Practical Theology from John 5

0:49Well, as I got situated in my hotel room, I was able to look out the window and see the movement of the clouds. I could see the rapid motion of the gray clouds running through the treetops or moving through the treetops. The passing storm clouds were coming by. The colors of fall were beginning to emerge. And just like the weatherman said, after that cold front, there was this beautiful, glorious sunshine weather. Blue skies, brilliance of the colors of fall, all that. Very nice.

1:30And I liken the passing events of this life to the changing of the seasons. The events of our lives are much like that rapid motion of the clouds passing through the treetops. You've probably heard me say this many times: life is the thing that happens as you're working through your theology. Well, and consider some of the changes that have taken place just since we started John chapter 5 in July. Two weddings occurred. Beth Vineski married John Davis shortly after verse 23. Likewise, Rebecca Craft married Paige Monor Mandy just same time between 23 and 24. Two mission trips, one to Africa, one to El Salvador. We worshiped at two different campuses. Verse 24 was our last time after 70 years of being downtown. We preached, ministered the last there, and then in 25, verse 25, we began a new chapter in our life here out at Steve Hollow. A new school year began. People left our body. Chris Simpson, you remember, sent him off to active duty. A number of New faces have joined us just since we began John chapter 5. Several people have joined the church since we began. Many people joined, many new people coming. We experienced, as I remember, great, great joy. As we began chapter 5, we celebrated the birth of Benjamin Lake. You remember?

3:23And then at the end of John chapter 5, we painfully grieved, didn't we all, at the passing of Clay Robinson after the preaching of John 47. You see, life is the thing that happens, isn't it, as we're working through our theology. A lot happened in John chapter 5. And that was 47 verses. We're about to go into John chapter 6. There's 71 verses. Where are you going to be? What's going to take place in our lives?

3:58Well, after all of this that has transpired in John chapter 5 in our personal lives, my hope is that we are better people having sat under the teaching of John chapter 5. I hope that we understand God more. I hope that we love our Savior more. I hope that we love each other more. I hope that we have more resolve to live in the light of eternity than ever before. If I can boil it all down to one simple truth, I hope that we all have been taught by the truths of John chapter 5, and that those truths have transformed us. As we face the different issues and events of our lives, that we have been transformed by the theology, the teaching, the practical theology in John chapter 5, for that's why we sit under the teaching.

5:03Well, I want us to spend one more day in John chapter 5. It's like we've been through this mountain of practical theology, and I usually like to start by surveying the mountain, as we did with John 5. Then we walked through verse by verse through chapter 5, and then before we break camp and go into the next mountain in John chapter 6, that we would survey one more time where we've been and that we don't miss the obvious, that we would be informed by the truths, and that we'll bring to the forefront one more time the truths and be give us the opportunity to be again be taught by the Word of God in John 5. You know, we've already met a couple of different kinds of people in the book of John. We've met the religious superficialist, right? The superficialist is one who follows. Christ, loved the bam and the pizzazz of the miracles and all that, were excited about messianic hopes, but really didn't listen to him. They really didn't listen to the words of Christ, and so they naturally fell away. We met another kind of people already, the religious protectionist, the religious protectionist. And this person won't listen to the words of Christ either, will not be taught by Christ, because they've already got God all figured out. And they're not open to being taught.

6:33And it's this religious protectionist that we encounter in John 5. They are characterized by the Jews who want to kill Jesus. And no matter how religious they appeared to be, they were not being taught by God. I'm afraid some of us face that same problem today, right? Where are you? I'm going to state the obvious. I don't want you to be a protectionist. I don't want you to be like the Jews who wanted to kill Jesus. That's pretty obvious, right? Hopefully, we'd say, oh, yeah, I'd never do that. Would you? You know, their circumstances were unique. But the fundamental characteristic of these individuals who opposed Jesus in their day was that they would not be taught by him. They would not hear his words, and they would not believe those words, and they would not allow those words to transform their lives.

7:31And it manifested itself by opposition, even crucifixion. They were too committed to themselves and to each other to be taught. They went to hell because they wouldn't be taught. And so will all who will refuse to be taught by the Christ of Scripture, they will perish in their sins. You, no matter how religious, no matter how well you think you've got it all figured out, if you're not taught by the Christ of Scripture, you will die in your sins and you will spend eternity apart from him.

8:16In fact, you could boil the whole unpardonable sin really down to this one premise: being unteachable. That is what is unpardonable, is to be continually in a state of unteachableness, despite the evidence, despite everything. That is what's here. Well, I want us to go through one more time and look carefully in a broad, sweeping fashion, the mountain of John chapter 5. And I want to pull out 10 thoughts of practical theology. John chapter 5 is a rich mountain. Of theology.

9:03And I want you to see 10 key practical theological truths that need to change and shape the way you think and live. Well, we come to John chapter 5. We've got in the first eight verses, we have the miracle itself. The miracle takes place. Bethesda, the very word means house of divine mercy. And certainly this is where Jesus's powerful mercy was put on display. It came to a powerless person, as it always does. It came compassionately, gently, and directly, as it always does. It came with transforming power, as it always does. And in this specific case, it healed the physical body of a paraplegic or a paralyzed man, certainly to some degree. And what it did is it confronted the false teaching, the false religion of the day. And this miracle at Bethesda led to the controversy at Bethesda, which begins with a controversy over the Sabbath and ends with a, or it is expressed in verse 18 as an attack, an accusation against Christ that he is deserving of death. I'll read it to you. Verse 18. For this reason, therefore, the death of the death of the Lord The Jews were seeking all the more to kill him because he was not only breaking the Sabbath, but was also calling God His own Father, making himself equal with God. So, the bottom line, the accusation against Jesus from these Jews was that you are claiming equality with God and therefore you deserve death. And what happens from 19 to verse 47 to the end of the chapter is this witness discourse. Jesus brings forth five witnesses. There's Jesus, there's John the Baptist, there's the evidence of works, there's the evidence of the scripture, and then there's Moses. And he brings five witnesses to the table, to the stand, and Jesus will let them speak.

11:17So maybe a good way to remember this is: can you do this with me? John chapter 5, see the hands, John chapter 5, okay, five witnesses, five witnesses, okay, ten key doctrines of theology, okay? You get that? John chapter five, five witnesses, ten key doctrines of theology. And I want us to walk through each one of these quickly so that you will let them impact your life, shape your life, change the way you live. We're not doing any good if we go through life and our theology never changes. If we don't grow, we're going to. To go on. Life is moving on, and the intention of life is that we will be taught in the school of Scripture and in the school of experiencing life and understanding God and becoming more like his Son. So, first point of practical theology. I'm going to look at ten points of practical theology. The first point of practical theology from Jesus' own mouth is the intimate relationship between the Father and the Son. The intimate relationship between the Father and the Son. And it answers the basic question: why should we obey Jesus? Why should we obey Jesus? Well, because of the intimate relationship He has with the Father. Now, listen, had there ever been an opportunity for Jesus to clarify that He was not God, this was the moment. Okay?

12:58There are many people today who will claim that Jesus never claimed to be God. And my response is: you need to get more familiar with the scriptures, and especially John, and especially John chapter 5. Jesus certainly does affirm his equality with God. But he does more. He gives us a glimpse into the intimate relationship that exists between the Father and Son. He takes us within the Trinity, within the triune. The tri-unity of God. And he takes within, and he shows us, he gives us a glimpse to how that relationship works. And there are two aspects of this relationship that he brings to our minds. First is dependence. Look at verse 19, and we'll pick it up there and start going through this discourse. Therefore, Jesus answered and was saying to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of himself unless it is something he sees the Father doing. In other words, Jesus is saying, the Son is dependent upon and subordinate to the will of the Father.

14:10But the second aspect of this relationship is that Jesus affirms his equality with the Father. Verse 19, for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. In other words, he does what only God can do. Verse 20, for the Father loves the Son and shows him all things that he himself is doing. And the Father will show him greater works in these, so that you may marvel. All things. So Jesus not only does what only God can do, but he knows what only God can know.

14:48And he will go on through the rest of the chapter and demonstrate. He is judge, he is life giver, that which is, he does things that only God can do, and he knows things that. Only God knows. And this is his answer. Yes. I am of the same essence. I am God like the Father, subordinate to his will, but equal with him in his being. And listen, this idea of being equal to God, of a man being equal to God, is offensive. Okay? It was offensive to the Jews. They wanted to kill him for it, but it's very offensive today. In fact, I read a recent article by an Islamic apologist in the United Kingdom. And this is what he said. The very fact that Jesus was given birth and came out as a little, helpless, small baby is enough to refute the claim that Jesus is God. It is utter blasphemy to claim that God came out of a woman like all people. It is utter blasphemy to claim God came out crying and screaming and being helpless and weak. Such nonsense is insulting to God and amounts to basically rubbish theology. And he goes on to quote several portions of the Quran. He says in Surah 4, 171, O people of the book, commit no excesses in your religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth, Christ, Jesus, the Son of God. Son of Mary was no more than a messenger of Allah. Say not, Trinity, desist, it will be better for you.

16:395:17. In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ, the Son of Mary. 17:11, praise be to Allah, who begets no son and has no partner in his dominion. You know why Allah has such a hard time relating to his creation? It's because he is alone, he is isolated, he is cold and indifferent. He cannot relate because he isn't a relational God. He has himself, and that's it. But God, as he truly is, as Scripture reveals him to be, he is tri-unity. There is God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, one God, yes, but relational. And that's why the God of Scripture is relational.

17:29Surah 19, 35 says this. It is not befitting to the majesty of Allah that he should beget a son. Glory be to him. When he determines a matter, he only says it, be, and it is. So the idea is that Allah is extremely powerful. God is all-powerful. And yes, let me ask you this. If God is all-powerful, couldn't he become a human like us and speak to us? That shouldn't be too hard to understand. Think about if I wanted to go talk to an ant.

18:07What would have to happen for me to have a meaningful relationship with an ant? I'd have to learn how to speak ant, right? Not just speak ant. I'd have to become ant. And I could put an ant on my finger, and I can guarantee you I would have no meaningful conversation with him, and he certainly would not have any kind of meaningful relationship with me. But think about God: that God is able to come, walk among us, speak the language we speak, interact with us as people, as humans, and speak to us so that there can be meaningful relationship. That is the God of Scripture. He is a God who seeks relationship.

18:49But if he did come and take the form of man, how would we know that God walked among us? Well, I can tell you, we would know that God walked among us because he would do the things that only God can do, and he would know the things that only God could know. And that is certainly what we have in Jesus. And we have a reliable record that Jesus knew and did the things that only God can do. And when he was confronted with the question, or when he was confronted with the accusation, you claim to be God and you deserve to die, he goes on to say, Yes, I am equal with God, and I will explain it to you. You, because I do things that only God can do, and I know things that only God can know.

19:37So, as a matter of theology, Jesus is the Son of God, was of the same nature and essence as God the Father, and yet he was subordinate to the Father's will. That's the theology, that's the intimate relationship. Now, as we think about that and we take this theology and make it practical to us, how should we live? Think about it. If Jesus could not do anything without the Father, neither can we. The Father is in Jesus, and as believers, we have been given the same nature as Jesus, who was dependent upon the Father.

20:24And it's for this reason, think about this, that what Jesus says in John 15, verse 4, listen to what he says: abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me. You see a similar relationship here? See the relationship of the Son to the Father? He abides in the Father, cannot be separated. And as to the degree that you and I abide in Christ, we too share in fruitfulness. I am the vine, verse 5. You are the branches. He who abides. Abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing. So, Christ could do nothing apart from abiding in the Father. We can do nothing apart from abiding in Christ, who is with the Father.

21:17So, how do we walk with our Heavenly Father today? We walk with our Heavenly Father by obeying Jesus. The Father is in Jesus, and that is how we walk with the Father, as in the cool of the day, or as in the whole life. So, the first matter of practical theology, and the rest go a little bit more quickly, just at ease, but not too quickly, no. So, the first matter of practical theology deals with the intimate relationship between the Father and the Son, and that relationship is going to shape your relationship with the Father and Son as well. The second matter of practical theology is the dignity and the uniqueness of Jesus, the dignity and the uniqueness of Jesus. And this answers the question: why we should honor Jesus with everything we have. Why should you honor Jesus with everything you have and everything you are? Look at verse 21. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he will. Wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son. And get this in verse 23, so that all will honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Look at that dignity. There is a dignity placed on the Son by the Father to such a degree that the Father expects that there should be dignity on the Son. The Father puts all this dignity and honor on the Son. Guess what he expects humanity to do? The very same thing, right? This is why he says in Psalm 2:10, Now, therefore, O kings, show discernment. Take warning, O judges of the earth, and by implication, all of us as well. Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that he may not become angry and you perish in the way. For his wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in him.

23:38So as a matter of practical theology that should shape you, give dignity to the Son. Give honor to the Son. This is why you should honor him. Give dignity. No one else, no other religious leader, has such a dignity placed on him. I'll say this beginning. Beware, beware of any spirit that minimizes or excuses or excuses tribute to Jesus. You can be sure that if there is a spirit that comes to you teaching less to Christ, more to you, you can get away with less. If you get that spirit, you can be sure that it's not from the Holy Spirit.

24:27No, repentance is going to be a conman lifestyle of the believer. It is. And any spirit that would say that you don't need to turn away from your sins, you don't need to turn away from your sins, you can walk with Christ, is completely not of God. The Father wants you to honor the Son to the same degree that you honor him, and that is going to be a continual process of putting off and putting on and giving honor to him.

25:07Third matter of practical theology is the distinguishing mark of those who are born again. Now, how do you know who's born again? What is the distinguishing mark of those who are born again? Look at verse 24. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. Those are present verbs. The ones who are hearing Jesus and are believing that Jesus is sent from God the Father have eternal life. If you are not hearing Jesus or you have no interest in hearing Jesus, you're not born from above. And I mean truly being taught by what he's saying. Listen, God doesn't intend it to be difficult for you to know who your brothers and sisters are. You will know them by this. They will love the truth. They will love Christ's words. They will build their life around hearing those words. And they will continue to grow in their words, in his words, and appreciate his words, and believe that the Father has sent him. That's going to be the growing pattern of those who are born from above.

26:27It's not the external appearances that are definitive, but the inward disposition that is moving in a direction of hearing the words of Christ. Fourth matter of practical theology. Fourth matter of practical theology deals with the privileges of those who are born again, deals with the privileges of the believer or the privileges of the believer. Of those who are born again. And this answers the question: why are we truly free? What kind of freedom do we have in Christ? Look back at verse 24. I say to you, He who hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment but has passed out of death into life. So there is a current reality, the possession of eternal life. If you are born from above, if you are one who hears Christ and believe, you possess eternal life now.

27:37But there's also a future reality. You're not heading towards a condemning judgment. Your future is not one of condemnation. And that's because of your past reality, but has passed out of death to life. They have permanently passed out of the realm and dominion of death into the realm and freedom of life. So as you think that this is the theology, this is the privilege of those who are born again. There's a current, future, and past reality. Now, how do we take that theology and bring it down to a practical level and how should it affect our lives? Well, first of all, regarding your past, if you are a believer in Christ, give thanks. Give thanks for God's goodness and rest in your life. His faithfulness. Start right there, right? Your past is taken care of. Why he would take on our sin and deal with it? I don't know, but he did.

28:42So give thanks for God's goodness and then rest in his faithfulness. And regarding your future, take no fear in death, but only have eager expectation what God has in store for his people. There is no fear in death anymore. But an expectation of something so wonderful, so far beyond our ability to even comprehend. But then regarding your present, let this practical truth impact the way you live each moment. Your past is taken care of. Your future is secure. Now, how does that impact your present? You're free to celebrate life. You're free to live in victory. You're free to walk in humble joy. You're free to give yourself away. You're free. Free to give yourself away for nothing in return.

29:52I had this, you know, once we're saved, God has dealt with our past and our present and our future. It's not that we don't sin anymore, right? We still are going to struggle in this world. There's opportunities for sin all around us, right? Right? So, then how can I move forward? How can I walk in true freedom? Well, knowing that what God has given you is sufficient for all, for your present, to live in victory. You know, let me put it to you like this: I remember when I was first sent out to California to open an office and to serve this one very important client. We had this, I got the very first project in Southern California of this big company, and it was the first project, and it was a very big deal, and it had to go right. You may have heard me tell this story a little bit in the past, but I remember one particular day I was, we had started this, the very first project, and there was this lot of confusion on the job site. They all came in to the headquarters there. They had this big meeting, all these contractors and had the president, vice president, or the vice presidents there. They were big deal. A lot of money was on the table, a lot of money going around, a lot of anger, a lot of anxiety and issues, and pointing the fingers. And I get a phone call. You need to come over here right away. I'm the engineer on the project, and usually get all the. Get all the blame, okay? So, as I'm walking out the door, I don't know what I'm walking into, but some guy, one of my workers, hands me a roll of paper, a roll of plans, and he says, This just came in, it may be useful over there. I said, Great, I don't even know what it is. And so, I took it, and so I got over there, not knowing what I was going to, I walked into a firestorm, and here is the client up there looking at me like, You got to solve this thing.

32:02And so, I didn't even know what to say. And so, there's this firestorm going on, and someone says, Well, what do you have to say about it? I didn't know what to say. So, I said, Well, I took the plans, and I just said, I got these plans, I just rolled them out. I didn't even know what was on them. And I hear this, I hear these voices. Where did you get that? That's exactly what we've been looking for. This takes care of what this is meeting over. Thank you, and the whole group goes walking out. I still don't even know what was on those plans.

32:39My client looks over at me like, How did you do that? And he says, Thank you. I said, You just let me know if you need anything else. My point with that is that we have been given something in Christ that totally satisfies. God, okay? Totally. The righteousness of Christ. And so our past is taken care of. Our future is secure, so we can live in victory now. Tell you another story I heard this last week. I mean, I'm just getting into stories, right? But this last week, Pastor Stephen Davey, who is the pastor of Colonial Baptist and also the president of Shepherd's Theological Seminary that we have here, he told this illustration, it's a very good one that illustrates what I'm talking about here. He was out traveling for some conference somewhere around the globe, and he ended up coming back after a long day of traveling and got a layover in an airport for some four-something hours. And already exhausted, and he sits down and he says to his traveling partner, he says, Well, I guess we just got along. We got to go find some chair somewhere and just sit down in an airport and wait. And he goes, not so.

34:09And his traveling partner took him to the Admiral's Club and says, Yeah, we can get in here. Got into the Admiral's Club, and there's marble on the floor, there's food everywhere, there's nice recliners, there's a study center, there's all this very accommodating space. In fact, on my way back from Africa, after being 18 hours. After taking about 10 hours to get from Malawi into South Africa and waiting around for our plane, then we had another 18-hour flight into JFK, and then we had an eight-hour layover. I was exhausted. And so I'm like, okay, we got to go find a little seat. And John Gardner's like, hold on a second. He goes to the Admiral's Club. He gets us in. I don't know what he did. But anyway, I know exactly what that feels like being in that Admiral's Club. I mean, it was like I was able to rest, there was food, and I was able to study and prepare a sermon, which you guys heard the next day. And then, but I remember the rest. So I can really identify with this story that Pastor Davey was saying. And then he said, so when Pastor Davey got back, you know what he did? He said, I told my secretary, you get on the phone and you figure out how to get me, what it takes for me to get into that Admiral's Club. So she calls up and comes back a little bit later and says, You know what, Pastor Davey, you have been an American Express Platinum member for a long, long time. You have had access to the Admiral's Club for years.

35:49But listen, there are privileges that we have in Christ that we don't even access. You can live victorious. You can live victorious. In perfect freedom. Because you are truly free. Privileges of those who are born again. Fifth matter of practical theology. And this deals with the reality of the coming resurrection and the final judgment. And this gives us, answers the question: why you should listen to Jesus right now. Why should you be listening to Jesus? Because the reality of the coming resurrection and future judgment. Well, first, there's obviously the resurrection of the spiritually dead. In verse 25, that's going on right now. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son to have life in himself, and he gave authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man. So those who hear, why should you hear the voice of God? Why should you hear the voice of the Son? Because if you hear, you will be spiritually raised now. So be listening to Christ.

37:08But then there is a second resurrection. Look at verse 28. Do not marvel at this. For an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come forth. Those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, and those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of the judgment. So here's the sequence of this resurrection. Physically dead in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God, will bodily come forth. Those who did the good, that is, who heard and who was believing, they will enjoy a resurrection fit for eternal life. But the evil, those who would not be taught by Christ, who will not be taught by God, they will suffer a resurrection of eternal condemnation. Yes, eternal condemnation. So there is a final judgment, and Jesus is the judge.

38:09Verse 30, I can do nothing on my own initiative. As I hear, I judge. And my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me. So why should you live to please Jesus? Because he is the judge, and there is a future resurrection. Matter of simple theology that needs to shape your life. Well, then there's a sixth point, sixth point of practical theology, and this deals with the mission of the Son, the mission of the Son, and this answers the question why we should continually, as a church, be testifying to the truth of Jesus. Look at verse 34. But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. In other words, Jesus is saying, I want you to listen to John. The Baptist's words, not that I have to be accredited by John the Baptist, but I say these things because you should listen to him so that you would listen to me so that you would be saved. The whole mission of the Son of God is to come into the world and to seek and to save that which is lost, and he saves those who are lost through his word. And by hearing, people have the opportunity to believe, and by believing, they will be saved. So, Jesus said the things he said, so that people would hear the words he spoke, so that people would believe the words of God, so that they would be saved. It's the mission of the Son, and that should be our continual mission as well. It doesn't say who. Just hear the words of Christ. It doesn't matter who proclaims them, matters who hears them. So, we are about proclaiming so that people would hear, so that they would believe, so that they would have eternal life. Number seven. Number seven, seventh point of practical theology. The Father has sent Jesus. The Father has sent Jesus, and there is the value of miracles. He has sent Jesus, and he testifies to him through miracles. So, there's a value in miracles. Point, practical theology. Let us not be afraid to use and point to the miracles in Scripture as testimony to who Jesus is. He walked on the water.

40:31He healed the sick. He did things that only God can do. He created matter out of nothing. He deserves a hearing. And that's what Jesus was saying. He says, pay attention to the works themselves. And that gives us a theology of miracles, and certainly as they are in the scriptures, is that just look at what Jesus did. He deserves you to listen to what he has to say. Eighth point of practical theology, and this is from the testimony of the scriptures. The focus of scripture is Jesus. Jesus. Verse 39: He says, You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. It is these that testify about me, and you are unwilling to come to me so that you may have life. The scriptures are pointing to a greater reality than themselves, just like the miracles are pointing to a greater reality than themselves. But scripture, through the law, through prophecy, through statements, through types, and through events, the Father is testifying to Jesus through the scriptures.

41:45And spiritual deadness is seen in a person's unwillingness to come to Christ. Unwillingness to come to the Christ of Scriptures. People will come up with all kinds of Christs or all kinds of Saviors. Or all kinds of gods with little G, right? They will develop their own theology because they don't want to be taught by him. But spiritual deadness is seen in the person's unwillingness to come to the Christ of Scripture and let Scripture define the kind of Christ you and I need.

42:20Deadness is an unwillingness to come. So we should, as a matter of practical theology, we should believe the scriptures and not be afraid to let the scriptures transform our thinking. It always amazes me who somebody who comes to Christ in the seventh grade and never seems to grow. They seem like they have got God all figured out in the seventh grade and their theology never changes over time. So our theology should be changing. It should be changing for the better. We should be more informed. We should grow.

42:56Beware of being unteachable. Jesus is the focus of the scriptures. And he should be the focus of our lives as well, right? Well, number nine. Number nine point of practical theology deals with the real reason why people do not believe. Jesus gives it to us. What's the real reason why people don't believe? Look back at verse 44. How can you believe? When you do not seek the glory that is from above, from the one and only God.

43:40He says, How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? That's the problem, right? Man seeking glory not from the Father, not the praise and good pleasure of the Father, but the praise and good pleasure of man. That's the fundamental problem. Man loves himself, he loves glory that comes to himself. And you never will find God if you're not going to be intellectually honest or honest with your heart and say, you know what, I ultimately know that the praise from God is what is important. As long as you're living for the praise of man, you will not find the Christ of Scripture. And at some point, you've got to move on behind the relationships and let Scripture, let the Christ of Scripture define who he is and seek honestly him.

44:40Number 10, number 10, the real deals with the indissolvable bond between Moses and Jesus. Tenth point of practical theology deals with that indissolvable bond between Moses and Jesus. Verse 47. But if you do not believe, His writings, how will you believe my words? Listen, you cannot separate Moses and Christ. Moses spoke about Christ. Christ spoke about Moses. They both believed in one another. To be a follower of one, you must be a follower of the other. Those who deny Moses are not true followers of Christ. And I don't care how elaborate your institution gets or how sophisticated your argument gets. You cannot be a follower of Christ if you deny the existence and the words of Moses.

45:49If you're not looking for the one that Moses was looking for, you're not going to find Christ. And that's why we have a canon of scripture. Well, as I said earlier, life is the thing that happens as you're working through your theology. If you look around you, if you look at yourself in the mirror, it's clear that this world is passing by, isn't it? The front is moving through. The storm of life comes through, right? But beyond the life, there is a glorious new heavens, a glorious new earth. This isn't what it's all about. There's a glory that is coming. And all of life will soon be over. All of the temptations of life are going to be over. The trials, all the struggles. But Jesus' judgment is going to stand forever.

46:46And my hope, no telling what's going to happen in John chapter 6, no telling where we're going to be. Our lives are changing. And I hope that you will be informed and let, not, don't let the truth pass you by, and so let life pass you by. I hope that you're hearing the words of Christ. I hope that you will understand Scripture more. I hope that you are going to love the Christ of Scripture more, that you will love our Savior more, that you will love God more, that you will love each other more.

47:23Eternity is not that far away. So be teachable. Be teachable. Let the Holy Spirit shape you, teach you, and shape you through His Word as life goes on and you're working through your theology. Be humble by being teachable. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, forgive us where we have not been teachable. Father, forgive us where we have come to your word. or come to this building with all the answers got you all figured out and are unteachable in letting you inform us. Forgive us, Father.

48:15I think we're all guilty of that. I know I am. And Father, I just pray that you would, by your Spirit, give us the Spirit of a disciple, one who wants to learn. one who wants to be informed and instructed and changed. And give us the strength to obey. We know that you will give us, you will never ask us to do something that you will not empower us to do. And we know the strength to follow your commands and obey your commands can only come from you. And so we ask you to give what you command. And we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.