John Chapter 17:1-7

One of the reasons we talk about serving. Here is his will to put wheels on your faith to some help in the church setting. In America we think okay one sure saves us that that's the end goal. We just want to get to say I was never the end goal for Jesus free to be walking in faith. When did Jesus ever walk up anybody go.

I agree with me never one time. What did he say follow me. What that means. He was asking for an action welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee.

David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina today.

David McGee teaches the second part of a six part series on the real Lord's prayer.

We also have with us on the program. One of the associate pastors DA Brown welcome to the program Bob everyone can enjoy this one. While it is true that our good works do not bring us to salvation because of our salvation that we want to do good works for Jesus today pastor David explains this more as he continues in the Gospel of John chapter 17.

Let's listen as David continued with part two of his teaching. The real Lord's prayer. Chapter 17 is a it's high holy ground in terms of the New Testament were invited to a very intimate place in that Jesus is praying and so working to get a glimpse into the heart of Jesus and his heart towards the disciple so when I got to rush through this were working to take our time with this book is jump in John 17 verse one Jesus spoke these words lifted up his eyes to heaven and set father, the hour has come.

Glorify your son that your son also may glorify you as you have given him authority over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him, and this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do these verses are so deep Jesus glorified father God do the things that he did on the earth. And here he saying you want I finish the work. Now we understand, in part, Jesus is speaking prophetically of when he was on the cross and he said to tell us. I am the Greek it is finished.

But when the things he did say you know I finished the work which you have given me to do. Charles and John Wesley was interesting. Years ago I think it was John that was coming over and Charles sit with you go over there you're going to die and the crossing and he made an incredible statement.

He said you know what a man is a mortal Antilles finish what he was sent here to do but to finish the work suggests the cry of my heart. I don't know when I cross that finish line. You have to be on it. It could be today. It could be five years. It could be 20 years. I don't know where that line is that I do know that I want to be able to say what Jesus is. I finish the thing that you told me to do. I finished what you gave me to do, not what it should not the not making excuses but you know what God I was gone so for you.

I was I was full length is 24 seven that's what I want to be able to say that mean I never fail no does not mean that unfortunately that means my heart wants to accomplish what God has given me today and let me ask you question is that the crown of your heart because we get so easily distracted.

Not only I'm not pointing my finger. You guys I'm saying we get so easily distracted. We get our priorities out of whack in the Lord speaks in a soft voice in society need to do this you need to do that and we we reject that weekly turn away from that one of the reasons we talk about serving a lot.

Here is his will to put wheels on your face, she somehow, in the church setting. In America we think okay you know one sure saves us that that's the end goal. We just want to get saved I was never the end goal for Jesus free to be walking in faith. When did Jesus ever walk up anybody go. I agree with me never one time. What did he say follow me know what that means. He was asking for an action mean as a disciple Jesus lots of Jesus, follow me, you wouldn't sit there and where they're going down following you might look like and still sit here but I'm with you and heart follow me an action now. I can meet me clarify faith and works.

We are saved by faith were saved by faith. God does not require you on the front end to do anything except accept him somehow on the church today, we've actually built into this that you have to repent before salvation now is repentance apart. Salvation absolutely, absolutely. Let me ask a question when theologically to somebody repent before they get saved. I'm sorry can't because you can't have the Holy Spirit having you turn from your sins to God before you get saved can do it. There is part of you that wants to do that, but you do not yet have the power to do that. But as you turn to God, you turn from your sins, and that begins to work out in your life. So again, so it's clear repentance is part of salvation, but as part of salvation, not a pre-salvation thing are we are we clear on that. Are we on the same page, because see you. It is not a matter of you getting your life cleaned up to come to God.

See, that's the shame. Some people think well since I get this right. Not right and come to God when it when is that going to be. You can get perfect and then you're going to come the got I'm sorry if you could be perfect. You would need God. What you sourcing.faith and by faith alone.

Nothing works. I have seen some people got saved and immediately all the baggage dropped off amazing people.

It were smoking crack and doing all these things also make it safe manner on fire seen other people that it seems like it's a really gradual process and I'm so glad that God is in charge. A man, not me. So were saved by faith.

I want to be very clear on this, but Jesus mentioned works of what is the work. The book of James, which is encouragement and how to live our lives out in Christianity has a few verses that I'd like to share this morning.

James 122 says, but be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. So as you hear the word of God and I make sure that you hear the word of God. Be sure you're beginning to do the word of God.

Again, let me clarify many people in here are doing the word there doers of the word. James continues in the epistle and 2/14 is what does it profit my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works can faith save him. That new living translation puts it like this, dear brothers and sisters.

What's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your action that kind of faith can't save anyone. These are strong words directly from the word of God.

I want to shatter the spectator Christianity thing that has crept into the church today has no place in the body of Christ. Somehow we think okay it's kind like a professional sporting event and that 5% of the people in the middle of the field doing the stuff in the 95% are going gay know it's not like that was not supposed to be like that.

James 217 20 says to 17 through 20. That's also faith by itself does not have works, is that someone will say you have faith and I have works.

Show me your faith without your works and I'll show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well, even the demons believe, and tremble will. This is a great verse to share with people if you ask him. Are you going to heaven all yeah yeah why do you think that because I believe in God. Okay, that's your definition of who gets in heaven you believe do you believe that demons are going to heaven.

No okay demons believe and are actually fearful so obviously it takes more than just a passive believe an agreement with the facts. The new living translation says this so you see same translations in verse so you see it isn't enough just to have faith faith that doesn't show itself like good days as I faith that all is dead and useless.

Someone may argue some people have faith.

Others have good deeds.

I say I can see your face if you don't have good deeds but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.

Do you still think it's enough just to believe that there is one God will even the demons believe this name tremble and tear strong versus the life lesson here is added to verse we are saved by faith to do good works.

We are saved by faith to do good works. Once you come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

There's just something that happens everything changes you begin to think well I want to do something for the Lord. I want to get involved. I want to get in gay and you know I love you enough to say this, if your content was sitting on the sidelines and not pursuing the Lord and not living out a life that is glorifying to the Lord, you probably need to ask yourself some hard questions because you don't see that, faith in the Bible you don't see it. Jesus himself in Matthew 516 says let your light so shine before men, how do how do we let our light shine before men that they may see your good works and then what happens and they glorify your Father in heaven. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven, even in the in the verse that we quote a lot to talk about the grace that is saving grace. Ephesians 289. Remember verse 10 for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves is the gift of God not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. This this word in here workmanship. I love this word is the word is the Greek word Colina is where we get our word for problem and why you may sit back and think, overwhelmed cannot do these things that the Lord wants me to do, can actually follow him with this is a really cool thing.

Evidently Jesus thinks you can. Jesus, as you know I saved you knowing that you can do these things. See. So for a believer to Safeco.

I can't no longer an option. I'm sorry because with God all things are possible know what that means to you. I'm not sure some of you are called to do this or do that but I just know that in following Jesus.

It's in thing is not a passive thing the disciples follow Jesus in an Active Way, God has done everything necessary to save us.

He leaves the decision to us once we make that decision. God expects our active participation. 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 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 need to 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 loved ones to Jesus. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown. They were really excited that you tuned in today and if you listen right now were taking a few moments in the program to pray for cities and our listening audience. So if you're listening right now are praying for you and specifically the cities in Missouri Springfield St. Joseph St. Louis and in Montana. Arley built Billings and Culbertson Lord, thank you for the people listening in the cities. Thank you for the work that you're doing in their life then listening is evidence that your work. Father I pray that you would fill them with the faith to believe in what you're doing Lord helped him to say yes to everything that you want to do in their life.

We pray for the city leaders.

The mayor, the police chief. The fire chiefs. We pray that you will give them wisdom. The town Council and Lord, we pray for your Holy Spirit to pour out in these cities give the pastors wisdom help people get plugged in the churches, and low.

We thank you that we can ask for your help and expect you to move in Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse first and now all father glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was notice.

Here Jesus is saying you're not existed before the world existed. He is claiming that he is eternal. And that's one of the definitions for. He said it again in the different way. In John 858 Jesus answered and says the truth is I existed before Abraham was even born when Jesus said, for any man be in kind for any man to come and say well you know it was actually centuries later, they decided that Jesus was God wasn't this garbage that's garbage. Jesus himself said that he was eternally existent. He said that. Remember that this is instantly church that is some people said this isn't some counsel that got together and said let's put words in his mouth. These are the words of Jesus never six. I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world they were yours. You gave them to me and they have kept your word. Now notice that they came out of the world. Does that mean they went to outer space. Does that mean they were floating above the ground a few feet is not what it means. It means a quick trying to the system. The philosophies of thought processes.

The mentality of the world and that's what we need to do as believers because because there are rugs in in following Jesus compared to what the world says the world will say this is all right and that's all right and if it's right situations dealings okay lines okay you know the certainty I was really shocked at how many of you Saul asked the pastor and the guy ask is this even anybody. It did this even somebody as a wrong without I felt close is an easy one. So I took it and said well yeah you know and and and the question was, you know it will make it more specific in law enforcement.

Is it okay to deceive somebody in order to get the truth and I said you know what it doesn't matter what your motivation wrong is still wrong because you can come out with all kinds of good reasons for doing the wrong thing and it still the wrong thing.

Okay what I was covered and into other well a pastor and a chaplain went after me and they said well you sometime this role. I was shocked were to be out of the world and following following the Lord.

Verse seven. Now they have known that all things which you have given me are from you to Jesus and you know what they can know me and they can know the things that you have given me are from you. Let's go back to verse six. I want to spend some time with the components I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me all the world must let's clarify that because her something interesting here we ask a question and what you think about this whole Bible trivia here who are in Anaya Michelle and Azariah don't answer out loud you're sitting there going I don't know, don't call me at my hands not raised whose belt. The shots are a scenario going pastor.

This is a little bizarre. Let me phrase it differently. Do you know who Shadrach me shack in a Bendigo are that Sue asked about the first first, use their Hebrew names. The second time the names that we know them by are the names the Babylonians gave Scott where tenant see they change their names and that they wanted to them to adopt the world system. If you got that one right here dear Bob, above you can look it up and down know if you want to polish up for next know them by their Babylonian ancestors. We know Daniel, but Daniel that is the Hebrew not that the shots are what does that have to do with anything pastor.

It's interesting to me that we know Jesus by his Greek name Jesus is a Greek word and I want to get into all the specifics, but it is, we are because the Greeks when the current Hellenization.

In other words, they went into a culture and they wanted to indoctrinated into their ways and their thoughts and their philosophies and they bring in the gymnasium and all these other things that were very Greek that we still see in our world today and what we call ourselves the Judeo-Christian society more and more were looking less and less to Jerusalem, and more and more to Athens and that type of philosophy even as a church, the name of Jesus in the Hebrew shot Shula R hi Joshua, our English word for that is Joshua, but it's amazing to me that so few people know that.

And so it's okay if you beat you here me every week.

Pray and are close in the name of Shula. That's the Hebrew name of Jesus delivers it.

Never know know were supposed to pray in the name of Jesus.

Jesus will Shula is his Hebrew name, Jesus is what the Greek people called him you want to go closer to what his name is economist Sheila that name means God is our salvation. And so when Jesus says I have manifested your name. That's what he was talking about. I believe you Shula God is salvation.

Christ is from the Greek Christos, meaning the anointed one, which would get from the Hebrew mushy God is my salvation. How cool that that is his name and it ties back to two things real quickly and will close. Exodus 1413 uses this word in the Hebrew outreach of the verse in English makes more sense. And Moses said to the people. Do not be afraid, standstill and see the salvation of the Lord which you will accomplish for you today for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall see again. No more forever. We paint the picture there at the Red Sea. The armies press and then from Pharaoh behind him. There's two mountainsides is your Red Sea behind him and Moses stand up since it Moses stands up and says do not be afraid, standstill and see yes Shula picture long before Yehoshua died upon the cross, he didn't say start digging a tunnel were going to tunnel under the Red Sea's interesting the way he phrases standstill standstill and watch what a word to us is worse got all start we can start with works can start with doing.

It's been said that we went in the garden from being human beings to human doings, while as much I want to encourage you to be doing after you know the Lord until you know the Lord is nothing you do to please him. Standstill and see the salvation standstill and see yes Shula and the feast of Tabernacles. An interesting thing happened they would go up and were told about in John seven on the great day of the fees Rosh Hashanah. That's the last day of the feast. They did some interesting things.

They went down and they took the vase and they attempted in the pool of Siloam which were told in the Bible means sent they brought this water back to the temple. They mixed it with Juan symbolic of the blood and they ported out on the steps of the temple, reminding us of the water and the blood that flowed from the side of Jesus and meanwhile they were waving palm branches say, and blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the feast of Tabernacles and in part was Thanksgiving for wetness for the rain for the water and they would sing a song from Isaiah 12 verse three is therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation your attention please. That verse.

Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of Yeshua and in that moment as they were singing from the wells of Joshua. The young man from Galilee set up and said if anybody's thirsty men come to me and drink. And that's still what he says today if anybody's thirsty, let them come and drink from the wells of Joshua because if you drink from the wells of anything else from just like he said in John four. You can be thirsty again. But if you drink from the wells of Yeshua the wells of Jesus will quench your thirst like nothing you've ever experienced. Just like so many of the things that you drink have salt in them and they leave you thirstier and thirstier the things of the world will leave you thirstier and thirstier.

But the true water.

The water that lives the water that gives the water of life. Jesus will satisfy you in a way like you've never been satisfied. That's what he offers each and every person this morning.

Maybe you've been distracted. Maybe you've been drinking from these other wells and you've been wondering why muscle thirsty because you were never meant to be satisfied with the other wells you were built to be satisfied with the well of Yeshua alone 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 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. If 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 each 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 taking verse by verse in the gospel of God