John Chapter 15:9-13

What is your point this morning. I'll be happy when I get that job promotion all get happy when I move into the new house avenges get that new car will be happy in Jesus name is Sen. As noted true joy comes from him now heard it put this way and I like this happiness depends on what happens, but joy comes from the borderline timeout. All of a sudden it everywhere.

We are in a happy face all the time. I don't. I think that's a little plastic but I'm talking about a joy that will weather the storm of life and you can see that joy.

Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina today were blessed to have pastor DA Brown with this one of David Mickey's associate pastors DA what you think will make you happy today. Bob in life. The best way to experience true freedom. So I think you're asking. Enjoyed is to follow and obey Jesus today pastor Dave McGee explains how this works.

As he continues in the Gospel of John chapter 15 let's stop right in the listen as David McGee starts his teaching joy and love John chapter 15 verse nine before I read this verse we paint a picture for you if you'll can you imagine the love that exists between God the father and God the son now understand that is a perfect relationship. In other words, there's never been problems there. There's never been jealousies.

There's never been strife, it's perfect love that they have for one another.

Now this reverse nonce as the father loved me, says Jesus also have loved you abide in my love. In other words, the same love that God the father has forgot the sign is the love that he gives us what an amazing thing. So while we look at this love that the father has with the sun we should look at how does the father love the sun and in just as importantly is how does God love us is different from the way we usually think of that word.

The first thing is, God loves us without any beginning. He loves us without any beginning.

Jeremiah 31 three says yes I have loved you with an ever lasting love. Therefore with lovingkindness I've drawn here. Jeremiah chapter 1 verse passes before I formed you in the will. I knew you EAC the Lord knows us better than any body else and yet he still loves us why it's a decision on his part.

The second thing he loves us without any change. Hebrews chapter 13 tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. And he also loves us without any end without any end. Jesus loves us without any beginning, without any change without any end with him. It's not. He loves me he loves me not, the thing he loves us. And it's never going to change it's never going to very and that is so important for us to understand because I realize that many of you may have had somebody that you really cared about, look at you at some point in your life and so you know I no longer love you no longer care for you and to realize that is never going to happen with Jesus is incredible to ponder, because we think of love kind of ebbing and flowing like a tiger something, but with the Lord. It's not like that he will constantly he will consistently love us forever more and you'll never hear those words from Jesus.

I'm tired of you on board with you. This is gotten old as always, it allows us to comfort of state comfort verse 10. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my father's commandments and abide in his life again.

What Jesus is doing in this verse was consistent with what we are looking at before and John 15 is the tying obedience to love is tying obedience to love you see talk to people and you probably have to who said all I love the Lord. I'm just not ever going to church again.

Oh I love the Lord.

I just want to read my Bible on how love the Lord, but fill in the blank. The problem was, that is, this verse speaks to it incisional and if somebody's not being obedient. Somebody's not listening to what the Lord is telling Jesus saying you know it they don't love me now understand at that point, somebody's not telling the truth.

Either the person who says they love Jesus doesn't Jesus's lien. Now we know that Jesus doesn't why he is truth, so he's not lying. So if somebody says they love the Lord, but they're not being obedient and we should put a big?

There when I say being obedient under listeners and not timeout. They never sin not timeout. They never messed up because everybody in here messes up a manner only if you never mess up your in the wrong church. There's somewhere else restricts the bits we all messed up but living a life of disobedience without hearing court hearing to anything that God says that's different that's different that's expressing that you don't love the Lord. Verse 11.

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. What an interesting verse. It's interesting because while it speaks against the system of the world see the system of the world says in order to get joy.

What you need to do is get stuff and as you get stuff. Then you will get more joy. That's not what Jesus says is a matter fact he steps out against that and says that's not it at all. The understand we live in a very consumer oriented society. You can watch television and you know and and you can see these Ronco commercials or the shopping network and you can see stuff that you never knew existed and within 60 seconds. You're buying one for your aunt for your uncle and you gotta have three of them because there's a special dealings and because you think all went you get this I'll get happy. Fill in the blank. What is your blank this morning will be happy when I get that job promotion all get happy when I move into that new house. I just get that new car. I'll be happy. Jesus sent no Senate at all. That's not it at all true joy comes from him now heard it put this way and I like this happiness depends on what happens, but joy.

True joy comes from the Lord alone and not timeout all the sudden it everywhere where a happy face all the time. I don't. I think that's a little plastic but I'm talking about a joy that will weather the storms of life and you can keep that joy. Now I do.

I do have a problem with this because in our society and our culture.

People think they can figure out who's a Christian, by how big their frowning all their somebody is really spiritual, really pious or mad or upset you know that this concept of being baptized in vinegar or something.

I don't you know in getting the pickle face unite you in on them at the pickle face has nothing to do with got don't blame God on your pickle face coming in and I see people in the society and then they're just mad and angry in us like here is the Julie Jesus is saying, you will have this joy and understand joy is contagious is contagious. Jesus is lining up soon. Okay this is what you want to do and this is why you want to do it and you can have this joy that your joy will be full and as the world looks on the thing I want that I will have all about your theology understand this and that but you know what you got something I don't were told the goodness of God leads people to repentance and I believe the gospel in its truest form and is irresistible when people really understand what Jesus has done for them. How much he loves him and how much he wants to give them joy, not a list of do's and don'ts, but the them joy, maximum freedom, maximum joy comes from serving the Lord. It doesn't come from you doing whatever you want to do venture. Many of us in here have lived that life. We just did whatever we want to do that. Let me ask you question what were you filled with joy from, or perhaps for you more miserable than ever EC have known people that live to do just what they wanted to do regarding what God wanted them to do and they were miserable and announcing people who lived according to what God wanted him to do and they were filled with joy. So obviously the world doesn't have this thing of joy scoped or figured out I will tell you the that they do it's it's about the getting. But then what I'm doing this.

I'm going to get an education why education is good with and what you going to get a job. Booking jobs good and what he can do on the get a house okay was house is good.

They want to get on the get married will hurts good that's good what economic get some kids ARE nice know them and what you do well, now grow old. What then is when they within you see that these common and Jesus is saying this is Christianity is not just the way… It's a way to live. It's a way to live. We should be experiencing more life than the world has to offer and know that you know that the storms come, but the joy that I have is rock that comes from the rock. A man so even when you feel discouraged, you can have that joy life lesson here is a way to experience true freedom and joy is to follow and obey Jesus the way to experience true freedom and joy is the following obey Jesus and perhaps if you're not since and that joy just to look spiritual checklist you I am Emma Emma praying Emma in the word and my my serving and my giving them a doing these things that Jesus encourage me to do. John chapter 1 verses one and four says in these things we write to you that your joy may be full John right there in the first epistle of John I letter of John tells us he wrote that a pencil that are joy might be full. Now here's my bore. Think about this. The Bible in part, is what gives you joy. Now let me ask you question is that the picture that society paints about the Bible no way your reason why you're doing what cleaning you study the Bible, but I don't know if you've ever had the expense of going through a hard time going through your period of depression or anxiety or whatever and open the Bible up to the book of Psalms and begin to read and just begin to have your joy resurrected because you understand that weeping may endure for night but joy comes in the morning. This book and give you joy to mere fact, when you have a hard day tough day things maybe didn't go well to get home and then you dig into the word knee brace got good at this. All this other stuff is temporary written that are joy may be full. I don't mean that we just focus on a good time but I think it goes hand-in-hand with being a believer that you have this Julie that year. There's an enjoyable thing when we gather together as believers to worship God and to his work. 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 were present in God's virtual 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. One. Pray for seven cities in our listening audience for Allen, Louisiana, Fruitland and St. Mary city, Maryland situate Massachusetts.

Baldwin Benton Harbor in Vassar, Michigan, Lord, thank you for the cities. Thank you that we get the broadcast in the cities. Hello, thank you for everyone listening pray that you would encourage them right now.

Help them in these last days to keep their mind and their eyes. Their heart focused on you hoping to be in your word every day Lord for encouragement.

God, I pray that your mind and that you have a good plan you're going to take care of them.

They don't have to fear the Lord for anyone listening who doesn't yet know you. I pray today that they will put their trust in Jesus simply received the gift that you paid a high price for them to have. Just by trusting in you in Jesus name, amen. Hey man, thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 12 this is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you with the bars definitely get listed in this first Jesus before has told us to love one another, but here he adds this love one another, even as I have loved you even as I have loved you how to Jesus love us halfheartedly that he love us when it was convenient when he had time to glad God doesn't have voicemail voicemails, a very cool thing.

It's a very nice thing to have to stay in communication with people but would not put you off a little bit of you know you were trying to pray you are in the spot you said God God's not in right now. If you leave a message when you hear the tone he'll be sure to get right back to his love is constant. He's always want to hear from us. He won't listen to us on the amazing thing now he doesn't love us halfheartedly. This this redefines love because we think of love is feeling so obviously it's more than that because Jesus wouldn't command us to feel a certain way necessarily he's commanding us to an active volition, an act of the will to love one another.

It's a decision and and guys you know it. Sometimes it's a tough decision to love somebody, the Lord is the one that defines what love is not society, not culture. Please understand that because if you're defining love from people magazine or cosmopolitan what you got really twisted version of love.

God has the true picture of love limits on years ago. You know, wonder who will who wrote the book on love God wrote the book, that's an easy, it's an easy question to answer any tells us what it looks like and what it doesn't look like now, it can be a feeling, but it should be much, much, much more. How do we show love for one another through caring through sharing through giving, serving, praying, all those ways that we show love to one another and in some ways understand this messages is ever heard the term preaching to the choir. We don't have a car here so should probably explain that with what Ted means is that you know you're talking to people that already are aware of these things because many of you would be honestly, you do an outstanding job of this. See we get calls and we get emails from people who come by here who visit here who get plugged in here and there like you know I've never been to a church where I just felt such a sense of belonging and and felt such love, fear. That's an amazing thing. That's not something that I get to communicate that something you guys many of you who are serving or communicating the people and understand that is part of displaying love to people.

Now how do we not show love what I tell you one of the ways that we show is when we gossip and speak evil of one another.

This is a horrible thing that happens in churches today that we gossip about people that we speak evil about people that we fellowship with you. It's interesting, as I've had people actually come to me go you know so-and-so is such a gossip site. How do you know it's a good question.

You see, because when people are gossiping understand there's two parties are there's a party that's talking there's a party to listen and both of them are engaged in the Senate gossip ECU semi start to tell you something that you know they shouldn't be telling you now that's a godly thing that's not rude. That's the godly thing to do. So you know how when hear this about this other person is not godly and showed him that now I got a big head is staying there going to continue on. You might have to shut down several that's the godly thing to do while because that's not displaying love is not the real deal. Some Fox false, fake and evil. So that's one way that we doesn't show love verse 13. These are awesome, awesome versus greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends we know, in hindsight, what Jesus is saying here that he is getting ready to do just that. To lay down his life for his friends.

Now the thing is, what is the present day application of this. How is this personal chances are no monies going to come to you after service and say like I got this cross these nails and these hammers and guess what you're working on now you to the cross and crucify, that's probably not going to happen. So what does it mean to lay down our lives for one another. Well me give you this clue happens all the time here. Happens all the time when you come in and there's somebody trying to help you park in greeting. That's them laying down their life for you because chances are no he went to him say what would you really like to do with your Sunday marks. I like to send out the parking lot and you know wave a flashlight at people who occasionally got irate with me but they didn't say that Shirley they finally got better things to do, but they want to lay down their life for you guys so you want to help people get in here. Have a good experience. The people in the children's ministries spent Friday and Saturday doing what put together the lessons while they were bored. They didn't have anything else to do there, looking for now, let's not in their laying down their last want to love your cats love your cats so that they will know the truth, they will know the love of the Lord. That is a real practical way of laying down your life for people and so when we look at this. Don't take it into some far-off state and think what you what does that look like that's what it looks like doing things that you wouldn't normally do that possibly aren't convenient that aren't on the top of your priority list what to lay down your life for somebody else to be a picture of Jesus somebody house the life lesson here is we are live in the tell what he died to say we are living to tell what he died to say in when we lay down our lives for people that communicates what Jesus died to tell him you know I care. Love you. I love the saying that people won't care how much we know until they know how much we care.

Thank you.

Notice it's a commandments not a suggestion, it's not. Hey, if this is convenient if you can work this in your schedule if if they don't look at you wrong or say something silly or do some the hurt your feelings and love somebody said he same love is a commitment.

Do you have that commitment to your brothers and sisters that are gathered around you right now if you don't, may I suggest according to the words of Jesus need to do a heart check. I understand this is challenging and this is convicting. These are the words of Jesus who that's father in red.

If you've got a red letter Bible. That's what that means you got a red letter Bible, the words of Jesus are in red and he say and look this is the deal. This is what love looks like in the lay down one's life for his friends. We look back on Jesus and we know what's about to happen. He's about to be crucified and so weak how that person with the fact that Jesus is laying down his life. In other words, he's willing to die. He's going to put aside whatever self-centeredness that he might engage in.

It's a sobering word, but the reality is that's what Jesus is challenging us to do is to die to lay down our lives for one another. John Knox, a man who ministered in Scotland. He prayed a prayer for many years that he prayed like this. Lord, give me Scotland or alt. He prayed that repetitious sleep time and time again and then the Lord spoke to him and said you die and I'll give you Scotland. In other words, lay down your life, all that you think should happen all that you think would happen, and watch what I will do so through you see this is what were supposed to be doing. This is the stuff this is the real deal. This is the good that we lay down that way… To ourselves.

It's a challenging thing.

Jesus is telling us to do here.

It's very challenging must be doubtless be honest must be real about.

There's no rejected the know this is a constant way really to live in obedience to the Lord and I love this quote is what we do in the here and now that will make a difference in the then and there that what we do in the here and now affects people's eternal destiny. That's the reality we all want to belong to something that's bigger than us, and that's the whole concept. That's the whole vehicle of the church in general. Man did not come up with the church. God is the one who instituted the church and yes, it's been imperfect in the church is what it is it's it's not a perfect thing in a now as a young believer used to argue with people and they started discussing church history and know all know that was really like that are no they didn't really do that or you know you know the more I grow in the Lord the market and that off.

We need like saviors friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a 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 not done wrong things I have send 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 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 he 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.

Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners they wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons consider daily reading and the thought to meditate on. Throughout today from the heart. David McGee those are terrific and it's easy and it's free so folks sign up today@crossthebridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time.

As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God