Real Life Community Church Sermons
Real Life Community Church, is a church located in Richmond, Kentucky. Our fellowship is comprised of authentic followers of Jesus Christ who aim to glorify God in all that we do. We have a desire to reach our community, meeting both the physical and spiritual needs of those who are hurting.What to Expect in a ServiceOur Sunday Morning services include a time of dynamic, contemporary worship. We have a full praise band, consisting of real Christ-followers who are committed to worshiping God, not just through song, but in every area of their lives. Each service will include a relevant, Bible-based message, that will inspire and challenge those who hear it, in their walk with the Lord. Come casually or formally dressed… however you are most comfortable. We hope to see you soon!
Real Life Community Church Sermons
Abide | Part 5 | Equipped to Bear Fruit | John 16:5-15
Why was it better for the disciples that Jesus "go away?" Join Pastor Chris May as he unpacks the transformative power of the Holy Spirit from John 16:5-15. Discover how the Holy Spirit equips us today in ways the disciples could only dream of, allowing believers to experience faith and joy beyond physical sight, as affirmed in 1 Peter 1:8. Understand how this divine guidance isn't just supplementary but essential for a deep, abiding relationship with Christ.
Are you tired of the empty promises of health and wealth offered by the prosperity gospel? Pastor Chris offers a candid comparison, highlighting the true essence of Christianity which calls for sacrifice, obedience, and the carrying of one's cross. Dive into the essential role of the Holy Spirit in convicting individuals of their sins and leading them to genuine acceptance of the gospel. This discussion challenges listeners to seek a transformative journey rather than superficial gains, emphasizing the necessity of the Holy Spirit's intervention.
Lastly, hear the inspiring testimony of Corey, a former atheist whose life was transformed by faith. Witness how his newfound belief and public proclamation of Jesus Christ illustrate the profound impact of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Chris underscores that, with the Holy Spirit's guidance, we are more equipped to live the Christian life today than the original disciples. This episode is a heartfelt invitation to deepen your relationship with Jesus and explore how the Holy Spirit can lead you in truth and conviction. Don't miss this opportunity to enrich your spiritual life and join our community at Real Life Community Church.
The following resource is brought to you by Real Life Community Church in Richmond, Kentucky. We hope you're both challenged and encouraged by this message from Pastor Chris May.
Speaker 2:It's from John 16, 5 through 15. But now I'm going to Him who sent me, and none of you ask me when are you going. But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you and when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. Concerning sin because they do not believe in me. Concerning righteousness because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer. Concerning judgment because the ruler of this world is judged.
Speaker 2:I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. Therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. Okay, would you pray with me, please, father. God, we bless your name and honor you today. We are so thankful for the opportunity to come together as a church family and to learn of you. Father, thank you for anointing Pastor Chris as he comes to deliver the message for us. Lord, and I just pray that we have receptive hearts and minds. God, in your name, we pray, amen.
Speaker 3:Amen. Thank you, kay. You can keep that. It's always in my way. That's your tip, Kay.
Speaker 3:Okay, you are more equipped to live the Christian life than the disciples were when they were physically walking with Jesus. I know some of you think you misheard me. Let me say it again you are more equipped to live the Christian life Than the disciples were when they physically walked with Jesus. Now that may come as a shock to you, Because if you're like many Christians the vast majority of Christians you think and you've probably said you know what, if I just could have been there, if I just could have embraced Jesus physically, if I just could have been there, if I could have witnessed his miracles, if I could have heard the Sermon on the Mount firsthand, oh, if I could have been at the cross when he died, and oh, if I could have been at the tomb when he was raised, then I would be much stronger in my faith. I want to submit to you today that that is absolutely not true. If you don't believe me, let me just point you to Jesus words in verse 7 of our text. Jesus in the upper room, he's about to go to the cross and he's speaking to his disciples and he says these words to them. I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away.
Speaker 3:Peter himself, who was extremely close to Jesus, spent over three years with him, ministered alongside him. Peter, as one of the apostles, wrote the book the first epistle of Peter, and Peter was writing to a lot of Christians who did not have the privilege of meeting Jesus physically before his death and resurrection, and I want you to notice what Peter writes to them and to us. Listen to what he says. This is 1 Peter, 1, verse 8. Though you have not seen him, jesus, you love him. And though you do not now see him, you believe in him and watch this. You rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. You know what Peter is saying to us through that text. We are of no disadvantage to him just because he walked with the Lord.
Speaker 3:Why would Jesus make this claim? Why would he say to his disciples it's better if I go away for you, I mean, they've been walking with Jesus and they've been ministering alongside him. And then, all of a sudden, he says oh, by the way, I'm leaving and this is actually a good thing for you, and this perplexes the disciples. So why does he say this? Well, it's a good thing that we don't have to speculate, because he tells us. Let me point you again to verse 7. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth it's to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you, but if I go I will send him to you.
Speaker 3:Jesus says very clearly the reason that it's good for the disciples that he goes away is because he's going to send them a helper. And the helper, if you'll just read on in chapter 16, if you'll go back to an early part of this discourse in chapter 14, you will see that the helper is the Holy Spirit. So Jesus says it's better that I go, leave you, because if I go I'm going to send you the Holy Spirit. And and then you ask why is it more beneficial to be with the Holy Spirit for the disciples than to be with Jesus? Let me say this it's not that the Holy Spirit is of greater power or greater authority than Jesus. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are part of the triune Godhead. We have Father, son, holy Spirit. So it's not the case that the Holy Spirit is somehow more powerful or greater than Jesus. As a matter of fact, jesus tells us what's the purpose of the Spirit. What's he going to do? He's going to glorify Christ by leading God's people.
Speaker 3:Here's why I believe that Jesus says it's better that he go away so that the Holy Spirit can come. You remember, we've been in John 15 for a few weeks and remember 11 times Jesus says to his disciples these words abide in me. And we've talked about what that means. Remember, jesus says that he is the true vine and that the disciples are the branches. And he said you have got to. If you want to bear spiritual fruit, if you want life, you've got to be attached to me like a branch is to the vine. Now, up to this point, I would argue that, yes, as part of Israel, the disciples were in a sense connected to Jesus, but if they wanted to abide in him truly, something else was going to have to take place in him. Truly something else was going to have to take place. So let me just have you go back with me in the book of John, chapter 3. So, remember, we've talked about, as you're turning there to abide in Jesus is to be connected to him in such a way that his life flows through us. So we're not supposed to relate to Jesus primarily as student to teacher. He is our teacher. But to be a Christian is not just to try to emulate Jesus, it is to know him, it is to be connected to him. Remember Paul, I've been crucified with Christ. It's no longer I who live, but it's Christ who lives in me. Well, how does that happen? John 3, beginning in verse 3.
Speaker 3:Jesus is speaking with Nicodemus, and listen to what he says. Jesus answered him. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. And Nicodemus said to him how can a man be born when he is old? Fair question. Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Fair question, and creepy.
Speaker 3:And Jesus answered listen to what Jesus says Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. It is not enough. If you want to be a Christian, you want to abide in Jesus. You can't just follow him. To get in the kingdom is not just to walk in. Jesus is the way. He is the gate through which we enter the kingdom. But for us to get into that kingdom.
Speaker 3:Something has to happen, according to Jesus in John 3. There has to be a rebirth. We have to become new creations, part of this new humanity. We have to be what we call regenerated. And how does it happen? It happens by the Spirit of God.
Speaker 3:So why did Jesus say I've got to go away? Because if I don't go away, I'm not going to send you the Spirit. Why not just Jesus stay and say oh Holy Spirit, come down here? Well, it's not because this is very, very important. It's not because there's some physical obstacle why Jesus can't be in the same space as the Spirit. It's not that Jesus is going to go up and transform into the Spirit.
Speaker 3:Some believe that that's a heresy. Quite frankly, okay, we believe in the Trinity. That's the foundation of our faith. So the reason that Jesus says it's better for you that I go away so I can send the helper Foundation of our faith. So the reason that Jesus says it's better for you that I go away so I can send the helper, is because he's going away with the purpose. He's going away with the purpose. This is the Night before his death At the cross.
Speaker 3:What Jesus is saying is this it's better for you that the Holy Spirit comes you, that the Holy Spirit comes because the Holy Spirit, they're not just following the Spirit. Believers are then indwelt by the Spirit. We become temples of the Holy Spirit, vessels of God's presence. And here's why Jesus has to go away, because if he does not go away to the cross to pay for our sins, the Holy Spirit would never indwell us because we would be unclean vessels. It is only because the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus that you and I can be full of the Holy Spirit. Amen. That's why Christ had to go away here. Let me say it like this the Spirit applies to us what Jesus accomplished for us. The Holy Spirit applies to us what the Spirit or, excuse me, what Christ has accomplished for us. And so Jesus says of this spirit he is your helper. How many just need some help? The spirit is our helper.
Speaker 3:Over the last few weeks again, we've been unpacking John 15. Talking about abiding in Christ and about the necessity of bearing spiritual fruit, and we've looked at this almost overwhelming idea that as Christians we are here not of the world, but we are for the world. Jesus has sent us out on mission. If you go to again back to John 14, remember, jesus says you're going to do even greater works than I've done. And that is not, again, to be clear. It's not greater in quality but greater in quantity, because believers are all over the earth. Jesus says I'm calling you to bear fruit, to preach the gospel, to let your presence be a healing presence in people's lives, to feed the hungry and tend to the poor. We are to build, as we talked about, not build the kingdom, god builds his kingdom, but we are to build for the kingdom.
Speaker 3:And so maybe over the last few weeks thinking about that, maybe you've been a bit overwhelmed and you think, man, I can't do this, I can't bear this fruit. And you are absolutely right In and of yourself, you cannot. But thank God, he doesn't leave us alone, he equips us with the power of the Holy Spirit. And, as a matter of fact, in Luke 24, 49, remember, the apostles had been with Jesus, trained by Jesus. Jesus School of Ministry.
Speaker 3:People argue with me well, they never went to college, because I think pastors should have some type of formal training. Well, the disciples never went. I'm like, okay, well, you go, spend three years physically with Jesus, and I think that would probably suffice. Right, so they've been with him, they've learned from him. But listen to what Jesus says in Luke 24, 49, and behold, I'm sending the promise of my Father, this is the Holy Spirit upon you, but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. The disciples have been with Jesus three years, and here's what he's saying. You're still not ready to do this in and of yourself. Just wait. Just wait for the promise, holy Spirit, and thank God. At Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out and every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, hallelujah. Do you see why now I say that you're more equipped to live the Christian life than the disciples were while they were walking with Jesus, because they had not yet been filled, in that sense, with the Spirit. It's amazing.
Speaker 3:So the Holy Spirit helps us bear spiritual fruit. How does he do it? I'm going to have to move a little bit quickly through this. How does he do it? Look at verse 8. And when he, the Holy Spirit, comes, will do what? He'll convict the world concerning sin and righteousness in judgment. The Holy Spirit does two things, mainly to help us. He convicts the world and we'll see in just a moment that he also guides his people. He convicts the world and he guides his people. How does the Holy Spirit convict the hearts of men? He convicts them concerning sin, concerning righteousness, righteousness and concerning judgment. Okay, those three things. So number one, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin.
Speaker 3:Let me just give you an illustration real quickly. I was listening this week to a podcast interview of Tucker Carlson and he was being interviewed and he's I don't know if he's a Christian yet, but he's really searching and just really fond of the Christian faith. If he's not a Christian yet, kind of like Jordan Peterson, he's very close. And he was talking about this. He said you know, it's amazing that Christianity has survived 2,000 years, and the reason he said that he expounded.
Speaker 3:He said, you know, if the message was this by the way, this is the prosperity message. That's why these prosperity gospel churches are so big. It's a false gospel. He said, if the message was this come to Jesus and Jesus will fulfill your dreams. He'll make your wildest dreams come true. Come to Jesus, you'll get health and wealth you'll never want for anything. Come to Jesus and you'll get the promotion and the big house and the car and everything you want. Come to Jesus, your best life now.
Speaker 3:He said if that was the message, people would flock. That can't be the gospel. If it is, then 2 Corinthians I think it's chapter 2 makes no sense because what we're offering people is what they already want Right, health, wealth, status, all that stuff. But that's not. Tucker Carlson points this out. He says that's not the message. Here's the message Come to Jesus. He's glorious, he's wonderful, but here's the Christian life. You're a Christian. The world's going to hate you. Jesus just said it. Matter of fact, they might kill you for my name. You'll walk a narrow and difficult path. Jesus' words.
Speaker 3:Christian life means you've got to lose your life metaphorically and be willing to lose it literally for his sake. If you lose your life, you'll find it. You've got to obey Christ Like. You're not going to always want to do what Christ wants you to do, but you've got to obey him. You've got to crucify your flesh. You've got to love your enemy, pray for him, bless those who curse you. And, by the way, you've got to carry your cross every day, like that's painful. Can I sign you up? Carry your cross every day, like that's painful, can I sign you up? Here's the thing.
Speaker 3:That message Paul says is foolishness to the world the message of the cross. That's not appealing to the wicked heart of man. So what the prosperity people have done? They've changed it to make it more appealing. Well, that's a false gospel. We're not called to change the message. You say well, how in the world am I going to lead anybody to Christ? I'll tell you how. Who's going to accept that message? Let me tell you who's going to accept it people who are enlightened, awakened awakened, let's say, by the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 3:When you preach the gospel, that is foolishness to the world. If they're going to receive it, if the world's going to receive it, the Holy Spirit has to do a work in their hearts. That's the only reason you're here today. None can come to the Father unless he draws them. So the Holy Spirit convicts. How does he do it? Number one he convicts the world of sin.
Speaker 3:Verse nine look at this Concerning sin, because they do not believe me. Now, I want you to notice here the word sin is not plural, it's not convicting of sins, it's convicting of sin, and particularly the sin, as you see, is the sin of unbelief, which, by the way, is the sin that condemns you, because there is no forgiveness except through Christ, there is no salvation but through Christ. So John 3, 18, let me just read this for you Whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he's not believed in the name of the Son of God and so the Holy Spirit. What he does is, when we preach the goodness of Jesus and the lordship of Jesus, he does something in the heart that resonates with lost people that says, oh, jesus is actually who he says he is. He convicts people of unbelief.
Speaker 3:You might remember in Acts, chapter 2, real quickly, peter, full of the Spirit, preaches a dynamite message and at the end of that verse 30-something I can't remember which verse particularly, but the Bible says that the people were cut to the heart and I would just submit to you that Peter didn't do that Through his eloquence. There was no music in the background set in the mood, and that's what cut people to heart. No, it's the Holy Ghost, it's being full of the Holy Spirit. And they cried out to Peter what must we do to be saved? And what do we do with all this? And Peter said, acts 2.38, repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. And thousands of people that day, by the power of the Spirit, came to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Speaker 3:And it's not just enough, by the way, just to believe intellectually in the facts of the gospel. I mean, people will say, yeah, sure, I believe in the historical Jesus, but it's got to grip your heart. Let me just read quickly 2 Corinthians 4, beginning in verse 3. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing In their case. The God of this world, listen to this. Who's the God of this world? Satan, this world, listen to this. Who's the God of this world? Satan, the prince of this world. Right, he has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel, of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Speaker 3:So, listen, you might be able to convince somebody in the historical facts of Jesus or even the gospel. But for them to have saving faith, not only do they have to know those facts. The demons in hell know the facts of the gospel and they shudder in fear. Something has to happen in their heart. What the devil is doing, it says in 2 Corinthians. Here he keeps them from seeing the light of the gospel, of the glory of Christ. The Holy Spirit doesn't just change your mind, he changes your heart to where someone can see. Now Christ is all beautiful, all wonderful, all glorious, king of kings, lord of lords. So it's only the Holy Spirit who can awaken hearts.
Speaker 3:So here's the deal. Some of you are scared to death to share the gospel with lost people, you know, because you think, oh, they're not going to listen. But I just hope you take hold of this today. Say it's not my job to convince them to be a Christian, it's the Holy Spirit's job. My job is to proclaim the gospel. It just takes the pressure off. It's like having a sales job. My job is to proclaim the gospel. It just takes the pressure off. It's like having a sales job and you have to make a certain number of calls. But it's not on you If nobody signs up all month, all year. It's not on you. You faithfully made those calls. So I just compel you today, implore you today, as uncomfortable as it is, share the gospel with everybody. You know that doesn't know the Lord, and let the Holy Spirit do the work in their hearts, amen. So he convicts the world of sin unbelief. The Holy Spirit also, number two, convicts the world concerning righteousness, verse 10. Concerning righteousness because Jesus says I go to the Father and you will see me no more.
Speaker 3:The vast majority of people in the world see themselves as pretty righteous. Okay, it's not just the Ninja Turtle, right, like it's this. No, the world sees themselves as righteous people. Just case in point remember the Pharisees. We went through the book of Matthew and we looked over and over at the Pharisees, who were the religious leaders of Israel, and they saw themselves as pretty righteous people and, as a matter of fact, the onlooking world, even the most devout Jews. They looked to the Pharisees and thought, man, if we just be like them, these people have a direct line to God. But when Jesus came on the scene, they hated him because he exposed that they weren't quite as righteous as what they thought and they hated him for it. Some people repented, they saw the light and they welcomed the light of Christ. They welcomed it. But Jesus John tells us that people hated. A lot of people hated the darkness or hated the light because they loved the darkness. It's pretty convicting, like if you compare yourself to somebody on the street or, let's say, hitler. Like you think, man, I'm pretty righteous, you feel pretty good about yourself, but compare yourself to Jesus and see how you feel.
Speaker 3:Look into the Word of God and see how righteous you feel. See most people in every other religion. What it says is this If you want, if there is an afterlife, if there is a God, and you want eternal life, or you want salvation or nirvana or whatever they're offering, here's what you have to do. You have to be righteous, and most people think, if there is a God, that they're going to get there based on their own merit. But that's not what the Bible teaches and so what the Holy Spirit does. As we live our lives distinctly by the power of the Spirit and we preach the gospel, the Holy Spirit convicts people that they need this Jesus, that he is the only means of salvation, that their righteousness is not enough. Your presence ought to be convicting around unbelievers.
Speaker 3:Some of you may may have experienced something like this, like you used to be invited to parties that you're not invited to anymore, or you used to. You know people used to call you and ask you out and say, oh hey, why don't you go to eat with us? And you know whatever? And they don't do that anymore. And you ask them why. They say, well, it's just not as fun anymore when you're there, and they don't do that anymore. And you ask them why? And they say, well, it's just not as fun anymore when you're there. Translation we're convicted about being drunks and whatever when you're with us. And the thing is you don't have to say anything. You're not standing on a soapbox shaping your finger, adam, you're just living for Jesus and you're just sharing. I mean, you're just overflowing with the goodness of God. And it's convicting, it's the Holy Spirit rivers of living water, as Jesus says, flowing from you.
Speaker 3:God's presence goes everywhere you go, and so the Holy Spirit, when you just proclaim the gospel and you live rightly, god convicts people that they're actually not good enough for salvation, that they fall short of the glory of God. But there's great news. You're not, we tell the world. You're not righteous enough, either am I, except 2 Corinthians 5.21. God made him, who knew no sin, to become sin for us, to take our sin upon himself, that we might become what? The righteousness of God in Christ. So, oh, brother and sister, you're not righteous enough for salvation. You're not righteous enough to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. But thank God, by faith, through the Spirit, that we. God's excuse me, christ's righteousness is imputed to us. His right, it's the great exchange. He took our sin and gave us His righteousness. Hallelujah, hallelujah. All right, I got to move on.
Speaker 3:Number three the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning judgment. The world, by and large, doesn't believe in the coming judgment. I know there's a lot of kind of apocalyptic movies, but they think if the world ends it's going to be because of zombies, right, and they have this idea that you know, if you want to survive, you just got to be really good and really heroic and learn how to use a sword and whatever, and fair enough. But what they don't think about is that actually there's a holy God who's going to judge the earth and he's going to bring justice. They don't think about the wrath because the vast majority of people are universalist. They believe, if they are a God, that there is a God that he's cuddly and cute and really, really nice all the time and just is going to give everybody this kind of happy place. You know, take them to heaven or whatever.
Speaker 3:That's not what the Bible teaches. We have got to be the prophetic voice in the wilderness that says repent, the kingdom of God is at hand. Like John the Baptist, like Jesus. So we don't just need to and we don't have to be mean about this. We preach this out of love. It's not just, oh, you know what. There's a great God and he invites you into his kingdom and he's going to come back and consummate that kingdom and dwell with his people on the renewed earth. That's the great part.
Speaker 3:But for those who reject Jesus, there is condemnation, there is judgment. And Jesus says in verse let me see verse 11, concerning judgment because the ruler of this world is judged. Listen you are either in the kingdom of God through Christ or you are part of the kingdom of the devil. There's no in between. There's no neutral ground. You're serving God or you're serving the devil.
Speaker 3:And what Jesus does by the Holy Spirit, as we proclaim that prophetic message of God's judgment is, people realize that they're in a losing kingdom. The devil has been decidedly defeated at the cross. His end is already written. Okay, we don't have to wonder. This is not the battle of good and evil. Which one's going to survive. We know the devil is defeated and if he is defeated, everybody in his kingdom will fall and they'll experience the judgment of God. And let me just submit to you. That's probably not something you want to experience. So the Holy Spirit helps us in that. He convicts the world. As we preach the gospel to the lost, the Holy Spirit brings conviction upon people's hearts.
Speaker 3:Number two, and I'm going to move really quickly through this the Holy Spirit guides his people. He convicts the world and he guides his people. Look at verses 12 and 13. Jesus says I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but is talking to the 12 disciples here and he's saying listen, you've been with me a long time, you've heard everything I've said and you're going to try to remember everything. Don't worry about it. The Holy Spirit's going to bring to mind the things that I've taught you. And then he says the Holy Spirit's going to teach you of things that I didn't get to, things you couldn't handle right now. He's going to tell you of things to come.
Speaker 3:And the Holy Spirit did that for the apostles. And because he did that for the apostles, what do we have now? We have the word of God. Okay, this is the main way that God guides by the Holy Spirit his people, because 2 Timothy 3.16 says this All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness. Did you get that? It is breathed out by God. This is not the mere words of men, this is the word of God, and you want to be guided by the Holy Spirit Beloved. You ought to be in the word every day, you ought to feast upon it every day. And for us, not only does the Spirit guide us through the word and sins, he doesn't just help us to understand it, or let us know, it's true, you know what he does. He helps us delight in the scriptures. It's not just a book to us.
Speaker 3:Let me just quote real quickly, 18th century pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards. He was a pastor for a short time in New York City and he later kind of wrote a personal narration of his time there. And here's what he wrote about the Word of God during his experience there. Listen to this he writes. I had then, talking about his time in New York and at other times, the greatest delight in the Holy Scriptures Of any book whatsoever. Oftentimes in reading it, every word seemed to touch my heart. I felt a harmony between something in my heart and those sweet and powerful words. I seemed often to see so much light exhibited by every sentence. Listen to this. Elsewhere he writes and I have sometimes had an affecting sense of the excellency of the word of God as the word of life, as the light of life, a sweet, excellent, life-giving word, accompanied with a thirsting after that word that it might dwell richly in my heart To some degree.
Speaker 3:Edward's words ought to resonate with every believer, because the Holy Spirit doesn't help us just to understand or believe the scriptures. He helps us to treasure the scriptures, to meditate on them, to love them, to live by them. How good is the law of the Lord. His word is a lamp unto my feet, the light unto my path. We ought to delight in his word and the Holy Spirit helps us do that. God has called us to bear spiritual fruit. He has called us to bear spiritual fruit. He has called us to proclaim the gospel, to meet the needs of others, for the glory of God. And it's not an easy task. The world, he said, will hate you for it. But you are not ill-equipped to handle the task If you are in Christ. If you've repented and received Christ as Lord, if you are a true believer, you have the Spirit of God living in you, amen. I want to just close with one quick story, just to illustrate how the Lord works through us by the Holy Spirit, and I ask for permission to share this.
Speaker 3:So my daughter-in-law, nadia, her stepfather, she and my son got married. How many years ago was it? I don't see Almost two years. So, yeah, this is my son, connor, and so he and his wife got married. How many years ago was it? I don't see, Almost two years. So, yeah, this is my son, connor, and so he and his wife got married. And I found out after the wedding that I knew they didn't, the family didn't go to church, but I found out her stepfather was an atheist, corey, and I really liked Corey from the first time.
Speaker 3:I met him and Corey and his wife actually came to church, I think before they were married, on Easter, one Sunday, and they heard the gospel. A seed was planted but I was hoping for them to come to the altar. They didn't. But I did what I was supposed to do and preach the gospel. And in conversations with Corey I would say little things about the Lord say little things about the Lord. And so my heart just began to long for him to come more and more to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And so I realized that I had done what I was supposed to do. The Holy Spirit was going to have to do what he does, and so I wrote Corey's name down in my prayer journal and I began to cry out for him. And I called my uncle, who keeps a prayer journal for the salvation of certain people, and I said hey, would you add Corey's name to your prayer journal? He said absolutely so. We've been praying regularly for him.
Speaker 3:Well, to my delight, several months ago I spoke with Corey and he wasn't at church, he wasn't at a tent revival, he wasn't even in the presence of another believer. He was at home and God moved upon his heart and, like Peter it's like we had conversations shortly after that and it's like what do I do with this? That's what the people who God was working on in the book of Acts asked what do we do with this? And so I kind of went through with him. Who God was working on in the book of Acts asked what do we do with this? And so I kind of went through with him. This is, I believe, what God's doing in your life and this is who Jesus is and this is what it means to be a Christian. And I so appreciate that he wanted to sit with that for a while.
Speaker 3:Jesus says to count the cost and he said I want to make sure I know what I'm getting into and that I can commit my life, what I'm getting into and that I can commit my life. And just a few months back, gloriously, corey came down to the front of this church and proclaimed Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior. Two weeks ago we baptized him. I believe it was two weeks ago. So I just tell you that to just encourage you again. Listen, I couldn't. Corey is a really smart guy and he was a staunch atheist. I couldn't argue him into the kingdom of heaven. But one touch from the Lord, coupled with the preaching of the gospel, and he is now saved. The Lord's already using him. It's amazing. You are more equipped today. You're more equipped today to live the Christian life than the disciples when they were physically walking with Jesus.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening. If you'd like to know more about how you can have a relationship with Jesus Christ, or if you have questions about our church, you can email us at info at myrealchurchorg. Real Life Community Church is located at 335 Glendon Avenue in Richmond, Kentucky. We invite you to join us for worship Sunday at 1045 am or Wednesday at 7 pm. Visit us online at myrealchurchorg.