Beyond

100:00:00.460 --> 00:00:02.830Real Life presents the Jack Hibbs Podcast.200:00:03.630 --> 00:00:06.850With intention and boldness to proclaim truth, equip300:00:06.850 --> 00:00:09.010the saints, and impact our culture.400:00:09.370 --> 00:00:11.290God speaks about new.500:00:11.650 --> 00:00:12.890He loves to give new.600:00:13.370 --> 00:00:15.250And that is so seen in the birthing700:00:15.250 --> 00:00:17.050of Jesus coming into the world.800:00:17.430 --> 00:00:19.310And He comes in just like us.900:00:19.650 --> 00:00:21.810He's got five fingers and five toes on1000:00:21.810 --> 00:00:22.890each hand and each foot.1100:00:22.950 --> 00:00:25.070He's got the nose, the ears.1200:00:25.470 --> 00:00:27.130He's just like you and I.1300:00:27.210 --> 00:00:28.710He feels what you and I feel.1400:00:28.710 --> 00:00:32.030He experiences the draft, the cold, the heat.1500:00:32.550 --> 00:00:35.570Everything pre-planned by the power of God1600:00:35.570 --> 00:00:37.090to come into this world and relate to1700:00:37.090 --> 00:00:37.610you and I.1800:00:41.380 --> 00:00:43.720You can get the outlines of this podcast1900:00:43.720 --> 00:00:47.500by going to Jackhibbs.com slash podcast.2000:00:48.220 --> 00:00:51.000Today, if this podcast lifts you up and2100:00:51.000 --> 00:00:53.260encourages you to live a more fulfilled life2200:00:53.260 --> 00:00:55.360in Christ, then make sure you leave us2300:00:55.360 --> 00:00:56.980one of those five star ratings.2400:00:57.300 --> 00:01:00.600To us, that's like saying amen or yes.2500:01:00.600 --> 00:01:03.360Then that rating will encourage others to listen.2600:01:03.739 --> 00:01:06.080Now open your hearts to what God's word2700:01:06.080 --> 00:01:07.100has to say to you.2800:01:07.460 --> 00:01:08.980Here is Jack Hibbs.2900:01:09.780 --> 00:01:11.660One of the key verses that you and3000:01:11.660 --> 00:01:13.420I always go to is 2 Corinthians chapter3100:01:13.420 --> 00:01:14.5005, verse 17.3200:01:15.200 --> 00:01:16.000And I love that.3300:01:16.080 --> 00:01:18.860It says, therefore, if anyone is in Christ,3400:01:19.740 --> 00:01:21.680so the baby born in Bethlehem is going3500:01:21.680 --> 00:01:24.640to someday in his adult ministry life, he's3600:01:24.640 --> 00:01:27.100going to challenge those to believe in him.3700:01:27.100 --> 00:01:30.780Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is3800:01:30.780 --> 00:01:31.600a new creation.3900:01:31.760 --> 00:01:33.140All things have passed away.4000:01:34.500 --> 00:01:36.280Behold, all things have become new.4100:01:37.020 --> 00:01:38.560Our God is a God that loves new4200:01:38.560 --> 00:01:39.140things.4300:01:40.280 --> 00:01:42.160We should never shy away from that.4400:01:42.800 --> 00:01:44.740Isaiah chapter 42, verse 9.4500:01:45.180 --> 00:01:47.120Behold, the former things have come to pass,4600:01:47.340 --> 00:01:49.180and new things I declare.4700:01:49.480 --> 00:01:52.320Before they spring forth, I tell you of4800:01:52.320 --> 00:01:53.060them.4900:01:53.760 --> 00:01:55.620Revelation 21, verse 1.5000:01:55.620 --> 00:01:58.100Now I saw a new heaven and a5100:01:58.100 --> 00:01:58.660new earth.5200:01:58.840 --> 00:02:00.740For the first heaven and the first earth5300:02:00.740 --> 00:02:01.640had passed away.5400:02:02.060 --> 00:02:04.060Also, there was no more sea.5500:02:04.560 --> 00:02:08.020God created a new existence called eternity.5600:02:08.740 --> 00:02:11.040Ezekiel chapter 36, verse 26.5700:02:12.220 --> 00:02:14.700I will give you a new heart and5800:02:14.700 --> 00:02:16.200put a new spirit within you.5900:02:16.800 --> 00:02:19.420I will take the heart of stone out6000:02:19.420 --> 00:02:21.580of your flesh and give you a heart6100:02:21.580 --> 00:02:22.100of flesh.6200:02:22.420 --> 00:02:24.360God speaks about new.6300:02:24.360 --> 00:02:25.960He loves to give new.6400:02:26.640 --> 00:02:28.880And that is so seen in the birthing6500:02:28.880 --> 00:02:30.700of Jesus coming into the world.6600:02:31.040 --> 00:02:33.180And he comes in just like us.6700:02:33.860 --> 00:02:36.040He's got five fingers and five toes on6800:02:36.040 --> 00:02:37.120each hand and each foot.6900:02:37.180 --> 00:02:39.300He's got the nose, the ears.7000:02:39.760 --> 00:02:41.360He's just like you and I.7100:02:41.440 --> 00:02:42.960He feels what you and I feel.7200:02:43.300 --> 00:02:46.260He experiences the draft, the cold, the heat,7300:02:46.540 --> 00:02:47.300everything.7400:02:48.260 --> 00:02:50.440Preplanned by the power of God to come7500:02:50.440 --> 00:02:51.940into this world to relate to you and7600:02:51.940 --> 00:02:52.140I.7700:02:53.540 --> 00:02:54.600There's new hope.7800:02:54.720 --> 00:02:55.500There's a new start.7900:02:55.660 --> 00:02:56.440There's new life.8000:02:56.520 --> 00:02:57.540There's a new world.8100:02:58.020 --> 00:02:59.560There's new everything.8200:03:00.100 --> 00:03:02.280And what's awesome is that for the first8300:03:02.280 --> 00:03:04.200time, new if you want to call it,8400:03:04.560 --> 00:03:06.800where God allowed himself to come into this8500:03:06.800 --> 00:03:07.880world like us.8600:03:08.300 --> 00:03:09.500And I appreciate that.8700:03:09.560 --> 00:03:10.620He didn't come as an angel.8800:03:11.500 --> 00:03:14.500He came to us as a human.8900:03:15.460 --> 00:03:17.560Because only humans are redeemed.9000:03:17.900 --> 00:03:19.040Angels are not redeemed.9100:03:19.200 --> 00:03:20.380That bums people out.9200:03:20.380 --> 00:03:21.500Forget about angels.9300:03:21.580 --> 00:03:22.840You don't need to care about angels.9400:03:23.040 --> 00:03:25.200The Bible says God made them to minister9500:03:25.200 --> 00:03:25.660to us.9600:03:25.700 --> 00:03:26.260Did you know that?9700:03:26.800 --> 00:03:28.180That's how valuable you are.9800:03:28.620 --> 00:03:30.500I want to give this to you in9900:03:30.500 --> 00:03:32.080a way of a contradiction.10000:03:32.820 --> 00:03:33.900Look at it this way.10100:03:34.020 --> 00:03:35.540The old world was cold.10200:03:35.680 --> 00:03:36.820It was a cold world.10300:03:37.720 --> 00:03:40.420Christ came into the world at just the10400:03:40.420 --> 00:03:41.720right time according to the Bible.10500:03:42.180 --> 00:03:44.240Israel was occupied by the Roman Empire.10600:03:44.740 --> 00:03:47.100Life was difficult to say the least.10700:03:47.100 --> 00:03:49.420But he came into a world that was10800:03:49.420 --> 00:03:50.920a very cold world.10900:03:51.500 --> 00:03:56.000Death, life, life expectancy, cultures, how people treated11000:03:56.000 --> 00:03:56.840one another.11100:03:57.080 --> 00:03:58.500You would have thought if you were God11200:03:58.500 --> 00:04:00.140sending your son into the world, you would11300:04:00.140 --> 00:04:01.420have brought him in at just at the11400:04:01.420 --> 00:04:02.640right time of what?11500:04:02.720 --> 00:04:03.360The enlightenment.11600:04:04.080 --> 00:04:05.540Or just at the right time of the11700:04:05.540 --> 00:04:08.060great economic boom happening in the world.11800:04:08.160 --> 00:04:08.760Not God.11900:04:09.260 --> 00:04:11.400God sends his son not only into a12000:04:11.400 --> 00:04:12.180cold world.12100:04:12.400 --> 00:04:15.279He sends him into a very humble, humble12200:04:15.279 --> 00:04:15.779setting.12300:04:16.660 --> 00:04:17.880A cold world.12400:04:18.500 --> 00:04:20.180How do I know if God loves me?12500:04:20.300 --> 00:04:21.420Number one, think about this.12600:04:21.640 --> 00:04:23.680We celebrate Christmas and he came into a12700:04:23.680 --> 00:04:26.680very cold, cold world.12800:04:27.660 --> 00:04:29.340At a very difficult time.12900:04:29.820 --> 00:04:30.860A second thing is this.13000:04:30.980 --> 00:04:33.140The old world was a very dark world.13100:04:34.080 --> 00:04:36.680My goodness, we've studied history and we have13200:04:36.680 --> 00:04:38.340gone through times like what is known as13300:04:38.340 --> 00:04:39.340the dark ages.13400:04:40.660 --> 00:04:42.840We hear about some of the great wars13500:04:42.840 --> 00:04:44.480on the continents of the earth.13600:04:44.480 --> 00:04:46.100I don't know if this is true or13700:04:46.100 --> 00:04:50.180not, but at the CIA website, it says13800:04:50.180 --> 00:04:52.660something to the effect that at any given13900:04:52.660 --> 00:04:55.980day, tribal wars all the way out to14000:04:55.980 --> 00:04:57.580national wars are taking place.14100:04:57.660 --> 00:04:58.200So tribal.14200:04:58.520 --> 00:05:00.960Think about North Africa or think about South14300:05:00.960 --> 00:05:02.220America and the Amazon jungle.14400:05:02.620 --> 00:05:05.020There's some form of wars taking place every14500:05:05.020 --> 00:05:08.320day to the tune of 128 wars happening14600:05:08.320 --> 00:05:08.920every day.14700:05:09.400 --> 00:05:11.280That seems impossible to us.14800:05:11.280 --> 00:05:14.720But the world is like that without God,14900:05:14.880 --> 00:05:17.140without hope, without Christ.15000:05:17.420 --> 00:05:19.360The world is cold and the world is15100:05:19.360 --> 00:05:19.800dark.15200:05:20.600 --> 00:05:23.840And everything about Jesus is him coming into15300:05:23.840 --> 00:05:26.440this world and he illuminates it.15400:05:29.030 --> 00:05:29.670It's awesome.15500:05:30.470 --> 00:05:32.830The Bible says in Isaiah chapter nine, verse15600:05:32.830 --> 00:05:33.210one.15700:05:34.130 --> 00:05:38.130A prophecy concerning Jesus against over 700 years15800:05:38.130 --> 00:05:39.250before Christ was born.15900:05:39.250 --> 00:05:42.570By the way of the sea beyond the16000:05:42.570 --> 00:05:46.370Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles, the people16100:05:46.370 --> 00:05:48.270who walked in darkness have seen a great16200:05:48.270 --> 00:05:48.610light.16300:05:48.990 --> 00:05:51.030Those who dwelt in the land of the16400:05:51.030 --> 00:05:53.910shadow of death upon them, a light has16500:05:53.910 --> 00:05:54.390shined.16600:05:55.450 --> 00:05:58.550And Isaiah attributes that light shining to the16700:05:58.550 --> 00:05:59.510coming of the Messiah.16800:06:00.070 --> 00:06:03.350In fact, listen, Luke chapter four, New Testament,16900:06:03.490 --> 00:06:04.290verse 14.17000:06:04.290 --> 00:06:06.870Then Jesus returned in the power of the17100:06:06.870 --> 00:06:08.110Holy Spirit to Galilee.17200:06:08.510 --> 00:06:10.990And news of him went out through all17300:06:10.990 --> 00:06:12.110the surrounding region.17400:06:12.510 --> 00:06:15.790And he taught in their synagogues being glorified17500:06:15.790 --> 00:06:16.450by all.17600:06:16.870 --> 00:06:19.090So he came to Nazareth where he had17700:06:19.090 --> 00:06:20.030been brought up.17800:06:20.610 --> 00:06:23.210And as his custom was, he went into17900:06:23.210 --> 00:06:25.310the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood18000:06:25.310 --> 00:06:26.130up to read.18100:06:27.590 --> 00:06:29.290And he was handed this book or the18200:06:29.290 --> 00:06:30.610scroll of the prophet Isaiah.18300:06:30.610 --> 00:06:32.750And when he had opened the book, he18400:06:32.750 --> 00:06:34.430found the place where it was written.18500:06:35.090 --> 00:06:35.870Listen to this.18600:06:36.410 --> 00:06:39.030Jesus says, the spirit of the Lord is18700:06:39.030 --> 00:06:42.730upon me, quoting Isaiah, because he has anointed18800:06:42.730 --> 00:06:44.990me to preach the gospel to the poor.18900:06:45.270 --> 00:06:47.350He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,19000:06:47.670 --> 00:06:50.550to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery19100:06:50.550 --> 00:06:52.650of sight to the blind and to set19200:06:52.650 --> 00:06:55.550at liberty those who are oppressed and to19300:06:55.550 --> 00:06:58.430proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.19400:06:58.430 --> 00:06:59.210Verse 20.19500:06:59.490 --> 00:07:01.750Then Jesus closed the book and gave it19600:07:01.750 --> 00:07:03.730back to the attendant and he sat down.19700:07:04.530 --> 00:07:05.930The eyes of all who were in the19800:07:05.930 --> 00:07:07.630synagogue were fixed upon him.19900:07:08.170 --> 00:07:10.250And he, that is Jesus, began to say20000:07:10.250 --> 00:07:13.190to them, Today this scripture is fulfilled in20100:07:13.190 --> 00:07:13.670your hearing.20200:07:14.030 --> 00:07:15.390What a radical thing.20300:07:15.970 --> 00:07:17.310No one has ever done that.20400:07:19.230 --> 00:07:21.730He's come, listen, to set us free and20500:07:21.730 --> 00:07:23.550to give us a hope with a new20600:07:23.550 --> 00:07:23.990world.20700:07:24.290 --> 00:07:26.750A new world that begins, listen, not with20800:07:26.750 --> 00:07:28.670the advent of some new currency, not with20900:07:28.670 --> 00:07:30.170the advent of some new politic.21000:07:30.730 --> 00:07:32.970The new world that he gives starts first21100:07:32.970 --> 00:07:33.890in the human heart.21200:07:35.510 --> 00:07:37.830Jesus said, my kingdom begins within you.21300:07:38.830 --> 00:07:40.570He told those that were around him.21400:07:40.770 --> 00:07:42.870He said, look around, the kingdom has arrived.21500:07:43.330 --> 00:07:44.130I'm here.21600:07:45.090 --> 00:07:46.570That's how he was able to raise the21700:07:46.570 --> 00:07:46.950dead.21800:07:47.330 --> 00:07:49.270He exhibited all the powers of the kingdom21900:07:49.270 --> 00:07:51.690life so that people would believe in him22000:07:51.690 --> 00:07:52.490and follow him.22100:07:53.250 --> 00:07:56.290The miracles were done not to convince people.22200:07:56.430 --> 00:07:58.570The miracles were done to tell them the22300:07:58.570 --> 00:07:59.730word of God was true.22400:08:00.570 --> 00:08:02.530You're not to have faith in miracles.22500:08:02.650 --> 00:08:04.730You're to have faith in the miracle giver.22600:08:05.670 --> 00:08:09.010And that's him, the Christmas Christ, the salvation22700:08:09.010 --> 00:08:11.170Christ, the Christ that delivers us from a22800:08:11.170 --> 00:08:13.970cold world, a dark world, and also a22900:08:13.970 --> 00:08:14.750hard world.23000:08:15.050 --> 00:08:15.410Hard.23100:08:16.750 --> 00:08:18.850Now throughout our globe, throughout all of human23200:08:18.850 --> 00:08:20.610history, there are regions that have always had23300:08:20.610 --> 00:08:24.330it hard just by virtue of this fallen23400:08:24.330 --> 00:08:24.870world.23500:08:25.670 --> 00:08:26.570It's hard.23600:08:28.030 --> 00:08:31.289But listen, living even here in Southern California23700:08:32.210 --> 00:08:35.070or wherever you may be, maybe you're listening23800:08:35.070 --> 00:08:36.770to this message and you're in a region23900:08:36.770 --> 00:08:37.830that is very affluent.24000:08:39.630 --> 00:08:41.470It can be a very hard life.24100:08:42.250 --> 00:08:44.290You can have all the things that promise24200:08:44.290 --> 00:08:48.190you meaning and hope and ease and be24300:08:48.190 --> 00:08:51.830completely destroyed and broken by the events of24400:08:51.830 --> 00:08:55.230life and when it throws its darts at24500:08:55.230 --> 00:08:56.590you, they stick nonetheless.24600:08:56.930 --> 00:08:59.070If they're being stuck in your ribs or24700:08:59.070 --> 00:09:01.850stuck in your back in Bel Air or24800:09:01.850 --> 00:09:03.310Bangladesh, it doesn't matter.24900:09:05.790 --> 00:09:09.470And Jesus came to deliver us from a25000:09:09.470 --> 00:09:10.310hard world.25100:09:11.330 --> 00:09:13.030But our God is a God that has25200:09:13.030 --> 00:09:15.730given us the hope and the assurance of25300:09:15.730 --> 00:09:18.010a brand-new world that first starts within25400:09:18.010 --> 00:09:18.370us.25500:09:18.370 --> 00:09:20.270Let me explain what I mean by a25600:09:20.270 --> 00:09:20.910new gift.25700:09:21.210 --> 00:09:23.510Throughout all of Israel's existence, in fact, it25800:09:23.510 --> 00:09:27.050doesn't have to be Israel's existence, for human25900:09:27.050 --> 00:09:28.350existence is recorded.26000:09:29.030 --> 00:09:29.950And this is kind of amazing.26100:09:30.130 --> 00:09:37.510If you're an anthropologist or a sociologist, whatever26200:09:37.510 --> 00:09:39.490culture you study around the world, it doesn't26300:09:39.490 --> 00:09:39.750matter.26400:09:39.890 --> 00:09:40.790It does not matter.26500:09:41.110 --> 00:09:46.450Find a continent, study the ancient history of26600:09:46.450 --> 00:09:47.990those people and go back as far as26700:09:47.990 --> 00:09:48.410you can.26800:09:50.330 --> 00:09:52.270And when you do, I mean, I hate26900:09:52.270 --> 00:09:53.010to burst your bubble.27000:09:53.250 --> 00:09:54.650I'm going to get letters for this.27100:09:54.790 --> 00:09:59.320But when you go back, you are not27200:09:59.320 --> 00:10:03.940going to bump into Neanderthal.27300:10:05.440 --> 00:10:06.820I mean, I'm sorry to tell you.27400:10:07.300 --> 00:10:09.420You're not going to bump into all of27500:10:09.420 --> 00:10:11.660our previous fathers that came from a monkey's27600:10:11.660 --> 00:10:11.920uncle.27700:10:13.540 --> 00:10:14.940You're not going to bump into them.27800:10:15.020 --> 00:10:16.440Those are fabrications.27900:10:17.660 --> 00:10:21.780And I don't mean necessarily intentionally mean fabrications.28000:10:21.900 --> 00:10:24.320But when people were trying to describe our28100:10:24.320 --> 00:10:27.520coming into existence and they would not consider28200:10:27.520 --> 00:10:29.320God, they had to make stuff up.28300:10:30.280 --> 00:10:31.820Why am I saying this?28400:10:32.180 --> 00:10:36.180Because man has never lived without pursuing some28500:10:36.180 --> 00:10:41.040avenue of faith and or religion, or both.28600:10:41.240 --> 00:10:41.820Did you know that?28700:10:41.820 --> 00:10:47.360Every culture has worship, shrines, temples, altars, and28800:10:47.360 --> 00:10:49.120pillars of sacrifice.28900:10:49.260 --> 00:10:49.360Why?29000:10:49.760 --> 00:10:52.780Because all the Gods that man made up,29100:10:52.960 --> 00:10:54.700they all required a sacrifice.29200:10:55.560 --> 00:10:56.620And you say, well, Jack, the God of29300:10:56.620 --> 00:10:58.220the Bible and the Old Testament required a29400:10:58.220 --> 00:10:58.600sacrifice.29500:10:58.900 --> 00:10:59.500That is true.29600:10:59.640 --> 00:11:00.300You got me there.29700:11:00.700 --> 00:11:01.120It's true.29800:11:01.900 --> 00:11:04.940The real true God required a sacrifice.29900:11:05.280 --> 00:11:08.980But even the pagan Gods of paganism required30000:11:08.980 --> 00:11:09.940sacrifices.30100:11:12.370 --> 00:11:15.410And we were told, or commissioned, or commanded30200:11:15.410 --> 00:11:16.270to bring a gift.30300:11:19.340 --> 00:11:20.840And in all the religions of the world,30400:11:20.940 --> 00:11:23.440there's only one that says, you know all30500:11:23.440 --> 00:11:24.780those gifts I asked you to bring?30600:11:25.100 --> 00:11:26.240They were just types.30700:11:26.440 --> 00:11:27.740They were just symbols.30800:11:29.880 --> 00:11:31.580Eshtar wouldn't say that.30900:11:32.880 --> 00:11:34.280Moloch wouldn't say that.31000:11:35.520 --> 00:11:37.000Atlas wouldn't say that.31100:11:37.500 --> 00:11:38.760Poseidon wouldn't say that.31200:11:38.840 --> 00:11:40.200Diana wouldn't say that.31300:11:40.800 --> 00:11:42.460The God of the Bible says, you know31400:11:42.460 --> 00:11:43.900that stuff you've been giving me for all31500:11:43.900 --> 00:11:44.760these years is real?31600:11:45.940 --> 00:11:48.780It's just a picture of the real thing31700:11:48.780 --> 00:11:49.120coming.31800:11:50.420 --> 00:11:51.500Yeah, what's that?31900:11:52.240 --> 00:11:53.700You don't give me the gift.32000:11:53.840 --> 00:11:55.700God says, I give you the gift.32100:11:56.220 --> 00:11:58.660The new gift is Christ and Christ alone.32200:11:58.880 --> 00:11:59.720He's the gift.32300:12:00.140 --> 00:12:03.160That's the entire point to this entire celebration.32400:12:03.300 --> 00:12:06.700The very fact that God is the gift32500:12:06.700 --> 00:12:07.060giver.32600:12:07.060 --> 00:12:09.520Listen, tonight and tomorrow, you're only going to32700:12:09.520 --> 00:12:11.580act like God and give a gift to32800:12:11.580 --> 00:12:11.960somebody.32900:12:12.620 --> 00:12:14.200It's an expression of love.33000:12:14.220 --> 00:12:14.820I get it.33100:12:15.500 --> 00:12:16.180That's fine.33200:12:16.460 --> 00:12:17.380Just know this.33300:12:18.680 --> 00:12:21.260The old gifts had become routine gifts.33400:12:22.900 --> 00:12:23.900Routine gifts.33500:12:24.220 --> 00:12:25.860Even though they're draped in religion.33600:12:26.180 --> 00:12:27.960Our God gives us a whole new, brand33700:12:27.960 --> 00:12:28.600new life.33800:12:29.040 --> 00:12:29.920And here's the deal.33900:12:30.360 --> 00:12:33.060If you get balled up and tied to34000:12:33.060 --> 00:12:35.500religion, you can be just like a pagan34100:12:35.500 --> 00:12:37.980and go through all of the religious stuff34200:12:37.980 --> 00:12:38.920and it's not real.34300:12:39.100 --> 00:12:39.680It's routine.34400:12:39.840 --> 00:12:41.700Well, I'm here right now, Pastor, because this34500:12:41.700 --> 00:12:42.580is our routine.34600:12:42.920 --> 00:12:44.640We do this once a year and I'll34700:12:44.640 --> 00:12:45.540see you next year.34800:12:46.800 --> 00:12:48.200Listen, save your gas.34900:12:49.300 --> 00:12:50.240Save your time.35000:12:51.120 --> 00:12:54.120God doesn't dwell in routines.35100:12:55.080 --> 00:12:58.100That sunrise this morning will never be repeated.35200:12:58.820 --> 00:13:01.520There'll be ones like it, but like a35300:13:01.520 --> 00:13:03.620snowflake, there'll never be another one.35400:13:04.460 --> 00:13:06.020And God doesn't want routine.35500:13:07.240 --> 00:13:08.360That's the old world.35600:13:09.240 --> 00:13:11.300The new world and the new life in35700:13:11.300 --> 00:13:13.620Christ, all of it is the opposite of35800:13:13.620 --> 00:13:14.100a routine.35900:13:15.900 --> 00:13:19.860Now, I know that as people, it's good36000:13:19.860 --> 00:13:22.220for us to have, I call it fences36100:13:22.220 --> 00:13:23.200or guardrails.36200:13:23.280 --> 00:13:24.460We need that in life, you know?36300:13:24.460 --> 00:13:27.900We need, we might say routine, but what36400:13:27.900 --> 00:13:29.260I'm talking about is a discipline.36500:13:29.780 --> 00:13:30.700We need disciplines.36600:13:31.180 --> 00:13:33.620Because you and I have a tendency to36700:13:33.620 --> 00:13:34.380wander off.36800:13:37.100 --> 00:13:39.200But listen, even when we say, well, I36900:13:39.200 --> 00:13:40.560get up in the morning and I read37000:13:40.560 --> 00:13:41.780my Bible and I pray.37100:13:42.200 --> 00:13:44.340Listen, it sounds like a routine when you37200:13:44.340 --> 00:13:45.200say it that way.37300:13:45.340 --> 00:13:47.340But I pray that it's not, because I37400:13:47.340 --> 00:13:50.080pray that you and God are actually making37500:13:50.080 --> 00:13:51.140a way together.37600:13:52.220 --> 00:13:53.940Because that's the kind of God he is.37700:13:54.760 --> 00:13:57.280He wants it all to be anything but37800:13:57.280 --> 00:13:57.820a routine.37900:13:58.780 --> 00:14:01.460Here's what we do, God, we do this38000:14:01.460 --> 00:14:03.020and then we do that.38100:14:04.160 --> 00:14:06.500And after that we do this.38200:14:06.680 --> 00:14:08.200And then I step up and then I38300:14:08.200 --> 00:14:09.600move to the right and then I go38400:14:09.600 --> 00:14:10.220forward.38500:14:11.760 --> 00:14:14.380And then you walk away from that and38600:14:14.380 --> 00:14:15.720somebody says, what were you just doing?38700:14:15.960 --> 00:14:16.660What do you mean, what?38800:14:17.120 --> 00:14:18.140What were you just doing?38900:14:18.140 --> 00:14:18.560What?39000:14:18.700 --> 00:14:19.140Oh, that?39100:14:19.260 --> 00:14:22.000Oh, I was just doing my religious thing.39200:14:22.260 --> 00:14:25.800A lot of people today are gravitating towards39300:14:25.800 --> 00:14:26.480spirituality.39400:14:27.000 --> 00:14:28.320Because they like the candles.39500:14:28.680 --> 00:14:29.980They like the icons.39600:14:30.880 --> 00:14:32.140They like the cross.39700:14:32.740 --> 00:14:34.180Or they like the stained glass.39800:14:34.260 --> 00:14:35.340I'm not knocking those things.39900:14:35.780 --> 00:14:38.020But if that's your routine in approaching God,40000:14:38.080 --> 00:14:38.900that's not a good thing.40100:14:39.840 --> 00:14:41.660The next thing is this, is that the40200:14:41.660 --> 00:14:43.620old gifts have become empty gifts.40300:14:44.940 --> 00:14:47.400Well, the gift that God gives, listen, can40400:14:47.400 --> 00:14:47.860you imagine?40500:14:48.580 --> 00:14:50.980The gift that God gives, the Son of40600:14:50.980 --> 00:14:51.400God.40700:14:52.280 --> 00:14:54.080And when we say that, he's not less40800:14:54.080 --> 00:14:54.700than God.40900:14:55.100 --> 00:14:57.600The Son of God is God in skin.41000:14:57.680 --> 00:14:59.420That's why he's called the Son of God.41100:15:00.820 --> 00:15:02.020Inside of him.41200:15:03.460 --> 00:15:05.160Do up the same lungs and the same41300:15:05.160 --> 00:15:07.420heart and the same pancreas and kidneys that41400:15:07.420 --> 00:15:07.920you have.41500:15:08.160 --> 00:15:10.660But his soul was divine.41600:15:10.660 --> 00:15:13.000His spirit was divine.41700:15:14.260 --> 00:15:15.760And God visited us.41800:15:16.500 --> 00:15:17.560Anything but routine.41900:15:18.200 --> 00:15:19.220Can you say amen to that?42000:15:20.120 --> 00:15:22.680Listen, you want exciting, you want to break42100:15:22.680 --> 00:15:23.120routine?42200:15:23.600 --> 00:15:25.340Start reading the John's Gospel.42300:15:26.540 --> 00:15:28.140That'll break your routine.42400:15:28.300 --> 00:15:31.620And then, look, there's nothing more disappointing than42500:15:31.620 --> 00:15:33.380for somebody to give you a gift that42600:15:33.380 --> 00:15:34.540is meaningless to them.42700:15:34.860 --> 00:15:36.000I don't know how to say this.42800:15:36.160 --> 00:15:36.960It's impossible.42900:15:37.100 --> 00:15:37.980I'm going to get in trouble.43000:15:38.260 --> 00:15:39.140I just know it.43100:15:39.140 --> 00:15:40.040I can feel it coming.43200:15:40.860 --> 00:15:43.400You know how hard it is to buy43300:15:43.400 --> 00:15:44.400gifts for some people?43400:15:45.140 --> 00:15:46.780Can someone, do you agree?43500:15:48.180 --> 00:15:49.880It's like, well, you get them.43600:15:50.940 --> 00:15:52.420And then you have an idea.43700:15:52.580 --> 00:15:53.740This just happened with Lisa and I.43800:15:53.840 --> 00:15:55.500We were doing the last minute shopping yesterday.43900:15:56.340 --> 00:15:57.140I have an idea.44000:15:58.620 --> 00:15:59.900And you know why I had that idea?44100:16:00.600 --> 00:16:02.000She said, well, we should get them.44200:16:02.180 --> 00:16:02.800I have an idea.44300:16:02.960 --> 00:16:03.760We should get them this.44400:16:04.340 --> 00:16:05.580She said, that's where we got them last44500:16:05.580 --> 00:16:05.800year.44600:16:08.460 --> 00:16:10.780I didn't help her, but I was happy44700:16:10.780 --> 00:16:16.100I remembered something that was meaningless.44800:16:16.420 --> 00:16:17.980If we would have gotten the same thing,44900:16:18.040 --> 00:16:19.280it would have been not only meaningless, it45000:16:19.280 --> 00:16:19.940would have been insulting.45100:16:22.100 --> 00:16:22.540Meaningless.45200:16:22.660 --> 00:16:24.400You want to give a gift that's meaningful45300:16:24.400 --> 00:16:25.600to somebody that you love.45400:16:27.000 --> 00:16:29.660Here's what's a remarkable thing about this moment45500:16:29.660 --> 00:16:30.560in time for you and I.45600:16:30.880 --> 00:16:33.160God loves you to the point where God45700:16:33.160 --> 00:16:35.380thought this is going to be the ultimate45800:16:35.380 --> 00:16:38.220communication of my love to you.45900:16:39.000 --> 00:16:42.200It will be me coming into the world46000:16:42.200 --> 00:16:47.100to live my life perfectly because you can't.46100:16:47.620 --> 00:16:48.900I'll do it for you.46200:16:49.580 --> 00:16:51.980And then when I have accomplished that, once46300:16:51.980 --> 00:16:54.320the law has examined me up and down46400:16:54.320 --> 00:16:56.740and all around, I will keep the law46500:16:56.740 --> 00:17:00.300and fulfill the justice of God and the46600:17:00.300 --> 00:17:01.400righteousness of God.46700:17:02.640 --> 00:17:04.700And all of you will come into the46800:17:04.700 --> 00:17:06.180kingdom of heaven if you trust what I46900:17:06.180 --> 00:17:06.720did for you.47000:17:07.480 --> 00:17:09.460You will come in, so to speak, not47100:17:09.460 --> 00:17:10.440on my coattails.47200:17:11.200 --> 00:17:12.260Oh no, better than that.47300:17:12.359 --> 00:17:15.420You will come in the kingdom of God47400:17:15.420 --> 00:17:18.160washed in my blood, covered in my blood.47500:17:18.359 --> 00:17:20.660Listen, you get close to Jesus and what47600:17:20.660 --> 00:17:22.839he does is he covers you in his47700:17:22.839 --> 00:17:23.859atoning blood.47800:17:25.160 --> 00:17:27.339And God the Father sees the blood of47900:17:27.339 --> 00:17:29.980his son Christ as your atonement and God48000:17:29.980 --> 00:17:30.560accepts you.48100:17:30.600 --> 00:17:31.560No questions asked.48200:17:33.560 --> 00:17:34.680This is salvation.48300:17:34.680 --> 00:17:37.480This is the meaning of the name Jesus.48400:17:39.100 --> 00:17:41.960Christ Jesus coming to the world represents a48500:17:41.960 --> 00:17:48.760brand new life for us, for all who48600:17:48.760 --> 00:17:49.640will believe in him.48700:17:50.740 --> 00:17:54.460Three things that we consider right now together48800:17:54.460 --> 00:17:56.620is that the old life had become visionless.48900:17:56.740 --> 00:17:57.860What does the Bible say about this?49000:17:57.920 --> 00:18:00.080Without vision, my people perish.49100:18:02.410 --> 00:18:09.490Listen, without vision, if you're visionless, you can't49200:18:09.490 --> 00:18:11.050have life at the same time, really.49300:18:12.770 --> 00:18:14.790Listen, the Bible says that a woman who49400:18:14.790 --> 00:18:17.830lives for a sinful life, the Bible says49500:18:17.830 --> 00:18:21.590she may be living for pleasure and think49600:18:21.590 --> 00:18:23.430that she's alive, but she's actually dead.49700:18:24.330 --> 00:18:27.970And that's certainly true for men, obviously, us49800:18:27.970 --> 00:18:28.330humans.49900:18:29.870 --> 00:18:31.470But God wants you and I to live50000:18:31.470 --> 00:18:32.070with vision.50100:18:35.350 --> 00:18:40.110Well, without vision, you can't see God and50200:18:40.110 --> 00:18:41.150God's plan for your life.50300:18:41.190 --> 00:18:42.310But I got news for you, believer.50400:18:42.670 --> 00:18:45.830If you're trusting Christ right now, I have50500:18:45.830 --> 00:18:46.570good news for you.50600:18:46.870 --> 00:18:49.510God's got an absolute vision for your life50700:18:49.510 --> 00:18:51.670and you will not stumble around in this50800:18:51.670 --> 00:18:54.090world because part of God's new life in50900:18:54.090 --> 00:18:56.150you is that God gives you the ability51000:18:56.150 --> 00:18:56.750to see.51100:18:57.130 --> 00:18:59.150And I'm not talking about seeing like, oh,51200:18:59.150 --> 00:19:00.990now I know which way to go, more51300:19:00.990 --> 00:19:01.610like a leading.51400:19:01.610 --> 00:19:04.270And then secondly, it's this, the old life51500:19:04.270 --> 00:19:08.970had become a hopeless life until Christ came.51600:19:10.430 --> 00:19:11.810That's why they were longing.51700:19:12.230 --> 00:19:14.070That's why the Bible says that they search51800:19:14.070 --> 00:19:16.670the scriptures to find where the Messiah would51900:19:16.670 --> 00:19:16.890be.52000:19:17.070 --> 00:19:17.890When would he come?52100:19:19.110 --> 00:19:21.450None of us appreciate this, none of us.52200:19:21.850 --> 00:19:24.010For 2000 years, you and I have lived52300:19:24.010 --> 00:19:25.770in a world that has known who the52400:19:25.770 --> 00:19:26.630Messiah is.52500:19:26.990 --> 00:19:28.910If you believe in him or not, that's52600:19:28.910 --> 00:19:29.470on you.52700:19:29.470 --> 00:19:31.590But we all know who he is.52800:19:33.030 --> 00:19:35.650In the name of Jesus, he gives you52900:19:35.650 --> 00:19:35.970hope.53000:19:36.070 --> 00:19:37.390And then finally, we end with this.53100:19:37.810 --> 00:19:39.990And that is that the old life had53200:19:39.990 --> 00:19:41.650become a powerless life.53300:19:41.710 --> 00:19:43.670No power, no power.53400:19:43.810 --> 00:19:44.370Please listen.53500:19:45.010 --> 00:19:45.630Are you religious?53600:19:45.910 --> 00:19:46.770I promise you this.53700:19:46.870 --> 00:19:47.670You have no power.53800:19:47.810 --> 00:19:48.930I'm not talking about how much you can53900:19:48.930 --> 00:19:49.470bench press.54000:19:49.830 --> 00:19:52.090I'm talking about the power that counts.54100:19:52.170 --> 00:19:52.730And that's on.54200:19:52.890 --> 00:19:54.710That's the power on the inside of you.54300:19:54.710 --> 00:19:57.890Do you have a character that is honoring54400:19:57.890 --> 00:19:58.310God?54500:19:59.770 --> 00:20:01.870That can only come from God's power, not54600:20:01.870 --> 00:20:02.350our power.54700:20:03.670 --> 00:20:05.830The great power that God gives to the54800:20:05.830 --> 00:20:08.710believer is a power that also comes with54900:20:08.710 --> 00:20:09.790it to relax.55000:20:10.270 --> 00:20:11.190It's not to sweat.55100:20:12.310 --> 00:20:14.590Christians should not be sweating out their Christianity.55200:20:15.710 --> 00:20:18.490That great power that comes is God living55300:20:18.490 --> 00:20:20.010his life out through you.55400:20:20.830 --> 00:20:22.470That's why the Bible tells us that we55500:20:22.470 --> 00:20:23.610are children of God.55600:20:28.020 --> 00:20:30.700This Jack Hibbs podcast, as well as all55700:20:30.700 --> 00:20:33.740the broadcast outreach opportunities, are listener supported.55800:20:34.320 --> 00:20:36.600Will you consider partnering with us through a55900:20:36.600 --> 00:20:37.220special gift?56000:20:37.960 --> 00:20:41.700Go to Jackhibbs.com to learn more and56100:20:41.700 --> 00:20:42.580stay connected.