WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.600 Hey, Jeff, I just wanted to tell you you look 2 00:00:01.639 --> 00:00:02.120 good today. 3 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:04.080 Oh that's so encouraging. 4 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:05.559 Yeah, and you smell nice. 5 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:07.240 Wow, don't get that close. 6 00:00:07.320 --> 00:00:08.519 And I like your blue shirt. 7 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:13.039 So we're talking about encouragement today. I think on the 8 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:15.320 podcast he's Chris, I'm Jeff, and we're the Bobba guys. 9 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:29.280 So Chris, just in case you didn't know, there's a 10 00:00:29.320 --> 00:00:31.800 difference between encouragement and flattery, there is. 11 00:00:31.879 --> 00:00:34.119 Yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, I see. Sometimes they're hand 12 00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:34.439 in hands. 13 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:37.960 Yeah. I think for somebody who has wu winning others over, 14 00:00:38.039 --> 00:00:40.159 which is in your personality type? Yes, yeah, you might 15 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:41.920 not be able to differentiate between the two. So I 16 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:43.200 know you're doing the best. Tan Man. 17 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:45.240 It's part of my strength and we. 18 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:49.600 Love you for it. You're an encouragement to so many people. 19 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:51.320 So we're going to start off today. We did this 20 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:51.960 one other time. 21 00:00:52.039 --> 00:00:53.840 Don't know if it worked or not, but we're doing 22 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:56.520 the Whisper challenge where I'm going to put headphones on 23 00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:59.039 of a different sort, play music real loud, You're going 24 00:00:59.079 --> 00:01:00.560 to whisper a phrase to try to guess. 25 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:02.320 Yes, I felt unprepared last time, but I've got a 26 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:02.920 good one today. 27 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:05.200 Oh good good. I'm gonna change that phone. 28 00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:09.000 Let me grab my thing here and I'm playing my phone. 29 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:11.000 Imagine dragons right now. 30 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:16.560 Okay, can you hear me? Okay, here we go. Ready, 31 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:19.840 One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them. 32 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:22.159 Wow. Try that again. 33 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:26.719 It's one ring to rule them all, one ring to 34 00:01:26.760 --> 00:01:29.159 find them. 35 00:01:28.599 --> 00:01:32.959 The whiffle ball and the fathom. I have no idea. 36 00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:36.560 No, no, here, one more time, One ring to rule 37 00:01:36.599 --> 00:01:41.159 them all, one ring to find them. 38 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:46.439 Willie Mays threw the ball? No, no, what is it? 39 00:01:47.400 --> 00:01:50.159 One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them. 40 00:01:50.359 --> 00:01:51.519 Well that's a long phrase. 41 00:01:51.640 --> 00:01:54.560 Oh yeah, all right, you know what that's from. 42 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:57.120 Yeah, it's from Lord of the Ring Ring, of course. 43 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:01.359 Okay, so okay, it's my turn. Your music already playing? 44 00:02:01.480 --> 00:02:02.359 Yeah, no, it's not yet. 45 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:05.560 Okay now it is. Whoa, that's loud. 46 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:08.039 It is loud. But I have to okay, okay, here 47 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:08.280 we go. 48 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:12.120 Help you. 49 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:14.199 I will, yes, I'm your friend. 50 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:19.159 I have no idea. Dude, it looked like you said 51 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:22.159 something about Charlie Brown's going to hit you in the face. 52 00:02:22.919 --> 00:02:27.919 Wow, one more time? Okay, help you? I will. I 53 00:02:28.039 --> 00:02:29.319 I'm your friend. 54 00:02:30.199 --> 00:02:34.719 I can't. I have no idea. Man. All right, I 55 00:02:34.759 --> 00:02:35.879 don't even know. I can guess in that. 56 00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:38.120 I literally said help you. I will. 57 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:44.319 I'm your friend, Dudey. 58 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.319 The lips are the same, just because I did the voice. 59 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:50.000 Okay, I got one more. I have one more? Yeah? 60 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:52.639 Wow, sure, okay, because you're really good at these. No, 61 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:55.840 I'm not. I did terrible last them. Dude, be quiet, 62 00:02:56.120 --> 00:02:58.120 I'm trying to be terrible. I can't believe you have 63 00:02:58.120 --> 00:02:58.360 one more. 64 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:00.400 Okay, this is an easy one. This, this should be 65 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:08.639 an easy one. Ready, ready, Not all who wander are lost. 66 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:10.439 Jack trainer on the hall. 67 00:03:11.000 --> 00:03:17.439 No, not all those who wander are lost. 68 00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:20.439 All those who are lost. 69 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:23.960 Oh almost almost. Not all those who wander are lost. 70 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:27.199 Okay, all right, but that's. 71 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:30.520 Another Lord of the Rings reference. I was into the 72 00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:31.719 whole Tolkien thing this week. 73 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:35.479 I see, so you just had to do Oh you 74 00:03:35.479 --> 00:03:36.280 want me to do another one? 75 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:37.159 I thought you were going to. 76 00:03:37.639 --> 00:03:38.319 I'll come up with one. 77 00:03:38.599 --> 00:03:41.680 Okay, okay, one more more? Here we go. Yes, okay, 78 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:42.599 this is riveting. 79 00:03:44.039 --> 00:03:46.840 Roads where we're going, we don't need roads. 80 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:50.919 It looked like you said roses are read something something. 81 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:56.639 Roads where we're going. We don't need roads. 82 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:03.199 Where we're going. We don't need something. 83 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:07.520 Oh wow, good job, good job, I said, Rhodes. Where 84 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:09.000 we're going, we don't need roads. 85 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:10.919 Okay, ye, there you go. 86 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:11.879 Go back to the future. Reference. 87 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:13.280 There, you go back to the future. 88 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:14.039 That's excellent. 89 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:17.920 Okay, all right, that's hard. It is very really difficult. 90 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:20.560 Now Jimmy Fallon does those things, yes, and he has 91 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:24.199 them play the market the headphones and everything, and it 92 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:28.360 is but anyway, I just I enjoy watching that, so 93 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:29.199 hopefully that worked. 94 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:29.879 That's funny. 95 00:04:30.120 --> 00:04:33.920 But so today we're in First Thessalonians, chapter five. 96 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:36.240 We're wrapping up, and we're wrapping it up. Yeah, this 97 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:37.959 is kind of the end. And one of the things 98 00:04:37.959 --> 00:04:40.040 you're going to discover as we read through Paul's books 99 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:43.480 his writing says he'll write four or five chapters or 100 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:45.360 whenever he comes to the end of the book, and 101 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:47.399 then all of a sudden, the last chapter he crammed, 102 00:04:47.399 --> 00:04:48.879 oh and by the way, don't forget this, don't forget this, 103 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:50.879 don't forget this, don't forget this, and he just kind 104 00:04:50.879 --> 00:04:55.120 of dumps ten big ideas in ten verses. And so 105 00:04:55.199 --> 00:04:57.160 that's kind of how he wraps up all of his letters. 106 00:04:57.160 --> 00:05:00.720 And that's what he's doing today. In first Thessaloni, chapter five, 107 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:02.639 we're going to start in verse twelve. Won't just read 108 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:05.480 to the end of the chapter. He says, Dear brothers 109 00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:08.160 and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the 110 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:11.040 Lord's work. They work hard among you and give you 111 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:14.680 spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because 112 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:17.639 of their work, and live peacefully, peacefully with each other. 113 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:20.240 Brothers and sisters. We urge you to warn those who 114 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:23.519 are lazy, encourage those who are timid, take tender care 115 00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:26.800 of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. See 116 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:29.480 that no one pays back evil for evil, but always 117 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:32.279 try to do good to each other and to all people. 118 00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:36.720 Always be joyful, never stop praying, be thankful in all circumstances, 119 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:38.959 for this is God's will for you, who belong to 120 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:42.199 Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy spirit. Do not 121 00:05:42.279 --> 00:05:45.519 scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said, Hold 122 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:48.360 on to what is good, stay away from every kind 123 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:50.879 of evil. Now, may the God of Peace make you 124 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:53.639 holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and 125 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:56.600 soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus 126 00:05:56.680 --> 00:05:59.480 Christ comes again. God will make this happen for he 127 00:05:59.560 --> 00:06:02.519 who call you. It's faithful. Dear brothers and sisters, pray 128 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:05.279 for us. Greet all the brothers and sisters with Christian love. 129 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:07.759 I command you, in the name of the Lord, read 130 00:06:07.800 --> 00:06:09.839 this letter to all the brothers and sisters. And may 131 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:12.120 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 132 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:12.839 Mm. 133 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:17.120 So he's writing back to the Church of Thessalonika and 134 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:19.240 uh and this and this is the church where he 135 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:21.319 ran into a little bit of trouble, right, and he 136 00:06:21.399 --> 00:06:24.879 fled and and he's writing back and he's giving. 137 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:26.120 Them he didn't get in trouble in the church. He 138 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:27.079 got in trouble in the town. 139 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:30.040 In the town. That's that's actually correct, because the towns. 140 00:06:29.720 --> 00:06:31.560 We've been, we've been in trouble in churches and had 141 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:34.560 to flee. But that's a whole different story. That's the 142 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:36.759 story for another day, for another day. 143 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:40.120 That's funny, you know, I get in trouble with the town, 144 00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:41.439 that's right. And they try to follow him, and he 145 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:43.639 is this is he sort of ran and went to Athens. 146 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:47.199 He's writing back to Thessalonians and uh and uh, and 147 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:50.079 he's he's encouraging them and and today is just sort 148 00:06:50.120 --> 00:06:51.720 of like a slew of advice. 149 00:06:52.360 --> 00:06:55.319 Well, there's a lot of excellent advice here. 150 00:06:55.959 --> 00:06:58.879 So I have this thing in my life application study Bible, 151 00:06:59.319 --> 00:07:01.240 and it's a check list for encouragers. And what it 152 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:03.480 really does is it breaks down pretty much exactly what 153 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:06.800 you read, but it just breaks it down like just 154 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:10.439 small phrases of advice. And this is how different the 155 00:07:10.519 --> 00:07:12.639 pieces of advice are that Paul read. 156 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:14.279 Because so much of the second portion of this book 157 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:16.560 is all about encouraging one another. That's right, right, right, 158 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:18.079 So this is all about encouragers. 159 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:21.120 Yeah, Basically, in verse eleven, he said, hey, build each 160 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:24.879 other up. Then he said, honor your leaders, show so 161 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:29.959 leaders great respect. Live in peace, Warn the lazy, encourage 162 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:35.839 the timid, help the week, be patient, revisit, revenge, rejoice 163 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:41.839 or excuse me, resist, thank you. Revisit is also good. Visit, revisit, 164 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:47.519 and reconsider it one of these. Be joyful, pray, continually, 165 00:07:47.639 --> 00:07:51.079 give thanks, do not stifle the Holy spirit, do not 166 00:07:51.079 --> 00:07:53.839 scoff at prophecies, avoid every kind of evil, kind of 167 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:57.680 God's constant help. So think about the gamut in which 168 00:07:57.680 --> 00:07:59.360 he has covered. It almost sounds like. 169 00:07:59.399 --> 00:08:02.040 The Book of Yeah, doesn't it. 170 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:04.439 It's like it's like these things are sort of related 171 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:08.360 to good living with Christian brothers and sisters, but they're 172 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:11.439 all so different in terms of pieces of advice. 173 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:14.040 Right right. This feels a lot like Romans twelve. He 174 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:17.040 does that where he just unpacks all these behaviors of 175 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:19.040 how to get along with each other. He does it 176 00:08:19.079 --> 00:08:22.240 so many different times, and I love it because there 177 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:25.160 are all these little one liners, this one liner, one liner, 178 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:26.399 one liner, one liner. 179 00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:27.839 And each one of them packs a bunch. 180 00:08:27.879 --> 00:08:29.079 Oh yeah, every one of them. You're like, oh, we 181 00:08:29.079 --> 00:08:30.079 can preach a whole message on. 182 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:33.600 It, right, yeah, So tell me about this one here. 183 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:35.879 The one that stands out among every single one of 184 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:38.639 those that I just read is verse Noumber nineteen that says, 185 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:41.600 do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Now, now when you 186 00:08:41.639 --> 00:08:43.799 when you read it, you memorize it says quench. 187 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:46.320 Right, yeah, yeah, quench, ch quench not the Holy Spirit. 188 00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:49.919 And so when we grew up memorizing about that, I'm 189 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:52.679 sure you've heard sermons about that. How would a person 190 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:54.960 stifle or quench the Holy Spirit? 191 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:55.720 What does that even mean? 192 00:08:56.360 --> 00:08:59.519 Well, so there's lots of different views on this. One 193 00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:03.960 would be resisting the Holy Spirit's work for the purpose 194 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:06.399 of salvation, presenting Christ to you, and that would be 195 00:09:06.440 --> 00:09:09.159 quenching the Holy Spirit. The problem is he's not talking 196 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:12.440 to lost people, right, So I don't believe that that's 197 00:09:12.480 --> 00:09:14.519 what he's talking about here. I really think he's talking 198 00:09:14.519 --> 00:09:19.840 about don't resist the gifts of the spirit in the church. 199 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:22.720 That that's really what because he immediately pivots into prophecy 200 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:24.720 from there. So he says that sentence and then the 201 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:29.639 very next sentence is, you know, do not scoff at prophecies, 202 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:32.840 but test everything that's said. And so I really think 203 00:09:32.840 --> 00:09:35.879 he's talking about making sure that all of the spiritual 204 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:38.200 gifts are functioning. People who have the gift of mercy 205 00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:40.480 need to be merciful, that people have gift of leadership 206 00:09:40.519 --> 00:09:43.399 need to lead. Well, he just said that a minute ago, right, 207 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:46.360 give honor to the people who are your spiritual leaders, 208 00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:48.080 all those kinds of things. I really feel like he's 209 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:50.440 just kind of summarizing these are the ways to behave 210 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:54.440 and you'd behave this way the best when the gifts 211 00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:56.879 of the spirit are evident in the church. 212 00:09:57.120 --> 00:09:57.320 Yeah. 213 00:09:57.399 --> 00:09:59.799 Yeah, And by the way, that's exactly what the commentator 214 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:03.360 he agrees with you it should not ignore or toss 215 00:10:03.399 --> 00:10:05.919 aside the gifts of the Holy Spirit, because he goes 216 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:09.080 right into prophecy, you know, when it says you should 217 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:12.480 not ignore or stifle the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 218 00:10:12.679 --> 00:10:14.960 I think there's other applications to that as well, because 219 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:18.080 stifle is a pretty general word, right, to quench or 220 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:21.159 to stifle. You know, you quench a fire, you know, 221 00:10:21.240 --> 00:10:23.799 you throw water on it and it goes out. Or 222 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:27.759 stifling something is to you know, muffle it, or to 223 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:29.159 you know, to push it down. 224 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:31.159 When you stifle a cough, or yeah. 225 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:33.519 Stifle a cough. Yet I think that there are times 226 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:37.120 in our lives as well where we you know, maybe 227 00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:40.159 even in the moment, where you know, the Holy Spirit 228 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:42.679 wants to do a great work and we're so either 229 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:45.960 self centered or removed from the moment. I always used 230 00:10:45.960 --> 00:10:47.720 to actually tell my teenagers when I was a youth 231 00:10:47.720 --> 00:10:51.879 pastor that when the Holy Spirit's working, you can feel like, 232 00:10:52.360 --> 00:10:55.080 you know, God is just capturing people's attention in the room, 233 00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:59.759 and then somebody you know, does something completely inappropriate selfishly, 234 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:01.879 and always say, hey, man, that's kind of in the 235 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:05.240 category of stifling the Holy Spirit, right, And we could. 236 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:08.399 Do that you're muffling the impact of the spirit. 237 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:11.440 Yeah, it's it's sort of like when babies cry in church. 238 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:14.799 It's inevitable. A baby can sit there and be a 239 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:19.480 darling angel for thirty three minutes and then you say, so, 240 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:21.039 let me tell you how to come to faith in 241 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:23.879 Jesus Christ and across that line of faith. Ah, baby, 242 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:27.799 or just as bad as when that baby's darling sweet 243 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:29.559 and all of a sudden wakes up and starts smiling 244 00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:31.159 at the people behind him. Next thing you know, there's 245 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:34.080 twelve people kuchikuchiku and this baby instead of listening to 246 00:11:34.120 --> 00:11:37.080 the gospel. Baby, it happens. Man. I'm not saying that 247 00:11:37.080 --> 00:11:39.519 that the that that baby is quenching the spirit, but 248 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:42.080 there's all kinds of things that I think that Satan 249 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:46.519 uses to distract us from the from the magnified power 250 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:48.679 of the Holy Spirit, and that that idea of don't 251 00:11:48.679 --> 00:11:51.360 stifle or don't quench he's talking about, don't muffle the 252 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:52.320 impact of the spirit. 253 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:54.879 Yeah, And I think that sometimes we need to just 254 00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:56.799 pay attention to that and just make sure that we 255 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:00.159 need you know, whenever we recognize God doing a good thing, 256 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:02.279 we need to make sure that we're out of the way, 257 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:04.840 and that we let God do his thing. Well. 258 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:07.960 I think so often as pastors, both of us are creatives. Right. 259 00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:10.600 You help at the church that we serve at. You 260 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:14.799 help lead the weekend strategy and planning and all the 261 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:17.639 creative elements. I was a worship leader for fifteen years, 262 00:12:17.639 --> 00:12:22.080 and I know God blesses us in spite of us, right, 263 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:24.600 but because of us, Yes, in spite of us, God 264 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:28.240 blesses the ministry. God blesses the furtherance of His gospel 265 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:30.879 in spite of us. But there are times, you know, 266 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.519 we're also co laborers with Christ, the Bible says, so 267 00:12:33.559 --> 00:12:36.600 we're also supposed to be doing our part. And there's 268 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:39.759 times when we bring problems or we bring distractions on 269 00:12:39.799 --> 00:12:42.759 ourselves that weren't needed, right, and then we can take 270 00:12:42.840 --> 00:12:46.200 some of the brunt of that and we distract away 271 00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:49.080 from the gospel. It can happen sometimes, That happens anytime 272 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:50.840 you're trying to be creative or any time that you're 273 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:54.039 trying to capture people's attention. There's always that risk, and 274 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:56.519 so it's this balance. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes 275 00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:59.159 we don't. But this is one of those passages that 276 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:01.600 keeps reminding us over and over again. Don't get in 277 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:04.559 the way of the work of the spirit, don't muffle 278 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:08.080 the impact of the spirit. Don't hold back or resist 279 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:09.799 the work of the Spirit in the church. 280 00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:14.159 Yeah, there's another comment that Paul makes that is so massive, 281 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:16.039 and yet he just sort of tosses it out there. 282 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:18.679 He says, see that no one. First of all, he 283 00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:22.000 doesn't say most. He says, sees that no one pays 284 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:25.080 back evil for evil, but always not some of the time. 285 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.519 Always try to do good at least. The word tries 286 00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:28.759 in there. 287 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:32.360 Yeah, right, to each other and to all people. 288 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:33.200 You know. 289 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:35.960 One of my favorite comedians is Brian Reagan, and he 290 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.360 says that he says he was on the way off 291 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:39.919 the door, you know, he sort of sort of makes 292 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:42.480 fun of how you pay a doctor for. 293 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:43.200 Him to insult you. 294 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:46.759 Yes, hey, Brian, those moles are looking kind of weird 295 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:47.559 and you need. 296 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:50.440 To lose weight. He's like, thanks, doc. 297 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:52.320 But then he says he's walking out, and he says, 298 00:13:52.360 --> 00:13:55.080 and just as he's walking out the door, just nonchalantly, 299 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:58.120 he goes, oh, by the way, layoff all dry, and 300 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:02.159 he's like what, He's like, you just gonna nonchalantly toss 301 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:02.480 it out there. 302 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:04.679 It's like, no more happiness. 303 00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:05.759 Right, it's right. 304 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:08.799 So it's so Paul just throws it out there and says, oh, 305 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:11.120 by the way, see that no one pays back evil 306 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:13.480 for evil. And I think to myself and on large 307 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:17.960 scales but also on small scales, that is so incredibly 308 00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:22.279 difficult to do. And yet Paul is really inferring that 309 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:25.799 we are to pay back good when evil is given 310 00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:26.120 to us. 311 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:30.759 Well, Jesus taught it right. So in the Sermon on 312 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:34.759 the Mount he talks about that, Jesus says, love your enemies, 313 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:36.679 And that's an easy one. If he just stopped there 314 00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:38.000 for me and you, we'd be like, oh, yeah, I 315 00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:40.279 do I love my enemies, right, because there's no proof. 316 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:43.120 There's no proof when if it's an emotion, yeah, I 317 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:45.279 just oh, I love my enemies. I don't like them, 318 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:47.320 but I love them, you know, right. And then he says, 319 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:50.919 pray for your enemies. Well now that, well, shoot, it's 320 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:53.279 a little harder, yeah, because he doesn't mean pray that 321 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:55.559 God brings judgment on them. He's he's saying pray for 322 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:58.679 their benefit, right, right, es, that's what he's saying. That 323 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:01.480 one now is measurable. Do I pray? Okay, you know 324 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:05.080 you make me mad, but God bless Chris sar, you 325 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:06.480 know I don't have to be happy about it. Back 326 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:09.120 do it. But then he says, Jesus says, love your enemies, 327 00:15:09.159 --> 00:15:11.000 pray for your enemies. Then he says, do good to 328 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:14.399 your enemies. Right well, now that's a whole other love. 329 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:16.840 Come on, Jesus. There's a couple things that wish Jesus 330 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:19.200 had and said, that's one of them right there, because 331 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:22.679 now he pushes us beyond just being able to make 332 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:25.519 some kind of mental assent or grudgingly pray for somebody, 333 00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:28.519 and now we have to do good. Paul keys off 334 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:31.600 of that concept and multiple times again I already mentioned 335 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:33.639 Romes twelve, but in Romes twelve he says that too, 336 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:37.240 and he in matter of fact, in Romes twelve he 337 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:40.960 piggybacks off the same idea, and he says, don't be 338 00:15:41.080 --> 00:15:45.039 overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. That's what 339 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:47.639 he says. Right after he says, don't get you know, 340 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:50.360 don't pay back for revenge, because vengeance's mind, says the 341 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:53.759 Lord God says, I'll get revenge. Right well, ultimately there's 342 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:57.279 a little bit of satisfaction in that. Would I rather 343 00:15:57.320 --> 00:15:59.639 have my enemy get revenge from me or have to 344 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:01.360 stand in front of God and God's going to get 345 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:04.000 his right? Okay, well I can hand him over to 346 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:06.559 God and let God deal with that. But the idea 347 00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:09.480 of don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with 348 00:16:09.559 --> 00:16:12.559 good is really what is This is a very similar 349 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:15.480 phrase to what he's saying here, right, that Christians should 350 00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:19.320 be famous not for getting revenge but for shocking kindness 351 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:21.360 and generosity in the face of attacking. 352 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:24.519 And so there are so many of our listeners, I'm sure. 353 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:25.879 That, and so I just want to say, you should 354 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:27.080 work really hard on that. 355 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:28.720 Thank you, sir. I appreciate that. 356 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:29.759 I'm trying to encourage you. 357 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:35.840 I mean, I mean treating you kindly now, So I 358 00:16:35.879 --> 00:16:37.240 earned that. So that's right. 359 00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:40.480 So many of our listeners probably have a hard time 360 00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:43.919 with you know, snapping back at somebody or you know, 361 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:46.720 somebody is mean, so then they say a remark. So 362 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:49.799 we don't have to necessarily treat others poorly. In action, 363 00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:53.000 we can we can, you know, strike them with our words. 364 00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:58.120 So sharp and harsh words, hateful words, those are the 365 00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:00.879 same thing as doing evil to somebody, and you think 366 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:03.039 about this, We always say this if you come to 367 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:06.559 any of our worship services or weekend services, we always 368 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:08.559 say that art is a reflection of the heart, right, 369 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:11.359 and that's why we believe it's powerful. Some people don't 370 00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:13.559 understand that because they grew up at a traditional church 371 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:15.599 or something, and they're like, what what place does a 372 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:18.400 movie clip have in a church service? You know, that's 373 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:21.039 not godly or holy because we're not praise and worshiping 374 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:23.319 or whatever. But it's like, no, no, no, no, that is 375 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:26.279 just as godly, I would argue, and I'm dead serious 376 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:29.759 when I say this, that is just as powerful as 377 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:32.839 any godly principle that we just read here. Now. Of course, 378 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:36.880 God's word, because it's God's commandment. In God's Word trumps everything. 379 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:39.240 That's not as powerful as a movie clips, right, But 380 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:43.480 what I'm saying is somebody acting out godly principle. 381 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:48.400 A movie clip that is equal to your comments. Yeah right, 382 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:50.759 So it's not equal to God's word, but your comments 383 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:52.960 about God's words or a movie clip that drives home 384 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:55.240 that same point in an artistic way, those would have 385 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:56.200 equal weight in your mind. 386 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:56.559 Yeah. 387 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:58.799 Well, no, I would say this, I would say, like, okay, 388 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:00.960 if you see me, give you the example. 389 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:01.640 I was thinking of. 390 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:04.880 Every movie, which you could probably name a million of them, 391 00:18:05.079 --> 00:18:09.559 every movie where the hero wins and the and the 392 00:18:09.559 --> 00:18:11.799 the enemy is about to be killed and then the 393 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:12.880 hero stops. 394 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:13.160 And helps them. 395 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:15.960 Yes, right, you know they pull them up off the cliff, 396 00:18:16.119 --> 00:18:19.200 or you know, you know, you know, or you know 397 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:21.279 the Spider Man jumps in front of the Green Goblin. 398 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:23.359 You know that the Green Goblin stabs in the back. No, 399 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:25.000 you know, Spider Man, no way home. 400 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:26.519 Whatever it is. 401 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:29.799