WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.460 Thanks for listening. 00:00:46.060 --> 00:00:46.920 Good morning. 00:00:47.880 --> 00:00:50.100 Glad that you guys are here with us. 00:00:50.100 --> 00:00:54.180 If you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Luke chapter 9. 00:00:54.300 --> 00:00:58.940 We're going to start here in verse 51 in just a moment, but I'm going to tell you, it is 00:00:58.940 --> 00:01:02.700 an absolutely beautiful day outside. 00:01:02.980 --> 00:01:06.460 I got to get out in the backyard yesterday, get some work done. 00:01:06.980 --> 00:01:10.540 Aaron pointed out we had some blueberry bushes planted near where I was working. 00:01:10.640 --> 00:01:15.840 She's like, oh, they're starting to bud already, and so springtime is here, and I am excited. 00:01:16.300 --> 00:01:18.260 So here's what I'm talking about, the beautiful day outside. 00:01:18.260 --> 00:01:19.980 We are so appreciative. 00:01:19.980 --> 00:01:23.880 There's a lot of things you guys could have gone and done today, but we're so appreciative 00:01:23.880 --> 00:01:28.860 that you're here with us so that we can celebrate and worship Jesus Christ together. 00:01:29.220 --> 00:01:34.100 If you're one of our first-time guests, thank you so much for being here, for choosing to 00:01:34.100 --> 00:01:36.540 worship with us as well this morning. 00:01:36.900 --> 00:01:41.940 And hopefully you can let us know that you're here through our text messages, but also please 00:01:41.940 --> 00:01:43.380 feel free to stop by. 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:43.980 Let us know. 00:01:44.020 --> 00:01:47.420 We would love to meet you and speak with you on your way out. 00:01:47.640 --> 00:01:48.800 Also, I want to draw your attention. 00:01:48.920 --> 00:01:54.080 You've got these cards that are on your chairs there, and one of them is for our student ministry. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:02:00.740 We've got a Sunday afternoon plan for our 6th through 12th graders to head to the Plex 00:02:00.740 --> 00:02:05.200 to do some ice skating and to experience the trampoline park, all right? 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:10.040 And so there's some way we need to RSVP so we can let them know so that we can have the 00:02:10.040 --> 00:02:13.300 right amount of people in there, right, so we can get our whole team through there. 00:02:13.420 --> 00:02:17.800 If you would like to, parents, come and observe what will happen and take place, here's what 00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:18.340 I'll tell you. 00:02:18.520 --> 00:02:23.200 A few weeks ago when we went bowling as the student ministry, it was wonderful for me to 00:02:23.200 --> 00:02:25.200 go and be able to bowl with them. 00:02:25.480 --> 00:02:32.340 Now, the game has been changed a little bit, and there is ice and trampolines, which in my 00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:36.080 brain for me says, torn ligament and concussion. 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:42.140 So I will be on the outside encouraging all of our students and whatever adults decide that 00:02:42.140 --> 00:02:44.440 they would like to join them as well. 00:02:44.440 --> 00:02:50.600 But we would love to have your kids with us as we continue to grow together in our student 00:02:50.600 --> 00:02:51.120 ministry. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:57.620 So we're going to dive back into Luke, and really these last three weeks have kind of been 00:02:57.620 --> 00:02:59.220 a series inside of a series. 00:02:59.860 --> 00:03:04.260 As we've walked through the book of Luke since before Christmastime, right, one of the first 00:03:04.260 --> 00:03:09.260 things that we pointed out is this gospel is addressed to an individual. 00:03:10.040 --> 00:03:17.000 Luke is writing it to Theophilus, for Theophilus to have a confirmation about what he's heard 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:23.140 about Jesus Christ and being able to filter it through the words of the gospel that Luke writes 00:03:23.140 --> 00:03:28.860 for him, and you and I have this distinctive advantage for almost some 2,000 years later 00:03:28.860 --> 00:03:34.060 to be able to sit back and open up those words and read this letter from one friend written 00:03:34.060 --> 00:03:37.900 to another friend about his Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:45.200 And over the last several weeks, what we've seen is that within here, chapter 9 is a big 00:03:45.200 --> 00:03:45.540 deal. 00:03:46.320 --> 00:03:50.560 We've been kind of moving through a chapter a week, kind of hitting the high points, and 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:54.620 we've pumped the brakes a little bit over the last several weeks, but even within doing 00:03:54.620 --> 00:03:58.600 that, we haven't read every encounter that's there. 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:05.560 But chapter 9 is huge as we see all that has happened and all that has taken place. 00:04:05.700 --> 00:04:10.140 We saw at the very beginning of Jesus sending out the 12, which was different. 00:04:10.880 --> 00:04:17.360 We see Jesus feeding the 5,000 and building and culminating to a point where Jesus sits down 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:20.860 with the disciples and says, hey, who do they say that I am? 00:04:21.480 --> 00:04:25.840 I mean, we were just with 5,000 men, so maybe 12,000 people. 00:04:26.540 --> 00:04:27.960 Who do they say I am? 00:04:29.280 --> 00:04:32.420 And then they say, but who do you, Jesus says, but who do you say I am? 00:04:33.080 --> 00:04:37.400 And Peter gives the declaration that he's the Christ, that he's the Messiah, he's the suffering 00:04:37.400 --> 00:04:39.280 servant written in Isaiah. 00:04:39.540 --> 00:04:45.200 He's the one that the whole world has been waiting on to cure their problem of sin, to 00:04:45.200 --> 00:04:46.580 give them hope and glory. 00:04:47.900 --> 00:04:50.260 And then Jesus tells about his death. 00:04:51.580 --> 00:04:54.760 He tells what he must do, what he must bear. 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:58.480 And then he says, in order for you to follow me, you must do the same. 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:01.980 You must take up your cross and follow after me. 00:05:02.840 --> 00:05:08.440 And then we saw last week at the Mount of Transfiguration of what is seen there and what 00:05:08.440 --> 00:05:14.720 this looks like, and we see this mountaintop experience, and we see what Jesus does with 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:16.020 the group that's there with him. 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:20.580 And then we see him journey off of the mountain down to the valley where he meets a man whose 00:05:20.580 --> 00:05:25.960 son is both afflicted by a disease and possessed by a demon. 00:05:25.960 --> 00:05:33.000 And Jesus culminates us into this moment of understanding, like the problem, the brokenness, what everyone 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:36.420 is feeling and working through is this lack of faith. 00:05:37.940 --> 00:05:42.760 And so Jesus challenges them on their faith and their faith in him. 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:53.220 But Luke 9, 51, this is a big moment, not only in Scripture, but in the history of the world. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:06:01.740 In Luke 9, 51, where there's a turning of the page to head to a new chapter of life of what's 00:06:01.740 --> 00:06:03.800 going to happen, of what's going to take place. 00:06:04.100 --> 00:06:08.660 And let's read it this morning, and it says, when the days drew near for him to be taken 00:06:08.660 --> 00:06:12.920 up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:21.480 You see, Jesus had been on the outskirts in the small towns, being this rabbi who wandered 00:06:21.480 --> 00:06:27.620 around with this ragtag group of followers, some in large number, some in small number. 00:06:28.340 --> 00:06:33.860 He's got tax collectors and prostitutes, and those were just referred to as sinners. 00:06:34.100 --> 00:06:35.460 Kind of following around with him. 00:06:36.940 --> 00:06:41.100 But now, he's taken his ministry to the big city. 00:06:42.280 --> 00:06:44.520 But that's not the point of Jerusalem. 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:53.260 As Jesus turns to turn his face to head toward Jerusalem, he's not looking at the lights of 00:06:53.260 --> 00:06:53.760 the city. 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:56.240 His eyes are fixated on the cross. 00:06:58.080 --> 00:07:04.940 And so, Jesus in this, it's the culmination of us understanding that in all of the things 00:07:04.940 --> 00:07:11.380 that Jesus had done, in God's sovereignty, and in God's power, he sent Christ, and he 00:07:11.380 --> 00:07:17.940 healed, and he taught, and he performed miracles, and he built relationships. 00:07:18.500 --> 00:07:27.500 But all of it comes down to the single task of where Christ's life is pointing to, of the cross. 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:31.260 The death and resurrection. 00:07:32.640 --> 00:07:42.700 And in Jesus' knowingness, he turns his face, and with a positioning of determination, heads 00:07:42.700 --> 00:07:49.040 toward, at a greater depth, for us to be able to see, of obedience. 00:07:50.340 --> 00:07:53.720 Jesus has been fully obedient in everything that he's done. 00:07:54.660 --> 00:07:57.020 There's not a moment of sin in his life. 00:07:57.340 --> 00:08:02.220 There isn't a glimmer of moral filth found within him. 00:08:02.220 --> 00:08:09.660 But in this, what we see for us is this deeper layer of obedience as Jesus turns his face, and 00:08:09.660 --> 00:08:12.060 he begins to head toward Jerusalem. 00:08:12.440 --> 00:08:15.920 Now, from this time moving forward, the crowds are going to be smaller. 00:08:17.280 --> 00:08:19.460 The miracles won't be as often. 00:08:20.740 --> 00:08:24.780 And his public teaching won't be as frequent. 00:08:25.620 --> 00:08:33.240 But we will see that he begins to talk more and spend more time in sending out the others 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:38.200 to go and to proclaim and share the message. 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:45.760 In fact, as he begins his journey to Jerusalem, Jesus sends out messengers ahead of him, in 00:08:45.760 --> 00:08:48.820 the words of Scripture, to make preparations for him. 00:08:48.980 --> 00:08:53.700 So he sends them into this Samaritan village, like, let's get a place to stay, let's get some 00:08:53.700 --> 00:08:58.800 food, let's get everything lined up so that we can come here on our journey to Jerusalem. 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:03.280 And as Luke talks about this, what we find out is that he was rejected. 00:09:03.900 --> 00:09:09.920 Now, Jesus wasn't rejected because of a message, because of a miracle, because of any of these 00:09:09.920 --> 00:09:10.240 things. 00:09:10.540 --> 00:09:15.300 Verse 53 tells us that they rejected him because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:17.820 So he's clear. 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:21.740 He's making it known to everyone, this is where I'm heading. 00:09:21.740 --> 00:09:28.560 And so this Samaritan village rejects Christ because of the mission he came to fulfill. 00:09:30.400 --> 00:09:31.560 They didn't understand. 00:09:33.160 --> 00:09:36.020 They didn't know what was fully going on. 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:43.540 You see, the Samaritans, they were considered during their day second-class citizens. 00:09:43.900 --> 00:09:48.600 And in fact, a lot of people thought, right, like, I'm a dog lover, right, but this is from 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:53.000 custom, from tradition, that Samaritans were lower than dogs. 00:09:54.300 --> 00:09:58.580 And so these Samaritans, they were viewed this way because they weren't considered ethnically 00:09:58.580 --> 00:09:58.940 pure. 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:04.760 They were a mixed race people, so they weren't considered as good as others, especially by the 00:10:04.760 --> 00:10:05.480 Jewish people. 00:10:05.560 --> 00:10:14.000 And so here, what they see is there is a Jewish man who is coming into our city, who is headed 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:15.220 toward Jerusalem. 00:10:15.220 --> 00:10:19.240 And this Jewish man, we know that he is a rabbi. 00:10:19.380 --> 00:10:22.880 So they begin to line the boxes up of what we don't like. 00:10:23.400 --> 00:10:25.800 We don't like Jewish people because they don't like us. 00:10:26.640 --> 00:10:30.280 We don't like the Jewish faith because the Jewish faith rejects us. 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:36.200 And the focal point of all of these things is Jerusalem. 00:10:37.060 --> 00:10:42.440 Strike one, strike two, strike three, Jesus, you're not welcome here. 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:46.200 And here's what's important for us. 00:10:47.160 --> 00:10:57.380 Based off of what they think, based off of their perspective, based off of their real-life 00:10:57.380 --> 00:11:00.980 tangible experience, they reject Jesus. 00:11:03.260 --> 00:11:10.440 And I think what we're going to find in this is that that sentiment still rings true in many 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:16.240 today and maybe in some of us who are in here in this moment. 00:11:17.160 --> 00:11:22.320 Based off of a real-life of what I've gone through, based off of a real-life perspective 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:29.720 that I have, based off of all of these things that have culminated in my life, I have a 00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:33.380 misunderstanding of who Jesus is. 00:11:34.680 --> 00:11:37.500 So Jesus presses on and Jesus continues. 00:11:37.700 --> 00:11:42.040 And this is really the part that we're going to focus in on this morning as he keeps his 00:11:42.040 --> 00:11:45.100 eyes turned toward Jerusalem. 00:11:45.560 --> 00:11:49.420 Jesus is going to continue on the road and he's going to have three different encounters 00:11:49.420 --> 00:11:53.240 with individuals who seek to follow him. 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:56.720 Now, you would think that Jesus is going to welcome this, right? 00:11:56.800 --> 00:12:02.440 Like, being a follower of Jesus is something throughout this that he's welcomed. 00:12:02.640 --> 00:12:05.520 There's an audience, there's a crowd, there's a group. 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:08.020 And Jesus speaks some words and some challenges. 00:12:08.420 --> 00:12:13.140 He's dove into, with his closest followers, of what it means to follow him. 00:12:13.140 --> 00:12:19.440 But now on his journey to head in his obedience, to do what God has called him to do, there's 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:23.260 going to be three people who are like, hey, we want to go on this journey with you. 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:25.560 And you would think, Jesus is like, absolutely. 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:26.800 Come on. 00:12:27.100 --> 00:12:28.340 Let's do this together. 00:12:28.820 --> 00:12:30.140 Let's walk with determination. 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:31.920 Let's walk with obedience. 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:34.520 But he doesn't. 00:12:34.520 --> 00:12:34.640 But he doesn't. 00:12:35.860 --> 00:12:37.140 That's not what we see. 00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:43.380 And instead, what Jesus does is Jesus attacks idols. 00:12:44.940 --> 00:12:50.860 And I think this is an important piece for us to see in a culmination of how do you and I 00:12:50.860 --> 00:12:56.520 take what we've seen, of what we've heard, of what we've experienced in this whole journey 00:12:56.520 --> 00:13:03.820 in the gospel of Luke, but primarily in Luke chapter 9, and how do we apply this into our 00:13:03.820 --> 00:13:04.180 lives? 00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:08.620 And I feel like, right, like if you're with me and on the journey, like, I want to grow 00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:11.540 Jesus in my depth of obedience to you. 00:13:11.660 --> 00:13:16.060 I want to grow Jesus in my dedication and my commitment to you. 00:13:16.060 --> 00:13:19.880 Lord, I want to take off and I want to run after you. 00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:22.060 And Jesus is like, cool. 00:13:22.660 --> 00:13:24.320 But let's attack some of those idols first. 00:13:25.320 --> 00:13:27.260 And let's see what's really going on. 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:31.280 Let's talk about idols for a moment, all right? 00:13:31.700 --> 00:13:33.580 Idols, it's a churchy word. 00:13:34.020 --> 00:13:40.600 It's not word outside of American idol, right, that we hear oftentimes in culture, right? 00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:43.500 In fact, we really didn't hear it at all until that came. 00:13:43.500 --> 00:13:45.960 And then there's a positive connotation to it. 00:13:46.300 --> 00:13:48.660 But in church, we talk about idols. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:55.620 And so it's easy for us to separate those out into categories or thinking that that doesn't 00:13:55.620 --> 00:13:56.860 apply to us. 00:13:57.220 --> 00:14:02.000 And when we think of idols, we think of statues for many of us. 00:14:03.060 --> 00:14:09.680 But we also think of what I'm going to call like externally selfish items, like really easy 00:14:09.680 --> 00:14:10.360 to identify. 00:14:11.060 --> 00:14:17.280 Like I've been in other countries and seen a depth of physical idolatry that I'd never 00:14:17.280 --> 00:14:25.360 experienced before as I literally watch men and women bring sacrifices to statues and fall 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:27.660 down and worship statues. 00:14:28.660 --> 00:14:35.120 But I've also seen within our own world and even within myself, our willingness to pursue 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:38.280 after these external selfish items, right? 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:45.660 And so it's easy for us to categorize and say, yes, these things are idolatrous items, like 00:14:45.660 --> 00:14:46.640 money. 00:14:47.640 --> 00:14:48.960 That could be an idol. 00:14:50.540 --> 00:14:55.540 Drugs and alcohol and the things that we want to surrender our life to where we think 00:14:55.540 --> 00:14:57.000 we can find comfort, right? 00:14:57.120 --> 00:14:59.960 That's an easy, low-hanging fruit idol. 00:15:01.260 --> 00:15:03.240 Lust, right? 00:15:03.780 --> 00:15:07.600 Like that's a good, low-hanging fruit idol. 00:15:08.280 --> 00:15:13.860 And if we're not careful, for us, idolatry are those extremes. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:17.020 Well, I don't struggle with that. 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:21.380 I ain't got enough money to have idolatry, right? 00:15:22.300 --> 00:15:24.600 I'm not good-looking enough to have idolatry. 00:15:25.380 --> 00:15:31.720 Oh, I'm not in some far eastern world that has statues, and I don't do that. 00:15:31.780 --> 00:15:39.640 I go to church, I don't have idolatry, but idols, understand this, number one, an idol can 00:15:39.640 --> 00:15:47.740 be anything, anything, anything that you have, anything that you desire, anything that you 00:15:47.740 --> 00:15:50.780 long for, an idol can be anything. 00:15:50.780 --> 00:15:56.340 But let's also understand this, secondly, in and of itself, an idol can be a good thing. 00:15:57.680 --> 00:15:59.140 An idol can be a good thing. 00:15:59.960 --> 00:16:05.300 In fact, in the encounter that Jesus is going to have with these three individuals, what 00:16:05.300 --> 00:16:07.540 we're going to see Jesus attack are good things. 00:16:08.420 --> 00:16:10.580 Things that you're like, oh, I need that in my life. 00:16:10.920 --> 00:16:12.220 I want that in my life. 00:16:12.540 --> 00:16:15.340 God has blessed me with that in my life. 00:16:16.660 --> 00:16:17.700 An idol can be anything. 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:19.220 An idol can be a good thing. 00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:23.660 So here is how I want to define idolatry for us this morning. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:29.940 Idolatry in your life and in my life is when we elevate the gift above the 00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:32.780 giver or creation above the creator. 00:16:34.280 --> 00:16:42.720 So you and I, not in an extreme, but in a practical sense, oftentimes in our life, God, 00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:46.540 the giver, gives us something and we elevate it above him. 00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:53.320 God, the creator, creates something and we elevate it above him. 00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:56.280 And that's what we do. 00:16:56.280 --> 00:17:04.480 And that's those areas in our life are those hard to find idols that we become blinded to. 00:17:04.740 --> 00:17:09.880 But Jesus is going to say, if you really want to follow after me, if you really want to seek 00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:15.760 after me, then there has to be nothing that comes in idols for you. 00:17:16.280 --> 00:17:25.540 So when these three come to Jesus, his response is loving, his response is kind, his response is gracious, 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:29.320 and his response is 100% truthful. 00:17:30.860 --> 00:17:32.740 And so look down at verse 57. 00:17:32.740 --> 00:17:41.240 It says, and as they were going along the road, someone said to him, I will follow you wherever you go. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:53.460 And Jesus said to him, foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head. 00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:56.500 Man, this is a weird encounter. 00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:00.420 Jesus, I'm going to follow you wherever you go. 00:18:00.800 --> 00:18:01.140 Cool. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.000 I ain't got anywhere to sleep. 00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:05.900 I don't have anywhere to go. 00:18:07.500 --> 00:18:11.940 And what Jesus is doing in that moment is he's attacking an idol, 00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:16.200 which is keeping so much of the church from pursuing after him. 00:18:17.020 --> 00:18:18.600 Jesus attacks the idol of comfort. 00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:20.320 Of comfort. 00:18:21.620 --> 00:18:25.980 I read this week from Pastor John Piper. 00:18:26.180 --> 00:18:33.320 He said, to follow Jesus is to not only follow the person, but to also follow the mission. 00:18:34.800 --> 00:18:39.820 And the mission of Jesus is not met with comfort. 00:18:41.320 --> 00:18:43.860 Jesus and the mission of God cannot be separated. 00:18:45.020 --> 00:18:46.120 It's what he came. 00:18:46.440 --> 00:18:47.860 It's what he was called to do. 00:18:48.080 --> 00:18:49.180 It's what he did. 00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:52.760 It's what he fully fulfilled in his full obedience. 00:18:53.180 --> 00:18:56.800 Jesus and the mission of God cannot be separated. 00:18:57.180 --> 00:19:07.380 And what stops you and I so often from following and obedience to the mission of God is comfort. 00:19:09.140 --> 00:19:10.340 It's comfort. 00:19:12.120 --> 00:19:14.240 This guy says, wherever you go, I'll go. 00:19:14.580 --> 00:19:16.480 Where's Jesus going? 00:19:17.900 --> 00:19:18.440 Jerusalem. 00:19:19.940 --> 00:19:21.520 What's waiting for him? 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:23.320 Rejection. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:24.960 Imprisonment. 00:19:25.960 --> 00:19:26.440 Beatings. 00:19:27.080 --> 00:19:27.760 And death. 00:19:29.260 --> 00:19:31.060 Why is he doing this? 00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:36.620 Because obedience to the Father supersedes the comfort of his life. 00:19:38.300 --> 00:19:45.480 Jesus had already attached the mission of God to the cross for those who wanted to follow him. 00:19:45.760 --> 00:19:48.880 Take up your cross and follow after me, Jesus said. 00:19:49.700 --> 00:19:58.980 Church, what you and I have to embrace is that the mission of God is an uncomfortable mission. 00:20:00.040 --> 00:20:13.080 It's a mission that can hurt both physically and emotionally. 00:20:13.080 --> 00:20:26.600 But in order to fulfill the mission where we move from a mindset of comfort, we begin to embrace a mindset of satisfaction that is found in Christ and in Christ alone. 00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:30.780 And so none of these things matter. 00:20:31.900 --> 00:20:32.820 Do I want them? 00:20:33.300 --> 00:20:33.760 Yes. 00:20:34.860 --> 00:20:36.400 Do I enjoy comfort? 00:20:37.100 --> 00:20:37.660 Absolutely. 00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:41.460 Do I long for that in my life? 00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:43.120 You bet you that I do. 00:20:43.120 --> 00:20:54.240 But the moment comes for us in our world, whether you're talking about social comfort, physical comfort, emotional comfort, financial comfort. 00:20:54.500 --> 00:21:00.180 But what if Jesus is headed toward Jerusalem and none of those are found there? 00:21:01.800 --> 00:21:09.100 And he says, but if you want to chase after those things, then you can't be on this journey with me. 00:21:10.580 --> 00:21:11.520 Something good. 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:14.360 But Jesus says, it can't be more than me. 00:21:14.900 --> 00:21:15.680 It can't be more. 00:21:16.520 --> 00:21:17.680 Look down at verse 59. 00:21:19.020 --> 00:21:20.480 Another person comes up to him. 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:24.200 And it says to another, he said, follow me. 00:21:24.520 --> 00:21:28.720 But he said, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:33.800 And Jesus said to him, leave the dead to bury their own dead. 00:21:34.040 --> 00:21:38.340 But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God. 00:21:38.340 --> 00:21:41.100 All right, now, this is going to be a hard one for us, all right? 00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:43.420 It's going to be a tough one for me. 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:53.880 In my group on Thursday morning, me and a couple of guys, Tim and Raymond, we've been meeting and working through some scripture and kind of got to deal with some of this this week in my life, all right? 00:21:54.420 --> 00:21:55.620 So here it is, family. 00:21:56.620 --> 00:21:57.020 Family. 00:21:57.460 --> 00:22:01.760 Now, there's a lot about this encounter that we do not know, all right? 00:22:02.100 --> 00:22:04.460 Number one, let's understand this, right? 00:22:04.460 --> 00:22:10.020 Jesus isn't saying that you can't come after him and care for your family, right? 00:22:10.220 --> 00:22:22.940 Jesus is not telling us that we should not care for, provide for, come alongside, like our parents and our children and our family that God has blessed us with, okay? 00:22:23.040 --> 00:22:24.680 That's not at all what he's saying. 00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:26.320 Let's don't jump to an extreme. 00:22:26.760 --> 00:22:32.700 In fact, Jesus, right, entrusted his mother, Mary, to be cared for by John. 00:22:32.700 --> 00:22:36.920 So we see that in his own life, the embracing of this. 00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:39.200 Now, something else we don't know. 00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:44.480 We don't know if this person's father is dead or not, okay? 00:22:44.600 --> 00:22:55.300 So it could be implied here, Lord, first let me go and bury my father, meaning my dad isn't dead, but I need to hang back here until he does, 00:22:55.500 --> 00:23:00.780 because I've got responsibilities that I feel like that I need to be obligated to. 00:23:00.780 --> 00:23:09.360 And so once all of these things within my family are exactly perfect and lined up, Jesus, then I'm going to chase after you, man. 00:23:10.260 --> 00:23:11.880 Then I'm going to follow you. 00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:14.040 Let me do this first. 00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:18.580 We don't really know the dynamic of what's existing within there. 00:23:18.900 --> 00:23:22.300 Now, the third thing we need to understand that we don't necessarily know, okay? 00:23:22.500 --> 00:23:24.400 Now, let's say his father had passed. 00:23:25.320 --> 00:23:33.380 Now, there was a tradition that allowed the burial process, right, to happen over an extended period of time, right? 00:23:33.460 --> 00:23:37.720 And I'm not talking about visitation on Friday, right, and burial on Saturday, right? 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:46.120 I'm talking about weeks as you'd work through all of the process, right, and mourning and all that would take place. 00:23:46.120 --> 00:23:53.400 We don't know the exact circumstance, and here's where I believe is the heart of Christ in this moment, 00:23:53.640 --> 00:24:03.500 that Jesus wants his relationship with you and with me to be deeper, to be more intimate, 00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:09.600 to be more personal than any other relationship you have. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:15.960 And that includes your spouse, your kids, your parents. 00:24:17.160 --> 00:24:23.360 Jesus says, this is the depth of intimacy that I long for you. 00:24:24.620 --> 00:24:25.840 And this is what hits me. 00:24:27.400 --> 00:24:31.780 My wife is a beautiful gift of God that God has blessed me with. 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:41.180 My kids are wonderful blessings that God gave us to raise and to release. 00:24:42.180 --> 00:24:43.860 I love my mother. 00:24:44.020 --> 00:24:45.260 I love my father. 00:24:45.560 --> 00:24:50.020 I love my in-laws and the value that they are in my life. 00:24:50.260 --> 00:24:58.040 They are good in all of those instances, good gifts of God created in the image of God. 00:24:58.040 --> 00:25:06.360 But I cannot elevate the goodness of the gift or the creation above the gift giver and the creator in my life. 00:25:07.580 --> 00:25:12.980 And now what we find is that we, when we love others well, 00:25:12.980 --> 00:25:20.380 we love others from the depth of love that we have experienced and that we know in Christ. 00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:27.480 If you're struggling right now, here's what I want to say. 00:25:28.040 --> 00:25:36.640 Stop trying to figure out the five ways to be a better dad, to be a better mom, to be a better child, to be a better spouse. 00:25:38.740 --> 00:25:44.460 And start diving into loving Jesus more. 00:25:45.740 --> 00:25:47.640 Begin with him. 00:25:48.800 --> 00:25:50.420 Rest in him. 00:25:50.900 --> 00:25:53.420 Start knowing him more. 00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:57.740 Jesus isn't saying, Bo, reject your wife. 00:25:57.840 --> 00:25:58.380 No, no, no. 00:25:58.980 --> 00:25:59.900 That's not it, right? 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:06.300 Paul tells me how I'm supposed to love my wife as Christ loved the church. 00:26:07.060 --> 00:26:09.840 We know about the precious gift that children can be. 00:26:10.100 --> 00:26:15.820 We know about how we model care as we care for those who are older than us. 00:26:15.900 --> 00:26:17.420 We know what this looks like. 00:26:17.420 --> 00:26:25.900 But Jesus is saying, hey, hey, the depth of the relationship of love, it's got to begin, it's got to rest in me, and this is where it is. 00:26:26.100 --> 00:26:28.380 And now I know for a lot of us, this is hard. 00:26:29.880 --> 00:26:35.000 But where have we elevated the gift above the giver? 00:26:36.040 --> 00:26:41.000 Where have we elevated creation above the creator? 00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:44.640 So one more is going to come to Jesus. 00:26:45.980 --> 00:26:47.240 It says in verse 61, 00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:48.440 And yet another said, 00:26:49.640 --> 00:26:51.160 I will follow you, Lord. 00:26:52.080 --> 00:26:55.380 Let me first say farewell to those at my home. 00:26:56.400 --> 00:26:58.180 And Jesus said to him, 00:26:59.140 --> 00:27:04.880 No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. 00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:09.140 And the idol that I want to challenge us with this morning, 00:27:09.860 --> 00:27:12.920 that I believe that Jesus is laying out here, 00:27:13.020 --> 00:27:14.540 is the idol of trust. 00:27:15.420 --> 00:27:17.040 Is the idol of trust. 00:27:17.760 --> 00:27:18.740 What this person said, 00:27:18.800 --> 00:27:21.460 Let me first go and say farewell. 00:27:21.740 --> 00:27:26.320 Let me take care of everything that needs to be done in my past, 00:27:26.380 --> 00:27:30.240 so that I can take off and go with you in the future. 00:27:30.520 --> 00:27:31.140 And Jesus says, 00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:31.660 No, no, no, no. 00:27:31.900 --> 00:27:33.220 Like, here's what has to happen. 00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:35.760 If you're going to follow after me, 00:27:35.880 --> 00:27:37.080 you have to trust, 00:27:37.280 --> 00:27:38.560 and you have to follow me. 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:41.460 And then Jesus gives a farming illustration. 00:27:41.900 --> 00:27:42.160 He says, 00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:46.580 No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. 00:27:46.780 --> 00:27:49.920 Now, I don't know about you, but I've never worked a plow, all right? 00:27:51.120 --> 00:27:51.940 Anybody in here? 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:52.520 Like a handful? 00:27:53.020 --> 00:27:53.280 Maybe? 00:27:53.820 --> 00:27:54.080 Maybe? 00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:54.520 There we go. 00:27:54.560 --> 00:27:54.980 We got one. 00:27:55.060 --> 00:27:56.100 Bruce has done that, right? 00:27:57.180 --> 00:27:58.040 For the rest of us, like, 00:27:58.080 --> 00:27:59.580 Jesus, we're lost here for a minute. 00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:00.680 Could you kind of help us out? 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:03.500 So here's the challenge I want to give to you today. 00:28:04.900 --> 00:28:07.640 When you go and you get in your car here in just a little while, 00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:10.700 when you begin to take the drive and begin to head to the restaurant, 00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:13.560 to home, to the grocery store, right? 00:28:13.640 --> 00:28:15.140 Like, wherever you're going, 00:28:16.260 --> 00:28:20.520 I want you to put the car in drive and go forward. 00:28:21.300 --> 00:28:26.660 But I want you to do that and drive the entire way of where you need to go 00:28:26.660 --> 00:28:30.460 by keeping your eyes in the rearview mirror, all right? 00:28:30.780 --> 00:28:32.360 A little challenge, right? 00:28:32.360 --> 00:28:35.500 We're going to all agree that we're going to walk out there and do that. 00:28:36.020 --> 00:28:38.920 If you get in an accident, if you get stopped by the police, 00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:45.180 tell them that your pastor, Pastor David Allen, challenged you to do that, right? 00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:47.380 And you'll be good. 00:28:48.100 --> 00:28:48.500 No. 00:28:49.420 --> 00:28:49.740 No. 00:28:49.940 --> 00:28:52.680 If you're 16 and you're in here, please don't do that, all right? 00:28:52.980 --> 00:28:54.660 But Mom, Bo told me to do that. 00:28:54.740 --> 00:28:55.100 No, no, no. 00:28:55.400 --> 00:28:55.760 Don't. 00:28:56.100 --> 00:28:58.220 We would all agree this is crazy, right? 00:28:59.040 --> 00:29:00.280 We can't do this. 00:29:01.780 --> 00:29:04.500 But that's how we try to follow Jesus. 00:29:06.120 --> 00:29:08.560 Jesus is headed toward Jerusalem. 00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:13.800 Jesus is headed toward the obedience to the mission. 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:20.940 And he says, you can't do it if you're trying to look back as you're headed toward. 00:29:21.860 --> 00:29:27.860 If your heart is still back there, if your thoughts are still back there, 00:29:28.280 --> 00:29:33.100 you can't pursue me in where I'm headed. 00:29:34.540 --> 00:29:40.380 Beginning of this passage, verse 51, Jesus was clear. 00:29:41.380 --> 00:29:48.860 In his full obedience to the Father, he set his eyes on Jerusalem. 00:29:50.120 --> 00:29:59.400 And at the very end of chapter 9, he tells us, you can't look back. 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:04.140 And in that, he attacks our trust. 00:30:05.360 --> 00:30:06.740 What do we look back on? 00:30:07.600 --> 00:30:08.620 What we know. 00:30:09.660 --> 00:30:10.920 What we've obtained. 00:30:11.760 --> 00:30:13.160 What we've experienced. 00:30:15.040 --> 00:30:22.080 And in looking back, we lean in and we trust in ourself. 00:30:22.860 --> 00:30:27.100 For so many of us, trusting God is difficult. 00:30:28.420 --> 00:30:33.580 The conflict of faith that we have comes in conflict to what we know. 00:30:33.840 --> 00:30:35.880 It comes in conflict of what we've experienced. 00:30:36.300 --> 00:30:38.660 It comes in conflict of what we've gone through. 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:42.540 So receiving Jesus for us is difficult. 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:48.380 And we find that we're a little bit more like those Samaritans in that village than we thought. 00:30:50.260 --> 00:30:53.740 But he's a Jewish man. 00:30:54.680 --> 00:30:56.480 I know how he feels about me. 00:30:57.760 --> 00:31:01.480 But he's attached to this faith. 00:31:02.580 --> 00:31:06.800 And I know what this faith, what I've heard it says about me. 00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:09.780 But he's in that place. 00:31:10.460 --> 00:31:12.020 And he's headed to that place. 00:31:12.980 --> 00:31:17.660 And I know, I know what that place symbolizes for me. 00:31:18.980 --> 00:31:23.100 And so because of what they hold in the palm of their hand, 00:31:23.580 --> 00:31:26.540 of what they know, of what they've experienced, 00:31:27.180 --> 00:31:28.700 of what their perspective is, 00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:36.560 it causes them to completely miss out on an encounter with Jesus. 00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:40.620 And I'm afraid for so many of us, 00:31:42.420 --> 00:31:46.920 the depth of the obedience that we're longing for, 00:31:47.860 --> 00:31:51.240 the depth of obedience that we think in each Sunday, 00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:54.580 every night at Bible study, 00:31:55.900 --> 00:31:59.240 every morning in our devotional, in our quiet time, 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:03.360 we run up alongside Jesus on the path. 00:32:04.580 --> 00:32:06.340 And we say, Jesus, I want to follow you. 00:32:07.580 --> 00:32:10.260 And he says, but if you don't follow me, 00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:12.480 I'm headed on the mission. 00:32:14.420 --> 00:32:17.980 And I'm going to need you to lay aside those idols. 00:32:19.400 --> 00:32:21.220 I'm going to need you to lay aside the gift 00:32:21.220 --> 00:32:22.640 that you've elevated above the giver, 00:32:23.040 --> 00:32:26.340 the creation above the creator. 00:32:27.140 --> 00:32:32.480 And I just need you to follow after me. 00:32:33.620 --> 00:32:36.080 You know, we're going to find out as we read through 00:32:36.080 --> 00:32:38.140 where that road goes 00:32:38.140 --> 00:32:40.760 and the journey that it'll take. 00:32:41.900 --> 00:32:45.180 But for so many of them who were following Jesus during that time, 00:32:45.800 --> 00:32:47.060 they're clueless. 00:32:48.180 --> 00:32:53.700 They're just walking after their rabbi. 00:32:54.700 --> 00:32:56.260 But do you remember what I said at the very beginning? 00:32:57.680 --> 00:32:59.180 The crowd's going to get thinner. 00:33:01.260 --> 00:33:03.900 Fewer and fewer are going to come running up to him. 00:33:05.100 --> 00:33:08.380 Less and less, the mission is going to be embraced. 00:33:09.560 --> 00:33:12.600 And more and more, people are going to pursue after him. 00:33:14.100 --> 00:33:18.800 But Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem. 00:33:21.020 --> 00:33:22.640 As we close up this morning, 00:33:24.020 --> 00:33:28.180 I want us to think about where we are on that road. 00:33:30.180 --> 00:33:31.720 And I don't know where you are. 00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:37.060 I don't know the experiences that you've gone through. 00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:40.840 I don't know the perspective that you have. 00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:43.820 I don't know your trust issues, 00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:46.240 but I've got mine. 00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:49.680 I don't know about your comfort struggles, 00:33:50.200 --> 00:33:52.040 but I've got mine. 00:33:53.540 --> 00:33:55.980 I don't know about the depth of the relationship 00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:58.140 that you have with your family, 00:33:58.900 --> 00:34:00.560 but I've got mine. 00:34:02.280 --> 00:34:03.360 But here's what I know. 00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:06.600 I know that you and I, without Jesus, 00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:07.660 are sinners with no hope. 00:34:08.600 --> 00:34:11.280 That every commandment of God that he's ever given, 00:34:12.340 --> 00:34:18.060 we, you, me, have violated and destroyed it. 00:34:19.060 --> 00:34:23.840 And you and I, we deserve the full wrath of God. 00:34:24.960 --> 00:34:26.260 But we have hope. 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:34.280 Because that rabbi set his face toward Jerusalem 00:34:34.280 --> 00:34:41.260 and was rejected and was beaten. 00:34:42.340 --> 00:34:46.100 And was imprisoned and died on the cross. 00:34:47.740 --> 00:34:50.620 But three days later, rose again. 00:34:52.140 --> 00:34:55.080 And so now, we want to follow him. 00:34:56.300 --> 00:34:57.580 We want to follow him. 00:34:58.480 --> 00:35:00.120 I want to ask you this question this morning. 00:35:01.300 --> 00:35:02.760 Why do you want to follow Jesus? 00:35:04.360 --> 00:35:04.800 Why? 00:35:06.340 --> 00:35:09.180 Is it for a get out of hell free pass? 00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:12.600 Or is it because you understand 00:35:12.600 --> 00:35:18.320 the beautiful man and the mission of God? 00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:24.640 We can't follow Jesus and not be on the mission. 00:35:24.640 --> 00:35:29.680 Go make disciples of the nations. 00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:34.820 Here, there, and everywhere. 00:35:35.600 --> 00:35:39.300 And we can't follow Jesus. 00:35:39.840 --> 00:35:46.760 We can't be on mission and carry the idols with us. 00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:51.200 So this morning, in just a moment, I'm going to pray. 00:35:51.320 --> 00:35:54.140 We're going to go into a time of response and worship. 00:35:55.640 --> 00:35:58.280 Don't think of statues and extremes. 00:35:59.480 --> 00:35:59.760 Right? 00:36:01.700 --> 00:36:02.720 Think of gifts. 00:36:04.620 --> 00:36:05.880 Think of creation. 00:36:07.340 --> 00:36:08.920 And I want to ask you this. 00:36:10.380 --> 00:36:14.240 As my prayer for you in my office earlier this morning 00:36:14.240 --> 00:36:18.900 was, Lord, reveal to us the gifts 00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:20.960 that have been elevated above the giver. 00:36:21.900 --> 00:36:24.980 Lord, open our hearts to the creation 00:36:24.980 --> 00:36:27.440 that we've placed on the throne 00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:30.560 that it should be for the creator in our hearts. 00:36:32.020 --> 00:36:35.020 And so as we respond to him, 00:36:35.920 --> 00:36:39.560 would you listen to the Holy Spirit in your life? 00:36:40.440 --> 00:36:42.900 And would you be willing to lay down 00:36:42.900 --> 00:36:44.220 and say, Jesus, yep. 00:36:44.580 --> 00:36:45.760 Jesus, yep, yep. 00:36:45.880 --> 00:36:47.880 Push them all out of the way 00:36:47.880 --> 00:36:52.760 so that I can follow after you. 00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:54.800 Would you pray with me? 00:36:59.420 --> 00:37:01.760 Lord, we thank you so much for this morning. 00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:09.220 Lord, I pray that as we respond in worship, 00:37:11.400 --> 00:37:14.640 Lord, that your spirit would speak to us. 00:37:16.140 --> 00:37:20.480 Lord, that you would open the hard-to-see areas of our life. 00:37:21.800 --> 00:37:24.340 Lord, that you would point out the idols 00:37:24.340 --> 00:37:26.740 that we have placed on thrones 00:37:26.740 --> 00:37:29.380 in our heart and in our life. 00:37:30.980 --> 00:37:32.400 Lord, that we would repent 00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:36.620 of abusing what you've given us. 00:37:38.700 --> 00:37:41.060 And Lord, I pray that we 00:37:41.060 --> 00:37:44.180 in that would find the grace 00:37:44.180 --> 00:37:46.520 and compassion of God 00:37:46.520 --> 00:37:50.840 who says, join me on the mission. 00:37:51.800 --> 00:37:55.040 Join me as we head to Jerusalem. 00:37:56.180 --> 00:37:57.700 Take up your cross 00:37:57.700 --> 00:38:01.280 and follow after me. 00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:04.100 With every head bowed 00:38:04.100 --> 00:38:06.160 and every eye closed. 00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:10.880 The response is for all of us. 00:38:15.560 --> 00:38:17.360 It's been a tough week 00:38:17.360 --> 00:38:23.540 to get to go through this in my own life, 00:38:23.600 --> 00:38:24.280 in my own heart. 00:38:25.180 --> 00:38:26.040 But can I tell you, 00:38:26.540 --> 00:38:28.500 the process may be tough, 00:38:28.580 --> 00:38:29.900 but the result is sweet. 00:38:31.520 --> 00:38:32.700 And it is good. 00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:37.980 And it grows in a depth of love for Christ 00:38:37.980 --> 00:38:41.180 that renews. 00:38:44.680 --> 00:38:45.820 So this morning, 00:38:46.460 --> 00:38:49.900 maybe it is for you statues 00:38:49.900 --> 00:38:51.720 and extremes. 00:38:54.660 --> 00:38:57.300 But maybe it's not. 00:38:59.800 --> 00:39:02.560 Pray that God would make the gray areas 00:39:02.560 --> 00:39:04.140 of your wall black and white. 00:39:07.940 --> 00:39:09.360 Lord, speak to us, 00:39:09.500 --> 00:39:10.340 convict us, 00:39:10.460 --> 00:39:11.300 draw us 00:39:11.300 --> 00:39:13.080 in only how you can 00:39:13.080 --> 00:39:15.200 for your praise 00:39:15.200 --> 00:39:16.480 and for your name. 00:39:17.580 --> 00:39:18.820 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:39:19.540 --> 00:39:19.820 Amen. 00:39:20.920 --> 00:39:22.160 I'll be back at the back 00:39:22.160 --> 00:39:23.700 if you'd like to talk, 00:39:23.760 --> 00:39:24.540 if you'd like to pray. 00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:27.400 The altar is open. 00:39:28.220 --> 00:39:29.220 I would invite you, 00:39:29.340 --> 00:39:30.520 maybe you feel like the Lord, 00:39:30.600 --> 00:39:32.080 say, no, bring it right down. 00:39:32.280 --> 00:39:33.600 Bring it down in front of everyone. 00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:36.340 Lay it down at the foot right now. 00:39:38.700 --> 00:39:39.360 Surrender it. 00:39:39.360 --> 00:40:02.960 A wise man this week told me. 00:40:07.040 --> 00:40:07.360 Bo. 00:40:11.900 --> 00:40:13.420 It's not yours to begin with. 00:40:15.240 --> 00:40:16.520 Yet God gave it to you. 00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:19.920 Stop closing your fingers around it. 00:40:22.120 --> 00:40:23.260 Hold on to it, 00:40:23.920 --> 00:40:25.520 but with an open hand. 00:40:27.640 --> 00:40:28.040 Right? 00:40:29.760 --> 00:40:32.080 Those good gifts 00:40:32.080 --> 00:40:33.400 from God 00:40:33.400 --> 00:40:34.800 that He's given you, 00:40:35.800 --> 00:40:38.920 release the grip. 00:40:40.260 --> 00:40:41.680 Keep it in your hand, 00:40:42.260 --> 00:40:44.300 but know that it's His. 00:40:45.340 --> 00:40:45.560 Right? 00:40:47.220 --> 00:40:49.020 Lord, do with us 00:40:49.020 --> 00:40:49.680 what you will. 00:40:50.660 --> 00:40:51.900 It's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:40:52.600 --> 00:40:52.880 Amen. 00:40:52.880 --> 00:41:07.860 Thanks again for listening 00:41:07.860 --> 00:41:08.980 to the Willow Ridge Church 00:41:08.980 --> 00:41:09.780 weekly podcast. 00:41:10.340 --> 00:41:11.300 We hope that you enjoyed 00:41:11.300 --> 00:41:12.600 listening to this week's message. 00:41:13.100 --> 00:41:14.160 If you'd like to learn more 00:41:14.160 --> 00:41:15.000 about who we are 00:41:15.000 --> 00:41:16.620 or explore additional resources, 00:41:17.200 --> 00:41:18.080 visit us online 00:41:18.080 --> 00:41:21.640 at www.willowridgechurch.com 00:41:21.640 --> 00:41:22.860 or by searching 00:41:22.860 --> 00:41:23.880 for Willow Ridge Church 00:41:23.880 --> 00:41:25.220 on Facebook and Instagram.