John Chapter 15:18-27

The comfort that God gives you his design is that you turn around and give that the semi that you comfort somebody else and part of what the Holy Spirit does in acts chapter 1 verse eight were told that you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the you receive power from the Holy Spirit to do what to be witnesses to be witnesses that's plainly what that verse says do you have the power welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee.

David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina, one of the McGee's associate pastors is grounded so happy to have truly excited to be excited about this ministry across the bridge and excited about the teaching of the word pastor David evangelism as part of the reason why I started coming and being part of the ministry. It's an important part of the Christian walk. The good news is that the Holy Spirit gives us the power be witnesses for Christ today pass today displays how we can be empowered by the spirit as he continues in the Gospel of John chapter 15 sounds good, so let's listen as David McGee continues in part two of his teaching. We must choose verse 18 says of the world hate you. You know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were the world, the world would love that song yet but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Now this is interesting and Jesus is painting a picture and understand when he says the world. He doesn't mean necessarily the physical world. He's talking about a world system that denies and ignores the presence of God and there is such a system in place me not to recognize that is is the height of ignorance. There is an agenda to take in God we trust off of the money to take the 10 commands all these things that we see going on prayer in schools.

There is a world system and an agenda to take God out of our culture and our society recognize that I don't want to be a part of that and here Jesus is saying it's it's kind of either or. Now here's here's the problem in reading like this we read this and we go okay the world supposed to hate me going work that out first 20 remember the word that I said you a servant is not greater than his master. They persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

But all these things they will do to you for my namesake because they do not know him who sent me while that's an incredible statement now understand Jesus and don't be surprised by this, don't be surprised by the tension don't be surprised by these things. This is just part of it in and somehow we we know we get what we get surprised somehow by that I have been I include myself in that I get surprised at some of the venom in the bitterness that I think they directed me. Sometimes I even had some actually set up an email account. I hate David mcgee@yahoo.com is a little weird. You know to be sick, little off guard, but now I'm kinda surprised when I don't get some hateful emails or hateful voicemails you be surprised but you know what I think when I get there is think I got a totally different perspective. Now when I get stuff like that and I'm thinking they're getting close. They're getting close because you know that shell is often the most brittle right before it breaks so you got that going on in your life or friends or family be be encouraged again. Don't be obnoxious so you can be persecuted because sometimes we do that, you know were like all yeah you know I hit him in the head with a Bible and now he wants to fire because he's the boss.

Now don't do that don't do that, though being natural persecution that happens. This is the stuff they did me. They're going to do this to you but I want you to notice Jesus is these things that they do to you. They're doing to you because I don't know me.

They don't know me. That puts a really different perspective on everything she when people do some hateful things to you is because they don't know Jesus and understanding it, you know, we often think that because were walking with Jesus are trying to follow Jesus now also and we got trials, claimant removal, did you not ever have any trials or conflict with the world before you became a Christian. Another is conflict there is trials that some ask a question you want to go through trials with Jesus you want to go through trials without Jesus. She's a wonderful option that we have to have the support of Jesus, the power of Jesus, the love of Jesus to take us through these things take us through these things and also we need to know God more. We need to know God more. It's an interesting thing when you read Romans chapter 1, and it gets in all this depravity and stuff. What's interesting is is it says in the middle of that chapter, but when they knew God, they glorified him not as God thing that jumps out there's a new God and all these things, so we need to be in a quest to know God. No, that's not just in though the Bible certainly part of it. But in addition to knowing the word of God. You got to know the God of the word and as you read this book as we study this book were drawn further and further into that relationship with the Lord. Verse 22 had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

Now Jesus is not literally saying that they were sinless before he came he saying they have no excuse they have no cover, and I think that has, to do more with the reason people reject Jesus. They reject Jesus because if they don't reject Jesus. Then they got a deal with the sin issue.

I think it's the same thing. To be honest the creation versus evolution because I think once you admit that you believe the world was created as God said he did as many, many scientists now are Nairn are saying there was unit some creation going on and and it's sad that the unit a lot of the evolutionists understand this and do your own research a lot of evolutionist or leave it there leaving the camp that said Wells a big bang and come on I mean just the logic of that theory. There was nothing and then it exploded, the flaw in that lot. Anyway, close billions and billions and billions of years ago. Women wait if you put the piece and you probably heard this, if you put the pieces of a watch and a back took apart, but in the bag and shook it. You think that's going to come together as a watch will you shook it long enough known and a note that logic doesn't work, but I think the reason people reject creation is because when you come to the biblical model of creation, you've got a real problem okay if if God did create the world what's his expectation of you with his desire for you. So then you get into the same question.

So Jesus saying you now have come to give you life and when the light shines in the dark. It's uncomfortable and it it's uncomfortable, that's why you know if you going to yell Barner outside or something you cut on the light unique and single thing scurrying everywhere while running from the line is what happens when Jesus goes into either people are drawn to it like a moth. They run from a global beetle verse 23 says he who hates me hates my father also so that kind of takes away the angle of people that love God, but reject and therefore hate Jesus and incidentally, you know, maybe you shouldn't marry Michiko solace in her Hayden and stuff. Claimant think about the weight of the world, the media betrays Jesus.

Now think about the way the media portrays Christianity going out for office.

Have you ever seen leathers rare rare exceptions, but for the most part on television. Have you ever seen a Christian who was like in his right mind on TV.

I mean it's really really rare. You know that the most common example right is the guy who's on the sidewalk with some lacquered it is a big sign that says repent is hollering and he looks like he is feeling not quite all there you know any equities got a Bible and is then living well and in the course. They had some show can member the name of it, you know that was on a few months ago. The guy was a pastor but he was addicted to painkillers in the church secretary was a lesbian in any dishonest weirdness man.

It's like that how the world is representing Christianity and that's how they represent Jesus, don't be surprised by verse 24. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin, but now they have seen and also hated both me and my father you see what Jesus is with the real Jesus.

There's no real neutral ground and people that try to to take neutral ground. I think it's kind of a coward's way out, be honest, you either love Jesus you hate Jesus or you misunderstand Jesus the people say all Jesus. These nice guys a good teacher, claimant, claimant will will he leave that as an option.

He said he was God now either he is God, or he was lion or he was crazy.

I mean people that that you know are nice people in good teachers don't run around saying I'm God and saying I'm gonna die for the sins of the world. You can't just say what he was a nice man and the nice teacher. He even leave that open to you. He's either all that he said he was reason I think he was a crazy man and a liar and each person has to make that decision and that's why people get so passionate about either loving Jesus or hating Jesus because it would if they acknowledge Jesus is who he said he was then that leads them to a decision just to Jesus is leads everybody to a decision you either say while somebody love me enough to die for my sins, I say you know what I don't buy I rejected all young even understand what the worst sin in the world is its rejecting Jesus. Some of you just came up with some stuff that's not the worst of the worst sin in the world is rejecting Jesus why she can't be forgiven of that sin.

You can be forgiven of.

That's because if you reject him here rejecting the only way you can receive the forgiveness for yourself and it's sad that the world bill will it binds the bridge that Jesus has made verse 25 but this happened that the world might be fulfilled which is written in their law they hated me without cause again. They hate Jesus because if they love Jesus are to be called into this relationship and again this is why it's so important we love one another while because people would be drawn to that. Jesus knows that this is love one another, watch what happens when you're real and you love out loud and watch how people come to you and ask you for the answers 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 him here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can pray for them as well.

Just by simply 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 no Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones. What an awesome way to bring love once 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. Walker, Michigan, Brainerd, Fergus Falls and Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Biloxi Friars pointe in Meridian, Mississippi, Lord. Thank you that regular broadcast in the cities.

Thank you for your good news which will not return void, or to pray for everyone listening right now that they would be encouraged today recognize that you love them greatly, and you have a good plan. Lord I pray for anyone in their lives who they been trying to reach out to really been trying to share the gospel with we list those up to you now.

We pray that you would convince and convict and even encourage them to put their trust in you and we pray for protection safety in the cities. Did the police officers wisdom, the fire department wisdom. The town councils and mayors. Everyone in leadership give them wisdom helped in the love one another, and Lord.

We trust you that you do a great work in the cities. In Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 26 but when the helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the father, the spirit of truth who proceeds from the father.

He will testify of me. So, again, speaking back to the Holy Spirit. Now let me share something because there's a really interesting picture in the Hebrew Scriptures of something.

This is speaking of the Holy Spirit.

So I want to paint a picture and if you've been a very long, you may have heard this before but it bears repeating.

You possibly remember the story or maybe some of you have not heard a bit. Probably most have in Genesis 22 when Abraham is called on to sacrifice his son Isaac, the son of promise. What happens is you know Abraham was promised a son for a long time he tries to make it happen and goes with Hagar's handmaiden. They produce Ishmael, which is a work of the flesh that God does not recognize as the son of promise, which kind of unit means that are fleshly. Efforts aren't really going to meet with an approval of God, then he has Isaac and God's is okay.

I want you to go up on this mountain which is sacrifice your son and I know that you know early on, you think, how can.

How can God ask him what was Abraham feeling like that day when he replaced Isaac on the altar, and I know we grew up in Sunday school that that Isaac was like a 12-year-old boy.

He was a 12-year-old boy not going into this morning, but I believe he was about 30 years old.

Through the Bible.

If you do much or weird Mexican guess at that but he was a man and what was Abraham thinking has the sacrificed as a sacrifice was going for it.

But you know what a better question is that sacrifice got stopped was God feeling when sacrifice with his son went through and happened will pastor in a will.

What's the connection. There's a lot of connections.

Genesis chapter 22 verse two it says and he said take now, I send my only son Isaac who now love us and get the into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I tell the so it's Mount Moriah that's what we refer to that mount that he offered his son Isaac on was mountain what's the importance what's the connection. Mount Moriah is an important place, and I'll tell you why were told they gotta follow the thread of Scripture but were told in second Chronicles 3 verse one. Now Solomon begin to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah where the Lord had appear to his father David at the place that David appeared on the threshing floor of one of the Jebusites. Your attention please. Mount Moriah's in Jerusalem and part of the Temple Mount.

But it gets even better than that. You see there's a rich that runs through Jerusalem. There's actually that the city makes the letter sheen are the S in topography and geography in the upper ridge is the one that has the Temple Mount on it and it leads to a place outside of the city. Interesting enough, it rises 777 m above sea level and now we know this place as Calvary, which I believe in a lot of other scholars believe is the actual place where Abraham offered Isaac the typography the pictures go even further now because here's what happens after after that moment on the mountain. We don't see Isaac anymore for couple chapters, he actually is, what happens is Abraham's father since his servant since his servant define the broad bearing gifts to present to the bride the same way the Holy Spirit is searching for the bride of Christ, presenting gifts to the bride to the church and the next time you see Isaac is when the Holy Spirit has taken the bride and presented the broad to the group. The churchmen presented at the end of the age to Jesus.

Now there's something even that that lends credence to this not tell you it's interesting.

Genesis 24 were not told the servant thing. Much like the Holy Spirit points to Jesus.

We just know that this servant is on the quest to find the bride now go with me in this now in in Genesis 24 to the servant as a name, but it says so Abraham said to the older servant of his house.

We know that it was only the older servant, but if you dig a little bit. Here's what you find in Genesis chapter 15 versus two but Abraham said, Lord God, what will you give me saying I go childless in the air of my house is a liaison of Damascus, so a liaison was that Elder servant Ashley would have to do with anything. A liaison was the one who went in board gifts to give to the broad a liaison name in the Hebrew is God is my helper. God is my comforter. This book is so cool and this stuff is so much better than taken every 49th letter and seeing what it spells. I mean the stuff this this stuff that's in there is so incredible, so back to John.

The helper comes, so here we have the Trinity, the helper, the father and Jesus is speaking and noticed something.

It says the helper and also the spirit of truth now understand it helper or counselor Paraclete these in the Greek it is telling us that the Holy Spirit will help us and encourage us and strengthen us but is also called the spirit of truth, meaning that he will teach us illuminate God's word to us that you will bear witness with us.

He will give us comfort and what should we do with discomfort that were given second Corinthians chapter 1 tells us is Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Your attention please. The comfort that God gives you his design is that you turn around and give that to somebody else that you comfort somebody else and part of what the Holy Spirit does in acts chapter 1 verse eight were told that you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth you receive power from the Holy Spirit to do what to be witnesses to be witnesses that's plainly what that verse says do you have that power. Verse 27 and you also will bear witness because you've been with me from the beginning. He's time witness in the Holy Spirit together and those two verses been with me from the beginning seat. Now this is the think Jesus same.

This is what's going if you're following me, these are the things that are going to happen. You can love one another with a supernatural love. The world's not going to get along with your approve of you, but that's okay that's not who you're following Jesus is saying here that he wants the disciples and he wants us to move beyond belief into laws. EPC is not enough just to sit there and go yeah I believe all this family I'm with.

I agree, but are you moving beyond that, because when you believe in Jesus, it leads to action and Jesus in this chapter describes what that action loving one another.

Caring for one another, following him, and not following the world.

That's the decision that we have to make an understanding even as you look at this decision go out that's that's it. That's an expensive decision yet is it will cost you some things, but it will not cost you nearly what it cost Jesus whatever sacrifice you may be called upon to make whatever inconvenience in your life that happens, whatever antagonisms or frictions that are introduced in your life through family and friends. The people you work with pails in comparison to what Jesus went through for you. Why did he goes to those things.

To give you the ability to be forgiven of your sentence and have a fresh start. A clean slate and relationship with him some of you this morning. Know that you have that some of you don't have to. Jesus offers use these things not because he thinks that you're good enough. He offers these things because he loves you that much that he wants to forgive you that he desires for you to have a relationship with. That's based upon grace that is the unmerited favor of God.

And this morning the Lord is asking you if you follow him. He's asking you. Are you really happy being conformed to the world. Is that really bring in the piece in the joy and the love that you've been looking for, or perhaps has it left you drop dissatisfied and unhappy understand if you're trying to straddle the fence that can leave you, even on more unhappy than those who were either one side or the other for some of you need to make a commitment not just I believe moving beyond belief into love as I heard one pastor say Lord reduces reduce this whole thing to love and yes, there's truth.

We want to be walking in the truth, but we want to be walking in his love, 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 could have a new life not done wrong things I have sinned, 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 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 some day you can wake up with encouragement Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to 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