What Happened to My PASSION?! // Judah Smith

hey guys it's Judah I am so excited to announce version 2.0 for the church Oh map has arrived it is here it's a much more personalized experience it's gonna cater to ensuring that you're connecting with people face to face relationships and there is daily guided prayers Chelse and i are gonna be your guide a li guiding you through prayers that I think will deepen your relationship with God and help you in your overall experience here on earth John chapter 20 okay here's what we're gonna talk about tonight we're gonna talk about passion and here's here's what I want us to kind of get our get our our head around our mind around our thoughts around and that is have you ever lost your passion have you as your passion for God ever lessened maybe you're sitting here right now or maybe at any of our locations in Seattle watching this right now and if you were honest with yourself your passion for God is not what it once was what has happened to your passion I want to submit to you through a collection of scriptures one of the primary reasons I believe that our passion for God our passion for who he is and the life he's called us to and what he has done for us why it wanes why it lessens why it feels like it's not there maybe you've lost your passion you've lost your zeal you've lost your love you've lost them maybe you're here maybe nobody really knows this but you're hanging by a thread you're hanging on barely you're wondering is this actually real is this legitimate should I keep actually pursuing faith should I keep pursuing God is this something that really resonates or matters to me I'd like to talk to us of why I think our passion lessens when it comes to God now I want to say this I'm speaking from personal experience tonight I know exactly what it's like for your passion to wane in fact I'll take it a step further I know what it's like to preach sermons when you don't have much passion for God try that on for size that sucks but I've been there I've been on this stage and other stages speaking to our community and other communities where personally inside my passion for God is lean it's limited its little and yet I'm required or I've signed up to be a communicator of the story of God and I found myself at times as embarrassing it is to MIT as it is to admit that I have preached from a place of very little passion no one wants to live like that we want to be passionate about what we do and it when it comes to God we want a true and genuine passion here's what I'm believing for in the next few minutes by way of study of the story of Jesus and who he is I'm actually believing that you could leave this space or the different locations in Seattle watching right now you could leave with a real genuine hot red hot white-hot oh why we say those things passion for God I really believe that that you could actually leave here with your heart truly full of desire and passion for God now that's a big call for the next 40 minutes but I can believe for that now to make this possible I'm gonna need 80 minutes I'm kidding you about that's your problem you know start condemning people who'll give me 80 if you won't leave you know anyways but a bad way to start a church okay let's go to John chapter 20 John's have what happened to my passion what happened to my passion I guess that's my title what happened to my passion on the evening of that day we read this verse the last few weeks on the evening of that day the first day of the week the door is being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews now again a little bit of context Jesus has now died on the middle cross it is now the night of the third day he promised he predicted his own death he predicted his own barrel he predicted his own resurrection on the night of the third day his few followers left are terrified the air has been sucked out of the room they've locked themselves in a little room hoping no one will find them for fear of their own life it says the doors were being locked the disciples for fear of the Jews Jesus came and stood among them and said peace be with you when he had said this he showed them his hands and his side and then it says we've talked about this before then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord okay some English words do not do the Greek justice okay these disciples were not just glad okay you are glad when your Amazon package is delivered okay is this a little bit different you are glad that when you're when this your local supermarket has your favorite deodorant okay this is more than glad they are actually categorically beside themselves they have gone from sad mad afraid fearful to ecstatic exhilarated electric and the reason why is because Jesus has beat death Jesus has delivered on what he said therefore if he has beat crucifixion if he has come back to life everything he said is true by definition it is John chapter 20 verses 20 and 21 this my brothers and sisters is the beginning of what we now call Christianity this is the beginning um don't mean to burst your bubble Adam and Eve is not the beginning of Christianity Noah and the Ark is not the beginning to Christianity David and Goliath is not the beginning of Christianity the birth of Jesus not the beginning of Christianity the crucifixion of Jesus not the beginning of Christianity fat Paul writes later in Scripture he says if Jesus has not beat death if he did not come back to life if he did not beat the grave our faith is futile and he says of all people on the planet those who worship Jesus and follow Jesus are pitiful unless he actually came back from the dead this is the night faith truly began Jesus did the unthinkable he did the unimaginable he did the miraculous he came back from the dead he resurrected and his disciples went from passionless terrified mortified embarrassed and sad to ecstatic electric excited and couldn't wait to share the news not many days after this these same people will share the account the eyewitness account of the resurrection and in one day three thousand people will accept the eyewitness account of Jesus beating death and they will become followers of Jesus now you do the math in terms of population global population that would be the equivalent of almost three million people in one day and 2019 deciding to follow Jesus now it should be added the three thousand people that were added to the church this is before there was a New Testament it was all word of mouth Christianity began on the night of the third night the resurrection when Jesus appeared to his disciples that's gonna be really important for us going forward with investigating why has our passion for God lesson or maybe you're sitting here right now are watching from any of our Seattle location you're thinking acted you to I've never been more passionate about God fantastic mark this message put it in your back pocket and when the day comes when you feel your passion lessening revisit these passages they said you to that is so bad for you to predict that my passion is going to wane or we could just admit that we're human beings and this is called life okay there's gonna be some days mama said there'll be days like this where you are like super Christian and the next day you are you're teetering on atheism okay you're just like I don't even know if there is a God okay it's called life it's called emotions it's real okay so we're all gonna have these moments so I think this message will be applicable will you join me in prayer Jesus thank you for the moments we share we ask that you would help us to understand the different verses that we're gonna read we asked for your assistance for your partnership for your leading your guiding thank you so much for your grace and your love for each and every person but I pray especially for anyone whether in Seattle or here right now in LA who would for whatever reason feel like an outsider or feel like you know they don't belong I pray by your love and your grace and your goodness they would sense and feel that they belong in this room we thank you for that thank you for the Seattle Seahawks oh god help us win on Sunday in Jesus name Amen for those watching this on Sunday and Seattle pray pray pray pray oh man have you ever lost passion for something that you love if the answer is it's not yes you're a liar like you start doing that that's how I start my sermon you're a liar I believe you're a liar truth is we're all pretty familiar with that aren't we something you love and I can think about my own experience in my own journey I grew up watching my dad preach right watching my dad preach and watching some of his friends preaching why should watch a bishop TD jakes preached and other people and just being like man someday I want to preach I want to tell people about Jesus I remember man being nine years old in Boise Idaho I remember dreaming about preaching when I was 12 preached my first sermon in Boston in 10 minutes when I was 13 and did my first week of revival meetings in Alaska when I was 16 and we've destroyed those cassette tapes completely and then started preaching in Toronto when I was 19 and started going to different youth conferences and things and and I remember the exhilaration of the opportunity that anyone would listen to me as I tried to explain the story of Jesus and I absolutely loved every minute of it now I'm 41 for those that don't know I like to reference my age but 41 I'm like hey I'm at halftime I am really I'm really it's kind of weird I'm at halftime like I'm that guy I'm like halftime is where real great decisions are made or really dumb decisions are made so pray for me I'm at half time so being in midlife in looking back I wish I could be honest with you I wish I could tell you that every time I've stepped on stage I've been exhilarated and excited but but I you know embarrassed to admit it it's not like that there's been countless times where I feel like the last thing I want to do is the thing that I at once loved I got a few friends and I've watched enough 34 30 s and ESPN and documentaries to hear about these athletes whose stories go somewhat similarly right they start off growing up in this country or maybe a nearby country and all they want to do is pray is play pro sports and then of course they they finally make it a big show whatever big leagues it is the NFL or the NHL or the NBA or the MLS and it's true it's growing it's growing it's curling the Seattle won the MLS championship Congrats I know one told me but I'm pumped about it yeah we beat LA didn't we Graham's like don't no one cares Graham yes we're good but you know people grow up wanting to be a pro athlete and then as the story goes all the sudden it becomes swell a job before you know it the the the the kid with stars in his eyes all we wanted was one big break in the big show and now there's contracts and agents and managers and sponsors and requirements and appearances and all of these things that suddenly removes the passion for what once was was everything right it's it's it's human nature not a part of this of course when it comes to career and these things is we always think you know I'm gonna arrive right life is like this arrival it never is but yours once I get there I'll be happy and so we could there but that's not really the point of the message today the point of the message is what do you do when you've lost your passion now in in all of my journey whether it's people helping me or or me maybe helping friends who are in different professions entertainment or athletics or whatever it might be it's always reminding them of how it all started all right it's it's pretty cliche it's pretty obvious this isn't news to you but you you sit down with someone who's maybe an athlete or an entertainer or a barista or a schoolteacher and you go hey why did you get into this in the first place right and that's where the magic comes back and that's where their eyes light up and I well I remember the first coffee I ever had us 12 and I remember walking in the Starbucks oh you know whatever it might be and they're like just the smell of coffee right we had a guy in our church he's like one barista of the year right he won like the competition it's like a national competition it's amazing he could make like all the the hearts and the trees and the things in the foam unbelievable I love it okay apparently you don't care Wow heartless people okay so but it's not hard to see the magic come back when they're like well I dreamed about being in the big leagues and tell me about that and they go back and recover that that love it's not too dissimilar to what happens in our relationship with God for me again growing up in a pastor's home I I've been to so many camps and advances and retreats and conferences and summits and conventions and rallies and I could go on and on I've been to so many but a few that stick out is when I'm just a kid and I'm at these youth meetings or gatherings or camps or retreats and preacher back then in those days we'd always have people come forward and we're like if you want to give your life to God if you want to serve God no matter what I mean you want to get everything young people stand to your feet and run down to the altar and throw your life on the altar of God you know those were back in the days when were like giving my life to God it was like God is so blessed by me giving my life to him he must be blown away ha ha ha and I kind of thought that so we just like you know just some you know weights like God I give you everything are you not blown away you know like an but I did I'm gonna open up my big mouth and said things like I'll do anything all I want is you which is not totally true I know we sing about that and stuff but we like we I love this about church we like sing these songs all I want is you where do you want to go to eat tonight yeah anyways it just gets me thinking but oh god oh my gosh they totally don't have my size in those jeans but we mean it generally speaking we do we try you know but remember giving God my life and I just won't do anything serve you and and then um and then life happens and God answers your prayers and before you know it it's like man it's just it's a lot and you don't have the passion you once had and here's what I often times suggest to friends of mine and people that I meet with I often times I think what happens is the things that are not the point become the point and they steal our passion right a lot of us are doing what we're doing because we love people a lot of us for instance you the the Joel the the job of the career you've taken is because you want to inspire people help people encourage people and yet oftentimes instead of making it about people anymore we make it about the process we make it about the details we make it about the contract we make it about the money we make it about the career we make it about the stuff and and in the process of it we lose our passion because the passion is connected to what you originally did it for in the first place now some people say oh you're just an optimist you just see everything positively but I oftentimes will go back to my 9 year old self my 11 year old self my thirteen year old self to recover why I'm doing this in the first place now I want to translate that into first century Christians and our predecessors our brothers and sisters who as Jesus had died they would lock themselves in a room sufficient to say the church as we know it which hadn't been yet established the followers as we know it have lost their passion now I want us to ask some important question here of this story in John chapter 20 why have these followers lost their passion because I'd like to suggest it is actually the same reason we lose ours a little different from why we oftentimes lose our passion for our career I want to talk to you about why you lose your passion sometimes for God so these Jesus followers are locked in a room now the Bible says why they're locked in a room they're locked in a room because they are afraid what are they afraid of they're afraid of dying as well what are they also afraid of well they're afraid of the fact that they followed a man who now they believe is well it's not true you never said something about Jesus that people oftentimes don't misunderstand if Jesus stayed dead he is nothing short of a lunatic you have to understand that you don't get to run around town for three and a half years telling everybody you are God in the flesh die and everyone goes what a good guy good guy I love that guy I loved his sermons really you understood them not really but I think he had a good heart but my brothers and sisters we're talking about a man one of his climactic sermons was eat my flesh and drink my blood and by the way I don't know if you'd remember how the story goes a lot of people were like this is why I say goodbye goodbye babies kids let's go let's go we're out of here right there were so many people leaving Jesus turned to the 12 closest to him and said are you gonna leave too and basically Peter's explanation is that we don't have much to go back to so like we're good we're hanging here right Peter did not claim that the teachings of Jesus were so clear and understandable and digestible they're gonna stick around he just said you promised eternal life you promised it your claims are gonna keep us with you some of the details of what you're teaching we are as lost as everybody else okay so this is important now if Jesus stays dead all is lost all is lost this is so important for us to articulate communicate and digest together in that little room where they are locked let me ask you a question do they still have the teachings of Jesus of course they do do they still have the principles of Jesus of course they do later they will record them Matthew Mark Luke John Mark will record Peters account so they're gonna remember like they have all of his teachings which we are now given because they wrote them all down inspired by the person of Jesus the Spirit Jesus so they have all of the teachings in that room but notice all is lost this is important to note this is important to note they have all the teachings but they don't have the person and all is lost and it should be the same for us we should never allow the teachings the principles or even the words of Jesus replace the actual person of Jesus and I'm gonna I'm gonna give us something like wait I thought the same thing just just just bear with me okay all passion is gone from the church we'll call it the church if you will from the Jesus followers until the person arrives now when the person of Jesus enters the room what happens to their passion it is back with a vengeance I mean when it says and the disciples were glad again let me just let's just look at this again it does not mean that Jesus walked through the wall and stood there and showed his hands and sides and they were like wow fascinating you look good you look real good shocked this happened oh they are literally like oh that's why it's like relax it's me peace and he's like look like we're looking right and the brains are probably going to mile-a-minute because like I hear all of his claims everything he said it's all true right that's how Christianity started it did not start with a transfer of solid teaching it's good point number four boys write this one down I'm the way the truth and the life it's good it's good yeah it's good I wrote it all right have you got the seven essentials for effective evangelism no we don't okay let me give you number one always you know like no he just walked into the room and they're like oh and instead of teaching he's like touch my hands look at my side he's like I'm sending you and they're like we're going okay so let's just go over this for a second so Jesus says in Matthew 16 Jesus says in Matthew 16 he asked the disciple he says who do you say that I am he says what do people say then who do you say Peter says you are the Christ you are the son and living God and this is the first time Church has ever mentioned in the New Testament here it is first time churches he says I tell you Peter I tell you rock that on this rock this revelation God has given you I'm going to build an assembly I'm gonna build a called out group of people ekklesia ekklesia my church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it okay okay okay okay first mention principle first mention principle just as the first time Jesus mentions the church and so he's going to tell us what the church is gonna be all about here's what the church is gonna be all about I'm telling you if the church will be all about this we will not lose our passion if the church will be all about this we will not lose our passion he said I will build my church on this wait wait wait wait wait wait what what's this again Jesus it's what Peter said what did Peter say well remember I asked Peter who do you say that I am and Peter said you are everything the Prophet said you are everything that was promised you our God in the flesh you are the son of the Living God and Jesus said it's on that understanding I'm going to build a group of people they're going to be grouped together and connected on that reality on a person on a person on a but we have not gathered here tonight for principals we have gathered here for a person if you want principles you can go to all kinds of talks there's all kind of gatherings you can be in what sets us apart is we are the ekklesia of God we are a called out group of people that what has brought us together is not mere concepts history or teaching it is a person that we believe is alive in the room as we speak we believe the same Jesus that walked through the walls of that little room is the same Jesus walking through the walls of our heart and he is alive he's alive he's alive so we we are here celebrating an event an event not not success Keys on event Christianity existed before the New Testament existed don't say Amen that's a cool this this records an event this records an event we're here because Jesus rose from the dead furthermore we're gathered around his lifestyle and his claims now his lifestyle and his claims fall flat unless he predicts his own death and resurrection and pulls it off then we go back and go his lifestyle is the best and his claims are amazing and his teachings still very hard to understand can we all admit that absolutely do you I mean you know how many people like I mean all the people I talked to before I step on this stage and preach there are three scholars I talk to every week and oftentimes the three scholars have three different perspectives on the teachings of Jesus they're like I think it might mean this it could mean this most scholars agree it's this it could be this as well why are his teaching so cloaked because the point is not so much its teachings it's to be near to his person and so his teachings are such a way that you have to go whoa whoa whoa Jesus what did that mean again he's like come on come on I'll tell you just walk with me work with me watch how I do it yeah but can you explain that I'm gonna demonstrate it just watch me just watch me okay this is amazing whoa that's crazy here's what's happened we um we've taken an event his claims his lifestyle and we've turned it into teachings traditions and principles for good living and we wonder why our passion absent flows because what this is turned into instead of a celebration of an eyewitness of account of the only man who's ever beat crucifixion beat death and rose from the dead we turn it into alright get your pens out boys and girls let's write down seven keys to make sure your career is fantastic and I got no problem in fact if you have seven keys to make my career fantastic I'm so down I'm just saying that's not the glue that brought us together and by the way there's way better people to get that from than me I'm not a motivational speaker I am here to tell you about an event and a lifestyle and the claims this man who beat death claims so so then jesus said and the gates of Hell will not prevail against the church which is to say that is Jesus again predicting his own death he is to say what this church will be about is a person and it will be about celebrating that person who has beat the gates of Hell who has defeated death and so make no mistake about it we are here celebrating an event and because of the resurrection we now go back and look at his lifestyle his claims and his teachings which are still hard to decipher and understand therefore we have to stay close to Jesus now let me give you and I promise we're gonna I'm gonna give you a couple of ideas of how you can stay close to the person and quit following principles no no that's not popular I mean let me just say this real frankly one of the reasons and I'm looking on camera for everybody in Seattle one of the reasons your passion keeps going up and down is because you have replaced following Jesus with following principles you have replaced a person with principles what's that called it's called being American and I'm proud to be one but that's what it is right we're not we're not given much to the supernatural mysticism mister were given more to the pragmatic right and that's what we often times in our Bible schools we raise preachers to tell them hey tell them the three the three takeaways the three practical tools howdy and I'm just telling you sometimes my brothers and sisters this is a person and it's not practical it's a mystery and sometimes you got a nudge that only God can nudge you with and you don't know why but God said get up walk don't stay go over there talk to that person and you don't know why and it ain't practical it's a person living on the inside of you who is alive who is guiding you and leading you through life and guess what you gonna make some mistakes but we are going to commit to following a person who beat death predicted his own death burial and resurrection therefore his lifestyle his claims and his teachings are true Jesus says this to some Pharisees in mark chapter 7 and verse 13 listen to Jesus he says you may talk into teachers of the law in the Torah he says you make the Word of God void by your traditions by your traditions so you've taken God's story and you've replaced it with traditions now this is of course different from what the Pharisees did that he's speaking Jesus speaking of the Torah they're taking the first five books of the Bible and instead of actually adhering to the Torah they have kind of manipulated it to fit what they want and Jesus actually gives examples about taking care of your mom and dad and such now the same kind of approach we take with the New Testament we take the story that records the event of Jesus death burial resurrection and then the followings that all the followers in the first century churches and beyond who tell the eyewitness account of Jesus we take it and we we turn it into teachings traditions and principles and by doing that we we missed the power we missed the power now here's three signs I just want to give you three signs and this is if the shoe fits wear it if not just save it for later but here's here's three signs that you know you have replaced the actual person the resurrection the event his claims his lifestyle you've replaced it with mere principles I know I've done this before and traditions and teachings here's one of the ways number one you get tunnel vision in your spiritual life here's one of the dead giveaways this happened to the Pharisees what do I mean by tunnel vision you pick and choose from this book what you adhere to and what you don't think matters okay so for instance you pick an issue in our culture that you believe is biblical okay let's say you stand for that issue and you decide it's the most important thing and it may be but you decide I am gonna stand for this and what becomes increasingly ironic and we've all been there is here you are making this strong stand for something you believe is biblical and yet the strength in which you take this stand leads to oftentimes a loveless lifestyle towards people you believe are not living according to what your taking a stand for it's called tunnel vision all you can see is this biblical principle not the person because if you saw the person you got the principle from you would use his tone in his approach but because you don't have the person you only have the principle one of the dead giveaways is tunnel vision and you can't tell that is passionate you are about that one biblical principle the underbelly is that by standing so strong over here you are neglecting another principle over here so for instance and I'm not just trying to pick on Christians but you know I'm at halftime 41 midlife crisis but Christians particularly in this country and that's and wheat is what it is we're known for certain things we stand for we're known for things we stand for which is interesting we should be known for who we love the number one thing we should be known for according to Scripture by it by the way the Bible says you don't even know if you love God if you don't love people right I mean say you love someone who loves something but you don't love the something that person loves but you claim to love that person it's like Shels I love you I just don't love anything you love and she like ain't gonna go down like that bro like if you love me you gonna love what I love and I'm like oh that's true thank you so God loves what above all things people right but when we allow teachings traditions and principles to replace a person one of the tale tell scientists we get tunnel vision well I just believe that and I love to say I think that's fantastic but I would also like to say what's also fantastic is that people like well yeah well and here it happens we pick and choose we pick and choose pick and choose if there's some picking and choosing in your life that might be one of the signs that you've removed yourself from the event the person the phenomenon Jesus and Hugh one of the other things the only ton of television but elitism elitism elitism and Jesus talks about this in Luke chapter 11 he tells same guys Pharisees he says what are you lawyers or Pharisees and teachers for you've taken away the key of knowledge listen what he says you enter your you do not enter yourselves and you hinder those who are in turn and here's what we do okay again different application elitism when we replace Jesus with principles and teachings in traditions we end up projecting ourselves at a status that is not easy to achieve and we start to teach to people that for you to reach my status you have some work to do now brother if you want to pray as much as I've prayed then help then you go ahead and do that but I just want you know I have woken up at 6 a.m. every morning and prayed for the city of Los Angeles the door that God has opened to me has not come easy I got knee marks on my carpet where I've shot the Lord oh you want a good you want good children you got to raise them and we don't mean to but again we start projecting principles as the highway and on-ramp to all the blessings of God you want to be blessed you got to walk in the blessing you want to be blessed you got to do what is right in godly some of that may have some credence at times but last time I checked we were welcomed into his family by merit no by Jesus he became sin so that we could become right with God and he's give us he gives us richly all things to enjoy but see elitism elitism is a classic projection of someone who has replaced see Jesus is the great leveler and he did this talk about lifestyle everywhere he went he was always robbing the pharisees and sadducees of their high high perch and they hated it they were always like hello Jesus and he's like you're just like us bro and he's no I'm not I am not like anyone else right and he told stories on him he pulled the veil back and he's like these guys are no different than you guys they just wear like long robes and they do things in front of you to make them seem impressive they're not and everyone's like oh I don't think you're supposed to do that and of course they were like the mob and so they were like planning to kill him because they're like he's taking away our high status and society and Jesus came to destroy elitism he's like come one come all he wrecked the temple he threw things over because the temple had turned into a place if you didn't have enough money you couldn't get right with God ultimate exclusivity and elitism we still do it today because if you're not closer to person elitism gives you an edge it gives you a sense of identity and so our bumper stickers give us away and other things give us away as we stroll through our towns and villages and cities and we tell people I'm a believer I live by the Word of God that's great a friend of my told me today he goes you know Judah the only only difference between me and a murderer do you know what it is I was like now he's like the murderer killed someone and that's like well said who's ever thought about it okay so you know me it's like hello like Jesus the great leveller now if you don't want to be on the level playing field as everybody don't hang with Jesus take his teachings and run for your life because there's no room for elitism and lastly one of the telltale signs is tunnel vision elitism and I end with this knowledge so when you don't have Jesus you pick and choose what you want from his teachings in his ways you project elitism and people have to do great things to get what you've done because you have done great things and then you project this idea of incredible knowledge and here's what happens we turn a storybook into a competition of knowledge and this very book you know what it says it says knowledge puffs up translation knowledge makes you a jerk if you'll let it makes you prideful so we turn scripture into an end of knowledge so now instead of knowing Jesus and following Jesus the goal of our faith is who knows the most who knows the most right and we do things like this like turn to the book of Hezekiah and your friends like alright there's not even a book of Hezekiah haha I love Kanye's words he's like when I used to think the book of Job was a job and I'm like that's but he's been around church enough apparently you think it's a job it's job bro it's a person ha ha ha do you know the sixty-six books in a song do you know them all do it Genesis revelation exit do you know do you know oh you don't I do let me do them for you sure yeah that's amazing yeah yeah I know a lot about the Bible that's it's so cool right like I grew up like I now tell people I read like a verse a day it's in like in Christendom you it's like you can't tell people you only read a verse a day oh my gosh you have to do three in the old - in the new you don't read through the Bible in a year how about this one be honest man have you read the book cover-to-cover how can you claim to know him you know like I've been in meetings like that I've been in coffees with with with fellow believers so they're like honestly men shoot straight with me have you read the book cover-to-cover it's amazing how we claim to know the man and we've never read his book I'm like oh okay we are getting out of control here the worst is when you go over to friends houses and they want to play Bible trivia because they know the pastors there and I'm like oh God we are about to lose some church members tonight yeah who made the ark Moses now Chelsea Chelsea always wins so we we go home with a lot of cash what are we betting now at Bible trivia hahahaha how good would that be oh man this sermons falling apart okay can I can I read your scripture you you you're gonna be blown away by the scripture John chapter 5 verse 39 check this out I didn't say this Jesus did he says this to the Pharisees the hypocrites church leaders you search the scripture the Torah you think that in the Torah you have eternal life semicolon it is they the law and the prophets that's why he says they Moses and the prophets they bear witness about you you think you have eternal life because of knowledge all my brothers and sisters I don't mean this in any way as a slight but there are those right now under intense persecution in worlds and lands and continents where this book is outlawed and the name of Jesus is outlawed and they have one page and that one page has led them to live a life we can only dream meanwhile we're back at Bible trivia night trying to determine who's the best because they know the 66 books I'm over it I'm over it I'm over it this only matters to the degree that it points you to a living person I sit without it pride is a promise it's a promise that's why we have so many that's why we've all been there I've been I have been such a self-righteous arrogant Christian before I am Telling You something like Judy you are right now please don't say that but have you ever been there you're like I'm oh they're not a Christian they probably are I don't they are you know like knowledge puffs up and I end with this I end with this look what it says Luke 1152 the scripture we're at a moment ago I'm done I'm done right here Luke Luke Luke 11 look what it says all you lawyers for you have taken away here it is the key of knowledge all right all right so if you're a thinking person right now you're like okay but you know how do i how do I keep close to the person and not do the principles in the teachings by the way the principles teachings all those things are wonderful as long as you stay close to the person the person a person the person the person so how do you do it how do you do it here's one practice every time you go to this book take with you the key of knowledge what's the key of knowledge Jesus he unlocks the whole book I'm telling you go to know it don't look for Noah don't look for Ark look for Jesus maybe Jesus is like an ark and everyone who's in Christ will be saved from the flood of sin right like all the sudden it's like well maybe Jesus it's like David and maybe Goliath is like sin there now now you get somewhere and Jesus and David got five smooth so five is the number of grace grace defeats the gly at the giant the sin that we cannot it defeats condemnation Jesus is David and he kills argillite look for Jesus when you go to this book don't look for traditions don't look for mere teachings and principles and just keys to successful living look for the person the one the only one who beat death hell and the grave and he lives forever more look for Jesus he's the key of knowledge and every time we all believe it if it's a verse a day or a line to the verse of a day ask Jesus where are you show me you show me you and I and this is the last capture I promise I'm ending with this this is the I said that was the last country but then I remembered this is another scripture I wanted to share with you and if you don't want more Scripture that makes you less spiritual so I'm kidding Jesus says words of Jesus I'm done when the spirit of truth comes listen to these words oh jesus thank you he's come by the way this is before the death barone resurrection of Jesus when the spirit of truth comes and he's come he's here he's gonna guide you into all the truth he's not gonna speak on his own authority to what the spirit of Jesus who is in you you cannot say Jesus Christ is Lord without the Spirit of Jesus on the inside of you notice what he will do whatever he hears he will speak to you and he will declare to you the things that are to come now watch this Jesus says the Spirit will glorify me see the specialty of the spirit of Jesus is to show you Jesus it's to show you Jesus it's to show you Jesus so go go go go go to the story and take with you the key of knowledge and depend on the spirit and he will take what is mine I love this word and he will declare it to you he's gonna declare it to you he's gonna remind you how forgiving you are he's gonna remind you how righteous you are he's gonna remind you who you are in what he said he's gonna explain for you to cloak the mysteries of the teachings of Jesus and this will not be a competition of knowledge this will be a true following of the resurrected Jesus Church Hall we are following a living Jesus and his spirit is alive on the inside of us showing us all over and over who he is what he taught what he's about and by that we will always stay close to the person and we will never replace the person from beer principles and for me I'll be honest just studying this my passion just started to grow my heart started to surge it was like now that's that's what my 11 year old self and Boise Idaho signed up for I felt Jesus burning on the inside of my soul and I signed up to say I will follow you wherever you go I am NOT here in 2019 just because of some concepts some ideas some success Keys or principles or certainly not traditions of men we are here because an event Jesus walked through the wall he lives for every more evermore therefore his lifestyle and his claims are true and we get to follow him every day just think what he has for you tonight and tomorrow it's amazing and let me pray for Jesus I thank you so much for the moments that we share but thank you for what you're saying and what you're speaking to our community and God no doubt we all have experienced a time or two our passion lagging waning draining we ask that as we experience your love and your nearness and your closeness to God our passion would increase and grow pray for that for our church if you're here right now whether in this auditorium in Los Angeles who are any of our locations in Seattle watching and you would like to receive the free gift of forgiveness that only Jesus offers you can do that right now it's so easy can't earn it deserve it just accept it believe it and receive it if you'd like to do that on the count of three I'm gonna ask you to lift up your hand and put it right back down could be in this auditorium you could be there in Kirkland it could be watching in Bothell it could be there ud or downtown or you could be right now watching on the app wherever you may be I don't think it's an accident God is speaking to you right now on the count of three if you would like to receive the forgiveness of Jesus and spend eternity with him his forgiveness is full and complete every err wrong and sin you've ever committed past present and future is forgiven forever you know who you are one two three if that's you shoot up your hand thank you thank you all over those locations in Seattle even right now watching on the app even if in your home just raise your hand I receive the forgiveness of Jesus god I thank you that your forgiveness flows freely and whom the son forgives he forgives all the way then we thank you for that and we thank you for your grace and we thank you for your mercy and we thank you for your love God we love you to receive your forgiveness and walk with you and work with you and watch how you do it we love you Jesus again Lord we thank you that our passion is growing day by day may we be known by the resurrection may we be known Lord that you beat death that you are alive forevermore this event has changed human history our church is built on it we love you it's our honor and our privilege in these moments of singing together now as we use music as a platform to connect with you we pray we would experience your nearness that our hearts would burn within us and we would sense your love and your affection and your forgiveness in Jesus name Amen if you're willing and able would you stand with us and come on let's sing out our praise and our love to Jesus so do you love our YouTube channel does it remind you of The Fresh Prince of bel-air I knew it right okay maybe not totally but if you loved it you could subscribe right here and we could just keep hanging out and we're gonna have new content like every week so subscribe right here if you love it press it click it now subscribe I miss you we won't hang out more

Channel: Churchome

Views: 67,284

Rating: 4.894361 out of 5

Keywords: Churchome, Judah, Judah smith, church, message, anxiety, depression, how to, elevation, Steven, Hillsong, oceans, sermon, the city church, church home, Chelsea smith, bobby Houston, td jakes, pastor, pastor preaching, carl lentz, Jesus, conference, guest speaker, sermon jam, worship, Justin Bieber, la Hillsong, Selena, preaching, Judah message, performance

Id: GaHd0m9-uXk

Length: 53min 56sec (3236 seconds)

Published: Mon Dec 02 2019