1 00:00:02,089 --> 00:00:04,634 Thanks for tuning in to the Sandals Church podcast. 2 00:00:04,761 --> 00:00:08,621 Our vision as a church is to be real with ourselves, God, and others. 3 00:00:08,756 --> 00:00:11,439 We're glad you're here, and we hope you enjoy this message. 4 00:00:14,609 --> 00:00:15,182 Hi, guys. 5 00:00:15,236 --> 00:00:16,074 Happy Thanksgiving. 6 00:00:16,121 --> 00:00:21,306 Man, I'm so glad you're at church this weekend or you're watching from somewhere else 7 00:00:16,121 --> 00:00:21,306 around America. 8 00:00:21,417 --> 00:00:25,493 Two weeks ago, Tammy and I had the opportunity to go to Ireland, and we had a great time. 9 00:00:25,532 --> 00:00:35,189 I'm going to talk a lot about the trip in this sermon, but one of the things I noticed 10 00:00:25,532 --> 00:00:35,189 right when we hit the ground in Ireland on November 1 was all the Christmas stuff. 11 00:00:35,340 --> 00:00:37,518 It was all Christmas everywhere. 12 00:00:37,634 --> 00:00:41,142 Christmas decorations, Santa Claus, Christmas singing. 13 00:00:41,206 --> 00:00:43,369 And I was like, Where's Thanksgiving? 14 00:00:44,909 --> 00:00:47,049 Are the Irish not thankful? 15 00:00:47,390 --> 00:00:49,530 And if you were raised Irish, you know no. 16 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:50,090 You know? 17 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:51,973 No, we're not. 18 00:00:52,112 --> 00:01:00,298 But I asked somebody, I said, do you guys not have Thanksgiving thinking that the world 19 00:00:52,112 --> 00:01:00,298 celebrates a holiday called Thanksgiving? 20 00:01:00,473 --> 00:01:06,721 And I was talking to one of the pastors, and he said, you know, one of the things that I 21 00:01:00,473 --> 00:01:06,721 think you miss about being American. 22 00:01:06,855 --> 00:01:08,402 And I was like, oh, here we go. 23 00:01:08,456 --> 00:01:10,593 Gonna be insulted right when I land. 24 00:01:10,712 --> 00:01:11,554 And he said no. 25 00:01:11,591 --> 00:01:14,579 He said, Americans don't know how generous they are. 26 00:01:15,269 --> 00:01:19,829 He said, And I believe it's because of the holiday of Thanksgiving. 27 00:01:20,329 --> 00:01:28,725 He said, I believe that's one of the things that shapes America as a culture is the 28 00:01:20,329 --> 00:01:28,725 celebrating of giving thanks. 29 00:01:28,908 --> 00:01:35,146 And so I just want to say happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, and I pray that it 30 00:01:28,908 --> 00:01:35,146 was a wonderful day. 31 00:01:35,248 --> 00:01:37,817 And if it wasn't, you don't have to do it again until next year. 32 00:01:37,903 --> 00:01:43,078 So today we're going to talk about learning to be thankful like Jesus. 33 00:01:43,254 --> 00:01:47,561 One of the things that I've done over the years as I read through the Bible is I just make 34 00:01:43,254 --> 00:01:47,561 notes. 35 00:01:47,706 --> 00:01:50,825 There are some people, some Christians who feel like you shouldn't write in your Bible. 36 00:01:50,938 --> 00:01:55,262 I write in my Bible so much, I tend to wear them out about every three to four years. 37 00:01:55,316 --> 00:01:56,986 They're just destroyed. 38 00:01:57,097 --> 00:02:02,849 And I make little notes because I like to know where I was or what I was doing the last 39 00:01:57,097 --> 00:02:02,849 time I read that. 40 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:08,280 But I remember one time, as I read through the Gospels, I just started underlining the 41 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:08,280 word thanks. 42 00:02:09,370 --> 00:02:15,400 And one of the things I was struck by is how many times it was Jesus saying thanks. 43 00:02:16,330 --> 00:02:17,701 Just think about that. 44 00:02:17,836 --> 00:02:20,825 The guy who owns it all has it all. 45 00:02:20,927 --> 00:02:22,699 He's the Son of God. 46 00:02:23,069 --> 00:02:24,746 Everything is his already. 47 00:02:24,848 --> 00:02:26,906 And he's saying, thanks for little things. 48 00:02:27,087 --> 00:02:28,421 Thank you for his disciples. 49 00:02:28,485 --> 00:02:31,274 Thank you for God hearing him. 50 00:02:31,472 --> 00:02:34,042 Thank you for the miracle that he's going to do. 51 00:02:34,175 --> 00:02:39,578 And today we're going to talk about just when he taught us how to give thanks to the 52 00:02:34,175 --> 00:02:39,578 Lord's Supper. 53 00:02:39,674 --> 00:02:41,737 A lot of you guys are new to Sandals Church. 54 00:02:41,753 --> 00:02:50,500 And so every single week when you walk in church, you walk right by the people in the red 55 00:02:41,753 --> 00:02:50,500 shirts who are trying to get you to take something and it looks weird, maybe like medicine 56 00:02:41,753 --> 00:02:50,500 or NyQuil or whatever. 57 00:02:51,270 --> 00:02:57,229 But what it is is it's just a little container full of juice and full of a cracker. 58 00:02:57,389 --> 00:02:59,270 And some people have no idea what that was. 59 00:02:59,340 --> 00:03:03,217 A friend of mine brought a non church person and he was literally like, oh, cool, snacks. 60 00:03:03,234 --> 00:03:04,599 And he took like six. 61 00:03:06,330 --> 00:03:12,418 He thought it was snack time just in case he got bored in the middle of service, but it's 62 00:03:06,330 --> 00:03:12,418 not snacks. 63 00:03:12,514 --> 00:03:14,939 And so if you grew up a Catholic, you call it mass. 64 00:03:15,310 --> 00:03:18,358 If you grew up Baptist like me, we call it Lord's Supper, which is a little weird. 65 00:03:18,373 --> 00:03:19,205 How do you call a supper? 66 00:03:19,237 --> 00:03:20,406 A cracker and a piece of juice? 67 00:03:20,437 --> 00:03:21,445 You're like, you guys are skimpy. 68 00:03:21,478 --> 00:03:28,750 If this is a supper, some of you grew up calling it communion, and some of you, you have 69 00:03:21,478 --> 00:03:28,750 no idea what it is. 70 00:03:28,900 --> 00:03:33,162 And so we're going to talk about today what it really means in the Scriptures. 71 00:03:33,225 --> 00:03:39,806 In the Scriptures, the Bible was written in Greek, so not in English, not in Hebrew, but 72 00:03:33,225 --> 00:03:39,806 it was written in Greek, the Christian Bible. 73 00:03:39,918 --> 00:03:42,782 And the word in the Greek is Eucharist. 74 00:03:42,925 --> 00:03:44,545 You say, well, what does it mean? 75 00:03:44,728 --> 00:03:45,939 It means thanks. 76 00:03:46,310 --> 00:03:47,762 That's what the word means. 77 00:03:47,895 --> 00:03:49,425 It's giving thanks. 78 00:03:49,608 --> 00:03:56,806 And so one of the things that I was struck over the last couple of years, the 20s have 79 00:03:49,608 --> 00:03:56,806 been tough for me personally, and I'm going to talk a little bit about that through the 80 00:03:49,608 --> 00:03:56,806 message. 81 00:03:56,907 --> 00:04:00,280 It's been a hard time to lead, it's been a hard time to understand. 82 00:04:00,969 --> 00:04:05,849 And one of the things I realized is we got to get right back to the very core of what it 83 00:04:00,969 --> 00:04:05,849 means to be a Christian. 84 00:04:06,349 --> 00:04:12,054 And that's why we started doing the Lord's Supper each and every week, even though it's 85 00:04:06,349 --> 00:04:12,054 just juice and it's just a cracker. 86 00:04:12,181 --> 00:04:17,406 That's a big expense for us as a church, because of COVID we changed the way that we did 87 00:04:12,181 --> 00:04:17,406 it. 88 00:04:17,427 --> 00:04:20,733 And I don't know about you, but I don't even like buffets anymore after COVID it's ruined 89 00:04:17,427 --> 00:04:20,733 me. 90 00:04:20,771 --> 00:04:22,906 And so that's why we put it in the container. 91 00:04:22,937 --> 00:04:28,689 It's a more expensive way to do it, but I felt like we needed to get back to the basics of 92 00:04:22,937 --> 00:04:28,689 what it means to be a Christian. 93 00:04:29,589 --> 00:04:39,634 And at the end of service today, you're going to have an opportunity to give thanks to God 94 00:04:29,589 --> 00:04:39,634 and participate by drinking some juice and eating a cracker, because it's our way that we 95 00:04:29,589 --> 00:04:39,634 say thanks. 96 00:04:39,672 --> 00:04:43,574 So if you're watching at home, at line or online, feel free to get something. 97 00:04:43,612 --> 00:04:46,098 And it can be any kind of liquid and any kind of bread. 98 00:04:46,274 --> 00:04:49,925 God doesn't care about the method that you choose to remember Him. 99 00:04:49,947 --> 00:04:51,461 He just wants you to remember Him. 100 00:04:51,596 --> 00:04:52,374 And so be ready. 101 00:04:52,411 --> 00:04:54,725 Maybe you got to press this on pause and watch at the end. 102 00:04:54,747 --> 00:04:56,646 But if you're here, we have it available for you. 103 00:04:56,668 --> 00:05:01,774 And if you forgot, you can grab one out in the lobby, or maybe someone will pass, ask you 104 00:04:56,668 --> 00:05:01,774 an extra one, because I do that from time to time. 105 00:05:01,812 --> 00:05:02,766 Sometimes I find an extra one. 106 00:05:02,788 --> 00:05:03,997 I forgot to take Lord Supper last week. 107 00:05:04,004 --> 00:05:06,793 I'm like, oh, sorry about that, Jesus. 108 00:05:06,841 --> 00:05:08,480 I forgot to say thank you last week. 109 00:05:09,329 --> 00:05:11,870 Hey, thank you so much for joining us for service today. 110 00:05:11,939 --> 00:05:19,122 I want to invite you to give to the work that God is doing in and through Sandals Church, 111 00:05:11,939 --> 00:05:19,122 and you can do so by going to donate SC. 112 00:05:19,255 --> 00:05:22,290 For now, let's jump back into the message with Pastor Matt. 113 00:05:23,350 --> 00:05:37,985 So in Luke 20 214 through 19, it says, when the time came, jesus and the apostles sat down 114 00:05:23,350 --> 00:05:37,985 together it's a huge word there together at the table and listen to the words of the Lord 115 00:05:23,350 --> 00:05:37,985 Jesus. 116 00:05:38,177 --> 00:05:43,769 I don't know if you're looking forward to Thanksgiving this week, but Jesus was looking 117 00:05:38,177 --> 00:05:43,769 forward to Passover with his disciples. 118 00:05:44,110 --> 00:05:56,959 He said, I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering 119 00:05:44,110 --> 00:05:56,959 begins, for I tell you that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in 120 00:05:44,110 --> 00:05:56,959 the kingdom of God. 121 00:05:57,329 --> 00:06:01,598 And then he took a cup of wine, and he gave thanks to it, for God for it. 122 00:06:01,603 --> 00:06:02,906 And some of you are like, yeah, I do too, Pastor. 123 00:06:02,937 --> 00:06:04,160 Okay, well, settle down. 124 00:06:05,009 --> 00:06:08,170 And then he said, Take this and share it amongst yourselves. 125 00:06:08,329 --> 00:06:10,786 He said, For I will not drink wine again until the kingdom of God has come. 126 00:06:10,807 --> 00:06:14,514 And then he took some bread, and he gave thanks to God for it. 127 00:06:14,632 --> 00:06:22,086 And then he broke it into pieces, and he gave it to the disciples, saying, this is my body 128 00:06:14,632 --> 00:06:22,086 which was given for you. 129 00:06:22,267 --> 00:06:24,519 Do this in remembrance of me. 130 00:06:25,050 --> 00:06:28,514 And here's what I want you to know about being a Christian. 131 00:06:28,562 --> 00:06:31,346 We're in this series called Generous Like Jesus. 132 00:06:31,458 --> 00:06:33,305 If you're taking notes, I want you to write this down. 133 00:06:33,327 --> 00:06:40,009 And this could be a talking point, maybe over a meal tonight as a family, maybe in your 134 00:06:33,327 --> 00:06:40,009 small group or maybe with your friends. 135 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,065 But I want you to be able to say this and agree with this statement. 136 00:06:43,098 --> 00:06:46,910 I will never become generous until I learn to be grateful. 137 00:06:49,009 --> 00:06:51,930 I will never become generous until I learn to be grateful. 138 00:06:52,089 --> 00:07:00,882 You see, if you're not grateful, the offering at the end of service is offensive to you 139 00:06:52,089 --> 00:07:00,882 because you're not grateful for what you have. 140 00:07:00,935 --> 00:07:02,740 You're not in a position to give. 141 00:07:05,029 --> 00:07:09,266 When my kids were little, when you're younger, you can eat French fries. 142 00:07:09,298 --> 00:07:10,920 When you get older, you should stop. 143 00:07:12,009 --> 00:07:12,901 Just stop. 144 00:07:13,036 --> 00:07:15,173 French fries and cigarettes, that's free. 145 00:07:15,291 --> 00:07:17,000 Give up both of those things. 146 00:07:18,250 --> 00:07:20,946 But when I was younger and my kids were little, we would go to McDonald's. 147 00:07:20,978 --> 00:07:22,637 And I love McDonald's french fries. 148 00:07:22,834 --> 00:07:24,565 Love it because it's not real French fries. 149 00:07:24,598 --> 00:07:27,290 I don't know what it is, but the aliens made it, and it tastes wonderful. 150 00:07:28,269 --> 00:07:36,413 And so we'd go to McDonald's, and I don't know, sometimes as parents, you feel 151 00:07:28,269 --> 00:07:36,413 conscientious when you're ordering, so you're like, no fries today. 152 00:07:36,612 --> 00:07:38,925 Well, my son has no conscience at that time. 153 00:07:38,947 --> 00:07:43,802 So he ordered a large thing of fries, and we were sitting down, and he's got his whole 154 00:07:38,947 --> 00:07:43,802 pile of fries. 155 00:07:43,865 --> 00:07:44,942 It's bigger than his head. 156 00:07:44,995 --> 00:07:46,153 He got, like, an extra large. 157 00:07:46,211 --> 00:07:49,069 You know, the fries the fries at McDonald's are just obscene. 158 00:07:49,230 --> 00:07:52,593 It's like small, medium, large, and I hate myself size, right? 159 00:07:52,711 --> 00:07:53,730 It's just huge. 160 00:07:53,879 --> 00:07:56,533 And he's got this huge thing he can't possibly eat of them all. 161 00:07:56,572 --> 00:08:00,839 And I reach over to grab one, and he smacks my hand. 162 00:08:04,810 --> 00:08:07,762 And I said, who do you think paid for these fries? 163 00:08:07,906 --> 00:08:09,730 He said they're my fries. 164 00:08:09,889 --> 00:08:14,197 I said, I want you to know every single fry in that pile is mine. 165 00:08:14,293 --> 00:08:16,860 And you only have them because I gave them to you. 166 00:08:17,470 --> 00:08:19,786 And I could feel my wife reaching over to touch. 167 00:08:19,807 --> 00:08:20,805 She's like, don't cause a scene. 168 00:08:20,838 --> 00:08:22,649 I was like, oh, I'm going to cause a scene. 169 00:08:24,670 --> 00:08:31,225 But a lot of us, when it comes to generosity, we're like, my son, when he was four, god's 170 00:08:24,670 --> 00:08:31,225 given us all these French fries. 171 00:08:31,257 --> 00:08:33,245 And the time for the offering, god says, hey, can I have one back? 172 00:08:33,268 --> 00:08:35,519 And you're like, slap his no, no. 173 00:08:36,129 --> 00:08:37,293 And you know why that is? 174 00:08:37,331 --> 00:08:39,169 It's because you're not grateful. 175 00:08:39,669 --> 00:08:41,553 And some of you say, well, Pastor Matt, I work hard. 176 00:08:41,591 --> 00:08:43,629 Well, who do you think gave you that work ethic? 177 00:08:43,710 --> 00:08:44,785 You say, well, my parents did. 178 00:08:44,807 --> 00:08:46,289 Well, who gave you your parents? 179 00:08:46,710 --> 00:08:48,725 Well, I went to school and I worked hard. 180 00:08:48,748 --> 00:08:49,586 Well, who gave you your brain? 181 00:08:49,618 --> 00:08:53,879 Because not everybody has a brain that allows them to go to school, okay? 182 00:08:55,049 --> 00:08:56,450 That's just the truth. 183 00:08:56,610 --> 00:08:58,789 Not everybody is equally smart. 184 00:09:00,190 --> 00:09:01,577 Well, Pastor, I've done this. 185 00:09:01,663 --> 00:09:02,442 And let me tell you something. 186 00:09:02,495 --> 00:09:05,019 Everything in your life has been orchestrated by God. 187 00:09:05,470 --> 00:09:08,460 All your fries come from Him. 188 00:09:08,830 --> 00:09:13,610 And until you understand that, you're never, ever going to be generous. 189 00:09:14,350 --> 00:09:16,861 And so gratitude is huge for us. 190 00:09:16,995 --> 00:09:19,374 So I want us to learn from Jesus on how to say thanks. 191 00:09:19,412 --> 00:09:23,840 So Jesus, number one, he teaches me how to be thankful for the good times. 192 00:09:25,409 --> 00:09:27,700 Some of you miss this when you read this story. 193 00:09:28,070 --> 00:09:32,306 Jesus said, I've been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you. 194 00:09:32,408 --> 00:09:36,230 Listen to this before my suffering begins. 195 00:09:38,090 --> 00:09:41,894 This is why so many young people are devastated by life. 196 00:09:41,932 --> 00:09:44,120 They thought it would always be good times. 197 00:09:47,389 --> 00:09:48,618 Let me tell you something. 198 00:09:48,783 --> 00:09:53,049 Life will not always be good, okay? 199 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:55,833 Dating couples, marriage isn't always good. 200 00:09:55,871 --> 00:09:56,166 Amen. 201 00:09:56,197 --> 00:10:00,779 Married people I mean, children. 202 00:10:01,309 --> 00:10:03,259 Children are not always good. 203 00:10:04,350 --> 00:10:08,639 One of my favorite things to do when I go to Disneyland is just watch parents try not to 204 00:10:04,350 --> 00:10:08,639 harm their children. 205 00:10:09,730 --> 00:10:11,519 Do you know how much money we paid. 206 00:10:11,970 --> 00:10:13,149 Oh, my gosh. 207 00:10:13,490 --> 00:10:14,538 Here's what the Bible says. 208 00:10:14,563 --> 00:10:15,485 This is a book of wisdom. 209 00:10:15,518 --> 00:10:17,725 It's called the Book of Ecclesiastes. 210 00:10:17,918 --> 00:10:20,049 And here's what Solomon says. 211 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:25,998 He says there's a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. 212 00:10:26,094 --> 00:10:28,405 A time to be born and what? 213 00:10:28,587 --> 00:10:30,070 A time to die. 214 00:10:30,490 --> 00:10:33,793 A time to plant and a time to uproot. 215 00:10:33,922 --> 00:10:36,758 A time to tear down, and a time to build. 216 00:10:36,844 --> 00:10:41,110 A time to weep and a time to laugh. 217 00:10:42,409 --> 00:10:44,538 Man, I had a guy a couple of weeks ago who challenged me. 218 00:10:44,543 --> 00:10:45,285 He doesn't like my sermons. 219 00:10:45,317 --> 00:10:48,933 He said I'm too funny, which I took as a compliment. 220 00:10:48,981 --> 00:10:52,809 I mean, if you're going to insult somebody, you are way too funny. 221 00:10:53,629 --> 00:10:55,200 And you know why that is? 222 00:10:55,570 --> 00:10:57,994 He's been raised in a church experience where you never laugh. 223 00:10:58,042 --> 00:11:00,509 The Bible says there is a time to laugh. 224 00:11:01,330 --> 00:11:02,505 And you know when that time is? 225 00:11:02,548 --> 00:11:06,210 When I see something funny, the Lord's, like it's time to laugh. 226 00:11:06,549 --> 00:11:07,490 That's the time. 227 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:09,539 The Holy Spirit's, like, this is the moment. 228 00:11:11,909 --> 00:11:14,529 And there's a time to mourn. 229 00:11:15,529 --> 00:11:22,120 And if you're Baptist, even a time to dance, I know, pray about it. 230 00:11:22,570 --> 00:11:24,230 This is the word of the Lord. 231 00:11:25,529 --> 00:11:28,634 Can I just say this to the young people? 232 00:11:28,831 --> 00:11:30,379 Don't miss the good times. 233 00:11:31,870 --> 00:11:33,179 Don't miss them. 234 00:11:34,190 --> 00:11:35,225 Don't miss them. 235 00:11:35,327 --> 00:11:41,957 And I know some of you are parenting small children and you're not sleeping and you smell 236 00:11:35,327 --> 00:11:41,957 a vomit right now as you sit. 237 00:11:42,063 --> 00:11:43,498 And it's not your vomit. 238 00:11:43,594 --> 00:11:47,679 That's how you know when you're a know, you didn't throw up on yourself, but someone did. 239 00:11:49,009 --> 00:11:53,306 And you're saying, oh, my gosh, this is never going to end. 240 00:11:53,347 --> 00:11:54,625 Oh, yes, it will. 241 00:11:54,807 --> 00:11:56,259 And you'll miss it. 242 00:11:56,629 --> 00:11:57,940 You'll miss it. 243 00:11:58,950 --> 00:12:01,453 You know, when Tammy and I first got married, we were so poor. 244 00:12:01,501 --> 00:12:07,669 And I remember our first time camping, and it was awful. 245 00:12:08,570 --> 00:12:09,666 The whole thing was horrible. 246 00:12:09,697 --> 00:12:10,581 And you know what? 247 00:12:10,716 --> 00:12:12,519 When I look back, I love it. 248 00:12:12,889 --> 00:12:15,080 I love every aspect of it. 249 00:12:15,529 --> 00:12:20,293 I even love the struggle, you know, the vacation stunk. 250 00:12:20,422 --> 00:12:21,929 But it was our vacation. 251 00:12:22,590 --> 00:12:25,865 We went on vacation and it was fun. 252 00:12:26,048 --> 00:12:28,059 It was fun to figure things out. 253 00:12:28,509 --> 00:12:32,894 And some of you men, you're so stuck right here. 254 00:12:33,091 --> 00:12:35,919 You can't see the beauty that God has blessed you with. 255 00:12:37,409 --> 00:12:38,720 You're missing out. 256 00:12:39,250 --> 00:12:42,378 Some of us, though, that are older, we're so stuck in the past. 257 00:12:42,563 --> 00:12:44,419 We're so wounded by the past. 258 00:12:44,950 --> 00:12:46,820 We're missing out on the present. 259 00:12:48,470 --> 00:12:53,860 And then others of us, oh, my gosh, we're so worried about the future. 260 00:12:54,789 --> 00:12:57,559 We're missing the gift of this moment. 261 00:12:59,450 --> 00:13:00,870 That's why they call it the present. 262 00:13:00,940 --> 00:13:02,389 Do you hear the word in English? 263 00:13:02,970 --> 00:13:04,039 It's a present. 264 00:13:05,289 --> 00:13:10,440 And so many of you, you're wasting your life because you're missing the beauty of right 265 00:13:05,289 --> 00:13:10,440 now. 266 00:13:11,049 --> 00:13:13,049 And this is what I love about Jesus. 267 00:13:13,629 --> 00:13:15,706 He knows what he's going to see. 268 00:13:15,727 --> 00:13:17,621 You and I, we don't know what tomorrow holds. 269 00:13:17,765 --> 00:13:18,570 He knew. 270 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:20,570 He knew it was the cross. 271 00:13:21,409 --> 00:13:26,350 And here's the thing is, he doesn't ruin the evening because he knows what tomorrow holds. 272 00:13:27,490 --> 00:13:29,389 He enjoyed the evening. 273 00:13:30,370 --> 00:13:31,870 He enjoyed the evening. 274 00:13:33,269 --> 00:13:39,220 I wonder what you would do if you knew you only had one day to live. 275 00:13:40,789 --> 00:13:42,498 We know what Jesus did. 276 00:13:42,663 --> 00:13:44,019 He enjoyed it. 277 00:13:45,529 --> 00:13:49,960 Oh, how long I've been waiting to share this meal with you guys. 278 00:13:51,049 --> 00:13:52,200 Isn't that amazing? 279 00:13:52,970 --> 00:13:56,919 He knew how to celebrate the moment. 280 00:13:58,190 --> 00:14:03,980 You see, one of the things that Jesus knows that you and I forget constantly is the gift 281 00:13:58,190 --> 00:14:03,980 of time. 282 00:14:05,149 --> 00:14:09,740 It's such a gift, and it's flying by. 283 00:14:11,230 --> 00:14:13,419 So thank God for the good times. 284 00:14:13,950 --> 00:14:15,179 Enjoy them. 285 00:14:15,649 --> 00:14:17,422 Because many of you are robbing yourself. 286 00:14:17,475 --> 00:14:19,966 Because you're either stuck in the past or you're worried about the future. 287 00:14:20,067 --> 00:14:23,360 And you're not in the present, and you're not enjoying this. 288 00:14:24,690 --> 00:14:26,734 Matthew 20 618 jesus replied. 289 00:14:26,782 --> 00:14:32,980 He said, Go into the city and a certain man and tell him, the teacher says, my appointed 290 00:14:26,782 --> 00:14:32,980 time is near. 291 00:14:33,350 --> 00:14:35,309 I'm going to listen to this word. 292 00:14:35,399 --> 00:14:39,559 Celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house. 293 00:14:41,529 --> 00:14:46,913 You see, Passover is a celebration of how God liberated the people of Israel from Egypt. 294 00:14:46,961 --> 00:14:55,019 They were slaves for 400 years in Egypt, and God delivered them and set them free. 295 00:14:55,870 --> 00:14:57,354 And they praised God for it. 296 00:14:57,392 --> 00:14:58,857 They celebrated that. 297 00:14:59,024 --> 00:15:05,214 And so Passover, jesus is celebrating Passover for what God did for the Jewish people. 298 00:15:05,331 --> 00:15:06,477 And why is that? 299 00:15:06,563 --> 00:15:10,634 Because he's about to do that for all people of every tribe, every tongue, every nation. 300 00:15:10,682 --> 00:15:12,206 He's about ready to deliver us all. 301 00:15:12,227 --> 00:15:14,590 Not from Egypt, but from sin. 302 00:15:16,129 --> 00:15:17,470 And let me say this. 303 00:15:17,620 --> 00:15:20,370 Every single weekend at Senate's Church is a celebration. 304 00:15:20,870 --> 00:15:22,221 It's a celebration. 305 00:15:22,365 --> 00:15:26,033 And so many churches, maybe your church history forgot that. 306 00:15:26,152 --> 00:15:27,101 It's a celebration. 307 00:15:27,166 --> 00:15:31,057 No matter how bad our weeks were, jesus rose. 308 00:15:31,234 --> 00:15:33,477 He rose on a Sunday morning. 309 00:15:33,563 --> 00:15:34,693 And so you know what that means? 310 00:15:34,731 --> 00:15:40,860 If you're going through a divorce, if you're battling addiction, if you've been diagnosed 311 00:15:34,731 --> 00:15:40,860 with cancer, it means there's always hope. 312 00:15:41,389 --> 00:15:42,809 There's always hope. 313 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:43,850 Amen. 314 00:15:46,269 --> 00:15:50,649 And some of you as Christians, your spiritual gift is doom and gloom. 315 00:15:52,350 --> 00:15:53,173 I knew it. 316 00:15:53,231 --> 00:15:54,320 This is the end. 317 00:15:54,769 --> 00:15:55,741 This is the end. 318 00:15:55,796 --> 00:15:56,720 It's over. 319 00:15:57,330 --> 00:15:58,302 Let me tell you something. 320 00:15:58,355 --> 00:16:00,559 It's not over until God says it's over. 321 00:16:01,090 --> 00:16:02,754 And I don't care what the doctor said. 322 00:16:02,792 --> 00:16:06,899 Six weeks, eight weeks, you're not going home until Jesus calls you home. 323 00:16:08,309 --> 00:16:10,419 And so celebrate today. 324 00:16:11,269 --> 00:16:12,659 Celebrate today. 325 00:16:13,190 --> 00:16:15,105 Hug your loved ones. 326 00:16:15,288 --> 00:16:16,659 Hug your kids. 327 00:16:17,590 --> 00:16:18,433 Be nice to people. 328 00:16:18,471 --> 00:16:19,245 Don't hug strangers. 329 00:16:19,278 --> 00:16:20,340 I've done that before. 330 00:16:21,210 --> 00:16:23,398 One time in an airport, a lady smiled at me and I hugged her. 331 00:16:23,403 --> 00:16:24,706 And I said, how long you been going to Sandals? 332 00:16:24,738 --> 00:16:26,470 And she said, what is sandals? 333 00:16:28,509 --> 00:16:30,620 I'm going to stop touching you right now. 334 00:16:32,190 --> 00:16:32,937 That happened. 335 00:16:33,024 --> 00:16:33,481 Oh, yeah. 336 00:16:33,535 --> 00:16:34,857 Welcome to my life. 337 00:16:35,024 --> 00:16:39,642 So Jesus teaches me to be thankful for the good times. 338 00:16:39,696 --> 00:16:41,186 Do you know why many of you are depressed? 339 00:16:41,238 --> 00:16:46,333 You've skipped over good times, but, boy, you got laser focus on the bad times. 340 00:16:46,371 --> 00:16:51,946 Don't mean some of you guys are like George Costanza. 341 00:16:51,977 --> 00:16:54,618 You celebrate festivus, not Jesus. 342 00:16:54,793 --> 00:17:00,129 And if you don't know festivus, the first rule of festivus is the celebrating and airing 343 00:16:54,793 --> 00:17:00,129 of grievances. 344 00:17:00,789 --> 00:17:02,274 Here's all the things that have gone wrong. 345 00:17:02,312 --> 00:17:03,230 Look at Christians. 346 00:17:03,309 --> 00:17:05,779 We need to be reminded of the things that go right. 347 00:17:06,650 --> 00:17:07,880 That go right. 348 00:17:09,289 --> 00:17:09,894 Next. 349 00:17:10,011 --> 00:17:13,559 Jesus teaches me to be thankful for Godly people. 350 00:17:15,130 --> 00:17:16,630 Matthew 1125. 351 00:17:16,700 --> 00:17:18,789 At that time, Jesus prayed this prayer. 352 00:17:19,930 --> 00:17:30,165 He says, O Father, Lord of heaven, thank you for hiding these things from those who think 353 00:17:19,930 --> 00:17:30,165 themselves are wise and clever and for revealing them to the childlike. 354 00:17:30,357 --> 00:17:32,109 You want to know why I'm so immature? 355 00:17:32,529 --> 00:17:34,269 Because I'm a follower of Jesus. 356 00:17:36,690 --> 00:17:38,798 My wife's like, what, are you going to grow up? 357 00:17:38,884 --> 00:17:39,519 Never. 358 00:17:40,369 --> 00:17:41,119 Never. 359 00:17:42,609 --> 00:17:43,657 Oh my gosh. 360 00:17:43,753 --> 00:17:46,241 I laugh at things and she's like, you are always going to be twelve. 361 00:17:46,296 --> 00:17:47,362 I said, I hope so. 362 00:17:47,496 --> 00:17:48,625 I hope so. 363 00:17:48,807 --> 00:17:51,299 Because when you're twelve, life is awesome. 364 00:17:51,910 --> 00:17:52,660 Awesome. 365 00:17:54,230 --> 00:17:55,779 But listen to what he said. 366 00:17:56,250 --> 00:18:02,150 I didn't reveal myself to the super cool, the super influential, the super famous, the 367 00:17:56,250 --> 00:18:02,150 super beautiful. 368 00:18:02,299 --> 00:18:06,309 I revealed myself to the simple and the childlike. 369 00:18:07,529 --> 00:18:09,653 God is so thankful for you. 370 00:18:09,852 --> 00:18:17,561 He's so thankful for you that you're not too full of yourself to miss out on him, man. 371 00:18:17,615 --> 00:18:18,761 God is thankful for you. 372 00:18:18,816 --> 00:18:26,480 In Luke 20 214, when the time came, jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table 373 00:18:18,816 --> 00:18:26,480 together. 374 00:18:27,650 --> 00:18:31,534 Jesus teaches me how to be thankful for Godly people. 375 00:18:31,731 --> 00:18:36,701 God thanked us, like, for the simple, goofy, silly, childlike people. 376 00:18:36,756 --> 00:18:37,294 That's us. 377 00:18:37,332 --> 00:18:38,980 Jesus like, I love you guys. 378 00:18:39,430 --> 00:18:40,500 Thank you. 379 00:18:40,869 --> 00:18:41,854 Team Goofy. 380 00:18:41,902 --> 00:18:42,740 That's us. 381 00:18:44,470 --> 00:18:49,240 When's the last time you thank God for the goofy people in your life that make your life 382 00:18:44,470 --> 00:18:49,240 worth living? 383 00:18:52,529 --> 00:18:56,670 I want to challenge you to think about three groups of people your friends, your family 384 00:18:52,529 --> 00:18:56,670 and your church. 385 00:18:57,490 --> 00:18:59,920 When's the last time you thanked God for your friends? 386 00:19:01,829 --> 00:19:03,539 This is what I tell my kids. 387 00:19:04,549 --> 00:19:09,569 Friends are rare and they should be appreciated and thanked. 388 00:19:11,750 --> 00:19:14,693 I've had a lot of people in my life tell me they were my friend. 389 00:19:14,892 --> 00:19:17,862 I've had very, very few people actually act like it. 390 00:19:17,915 --> 00:19:23,546 And I need to praise God for those people, man. 391 00:19:23,567 --> 00:19:24,619 I have friends. 392 00:19:25,630 --> 00:19:27,433 I have friends that call me pastor. 393 00:19:27,481 --> 00:19:34,079 Do you realize how weird that is to know everything about me, still love me? 394 00:19:35,329 --> 00:19:36,079 Yeah. 395 00:19:36,450 --> 00:19:39,599 You think you know somebody, marry them, then you'll discover who they are. 396 00:19:40,289 --> 00:19:41,200 Oh, yeah. 397 00:19:42,450 --> 00:19:44,718 But when's the last time you just said thank you? 398 00:19:44,804 --> 00:19:45,645 Maybe this weekend. 399 00:19:45,678 --> 00:19:50,500 What you need to do is you need to sit down, turn the game off, because you don't know 400 00:19:45,678 --> 00:19:50,500 those people and they don't know you. 401 00:19:51,109 --> 00:19:53,380 And you need to write a note to a friend. 402 00:19:53,990 --> 00:19:57,557 Guys, you got to ask a woman where the cards are in the grocery store. 403 00:19:57,723 --> 00:19:59,493 It's really hard to find them. 404 00:19:59,612 --> 00:20:06,266 You've walked by them your entire life and write a card says, I appreciate you. 405 00:20:06,367 --> 00:20:07,259 Thank you. 406 00:20:07,869 --> 00:20:09,001 Or don't send a card. 407 00:20:09,056 --> 00:20:11,420 Just tell your friends, hey, man, thanks. 408 00:20:11,789 --> 00:20:13,420 I'm grateful for you. 409 00:20:14,269 --> 00:20:14,730 Next. 410 00:20:14,799 --> 00:20:15,900 How about family? 411 00:20:17,789 --> 00:20:21,534 A lot of times, we tend to focus on all the things our family didn't do for us. 412 00:20:21,571 --> 00:20:24,559 When's the last time you thank God for the things they did do? 413 00:20:29,190 --> 00:20:35,480 I'm grateful for the things my mom and dad did, the things that they sacrificed for the 414 00:20:29,190 --> 00:20:35,480 life that they provided for me. 415 00:20:36,569 --> 00:20:37,750 I'm thankful. 416 00:20:39,849 --> 00:20:40,913 Maybe it was an aunt. 417 00:20:40,961 --> 00:20:41,794 Maybe it was an uncle. 418 00:20:41,842 --> 00:20:43,089 Maybe it was a cousin. 419 00:20:43,250 --> 00:20:49,493 Maybe it was a brother or sister that looked out for you, man. 420 00:20:49,531 --> 00:20:52,619 I had a friend of mine, a good friend of mine, he grew up in a very abusive home. 421 00:20:53,150 --> 00:20:57,001 He had a sibling that would lock him up and kidnap him and do just awful things. 422 00:20:57,056 --> 00:21:00,640 But, you know, he had another brother that would come looking for him. 423 00:21:03,180 --> 00:21:05,640 You see, you need to thank God for that brother. 424 00:21:07,660 --> 00:21:09,811 And maybe your family's terrible. 425 00:21:09,875 --> 00:21:11,319 Maybe it was a teacher. 426 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:16,269 You had a teacher that noticed you, that saw potential in you. 427 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,509 Family is a bigger word than I think we give it credit for. 428 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:23,710 And then how about this? 429 00:21:24,180 --> 00:21:25,599 How about your church? 430 00:21:28,180 --> 00:21:35,089 Can I just tell you, one of the things I've been super convicted about this year is I 431 00:21:28,180 --> 00:21:35,089 don't thank God enough for you guys. 432 00:21:36,019 --> 00:21:37,039 I don't. 433 00:21:39,059 --> 00:21:41,940 I was super convicted this last week while I was writing this message. 434 00:21:42,009 --> 00:21:50,660 It's a miracle that Sandals Church made it through COVID, made it through the 2020 435 00:21:42,009 --> 00:21:50,660 election, made it through the George Floyd issues, made it through the Ukraine war. 436 00:21:50,730 --> 00:21:51,943 It is a miracle of God. 437 00:21:51,981 --> 00:21:55,690 Sandals Church is a living, breathing miracle because of you. 438 00:21:56,380 --> 00:22:01,690 And I just want to say, from the bottom of my heart, I can never thank you enough. 439 00:22:02,299 --> 00:22:03,624 And here's the reality. 440 00:22:03,672 --> 00:22:05,884 I've not led perfectly the last four years. 441 00:22:05,922 --> 00:22:07,144 I've made mistakes. 442 00:22:07,271 --> 00:22:12,523 I've said dumb things, done dumb things, doubled down on dumb things. 443 00:22:12,561 --> 00:22:13,372 Anybody ever do that? 444 00:22:13,425 --> 00:22:16,369 I'm going to double down on stupid, because this makes sense. 445 00:22:18,339 --> 00:22:25,089 And I was talking with our executive pastor this week, and I said, I'm just so bummed 446 00:22:18,339 --> 00:22:25,089 about all the mistakes I've made. 447 00:22:25,799 --> 00:22:26,435 You know what he said? 448 00:22:26,458 --> 00:22:28,655 He's all, yeah, that's executive. 449 00:22:28,847 --> 00:22:30,980 He wasn't like, no, you haven't. 450 00:22:31,319 --> 00:22:34,950 No, he just literally text back, yeah. 451 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:40,390 But I want to say this today. 452 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,455 I want to thank you for hanging in there at Sandals Church. 453 00:22:43,488 --> 00:22:50,167 And I know a lot of you have lost friends that have gone to other churches because they 454 00:22:43,488 --> 00:22:50,167 say I've gone nuts or I've gone woke or I'm a Trumpster or whatever. 455 00:22:50,253 --> 00:22:53,640 It's amazing how crazy I am to people in every direction. 456 00:22:54,079 --> 00:22:55,243 I'm like, can I be both? 457 00:22:55,281 --> 00:22:55,756 They're like, yes. 458 00:22:55,778 --> 00:22:56,670 I'm like, okay. 459 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:13,788 But I just want to thank you, because some of you guys, you've hung in there with us, and 460 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:13,788 you keep giving, you keep serving, you keep coming, you keep celebrating, and you show up 461 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:13,788 every single week, and I get paid to be here, but you don't. 462 00:23:13,963 --> 00:23:16,811 And I just want to read this scripture. 463 00:23:16,955 --> 00:23:22,003 And I want you to know that when I read this, I had to stop and I thanked God for you. 464 00:23:22,041 --> 00:23:25,700 Paul says this as he writes a letter to his church in Ephesus. 465 00:23:26,599 --> 00:23:32,759 He says, I have not stopped thanking God for you, and I pray for you constantly. 466 00:23:33,180 --> 00:23:37,450 I want you to know as your pastor, I thank God for you. 467 00:23:38,140 --> 00:23:42,599 I thank God for your service, for your heart, and for your faithfulness. 468 00:23:43,420 --> 00:23:49,500 And I especially thank God for those of you who were with me in 2020 and are still with me 469 00:23:43,420 --> 00:23:49,500 today. 470 00:23:49,569 --> 00:24:01,569 Because I realize this has been bumpy for four years and there have been times as the 471 00:23:49,569 --> 00:24:01,569 pilot, I have steered into turbulence because I'm super gifted that way. 472 00:24:02,339 --> 00:24:04,849 And I apologize for that. 473 00:24:06,339 --> 00:24:14,084 And here's the thing is, if I'm honest, if I said if I go back and do it again, I'd just 474 00:24:06,339 --> 00:24:14,084 make different mistakes because I didn't know how to lead. 475 00:24:14,281 --> 00:24:20,250 Never been through a pandemic before, never seen anything in my life, what America is 476 00:24:14,281 --> 00:24:20,250 going through like now, never seen it. 477 00:24:21,339 --> 00:24:22,647 So thank you. 478 00:24:22,814 --> 00:24:26,115 Thank you for sticking with us and for those who are new to the church. 479 00:24:26,147 --> 00:24:30,756 I'm an amazing leader, and you're going to love it here. 480 00:24:30,877 --> 00:24:31,675 You're going to love it. 481 00:24:31,698 --> 00:24:32,829 It's going to be good. 482 00:24:33,599 --> 00:24:34,990 It's going to be good. 483 00:24:36,559 --> 00:24:37,996 Okay, let's move forward. 484 00:24:38,097 --> 00:24:39,900 I don't know why there's all the laughter. 485 00:24:41,599 --> 00:24:42,349 Next. 486 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:44,432 And let me say this. 487 00:24:44,486 --> 00:24:46,609 If you're not a Christian yet, you need to be. 488 00:24:47,539 --> 00:24:49,279 There's no one like Jesus. 489 00:24:49,779 --> 00:24:50,769 No one. 490 00:24:51,779 --> 00:24:55,730 Jesus teaches me to be thankful for the little things, man. 491 00:24:57,220 --> 00:25:03,730 You want to fix your marriage, start thanking God for the little things, the little 492 00:24:57,220 --> 00:25:03,730 things. 493 00:25:05,140 --> 00:25:06,336 You want to have friends. 494 00:25:06,438 --> 00:25:10,023 Thank him for the little things you like. 495 00:25:10,061 --> 00:25:12,855 We all think about the friend that doesn't call us back, that doesn't invite us. 496 00:25:12,877 --> 00:25:16,170 When did we thank the friend that does call us that does invite us? 497 00:25:18,220 --> 00:25:24,140 Luke 20 217 then he took the cup of wine and he gave thanks to God for it. 498 00:25:24,210 --> 00:25:27,900 He's thanking God for a glass of wine. 499 00:25:30,079 --> 00:25:34,031 When's the last time many of you don't even thank God when you eat. 500 00:25:34,086 --> 00:25:35,490 You need to change that. 501 00:25:38,180 --> 00:25:40,016 That's why we thank God, because we get to eat. 502 00:25:40,038 --> 00:25:47,920 Because there's been Christians throughout the last 2000 years who've not eaten, who have 503 00:25:40,038 --> 00:25:47,920 starved to death. 504 00:25:49,940 --> 00:25:51,410 Thank God for it. 505 00:25:51,779 --> 00:25:54,932 I was on a flight and I was all mad and bitter because I fly enough. 506 00:25:54,986 --> 00:25:55,839 I get upgraded. 507 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:57,183 So I get upgraded. 508 00:25:57,311 --> 00:25:58,115 And I always love that. 509 00:25:58,137 --> 00:26:03,690 When you get upgraded to business class, you walk past the coach people, you're like, I 510 00:25:58,137 --> 00:26:03,690 have been summoned to the front. 511 00:26:06,619 --> 00:26:07,316 It's so funny. 512 00:26:07,347 --> 00:26:10,647 When I walk past business class, I just like, you greedy people. 513 00:26:10,733 --> 00:26:12,910 And then when it's me, I'm like, Mick way. 514 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:14,935 But anyways, I didn't get upgraded. 515 00:26:14,968 --> 00:26:19,099 I was in coach and the guy next to me. 516 00:26:19,170 --> 00:26:21,150 We were very close. 517 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:24,849 We were strangers in the night. 518 00:26:27,140 --> 00:26:31,104 And I am pressed against the window, and I'm so mad at him. 519 00:26:31,221 --> 00:26:32,609 God, everything. 520 00:26:33,619 --> 00:26:37,132 And he's coming on top of me, and he's asleep. 521 00:26:37,195 --> 00:26:38,450 He's one of these guys. 522 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:48,208 I was so tempted just to drop something in there, but then I'd be on the news, and so I 523 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:48,208 was so mad. 524 00:26:48,384 --> 00:26:50,784 And there's no free video on this thing. 525 00:26:50,842 --> 00:26:53,268 You got to look at your own phone and watch a movie. 526 00:26:53,443 --> 00:26:55,107 And so I was just so angry. 527 00:26:55,203 --> 00:26:57,079 So I picked Nacho Libre. 528 00:26:59,660 --> 00:27:06,509 And if you haven't seen this movie, it's the dumbest movie that every Christian needs to 529 00:26:59,660 --> 00:27:06,509 see. 530 00:27:08,559 --> 00:27:17,200 And there's this line in this movie that forever, like when we go to heaven, jesus is 531 00:27:08,559 --> 00:27:17,200 going to quote Nacho Libre. 532 00:27:18,740 --> 00:27:21,250 And Nacho's discouraged about his life. 533 00:27:21,700 --> 00:27:22,640 He's not happy. 534 00:27:22,710 --> 00:27:23,935 He's not getting the girl. 535 00:27:24,038 --> 00:27:25,440 He's not getting the attention. 536 00:27:25,799 --> 00:27:27,695 And he says this quote. 537 00:27:27,887 --> 00:27:39,210 He says, I know the wrestlers get all the fancy ladies and clothes, the fancy creams and 538 00:27:27,887 --> 00:27:39,210 lotions, but my life is good, really good. 539 00:27:39,740 --> 00:27:41,736 I get to wake up every morning at 05:00 a.m. 540 00:27:41,758 --> 00:27:43,400 And make some soup. 541 00:27:49,420 --> 00:27:51,152 I'm dying on the airplane. 542 00:27:51,236 --> 00:27:52,779 I'm dying laughing. 543 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,236 When's the last time you thank God that you get to get up at 05:00 a.m.? 544 00:27:58,258 --> 00:27:59,789 Because not everybody did today. 545 00:28:02,900 --> 00:28:09,163 What are the blessings that you might be missing so many Christians? 546 00:28:09,211 --> 00:28:10,400 Pastor Rd prayer. 547 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:11,460 What, for a job? 548 00:28:11,529 --> 00:28:13,011 Didn't we pray for a job last month? 549 00:28:13,066 --> 00:28:14,003 Yeah, I got that job. 550 00:28:14,041 --> 00:28:14,403 What happened? 551 00:28:14,442 --> 00:28:15,509 It didn't work out. 552 00:28:17,079 --> 00:28:18,071 At least you have a job. 553 00:28:18,125 --> 00:28:26,711 A lot of people are losing their jobs right now, losing their livelihood, have not been 554 00:28:18,125 --> 00:28:26,711 paid in months. 555 00:28:26,766 --> 00:28:29,872 I have a friend of mine works in Hollywood. 556 00:28:30,036 --> 00:28:35,390 Because of the strike, he's made $0 this year, zero. 557 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:40,695 I was like, man, I've never thought about feeling sad for Hollywood. 558 00:28:40,728 --> 00:28:42,476 People still not going to do it. 559 00:28:42,498 --> 00:28:47,680 But I thought about know, I'm such a good pastor. 560 00:28:49,619 --> 00:28:50,352 How about this? 561 00:28:50,405 --> 00:28:51,071 Your health, man. 562 00:28:51,125 --> 00:28:56,900 You don't thank God for it until you don't have it and you're healthy. 563 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:02,869 When's the last time you thank God that your lung works, your brain works, your body 564 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:02,869 works, your foot works? 565 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:05,349 When did you just thank God? 566 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:08,920 How about a good night's sleep? 567 00:29:09,660 --> 00:29:10,730 Oh, man. 568 00:29:11,339 --> 00:29:19,539 You know, Tammy and I went to Ireland, and I have a new form of appreciation and sympathy 569 00:29:11,339 --> 00:29:19,539 for those of you who struggle sleeping. 570 00:29:19,619 --> 00:29:22,804 Both Tammy and I, we got insomnia in Ireland. 571 00:29:22,852 --> 00:29:28,269 I've never had it before, never experienced it before, and I just never want to experience 572 00:29:22,852 --> 00:29:28,269 it. 573 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:32,316 You know, whenever you travel, sleep is always weird for a couple of days. 574 00:29:32,417 --> 00:29:35,576 But the conference I was speaking at was in a movie theater. 575 00:29:35,768 --> 00:29:38,028 And these are new churches. 576 00:29:38,124 --> 00:29:39,644 These are young churches in Europe. 577 00:29:39,692 --> 00:29:40,907 They don't have a good budget. 578 00:29:41,003 --> 00:29:45,728 And so the truth is, the movie theater was super dark, and I was in it all day, every day. 579 00:29:45,814 --> 00:29:48,480 And we missed sunlight for three nights. 580 00:29:50,099 --> 00:29:51,791 And then we went to a pharmacist. 581 00:29:51,855 --> 00:29:56,175 And I know they think they speak English in Ireland, but I asked for Benadryl, and they 582 00:29:51,855 --> 00:29:56,175 gave me Zequil. 583 00:29:56,208 --> 00:29:58,036 And Zequil does the opposite to me. 584 00:29:58,137 --> 00:29:58,607 Zequil. 585 00:29:58,624 --> 00:29:59,624 And let me just explain it. 586 00:29:59,662 --> 00:30:05,415 If I had three hamsters in my brain and they all snorted cocaine, that's what Zekel does. 587 00:30:05,518 --> 00:30:06,660 And they just party. 588 00:30:06,740 --> 00:30:08,490 They party all night long. 589 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:14,509 And let me tell you something. 590 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:17,048 I'm leading. 591 00:30:17,223 --> 00:30:19,400 I'm preaching, I'm teaching. 592 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:21,000 I'm smiling. 593 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:24,988 I got an IV with coffee in my arm every day. 594 00:30:25,153 --> 00:30:27,259 And this went on for six nights. 595 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:28,511 I know six. 596 00:30:28,566 --> 00:30:29,996 I didn't sleep for six nights. 597 00:30:30,107 --> 00:30:32,556 And I kept Tammy up for most of those six nights because we're married. 598 00:30:32,587 --> 00:30:32,895 We're one. 599 00:30:32,917 --> 00:30:34,559 If I can't sleep, you can't sleep. 600 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:43,392 And I went and preached at the town where my family left Ireland. 601 00:30:43,455 --> 00:30:44,259 Cork. 602 00:30:44,839 --> 00:30:46,069 Think about that. 603 00:30:46,839 --> 00:30:48,784 My family left, came to America. 604 00:30:48,832 --> 00:30:51,720 There were signs said, no dogs, no blacks and no Irish. 605 00:30:52,779 --> 00:30:55,210 That was the American dream when they came here. 606 00:30:55,980 --> 00:30:59,284 But I was there, and they said, is there anything we can do for you, Pastor? 607 00:30:59,332 --> 00:30:59,736 I said yeah. 608 00:30:59,758 --> 00:31:00,675 I said, I need some sleep. 609 00:31:00,708 --> 00:31:03,019 Is there a doctor I need to talk to? 610 00:31:03,089 --> 00:31:04,220 I need a doctor. 611 00:31:05,279 --> 00:31:07,980 And I'll tell you what, I didn't sleep night six. 612 00:31:08,049 --> 00:31:10,509 I didn't sleep night seven, but I did night eight. 613 00:31:11,119 --> 00:31:16,240 And I got to tell you, I wept when I woke up in the morning and I realized I'd fallen 614 00:31:11,119 --> 00:31:16,240 asleep. 615 00:31:16,900 --> 00:31:20,523 And I said, God, thank you for sleep. 616 00:31:20,571 --> 00:31:26,660 Did you know the Bible says Psalm 127 two the Lord blesses his beloved with sleep. 617 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:34,579 Do you know how hard it is to shut off your brain if you slept last night? 618 00:31:34,650 --> 00:31:36,069 God did it for you. 619 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:41,609 Sleep, man. 620 00:31:43,500 --> 00:31:45,880 For some of you, it might not be your work. 621 00:31:45,950 --> 00:31:47,000 It might not be your health. 622 00:31:47,069 --> 00:31:48,003 It might not be sleep. 623 00:31:48,051 --> 00:31:48,839 It was this message. 624 00:31:48,910 --> 00:31:50,700 You need to thank God for this message today. 625 00:31:50,769 --> 00:31:52,190 This is what you needed. 626 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:55,069 This is what you needed. 627 00:31:55,759 --> 00:31:57,784 Because the truth is, you've become ungrateful. 628 00:31:57,832 --> 00:31:59,644 And the Lord has blessed you. 629 00:31:59,842 --> 00:32:01,564 The Lord has blessed you. 630 00:32:01,761 --> 00:32:03,640 You know why your kids are bored? 631 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:05,180 Because they're blessed. 632 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:10,208 100 years ago, working on the farm, get it? 633 00:32:10,213 --> 00:32:10,607 For you know what? 634 00:32:10,614 --> 00:32:11,915 They weren't bored. 635 00:32:12,107 --> 00:32:13,211 They were never bored. 636 00:32:13,276 --> 00:32:15,519 They were starving, but they weren't bored. 637 00:32:17,940 --> 00:32:19,923 Some of you, you've blessed your children too much. 638 00:32:19,961 --> 00:32:21,220 That's why they're bored. 639 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:22,816 My kids oh, my gosh. 640 00:32:22,847 --> 00:32:23,983 There's nothing to watch on TV. 641 00:32:24,031 --> 00:32:26,208 I was like, when I was a kid, we had three channels. 642 00:32:26,384 --> 00:32:27,104 Three channels. 643 00:32:27,152 --> 00:32:28,079 Click, click. 644 00:32:28,250 --> 00:32:31,210 You have 3000 movies on your phone. 645 00:32:32,539 --> 00:32:34,519 Don't talk to me about bored. 646 00:32:35,579 --> 00:32:36,359 Think about it. 647 00:32:36,430 --> 00:32:40,170 Kids today have more movies on their phone than Blockbuster had in the store. 648 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:41,243 Remember? 649 00:32:41,281 --> 00:32:42,430 We were walking around. 650 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:45,403 Anyways, I'm old. 651 00:32:45,442 --> 00:32:46,220 Okay, next. 652 00:32:46,369 --> 00:32:50,680 Jesus teaches me to be thankful for opportunities. 653 00:32:50,839 --> 00:32:51,692 Wait for it. 654 00:32:51,746 --> 00:32:53,410 You've liked the message so far? 655 00:32:54,099 --> 00:32:57,250 Jesus teaches me to be thankful for opportunities to give. 656 00:32:58,740 --> 00:33:02,432 Then he took some bread, and he gave thanks to God for it. 657 00:33:02,566 --> 00:33:05,536 Okay, but what is the bread? 658 00:33:05,728 --> 00:33:14,150 Then he broke it and he gave it to the disciples, saying, this is my body which is given 659 00:33:05,728 --> 00:33:14,150 for you. 660 00:33:16,119 --> 00:33:28,311 Man if you're a Christian, your life should be marked by giving, giving to God and his 661 00:33:16,119 --> 00:33:28,311 church to reach the world for Christ. 662 00:33:28,365 --> 00:33:29,592 That's what Jesus is doing. 663 00:33:29,726 --> 00:33:32,990 He's giving God to the church to reach the world to Him. 664 00:33:33,359 --> 00:33:34,251 Let me say this. 665 00:33:34,306 --> 00:33:38,140 Every Christian every Christian should support their church financially. 666 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:40,380 I don't understand this. 667 00:33:40,450 --> 00:33:42,471 One of the things I'm doing with the church in Europe. 668 00:33:42,536 --> 00:33:43,703 The church in Europe is alive. 669 00:33:43,751 --> 00:33:44,471 It's growing. 670 00:33:44,536 --> 00:33:46,892 Man I met pastors from Germany. 671 00:33:46,955 --> 00:33:53,536 I met pastors who planted a church in Paris, pastors in Ireland, pastors in Scandinavia, 672 00:33:46,955 --> 00:33:53,536 in Italy, all over the world. 673 00:33:53,557 --> 00:33:53,968 And you know what? 674 00:33:53,973 --> 00:33:55,695 They're all afraid to talk about? 675 00:33:55,877 --> 00:33:56,609 Money. 676 00:33:57,299 --> 00:33:59,940 And I said, you can't grow a church without money. 677 00:34:00,009 --> 00:34:01,203 It won't work. 678 00:34:01,402 --> 00:34:03,284 You got to challenge your people to give. 679 00:34:03,321 --> 00:34:04,596 And they're like, we can't do it. 680 00:34:04,617 --> 00:34:06,630 I said, Fly me here, I'll do it. 681 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:09,050 I'll do it. 682 00:34:10,139 --> 00:34:17,507 Every single believer should celebrate the fact that God wants me to participate with Him 683 00:34:10,139 --> 00:34:17,507 to build his kingdom. 684 00:34:17,603 --> 00:34:18,760 I get to be a part. 685 00:34:18,829 --> 00:34:21,949 I should celebrate that and never apologize for it. 686 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:33,083 Two Corinthians nine seven says this each one must give as he has decided in his heart, 687 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:33,083 not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. 688 00:34:33,211 --> 00:34:35,807 When you get God, you get giving. 689 00:34:35,974 --> 00:34:39,170 And if you don't get giving, you haven't gotten God. 690 00:34:40,260 --> 00:34:41,643 You feel a golf clap? 691 00:34:41,692 --> 00:34:42,769 Yeah, okay. 692 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:50,739 Like I'm clapping, but I'm kind of convicted. 693 00:34:54,039 --> 00:34:59,079 Listen, Christians, you need to be givers. 694 00:35:00,940 --> 00:35:03,929 God won't grow Sandals financially without you. 695 00:35:04,460 --> 00:35:06,664 And he doesn't need some rich dude to write a check. 696 00:35:06,702 --> 00:35:08,119 He needs you to be faithful. 697 00:35:09,980 --> 00:35:11,469 And let me say this. 698 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:13,867 There are many Christians right now. 699 00:35:14,034 --> 00:35:19,963 Maybe you're attending Sandals Church because it's Thanksgiving weekend and you're 700 00:35:14,034 --> 00:35:19,963 visiting us. 701 00:35:20,081 --> 00:35:21,949 You don't have to give, but you could. 702 00:35:22,639 --> 00:35:27,807 And let me tell you why, especially those who watch every single week online. 703 00:35:27,893 --> 00:35:29,036 But you attend another church. 704 00:35:29,068 --> 00:35:30,335 I want to challenge you. 705 00:35:30,518 --> 00:35:38,500 Christians from other churches that are blessed by the ministry of Santa's Church should 706 00:35:30,518 --> 00:35:38,500 help support Santa's church. 707 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:40,771 I run into so many people. 708 00:35:40,826 --> 00:35:43,795 I go to such and such church, but I watch you every week. 709 00:35:43,898 --> 00:35:44,307 Great. 710 00:35:44,393 --> 00:35:45,619 Give an offering. 711 00:35:46,599 --> 00:35:48,179 Tammy and I were in Ireland. 712 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:50,420 We flow. 713 00:35:52,380 --> 00:35:54,068 We flew to Ireland. 714 00:35:54,244 --> 00:35:55,844 They didn't pay for the flights. 715 00:35:55,972 --> 00:35:57,876 We stayed in a hotel for eight nights. 716 00:35:57,907 --> 00:35:59,027 They didn't pay for the hotels. 717 00:35:59,123 --> 00:36:00,152 We rented our car. 718 00:36:00,206 --> 00:36:01,123 We paid for our gas. 719 00:36:01,172 --> 00:36:01,784 You want to know why? 720 00:36:01,822 --> 00:36:03,500 They got no money in Europe. 721 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:05,516 They're barely making it. 722 00:36:05,617 --> 00:36:06,603 I spoke for free. 723 00:36:06,641 --> 00:36:07,867 I don't know how you make your living. 724 00:36:07,954 --> 00:36:10,456 I make my living speaking and writing. 725 00:36:10,568 --> 00:36:13,288 I paid thousands of dollars to go to Europe. 726 00:36:13,384 --> 00:36:14,043 Why is that? 727 00:36:14,081 --> 00:36:19,599 Because Jesus is the hope of the world, and the church is his tool to share the Gospel. 728 00:36:21,219 --> 00:36:23,115 And then they gave an offering. 729 00:36:23,307 --> 00:36:24,768 And you know what my wife said? 730 00:36:24,853 --> 00:36:26,096 Are we going to give? 731 00:36:26,277 --> 00:36:27,056 Are we going to give? 732 00:36:27,077 --> 00:36:27,775 You know why she said that? 733 00:36:27,797 --> 00:36:28,688 Because I handle the money. 734 00:36:28,773 --> 00:36:29,780 You know what she's saying? 735 00:36:29,849 --> 00:36:30,420 We're giving. 736 00:36:30,489 --> 00:36:31,750 That's what she's saying. 737 00:36:33,079 --> 00:36:34,436 So I'm doing just like you do. 738 00:36:34,458 --> 00:36:36,467 I'm trying to figure out on the app how to give. 739 00:36:36,634 --> 00:36:37,956 What do I give? 740 00:36:38,137 --> 00:36:39,300 And you know what I gave? 741 00:36:39,369 --> 00:36:40,788 What the Holy Spirit said. 742 00:36:40,873 --> 00:36:41,989 That's what I gave. 743 00:36:42,300 --> 00:36:45,496 And when we went and spoke at that church in Cork, you know what we did? 744 00:36:45,518 --> 00:36:46,135 We gave. 745 00:36:46,237 --> 00:36:46,824 You know why? 746 00:36:46,862 --> 00:36:47,960 God was there. 747 00:36:48,110 --> 00:36:51,000 God was there, and God was moving, and God was working. 748 00:36:51,070 --> 00:36:51,864 And here's the thing. 749 00:36:51,902 --> 00:36:54,780 At the conference I spoke at, I was blessed. 750 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,789 And that little church that's struggling in Cork, do you know what they did at the end? 751 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:02,295 They wanted to pay us an offering. 752 00:37:02,327 --> 00:37:02,775 I refused. 753 00:37:02,807 --> 00:37:05,871 I said, there's no way I'm taking money from you guys. 754 00:37:06,005 --> 00:37:07,503 They said, well, could we pray over you? 755 00:37:07,541 --> 00:37:08,769 I said yes, please. 756 00:37:10,340 --> 00:37:14,690 And I wept like a baby in front of hundreds of Irish people. 757 00:37:15,699 --> 00:37:16,789 It was beautiful. 758 00:37:18,119 --> 00:37:22,389 Tammy and I were blessed to be a part of what God's doing. 759 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:29,130 Look, if you listen on the weekends and you go to another church and I hear, I love the 760 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:29,130 debrief, then support it. 761 00:37:30,300 --> 00:37:30,936 Support it. 762 00:37:30,958 --> 00:37:32,679 Why are Christians so cheap? 763 00:37:33,099 --> 00:37:34,264 I don't get it. 764 00:37:34,382 --> 00:37:35,929 Why want that for free? 765 00:37:37,099 --> 00:37:39,210 Well, you want me to make a list of things I want? 766 00:37:40,460 --> 00:37:41,610 Come on, guys. 767 00:37:42,380 --> 00:37:43,195 I love that. 768 00:37:43,217 --> 00:37:45,550 I have a wife that says, Are we going to give? 769 00:37:46,239 --> 00:37:47,550 Are we going to give? 770 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:52,460 My wife is still talking about the sermon some other dude preached. 771 00:37:52,980 --> 00:37:54,289 What's that about? 772 00:37:58,900 --> 00:37:59,775 She even said this. 773 00:37:59,797 --> 00:38:00,623 She said he's really good. 774 00:38:00,661 --> 00:38:03,039 Maybe he could replace you when you retire at Senate. 775 00:38:03,619 --> 00:38:05,750 I was like, now we've gone too far. 776 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:09,860 We just went from blessing to insulting. 777 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:12,211 But he was really good. 778 00:38:12,346 --> 00:38:13,590 He was really good. 779 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:18,360 And then lastly, Jesus teaches me to be thankful for his sacrifice. 780 00:38:20,860 --> 00:38:28,489 After supper, he took another cup of wine and he said, this cup is a new covenant between 781 00:38:20,860 --> 00:38:28,489 God and his people. 782 00:38:28,940 --> 00:38:29,576 Listen to this. 783 00:38:29,597 --> 00:38:29,896 You're like. 784 00:38:29,918 --> 00:38:30,068 What's? 785 00:38:30,083 --> 00:38:30,563 A covenant? 786 00:38:30,612 --> 00:38:30,824 Okay. 787 00:38:30,862 --> 00:38:31,512 He'll tell us. 788 00:38:31,565 --> 00:38:38,110 An agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. 789 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:44,369 If you're not a Christian today, you are separated from God, and there's nothing you can 790 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:44,369 ever do to fix it. 791 00:38:45,619 --> 00:38:54,364 That's why God sent Jesus, because he's the only one who could fix your broken 792 00:38:45,619 --> 00:38:54,364 relationship with yourself, with the people you love, and with God, who's in heaven. 793 00:38:54,492 --> 00:38:58,864 And Jesus Christ fixed all of those relationships by dying for you on the cross. 794 00:38:58,911 --> 00:39:01,135 And all you have to do is accept the offering. 795 00:39:01,168 --> 00:39:02,230 Isn't that crazy? 796 00:39:05,289 --> 00:39:10,150 Jesus taught us to remember his sacrifice. 797 00:39:10,570 --> 00:39:11,782 It's a pretty good deal, right? 798 00:39:11,835 --> 00:39:12,402 I die. 799 00:39:12,465 --> 00:39:13,557 You just say thanks. 800 00:39:13,724 --> 00:39:15,639 And some are like, I'll pray about it. 801 00:39:16,969 --> 00:39:19,000 He dies, we say thanks. 802 00:39:19,369 --> 00:39:21,534 The Eucharist, and remember what it means. 803 00:39:21,731 --> 00:39:22,480 Thanks. 804 00:39:25,570 --> 00:39:31,519 So in just a minute, if you're at church and we take the Lord's supper, all you're doing 805 00:39:25,570 --> 00:39:31,519 is saying thanks. 806 00:39:32,530 --> 00:39:33,280 Thanks. 807 00:39:34,849 --> 00:39:36,193 Why am I saying thanks? 808 00:39:36,311 --> 00:39:39,085 Because it wasn't my body that was on that cross. 809 00:39:39,277 --> 00:39:41,809 And it wasn't my blood that was shed. 810 00:39:42,150 --> 00:39:43,300 It was his. 811 00:39:44,230 --> 00:39:46,206 And why was he on that cross? 812 00:39:46,237 --> 00:39:46,865 For his sin. 813 00:39:46,898 --> 00:39:47,639 Oh, no. 814 00:39:48,090 --> 00:39:49,349 For my sin. 815 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:57,059 Chronicles 16 eight says this give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. 816 00:39:57,639 --> 00:40:00,070 Let the whole world know what he has done. 817 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:02,230 What he has done. 818 00:40:04,059 --> 00:40:08,036 When I interact with Buddhists and Muslims, they always want to know why I'm a Christian. 819 00:40:08,068 --> 00:40:08,711 And here's the answer. 820 00:40:08,766 --> 00:40:10,489 Because Jesus died for me. 821 00:40:11,340 --> 00:40:13,050 What did Buddha do for you? 822 00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:17,389 What did Muhammad do for you? 823 00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:20,572 They may or may not have an answer. 824 00:40:20,626 --> 00:40:21,916 I know what Jesus did for me. 825 00:40:22,018 --> 00:40:24,030 He died on the cross for me. 826 00:40:25,139 --> 00:40:26,155 First Colossians. 827 00:40:26,188 --> 00:40:26,907 Not first colossians. 828 00:40:26,923 --> 00:40:27,152 Sorry. 829 00:40:27,206 --> 00:40:28,719 Colossians 317. 830 00:40:29,059 --> 00:40:34,619 And whatever you do or say, whatever, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus. 831 00:40:34,699 --> 00:40:35,760 Listen to this. 832 00:40:35,909 --> 00:40:40,099 Giving thanks through him to God the Father. 833 00:40:41,559 --> 00:40:45,909 As we prepare our hearts to take the Lord's supper, let's just say thanks. 834 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:48,019 Thank you. 835 00:40:48,170 --> 00:40:51,059 Because we will never be generous until what church? 836 00:40:51,579 --> 00:40:52,440 Grateful. 837 00:40:53,019 --> 00:40:54,119 We're grateful. 838 00:40:54,860 --> 00:41:00,920 Our offerings that we give are just a small portion of what we've received. 839 00:41:01,739 --> 00:41:03,596 And this is what my wife always says. 840 00:41:03,697 --> 00:41:07,467 If you ask her why she's a giver, she tells our kids this all the time. 841 00:41:07,634 --> 00:41:10,909 She says you can never outgive God. 842 00:41:11,679 --> 00:41:12,476 Ever. 843 00:41:12,657 --> 00:41:13,527 Let's pray. 844 00:41:13,623 --> 00:41:18,331 Heavenly Father, we just pray right now, Lord, that you would teach us to say thanks. 845 00:41:18,385 --> 00:41:21,469 It's Thanksgiving weekend and we need to say thanks. 846 00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:24,590 Thank you, God, for the good times. 847 00:41:25,199 --> 00:41:29,699 Thank you, God, for our friends, the godly people in our life, this church. 848 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:33,396 Lord, thank you for the opportunity to give. 849 00:41:33,577 --> 00:41:37,300 And thank you, Lord Jesus, for your sacrifice, for dying for us. 850 00:41:37,369 --> 00:41:40,547 On the cross, we say thank you. 851 00:41:40,634 --> 00:41:42,244 Thank you, thank you. 852 00:41:42,362 --> 00:41:43,027 Thank you. 853 00:41:43,114 --> 00:41:46,068 In the name of Jesus, we say thank you. 854 00:41:46,153 --> 00:41:48,400 And the church said, Amen.