1 00:00:00,001 --> 00:00:10,960 So, if you want to know what you're doing with your life, come to the marriage seminar. 2 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,440 I need to know what am I doing with my life, Barbie. 3 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:15,440 All right. 4 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,560 Are you guys in a good mood this morning? 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:19,560 I hope so. 6 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:26,840 It's going to be a good … It's going to be a good morning, not because of anything 7 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:31,720 I've got, but because he's a holy God, and he is here, and he loves you. 8 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,320 He cares about us. 9 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:38,800 Before we get started, this coming Wednesday is March 5th, I believe. 10 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:43,280 It is Ash Wednesday, and it marks the beginning of the Lenten season. 11 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,360 I'm going to talk a little about this in the back end of the message, so I'm not going 12 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:51,560 to teach right now about it, but the reason I wanted to bring it up right now is because 13 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:59,140 we will be doing devotionals over the 40 days prior to Easter, and they will be posted on 14 00:00:59,140 --> 00:01:04,360 social media and on our app every day in the morning, a three to five-minute devotional 15 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:08,680 from one of our staff members, just to kind of lead you through each day, and it's going 16 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,800 to pair along the reading that we've been doing on the greatest stories ever told. 17 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:19,640 So, I encourage you to pick that up as a daily thing that we do as we go into the Lenten 18 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:25,080 season, and then the following week is Springhouse Conference, and so I hope that you have 19 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:26,080 registered. 20 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:27,080 We are excited. 21 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:31,280 It looks like we've got a couple 300 people that are registered to come, so it's going 22 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:32,280 to be a good time. 23 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:34,920 Please bring neighbors, bring friends. 24 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,120 It's not exclusive. 25 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,240 It certainly can be for the community as well. 26 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:41,920 We'd like them to come and partake and be a part of it. 27 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:47,760 I think God has some real exciting things then, but God has a habit of saving the best 28 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,720 right now, and so I believe he's got something for us this morning. 29 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:57,320 We're continuing in the greatest stories ever told, and today we're going to look briefly 30 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,200 at a story that you're actually going to read, I believe, tomorrow, if I've got the plan 31 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:02,200 correct. 32 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:04,660 You're actually in it this week, and so we're going to get a little bit of a jump start 33 00:02:04,660 --> 00:02:09,000 on it, but we're going to be looking at Exodus chapter three. 34 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,480 So we're going to stand, and we're going to read from Exodus chapter three, and then we 35 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:16,360 are going to read a verse from 1 Peter as well. 36 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:25,180 Now, first service was puny, and I am taking score, so let's do this with a little gusto 37 00:02:25,180 --> 00:02:26,180 this morning. 38 00:02:26,180 --> 00:02:27,180 Here we go. 39 00:02:27,180 --> 00:02:31,040 Is my clicker working? 40 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:32,600 Moses and the burning bush. 41 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:34,180 Here we go. 42 00:02:34,180 --> 00:02:41,400 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and 43 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:48,520 led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 44 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:55,440 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. 45 00:02:55,440 --> 00:03:01,080 Moses saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up. 46 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:07,520 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight, why the bush does not 47 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,120 burn up." 48 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,120 "Do not come any closer," God said. 49 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:18,040 "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 50 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:23,360 Then he said, "I am the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." 51 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:29,320 At this, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. 52 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:36,500 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought 53 00:03:36,500 --> 00:03:41,520 to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 54 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:48,560 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 55 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:54,880 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. 56 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,980 For it is written, "Be holy because I am holy." 57 00:03:58,980 --> 00:04:00,580 Let's read that last line again. 58 00:04:00,580 --> 00:04:03,320 Be holy because I am holy. 59 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:04,780 Father, I thank you for your word. 60 00:04:04,780 --> 00:04:06,600 I thank you that it is amazing. 61 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:08,360 It's extraordinary, your word is. 62 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:10,880 I pray, Lord, that it would transform our lives. 63 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:15,520 I pray, Lord, that it permeate all thoughts, God, and ideas, Lord, that it would be supreme. 64 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,400 It would hold the authority in our lives. 65 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,760 I pray, Lord, that it would get down into our spirit and it would transform us today. 66 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:22,960 In Jesus' name, amen. 67 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:23,960 Amen. 68 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,040 You may be seated this morning in the presence of the Lord. 69 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,640 The greatest stories ever told. 70 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,400 This is a familiar story, I would assume. 71 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:35,800 Has anybody seen "The Prince of Egypt"? 72 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,080 You see movies that have come out and you, 73 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:43,200 and, or you've, you've probably seen Moses, the older, the old school. 74 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:45,200 I'm, you know, I'm gonna watch the cartoon, of course, 75 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,180 but the old, the old school, what's that name? 76 00:04:48,180 --> 00:04:52,320 Moses, 10, oh, the 10, of course, the 10 Commandments. 77 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:53,960 You see the 10 Commandments, yeah. 78 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:55,260 (congregation laughing) 79 00:04:55,260 --> 00:04:58,300 You know, these stories, inanimate, I mean, you know, 80 00:04:58,300 --> 00:05:00,520 I'm kinda thinking, what did these people do 81 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:04,560 without TV and movies, you know, without telling a story? 82 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,560 But really, truly, this story is, 83 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,640 is one of the more well-known stories. 84 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,920 And man, I just, I love the move of God 85 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,800 because I look at the stories in the Old Testament 86 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,720 and I see how it is so woven and put together 87 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:21,160 to point us to Jesus. 88 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,640 If you pay attention, you can always get a line back 89 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,760 to Jesus, which is the whole point in the first place. 90 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:29,980 He is the center of all things. 91 00:05:30,540 --> 00:05:35,540 So here we are, the setup is Moses has, 92 00:05:35,540 --> 00:05:39,100 Moses has fled from Egypt, okay? 93 00:05:39,100 --> 00:05:41,140 And we read that, if you're in the Bible reading plan, 94 00:05:41,140 --> 00:05:42,300 you've read that. 95 00:05:42,300 --> 00:05:45,260 He was put on the Nile, he was accepted 96 00:05:45,260 --> 00:05:48,260 into Pharaoh's family, he grew up and was raised there. 97 00:05:48,260 --> 00:05:51,420 He ended up killing a Hebrew worker 98 00:05:51,420 --> 00:05:54,300 and ends up running away from Egypt into the wilderness. 99 00:05:54,300 --> 00:05:56,460 And so here we are, and he's in the wilderness, 100 00:05:56,460 --> 00:05:58,380 he's with his family, he gets married, 101 00:05:58,380 --> 00:05:59,780 he's with his father-in-law, Jethro, 102 00:05:59,780 --> 00:06:00,820 and he's out in the wilderness. 103 00:06:00,820 --> 00:06:03,180 And he's out there tending the flock, 104 00:06:03,180 --> 00:06:07,060 and he looks over and he sees a bush that is burning, 105 00:06:07,060 --> 00:06:09,100 but it's not burning up. 106 00:06:09,100 --> 00:06:11,960 Now, I don't know about you, but when I see a fire anywhere, 107 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:13,300 it draws my attention. 108 00:06:13,300 --> 00:06:14,680 Anybody draw? 109 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,640 Now, I like to start fires too. 110 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,760 Yeah. 111 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:25,400 Both metaphorically and physically, yeah. 112 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:29,080 But you know, I'm drawn to the fire 113 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:31,180 because you see the big stacks of smoke 114 00:06:31,180 --> 00:06:32,200 coming in the air or fire. 115 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:33,920 You turn your head and say, "What's going on?" 116 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:35,420 Something is on fire. 117 00:06:35,420 --> 00:06:39,280 But typically when something's on fire, it's consumed. 118 00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:41,520 And what happened here is Moses looks over, 119 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,560 he sees this bush on fire, which I would assume, 120 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,260 I don't know, but I would assume that's not extraordinary, 121 00:06:47,260 --> 00:06:49,240 the fact that a bush in the wilderness was on fire 122 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:50,440 because of the climate. 123 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:51,760 That probably could have happened. 124 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:54,000 But the fact that the bush was burning, 125 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,860 but it wasn't being consumed was a particular note. 126 00:06:57,860 --> 00:07:01,240 And so he takes his focus off of the flock 127 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,700 and he heads toward this anomaly 128 00:07:04,700 --> 00:07:08,160 and out of the bush comes this voice. 129 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,520 Now, I'm gonna tell you, if I go up to a bush 130 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:14,100 and I hear a voice, the angel of the Lord said, 131 00:07:14,100 --> 00:07:15,120 "Do not be afraid." 132 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:16,240 I say, "Too late." 133 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:17,780 (congregation laughing) 134 00:07:17,780 --> 00:07:22,680 And so the voice of God comes at Moses and he says, 135 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:24,240 "Do not come closer." 136 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:25,580 You don't have to tell me twice. 137 00:07:25,580 --> 00:07:27,880 "Do not come closer." 138 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:31,080 He says, "Take off your shoes, take off your sandals 139 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:35,240 "for where you are standing is holy ground." 140 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:37,760 Where you are standing is holy ground. 141 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:40,820 And Moses obeys, he takes off his sandals 142 00:07:40,820 --> 00:07:43,640 and it says that he holds his arm up 143 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:47,840 and turns his face away in recognition and acknowledgement 144 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:49,420 that it was God talking to him. 145 00:07:49,420 --> 00:07:55,080 And then in the discourse, in the conversation, 146 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,340 God is saying, "Moses, I'm gonna send you back to Egypt 147 00:07:58,340 --> 00:07:59,680 "from where you came." 148 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,420 I bet Moses thought to himself prior to that moment, 149 00:08:02,420 --> 00:08:04,840 he was never gonna see that place again. 150 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,180 But he says, "I'm gonna send you back to Egypt 151 00:08:08,180 --> 00:08:10,860 "and I'm gonna use you to deliver 152 00:08:10,860 --> 00:08:14,540 "over nearly 600,000 men, women and their families 153 00:08:14,540 --> 00:08:18,580 "from slavery because I have heard the cry of my people." 154 00:08:18,580 --> 00:08:21,820 And of course, just like many of us, Moses says, 155 00:08:21,820 --> 00:08:23,280 "Oh sure, I'll do it right away. 156 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:24,120 "What do you want me to do?" 157 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:28,060 No, Moses renders a bunch of excuses. 158 00:08:28,060 --> 00:08:29,040 "I'm not good enough." 159 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:30,420 Anybody ever thought they weren't good enough? 160 00:08:30,420 --> 00:08:31,420 Raise your hand. 161 00:08:31,420 --> 00:08:32,480 "I'm not good enough. 162 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,940 "I don't have the answers. 163 00:08:34,940 --> 00:08:38,540 "People won't believe me. 164 00:08:38,540 --> 00:08:41,920 "I don't speak well. 165 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,940 "I'm not qualified." 166 00:08:44,940 --> 00:08:49,260 Moses renders these excuses much like we do 167 00:08:49,260 --> 00:08:52,720 when God tells us to do things, asks us to do things 168 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:54,680 and toward the end he says, "You know what, God? 169 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:55,880 "I tell you what, I got a better idea. 170 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:57,860 "Why don't you send somebody else?" 171 00:08:57,860 --> 00:09:01,380 Has anybody ever gotten to that place with God 172 00:09:01,380 --> 00:09:02,440 where you're like, "Lord, why don't you just 173 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:03,520 "send somebody else?" 174 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:08,520 The word tells us that God's anger burned against Moses. 175 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:10,660 Can I tell you this morning, 176 00:09:10,660 --> 00:09:13,360 when God tells you to do something, you need to obey. 177 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:15,860 When God tells you to do something, 178 00:09:15,860 --> 00:09:19,020 obedience is always the correct answer. 179 00:09:19,020 --> 00:09:21,540 God's anger burned against Moses 180 00:09:21,540 --> 00:09:23,320 and I believe that it burned against Moses 181 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,620 because God's power was on display right before Moses. 182 00:09:26,620 --> 00:09:31,100 Moses had no reason to not believe what God was saying 183 00:09:31,100 --> 00:09:33,120 and to say to send somebody else, 184 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,940 it wasn't that Moses was capable or incapable of doing it. 185 00:09:36,940 --> 00:09:39,040 What he was saying is, "God, I don't trust 186 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:40,660 "that you're able to do through me 187 00:09:40,660 --> 00:09:42,260 "what you're saying you can do." 188 00:09:42,260 --> 00:09:46,540 And he's talking to the God of the universe, 189 00:09:46,540 --> 00:09:47,860 the God who breathes stars. 190 00:09:50,460 --> 00:09:51,940 Well, we love the part of the stories 191 00:09:51,940 --> 00:09:53,240 where we get to be used by God. 192 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:55,460 In fact, I would suggest that most of us think, 193 00:09:55,460 --> 00:09:58,740 think that we want to hear the Lord tell us what to do 194 00:09:58,740 --> 00:10:00,580 so that we can do it. 195 00:10:00,580 --> 00:10:03,620 But I am compelled this morning to back up 196 00:10:03,620 --> 00:10:05,900 to the front part of this story 197 00:10:05,900 --> 00:10:08,380 because we tend to unfortunately gloss over 198 00:10:08,380 --> 00:10:11,820 the initial interaction between God and Moses 199 00:10:11,820 --> 00:10:15,480 and the heart posture with which Moses encountered 200 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:16,940 a holy God. 201 00:10:17,820 --> 00:10:21,140 How many times, how many times, friends, 202 00:10:21,140 --> 00:10:25,500 do we try to approach God on our own terms? 203 00:10:25,500 --> 00:10:30,160 How many times in life do we attempt to approach God 204 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:32,800 on our own terms? 205 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,640 These are my girls, Hadassah, Lucy, Ruby, and Nora. 206 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:38,380 Yes, they are beautiful, thank you. 207 00:10:38,380 --> 00:10:44,100 We were invited to a wedding in Knoxville not too long ago. 208 00:10:46,740 --> 00:10:49,340 Anybody get wedding invitations in the mail? 209 00:10:49,340 --> 00:10:50,980 Okay, I'm about to hurt some of your feelings. 210 00:10:50,980 --> 00:10:51,800 Are you ready? 211 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:52,640 Get ready, okay? 212 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:54,420 When I get a wedding invitation in the mail, 213 00:10:54,420 --> 00:10:55,860 and I know you've spent a lot of time 214 00:10:55,860 --> 00:10:58,660 and thought and energy on your wedding invitation, okay? 215 00:10:58,660 --> 00:11:01,740 I open the thing, I pull it out of the envelope, 216 00:11:01,740 --> 00:11:05,500 I look at the name, I look at the date, 217 00:11:05,500 --> 00:11:08,280 I put it in my calendar, and I throw it away. 218 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:09,920 I'm so sorry I don't have a shoebox 219 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:11,500 of all your wedding invitations. 220 00:11:11,500 --> 00:11:14,020 I'm not saving all of those things. 221 00:11:14,020 --> 00:11:16,620 But I look at the name, the date, put it on my calendar, 222 00:11:16,620 --> 00:11:18,100 and there we go, okay? 223 00:11:18,100 --> 00:11:20,060 So I got this invitation probably three months 224 00:11:20,060 --> 00:11:22,020 prior to the wedding. 225 00:11:22,020 --> 00:11:25,260 And we are gonna go to this wedding in Knoxville. 226 00:11:25,260 --> 00:11:27,920 And so we load up the car, the van, it's a road trip, 227 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,860 we end up getting to Knoxville, and we get to this wedding. 228 00:11:30,860 --> 00:11:32,920 And of course, the O'Dea family, 229 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,000 we were just so early to this wedding. 230 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:39,140 We actually, I think they heard our tires come in 231 00:11:39,140 --> 00:11:41,380 as I was slamming on the brake to run out of the car. 232 00:11:41,380 --> 00:11:43,060 Now of course, the wedding was set up 233 00:11:43,060 --> 00:11:44,580 in a very wonderful way. 234 00:11:44,580 --> 00:11:47,100 It was set up in a way that as you are approaching 235 00:11:47,100 --> 00:11:49,420 the outdoor wedding, everybody is facing you 236 00:11:49,420 --> 00:11:51,940 and watching you as you walk in. 237 00:11:51,940 --> 00:11:54,020 So I was very, this is a very, 238 00:11:54,020 --> 00:11:56,460 I'm actually having a deja vu moment right now. 239 00:11:56,460 --> 00:11:59,980 If you were outside, everyone is just staring at me 240 00:11:59,980 --> 00:12:02,000 and my family walking down this path. 241 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:04,300 But it's not just a straight beeline to the seats. 242 00:12:04,300 --> 00:12:09,300 No, this path goes zig, zag, zig, zag, zig. 243 00:12:09,300 --> 00:12:13,560 And around this beautiful path are some ponds 244 00:12:13,560 --> 00:12:17,740 and some rocks and some decorations and flowers 245 00:12:17,740 --> 00:12:21,040 to which my girls love to pick the flowers, 246 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:23,340 jump in the puddles, pick up the rocks 247 00:12:23,340 --> 00:12:25,420 and do everything that they're not supposed to do 248 00:12:25,420 --> 00:12:27,140 as the wedding is about to start 249 00:12:27,140 --> 00:12:30,540 and everybody's staring at us coming down this path 250 00:12:30,540 --> 00:12:32,140 on the zigzag, right? 251 00:12:32,140 --> 00:12:35,820 Well, what happens in my mind, and maybe if you're a dad, 252 00:12:35,820 --> 00:12:37,340 maybe this is you as well, 253 00:12:37,340 --> 00:12:39,060 anytime we take our kids somewhere, 254 00:12:39,060 --> 00:12:40,960 I'm thinking what are our kids gonna do? 255 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:42,900 Like what's the plan for our kids? 256 00:12:42,900 --> 00:12:45,360 And so I'm looking immediately to say, 257 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:46,920 if Jessica's there, I know she's got kids, 258 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:48,820 I'm gonna go sit with them and Justin, 259 00:12:48,820 --> 00:12:50,480 we'll get our kids together, whatever. 260 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,380 So I'm looking and I'm noticing as I come down the path, 261 00:12:53,380 --> 00:12:56,720 there are no kids sitting anywhere in the wedding. 262 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:58,540 There's zero kids. 263 00:12:58,540 --> 00:12:59,940 I'm like, what, why are there no kids? 264 00:12:59,940 --> 00:13:03,040 These people not have kids, what is going on? 265 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,660 So we get to the bottom of the zigzag, 266 00:13:05,660 --> 00:13:08,020 the music has started, the procession has started 267 00:13:08,020 --> 00:13:11,160 and the sister of the groom who we were there to see, 268 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,860 the sister gets up and walks over to me and smiles and says, 269 00:13:13,860 --> 00:13:16,620 "I see you've chosen to bring your kids." 270 00:13:16,620 --> 00:13:17,780 And I said, "Yes." 271 00:13:17,780 --> 00:13:19,980 She said, "I wish I could have brought mine." 272 00:13:19,980 --> 00:13:21,540 And then she went and sat down. 273 00:13:21,540 --> 00:13:25,100 And I realized at that moment, 274 00:13:25,100 --> 00:13:26,740 I should have read the invitation. 275 00:13:26,740 --> 00:13:31,740 Kids were not invited to this wedding. 276 00:13:31,740 --> 00:13:36,040 And so we went and sat down on the back row 277 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:38,040 and I was probably more strict with my girls 278 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:40,260 than I've ever been in my life. 279 00:13:40,260 --> 00:13:42,220 And of course, during the recessional, 280 00:13:42,220 --> 00:13:44,720 the very end, that sweet moment where the bride and groom 281 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:46,320 go down halfway down the aisle 282 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,120 and he swings her back to give her a kiss, 283 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:50,720 there are four blondies that are playing 284 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,360 in the middle of the aisle in their forever wedding picture. 285 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:54,800 Thank you very much. 286 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:57,480 We are a part of their wedding forever. 287 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,140 Here's the point of the story. 288 00:13:59,140 --> 00:14:04,380 You're not allowed to show up any way you want to. 289 00:14:04,380 --> 00:14:07,800 (congregation murmuring) 290 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:13,440 We're not allowed to show up any way that we want to. 291 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:17,240 But what about that invitation that just says, "Come," right? 292 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:19,360 Because we talk about that, like, just come as you are. 293 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:21,380 All of us, what about that invitation of just, 294 00:14:21,380 --> 00:14:22,560 "Come as you are," all those things. 295 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:23,400 Guess what? 296 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,000 The invitation is an open door 297 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:26,960 that gives you access to the throne. 298 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,820 But once you get there, there's some expectations. 299 00:14:29,820 --> 00:14:31,180 There's some expectations. 300 00:14:31,180 --> 00:14:34,480 What you bring and what you don't bring is important. 301 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:36,280 It's important. 302 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:38,660 How many times do we show up on our own terms, 303 00:14:38,660 --> 00:14:41,440 lack of regard and consideration and disrespect 304 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:43,280 run rampant in our culture, 305 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,800 because we are a society of, 306 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:47,760 "You're not gonna tell me what to do." 307 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:52,040 We are a, yeah, aren't you glad you came this morning? 308 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:53,600 (congregation laughing) 309 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:55,040 You're not gonna tell me what to do. 310 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,040 That is an anthem of the culture. 311 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:01,500 You are not gonna tell me what to do. 312 00:15:01,500 --> 00:15:03,680 Let's face it, we are adverse 313 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:07,020 to having authority over us in our lives. 314 00:15:07,020 --> 00:15:10,680 We love authority that doesn't require us to change, 315 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,160 to adjust, to bend, 316 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,700 or we prefer authority that we agree with, 317 00:15:16,700 --> 00:15:19,080 but give us someone that we disagree with, 318 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:20,780 Houston, we've got a problem. 319 00:15:20,780 --> 00:15:26,380 And then in our ignorance as Christians, 320 00:15:26,380 --> 00:15:28,460 when we don't like what we're being asked to do, 321 00:15:28,460 --> 00:15:32,500 we tout this very dangerous and haughty line, 322 00:15:32,500 --> 00:15:35,920 "I'm not gonna listen to a man, I'm gonna listen to God." 323 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:42,220 And if your response is that fueled by a disagreement 324 00:15:42,220 --> 00:15:45,540 or your opinion, then you better buckle up 325 00:15:45,540 --> 00:15:47,680 and be ready to listen to the star breather 326 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,840 and do what he tells you to do. 327 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,840 And you're gonna be shocked, I think, 328 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:53,040 about what he tells you. 329 00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:57,800 How many times have we had an actual burning bush moment? 330 00:15:57,800 --> 00:15:59,740 Now, those exist. 331 00:15:59,740 --> 00:16:01,460 I've had one time in my life 332 00:16:01,460 --> 00:16:04,820 that I've heard the audible voice of God, one time. 333 00:16:04,820 --> 00:16:06,500 Have you had a burning bush moment? 334 00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:08,580 Have you had an extraordinary moment 335 00:16:08,580 --> 00:16:10,420 where there was just, 336 00:16:10,420 --> 00:16:14,260 it was unquestionably God's presence in front of you? 337 00:16:14,260 --> 00:16:16,700 And I would venture to say that a majority of us 338 00:16:16,700 --> 00:16:18,620 have not had those types of moments. 339 00:16:18,620 --> 00:16:21,300 Though God still speaks to us, 340 00:16:21,300 --> 00:16:24,660 he desires to speak to us. 341 00:16:24,660 --> 00:16:29,020 But because we don't typically have burning bush moments, 342 00:16:29,020 --> 00:16:30,340 those supernatural moments 343 00:16:30,340 --> 00:16:35,300 where God's audible voice shows up happens and it's so rare, 344 00:16:35,300 --> 00:16:38,820 when it does, it's not usually with the arrogant, 345 00:16:38,820 --> 00:16:39,980 it's with the humble. 346 00:16:39,980 --> 00:16:41,820 It's with the humble. 347 00:16:41,820 --> 00:16:43,820 It's with those who are ready to listen. 348 00:16:43,820 --> 00:16:48,000 All throughout scripture, God establishes leaders. 349 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:49,920 He establishes people in authority. 350 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:54,460 Moses, Samuel, David, Paul, a litany of kings. 351 00:16:54,460 --> 00:16:56,060 There's so many people, I go on and on. 352 00:16:56,060 --> 00:17:00,060 And I believe that it is the Lord's expectation 353 00:17:00,060 --> 00:17:03,440 not that people revere the man, 354 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,780 but revere the God that's been placed in the man 355 00:17:06,780 --> 00:17:09,320 and approach the authority that's been placed 356 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,540 on those people as those who have been anointed 357 00:17:12,540 --> 00:17:14,800 by the God in whom you say you believe. 358 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,340 Do you realize how weighty of a place it is to be 359 00:17:21,340 --> 00:17:23,820 in a position of spiritual authority? 360 00:17:23,820 --> 00:17:30,900 To be in a place where you actively acknowledge 361 00:17:30,900 --> 00:17:33,180 and receive the calling and the anointing 362 00:17:33,180 --> 00:17:34,660 from the most high God and say, 363 00:17:34,660 --> 00:17:39,660 "Lord, use me to serve in a capacity of spiritual authority." 364 00:17:39,660 --> 00:17:43,240 It is a weighty task. 365 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:46,060 It is a weighty calling. 366 00:17:46,060 --> 00:17:51,060 It's one that shouldn't be taken lightly, 367 00:17:51,060 --> 00:17:55,360 should be treated with respect toward the Lord. 368 00:17:55,360 --> 00:18:01,740 God gives a special dismentation of grace 369 00:18:01,740 --> 00:18:04,600 to those who have been called to those positions. 370 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:06,500 And I believe how we approach the authority 371 00:18:06,500 --> 00:18:07,880 God has established here on earth 372 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:09,500 says a lot about how we approach 373 00:18:09,500 --> 00:18:11,220 the holiness we see in God. 374 00:18:11,220 --> 00:18:14,700 We serve a multifaceted God. 375 00:18:14,700 --> 00:18:16,860 He is rich in grace and mercy. 376 00:18:16,860 --> 00:18:18,800 In fact, we are told this, 377 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,700 "For we do not have a high priest 378 00:18:21,700 --> 00:18:24,460 "who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, 379 00:18:24,460 --> 00:18:27,560 "but we have one who has been tempted in every way 380 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:29,520 "just as we are, yet he did not sin. 381 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:33,740 "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence." 382 00:18:33,740 --> 00:18:35,500 With confidence, we are encouraged 383 00:18:35,500 --> 00:18:39,340 to approach the throne of grace with boldness, 384 00:18:39,340 --> 00:18:42,860 with confidence, but we forget the very next line. 385 00:18:42,860 --> 00:18:46,380 "So that we may obtain," what? 386 00:18:46,380 --> 00:18:47,580 Mercy. 387 00:18:47,580 --> 00:18:50,140 Well, if I'm going to obtain mercy, 388 00:18:50,140 --> 00:18:53,500 that means I'm in a position with which I need mercy. 389 00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:56,240 So when I say, when it says come boldly, 390 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:00,240 it's not run into God's courts just willy nilly 391 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,700 any way you want to and just treat him as Santa. 392 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:05,700 It is because of Jesus, 393 00:19:05,700 --> 00:19:09,020 you have access to go right up to the throne of God, 394 00:19:09,020 --> 00:19:10,500 but you understand the very first thing 395 00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:11,800 you're gonna get is mercy. 396 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:13,640 Yeah. 397 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:15,920 And then you're gonna receive grace 398 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:17,880 for the thing that you need. 399 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:21,080 He is a holy God. 400 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:24,240 He is a righteous King. 401 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,800 He is Alpha and Omega, the star breather. 402 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,240 He is extravagant, extraordinary, and he is nothing less. 403 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,480 He is so much more than the vocabulary 404 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:35,560 that I rendered to you this morning. 405 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,400 He is a great, great God. 406 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,340 And sometimes we treat him 407 00:19:40,340 --> 00:19:42,440 like he is some bum on the side of the road 408 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,880 that we get to use for our own vices. 409 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:54,080 We get to come boldly, come as you are, come one and all. 410 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:55,820 You don't have to clean yourself up. 411 00:19:55,820 --> 00:19:58,360 All of those have merit and are true. 412 00:19:58,360 --> 00:20:01,280 But when it comes to approaching a holy God, 413 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:02,880 you might come the way you are, 414 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:04,340 but you won't leave that way. 415 00:20:04,340 --> 00:20:07,400 You might come the way you are, 416 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:10,220 but you will not leave the same. 417 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:12,080 God is constant. 418 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:15,800 Hebrews 13 tells us that he is the same yesterday, 419 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:17,120 today, and forevermore, 420 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:19,520 which means that he was holy yesterday. 421 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,700 He is holy today, and he will be holy forevermore. 422 00:20:22,700 --> 00:20:30,520 All too often, we only consider our part 423 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:34,920 of the conversation and the relationship 424 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:37,060 and what we benefit out of it. 425 00:20:38,060 --> 00:20:42,040 We rarely examine how he comes to the conversation 426 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,360 and his expectations. 427 00:20:44,360 --> 00:20:49,360 And he comes as a king, holy, mighty, and exalted. 428 00:20:49,360 --> 00:20:52,420 Some of you may know who this fella is. 429 00:20:52,420 --> 00:20:55,680 This guy, his name is Michael Fagan. 430 00:20:55,680 --> 00:21:00,120 Michael Fagan broke in to the palace of Queen Elizabeth 431 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:03,400 in 1982. 432 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,720 Fagan scaled his way into the royal history 433 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:08,000 after a night of drinking. 434 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,440 He climbed over a fence at Buckingham Palace 435 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:13,600 and made his way up to the drainpipe and onto the roof. 436 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:15,820 Removing his shoes and socks, 437 00:21:15,820 --> 00:21:18,420 he entered the royal residence through an unlocked window. 438 00:21:18,420 --> 00:21:21,300 From there, he spent some time wandering through the palace, 439 00:21:21,300 --> 00:21:24,260 including triggering the alarm system twice 440 00:21:24,260 --> 00:21:27,180 as he pursued King George V's stamp collection. 441 00:21:27,180 --> 00:21:31,180 Evidently, assuming the alerts were a glitch, 442 00:21:31,180 --> 00:21:34,060 the police on watch turned the alarms back off. 443 00:21:34,060 --> 00:21:36,460 Likewise, in a plan for eventual exit, 444 00:21:36,460 --> 00:21:39,740 Fagan told the son that he broke one of the palace's ashtrays 445 00:21:39,740 --> 00:21:42,100 to get a piece of glass to use to cut through 446 00:21:42,100 --> 00:21:43,860 a pigeon netting on the roof, 447 00:21:43,860 --> 00:21:46,560 accidentally cutting himself in the process. 448 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:48,260 Ultimately, Fagan made his way 449 00:21:48,260 --> 00:21:50,060 into the residential wing of the palace 450 00:21:50,060 --> 00:21:52,060 and apparently unwittingly to the bedroom 451 00:21:52,060 --> 00:21:54,060 of none other than the queen. 452 00:21:54,060 --> 00:21:59,620 The story goes on that they had an interaction. 453 00:21:59,620 --> 00:22:01,580 The queen was trying to call somebody to help 454 00:22:01,580 --> 00:22:03,680 and nobody was answering the phone. 455 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:05,300 And he was in the bedroom. 456 00:22:05,300 --> 00:22:06,580 He didn't harm her. 457 00:22:06,580 --> 00:22:09,060 He just wanted to have a conversation. 458 00:22:09,060 --> 00:22:10,700 And then they took him on. 459 00:22:10,700 --> 00:22:12,500 Do you know that there are some places 460 00:22:12,500 --> 00:22:15,080 where you do not have access where you can just walk up 461 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,300 and get in the way that you want to? 462 00:22:17,300 --> 00:22:20,780 Do you know that if you were wanting to go to the White House 463 00:22:20,780 --> 00:22:23,020 and meet the president, regardless of who it is, 464 00:22:23,020 --> 00:22:24,100 you would want to meet the president, 465 00:22:24,100 --> 00:22:26,820 there are protocols, there are things that you have to do 466 00:22:26,820 --> 00:22:28,860 and many of you wouldn't get to do it. 467 00:22:28,860 --> 00:22:34,620 You have access to a holy God. 468 00:22:34,620 --> 00:22:38,180 But there are things in the process of accessing him 469 00:22:38,180 --> 00:22:41,260 that are important, that show to him 470 00:22:41,260 --> 00:22:45,260 from your heart posture that you understand that he's holy, 471 00:22:45,260 --> 00:22:46,440 that he is holy. 472 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:50,780 Moses understood such a thing. 473 00:22:50,780 --> 00:22:55,980 And he establishes up front his authority with Moses 474 00:22:55,980 --> 00:22:59,620 and he watches to see Moses' reaction. 475 00:22:59,620 --> 00:23:02,020 What is Moses going to do when God says, 476 00:23:02,020 --> 00:23:04,900 "Take off your sandals for the place you are standing 477 00:23:04,900 --> 00:23:06,480 "is holy ground." 478 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:10,560 Moses obeys. 479 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:12,500 Moses obeys. 480 00:23:12,500 --> 00:23:15,420 Guys, I believe we are so busy being about ourselves 481 00:23:15,420 --> 00:23:16,780 that many of us wouldn't even realize 482 00:23:16,780 --> 00:23:18,260 there was a burning bush in the first place, 483 00:23:18,260 --> 00:23:19,820 let alone take off our shoes. 484 00:23:19,820 --> 00:23:23,100 There wasn't anything, I believe, 485 00:23:23,100 --> 00:23:26,100 particularly special about the ground 486 00:23:26,100 --> 00:23:27,800 where Moses was standing. 487 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,620 It was because God's presence was there. 488 00:23:30,620 --> 00:23:34,500 Anywhere God's presence resides is a holy place. 489 00:23:34,500 --> 00:23:38,780 Any ground that God is residing in, it's a holy place. 490 00:23:38,780 --> 00:23:41,420 And that place was significant and holy, 491 00:23:41,420 --> 00:23:43,620 not because there was a bush, not because it was burning, 492 00:23:43,620 --> 00:23:45,180 not because Moses was there, 493 00:23:45,180 --> 00:23:47,500 but because God Almighty was there. 494 00:23:47,500 --> 00:23:50,260 Because God Almighty was there. 495 00:23:50,260 --> 00:23:59,700 He required Moses to take off his shoes. 496 00:23:59,700 --> 00:24:04,420 And I believe that He requires us to do the same. 497 00:24:04,420 --> 00:24:09,420 Today, I wanna focus in on what renders us incapable 498 00:24:09,420 --> 00:24:13,560 of taking off the shoes. 499 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:17,460 I understand that we want to be in the position of Moses, 500 00:24:17,460 --> 00:24:19,700 hearing God say, "Go and do this." 501 00:24:19,700 --> 00:24:21,120 At least we think we do. 502 00:24:21,120 --> 00:24:23,960 We actually don't, but we think we wanna be there. 503 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,560 But before we even get there, 504 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:29,100 I believe it's poignant and it's important, 505 00:24:29,100 --> 00:24:31,540 especially given the season and time that we're in 506 00:24:31,540 --> 00:24:33,900 approaching Resurrection Sunday 507 00:24:33,900 --> 00:24:36,180 and where we are just culturally, 508 00:24:36,180 --> 00:24:38,860 that we examine our heart posture 509 00:24:38,860 --> 00:24:41,260 when we approach this holy God. 510 00:24:41,260 --> 00:24:43,540 Does He have a plan and a purpose for your life? 511 00:24:43,540 --> 00:24:44,540 Absolutely. 512 00:24:44,540 --> 00:24:45,980 Does He have direction for you? 513 00:24:45,980 --> 00:24:47,480 Yes, He does. 514 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,820 But guys, we've gotta back up and realize 515 00:24:50,820 --> 00:24:53,560 we are less, He is more. 516 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:56,060 We are small, He is huge. 517 00:24:56,060 --> 00:24:58,460 He is God and we are not. 518 00:24:59,340 --> 00:25:01,140 What shoes are you wearing 519 00:25:01,140 --> 00:25:05,420 that you are not going to render to God? 520 00:25:05,420 --> 00:25:06,900 What shoes are you wearing where you say, 521 00:25:06,900 --> 00:25:08,800 "You're not gonna tell me what to do." 522 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,100 Let's examine some of these potentials. 523 00:25:12,100 --> 00:25:15,020 And maybe like me, you fit into some of these categories. 524 00:25:15,020 --> 00:25:19,440 The first shoe I wanna look at is the shoe of significance. 525 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:20,880 The shoe of significance. 526 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:26,200 This shoe says, "I'm important." 527 00:25:28,100 --> 00:25:32,600 This shoe says, "I've got a big boy job 528 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,780 with a big boy title with a big boy office." 529 00:25:35,780 --> 00:25:43,760 This pair of shoes, as we walk around in these shoes says, 530 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:47,880 "I've got people that I expect to answer to me 531 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:50,540 and I don't really care to answer to anybody else." 532 00:25:50,540 --> 00:25:54,740 These shoes say, "I've got a portrait of myself 533 00:25:54,740 --> 00:25:56,100 hanging places. 534 00:25:56,100 --> 00:25:59,220 I've got a title that's bigger than my name. 535 00:25:59,220 --> 00:26:02,800 I've got a bank account that shows my significance. 536 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:05,920 I am important. 537 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:09,100 And God, while I hear what you're saying 538 00:26:09,100 --> 00:26:11,780 and while I want to do what you tell me to do, 539 00:26:11,780 --> 00:26:14,940 I'm not ready to give up my title and my position 540 00:26:14,940 --> 00:26:19,420 because I'm significant, I'm important." 541 00:26:19,420 --> 00:26:23,760 And God is saying, "Take off the shoes of significance 542 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:28,360 because I am holy, because I am holy." 543 00:26:28,360 --> 00:26:32,520 I think another pair of shoes that we contend with, 544 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:37,220 some of us, are the shoes of control. 545 00:26:37,220 --> 00:26:39,800 These are water shoes. 546 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:41,960 Has anybody ever been white water rafting? 547 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:44,560 Father's Day weekend, we're going, 548 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:46,260 if you wanna register in the app. 549 00:26:46,260 --> 00:26:50,640 Shoes of control. 550 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:51,820 Here's what these do. 551 00:26:51,820 --> 00:26:56,820 These say, "If I'm in control, I won't get hurt. 552 00:26:56,820 --> 00:27:01,760 If I'm in control, if I'm driving the car, 553 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,980 then I can take the safe path and the safe route. 554 00:27:04,980 --> 00:27:07,420 God, where do you want me to go? 555 00:27:07,420 --> 00:27:10,280 Just download it to me and then get out of the way. 556 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:13,200 I wanna be in control of the situation 557 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:16,640 so that I can make sure that I don't put myself in jeopardy 558 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:19,860 or put myself in a position that might be embarrassing 559 00:27:19,860 --> 00:27:22,240 or it might actually put me in a position 560 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:24,120 that I've actually gotta do what your word says 561 00:27:24,120 --> 00:27:25,900 in front of my friends who are also Christians. 562 00:27:25,900 --> 00:27:28,080 I wanna be in control. 563 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,600 I just wanna, I wanna be in that driver's seat, God. 564 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:33,040 So just give me the instructions. 565 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:35,020 I don't want me to get hurt or anybody get hurt. 566 00:27:35,020 --> 00:27:36,980 God, you don't understand. 567 00:27:36,980 --> 00:27:44,000 God says, "I want you to relinquish control 568 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:48,380 because I am holy, because I am holy." 569 00:27:48,380 --> 00:27:53,380 There are some other shoes up here. 570 00:27:53,380 --> 00:27:55,000 What about this one? 571 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,220 The shoes of busyness. 572 00:27:58,220 --> 00:28:02,940 Shoes of busyness. 573 00:28:02,940 --> 00:28:05,580 I wake up at 5 a.m., I go to bed at 10. 574 00:28:05,580 --> 00:28:08,600 My calendar is full of things to do. 575 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,400 I am going here, I am going there. 576 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,000 I'm involved with this and that 577 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:15,040 and I want my name on everything. 578 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:17,140 Don't try to start a ministry without involving me 579 00:28:17,140 --> 00:28:18,720 because I wanna be a part of it. 580 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:20,000 I need to be in the know. 581 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:21,880 I need to be able to speak into everybody's life. 582 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:24,400 Listen, I have FOMO and I cannot miss out. 583 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,440 I want to be a part of what you're doing. 584 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:27,520 I'm a part of what I'm doing 585 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:29,760 and guess what, everything I'm doing has Jesus on it 586 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:31,400 so it must be what I'm supposed to do. 587 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,620 I am so busy, I'm doing this and that 588 00:28:34,620 --> 00:28:38,160 and everyone loves me because I'm involved with it all. 589 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:44,600 God says, "Be still and know I'm God." 590 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:45,520 I don't got time. 591 00:28:45,700 --> 00:28:48,820 (congregation applauding) 592 00:28:48,820 --> 00:28:53,180 But God, I don't got time because I'm running around. 593 00:28:53,180 --> 00:28:55,400 I'm doing all the stuff for your glory. 594 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,960 I have no idea who you are. 595 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:02,920 Take off the shoes of busyness, Kevin, 596 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:07,140 because I am holy, because I am holy. 597 00:29:07,140 --> 00:29:13,620 Now these are the shoes of confusion. 598 00:29:14,540 --> 00:29:17,880 (congregation laughing) 599 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:32,400 These shoes say, 600 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:36,640 I want to go to church. 601 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:39,040 I want to wear the T-shirt. 602 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:41,300 I want to participate in your ministry 603 00:29:41,300 --> 00:29:45,620 but I want to live my life the way I want to live it. 604 00:29:45,620 --> 00:29:49,260 These shoes say, God, I know that you've given the word 605 00:29:49,260 --> 00:29:51,980 but your word is open to my interpretation. 606 00:29:51,980 --> 00:29:56,980 I have reinvented my life to be what I want it to be 607 00:29:56,980 --> 00:29:59,800 and so I wear these shoes of confusion 608 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:03,060 and God, you know what, I come to you in my time 609 00:30:03,060 --> 00:30:06,260 when I need you to just bless me, just bless me 610 00:30:06,260 --> 00:30:09,880 but I need to fit in because my identity 611 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,740 has not been found in you, it's found in everybody else. 612 00:30:12,740 --> 00:30:15,660 Everything else. 613 00:30:15,660 --> 00:30:18,260 God says, take off the shoes of confusion 614 00:30:18,260 --> 00:30:21,160 because I am holy, because I am holy. 615 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:26,780 Oh, I don't know how you'd like this to happen. 616 00:30:26,780 --> 00:30:30,120 (congregation laughing) 617 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:33,120 These are the shoes of security. 618 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:36,380 Am I stepping on many toes today? 619 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:40,220 (congregation laughing) 620 00:30:40,220 --> 00:30:45,040 I've got copious amounts of cash in my house. 621 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:50,920 I've got everything needed when Armageddon happens. 622 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:54,220 And somebody comes and takes over, 623 00:30:54,220 --> 00:30:57,500 come over and hang out with me because I've got a plan. 624 00:30:57,500 --> 00:30:59,280 And you know what, here's the thing, 625 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:03,800 I disguise it under this clever idea that I'm being wise, 626 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:07,180 that the Lord has given me wisdom and good stewardship 627 00:31:07,180 --> 00:31:09,560 so I hoard all of these things 628 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:12,440 so that whenever you're in need, I'm secure 629 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:14,500 or when something goes down, I'm secure 630 00:31:14,500 --> 00:31:19,420 because I put my faith in worldly things rather than in God. 631 00:31:19,420 --> 00:31:21,960 Because I have forgotten that the beginning of wisdom 632 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:26,960 is fear of the Lord, not storing up treasures here on earth. 633 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:30,960 And so I am so secure, hey, I can quit my job, 634 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:32,560 I can do whatever I want 'cause I got plenty of money, 635 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:35,020 plenty of things, I am secure. 636 00:31:35,020 --> 00:31:38,980 The Lord says, "Take off the shoes of security." 637 00:31:38,980 --> 00:31:43,660 I am your security, I am holy, I am holy. 638 00:31:43,660 --> 00:31:52,680 Want me to keep going? 639 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:58,560 These are the shoes of oblivion. 640 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:00,040 These are my Vegas shoes. 641 00:32:02,420 --> 00:32:05,260 Oblivion, what are the shoes of oblivion? 642 00:32:05,260 --> 00:32:09,800 Oblivion says, I am having a great life. 643 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:15,960 I have been a part of every party, every scene, 644 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:19,220 I am enjoying, in fact, I'm enjoying my life so much, 645 00:32:19,220 --> 00:32:21,800 God, I have no room for you in it. 646 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:24,960 I am oblivious to the fact that you created me, 647 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:27,480 that you have a plan and a purpose for my life, 648 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:29,440 that you actually have something for me to do. 649 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:31,280 I don't need any of that 'cause I'm so distracted 650 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:33,820 by all of the other fun that I'm having on this earth, 651 00:32:33,820 --> 00:32:35,600 I have no idea that I'm destroying my life, 652 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:37,800 but I've got a lot of stories to tell. 653 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:42,760 It's the shoes of oblivion, I have no clue. 654 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:47,020 God, I had no clue that you actually wanted 655 00:32:47,020 --> 00:32:48,620 to do something through my life. 656 00:32:48,620 --> 00:32:51,100 I'm just out doing my own thing. 657 00:32:51,100 --> 00:32:56,120 Take off the shoes of oblivion because I am holy, 658 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:57,220 I am holy. 659 00:33:00,220 --> 00:33:03,760 What about the shoes of the past? 660 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:06,260 Anybody like Bluey? 661 00:33:06,260 --> 00:33:13,220 These are the shoes that we wear 662 00:33:13,220 --> 00:33:18,760 when we refuse to mature and eat meat. 663 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:22,180 These are the people who show up to church every week 664 00:33:22,180 --> 00:33:23,960 ready to receive and never give. 665 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:28,040 These are the people who have been around the things 666 00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:30,980 of the Lord, but they no more read the word of God 667 00:33:30,980 --> 00:33:33,320 or try to mature than the man on the moon, 668 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:36,060 they allow everyone else to put in the work for them. 669 00:33:36,060 --> 00:33:37,580 They are riding on the coattails 670 00:33:37,580 --> 00:33:40,280 of the previous generation's faith. 671 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:44,400 They don't understand that they've got 672 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:46,780 a personal relationship with the Lord, 673 00:33:46,780 --> 00:33:48,260 that they've got to cultivate, 674 00:33:48,260 --> 00:33:50,080 that they have to work out their salvation 675 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:51,900 with fear and trembling. 676 00:33:51,900 --> 00:33:55,000 I'm okay, I'm good, I'll let them do it for me. 677 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,700 Guys, put in the work, I'll reap the benefit. 678 00:33:57,700 --> 00:34:02,700 Take off the shoes of the past because I am holy. 679 00:34:02,700 --> 00:34:10,360 And I don't know, but at least in my life, 680 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:13,260 this last one's probably the most dangerous. 681 00:34:13,260 --> 00:34:16,560 These are the shoes of complacency. 682 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:24,380 The shoes of complacency say, I know what the word says, 683 00:34:24,380 --> 00:34:27,080 God, I know what you told me to do, but I don't care. 684 00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:32,080 I'm content, I'm good doing what I'm gonna do. 685 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:36,820 I get bold, I get, Lord, you have spoken it through people, 686 00:34:36,820 --> 00:34:38,840 the authority of my life, your word, 687 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:40,840 I've heard the truth over and over again, 688 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:44,360 but I refuse to change because I am complacent 689 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:45,920 and I'm content with where I am 690 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:48,360 and I don't want it to change. 691 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:55,200 This is dangerous because you acknowledge God almighty 692 00:34:55,380 --> 00:34:57,520 in his voice and you deny it. 693 00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:00,640 You acknowledge what his word says 694 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:03,220 and you choose not to do it proactively. 695 00:35:03,220 --> 00:35:09,980 Take off the shoes of complacency because I am holy. 696 00:35:09,980 --> 00:35:13,580 Now, maybe I'm the only one 697 00:35:13,580 --> 00:35:16,640 that's put on some of these shoes, I don't know, 698 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:19,360 but I venture to think that there's a lot of us. 699 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:23,460 You see, you think it's easy for Moses, 700 00:35:23,460 --> 00:35:26,280 take off the shoes because you stand on holy ground. 701 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:28,320 You are being asked to do the same thing. 702 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:32,480 Get into the presence of a holy God 703 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:35,200 and he is saying, take off the shoes. 704 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:37,720 Take off the shoes. 705 00:35:37,720 --> 00:35:40,320 What are you bringing to the relationship? 706 00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:42,240 What are you bringing to the communication 707 00:35:42,240 --> 00:35:45,780 and to the conversation that you're not ready to let go of? 708 00:35:45,780 --> 00:35:49,320 Because before God can give you the direction 709 00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:53,000 to go liberate 600,000 people, he's going to say, 710 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,680 I need you to follow me in obedience by rendering the shoes. 711 00:35:56,680 --> 00:35:58,420 I need you to follow me in obedience 712 00:35:58,420 --> 00:36:00,940 in the simple thing that you've got going on right now. 713 00:36:00,940 --> 00:36:02,680 God, I want to know your will for my life. 714 00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:03,640 I want to know your plan. 715 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:05,140 I want you to give me direction. 716 00:36:05,140 --> 00:36:06,200 Take off the shoes. 717 00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:09,220 First, take off the shoes. 718 00:36:09,220 --> 00:36:13,120 Acknowledge me as holy in your obedience. 719 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:15,000 I'm not hearing clearly from the Lord. 720 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:16,140 I don't know if he's supposed to, 721 00:36:16,140 --> 00:36:18,240 I don't trust that guy who's speaking into my life 722 00:36:18,240 --> 00:36:19,660 or that girl who's speaking into my life 723 00:36:19,660 --> 00:36:21,020 or that thing that I've heard from the Lord. 724 00:36:21,020 --> 00:36:23,300 I'm confused, I'm trying to find, find, find, 725 00:36:23,300 --> 00:36:25,900 he's saying, take off the shoes. 726 00:36:25,900 --> 00:36:27,260 Take off the shoes. 727 00:36:27,260 --> 00:36:31,820 And as you do, his presence will become clearer and clearer. 728 00:36:31,820 --> 00:36:34,960 So what does it look like to sacrifice 729 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:36,000 and to give up some things? 730 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:37,160 I'm going to transition here 731 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:39,620 into talking about the Lenten season. 732 00:36:39,620 --> 00:36:43,540 Lent, L-E-N-T is short for Lenten 733 00:36:43,540 --> 00:36:44,960 and it simply means springtime. 734 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:47,000 There's nothing fancy or particular about that. 735 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:49,800 The Lenten season is 40 days prior 736 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:53,680 to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, not including Sundays. 737 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:56,040 40 days before the resurrection Sunday 738 00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:57,540 that we celebrate, not including Sundays. 739 00:36:57,540 --> 00:37:00,160 There is no biblical mandate 740 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:02,480 that you participate in the Lenten season. 741 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:04,920 What do I mean by participate in the Lenten season? 742 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:07,360 Well, traditionally in church culture, 743 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:09,720 there are things, some traditional things 744 00:37:09,720 --> 00:37:12,080 that the church will do during those 40 days 745 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:15,620 in preparation of a heart posture leading up to Easter 746 00:37:15,620 --> 00:37:19,000 to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. 747 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:21,640 Primarily fasting is a part of that. 748 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:23,080 Now, what is fasting? 749 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:26,500 Fasting is simply giving up or going without something. 750 00:37:26,500 --> 00:37:28,920 Now, traditionally in a broad way, 751 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:32,280 fasting is doing without food and drink. 752 00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:35,320 But fasting can actually be applied 753 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:37,440 to anything in your life. 754 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:39,160 It can be something that you give up. 755 00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:41,640 It could be something like social media. 756 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:44,720 It could be something like being on the internet 757 00:37:44,720 --> 00:37:46,920 or it could be something like driving 758 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:51,520 or it could be something like certain parting ways 759 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:53,440 from certain relationships and things like that. 760 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:54,440 It can be anything. 761 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:55,560 Now, what would you choose? 762 00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:56,500 Why would you fast? 763 00:37:56,500 --> 00:37:59,020 What would be the purpose of fasting? 764 00:37:59,020 --> 00:38:02,520 Well, the purpose of fasting is to identify something 765 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:05,520 in your life that is an everyday thing 766 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:08,200 that would be a sacrifice that you would give up 767 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:11,040 that would remind you about Jesus Christ, 768 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:12,740 that would be replaced. 769 00:38:12,740 --> 00:38:14,920 It's not just about giving up something. 770 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:17,320 It's about filling what you've given up 771 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:21,480 with the presence of God, drawing closer to God. 772 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:24,880 So the purpose of a fast would be to lean in 773 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:26,960 so that you can be in his presence 774 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:30,440 and that you can hear his voice more clearly. 775 00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:34,440 And so here at Springhouse, we've taken up the charge 776 00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:39,980 of participating in the Lenten season. 777 00:38:39,980 --> 00:38:42,400 Now, do you have to do this? 778 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:44,840 No, it's your choice. 779 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:46,320 You might be looking at me and saying, 780 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:48,120 you're not gonna tell me what to do. 781 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:56,640 But if you'll do it, there are some wonderful, 782 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:59,540 positive spiritual implications. 783 00:38:59,540 --> 00:39:02,680 If you do it the way it's supposed to be done, 784 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:06,240 you can only win by drawing closer to a holy God. 785 00:39:06,240 --> 00:39:11,560 And so we participate because I wanna be a church 786 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:14,120 who hears God's voice, not just hears God's voice, 787 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:16,080 but hears God's voice clearly 788 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:20,320 and is able to respond clearly. 789 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:22,320 Now, is it for direction? 790 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:24,860 Sometimes it's for direction, but for some of you 791 00:39:24,860 --> 00:39:28,080 and for me, maybe this season, you gotta identify the shoes. 792 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:28,920 Some of you are wearing shoes 793 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:31,160 you don't even know you're wearing them. 794 00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:33,720 You don't even know they're on your feet. 795 00:39:33,720 --> 00:39:36,560 And maybe this is a season where the Lord wants to say, 796 00:39:36,560 --> 00:39:38,760 hey, I want you to take off those shoes. 797 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:40,360 Well, God, I didn't even know I had those shoes on. 798 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:41,900 Yeah, you drew close to me. 799 00:39:41,900 --> 00:39:44,580 Now I wanna illuminate some stuff in your life. 800 00:39:44,580 --> 00:39:46,960 I wanna illuminate some stuff in your life. 801 00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:48,580 It's not about what you give up, 802 00:39:48,580 --> 00:39:51,080 it's about who you give it up for. 803 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:54,980 So some of you have already heard about the Lenten season 804 00:39:54,980 --> 00:39:57,580 because I have asked the leaders at Springhouse 805 00:39:57,580 --> 00:40:02,140 to identify something that the ministries can fast together. 806 00:40:02,140 --> 00:40:05,840 Now, as soon as I got out, as soon as out of the gate, 807 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:08,920 I said to the staff, I said, we're gonna fast bread. 808 00:40:08,920 --> 00:40:10,600 The first thing out of people's mouth was, 809 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:11,880 well, does this count as bread? 810 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:12,720 Does that count as bread? 811 00:40:12,720 --> 00:40:13,560 What is bread? 812 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:14,560 Is a thin crust bread? 813 00:40:14,560 --> 00:40:16,560 Is a thick, what is bread? 814 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:17,400 Can I tell you something? 815 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:18,640 Look at me right here. 816 00:40:18,640 --> 00:40:20,040 It doesn't matter. 817 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:25,020 Bread is defined by whatever you need 818 00:40:25,020 --> 00:40:27,920 to give up in your life to draw close to God. 819 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:30,800 And it's not something where we come in here and say, 820 00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:33,760 Kurt, hey, six days without bread, man, I'm doing it. 821 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:34,600 I'm doing great. 822 00:40:34,600 --> 00:40:35,420 Because why? 823 00:40:35,420 --> 00:40:37,680 That puts the spotlight on me. 824 00:40:37,680 --> 00:40:40,320 This is what Jesus said about fasting. 825 00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:44,560 And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, 826 00:40:44,560 --> 00:40:46,360 for they disguise their faces 827 00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:48,100 that their fasting may be seen by others. 828 00:40:48,100 --> 00:40:50,680 Truly, I say to you, they've received the reward. 829 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:53,680 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 830 00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:56,880 that your fasting may not be seen by others, 831 00:40:56,880 --> 00:40:59,400 but by your Father who is in secret. 832 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:02,720 And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 833 00:41:02,720 --> 00:41:06,560 The Lenten season and us fasting as a church 834 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:08,820 has nothing to do with you having conversations 835 00:41:08,820 --> 00:41:11,560 about what the thing is that you succeeded at fasting. 836 00:41:11,560 --> 00:41:13,480 If the conversation is gonna happen, 837 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:14,320 this is what it should be. 838 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:17,320 Barbie, let me tell you what God revealed to me today. 839 00:41:17,320 --> 00:41:19,320 Keith, let me tell you what God has downloaded 840 00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:20,560 in my spirit today. 841 00:41:20,560 --> 00:41:22,280 And you start to say, man, Kurt, 842 00:41:22,280 --> 00:41:23,600 you just gotta glow about you. 843 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:25,100 It seems like you're just, you're just, 844 00:41:25,100 --> 00:41:26,280 you're just joy of the Lord. 845 00:41:26,280 --> 00:41:29,440 And you say, I'm spending more time in his presence. 846 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:33,040 Because I have intentionally thought about him more 847 00:41:33,040 --> 00:41:34,200 in this season. 848 00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:36,360 And here's the crazy thing. 849 00:41:36,360 --> 00:41:38,480 Resurrection Sunday happens. 850 00:41:38,480 --> 00:41:40,760 Yeah, you might go back to eating bread. 851 00:41:40,760 --> 00:41:44,740 But the hope, the hope is that you so enjoy, 852 00:41:44,740 --> 00:41:48,740 it says in his presence is the fullness of joy. 853 00:41:48,740 --> 00:41:50,480 I've so enjoyed his presence 854 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:53,480 that I don't wanna lose what I've got. 855 00:41:53,480 --> 00:41:55,040 So I'm gonna continue to lean in. 856 00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:58,140 I'm gonna continue to press in. 857 00:41:58,140 --> 00:42:00,100 And so I encourage you to think 858 00:42:00,100 --> 00:42:01,560 and to pray about something. 859 00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:02,640 Some of you, here's the thing. 860 00:42:02,640 --> 00:42:04,180 I think sometimes it's a little ludicrous 861 00:42:04,180 --> 00:42:06,200 to tell people to pray about what to fast. 862 00:42:06,200 --> 00:42:07,440 Because when you're trying to fast, 863 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:08,800 you're trying to hear the voice of the Lord. 864 00:42:08,800 --> 00:42:09,980 And if you're not hearing the voice of the Lord, 865 00:42:09,980 --> 00:42:11,040 he's not gonna tell you what to fast 866 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:12,400 'cause you can't hear what he's saying. 867 00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:16,440 So practically, what's distracting you? 868 00:42:16,440 --> 00:42:19,500 What's in front of your face? 869 00:42:19,500 --> 00:42:21,240 What are you dealing with every day 870 00:42:21,240 --> 00:42:23,280 that you could say, I'm gonna sacrifice this 871 00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:25,520 and it's going to cause me to have to think? 872 00:42:25,520 --> 00:42:28,700 Cause me to have to lean in? 873 00:42:28,700 --> 00:42:32,760 We're believing the Lord for these three things this year. 874 00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:35,740 This is why I want our church to fast together. 875 00:42:35,740 --> 00:42:38,620 Hunger for the word, tears for the lost, 876 00:42:38,620 --> 00:42:41,260 and answer prayers and testimonies in this house. 877 00:42:41,260 --> 00:42:44,700 Have you been praying for these things? 878 00:42:44,700 --> 00:42:47,420 I came down here and presented to the entire congregation 879 00:42:47,420 --> 00:42:50,920 at the beginning of January, this is our prayer direction. 880 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:53,440 Are you actually praying for these things? 881 00:42:53,440 --> 00:42:57,180 I wanna see the Lord answer these prayers. 882 00:42:57,180 --> 00:42:58,360 These are important. 883 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:00,540 These are important. 884 00:43:00,540 --> 00:43:02,680 This is my buddy, John. 885 00:43:03,680 --> 00:43:06,620 (gentle music) 886 00:43:06,620 --> 00:43:09,820 The primary reason we fast is to be in the presence of God. 887 00:43:09,820 --> 00:43:15,040 John told me a story, it was a while back. 888 00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:18,500 He was out of town and he encountered some people 889 00:43:18,500 --> 00:43:21,120 who knew me and they had an interaction. 890 00:43:21,120 --> 00:43:25,280 And the interaction was not favorable about me. 891 00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:30,140 It was an interaction and his response in that moment 892 00:43:30,140 --> 00:43:35,140 was, wait a second, what you're saying is so off base. 893 00:43:35,140 --> 00:43:40,560 I know Kevin, that's not who he is. 894 00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:42,980 Now why was John able to respond in that way? 895 00:43:42,980 --> 00:43:46,980 Cause he had spent time with me. 896 00:43:46,980 --> 00:43:50,100 He had been in my presence. 897 00:43:50,100 --> 00:43:54,960 And the more time you spend in the presence of God, 898 00:43:54,960 --> 00:43:58,420 the more you know about the character of God and who he is, 899 00:43:58,420 --> 00:44:03,060 the more you can speak on his behalf. 900 00:44:03,060 --> 00:44:05,540 Now if you've paid attention over the last several months, 901 00:44:05,540 --> 00:44:08,140 I try to give a little antidote like this one, 902 00:44:08,140 --> 00:44:10,440 every message, because here's the point. 903 00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:14,340 How we treat others is a direct reflection 904 00:44:14,340 --> 00:44:17,140 of how holy we believe he is. 905 00:44:17,140 --> 00:44:22,220 How we treat others is a direct reflection 906 00:44:22,220 --> 00:44:24,460 of how holy we believe he is. 907 00:44:24,460 --> 00:44:25,940 Why is that? 908 00:44:25,940 --> 00:44:29,340 Cause God created you. 909 00:44:29,340 --> 00:44:30,820 He created you. 910 00:44:30,820 --> 00:44:36,520 So for me to exercise my opinion about you, 911 00:44:36,520 --> 00:44:39,660 to render something outside of building you up 912 00:44:39,660 --> 00:44:43,700 and loving you just shows how much I think he's not holy. 913 00:44:43,700 --> 00:44:50,300 Take off the shoes, Kevin, because I am holy. 914 00:44:50,300 --> 00:44:54,300 You will not obey a voice you don't recognize. 915 00:44:55,300 --> 00:44:58,580 And as we lean into this season of Lent, 916 00:44:58,580 --> 00:45:00,840 my prayer is that we would recognize 917 00:45:00,840 --> 00:45:02,640 the voice of the Holy Spirit. 918 00:45:02,640 --> 00:45:06,740 May it be through him speaking to us directly. 919 00:45:06,740 --> 00:45:08,940 May it be through the voice of others 920 00:45:08,940 --> 00:45:11,480 that you can line yourself up and understand 921 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:14,420 that it's not always what you want the answer to be. 922 00:45:14,420 --> 00:45:16,540 It's hearing clearly his voice 923 00:45:16,540 --> 00:45:18,860 and it resonating with your heart. 924 00:45:18,860 --> 00:45:21,400 So many things this week the Lord told me 925 00:45:21,400 --> 00:45:22,340 that I didn't want. 926 00:45:22,340 --> 00:45:23,540 I was like, that's not right. 927 00:45:23,540 --> 00:45:25,900 That's not what I wanna hear. 928 00:45:25,900 --> 00:45:27,420 And it made me course correct. 929 00:45:27,420 --> 00:45:30,820 Why is God course correcting Kevin O'Dea? 930 00:45:30,820 --> 00:45:32,540 Cause I don't look like Jesus yet. 931 00:45:32,540 --> 00:45:37,900 And most of the time when I get into his presence, 932 00:45:37,900 --> 00:45:41,740 these are the things I learn. 933 00:45:41,740 --> 00:45:43,260 How little I really know. 934 00:45:43,260 --> 00:45:46,740 How little I really deserve. 935 00:45:46,740 --> 00:45:50,260 And how little I really have to offer. 936 00:45:51,900 --> 00:45:55,460 Because significant time in his presence 937 00:45:55,460 --> 00:45:58,060 will cause you to realize how small you are 938 00:45:58,060 --> 00:46:00,460 and how holy he is. 939 00:46:00,460 --> 00:46:03,360 Guys, it's all about him. 940 00:46:03,360 --> 00:46:04,380 It's not about us. 941 00:46:04,380 --> 00:46:06,440 It's all about him. 942 00:46:06,440 --> 00:46:10,820 What a privilege it is to be called into his presence. 943 00:46:10,820 --> 00:46:13,740 What a privilege it is that he would say render the shoes. 944 00:46:13,740 --> 00:46:16,180 What a privilege it is that he would say now go 945 00:46:16,180 --> 00:46:18,540 and do what I've told you to do. 946 00:46:18,540 --> 00:46:20,560 Moses was in a privileged state 947 00:46:20,560 --> 00:46:22,680 and he was used because he obeyed. 948 00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:27,900 Will you obey in rendering your shoes? 949 00:46:27,900 --> 00:46:30,600 Because he is holy. 950 00:46:30,600 --> 00:46:33,140 He is holy. 951 00:46:33,140 --> 00:46:35,340 So you're gonna stand with me this morning. 952 00:46:35,340 --> 00:46:42,900 David, when he was worshiping the Lord with no clothes. 953 00:46:42,900 --> 00:46:47,360 True story, no clothes. 954 00:46:47,360 --> 00:46:48,740 They all ridiculed him. 955 00:46:48,740 --> 00:46:50,260 They put him down. 956 00:46:50,260 --> 00:46:51,880 They talked bad about him. 957 00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:54,020 You know what his response was? 958 00:46:54,020 --> 00:46:57,100 I'll become more undignified than this. 959 00:46:57,100 --> 00:47:00,580 You have an opportunity this morning? 960 00:47:00,580 --> 00:47:03,760 'Cause I'm gonna invite you to come to the altar space 961 00:47:03,760 --> 00:47:07,700 and take off your shoes and worship this God. 962 00:47:07,700 --> 00:47:10,240 Come, if you may, if you dare. 963 00:47:10,240 --> 00:47:12,460 Let's worship. 964 00:47:12,460 --> 00:47:15,040 (gentle music)