>> LIBERTY UNIVERSITY HOW ARE YOU TONIGHT? YOU DOING WELL? WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY BEFORE WE GET GOING, THAT IT IS SUCH AN HONOR FOR ME TO GET TO INTRODUCE TO YOU AT THIS MOMENT, OUR PRESIDENT, IT IS JUST A BLESSING TO ME TO KNOW THAT HE WANTED TO BE HERE WITH US TONIGHT. HE WANTED TO WORSHIP WITH US TONIGHT. SIT UNDER GOD'S TEACHING TONIGHT AND HE GETS TO OPEN US UP IN PRAYER. THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME THAT MANY OF YOU MEET DR. PREVO, IT WON'T BE THE LAST. HE WILL BE ALL OVER THE CAMPUS AND WANTS TO ME YOU AND HAVE LUNCH WITH YOU, AND HIS WIFE AND HE ARE FUN. HE'S TRUE AND TRIED PASTOR AT HEART. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT HE TOOK THIS ON IN HIS SEASON OF LIFE. STAND UP AND GIVE IT UP FOR DR. PREVO, PRESIDENT PREVO. COME ON UP. >> THANK YOU, YOU MAY BE SEATED. WE'LL GLAD YOU ARE HERE TONIGHT AND HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE FOR CAMPUS COMMUNITY. BY THE WAY, YOU ARE THE FIRST GROUP TO BE HERE IN THIS STADIUM SINCE LAST NOVEMBER. YOU ARE AN HONORED GROUP TONIGHT, YOU REALLY ARE. THE NEXT GROUP THAT WE HOPE ON THIS FIELD IS SITTING OVER HERE. AND I WOULD LIKE OUR FOOTBALL TEAM TO STAND UP, GIVE THEM A BIG HAND. STAND UP GUYS. YOU ARE GOING TO BE WINNERS THIS YEAR; RIGHT? IF ANYBODY WILL PLAY YOU -- THANK YOU, WITH THIS COVID SITUATION NOT SURE HOW MANY GAMES WE WILL GET TO HAVE IN HERE. HOW MANY ARE HERE FROM ALASKA? ANYBODY HERE FROM ALASKA? WHERE ARE YOU? STAND UP, I'M FROM ALASKA. DON'T BE AFRAID OR ASHAMED. ONE, TWO, THREE. WHERE? GREAT, HOW MANY TEXANS ARE HERE TONIGHT. STAND UP AND HOLLER. NOW ALL YOU TEXANS BETTER TREAT ME RIGHT AND BE NICE TO ME. WHAT IS THE SECOND LARGEST STATE IN THE UNION? TEXAS; RIGHT. YEAH, ALASKA IS THE BIGGEST. AND IF YOU TEXANS DON'T TREAT ME RIGHT, WE ARE GOING BACK TO ALASKA AND DIVIDE IT INTO TWO STATES AND THEN TEXAS WILL BE ONLY THE THIRD LARGEST STATE. I THINK THAT TEXAS DESERVES THAT? DON'T YOU. NO, TEXAS IS A GOOD PLACE TO BE FROM. TODAY I WAS OUT BY THE BIG TOWER, WITH SOME STUDENTS THERE. AND I WONDER IF THEY ARE HERE TONIGHT, ARE THEY HERE TONIGHT? THEY BETTER BE HERE, HELP ME LOOK AROUND, WHERE ARE THOSE YOUNG STUDENTS, FRESHMEN THAT WERE OUT -- THEY BETTER BE HERE. STAND UP AND HOLLER. ANYBODY SEE THEM? BOY IF THEY ARE NOT HERE, I'M GOING TO GET THEM. THEY PROMISED ME THEY WERE GOING TO BE HERE. I DON'T SEE THEM ANY PLACE. AGAIN WE ARE FROM ALASKA AND HONORED TO BE HERE AND SERVE AS YOUR PRESIDENT NOW. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EXCITING TIME THIS YEAR. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN AND A GOOD TIME. I HOPE THAT YOU FEEL FREE TO COME UP AND SPEAK TO ME AND I SAW STUDENTS LOOKING AND GOING AROUND. YOU COME UP AND SHAKE MY HAND AND GET A PICTURE TOGETHER AND FIND OUT YOUR NAME. I WANT YOU TO MEET A VERY SPECIAL PERSON IN MY LIFE, IT'S MY WIFE. SHE'S SITTING WAY UP THERE, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT FAR UP. STAND UP, CAROL. COME ON, THERE SHE IS. [APPLAUSE] LET ME TELL YA HOW WE MET. SHE'S GOING TO KILL ME FOR THIS -- ALL RIGHT. WE WERE AT LAST DAY OF HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WERE THE GRADUATING CLASS AND SENIORS WERE GOING TO GO TO A PARK AND HAVE A BIG EVENT. ME AND MY BUDDY, WE'RE SITTING OUT IN THE PARKING LOT AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO ARE -- WHAT GIRLS ARE WE GOING TO INVITE TO GO WITH US? AND SO SAT THERE AND ALL OF THEM COME OUT THIS DOOR AND LOOKING, THIS ONE AND THIS ONE. AND FINALLY I LOOKED AT MY BUDDY, LISTEN, THERE IS TWO GIRLS COMING OUT AND I THINK THEY ARE THE LAST TWO. I LOOKED AT HIM, YOU CAN HAVE THIS ONE, AND I WILL TAKE THIS ONE AND THIS ONE IS THAT GIRL AND SWEETHEARTS SOPHOMORE YEAR AND MARRIED NOW 56 YEARS SHE'S PUT UP WITH ME. [APPLAUSE] GLAD TO SEE YOU HERE TONIGHT FOR CAMPUS COMMUNITY. OF COURSE YOU REALIZE WHY WE CAN'T FILL THIS THING UP, WHICH WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE. ALMOST FILL IT UP. AND ONE GIRL I WAS TALKING TO TODAY, OUT IN THE LAWN, SHE SAID I DIDN'T REGISTER IN TIME. I CAN'T GO TONIGHT. AND I THOUGHT MAYBE I COULD SLIP HER IN, IN FACT I SEE AN EMPTY SEAT OR TWO, SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT HER ANYWAY. I HOPE YOU ARE HERE TONIGHT TO WORSHIP THE LORD AND HAVE A GOOD TIME IN THE LORD. I BELIEVE YOU ARE OR YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT. LET ME ASK ONE MORE QUESTION, HOW MANY FRESHMEN DO WE HAVE TONIGHT. STAND UP. THIS IS YOUR FIRST YEAR AT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY! ALL THE REST OF YOU GIVE THEM A BIG HAND. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. NOW I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THIS. WHEN YOU SEE A STUDENT OUT WALKING BY THEMSELVES. I WANT YOU GO UP TO THEM AND SAY, WHAT IS YOUR NAME. BECAUSE SOME OF YOU ARE NEW HERE TONIGHT AND YOU DON'T HAVE FRIENDS YET. I WANT YOU HAVE A FRIEND WHEN YOU SEE A STUDENT BY THEMSELVES AND DON'T LOOK TO HAVE ANY FRIENDS AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND BE A FRIEND TO THEM. CAN I EXPECT YOU TO DO THAT? IF I CAN EXPECT YOU TO DO THAT, GIVE A BIG HAND TONIGHT, WOULD YOU PLEASE. [APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT, LET'S BOW OUR HEADS TOGETHER TONIGHT FOR A WORD OF PRAY. I WANT TO PRAY FOR EACH OF YOU. I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU CHOSE LIBERTY UNIVERSITY. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. WE'RE GOING TO TRAIN YOU TO BE A CHAMPION IN YOUR VOCATIONAL FIELD. BUT MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT, WE'RE GOING TO TRAIN YOU TO BE THE SPIRITUAL LEADER AND CONNECT YOU WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND BE A CHAMPION CHRISTIAN. LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. DEAR LORD TONIGHT, WE THANK YOU FOR LOVING US. DEAR GOD THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR SON, LORD, JESUS CHRIST IN THIS WORLD TO DIE ON THE CROSS AND PAY FOR OUR SINS. AND LORD WE THANK YOU THAT YOU CAME OUT OF THAT GRAVE ALIVE AND VICTORIOUS OVER DEATH. AND WE KNOW WHEN DEATH MAYBE COMES TO A GRANDPARENT OR MAYBE A MOM OR DAD, OR MAYBE A BROTHER OR SISTER, WHO ARE BELIEVERS. THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE WITH YOU AND SEE THEM AGAIN. WE KNOW STUDENTS HERE TONIGHT THAT LOST PRECIOUS LOVED ONES AND WE PRAY THAT YOU PUT YOUR ARMS AROUND THEM TONIGHT AND BLESS THEM. THANK YOU FOR PASTOR DAVID, THANK YOU LORD FOR HIS TEAM. LORD I PRAY THAT YOU USE HIM TONIGHT TO CHALLENGE ALL OF OUR HEARTS. HELP US LORD TO GO FORWARD HERE AT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY. YOU GOT GREAT THINGS INSTORE FOR ALL OF THESE STUDENTS HERE TONIGHT. AND LORD AS I LOOK OUT ACROSS THIS AUDIENCE TONIGHT. LORD I SEE A GREAT POTENTIAL AND I JUST HOPE THAT THEY WILL ALL DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO BECOME A CHAMPION FOR JESUS CHRIST, IN HIS NAME WE PRAY, AND ALL GOD'S PEOPLE SAID AMEN. LET'S WORSHIP TONIGHT. >> GOOD EVENING CAMPUS COMMUNITY, WOULD Y'ALL STAND UP WITH US TONIGHT AND WORSHIP. THIS IS A SONG OF VICTORY. HEAR THIS, AND I SAW BETWEEN THE THRONE AND THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES OF THE ELDER OF LAMB, STANDING AS SLAUGHTER AND THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD SENT IN ALL THE EARTH AND WE WENT AND TOOK THE SCROLL FROM THE RIGHT-HANDED SEATED ON THE THRONE AND WHEN HE TOOK THE SCROLL, THE CREATURES FOLLOW BEFORE THE LAMB, AND THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS AND THEY SING THIS NEW SONG, THAT YOU ARE WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL AND OPEN THE SEALS BUT YOU ARE SLAUGHTERED BY THE BLOOD AND THE SAINTS AND PEOPLE AND NATION, AND YOU ARE NAMED IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD FOREVER AND EVER, AND WE SING, O PRAISE THE NAME. DECLARE THIS TODAY. >> SO WE'LL JUST SING THAT CHORUS AGAIN TOGETHER IN A SECOND. BEFORE WE SING THAT CHORUS, LET'S GO BEFORE THE LORD AND JUST ASK HIM TO TONIGHT IN THIS MOMENT, THAT THE GLORY OF GOD, THE WEIGHT OF GOD, THE KABOD OF GOD MANIFEST. AND ASK IN THIS FOOTBALL STADIUM AND DORMS WATCHING ACROSS THE NATION, AND PARENTS TUNING IN. AND ALUMNI AND PEOPLE THAT LOVE US AND PRAYING FOR US IN THIS SEASON. IN THEIR OWN SPACE, IN THEIR OWN HOME, IN THEIR OWN LIVES. NOT JUST AUDIT SOMETHING FROM AWAY BUT SEE THE GLORY OF GOD FALL FROM THEIR LIFE. THIS MOMENT IS NOT ABOUT INVENTORY, WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE NEARLY AS WHAT IS AN INVENTORY OF WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE. AND ASKING GOD TO DO SOMETHING. COME BEFORE HIM. JESUS WE PRAY THAT YOUR GLORY, THAT YOUR PERSON, THAT YOU WOULD MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN TO US. WE LOVE THAT IN SCRIPTURE THAT WE WILL STUDY TONIGHT, THAT THE GLORY OF GOD WAS MADE KNOWN. SHOWN FOR ALL, ALL THE PROPHECIES OF OLD, AND THE COMING GLORY BORN IN A MANGER AND IN HUMBLE POSTURE. AND TONIGHT 2,000 YEARS LATER WE SAY THAT SAME JESUS, SAME POWERFUL JESUS IS THE SAME JESUS THAT WE NEED IN THE STADIUM AND THE CAMPUS, AND THE SAME JESUS THAT WE NEED IN OUR NATION. IT'S THE SAME JESUS WE NEED IN THIS WORLD. SHOW YOUR GLORY TO US TONIGHT. LET'S JUST SING THAT, LET'S PRAY THAT. COME ON, ASK HIM TO MAKE HIS GLORY KNOWN IN YOUR LIFE AT THIS MOMENT. WELCOME HIM IN. SING THAT TOGETHER. >> SO THAT IS OUR PRAYER TONIGHT THAT JESUS YOU WOULD BE MADE KNOWN TO US. AND THAT THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, JESUS, YOU WOULD COME FRONT AND CENTER. WE PRAY THIS EVERY TIME WE COME TOGETHER ON A WEDNESDAY, THAT JESUS YOU WLD BE THE GREAT SPEAKER TONIGHT. THAT WHEN WE OPEN YOUR WORD THAT IS LIVING AND ACTIVE, SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD AND CUTTING THROUGH BONE AND MARROW AND JUDGING THE ATTITUDES OF LIFE. WE WOULD SAY THAT IS ABOUT YOUR MERCY, YOUR GLORY, COMING INTO OUR LIVES TONIGHT. AND TELLING US THE TRUTH EVEN IF HARD TO HEAR. I PRAY TONIGHT IN THIS VERY MOMENT THAT YOU GIVE ME DISCERNMENT TO KNOW WHAT TO SAY AND WHAT NOT TO SAY AND WHERE TO GO IN SCRIPTURE. AND WHERE TO STAY LONGER AND PUNCTUATE A THOUGHT NOT IN THE NOTES AND YOU BE THE WIND AND SAIL WHERE YOU WANT US TO GO. WE NEED YOU NOW, ALL WE GOT IS LIGHT AND SOUND AND CHAIRS AND ALL OF THIS CANNOT MANIFEST YOUR PRESENCE. SO WE JUST NEED YOU, WE NEED YOU NOW GOD TO COME THROUGH IT ALL. WE PRAY THIS IN YOUR NAME. AMEN. SO BEFORE WE OPEN GOD'S WORD, YOU MAY HAVE A SEAT. THANK YOU. BEFORE WE OPEN GOD'S WORD TONIGHT. I HAVE TWO THINGS I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PASSAGE. I'M PREACHING TONIGHT TO YOU OUT OF A PASSAGE THAT IS ABOUT THE GLORY OF GOD BEING MADE KNOWN. AND ROMANS 6:1-3 AS WELL. AND BEFORE WE UNPACK GOD'S WORD TONIGHT I WANTED TO READ SOMETHING TO YOU AND MAKE SURE IN READING THIS TO YOU. THAT YOU KNEW WHO OUR INTENDED AUDIENCE IS, BECAUSE I THINK PROBABLY THERE ARE REPORTERS WATCHING THIS. THIS BEING OUR FIRST BIG GATHERING THAT PROBABLY AREN'T A PART OF OUR CULTURE AND MAYBE EVEN DON'T SHARE OUR FAITH. AND PEOPLE WATCHING AND PEOPLE THAT ARE EARLY STAKEHOLDERS AT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY AND GRADUATED FROM THE FIRST CLASS 1971 AND MAYBE SOMEONE AN INCOMING SENIOR THIS YEAR CONSIDERING THIS SCHOOL. AND AS THEY CONSIDER THIS SCHOOL, WHAT ALL IS HAPPENING. WHEN I GOOGLE THE SCHOOL AND A LOT OF THINGS ON THE INTERNET AND I WONDER IF THIS IS THE PLACE THAT GOD WANTS FOR ME. WHATEVER ANGLE YOU ARE IN, I WANT TO BE SURE THAT YOU FEEL WELCOME IN THIS MOMENT WITH US. AND AT THE SAME TIME YOU KNOW WHO OUR INTENDED AUDIENCE IS. AND OF COURSE I WANTED TO READ TO YOU SOMETHING THAT IS VERY PERSONAL. THIS WAS REALLY THE BEGINNINGS OF MY MORNING JOURNAL. AND I WAS JUST KIND OF WRITING THINGS OUT THIS MORNING. AND THIS AFTERNOON. AND I JUST EVENTUALLY THOUGHT, YOU KNOW WHY DON'T I READ THIS FOR OUR FAMILY HERE. SO I AM GOING TO READ THIS TO YOU AND AFTER I READ IT TO YOU, WE'LL PRAY AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN THE MESSAGE PART WHICH IS TYPICALLY WHAT I DO ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. I COME OUT AFTER WORSHIP AND PRAYER AND UNPACK GOD'S WORD AND DO THAT IN 5-6 MINUTES IF YOU DON'T MIND. LET ME READ THIS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, THIS IS PERSONAL HERE. THE LAST FEW YEARS CAMPUS COMMUNITY HAS GROWN TO BECOME ONE OF THE LARGEST BIBLE STUDIES IN THE WORLD. AND WITH THAT OBVIOUSLY COMES GUESTS. ON ANY GIVEN WEEK THERE ARE FACULTY, STAFF, ALUMNI, BOARD MEMBERS, PARENTS AND OTHERS WHO ARE WITH US AND CERTAINLY THEY'RE LIBERTY FAMILY. BUT THEY JOIN US KNOWING THAT THIS GATHERING FROM ITS WORSHIP STYLE TO ITS GRAPHICS THAT WE USE TO ITS SERMON, IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT AIMED AT THEM. WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE HERE, BUT CAMPUS COMMUNITY IS NOT MADE WITH A PROFESSOR IN MIND. IT'S NOT MADE WITH A BOARD MEMBER IN MIND. THERE ARE CERTAINLY NOT EXCLUDED FROM ITS TRUTH. BUT THIS MOMENT RIGHT HERE IS AIMED AT YOU, THE LIBERTY STUDENT. AND THAT'S WHY WE BUILD WHAT WE BUILD. IT'S OUR BIBLE STUDY. IF YOU JOINED US ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS IN THE PAST YOU KNOW THEY PREACH IT OUR STUDENTS. AT THE END OF TONIGHT, WHEN I GO TO BED, I HAVE TO PUT MY HEAD ON MY PILLOW AND ASK GOD, GOD, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF TONIGHT? WAS I FAITHFUL TO YOU? AND YOUR WORD AND THE WAY I PREACHED IT TO THESE STUDENTS? TONIGHT IS NOT ANY EXCEPTION. LIBERTY STUDENTS -- WHERE ARE YOU AT, LIBERTY STUDENTS, THIS IS FOR YOU. THIS IS FOR YOU. I'M EXCITED THAT WE HAVE GUESTS PEEKING IN, I AM THRILLED THAT PEOPLE ARE JOINING US. BUT THIS IS FOR YOU. I AM HERE FOR YOU. I LOVE YOU. AND AS LONG AS GOD HAS ME HERE, HAS MY FAMILY HERE I AM COMMITTED AND HONORED TO BE YOUR CAMPUS PASTOR. I HAVE BEEN PRAYING AND STUDYING AND PREPARING ALL SUMMER FOR A NEW SERMON SERIES WITH YOU IN MIND. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY HOURS I HAVE SPENT IN THEOLOGY BOOKS. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY HOURS ON MY KNEES PREPARING TO LAUNCH THIS SEASON FOR YOU. AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR GOD TO DO WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO. I BELIEVE, THIS IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT SERIES WE HAVE DONE. NEXT WEEK I WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU HOW AND WHY THIS SERIES CAME ABOUT IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT I AM REALLY AWARE OF HOW TONIGHT WILL ALSO LEAVE SOME OF YOU, BOTH THE STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE, WHO THIS IS FOR AND SOME PEOPLE PEEKING IN AND JOINING AS GUESTS. I REALIZE THAT TONIGHT IS GOING TO LEAVE SOME OF YOU DISAPPOINTED AND ANGRY. THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE TOLD ME TO LAY LOW, AND TO NOT MENTION ANY OF THE THINGS THAT LEAD TO JERRY FALWELL'S RESIGNATION YESTERDAY. THOSE THAT PREFER TO MOVE ON IMMEDIATELY AND ERASE HIS NAME FROM EVERYTHING AROUND HERE AND RATHER NOT TALK ABOUT HIM. OBVIOUSLY IF THAT'S YOU, I JUST SAID HIS NAME AND YOU ARE ALREADY THINKING THAT I HAVE BLOWN IT AND GOING TO DISAPPOINT YOU. AND THOSE THAT WANT JERRY MENTIONED ONLY IN THE MANNER OF GRACE, ONLY IN THE LANE OF GRACE, MENTIONED ONLY IF THE BIBLE VERSES PERTAIN TO FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER AND GRACE BEING SUFFICIENT AND NOT CASTING THE FIRST STONE. THEY FEAR THAT ANYTHING PAST THAT IN THIS MOMENT WILL LOOK AND FEEL UNFORGIVING AND HARSHLY JUDGMENTAL. AND IF THAT'S YOU, I HAVE A FEELING YOU ARE GOING TO BE PRETTY DISAPPOINTING IN TONIGHT. AND THEN OF COURSE THOSE THAT WANT TO ONLY TALK ABOUT JERRY FALWELL TONIGHT. IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO SAY THAT THE TRUTHS OF GOD'S WORD, WE ARE GOING TO STUDY TONIGHT APPLY TO ALL OF US INCLUDING HIM. THEY WANT US TO PICK EVERY ILLUSTRATION AND TO EXPLICITLY MAKE IT BEFORE JERRY FALWELL TONIGHT AND HIS WIFE, AND HIS FORMER STAFF. AND THE BOARD. AND SAID IN A MANNER THAT IS CONDEMNING AND SHAMEFUL. NO MATTER WHAT I SAY AND HOW MUCH I SAY ABOUT HIM, THEY ARE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY BECAUSE IT WON'T BE ENOUGH OR LONG ENOUGH OR BLUNT ENOUGH OR HARD ENOUGH. AND I AM PROBABLY GOING TO LET YOU KNOW IF THAT'S WHY YOU ARE HERE. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ME TO PUNCH THIS MAN DOWN, HIS FAMILY DOWN. I'M NOT DOING THAT AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY. BUT IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS HE BUILT AND THE NEW HEIGHT THAT HIS TRUE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION BROUGHT TO US. I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT ALONE EITHER. SINCE NEITHER SIDE IS GOING TO BE SATISFIED AND I AM OKAY WITH THAT. AND I HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME. LET'S PRAY AND ASK THAT MANY OF US TONIGHT WHO ARE MORE IN THE MIDDLE CAMP, WILL COME TO THIS MOMENT ASKING GOD FOR GRACE AND TRUTH. FOR BOTH HONOR AND HONESTY. NOT HAVING TO LAY ONE DOWN TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP THE OTHER. AND SO DON'T GET ME WRONG, YOU ARE RIGHT IF YOU WANT TO HEAR ABOUT GRACE AND FORGIVENESS. YOU ARE ALSO RIGHT TO WANT TO SEE STERN AND SWIFT ACCOUNTABLE ACTION FOR SINFUL BEHAVIOR. BUT IF YOU ARE HERE WITH ONLY ONE THING IN MIND, I ASK THAT AT LEAST WHILE I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT THAT YOU HEAR ME OUT BEFORE YOU START CALLING IT TOO CONDEMNING OR TOO CONDONING. NOW A MORE PERSONAL NOTE JUST FROM ME. THIS MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN, IS A MESS. LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING TO YOU, LET ME, THIS IS A PERSONAL MOMENT HERE, BEGIN BY SAYING TO YOU, I AM SORRY. IN MY OPINION, YOU AS A LIBERTY STUDENT DESERVE BETTER. AND THE EMBARRASSMENT THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UPON YOU AS A LIBERTY STUDENT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY BROUGHT UPON THE NAME OF CHRIST IS WRONG. I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU ARE HEARTING AND THAT BREAKS ME HEART. YOUR CONCERNS, IF YOUR CONCERNS ARE VALID. IF YOU ARE NOT CONCERNED, YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED. AND SO YOUR CONCERNS ARE VALID. YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HAVE WORKED HARD TO PAY FOR A CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AND THIS WASN'T WHAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR. I HEARD FROM ONE OF YOU THAT YOU HESITATED WEARING YOUR LIBERTY T-SHIRT THIS SUMMER BECAUSE YOU DID NOT WANT THE MORE RECENT BAGGAGE THAT CAME WITH IT. AND IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THAT WAY. LET ME BE THE FIRST TO SAY TO YOU IF NO ONE HAS AND PERSONALLY APOLOGIZE SAYING, I AM SORRY. NOT ON BEHALF OF ANYBODY ELSE BUT ME. LIBERTY IS MORE THAN A COLLEGE. WE KNOW THAT; RIGHT. LIBERTY IS MORE THAN A COLLEGE. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN, LIBERTY IS MORE THAN A COLLEGE. WE ARE GOD'S COLLEGE. AND AS OUR FOUNDER ALWAYS SAID, IF IT'S CHRISTIAN IT OUGHT TO BE BETTER. CERTAINLY BETTER THAN THIS. CERTAINLY BETTER THAN THIS. HERE WE GO THIS TIME, WHEN KICKING OFF THE FIRST CAMPUS COMMUNITY LAST YEAR, A YEAR AGO THIS TIME. THE OFFICE OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT WHICH I GET TO BE A PART OF AND I GET TO BE A PART OF THE TEAM OF HAD PERHAPS GROWN TO BE THE MORE DIVERSE OFFICE IN ALL OF LIBERTY. THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY INTENTIONAL PART OF THE WAY THAT WE GREW OUR LEADERSHIP. WHEN WE REIMAGINED AND RELAUNCHED SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT FOUR YEARS AGO. BUT I LOST THIS SUMMER SEVERAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN STAFF MEMBERS THAT I LOVE AND THINK SO HIGHLY OF. ONE OF THEM THIS SUMMER TOLD ME AFTER HE SAW GOVERNOR NORTHAM'S BLACK FACE MASK POSTED HE KNEW THAT HE COULD NOT LONGER WORK HERE AT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY. I ASKED HIM TO RECONSIDER BEFORE AFTER HE SAID NO, I TOLD HIM THAT I LOVE HIM AND UNDERSTOOD AND RESPECTED HIS CHOICE. I BELIEVE HE WAS BEING OBEDIENT TO WHAT GOD WAS CALLING HIM TO DO PERSONALLY. AFTER WE GOT OFF THE PHONE, I JUST STARTED CRYING. I WILL NEVER FORGET I WAS SITTING ON VACATION WHEN HE CALLED ME AND GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH HIM AND BURST. I BEGAN TO WEEP. AND THE REASON WAS I KNEW THAT A GREAT TEAM MEMBER THAT WE HAD, HAD BEEN LOST. AND WEPT FOR YOU. BECAUSE I KNEW WHAT A GREAT TEAM MEMBER HE WAS IN LEADING YOU IN SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE GOING TO MISS HIM A LOT AND I KNOW THIS IS A PIVOTAL MOMENT AND I AM SAD FOR HIM AND ALL THAT HE WILL MISS OUT GETTING TO KNOW YOU AS WELL. AND IT ALSO WAS A MOMENT AT THE END OF THE TIME WHEN I WAS WEEPING I FELT ASSURED THAT MY FAMILY WAS CALLED TO STAY. THIS IS ALSO TRUE FOR ANY OTHER STUDENT OR STUDENT ATHLETE WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING TONIGHT WHO FELT GOD CALLED THEM TO LEAVE. THOSE OF US HERE LOVE AND RESPECT YOU. THE MEN ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM, WHERE ARE YOU AT MEN ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM? WE LOVE YOU AND I WANT TO SAY THIS ON YOUR BEHALF. THE MEN ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM ARE HERE TONIGHT AND THEY MISS THEIR FORMER TEAMMATES. THE GIRLS FROM THE BASKETBALL TEAM MISS THEIR FORMER TEAMMATE. AND EACH AND EVERYONE OF US WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST. IF GOD CALLED SOMEONE WHO IS WATCHING TONIGHT TO NOT RETURN THIS SEMESTER BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED OR SOMETHING THAT THEY IMAGINED. OR SOMETHING THAT THEY SAW OR SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE MADE AWARE OF. WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE LOVE YOU AND WE UNDERSTAND. BUT GOD DID TELL YOU TO LEAVE. BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT WE WANT YOU TO KNOW SOMETHING. AS MUCH AS WE LOVE YOU, AS MUCH AS WE LOVE YOU, THIS IS ALSO TRUE THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A GOOD-BYE. WE ARE GOING TO SPEND ETERNITY IN HEAVEN TOGETHER. SO YOU ARE STILL STUCK WITH US ANYWAY. AGAIN, AFTER A LOT OF PRAYER AND CONSIDERATION THIS SUMMER. MY FAMILY AND I WHILE RESPECTING THE DECISIONS OF OTHERS THAT FELT CALLED TO LEAVE. KNEW THAT GOD WAS CALLING US TO STAY. AFTER ALL THIS WASN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAD TO PRAY ABOUT THAT DECISION. THEN THIS SUMMER CAME TO A CLOSE AND WE OPENED THE SEMESTER WITH A SERIES OF REVELATION ABOUT JERRY FALWELL THAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS SHAMEFUL. THAT'S OKAY BY THE WAY TO SAY IT. IT'S OKAY TO CALL SIN, SIN. IT'S OKAY TO SAY WHAT PAUL SAYS IN EPHESIANS. HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FRUITLESS DEEDS OF DARKNESS. BUT RATHER EXPOSE THEM. IT IS SHAMEFUL EVEN TO MENTION WHAT THE DISOBEDIENT DO IN SECRET. BUT EVERYTHING EXPOSED BY THE LIGHT BECOMES VISIBLE. EVERYTHING THAT IS ILLUMINATED BECOMES A LIGHT. BY THE WAY, IT'S NOT DISHONORING SOMEONE WHEN YOU BRING THIS BEFORE THEM. IT'S HONORING THEM ENOUGH TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH. IT'S OKAY TO CALL SIN, SIN. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO ACTUALLY START TO DEAL WITH IT. IT IS NOT LOVE TO SIMPLY STAY IN THE DARK. AND NOT CALL SHAMEFUL -- NOT CALL SHAMEFUL WHAT GOD CALLS SHAMEFUL. IF WE ARE NOT WILLING TO STAND ON THAT TRUTH, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE CALLING OURSELVES CHRISTIANS FOR IN THE FIRST PLACE? SO IN THIS MOMENT, EVEN AFTER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT MY FAMILY AND I KEPT PRAYING AND MORE AND MORE WE FELT CONFIRMED TO STAY. FOR ALL OF US WHO ARE CALLED TO STAY. FOR ALL OF US WHO LOOK AT THOSE WHO GOD CALLED TO GO, AND WE BLESS AND ALL OF US TONIGHT WHO ARE CALLED TO STAY. OR TO JOIN LIKE THE 4,000 INCOMING FRESHMEN AND TRANSFERS. WE STILL BELIEVE IN GOD-GIVEN VISION THAT WAS GIVEN TO US IN 1979. AND TOGETHER WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MORE ON GOD'S PATH TO ACCOMPLISH THIS VISION THAN EVER BEFORE. FOR AS LONG AS THE LORD ALLOWS, I PLAN TO CONTINUE TO SPEND EVERY BIT OF MY INFLUENCE THAT I HAVE TO MAKE THIS PLACE AS GOD GLORIFYING AS I CAN. AGAIN I LOVE YOU. AND I COUNT IT AN HONOR THAT MY FAMILY GETS TO SERVE ALONGSIDE ALL OF YOU. AGAIN THAT'S FROM ME -- [APPLAUSE] AND I WANTED TO READ IT SO THAT IT WOULD BE CRYSTAL CLEAR. AND I WANTED TO READ IT SO THAT YOU WOULD HAVE IT. SO THAT THE NEXT TIME MAYBE A LOST FRIEND OR THE NEXT TIME MAYBE AN UNBELIEVING FAMILY MEMBER PULLS UP SOMETHING THAT THEY SAW AND SAYS, IS THIS WHAT CHRISTIANITY IS? IS THIS YOUR FAITH? YOU CAN SAY MY CAMPUS PASTOR APOLOGIZES THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ALL THAT WE CAN BE. THAT OUR WITNESS WASN'T WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. AND IT'S JUST A MESS. AND I AM SORRY FOR THE EMBARRASSMENT THAT YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH. NOBODY ELSE TELLS YOU THAT, DAVID NASSER APOLOGIZES TO YOU. LET ME PRAY FOR US AND OPEN UP GOD'S WORD. SO LORD, WE JUST SANG, SHOW US YOUR GLORY. AND NOW WE PRAY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WE COME TO THIS MOMENT AND WE OPEN UP YOUR WORD. WE PRAY THAT YOUR GLORY WOULD BE MADE SHOWN TO US, BY NOT JUST STUDYING GRACE AND TRUTH. AS THEOLOGY, NOT JUST STUDYING IT GOD FOR WHAT OUR FORMER PRESIDENT WILL NEED, BUT WHAT I NEED. AND SO LORD LET THESE ILLUSTRATIONS ABOUT MY LIFE, JUXTAPOSITION GOD UP AGAINST MY LIFE. SO TONIGHT I PRAY THAT NONE OF US WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THIS. THANK YOU GOD. THANK YOU GOD THAT BOTH YOUR GRACE AND TRUTH ARE A GIFT. WE PRAY THIS IN YOUR NAME, AMEN. SO WE'VE BEEN IN TRAINING WEEK THE LAST FEW WEEKS. AS WE ARE IN TRAINING WEEK AND GETTING EVERYONE ON CAMPUS AND ALL THE COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERS ON CAMPUS AND THE RESIDENT SHEPHERDS ON CAMPUS. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTEXT AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH SOME OF OUR LEADERSHIP. AND JUST ABOUT EVERY SESSION THAT WE HAVE, WE END WITH Q & A AND STOP AND SLOW DOWN AND ASK PEOPLE QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION. EVERYWHERE I HAVE BEEN IN THE LAST WEEKS THE RECURRING QUESTION IS ALL THAT IS TRANSPIRING ON THE NEWS. AND THIS LANGUAGE AND PEOPLE THAT I LOVE AND WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY THINK, MAYBE WHAT I THINK. ANYBODY KNOW WHAT I MEAN WHEN I SAY THAT? SOMETIMES YOU GO TO A TRUSTED AUTHOR OR TEACHER OF THE BIBLE AND ULTIMATELY GO TO GOD'S WORD. BUT BECAUSE YOU TRUST THEM YOU WANT TO KNOW IF YOU CAN GIVE ME LANGUAGE AND I CAN GO TO GOD'S WORD FROM THAT PASSAGE, THAT LANGUAGE AND I CAN FORM A BETTER WAY TO COMMUNICATE WHAT'S IN MY HEART. AND A LOT OF STUDENTS ARE ASKING TO SEE WHAT I THINK BUT TO GET PERMISSION TO VOICE WHAT THEY THINK. OR GET BETTER LANGUAGES IN WHAT THEY THINK. MY ANSWER HAS BEEN, THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE FALWELL FAMILY, WHEN IT COMES TO ANYONE, WHEN IT COMES TO ME. WHAT I NEED IN MY LIFE -- WHEN, NOT IF, WHEN I STUMBLE, WHEN I SIN, WHEN I DO SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE. WHEN I HAVE WRONGED YOU. WHEN I AM IN THAT PLACE IN MY LIFE. WHEN ANYONE IS IN THAT PLACE IN THEIR LIFE. WHAT THEY NEED AND I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO SOUND JESUS JUKY, BUT IT'S NOT -- LISTEN TO ME, IS JESUS. HERE'S WHAT I NEED BY THAT. WHAT THEY NEED IN THE FULLNESS OF JESUS IS GRACE AND TRUTH. NOW I GAVE THAT ANSWER IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SETTINGS AND WE TALKED ABOUT FIVE MINUTES BUT TONIGHT I WANT TO TAKE 20 MINUTES AND UNPACK THAT AND GO TO COMMUNITY GROUPS AND GET OUT OF THESE ROWS AND INTO CIRCLES AND GO DEEPER WITH THEM. BECAUSE THE APP IS CHALK LOADED WITH QUOTES AND THEOLOGY THAT TAKE YOU DEEPER. LET'S BEGIN WITH DEFINING WHAT GRACE AND TRUTH IS. IF YOU TAKE NOTES, WRITE THIS DOWN -- GRACE IS THE UNMERITED FAVOR OF GOD. GRACE IS THE UNDESERVING LOVE OF GOD. GRACE IS THE LAVISH, UNRELENTING, UNSTOPPABLE, TSUNAMI OF THE LOVE OF GOD TO THE PEOPLE THAT DESERVE EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE. AMEN. GRACE IS THE UNMERITED FAVOR OF GOD. TRUTH IS THE UNCOMPROMISED STANDARD OF GOD. AS MUCH AS GOD'S GRACE IS UNMERITED, GOD'S TRUTH IS UNCOMPROMISING. GOD'S TRUTH IS THE BARRIERS THAT HOLD GOD'S HOLINESS TOGETHER. GOD IS A GOD OF HOLY SET APART. THAT'S HOW YOU DEFINE HOLY STANDARDS. AND SO GRACE IS GOD'S UNMERITED FAVOR. AND TRUTH IS GOD'S UNCOMPROMISED STANDARD. ANOTHER WAY TO SAY IT, IN GOD WE SEE MERCY AND JUSTICE. JESUS, WE'RE ABOUT TO READ HERE IS LITERALLY THE GRACE AND TRUTH OF GOD MADE MANIFEST. GOD WITH US IS THE GLORY OF GOD SHOWN TO US IN GRACE AND IN TRUTH. LET'S LOOK AT OUR PASSAGE FOR TONIGHT, JOHN 1:14... EARLIER ON IN JOHN WE ARE TOLD THAT IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD. NOW THAT WORD MEANS JESUS, THE WORD. NOT JUST THE WRITTEN WORD, THE BIBLE TEACHES US. IS CALLED THE WORD. BUT THE WORD MADE FLESH IS CALLED THE WORD. SO JOHN GIVES THIS GLIMPSE... AND SO IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT. BECAUSE GOD THE FATHER WAS THE CREATOR AND CREATED GOD THE SON AND ROLLED OUT THE SPIRIT. NO, GOD THE FATHER, SON AND SPIRIT IN THE BEGINNING WERE PART OF CREATION. THAT'S THE WORD WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND MADE HIS DWELLING AMONG US. AND WE HAVE SEEN -- THERE IT IS, WE JUST SANG IT, HIS GLORY. THE GLORY OF THE ONE AND ONLY SON, WHO CAME FROM THE FATHER FULL OF, LET'S SAY THOSE TWO WORDS TOGETHER, GRACE AND TRUTH. LISTEN, WE NEED BOTH OF THOSE TRACKS IN OUR LIVES. WHEN I SAY TRACKS, YOU KNOW HOW A TRAIN HAS TWO TRACKS. WITH ONE TRACK IT WILL DERAIL, WITH THE OTHER TRACK IT WILL DERAIL. BUT WITH BOTH TRACKS IT CAN MOVE FORWARD. AND WE NEED BOTH WINGS, WITH ONE WING WE CAN'T FLY AND THE AIRPLANE IS THE SAME, WITH ONE WING IT CRASHES BUT WITH TWO WINGS IT SOARS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE. AND AS GOD'S PEOPLE WE SHOULD BE BOTH. THIS IS 50/50 COMPROMISE AS WELL, I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT JESUS IS 50% GRACE AND TRUTH. NO, THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT JESUS IS FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. SO JESUS IS OVER BRIMMING, HE IS FULL, IT IS ABUNDANTLY TO THE VERY, VERY CORE, TO THE VERY, VERY TOP. EVERY SINGLE OUNCE FULL OF GRACE AND FULL OF TRUTH. AND SO WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE PEOPLE AS THE RECIPIENTS OF GOD'S GRACE AND TRUTH. AS RECIPIENTS NOT THAT JESUS MADE HIS MANIFEST TO EXAM IT BUT TO PARTAKE. AND THOSE THAT CAME TO THE FOUNTAIN OF GRACE AND TRUTH AND FILLED WITH JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR. AND WE SEE ON THE CROSS THE AGONY OF SIN AND THE GLORY OF SALVATION AND WE BEND OUR KNEES AND WE RECEIVE GOD'S GRACE. WE SEE THAT WE DON'T ONLY RECEIVE IT BUT IT FLOWS OUT OF OUR LIVES. WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT SHOWS THAT WE LOVE THEM JUST THE WAY THAT THEY ARE. BUT WE LOVE THEM TOO MUCH TO LEAVE THEM THAT WAY. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? THAT MEANS GRACE AND TRUTH. FOR SOME OF YOU THIS IS A WHOLE LOT MORE PERSONAL THAN SOMEBODY THAT YOU CALL YOUR SCHOOL PRESIDENT. FOR SOME OF YOU THIS IS AS PERSONAL AS YOUR OWN FATHER OR OWN MOTHER. SOME OF YOU KNOW THAT YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND, YOUR VERY BEST FRIEND. THE PERSON THAT WILL BE YOUR WEDDING ONE DAY. THE PERSON AT YOUR CHILD'S BAPTISM ONE DAY IS THE VERY PERSON RIGHT NOW THAT IS LIVING A VERY PRODIGAL LIFE. IN THIS MOMENT IT FEELS I WANT TO BE JESUS TO THIS PERSON. IF YOU WANT TO BE JESUS, YOU HAVE TO LOVE THEM THE WAY THEY ARE. BUT IF YOU REALLY LOVE THEM, YOU LOVE THEM TOO MUCH TO LEAVE THEM THAT WAY. WE ARE BOUND TO SHOW COMFORT WHEN SOMEONE IS HURTING. AND SOMEONE CAN BE HURTING FOR THE SINS THEY COMMIT OR THE SINS COMMITTED AGAINST THEM. RIGHT. BUT WHEN SOMEONE IS HURTING, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, WE ARE BOUND TO TRY TO SHOW COMFORT AND CARE BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF CONDONING. NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF CELEBRATING THE VERY THING THAT MAYBE BROUGHT THEM TO THAT PLACE. AND SO IF YOU ARE TAKING NOTES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THIS. I THINK WE CAN RALLY TONIGHT IN COMMUNITY GROUPS AROUND THIS ONE ESSENTIAL TRUTH. READY? OR, OR IS NOT AN OPTION IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. OR IS NOT AN OPTION IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. JESUS IS GRACE AND TRUTH. AMEN. JESUS IS NOT GRACE OR TRUTH. JESUS IS NOT IF YOU ARE HAVING A REALLY, REALLY GOOD, GRACE COMES YOUR WAY. IF YOU ARE HAVING A BAD DAY, TRUTH COMES YOUR WAY. JESUS DOESN'T GO ON MONDAY I WILL RATION OUT GRACE AND ON TUESDAY I RATION OUT TRUTH. JESUS COMES IN A PACKAGE. THERE IS NO SEPARATION. PEOPLE THAT SAY THERE IS TENSION, GET IT WRONG. THERE IS NO TENSION. THESE ARE NOT DOVETAILED TOGETHER BUT INTEGRATED TOGETHER. AND IF YOU BITE AN APPLE, I WANT YOU TO GET THE CRUNCH BUT NOT THE CALORIES. AND I CAN'T BITE INTO AN APPLE WITHOUT GETTING BOTH. I DON'T YOU TO GET THE SWEET WITHOUT THE SOUR. I CAN'T BITE INTO IT WITHOUT BOTH. AND WHEN YOU BITE A PIECE OF POUND CAKE WE WANT BOTH. AND NOT LIKE JESUS ON SUNDAYS RATION OUT AND GIVES AWAY A TON OF GRACE OR TRUTH. JESUS AT ALL TIMES GIVES GRACE AND TRUTH. FOR JESUS OR IS NOT AN OPTION, FOR JESUS' PEOPLE OR MUST NOT BE AN OPTION. TODAY THE DAY THAT WE LIVE IN, OR SNEAKS IN AND LOOKS IN THE FORM OF TOLERANCE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, WELL, THAT COULD ARE YOUR TRUTH OR THIS COULD BE SOMEONE ELSE'S TRUTH AND BOTH COULD BE TRUTH. I WANT TO SAY THIS ABOUT TOLERANCE, IT SOUNDS LIKE A PILLOW BUT REALLY A DAGGER WHEN IT COMES TO THE THINGS THAT MATTER IN ACCOUNTABILITY IN LIFE SOMETIMES. TOLERANCE IS AN IMPOSTER OF GRACE. HERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO SAY IT FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS TONIGHT. GRACE DOESN'T PUT UP, GRACE HOLDS UP. ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASSAGES IN ALL OF SCRIPTURES IS ROMANS 6. WHEN I WAS FIRST A CHRISTIAN IN A MEN'S BIBLE STUDY AND WE MEMORIZED THE ENTIRE CHAPTER AND I REMEMBER BEING EXPLAINED THIS AS A BABY BELIEVER, I MEMORIZED THE PASSAGE AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE ESSENCE OF IT. AND ONE OF THE GUYS EXPLAINED IT AND BECAME ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASSAGES. EARLY ON IT WAS A FOUNDATIONAL WAY FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT GRACE. AND IT'S SIMPLY THIS, PAUL SAYS, WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? SHALL WE GO ON SINNING, SO THAT GRACE MAY INCREASE? BY NO MEANS. HE SAYS, WE ARE THOSE THAT DIED TO SIN. SO HOW CAN WE LIVE IN IT ANY LONGER? OR DON'T YOU KNOW, THAT ALL OF US WHO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IN JESUS CHRIST WERE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH. PAUL IS SAYING, THE GRACE OF GOD, ANYBODY RECEIVE THE GRACE OF GOD AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS? THE GRACE OF GOD IS NOT PERMISSION TO SIN. THE GRACE OF GOD IS ACTUALLY PERMISSION TO STOP SINNING. GRACE DOESN'T GIVE YOU LICENSE TO SIN, IT GIVES YOU POWER INSTEAD TO STOP SINNING. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE GOSPEL IS ABOUT THE GRACE OF GOD EMPOWERING US NOT OUT OF WORKS BUT OUT OF WORSHIP. NOT OUT OF DUTY BUT OUT OF DELIGHT. TO SAY GRACE HAS BEEN POURED IN ME NOT SO I GET AWAY WITH WHAT I WANT. AND GO GRACE. BUT INSTEAD TO SAY, I HAVE FINALLY DUE TO GRACE THE POWER TO LIVE IN OBEDIENCE. NOT TO EARN HIS FAVOR, BELOVED BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE HIS FAVOR. SO THE GRACE OF GOD GIVES US THAT. THAT'S WHY PAUL SAYS WHAT SHALL SEE GO ON SINNING THAT GRACE INCREASE. THAT'S THE WARPED IDEA THAT THE MORE I SIN MORE THE POWER OF GRACE. IF YOU THINK THAT ABOUT GRACE, YOU NEVER UNDERSTOOD GRACE. AND YOU TRY TO TAKE A BITE OF APPLE AND GET ONE PART WITHOUT THE OTHER. YOU CAN'T COME TO JESUS AND SAY I WANT YOUR GRACE BUT NOT YOUR STANDARD. HALF OF JESUS MAKES PEOPLE LIVE A HALF-FILLED LIFE. OY -- I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT IS DESPERATE. TO HAVE JUST ENOUGH JESUS TO BE CONSTANTLY DISAPPOINTED AND YOU EVENTUALLY WEAR OUT. GOD WANTS MORE FOR YOU AND ME THAN THAT. I WANT TO READ A QUOTE, I LOVE THIS QUOTE AND SAYS IT BETTER. IT'S A LONG QUOTE AND I DON'T LIKE LONG QUOTES AND THOSE THAT ME KNOW AND I TELL A STORY AND DO QUICK QUOTES FOR US. BUT PUT UP WITH THIS LONG QUOTE BECAUSE PASTOR KEVIN DEYOUNG DOES A GREAT JOB GIVING THIS TO US IN RAPID FIRE. IT WILL BE IN YOUR APP TONIGHT FOR CAMPUS COMMUNITY. READ THIS TOGETHER... STOP THERE -- DON'T READ ANY FURTHER. LOOK AT ME. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? THAT JESUS WAS ALL GRACE. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? I WANT YOU TO BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE IT IS TRUE. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU SEE JESUS YOU SEE ALL GRACE. IN JESUS. HE WELCOMED SINNERS. AND TAX COLLECTORS. AND HE ATE WITH THEM. HE HAD COMPASSION ON THE CROWDS WHEN THEY WERE HUNGRY AND FAR FROM HOME. HE WELCOMED LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME AND SIT ON HIS LAP GENTLER AND KINDER THAN ANY DEPARTMENT STORE SANTA. HE HEALED THE LEPER, THE LAME AND THE BLIND. HE SAVED THE CRIMINAL ON THE CROSS. WHO WAS ON HIS DYING BREATH AND CONFESSED THAT THE DYING MAN NEXT TO HIM WAS TRULY THE SON OF GOD. AND SO BEFORE WE READ ANY FURTHER, OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN WE SEE JESUS SHOW GRACE. ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN SCRIPTURE IS WHERE JESUS COMES INTO A MOMENT IN JOHN 6 AND HE SEES 5,000 PEOPLE. HOW MANY WE HAVE TONIGHT, WHEN WE SOCIALLY DISTANCE AND WE COME INTO THIS PLACE FROM DIFFERENT ENTRANCES AND THERE IS 25,000 SEATER SEATS UNDER 5,000 AND WHAT WE HAVE TONIGHT. 5,000 PEOPLE AND LOOK AROUND AND ABOUT AT ROOM THAT WE HAVE IN THE FOOTBALL STADIUM AND THEY ARE GATHERED WHEN HUNGRY. SOME THEOLOGIANS BELIEVE IT WAS 5,000 MEN AND THAT THEY WERE WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND BEFORE BIRTH CONTROL, SOME THEOLOGIANS BELIEVE 20,000 AND THE MORE I READ I THINK IT WAS 5,000. BUT AT THE MINIMUM YOU HAVE 5,000 IN JOHN 6 THAT HAVE COME AND MOST DON'T BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD. THEY BELIEVE HE'S THE BREAD GIVER AND NOT THE BREAD HIMSELF. AND THEY COME IN A MOMENT WHERE THEY ARE HUNGRY. AND WHAT DOES JESUS DO? THEY ARE HUNGRY AND HE FEEDS THEM. THAT'S AN ACT OF GRACE. HE DOESN'T GO DO A SURVEY AND IF THEY BELIEVE I AM GOD, THEY GET TO EAT. NO, JESUS FINDS OUT THERE IS HUNGRY PEOPLE THERE, AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE DOES? FEEDS THEM. THE NEXT DAY HE TELLS THEM YOU MUST DRINK OF MY BLOOD AND EAT OF MY FLESH. THAT PHYSICAL HUNGER YOU HAVE IS A PHYSICAL ILLUSTRATION OF THE ETERNAL HUNGER OF YOUR SOUL. AND THE ONLY THING THAT CAN FEED YOU IS ME. AND WHAT DOES JESUS DO? GIVE GRACE IN MEETING A NEED AND BRIDGE THE GAP BY SHOWING TRUTH. BECAUSE HE LOVES THEM TOO MUCH. HE LOVES THEM TOO MUCH TO HAVE THE SOCIAL GOSPEL. WHICH IS NO GOSPEL AT ALL. WHEN YOU MEET A NEED AND AFTER YOU MEET A NEED, THAT'S ALL PEOPLE NEED. LISTEN, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE TAKE OUR FAITH SERIOUSLY THEY HAVE MALARIA AND IT'S NOT JUST TO BUILD A WELL. ONE OF OUR GUESTS COME THIS SEMESTER AND LARGEST ADVOCATE FOR THAT THING, SCOTT HARRISON WILL COME FROM CHARITY WATER AND SCOTT WILL TELL YOU WE DON'T JUST BUILD A WELL AND THAT'S ALL. IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE BUILD A WELL, BUT WE ARE DOING GOSPEL WORK AND WE BUILD A WELL AND WHEN THEY DRANK, WE GO. WHY DO YOU DO THAT? COME HALF THE WAY ACROSS THE WORLD AND CARE ABOUT ME, BECAUSE JESUS IS LIVING WATER. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YOU WALK INTO THE LIFE OF AN ORPHAN AND SAY, WE WALK IN YOUR LIFE AND ADOPT YOU BUT IT'S JUST SOCIAL WORK AND GOOD DEEDS TO DO, KIND DEEDS TO DO. BUT WHEN WE ADOPT THAT CHILD BUT AS CHRISTIANS WHEN THAT PERSON IS THE AGE OF UNDERSTANDING AND THE GOSPEL AND GET TO A PLACE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL. WHAT I OFFER YOU IS TEMPORARY BUT GOD WANTS TO OPEN FOR YOU AN ETERNAL HOME SO YOU CAN BE A CHILD OF GOD. HOW GREAT THE LOVE OF THE FATHER, SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT WE WOULD BE CALLED WHAT? THE CHILDREN OF GOD. AND 183 MILLION ORPHANS WILL TAKE THE GOSPEL MORE SERIOUSLY IF WE OPEN OUR HOME, IF YOU ARE HOMELESS THAT MATTERS TO YOU AND WE OPEN OUR HOME AND SAY JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT GIVES YOU FOREVER HOME. GRACE AND TRUTH. HE MEETS THE WOMAN AT THE WELL AND SITS WITH HER AND ASSOCIATED WITH HER. HE DOESN'T BRING SHAME UPON HER LIFE. HE DOESN'T BRING CONDEMNATION UPON HER LIFE. BECAUSE SHE'S LOST. HE BECOMES A KIND PERSON WHO SAYS, I WANT EVERYONE IN DAYLIGHT TO SEE ME WITH HER. BUT BY THE END OF THE CONVERSATION, HE DOES GIVE HER TRUTH, HIS LAST WORDS TO HER, THE LAST WORDS, NOT THE FIRST. GO AND SIN NO MORE. SO I WANT TO SAY THIS, LOST PEOPLE ASK LIKE THEY ARE LOST BECAUSE THEY ARE LOST. WE FRONT-LOAD WITH TONS AND TON OF GRACE. AND GOD'S PEOPLE IF YOU CALL YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN, THAT APPLIES TO ALL OF US AND THAT APPLIES TO THE FALWELL FAMILY AND DAVID NASSER AND THE PROFESSORS HERE AND THE SITTING PRESIDENT ON THE BOARD AND DR. PREVO. AND IF JESUS LIVES IN US AND THOSE THAT CLAIM HIS NAME. AT THAT MOMENT THE EXPECTATION IS THAT GOD'S PEOPLE OUGHT TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THE PATTERNS OF THIS WORLD. THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS IN ROMANS 12:1. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CONFORMED BY GOD, NOT BY THE WORLD. TRANSFORMED BY GOD AND NOT THE WORLD. TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. THIS IS SPIRITUAL ACT OF NOT WORKSHOP BUT WORSHIP. BACK TO THE QUOTE... SO JESUS, JESUS IS GRACE AND TRUTH AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD SHOULD BE GRACE AND TRUTH MADE MANIFEST. SO IN MY LIFE WHEN YOU SEE INCONSISTENCIES OR WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE JESUS. SHOW ME JESUS. IT MIGHT NOT BE WHAT I WANT TO HEAR, IT MIGHT NOT BE POPULAR FOR ME. BUT A LOT OF TIMES WHAT I WANT TO HEAR ISN'T WHAT I NEED TO HEAR. AND SO LOVE ME ENOUGH TO GIVE ME GRACE. AND LOVE ME ENOUGH TO GIVE ME TRUTH. I LOVE THIS PASSAGE, LAST THOUGHT HERE BEFORE WE BEGIN TO WRAP UP. I LOVE THIS PASSAGE, IT SAYS IN JOHN 8:36, I TELL YOU THE TRUTH. I TELL YOU THE TRUTH. EVERYONE WHO SINS AS A SLAVE TO SIN. BUT IF THE SON SETS THEM FREE, THEY CAN BE MADE FREE INDEED. WHAT I LOVE IS THAT TRUTH IS ACTUALLY THE RECIPE, THE FIRST STEP, THE CATALYST OF FREEDOM. FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST. GOOD LORD ALMIGHTY I WANT TO BE FREE AT LAST. YOU AND I KNOW THIS, THE ONLY WAY THAT I EVER FIND LIBERTY IS WHEN I FIND IT AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS. I CAME HERE SIX YEARS AGO, WHEN I CAME HERE SIX YEARS AGO I CAME HERE AS SOMEONE WHO WAS DELIVERED OUT OF ISLAM INTO CHRISTIANITY. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU I CAME HERE WANTING TO WEAR GRACE AND TRUTH ON EVERYTHING THAT I DO. AND PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN THAT TO ME. PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN GRACE AND TRUTH TO ME. I HAVE MESSED UP SO MANY TIMES IN THE LAST SIX YEARS AND I WILL CONTINUE TO MESS UP AND THESE DAYS ARE A GOOD TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND SEE WHAT I AM SHOULD LOOK BACK AND REPENT. I AM TELLING YOU THAT BECAUSE AT THIS MOMENT IN MY LIFE GRACE AND TRUTH IS FOREFRONT AS ANYTHING ELSE. I WANT TO SAY THIS TO YOU, I WANT TO COMMIT THIS TO YOU. WE ARE GOING TO BE CONTINUE TO BE ABOUT GRACE AND TRUTH IN YOUR LIFE. BECAUSE WE BELIEVE WHAT YOU NEED IS GRACE AND TRUTH BECAUSE JESUS WOULD WANT IT THAT WAY FOR EVERYONE OF US. THE ANTIDOTE, THE SOLUTION TO HAVING LIBERALISM IS NOT TO KNEE JERK AND GO INTO LEGALISM. AND SO THE ANTIDOTE OF GRACE GONE WRONG IS NOT FOR US TO GO TO TRUTH GONE WRONG. THE HOPE FOR US IS JESUS, AMEN. SO LET'S JUST PRAY TOGETHER. LET ME PRAY FOR US. I THANK YOU JESUS THAT YOU ARE EVERY SINGLE BIT OF THAT AND IN EVERY SINGLE MOMENT OF OUR LIFE. I THANK YOU THAT JESUS YOU HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE, YOU LOVE US TOO MUCH TO LET BY GONES BEING BY GONES IN OUR LIVES. AND LORD AS YOU DID THAT ON THE FOOT OF THE CROSS, YOU DIDN'T LET BY GONES BE BY GONES ON ME BUT I CAME TO JESUS TO PLEAD GUILTY AND IN NEED, DESPERATE. I PRAY THAT ANYONE TONIGHT HEARING MY VOICE THAT HAS NOT RECEIVED JESUS AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S ONLY OFFERED, GRACE AND TRUTH, AND FORGIVENESS AND MERCY, ONLY OFFERED TO THEM WHEN THEY BEND THEIR KNEE AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS AND SAY, BLOOD SHALL COVER ME. I PRAY THAT FOR US TONIGHT, LORD. I PRAY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE THAT AND FIND OURSELVES IN CELEBRATION OF THAT IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES. AND THOSE THAT DON'T, COME TO YOU IN THIS MOMENT AND SAY, I NEED YOU. I JUST NEED YOU GOD. SO JUST BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER IN THE DORMS THAT ARE WATCHING AND PEOPLE THAT ARE PEEKING IN. IF YOU WOULD JUST PUT YOUR NOTES DOWN FOR A SECOND HERE IN THIS FOOTBALL STADIUM. ANYBODY TONIGHT YOU HEAR THIS AND YOU SAY, I THINK I LOOK AT MY LIFE AND I HAVE BEEN WAY TOO JUDGMENTAL. I LOOK AT MY LIFE AND I TEND TO BE A REAL DISPENSER OF THE LAW OF GOD, THE TRUTH OF GOD. THE STANDARD OF GOD. I FEEL LIKE THE BIBLE COMING OUT OF ME IS NOTHING BUT A RULE BOOK OF DO'S AND DON'T'S. AND TONIGHT I WANT TO COME TO GOD AND SAY, HELP ME TO BE GRACE AND TRUTH AND NOT JUST ADVOCATE OF TRUTH. IF YOU KNOW BY THE WAY THAT'S YOU, IF EVERYBODY LOOKS AT YOU AND SAYS, THIS PERSON LOVES TO POINT OUT EVERYBODY ELSE'S FAULTS. THIS PERSON ENJOYS BEING THE POLICE OFFICER. THIS PERSON LEANS ON JESUS LIKE HE'S THE BEHAVIOR POLICE. IF THAT IS YOU, AND LIFT YOUR HAND, I STRUGGLE WITH THAT SENSE OF LEGALISM. I THINK IT'S BIRTHED OUT OF A DESIRE FOR THE HOLINESS OF THE GOD. BUT I TEND TO HAVE A SHORT LEASH OF GRACE, AND A LONG, LONG EXTENSION OF TRUTH. IF THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE, WOULD YOU LIFT YOUR HAND ANYBODY? OKAY, JUST ASK THAT THE GRACE OF GOD WOULD REMIND YOU THAT HE WANTS YOU TO RECEIVE BOTH AND TO GIVE BOTH. ANYBODY HERE SAY, MAN I TEND TO GO THE OTHER WAY. I THINK IT'S WELL INTENDED BUT I AM A PERSON, EVEN MY PERSONALITY PERHAPS WANT CONFLICT. I WANT PEOPLE TO NOT THINK OF US AS CHRISTIANS AS CONDEMNING OR JUDGMENTAL OR UNFORGIVING. A LOT OF TIMES I FEEL I LACK THE COURAGE TO SPEAK UP AND CALL THE TRUTH OR CALL SOMEONE TO ACCOUNTABILITY. OR LICENTIOUS AND THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT I KIND OF FALL INTO LEFT ON MY OWN. IF THAT'S YOU, LIFT YOUR HAND. JUST COME TO THE LORD AND AS YOU COME TO THE LORD, THINK ABOUT THAT, PRAY ABOUT THAT. AND ASK GOD, DO A WORK IN MY LIFE IN THAT. I WANT GRACE AND TRUTH TO ME AND I WANT GRACE AND TRUTH THROUGH ME. AMEN. LAST BUT NOT LEAST I WANT TO SAY TONIGHT IF YOU ARE HERE AND YOU HAVE NEVER GIVEN YOUR LIFE TO JESUS. YOU HAVE NEVER BENT YOUR KNEE AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS. YOU CAN COME TONIGHT AND SAY, JESUS I KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD. I KNOW THAT YOU LIVED A PERFECT LIFE AND YOU CAME DOWN. SORRY, YOU CAME DOWN AND LIVED A PERFECT LIFE AND AFTER LIVING A PERFECT, SINLESS LIFE, A RIGHTEOUS LIFE. YOU DIED A SINNER'S DEATH ON THE CROSS FOR ME. AND BECAUSE YOU DIED AND WHAT YOU DID IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO SAVE SIN AND ME. I COME AND RECEIVE EVERYTHING THAT THE CROSS OFFERS. A REAL ATTITUDE AND POSTURE I WANT FORGIVENESS. BY THE WAY YOU KNOW YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU EXPECT AND FEEL ENTITLED TO FORGIVENESS. YOU KNOW THAT YOU RECEIVE THAT I AM A LOWLY SINNER THAT NEVER GIVEN TO ME ON THE CROSS. AND IF THAT'S YOU, SUBMIT YOUR LIFE TO HIM. AND SAY, JESUS COME AND BE MY LORD AND SAVIOR. I KNOW THAT YOU DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY THE PENALTY OF MY SINS. AND AFTER YOU DIED ON THE CROSS, AS THE GREAT SUBSTITUTION FOR ME, THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB FOR ME. YOU STOOD IN THE WAY OF GOD'S WRATH FOR ME THAT I DESERVE. ETERNAL CONDEMNATION THAT I DESERVE AND I RECEIVE THAT. AND ALSO THEY TOOK YOUR BODY OFF THE CROSS AND IN THE TOMB AND YOU WERE NOT THERE AND ROSE FROM THE GRAVE. AND I ASK FOR RESURRECTION POWER. I ASK THAT YOU BRING ME TO THE ENDNESS OF MY DEATH BUT RAISE ME TO SHOW GRACE AND TRUTH IN THE WAY THAT I LIVE AND WORSHIP. LISTEN IF YOU HAVE DONE THAT TONIGHT, WHEN WE GO INTO COMMUNITY GROUPS TONIGHT. I WANT YOU TO SHARE THAT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY GROUP LEADER AND THEY CAN HUG YOUR NECK AND WELCOME YOU HOME AND CELEBRATE WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN YOUR LIFE. LET'S STAND TOGETHER AND WORSHIP FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES AND I WILL GIVE CLOSING THOUGHTS BEFORE WE DISMISS. [APPLAUSE] >> WOW AMEN. WE WILL CLOSE IN PRAYER, DON'T SIT DOWN. JUST A QUICK COUPLE OF THOUGHTS BEFORE WE GET OUT OF HERE. I KNOW THAT TONIGHT SEEMED MORE SOLEMN FOR US AND REFLECTIVE FOR US. KNOW IN WEEKS TO COME WE WILL COME IN HERE, WE HAVE INCREDIBLE THINGS, WE HAD A MASSIVE OPENING FOR TONIGHT AND FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE TONE DEAF TO START THE WAY THAT WE PLANNED. AND PROBABLY KICK THAT IN NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER. AND I CAN'T WAIT TO COME IN THIS PLACE AND GO AFTER THE LORD. WE HAD OVER 1,000 PEOPLE ON THE WAITLIST, ACTUALLY IF YOU LOOK UP THERE, YOU SEE THAT WHOLE ENTIRE UPPER DECK, IT WAS IN SCAFFOLDING THIS MORNING, AND THOSE TICKETS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. AND THE GOOD PEOPLE OF CONSTRUCTION WORKED TWICE AS HARD AND FOUND OUT THAT WE SOLD OUT. MAN, DAN DEETER AND HIS TEAM ARE AMAZING AND TOLD THEM LAST-SECOND THAT IS OPEN AND STILL PACK THAT OUT. AND FIGURE OUT BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT WEDNESDAY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TOGETHER. AND WHETHER WE KICK THIS BACK AND DO TWO OF THESE OR OVERFLOW OR JUST TAKE TURNS AND MAKING SURE WE'RE TOGETHER. WE'RE GOING TO ROLL WITH THIS AS THIS SEASON PROGRESSES AND SEE WHAT GOD GIVES US. THANK YOU FOR BEING GREAT. YOU GUYS DID A PHENOMENAL JOB COMING IN AND LEAVING YOUR MASKS AND YOU ARE SERVING ONE ANOTHER. IT'S NOT MY TENDENCY AND I FIND MYSELF TAKING IT OFF AND PUTTING BACK ON AND I HOLD I WILL BE MORE USED TO IT. BE ACCOUNTABLE AND DON'T BEAT THEM UP AND SHOW GRACE AND TRUTH AND IN THE TONE YOU USE. TWO QUICK THINGS. COMMUTERS WE ARE GLAD THAT MORE AND OUR COMMUTERS ARE PART OF THIS AND IT'S NOT JUST CAMPUS COMMUNITY AND COMMUTERS IN GREEN HALL 70A, THAT IS BEHIND THE COMMUTE LOUNGE, THEY HAVE A GET-TOGETHER THAT LAUNCH NEXT WEEK'S COMMUNITY WEEK FOR COMMUTERS. AND IF YOU WANT TO GO UP THERE AND MEET OTHER COMMUTERS AND FIND OUT WHAT GROUPS IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND THINGS. GO TO THAT AND I BET THEY GOT FOOD AND GOOD STUFF. BE A PART OF THAT TONIGHT. OUR APP THAT WE TAKE NOTES IN, CRASHED. ALL RIGHT, AND I THINK JUST BEING THE FIRST DAY. HONESTLY I THINK IT'S OUR FAULT AND MADE EVERYONE WATCH COMBO AND BLEW UP. AND OUR FOLKS OF I.T. ARE PHENOMENAL AND THANK THEM. BUT IT CRASHED AND SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO TONIGHT UPLOAD THE NOTES THAT WE ALWAYS USE FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT HAPPENED TONIGHT AT 10 O'CLOCK. SO THEY TOLD ME TO TELL YOU TO TEXT "CCNOTES" TO 24502 AND THEY WOULD SEND THE NOTES. AND TEXT THAT AND THEY WILL SEND YOU THE NOTES. AND I WROTE DOWN THAT JOURNAL ENTRY, THAT STATEMENT. I WILL HAVE THEM PUT THAT IN THERE AS WELL. SO YOU HAVE THAT, IF YOU WANT IT. JUST SO YOU HAVE THAT FOR YOURSELF. ON YOUR WAY OUT, EVERYBODY THAT IS HERE, LOOK AT THAT ENTIRE UPPER DECK, EVERYBODY LOOKS SO GOOD, PERFECTLY SOCIAL DISTANT. IF YOU LOOK AT ME, WE HAVE DONE THIS WORK AND YOU CAME IN ASSIGNED GATE THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU. WHY WE DID THE RESERVATIONS. DO ME A FAVOR. IF YOU WOULD, DON'T HUDDLE UP ON YOUR WAY OUT. AND BE AWARE THAT PEOPLE ARE LEAVING AND BE SOCIALLY DISTANT AND WAIT AND BE PATIENT AND LEAVE AND DO THIS FOR ONE ANOTHER AND OUR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE BACK HOME AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED IN A GOOD WAY WHEN WE PRACTICE THESE GOOD, SAFE PRACTICES TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT, LAST THING. WE DIDN'T GET TO HAVE FRESHMEN INCOMING CONVO AND PEOPLE THAT TRANSFER FROM PURDUE HERE AND HARVARD. AND SOMETIMES WE GET IN FRESHMAN CONVO AND IT WAS RAINED OUT AND IN THIS FOOTBALL STADIUM LAST FRIDAY AND GOT DRENCHED. WE DID A DIGITAL FORMAT AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T WATCH IT THINKING IT WAS CANCELED. AND WHAT I WANT TO DO IS WELCOME OUR INCOMING FRESHMEN AND TRANSFER STUDENTS COMING IN, WE ARE GLAD THAT GOD YOU TO BE A PART OF THIS. WELCOME. WE LOVE YOU. COME ON, WE ARE EXCITED THAT GOD BROUGHT YOU HERE. THANK YOU. WE ARE HONORED. CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO KNOW YOU. IF YOU ARE AN INCOMING FRESHMAN OR A TRANSFER STUDENT. I ALWAYS AT THAT FRESHMAN CONVO GIVE ME CELLPHONE OUT, IT IS MY CELLPHONE. YOU MAY NOT WANT IT BUT IN CASE, I WANT TO BE YOUR PASTOR AND HEAR FROM YOU. AND NORMALLY IT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN DEFER TO SOMEONE ELSE. IF IT'S A SPIRITUAL QUESTION OR ANYTHING I CAN DO TO SERVE YOU OR A THOUGHT THAT YOU FEEL IN THE TRENCHES HAPPENING AND YOU WANT ME TO KNOW AND I CAN PRAY AND BE ADVOCATE FOR YOU. IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT BUS ROUTE OR COMPLAINT ABOUT STUFF, GOOD FOLKS THAT SERVE YOU FOOD. DON'T PUT THAT IN MY BOX. AND I KEEP IT ON AT NIGHT AND I SEE SOMETHING TIME SENSITIVE. I DON'T WANT TO WAKE UP AT 1 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING THAT IS NOT TIME URGENT. I TRUST YOU TO HAVE THE MATURITY TO USE THIS AND NOT ABUSE IT. IF YOU WANT IT. MY CELLPHONE IS OBVIOUSLY... AND WE'RE ALWAYS HAVE AN RS OR COMMUNITY GROUP MEMBER WITH YOU. I NEVER DO ANYONE ALONE. AND 99% OF THE TIME IT'S GETTING TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER. AND BE PATIENT, SOMETIMES THEY LOAD UP AND THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS YES. IF YOU WANT TO MEET OR TALK ABOUT SOMETHING, WHATEVER, IT WILL BE GRACE AND TRUTH BY THE WAY. YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE WHAT YOU ARE HEARING AT THE END OF IT. HOPEFULLY YOU WILL. AND NORMALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER. AND THAT'S MY CELLPHONE AND E-MAIL. AND IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM, I CHECK THOSE AND LOOK AT MESSAGES AND THAT'S ONE MORE WAY FOR US TO KEEP UP WITH ONE ANOTHER. I TEND TO SOMETIMES PUT OUT MESSAGES WHEN THAT PUT UP, I POSTED ABOUT THAT REALLY QUICKLY. IT'S A GOOD WAY TO GET INFORMATION AS WELL AS FOR YOU TO GET A PEEK INTO MY GOOFY 50 YEAR-OLD LIFE. SO -- IT'S @ DAVID NASSER ON INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER, AND MOST OF YOU DON'T DO TWITTER. BUT GOD BLESS YOU GUYS AND PUT YOUR ARMS THIS WAY AND WE END UP WITH A PRAYER OF BLESSING. AND ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT BLESSING, WE ARE BUT NOT TONIGHT. LET ME BLESS YOU. FATHER, I JUST PRAY FOR THESE MEN AND THESE WOMEN WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT. JUST A BLESSING OVER THEIR LIFE. THAT GOD THE CURSE OF SIN AND DARKNESS AND DEATH HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THEM SO THAT THEY MAY BE LIGHT. THAT JESUS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD LIVES IN THEM, SO THAT THEY MAY BE LIGHT. AND THAT THEY WOULD SHINE BRIGHT THIS WEEK. I PRAY GOD WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT WOULD NOT JUST BE CELEBRATED BUT SUBMITTED TO IN LIFE. THAT THEY WOULD BE EXUDERS OF GRACE. AND LET IT GO FURTHER IN THIS, AND GIVE US PERMISSION GOD TO GO FURTHER IN THIS TRUTH AS WE GO IN OUR COMMUNITY GROUPS. MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU, AND MAY THE LORD KEEP YOU. AND MAY THE LORD SHINE HIS RADIANT FACE UPON YOU. I LOVE YOU. GO WITH GOD, ALL RIGHT. REMEMBER STAY SOCIALLY DISTANT ON YOUR WAY BACK. GOD BLESS YOU GUYS. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK. >> BY THE WAY, BY THE WAY, BY THE WAY. FRIDAY'S CONVOCATION GUEST WILL BE ANDY STANLEY, I WANTED TO SAY THAT TO YOU, IT WILL BE AWESOME. SEE YA.
38:53 if it doesn’t go there for you automatically.