Christ is Life Podcast

So I don't know if you're like me in this particular area, but sometimes sharing my faith with those who don't know Christ can seem like an impossible task. I mean, just one of those insurmountable tasks that I can't really overcome. And if I'm just being honest here, there are times when I've I've felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to share my faith with someone, but I've said, No, maybe expect much more out of your pastor, and if you do, I'm I'm sorry, but I'm just telling you the truth. There have been a number of times that the Holy Spirit has prompted me to share my faith with someone, and I've just flat out said no, and a lot of the times, the reason for that is because they just seem so different than me, like I don't have anything in common with this person that the Holy Spirit is leading me to share my faith with. And so I'm thinking, why would they listen to someone like me. I mean, we're so different in those areas. If I'm really being honest, and I hate to even say this, sometimes I have said no to the Holy Spirit when he's prompted me to share my faith with someone, because I just feel like maybe that person's gone too far. They're just they're just too far steeped into their own sin patterns, or they're just too far into whatever it is that they are believing in in the moment, that there's just probably no chance that they're going to say yes to Jesus. And so why should I even bother?
And so I've just said no, I
don't know. Maybe, maybe you've done the same kind of thing. Maybe you felt prompted by the Holy Spirit as well to share with someone who's very different than you, or you feel like maybe too far gone and and you've said no as well. My My guess is that we're not alone, if that's the case, as we've been talking about, how the Holy Spirit was at work in and through the early church, all throughout acts and they were sharing their faith with others, there still had to be moments where they were tempted with this kind of thinking. And we saw it in what we looked at last week. Last week, we ended up with this verse. We stopped here in Acts chapter four, where he said, Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. You can underline the words wherever it is that they went, because that means wherever it is that they went means that that was different from where they were from, meaning there were a number of people who were very different from them in those particular areas, maybe even steeped into sin and other things and believing other things, that they felt like they were too far gone, or maybe that the gospel wasn't even for them in the first place, and so they had to be thinking about those kinds of things. As a matter of fact, the guy that we're introduced to in the section that we're looking at today had to be thinking about the same thing, simply because of what we are told in this verse right here, it says, Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. Now, first and foremost, Philip is not the same Philip that was one of the disciples, one of the 12 disciples that Jesus spent three years with, and who was an apostle in the early church. We're not talking about that Philip. This is the Philip that we were introduced to all the way back in Acts chapter six. He, along with the guy named Stephen who was stoned to death, was one of the ones who was appointed to help with the distribution of food to widows. But here's the thing about him, and and really everyone in the church, Philip was Jewish, the gospel had only really been spread and talked about the good news of Jesus had only been spread throughout Jerusalem to those who were Jewish, those who were like them, part of God's chosen people that we see from the Old Testament. And the thing that we need to know about Jewish people, and the reason this was a big deal that it says Philip went down into a city in Samaria, is because of what the Jewish people believed to be true about Samaritans. They hated the Samaritans. The Samaritans were the enemy. They were considered half breeds. These were Jewish people who, at one time, had intermarried with Gentiles and brought their customs. They had mixed God's law with these idolatrous customs and kind of this, this pagan worship. And so the Samaritans were absolutely despised by the Jewish people. They had disgraced God's law. And listen, they were just too far gone. All, they were too far gone to be rescued and saved. And this is where Philip ended up after being scattered from Jerusalem. Can you imagine? I mean, you're you're a Jewish person, and you have to leave your own home in the place that you end up is in Samaria. I mean, Philip, first and foremost, had to be going, Really, God. I mean, out of all the places that you would send me whenever I'm scattered, you send me here. I mean, these guys are the enemy. They are the ones who have, you know, abused your law, and I have to live in and amongst them. No, no, this is the worst of the worst. But then Philip heard that voice from the Holy Spirit that said, well, Philip, you're not going to like this then, because not only am I calling you to live here, but I'm calling you to go share the gospel with them, to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Philip, no doubt, had to respond by saying, God, have you lost your ever loving mind, you've got to be kidding me. There's no way that you want me to go share the Good News of Jesus with them, because they're the enemy. I'm Jewish. I mean, is the gospel even for them? He had to be asking, right? And then, listen, even, I mean, God, even if it is for them. And I'm wrong about that. I mean, I'm Jewish. You. You know what we think about them. They know what we think about them. And so why would they listen to me? We're so different. But Philip, living life in the Spirit, in dependence upon the spirit, having seen the Spirit's activity in and through him and others in the church, couldn't ignore what the Spirit was prompting him to do. And thank goodness, unlike me, as I alluded to earlier, in a number of situations, Philip said, yes, even when it might be difficult, even if it was someone that he didn't know if the gospel was even for, and they were so different than them. And as he stepped out in faith and began to proclaim the Messiah, there God showed up and began to work powerfully in and through him. We see that in verse six, it says, When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs that he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. And so there was great joy in the city. If Philip had any doubts, and he was wondering, we're so different, why would they ever listen to me. God had an answer for that. As he stepped out and depended upon him, he began to work in and through Philip to take care of the impure spirits that were tormenting many of the people there. God used him, the Holy Spirit. Used him to heal those who were paralyzed or those who were lame, and they were healed. And so his way of making sure that they would listen to and share the gospel as Philip made himself available to him, was to do these supernatural things in and through them, to captivate their attentions. Because look at what it is that he says here it says, When the crowds heard Philip first and foremost, and they saw the signs that he performed, they all played, paid close attention to what, not to the miracles and the signs, but to what it is that he said God was at work in and through these miraculous signs, these miraculous wonders, to make sure that he got their attention. Because they were so different, they would wonder if this was really for them. And he's stepping out in faith, and he goes, this is what I'm doing to make sure that they will listen to what you're saying. And what was he saying? Well, we were told that in verse five, he was proclaiming the Messiah. He was proclaiming Jesus, that Jesus had died on the cross, even for them and for all of those who had put their faith and trust in Him. And so listen, what we see here is that if the Holy Spirit prompts you and I, even today as the church, to share the gospel with people who are very different than us and who are steeped into sin patterns and who believe other things in a very deep way, and in our fleshly minds, we begin to think there's no way that they're even going to respond to this. We look at this and go, oh, when Philip stepped out in faith, God met him there and opened up their hearts to listen to what he had to say. He will do the same thing in our lives today. It may not look like this right here, but whatever it is, the principle is, God will meet you there. He will be the one to open up doors in ways that you have no idea.
I. To be able to grab their attention and help them see the good news that you want to share about with them. As Philip goes on now, and having mentioned that we were they were in Samaria, he begins to draw his attention upon one guy that was there, and his reaction to all of this and what was happening. Verse nine says, Now, for some time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people when we see this word here that Luke says that Simon was living in the city and practiced sorcery. That's exactly what he meant, that he practiced sorcery. This was dark magic. This was this was the enemy at work in and through Simon to do supernatural things to grab people's attention in this world away from God and the life that they could have in and through Christ, Scripture is absolutely clear that we have an enemy, and that there are demons and that there is evil in this world, and our enemy and his demons are active in this world for one reason and one reason only, as we're told in John 1010, to steal, to kill and to destroy, that's what they're up to. They're liars. They're deceivers of truth and disorders of God's real love and abundant life that He created us to experience in and through him and so the enemy and his demons are at work sometimes in our world, through things like this, through sorcery, through dark magic, they're using these Things to lure people away from God's truth, to lure people away from God's love for them and their lives, and we as believers who live in this world also need to be careful about these kinds of things, because Satan is a master at taking evil things and making them become kind of normalized within society, and even gain the reputation that they're helpful for people in this world. And so there are things that have become normalized in our society in many ways, like psychics and tarot cards and and palm readings and horoscopes and and Ouija boards and all of these kinds of various things that are aligned with our enemy, his demons, and this use of dark powers in our world, Satan normalizes these things and makes them even appear good and and helpful. But make no mistake about it, he and those demons are not out to help anyone. They are out to destroy everyone, and he is at work in and through those things to make sure that people are lured away from the truth about God, His love and the forgiveness that is available to them in and through the finished work of Jesus Christ. And so these things have no part for any of us as believers. And these are things that we want to help other people in our world, as the Spirit empowers us to be able to do so, to bring the truth into their lives for them as well. This is what Philip was walking into. This was probably even one more reason. Why do I have to live in and among these people? They're so different all of these kind of things, they're too far gone. I mean, look God, at what is even going on around here. They're practicing sorcery and dark magic and all of these evil, demonic things. Here you want me to share the gospel with them.
And yet he did. He stepped
out and he went into it, and we're going to see in just a moment how God was at work in and through these things, to show him that the gospel was for these people, that it's not too big for him to overcome. But first, Luke goes on to tell us a little bit more about Simon, the sorcerer, as he is known as verse nine continues. It says he boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, this man is rightly called the great power of God. And they followed Him because He had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. Now this is certainly another way that when we see these kind of things going on in the world, these things that we can't necessarily explain, these these powers, are these things that are being used, one of the ways that we can tell the difference between whether they're from God or whether they're from our enemy is the way that people react whenever they're a part of those things. We see Simon the sorcerer here boasting about how I am someone that is so great, and he was allowing other people to refer to him as the great power. Power of God. Now, contrast that with Philip, the guy that we were just into. He walked into Samaria, not proclaiming himself, but who Jesus, Christ. It is Christ in me and through me, the hope of glory. It is nothing to do with Philip. He is projecting All glory, all honor, onto the Messiah and the one that can help them, Simon is all about him. So these are the kind of things that we can look for as well. This was what was going on here. But even as this was going on and so he's doing these things, Philip is doing his things, it captured his attention. Captured the attention of a number of people. This Holy Spirit, as we saw, already caused them to lean in and really focus in and listen, oh my gosh. What was it that this guy was talking about? And then this is what we're told next in verse 12. But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women, notice the response God, the Holy Spirit, was at work in and through Philip to do signs and wonders, to do things that would cause them to wonder, not just because of those things, but to listen to the message. And as they heard more about the message and what it is that he was saying, they just didn't go, oh, well, that's great information and more things for us to be aware of and know. Thanks for sharing that with us. No, no, no. There was a response that was required upon their part, and that response was that they believed that they repented. They turned from what it is that they were believing in about Jesus or the way the world was created, or who was God and all of those kind of things. And they turned to the truth about what Philip was saying, and believed in that, that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. This is the response that they have first, and then the response that they have after that is that they were baptized. They weren't baptized in order to be saved that comes after a salvation experience, but they were baptized to show what happened to them in the moment, that they believed that all of their sins had been washed away, and that the old them was dead, buried and gone, and that they were raised up to someone new in Christ. Now this response that we see from them is the same response that's required of us today when we become aware of the good news of Jesus Christ. This is not just information to make us more knowledgeable and more aware of it. Is requiring a response, a reception of it. Nothing that we can do to earn it, but we have to receive it in our lives. The way we receive it is through belief, through putting our faith and trust in Him, and then we follow that up by responding in a way where we're available to get baptized, to declare what it is that has happened to us. And so maybe that's where some of you are at today, even as we pause here before moving on. Maybe the Holy Spirit brought you here today because you've never put your faith and trust in Jesus for salvation. You've never responded in this particular way. You just kind of thought, Well, my family comes to church. I come to church each and every Sunday or somebody invited me. I live in the United States of America. You know, I perform religious duties, and there's a number of things that I do, and you've counted on those particular things to be the reasons that you're you're good, right? Maybe what it is that he's doing in and through you today is to go, no, no, you've never responded to this. And I'm making you aware of how much I love you and the truth of these things so that you will respond and receive them to be true in your life. And then maybe there's some of you who have believed it, and you've put your faith and trust in Him, and you've been transformed and changed, but you've never yet been baptized. They were baptized immediately after they came to know Jesus. And so what is it that's holding you back from taking that step as well, and identifying with who you really are, the church, God's family, and declare what it is that's happened to you. And if he's leading you in any of those responses, I pray that you will not walk out of these doors today without being willing to go wherever it is that the Lord's leading you and do what it is that he's leading you to do in this particular moment. As we go on, we continue to see here in verse 13, that even Simon himself were told, Simon the sorcerer, remember him. This is what we're talking about. Simon himself believed and was baptized, and he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles. Now we're going to talk much more about this as we go along. Luke certainly does use the language that Simon believed, and he does say that he was baptized. But one of the things to take note of right after that is he says that he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the what the great signs and miracles. That he saw, notice what Luke did not say there, that he wasn't astonished by Jesus. Wasn't astonished by the forgiveness that he had, the new life that he had in Christ being a part of the church, he was astonished with signs and miracles. And so there's going to be some things that come up in just a moment that maybe lead us to believe that maybe Simon wasn't really, actually a believer, even though Luke says he is here. And we'll talk much more about that in a little while and try to explain that. But here's where things get really interesting, in verse 14, when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria, you go, Well, why in the world would Peter and John, the apostles need to show up? Why is this such a big deal? I mean, Peter and John are key leaders in the church. They're part of Jesus' inner circle. I mean, out of the 12 Disciples, these are the guys that were even in the inner circle of the 12 Disciples, and now they're leaders in the church, and they're coming all the way out here to Samaria. Well, the reason that they were is because of what we just mentioned earlier. This is Samaria. These these people that are supposedly responding to the gospel are Samaritans, Peter and John. Had to be wondering, is the gospel really even for them. I thought it was just for us. They're the enemy. They're half breeds. They have done idolatrous things. How could they be responding to the Gospel? And so they go to see it for themselves, and now it gets crazy. Verse 15, when they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there, and that they might receive the Holy Spirit. Why? Because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them. They had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now, what in the world is going on here. Because if you've been here for Part of this series before, or you've read your Bibles, it seems like scripture communicates that the moment that we put our faith and trust in Jesus, we're saved. And listen, Scripture does communicate that right here in Ephesians, chapter one, verses 13 and 14. Let's look at it right here. I mean, it says it very clearly, right? And you saw, this is the apostle Peter, writing, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to the church in Ephesus, those who had put their faith and trust in Jesus at a prior point in time. And he says, You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Watch this, when you believed, the moment you believed, something happened. What happened? Paul? You were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. Who is a what a deposit. He was deposited into you, guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession to the praise of his glory. The moment that we put our faith and trust in God, when we believe the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. We're marked with a seal, and we are included in Christ. The the Holy Spirit unites us into a spiritual union with Jesus, and that is what makes us a Christian. As a matter of fact, Paul even said this in in Romans, eight, nine, if anyone does not have the Holy Spirit, they do not belong to who Christ.
It isn't church attendance, it isn't being religious. It isn't giving it's either you have the Holy Spirit and you belong to Christ, or you don't have the Holy Spirit and you don't belong to Christ. And so if you've put your faith and trust in Him, the Holy Spirit has come to put you in that spiritual union and you belong to Christ. You're a new creation in Christ. Spiritual Regeneration has occurred. There's a rebirth that took place. You're a new creation in him. This is what makes us believers. This is what happens to someone the moment we say yes to him. So Jason, if that's the case, then what's going on here? Why didn't they receive the Holy Spirit the moment they believed? Is it not true? Is there some time when the Holy Spirit's going to work in a different way? Well, he did here, he did hear and the reason why is because this was a major, major moment in the life of the early church. Again, we've just talked about it to highlight the Gospels only be shared, been shared in Jerusalem with people who were Jewish. These were Samaritans. People weren't even sure if the gospel. Really was for them. And so what does God do? I'm going to do it a little bit differently than the normal pattern of how things work. I referring to God right here. I'm going to withhold the Holy Spirit the moment they put their faith and trust in Him, so that it gives time for Peter and John, two of the leaders in the early church to show up. Because if they show up and they're doubting, and they have some questions about this kind of thing, and this is the kind of discussion that people are going to be real curious about, and they're going to wonder if this is really true or not, then I'm going to make sure that they witness it with their own eyes, that they receive the Holy Spirit. Because anyone who receives the Holy Spirit belongs to Christ. And so they show up, lay hands on them. They get to witness the Holy Spirit coming now and now Peter and John, key leaders in the church, are going, Oh, we have proof. The gospel really is for the Samaritans. It's not just for the Jewish people. So this would add validity when people had questions around things, and they would be able to come to them, and they would be able to explain to them that we saw it with our own hands. The other thing it would do is to provide unity in the church. There was a chance with this kind of thing being true, that that the way that they felt about each other and their past could certainly lead to there being a a Samaritan Christian church and a Jewish Christian church, because we're just too different, even if the gospel really is for them, and so now, with them going and witnessing, it is the Holy Spirit showing them, hey, no, no, no, these aren't two different churches. It's not two different things I'm doing here, you guys are all one. Now in Christ, you may have felt a certain way about them before, but they're my people too, and so the gospel is for everyone. Now that we see that Luke turns his attention back to Simon, the sorcerer, though verse 18, it says, When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles hands, he offered them money, and he said, Give me also this ability, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. And so what we see is, is Simon trying to buy the Holy Spirit, which, which, honestly, in his defense, was kind of a fairly common thing for people who were like him, for people that were magicians or or sorcerers or working this way and and used that to get money from people and make their living. They would, they would pay other people that they would see doing similar things for their secrets. They'd offer your secrets to them for money. And so he saw this, and he was like, Well, I just want to buy that. That's what I do. When I see other people do it, I offer them money to be able to do what it is that they're doing. But what we see here is that Simon saw the Holy Spirit as a force, a power, something to be used for a magic trick, if you will. But when we are talking about the Holy Spirit, we are, of course, talking about no such thing. We are we are talking about God himself. The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit three distinct persons, yet one essence. And so he is not a force, he is not a power. He is not to be used or to be bought or in any other particular way. And so when Peter hears this, I mean, he reacts pretty harshly to what it is that he's saying here. Look at this. Look at this language. Verse 20, Peter answered, may your money perish with you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money. Listen to this language. You have no part. You have no share in this particular ministry because your heart, your heart, is not right before God. Now is that the kind of language that the Bible uses about someone who is a believer in Christ? No, that is not the way those who have put their faith in trust and trust in Christ are talked about. Believers have a part or a share in ministry. Your heart is made right when you're in a spiritual union with Him, you become a new creation. In Christ, the language just continues verse 22 repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord and hope that He may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see, watch this, that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin. Do we talk about believers as being captive to sin. That's not the language that the New Testament uses. Are, do believers still sin? Well, yes, we have a flesh, even though the Holy Spirit lives in us, and we can rely on his power and live life in the Spirit and His strength to be aligned with what it is that He created us. To do, and a part of His kingdom work in us and through us. We can choose to operate in our own power, in our own strength and our own flesh, and certainly sin, and go against God's best for us. And so that is possible, but we're not captive to it. Captive is the the idea of bondage. It's this, I'm in a prison cell. I'm locked in it. I mean, it's, it's all over me. But believers in Christ are not captive to sin. And so what am I trying to say here? What I'm trying to say is that's, I believe there's, there's some commentators that land in a different place on this, but I believe that Simon wasn't a true believer. I don't believe that he was a believer because of the language that we, you know, see here the things that are going on the way he's being described in this way and so. So most likely, either one, when Luke says that he was believed and he was baptized, it's kind of that idea where maybe you've heard someone share their testimony today. They were at some big thing where there was a real, genuine move the Holy Spirit grabbed a hold of a number of people's hearts, a number of people, again, to to move forward and respond to what God was leading them to do. And and somebody looks around and they go, Oh, everybody's going down. I guess I should just, I should go down to, I guess, I guess I should be a part of what it is that's going on here, and then just kind of followed the the crowd. Didn't really know what it is, no genuine move the spirit in his own heart. And so maybe, maybe that's what it was. Or maybe he knew what he was doing all along, and it was his plan to try to gain access to this power that he was seeing, and try to use it for his, you know, benefit. But again, this is why I believe that Simon probably wasn't a true believer, even though we see that language earlier. And maybe the reason that Luke was pointing out very quickly right after saying that, that he was captivated by the signs and wonders and not even by Jesus. Now we're told, after Peter says all of these things, this in verse 24 then Simon answered pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me. Now notice he's not the one falling on his knees and praying to God Himself and going, oh my gosh, I am a sinner, and I repent, and I change, I believe in you and and all of those kind of things. It's kind of like he was saying, Hey, man, can you pray to that God that those things that you said won't happen to me? I mean, I'm going to still not really buy an end to this whole thing. But will you just, I don't want, I don't want any part of that, so maybe you just pray. That's what it feels kind of like with his response here. But the big thing I want you to see as we finish up is in verse 25 and how it changed the apostles after they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages along the way, guys, Peter and John and the other apostles and those who were Jewish were in a habit of coming up to near the Samaritan border and walking around it to get where it is that they needed to go.
They despised them so much. Hated them so much, they wouldn't even walk through their their area, they didn't even want to be anywhere near them. And now, as they've seen the Holy Spirit show up and transform their lives, they are stopping along the way to build relationships with the very people that, just before this, they despised and they hated, didn't even know the gospel was for them, and now they're sharing it with them and helping transform and change their lives forever. Philip, no doubt, when he went into this area, thought is the gospel for them. Why am I here? They're so different than me. They're too far gone. No doubt these guys shared the same thing, and yet all of them are now sharing the gospel with those people that were so different than them and that were too far gone. If that's what we see in the lives of the early church and those that we're studying today, then that is what it means for us today, and guys, you and I should expect the same thing as we are, living life in the Spirit, depending upon him in us and through us. Life in the spirit means that he will use us to reach even the most unlikely of people. And I put in parentheses in our minds, because it's not unlikely for God. That's just something we create in our own minds based on what we see about them, it's so unlikely that they are to do that, but the Holy Spirit will work in us and through us to reach even the most unlikely of people to respond to the gospel. And so I don't know who that is for you. I don't know if immediately you're going, Oh yeah, I already know exactly who the. People are that are so different than me that the Holy Spirit is leading me to share with I already know those people who I have in my mind that they're too far gone in their sin and that they're too far gone in whatever it is that they're believing, and that that's who the Holy Spirit is leading me to, or maybe you don't yet know, and the Holy Spirit will introduce you to those people later. What is becoming clear, and what we've begun to see, really not just the last two weeks. We've seen it all the way through the book of Acts, is that even though the Holy Spirit brings people together in union with Christ and in union with each other and carrying on these these authentic relationships, where he disciples and helps people grow in the grace together, he sends them out to share the gospel, to make sure that no one misses the grace of God. And I can't help but think, as we've been walking through this together, and especially with this being the major emphasis of what we're beginning to see is momentum is building out, and where we're at even today as a church, that we've focused a lot on our discipleship, and we're continuing to focus a lot on the authentic community and in relationships, and that is so important that we continue to Gather around those things. But sometimes it's been in such a way where we've created this mindset that that's what it's ultimately really just all all about, and it is important, and I hope that you're trusting the Holy Spirit to lead you into that authentic community and continue to grow and do those things. But may we not do that and forget, especially when we see the early church, that he was constantly sending them out to go share this good news so that no one else would miss the grace of God in their lives. Again, that can be difficult, maybe the action step, and just reminding this right before we close, is this, you don't know how I don't know what to do. We talk about that. I've never really been taught about how to share my own testimony or or how to share the gospel. You keep saying that word gospel and good news, and I don't even know exactly what you mean by all of that. If somebody asked me that in my life, I wouldn't be able to tell them what the gospel is and so well, let's talk about that. Let's learn and grow in that together and be praying about what it is that God wants us to do in that area.
If you're here today,
maybe you're think that
you're one of those people that's too far gone.
You're one of those people that's too steeped in sin.
You're one of those people that's so different than the normal person that you have in your mind who goes to church and who this thing is for. May you know today that God loves you so much that he allowed his one and only Son to leave the glory and the riches of heaven, to come here, to die on a cross for you, for you, no matter how different you think that you are, no matter how far it is that you think you've gone with some sin pattern or other belief that you've held the God of the universe loves you, and that is demonstrated through him sending his one and only Son for you so that he could pay the penalty for your sins, so that you could be forgiven, so that you could experience the life that he's always created you to have an experience forevermore in an eternal relationship with him. And if that's you, I want to give you a chance to pray to receive Him into your life this morning and continue to respond however it is that the Lord is leading you, and so would you bow with me?