1 00:00:03,236 --> 00:00:04,938 In the chair backs in front of you. 2 00:00:04,938 --> 00:00:07,474 There are these cards on these chairs that they're sitting there. 3 00:00:07,474 --> 00:00:08,575 Please take one of these out. 4 00:00:08,575 --> 00:00:09,976 Everybody get one of these. 5 00:00:09,976 --> 00:00:12,312 Should be on the tables as well. 6 00:00:12,312 --> 00:00:15,015 This is to help us understand 7 00:00:15,015 --> 00:00:18,451 the process of what we call spiritual formation. 8 00:00:18,585 --> 00:00:22,722 Spiritual formation is the the the discipline, 9 00:00:22,756 --> 00:00:28,495 the opportunity to be formed spiritually, to be able to fulfill. 10 00:00:28,762 --> 00:00:33,900 What a life that Jesus said, hey, follow me this way. 11 00:00:33,900 --> 00:00:37,570 And so we've come up with this spiritual formation pathway 12 00:00:37,570 --> 00:00:41,141 to help us understand the steps we take to do that. 13 00:00:41,174 --> 00:00:44,210 We use four words here called belong, 14 00:00:44,210 --> 00:00:50,116 become, give and go to help us walk this pathway of discipleship 15 00:00:50,116 --> 00:00:54,020 and forming ourselves biblically in the image of Christ. 16 00:00:54,020 --> 00:00:57,590 And so you're going to see this little infographic everywhere. 17 00:00:57,624 --> 00:01:01,461 You're going to see it everywhere, because I want you to know 18 00:01:01,561 --> 00:01:03,997 what your next step is. We say it all the time. 19 00:01:03,997 --> 00:01:04,631 Take your next step. 20 00:01:04,631 --> 00:01:05,432 What's my next step? 21 00:01:05,432 --> 00:01:10,370 Well, this is will help you understand that so you can grow and form yourself 22 00:01:10,370 --> 00:01:15,241 spiritually through these four steps of belonging, becoming, giving and going 23 00:01:15,275 --> 00:01:20,713 and then just living in this process of being formed spiritually. 24 00:01:20,713 --> 00:01:26,119 And so if you'll just look at this, we start here in the life of this church 25 00:01:26,119 --> 00:01:30,323 by belonging to the local, to the Body of Christ 26 00:01:30,356 --> 00:01:32,659 through the expression of the local church flipside. 27 00:01:32,659 --> 00:01:35,462 And that happens a couple of different ways. 28 00:01:35,462 --> 00:01:38,598 One, take the one on one class, and David 29 00:01:38,598 --> 00:01:41,668 White is going to lead all of this whole process. 30 00:01:41,668 --> 00:01:44,104 So in a couple of weeks is going to teach the one on one class. 31 00:01:44,104 --> 00:01:47,474 It'll help you understand the basics of our church, our faith, 32 00:01:47,474 --> 00:01:51,211 our doctrine, our purpose, our mission, our vision, all of that. 33 00:01:51,211 --> 00:01:54,380 And it will introduce you to the foundations 34 00:01:54,380 --> 00:01:57,750 of doctrine that we think are really, really biblically important. 35 00:01:57,750 --> 00:02:00,987 And then part of that is just showing up weekly. 36 00:02:01,321 --> 00:02:02,956 And if getting baptized, 37 00:02:02,956 --> 00:02:05,959 haven't been baptized by immersion, getting baptized by immersion, 38 00:02:06,459 --> 00:02:11,097 and then the become part as you grow and the way you 39 00:02:11,097 --> 00:02:14,901 you become the image of Christ is one of the ways that will help. 40 00:02:14,901 --> 00:02:18,238 That is, go to the 201 class, where you'll learn about 41 00:02:18,238 --> 00:02:23,143 the spiritual disciplines necessarily necessary to form yourself spiritually. 42 00:02:23,543 --> 00:02:25,945 Learn how to flip journal, how to read the Bible, 43 00:02:25,945 --> 00:02:31,117 and then get involved with some type of smaller community group, either 44 00:02:31,117 --> 00:02:34,120 what we call a rooted class or a huddle 45 00:02:34,354 --> 00:02:37,457 in context of community to form us. 46 00:02:37,457 --> 00:02:41,394 And then we take this next step of our formation 47 00:02:41,394 --> 00:02:44,631 and giving back to God what he has given us. 48 00:02:44,631 --> 00:02:48,902 And part of that process for us is the 301 class 49 00:02:48,902 --> 00:02:52,505 that will walk us through your spiritual gifts. 50 00:02:52,539 --> 00:02:55,041 If you if you have a relationship with Jesus, you've been given at least 51 00:02:55,041 --> 00:02:58,778 one spiritual gift by God Himself, and they'll help you discover that 52 00:02:58,778 --> 00:03:02,615 so you can give that energy back to God in ministry 53 00:03:02,615 --> 00:03:06,786 and serving, people will be invited to serve on a team 54 00:03:06,786 --> 00:03:10,490 and for some, the Financial Peace University, 55 00:03:10,557 --> 00:03:15,762 so that you can understand how do I get my financial life in order 56 00:03:15,762 --> 00:03:20,466 and live a life of generosity and giving back to God what he's given me? 57 00:03:20,466 --> 00:03:22,268 And then the go part of 58 00:03:22,268 --> 00:03:26,639 that is the 401 class, which is the class to teach you how to share your faith. 59 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,509 There are six ways, biblically that we can share our faith. 60 00:03:29,509 --> 00:03:31,344 One of them fit you perfectly. 61 00:03:31,344 --> 00:03:34,681 We want to teach you what that is so you can share your faith 62 00:03:34,747 --> 00:03:39,452 as a follower of Jesus, and then join us in not just serving a ministry, 63 00:03:39,452 --> 00:03:43,656 but ministry ownership and really leading in that and the work 64 00:03:43,656 --> 00:03:47,827 that we do in missions work at locally and abroad. 65 00:03:47,827 --> 00:03:50,830 So this is the four main spiritual formation pathway. 66 00:03:50,997 --> 00:03:54,434 You should know by looking at this what your next step is. 67 00:03:55,535 --> 00:03:57,103 Follow that. 68 00:03:57,103 --> 00:03:59,539 Now there are some people have been here for 21 years, 69 00:03:59,539 --> 00:04:02,542 and they've never taken the second step 70 00:04:02,642 --> 00:04:05,612 to becoming really 71 00:04:06,112 --> 00:04:08,881 in, in, in the image of Christ. 72 00:04:08,881 --> 00:04:10,717 They show up a lot, which is great. 73 00:04:10,717 --> 00:04:15,388 But there's some other things we need to do to form a spiritually. 74 00:04:15,388 --> 00:04:17,957 And so this this will help you know what your next step is. 75 00:04:17,957 --> 00:04:20,994 So when we say take a next step here, this if you have any questions 76 00:04:20,994 --> 00:04:24,998 about any of this, how to get involved, how to get in the pipeline of this, 77 00:04:25,031 --> 00:04:28,501 see Dave, Pastor David, this is his job to oversee all of this. 78 00:04:28,534 --> 00:04:30,637 Okay. You got it. 79 00:04:30,637 --> 00:04:32,639 You're going to see that everywhere. We're going to talk about that a lot. 80 00:04:32,639 --> 00:04:35,375 So just get used to hearing those words right. 81 00:04:35,375 --> 00:04:37,610 Hey we're in chapter 18 of Matthew. 82 00:04:37,610 --> 00:04:41,481 Jeff did a great job last week introducing us in the first six verses. 83 00:04:41,514 --> 00:04:44,784 We're going to go through verses seven through 20 today. 84 00:04:44,817 --> 00:04:45,785 Okay. 85 00:04:45,785 --> 00:04:48,221 So there's a lot there's a lot to get through. 86 00:04:48,221 --> 00:04:50,390 And I'm going to do my best. 87 00:04:50,390 --> 00:04:52,492 I'm going to do my best to get us through that. 88 00:04:52,492 --> 00:04:56,195 I want us to understand something about 89 00:04:57,230 --> 00:04:59,499 about Matthew 18. 90 00:04:59,499 --> 00:05:02,835 The conversation started with who's the greatest? 91 00:05:02,835 --> 00:05:05,071 And Jeff did a great job 92 00:05:05,071 --> 00:05:07,840 teaching about that last week that I want to know who's the greatest. 93 00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:11,010 The reason they're asking that question is twofold. 94 00:05:11,010 --> 00:05:14,947 One, because only three of them got invited up on the mountain in Matthew 95 00:05:14,981 --> 00:05:17,250 17 Peter, James and John. 96 00:05:17,250 --> 00:05:20,053 They got this special invitation with Jesus up on the mountain where Jesus 97 00:05:20,053 --> 00:05:25,158 was transfigured into all of his glory, his heavenly glory, only three of them. 98 00:05:25,158 --> 00:05:28,161 So obviously they're walking around thinking. 99 00:05:30,196 --> 00:05:32,332 We're the best. 100 00:05:32,332 --> 00:05:35,735 The other nine are down waiting for them to come down the mountain. 101 00:05:35,735 --> 00:05:38,538 And they have this opportunity to do this incredible ministry. 102 00:05:38,538 --> 00:05:39,772 And they failed. 103 00:05:39,772 --> 00:05:42,942 So, you know, there was conversation going on. 104 00:05:42,975 --> 00:05:44,277 Hey, how'd you guys do? 105 00:05:45,611 --> 00:05:48,181 We were with Jesus. 106 00:05:48,181 --> 00:05:49,749 You guys blew it. 107 00:05:49,749 --> 00:05:52,785 And so, you know, there's this a right, like you 108 00:05:52,785 --> 00:05:55,788 get 12 fellows around, they're going to start talking. 109 00:05:56,122 --> 00:05:59,826 And so so the natural quest who's the greatest decide for us 110 00:05:59,826 --> 00:06:02,028 because we were up there. They were down here. They failed. 111 00:06:02,028 --> 00:06:04,230 We got to see some pretty cool stuff. 112 00:06:04,230 --> 00:06:07,233 And Jesus response is, none of you are. 113 00:06:07,700 --> 00:06:09,602 None of you are the greatest. 114 00:06:09,602 --> 00:06:12,472 You can't do a thing without me. 115 00:06:12,472 --> 00:06:16,709 And so you need to humble yourself and be childlike. 116 00:06:16,709 --> 00:06:19,979 You didn't say childish. It's a childlike. 117 00:06:20,413 --> 00:06:24,817 But he knew that we're going to drop the ball and it says, 118 00:06:24,817 --> 00:06:29,222 because you won't humble yourself, because you will be self-serving. 119 00:06:29,255 --> 00:06:32,091 I'm self-absorbed. 120 00:06:32,091 --> 00:06:35,194 I'm going to walk you through my expectation 121 00:06:35,194 --> 00:06:38,898 of how you deal with each other, when each other 122 00:06:38,898 --> 00:06:42,268 let you down, when each other sins against you, 123 00:06:42,635 --> 00:06:46,506 when each other walk away from you or walk against you. 124 00:06:46,506 --> 00:06:49,475 And I'm going to show you, I'm going to tell you what my expectation is. 125 00:06:49,475 --> 00:06:50,376 And that's all. 126 00:06:50,376 --> 00:06:52,378 That's all the rest of Matthew 18. 127 00:06:52,378 --> 00:06:55,148 Now, underlying this whole thing, 128 00:06:56,149 --> 00:06:57,450 all of Jesus's 129 00:06:57,450 --> 00:07:01,754 teaching, the backbone of it all is this thing called generosity. 130 00:07:01,754 --> 00:07:03,256 And here's what I mean. 131 00:07:03,256 --> 00:07:07,693 Jesus is going to talk about in Matthew 18 being merciful. 132 00:07:07,894 --> 00:07:11,297 And he says, when you're merciful, don't be stingy with your mercy. 133 00:07:11,330 --> 00:07:13,099 Be generous. 134 00:07:13,099 --> 00:07:15,501 It's going to talk about forgiveness. 135 00:07:15,501 --> 00:07:19,505 And he's going to say, when you forgive, I wasn't stingy with forgiveness 136 00:07:19,505 --> 00:07:22,775 with you, so don't you dare be stingy and forgiving other people. 137 00:07:22,842 --> 00:07:24,410 Be generous. 138 00:07:24,410 --> 00:07:26,712 Do you follow this generosity? 139 00:07:26,712 --> 00:07:28,381 Backbone runs through everything. 140 00:07:28,381 --> 00:07:31,918 Jesus taught everything and and actually, 141 00:07:32,418 --> 00:07:35,254 even when Jesus talked about resources and finances, 142 00:07:35,254 --> 00:07:38,458 he always talked about it with this backbone of generosity running through it. 143 00:07:38,458 --> 00:07:40,960 I don't know if you knew this 144 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:44,664 in the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John one verse 145 00:07:44,664 --> 00:07:50,703 out of every ten talks about resources, finances, and being generous with them. 146 00:07:50,703 --> 00:07:53,706 Did you know that one out of every ten verses in the Gospels, 147 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:57,743 Jesus talked more about resources than being generous 148 00:07:57,743 --> 00:08:00,746 with our finances and being just for the resources. 149 00:08:00,780 --> 00:08:05,384 He taught more about that than he talked about heaven or hell combined. 150 00:08:06,819 --> 00:08:09,055 Do you follow? 151 00:08:09,055 --> 00:08:10,957 So this idea of generosity 152 00:08:10,957 --> 00:08:14,627 in every area of our life is the kind of 153 00:08:14,660 --> 00:08:17,997 the backbone of Jesus teaching, and we're going to see it in this. 154 00:08:18,397 --> 00:08:21,334 And so this question, who's the greatest? 155 00:08:21,334 --> 00:08:25,438 None of you know, Jesus says, you've got to be dependent on me. 156 00:08:25,438 --> 00:08:26,305 You're not great at all. 157 00:08:26,305 --> 00:08:28,641 Matter of fact, this was such an issue for them. 158 00:08:28,641 --> 00:08:33,880 Who the greatest that James and and and James 159 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:37,917 and John's mom is going to get involved this conversation in Matthew 2020. 160 00:08:37,950 --> 00:08:40,186 She's going to come to you and say, hey, Jesus, 161 00:08:40,186 --> 00:08:44,257 make sure that my two sons are at the front of the line. 162 00:08:44,490 --> 00:08:46,792 Like, this was so rampant in them. 163 00:08:46,792 --> 00:08:48,761 They want to be the greatest. They want to be upfront. 164 00:08:48,761 --> 00:08:49,762 They want to be honored. 165 00:08:49,762 --> 00:08:52,732 And just like you got to get over yourself, man. 166 00:08:52,932 --> 00:08:55,067 Humble yourself. 167 00:08:55,067 --> 00:08:57,537 So because you're going to blow it, I need 168 00:08:57,537 --> 00:09:01,440 I need to help you know how to live with each other. 169 00:09:01,674 --> 00:09:06,178 And so here's the big idea for verses seven through 20 of Matthew 18. 170 00:09:06,279 --> 00:09:09,415 Jesus's kingdom is not casual about sin 171 00:09:10,116 --> 00:09:14,654 nor stingy with mercy, and his must be the same. 172 00:09:16,556 --> 00:09:17,156 We're not 173 00:09:17,156 --> 00:09:20,159 casual about sin, nor are we stingy with mercy. 174 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,362 And so he's going to deal with these two things. 175 00:09:23,362 --> 00:09:26,432 And so right up front, let me read verses seven, eight and nine. 176 00:09:27,633 --> 00:09:29,502 Jesus says, 177 00:09:29,502 --> 00:09:32,271 woe to the world for temptations. 178 00:09:32,271 --> 00:09:36,075 Woe to the world for temptations to sin, for it is necessary that temptations come, 179 00:09:36,075 --> 00:09:39,412 but woe to the one by whom the temptations come. 180 00:09:39,745 --> 00:09:43,149 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. 181 00:09:43,149 --> 00:09:46,986 It's better for you to enter life, crippled or lame, down with two hands 182 00:09:46,986 --> 00:09:49,121 or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 183 00:09:49,121 --> 00:09:52,291 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. 184 00:09:52,291 --> 00:09:56,596 It's better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes 185 00:09:56,629 --> 00:09:58,664 to be thrown into the hell of fire. 186 00:09:58,664 --> 00:10:01,667 Those are some pretty strong words, wouldn't you agree? 187 00:10:01,834 --> 00:10:03,836 Yes, pretty strong words. 188 00:10:04,971 --> 00:10:05,538 He says. 189 00:10:05,538 --> 00:10:08,341 Temptation is going to come. It's part of this world order. 190 00:10:08,341 --> 00:10:11,777 This world is broken, fallen, and it's coming apart. 191 00:10:11,811 --> 00:10:13,980 There's no that's no surprise to anybody. 192 00:10:13,980 --> 00:10:16,882 My kingdom is coming. But it's not here and still yet. 193 00:10:16,882 --> 00:10:19,652 So we live in a broken, fallen, sinful world. 194 00:10:19,652 --> 00:10:20,920 And it's going to perpetuate 195 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:25,091 broken, fallen us and sinful people and mindsets and lifestyles. 196 00:10:25,091 --> 00:10:26,492 He said that's a given. 197 00:10:26,492 --> 00:10:29,895 But don't you be the one through whom this stuff comes. 198 00:10:32,999 --> 00:10:34,700 Don't you be the one through 199 00:10:34,700 --> 00:10:38,170 whom comes the propensity for materialism, 200 00:10:38,170 --> 00:10:41,941 for greed, for bitterness, for lust, 201 00:10:42,508 --> 00:10:45,511 for hatred, for anger. 202 00:10:46,746 --> 00:10:47,713 What are you saying is 203 00:10:47,713 --> 00:10:50,716 this sin is too dangerous to tolerate. 204 00:10:50,716 --> 00:10:53,519 And so he uses really strong language. 205 00:10:53,519 --> 00:10:55,755 Your eye, your hand, your foot causes you to sin. Cut it out. 206 00:10:55,755 --> 00:10:58,090 Get rid of it. Can you imagine? 207 00:10:58,090 --> 00:11:00,426 Now he's not talking about self-mutilation. 208 00:11:01,394 --> 00:11:02,561 What is that word? 209 00:11:02,561 --> 00:11:04,330 Mutilation. He's not talking about that. 210 00:11:04,330 --> 00:11:06,298 I want to be very clear about that. And here's why. 211 00:11:06,298 --> 00:11:07,900 He's not talking about self-mutilation. 212 00:11:07,900 --> 00:11:10,870 Because self-mutilation doesn't go far enough. 213 00:11:10,870 --> 00:11:13,105 It's not extreme enough. 214 00:11:13,105 --> 00:11:14,073 When you cut your hand off 215 00:11:14,073 --> 00:11:17,677 and still sin, right, you poke your eye out and still sin. 216 00:11:18,210 --> 00:11:20,379 The problem is, it doesn't go far enough. 217 00:11:20,379 --> 00:11:23,382 The problem is it's a deeper issue. 218 00:11:23,683 --> 00:11:26,552 And when he says, you're right, I your right hand or right foot? 219 00:11:26,552 --> 00:11:31,223 Back in those days, the right was the was the favored position. 220 00:11:31,424 --> 00:11:36,595 So the right hand, the right hand was the favored strong position, not the lefties. 221 00:11:36,595 --> 00:11:39,198 So sorry lefties. 222 00:11:39,198 --> 00:11:41,200 Any of you left handed. 223 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:41,634 Yeah. 224 00:11:41,634 --> 00:11:45,638 So my dad tells me that when my grandma when his mom was little coming 225 00:11:45,638 --> 00:11:49,942 up in school, she was left handed way back in the day and it was so 226 00:11:49,975 --> 00:11:53,279 looked down upon they had to retrain her how to write with her right 227 00:11:53,312 --> 00:11:55,581 hand on our left hand, because it was just bad. 228 00:11:55,581 --> 00:11:58,451 Lefties were bad, and it was back in the good old days 229 00:11:58,451 --> 00:12:01,220 when teachers had a ruler and they could whack you with it. 230 00:12:01,220 --> 00:12:04,190 So every time she used her left hand, they'd whack it. 231 00:12:04,190 --> 00:12:05,291 That's pretty brutal. 232 00:12:05,291 --> 00:12:08,094 So, lefties, sorry you're out of luck. 233 00:12:08,094 --> 00:12:09,395 This was back in that culture. 234 00:12:09,395 --> 00:12:13,632 So what Jesus is saying is this listen, even that what you consider 235 00:12:13,632 --> 00:12:17,636 to be good and strong, if it leads you away from me, get rid of it. 236 00:12:18,137 --> 00:12:21,273 Even that which you can sort of be a blessing if a lead you away from me. 237 00:12:21,307 --> 00:12:22,708 Get rid of it. 238 00:12:22,708 --> 00:12:27,346 See if we can walk away from Jesus not just in sin, but in the good stuff 239 00:12:27,346 --> 00:12:31,650 God's given us, just cause us to neglect Him in His Kingdom. 240 00:12:31,650 --> 00:12:34,120 Neglect risky for him to be in generous. 241 00:12:35,521 --> 00:12:38,491 Get rid of it now. 242 00:12:38,591 --> 00:12:42,061 As as as tough as that language is. 243 00:12:42,061 --> 00:12:45,064 Let me put it in, in in our language. 244 00:12:50,202 --> 00:12:52,037 Let's not talk about our eye or hand or our foot. 245 00:12:52,037 --> 00:12:54,540 Let's talk about this. 246 00:12:54,540 --> 00:12:57,343 If this in our life 247 00:12:57,343 --> 00:13:00,379 causes us to go further away from Christ 248 00:13:00,379 --> 00:13:03,382 rather than closer to him. 249 00:13:04,650 --> 00:13:07,653 Get rid of it. 250 00:13:08,154 --> 00:13:11,157 Anybody? 251 00:13:13,959 --> 00:13:16,962 Some of you are like, oh no, 252 00:13:17,196 --> 00:13:20,199 now you're just meddling. 253 00:13:20,866 --> 00:13:21,534 That hits. 254 00:13:21,534 --> 00:13:24,537 I'd rather poke my eye out than live without my phone. 255 00:13:27,706 --> 00:13:30,442 It's what he's saying is this too is to. 256 00:13:30,442 --> 00:13:33,112 Sin is too dangerous to tolerate. 257 00:13:33,112 --> 00:13:36,482 Do whatever you got to do, but separate yourself from it. 258 00:13:36,682 --> 00:13:39,218 Nothing is worth it. 259 00:13:39,218 --> 00:13:41,754 That's what he's saying. 260 00:13:41,754 --> 00:13:44,190 Sin is not a pet to coddle. 261 00:13:44,190 --> 00:13:46,258 It's a predator to kill. 262 00:13:47,359 --> 00:13:50,262 That's how we have to approach it. 263 00:13:50,262 --> 00:13:53,332 Some of us have grown so because of mercy and grace. 264 00:13:53,332 --> 00:13:55,334 And I get it is profound and it's beautiful. 265 00:13:55,334 --> 00:13:57,670 And it is there because of sin. 266 00:13:57,670 --> 00:14:00,673 Fantastic. But. 267 00:14:03,843 --> 00:14:05,377 Sin is deadly. 268 00:14:05,377 --> 00:14:09,515 And some of us have been so enamored by mercy and grace, which we should be. 269 00:14:09,548 --> 00:14:13,552 We treat sin as an optional thing, like it's okay. 270 00:14:15,621 --> 00:14:17,356 When we fall into sin. 271 00:14:17,356 --> 00:14:19,391 We rely on God's grace 100%. 272 00:14:19,391 --> 00:14:22,962 But please understand this, my friends, that grace does not make sense. 273 00:14:22,995 --> 00:14:23,395 Safe. 274 00:14:23,395 --> 00:14:26,398 It makes repentance possible. 275 00:14:27,199 --> 00:14:30,469 It's grace that says your sin is deadly, 276 00:14:31,103 --> 00:14:33,639 but it doesn't have to destroy you. 277 00:14:33,639 --> 00:14:38,077 Repent of it and experience the undeserved and unmerited favor 278 00:14:38,077 --> 00:14:41,080 and blessing of Almighty God. 279 00:14:41,881 --> 00:14:44,850 When you repent. 280 00:14:47,453 --> 00:14:50,623 There will always be things in this world that will cause people to stumble. 281 00:14:50,656 --> 00:14:55,561 Jesus says, don't you dare be the one through whom other people stumble. 282 00:14:55,594 --> 00:14:58,664 Cut away sin in your life. 283 00:15:01,100 --> 00:15:02,301 Jesus says, don't 284 00:15:02,301 --> 00:15:05,971 negotiate with that which is destroying you. 285 00:15:07,539 --> 00:15:09,441 He's talking about radical discipleship. 286 00:15:09,441 --> 00:15:12,411 Radical discipleship requires radical action. 287 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:17,516 He's not talking about casual Christianity. 288 00:15:17,516 --> 00:15:19,985 Radical discipleship cuts off what casual 289 00:15:19,985 --> 00:15:22,988 Christianity excuses. 290 00:15:22,988 --> 00:15:25,991 He's saying it's that serious. 291 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,663 And he says, listen, if we don't deal with this sin 292 00:15:30,663 --> 00:15:34,533 issue and it's not by being religious, it's not by working ourselves up 293 00:15:34,533 --> 00:15:37,903 into doing everything right, it's by confessing sin. 294 00:15:38,170 --> 00:15:42,308 It's by relying on God's mercy and grace to forgive us our sin, 295 00:15:42,341 --> 00:15:45,444 cleanse us from all unrighteousness by what Jesus did on the cross. 296 00:15:45,477 --> 00:15:48,714 If we don't do that, sin is so deadly. 297 00:15:48,781 --> 00:15:50,683 He says, why would you? 298 00:15:50,683 --> 00:15:54,019 Why would you live in sin and 299 00:15:55,020 --> 00:15:58,824 suffer the consequences of hellfire? 300 00:15:59,425 --> 00:16:01,660 Strong language. 301 00:16:01,660 --> 00:16:03,629 I want you to understand something. 302 00:16:03,629 --> 00:16:10,102 Hell, biblically is never spoken of as allegory or folklore. 303 00:16:11,537 --> 00:16:13,172 Never. 304 00:16:13,172 --> 00:16:16,842 It's always spoken of as a real place, just like heaven. 305 00:16:16,976 --> 00:16:21,313 Heaven is never spoken about in Scripture as allegory or folklore. 306 00:16:21,714 --> 00:16:24,516 Heaven's always talks about as a real place. 307 00:16:24,516 --> 00:16:25,517 So if we're going to talk about 308 00:16:25,517 --> 00:16:29,421 the reality of heaven, we have to talk about the reality of hell. 309 00:16:30,055 --> 00:16:34,793 Now, I agree that biblical imagery is fascinating 310 00:16:34,793 --> 00:16:39,698 and grandiose and uses some powerful imagery to communicate 311 00:16:39,698 --> 00:16:43,702 the reality of heaven and hell, but they're both real places. 312 00:16:46,038 --> 00:16:48,741 And the results of a lifestyle of sin 313 00:16:48,741 --> 00:16:52,344 without repentance is the reality of hell. 314 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:56,782 That's how deadly. 315 00:16:56,782 --> 00:16:59,918 It's how deadly sin is and how beautiful grace is. 316 00:17:03,255 --> 00:17:06,425 Charles Spurgeon said this if I think lightly of hell, 317 00:17:06,425 --> 00:17:09,428 I will also think lightly of the cross. 318 00:17:10,429 --> 00:17:13,632 And so Jesus says, this is too deadly and dangerous to flirt with man. 319 00:17:13,665 --> 00:17:14,867 Get rid of it. 320 00:17:16,535 --> 00:17:18,237 And then look at what he says. 321 00:17:18,237 --> 00:17:23,075 Verses ten through 14 see that you do not despise one of these little ones. 322 00:17:23,075 --> 00:17:26,678 For I tell you that in heaven there angels always see the face of my father 323 00:17:26,678 --> 00:17:27,379 who is in heaven. 324 00:17:27,379 --> 00:17:28,414 What do you think? 325 00:17:28,414 --> 00:17:31,917 If a man has 100 sheep and one of them has gone astray. 326 00:17:31,950 --> 00:17:33,952 Does he not leave the 99 on the mountains 327 00:17:33,952 --> 00:17:35,621 and go in search of the one that went astray? 328 00:17:35,621 --> 00:17:37,456 And if he finds it truly I say 329 00:17:37,456 --> 00:17:40,492 he Joyces over it more than the 99 that never went astray. 330 00:17:40,659 --> 00:17:43,762 So it is not the will of my father who is in 331 00:17:43,762 --> 00:17:46,899 heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. 332 00:17:46,932 --> 00:17:49,935 He said, listen. 333 00:17:51,003 --> 00:17:53,672 He introduced his idea of angels here. 334 00:17:53,672 --> 00:17:58,477 He says, listen, even for my kids who go astray, 335 00:17:58,510 --> 00:18:03,148 they still have representation before the father, though, they're getting dumb. 336 00:18:03,949 --> 00:18:07,252 The angel is still representing the before the father. 337 00:18:07,319 --> 00:18:10,722 Did you know that every Christ 338 00:18:10,722 --> 00:18:13,759 follower has representation in heaven, 339 00:18:13,759 --> 00:18:17,296 not just of Christ to the father, but of angels? 340 00:18:18,597 --> 00:18:19,731 Now, I don't believe 341 00:18:19,731 --> 00:18:24,069 that every person has a guardian angel, but I do believe 342 00:18:24,069 --> 00:18:28,474 that every Christ follower has angels ministering to them. 343 00:18:28,474 --> 00:18:32,878 And the reason I believe that is because the Bible says that Hebrews chapter one. 344 00:18:33,278 --> 00:18:36,014 Are not all angels ministering spirits 345 00:18:36,014 --> 00:18:39,218 sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? 346 00:18:39,251 --> 00:18:41,353 Those have a relationship with Jesus. 347 00:18:41,353 --> 00:18:45,457 God employs angels to serve us. 348 00:18:45,657 --> 00:18:47,226 Realize that. 349 00:18:47,226 --> 00:18:49,495 Now, I don't believe we all have a guardian angel 350 00:18:49,495 --> 00:18:52,531 because some of us have a lot of guardian angels. 351 00:18:53,599 --> 00:18:56,602 He's just like, oh no, we need a lot more than one. 352 00:18:56,735 --> 00:18:59,338 Please. 353 00:18:59,338 --> 00:19:03,342 And so he's saying, listen, people will get dumb. 354 00:19:03,375 --> 00:19:05,711 They're going to walk. 355 00:19:05,711 --> 00:19:08,714 But they still have representation before my father him. 356 00:19:08,714 --> 00:19:11,216 So be careful about how you treat each other. 357 00:19:14,052 --> 00:19:15,387 This passage of the 358 00:19:15,387 --> 00:19:18,390 wandering sheep is different for you Bible students. 359 00:19:18,390 --> 00:19:21,093 This is different than Luke 15. 360 00:19:21,093 --> 00:19:26,932 In Luke 15, Jesus tells us similar parable says A shepherd has 100 sheep. 361 00:19:27,099 --> 00:19:29,201 One of them 362 00:19:29,201 --> 00:19:32,037 gets lost and he leaves and angles find the one that's lost. 363 00:19:32,037 --> 00:19:34,039 That's different than what he's saying here. 364 00:19:34,039 --> 00:19:35,440 Here's how it's different. 365 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,143 The one in Luke 15 got lost. 366 00:19:38,143 --> 00:19:40,212 They just have ever been there. 367 00:19:40,212 --> 00:19:42,814 Like spiritually, you just got turned around. 368 00:19:42,814 --> 00:19:45,217 I'm sorry, I just. 369 00:19:45,217 --> 00:19:47,052 That's different than it. Here. 370 00:19:47,052 --> 00:19:48,520 The sheep isn't lost. Here. 371 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:50,656 What does the sheep do? 372 00:19:50,656 --> 00:19:53,258 Went astray. 373 00:19:53,258 --> 00:19:54,960 He knows this. 374 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:58,664 He knows where the shepherd is and this sheep chooses. 375 00:19:59,198 --> 00:20:01,233 This is Isaiah 53 six. 376 00:20:01,233 --> 00:20:04,069 All of us, like sheep, have gone astray. 377 00:20:04,069 --> 00:20:07,072 Each of us has turned our own way. 378 00:20:07,506 --> 00:20:10,309 This is the sheep that hasn't become. 379 00:20:10,309 --> 00:20:12,911 This is the sheep that was once a part of gospel 380 00:20:12,911 --> 00:20:17,216 that has purposefully chosen to walk away. 381 00:20:22,354 --> 00:20:24,890 That's some of us in this place right now. 382 00:20:24,890 --> 00:20:27,993 And I love the fact that even when we wander 383 00:20:28,026 --> 00:20:30,996 of our own volition, where's the shepherd? 384 00:20:30,996 --> 00:20:34,132 Do pursues. 385 00:20:35,067 --> 00:20:36,335 He pursues. 386 00:20:36,335 --> 00:20:39,338 I love the fact that this is not a frustrated shepherd. 387 00:20:39,471 --> 00:20:43,141 Now, when my boys were little, we had three beagles. 388 00:20:43,909 --> 00:20:46,211 And you ever had a beagle? 389 00:20:46,211 --> 00:20:47,679 Okay. Little beagle. 390 00:20:47,679 --> 00:20:52,384 They're great dogs, but they are infuriating because they're. 391 00:20:52,451 --> 00:20:54,953 They're the Houdini's of the dog world. 392 00:20:54,953 --> 00:20:59,091 They will find a way to escape whatever enclosure you put them 393 00:20:59,091 --> 00:21:03,829 in, and their nose takes over, and they know where home is. 394 00:21:03,862 --> 00:21:05,497 They know where their food is. 395 00:21:05,497 --> 00:21:07,232 They know where their safety is. 396 00:21:07,232 --> 00:21:11,837 But the nose takes over and they wander off into who knows where. 397 00:21:11,870 --> 00:21:15,974 And I cannot tell you how many times are little beagles 398 00:21:15,974 --> 00:21:20,479 and little peanut would get out and just be gone. 399 00:21:20,479 --> 00:21:26,418 And as the dad gets his responsibility, it was to go find this 400 00:21:28,253 --> 00:21:30,856 Cupid dog. 401 00:21:30,856 --> 00:21:34,860 I would leave everything else at home and get on my truck 402 00:21:34,860 --> 00:21:38,864 and drive all around the ranchos, because who knows where this dog is? 403 00:21:38,864 --> 00:21:40,899 And I'm rolling my window down. 404 00:21:40,899 --> 00:21:43,902 Peanut. 405 00:21:44,403 --> 00:21:46,171 It's about as loud as, like a whistle. 406 00:21:46,171 --> 00:21:49,708 He's not going to hear me, but I had to do something out. 407 00:21:49,975 --> 00:21:54,880 I would spend and there were times when those dogs would be gone for days on end. 408 00:21:55,681 --> 00:21:57,215 My boys are upset. 409 00:21:57,215 --> 00:21:59,217 They're worried if peanuts going to come home or not. 410 00:21:59,217 --> 00:22:00,185 I'm just frustrated. 411 00:22:00,185 --> 00:22:01,520 I'm like, stupid. 412 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:03,955 Like, 413 00:22:03,955 --> 00:22:06,858 that's not the shepherd. 414 00:22:06,858 --> 00:22:09,995 We get Chase on all kinds of stuff, sniffing everywhere, 415 00:22:11,229 --> 00:22:15,000 and this shepherd just pursues. Why? 416 00:22:16,101 --> 00:22:19,171 Because he knows the peril of hell. 417 00:22:19,171 --> 00:22:23,542 And by his mercy and his grace wants to rescue us from it. 418 00:22:23,575 --> 00:22:27,112 Even when we get stupid and walk away. 419 00:22:28,580 --> 00:22:30,615 You understand? 420 00:22:30,615 --> 00:22:33,518 And if that's true for me, it's true for you. 421 00:22:33,518 --> 00:22:36,521 And Jesus says, don't you dare despise 422 00:22:36,655 --> 00:22:39,658 one of those wayward beagles 423 00:22:39,825 --> 00:22:42,828 because they have representation before the father. 424 00:22:43,495 --> 00:22:45,530 I care about them. Listen. 425 00:22:45,530 --> 00:22:48,533 Wandering beagles matter. 426 00:22:51,336 --> 00:22:54,339 And you may be a wandering beagle. 427 00:22:54,573 --> 00:22:57,576 And you matter. 428 00:22:57,709 --> 00:23:00,679 Didn't stand. 429 00:23:00,679 --> 00:23:03,682 So come home. 430 00:23:05,550 --> 00:23:09,254 If a wandering beagle gets offensive. 431 00:23:10,122 --> 00:23:13,091 Don't be offended. 432 00:23:15,060 --> 00:23:18,063 Sometimes wandering beagles 433 00:23:18,630 --> 00:23:21,633 cause a whole bunch of heartache and pain. 434 00:23:23,735 --> 00:23:26,738 Sometimes beagles wander 435 00:23:26,938 --> 00:23:29,941 because they're just immature. 436 00:23:30,375 --> 00:23:33,378 Sometimes if beagles wander 437 00:23:33,678 --> 00:23:36,681 because they have wounds they're running away from. 438 00:23:37,382 --> 00:23:39,951 And we don't understand their wounds. 439 00:23:39,951 --> 00:23:42,320 Sometimes beagles wander 440 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:45,290 just because they're selfish. 441 00:23:46,191 --> 00:23:47,559 Sometimes beagles wander 442 00:23:47,559 --> 00:23:50,562 just because they're narcissistic. 443 00:23:53,064 --> 00:23:56,067 No matter. 444 00:23:56,334 --> 00:23:58,136 We don't have to be offended by 445 00:23:58,136 --> 00:24:01,139 offensive beagles. 446 00:24:02,307 --> 00:24:04,242 See, I can take sin 447 00:24:04,242 --> 00:24:07,212 seriously without taking every offense personally. 448 00:24:09,381 --> 00:24:12,117 Do you follow? 449 00:24:12,117 --> 00:24:13,351 Now, it doesn't mean I have to have 450 00:24:13,351 --> 00:24:16,354 a relationship with a wandering beagle. 451 00:24:16,421 --> 00:24:19,424 It doesn't mean I have to try to be their best friend. 452 00:24:21,193 --> 00:24:22,227 But it doesn't mean 453 00:24:22,227 --> 00:24:25,230 I have to take their offense personally all the time, either. 454 00:24:25,464 --> 00:24:26,932 And so here's what you're saying. 455 00:24:26,932 --> 00:24:29,000 Don't cause someone to stumble. 456 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,970 Don't despise one who does stumble. 457 00:24:32,337 --> 00:24:34,639 Don't tolerate sin and destruction 458 00:24:34,639 --> 00:24:38,410 that's going to create in your life, nor be the reason for in someone else's life. 459 00:24:38,410 --> 00:24:41,413 And go after the wandering beagles. 460 00:24:44,749 --> 00:24:47,185 Wandering beagles are important enough for us to pursue, 461 00:24:47,185 --> 00:24:50,555 and every pursuit of a wandering beagle is going to be costly. 462 00:24:50,956 --> 00:24:55,060 It's going to cost us time, energy, emotions, finances. 463 00:24:55,494 --> 00:25:00,131 But every time we pursue a wandering beagle is a radical act of discipleship 464 00:25:00,131 --> 00:25:01,900 by his church. You understand that? 465 00:25:05,270 --> 00:25:07,772 See, at the end of the day, what Jesus is saying is 466 00:25:07,772 --> 00:25:11,943 that sin is too dangerous to tolerate and people are too valuable to abandon. 467 00:25:12,944 --> 00:25:15,947 And so if you're a wandering beagle, 468 00:25:16,615 --> 00:25:19,618 you got a place here. 469 00:25:20,118 --> 00:25:22,187 I'm not going to be soft with what 470 00:25:22,187 --> 00:25:25,190 the Bible says about sin and repentance, 471 00:25:25,457 --> 00:25:28,460 but you're too valuable to be abandoned. 472 00:25:29,628 --> 00:25:32,430 You got a place here. 473 00:25:32,430 --> 00:25:35,433 But every time you're here as a wandering beagle, I'm going to call. 474 00:25:37,235 --> 00:25:39,538 I'm going to call you back home. 475 00:25:39,538 --> 00:25:41,072 The Bible is going to call you back home. 476 00:25:41,072 --> 00:25:44,075 Do you follow? 477 00:25:45,143 --> 00:25:48,146 Verses 15 through 20? 478 00:25:49,681 --> 00:25:52,017 If your brother sins against you, 479 00:25:52,017 --> 00:25:54,152 go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. 480 00:25:54,152 --> 00:25:56,221 If he listens to you and your brother. 481 00:25:56,221 --> 00:25:57,589 But if he does not listen. 482 00:25:57,589 --> 00:25:59,357 Take 1 or 2 others along with you, 483 00:25:59,357 --> 00:26:02,861 that every charge may be established by the evidence of 2 or 3 witnesses. 484 00:26:02,861 --> 00:26:06,498 If it refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if it refuses 485 00:26:06,498 --> 00:26:10,268 to listen to the church, let them be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 486 00:26:10,302 --> 00:26:13,638 Truly, I say to you, whatever you abide on, or shall be bound in heaven, 487 00:26:13,638 --> 00:26:16,274 and whatever you loose on, or shall be loosed in heaven. 488 00:26:16,274 --> 00:26:17,809 Again I say to you, if 2 489 00:26:17,809 --> 00:26:21,813 or 3 of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for them. 490 00:26:21,813 --> 00:26:23,014 By my father in heaven. 491 00:26:23,014 --> 00:26:25,317 For 2 or 3 are gathered in my name. 492 00:26:25,317 --> 00:26:26,217 There I am among them. 493 00:26:26,217 --> 00:26:28,320 Let me just say this real quick about verse 20. 494 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:30,622 The size of the prayer meeting doesn't matter. 495 00:26:31,990 --> 00:26:34,993 2 or 3 people together in prayer 496 00:26:35,827 --> 00:26:38,797 can move heaven and shake earth. 497 00:26:38,797 --> 00:26:40,632 Do you understand that? 498 00:26:40,632 --> 00:26:42,968 We do a First Tuesday prayer meeting here. 499 00:26:42,968 --> 00:26:44,636 The first Tuesday of every month. 500 00:26:44,636 --> 00:26:48,840 There's a few very faithful people that are moving heaven and shaking earth. 501 00:26:49,841 --> 00:26:52,410 I'm thankful that God doesn't judge the 502 00:26:52,410 --> 00:26:55,981 the the validity of the ministry based on the size of the prayers. 503 00:26:56,581 --> 00:26:59,584 But having said this, let me say this also. 504 00:26:59,618 --> 00:27:02,621 Some of you need to show up on the first Tuesdays and pray. 505 00:27:03,755 --> 00:27:06,625 Jesus says, listen. 506 00:27:06,625 --> 00:27:09,361 God offers immeasurable 507 00:27:09,361 --> 00:27:13,064 forgiveness and mercy, and his disciples have to do the same thing. 508 00:27:14,099 --> 00:27:14,933 That's what he's saying here. 509 00:27:14,933 --> 00:27:17,936 It says when your brother sins against you, 510 00:27:19,037 --> 00:27:22,040 let me help you understand this. 511 00:27:23,541 --> 00:27:26,177 This is not an instruction of how to deal with 512 00:27:26,177 --> 00:27:30,248 everybody in your life who offends you or sins against you. 513 00:27:30,281 --> 00:27:34,719 This is directed to your brother sister in the church. 514 00:27:34,819 --> 00:27:38,256 So those in the church that you have relationship with, 515 00:27:38,323 --> 00:27:41,793 that have a relationship with you, a relationship with the body 516 00:27:41,793 --> 00:27:44,796 in the church when they're offensive and they offend you. 517 00:27:44,796 --> 00:27:48,600 The instruction of, of of Jesus here is go to them one on one. 518 00:27:48,633 --> 00:27:51,803 But but let me let me just unpack this a little bit. 519 00:27:51,836 --> 00:27:55,940 This doesn't mean that you confront every offense that's offered. 520 00:27:55,940 --> 00:27:58,443 It doesn't mean that you're friends with everybody who offends you. 521 00:27:58,443 --> 00:28:00,311 There are some of them. You just. 522 00:28:00,311 --> 00:28:02,147 They're not part of my world. 523 00:28:02,147 --> 00:28:05,283 This is talking about those brothers and sisters in the church. 524 00:28:05,283 --> 00:28:06,217 Do you follow? 525 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:11,189 If you're if he says this. 526 00:28:11,189 --> 00:28:12,991 But let me tell you an overarching principle 527 00:28:12,991 --> 00:28:15,960 before we get into the one on one, one on two to church deal. 528 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:20,799 The overarching principle of this whole thing is Proverbs 1911. 529 00:28:20,799 --> 00:28:24,402 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory. 530 00:28:24,402 --> 00:28:25,837 To what? 531 00:28:25,837 --> 00:28:29,507 To overlook an offense, that word to his glory. 532 00:28:29,507 --> 00:28:31,943 It means it's beautiful. 533 00:28:31,943 --> 00:28:32,977 It's beautiful. 534 00:28:32,977 --> 00:28:36,014 Just to. Oh, I know they offended. 535 00:28:36,014 --> 00:28:38,917 I know they sinned against 536 00:28:38,917 --> 00:28:40,785 overlook it. 537 00:28:40,785 --> 00:28:42,787 That's what he's saying. 538 00:28:42,787 --> 00:28:47,058 And again, this is to those who are in the your brother, your sister, 539 00:28:47,092 --> 00:28:50,095 because we have a relationship with each other, 540 00:28:50,095 --> 00:28:53,331 because we're close to each other in the church, 541 00:28:54,532 --> 00:28:58,770 sometimes you just gotta overlook how offensive we are to each other. 542 00:28:59,337 --> 00:29:01,072 Do you follow? 543 00:29:01,072 --> 00:29:03,308 This isn't directed to the culture out there. 544 00:29:03,308 --> 00:29:05,410 There's too much offense in the culture out there. 545 00:29:05,410 --> 00:29:08,313 There's too much offense by people that were not friends with, let alone 546 00:29:08,313 --> 00:29:09,147 the ones we are. 547 00:29:10,215 --> 00:29:12,851 Let them be. 548 00:29:12,851 --> 00:29:15,720 And even with each other, just. 549 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:19,657 But there are times when their confrontation has to happen, certainly. 550 00:29:19,657 --> 00:29:23,561 And in this relationship, if we're going to keep a relationship with each other. 551 00:29:23,595 --> 00:29:26,731 There are sometimes we got to go one on one to each other. 552 00:29:27,398 --> 00:29:30,135 And the Bible says here, when it sins against you, that's the Greek word 553 00:29:30,135 --> 00:29:33,138 harm to you had missed the mark here, buddy. 554 00:29:33,271 --> 00:29:35,907 I thought we were. 555 00:29:35,907 --> 00:29:37,308 I need to just tell you. 556 00:29:37,308 --> 00:29:40,111 Look, that one stung. 557 00:29:40,111 --> 00:29:41,946 That hurt I was. 558 00:29:41,946 --> 00:29:44,749 And the Bible says be listens to you. Great. 559 00:29:44,749 --> 00:29:45,617 You want your brother? 560 00:29:45,617 --> 00:29:48,153 The goal is restoration, not winning. 561 00:29:48,153 --> 00:29:51,156 Do you follow? 562 00:29:52,190 --> 00:29:54,759 And you know the quickest way to restore your relationship. 563 00:29:54,759 --> 00:29:57,095 You know what it is. 564 00:29:57,095 --> 00:29:59,197 You just say sorry. 565 00:29:59,197 --> 00:30:00,465 Just say sorry. 566 00:30:01,900 --> 00:30:04,903 You don't have to believe that you were wrong. 567 00:30:04,936 --> 00:30:06,437 You say, you know what? 568 00:30:06,437 --> 00:30:08,239 I'm sorry. 569 00:30:08,239 --> 00:30:09,040 Forgive me. 570 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:11,910 And the moment you say I'm sorry. Forgive me. 571 00:30:11,910 --> 00:30:15,547 By God's word, they have to forgive you and be done with it. 572 00:30:16,181 --> 00:30:19,117 They have to. 573 00:30:19,117 --> 00:30:20,518 Then that's what I like. 574 00:30:20,518 --> 00:30:23,154 People like. Pastor. You were like. 575 00:30:23,154 --> 00:30:24,355 I'm sorry. 576 00:30:24,355 --> 00:30:26,858 Forgive me. My bad. 577 00:30:26,858 --> 00:30:28,693 And now I put it right back on them. 578 00:30:28,693 --> 00:30:31,563 All right, now you've got to forget about it. 579 00:30:31,563 --> 00:30:33,264 You know what I'm saying? Like, it's just. See? 580 00:30:33,264 --> 00:30:35,900 We're done. We're done. 581 00:30:35,900 --> 00:30:38,870 I want to be best friends anymore, but we're just, you know, we're done. 582 00:30:38,870 --> 00:30:39,771 So good. 583 00:30:39,771 --> 00:30:41,606 But the Bible says if he doesn't let you take 2 584 00:30:41,606 --> 00:30:45,310 or 3 witnesses and go show him what you think his fault was. 585 00:30:45,343 --> 00:30:49,314 Now, listen, those 2 or 3 witnesses, they're not 2 or 3 supporters. 586 00:30:50,281 --> 00:30:52,250 You don't get people to a three. 587 00:30:52,250 --> 00:30:53,184 That's already going to say 588 00:30:53,184 --> 00:30:56,721 what you want them to say to, you know, level against this guy. 589 00:30:57,422 --> 00:31:00,191 You say you to judge between us 590 00:31:00,191 --> 00:31:03,494 and we will both abide by what you to say. 591 00:31:03,628 --> 00:31:07,098 So if you tell me that I'm overly sensitive 592 00:31:07,098 --> 00:31:10,268 and I just need to forgive them all, abide by that. 593 00:31:10,702 --> 00:31:14,639 If you tell that person they're gaslighting 594 00:31:14,639 --> 00:31:17,342 and they're playing the victim card they got, agree to that. 595 00:31:17,342 --> 00:31:20,345 But you to be the judge between us, that's what it's saying. 596 00:31:21,312 --> 00:31:22,981 You got it. 597 00:31:22,981 --> 00:31:25,817 It's not getting people to gang up on them. 598 00:31:25,817 --> 00:31:28,820 And if they still like, you know, 599 00:31:29,153 --> 00:31:30,722 take it to the church. 600 00:31:30,722 --> 00:31:34,025 It doesn't mean we have a church meeting and everybody's dirty laundry. 601 00:31:34,058 --> 00:31:38,196 It means if they are in their in sin and they're unrepentant, 602 00:31:38,296 --> 00:31:40,665 you take it to church leadership. 603 00:31:40,665 --> 00:31:42,800 And church leadership says, listen, 604 00:31:44,302 --> 00:31:46,971 this whole mercy and grace repentance thing is profound. 605 00:31:46,971 --> 00:31:47,739 I get it. 606 00:31:47,739 --> 00:31:51,309 If, if, if you're a wandering beagle, but if you admit you're wandering 607 00:31:51,309 --> 00:31:53,177 and you come back on repentance, we're all good. 608 00:31:53,177 --> 00:31:55,880 You don't got to be perfect. You just got to repent. 609 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:58,716 If they say, I'm a wandering beagle and I love being a wandering beagle 610 00:31:58,716 --> 00:31:59,918 and I never want to come back, 611 00:31:59,918 --> 00:32:02,921 then you say, listen, as a church, we're going to ask you to go wander. 612 00:32:03,821 --> 00:32:04,789 But don't wander. 613 00:32:04,789 --> 00:32:07,692 In the context of this community. 614 00:32:07,692 --> 00:32:09,627 You're unrepentant. 615 00:32:09,627 --> 00:32:11,863 You want to wander, go wander. 616 00:32:11,863 --> 00:32:14,999 And Jesus says that whatever you as a church 617 00:32:15,033 --> 00:32:16,868 bind on earth will be bound in heaven, 618 00:32:16,868 --> 00:32:18,303 where the loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 619 00:32:18,303 --> 00:32:21,306 In other words, what you saying is, heaven will give the stamp of approval on 620 00:32:21,306 --> 00:32:25,777 whatever the church leadership has decided, as long as it's done biblically. 621 00:32:28,146 --> 00:32:28,980 None of you 622 00:32:28,980 --> 00:32:32,350 know this, but we have done this a few different times in this church 623 00:32:33,518 --> 00:32:36,254 because it's not something you publish. 624 00:32:36,254 --> 00:32:38,823 It's something you live. 625 00:32:38,823 --> 00:32:42,260 And most of those times those wandering beagles 626 00:32:42,860 --> 00:32:45,797 have come back. 627 00:32:45,797 --> 00:32:48,800 You follow. 628 00:32:51,202 --> 00:32:52,203 Let me give you this. 629 00:32:52,203 --> 00:32:57,542 The context of this in job. Job. 630 00:32:59,143 --> 00:33:00,979 No fault of job, 631 00:33:00,979 --> 00:33:04,382 but his life was being torn apart 632 00:33:04,549 --> 00:33:08,019 by the work of the evil one, completely torn apart. 633 00:33:08,019 --> 00:33:11,422 And they had these three friends that came to him and they said, job, 634 00:33:11,422 --> 00:33:12,623 let me tell you what's wrong with you. 635 00:33:12,623 --> 00:33:14,592 This is what's wrong with you, and this is where you're wrong, 636 00:33:14,592 --> 00:33:16,694 and this is when you're in error and this is where you're sitting 637 00:33:16,694 --> 00:33:18,563 and bop bop bop bop bop. 638 00:33:18,563 --> 00:33:23,835 And they were so offensive and so horrible to job horrible. 639 00:33:23,901 --> 00:33:26,671 And job never defended himself. 640 00:33:26,671 --> 00:33:29,907 And he never chastised them. 641 00:33:30,308 --> 00:33:32,977 He prayed and he said, God, I'm going 642 00:33:32,977 --> 00:33:35,980 to leave it to you to correct those people. 643 00:33:36,381 --> 00:33:38,349 They were so offensive to me. 644 00:33:39,550 --> 00:33:42,787 And at the end of this account and my 645 00:33:42,820 --> 00:33:46,557 this is this is God talking, and my servant job shall pray for you. 646 00:33:46,591 --> 00:33:50,161 Three wandering beagles who are offensive. 647 00:33:50,595 --> 00:33:56,267 For I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. 648 00:33:57,035 --> 00:33:58,736 For you have not spoken of me. 649 00:33:58,736 --> 00:34:02,507 What is right as my servant job has so eliphaz 650 00:34:02,507 --> 00:34:07,879 the bill, dad, the Shiite, and so far the name on sight 651 00:34:07,912 --> 00:34:13,217 went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted jobs. 652 00:34:13,217 --> 00:34:15,420 Prayer. He didn't get offended at them. 653 00:34:15,420 --> 00:34:17,321 He let them run their mouths. 654 00:34:17,321 --> 00:34:19,223 He said, God, you take care of them. 655 00:34:19,223 --> 00:34:22,293 I don't need to be close to them, but I'm going to pray for them. 656 00:34:22,293 --> 00:34:25,029 God, you handle your business. 657 00:34:25,029 --> 00:34:29,267 And he prayed for those who were so offensive 658 00:34:30,234 --> 00:34:33,237 and God honored his prayer. 659 00:34:34,472 --> 00:34:36,574 This is who God is. 660 00:34:36,574 --> 00:34:41,712 And God says if they're that offensive and they just refuse to agree. 661 00:34:41,746 --> 00:34:42,580 What does he say? 662 00:34:42,580 --> 00:34:45,583 Treat them as what? 663 00:34:46,951 --> 00:34:50,421 Was what a gentile and tax collector. 664 00:34:50,621 --> 00:34:52,623 Let me close with this. 665 00:34:52,623 --> 00:34:55,626 Who's writing these words? 666 00:34:59,330 --> 00:35:01,833 Matthew Levite? 667 00:35:01,833 --> 00:35:04,836 What was his former job? 668 00:35:06,671 --> 00:35:09,307 Now you're starting to see it. 669 00:35:09,307 --> 00:35:10,942 Treat him as a tax collector. 670 00:35:10,942 --> 00:35:14,011 That doesn't mean go wander somewhere else. 671 00:35:14,078 --> 00:35:14,579 Idiot. 672 00:35:14,579 --> 00:35:15,279 You know, welcome. 673 00:35:15,279 --> 00:35:20,017 Here it means, listen, we realize you're walking away, 674 00:35:20,384 --> 00:35:24,388 but I'm going to pursue you in gentleness 675 00:35:24,388 --> 00:35:28,025 and in call because God has a purpose for your life. 676 00:35:28,025 --> 00:35:31,028 And I want to call you back. 677 00:35:31,095 --> 00:35:33,865 Come on. 678 00:35:33,865 --> 00:35:36,868 Treat them like Jesus treated me. 679 00:35:38,236 --> 00:35:40,538 He didn't pitch a fit. 680 00:35:40,538 --> 00:35:42,373 He didn't hunt me down. 681 00:35:43,875 --> 00:35:45,543 He pursued me because his 682 00:35:45,543 --> 00:35:48,546 mercy and his grace are so beautiful. 683 00:35:49,580 --> 00:35:53,451 That's what we do with offensive beagles. 684 00:35:54,619 --> 00:35:56,354 You got it. 685 00:35:56,354 --> 00:35:59,023 Because that's exactly 686 00:35:59,023 --> 00:36:02,026 what God has done for us. 687 00:36:04,295 --> 00:36:07,298 Don't you pray with me. 688 00:36:09,233 --> 00:36:09,667 Father. 689 00:36:09,667 --> 00:36:12,436 Thank you 690 00:36:12,436 --> 00:36:14,939 that you pursued 691 00:36:14,939 --> 00:36:17,942 this wandering beagle. 692 00:36:19,377 --> 00:36:19,810 Thank you 693 00:36:19,810 --> 00:36:22,813 that you are slow to anger and abounding in love, 694 00:36:23,948 --> 00:36:26,951 not willing that I should perish. 695 00:36:27,852 --> 00:36:31,622 And father, I pray that you would help me respond 696 00:36:31,622 --> 00:36:34,859 to wandering beagles in my life with the same mercy and grace. 697 00:36:36,794 --> 00:36:39,530 I pray to help our church 698 00:36:39,530 --> 00:36:43,935 be a church for and of wandering peoples. 699 00:36:46,504 --> 00:36:49,507 You're a good God. 700 00:36:49,941 --> 00:36:51,375 There's nothing better that we can do 701 00:36:51,375 --> 00:36:54,378 to give our lives to you. 702 00:36:55,313 --> 00:36:57,982 Save us for the torment of separation from you. 703 00:36:57,982 --> 00:37:00,251 Save us from hell. Save us from our sin. 704 00:37:02,353 --> 00:37:04,388 They'll be ushered into eternal life. God. 705 00:37:04,388 --> 00:37:05,723 Thank you. 706 00:37:05,723 --> 00:37:07,458 Friends, I want to invite you in this moment. 707 00:37:07,458 --> 00:37:10,895 If you've never given your life to Christ 708 00:37:12,196 --> 00:37:15,199 because of what Jesus did on the cross, because he was raised from the grave, 709 00:37:15,199 --> 00:37:17,468 I want to invite you in this moment. Say God, I admit it. 710 00:37:17,468 --> 00:37:21,672 I am a wandering beagle running away, 711 00:37:22,907 --> 00:37:25,910 living life on my own terms. 712 00:37:25,943 --> 00:37:28,946 Jesus, I believe that you died and were raised from the grave. 713 00:37:29,347 --> 00:37:34,785 Save me and I commit to turn from my sin. 714 00:37:35,853 --> 00:37:38,055 And I dedicate my life 715 00:37:38,055 --> 00:37:41,058 and my allegiance to you and you alone. 716 00:37:41,859 --> 00:37:44,462 Did you just make that commitment and then discover 717 00:37:44,462 --> 00:37:48,232 what it means to follow him and enter that spiritual formation pathway? 718 00:37:52,036 --> 00:37:52,670 All of us. 719 00:37:52,670 --> 00:37:55,506 I wouldn't encourage us to say, look, we cannot live this type 720 00:37:55,506 --> 00:37:58,776 of radical discipleship apart from the power of God. 721 00:38:00,077 --> 00:38:01,078 And I would encourage 722 00:38:01,078 --> 00:38:04,415 all of us in this moment, say God and empower me 723 00:38:04,949 --> 00:38:08,452 by the power of your spirit to love you with my whole heart and soul 724 00:38:08,452 --> 00:38:11,856 and mind and strength, without delay and without hesitation. 725 00:38:11,856 --> 00:38:14,792 Whatever I've got is sacrifice and cut out of my life. 726 00:38:14,792 --> 00:38:17,795 God, give me the strength to do it 727 00:38:18,195 --> 00:38:20,665 and fill me with your spirit 728 00:38:20,665 --> 00:38:24,502 and the power of your spirit to live a holy life 729 00:38:25,970 --> 00:38:28,973 because you're worthy of it. 730 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:31,575 Jesus, we love you. 731 00:38:31,575 --> 00:38:32,610 Help us love you more. 732 00:38:32,610 --> 00:38:35,212 In your name I pray. Amen. 733 00:38:35,212 --> 00:38:37,515 Listen, I love you, church. 734 00:38:37,515 --> 00:38:40,584 You're doing a good job going through the book of Matthew. 735 00:38:41,052 --> 00:38:44,455 We haven't even gotten the tough stuff of Matthew 18 yet. 736 00:38:44,789 --> 00:38:47,058 Next week we're going to wrap up Matthew 18. 737 00:38:47,058 --> 00:38:49,994 And Jesus is going to keep putting the throttle down. 738 00:38:49,994 --> 00:38:55,032 So so here's my read, Matthew 18 over and over and over again this week. 739 00:38:55,066 --> 00:38:57,902 Let it live inside and come to life within you. 740 00:38:57,902 --> 00:39:02,340 Read it over and over and let's meet next week and really impact the 741 00:39:02,340 --> 00:39:07,144 the heart and the meat of this thing in the last part of Matthew 18. 742 00:39:07,178 --> 00:39:08,679 The good. 743 00:39:08,679 --> 00:39:11,916 All right, stand up church, let's sing one more song.