John Chapter 5:35-41

Mandan come up with the church.

Churches have some problems in the past and in the present where things up, not down right but it is an institution that God ordained that God put in place.

It's a relationship it's relationship much like your marriage any. Remember, you know, in the early season when you were dating in an everything your partner.

That was just cute. I'll look at that that is so cute.

Remember that all that is so cute in my life that that I'll look at that like it the way relatives that everything was cute and so you tolerated a lot of things while because you were in a relationship with that person in the church. There's a commitment there's a relationship, and there should be that commitment to the relationship because there's so much to do when and as the body of Christ we can accomplish and much as working together. Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina, one of David's associate pastors is pastor DA Brown welcome the age of the program today about inside of the year said about this teaching reminds us that the more we follow Jesus, the more we realize we need to be in fellowship with others inside a mature believer should be committed to the local church pastor Dave tells about that today that's awesome.

So let's go to David McGee with his teaching that God of the word.

We've been in the John chapter 5 and first 35 says in a speaking of John the Baptist here because he was the burning and shining lamp and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light was kind of a hidden accusation in here. If you look at this.

It says you were willing for a time in the King James is this for a season to rejoice in his life. This is interesting because what happened was they were not committed to the ministry of John the Baptist. They were not submitted to his ministry. If you will. So what happened this the first time he began to offend him. They were out of their the first thing that he said that they didn't like the left. I don't know about that repentance thing I'm a Pharisee and they left and there's a real lesson in there happily for us because how many of us treat church like that all yeah man I'm with you pastor Dave. I'm praying for you behind you and why love this place and you know what I look around. A few weeks later God is like what happened in insurmountable they got offended you said Jesus is the only way to heaven or something like that and it breaks my heart.

It's a sad thing, not necessarily that, they left.

But the reason they left they got offended with the truth. You see Scott try to confront their life an issue in their life and rather respond to that. Rather than do that, they decided to run from that issue and see the thing is I know where the running the running in the trouble and have seen it as a scenic time and time again because you can't you can't run from the truth.

And that's when it's not, is I ever say anything that challenges you if you sit in here and you're never challenged man. I've not done my job well because the word of God is a challenging thing. And as we dig into it you'll see things eager goodness. I'm not living like that. My goodness I'm doing those things he saying not to do the work God is saying not to do and so it's important to make a commitment.

Do you really think that your adversary the enemy of your soul wants you in a Bible believing Bible teaching church no way he doesn't want you in something like that. Now you can go out here. If Lake City and he's perfectly happier there.

You can go to somewhere that's not teaching the word of God and man. It will actually leave you alone not getting fat. But when you're getting fed and you're in a Bible teaching church. He if he can get you out for any reason whatsoever is going to he's going to do it now. Understand you know if I start teaching heresy that I quit teaching the Bible and certainly you need to leave often to hear that from the pulpit. But seriously, sums gone horribly wrong, but any other reason than that you need to get plugged in and you need to be committed, which is a word we run short on these days first lifelessness. The mature believer should be committed to a local church see you make that commitment before you can challenge like as if you could challenge before you made that commitment to what might happen is you might leave Mandan come up with the church.

Churches have some problems in the past and in the present where things are not done right, but it is an institution that God ordained that God put in the place and so it's a relationship it's relationship much like your marriage. Any remember you know in that early season when you were dating in an everything your partner. That was just cute. I'll look at that that is so cute.

I mean, I did all that is so cute in my life that will lick it like it that way. Relatives that everything was cute and so you tolerated a lot of things while because you were in a relationship with that person. See the church as a commitment. There's a relationship, and there should be that commitment to the relationship and because guys are so much to do when and as the body of Christ we can accomplish so much as were working together were so blessed. Here we have and I again I haven't ran the numbers a little while but we have I think about 1/3 of the people that come to this fellowship are serving in a ministry if you been around churches for very long. I should amaze you know why because that's not the tendency the tendency is you've got about 5% of the church actually plugged in servant and doing the work of the ministry part of it, I believe, is that there's a commitment there and there being said, the word of God in their there pouring out of an overflow if you will, but again, I would prayerfully consider this may you know this may not be the church for you at would like to think it is. I would encourage you to pray.

Whether it is or not and what you hear from the Lord that you get plugged in and there's a commitment letter. There's a commitment. There verse 36 but I have a greater witness and John's for the works which the father is given me to finish the very works that do bear witness of me, that the father has sent me.

Jesus did miracles. Jesus did miracles know the people that they didn't doubt the writers of the Gospels didn't doubt that Jesus did miracles.

But you realize a large percentage of seminaries and Bible colleges and universities actually now the larger percentage of them say that Jesus actually didn't do any miracles they doubt the virgin birth, they doubt his literal death upon the cross. I hope how tragic it is and in the it's important to remember that Jesus did miracles and bring it into the future. Jesus does miracles. All I get flustered when people go all yeah God use the numerical he used to heal people used to do this. He did claimant and and don't miss this, God still heals people you can show me in this book a single verses as well. God use back like that, but an act like that anymore. It's not in their and aspires miracles me. You know, taken our lives and changing them into something that's useful for the kingdom of God is the greatest miracle there is taken somebody like me. That was his Gentile even all and in convert names and having them serve the Lord and what America one American if your life is been changed and you're in here this morning your miracle that awesome constant. A miracle in your life, say men of your miracle got a room full of miracles and that awesome you want to see a miracle just meet somebody and say what used to be taken even Gentile dog worshiping idols. And you know and get their testimonial me it's exciting to me to hear all that God is doing in people's lives. Now you know it's interesting as reason they rejected Jesus is because he wasn't doing the miracles they wanted to see see they wanted to see the miracle of Jesus coming in and delivering them from the oppression of Rome. That's what they wanted to see. This is the miracle we want you do this one more behind you. Be careful, careful on how many times do we approach the Lord like Lord I want to see this on to see that.

Meanwhile, we we don't recognize how it's changed our lives and the lives of people around us. Jesus was doing was performing miracles of compassion miracles of healing and and miracles of changing people's lives.

Verse 37 and the father himself who sent me has testified of me and you have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen this form but you do not have his word abiding in you because whom he sent you do not believe your attention please notice Jesus is not accusing them of not having the Scriptures is not accusing them of not necessarily reading the Scriptures.

He's accusing them of not having them up by adding in their life is his word abiding in you.

I can promise you that Sunday morning Thursday night I'll give you Scriptures. I'll read this book to you.

I mean if you're not in this book at any other time during the week you'll show up tolerated should be the only time you're in the book logos but the question is, is it in here. Maybe you on Sunday morning. Jot down a few things as the Lord speaks to you.

Maybe underline a Scripture highlighter or jot down the lifeless and you know what that's really speaking to me. I need to apply that because I need to make those changes in the Lord speaking to me about that. Are you acting out what you already know see here's the thing. As I continue to teach you is God's spirit in God's word continues to pour into you.

You're more and more accountable for the one because God is teaching you and and those that he pours into there's more accountability. It's a scriptural principle throughout the Bible and it will not return void. It will accomplish that which it was sent to do that would encourage you not to fight against that to let the word of God have its way in your life. The Lord sent me here Lord raised me up this work up from a home Bible studies.

To this morning, and why did he do that. He sent me to speak the truth to tell you the truth to share his word with you so that you might have his word abiding in you. I met some people who have a fast deep knowledge of Scripture, but are living very ungodly lies. What a tragedy when a tragedy it will.

We were in Vegas there was a guy the column called Smothers lately handouts not only on the Las Vegas. We were there for ministry case you wonder what reinvesting church was no option. We were there a few years ago before the church started we were there ministering and walking on the strip in one of the spotters. They were handed out. It's horrible, I mean the basic catalogs of women in this particular guy actually had his degree in theology is not what you know, it's who you know and is that word having its way in your life and again as I speak truth to your life. As the Bible speaks truth to your life you you have to make a decision to receive that truth, or to reject the truth Paul speaking to the Galatians he asked me to have. I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth when an interesting question. Sometimes when I'm speaking to somebody in MM counseling or discipling them and I speak the truth.

Sometimes a get upset and sometimes that emotional content keeps them from receiving the truth and I would just encourage you guys don't fall, don't fall into that trap and let the word of God abide in you, and direct you in your life will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now is a word from associate pastor DA Brown and Bob were excited about God's word, going forth and want to pray for some listeners in these cities, Susanville, California. Talmage Chucky Victorville Westwood Yankee Hill in Yreka, California God. We pray for the people listening in the cities today and the surrounding areas.

We pray that they would put their trust and hope in you today would be encouraged and how much you love them, Lord, that they would look for other people.

You place in their life to share this good news with as well and got that they would get plugged into a Bible teaching Bible believing church.

In Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 39 you search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of me hurts and people really twist this passage and say well Jesus is saying there that we can overvalue Scripture is nobody saying it all what he is saying is, these guys knew the word. The Pharisees, they knew the Bible but they didn't know Jesus it's also to know the word of God and we should all know the word of God. But if you don't know the God of the word.

The Nero fall far short again. I know people who know the word of God but they don't know the God of the word and support that you have that relationship with him. And that's the next life lesson we need to know the word of God and we also need to know the God of the word an amazing member reading the Bible, you know, perhaps before you became a believer when you were young or in your teenage years are in your older years and you weren't saved, yet you read it. What is get understand that and then after you asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins, you picked it up and you doing great and there was only stuff any spirit of God revealing the word of God to support the know God and to know God's word. If you love Jesus, you should love your Bible and if you love your Bible, you should love Jesus and to me this is the real litmus test of a church are they a Bible teaching church. I don't mean you know and explain what we do here. Sometimes it got. It's interesting because also, you know, we teach the word of God.

All that we teach word of God. Everybody teaches the word of God. My question is what Heidi teach you know a little bit there little bit here one verse one verse or an I challenge people is that we are not teaching the word of God. Your teaching out of the word of God you're figuring up. You're figuring out a sermon topic, you get another versus the kind of back up that topic and in your teaching out of the word of God. You're not teaching the word of God, and they seem confounded when a site is and what you do not say what were going from Genesis to Revelation. Verse by verse were not leaving anything out when I skip anything word in the New Testament on Sunday morning when the Hebrew Scriptures on Sunday. On Thursday night.

Verse by verse and there's some stuff in Deuteronomy.

I probably would've wanted to skip over, but it was still good stuff in there and it's powerful sword last week was last week or week before last week were in Deuteronomy 28 guy comes up because management let you know I got saved Thursday night in Deuteronomy 28. Praise God.

That is the word of God accomplishing that which it was sent forth to accomplish and it's an amazing thing.

And so as you read the Bible. Make sure that your bottles renew.

As you read it you owe for that speaks to that and it is amazing how the word God does that you have something going on. You pick up your Bible, you start to renew Goldmine contents and that is readily maybe after you had argument with somebody or something, and you know you try to get spare drama read the Bible and then you and then you know you really go all go repent, you get that from any other book. This is super natural block and when you proclaim it. Stuff happens in so many people come to me and said you know I didn't know how starving I was for the word of God to should appear and actually heard you going verse by verse grown so much since been here. As you know well that is because were focused on the word of God. The word of God is powerful is not next.

It's not that I'm just, you know, just this awesome teacher and you've never heard some of the stuff before some of you heard it before but it's been reinforced and in the power of God is with his word and that's what's changing lives and bringing people to salvation here because I want to stand before the Lord as Paul stood in the book of acts chapter 20 verse 27 he said fraud not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Now there's only one way I can say that there's only one way I can declare that that's if I am teaching the whole counsel of God. It's important that you be in the word of God because you know you understand Jesus is in the word of God. If you been here on Thursday night.

Some of you email me and called me and said I'm shocked. I never saw Jesus so much in the book of Deuteronomy is an amazing thing is you teach a book of Deuteronomy didn't know this was in there priest got Jesus is on every page of the book is amazing some the stuff you see when you begin to be open to the supernatural power of the word of God how Jesus is so in the book is do you search as you search you search the Scriptures get to know your Bible get to know Jesus as you get to know the word of God. You get to know the God of the word and is a little additional motivation, realism, if you know Jesus and here you've asked him to forgive you ever sent.

You're going to heaven praise God and that good night's got going to heaven you all the guys who wrote these books in the Bible. So at some point in your life you have an exchange where you go in and how you doing good to see you in heaven. No good to be here in heaven, will you know what your name my name is David what's your name my name is Micah. Oh, nice to meet you Micah. Did you read my book.

What was your Micah wrote a book about rocks or some numbing when she wanted to write a book about. I wrote a book of the Bible, you like in the Bible go right know there's no Micah in the Bible. Perhaps my hands are Bobbio goodness. Micah you know I really love that book.

I just forgot that you you wrote it because you can have that exchange. One day, and if you haven't read the book that's going to be really clumsy to say the least. Not to mention that you know the Lord can they read the book hundred part of it, you read part of it yeah yeah I know I didn't have a lot of time down there and I only had like 84 1/2 years and and I just couldn't get that one book you read gone with the wind. 13 yeah I know but you know that that exchange. Yeah read the book studied how loved every word of it. There's a loan for this word.

There's a passion for the word they do when they're teaching the young Jewish children.

The letters of the Hebrew alphabet and and and when they're teaching them the passages that connect the letters with versus what they do they have these pieces of paper has versus on and then when they're young kids, they place honey on the piece of paper so the kids lick the honey as their learning.

The verse, and they begin to equate the sweetness with the word of God. See that's what we need to do guys to attach a sweetness with the word of God and realize are going to meet my good name is Noah Obadiah's cousin Evan with its own encouragement. Verse 40 you are not willing to come to me that you may have life, and what a tragic verse what a tragic verse you are not willing to come to me that you may have life. They came back they came with excuses. We can't fall you because of this we don't like this about you. We don't like that about you so we can receive from you. Reminds us of the man earlier in John chapter 5.

How do you want to be healed. I can be healed about zero book movable because it's only excuses in the tragedy of this statement. It's not that you can't come but that many are not willing to come.

What a tragic statement that Jesus says to us this morning.

You're not willing to come. There's people here right now listening that are willing to come.

How sad that is.

There's people that are listening on the radio were perhaps listen on the Internet are not coming to Jesus as a wall, not willing to come to.

He's willing to accept them is willing to forgive but they're not willing to come to you come to Jesus.

When you come to them often you fill your life with everything else.

You fill your life with this that the other you come to Jesus you come to the Lord and said, Lord, I come to you again this morning and spend time willing are you not willing to come to don't be so easily amused with the things of this life. Don't be so easily satisfied with the things of this life.

Don't sell yourself that she purchased your career or money or prestige or the sinks don't sell yourself that cheap. That's not what life is about. If you haven't already discovered that most things will leave you empty and dissatisfied become the Jesus just once in your lifetime, but every day of your life. Verse 41 I do not receive honor for men, but I know you that you do not have the love of God in you, you know, as you look at this exchange. Another exchange it it it's it's interesting to read editorial pages or talk to people who don't really know the Bible and they don't know the Jesus of the Bible and they still say things like what Jesus would never say anything if I ever did anything wrong. Jesus would never tell somebody they were in San Jesus would never tell anybody. They were going to have an what book are they reading possesses fairly confrontational event you do not have the love of God in you. What happened to just was all just get along, Christianity is not in their Jesus love people left on the truth, and he knew that it some point he probably knew this was enough in them water it down or make it. Well, you know, we mix a little candy in there to be easy for them as well.

Now he he said I gotta speak the truth and love them enough. I care enough for them to tell them the truth that may happen in here. You may hear something from up here and then you go if it's the truth and my sincere prayer is everything that comes from the pulpits, based on the word of God, and I think that very seriously. It's the truth. Perhaps you need to rethink that area of your life as you sit still long enough to receive the word of God to receive the teaching from the word of God.

It may even change your life friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven.

You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life now done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, so congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and the thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee. That sounds good Pastor day and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com. If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our life. 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM this visit, cross the bridge.com and click on a lifestream link. There you will experience a live service from David's home church. The bridge North Carolina again.

That website is cross the bridge.com.

Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the Gospel of John