1 00:00:02,092 --> 00:00:02,782 Hello, Crowd church. 2 00:00:02,992 --> 00:00:04,372 It's lovely to be with you again. 3 00:00:04,732 --> 00:00:08,212 So today we're gonna be continuing in our series on the book of Acts. 4 00:00:08,787 --> 00:00:10,617 And, uh, today we're in chapter seven. 5 00:00:10,977 --> 00:00:14,727 Um, we've already seen that Stephen has been brought before the, the 6 00:00:14,727 --> 00:00:16,977 high priest, uh, and the council. 7 00:00:17,307 --> 00:00:19,947 And they've, they've gathered false witnesses against him. 8 00:00:20,067 --> 00:00:24,507 And after all of the false accusations are, are brought, um, Stephen then 9 00:00:24,507 --> 00:00:29,097 begins his defense where he basically chronicles Old Testament history leading 10 00:00:29,157 --> 00:00:34,167 all the way up to Israel's present rejection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. 11 00:00:35,067 --> 00:00:39,912 Um, so in today's passage, Stephen is rounding off this preach of his life. 12 00:00:40,062 --> 00:00:43,212 Um, and it's the preach that will ultimately cost him his life as well. 13 00:00:43,902 --> 00:00:46,062 Sorry, I should have given a spoiler alert there. 14 00:00:46,362 --> 00:00:49,482 Um, but before we go to the text, um, I'm gonna do something a little 15 00:00:49,482 --> 00:00:53,382 bit different and I just want to read a little quote that I heard, um, 16 00:00:53,412 --> 00:00:56,772 while I start the same time as, um, starting to think about this talk. 17 00:00:57,052 --> 00:01:01,932 Um, was very by a very popular preacher, and he said, God doesn't 18 00:01:01,932 --> 00:01:03,432 just want to give you Jesus. 19 00:01:03,702 --> 00:01:05,472 He wants to give you abundant life. 20 00:01:06,502 --> 00:01:10,992 Now I just want you to hold that phrase in your mind as we read, um, 21 00:01:10,992 --> 00:01:14,852 this piece of scripture and we'll use God's word as a plumb line to see if 22 00:01:15,412 --> 00:01:16,872 that quote is straight or crooked. 23 00:01:17,592 --> 00:01:23,202 So this is acts seven verses 51 through 56, and this is Stephen speaking 24 00:01:23,262 --> 00:01:24,352 before the council, the council. 25 00:01:24,962 --> 00:01:28,692 You stiff necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears. 26 00:01:29,032 --> 00:01:31,692 You always resist the Holy Spirit. 27 00:01:32,382 --> 00:01:36,522 As your fathers did, so do you, which of the prophets did your 28 00:01:36,522 --> 00:01:40,812 fathers not persecute and they killed those who announced beforehand the 29 00:01:40,812 --> 00:01:44,502 coming of the righteous one, whom you have now betrayed and murdered. 30 00:01:44,832 --> 00:01:48,702 You, who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it. 31 00:01:49,312 --> 00:01:52,692 Now, when they heard these things, they were enraged and they ground 32 00:01:52,692 --> 00:01:57,312 their teeth at him, but he full of the Holy Spirit gazed into heaven 33 00:01:57,372 --> 00:02:01,452 and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 34 00:02:02,097 --> 00:02:06,927 And he said, behold, I see the heavens opened and the son of man 35 00:02:06,927 --> 00:02:08,547 standing at the right hand of God. 36 00:02:09,207 --> 00:02:12,207 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears 37 00:02:12,207 --> 00:02:13,587 and rushed together at him. 38 00:02:14,427 --> 00:02:16,737 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. 39 00:02:17,547 --> 00:02:21,597 And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 40 00:02:22,287 --> 00:02:24,597 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out. 41 00:02:25,557 --> 00:02:29,577 Lord Jesus received my spirit and falling to his knees. 42 00:02:29,577 --> 00:02:30,927 He cried out with a loud voice. 43 00:02:31,497 --> 00:02:34,047 Lord do not hold this sin against them. 44 00:02:34,587 --> 00:02:36,537 And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 45 00:02:37,587 --> 00:02:39,177 It's heavy, it's heavy stuff today. 46 00:02:39,477 --> 00:02:43,467 Um, but I promise you, uh, that I'm gonna be preaching to 47 00:02:43,467 --> 00:02:45,507 myself as much as I am to you. 48 00:02:46,047 --> 00:02:50,292 Um, So going back to that quote we had before, God doesn't just want to give you 49 00:02:50,292 --> 00:02:52,872 Jesus, he wants to give you abundant life. 50 00:02:53,352 --> 00:02:56,202 Um, now this quote in its wider context really didn't help it. 51 00:02:56,532 --> 00:03:01,692 Um, but the implication here is that having just Jesus is not abundant. 52 00:03:01,997 --> 00:03:05,897 Not enough, or that having Jesus plus is somehow more or 53 00:03:05,897 --> 00:03:07,697 better than having just Jesus. 54 00:03:08,587 --> 00:03:11,087 Now, I want be very careful with how we talk about this because 55 00:03:11,092 --> 00:03:15,217 it would be wrong for me to sever Jesus from the things he gives us. 56 00:03:15,797 --> 00:03:19,457 Like for example, if you have Jesus, you also have forgiveness. 57 00:03:20,037 --> 00:03:22,727 You are also adopted into a family. 58 00:03:23,807 --> 00:03:25,507 And we could go on and on and on with this. 59 00:03:25,907 --> 00:03:29,567 Um, one John five, verse 12 says, whoever has the son has life. 60 00:03:30,087 --> 00:03:33,657 Whoever does not have the, the son of God does not have life. 61 00:03:34,677 --> 00:03:40,107 But I address this quote because I think it does encapsulate what I believe to be 62 00:03:40,107 --> 00:03:44,337 a disease that's eating away or trying to eat away at Christianity in the West. 63 00:03:45,207 --> 00:03:46,452 So let me me explain. 64 00:03:46,917 --> 00:03:51,207 This kind of statement or this brand new of Christianity just would not hold 65 00:03:51,207 --> 00:03:55,467 water in most places around the world or throughout most of church history. 66 00:03:56,337 --> 00:03:59,877 I think the only reason we can get away with saying this kind of thing about 67 00:03:59,877 --> 00:04:04,437 following Jesus is because the, the cost of following Jesus in the West is 68 00:04:05,187 --> 00:04:09,987 so close to zero, and the chances of having just Jesus are virtually zero. 69 00:04:10,587 --> 00:04:15,597 The ease that we've had in the West, um, It is a total anomaly when you 70 00:04:15,597 --> 00:04:20,967 look at, uh, global, the global church throughout history and, and I think 71 00:04:20,967 --> 00:04:25,677 that this ease with which we live the Christian life in 2023 might have more 72 00:04:25,677 --> 00:04:31,717 than just a little to do with how we, how we are compromising in order to avoid 73 00:04:32,257 --> 00:04:35,187 opposition, name calling and persecution. 74 00:04:36,237 --> 00:04:41,157 Um, because friendship with the world is so alluring and our affections are 75 00:04:41,157 --> 00:04:45,237 demanded by a thousand of the loves, and our gaze is pulled in every direction. 76 00:04:46,347 --> 00:04:50,817 And I, I think that this, yeah, I do think this statement is, is indicative of, of 77 00:04:50,817 --> 00:04:57,627 a virus and it of a, a Christ belittling Christianity where Jesus, um, is kind 78 00:04:57,627 --> 00:05:05,172 of just, uh, another means, um, Another means to prop up our self-obsession 79 00:05:05,202 --> 00:05:10,092 and, uh, and a supporting actor on our journey of self-discovery, really. 80 00:05:10,992 --> 00:05:15,702 Um, and I do believe that at times we've been guilty of foregrounding 81 00:05:15,732 --> 00:05:19,672 all of the potential possible side benefits of walking with Jesus. 82 00:05:20,172 --> 00:05:23,772 And in doing so, nudged Jesus out to the periphery where we can 83 00:05:23,772 --> 00:05:28,122 still enjoy him on our terms, um, but still live our best life now. 84 00:05:29,097 --> 00:05:31,947 So it goes something like this, come to Jesus and you'll 85 00:05:31,947 --> 00:05:33,327 have a really exciting life. 86 00:05:33,357 --> 00:05:34,587 Things will go well with you. 87 00:05:35,187 --> 00:05:37,497 You'll have better relational health, and you'll get through 88 00:05:37,497 --> 00:05:39,147 that rough season in your life. 89 00:05:39,657 --> 00:05:42,627 And hey, look at this great community you can be part of. 90 00:05:42,627 --> 00:05:44,077 And look at the Quiche. 91 00:05:44,727 --> 00:05:47,207 I'm a nineties kid, so grew up with a lot of Quiche. 92 00:05:47,467 --> 00:05:52,827 Um, um, but what happens when the Quiche disappoints you or you are 93 00:05:52,827 --> 00:05:57,582 inevitably hurt by, this community of, of similarly broken people. 94 00:05:58,302 --> 00:06:03,582 Um, well, if that's how it's been sold to you, I, I, I'm sorry to break it to you, 95 00:06:03,582 --> 00:06:08,982 but you've been shortchanged to countless people throughout history and even today. 96 00:06:09,552 --> 00:06:14,292 Calling King Jesus means a death sentence, and it means being disowned, 97 00:06:15,282 --> 00:06:20,052 means being stoned, means that in every material sense, your life looks pitiable. 98 00:06:21,387 --> 00:06:26,577 Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 19, if in Christ we have 99 00:06:26,577 --> 00:06:30,897 hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 100 00:06:33,177 --> 00:06:38,757 He went on to say in, in Romans five, we rejoice in our sufferings knowing 101 00:06:38,762 --> 00:06:40,447 that suffering produces endurance. 102 00:06:40,497 --> 00:06:42,747 And endurance produces character. 103 00:06:43,107 --> 00:06:44,907 And character produces hope. 104 00:06:45,207 --> 00:06:47,037 And hope does not put us to shame. 105 00:06:48,372 --> 00:06:52,332 Paul did not view, he just did not view following Jesus as the best 106 00:06:52,332 --> 00:06:57,042 way of securing and maximizing comfort and prosperity in this life. 107 00:06:57,402 --> 00:07:02,202 In fact, it was the total opposite, but he was convinced that unspeakable 108 00:07:02,202 --> 00:07:07,542 joy awaited him, and this was his hope, and there was nothing that he wouldn't 109 00:07:07,542 --> 00:07:09,422 sacrifice in order to attain it. 110 00:07:09,422 --> 00:07:15,207 In, uh, Philippians one, verse 21 says, for to me, to live 111 00:07:15,357 --> 00:07:17,817 Christ and to die is gain. 112 00:07:18,747 --> 00:07:24,177 Imagine saying that, that to die is gain, that, you can rejoice in your sufferings. 113 00:07:24,957 --> 00:07:30,717 Christians throughout the ages, uh, have have been able to call death and suffering 114 00:07:31,047 --> 00:07:32,997 and persecution the sweetest of names. 115 00:07:33,957 --> 00:07:38,667 Um, Philippians three eight says, indeed, I count everything as loss because 116 00:07:38,667 --> 00:07:40,887 of the surpassing worth of knowing. 117 00:07:40,887 --> 00:07:45,177 Jesus, Christ, my Lord, for his sake, I've suffered the loss of all 118 00:07:45,177 --> 00:07:49,997 things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. 119 00:07:51,597 --> 00:07:57,117 So if following Jesus has cost you know that this is your hope to the 120 00:07:57,117 --> 00:07:59,807 surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. 121 00:08:00,747 --> 00:08:05,097 Jesus promises to be everything to you in such a way that you will be able 122 00:08:05,102 --> 00:08:08,977 to say at the end of it all, you'll be able to look back and say, along 123 00:08:08,977 --> 00:08:14,007 with countless Christians throughout history, I never made a sacrifice. 124 00:08:14,397 --> 00:08:15,537 I count it all as loss. 125 00:08:17,007 --> 00:08:21,957 But what we'd rather do in 2023 is tear Jeremiah 29:11 kicking 126 00:08:21,957 --> 00:08:23,337 and screaming for its context. 127 00:08:23,907 --> 00:08:27,537 Um, that that verse says, for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. 128 00:08:27,897 --> 00:08:30,297 Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. 129 00:08:30,597 --> 00:08:34,467 Plans to give you hope and a future, and, and we decide for ourselves what? 130 00:08:35,017 --> 00:08:36,157 What hope means. 131 00:08:36,157 --> 00:08:37,807 What a good plan means. 132 00:08:38,017 --> 00:08:41,527 We stick it on screensavers and blindly believe that the Christian life is gonna 133 00:08:41,527 --> 00:08:45,337 be a walk in the park and good vibes and goosebumps on a Sunday morning. 134 00:08:46,237 --> 00:08:49,657 But I ask you the question, should we feel bad for Stephen? 135 00:08:50,257 --> 00:08:52,057 Is his story a tragedy? 136 00:08:52,837 --> 00:08:55,657 Did God not have a wonderful plan for his life? 137 00:08:58,027 --> 00:09:01,297 I do think that there's a sense in which we should actually envy Steven. 138 00:09:02,307 --> 00:09:07,527 In that moment when Stephen saw the glory of God standing and Jesus standing at 139 00:09:07,527 --> 00:09:15,917 the right hand of God, he had everything and he knew it, but he found supreme 140 00:09:15,987 --> 00:09:18,147 all surpassing joy even in death. 141 00:09:19,617 --> 00:09:23,687 And the testimony of Stephen still speaks today that Christ is better. 142 00:09:24,577 --> 00:09:31,077 God ordained that Steven would be so deeply satisfied in having just Jesus, 143 00:09:31,557 --> 00:09:35,937 that he would die in such a way that demonstrated to the world that his 144 00:09:35,942 --> 00:09:40,827 greatest treasure lay beyond this life, and that even 2000 years later, 145 00:09:40,857 --> 00:09:42,807 his testimony would still be speaking. 146 00:09:43,587 --> 00:09:47,997 So the testimony of Stephen and the the unified consistent testimony of scripture 147 00:09:48,492 --> 00:09:53,442 is that king Jesus is all satisfying and supreme over all other loves. 148 00:09:54,432 --> 00:09:56,562 Jesus is not the means to an end. 149 00:09:56,832 --> 00:09:58,242 Jesus is the end. 150 00:09:58,662 --> 00:10:02,412 He's to be your greatest treasure and your your deepest joy and 151 00:10:02,412 --> 00:10:04,122 the object of all your affection. 152 00:10:04,872 --> 00:10:08,262 He's not a springboard to all the things you ever wanted. 153 00:10:08,652 --> 00:10:15,042 He himself is the ultimate and only fulfillment of all of our misdirected 154 00:10:15,042 --> 00:10:16,902 and corrupted and scattered desires. 155 00:10:18,117 --> 00:10:21,267 So, yes, God had a good plan for Stephen. 156 00:10:23,487 --> 00:10:28,047 I think that one of the reasons that, um, this message is, is so jarring, 157 00:10:28,197 --> 00:10:33,027 um, is that our culture tells us that there's no, there's no higher 158 00:10:33,027 --> 00:10:35,307 good than the pursuit of the self. 159 00:10:35,517 --> 00:10:37,207 It's self, self, self. 160 00:10:38,187 --> 00:10:39,057 And self-love. 161 00:10:39,147 --> 00:10:42,507 Um, at least the way that the, the world understands it is that 162 00:10:42,537 --> 00:10:46,587 your, your mental and emotional equilibrium is your highest good. 163 00:10:46,592 --> 00:10:50,067 And, and that anything which endangers that is toxic and 164 00:10:50,067 --> 00:10:51,057 needs to be done away with. 165 00:10:51,057 --> 00:10:55,887 So like if another person is, um, Uh, if you are no longer making an 166 00:10:55,887 --> 00:10:59,367 emotional profit on a relationship, the other person's expendable. 167 00:11:00,147 --> 00:11:04,587 Um, and this has even started kind of seep into the way that I think we, uh, 168 00:11:04,797 --> 00:11:08,427 we, we, we speak in, in, in the church. 169 00:11:08,427 --> 00:11:13,707 So, um, verse like Mark 12:31, where Jesus says, you shall love your 170 00:11:13,707 --> 00:11:18,942 neighbor as yourself is sometimes spoken of as like, well, You just 171 00:11:18,942 --> 00:11:20,442 need to love yourself more then. 172 00:11:20,502 --> 00:11:23,202 In order to be able to love others, you need to love yourself more. 173 00:11:23,502 --> 00:11:24,462 But that's not the point. 174 00:11:24,462 --> 00:11:27,372 Jesus was not saying here that you need to love yourself 175 00:11:27,372 --> 00:11:28,722 more in order to love others. 176 00:11:28,752 --> 00:11:34,032 He was recognizing the fact that you already do love yourself. 177 00:11:34,092 --> 00:11:39,612 You already do seek your, uh, your highest good. 178 00:11:39,942 --> 00:11:41,622 You seek the best for yourself. 179 00:11:41,952 --> 00:11:45,582 So now extend that to others and love others in that same way. 180 00:11:46,452 --> 00:11:51,282 Um, this is something that, um, Blaise Pascal just put beautifully. 181 00:11:51,342 --> 00:11:54,492 Um, when he said, all men seek happiness. 182 00:11:54,612 --> 00:11:56,262 This is without exception. 183 00:11:56,532 --> 00:12:01,722 Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end the cause of some 184 00:12:01,722 --> 00:12:03,792 going to war and of others avoiding it. 185 00:12:04,122 --> 00:12:07,842 It is the same desire in both just attended with different views. 186 00:12:08,832 --> 00:12:11,322 The will never takes the least step. 187 00:12:11,607 --> 00:12:16,137 But to this object, this is the motive of every action of every man, 188 00:12:16,257 --> 00:12:18,087 even of those who hang themselves. 189 00:12:19,077 --> 00:12:23,367 There was once in man a true happiness, of which there now remains to him, 190 00:12:23,367 --> 00:12:28,857 only the mark and empty trace, which he in vain tries to fill from all his 191 00:12:28,857 --> 00:12:31,767 surroundings, seeking from things absent. 192 00:12:32,157 --> 00:12:34,467 The help he does not obtain in things present. 193 00:12:35,157 --> 00:12:40,137 But these are all inadequate because the infinite abyss can only be filled 194 00:12:40,167 --> 00:12:45,327 with an infinite and immutable object, that is to say only by God himself. 195 00:12:47,517 --> 00:12:52,677 Um, so Blaise said there about how, uh, these things that we, 196 00:12:52,737 --> 00:12:55,557 um, chase after are inadequate. 197 00:12:55,737 --> 00:12:58,647 And Ephesians four actually touches on this when it speaks 198 00:12:58,652 --> 00:13:00,387 about how without Christ. 199 00:13:01,182 --> 00:13:04,782 We are all corrupted by deceitful desires. 200 00:13:05,172 --> 00:13:10,032 The things that we think will satisfy us will actually deceive and betray us. 201 00:13:10,932 --> 00:13:18,992 Um, and so, uh, in John 12 as 25, it says, whoever, whoever loves his life 202 00:13:19,512 --> 00:13:24,642 loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 203 00:13:25,722 --> 00:13:31,932 This, uh, this type of self-love is radically different to the self-love 204 00:13:31,932 --> 00:13:37,542 that the world is trying to, um, trying to get us to, to believe in and live by. 205 00:13:39,162 --> 00:13:43,002 Um, and, and I remember it saying a while back, uh, on Crowd Church, 206 00:13:43,582 --> 00:13:46,572 God is more concerned with your character than your comfort. 207 00:13:47,022 --> 00:13:49,392 Um, I've heard similar, similar things like that said like, 208 00:13:49,392 --> 00:13:51,192 um, God's more concerned with 209 00:13:51,192 --> 00:13:53,287 your holiness, then your happiness. 210 00:13:54,147 --> 00:13:58,587 Now, there is a way that those statements could be gravely misunderstood 211 00:13:59,187 --> 00:14:03,777 because you would not believe how much God is concerned with your 212 00:14:03,967 --> 00:14:10,857 ultimate eternal, lasting and unending comfort and joy and happiness in him. 213 00:14:12,087 --> 00:14:16,647 Uh, the the problem is not that we seek happiness, we all seek happiness. 214 00:14:16,857 --> 00:14:20,227 Um, that's something that God placed inside of us. 215 00:14:20,937 --> 00:14:24,417 Uh, the problem is where we are gonna look for satisfaction. 216 00:14:25,557 --> 00:14:27,417 Um, CS Lewis put it like this. 217 00:14:27,747 --> 00:14:30,687 The New Testament has lots to say about self denial. 218 00:14:30,942 --> 00:14:34,242 But not about self denial as an end in itself. 219 00:14:34,872 --> 00:14:39,342 We are told to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses in order that we may 220 00:14:39,347 --> 00:14:44,832 follow Christ and nearly every description of what we shall ultimately find, if 221 00:14:44,832 --> 00:14:47,982 we do so, contains an appeal to desire. 222 00:14:49,162 --> 00:14:52,662 Um, I haven't got loads time left, but I just want to go back to the 223 00:14:52,662 --> 00:14:54,342 text to, to draw something out. 224 00:14:54,672 --> 00:15:00,987 Um, from verse 54, it says, Now when they heard these things, they were 225 00:15:00,987 --> 00:15:06,477 enraged and they ground their teeth at him, but he full of the Holy Spirit 226 00:15:06,657 --> 00:15:10,857 gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right 227 00:15:10,857 --> 00:15:15,807 hand of God and he said, behold, I see the heavens opened, and the son of 228 00:15:15,807 --> 00:15:17,697 man standing at the right hand of God. 229 00:15:18,517 --> 00:15:21,627 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears 230 00:15:21,627 --> 00:15:22,787 and rushed together at him. 231 00:15:23,747 --> 00:15:25,677 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. 232 00:15:26,667 --> 00:15:32,637 So the um, the coun, the high priest and the council's anger had really 233 00:15:32,637 --> 00:15:37,257 reached fever pitch, but something really sent them over the edge. 234 00:15:37,497 --> 00:15:38,457 What was that thing? 235 00:15:38,847 --> 00:15:44,277 It was the, the vision of the exalted Jesus standing at the right hand of God 236 00:15:45,447 --> 00:15:51,222 and there, um, There is some debate as to the significance of, of Jesus standing, 237 00:15:51,222 --> 00:15:55,122 and there's a bit of disagreement as to whether the best translation is 238 00:15:55,122 --> 00:16:00,192 that Stephen saw Jesus established at the right hand of God in that place 239 00:16:00,192 --> 00:16:02,712 of, um, unique singular authority. 240 00:16:03,132 --> 00:16:08,082 Uh, or, or if it's that he saw Jesus standing, um, there is 241 00:16:08,082 --> 00:16:11,682 something peculiar about Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 242 00:16:12,132 --> 00:16:16,522 Um, was he standing in, in salute? 243 00:16:16,852 --> 00:16:19,962 A standing ovation to the first martyr of the early church. 244 00:16:20,862 --> 00:16:23,412 Was he standing to welcome Stephen into eternity? 245 00:16:23,892 --> 00:16:25,332 Very possibly all those things. 246 00:16:25,752 --> 00:16:32,862 Um, but I think the council and the high priest would've been aware, um, this 247 00:16:32,862 --> 00:16:36,582 vision of Jesus, standing at the right hand of God would've brought to mind some 248 00:16:36,582 --> 00:16:39,282 passages, um, from the Old Testament. 249 00:16:40,032 --> 00:16:41,962 In psalm 110:1. 250 00:16:41,982 --> 00:16:48,597 It says, the Lord says, to my Lord, To Jesus, sit at my right hand until 251 00:16:49,137 --> 00:16:51,367 I make your enemies your footstool. 252 00:16:52,567 --> 00:16:59,577 Psalm 68, verses one to two say, God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered, and 253 00:16:59,577 --> 00:17:01,617 those who hate him shall flee before him. 254 00:17:02,127 --> 00:17:05,217 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away. 255 00:17:05,697 --> 00:17:09,627 As wax melts before fire so the wicked shall perish before God. 256 00:17:10,872 --> 00:17:12,432 Isaiah three, verse 13. 257 00:17:12,852 --> 00:17:15,582 The Lord has taken his place to contend. 258 00:17:15,882 --> 00:17:18,582 He stands to judge peoples. 259 00:17:20,757 --> 00:17:24,987 And there will be a day when Jesus will judge the world in righteousness. 260 00:17:25,677 --> 00:17:29,517 And 2000 years later, I don't think anything's really changed. 261 00:17:29,637 --> 00:17:31,567 This still sends us over the edge. 262 00:17:32,057 --> 00:17:36,237 Um, I, I've heard someone say, can't remember who, but someone 263 00:17:36,237 --> 00:17:37,847 has said that, um, we are okay. 264 00:17:38,577 --> 00:17:42,387 We're all okay with Jesus as long as he stays a baby in the manger. 265 00:17:43,152 --> 00:17:48,342 But you call him King and you call him a judge, and there might not be 266 00:17:48,342 --> 00:17:53,382 a more ignored and maligned vision of Jesus than of him as judge, especially 267 00:17:53,382 --> 00:17:58,047 today when it's, it's really worse to call something evil than to do evil. 268 00:17:59,237 --> 00:18:03,702 But only God can judge me is not really the flex that we think it is. 269 00:18:04,272 --> 00:18:07,722 There will be a day when Jesus will judge the world in righteousness. 270 00:18:07,962 --> 00:18:10,812 Now you might think, well, it's, gosh, it's a bit of a relief that 271 00:18:10,812 --> 00:18:14,742 I'm not like those ill tempered, murderous men who's who stoned Stephen. 272 00:18:15,252 --> 00:18:17,112 Like I sh I should be okay on that day. 273 00:18:17,722 --> 00:18:23,562 Um, but it says in James 2:10, for whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one 274 00:18:23,562 --> 00:18:26,682 point, has become guilty of all of it. 275 00:18:28,902 --> 00:18:35,652 Um, Romans 3 verse 23 says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 276 00:18:37,122 --> 00:18:40,092 And it's here that I'd like to look at, um, what is perhaps 277 00:18:40,092 --> 00:18:44,172 the most profound and important question that has ever been asked. 278 00:18:44,802 --> 00:18:51,462 In Job nine verse two, it says, how can a man be in the right before God? 279 00:18:52,782 --> 00:18:56,922 If we go back Romans three again, it says, for all have sinned and fall short 280 00:18:56,922 --> 00:19:02,472 of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift through the 281 00:19:02,472 --> 00:19:07,962 redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation 282 00:19:07,992 --> 00:19:11,112 by his blood to be received by faith. 283 00:19:11,662 --> 00:19:15,642 This was to show God's righteousness because in his divine forbearance, 284 00:19:15,642 --> 00:19:17,652 he had passed over former sins. 285 00:19:18,177 --> 00:19:21,567 It was to show his righteousness at the present time so that he 286 00:19:21,567 --> 00:19:27,267 might be just, and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 287 00:19:28,107 --> 00:19:28,457 Jesus. 288 00:19:29,307 --> 00:19:32,967 Um, God put forward as a propitiation by his blood. 289 00:19:33,357 --> 00:19:38,637 That means that Jesus took upon himself all of the wrath and the 290 00:19:38,637 --> 00:19:44,337 condemnation and the, the judgment and the curse that, that we deserve. 291 00:19:44,727 --> 00:19:47,397 He took it all upon himself and. 292 00:19:47,442 --> 00:19:53,682 And, his perfect righteousness, his perfect record was attributed to us. 293 00:19:54,582 --> 00:19:57,492 Um, if we, if we receive him by faith. 294 00:19:58,722 --> 00:20:02,032 So on that day, when Jesus comes to judge the world in righteousness, 295 00:20:02,922 --> 00:20:07,062 you will either bear the wrath of God yourself or you'll flee to 296 00:20:07,062 --> 00:20:08,922 the one who, who bore it for you. 297 00:20:09,552 --> 00:20:13,362 And the sight of Jesus standing ready to judge will not cause us to 298 00:20:13,412 --> 00:20:15,162 shudder and shrink back in terror. 299 00:20:15,612 --> 00:20:20,922 On that day, there will be, there will be no valid, legitimate accusation brought 300 00:20:20,922 --> 00:20:23,472 against those who are in Christ Jesus. 301 00:20:24,082 --> 00:20:25,482 There will be no judgment. 302 00:20:25,662 --> 00:20:27,042 There'll be no fear of judgment. 303 00:20:27,372 --> 00:20:29,172 There'll be no wrath or condemnation. 304 00:20:30,342 --> 00:20:35,292 Being in the presence of the exalted Jesus will be our greatest joy and we 305 00:20:35,297 --> 00:20:39,882 will boldly approach our master and will say, along with the psalmist, in 306 00:20:39,882 --> 00:20:41,952 your presence, there is fullness of joy. 307 00:20:42,402 --> 00:20:45,462 At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 308 00:20:46,992 --> 00:20:49,152 So we've kind of looked at two questions today. 309 00:20:50,112 --> 00:20:55,572 What could possibly fill the infinite abyss longing in our hearts? 310 00:20:55,572 --> 00:21:01,002 What could satisfy the human heart and captivate our gaze for, for a lifetime? 311 00:21:01,032 --> 00:21:02,202 Not to mention eternity. 312 00:21:02,742 --> 00:21:08,532 It is just Jesus, and how could I possibly ever be in the right before God? 313 00:21:09,072 --> 00:21:10,582 It is just Jesus. 314 00:21:11,752 --> 00:21:12,732 Thanks for listening, guys. 315 00:21:18,867 --> 00:21:20,727 Coming up, we have Conversation. 316 00:21:20,727 --> 00:21:24,717 Street, but before we get into that, here's a clip from our podcast. 317 00:21:24,747 --> 00:21:30,417 What's the story which you can subscribe to on all your favorite podcast apps. 318 00:21:33,287 --> 00:21:36,507 Sometimes there's things that you go through that you don't want to go through. 319 00:21:37,812 --> 00:21:42,532 You're praying for blessings and, and favor and, and healing. 320 00:21:43,062 --> 00:21:44,772 Um, and he doesn't deliver that. 321 00:21:44,772 --> 00:21:46,812 And it's because it's actually not what you want. 322 00:21:46,812 --> 00:21:47,472 It's what you need. 323 00:21:47,862 --> 00:21:50,862 And so it's just, it's so interesting how God works. 324 00:21:50,892 --> 00:21:54,102 Um, I think maybe I shared with you before, but the book, um, living Fearless 325 00:21:54,102 --> 00:21:58,182 by Jamie Winship, talks about Prayer just praying like, Lord, what do you want me 326 00:21:58,187 --> 00:21:59,592 to know and what do you want me to do? 327 00:21:59,832 --> 00:22:00,432 And that's it. 328 00:22:01,062 --> 00:22:03,492 Cuz we, we, we can't handle much more than that. 329 00:22:03,552 --> 00:22:04,632 We won't understand it. 330 00:22:05,262 --> 00:22:07,512 Um, and it's not gonna be our plan, you know? 331 00:22:07,517 --> 00:22:07,672 Mm-hmm. 332 00:22:19,617 --> 00:22:20,497 Well, welcome back. 333 00:22:21,077 --> 00:22:25,707 Um, firstly, the What's the Story podcast are brilliant. 334 00:22:25,737 --> 00:22:28,827 I'm looking forward to, to listening to, to, that one. 335 00:22:29,007 --> 00:22:30,567 Sounded, sounded good. 336 00:22:32,907 --> 00:22:37,977 Um, So that was a pretty powerful talk, wasn't it? 337 00:22:39,357 --> 00:22:40,577 That was probably one, yeah. 338 00:22:41,367 --> 00:22:45,237 One of the most softly spoken, powerful talks I've ever heard. 339 00:22:47,427 --> 00:22:47,907 yeah, yeah. 340 00:22:49,407 --> 00:22:49,697 Yeah. 341 00:22:49,722 --> 00:22:50,562 it's super challenging. 342 00:22:51,222 --> 00:22:58,362 Um, and, and loving in the sense that speaking truth, 343 00:22:59,052 --> 00:23:01,852 um, I mean, let's face it Dan. 344 00:23:01,872 --> 00:23:04,962 You and I we're, I, I've known you for a long time. 345 00:23:05,142 --> 00:23:09,582 We we're only on here doing what we're doing because we're concerned 346 00:23:09,582 --> 00:23:12,522 for people for more than just their immediate life on earth. 347 00:23:13,572 --> 00:23:20,142 We, we, we believe in an afterlife with our whole heart and I, and I 348 00:23:20,142 --> 00:23:24,552 don't think, and and I know you are the same, that we've secured some 349 00:23:24,552 --> 00:23:30,882 sort of place in heaven by our own decency or goodness on merit, but 350 00:23:30,882 --> 00:23:34,857 simply, Receiving Jesus into our lives. 351 00:23:34,857 --> 00:23:40,227 And, and so, you know, thank you, uh, Peter for bringing that, that message, 352 00:23:40,227 --> 00:23:46,107 that reminder, uh, that we frame our life in earth as just a moment, a br 353 00:23:46,227 --> 00:23:50,547 a, a blip, uh, compared to eternity. 354 00:23:50,552 --> 00:23:54,597 And really then the question is, how are we living now in a way 355 00:23:54,597 --> 00:23:56,667 that prepares us for eternity? 356 00:23:57,237 --> 00:23:58,047 Um, so yeah. 357 00:23:58,422 --> 00:24:02,952 Powerful talk, challenging talk, serious and sobering in 358 00:24:02,952 --> 00:24:05,232 the right sense of the word. 359 00:24:05,232 --> 00:24:09,552 And I, I do pray for anyone who's, uh, been watching it, that you'd 360 00:24:09,557 --> 00:24:15,762 really hear the heart in it, really, of an invitation to freely receive 361 00:24:15,762 --> 00:24:17,412 that eternal life that Jesus offers. 362 00:24:19,107 --> 00:24:19,437 Yeah. 363 00:24:19,437 --> 00:24:20,127 Absolutely. 364 00:24:20,127 --> 00:24:24,867 That's what I was, was thinking, like you said, we're, we are not here just 365 00:24:24,872 --> 00:24:27,597 because we want to be on YouTube. 366 00:24:27,807 --> 00:24:29,157 That's not my goal. 367 00:24:30,267 --> 00:24:38,067 We're here because we want to tell people that Jesus is eternity. 368 00:24:38,607 --> 00:24:42,147 There is more to life than than this earth. 369 00:24:42,537 --> 00:24:46,407 There's more to life than joy here. 370 00:24:46,467 --> 00:24:48,267 There's more to life than suffering here. 371 00:24:48,987 --> 00:24:55,077 There is Jesus at the right hand and just to to know. 372 00:24:56,352 --> 00:25:02,292 Um, Stephen's heart, as he said that, you know, he starts off 373 00:25:02,292 --> 00:25:03,792 with, what does he call them? 374 00:25:04,152 --> 00:25:10,452 In one translation, you stiff-necked people, you know, all, all hardened and 375 00:25:10,457 --> 00:25:16,572 don't want to, don't want to listen, don't want to turn, or, um, try to 376 00:25:16,572 --> 00:25:21,522 understand something a a different way and then just sees Heaven opened. 377 00:25:21,792 --> 00:25:22,752 He, he. 378 00:25:23,337 --> 00:25:24,627 He knew where he was going. 379 00:25:24,627 --> 00:25:28,947 He knew that he was rooted fast in, in eternity. 380 00:25:30,457 --> 00:25:33,647 And that's the point of a stiff necked imagery. 381 00:25:34,067 --> 00:25:40,417 It's an unwillingness to think, maybe I'm not right here, maybe I've got it wrong. 382 00:25:41,022 --> 00:25:46,452 And um, and, and for Pete, the example he used of that, which I think is 383 00:25:46,452 --> 00:25:51,852 worth you and I just chatting about a bit, is like some of the messages that 384 00:25:51,852 --> 00:25:58,122 we get in society about how if you pursue this or if you go for this, or 385 00:25:58,332 --> 00:26:02,562 if you try this technique, or if you try this resource, or if you buy this, 386 00:26:02,562 --> 00:26:07,322 or if you sign up to this, then your life will be what you want it to be. 387 00:26:08,202 --> 00:26:14,202 And fundamentally what Pete was saying is that the only thing that really 388 00:26:14,202 --> 00:26:16,632 matters and really delivers is Jesus. 389 00:26:17,742 --> 00:26:21,012 And, and there's all sorts of variations and shades of it in 390 00:26:21,012 --> 00:26:23,412 Christianity that just don't deliver. 391 00:26:23,412 --> 00:26:26,522 And we wonder why people get disappointed with Christianity. 392 00:26:26,522 --> 00:26:30,492 Listening just to someone this morning after the church service telling 393 00:26:30,492 --> 00:26:35,982 me how 20 years ago they left the church because it didn't deliver 394 00:26:36,702 --> 00:26:41,832 according to the message that they had believed and received and, and so 395 00:26:42,402 --> 00:26:47,682 so yeah, I just think pursue Jesus, seek Jesus, and you get all those 396 00:26:47,682 --> 00:26:52,122 other things in the way you pursue peace through meditation, through yoga. 397 00:26:52,332 --> 00:26:54,222 You're not gonna get true and lasting peace. 398 00:26:54,222 --> 00:26:55,182 Pursue joy. 399 00:26:55,187 --> 00:26:59,142 You're not gonna get true and lasting joy, pursue happiness. 400 00:26:59,562 --> 00:27:00,642 Um, it does not work. 401 00:27:00,642 --> 00:27:01,372 Pursue Jesus. 402 00:27:02,922 --> 00:27:08,052 And seek him and surrender to him and you'll, you'll get all those 403 00:27:08,052 --> 00:27:11,542 things in the wake of it, but as soon as you make those objects the 404 00:27:11,542 --> 00:27:13,902 goal the focus, it just doesn't work. 405 00:27:13,907 --> 00:27:18,102 We just become yet another religion that really doesn't deliver. 406 00:27:18,507 --> 00:27:19,797 Yeah, exactly. 407 00:27:19,797 --> 00:27:21,007 No satisfaction is there? 408 00:27:21,027 --> 00:27:22,947 There's no satisfaction in the things. 409 00:27:23,457 --> 00:27:29,907 It's satisfaction in the, in the one who created us and, and in, in the answer. 410 00:27:30,047 --> 00:27:30,337 Yeah. 411 00:27:30,627 --> 00:27:32,217 And, um, he 412 00:27:33,007 --> 00:27:38,517 Are we like, um, like Pete quoted CS Lewis and I mean, I've been 413 00:27:38,522 --> 00:27:41,997 quite challenged by CS Lewis in the early years of my Christian life, 414 00:27:42,002 --> 00:27:43,737 particularly mere Christianity. 415 00:27:44,247 --> 00:27:48,357 And, and I would say that um, there is a sense that as 416 00:27:48,357 --> 00:27:50,487 Christians we do pursue pleasure. 417 00:27:51,042 --> 00:27:57,312 He tells a little story CS Lewis about, um, like kids going to the 418 00:27:57,312 --> 00:28:02,742 beach in the car and before they get to the beach, this family stop off. 419 00:28:03,252 --> 00:28:09,433 And then the kid splashes around in a muddy puddle and hasn't realized that 420 00:28:09,438 --> 00:28:13,542 there's a greater joy and a greater pleasure just around the corner. 421 00:28:14,112 --> 00:28:16,752 And it says that's like the problem for humans with sin. 422 00:28:17,142 --> 00:28:21,117 Uh, we think that sin will bring us pleasure and joy, but there's a 423 00:28:21,122 --> 00:28:26,007 greater pleasure and a greater joy and a greater satisfaction that is 424 00:28:26,007 --> 00:28:28,677 found by being in union with Jesus. 425 00:28:29,547 --> 00:28:32,547 So I think, like Pete was saying, it's a nuanced thing. 426 00:28:32,552 --> 00:28:36,567 We can pursue happiness, joy, peace, as long as we know that 427 00:28:37,107 --> 00:28:38,117 we're finding them in him. 428 00:28:39,147 --> 00:28:40,097 It's only in him. 429 00:28:40,167 --> 00:28:45,057 in intimacy and union with him, with Jesus that we truly get those things. 430 00:28:45,373 --> 00:28:45,477 Yes. 431 00:28:45,657 --> 00:28:46,647 Yeah, exactly. 432 00:28:47,367 --> 00:28:47,637 Yeah. 433 00:28:47,642 --> 00:28:48,177 I liked it. 434 00:28:48,182 --> 00:28:49,197 I put it in the comments. 435 00:28:49,707 --> 00:28:53,727 Um, we turn up for the Quiche, you know, let's not, whatever it might 436 00:28:53,727 --> 00:29:02,547 be with, um, religion or church or, um, or a club that there's, 437 00:29:02,577 --> 00:29:04,227 there's, there's much more than that. 438 00:29:04,707 --> 00:29:06,957 There is community in the, in those things isn't there? 439 00:29:06,957 --> 00:29:10,857 But like you, like you just said, focus our eyes on Jesus. 440 00:29:10,887 --> 00:29:16,077 And those other things are, they're just, they're, they're part of it. 441 00:29:16,077 --> 00:29:21,238 They're, um, the, the completion of that. 442 00:29:21,567 --> 00:29:29,562 But it's, it's Jesus and it's eternity and it is vastly the most important 443 00:29:29,742 --> 00:29:33,882 message, the most important question that every one of us needs to answer 444 00:29:33,882 --> 00:29:38,172 is, what, what do we want to put our, who are we gonna put our focus in? 445 00:29:39,087 --> 00:29:39,327 Yeah. 446 00:29:39,657 --> 00:29:40,737 So how do we do that, man? 447 00:29:40,977 --> 00:29:44,787 How, how, how do we, and, and, this is possibly a message as much for 448 00:29:45,517 --> 00:29:49,782 christians who've been Christians 60 years as it is for someone 449 00:29:49,782 --> 00:29:51,132 who's just exploring the faith. 450 00:29:51,402 --> 00:29:52,212 How do you do that? 451 00:29:52,212 --> 00:29:55,602 How do you make sure you've not gone off track pursuing all 452 00:29:55,602 --> 00:29:58,522 these nice secondary things? 453 00:29:59,442 --> 00:30:05,322 How do you keep that singular focus, that singular pursuit on Jesus and only Jesus? 454 00:30:05,957 --> 00:30:14,547 Yeah, I, um, I think for me that there's, if we put our focus in him, 455 00:30:14,552 --> 00:30:17,727 so in his word and the word that he's. 456 00:30:18,057 --> 00:30:26,357 He's given us, um, if we're, um, we're asking him questions, not, not even people 457 00:30:27,147 --> 00:30:32,847 around or like, like we've talked about, but sort of self-help or God help books. 458 00:30:32,907 --> 00:30:39,567 But if we're just keeping our eyes on him, that's the, that's the way forward. 459 00:30:40,467 --> 00:30:43,797 For me it, it's, every day's got to be that. 460 00:30:44,487 --> 00:30:47,607 And, um, again, getting back again to that stiff necked people. 461 00:30:47,907 --> 00:30:54,657 I think, um, I, I've fallen the same, I can get into well, I, I understand 462 00:30:54,657 --> 00:30:59,097 that bit and I'm not changing from my, my views and it could be that 463 00:30:59,097 --> 00:31:05,547 that view is, is right, but I want to, I want to be have a, a mind and a 464 00:31:05,547 --> 00:31:10,737 heart that's always moldable, that's always open to what God wants me to do. 465 00:31:11,217 --> 00:31:18,627 And if that means I need to physically go another way or my life needs 466 00:31:18,627 --> 00:31:25,617 to, to change or my actions, my places, my work, my, my lifestyle, 467 00:31:25,797 --> 00:31:30,567 then I need to be free to do that. 468 00:31:31,397 --> 00:31:31,817 Mm-hmm. 469 00:31:32,542 --> 00:31:33,762 Yeah, you're absolutely right, Dan. 470 00:31:33,762 --> 00:31:35,472 I mean, I'm, I'm, I'm, a pastor. 471 00:31:35,817 --> 00:31:39,027 I've not always been a pastor, but the past nine years I've 472 00:31:39,027 --> 00:31:41,727 been employed, um, by the church. 473 00:31:41,727 --> 00:31:46,167 And let me tell you, um, you still have to work to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus 474 00:31:46,617 --> 00:31:52,947 and not to get caught up in the business and administration and logistics and 475 00:31:52,947 --> 00:31:56,637 strategy of leading an organization. 476 00:31:56,637 --> 00:31:59,607 And, um, the thing that's probably the phrase that's 477 00:31:59,607 --> 00:32:01,437 probably helped me most in it. 478 00:32:01,887 --> 00:32:08,727 Um, this idea of gospel in yourself, getting the gospel into yourself. 479 00:32:08,727 --> 00:32:12,747 It's like we, we think of the gospel message which Pete preached. 480 00:32:12,867 --> 00:32:16,947 He talked about the sinfulness of human humanity, the wrath of God, 481 00:32:17,397 --> 00:32:21,747 and the forgiveness of sins and restoration with relation with Jesus. 482 00:32:22,027 --> 00:32:26,787 Like that is not just a message that Christians speak to those 483 00:32:26,937 --> 00:32:28,437 who don't know the message. 484 00:32:28,647 --> 00:32:30,597 I preach that to myself all the time. 485 00:32:31,592 --> 00:32:34,242 I, I gospel myself all the time. 486 00:32:34,242 --> 00:32:37,782 We've used the Four Points, um, quite a lot in Crowd Church. 487 00:32:37,782 --> 00:32:43,482 We use it at our church, um, www.4points.com. 488 00:32:43,812 --> 00:32:49,423 Got, uh, and, and so I wear my four points band or have it in my, on my card just 489 00:32:49,602 --> 00:32:54,222 to remind me that God loves me, that I've sinned, that Jesus died from me. 490 00:32:54,222 --> 00:32:57,402 And today I need to choose to make him first in my life and live for him. 491 00:32:57,702 --> 00:33:03,552 And so I don't ever wanna get beyond that core essence of the gospel in my own life, 492 00:33:03,552 --> 00:33:06,252 because otherwise I just swerve if I do. 493 00:33:06,732 --> 00:33:11,622 And I get into self-help and striving and all those other sorts of things. 494 00:33:11,622 --> 00:33:15,102 And the, the truth is when we're talking about things like, um, 495 00:33:15,102 --> 00:33:20,862 self-love and I get the Blaise Pascal quote, I think Pete's quite right. 496 00:33:20,862 --> 00:33:24,462 Think humans innately are selfish creatures. 497 00:33:24,752 --> 00:33:25,602 Of course we are. 498 00:33:25,602 --> 00:33:27,282 I mean, I, I, I certainly am. 499 00:33:27,702 --> 00:33:29,532 Um, but there's also. 500 00:33:29,892 --> 00:33:33,942 Like a loathing that humans can have of themselves. 501 00:33:34,002 --> 00:33:37,692 And, um, if we're quite honest, in the darkest recessions of our minds, 502 00:33:37,697 --> 00:33:42,432 there's lots of things about us that we don't like and don't love, even 503 00:33:42,432 --> 00:33:44,382 though we are selfish in our pursuit. 504 00:33:44,982 --> 00:33:51,132 Um, but what I found is when I come to the cross and I gospel myself, and I 505 00:33:51,132 --> 00:33:55,302 remember the great love of God displayed on the cross for someone like me. 506 00:33:55,842 --> 00:34:00,342 God's great love for me, that actually does empower me and help 507 00:34:00,342 --> 00:34:07,782 me to, um, receive God's love and have a much healthier self-identity, 508 00:34:08,562 --> 00:34:13,272 uh, a much robust self-identity, which helps me to love others. 509 00:34:13,992 --> 00:34:17,652 Um, so so the, these things are connected together, I think, and 510 00:34:17,652 --> 00:34:21,582 they all flow out of that, that core message of the good news, the gospel. 511 00:34:21,702 --> 00:34:21,992 Yeah. 512 00:34:22,002 --> 00:34:22,332 Yeah. 513 00:34:22,392 --> 00:34:26,112 I think you, you said, um, with the four points I put. 514 00:34:26,472 --> 00:34:27,552 Jesus first. 515 00:34:27,582 --> 00:34:29,772 And I think that's the, the key, isn't it? 516 00:34:29,772 --> 00:34:35,322 If, if Jesus is first, then everything else is just, has to be, um, secondary. 517 00:34:35,327 --> 00:34:38,592 Everything else has to be, not necessarily in the background, 518 00:34:38,592 --> 00:34:44,082 but Jesus gotta be first and then everything else follows on after that. 519 00:34:44,082 --> 00:34:47,312 Our life with God follows on because 520 00:34:47,412 --> 00:34:52,452 I think like, I was talking this morning, um, in our gathered service about giving 521 00:34:52,452 --> 00:34:56,652 and generosity and finances, and I was just trying to root it really in God's 522 00:34:56,652 --> 00:35:03,462 grace because, um, like what Pete has done is entirely right and, and brought 523 00:35:03,822 --> 00:35:09,192 what we might call a really high bar, high challenge, um, high level challenge. 524 00:35:09,522 --> 00:35:16,842 And the point with any talk is it should lead us to thinking, I can't do this. 525 00:35:17,982 --> 00:35:20,712 That way that Peter's just described, I can't do. 526 00:35:21,312 --> 00:35:25,512 And like you, I think what you were talking about before, it was, I, I was 527 00:35:25,512 --> 00:35:29,112 thinking in my head when you were saying it, I was say thinking that is humility. 528 00:35:30,102 --> 00:35:31,212 That's recogni. 529 00:35:31,422 --> 00:35:34,752 I think as soon as we get to that point saying, whoa, I can't live 530 00:35:34,752 --> 00:35:38,982 like that, um, God's like, great. 531 00:35:39,762 --> 00:35:40,662 Step aside. 532 00:35:41,657 --> 00:35:44,127 And that's, the opposite of self-love, isn't it? 533 00:35:44,127 --> 00:35:46,887 That's taught in, in books of the media. 534 00:35:47,067 --> 00:35:49,227 It's, you can do it, it's the Disney way. 535 00:35:49,227 --> 00:35:52,767 You can do anything you put your mind to it. 536 00:35:53,097 --> 00:35:55,407 Um, but it's completely opposite of that. 537 00:35:55,407 --> 00:35:58,197 We can't, we can't live up to those standards. 538 00:35:58,737 --> 00:36:00,627 We need Jesus. 539 00:36:00,627 --> 00:36:03,057 He's the only one that can do it. 540 00:36:03,267 --> 00:36:05,967 That has, he has done it for us. 541 00:36:05,967 --> 00:36:08,217 If we just accept, accept that, 542 00:36:08,247 --> 00:36:09,297 We just surrender. 543 00:36:09,577 --> 00:36:10,707 I, I say that all the time. 544 00:36:10,707 --> 00:36:12,747 The effort of grace is to surrender. 545 00:36:13,107 --> 00:36:13,857 It's just to yield. 546 00:36:13,977 --> 00:36:17,277 And I just really encourage folks who are watching this and think, you know, 547 00:36:17,277 --> 00:36:23,187 don't let it fall on you as, um, as, as condemnation, let it be convictions, free 548 00:36:23,192 --> 00:36:26,188 it to the Lord and say, Lord, um, help me. 549 00:36:27,537 --> 00:36:28,287 Grace me. 550 00:36:28,287 --> 00:36:29,067 Give me grace. 551 00:36:29,067 --> 00:36:30,747 Lord, give me, empower me. 552 00:36:30,747 --> 00:36:33,537 Help me in this place where I just can't live in that way. 553 00:36:33,807 --> 00:36:37,047 Because that is the point I think of Stephen, the proto martyr. 554 00:36:37,467 --> 00:36:41,727 Um, the church throughout generations from the earliest times has always 555 00:36:41,727 --> 00:36:45,027 taught about, um, sacraments. 556 00:36:46,137 --> 00:36:49,497 A grace that is gifted to per a person in the moment, like 557 00:36:49,707 --> 00:36:51,147 the sacrament of marriage. 558 00:36:51,387 --> 00:36:53,067 The Lord knows marriage is difficult. 559 00:36:53,067 --> 00:36:55,857 You need God's grace in order to do you know what I mean? 560 00:36:55,857 --> 00:37:00,807 It's like a gift and sacrament of martyrdom, um, the church has talked about 561 00:37:00,807 --> 00:37:04,147 from history because you know, you think, well, what would I do in that situation? 562 00:37:04,587 --> 00:37:08,247 I, I've spent Sunday afternoons usually with a, a little group 563 00:37:08,277 --> 00:37:14,187 of Iranian leaders, um, coaching some iranian leaders, um, and. 564 00:37:14,862 --> 00:37:19,602 Um, huge issues for the church in Iran, the secret church 565 00:37:19,662 --> 00:37:21,942 in Iran, uh, persecution. 566 00:37:21,942 --> 00:37:24,942 You think, well, how, what would I be like in that situation? 567 00:37:25,302 --> 00:37:28,932 Well, the promise is God would give you grace in that moment. 568 00:37:29,712 --> 00:37:34,812 Grace to be able to enjoy and walk through, uh, what you are walking through. 569 00:37:34,902 --> 00:37:39,972 My little speculation, just to add to Pete's speculation, um, I'll say mine. 570 00:37:39,972 --> 00:37:43,152 I heard my, my brother do a great sermon on this. 571 00:37:44,217 --> 00:37:49,047 Um, he didn't quite say it, but if you, when you think of how Jesus is 572 00:37:49,052 --> 00:37:54,627 described in heaven, he's described as seated at the right hand of the Father. 573 00:37:55,077 --> 00:37:56,877 In this moment, he stands up. 574 00:37:57,567 --> 00:38:01,527 I just think there's something quite beautiful about that shift in that 575 00:38:01,532 --> 00:38:04,677 moment from him being seated to standing. 576 00:38:05,187 --> 00:38:11,007 Um, yeah, I'm sure it is more than one thing, but in the same way he's 577 00:38:11,007 --> 00:38:13,167 described as standing as judge, I think. 578 00:38:13,557 --> 00:38:19,677 It's also a standing to, for, for Stephen's benefit, it's a, it's like, um, 579 00:38:20,007 --> 00:38:24,687 the same sort of standing you would do if you saw your kid wobbling on a bike. 580 00:38:25,137 --> 00:38:28,797 Do you know what I mean or about to fall or, or whatever. 581 00:38:28,797 --> 00:38:33,367 It's a, it's a drawing towards, it's a drawing close type of standing. 582 00:38:33,537 --> 00:38:33,927 Um, 583 00:38:34,062 --> 00:38:35,442 It's a ready to greet, isn't it? 584 00:38:35,442 --> 00:38:38,802 I, you know, on Facebook you get all these memes come up. 585 00:38:39,072 --> 00:38:42,722 Um, one just came up today, it's like one father tells his son and it's 586 00:38:42,852 --> 00:38:45,432 never sit down to shake someone's hand. 587 00:38:45,882 --> 00:38:50,262 It's, it's that you stand up, you know you're there, ready to 588 00:38:50,262 --> 00:38:52,032 greet and ready to congratulate. 589 00:38:52,122 --> 00:38:52,542 Yeah. 590 00:38:53,142 --> 00:38:54,012 That's really good. 591 00:38:54,012 --> 00:38:55,722 Yeah, that's how I imagine this moment. 592 00:38:55,962 --> 00:39:00,042 But it's just a little bit of, um, feature speculation, isn't it really? 593 00:39:00,462 --> 00:39:02,892 Yeah, yeah, But I like that. 594 00:39:02,892 --> 00:39:09,832 Um, yeah, I like that little, that little difference, the standing and the seating. 595 00:39:09,857 --> 00:39:10,942 I've never, never. 596 00:39:11,172 --> 00:39:14,592 Read it lots of times and never picked up on that. 597 00:39:15,822 --> 00:39:16,242 Mm-hmm. 598 00:39:19,212 --> 00:39:25,632 I like, um, I mean, we have touched on it, but, uh, Peter says, you 599 00:39:25,632 --> 00:39:32,862 know, Jesus isn't, uh, sort of the, the, the by byproduct or he isn't. 600 00:39:32,892 --> 00:39:36,222 The weight isn't the happiness isn't the end. 601 00:39:36,402 --> 00:39:38,412 Um, satisfaction isn't the end. 602 00:39:38,417 --> 00:39:40,273 Jesus is the end. 603 00:39:40,962 --> 00:39:46,662 He's the, um, he's, he's the source, but he's also the, the goal. 604 00:39:47,322 --> 00:39:49,732 Um, and those other things that we've talked about, just. 605 00:39:51,507 --> 00:39:53,347 A part of, part of who he is. 606 00:39:54,717 --> 00:39:58,217 And I've met people over the years and shared my favorite people and invited 607 00:39:58,217 --> 00:40:00,297 people to follow Jesus over the years. 608 00:40:00,657 --> 00:40:04,357 Um, maybe you are in the city center and you get chatting to someone 609 00:40:04,377 --> 00:40:08,607 at a bus stop or whatever, and there is that sense that for some 610 00:40:08,612 --> 00:40:10,557 people it's like, I've tried yoga. 611 00:40:11,652 --> 00:40:15,372 I've tried mindfulness, I've tried living my own way. 612 00:40:15,792 --> 00:40:20,862 I'll give Jesus a try and I'll, I'll add it into my life and tag it onto my life. 613 00:40:21,222 --> 00:40:25,962 I do a lot of work with, uh, churches in India and um, that's one of the 614 00:40:25,962 --> 00:40:32,322 challenges of syncretism in the hinduistic traditions, that you just accept Jesus 615 00:40:32,322 --> 00:40:38,502 as one God amongst many, and, uh, and just tag him into the rest of it 616 00:40:38,502 --> 00:40:40,332 just so you've got all bases covered. 617 00:40:40,767 --> 00:40:45,207 You know, and um, and when people take that approach after 618 00:40:45,207 --> 00:40:46,557 a while, they get disillusioned. 619 00:40:46,557 --> 00:40:50,247 They get disappointed cause you cannot tag Jesus onto your life. 620 00:40:50,877 --> 00:40:53,217 In addition, it's not even your life. 621 00:40:53,217 --> 00:40:57,087 It's like when people say, there used to be that there used to be that song, 622 00:40:57,307 --> 00:41:03,027 Jesus take the wheel, country and Western Christianity, uh, like, I'm in my car, 623 00:41:03,027 --> 00:41:04,677 I'm on the wheel, Jesus take the wheel. 624 00:41:05,007 --> 00:41:08,967 But like you come to a point, if you really soak in scripture, in 625 00:41:08,967 --> 00:41:13,557 the gospel that you realize, it's not my wheel, it's not even my car. 626 00:41:14,397 --> 00:41:15,777 It belongs to him. 627 00:41:16,377 --> 00:41:22,947 It's his and, and honestly, I just don't know any way of calling us into that 628 00:41:22,947 --> 00:41:26,637 stuff like that peace and that joy, that happiness and that love, other 629 00:41:26,637 --> 00:41:28,137 than to call us into surrender to Jesus. 630 00:41:29,157 --> 00:41:29,367 Yeah. 631 00:41:29,372 --> 00:41:29,787 Absolutely. 632 00:41:30,717 --> 00:41:30,987 Yeah. 633 00:41:32,157 --> 00:41:32,427 Yeah. 634 00:41:33,597 --> 00:41:35,687 Some hard-hitting stuff here today. 635 00:41:35,867 --> 00:41:36,087 Dan. 636 00:41:36,117 --> 00:41:36,967 Some big themes. 637 00:41:37,797 --> 00:41:38,327 It's, yeah. 638 00:41:39,267 --> 00:41:42,117 And, but every week we say the same thing, don't we? 639 00:41:42,117 --> 00:41:45,267 It's everything or it's everything or nothing. 640 00:41:45,357 --> 00:41:49,647 Don't, don't miss out on, don't miss on Jesus. 641 00:41:49,707 --> 00:41:56,037 Just like you, like you've been saying by, by trying or adding 642 00:41:56,247 --> 00:41:57,747 him to your daily schedule. 643 00:41:57,752 --> 00:42:02,937 Just fall into his, fall, into his arms and say, here I am. 644 00:42:04,977 --> 00:42:05,277 Yeah. 645 00:42:07,707 --> 00:42:09,057 Well, thanks very much, John. 646 00:42:09,117 --> 00:42:11,217 Thanks for joining us. 647 00:42:11,457 --> 00:42:17,427 And if you've, if anyone's listened to this and they've got questions 648 00:42:17,487 --> 00:42:22,377 or they're struggling with things or they've got Prayer requests, please, 649 00:42:22,767 --> 00:42:24,147 please, we'd love to hear from you. 650 00:42:24,327 --> 00:42:28,437 So just, um, you can put questions in the comments still. 651 00:42:28,617 --> 00:42:33,837 You can email in, um, And the address will come up at the end. 652 00:42:34,287 --> 00:42:41,187 Um, just, yeah, send an email in and we'd love to, we'd love to chat with you. 653 00:42:41,607 --> 00:42:44,847 Um, we'd love to just let you know more about this. 654 00:42:44,847 --> 00:42:48,867 Jesus, this is the whole point of, of church online. 655 00:42:50,127 --> 00:42:54,957 And particularly those big questions of eternity, life after death. 656 00:42:55,437 --> 00:43:00,522 You know, occasionally people email us in to say, They've responded to what we've 657 00:43:00,522 --> 00:43:05,532 been talking about and it's changed their lives and, you know, just get in touch. 658 00:43:05,532 --> 00:43:08,262 We, we, you know, we're not saying you have to agree with 659 00:43:08,262 --> 00:43:09,702 everything we said right now. 660 00:43:09,762 --> 00:43:11,022 Let's have a conversation. 661 00:43:11,022 --> 00:43:13,572 Let's, let's, uh, talk about it. 662 00:43:13,602 --> 00:43:15,582 Let's, um, learn together. 663 00:43:16,002 --> 00:43:21,402 And, uh, we want to help people to really enjoy, um, Jesus in a 664 00:43:21,402 --> 00:43:23,262 way that helps 'em to enjoy life. 665 00:43:24,267 --> 00:43:24,772 Oh Amen. 666 00:43:25,042 --> 00:43:25,262 Yeah. 667 00:43:27,432 --> 00:43:28,112 Thank you John. 668 00:43:28,352 --> 00:43:29,922 What's happening next week Dan? 669 00:43:30,052 --> 00:43:31,332 What's happening 670 00:43:32,322 --> 00:43:37,902 So Claire Glare is going to join me hosting, um, Matt Edmundson will be 671 00:43:37,992 --> 00:43:43,212 talking on the next chapter of Acts, which I'm very much looking forward to. 672 00:43:43,752 --> 00:43:45,162 Um, so yeah. 673 00:43:45,362 --> 00:43:46,152 Looking forward to that. 674 00:43:47,177 --> 00:43:47,527 Great. 675 00:43:49,747 --> 00:43:50,637 Alright thank you Dan. 676 00:43:50,637 --> 00:43:52,722 And uh you, thank you, John. 677 00:43:53,652 --> 00:43:57,282 Yeah, I'll wave to you from my window when I see you outside now. 678 00:43:57,717 --> 00:43:59,937 We've got the same sun coming through our windows. 679 00:44:01,677 --> 00:44:05,007 Well, thank you very much and we'll see you next week. 680 00:44:08,552 --> 00:44:12,332 Thank you so much for joining us here on Crowd Church. 681 00:44:12,662 --> 00:44:17,502 Now if you are watching on YouTube, make sure hit the subscribe button as well 682 00:44:17,612 --> 00:44:23,617 as that little tiny bell notification to get notified the next time we are live. 683 00:44:23,647 --> 00:44:27,817 And of course, if you are listening to the podcast, uh, the Livestream podcast, 684 00:44:27,817 --> 00:44:31,237 make sure you also hit the follow button. 685 00:44:31,537 --> 00:44:35,047 Now by smashing the light button on YouTube or writing a 686 00:44:35,047 --> 00:44:37,867 review on your podcast platform. 687 00:44:38,017 --> 00:44:41,737 It helps us reach more people with the message that Jesus 688 00:44:41,737 --> 00:44:46,327 really does help us live a more meaningful and purposeful life. 689 00:44:46,717 --> 00:44:51,547 So if you haven't done so already, be sure to check out our website, 690 00:44:51,597 --> 00:44:58,207 www.crowd.church, where you can learn more about us as a church, more about 691 00:44:58,207 --> 00:45:03,127 the Christian faith, and also how to connect into our church community. 692 00:45:03,907 --> 00:45:09,227 It has been awesome to connect with you and you are awesome. 693 00:45:09,347 --> 00:45:14,447 It's just a burden you have to bear and hopefully we'll see you next time. 694 00:45:14,597 --> 00:45:15,467 That's it from us. 695 00:45:15,472 --> 00:45:16,217 God bless you. 696 00:45:16,977 --> 00:45:18,537 Bye for now.