WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:04.879 You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk 2 00:00:04.919 --> 00:00:12.839 about the Bible in fun, in practical ways. Here we are, Chris, 3 00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:18.800 good morning, good morning. We talked the whole night through. Oh 4 00:00:18.839 --> 00:00:22.239 good morning. Do you thank you? Chris, You're welcome. I was 5 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:26.359 thinking it hasn't been a great week until you did that, like like like 6 00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:29.960 maybe you Hey, if that could only be true, if I could change 7 00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:33.479 your week by mary little tune, that would be great. I'd walk into 8 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:38.439 some of our meetings. I'd be like Jeff'skrabby lay like good you walk into 9 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:41.679 some of our meetings and Jeff'skrabby today, Well, don't you walk into the 10 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:46.320 meetings that I'm flustered or Krabby. No, I think, what a glorious 11 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:52.359 person this is. He's just like a reflection of the sun all the time, 12 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:58.159 reflection of So here we go today. You know, Chris, that 13 00:00:58.359 --> 00:01:00.799 our commitment to our listeners is that we bring only the finest news, the 14 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:04.000 finest news from the finest sources on the planet. Yes, and people, 15 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:10.920 the most trustworthy people across the world. Now understand that news may not be 16 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:15.079 true really, but it's on the internet. Chris it's right here. Look, 17 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:18.840 it's on my phone on the internet. It has to be true. 18 00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:23.120 The Babylon B. Babylon B is if you don't know. For English readers, 19 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:29.159 the Babylon B is a satire website, very funny. The headline on 20 00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:34.879 this news is unbeliever converted to Christianity after seeing Christians bicker with each other online? 21 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:38.000 Which is so great? There it is Louisville, Kentucky, the Angels 22 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:42.719 having rejoiced today at the addition of another member of God's Kingdom as a local 23 00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:47.599 unbeliever converted to Christianity after seeing Christians bickering with each other online. The man 24 00:01:47.640 --> 00:01:49.760 who had spent his entire life attempting to resist the call of the Holy Spirit 25 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:53.959 finally succumbed to the all powerful drawing of God when he witnessed two professing believers 26 00:01:55.239 --> 00:01:57.519 viciously attacking each other on social media. Oh my goodness, this is what 27 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:00.799 I want my life to be like, said Ethan Gregory after following the extended 28 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:05.760 argument online. The way they were insulting each other, the anger I could 29 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:08.800 sense radiating from their comments. It's really a compelling case to be a Christian. 30 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:12.560 I can't run away from God. I want to be just like these 31 00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:16.240 guys count me in. I was blind, but now I see. The 32 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:22.280 Christians Gregory had seen online were mercilessly attacking each other over whether or not men 33 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:24.840 should be allowed to wear hats in church scriptures clear on this subject. You 34 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:29.439 clearly have never read a Bible in your life, commented one man. I 35 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:31.840 have freedom in Christ. That discussion of the Bible is for specific people in 36 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:37.120 a specific period. You're being super legalistic here, bro replied another man. 37 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:39.759 In all, the men posted three hundred and forty seven comments and replies to 38 00:02:39.800 --> 00:02:44.919 each other over the course of three hours, ignoring their other life responsibilities and 39 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:47.840 sealing the deal for Ethan Gregory to surrender his heart to Jesus. It was 40 00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:53.240 an awesome, awe inspiring display, Gregory said, tearfully. I've never seen 41 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:57.759 the principles of Christ's teachings exemplified any better. Oh. I gotta tell you 42 00:02:57.800 --> 00:03:00.680 something. This is so good that I think this could be used in a 43 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:02.840 message. Oh. I think we should do it. I really we should 44 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:07.520 do it like news a news show. I'm actually copying and pasting this right 45 00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:12.000 now, and I'm sending it to myself to archive because it is really truly 46 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:14.639 that good. We should do it like a video skit, like a newsroom. 47 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:20.680 Right, that's so good, breaking, that's just in it's so good. 48 00:03:21.560 --> 00:03:28.599 I think that the Uh, it's it's one of these things where do 49 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:32.120 you remember saying on second, I'm coming sent to you. I know, 50 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:37.639 but but I'm but I'm copying and pasting it, uh for a different purpose. 51 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:39.360 I'm never going to remember this, so I'm going to send it to 52 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:44.719 myself and say file for archive. Okay, you like that one. Yeah, 53 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:46.680 that's a good one. That was a good one. You just changed 54 00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:53.159 Chris life. Have you ever seen just like Christianity, it's it's it's not 55 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:57.560 effective either with politics, right, And I remember seeing a mean one time, 56 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:02.080 this massive empty warehouse just and it said, here's the number of people 57 00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:06.479 that have been changed by your political posts, have changed their minds or whatever. 58 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:10.759 And so it's so funny because it's obviously zero. Right. Well, 59 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:15.479 I think debate has its place and that there are people who are reasonable people. 60 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:17.319 First. It's what they do is they think first. They don't go 61 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:21.639 with emotion first. That I think meaningful debate within the rules of and the 62 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:27.839 systems of you know, open dialogue and conversation and exchange of ideas. I 63 00:04:27.879 --> 00:04:31.360 do think that that's a valid thing, because we know Paul in Athens, 64 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:36.560 he shows up with debaters, right right. He engages there at the Areopagus 65 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:41.240 and Athens with these Greek thinkers and philosophers, which is very different than the 66 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:45.240 way he dealt with, you know, some of the other contexts that he 67 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:47.279 was in. So I think there's value in it. We need apologists and 68 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:50.439 that kind of thing. But what happens on social media is people who aren't 69 00:04:50.439 --> 00:04:55.399 skilled, or people just have opinions and are speaking from emotion, typing in 70 00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:59.160 all caps. I don't think he's ever led anybody to Jesus, no for 71 00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:02.759 sure. Yeah, okay, man, So we are going to talk about 72 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:06.560 Matthew twenty one. And by the way, this is only found in Matthew 73 00:05:08.040 --> 00:05:12.160 and really it's only a few verses. And and wow, it's that Jesus 74 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:15.920 tells the parable of the two sons. Yeah, we should have gone longer 75 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:17.720 on that last segment. Hey, you want to sell me five verses? 76 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:24.319 Do you want to know something else about Paul? Let me tell you another 77 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:27.439 thing that makes me mad on the internet. We're gonna we're gonna we're gonna 78 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:29.399 go. We're gonna this is gonna be great. Yeah, I'm joking. 79 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:32.680 Okay, here we go. Matthew twenty one, Verse twenty eight says, 80 00:05:34.199 --> 00:05:38.920 but what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the 81 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:41.920 older boy son, go out and work in the vineyard today. The same 82 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:44.759 answered no, I won't go, but later he changed his mind and went 83 00:05:44.839 --> 00:05:47.319 anyway. Then the father told the other son, you go on, and 84 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:49.439 he said, yes, sir, I will, but he didn't go. 85 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:55.600 Which of the two obeyed his father? They replied the first. Then Jesus 86 00:05:55.639 --> 00:05:59.240 explained this, meaning, I tell you the truth. Corrupt tax collectors and 87 00:05:59.240 --> 00:06:01.839 prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the 88 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:04.439 Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn't believe 89 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:09.160 him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this 90 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:13.000 happening, you refuse to believe him and repent of your sins. Okay, 91 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:16.800 this is this is so unbelievably heavy. Yeah yeah, and so thinking it's 92 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:24.160 only five verses, yeah right right, you know it's it is a I 93 00:06:24.199 --> 00:06:30.519 can't even imagine being a pharisee or religious leader of a sadduacy, and eventually, 94 00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:33.480 you know, Jesus is now at the end of his ministry and he's 95 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:38.560 able to boldly look at them and say, you know, for all those 96 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:42.759 things that you think I'm horrible. You know, they they thought he was 97 00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:49.399 scandalous for even spending time or associating with tax collectors or prostitutes and notorious sinners, 98 00:06:49.480 --> 00:06:53.959 right, that's what the Bible says, and notorious sinners. And and 99 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:57.920 then Jesus literally looks at them and says, not only not only do I 100 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:01.160 think they're value enough to spend time with, they're gonna get They're gonna get 101 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:06.360 to Heaven easier than you will, easier for them, Yeah yeah, which 102 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:11.879 is an unbelievable It's like the ultimate insult for somebody who has spent their entire 103 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:14.959 life, uh, saying, my life is devoted to God. Right. 104 00:07:15.480 --> 00:07:18.040 And and they're the ones that say those people are unclean, uh, you 105 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:23.199 know, ceremonially. Uh it's it's it's customary for us not even to spend 106 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:26.240 time with them, because it would make me unclean. And he says, 107 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:29.639 not only are they valuable, They're gonna get to heaven before you do. 108 00:07:31.480 --> 00:07:34.480 Yeah, it's it's pretty amazing. And by the way, which means this, 109 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:39.199 that God's chain of command doesn't go by title, it goes by faith, 110 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:42.079 right, God's chain of command. And by the way, that was 111 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:45.959 that was shown in the Old Testament. Do you remember uh, Eli and 112 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:50.040 Samuel in the temple where God shows up and says Samuel Samuel and and uh, 113 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:53.839 and he goes to Eli. And Eli has no clue. Who's been 114 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:57.000 a high priest for most of his life, right, and he's an old 115 00:07:57.000 --> 00:08:00.519 man at this point. And and yet here he is in the temple, 116 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:03.240 or excuse me, in the tabernacle, right, and uh and uh. 117 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:09.040 And yet God's chain of command in that sense didn't go by title. It 118 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:11.279 went by faith. Because Eli was far from God that he was moving past 119 00:08:11.319 --> 00:08:15.319 Eli. So He had spoken through Eli and worked in the past in the 120 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:20.079 past, yes, but then Eli refused to correct his sons who are living 121 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:24.959 in a wicked way and manipulating the religious system for their own lusts essentially, 122 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.839 and so God went, hey, I gave you a chance. He didn't, 123 00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:31.320 so he moved past him, right. Yeah, So there is something 124 00:08:31.320 --> 00:08:37.080 to be said about you know, God does have titles and for different roles, 125 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:39.200 and but what we don't want to do is get caught up in the 126 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:46.679 titles and the pageantry of some kind of position and instead understand it's a role 127 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:52.159 that God gives to people. And Jesus says that all the roles of leadership 128 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:58.240 in the in the in the Christ followers world are servant leadership. So yes, 129 00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:03.440 the role is important, but it's the title and the pageantry and all 130 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:05.159 that kind of stuff that Jesus tends to reject. Or in this case, 131 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:11.360 the uh you know, so the the son the father? Right a man, 132 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:13.559 a man asked two sons, So the father, who would the father 133 00:09:13.639 --> 00:09:18.440 be? In the story God God? He goes to the older son who 134 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:22.399 would be? In this case? Those religious leaders, right, they've been 135 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:24.960 following God the longest. R Right, in their minds they've been they've been 136 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:28.480 claiming to follow God the longest. In other words, they're saying one thing 137 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:31.559 and doing another right or no, no, no, this to be the 138 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:35.440 pagans the oldest wanted to be the pagans, the ones that weren't following God. 139 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:39.279 Oh yeah, because right, right, sinners, Oh, because they 140 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:41.120 said I won't go there. They went, that's right. And then the 141 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:43.360 second the second son would be those that are religious, and the same mistake 142 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:50.000 you did. I just well, so there's other translations that flip this too. 143 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:52.639 Oh really yeah, yeah, yep. So there's a little note at 144 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:54.840 the bottom down there. Other manuscripts have it flipped. It says right there 145 00:09:54.840 --> 00:09:58.200 in the in the note. So, yeah, I think I've read it 146 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:03.559 because we you and I both began our ministry from King James, right, 147 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:05.519 correct, So I think that's our instinct is to remember it the other way. 148 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:11.799 But in this case anyways, the sinners would be the older son. 149 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:13.360 God comes and says, hey, I want you to go, you know, 150 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:16.799 serve me do my will, and they go, no, we're not 151 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:22.559 going to do it. But then eventually they realize they need Jesus right, 152 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:28.039 and so then they go and they follow Christ, whereas the other ones were 153 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:33.120 the religious ones. They were making a claim to follow God, they just 154 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:37.559 weren't actually doing it right. And so which one, he says, which 155 00:10:37.559 --> 00:10:39.000 one really obeyed the Father? And they said, well, the one that 156 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:43.759 at first said no but then went and did what he said. Yeah. 157 00:10:43.799 --> 00:10:48.399 And by the way, there's there's two great sermons in there. Each son 158 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:52.120 represents a great sermon. So so the religious leaders, for instance, the 159 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:56.879 idea that we would say one thing and then not do it is like the 160 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:01.360 Christian who talks the game, it doesn't live the life, right. And 161 00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:07.679 it's also a person who you know, misrepresents themselves for really bad reasons, 162 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:13.279 right, like like a false prophet or somebody who starts a ministry for financial 163 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:16.320 gain or something like this, right, saying one thing misrepresenting God. And 164 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:20.039 then also it also reminds me of you know, the Book of James, 165 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:22.279 where it says, hey, let your yes be yes, and let your 166 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:26.919 nob no. You know, out of the same fountain come both bitter waters 167 00:11:26.919 --> 00:11:31.360 and sweet that that doesn't happen, he says, So, so don't say 168 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:33.320 one thing and do another. And so they're saying on the outside, absolutely 169 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:37.159 I will, and they're saying it in front of everybody, and in this 170 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:39.600 case to God the Father, and it's just giving lip service, giving lip 171 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:43.279 service, but they don't do what they're saying. And so there's a lot 172 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:46.240 of sermons represented by that son. And then at the same time there's a 173 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:52.039 lot of son. There's a lot of sermons represented by the sinner who rejects 174 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:54.000 God on the surface, who's angry with God. Who who doesn't believe in 175 00:11:54.039 --> 00:11:58.440 God, who's a skeptic, Who who decides to live Maybe they're open to 176 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:01.840 God, but they just to live their lives their own way. But eventually 177 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:05.320 they get to the point to where they recognize their need for the Savior. 178 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:11.240 Yeah. You know, one of my favorite phrases is verse twenty nine. 179 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:15.279 The son answered, no, I won't go, but later he changed his 180 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:20.440 mind and went anyway, right right. I love that because it's possible if 181 00:12:20.519 --> 00:12:24.840 started off in the wrong direction and then later change your mind. Right, 182 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:30.159 that's repentance. That's literally the definition of repentance is to change your mind. 183 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:35.000 You were going your way and now going you change your mind and you go 184 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:41.000 God's way. And this is exactly the concept there. You know, Jesus 185 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:43.080 said, we read yesterday. I think where he was going around he was 186 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:46.960 preaching the good news, remember, and the Kingdom of God. And when 187 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:50.240 Jesus began preaching the good news, he said, the good news is this, 188 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:52.919 the Kingdom of God is here. Repent of your sins and turn to 189 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:56.200 God. That was it. So you want to know what the core message 190 00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:00.000 of jesus ministry was, is repent of your sins and turn to God. 191 00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:03.360 And so here that's exactly what happened. This guy was rebelling against God. 192 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:07.720 And you might have all kinds of baggage in your life where you know you're 193 00:13:07.799 --> 00:13:09.279 man alive. The first half of my life was not the best half, 194 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:13.600 right, I was running buck Wilde and all those things, and I have 195 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:18.440 a lot of regrets, and now I've changed my mind. That is one 196 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:22.279 of the indications that God's really doing something special in life is that when you 197 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:24.200 look back there you go, Man, I've changed my mind on that and 198 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:28.039 I'm going God's way instead. Right, like the man in the Babylon Bee 199 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:33.840 who said I once was lost down found exactly, But it doesn't matter how 200 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:35.279 long you've gone, how long it's been, or how far you've gone. 201 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:39.600 Later on, that's what says. Later on he changed his mind, And 202 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:43.360 so as long as you still breathe in breath, there's an opportunity to repent 203 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:46.200 and turn to God. Hey, I want to bring up a topic that 204 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:48.879 has to do with earlier on we had said that God's command of faith doesn't 205 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:52.639 necessarily go by title. Right, Oh yeah, yeah, And so there's 206 00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:56.159 two flip sides of the coin. On one flip side of the coin titles 207 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:58.919 of somebody who's who's a pastor or a priest, or a rabbi or who 208 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:03.039 whatever it is. You know, there's a there's an authority and responsibility that 209 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:05.720 comes with those kinds of things, right, and so let me let me 210 00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:09.840 talk about that for a minute, because there there is another there's a there's 211 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:13.799 a negative flip side of that coin too, where where I believe that if 212 00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:16.799 truly people listen around the world, this would be a new thought for them. 213 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:20.480 Right. So I one of the benefits that I learned from some mentors 214 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:28.159 in my life is that I believe that uh titles, inadvertently and and you 215 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:33.360 know, not not meaning to inadvertently, they cause a separation between let's just 216 00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:35.799 I'm gonna use the word pastor because that's what our title is, Okay, 217 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:39.960 So the pastor's up here and the people are down here, right. And 218 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:46.480 so I think sometimes when we take that idea of a title and we constantly 219 00:14:46.600 --> 00:14:50.759 refer to the minister in the room, and we can't even breathe their name 220 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:54.279 without saying the word, you know, pastor in front of it. You 221 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:56.240 know, pastor Jeff, pastor Chris, Uh, you know when we do 222 00:14:56.279 --> 00:15:01.279 that. There's nothing on the surface wrong with that at all, because that's 223 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:07.120 our title, right, agreed, correct, But what it does is there's 224 00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:13.360 a negative effect to that where you have to you have to be able to 225 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:18.759 communicate that we're not up here and everybody else is down here in that environment, 226 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:20.679 we're on the same level. And I think one of the ways that 227 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:26.039 we can do that is try our very best to make ourselves on the same 228 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:30.440 level. So in other words, when we're preaching, not to say, 229 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:33.679 like I just had a preaching coaching thing. Remember you walked into the office 230 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:37.240 and I was coaching somebody, one of our younger preachers. When he was 231 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:41.360 preaching, he goes, so you better align your hearts and you better listen 232 00:15:41.559 --> 00:15:43.360 and make yourselves quiet and still. And I'm like, listen. I was 233 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:46.840 like, one of the things that I've learned over the years because he's new, 234 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:52.879 As I said, say, we we better God in our prayer, 235 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:54.360 God, I pray that we would quiet our hearts. Right that way, 236 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:58.159 it puts you on the same level, because otherwise it's you're up here and 237 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:00.639 everybody else is down here. And he said, man, I never thought 238 00:16:00.679 --> 00:16:03.799 of that before, because here's the danger of it, and I believe this 239 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:07.399 is a massive offense. Huge is that when when when when we build our 240 00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:11.600 church around a personality or a person, what it ended up happening, what 241 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:15.840 ends up happening is if that person leaves, then all of a sudden, 242 00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:18.799 it's like the church crumbles because it was based on that pastor or that leader 243 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:25.639 and and so. But but if we do our best to to uh uh 244 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:30.120 to talk about the priesthood of every believer and how it's not the pastor who 245 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:32.840 holds the authority and does everything and he's the only one that could pray for 246 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:34.919 people or baptize people. But that is not true at all, because the 247 00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:40.320 Bible says that we as Christians believe in the priesthood of every believer, and 248 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:44.399 every believer in the church has the gifts, you know, and and and 249 00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:47.559 can exercise their gifts. And then what it does is it just goes a 250 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:51.480 little further into putting us on the same level and the same playing field. 251 00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:55.559 That way, if that leader ever leaves, the church feels empowered and equipped. 252 00:16:56.120 --> 00:17:00.120 And also it doesn't rise and fall on that and it also doesn't you 253 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:03.160 know, the other value is doesn't make him untouchable and and so uh. 254 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:08.079 Anyway, that's one of the reasons why I believe that there's a danger. 255 00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:11.720 So let me say one more thing, and I'll let you chime in. 256 00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:15.880 One our worship pastor, our main guy that works our church, told a 257 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:19.000 story and he said he went back to his hometown. Uh this this past 258 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:26.920 uh uh uh time and uh and he had a conversation about this and that 259 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:30.200 was a new that was a new concept for them, right and so and 260 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:37.200 so uh and I thought to myself, Wow, maybe maybe uh maybe not 261 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:41.640 everybody has had this conversation. So so it's pretty innocent enough for them to 262 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:44.839 say, wow, that's a new conversation. Ye me, absolutely. I 263 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:52.440 think we've been conditioned to think in a clergy laity kind of mentality. Right. 264 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:56.240 So, the Bible does say in defense. The Bible does say give 265 00:17:56.279 --> 00:17:59.680 honor to whom honors due. The Bible says multiple times in Book of Hebrews, 266 00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:03.680 oh, those who have spiritual authority over you. Yes, it's not 267 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:06.880 just an idea of you know, hey, Chris is a nice guy, 268 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:08.880 and I'll consider what he has to say. Right there is kind of there's 269 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:15.440 spiritual authority and the Bible says, you know, give double honor to those 270 00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:19.720 who teach the word. Right, So there is the honor thing that as 271 00:18:19.880 --> 00:18:25.119 a church person or as a Christian, it's on me to make sure that 272 00:18:25.160 --> 00:18:32.119 I choose to extend honor to those who are are ministering to me in my 273 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:37.319 life. Where it's wrong is Jesus talking about how the world takes their power 274 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:41.160 and their authority. Leaders, the worldly leaders, pagan leaders take their authority 275 00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:44.960 and power and lord it over the people. So it's wrong for you and 276 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:48.039 me to expect it sure right. And so what we try to do is 277 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:52.759 not totally reinforce it right, because if you reinforce it, it sounds like 278 00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:55.799 that's what you expect. So when people say oftentimes people come say, hey, 279 00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:57.440 what should I call you? I'm like, call me Jeff, and 280 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:02.640 call me on time for dinner. Make some joke like that. You know, 281 00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:06.799 I don't expect the title. But there are times where on a Sunday 282 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:11.160 morning, the guest sitting in the room, I can't expect them to think 283 00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:15.559 appropriately about how the kingdom is supposed to work. They're working from their position, 284 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:18.279 right, which is, you know, they might not even be Christians, 285 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:21.480 but they know there's pastors and there's us, right, and so they're 286 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:23.119 operating from that position. So when I step up before I speak and I 287 00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:26.279 say Hi, I'm Jeff, I'm one of the pastors here, then they 288 00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:29.640 go, oh, okay, I'll listen to this pastor, but I might 289 00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:32.640 not listen to this yahoo next to me, right, but I'll listen to 290 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:37.960 this pastor because the title then kind of gives some hopefully establishes maybe there's a 291 00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:41.440 little bit of expertise in the topic that's about ready to be spoken. But 292 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:45.440 you'll notice how it heritage church. I'll always say I'm one of the pastors 293 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:48.200 here. You know. I never set up and go I'm the pastor here. 294 00:19:48.440 --> 00:19:52.880 I'm the senior pastor here, right, Because even then, what I 295 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:56.119 want to do is kind of step into the group of leaders rather than be 296 00:19:56.359 --> 00:20:02.799 the leader. And I think that that's important. But if people extend that 297 00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:07.240 courtesy, I don't think it's something we should reject in the same way. 298 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:11.000 You know, the other day we read Mary broke the Alabaster Box and gave 299 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:12.640 others thought, oh, that's terrible, I shouldn't do that, But for 300 00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:15.720 her that was a that was a sign of respect for Jesus. I think 301 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:18.960 it's it's an okay thing to show respect. It's wrong to demand it. 302 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:23.440 Yeah, it's definitely right. It was demand respect. You should demand respect, 303 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:30.279 honor. We can't demand honor. Right. That's that then becomes we 304 00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:33.839 we are choosing to create that wedge there. Yeah, but the kingdom here, 305 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:37.720 he's defining the kingdom as being those that are religious in the elites sometimes 306 00:20:37.799 --> 00:20:42.240 have a harder time making it to God because they're so comfortable in what they 307 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:48.400 perceived was their initial obedience, the verbalization of obedience, right, And what 308 00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:52.359 he's saying is these sinners actually when they finally repented and changed their minds, 309 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:56.400 they were the ones who actually went and obeyed God and did it. And 310 00:20:56.440 --> 00:21:00.240 that's why he's looking for He's looking for obedience. So Pastor Abdahl, who 311 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:06.480 we know right, started Church Hope Church, and he started Arabic ministry and 312 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:10.720 inherited church. He said it was a big deal for him and his culture. 313 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:15.400 When remember when Bob Harvey went down and served, and so Bob Harvey 314 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:19.240 is our founding pastor who started Heritage Church, and he went down to help 315 00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:22.400 Abdel one day and said, hey, he goes, where do you want 316 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:26.279 me to serve, and what do you serve? Like children's ministry or something. 317 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:27.279 It was something where he said, he said, just put me in 318 00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:30.160 a put me in a classroom. I just want to serve. And a've 319 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:33.880 do all said. You know, in my culture, a pastor would not 320 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:40.440 have been okay with serving at such a like a lower position, he said, 321 00:21:40.519 --> 00:21:45.079 so he goes. That really humbled me because it really truly truly aligned 322 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:48.839 me with the heart of Jesus. Right, And he said, because Jesus 323 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:52.079 would have done that, Jesus chose to ride in on a cult as opposed 324 00:21:52.119 --> 00:21:53.200 to a majestic course. Right. Yeah, if you're going to have a 325 00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:59.200 strong biblical worldview with regard to the church, you have to really truly embrace 326 00:21:59.240 --> 00:22:02.720 the idea of the priest the believers. And so if we set ourselves up 327 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:06.359 as the priests above everybody, we should function that way. But we can't 328 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:08.839 demand that honor. Right Instead, Jesus said, the greatest among us are 329 00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:12.000 those who come in and serve. And when we begin to if we want 330 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:15.359 to demonstrate anything for people, it's not our robes and our rings and our 331 00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:19.279 fancy seats up on the stage and people, you know, opening the doors 332 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:22.359 for us and giving us all kinds of blessings. That's not what we should 333 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:26.559 be demanding. Instead, we should be looking for opportunities to be the first 334 00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:30.240 ones to serve and to do and to demonstrate for everybody else. This is 335 00:22:30.279 --> 00:22:33.079 what we all do as Christians. And by the way, that reminds me 336 00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:36.920 that this passage of the parable of the two sons, that you know, 337 00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:41.680 because because the older son in this passage was the one who had the rights 338 00:22:42.119 --> 00:22:47.880 right so customarily biblically, the older son and the younger son. You believe, 339 00:22:47.960 --> 00:22:51.920 you better believe he chose the older boy on purpose. So the older 340 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:56.640 boy in any family was scheduled to get what double the inheritance of a younger 341 00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:59.519 son usually, and so he was the one that was favored. He was 342 00:22:59.559 --> 00:23:02.720 the one that was next in line for title and authority and everything else. 343 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:07.079 And Jesus chose him to be the one who assumed something. Oh yes, 344 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:10.640 he had word service, but but but he didn't go and he's the one 345 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:15.519 that disobeyed. And so it's a it's really a great message about humility too, 346 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:19.839 because the older son, who always feels more entitled, was the one 347 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:23.440 that was humbled in the story and and the and the Pharisees, the religious 348 00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:26.160 leaders were the one that were humbled. And so I would just say this 349 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:32.880 for those out listening on the podcast who aren't preachers or pastors, right, 350 00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:36.759 but you're a CEO maybe of a company, right, You're you're the one 351 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:38.880 who has uh, you have interns working for you, right. And so 352 00:23:40.359 --> 00:23:45.599 we must always be willing to humble ourselves and to serve others, and to 353 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:48.920 love others, and to demonstrate, you know, and not not be caught 354 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:53.480 up in wanting to feel important, because again God's kingdom works opposite, because 355 00:23:53.559 --> 00:23:56.799 Jesus says it shall not be so with you, right with you, it 356 00:23:56.880 --> 00:24:00.680 shall be different. M So all right, well that's a lot of lessons 357 00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:03.279 in there. So uh, that's that's our time, and we'll see you 358 00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:08.559 next time on the Bible guys. H m hmmmmm.