Lifted Up, Part 2

[0:00] with you all. Father, as we come to your word now, we ask that you would give us ears to hear inflamed hearts and a will, a will that will follow Christ and do his word in the power of your Holy Spirit.

[0:25] For without the work of your spirit, Father, we can do nothing. And without union with Christ, we can do nothing. So help us to draw near to Jesus now, together.

[0:40] Use your servant, your unworthy servant, to preach the unsearchable mysteries of Christ, the word of God. In Jesus' name, amen.

[0:55] John chapter 12, verse 27. Jesus is speaking. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say?

[1:06] Father, save me from this hour? But for this purpose, I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven.

[1:19] I have glorified it and will glorify it again. The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, an angel has spoken to him.

[1:32] Jesus answered, this voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world. Now will the ruler of this world be cast out.

[1:45] And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. John commentates, he said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

[2:01] So the crowd answered him, we have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man? So Jesus said to them, the light is among you for a little while longer.

[2:18] Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light that you may become sons of light.

[2:34] That is the reading of the word of God. Thanks be to God. Please be seated. Thank you family. Thank you for leading us in a beautiful song.

[2:45] Thank you. Crisis. What does that mean?

[2:58] I looked it up. Two things. The dictionary says. It is a stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, especially for better or for worse, is determined.

[3:19] It's determined. It's a turning point. Another. A crisis. A condition of instability or danger as in social, economic, political, or international affairs leading to a decisive change.

[3:43] Crisis. In crisis, the people of God, the disciples of Jesus, the ambassadors of the kingdom of God are called to lift up Jesus.

[4:05] Amen. Remember, this is the last week of our Lord's earthly life. in our passage, he's kind of, he's letting us into the inner workings of his heart.

[4:24] It's a holy moment. He's about to face the greatest crisis of his life. And we see how he's dealing with it. To use this phrase, he says, he is about to be lifted up.

[4:39] Now, last time we looked at this verse, the verses, we saw, first of all, that Jesus is confronted with a crisis when lifted up. He says, his soul is troubled.

[4:51] Yet, he is determined to do one thing, the one thing, to glorify the Father's name. And we saw that this is how we must deal with our moments of crisis right now.

[5:09] Because of what Christ has done for us, we must reason with our own hearts in prayer to the Father, remembering our great purpose.

[5:21] What is our great purpose? That God be glorified in and through us. So I ask you a question.

[5:33] Do you believe this nation is in crisis? It's not new, really. I agree with you. we are. Not new, but we are in crisis.

[5:48] Does this crisis trouble your soul? Then it should lead to prayer.

[6:01] Jesus shows us. But we're more concerned with voting than prayer. We're more concerned with who's in the White House than prayer.

[6:22] I know I'm telling the truth. You don't say amen because I know I'm telling the truth. I've watched it. I've seen it. I've seen it. I've got my own eyes. You know it's true. It should lead us to prayer like never before.

[6:37] Going to the Father, remembering our great purpose. Not our nation's great purpose, but our great purpose as the followers of the Lord, as citizens of his eternal kingdom.

[6:53] We are, not America, we are the holy nation of the Lord. the church, the people of God. We are, I looked at that with you, right, in 1 Peter chapter 2.

[7:06] We are a holy nation. What's our great purpose in the midst, at this moment, what is our great purpose?

[7:19] To glorify the name of the living God. To lift up Jesus. Now let's continue looking at the Lord in this moment as he's preparing to be lifted up.

[7:33] Let's look at him some more. You see, the kingdom of God came when the Son of Man was lifted up on the cross. His power and presence now come to us when he is lifted up in us in our moments of crisis.

[7:52] Second thing I want you to notice here, Jesus, as of last week was one point, Jesus is confirmed. This is important. He is confirmed when he is lifted up.

[8:04] Notice verses 28 to 30. The voice came from heaven and the Father speaks.

[8:17] I've glorified it and I will glorify it again. Jesus is being confronted by the people and now God speaks.

[8:30] The Father speaks to confirm the Son publicly. The Father could have just spoken to our Lord's heart.

[8:43] Right? But he speaks audibly. A voice from heaven. My goodness! The voice of God from heaven audibly.

[8:59] Now I'm sure this was very comforting to our Lord, but he says that was not the chief purpose of this audible confirmation.

[9:13] Now, there is affirmation here of Jesus. Keep in mind, what is affirmation? Affirmation, as I define it, is it an authority giving personal encouragement about your ability or person.

[9:26] You're being affirmed. I believe you can do it, Bobby. Now, coming from somebody who has authority, that means something to you. You can do the job, girl.

[9:37] Go, go, go, go. That's very encouraging. We are affirmed that way. It comforts. But our Lord says this voice was mostly confirmation.

[9:50] Confirmation involves an authority speaking to others about your ability or your person. Now, I'm talking to you.

[10:03] Lennar can do it. He can do it. Trusting, he can do it. I'm confirming him. as an authority. I'm confirming him before you.

[10:18] God's voice was designed to confirm Jesus before the crowd that they might hear and believe or be condemned.

[10:35] It's sad. They were so far away from God in their hearts. that they could not recognize the voice of God.

[10:48] Not in the words of Jesus. Not even when they heard that voice with their own ears. They thought an angel had spoke to him.

[10:58] Well, I guess that's close, right? I mean, you're better than nothing, but not there yet. So many people, even today, will say, if God spoke to me directly or did something visible for me today, they would believe.

[11:15] How many times have I heard that as a Christian? They swear they would believe, but look at this passage. Here they heard the very voice of God and came up with an alternative story.

[11:33] This is the nature and depth of the darkness and deafness of unbelief. We can see or hear God and not know or believe it's him.

[11:46] We will always write off with some logical explanation the voice of God. I guess you could say they heard God's voice with their ears, but not with their heart.

[12:04] Have you been doing this? Has God been speaking to you? Maybe he's putting his finger on an area in your life that needs to change.

[12:19] Maybe he's telling you, this is the direction I want you to go. But you don't like that direction. Maybe he's been saying to you, I'm real.

[12:36] Maybe you've been having those moments where you've been thinking about, is there anything out there? And maybe God's been speaking to you, yes, there is, I am here.

[12:52] I'm real. people. But rather than heed the voice, some of us are saying it thundered. Just my subconscious, just my guilt and shame talking, just tradition of my family talking.

[13:15] We'll always write off the voice of God if you're not careful. and if you're not with Jesus, you can't hear it at all.

[13:26] You'll never know until Jesus gets hold of you. You know, maybe these folk remembered this voice after Jesus' death and they heard about the resurrection.

[13:42] Believe me, they all heard about the resurrection. They didn't believe it, but they heard about it. Maybe a few of them said, you know something? I think we heard, remember, that thunder we thought was that, I was in thunder, was that really the voice of God confirming him?

[13:59] I don't know, maybe they thought. We thought it was, Josiah, you thought it was an angel, remember? But maybe it was more.

[14:13] Be that as as may, I love the fact, and this is where I wanted to get to with all that drama. I love the fact that when the Son needed the Father, the Father was there.

[14:27] Come on, somebody, do you see it? The Trinity, when the Son of God is troubled in his spirit, his soul is twisting up in him, there his Father is.

[14:44] speaking to him audibly to confirm the path so that others might believe. Can I tell you something important?

[14:59] Because you are a child of God through faith in Christ Jesus, you who are following Christ, you should expect that the Father will be there for you in your time of crisis.

[15:12] He will be there for you to confirm and affirm you as well. Because Jesus has won it for you. Jesus has won the affirmation and confirmation of God for you, his people.

[15:30] Because it is God's nature to affirm and comfort his children. That's who he is. He's a true Father. 2 Corinthians chapter 1 through the 5 should be on the screen.

[15:44] Blessed, Paul writes, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be him. Who is he? The Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.

[16:04] With what? With the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Listen, for as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ, we do union with Christ, we share abundantly in comfort too.

[16:25] God will affirm and confirm you. When you take your stand on God's word in faith, he will confirm you.

[16:43] He'll be there because he's promised in Romans 10 for the scripture says everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. He will confirm you.

[16:57] He will comfort you. He will affirm you in those moments as you stand upon his word, though it be unpopular. Though you stand upon his word and you have the moment and the opportunity, the blessed opportunity, to speak of the truth of God concerning sexuality, concerning identity.

[17:25] What does it mean to be human? concerning the hot button topics of our age? Where does life begin?

[17:38] All these hot button topics, the word of God speaks to them. And if you, the people, and me, of us, if we will stand upon his word, we will be confirmed by the Father, we will be affirmed by the living God.

[17:59] The culture will never do that for you. But God will. God will. God will not let you be put to shame before him if you call upon him so that you can stand on his truth.

[18:18] Okay. I'm standing here. Something else is important, I think. The Father confirms the Son as the Son is determined to glorify the Father.

[18:35] Did you see it? I'm not enough of it up my sleeve. It's right there. Right? Jesus says, Father, glorify your name.

[18:46] And the Father says, you got that right. I've glorified it before in you and I will glorify it again. Hang in there. I'm with you, son. Do you feel it? It's beautiful.

[18:57] But it was the Son's determination that he would glorify the Father that elicited that response from the Father. Suppose he had said, I don't know. I don't know if I want to do this or not.

[19:10] I don't think I want to do this. I wonder if that voice had come. Would have come. I don't. But here's the thing. We need to see this. this is for us.

[19:23] I hate to be negative, but I know it's us, right? It's us. Too often, we want God's blessing. We want his confirmation and affirmation, but we're not determined to glorify him by obeying him and standing on his promises and teaching.

[19:42] We want that inner, we want that inner sense that I'm on the right path, but it's about your will being done. It's not that we've seen the glory of Jesus, experienced his love, and nothing will keep us from going with him.

[20:04] we've listened to the world and to the kingdom of darkness. We've listened to Babylon, and it sounds pretty good, don't it?

[20:17] It's the easy path. Can I be honest with you? I'm not lying, so. The easy path, it hit me this morning, the easy path.

[20:33] I'm going to stay with this political moment here because we got to talk about it. The easy path, you know the easy path is right now and what we did? Voting. That's the easy path.

[20:47] I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, but that's the easy path. It costs you nothing. We don't even know who you're voting for. You go in that little booth, you sit there on the little table, right, and you got borders up around you, no one can see who you're for.

[21:05] Unless you tell them that is easy. The hard path, the hard path, the narrow road, is standing in the name of Jesus for him and his truth.

[21:26] life. The hard road is being sought in life in your neighborhood, in your family, on your job, in your school, in your dorm. That's the hard part. But that's the part.

[21:39] That's the most important part. That's what's going to change this nation and change where you are. That's what's going to shape and shake the foundations of the kingdom of darkness.

[21:52] That's what's going to do it. are we more determined to follow a political party than we are to follow the living Christ?

[22:18] Do we want him to affirm and confirm us in our mess? not for his glory, not for his word. Do you really believe that he who is holy and he who is love will stand with you as you stand upon him?

[22:39] I love that parable at the end of Matthew 7, at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. While our Lord is calling people to stand on the rock of his word, what he's teaching, what he's saying.

[23:03] And he talks about these two buildings being built, these two houses. And he says one is beachfront property. They thought that was, they could not believe they got such a good deal.

[23:17] A house on the beach, baby. I mean palm trees, beautiful sand. But there was a problem with the house.

[23:31] It didn't have a foundation. The builders lied. And they just built a structure on top of the sand. They didn't dig down deep and put some concrete in there and some whatever you do.

[23:45] I'm not a builder, but put stuff in there to hold this house down. They didn't do that. They threw it up real fast and sold it for top dollar. And these dear folk, first time homebuyers, they had no idea what they were supposed to look for.

[24:04] They just saw a pretty house on the beach, Rachel. Come on, man. and then Hurricane Wilma came.

[24:20] Wilma came and boom, that house went down and they went down with it. That's the idea here. It's not about the structure, it's about your life.

[24:34] life. But then there was another house. Actually, right down the street.

[24:44] And they had a foundation.

[24:56] It had rock foundation. They built down deep. This is a good builder. Is Daniel Rakes here? Daniel, are you around? Oh, bummer.

[25:08] Oh, yeah. Your company built this house, baby. Y'all built this house. This is a good house, man. And it had hurricane shutters and hurricane windows.

[25:21] It was ready for the storm. It had one of those doors that opens outward, not inward. So when the wind blew against it, it couldn't buckle.

[25:32] And the same Hurricane Wilma hit both those houses. And this house was like, they were inside. Got the fireplace roasting marshmallows, drinking cider, Christmas tree up.

[25:54] It stood. Their life stood. Based because they were, the house, their life was built, Jesus says, was built on my word.

[26:09] See, that's, that's what Jesus, where are we standing? Where are we standing? If you're standing on the Republican Party, your house is built on sand.

[26:30] You may be happy right now, and that's nothing wrong with it. If you voted Republican, and you voted for President Trump, amen, you're happy right now. Okay, cool. But, but be careful where your house is.

[26:44] Now, those of you who voted for Vice President Kamala Harris, and you're not happy right now, you're, you feel destroyed, you, you're angry, you're upset, and all that kind of stuff. well, hold it now, where did you build your house?

[26:58] Was it on Kamala? Your depression destroyed as the people of God, and the church thrived under Caesar, and you're worried about President Trump?

[27:13] He's no Caesar, people, I'm telling you, he's no Caesar. Fret not, little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Rejoice in that.

[27:27] In that. Stand on the word. Both, wherever, whoever you, wherever you party, stand on the word.

[27:47] When you stand on the promises of God, you will be confirmed and affirmed. Jesus promised, I am with you always to the end of the age.

[28:00] Where does he say that? It's the last word of the great commission of the mission of God. It's the last word where he said, when he says to them, when they saw Jesus, they fell at his feet and started worshiping.

[28:16] and in the midst of worship, in the midst of them falling on their face before the risen Christ, he then speaks and says, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to the America.

[28:27] America. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

[28:43] And he ain't sharing. Then he says, get going. As you are going, literally, as you are going, make disciples of the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[29:01] Baptize them singular in the name of the Trinity. Teaching them to obey all things that I've taught you. Now watch this. If we're teaching them to obey all things that he taught us, it means that we also are committed to obeying all things that he taught us.

[29:22] And then he says, the King James says this, lo, I am with you. Lo, behold, I am with you, even into the end of the age.

[29:37] That's the promise I'm holding on to. It's fine to have your desires. Yes, it's fine, but it's fine to have the person you want to win various elections and vote for them.

[29:49] That's fine. That's fine. You hear me? It's fine. But will you prayerfully submit the process and the outcome to the Father's will?

[30:01] No matter what, whether you like it or not, will you submit the outcome to the Father's will? And seek the presence of God in your life and in your mission, in your witness.

[30:23] He will affirm and confirm you only for his glory. And that affirmation and confirmation comes from the word or through people standing on the word to you.

[30:42] Either way, know the word of God. Get used to hearing the voice of God so you can hear clearly when the spirit is speaking and you won't say it thundered.

[30:58] You won't say it's just my inner, I had something for dinner and it just, you know. you won't depend, listen to me, you won't depend solely on how you feel about something.

[31:12] But you will depend on something more objective than your feelings. The word of God that holds up the living word who is Jesus. The gospel of Jesus is God's affirmation and confirmation for you, Cody.

[31:31] the gospel, that's God saying to you, you're mine. I love you. I'm with you. I will never forsake you.

[31:41] I'm committed. Yeah, you will screw up, but you're mine. You may fail, but I will not fail. You may fall, but I'll get you up.

[31:55] You may feel depressed and hurt, but I'll be your joy. I'll be the center of your joy. Weeping may endure for a night. That may be a long night too, by the way, but hang in there, hang in there, joy comes in the morning.

[32:15] Jesus is the center of our joy, and we must stand upon his word in this moment of crisis, in every moment of crisis.

[32:25] so where you're standing. Whose affirmation and confirmation are you looking for?

[32:49] Other than the Lord, when the world affirms you and confirms you, it's so it can manipulate you and use you.

[33:03] Babylon always has a hidden agenda. Don't trust Babylon. Trust the word of the Lord.

[33:14] Father, in Jesus' name, we thank you. Father, we, did you give us the leader we deserve?

[33:28] I don't know. Was President, Vice President Harris better? There's all kinds of debates, Father.

[33:42] But Father, here's what we do know. Jesus is Lord. He's the King of the Kingdom. And we can trust Him to reign for us.

[33:53] We can trust Him to reign for our best interest. We can trust His character. We can trust His programs and policies. Help us to trust Him more than anyone else.

[34:05] Help us to trust Him more than the White House. Help us to trust Him more than the Mayor's Office. Help us to trust Him more than any other human being. Help us to trust Him and make us your ambassadors.

[34:18] We are a nation in crisis, Father. Make us your ambassadors of light and hope to those around us who have put their hope in the political process.

[34:29] That's what their hope is. Help us to show them a better way. Help us to show them Jesus. High and lifted up, but at the same time, oh so close and oh so personal.

[34:44] Blessed be your name, Father, that we can trust in your kingdom. We can trust in your process and your way. You have ordained this moment. It couldn't happen unless you did, but you've also ordained that this is your church's moment too.

[35:03] Help us to seize it. For Jesus' sake, amen. elders, will you come to serve our family, the Lord's Supper?

[35:14] Amen. Amen. Amen.