1 00:00:00,180 --> 00:00:01,740 What's up podcast listeners. 2 00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:04,410 Hey, I just want to let you know, before you listened to this podcast. 3 00:00:04,770 --> 00:00:07,890 This didn't go so well, I recorded it, but things went wonky 4 00:00:07,890 --> 00:00:09,120 all throughout the recording. 5 00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:10,470 So it's not all there. 6 00:00:10,740 --> 00:00:14,460 But it's still worth listening to even what is there. 7 00:00:14,490 --> 00:00:18,630 So you'll do yourself a favor by still pursuing it and listening some of it. 8 00:00:18,630 --> 00:00:21,060 You may not even notice that some of it was cut out. 9 00:00:21,060 --> 00:00:22,260 So I hope you'll enjoy it. 10 00:00:22,290 --> 00:00:24,360 Please forgive my recording problems. 11 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,240 But what is here is toward listening to give it a listen. 12 00:00:27,330 --> 00:00:27,870 Here it comes. 13 00:00:28,426 --> 00:00:32,595 Well, if everyone can turn in your Bibles to John three, we're going to 14 00:00:32,595 --> 00:00:37,106 look at a couple of verses here tonight, specifically verses 25 through 30. 15 00:00:38,936 --> 00:00:40,666 I'll give you all a second to open up there. 16 00:00:43,056 --> 00:00:46,686 It's a really interesting experience when someone comes up to you and 17 00:00:46,686 --> 00:00:48,676 says, you remind me of someone. 18 00:00:49,836 --> 00:00:52,276 That can either be a really good thing or a really bad thing. 19 00:00:53,406 --> 00:00:57,576 A couple months ago, I was on a work trip and I was coming home from Nashville. 20 00:00:57,846 --> 00:00:58,696 I was exhausted. 21 00:00:58,696 --> 00:00:59,656 I was ready to be done. 22 00:00:59,976 --> 00:01:02,816 I had a bunch of flight delays and I was just tired of being in the airport. 23 00:01:03,266 --> 00:01:06,546 Um, and so I'm going in to check a bag that I didn't think I would have to check. 24 00:01:07,086 --> 00:01:10,045 And I, I hand it to the lady who's about to put it on the 25 00:01:10,045 --> 00:01:11,626 conveyor belt and she stopped me. 26 00:01:12,086 --> 00:01:15,366 She looked me in the face and was like, you remind me of someone. 27 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,031 You know, you look exactly like Chris Pratt. 28 00:01:23,121 --> 00:01:25,461 And I was like, thanks? 29 00:01:25,941 --> 00:01:27,651 Like, which one? 30 00:01:27,661 --> 00:01:30,521 Like, am I, am I Star Lord or am I Andy? 31 00:01:30,521 --> 00:01:32,621 I feel like there's a big difference, you know? 32 00:01:33,091 --> 00:01:36,610 There's a massive difference about which is, okay, thanks boys. 33 00:01:36,610 --> 00:01:37,601 I appreciate the front row here. 34 00:01:37,961 --> 00:01:39,951 That's, that's the thing is, you know, you, you never know. 35 00:01:40,001 --> 00:01:43,966 But, as I said, you look just like Chris Pratt. 36 00:01:44,265 --> 00:01:45,206 Chris Pratt. 37 00:01:45,596 --> 00:01:49,416 It was a very odd experience, but it would have been an even more odd 38 00:01:49,446 --> 00:01:53,936 experience if that lady would have gone home that night to her family or to her 39 00:01:53,936 --> 00:01:58,156 friends and said, you guys will never believe who I met at the airport today. 40 00:01:58,786 --> 00:02:00,566 I met Star Lord. 41 00:02:00,666 --> 00:02:02,556 I met Chris Pratt in person. 42 00:02:02,726 --> 00:02:03,796 I checked his bag. 43 00:02:04,306 --> 00:02:06,446 It was the best experience of my life. 44 00:02:07,086 --> 00:02:10,336 It would have been really odd because I don't know if it's obvious. 45 00:02:11,056 --> 00:02:12,166 I am not Chris Pratt. 46 00:02:12,236 --> 00:02:13,196 I'm not even close. 47 00:02:14,456 --> 00:02:16,316 I feel like I'm like a dollar store Chris Pratt. 48 00:02:18,136 --> 00:02:22,756 So if people were to look to me to be Chris Pratt, to be this amazing, 49 00:02:22,756 --> 00:02:27,176 talented actor, or to be someone that was super funny and just had 50 00:02:27,176 --> 00:02:29,486 a good time with everybody like Mr. 51 00:02:29,486 --> 00:02:34,305 Pratt, they would be super disappointed because I'm not him. 52 00:02:34,386 --> 00:02:36,776 I'm, a cheap substitute. 53 00:02:36,776 --> 00:02:38,046 I'd be, I'd be a stand in. 54 00:02:39,616 --> 00:02:41,646 You see, when it comes to Jesus, this is something that I want us to 55 00:02:41,646 --> 00:02:46,336 put a pin in and think about for the duration of this message tonight. 56 00:02:47,506 --> 00:02:51,966 When it comes to Jesus, accept no substitutes. 57 00:02:54,296 --> 00:02:57,076 When it comes to Jesus, accept no substitutes. 58 00:02:57,106 --> 00:03:01,046 This thought is going to be super evident in our passage, and it's going 59 00:03:01,046 --> 00:03:03,466 to govern everything that we talk about. 60 00:03:03,466 --> 00:03:05,296 All the points that I'm going to make tonight, everything that you're 61 00:03:05,296 --> 00:03:08,286 going to see in the scriptures, is going to lead you to the inevitable 62 00:03:08,286 --> 00:03:14,231 conclusion that when it comes to Jesus, Do not accept a single substitute. 63 00:03:15,211 --> 00:03:17,171 Hopefully you're there in your Bibles by now. 64 00:03:17,951 --> 00:03:20,521 We're going to be looking at John 3, 25 through 30. 65 00:03:21,181 --> 00:03:24,471 So I'm going to read the passage and then we'll dive into talking about it. 66 00:03:26,791 --> 00:03:30,361 It says, now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew 67 00:03:30,361 --> 00:03:34,180 over purification, and they came to John and said to him, rabbi, he who 68 00:03:34,180 --> 00:03:37,481 is with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, look, he is 69 00:03:37,481 --> 00:03:39,281 baptizing and all are going to him. 70 00:03:40,171 --> 00:03:40,651 John answered. 71 00:03:40,651 --> 00:03:44,011 A person cannot receive even one thing unless it has given him from heaven. 72 00:03:45,161 --> 00:03:46,631 You yourselves bear me witness that. 73 00:03:46,631 --> 00:03:50,441 I said, I am not a Christ, but I have been sent before him. 74 00:03:51,231 --> 00:03:54,651 The one who has the bride is the bride groom, the friend of the bride groom. 75 00:03:54,696 --> 00:04:04,076 So 76 00:04:07,696 --> 00:04:12,936 what we see as we get started in this passage is you've got the disciples of 77 00:04:12,936 --> 00:04:17,196 John the Baptist who have been following him for his ministry, coming up to John. 78 00:04:17,916 --> 00:04:23,146 And with this hint of envy, of frustration that Jesus is getting 79 00:04:23,146 --> 00:04:27,846 so much attention, they're saying, look, John, everyone's going to Jesus. 80 00:04:28,126 --> 00:04:29,286 What are you going to do about it? 81 00:04:29,434 --> 00:04:31,584 think one is getting more of what you want. 82 00:04:31,954 --> 00:04:40,124 That's certainly a fake savior, saying, to whatever degree I possibly can, 83 00:04:40,144 --> 00:04:41,683 then I'll feel good about myself. 84 00:04:41,683 --> 00:04:47,531 I'll have joy that lasts. 85 00:04:47,531 --> 00:04:51,039 That'll be good. 86 00:04:52,289 --> 00:04:52,619 Right? 87 00:04:52,619 --> 00:04:54,689 Like how much, how much you're willing to work hard. 88 00:04:55,019 --> 00:04:58,889 That as long as, long as I work crazy hard and I do all of the things 89 00:04:58,889 --> 00:05:00,959 that I wanna do, I'm just, I'm just gonna grind, then I'll be happy. 90 00:05:02,249 --> 00:05:04,019 I'll earn literally everything. 91 00:05:05,099 --> 00:05:06,419 That's certainly a fake savior. 92 00:05:07,829 --> 00:05:09,479 Self-trust and self-love. 93 00:05:10,799 --> 00:05:11,909 These can be fake saviors too. 94 00:05:11,909 --> 00:05:16,339 The fact that you can say, I don't really need anybody else if I got me. 95 00:05:17,389 --> 00:05:18,019 Doesn't matter. 96 00:05:19,809 --> 00:05:22,729 What anyone else might think, whether good or bad, doesn't matter. 97 00:05:22,769 --> 00:05:23,879 No one else matters but me. 98 00:05:23,879 --> 00:05:26,969 If you put yourself above literally everyone else, we all kind of understand 99 00:05:26,969 --> 00:05:28,289 that this is how we're hardwired. 100 00:05:28,319 --> 00:05:29,969 We see the world through our own eyes. 101 00:05:30,033 --> 00:05:34,763 Leaning into that is something that can be like biting into that impossible burger. 102 00:05:35,363 --> 00:05:40,113 It's not ultimately satisfying being good enough, being good enough. 103 00:05:40,113 --> 00:05:44,433 Certainly saying, well, I mean, I've come on, like I'm a, I'm a pretty good person. 104 00:05:44,493 --> 00:05:45,713 All things considered. 105 00:05:46,433 --> 00:05:49,483 You know, I feel, come on, I'm not that bad. 106 00:05:49,843 --> 00:05:52,073 Even better, I'm not as bad as those other people, right? 107 00:05:52,093 --> 00:05:53,443 The lateral comparisons. 108 00:05:54,043 --> 00:05:57,123 You know, those people are, those people are terrible. 109 00:05:57,163 --> 00:06:01,883 Over there, they got no teeth and they're being silly all the time. 110 00:06:01,883 --> 00:06:05,893 They're disrupting class and doing just weird stuff. 111 00:06:05,943 --> 00:06:07,003 Come on, I'm better than them. 112 00:06:07,423 --> 00:06:10,223 You compare yourself laterally and make yourself feel better about who you are. 113 00:06:10,223 --> 00:06:11,073 So yeah, I feel good. 114 00:06:13,293 --> 00:06:14,458 Maybe having an excellent reputation. 115 00:06:14,458 --> 00:06:19,288 But what I, what I want to show you as we tie it all together here, every 116 00:06:19,288 --> 00:06:23,188 single one of these points, these things that can stand in as fake saviors, what 117 00:06:23,188 --> 00:06:28,198 they all have in common is that they have self exaltation or self worship 118 00:06:29,138 --> 00:06:36,368 as your highest good, that your highest good is to put yourself first and to put 119 00:06:36,368 --> 00:06:41,748 yourself above everyone, including God, including your family, including your 120 00:06:41,758 --> 00:06:47,028 friends, that if you pursue yourself as the highest good that you could 121 00:06:47,028 --> 00:06:48,578 possibly achieve, then you'll be happy. 122 00:06:49,548 --> 00:06:51,668 That's what all of these fake saviors have in common. 123 00:06:51,668 --> 00:06:53,718 They say, I come first. 124 00:06:53,828 --> 00:06:56,328 It matters if I increase, it matters if I do well. 125 00:06:57,748 --> 00:07:02,388 See what's hard about this is that's exactly what, when we go back to 126 00:07:02,388 --> 00:07:06,858 the text, we're going to see that John rails against self exaltation. 127 00:07:06,868 --> 00:07:09,178 John is going to say, what are you guys doing? 128 00:07:09,298 --> 00:07:11,918 Come on, look back at the text with me. 129 00:07:11,948 --> 00:07:14,528 Let's, let's, let's look at John's response here. 130 00:07:14,748 --> 00:07:18,118 Again, they say, Rabbi, he, who's with you across the Jordan, whom you bore witness. 131 00:07:18,118 --> 00:07:18,998 Look, he's baptizing. 132 00:07:19,018 --> 00:07:19,738 All are going to him. 133 00:07:19,738 --> 00:07:21,178 Do you hear the envy in their voice. 134 00:07:22,488 --> 00:07:24,928 Do you hear their desire to stay in the limelight? 135 00:07:24,938 --> 00:07:29,578 Do you hear their desire to exalt themselves, sticking with this godly guy, 136 00:07:29,638 --> 00:07:32,468 who's bearing witness to God, that he's a prophet, he's really well thought of. 137 00:07:32,748 --> 00:07:37,768 Do you hear them wanting their shine, wanting their moment, wanting to stay as 138 00:07:39,308 --> 00:07:41,918 the best of the best, to be seen that way? 139 00:07:43,957 --> 00:07:45,748 But what does John say? 140 00:07:46,498 --> 00:07:47,118 Look again. 141 00:07:48,898 --> 00:07:52,228 I want to particularly focus on this last verse, but I'll read a couple leading 142 00:07:52,228 --> 00:07:54,988 up to it as well, where he says, Look, a person cannot receive even one thing 143 00:07:54,988 --> 00:07:56,118 unless it is given him from heaven. 144 00:07:56,588 --> 00:07:58,118 You yourselves bear me witness. 145 00:07:58,628 --> 00:08:00,548 I said, I am not the Christ. 146 00:08:01,598 --> 00:08:04,808 It's not me, but I have been sent before him. 147 00:08:05,228 --> 00:08:07,208 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. 148 00:08:07,408 --> 00:08:10,078 The friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices 149 00:08:10,078 --> 00:08:11,578 greatly at the bridegroom's voice. 150 00:08:11,898 --> 00:08:12,438 Therefore. 151 00:08:13,178 --> 00:08:14,668 This joy of mine is complete. 152 00:08:16,038 --> 00:08:19,928 He must increase, but I must decrease. 153 00:08:21,218 --> 00:08:23,828 That's what John ends with in this passage. 154 00:08:23,828 --> 00:08:26,738 That his followers say, shouldn't you be increasing? 155 00:08:26,738 --> 00:08:28,218 Shouldn't you take your followers back? 156 00:08:28,218 --> 00:08:31,748 Shouldn't you be just the most hype and cool dude in all the universe? 157 00:08:32,548 --> 00:08:35,568 And John says, you're talking about me in comparison to Christ? 158 00:08:35,698 --> 00:08:35,918 No. 159 00:08:36,107 --> 00:08:39,498 He must increase, but I must decrease. 160 00:08:40,738 --> 00:08:45,118 You see, if we claim to trust Christ, if we claim to follow Him and to be 161 00:08:45,118 --> 00:08:49,518 His disciple, but we're walking with this arrogance and this pride of 162 00:08:49,518 --> 00:08:53,318 saying, well, I want to put myself in the limelight and be the most popular 163 00:08:53,328 --> 00:08:55,148 and exalt myself above all else. 164 00:08:56,008 --> 00:09:00,478 And if your biggest concern is with your own reputation, And your own 165 00:09:00,548 --> 00:09:04,158 worthiness, you're going to miss Christ. 166 00:09:05,108 --> 00:09:07,718 You're going to bite into one of these cheap substitutes. 167 00:09:08,058 --> 00:09:10,248 You're going to miss the forgiveness that he offers. 168 00:09:10,268 --> 00:09:15,838 If you don't say with John, he must increase, but I must decrease. 169 00:09:16,698 --> 00:09:17,438 That's point number two. 170 00:09:17,438 --> 00:09:18,688 I want you to write it down this way. 171 00:09:19,838 --> 00:09:27,028 Humble yourself before the real savior, humble yourself before the real savior. 172 00:09:28,923 --> 00:09:32,813 Again, we have the idea of, we know that there are cheap substitutes out there. 173 00:09:32,873 --> 00:09:33,553 We know that. 174 00:09:35,523 --> 00:09:38,383 But in order to come to the real, it has to be an act of humility. 175 00:09:39,473 --> 00:09:43,073 It's not something we can do with a bunch of pride in our hearts. 176 00:09:44,193 --> 00:09:46,723 No one enters the kingdom of God with a swagger. 177 00:09:47,283 --> 00:09:48,263 They enter with a limp. 178 00:09:49,933 --> 00:09:53,423 I hope that you get to have the experience someday of being in 179 00:09:53,423 --> 00:09:54,633 a wedding other than your own. 180 00:09:55,323 --> 00:09:59,363 Because it is one of the most joyous and fun occasions that you can be part of. 181 00:10:00,303 --> 00:10:04,783 Cause if you can be in that wedding party, that inner circle, it is so much fun. 182 00:10:04,783 --> 00:10:08,483 Whether you're a groomsman or, or a bridesmaid, it is 183 00:10:08,483 --> 00:10:10,463 an incredible amount of fun. 184 00:10:11,483 --> 00:10:14,873 And a couple months ago, I got to be the best man for my best friend 185 00:10:14,873 --> 00:10:16,753 in California for his wedding. 186 00:10:18,773 --> 00:10:26,223 Now, the number one rule of what you cannot do as a best man is make the 187 00:10:26,223 --> 00:10:33,333 wedding about yourself is make the wedding about how great your speech is, how much 188 00:10:33,333 --> 00:10:35,293 fun you are to be around with everyone. 189 00:10:37,428 --> 00:10:40,688 The point as the best man is not to exalt yourself, but to honor 190 00:10:40,688 --> 00:10:41,978 the couple who's being married. 191 00:10:42,958 --> 00:10:45,568 It's to point away from yourself saying, yeah, I'm, I'm not the 192 00:10:45,568 --> 00:10:46,508 one who's getting married today. 193 00:10:46,508 --> 00:10:49,388 I'm not the bride, the bridegroom. 194 00:10:49,458 --> 00:10:52,448 I meant to point to the married couple and say, hey, honor them, 195 00:10:52,478 --> 00:10:55,428 enjoy them, appreciate them, shower them with affection. 196 00:10:55,658 --> 00:10:58,218 They're the ones who deserve our honor today. 197 00:10:59,258 --> 00:11:02,438 I mean, think about the text of what's happening in our verses. 198 00:11:02,438 --> 00:11:07,588 We have the disciples of John saying, why is everyone given honor to Jesus? 199 00:11:07,598 --> 00:11:08,818 Why is everybody doing that? 200 00:11:09,648 --> 00:11:13,083 And John's like, You guys aren't the ones, you guys, the bride 201 00:11:13,093 --> 00:11:14,943 has, the bridegroom has the bride. 202 00:11:16,093 --> 00:11:16,923 I'm not the Christ. 203 00:11:16,933 --> 00:11:19,933 I'm not the one who's getting married, so to speak, in this analogy. 204 00:11:19,933 --> 00:11:21,023 I'm the bridegroom. 205 00:11:21,963 --> 00:11:22,943 Or I'm not the bridegroom. 206 00:11:23,373 --> 00:11:24,093 I'm the best man. 207 00:11:24,103 --> 00:11:24,513 There we go. 208 00:11:24,543 --> 00:11:25,073 That's what he's saying. 209 00:11:25,403 --> 00:11:25,723 Sorry. 210 00:11:26,423 --> 00:11:27,613 He's saying I'm pointing to them. 211 00:11:28,053 --> 00:11:29,093 I'm pointing to Jesus. 212 00:11:29,093 --> 00:11:30,903 I'm pointing to his relationship with his church. 213 00:11:30,903 --> 00:11:33,883 I'm not here to get all the shine. 214 00:11:35,953 --> 00:11:37,158 John gets all the shine. 215 00:11:37,778 --> 00:11:40,168 That Christ's glorification is necessary. 216 00:11:41,268 --> 00:11:45,388 He gets that, but the followers think that they still need to stay in the limelight. 217 00:11:45,388 --> 00:11:47,778 They don't think that they should be fading out of it. 218 00:11:49,698 --> 00:11:51,938 And I think that's just one of the most important things to understand 219 00:11:51,938 --> 00:11:54,868 on this point, where we're humbling ourselves before the real Savior because 220 00:11:54,868 --> 00:11:58,358 we understand that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. 221 00:12:00,528 --> 00:12:02,848 That you either get salvation at the cross or not at all. 222 00:12:03,968 --> 00:12:09,628 That this life is not about you putting yourself up and saying, Yeah, 223 00:12:09,628 --> 00:12:14,028 I mean, I guess God's got to increase, but my reputation matters more. 224 00:12:16,338 --> 00:12:18,618 I'm at this wedding feast, but I got to make it about me, even though 225 00:12:18,618 --> 00:12:19,728 I'm not the one getting married. 226 00:12:22,778 --> 00:12:27,228 Again, this, this humility that John displays is so critical 227 00:12:27,238 --> 00:12:28,358 for the Christian life. 228 00:12:29,178 --> 00:12:33,858 And it has to be our mantra, this one of humbling ourself before the real savior. 229 00:12:34,878 --> 00:12:37,288 So what does true humility even look like? 230 00:12:38,978 --> 00:12:40,948 It's something that's important to know about, but what does it 231 00:12:40,948 --> 00:12:42,498 look like in the biblical sense? 232 00:12:43,628 --> 00:12:46,968 I think first true humility starts with confession. 233 00:12:47,698 --> 00:12:51,698 It starts with a confession that saying, I am a sinner. 234 00:12:52,148 --> 00:12:52,948 I need a savior. 235 00:12:54,278 --> 00:12:59,228 There is nothing more humble and basic than being able to say this and mean it. 236 00:13:00,378 --> 00:13:02,428 This is the foundation of what we're talking about. 237 00:13:02,428 --> 00:13:05,098 This is who I am. 238 00:13:06,008 --> 00:13:06,948 I'm not the top dog. 239 00:13:06,948 --> 00:13:08,698 I'm not the coolest thing since sliced bread. 240 00:13:09,818 --> 00:13:10,838 And I need a savior. 241 00:13:12,568 --> 00:13:13,528 I can't do it on my own. 242 00:13:14,428 --> 00:13:15,628 I need a real savior. 243 00:13:15,638 --> 00:13:17,678 I need someone that's really gonna make change. 244 00:13:17,698 --> 00:13:21,318 Not someone that's gonna, you know, wet my appetite and, you know, 245 00:13:22,358 --> 00:13:24,988 be able to, you know, not really worry about the real savior stuff. 246 00:13:24,988 --> 00:13:27,078 It's like, at least I got a little bit here, you know? 247 00:13:29,248 --> 00:13:31,626 And after this confession, true humility requires a 248 00:13:31,826 --> 00:13:33,066 It's actually complete. 249 00:13:34,665 --> 00:13:36,186 It's full satisfaction. 250 00:13:37,116 --> 00:13:39,816 See, this joy is complete because the joy is in Christ. 251 00:13:40,386 --> 00:13:44,616 It's in who He is and it's in what He does for His church. 252 00:13:45,996 --> 00:13:49,196 So I want us to write this down this way, for point number three. 253 00:13:49,196 --> 00:13:53,696 If we're thinking about not having to humble ourselves through gritted teeth 254 00:13:53,716 --> 00:13:59,016 and through anger, point number three, delight in the Savior and His work. 255 00:14:00,326 --> 00:14:03,116 Delight in the Savior and His work. 256 00:14:04,806 --> 00:14:08,176 I am a pretty massive Christmas fan. 257 00:14:09,006 --> 00:14:10,316 Which, like, most people are. 258 00:14:10,356 --> 00:14:16,396 So I know that's not that interesting, but I mean, the The tree is up in my house. 259 00:14:16,406 --> 00:14:17,286 It's decorated. 260 00:14:17,286 --> 00:14:21,306 There's All the decor is out. 261 00:14:21,526 --> 00:14:24,206 Basically, as soon as it turned November, it was like, Alright, are we doing this? 262 00:14:24,206 --> 00:14:25,736 Like, we're gonna make this happen. 263 00:14:25,746 --> 00:14:27,296 It'll probably up through March. 264 00:14:27,336 --> 00:14:27,876 You never know. 265 00:14:28,206 --> 00:14:32,376 But That's the thing is with, with Christmas, it's a time that's 266 00:14:32,396 --> 00:14:35,066 characterized by joy, right? 267 00:14:35,066 --> 00:14:38,796 Most people are going through the holiday season and they're singing all 268 00:14:38,796 --> 00:14:42,636 the songs about having, having joy in their hearts and all of this great stuff. 269 00:14:45,136 --> 00:14:46,876 But there's a reason that we can't sing. 270 00:14:47,056 --> 00:14:48,686 Well, I mean, I guess you can, but you're crazy. 271 00:14:48,696 --> 00:14:52,506 You can't sing Christmas songs in July when it's super hot out. 272 00:14:52,506 --> 00:14:54,186 It's not the, it's not the season for it. 273 00:14:55,106 --> 00:14:58,626 So no matter how excited you get about Christmas, no matter how 274 00:14:58,626 --> 00:15:04,306 much this season of joy brings you, it doesn't end up lasting. 275 00:15:04,316 --> 00:15:05,976 There's no element of completion. 276 00:15:06,776 --> 00:15:10,416 You can't say, well, my joy is complete because it's Christmas because as 277 00:15:10,416 --> 00:15:13,946 soon as it's not Christmas, your joy is not really complete anymore. 278 00:15:16,076 --> 00:15:19,486 You see, your joy is only as stable as the object of your joy. 279 00:15:20,861 --> 00:15:25,761 If your joy is grounded in your, in your circumstances in terms of what's happening 280 00:15:25,761 --> 00:15:31,161 here around you immediately, you're going to be tempted to bite into these 281 00:15:31,181 --> 00:15:36,271 impossible saviors to say, yeah, I'll, I'll, I'll accept the cheap substitutes, 282 00:15:38,001 --> 00:15:43,631 but the mind shattering truth of the gospel is that when we talk about saying 283 00:15:43,651 --> 00:15:46,701 he must increase, but I must decrease. 284 00:15:47,351 --> 00:15:51,631 The truth of the gospel is that before you even had an idea of what 285 00:15:51,641 --> 00:15:56,391 that could possibly mean, Christ was decreased on your behalf. 286 00:15:58,301 --> 00:15:59,431 You'll go here later. 287 00:15:59,721 --> 00:16:02,151 I don't have time for it right now, but just write it down. 288 00:16:02,151 --> 00:16:03,561 Philippians 2, 5 through 8. 289 00:16:05,881 --> 00:16:13,471 The idea that though Christ is very God of very God, He's the Son, He empties Himself 290 00:16:13,471 --> 00:16:14,951 and takes on the form of a servant. 291 00:16:17,516 --> 00:16:20,456 In a certain sense, this is the ultimate humiliation. 292 00:16:20,456 --> 00:16:22,846 This is the ultimate act of humility. 293 00:16:24,436 --> 00:16:28,336 That before we are in any sense called to humble ourselves 294 00:16:28,336 --> 00:16:30,716 before Christ, He moved first. 295 00:16:31,466 --> 00:16:33,196 He was the one who humbled Himself. 296 00:16:33,486 --> 00:16:37,156 He was the one who came to us in our weakness and in our frailness. 297 00:16:38,076 --> 00:16:39,316 And He took on flesh. 298 00:16:41,726 --> 00:16:43,311 And so in a certain sense, Christ did that. 299 00:16:43,321 --> 00:16:47,331 He didn't come for the increase of your own personal glory. 300 00:16:48,361 --> 00:16:53,591 He didn't come so you could be the best of the best, but He did come 301 00:16:53,591 --> 00:16:54,981 for the increase of your good. 302 00:16:56,671 --> 00:17:01,951 He did come so that ultimately, through Him being decreased and the work that 303 00:17:01,951 --> 00:17:05,431 He does for the church, that you can be increased, that you can have eternal life, 304 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:07,381 that you can have joy that is complete. 305 00:17:09,451 --> 00:17:12,611 Let's just look at a couple reasons why you should delight 306 00:17:12,611 --> 00:17:13,810 in Christ because of this. 307 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:17,611 I know I've already started on this, but there's so much that we can say here. 308 00:17:17,941 --> 00:17:20,570 And this is really the turning point in the Christian life, where 309 00:17:20,570 --> 00:17:26,290 you go from gritting your teeth, thinking about this God, to trusting 310 00:17:26,290 --> 00:17:27,820 in Him and delighting in Him. 311 00:17:29,151 --> 00:17:30,661 So why should you trust in Christ? 312 00:17:31,351 --> 00:17:33,441 Number one, He is the image of the invisible God. 313 00:17:34,521 --> 00:17:35,981 He's the image of the invisible God. 314 00:17:35,981 --> 00:17:36,181 Amen. 315 00:17:36,181 --> 00:17:36,381 Amen. 316 00:17:37,101 --> 00:17:39,411 He's the disclosure of all that God is. 317 00:17:39,771 --> 00:17:43,621 He's the one who shows what God is and who He is, what He's really like. 318 00:17:46,001 --> 00:17:51,721 And that is super important for us, to know that this God is not twiddling His 319 00:17:51,721 --> 00:17:56,171 thumbs out in the cosmos while we're just sitting here hoping that things 320 00:17:56,181 --> 00:18:01,361 go well for us, but that He broke into space and time for your good. 321 00:18:01,361 --> 00:18:06,091 You should also delight in Christ because He's fully God and fully man. 322 00:18:08,326 --> 00:18:12,886 He's the only one qualified to be the mediator for our sins. 323 00:18:12,906 --> 00:18:17,756 The only one who can go between us and God and have any sense of satisfaction 324 00:18:20,006 --> 00:18:21,106 because of our sins. 325 00:18:22,166 --> 00:18:25,376 This is really good news that God would take on flesh like this. 326 00:18:25,376 --> 00:18:27,386 Again, Philippians just mentioned it. 327 00:18:30,516 --> 00:18:33,126 You should also delight in Christ because He's gentle and lowly, 328 00:18:34,096 --> 00:18:35,276 because He's gentle and lowly. 329 00:18:35,276 --> 00:18:35,796 He's not. 330 00:18:37,426 --> 00:18:42,976 A tyrant, he's not someone that if you knock on his door, he 331 00:18:42,976 --> 00:18:45,516 says, go away, get out of my face. 332 00:18:45,856 --> 00:18:47,266 Don't come near me, you sinner. 333 00:18:48,436 --> 00:18:51,906 He says, come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden. 334 00:18:52,386 --> 00:18:56,576 If you have any burden in any sense, come to me and I will give you rest. 335 00:18:57,546 --> 00:18:58,306 Take my yoke. 336 00:18:58,326 --> 00:18:59,146 It's easy. 337 00:18:59,226 --> 00:19:00,376 It's burden is light. 338 00:19:01,621 --> 00:19:04,271 But the freedom that's found in Christ because He is gentle and 339 00:19:04,271 --> 00:19:07,911 lowly is something that is worth delighting in and being excited about. 340 00:19:09,911 --> 00:19:11,791 Christ also tells the truth. 341 00:19:12,941 --> 00:19:17,451 I mean, I wasn't going to go write down every single truly, truly statement 342 00:19:17,451 --> 00:19:18,911 in the Bible, but you get the point. 343 00:19:18,941 --> 00:19:22,621 Like when He's saying truly, truly, He's telling it how it is. 344 00:19:23,891 --> 00:19:27,411 He's not telling you, hey, you know, uh, you might think that 345 00:19:27,421 --> 00:19:30,051 you're in your sins, but like, you're actually cool to stay there. 346 00:19:31,546 --> 00:19:32,856 He's also not telling you, Hey, you know what? 347 00:19:32,866 --> 00:19:35,526 You should, You can just expect to have your best life now. 348 00:19:35,556 --> 00:19:37,176 Nothing bad is ever going to happen to you. 349 00:19:37,606 --> 00:19:40,586 You can manifest all the things that you would ever want, And I 350 00:19:40,586 --> 00:19:44,016 will just give you all this stuff like a divine vending machine. 351 00:19:44,136 --> 00:19:44,726 It'll be great. 352 00:19:45,876 --> 00:19:47,116 No, He tells it how it is. 353 00:19:47,166 --> 00:19:49,906 That when you read the Scriptures, And you, you understand these words 354 00:19:49,906 --> 00:19:53,656 from Him, You know that what He's saying about your life is truthful. 355 00:19:54,936 --> 00:19:57,506 That His Word is not going to fail you in any way. 356 00:20:00,831 --> 00:20:03,261 We should also delight in Christ because He atones for sin. 357 00:20:05,071 --> 00:20:06,481 Because Christ atones for sin. 358 00:20:06,491 --> 00:20:09,051 Because He is the only one who is able to make sufficient 359 00:20:09,061 --> 00:20:11,181 payment on the debt that we owe. 360 00:20:12,081 --> 00:20:12,881 And that He did. 361 00:20:13,681 --> 00:20:15,031 He was willing to do that. 362 00:20:19,271 --> 00:20:21,811 Finally, we should delight in Christ because He prays for His people. 363 00:20:23,121 --> 00:20:28,031 Because He prays for His people that Christ doesn't just save you and 364 00:20:28,031 --> 00:20:30,241 then leave you and say, Good luck. 365 00:20:31,596 --> 00:20:37,146 But as a Christian, you know that even in your deepest, darkest moments, you 366 00:20:37,146 --> 00:20:40,496 know that the one whom you can call upon at any time is praying for you. 367 00:20:40,936 --> 00:20:43,246 He's prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. 368 00:20:44,066 --> 00:20:48,106 Even if your prayers and strivings may feel super weak at times, you know 369 00:20:48,106 --> 00:20:51,776 that the prayers of your Savior are strong and that they're effective. 370 00:20:53,146 --> 00:20:59,466 All of these reasons, and so many more, are things that move the needle for us. 371 00:21:00,506 --> 00:21:04,336 As a Christian, it goes from gritting your teeth to delighting in this 372 00:21:04,336 --> 00:21:10,476 God, to where to be humble is no longer a chore, but it's a blessing. 373 00:21:11,976 --> 00:21:15,976 It's the vehicle through which you get this complete joy because you experience 374 00:21:16,106 --> 00:21:20,246 all of these benefits and you trust in Christ who is all of this and more. 375 00:21:23,176 --> 00:21:26,486 You see, when you delight in Christ, the one who's given from 376 00:21:26,486 --> 00:21:28,626 above, you get that lasting joy. 377 00:21:29,446 --> 00:21:31,626 And you reap the benefits of union with Him. 378 00:21:33,046 --> 00:21:38,066 But you cannot get the joy that we're talking about until you 379 00:21:38,066 --> 00:21:40,746 reject all Christ's substitutes. 380 00:21:41,146 --> 00:21:43,446 All of the impossible Jesuses that are out there. 381 00:21:44,576 --> 00:21:48,606 And you finally confess, He must increase, but I must decrease. 382 00:21:49,821 --> 00:21:55,361 So, with that being said, when it comes to Christ, accept no substitutes. 383 00:21:55,381 --> 00:21:56,291 Pray with me, please. 384 00:21:58,351 --> 00:22:04,181 Our Father in heaven, thank you for your word, which is so 385 00:22:04,211 --> 00:22:07,491 effective and so useful to us. 386 00:22:08,001 --> 00:22:13,241 We know that it does not fail us in any way, but that you have 387 00:22:13,241 --> 00:22:16,541 given it, that we may know the truth, that we may know you, God. 388 00:22:17,411 --> 00:22:18,311 And so I pray that. 389 00:22:19,651 --> 00:22:23,831 You would help us in our small groups tonight to recognize the, the 390 00:22:23,831 --> 00:22:29,711 substitutes and the idols that cling so closely to us, that sound the best, 391 00:22:29,731 --> 00:22:34,631 the things that we're more willing and more desirous to, to trust in you. 392 00:22:35,401 --> 00:22:39,091 And I pray that you would give us the, the strength and all of the 393 00:22:39,091 --> 00:22:43,761 courage to, to shun those things and to totally reject them, God. 394 00:22:45,011 --> 00:22:46,371 And I pray that we would be humble. 395 00:22:46,891 --> 00:22:50,851 We will be people that are marked by the confession that you, Lord, 396 00:22:51,641 --> 00:22:53,551 must increase, but we must decrease. 397 00:22:54,241 --> 00:22:56,121 Pray this all in Jesus name, Amen.