Jesus is Greater Than the Darkness of this World

All right, if you guys have your Bibles turn with me to John chapter 8 apologize. I am not feeling really well this morning. And so I'm a little bit stuffy and. So I will do my best this morning to get through this. I'm just glad that you're here with us and excited about our time and God's were together and I want to challenge you guys want to encourage you from God's word because that's what it has done for me this week. And I'm just thankful for this message. I want to just start here this morning. You guys are making a way to John chapter 8 last week was a little bit different. So I want to clear up a little bit of confusion. I think sometimes pastors have to do this week we need to do it. And then the last thing that I wanted last week to to to do is really I creating confusion or to start something that didn't really need to get to be there and so at last week We addressed at the beginning of John chapter 8 and as you look at your Bible, if you were here last week, we talked about really understanding that this is not part of the original manuscripts. So in the italics your Bible will have in the first 11 verses it'll say this is not part of the early manuscripts. We we know that that is is true. And so really this was more of a story probably part of Jewish history. And so I just wanted to to to make that clear wanted to help us understand that I know last week. I was really fired up and I sometimes when we were preaching things on speaking on things about this and it was a tough subject. I know that that can come across like man. This is really true. We don't know that for sure and then that's why we believe it's not part of the early manuscript since I just wanted to kind of set that up because what we're doing today is is really important so we leave off Matthew chapter sir. Sorry, I'm Matthew John chapter 7 verse 52 and we are actually picking up today in John chapter 8 verse 12. And so that's that the break down there and and then we're going to jump in and I want us to understand this morning today that this message is so important that we see in the title of our message today is this Jesus is greater than the darkness of this world in church. I I just want to stay under stand today that we as Believers need to hear this message. This is a message that needs to be preached in and taught in Across America in churches Across America and so often it's not because we want to just make our people think that everything is okay and there are a lot of churches today that are going to teach on God's love and they're going to they're going to teach on God's mercy, which is absolutely true. But a lot of times we Like to talk about darkness and we would rather just avoid that and so today this message is important to needed for believers. It's needed for unbelievers as well. And so is your making your way to John chapter 8 of things that I want to address this that is we take a look around our great big world. One of the things that we see so often is that our world is full and filled with Darkness if that John chapter 3 verse 19 says this maybe you want to just Mark the scripture down John 3:19 says this people love the darkness rather than the light because their Works were evil. We think about the reality of that when we look around our world today. We see a lot of evil we see a lot of the works of darkness, don't we I mean this is true so often and ever since the first man came into the world. We have seen the darkness of evil in our world in other words because of our sin there is Darkness. And we think about a people that we know or maybe you're here today. And these are things that you're dealing with we think about drug addiction is a very real thing. And some of you have struggled with that some of you know people that have struggled with drug addiction or alcoholism or sexual sin. These are things that are running rampant in our society the running rampant in our world and so often what the church does is we just turned a deaf ear to those things and say well, maybe it'll get better. Maybe our people aren't dealing with those things. Now. The reality is we are and people are struggling with this dark path and they need an answer. They need to understand that there is hope and that's found in the light of Jesus Christ. And that's why this very thing needs to be taught in our churches today.

People were in bondage to these things people are struggling with these things. We think about cancer cancer is is something that's very serious. It's it's something that is dark and it ravages our families people right here in our own churches have gone through cancer. Half a million people every year in the United States deal with cancer or have struggle with cancer. Divorce let's be honest. This isn't something that just happens outside the church walls, right? Divorce and in here's why divorce continues to tear families apart? And the reason why this is such a tough thing y'all is because and I've seen this is that I've had to work with children. I had to work with students. That's who it affects the most. And there are children that are dealing with emotional bondage. They're their children that are dealing with emotional instability in their lives and their wondering and is there any hope

divorce always affects children the most and this is a very dark thing in our world abortion. Abortion 100,000 babies are aborted every day around the world. I just had to stop and think about how awful that is. and the Darkness of that pathan in and maybe some of you are in here today, and I think this is just too important to address and some of you have experienced that you've done that I just want you to know this today that there is hope even as we think about how difficult how dark a past this is if this has happened in your life, I just want you know, this that Jesus does for gif And you can experience is forgiveness. You can experience his mercy and his grace for your life that you have to run to him loved ones.

Pressures are mounting in our society. Like we see immigration and homelessness in our Even in our own communities are very real things. But I want you to know who's there is hope I heard a great story in our life group. I am not teaching this semester and we have some great families in our church that are helping teach elective. I'm just part of it, but I'm mom stood up this week and told a story that couple weeks ago and we had her snort or snow storm here and she was at HEB and she she saw homeless gentleman. She said her son notice this this is something about this. This man has nowhere to sleep tonight. And so her and her son had a blanket in the car and some money and they just stopped and they gave it to this gentleman. And she told us a story Wednesday night and in her prayer that night was this God help us to be a light in our community. And I wanted to tell her at the time I was like in the Tiffany that's exactly Horton talk about on Sunday morning. Help us to be as a church were to be a light and tar to meet our community because the reality is there is a lot of darkness in our world. And and then there's a lot of Darkness right here in Odessa.

Do we realize that do we understand that? And the question really for us today. Is it are we running to the lights of our life? Are we running to Jesus Christ? So often what happens if we run the opposite direction?

Let me just say this underneath all this Darkness. We see even something more terrifying because here's what the Apostle Paul says in church. I want you to listen this today. Because we need to know this we need to hear God's word spoken into our lives. There's what Paul says policies that there's a very real problem. Ephesians chapter 6. He says we don't wrestle against flesh and blood y'all. But against the rulers against the authorities against the cosmic Powers over this present Darkness against spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly places. That's why Church, I want you to know there's a we can just pull back the curtains for for just a second and we can see the real battle that's going on as a battle for our souls. There's a battle for our hearts and our minds.

And it's a battle between Darkness and Light and this is it's important that we get this today because some of us are going to walk right back outside of these walls, and we're going to walk into a dark path. Because Satan is a Deceiver.

Church there's an Unseen World and it's about spiritual darkness and Satan is doing everything he can every single second of the day. To get us to to get off in the fall after something that is influenced by his demons. And he wreaks havoc in so many lives in the Battle of me just say this is going on in this very moment.

There is a battle that is happening even as I speak right now. And so the question today is this how do we live with any hope? Maybe some of you have already asked that this week? How do I live with any hope while I deal with this? Very real spiritual battle this this battle of of darkness in lights. What I want you to know today that we can we can battle because we understand this God overcomes Darkness.

And maybe your your dark path seems overwhelming today will guess what? There's hope and that hope is is is real because there is salvation be because of Jesus and because of what he has done. That's the gospel message. And so God shows us this in several ways. I want you to see this today. You have your Bibles John chapter 8. Let's read verse 12 and then we're going to we're going to keep reading or going to go down to reverse 30 and we're going to stop there and then we're going to pick back up next week. So look at this with me John chapter 8 verse 12 Again, Jesus spoke to them saying I am the light of the world.

But that should give you hope when you wake up in the morning just that statement right there. If you have ever faced in dark discouraging pass read that for 30 days get up in the morning and make it a plan. And hear this spoken into your life. Jesus says I am the light of this world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. So the Pharisees said to him you are bearing witness about yourself. Your testimony is not true. He was Jesus's response in verse 14 Jesus answered even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, but I know where I came from and where I am going but you do not know where I come from and where I am going you judge according to the flesh. I judge. No one yet. Even if I do judge my judgment is true for it's not I alone who judge but I in the father who sent me in your lot is written at the testimony of two people is true. So I'm the one who Bears witness about myself in the father who sent me Bears witness about me. They said to him there for what where is your father? Jesus answered really? It's like you guys don't get it here. So here's what he says, you know, neither me nor my father. If you knew me, then you would know who my father is also these words that he spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple, but no one arrested him and we've seen this before because his hour had not yet come. So verse 21, he said to them again, I am going away and you will seek me and you will die in your sins where I am going. You cannot come so that you said will he kill himself since he says where I am going? You cannot come. He said to them you are from below but I am from above you are of this world. I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins. So they said to him, who are you Jesus said to them. Just what I've been telling you from the very beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge but he who sent me is true and I declare to the world what I have heard from him. They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the father. So Jesus said to them when you have lifted up the son of man, then you will know that I am he And that I do nothing on my own authority but speak just as a father taught me and he who sent me is with me. He is not left me alone for I always do the things that are pleasing to him as he was saying these things many believed in him. I want to pause for just a second. I want to pray that God would be with our time today as we take a look at we got to work this year and John chapter 8 father. I just prayed today that you would open. Are ears open our hearts? Hello, put our minds to understand who you are to know what Jesus has done. And God that we see these things when you hear these things Lord, I pray that maybe somebody today would believe they would trust you may be there that their heart is hardened how to soften it and I pray today. That you would help people to know who you are to know that your message is real and true and that it lights up our path in it gives us hope in this dark world. And so we thank you for this message Jesus speak to us now and we ask these things in Jesus name. Amen. If you're taking notes. I want you to just a job this first spot down today. How do we understand that God overcomes Darkness will first of all we understand this because God helps us see that the true light shines even in darkness. real light shines even in darkness

I know right off the bat. Jesus makes the statement. He says I am the light of the world now if we if you've been with us over this journey in in in the book, if one of the things is that we've already seen the statement have only If you remember the very first week, if you go back to John chapter 1 we've seen the statement John chapter 1 verses 4 through 5 John tells us in him was life and the life was the light of men awesome the light shines in the darkness and the Darkness has not overcome it. That's a great passage. I was thinking about that this week and I was thinking about lights and if you're like me one of my favorite apps is This Little Light little flashlight on my phone and I was using I was with a buddy. We were we were just out shooting. We we were messing around on Sunday evening and I was Jesus flashlight to look and try to find some things. I don't like this thing as saved my life. So many times it showed me things that were hidden. And in it and it lights up my life and I need I need a lights and the same way we spiritually speaking we need the light. We need the True Light in our life. God's word shows us things it opens up things that helps us. See Jesus is our salvation.

Over and over again scripture talks about lights a lot. from the very beginning most of you familiar with the Book of Genesis Kay how many viewers just quick show of hands how many of you've ever read the book of Genesis? Most of us in this room. If not, I would encourage you to do that since this is a great book Genesis chapter one. We see something very interesting. God said let there be light and there was light and we know that God created the world in Six Days on the 7th Day. God rested God created something that was good and it was light. In Exodus, God let his people we've been talking about this took them out of Egypt and they're in the wilderness and God leaves them by a pillar of Fire by night. That must have been awesome. And then by day, he leads him with a cloud of smoke. And I follow that through the Wilderness and eventually they got into the Promised Land.

In the book of Psalm Psalms. We see the author tell us this Psalms 119 and think we have it on here not for sure. Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Church the reason why we need to hear these words is because we are to follow God's word. It's there for a reason. It lights our path. It shines a light on the things that we don't need to go down. We don't need to do these things. This isn't just the rulebook for us and all the things that I can't do as a Christian man.

The reason why there are things that this that God's word tells us to do is because he doesn't want us to hurt ourselves. And so often when we choose to go down a dark path way and we do things that are not good that wants up we want of hurting ourselves and there's a lot of pain and disappointment that go with that and so this book that's why the song say your your your word is a light unto my path. It's a it's a lamp unto my feet. We need it. We need to obey God's were we need to follow it? It's there to help us and then to encourage Us in to direct us. to do good things Now, let me just say this. I'm sharing all these thing. I'm sharing all these verses for us to see something great because so often what happens in life is we choose to either go down one or two paths. We either choose to the follow the lord and to go down to that the path that he is given that the path that leads to light into salvation or we choose on our own doing to go down a dark path way that leads to destruction in the pain.

That's why this is so important.

And so my question to us today, is this what path are you on? What path are you following? Jesus look at this most compact 2 verse 12 hear Jesus spoke to them saying I am the light of the word whoever follows me. There it is. Are we following the Lord today? As some of you may be here this morning say no mad at you know, I just kind of gotten off at the right path, and I know what I need to do what let me just encourage you get back on the right path. Quit messing around and is your pastor I'm telling you this because I love you and I don't want to see you continue to hurt yourself.

Get back on the right path some of you know, what is right. Some of you know the right thing to do and you're not doing it. Jesus wants you more than anything. He loves you. He died for you. And so that's why we see these instructions here as tough as they may be there needed in our life. When Jesus says this I'm a lot of the world whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, man. That's great. And so are we doing that? Are we are we following the right path this morning?

The point is this we need light don't we we need light at a few extras about a month ago. I was on my way back from Kansas City and Buddy and I went to watch it a football game and we were coming back and I remember it was late at night and it was so foggy. We couldn't see anything in front of us. And I we had our lights on a turn my brights on it makes it even worse and I was like, oh my word. How did people do it back in the holster? And I just I thought we've got to have lights. Light is needed and we were just going really slow and we made our way through and eventually got to the hotel at night and I'm just sitting in my bed praying as I can. Thank you for your light. Thank you that it is real and it is true and is needed. And we think about physically speaking there a lot of us. We need or doctors need lights and they can see the problems when they have a light making lookin they can see. Hey there's a problem here. And I was thinking about x-rays in a light that lights up an x-ray and we can see in and we can see something that's not right or we can see hey everything's okay.

Pilots need lights people. We we need light.

But without the True Light we will die you you may say well not how is that? How is that true? What we we see this year. Look at Down vs. 21 and 24 when people make your decision not to trust Jesus who is the Light of the World Hears is what they die in their sin.

And that's a tough message to here. But when we don't fight when we have made a decision after decision, or I'm not going to trust Christ. Bible says that that we Harden our hearts so much so that we hard them.

So the gospel we harm them to trust Jesus and we don't believe the message of Jesus. We would say no, but I don't trust in Jesus and I'm not following him. Well, thank God it that Jesus is long suffering. He's not willing that any should perish. He gives many of you chance after chance after chance chance to repent and return from our sin into turn to him. And the follow him and so Church like here is a symbol as a picture of Salvation because Jesus has come to give us salvation. We don't have to walk around anymore in the dark stumbling and don't I should have gone down that path. I shouldn't have done this for decision. No, Jesus opens our eyes to see. Hey, this is the path. We need to go on. And I know I'm not going to go down this path anymore because I know where that leads. And that's been a hurtful path. It's been a destructive addictive path. The Bible says this we are dead to sin. If you are a Believer today, we can take hope in this message weird, Edison. I don't have to do drugs anymore. I've been set free from that. I don't have to look at that garbage on the internet. I've been set free from that. We can have hope and peace because Jesus makes the dark half ways bright with the light of salvation. One of the things that I want you to understand about this passage here cuz that we go back to John chapter 7 we were looking and we were talking about the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of booths. I think it's important addresses. I want you to to see this during this time. The Jewish people would focus on the pillar of fire that guided their forefathers. We remember the story Inn in the book of Exodus in Old Testament. We see the Jewish people that are coming out of slavery there in Egypt and now God is guiding them. In the wilderness and so these Jewish people are celebrating this and they're celebrating the fact that God guided them in the wilderness and then eventually is going to provide a future. Hope of the coming Messiah. Author of Pastor William Cook explains the festival this way want you to think about this. This is really cool. And I was studying this week and I read this stock in the west was like man, this is so cool to think about this Festival what happened at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles people would literally they would go into this this court of women and their the golden lamps would be these candelabras. We'll talk about this a few weeks ago. And also with these lamps there would be for Golden bowls that were there as well. There were four ladders. Maybe they had to go up to like them that they were ladders there as well and young men from that. The Priestly group would be there these young men have jugs of oil. That they would take and then they would pour this oil into these individual Bowls. The Wicks were made from the discarded clothing of the priests. And so when this was lit up, Scholars tell us in this pass was telling us here. There was no court in Jerusalem. That was not bright from the light of the place where they would go and draw water in this this Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Blues boots. In other words people would dance and sing before the men with these torches in their hands and all the Levites that were the lead in this would stand playing their musical instruments what we see here. Is this that God's people were singing and celebrating and remembering God's faithfulness to them. In other words, they were excited that God LED them that God was guiding them and directing their past. This passion author goes on to say this as Israel follow the light from the land of Egyptian slavery through the Wilderness into the promised land. It's a picture for us as believers. We are to follow Jesus because he is the light of our life. He is salvation. My question for us days, do we know that? Do we really understand that Jesus is our salvation and when we do we'll follow his word will obey its will have a passion to live for him. That's how we know. Gotta move on number to what you just did this. Thought down we understand God overcomes darkness by what we will we see in Jesus by what Jesus says is true. That's what was happening here. These religious leaders didn't get it. And I thought about that how many people in our day and age don't get it. They wrestle they wrestle with man. Is this really true to this really happen. You know, I just don't buy into all this religious stuff. I just don't find it. You know, Jesus is the one true God there's a lot of guys and we should just be accepting of that our world really struggles with this idea.

There's a man there's a lot of ways to have and we hear that all the time as pastors. You can't I were talking about that West Nile in we see this happen a lot people come to us and they have questions and what do we know what salvation really is?

We understand God overcomes darkness by what Jesus says is true. In other words this this this testimony here. Jesus is true. That's what we need to know today loved ones. What Jesus says is true what Jesus has done for us his true and we can trust him. No spot of of many conversations with these religious leaders what happens is over and over and over again, and then here particularly is they just don't understand what Jesus is saying? They just don't get it. And so they continue to argue they continue to fuss in the fight. And Jesus makes it really simple to them here. Because he helps them understand what he's doing why he's doing this why he came?

Here's the point. I want you to understand that this morning. Jesus gave up heaven to give us heaven. Jesus gave up everything to give us everything. Jesus came to this Earth so that we may have salvation that we may have eternal life in this hard as this was to understand Jesus's message really was true over and over again in the Book of John. We see what Jesus was about we see is message from John chapter wanna all the way through John chapter 4 Jesus tells the woman at the well. What he's all about? He says like I'm coming to give you something that's going to last forever. I'm going to give you living water. and then she makes a statement about you know, I hate them besides coming and you know, I know that it's prophesied in Jesus says I am he What a powerful statement, right? And so she runs into the village and tells all her friends and they come out to meet Jesus and your life is changed. The town is turn upside down. That happens because of Jesus. Jesus is the Messiah Jesus is the son of God. John chapter 6 we see that the Jesus is feeding the 5000 people are hungry and who's going to provide all this bread and how are we to take care of all these people's needs? Jesus makes the statement. I am the bread of life.

Some of you are here and you're hungry. And you're searching for all the wrong things in Jesus is a sustainer of life. Jesus can take care of. All of your physical needs that he can take care of your spiritual needs Jesus as the bread of life John chapter 7 piece of Living Water. He takes care of our dry and thirsty souls and we need him and here's why because we're sinners. We make dumb decisions. We do dumb things that are not pleasing to our father that are sinful. The Bible says it's it's sin.

Now we don't like to say that as a society. We don't like to get to admit that that's exactly what it is that there are certain things in our world that are wrong but really it's in and it's Disobedience and it hurts the father. Now and John chapter 8 verse 12 Jesus makes a statement. He says I am the light of the world and he calls everyone to follow this light not just a few people not just the people that are really bad know. He calls us he's calling this religious leaders to follow him.

And yet the religious leaders would not listen or believe the message. Why is that here's why because they were blinded they were deceived by Satan.

And that's the reality of of where we're at today. So many people in our world are blind and they're just see just like these religious leaders. They think that they're okay. They think that their life isn't that bad? Because so often what we do is we compare ourselves to others were like, well, I'm not as bad as I got that murdered somebody. No, but what is the Bible say if we even have an angry thought? Yeah, and we are so quick to judge, aren't we? Well, I haven't had adultery but if we've had a lustful thought. There it is and the conviction is there. These people just like so many of us they are deceived by the father of Lies John chapter 10. I've been reading this book and it's man it's been really helpful for me to call the bondage breaker in in in this author shares this verse John chapter 10 verse 10 Says this Satan comes to steal to kill and destroy.

And so often what happens we specially for believers is a we play around with things. Well, it's not that bad. That's not going to hurt me. No, it does and that's what Satan is out to do. He wants to the steel. He wants to kill he wants to destroy your life. He wants to deceive you. Into thinking that this is this is okay. It's not that dark. It's not that bad, but it's not it's not the light.

Satan has everything that he can to Blind us from the true lights. And so I want you to think about this today. Do you believe that the message of Jesus is true? We think what what what are you talking about? Matt? The death of Jesus is burial his resurrection. Do you believe that that is true? And are you following him? Because if we believe that message then we're going to do what God's word tells us to do. Working hours. He know what I'm in this and I'm going to live my life for Jesus and I know there's going to be tough days. And I know there's going to be struggles in my life, but Jesus you are worth it.

That's how we know how do we know that? We're believer because we're following Jesus. We're excited. We're passionate to live for him. And we remember this I'm dead to sin. I'm not going to follow that path waiting. I'm going to follow Jesus first 12.

So many times what happens in Believers lives is that when we think we know better as we walk down a dark and destructive path that is independence of Jesus just like these religious leaders. Now what Jesus was modeling here was a life dependent upon the heavenly father. He was about we see this over and over again. He was about his father's will and John Chapter 5 Verse 30, he tells us this I can do nothing on my own. I'm sure. The Jesus would have liked to have done some things on his own, right?

I mean, I think about people that were shortly before his death mocking him spitting. Whipping him. I mean, I'm sure he's running like a nut man, really. He didn't he was here to do. His father's will. John 17:7 tells us now. They know that everything you talking about. The father have given me Jesus the son is from you. The sea Jesus's message was true. It was right on the money because it came from his father. They came from above. The reason why I tell you that this morning is this church. We cannot walk independently of Jesus and what his word tells us. We desperately need him and we need to believe that his message is true because it's the light for a path of Purity and peace as we journey through this life. No notices. How does Jesus Jesus respond here to this charge of dishonesty. How does Jesus deal with these religious leaders in their unbelief six different times notices. Jesus tells them where he comes from and verse 14 and 16 vs 18 and notably here in verse 23. Look at this. Jesus says I am from above

Jesus gave up his home in heaven to come to Earth and become a man the Bible tells us that he humbled himself and he became obedient even to death.

Did his father's will?

Jesus made a sacrifice that is far greater than any sacrifice you or I can make and so we as Believers know where Jesus comes from. As Believers we know Jesus gave up heaven for us. He came from heaven so we can live with him for all of eternity. Jesus. Plainly tells us here. He says I am not of this world.

like the rest of us are he is from above We Are From Below. Verse 19. We know who his father is verse 19. We see the question that is asked to Jesus. Where is your father? You're wondering where is your father? Who is your father like make sense of this Jesus Pieces? Like you guys don't get it if you understood who I am and I've been telling you that then you would understand who the father is. But I'm sure that that broke Jesus is hard.

The one obvious thing that the Pharisees missed here was a point of Jesus's Divine Authority.

In the fact that Jesus was a son of God. And his father was a god. I pray that we don't miss this to like these religious leaders and I want to encourage you today to know this that we can trust the message. We can trust that it is this today while I'm holding in my hand is the Bible God's word is the message that we need for our lives loved ones and when we get away from this, So often what happens as we walk down a dark path way? That leaves to destruction at least destructive habits and addictions. So we need to trust Jesus we need to trust his word number three, I gotta move on. We understand that God overcomes darkness by believing what that Jesus has done for us is real. Did you know that today what Jesus has done for you is real. The Jesus's death is burial. His resurrection is real and he did it for you. John 3:16 tells us God loved the world so much in other words. He loves you so much that he gave us his one and only son. To pay the penalty for our sin. That gives us hope today if you have ever stood. At a graveside of you've ever been at a funeral and you've seen someone that you have loved yearly pass from this life into the next. There's No Greater Hope loved ones there is no greater truth in this that Jesus save their soul and they are now in heaven for all of eternity with their savior. They have salvation. We know that. What Jesus has done for us is real and so the question number is 25. Look at this. Who are you? Who is Jesus? What did he do? I mean it's not the gospel message right there. Their fees are the questions that these people were asking. And you know the same is true for us today. So many times people ask these questions. Well, who is how do we know who is Jesus? What did he do? What two things are worth learning in our life groups right now how to share Faith man. This is so important because people around us people we work with people that are our family members. They want to know these answers and if you've been changed if you've been safe today, then hopefully you are able to give these answers in the help. Someone know who Jesus is.

Who is Jesus Jesus is who he says he is. He is a Son of God. He is a light of this world. He offers us salvation. Now here's some other things that we know about Jesus look at verse 28. He died for sinners. We see that Jesus talks about how he will be lifted up. Now. I want to be very quick here and we got to move on to Jesus volunteer Lee did this. Jesus gave up his life.

I'm so it's important to note that. What Jesus is referring to here is his death on the cross? And he will take the penalty that we deserve he will take. Our sin upon Hammond and our death in order to give us eternal life in heaven. So here's what we know about Jesus Jesus live perfectly and he died in our place in order to give us heaven and yet you know that there's something that's required of us. It's not our self-righteousness. It's not our our good works. Even though those are important Ephesians 2 tells us this it's our faith. It's trusting. In him and that's why Jesus said unless you believe in me than I am the Son of God. Can you have life? And then noticed this Jesus lived a perfect life verse 29. We see her that Jesus was always doing the father's will. No one else besides Jesus can say that only Jesus is without sin. Some of you may be here today and I've heard people say no. I'm pretty good person. You know. My family member, they're pretty good, you know, they're there their young and their innocence and you know, or they're older and they they would love to pretty good life. No, there is none righteous. No, not one.

And because of our sin we all deserve that Jesus lived a perfect life. He was without sin. He was tempted yet. He was without sin and because of that. He took our sin and he died for our sins so that we could be set free from the darkness of this world. We desperately need Jesus.

Now when she look back at first 24 to me because this is important. We're almost done. But this is something we need to see loved ones.

Verse 24 tells us unless the circle that with me if you have a Bible today and if it's a real Bible, not your phone Circle that with me unless unless you believe that Jesus is the son of God that He gave up Heaven that he took our sin that he can give us life and hope in heaven with him. And so what is required of us is that we believe and trust in Jesus.

The Jesus did these things for us. I was thinking about that this week, you know everyday we trust in something. Everyday, I've been sick this week and couple weeks ago and haven't been feeling well and had to call some doctors go to some doctors go to the pharmacy.

When we pick up medicine from the pharmacy, we have to trust someone right as is their reality. It's true. We hope it's the right prescription. We hope they didn't get it mixed up with somebody else's. And we have to trust the pharmacist and he knows what he's doing. But then I got to trust my doctor, but he called in the right thing or he gave me the right prescription. Hopefully he knows what he's talking about. And then let's take it a step further. We going to trust the drug companies. That developed the medicine. Hopefully they know what they're talking about. And then there's so many other things. You Everytime We hop on airplane. We got to trust the pilot. Hopefully this guy's and crazy. They know what they're doing. We have to trust are college professors some of you teach. Kiddos, we got trust our teachers. Hopefully they know what they're doing some of your bosses and your employees trust you as you lead them as you guide them. We all have to trust someone.

We Trust our cure to a lot of people but what about our spiritual eyes Let me ask you this morning. Who are you trusting today? Because we are either trusting in ourselves or we are trusting in God. If you're trusting yourself, you're thinking about what do I think how do I feel what have I experienced?

But if you're trusting in God you're trusting in his word. As we wrap up this morning. I want you to think about this. Do you really trust yourself when it comes to reach to your Eternal future? Do you really trust yourself when it comes right down to heaven or hell?

Because someday we're all going to be faced with that decision. Where am I going to go after this life is over.

There's a lot of great things that I could talk about today. There's a lot of great stories that I can share with you and I can get up here and have some funny jokes and we can all laugh a lot. But as your pastor, I'm responsible for your spiritual eyes. And someday I'm going to be judge for that. And that's a scary thing for me. And so one of the most important things that I can do up. Here's to prepare you for your Eternal home and help you understand what it means to walk and follow Jesus.

So what about this question or Eternal future because none of us can control whether we get sick or not. None of us know about tomorrow whether it's going to happen or not.

Bible says life is but a breath it's but a vapor and then we're gone. And that's why is your pastor. I want you to know today that Jesus is trustworthy.

He is the light of this world is messages true. He is a son of God. Who is kinda died for our sin? When Jesus never lies, he never sends. He never gives up on you and he loves you. That's the message that I want you to know today in the list could go on and on and on. And so this morning if you find yourself doubting if you find yourself discourage or question God, I want you to know this that Jesus gave up his life for you. He sacrificed everything so that you could have eternal life.