1 00:00:00,001 --> 00:00:02,580 (upbeat music) 2 00:00:02,580 --> 00:00:09,200 Man, God is good, is He not? 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:11,560 Man, He's so faithful, He's so faithful. 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:17,200 As I shared before earlier, 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,860 we have been camping in Acts chapter two 6 00:00:19,860 --> 00:00:22,940 and looking at the model of the early church. 7 00:00:22,940 --> 00:00:24,880 And I didn't, Pastor Jonathan, 8 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:26,960 do just an outstanding job last week 9 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:28,600 presenting the Word to us 10 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:32,760 and kind of encapsulating everything within that passage 11 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:35,240 and I was so grateful for the Word. 12 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,900 You know, one of the greatest criticisms of the church, 13 00:00:37,900 --> 00:00:39,580 and when I say the church, I mean capital C, 14 00:00:39,580 --> 00:00:40,600 the church at large. 15 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,480 One of the greatest criticisms of the church 16 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:45,680 is this notion of hypocrisy. 17 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:46,520 Have you ever heard that? 18 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:47,380 I don't go to church 19 00:00:47,380 --> 00:00:48,840 because there's a bunch of hypocrites there. 20 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:50,520 And when somebody comes to me and says, 21 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:51,340 I don't go to church 22 00:00:51,340 --> 00:00:52,540 because there's a bunch of hypocrites there, 23 00:00:52,540 --> 00:00:55,240 I just answer them and guess we have room for one more. 24 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:56,080 And... 25 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:59,360 (congregation laughing) 26 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,240 Because we are people and we are human 27 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:04,760 and we mess up. 28 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,160 And some of us are messed up from the floor up, 29 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:09,180 some more than others, okay? 30 00:01:09,180 --> 00:01:11,260 But boy, we are on this journey together 31 00:01:11,260 --> 00:01:14,600 and every one of us have in common that we need a Savior. 32 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:16,080 We need Jesus Christ. 33 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:17,640 We need the blood of Jesus Christ, 34 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:20,200 which is sufficient to cleanse us from all sin 35 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:21,280 and all unrighteousness. 36 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,820 We need His blood. 37 00:01:23,820 --> 00:01:25,840 But it goes beyond that. 38 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:27,760 It's not that His blood isn't sufficient, 39 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:28,760 but it goes beyond that. 40 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:32,000 He has given us a precious gift 41 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:33,840 that we don't talk a whole lot about. 42 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:37,400 And that is the precious gift of His Holy Spirit, 43 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:38,700 the Holy Spirit of God. 44 00:01:38,700 --> 00:01:40,600 We have access to the Holy Spirit 45 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,660 and over the next several weeks, 46 00:01:42,660 --> 00:01:44,780 we are going to be unpackaging 47 00:01:44,780 --> 00:01:47,560 and looking at the person of the Holy Spirit. 48 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:50,080 And I'm excited about the journey that we're going to go on. 49 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:54,400 But as I was praying about where we were supposed to go, 50 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:56,680 initially I felt this was a little bit out of place, 51 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,640 but the Lord just really showed me 52 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:01,360 that it was exactly where it needed to be. 53 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:02,480 Have you ever read scripture? 54 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,720 Sometimes when I read the story of like Jonah and the whale, 55 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:07,040 do you ever like hear that story 56 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,160 or Daniel in the lion's den 57 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:10,960 or the three guys who go into the fire? 58 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,940 You hear that story or somebody's portraying it 59 00:02:14,940 --> 00:02:17,600 and in your mind, it's like automatically, 60 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:19,120 it goes to animation. 61 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,800 Like it goes to like, it's like, I know I believe this, 62 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,240 but it seems so surreal that it's like, 63 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,120 it almost lends itself to like a fictional slant. 64 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,000 You know, it's like, yeah, 65 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,880 I guess he really did live in the belly of a whale 66 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:32,720 for three days. 67 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:33,960 You know, I do believe that, but boy, 68 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,160 it's just like, I see it as a cartoon in my mind. 69 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,640 In this section of scripture we've been studying, 70 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:41,140 some of you may be looking at it 71 00:02:41,140 --> 00:02:42,440 as we're presenting week by week. 72 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:46,140 And it's like, man, that is such a wonderful concept, 73 00:02:46,140 --> 00:02:48,480 a really great idea that we would all come into the place 74 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:49,960 and hold hands and sing Kumbaya 75 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:51,180 and just be together and happy 76 00:02:51,180 --> 00:02:52,800 and smile at each other all the time. 77 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:54,500 And we would just be great and perfect 78 00:02:54,500 --> 00:02:56,360 and everybody's in sweet harmony. 79 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,400 But here's the reality. 80 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,600 They were people just like you and me. 81 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,720 And anytime there is more than one person involved, 82 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,440 there's bound to at some point be conflict. 83 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,040 There's bound to at some point be an opportunity 84 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:11,660 for an offense to be taken up. 85 00:03:11,660 --> 00:03:14,020 Have you been offended this morning? 86 00:03:14,020 --> 00:03:16,060 Before you got here? 87 00:03:16,060 --> 00:03:19,160 By your spouse or your kids? 88 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,320 I offend my wife with my breath every single day. 89 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:27,640 There are opportunities for offense 90 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:31,580 that surround us all over the place. 91 00:03:31,580 --> 00:03:34,320 And today we're gonna talk about offense 92 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:36,500 and we're gonna talk about conflict resolution. 93 00:03:36,500 --> 00:03:37,780 Because why is this important? 94 00:03:37,780 --> 00:03:39,360 You're like, man, we've been talking about, 95 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,000 man, this early church 96 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:42,340 and we've been talking about them being devoted 97 00:03:42,340 --> 00:03:45,380 to themselves and having all these things in common. 98 00:03:45,380 --> 00:03:47,160 They wanted to see God's face, 99 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,080 but we're not going to remove the humanism 100 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:52,600 from the scripture. 101 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:53,440 They were human. 102 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:54,900 Why do we know that they had conflict? 103 00:03:54,900 --> 00:03:56,600 Because Paul just wrote a whole bunch of letters 104 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,400 telling churches, this is how you're supposed to act. 105 00:03:58,400 --> 00:03:59,320 This is what you're supposed to do. 106 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:01,420 So it tells us there was conflict. 107 00:04:01,420 --> 00:04:02,860 There were sometimes division. 108 00:04:02,860 --> 00:04:04,840 There were things that got off kilter. 109 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:06,280 I'm sure there was somebody in there saying, 110 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:07,920 I don't wanna sell my possession. 111 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,880 I don't wanna sell my new toy. 112 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,700 There are probably these things that happened, 113 00:04:13,700 --> 00:04:14,540 but guess what? 114 00:04:14,540 --> 00:04:15,900 Because of unity, 115 00:04:15,900 --> 00:04:17,540 they were able to write in the scripture 116 00:04:17,540 --> 00:04:19,060 that they were devoted to one another 117 00:04:19,060 --> 00:04:20,540 and devoted to the purposes of God. 118 00:04:20,540 --> 00:04:23,000 You can have unity and still have conflict 119 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,460 and chance for offense as long as you are handling it 120 00:04:25,460 --> 00:04:27,160 the way the scripture tells us to. 121 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:28,600 So we're gonna look at a scripture today. 122 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:30,280 Now, as we look at the scripture, 123 00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:32,480 it's very important to me that you understand 124 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:34,440 that the group that we were talking about 125 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:35,800 for the last several weeks, 126 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,240 they already know this information 127 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:39,520 that we're about to read. 128 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:41,320 Jesus is speaking in this passage 129 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,560 and they know this information 130 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,580 because he is talking to his disciples. 131 00:04:46,580 --> 00:04:48,160 He is alive, he's on the earth. 132 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:49,920 This is before he ascended to heaven, 133 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:51,900 before the death, burial, and resurrection. 134 00:04:51,900 --> 00:04:54,100 He is speaking to his disciples 135 00:04:54,100 --> 00:04:56,640 and he's talking about the end times. 136 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:00,120 He's talking about the time that we're living in. 137 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,640 Do you guys ever wonder if we're close to the end times? 138 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,560 Do you ever wonder, man, what is that gonna look like? 139 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,120 He's talking about the end times here. 140 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,480 And so we can actually pick up in this scripture 141 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,000 and actually relate and perhaps empathize 142 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:13,400 with some of the disciples' questions 143 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:14,240 and their thoughts. 144 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:15,060 So we're gonna stand together 145 00:05:15,060 --> 00:05:17,120 and read from Matthew chapter 24. 146 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,780 And I would like you to read like you love me. 147 00:05:20,780 --> 00:05:25,320 That better not be silent, here we go. 148 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:29,620 Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives, 149 00:05:29,620 --> 00:05:33,240 the disciples came to him privately saying, 150 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:34,960 tell us when these, 151 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,920 and what will be the sign of your coming 152 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,280 and the end of the age. 153 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:44,180 And Jesus answered and said to them, 154 00:05:44,180 --> 00:05:47,200 take heed that no one deceives you, 155 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,320 for many will come in my name saying, 156 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:53,880 I am the Christ and will deceive many. 157 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,840 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. 158 00:05:57,840 --> 00:06:00,140 See that you are not troubled, 159 00:06:00,140 --> 00:06:03,140 for all these things must come to pass, 160 00:06:03,140 --> 00:06:05,380 but the end is not yet. 161 00:06:05,380 --> 00:06:08,460 For nation will rise against nation 162 00:06:08,460 --> 00:06:10,820 and kingdom against kingdom. 163 00:06:10,820 --> 00:06:13,800 And there will be famines, pestilences, 164 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,920 and earthquakes in various places. 165 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,360 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 166 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,820 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you. 167 00:06:24,820 --> 00:06:29,120 And you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 168 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:30,360 Praise the Lord. 169 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:34,320 And then many will be offended, 170 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:38,200 will betray one another and will hate one another. 171 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:42,800 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 172 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,700 And because lawlessness will abound, 173 00:06:45,700 --> 00:06:48,420 the love of many will grow cold. 174 00:06:48,420 --> 00:06:50,060 Are you encouraged this morning? 175 00:06:50,060 --> 00:06:50,900 Let's pray. 176 00:06:50,900 --> 00:06:52,120 Father, thank you for your word. 177 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,820 I thank you that your word renders truth, hard truth, 178 00:06:55,820 --> 00:06:58,460 real truth, encouraging truth. 179 00:06:58,460 --> 00:07:00,920 We get the whole picture when it comes to you, God. 180 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:02,240 I pray that you would encourage our hearts 181 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:04,620 and speak to us this morning in Jesus' name. 182 00:07:04,620 --> 00:07:05,460 Amen. 183 00:07:05,460 --> 00:07:06,920 You may be seated. 184 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,480 Guys, we live in such a polarizing culture, 185 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:11,140 polarizing society. 186 00:07:11,140 --> 00:07:14,160 I can say something under my breath. 187 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:16,040 I can look at you a certain way. 188 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:18,520 I can suggest something and you be totally offended 189 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,860 and sever our relationship just like that. 190 00:07:20,860 --> 00:07:22,080 We are super sensitive 191 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:23,400 because we've been brought in a culture 192 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,080 that says it's my way or the highway. 193 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:25,900 It's all about me. 194 00:07:25,900 --> 00:07:26,840 It's what my view is. 195 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:28,120 It's how I feel. 196 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,460 And really, I don't give any margin for your opinion 197 00:07:30,460 --> 00:07:31,300 'cause it doesn't matter. 198 00:07:31,300 --> 00:07:33,320 That's what we've been taught. 199 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,280 I mean, we can't even get our soft drinks correct. 200 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:37,160 You know what I mean? 201 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,080 Who prefers Coke over Pepsi? 202 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,240 Pepsi over Coke. 203 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:43,200 Okay. 204 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,360 Let's see if we can cause some division today. 205 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,460 McDonald's over Burger King. 206 00:07:47,460 --> 00:07:48,880 Who's got McDonald's? 207 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:50,160 Who's got Burger King? 208 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:51,360 Who's got option three? 209 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:55,580 UPS or FedEx? 210 00:07:55,580 --> 00:07:59,340 UPS, FedEx. 211 00:07:59,340 --> 00:08:00,860 Okay. 212 00:08:00,860 --> 00:08:02,040 Dunkin' or Starbucks? 213 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:03,400 Dunkin'? 214 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:04,960 Starbucks. 215 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,000 All right, lots of division in the room. 216 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,940 DC? 217 00:08:09,940 --> 00:08:10,780 Marvel. 218 00:08:10,780 --> 00:08:15,780 I'm gonna have to open the alders again, Pastor Barbie. 219 00:08:15,780 --> 00:08:17,840 Right now with this one, Apple or Android? 220 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:19,200 Apple? 221 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:20,200 Android. 222 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,260 We're gonna dismiss those. 223 00:08:24,260 --> 00:08:25,360 No, I'm not gonna say. 224 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:29,680 Tennessee? 225 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:31,980 Alabama. 226 00:08:32,100 --> 00:08:35,440 (congregation shouting) 227 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:39,120 Don't you dare answer. 228 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,400 Don't you dare answer. 229 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,100 Here's my point. 230 00:08:45,100 --> 00:08:49,300 The world divides, the gospel unites. 231 00:08:49,300 --> 00:08:51,340 The good news of Jesus Christ unites 232 00:08:51,340 --> 00:08:54,920 as the world is out to just completely divide you 233 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:58,300 and isolate you from anything that's good to pull you away. 234 00:08:58,300 --> 00:09:01,740 The world divides, the gospel and its purpose is to unite. 235 00:09:01,740 --> 00:09:03,980 So why do we as Christians still contend 236 00:09:03,980 --> 00:09:06,500 with this thing called offense? 237 00:09:06,500 --> 00:09:07,620 Boy, we have offense. 238 00:09:07,620 --> 00:09:09,140 Now, if you're familiar with the bait of Satan, 239 00:09:09,140 --> 00:09:12,340 I'm gonna be drawing a little bit from that course. 240 00:09:12,340 --> 00:09:15,020 So don't be alarmed if I'm using some of that. 241 00:09:15,020 --> 00:09:16,580 That's intentional. 242 00:09:16,580 --> 00:09:19,760 But has anybody in here been offended in your life? 243 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,340 Raise your hand if you've been offended. 244 00:09:22,340 --> 00:09:23,420 Raise your hand if you're a liar. 245 00:09:23,420 --> 00:09:24,260 No. 246 00:09:24,260 --> 00:09:26,960 You've been offended. 247 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,300 You have been offended. 248 00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:30,860 And if I ask the better question, 249 00:09:30,860 --> 00:09:33,260 how many of you have offended someone else? 250 00:09:33,260 --> 00:09:35,940 Every hand probably should go up as well. 251 00:09:35,940 --> 00:09:38,100 Because everyone has stepped in that way. 252 00:09:38,100 --> 00:09:39,920 Sometimes intentionally, 253 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:41,920 but most of the time unintentionally. 254 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,340 Acts chapter two, I want us to realize 255 00:09:45,340 --> 00:09:47,540 that the people that we're reading about are human. 256 00:09:47,540 --> 00:09:48,620 They're in a community. 257 00:09:48,620 --> 00:09:49,940 And anytime we're in a community, 258 00:09:49,940 --> 00:09:53,340 there's bound to be an opportunity for conflict 259 00:09:53,340 --> 00:09:57,140 and for offense to be taken. 260 00:09:57,140 --> 00:09:59,360 Now I'm gonna give you this morning right now, 261 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:01,780 I need everybody to pay attention off your cell phones. 262 00:10:01,780 --> 00:10:02,820 Everybody ready? 263 00:10:02,820 --> 00:10:05,400 I'm gonna give you a piece of revelation right now 264 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:06,900 that's gonna change your life. 265 00:10:06,900 --> 00:10:08,500 Okay, are you ready for it? 266 00:10:08,500 --> 00:10:10,440 If you're ready church, say yeah. 267 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:11,460 This is gonna change your life. 268 00:10:11,460 --> 00:10:13,880 This somebody's getting free today, okay? 269 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:15,440 Sometimes you are wrong. 270 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:21,540 That was for somebody this morning. 271 00:10:21,540 --> 00:10:23,380 Plural, that was for somebodies. 272 00:10:23,380 --> 00:10:25,940 And the Lord has this tendency 273 00:10:25,940 --> 00:10:28,500 to send the most annoying people in your life 274 00:10:28,500 --> 00:10:29,900 to tell you this truth. 275 00:10:29,900 --> 00:10:34,340 And to remind you about this truth. 276 00:10:34,340 --> 00:10:38,920 But sometimes you are wrong. 277 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,460 And anytime somebody is walking around 278 00:10:41,460 --> 00:10:44,460 with a posture that they are always right, 279 00:10:44,460 --> 00:10:46,380 then they are only about themselves 280 00:10:46,380 --> 00:10:48,380 and they are dealing with pride. 281 00:10:48,380 --> 00:10:52,780 Because all of us at some point or another are wrong. 282 00:10:52,780 --> 00:10:54,440 And we don't like to be wrong. 283 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:55,740 Does it feel good to be wrong? 284 00:10:55,740 --> 00:10:57,360 No, it doesn't feel good to be wrong. 285 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:00,140 We walk around trying to be right. 286 00:11:00,140 --> 00:11:04,900 But it is okay, it is okay that sometimes you are wrong 287 00:11:04,900 --> 00:11:08,520 when you admit, hey, I was wrong, I messed up. 288 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:13,000 So sometimes it's harder not just to be wrong, 289 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:17,760 but to actually admit the truth that I was wrong. 290 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:19,640 That takes courage. 291 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:21,360 It takes loving the other person. 292 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:24,540 And for many of us, it takes the power of the Holy Spirit. 293 00:11:25,740 --> 00:11:29,300 Because we are conditioned as people to be very selfish 294 00:11:29,300 --> 00:11:31,180 as opposed to selfless. 295 00:11:31,180 --> 00:11:33,040 And we put ourselves in the center. 296 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:34,700 And if we're in the center of our world, 297 00:11:34,700 --> 00:11:36,700 then we're always right. 298 00:11:36,700 --> 00:11:38,140 But guys, the Lord doesn't want you 299 00:11:38,140 --> 00:11:39,220 to be the center of your world. 300 00:11:39,220 --> 00:11:41,100 He wants to be in the center. 301 00:11:41,100 --> 00:11:43,620 And the biggest conflict that we ever had 302 00:11:43,620 --> 00:11:46,540 on the face of this planet was a conflict with our creator. 303 00:11:46,540 --> 00:11:48,900 And it was that we opposed him because of our sin. 304 00:11:48,900 --> 00:11:51,900 That automatically puts us in a category of being wrong. 305 00:11:51,900 --> 00:11:53,600 And he's right. 306 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:55,180 And so selfishness and pride. 307 00:11:55,180 --> 00:11:56,580 I was on a, come on up here, Phil. 308 00:11:56,580 --> 00:11:59,620 I was on a car ride with Philip yesterday. 309 00:11:59,620 --> 00:12:00,980 And he just, we were talking a little bit 310 00:12:00,980 --> 00:12:02,020 about this message today. 311 00:12:02,020 --> 00:12:06,300 And he brought up a quote by St. Francis of Assisi. 312 00:12:06,300 --> 00:12:07,860 And I just want him to share this quote with you. 313 00:12:07,860 --> 00:12:10,480 It's a short one, but I wanted him to come up and share it. 314 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:14,060 Because it has everything to do with how we handle conflict. 315 00:12:14,060 --> 00:12:15,820 Would you just share that? 316 00:12:15,820 --> 00:12:17,220 - Yeah, first off, anybody? 317 00:12:17,220 --> 00:12:19,860 - I need a microphone. 318 00:12:19,860 --> 00:12:23,520 Okay, here we go. 319 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:24,540 - Yeah. 320 00:12:24,540 --> 00:12:26,260 - Anybody feel like this message is for them? 321 00:12:26,260 --> 00:12:27,360 Yeah, that's definitely me. 322 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:31,060 Well, it's one thing that has gotten me 323 00:12:31,060 --> 00:12:33,060 through some difficult conversations in the past. 324 00:12:33,060 --> 00:12:36,760 Whenever I have needed to approach someone, 325 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:39,660 I know that I've done it wrongly so many times in the past, 326 00:12:39,660 --> 00:12:41,500 going up to someone and trying to make sure 327 00:12:41,500 --> 00:12:43,220 that they heard my perspective 328 00:12:43,220 --> 00:12:46,780 before actually understanding what they were going through 329 00:12:46,780 --> 00:12:48,580 or how they were receiving something. 330 00:12:48,580 --> 00:12:50,780 So I was talking with Pastor Kevin yesterday 331 00:12:50,780 --> 00:12:53,300 and a quote came to mind that I used to really live by. 332 00:12:53,300 --> 00:12:54,740 And I try to still to this day, 333 00:12:54,740 --> 00:12:56,140 especially with my team at work. 334 00:12:56,140 --> 00:13:00,860 But the quote is, "Seek to understand, not to be understood." 335 00:13:00,860 --> 00:13:02,160 And I feel like that's really powerful 336 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,620 'cause whenever you go into a courageous conversation 337 00:13:05,620 --> 00:13:07,820 with someone that you presumably love, 338 00:13:07,820 --> 00:13:11,140 it's very easy to represent your own perspective 339 00:13:11,140 --> 00:13:12,780 so forcibly a lot of times 340 00:13:12,780 --> 00:13:15,060 and really not take the time to understand 341 00:13:15,060 --> 00:13:17,140 what that person might be going through, 342 00:13:17,140 --> 00:13:20,420 how they might be processing the circumstance 343 00:13:20,420 --> 00:13:23,580 of the conversation that you're looking to have with them 344 00:13:23,580 --> 00:13:25,860 or anything else. 345 00:13:25,860 --> 00:13:27,380 So that's kind of a quote that's really helped shape 346 00:13:27,380 --> 00:13:29,320 the way that I try to go into courageous conversation. 347 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:30,900 - So it's seek to-- - Understand. 348 00:13:30,900 --> 00:13:33,380 - Seek to understand, not to be understood. 349 00:13:33,380 --> 00:13:34,220 Would you say that? 350 00:13:34,220 --> 00:13:36,340 Seek to-- - Understand. 351 00:13:36,340 --> 00:13:38,020 - Not to be understood. 352 00:13:38,020 --> 00:13:39,200 Here's the thing, guys. 353 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:43,400 Who is right is less important than what is right. 354 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:50,180 Who is right is less important than what is right, okay? 355 00:13:50,340 --> 00:13:51,580 When we make it about us, 356 00:13:51,580 --> 00:13:53,140 when we put the who before the what, 357 00:13:53,140 --> 00:13:55,760 we create a big mess, create a big mess. 358 00:13:55,760 --> 00:14:00,860 Sometimes we have to understand with humility 359 00:14:00,860 --> 00:14:03,300 that being wrong doesn't knock us down the ladder 360 00:14:03,300 --> 00:14:04,840 a few notches. 361 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:09,400 We were just wrong and that's okay, that happens. 362 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,980 So where do we go to find what's right? 363 00:14:11,980 --> 00:14:15,220 Where in the world do we go to find what's right? 364 00:14:15,220 --> 00:14:16,960 Any guesses? 365 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:19,300 The word of God, go figure. 366 00:14:19,300 --> 00:14:22,400 He has given us his word. 367 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,540 We go to the word of God as the authority in our life 368 00:14:25,540 --> 00:14:29,660 and it gives us truth, it gives us the answers. 369 00:14:29,660 --> 00:14:31,740 The word of God, Psalm 119 says this, 370 00:14:31,740 --> 00:14:35,480 "Great peace have they which love your word 371 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:37,740 "and nothing shall offend them." 372 00:14:37,740 --> 00:14:41,260 Nothing, I'm going through a circumstance right now 373 00:14:41,260 --> 00:14:44,040 over the last several months that I have every opportunity 374 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:45,640 to pick up an offense. 375 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:46,900 But I have great peace. 376 00:14:46,900 --> 00:14:48,400 God, why do I have great peace? 377 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:50,820 I know his word, I know his truth. 378 00:14:50,820 --> 00:14:53,120 I know that he is sovereign, I know that he is good 379 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,180 no matter what the outcome of my situation. 380 00:14:55,180 --> 00:14:56,020 How do I know that? 381 00:14:56,020 --> 00:14:57,440 'Cause I'm just so great and I'm perfect. 382 00:14:57,440 --> 00:14:59,260 No, it's because his word says it 383 00:14:59,260 --> 00:15:01,140 and I believe what his word says. 384 00:15:01,140 --> 00:15:03,920 I have to remind myself daily of this truth. 385 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:05,300 It's not something that's just natural. 386 00:15:05,300 --> 00:15:08,140 My natural inclination is wanna punch people in the face. 387 00:15:08,140 --> 00:15:11,960 Anybody else? 388 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:15,880 My natural inclination is a lot of different things 389 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:18,740 but I have to combat it daily by picking up my cross 390 00:15:18,740 --> 00:15:21,600 and following what I believe this word of God to say. 391 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,300 So do you know the word of God? 392 00:15:24,300 --> 00:15:27,220 What advice do I give as a pastor when people come to me, 393 00:15:27,220 --> 00:15:29,800 hey, Kevin, so and so said this, did this, whatever. 394 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:31,180 What's my advice? 395 00:15:31,180 --> 00:15:32,900 I don't tell them to go run, 396 00:15:32,900 --> 00:15:34,900 well, what I first tell them to do is go put it on Facebook 397 00:15:34,900 --> 00:15:36,500 'cause you know you gotta put it on Facebook 398 00:15:36,500 --> 00:15:38,220 for everybody to see, right? 399 00:15:38,220 --> 00:15:39,860 Then go gossip about the person 400 00:15:39,860 --> 00:15:44,620 and then after that, no, go to the word to seek truth. 401 00:15:44,620 --> 00:15:47,300 And it's not just go to the word to seek truth 402 00:15:47,300 --> 00:15:50,660 about that person, go to the word to seek truth 403 00:15:50,660 --> 00:15:54,180 about yourself, about how you're supposed to respond, 404 00:15:54,180 --> 00:15:56,820 about reminding yourself about what Jesus Christ did 405 00:15:56,820 --> 00:16:00,580 for you on the cross and why your offense toward them 406 00:16:00,580 --> 00:16:04,000 or the way that you picked up offense should be lessened 407 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:06,480 because of what Jesus did for you. 408 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:08,740 It's a reminder, it's a reminder. 409 00:16:08,740 --> 00:16:11,240 But there's wisdom in a multitude of counselors. 410 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:12,900 You know what we do as Christians? 411 00:16:13,820 --> 00:16:16,660 We pull people in that are gonna counsel us 412 00:16:16,660 --> 00:16:18,760 that agree with our side of the story. 413 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,060 We pull people in and sometimes it's disguised 414 00:16:21,060 --> 00:16:23,460 in the altar space as I need prayer, 415 00:16:23,460 --> 00:16:26,060 so and so said this and did this and they did this 416 00:16:26,060 --> 00:16:27,260 and da, da, da, da, da, da, would you, 417 00:16:27,260 --> 00:16:29,580 let's pray for them right now. 418 00:16:29,580 --> 00:16:33,260 And I come to convey information rather than in truth 419 00:16:33,260 --> 00:16:36,320 ask the Holy Spirit to come and infuse the situation. 420 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,620 We need to be looking for God's face 421 00:16:39,620 --> 00:16:42,820 in all of our circumstances, especially our relational ones. 422 00:16:42,820 --> 00:16:44,660 God, where are you in this? 423 00:16:44,660 --> 00:16:45,780 God, where are you in this? 424 00:16:45,780 --> 00:16:48,620 I wanna see your face because if I see your face, 425 00:16:48,620 --> 00:16:50,960 then I'm gonna see them the way you see them. 426 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:52,900 Not the way I wanna see them, 427 00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:54,980 not the way I feel about the situation right now, 428 00:16:54,980 --> 00:16:57,000 not the way that it's been painted, 429 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:58,740 even with the scars and what's coming at me. 430 00:16:58,740 --> 00:17:02,400 God, I want to be able to see them the way that you see them. 431 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,360 We need to see God's face in our situations 432 00:17:05,360 --> 00:17:08,060 and we have to stop trying to fix it on our own. 433 00:17:08,060 --> 00:17:11,140 We need to invite the Lord into our circumstances 434 00:17:11,140 --> 00:17:13,540 and into our conflicts. 435 00:17:13,540 --> 00:17:14,580 And so we're gonna work through 436 00:17:14,580 --> 00:17:17,140 this bottom portion of Matthew. 437 00:17:17,140 --> 00:17:18,600 And we're gonna look at this real quick 438 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,080 and I'm gonna ask Cole Burkett to come up here. 439 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:24,260 And if you'll grab this, come back here, come up quickly. 440 00:17:24,260 --> 00:17:26,580 Actually, I'll grab this while you're coming up. 441 00:17:26,580 --> 00:17:30,100 It is so easy for us to pick up a fence. 442 00:17:30,100 --> 00:17:32,140 How many, give Cole a round of applause. 443 00:17:32,140 --> 00:17:35,900 (congregation applauding) 444 00:17:35,900 --> 00:17:40,900 Now, Cole is a musician. 445 00:17:41,900 --> 00:17:46,900 This says, this says, offense. 446 00:17:46,900 --> 00:17:48,280 You get it? 447 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:50,940 Okay. 448 00:17:50,940 --> 00:17:54,340 Cole is a musician, but more importantly, 449 00:17:54,340 --> 00:17:55,540 Cole's my friend, okay? 450 00:17:55,540 --> 00:17:56,460 So come here, Cole. 451 00:17:56,460 --> 00:18:00,260 Last week, I want you to stand right here, buddy. 452 00:18:00,260 --> 00:18:03,720 Last week, Pastor Jonathan gave a definition of fellowship. 453 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:06,840 And he talked about fellowship being deeper than a friend, 454 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,720 deeper than friendship, closer to family, 455 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:10,660 but even beyond that. 456 00:18:10,660 --> 00:18:12,900 And so the most important word in that definition 457 00:18:12,900 --> 00:18:14,840 of fellowship was the word intimacy, 458 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:17,500 which is a word that we totally obliterate 459 00:18:17,500 --> 00:18:18,860 and don't really understand. 460 00:18:18,860 --> 00:18:22,080 But the posture of intimacy looks like this. 461 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,100 Go this way. 462 00:18:24,100 --> 00:18:27,540 The posture of intimacy looks like this. 463 00:18:27,540 --> 00:18:28,820 It's close. 464 00:18:28,820 --> 00:18:30,260 There's a bond. 465 00:18:30,260 --> 00:18:34,620 There is closeness, a bond. 466 00:18:34,620 --> 00:18:36,420 There's a truth. 467 00:18:36,420 --> 00:18:37,820 There's, what are you doing? 468 00:18:37,820 --> 00:18:40,740 (congregation laughing) 469 00:18:40,740 --> 00:18:42,420 There's comfort. 470 00:18:42,420 --> 00:18:43,260 There's love. 471 00:18:43,260 --> 00:18:44,300 There's trust, okay? 472 00:18:44,300 --> 00:18:45,820 All of those vulnerability. 473 00:18:45,820 --> 00:18:47,620 This is the posture of intimacy. 474 00:18:47,620 --> 00:18:51,220 This is what we are supposed to be with fellow believers. 475 00:18:51,220 --> 00:18:53,860 We're supposed to be an intimate connection, okay? 476 00:18:53,860 --> 00:18:56,060 That's what God's desire for us is. 477 00:18:56,060 --> 00:18:57,640 But something happens along the way. 478 00:18:57,640 --> 00:18:59,180 Now, I said Cole was a musician, okay? 479 00:18:59,180 --> 00:19:01,460 I'm just gonna use some bogus examples here, okay? 480 00:19:01,460 --> 00:19:02,300 Cole's a musician. 481 00:19:02,300 --> 00:19:04,500 He plays a show downtown and I don't show up. 482 00:19:05,780 --> 00:19:08,400 So Cole makes up in his mind, 483 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,520 Kevin must not care about me 484 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,420 because he didn't come to the show. 485 00:19:13,420 --> 00:19:14,500 Do you know there's a difference 486 00:19:14,500 --> 00:19:16,680 between perception and reality? 487 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,940 So his perception is I didn't come to the show 488 00:19:20,940 --> 00:19:22,140 because I don't care about him. 489 00:19:22,140 --> 00:19:25,900 The reality was my kids were sick and I had to stay home. 490 00:19:25,900 --> 00:19:27,420 But he didn't say anything to me about it. 491 00:19:27,420 --> 00:19:29,100 He just kind of holds on to that. 492 00:19:29,100 --> 00:19:33,660 Cole wants to come and he's a musician. 493 00:19:33,660 --> 00:19:38,620 He wants to come and play worship at Springhouse. 494 00:19:38,620 --> 00:19:42,320 He wants to come and be on the stage and lead worship. 495 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,260 And Pastor Jonathan never talks to him, 496 00:19:45,260 --> 00:19:47,820 never says anything to him about it. 497 00:19:47,820 --> 00:19:51,180 So his perception is, man, I'm really a nobody. 498 00:19:51,180 --> 00:19:52,540 Nobody wants to use me. 499 00:19:52,540 --> 00:19:55,020 I guess my talents are worthless to the kingdom, 500 00:19:55,020 --> 00:19:56,740 are worthless to the church. 501 00:19:56,740 --> 00:20:00,280 But the reality was is that Pastor Jonathan is over here 502 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,960 praying and seeking for somebody to come to him and say, 503 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,660 hey, I would like to maybe join the worship team. 504 00:20:05,660 --> 00:20:08,220 And he doesn't know that Cole's has a desire 505 00:20:08,220 --> 00:20:10,580 because Cole's not said anything about it. 506 00:20:10,580 --> 00:20:12,840 So now he's got a perception that nobody sees him, 507 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:13,820 nobody hears him. 508 00:20:13,820 --> 00:20:20,060 Pastor Justin takes Cole to lunch 509 00:20:20,060 --> 00:20:22,640 and Cole sits there and they have a great meal together. 510 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:24,900 And Pastor Justin didn't pay for Cole's meal 511 00:20:24,900 --> 00:20:27,800 'cause he's got 45 kids. 512 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:30,240 That's the reality. 513 00:20:31,360 --> 00:20:35,180 The perception is Pastor Justin doesn't see me 514 00:20:35,180 --> 00:20:38,620 or care about me that I'm a poor musician that needs money. 515 00:20:38,620 --> 00:20:44,440 So Cole has all of these situations going on 516 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,380 and has had none of which he has said anything 517 00:20:46,380 --> 00:20:48,220 to the person about. 518 00:20:48,220 --> 00:20:51,020 And so what happens is is we're supposed to be in this, 519 00:20:51,020 --> 00:20:53,820 we're gonna use the example of me, okay, earlier. 520 00:20:53,820 --> 00:20:57,100 He and I are in this intimate position, okay? 521 00:20:57,100 --> 00:20:57,940 We're close. 522 00:20:57,940 --> 00:21:00,660 We are walking life together and we're close. 523 00:21:00,660 --> 00:21:03,460 Every time we see each other, we have a close bond. 524 00:21:03,460 --> 00:21:07,380 But, but because I didn't go to his show, 525 00:21:07,380 --> 00:21:08,720 he has made up in his mind 526 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,040 that I do not value his musicianship. 527 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,660 And his mind has started to spiral into, 528 00:21:14,660 --> 00:21:17,100 Kevin must just not care about my life at all. 529 00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:19,580 And he must not care about my wife or my family. 530 00:21:19,580 --> 00:21:20,680 And it has just gotten bigger. 531 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:24,100 And what he's done is he's picked up this offense. 532 00:21:24,100 --> 00:21:26,140 Go ahead, pick this up. 533 00:21:26,140 --> 00:21:28,300 Literally pick it up, okay? 534 00:21:28,300 --> 00:21:30,820 And I want you to come toward me and face me. 535 00:21:30,820 --> 00:21:32,660 So this is what happens, okay? 536 00:21:32,660 --> 00:21:37,240 Now our relationship has a barrier between it. 537 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:38,700 So here I go, not yet. 538 00:21:38,700 --> 00:21:40,140 (congregation laughing) 539 00:21:40,140 --> 00:21:40,980 Okay? 540 00:21:40,980 --> 00:21:44,480 So now when we're supposed to be an intimate connection, 541 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:45,980 it's awkward. 542 00:21:45,980 --> 00:21:49,300 And it's awkward because I can tell something is off. 543 00:21:49,300 --> 00:21:51,260 Something is not quite right here. 544 00:21:51,260 --> 00:21:55,140 He's not reciprocating the relationship the way he used to. 545 00:21:55,140 --> 00:21:57,380 He has stopped communicating the way 546 00:21:57,380 --> 00:21:59,100 that I'm used to him communicating. 547 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:01,000 He has stopped showing up to things 548 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:02,540 that he normally shows up to. 549 00:22:02,540 --> 00:22:04,020 Something is clearly off. 550 00:22:04,020 --> 00:22:07,620 And even so much so that I might be cognizant enough 551 00:22:07,620 --> 00:22:10,180 to go, Cole, hey, something's off, something's wrong. 552 00:22:10,180 --> 00:22:12,140 And he just smiles, smile at them. 553 00:22:12,140 --> 00:22:14,740 (congregation laughing) 554 00:22:14,740 --> 00:22:16,420 And he says, no, everything's fine. 555 00:22:16,420 --> 00:22:17,460 Everything's great. 556 00:22:17,460 --> 00:22:21,060 So many of us, that is a lie. 557 00:22:21,060 --> 00:22:23,780 So many of us will lie 558 00:22:23,780 --> 00:22:26,740 instead of go to the middle of the relationship. 559 00:22:26,740 --> 00:22:28,060 Let me tell you something. 560 00:22:28,060 --> 00:22:30,060 When you say you love someone, 561 00:22:30,060 --> 00:22:32,540 when you say you love someone, 562 00:22:32,540 --> 00:22:35,820 there is nothing on the table that you can't talk about. 563 00:22:35,820 --> 00:22:37,620 There should be an open pathway to say, 564 00:22:37,620 --> 00:22:39,940 even if it seems dumb, 565 00:22:39,940 --> 00:22:42,880 even if it seems like you just are like, 566 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:44,360 man, I know this is crazy. 567 00:22:44,360 --> 00:22:45,920 You should be able to communicate. 568 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,060 That is immature love whenever you can't, 569 00:22:49,060 --> 00:22:50,620 when you can't converse like that. 570 00:22:50,620 --> 00:22:53,180 And so we've got a boundary between us right now 571 00:22:53,180 --> 00:22:55,280 and it's kind of crazy and it's creating this chasm. 572 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:56,600 So that's what the scripture says 573 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,460 is that it says that many will be offended. 574 00:22:59,460 --> 00:23:00,300 Many will be offended. 575 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:01,540 What does he say next? 576 00:23:01,540 --> 00:23:04,180 He says, then, I'm sorry, let me say this. 577 00:23:04,180 --> 00:23:07,440 One offended is more unyielding than a strong city. 578 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:11,140 Back in the day, they used to build walls around cities. 579 00:23:11,140 --> 00:23:12,420 Why did they do that? 580 00:23:12,420 --> 00:23:13,380 For protection. 581 00:23:13,380 --> 00:23:16,100 What is offense birthed out of? 582 00:23:16,100 --> 00:23:17,620 It's birthed out of a hurt. 583 00:23:17,620 --> 00:23:20,340 I don't want to be hurt again. 584 00:23:20,340 --> 00:23:22,560 So I'm going to build a wall between you and me 585 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:24,420 so I don't get hurt again. 586 00:23:24,420 --> 00:23:26,300 But here is the lie of the enemy. 587 00:23:26,300 --> 00:23:27,440 When we build that wall, 588 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:29,540 we're actually hurting ourselves worse 589 00:23:29,540 --> 00:23:31,500 than if we would address the situation. 590 00:23:31,500 --> 00:23:33,860 We're hurting ourselves worse 591 00:23:33,860 --> 00:23:36,580 than whether we address the situation. 592 00:23:36,580 --> 00:23:39,400 And here's the real crux. 593 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:42,000 When we hold onto an offense, we let go of God. 594 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,980 We have no ability to hold onto God 595 00:23:44,980 --> 00:23:46,880 because we're holding onto the offense. 596 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:48,420 So the next thing that Jesus says here 597 00:23:48,420 --> 00:23:50,920 is that they will betray one another, okay? 598 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:52,980 So here we've been an intimate connection. 599 00:23:52,980 --> 00:23:54,020 Now it's awkward. 600 00:23:54,020 --> 00:23:56,020 There's this thing going on in this space. 601 00:23:56,020 --> 00:23:59,500 And now things are happening in cold spirit in his mind 602 00:23:59,500 --> 00:24:00,540 that are not healthy. 603 00:24:00,540 --> 00:24:01,440 And guess what? 604 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:02,500 He's got this offense. 605 00:24:02,500 --> 00:24:03,700 He's let go of God. 606 00:24:03,700 --> 00:24:07,900 So his natural, supernatural, heavenly affirmation 607 00:24:07,900 --> 00:24:09,580 they should be getting from the word he's not getting. 608 00:24:09,580 --> 00:24:11,100 And so what he does is he betrays. 609 00:24:11,100 --> 00:24:12,300 And betrayal looks like this. 610 00:24:12,300 --> 00:24:14,440 I want you to turn and face them. 611 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:16,680 This is what betrayal looks like. 612 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:19,640 It is taking the offense here in the perception 613 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:24,340 and showing all of you everything from his perspective. 614 00:24:24,340 --> 00:24:27,260 Because if he will think to Chelsea his perspective, 615 00:24:27,260 --> 00:24:29,180 then Chelsea will go, oh, you poor thing, Cole, 616 00:24:29,180 --> 00:24:30,300 we're gonna round a bunch of people 617 00:24:30,300 --> 00:24:31,740 to come see your show next time 618 00:24:31,740 --> 00:24:33,420 because we wanna make sure you feel good. 619 00:24:33,420 --> 00:24:34,700 How dare Kevin not do that? 620 00:24:34,700 --> 00:24:36,420 Kevin isn't doing anything with his life. 621 00:24:36,420 --> 00:24:37,620 He should be at your show. 622 00:24:37,620 --> 00:24:38,700 All of these things. 623 00:24:38,700 --> 00:24:40,900 And so he starts to paint this perception 624 00:24:40,900 --> 00:24:43,220 to everybody as betrayal. 625 00:24:43,220 --> 00:24:45,440 Why is the betrayal there? 626 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,220 Because he needs affirmation from people 627 00:24:47,220 --> 00:24:48,780 because he's not getting it from the source. 628 00:24:48,780 --> 00:24:50,580 He's gotta get it from somewhere. 629 00:24:50,580 --> 00:24:52,980 And so we begin to feed into the lie. 630 00:24:52,980 --> 00:24:56,020 Now, he's not gonna go to somebody like Pastor Barbie 631 00:24:56,020 --> 00:24:57,940 with this because Pastor Barbie's actually gonna say, 632 00:24:57,940 --> 00:24:59,300 uh-uh, that doesn't sound like Kevin. 633 00:24:59,300 --> 00:25:02,820 Let's go right now and turn around and, right? 634 00:25:02,820 --> 00:25:04,420 Why do I know that about Pastor Barbie? 635 00:25:04,420 --> 00:25:06,380 Because she loves me. 636 00:25:06,380 --> 00:25:08,100 Because she loves me. 637 00:25:08,100 --> 00:25:09,620 Oh, that we would have people 638 00:25:09,620 --> 00:25:12,020 when somebody comes to you and says something 639 00:25:12,020 --> 00:25:13,740 that seems off from the character 640 00:25:13,740 --> 00:25:15,020 that you know that person to be. 641 00:25:15,020 --> 00:25:17,240 Instead of buying right into what they're saying, 642 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:18,320 you say, wait a second, 643 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:20,740 that does not sound like that person I know. 644 00:25:21,660 --> 00:25:23,860 Let's go and figure out what's going on. 645 00:25:23,860 --> 00:25:27,420 Or at the least, at the least, yikes, 646 00:25:27,420 --> 00:25:29,060 that doesn't seem like they stepped 647 00:25:29,060 --> 00:25:30,000 in the right direction there. 648 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,700 Let's go right now and talk to them 649 00:25:32,700 --> 00:25:34,980 because I know them well enough that they will own it 650 00:25:34,980 --> 00:25:38,540 and they will apologize and we can walk in forgiveness. 651 00:25:38,540 --> 00:25:42,120 Guys, this has to be a place where gossip goes to die. 652 00:25:42,120 --> 00:25:46,180 This has to be a place where we are authentic enough 653 00:25:46,180 --> 00:25:49,480 with one another that we protect one another through love, 654 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:50,860 through the lens of love. 655 00:25:50,860 --> 00:25:53,700 So, Cole is coming at you and he's gonna find the people, 656 00:25:53,700 --> 00:25:55,500 he's not finding the people who love me 657 00:25:55,500 --> 00:25:57,660 and want to support and lift my arms up. 658 00:25:57,660 --> 00:25:59,460 He's finding people that are going to, 659 00:25:59,460 --> 00:26:00,940 he's finding the weak ones. 660 00:26:00,940 --> 00:26:03,180 The ones who will come and say, 661 00:26:03,180 --> 00:26:05,220 yeah, let me just feed into this. 662 00:26:05,220 --> 00:26:09,460 The ones who think they're strong, but they're really weak. 663 00:26:09,460 --> 00:26:12,780 Then what happens? 664 00:26:12,780 --> 00:26:17,060 Goes from being offended to betrayal to hatred. 665 00:26:18,100 --> 00:26:20,860 To hatred, this is what hatred looks like 666 00:26:20,860 --> 00:26:23,420 when you set this fence down over here 667 00:26:23,420 --> 00:26:24,980 and once you get in the middle. 668 00:26:24,980 --> 00:26:28,680 Hatred is a trap. 669 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,780 It's a trap of isolation. 670 00:26:31,780 --> 00:26:36,200 It's a trap that says, I am untouchable. 671 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:40,500 Nobody can speak into my life. 672 00:26:40,500 --> 00:26:43,880 Nobody can help me. 673 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:45,760 And another word that we would call this 674 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:47,700 instead of these walls being able to be a stronghold. 675 00:26:47,700 --> 00:26:50,220 I got a stronghold going on in my life. 676 00:26:50,220 --> 00:26:53,540 And it's got me and I'm not connecting to the Lord. 677 00:26:53,540 --> 00:26:55,980 I'm not able to get past what's going on. 678 00:26:55,980 --> 00:26:58,500 I am walking in hatred right now. 679 00:26:58,500 --> 00:27:00,260 It's what Jesus says is gonna happen. 680 00:27:00,260 --> 00:27:03,020 A fence leads to betrayal, leads to hate. 681 00:27:03,020 --> 00:27:05,340 But then what it says, then it says more. 682 00:27:05,340 --> 00:27:06,180 What does it say? 683 00:27:06,180 --> 00:27:08,020 It's what I should have said. 684 00:27:08,020 --> 00:27:11,500 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 685 00:27:11,500 --> 00:27:15,340 Why is this person so susceptible to false truth, 686 00:27:15,340 --> 00:27:16,900 false doctrine? 687 00:27:16,900 --> 00:27:18,820 Because they're not holding on to the word 688 00:27:18,820 --> 00:27:19,820 or holding on to the Lord. 689 00:27:19,820 --> 00:27:22,240 So now they're wide open for whatever the enemy 690 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:23,480 wants to throw their way. 691 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:26,980 Whatever comes their way, he's buying into truth 692 00:27:26,980 --> 00:27:29,500 that is not truth because he doesn't know the truth. 693 00:27:29,500 --> 00:27:32,100 He's not connected to the Holy Spirit, to God. 694 00:27:32,100 --> 00:27:35,780 He's just wide open target for anything that comes his way. 695 00:27:35,780 --> 00:27:38,400 Jesus talks about false prophets in Matthew seven. 696 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,100 He says this, "Beware of false prophets 697 00:27:41,100 --> 00:27:43,000 "who come to you dressed as sheep, 698 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:45,120 "but inwardly are ravenous wolves." 699 00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:47,520 Do you notice there that he doesn't say 700 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:51,100 that the ones that are dressed, I'm sorry, 701 00:27:51,100 --> 00:27:53,040 the false prophets are dressed like sheep? 702 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:57,020 He doesn't say the false prophets are dressed like shepherds. 703 00:27:57,020 --> 00:27:58,820 See, when we read that, we think automatically, 704 00:27:58,820 --> 00:28:00,880 well, a pastor is gonna lead us astray. 705 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:02,940 A prophet is gonna lead us, no. 706 00:28:02,940 --> 00:28:04,860 He's talking about the sheep. 707 00:28:04,860 --> 00:28:06,920 He's talking about you all because guess what? 708 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:08,540 Here's the thing, he's isolated. 709 00:28:08,540 --> 00:28:10,140 We can't mind our business enough 710 00:28:10,140 --> 00:28:11,400 to not come up to the fence and say, 711 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,760 hey, what's going on? 712 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:14,600 How's it going? 713 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,740 Tell me what's up here, what's going on? 714 00:28:17,740 --> 00:28:20,580 And so the sheep start speaking into the life 715 00:28:20,580 --> 00:28:23,080 of the person who's isolated, not the truth, 716 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:27,460 but false things, aiding the isolation 717 00:28:27,460 --> 00:28:31,260 on the outside of the fence, on the outside of the fence. 718 00:28:31,260 --> 00:28:32,500 And here's what actually happens. 719 00:28:32,500 --> 00:28:34,920 I'm just gonna be real real tonight, today. 720 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,860 Once they do this to you, make you feel good, 721 00:28:37,860 --> 00:28:40,500 they're going over here and they're talking bad about you. 722 00:28:40,500 --> 00:28:44,120 Am I saying the truth? 723 00:28:45,100 --> 00:28:47,460 And then they're talking bad about that person. 724 00:28:47,460 --> 00:28:50,460 If somebody has the audacity to come 725 00:28:50,460 --> 00:28:52,060 and just spew a bunch of gossip to you, 726 00:28:52,060 --> 00:28:54,460 I promise you they're talking about you as well. 727 00:28:54,460 --> 00:28:58,860 Aren't you glad you came this morning? 728 00:28:58,860 --> 00:29:01,780 (congregation laughing) 729 00:29:01,780 --> 00:29:03,980 And the reason I say that is because he says this 730 00:29:03,980 --> 00:29:06,260 and because of lawlessness. 731 00:29:06,260 --> 00:29:08,500 The vices that happen in here, 732 00:29:08,500 --> 00:29:10,940 the sin that happens in this place, 733 00:29:10,940 --> 00:29:12,900 'cause you gotta do something to sober yourself up 734 00:29:12,900 --> 00:29:13,900 to feel good. 735 00:29:13,900 --> 00:29:15,660 The lawlessness will abound 736 00:29:15,660 --> 00:29:18,320 and the love of many will grow cold. 737 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,020 It will grow cold. 738 00:29:21,020 --> 00:29:26,320 So, are we like people without hope 739 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:27,980 when we're in this situation? 740 00:29:27,980 --> 00:29:31,900 Are we a people that once you get here, you are stuck? 741 00:29:31,900 --> 00:29:35,280 You are never stuck when it comes to the Lord. 742 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:38,160 You can always have a pathway to be unstuck 743 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:40,140 when it comes to the Lord. 744 00:29:40,140 --> 00:29:43,520 And we learn over in Acts chapter 24, a pathway, 745 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:47,960 it says this, "And herein do I exercise myself 746 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:52,040 to have always a conscious void to offense toward God 747 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:53,200 and toward mine." 748 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:55,400 The important word in this is exercise. 749 00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:58,000 Now, I have started to work out over the last several months 750 00:29:58,000 --> 00:29:59,520 and I don't really like it. 751 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:07,060 I like to see the results, but I don't like the process. 752 00:30:07,060 --> 00:30:08,920 I don't like the process. 753 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,400 This week, I was in super pain 754 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:13,520 over at Justin's house in my legs. 755 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:15,200 And he's like, "Let's do lunges 756 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:17,600 all the way up and down the freaking pathway," 757 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:19,040 whatever it is. 758 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:21,360 It hurt, it didn't feel good. 759 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:24,040 But I'm subjecting myself to the pain 760 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:27,480 because I know the result I'm gonna be pleased with. 761 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:30,040 And so in this passage, it says, 762 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:32,960 herein do I exercise myself. 763 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:34,160 So here's what you do. 764 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:36,040 If you find yourself in a place, 765 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:37,800 maybe this morning the Lord has identified 766 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:39,360 somebody you've been holding offense against, 767 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:41,600 you've got a conflict with, you're in isolation, 768 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:43,600 maybe you can go as far as say, I hate them. 769 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:46,960 Maybe, maybe, maybe you didn't realize 770 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:48,440 you hated them until now 771 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:52,420 because you've convinced yourself that it's okay. 772 00:30:52,420 --> 00:30:53,360 You've numbed yourself, 773 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,600 but the reality is that you're isolated from everyone else 774 00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:58,880 and you've changed your behavior. 775 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:00,920 So what do you do? 776 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,340 The first thing that we want to do is this. 777 00:31:03,340 --> 00:31:04,920 This is not what we're supposed to do. 778 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:06,240 This is the first thing we want to do 779 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:08,720 because we know, we know here, 780 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:10,920 okay, I'm supposed to go to that person. 781 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:13,840 I'm supposed to tell them what I feel like they've done wrong 782 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:15,580 and forgive them, right? 783 00:31:15,580 --> 00:31:17,720 So we know that, but we don't do it. 784 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:18,720 First of all, it's too late. 785 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:20,880 That ship has sailed 786 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:22,680 'cause you have built a whole thing over here 787 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:24,680 that makes no sense against them. 788 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:25,980 But what we do is we carry this. 789 00:31:25,980 --> 00:31:28,880 So go and pick that offense up and you bring it back to me. 790 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:30,020 Now I'm all of a sudden, 791 00:31:30,020 --> 00:31:31,680 Cole's coming up to me 792 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,160 and he puts this offense right in my face. 793 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:36,200 And he says, look what you did. 794 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:37,900 Look how you hurt me. 795 00:31:37,900 --> 00:31:39,560 Look what this did to me. 796 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:41,120 Look how this felt. 797 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:43,860 And then he puts it down and he says, but I forgive you. 798 00:31:43,860 --> 00:31:46,720 And I'm just supposed to be okay. 799 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:48,160 Oh, okay. 800 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:49,720 And we're supposed to go back to, no, 801 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:50,960 that's not how it works. 802 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:53,800 That's not how it works. 803 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:54,640 Stay right there. 804 00:31:54,640 --> 00:32:00,620 When someone mistreats you, 805 00:32:00,620 --> 00:32:02,260 when someone mistreat, when you feel, 806 00:32:02,260 --> 00:32:05,500 even if you have assumed they have mistreated you, 807 00:32:05,500 --> 00:32:06,760 there is instruction in the Word 808 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:07,660 of what you're supposed to do. 809 00:32:07,660 --> 00:32:10,660 It says this, pray for the one who mistreats you. 810 00:32:10,660 --> 00:32:14,040 Pray for the one. 811 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:15,680 Pray for them, what? 812 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:17,440 God, do you not know what they did? 813 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,440 God bless them, God bless them, whatever. 814 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:22,200 Right, that's our prayer. 815 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,640 God, whatever, just touch their life, whatever. 816 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:27,680 Let them breathe tomorrow. 817 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:32,600 Hope they put on some shoes when they go outside, whatever. 818 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:35,520 And we start praying these meaningless prayers. 819 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:36,640 Why? 820 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:39,000 Because we want them to know. 821 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:40,820 We want them to feel our pain. 822 00:32:40,820 --> 00:32:44,200 We want them to hurt like we hurt. 823 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,920 But aren't you glad that the Savior of the world 824 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:50,220 didn't make you hurt the way He hurt before forgiving you? 825 00:32:50,220 --> 00:32:53,840 Because here's the thing, guys, 826 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,760 God does not just dispense love. 827 00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:59,500 The Word tells us that God is love. 828 00:32:59,500 --> 00:33:02,040 And He lives inside you, and I hate to tell you this, 829 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:03,560 no, I love to tell you this, 830 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:05,220 love holds no record of wrongs. 831 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:08,160 No record is not some record. 832 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:09,960 It's not the record that wasn't tarnished. 833 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:11,280 It wasn't the record that, well, 834 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:13,460 but this situation is an exception. 835 00:33:13,460 --> 00:33:17,400 Love holds no record of wrong. 836 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:20,560 What that means is, is when you wake up the next day, 837 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:22,940 it's as if nothing ever happened. 838 00:33:22,940 --> 00:33:28,240 And even more so, your relationship is deeper the next day 839 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:30,920 than before whatever happened happened. 840 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:34,160 Love holds no record of wrong. 841 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:36,960 And how are we able to live there and why? 842 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:39,020 How do we know that that's how we're supposed to live 843 00:33:39,020 --> 00:33:39,860 for one another? 844 00:33:39,860 --> 00:33:42,160 It's because this is what forgiveness looks like. 845 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:49,640 Jesus sacrificed His life saying, forgive them, God, 846 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:54,840 they have no idea what they are doing, what they have done. 847 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:58,420 And so the correct posture is, Cole, go on back. 848 00:33:58,420 --> 00:34:00,740 The correct posture is, I'm over here, 849 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:04,940 and Cole needs to start with forgiveness. 850 00:34:04,940 --> 00:34:06,200 He needs to forgive me. 851 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:07,840 And I didn't really even do anything. 852 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:09,060 Remember the scenario? 853 00:34:09,060 --> 00:34:11,320 But he's got to do forgiveness. 854 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:13,680 Do you know that forgiveness is really for you? 855 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:16,120 When you forgive someone, it's liberating you. 856 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:18,680 So he starts with a position of forgiveness, 857 00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:20,720 but you don't do that by coming with the offense 858 00:34:20,720 --> 00:34:22,360 and shoving it in the person's face. 859 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,460 You take that offense and you give it to the Lord. 860 00:34:25,460 --> 00:34:26,300 So I want you to take that 861 00:34:26,300 --> 00:34:28,680 and I want you to give it to the Lord, just lay it down. 862 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:30,720 And so now he's in a posture 863 00:34:30,720 --> 00:34:33,160 because he's no longer holding onto the offense. 864 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:37,600 Now he has something that he can actually hold onto. 865 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:38,680 He can have something. 866 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:42,040 And before he even tries to come over in my vicinity, 867 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:44,960 God needs to remind Cole about who he is. 868 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:47,920 God needs to do some heart surgery in Cole. 869 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:51,880 God needs to tell Cole some truths about God's character. 870 00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:53,320 He needs to fuel Cole. 871 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:55,480 Because guys, that's where the source comes from. 872 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:57,440 Cole wasn't getting any of that from me. 873 00:34:57,440 --> 00:34:59,880 I was enjoying the source with him. 874 00:34:59,880 --> 00:35:01,640 Your source is not the people next to you. 875 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:03,120 Your source is God. 876 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:04,480 Your source is the Lord. 877 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:06,840 And so he goes and he starts to get filled up. 878 00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:09,980 And as he's on that process, he is now forgiven. 879 00:35:09,980 --> 00:35:13,160 In his heart, he has forgiven me for what he assumed I did. 880 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:14,320 But guys, let me tell you something. 881 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:15,160 There's another part of it. 882 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:17,900 And the next part is reconciliation. 883 00:35:17,900 --> 00:35:22,520 Forgiveness and reconciliation are two different things. 884 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:23,760 So he is now forgiven 885 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:26,320 and now he needs to start walking the process 886 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:28,000 of reconciliation. 887 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,520 And what that looks like is coming to me, 888 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:33,880 coming to the one that presumably offended him 889 00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:37,480 and humbly apologizing, 890 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:39,400 saying, man, I've created distance 891 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:42,680 and would you please forgive me? 892 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:47,120 I don't want this chasm between us. 893 00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:49,880 I miss the intimate connection we had. 894 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:51,920 Notice he's not saying anything about me 895 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:53,120 not going to the show. 896 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:54,160 Why? 897 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:57,680 Because the Lord's already fixed that idea in his head. 898 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:00,440 Because it wasn't in keeping with my character. 899 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:02,240 But let's say he does say that. 900 00:36:02,240 --> 00:36:03,820 Let's say in the context he's like, 901 00:36:03,820 --> 00:36:05,040 just he kind of, he happens to say, 902 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:07,640 hey, listen, you know, it started with the fact 903 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:10,520 that you didn't go to my show and that kind of hurt me. 904 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:14,080 And I could say, dude, I'm so sorry that hurt you, man. 905 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:16,100 I was, my Ruby was throwing up 906 00:36:16,100 --> 00:36:18,120 and all of a sudden Ruby's throwing up. 907 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:19,520 It locks everything in his mind 908 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:21,400 that he's just spent a whole year 909 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:24,260 severing our relationship off of a non-truth. 910 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:28,400 Off of a perception that was not true. 911 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:30,080 Because we brought and introduced truth 912 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:31,940 in the reality into the situation. 913 00:36:31,940 --> 00:36:36,740 And so now there's reconciliation. 914 00:36:36,740 --> 00:36:38,520 When we are reconciled to Christ, 915 00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:39,400 guess what we have to do? 916 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:41,320 It's not just he dies on the cross 917 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:42,480 and we're reconciled to Christ. 918 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:44,980 He dies on the cross and we have to repent. 919 00:36:44,980 --> 00:36:49,280 We have to turn from our, there is a step there. 920 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:51,960 We have to repent from our sin. 921 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:53,280 There's a step here. 922 00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:54,840 There's a change that has to happen, 923 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:56,480 an interchange in this reconciliation 924 00:36:56,480 --> 00:36:58,160 so that we can get back to this posture. 925 00:36:58,160 --> 00:36:59,880 And let me tell you guys something. 926 00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:03,220 Anytime I've gone through this process with someone, 927 00:37:03,220 --> 00:37:07,360 I am closer today with them than I ever have been before. 928 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:10,480 Because it takes vulnerability, it takes transparency. 929 00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:13,400 And you wanna talk about true grit and intimacy. 930 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:14,960 That is whenever you can bear all 931 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:17,920 and you can flesh out life together with someone. 932 00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:20,400 Because the next time I don't show up to Cole's show 933 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:21,800 or there's a different example. 934 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:24,800 Cole has learned the hard way. 935 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:26,400 And he has now seen what my character, 936 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:27,720 not that I'm perfect, I'll probably mess up. 937 00:37:27,720 --> 00:37:30,040 The next time I may really, really offend him. 938 00:37:30,040 --> 00:37:31,840 I may actually really say something. 939 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:33,840 Hey man, I don't really like that white shirt. 940 00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:34,660 But guess what? 941 00:37:34,660 --> 00:37:35,500 We're close enough to that. 942 00:37:35,500 --> 00:37:36,900 If friends say, whoa, whoa, whoa, come here. 943 00:37:36,900 --> 00:37:38,820 Man, I know you don't like my white shirt, 944 00:37:38,820 --> 00:37:41,680 but man, the way you said that really kind of hurt me. 945 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:44,740 And because I love Cole, I can react two ways. 946 00:37:44,740 --> 00:37:48,080 I can love him or I can react out of my flesh. 947 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:49,560 Because it's a two way street. 948 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:50,640 I can say, man, you're so dumb. 949 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:52,420 Get over the whole shirt thing. 950 00:37:52,420 --> 00:37:54,480 Why? 951 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:55,320 Why do we act like that? 952 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:56,880 Because we don't like to be wrong. 953 00:37:56,880 --> 00:38:01,580 I cannot control how Cole feels. 954 00:38:01,580 --> 00:38:04,440 But what I can do is ask him to forgive me 955 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:06,600 because he has perceived I've wronged him. 956 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:10,680 Man, Kevin, you said you didn't like my shirt. 957 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:11,520 That kind of hurt me. 958 00:38:11,520 --> 00:38:12,520 Man, I am so sorry. 959 00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:14,200 I did not mean, will you please forgive me? 960 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:15,040 I appreciate it. 961 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:16,680 I don't have to then say, oh, I love your shirt. 962 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:17,520 'Cause that's a lie. 963 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:18,340 I didn't like his shirt. 964 00:38:18,340 --> 00:38:19,760 (congregation laughing) 965 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:20,940 Right? 966 00:38:20,940 --> 00:38:24,160 It's not about lying so you can soothe it over. 967 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:25,240 I can be real. 968 00:38:25,240 --> 00:38:27,080 His accusation was, 969 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:28,720 I didn't like the way that you conveyed that. 970 00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:29,920 Maybe I need to shut my mouth 971 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:32,820 and stop telling him how I feel about his shirts. 972 00:38:32,820 --> 00:38:34,820 Because nothing that comes out of my mouth, 973 00:38:34,820 --> 00:38:37,520 everything that comes out of my mouth should be uplifting. 974 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:38,580 Then now what the scripture says, 975 00:38:38,580 --> 00:38:41,280 let nothing unwholesome come out of your mouth. 976 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:42,120 Right? 977 00:38:42,120 --> 00:38:42,940 Is that not? 978 00:38:42,940 --> 00:38:43,960 So that's not uplifting. 979 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:45,360 What if I would have come up to him and said, 980 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:47,000 man, Cole, let me tell you something. 981 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:49,560 I appreciate how much you love me. 982 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:52,840 I appreciate the way that you so, so in musically 983 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:54,960 behind closed doors and you're writing songs, man. 984 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:56,360 I'm building my friend up. 985 00:38:56,360 --> 00:38:58,800 I'm talking about the things that I really do enjoy 986 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:00,600 and I really do see in him. 987 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:05,440 And that deepens our connection of intimacy. 988 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:06,480 Amen? 989 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:07,320 Amen. 990 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:08,140 Thank you. 991 00:39:08,140 --> 00:39:08,980 Give Cole a hand. 992 00:39:08,980 --> 00:39:12,480 (congregation applauding) 993 00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:15,760 Guys, this is important. 994 00:39:15,760 --> 00:39:18,680 This is important because over the next several weeks, 995 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:21,800 we're going to lean into the Holy Spirit of God. 996 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:24,000 The Holy Spirit is real. 997 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:27,000 He is alive today. 998 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:28,920 He is active in your life. 999 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:31,840 He wants to be an active part of your life. 1000 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:33,080 But here's what's gonna happen 1001 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:35,040 when we start getting into this. 1002 00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:37,120 You're gonna start to recognize offenses 1003 00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:38,880 that you did not know that you had. 1004 00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:44,200 You're gonna start to recognize places of potential conflict 1005 00:39:44,200 --> 00:39:46,100 that you didn't know were there 1006 00:39:46,100 --> 00:39:48,720 because the Holy Spirit wants there to be nothing 1007 00:39:48,720 --> 00:39:50,460 that stops you from your relationship 1008 00:39:50,460 --> 00:39:52,640 and connection with God Almighty. 1009 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:55,280 And so he's going to illuminate. 1010 00:39:55,280 --> 00:39:57,540 I don't like turning on lights in my house sometimes 1011 00:39:57,540 --> 00:39:59,200 because I see all the crap everywhere. 1012 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:00,580 If I can just turn the lights off, 1013 00:40:00,580 --> 00:40:01,760 I don't have to deal with it. 1014 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:02,600 Anybody else? 1015 00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:04,760 Throw them in the closet, close the door. 1016 00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:08,760 The Holy Spirit has a big magnifying glass and flashlight, 1017 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:10,420 not so that you can stand condemned. 1018 00:40:10,420 --> 00:40:13,280 You don't have to be condemned because of that right there. 1019 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:16,440 But he poses a big flashlight on it because he says, 1020 00:40:16,440 --> 00:40:19,400 there's something so much better for you. 1021 00:40:19,400 --> 00:40:21,900 There's something so much you are missing out 1022 00:40:21,900 --> 00:40:25,920 on a relationship that is gonna bless your socks off. 1023 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:30,460 Let's clean this up and you don't have to do it alone. 1024 00:40:30,460 --> 00:40:35,860 Let's be a church who purposes to lay down offenses, 1025 00:40:35,860 --> 00:40:40,360 who purposes to handle conflict the biblical way, 1026 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:43,080 who believes in the truth of what God's word says 1027 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:46,380 more so than the chatter around us about other people. 1028 00:40:46,380 --> 00:40:49,240 Let us let Springhouse be a place 1029 00:40:49,240 --> 00:40:53,080 where gossip goes to die, where we walk in authenticity, 1030 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:57,020 and where we love Jesus in a real way. 1031 00:40:57,020 --> 00:40:59,080 Because at the end of that Acts 2 passage, 1032 00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:03,620 it says numbers were added to them every single day. 1033 00:41:03,620 --> 00:41:04,460 Every single day. 1034 00:41:04,460 --> 00:41:05,460 And you know what happens? 1035 00:41:05,460 --> 00:41:08,260 Those people come inside and they're bringing 1036 00:41:08,260 --> 00:41:10,780 all of this stuff that we just talked about from the outside 1037 00:41:10,780 --> 00:41:13,540 and they're gonna come in here and be introduced 1038 00:41:13,540 --> 00:41:16,620 to a new way of doing things. 1039 00:41:16,620 --> 00:41:21,400 A kingdom way with a king who knows how to bring unity 1040 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:26,960 to every situation, to bring healing to every situation, 1041 00:41:26,960 --> 00:41:28,900 and knows how to bring reconciliation 1042 00:41:28,900 --> 00:41:31,540 in a way that the world has no clue. 1043 00:41:31,540 --> 00:41:33,580 Would you guys stand with me this morning 1044 00:41:33,580 --> 00:41:35,180 with the worship team come back? 1045 00:41:35,180 --> 00:41:37,280 Here's what we're gonna do 1046 00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:39,240 with those who will pray come forward. 1047 00:41:45,920 --> 00:41:50,880 Today was not a goosebump word, okay? 1048 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:52,360 But it's a liberating word. 1049 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:57,160 In a group this size, what, there's 250 people here, 1050 00:41:57,160 --> 00:41:58,460 300 people, hey, listen. 1051 00:41:58,460 --> 00:42:02,340 There are people who are holding onto offenses here. 1052 00:42:02,340 --> 00:42:06,040 There are people who are in the middle of conflict. 1053 00:42:06,040 --> 00:42:08,200 There are people who have not stepped 1054 00:42:08,200 --> 00:42:10,840 into the territory of forgiveness. 1055 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:12,640 And it's tough and it's hard. 1056 00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:14,840 Remember I talked about exercise? 1057 00:42:14,840 --> 00:42:17,400 I don't necessarily expect it could happen. 1058 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:19,560 Not necessarily expect if you come forward today 1059 00:42:19,560 --> 00:42:21,100 and you start to confess it that all of a sudden 1060 00:42:21,100 --> 00:42:22,960 you walk out of here and everything is just great. 1061 00:42:22,960 --> 00:42:24,680 There's some work to do. 1062 00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:28,180 But the first step is the recognition that you are trapped. 1063 00:42:28,180 --> 00:42:31,240 Just the acknowledgement. 1064 00:42:31,240 --> 00:42:33,040 And you can't do anything about it. 1065 00:42:33,040 --> 00:42:34,680 Some of you tried to do something about it 1066 00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:35,880 and it led you to a bottle 1067 00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:37,720 or it led you to an unhealthy relationship. 1068 00:42:37,720 --> 00:42:38,680 It led you to vices. 1069 00:42:38,680 --> 00:42:40,580 No, God Almighty wants to meet you 1070 00:42:40,580 --> 00:42:42,480 right in the middle of the trap 1071 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:44,500 and He wants to liberate you today. 1072 00:42:44,500 --> 00:42:47,380 And the first step is just the acknowledgement. 1073 00:42:47,380 --> 00:42:49,660 Come to one of these brothers or sisters and just say, 1074 00:42:49,660 --> 00:42:51,560 hey, you don't have to get the details if you don't want. 1075 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:54,460 Just say I'm trapped and I need out. 1076 00:42:54,460 --> 00:42:57,260 And they will pray for the Holy Spirit 1077 00:42:57,260 --> 00:42:59,600 to come and give you the strength and power 1078 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:02,180 to start walking out these steps. 1079 00:43:02,180 --> 00:43:07,180 Maybe you've been the one who has offered the offense 1080 00:43:07,180 --> 00:43:08,520 and you realize that. 1081 00:43:08,520 --> 00:43:12,280 And you need to go to the person and you need to apologize. 1082 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:13,640 You need to make things right, 1083 00:43:13,640 --> 00:43:14,800 but you don't know how to do that. 1084 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:16,260 Maybe there's been a lot of time 1085 00:43:16,260 --> 00:43:17,720 in between point A and point B 1086 00:43:17,720 --> 00:43:18,720 and you're just like, I don't know. 1087 00:43:18,720 --> 00:43:21,640 I'm telling you, guys, it's not happenstance 1088 00:43:21,640 --> 00:43:22,580 that you're here today. 1089 00:43:22,580 --> 00:43:24,340 What I'm talking about, 1090 00:43:24,340 --> 00:43:26,600 there's so much we can talk about here at church. 1091 00:43:26,600 --> 00:43:29,020 So many, we can talk about sin, all these things. 1092 00:43:29,020 --> 00:43:31,560 But when we get to the places of reconciliation, 1093 00:43:31,560 --> 00:43:33,940 I believe that is the very heartbeat of God. 1094 00:43:33,940 --> 00:43:36,340 We are talking about real important things. 1095 00:43:36,340 --> 00:43:38,300 The third group that might need to come, 1096 00:43:38,300 --> 00:43:39,880 and guys, this is me. 1097 00:43:39,880 --> 00:43:42,260 God, search my heart. 1098 00:43:42,260 --> 00:43:43,620 I don't know. 1099 00:43:43,620 --> 00:43:45,620 I don't want to walk in offense. 1100 00:43:45,620 --> 00:43:47,560 Maybe I've offended somebody that I love 1101 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:49,500 and I want to make that right. 1102 00:43:49,500 --> 00:43:50,720 God, maybe you need to tell me 1103 00:43:50,720 --> 00:43:51,900 and I've been blind and numb 1104 00:43:51,900 --> 00:43:53,240 and I'm seeing this person all the time 1105 00:43:53,240 --> 00:43:55,280 and they're reading all over them, but I don't know. 1106 00:43:55,280 --> 00:43:57,460 God, would you search my heart 1107 00:43:57,460 --> 00:43:59,420 because I don't want there to be any aughts 1108 00:43:59,420 --> 00:44:01,620 with any of my brothers or sisters. 1109 00:44:01,620 --> 00:44:02,620 Maybe that's you today 1110 00:44:02,620 --> 00:44:05,060 and I would invite you to come as a step of faith. 1111 00:44:05,060 --> 00:44:07,400 Say, Lord, I wanna be more like you. 1112 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:10,380 I want to see your face in my situation 1113 00:44:10,380 --> 00:44:12,120 and in my relationships. 1114 00:44:12,120 --> 00:44:13,380 So would you come this morning 1115 00:44:13,380 --> 00:44:15,980 and allow the Holy Spirit of God to minister to your heart 1116 00:44:15,980 --> 00:44:17,920 and to reconcile things this morning. 1117 00:44:17,920 --> 00:44:18,760 Let's worship.