive

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and you’ll see this Easter resurrection power

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working through you

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Amen Pastor Mike