1 00:00:10,630 --> 00:00:14,200 Joshua Kehler: in all circumstances take up the shield of faith with which 2 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:26,080 you can extinguish all A l L, all the flaming arrows of the evil one, and take 3 00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:34,540 the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. 4 00:00:35,635 --> 00:00:40,075 So there are some ways that the Bible has been used in modern 5 00:00:40,795 --> 00:00:42,745 evangelical Christianity. 6 00:00:43,495 --> 00:00:46,945 some of these may be familiar to you, some of them may be foreign. 7 00:00:47,665 --> 00:00:48,535 but they're out there. 8 00:00:49,060 --> 00:00:50,230 They're, they're out there. 9 00:00:50,930 --> 00:00:53,540 The goldmine approach, right? 10 00:00:53,610 --> 00:00:58,195 reading the Bible is a vast, cavernous, dark mine in which one occasionally 11 00:00:58,195 --> 00:01:00,385 stumbles upon a nugget of inspiration. 12 00:01:01,285 --> 00:01:02,125 here it is. 13 00:01:02,165 --> 00:01:06,285 I've dug, I've read through the Old Testament in a year, and I've. 14 00:01:06,305 --> 00:01:11,460 Finally I came across the gold nugget that I'm going to, I'm gonna take, hunting 15 00:01:12,039 --> 00:01:15,970 for wisdom, the gold mine approach. 16 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:21,530 when I was with, the church I was at before we tried to get, nug.com 17 00:01:21,740 --> 00:01:23,480 cuz it was available in Ugg. 18 00:01:23,780 --> 00:01:25,010 Cuz we always say That's a good nug. 19 00:01:25,670 --> 00:01:26,450 That's a good nug. 20 00:01:26,450 --> 00:01:28,160 And we just want to post the nugs. 21 00:01:28,500 --> 00:01:29,460 here's a nug, here's a nug. 22 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,880 Which is probably cool, there's that approach where you're hunting for the nug, 23 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,140 you're hunting for the deeper knowledge. 24 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:41,610 You're hunting for that, that one thing that's there that nobody else sees. 25 00:01:42,039 --> 00:01:45,035 and so the result of that can be confusing reading. 26 00:01:45,565 --> 00:01:47,645 Because you're reading the whole Bible and you're like, 27 00:01:47,675 --> 00:01:48,935 how does this all fit together? 28 00:01:49,914 --> 00:01:52,134 secondly, there's the hero approach. 29 00:01:52,914 --> 00:01:57,895 Reading the Bible is a moral hall of fame that gives us one example after 30 00:01:57,895 --> 00:02:02,655 another of heroic spiritual giants to emulate the heroic approach. 31 00:02:03,595 --> 00:02:06,985 Which I'm very guarded against Mario's listening to the Action Bible, 32 00:02:06,985 --> 00:02:09,115 which actually is pretty amazing. 33 00:02:09,544 --> 00:02:10,475 but I listen for it. 34 00:02:10,475 --> 00:02:15,955 I listen for, David was a man after God's own heart and never failed. 35 00:02:16,225 --> 00:02:21,040 You can be David too, if you try hard enough, for four easy payments of 1999. 36 00:02:21,150 --> 00:02:24,270 that's the kind of you too could be David. 37 00:02:24,915 --> 00:02:27,975 There's that hero approach where we read the Bible and we're like, oh, 38 00:02:27,975 --> 00:02:32,975 if we just had more Davids, oh, if we just had more, Ezekiel's or Jeremiahs 39 00:02:32,975 --> 00:02:41,345 or Isaiahs or Peters or Paul's forgetting that they came utterly broke 40 00:02:41,345 --> 00:02:47,345 into the throne of grace, that they literally were the utmost examples 41 00:02:47,345 --> 00:02:51,245 of failure that God redeems and uses. 42 00:02:51,875 --> 00:02:52,445 Wow. 43 00:02:52,805 --> 00:02:54,065 And so, we can read that. 44 00:02:54,065 --> 00:02:55,745 we want to follow their example. 45 00:02:55,745 --> 00:02:57,975 We're, we are, addicted. 46 00:02:58,665 --> 00:03:01,985 To following the example of somebody else. 47 00:03:02,745 --> 00:03:08,565 and in that we characterize their complexity and we highlight their 48 00:03:08,565 --> 00:03:13,005 good moments, forgo their bad moments, and say, you two can be this, which 49 00:03:13,005 --> 00:03:16,875 is an impossible thing for somebody who accomplishes because any good 50 00:03:16,875 --> 00:03:20,775 that person did as we read in scripture, was by God's grace alone. 51 00:03:21,015 --> 00:03:25,995 One of the most shocking things you read in the Bible is when it says righteous. 52 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:28,200 A lot. 53 00:03:31,305 --> 00:03:33,135 You're like, wait, what? 54 00:03:33,195 --> 00:03:35,954 Where did, yeah, we missed that part of the Bible. 55 00:03:36,015 --> 00:03:36,225 Yeah. 56 00:03:36,735 --> 00:03:39,675 Is that like a, is that in a, did we miss a book? 57 00:03:39,785 --> 00:03:44,985 righteous lot who escaped from the city, tried to throw his daughters to the crowd 58 00:03:44,985 --> 00:03:49,475 saying, Hey, have sexual relations with them cuz I've gotta do the hospitality 59 00:03:49,475 --> 00:03:50,885 thing and protect these angels. 60 00:03:51,005 --> 00:03:51,185 Yeah. 61 00:03:51,185 --> 00:03:51,395 Yeah. 62 00:03:51,395 --> 00:03:51,965 Rape them. 63 00:03:52,055 --> 00:03:52,535 Go ahead. 64 00:03:52,755 --> 00:03:54,255 and then left that night. 65 00:03:54,570 --> 00:03:57,930 His wife, looking back, his daughters ended up sleeping with him 66 00:03:58,260 --> 00:04:00,310 and, because they wanted a child. 67 00:04:00,580 --> 00:04:05,320 And now they were outcasted and ostracized from society in God because there was 68 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:07,780 some ember of faith that he blew on. 69 00:04:08,860 --> 00:04:09,400 Not a lot. 70 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:11,290 Yeah. 71 00:04:12,660 --> 00:04:18,040 Because of the brokenness that God looked at and he fanned in the flame 72 00:04:18,459 --> 00:04:21,010 that desperate ember of hope in him. 73 00:04:21,605 --> 00:04:21,894 Okay. 74 00:04:22,345 --> 00:04:24,085 That he would hope to something beyond himself. 75 00:04:27,715 --> 00:04:33,985 In the New Testament scripture for 2000 years, God wrote righteous lot. 76 00:04:37,225 --> 00:04:37,495 Yeah. 77 00:04:37,545 --> 00:04:40,275 We really gotta rethink how we read these stories. 78 00:04:41,115 --> 00:04:42,615 There's the rules approach. 79 00:04:42,705 --> 00:04:46,605 I think we come from churches who use this approach, reading the Bible on the 80 00:04:46,605 --> 00:04:52,465 lookout for commands to obey subtly to, reinforce a sense of personal superiority. 81 00:04:53,020 --> 00:04:55,150 yeah, brother struggles with this. 82 00:04:55,150 --> 00:04:57,950 I don't, sister struggles with this. 83 00:04:57,950 --> 00:04:58,909 I don't. 84 00:04:58,970 --> 00:04:59,360 Oh. 85 00:04:59,365 --> 00:05:03,620 If they were only more passionate for Jesus, they really understood what 86 00:05:03,620 --> 00:05:06,870 he did for them at the cross, then they would really want to obey him. 87 00:05:07,420 --> 00:05:12,220 The rules approach the subtle reinforcement of legalism, the faira 88 00:05:12,310 --> 00:05:14,580 approach, It's attractive to some of us. 89 00:05:14,580 --> 00:05:17,220 It's attractive to me because I wanna define myself. 90 00:05:17,270 --> 00:05:25,100 I literally want to hide my shame behind my fig leaves of faux spirituality. 91 00:05:26,580 --> 00:05:26,910 Sure. 92 00:05:26,970 --> 00:05:32,100 And if I can find somebody who's sewn worse fig leaves than I have, oh, 93 00:05:32,850 --> 00:05:35,740 they are my focus, rip that thing off. 94 00:05:35,950 --> 00:05:37,480 Too bad about Jeremy. 95 00:05:38,420 --> 00:05:41,110 I read a book and it's amazing and I think, you have Christus 96 00:05:41,115 --> 00:05:44,020 Exemplar Christ, our example. 97 00:05:44,020 --> 00:05:44,021 Yes. 98 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:49,090 but it has to go hand in hand with Christ Our substitute. 99 00:05:50,380 --> 00:05:51,850 Christ our righteousness. 100 00:05:51,909 --> 00:05:54,760 So Jesus did for us what we can never do for ourselves. 101 00:05:54,765 --> 00:05:54,970 Absolutely. 102 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:59,710 But in the new life, he's also the pattern that he's making us into. 103 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:01,690 So we get a forte sometimes. 104 00:06:02,395 --> 00:06:04,615 The worst thing is I go into a McDonald's. 105 00:06:04,705 --> 00:06:05,395 I just did one. 106 00:06:05,485 --> 00:06:06,175 It was horrible. 107 00:06:06,205 --> 00:06:09,595 I told my boss I did a two week, I did a three week job in two 108 00:06:09,595 --> 00:06:11,725 weeks, and there were no plans. 109 00:06:11,995 --> 00:06:13,225 I had no plans. 110 00:06:13,405 --> 00:06:14,365 I had to guess. 111 00:06:14,365 --> 00:06:15,055 I begged. 112 00:06:15,055 --> 00:06:18,025 I made phone calls and I'm like, I know there's something coming up. 113 00:06:18,145 --> 00:06:23,425 I was working nights in days, so we'd work from 12 at night till five in 114 00:06:23,425 --> 00:06:26,635 the morning, and then from five in the morning till 11, and then come home 115 00:06:26,635 --> 00:06:29,305 and sleep and then do the same thing for two weeks and then some weekends. 116 00:06:29,305 --> 00:06:30,205 That's why I missed some weekends. 117 00:06:31,135 --> 00:06:32,755 And I wanted plans. 118 00:06:32,755 --> 00:06:37,284 I wanted to know what I was building, and I could anticipate it, I could sense it. 119 00:06:37,375 --> 00:06:42,350 And then sure enough, the heads up came in and they said, oh yeah, we need this. 120 00:06:42,350 --> 00:06:44,510 And I was like, I made the phone calls. 121 00:06:44,510 --> 00:06:45,860 Now we're a week behind. 122 00:06:45,865 --> 00:06:46,551 What are you doing, Russ? 123 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:48,800 Give me the plan. 124 00:06:48,830 --> 00:06:50,540 Show me what I'm building. 125 00:06:50,810 --> 00:06:52,159 And I can lean into that. 126 00:06:52,159 --> 00:06:56,630 And the beautiful thing about the life that Jesus lived from his birth, where 127 00:06:56,630 --> 00:06:59,540 he's like obedient to his parents, right? 128 00:06:59,540 --> 00:07:02,900 He submits to their authority, to the point where he says, father, 129 00:07:02,905 --> 00:07:04,010 forgive them for they know not. 130 00:07:04,015 --> 00:07:09,320 What they do is he's giving us the pattern of a life that looks like him. 131 00:07:10,020 --> 00:07:16,070 He gives us this beautiful thing, but he doesn't say, go and do it. 132 00:07:16,135 --> 00:07:18,595 because we can't, that's why he had to come. 133 00:07:18,805 --> 00:07:22,435 If he just said, here's he's every other religious leader who just 134 00:07:22,435 --> 00:07:26,485 comes and shows up and says, here's the way to get to heaven and find 135 00:07:26,485 --> 00:07:28,225 serenity and peace in your life. 136 00:07:28,495 --> 00:07:31,225 And then you know, you go and you do it. 137 00:07:31,230 --> 00:07:32,515 You try really hard. 138 00:07:33,034 --> 00:07:33,219 no. 139 00:07:33,959 --> 00:07:35,069 He did what We couldn't. 140 00:07:35,369 --> 00:07:35,659 Amen. 141 00:07:35,659 --> 00:07:35,949 Amen. 142 00:07:36,058 --> 00:07:38,569 To do through us what we could never do for ourselves. 143 00:07:39,599 --> 00:07:43,419 The beautiful promise of the resurrection is that the power of 144 00:07:43,419 --> 00:07:45,219 the resurrection is alive in you. 145 00:07:45,399 --> 00:07:48,879 The beautiful thing about the Christian Gospel is that he isn't 146 00:07:48,879 --> 00:07:53,689 abandoned us to then make our way up Jacob's Ladder to heaven, but that 147 00:07:53,689 --> 00:07:58,289 the story of the gospel is that Jesus came Jacob's laddered down to us. 148 00:07:59,639 --> 00:07:59,929 Yeah. 149 00:08:00,449 --> 00:08:07,529 and he took what was supposed to be the wall that you fell against. 150 00:08:08,894 --> 00:08:12,899 In desperation called the law given at Sinai. 151 00:08:12,899 --> 00:08:15,959 Sinai was a mountain that you were not supposed to scale. 152 00:08:16,139 --> 00:08:16,409 Absolutely. 153 00:08:16,809 --> 00:08:19,689 it was a mountain that you said, I need somebody to go up for me. 154 00:08:20,289 --> 00:08:24,884 That's what Moses was, He was a prototype of the Jesus who would come to go up 155 00:08:24,889 --> 00:08:27,434 the mountain who said, you blot me out. 156 00:08:28,124 --> 00:08:28,964 Don't blot them out. 157 00:08:28,964 --> 00:08:29,804 You blot me out. 158 00:08:29,864 --> 00:08:32,024 And even Moses felt so unqualified. 159 00:08:32,354 --> 00:08:32,715 That's the iron. 160 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:34,213 And he was, that's the irony. 161 00:08:34,573 --> 00:08:35,683 That's the amazing thing. 162 00:08:35,688 --> 00:08:38,359 he's, that's the best story. 163 00:08:38,719 --> 00:08:43,394 Like when you think about grace and the law is, Moses nailed 164 00:08:43,394 --> 00:08:47,954 it for 39 years, 11 months. 165 00:08:49,134 --> 00:08:50,574 He like killed it. 166 00:08:50,694 --> 00:08:51,384 Perfect. 167 00:08:51,414 --> 00:08:52,104 pretty good. 168 00:08:52,104 --> 00:08:53,414 He's blot me out of your book. 169 00:08:53,624 --> 00:08:57,014 And then at the end he strikes the rock and Jesus. 170 00:08:57,064 --> 00:08:58,184 and God's you can't go in. 171 00:08:58,304 --> 00:09:01,654 You failed because that's the law you miss once. 172 00:09:02,424 --> 00:09:03,384 But what does Grace say? 173 00:09:06,404 --> 00:09:09,294 The beautiful thing about Grace and the story of the gospel is he gets 174 00:09:09,294 --> 00:09:15,234 in, he shows up in the Promised land. 175 00:09:15,849 --> 00:09:16,929 At the Transfiguration. 176 00:09:17,799 --> 00:09:18,759 There you go. 177 00:09:19,209 --> 00:09:20,679 Where the law said you're out. 178 00:09:21,459 --> 00:09:28,119 Grace said, oh my son, you can come visit the promised Land, but you're 179 00:09:28,124 --> 00:09:29,739 probably gonna want to go home. 180 00:09:30,189 --> 00:09:31,949 And and what does he do when he shows up? 181 00:09:32,619 --> 00:09:33,959 He's just worshiping. 182 00:09:35,039 --> 00:09:35,339 Yeah. 183 00:09:35,689 --> 00:09:37,999 but what an incredible view of. 184 00:09:38,779 --> 00:09:42,169 That law, that rules approach, you miss once you're gone. 185 00:09:42,309 --> 00:09:43,749 Yeah, miss once you're gone. 186 00:09:43,754 --> 00:09:44,519 Pass or fail. 187 00:09:45,029 --> 00:09:45,679 Pass or fail. 188 00:09:46,269 --> 00:09:49,599 So the result is despairing reading and. 189 00:09:50,974 --> 00:09:54,839 And and it's reinforces and it's iCal reading, right? 190 00:09:54,869 --> 00:09:58,529 The artifact approach reading the Bible is an ancient document about events in 191 00:09:58,529 --> 00:10:02,189 the Middle East a few thousand years ago that are relevant to my life today. 192 00:10:02,219 --> 00:10:03,449 Oh yeah, I believe that happened. 193 00:10:03,499 --> 00:10:06,949 nothing impacts now it's just a history and we can learn and 194 00:10:06,949 --> 00:10:08,129 glean some lessons from that. 195 00:10:08,509 --> 00:10:10,309 The result is board reading. 196 00:10:10,319 --> 00:10:14,509 Alright, the guide, reading the bylaws, a roadmap to tell me where to work, 197 00:10:14,509 --> 00:10:16,849 whom to marry, and what shampoo to use. 198 00:10:17,314 --> 00:10:17,854 Oh, been there. 199 00:10:18,904 --> 00:10:20,944 Actually, this is more common than we think. 200 00:10:20,949 --> 00:10:26,784 We kinda laugh, but if you've been raised in the church, I think this is huge. 201 00:10:27,244 --> 00:10:27,464 Yes. 202 00:10:27,664 --> 00:10:29,734 I've told you the story where I washed my. 203 00:10:30,499 --> 00:10:31,939 Acne seven times. 204 00:10:31,939 --> 00:10:32,029 Oh yeah. 205 00:10:32,419 --> 00:10:33,259 To be cleansed. 206 00:10:33,259 --> 00:10:36,129 And it was like somebody took sand pa a belt sander to my 207 00:10:36,129 --> 00:10:37,529 forehead, it didn't work. 208 00:10:37,839 --> 00:10:44,489 it's that kind of weird, like these story, this weird reading of scripture 209 00:10:44,789 --> 00:10:46,939 where it's like this guidebook. 210 00:10:46,939 --> 00:10:48,754 And, we've had friends who saw. 211 00:10:49,014 --> 00:10:49,304 Yeah. 212 00:10:49,924 --> 00:10:53,764 Who saw things on billboards and then read in her devotional that she 213 00:10:53,764 --> 00:10:56,974 was supposed to marry this person, and of course it didn't work out. 214 00:10:56,974 --> 00:11:01,659 And she had this crisis of faith, was she, we lost our friendship. 215 00:11:02,109 --> 00:11:02,379 Oh, wow. 216 00:11:02,979 --> 00:11:09,719 And just because we're like, no, I, I don't think that's what God's telling you. 217 00:11:09,724 --> 00:11:09,919 Yeah. 218 00:11:10,659 --> 00:11:13,149 but we hunt for these like Gideon. 219 00:11:14,124 --> 00:11:18,084 Who God came gently and said, Hey, you're pretty much a pegon. 220 00:11:19,014 --> 00:11:23,934 I'm gonna incline myself in my grace to meet you in your weakness 221 00:11:24,744 --> 00:11:26,634 because you're so utterly weak. 222 00:11:27,144 --> 00:11:28,384 But we take that as like the hero. 223 00:11:28,714 --> 00:11:30,029 oh, he put out a fleece. 224 00:11:30,029 --> 00:11:31,139 Oh, we can put out a flee. 225 00:11:31,219 --> 00:11:35,269 instead of this like immaculate act of God's grace, we put 226 00:11:35,269 --> 00:11:36,709 this fleece out to say God. 227 00:11:38,284 --> 00:11:42,514 Speak to me in some weird way other than he's spoken to you and the person of his 228 00:11:42,514 --> 00:11:49,644 son, he's given you everything you need in life and the person of Jesus Christ. 229 00:11:51,154 --> 00:11:53,644 Every word that he says about be not being anxious. 230 00:11:54,294 --> 00:11:58,324 Every word that he says about him valuing you more than the lilies of 231 00:11:58,324 --> 00:12:00,264 the field and the sparrows that fall. 232 00:12:00,359 --> 00:12:04,289 Every word that he said about how no one's gonna snatch you out of his hand, 233 00:12:04,649 --> 00:12:09,929 every prayer that he prays is answered. 234 00:12:09,984 --> 00:12:14,954 if the son of God is praying for you in John 17, every bit of it Yeah. 235 00:12:15,194 --> 00:12:15,974 Is sure and true. 236 00:12:15,974 --> 00:12:19,034 So everything you need has been given to you. 237 00:12:19,034 --> 00:12:23,624 But sometimes we hunt for these other ways because honestly, they're a way to. 238 00:12:25,004 --> 00:12:31,004 Go around God's hard sovereignty and his slow time. 239 00:12:32,474 --> 00:12:32,864 Yeah. 240 00:12:33,134 --> 00:12:37,094 To spiritualize what you want for your life. 241 00:12:38,084 --> 00:12:38,414 Yeah. 242 00:12:39,864 --> 00:12:41,036 and that's just the truth of it. 243 00:12:41,354 --> 00:12:44,294 It is interesting, I think, especially when you're a young Christian or 244 00:12:44,294 --> 00:12:47,929 you're new to the faith, I think that, and I don't mean to put in 245 00:12:47,934 --> 00:12:51,889 that framework like it's an immature thing cuz I still struggle with it. 246 00:12:52,159 --> 00:12:52,369 Yeah. 247 00:12:52,429 --> 00:12:56,359 Having been a Christian most of my life, but, the sense 248 00:12:56,359 --> 00:13:00,769 that I have to find God's will. 249 00:13:02,164 --> 00:13:03,934 And then there's this pressure. 250 00:13:04,024 --> 00:13:06,844 There's this, I feel like a stop. 251 00:13:06,844 --> 00:13:08,314 I'm up against a wall. 252 00:13:08,314 --> 00:13:12,904 I'm like, like I, I feel like some, like I can't progress 253 00:13:12,934 --> 00:13:16,924 forward unless I get his will. 254 00:13:16,924 --> 00:13:21,754 Like I'm, I am praying, I'm seeking, I'm reading scripture, but I'm 255 00:13:21,759 --> 00:13:24,924 reading scripture in such a way where Make something jump out at me. 256 00:13:24,974 --> 00:13:29,014 like it, it's this thing that it's man, just do this. 257 00:13:29,314 --> 00:13:31,984 And then you learn later on in life. 258 00:13:36,574 --> 00:13:41,224 He just wants you, he doesn't need your work. 259 00:13:42,484 --> 00:13:44,644 He doesn't need you to do great things for him because he's 260 00:13:44,644 --> 00:13:45,784 already done the greatest thing. 261 00:13:46,684 --> 00:13:49,954 Anything good you do is gonna be his grace anyway. 262 00:13:49,954 --> 00:13:52,444 He just wants you. 263 00:13:53,284 --> 00:13:55,864 But then I even think of Abraham because he didn't see it. 264 00:13:55,954 --> 00:13:59,194 He had one son and he was told that he was gonna have more. 265 00:13:59,659 --> 00:14:04,299 Descendants, then all the stars in the heavens, he just sees one, and then, 266 00:14:04,299 --> 00:14:06,849 cheel right along the way, his own work. 267 00:14:07,809 --> 00:14:13,359 But there was that, there was so much trust in what God was doing there. 268 00:14:13,359 --> 00:14:19,859 But I think that there's this, there's like this pressure. 269 00:14:19,859 --> 00:14:23,369 I have to be right in this situation and this circumstance. 270 00:14:23,369 --> 00:14:23,969 I cannot fail. 271 00:14:24,359 --> 00:14:25,739 I cannot sail. 272 00:14:26,159 --> 00:14:26,759 And you know what? 273 00:14:26,759 --> 00:14:27,989 I think it comes from a good place. 274 00:14:27,989 --> 00:14:28,619 God is good. 275 00:14:28,624 --> 00:14:29,939 Yeah, he's been good to me. 276 00:14:30,179 --> 00:14:31,259 I want to be good to him. 277 00:14:31,314 --> 00:14:34,344 I don't think it, sometimes it may be you start to get under 278 00:14:34,344 --> 00:14:36,784 your motivations and you're like, oh, I thought that was about you. 279 00:14:36,784 --> 00:14:37,954 God, that was all about me. 280 00:14:38,464 --> 00:14:39,214 Yikes. 281 00:14:39,269 --> 00:14:44,039 But yeah, but honestly, like even for me, like at this point in my life, 282 00:14:44,069 --> 00:14:45,449 I've always felt called to Stockton. 283 00:14:45,449 --> 00:14:46,889 Wes always felt called to Stockton. 284 00:14:46,889 --> 00:14:49,929 Our house is falling apart, it's something new every week and 285 00:14:49,929 --> 00:14:50,979 we're like, let's just move. 286 00:14:50,979 --> 00:14:51,789 We need more space. 287 00:14:51,839 --> 00:14:56,819 we have so many kids now, we thought we were moving into a different transition 288 00:14:57,089 --> 00:14:59,009 in life and we're like, oh, wow. 289 00:14:59,009 --> 00:15:03,239 I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be like 65 when Nathaniel graduates. 290 00:15:03,239 --> 00:15:05,069 that's crazy to think about. 291 00:15:05,074 --> 00:15:11,489 Like I'm, what, and being so I just want to be where you are and I know that. 292 00:15:12,689 --> 00:15:13,049 Yeah. 293 00:15:15,429 --> 00:15:19,324 if that's my heart, then you can bring it, you can bring a whale 294 00:15:19,324 --> 00:15:20,554 to bring me back to Stockton. 295 00:15:21,004 --> 00:15:23,434 Even if I'm like, I'm done. 296 00:15:23,494 --> 00:15:27,734 Like I'm so okay with not. 297 00:15:28,524 --> 00:15:31,284 I was so paralyzed for so many years, honestly. 298 00:15:31,344 --> 00:15:32,484 Let me just, okay. 299 00:15:33,414 --> 00:15:36,654 I had a vision, and that vision, 300 00:15:49,554 --> 00:15:50,994 it was the burden I carried 301 00:15:54,294 --> 00:15:55,104 that I had to fulfill. 302 00:15:57,864 --> 00:15:59,934 Which makes success. 303 00:15:59,934 --> 00:16:08,694 Yours and failure devastating because you don't fail yourself 304 00:16:08,694 --> 00:16:10,374 or your spouse or your family. 305 00:16:10,614 --> 00:16:16,734 You fail God as if God has two plans, as if he has an A 306 00:16:16,734 --> 00:16:18,144 and a B, and you can miss it. 307 00:16:18,514 --> 00:16:19,124 Beautiful. 308 00:16:19,194 --> 00:16:19,344 Thank. 309 00:16:19,344 --> 00:16:21,804 Thank the sovereignty of God as you're always on Plan a. 310 00:16:22,419 --> 00:16:26,109 No matter how much you zig and you zag and you go this way, and 311 00:16:26,109 --> 00:16:29,709 you go this way, you look back and you're all, oh, that was planning. 312 00:16:30,689 --> 00:16:33,149 Oh yeah, that was planning. 313 00:16:34,629 --> 00:16:37,599 Jesus said, good thing about visions. 314 00:16:40,459 --> 00:16:45,389 Take my yo p oops for my yolk is easy. 315 00:16:46,624 --> 00:16:47,794 And my burden is light. 316 00:16:47,799 --> 00:16:48,014 Yeah. 317 00:16:48,044 --> 00:16:48,334 Yeah. 318 00:16:49,084 --> 00:16:54,634 Jesus never gives you something that takes you away from himself. 319 00:16:54,664 --> 00:16:54,964 That's right. 320 00:16:55,704 --> 00:17:00,864 The way the whole yolk worked is you were yoked to something else and Jesus saying, 321 00:17:00,864 --> 00:17:02,784 take my yolk, yolked yourself to me like. 322 00:17:03,684 --> 00:17:04,344 We're together. 323 00:17:04,804 --> 00:17:06,064 I'm doing the heavy lifting. 324 00:17:06,454 --> 00:17:10,503 I'm basically dragging you, Kayla, like I've got, I'm taking you 325 00:17:10,503 --> 00:17:13,864 all the way, yolk yourself to me. 326 00:17:13,868 --> 00:17:18,934 But it's so easy to be absolutely paralyzed to where you don't 327 00:17:18,934 --> 00:17:22,114 even know up from down, because. 328 00:17:23,269 --> 00:17:27,409 You're gonna do something for him, you're gonna find that thing. 329 00:17:27,829 --> 00:17:30,599 And then you look and you go these places and you're like, 330 00:17:30,629 --> 00:17:32,674 confirm it, kind of thing. 331 00:17:32,734 --> 00:17:33,874 And he just keeps saying it. 332 00:17:33,964 --> 00:17:37,474 Time after time I saved you. 333 00:17:38,674 --> 00:17:39,904 I brought you out to bring you in. 334 00:17:42,154 --> 00:17:44,524 I called you out to bring you into myself. 335 00:17:45,064 --> 00:17:47,074 The whole scheme, God doesn't need you. 336 00:17:48,694 --> 00:17:50,794 God doesn't need you to fulfill the great commission. 337 00:17:51,534 --> 00:17:57,394 like it's a joy to be able to be used by him, but he just, the whole 338 00:17:57,394 --> 00:18:01,954 point and every bit of health flows from the idea of him just bringing 339 00:18:01,954 --> 00:18:04,114 you in and you enjoying him. 340 00:18:05,779 --> 00:18:08,869 Because then it's a reaction that's out of the overflow of heart 341 00:18:09,379 --> 00:18:10,819 to his goodness and his grace. 342 00:18:10,819 --> 00:18:13,159 It's not I have to prove myself. 343 00:18:13,189 --> 00:18:15,289 I have to prove to God that I'm worth saving. 344 00:18:15,289 --> 00:18:16,369 I have to do this. 345 00:18:16,609 --> 00:18:17,089 I have to. 346 00:18:17,149 --> 00:18:19,309 I have to prove to others that I'm not a failure. 347 00:18:19,309 --> 00:18:19,999 I have to do this. 348 00:18:20,004 --> 00:18:20,389 I have to do. 349 00:18:20,449 --> 00:18:23,824 It's out of the overflow of your heart, you're like, oh my gosh, God. 350 00:18:23,824 --> 00:18:24,914 You're saving people. 351 00:18:24,914 --> 00:18:26,324 You love that person. 352 00:18:26,774 --> 00:18:28,124 Oh, that was me. 353 00:18:28,874 --> 00:18:29,474 Can I help? 354 00:18:29,574 --> 00:18:30,294 can I go with you? 355 00:18:31,809 --> 00:18:32,409 Can I go with you? 356 00:18:32,409 --> 00:18:33,279 He's yeah, come. 357 00:18:34,539 --> 00:18:35,589 Let's love this person. 358 00:18:35,639 --> 00:18:36,149 . That's it. 359 00:18:37,109 --> 00:18:41,119 So I have one little intro I think we'll end on, and then I want us to 360 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:47,689 all just study the passage where Jesus is tempted, by Satan, the adversary. 361 00:18:48,409 --> 00:18:51,439 because, we'll talk about it because what does he say over and over? 362 00:18:51,649 --> 00:18:52,999 He uses the sword of the spirit. 363 00:18:53,219 --> 00:18:53,759 It is written. 364 00:18:54,059 --> 00:18:55,069 It is written, yes. 365 00:18:56,254 --> 00:18:59,494 One of my favorite stories obscure in the book of Acts is Paul. 366 00:19:00,234 --> 00:19:02,094 Paul uses a sword on himself. 367 00:19:02,574 --> 00:19:07,734 He is before the Sanhedrin, and, the Sanhedrin says, or, the hi 368 00:19:07,734 --> 00:19:08,854 priest says something, just. 369 00:19:09,779 --> 00:19:14,249 Just demeaning to Paul and Paul reacts and he is like you whitewash tomb 370 00:19:14,249 --> 00:19:17,059 or whatever, And just and then one of the people standing by is Hey, 371 00:19:17,059 --> 00:19:18,799 did you, that's the high priest. 372 00:19:18,799 --> 00:19:21,199 You aren't supposed to speak against the Lord's anointed. 373 00:19:21,289 --> 00:19:26,449 And Paul literally quotes scripture to himself and he uses the sword and he says, 374 00:19:26,479 --> 00:19:28,609 oh yeah, it written, you shall not speak. 375 00:19:28,699 --> 00:19:33,319 And he changes in that moment because he uses the sword on his heart. 376 00:19:34,054 --> 00:19:39,154 the physical sword cuts through bone and flesh, the spiritual 377 00:19:39,154 --> 00:19:40,684 sword, cuts through the heart. 378 00:19:40,864 --> 00:19:40,954 Yes. 379 00:19:41,354 --> 00:19:44,354 and so often cuts both ways. 380 00:19:44,744 --> 00:19:45,734 One more. 381 00:19:45,894 --> 00:19:50,409 so the guidebook approach is anxious reading, the doctrine approach. 382 00:19:51,479 --> 00:19:55,379 Reading the Bible is the theological repository to plunder for ammunition 383 00:19:55,379 --> 00:19:57,179 from my next debate at Starbucks. 384 00:19:58,169 --> 00:20:00,089 And I only write that because I've done that. 385 00:20:00,689 --> 00:20:02,129 And the result is cold reading. 386 00:20:02,129 --> 00:20:04,589 You're just looking, for the, the ammunition. 387 00:20:04,829 --> 00:20:06,429 so this night had been a heavy one, right? 388 00:20:06,429 --> 00:20:11,129 It's the night and nights, and this is where we intro into this with a 389 00:20:11,129 --> 00:20:17,369 rabbi telling them that he would be leaving soon, but not to lose heart. 390 00:20:19,799 --> 00:20:21,239 Because he would return soon. 391 00:20:23,159 --> 00:20:26,609 Passover had been different and there had been talk at the table of one 392 00:20:26,609 --> 00:20:31,379 of their master's closest followers betrayed him to the religious leaders, 393 00:20:34,529 --> 00:20:37,979 and they all asked, is it I? 394 00:20:39,179 --> 00:20:40,739 Which is beautiful humility. 395 00:20:42,659 --> 00:20:43,399 It's a good thing. 396 00:20:43,999 --> 00:20:47,029 He checked once again, the sword strapped to the belt under, hidden 397 00:20:47,029 --> 00:20:50,389 underneath his coat as they sang a hymn. 398 00:20:50,449 --> 00:20:52,039 I love that part of the story. 399 00:20:52,429 --> 00:20:54,169 As they're walking through the Kron Valley, they're 400 00:20:54,169 --> 00:20:55,699 coming down out of Jerusalem. 401 00:20:55,704 --> 00:20:58,849 They're walking into the valley where the Brook Cron was, and then 402 00:20:58,849 --> 00:21:01,939 walking up to the Hil, to Yosemite, and it says they sang to him. 403 00:21:02,509 --> 00:21:05,539 So they're worshiping, they're praising, they're singing songs. 404 00:21:05,539 --> 00:21:08,899 Jesus is singing on the night of nights that he's gonna be betrayed. 405 00:21:08,899 --> 00:21:10,039 Jesus is worshiping. 406 00:21:10,654 --> 00:21:15,884 Jesus is praising on that night as we talked about, the Eucharist, giving 407 00:21:15,889 --> 00:21:19,484 thanks that he's breaking bread and giving thanks, Lord, thank you 408 00:21:19,484 --> 00:21:22,394 that I get to be broken for them. 409 00:21:23,264 --> 00:21:27,054 he checked once again, the sword strapped to the belt, hidden underneath 410 00:21:27,054 --> 00:21:29,264 his coat as they sang to him. 411 00:21:29,474 --> 00:21:33,404 Threw the Kidron Valley and walked up the incline to the orchard of olive trees. 412 00:21:34,274 --> 00:21:38,204 Darkness laid over the land, thicker than any normal, night. 413 00:21:39,574 --> 00:21:46,534 And their rabbi had asked them to stay up and pray, but as so often sleep won 414 00:21:46,534 --> 00:21:51,724 the battle, and each time the master woke them up, they would fall asleep again. 415 00:21:52,894 --> 00:21:58,385 And Jesus ended up saying, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 416 00:21:58,894 --> 00:22:03,634 I one of the greatest, Hey, you really wanted to do this. 417 00:22:03,634 --> 00:22:05,464 There was a part of you that wanted to do this. 418 00:22:05,464 --> 00:22:06,244 Good job. 419 00:22:07,309 --> 00:22:08,659 But the flesh was weak. 420 00:22:12,469 --> 00:22:15,739 But not only their voices as they were talking, as they were arousing 421 00:22:15,739 --> 00:22:19,939 from their sleep, there were more voices than even the master's voice. 422 00:22:19,939 --> 00:22:26,659 10, a couple dozen now many voices, a mob coming towards them carrying torches. 423 00:22:27,529 --> 00:22:31,429 As the mom moved closer to where they were, one toward the front 424 00:22:31,429 --> 00:22:34,699 leading the pack looked familiar, and as he came into the light of the 425 00:22:34,699 --> 00:22:38,704 torches, They realized it was Judas. 426 00:22:39,544 --> 00:22:43,294 Judas had brought a mob to halt and moved toward Jesus and 427 00:22:43,294 --> 00:22:45,364 leaned toward him and kissed him. 428 00:22:45,844 --> 00:22:50,824 And in Luke 2249, and those who were around him saw what would follow. 429 00:22:50,884 --> 00:22:55,234 They said, Lord, shall we strike with the sword. 430 00:22:57,784 --> 00:23:00,004 They're ready to run the palm branches Palm Sunday. 431 00:23:01,354 --> 00:23:04,444 A physical deliverance, a physical sword. 432 00:23:05,014 --> 00:23:07,744 A physical deliverance, a physical liberation, a physical 433 00:23:07,744 --> 00:23:11,884 freedom, violence, throwing off the opposition and oppression. 434 00:23:12,214 --> 00:23:18,754 And in John 18, 10 to 11, then Simon Peter having a word, drew it and struck the 435 00:23:18,754 --> 00:23:21,274 high priester and cut off his right ear. 436 00:23:22,084 --> 00:23:24,674 The servant's name was Malus, so G. 437 00:23:24,679 --> 00:23:27,194 So Jesus said to Peter, put your sword into its sheath. 438 00:23:28,354 --> 00:23:31,144 Shall I not drink the cup the father has given me? 439 00:23:33,004 --> 00:23:36,484 And Jesus was saying, and they would soon realize, Peter, this 440 00:23:36,484 --> 00:23:38,014 isn't the sword dear to use. 441 00:23:39,214 --> 00:23:44,644 This one only brings death to those it is used upon. 442 00:23:44,704 --> 00:23:47,374 And to those who use it. 443 00:23:48,454 --> 00:23:52,564 Those who live by the sword, die by the sword. 444 00:23:53,254 --> 00:23:59,074 Soon Peter, soon you will get that heavenly blade that brings life. 445 00:23:59,434 --> 00:24:00,904 Where there is death. 446 00:24:01,834 --> 00:24:06,364 It was weeks later and they had been praying together, even as their master 447 00:24:06,364 --> 00:24:09,904 and savior had prayed that night in the garden, Jesus had ascended. 448 00:24:09,904 --> 00:24:11,044 They had watched him in heaven. 449 00:24:11,044 --> 00:24:14,644 The angels showed up and were like, . It's gonna be a little 450 00:24:14,644 --> 00:24:15,964 while before he comes back. 451 00:24:16,024 --> 00:24:18,634 You guys can go about, fulfilling the great commission. 452 00:24:18,844 --> 00:24:21,404 You guys can go wait and wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. 453 00:24:21,404 --> 00:24:22,424 They're just like staring. 454 00:24:22,429 --> 00:24:24,764 He's I'm gonna come back the way you see me going. 455 00:24:25,214 --> 00:24:26,984 And they're like, okay, we'll be here. 456 00:24:30,014 --> 00:24:31,994 But now they're in the upper room and they're praying. 457 00:24:32,834 --> 00:24:35,414 It had been weeks since they watched him rise into the heavens 458 00:24:35,414 --> 00:24:36,524 and he had told them to wait. 459 00:24:36,884 --> 00:24:42,494 To wait for the promise that a helper would come in the morning as the day was 460 00:24:42,494 --> 00:24:49,424 starting, as the noise outside grew in intensity as people made their way to 461 00:24:49,454 --> 00:24:52,754 the temple and as the roosters crowed, 462 00:24:58,314 --> 00:25:02,504 a noise inside the upper room began to grow a sound like rushing wind. 463 00:25:02,504 --> 00:25:06,044 Were told the promise, the Holy Spirit poured out. 464 00:25:07,694 --> 00:25:10,844 And people begin to gather around because the crowd gathered outside the house, 465 00:25:10,844 --> 00:25:16,124 heard those who spirit come upon praising God and declaring his mighty works 466 00:25:16,124 --> 00:25:19,784 each in their own language and dialect. 467 00:25:21,944 --> 00:25:28,164 That is the true miracle of, that special language that God poured out because what 468 00:25:28,164 --> 00:25:30,084 was he saying in that very first instance? 469 00:25:30,174 --> 00:25:31,434 It's not just for Jews. 470 00:25:31,824 --> 00:25:33,834 And it's not just for Gallions. 471 00:25:34,134 --> 00:25:37,074 It's not just for Naza rights, but it's for everybody. 472 00:25:37,074 --> 00:25:38,994 The gospel has come for everybody. 473 00:25:39,174 --> 00:25:43,614 Everybody is welcome and that Jesus has come to meet you where you are at. 474 00:25:43,614 --> 00:25:47,664 You don't have to come and make a pilgrimage to where he is. 475 00:25:47,664 --> 00:25:50,814 He comes to meet you, even in your own dialect elect 476 00:25:54,294 --> 00:25:56,064 as Peter sees the crowd gather. 477 00:25:56,624 --> 00:26:01,824 Mama something we know The Holy Spirit stirs in his heart and this once coward 478 00:26:02,664 --> 00:26:07,254 reaches not for the cold steel he wielded and the garden of Yosemite, 479 00:26:08,724 --> 00:26:13,644 but now for his Jerusalem blade, the devil edge sword of the gospel. 480 00:26:16,419 --> 00:26:19,749 And he takes up the word of God by the spirit of God and he begins 481 00:26:19,754 --> 00:26:21,909 to cut this way and that way. 482 00:26:21,969 --> 00:26:24,249 And how do we know it was a sword and a blade? 483 00:26:24,249 --> 00:26:28,989 Because Acts 2 36 says, Peter preaching, let all the house of 484 00:26:28,989 --> 00:26:34,809 Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and 485 00:26:34,814 --> 00:26:38,529 Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. 486 00:26:40,029 --> 00:26:49,374 Now when the they heard this, They were cut to the heart 487 00:26:52,644 --> 00:26:59,274 and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Brothers, what shall we do? 488 00:26:59,844 --> 00:27:04,404 And Peter said to them, repent and be baptized every one of you in 489 00:27:04,404 --> 00:27:08,004 the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you 490 00:27:08,004 --> 00:27:09,954 leave the gift of the Holy Spirit. 491 00:27:12,864 --> 00:27:21,204 Priests, Pharisees, sades, commoners, fishermen, tradesmen, 492 00:27:21,414 --> 00:27:31,404 carpenters, brick layers, stone masons, moms, dads heard that, 493 00:27:35,664 --> 00:27:38,244 and 3000 were saved and added to the church right there. 494 00:27:44,574 --> 00:27:49,434 Peter, like Moses at first tried to deliver and liberate people 495 00:27:49,464 --> 00:27:51,084 through physical violence. 496 00:27:51,924 --> 00:27:55,194 Remember, Moses struck down the Egyptian, he murdered 'em. 497 00:27:55,194 --> 00:27:56,994 he said, this is the way to liberation. 498 00:27:58,804 --> 00:28:04,944 And then he had to run for his life after he found out, after it was found 499 00:28:04,944 --> 00:28:07,554 out what he did and hid for 40 years. 500 00:28:08,799 --> 00:28:12,939 He would one day discover God's word alone was more enough and 501 00:28:12,939 --> 00:28:14,859 more than enough to defeat Egypt. 502 00:28:15,999 --> 00:28:19,869 The physical sword pierces the body, but the word of God pierces the heart. 503 00:28:20,709 --> 00:28:24,819 The more that you use the physical sword, the dull it becomes, but using God's 504 00:28:24,819 --> 00:28:26,469 word only makes it sharper in our lives. 505 00:28:28,689 --> 00:28:31,509 Peter used the word of God. 506 00:28:32,289 --> 00:28:39,369 The power of God unto salvation as Romans once says, is the gospel the good news? 507 00:28:39,759 --> 00:28:40,929 That is the sword. 508 00:28:41,559 --> 00:28:46,659 See how this blade with one edge kills that physical sword? 509 00:28:49,239 --> 00:28:53,679 And then see how this blade with one of its edges, the spiritual sword kills, 510 00:28:53,679 --> 00:28:55,329 but with the other edge brings life? 511 00:28:55,329 --> 00:28:56,469 Yes, it kills pride. 512 00:28:57,414 --> 00:29:00,504 It cleaves it in two from north to south, it kills bondage 513 00:29:00,504 --> 00:29:02,004 and enslavement and addiction. 514 00:29:02,004 --> 00:29:06,834 It cuts the mask of hypocrisy and cuts open the palace's, darks, and the dens of 515 00:29:06,834 --> 00:29:08,904 iniquity and exposes them to the light. 516 00:29:09,114 --> 00:29:11,754 Oh, but it heals even as it wounds. 517 00:29:12,204 --> 00:29:12,424 Yes. 518 00:29:13,074 --> 00:29:13,984 A life giving sword. 519 00:29:14,424 --> 00:29:17,904 It sounds like a contradiction, but think of it like a scalpel. 520 00:29:20,139 --> 00:29:23,559 The scalpel causes pain to bring health. 521 00:29:23,559 --> 00:29:28,899 It brings new life, new hearts, promise, inheritance, eternal life there in 522 00:29:28,899 --> 00:29:36,489 here, and transformation how wonderful a weapon the sword of the spirit is. 523 00:29:36,489 --> 00:29:40,199 And we're commanded in our passage to take it up. 524 00:29:41,364 --> 00:29:42,554 To take it up little bit. 525 00:29:43,914 --> 00:29:53,004 So let me just end on, so we're gonna jump into how Jesus uses it and we'll 526 00:29:53,004 --> 00:29:56,594 get into a little bit about what it is, it's history, why we should trust it. 527 00:29:56,594 --> 00:30:00,814 But let me just recount from the word of God itself. 528 00:30:00,814 --> 00:30:02,184 And this isn't circular reason. 529 00:30:02,554 --> 00:30:08,124 It's 66 books written by, different authors through thousands of years. 530 00:30:08,454 --> 00:30:12,414 Who tell a singular story? 531 00:30:13,884 --> 00:30:18,144 Yes, through different cultures, different phases, different histories, 532 00:30:18,144 --> 00:30:23,934 different technologies, and yet they all tell the same story of God coming 533 00:30:23,939 --> 00:30:29,784 to save rebellious men and women and to restore all things unto himself. 534 00:30:29,974 --> 00:30:32,014 it is truly phenomenal. 535 00:30:33,304 --> 00:30:34,504 So the word says, 536 00:30:37,504 --> 00:30:40,084 Nothing is to be taken from it or added to it. 537 00:30:40,144 --> 00:30:42,994 Deuteron, may 42, that it's eternal. 538 00:30:42,999 --> 00:30:47,614 Isaiah 48 and first Peter 1 25, that it's effective. 539 00:30:48,004 --> 00:30:54,304 Isaiah 55 11, that it's pure Psalm 12, six and 1 19 40, that it's perfect. 540 00:30:55,714 --> 00:30:58,654 Psalm 19, seven, that it's precious. 541 00:30:59,479 --> 00:31:05,179 Psalm 1910, A wife guide, Psalm 1 19, 1 0 5, soul food, Jeremiah 542 00:31:05,179 --> 00:31:08,389 15, six, a Fire and a hammer. 543 00:31:08,809 --> 00:31:10,579 Jeremiah 2329. 544 00:31:10,579 --> 00:31:11,569 That it's true. 545 00:31:12,319 --> 00:31:15,529 Psalm 1 19, 1 60, that it's helpful. 546 00:31:15,534 --> 00:31:18,139 Proverbs 6 23, that it's flawless. 547 00:31:18,139 --> 00:31:21,049 Proverbs 35 to be obeyed. 548 00:31:21,049 --> 00:31:23,179 Luke 8 21 in James 1 22. 549 00:31:23,184 --> 00:31:24,019 All we need to know. 550 00:31:24,764 --> 00:31:25,664 to know God. 551 00:31:25,694 --> 00:31:31,814 Luke 1629 and 31, the standard by which all teaching is to be tested. 552 00:31:31,904 --> 00:31:34,004 Acts 1711, faith Building. 553 00:31:34,004 --> 00:31:35,144 Romans 10 17. 554 00:31:35,149 --> 00:31:36,344 For everyone. 555 00:31:36,584 --> 00:31:40,034 Romans six 20 or 1626 sin cleansing. 556 00:31:40,394 --> 00:31:42,675 Ephesians 5 26 and James 1 21. 557 00:31:42,854 --> 00:31:44,354 The sword for spiritual battle. 558 00:31:44,354 --> 00:31:48,974 Ephesians six 17, the very words of God for Thessalonians two 13, God 559 00:31:48,974 --> 00:31:51,284 breathed second Timothy three 16. 560 00:31:51,524 --> 00:31:52,634 Life changing. 561 00:31:52,949 --> 00:31:54,029 Hebrews four 12. 562 00:31:54,029 --> 00:31:58,139 Life giving James one 18 Spiritual nourishing, first Peter two, two. 563 00:31:59,249 --> 00:32:02,279 Saint equipping second Timothy three 17. 564 00:32:03,269 --> 00:32:09,329 So you got like a pretty good, Hey, this is important that we should 565 00:32:09,329 --> 00:32:14,669 know it, but as important as it is in all those ways that we can read 566 00:32:14,669 --> 00:32:19,559 the word of God, more importantly is that the word of God reads us. 567 00:32:21,384 --> 00:32:23,864 And that we know who the word is. 568 00:32:23,869 --> 00:32:29,089 scripture says every jot, it seems like har hyperbole to me. 569 00:32:29,144 --> 00:32:35,844 Every tittle, just the little mark, the little dot on the eye that the 570 00:32:35,844 --> 00:32:40,824 volume of the book is written of Jesus who would come and rescue. 571 00:32:42,934 --> 00:32:44,044 you think of the story a lot. 572 00:32:44,044 --> 00:32:44,764 Righteous lot. 573 00:32:46,594 --> 00:32:51,219 And Abraham prayed and used lots righteousness to try 574 00:32:51,219 --> 00:32:53,129 to say you should save him. 575 00:32:53,189 --> 00:32:54,089 Remember the story. 576 00:32:54,269 --> 00:32:58,949 God comes to him and he is, and Abraham's God tells him, Jesus supreme guard it. 577 00:32:58,949 --> 00:32:59,909 He's got angels with him. 578 00:32:59,914 --> 00:33:02,269 And he is Hey, these angels are gonna go off because they're gonna 579 00:33:02,274 --> 00:33:03,839 see to the destruction of this city. 580 00:33:03,929 --> 00:33:06,619 And Abraham says, if there's 50 righteous. 581 00:33:08,884 --> 00:33:11,344 Will you leave Destruction? 582 00:33:11,744 --> 00:33:12,644 will you hold off? 583 00:33:12,824 --> 00:33:14,244 He's yeah, for 50 Righteous. 584 00:33:15,804 --> 00:33:20,964 And Abraham thinks a bit and he is like, how about 45? 585 00:33:20,969 --> 00:33:21,414 Righteous. 586 00:33:22,584 --> 00:33:25,094 I think he's doing math on how many relatives Lot has, and 587 00:33:25,294 --> 00:33:26,494 did his daughters get married? 588 00:33:26,494 --> 00:33:27,064 I forget. 589 00:33:27,064 --> 00:33:30,244 And he gets them down to 10. 590 00:33:32,584 --> 00:33:33,454 Pretend righteous. 591 00:33:34,219 --> 00:33:37,159 Yeah, for Ted Righteous, we'll withhold judgment, 592 00:33:42,649 --> 00:33:43,429 but judgment king, 593 00:33:46,579 --> 00:33:53,219 what Abraham should have done, and what we all should do is not go to 594 00:33:53,239 --> 00:33:58,739 the 10 or the 50 or the 45 or the 35 or the 20, but the one righteous. 595 00:34:01,699 --> 00:34:06,709 It's the only way a lot was righteous was because of the one righteous, and 596 00:34:06,709 --> 00:34:11,989 the wonder of the gospel is that the unrighteous gets to go outside in the 597 00:34:11,989 --> 00:34:19,039 city and the righteous one stays in and says, let the fire fall on me. 598 00:34:20,659 --> 00:34:26,629 The only way lot righteous lot could be was for righteous Jesus. 599 00:34:28,984 --> 00:34:31,534 To take all that and righteousness on himself. 600 00:34:32,264 --> 00:34:36,458 To take the fire of it all you guys, from beginning to end the Bible is about Jesus. 601 00:34:37,369 --> 00:34:41,869 The volume of the book, the signs, and that's why I love Levi Vagus. 602 00:34:41,873 --> 00:34:45,319 We should go through the vagus Leviticus, I can't even say it like, 603 00:34:45,409 --> 00:34:49,599 like the temples, the sacrifices, the feasts, the every rule. 604 00:34:49,603 --> 00:34:52,329 Everything is a symbol pointing to the greater reality. 605 00:34:52,539 --> 00:34:55,268 In fact, Hebrews, as Tom was saying, we should go through Hebrews. 606 00:34:55,734 --> 00:35:00,024 He says like all these things were signs and symbols pointing to the reality that 607 00:35:00,024 --> 00:35:06,714 Christ is, the way you read the Bible that transforms you is that Jesus is the hero. 608 00:35:07,104 --> 00:35:09,024 David's not the hero of the story. 609 00:35:09,354 --> 00:35:12,744 David fails, but that there's a greater David who comes 610 00:35:12,744 --> 00:35:14,154 along and says, guess what? 611 00:35:14,154 --> 00:35:19,254 I'll face off against the giant Goliath of Satan sin and death, and 612 00:35:19,254 --> 00:35:23,484 my victory will become your victory just like it was in David's like 613 00:35:23,484 --> 00:35:26,004 all along the way, he is the hero. 614 00:35:26,004 --> 00:35:27,174 He is the rescuer. 615 00:35:27,174 --> 00:35:31,884 He is the one to which everything pointed to, and the sword of the 616 00:35:31,884 --> 00:35:33,984 spirit is sharp when it's about Jesus. 617 00:35:35,884 --> 00:35:38,859 It is something else that the enemy uses cuz you'll see in the 618 00:35:38,859 --> 00:35:43,089 temptation of Jesus or the testing of Jesus that Satan quotes scripture. 619 00:35:44,619 --> 00:35:45,219 And guess what? 620 00:35:45,219 --> 00:35:47,499 I've heard a whole lot of sermons like he quotes it. 621 00:35:49,809 --> 00:35:55,799 So it's not just a matter of knowing the method or the scripture, but 622 00:35:56,019 --> 00:36:00,639 we have to know the message of scripture that it's all about Jesus 623 00:36:00,639 --> 00:36:02,139 and he has to be the hermeneutic. 624 00:36:02,529 --> 00:36:05,349 Through who we see everything and everything through. 625 00:36:05,529 --> 00:36:08,384 Like the whole testament is okay, you want a king now? 626 00:36:09,044 --> 00:36:09,584 Cool. 627 00:36:10,214 --> 00:36:10,454 Okay. 628 00:36:10,454 --> 00:36:12,734 You want it, you want me to lead you in the wilderness? 629 00:36:12,784 --> 00:36:16,564 oh, you need a physical representation and a cloud and a fire by a cool. 630 00:36:16,644 --> 00:36:16,854 Okay. 631 00:36:16,859 --> 00:36:22,549 You need like all it is God trying to meet where people standard is and then the 632 00:36:22,759 --> 00:36:25,339 whole story is about, man, that standard. 633 00:36:26,479 --> 00:36:30,859 we're just not, we're not hitting it where God intends and that he comes. 634 00:36:34,144 --> 00:36:34,954 And he saves us. 635 00:36:36,694 --> 00:36:40,684 Like you read the prophets, e free m didn't even know how to walk. 636 00:36:42,394 --> 00:36:43,774 Isn't that your testimony? 637 00:36:45,214 --> 00:36:48,214 Like here, I'm raised in this family with a spiritual heritage. 638 00:36:48,214 --> 00:36:52,024 I don't even know how to walk, so I picked you up. 639 00:36:54,244 --> 00:36:56,704 And I drew you with my chords of kindness. 640 00:36:57,424 --> 00:36:59,794 I taught you how to walk by kindness. 641 00:36:59,794 --> 00:37:05,644 I drew you by my love, my everlast like, like this story of Jesus rescuing 642 00:37:05,649 --> 00:37:10,614 the story of Peter transformed, like from someone who used the 643 00:37:10,614 --> 00:37:14,244 sword of violence and then used the sword for the rest of his life. 644 00:37:14,244 --> 00:37:18,114 the sword of the spirit to transform and to change the world. 645 00:37:18,394 --> 00:37:22,144 We so often think if we have the right person in power, then the 646 00:37:22,144 --> 00:37:23,704 world will be a better place. 647 00:37:23,704 --> 00:37:28,774 But over and over, as you read scripture, we learn that Jesus is the only thing. 648 00:37:28,774 --> 00:37:29,944 He's the prince of peace. 649 00:37:29,944 --> 00:37:31,894 He's the only one that can bring peace. 650 00:37:32,104 --> 00:37:36,169 Where there is divisiveness and a lack of reconciliation, and I'm sorry, 651 00:37:36,169 --> 00:37:37,019 it doesn't happen through violence. 652 00:37:37,489 --> 00:37:38,869 It doesn't happen through power. 653 00:37:39,169 --> 00:37:42,289 It happens through weakness, and it happens through the good news of Jesus 654 00:37:42,289 --> 00:37:47,659 Christ, and it happens through us following him in that message as we. 655 00:37:47,679 --> 00:37:54,999 Have enemy love as we bear one another's burdens as we follow him into loving 656 00:37:54,999 --> 00:37:56,769 the unlovable because he loved us. 657 00:37:56,819 --> 00:37:58,169 that's what changes the world. 658 00:37:58,169 --> 00:37:59,669 That's what transforms the world. 659 00:37:59,879 --> 00:38:03,959 I forget who the king was, who asked for more years on his life. 660 00:38:04,814 --> 00:38:07,214 Because he was a good king and people were like, that is a good prayer. 661 00:38:07,314 --> 00:38:07,704 yes. 662 00:38:07,704 --> 00:38:11,474 Reelect him, he's 80 something but reelect, and then he had the most 663 00:38:11,474 --> 00:38:15,384 wicked son in the history of the kingdom, in that remaining years. 664 00:38:15,389 --> 00:38:20,659 So like even that yes, extend that goodness, it still fails 665 00:38:22,279 --> 00:38:28,069 the extension of the best of our human people who represent us. 666 00:38:29,104 --> 00:38:30,199 They still fall short. 667 00:38:30,229 --> 00:38:31,069 only Jesus. 668 00:38:31,849 --> 00:38:35,419 And his kingdom is totally different and operates in a different way. 669 00:38:36,019 --> 00:38:36,589 Let's pray. 670 00:38:37,129 --> 00:38:39,619 Father, we thank you for your word. 671 00:38:39,619 --> 00:38:42,259 Lord, we thank you that, you took the sword into your heart. 672 00:38:52,864 --> 00:38:53,314 It's crazy. 673 00:38:53,314 --> 00:38:56,824 The vision we get in Revelation where it says The swords coming out of your mouth. 674 00:38:56,854 --> 00:39:01,324 It's just every word you say is actually the sword. 675 00:39:04,264 --> 00:39:05,224 I pray we would like. 676 00:39:05,404 --> 00:39:06,694 Let that hit us. 677 00:39:06,724 --> 00:39:07,054 That 678 00:39:12,444 --> 00:39:15,904 that when you say I say them to you, love your enemies. 679 00:39:16,624 --> 00:39:17,524 Bless those supers. 680 00:39:17,524 --> 00:39:17,824 Keep you. 681 00:39:18,844 --> 00:39:20,584 That is the sword coming out of your mouth. 682 00:39:26,794 --> 00:39:29,104 We're so quick to battle in this realm. 683 00:39:29,314 --> 00:39:30,154 We're sorry for that. 684 00:39:30,159 --> 00:39:37,914 Jesus, we're so quick to physical solutions that involve 685 00:39:41,224 --> 00:39:47,014 the realm of men and the small little power they wield. 686 00:39:51,334 --> 00:40:00,754 Lord, may we strap to us the message be good news that Jesus wins, but that he 687 00:40:00,754 --> 00:40:04,144 does it through overcoming evil with good, 688 00:40:07,324 --> 00:40:10,654 that he takes something like the cross, the worst event in the history of 689 00:40:10,654 --> 00:40:14,944 mankind and may sit into the best moment. 690 00:40:17,389 --> 00:40:21,559 The transformative moment, the pivotal moment, and our history. 691 00:40:24,979 --> 00:40:26,599 And so Lord sharpen these swords. 692 00:40:29,299 --> 00:40:32,969 May we not just look to use them on others, but may we use 'em on our 693 00:40:32,969 --> 00:40:35,169 heart ourselves, like James says. 694 00:40:39,334 --> 00:40:42,604 And may you just be glorified because when we see you as the 695 00:40:42,604 --> 00:40:44,824 hero, it's exciting reading. 696 00:40:45,604 --> 00:40:50,874 It's insightful, it's encouraging, it's uplifting, it's supernatural. 697 00:40:50,874 --> 00:40:55,344 It's worshipful, it's adoring, it's than full of Thanksgiving. 698 00:40:56,304 --> 00:41:00,264 Every verse pregnant with Thanksgiving waiting. 699 00:41:01,959 --> 00:41:05,139 For eyes to read it and it to give birth into our souls. 700 00:41:08,109 --> 00:41:09,759 So we thank you. 701 00:41:10,059 --> 00:41:10,659 Bless this time. 702 00:41:10,659 --> 00:41:13,659 Thank you that, Lord, you took the sword into your heart, the sword of 703 00:41:13,659 --> 00:41:20,709 justice that we deserved, cuz there was a sword, there was destruction, there 704 00:41:20,709 --> 00:41:26,579 was condemnation, there was separation, and you took it into your heart. 705 00:41:30,494 --> 00:41:32,264 So that we might just know your peace. 706 00:41:32,264 --> 00:41:33,884 We love you so much. 707 00:41:33,884 --> 00:41:35,744 Thank you so much. 708 00:41:37,604 --> 00:41:39,704 Thank you for conquering Satan sin and death. 709 00:41:39,704 --> 00:41:43,964 Lord, thank you that you're our future, that it's secure. 710 00:41:45,914 --> 00:41:46,875 We love you and we praise you. 711 00:41:46,994 --> 00:41:49,904 And remember, your body broken in your bloodshed. 712 00:41:50,384 --> 00:41:52,004 In Jesus' name, amen. 713 00:41:52,704 --> 00:41:52,994 Amen.