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- Hey, if you join us on live stream,

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thank you for being with us today.

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Are you guys doing good?

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- Yeah.

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- All right, it's a good day to be in the house of the Lord.

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We've got to get on the horse and start riding

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'cause I've got a lot to share today.

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So we're gonna stand together and we're gonna read

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from Acts chapter 15.

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And let's read like you've had your third cup

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of espresso this morning.

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How about that?

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Here we go.

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Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch

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and were teaching the believers,

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unless you are circumcised according to the custom

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taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.

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This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute

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and debate with them.

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So Paul and Barnabas were appointed along with some

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of the other believers to go up to Jerusalem

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to see the apostles and elders about this question.

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The church sent them on their way and as they traveled

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through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles

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had been converted.

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The news made all the believers very glad.

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When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed

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by the church and the apostles and elders

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to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

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Then some of the believers who belonged to the party

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of the Pharisees stood up and said,

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"The Gentiles must be circumcised and required

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"to keep the law of Moses."

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The apostles and elders met to consider this question.

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After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them.

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"Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice

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"among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips

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"the message of the gospel and believe.

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"God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them

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"by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he did to us.

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"He did not discriminate between us and them,

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"for he purified their hearts by faith.

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"Now then, why do you try to test God

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"by putting on the necks of the Gentiles a yoke

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"that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?

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"No, we believe that it is through grace of our Lord Jesus

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"that we are saved just as they are."

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The whole assembly became silent as they listened

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to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs

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and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

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When they finished, James spoke up.

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"Brothers," he said, "listen to me.

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"Simon has described to us how God first intervened

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"to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.

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"The words of the prophets are in agreement with this,

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"as it is written.

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"After this, I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent.

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"Its ruins I will rebuild and I will restore it

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"that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord.

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"Even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord,

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"who does these things, things known from long ago.

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"It is my judgment, therefore,

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"that we should not make it difficult

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"for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

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"Instead, we should write to them,

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"telling them to us, staying from food polluted by idols,

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"from sexual immorality,

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"from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.

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"For the law of Moses has been preached in every city

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"from the earliest times,

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"and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."

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Father, I thank you for your word.

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I thank you that it brings life.

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I thank you that it's true.

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I pray, Lord, as we lean into everything

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that your word says today,

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I pray that my words would fall

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and your words would stand for changing us for eternity.

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In Jesus' name, amen.

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You may be seated.

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You get an A in reading, good job.

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He asked, did we get an A in reading?

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A plus, actually.

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We're continuing our series, His Church,

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and we are in Acts 15.

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I hope that you are following with us in the book of Acts

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as it has been rich and it's been transformative,

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and we are continuing to be refined here at Springhouse

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as the Lord is showing us how the Holy Spirit works in us.

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Who here likes rules?

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Dun, dun, dun.

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Usually, usually rules, when you hear the word rules,

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there is a negative connotation tied to it

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because our mind automatically goes to,

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I don't wanna follow that particular rule

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or I don't like rules that bog me down

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or provide boundaries or parameters.

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And quite honestly, many of us

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often just think rules are dumb.

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And so we just decide,

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I'm not gonna follow the ones I don't like

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and I'm just gonna do the things that I do like.

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But today we're gonna talk about rules.

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Aren't you glad you came to Springhouse today?

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Gonna talk a little bit about rules today

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and in the context of scripture

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and what we're talking about here in Acts chapter 15.

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We are a society who looks to break

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as many of rules as we can.

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But when it comes to living for the kingdom,

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what you do and what you say matters.

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What you do and what you say matters.

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We kinda live in this space that we feel like

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we can just do whatever we want.

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After all, we do live in America.

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And because of the ocean of grace

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that I get to experience as a Christian,

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those things that I tend to just lean in and do

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even though I know here I probably shouldn't do 'em,

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God's got it.

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I'm in the ocean of grace, He'd cover it.

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It's fine, it's not consequential.

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Everything's gonna be great.

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And we certainly could succumb to the idea

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but could I tell you that that is a very dangerous mindset.

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It's a very dangerous mindset

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because as we've continued to belabor in this series

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is that our life is not just this red part of the rope.

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It is for all eternity but do you know that the choices,

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listen to this, the choices I make in my life right here

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will affect my grandchildren.

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And their choices will affect their grandchildren.

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Long after I'm gone, if the Lord tarries

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and doesn't come back,

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these small minute choices,

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I remember I was at a Captain D's, who likes Captain D's?

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Captain D's, I was at Captain D's with my dad

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and I was young and I had just turned 11

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and the menu was you get a kid's meal if you're 10 or under

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and so he said I need two kids meals

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and I said but Dad I'm 11.

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He said shut your mouth boy

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'cause he wanted to save a few bucks.

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Was it because he didn't have the money to pay?

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No, he thinks the rule is done.

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He thinks the rule is outlandish

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and so he decides to create his own rule

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because of his opinion of the rule.

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Last week in youth, or this last Thursday,

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I got to speak in youth and I had a youth come up

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and I put a name tag on them and it said Kevin O'Day

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and I put it on the youth and I said just because

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this youth has this name tag on him

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does not mean that he is Kevin O'Day.

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He can wear the name tag all day long.

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He can parade it, he can put it in your face.

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He can try to dress like me.

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He can try to sign his name like me, all this.

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But just because he has the name tag on

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does not mean that he is Kevin O'Day

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and guys just because you have a shirt

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that says Christian does not make you a Christian.

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What you do and what you say, it matters.

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Paul and Barnabas are in dispute

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with these Christian leaders, the leaders of the way

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because they're placing conditions on the Gentiles.

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Now there are Jews and there are Gentiles.

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Jews are God's chosen people and the Gentiles

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are everybody else's not of Jewish descent

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and so the Gentiles are there and Paul and Barnabas

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are in this dispute because the Jews are saying,

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hey, these Gentiles need to succumb to the rules

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and the law that we've had to succumb to

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in order to be followers of the way.

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But Paul and Barnabas are arguing

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because they not only are in relationship with Jesus Christ

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and know the way, truth and the life

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but they also know that God came, Jesus came rather,

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to fulfill the law and in fulfilling the law,

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what they were doing was asking the Gentiles

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to do something that they themselves could not do.

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They themselves could not fulfill the law.

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Now before we get into rules and we get into

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what was required and what they were talking about,

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I wanna make sure to cover this.

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There is no us and them in the kingdom.

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There's only us and him.

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There's no us and them in the kingdom.

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There's only us and him and that's important

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because as believers, we tend, man,

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because of denominational barriers or whatever it is,

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we tend to look at other people

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who are professing Christians and say,

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they don't got it, they're not getting in,

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they're not Christians because they either do these things

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or don't do these things.

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But can I tell you guys that the grace of God

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and the pathway to salvation is for everyone equally?

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That the only one that had the ability

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to put criteria to that is Jesus Christ

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and he is the way, the truth and the life.

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The word says that no one comes to the Father

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except through him.

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So in context here, they were talking believers

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to believers but I even believe that we sometimes

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have this idea here when it comes to non-believers.

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When it comes to non-believers.

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We look at non-believers and we get saved

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through an ocean of grace and mercy,

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our profession of faith, we get saved

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and now I'm a Christian, I'm a born again Christian

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and I see some sinners, I see some unbelievers

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and all of a sudden, I start to say,

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well, they better get their life together.

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They need to do X, Y and Z in order to have what I have.

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They need to clean up shop in order to be called a Christian.

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So Peter stands up in this argument and he says this.

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He, God, did not discriminate between us and them

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for he purified their hearts by faith.

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Would you say faith?

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Now then, why do you try to test God?

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That is a sobering question.

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Why do you try to, stop for just a minute and think,

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can you ever thought that your actions

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may be testing the God of the universe?

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Whew, whew, that's sobering.

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By putting on the necks of the Gentiles a yoke

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that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear.

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And then he continues, he says, no,

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we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus

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that we're saved just as they are.

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The gospel is this, friends, all have sinned

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and fallen short of the glory of God.

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They who say that they are without sin,

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the Lord says that he is a liar.

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He or she is a liar.

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We all need Jesus Christ to come in

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and infiltrate our life.

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We need the blood of Christ in our life

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because we have all sinned and fallen short

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of the glory of God.

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This gift of salvation is for everyone.

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No certain creed, color, race, denomination,

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it is for everyone.

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Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

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Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord.

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Over in Romans it says this, God does not show favoritism.

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All who sin apart from the law

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will also perish apart from the law

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and all who sin under law will be judged by the law.

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For it is not those who hear the law

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who are righteous in God's sight, look at this,

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but it is those who obey the law

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who will be declared righteous.

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God has some words to say about rules.

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And I want us to understand that you and I,

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we are no better, listen to this,

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we are no better than unbelievers.

259
00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:04,020
The only thing that we have going for us

260
00:12:04,020 --> 00:12:07,100
is our death sentence was traded for life.

261
00:12:07,100 --> 00:12:09,860
Because the word says that the wages for our sin is death,

262
00:12:09,860 --> 00:12:11,620
but the gift of God is eternal life.

263
00:12:11,620 --> 00:12:13,960
But what's more than that, as believers,

264
00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:17,140
we have been rendered capable of offering this gift

265
00:12:17,140 --> 00:12:18,600
to other people.

266
00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:23,280
We've been given the ability to show others Christ Jesus.

267
00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,280
And that should be our goal and our aim,

268
00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,020
to be witnesses for him.

269
00:12:28,020 --> 00:12:29,540
But we have to go back to understanding

270
00:12:29,540 --> 00:12:31,820
that what we say and what we do matters.

271
00:12:31,820 --> 00:12:34,720
Because unbelievers are watching and they're listening.

272
00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:39,360
Does your testimony line up with what you say

273
00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:40,220
and what you do?

274
00:12:40,220 --> 00:12:42,760
Does the God you say you believe in,

275
00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:44,860
the one you say you love, does your testimony,

276
00:12:44,860 --> 00:12:46,900
does what you say and do line up

277
00:12:46,900 --> 00:12:48,600
with who you say you believe in?

278
00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,600
So, what about the rules?

279
00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,200
What about the rules?

280
00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,840
I mean, if we're saved by grace

281
00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:58,580
and we can swim in an ocean of grace,

282
00:12:58,580 --> 00:12:59,740
man, who cares about rules?

283
00:12:59,740 --> 00:13:02,540
Let's just party and do whatever we want to do.

284
00:13:02,540 --> 00:13:03,880
Let's be honest.

285
00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:06,880
There are rules we like and there's rules we don't like.

286
00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,120
In fact, there are rules that we just find plain dumb.

287
00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:11,620
In fact, I've got some dumb rules here.

288
00:13:11,620 --> 00:13:12,580
You wanna hear 'em?

289
00:13:12,580 --> 00:13:13,760
Of course you do.

290
00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:17,120
In Alabama, it's illegal to wear a fake mustache

291
00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:18,860
that causes laughter in a church.

292
00:13:18,860 --> 00:13:22,020
These are real laws.

293
00:13:22,020 --> 00:13:22,940
These are for real.

294
00:13:22,940 --> 00:13:23,760
I didn't make these up.

295
00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,400
In Alaska, you cannot push a live moose out of a plane.

296
00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:32,700
In Colorado, it is illegal to keep a couch on your porch.

297
00:13:32,700 --> 00:13:37,380
In Connecticut, pickles must bounce

298
00:13:37,380 --> 00:13:40,020
in order to be considered safe for human consumption.

299
00:13:40,020 --> 00:13:45,180
In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on Sundays

300
00:13:45,180 --> 00:13:46,520
can be fined or jailed.

301
00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:47,980
So, you better get married

302
00:13:47,980 --> 00:13:49,880
if you're gonna parachute on Sunday.

303
00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,120
In Georgia, carrying an ice cream cone in your back pocket

304
00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:55,260
is illegal.

305
00:13:55,260 --> 00:14:01,040
In Hawaii, coins are not allowed to be placed in your ears.

306
00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:05,340
In Idaho, riding a merry-go-round on Sundays is illegal.

307
00:14:05,340 --> 00:14:07,980
In Illinois, it is illegal to take a nap

308
00:14:07,980 --> 00:14:09,140
in a cheese factory.

309
00:14:09,140 --> 00:14:12,940
In Louisiana, mourners at a wake

310
00:14:12,940 --> 00:14:15,780
may not eat more than three sandwiches.

311
00:14:15,780 --> 00:14:17,120
One, two, three.

312
00:14:18,860 --> 00:14:23,620
In Missouri, a single male must be charged an annual tax

313
00:14:23,620 --> 00:14:25,120
for not being married.

314
00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:27,920
You better get married quick if you're living in Missouri.

315
00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:32,960
In Nevada, it's illegal to lay down on a sidewalk.

316
00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,300
In New York, it is illegal to throw a ball

317
00:14:35,300 --> 00:14:36,740
at somebody's head for fun.

318
00:14:36,740 --> 00:14:41,300
Better have a reason to throw that ball at their face.

319
00:14:41,300 --> 00:14:43,580
In Pennsylvania, it's illegal to catch a fish

320
00:14:43,580 --> 00:14:44,540
with your mouth.

321
00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:49,260
In Arizona, donkeys cannot sleep in bathtubs.

322
00:14:49,260 --> 00:14:52,580
And in Kansas, hitting a vending machine

323
00:14:52,580 --> 00:14:54,360
that stole your money is illegal.

324
00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:59,800
Lots of dumb rules.

325
00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:01,300
All these laws that are here,

326
00:15:01,300 --> 00:15:02,620
what are you gonna do with them

327
00:15:02,620 --> 00:15:03,820
when you're confronted with them?

328
00:15:03,820 --> 00:15:05,100
You ever hear one of these rules,

329
00:15:05,100 --> 00:15:07,540
you're like, what made them have to write that rule?

330
00:15:07,540 --> 00:15:10,340
Somebody had that donkey in that bathtub

331
00:15:10,340 --> 00:15:12,480
and they were like, we're not doing this again.

332
00:15:14,380 --> 00:15:16,980
When we disagree with rules, we often redefine them

333
00:15:16,980 --> 00:15:19,020
or we just obey, just disobey.

334
00:15:19,020 --> 00:15:22,720
Now, if I could rewrite a rule, this would be all day long,

335
00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,320
I would definitely rewrite this rule all day long.

336
00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:29,600
This would be like, this would be my favorite rule ever.

337
00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,260
Just right here, you know, I would push it down

338
00:15:32,260 --> 00:15:34,440
and I would be happy to follow this rule all day long.

339
00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:38,240
And sometimes I read this, even though it doesn't say this.

340
00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:40,340
This is what my eyes perceive

341
00:15:40,340 --> 00:15:42,540
whenever I look at the speed limit sign.

342
00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:48,080
We are people who have the propensity

343
00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:51,340
to make up our own things based on our own agendas,

344
00:15:51,340 --> 00:15:53,560
our own opinions, and what we want

345
00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,520
with no consideration for others.

346
00:15:56,520 --> 00:16:01,940
The Lord said to me this year at Springhouse Church,

347
00:16:01,940 --> 00:16:04,700
we are being refined.

348
00:16:04,700 --> 00:16:06,480
We are being refined.

349
00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:10,100
And refined means, in the terms with which we're using it,

350
00:16:10,100 --> 00:16:12,760
is that we're becoming more like Christ Jesus.

351
00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,520
We're becoming more like the God who saved us,

352
00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:18,580
the Jesus who saved us.

353
00:16:18,580 --> 00:16:21,560
And when we are less of ourselves,

354
00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:23,120
we can become more like Him.

355
00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,040
We can sound like Him, we can look like Him,

356
00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:26,600
we act like Him.

357
00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:28,280
And this means we're becoming more like Jesus

358
00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:29,880
and less like us.

359
00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:33,320
And in this refining process, we look more like Jesus, why?

360
00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:36,180
So that we can present the gospel.

361
00:16:36,180 --> 00:16:39,060
We look more like Jesus so that we can present the gospel.

362
00:16:39,060 --> 00:16:41,840
The word gospel means good news.

363
00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:43,440
The word gospel is good news.

364
00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:47,360
And what I'm about to say is gonna shock some of you.

365
00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:51,280
The gospel does not require obedience.

366
00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:55,000
Silence.

367
00:16:55,000 --> 00:17:01,520
The gospel does not require obedience.

368
00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,800
Here's the gospel.

369
00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:07,260
We couldn't keep up with the rules.

370
00:17:07,260 --> 00:17:09,760
So Jesus Christ had to die for us.

371
00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:13,240
We have a propensity to make it about rules

372
00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:15,480
once we're on this side of salvation.

373
00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:17,920
And we expect those who don't know Christ

374
00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,460
to follow Him and follow His rules.

375
00:17:20,460 --> 00:17:23,000
What about the times when we look at non-believers

376
00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,680
and we make, in our mind, we expect non-believers

377
00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:28,560
to live a biblical standard,

378
00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:30,600
though they don't believe in the Bible.

379
00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,000
That doesn't make any sense.

380
00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:36,820
But the gospel does not, within itself,

381
00:17:36,820 --> 00:17:40,280
the gospel does not require obedience.

382
00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:41,560
This is what the scripture says.

383
00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:43,920
If you declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord

384
00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,400
and believe in your heart that He's raised Him from the dead,

385
00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:48,020
you will be saved.

386
00:17:48,020 --> 00:17:50,560
That's what the scripture tells us.

387
00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:52,840
So the gospel requires two things.

388
00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,520
It requires repentance and it requires faith.

389
00:17:56,520 --> 00:18:00,000
That's the requirement for the gospel, not obedience.

390
00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,420
Isn't that the whole crux of the story,

391
00:18:02,420 --> 00:18:03,880
that we tried to work so hard?

392
00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,280
If the gospel required obedience,

393
00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:08,100
then we would not need Jesus,

394
00:18:08,100 --> 00:18:09,640
because it would be attainable.

395
00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:15,400
The only way to be saved is by living,

396
00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:17,060
deciding in your heart, I'm gonna repent

397
00:18:17,060 --> 00:18:20,960
and believe by faith that Jesus did what He said He did

398
00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:24,500
and He is who He says He is.

399
00:18:24,500 --> 00:18:25,800
Somebody asked a pastor once,

400
00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:27,880
I've shared this before I saw it on a reel.

401
00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,540
He said, "Do I have to stop smoking marijuana

402
00:18:30,540 --> 00:18:32,360
"to be a Christian?"

403
00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:33,740
And the pastor said, "No."

404
00:18:33,740 --> 00:18:35,200
He said, "No, no, you don't understand."

405
00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:39,120
I said, "Do I have to stop smoking like marijuana,

406
00:18:39,120 --> 00:18:42,080
"like getting high, do be."

407
00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:46,440
He said, "No."

408
00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:48,160
He said, "No, no, you don't understand.

409
00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:50,360
"If I pull out a fatty and I'm a roller,

410
00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:53,580
"like literally, if I smoke marijuana,

411
00:18:53,580 --> 00:18:56,360
"do I have to give this up to be a Christian?"

412
00:18:56,360 --> 00:18:58,120
And the pastor said, "No."

413
00:18:58,120 --> 00:18:59,240
And he said, "I don't understand."

414
00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:01,860
And he said, "Exactly, you don't understand,

415
00:19:01,860 --> 00:19:03,780
"because you don't clean yourself up

416
00:19:03,780 --> 00:19:05,520
"and then go take a shower.

417
00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:09,100
"You go into the shower and then you are rendered clean."

418
00:19:09,100 --> 00:19:11,440
And when you come to Jesus, you come to him dirty,

419
00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,500
and in that process of meeting the Lord and Savior

420
00:19:14,500 --> 00:19:16,840
of your life, the one who loves you more than anybody else

421
00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,060
on the planet, all of a sudden you become motivated

422
00:19:19,060 --> 00:19:21,040
to clean your life up.

423
00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:23,760
We don't understand it pre-salvation.

424
00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,160
We begin to understand it post-salvation

425
00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,140
because we are motivated by Christ.

426
00:19:29,140 --> 00:19:31,080
We are motivated by Christ.

427
00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,640
Here's the thing, the gospel produces obedience.

428
00:19:36,580 --> 00:19:41,040
The gospel produces in us a willingness and a desire

429
00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:45,380
to be obedient, because we are motivated

430
00:19:45,380 --> 00:19:48,920
by this exchange, death to life.

431
00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,280
If obedience was the requirement,

432
00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:54,920
then we would attempt to do it without Jesus.

433
00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:57,000
When you realize that you are loved

434
00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:58,160
more than you've ever been loved,

435
00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:00,720
you are motivated to obey.

436
00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:02,660
Here's what 1 John says,

437
00:20:02,660 --> 00:20:05,320
"No one who lives in him keeps on sinning."

438
00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:08,640
Let that marinate for a second.

439
00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,680
If I were to say, show of hands of those

440
00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:15,960
who are living in him, many of you put your hands up,

441
00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:20,480
no one who lives in him keeps on sinning.

442
00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:25,160
What I'm talking about is I'm pirating this movie

443
00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:28,660
proactively, I know I'm pirating it, I'm not paying for it.

444
00:20:28,660 --> 00:20:31,980
I know that I'm breaking, I'm proactively doing,

445
00:20:31,980 --> 00:20:35,440
I'm continuously doing things over,

446
00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,680
no one who lives in him keeps on sinning.

447
00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:43,520
No one who continues to sin has either seen him

448
00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:44,720
or known him, what else does it say?

449
00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:46,760
"For everything in the world, the lust of the flesh,

450
00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:48,480
"the lust of the eyes and the pride of life,"

451
00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:53,380
are what, are not from the Father, but from the world.

452
00:20:53,380 --> 00:20:57,660
Look, we are called to live like, look like,

453
00:20:57,660 --> 00:21:00,120
sound like, and be like Jesus.

454
00:21:00,860 --> 00:21:05,860
And we don't want anything that is not from Father God.

455
00:21:05,860 --> 00:21:11,900
We live in America.

456
00:21:11,900 --> 00:21:16,900
And America has been dubbed as the greatest country

457
00:21:16,900 --> 00:21:20,100
in the world, the greatest country in the world.

458
00:21:20,100 --> 00:21:21,900
And many of you would believe that we are

459
00:21:21,900 --> 00:21:23,180
the greatest country in the world.

460
00:21:23,180 --> 00:21:25,940
I could understand that and I could get a lot behind

461
00:21:25,940 --> 00:21:27,700
some of that thought process as well.

462
00:21:27,700 --> 00:21:29,100
But here's the problem that I have.

463
00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:32,200
Do you know that America, from its very genesis,

464
00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:35,820
its foundation was bathed in rebellion?

465
00:21:35,820 --> 00:21:38,280
Like the reason that we are the greatest country

466
00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,140
in the world is we decided we didn't wanna follow rules.

467
00:21:41,140 --> 00:21:43,260
That's why we're here, okay?

468
00:21:43,260 --> 00:21:46,340
And so we are now the greatest country in the world,

469
00:21:46,340 --> 00:21:49,400
but here's my problem, we're the greatest country

470
00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:51,700
in the world.

471
00:21:51,700 --> 00:21:54,980
I don't belong to the world, I belong to a kingdom

472
00:21:54,980 --> 00:21:56,920
that's outside of this world.

473
00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:01,400
So the real question is, is America the greatest country

474
00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:02,380
in the kingdom?

475
00:22:02,380 --> 00:22:07,500
And guys, unfortunately, I have a lot of things

476
00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:10,060
I could stand on to say, I don't think so.

477
00:22:10,060 --> 00:22:13,120
Because the very anthem of America is do what you wanna do

478
00:22:13,120 --> 00:22:15,540
when you wanna do it, no matter who it hurts,

479
00:22:15,540 --> 00:22:18,260
no matter who it is, it's all about you.

480
00:22:18,260 --> 00:22:25,220
So the very genesis of the country we live in

481
00:22:25,220 --> 00:22:28,120
is bathed in, we're not gonna follow rules.

482
00:22:28,120 --> 00:22:31,300
We're gonna rebel against rules.

483
00:22:31,300 --> 00:22:36,300
So Kevin, is there an expectation to be perfect?

484
00:22:36,300 --> 00:22:39,500
Like is there an expectation, how many have heard

485
00:22:39,500 --> 00:22:42,360
from Christians, perfection is not the goal?

486
00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:43,200
Raise your hand.

487
00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,380
Have you heard, perfection's not the goal,

488
00:22:45,380 --> 00:22:46,940
perfection's not the goal.

489
00:22:46,940 --> 00:22:48,480
I beg to differ.

490
00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,340
This is what Jesus said, read that first two words.

491
00:22:51,340 --> 00:22:54,060
- Be perfect. - Oh, y'all didn't read it.

492
00:22:54,060 --> 00:22:56,500
Obey what I say, okay?

493
00:22:56,500 --> 00:22:58,180
Read those first two words.

494
00:22:58,180 --> 00:22:59,740
- Be perfect.

495
00:22:59,740 --> 00:23:01,060
- I'm not saying this, okay?

496
00:23:01,060 --> 00:23:02,900
This is Jesus Christ.

497
00:23:02,900 --> 00:23:04,640
He says, be perfect, therefore,

498
00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:06,500
as your heavenly Father is perfect.

499
00:23:06,500 --> 00:23:09,580
If Jesus is saying be perfect, it tells me

500
00:23:09,580 --> 00:23:11,080
there's a pathway to get there.

501
00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:14,500
There's a pathway to get there.

502
00:23:14,500 --> 00:23:16,260
What else does it say?

503
00:23:16,260 --> 00:23:19,260
Jesus says to the rich ruler, the rich guy

504
00:23:19,260 --> 00:23:20,660
who wants to come and follow Jesus,

505
00:23:20,660 --> 00:23:22,940
it says, if you want to be perfect,

506
00:23:22,940 --> 00:23:24,820
well, if Jesus is saying if you want to be perfect,

507
00:23:24,820 --> 00:23:28,040
it tells me there must be a way.

508
00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,300
If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions,

509
00:23:30,300 --> 00:23:32,300
give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.

510
00:23:32,300 --> 00:23:35,780
Then it says, then come and follow me.

511
00:23:35,780 --> 00:23:38,600
Come and follow me.

512
00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:40,300
Okay, let's continue.

513
00:23:40,300 --> 00:23:44,160
But just as he who has called you holy is holy, what?

514
00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:47,260
So be holy in all you do.

515
00:23:47,260 --> 00:23:49,420
Be holy in the things that you agree with.

516
00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:55,280
Be holy in some of the things.

517
00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,620
No, be holy in all.

518
00:23:58,620 --> 00:24:00,460
Be holy in all the things you do.

519
00:24:00,460 --> 00:24:03,000
Be holy because I'm holy.

520
00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:07,680
We are called to look like Jesus and Jesus is perfect.

521
00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:09,720
Who's arrived?

522
00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:14,420
None of us have arrived.

523
00:24:14,420 --> 00:24:16,260
This is where grace comes in.

524
00:24:18,420 --> 00:24:22,700
Grace is not permission to back out of the continuation

525
00:24:22,700 --> 00:24:25,140
of the sanctification process.

526
00:24:25,140 --> 00:24:27,780
Grace is there to cover us on the journey

527
00:24:27,780 --> 00:24:32,060
as we trip up and try to work out flesh versus spirit.

528
00:24:32,060 --> 00:24:33,660
Flesh versus spirit.

529
00:24:33,660 --> 00:24:35,140
I'm gonna choose the flesh today,

530
00:24:35,140 --> 00:24:36,540
I'm gonna choose the spirit today,

531
00:24:36,540 --> 00:24:37,660
I'm gonna choose the flesh today,

532
00:24:37,660 --> 00:24:40,300
I'm going to choose the spirit today.

533
00:24:40,300 --> 00:24:44,060
And guys, we can't do it by ourselves.

534
00:24:44,060 --> 00:24:46,860
We can't do it on our own.

535
00:24:46,860 --> 00:24:49,420
So what is the motivation, Hannah?

536
00:24:49,420 --> 00:24:51,360
What is the motivation, Justin?

537
00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:54,460
Landon, what is our motivation to get up each morning

538
00:24:54,460 --> 00:24:58,200
and say, I'm going to try and follow Christ

539
00:24:58,200 --> 00:24:59,380
and look like him?

540
00:24:59,380 --> 00:25:03,940
Our motivation so often is, I wanna do the right thing.

541
00:25:03,940 --> 00:25:07,040
Or this is wrong, I don't wanna do the bad things.

542
00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:09,420
That should not be our motivation.

543
00:25:09,420 --> 00:25:12,400
Our motivation to obey is a person.

544
00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,380
And that person is Jesus Christ.

545
00:25:15,380 --> 00:25:20,380
He is our motivation to follow the rules, to obey.

546
00:25:20,380 --> 00:25:24,960
If I don't, listen, I'm married to Sherry.

547
00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,180
Do you know I have every opportunity

548
00:25:28,180 --> 00:25:31,060
to step out of my marriage and do a whole bunch of stuff?

549
00:25:31,060 --> 00:25:33,220
Every day, I have that choice.

550
00:25:33,220 --> 00:25:35,500
If you're married, you have that choice as well.

551
00:25:35,500 --> 00:25:39,300
Why do I obey the rules of marriage?

552
00:25:39,300 --> 00:25:42,200
Is it because I said something here at the altar?

553
00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:43,240
No.

554
00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,180
Is it because it's written down as a rule

555
00:25:45,180 --> 00:25:46,900
on a piece of paper?

556
00:25:46,900 --> 00:25:47,740
No.

557
00:25:47,740 --> 00:25:49,500
I even think that some of the rules of marriage

558
00:25:49,500 --> 00:25:52,420
might be dumb, but it doesn't matter.

559
00:25:52,420 --> 00:25:56,340
The reason I obey the rules of marriage

560
00:25:56,340 --> 00:25:57,880
is because I love my wife.

561
00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:03,760
Because I love my wife.

562
00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:05,140
Let me ask you something.

563
00:26:05,140 --> 00:26:08,820
Does your lifestyle indicate that you love your savior?

564
00:26:08,820 --> 00:26:14,760
Because here's the thing, I don't have the propensity

565
00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:15,780
to go rob a bank today.

566
00:26:15,780 --> 00:26:17,140
Now John, he's struggling with it.

567
00:26:17,140 --> 00:26:18,580
We're gonna pray with him later.

568
00:26:18,580 --> 00:26:22,460
But I'm not gonna go rob a bank this afternoon.

569
00:26:22,460 --> 00:26:25,100
I actually don't really think I'll kill anybody

570
00:26:25,100 --> 00:26:25,940
in the near future.

571
00:26:25,940 --> 00:26:27,820
I mean, I'm pretty good on some of these things.

572
00:26:27,820 --> 00:26:30,620
Here's the thing, we tend to take these big, bolder sins

573
00:26:30,620 --> 00:26:32,560
and we say, I've got those in check.

574
00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,920
But it's not those big things.

575
00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:39,620
Why are we willing to compromise our relationship

576
00:26:39,620 --> 00:26:41,820
and love for Jesus over small things

577
00:26:41,820 --> 00:26:44,080
such as pirating a video?

578
00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:48,340
(audience member speaking faintly)

579
00:26:48,340 --> 00:26:52,080
Or not following in line with whatever, you name it,

580
00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:54,300
there's a variety of things I could say.

581
00:26:54,300 --> 00:26:57,780
Why is it that we are willing to,

582
00:26:57,780 --> 00:26:59,300
because this is what we do.

583
00:26:59,300 --> 00:27:01,700
Think about it in the context of your marriage.

584
00:27:01,700 --> 00:27:05,660
I can hold this other girl's hands, that's not a big deal.

585
00:27:05,660 --> 00:27:06,740
It's a small thing, I'm not doing it.

586
00:27:06,740 --> 00:27:08,100
I'm just holding her hand.

587
00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:11,100
I'm gonna go on a date with this other lady.

588
00:27:11,100 --> 00:27:13,580
I mean, we're just hanging out.

589
00:27:13,580 --> 00:27:15,340
- Absolutely not. - We're just hanging out.

590
00:27:15,340 --> 00:27:17,740
I mean, it's not, you look at me and say,

591
00:27:17,740 --> 00:27:19,460
that's ludicrous, is that correct?

592
00:27:19,460 --> 00:27:21,000
- Absolutely not. - Why?

593
00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:22,380
Why would you say that?

594
00:27:22,380 --> 00:27:26,260
You would say that because your fuel and energy

595
00:27:26,260 --> 00:27:29,000
toward anger toward me isn't having anything to do with me.

596
00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,900
It has to do with everything about Sherri.

597
00:27:31,900 --> 00:27:34,900
And the fueled energy that we ought to have

598
00:27:34,900 --> 00:27:37,600
when it comes to us breaking small rules,

599
00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:39,760
things in place should be the energy

600
00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,740
of how it affects our relationship with Jesus Christ.

601
00:27:43,540 --> 00:27:47,080
Because supposedly, we love Him more than our spouse.

602
00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:52,940
Supposedly, He is number one in our lives.

603
00:27:52,940 --> 00:27:54,660
Love is the motivator.

604
00:27:54,660 --> 00:27:57,100
Here's what Jesus said, Jesus said,

605
00:27:57,100 --> 00:28:02,100
if you love me, if you love me, keep my commands.

606
00:28:02,100 --> 00:28:04,460
If you love me, keep my commands,

607
00:28:04,460 --> 00:28:06,700
and I will ask the Father, and He will give you

608
00:28:06,700 --> 00:28:10,500
another advocate to help you and be with you forever.

609
00:28:10,500 --> 00:28:13,000
Guys, that last part is so important

610
00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,820
because we can't be perfect

611
00:28:14,820 --> 00:28:17,240
without the gift of the Holy Spirit.

612
00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:19,800
The Holy Spirit empowers us to do hard things.

613
00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:21,540
I need somebody who's willing to say,

614
00:28:21,540 --> 00:28:22,540
hey, you know, just the other day,

615
00:28:22,540 --> 00:28:24,220
somebody was texting me and they were telling me

616
00:28:24,220 --> 00:28:26,180
kind of an excuse of why they weren't doing something,

617
00:28:26,180 --> 00:28:28,140
and then they followed up with the text of the truth.

618
00:28:28,140 --> 00:28:31,700
And I said, hey, thank you for telling me the truth.

619
00:28:31,700 --> 00:28:33,680
That's hard, it's easier just to justify,

620
00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,300
it's easier just to explain away.

621
00:28:36,300 --> 00:28:38,260
I also have another friend who told me recently,

622
00:28:38,260 --> 00:28:39,700
they were like, man, there are some times

623
00:28:39,700 --> 00:28:41,800
when I'm with people, certain people,

624
00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:43,600
and I will act one way 'cause I don't want them

625
00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:46,980
to see me in a bad light, but I'll do the same thing

626
00:28:46,980 --> 00:28:48,980
in front of other people and it doesn't matter to me.

627
00:28:48,980 --> 00:28:52,980
That conveys the level of love and respect

628
00:28:52,980 --> 00:28:55,020
that you have for each of those parties.

629
00:28:55,020 --> 00:28:58,260
And it also tells me that there's probably

630
00:28:58,260 --> 00:29:00,240
one side of that faction that's not making you

631
00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:02,860
look like Christ, and you might wanna evaluate

632
00:29:02,860 --> 00:29:06,700
that relationship, those relationships.

633
00:29:06,700 --> 00:29:07,860
Isn't this fun?

634
00:29:07,860 --> 00:29:08,700
Okay.

635
00:29:09,580 --> 00:29:11,460
We have the Holy Spirit.

636
00:29:11,460 --> 00:29:18,360
We do not have to understand everything to obey.

637
00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:22,560
I think the rule is dumb, so what?

638
00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:27,540
Understanding is not the prerequisite to obedience,

639
00:29:27,540 --> 00:29:29,580
trust is.

640
00:29:29,580 --> 00:29:34,060
Trust, trust is the prerequisite to obedience.

641
00:29:34,060 --> 00:29:35,940
Dustin Minchi got up here a few weeks ago

642
00:29:35,940 --> 00:29:39,080
and he shared during the offering time,

643
00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:42,380
he said, man, I heard a message several weeks prior,

644
00:29:42,380 --> 00:29:44,500
and he said, man, I used to go to the Dollar Tree

645
00:29:44,500 --> 00:29:46,400
and we would buy candy and stuff it in our bags

646
00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:48,260
and then go to the movie, and he's like, man,

647
00:29:48,260 --> 00:29:50,980
I just, I felt convicted, so I went and spent

648
00:29:50,980 --> 00:29:53,200
more money on candy than I'd ever spent on candy

649
00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:55,060
at the movie theater.

650
00:29:55,060 --> 00:29:57,020
And guys, how many think, well, don't raise your hand,

651
00:29:57,020 --> 00:29:58,960
who thinks it's highway robbery paying those prices

652
00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:01,220
for the same nope-dugs that you can get down the road?

653
00:30:01,220 --> 00:30:04,780
You know, it's kind of, it seems to be a silly dumb rule.

654
00:30:04,780 --> 00:30:06,600
Okay, yes, it certainly is.

655
00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:10,620
But here's the thing, the justification in that

656
00:30:10,620 --> 00:30:13,220
is, man, I don't wanna pay that much money,

657
00:30:13,220 --> 00:30:17,860
or I don't have, listen, I don't have 45, $50

658
00:30:17,860 --> 00:30:19,460
to lay out on candy, so I'm gonna go and try

659
00:30:19,460 --> 00:30:20,720
to figure out another way.

660
00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:23,120
Might I reframe your mind?

661
00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:27,380
As opposed to breaking the rule and breaking the law,

662
00:30:27,380 --> 00:30:28,840
and I'm just gonna call it what it is,

663
00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:32,280
instead of sinning, what if you reframed your mind

664
00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:35,700
and said, God, increase my trust that you will actually

665
00:30:35,700 --> 00:30:38,680
provide the funds to pay what they're asking for the candy?

666
00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:44,860
Because so many of us are actually relying

667
00:30:44,860 --> 00:30:47,400
on a large bank account rather than the God

668
00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:49,000
who owns the cattle on the hill.

669
00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:53,780
And in justification for not spending the money

670
00:30:53,780 --> 00:30:55,400
is to build the large bank account,

671
00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,740
because our security isn't in Jesus Christ.

672
00:30:57,740 --> 00:30:59,100
It's in what we can do with our hands

673
00:30:59,100 --> 00:31:01,580
and how much we can earn, and how silly it is.

674
00:31:01,580 --> 00:31:05,500
Jesus said, give Caesar what is Caesar's.

675
00:31:05,500 --> 00:31:10,060
In other words, obey the rule, obey the law.

676
00:31:10,060 --> 00:31:14,940
And there's a myriad of things under that umbrella

677
00:31:14,940 --> 00:31:19,660
that he asked us to do, so is it that you just don't want

678
00:31:19,660 --> 00:31:24,180
to do that, or is it that you don't really trust the Lord?

679
00:31:24,180 --> 00:31:27,080
You don't really trust him with your life.

680
00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:28,860
You know, as long as I got this big bank account,

681
00:31:28,860 --> 00:31:30,840
it doesn't really matter.

682
00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:35,840
Or if I don't have any money, I have a God

683
00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,040
who can supply all my needs.

684
00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,920
Maybe, maybe the Lord is saying, Kevin,

685
00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,160
you don't need to buy another pair of shoes.

686
00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:45,960
That's why you don't have money to buy the candy

687
00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,900
at the movie theater, right?

688
00:31:49,900 --> 00:31:53,720
He actually cares about all of the finite details, why?

689
00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:57,400
Because as he works out those finite details,

690
00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:58,840
I become more like Christ.

691
00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:01,140
Well, why do I want to become more like Christ?

692
00:32:01,140 --> 00:32:03,100
Because there's a dying world out there

693
00:32:03,100 --> 00:32:05,200
who needs to see Jesus Christ.

694
00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:09,660
11 years old, I'm 42, I remember my dad saying,

695
00:32:09,660 --> 00:32:10,660
shut your mouth.

696
00:32:10,660 --> 00:32:14,420
So the decisions we make, the small ones

697
00:32:14,420 --> 00:32:16,280
when we're laying on our couch at home,

698
00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:18,920
the small in our house, in the intimate setting

699
00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:21,960
with the people closest to us, we're oblivious

700
00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:23,420
to the things, we're not really oblivious,

701
00:32:23,420 --> 00:32:26,560
but we're just moving forward, it's not a big deal.

702
00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:30,260
We're gonna have ramifications well into the future.

703
00:32:30,260 --> 00:32:31,540
Do you look like Christ?

704
00:32:31,540 --> 00:32:34,920
And the enemy's just laughing, 'cause no,

705
00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:36,040
you're not gonna go murder anybody,

706
00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:37,200
you're gonna go rob a bank, but boy,

707
00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:39,320
you sure do have a lot of small things.

708
00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:42,920
Do you trust them?

709
00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:49,120
These are my kids, and I won't tell you which one,

710
00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,360
'cause I don't want to out her, but the other day,

711
00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:55,760
we were walking down the road, and I said, get up here,

712
00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:57,360
and the cars were coming down the road,

713
00:32:57,360 --> 00:32:59,800
and she chose not to listen, and I said,

714
00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:01,560
get up here with us right now, we need to hold hands,

715
00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,960
and she chose not to listen, and so I said,

716
00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:07,520
I'm gonna count to five, now, this is very abnormal to me,

717
00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:09,680
'cause I'm usually a once, I said it, it's done,

718
00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:11,840
but third time, I'm gonna count to five,

719
00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:14,000
get up here, count to five, she didn't come,

720
00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:16,080
and I said, on the count of five, I'm gonna spank you

721
00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:17,480
if you don't get up here, well, guess what I did,

722
00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:20,520
right there in the middle of the road, I spanked her.

723
00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,760
You know that God spanks you?

724
00:33:25,260 --> 00:33:27,920
Do you know he's not afraid to spank you?

725
00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:30,340
Why did I spank my daughter?

726
00:33:30,340 --> 00:33:33,340
Because I don't like her, 'cause I think that she's awful,

727
00:33:33,340 --> 00:33:36,020
'cause I don't think that she's capable of, no.

728
00:33:36,020 --> 00:33:39,320
I spanked her so that she remembers the pain in that moment

729
00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:42,460
will far supersede a car hitting her in the face

730
00:33:42,460 --> 00:33:43,740
whenever I tell her to come up to me,

731
00:33:43,740 --> 00:33:44,620
I need her to listen to me,

732
00:33:44,620 --> 00:33:46,800
because I know it's in her best interest,

733
00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,480
and God Almighty knows what's in your best interest,

734
00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:52,220
even when you don't understand, even when you're like,

735
00:33:52,220 --> 00:33:54,020
God, I don't understand, this makes no,

736
00:33:54,020 --> 00:33:57,500
this is meaningless, this has nothing to do with anybody

737
00:33:57,500 --> 00:34:00,120
as he's watching the little kid watch you

738
00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:02,320
make the decision you're making.

739
00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:05,520
God's care is so much larger, expansive,

740
00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:07,960
than anything we can imagine, he does care.

741
00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:10,520
He wants you to look like his son.

742
00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:13,040
He wants us to look like his kid.

743
00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:16,860
So I asked you the question today, do you trust the Lord?

744
00:34:16,860 --> 00:34:21,020
And don't be quick to answer the question, think about it.

745
00:34:21,020 --> 00:34:23,680
Do you actually trust the Lord?

746
00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:26,660
Which areas are you struggling and trusting him?

747
00:34:26,660 --> 00:34:27,860
That's part of the journey.

748
00:34:27,860 --> 00:34:30,000
Guys, you didn't wake up with holy amnesia

749
00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:31,520
the day you got saved, and now all of a sudden

750
00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:34,280
everything's gone, you're just perfect and completed.

751
00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:35,580
No, guess what?

752
00:34:35,580 --> 00:34:37,960
You're set free from those chains of bondage

753
00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:40,040
so that you can begin living an abundant life

754
00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:41,940
that looks like Christ Jesus.

755
00:34:41,940 --> 00:34:44,740
But a part of that evolution and that story,

756
00:34:44,740 --> 00:34:47,320
until the day he comes or the day he takes you out,

757
00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:49,520
is do you trust him?

758
00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:55,520
And honestly, the barometer is are you following the rules?

759
00:34:55,520 --> 00:35:00,580
Are you following, are you doing what he's telling you to do?

760
00:35:00,580 --> 00:35:04,400
I don't feel convicted about that, Kev.

761
00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:08,760
Your feelings are fickle.

762
00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:12,940
What you feel about something, the person next to you

763
00:35:12,940 --> 00:35:14,340
doesn't feel the same thing.

764
00:35:14,340 --> 00:35:17,560
And let me speak for just a moment

765
00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,360
for those self-righteous people who follow all the rules.

766
00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:24,580
Your job is not to put a big glaring spotlight

767
00:35:24,580 --> 00:35:26,000
on everybody who's not doing the right thing

768
00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,760
to make sure they know they're not doing the right thing.

769
00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:31,140
Your job is to continue to walk in righteousness

770
00:35:31,140 --> 00:35:33,460
so those people can see the blessing on your life

771
00:35:33,460 --> 00:35:36,900
and God can love them up to the place that they need to be.

772
00:35:36,900 --> 00:35:41,600
Do you trust the Lord?

773
00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:42,960
I don't like what I'm being told to do,

774
00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:46,080
but my love for Jesus supersedes what I think

775
00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:48,480
and what I feel, so I'm going to make a choice,

776
00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:50,980
my choice today is to obey.

777
00:35:50,980 --> 00:35:56,320
Love the Lord God with all your heart

778
00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:57,480
and all your soul and all your mind.

779
00:35:57,480 --> 00:35:58,840
This is the first and greatest commandment

780
00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:03,500
and the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself.

781
00:36:03,500 --> 00:36:05,080
I would say do you love the Lord

782
00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,200
and hands would fly up all over the place here.

783
00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,160
I love the Lord because we have so perverted

784
00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:10,640
the word love here that it's all about,

785
00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:13,400
I feel like I love the Lord.

786
00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:14,800
I felt that goose bump this morning

787
00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:15,920
after my third cup of coffee,

788
00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:18,920
I really felt the love of the Lord, it was great.

789
00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:20,060
It was fantastic.

790
00:36:20,060 --> 00:36:23,280
Love is a choice.

791
00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:27,080
Love is a choice.

792
00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:31,880
Paul says that we should be all things to all people.

793
00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:33,060
You know what that tells me?

794
00:36:33,060 --> 00:36:35,200
That tells me if Kurt comes into my life

795
00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:37,800
and I'm sitting here and I'm doing something

796
00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:40,000
that he considers a stumbling block,

797
00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:42,740
that he considers sin and I learn about it,

798
00:36:42,740 --> 00:36:44,780
I don't get the privilege of looking and saying,

799
00:36:44,780 --> 00:36:47,920
Kurt, it's no big deal or get over yourself

800
00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:49,720
or I'm just gonna continue doing it.

801
00:36:49,720 --> 00:36:54,680
Because I say I love him, love your neighbor as yourself,

802
00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:57,380
I now have to make a choice to love him

803
00:36:57,380 --> 00:37:00,620
to change my behavior even if it's none of his business.

804
00:37:00,620 --> 00:37:06,440
And I wanna do that because my love neighbor,

805
00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:09,300
love your neighbor is fueled by love the Lord your God.

806
00:37:09,300 --> 00:37:13,600
Love the Lord your God is if you love me, follow my commands.

807
00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:16,420
Follow my commands is love your Lord God,

808
00:37:16,420 --> 00:37:20,740
love your neighbor, pray for the authorities over you.

809
00:37:20,740 --> 00:37:23,380
God, I don't understand, my boss is telling me to do stuff

810
00:37:23,380 --> 00:37:25,580
and I just wanna punch him in the face, God.

811
00:37:25,580 --> 00:37:28,020
My boss is telling me to do stuff and I can't stand it.

812
00:37:28,020 --> 00:37:33,020
But because I love you, God, I'm going to submit joyfully

813
00:37:33,020 --> 00:37:37,340
because I don't wanna taint my witness for you, God.

814
00:37:37,340 --> 00:37:41,560
And I'm gonna trust that if there's anything going on here

815
00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:44,720
that you wanna fix, God, then you're gonna do it.

816
00:37:44,720 --> 00:37:46,900
But more than that, here's my prayer, God,

817
00:37:46,900 --> 00:37:49,400
give me eyes to see the situation the way you do.

818
00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:53,060
Because my opinion really doesn't matter in this,

819
00:37:53,060 --> 00:37:55,580
I wanna become like you, Christ.

820
00:37:55,580 --> 00:37:57,700
But it's not fair, God, that they get to do this

821
00:37:57,700 --> 00:37:59,740
or they got that promotion or they got that razor,

822
00:37:59,740 --> 00:38:01,120
I'm overlooked and God says,

823
00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:02,780
will you continue to be faithful?

824
00:38:02,780 --> 00:38:06,860
Will you continue to, will you trust me enough

825
00:38:06,860 --> 00:38:08,840
to know that I've got you in the end?

826
00:38:10,700 --> 00:38:12,640
That I've got you in the predicament

827
00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:14,480
or in the situation for a reason.

828
00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:16,880
Do you trust the Lord?

829
00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:20,160
Obedience is motivated by love.

830
00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:23,360
This is my friend Vonda, many of you know Vonda Coble.

831
00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:24,680
And she didn't come to church today,

832
00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:26,080
so I'm gonna talk about her.

833
00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:31,320
We went to, we take the students at the school

834
00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:32,820
to New York every now and then.

835
00:38:32,820 --> 00:38:35,380
And there was a trip that we took them to New York.

836
00:38:35,380 --> 00:38:38,240
And we got to New York and we're going to a Broadway show.

837
00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:40,960
And we took about 20 students to this Broadway show.

838
00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:43,660
And we got there and there were only 18 tickets

839
00:38:43,660 --> 00:38:44,640
and there were 20 of us.

840
00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:47,280
And they made a mistake.

841
00:38:47,280 --> 00:38:48,680
And so I'm over at the box office

842
00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:49,520
getting it all straightened out.

843
00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:51,280
Well, they give us two, obviously they give us

844
00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:53,200
the two tickets that we need to get in.

845
00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:56,960
And so we get there and they've got all of the 18 tickets

846
00:38:56,960 --> 00:39:00,000
are on that second tier and there are two tickets

847
00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:02,480
that are in the very front row, front two seats,

848
00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:05,960
dead center where you're looking at the stage like this.

849
00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:07,800
Well, guess who took the two tickets?

850
00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:09,100
Vonda and Kevin, right?

851
00:39:09,100 --> 00:39:11,400
Okay, so the kids are up there and Vonda and Kevin

852
00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:12,360
are going to come down here.

853
00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:14,640
Well, I like to get concessions.

854
00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:17,640
I like to, I don't like to pay $10 for peanut M&M's,

855
00:39:17,640 --> 00:39:18,480
but I did.

856
00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:21,380
I got the M&M's and they had these pink slushies

857
00:39:21,380 --> 00:39:23,560
and we both wanted a pink slushie and we wanted M&M's.

858
00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:25,780
So I got M&M's and pink slushie, Vonda went to the restroom.

859
00:39:25,780 --> 00:39:28,800
So I'm paying for the food or whatnot.

860
00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:30,240
We're getting the kids settled and we're making sure

861
00:39:30,240 --> 00:39:31,920
that they're where they're supposed to be.

862
00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:32,980
Vonda comes out of the bathroom.

863
00:39:32,980 --> 00:39:34,520
I give her her slushie and her M&M's.

864
00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:37,680
I take mine and we're walking down the side of the aisle

865
00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:40,760
and we notice there are no other seats sold

866
00:39:40,760 --> 00:39:43,820
in the front two rows except for Vonda and me.

867
00:39:43,820 --> 00:39:46,180
So we're walking here and all of a sudden I look up

868
00:39:46,180 --> 00:39:47,860
and the people in the third and fourth row,

869
00:39:47,860 --> 00:39:50,200
they all have their cameras out like this.

870
00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:53,400
And they're, because Vonda tends to dress like Janet Jackson

871
00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:55,520
like she's like famous, you know?

872
00:39:55,520 --> 00:39:57,120
So, and I just was her wody, you know?

873
00:39:57,120 --> 00:39:58,280
I've just got them all kind of with her.

874
00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:00,160
I'm like, they are taping us right now, you know?

875
00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:02,640
So we sit down and we're in the front

876
00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:06,040
and the show hasn't started and Vonda takes a big old drink

877
00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:06,920
of this slushie.

878
00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:09,480
Big old gulp.

879
00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:13,720
And her eyes flare open just as big as they can get.

880
00:40:13,720 --> 00:40:16,940
Now Vonda is, you know, she's just wired

881
00:40:16,940 --> 00:40:19,000
that she's gonna take you down with her if she goes down,

882
00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:20,080
okay?

883
00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:21,120
So she looked at me, she said,

884
00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:23,840
"Kevin O'Day, take a drink of your slushie."

885
00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:24,680
She said, "Kevin O'Day, take a drink

886
00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:26,460
"of your slushie right now."

887
00:40:26,460 --> 00:40:27,740
And so I was like, what, is it good?

888
00:40:27,740 --> 00:40:28,580
Oh, it must be good.

889
00:40:28,580 --> 00:40:31,780
So I took a big swig, it was alcoholic.

890
00:40:31,780 --> 00:40:33,160
100% alcohol.

891
00:40:34,720 --> 00:40:38,760
And so we're there in the front and we have these things.

892
00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:41,560
Now I want you to understand the setting.

893
00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:43,760
We are front and center.

894
00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:46,240
We are being taped by people we do not know.

895
00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:48,900
And we have 18 students looking down at us right now.

896
00:40:48,900 --> 00:40:52,740
Vonda looked at me and we looked at each other and said,

897
00:40:52,740 --> 00:40:55,260
"We're gonna set these on the floor.

898
00:40:55,260 --> 00:40:57,260
"We're not gonna finish this drink.

899
00:40:57,260 --> 00:40:58,900
"We're gonna wait till the show's over

900
00:40:58,900 --> 00:40:59,880
"and in front of the students,

901
00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:01,140
"we're gonna pour this out in front of them

902
00:41:01,140 --> 00:41:02,880
"and tell them what happened."

903
00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:03,920
Okay?

904
00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:07,600
Now, many of you would have just said,

905
00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:10,540
"Well, it's a drink, it's one drink, it's not a big deal."

906
00:41:10,540 --> 00:41:11,400
Okay?

907
00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:12,800
Many of you would have been like,

908
00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:14,660
"Hey, especially you paid 20 bucks

909
00:41:14,660 --> 00:41:15,760
"or whatever it was for the drink,

910
00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:17,640
"you're gonna, I'm licking the cup."

911
00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:18,480
You know what I mean?

912
00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:20,620
It's like, it's that, it's gonna happen.

913
00:41:20,620 --> 00:41:23,960
Do you know that during the entire play,

914
00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:25,380
the kids were talking about the fact

915
00:41:25,380 --> 00:41:26,880
that we were drinking alcohol?

916
00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:30,820
We didn't know about it until afterward.

917
00:41:30,820 --> 00:41:32,780
Do you know how important it was that we showed them

918
00:41:32,780 --> 00:41:35,500
and told them the mistake and poured it out in front of them?

919
00:41:35,500 --> 00:41:38,220
'Cause we don't wanna ruin our witness.

920
00:41:38,220 --> 00:41:41,320
We don't want, it doesn't matter if it was dumb

921
00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:42,340
that we didn't drink the drink,

922
00:41:42,340 --> 00:41:43,840
it doesn't matter what our opinion was.

923
00:41:43,840 --> 00:41:45,320
Oh, but if you only drink one drink,

924
00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:46,500
you won't get drunk, it's fine.

925
00:41:46,500 --> 00:41:49,020
You can justify yourself out of a paper bag.

926
00:41:49,020 --> 00:41:52,480
There are people watching you that you do not know

927
00:41:52,480 --> 00:41:54,980
and there are people watching you who you do know.

928
00:41:54,980 --> 00:42:00,180
And your witness is always, always, always

929
00:42:00,180 --> 00:42:01,640
right there front and center.

930
00:42:02,720 --> 00:42:04,420
And so we poured it out in front of them

931
00:42:04,420 --> 00:42:07,040
and we were so glad because they came out

932
00:42:07,040 --> 00:42:08,180
before we could even show them.

933
00:42:08,180 --> 00:42:10,440
Oh, Miss Coble, you getting twisted,

934
00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:11,800
you getting turnt up.

935
00:42:11,800 --> 00:42:14,240
It's literally what they're saying.

936
00:42:14,240 --> 00:42:18,600
Thankfully, we were able to tell them what happened

937
00:42:18,600 --> 00:42:23,080
because we didn't want our witness destroyed.

938
00:42:23,080 --> 00:42:26,960
Do you believe what you say you believe?

939
00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:29,280
This is the cornerstone of the chapters

940
00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:30,520
we've been reading.

941
00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:31,880
Washington, you can come on back.

942
00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:33,840
This has been the cornerstone of the chapters

943
00:42:33,840 --> 00:42:34,680
we've been reading.

944
00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:39,120
Guys, do you really believe what you say you believe?

945
00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:44,240
Is Jesus Christ the lover of your soul

946
00:42:44,240 --> 00:42:45,920
and do you love him back?

947
00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:51,720
Because he is with us.

948
00:42:51,720 --> 00:42:53,060
The bridegroom is with us.

949
00:42:53,060 --> 00:42:55,960
I've asked Cole Burkett to come and share

950
00:42:55,960 --> 00:43:00,620
a little bit of his testimony as it relates

951
00:43:00,620 --> 00:43:03,400
to where he's right now because it relates

952
00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:05,900
and connects so clearly to what we've been talking

953
00:43:05,900 --> 00:43:06,740
about today.

954
00:43:06,740 --> 00:43:08,820
Would you guys listen to Cole?

955
00:43:08,820 --> 00:43:12,200
- I just wanna first say I've been in a certainly

956
00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:16,320
a tough season in my life and it took me so long

957
00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:18,920
to surrender in a lot of ways.

958
00:43:18,920 --> 00:43:22,760
And because of the surrender that I finally kinda came to,

959
00:43:22,760 --> 00:43:26,600
I'm like, all right, Lord, only you can work this out.

960
00:43:26,600 --> 00:43:30,000
I'm now being, things are being revealed to me

961
00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:31,740
and one of those things is what I'm gonna talk

962
00:43:31,740 --> 00:43:32,580
about this morning.

963
00:43:32,580 --> 00:43:36,220
I just wanna say that first that you gotta surrender

964
00:43:36,220 --> 00:43:39,940
sometimes for the Lord to reveal things in your life

965
00:43:39,940 --> 00:43:44,220
that you would be so blind to unless you had surrendered.

966
00:43:44,220 --> 00:43:49,220
That thing is this, me and my wife have been married

967
00:43:49,220 --> 00:43:54,880
for a year and three months, four months now

968
00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:59,120
and there are things that I did prior to being married

969
00:43:59,120 --> 00:44:04,120
with my wife that I had no idea would hurt her

970
00:44:04,120 --> 00:44:06,520
the way that it has hurt her.

971
00:44:06,520 --> 00:44:12,840
And the question that I have been pondering

972
00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:16,520
is would I have done those things if she had been there

973
00:44:16,520 --> 00:44:17,360
right with me?

974
00:44:17,360 --> 00:44:24,800
If I had been in relationship with her knowing

975
00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:26,900
that one day she'd be my wife.

976
00:44:28,680 --> 00:44:30,540
No, I wouldn't have done those things.

977
00:44:30,540 --> 00:44:32,420
I wouldn't have willingly hurt her.

978
00:44:32,420 --> 00:44:37,420
And in the same way, let me ask you this,

979
00:44:37,420 --> 00:44:41,240
maybe you've heard this prayer or maybe this hurt

980
00:44:41,240 --> 00:44:43,280
or heard in a singing of a song.

981
00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:47,320
Jesus, break my heart for what breaks yours.

982
00:44:47,320 --> 00:44:51,460
Break my heart, Lord, for what breaks yours.

983
00:44:51,460 --> 00:44:55,800
It's through that mechanism that you grow

984
00:44:55,800 --> 00:44:59,840
in a deeper relationship with Christ and in the same way

985
00:44:59,840 --> 00:45:04,840
with my wife, my relationship with her has deepened

986
00:45:04,840 --> 00:45:08,740
and it's not been through how well I follow the rules

987
00:45:08,740 --> 00:45:10,160
with her.

988
00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:14,080
The mechanism has been I want to love her

989
00:45:14,080 --> 00:45:19,080
and through that now I'm following rules that I didn't

990
00:45:19,080 --> 00:45:22,080
when before I had known her.

991
00:45:23,000 --> 00:45:28,000
So in my life, in my relationship with Christ,

992
00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:35,140
I want to love Jesus first and through that mechanism

993
00:45:35,140 --> 00:45:38,560
of loving him, he's making me perfect.

994
00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:42,080
It's through that that he's making me in right standing

995
00:45:42,080 --> 00:45:42,920
with him.

996
00:45:42,920 --> 00:45:49,360
And so in my marriage with my wife, it's showing me

997
00:45:49,560 --> 00:45:53,760
that Jesus might not be physically here in this moment

998
00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:59,640
but this is preparing me on how to love Jesus right now

999
00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:01,680
through the privilege of loving my wife

1000
00:46:01,680 --> 00:46:05,040
and laying my life down for her, laying my destiny down

1001
00:46:05,040 --> 00:46:10,040
for her and it's a beautiful thing.

1002
00:46:10,040 --> 00:46:16,000
But man, it humbles you and it breaks your heart

1003
00:46:16,000 --> 00:46:20,000
for what breaks hers but it breaks my heart

1004
00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:21,460
for what breaks Jesus's.

1005
00:46:21,460 --> 00:46:27,360
And so that's the question that I want to ask you guys

1006
00:46:27,360 --> 00:46:29,220
this morning at Springhouse.

1007
00:46:29,220 --> 00:46:34,480
Jesus break my heart for what breaks yours.

1008
00:46:34,480 --> 00:46:41,520
- And Kaylin has certainly forgiven Cole,

1009
00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:42,600
she's not forgotten.

1010
00:46:42,600 --> 00:46:45,400
She's not forgotten.

1011
00:46:46,080 --> 00:46:49,880
Guys, our choices and our actions have consequences

1012
00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:54,640
whether we like it or not, sometimes they're small,

1013
00:46:54,640 --> 00:46:56,040
sometimes they're pretty big.

1014
00:46:56,040 --> 00:46:59,920
And when we grapple through the consequences,

1015
00:46:59,920 --> 00:47:04,020
we learn, right, we learn but man,

1016
00:47:04,020 --> 00:47:08,200
why not lean into Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit

1017
00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:10,380
and grapple with the positive consequences

1018
00:47:10,380 --> 00:47:12,940
of living for a kingdom that's which you belong to.

1019
00:47:14,280 --> 00:47:18,280
And that's his desire for us, that's his desire.

1020
00:47:18,280 --> 00:47:23,120
So Gentiles need to be circumcised, no, no.

1021
00:47:23,120 --> 00:47:24,960
You need to do X, Y and Z to earn,

1022
00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:27,520
no, you don't need to earn your salvation,

1023
00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:31,440
your salvation is free, cost him something, it's free to you

1024
00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:36,480
but beyond that, becoming like Christ Jesus,

1025
00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:38,040
it's gonna cost you everything.

1026
00:47:38,040 --> 00:47:42,760
Cost you your pride, your arrogance,

1027
00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:45,160
it's gonna cost you the willingness to say,

1028
00:47:45,160 --> 00:47:47,140
yeah, I do think that that rule is dumb

1029
00:47:47,140 --> 00:47:48,240
but I'm gonna submit to it

1030
00:47:48,240 --> 00:47:49,640
and I'm not gonna make a big stink about it,

1031
00:47:49,640 --> 00:47:52,400
I'm not gonna say, look at me, I'm following this dumb rule,

1032
00:47:52,400 --> 00:47:53,440
I'm just gonna do it.

1033
00:47:53,440 --> 00:47:56,160
Because at the end of the day,

1034
00:47:56,160 --> 00:47:58,480
I want no one to have a reason to look at me and say,

1035
00:47:58,480 --> 00:48:01,040
I don't look like Christ Jesus.

1036
00:48:01,040 --> 00:48:02,680
Jess, stand with me this morning.

1037
00:48:02,680 --> 00:48:07,880
You know, the call this morning, this is a heavy word

1038
00:48:07,880 --> 00:48:11,920
but the call this morning really is one to say this,

1039
00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:15,280
Lord, break my heart for what breaks yours.

1040
00:48:15,280 --> 00:48:18,000
And maybe as a step of faith,

1041
00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:19,600
some of you may need to come to the altar and say,

1042
00:48:19,600 --> 00:48:22,400
God, I need you to break my heart for what breaks you,

1043
00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:27,400
I've been serving myself way too long in small things

1044
00:48:27,400 --> 00:48:31,200
and what an amazing way to chip out pride

1045
00:48:31,200 --> 00:48:33,960
for those of you who are too proud to admit

1046
00:48:33,960 --> 00:48:35,120
that there are small things,

1047
00:48:35,120 --> 00:48:36,200
'cause man, everybody looks at me,

1048
00:48:36,200 --> 00:48:39,240
if I go forward, man, they're gonna think that I do X, Y and Z

1049
00:48:39,240 --> 00:48:42,080
it doesn't matter because you do X, Y and Z.

1050
00:48:42,080 --> 00:48:46,120
And the one you say you love most knows it.

1051
00:48:46,120 --> 00:48:50,520
So what would it look like to break down the barriers

1052
00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:52,160
and walls of pride and say, man,

1053
00:48:52,160 --> 00:48:55,800
God, I need you to break my heart for what breaks yours,

1054
00:48:55,800 --> 00:48:58,040
help me Lord in these small areas where I'm giving in

1055
00:48:58,040 --> 00:49:00,560
and I'm compromising my love for you,

1056
00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:03,480
I need you to help me, I need you to infiltrate my heart

1057
00:49:03,480 --> 00:49:05,460
'cause I wanna be like you, Lord.

1058
00:49:05,460 --> 00:49:06,800
That's the call this morning

1059
00:49:06,800 --> 00:49:08,640
and with those who are gonna minister, come on up

1060
00:49:08,640 --> 00:49:10,760
and we can agree with people,

1061
00:49:10,760 --> 00:49:12,400
maybe you just wanna come and get my altar space,

1062
00:49:12,400 --> 00:49:13,240
that's totally fine too,

1063
00:49:13,240 --> 00:49:15,200
we're just gonna worship for a few moments here.

1064
00:49:15,200 --> 00:49:16,180
If you have a prayer need,

1065
00:49:16,180 --> 00:49:17,520
you can come and join with someone

1066
00:49:17,520 --> 00:49:19,720
and if you're a leader,

1067
00:49:19,720 --> 00:49:21,120
because here's the thing, we're authentic here,

1068
00:49:21,120 --> 00:49:23,140
if you're a leader, I'm talking to you guys

1069
00:49:23,140 --> 00:49:24,920
that are gonna pray for people.

1070
00:49:24,920 --> 00:49:27,280
If you're a leader and you need to bow your knee

1071
00:49:27,280 --> 00:49:28,580
and not being prayed today,

1072
00:49:28,580 --> 00:49:31,200
you absolutely have the freedom to do that

1073
00:49:31,200 --> 00:49:34,720
because nobody's exempt, right?

1074
00:49:34,720 --> 00:49:38,440
It's not us and them, it's us and Him.

1075
00:49:38,440 --> 00:49:39,280
Let's worship.