John Chapter 13:31-38

One of the things that we share constantly with people because people say we have been sharing the Lord with this person and nervous, not listening or 11 AM how you love and just love another's ways you can let me small things taken cookies to come to favor brownies just an expression of love can now and Isenhart, the way as it's often said they don't care what you know until they know how much you care.

And then you have a platform to speak into the right then they will listen to what you have to say welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Today we have a studio with David McGee's associate pastors DA Brown VA today were going to hear about how you have to love me loving one another is simply part of being a Christian. In fact, we should love one another because lies depend on today pass today. McGee explains importance of love as he continues in the Gospel of John chapter 13 with listeners.

Later McGee continues with his teaching to live for the Lord. Verse 31, so when he is gone now. Jesus said now the Son of Man is glorified in God is glorified in you know we we read this and we have our hindsight is 2020. I mean we know what happens after this book, look at what Jesus is not saying he doesn't even use the word crucified. Here he uses the word glorified boy. There's a lesson in there for us because he was looking beyond the cross. He was looking to the glory be gone the cross and you and happens with the symptoms we get totally wrapped around our self-denial and we get focused on that we forget the glory that's beyond, we forget about heaven, we just think about our struggles here and you and I think the enemy delights in.

I think the enemy delights in making you think you're helping you to think that the struggles you're going through now. You're always on be going through hard times you might be having. Now that you're always going be having those hard times is not true. True, there's better days coming. You may struggle your whole earthly existence here, but if you know Jesus Christ at some point in your world gets a whole lot better still believes that what Jesus is glorified, not crucified, and I can do this he did it for us. He did it for us to offer us. This is amazing stuff to be able to offer us forgiveness to be able to offer to the trade we trade our broken beat up lives for his life.

We get the trade our sinfulness for his sinlessness.

We get the trade our selfishness for his selflessness.

Matthew question who comes out on the short end of that stick.

He does but he knows and he's willing to make the transaction.

Verse 32 says it glorified it. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him immediately little children shall be with you a little while longer.

You will see me as I said to the Jews where I'm going, you cannot come. So now I say to you, here's a little puzzled because when Jesus said this to the Jewish people. You can look at the surrounding verses and I think you can pretty accurately figure out he's probably talking about heaven and that place.

Not that they couldn't go but but because they would reject Jesus. They wouldn't go here is talking to the home team.

This is the upper room discourse. These are the disciples we can we talk about heaven here were you talking about where I'm going, you cannot come. You must be talking about the cross as a couldn't go to the cross. They could not go. It was some have to do by himself and I wondered something of wondered on that day when Jesus was hanging on the cross for the thief on each side. I wonder if mother of James and John who had asked Jesus for a place for her children on his right hand and on his left realized. On that day what she had been asking for and why Jesus said you don't know what you're ask Jesus did this alone is a matter fact will see over the next few chapters, they pretty much all laughed, with the possible exception of John and can you imagine just for a moment if you will, the loneliness that Jesus felt cross what he endured in the way of loneliness. I'm not sure we can even understand that I've been lonely in my life that I don't think on that level. If you remember Jesus from the cross spoke these words, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me.

It's interesting because in most other places Jesus refer to him as father but not at that moment, not attempt. And you have to ask yourself why did he endure such loneliness and pain-and-suffering.

He didn't so you wouldn't have to see. We don't have to be lonely to understand that all I know the world is lonely people in the world are desperately lonely but there's a remedy for that. There's a relationship with Jesus Christ. First and foremost and then there's the fellowship that he gives us with one another. You don't have to be lonely. If you're lonely, stop and ponder and consider and reach out to somebody. Some of us to be honest, you know, some of us are like cactuses.

We got the huge response sticking out will nobody's really close to me will put down your spine. The little bit because it's kinda hard to hug the cactus sometimes and it is kind of thing you'll probably only do want to write.

But Jesus did all this, it would've been amazing enough Hattie, have you looked at you and don't you know you're you're pretty good person and you know you're you're trying pretty hard. Your you're getting this Christianity down you gonna die for you. I give my life for you because you're your you're basically good person is that spark of innate human goodness know what happened is the Bible talks about innate human goodness folks. Short version as it says there isn't any. There is none righteous know not what we have all fallen short of the glory of God. Romans chapter 3 verse 10 Romans chapter 3 verse 23 tell us that he did it.

Even though we were unworthy on it, open it up in something if he did on it for your neighbor person that live down the street a person you work he did it for you. He did this for you to give you the opportunity to respond to his offer for forgiveness. That's why they call it the good news that he made this available to us. Question is how do you respond how will you respond to this act of selflessness.

But Jesus did for verse 34 a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you, but you also love one another.

That's pretty convicting this movement. By this all will know I'm This is new and innate like this is a fresh commandment because we know from Leviticus and Deuteronomy that this concept of loving one another is not a new testament concept but Jesus raises the bar when he says, as I have loved you so love one another was hard enough when he said love your neighbor as yourself. But I don't know maybe you know maybe there were some that still thought they could do that. So, geez. Okay, here's what he had asked the elevator by else, like I've let you guys when I hear that there's part of me to go to.

Well, that's it.

Okay were done can't do that on and if you're sitting there thinking you can do this of your own human effort in your human strength. Oh my gosh. May the Lord convict you of your pride. See, this leaves us in a place it's meant to leave us. It's meant to leave us in a place of desperation for his Holy Spirit, a place of desperation that he would work in us to love others and we realize when we need help and we are desperate for his Holy Spirit to help us to do this. That leaves us in exactly the place he meant to leave us going okay. I'm going to need your help and he's willing to give that help that's the amazing thing when you stop to consider Jesus never told anybody to do anything impossible, because when he told them to do it, it became possible that Jesus told some people to do some pretty wild stuff he he he looked it up. A lame man as I get up and walk. Think about that. If you'd been standing there and you saw this guy walk over to some I could want to get up and walk.

What would you think I do what I am being honest, I've been thinking that's not right.

He's telling us that he knows that man can't walk, that's cruel, but see when Jesus told him to walk. He became able to walk if that's not enough.

Jesus looked into a grave until the gotta get up that you think you may have been challenge some mornings when you want to sleep in is not just to get up, come out calling my name so when Jesus tells us to do something, yes, but it becomes possible for us to do it becomes possible for us to do it and it was really cool to talk about John and he was a young man in and in. John lived a long time were told he possibly even lived to be 90 years old. He was the only disciple that died a natural death. The others were martyred.

They tried to kill John history tells us that they tried to kill them by dropping him in a vat of boiling oil and he lived and so then the Roman said you know what some about this guy because they were fairly superstitiously support you no less exiling to the Isle of Patmos. What's interesting is you see the John because member John and his brother sons of thunder measure that was like a term of endearment it in and they were trying to call down fire from heaven to crispy critter.

The guys they were because they didn't they didn't receive them. Remember that part out it's in there it's in the book because I'm not making this stuff up. They think that you call down fire from heaven for these people were mad at my gypsum Christians of the juices you Holy Spirit your oath to go from that place to go from John who I think was 44 times. Use the word love in first, second, third John.

It said that later in his life as he was the last disciple living that he would speak to places in and towards the end of his life.

They would bring them in the gray skies scopic buzz in these Jesus of real disciple, real deal, you know, if they don't come in the here and he would say no children love one another. A minute that be all he say to go from: fire down from heaven to little children love one another. We encourage friend.

Be encouraged because the Lord will do a work in us first. Life lesson Jesus takes us just as we are, but loves us too much to leave us that way takes is just as we are, but loves us too much to leave us that way you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved. You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior. You need people to pray for them. You need someone to present God's word to them every day representing God's word to them here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can pray for them as well. Just by simple going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button. All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love that needs know Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones. What an awesome way to bring your love ones to Jesus.

Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown want to take just a minute to pray for seven cities in our listening audience. South Portsmouth Westport, Kentucky, Baton Rouge, Denham Springs or Woodinville Heflin and Jennings, Louisiana, Lord, thank you for the cities. Thank you for those mayors. The police chiefs the government officials. The town councils where we pray that you give them wisdom and discernment. We pray that they would look to your word for advice on how to lead Lord help us to be praying for them consistently and be a place of encouragement, not division and their lives. Father anyone in the city's who hasn't yet put their trust in you. We pray that you would convince them and encourage them to recognize how much you love them so much that you died on the cross for them. Hello, we pray for revival. The 20 cities in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse Jesus continues verse 35 by this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another is convicting to notice what he says he didn't say no. No you are my disciples, if you fight with one another will know you are my disciples, if you wear nice suits and say that I don't have any problem with nice suits.

I have nice suits. I wear him sometimes but I think when we begin to think that's what a follower of Jesus. Looks like that's a problem because I've known a lot of people in suits of Gentile even Dolch man.

They were in church. But you know what we we gotta be careful.

We had to be careful we don't go to the other extreme, because we can get in danger of judging somebody in a suit are you aware that because of the casual dress we can look at the mine suit and go. He's not a real disciple. He's got a single one is because that's the same thing as somebody looking at you going shorts and flip-flops in church. She's obviously a even both those are wrong about tomorrow. Jesus didn't say anything about suits, same thing about hair. If you love one another.

See because this is the guys when we love one another. Some opens up some happens. Jesus said you know what they're going to know that you're following me by your love for one another. That's a powerful powerful statement in the life lesson here is love one another. Lives depend on it. One of the things that we share constantly with people because people say we have been sharing the Lord with this person in an and are just not listening or 11 AM 11 Y 11 and I just love know there's ways you can love them.

I mean small things taken cookies to come their favorite brownies. Just an expression of love can mount an icy heart away and see as it's often said they don't care what you know until they know how much you care. And then you have a platform to speak into their lives. Then they will listen to what you have to say. When we begin to love one another.

There's something that happens in the sense of community that only happens when we love one another. So when Jesus says love one another. It's not just this warm fuzzy thing. It's a commitment. There's an entered attendance with one another that were supposed to have fractures in your code in any way meant and we met here to your TechNet to forward depended upon the Lord and that's it. Be careful to be careful because it is the Bible itself that gives us the picture of the body of Christ. So if you're thinking.

You don't need your heart. You don't need your lungs are you not dependent upon those things you bet year there part of the body. Guess what brothers and sisters were part of the body and what were supposed to be doing is loving one another. He didn't say you know what will know your disciples, if you talk about each other, though, know your disciples, if you yell at one another will know your disciples, if you judge one another. What he said when out Pastor David, you're just getting all warm and fuzzy this morning. What's up with that. I'm not saying love without the truth. The truth goes with love goes hand-in-hand, but I think that we need to be careful to love one another. I think we need to be encouraged and that verse 36 Simon Peter said to them, Lord.

Where you going, Peter. Sounds like a little boy there Donnie eagerly wait for you, Jesus answered him, where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you shall follow me afterwards Peter said no more. Why cannot follow you.

Now I will lay down my life for your sake. Jesus answered and said, we lay down your life for my sake. Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not grow to you. It denied me three times.

See here's the thing Peter and Verna do with this Morris the gospel of John goes on, but Peter had a lot of confidence in Peter. Peter had a lot of confidence in Peter's ability to follow the Lord and was misplaced she were even taught in some churches now that we should be self-confident should be filled with self-confidence. Show me that in the Bible is not in there now keep in mind I'm confident I'm confident in the Lord, because you know what when I place confidence in myself. I'm fairly disappointed pretty often. But when I put my confidence in the Lord. He never lets me down. See that's what policy I'm on the life lesson here is to live for the Lord simply means our life is not all about us, our life is not all about sometimes and talking to people. I can tell it from an incident where the conversation is going when they start.

Well, you know, nobody said this to me and nobody did this to me and that's me and it's me and it's me and it's me and I don't that's part of the reason to be honest, I think the church is in the messages, the church in general skills is a preoccupation with self can't do that if you want to be preoccupied with something treat occupied with Jesus.

The word of God never says we should esteem ourselves highly. It's is not to esteem ourselves highly testing. Others higher than ourselves. Paul in Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 says I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

So I will live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. This is how Paul came to the place in Philippians chapter 1 verse 20 says to me, living is for Christ and dying is even better when about him spout Jesus. I look at the had a look at the strength of that statement. The boldness of that statement. But here's what happens will tend to do well following the Lord for a while and when we begin to think you know what I'm doing pretty good. I got this thing down. Got kind of a system to doing our strong and what happens we fall.

Why well many reasons, but your pride comes before following. When you think you got it down, careful.

It is not that you got it down, it's that he's holding you with his hand. He's holding you with his head and seek brothers and sisters. This is how even a stumble in and please hear me.

I'm not telling you to go out and stumble but this is the way that a stumble. You can even get something good out of that what you mean when you stumble realize that you you let go of God's hand for just a moment, you stumble and you can get back up. The last life lesson is no trust in your ability to follow God, trust in God's ability to lead you how this is an important thing for us to grab as believers, because you know what oftentimes we do we trust in ourselves and we shut, but no confidence in the flesh is what the Bible tells us to confidence in the Lord. And this is so important guys because you if you trust in your abilities as a Christian you realize you're gonna live a life of being bummed out because you keep messing up but if you put your confidence in God's ability to lead you whenever you stumble when you fall to the left or to the right you get. Still, there is weight on me still want me to follow him.

He still willing to lead me and help you get up and back on track. Look at the love. Jesus demonstrated the me ask a question. How will you respond to this love Jesus gave us such an incredible example of how much he loves us.

He didn't just say I love you. He showed it friend.

You're never going to find that, love it.

In any where else from anybody else, and is being offered to you this morning graciously.

All he ask for is your response. No promises of all never do this again, as he says don't trust in your own strength.

Just the promise that you follow just asking for the forgiveness of sins, and send Jesus I'm willing to follow and he will exchange your broken life without hope for life with hope without measure. 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. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. 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 not 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 it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. So congratulations Springer 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 you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out through cross the bridge.

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