1 00:00:06,799 --> 00:00:08,420 Good morning, Springhouse. 2 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:12,660 Today we're gonna talk about 3 00:00:14,184 --> 00:00:17,705 Saul. And we're going to read a passage of Scripture 4 00:00:17,705 --> 00:00:21,465 that doesn't have anything seemingly to do with Saul until I 5 00:00:21,465 --> 00:00:25,305 tell you what it has to do with Saul. Cause it's actually from the 6 00:00:25,305 --> 00:00:29,130 New Testament and actually the first time that you stand to read 7 00:00:29,130 --> 00:00:32,570 you're only going to have to read one verse. But as we get 8 00:00:32,570 --> 00:00:36,410 further into the end of the sermon and you guys 9 00:00:36,410 --> 00:00:40,250 get hungrier and sleepier, we'll stand again and we'll read 10 00:00:40,250 --> 00:00:43,785 a much longer passage. But would you stand with me and 11 00:00:43,785 --> 00:00:46,285 let's read from Hebrews 12 00:00:47,625 --> 00:00:51,245 chapter 12 verse one. Therefore, 13 00:00:51,545 --> 00:00:55,225 since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of 14 00:00:55,225 --> 00:00:58,960 witnesses, let us throw off everything that 15 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:02,500 hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, 16 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,580 and let us run with perseverance the race 17 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:10,575 marked out for us. Father I thank you for your word, I 18 00:01:10,575 --> 00:01:14,095 thank you for the presence of the Holy Spirit in this place because 19 00:01:14,095 --> 00:01:17,775 without the Holy Spirit, nothing happens. I pray that the 20 00:01:17,775 --> 00:01:21,235 Holy Spirit would quicken our hearts, our minds, 21 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,759 give us ears to hear in Jesus' name, amen. You may 22 00:01:25,759 --> 00:01:26,420 be seated. 23 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,259 Saul and Saul, there are actually two prominent 24 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,815 Sauls in the Bible. Most of you know that but maybe some don't. 25 00:01:38,535 --> 00:01:42,295 The Old Testament Saul was king of Israel, First King of 26 00:01:42,295 --> 00:01:45,675 Israel. The New Testament Saul 27 00:01:45,975 --> 00:01:49,275 was an apostle whose name was later changed to Paul. 28 00:01:49,815 --> 00:01:53,500 It's not unusual for people when they come 29 00:01:53,500 --> 00:01:57,020 to Jesus for their names to change because they 30 00:01:57,020 --> 00:02:00,860 change. When before Peter came to Jesus, 31 00:02:00,860 --> 00:02:04,460 his name was Simon. And that meant a reed blowing in the wind 32 00:02:04,460 --> 00:02:08,155 and Jesus he came to Jesus and Jesus met him and he could 33 00:02:08,155 --> 00:02:11,455 see that reed blowing in the wind cause that's what Peter was. 34 00:02:11,835 --> 00:02:15,675 But he said, you're gonna have a new name and it's going 35 00:02:15,675 --> 00:02:19,030 to be Peter, not Simon anymore. A 36 00:02:19,030 --> 00:02:22,710 rock. And so Paul, used to be 37 00:02:22,710 --> 00:02:25,530 known as Saul. He came to Jesus, his name changed. 38 00:02:26,550 --> 00:02:30,150 We don't know who wrote the Book of Hebrews but 39 00:02:30,150 --> 00:02:33,905 Paul is one of the names that's often mentioned. And the writer of 40 00:02:33,905 --> 00:02:37,745 Hebrews mentions a phrase that I, that I hope you caught as we went 41 00:02:37,745 --> 00:02:41,425 past. You'll, you'll catch it now but the phrase is this, the 42 00:02:41,425 --> 00:02:44,165 sin that so easily entangles. 43 00:02:46,625 --> 00:02:50,190 We all have such sin And you 44 00:02:50,250 --> 00:02:53,930 may or may not be aware of what that sin is in your 45 00:02:53,930 --> 00:02:56,810 life. Now if you're not aware of what that sin is in your life, you 46 00:02:56,810 --> 00:03:00,270 may think, well, I don't, you know, I don't know what he's talking about. 47 00:03:01,290 --> 00:03:05,005 But if you are aware of that sin 48 00:03:05,005 --> 00:03:08,605 that's in your life, you're closer to God than the one who goes, I don't 49 00:03:08,605 --> 00:03:11,965 know what they're talking about. Because the closer you get to 50 00:03:11,965 --> 00:03:15,510 God, the more clearly you see your own 51 00:03:15,510 --> 00:03:19,110 sin, your own inequity. As a matter of fact, you may think you know what 52 00:03:19,110 --> 00:03:22,630 that sin that so easily entangles is in your 53 00:03:22,630 --> 00:03:26,069 life, but you may get closer to God and find out oh no, that 54 00:03:26,069 --> 00:03:29,830 that wasn't even it. There's even one, there's even one 55 00:03:29,830 --> 00:03:33,245 more than that. When Isaiah saw the 56 00:03:33,245 --> 00:03:36,845 Lord and this is Isaiah, he 57 00:03:36,845 --> 00:03:40,685 said, I am undone. Woe is me. I'm a man 58 00:03:40,685 --> 00:03:43,905 of unclean lips. I dwell among an unclean 59 00:03:44,045 --> 00:03:47,700 people because I have seen the Lord. And 60 00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:51,459 so just because you're not necessarily aware of sin doesn't 61 00:03:51,459 --> 00:03:55,239 mean you're doing okay. In fact, it probably means you're not doing okay. 62 00:03:57,220 --> 00:04:01,065 That was free. For some the sin 63 00:04:01,065 --> 00:04:04,825 that so easily entangles is obvious. And for 64 00:04:04,825 --> 00:04:07,725 others it's not so easily identified. 65 00:04:08,505 --> 00:04:12,105 Now in in our in our culture, certainly in our 66 00:04:12,105 --> 00:04:15,790 church culture because it's kinda been 67 00:04:15,790 --> 00:04:19,230 passed down to us for a few hundred years. When we think of the sin 68 00:04:19,230 --> 00:04:23,070 that so easily entangles, one of the first things that comes 69 00:04:23,070 --> 00:04:26,830 to mind is immorality. Because immorality, I mean 70 00:04:26,830 --> 00:04:30,655 that's sin for sure. And it's it's 71 00:04:30,655 --> 00:04:34,255 talked about in the Bible. Paul certainly talks about it for 72 00:04:34,255 --> 00:04:38,015 sure. And it's easily identified. I mean, you 73 00:04:38,015 --> 00:04:41,855 know others may not may not necessarily see it in your 74 00:04:41,855 --> 00:04:42,995 life, but you know 75 00:04:45,349 --> 00:04:49,189 Crickets. But you know for 76 00:04:49,189 --> 00:04:53,030 sure. On the other hand in our 77 00:04:53,030 --> 00:04:56,710 particular culture we have a sin, just as deadly and 78 00:04:56,710 --> 00:04:59,289 perhaps even more deadly that we celebrate 79 00:05:01,005 --> 00:05:04,845 pride. That's right, and I'm not talking about 80 00:05:04,845 --> 00:05:07,745 immorality and pride mixed, I'm talking about pride. 81 00:05:13,630 --> 00:05:17,229 Drunkenness. Drunkenness is that's a 82 00:05:17,229 --> 00:05:20,830 real sin. And you know what? Not only do you know it, 83 00:05:20,830 --> 00:05:24,349 sometimes you don't know it. But everybody around you knows 84 00:05:24,349 --> 00:05:28,125 it if that's, if that's what's going on. I mean they, they can, 85 00:05:28,125 --> 00:05:31,505 they can see what's, what's happening. And 86 00:05:31,965 --> 00:05:35,645 you know, but on the other hand there's this 87 00:05:35,645 --> 00:05:39,440 sin because I, now drunkenness is wrong. 88 00:05:39,580 --> 00:05:42,940 Don't get me wrong, I mean it's, it's definitely a sin and it 89 00:05:42,940 --> 00:05:46,080 certainly entangles people. 90 00:05:46,379 --> 00:05:50,220 But on the other side there, Jesus didn't say too much about 91 00:05:50,220 --> 00:05:53,875 that. He did say a whole lot about being 92 00:05:53,935 --> 00:05:57,615 judgmental. He did have a lot to say 93 00:05:57,615 --> 00:06:01,055 about that. And it's pretty easy to look at the 94 00:06:01,055 --> 00:06:02,995 drunkenness and kinda go, 95 00:06:08,050 --> 00:06:11,650 And it's even easier to be judgmental when you're 96 00:06:11,650 --> 00:06:12,150 driving. 97 00:06:17,650 --> 00:06:21,224 I can't believe that they do that. You 98 00:06:21,224 --> 00:06:24,865 know, what Michelle and I call it Sleepy 99 00:06:24,865 --> 00:06:25,365 Smyrna. 100 00:06:29,345 --> 00:06:33,025 And if you don't know why we call it Sleepy Smyrna then you're probably 101 00:06:33,025 --> 00:06:34,005 part of the problem. 102 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,500 Because you know, sometimes people just and there's 103 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:46,520 Enon Springs Road, the new part where it's got 104 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,200 one lane going here and a big old median and then one lane going 105 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,044 this way. And and I'll admit the speed limit is ridiculous, 106 00:06:54,745 --> 00:06:56,205 35 miles an hour. 107 00:06:58,504 --> 00:06:59,805 But 28? 108 00:07:02,504 --> 00:07:06,330 Yeah, you got the right, but I'm sitting back here thinking, you're just 109 00:07:06,330 --> 00:07:06,830 doing 110 00:07:14,410 --> 00:07:16,670 that. The first service didn't hear any of that. 111 00:07:18,705 --> 00:07:22,385 Slothfulness, I mean yeah, people who are lazy and don't 112 00:07:22,385 --> 00:07:25,985 work and blah blah blah blah blah. Yeah, that's a sin that easily 113 00:07:25,985 --> 00:07:29,824 entangles people. Greed on the other hand is pretty good stuff. I mean 114 00:07:29,824 --> 00:07:33,630 I'm a I'm just a go getter, you know. So 115 00:07:33,630 --> 00:07:37,230 anyway, some of it is, some of it's pretty easy to see, some of 116 00:07:37,230 --> 00:07:40,910 it's a little more difficult to recognize. Today we're gonna look at the 117 00:07:40,910 --> 00:07:44,530 sin that easily entangled the Old Testament Saul. 118 00:07:45,514 --> 00:07:48,735 And it's a sin that also entangles many 119 00:07:49,754 --> 00:07:53,375 who may not think they have an obvious besetting 120 00:07:53,514 --> 00:07:57,115 sin, because this sin is, is somewhat of a 121 00:07:57,115 --> 00:08:00,740 chameleon and it masquerades as, as many things 122 00:08:00,740 --> 00:08:04,100 and probably the most damning thing that it 123 00:08:04,100 --> 00:08:06,280 masquerades as is wisdom. 124 00:08:08,100 --> 00:08:11,880 I'm just being wise in what I do. 125 00:08:12,735 --> 00:08:16,415 But it's sin nevertheless and it has a name and the name is 126 00:08:16,415 --> 00:08:18,435 simply this, fear. 127 00:08:20,735 --> 00:08:24,495 Fear. There's a reason why the 128 00:08:24,495 --> 00:08:27,315 Bible tells us almost 70 times 129 00:08:28,490 --> 00:08:32,330 to not fear. And there's a reason why over 130 00:08:32,330 --> 00:08:35,850 in Revelation 20 one:eight when it lists, those 131 00:08:35,850 --> 00:08:39,610 whose fate is damnation, the first on the 132 00:08:39,610 --> 00:08:43,385 list is the fearful. Fearful, this is 133 00:08:43,445 --> 00:08:46,745 this is serious stuff. This is pretty, pretty important stuff. 134 00:08:47,205 --> 00:08:50,885 And fear, if I were to say okay, well what's the opposite of fear? Well 135 00:08:50,885 --> 00:08:54,345 you'd, we'd probably jump into saying courage. 136 00:08:56,810 --> 00:08:59,950 No, no, no. Because you see, well actually 137 00:09:00,250 --> 00:09:03,950 courage doesn't exist without some element of fear. I mean fear's 138 00:09:04,090 --> 00:09:07,845 actually got to be there for for courage to exist. And the 139 00:09:07,845 --> 00:09:11,065 opposite of courage isn't fear, the opposite of courage is cowardice. 140 00:09:11,445 --> 00:09:15,145 Now fear can produce cowardice, but it's not the same thing. 141 00:09:15,365 --> 00:09:18,425 Now fear is an antonym for 142 00:09:18,805 --> 00:09:22,440 another f word which is faith. It it 143 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:26,279 is the opposite of faith. You may say, 144 00:09:26,279 --> 00:09:29,720 Well I thought the opposite of faith was unbelief. No, the opposite of 145 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:31,019 unbelief is belief. 146 00:09:35,845 --> 00:09:39,625 Little English lesson here, right? And 147 00:09:41,045 --> 00:09:42,105 and he got it. 148 00:09:45,205 --> 00:09:48,665 You know, you can actually believe and not have faith. 149 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:52,540 There are people who believe that God exists, who believe 150 00:09:52,680 --> 00:09:56,360 that Jesus Christ is His only begotten Son, but they don't have any 151 00:09:56,360 --> 00:10:00,200 faith in Him. Because 152 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:03,660 belief is passive, faith is active. 153 00:10:04,935 --> 00:10:08,375 See. Faith is 154 00:10:08,375 --> 00:10:12,135 required to please God. And 155 00:10:12,135 --> 00:10:15,115 it is also the means by which we are we are saved. 156 00:10:15,975 --> 00:10:19,495 And and so no wonder the Bible keeps saying, don't 157 00:10:19,495 --> 00:10:22,610 fear, don't fear, don't fear because fear 158 00:10:23,950 --> 00:10:27,089 is the opposite of faith, is the antithesis 159 00:10:27,870 --> 00:10:31,649 of faith. And Saul, King Saul 160 00:10:33,285 --> 00:10:37,045 had three specific fears that the Bible brings out and 161 00:10:37,045 --> 00:10:40,805 we're gonna look at those and we're gonna see, you know, how maybe that 162 00:10:40,805 --> 00:10:44,024 might relate to us. And the first one, first one is this, 163 00:10:44,645 --> 00:10:48,350 fear of the enemy. Over in 164 00:10:48,350 --> 00:10:51,649 First Samuel 13, Saul and 165 00:10:52,589 --> 00:10:55,810 his army were encamped and the Philistines were encamped 166 00:10:56,510 --> 00:10:59,810 and they were gonna engage one another and the Philistines 167 00:11:00,875 --> 00:11:04,395 more and more kept coming. I mean, they there just seemed to be an 168 00:11:04,395 --> 00:11:08,154 endless supply of Philistines, but the Israelites on the other hand, when 169 00:11:08,154 --> 00:11:11,995 they saw the Philistine army and how strong they were, how many 170 00:11:11,995 --> 00:11:15,755 people they had, they started melting away. They started deserting. They 171 00:11:15,755 --> 00:11:19,350 started going back home. They started hiding 172 00:11:19,410 --> 00:11:21,750 and hiding out. And Saul 173 00:11:23,730 --> 00:11:27,410 was kinda getting freaked out by this. Now he was supposed to wait for Samuel 174 00:11:27,410 --> 00:11:31,170 to come and offer a sacrifice to the Lord before they could 175 00:11:31,170 --> 00:11:34,665 start the battle. But as he saw the 176 00:11:34,665 --> 00:11:37,245 Philistines increasing and the Israelites 177 00:11:38,185 --> 00:11:40,605 decreasing sim seemingly, 178 00:11:42,985 --> 00:11:46,829 excuse me, I live in Tennessee. As 179 00:11:46,829 --> 00:11:48,209 he saw that happening, 180 00:11:51,069 --> 00:11:54,750 Samuel's not here, we gotta do something. We gotta engage before 181 00:11:54,750 --> 00:11:58,509 this thing gets totally out of hand. Bring the sacrifice, I'm gonna 182 00:11:58,509 --> 00:12:02,095 offer the sacrifice. The thing that he knew he wasn't 183 00:12:02,095 --> 00:12:05,455 supposed to do, he did and and as is often the 184 00:12:05,455 --> 00:12:09,215 case virtually immediately after 185 00:12:09,215 --> 00:12:11,955 he did it. Who shows up? 186 00:12:14,530 --> 00:12:16,310 Yeah, you all were in the first service. 187 00:12:17,890 --> 00:12:21,590 Samuel. Samuel shows up and 188 00:12:23,650 --> 00:12:27,250 just as he finished the offering, Samuel arrived and 189 00:12:27,250 --> 00:12:30,925 Saul went out to greet him. What have you done?' Ask 190 00:12:32,265 --> 00:12:35,965 Samuel. And Saul replied, well when I saw that 191 00:12:37,225 --> 00:12:40,905 the men were scattering and that you did not come at the 192 00:12:40,905 --> 00:12:44,740 set time, it's really your fault that you did not come at the 193 00:12:44,740 --> 00:12:47,960 set time and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash. 194 00:12:48,660 --> 00:12:52,339 I thought, now the Philistines will come down against me at 195 00:12:52,339 --> 00:12:55,940 Gilgal and I have not sought the Lord's favor. So I 196 00:12:55,940 --> 00:12:59,705 felt compelled to offer the burnt offering. You 197 00:12:59,705 --> 00:13:03,165 have done a foolish thing, Samuel 198 00:13:03,225 --> 00:13:06,445 said. Now we all understand 199 00:13:07,065 --> 00:13:10,205 fear of the enemy or, or think that we do. 200 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,080 But we seem unaware that this 201 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,680 fear of the enemy tempts us to act in our 202 00:13:21,680 --> 00:13:25,040 own strength, tempts us to do 203 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,100 something instead of trusting in the Lord 204 00:13:28,895 --> 00:13:32,495 and waiting on the Lord, waiting for him. You 205 00:13:32,495 --> 00:13:36,115 have done a foolish thing, Samuel 206 00:13:36,175 --> 00:13:39,935 said. Proverbs three:five through 207 00:13:39,935 --> 00:13:42,755 six says this, trust in the Lord 208 00:13:43,910 --> 00:13:47,589 with all your heart and and lean not on 209 00:13:47,589 --> 00:13:51,209 your own understanding. In all your ways 210 00:13:51,829 --> 00:13:55,509 acknowledge Him. Acknowledge that He's there and He'll make 211 00:13:55,509 --> 00:13:59,315 your path straight. He'll straighten 212 00:13:59,315 --> 00:14:03,154 that thing out. When you trust in 213 00:14:03,154 --> 00:14:04,935 the Lord, you don't panic. 214 00:14:07,075 --> 00:14:09,895 You don't go chasing after a solution. 215 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,900 You wait for it to come to you. I used to play racketball. 216 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:21,560 And I know that doesn't sound like it fits, but I'm just gonna 217 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,300 tell you something here. I was pretty good. 218 00:14:26,935 --> 00:14:30,774 But when I first started out it was 219 00:14:30,774 --> 00:14:33,514 such exercise, it was so exhausting, 220 00:14:34,454 --> 00:14:37,435 and it was so frustrating to lose so much. 221 00:14:38,615 --> 00:14:42,230 Because I was, I was going here, there, there's the ball, 222 00:14:42,230 --> 00:14:45,530 there, you It all changed 223 00:14:47,910 --> 00:14:51,430 when I learned to just stand in the right place and 224 00:14:51,430 --> 00:14:55,185 wait and let it come to me. And 225 00:14:55,185 --> 00:14:58,945 when you trust in the Lord, you can do that with life. You stand in 226 00:14:58,945 --> 00:15:02,725 the right place, you wait, you let it come to you. 227 00:15:04,625 --> 00:15:08,305 Psalm fifty six eleven says this, in 228 00:15:08,305 --> 00:15:11,720 God I trust and I am not afraid. 229 00:15:12,420 --> 00:15:16,200 What can man do to me? What can man do to you? 230 00:15:17,140 --> 00:15:20,600 Oh, I don't know, you know, kill me? Maybe? 231 00:15:21,460 --> 00:15:25,085 Well Jesus had something to say about that. I tell you my friends, 232 00:15:25,085 --> 00:15:28,865 do not be afraid of those who kill the body 233 00:15:29,085 --> 00:15:32,925 and after that can do no more. So what can what can 234 00:15:32,925 --> 00:15:35,425 man do to you? I mean I'm asking that question. 235 00:15:36,700 --> 00:15:40,320 Can man make fun of you? Take 236 00:15:40,380 --> 00:15:44,220 money away from you? Take stuff away from you? What can man do 237 00:15:44,220 --> 00:15:47,580 to you? Psalm 238 00:15:47,580 --> 00:15:51,415 fourteen one says, the fool says in his heart there 239 00:15:51,415 --> 00:15:55,255 is no God. Samuel said to Saul, you have 240 00:15:55,255 --> 00:15:59,015 done a foolish thing. To give 241 00:15:59,015 --> 00:16:02,315 in to fear of the enemy is to discount 242 00:16:02,535 --> 00:16:03,035 God. 243 00:16:06,330 --> 00:16:10,090 That was more profound than many of you think that it is. But 244 00:16:10,090 --> 00:16:13,770 to give in to fear of the enemy is to discount God because it's 245 00:16:13,770 --> 00:16:17,450 basically saying, Hey, I'm afraid of 246 00:16:17,450 --> 00:16:19,710 them. You ain't enough. 247 00:16:23,574 --> 00:16:27,415 Not all enemies we face are people. I mean, most of you are 248 00:16:27,415 --> 00:16:31,014 familiar with Paul saying we don't wrestle against flesh and 249 00:16:31,014 --> 00:16:34,774 blood but against powers and principalities and high 250 00:16:34,774 --> 00:16:38,470 places. And and to be honest it's not 251 00:16:38,470 --> 00:16:41,990 actually the the enemy that we fear anyway, it's the enemy's 252 00:16:41,990 --> 00:16:45,589 weapons that we fear. An enemy who has no 253 00:16:45,589 --> 00:16:48,010 weapons, no. 254 00:16:50,565 --> 00:16:54,025 I've got a nine year old grandson who lives next door 255 00:16:55,205 --> 00:16:57,785 and occasionally we fight. 256 00:17:04,005 --> 00:17:07,760 We wrestle. He ain't 257 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,660 ever beat me and 258 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:15,839 I'm He probably isn't going to for another year or 259 00:17:15,839 --> 00:17:19,680 two. I'm 260 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:23,275 not afraid of him. He doesn't have the weapons. 261 00:17:25,335 --> 00:17:28,775 But our enemy has weapons. This is Memorial Day 262 00:17:28,775 --> 00:17:32,235 weekend and, not many of us face the military 263 00:17:32,455 --> 00:17:36,190 type of enemies that these 264 00:17:36,190 --> 00:17:39,549 people face that we celebrate, that we honor. That's 265 00:17:39,549 --> 00:17:43,309 really probably a better word for it. But we 266 00:17:43,309 --> 00:17:47,009 all face dangerous enemies. We face their weapons. 267 00:17:47,395 --> 00:17:50,915 I'm gonna mention three. There's there there are more but I'm I'm gonna mention 268 00:17:50,915 --> 00:17:54,674 three and just throw it up against the wall and see if any of 269 00:17:54,674 --> 00:17:57,735 it sticks. First one is 270 00:17:58,035 --> 00:18:01,730 want. One of the enemies of 271 00:18:01,730 --> 00:18:05,250 the weapon one of the weapons of the enemy is 272 00:18:05,409 --> 00:18:08,929 that we come against is is want. I 273 00:18:08,929 --> 00:18:12,549 can't do that. I I can't give that, I can't 274 00:18:12,690 --> 00:18:16,455 because I may need it. I 275 00:18:16,455 --> 00:18:20,135 I mean seriously if I if I if I if I 276 00:18:20,135 --> 00:18:23,895 tithe, that that's a financial thing, but if I 277 00:18:23,895 --> 00:18:27,434 tithe, what what am I gonna do if I need it? 278 00:18:27,815 --> 00:18:31,240 You know? Or if God says, you know, we'll we'll 279 00:18:31,460 --> 00:18:34,840 feed that person. Well, I I don't know if we got enough food, 280 00:18:35,300 --> 00:18:38,980 you know? Clothe that person. Well, I, you know, I I might 281 00:18:38,980 --> 00:18:39,480 need 282 00:18:43,155 --> 00:18:46,674 I I I need some of these 17 shirts that I've got in 283 00:18:46,674 --> 00:18:50,434 here. I need some of those 18 pair of 284 00:18:50,434 --> 00:18:51,735 shoes that I've got. 285 00:18:54,630 --> 00:18:58,390 Fear of want. The day You know I haven't worn no shoes 286 00:18:58,390 --> 00:19:01,750 in two years but one of these days I'm planning on wearing 287 00:19:01,750 --> 00:19:02,250 them. 288 00:19:05,830 --> 00:19:09,525 So we don't obey God because 289 00:19:09,985 --> 00:19:12,725 we're afraid we might not have what we need. 290 00:19:15,425 --> 00:19:18,565 How about this one? Fear of failure. 291 00:19:19,905 --> 00:19:21,445 I know nobody in here 292 00:19:23,410 --> 00:19:26,550 is faced with that ever. 293 00:19:28,770 --> 00:19:32,450 Well what's the worst that that can happen? I 294 00:19:32,450 --> 00:19:34,390 mean, somebody gonna laugh at you? 295 00:19:36,290 --> 00:19:40,005 I used to direct plays. 296 00:19:41,425 --> 00:19:44,805 And we would have auditions, and people would come in and audition 297 00:19:45,585 --> 00:19:49,205 for for a play. And you know, it was 298 00:19:50,225 --> 00:19:53,919 it it it could get long sometimes, but for the most part it was 299 00:19:53,919 --> 00:19:57,380 pretty good. But you know who the most fun people were 300 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:01,600 to see audition? It was the ones who didn't give a 301 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:05,059 rip if they did poorly, 302 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,255 you know? Yeah, I'm going to audition for 303 00:20:09,255 --> 00:20:09,755 Scrooge. 304 00:20:13,655 --> 00:20:17,174 Bahamba, you know, kind of thing. You sort of go, Well 305 00:20:17,174 --> 00:20:20,950 that's interesting. This is this is fun. This has 306 00:20:20,950 --> 00:20:24,250 kind of woken us up. I'm gonna find a place for that person 307 00:20:25,350 --> 00:20:26,570 because they'll do anything. 308 00:20:30,390 --> 00:20:33,450 And we don't even know what failure is. 309 00:20:35,365 --> 00:20:37,785 We don't know. Have you ever 310 00:20:39,205 --> 00:20:42,985 really wanted something and you didn't get it? 311 00:20:44,005 --> 00:20:47,845 And then I don't know, a day later, month later, a few 312 00:20:47,845 --> 00:20:51,390 years later you went, boy I 313 00:20:51,390 --> 00:20:55,230 dodged a bullet on that one. You thought 314 00:20:55,230 --> 00:20:58,669 you failed, but you actually ended up much better 315 00:20:58,669 --> 00:21:02,429 off. And even worse, have you ever really wanted something and you 316 00:21:02,429 --> 00:21:03,090 got it? 317 00:21:06,025 --> 00:21:09,545 Only to find out a few months later, a few years 318 00:21:09,545 --> 00:21:13,325 later, oh man, what am I gonna do now? 319 00:21:13,705 --> 00:21:16,765 I didn't, I am the proud owner of a bass boat. 320 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:26,880 We we don't we don't we don't even know what failure is. The 321 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:30,420 most obvious looking failure of all time 322 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,300 was the Son of God hanging on the cross 323 00:21:34,534 --> 00:21:37,894 as a common criminal. We considered Him 324 00:21:37,894 --> 00:21:41,595 stricken by God, afflicted by Him, 325 00:21:43,015 --> 00:21:46,534 but He was wounded for our transgressions. He was 326 00:21:46,534 --> 00:21:47,914 bruised for our iniquity. 327 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:54,300 He was supposed to come and redeem Israel. 328 00:21:54,360 --> 00:21:58,040 He was supposed to come and be their Messiah. Well you know what? 329 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,800 He came and he not only redeemed Israel, he redeemed us 330 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:05,375 all. And he is their Messiah and ours as 331 00:22:05,375 --> 00:22:08,895 well. Yet to us it looked like a 332 00:22:08,895 --> 00:22:09,395 failure. 333 00:22:12,654 --> 00:22:15,395 One other thing that we tend to have fear of 334 00:22:16,735 --> 00:22:19,910 is tomorrow. Tomorrow. 335 00:22:23,410 --> 00:22:27,090 Man, I just don't know. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I 336 00:22:27,090 --> 00:22:30,850 got this meeting. I got this I got this interview. I got 337 00:22:30,850 --> 00:22:34,404 this appointment with the doctor. I don't know what they're going to 338 00:22:34,404 --> 00:22:37,144 say. You know, tomorrow, whoo. 339 00:22:38,804 --> 00:22:41,945 Well Jesus said, don't worry about it. 340 00:22:44,164 --> 00:22:47,710 You got enough to worry about today. Don't 341 00:22:47,710 --> 00:22:51,090 add tomorrow's worries to today's worries. 342 00:22:51,630 --> 00:22:55,230 And you know when you get and don't and for sure don't add next 343 00:22:55,230 --> 00:22:59,070 week's worries to today's worries. Yeah, not not 344 00:22:59,470 --> 00:23:03,115 He said, Don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about 345 00:23:03,115 --> 00:23:06,475 itself. It's got some worry when you get there, you can do 346 00:23:06,475 --> 00:23:09,855 that. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 347 00:23:10,955 --> 00:23:12,655 We don't know what tomorrow holds. 348 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:19,280 I I One of my favorite artists is Paul Simon. And 349 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:23,040 I I really like his, sometimes his lyrics just 350 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:26,800 have so much truth in them. You know, all lies and jests, still a 351 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,375 man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest. True 352 00:23:30,375 --> 00:23:34,135 that. Yeah. One man's ceiling is another man's 353 00:23:34,135 --> 00:23:37,275 floor. True that. A couple weeks ago 354 00:23:37,975 --> 00:23:41,735 I, I heard him in concert at the 355 00:23:41,735 --> 00:23:45,435 Ryman. And he sang Slip Sliding Away. 356 00:23:46,180 --> 00:23:49,940 And one of my favorite verses that he ever wrote was 357 00:23:49,940 --> 00:23:53,540 through that song, God Only Knows. God 358 00:23:53,540 --> 00:23:57,240 makes His plan. The information's unavailable 359 00:23:57,300 --> 00:24:00,840 to the mortal man. We do our job, 360 00:24:01,615 --> 00:24:05,154 we get our pay, we think we're 361 00:24:05,294 --> 00:24:08,815 gliding down the highway, when in fact we're slip 362 00:24:08,815 --> 00:24:12,654 sliding away. We don't know what's gonna 363 00:24:12,654 --> 00:24:16,429 happen tomorrow. We we rarely know where 364 00:24:16,429 --> 00:24:17,330 where we're headed. 365 00:24:22,350 --> 00:24:25,090 In fact, you don't really wanna know about the future. 366 00:24:26,475 --> 00:24:29,915 Because I promise you at some point it ain't gonna be 367 00:24:29,915 --> 00:24:33,135 good. And if you knew 368 00:24:34,155 --> 00:24:37,595 about it, you knew what was gonna happen and you knew when it was gonna 369 00:24:37,595 --> 00:24:39,615 happen, that's all you'd think about. 370 00:24:44,789 --> 00:24:48,630 It's enough to know who holds the future. When when 371 00:24:48,630 --> 00:24:51,669 I was growing up there was there was a song that we'd hear in church 372 00:24:51,669 --> 00:24:55,285 for pretty often. I know not 373 00:24:55,285 --> 00:24:59,065 what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. 374 00:24:59,205 --> 00:25:02,105 It's a secret known only to Him. 375 00:25:02,965 --> 00:25:06,665 And I trust Him. And I'm not afraid of tomorrow. 376 00:25:08,150 --> 00:25:11,909 Let's go to Saul's second fear. I mean fear of the enemy we get, 377 00:25:11,909 --> 00:25:15,450 but this one is probably even more pervasive among us 378 00:25:15,590 --> 00:25:18,010 and it is fear of his own people. 379 00:25:19,669 --> 00:25:23,404 And Saul, over in 380 00:25:24,265 --> 00:25:27,945 over in chapter 15 of first Samuel, Saul 381 00:25:27,945 --> 00:25:31,625 was tossed a softball by by the 382 00:25:31,625 --> 00:25:34,825 Lord to and he was supposed to hit it out of the park but he 383 00:25:34,825 --> 00:25:38,179 whiffed. He was told to go and wipe out the 384 00:25:38,179 --> 00:25:40,280 Amalekites. And the Amalekites apparently 385 00:25:42,419 --> 00:25:46,200 weren't much of a challenge. And so he goes and 386 00:25:46,980 --> 00:25:50,705 and he whiffs because of fear. And 387 00:25:51,005 --> 00:25:54,365 after that happens, guess who arrives on the 388 00:25:54,365 --> 00:25:57,885 scene? Samuel. And 389 00:25:57,885 --> 00:26:01,725 now you get to stand up and do the real reading that we were gonna 390 00:26:01,725 --> 00:26:05,080 do today. And I know, you know, you're getting hungry But 391 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:07,700 just just stay with me. 392 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:14,480 Samuel said, although you were once small 393 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,220 in your own eyes, do you not 394 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:22,575 So for Israel, The Lord anointed you king 395 00:26:22,575 --> 00:26:25,955 over Israel and He sent you on a mission 396 00:26:26,095 --> 00:26:29,315 saying, go and completely destroy 397 00:26:29,695 --> 00:26:33,350 those wicked people, the Amalekites. Wage 398 00:26:33,350 --> 00:26:36,730 war against them and wipe them out. 399 00:26:37,270 --> 00:26:40,790 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you 400 00:26:40,790 --> 00:26:44,470 pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the 401 00:26:44,470 --> 00:26:47,955 Lord? But I did obey the Lord, Saul 402 00:26:47,955 --> 00:26:51,315 said. I went on the mission the Lord assigned 403 00:26:51,315 --> 00:26:54,375 me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites 404 00:26:55,075 --> 00:26:58,740 and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers 405 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,720 took sheep and cattle from the plunder. The best of 406 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:06,340 what was devoted to God in order to sacrifice 407 00:27:06,799 --> 00:27:10,465 to the Lord your God at Gilgal. But 408 00:27:10,465 --> 00:27:13,985 Samuel replied, Does the Lord delight in 409 00:27:13,985 --> 00:27:17,664 burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in 410 00:27:17,664 --> 00:27:21,264 obeying the Lord? To obey is better than 411 00:27:21,264 --> 00:27:25,105 sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of 412 00:27:25,105 --> 00:27:28,680 rams. For rebellion is like the sin of 413 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:32,120 divination and arrogance like the evil of 414 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:35,880 idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the 415 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,340 Lord, He has rejected you as king. 416 00:27:40,055 --> 00:27:43,355 Then Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, 417 00:27:43,735 --> 00:27:47,115 I violated the Lord's command and your instructions. 418 00:27:47,895 --> 00:27:51,735 I was afraid of the men and so I gave in 419 00:27:51,735 --> 00:27:54,649 to them. Please be seated. 420 00:27:57,990 --> 00:28:01,690 And read that last sentence again in silence 421 00:28:01,750 --> 00:28:02,490 and pondering. 422 00:28:07,235 --> 00:28:10,215 You can read it out loud, Connie. Yeah. It's okay. 423 00:28:14,515 --> 00:28:18,035 I love Connie. She she doesn't think she's 424 00:28:18,035 --> 00:28:21,840 brave, but she has become brave since I've known 425 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:25,600 her. And that's a fact. Yeah. I usually 426 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:29,059 do this, this teaching for pastors. 427 00:28:29,919 --> 00:28:33,279 And while this is an all too common fear for 428 00:28:33,279 --> 00:28:37,095 leaders, it applies to followers as well. So don't, you know, don't think, 429 00:28:37,095 --> 00:28:40,455 Well, I'm not a leader so you're not talking to me now. Yeah, yeah, I 430 00:28:40,455 --> 00:28:44,294 am actually. In terms of leaders, this is 431 00:28:44,294 --> 00:28:46,235 the Achilles heel of leaders. 432 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:49,820 Being afraid of their own people. 433 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:55,800 It's the Achilles' heel of democracy. It's why stuff doesn't get done 434 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:58,540 right because they're afraid of us. 435 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:03,385 Afraid they're not going to get reelected, you know. So we gotta please 436 00:29:03,385 --> 00:29:07,065 this group or please that group or do do do something right 437 00:29:07,065 --> 00:29:10,685 now rather than something that's gonna be good for the future because 438 00:29:10,905 --> 00:29:13,805 those people ain't voting for me. These people are. 439 00:29:14,730 --> 00:29:18,190 It's also, the bane of the church. 440 00:29:18,890 --> 00:29:22,730 When when I was growing up we we would come and worship the 441 00:29:22,730 --> 00:29:26,170 Lord on on Sunday and then we'd have church business 442 00:29:26,170 --> 00:29:28,670 meeting so that the Devil could get his due. 443 00:29:29,695 --> 00:29:33,455 Because everybody had their own opinion that they had to bring and you know, and 444 00:29:33,455 --> 00:29:36,835 they only caused divisions and all kinds of stuff. 445 00:29:37,134 --> 00:29:40,514 And I hated those things, I really did. 446 00:29:42,690 --> 00:29:45,429 What if Moses had given in to the people? 447 00:29:47,409 --> 00:29:51,169 We wanna go back to Egypt. You know, why why did 448 00:29:51,169 --> 00:29:54,070 you bring us out of here? We don't get enough manna. 449 00:29:54,904 --> 00:29:58,424 We we like more than one day supply. You know, I There was just so 450 00:29:58,424 --> 00:30:02,184 much stuff that if he had been the kind 451 00:30:02,184 --> 00:30:05,865 who would give in in fear to the people, we wouldn't have 452 00:30:05,865 --> 00:30:09,404 never We'd never heard about him, heard about them. 453 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:14,080 But okay, let's let's let's say we're let's say we're talking about 454 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,340 followers. What about your friends? 455 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:21,760 What do you mean my friends? I I don't hang out with bad people. I 456 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:25,435 mean bad bad company corrupts good character and I don't I don't 457 00:30:25,435 --> 00:30:29,275 hang out with bad people. Okay. And I'm certainly not afraid of the 458 00:30:29,275 --> 00:30:33,115 people that I hang out with. Oh, okay. I I hear you. Are you any 459 00:30:33,115 --> 00:30:36,815 different with them than you are when you're here? 460 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:42,600 Are are you any different at work from what you 461 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:46,380 are on Sunday morning? Are are you any different, 462 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:50,865 at school than you are with your family? Are you 463 00:30:50,865 --> 00:30:54,705 different with someone you're trying to impress, than you are 464 00:30:54,705 --> 00:30:57,045 with somebody that you think is beneath you? 465 00:31:02,650 --> 00:31:06,330 Fear of others causes us to lose our real 466 00:31:06,330 --> 00:31:09,929 self. We don't know who we're 467 00:31:09,929 --> 00:31:12,990 all who we are after a while. 468 00:31:14,650 --> 00:31:18,350 I found it hard being a preacher's kid 469 00:31:18,465 --> 00:31:22,085 for a number of reasons. The most obvious of which was, 470 00:31:23,424 --> 00:31:27,184 everybody's looking at you. And you got, you 471 00:31:27,184 --> 00:31:30,544 got you're held to a different standard from everybody and they're 472 00:31:30,544 --> 00:31:33,590 all focusing on you. But 473 00:31:34,130 --> 00:31:37,970 probably even even more difficult than that, though 474 00:31:37,970 --> 00:31:41,570 at the time I didn't recognize it, was the fact that your parents or 475 00:31:41,570 --> 00:31:45,190 your father or mother, whatever, is 476 00:31:45,585 --> 00:31:49,284 up there in church and they're who they are and then they come home 477 00:31:49,424 --> 00:31:51,924 and maybe they're somebody else. 478 00:31:55,745 --> 00:31:59,424 And you and you kind of go, I don't like what I see behind the 479 00:31:59,424 --> 00:31:59,924 curtain. 480 00:32:02,970 --> 00:32:06,730 My parents were quite good at being the same as home 481 00:32:06,730 --> 00:32:10,570 as they were elsewhere, as they were anywhere, actually. But you 482 00:32:10,570 --> 00:32:14,355 but you know the thing is that when you're when you're 10, when 483 00:32:14,355 --> 00:32:17,955 you're 13 and God help you when you're 16 and 484 00:32:17,955 --> 00:32:21,795 17, you know. Just the tiniest little 485 00:32:21,795 --> 00:32:25,475 crack gets magnified. You kind of go, 486 00:32:25,475 --> 00:32:28,830 well you know, you you say this but 487 00:32:28,830 --> 00:32:31,009 you you are that 488 00:32:32,669 --> 00:32:35,570 and I'm not gonna be that way. 489 00:32:37,789 --> 00:32:38,289 Really? 490 00:32:41,775 --> 00:32:44,755 Well let's take this a little a little bit deeper. Let's get specific 491 00:32:46,335 --> 00:32:49,855 with Saul's third fear. And Saul's third fear was fear of the 492 00:32:49,855 --> 00:32:53,429 Lord's favor on another. And 493 00:32:53,429 --> 00:32:56,950 that other was, was David. He was afraid of 494 00:32:56,950 --> 00:33:00,549 David. First Samuel eighteen twelve 495 00:33:00,549 --> 00:33:04,330 says, Saul was afraid of David because 496 00:33:04,870 --> 00:33:08,375 the Lord was with David and had departed from 497 00:33:08,375 --> 00:33:12,054 Saul. Well what what caused 498 00:33:12,054 --> 00:33:15,355 this fear? Really? 499 00:33:16,615 --> 00:33:20,250 Because you see, there are 500 00:33:23,510 --> 00:33:26,730 There's a man I know who used to be 501 00:33:27,510 --> 00:33:29,610 here at the church. He was actually on staff. 502 00:33:30,950 --> 00:33:34,025 And he seemed extremely 503 00:33:34,804 --> 00:33:38,585 confident. And, in fact, 504 00:33:38,885 --> 00:33:42,645 he'd tell you right now, I'm not afraid of anything. Not afraid 505 00:33:42,645 --> 00:33:43,865 of anything, anybody. 506 00:33:46,750 --> 00:33:49,010 And he was good. He was good at his job. 507 00:33:50,429 --> 00:33:53,570 And and I love this guy but we've reconnected 508 00:33:54,669 --> 00:33:58,510 many years later and, you know, he's kind of admitted two 509 00:33:58,510 --> 00:34:02,265 things. Number one, was actually I was afraid 510 00:34:02,265 --> 00:34:05,565 of you. Oh, okay. 511 00:34:05,865 --> 00:34:09,545 Afraid of me? I don't get it but you know, 512 00:34:09,545 --> 00:34:12,445 he's not telling me what I've heard say that so, boo. 513 00:34:13,705 --> 00:34:17,250 And but the second thing is I was 514 00:34:17,250 --> 00:34:20,470 afraid that people were going to find out 515 00:34:20,850 --> 00:34:24,290 that I'm just, that I'm not that good. I'm 516 00:34:24,290 --> 00:34:27,190 afraid people will find out who I really am. 517 00:34:29,105 --> 00:34:32,704 You afraid of anybody? You you 518 00:34:32,704 --> 00:34:35,444 afraid of people finding out who you really are? 519 00:34:36,704 --> 00:34:39,125 Afraid of people getting to know you? 520 00:34:40,625 --> 00:34:41,924 Seeing behind the curtain? 521 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:48,200 The main issue is this, it's not jealousy, it's not envy, 522 00:34:48,200 --> 00:34:51,880 it's not really even insecurity. The main issue is this, 523 00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:53,660 it's misplaced identity. 524 00:34:57,505 --> 00:35:00,405 You draw your identity from the wrong source. 525 00:35:02,785 --> 00:35:06,545 Retirees suffer from this real often, especially pastors. You know, 526 00:35:06,545 --> 00:35:09,685 they're used to being in charge and they're used to 527 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:14,599 people honoring them or or whatever, you know. And then, all 528 00:35:14,599 --> 00:35:18,280 of a sudden they aren't that anymore and it's kind of like, well who am 529 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:22,060 I? Sometimes teachers, 530 00:35:23,485 --> 00:35:26,845 businessmen, you know, whatever it 531 00:35:26,845 --> 00:35:30,365 is, you know, if that become if your 532 00:35:30,365 --> 00:35:32,545 position becomes your identity, 533 00:35:36,450 --> 00:35:38,390 then you got some reason to be afraid. 534 00:35:42,050 --> 00:35:45,730 One of the issues we had here for, for several years, and occasionally it 535 00:35:45,730 --> 00:35:49,250 pops up again, is people unwilling to step aside from their 536 00:35:49,250 --> 00:35:52,045 position for others. 537 00:35:53,944 --> 00:35:57,484 In fact, there'd be times that they weren't even doing the job anymore, 538 00:35:57,944 --> 00:36:00,365 and then we'd say, well, you know what? We're gonna, 539 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:06,000 we're gonna we're gonna let Wade start doing that job. Oh no, no, I'm 540 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,299 ready, I'm I'm ready to do it now, you know. 541 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:12,799 And they weren't ready to do it now, they just weren't ready to let it 542 00:36:12,799 --> 00:36:13,299 go. 543 00:36:18,765 --> 00:36:20,785 Saul feared for his kingdom. 544 00:36:22,445 --> 00:36:25,025 He wasn't afraid that David was gonna kill him. 545 00:36:26,045 --> 00:36:29,805 He he wasn't afraid that David would be bad for Israel, I 546 00:36:29,805 --> 00:36:33,450 mean come on. David fought Israel's battles. 547 00:36:33,990 --> 00:36:36,890 David protected Saul. David had Saul's back. 548 00:36:39,190 --> 00:36:42,570 But he was afraid that he was gonna lose his 549 00:36:42,790 --> 00:36:46,150 kingdom. David was gonna get 550 00:36:46,150 --> 00:36:46,650 it. 551 00:36:50,625 --> 00:36:53,525 And so he was unable to receive the greatest gift 552 00:36:54,385 --> 00:36:58,224 that God gave to him, gave 553 00:36:58,224 --> 00:37:00,885 to his kingdom. David, 554 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:06,559 couldn't receive it. When you know who you are 555 00:37:06,559 --> 00:37:10,400 in Christ, it changes the calculus on everything. When 556 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:14,240 your identity is rooted and grounded in Christ, it changes the 557 00:37:14,240 --> 00:37:18,035 calculus on on everything. When it shifts 558 00:37:18,035 --> 00:37:21,255 from who am I to who am I in Christ. 559 00:37:25,555 --> 00:37:27,575 Yeah I know I'm running a little late but, 560 00:37:29,394 --> 00:37:30,454 just hang on. 561 00:37:34,290 --> 00:37:37,890 I used to do a lot of my major in college was 562 00:37:37,890 --> 00:37:41,090 theater, and I used to do a lot of acting and before I came to 563 00:37:41,090 --> 00:37:44,690 the Lord I mean I was, I was doing that all the time. And you 564 00:37:44,690 --> 00:37:45,990 know what, I was good. 565 00:37:49,015 --> 00:37:52,855 I was good, and I knew it. And I 566 00:37:52,855 --> 00:37:56,535 felt like I'm a really 567 00:37:56,535 --> 00:37:59,755 good actor. And so I enjoyed acting. 568 00:38:00,455 --> 00:38:04,260 I did not enjoy going to the theater, Because when I 569 00:38:04,260 --> 00:38:08,100 went to the theater, one of two things would happen. I would see somebody doing 570 00:38:08,100 --> 00:38:10,360 a role that I should have been doing. 571 00:38:11,780 --> 00:38:15,620 And they weren't very good. And I would be sitting there the whole 572 00:38:15,620 --> 00:38:19,255 time instead of into the play, I'd be sitting there the whole 573 00:38:19,255 --> 00:38:23,015 time going, yeah. That's 574 00:38:23,015 --> 00:38:26,775 not how I'd do it. And it was even worse if they were 575 00:38:26,775 --> 00:38:30,615 great and much better than I could 576 00:38:30,615 --> 00:38:34,130 do it. Because I would sit sit there, 577 00:38:34,130 --> 00:38:37,650 something inside of me, kind of 578 00:38:37,650 --> 00:38:39,910 falling apart I guess, crumbling. 579 00:38:41,569 --> 00:38:45,410 And then I came to Jesus, came to Jesus in 580 00:38:45,410 --> 00:38:49,165 in in my mid twenties and and I didn't know this was gonna happen 581 00:38:49,165 --> 00:38:52,925 because I didn't know it was a problem. Because I 582 00:38:52,925 --> 00:38:56,685 was stupid, and ignorant, and away from the Lord, and 583 00:38:56,685 --> 00:39:00,224 couldn't see things. But I started enjoying 584 00:39:00,365 --> 00:39:03,839 going to the theater. Because if I went and somebody 585 00:39:03,839 --> 00:39:07,440 was really good, I would, wow, that blew me 586 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:11,200 away. I really enjoyed that. And if someone was 587 00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:15,015 really bad, I just go, you know, 588 00:39:15,494 --> 00:39:18,875 God love you. I mean look at what they're doing. 589 00:39:19,414 --> 00:39:23,095 They don't even know their path. They're just up there, they're just up there 590 00:39:23,095 --> 00:39:26,694 having fun and enjoying life and and living it 591 00:39:26,694 --> 00:39:29,800 big. That's, I mean it changed everything. 592 00:39:33,060 --> 00:39:35,240 It's not time for this, I'm gonna tell it anyway. 593 00:39:36,980 --> 00:39:40,725 It's a play called Frost Nixon. And it's about David Frost 594 00:39:40,805 --> 00:39:44,565 and Richard Nixon, and interviews and stuff. And, and 595 00:39:44,565 --> 00:39:48,085 I I I've always 596 00:39:48,085 --> 00:39:51,785 thought that I could play Richard Nixon very well. 597 00:39:53,285 --> 00:39:56,840 And, and Studio ten over in 598 00:39:56,840 --> 00:40:00,520 Franklin did that play, and I thought, oh wow, I'm gonna 599 00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:04,280 audition for Well they already precast Nixon and I was going, oh 600 00:40:04,280 --> 00:40:08,115 well. But then the guy had to drop out and 601 00:40:08,115 --> 00:40:11,875 they asked me to come and audition. And 602 00:40:11,875 --> 00:40:15,555 I did. And I feel like I 603 00:40:15,555 --> 00:40:19,110 nailed it. And they didn't cast me. 604 00:40:19,110 --> 00:40:22,410 They, they cast a friend of mine, 605 00:40:22,870 --> 00:40:26,570 that I had known previous years, named Robert Kiefer. 606 00:40:27,670 --> 00:40:31,290 And I went to see him, I went to see the play, and 607 00:40:32,415 --> 00:40:35,935 Robert was fabulous. He 608 00:40:35,935 --> 00:40:39,535 was fabulous. And and I 609 00:40:39,535 --> 00:40:43,075 remember after after the show, I was in I was in the foyer, 610 00:40:44,330 --> 00:40:48,010 I think they call it a lobby. I was in the lobby and one of 611 00:40:48,010 --> 00:40:51,550 the guys who had been at my audition had decided not to cast me. 612 00:40:52,250 --> 00:40:55,550 I went over to him and I said, you guys 613 00:40:57,525 --> 00:41:00,964 absolutely made the right choice. And it was from the bottom of my heart and 614 00:41:00,964 --> 00:41:04,185 it felt so good to be able to say it. Because my identity was 615 00:41:04,964 --> 00:41:08,533 not in the fact that I I can do a Richard 616 00:41:08,533 --> 00:41:11,820 Dixon or that I was an actor or anything. My identity is in 617 00:41:12,060 --> 00:41:15,840 Jesus Christ and how well somebody else did had no impact 618 00:41:15,980 --> 00:41:19,500 whatsoever on who I 619 00:41:19,500 --> 00:41:20,000 was. 620 00:41:29,015 --> 00:41:32,395 Back in the seventies, people used to say, what are my rights in Christ? 621 00:41:33,175 --> 00:41:36,775 Kinda go, well, you 622 00:41:36,775 --> 00:41:40,295 know, because of bad teaching they thought was 623 00:41:40,295 --> 00:41:42,310 having stuff, and, and, 624 00:41:43,970 --> 00:41:47,810 being never getting sick, or something like that. You 625 00:41:47,810 --> 00:41:50,950 know, having stuff doesn't make you free from want. 626 00:41:52,290 --> 00:41:55,110 In fact, the more stuff you have, the more stuff you want, usually. 627 00:41:56,290 --> 00:42:00,125 Having stuff, having faith makes you free for 628 00:42:00,125 --> 00:42:00,625 want. 629 00:42:04,365 --> 00:42:07,905 Your rights are to die daily, 630 00:42:09,485 --> 00:42:10,625 to forgive others, 631 00:42:14,750 --> 00:42:16,850 to consider others ahead of yourself. 632 00:42:18,590 --> 00:42:22,370 In other words, to take up your cross daily and follow him. 633 00:42:23,095 --> 00:42:26,855 Those are your rights. And if you will exercise those 634 00:42:26,855 --> 00:42:30,235 rights, the more you exercise those right, 635 00:42:30,695 --> 00:42:34,375 the result is that you you find your true self, you 636 00:42:34,375 --> 00:42:37,815 find freedom, you find freedom from 637 00:42:37,815 --> 00:42:40,350 fear. No fear. 638 00:42:41,369 --> 00:42:44,750 Colossians two ten says, in Christ you've been brought to fullness. 639 00:42:46,250 --> 00:42:49,930 Think about what that means. Do you feel like your 640 00:42:49,930 --> 00:42:53,450 life is full? Do you feel like it's it's 641 00:42:53,450 --> 00:42:56,405 fullness? If you don't, it may be because 642 00:42:59,345 --> 00:43:01,125 it's not grounded in Christ. 643 00:43:05,505 --> 00:43:09,280 For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in 644 00:43:09,280 --> 00:43:12,660 God. Stop looking for your life in the wrong 645 00:43:12,720 --> 00:43:16,160 places. Your your life is 646 00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:19,839 not about your politics, it's 647 00:43:19,839 --> 00:43:23,595 not about your position, it's not about your possessions, your pride, 648 00:43:23,595 --> 00:43:26,955 hidden in 649 00:43:29,315 --> 00:43:32,674 Christ. And 650 00:43:35,035 --> 00:43:38,719 then finally, it's hidden in Christ. 651 00:43:39,299 --> 00:43:40,200 And then finally, 652 00:43:43,619 --> 00:43:45,400 do not fear what they fear, 653 00:43:47,380 --> 00:43:50,920 do not be intimidated by them but in your hearts 654 00:43:51,565 --> 00:43:53,185 revere Christ as Lord. 655 00:43:55,245 --> 00:43:58,225 Two options, you can 656 00:43:59,085 --> 00:44:02,845 fear what they fear and be intimidated or you can revere Christ 657 00:44:02,845 --> 00:44:06,650 as Lord in your hearts. Those are in inverse 658 00:44:06,710 --> 00:44:09,369 proportion to one another, inverse ratio. 659 00:44:12,150 --> 00:44:13,770 Many of you watch the news. 660 00:44:15,910 --> 00:44:19,615 It may be your sin that so 661 00:44:19,615 --> 00:44:23,135 easily entangles you. I'm just saying that, 662 00:44:23,135 --> 00:44:26,655 not to be funny, but because it's 663 00:44:26,655 --> 00:44:30,210 true. Because it promotes fear. 664 00:44:30,930 --> 00:44:34,690 But if you will truly revere Christ in your 665 00:44:34,690 --> 00:44:38,310 hearts, your fear doesn't stand a chance 666 00:44:39,650 --> 00:44:41,349 when you stand in his love. 667 00:44:43,410 --> 00:44:47,075 Would you stand with me? Will those who are 668 00:44:47,075 --> 00:44:50,835 gonna pray with people come forward? And 669 00:44:50,835 --> 00:44:52,934 if you need prayer for anything, 670 00:44:54,835 --> 00:44:58,214 especially if there's anything out there that you're feeling fear or anxiety 671 00:44:58,275 --> 00:44:59,835 about, it may be an interview, it may be a doctor's appointment, it may be 672 00:44:59,835 --> 00:45:03,580 a bill that's coming bill that's 673 00:45:03,580 --> 00:45:07,340 coming to I mean, but anything, it doesn't have to be 674 00:45:07,340 --> 00:45:10,940 about fear specifically. We're going to worship for just a few 675 00:45:10,940 --> 00:45:14,780 moments, give you an opportunity, to come and 676 00:45:14,780 --> 00:45:18,179 be prayed for. His brothers and sisters would love to pray with you.