October 2, 2016

We're in the series talking about discipleship essentially and we're talking about the basics of it to follow believe and Obey and the past couple of weeks. We've talked about Jesus command to follow me the Simplicity of that that you when you look at the gospels that that's Jesus invitation to follow is the first invitation. He gives not only in order but in priority, that's the first thing he says to so many that he encounters. Hey, follow me. You don't see this pattern where the first thing he says is hey, you need to study. You need to believe some certain doctors. We got to lay out this for all here. You got to get or you need to repent you need to change all these things about your life and get right with God and then follow me. He just offers this simple invitation when he encounters others, follow me. So it's not only chronologically the first thing that happens, but it's the first thing in terms of priority. That's what he asked of us first and foremost. I think that's an important point because sometimes I think we we move the order of those things around. Sometimes we think we know what before I can follow Jesus. I've really got to learn and understand and and gain the right knowledge and believe all the right things and understand them correctly. You think we sometimes make that mistake can you relate to that have there ever been Christian churches who get in the mode of thinking well, as soon as we get everything understood properly then we will take action ever done that in your own life you ever decide I'm going to pray more but I need to start by studying prayer and understanding prayer better and then I will get around to praying more or I need to evangelize. I need to witness to my neighbors, but I don't know how to do that. So as soon as I acquire that new knowledge that new understanding do you ever have issues in your life where you buy a book or a table? Grandma's coming on your Market on your DVR. You think all this will be the one that finally helps me cook and lose weight. This will be the one that finally helps me get my finances in order. You never ever do that ever make the mistake of the first step. is 2 and you ever discover that you can turn that into a lifestyle even a lifetime of always getting ready and never going. I mean has anybody and I say this because I'm in this category. I'm spent years planning on losing some weight and getting in shape relate to that not months. Here's for years. I've intended I plan. I bought the newest book or Dieter or long for the great exercise machine in the infomercial in thought all if I could just have that I bought a treadmill recently and it is holding coats and jackets quite nicely. We know what I'm talking about. Don't we that we went we can slip in that mode of always getting ready and never going that someday maybe thought in our mind and just keep everything on some Batman intend to learn a second language. I've been going to Mexico and doing Mission work since 1986. And I've intended to learn Spanish since 1986 ask me if I speak Spanish.

No, I do not. Yeah, no, hablo espanol. That's all I can say is I don't speak Spanish isn't that sad that we slipping? This mold filters Beauty and wisdom in in Christ invitation to be a disciple were the first thing he says to us. It's a follow me. Let's just go. Let's just get going but I've got a first I've got to go no, no, no, no. No, just let's go. Wait. Let me take care of this, but I'm not good enough. No, no, no just come. I haven't got everything in order to no. No, no just follow me. That's the beauty of the invitation that it has that sort of priority only that it's personal. He doesn't invite us that this we got to understand these things like simple truth, but we get it wrong. He does not invite us to a system to some sort of detached system because if he did then we would need to learn and study and get all this knowledge before we could ever take the very first step of following him, but he invites us to him. Now he has the authority that me to invite us to him when he doesn't have it. Well, there's this that you know, you got to learn a couple things and then we'll figure it up. If you could just get that in order if you could just he has the authority to say. Hey you Follow me. That's the beauty of the invitation to discipleship that Christ makes it that simple follow me as we go deeper and following him. There are things that change things that we learn things that we understand but we get the order wrong when we think the burden is on us to get certain things in place before we can ever take that first step. Here's why this is an important life to unravel and get rid of it is in the following of Christ that he begins to work in our life in such a way that we can do those other things going to send a logic of that. But if the officer gets in her head and convinces us that we must do certain things first before we can take that first step to follow him. Then he will lock us into this Perpetual procrastination of our spiritual life and we will go to church we will go to Bible study. We will do things for decades but never encounter the living Christ in such a way that our hearts and lice or transform and therefore that we transform our city our nation our world. Is it possible that the past few decades in the life of the church in North America that we've slipped into this? Let's get ready first and then we will go and we missed the beauty in the Simplicity of Christ invitation. That is universal to it's unibraze to everyone to everyone to anyone. We talked about that the past few weeks Matthew and I it was a corrupt government official think about it. I just occurred to me this week. We can relate to that maybe more than I ever thought of the past few weeks. Is there anybody in lower standing with our current culture than someone who is perceived as an established corrupt politician? I mean right now across the board what you could unify. Most of the voter base in North America around is the idea that we hate corrupt politician everybody from every party from every world view from every camp for every conviction. If you said what do you think about corrupt politicians? I got? No, I don't like them. No good and and Matthew is that person? He's this corrupt Authority. He stands were wrong. That's a pressing Israel that's occupying them and demanding taxes. And so Jesus illustration, you can find example after example on the gospel that hip his invitation to follow. It's just that simple It is just that gracious and it's to everyone and anyone. Now against the we make the mistake of thinking there are some people that we just can't really invite the church.

invite the Jesus to make a mistake of thinking when I let one person might be a candidate but I have to talk to them about some stuff first. We have to get some things and you don't have to tell me there be a few things before I could even invite him into my home or before I can invite him to my Sunday school for my last garage or before I can talk to him about Jesus. We can make that mistake that it's not really Universal. You got to fit a certain. There's a certain, you know. Folks we want here in the fuse next to us or that we want to spend time with unpacking the gospel. Maybe we don't experience the power of the Gospel in North America sometimes because we don't actually follow the path that Christ has laid out for us this model of this priority of just sang follow me and I'm inviting people not you know what sometimes we say follow us, right follow us invite people to follow Jesus. As if he can't do that directly that he needs us where the go-between you can't get directly to it. Okay that you're not going to see the likes of you you you got to come through me as much as we sometimes as Protestants criticized the Catholic system with free sometimes we make sure all of our cells priests and we stand between others and Jesus because we want to say what you really need to do is follow me. You need to come to church like me you need to dress like me. You need to vote like me. You need to like the same kind of worship music that I like. Holy cow. Do we set up a certain culture and invite people to beat like us? As opposed to inviting them directly to Jesus Christ to follow him. But what do they got tattoos all over them and they like all kinds of music that I don't like and they're going to come in and say let's do it this way.

Then we just want invite them. Well, we Robert you're being too hard on us, but here's the test to most churches in North America look alike on Sunday morning.

Look around.

Are we all pretty similar?

Wake me up. We slip away for the Simplicity of Christ sang to us. It's just a simple as follow me follow me and our invitation. Jesus will handle the people that start following him. Okay, we don't have to worry about it being last too much. If I invite Gary he's so different than everybody else in our group. He's going to come and want us to read the Bible and raise and get to know and it's just going to be here and get somebody else in that spot flipped our burden is to invite any at all to say follow Jesus. And let his Spirit his presence work among us as that happens. And sometimes we over managed in such a way that we all choke off. Maybe the growth that God wants in our own life. in our churches So it's important to understand the Simplicity of discipleship that Jesus says follow me and that that's that's us making disciples. Thank somebody else will follow Jesus.

Jesus is a reason resurrected Living Lord. Amen. So when we say somebody want to follow Jesus, he's really there. He's really there for them to follow. Sometimes we act like he's not only feel like I got to climb inside this person's life and make sure they know all their sins. Make sure they know what they got to stop doing if they're going to come to church make sure that you know, I don't want to be the one that brought that person and they do that right in the middle of a robin. The person you invited Jesus and try to manage it all ourselves. And the Simplicity is he asked us to follow him.

And when we are making disciples it's as simple as asking others to follow Jesus. That's important understand that and that is universal. There's an order to it as radicals. It sounds to us. It sounded just as radical to the first who heard from Jesus John rights at this way for the law was given through Moses. And that's that was the establish way. There was a law there was a system. We had the Jews what they had it figured out just the way you and I long to have it figured out our own Hearts. There were some who were in and some who were out and we could have been if I somehow we can look it up for that person that I have to worry about that. They can never come to synagogue. They can never Matthew. For example, he's at because he's a he's already disqualified himself. I can walk right by I don't have a clear system. They had it all figured out this law in Jesus came and overturn that car and changed everything. changed everything The Jews had taken God's plan is really taking God's plan in the Old Testament, and they had corrupted it LO. No one wants to talk to him about Jesus. It's probably mine last time there was a phone ringing member. I have my own laying on the front Pew so pictures you don't have to feel guilty at all because I've done the same thing. But sometimes we understand this system that that that the Jews had the system that they trusted it worked. Well, it kept things in order in Jesus came and turn it all over and John rice later for the law was given through Moses Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God but the one and only son who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the father has made him known. the challenge is Jesus changed everything to the point where the issue for us is not how long we've been a Christian weather have good standing the right Heritage with my family grew up in the church or not. It's not how much you know, it's not how often you attend church. The question is are you following Jesus? Are you following Christ? And that's that Simplicity is what Jesus came to bring when there was this whole system under the Jewish system. He came and turned up that whole system over. I mean the radicalness that he would say in communion with the disciples in at the end of Luke when he says this is the New Covenant. I mean the disciples I must have just blown their mouth. How can you say that we are people of the Covenant we we we we got to Covenant God is already laid out this relationship. And for Jesus to come and say here is the New Covenant was this radical statement and to say the way people will relate to God now is this simple it's this simple follow me.

They don't even have a system, you know, when Jesus was making disciples and the church was following him and asked they didn't have the rest of the New Testament Bound in a book where they could open it up. If all you got to do page 18 here now, you're not doing that. You're not getting it, right. They just had this trust and this faith in the person of Jesus Christ. And they were following him. And it's still the same today. That's the essence of what it means to be a disciple. To follow Jesus Christ you may or may not be in good standing with your church. There's some churches that to be following Jesus would put you in bad standing.

Understand what I'm saying. I've been in some of those churches.

So that that's not the ultimate question. Am I in good standing with my church. Am I in good standing with my Christian Community? The question is am I following Jesus? Am I trusting him? Not trusting a certain Doctrine not trusting that I believed in a certain Doctrine not trusting that I've gotten all my doctor accused in order and I'll check the boxes and that sort of stuff but I am I trusting Jesus Christ. Am I following him as a living Lord?

That was the New Testament understanding of what it meant to be a disciple and I had this brand Insight when I was thinking about this this week following leads somewhere. In that just gold. I thought I'm a genius. But when I was thinking about what does it mean to follow Jesus? I thought you don't want if we are following Jesus. It leads somewhere. So one passed as to whether I'm really following Jesus. Is am I going somewhere is it leading somewhere in my life or have I backed off and settled for routine and ritual where instead what I'm doing is I'm being faithful to assistant. I've been faithful to church attendance. I've been faithful to getting all my doctor incorrect. I'm being faithful to having, you know, the right courtesies and proper external mannerisms and he's a nice young man excetera that young was a gracious word that I threw into that self-description there. But sometimes we can we can we can exchange following Christ for the security and the safety of just slipping into a routine of being a good Christian being a good church member being faithful to The Establishment. I'm there every time the doors are open. That's not the question. Is it the question is are you following Jesus? Is he this living presence in your life? Is he this Living Lord for you hearing from him. Are you being convicted about how you treat people about what you do with your money. Don't you hate it when you have money in the Lord kind of preacher heart and says, you should get that away. I've been saving that for something and holy spirit does says yeah, but you should just give that a person needs to mind. You should know. I'm just being honest I've argued with the holy spirit before he's told me to do something go talk to that person give more than you planned on giving open up this conversation about witnessing and I've just sat there and I'm on and I've had a hundred reasons why I'm busy I've got to go for this will change my next appointment. I've got this to do that to do. The invitation is to follow Christ. And if we follow Christ it leads somewhere.

Here's where my system starts messing up.

Well now was there really?

John chapter 5 of the reference about the disciples following Jesus and their belief increasing

is it on there?

What does what does skip it? What is skip it in John chapter 5 you see this you see this pattern model, which we normally don't think about but the pattern is that following leads to increased belief and like I said earlier we often think of the other way around I I need to get my belief in order. I need to shore up my face and then when I get enough faith, I will take a step to follow Jesus but the pattern in the gospel. Jesus says the people follow me and then as they follow him their face or their belief in Greece's so as there with him as they're taking risks as they see him. He'll other is a senior answer questions about who did wrong. This man is blind or his parents. She said that the wrong way to think about God and explains it to their faith continues to increase so that in John chapter 6, you got this long sermon such a radical sermon by Jesus that many get up and leave and he declares the truth. Look I am the way to God you got to come to me. There's no other way everything you think about God and the Old Testament and the Covenant and all those contracts and agreements and you knew this and I'll do that these transactions these exchanges with God. Jesus says, it's all gone baby. It is all gone its history. I'm the way now when you call me you are following God the Father you are righteous before God because of me it was such a radical sermon that people laughed until he turned his disciples and he said are you going to quit following me too? And Peter said where else would we go? I think it's 69 John 64609 where Peter says we have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God. Now that's following in their life LED somewhere that following led to increased belief until we talk about discipleship. It begins with the Simplicity of that invitation. Follow me, but that following leads somewhere as you follow Jesus as your alongside him as you see what he does in his we read the gospels and see how he lives I treat others what he teaches then beliefs are out of the life and teachings the death burial and resurrection of Christ. That's how the New Testament concluded or came to their teachings or their doctrines. They were based on the reality of Jesus Christ. Now, I know that sounds simple but there's an important reason that I say it that way it wasn't just Doctrine. It wasn't just let's go to the Old Testament and pull out something put together something inside recent this interesting if you believe the right thing you'll be in a standing with God. It was a person it was the life. The living the actions the Miracles the death the bear off the resurrection of Christ these historical realities are what birthed Christianity. Our faith is not based on Purely teachings of men or scriptures or profits or doctrine Scarface is based on the reality that Jesus Christ came and lived and talked and before Miracles and died and Resurrected. And when that happened the church was born. This whole new way of understanding our relationship with God and understanding how we live our life 1st Corinthians 15. Paul talks about this. The first 5 versus the 1st Corinthians 15. This is one of the oldest passages we have. in Scripture

Paul talks about what the gospel is C we produced The Gospel and some and some ways in modern times. We reduce the gospel to A Plan of Salvation. I don't miss hear me. There is a Plan of Salvation and I believe in the Plan of Salvation. But sometimes we reduced the gospel to this Plan of Salvation. If you believe these five things you can follow the Romans road if you get the right thing and then you're good. But that's really not the gospel. The gospel is organically and insufferably tied to Jesus Christ. To his birth to his life to his teachings to his death choose Barrel to the resurrection. It's time together in such a way that you can never separated and then our understanding of God working through the Life of Christ to bring about salvation for those who follow Christ. That's the Plan of Salvation. Yes, but sometimes we almost separated and make it just this little Romans road, you know until we going to witness that way until our Christianity can become this thing that we isolate from the Bible itself. We ovulate from The Meta Narrative of the Bible that God is working in the world from the very beginning. He created everyone and so he wants to redeem and restore that Brokenness that sin Braun of the world. He wants to reconcile and he's doing that through Christ and inviting us to continue its but sometimes we just jettison all that it becomes all about me and Jesus. And it did it. Did you know if your dad's not you know for sure you going to have him it's all about me getting my salvation order got that notice and then we find it easier to go on with our life. Because I got that little doctor no moment taken care of. So we damaged the gospel when we over isolate the Plan of Salvation swimming to look at what the New Testament says. We got to let it be our Authority. Paul says in 1st Corinthians 15 now, I would remind you Brothers and Sisters of the good news that the word for gospel that I Proclaim to you which interns you received and which also you stand we talked about this last week a little bit The Gospel is not only what saves us it's what we continue to walk in. So the same Grace that allows me to follow Christ the very first time I hear the story and I accept him that Grace is there Ten Years Later 20 years later 30 years later when I'm trying to follow him and some days I fail or when I'm getting you inside something all I've been doing this wrong. I got to do this at a level that Grace is still there. And that's exactly what Paul was talking about. Now. I would remind you Brothers and Sisters of the good news that I Proclaim to you which you in turn received and which you also stand do also which you are being saved. If you hold firmly to the message, that's the gospel again that I Proclaim to you unless you have come to believe something else or believe in vain for a hand it to you as of first importance what I in turn head Perceived as it was not something Paul invented something he made up his not some doctrine that he conjured up. He's telling you look this is what I received. This is something that I'm passing on. This is a good and trustworthy tradition. Here's what he says that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures and that he appeared to cephas and it continues to go on a name that he appeared to the 12 and a 502 Paul himself. That is the gospel that Christ died and that he was resurrected and that he lives now that he's appeared to others and as a result of that gospel salvation is available to all who will believe but the gospel isn't our understanding of the Plan of Salvation. We're the only thing we do is assert to the right belief. The gospel is Jesus Christ his life death burial and resurrection of the Living Lord. So the gospel to be in with God is to follow Jesus Christ. It can never just be some sort of set separate doctrinal commitment. I believe the right things. I belong to the right church. I even behind the right wife didn't the Jews behind the right way. Then the Pharisees hate the right way and Jesus said love you even know the scriptures and yet you search him and you don't find me. It's always this Living Faith where we follow Jesus Christ. Romans 3 if I can pull this versus up from memory here. I'm sorry. Oh good. Thank you. Chris Paul doing the same thing in Romans. He sang look at somebody. Who knows the Life of Christ who encountered The Living Lord and Christ came the things that he taught the things that he did his death is Barrel his resurrection these unfolded that they resolved everything that God had always been trying to do from Genesis 1 and Genesis 1 forward God's plants. He tried to work through Israel. He tried to get them to be this Plan of Salvation. But again, and again, they killed the very prophets that he sent he had to play with them again and again and again until finally he sent his own son to resolve everything to be the plan for salvation. Everything in scripture is resolved in Christ. Paul says it this way in Corinthians. He says every promise of God is a what in Christ. It's a yes. That's why I'm Philippians 2 Paul says Jesus Christ is Lord. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess weather is up in heaven or below the heavens anywhere on the face of the Earth. Jesus Christ is Lord. He's the Messiah. He's God's fulfillment of everything. So when Paul saw that unfolded look at the kind of conclusions you draw in Romans 3. He says it looks but now a part from the law the righteousness of God has been made known to which the law and the prophets testify. Listen. What do you mean apart from what song is impossible to have a righteousness apart from the law is righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe there's no difference between Jew and Gentile for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And so again in a world where there was a distinction between Jew and Gentile where made a difference whether you were born of the the nation of Israel or the race of Israel. It made a difference in your standing or relationship. Jesus comes and makes this radical statement this teaching that there's no longer any difference. Between Jew or Gentile slave or free Greek or Barbarian. Paul says in Galatians 5. But it's all a matter of believing in Christ. I'm sorry. Let me change it. It gets my mind off all track hear the righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe the reason it's all he's going to say that in just a moment. There's no difference between Jew and Gentile for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The reason is for all who believe it's because all who need Everyone needs everyone has sinned and fallen short and since all have sinned and fallen short, then the good news. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is offered to all without any distinction whatsoever. All her backup get my train of thought here. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all are Justified freely by the grace through the Redemption that came through Jesus Christ. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement. The atonement has occurred. There's no more systems. We have to honor if there's no more covenants. We have to obey other than the New Covenant with Christ. There's no more special understanding or Insight or geography or prophecies that we got to get dressed right atonement has been accomplished through Jesus Christ God presented as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of blood to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness because in his forbearance had left the sins committed before hand on unpunished and he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time. So so as to be the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus Christ to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus Christ, meaning that God could not simply say, you know what let's just say that sends Nazi. Let's just say that's all okay, give everybody say that kind of question to you. Why can't God just forgive everybody.

Do you think that's a good question you ever get asked that question? Why can't God just say no big deal? Everybody's in I'm just going to be at Universal list. Everybody's in. he would not be just if you ever seen Injustice in the world

Have you seen anybody? Who's been a victim in this world? Have you have you read history? I mean Hitler's the prime example, but we have Pedophiles and corrupt politicians and corrupt CEOs and dishonest police and dishonest citizens and dishonest everybody, right?

Could you really live in a world where God said? No big deal. It's all good. So his kids a few times. What's the big deal?

We understand because we have the imprint of God in a heart. We understand what Injustice is. We we naturally if we if we saw something happens, we would just jump up without even when restaurants safety. This ain't no not you you got to stop that. Someone is going to make that can't happen. We shouldn't live in a world where children starve to death at night. They shouldn't be that way. There's enough food. So there is such a thing as Injustice, right? And I don't want a God who says. Everybody's just forgiven. And that's exactly what Paul is talking about. God needed to be just and he stayed true that they also chose to be the justifier. Does something has to happen this has to be made right? Punishment has to occur justification has to happen. And so God stepped in. Christ was God In the Flesh. Took on our sins went to the Cross died on our behalf died on behalf of everyone.

The death on the cross was for everyone. The only ones who won't receive the benefit of Christ's death on the cross or those who reject it. Are those who hear the gospel understand the invitation and they rejected and God will honor their personhood. Allowed in that decision but Christ death on the cross was God's provision of Justice in this in just world for everyone. That's exactly what that's why it's so Universal. Some people say, you know Christianity is too small. It's too narrow would say what are you talkin about the God who created the universe and everyone in it step down from the Throne of Heaven itself and went on the cross himself and died for everyone. So that anyone this is what the scripture says again against anyone who call upon the name of Jesus can be safe. There's no exception. There's no exception doesn't matter whether you're Jew or Gentile doesn't matter whether you're some despicable tax collector doesn't matter who you are or what you've done the gospel offers salvation to all It's a Paul says God did this to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time. So as to be just and the one who justifies those who trust in Jesus.

William we'll finish with this cuz it without notice if I just keep going will be here till 1.

the better we understand How the gospel works? The Jesus came and his first and simple invitation is follow me. But he discards all the obstacles that used to exist between humanity and God that he's even provided for sin to be covered at the obstacle. That would normally keep humanity and God apart. the better we understand that Simplicity and just take him up on his invitation where he says follow me then the deeper we will go and believing in who Christ is because it's in our experience of the reality of the Risen Christ that our faith increases

Think about that for a moment are there people and where their Pharisees who spent years and years studying the scriptures. And somehow they still missed Jesus Christ. So and they spent years and years practicing as much perfect obedience as they could muster up. It's older life demonstrate for us that simply pursuing The Path of Knowledge alone doesn't guarantee our faith link Ruiz. I don't misunderstand me pursuing knowledge knowing the Bible learning the Bible all awesome and good things that we should do. I don't want to hear from anyone later. It will be said we're not supposed to do the Bible or the Bible is not important did not say that I'm not saying that But when we make that the first priority when we make it an end in and of itself as if Christ isn't even part of it are present when it becomes part of our religion that we are people of the book in Jesus. Mary may not be present in our heart. Then we go down a path that short-circuits the power of God in our lives. So the better we understand the simple reality that Jesus says follow me and he's provided the way and we can simply follow him spend it all struggles and all imperfect knowledge at all, don't you?

There's people that are kept from Christ because they believe the lies that they've got to have a certain type of clothing to show up at church on Sunday morning, They've got our own a Bible already when I got to know certain things because we know certain things and they stay away from Salvation is Created this false culture. That's if he's got to get certain things in place before. You're welcome and it's a lie. And it hurts us to I'm not saying this like I'm mad at everyone in the room. We keep ourselves away from God cuz we think will I ever since and then you kind of dragged around and mope for days cuz you think I need to punish myself a few days of wine. Go back in the presence of God. We punish yourself with these false understanding that somehow it's up to us. And Jesus says look Follow Me by providing the way it's as simple as I say, thank you and following Jesus and knowing that the same Grace that saved us is what continues to be what we stand in as Paul says in 1st Corinthians 15, and so we can follow him and mess up and follow again and mess up and follow again, and it's in the following. And taking those Steps of Faith. And Trust in Christ with our money with our relationship with our marriage with our families with our witnessing. It's in that following that we experience more of the living Christ and our faith and our belief grow stronger and I'm telling you when you've experienced it when you mix. The love of Christ for giving you personally because you can best confess your sins that becomes a rock-solid conviction. Not just what I went to this great Sunday school and the teacher had this great lesson and I went to it for a whole year Straits and I took all my notes and I've got my notebook And I memorized the lessons that's great and good awesome thing to do, but it becomes so much more powerful when you personally call out to Christ and confess your sins and you know his forgiveness. Do you think that changes the level at which I speak to somebody who says to me or Ami, I just I've got all kinds of sins and I just don't know the Lord can forgive me. Do you think because I've been before the Lord broken as a man who's done things that I knew were wrong and I still do them. You think it's more powerful when I can say to that person cuz I know personally that the Lord forgives. It's not based on fact that I'm a pastor or I study or I wear a button-up shirt or I'm at church. Every time the doors are open. It's based on the grace of the Lord and therefore it's available for anyone until I can say without any hesitation or doubt that anybody who calls upon the name of the Lord can be saved. So the more we brace that Simplicity of following the more are on faith grows and the more our faith grows the more we can follow the more we can obey the more we say, you know what Jesus has been here for me in the past. And I know he will be here in the future again. Don't mishear me there's X and which and it's a good thing that we follow and we trust because of what we've studied and what we know in scripture and we may not have arrived at that point our life to experience that particular truth personally, but there's times in which we say I may not know but I trust because I read about it in the license of the heroes in scripture. I've heard about it and testimonies at church. I've read about it in the life of Paul and we trust and believe because of that. the goal is to the goal is for us to be like the people in scripture and then

The church should be a group of people whom somebody could pin letters about. And those letters would include moments of us trust in God and people being saved and miracles occurring.

Give her long to be like the early church.

Stuff that happens in the early church. We don't see a lot of that in North America today do we

And that is not the goal is for us to be like that to have that sort of abandon to trust God. It begins to work in our life and what will pick up next week on what it means to obey and go deeper in this direction. But even the very beginning it begins to work in our life and we see that fruit pan out and I'm going to buy the worship team to come for it's a simple as as as as truce like this forgiving people find it easier to forgive. Does that make sense to you? The more we accept the invitation to follow Christ in the more our faith grows in the conviction that he has indeed provided for our forgiveness the more we understand with Clarity and conviction the reality of the Cross and what Paul was saying in Romans that this was a whole new way of relating the gods that God has provided a righteousness apart from the law off and now it's available for those who trust in Christ for that conviction goes the more we know what Romans 8:1 says, there's no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus the more we know that forgiveness and embrace it personally. Then the more we become people who can forgive others and then I want Jesus taught so often the gospel see what they looked there was this guy who is forgiven much and then he went out and he forgave a little and he said he's not giving it something wrong there that does not compute. We need to be people who understand and embrace and affirm the truth of what God has done through Christ on the cross. That's as for what it means to be a Christian and a core part of that truth is we've been forgiven and if we've been forgiven what should happen in our life, that should bear the fruit of us becoming more forgiving people. So following Christ lead somewhere.

if I'm following Christ I should be growing in the direction of becoming a more forgiving person.

If there's somebody that I'm holding a grudge against if there's somebody that I don't forgive. Then I need to go back to the very beginning point and say Jesus help me follow you a little better today. Help me see you in the gospels in the way you forgave help me be reminded of the fact that you forgiven me. We're going to do that and your mama took communion. And that amazing that Jesus said I tell you what. Every time you get to get there. Then you know us better than we know ourselves. You guys need to do this. Every time you get together every time you get together. Get some bread get some juice break the bread drink the juice and do this in remembrance of what I have done for you. so every week invites us to remind ourselves of what he did. So that sometimes I need it everyday sometimes I don't forgive people who cut me off in traffic. I'm here. I'm supposed to be a pastor and there's times when I shouldn't invest too much. I'll just be vague about an email to get ever get mad when you're driving your car.

Your old accounts appear in your heart where I've been forgiven of so much so much. I won't let this guy who cut me off two blocks back. I'm not forgiving him. I will stay in this spot forever. I'll go to the other side of the city. Not even where I was going on my destination to make sure this guy pay some sort of price for what it is. We slipping. Listen that guy not even aware that he'd cut me off who's really being hurt by that.

I meet up with something sometimes with the Lord says look like going that I've forgiven you so much. I forgiven you so much. It works the same way with love and acceptance the way God's love his mercies are new every morning as limitation says what he shows us that Grayson that acceptance he invites us to know that true so deeply that it transforms how we treat others that transforms how we behave but we become people who been forgiven so much that we can't imagine sign to somebody else. That's okay. I understand. I've been forgiven. I mean you ever think you've ever cutting my off.

You've never made the decision to follow Jesus. I bought you to do that this morning. It's that simple. There's so many things will never get workout 100% You have to start sometime start this morning. We'll all learn together and walk together and figure out answers and stuff as we go along but do not put off the decision to follow Jesus. If you know in your heart he is inviting you to follow him say yes to that decision. And for all of us, let's renew that decision to follow him to listen to him to hear from him to extend to others what he extends to us right now, except we're going to celebrate his grace and his forgiveness that's immediately a challenge for me to extend his grace and forgiveness to others this week. Please stand as we sing Our Song of invitation.