1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,440 Well I hope you’ll open your Bibles at Mark in chapter one in verses 40 through 42, 2 00:00:05,440 –> 00:00:13,580 a very simple story. A man who has leprosy – terminal disease in that day of course. 3 00:00:13,580 –> 00:00:19,700 He comes to Jesus and He says, if you are willing, you can make me clean. 4 00:00:19,860 –> 00:00:28,799 And Jesus says these wonderful words – He says, I am willing, be clean, and the man is healed. 5 00:00:28,920 –> 00:00:34,360 Now I’ve chosen the story for today because in these last weeks we’ve been looking at 6 00:00:34,360 –> 00:00:42,560 what Jesus Christ is willing to do for us. Seven times we’ve seen in the Gospels Jesus 7 00:00:42,560 –> 00:00:52,799 specifically says that He will do something for us, I will. He says I will give you rest. 8 00:00:52,820 –> 00:00:59,939 He says you come to me I will never turn you away. I will make you fishers of men. I will 9 00:00:59,939 –> 00:01:07,199 give you the Holy Spirit. I will confess you before my Father in Heaven. I will take you 10 00:01:07,199 –> 00:01:15,639 to be with me and I will that you will be with me and that you will see my glory. Now 11 00:01:15,639 –> 00:01:19,480 that’s what we’ve been over these last weeks. Seven commitments that Jesus Christ 12 00:01:19,720 –> 00:01:26,660 makes to you and we have called them together rock-solid promises. Now we’re trying to wrap 13 00:01:26,660 –> 00:01:30,839 up the series today and I have two simple aims. The first is, if you are a Christian 14 00:01:30,839 –> 00:01:37,879 today, I want you to stand back and really to take in the big picture of everything that 15 00:01:37,879 –> 00:01:45,779 is yours in Jesus Christ. I want you to rejoice in it. I want you today to be refreshed with 16 00:01:45,800 –> 00:01:52,800 a sense of thankfulness to God for all that is yours in him. That’s the first thing. 17 00:01:54,000 –> 00:02:00,580 Here’s the second. There are some of us who are not yet committed to Jesus Christ. You’ve 18 00:02:00,580 –> 00:02:04,900 been exploring these things, you’ve become interested in Christianity. Perhaps a friend 19 00:02:04,900 –> 00:02:09,339 has been bringing you to the church over these last weeks. You’re interested and that is 20 00:02:09,339 –> 00:02:15,059 why you’re here and that is a wonderful thing. But although you are interested in these things 21 00:02:15,059 –> 00:02:19,660 about Jesus Christ, they are not yet yours. You are aware even now that they are somehow 22 00:02:19,660 –> 00:02:27,839 outside of you, they don’t yet belong to you. And I want to show you today how you can receive 23 00:02:27,839 –> 00:02:36,179 what Jesus Christ offers to you. My prayer is that over this week there will be many 24 00:02:36,179 –> 00:02:41,899 of us folks who have been thinking about the claims of Christ for some weeks now and this 25 00:02:41,940 –> 00:02:47,940 will be the time when you will cross the line and move from exploring to receiving, that 26 00:02:47,940 –> 00:02:53,720 you will move from investigating to actually believing, that you will move from observing 27 00:02:53,720 –> 00:02:59,559 on the outside to becoming a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you will not only 28 00:02:59,559 –> 00:03:03,899 know what he is willing to do, but what he is willing to do will become what he actually 29 00:03:03,899 –> 00:03:11,339 does in your life and in your experience. So let’s take a step back then and look 30 00:03:11,360 –> 00:03:15,399 at the sevenfold promise of the Lord Jesus Christ and then we’re going to look at 31 00:03:15,399 –> 00:03:22,039 how these things can be yours. What are the rock-solid commitments of Jesus Christ? 32 00:03:22,039 –> 00:03:27,320 What is the sevenfold promise that Jesus has made to us? 33 00:03:27,320 –> 00:03:34,300 Number one, Christ is willing to reconcile you to God. That’s Matthew chapter 11 in verse 34 00:03:34,300 –> 00:03:40,940 28, Jesus says, come to me, all you who are weary, all of you who are burdened, everyone 35 00:03:40,979 –> 00:03:48,440 who’s heavy laden, he says, I will give you rest. That’s the first, I will and it is the 36 00:03:48,440 –> 00:03:52,679 promise of forgiveness. We looked at the beginning of this series at the story of 37 00:03:52,679 –> 00:03:58,839 Augustine. Remember that man who said to God on one occasion, You have made us for 38 00:03:58,839 –> 00:04:04,839 yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you. And 39 00:04:04,839 –> 00:04:10,199 Augustine surely knew about restlessness, he was conflicted. He was at war with 40 00:04:10,199 –> 00:04:15,839 himself. And then he discovered that Jesus Christ is able to give rest to the 41 00:04:15,839 –> 00:04:20,920 human soul and he entered into that rest when he received the forgiveness that 42 00:04:20,920 –> 00:04:26,260 Jesus Christ offered and committed his life to him. Jesus says I give you that 43 00:04:26,260 –> 00:04:32,100 rest it comes from being reconciled to the Father, the end of your fight against 44 00:04:32,100 –> 00:04:37,820 God. The Lord Jesus Christ says your sins I will forgive, I will remember them no 45 00:04:37,980 –> 00:04:44,040 more, I will cleanse you from all unrighteousness. So Christ is willing to 46 00:04:44,040 –> 00:04:51,500 reconcile you to God. Second Christ will never drive you away now this is John 47 00:04:51,500 –> 00:04:57,559 chapter 6 in verse 37. Jesus said all that the Father gives me will come to me 48 00:04:57,559 –> 00:05:03,820 and whoever comes to me I will never drive them away, this is the promise of 49 00:05:04,799 –> 00:05:09,980 and it’s a marvelous promise that however many times you mess up as a 50 00:05:09,980 –> 00:05:15,140 Christian believer, the Lord Jesus Christ will never tire of you. There never come 51 00:05:15,140 –> 00:05:19,260 a time when the Lord Jesus Christ will give up on you. You won’t get to a place 52 00:05:19,260 –> 00:05:23,079 where Jesus is going to say you know he’s not really shaping up very well as 53 00:05:23,079 –> 00:05:28,140 a Christian I’m gonna pass over him or her and move on to someone else. 54 00:05:28,140 –> 00:05:33,420 No, you were in the Father’s heart we saw before the creation of the world, Christ 55 00:05:33,839 –> 00:05:39,459 died to save you, he’s made the purchase, and he lives to keep you. Whoever comes 56 00:05:39,459 –> 00:05:47,980 to me I will never drive away. Third, Christ promises to make you useful. He 57 00:05:47,980 –> 00:05:55,380 says follow me and I will make you fishers of men, in other words he says I 58 00:05:55,380 –> 00:05:59,700 will give you a ministry that will have influence in the life of others. I’ll 59 00:05:59,799 –> 00:06:06,119 give you a purpose that you never knew before you began to follow me. When you 60 00:06:06,119 –> 00:06:15,799 come to Christ, this is marvelous, your little life, my little life gets caught 61 00:06:15,799 –> 00:06:21,920 up in the big sweep of God’s eternal purpose and you find in Jesus Christ a 62 00:06:21,920 –> 00:06:26,600 purpose that you would never have known and never have discovered apart from him. 63 00:06:26,799 –> 00:06:31,179 Your life is in the hands of the Living God and the Lord Jesus Christ says, 64 00:06:31,179 –> 00:06:35,559 well, I’m going to use you. I’ll make something of your life. I will make you 65 00:06:35,559 –> 00:06:40,679 fishes of men. So he reconciles us to God, he welcomes us and keeps us for 66 00:06:40,679 –> 00:06:45,019 eternity. He gives us new purpose and direction in our life, he makes you 67 00:06:45,019 –> 00:06:51,720 useful. Number four, Christ will give you the Holy Spirit. This is John chapter 14. 68 00:06:51,720 –> 00:06:54,940 Jesus says, I will not leave you as orphans, 69 00:06:54,959 –> 00:06:59,880 I will come to you. How does Jesus come to us? Since he is exalted in heaven 70 00:06:59,880 –> 00:07:04,260 answer I will ask the Father and he will give you another counselor, the Holy 71 00:07:04,260 –> 00:07:09,140 Spirit who will be with you forever. And this of course is the promise of power. 72 00:07:09,140 –> 00:07:16,619 I am so grateful for this promise. What a marvellous gift it is. The Lord Jesus 73 00:07:16,619 –> 00:07:23,600 Christ gives us more than a list of instructions. I need the instructions but 74 00:07:23,679 –> 00:07:28,619 more than the instructions, I need the power to do what Jesus tells me to do. 75 00:07:28,619 –> 00:07:35,040 And this is what Jesus promises he says, I will give you the Holy Spirit so that 76 00:07:35,040 –> 00:07:40,119 my presence, my power will be with you and in you to live the Christian life, 77 00:07:40,119 –> 00:07:45,019 whatever you face I’m with you he says. I’m with you always. I will never leave 78 00:07:45,019 –> 00:07:52,320 you. I will never forsake you. Number five, Christ will confess you before the 79 00:07:52,359 –> 00:08:00,399 Father. If you confess me he says, Matthew 10 32, I will confess you before the 80 00:08:00,399 –> 00:08:06,239 Father in heaven. And this of course is the promise of final salvation. And can 81 00:08:06,239 –> 00:08:11,899 you imagine any other moment in your life that could come close to this 82 00:08:11,899 –> 00:08:20,720 moment for you to stand in the presence of God and for Jesus Christ to announce 83 00:08:20,920 –> 00:08:27,420 that you belong to him? You just think about that. And Jesus says you confess me 84 00:08:27,420 –> 00:08:33,020 I will confess you before the Father who is in heaven. I will do that so those who 85 00:08:33,020 –> 00:08:39,940 are with Christ have nothing to fear in the presence of God on the last day. 86 00:08:39,940 –> 00:08:44,500 Number six, Jesus promises specifically that he will bring you into heaven he 87 00:08:44,739 –> 00:08:51,940 He says, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and I will take you 88 00:08:51,940 –> 00:08:58,219 to be with me. Here’s the promise of great and eternal joy. Jesus Christ has 89 00:08:58,219 –> 00:09:02,760 opened heaven for us we saw and how did he do that? He has done that through his 90 00:09:02,760 –> 00:09:07,659 death and his resurrection. And when he said I go to prepare a place for you 91 00:09:07,659 –> 00:09:11,900 he’s not talking about doing some kind of construction in heaven. No he’s 92 00:09:12,000 –> 00:09:16,059 talking about going to the cross, he’s talking about going to the grave, he’s 93 00:09:16,099 –> 00:09:21,440 talking about rising from the dead and ascending into heaven where at the right 94 00:09:21,440 –> 00:09:27,460 hand of the father he becomes our advocate, our Savior. He becomes our King. 95 00:09:27,460 –> 00:09:31,080 Exalted Lord and it is in this way through his death and his resurrection 96 00:09:31,080 –> 00:09:38,200 and his ascension that he is able to bring us into an opened heaven. And then 97 00:09:38,219 –> 00:09:42,359 last week we saw the seventh part of the promise. That Christ will show you his 98 00:09:42,359 –> 00:09:50,179 glory. He says, John 17 in verse 24, I will father that those you have given to me 99 00:09:50,179 –> 00:09:58,020 should be with me, and that they will see my glory, so the promise here is the 100 00:09:58,020 –> 00:10:05,460 promise of Jesus Christ himself. Now I’ve called this a 7-fold promise 101 00:10:05,460 –> 00:10:09,859 rather than seven different promises, because these are not, you know, promises 102 00:10:09,859 –> 00:10:14,539 that can somehow be separated from each other, as if we picked them up along the 103 00:10:14,539 –> 00:10:20,679 journey of the Christian life. No, everything that God promises to you is 104 00:10:20,679 –> 00:10:29,200 yours in Jesus Christ, and nothing that he promises is ours apart from Jesus 105 00:10:29,520 –> 00:10:34,760 Christ. That is why Paul says in Ephesians 1-3 God has blessed us with 106 00:10:34,760 –> 00:10:41,719 every spiritual blessing in Christ. In other words, when you have Christ, all 107 00:10:41,719 –> 00:10:47,979 these things are yours. If you do not have Christ, none of these things are 108 00:10:47,979 –> 00:10:53,159 yours. They are all found together in him. We’re blessed with every spiritual 109 00:10:53,200 –> 00:11:00,299 blessing in Christ. The seven-fold promise of Jesus is ours in him, as he 110 00:11:00,299 –> 00:11:03,840 becomes ours. Therefore the great question is what 111 00:11:03,840 –> 00:11:08,919 is your relationship with Jesus Christ? Because if Christ is yours, all these 112 00:11:08,919 –> 00:11:13,599 things are yours. If Christ is not yours and you are not his, none of these things 113 00:11:13,599 –> 00:11:21,440 are yours. See, at the end of the day, it is Christ who forgives. It’s Christ who 114 00:11:21,559 –> 00:11:27,080 welcomes. It’s Christ who makes something of your life. It’s gonna be Christ who 115 00:11:27,080 –> 00:11:31,799 gives you the Holy Spirit. It’s Christ who confesses you before the father. It’s 116 00:11:31,799 –> 00:11:36,479 Christ who’s coming again, and it is Christ who is going to show you his 117 00:11:36,479 –> 00:11:42,179 glory and bring you into his presence forever. So they’re not kind of experiences 118 00:11:42,179 –> 00:11:49,599 that can be found somewhere apart from Christ. They’re all in him. So I hope as 119 00:11:49,739 –> 00:11:54,539 we think about what Jesus promises to us we’re seeing something more of his 120 00:11:54,539 –> 00:11:59,679 greatness. I hope your heart is lifted by this. Think about it. Christ is the 121 00:11:59,679 –> 00:12:05,320 Saviour who reconciles you to God. He is the shepherd who will never turn you 122 00:12:05,320 –> 00:12:10,659 away. He is the Lord who is going to make your life useful, giving you new 123 00:12:10,659 –> 00:12:15,320 direction and purpose. He is the advocate who speaks for you and 124 00:12:15,599 –> 00:12:20,159 represents you in the presence of the father. He is the friend who will 125 00:12:20,159 –> 00:12:25,340 be with you always. He is the Redeemer who opens heaven for you by his death 126 00:12:25,340 –> 00:12:31,799 and his resurrection. He is the Son of God whose glory you will one day see 127 00:12:31,799 –> 00:12:38,059 and share. And all that God promises to you is yours in Jesus Christ, 128 00:12:38,059 –> 00:12:42,919 and none of what God promises is ours without him. 129 00:12:42,919 –> 00:12:51,400 Therefore, what matters supremely is your relationship with Jesus Christ. 130 00:12:51,400 –> 00:12:56,739 Now did you notice, by the way, that every one of the promises of Jesus 131 00:12:56,739 –> 00:13:02,440 also speaks about our relationship with him? So, if we go back to Matthew 132 00:13:02,440 –> 00:13:09,000 chapter 11 and verse 29, Jesus says there ,”Come to me all you who are weary and 133 00:13:09,940 –> 00:13:16,520 So, you see what he’s saying? If you want to have this rest, you’ve got to be yoked to me. 134 00:13:16,520 –> 00:13:24,859 Then, Jesus is saying, you’ve got to come to me. 135 00:13:24,859 –> 00:13:31,080 All who the Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me, I will never drive him away. 136 00:13:31,080 –> 00:13:34,400 So, this is describing a relationship with Christ now. 137 00:13:34,400 –> 00:13:37,700 You’re yoked to him, you come to him. What else do you do? 138 00:13:38,559 –> 00:13:43,179 Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. 139 00:13:43,179 –> 00:13:46,239 What else are you to do? You’re to obey him. 140 00:13:46,239 –> 00:13:55,380 If you love me, Jesus says in John 14, And I will ask the Father, and He will give to you another Counselor, the Holy Spirit. 141 00:13:55,380 –> 00:14:01,799 Why? Because the Holy Spirit is given in order to pursue a life of obedience. 142 00:14:01,880 –> 00:14:08,599 You’re to confess Christ. Whoever acknowledges me, I will acknowledge him before the Father who is in heaven. 143 00:14:08,599 –> 00:14:11,099 You’re to trust Christ. 144 00:14:12,140 –> 00:14:23,760 Jesus says, Do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God, trust also in me, I’m going to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again. 145 00:14:24,020 –> 00:14:26,140 Now, you walk this way. 146 00:14:26,140 –> 00:14:38,960 You yoke yourself to Christ, you come to Christ, you follow Christ, you obey Christ, you confess Christ, you trust Christ, and one day you will see Christ. 147 00:14:38,960 –> 00:14:48,659 John 17, 24, Father I want those you have given me, to be with me and to see my glory. 148 00:14:49,460 –> 00:14:52,119 Now, do you see the pattern here? 149 00:14:52,119 –> 00:14:55,400 When you put these things together it becomes very clear. 150 00:14:55,599 –> 00:15:12,840 The sweep of the promises of Jesus and they are all yours in him, they’re yours when he is yours and therefore what really matters is that you are related to Jesus Christ, 151 00:15:12,919 –> 00:15:15,219 and the bible puts this in all kinds of ways, 152 00:15:15,739 –> 00:15:29,840 yoke to him, come to him, follow him, obey him, confess him, trust him and one day you will see him. 153 00:15:29,840 –> 00:15:40,020 Now, folks, here’s the marvellous assurance you can build your life on the rock solid promises of God 154 00:15:40,559 –> 00:15:49,400 and where Christ is yours, all of his sevenfold promise is yours. 155 00:15:50,900 –> 00:15:53,239 Now here’s the burden that’s on my heart today. 156 00:15:55,099 –> 00:15:59,719 For some of us, the question right now is, 157 00:16:00,359 –> 00:16:07,140 okay, I see that amazing promises in Christ, gotta be properly related to Christ, 158 00:16:07,799 –> 00:16:10,960 but how can these things become mine? 159 00:16:12,039 –> 00:16:14,520 How can I be sure that these things are mine? 160 00:16:16,320 –> 00:16:20,059 Somehow, it still seems to me that these things are outside of me. 161 00:16:21,080 –> 00:16:23,299 How can I know that they are true of me? 162 00:16:24,619 –> 00:16:28,340 How can I receive what Jesus promises? 163 00:16:30,299 –> 00:16:36,460 Now that’s why we’ve come to Mark’s gospel and chapter 1 today and this very simple little story. 164 00:16:37,219 –> 00:16:43,479 And it couldn’t be more simple, about a man with a dreadful disease of leprosy, 165 00:16:44,900 –> 00:16:48,219 and he comes to Jesus and he says if you’re willing, you can make me clean 166 00:16:49,460 –> 00:16:51,619 and Jesus says to him, I am willing. 167 00:16:52,780 –> 00:16:53,380 Be clean. 168 00:16:54,880 –> 00:17:03,919 And the reason this story is so helpful for us as we’re trying to wrap up this series is that this man receives what Jesus Christ offers. 169 00:17:04,920 –> 00:17:08,479 He is marvelously and wonderfully healed. 170 00:17:10,119 –> 00:17:17,680 And I want to suggest to you that how he received what Christ gave to him is a pattern. 171 00:17:18,640 –> 00:17:19,680 It is a model. 172 00:17:20,719 –> 00:17:30,739 For how you can receive what Jesus Christ says he is willing to do for you in your life today. 173 00:17:31,739 –> 00:17:34,140 And there are just three things here and they are very simple. 174 00:17:34,819 –> 00:17:40,900 But I want you to see them so that today if you have not walked this way already you can do them. 175 00:17:42,500 –> 00:17:43,040 No.1. 176 00:17:44,439 –> 00:17:46,099 This man had faith. 177 00:17:47,180 –> 00:17:51,239 That is, he believed in Jesus Christ. 178 00:17:52,420 –> 00:17:58,520 He comes to Jesus and he says this, you can make me clean. 179 00:17:58,520 –> 00:18:04,719 In other words this man has confidence in the ability of Christ. 180 00:18:04,719 –> 00:18:05,839 That’s what faith is. 181 00:18:06,180 –> 00:18:07,839 You can make me clean. 182 00:18:10,199 –> 00:18:17,439 All that Christ is and all that Christ promises becomes yours by faith. 183 00:18:19,079 –> 00:18:26,920 You don’t earn it by making changes in your life, you’ll receive it by putting your trust in the ability of Jesus 184 00:18:27,380 –> 00:18:33,560 to deliver on what he has promised as we’ve read it over these weeks in the Bible. 185 00:18:34,900 –> 00:18:35,719 Think of it this way. 186 00:18:36,180 –> 00:18:40,839 Faith is like a hand open to receive. 187 00:18:42,239 –> 00:18:46,699 So a lot of people spend their lives with a clenched fist towards God. 188 00:18:47,880 –> 00:18:53,020 Faith is a hand open to receive and it’s an empty hand. 189 00:18:53,760 –> 00:18:55,119 There’s an old hymn that says, 190 00:19:01,540 –> 00:19:06,979 Faith is recognizing that I am not going to receive what Jesus Christ promises 191 00:19:06,979 –> 00:19:09,760 by doing some kind of deal or a trade 192 00:19:09,760 –> 00:19:13,260 in which I offer something into the pot, and He gives me something in return. 193 00:19:13,400 –> 00:19:16,219 No, Faith is an open hand that’s empty 194 00:19:16,219 –> 00:19:20,839 so that Jesus Christ can give you what you do not have. 195 00:19:21,839 –> 00:19:22,660 That’s what it is. 196 00:19:23,400 –> 00:19:27,280 And the hand is open because you have become persuaded 197 00:19:27,280 –> 00:19:34,939 in the ability of Jesus Christ to do what He says He is able and willing to do. 198 00:19:35,359 –> 00:19:38,859 So Faith, in other words, rests on the ability of Christ. 199 00:19:38,859 –> 00:19:42,000 You can make me clean. 200 00:19:42,619 –> 00:19:46,839 Faith isn’t some kind of inherent capacity to trust. 201 00:19:48,199 –> 00:19:51,140 If it was, some of us are more trusting than others. 202 00:19:51,560 –> 00:19:54,540 And frankly that may be a lot to do with your background. 203 00:19:54,739 –> 00:19:59,760 But actually faith is nothing to do with your inherent capacity to trust 204 00:19:59,760 –> 00:20:02,140 or your problems with distrust. 205 00:20:02,140 –> 00:20:07,800 Faith is recognizing that Jesus Christ is trustworthy, that’s what it is, 206 00:20:07,800 –> 00:20:09,839 not about you, it’s about Him. 207 00:20:09,839 –> 00:20:14,020 It’s about recognizing that He has the ability to do what He says 208 00:20:14,020 –> 00:20:16,540 because He is the son of God. 209 00:20:16,920 –> 00:20:21,140 That’s why whatever your background and whatever the letdowns in your past experience 210 00:20:21,140 –> 00:20:25,479 cannot keep you from faith in New Testament terms 211 00:20:25,479 –> 00:20:28,619 because faith doesn’t rest on a capacity in you, 212 00:20:28,619 –> 00:20:31,599 but it rests on an ability in Christ. 213 00:20:33,260 –> 00:20:37,439 And faith involves trusting Christ for yourself. 214 00:20:37,640 –> 00:20:39,640 Now this is really big. 215 00:20:40,640 –> 00:20:42,359 Notice the guy who says here, 216 00:20:42,359 –> 00:20:44,699 you can make me clean. 217 00:20:47,959 –> 00:20:50,119 In other words, what he has here is more than 218 00:20:50,119 –> 00:20:52,180 a general belief that Christ can help people 219 00:20:52,180 –> 00:20:54,439 with their problems. 220 00:20:54,439 –> 00:20:56,160 More even than a general belief 221 00:20:56,160 –> 00:20:58,300 that Jesus Christ is able to help other people 222 00:20:58,300 –> 00:21:00,640 with the same problem as me. 223 00:21:01,920 –> 00:21:05,599 No, this man says, Jesus, I believe 224 00:21:05,599 –> 00:21:07,839 that you are able to do this 225 00:21:09,739 –> 00:21:11,180 for me. 226 00:21:12,479 –> 00:21:16,900 Now, some of us may have a friend, 227 00:21:16,959 –> 00:21:21,020 a family member, someone at work, 228 00:21:21,020 –> 00:21:23,280 a real Christian, and perhaps they’re a person 229 00:21:23,280 –> 00:21:24,319 who’s brought you, it’s through 230 00:21:24,319 –> 00:21:27,540 your connection with them that you’re here, 231 00:21:27,540 –> 00:21:31,540 and you have seen a real change in their life. 232 00:21:32,400 –> 00:21:34,819 And because you have seen a real change in your life, 233 00:21:34,819 –> 00:21:36,680 you have come to the conclusion that Jesus 234 00:21:36,680 –> 00:21:40,160 is able to change a person’s life. 235 00:21:40,459 –> 00:21:42,319 Obviously, because you’ve seen him change 236 00:21:42,319 –> 00:21:45,099 your friend’s life, or someone else in your family’s life. 237 00:21:46,900 –> 00:21:49,400 But faith takes another step. 238 00:21:51,079 –> 00:21:53,180 Faith goes beyond saying, I believe 239 00:21:53,180 –> 00:21:55,359 that Jesus Christ can change a person’s life, 240 00:21:55,359 –> 00:22:00,359 to saying, I believe that Jesus Christ can change my life. 241 00:22:01,859 –> 00:22:06,280 You can make me clean. 242 00:22:08,000 –> 00:22:09,420 Maybe you have seen someone 243 00:22:09,439 –> 00:22:14,439 who was struggling with an oppressive temptation, 244 00:22:15,859 –> 00:22:19,119 a habit that had bound them for years, 245 00:22:20,219 –> 00:22:23,000 and they gained victory over this. 246 00:22:23,000 –> 00:22:24,839 And you say, well, praise God, this is marvelous, 247 00:22:24,839 –> 00:22:26,560 he’s a changed guy these days. 248 00:22:28,079 –> 00:22:30,260 And you believe and you acknowledge and you rejoice 249 00:22:30,260 –> 00:22:32,260 in the fact that Jesus Christ is able to do this 250 00:22:32,260 –> 00:22:33,180 for other people. 251 00:22:33,180 –> 00:22:36,439 Listen, faith says, he’s able to do that for me, 252 00:22:36,439 –> 00:22:38,959 in my battle, in my struggle. 253 00:22:40,599 –> 00:22:41,920 You’ve seen someone who’s gone through 254 00:22:41,920 –> 00:22:45,680 extraordinary pressure and has stood up 255 00:22:45,680 –> 00:22:50,280 with strength, with dignity in it, 256 00:22:50,280 –> 00:22:52,040 and you’ve admired them. 257 00:22:52,040 –> 00:22:55,459 Faith says, well, Jesus Christ has done for her. 258 00:22:56,339 –> 00:22:57,520 He can do for me. 259 00:22:58,520 –> 00:23:02,400 You can make me clean. 260 00:23:02,400 –> 00:23:03,479 So here is faith. 261 00:23:03,660 –> 00:23:06,800 Faith trusts in the ability of Jesus Christ, 262 00:23:06,800 –> 00:23:08,760 not just in a general kind of way, 263 00:23:08,760 –> 00:23:12,219 but in relation to me and the reality of my situation. 264 00:23:13,359 –> 00:23:15,839 This man comes with that kind of faith to Jesus. 265 00:23:17,000 –> 00:23:18,099 It’s the second thing. 266 00:23:19,000 –> 00:23:22,680 He comes with a real desire to be clean. 267 00:23:23,599 –> 00:23:24,680 He wants to be clean. 268 00:23:26,040 –> 00:23:27,239 I don’t want you to miss this. 269 00:23:27,239 –> 00:23:31,640 You can make me clean. 270 00:23:33,880 –> 00:23:36,339 Now the word clean is of huge significance here. 271 00:23:36,339 –> 00:23:37,180 Don’t miss it. 272 00:23:38,439 –> 00:23:41,079 This is obviously a story about a physical healing 273 00:23:41,079 –> 00:23:42,520 of a man who was a leper 274 00:23:42,520 –> 00:23:44,939 and the disease was cleansed from him. 275 00:23:45,959 –> 00:23:48,319 But I want you to notice this, 276 00:23:48,319 –> 00:23:49,959 that when the man comes to Jesus 277 00:23:49,959 –> 00:23:54,099 he does not say you are able to heal me. 278 00:23:55,760 –> 00:23:58,780 He says you are able to make me clean. 279 00:24:00,479 –> 00:24:02,920 Why does he say you are able to make me clean? 280 00:24:02,959 –> 00:24:05,859 Because that was the bigger thing you see. 281 00:24:05,859 –> 00:24:07,640 A person who suffered from leprosy 282 00:24:07,640 –> 00:24:08,780 in New Testament times 283 00:24:08,780 –> 00:24:10,060 and in Old Testament times 284 00:24:10,060 –> 00:24:12,060 was cut off from the people of God. 285 00:24:13,000 –> 00:24:14,979 Cut off from the presence of God. 286 00:24:16,180 –> 00:24:18,420 So the wretchedness of this man’s life 287 00:24:18,420 –> 00:24:22,660 is not only that he has this wasting disease in his body, 288 00:24:22,660 –> 00:24:24,619 but he is actually alienated 289 00:24:24,619 –> 00:24:26,859 from the place of the presence of God 290 00:24:26,859 –> 00:24:29,420 and excluded from the fellowship 291 00:24:29,420 –> 00:24:33,540 and the blessing and the company of the people of God. 292 00:24:34,500 –> 00:24:36,959 Leprosy in the Bible, in other words, 293 00:24:36,959 –> 00:24:40,719 is not only a terrible disease as it was for this man, 294 00:24:41,819 –> 00:24:46,819 but it is a picture to us of our sinful condition. 295 00:24:49,079 –> 00:24:50,579 See, what does sin do? 296 00:24:50,579 –> 00:24:53,739 Sin does to the soul what leprosy does to the body. 297 00:24:53,739 –> 00:24:55,280 What does leprosy do to the body? 298 00:24:55,280 –> 00:24:58,959 It wastes the body, it reduces the body, 299 00:24:58,979 –> 00:25:02,760 it saps feeling from the body, 300 00:25:02,760 –> 00:25:04,300 that’s what sin does to the soul, 301 00:25:04,300 –> 00:25:06,560 it deadens you on the inside. 302 00:25:08,699 –> 00:25:13,699 Sin wastes the soul like leprosy wastes the body 303 00:25:13,780 –> 00:25:18,780 and when this man says, Jesus, you can make me clean, 304 00:25:19,339 –> 00:25:21,540 he’s saying look, you can deliver me 305 00:25:21,540 –> 00:25:23,540 from this alienation from God 306 00:25:23,540 –> 00:25:26,339 in which I’ve never been able to come near and worship. 307 00:25:27,199 –> 00:25:30,339 You can give me a place among God’s people 308 00:25:30,339 –> 00:25:34,079 from whom I have been alienated and excluded. 309 00:25:34,079 –> 00:25:36,839 You can save me from this body of death, 310 00:25:36,839 –> 00:25:39,140 you can give strength to these limbs, 311 00:25:39,140 –> 00:25:41,219 you can give life to this man, 312 00:25:41,219 –> 00:25:43,459 you can make me a new creation. 313 00:25:43,459 –> 00:25:45,099 That’s what he’s saying, nothing less 314 00:25:45,099 –> 00:25:47,319 and that is a marvelous picture 315 00:25:47,319 –> 00:25:49,640 of what God promises in the gospel. 316 00:25:51,400 –> 00:25:54,160 So if we are to receive from Jesus Christ, 317 00:25:54,160 –> 00:25:57,180 we must not only come to him with faith 318 00:25:57,180 –> 00:25:58,619 and not just a general faith 319 00:25:58,619 –> 00:26:00,280 that he’s able to do great things 320 00:26:00,280 –> 00:26:02,420 but that he can do great things for me 321 00:26:03,380 –> 00:26:05,699 but also with a desire to be clean. 322 00:26:05,699 –> 00:26:07,900 That’s what we’re learning from this story. 323 00:26:09,979 –> 00:26:11,520 As Spurgeon puts this so well, 324 00:26:11,520 –> 00:26:13,180 let me read you just a few sentences. 325 00:26:13,180 –> 00:26:18,160 He says there are some folks who want to be saved from hell 326 00:26:19,079 –> 00:26:21,800 but not from the sin that is the cause of it, 327 00:26:22,680 –> 00:26:24,119 that’s perceptive, isn’t it? 328 00:26:25,479 –> 00:26:26,979 Got to want to be clean. 329 00:26:28,739 –> 00:26:30,780 Not just delivered from condemnation 330 00:26:31,880 –> 00:26:34,260 but from the sin that is the cause of it. 331 00:26:36,040 –> 00:26:38,780 Otherwise how can you truly come to Christ and ask? 332 00:26:40,300 –> 00:26:45,300 Spurgeon says Christ’s salvation is cleansing from sin 333 00:26:47,579 –> 00:26:50,619 and if we love sin we are not saved from it. 334 00:26:52,479 –> 00:26:56,439 We cannot have justification without sanctification. 335 00:26:56,439 –> 00:26:57,880 There’s no use quibbling about it. 336 00:26:57,880 –> 00:27:00,280 He says there must be a change, 337 00:27:00,280 –> 00:27:03,199 a radical change, a change of heart 338 00:27:03,199 –> 00:27:05,079 or else we are not saved. 339 00:27:05,079 –> 00:27:08,420 And in preaching he says to the folks he was speaking to, 340 00:27:08,420 –> 00:27:10,920 I put it to you now do you desire 341 00:27:10,920 –> 00:27:12,699 a moral and spiritual change, 342 00:27:12,699 –> 00:27:15,000 a change of life and thought and motive 343 00:27:15,000 –> 00:27:16,979 for that is what Jesus gives. 344 00:27:16,979 –> 00:27:18,680 Good question. 345 00:27:18,680 –> 00:27:19,760 Is that what you want? 346 00:27:21,800 –> 00:27:25,839 See one reason why many people in church 347 00:27:25,839 –> 00:27:27,660 feel that the promises of Christ 348 00:27:27,660 –> 00:27:29,680 are always outside of them 349 00:27:29,680 –> 00:27:33,479 is that your faith never gets beyond this vagueness. 350 00:27:33,479 –> 00:27:36,540 It never becomes believing that Christ can change you. 351 00:27:38,459 –> 00:27:41,839 And then another reason is that many in church world 352 00:27:41,839 –> 00:27:44,560 never come to the place of repentance. 353 00:27:45,560 –> 00:27:47,280 I wanna get out of hell 354 00:27:47,979 –> 00:27:52,479 but I’m not sure I yet want to be clean. 355 00:27:54,979 –> 00:27:58,420 Now if we are to receive from Christ, 356 00:27:59,660 –> 00:28:02,780 we come with faith to Him. 357 00:28:03,680 –> 00:28:06,119 Faith that trusts His ability 358 00:28:07,199 –> 00:28:09,060 not only to do great things for other people 359 00:28:09,060 –> 00:28:12,479 but to do life changing things for me. 360 00:28:13,380 –> 00:28:17,479 And I must come to Him with this desire 361 00:28:17,479 –> 00:28:20,079 not only that I will be saved from the consequences 362 00:28:20,079 –> 00:28:23,619 of my sin but that I will be saved from my sin itself. 363 00:28:25,619 –> 00:28:29,119 In other words, I come to Him because by the Spirit of God 364 00:28:29,119 –> 00:28:34,119 He has awakened within me a desire to be clean. 365 00:28:35,479 –> 00:28:37,900 And if you feel that desire within you right now, 366 00:28:37,900 –> 00:28:40,640 thank God for it. 367 00:28:40,660 –> 00:28:44,060 The Spirit of God is drawing you to Christ right now 368 00:28:46,479 –> 00:28:50,359 so that what He promises will be yours. 369 00:28:52,400 –> 00:28:53,739 And here’s the third thing. 370 00:28:54,900 –> 00:28:57,640 I’m struck by this man’s humility. 371 00:28:57,640 –> 00:29:01,000 He comes and He asks, 372 00:29:02,060 –> 00:29:04,359 a man with leprosy came to Jesus 373 00:29:04,359 –> 00:29:09,040 and begged Him on his knees. 374 00:29:09,040 –> 00:29:10,239 Can you picture this? 375 00:29:11,640 –> 00:29:16,099 This man, it must’ve been terribly painful for him to walk 376 00:29:16,099 –> 00:29:18,579 because I guess the fingers and the toes go first. 377 00:29:20,439 –> 00:29:24,119 He comes to Jesus, he gets down on his knees! 378 00:29:24,119 –> 00:29:28,979 He comes and he asks, he begs, 379 00:29:30,540 –> 00:29:34,739 Jesus, you can change my life. 380 00:29:36,219 –> 00:29:39,520 I long to be clean with all that that means. 381 00:29:40,959 –> 00:29:42,140 Will you do it? 382 00:29:42,140 –> 00:29:43,339 I know you can. 383 00:29:45,140 –> 00:29:46,640 Will you do this for me? 384 00:29:48,920 –> 00:29:50,439 Do you notice there’s only one question 385 00:29:50,439 –> 00:29:52,339 in this man’s mind when he comes to Jesus. 386 00:29:52,339 –> 00:29:55,280 He says, if you are willing you can make me clean. 387 00:29:55,280 –> 00:29:57,680 In other words, he knows Christ has the ability, 388 00:29:58,560 –> 00:30:00,160 but does he have the will? 389 00:30:00,160 –> 00:30:01,300 Well that’s what our whole series 390 00:30:01,300 –> 00:30:02,900 has been answering, isn’t it? 391 00:30:02,900 –> 00:30:05,400 I will, I will and that’s exactly 392 00:30:05,400 –> 00:30:09,260 what Christ says to this man, I am willing. 393 00:30:10,739 –> 00:30:12,020 Great humility here. 394 00:30:13,420 –> 00:30:16,500 I love the fact that this man does not try to negotiate, 395 00:30:17,780 –> 00:30:21,359 no trying to do a deal, no sense of coming 396 00:30:21,359 –> 00:30:22,880 to the Lord Jesus Christ and say, 397 00:30:22,880 –> 00:30:25,319 now if you do this for me, I’ll do that for you, 398 00:30:26,199 –> 00:30:27,760 what can you give the son of God 399 00:30:27,760 –> 00:30:29,439 that he needs to receive from you? 400 00:30:31,040 –> 00:30:34,520 No, this man comes to Jesus and begs Him on his knee. 401 00:30:34,520 –> 00:30:39,400 You know, some folks, some folks are so absorbed 402 00:30:39,400 –> 00:30:44,400 with themselves that the question they’re actually asking 403 00:30:44,760 –> 00:30:48,359 is why should I be interested in Jesus? 404 00:30:51,719 –> 00:30:54,400 When you see the glory of the son of God, 405 00:30:54,400 –> 00:30:56,760 the only question that will occur to you 406 00:30:56,760 –> 00:31:00,880 is why would Jesus be interested in me? 407 00:31:03,719 –> 00:31:06,420 This man says, Jesus, if you take an interest in me, 408 00:31:06,920 –> 00:31:11,280 you can change my life, 409 00:31:13,119 –> 00:31:14,979 he recognizes that becoming a Christian 410 00:31:14,979 –> 00:31:17,319 isn’t about you doing something great for Christ, 411 00:31:17,319 –> 00:31:19,920 but it’s about Christ doing something great for you. 412 00:31:21,020 –> 00:31:23,579 So this is how we must come to him, 413 00:31:23,579 –> 00:31:25,900 you come to Christ empty-handed, 414 00:31:25,900 –> 00:31:29,160 you come and ask him to give you what you do not have 415 00:31:29,160 –> 00:31:31,979 and then you will be in a position to receive. 416 00:31:31,979 –> 00:31:34,219 Get to the point with Jesus Christ today, 417 00:31:34,219 –> 00:31:36,079 let me encourage you with this. 418 00:31:37,239 –> 00:31:39,260 Many people do not receive from Christ 419 00:31:39,260 –> 00:31:42,439 because they never get to the point of making the ask, 420 00:31:42,439 –> 00:31:44,640 what have you asked him to do for you? 421 00:31:46,359 –> 00:31:49,819 Come, ask, receive, 422 00:31:51,060 –> 00:31:54,339 cut through the fog of a vague faith 423 00:31:54,339 –> 00:31:57,839 that may have been around you like mist for years, 424 00:31:57,839 –> 00:32:00,500 but it has made little difference to your life, 425 00:32:00,500 –> 00:32:03,520 get Christ to the point of your need. 426 00:32:03,520 –> 00:32:05,459 That’s what asking is, 427 00:32:05,459 –> 00:32:07,920 many of you guys do this in business all the time, 428 00:32:07,920 –> 00:32:09,260 you make the ask. 429 00:32:09,260 –> 00:32:11,359 Why can’t you do that with Jesus Christ? 430 00:32:12,280 –> 00:32:13,119 Come to him. 431 00:32:15,560 –> 00:32:17,900 You’re ready to come to Christ like that today? 432 00:32:20,000 –> 00:32:22,060 Lord, I believe that you have the ability 433 00:32:22,060 –> 00:32:24,400 to change this life, my life. 434 00:32:26,020 –> 00:32:27,300 I want to be clean, 435 00:32:29,119 –> 00:32:31,640 want to live a new life that is pleasing to you. 436 00:32:31,640 –> 00:32:36,260 And so I’m asking you to give me what I do not have, 437 00:32:37,780 –> 00:32:39,239 the forgiveness I need, 438 00:32:40,579 –> 00:32:42,219 the strength I don’t have, 439 00:32:43,400 –> 00:32:45,140 the purpose I have not found. 440 00:32:46,040 –> 00:32:49,060 And the heaven I do not deserve. 441 00:32:50,880 –> 00:32:52,040 And when you come to Christ, 442 00:32:52,040 –> 00:32:54,939 believing in his ability to change your life, 443 00:32:54,939 –> 00:32:56,640 desiring to be clean, 444 00:32:57,939 –> 00:33:00,099 and you ask him, you know what you’re gonna find? 445 00:33:00,099 –> 00:33:01,000 See it right here? 446 00:33:02,579 –> 00:33:05,479 He has compassion on you, that’s what you’ll find. 447 00:33:06,500 –> 00:33:07,819 As you come to him right now, 448 00:33:07,819 –> 00:33:08959 as you put your trust in him, 449 00:33:08,959 –> 00:33:10,880 as you want to be clean right now, 450 00:33:11,959 –> 00:33:13,800 he has compassion on you, listen. 451 00:33:15,579 –> 00:33:18,900 Christ had this moment in mind 452 00:33:19,819 –> 00:33:23,160 when he suffered and died on the cross for you, 453 00:33:25,099 –> 00:33:29,579 and as you come to him, his heart streams love to you. 454 00:33:32,540 –> 00:33:35,359 Not only does Christ have compassion, 455 00:33:36,439 –> 00:33:37,680 he reaches out to you. 456 00:33:38,880 –> 00:33:40,560 Love this. 457 00:33:40,560 –> 00:33:43,839 Jesus reached out his hand and he touched the man. 458 00:33:43,839 –> 00:33:44,660 Amazing. 459 00:33:46,219 –> 00:33:47,599 You say, well, how does that apply to me? 460 00:33:47,599 –> 00:33:49,319 Listen. 461 00:33:49,319 –> 00:33:54,140 As the promises of the gospel are preached to you, 462 00:33:55,439 –> 00:33:58,560 Jesus Christ is reaching out to you. 463 00:33:58,619 –> 00:34:02,479 Listen, these aren’t just words. 464 00:34:02,479 –> 00:34:05,579 It’s an ordinary person who speaks, 465 00:34:05,579 –> 00:34:09,959 but what is spoken is the Word of God to you. 466 00:34:09,959 –> 00:34:14,959 Come to me, he says, and I’ll give you rest. 467 00:34:15,580 –> 00:34:16,959 Come to me. 468 00:34:16,959 –> 00:34:19,040 I’ll never turn you away. 469 00:34:19,040 –> 00:34:20,120 Follow me. 470 00:34:20,120 –> 00:34:22,239 I’ll make something of your life. 471 00:34:22,239 –> 00:34:23,159 Ask of me. 472 00:34:23,159 –> 00:34:25,159 I will give you the Holy Spirit. 473 00:34:26,159 –> 00:34:31,159 He’s reaching out to you right now in this moment. 474 00:34:33,120 –> 00:34:37,239 And as this loving Christ reaches out to you, 475 00:34:37,239 –> 00:34:42,239 he speaks the word Jesus said, I am willing, be clean. 476 00:34:43,760 –> 00:34:48,080 And Mark says immediately, the leprosy was gone, 477 00:34:48,080 –> 00:34:49,979 because when the Son of God speaks, 478 00:34:49,979 –> 00:34:52,760 what he says always happens. 479 00:34:53,560 –> 00:34:55,879 We learned that at the very beginning of the Bible. 480 00:34:55,879 –> 00:34:58,719 The Son of God says let there be light, 481 00:34:58,719 –> 00:35:02,080 and there’s light, when he speaks, 482 00:35:02,080 –> 00:35:04,580 he accomplishes what he says. 483 00:35:05,780 –> 00:35:08,879 So when Christ says you’re forgiven, you’re forgiven. 484 00:35:10,060 –> 00:35:13,719 When Christ says you’re his, you’re his. 485 00:35:13,719 –> 00:35:15,939 When Christ says you’re bound for heaven, 486 00:35:15,939 –> 00:35:17,879 you’re bound for heaven. 487 00:35:17,879 –> 00:35:20,679 When Christ says the Holy Spirit lives in you, 488 00:35:20,679 –> 00:35:22,500 the Holy Spirit lives in you, 489 00:35:22,600 –> 00:35:27,600 because what he says is always accomplished. 490 00:35:27,639 –> 00:35:30,800 When he says you’re mine, you’re his. 491 00:35:31,800 –> 00:35:33,580 And then on that last day of your life, 492 00:35:33,580 –> 00:35:36,820 he says come home, your home. 493 00:35:38,239 –> 00:35:40,580 Don’t you want this promise to be yours? 494 00:35:43,459 –> 00:35:45,459 Will you bow with me in prayer together. 495 00:35:46,419 –> 00:35:49,379 I want to just give a very simple and short prayer, 496 00:35:49,379 –> 00:35:51,459 and please make these words your own 497 00:35:51,459 –> 00:35:53,100 if you’ve been tracking today, 498 00:35:53,100 –> 00:35:55,120 you’ve sensed, God is speaking to me, 499 00:35:56,020 –> 00:35:58,580 I can’t remain at a distance from these things. 500 00:35:58,580 –> 00:36:02,159 I believe, and I want to be clean. 501 00:36:03,020 –> 00:36:06,100 And I’m ready to ask, and I just need some words to do it. 502 00:36:06,979 –> 00:36:08,280 Well, here are some words. 503 00:36:10,399 –> 00:36:13,000 Lord Jesus, thank you for your amazing promise. 504 00:36:15,219 –> 00:36:17,239 I come to you because I want 505 00:36:17,239 –> 00:36:19,639 to receive what you offer today. 506 00:36:21,939 –> 00:36:23,639 I believe that you are the Son of God 507 00:36:23,639 –> 00:36:25,379 who died and rose again for me, 508 00:36:27,459 –> 00:36:32,459 and right now, I ask that you will be my savior, 509 00:36:35,020 –> 00:36:40,020 my Redeemer, my Lord, and my friend. 510 00:36:43,219 –> 00:36:47,419 I want to be clean, and so I ask 511 00:36:47,419 –> 00:36:50,179 that you will forgive my many sins, 512 00:36:52,260 –> 00:36:54,860 and that you will give me your Holy Spirit 513 00:36:56,540 –> 00:37:01,540 so that I may be able to live a new life that honors you. 514 00:37:05,379 –> 00:37:07,120 Thank you for welcoming me. 515 00:37:08,699 –> 00:37:10,280 Thank you for receiving me. 516 00:37:12,699 –> 00:37:13,899 In Jesus name, amen.