0:01 [Music] the verse we heard from I believe it was the preschool which is the youngest class. It's been on my mind even before this morning. I don't know if you remember what it said. Matthew 0:18 13:16. Blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear. There's a lot of people who have the opportunity to hear God's word. I believe that's true in this country. Um, many of you probably didn't have the 0:35 opportunity to grow up in a country where God's word is not common. Um, and there are countries like that. In India, for example, Christians, even just people who identify as Christians, whether they're actually believers or not, are just 2% 0:52 of the population. It's a very small percentage. Um, and there are some places where Bibles are not common. And I thought about that even as I was reminded of it this morning, hearing the children. Blessed are your eyes because 1:09 they see. Blessed are your ears because they hear. May it never be that we take for granted what God speaks to us and what God shows us. I believe there'll be many people at the judgment seat of Christ whom God will 1:27 say you had the chance to see and you had the chance to hear. You had a Bible in your home. You I thought about even for example a lot it's common that you go to a hotel room. I don't know if it's still the case but you would find a a Bible there 1:43 in the drawer placed by the Gideonss usually. I don't know if they're allowed to do that still but I think so. We live in a country where you can go to a hotel room and there'll be a Bible there. You have an app on your phone. You have all 1:56 these resources and God will say you had no excuse. I believe that's also true about RLCF. There are many people who have taken this church for granted. Ah it's just uh you know they have some complaint about this or complaint about that. I believe 2:13 God will say blessed are your eyes because they could see in your ears. They could hear the things that you got to hear. I remember hearing that as a kid growing up and there was a time in my life where I took it for granted. I'll be honest, 2:27 the fact that I got to hear the richness of the truth. I took it for granted. I had complaints. I had a lacadasical attitude towards my Christian life. But it's not this it's not the the case today. I'll tell you honestly, I don't 2:41 take this church for granted. Even though I've been here longer than all of you, I don't take it for granted. Every time I get to meet with you all is fresh because the spirit of Christ is here and you all want that. I believe you are a 2:56 people. We are a people that desire Christ. We don't want the traditions of men. We don't want popularity. We don't want fame. We don't want a big church. We want Jesus Christ himself like we've been singing all morning long. That's 3:10 what I want too. And so honestly, whether it's staying till 9:00 like we were last night or coming again at 9:00 this morning to start over, or it was at 8:00, it's it's okay. This is where I want to be around God's people. I have 3:25 no other interest. Yes, I you know me, I I like I do a lot of other things, but this is where I want to be. This is what I look forward to being to doing and being who I look forward to being with. And you might think, well, 3:39 is is that uh that that might work for you, Santosh, is that how it it is for me? I don't know. You know, each of us has a personal walk with the Lord. But there is a joy in Christ, in his church that I believe he wants all of us to 3:53 experience. I gave up being around my family and job prospects in California. Don't say that to brag, please. No. Or for you to feel sorry for me. No. But because I said I found the pearl of great price. It's Jesus Christ in his 4:06 church. And I knew that the Lord had called me and planted me here. And it didn't matter who came and went or who was around, whether I got along with them or didn't. Jesus was here and he had planted me here. And I tell you, my 4:21 dear brothers and sisters, that that rock will bring such a stability in your life if you find Jesus in his church. And that if you're here because of the presence of Jesus, not for any other reason. Otherwise, you'll have an up and 4:35 down Christian life. And I'm not saying this to beat anybody up or to, you know, say that I'm better. No, I I I wandered for so long. I had the privilege more than probably any of you or most of you to grow up in a church that was like 4:50 this and I took it for granted. And it took me many years to see the value of Jesus Christ himself, the head of the body, and to find my place in the church. But now it's like I found an oasis in the desert. I'm not going to 5:03 leave. And it's not based on circumstances or people. It's based on the presence of Christ in his church and the Holy Spirit. Um, so blessed are your eyes because they see. Blessed are your ears because they hear. Let's never take that for 5:18 granted. I'm humbled, ared this morning meditating on that cuz there's a lot of other people. Why do you think you and I are sitting here and the other person down the road is sitting in their home watching TV? Why is it because we're 5:31 better than them? Absolutely not. God called me. God had mercy on me. God drew me to this place. I don't take that for granted. I don't think I'm better than the person down the road who who's looking for joy in something else. 5:47 If I found if you and I have found our joy in Christ, let's just pull on our face and humbly say, "Thank you, Lord. That's it. I did nothing to deserve that you opened my eyes to see you. that you would find that you would bring me joy 6:00 more than anything else. So, let's humbly seek the Lord together and we will see a great and glorious day coming. What will it look like when the sun turns to darkness and the moon to blood? I don't know, but I know what's 6:15 coming after that. A great and glorious day. So, I don't have to be afraid of what that, you know, I wondered what the children thought. They're not here right now when they said, "Well, the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to 6:24 blood." Does that scare them? Maybe they'll ask you, you ask them this afternoon, children, were you afraid when you think about the moon turning to blood? No. Because there's a great and glorious day coming. You know, uh um Hebrews chapter uh 6:42 Hebrews chapter 11 talks about faith. And I've been thinking recently about this. I'd just like to share some thoughts on that before the children come and uh present to us what the Lord's been speaking to them for the last few months. 6:59 Hebrews 11:1 says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. And faith is important. Jesus is called the beginner and finisher, author and perfector of our faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. But in 7:17 order for us to have faith, we must have something to have faith in. And this is something that it might seem simple. It might seem straightforward. But faith, when you think about faith, often you think about yourself and the fact that you lack faith. The 7:37 disciples fell into the same trap. They said, "Lord, increase our faith." That would be like me standing on across a bridge on the other side of a bridge, a concrete bridge, a sturdy bridge. I see everybody walking across just fine. And I stand on 7:55 the other side and said, "Lord, help me to have faith to cross this bridge." Now, if it's a shaky wooden bridge that's swaying, then I might say, "Lord, give me faith to cross this bridge." But if it's a strong bridge, if it's built 8:09 and I've seen the example of others who have crossed this bridge and made it to the other side, then what do I need? Is it small faith or big faith? What difference does it make? It's the bridge that's big and strong. So in order for me to have quality 8:26 faith, faith that endures, faith that will overcome the world, like we read in first John, it's got to have something that I have faith in that allows me to have faith that overcomes the world. And that's why we see here that it's faith 8:42 is the assurance of something that I'm hoping for. I've come to see in my Christian life, and I hope this is of encouragement to some of you as well, that the reason that I often lack faith in my life is because I haven't seen the hope first. 8:59 If I haven't seen something that I'm hoping for, what is the hope of my calling? Then no matter how much I pray, Lord, increase my faith, increase my faith, increase my faith, it's I haven't seen the hope. My eyes haven't been open 9:12 to see the bridge. That would be like a blind man who hasn't seen the bridge yet and you're telling him or her, a blind person, you need to cross this bridge. And he says, "I don't know. Can I? I hear the rushing water underneath. I see 9:28 I I sense that this is quite high up above the gorge that we are." And then if such a person could have their eyes open to see the bridge now how much longer do you tarry on the other side saying well I don't know I need more faith. So I have come to see 9:46 that the secret to having more faith is ultimately to have my eyes opened to see what is the hope of my calling. This was Paul's prayer. Let's look at this in uh second Peter. Well Paul said that in Ephesians chapter 1. 10:04 Ephesians 1 verse 17 with the last part of verse 16 he says I don't well verse 16 he says I don't cease giving thanks for you and while Paul was telling the church in Ephesus now remember we've seen this often that the church in Ephesus at this time is 10:23 perhaps the most spiritual church Paul lived there for 3 years planted that church and you read how when he came there it started with a little Bible study where all they had was God's word and they'd been baptized in the baptism 10:36 of John. He says, "Do you know about the Holy Spirit?" I believe that was Ephesus, right? And now he's writing to um the the church and he says, "When I'm praying for you, I thank God for you and I make mention of you in my prayers." 10:50 The last part of verse 16, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and eyeopening. You can say of a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him. I pray that the 11:09 eyes of your heart may be enlightened, may be open. Think about that blind person standing on the other side of this big chasm. And Paul is saying, "Hey, I know why you lack faith because your eyes haven't been open to see the bridge." He says, 11:25 "I pray not that you'll have more faith or anything like that. I simply pray that the eyes of your heart may be opened so that you will know what is the hope of his calling. What are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the 11:39 saints? Peter says the same thing. If you go over to second Peter chapter 1, second Peter chapter 1, we read, you know, see Peter lays it out. 11:57 Diligence, uh, applying diligence in your faith. This is verse five. moral excellence, moral excellence, knowledge, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love. Think about this ladder as it were, 12:13 going up, ascending in the Christian life, becoming more and more like Christ. But then he says, "Therefore, brethren, be all the more because you have such a high calling." Because it's not just that God's called you to live a 12:27 substandard, barely making it, sometimes good, sometimes not Christian life. Because you've got love and partaking of his divine nature as the ultimate goal. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about his 12:43 calling and choosing you. For as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble. And if you do this, the entrance into the eternal kingdom will be abundantly supplied to you. It'll be as if the gates, you know, you read 12:57 verse 11. For in this way, the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord Jesus and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. Here's a picture the Lord gave me some time ago about this. I wonder if, and this is 13:10 just picture analogy, don't just take it with a pinch of salt, that for some people, they're they're crawling like a snail into the kingdom of heaven, that God will look at, okay, he's going to take his time to enter. We'll just 13:23 slowly open the gates and eventually he'll make it in. And there'll be others from a mile and away, you can see them speeding into the kingdom of heaven. And God will say, "Angels, open it quickly. He's charging into the kingdom of 13:37 heaven." Is that the testimony you want? Santos is coming full speed into the kingdom of heaven. Swing the gates open wide. That's what I want. I don't want a riding off into the sunset type of Christian life where I'm slowing down as 13:51 I get older. I don't see Paul did that. We've been reading the biographies of godly men and women. They charge the gates of heaven while they because they charge the gates of hell when they were here on this earth. So verse 12 for me is verse 11. 14:05 charging the gates of heaven abundantly supply. The gates will swing wide open. Why? Because verse four, God has granted to us his precious and magnificent promises that are what? What is the hope of our calling? What is the bridge? The 14:23 bridge is that God has promised he wants you to be a partaker of his divine nature. He wants you to be fully conformed into the image of Jesus. Romans 8:29. This is what our hope is. If you've seen it, if you believe it, not just that for 14:42 some of you, but for you personally, I've seen it. I'm seeing it more and more. I I'm having my eyes opened more and more to the greatness of his loving heart as it were. And I'm seeing a little bit more that God in his 14:55 tremendously great love said, "Santosh, you will be like Jesus. Santos, you will be like Jesus. you will be a partaker of my divine nature. That's for me. Now, you must see that for yourself. The Holy Spirit. See, Paul, I think when when we read in 15:11 Ephesians 1, he says, "I pray that your eyes will be opened." I think Paul, part of Paul would have wished that he could have opened their eyes. He says, you know, if Paul could go to the blind person, spiritually blind person, and 15:24 open their eyes, but he says, "No, I can't do that because whatever Paul did would be a work of man." And all our preaching, all our teaching, all our exhortation, all our encouragement, and all of that is simply out of saying, 15:37 "You must have the Holy Spirit open your own eyes." We can't open our eyes as teachers. We can't even open the eyes of our children as their parents. But what we can do is pray. That's what I pray for our children, my own personal children and 15:52 every child in this church because God has placed them within the circle of our responsibility. Lord, let the eyes of their heart be opened with all their Bible memorization with all their singing the songs and doing the 16:03 presentation. Lord, open the eyes of their heart. They will see that the hope that they have a calling as well that Santosh and put each of them will see that they too can be conformed into the image of Jesus and that God has already 16:18 promised it the hope of his calling. Let's go back to the book to the book of Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6. And this is a phrase or a a concept that 16:37 the writer of Hebrews emphasizes more than once. Don't grow weary. I think it's in chapter 3 also. Hebrews chapter 3 says in verse 6, um Christ was faithful as a son over his house whose house we are if we hold fast our 16:53 confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. And that's what he says in verse 11 as well of chapter 6. Hebrews 6:1. we desire. Now, let me let me stop there for a moment. If you read the earlier part of chapter 6, you'll see that he's 17:09 talking about people who once upon a time received the truth. They sat in a church like RLCF perhaps or they sat under good teaching and they've fallen away. This is a a verse that many people who believe certain doctrines don't want 17:25 to teach from that it's possible, read it carefully, that um verse four, that some people could have had once been enlightened. In other words, once upon a time their eyes were opened to see the bridge. They've tasted of the heavenly 17:42 gift, made partakers of the Holy Spirit. We're not talking about people who uh, you know, were just faking it. They were made partakers of the Holy Spirit and they've tasted the good word of God. Verse 5. And the powers they've seen, 17:55 experienced the powers of the age to come, but then they fell away. It's possible that God be true and every man a liar. And this is not me preaching a certain doctrine. It's God's just simply reading God's word. But having 18:09 said that, he says in verse 9, "Beloved, dear brothers and sisters who are loved by God, we are convinced of better things concerning you." The writer of Hebrews says, whoever he's writing it to, this church, wherever it was, he 18:24 says, I'm convinced that you're not going to be one of those that falls away. He's he says, I I'm I'm hoping for that. I'm convinced of it. And I hope you're convinced of it as well, that you won't be one of those who falls away. Um 18:36 because verse 10, God's not unjust to forget your work, etc. But then he says in verse 11, so how shall we be convinced that we won't fall away like others will or may we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as 18:52 to realize the full assurance of hope until the end. So what I see God saying here through the Holy Spirit is not you better make sure you make it. You better make sure you don't fall. You better make sure you overcome. These are the 19:06 things that I tend to tell myself, Santoshi, don't fall, don't fall, don't fall. And I keep reminding myself, better not fall. That's okay. But what I see um the um writer, the Holy Spirit telling us to say, make sure that you don't lose sight 19:22 of the bridge. Make sure that you don't lose sight of the full assurance of hope. And if your eyes, if you see that bridge completely, God has finished it. It goes all the way to the other end. He's finished that 19:38 bridge. Then you won't fall away. Falling away doesn't come because I fell into sin. I used to think that. Oh, I fall into sin. I must have fallen away. No. Falling away comes because I've lost sight of the bridge. I' I've lost my 19:54 way. That's what Jesus prayed for Peter. I pray that your faith will not fail. Why? That you don't lose sight of the hope. And isn't it wonderful that Peter writes years later in second Peter chapter 1, I want you also to not lose 20:06 sight of that hope. Just like Jesus was praying for me, Peter is saying, I'm praying for you friends, saints gathered all over Asia, that your hope will not fail, that your faith will not fail, that you don't lose sight of the hope. 20:18 And then he says, uh, verse 17, he talks about Abraham. He um let me read verse 12 also. So that you will not be sluggish. Sluggish. It's a it's a phrase that's been on my mind for the last few weeks. 20:37 Sluggishness. I I'm wary of sluggishness creeping into my Christian life where things are pretty good. You know, nothing rocking the boat really outwardly. My job's pretty safe. My I got a place to live. I'm not, you know, 20:50 I have enough food to eat. My my children are growing. We have a comfortable church environment. That's the time when sluggishness will creep in. It's when things are relatively at ease outwardly and you tend to think, well, actually, yeah, my life's pretty 21:05 good. That sluggishness will c catch in will will step will creep in and that's how many who are first will be last? How is it that many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first? Because those who are first look 21:18 at others around them and say, "Oh, I'm better than that person. I'm better than the other person." So, they become sluggish. I've been a Christian for so long. I've been married for so long. I'm an elder in a church. Oh yeah, sluggishness. 21:31 And others who are last will be first. So let's not sluggishness come in. How can we make sure that sluggishness does not come in? Hold on to that hope, the full assurance of that hope. And he gives the example of Abraham in 21:44 verse 17. He says first of all you know that when God uh gave Abraham uh he says that in verse 13 when he gave him a promise he says you will have a son and by your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed they will be as the stars of 22:01 the sky and the sand on the seashore. And then he said it's through Isaac. Isaac is your promised one because he tried it with Ishmael. But God didn't just say it will be so. It says that he said it and then he took an oath. 22:18 Does God need to swear? I wish some of the children were here. They're they're back there still. There's only one person who's allowed to swear. You know, Jesus said, "Don't swear by heaven or by earth because you can't change one head 22:30 on your hair, one hair on your head." But God is allowed to swear. You know, again, it's using earthly language. Why is it? because he wants us to be absolutely certain. If God takes the effort to swear, see that's what you're going to read here. 22:46 It means he says, "I'm going to actually swear. I'm going to say it." That in itself is enough. But on top of that, I'm going to take an oath and then after that, if there are people, it's like God saying, "I'm going to build a bridge and 23:01 I'm going to assure you you will get to the other side." And then you sit there and says, "No, I don't believe you, God. What a tragedy that God said it and swore it and there will be people people who said no Lord you can't do it for me 23:16 I failed too many times or I don't feel it'll work out this and that for when God verse 13 made the promise to Abraham since he could swear by no one greater he swore by himself saying I will surely bless you and I will surely 23:31 multiply you that word surely he says I swear I will bless you I swear I will multiply you. Now, this was for Abraham. And so, verse 15, Abraham saw God say it and swear it and he says, "Okay, Lord, I'm going to hold on to that." Now, he 23:45 lost his way a little bit. He tried with Ishmael. He did this. He went to Egypt and put his wife in a compromising situation, but he held on despite the fact that he failed now and then, despite the fact that I mean, read 23:57 Genesis 20 and imagine, put yourself in Abraham's situation where he's failed him, his wife, he's failed God so miserably. And the very next thing you read in the next chapter is God remembered Sarah. And Abraham says, "Okay, I'm going to fulfill my promise." 24:12 Abraham, I see with all your failures and all that sin and all that other stuff, you're still holding on to me. you haven't lost sight of the bridge, guess what? You're going to get to the other side. Don't lose sight of your 24:22 hope, brothers, sisters. Even if if it feels like you're sluggish, if it feels like you're dragging, you can't you you don't feel like it's going well, hold on to that hope. Say, Lord, I'm going to press in. I'm not going to be sluggish. 24:35 So, it says, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. He got to the other side of his journey of faith. That's why we were singing, Father Abraham. In the same way. So that was just a type. God's promise to Abraham 24:50 was a physical son and earthly blessings. In the same way for you and I whose promise is what? Divine nature becoming conformed in the image of Jesus. In the same way God desiring even more to show to Santos. Somebody ask you where's your name in 25:08 the Bible? You show them Hebrews 7:17. To the heirs of the promise. That's you and I. In the same way, God desiring even more to show to Santosh the unchangeableness unchangeableness of his purpose interposed with an oath. God took an 25:25 oath when he spoke to me as well. Can you say that? Did you hear God swear it? I'm not trying to be irreverent. Please understand, but I'm trying to point you to Christ so that he will speak faith into your heart to see how he has said 25:39 it and he has sworn it. In the same way, God desiring even more to show Santo the promise, put your name there, please. And uh the unchangeableness of his purpose interposed with an oath so that by two unchangeable things in which it 25:54 is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken Santosh who has taken refuge will have strong encouragement and take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul. A hope both sure and steadfast and one 26:10 which enters within the veil where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melkisedc. So it's like Jesus has built the bridge and he's walked to the other side and he's 26:24 calling me from the other side saying hey I'm here and I've built the bridge. I said it. You will get there and you will be standing with me and I've sworn it that you will get there and you will be standing with me seated on the throne 26:37 with me for all ages. Now walk. We have as an anchor of the soul a hope. Oh, don't lose sight of Jesus on the other side of that bridge. Don't lose sight of it. A hope both sure and steadfast where Christ is. Now 26:55 really what what what started this these thoughts was this phrase here in verse 20 that Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us having become a high priest forever. This is the phrase I've been thinking about for two weeks. The word forever. 27:14 Yes, I know Jesus is forever. He is the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega. With him there's no beginning or end. But he's a forever priest. What does it mean for Jesus to be a priest forever? Let me ask you this question. Is Jesus a 27:31 priest for you today? Is there some way in which Jesus is functioning and serving you as a high priest today? I think most Christians know about what Jesus did for them on Calvary, that he died for their sins and he rose 27:49 again. But what about today? What about June? What are we on? June 11th, right? June 11th, 2023. How is Jesus a high priest today? It says he's a high priest forever according to the orac order of Milk Zedc. Now, this is what God swore. 28:06 He says that in Psalm Psalm 110, the writer of Hebrews is actually quoting and he does this quotes this passage three or four times I think. Psalm 110 verse4. Why can we have confidence in this 28:25 bridge that we see ahead of us? Why this hope? It's like a bridge, a sturdy bridge. And therefore, I don't need to wait for more faith. It's like my faith is in the promise of God and the hope that I have. Psalm 110:4, the Lord has 28:40 sworn. The Lord has sworn. The Lord has taken an oath. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. He said it, he swore it, and he's not going to change his mind. That's like a third time almost. What What was the 28:59 swearing that God did? He says to Jesus, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melkisedc." This is what God swore that Jesus is a priest forever according to the order of Melkisedc. So I wanted you to see that that swearing. 29:15 Now let's go back to Hebrews chapter 7 and I want I want you to see three things that in in which God is uh that Jesus Christ is a a forever high priest. Not a high priest who once upon a time offered a sacrifice 2,000 years ago on 29:33 Calvary, but since then, every moment of every day, he's been serving as a high priest and will forever. Ask yourself, Lord, how are you a high priest for me today? Let the Lord show you that. That's really what I wanted to 29:50 share this morning. So, first of all, Hebrews 7, we read in verse 6. Hebrews 7:6 the one now he uses the order of Melkisedc and you can read about it sometime in the book of Genesis I think it's chapter 15 or so um where or 14 30:04 maybe um where Abraham had just won a great battle against the kings of Sodonum in that area and as he was coming back with the spoil he met this priest and king now under the law you couldn't be a king and a priest David 30:20 couldn't be a priest um uh Aimilec couldn't be king. You you either one or the other. You were the priest or the king. The kings were descended from Judah, David, the line of David. The priests were descended from Levi. Two 30:32 completely different. Everything back in the old covenant was physical lineage. If you said, "Well, I'd like to be a priest." They'll say, "Well, what's your lineage?" Oh, you're Judah. Nope. Sorry. No matter how much you feel qualified by 30:44 it or anything like that, you're not descended from Levi. You cannot be a priest. And if you wanted to be a king, it was those who are descended from Judah initially. But you couldn't be both. But there's one man who like we 30:55 read here, we don't know where he came from or where he ended up. He we don't know how he started. We don't know his genealogy as it were. And it's a type. We'll find out who this Melkisedc was. You know what what was he actually? Who 31:09 was he actually? But he was a type. God allowed this person to kind of show up all of a sudden in the middle of this the history of Israel without father, without son, no trace of his uh ancestry, no trace of his descendants is 31:23 this person just kind of pop up in the middle of history and he shows up there just in that one place in Genesis to minister to Abraham and it says here in verse 6 that the one whose genealogy is not traced Hebrews 7:6 from them 31:39 collected a tithe from Abra Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. So Abraham is a picture of us. Mechqueisedc is a picture of Jesus. And it's it what I want you to see that it might seem simple but Melchisedc blessed Abraham. Abraham had 31:57 received the promise of the son and he didn't have Isaac yet but Melchisedc was the one that blessed Abraham. And the writer of Hebrews goes on to clarify that that he's very intentional by saying in verse 7 without any dispute. 32:12 The lesser is blessed by the greater. The lesser is blessed by the greater. Here's what the Lord comforted me with as I meditated on this. He is blessing me. You know, we sang come bless the Lord. We sing often about bless the 32:26 Lord, oh my soul. Have you paused for a moment to let God bless you? The greater blesses the lesser. That's the point of it. Have you let Jesus bless you in some way? Is your spiritual life is how thriving a life you're 32:41 living coming because Jesus has blessed you? Not well. Thank you for my many blessings. Lord, you've I have enough food. I have clothes. I have health and all this stuff. No spiritual blessings. Jesus is greater than you and he's 32:55 blessing you. Now, do you think you won't succeed? Now, do you think that you won't finish the end of your life? The greater blesses the lesser. Remember that Jesus is blessing you. The greater blesses Jesus blesses you who has the 33:11 promises. The next thing I want you to see is Hebrews 7. Let's skip down to verse 26. Jesus is a perfect high priest. Now, if you were there under the Old Testament and you watched these Levitical priests offering sacrifices 33:27 and you watched, for example, Aaron offering up the high priest and you knew that Aaron's going to go offer a sacrifice for you. If you were really honest, you would look at Aaron and thinking, man, this is the same guy that 33:38 one upon once upon a time built an idol for us, a calf, and we sinned together. And then God punished a whole bunch of us. And my friend, my best friend over there was struck down with a plague because of it. And that other cousin of 33:50 mine was died. My son was killed or my father who died. And this guy is going to make make, you know, be my intercessor going into the most holy place. And that's what he says. And and throughout history, if you watch these 34:03 priests, you knew they were just like you. They shouted at their wives. They uh fought. They got irritated and all these things. And you thought, how is this person who's just as simple as I am going to go in there and how is God 34:18 going to somehow accept this sacrifice that Aaron or Eleazar or whoever else down the line offers? And that's what he says verse 26. It was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, 34:38 separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens, who does not need daily like those old high priests to offer up sacrifices first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. So what Aaron had to do is go before God says, 34:54 "Lord, I'm a sinner and so please cleanse me first of all with his blood and then I'm bringing the sins of the others as well." Jesus didn't have to do that because he was holy, undefiled, innocent, separated from sinners, 35:06 exalted above the heaven. He didn't have to offer a sacrifice of his own sins as well cuz he never sinned. So that should give you the confidence that you're acceptable before God. Do you see the bridge that my bridge of acceptance before God is that Jesus 35:25 never sinned? Not that I've never sinned. Not that well Lord, I haven't sinned in a little while. That's not that's a shaky bridge. My confidence is that Jesus never sinned. So Lord, you have to accept the sacrifice now for me. 35:40 That's a strong bridge. Jesus is a perfect sacrifice. So now I I'm not sitting here looking, well, how's it been the last week? You know, it's good to judge ourselves. We had communion yesterday. We broke bread and we we 35:52 heard even the warning. Let a man examine himself. Don't take the bread and the wine lightly. But my acceptance before God is based on the fact that Jesus never sinned. He's a holy sacrifice. Um he didn't have to offer up 36:08 sacrifices. Verse 27, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. Because he did once for all when he offered up himself. He didn't offer up a blood, a bull or a goat. He offered up himself pure, a pure sacrifice. 36:21 Because the law appoints men as high priests who are weak. Weak means sinful. They have also sinned. But the word of oath, the word of swearing, verse 28, which came after the law appoints a son made perfect forever. Jesus is perfect 36:40 forever. So you will always have a perfect sacrifice. Do you know that? That means that if you sinned 5 minutes ago and I haven't sinned consciously, let's say some some time ago, you and I are the same because our basis of coming 36:52 to God is 100% of the fact that Jesus never sinned. And you know how the devil loves to get in there and says, "Well, you think God's happy with you? He saw how you spoke to your wife last week or yesterday. He saw that thing that you 37:06 did." Yeah, he does. And and you know me, I I would never condone sin. I want sin to be even worse than I think it is. But I want to always remember the bridge. I want to always remember the hope that even though I might have 37:21 sinned, even though those things might have happened, I have a perfect sacrifice. You have a perfect sacrifice. And if you were born again yesterday and I was born again years ago, we both have the same perfect sacrifice. It doesn't 37:33 get more perfect than perfect. Do you think I'm more perfect than than the the criminal who serial rapist who was just born again 2 minutes ago? No. We're both as perfect as Christ is. The same perfection. We have the same 37:49 perfect sacrifice. I hope this is a bridge for you. A bridge of hope. Don't look at the past, forgetting the things that lie behind. Press on. Look forward to the bridge that's ahead. And one more thing, Hebrews 7:23, the former priests on the one hand 38:06 existed in greater numbers. How many priests were there in the old covenant? Greater numbers. That's all we're told. We're not given a fixed number. We know there was a lot. That's what the writer of Hebrews is saying. There were a lot 38:18 of priests. I don't I don't even think you can count them because there's no list of all of them. There was a lot of them. But he says the priests on the one hand verse 23 existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from 38:31 continuing. Aaron died and now you have Eleazar and you're thinking well okay I trusted Abraham but Eleazar I don't know and then Eleazar died and then his son and then you're like you know what if the priest died and now you've got a 38:45 high priest that you really don't trust him at all. This was the old covenant. They were prevented by death from continuing. Aaron could not continue as a high priest because he died. Eleazar couldn't continue as a high priest 38:58 because he died. And so on down the line, but Jesus, oh, what what a wonderful phrase. Verse 24, but Jesus. But Jesus on the other hand, because he continues forever, holds his priesthood permanently. Jesus is still a priest today. 39:17 Therefore, he is also able to save forever those who draw near to God through him since he is still a high priest today. Always lives to make intercession for them. Have you seen the high priesthood of 39:35 Jesus today beyond what you saw that he did on Calvary? It's become a revelation for me that's really helped me. I know that Jesus was my high priest on the cross when he became the bull, the sin offering, the guilt offering, all of those offerings, 39:52 he offered up a perfect sacrifice. I've seen that. But I've lost sight sometimes on how he is a high priest for me today. And that's why when I'm faced with a trial or a circumstance, I get shaky because I know that Jesus died for me 40:08 2,000 years ago, but it's a little bit of this what have you done for me lately mentality. Do you know what Jesus has done for you lately? He's praying. He's been praying for you all night while you were fast asleep. When you woke up and 40:23 you couldn't sleep because you were tired or you, you know, some some reason you woke up, he he was praying for you. And this morning as you drove, he was praying for you, was interceding for you. And while you were singing to him, 40:34 blessing him, he was blessing you, interceding for you, saying, "Father, help them. Send the Holy Spirit aresh." They're lifting up their hands and they're saying, "Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Father, send the Holy 40:45 Spirit to them." You know what Jesus has done for you lately more than what he did for you 2,000 years ago? He is a high priest today. So, my hope is not that Jesus died. Yes, that is part of it. It's not even that he rose again, 41:03 but that he lives. You see the difference? Jesus died. Okay? He did that 2,000 years ago. But what about today? Would he die for me today? Would Jesus die for me today? Oh, he would. He's proving it by the fact that he's now he doesn't have to die again. 41:22 He died once for all, but he's at the right hand of the father as it were reminding the father saying, "Father, remember I died that once. That's all you needed because it was perfect. It doesn't need to be more perfect than 41:34 that. You don't need a second sacrifice for Santo. I know he's sinned after he came to know me and all that but remember that sacrifice was perfect father and on the basis of that perfect sacrifice accept him today this is Jesus 41:49 functioning as a high priest today for me and therefore if he's going to keep doing that forever what does that mean for me I will make it I'm going to get to the other side because guess what tomorrow Jesus is going to be praying for me next week 42:06 Jesus is going to be praying praying for me. Jesus is going to be functioning as a high priest. As perfect as he was when he lived here on this earth, forever perfect. And he's going to be interceding for me. He's going to be 42:16 praying for me. He's going to be functioning as a high priest. Whatever that means. All the earthly stuff that they did, the sacrifices and the bread and and going into the most holy place and what all Aaron had to do back there. 42:27 That was just a picture. And they just did it once a year. But Jesus does it every day 24/7. Hebrews 7:25. he ever lives to make intercession for them? Why is Jesus still alive? Yes, he's God. He'll never die. But why 42:45 is he still alive? This verse tells me because he's interceding for you. Why is Jesus still a high priest? Because there's a work that needs to be finished in your life. And he's committed to finishing in your life. How will you 42:58 know? This is the essence of it, brothers and sisters. How will you know? Because how will you know that you'll make it? How you how will you know that you won't fall away? He starts by saying there will be those who fall away. How 43:10 are you going to know that you won't fall away? Do you do you struggle with that question? I do. There have been times in my life like Lord, well, am I going to make it? Am I going to be one of those that that falls away? I believe 43:22 your word. But I'll tell you why that doesn't shake me anymore like it used to. It's cuz I've seen the bridge. I cried out to God. I had the eyes of my heart open to see a little bit more of the bridge. And I can see Jesus a little 43:35 bit clearer. He's still faint, but I hear his voice on the other side saying, "Santosh, I'm here. Hold on to that anchor. Stay on the bridge. Don't lose sight of it. If you keep on this bridge, you will make it. Stay on the bridge. 43:49 Don't lose sight of the hope." And Jesus died. He rose again. But he lives. Like that wonderful hymn we sing. Because he lives, I can face tomorrow. because he died, my sins are forgiven. Because he rose again, I'm justified. 44:06 But it's because he lives that I can take that next step forward. Jesus is alive today. You know, it it sounds Yeah, we say, "Yeah, he's alive. He's alive." But does that translate into our Christian life? If it does, we'll never 44:20 have a bad mood. We'll never have a gloomy day. We'll never be discouraged. We'll never sink into depression. and we just uh and by depression I don't I mean spiritual depression where you've lost sight of your hope and you lost sight of 44:33 the calling that God has given you. That should never happen no matter what's going on in your body medically or physically or even emotionally spiritually you have not lose lost sight of it. A perfect high priest who is able 44:46 to save you forever. Amen. Let's pray and and and um commit this to the Lord. I it's one thing to hear it. It's one thing even for me to speak it, but the burden of my heart is that it will be real because there's a something coming this next day 45:03 or two or three or this next week where you'll be tested on this. My dear brother, dear sister, you'll be tested on this. Dear young people, you're going to face tests in your life ahead where what you heard this morning will either 45:17 be a reality in your life. It will actually be a real bridge that you're walking on. Or you will just say, "Ah, well, I heard Santos talk about the bridge." But there's no bridge for me. See the bridge. Ask the Lord. Cry out to 45:28 your heart. This is the prayer of my heart even for myself and for every one of you here and listening online. Lord, I pray that the eyes of our hearts will be enlightened. It will be open to see the bridge that's ahead of us and see 45:39 you on the other side of it calling us. that you haven't left us here on the other side to walk by ourselves, but the same spirit that was in you is now within us both to will and to do your good pleasure. Both to decide today that 45:51 I will stay on this bridge and the power to walk on it. Help us, Lord, we pray. And as the children come, Lord, I pray you will fill them with your Holy Spirit and bless them. Bless us through them, Lord. You bless them, Lord, because you 46:03 are greater. We receive your blessing on their lives and on our lives. Fill them with your Holy Spirit. Let the prophetic word come out through their tongues as well. we ask in Jesus name. Amen. [Music]
