1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,230 I want us to be a church that Satan knows about. 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:07,730 I want us to be a church that Satan has on his radar. 3 00:00:08,089 --> 00:00:09,960 And let me draw the comparison this way. 4 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:11,389 The Dodgers, okay? 5 00:00:12,545 --> 00:00:14,185 Satan, Dodgers. 6 00:00:15,325 --> 00:00:18,415 Anyways, the Dodgers are a team that people are talking about 7 00:00:18,424 --> 00:00:19,435 this offseason, aren't they? 8 00:00:19,875 --> 00:00:20,175 Why? 9 00:00:20,215 --> 00:00:23,935 Because they're signing everyone under God's green earth, or on 10 00:00:23,935 --> 00:00:25,405 God's green earth, under the sun. 11 00:00:25,924 --> 00:00:26,909 They're going out and just signing everyone. 12 00:00:26,910 --> 00:00:28,160 They're throwing money at people. 13 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:33,100 They have spent 445 million dollars this offseason on a handful of players. 14 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,440 Not to mention the money they spent last offseason on Shohei 15 00:00:36,580 --> 00:00:37,610 Otani and everything else. 16 00:00:37,900 --> 00:00:41,230 They are breaking records with the money that they are throwing around and they're 17 00:00:41,230 --> 00:00:46,180 signing everybody and I gotta tell you what, initially my reaction was I hate it. 18 00:00:46,490 --> 00:00:47,020 I hate it! 19 00:00:47,530 --> 00:00:52,200 Because I want some of those players to be other places, but I can't fault them. 20 00:00:52,310 --> 00:00:55,119 If I was a Dodgers fan, by the grace of God I'm not. 21 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,629 But if I was a Dodgers fan I would be sitting in a situation 22 00:00:58,640 --> 00:00:59,479 going, man, this is great. 23 00:00:59,479 --> 00:01:00,289 This is awesome. 24 00:01:00,289 --> 00:01:01,369 What are you complaining about? 25 00:01:01,369 --> 00:01:03,019 They're doing what everybody's supposed to do. 26 00:01:03,019 --> 00:01:03,259 Why? 27 00:01:03,269 --> 00:01:07,600 Because the Dodgers went on the offensive during the free agency season. 28 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:10,859 Take the Miami Marlins by contrast. 29 00:01:11,589 --> 00:01:13,839 They have a total team payroll. 30 00:01:14,305 --> 00:01:17,895 Now, I just told you, the Dodgers have spent 445 million this offseason. 31 00:01:18,275 --> 00:01:21,035 The Miami Marlins have a total team payroll of 60. 32 00:01:21,145 --> 00:01:24,005 4 million for their entire team. 33 00:01:24,283 --> 00:01:26,794 30 of that may not even be on their opening day roster. 34 00:01:27,465 --> 00:01:27,785 Okay? 35 00:01:28,614 --> 00:01:30,095 Imagine being a Marlins fan. 36 00:01:31,250 --> 00:01:33,460 Now, I want you to think about the rest of the league. 37 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,600 When they're looking at their calendar, when they're planning their 38 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,589 season, and they're looking at the matchups that they've got, they're 39 00:01:40,589 --> 00:01:43,640 going to think differently about a weekend series against the Dodgers 40 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:46,369 than they're going to think about a weekend series against the Marlins. 41 00:01:46,850 --> 00:01:49,039 They're going to look at a weekend series against the Dodgers and say, 42 00:01:49,039 --> 00:01:50,190 man, we've got to be on our A game. 43 00:01:50,865 --> 00:01:52,664 They are a threat to us. 44 00:01:52,945 --> 00:01:55,574 They're out there doing things, and they're making an impact. 45 00:01:55,595 --> 00:01:56,425 They're making a difference. 46 00:01:56,425 --> 00:01:57,684 We need to pay attention to them. 47 00:01:57,684 --> 00:01:58,925 They need to be on our radar. 48 00:01:59,535 --> 00:02:02,004 Weekend series against the Marlins, they're thinking, man, who can we 49 00:02:02,005 --> 00:02:04,375 give some time off during that series? 50 00:02:05,345 --> 00:02:08,085 Church, I want us This is the only time you're going to ever hear me say this. 51 00:02:09,195 --> 00:02:10,465 I want us to be like the Dodgers. 52 00:02:14,945 --> 00:02:15,915 Not the Marlins. 53 00:02:17,595 --> 00:02:20,135 In other words, I want us to make a difference. 54 00:02:20,235 --> 00:02:23,685 I want Satan to look at his weekly calendar and say, I gotta pay attention 55 00:02:23,685 --> 00:02:25,235 to when Compass Bible Church is active. 56 00:02:26,344 --> 00:02:27,015 I gotta know. 57 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:32,880 So, when the people of Compass Bible Church are awake and doing life and 58 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,168 engaged in the culture, not just what we're doing right now, yeah, I want them 59 00:02:37,170 --> 00:02:40,770 to be trembling when our church gathers on Sunday morning to worship King Jesus. 60 00:02:41,470 --> 00:02:43,559 I want him to be frightened about it. 61 00:02:44,350 --> 00:02:48,799 But even beyond this meeting time, when we disperse, when we scatter on 62 00:02:48,809 --> 00:02:53,640 mission from this place, man, I want Satan knowing that you guys are a threat 63 00:02:54,168 --> 00:02:55,709 to what he wants to do in this world. 64 00:02:56,679 --> 00:02:59,999 You see, the Bible's clear that Satan is the god of this world. 65 00:03:00,829 --> 00:03:03,499 We could say he's the lord of this culture, if I could put it that way. 66 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:08,710 He governs, he rules presently under the, uh, the permissive 67 00:03:09,150 --> 00:03:10,840 allowance of the Father. 68 00:03:11,540 --> 00:03:13,659 But the Bible says that Satan is the God of this world. 69 00:03:13,659 --> 00:03:14,610 He's the Lord of this culture. 70 00:03:14,610 --> 00:03:19,239 And so, we have a mission to reach, teach, and train people to follow Jesus. 71 00:03:19,239 --> 00:03:23,119 And if we're going to be successful in that mission, then we need to be a church. 72 00:03:23,405 --> 00:03:24,215 That Satan knows about. 73 00:03:25,095 --> 00:03:28,805 Because we have to be a church that's not running from this world. 74 00:03:29,215 --> 00:03:31,944 We need a church that's not retreating from the culture. 75 00:03:32,735 --> 00:03:35,165 But we need to be a church that's engaging the culture in a way that 76 00:03:35,165 --> 00:03:36,915 we're going to be mission successful. 77 00:03:37,744 --> 00:03:38,644 And that's our goal. 78 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:40,109 As a church body. 79 00:03:40,140 --> 00:03:42,160 Take your Bibles, open up to 2nd Peter chapter 3. 80 00:03:43,150 --> 00:03:44,700 Open up to 2nd Peter chapter 3. 81 00:03:45,829 --> 00:03:47,660 As we consider what it looks like to be this church. 82 00:03:47,660 --> 00:03:50,679 See, culture is not a neutral thing for us. 83 00:03:51,490 --> 00:03:54,190 We are either going to be on the offensive, or we're 84 00:03:54,190 --> 00:03:55,230 going to be playing defense. 85 00:03:55,900 --> 00:03:57,720 And again, if we're going to be mission successful as a church, 86 00:03:57,720 --> 00:03:59,440 we have to be on the offensive. 87 00:04:00,260 --> 00:04:03,710 Jesus told Peter, he said, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. 88 00:04:03,750 --> 00:04:07,660 And he said this, the gates of hell Will not prevail against it. 89 00:04:08,430 --> 00:04:09,430 The gates of hell. 90 00:04:09,570 --> 00:04:10,690 What do you have a gate for? 91 00:04:10,730 --> 00:04:11,890 Offense or defense? 92 00:04:12,790 --> 00:04:13,480 Defense. 93 00:04:13,490 --> 00:04:15,429 So what is Jesus implying about the church here? 94 00:04:15,430 --> 00:04:18,980 That the church is the offensive member. 95 00:04:19,939 --> 00:04:23,239 We are to go on the offense and shake the gates of hell, and I want us to be 96 00:04:23,239 --> 00:04:24,420 a type of church that's gonna do that. 97 00:04:25,270 --> 00:04:26,879 If we're gonna do that, what's that gonna look like? 98 00:04:26,899 --> 00:04:28,930 2nd Peter chapter 3, let's begin in verse 11. 99 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,570 Peter says, since all these things are thus to be dissolved, What 100 00:04:32,570 --> 00:04:35,360 sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness? 101 00:04:35,670 --> 00:04:39,740 Waiting for and hastening the coming day of God, because of which the heavens will 102 00:04:39,740 --> 00:04:43,230 be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn. 103 00:04:43,470 --> 00:04:46,479 But according to His promise, we are waiting for new heavens 104 00:04:46,510 --> 00:04:47,274 and a new earth in the future. 105 00:04:47,275 --> 00:04:54,325 Righteousness dwells Peter begins since all these things are thus to be 106 00:04:54,325 --> 00:04:57,735 dissolved if you let your eyes glance back up the page just at verse 10 Even 107 00:04:57,735 --> 00:05:01,905 you'll get an understanding of these things Peter's talking about the end. 108 00:05:01,914 --> 00:05:04,545 He's talking about the final judgment and he's talking about this world He's 109 00:05:04,545 --> 00:05:07,915 talking about the heavenly bodies the constellations the planets the stars 110 00:05:08,215 --> 00:05:11,885 Even in verse 10 talks about the earth that the earth is going to be exposed 111 00:05:11,895 --> 00:05:16,300 its language of judgment And Peter's saying, since all of this is going to 112 00:05:16,300 --> 00:05:19,430 take place, all of these things are going to be dissolved, they're going to be 113 00:05:19,470 --> 00:05:21,280 undone, they're going to be destroyed. 114 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,410 The imagery is that of fire and melting, breaking up, destruction. 115 00:05:26,439 --> 00:05:30,449 Peter asks the church, what sort of people ought we to be? 116 00:05:31,009 --> 00:05:36,780 It's Francis Schaeffer's famous question, how should we then live? 117 00:05:37,540 --> 00:05:38,960 What sort of people ought we should be? 118 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:40,479 How should we then live? 119 00:05:41,015 --> 00:05:43,155 These are the questions that are going to govern the rest of 120 00:05:43,155 --> 00:05:44,275 our time together this morning. 121 00:05:45,025 --> 00:05:47,995 As we consider the world around us and the culture that we find 122 00:05:47,995 --> 00:05:52,005 ourselves in, how do we engage this culture in a way that honors Christ? 123 00:05:53,624 --> 00:05:56,174 What does that look like for us, to make us mission successful? 124 00:05:57,044 --> 00:05:59,734 Probably help by starting to define what culture is. 125 00:06:00,424 --> 00:06:03,174 It's in some ways difficult to define culture adequately. 126 00:06:03,444 --> 00:06:06,344 And that is in part because culture is the water in which we swim. 127 00:06:07,304 --> 00:06:09,905 If you were to talk to a fish, don't do that, because that's weird, but 128 00:06:09,905 --> 00:06:13,564 if you were to talk to a fish, you were to say, hey fish, what's water? 129 00:06:14,004 --> 00:06:16,584 The fish is gonna say, I don't know, what is water? 130 00:06:17,544 --> 00:06:19,025 Because water is all the fish knows. 131 00:06:19,814 --> 00:06:23,224 So in some degree, to some extent, culture is everything. 132 00:06:23,754 --> 00:06:26,914 It is what you are in every single moment of the day. 133 00:06:27,770 --> 00:06:30,570 It's what you take in, it's what you watch, it's some of what you 134 00:06:30,570 --> 00:06:32,730 produce, it's what you contribute to. 135 00:06:33,870 --> 00:06:37,430 But as we think of culture, a lot of times we think of categories like entertainment, 136 00:06:38,090 --> 00:06:43,519 or we think of politics, or we think of our social circles, or we think of work. 137 00:06:44,450 --> 00:06:45,359 We think of art. 138 00:06:46,130 --> 00:06:49,260 These are buckets of culture for us. 139 00:06:49,919 --> 00:06:54,949 And a lot of the culture that we find ourselves in is tainted by the 140 00:06:54,949 --> 00:06:57,060 sinfulness, the brokenness in this world. 141 00:06:57,400 --> 00:06:59,229 And that's just simply the reality. 142 00:06:59,924 --> 00:07:02,954 And we have two choices as the church that I've addressed already. 143 00:07:02,954 --> 00:07:07,054 We can retreat from that and run away and say it's all bad so let's just huddle 144 00:07:07,054 --> 00:07:10,174 up and get rid of everything and just try to hold on until Christ comes back. 145 00:07:10,194 --> 00:07:13,964 Or we can say, how do we engage it effectively in order to be 146 00:07:13,964 --> 00:07:15,194 mission successful as the bride? 147 00:07:16,425 --> 00:07:19,005 So since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what 148 00:07:19,005 --> 00:07:20,125 sort of people ought we to be? 149 00:07:20,155 --> 00:07:20,975 That's the question. 150 00:07:21,665 --> 00:07:24,194 How do we conduct ourselves in this world? 151 00:07:24,195 --> 00:07:26,505 How do we engage in this world? 152 00:07:26,514 --> 00:07:29,155 And the first thing he's going to say is that we need to conduct ourselves 153 00:07:29,165 --> 00:07:32,214 in lives of holiness and godliness. 154 00:07:33,249 --> 00:07:36,729 Those two terms are common words that we hear a lot about in the church. 155 00:07:36,729 --> 00:07:41,770 Holiness, purity, to be set apart, to be consecrated, to be sanctified. 156 00:07:42,539 --> 00:07:44,009 God is holy. 157 00:07:44,009 --> 00:07:45,549 He is the standard of holiness. 158 00:07:45,549 --> 00:07:47,099 We are called to be like Him. 159 00:07:47,099 --> 00:07:49,479 In fact, Peter has even said that in the first letter that he wrote. 160 00:07:50,429 --> 00:07:54,099 So holiness should characterize how we engage with this culture and 161 00:07:54,099 --> 00:07:56,650 then the second thing that needs to characterize how we engage with 162 00:07:56,650 --> 00:07:58,439 this culture is the word godliness. 163 00:07:59,109 --> 00:08:03,799 That we would be like him, like him in his character, like him in 164 00:08:03,799 --> 00:08:06,424 his affections, like him in his thoughts, his words, his actions. 165 00:08:08,405 --> 00:08:09,955 to the extent that we're capable of. 166 00:08:10,695 --> 00:08:13,265 And so as we think about engaging the culture, we're going to look at 167 00:08:13,265 --> 00:08:16,365 three different ways to engage the culture this morning from this passage. 168 00:08:16,365 --> 00:08:18,754 Three different ways to engage the culture this morning from this passage. 169 00:08:19,005 --> 00:08:20,884 The first one we find here in verse 11 is this. 170 00:08:21,085 --> 00:08:23,304 We need to, church, engage carefully. 171 00:08:24,195 --> 00:08:25,404 We need to engage carefully. 172 00:08:25,404 --> 00:08:29,825 If we are going to conduct our lives, conduct ourselves, in lives of holiness 173 00:08:29,854 --> 00:08:33,014 and godliness, then that means we have to be thoughtful, calculated, 174 00:08:33,015 --> 00:08:34,044 intentional, and intentional. 175 00:08:34,463 --> 00:08:39,114 Careful about how we engage with the things that we find in our 176 00:08:39,114 --> 00:08:39,999 lives that make up our lives. 177 00:08:40,510 --> 00:08:40,980 culture. 178 00:08:42,340 --> 00:08:45,070 Peter, I've already referenced it, but in 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 179 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:49,879 15, Peter writes this, As he who called you is holy, that is God, you 180 00:08:49,890 --> 00:08:53,219 also be holy in all your conduct. 181 00:08:53,630 --> 00:08:53,900 Okay? 182 00:08:54,150 --> 00:08:58,090 And so as we engage the culture, as we engage the world around us. 183 00:08:58,790 --> 00:09:01,540 We have to engage the world around us in a holy, in a consecrated, 184 00:09:01,550 --> 00:09:02,860 in a set apart kind of a way. 185 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,020 That means that you can't engage the culture the same way that your unbelieving 186 00:09:06,030 --> 00:09:07,469 neighbor can engage the culture. 187 00:09:07,870 --> 00:09:10,290 You can't participate in the same things that your unbelieving 188 00:09:10,410 --> 00:09:11,610 co worker participates in. 189 00:09:11,870 --> 00:09:15,159 You are called to be set apart, you are called to be different in the way that 190 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:16,749 you go about engaging in the culture. 191 00:09:16,750 --> 00:09:21,980 Peter says in 1 Peter 2, 12, he says, keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable. 192 00:09:22,209 --> 00:09:25,430 Conduct, your way of life, your behavior, alright? 193 00:09:25,430 --> 00:09:27,599 Keep your conduct, the way that you engage with the culture among the 194 00:09:27,599 --> 00:09:30,829 Gentiles, honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, 195 00:09:30,849 --> 00:09:34,449 they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 196 00:09:35,569 --> 00:09:38,099 See, the way that we engage culture, a lot of times we can fall prey 197 00:09:38,099 --> 00:09:39,349 to the mindset of, it's about us. 198 00:09:40,070 --> 00:09:40,940 It's freedom. 199 00:09:40,970 --> 00:09:42,130 It's my time. 200 00:09:42,140 --> 00:09:43,330 It's my free time. 201 00:09:43,340 --> 00:09:44,940 It's, it's, uh, entertainment. 202 00:09:44,950 --> 00:09:45,480 It's these things. 203 00:09:45,670 --> 00:09:47,559 And, and yet here we find that it's ultimately really 204 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:48,730 still about the glory of God. 205 00:09:49,469 --> 00:09:51,849 That the way that we conduct ourselves, the way that we engage with the world 206 00:09:51,849 --> 00:09:55,729 around us is, is always, whether you're at church or sharing the gospel or 207 00:09:55,730 --> 00:09:59,409 sitting at home watching something on TV, meant to be for the glory of God. 208 00:10:00,630 --> 00:10:01,540 What about godliness? 209 00:10:01,589 --> 00:10:02,660 How do we understand godliness? 210 00:10:02,689 --> 00:10:04,399 Titus chapter 1, verse 1. 211 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,620 Paul, a servant of God and of the apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake 212 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:11,350 of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge, here it is, their knowledge of 213 00:10:11,350 --> 00:10:14,209 the truth which accords with godliness. 214 00:10:14,850 --> 00:10:16,429 So, in other words, how do we understand godliness? 215 00:10:16,459 --> 00:10:18,754 We understand godliness through, through our interaction with the 216 00:10:18,754 --> 00:10:21,824 truth, the word of God, John 17, we're going to get there in a few weeks. 217 00:10:22,214 --> 00:10:24,234 Sanctify them in your truth. 218 00:10:24,275 --> 00:10:26,165 Your word is truth. 219 00:10:26,714 --> 00:10:29,584 And so godliness for us as we seek to conduct ourselves in godliness 220 00:10:29,594 --> 00:10:31,425 is governed by the scriptures. 221 00:10:31,874 --> 00:10:34,704 In 2 Peter chapter 1, in the book that we're looking at together 222 00:10:34,704 --> 00:10:37,044 this morning, 2 Peter 1, 3 4. 223 00:10:37,045 --> 00:10:41,275 Peter has said there his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to 224 00:10:41,285 --> 00:10:45,875 life and godliness through the knowledge of him, through the knowledge of Christ. 225 00:10:46,235 --> 00:10:48,834 And so these are the parameters, these are the guidelines that we 226 00:10:48,834 --> 00:10:52,814 are given through which we are to engage with the culture around us. 227 00:10:52,934 --> 00:10:57,194 Godliness and holiness, which is why we must engage carefully. 228 00:10:58,344 --> 00:10:59,235 Let me put it this way. 229 00:10:59,474 --> 00:11:03,104 As you live your life, live your life in such a way that you are aware of the 230 00:11:03,104 --> 00:11:04,995 fact that today matters for tomorrow. 231 00:11:06,094 --> 00:11:10,104 The things that you do today, the way that you engage with the 232 00:11:10,104 --> 00:11:13,555 world and the culture around you today, it has bearing on eternity. 233 00:11:13,584 --> 00:11:14,895 It has bearing on tomorrow. 234 00:11:14,924 --> 00:11:18,204 It has bearing on the day that you stand before Jesus in the bema seat of Christ. 235 00:11:18,804 --> 00:11:21,165 What you do today matters for tomorrow. 236 00:11:21,165 --> 00:11:26,444 Paul says in 1 Timothy chapter 4 verses 7 through 8, 1 Timothy 8, 237 00:11:26,474 --> 00:11:30,334 Paul says this, have nothing to do with irreverent or silly myths. 238 00:11:30,395 --> 00:11:32,884 Rather, train yourself for godliness. 239 00:11:32,904 --> 00:11:33,774 There's our word, godliness. 240 00:11:34,255 --> 00:11:36,125 Train yourself for godliness. 241 00:11:36,314 --> 00:11:40,084 For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value 242 00:11:40,084 --> 00:11:43,905 in every way, as, notice, it holds promise for the present life, 243 00:11:44,634 --> 00:11:45,764 and also for the life to come. 244 00:11:46,655 --> 00:11:48,324 What you do today matters for tomorrow. 245 00:11:49,344 --> 00:11:51,884 Your actions today, the way that you engage, what you 246 00:11:51,884 --> 00:11:53,409 choose to engage in today. 247 00:11:53,750 --> 00:11:57,280 We'll have a bearing on tomorrow, on your future, on eternity. 248 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:01,040 And so we engage culture carefully because we're making eternal decisions. 249 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:04,209 We're making decisions on what we're being entertained by, on the things that we're 250 00:12:04,209 --> 00:12:08,549 engaging with, on the things that we're contri that we're producing even, that 251 00:12:08,549 --> 00:12:11,789 will have a bearing on eternity for us. 252 00:12:12,119 --> 00:12:13,400 It's not just about the here and now. 253 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:15,670 It's not just about the couple hours that you have downtime for. 254 00:12:16,369 --> 00:12:17,819 It's about your eternity as well. 255 00:12:18,219 --> 00:12:20,430 And you may be saying, yeah, but what about Christian liberty? 256 00:12:20,689 --> 00:12:22,569 Don't I have freedom as a Christian? 257 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:26,489 Aren't I able to make choices for myself and for my family? 258 00:12:26,489 --> 00:12:29,770 And can't I do some things that, you know, are morally neutral that 259 00:12:29,770 --> 00:12:31,810 somebody might have a problem with, but I don't have a problem with it. 260 00:12:32,420 --> 00:12:32,800 Fair. 261 00:12:33,294 --> 00:12:36,564 Except, let me remind us that our, even our freedom, our Christian 262 00:12:36,564 --> 00:12:40,074 liberty is meant to be governed by our concern for godliness and holiness. 263 00:12:40,674 --> 00:12:41,105 Paul says in Galatians 5. 264 00:12:41,105 --> 00:12:46,374 13, he says, For you were called to freedom, brothers, only do not use your 265 00:12:46,374 --> 00:12:48,564 freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. 266 00:12:49,254 --> 00:12:51,874 So let's not be quick to say, well, I can engage in this thing over 267 00:12:51,874 --> 00:12:54,544 here because after all, Christian liberty, I'm free to do this. 268 00:12:55,709 --> 00:12:59,299 Okay, but are you creating through that an opportunity for the flesh? 269 00:13:00,740 --> 00:13:02,030 Today matters for tomorrow. 270 00:13:02,860 --> 00:13:07,050 And so, Christian, we need to consider our engagement with this world carefully. 271 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:09,559 Anybody know this lady on the screen? 272 00:13:10,530 --> 00:13:10,949 Maybe not. 273 00:13:11,420 --> 00:13:12,220 Marie Kondo? 274 00:13:12,250 --> 00:13:13,500 Ring a bell for anybody? 275 00:13:14,259 --> 00:13:14,819 No. 276 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:16,319 Kondo. 277 00:13:16,340 --> 00:13:19,079 Okay, some of you are Marie Kondo disciples, the rest of you are like, 278 00:13:19,079 --> 00:13:20,390 I have no idea who that person is. 279 00:13:20,860 --> 00:13:22,240 Could you just grab the image off Google? 280 00:13:22,270 --> 00:13:23,760 I did, but it's apparently her. 281 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:28,130 She is known for helping people purge, right? 282 00:13:28,130 --> 00:13:30,819 She's known for getting in and organizing and cleaning things up. 283 00:13:31,250 --> 00:13:35,250 And the question that she asks, and this is a little odd, but 284 00:13:35,260 --> 00:13:36,699 whatever, to each their own, I guess. 285 00:13:37,209 --> 00:13:40,339 She wants you to take an item in your house and hold it and ask 286 00:13:40,339 --> 00:13:42,119 the question, Does it spark joy? 287 00:13:43,285 --> 00:13:47,135 So grab your pillow when you go home and hold it and say, does this spark joy? 288 00:13:47,345 --> 00:13:49,025 That should be an easy yes, right? 289 00:13:49,525 --> 00:13:50,654 The pillow sparks joy. 290 00:13:51,625 --> 00:13:52,595 Grab your cutting board. 291 00:13:52,875 --> 00:13:54,135 Does this spark joy? 292 00:13:54,385 --> 00:13:55,705 I don't, I don't, I don't know. 293 00:13:55,724 --> 00:13:57,365 It's a, it's a utensil. 294 00:13:57,375 --> 00:14:00,334 I use it for things, but she wants you to ask, does it spark joy? 295 00:14:00,335 --> 00:14:04,014 And the implication is if it doesn't, then you don't need it. 296 00:14:04,015 --> 00:14:07,785 If it doesn't promote joy in your life, then you got to get rid of it. 297 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:10,620 And certainly, she would say, if it promotes something other 298 00:14:10,620 --> 00:14:11,950 than joy, the opposite of joy. 299 00:14:12,410 --> 00:14:16,650 If that item causes you frustration, or consternation, or stress, get rid of it. 300 00:14:16,670 --> 00:14:17,709 You don't need it in your life. 301 00:14:17,790 --> 00:14:18,100 Right? 302 00:14:18,549 --> 00:14:20,830 Well, Christian, I want to rephrase that, if I can. 303 00:14:21,450 --> 00:14:23,940 And I want us to think about our engagement with the culture this way. 304 00:14:24,189 --> 00:14:26,529 Does it spark godliness and holiness? 305 00:14:28,030 --> 00:14:30,960 When we think about what we are engaging in, and again, all those 306 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:36,310 different buckets, entertainment, social circles, art, you know, our, our, 307 00:14:36,380 --> 00:14:40,850 Our, our free time, what we, what we choose to do, uh, books that we read. 308 00:14:41,390 --> 00:14:44,870 I think an important question is does it spark godliness and holiness? 309 00:14:45,540 --> 00:14:48,929 Now it's not that every single thing that you do, every single element of culture 310 00:14:48,929 --> 00:14:52,439 is going to make you a more godly person, but there's certainly a lot in culture 311 00:14:52,439 --> 00:14:53,900 that can make you a less godly person. 312 00:14:54,770 --> 00:14:57,470 And I'd be right there saying with Marie Kondo, if you're holding something 313 00:14:57,470 --> 00:15:00,140 that, or considering something you would say, man, this does not spark 314 00:15:00,170 --> 00:15:04,430 godliness, it sparks ungodliness, that's a clear as day solution. 315 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:04,850 Get rid of it. 316 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:07,300 That is not something that we as Christians need to be 317 00:15:07,300 --> 00:15:08,430 engaging with in this culture. 318 00:15:09,180 --> 00:15:10,930 We have to engage carefully, engage thoughtfully. 319 00:15:11,110 --> 00:15:13,670 Uh, parents, I want to ask you, are you thoughtful and careful about 320 00:15:13,670 --> 00:15:16,389 what you are allowing into your home from the culture's perspective? 321 00:15:17,570 --> 00:15:19,580 Pastor Rod just did a whole retreat on this idea. 322 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:23,590 Did you know, the Wall Street Journal did this study, so this is 323 00:15:23,590 --> 00:15:27,820 not some like closeted Christian group that has plugged their ears 324 00:15:27,820 --> 00:15:28,820 and buried their heads in the sand. 325 00:15:29,090 --> 00:15:32,509 Wall Street Journal did a study on Instagram's algorithm, and it did this. 326 00:15:32,510 --> 00:15:36,950 It is designed, the algorithm is designed to deliver sexually suggestive content 327 00:15:36,980 --> 00:15:38,610 to users as young as 13 years old. 328 00:15:39,319 --> 00:15:42,949 And within 20 minutes of scrolling through reels, they will encounter 329 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:44,290 something graphic and obscene. 330 00:15:46,549 --> 00:15:49,959 I remember growing up around the time that, uh, the, the internet was 331 00:15:49,959 --> 00:15:53,439 coming on the scene and the idea of having a computer in your bedroom. 332 00:15:54,130 --> 00:15:55,939 And that, that's just a gateway to immorality. 333 00:15:55,939 --> 00:15:57,760 And some of you parents are like, well, I don't have a computer in 334 00:15:57,760 --> 00:15:59,920 my kid's bedroom, but you let them take their phone into the room. 335 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:03,139 Um, the gateway is there. 336 00:16:04,129 --> 00:16:07,520 In fact, if I can press in on an, on an issue by extension of this, just for 337 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:10,759 all of us, not just our our families, we certainly need to protect our families. 338 00:16:11,060 --> 00:16:15,109 But y'all pornography use among American adults has risen from 55% in 339 00:16:15,109 --> 00:16:19,459 2020 or 2015 rather to 61% in 2024. 340 00:16:20,390 --> 00:16:24,079 61% of adults are saying, yeah, I use pornography on a regular basis. 341 00:16:25,339 --> 00:16:28,699 In 2018, one study found that 91.5% 342 00:16:28,699 --> 00:16:29,030 of men. 343 00:16:29,260 --> 00:16:31,749 surveyed, ages 18 to 73. 344 00:16:31,930 --> 00:16:32,989 91. 345 00:16:33,030 --> 00:16:38,729 5 percent of men in this 2018 survey, ages 18 to 73, and 60. 346 00:16:38,939 --> 00:16:42,079 2 percent of women in the same category said that they had accessed porn at 347 00:16:42,079 --> 00:16:43,519 least one time in the last month. 348 00:16:45,339 --> 00:16:46,649 91. 349 00:16:46,649 --> 00:16:47,240 5 percent of men. 350 00:16:50,939 --> 00:16:54,119 That's why I'm talking about engaging with our culture carefully here at the outset. 351 00:16:55,420 --> 00:16:56,400 What are we allowing in? 352 00:16:58,280 --> 00:16:59,669 How about just the video games? 353 00:17:00,849 --> 00:17:03,119 That we're spending hours and hours and hours in front of. 354 00:17:04,589 --> 00:17:07,409 And I'm not just talking about GTA whatever that's about to come out. 355 00:17:09,449 --> 00:17:11,420 If it's not video games, let me put it this way. 356 00:17:11,550 --> 00:17:15,459 Whatever our mindless passive intake sessions are, your mindless passive 357 00:17:15,460 --> 00:17:19,490 intake session, whatever that is, if it's scrolling reels, if it's binge 358 00:17:19,490 --> 00:17:24,160 watching a show, if it's watching movies on Netflix, how much of your life is 359 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:26,550 spent just disengaged and unplugged? 360 00:17:27,980 --> 00:17:30,680 And you're allowing culture to just happen to you. 361 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:34,289 And you gotta go, I don't think it's affecting me. 362 00:17:34,290 --> 00:17:37,329 That commercial jingle that comes on every once in a while that you heard 363 00:17:37,330 --> 00:17:39,679 and the last time you heard it was 30 years ago and you can remember that 364 00:17:39,679 --> 00:17:41,639 culture, that, that commercial jingle? 365 00:17:42,854 --> 00:17:46,784 Call 267 8433 because the next best thing to do is Dalworth Clean. 366 00:17:47,384 --> 00:17:49,124 Grew up listening to that, it's still there. 367 00:17:50,054 --> 00:17:53,374 Whatever you're singing, Cars for Kids or whatever the jingle is that's 368 00:17:53,374 --> 00:17:55,745 in your mind, you're welcome for all these by the way, free of charge. 369 00:17:58,104 --> 00:17:59,714 You didn't set out to memorize that. 370 00:18:01,174 --> 00:18:03,504 That embedded itself in your mind because you heard it over and 371 00:18:03,504 --> 00:18:04,414 over and over and over again. 372 00:18:05,404 --> 00:18:10,124 See church, when we turn our minds off, we become students to the culture. 373 00:18:11,235 --> 00:18:13,614 And we just have to ask ourselves, what are we becoming students to? 374 00:18:14,184 --> 00:18:15,164 What are we taking in? 375 00:18:15,574 --> 00:18:19,044 It's not that there's not an appropriate time to disengage, to rest. 376 00:18:19,044 --> 00:18:21,445 It's not that there's not an appropriate time to, to look at 377 00:18:21,445 --> 00:18:22,594 a funny reel every now and then. 378 00:18:23,695 --> 00:18:26,534 But we always have to consider the, the, the governing command 379 00:18:26,534 --> 00:18:30,165 here from Peter, conduct yourself with holiness and godliness. 380 00:18:31,585 --> 00:18:36,905 We need to guard against massive, the, the, the mindless passive intake that 381 00:18:37,174 --> 00:18:39,694 is just plaguing our society right now. 382 00:18:42,564 --> 00:18:43,344 Whatever it is. 383 00:18:43,715 --> 00:18:47,265 We need to make sure that the corrupting influences of the world and the culture 384 00:18:47,275 --> 00:18:51,185 have not taken heart, taken root in our own hearts, but then beyond that, even 385 00:18:51,185 --> 00:18:55,055 in our homes, we need to be willing to do the hard work to get rid of it if it has. 386 00:18:57,274 --> 00:19:00,175 Parents, you can take your kid's social media accounts away. 387 00:19:01,925 --> 00:19:02,705 It's allowable. 388 00:19:03,715 --> 00:19:04,945 In fact, there are times you should. 389 00:19:06,545 --> 00:19:08,655 Parents, you can remove the phone. 390 00:19:09,279 --> 00:19:10,019 from your kids. 391 00:19:10,110 --> 00:19:12,509 You can tell them they're not allowed to take it into their bedrooms. 392 00:19:14,579 --> 00:19:15,399 That's your right. 393 00:19:15,439 --> 00:19:17,479 God has given you stewardship over their life. 394 00:19:18,039 --> 00:19:21,199 And if you just want them to like you and you're sending them 395 00:19:21,199 --> 00:19:22,529 away with that loaded weapon, 396 00:19:24,809 --> 00:19:27,529 then you are going to reap horrific consequences as a result. 397 00:19:30,149 --> 00:19:32,689 We need to be on the front lines of guarding our homes. 398 00:19:34,070 --> 00:19:36,080 Again, this is not a retreat mentality. 399 00:19:37,185 --> 00:19:40,095 But this is about understanding the danger that exists. 400 00:19:40,145 --> 00:19:41,285 Why does any of this matter? 401 00:19:41,285 --> 00:19:42,645 Well, because of what he says next. 402 00:19:42,645 --> 00:19:43,625 He says the end is coming. 403 00:19:43,625 --> 00:19:44,775 Jesus is coming back. 404 00:19:45,245 --> 00:19:46,705 These things are going to be dissolved. 405 00:19:47,654 --> 00:19:50,604 And for us as Christians, there's going to be three responses to Christ's return. 406 00:19:50,604 --> 00:19:53,644 Number one, well, for us as Christians, there's two responses of these three. 407 00:19:53,644 --> 00:19:55,845 For the third, it's not a Christian response. 408 00:19:56,405 --> 00:19:58,125 Response number one is, will you be ready? 409 00:19:59,009 --> 00:20:00,389 Some are gonna be ready for his return. 410 00:20:01,050 --> 00:20:02,459 Okay, Matthew chapter 24. 411 00:20:03,060 --> 00:20:05,669 Matthew chapter 24, verses 44 through 46. 412 00:20:05,850 --> 00:20:09,179 The wise and faithful servant that's found doing what his master commanded him to do. 413 00:20:09,179 --> 00:20:09,929 Verse 46. 414 00:20:10,169 --> 00:20:15,239 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes, man, 415 00:20:15,239 --> 00:20:17,820 I wanna be ready for the return of Christ when he comes back for the bride. 416 00:20:18,989 --> 00:20:19,919 Are you gonna be found ready? 417 00:20:20,639 --> 00:20:24,780 The second thing is, Christian, you might be found ashamed at the return of Christ. 418 00:20:26,219 --> 00:20:27,270 One John 2 28. 419 00:20:28,230 --> 00:20:28,619 1 John 2. 420 00:20:28,620 --> 00:20:32,300 28, Now little children abide in him, so that when he appears we 421 00:20:32,300 --> 00:20:36,300 may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 422 00:20:37,180 --> 00:20:40,839 Christians, there's a very real danger that we might be doing something that we 423 00:20:40,839 --> 00:20:43,639 would be embarrassed when Christ comes back for his bride to be found doing. 424 00:20:45,590 --> 00:20:47,500 And that has a lot to do with how we engage with this culture. 425 00:20:47,500 --> 00:20:52,079 Third, there are some that aren't believers, that when he comes 426 00:20:52,079 --> 00:20:53,540 back are going to be found sorry. 427 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:57,080 They're going to be found sorry, and this is Luke chapter 12. 428 00:20:57,110 --> 00:21:01,939 This is the fool who amassed multiple possessions, and he built bigger barns. 429 00:21:01,939 --> 00:21:06,170 And then Jesus says, Fool, this night your soul is required of you, and the things 430 00:21:06,170 --> 00:21:07,400 you have prepared, whose will they be? 431 00:21:09,094 --> 00:21:12,554 There are some that are going to give themselves to culture and amass as 432 00:21:12,554 --> 00:21:17,175 much pleasure and satisfaction in the culture as they can possibly get, only 433 00:21:17,175 --> 00:21:21,034 in the end to hear Christ say, fool, what is the profit of man to gain 434 00:21:21,034 --> 00:21:22,475 the world but to forfeit his soul? 435 00:21:23,635 --> 00:21:27,405 And so church, we must be careful in the way that we engage culture. 436 00:21:28,135 --> 00:21:30,955 Part of being a church on the offensive is to be thoughtful and 437 00:21:30,955 --> 00:21:33,165 careful and calculated in this. 438 00:21:34,014 --> 00:21:35,514 Because if we're not, we're going to be sidelined. 439 00:21:35,764 --> 00:21:36,725 We're not going to be effective. 440 00:21:37,865 --> 00:21:38,865 So engage carefully. 441 00:21:40,254 --> 00:21:40,845 Engage carefully. 442 00:21:40,855 --> 00:21:44,135 Second though, verse 12, waiting for and hastening the coming day of God, 443 00:21:44,514 --> 00:21:47,815 because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved and the 444 00:21:47,815 --> 00:21:50,964 heavenly bodies will melt as they burn. 445 00:21:51,750 --> 00:21:53,930 The second point this morning is this, engage evangelistically. 446 00:21:55,350 --> 00:21:58,559 Engage evangelistically. 447 00:21:58,639 --> 00:22:00,879 This is maybe what you thought you were coming to hear a whole 448 00:22:00,879 --> 00:22:03,529 sermon about this morning, is you thought about engaging the culture. 449 00:22:04,449 --> 00:22:05,709 And this is a big part of it. 450 00:22:06,010 --> 00:22:09,399 And here we see it, waiting for and hastening the coming day of God. 451 00:22:09,419 --> 00:22:13,540 Now, there's two motivations that we find in this text for why We should be 452 00:22:13,550 --> 00:22:15,159 engaging the culture evangelistically. 453 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,590 The first motivation is this, we want to see Jesus. 454 00:22:19,249 --> 00:22:20,709 I hope, Christians, you want to see Jesus. 455 00:22:20,739 --> 00:22:23,350 I hope you want to see him, see Jesus as quickly as you can. 456 00:22:24,030 --> 00:22:26,409 That he holds that place in your heart, that you are longing 457 00:22:26,409 --> 00:22:27,509 for the return of Christ. 458 00:22:27,889 --> 00:22:30,429 If you are longing for the return of Christ, as we should, Christians, 459 00:22:30,429 --> 00:22:34,219 then you have a, a role to play in that and can actually, as the 460 00:22:34,219 --> 00:22:36,800 text says here, hasten his return. 461 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,359 through engaging the culture evangelistically. 462 00:22:40,360 --> 00:22:42,459 The NIV says that we can speed its coming. 463 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,570 That's the idea here, but, but the question may be percolating right 464 00:22:47,570 --> 00:22:51,229 now in your mind, how in the world can I speed up the return of Christ? 465 00:22:51,699 --> 00:22:54,039 How do I have a say in when Christ is going to return? 466 00:22:54,415 --> 00:22:55,835 I thought that's only up to the Father. 467 00:22:56,305 --> 00:22:57,355 It is up to the Father. 468 00:22:57,765 --> 00:23:00,935 But the Father's going to use the church in accomplishing that mission. 469 00:23:01,745 --> 00:23:02,845 Romans 11. 470 00:23:02,845 --> 00:23:03,345 25 says this. 471 00:23:03,365 --> 00:23:06,044 Paul's talking about Israel, but it brings the point home in the 472 00:23:06,045 --> 00:23:07,394 last part of this verse here. 473 00:23:08,354 --> 00:23:09,495 Paul writes in Romans 11. 474 00:23:09,495 --> 00:23:12,515 25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be 475 00:23:12,535 --> 00:23:14,055 unaware of this mystery, brothers. 476 00:23:14,195 --> 00:23:16,145 A partial hardening has come upon Israel. 477 00:23:16,499 --> 00:23:20,009 Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 478 00:23:20,409 --> 00:23:20,729 Okay? 479 00:23:20,969 --> 00:23:23,870 The fullness of the Gentiles is talking about the church. 480 00:23:24,129 --> 00:23:27,649 And so what Paul is writing here, Romans 11, is he's saying, Israel has 481 00:23:27,649 --> 00:23:32,479 been sidelined for a moment until the fullness of the Gentiles, the fullness 482 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:33,604 of the church has been brought in. 483 00:23:33,944 --> 00:23:35,174 What does that imply? 484 00:23:35,544 --> 00:23:38,564 That implies that there is a fullness, there's a number, there's 485 00:23:38,564 --> 00:23:41,485 a completion to the bride of Christ. 486 00:23:42,084 --> 00:23:46,814 And so that means this, Christian, you, this week, could be the one to share the 487 00:23:46,814 --> 00:23:49,444 gospel with the last person to be saved. 488 00:23:49,764 --> 00:23:53,654 The last Gentile to be brought in to the church, signaling and 489 00:23:53,654 --> 00:23:54,974 setting off the return of Christ. 490 00:23:56,170 --> 00:24:00,020 This is how you and I can speed the return of Christ. 491 00:24:00,550 --> 00:24:03,360 The more we're sharing the gospel with people, the more people get 492 00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:05,329 saved, the faster Jesus comes back. 493 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:11,670 It's, it's, the, the, the tragedy of the, the church that we don't 494 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:15,630 recognize that, that, that, that, That's something that's a tool in our belt. 495 00:24:16,610 --> 00:24:17,920 In fact, one commentator put it this way. 496 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:18,920 Michael Green said this. 497 00:24:19,500 --> 00:24:24,490 It is Christian listlessness, disobedience, and lovelessness, 498 00:24:24,930 --> 00:24:26,910 which delay the coming day of God. 499 00:24:28,239 --> 00:24:33,040 It's Christian listlessness, disobedience, and lovelessness, 500 00:24:33,410 --> 00:24:35,100 which delay the coming day of God. 501 00:24:35,750 --> 00:24:38,370 The fact that the church has sat on our hands for far too long 502 00:24:38,370 --> 00:24:41,030 as far as witnessing to people, evangelizing, sharing the gospel 503 00:24:41,030 --> 00:24:44,360 with people, that's part of what is delaying the return of Christ. 504 00:24:45,810 --> 00:24:48,390 And so if you want to hasten, if you want to see Jesus more quickly, 505 00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:50,870 engage the culture evangelistically. 506 00:24:51,210 --> 00:24:54,130 The second motivation of why we engage the culture evangelistically, though, is 507 00:24:54,130 --> 00:24:57,700 not just seeing Jesus, but also sparing the loss from the judgment that's coming. 508 00:25:00,360 --> 00:25:03,129 Back in our text, in verse 12, it says, waiting for and 509 00:25:03,139 --> 00:25:05,740 hastening the coming day of God. 510 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:07,669 The coming day of God. 511 00:25:07,669 --> 00:25:11,030 This parallels the Old Testament concept of the day of Yahweh, the day of the Lord. 512 00:25:12,409 --> 00:25:15,760 And just listen from Isaiah 13, verses 6 through 13. 513 00:25:15,769 --> 00:25:18,430 You can write that passage down, it's too long for me to put up on the screens 514 00:25:18,430 --> 00:25:21,359 here, but Isaiah 13, verses 6 through 13. 515 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:24,909 Just listen to the description of the coming day of the Lord. 516 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,444 Isaiah writes this, For the day of the Lord is near. 517 00:25:30,094 --> 00:25:32,624 As destruction from the Almighty, it will come. 518 00:25:33,154 --> 00:25:35,434 Therefore all hands will be feeble. 519 00:25:35,744 --> 00:25:37,364 Every human heart will melt. 520 00:25:37,614 --> 00:25:38,854 They will be dismayed. 521 00:25:39,024 --> 00:25:40,934 Pangs and agony will seize them. 522 00:25:41,154 --> 00:25:43,264 They will be in anguish like a woman in labor. 523 00:25:43,414 --> 00:25:45,214 They will look aghast at one another. 524 00:25:45,335 --> 00:25:47,104 Their Faces will be a flame. 525 00:25:47,644 --> 00:25:51,334 Behold, the day of the Lord comes cruel with wrath and fierce anger 526 00:25:51,544 --> 00:25:55,624 to make the land a desolation and destroy its sinners from it for 527 00:25:55,624 --> 00:25:58,924 the stars of the heavens, and their constellations will not give their light. 528 00:25:59,224 --> 00:26:00,664 The sun will be dark. 529 00:26:00,915 --> 00:26:03,195 At its rising and the moon will not shed its light. 530 00:26:03,905 --> 00:26:07,435 I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. 531 00:26:07,715 --> 00:26:10,594 I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant and lay low the 532 00:26:10,594 --> 00:26:12,064 pompous pride of the ruthless. 533 00:26:12,415 --> 00:26:16,725 I will make people more rare than fine gold and mankind than the gold of Ophir. 534 00:26:17,189 --> 00:26:21,149 Therefore, I will make the heavens tremble and the earth will be shaken out 535 00:26:21,149 --> 00:26:26,429 of its place at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger, 536 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:32,840 one Peter three 12 waiting for and hastening that day. 537 00:26:34,389 --> 00:26:38,800 Another motivation for us getting out and invasion, engaging, excuse me, 538 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,889 engaging the culture evangelistically is we don't want to spare as many 539 00:26:41,889 --> 00:26:43,090 people as possible from that day. 540 00:26:45,149 --> 00:26:45,720 And you say, but. 541 00:26:47,250 --> 00:26:48,580 Do we have the power to be able to do that? 542 00:26:50,550 --> 00:26:51,720 Inherently in us. 543 00:26:52,830 --> 00:26:55,030 And in short, the answer is no. 544 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:57,870 Right, and I think we understand that. 545 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:02,199 We don't have the power to save anyone in here. 546 00:27:02,809 --> 00:27:05,250 If we did, there wouldn't be an unbeliever in our midst. 547 00:27:07,350 --> 00:27:10,459 But on the other hand, simply because you are unable to affect true 548 00:27:10,459 --> 00:27:14,499 repentance in a person's heart, does not mean that you are powerless to do 549 00:27:14,539 --> 00:27:16,209 anything for the lost in your life. 550 00:27:17,799 --> 00:27:18,409 Romans 10. 551 00:27:19,499 --> 00:27:20,159 Paul says, 552 00:27:23,310 --> 00:27:25,459 But then he goes on he says, but how are they going to call on him 553 00:27:26,629 --> 00:27:30,009 in whom they've never heard, right? 554 00:27:31,089 --> 00:27:34,409 And then Paul goes on to say, he says, how are they going to hear about this one? 555 00:27:35,249 --> 00:27:38,599 Unless somebody preaches, tells them about him. 556 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:44,749 And so what Paul is saying here is that God uses a us, as his servants, 557 00:27:44,789 --> 00:27:48,539 as his mouthpiece, as his vessels, to bring the message of salvation 558 00:27:48,539 --> 00:27:51,839 to the lost in this world, and he is the one that then saves them through 559 00:27:51,839 --> 00:27:52,969 the proclamation of that message. 560 00:27:53,239 --> 00:27:54,499 So can you save anyone? 561 00:27:54,509 --> 00:27:55,699 No, you can't save anyone. 562 00:27:55,699 --> 00:27:56,999 But do you have the message that does? 563 00:27:57,039 --> 00:27:57,929 Yes, you do. 564 00:27:58,819 --> 00:28:02,039 And so we can engage evangelistically under the motivation of wanting to 565 00:28:02,039 --> 00:28:04,889 spare the lost from this judgment, because we have the message that 566 00:28:04,899 --> 00:28:07,229 is capable of seeing that happen. 567 00:28:07,419 --> 00:28:11,370 This is why Jesus told the church, go therefore and make disciples. 568 00:28:11,370 --> 00:28:11,384 Amen. 569 00:28:12,944 --> 00:28:17,874 The, the main verb there is not go, it's make disciples. 570 00:28:18,034 --> 00:28:19,864 That's the imperative of the church. 571 00:28:20,184 --> 00:28:24,534 Now, we don't, like I just said, have the power to actually make anyone a disciple, 572 00:28:24,534 --> 00:28:26,104 but we have the message that does. 573 00:28:26,414 --> 00:28:30,494 And so as we engage the culture evangelistically, we can go out with 574 00:28:30,494 --> 00:28:33,454 that message and see loss come to faith in Christ and see them spared 575 00:28:33,634 --> 00:28:35,134 from that ultimate day of death. 576 00:28:35,184 --> 00:28:39,094 of judgment in Acts chapter 1 verse 8, Paul talked about, or 577 00:28:39,304 --> 00:28:43,204 Jesus rather talked about, being witnesses to the ends of the earth. 578 00:28:43,214 --> 00:28:45,884 And that's our job right now, church, we're there, we're at the ends of 579 00:28:45,884 --> 00:28:50,974 the earth, and we need to be his witnesses, engaging evangelistically. 580 00:28:51,254 --> 00:28:52,194 Two ways to do this. 581 00:28:52,974 --> 00:28:56,244 You can engage evangelistically in this culture actively and passively. 582 00:28:56,259 --> 00:28:58,999 I want to talk about passively first, both are legitimate. 583 00:29:00,039 --> 00:29:02,599 You can engage passively, and here's the question as you 584 00:29:02,619 --> 00:29:03,939 consider engaging passively. 585 00:29:04,179 --> 00:29:08,789 What do your lost neighbors, co workers, family members, see in you, 586 00:29:08,979 --> 00:29:13,239 hear from you, that bears witness to the light that dwells within you? 587 00:29:14,549 --> 00:29:14,919 Put it a different way. 588 00:29:15,300 --> 00:29:20,649 How do your lost people in your life, how do they see that you're different? 589 00:29:20,699 --> 00:29:22,439 How do they see the light in you? 590 00:29:23,749 --> 00:29:27,870 Uh, you and, you can engage the culture evangelistically in this passive sense. 591 00:29:27,879 --> 00:29:31,959 For example, if you're at work or you're around some people in the neighborhood 592 00:29:31,959 --> 00:29:34,769 and they start bringing up and talking about the latest TV MA show that 593 00:29:34,790 --> 00:29:36,360 everybody's been watching on Netflix. 594 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:38,489 And you're sitting there as a Christian who said, I'm not gonna 595 00:29:38,489 --> 00:29:40,050 watch that because it dishonors God. 596 00:29:40,300 --> 00:29:43,699 And you Are able to say they ask you your thoughts and you go, you 597 00:29:43,699 --> 00:29:47,069 know what actually I haven't seen that show It's it's something 598 00:29:47,069 --> 00:29:49,089 that I have chosen not to watch. 599 00:29:49,359 --> 00:29:51,259 Oh, well, tell me why you why don't you watch it? 600 00:29:51,269 --> 00:29:55,029 Everybody's watching this show Because morally I feel like it crosses some lines 601 00:29:55,029 --> 00:29:56,519 that I'm just I'm as a follower of Jesus. 602 00:29:56,519 --> 00:30:01,254 I'm not comfortable with oh Like what I go to church. 603 00:30:01,294 --> 00:30:01,964 I'm a Christian. 604 00:30:01,964 --> 00:30:02,624 I watch the show. 605 00:30:02,624 --> 00:30:06,184 What, what, what are you talking, like, help me understand this. 606 00:30:07,624 --> 00:30:10,494 And then you get into a conversation about sanctification. 607 00:30:10,504 --> 00:30:13,224 You get into a conversation about godliness and holiness. 608 00:30:13,224 --> 00:30:16,554 That's a, a passive way to engage the culture evangelistically. 609 00:30:17,704 --> 00:30:18,784 Winsomely, right? 610 00:30:19,144 --> 00:30:22,054 Not as in a holier than thou, but in a way that you are loving 611 00:30:22,054 --> 00:30:24,344 and you're communicating, you're speaking truth and love there. 612 00:30:24,764 --> 00:30:27,284 You can also engage the evangelistically in a passive sense 613 00:30:27,284 --> 00:30:29,434 when you just don't use profanity. 614 00:30:30,514 --> 00:30:32,855 that becomes the lingua franca of the workplace, or the 615 00:30:32,855 --> 00:30:34,814 school, or the neighborhood. 616 00:30:36,485 --> 00:30:38,665 Y'all, it's not hard not to swear. 617 00:30:40,575 --> 00:30:42,445 And that's a way for us to stand out. 618 00:30:42,485 --> 00:30:45,345 In fact, you could even take it another step further. 619 00:30:45,635 --> 00:30:48,275 If you're having a conversation with somebody, and they are using the 620 00:30:48,275 --> 00:30:51,265 language, you could say, Hey, would you mind not using that word around me? 621 00:30:51,265 --> 00:30:57,935 It just, it, it, it bothers me, uh, it, uh, it offends my, my jealousy for my God. 622 00:30:59,135 --> 00:31:00,185 And, and I get it, that's hard. 623 00:31:00,395 --> 00:31:03,244 Because you don't want to come across as the guy that, that's unrelatable, you 624 00:31:03,244 --> 00:31:05,984 don't want to come across as the person that's holier than thou, and that's why 625 00:31:05,985 --> 00:31:09,925 we, we do it in such a way that's, that's winsome, but But we still need to do it. 626 00:31:10,075 --> 00:31:11,435 There, there needs to be a difference. 627 00:31:12,004 --> 00:31:14,385 People need to see that we're different than the world around us. 628 00:31:15,415 --> 00:31:19,434 Another way you can engage passively, evangelistically, is by staying faithful 629 00:31:19,435 --> 00:31:24,764 to your spouse in the midst of a world where that's not the common anymore. 630 00:31:26,135 --> 00:31:28,675 When we have an app that's out there that's tagline is, 631 00:31:28,764 --> 00:31:30,165 life is short, have an affair, 632 00:31:32,185 --> 00:31:35,185 that's a low hanging fruit for us as the church to be different 633 00:31:35,185 --> 00:31:36,075 than the world around us. 634 00:31:36,985 --> 00:31:41,115 to engage passively in this, by staying faithful to your spouse. 635 00:31:41,525 --> 00:31:44,195 And if you're in a situation at work where somebody's bragging about their 636 00:31:44,205 --> 00:31:49,025 infidelity, rather than sitting around there and just staying silent, either 637 00:31:49,025 --> 00:31:53,474 walk away or say, you know what, I need to follow up with that guy later and talk 638 00:31:53,474 --> 00:31:54,904 to him about that because that's not okay. 639 00:31:57,215 --> 00:31:59,195 Care about godliness, care about holiness. 640 00:31:59,765 --> 00:32:01,965 So those are passive ways to engage the culture evangelistically. 641 00:32:02,155 --> 00:32:05,135 There's also obviously active ways to engage the culture evangelistically, 642 00:32:05,145 --> 00:32:08,275 and these are equally, if any, If not more so important, because no one's 643 00:32:08,275 --> 00:32:11,285 going to get saved because you're not watching the Netflix show, okay? 644 00:32:12,405 --> 00:32:15,785 People are going to get saved because you're preaching the gospel. 645 00:32:16,365 --> 00:32:17,485 And that's the active part. 646 00:32:17,505 --> 00:32:19,225 So here's the the diagnostic question on that. 647 00:32:19,395 --> 00:32:21,964 Are you engaging the culture evangelistically actively? 648 00:32:22,054 --> 00:32:23,944 When's the last time you shared the gospel with someone? 649 00:32:25,375 --> 00:32:29,525 When's the last time you sat down with somebody that's not a believer and said to 650 00:32:29,525 --> 00:32:32,325 them, hey, can I talk to you about Christ? 651 00:32:33,965 --> 00:32:38,335 You might think, well, Isn't that the job of people with the gift of evangelism? 652 00:32:39,495 --> 00:32:40,985 No, that's the job of the church. 653 00:32:41,925 --> 00:32:42,605 All of us. 654 00:32:44,125 --> 00:32:48,575 If you claim Christ, then you've been commissioned to make disciples. 655 00:32:48,895 --> 00:32:51,175 And the only way to make disciples is to share the gospel. 656 00:32:52,675 --> 00:32:53,945 Listen, that's why we're here, church. 657 00:32:55,755 --> 00:32:59,225 If God didn't want you here to be a light to the lost, He would 658 00:32:59,225 --> 00:33:00,205 have called you home already. 659 00:33:02,325 --> 00:33:04,155 You're not here to fill a seat in church. 660 00:33:05,175 --> 00:33:07,945 You're here to be a witness in the culture around us. 661 00:33:08,775 --> 00:33:10,635 So we need to engage the culture evangelistically. 662 00:33:10,645 --> 00:33:13,505 You engage the culture evangelistically actively when you build those intentional 663 00:33:13,505 --> 00:33:14,785 relationships with your neighbors. 664 00:33:15,505 --> 00:33:18,415 To get to the place of saying, hey, let's have you over for dinner. 665 00:33:18,415 --> 00:33:20,395 I want to talk to you about my relationship with Christ. 666 00:33:21,025 --> 00:33:23,395 Say, well that, that seems like that would make things awkward. 667 00:33:23,415 --> 00:33:23,805 Try it. 668 00:33:25,755 --> 00:33:26,665 It's worth the cost. 669 00:33:26,695 --> 00:33:29,335 If things are a little bit awkward but you have an opportunity to tell somebody 670 00:33:29,345 --> 00:33:30,685 about Jesus, is that not worth it? 671 00:33:31,485 --> 00:33:32,345 What's the alternative? 672 00:33:33,335 --> 00:33:35,685 You keep things copacetic for the rest of the time that you live next 673 00:33:35,685 --> 00:33:37,735 door to them and they move away and then you never have an opportunity 674 00:33:37,735 --> 00:33:38,645 to share the gospel with them. 675 00:33:39,835 --> 00:33:41,685 What's better standing before Jesus at the Bema seat? 676 00:33:43,675 --> 00:33:44,015 Try it. 677 00:33:45,035 --> 00:33:48,505 You engage the culture evangelistically when you tell your kids about Jesus. 678 00:33:49,335 --> 00:33:52,135 Parents, make sure your kids know that they're not okay with God just because 679 00:33:52,135 --> 00:33:53,115 they grew up in a Christian home. 680 00:33:53,895 --> 00:33:54,195 Okay? 681 00:33:54,765 --> 00:33:57,045 There are a lot of people in hell who grew up in Christian homes. 682 00:33:58,615 --> 00:34:00,625 Parents, you need to make sure that your children understand that they 683 00:34:00,625 --> 00:34:04,005 need their own relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 684 00:34:04,515 --> 00:34:07,455 That's a way to engage the culture actively in evangelism. 685 00:34:09,685 --> 00:34:12,445 Listen, this is the closest to that opening illustration that 686 00:34:12,445 --> 00:34:13,585 I gave about the Dodgers, right? 687 00:34:13,795 --> 00:34:15,844 They're recruiting everybody to come be on their team. 688 00:34:16,355 --> 00:34:18,804 Church, we need to be recruiting everybody to come be on our team. 689 00:34:19,635 --> 00:34:21,105 Yeah, even Shohei and Rokey. 690 00:34:21,125 --> 00:34:23,790 If you have a relationship with those guys, they're Tell them about Jesus. 691 00:34:24,170 --> 00:34:25,090 Invite them to church. 692 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,659 If we're going to be an offensive church in the culture around us, we have to make 693 00:34:29,659 --> 00:34:31,480 a gospel impact in the culture around us. 694 00:34:32,260 --> 00:34:33,940 And so as I think about this next year in front of a church, 695 00:34:33,940 --> 00:34:35,139 I want to see more baptisms. 696 00:34:35,889 --> 00:34:38,210 I want to see more conversions, hear more conversions. 697 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:41,110 I want to hear about more people that have shared the gospel with co workers. 698 00:34:41,530 --> 00:34:44,300 In fact, if you want to encourage your pastors, shoot us an email. 699 00:34:44,784 --> 00:34:47,284 After you share the gospel with somebody this week, or in the 700 00:34:47,284 --> 00:34:49,695 weeks to come, and say, Hey, would you be praying for this person? 701 00:34:49,695 --> 00:34:51,705 I just had an opportunity to share the gospel with them. 702 00:34:51,705 --> 00:34:54,975 Pastor Ron and I would love to join you in prayer in that regard. 703 00:34:54,985 --> 00:34:58,165 And it would make us so ecstatic to know that our people are out 704 00:34:58,355 --> 00:35:03,265 being a light, being a witness, and engaging the culture evangelistically. 705 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:07,850 So we engage carefully, we engage evangelistically, and then 706 00:35:07,850 --> 00:35:09,120 finally we engage expectantly. 707 00:35:10,030 --> 00:35:11,880 We engage this culture expectantly. 708 00:35:11,900 --> 00:35:12,900 This is in verse 13. 709 00:35:12,910 --> 00:35:17,190 But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new 710 00:35:17,240 --> 00:35:19,780 earth in which righteousness dwells. 711 00:35:20,770 --> 00:35:23,240 In that new heavens and new earth that's coming in which righteousness 712 00:35:23,240 --> 00:35:24,430 dwells, we're waiting for that. 713 00:35:24,700 --> 00:35:28,840 And it's not a passive waiting, it's an anticipation, it's an expectant waiting. 714 00:35:29,050 --> 00:35:32,330 Our staff is growing, by the way, we got to hire somebody on as our 715 00:35:32,340 --> 00:35:34,580 kidsmen, uh, administrative assistant. 716 00:35:34,580 --> 00:35:36,910 She's gonna be introduced with her family next week, so you 717 00:35:36,910 --> 00:35:38,050 guys can begin praying for her. 718 00:35:38,350 --> 00:35:42,170 But, uh, with that, came additional bodies in our office. 719 00:35:42,170 --> 00:35:44,940 And we've got Lewis in, serving with our student ministry too. 720 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:50,770 So, at times in our office, we've got six grown adults, three actual 721 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:53,930 offices, and about 500 square feet of office space in there. 722 00:35:53,940 --> 00:35:56,160 Okay, so things get tight. 723 00:35:56,300 --> 00:35:56,800 Guess what? 724 00:35:56,800 --> 00:36:00,010 We've got new offices as of March 1st and we're super excited about that. 725 00:36:00,390 --> 00:36:01,300 Cannot wait. 726 00:36:04,230 --> 00:36:04,940 It's bigger too. 727 00:36:04,940 --> 00:36:08,090 We didn't just like move laterally into small offices again. 728 00:36:08,580 --> 00:36:10,320 And we're just, so what are we doing? 729 00:36:10,330 --> 00:36:12,930 We're awaiting expectantly those new offices. 730 00:36:13,340 --> 00:36:15,650 We show up in our current offices and we're like, okay, we're only 731 00:36:15,650 --> 00:36:16,520 here for a little bit more time. 732 00:36:17,210 --> 00:36:18,850 And at the same time though, we gotta be challenged to be 733 00:36:18,850 --> 00:36:20,000 thankful for what we have. 734 00:36:20,570 --> 00:36:21,800 Man, this week it was cold. 735 00:36:22,090 --> 00:36:22,850 It was bitter cold. 736 00:36:22,850 --> 00:36:26,510 I was thankful that we had an office to go and sit down in and meet with people and 737 00:36:26,510 --> 00:36:28,080 study God's Word and where there's heat. 738 00:36:28,900 --> 00:36:30,800 Man, I gotta be thankful for what I have, but I know what's 739 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:31,830 coming is gonna be better, right? 740 00:36:32,850 --> 00:36:34,670 At least that's what we're trusting, hoping, and praying. 741 00:36:35,430 --> 00:36:37,080 Y'all, we live in insane times right now. 742 00:36:38,295 --> 00:36:42,575 We live in times that there is so much for us in the culture and in the world around 743 00:36:42,575 --> 00:36:46,255 us that, that is really, honestly, if I can just put it this way, really cool. 744 00:36:46,795 --> 00:36:47,075 Right? 745 00:36:47,495 --> 00:36:48,835 I mean, think about your smartphone. 746 00:36:49,945 --> 00:36:52,895 You've probably heard this, but this has more technology than, than the computer 747 00:36:52,895 --> 00:36:54,475 that sent astronauts to the moon. 748 00:36:55,805 --> 00:36:56,889 And I use it to check the weather. 749 00:36:57,450 --> 00:36:59,250 X and, and, and sports course. 750 00:37:00,820 --> 00:37:03,610 We live in a, in a technological time that is unrivaled. 751 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:05,370 I mean, there are so many things here. 752 00:37:05,670 --> 00:37:09,580 Whatever you think about AI, bad, good, or, or whatever it is, and 753 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:12,420 I'm on record on our podcast saying I'd put it back in Pandora's box 754 00:37:12,420 --> 00:37:13,700 and shut the lid and send it away. 755 00:37:13,730 --> 00:37:17,320 But still, AI does some pretty amazing things. 756 00:37:17,950 --> 00:37:21,620 Like, it's, it's fascinating when you stop and you look at the world around us. 757 00:37:21,620 --> 00:37:24,870 It's easy for us to sit here and get comfortable here and think to 758 00:37:24,870 --> 00:37:26,640 ourselves, man, this world is so cool. 759 00:37:26,860 --> 00:37:28,940 I love being here. 760 00:37:28,950 --> 00:37:30,560 Space travel, right? 761 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:34,275 It's probably going to be in our lifetime that it's normal to have 762 00:37:34,275 --> 00:37:35,930 somebody be like, yeah, I went to space. 763 00:37:36,190 --> 00:37:37,820 Like somebody's like, I went to Kentucky. 764 00:37:38,325 --> 00:37:38,625 Right? 765 00:37:39,635 --> 00:37:41,155 I think space is cooler than Kentucky. 766 00:37:41,155 --> 00:37:41,955 I've been to Kentucky. 767 00:37:41,985 --> 00:37:42,765 No offense, Mark. 768 00:37:42,765 --> 00:37:45,865 I know you spent some time there, but I think space is probably 769 00:37:45,865 --> 00:37:46,575 a little bit cooler than that. 770 00:37:46,575 --> 00:37:50,205 But, but we're going to space with people that aren't Neil Armstrong, right? 771 00:37:50,285 --> 00:37:51,415 Just average people. 772 00:37:51,725 --> 00:37:53,975 Elon Musk is like, I'm gonna build a rocket ship, and he did it. 773 00:37:54,885 --> 00:37:56,575 And he's sending people to outer space now. 774 00:37:57,105 --> 00:37:59,075 How about just on demand streaming? 775 00:37:59,945 --> 00:38:02,345 Can we get an amen to the fact that we don't have to watch commercials 776 00:38:02,345 --> 00:38:04,715 anymore, those of us that grew up having to watch commercials? 777 00:38:05,815 --> 00:38:07,535 This is a new age! 778 00:38:09,185 --> 00:38:12,095 All that to say, there's some great things about culture. 779 00:38:12,655 --> 00:38:16,005 This is not a message that the world is all bad and evil and everybody 780 00:38:16,015 --> 00:38:19,105 pull out and retreat as far from it as you can and sell your TVs and sell 781 00:38:19,105 --> 00:38:20,475 your devices and things like that. 782 00:38:20,575 --> 00:38:22,595 No, there's really cool things that are out there. 783 00:38:23,785 --> 00:38:25,075 And, and people know it too. 784 00:38:25,075 --> 00:38:27,235 In fact, there's this guy, Pastor Rod told me about him this week. 785 00:38:27,535 --> 00:38:28,895 His name is Brian Johnson. 786 00:38:29,755 --> 00:38:35,055 And, uh, Brian Johnson is trying to reverse engineer his aging process. 787 00:38:35,355 --> 00:38:39,475 He's trying to get younger and he's doing so by trying to hack his body and 788 00:38:39,475 --> 00:38:44,705 the physiologic, physiological makeup of his body to, to make his organs 789 00:38:44,985 --> 00:38:50,735 not age with with a passing year, so that from beginning of 25 to the end 790 00:38:50,735 --> 00:38:54,045 of 25, that his liver would still be that of whatever his current age is, 791 00:38:54,045 --> 00:38:56,515 that it's not progressing because he's caring for his body that well. 792 00:38:56,925 --> 00:38:59,615 And he's trying to do this in such a way, and this is from his website. 793 00:38:59,775 --> 00:39:01,745 He says, we are at war with death. 794 00:39:02,035 --> 00:39:04,805 He has no idea how true that statement is. 795 00:39:05,335 --> 00:39:07,135 We are at war with death and its causes. 796 00:39:07,335 --> 00:39:09,635 We are building towards an infinite horizon. 797 00:39:10,045 --> 00:39:13,675 We are fighting for the freedom to exist as long as one chooses. 798 00:39:13,675 --> 00:39:14,205 Why? 799 00:39:14,535 --> 00:39:17,615 Because we have things to do tomorrow and tomorrow's tomorrow 800 00:39:17,705 --> 00:39:19,865 until we no longer want tomorrow. 801 00:39:21,545 --> 00:39:26,035 Y'all, his goal is to live as long as he feasibly possibly can and in the 802 00:39:26,035 --> 00:39:29,894 process leave behind the blueprints for humanity to continue to do that. 803 00:39:30,655 --> 00:39:33,625 It's this understanding that this world has enough for us, and this 804 00:39:33,625 --> 00:39:35,315 world is good, and we want to be here. 805 00:39:35,315 --> 00:39:39,045 And, man, I want to live as long as I possibly can, because who wants to die? 806 00:39:39,055 --> 00:39:40,845 Death is, death is the great enemy. 807 00:39:40,875 --> 00:39:42,815 We are at war with death, and he's right. 808 00:39:43,495 --> 00:39:44,745 Just not the way he thinks. 809 00:39:46,055 --> 00:39:49,154 You see, Johnson, Brian Johnson, he's, he's gonna die. 810 00:39:49,155 --> 00:39:53,165 Eventually, even if he figures it out and he's able to get to, 811 00:39:53,175 --> 00:39:55,015 to Methuselah's age and beyond. 812 00:39:56,125 --> 00:39:59,505 Eventually, God's going to say, okay, those are the days that I have written in 813 00:39:59,505 --> 00:40:01,415 the book of life for you and you're done. 814 00:40:02,095 --> 00:40:03,465 And Brian Johnson's going to die. 815 00:40:05,155 --> 00:40:07,695 And then the question becomes, well, what sort of life, Brian, 816 00:40:07,695 --> 00:40:09,045 were you preparing to live after? 817 00:40:09,120 --> 00:40:09,560 Death. 818 00:40:10,920 --> 00:40:14,430 And so as Christians, we need to engage with this culture expectantly, 819 00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:16,890 knowing that what's coming is better. 820 00:40:17,500 --> 00:40:21,670 We don't want to live forever and ever and ever because we know that what's 821 00:40:21,670 --> 00:40:25,050 coming, when we will really live forever and ever and ever, is so much better. 822 00:40:26,295 --> 00:40:27,325 And you say, can we believe that? 823 00:40:27,325 --> 00:40:28,225 Yeah, we can believe that. 824 00:40:28,235 --> 00:40:31,315 Ecclesiastes chapter 2, King Solomon gets everything he wants. 825 00:40:31,315 --> 00:40:35,175 In fact, it says there, he kept nothing from his, his 826 00:40:35,175 --> 00:40:36,765 possession that his eyes desired. 827 00:40:37,685 --> 00:40:38,695 He got it all. 828 00:40:38,945 --> 00:40:41,275 Wealth, sex, all of it. 829 00:40:41,275 --> 00:40:42,225 Possessions. 830 00:40:42,425 --> 00:40:43,505 He, he got it all. 831 00:40:43,575 --> 00:40:44,289 Amassed it all. 832 00:40:45,040 --> 00:40:46,410 And in the end, what did Solomon say it was? 833 00:40:46,420 --> 00:40:48,960 It's all vanity. 834 00:40:49,620 --> 00:40:51,400 It's like steam from the top of a cup of coffee. 835 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:54,000 You can grasp it, but there's nothing there. 836 00:40:55,620 --> 00:40:58,510 And so Solomon's saying, you can have all the good things in this world that 837 00:40:58,510 --> 00:41:01,110 you want and amass them all, and it's still not going to be enough for you. 838 00:41:01,770 --> 00:41:01,950 Why? 839 00:41:01,950 --> 00:41:03,850 Because the life to come, which is what we're really made 840 00:41:03,850 --> 00:41:04,690 for, is going to be better. 841 00:41:04,690 --> 00:41:07,590 Revelation 21 and 22, I don't have time to go there this morning. 842 00:41:07,750 --> 00:41:08,970 Spend some time there this week. 843 00:41:09,810 --> 00:41:10,780 Read about the new earth. 844 00:41:11,635 --> 00:41:13,485 Read about what it's going to be like to be with Jesus. 845 00:41:14,435 --> 00:41:16,515 And why that's going to be infinitely better. 846 00:41:16,775 --> 00:41:19,585 Again, y'all, what I'm promoting this morning is not a retreat 847 00:41:19,585 --> 00:41:20,595 mentality from culture. 848 00:41:22,305 --> 00:41:24,315 The offensive church is not a retreating church. 849 00:41:24,335 --> 00:41:27,655 The offensive church is not a holy huddle waiting for Jesus to come back and get us. 850 00:41:28,950 --> 00:41:31,850 The offensive church, rather, is going to engage with the world in a sanctified 851 00:41:32,230 --> 00:41:36,150 sense and enjoy what the world offers us, but not fall prey to the mindset that 852 00:41:36,150 --> 00:41:37,650 this is the greatest thing that there is. 853 00:41:37,850 --> 00:41:38,790 So what does that look like? 854 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:41,200 Well, that looks like starting to think about the food that you enjoy. 855 00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:43,830 Whatever your favorite meal is, going to Hutchins BBQ and 856 00:41:43,840 --> 00:41:46,180 sitting down with some real BBQ. 857 00:41:47,100 --> 00:41:50,240 And you enjoy that and you go, man, this is the best that I've found 858 00:41:50,240 --> 00:41:52,880 this side of eternity, but they're going to be flavors and tastes that 859 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:55,790 blow this away in the new new earth. 860 00:41:56,540 --> 00:41:57,530 I can't wait to get there. 861 00:41:58,650 --> 00:42:00,020 That's to engage expectantly. 862 00:42:00,850 --> 00:42:05,620 Friendship, man, your closest friendship that you have this morning is still 863 00:42:05,640 --> 00:42:07,980 a relationship that's tainted by sin. 864 00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:11,790 Eternity, you're going to have relationships, friendships 865 00:42:11,790 --> 00:42:13,460 with people that are. 866 00:42:13,905 --> 00:42:15,265 Free from sin completely. 867 00:42:16,075 --> 00:42:17,095 In fact, that's what he says. 868 00:42:17,095 --> 00:42:20,295 We wait a new heavens a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 869 00:42:21,515 --> 00:42:22,315 That's gonna be awesome. 870 00:42:22,455 --> 00:42:25,365 Your closest relationship should cause you to, to long for that time. 871 00:42:25,615 --> 00:42:27,015 Entertainment, right? 872 00:42:27,015 --> 00:42:32,215 God caused or created our capacity to laugh or to feel amusement or to be 873 00:42:32,215 --> 00:42:34,515 amazed or to be intrigued by something. 874 00:42:34,975 --> 00:42:38,485 Listen, in eternity you are going to be amazed, intrigued. 875 00:42:39,025 --> 00:42:40,205 You're gonna laugh. 876 00:42:40,765 --> 00:42:42,915 You're going to be amused by things in eternity. 877 00:42:43,555 --> 00:42:45,715 And it's going to be brought to that next level that you've 878 00:42:45,715 --> 00:42:46,765 never experienced before. 879 00:42:47,985 --> 00:42:48,615 Your wealth. 880 00:42:49,605 --> 00:42:52,665 Whatever God has given you right now is a reminder of the riches that are to come. 881 00:42:53,505 --> 00:42:55,605 That are going to be way better than anything that you have here. 882 00:42:57,575 --> 00:42:58,575 Your marriage, even. 883 00:42:59,835 --> 00:43:01,025 Well, there's no marriage in heaven. 884 00:43:01,265 --> 00:43:01,435 Fair. 885 00:43:02,700 --> 00:43:06,340 But your marriage and how sweet it is right now should remind you of the union 886 00:43:06,340 --> 00:43:09,340 that the Bride of Christ is going to have with Jesus Himself in eternity. 887 00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:13,760 And how much better that's going to be to be there with Him. 888 00:43:15,500 --> 00:43:15,790 Art. 889 00:43:15,870 --> 00:43:17,500 Maybe you're an art appreciator. 890 00:43:18,775 --> 00:43:24,445 The most beautiful painting, statue, whatever you've beheld here is a 891 00:43:24,445 --> 00:43:27,945 painting, a statue, a work that's still been tainted by and corrupted by sin. 892 00:43:29,035 --> 00:43:33,255 There's going to be beauty on the new earth unrivaled and beyond compare. 893 00:43:35,335 --> 00:43:36,115 Exercise. 894 00:43:37,025 --> 00:43:38,795 Will we exercise on the new earth? 895 00:43:38,805 --> 00:43:40,395 I have no idea. 896 00:43:41,860 --> 00:43:43,920 But, I know this, if we are, we're not going to be hating 897 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:44,780 it as much as we do here. 898 00:43:46,210 --> 00:43:48,450 So if you're exercising here, you're on the treadmill, you're lifting 899 00:43:48,450 --> 00:43:51,290 weights, whatever, and you're, you're, you're really struggling to 900 00:43:51,290 --> 00:43:55,430 love Adam, because if he didn't do that, if he didn't fail as a leader, 901 00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:57,140 we wouldn't be hating this as much. 902 00:43:57,480 --> 00:43:59,200 Know that there's going to come a day in heaven when we're going 903 00:43:59,200 --> 00:44:01,570 to use our bodies to their full capacity for the glory of God. 904 00:44:02,500 --> 00:44:03,850 Let it stir your affections for that. 905 00:44:05,060 --> 00:44:06,420 And so church, engage expectantly. 906 00:44:06,900 --> 00:44:08,520 Pray with us for the return of Jesus. 907 00:44:09,550 --> 00:44:12,130 Train your minds to think of Jesus as better than anything that this 908 00:44:12,130 --> 00:44:13,550 world or culture has to offer you. 909 00:44:14,160 --> 00:44:17,070 Spend time contemplating the pleasures you experience here and now and how 910 00:44:17,070 --> 00:44:21,330 they are but a foretaste of the better pleasure that's going to come in eternity. 911 00:44:22,385 --> 00:44:25,805 Listen, an offensive church knows the objective, knows what's coming, knows 912 00:44:26,495 --> 00:44:31,615 to look forward to the time when we will be in eternity with Christ, and how 913 00:44:31,615 --> 00:44:33,185 much better and sweeter that will be. 914 00:44:35,225 --> 00:44:38,635 Church, if we are engaging the culture this way, if we become this offensive 915 00:44:38,635 --> 00:44:41,803 church, here's some things that will be true of the church that we are, 916 00:44:41,803 --> 00:44:44,975 not only in 2025, but in future years. 917 00:44:45,925 --> 00:44:47,395 We're going to be a church that stands out as different. 918 00:44:48,255 --> 00:44:53,145 People are going to walk in here and say, What's, what's different about this body? 919 00:44:54,635 --> 00:44:55,805 Well, we're on the offensive. 920 00:44:56,125 --> 00:45:00,065 We're not just here to, to waste time and kill time until Christ comes back. 921 00:45:00,575 --> 00:45:03,035 We're here on mission, and we're gonna be active in that mission. 922 00:45:04,335 --> 00:45:06,965 Also, this is gonna be a church that has a loose grip on temporal things. 923 00:45:08,305 --> 00:45:11,695 We're not going to be a church that's all about the temporal, all about the 924 00:45:11,695 --> 00:45:15,145 material, all about the things that we can hold on to, touch, see, wealth. 925 00:45:16,625 --> 00:45:17,155 Things like that. 926 00:45:17,155 --> 00:45:18,875 We're going to have a right perspective on these things. 927 00:45:19,945 --> 00:45:21,595 We're going to be a church that sees people saved. 928 00:45:22,740 --> 00:45:24,800 If we're engaging the culture evangelistically, we're going to 929 00:45:24,800 --> 00:45:26,450 hear stories of people getting saved. 930 00:45:26,460 --> 00:45:29,360 We're going to have more baptisms every single year because 931 00:45:29,370 --> 00:45:30,930 more people are getting saved. 932 00:45:32,570 --> 00:45:34,750 We're going to be a church that's marked by holiness and godliness. 933 00:45:37,190 --> 00:45:39,300 As such, we're going to be a church that God's going to use, 934 00:45:41,840 --> 00:45:43,990 which means we're also going to be a church that Satan's going to hate. 935 00:45:47,670 --> 00:45:49,170 And finally, we're going to be a church that's going to be 936 00:45:49,170 --> 00:45:50,530 ready for Jesus to come back. 937 00:45:53,240 --> 00:45:57,765 It's a burden that I feel is to make sure that As best as I can, I'm preparing this 938 00:45:57,765 --> 00:45:59,525 church to be ready for Jesus to come back. 939 00:46:01,195 --> 00:46:02,625 Preparing the bride to be ready for the groom. 940 00:46:04,775 --> 00:46:07,545 And to do that, we have to be engaging the culture around us. 941 00:46:08,805 --> 00:46:12,035 God's put us here, He calls us, and has called us to be on mission here. 942 00:46:13,055 --> 00:46:14,075 To do that effectively. 943 00:46:15,570 --> 00:46:19,070 We have to engage carefully, we have to engage evangelistically, and we have to 944 00:46:19,170 --> 00:46:21,960 engage expectantly until he calls us home. 945 00:46:24,050 --> 00:46:27,000 There's no passive approach to culture for us, whether you're on 946 00:46:27,000 --> 00:46:28,320 the offensive or the defensive. 947 00:46:29,190 --> 00:46:33,170 And as Christ told Peter, the job of the church is to be on the offensive. 948 00:46:33,580 --> 00:46:35,910 And he said, the gates of hell are not going to prevail. 949 00:46:36,020 --> 00:46:37,110 Will you stand with me and let's pray.