- 
        
00:00:01
        - Hey, I'm Kyle.
This is Crossroads.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:03
        And today we start a new
series on the book of John.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:07
        - I'm John. Nice to meet you.
You may have heard of me.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:10
        I'm kind of Jesus's
best friend. No big deal.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:13
        Not really sure how I
ended up here in America.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:15
        I've been seeing
a lot of sights.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:17
        It's bad. It kind of sucks.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:18
        -We're learning about
Jesus from John's perspective
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:21
        who He really was.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:22
        - Oh, yeah. Go ahead.
Yeah, yeah. We hear about --
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:24
        you want to hear
about Jesus? Of course.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:26
        Yeah. The big man. Everybody
wants to hear about Him.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:28
        And like I said, we
were best friends,
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:31
        like Martha Stewart
and Snoop Dogg
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:33
        or Kanye and Kanye.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:35
        He was just like a normal dude.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:37
        He had a job. We
went fishing together.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:40
        He put on the
sandals one at a time,
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:42
        just like everybody else.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:43
        But at the same time,
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:44
        He was also an alien,
not from this earth.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:47
        He was like Thanos,
but not purple or evil.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:51
        Dude just said and did
things that no man could do.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:55
        He was God in human form.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:57
        Anyways, I get paid for this?
I'll tithe it, I swear.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:00
        I just want to more
of whatever this is.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:03
        Look, it comes with
its own little baptismal.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:08
        - Well, you get the idea.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:10
        Let's get started
with my friend Hannah
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:11
        talking about light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:13
        And actually, before
we get started,
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:14
        I want you to know that
we're completely donor funded.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:16
        It's because of
generous givers like you
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:19
        and me and my family,
thousands of others
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:21
        who make this message possible.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:23
        Let's go to Hannah.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:30
        - Now I'm a little bit
late, actually, super late.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:33
        But I'm finally filling out
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:35
        my NCAA March Madness bracket.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:38
        No, this is not a
basketball. It's a light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:40
        I'll get to that in a second.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:42
        Anyway, I'm pretty sure
that I have it narrowed down
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:45
        to who will for sure, maybe,
possibly, probably not win.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:51
        I'm not sure what the point
of brackets area anyway.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:54
        Hey, I'm Hannah.
And believe it or not,
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:56
        I think that my bracket
that I don't understand
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:59
        and Jesus might just
have something in common.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:02
        See, when I'm
filling out my bracket,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:04
        I'm looking for that top spot,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:06
        the one who's going
to shine above the rest,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:09
        the team that will
be a true winner.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:12
        Today, we're going
to talk about how Jesus
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:14
        is the true winner.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:15
        No, not in that like
cliché statement way,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:18
        but how He's the winner
specifically over darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:21
        Some call this light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:23
        Now, He's not just
any light. He is the light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:27
        Now we all have some
sort of bracket in life,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:29
        some space where
we have a winning spot
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:31
        and it's designed for something.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:33
        Today, I'm going to
tell you why Jesus has
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:36
        that winning spot in my bracket
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:38
        and why He deserves
that spot in yours.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:50
        Okay. Let me tell
you why I was late
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:53
        building out my NCAA bracket.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:55
        It's because I was busy.
Maybe out of town. Tired?
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:00
        No, actually, it's just
because I really don't care
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:02
        too much about who
actually wins this time around.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:05
        But I think I know
some ancient characters
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:08
        who have a bracket of their own
that they're trying to fill out,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:11
        and they probably
care a lot more than me.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:14
        Like I said, this NCAA bracket,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:17
        it has something
to do with Jesus
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:19
        and I'm about to prove
it to you right now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:21
        I love how we're meeting
this John character
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:24
        and bringing him into
our current context,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:27
        because I bet an
NCAA bracket like thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:31
        where there's the
boxes and the lines
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:33
        that would have been
really useful for John
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:36
        and people like
John living in his time.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:39
        See, the apostle John,
the follower of Jesus,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:41
        the disciple, he calls himself
the one who Jesus loves,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:45
        this guy and many people
during the same time period
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:48
        he lived, they were
all looking for someone
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:51
        to fill this highest
ranking spot,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:54
        and that is the Messiah.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:56
        They were looking for the
ultimate winner over darkness,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:59
        and there's only
one spot for that.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:02
        They were searching
for the one who was going
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:04
        to come and finally
save and deliver them.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:08
        And you're like, "Save
and deliver them from what?
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:11
        Aren't we talking
about the Jews here?
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:13
        God's chosen people
who were already
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:16
        rescued from Egypt by Moses?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:18
        Well, this is God's chosen
people we're talking about,
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:22
        but we're not exactly talking
about the Jews in Egypt.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:26
        Let me catch you up.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:27
        We're talking about
people who wanted
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:29
        to be delivered from darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:32
        They were searching for light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:35
        In John 1:1 it says:
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:03
        Why is the writer, John,
telling us all of this?
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:06
        Why is he talking about lights,
and being in the beginning?
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:09
        Why's he even going
back to Genesis?
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:10
        Didn't we just do that?
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:11
        No, no. He's doing this
because he's trying to let us,
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:14
        the reader, know who Jesus is.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:18
        See, it's right here in
this important distinction,
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:21
        but very clever conjunction
that the writer makes,
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:24
        that we understand who Jesus is.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:27
        He's both Word and He's flesh.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:29
        It means that He's
both Divine, Son of God,
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:32
        and He's human, the son of man.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:35
        Let me tell you why this
distinction is so important.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:38
        Because in a world where
truth is so hard to nail down,
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:41
        we're so subjective,
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:43
        the concept of God
is hard to decipher.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:46
        It's out there
among all the noise
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:48
        of all the other things
that call themselves gods.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:51
        God gave us a sure way
to know what He is like
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:55
        and who He is, and
that is through Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:59
        So God is holy. Yeah.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:01
        And we can't see Him,
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:02
        which makes Him
feel really far away.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:05
        He made sure that we
don't have to wonder
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:07
        or question about
what his character is
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:10
        because of Jesus, Jesus
is God in human form.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:15
        And He made sure that
we will be able to know
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:17
        that He is light, who will
always beat darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:21
        Now the Bible points
to this consistently
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:23
        in Colossians 1:15 it says:
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:30
        And in Hebrews 1:3 it says:
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:43
        But why? Why do we need
to know what God is like?
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:47
        Why does it matter if
He's represented in Jesus?
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:51
        Well, I think there's
a host of reasons,
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:53
        but I think it's
because God wants us
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:55
        to be able to
distinguish Him as light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:58
        He wants us to be able
to identify that it is Him
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:01
        who is truth, who
is life, who is peace,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:04
        and who is light that
shines in the darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:08
        See, on that NCAA bracket
that I mentioned earlier,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:12
        there's only one
space for the winner.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:14
        There's a lot of contenders,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:16
        a lot of teams that compete.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:17
        A lot of people that really want
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:19
        to get into that final spot.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:20
        But at the end of the
day, there's just one.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:23
        Now, if the apostle
John had had a bracket,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:26
        there would only be one
space for the Messiah, too,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:28
        one space for the
Savior, the coming person
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:31
        that was supposed
to change everything.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:34
        But just like the teams
on my NCAA bracket,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:37
        there would have
been a lot of people,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:39
        a lot of competitors,
if you will,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:40
        a lot of contenders
trying to make their way
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:43
        to that winning spot.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:44
        Now, if you don't
believe me that there is
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:46
        a ranking situation
in the Bible,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:47
        I'm going to tell you is
right here in the Bible.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:49
        John the Baptist,
not the Apostle John,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:51
        a different John,
who's Jesus's cousin,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:54
        some people even
thought he was the Messiah.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:55
        He said this:
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:04
        See y'all, there it
is. There's a ranking.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:07
        So there's people
moving all around,
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:09
        all over the bracket,
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:10
        trying to get into
that final spot.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:13
        And so the people,
like John I imagine,
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:15
        people like Moses,
people like John the Baptist
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:17
        perhaps even were like,
"Who is this messiah?
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:20
        Who's going to
fill that final spot?
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:23
        Who is going to be the light
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:25
        that saves us from darkness?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:27
        They're saying,
"Will you be the one
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:29
        that takes away all the
pain, all the suffering?
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:33
        They're searching, and
honestly, aren't we all?
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:38
        We all might have a bracket
of some sort in our life,
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:42
        that thing where we're like
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:43
        there is only one winning spot,
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:46
        something where we want
to fill the ultimate space,
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:49
        something where we have
actually tried everything
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:52
        and we've moved
all the boxes around
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:54
        trying to figure out what
is going to be the winner,
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:56
        what is going to be the thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:58
        that takes away the darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:00
        Maybe we're searching
for the ultimate thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:02
        that will make us happy.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:04
        And so we've tried all
these different things.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:05
        We moved around the boxes.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:07
        Maybe we're searching
for the one thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:09
        that will bring us peace.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:10
        Maybe we're looking
for the one thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:13
        that's going to take
away the gnawing feeling
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:16
        of loneliness, the
feeling of worthlessness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:19
        Maybe we're
looking for the thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:21
        that's going to
take away darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:25
        And I'm telling you, I got
the answer. It's the light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:32
        - So this tinder isn't
used to start fires?
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:34
        - No, no, it does
something very different.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:36
        I mean, it'll burn
your life down, but --
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:38
        - That's okay, that's
okay. Huh? Interesting.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:39
        I don't know if you
guys have heard
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:41
        about these things called
phones. They're amazing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:43
        Like, we never had these
where I'm from, you know?
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:46
        - Uh huh.
- I learned there's this thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:47
        called the Crossroads
app, and you can get it,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:50
        and you can read
the Bible in the app.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:52
        And like, where
do I get that again?
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:54
        - At the App Store.
- The App Store.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:56
        - It's kind of like a
market kind of thing,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:58
        like where you get your
breads and your apps together?
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:00
        - No, not at all.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:02
        - Is there another
place I can get it?
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:04
        - You can go to Crossroads.net.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:05
        - Oh, I love nets.
- You can look there.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:07
        - Love nets.
- It's not what you think it is.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:08
        - Okay, well, either
way, there's this like --
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:10
        There's this, like,
painting that moves.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:12
        What do you call that?
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:13
        - Magic.
- Magic.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:15
        Let's watch some
magic right now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:19
        - This is a story from
the Bible Challenge.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:22
        - I'm Rico Calles
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:24
        and I am a cross-country
and track coach.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:26
        So I wake up every morning
and get ready for my day.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:29
        I grab a cup of coffee
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:31
        and I come to the chair
that I'm sitting at right now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:35
        The Bible challenge
is fun because
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:37
        even though I'm by
myself, I know that
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:39
        there are other people
doing it alongside me.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:41
        And it's also really cool to see
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:43
        how they're
interpreting something
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:45
        and how it's
applying to their life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:47
        I think when we were going
through the Book of Daniel,
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:49
        it was pretty awesome
to see just like
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:51
        his discipline and how Daniel
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:53
        would pray at the same
time in the same place.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:55
        So those were like predictable
patterns in his life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:58
        That idea from the
Book of Daniel can easily
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:00
        be replicated with
the kids that I coach
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:02
        in the sport of running.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:03
        Even on the tough days
when we don't want to,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:05
        like, we're going to show
up and we're going to do it
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:07
        because that's one
of our team values.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:09
        As a result of me
participating in it,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:12
        I get to influence other
lives as a result of that.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:18
        - So, we're searching,
we keep looking
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:22
        and we're searching
on how we're going to fill
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:25
        our brackets, whatever
that bracket is for you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:28
        We keep looking for
what we're going to think
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:30
        is going to be the winner.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:32
        We keep asking ourselves,
what is that ultimate thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:34
        that will make the
darkness in my life go away?
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:38
        We fill it.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:39
        We fill our brackets
with all types of stuff.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:42
        It's all artificial.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:43
        We fill it with maybe striving,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:45
        striving for the
next best thing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:46
        And so we see one
part like, "Oh, this job.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:48
        You know what?
That's not good enough.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:50
        That's not going to
move on to the next round.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:52
        Get a new job."
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:53
        Maybe we fill our
bracket with isolation
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:55
        and self reliance.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:56
        We say, "I tried
that small group.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:58
        I tried that group of friends.
They didn't make the cut.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:01
        You know what's better? Me
on my own. Me, myself and I."
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:04
        Maybe we fill up our
brackets, our lives
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:07
        with immediate gratification.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:10
        We think that's the
way out of darkness
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:11
        is simply satisfying every
single thing that we want.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:14
        Maybe we think the way out
of darkness is just numbing,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:18
        because it's better not to feel.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:22
        We're all searching
and we're looking for
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:24
        the physical thing that
can fix our spiritual problem.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:29
        You see, there
is actually a fix,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:32
        a fix to the darkness,
and it's called light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:35
        Maybe you've tried it
out. Maybe you haven't.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:38
        But this light, the
light, by the way,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:40
        is the only thing that
can drive out darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:43
        It's the only thing
that's more powerful
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:45
        than what can feel like
thick and heavy, heavy space.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:51
        See, and that's
where Jesus comes in.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:53
        I think God knew that
humans that He placed in
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:57
        a very physical world
would always look for
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:00
        a physical fix to a
spiritual problem.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:03
        And that's why Jesus is
the perfect combination,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:06
        see, because he's both
God and man, God and flesh.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:10
        This physical flesh over here
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:12
        is also the divine
spiritual God,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:15
        someone who, when
we see him, we can say,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:18
        we've seen the Father
because He is the Father.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:21
        See, and He's the
only physical being
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:24
        with the divine power
to drive away darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:28
        Yeah, maybe I'm talking
about physical darkness,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:31
        like, dark at night with stars.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:32
        Yeah, Jesus can drive it out.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:34
        But that's not really
what I'm getting at.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:36
        I'm talking about driving
out the spiritual darkness
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:39
        that you and I all have.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:41
        And you know what?
It's on display everywhere,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:43
        the kind of darkness that
makes us hate our brother.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:47
        See, it's this kind of
darkness that leads us
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:49
        to believe we'll be
alone, unloved, forever.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:53
        It's the kind of
darkness that lets hatred
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:56
        and division rule.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:58
        This kind of
darkness is the kind
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:01
        that Jesus came to overcome.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:03
        And, yes, He came to
overcome it for the world,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:05
        but also in our
own personal lives.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:09
        The Bible calls Him the
light of the world, and He is.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:13
        But he's also the light
of our personal worlds.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:16
        And it's in this light
that gives us hope.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:19
        It helps us see that
there is a better way,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:21
        there is a better plan.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:23
        There is a light that reminds us
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:26
        we don't have to be in darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:27
        We don't have to be broken.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:28
        We don't have to be even in sin.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:31
        We can be whole.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:33
        Now, you might
be asking yourself,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:35
        "Hannah, how can
you believe this?
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:37
        I don't even see the physical
darkness you're talking about.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:39
        I don't actually
even need a Savior."
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:43
        Maybe you're right, but
if you're anything like me,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:47
        you know that in the
back of your mind,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:50
        without Jesus there
is something missing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:52
        There's a piece of
you that feels a void.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:56
        I'll tell you how I
believe in the light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:58
        It's this thing called faith.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:00
        Yeah. Faith lets
us believe this.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:03
        Sometimes I actually look around
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:06
        and it's hard to have
faith because I'm like,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:08
        "The darkness is winning.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:09
        The darkness is all
around and it's still winning.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:13
        What did Jesus overcome?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:14
        There's war, there's
famine, there's poverty,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:17
        there's stealing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:18
        There are people
cutting you in COVID lines
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:20
        and then threatening
to harm you."
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:22
        That's a true story, it
happened to a friend of mine.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:24
        The world is crazy.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:26
        But you know what?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:28
        Then I take a look at
my own personal life,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:30
        and I think about the mess
that I was before Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:34
        I think about the
person that's obsessed
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:36
        with perfection, with
overworking, with striving.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:40
        The person who
thinks, "You know what,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:42
        if I get the next best thing,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:43
        then I'm going to be whole."
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:44
        I think about my
own futile solutions
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:47
        that I have put in
all of these brackets.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:50
        See, my bracket was
filled with both self-loathing,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:53
        simultaneously toxic autonomy.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:57
        I look at how I was,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:59
        and Sundays maybe
even still struggle with this.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:02
        But I was headed for spiritual
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:04
        and emotional destruction.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:07
        And then there's this light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:09
        Jesus who offers me
and, oh, you, by the way,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:13
        He offers us a better way.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:16
        He lets me know that the anger
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:18
        that I struggle with sometimes,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:20
        the pride that I
struggle with sometimes,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:23
        those things don't
have to rule my life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:26
        See, when I look at Jesus,
when I look at the light,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:29
        His light shines out the
darkness because I know
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:31
        that I actually can be
compassionate just like Him.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:34
        He offers me hope.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:36
        He lets me know
that, you know what?
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:37
        I can have an impact on
this world, just like He did.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:42
        And when I look
at those actions,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:43
        when I look at the
light, I'm looking at God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:46
        See I'm living proof
that the light works, y'all.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:49
        Me standing right here is living
proof that the light works.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:53
        I'm a walking example
that God in the flesh,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:58
        who we call Jesus,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:59
        is the only one who
deserves the center bracket.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:03
        He's the only winner that
can overcome the darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:07
        He's the only light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:09
        You know, I can't
believe it sometimes,
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:11
        but He actually wants
a relationship with me.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:16
        He actually wants a
relationship with you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:20
        He might be saying
to you, "Listen,
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:22
        you've tried all
the other lights."
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:25
        Remember I had that
orb, that artificial light,
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:27
        that candle,
that artificial light,
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:29
        the lamp, that artificial light.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:31
        You've tried all the
other artificial lights
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:34
        trying to fix your
dark situations
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:36
        and you filled your bracket.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:37
        You said, "This one's
going to be the winner.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:39
        No, no, no. It's
going to be this one.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:41
        It's going to be this one."
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:42
        You filled it with anything
and everything else.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:46
        But Jesus is saying,
"What about me?
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:49
        How about you give the
real source of light a try?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:55
        See when we have this light,
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:57
        the ultimate winner of
darkness, it changes things.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:01
        When we have the
light that Jesus offers,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:04
        He doesn't just say, "Oh, no,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:06
        everything's going
to be perfect."
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:07
        You know what?
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:08
        When we have the
light that Jesus offers,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:10
        it gives us a blueprint for how
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:12
        we should see
everything else in our lives.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:14
        And that's through, remember,
He's the light and the Word.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:18
        See, our standard for
what is true starts to change.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:21
        Our standard for what
is good starts to shift.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:24
        It's no longer this, like,
murky out there thing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:27
        We can literally look
at Jesus and see God,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:30
        and things start to clear up
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:32
        because it's this
God, it's this Jesus
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:35
        who's the light that
drives out darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:38
        In a second we're
about to head to worship,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:40
        which is just
prayer set to music.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:43
        And you might be like,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:44
        "Why do I need to
pray set to music?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:46
        But that moment of
worship, it does something.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:48
        It aligns us with God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:51
        Now, if you're
looking for that light
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:52
        that I talked about, if
you're one of the ones
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:54
        who are like, "You know what?
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:56
        I've actually tried all
the other things in my life
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:58
        that I thought were going to be
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:00
        the ultimate light to
drive out darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:02
        And nothing has worked.
Nothing's worked."
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:04
        This moment of worship is
for you to really think about
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:08
        if you want to invite
that light into your life
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:10
        to align yourself.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:11
        But for those of you
who are ready right now,
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:13
        if you're like, "I actually
don't need to think,
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:15
        I actually have tried all
the other artificial lights
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:17
        and I'm ready to make
that shift right this second."
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:19
        I want you to pray with me.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:21
        You can repeat after
me if that's helpful.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:23
        God, it's me, Hannah.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:26
        Now you say your name.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:29
        And I'm coming to You
because I've tried everything.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:33
        I've tried all the
other artificial lights.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:37
        I've been looking for
something to drive out darkness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:42
        I recognize that
that is you, God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:45
        I want You to be
the ultimate source
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:48
        of light in my life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:50
        Come into my heart right now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:52
        Make space in
my heart right now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:56
        In Jesus name. Amen.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:58
        Hey, if you prayed that prayer,
I want to know actually.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:01
        You can email me
right now. I will respond.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:05
        At
Hannah.Driskill@Crossroads.net.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:08
        And if you don't want to
chat with me, that's okay.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:10
        You can chat with anyone.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:12
        If you just prayed that prayer,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:13
        I want you to chat
with somebody.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:15
        Don't just live that out alone.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:16
        You can go to Crossroads.net
to chat with someone right now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:19
        Let's worship together.
       
    
      - 
        
00:23:45
        - Hey, we hope you
enjoyed this week's message
       
    
      - 
        
00:23:47
        from my friend Hannah.
       
    
      - 
        
00:23:48
        If you have any more questions,
       
    
      - 
        
00:23:50
        I live at the Sea of Galilee
in a nice little chateau.
       
    
      - 
        
00:23:52
        - No, no, no, no. We
have a chat on the website.
       
    
      - 
        
00:23:55
        It's far easier than that.
       
    
      - 
        
00:23:57
        - Cool. Yeah, I love that,
tickets are expensive.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:00
        Crossroads is donor
funded, which means
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:01
        the money that you
and others put forward
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:04
        to actually help
us do stuff like this.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:06
        - Mm-hmm. We also
use some of that money
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:09
        to do things like
help you understand
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:11
        what you were trying to
say in the Book of John.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:13
        This is a free guidebook
we put together
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:15
        about the book of John,
it gives you a context
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:17
        that you maybe left
out, things you assumed.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:20
        - I think I wrote
it pretty good.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:21
        - It's free at
Crossroads.net/BibleChallenge.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:23
        We will mail one to your house.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:25
        - Very cool. I don't
remember it being that small.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:27
        - Speaking of that.
Easter is coming up.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:29
        - Easter. I remember that.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:31
        - Cool, uh-huh. Thank you. Good.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:32
        And we have a sneak
peek of it for you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:35
        - Easter is a love story,
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:38
        an act of love for a
heartbroken world,
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:41
        the fulfillment of the promise
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:43
        that no matter what has
happened in your life,
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:45
        what you've done or
how far you feel from God,
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:48
        love says you are
worth dying for.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:52
        The good news of Easter is that
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:54
        we don't have to
wonder if we are loved
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:56
        or what that
love will do for us.
       
    
      - 
        
00:24:59
        Love has come to save us all.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:11
        Join us for Easter
with Crossroads.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:13
        Find service times at
Crossroads.net/Easter.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:18
        - You can check it out.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:19
        We'll see you next
week on Crossroads.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:21
        Do you want to say that part?
- No.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:22
        - Give it a little, you can.
- No, I'll get it next time.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:25
        - Why don't you give
the people the last line?
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:27
        Come on. Come on. You got it.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:29
        - We'll see you next
week on Crossroads.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:31
        - A little -- A little more.
- Yeah, okay.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:34
        We'll see you next
week on Crossroads.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:35
        - Perfect.
- That felt good.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:36
        - Uh-huh. Bye.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:40
        - You know, the best way
to get to know someone
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:41
        is through the lens of people
who are closest to them.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:44
        That would include
the Apostle John.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:47
        Lots of people have a
cultural touchpoint for Jesus,
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:51
        but few people knew what
He was really, really like.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:54
        I'm going to give
you today two stories
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:57
        that are polar opposite
extremes of seeing Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:02
        Oftentimes when we see
the extremes of somebody,
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:05
        we understand the
totality of who they are.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:10
        - Come to Crossroads
Church for the next series:
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:13
        Jesus according to
His alleged best friend,
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:17
        and hear all about
who Jesus was.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:20
        Quick note, not alleged. True.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:22
        It's in the Bible. Doesn't
matter who wrote it. [tone]
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:26
        - And I just -- I
don't know why --
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:28
        I don't know why he's here.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:29
        I feel like it's
an online church
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:31
        and he's never even
seen a phone before?
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:32
        Like, he's just making it worse
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:34
        and I feel like we're
going to lose people.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:35
        I just -- I just need
you guys to -- [tone]