1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:26,620 Well, good morning everyone and a very happy Mother’s Day to you all. 2 00:00:26,620 –> 00:00:31,000 If you’re visiting today there always a good number of people who visit church on Mother’s 3 00:00:31,000 –> 00:00:34,240 Day, just delighted that you are here with us. 4 00:00:34,240 –> 00:00:37,419 You are so very, very, very welcome. 5 00:00:37,419 –> 00:00:45,959 I want to speak today as clearly and as simply as I can about what it means to have faith 6 00:00:45,959 –> 00:00:48,599 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 7 00:00:48,599 –> 00:00:53,580 So please open your Bible at Matthew chapter 16 that has been read for us. 8 00:00:53,580 –> 00:00:59,799 We’re returning to our series on Peter and we saw earlier this year that Peter is a person 9 00:00:59,799 –> 00:01:01,320 just like us. 10 00:01:01,320 –> 00:01:04,300 He’s a mass of contradictions. 11 00:01:04,300 –> 00:01:08,800 On the one hand he’s a committed follower of Jesus and yet he keeps questioning what 12 00:01:08,800 –> 00:01:10,680 Jesus says. 13 00:01:10,680 –> 00:01:13,540 On the one hand you see him launching out in faith. 14 00:01:13,540 –> 00:01:18,339 On the other hand, you find him being held back by fear. 15 00:01:18,459 –> 00:01:24,139 Sometimes he speaks with wisdom that only God could give and other times he speaks like 16 00:01:24,139 –> 00:01:27,160 he’s possessed by the devil. 17 00:01:27,160 –> 00:01:33,959 Well I’ve called this series authentic discipleship because in the life of Peter, you have a true 18 00:01:33,959 –> 00:01:39,400 picture of what the life of a disciple of Jesus really looks like. 19 00:01:39,400 –> 00:01:43,459 Authentic discipleship has it’s failures as well as it’s successes. 20 00:01:43,540 –> 00:01:49,519 And that is why this story is full of hope because the work of Jesus in the life of Peter 21 00:01:49,519 –> 00:01:57,139 really shows what Jesus can do through flawed disciples like us. 22 00:01:57,139 –> 00:02:03,500 We looked at Peter’s calling, the marvelous story of a miraculous catch of fish where 23 00:02:03,500 –> 00:02:07,120 Peter sees something of the glory of Jesus. 24 00:02:07,120 –> 00:02:13,440 And he sees how great Jesus is, he becomes aware of his own sins and his many failures. 25 00:02:13,440 –> 00:02:18,899 And he says, Lord depart from me because I am a sinful man. 26 00:02:18,899 –> 00:02:24,600 But Jesus would not depart from Peter. 27 00:02:24,600 –> 00:02:29,699 And he wouldn’t depart from Peter because he came not to call the righteous but to call 28 00:02:29,699 –> 00:02:34,059 sinners like us to repentance. 29 00:02:34,059 –> 00:02:40,220 And you may have felt that you don’t belong anywhere near Jesus but Peter’s story shows 30 00:02:40,259 –> 00:02:45,880 clearly that Jesus wants to come close to you. 31 00:02:45,880 –> 00:02:50,820 Then we looked at the marvelous story of Peter walking on the water. 32 00:02:50,820 –> 00:02:58,440 The disciples were caught in a storm on the lake and late in the night Jesus came to them 33 00:02:58,440 –> 00:03:02,759 miraculously walking on the water. 34 00:03:03,539 –> 00:03:09,419 And Peter felt that this was a perfect opportunity for a new venture of faith and he said, 35 00:03:09,419 –> 00:03:15,500 Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. 36 00:03:15,500 –> 00:03:19,259 And Jesus said, come, come. 37 00:03:19,259 –> 00:03:25,059 And Matthew who was there as an eyewitness, records that Peter got out of the boat and 38 00:03:25,059 –> 00:03:29,339 walked on the water and came to Jesus. 39 00:03:29,399 –> 00:03:35,039 And we saw this wonderful truth that Jesus Christ will give you all that you need to 40 00:03:35,039 –> 00:03:39,820 do everything that he calls you to do. 41 00:03:39,820 –> 00:03:44,839 Now we’re picking up the story today then, in Matthew chapter 16, where Peter confesses 42 00:03:44,839 –> 00:03:47,759 faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 43 00:03:47,759 –> 00:03:54,660 I want you to notice in verse 13, that the story begins with Jesus asking a question 44 00:03:54,660 –> 00:03:57,259 about the culture. 45 00:03:57,259 –> 00:04:03,320 Who do people say that the Son of Man is? 46 00:04:03,320 –> 00:04:09,020 Now the Son of Man was simply a favorite name that Jesus used to refer to himself. 47 00:04:09,020 –> 00:04:14,619 And so, Jesus is asking here, tell me, what are people saying about me? 48 00:04:14,619 –> 00:04:21,720 What are the prevailing ideas about me, Jesus is asking, in your culture? 49 00:04:21,799 –> 00:04:28,920 And then, as now, opinions about Jesus were all over the map. 50 00:04:28,920 –> 00:04:35,380 Notice verse 14, some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, others Jeremiah or one 51 00:04:35,380 –> 00:04:36,440 of the Prophets. 52 00:04:36,440 –> 00:04:39,739 In other words, there was no consensus about Jesus. 53 00:04:39,739 –> 00:04:43,320 No agreement. 54 00:04:43,320 –> 00:04:47,040 You could hardly have two characters more different than Elijah and Jeremiah. 55 00:04:47,040 –> 00:04:49,779 I mean, Elijah was known for his triumphs. 56 00:04:49,859 –> 00:04:53,000 Jeremiah was known for his tears. 57 00:04:53,000 –> 00:04:56,220 So the world never changes. 58 00:04:56,220 –> 00:05:00,640 The world is always in confusion about Jesus. 59 00:05:00,640 –> 00:05:06,619 But then, having asked the question in general about the culture, Jesus now homes in on the 60 00:05:06,619 –> 00:05:12,380 question that really matters, who do you say that I am? 61 00:05:12,380 –> 00:05:16,700 Who do you say that Jesus is? 62 00:05:16,779 –> 00:05:19,540 And the you here is plural. 63 00:05:19,559 –> 00:05:25,640 So, Jesus is looking at the twelve disciples and he’s asking a question of the entire 64 00:05:25,640 –> 00:05:27,500 group. 65 00:05:27,500 –> 00:05:34,059 And Peter steps forward and he answers for himself, for the other disciples, and for 66 00:05:34,059 –> 00:05:36,820 all who believe in Jesus. 67 00:05:36,820 –> 00:05:43,540 He says you are the Christ, the son of the living God. 68 00:05:43,619 –> 00:05:46,579 Now we’re going to look at three things today. 69 00:05:46,579 –> 00:05:49,299 First, the faith that we confess. 70 00:05:49,320 –> 00:05:52,260 Second, the promise that we believe. 71 00:05:52,260 –> 00:05:54,540 And third, the blessing that we enjoy. 72 00:05:54,540 –> 00:05:59,260 We’ll spend most of our time on the first of these, and so let’s look at this together. 73 00:05:59,260 –> 00:06:02,380 The faith that we confess. 74 00:06:02,380 –> 00:06:07,660 You are the Christ, the son of the living God. 75 00:06:07,679 –> 00:06:14,000 Now I want you to notice first that faith is a believing response to Jesus. 76 00:06:14,000 –> 00:06:19,239 That’s what we’re speaking about today, a believing response to Jesus. 77 00:06:19,239 –> 00:06:22,579 Faith, in other words, is not self-confidence. 78 00:06:22,579 –> 00:06:30,679 It’s not confidence in yourself and it is not confidence in the church or in other Christians. 79 00:06:30,679 –> 00:06:33,679 Someone may be here today and this may be your experience. 80 00:06:33,679 –> 00:06:37,459 You may say, well actually I have been disappointed by some behavior 81 00:06:37,459 –> 00:06:40,779 I have seen in other Christians. 82 00:06:40,779 –> 00:06:46,160 Or you may say, I have been hurt by the church. 83 00:06:46,160 –> 00:06:50,859 And I’m not asking you to confess faith in other Christians. 84 00:06:50,859 –> 00:06:53,420 I’m not asking you to confess faith in the church. 85 00:06:53,420 –> 00:07:00,640 I’m inviting you today to make a believing response to Jesus. 86 00:07:00,640 –> 00:07:03,980 And I want you to notice that faith is a believing response to Jesus 87 00:07:03,980 –> 00:07:08,859 in which we confess who he is in relation to God 88 00:07:08,859 –> 00:07:12,640 and who he is in relation to us. 89 00:07:12,640 –> 00:07:15,760 Who is Jesus in relation to God? 90 00:07:15,760 –> 00:07:21,179 Well, Jesus is the son of the living God. 91 00:07:21,179 –> 00:07:23,660 Now, earlier in the gospel story, it 92 00:07:23,660 –> 00:07:27,459 is recorded that when Jesus was baptized, 93 00:07:27,459 –> 00:07:31,420 God spoke with an audible voice. 94 00:07:31,420 –> 00:07:34,540 This is what happened back in the Old Testament 95 00:07:34,540 –> 00:07:39,940 at Mount Sinai, when God gave the 10 commandments 96 00:07:39,940 –> 00:07:44,279 and he spoke in an audible voice. 97 00:07:44,279 –> 00:07:48,019 When Jesus was baptized, it happened again. 98 00:07:48,019 –> 00:07:50,899 The Scripture tells us that the Spirit of God 99 00:07:50,899 –> 00:07:56,079 descended on Jesus like a dove, and a voice from heaven 100 00:07:56,079 –> 00:08:04,339 said, this is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. 101 00:08:04,339 –> 00:08:11,760 The Bible declares very clearly that Jesus is the Son of God, 102 00:08:11,760 –> 00:08:17,839 that means that the fullness of God dwells in him. 103 00:08:17,839 –> 00:08:22,420 The glory of God radiates from him. 104 00:08:22,420 –> 00:08:25,760 He is the image of God. 105 00:08:25,859 –> 00:08:30,339 He is the exact representation of his being. 106 00:08:30,339 –> 00:08:33,900 That’s the language that the Bible uses to speak about Jesus. 107 00:08:33,900 –> 00:08:36,460 And this is why Jesus was able to say to Thomas, 108 00:08:36,460 –> 00:08:44,539 whoever has seen me has seen the father. 109 00:08:44,799 –> 00:08:53,200 And on another occasion, Jesus said I and the father are one. 110 00:08:53,460 –> 00:08:57,159 So to honour Jesus, is to honour the father, 111 00:08:57,159 –> 00:09:00,679 to trust Jesus is to trust the father, 112 00:09:00,679 –> 00:09:03,140 to love Jesus is to love the father, 113 00:09:03,140 –> 00:09:10,140 and to worship Jesus is to worship the father. 114 00:09:10,380 –> 00:09:17,380 Christians confess that Jesus is the son of the living God. 115 00:09:17,380 –> 00:09:20,659 That’s who he is in relation to God. 116 00:09:20,659 –> 00:09:23,520 Now who is he in relation to us? 117 00:09:23,520 –> 00:09:25,020 Well you have that in these words 118 00:09:25,020 –> 00:09:27,200 of Peter that are before us today. 119 00:09:27,200 –> 00:09:31,700 Jesus is the Christ. 120 00:09:31,700 –> 00:09:33,280 Now the Christ, or Messiah, 121 00:09:33,280 –> 00:09:35,239 it’s the same word. 122 00:09:35,239 –> 00:09:40,239 Means simply, the anointed one. 123 00:09:40,239 –> 00:09:42,960 Which raises the question, anointed for what? 124 00:09:42,960 –> 00:09:45,200 He’s set apart for a particular purpose? 125 00:09:45,200 –> 00:09:49,280 Well, what is the purpose for which he is set apart? 126 00:09:50,280 –> 00:09:52,859 And all the way through the Bible story, 127 00:09:52,859 –> 00:09:57,900 what we find is that God is constantly engaged 128 00:09:57,940 –> 00:10:00,820 in three activities. 129 00:10:00,820 –> 00:10:04,260 He reveals himself so that we can know him. 130 00:10:04,260 –> 00:10:06,340 He reconciles us to himself 131 00:10:06,340 –> 00:10:09,280 so that we can be at peace with him. 132 00:10:09,280 –> 00:10:12,260 And he rules the world so that his plans can be fulfilled 133 00:10:12,260 –> 00:10:14,840 and so that his people can be blessed. 134 00:10:16,340 –> 00:10:18,400 And in the Old Testament there were 135 00:10:18,640 –> 00:10:22,380 three kinds of people who were anointed, 136 00:10:22,380 –> 00:10:26,780 set apart to advance this three-fold 137 00:10:26,780 –> 00:10:30,059 purpose of God in the world. 138 00:10:30,059 –> 00:10:33,859 The prophets spoke the Word of God. 139 00:10:33,859 –> 00:10:35,900 In other words, they were anointed 140 00:10:35,900 –> 00:10:37,960 for God’s work of revealing. 141 00:10:39,059 –> 00:10:43,000 The priests offered the sacrifices. 142 00:10:43,000 –> 00:10:48,000 They were anointed for God’s work of reconciling. 143 00:10:49,140 –> 00:10:52,239 And the kings, of course, who lead God’s people, 144 00:10:52,239 –> 00:10:56,580 well, they were anointed for God’s work of ruling. 145 00:10:56,580 –> 00:11:00,940 So you had prophets, priests, and kings. 146 00:11:00,940 –> 00:11:05,500 They were the anointed ones who carried out on earth 147 00:11:05,500 –> 00:11:10,179 different parts of what God was doing in heaven, 148 00:11:10,179 –> 00:11:14,719 revealing, reconciling, and ruling. 149 00:11:14,719 –> 00:11:17,260 Now all of them, the prophets, priests, and kings, 150 00:11:17,260 –> 00:11:20,539 were all pointing forward over hundreds of years 151 00:11:20,539 –> 00:11:25,539 to the anointed one, the Christ. 152 00:11:27,440 –> 00:11:31,080 The one who would fulfill all that they pointed towards, 153 00:11:31,080 –> 00:11:34,559 the one, in other words, who would make God fully known, 154 00:11:35,500 –> 00:11:37,739 the one who by sacrificing himself 155 00:11:37,739 –> 00:11:40,820 would reconcile us to God, 156 00:11:40,820 –> 00:11:43,320 the one who would bring in God’s kingdom, 157 00:11:43,320 –> 00:11:46,619 the one who would deliver God’s people from their enemies 158 00:11:46,619 –> 00:11:51,080 and bring them into the joy of life under his rule. 159 00:11:51,080 –> 00:11:53,099 And here, when Jesus asked the question, 160 00:11:53,099 –> 00:11:54,599 who do you say that I am? 161 00:11:54,599 –> 00:11:55,919 Peter comes straight out with it. 162 00:11:55,919 –> 00:11:58,820 He says, you are the Christ. 163 00:11:59,760 –> 00:12:01,580 You are the one to whom all the prophets 164 00:12:01,580 –> 00:12:03,280 and priests and kings have been pointing. 165 00:12:03,280 –> 00:12:06,820 You are one who has come to do the work of revealing 166 00:12:06,820 –> 00:12:09,140 and of reconciling and of reigning. 167 00:12:09,140 –> 00:12:11,460 You are doing the work that God does in heaven 168 00:12:11,460 –> 00:12:13,320 right here on earth among us. 169 00:12:13,320 –> 00:12:16,460 You are the Christ. 170 00:12:17,479 –> 00:12:18,580 That’s what it means. 171 00:12:20,119 –> 00:12:25,119 So for us to confess that Jesus is the Christ 172 00:12:27,960 –> 00:12:29,679 means three things. 173 00:12:30,700 –> 00:12:35,700 It means that you learn from Jesus as your teacher. 174 00:12:36,619 –> 00:12:39,159 He’s the one who reveals the things of God to you. 175 00:12:40,179 –> 00:12:44,780 It means that you trust Jesus as your savior 176 00:12:44,780 –> 00:12:48,179 because he’s the one who reconciles you to God. 177 00:12:48,179 –> 00:12:52,859 And it means that you serve Jesus as your master. 178 00:12:52,859 –> 00:12:55,140 He is the one who rules over your life. 179 00:12:55,140 –> 00:12:57,340 He’s God with us. 180 00:12:59,179 –> 00:13:04,159 Now always remember that confessing faith in Jesus 181 00:13:04,159 –> 00:13:07,440 does not mean that you have your whole life sorted out. 182 00:13:07,440 –> 00:13:08,520 That’s good news by the way. 183 00:13:08,520 –> 00:13:10,219 You don’t have to sort out your whole life 184 00:13:10,219 –> 00:13:12,340 before you confess faith in Jesus. 185 00:13:13,299 –> 00:13:14,859 You confess faith in Jesus 186 00:13:14,859 –> 00:13:17,500 so that Jesus will sort out your life. 187 00:13:17,500 –> 00:13:19,020 That’s how it works. 188 00:13:20,479 –> 00:13:22,559 Confessing faith in Jesus does not mean 189 00:13:22,559 –> 00:13:24,340 that you never have any doubts. 190 00:13:25,419 –> 00:13:29,140 It doesn’t mean that all your questions are answered. 191 00:13:29,140 –> 00:13:32,679 Boy, heaven will need to come before we get to that place. 192 00:13:33,780 –> 00:13:37,580 What it does mean, to confess faith in Jesus 193 00:13:37,580 –> 00:13:42,359 means that you embrace Jesus as your teacher, 194 00:13:42,359 –> 00:13:46,200 as your savior, and as your master. 195 00:13:47,520 –> 00:13:51,400 And embracing Jesus as your teacher 196 00:13:51,400 –> 00:13:55,859 means that you give up your right to disagree with him. 197 00:13:57,400 –> 00:13:59,200 The teaching of Jesus, in other words, 198 00:13:59,200 –> 00:13:59,940 becomes your creed. 199 00:14:01,559 –> 00:14:05,640 Even when you find it hard to understand what he says. 200 00:14:05,679 –> 00:14:09,880 Even when you find it difficult to do what he says. 201 00:14:11,640 –> 00:14:15,080 And embracing Jesus as your savior, 202 00:14:15,080 –> 00:14:16,840 well that means that you give up 203 00:14:16,840 –> 00:14:19,780 on any hope you may have had of saving yourself. 204 00:14:21,020 –> 00:14:24,080 You see when you embrace Jesus as your savior, 205 00:14:24,080 –> 00:14:26,520 you’re saying, as Peter did when he realized 206 00:14:26,520 –> 00:14:28,119 the greatness of the Lord Jesus, 207 00:14:28,119 –> 00:14:29,460 and he said, depart from me. 208 00:14:29,460 –> 00:14:31,200 I’m a sinful man, you’re saying 209 00:14:31,200 –> 00:14:33,960 to Jesus, I need you to save me. 210 00:14:33,979 –> 00:14:36,159 Because I recognize now that my life 211 00:14:36,159 –> 00:14:39,520 is so far from the life that you call me to live. 212 00:14:39,520 –> 00:14:41,159 And I haven’t got any hope of getting 213 00:14:41,159 –> 00:14:42,640 to the life that you call me to live, 214 00:14:42,640 –> 00:14:44,140 and therefore I’m gonna have to look to you 215 00:14:44,140 –> 00:14:47,820 and trust in you to give me what I do not have. 216 00:14:49,359 –> 00:14:52,280 And then embracing Jesus as your master, 217 00:14:52,280 –> 00:14:55,159 well clearly that means that you give up 218 00:14:55,159 –> 00:14:58,340 your right to rule your own life. 219 00:14:58,340 –> 00:15:00,940 You recognize the right of Jesus Christ 220 00:15:01,059 –> 00:15:04,880 to direct you in whatever way he chooses. 221 00:15:04,880 –> 00:15:06,739 You’re saying to Jesus when you confess 222 00:15:06,739 –> 00:15:09,700 that he is the Christ, you are the king 223 00:15:09,700 –> 00:15:12,400 and you call me into your service. 224 00:15:12,400 –> 00:15:15,599 So I am placing myself at your disposal 225 00:15:15,599 –> 00:15:18,179 knowing that in giving up my life to you 226 00:15:18,179 –> 00:15:20,780 that is going to be the way in which I will find it. 227 00:15:22,619 –> 00:15:27,460 So, again, confessing Jesus does not mean 228 00:15:27,460 –> 00:15:29,179 that you do these things perfectly. 229 00:15:29,380 –> 00:15:31,900 There’s no perfect Christian on the planet. 230 00:15:33,520 –> 00:15:37,719 But what it does mean is that these are 231 00:15:37,719 –> 00:15:41,599 the commitments of your life and they are non-negotiable. 232 00:15:42,900 –> 00:15:45,400 Jesus is my teacher. 233 00:15:45,400 –> 00:15:48,520 Jesus is my savior. 234 00:15:48,520 –> 00:15:52,099 Jesus is my master. 235 00:15:53,000 –> 00:15:55,599 And that is what it means to confess 236 00:15:55,599 –> 00:15:58,659 that Jesus is the Christ. 237 00:15:59,659 –> 00:16:04,179 And I’m inviting you to join with Peter 238 00:16:04,179 –> 00:16:08,119 in making that confession today 239 00:16:08,119 –> 00:16:13,119 to confess that Jesus is the Christ, 240 00:16:13,260 –> 00:16:15,340 that he is your teacher, 241 00:16:15,340 –> 00:16:17,219 that you will embrace him as your teacher, 242 00:16:17,219 –> 00:16:19,380 that you will trust him as your savior, 243 00:16:19,380 –> 00:16:24,140 that you will serve him as your master. 244 00:16:24,140 –> 00:16:25,619 That’s what faith is. 245 00:16:25,619 –> 00:16:30,619 It is a believing response to Jesus Christ. 246 00:16:32,140 –> 00:16:34,219 Then notice secondly, very clearly here, 247 00:16:34,219 –> 00:16:35,559 as we think about the faith, 248 00:16:35,559 –> 00:16:39,700 we confess that it’s not only a believing response 249 00:16:39,700 –> 00:16:44,700 to Jesus, it is also very wonderfully the gift of God. 250 00:16:45,419 –> 00:16:48,179 Now, notice what Jesus says in reply to Peter. 251 00:16:48,179 –> 00:16:50,260 And Jesus answered him, verse 17, 252 00:16:50,260 –> 00:16:53,659 blessed are you, Simon Barjona, 253 00:16:53,659 –> 00:16:58,659 for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, 254 00:16:59,739 –> 00:17:03,520 but my Father who is in heaven. 255 00:17:04,579 –> 00:17:06,979 Now let’s look at these remarkable words of Jesus. 256 00:17:06,979 –> 00:17:11,660 Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you. 257 00:17:12,719 –> 00:17:15,380 Now, Peter has just confessed this faith in Jesus. 258 00:17:15,380 –> 00:17:17,060 You’re the Christ, the son of the living God. 259 00:17:17,060 –> 00:17:20,020 And Jesus’ immediate response is to say Peter, 260 00:17:20,020 –> 00:17:24,500 you’re blessed, but you did not work this out for yourself. 261 00:17:26,000 –> 00:17:28,800 You didn’t get this faith from someone else. 262 00:17:30,920 –> 00:17:33,319 The Father in heaven has revealed this to you. 263 00:17:35,459 –> 00:17:40,319 Now as you think about your journey to faith, 264 00:17:40,319 –> 00:17:44,140 you will be able to think of wonderful people 265 00:17:44,140 –> 00:17:47,260 who have helped you along the way. 266 00:17:48,400 –> 00:17:50,000 And this is Mother’s Day. 267 00:17:50,699 –> 00:17:52,699 I’m gonna do something that I very, very rarely do 268 00:17:52,699 –> 00:17:54,219 and that is I’m gonna ask a question 269 00:17:54,219 –> 00:17:56,739 and ask you to respond with a show of hands here 270 00:17:56,739 –> 00:17:58,619 so that we can see what our experience 271 00:17:58,619 –> 00:18:01,060 in this congregation this morning is, 272 00:18:01,060 –> 00:18:02,619 so please, I hardly ever do this, 273 00:18:02,619 –> 00:18:05,300 so please don’t let me down with a half-hearted response 274 00:18:05,300 –> 00:18:07,420 on the one occasion that I do. 275 00:18:07,420 –> 00:18:08,979 But I wanna ask you this question. 276 00:18:08,979 –> 00:18:11,719 How many of us in the congregation this morning, 277 00:18:11,719 –> 00:18:13,500 and I’ll be one to put up my hand for sure, 278 00:18:13,500 –> 00:18:18,500 would say that your mother played a significant role 279 00:18:18,520 –> 00:18:21,219 in your coming to faith? 280 00:18:21,219 –> 00:18:22,839 At least, in some way, 281 00:18:22,839 –> 00:18:27,040 did your mother open the Bible with you? 282 00:18:27,040 –> 00:18:31,219 If that was your experience, raise your hand with me, 283 00:18:31,219 –> 00:18:34,219 and my wife is raising her hand here, look. 284 00:18:34,219 –> 00:18:35,579 Now, hold them up for a moment. 285 00:18:35,579 –> 00:18:38,979 I want every mother in the room to take a moment 286 00:18:38,979 –> 00:18:41,180 to look around at all these hands while they’re raised. 287 00:18:41,180 –> 00:18:44,540 I want you to see the influence of a mother, 288 00:18:44,540 –> 00:18:45,959 oh, by the way, if it’s a grandmother, 289 00:18:45,959 –> 00:18:47,719 you can raise your hands as well. 290 00:18:47,739 –> 00:18:49,180 Oh yeah, a few more are going up. 291 00:18:49,180 –> 00:18:50,060 Look at that. 292 00:18:50,060 –> 00:18:50,920 Look at that. 293 00:18:52,239 –> 00:18:57,239 The power, the influence of a mother, 294 00:18:59,339 –> 00:19:01,520 of a grandmother in our lives 295 00:19:01,520 –> 00:19:04,540 and for those of us who didn’t raise our hands. 296 00:19:04,540 –> 00:19:07,540 There was a friend, there was someone, perhaps a college 297 00:19:07,540 –> 00:19:09,339 who opened the Bible with us. 298 00:19:09,339 –> 00:19:13,900 God works through means and He wonderfully works 299 00:19:14,040 –> 00:19:17,560 through the means of mothers, grandmothers. 300 00:19:18,959 –> 00:19:22,099 He works through fathers, He works through churches. 301 00:19:22,099 –> 00:19:24,560 He works through friends. 302 00:19:25,719 –> 00:19:28,000 But here’s what I want you to remember. 303 00:19:29,280 –> 00:19:34,280 However great the influence of your mother or friend 304 00:19:36,479 –> 00:19:38,959 or whoever it was that played a key role 305 00:19:38,959 –> 00:19:40,640 in your journey to faith, 306 00:19:41,640 –> 00:19:45,180 however great their influence in your coming to faith, 307 00:19:45,180 –> 00:19:49,119 you did not get your faith from your mother, 308 00:19:49,119 –> 00:19:53,140 your grandmother, your church or your friend. 309 00:19:53,140 –> 00:19:58,140 Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you. 310 00:20:00,060 –> 00:20:01,479 So who did? 311 00:20:02,959 –> 00:20:07,959 Jesus says, my Father, who is in heaven. 312 00:20:07,979 –> 00:20:11,339 Yes, your mother taught you, 313 00:20:11,339 –> 00:20:15,160 yes, your friend helped you. 314 00:20:15,160 –> 00:20:17,260 But through that means it was God 315 00:20:17,260 –> 00:20:20,699 who wonderfully opened your eyes. 316 00:20:20,699 –> 00:20:24,540 God who brought your dead soul to life, 317 00:20:24,540 –> 00:20:28,239 God who gave you a new heart that loves him 318 00:20:28,239 –> 00:20:31,959 and trusts him and desires to serve him. 319 00:20:33,040 –> 00:20:36,560 So here is the faith that we confess. 320 00:20:37,380 –> 00:20:42,380 Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, 321 00:20:43,180 –> 00:20:47,819 and this faith is a believing response to Jesus 322 00:20:47,819 –> 00:20:52,219 and it is also a wonderful gift from God. 323 00:20:52,219 –> 00:20:57,219 And I’m inviting you to confess faith in Jesus today. 324 00:20:58,219 –> 00:20:59,939 That’s the faith that we confess. 325 00:21:01,060 –> 00:21:03,040 Second thing I want us to see here 326 00:21:03,040 –> 00:21:06,400 in these remarkable verses is the promise that we believe. 327 00:21:07,239 –> 00:21:09,380 Notice how Jesus goes straight away to then say, 328 00:21:09,380 –> 00:21:13,800 and I tell you, you are Peter, 329 00:21:13,800 –> 00:21:18,800 and on this rock, I will build my church 330 00:21:19,000 –> 00:21:23,459 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 331 00:21:24,520 –> 00:21:26,680 Now as many of you will know well, 332 00:21:26,680 –> 00:21:30,719 there has been intense debate over centuries 333 00:21:30,719 –> 00:21:33,540 about this rock. 334 00:21:33,780 –> 00:21:38,640 Who or what is the rock on which Jesus 335 00:21:38,640 –> 00:21:41,099 will build his church? 336 00:21:41,099 –> 00:21:45,420 And believers have answered this question in different ways. 337 00:21:45,420 –> 00:21:47,800 Some say it’s Peter. 338 00:21:47,800 –> 00:21:50,680 Some say it’s faith. 339 00:21:50,680 –> 00:21:54,319 And some say it’s Jesus. 340 00:21:54,319 –> 00:21:57,739 Now, whenever there’s debate over how to understand 341 00:21:57,739 –> 00:22:01,339 a verse of scripture, a good question to ask 342 00:22:01,660 –> 00:22:04,180 is are there other verses in the Bible 343 00:22:04,180 –> 00:22:07,380 that might shed some light on this one? 344 00:22:07,380 –> 00:22:09,900 And indeed there are. 345 00:22:09,900 –> 00:22:12,180 In support of Peter, 346 00:22:12,180 –> 00:22:15,819 you might like to consider Ephesians chapter 2 in verse 20, 347 00:22:15,819 –> 00:22:19,660 where we read that the church is built on the foundation 348 00:22:19,660 –> 00:22:23,060 of the apostles and prophets. 349 00:22:23,060 –> 00:22:24,660 Though surely it’s significant 350 00:22:24,660 –> 00:22:26,800 that the apostle then immediately adds 351 00:22:27,199 –> 00:22:29,239 that Jesus Christ Himself 352 00:22:29,239 –> 00:22:31,920 is the cornerstone. 353 00:22:31,920 –> 00:22:33,439 That’s Ephesians two 20. 354 00:22:34,319 –> 00:22:36,500 In support of faith, 355 00:22:36,500 –> 00:22:39,319 you might like to consider first Peter chapter two 356 00:22:39,319 –> 00:22:41,040 in verse five, 357 00:22:41,040 –> 00:22:45,319 where we read the believers are living stones 358 00:22:45,319 –> 00:22:49,939 being built up into a spiritual house. 359 00:22:49,939 –> 00:22:52,439 Though again, I think it is surely significant 360 00:22:52,439 –> 00:22:54,959 that this comes immediately after 361 00:22:55,239 –> 00:22:59,680 Peter had described Jesus as the living stone, 362 00:23:00,520 –> 00:23:04,119 as you come to Him the living stone, 363 00:23:04,119 –> 00:23:07,239 so you yourselves like living stones 364 00:23:07,239 –> 00:23:11,199 are being built up into a spiritual house. 365 00:23:11,199 –> 00:23:15,359 And in support of Jesus Himself being the rock 366 00:23:15,359 –> 00:23:16,680 you might like to consider 367 00:23:16,680 –> 00:23:19,819 first Corinthians chapter three in verse 11, 368 00:23:19,819 –> 00:23:23,500 no one can lay a foundation other 369 00:23:23,540 –> 00:23:28,500 than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 370 00:23:30,859 –> 00:23:34,020 Now I’ve asked the question, 371 00:23:34,020 –> 00:23:37,959 how would Peter have understood this? 372 00:23:37,959 –> 00:23:41,979 And I expect that all three thoughts 373 00:23:41,979 –> 00:23:45,319 may well have gone through his mind. 374 00:23:45,319 –> 00:23:50,319 You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church. 375 00:23:51,180 –> 00:23:53,780 And it seems to me that if Peter were here today, 376 00:23:53,780 –> 00:23:58,780 I think that he might say to us something like this. 377 00:23:59,920 –> 00:24:04,920 You know, when Jesus said this my first thought 378 00:24:05,979 –> 00:24:07,760 was that he was referring to me. 379 00:24:09,339 –> 00:24:11,099 And then I thought, 380 00:24:11,099 –> 00:24:14,239 that would be a very shaky foundation indeed. 381 00:24:14,239 –> 00:24:18,760 And then I thought, 382 00:24:18,760 –> 00:24:22,239 perhaps he’s referring to my faith. 383 00:24:22,239 –> 00:24:24,099 I mean, I had just confessed faith. 384 00:24:24,099 –> 00:24:28,760 Would my faith be the foundation on which Jesus would build? 385 00:24:28,760 –> 00:24:32,819 But that didn’t sit right with me. 386 00:24:32,819 –> 00:24:37,819 Jesus doesn’t rest on what our faith can do. 387 00:24:38,339 –> 00:24:41,819 Our faith rests on Jesus, 388 00:24:41,819 –> 00:24:43,520 and what Jesus can do. 389 00:24:45,000 –> 00:24:46,400 And then it dawned on me. 390 00:24:46,400 –> 00:24:48,839 I had just said, 391 00:24:48,839 –> 00:24:52,699 you are the Christ, 392 00:24:52,699 –> 00:24:54,160 the son of the living God. 393 00:24:54,160 –> 00:24:57,959 And then Jesus said to me on this rock, 394 00:24:57,959 –> 00:24:59,420 I will build my church. 395 00:24:59,420 –> 00:25:02,880 Perhaps Jesus was referring to himself. 396 00:25:04,099 –> 00:25:05,859 And that made sense to me, 397 00:25:06,959 –> 00:25:10,540 because if the church is built on Jesus himself, 398 00:25:10,540 –> 00:25:13,319 it has a firm foundation. 399 00:25:14,400 –> 00:25:17,880 It is safe and it is secure. 400 00:25:19,959 –> 00:25:24,959 Now, I’m convinced that Jesus was referring to himself. 401 00:25:25,839 –> 00:25:28,839 Jesus is the rock 402 00:25:30,060 –> 00:25:34,859 and the gates of hell will never prevail against him. 403 00:25:35,800 –> 00:25:38,859 And I was helped just thinking about this again 404 00:25:38,859 –> 00:25:41,000 by something I’d never noticed before, 405 00:25:41,000 –> 00:25:43,400 but I was reading Matthew Henry. 406 00:25:43,439 –> 00:25:45,380 Wise commentater on the Scripture, 407 00:25:45,380 –> 00:25:47,920 and he points out, I’d never noticed this, 408 00:25:47,920 –> 00:25:51,599 that there is another occasion in the Gospels 409 00:25:51,599 –> 00:25:55,040 where Jesus refers to himself 410 00:25:55,040 –> 00:25:59,380 and there is great confusion over what he had said. 411 00:26:00,359 –> 00:26:03,920 Remember, in John chapter two and verse 19, 412 00:26:03,920 –> 00:26:05,859 the occasion where Jesus, 413 00:26:05,859 –> 00:26:09,599 standing in the courts of the temple, said, 414 00:26:09,680 –> 00:26:11,800 destroy this temple 415 00:26:13,219 –> 00:26:16,880 and I will raise it up in three days. 416 00:26:16,880 –> 00:26:19,560 Remember, Jesus is standing in the courts of the temple, 417 00:26:19,560 –> 00:26:21,680 this vast and glorious building 418 00:26:21,680 –> 00:26:24,359 is all around him, behind him. 419 00:26:24,359 –> 00:26:26,719 So when Jesus said destroy this temple, 420 00:26:26,719 –> 00:26:29,040 which temple was he referring to? 421 00:26:29,040 –> 00:26:31,040 Naturally, of course, people thought 422 00:26:31,040 –> 00:26:32,060 that he must be referring 423 00:26:32,060 –> 00:26:34,640 to the magnificent building beside them 424 00:26:34,640 –> 00:26:37,040 and so they said, hey, it’s taken 46 years 425 00:26:37,040 –> 00:26:38,160 to build this temple, 426 00:26:38,160 –> 00:26:41,099 how are you going to raise it up in three days? 427 00:26:41,099 –> 00:26:42,479 But John records that Jesus 428 00:26:42,479 –> 00:26:44,040 was not referring to the building, 429 00:26:44,040 –> 00:26:45,979 he was referring to himself. 430 00:26:47,280 –> 00:26:48,880 Jesus, he says, was referring 431 00:26:48,880 –> 00:26:51,680 to the temple of his own body. 432 00:26:51,680 –> 00:26:53,959 The disciples didn’t understand this at the time 433 00:26:53,959 –> 00:26:56,439 but after he was raised, 434 00:26:56,439 –> 00:26:59,000 John tells us then they remembered what he had said 435 00:26:59,000 –> 00:27:00,599 and they realized what he meant. 436 00:27:02,280 –> 00:27:04,479 This body is going to be torn down, 437 00:27:05,459 –> 00:27:09,319 crucified dead buried and in three days I will rise, 438 00:27:09,319 –> 00:27:12,739 I will raise it up, I will rise from the dead. 439 00:27:12,739 –> 00:27:15,859 Now the parallel between these two statements 440 00:27:15,859 –> 00:27:18,619 I think is very striking indeed. 441 00:27:18,619 –> 00:27:19,680 Think about it. 442 00:27:19,680 –> 00:27:24,680 Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up 443 00:27:25,560 –> 00:27:28,640 and when Jesus said this temple, 444 00:27:28,640 –> 00:27:30,400 he was referring to himself, 445 00:27:31,400 –> 00:27:34,800 on this rock, I will build my church 446 00:27:34,800 –> 00:27:36,699 and the gates of hell will not prevail against it 447 00:27:36,699 –> 00:27:39,640 and when Jesus said this rock, 448 00:27:40,380 –> 00:27:42,099 well, he was referring to himself. 449 00:27:43,140 –> 00:27:47,380 Christ is made the sure foundation. 450 00:27:47,380 –> 00:27:51,339 Christ, the head and cornerstone. 451 00:27:52,260 –> 00:27:54,260 So friends, this is a marvelous promise 452 00:27:54,260 –> 00:27:56,160 and it is one I think that we really need 453 00:27:56,160 –> 00:27:57,939 to take to heart today. 454 00:27:58,140 –> 00:28:01,260 Jesus will build his church 455 00:28:02,420 –> 00:28:07,420 and even the gates of hell will not prevail against it. 456 00:28:08,640 –> 00:28:10,140 Now, what a phrase that is by the way, 457 00:28:10,140 –> 00:28:13,099 the gates of hell. 458 00:28:13,099 –> 00:28:16,060 I mean that expression surely conveys evil 459 00:28:16,060 –> 00:28:19,760 as dark as it ever gets, the gates of hell 460 00:28:21,439 –> 00:28:26,439 and sometimes when we see evil unleashed in our world, 461 00:28:26,920 –> 00:28:31,920 we may wonder what kind of world our children, 462 00:28:33,760 –> 00:28:36,599 our grandchildren, or even our great-grandchildren 463 00:28:36,599 –> 00:28:38,339 are going to inherit. 464 00:28:39,920 –> 00:28:41,859 And we may find ourselves fearing. 465 00:28:43,339 –> 00:28:48,300 And of course, none of us knows what the future will be, 466 00:28:48,300 –> 00:28:52,400 but of this, we may all be completely sure 467 00:28:52,439 –> 00:28:57,439 that however dark this world becomes, 468 00:28:57,599 –> 00:29:01,359 Jesus Christ will always have his church. 469 00:29:03,280 –> 00:29:07,459 He will build it, he will guard it, 470 00:29:08,599 –> 00:29:13,599 and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. 471 00:29:17,140 –> 00:29:19,280 So, we’ve looked at the faith that we confess. 472 00:29:19,280 –> 00:29:21,780 We’ve looked at this wonderful promise 473 00:29:21,780 –> 00:29:24,500 that we believe, and very briefly in these last moments, 474 00:29:24,500 –> 00:29:27,959 I want us to see the blessing that we enjoy. 475 00:29:27,959 –> 00:29:29,839 When Peter confessed faith, 476 00:29:29,839 –> 00:29:32,380 notice that Jesus immediately responded 477 00:29:33,599 –> 00:29:38,520 by saying, blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, 478 00:29:38,520 –> 00:29:40,160 Simon the son of John. 479 00:29:41,400 –> 00:29:42,459 Blessed are you. 480 00:29:43,300 –> 00:29:44,920 And I want to end on this note, today, 481 00:29:44,920 –> 00:29:49,819 that, as you confess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, 482 00:29:49,839 –> 00:29:51,979 you are blessed. 483 00:29:51,979 –> 00:29:55,680 You are wonderfully, wonderfully, wonderfully blessed. 484 00:29:56,939 –> 00:30:01,099 Peter, of course, didn’t come to this faith suddenly. 485 00:30:01,099 –> 00:30:04,219 He had been with Jesus and in the company of Jesus 486 00:30:04,219 –> 00:30:08,920 at this point probably for about 18 months. 487 00:30:08,920 –> 00:30:11,979 Faith had been gradually forming in him. 488 00:30:11,979 –> 00:30:15,359 Convictions about Jesus had been gradually settling 489 00:30:15,359 –> 00:30:17,520 in his mind and in his heart, 490 00:30:17,520 –> 00:30:20,040 and that reminds us of this very important thing 491 00:30:20,040 –> 00:30:24,219 that faith is formed by walking with Jesus. 492 00:30:25,219 –> 00:30:28,339 And faith will be formed in you as you do what Peter did. 493 00:30:28,339 –> 00:30:31,079 You listen to his word, which is what we’re doing today. 494 00:30:31,079 –> 00:30:34,040 You open the scriptures, you begin to listen 495 00:30:34,040 –> 00:30:37,500 to what he said, see what he did. 496 00:30:37,500 –> 00:30:40,520 That’s how faith is formed, 497 00:30:40,520 –> 00:30:42,560 but what’s significant about this story 498 00:30:42,560 –> 00:30:47,119 is that this was really a decisive moment for Peter 499 00:30:47,180 –> 00:30:50,900 after probably 18 months in which faith was gradually forming 500 00:30:50,900 –> 00:30:53,859 as he had followed after Jesus. 501 00:30:53,859 –> 00:30:58,859 And in this decisive moment where he clearly confesses 502 00:30:59,380 –> 00:31:03,060 faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, blessing comes to him. 503 00:31:03,060 –> 00:31:06,180 And I’m saying to you today that as you confess 504 00:31:06,180 –> 00:31:10,239 faith in Jesus, blessing will come to you. 505 00:31:10,239 –> 00:31:12,599 Faith in Jesus always brings blessing, 506 00:31:12,599 –> 00:31:13,880 however faltering it is. 507 00:31:13,880 –> 00:31:16,140 You may say my faith in Jesus is very weak. 508 00:31:16,140 –> 00:31:19,140 I say your weak faith will bring you blessing 509 00:31:19,140 –> 00:31:22,160 because it’s weak faith in a strong Jesus, 510 00:31:22,160 –> 00:31:25,339 and a wonderful Saviour and He’s gonna strengthen you 511 00:31:25,339 –> 00:31:28,959 in faith as you walk with Him, and as you follow Him. 512 00:31:30,380 –> 00:31:33,180 Now thinking about this decisive moment, 513 00:31:34,180 –> 00:31:37,420 I was speaking just this week with a member 514 00:31:37,420 –> 00:31:41,420 of our congregation who told me the story 515 00:31:41,420 –> 00:31:43,979 of her journey to faith. 516 00:31:44,359 –> 00:31:47,119 And she gave me her permission to share it with you. 517 00:3147,119 –> 00:31:48,140 She said this, she said, 518 00:31:48,140 –> 00:31:53,140 my grandmother had a very strong influence on me. 519 00:31:55,839 –> 00:32:00,140 She was a woman who prayed on her knees. 520 00:32:00,140 –> 00:32:03,339 It was interesting that that had such an impact. 521 00:32:04,260 –> 00:32:07,359 And she gave me, this lady said, 522 00:32:07,359 –> 00:32:10,260 my first real Bible when I was in fifth grade. 523 00:32:11,540 –> 00:32:13,660 Remarkable, still remembering that. 524 00:32:14,339 –> 00:32:15,560 Years and years later. 525 00:32:17,000 –> 00:32:19,739 This lady’s father had taught her some things 526 00:32:19,739 –> 00:32:22,239 from the Bible and over many years 527 00:32:22,239 –> 00:32:24,219 she had been loosely connected 528 00:32:24,219 –> 00:32:26,599 with a number of different churches. 529 00:32:26,599 –> 00:32:30,680 But her words were, I remained on the fence. 530 00:32:32,180 –> 00:32:34,060 Then she told me that one night 531 00:32:34,060 –> 00:32:37,500 when she was visiting in New York, 532 00:32:37,500 –> 00:32:40,760 she had an experience in which she was profoundly 533 00:32:40,760 –> 00:32:43,359 aware of the protection of God. 534 00:32:44,959 –> 00:32:47,920 And the following morning she was in a taxi cab. 535 00:32:49,020 –> 00:32:52,979 She was reading the newspaper, back at the taxi there, 536 00:32:52,979 –> 00:32:54,280 and she said, there were some words 537 00:32:54,280 –> 00:32:57,979 that just pressed into my mind and into my heart. 538 00:32:57,979 –> 00:33:02,280 Tell the cab driver that you believe in Jesus. 539 00:33:03,699 –> 00:33:08,079 Tell the cab driver, I believe in Jesus. 540 00:33:11,780 –> 00:33:13,699 And she said, I couldn’t shake it off. 541 00:33:14,979 –> 00:33:17,260 Sitting behind the newspaper. 542 00:33:17,260 –> 00:33:19,500 So she puts the newspaper down, 543 00:33:19,500 –> 00:33:23,060 and she said, I said to the taxi driver 544 00:33:23,979 –> 00:33:25,819 I don’t normally do this 545 00:33:27,680 –> 00:33:32,680 but I need to tell you that I believe in Jesus. 546 00:33:36,459 –> 00:33:41,319 It was a defining moment in her faith journey 547 00:33:41,359 –> 00:33:45,839 and it happened 16 years 548 00:33:45,839 –> 00:33:49,339 after her grandmother went home to be with the Lord. 549 00:33:51,479 –> 00:33:54,199 Now, I want to encourage you 550 00:33:54,199 –> 00:33:58,560 to confess faith in Jesus to someone today. 551 00:33:58,560 –> 00:33:59,880 I believe in Jesus. 552 00:34:01,280 –> 00:34:04,520 You may have been a Christian for many years, 553 00:34:04,520 –> 00:34:06,599 but I want to encourage you 554 00:34:06,599 –> 00:34:09,679 to tell someone today that you believe in Jesus. 555 00:34:09,679 –> 00:34:10,679 This is Mother’s Day, 556 00:34:10,679 –> 00:34:12,639 so who better to tell than your mother? 557 00:34:13,679 –> 00:34:15,080 If you can do that. 558 00:34:16,639 –> 00:34:18,939 And if your mother loves Jesus, 559 00:34:19,959 –> 00:34:22,120 the best gift, actually, you could give her 560 00:34:22,120 –> 00:34:25,939 is to tell her that you love the Lord Jesus Christ, 561 00:34:25,939 –> 00:34:28,060 even if she knows that well already. 562 00:34:29,500 –> 00:34:33,120 And if your mother does not believe in Jesus, 563 00:34:33,120 –> 00:34:36,399 well, I want you to consider telling her that you do. 564 00:34:36,399 –> 00:34:37,280 In fact, it’s dead easy. 565 00:34:37,280 –> 00:34:39,159 You can say we were at church Mother’s Day this morning. 566 00:34:39,159 –> 00:34:41,320 The pastor said and all that kind of thing. 567 00:34:42,179 –> 00:34:43,479 Wide-open door for you. 568 00:34:44,919 –> 00:34:46,840 Tell her that you believe. 569 00:34:46,840 –> 00:34:49,600 Tell her why you believe. 570 00:34:49,600 –> 00:34:52,239 And you never know, your testimony of faith 571 00:34:52,239 –> 00:34:55,199 may be the means that God uses to help her 572 00:34:55,199 –> 00:34:57,239 take the first step in a journey 573 00:34:57,239 –> 00:34:59,959 that will lead her to saving faith 574 00:34:59,959 –> 00:35:02,679 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 575 00:35:03,520 –> 00:35:05,320 And if you’re not able to tell your mother, 576 00:35:05,320 –> 00:35:08,340 as will be the case for a good number of us, 577 00:35:08,340 –> 00:35:10,699 who else can you tell? 578 00:35:10,699 –> 00:35:12,800 I believe in Jesus. 579 00:35:14,820 –> 00:35:19,379 Now it may be that you have never in your entire life 580 00:35:19,379 –> 00:35:23,260 told someone that you believe in Jesus. 581 00:35:23,260 –> 00:35:24,479 You never had reason to. 582 00:35:24,479 –> 00:35:27,399 You never thought of yourself as a believer. 583 00:35:28,800 –> 00:35:33,800 But somehow you are aware that God is strangely 584 00:35:34,500 –> 00:35:36,360 at work in your life, in a way that you 585 00:35:36,379 –> 00:35:38,959 can’t fully understand but it seems as if 586 00:35:38,959 –> 00:35:41,120 he’s sort of opening your eyes. 587 00:35:43,000 –> 00:35:45,800 And he’s softening your heart. 588 00:35:47,159 –> 00:35:51,959 And you are coming to a place where 589 00:35:51,959 –> 00:35:55,360 you believe in Jesus. 590 00:35:56,600 –> 00:35:59,360 And I want to give you this marvelous promise 591 00:35:59,360 –> 00:36:02,080 from the Bible as we close, 592 00:36:02,080 –> 00:36:06,300 If you confess with your mouth 593 00:36:07,239 –> 00:36:11,500 that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart 594 00:36:11,500 –> 00:36:13,540 that God raised him from the dead, 595 00:36:13,540 –> 00:36:17,340 the Bible says you will be saved. 596 00:36:17,340 –> 00:36:19,379 You can’t be more blessed than that. 597 00:36:20,219 –> 00:36:23,699 To be saved now and forever is the supreme 598 00:36:23,699 –> 00:36:27,540 blessing that you receive from the hand of God. 599 00:36:27,540 –> 00:36:29,260 So here’s my invitation to you, 600 00:36:29,260 –> 00:36:34,260 Tell someone I believe in Jesus. 601 00:36:35,000 –> 00:36:37,060 In confessing faith in Jesus, 602 00:36:37,060 –> 00:36:39,080 you will be blessed. 603 00:36:40,739 –> 00:36:44,439 If you can, tell your mother. 604 00:36:45,760 –> 00:36:50,020 And if your mother loves Jesus, 605 00:36:50,020 –> 00:36:53,219 you will make it for her a mother’s day 606 00:36:53,219 –> 00:36:54,860 she will never forget. 607 00:36:56,379 –> 00:36:57,419 Let’s pray together. 608 00:36:57,419 –> 00:37:02,419 Father, we thank you that you sent your Son, 609 00:37:06,459 –> 00:37:08,620 the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world 610 00:37:08,620 –> 00:37:10,899 so that we may know you, 611 00:37:10,899 –> 00:37:13,520 so that we may be reconciled to you, 612 00:37:14,500 –> 00:37:16,939 and so that we may enter into the joys 613 00:37:16,939 –> 00:37:19,500 and blessings of life under your rule. 614 00:37:20,860 –> 00:37:23,560 We pray therefore that we will not turn away 615 00:37:23,560 –> 00:37:25,939 from Jesus Christ, 616 00:37:25,979 –> 00:37:30,979 but that gladly and freely we may embrace him 617 00:37:31,239 –> 00:37:36,239 as our teacher, as our savior, and as our master, 618 00:37:38,479 –> 00:37:43,479 and that confessing faith in Jesus we may enter 619 00:37:43,800 –> 00:37:47,060 into all the blessing that belongs 620 00:37:47,060 –> 00:37:50,280 to all those who are in him. 621 00:37:51,219 –> 00:37:55,899 Hear our prayers for these things we ask in Jesus’ name. 622 00:37:55,899 –> 00:37:56,719 Amen. 623 00:37:58,520 –> 00:37:59,760 You’ve been listening to a sermon 624 00:37:59,760 –> 00:38:02,199 with Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible, 625 00:38:02,199 –> 00:38:07,139 to contact us call us at 1-877-OPEN-365 626 00:38:07,439 –> 00:38:11,320 or visit our website, OpenTheBible.org.