1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:02,259 Alright. Hey. Good morning. 2 00:00:02,639 --> 00:00:05,040 Good morning here in live. If you don't 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:06,500 know, if you're visiting with us, 4 00:00:06,879 --> 00:00:08,800 we call this venue live. We also have 5 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,119 a couple other campuses, a couple other venues 6 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:12,880 here on this campus that we're gonna welcome. 7 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:14,804 So if you're ready, let's say good morning 8 00:00:14,804 --> 00:00:17,285 to Roane County, good morning to Bearden over 9 00:00:17,285 --> 00:00:19,925 in Amped Blend on three. Ready? +1, 23. 10 00:00:19,925 --> 00:00:22,404 Good morning. Good morning. Hey. Hey. Awesome. You 11 00:00:22,404 --> 00:00:24,005 guys did that really great. Thank you for 12 00:00:24,005 --> 00:00:26,185 that. Hey. I'm Dave. And, 13 00:00:27,364 --> 00:00:28,585 something about me. 14 00:00:29,690 --> 00:00:31,449 My wife and I, we get to do 15 00:00:31,449 --> 00:00:32,990 something every fall, 16 00:00:33,609 --> 00:00:36,109 because she's a teacher. We get to 17 00:00:36,490 --> 00:00:38,170 I get to. That's a way to say 18 00:00:38,170 --> 00:00:39,870 it. Have to get to. 19 00:00:40,490 --> 00:00:42,645 01:10, 02:20. Whatever it takes. Right? 20 00:00:43,284 --> 00:00:45,765 Sell sell tickets at the local high school 21 00:00:45,765 --> 00:00:48,244 football game. And we in particular, we've been 22 00:00:48,244 --> 00:00:50,005 doing this for years. I can't remember exactly 23 00:00:50,005 --> 00:00:51,604 how long, but a friend of hers, they 24 00:00:51,604 --> 00:00:52,424 sell the tickets, 25 00:00:52,885 --> 00:00:54,725 three feet away. I take the ticket and 26 00:00:54,725 --> 00:00:56,565 rip it in half and everybody's like, why 27 00:00:56,565 --> 00:00:58,005 did I just went from there to there. 28 00:00:58,005 --> 00:00:59,500 Why do you do that? I'm like, you 29 00:00:59,500 --> 00:01:01,420 know, it's the school system, the model of 30 00:01:01,420 --> 00:01:01,920 efficiency. 31 00:01:03,979 --> 00:01:05,200 So we do things. 32 00:01:06,140 --> 00:01:06,619 But in 33 00:01:07,259 --> 00:01:09,259 we work the visitors gate in particular. I 34 00:01:09,259 --> 00:01:11,099 love working the visitors gate. You get to 35 00:01:11,099 --> 00:01:13,040 see all the the people that are coming 36 00:01:13,344 --> 00:01:15,344 and, cheer on their other team and I 37 00:01:15,344 --> 00:01:16,864 get to harass some of them. I've in 38 00:01:16,864 --> 00:01:19,444 fact, I get to embarrass my wife frequently 39 00:01:19,584 --> 00:01:22,465 by harassing the opposing team. And, it was 40 00:01:22,465 --> 00:01:23,664 the last game of the year. This is 41 00:01:23,664 --> 00:01:25,664 actually a true story. There was a woman. 42 00:01:25,664 --> 00:01:27,104 She came and as she came through the 43 00:01:27,104 --> 00:01:27,604 gate, 44 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:29,840 I took her ticket, ripped it, and I 45 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:31,200 have to turn back around and I give 46 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:32,560 her the other half. And she looks at 47 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,400 me and she says, which side is the 48 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:34,900 visitors? 49 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:37,920 I looked at her. I thought she was 50 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:38,900 messing with me. 51 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:40,260 Seriously? 52 00:01:42,105 --> 00:01:43,805 I looked at the big ginormous 53 00:01:44,665 --> 00:01:46,665 stands on the home side and I looked 54 00:01:46,665 --> 00:01:49,385 at the smaller stands on the visitor side 55 00:01:49,385 --> 00:01:51,625 and I said to her, you know, it's 56 00:01:51,625 --> 00:01:53,784 those really ginormous stands over there. We wanted 57 00:01:53,784 --> 00:01:55,224 to make sure the visitors had all the 58 00:01:55,224 --> 00:01:56,204 seats they need. 59 00:01:56,890 --> 00:01:58,810 And she looked at me and she was 60 00:01:58,810 --> 00:02:00,569 like, that was a really dumb question. And 61 00:02:00,569 --> 00:02:02,350 I said, yep. That was a dumb question. 62 00:02:02,730 --> 00:02:03,469 You're right. 63 00:02:03,770 --> 00:02:06,570 Because guess what folks? There are such things 64 00:02:06,570 --> 00:02:07,630 as dumb questions. 65 00:02:08,935 --> 00:02:11,014 Anybody who says there's no such thing as 66 00:02:11,014 --> 00:02:13,435 a dumb question just said something really dumb. 67 00:02:16,134 --> 00:02:18,534 The majority of the dumb question had somebody 68 00:02:18,534 --> 00:02:20,055 say, I disagree with that. I'm gonna prove 69 00:02:20,055 --> 00:02:21,194 you wrong right here. 70 00:02:22,349 --> 00:02:25,389 The majority of dumb questions come when we're 71 00:02:25,389 --> 00:02:25,889 not 72 00:02:26,189 --> 00:02:27,169 paying attention. 73 00:02:28,909 --> 00:02:31,150 All she had to do is open her 74 00:02:31,150 --> 00:02:33,710 eyes. The story was right there in front 75 00:02:33,710 --> 00:02:36,189 of her. Ginormous stance with the name of 76 00:02:36,189 --> 00:02:37,729 the home team on them. 77 00:02:38,715 --> 00:02:40,655 Visitor side right in front of your face. 78 00:02:40,715 --> 00:02:41,694 Just pay attention. 79 00:02:42,395 --> 00:02:44,635 Just pay attention. And when things don't make 80 00:02:44,635 --> 00:02:46,794 sense when we're paying attention, then you can 81 00:02:46,794 --> 00:02:47,534 ask questions. 82 00:02:48,235 --> 00:02:50,400 Teachers will tell you all the time the 83 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:52,800 dumb question in their class is the one 84 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:53,780 I just answered. 85 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:56,000 The one that I just gave you the 86 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:57,760 answer to. The ones you're not paying attention 87 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,020 to. And what we're gonna see today is 88 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:01,460 is that Jesus 89 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,819 gets what seems to be a dumb question 90 00:03:05,074 --> 00:03:05,894 from his 91 00:03:07,474 --> 00:03:07,974 disciples, 92 00:03:08,354 --> 00:03:09,334 but is it? 93 00:03:09,875 --> 00:03:11,634 As we walk away this weekend, we're gonna 94 00:03:11,634 --> 00:03:14,055 see that real life with Jesus requires humility, 95 00:03:14,354 --> 00:03:16,935 builds resilient faith, and pursues 96 00:03:17,235 --> 00:03:19,634 people. This is the real life that we're 97 00:03:19,634 --> 00:03:21,860 called to. This series is called Real Life 98 00:03:21,860 --> 00:03:23,780 Jesus, His Kingdom and You. And in this 99 00:03:23,780 --> 00:03:27,139 series, it's about following Jesus in everyday life, 100 00:03:27,139 --> 00:03:28,360 but following Jesus 101 00:03:28,739 --> 00:03:31,000 in everyday life in his kingdom. 102 00:03:31,300 --> 00:03:33,800 Living under the rule and reign of Jesus 103 00:03:33,860 --> 00:03:36,224 in all the places where we live our 104 00:03:36,224 --> 00:03:36,724 lives. 105 00:03:37,584 --> 00:03:40,224 As we come to Matthew chapter 18, Jesus 106 00:03:40,224 --> 00:03:41,525 is answering the question 107 00:03:41,824 --> 00:03:43,745 that we may all end up asking. It's 108 00:03:43,745 --> 00:03:46,245 very likely we we end up asking 109 00:03:46,544 --> 00:03:48,864 Jesus, what's my place in all of this? 110 00:03:48,864 --> 00:03:51,349 And all that's going on, what's my part 111 00:03:51,349 --> 00:03:54,009 in your story? What's my part to play 112 00:03:54,069 --> 00:03:56,069 within your story? And so we left off 113 00:03:56,069 --> 00:03:58,229 with a pair of balls in chapter 13. 114 00:03:58,229 --> 00:04:00,789 And we come here to chapter 18 and 115 00:04:00,789 --> 00:04:02,789 through Live It Out each week. We're filling 116 00:04:02,789 --> 00:04:04,169 in the gaps in between. 117 00:04:13,925 --> 00:04:14,425 Death. 118 00:04:15,125 --> 00:04:18,084 That he begins to talk about his journey 119 00:04:18,084 --> 00:04:18,904 to Jerusalem. 120 00:04:19,569 --> 00:04:21,730 And and it's where we see Peter make 121 00:04:21,730 --> 00:04:22,629 a great confession. 122 00:04:23,330 --> 00:04:24,769 Jesus says to him, who do you say 123 00:04:24,769 --> 00:04:26,129 that I am? And he says, you're the 124 00:04:26,129 --> 00:04:26,629 Messiah. 125 00:04:27,170 --> 00:04:30,129 But then he gets rebuked as as he 126 00:04:30,129 --> 00:04:31,129 rejects the idea that the promised savior of 127 00:04:31,129 --> 00:04:32,080 Israel would have to go suffer and die. 128 00:04:33,254 --> 00:04:35,654 Of Israel would have to go suffer and 129 00:04:35,654 --> 00:04:36,154 die. 130 00:04:37,814 --> 00:04:40,375 Jesus is then we see him transfigured on 131 00:04:40,375 --> 00:04:42,714 a mountain and it's an amazing moment. 132 00:04:43,495 --> 00:04:45,514 And then at the end of chapter 17, 133 00:04:46,134 --> 00:04:49,194 Jesus performs a miracle specifically for Peter. 134 00:04:55,310 --> 00:04:57,310 Catch a fish and in the the mouth 135 00:04:57,310 --> 00:04:59,250 of that fish, you're gonna find a coin 136 00:04:59,389 --> 00:05:00,830 and you're gonna take that coin and you're 137 00:05:00,830 --> 00:05:02,905 gonna pay the temple tax for you and 138 00:05:02,905 --> 00:05:04,745 for me, for both of us. And it 139 00:05:04,745 --> 00:05:08,025 seems, at that point, that Peter is being 140 00:05:08,025 --> 00:05:10,605 set apart that that he has something special, 141 00:05:10,985 --> 00:05:13,384 and the disciples are confused. They're a little 142 00:05:13,384 --> 00:05:14,205 bit disoriented 143 00:05:14,665 --> 00:05:17,870 about Jesus's kingdom and so they ask this 144 00:05:17,870 --> 00:05:18,370 question. 145 00:05:18,990 --> 00:05:21,009 Yeah. And that 146 00:05:22,669 --> 00:05:24,370 time, the disciples came to Jesus. Yeah. 147 00:05:25,310 --> 00:05:26,850 It's the greatest in the 148 00:05:39,274 --> 00:05:41,834 Whoever humbles himself, like this child, is the 149 00:05:41,834 --> 00:05:44,819 greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives 150 00:05:44,879 --> 00:05:47,519 one such child in my name receives me, 151 00:05:47,519 --> 00:05:50,079 but whoever causes one of these little ones 152 00:05:50,079 --> 00:05:52,160 who believe in me to sin, it would 153 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,399 be better for him to have a great 154 00:05:54,399 --> 00:05:57,279 millstone fastened around his neck and to be 155 00:05:57,279 --> 00:05:59,139 drowned in the depth of the sea. 156 00:06:16,370 --> 00:06:19,410 Enter life crippled or lame than with two 157 00:06:19,410 --> 00:06:21,650 hands or two feet to be thrown into 158 00:06:21,650 --> 00:06:22,310 the eternal. 159 00:06:23,490 --> 00:06:25,490 And if your eye causes you to send, 160 00:06:25,490 --> 00:06:26,870 tear it out and throw it away. 161 00:06:33,615 --> 00:06:35,615 To not despise one of these little ones. 162 00:06:35,615 --> 00:06:36,435 For I tell 163 00:06:36,895 --> 00:06:38,895 you that in heaven, their angels always see 164 00:06:38,895 --> 00:06:40,595 the face of my father who is in 165 00:06:42,810 --> 00:06:44,649 yeah, it's a 100 sheep, and one of 166 00:06:44,649 --> 00:06:46,970 them has gone astray. Does he not leave 167 00:06:46,970 --> 00:06:48,810 the 99 on the mountains and go in 168 00:06:48,810 --> 00:06:49,434 search of the one to one to one 169 00:06:49,434 --> 00:06:52,330 to one to one to one. It's truly, 170 00:06:52,330 --> 00:06:54,584 I say to you, he rejoices over it 171 00:06:54,584 --> 00:06:56,824 more than over the 99 that would never 172 00:06:56,824 --> 00:06:57,644 win a story. 173 00:06:58,745 --> 00:07:00,904 So it is not the will of my 174 00:07:00,904 --> 00:07:03,784 father, who was in heaven, that one of 175 00:07:03,784 --> 00:07:04,925 these little ones, 176 00:07:12,220 --> 00:07:15,180 starting line. That's the that's the beginning. And 177 00:07:15,180 --> 00:07:17,099 to reverse, we talk about this a bunch. 178 00:07:17,099 --> 00:07:18,319 The idea of, 179 00:07:18,964 --> 00:07:21,605 Biblical humility. The idea of Biblical humility is 180 00:07:21,605 --> 00:07:22,425 right understanding 181 00:07:22,884 --> 00:07:25,785 with what God says. It's understanding and agreeing 182 00:07:25,845 --> 00:07:26,904 with what God says 183 00:07:27,285 --> 00:07:29,685 about us, about the world, about what's right, 184 00:07:29,685 --> 00:07:32,024 that we would submit our ideas and opinions 185 00:07:35,350 --> 00:07:37,529 who forms those. That's the idea 186 00:07:37,990 --> 00:07:41,350 of humility. And so, Jada, he doesn't start 187 00:07:41,350 --> 00:07:44,230 answering their question directly. Instead, he calls a 188 00:07:44,230 --> 00:07:45,829 child. Now, the type of child here, this 189 00:07:45,829 --> 00:07:48,024 isn't like a teenager. This isn't a middle 190 00:07:48,024 --> 00:07:49,785 schooler. It's not even really a grade schooler. 191 00:07:49,785 --> 00:07:51,644 This is a toddler sized child. 192 00:07:53,785 --> 00:07:56,504 And he he calls this child, and he 193 00:07:56,504 --> 00:07:58,824 he puts them before them and says, this 194 00:07:58,824 --> 00:08:01,884 is what greatness in my kingdom looks like. 195 00:08:06,250 --> 00:08:08,410 Naivete. Right? Like, we won't be naive like 196 00:08:08,410 --> 00:08:10,089 a child, that we would be that we 197 00:08:10,089 --> 00:08:11,550 would be dependent 198 00:08:12,009 --> 00:08:12,829 like a child. 199 00:08:14,089 --> 00:08:16,649 He's saying become like a child in one 200 00:08:16,649 --> 00:08:20,394 specific way, humility. You see, a child, they 201 00:08:20,394 --> 00:08:22,414 they may want to do it their way. 202 00:08:23,834 --> 00:08:25,354 Some of you are like, oh, you don't 203 00:08:25,354 --> 00:08:27,754 know my child. Right? Like, my child was 204 00:08:27,754 --> 00:08:30,235 not humble or dependent. They they were a 205 00:08:30,235 --> 00:08:32,154 little rebel from the beginning. Out of the 206 00:08:32,154 --> 00:08:34,700 gate, they were like, me, mine, I'll do 207 00:08:34,700 --> 00:08:37,500 it my way. Okay? So so in this, 208 00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:39,360 we're saying, generally speaking, 209 00:08:40,139 --> 00:08:42,960 a child may want to do something, 210 00:08:43,339 --> 00:08:45,839 but they don't yet have the ability. There's 211 00:08:45,899 --> 00:08:48,559 a dependence that they have on their parents 212 00:08:51,384 --> 00:08:53,225 eat, that they would have a place to 213 00:08:53,225 --> 00:08:55,544 sleep, that they would have clothing to be 214 00:08:55,544 --> 00:08:58,845 protected, that they would have their needs met. 215 00:08:58,904 --> 00:08:59,644 It requires 216 00:09:00,264 --> 00:09:02,445 that they would be dependent on a parent. 217 00:09:06,330 --> 00:09:08,410 Our middle school pastor here at Harris Lane, 218 00:09:08,410 --> 00:09:08,910 Josiah. 219 00:09:09,290 --> 00:09:09,790 Josiah 220 00:09:10,169 --> 00:09:10,649 was, 221 00:09:10,970 --> 00:09:12,809 with his daughter, Eden. I think his wife 222 00:09:12,809 --> 00:09:14,029 maybe had a meeting here. 223 00:09:14,490 --> 00:09:16,345 He had his daughter, and so they did 224 00:09:16,345 --> 00:09:18,504 what any good Christian family does. They went 225 00:09:18,504 --> 00:09:20,105 and got Chick fil A because that's where 226 00:09:20,105 --> 00:09:21,544 we eat. Don't you know? That's where we 227 00:09:21,544 --> 00:09:23,225 eat all the time. We're Christians. We eat 228 00:09:23,225 --> 00:09:24,125 at Chick fil A. 229 00:09:25,304 --> 00:09:27,304 They got Chick fil A and, came back 230 00:09:27,304 --> 00:09:29,245 and they were in the lobby here. And, 231 00:09:32,220 --> 00:09:33,899 able to eat her dinner and, 232 00:09:34,300 --> 00:09:36,320 she loves Chick fil A sauce. 233 00:09:37,980 --> 00:09:39,899 Who doesn't love Chick fil A sauce? Right? 234 00:09:39,899 --> 00:09:40,879 Like, this is amazing. 235 00:09:41,180 --> 00:09:43,420 And, so she has the container but she 236 00:09:43,420 --> 00:09:45,279 can't open it but she wants it open. 237 00:09:48,514 --> 00:09:50,115 Takes it, and he opens it, and it 238 00:09:50,115 --> 00:09:52,355 just made her food delicious. Everything is better, 239 00:09:52,355 --> 00:09:53,495 which Chick fil A sauce. 240 00:09:54,514 --> 00:09:56,615 It was a great picture of 241 00:09:57,075 --> 00:09:59,490 a humble dependence. Man, I want this, but 242 00:09:59,490 --> 00:10:01,090 I know I can't even open this by 243 00:10:01,090 --> 00:10:03,990 myself yet. Would you? Would you open this? 244 00:10:04,210 --> 00:10:04,610 For me 245 00:10:05,649 --> 00:10:08,049 So Jesus is pointing to this type of 246 00:10:08,049 --> 00:10:10,049 child and says, unless you turn and become 247 00:10:10,049 --> 00:10:11,970 like children, you will never enter the kingdom 248 00:10:11,970 --> 00:10:14,745 of heaven. But whoever humbles himself 249 00:10:15,205 --> 00:10:17,845 like this child is the greatest in the 250 00:10:17,845 --> 00:10:18,745 kingdom of heaven. 251 00:10:20,245 --> 00:10:22,245 There's a turn of phrase there and it's 252 00:10:22,245 --> 00:10:22,745 significant. 253 00:10:24,644 --> 00:10:26,904 They just said, who's the greatest? 254 00:10:27,710 --> 00:10:30,190 And he says, the one who enters the 255 00:10:30,190 --> 00:10:30,690 kingdom. 256 00:10:32,910 --> 00:10:34,210 Did you catch that? 257 00:10:35,149 --> 00:10:37,309 Who's the greatest? In order to enter the 258 00:10:37,309 --> 00:10:39,549 kingdom, you have to have humility. You have 259 00:10:39,549 --> 00:10:41,470 to recognize your need. You have to recognize 260 00:10:41,470 --> 00:10:43,424 your dependence. You have to be one who 261 00:10:43,424 --> 00:10:46,065 says, God, I recognize that I could never 262 00:10:46,065 --> 00:10:49,024 save myself and because of that recognition, I 263 00:10:49,024 --> 00:10:50,485 will trade my life, 264 00:10:51,424 --> 00:10:54,464 my old dead life. I will trade it 265 00:10:54,464 --> 00:10:56,004 for new life in Christ. 266 00:10:58,169 --> 00:11:00,110 We humble ourselves 267 00:11:00,570 --> 00:11:03,610 in order that God would then rule and 268 00:11:03,610 --> 00:11:05,309 reign over our lives. 269 00:11:06,570 --> 00:11:08,490 And when we do that, we enter the 270 00:11:08,490 --> 00:11:10,809 kingdom of God. And as we do, Jesus 271 00:11:10,809 --> 00:11:12,834 says, you're now become the greatest. And so 272 00:11:12,834 --> 00:11:15,154 which one is the greatest? We the greatest. 273 00:11:15,154 --> 00:11:16,294 I don't know. I mean, 274 00:11:19,315 --> 00:11:21,714 he's just said, if if you humble yourself, 275 00:11:21,714 --> 00:11:23,414 you're all going to be the greatest. 276 00:11:25,659 --> 00:11:28,240 It's not about that. There is about aspiring 277 00:11:28,299 --> 00:11:28,959 to greatness 278 00:11:29,419 --> 00:11:31,179 in the kingdom. And how do we do 279 00:11:31,179 --> 00:11:31,679 that? 280 00:11:32,139 --> 00:11:35,259 We allow Jesus to rule and reign our 281 00:11:35,259 --> 00:11:36,320 hearts and minds. 282 00:11:37,304 --> 00:11:37,804 That's 283 00:11:38,184 --> 00:11:38,684 greatness. 284 00:11:39,945 --> 00:11:41,625 So what does that look like for us? 285 00:11:41,625 --> 00:11:43,544 It means that we don't have to build 286 00:11:43,544 --> 00:11:44,284 our resume. 287 00:11:45,465 --> 00:11:47,465 Even our spiritual resume, it's not about that. 288 00:11:47,465 --> 00:11:49,085 It's not about building our reputation. 289 00:11:53,670 --> 00:11:55,910 Allow Jesus to shape our character. He would 290 00:11:55,910 --> 00:11:57,129 shape who we are. 291 00:11:57,750 --> 00:12:00,009 It means that we would be okay with 292 00:12:00,309 --> 00:12:02,870 being invisible to the people that we serve, 293 00:12:02,870 --> 00:12:05,925 that we would lower ourselves and elevate others. 294 00:12:05,925 --> 00:12:07,764 That means that there would be a marked 295 00:12:07,764 --> 00:12:10,184 difference in how we lead in the workplace, 296 00:12:10,725 --> 00:12:13,605 how we teach, how we as students, how 297 00:12:13,605 --> 00:12:15,684 we learn, how do we interact with our 298 00:12:15,684 --> 00:12:17,925 other students, and how do we interact with 299 00:12:17,925 --> 00:12:20,720 our teachers. Students, if you're known in your 300 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:21,220 classroom 301 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,819 as being the loudest and the most disruptive, 302 00:12:26,959 --> 00:12:27,459 turn. 303 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:31,299 That's not a badge of honor. 304 00:12:32,985 --> 00:12:35,065 In our in our workplaces, if if you're 305 00:12:35,065 --> 00:12:37,485 known for being a boss who's a tyrant, 306 00:12:37,705 --> 00:12:38,205 turn. 307 00:12:40,184 --> 00:12:41,725 That's not a badge of honor. 308 00:12:43,065 --> 00:12:45,705 It's it's a life that says, woah. Our 309 00:12:45,705 --> 00:12:47,964 life is to elevate others and we 310 00:12:48,330 --> 00:12:49,070 we succeed 311 00:12:49,690 --> 00:12:52,730 when we help others to be elevated. That's 312 00:12:52,730 --> 00:12:54,809 the life. And as we enter into God's 313 00:12:54,809 --> 00:12:57,529 kingdom, it takes those things that the world 314 00:12:57,529 --> 00:12:59,769 says are most important and it flips them 315 00:12:59,769 --> 00:13:00,670 upside down. 316 00:13:04,105 --> 00:13:06,204 The world then is going to put pressure 317 00:13:06,264 --> 00:13:07,404 on us. He's clear 318 00:13:07,865 --> 00:13:10,345 that that it's not just you're gonna enter 319 00:13:10,345 --> 00:13:13,144 the kingdom, and that if you if you 320 00:13:13,144 --> 00:13:13,644 do, 321 00:13:14,899 --> 00:13:16,440 temptation is gonna come. 322 00:13:17,059 --> 00:13:18,820 And it's important to know that there's going 323 00:13:18,820 --> 00:13:19,720 to be pressure. 324 00:13:20,259 --> 00:13:22,500 And as a follower of Jesus, you can't 325 00:13:22,500 --> 00:13:24,759 wait until the pressure comes 326 00:13:25,139 --> 00:13:27,480 to start building your faith. 327 00:13:28,835 --> 00:13:30,215 I hope you know that already. 328 00:13:31,075 --> 00:13:32,375 When the pressure comes, 329 00:13:33,634 --> 00:13:36,375 it's the time when we draw upon 330 00:13:37,154 --> 00:13:39,254 the faith that's been built 331 00:13:39,634 --> 00:13:41,735 when the pressure wasn't there. 332 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,639 That's how it works. The foundation we build 333 00:13:46,639 --> 00:13:49,360 on matters. Jesus was really clear at the 334 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,279 end of the sermon on the mount that 335 00:13:51,279 --> 00:13:53,620 the foundation that we build upon 336 00:13:54,159 --> 00:13:56,159 matters, that we would build upon the truth 337 00:13:56,159 --> 00:13:59,034 of who Jesus is and our job is 338 00:13:59,034 --> 00:14:02,075 to build now before the pressure comes. But 339 00:14:02,075 --> 00:14:03,754 many of us maybe you're like, I'm already 340 00:14:03,754 --> 00:14:04,815 in the pressure cooker. 341 00:14:06,475 --> 00:14:08,634 You can still build faith in the midst 342 00:14:08,634 --> 00:14:09,375 of the pressure, 343 00:14:10,379 --> 00:14:12,300 but it's not something we sit by and 344 00:14:12,300 --> 00:14:15,040 just passively wait for. It requires great intentionality 345 00:14:15,580 --> 00:14:17,899 that we would build our faith. Our part 346 00:14:17,899 --> 00:14:19,980 is to build when the pressure is off. 347 00:14:19,980 --> 00:14:22,059 And as followers of Jesus, we build faith 348 00:14:22,059 --> 00:14:22,800 that stands 349 00:14:23,259 --> 00:14:24,960 against the world's pressures. 350 00:14:28,605 --> 00:14:29,105 Little 351 00:14:29,644 --> 00:14:31,565 ones, he's no he takes a child and 352 00:14:31,565 --> 00:14:33,584 then he talks about the humble ones. 353 00:14:33,884 --> 00:14:36,204 He's no longer talking about that little child. 354 00:14:36,204 --> 00:14:38,125 From there on, the little children that he's 355 00:14:38,125 --> 00:14:39,884 talking about are those that are in the 356 00:14:39,884 --> 00:14:42,309 kingdom. How do you enter the kingdom? You 357 00:14:42,309 --> 00:14:46,069 you choose faith. You believe in Jesus. You 358 00:14:46,069 --> 00:14:48,709 become a new creation. You become reborn. You 359 00:14:48,709 --> 00:14:50,009 become a follower 360 00:14:50,549 --> 00:14:51,289 of Christ. 361 00:14:51,909 --> 00:14:54,389 And now when he's referring to these little 362 00:14:54,389 --> 00:14:54,889 ones, 363 00:14:55,345 --> 00:14:57,684 he's referring to his followers. 364 00:14:59,825 --> 00:15:01,845 And he says that there's going to be 365 00:15:02,465 --> 00:15:05,524 temptation. Verse seven, woe to the world 366 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,500 for temptations to sin. Woe to the world. 367 00:15:11,919 --> 00:15:14,480 Now it's interesting here, next week we're gonna 368 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:16,639 talk about things within the church, but he 369 00:15:16,639 --> 00:15:19,040 begins by talking about things outside of the 370 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:19,540 church. 371 00:15:20,554 --> 00:15:23,195 He's talking about the world systems. He's talking 372 00:15:23,195 --> 00:15:25,754 about the things that come, the temptations to 373 00:15:25,754 --> 00:15:29,195 sin that are brought on by the world. 374 00:15:29,195 --> 00:15:30,735 And one of the ways 375 00:15:31,595 --> 00:15:32,414 that the world 376 00:15:32,820 --> 00:15:35,540 tempts us to sin is to rebel against 377 00:15:35,540 --> 00:15:36,040 Jesus 378 00:15:36,500 --> 00:15:37,240 by bringing 379 00:15:37,620 --> 00:15:38,120 opposition. 380 00:15:38,980 --> 00:15:40,820 We know this. We I hope that we 381 00:15:40,820 --> 00:15:43,139 know this. That if you follow Jesus, you'll 382 00:15:43,139 --> 00:15:45,940 face opposition. And it's gonna come in two 383 00:15:45,940 --> 00:15:46,440 forms. 384 00:15:46,824 --> 00:15:48,824 The first one is the one that Jesus 385 00:15:48,824 --> 00:15:50,684 is almost referring to specifically, 386 00:15:51,544 --> 00:15:53,384 only it's kind of cloaked, and we're gonna 387 00:15:53,384 --> 00:15:54,445 take a look at this. 388 00:15:55,625 --> 00:15:57,004 The first one is persecution. 389 00:15:58,584 --> 00:16:00,584 And and around the world to this day, 390 00:16:00,584 --> 00:16:03,789 there's followers of Christ who are facing persecution. 391 00:16:03,929 --> 00:16:06,730 You may be well aware of what's going 392 00:16:06,730 --> 00:16:09,289 on right now in Africa, specifically in Nigeria, 393 00:16:09,289 --> 00:16:10,570 but it's been going on. I mean, it's 394 00:16:10,570 --> 00:16:13,230 been going on since the days of Christ. 395 00:16:13,370 --> 00:16:14,190 There's been 396 00:16:14,504 --> 00:16:17,945 persecution. There's been martyrs. People exchange their life 397 00:16:17,945 --> 00:16:19,565 for the truth of the gospel. 398 00:16:22,345 --> 00:16:24,184 There's never been a time where that's gone 399 00:16:24,184 --> 00:16:26,024 away. There's people groups around the world. And 400 00:16:26,024 --> 00:16:27,705 so you may be familiar, but if if 401 00:16:27,705 --> 00:16:29,485 that's just coming to your awareness, 402 00:16:31,090 --> 00:16:33,570 this isn't uncommon. In fact, there's a ministry 403 00:16:33,570 --> 00:16:35,649 called the voice of the martyrs. And voice 404 00:16:35,649 --> 00:16:37,809 of the martyrs in particular is really interesting. 405 00:16:37,809 --> 00:16:39,170 I I went to their website this week. 406 00:16:39,170 --> 00:16:40,610 I'm like, I wanna read about this ministry. 407 00:16:40,610 --> 00:16:42,690 It began in the sixties. A couple really 408 00:16:42,690 --> 00:16:46,035 wanted to raise awareness about the oppression of 409 00:16:46,035 --> 00:16:48,535 the church, the martyrdom that was going on 410 00:16:48,674 --> 00:16:51,315 around the world. And it's interesting because that 411 00:16:51,315 --> 00:16:53,794 in their statement on why they exist as 412 00:16:53,794 --> 00:16:54,455 an organization, 413 00:16:54,915 --> 00:16:57,634 it doesn't say, in order that we would 414 00:16:57,634 --> 00:16:59,575 stop persecution of the church. 415 00:17:02,089 --> 00:17:04,170 It says in order that we would raise 416 00:17:04,170 --> 00:17:06,670 awareness and that faith would be built, 417 00:17:07,929 --> 00:17:09,529 that the faith of the people around the 418 00:17:09,529 --> 00:17:11,150 world would be raised, 419 00:17:12,170 --> 00:17:13,710 that would be built up 420 00:17:14,724 --> 00:17:15,224 because 421 00:17:15,924 --> 00:17:17,845 that we would be made aware that there's 422 00:17:17,845 --> 00:17:20,164 people who are trading their life for the 423 00:17:20,164 --> 00:17:21,304 truth of the gospel. 424 00:17:22,085 --> 00:17:22,904 And that 425 00:17:23,365 --> 00:17:24,184 is encouraging. 426 00:17:24,884 --> 00:17:26,664 And you're like, wow, how is that encouraging? 427 00:17:27,349 --> 00:17:29,690 It's worth it. And Jesus says it. 428 00:17:30,150 --> 00:17:32,789 So when Jesus talks about cutting off hands 429 00:17:32,789 --> 00:17:35,670 and feet, his audience would have heard something 430 00:17:35,670 --> 00:17:37,910 very different than what we hear. What we 431 00:17:37,910 --> 00:17:38,890 hear is hyperbole. 432 00:17:39,190 --> 00:17:40,390 I would have taught this. A year ago, 433 00:17:40,390 --> 00:17:41,769 I would have said that's just hyperbole. 434 00:17:43,365 --> 00:17:46,105 And then I read second Maccabees chapter seven. 435 00:17:48,164 --> 00:17:50,565 Now, second Maccabees is a book that's from 436 00:17:50,565 --> 00:17:51,224 the intertestable 437 00:17:51,525 --> 00:17:53,464 period, that the time between, 438 00:17:54,164 --> 00:17:56,429 when we would say the old testament ended 439 00:17:56,429 --> 00:17:58,509 and then the new testament begins in the 440 00:17:58,509 --> 00:17:59,490 days of Jesus. 441 00:17:59,869 --> 00:18:02,750 And in that period, there's a rebellion that 442 00:18:02,750 --> 00:18:05,069 went on called the Maccabean revolt. And in 443 00:18:05,069 --> 00:18:05,730 that revolt, 444 00:18:06,190 --> 00:18:08,029 the the Greeks at the time, they wanted 445 00:18:08,029 --> 00:18:09,730 to bring down that revolt 446 00:18:10,085 --> 00:18:12,325 And so there was a guy who there 447 00:18:12,325 --> 00:18:13,065 was a king 448 00:18:13,444 --> 00:18:14,825 and his name was Anticus 449 00:18:15,365 --> 00:18:17,525 Epiphanes, a Greek king, one hundred and fifty 450 00:18:17,525 --> 00:18:20,005 years before Jesus. He was trying to stamp 451 00:18:20,005 --> 00:18:21,765 out the Jewish faith. And one of the 452 00:18:21,765 --> 00:18:23,285 ways that he tried to stamp out the 453 00:18:23,285 --> 00:18:25,970 Jewish faith was by defiling them 454 00:18:26,269 --> 00:18:27,650 by what they ate. 455 00:18:28,109 --> 00:18:30,349 And so you may be familiar that you 456 00:18:30,349 --> 00:18:33,309 can't eat pork as a Jewish person. And 457 00:18:33,309 --> 00:18:35,710 so he would he brought them and he 458 00:18:35,710 --> 00:18:37,630 said, if you won't eat the pig, right, 459 00:18:37,630 --> 00:18:39,085 if you're not gonna eat the swine, then 460 00:18:39,085 --> 00:18:41,105 you will be put to death. 461 00:18:41,724 --> 00:18:42,527 And in second me second second second second 462 00:18:42,536 --> 00:18:42,672 second second second second second second second second 463 00:18:42,681 --> 00:18:42,818 second second second second second second second second 464 00:18:42,827 --> 00:18:42,964 second second second second second second second second 465 00:18:42,973 --> 00:18:43,110 second second second second second second second second 466 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:43,653 second second second second second second second second 467 00:18:43,702 --> 00:18:44,794 second second second second second 468 00:18:51,779 --> 00:18:53,480 if they would not renounce 469 00:18:53,859 --> 00:18:54,600 their faith, 470 00:18:55,619 --> 00:18:58,180 if they wouldn't say that they would they 471 00:18:58,180 --> 00:18:59,000 would reject 472 00:18:59,299 --> 00:19:01,140 Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament. Right? 473 00:19:01,140 --> 00:19:02,039 They would reject 474 00:19:02,340 --> 00:19:03,799 God and that they would 475 00:19:04,420 --> 00:19:06,519 go ahead and just concede. 476 00:19:07,144 --> 00:19:09,164 So the first brother was executed 477 00:19:09,464 --> 00:19:09,964 brutally. 478 00:19:10,345 --> 00:19:12,585 His tongue was cut out, his scalp was 479 00:19:12,585 --> 00:19:15,404 removed, his hands and his feet were severed, 480 00:19:16,585 --> 00:19:19,085 all while his brothers and his mother watched, 481 00:19:19,304 --> 00:19:21,884 and then he was thrown into the fire. 482 00:19:26,769 --> 00:19:27,910 Did you hear that? 483 00:19:31,090 --> 00:19:34,049 Jesus is using something that his audience was 484 00:19:34,049 --> 00:19:36,309 well aware of that there was a persecution 485 00:19:36,690 --> 00:19:38,795 that had happened in their history a They 486 00:19:44,295 --> 00:19:44,795 exchanged 487 00:19:47,015 --> 00:19:47,515 their 488 00:19:52,079 --> 00:19:54,900 they exchanged their life for faith. 489 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:58,480 And he says it's better for that person 490 00:19:58,480 --> 00:19:59,619 that they would recognize 491 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,140 the permanence of of life with me. 492 00:20:03,994 --> 00:20:05,914 And so the brothers refused to break and 493 00:20:05,914 --> 00:20:07,755 the story goes on, it goes through them 494 00:20:07,755 --> 00:20:09,595 and when the third brother's turn came, he 495 00:20:09,595 --> 00:20:12,555 voluntarily sticks out his tongue, extends his hand 496 00:20:12,555 --> 00:20:14,315 and he says to them and he says 497 00:20:14,315 --> 00:20:16,555 this, I got these from heaven and because 498 00:20:16,555 --> 00:20:18,750 of his laws, I disdain them and from 499 00:20:18,750 --> 00:20:20,930 him, I hope to get them back again. 500 00:20:21,309 --> 00:20:23,630 Even the king, it says, was impressed by 501 00:20:23,630 --> 00:20:25,890 his faith, he killed him anyway. 502 00:20:29,950 --> 00:20:33,345 That's the context Jesus's listeners lived in. They 503 00:20:33,345 --> 00:20:35,664 knew suffering was possible and they knew that 504 00:20:35,664 --> 00:20:36,484 staying faithful 505 00:20:36,865 --> 00:20:39,125 might cost them everything, including 506 00:20:39,664 --> 00:20:40,404 their life. 507 00:20:41,984 --> 00:20:43,285 And he says it's better. 508 00:20:43,984 --> 00:20:45,904 It's better that that you would lose a 509 00:20:45,904 --> 00:20:46,404 limb. 510 00:20:47,940 --> 00:20:49,559 Losing a limb is temporary. 511 00:20:50,339 --> 00:20:52,740 Being separated from Jesus is forever. It's better 512 00:20:52,740 --> 00:20:55,460 that you would hold on, and so this 513 00:20:55,460 --> 00:20:56,200 is extreme. 514 00:20:56,500 --> 00:20:59,559 And for us, that's not our cultural reality. 515 00:21:00,285 --> 00:21:03,244 Okay? Our cultural reality is different, but there's 516 00:21:03,244 --> 00:21:05,565 a second way that the world does tempt 517 00:21:05,565 --> 00:21:08,605 us. There is something called an allurement. It 518 00:21:08,605 --> 00:21:11,085 it it numbs us. The the world in 519 00:21:11,085 --> 00:21:13,644 North America numbs us into thinking there is 520 00:21:13,644 --> 00:21:14,465 no threat. 521 00:21:15,250 --> 00:21:18,150 So if persecution doesn't work, the world offers 522 00:21:18,529 --> 00:21:19,029 attractive 523 00:21:19,329 --> 00:21:19,829 alternatives. 524 00:21:21,250 --> 00:21:24,390 The world offers you something else, comfort, status, 525 00:21:24,929 --> 00:21:25,429 acceptance, 526 00:21:25,970 --> 00:21:26,470 security. 527 00:21:26,849 --> 00:21:28,309 If you'll just compromise, 528 00:21:28,769 --> 00:21:32,105 if you'll just consume what everyone else consumes, 529 00:21:32,644 --> 00:21:34,825 believe what everyone else believes, 530 00:21:35,525 --> 00:21:37,945 value what everyone else values. 531 00:21:39,365 --> 00:21:40,725 If you look at the things that are 532 00:21:40,725 --> 00:21:42,184 most important in our lives 533 00:21:42,859 --> 00:21:45,420 and there's there's no difference of what's most 534 00:21:45,420 --> 00:21:46,880 important to us 535 00:21:47,420 --> 00:21:50,539 than any other normal American, we may have 536 00:21:50,539 --> 00:21:51,119 a problem. 537 00:21:53,660 --> 00:21:55,680 I'm I'm gonna get up in my business 538 00:21:59,445 --> 00:22:01,785 If I value the things most 539 00:22:03,125 --> 00:22:04,825 that every other American 540 00:22:05,285 --> 00:22:05,785 values 541 00:22:06,085 --> 00:22:06,585 most, 542 00:22:08,085 --> 00:22:09,065 it's an indication 543 00:22:10,164 --> 00:22:11,705 of a problem in my heart. 544 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,119 We have to be really careful, this is 545 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:19,099 a real threat. 546 00:22:19,799 --> 00:22:21,720 As we're looking there at the things that 547 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:23,880 seem so obvious, the subtle is coming from 548 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:24,779 the other direction. 549 00:22:25,825 --> 00:22:27,505 And so I wanna start, I'm gonna tell 550 00:22:27,505 --> 00:22:29,664 you moms and dads, this is gonna go 551 00:22:29,664 --> 00:22:31,684 PG 13. I'm gonna give you an opportunity. 552 00:22:31,744 --> 00:22:33,105 If you have a kid and you're like, 553 00:22:33,105 --> 00:22:34,545 I don't really know that I wanna go 554 00:22:34,545 --> 00:22:36,545 PG 13. Yeah. I'll give you a chance. 555 00:22:36,545 --> 00:22:37,825 You can get up. You can leave right 556 00:22:37,825 --> 00:22:39,789 now because we're gonna go PG 13. We 557 00:22:39,789 --> 00:22:41,549 don't normally do that here, but we're gonna 558 00:22:41,549 --> 00:22:43,809 go there because the world offers 559 00:22:44,349 --> 00:22:46,450 alternatives, and the world's alternatives 560 00:22:46,829 --> 00:22:50,049 have still never changed through all history. 561 00:22:51,630 --> 00:22:52,369 It's about 562 00:22:52,829 --> 00:22:53,329 power, 563 00:22:54,815 --> 00:22:55,634 It's about 564 00:22:56,095 --> 00:22:56,595 money, 565 00:22:57,375 --> 00:22:59,075 and it's about sex. 566 00:23:00,734 --> 00:23:03,075 These are the three. This is the world's 567 00:23:03,214 --> 00:23:06,174 allurement, and the world has faked us out. 568 00:23:06,174 --> 00:23:08,674 And now I wanna start by being crystal 569 00:23:08,734 --> 00:23:09,234 clear. 570 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:15,900 Avoidance of all things. What the goal is 571 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:17,960 is that we would be faithful to Christ. 572 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:19,480 And so it's really important that you would 573 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:20,779 get this. Faithfulness 574 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:22,140 is sustained 575 00:23:22,759 --> 00:23:23,259 intimacy 576 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:25,365 with Jesus. That's the 577 00:23:25,744 --> 00:23:26,565 goal. Sustained 578 00:23:27,105 --> 00:23:27,605 intimacy 579 00:23:27,984 --> 00:23:28,724 with Jesus, 580 00:23:29,105 --> 00:23:30,884 following Jesus closely. 581 00:23:31,825 --> 00:23:34,464 Following Jesus closely, this is the goal. Okay? 582 00:23:34,464 --> 00:23:37,470 Intimacy with Jesus is the goal, Not sin 583 00:23:37,470 --> 00:23:39,009 avoidance but intimacy 584 00:23:39,549 --> 00:23:41,630 with Christ is the goal. The way that 585 00:23:41,630 --> 00:23:44,349 we're going to avoid the temptations of the 586 00:23:44,349 --> 00:23:47,150 world is by staying close to Christ. It 587 00:23:47,150 --> 00:23:49,890 requires a spirit empowered response. 588 00:23:51,070 --> 00:23:52,049 Are we clear? 589 00:23:52,694 --> 00:23:54,294 Because if we try to do this on 590 00:23:54,294 --> 00:23:56,534 our own, many of us have tried this 591 00:23:56,534 --> 00:23:58,774 method. I'll speak from my own experience. I've 592 00:23:58,774 --> 00:24:00,855 tried this method. It does not work. You 593 00:24:00,855 --> 00:24:03,414 just hold on tighter. If I just white 594 00:24:03,414 --> 00:24:05,974 knuckle this thing through, maybe I'll be able 595 00:24:05,974 --> 00:24:08,670 to to overcome. Maybe that I'll be able 596 00:24:08,670 --> 00:24:09,410 to succeed. 597 00:24:10,509 --> 00:24:12,269 So don't think you can just white knuckle 598 00:24:12,269 --> 00:24:13,789 your way through this. I also wanna say 599 00:24:13,789 --> 00:24:15,309 that I'm gonna name some stuff and I 600 00:24:15,309 --> 00:24:18,690 don't have time to unpack every single thing 601 00:24:18,924 --> 00:24:20,445 and there's going to be some that are 602 00:24:20,445 --> 00:24:23,424 gonna require that you reach out for help. 603 00:24:24,045 --> 00:24:25,025 Here's the deal, 604 00:24:25,565 --> 00:24:27,105 it's on you. 605 00:24:28,445 --> 00:24:29,505 It's on you. 606 00:24:29,884 --> 00:24:31,484 If you know that one of the issues 607 00:24:31,484 --> 00:24:33,085 that I'm gonna talk about is an issue 608 00:24:33,085 --> 00:24:34,464 in your life, it's on 609 00:24:34,799 --> 00:24:37,680 you to reach out for help or you'll 610 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:39,940 just stay stuck in a cycle 611 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:43,759 destroying your life over and over and over 612 00:24:43,759 --> 00:24:45,700 again. There's a personal responsibility. 613 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:48,000 Sometimes we don't really 614 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:49,860 I wanna drive that home. 615 00:24:50,545 --> 00:24:52,325 You're responsible for you. 616 00:24:53,664 --> 00:24:56,164 You're responsible for your spiritual life. 617 00:24:56,945 --> 00:24:59,424 You're responsible to make sure that you're being 618 00:24:59,424 --> 00:24:59,924 intentional 619 00:25:00,384 --> 00:25:02,545 with the stuff that you're putting in to 620 00:25:02,545 --> 00:25:03,684 your heart and mind. 621 00:25:05,650 --> 00:25:06,630 K. Are we clear? 622 00:25:08,849 --> 00:25:10,690 Moms and dads, you had your warning. Here 623 00:25:10,690 --> 00:25:11,349 we go. 624 00:25:12,130 --> 00:25:13,750 When it comes to the world's alternative, 625 00:25:14,369 --> 00:25:17,509 some things are obviously out of bounds. Okay? 626 00:25:17,794 --> 00:25:20,034 There's some things that are obviously out of 627 00:25:20,034 --> 00:25:22,034 bounds. If the world says something is out 628 00:25:22,034 --> 00:25:22,694 of bounds, 629 00:25:23,075 --> 00:25:25,154 surely, we should look and go, wait a 630 00:25:25,154 --> 00:25:27,954 minute. What does the Bible say about something 631 00:25:27,954 --> 00:25:29,015 being out of bounds? 632 00:25:31,049 --> 00:25:32,730 We should be able to like, it shouldn't 633 00:25:32,730 --> 00:25:34,809 take the world to go, hey, there's there's 634 00:25:34,809 --> 00:25:37,630 a billionaire caught in affair at a Coldplay 635 00:25:37,690 --> 00:25:39,450 concert on the kiss cam, and now we're 636 00:25:39,450 --> 00:25:41,370 like, oh, okay. I guess affairs are out 637 00:25:41,370 --> 00:25:41,950 of bounds. 638 00:25:42,330 --> 00:25:42,830 Affairs 639 00:25:43,210 --> 00:25:44,269 are out of bounds. 640 00:25:47,234 --> 00:25:50,035 And hopefully we all say, yes. And if 641 00:25:50,035 --> 00:25:51,174 you're in one, 642 00:25:52,035 --> 00:25:52,535 confess, 643 00:25:52,835 --> 00:25:53,335 repent, 644 00:25:53,714 --> 00:25:56,055 turn, it may cost me my marriage. 645 00:25:56,515 --> 00:25:57,015 Yes. 646 00:25:59,089 --> 00:26:00,950 But don't let it cost you your life. 647 00:26:02,849 --> 00:26:04,470 Don't don't be foolish. 648 00:26:06,690 --> 00:26:07,670 That's the obvious. 649 00:26:08,130 --> 00:26:10,130 K? Now let's go to the subtle. All 650 00:26:10,130 --> 00:26:12,369 the things. Guess what? An emotional affair is 651 00:26:12,369 --> 00:26:15,075 an affair. If you're trying to fill intimacy 652 00:26:15,454 --> 00:26:18,494 with someone of the opposite sex or or 653 00:26:18,494 --> 00:26:20,414 somebody that you would say, hey, I need 654 00:26:20,414 --> 00:26:21,474 to fill this void, 655 00:26:22,095 --> 00:26:24,095 in my life that my spouse isn't filling. 656 00:26:24,095 --> 00:26:26,174 If you're not allowing Christ to fill that 657 00:26:26,174 --> 00:26:26,674 void, 658 00:26:27,099 --> 00:26:29,500 then you need to repent. Some of us, 659 00:26:29,500 --> 00:26:32,059 we we try that it's statistics would say 660 00:26:32,059 --> 00:26:34,480 many that are trying to fill that void 661 00:26:34,619 --> 00:26:35,839 with things like pornography 662 00:26:36,299 --> 00:26:37,440 or with drugs 663 00:26:37,740 --> 00:26:38,720 or with alcohol 664 00:26:39,099 --> 00:26:40,779 that we're trying to fill and numb the 665 00:26:40,779 --> 00:26:43,154 pain in some way shape or form for 666 00:26:43,154 --> 00:26:45,154 what we're not and so we think that 667 00:26:45,154 --> 00:26:45,894 it's okay. 668 00:26:48,755 --> 00:26:50,835 Every day you come home from work, you 669 00:26:50,835 --> 00:26:53,174 have a drink, I'm gonna suggest you, 670 00:26:53,555 --> 00:26:55,015 maybe that's a problem. 671 00:26:57,509 --> 00:26:58,650 Maybe that's a problem. 672 00:26:59,190 --> 00:27:01,210 We're not anti alcohol, 673 00:27:02,230 --> 00:27:03,990 but what we are is like, wait. What 674 00:27:04,150 --> 00:27:06,470 what's the artificial? What's the thing? What's the 675 00:27:06,470 --> 00:27:08,549 substitute? What am I putting in? What's the 676 00:27:08,549 --> 00:27:09,769 thing that I'm substituting 677 00:27:10,309 --> 00:27:11,210 for my intimacy 678 00:27:11,509 --> 00:27:12,170 with Christ? 679 00:27:12,575 --> 00:27:13,775 What's the thing that I'm putting in my 680 00:27:13,775 --> 00:27:16,095 life that I'm hoping just to numb the 681 00:27:16,095 --> 00:27:16,595 pain? 682 00:27:17,295 --> 00:27:18,035 And so 683 00:27:18,494 --> 00:27:20,674 these are all things that are poison. 684 00:27:22,335 --> 00:27:24,734 If you're getting drunk or high to numb 685 00:27:24,734 --> 00:27:26,595 the pain, if you're like, well, it's legal, 686 00:27:26,654 --> 00:27:29,440 pot's legal, it's cool, right? No. Not cool. 687 00:27:30,940 --> 00:27:32,220 You may have heard this before. It's a 688 00:27:32,220 --> 00:27:34,000 gateway drug. It is what it is. 689 00:27:35,019 --> 00:27:37,099 It just leads to destruction and so we 690 00:27:37,099 --> 00:27:38,700 need to go, wait. These things are obviously 691 00:27:38,700 --> 00:27:40,640 out of bounds. So hopefully hopefully, 692 00:27:41,224 --> 00:27:43,144 if one of those things resonates in your 693 00:27:43,144 --> 00:27:45,705 heart and mind, we wanna encourage you, get 694 00:27:45,705 --> 00:27:48,184 help. These aren't things, if you've been trying 695 00:27:48,184 --> 00:27:51,144 for years to overcome the thing, then guess 696 00:27:51,144 --> 00:27:53,085 what? It's not gonna change 697 00:27:53,819 --> 00:27:57,099 this week because now you're really resolved. It's 698 00:27:57,099 --> 00:27:59,759 gonna change when you reach out for help. 699 00:27:59,980 --> 00:28:02,460 When you say, I've tried to overcome this 700 00:28:02,460 --> 00:28:03,359 on my own. 701 00:28:03,740 --> 00:28:05,500 I need help. I need the power of 702 00:28:05,500 --> 00:28:07,339 God himself. I need the word of God. 703 00:28:07,339 --> 00:28:08,735 I need the spirit of God, and I 704 00:28:08,735 --> 00:28:10,434 need another follower of Christ 705 00:28:11,055 --> 00:28:11,955 to come alongside. 706 00:28:14,015 --> 00:28:15,695 Now I'm gonna put all of us into 707 00:28:15,695 --> 00:28:18,815 it in the, what's maybe not obviously evil, 708 00:28:18,815 --> 00:28:20,894 the subtle. It may be the social media 709 00:28:20,894 --> 00:28:23,289 feed that keeps us wanting for more. It 710 00:28:23,289 --> 00:28:26,009 keeps us longing for another person's life. It 711 00:28:26,009 --> 00:28:28,730 keeps us thinking that I'm missing out. It's 712 00:28:28,730 --> 00:28:30,669 comparison. I'm constantly comparison 713 00:28:31,130 --> 00:28:33,549 my life to somebody else. Or maybe it's 714 00:28:33,769 --> 00:28:36,250 it's binging TV shows in order just to 715 00:28:36,250 --> 00:28:38,585 fill this idea. I mean, I come home 716 00:28:38,585 --> 00:28:40,904 from work, I'm exhausted. I don't wanna interact 717 00:28:40,904 --> 00:28:42,664 with my family. I'm just gonna binge a 718 00:28:42,664 --> 00:28:44,904 show, check out and get up and grind 719 00:28:44,904 --> 00:28:46,984 it out again tomorrow. After all, I do 720 00:28:46,984 --> 00:28:48,345 live it out in the morning, so the 721 00:28:48,345 --> 00:28:49,724 nights belong to me. 722 00:28:53,750 --> 00:28:54,569 Maybe it's 723 00:28:55,990 --> 00:28:56,970 a friend group. 724 00:28:59,829 --> 00:29:01,589 You have the friend group and they're your 725 00:29:01,589 --> 00:29:03,690 non Jesus friend group and you're so grateful. 726 00:29:03,829 --> 00:29:05,669 Like I only have to put Jesus into 727 00:29:05,669 --> 00:29:06,730 part of my life. 728 00:29:08,054 --> 00:29:09,835 I have friends, I have coworkers 729 00:29:10,134 --> 00:29:12,134 and and I you know, the thing is 730 00:29:12,134 --> 00:29:13,974 I really and I'm gonna suggest you, if 731 00:29:13,974 --> 00:29:15,575 you have friends and coworkers who don't know 732 00:29:15,575 --> 00:29:17,575 Jesus, this is awesome. But here's where it 733 00:29:17,575 --> 00:29:20,214 goes not awesome. You love the fact that 734 00:29:20,214 --> 00:29:21,355 they don't know Jesus. 735 00:29:23,750 --> 00:29:25,750 You love the fact that you get to 736 00:29:25,750 --> 00:29:28,549 talk about Jesus on Sunday and Tuesday night 737 00:29:28,549 --> 00:29:29,690 when you go to your group. 738 00:29:31,909 --> 00:29:33,509 But the rest of the time, I'm cool 739 00:29:33,509 --> 00:29:35,669 with it being me time. I'm cool hanging 740 00:29:35,669 --> 00:29:37,190 out with the guys. I'm cool hanging out 741 00:29:37,190 --> 00:29:38,009 with the gals. 742 00:29:38,535 --> 00:29:39,975 I love that I don't have to have 743 00:29:39,975 --> 00:29:41,755 Jesus in that part of my life. 744 00:29:43,174 --> 00:29:45,815 Maybe it's the news cycle that keeps you 745 00:29:45,815 --> 00:29:46,315 angry 746 00:29:47,255 --> 00:29:50,215 because the news channel that you watch is 747 00:29:50,215 --> 00:29:51,914 trying to make you angry. 748 00:29:53,900 --> 00:29:54,559 Be wise. 749 00:29:55,900 --> 00:29:56,880 Turn it off. 750 00:29:57,579 --> 00:29:59,419 The sun's gonna come up tomorrow if Jesus 751 00:29:59,419 --> 00:30:01,919 wants it to. Hallelujah and amen. Alright? 752 00:30:03,019 --> 00:30:05,200 Turn it off if it's making you angry. 753 00:30:05,339 --> 00:30:07,744 Okay? If it's making you angry, if you're 754 00:30:07,744 --> 00:30:09,845 getting upset, if it's causing anxiety, 755 00:30:10,304 --> 00:30:12,884 turn it off. I speak from experience. 756 00:30:16,144 --> 00:30:17,585 And then later you can try and go 757 00:30:17,585 --> 00:30:19,204 back and use it as a gauge 758 00:30:19,664 --> 00:30:21,125 of a spiritual discipline. 759 00:30:21,839 --> 00:30:23,599 In other words, am I able to watch 760 00:30:23,599 --> 00:30:25,220 this and not become angry? 761 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:28,240 If I can, then I can watch it 762 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,319 again. If I can't, turn it back off. 763 00:30:30,319 --> 00:30:32,339 There's more work, there's more layers. 764 00:30:33,359 --> 00:30:35,684 And here's the goal, Okay? It's not just 765 00:30:35,684 --> 00:30:37,525 that we would we would be people. It's 766 00:30:37,525 --> 00:30:39,765 that we would have a strong faith because 767 00:30:39,765 --> 00:30:41,845 we need a strong faith for the next 768 00:30:41,845 --> 00:30:44,884 thing Jesus talks about. And it's that we 769 00:30:44,884 --> 00:30:47,125 would be a people who pursue the one 770 00:30:47,125 --> 00:30:50,359 who's missing. And he uses this parable talking 771 00:30:50,359 --> 00:30:52,920 about a shepherd who goes after the lost 772 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:53,420 sheep. 773 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:57,500 And he says that my father doesn't desire 774 00:30:57,559 --> 00:30:58,779 anyone to perish. 775 00:31:00,039 --> 00:31:02,744 And so there's there's people that in our 776 00:31:02,744 --> 00:31:05,964 life that were once following Christ, excuse me, 777 00:31:06,345 --> 00:31:07,804 who no longer are. 778 00:31:09,865 --> 00:31:11,544 Maybe they were part of Two Rivers Church, 779 00:31:11,544 --> 00:31:12,904 but I wanna be clear, this isn't about 780 00:31:12,904 --> 00:31:14,345 Two Rivers Church, this is about the kingdom 781 00:31:14,345 --> 00:31:16,105 of God. And so there may be people, 782 00:31:16,105 --> 00:31:18,259 they're still they're still following off 783 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,039 they're still following Jesus. They're just doing it 784 00:31:21,039 --> 00:31:23,680 in another flock and that's cool. Okay? I'm 785 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:25,519 not talking about trying to talk people into 786 00:31:25,519 --> 00:31:27,119 coming back to church at Two Rivers, but 787 00:31:27,119 --> 00:31:29,994 I am talking about people who have wandered 788 00:31:29,994 --> 00:31:32,554 away, people who have wandered off, the people 789 00:31:32,554 --> 00:31:34,315 that you know in your life that have 790 00:31:34,315 --> 00:31:35,994 wandered from the faith and that you would 791 00:31:35,994 --> 00:31:36,974 pursue them. 792 00:31:39,355 --> 00:31:41,835 I'm talking about the people who aren't here 793 00:31:41,835 --> 00:31:42,335 yet. 794 00:31:42,714 --> 00:31:45,054 Another group of people, they don't know Jesus 795 00:31:45,860 --> 00:31:46,360 yet. 796 00:31:47,940 --> 00:31:51,080 This is true. Statistics for years have said, 797 00:31:51,299 --> 00:31:53,000 and and also our own, 798 00:31:54,100 --> 00:31:56,580 waiting class bears out that the majority of 799 00:31:56,580 --> 00:31:59,140 people end up at a church because somebody 800 00:31:59,140 --> 00:32:00,039 invited them. 801 00:32:01,164 --> 00:32:02,765 Some people, they end up here just because 802 00:32:02,765 --> 00:32:04,445 they drove by and they saw the church 803 00:32:04,445 --> 00:32:07,244 building, but many people, they end up there 804 00:32:07,244 --> 00:32:10,204 because somebody invited them. And in my life, 805 00:32:10,204 --> 00:32:12,204 for Kelly and I, there was a church 806 00:32:12,204 --> 00:32:13,964 that we were part of and that church 807 00:32:13,964 --> 00:32:15,184 was a hot mess, but 808 00:32:16,589 --> 00:32:19,230 we ended up there and Jesus changed our 809 00:32:19,230 --> 00:32:20,210 lives there 810 00:32:20,670 --> 00:32:22,509 because a co worker said, hey, you should 811 00:32:22,509 --> 00:32:23,789 come check it out. And we're like, okay, 812 00:32:23,789 --> 00:32:25,150 we're looking for a church, we'll go check 813 00:32:25,150 --> 00:32:27,789 it out. And and God used that, that 814 00:32:27,789 --> 00:32:29,630 we do what we do today because of 815 00:32:29,630 --> 00:32:30,769 what God did 816 00:32:31,309 --> 00:32:31,970 in that 817 00:32:32,565 --> 00:32:35,365 environment, okay? Not because of that church but 818 00:32:35,365 --> 00:32:36,984 because of what Jesus did. 819 00:32:38,085 --> 00:32:40,005 So it's important that we would be those 820 00:32:40,005 --> 00:32:40,904 kinds of people. 821 00:32:42,005 --> 00:32:44,085 And here's what ties this all together, the 822 00:32:44,085 --> 00:32:46,024 kingdom of God inverts what 823 00:32:46,404 --> 00:32:47,224 the world values 824 00:32:47,910 --> 00:32:50,710 calling us to actively pursue people. We are 825 00:32:50,710 --> 00:32:52,570 all the under shepherds of Jesus. 826 00:32:53,509 --> 00:32:54,490 He's the shepherd, 827 00:32:55,109 --> 00:32:57,190 he's the good shepherd, he's the one who 828 00:32:57,190 --> 00:32:59,670 pursues and the way that he pursues people 829 00:32:59,670 --> 00:33:00,170 is 830 00:33:00,789 --> 00:33:01,289 us. 831 00:33:02,765 --> 00:33:03,664 The way Jesus 832 00:33:04,204 --> 00:33:06,944 pursues people is through you. 833 00:33:08,924 --> 00:33:10,065 You're the one 834 00:33:10,525 --> 00:33:11,744 who goes after 835 00:33:12,204 --> 00:33:13,025 the one. 836 00:33:15,539 --> 00:33:17,160 So the question is this, 837 00:33:17,940 --> 00:33:20,420 are we actually living in Jesus' kingdom? I 838 00:33:20,420 --> 00:33:23,619 think that's a question personally and it's a 839 00:33:23,619 --> 00:33:24,759 question corporately. 840 00:33:26,820 --> 00:33:28,279 We just finished up 841 00:33:28,785 --> 00:33:31,424 something we call Quiet Waters. It's an opportunity 842 00:33:31,424 --> 00:33:33,765 for us to spend twenty three hours actively 843 00:33:33,825 --> 00:33:36,965 seeking Jesus together. Okay? That's the ultra simplified 844 00:33:37,025 --> 00:33:37,525 version 845 00:33:37,825 --> 00:33:39,664 and and during that time, we had this 846 00:33:39,664 --> 00:33:40,164 imagery 847 00:33:40,545 --> 00:33:42,865 that that we believe that God was calling 848 00:33:42,865 --> 00:33:45,369 us to to not be people who have 849 00:33:45,429 --> 00:33:47,349 one foot in the kingdom of the world 850 00:33:47,349 --> 00:33:49,289 and one foot in the kingdom of God. 851 00:33:49,349 --> 00:33:50,710 What's it look like for us to be 852 00:33:50,710 --> 00:33:53,269 people who step both feet into the kingdom 853 00:33:53,269 --> 00:33:55,269 of God, allowing him to rule and reign 854 00:33:55,269 --> 00:33:57,029 over every area of our life? And that's 855 00:33:57,029 --> 00:33:57,690 the invitation. 856 00:33:59,244 --> 00:34:01,505 That's the invitation Jesus has for us. 857 00:34:02,284 --> 00:34:04,384 Real life with Jesus requires humility, 858 00:34:04,845 --> 00:34:07,825 and it builds resilient faith, and it pursues 859 00:34:07,884 --> 00:34:08,385 people. 860 00:34:09,005 --> 00:34:10,065 That's the life. 861 00:34:11,679 --> 00:34:14,420 So real life with Jesus in his kingdom 862 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:16,659 requires that we would actively respond, 863 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:19,780 that we would be a people who 864 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:21,380 intentionally 865 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:23,920 seek what we're putting in, that we're people 866 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:24,659 who intentionally 867 00:34:25,514 --> 00:34:27,295 seek what he's saying to 868 00:34:28,474 --> 00:34:30,494 us. And so I wanna encourage you 869 00:34:31,194 --> 00:34:33,514 that when we ask these questions in a 870 00:34:33,514 --> 00:34:35,594 moment here that you wouldn't think this is 871 00:34:35,594 --> 00:34:38,190 just cursory. This is the beginning. This is 872 00:34:38,190 --> 00:34:41,089 the beginning two questions to begin a conversation 873 00:34:41,630 --> 00:34:44,449 with Jesus to carry on throughout your week. 874 00:34:45,550 --> 00:34:47,070 And so these are the two questions that 875 00:34:47,070 --> 00:34:48,829 we're gonna sit on and and I'm gonna 876 00:34:48,829 --> 00:34:50,755 suggest in the time that you have, you're 877 00:34:50,755 --> 00:34:52,675 gonna have to focus in on one or 878 00:34:52,675 --> 00:34:55,074 the other. You don't have time and I'm 879 00:34:55,074 --> 00:34:56,914 gonna trust that the Holy Spirit will bring 880 00:34:56,914 --> 00:34:58,835 to mind in your heart and mind the 881 00:34:58,835 --> 00:35:00,675 one that he's asking you to focus in 882 00:35:00,675 --> 00:35:03,815 on. And the first question is, what foundation 883 00:35:04,195 --> 00:35:05,014 am I building? 884 00:35:06,219 --> 00:35:08,880 The second question is, who is Jesus 885 00:35:09,420 --> 00:35:10,800 asking me to pursue? 886 00:35:11,579 --> 00:35:13,019 Now I want to encourage you that the 887 00:35:13,019 --> 00:35:14,880 one of the things that would be 888 00:35:15,500 --> 00:35:18,239 really encouraging is a sense of expect expectancy 889 00:35:18,699 --> 00:35:20,394 right now, that you would break out your 890 00:35:20,394 --> 00:35:22,154 phone, you would have a pen, whatever it 891 00:35:22,154 --> 00:35:23,934 is that you would say, I really anticipate 892 00:35:24,474 --> 00:35:27,194 Jesus will bring to mind something that I'm 893 00:35:27,194 --> 00:35:29,755 building on or a person that he's calling 894 00:35:29,755 --> 00:35:31,674 me to pursue and and then I would 895 00:35:31,674 --> 00:35:32,714 write it down and I would take it 896 00:35:32,714 --> 00:35:35,339 captive. And you're gonna have about thirty seconds 897 00:35:35,339 --> 00:35:37,679 because this isn't to solve the question, 898 00:35:38,539 --> 00:35:40,159 it's to begin a conversation. 899 00:35:41,420 --> 00:35:43,519 And so if you have somebody's face 900 00:35:44,059 --> 00:35:45,659 come to mind, if you have a name 901 00:35:45,659 --> 00:35:48,805 that crosses your mind, if you have something 902 00:35:48,805 --> 00:35:49,785 in your world 903 00:35:50,085 --> 00:35:52,325 that crosses your mind, hey, you're really building 904 00:35:52,325 --> 00:35:54,485 life on your four zero one ks. You're 905 00:35:54,485 --> 00:35:57,545 really building your life on the the reputation 906 00:35:57,765 --> 00:35:59,989 that you have at work. You're really building 907 00:35:59,989 --> 00:36:02,010 your your your life upon 908 00:36:02,469 --> 00:36:03,449 people thinking 909 00:36:03,750 --> 00:36:05,989 that you're a really great person. Whatever that 910 00:36:05,989 --> 00:36:08,630 is, allow Jesus to bring it to mind 911 00:36:08,630 --> 00:36:10,230 and when he does, take it captive and 912 00:36:10,230 --> 00:36:11,684 then I'm gonna tell you what we're gonna 913 00:36:12,405 --> 00:36:14,105 do with it. Jesus, would you show 914 00:36:14,724 --> 00:36:16,744 us in a very personal kind of way, 915 00:36:17,045 --> 00:36:18,744 through the power of your spirit, 916 00:36:19,684 --> 00:36:21,465 what is that you have for us? 917 00:36:57,510 --> 00:36:59,349 Now I'm gonna ask you to take that, 918 00:36:59,349 --> 00:37:00,170 hold it captive. 919 00:37:00,710 --> 00:37:03,344 You wrote it down. And now you're gonna 920 00:37:03,344 --> 00:37:05,425 have a conversation about that thing with Jesus 921 00:37:05,425 --> 00:37:07,505 throughout the week. And I wanna encourage you 922 00:37:07,505 --> 00:37:09,505 that that if you've never used our tool 923 00:37:09,505 --> 00:37:10,864 called Live It Out, if you're visiting with 924 00:37:10,864 --> 00:37:12,704 us and visiting one of our our our 925 00:37:12,704 --> 00:37:14,864 campuses or our venues, in the middle of 926 00:37:14,864 --> 00:37:16,784 your bulletin is something called Live It Out. 927 00:37:16,784 --> 00:37:18,190 The better way is to to take your 928 00:37:18,190 --> 00:37:22,510 phone, go online, go to 2rc.tv/liveitout. 929 00:37:22,510 --> 00:37:24,429 It's it's meant to be used on your 930 00:37:24,429 --> 00:37:26,829 mobile phone. It's a perfect layout on your 931 00:37:26,829 --> 00:37:27,650 mobile phone. 932 00:37:29,469 --> 00:37:32,015 And that you would take these questions into 933 00:37:32,015 --> 00:37:33,855 your week with Jesus, that you would begin 934 00:37:33,855 --> 00:37:35,954 to sort it out with him. 935 00:37:36,335 --> 00:37:38,175 You would begin to work your way through 936 00:37:38,175 --> 00:37:40,434 it. What's that look for me to stop 937 00:37:40,655 --> 00:37:42,815 wishing that I could follow Jesus in my 938 00:37:42,815 --> 00:37:45,555 everyday life and to start following Jesus 939 00:37:45,900 --> 00:37:47,119 in your everyday life. 940 00:37:48,619 --> 00:37:50,480 Living with both feet 941 00:37:50,780 --> 00:37:51,679 in his kingdom. 942 00:37:53,179 --> 00:37:54,639 That's the invitation 943 00:37:55,900 --> 00:37:58,139 that we would walk with Jesus this week. 944 00:37:58,139 --> 00:38:00,159 And the only way we can do this 945 00:38:00,684 --> 00:38:03,085 is by this consistent diet of putting his 946 00:38:03,085 --> 00:38:03,904 word in. 947 00:38:05,324 --> 00:38:07,264 Consistent diet of res 948 00:38:08,045 --> 00:38:09,025 like, resolve 949 00:38:09,484 --> 00:38:11,484 that we would be intentional in seeking him. 950 00:38:11,484 --> 00:38:12,474 Trusting the Holy Spirit's power. 951 00:38:25,070 --> 00:38:25,570 Accepted. 952 00:38:26,030 --> 00:38:28,534 It's not how we earn the Father's love, 953 00:38:28,534 --> 00:38:31,275 it's because we're loved and because we're loved, 954 00:38:31,414 --> 00:38:32,154 we put 955 00:38:32,614 --> 00:38:33,674 spiritual practices 956 00:38:34,295 --> 00:38:35,194 into place 957 00:38:35,494 --> 00:38:37,894 in order that we would build faith so 958 00:38:37,894 --> 00:38:39,114 we can follow Jesus 959 00:38:39,574 --> 00:38:40,074 closely. 960 00:38:41,119 --> 00:38:42,180 That's the life. 961 00:38:43,519 --> 00:38:45,119 And what we're gonna do in now is 962 00:38:45,119 --> 00:38:46,420 we're gonna remind ourselves 963 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,440 of the love that God has for us. 964 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:51,039 He is for us. He is not against 965 00:38:51,039 --> 00:38:53,599 us. And he's called us to life because 966 00:38:53,599 --> 00:38:56,744 the father doesn't want one to perish. That's 967 00:38:56,744 --> 00:38:59,304 a reason for us to worship in all 968 00:38:59,304 --> 00:39:00,744 of our venues. I'm gonna invite you to 969 00:39:00,744 --> 00:39:02,444 stand. God, we're so grateful 970 00:39:02,744 --> 00:39:05,385 that your love is far beyond anything that 971 00:39:05,385 --> 00:39:06,844 we could ask or imagine, 972 00:39:07,224 --> 00:39:09,065 that you love us more than we could 973 00:39:09,065 --> 00:39:11,489 possibly ever even love ourselves, that that you 974 00:39:11,489 --> 00:39:13,889 are for us and Jesus is proof of 975 00:39:13,889 --> 00:39:16,369 that. And so we celebrate your love for 976 00:39:16,369 --> 00:39:18,309 us now, in Jesus name. 977 00:39:18,610 --> 00:39:19,110 Amen.