Why Did He Leave? | Pastor Isaac Fernandez

What's up, men of God? Pastor Eric here, and I am so excited to bring this message to you. I want you to feel encouraged. I want you to feel hopeful. I want you to know that God is still working in your story. Our mission here at Victory City is to help every person take a step closer to Jesus. And can I tell you, man, as you're growing in the Lord, you're taking a step. So let's lean in, let's see what God has for us this week, and I know you'll be blessed for it, and I love you. Can we just give it up for God for Easter Sunday really quickly? Come on, incredible, incredible. My name's Isaac Fernandez. I get the privilege and honor of getting to be one of the pastors here on staff, and man, I'm so excited to be with you guys. Are you good? Is this the 9.30 service? This is the second ever 9.30 service, and I have to say, you guys are a lot more awake than the 8 a.m. service. God bless their hearts, but amen. Really quickly, I just want to take a moment again. We'll pray and thank God, but man, Easter Sunday was incredible. Almost 4,000 people all across the building. It was incredible. Really quickly, did your friends, family members,

co-workers like it? This side's family members, co-workers, friends did not. We're gonna pray for today, I'm joking. Hey, and I do really want to give honor and credit where honor and credit are due. Can we give it up for our dream team who made Easter Sunday possible? Y'all, we were slinging those golf carts, and we were taking care of the kids, all the things. Oh man, we have an incredible church, an incredible team. Amen, you guys. Would you pray with me? Would you bow your heads and close your eyes? Heavenly Father, I thank you for today. God, what an incredible, before we even get into today, Lord, we know you're so good and you're so faithful just by looking at last Sunday, celebrating the resurrection, the greatest moment in all of history. God, I thank you for the hearts that came home last week, Lord. And I pray, God, that the seed that was sown last week, would you continue to water it, Lord? But I pray today, Lord, as we open up our Bibles and we look at the ascension, Christ ascending to the throne, to the right hand of the Father. I pray, God, that all of us would walk away with a greater understanding of the ascension. God, you didn't leave us, you didn't leave us, Jesus. And what it causes to live differently every single day.

I thank you, Lord, for today. And I thank you, God, that you're gonna speak through me. In your mighty name, Jesus, amen, amen, amen. Hey, I'm gonna need your help. I'm gonna need some audience participation, all right? So, okay, tough, rough start already. Okay, do I have any parents in the room? Any parents in the room, any parents in the room? Raise your hand if you're a parent, God bless you. God bless you. I have two kids. I have a two-year-old and a five-month-old, and my five-month-old is chubby, it's incredible. Anybody love some chubby babies? Did anybody have any chubby babies? That's the loudest you're gonna probably clap and hoot and holler all day, amen. I love it, my five-month-old, wherever you grab him, wherever you hold him, there's like some squish to him. He smiles, he'll poop his pants and still smile, I love him. But I remember, and I'm gonna need a cold, crisp amen from any of the parents in the room. Did anybody, for like your first kid, feel like you had to be perfect before you went to the hospital as like a parent, yeah? Anybody? I remember my wife and I, we're like, we gotta read all the books, we gotta watch all the YouTubes.

TikTok was out, so we're like, we gotta watch all the TikToks, all the Instagram videos, because we gotta be prepared. We were laughing in the hospital, because we're like, none of that stuff prepares you, right? But I remember my wife's grandpa told me before we went to the hospital, he said, witnessing your child be born or your children be born is one of the most beautiful things you'll ever witness in your life. And I remember when my first son, Roman, was born, it was incredible. But before I move forward, it's gonna be really serious. Man, giving birth is really hard, but all the men who have to sleep on that uncomfortable couch, am I? I lost all the women in the room, I'm joking! Hey, it was a joke, I lost all the, I'm totally joking, women, I love you, y'all do something way harder. I was trying to get some brownie points with the guys that didn't work, they were like, ooh, he's gonna get slapped. Don't worry, my wife already punched me in the face. But hey, y'all do the work, okay, we know, it was a joke. But man, we see our son born, it was incredible. And if everything goes according to plan, you go into the postpartum room where you're in there for two days.

And let's be honest, those nurses and doctors just like do everything, right? For those two, oh yeah, we can get it out for our medical professionals, amen. And they come in, they change the diaper, like you think you know how to change a diaper, and then it's like the black poop, merconium, and you're like, I don't even know. I wipe once and it's not coming down. I'm like, what are we doing here, guys? And then the nurse comes in and they give you that like judgmental, they like flip your baby around and then they like, da-da-da-da, right? They'll come in, they give your baby the first bath. I remember, I don't know if anyone can relate to this, I suck at swaddling newborn babies. No, and I'm on my second one now and they still feel so gentle, but like I can wrap a great burrito, I suck at swaddling babies. Because you're like, am I gonna break their arm, what's going on? And you like, you do your best, it's 1 a.m., and then the nurse walks in the room and then they see the baby's like completely out of their wrap and then they look at you, they're like, hm-hm-hm, so cute. And then they come in and swaddle.

But they do everything for you. After two and a half days, they do something called the car seat test. They put the car seat in your car, all your stuff's in there, they shut the door, shut the trunk, and they walk away. And there's this moment, and I don't know if anyone's ever been there as a parent. It's you, this baby, and you don't start the car, and you're kind of sitting there, and you're like, I can't believe y'all trust me with this thing. Can I get an amen? Has anyone ever been there, right? I can't believe you trust me with this. Today, we're looking at the ascension. This is days after Jesus resurrects. He comes back in physical, bodily form to the disciples, and he's going to heaven. And if I'm being honest, even though I've glossed over this passage in my prior reading of the Bible, I had assumptions coming to this text. I had assumed that the disciples would be afraid and look at Jesus as he's ascending and going, I can't believe you trust us with this thing, advancing the kingdom of God, being messengers of the kingdom of God.

Because you have to understand, prior in all the gospels, anytime that Jesus prophesied about his death, about being handed over to the Romans, about leaving them, they responded with fear, confusion, and Peter even rebukes them. But let's look at how the disciples respond, and I think it should inform our response to the ascension as well. Is that good, you guys? Let's open up our Bibles to Luke chapter 24. Luke chapter 24. We see the most detailed account of the ascension in the book of Luke and the book of Acts, which we're gonna get into. Has anyone been enjoying the series in Luke? It's all good? Cool. Well, we're gonna pray for this side of the room. You're gonna like the book of Acts, amen? Luke chapter 24, verses 44 to 53. And this is the last section of Luke. Then he, who is Jesus, he said to them, these are my words I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalm must be fulfilled. He's telling them, everything that's been written,

I have fulfilled. Verse 45, and this is really cool. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and said to them, thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations. Everybody say all nations. He's saying that the gospel, the good news message should go to the whole world, all nations. Beginning from Jerusalem, you are my witnesses. Everybody say witnesses. Witnesses. And behold, I am sending you the promise of my father upon you. You can underline that, highlight it in your Bible if you're one of those guys. Promise of my father, but stay, stay. It's interesting, stay in the city until you're clothed with power from on high. And he led them out as far as Bethany, and it's only the 11 disciples and two angels. He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them while he was with them. He parted from them and was carried up into heaven, and look at this, before they were scared, confused, and they rebuked him, and look how they responded to the ascension,

and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Everybody say joy. Joy. And were continually in the temple, blessing God. Here's something you need to see, and lean in. These guys go from being scared, confused, doubtful, fearful, to responding with great joy at Christ's ascension into heaven. Here's my goal today. I'm gonna be completely frank before we jump in. My goal is that you and I would leave having a greater understanding of Christ's ascension, and this is the cool part, that it would change the way that you and I daily live. Amen, you guys? Amen. Okay, let's jump in. My thought for us today, if you're taking notes, is in his ascension, we receive the joy of participation. Why did the disciples have a joy? They had a joy that they got to be a part of the mission of God. Think about this. There's 11 dudes, all different professions. They were completely filled with joy because they got to be a part of changing the world, healing the sick, seeing spiritually dead people come alive in Jesus, casting out demons.

Would that make any of you pretty happy? Would that be pretty cool? Gnarly. I'm from SoCal, forgive me, we say words like gnarly. I'm becoming a Texan, pray for me, okay? And here's something you need to see. Earlier in Luke, Jesus sends out 72 disciples to preach the gospel, to talk about the kingdom of God, and to repent before the Messiah. And he tells them, and I'm not gonna read, in just a moment, I'll read, but he literally tells them, I'm gonna paraphrase. He tells these 72 dudes, catch this, don't take any money, no bag. Some of y'all clutching onto your bags a little too tight. Just kidding, that's another message. No sandals. Y'all, they're walking everywhere. Would you wanna go walking barefoot in Jerusalem with no sandals? No, you wouldn't. And they would. most likely get rejected everywhere that they went. Jesus is telling these 72 dudes, it's going to cost you everything. Has anyone ever been there following Jesus? Has it cost you something? But look at how they return. Look at how they return with it costing them something but getting to witness heaven invade earth.

Luke chapter 10 verse 17. The 72 returned with joy. Everybody say joy. They returned with joy. It costing them, them getting rejected, them having nothing. They return with joy. And I wonder, and this is me being honest, do you and I possess the same kind of joy when it comes to seeing the mission of God take place on the earth? Do you and I have that same joy? Or do we feel like the mission of God is some inconvenient side quest of our main mission in life? I can see where he's going, he's trying to tell me to invite. No, no, no, no, no. When you hear about the mission of God, heaven invading earth, telling people, being witnesses for Jesus, do you respond with apathy or joy? When you hear this concept as the first thing, you go, whoa, whoa, whoa, I get that, bro, but right now, my biggest focus is my promotion. So don't really talk to me about that stuff. In nine months, I'm gonna come back to this mission of God thing. Hey, I get that, that sounds really cute. That's for the newbies.

I've already done that. I invited my friend to Easter, but like right now, bro, my vacation is coming up. I'm going to Bora Bora, baby. Hit me with that in January, 2027. That's not for me. Or maybe, maybe, maybe, and this is where I think so many Americans find themselves. Your greatest focus, your greatest priority is just waiting for the newest episodes to drop. Your existence is week to week. Content, media, and your existing and coasting, and the mission of God feels like an inconvenient side quest to your mission you're currently focused on. I wanna have a little bit of fun with you. Do you think that God created you just to work a job? And some of you are successful. Some of you make a lot of money. Some of you are like the guy, that girl boss at your work. Amen, God bless you. But do you think God only created you to work a job? Do you think God only created you to doom scroll on TikTok, on Instagram all day long? Do you think that God only created you to only exist, only survive, only make it week to week and coast, never finding joy? Is that all he created you for?

Or do you think he created you for something more? For a mission bigger than yourself, for a purpose greater than just existing, but a greater purpose? They saw it as joy. Why? Why did they return with joy? It costing them, these fools being barefoot, walking everywhere, poop on the ground, barefoot. That's gross. Not to everybody. Y'all are like, I love it, amen. That's wild. They got rejected. Why did they return with joy? They witnessed the miraculous happening through them. They witnessed signs and wonders. They literally come back and be like, dude, even the demons, we tell them to go, and they leave. They're sick people getting healed. They witnessed heaven invading earth through themselves. I can't tell you as a youth pastor how many times I drive away from our church on Wednesday nights thinking to myself, I can't believe I get to do this. I can't believe I get to do this. So many times on a Wednesday night where we witness students who are far from God, apathetic to God, could give a rip about God, their parents force them to come to church,

they will show up on a Wednesday night, the music starts playing, and God's hand rests on this building, and their hearts come alive in Jesus. I cannot tell you the countless amounts of students who are crippled with suicidal ideation, do not want to talk to anyone, want nothing to do with people, they will come to church, and they have their Holy Spirit moment, and God gives them a purpose to live. They went from being the most socially anxious students in the world to being the most gregarious students on a Wednesday. They didn't want to talk to nobody, they didn't want to talk to me, hey, that's fine, I can handle it, they didn't want to talk to me, they avoided me, they avoided everyone, God sets them free, and they're literally becoming greeters at the front door. They're the annoying smiling person at church. This is fun, I got some of them in the room. One of my favorite things, God's given us so much favor right now with athletes in our school. We got like all these guys who are nonchalant, and you parents know, how was school? Good, ha, ha, ha, ha. It's like, it's cool to be cool, ha, ha, ha, ha. How are you doing? Ha, mm. What I love, what I love, what I love, what I love

is witnessing these athletes who are influencers in their school show up and worship is like maybe weird. I don't do that, that's not my personality. Being the people in the front row, raising their hands. Not caring what anyone thinks. Witnessing the miraculous happening in front of me. And some of you are cynical and you're like, well he gets paid to do this. So of course he's gonna say this. I have a lot of my team members in the room with me who volunteer their weekly time. I'm looking at some of them right now. They work at Tesla, work at Dell in real estate, commercial real estate. They are very successful. Their moms and dads, they have a lot going on in their life. But they have said yes to using their gifts to advance the mission of God. They show up on long weeks, they show up on long days, they show up at the quarter ending, the quarter beginning. It costs them something to be here. But I can't tell you how many times I've gotten texts or conversations with those very same people where it costs them everything to be there saying, I can't believe I get to do this. I can't believe God uses me to do this. And literally as I was preparing for this, and this is like, I'm not being extra, I'm not fluffing this. It got me emotional. Thinking about the goodness of God

that he uses broken people to tell the greatest story ever told. I have no business being up here. If you knew what God saved me from, I shouldn't be up here. How good of a God do we serve that he wants us to be a part? He wants to use us. You think you have no gifts, oh my gosh. If you only saw the way that God looked at you. You think that you're not good enough, oh my gosh. If you only saw the way that God looked at you. Man, he can't use someone with my testimony, oh my gosh. Watch the way that God could use your testimony to set countless people free. There is a greater joy. In his ascension, we receive the joy of participation. My second thought for us is in his ascension, we receive the promise of the Father. Luke chapter 24, verses 48 to 49. He says, you are witnesses, everybody say witnesses. Witnesses. Of these things and behold, I'm sending the promise of my Father. Does everybody know who that is really quick? Say it really loud, Evie. Holy Spirit. It's the Holy Spirit, right? You're my witnesses, but behold, I'm sending the promise of my Father upon you, but stay in the city until you are closed with power. He calls him those witnesses,

but he tells him to wait for the power. I'm gonna have a moment of vulnerability with you. Some of you might look at me differently, but man, even as a pastor, I still get scared that God could actually use me. I still get insecure. I feel like I'm not good enough. Has anyone ever felt that way? I'm not good enough. I don't have enough talents. I don't have enough ability. I don't know enough about the Bible. Can any honest person be in the room? Make some noise. I don't know enough about the Bible. When I stepped into the role a few years ago, it's almost three years now, we had like 15, 20 kids in our youth group, 30 kids when it was jumping, hey. You remember JoJo. And I had two volunteers when I stepped in. When I stepped in, I felt like God gave me visions of this youth ministry, what it could be. I had dreams and visions that our youth ministry on a Wednesday night would look like this room right now, that it'd be a lighthouse to students in our city. And we'd see countless upon countless students receive the gift of salvation and be sent into the world.

But it freaked me out. Got me scared, why? Because none of that could happen without a strong team. And I would drive to work so discouraged. I love you, Coloma. Coloma was my first volunteer. Could you guys give it up for her? Amen. But I'd be scared. I remember, okay, even though I can talk, even though I can recruit, I need a miracle. When I'd wake up in the morning, I would pray. On my way to work, I would pray. While I was at work, probably like 15, 20 times, I'd get on my knees in my office and pray. And on my way home, I would pray. And my prayer was, God, I can't do this on my own. I need your help. Here's what's crazy. When I started praying, there was these days I'd start seeing people's faces in my mind's eye. And before you, like, that's spiritually manipulative. Hear me, hear me, hear me. I would see them, and I would literally see their faces. I didn't know them, I would just see them at church, kind of like passing by. And the craziest thing, I felt like God was like, you need to go tell them that you're praying and you're seeing them. And I'm like, God, that's weird.

I'm not doing that. I'll just recruit them. You know that part, I'm not saying that. Because that does sound like spiritual manipulation. The Lord told me you're gonna serve. That sounds wild, right? And God kept pushing on me, pushing on me, pushing on me, pushing on me, pushing on me. Here's what's crazy. Literally, I went to multiple people. Hey, the craziest thing I've ever done. and I've been praying, I feel like God's been putting you on my mind to join the youth team. And these people started crying at church saying, how do you know what God's been talking to me about? God has been putting this in my heart to serve with, how do you know? Church, this is the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the power of God, but here's the scary thing if I'm being honest. I think it is so easy to live never relying on the power of God. In the American church, how easy is it to live? Never ever needing, depending on the power of God. We have money, we have talent, we have ability. Some of us have charisma as all get out, education, intellect, all the while living, never depending on God's spirit and power. Luke 24 verses 48 to 49, he says, you are my witnesses.

So studying for this, how did these guys not witness enough? Think about this. He tells them that they're gonna be the witnesses and go tell the world about Jesus. Didn't they witness enough? They witnessed the resurrection days ago, is that not enough to be a witness? They witnessed water turning into wine, is that not enough to be a witness? They saw Lazarus come back to life, is that not enough to be a witness? Thousands upon thousands of people, all cities getting healed, is that not enough to be a witness? What do you guys think? I would think so, but notice he tells them to wait. Wait until you receive a power. What this tells me, you and I can have talent, ability, and charisma. You and I, and I'm talking to the saints in the room, have stories about God, testimonies. You could have witnessed miracles, but if you and I are not walking in the power of God, we have missed the whole point. We've missed the whole point. Well, Pastor Isaac, that's for the newbies. I did have my glory days with the Lord. No offense, I think the disciples probably witnessed some crazier miracles than you and I have,

and they still needed the power of God. How much more do you and I need the power of God? Thank you so much, Noel. I told the youth team, I said, if I'm preaching, I need an amen or a preach it white boy, so that's my one for the day, God bless. Okay, I wanna give you a youth pastor nugget real quick. As a youth pastor, I'm with your students weekly, and your kids are gonna tell you they need all kinds of things. I need Lululemon, I need a vacation, I need new cleats, I need this, I need that. Any parents, can I get an amen? I need this, I need that. Your kids are next to you and you're like. Your kids, your kids, more than a material object, more than a trip, more than things, they need parents who walk in the power of God. Thank you, but let me keep going. Some of you are going through it with your kids right now. You're trying everything and nothing's working. I can't connect with them. Why isn't it working? I've been trying everything. I've gotten them the things. I've taken them out shopping. I have tried everything. I've even tried outside help. Why is nothing working? Parent, are you walking in the power of God with your kids?

Because this concept of ministry, of going and telling the world, of being disciples of Christ, advancing the mission of God, you as a parent, you know who your greatest ministry is? Your kids. And a lot of youth pastors get up on a stage like this and they try and dunk on parents and they're like, y'all need to be doing better. I've had some youth pastor guys just be so dumb about this. Like, parents need to do better, they're with you. I wanna take a moment to encourage the parents in the room. I wanna encourage you really quickly. If you're a believer, if you're a parent in the room and you have given your life to Jesus, the disciples had to wait for the day of Pentecost to receive the Holy Spirit. If you're a believer in the room, you have already received the Holy Spirit. You have everything you need to walk in the power of God to parent your kids right now if you're a believer in the name of Jesus. This is good news. Your kids are with me for a couple hours a week, a few hours a week. Maybe they go to another youth group. They're with a pastor for a couple hours a week. You are the greatest pastor they will ever have. Isaac, I don't know enough about the Bible. The disciples didn't even have the Bible.

Isaac, I don't know enough about God. Do you have the power of God if you're saved? Yes, you do. Start now. Isaac, they won't go to church. They're apathetic towards the church. Bring the church to dinner table. Don't bash them. Here's what the operating in the power of God as a parent looks like in our day and age. Pray with your kid. If your kid is battling anxiety and depression, hey, I wanna pray with you. If you haven't done that before as a parent, God bless you, it's gonna be awkward. Who cares? Come on. You're holding my hand. We're praying. Your kid's struggling with anxiety, pray for peace. Kid's struggling with depression, pray for peace. Pray for hope, pray for purpose, pray for meaning. Your relationship is estranged. Ask for forgiveness in front of them from God. God, would you unite us? What could happen in your kid's life if you begin to walk in the power? Believer, a parent in the room, you have everything you need right now. Walk in it.

I pray you'd feel encouraged today, amen, parents? My third point for us. Man, this should get us fired up on the week after Easter. So maybe one more preach at White Boy. No, I'm joking, I'm joking. I'm sorry, you're like, this is the last time he ever preaches. Okay, point three. And this got me fired up while I was studying. He didn't abandon us, he went to prepare a place for us. Imagine the disciples, wait, why are you going? Don't leave, you just started this thing. You're supposed to take over Rome. Why don't you show up to everyone? Like, remember, guess who's back? Why, Jesus, why are you abandoning us? He didn't abandon us, he went to prepare a place for us, and the disciples are recognizing this from John chapter 14. Earlier in the gospel of John, Jesus is talking about the ascension. Jesus is talking about this very moment, and he says, let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. This speaks to the Trinity. In my Father's house are many rooms. What is he talking about, his Father's house? Heaven. If it were not so, what I have told you, I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am, you may be also. I need some believers to hear this right now. It's pretty wild how many Christians think that heaven is just a metaphor. They think that heaven is just a figurative language, that heaven is just like, like it's just like good talk. It's too good to be true. Heaven is not a metaphor. Heaven is real. Heaven is not a metaphor. Heaven is real. Believer, when this life ends, and all of it, death, we will all die at some point. If you are saved in Jesus, when we go to heaven, it is not, it is perfect existence that will be physically engaged. We will experience heaven just like we're experiencing earth right now. And here's the thing you need to understand. Why did they respond with joy? Why did they respond with joy? And John, after Jesus tells, I'm gonna go prepare a place for you, the disciples literally, they don't understand. Thomas said to him, Lord, we don't know where you're going. How can we know the way? Jesus famously says, I am the way, I am the truth.

But here's the thing you need to understand. Jesus tells them earlier on, I'm gonna go prepare a place for you. And I'm gonna come and take you with me. And Thomas responds, what? You're leaving? How are we gonna know how to get there? Would anybody else respond like that? Wait, wait, wait, wait. Like another city leaving Jesus? Where? Catch this. In the ascension, Jesus rising, they're realizing the place he was talking about preparing is real. In that moment, the disciples couldn't perceive it before. They thought he was being metaphorical. They didn't think he was being literal. In that moment, they're realizing heaven is real. This thing he was talking about, I couldn't understand it. But now I realize because Jesus came back physically and he ascended physically, they're realizing heaven is real. Paradise is real. It's not one of those weird parables Jesus used to do. This isn't like some thought picture. Heaven is real. And I had this thought for us this morning. Christ's ascension shows us death is not final. And if death is not final, we cannot lose.

We cannot lose. And I wonder how many Christians in the room, you are living afraid of death. Maybe you're afraid of leaving your loved one behind. I get that. Man, are we afraid of death? Do we think that this is all there is? Are we living for all this? The money, the cars, the school provide. But is this what we think is all there is? Or can we be like the disciples who realize in that moment, oh my gosh, paradise is real. No more pain. No more sorrow. No more division. No more hurt. No more grief. Come on, do I have any? but he does walk through some stuff, no more grief. Catch this, catch this. We're reunited with our loved ones. Endless fellowship, endless meals. Oh my gosh, I'm not gonna have indigestion anymore in heaven. Can I get an amen? Like, paradise is real. It's pretty interesting, as I was studying for this movie, I was studying for this word, I stumbled upon a movie I've never seen before. It's called Silence. It's pretty gnarly, okay, it's rated R.

Don't be like, hey, five-year-old kid, let's watch it. Okay, it's for the grownups. But it's a movie called Silence, directed by Martin Scorsese, and it depicts Catholic priests going to Japan after they had outlawed Christianity. In the 17th century, the Japanese government outlawed Christianity, and they made it punishable by death, unless you would refute your faith, unless you would apostatize, meaning I deny Jesus, he's not my Lord and Savior, they would punish you by death. And in this movie, it depicts these two priests who are going to Japan for the sake of spreading the gospel, knowing with it comes almost certain death. And can I tell you something? I was humbled watching this movie. These priests are smuggled into the country, and they're hiding during the day, they're literally staying in holes in the ground during the day, and at night, they sneak out to sneak into the underground Japanese church. It was people who were hiding desperately in homes at night, risking their lives to receive communion, risking their lives to pray, risking their lives to hear about Jesus Christ. And the thing that Japan was afraid of was the church growing is exactly what happened

when they began to kill Christians for their faith. And there's a moment where these Christians begin to get captured by the inquisitors, and they're standing, knowing that death is coming, mothers, fathers, young adults, and they're tied up. And this priest is blown away at the faith of the Japanese. He's blown away that they're willing to die, because it's one thing to be a follower of Jesus where it's comfortable and where it's safe, but he's blown away at these men and women willing to lay down their life for the sake of Jesus Christ. And you see the joy, the joy on these men and women. And the one word they were saying in Latin was paradise. And he's emotional, he's like, why, why? But they look at each other with joy. Paradise awaits us. Paradise awaits us. How did these 17th century Christians do this? They had to understand what Paul, Peter understood. In the resurrection, death is conquered. If Jesus defeated death, he defeated it for us as well. Death is not the final word, death is conquered. What did they understand? Paradise is being prepared for us. And we, you and me, have the opportunity to bring as many people with us as possible. So believer, we may face persecution, we may face trials, we may face adversity, we may face ridicule for the faith that we have,

but death, come on, some of y'all need to feel this in your spirit this morning, death does not have the final word. Death does not have the final word. See, in Christ's ascension, if I could summarize it, Christ's ascension, we're closing out the book of Luke. God's essentially saying to you and I, I want you to live with me forever. Paradise. But, you got some brothers and sisters that you gotta reach in the meantime. Believer, let us live lives looking up. Let us live lives looking towards paradise. This life, this world is not all there is. There is a greater reality to come. Amen. I wanna do something. Would you guys stand with me real quick? If there's a gap between you and the people next to you, could you guys close in the gap and I'm gonna explain what we're about to do in a moment? Did I offend her with the joke, the baby joke? We're good, okay, she doesn't hate me, cool. Can you guys get close to the people around you? I'm gonna have you do something, but if there's a gap, someone's like, I sat with a gap on purpose A, just squeeze in. If you were honest and I asked you to be honest, how many of us need the power of God in our daily lives? I think everyone would raise their hand.

Maybe it's to parent. Man, maybe it's to get to work. Maybe it's for your mental health. Maybe it's to find freedom from sin. Maybe it's to have joy. Maybe you're like, dude, I'm just doing my best to make it through this. All of us need the power of God. We can't do it on our own strength. We can't do it on our ability. You might be really cool, but you're not that guy, pal, okay? I wanna do something really quick that the believers, imagine the believers in Japan facing martyrdom, persecution, talk about not being able to do it on their own strength. God, give us your power. Would you put your arms on the pre-pill next to you? You can put it on your shoulder, you can hold hands. If you don't wear deodorant, this is your sign. You've been waiting for a sign? God, you've passed a lot on the way here. This is your sign. Would you bow your heads and close your eyes? God, I thank you for the believer in the room. We don't have to ask for your power, we already have it. If we have received the gift of salvation, the Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father. The Holy Spirit is automatic, but he must be engaged. Holy Spirit, right now, would you fill our cups? Would we receive a fresh filling of your spirit?

God, would we receive a fresh filling of your power? Holy Spirit, I pray God for the people in the room, the parents in the room, oh my gosh, they feel like they've tried everything, but nothing's working. God, would you give them an extra portion of your power? God, would you give them an extra portion to endure, to make it to bedtime with joy? Would they realize that they have the greatest ministry in front of them, which are the next generation, God? Give them joy, give them the ability to wake up with faith and hope. God, the parents who have lost faith and hope, God, renew their hope. Renew their hope, renew their faith, renew their joy, Lord. God, I'm believing that there are people who have had their hope lost. Maybe they're single, maybe they're adults, maybe they're students. God, would you renew our hope this morning? And Jesus says, we go to work this week, as we walk into life this week, would we walk in your power? We can't do it on our own. Would it show up with joy? Would your power maybe just look like, man, I feel like I found freedom from sin. God, you changed my heart from the inside out, I don't even want it anymore. Would you help all the believers in the room realize

we have more than what we think we need already? Jesus, you didn't leave us. You went up so the Holy Spirit could come down and dwell with us as close as possible in our bodies. I thank you, Jesus, that you defeated death, that you're preparing a place for us, and you will come again so we can go to paradise. In your mighty name, Jesus, amen. Come on, can we thank God for paradise today, amen.