1 00:00:00,873 --> 00:00:00,874 Dr. Gregg Marutzky: 2 00:00:00,874 --> 00:00:04,773 Happy Sunday, church Happy Sunday. 3 00:00:04,773 --> 00:00:10,354 It's good to have you here today, and, uh, especially as we, uh, begin, uh, 4 00:00:10,394 --> 00:00:15,954 this second, uh, installment of this new series entitled Life on the Vine. 5 00:00:16,494 --> 00:00:21,294 I'm excited to, uh, share it with you, and I, I better be because it's about joy. 6 00:00:21,954 --> 00:00:21,964 Yeah. 7 00:00:21,974 --> 00:00:22,334 All right? 8 00:00:23,374 --> 00:00:26,974 And, uh, you know, I, I, I've been thinking about joy all week. 9 00:00:27,054 --> 00:00:31,914 In, in fact, I'll share a little bit with you about my process of 10 00:00:31,954 --> 00:00:34,494 getting excited about this sermon. 11 00:00:34,554 --> 00:00:37,174 First, I thought about what makes me joyful. 12 00:00:38,254 --> 00:00:38,914 Right. 13 00:00:38,954 --> 00:00:42,474 And I thought, "Well, what candy bar makes me joyful?" 14 00:00:44,434 --> 00:00:44,903 Almond Joy. 15 00:00:44,903 --> 00:00:46,494 Almond Joy, you got it, Sam. 16 00:00:46,554 --> 00:00:46,754 You're… 17 00:00:47,394 --> 00:00:48,714 There's such a connection. 18 00:00:51,696 --> 00:00:52,616 A couple more. 19 00:00:52,996 --> 00:00:58,437 Cicero, "Friendship improves happiness, abates misery, by the doubling of our 20 00:00:58,597 --> 00:01:02,036 joy and the dividing of our grief." 21 00:01:02,857 --> 00:01:06,656 A great preacher, Henry Ward Beecher, "The sun does not shine 22 00:01:06,716 --> 00:01:08,357 for a few trees and flowers 23 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:15,240 Yes, Lewis. 24 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:17,840 Joy is a serious business 25 00:01:20,292 --> 00:01:25,352 Bibles, uh, if you will, over to Galatians chapter 5, our theme verse 26 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,520 To, uh, purchase the book if you'd like to. 27 00:01:32,581 --> 00:01:37,740 This is a bur- book that I'm referencing as I'm preparing for these sermons. 28 00:01:37,961 --> 00:01:39,820 It's a, it's a great book. 29 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:40,940 It really 30 00:01:45,544 --> 00:01:46,003 society. 31 00:01:46,783 --> 00:01:51,204 And today especially, we're gonna talk about how it's difficult to 32 00:01:51,244 --> 00:01:57,424 be joyful in a society that is so full of advertising telling us we're 33 00:01:57,464 --> 00:02:00,085 not content and we need something 34 00:02:47,908 --> 00:02:50,948 Born again, raised from the water of baptism. 35 00:02:51,208 --> 00:02:56,769 We have the, the Spirit within us, for the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy 36 00:03:05,700 --> 00:03:08,780 self-control and against such things, there's no law, 37 00:03:08,900 --> 00:03:10,360 there's no boundary, there's no 38 00:03:14,920 --> 00:03:16,440 Want to live on the vine, don't you? 39 00:03:16,820 --> 00:03:17,020 Yeah. 40 00:03:17,780 --> 00:03:24,401 Life on the vine is a life of love and joy and peace and all the fruits 41 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:29,700 of the Spirit, and oh, what the world needs now- Yeah … is the Spirit. 42 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:29,960 Yeah. 43 00:03:30,260 --> 00:03:30,660 Amen? 44 00:03:31,140 --> 00:03:33,520 Write a song about that, will you, somebody? 45 00:03:34,300 --> 00:03:38,800 I'm not a song leader, but it's got to replace what the world needs now is love. 46 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,901 That's a good song, too, but what they really need is the ability to 47 00:03:43,020 --> 00:03:45,079 love, the Holy Spirit within them. 48 00:03:45,161 --> 00:03:45,520 Amen? 49 00:03:46,460 --> 00:03:46,480 Amen. 50 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:51,460 And I just put up this slide 'cause it's about joy, and I can't jump anymore, 51 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,401 and so, uh, gonna let them jump for me. 52 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:54,880 Amen? 53 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,340 No, I can jump, but somethin' might happen. 54 00:04:01,796 --> 00:04:02,856 Don't laugh at me. 55 00:04:03,056 --> 00:04:03,316 Don't… 56 00:04:03,596 --> 00:04:05,856 You'll get there s- there someday too 57 00:04:09,297 --> 00:04:11,726 Today, we're gonna talk about the heart some more. 58 00:04:12,517 --> 00:04:15,977 One of the greatest compliments people have given me is, "Greg, you're heartsy." 59 00:04:17,596 --> 00:04:19,637 Well, that's better than being non-heartsy. 60 00:04:20,257 --> 00:04:20,596 All right? 61 00:04:21,237 --> 00:04:27,117 I think it was before I got, uh, educated in more, uh, depth in my 62 00:04:27,257 --> 00:04:31,297 lessons and sermons, they thought, "Well, at least you're sincere," you know? 63 00:04:32,137 --> 00:04:37,677 But I think it's a good quality to be heartsy, to let your heart be out there, 64 00:04:38,497 --> 00:04:41,837 to, to help people to feel what you feel. 65 00:04:42,937 --> 00:04:46,657 And I want, uh, this series to be more than just information 66 00:04:46,717 --> 00:04:49,177 and more than just, uh, truth. 67 00:04:49,857 --> 00:04:52,227 I want us to feel God's love for us. 68 00:04:52,297 --> 00:04:58,197 I want us to feel God's joy over us, especially today, and His 69 00:04:58,277 --> 00:05:00,377 peace and His patience, et cetera. 70 00:05:00,897 --> 00:05:01,337 Amen. 71 00:05:02,837 --> 00:05:04,937 Max Lucado, he's a friend of mine. 72 00:05:05,017 --> 00:05:05,897 I know Max. 73 00:05:06,757 --> 00:05:12,627 Uh, he's, uh, from the same school I went to and even teach at, 74 00:05:12,697 --> 00:05:17,917 Abilene Christian University, and, uh, he's a graduate from there. 75 00:05:17,977 --> 00:05:22,137 We met at a conference in Manaus, Brazil, in the Amazon. 76 00:05:22,877 --> 00:05:26,977 Uh, our rooms were right across from each other at a conference, and we 77 00:05:27,017 --> 00:05:29,997 became friends before he wrote any books. 78 00:05:30,737 --> 00:05:30,937 All right? 79 00:05:30,997 --> 00:05:35,497 In fact, he gave me a, a copy at that conference of his first book, On the 80 00:05:35,657 --> 00:05:37,677 Anvil, and it's not that popular. 81 00:05:37,747 --> 00:05:39,377 Not that many people read that one. 82 00:05:39,437 --> 00:05:44,757 The second one was the one that, uh, everybody, uh, uh, loved, 83 00:05:45,437 --> 00:05:47,677 the, the, the one On the Cross. 84 00:05:48,397 --> 00:05:55,737 But he says, "I choose joy because I will refuse to see any problem as anything 85 00:05:55,857 --> 00:05:59,937 less than an opportunity to see God." 86 00:06:00,217 --> 00:06:00,657 Amen. 87 00:06:01,677 --> 00:06:07,007 There's times I can reframe my mind and my emotions and feel that way, but 88 00:06:07,057 --> 00:06:13,497 that's a higher calling for me, to not see problems as problems, you know? 89 00:06:14,517 --> 00:06:19,237 We moved into this, uh, new house, and they just don't have very good closets. 90 00:06:21,077 --> 00:06:24,557 We put my suits up, which I never wear anymore, in one of the 91 00:06:24,657 --> 00:06:26,997 closets, and it tore down the rail. 92 00:06:28,147 --> 00:06:28,157 Oh. 93 00:06:28,177 --> 00:06:31,317 Gonna have to do it my- build a new one, you know? 94 00:06:32,117 --> 00:06:33,447 And, uh, it's just… 95 00:06:34,757 --> 00:06:36,417 You know, they aren't that heavy, are they? 96 00:06:37,327 --> 00:06:38,537 I guess they may be. 97 00:06:39,097 --> 00:06:39,357 All right? 98 00:06:39,557 --> 00:06:41,977 Maybe I need to give them away, but nobody wants them. 99 00:06:42,797 --> 00:06:44,817 So anyway, personal problem. 100 00:06:44,897 --> 00:06:45,697 Let's move on. 101 00:06:46,137 --> 00:06:46,397 All right? 102 00:06:49,124 --> 00:06:50,124 What was I talking about? 103 00:06:50,504 --> 00:06:55,324 Reframing problems and seeing them as opportunities. 104 00:06:55,444 --> 00:06:55,844 Amen? 105 00:06:56,144 --> 00:06:56,545 Yeah. 106 00:06:56,545 --> 00:06:56,644 Yeah. 107 00:06:57,224 --> 00:06:59,484 And then this is a great little acronym. 108 00:07:00,624 --> 00:07:06,465 Seeking joy is first seeking Jesus, seeking others, and then seeking 109 00:07:06,624 --> 00:07:11,344 what's best for yourself as well, which is our relationship with God. 110 00:07:12,704 --> 00:07:14,064 Some definitions of joy. 111 00:07:14,184 --> 00:07:19,484 Very employ- important for us to grab hold of a good personal definition of joy. 112 00:07:20,244 --> 00:07:24,405 Joy is a state of being or byproduct of significance. 113 00:07:24,425 --> 00:07:26,045 You can't really go after joy. 114 00:07:26,364 --> 00:07:31,024 You have to live in such a way where it's a byproduct of your character, 115 00:07:31,045 --> 00:07:35,064 and your activities, and your thinking, and your convictions, and your faith. 116 00:07:35,385 --> 00:07:37,524 You can't get it directly. 117 00:07:37,545 --> 00:07:41,704 It's gotta be a gift from God, a gift from the Spirit. 118 00:07:42,344 --> 00:07:48,244 And the word is chara, which is like, uh, uh, uh, the, the, the, the, the 119 00:07:48,264 --> 00:07:51,545 word, Greek word for grace, charis. 120 00:07:52,084 --> 00:07:52,504 All right? 121 00:07:52,804 --> 00:07:57,405 And so they're sister, uh, words in the Greek 'cause they're connected 122 00:07:57,504 --> 00:08:00,204 both as gifts, gifts from God. 123 00:08:00,524 --> 00:08:05,604 Joy represents a deeper inner gladness and cheerfulness. 124 00:08:06,225 --> 00:08:08,004 Some of you were born joyful. 125 00:08:09,164 --> 00:08:11,265 When they slapped you, you smiled at it. 126 00:08:13,024 --> 00:08:13,124 Right? 127 00:08:13,164 --> 00:08:18,324 And then some of us, we, we, we just grabbed hold of the nearest dark cloud 128 00:08:18,384 --> 00:08:20,004 and just pulled it over us, you know? 129 00:08:20,924 --> 00:08:23,765 I, I've always been as-- too serious. 130 00:08:24,324 --> 00:08:26,024 I love being around happy people. 131 00:08:26,085 --> 00:08:27,184 I need to be happier. 132 00:08:27,244 --> 00:08:28,304 I wanna be happier. 133 00:08:28,684 --> 00:08:33,484 This is a hard sermon to preach for me 'cause I'm not a naturally joyful person. 134 00:08:33,563 --> 00:08:34,524 I don't wake up 135 00:08:39,332 --> 00:08:42,312 Kathy's even like, "Craig, open your eyes. 136 00:08:42,412 --> 00:08:44,972 You're gonna fall down the stairs if you don't open your eyes." 137 00:08:45,312 --> 00:08:49,532 I don't wake up until a shower and coffee Amen. 138 00:08:49,633 --> 00:08:53,992 Now, I may be up and I may be walking around, but I, I, I'm one… 139 00:08:54,133 --> 00:08:55,532 I'm not a morning person. 140 00:08:55,632 --> 00:08:57,112 Some of you are morning people. 141 00:08:57,753 --> 00:08:59,173 My wife's a morning person. 142 00:08:59,273 --> 00:09:00,932 She's just always happy. 143 00:09:00,972 --> 00:09:04,192 The opposites attract, that's why I love her, all right? 144 00:09:04,392 --> 00:09:04,832 Oh, man. 145 00:09:04,872 --> 00:09:06,812 She, she gets me going in the morning. 146 00:09:06,912 --> 00:09:08,673 She's loving, she's kind. 147 00:09:08,792 --> 00:09:10,932 I'm like, "Oh, it's another day." 148 00:09:12,732 --> 00:09:13,112 You know? 149 00:09:13,812 --> 00:09:15,773 And I know I shouldn't be that way, but I'm just… 150 00:09:15,832 --> 00:09:18,933 I'm admitting this, this is who I am naturally. 151 00:09:19,572 --> 00:09:22,032 And but I want to be joyful. 152 00:09:22,912 --> 00:09:24,392 I wanna be happy. 153 00:09:24,552 --> 00:09:25,732 We all do, don't we? 154 00:09:25,933 --> 00:09:26,552 Yeah. 155 00:09:26,613 --> 00:09:29,532 We want it to overflow from within us. 156 00:09:29,632 --> 00:09:32,072 Nobody wants to be around Eeyore. 157 00:09:33,292 --> 00:09:36,372 And if you don't know who, who Eeyore is, you need to read to your 158 00:09:36,433 --> 00:09:38,392 grandkids more often, all right? 159 00:09:39,312 --> 00:09:42,272 In fact, you want joy, get around some children. 160 00:09:42,892 --> 00:09:43,793 Yeah. 161 00:09:43,833 --> 00:09:47,613 The last 10 months living with our two grandkids, I just, 162 00:09:48,172 --> 00:09:49,792 I just crack up at times. 163 00:09:50,412 --> 00:09:52,872 I mean, I mean, they, they, they just… 164 00:09:53,132 --> 00:09:55,272 Children do funny things, you know? 165 00:09:55,672 --> 00:10:00,132 And our little baby, she's one and a half now, she just gibbers. 166 00:10:00,153 --> 00:10:00,712 When I wake, she, 167 00:10:03,832 --> 00:10:03,972 "Uh, uh." 168 00:10:04,072 --> 00:10:05,933 And she knows what she's saying. 169 00:10:05,992 --> 00:10:07,332 She knows what we mean. 170 00:10:07,433 --> 00:10:09,492 I just say, "Yes. 171 00:10:09,572 --> 00:10:10,072 Yes." 172 00:10:10,852 --> 00:10:13,252 And somehow that appeases her. 173 00:10:13,293 --> 00:10:15,692 And then sometimes it doesn't, she gives me this look 174 00:10:19,076 --> 00:10:20,396 Like you're stupid 175 00:10:22,904 --> 00:10:25,744 And then I start laughing when she gives me that look. 176 00:10:26,884 --> 00:10:28,504 I mean, you gotta be around kids. 177 00:10:28,544 --> 00:10:32,324 You gotta be around things that will bring joy out of you. 178 00:10:32,524 --> 00:10:33,065 Amen? 179 00:10:34,004 --> 00:10:34,344 Amen. 180 00:10:34,344 --> 00:10:34,664 Amen. 181 00:10:35,105 --> 00:10:35,805 Come on, man. 182 00:10:35,864 --> 00:10:39,644 You know, we, we, we, we've got this house about a month ago, but we haven't 183 00:10:39,684 --> 00:10:41,144 moved out of our daughter's yet. 184 00:10:41,225 --> 00:10:45,524 I think we're, we're, we're, we're a lit- we're dragging our feet a little bit, me 185 00:10:45,584 --> 00:10:49,984 more than Cathy, because I love that joy. 186 00:10:50,504 --> 00:10:53,264 I love that gift I, I get. 187 00:10:53,344 --> 00:10:55,424 I'm gonna have to hang out there a lot. 188 00:10:55,744 --> 00:10:56,665 They better feed me. 189 00:10:56,964 --> 00:10:57,464 Amen. 190 00:10:59,244 --> 00:11:05,524 Joy is taking delight in someone or something beyond yourself, 191 00:11:07,024 --> 00:11:09,044 like your children, like God. 192 00:11:09,624 --> 00:11:13,744 Joy is being drawn out of ourselves in fulfilling activity. 193 00:11:14,305 --> 00:11:17,325 Don't you just feel great after you've done something good for 194 00:11:17,464 --> 00:11:19,764 someone else, an act of kindness? 195 00:11:20,805 --> 00:11:20,815 Yeah. 196 00:11:20,844 --> 00:11:24,124 Some type of service, service to God, service to others. 197 00:11:24,164 --> 00:11:25,084 Don't you just feel good? 198 00:11:25,264 --> 00:11:29,565 Don't you feel good at the end of the day when you've had a fruitful day? 199 00:11:30,504 --> 00:11:30,524 Yeah. 200 00:11:30,544 --> 00:11:35,784 When you did most of the things that you wanted to do, especially for God. 201 00:11:36,324 --> 00:11:42,944 Joy is the satisfaction we find when we realize what we have been seeking. 202 00:11:43,604 --> 00:11:45,345 The greatest joy is conversion. 203 00:11:45,604 --> 00:11:46,444 Yeah. 204 00:11:46,485 --> 00:11:47,764 And not just our own. 205 00:11:48,264 --> 00:11:50,404 Watching other people be converted. 206 00:11:51,184 --> 00:11:51,624 Oh, that's right. 207 00:11:51,664 --> 00:11:51,684 That's right. 208 00:11:51,724 --> 00:11:55,284 I don't know about you, but I, I'm not emotionally unstable. 209 00:11:56,985 --> 00:11:57,544 You might be 210 00:12:00,516 --> 00:12:06,516 But I'm, I, as the older I get, at baptisms, I always get emotional. 211 00:12:06,976 --> 00:12:07,156 Wow. 212 00:12:08,016 --> 00:12:09,776 And when they share their testimony. 213 00:12:10,676 --> 00:12:14,216 And I was a little emotional this morning to see all these kids up here. 214 00:12:14,656 --> 00:12:14,756 Right. 215 00:12:14,796 --> 00:12:14,956 Yeah. 216 00:12:15,716 --> 00:12:17,556 'Cause that's a milestone, folks. 217 00:12:17,596 --> 00:12:17,617 Yeah. 218 00:12:17,676 --> 00:12:18,037 Right. 219 00:12:19,136 --> 00:12:23,636 And I know how hard it is to graduate. 220 00:12:23,697 --> 00:12:23,996 Yeah. 221 00:12:26,076 --> 00:12:27,036 I practiced. 222 00:12:27,697 --> 00:12:28,036 All right? 223 00:12:30,180 --> 00:12:34,420 But even just graduating from high school, that wasn't that easy for some of us. 224 00:12:34,620 --> 00:12:35,040 Yeah. 225 00:12:35,660 --> 00:12:37,440 We didn't have educated parents. 226 00:12:38,441 --> 00:12:43,340 We didn't have anybody that cared that deeply whether we studied or not. 227 00:12:44,580 --> 00:12:46,361 We didn't have that many role models. 228 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:47,941 Yeah. 229 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,260 So these kids graduating from high school, what a milestone, what a 230 00:12:52,380 --> 00:12:57,420 joy, what a great foundation, what a springboard- Yeah … for going forward. 231 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:02,380 And then these folks graduating from college, do you know how many 232 00:13:02,461 --> 00:13:05,320 times in college I almost quit? 233 00:13:08,449 --> 00:13:09,508 You almost quit? 234 00:13:10,988 --> 00:13:13,548 Didn't you go to college for 30 years? 235 00:13:13,709 --> 00:13:15,508 No, just 25, all right? 236 00:13:19,140 --> 00:13:24,481 But after the first semester, I went down and was gonna quit. 237 00:13:25,180 --> 00:13:26,480 Signed up for the Marines. 238 00:13:27,680 --> 00:13:30,600 Wasn't quite old enough, so I had to take the paperwork to my dad. 239 00:13:30,660 --> 00:13:31,460 He tore it up. 240 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:33,401 Said, "You're going back to college." 241 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:35,720 "Dad, I didn't do very good. 242 00:13:36,661 --> 00:13:37,561 It's too hard. 243 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:39,081 I don't think I can do it." 244 00:13:40,860 --> 00:13:45,000 I was valedictorian in my high school, but when you're in a school with all 245 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:47,360 valedictorians, you can feel pretty stupid 246 00:13:50,608 --> 00:13:53,348 He said, "You're going back, unless you want to come out 247 00:13:53,388 --> 00:13:54,548 to the oil field with me." 248 00:13:54,828 --> 00:13:56,348 I said, "No, I'll go back to college." 249 00:13:57,768 --> 00:13:58,068 All right? 250 00:13:59,769 --> 00:14:02,728 And then it, then you learn how to go to school. 251 00:14:03,948 --> 00:14:07,928 And once you learn a few of the approaches, the methods, the 252 00:14:08,008 --> 00:14:11,628 tricks, it becomes a joy to learn. 253 00:14:13,488 --> 00:14:17,768 C- I congratulate you, every one of you that graduated. 254 00:14:17,848 --> 00:14:20,508 Every one of you that are on that journey, keep going. 255 00:14:20,788 --> 00:14:21,628 Don't give up. 256 00:14:22,428 --> 00:14:22,909 Amen. 257 00:14:23,409 --> 00:14:26,948 For the joy set before you, you will graduate someday. 258 00:14:27,708 --> 00:14:31,268 It might take another year or another, another year. 259 00:14:31,768 --> 00:14:34,128 It doesn't matter when, you just will. 260 00:14:35,148 --> 00:14:42,848 Joy is a core human emotion defined by intense, long-lasting happiness, 261 00:14:43,008 --> 00:14:44,729 contentment, and wellbeing. 262 00:14:44,768 --> 00:14:46,088 We're not talking about pleasure. 263 00:14:46,128 --> 00:14:47,988 We're not talking about happiness this morning. 264 00:14:48,028 --> 00:14:53,228 We're talking about a deep fruit of the spirit that's abiding. 265 00:14:53,588 --> 00:14:58,128 Unlike fleeting happiness, it is often tied to deeper fulfillment 266 00:14:58,188 --> 00:15:00,729 and purpose or connection. 267 00:15:01,549 --> 00:15:06,708 While happiness is often an external response to a specific event, 268 00:15:07,168 --> 00:15:12,828 like getting a raise or something, joy is generally viewed as an 269 00:15:12,928 --> 00:15:17,449 internal, enduring state of what? 270 00:15:18,808 --> 00:15:19,628 Gratitude. 271 00:15:20,828 --> 00:15:20,848 Gratitude. 272 00:15:20,888 --> 00:15:23,688 If you're not a grateful person, you don't have much joy. 273 00:15:23,728 --> 00:15:23,808 That's it. 274 00:15:24,549 --> 00:15:26,268 If you can learn to be grateful- 275 00:15:28,528 --> 00:15:30,048 Did you have warm water this morning? 276 00:15:30,728 --> 00:15:31,008 Yeah. 277 00:15:31,848 --> 00:15:33,409 Oh, I'm grateful for it. 278 00:15:33,828 --> 00:15:34,548 Yeah. 279 00:15:34,568 --> 00:15:37,248 'Cause when I was in Russia, they didn't have warm water. 280 00:15:38,368 --> 00:15:39,448 They had cold water. 281 00:15:40,408 --> 00:15:43,328 But you felt so dirty, you went ahead and jumped in there. 282 00:15:44,028 --> 00:15:48,488 And it, in Russia, in the winter, with cold water, uh, we're talking cold water. 283 00:15:49,889 --> 00:15:53,668 And the towels were dish towels. 284 00:15:54,788 --> 00:15:58,528 They're not made for people like me, all right? 285 00:15:58,908 --> 00:15:59,628 Bigger people. 286 00:16:01,248 --> 00:16:05,908 We had bigger towels when I was playing sports, and I would use two. 287 00:16:07,149 --> 00:16:10,829 The, the, the equipment manager, he, he'd always gripe at me, "Why 288 00:16:10,868 --> 00:16:12,608 do you always use so many towels?" 289 00:16:12,628 --> 00:16:16,108 "Well, 'cause I like drying off and being clean." 290 00:16:17,169 --> 00:16:19,408 "Why not just use one towel like everybody else?" 291 00:16:19,568 --> 00:16:21,068 "'Cause I like two." 292 00:16:23,568 --> 00:16:24,928 And then I ruined my wife. 293 00:16:24,989 --> 00:16:27,788 We got married, and she was always upset with, "Why do you 294 00:16:27,869 --> 00:16:29,469 use a clean towel every day?" 295 00:16:30,768 --> 00:16:32,769 "Because I wanna be clean." 296 00:16:33,368 --> 00:16:36,368 "Well, if you've showered and you use a towel, then aren't 297 00:16:36,408 --> 00:16:37,948 you clean when you dry off?" 298 00:16:37,989 --> 00:16:40,288 "Yeah, but I got it dirty." 299 00:16:43,236 --> 00:16:45,657 And now she uses a clean towel every day. 300 00:16:47,516 --> 00:16:50,316 You become like each other after 45 years. 301 00:16:50,396 --> 00:16:50,856 Amen? 302 00:16:52,296 --> 00:16:54,976 I love this parable, the parable of the talents. 303 00:16:56,256 --> 00:17:01,216 Jesus, you know it, and it's not usually used as a joy text. 304 00:17:01,337 --> 00:17:05,756 It's used as a judgment text, but y- let's use it as a joy text this morning. 305 00:17:05,856 --> 00:17:06,195 Amen? 306 00:17:07,257 --> 00:17:11,016 Again, it will be like a man going on a journey who called his servants 307 00:17:11,056 --> 00:17:13,636 and entrusted his property to them. 308 00:17:14,036 --> 00:17:17,076 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, 309 00:17:17,136 --> 00:17:18,836 and to another one talent. 310 00:17:18,857 --> 00:17:20,017 And you gotta listen to this. 311 00:17:20,476 --> 00:17:22,156 Each according to his ability. 312 00:17:22,636 --> 00:17:24,576 God only gives you what you can handle. 313 00:17:24,736 --> 00:17:29,736 He doesn't give you too much, and he expects just what is fair- Amen 314 00:17:29,756 --> 00:17:30,716 for each of us. 315 00:17:31,256 --> 00:17:35,276 Then he went on a journey, and then the next part of the, the, 316 00:17:35,396 --> 00:17:39,816 the parable, we know the rest of it, but here it h- is how it ends. 317 00:17:40,276 --> 00:17:46,616 His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant." 318 00:17:47,856 --> 00:17:49,556 That's all we are is servants. 319 00:17:49,776 --> 00:17:53,136 If you think you're more than a servant, God help you. 320 00:17:53,216 --> 00:17:55,896 As they say in the South, "Mercy." 321 00:17:57,956 --> 00:17:58,796 God bless you. 322 00:18:00,156 --> 00:18:01,276 We're just servants. 323 00:18:02,196 --> 00:18:04,317 Don't think too highly of ourselves. 324 00:18:04,976 --> 00:18:07,236 "You have been faithful with a few things." 325 00:18:07,456 --> 00:18:10,297 Faithful, that's all we gotta be, is faithful. 326 00:18:11,036 --> 00:18:14,276 "I put you in charge … I will put you in charge of many things. 327 00:18:14,477 --> 00:18:16,776 Come and share," what? 328 00:18:17,536 --> 00:18:19,016 "Your master's happiness." 329 00:18:19,877 --> 00:18:21,156 We make God happy. 330 00:18:21,256 --> 00:18:24,556 That's a joy that's beyond understanding. 331 00:18:25,736 --> 00:18:30,217 I pray for people often for peace that's beyond their circumstances, 332 00:18:30,936 --> 00:18:33,376 peace beyond- Amen … understanding. 333 00:18:34,476 --> 00:18:34,496 Glory. 334 00:18:34,496 --> 00:18:34,536 Yes, amen. 335 00:18:34,577 --> 00:18:37,996 Because we don't understand why it's happening to us, and we don't understand 336 00:18:38,116 --> 00:18:45,856 all the vicissitudes of lives, all of the ups and downs, all the challenges, all. 337 00:18:46,276 --> 00:18:47,836 We don't know the answer why. 338 00:18:47,877 --> 00:18:48,876 We will someday. 339 00:18:49,377 --> 00:18:49,536 Yeah. 340 00:18:50,397 --> 00:18:57,236 But praise God, when God's happy with us and we know it, we 341 00:18:57,296 --> 00:19:00,956 can have this overflowing joy. 342 00:19:02,016 --> 00:19:02,096 Yeah. 343 00:19:02,136 --> 00:19:05,336 You know God's happy with you this morning 'cause you're in church. 344 00:19:06,917 --> 00:19:12,836 He wants His people to come together, to meet together, to worship Him, to pray 345 00:19:12,917 --> 00:19:18,816 and praise, and to remember the sacrifice of His Son, and to hear His teaching, 346 00:19:18,856 --> 00:19:22,056 to hear His Word to His people- Yeah 347 00:19:22,216 --> 00:19:23,256 because you're here. 348 00:19:23,957 --> 00:19:26,116 And it's not the most popular things. 349 00:19:26,196 --> 00:19:27,676 Most people go to the beach. 350 00:19:27,716 --> 00:19:29,796 Most people go to a sporting event. 351 00:19:29,836 --> 00:19:35,136 Most people spend a lot of money to go somewhere else other than church. 352 00:19:35,896 --> 00:19:39,597 But God's pleased with you- Amen … because you're here. 353 00:19:40,076 --> 00:19:40,156 Amen. 354 00:19:40,676 --> 00:19:42,176 And it took a little effort. 355 00:19:42,276 --> 00:19:42,376 Yeah. 356 00:19:45,217 --> 00:19:49,196 Well done, good and faithful servants. 357 00:19:49,876 --> 00:19:51,497 Do you hear that in your head very often? 358 00:19:51,557 --> 00:19:53,876 That isn't a tape most of us hear played. 359 00:19:54,896 --> 00:19:58,457 Most of us hear do more- Yeah … get more. 360 00:19:58,997 --> 00:19:59,596 Yeah. 361 00:19:59,656 --> 00:20:04,516 We listen to the advertising when we nee- need to listen to the Word of God. 362 00:20:04,917 --> 00:20:05,356 Amen. 363 00:20:05,436 --> 00:20:06,796 Because you've been faithful. 364 00:20:07,816 --> 00:20:10,516 I don't preach a whole lot of repentance to the church. 365 00:20:10,616 --> 00:20:15,316 I preach repentance to the world, and I preach repentance to the church 366 00:20:15,376 --> 00:20:20,256 'cause I know we get visitors and stuff, but the church is the faithful. 367 00:20:20,617 --> 00:20:21,216 That's right. 368 00:20:21,556 --> 00:20:24,716 The church is the one that's been faithful now and have been… 369 00:20:24,937 --> 00:20:28,856 Many of you have been faithful for years and for decades, 370 00:20:29,196 --> 00:20:31,136 and some of you, many decades. 371 00:20:31,437 --> 00:20:33,056 Sorry to bring up your age. 372 00:20:36,420 --> 00:20:42,100 If you wanna learn more about joy, my friend Richard Beck wrote 373 00:20:42,140 --> 00:20:43,801 a great book, The Shape of Joy. 374 00:20:44,540 --> 00:20:50,120 I've shared it with you before, but he's just a, he's a serious guy like me. 375 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:54,261 He's a professor at Abilene Christian, the chairman of the psychology department. 376 00:20:55,220 --> 00:20:55,750 But he, he… 377 00:20:55,820 --> 00:20:57,080 And he writes short books. 378 00:20:57,181 --> 00:20:58,521 I, I like him, too. 379 00:20:59,000 --> 00:20:59,380 All right? 380 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:01,681 But this is a great book. 381 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:07,380 He's really into positive psychology and, and the science of awe, which is 382 00:21:07,420 --> 00:21:11,300 the science of God, and the science of joy, and the science of happiness, 383 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:13,300 and he's written a great book. 384 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:20,720 And I, I read his model again this week about, uh, joy. 385 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:28,280 And if you look at these things he says we need to do to have joy, we need to 386 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,361 quiet our souls, our, our inner beings. 387 00:21:31,900 --> 00:21:33,220 We need to focus on others. 388 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:36,400 We need to invest in some social good. 389 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:41,201 We need to not be reactive and be stable and temperate. 390 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:45,900 We need to go after worthy things and value what God values or 391 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:50,480 what's very valuable and not just what Madison Avenue teaches us. 392 00:21:50,980 --> 00:21:55,760 And then we need our egos, our pride, our will to shrink 393 00:21:59,184 --> 00:22:03,804 Go around this circle, this quadrilateral. 394 00:22:05,324 --> 00:22:07,044 Quiet, that sounds like peace 395 00:22:09,260 --> 00:22:10,980 Others, that sounds like kindness 396 00:22:13,637 --> 00:22:14,417 Or patience. 397 00:22:15,547 --> 00:22:19,257 Social patience, that's kindness. 398 00:22:20,657 --> 00:22:22,436 Non-reactive, that's goodness. 399 00:22:24,437 --> 00:22:30,417 Worthy, that sounds like self-control or maybe a small ego. 400 00:22:31,037 --> 00:22:34,837 You can put the fruits of the spirit into his model, and I'm gonna 401 00:22:34,897 --> 00:22:38,987 suggest to him, y- you only have one, two, three, four, five, six. 402 00:22:39,357 --> 00:22:40,137 You need nine. 403 00:22:40,197 --> 00:22:42,217 There's nine fruits of the spirit, Richard. 404 00:22:43,517 --> 00:22:46,877 I better not try to correct him or change his model. 405 00:22:47,337 --> 00:22:48,477 Speaker 2: He did a lot of research. 406 00:22:48,977 --> 00:22:48,978 Dr. Gregg Marutzky: 407 00:22:48,978 --> 00:22:52,377 I'm still gonna say it, uh, you know, just as a friend. 408 00:22:54,097 --> 00:22:59,657 John 15 verse 11, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you 409 00:23:00,517 --> 00:23:02,577 and that your joy may be complete." 410 00:23:03,457 --> 00:23:04,997 What did he say right before this? 411 00:23:06,017 --> 00:23:07,297 "You are my friends. 412 00:23:08,597 --> 00:23:10,477 I no longer call you servants. 413 00:23:11,377 --> 00:23:15,557 I call you friends because I have shared everything my Father has shared with me." 414 00:23:16,357 --> 00:23:18,257 And what did he just share before that? 415 00:23:18,737 --> 00:23:21,257 "I am the vine and you are the branches. 416 00:23:22,017 --> 00:23:24,677 Abide in me and you'll bear much fruit." 417 00:23:24,777 --> 00:23:29,037 Abide in me and you'll be joyful, is the promise. 418 00:23:29,757 --> 00:23:30,197 Amen. 419 00:23:30,597 --> 00:23:31,596 Amen. 420 00:23:31,657 --> 00:23:37,637 Augustine, one of the great theologians of the Christian Church, said, "O Lord, 421 00:23:37,757 --> 00:23:43,777 far be it from me to think that whatever joy I feel makes me truly happy, for 422 00:23:43,837 --> 00:23:48,277 there is a joy that is not given to those who do not love you, but only to 423 00:23:48,337 --> 00:23:50,617 those who love you for your own sake. 424 00:23:51,457 --> 00:23:52,937 You yourself is their joy. 425 00:23:53,037 --> 00:23:57,717 Happiness is to rejoice in you and for you and because of you. 426 00:23:57,937 --> 00:24:01,057 This is true happiness, and there is no other. 427 00:24:01,767 --> 00:24:06,777 Those who think that there is another kind of happiness look for joy 428 00:24:07,037 --> 00:24:10,997 elsewhere, but theirs is not true joy." 429 00:24:11,857 --> 00:24:16,217 True joy is found in Jesus Christ, I believe. 430 00:24:16,357 --> 00:24:17,397 Amen. 431 00:24:17,457 --> 00:24:24,677 He says in John 16, the next chapter, "So with you, now is your time of grief." 432 00:24:24,777 --> 00:24:27,097 You know what illustration he gave right before this? 433 00:24:28,437 --> 00:24:30,227 He gave the illustration of childbirth. 434 00:24:32,464 --> 00:24:37,184 And he says, "During childbirth, there's great pain. 435 00:24:38,865 --> 00:24:41,984 But then after the birth, there's only rejoicing." 436 00:24:43,624 --> 00:24:49,104 You ask a mom, they, they'll remember how many hours they were in labor, 437 00:24:50,224 --> 00:24:53,745 but the- I've never met a mom yet that didn't think it was worth it. 438 00:24:54,464 --> 00:24:54,744 Amen. 439 00:24:55,024 --> 00:24:57,104 The miracle of birth. 440 00:24:57,604 --> 00:25:01,924 And so Jesus used that illustration, then he says this: "Now is your time for grief, 441 00:25:02,044 --> 00:25:08,785 for pain," that's this world, "but I will see you again, and you will rejoice, 442 00:25:09,384 --> 00:25:13,644 and no one will take away your joy." 443 00:25:14,324 --> 00:25:14,405 Amen. 444 00:25:14,445 --> 00:25:16,605 That's the joy we want, amen? 445 00:25:17,004 --> 00:25:17,265 Amen. 446 00:25:17,304 --> 00:25:18,245 That kind of joy. 447 00:25:18,864 --> 00:25:23,824 The obstacles of joy, because of our culture, because of the society we live 448 00:25:23,905 --> 00:25:30,504 in, because of the world that we're in, m- we m- advertising tells us they 449 00:25:30,544 --> 00:25:34,224 manufacture a desire for more and more 450 00:25:36,900 --> 00:25:38,561 It feeds a discontentment. 451 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:41,801 Or you, and an anxiety it says. 452 00:25:42,860 --> 00:25:46,360 Advertising feeds discontentment and anxiety. 453 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:49,000 Puts pressure on people. 454 00:25:49,140 --> 00:25:50,620 Earn more so you can buy more. 455 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:52,980 Earn more because you need this. 456 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:55,361 Spend more because 457 00:25:57,648 --> 00:25:58,128 FOMO 458 00:26:01,348 --> 00:26:02,588 Fear of missing out. 459 00:26:04,388 --> 00:26:05,769 Advertising and marketing 460 00:26:08,388 --> 00:26:10,568 I saw there were a few marketing majors 461 00:26:12,816 --> 00:26:14,977 That graduated I was too. 462 00:26:16,136 --> 00:26:18,176 That's one of my areas 463 00:26:20,513 --> 00:26:21,412 Use it carefully. 464 00:26:21,733 --> 00:26:22,092 Amen? 465 00:26:22,312 --> 00:26:22,732 Amen. 466 00:26:23,353 --> 00:26:29,173 Creating false connections, delusional images of desire. 467 00:26:29,432 --> 00:26:32,652 All this is what marketing and advertising does. 468 00:26:33,352 --> 00:26:37,392 Elusive commitment, or contentment, I mean. 469 00:26:37,772 --> 00:26:39,072 Elusive contentment. 470 00:26:39,272 --> 00:26:41,553 You're not quite there yet. 471 00:26:42,272 --> 00:26:44,633 You gotta get a better job. 472 00:26:45,072 --> 00:26:46,732 You gotta get a bigger house. 473 00:26:46,852 --> 00:26:47,713 Oh, you got a big house. 474 00:26:47,912 --> 00:26:49,392 Ah, you need another one. 475 00:26:50,272 --> 00:26:50,712 You know? 476 00:26:52,072 --> 00:26:53,832 You don't have a new enough car. 477 00:26:54,053 --> 00:26:59,872 It's always elusive, this contentment, and feeds a discontentment. 478 00:27:00,893 --> 00:27:02,952 What else is an obstacle to joy? 479 00:27:04,912 --> 00:27:05,872 New and improved. 480 00:27:06,912 --> 00:27:11,112 Nothing good about the past or the old, and young people 481 00:27:11,172 --> 00:27:12,772 don't buy into this completely. 482 00:27:13,932 --> 00:27:18,412 There's good about technology and AI and new things, and there's 483 00:27:18,492 --> 00:27:24,992 good about some old, traditional, stable, foundational things. 484 00:27:25,652 --> 00:27:31,273 We all build on the past or we don't build well. 485 00:27:31,432 --> 00:27:32,832 It's not a either/or. 486 00:27:33,172 --> 00:27:34,352 It's a both/and. 487 00:27:34,892 --> 00:27:38,192 And when you're young, you only have either/or thinking, and so you gotta 488 00:27:38,252 --> 00:27:42,132 listen to some of the folks that are a little older with a little more 489 00:27:42,252 --> 00:27:46,932 experience because new and improved isn't always new and improved. 490 00:27:46,992 --> 00:27:47,032 Yes. 491 00:27:47,032 --> 00:27:47,892 Yeah. 492 00:27:47,932 --> 00:27:51,452 It's just something to sell people. 493 00:27:52,233 --> 00:27:54,792 Glorifying the novel and the different 494 00:27:58,340 --> 00:27:59,361 I don't buy the novel. 495 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:03,280 I take my daughter's hand-me-down phones. 496 00:28:04,761 --> 00:28:07,400 I know some of you stand in line, you get the newest. 497 00:28:07,601 --> 00:28:08,141 Good for you. 498 00:28:10,261 --> 00:28:11,101 Not in my budget. 499 00:28:12,601 --> 00:28:17,340 And she likes to get the new and improved, and I think your company helps pay 500 00:28:17,420 --> 00:28:19,500 for it, so I'll take her hand-me-down. 501 00:28:20,521 --> 00:28:23,601 I think I have an, uh, iPhone 10 or 11. 502 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:24,820 That's good enough. 503 00:28:25,681 --> 00:28:27,980 And now I know they're even up to 17. 504 00:28:28,021 --> 00:28:28,300 How did… 505 00:28:29,101 --> 00:28:32,820 Man, they, they went from 10 to 17 before I blinked. 506 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:33,860 All right? 507 00:28:34,860 --> 00:28:39,980 But God bless you if you've gotta have the newest of that, because 508 00:28:40,020 --> 00:28:41,301 there's probably something better. 509 00:28:41,380 --> 00:28:44,740 You got a better camera, I he- I guess. 510 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:45,660 Right? 511 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:50,261 But when you, you look like me, you don't want the best camera, right? 512 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:54,700 Old is bad. 513 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:56,700 Past is suspicious. 514 00:28:57,340 --> 00:28:58,400 Don't think that way. 515 00:28:58,820 --> 00:29:04,360 Breathing anxiety and fear, it's at all-time epidemic levels right now. 516 00:29:04,841 --> 00:29:06,341 Negative thinking. 517 00:29:07,460 --> 00:29:13,060 Most television feeds a negative thinking, especially the news. 518 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:17,520 Holding on to anger and conflict. 519 00:29:17,780 --> 00:29:19,040 Let's let go of anger. 520 00:29:19,161 --> 00:29:19,780 Amen. 521 00:29:19,801 --> 00:29:22,720 Let's let go of con- Let's try to be peacemakers. 522 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:24,200 Can we do that? 523 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:25,320 Cultivating joy. 524 00:29:25,380 --> 00:29:26,481 Here's the good stuff. 525 00:29:27,020 --> 00:29:28,020 Get to it, Greg. 526 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:29,240 Finish it up. 527 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:31,060 Learning contentment 528 00:29:33,144 --> 00:29:36,324 Just start making a list of the good things in your life that you 529 00:29:36,364 --> 00:29:39,244 should be content about, all right? 530 00:29:39,784 --> 00:29:42,484 And before you buy something, do I really need it? 531 00:29:43,724 --> 00:29:46,344 How many pairs of shoes do you already have? 532 00:29:47,925 --> 00:29:48,284 All right. 533 00:29:48,944 --> 00:29:54,844 Learning contentment, expressing praise and gratitude to other people. 534 00:29:55,404 --> 00:30:00,024 Teach your kids to say, "Thank you, please, yes. 535 00:30:00,904 --> 00:30:02,224 Thank you for dinner, Mom." 536 00:30:02,424 --> 00:30:02,545 Amen. 537 00:30:03,364 --> 00:30:06,565 "Thank you for cleaning the hou- thank you for these clean clothes. 538 00:30:06,925 --> 00:30:08,204 Thank you for this house, Dad. 539 00:30:08,245 --> 00:30:10,164 Thank you for how hard you work, Dad." 540 00:30:10,364 --> 00:30:10,824 Amen. 541 00:30:11,225 --> 00:30:14,704 You know, it's good to be around these little kids, these grandkids. 542 00:30:15,065 --> 00:30:17,565 Their parents teach them c- Now, was that kind? 543 00:30:19,124 --> 00:30:23,104 Sometimes they, they, they say things to me that it's not that kind. 544 00:30:23,364 --> 00:30:25,784 "Papa, can you go get me s- this?" 545 00:30:25,885 --> 00:30:29,384 And my daughter will say, "No, don't be telling Papa to do that. 546 00:30:29,784 --> 00:30:30,804 You go do that." 547 00:30:31,584 --> 00:30:33,644 And I'm like, "Thank you, daughter." 548 00:30:34,084 --> 00:30:34,424 Amen. 549 00:30:37,264 --> 00:30:38,024 Being kind. 550 00:30:38,124 --> 00:30:40,904 Express reconceiving tradition. 551 00:30:41,464 --> 00:30:42,984 The old isn't always bad. 552 00:30:43,084 --> 00:30:45,284 Enjoying children, I've already said that. 553 00:30:45,764 --> 00:30:50,524 Practicing Sabbath, learning to stop- Yes … and find peace. 554 00:30:51,104 --> 00:30:51,125 Yes. 555 00:30:51,144 --> 00:30:53,364 Focusing on the positive. 556 00:30:53,885 --> 00:30:55,824 Don't you love being around negative people? 557 00:31:00,292 --> 00:31:04,832 I'm not gonna say their name, but I have a relative that's very negative. 558 00:31:06,612 --> 00:31:08,572 And oh, I can only visit two days. 559 00:31:08,812 --> 00:31:09,312 That's it. 560 00:31:10,473 --> 00:31:12,572 They're always complaining to me, "Why don't you come visit? 561 00:31:12,612 --> 00:31:13,792 Why don't you stay longer?" 562 00:31:16,548 --> 00:31:18,248 'cause you're so naked as a jaybird 563 00:31:20,976 --> 00:31:23,176 Can't say it or they'd be negative about me 564 00:31:26,404 --> 00:31:27,204 Nobody likes it. 565 00:31:27,524 --> 00:31:27,664 No. 566 00:31:28,704 --> 00:31:30,924 Deciding to smile 567 00:31:33,713 --> 00:31:37,453 Communicating faith and hope, deciding to smile consistently, 568 00:31:37,613 --> 00:31:39,853 stepping out of depression. 569 00:31:40,753 --> 00:31:43,653 You have to make that choice and that decision. 570 00:31:44,333 --> 00:31:48,543 Investing in relationships, engaging in service activities, 571 00:31:49,153 --> 00:31:51,053 and resolve your conflicts. 572 00:31:51,113 --> 00:31:54,773 Those are just a few of the things that will cultivate joy that are 573 00:31:54,853 --> 00:31:56,933 keeping us from being joyful. 574 00:31:57,353 --> 00:32:01,933 And here's a beautiful little slide if you wanna take pictures of it. 575 00:32:02,333 --> 00:32:03,273 It's all small. 576 00:32:03,353 --> 00:32:07,053 You can- you gotta have one of those iPhone 17s, I guess, to be able to 577 00:32:07,073 --> 00:32:09,233 blow this up, to be able to read it. 578 00:32:09,373 --> 00:32:13,233 Here I, here I've talked myself into a dead end, didn't I? 579 00:32:14,173 --> 00:32:14,733 There you go. 580 00:32:14,833 --> 00:32:16,113 But it's a joy map. 581 00:32:16,773 --> 00:32:21,453 One of our brothers, Glenn Giles, in Denver, an elder there, made that. 582 00:32:22,613 --> 00:32:26,473 And to close out, give joy to get joy. 583 00:32:28,173 --> 00:32:32,653 Even in fellowship this afternoon, give some joy so you can get some joy. 584 00:32:33,953 --> 00:32:37,133 And play this tape in your head over and over. 585 00:32:37,213 --> 00:32:39,953 Repeat it over and over and over. 586 00:32:40,073 --> 00:32:41,852 Well done, good and faithful servant. 587 00:32:41,913 --> 00:32:43,513 Well done, good and faithful servant. 588 00:32:43,873 --> 00:32:47,453 Well done, sister, my great daughter. 589 00:32:48,393 --> 00:32:52,353 Well done, my beloved, my good and faithful daughter, 590 00:32:52,693 --> 00:32:53,933 my good and faithful son. 591 00:32:54,073 --> 00:32:56,153 God affirms us. 592 00:32:56,853 --> 00:32:58,613 That's what joy is. 593 00:32:59,433 --> 00:33:05,573 And then to bring it back and to tie this string together and all of these fruits 594 00:33:05,613 --> 00:33:11,073 of the Spirit, the things that God tells us to do as a church over and over, we 595 00:33:11,173 --> 00:33:14,253 ju- we're about to do the Lord's Supper. 596 00:33:14,833 --> 00:33:15,213 Why? 597 00:33:15,613 --> 00:33:19,373 Because it's about giving and receiving grace. 598 00:33:20,673 --> 00:33:26,453 That's why it says, "Consider the body of Christ when you take of the bread 599 00:33:27,093 --> 00:33:28,333 and take of the fruit of the vine." 600 00:33:28,973 --> 00:33:34,373 Make sure you're reconciled in the body, there's no issues with someone else. 601 00:33:35,973 --> 00:33:37,933 The giving and receiving of grace. 602 00:33:38,033 --> 00:33:43,113 The worship, what we've been doing already, expressing gratitude and praise. 603 00:33:43,933 --> 00:33:46,973 And service, the sacrifice of time and effort. 604 00:33:47,843 --> 00:33:50,733 And then my daughter told me after last week's sermon, "Greg…" 605 00:33:51,473 --> 00:33:53,393 Or she didn't say Greg, she said Dad. 606 00:33:53,913 --> 00:33:57,453 She said, "Dad, that last point could've been a whole sermon. 607 00:33:57,633 --> 00:34:01,913 I've never heard that before, that discipleship is knowing 608 00:34:01,933 --> 00:34:03,613 and transforming yourself." 609 00:34:04,173 --> 00:34:07,533 She said, "I've always thought of it negatively, like it's just 610 00:34:08,193 --> 00:34:11,233 being picked on, even by God. 611 00:34:11,393 --> 00:34:12,333 You gotta change." 612 00:34:13,033 --> 00:34:18,612 No, it's knowing and transforming yourself to be like Jesus. 613 00:34:18,953 --> 00:34:19,413 Amen. 614 00:34:19,913 --> 00:34:19,922 Amen. 615 00:34:19,933 --> 00:34:22,193 And then we can jump for joy. 616 00:34:22,733 --> 00:34:22,772 That's right. 617 00:34:22,773 --> 00:34:24,813 God bless the church. 618 00:34:24,993 --> 00:34:25,382 Amen.