WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.440 Thanks for listening. 00:00:56.100 --> 00:00:57.120 There we go. 00:00:57.180 --> 00:00:57.620 Good morning. 00:00:58.200 --> 00:00:58.820 There we go. 00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:00.160 Glad you guys are with us. 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:03.240 If you're online with us, thank you for joining in as well. 00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:04.380 It's good to be here. 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:07.120 Good to be gathered in God's family together. 00:01:07.360 --> 00:01:09.120 And so let's go ahead and dive on in. 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:12.540 If you've got your Bible, it's going to open up to Matthew chapter 25. 00:01:13.740 --> 00:01:17.800 And this morning, we're going to look at the parable of the sheep and the goats. 00:01:17.800 --> 00:01:23.440 Now, as you're turning there, I think there's some significance to the placement of the teaching 00:01:23.440 --> 00:01:27.100 and where Matthew puts this parable in. 00:01:27.260 --> 00:01:34.180 So this parable is one of the last teachings of Jesus as he enters into the Passover scene 00:01:34.180 --> 00:01:35.260 with his disciples. 00:01:35.740 --> 00:01:38.680 So some biblical history of what's going on. 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:42.580 This is right before Jesus would teach on the Last Supper. 00:01:42.740 --> 00:01:45.060 This is right before Jesus would be betrayed. 00:01:45.060 --> 00:01:48.640 It's right before he would be arrested, beaten, and then crucified. 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:56.560 And so this is the very last words of Christ before all of these other events begin to unfold 00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:58.420 where he will do some more teaching. 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:02.140 But this kind of ends a segment of ministry for him. 00:02:02.260 --> 00:02:08.480 And I think it's very important for us to look at and see what exactly is Jesus talking about. 00:02:08.820 --> 00:02:14.380 As we read it, this parable unfolds a little bit differently than other parables. 00:02:14.380 --> 00:02:16.900 In fact, some people say that this isn't even a parable. 00:02:17.020 --> 00:02:18.080 It's just a teaching of Jesus. 00:02:18.300 --> 00:02:21.020 But there are some aspects of it that make it a parable. 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:22.920 So kind of what am I talking about? 00:02:23.020 --> 00:02:28.520 So as Jesus begins to teach, he speaks in the reality of referring to himself as the Son of Man. 00:02:28.820 --> 00:02:30.680 Which in all the other parables that we've studied, 00:02:31.060 --> 00:02:36.380 Jesus begins at the very beginning with establishing who he is as a character within the parable. 00:02:36.640 --> 00:02:41.860 But then he's going to switch over and he's going to refer to both the shepherd and the king. 00:02:42.320 --> 00:02:47.440 And so when you see in here, Jesus is the Son of Man, Jesus is the shepherd, Jesus is the king, 00:02:47.500 --> 00:02:51.000 as it all goes forward and as he tells the parable. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:55.100 So let's start reading Matthew chapter 25 verse 31. 00:02:55.100 --> 00:02:56.920 Jesus says, 00:02:56.920 --> 00:03:01.920 When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, 00:03:02.340 --> 00:03:04.880 then he will sit on his glorious throne. 00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:09.040 Before him will be gathered all the nations, 00:03:09.340 --> 00:03:16.100 and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 00:03:16.660 --> 00:03:21.600 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 00:03:21.600 --> 00:03:24.960 Then the king will say to those on his right, 00:03:25.380 --> 00:03:27.440 Come you who are blessed by my Father, 00:03:27.820 --> 00:03:32.040 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 00:03:32.420 --> 00:03:34.740 For I was hungry and you gave me food. 00:03:34.980 --> 00:03:37.300 I was thirsty and you gave me drink. 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:40.160 I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 00:03:40.500 --> 00:03:43.020 I was naked and you clothed me. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:45.680 I was sick and you visited me. 00:03:45.920 --> 00:03:48.760 I was in prison and you came to me. 00:03:49.140 --> 00:03:51.620 Then the righteous will answer him saying, 00:03:52.180 --> 00:03:56.100 Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink? 00:03:56.360 --> 00:04:00.820 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you or naked and clothe you? 00:04:00.980 --> 00:04:04.340 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? 00:04:04.780 --> 00:04:06.580 And the king will answer them, 00:04:06.940 --> 00:04:11.060 Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, 00:04:11.420 --> 00:04:12.940 you did it to me. 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:15.280 Then he will say to those on his left, 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:19.620 Depart from me, you cursed and to the eternal fire, 00:04:19.980 --> 00:04:21.900 prepared for the devil and his angels. 00:04:22.320 --> 00:04:24.800 For I was hungry and you gave me no food. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:27.220 I was thirsty and you gave me no drink. 00:04:27.540 --> 00:04:30.000 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me. 00:04:30.460 --> 00:04:32.500 Naked and you did not clothe me. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:35.580 Sick and in prison and you did not visit me. 00:04:36.060 --> 00:04:37.780 Then they also will answer saying, 00:04:37.780 --> 00:04:44.460 Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison 00:04:44.460 --> 00:04:46.340 and did not minister to you? 00:04:46.860 --> 00:04:48.460 Then he will answer them saying, 00:04:48.960 --> 00:04:53.260 Truly I say to you, as you did not do to one of the least of these, 00:04:53.620 --> 00:04:55.640 you did not do it to me. 00:04:56.080 --> 00:04:59.180 And these will go away into eternal punishment, 00:04:59.620 --> 00:05:02.760 but the righteous into eternal life. 00:05:03.380 --> 00:05:07.500 And so Jesus, as he begins this next stage of ministry, 00:05:07.840 --> 00:05:10.120 not only for him, but for his followers, 00:05:10.460 --> 00:05:15.980 is continuing to lay the groundwork of communicating some hard truth for them 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:19.640 as they're going to continue on in ministry without him. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:23.160 And what I mean by without him is without his physical presence there. 00:05:23.400 --> 00:05:26.300 So Jesus is about to go to the cross and die. 00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:29.740 And they're going to have that stretch of three day period where they're without him. 00:05:29.860 --> 00:05:34.940 But then also into the ascension where Jesus will go and promise of the Holy Spirit 00:05:34.940 --> 00:05:39.360 and still be with his followers in spirit, but not be with them physically. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:43.160 And so again, it's this important message of the gospel. 00:05:43.580 --> 00:05:46.140 It's the important part of what I'm entrusting you with. 00:05:46.440 --> 00:05:52.840 And Jesus paints a picture that would be very common of the separating of the sheep and the goats 00:05:52.840 --> 00:05:56.720 to the group of disciples that are gathered there with him. 00:05:57.160 --> 00:06:02.720 And so what I want us to look at within here is there's some harsh realities of truths 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:05.720 that you and I, as we call ourselves believers, 00:06:05.720 --> 00:06:11.560 that we have to embrace within the gospel teaching of what the gospel calls us to. 00:06:11.900 --> 00:06:16.820 And then maybe even more important, what we reflect of the gospel. 00:06:17.320 --> 00:06:21.660 You know, there's a phrase that's used commonly and it's applied to this passage of scripture 00:06:21.660 --> 00:06:24.380 that we need to be the hands and feet of Jesus. 00:06:24.680 --> 00:06:29.520 And I want to say, I agree with that, but I believe that it's a partial truth 00:06:29.520 --> 00:06:31.820 and not the full truth of what we're called to be. 00:06:31.900 --> 00:06:36.120 That what we're called to be is the hands, the feet, and the mouth of Jesus. 00:06:36.320 --> 00:06:39.460 That what we carry with us, what we proclaim, and what we do 00:06:39.460 --> 00:06:41.760 should all fully embrace the gospel. 00:06:42.040 --> 00:06:45.840 And it's what we see come forward out of this passage of scripture. 00:06:46.220 --> 00:06:49.860 So let's understand the gospel and then how that impacts us 00:06:49.860 --> 00:06:51.860 and what that causes in our life. 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:54.420 So the first truth I think we want to look at, 00:06:54.500 --> 00:06:59.020 which is going to provide the umbrella of which this message falls under, 00:06:59.020 --> 00:07:03.980 is this, that the gospel both unites and separates. 00:07:05.080 --> 00:07:08.080 The gospel both unites and separates. 00:07:08.740 --> 00:07:12.220 One of the common things that a lot of believers are talking about, 00:07:12.300 --> 00:07:16.420 especially in the culture and the climate in which we currently live, 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:21.820 is the unity of believers and the unity of the gospel. 00:07:22.380 --> 00:07:23.280 And that's true. 00:07:23.660 --> 00:07:25.580 The gospel does provide unity. 00:07:25.800 --> 00:07:29.520 But the full truth of the work of what the gospel does 00:07:29.520 --> 00:07:34.180 is the gospel both unites and the gospel separates. 00:07:34.760 --> 00:07:37.840 And it's what we see from the very beginning in verse 32. 00:07:38.680 --> 00:07:39.200 Jesus says, 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:53.860 So let's look at this. 00:07:54.400 --> 00:07:59.460 What does it mean that the gospel both equally unites and equally separates? 00:07:59.700 --> 00:08:01.940 First part, the gospel unites. 00:08:01.940 --> 00:08:03.160 Jesus' words. 00:08:03.500 --> 00:08:08.200 Before him will be gathered all the nations. 00:08:08.620 --> 00:08:12.880 You see, there's a global work of God that's been going on since the very beginning 00:08:12.880 --> 00:08:17.600 that we as believers have to come and wrestle with and understand 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:20.320 and work toward applying in our life. 00:08:20.520 --> 00:08:22.460 And Jesus doesn't back down from it. 00:08:22.660 --> 00:08:26.700 In his teachings, even before they knew of the faith that would go 00:08:26.700 --> 00:08:29.120 and that would spread all across the world, 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:30.740 and Jesus establishes right here. 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:34.060 There's a beautiful work of the gospel that unites. 00:08:34.360 --> 00:08:36.860 Before him will be gathered all the nations. 00:08:37.280 --> 00:08:41.460 In Revelation chapter 7, in John's account of the throne room, 00:08:41.520 --> 00:08:43.680 as he begins to describe what that looks like, 00:08:43.820 --> 00:08:44.880 he's very specific. 00:08:45.220 --> 00:08:45.600 Where he says, 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:52.140 Gathered before the king is every tribe, every nation, and every tongue. 00:08:52.880 --> 00:08:56.400 Jesus in Matthew 28, when he gives us the great commission, right? 00:08:56.620 --> 00:09:00.440 The call of all believers to go and to make disciples. 00:09:00.740 --> 00:09:03.200 He says that we're not just to make disciples here. 00:09:03.800 --> 00:09:05.840 We're not just to make disciples over there. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:08.380 We're not just to make disciples in our community, 00:09:08.380 --> 00:09:12.580 but that the work of the church is continually working and moving 00:09:12.580 --> 00:09:15.220 so that we make disciples of all nations. 00:09:15.520 --> 00:09:18.860 And the word used there for nations is the word ethnic, 00:09:19.420 --> 00:09:21.400 to imply the ethnic groups. 00:09:21.960 --> 00:09:26.060 So you and I, when we begin to understand that the gospel is global, 00:09:26.300 --> 00:09:29.800 that the gospel unites every tribe, every nation, every tongue, 00:09:29.920 --> 00:09:33.760 we begin to understand the bigness of the call of the gospel. 00:09:35.040 --> 00:09:37.520 See, we even look at one country in our world right now, 00:09:38.220 --> 00:09:39.160 the country of India. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:45.400 There are over 2,700 ethnic groups alone found in India. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:47.940 And so God in the great commission, 00:09:48.760 --> 00:09:52.020 Jesus here doesn't say, just take the gospel to India. 00:09:52.680 --> 00:09:57.420 Jesus says, take the gospel to 2,700 different ethnic groups in India 00:09:57.420 --> 00:10:00.180 and the application of the gospel. 00:10:01.260 --> 00:10:05.600 Because God's heart, God's desire, God's plan is the gathering of all. 00:10:06.400 --> 00:10:10.520 And so we begin to look at this great, big, global work of what God is doing. 00:10:11.160 --> 00:10:14.020 And this morning, I was able to pull up the statistics and look at it. 00:10:14.020 --> 00:10:20.540 That within the 100 largest unreached people groups, 00:10:20.780 --> 00:10:23.900 the 100 largest unreached ethnic groups, 00:10:24.180 --> 00:10:30.180 there's 1.9 billion people, 25% of the world's population. 00:10:31.340 --> 00:10:32.500 It's a church we've got work to do. 00:10:33.800 --> 00:10:38.400 When standing before God, of what, how the gospel unites, 00:10:39.280 --> 00:10:41.480 about how the gospel brings in, 00:10:41.620 --> 00:10:45.880 about how the gospel has always been intended to be taken to people 00:10:45.880 --> 00:10:47.380 who don't look like us, 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:49.380 who don't speak the same language that we do, 00:10:49.580 --> 00:10:51.360 that have different cultures than what we have, 00:10:51.520 --> 00:10:53.340 have different skin color than what we have, 00:10:53.520 --> 00:10:56.240 look differently, act differently, respond differently. 00:10:56.380 --> 00:10:58.340 But the gospel goes to them. 00:10:59.160 --> 00:11:00.740 What we see when we look at scripture 00:11:00.740 --> 00:11:05.740 is that the gospel sees and celebrates diversity. 00:11:07.380 --> 00:11:09.940 And it is the power of God displayed in that 00:11:09.940 --> 00:11:11.460 that unites. 00:11:12.420 --> 00:11:15.320 The world always wants to take people 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:18.200 and divide them into their spot. 00:11:18.900 --> 00:11:20.460 Put them in their box. 00:11:20.620 --> 00:11:21.960 Give them their area. 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:24.200 Divide them into their space. 00:11:25.560 --> 00:11:28.440 And the work of God and the power of only the gospel 00:11:28.440 --> 00:11:29.340 says, no, no, no, no, no. 00:11:29.760 --> 00:11:30.680 That's not what we do. 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:33.260 We take all of those people who are different. 00:11:33.920 --> 00:11:35.420 We take all of those people 00:11:35.420 --> 00:11:36.760 who should be at conflict. 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:38.900 And what the gospel does 00:11:38.900 --> 00:11:40.300 is brings them together 00:11:40.300 --> 00:11:42.820 and turns them into family. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:45.380 It turns them into a people. 00:11:46.360 --> 00:11:47.040 God's people. 00:11:47.780 --> 00:11:49.980 So that where there once were peoples, 00:11:50.360 --> 00:11:52.340 there's now a people before one king. 00:11:53.340 --> 00:11:53.740 Jesus. 00:11:54.680 --> 00:11:56.160 And so the gospel unites. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:58.960 But another thing is the gospel separates. 00:11:59.960 --> 00:12:03.040 And Jesus tells us that he will separate people 00:12:03.040 --> 00:12:04.600 one from another 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:08.560 as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 00:12:09.340 --> 00:12:11.100 Now let's talk a little bit about being a shepherd. 00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:15.120 Kind of a lost job profession in our world. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:17.280 But being a shepherd was a hard job. 00:12:17.400 --> 00:12:19.420 Being a shepherd was a dirty job. 00:12:19.500 --> 00:12:20.720 In fact, if you were a shepherd, 00:12:21.100 --> 00:12:24.020 that job was typically done from a distance. 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:28.220 And you would have to take your flock away from town 00:12:28.220 --> 00:12:29.260 for a couple reasons. 00:12:29.380 --> 00:12:31.240 Number one, they smelled bad. 00:12:31.280 --> 00:12:32.180 I don't know if you've ever been around 00:12:32.180 --> 00:12:33.840 massive groups of animals, 00:12:33.980 --> 00:12:35.840 but they typically don't smell too good. 00:12:36.060 --> 00:12:36.160 Right? 00:12:36.200 --> 00:12:38.140 So the shepherds would go out from the town 00:12:38.140 --> 00:12:41.220 to the pastures in which their flocks would graze. 00:12:41.220 --> 00:12:43.640 But then also they had to go outside of the town 00:12:43.640 --> 00:12:45.460 to get the water and what they would need. 00:12:45.680 --> 00:12:46.920 And so here's why this is important. 00:12:47.740 --> 00:12:49.220 Shepherds, when we think of shepherds, 00:12:49.500 --> 00:12:52.740 at least when I do in the context in which I grew up, 00:12:52.800 --> 00:12:56.060 I picture a shepherd with a big flock of sheep around them. 00:12:56.120 --> 00:12:56.280 Right? 00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:58.860 If we think back to our old Sunday school classes 00:12:58.860 --> 00:12:59.960 and the pictures, 00:13:00.280 --> 00:13:02.780 we think about the Christmas narrative 00:13:02.780 --> 00:13:05.000 that's told to us and what we picture 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:05.720 and what we think of. 00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:07.320 But the truth is most shepherds 00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:08.600 during the time of Jesus' day, 00:13:08.740 --> 00:13:10.140 it wouldn't just be sheeps. 00:13:10.300 --> 00:13:12.920 In fact, most of the time it would be sheep and goats 00:13:12.920 --> 00:13:15.460 would all be a part of the flock together. 00:13:15.820 --> 00:13:18.340 So as the shepherd would move and navigate, 00:13:18.560 --> 00:13:19.860 he has some sheep, 00:13:20.040 --> 00:13:21.220 he has some goats, 00:13:21.300 --> 00:13:25.400 and the job of the shepherd was to keep them separate 00:13:25.400 --> 00:13:27.180 because of what they needed 00:13:27.180 --> 00:13:28.820 and how they responded to each other. 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:31.860 But when most people would look out 00:13:31.860 --> 00:13:34.680 and look across and look down into the pasture 00:13:34.680 --> 00:13:36.200 and see from a distance, 00:13:36.400 --> 00:13:37.560 do you know what people couldn't do? 00:13:38.020 --> 00:13:39.460 They couldn't tell the difference 00:13:39.460 --> 00:13:42.000 between sheep and goats. 00:13:42.640 --> 00:13:44.960 Only the shepherd could. 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:47.740 And I think it's an interesting part 00:13:47.740 --> 00:13:49.240 for us to be able to understand, 00:13:49.920 --> 00:13:53.040 we begin to understand that the gospel separates. 00:13:53.860 --> 00:13:56.120 That Jesus says there is this great unity, 00:13:56.460 --> 00:13:58.120 but there's going to also be a separation 00:13:58.120 --> 00:14:00.080 that is placed in between. 00:14:00.340 --> 00:14:01.560 And who separates? 00:14:02.040 --> 00:14:03.740 Not the townspeople looking off, 00:14:04.380 --> 00:14:05.880 not the people who are out on the side, 00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:09.260 but the shepherd himself separates. 00:14:09.700 --> 00:14:11.140 And so we begin to understand 00:14:11.140 --> 00:14:13.260 in this separation that exists 00:14:13.260 --> 00:14:15.660 that Jesus is both the means 00:14:15.660 --> 00:14:18.940 and the standard of the separation. 00:14:19.760 --> 00:14:21.580 That's why John chapter 14, verse 6, 00:14:22.180 --> 00:14:23.740 Jesus speaking of himself, 00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:24.820 says, 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:27.100 I, I am the way, 00:14:27.460 --> 00:14:28.520 I am the truth, 00:14:28.820 --> 00:14:29.760 I am the life, 00:14:29.880 --> 00:14:31.880 that it all comes from who? 00:14:32.380 --> 00:14:32.860 Jesus. 00:14:34.100 --> 00:14:35.200 Not just his teaching, 00:14:36.140 --> 00:14:37.360 not the things that he does, 00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:41.960 but that all of them found within him 00:14:41.960 --> 00:14:44.120 that Jesus is the way, 00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:45.560 Jesus is the truth, 00:14:45.900 --> 00:14:46.840 Jesus is the life, 00:14:47.140 --> 00:14:49.660 and in that the gospel separates. 00:14:50.620 --> 00:14:52.040 There's an eternal weight 00:14:52.040 --> 00:14:54.680 that is placed within this passage of scripture. 00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:57.580 This isn't a hypothetical situation 00:14:57.580 --> 00:14:59.260 that Jesus is laying out, 00:14:59.380 --> 00:15:00.360 but it's a situation 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:02.040 that rings true for scripture 00:15:02.040 --> 00:15:05.500 and that every single one of us will face. 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:08.240 As we heard the two little kids 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:10.340 on the end of the video, right, 00:15:10.920 --> 00:15:11.840 begin to argue, 00:15:12.640 --> 00:15:13.300 I am the sheep, 00:15:13.560 --> 00:15:14.340 I am the sheep, 00:15:14.600 --> 00:15:15.380 I am the sheep, 00:15:15.560 --> 00:15:16.280 I am the sheep. 00:15:16.980 --> 00:15:18.100 The reality is, 00:15:19.040 --> 00:15:19.920 within our world, 00:15:20.040 --> 00:15:20.760 within our life, 00:15:21.340 --> 00:15:22.540 there's only two choices. 00:15:23.660 --> 00:15:24.460 You're either a sheep, 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:26.100 or you're a goat. 00:15:27.100 --> 00:15:28.280 And that's determined 00:15:28.280 --> 00:15:29.900 by the king. 00:15:30.900 --> 00:15:31.940 It's determined 00:15:31.940 --> 00:15:33.460 by the gospel. 00:15:34.300 --> 00:15:36.260 So the gospel unites, 00:15:37.100 --> 00:15:39.460 but the gospel also separates. 00:15:40.460 --> 00:15:42.100 So how do we respond in this 00:15:42.100 --> 00:15:43.700 as we read the situation 00:15:43.700 --> 00:15:44.600 that unfolds 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:46.280 as Jesus shares 00:15:46.280 --> 00:15:48.000 with his disciples? 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:49.600 And for us, 00:15:49.640 --> 00:15:50.780 I think what we have to come to 00:15:50.780 --> 00:15:51.620 is seeing others 00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:52.800 in light of the gospel. 00:15:53.680 --> 00:15:54.380 Seeing others 00:15:54.380 --> 00:15:55.520 in light of the gospel. 00:15:56.060 --> 00:15:57.900 So as we begin to see this story 00:15:57.900 --> 00:15:58.840 of what is happening, 00:15:59.040 --> 00:16:00.660 the separation happens. 00:16:01.380 --> 00:16:02.120 And Jesus says 00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:02.740 that the sheep 00:16:02.740 --> 00:16:03.900 will be on the right 00:16:03.900 --> 00:16:05.040 and the goats 00:16:05.040 --> 00:16:06.240 will be on the left. 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:07.360 And what the sheep 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:08.380 will enter into 00:16:08.380 --> 00:16:09.360 is the sheep 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:10.080 will enter into 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:10.780 an inheritance. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:11.480 The sheep 00:16:11.480 --> 00:16:12.680 will enter into the kingdom. 00:16:13.020 --> 00:16:13.420 The sheep 00:16:13.420 --> 00:16:14.220 will enter in 00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:15.740 before their heavenly king. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:16.640 But the goats, 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:18.100 the goats 00:16:18.100 --> 00:16:19.300 will enter into punishment. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:21.740 Same situation, 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:24.100 two different destinations. 00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:26.180 And so Jesus begins 00:16:26.180 --> 00:16:26.920 to speak 00:16:26.920 --> 00:16:28.280 of why one 00:16:28.280 --> 00:16:29.360 heads in one direction 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:30.360 and the other 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:31.960 heads in the other direction. 00:16:32.180 --> 00:16:32.960 And this continues 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:34.300 to build on the narrative 00:16:34.300 --> 00:16:35.280 that we've been seeing 00:16:35.280 --> 00:16:35.860 in parables. 00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:37.320 Jesus speaks 00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:38.120 to their fruit. 00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:39.520 Jesus speaks 00:16:39.520 --> 00:16:40.600 to what is seen. 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:41.780 Jesus speaks 00:16:41.780 --> 00:16:43.140 as to who they are. 00:16:43.460 --> 00:16:44.100 And so Jesus 00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:45.500 looks at the sheep 00:16:45.500 --> 00:16:46.700 and he says, 00:16:46.880 --> 00:16:46.900 look, 00:16:46.980 --> 00:16:48.220 when I was hungry, 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:49.320 you fed me. 00:16:49.880 --> 00:16:51.040 When I was thirsty, 00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:52.080 you gave me something 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:52.640 to drink. 00:16:53.180 --> 00:16:54.380 When I was a stranger, 00:16:54.780 --> 00:16:55.840 you welcomed me in. 00:16:56.280 --> 00:16:57.240 When I was naked, 00:16:57.420 --> 00:16:58.600 you cared for me. 00:16:58.840 --> 00:16:59.740 When I was sick, 00:17:00.040 --> 00:17:00.880 you visited me. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:02.280 When I was in prison, 00:17:02.760 --> 00:17:04.660 you came to me. 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:05.920 So as the sheep 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:06.600 are going in, 00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:07.780 they're excited 00:17:07.780 --> 00:17:08.840 to enter into the kingdom. 00:17:09.300 --> 00:17:10.600 And from back behind them, 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:11.560 they can hear 00:17:11.560 --> 00:17:12.440 the shepherd begin 00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:12.820 to say 00:17:12.820 --> 00:17:14.200 why they're headed in. 00:17:14.840 --> 00:17:15.900 And then an amazing 00:17:15.900 --> 00:17:17.440 thing happens. 00:17:18.460 --> 00:17:19.480 They're surprised. 00:17:20.560 --> 00:17:21.700 I think this is the part 00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:22.300 that we miss 00:17:22.300 --> 00:17:23.560 all too often 00:17:23.560 --> 00:17:24.420 in scripture. 00:17:25.020 --> 00:17:26.220 They're surprised 00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:27.840 that they're entering in 00:17:27.840 --> 00:17:28.900 and for the reason 00:17:28.900 --> 00:17:29.860 of why the shepherd 00:17:29.860 --> 00:17:30.640 says they're going 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:31.300 into the kingdom. 00:17:32.040 --> 00:17:32.660 And I think this speaks 00:17:32.660 --> 00:17:34.160 to the great humility 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:35.840 of the redeemed life. 00:17:36.180 --> 00:17:38.300 It's not as they entered in 00:17:38.300 --> 00:17:39.980 and as what's being spoken 00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:40.940 about them 00:17:40.940 --> 00:17:41.740 as they begin 00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:42.760 to nod their heads 00:17:42.760 --> 00:17:43.240 and say, 00:17:43.340 --> 00:17:43.840 that's right, 00:17:43.900 --> 00:17:44.940 look at all of the things 00:17:44.940 --> 00:17:45.580 that I've done. 00:17:45.800 --> 00:17:46.300 But it's that 00:17:46.300 --> 00:17:47.340 in the humility 00:17:47.340 --> 00:17:48.140 of them, 00:17:48.540 --> 00:17:50.200 they're even surprised 00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:50.880 of the work 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:51.680 that God has done 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:52.040 in them. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:55.260 And the posturing 00:17:55.260 --> 00:17:56.560 and the positioning 00:17:56.560 --> 00:17:57.380 of their heart. 00:17:58.440 --> 00:17:59.540 And so they ask 00:17:59.540 --> 00:18:01.620 a profound question. 00:18:02.800 --> 00:18:04.360 When did we do this? 00:18:05.460 --> 00:18:06.900 Jesus, tell us, 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:08.840 when did this happen? 00:18:09.620 --> 00:18:10.820 When did we see you 00:18:10.820 --> 00:18:11.460 this way? 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.000 When did we know 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:15.760 that this is who you were? 00:18:16.620 --> 00:18:17.160 And Jesus, 00:18:17.280 --> 00:18:17.960 very simply, 00:18:18.900 --> 00:18:19.900 Jesus in his kindness 00:18:19.900 --> 00:18:20.900 and his compassion, 00:18:21.740 --> 00:18:21.920 says, 00:18:22.040 --> 00:18:22.560 as you did 00:18:22.560 --> 00:18:23.220 for the least 00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:23.820 of these, 00:18:24.060 --> 00:18:25.120 my brothers, 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:27.260 you did also 00:18:27.260 --> 00:18:28.360 for me. 00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:30.220 But then there's 00:18:30.220 --> 00:18:30.760 the goats. 00:18:31.900 --> 00:18:32.720 And as they begin 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:33.440 to enter in, 00:18:33.580 --> 00:18:34.640 Jesus begins 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:35.240 to speak 00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:36.380 of their lack 00:18:36.380 --> 00:18:36.820 of fruit, 00:18:37.520 --> 00:18:38.480 of what they 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:39.100 didn't do. 00:18:40.100 --> 00:18:41.480 Continuing to build 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:42.360 on that this 00:18:42.360 --> 00:18:43.280 is who you are, 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:43.960 that this is the 00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:44.500 transformation 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:45.820 that takes place 00:18:45.820 --> 00:18:46.440 in your life. 00:18:47.180 --> 00:18:47.940 And Jesus says, 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:48.560 I was hungry. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:50.260 You didn't feed me. 00:18:51.060 --> 00:18:52.160 I was thirsty. 00:18:52.760 --> 00:18:53.200 You gave me 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:53.880 nothing to drink. 00:18:54.740 --> 00:18:56.220 I was a stranger. 00:18:56.420 --> 00:18:57.320 I was naked. 00:18:57.620 --> 00:18:58.440 I was sick. 00:18:58.700 --> 00:18:59.580 I was in prison. 00:18:59.820 --> 00:19:02.280 And you not one time 00:19:02.280 --> 00:19:04.280 cared for me. 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:06.300 And their response 00:19:06.300 --> 00:19:06.600 was, 00:19:07.820 --> 00:19:08.460 but Jesus, 00:19:09.780 --> 00:19:11.040 if we would have 00:19:11.040 --> 00:19:12.740 known it was you, 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:14.400 it would have been 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:16.240 completely different. 00:19:17.420 --> 00:19:18.080 And you see 00:19:18.080 --> 00:19:18.900 the motivation 00:19:18.900 --> 00:19:19.620 of the fruit 00:19:19.620 --> 00:19:20.180 of their heart. 00:19:21.060 --> 00:19:22.280 It's not about 00:19:22.280 --> 00:19:23.300 what's been done 00:19:23.300 --> 00:19:24.080 to them 00:19:24.080 --> 00:19:26.280 that overflows 00:19:26.280 --> 00:19:27.280 on how they 00:19:27.280 --> 00:19:27.800 treat others. 00:19:28.440 --> 00:19:28.760 You see, 00:19:28.820 --> 00:19:30.040 the core of the heart 00:19:30.040 --> 00:19:30.920 of the teaching 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:31.800 of the gospel 00:19:31.800 --> 00:19:32.660 shows us 00:19:32.660 --> 00:19:33.680 who we are, 00:19:33.800 --> 00:19:35.340 not only with Christ, 00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:36.500 but who we were 00:19:36.500 --> 00:19:37.560 before Christ. 00:19:38.500 --> 00:19:39.420 The more that I 00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:40.600 dig into God's word, 00:19:40.700 --> 00:19:41.380 the more I begin 00:19:41.380 --> 00:19:42.180 to understand 00:19:42.180 --> 00:19:43.320 how unworthy 00:19:43.320 --> 00:19:44.800 I am of him, 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:46.320 of what the gospel 00:19:46.320 --> 00:19:47.780 reveals to me, 00:19:47.880 --> 00:19:48.620 that I was a 00:19:48.620 --> 00:19:49.920 desperate sinner 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:51.480 worthy of death 00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:52.700 and death alone. 00:19:53.020 --> 00:19:53.640 But what God 00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:54.420 gave me 00:19:54.420 --> 00:19:56.020 was not what I 00:19:56.020 --> 00:19:56.480 deserved. 00:19:57.540 --> 00:19:58.260 But what God 00:19:58.260 --> 00:19:59.020 gave me 00:19:59.020 --> 00:20:00.800 was his grace. 00:20:01.620 --> 00:20:02.380 And it 00:20:02.380 --> 00:20:03.720 transforms us. 00:20:04.560 --> 00:20:04.960 The gospel 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:05.800 transforms how 00:20:05.800 --> 00:20:06.780 we see ourselves. 00:20:07.560 --> 00:20:08.240 And then when 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:08.780 the gospel 00:20:08.780 --> 00:20:10.000 rightly applied 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:10.700 to our lives, 00:20:11.040 --> 00:20:12.240 surrendered before God, 00:20:12.340 --> 00:20:13.280 it begins to 00:20:13.280 --> 00:20:14.260 change how 00:20:14.260 --> 00:20:15.160 we see others. 00:20:16.400 --> 00:20:16.740 And so there's 00:20:16.740 --> 00:20:17.440 a question that 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:18.060 comes from this 00:20:18.060 --> 00:20:19.220 parable that 00:20:19.220 --> 00:20:19.760 a lot of people 00:20:19.760 --> 00:20:20.680 argue about. 00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:22.200 And the question 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:23.700 is, when Jesus 00:20:23.700 --> 00:20:24.940 gives this parable, 00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:26.500 who's he talking 00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:27.440 about was served? 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:28.900 Who are the 00:20:28.900 --> 00:20:29.720 least of these? 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:31.360 Is it everybody? 00:20:32.280 --> 00:20:32.920 Is it all 00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:33.380 of the different 00:20:33.380 --> 00:20:34.220 people that I 00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:35.100 encounter, both 00:20:35.100 --> 00:20:36.460 saved and lost? 00:20:37.140 --> 00:20:38.920 Or is it just 00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:39.780 the saved people? 00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:40.920 So Jesus, 00:20:41.100 --> 00:20:41.800 what are you 00:20:41.800 --> 00:20:42.640 talking about 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:44.020 when you say 00:20:44.020 --> 00:20:45.420 to the least 00:20:45.420 --> 00:20:46.080 of these? 00:20:46.220 --> 00:20:46.740 And I want 00:20:46.740 --> 00:20:47.260 to attempt 00:20:47.260 --> 00:20:47.860 this morning 00:20:47.860 --> 00:20:48.440 to answer 00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:48.980 that without 00:20:48.980 --> 00:20:49.640 answering it 00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:50.000 at all. 00:20:50.100 --> 00:20:50.300 All right? 00:20:50.320 --> 00:20:50.660 I think you'll 00:20:50.660 --> 00:20:51.000 understand what 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:51.240 I'm saying 00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:51.560 in a second. 00:20:52.460 --> 00:20:52.860 The first 00:20:52.860 --> 00:20:53.260 thing that I 00:20:53.260 --> 00:20:53.660 want us to 00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:55.600 understand is 00:20:55.600 --> 00:20:56.040 it changes 00:20:56.040 --> 00:20:56.720 how we view 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:57.220 the Imago 00:20:57.220 --> 00:20:57.560 Dei. 00:20:58.700 --> 00:20:59.120 And what I 00:20:59.120 --> 00:20:59.500 mean by the 00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:00.040 Imago Dei 00:21:00.040 --> 00:21:00.900 is everyone. 00:21:01.120 --> 00:21:02.480 It's the truth 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:03.420 rooted for us 00:21:03.420 --> 00:21:04.060 in Genesis, 00:21:04.280 --> 00:21:04.940 in creation, 00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:05.760 when God 00:21:05.760 --> 00:21:06.260 said that he 00:21:06.260 --> 00:21:06.940 made man 00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:08.340 in his image 00:21:08.340 --> 00:21:09.200 and in his 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:09.840 likeness. 00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:10.560 The phrase 00:21:10.560 --> 00:21:11.420 in his image 00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:12.240 and his likeness 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:13.220 is the Imago 00:21:13.220 --> 00:21:13.580 Dei. 00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:14.300 It's what 00:21:14.300 --> 00:21:15.180 all of 00:21:15.180 --> 00:21:15.600 mankind, 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:16.880 regardless of 00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:17.420 language, 00:21:17.800 --> 00:21:18.480 regardless of 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.260 skin tone, 00:21:19.600 --> 00:21:20.300 regardless of 00:21:20.300 --> 00:21:20.880 race, 00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:21.760 regardless of 00:21:21.760 --> 00:21:22.400 country, 00:21:22.780 --> 00:21:23.380 regardless of 00:21:23.380 --> 00:21:24.120 male or 00:21:24.120 --> 00:21:24.580 female, 00:21:24.840 --> 00:21:25.320 it's what 00:21:25.320 --> 00:21:26.220 all of 00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:26.580 mankind 00:21:26.580 --> 00:21:27.420 has been 00:21:27.420 --> 00:21:27.880 made in. 00:21:28.740 --> 00:21:29.160 And what 00:21:29.160 --> 00:21:29.720 the gospel 00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:30.860 does is the 00:21:30.860 --> 00:21:31.800 gospel changes 00:21:31.800 --> 00:21:32.760 the way that 00:21:32.760 --> 00:21:33.460 we view 00:21:33.460 --> 00:21:34.920 everyone by 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:35.860 causing us 00:21:35.860 --> 00:21:37.000 to understand 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:38.000 and realize 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:39.020 that everyone 00:21:39.020 --> 00:21:40.020 is made 00:21:40.020 --> 00:21:40.400 in the 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:41.220 Imago Dei, 00:21:41.340 --> 00:21:42.220 that everyone 00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:43.080 is made 00:21:43.080 --> 00:21:43.940 in the image 00:21:43.940 --> 00:21:44.400 of God. 00:21:44.580 --> 00:21:45.260 So when I 00:21:45.260 --> 00:21:46.280 see someone, 00:21:47.300 --> 00:21:48.200 regardless of 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:49.120 what I see, 00:21:50.060 --> 00:21:50.820 regardless of 00:21:50.820 --> 00:21:51.720 what they do, 00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:53.240 regardless of 00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:54.280 what they say, 00:21:54.920 --> 00:21:56.180 they were an 00:21:56.180 --> 00:21:57.840 individual made 00:21:57.840 --> 00:21:58.940 in the image 00:21:58.940 --> 00:22:00.600 of God, 00:22:02.140 --> 00:22:04.140 both the 00:22:04.140 --> 00:22:04.980 lost and the 00:22:04.980 --> 00:22:05.340 saved. 00:22:07.180 --> 00:22:07.860 in our 00:22:07.860 --> 00:22:08.480 world right 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:08.860 now, 00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:12.980 I feel 00:22:12.980 --> 00:22:13.640 where we're 00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:15.000 being pushed 00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:15.600 toward 00:22:15.600 --> 00:22:19.260 is placing 00:22:19.260 --> 00:22:19.980 ourselves in 00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:20.400 camps, 00:22:23.100 --> 00:22:23.600 identifying 00:22:23.600 --> 00:22:25.160 with a 00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:25.500 group 00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:27.680 that either 00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:28.340 think like 00:22:28.340 --> 00:22:28.780 us, 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:31.140 speak like 00:22:31.140 --> 00:22:31.640 us, 00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:33.820 believe like 00:22:33.820 --> 00:22:34.380 us, 00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:36.020 or look 00:22:36.020 --> 00:22:36.740 like us. 00:22:37.940 --> 00:22:38.820 And in 00:22:38.820 --> 00:22:39.120 that, 00:22:39.280 --> 00:22:39.700 those are 00:22:39.700 --> 00:22:40.340 the group 00:22:40.340 --> 00:22:40.880 of people 00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:41.340 that we 00:22:41.340 --> 00:22:41.660 should be 00:22:41.660 --> 00:22:42.420 drawn to. 00:22:43.120 --> 00:22:43.780 Those are 00:22:43.780 --> 00:22:44.120 the group 00:22:44.120 --> 00:22:44.600 of people 00:22:44.600 --> 00:22:45.160 that we 00:22:45.160 --> 00:22:45.900 should care 00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:46.260 for. 00:22:46.840 --> 00:22:47.400 Those are 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:47.700 the group 00:22:47.700 --> 00:22:48.180 of people 00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:48.680 that we 00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:49.420 should love. 00:22:49.860 --> 00:22:50.420 Those are 00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:50.760 the group 00:22:50.760 --> 00:22:51.240 of people 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:51.660 that we 00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:52.000 should give 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:52.520 grace. 00:22:52.920 --> 00:22:53.400 Those are 00:22:53.400 --> 00:22:53.860 the group 00:22:53.860 --> 00:22:54.420 of people 00:22:54.420 --> 00:22:55.120 that we 00:22:55.120 --> 00:22:55.940 should align 00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:56.420 ourselves 00:22:56.420 --> 00:22:56.800 with. 00:22:57.180 --> 00:22:58.120 The problem 00:22:58.120 --> 00:22:58.540 and the 00:22:58.540 --> 00:22:58.980 tension 00:22:58.980 --> 00:22:59.860 within that 00:22:59.860 --> 00:23:00.160 is it 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:01.160 goes against 00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:02.000 what Scripture 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:03.060 teaches us, 00:23:03.600 --> 00:23:04.600 that everyone 00:23:04.600 --> 00:23:05.540 is made 00:23:05.540 --> 00:23:05.920 in the 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:06.320 image 00:23:06.320 --> 00:23:06.720 and the 00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:07.160 likeness 00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:07.760 of God 00:23:07.760 --> 00:23:08.300 so that 00:23:08.300 --> 00:23:08.580 when we 00:23:08.580 --> 00:23:09.120 go out 00:23:09.120 --> 00:23:09.620 and we 00:23:09.620 --> 00:23:10.200 love, 00:23:10.300 --> 00:23:10.620 when there's 00:23:10.620 --> 00:23:11.140 hunger, 00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:11.760 when there's 00:23:11.760 --> 00:23:12.360 thirst, 00:23:12.560 --> 00:23:12.920 when there's 00:23:12.920 --> 00:23:13.840 desperation, 00:23:14.080 --> 00:23:14.460 that we 00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:14.960 look at 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:15.280 mankind 00:23:15.280 --> 00:23:15.980 as the 00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:16.260 whole 00:23:16.260 --> 00:23:17.080 and how 00:23:17.080 --> 00:23:18.040 we view 00:23:18.040 --> 00:23:18.760 others 00:23:18.760 --> 00:23:19.520 matters. 00:23:21.280 --> 00:23:21.880 Whether 00:23:21.880 --> 00:23:22.420 they're lost 00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:23.080 or saved, 00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:24.700 whether 00:23:24.700 --> 00:23:24.900 they're 00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:25.320 Republican 00:23:25.320 --> 00:23:25.900 or Democrat, 00:23:27.180 --> 00:23:27.420 whether 00:23:27.420 --> 00:23:27.840 they're rich 00:23:27.840 --> 00:23:28.420 or poor, 00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:30.240 whether 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:30.460 they're 00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:30.840 black or 00:23:30.840 --> 00:23:31.080 white. 00:23:31.640 --> 00:23:33.640 because of 00:23:33.640 --> 00:23:33.760 the 00:23:33.760 --> 00:23:34.120 Mago 00:23:34.120 --> 00:23:34.400 Day, 00:23:35.060 --> 00:23:35.820 there should 00:23:35.820 --> 00:23:36.140 be a 00:23:36.140 --> 00:23:36.420 burden 00:23:36.420 --> 00:23:36.780 in our 00:23:36.780 --> 00:23:37.200 hearts 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:38.820 for all 00:23:38.820 --> 00:23:39.160 men, 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:40.740 all women, 00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:42.060 and all 00:23:42.060 --> 00:23:42.540 children 00:23:42.540 --> 00:23:43.940 to hear, 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:45.520 to see, 00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:46.920 and to have 00:23:46.920 --> 00:23:47.680 the opportunity 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:49.400 to respond 00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:50.420 to the 00:23:50.420 --> 00:23:50.940 gospel of 00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:51.560 Jesus Christ. 00:23:54.980 --> 00:23:55.700 There is 00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:56.380 no more 00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:58.220 diversity 00:23:58.220 --> 00:24:00.480 than in 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:00.700 heaven. 00:24:01.640 --> 00:24:03.220 there's 00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:03.620 no more 00:24:03.620 --> 00:24:04.120 diversity 00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:05.580 than in 00:24:05.580 --> 00:24:05.800 heaven. 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:07.500 How we 00:24:07.500 --> 00:24:07.880 view 00:24:07.880 --> 00:24:09.160 everyone 00:24:09.160 --> 00:24:09.760 matters. 00:24:10.920 --> 00:24:11.480 But it 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:11.860 should also 00:24:11.860 --> 00:24:12.660 change this, 00:24:13.720 --> 00:24:14.200 how we 00:24:14.200 --> 00:24:14.480 view the 00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:14.860 family, 00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:16.760 those of 00:24:16.760 --> 00:24:18.020 us who 00:24:18.020 --> 00:24:18.560 were saved. 00:24:19.740 --> 00:24:19.920 You know, 00:24:19.940 --> 00:24:20.160 it's an 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:20.560 interesting 00:24:20.560 --> 00:24:21.600 thing when 00:24:21.600 --> 00:24:22.440 you look at 00:24:22.440 --> 00:24:22.720 scripture. 00:24:23.760 --> 00:24:24.240 God could 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:24.780 have referred 00:24:24.780 --> 00:24:25.380 to his 00:24:25.380 --> 00:24:25.860 group of 00:24:25.860 --> 00:24:26.300 people by 00:24:26.300 --> 00:24:26.860 many things. 00:24:27.660 --> 00:24:28.040 He could 00:24:28.040 --> 00:24:28.420 refer to 00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:28.680 them as 00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:28.780 a 00:24:28.780 --> 00:24:29.340 denomination. 00:24:30.620 --> 00:24:31.060 He could 00:24:31.060 --> 00:24:31.360 have referred 00:24:31.360 --> 00:24:31.620 to them 00:24:31.620 --> 00:24:31.880 as a 00:24:31.880 --> 00:24:32.220 religion. 00:24:33.160 --> 00:24:33.540 He could 00:24:33.540 --> 00:24:34.040 have referred 00:24:34.040 --> 00:24:34.340 to them 00:24:34.340 --> 00:24:34.600 as an 00:24:34.600 --> 00:24:35.320 organization 00:24:35.320 --> 00:24:36.320 or a 00:24:36.320 --> 00:24:36.800 non-profit. 00:24:37.580 --> 00:24:38.020 But he 00:24:38.020 --> 00:24:38.300 didn't. 00:24:39.360 --> 00:24:40.040 That time 00:24:40.040 --> 00:24:40.680 and time 00:24:40.680 --> 00:24:41.340 and time 00:24:41.340 --> 00:24:41.860 again, 00:24:42.180 --> 00:24:42.740 the imagery 00:24:42.740 --> 00:24:43.340 and the 00:24:43.340 --> 00:24:43.980 picture of 00:24:43.980 --> 00:24:44.320 what we 00:24:44.320 --> 00:24:44.960 see in 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:45.260 scripture 00:24:45.260 --> 00:24:45.920 is that 00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:46.140 of the 00:24:46.140 --> 00:24:46.460 family. 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:48.640 So that 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:48.960 you're my 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:49.240 brother, 00:24:50.280 --> 00:24:50.640 and I'm 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:50.980 your brother. 00:24:51.820 --> 00:24:52.160 So that 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:53.100 you're my 00:24:53.100 --> 00:24:53.460 sister, 00:24:54.040 --> 00:24:54.680 and I'm 00:24:54.680 --> 00:24:55.400 your brother. 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:56.640 That all 00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:56.880 of us, 00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:57.420 regardless of 00:24:57.420 --> 00:24:57.880 our skin 00:24:57.880 --> 00:24:58.220 tone, 00:24:59.620 --> 00:25:00.120 regardless of 00:25:00.120 --> 00:25:00.840 our language, 00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:02.560 regardless of 00:25:02.560 --> 00:25:02.880 where we 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:03.440 were born, 00:25:04.380 --> 00:25:04.860 regardless of 00:25:04.860 --> 00:25:05.200 how we 00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:05.620 voted, 00:25:06.380 --> 00:25:06.960 regardless of 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:07.460 what we've 00:25:07.460 --> 00:25:08.100 done or 00:25:08.100 --> 00:25:08.460 what we 00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:09.060 will do, 00:25:09.700 --> 00:25:10.380 regardless of 00:25:10.380 --> 00:25:11.360 our education, 00:25:11.820 --> 00:25:12.440 regardless of 00:25:12.440 --> 00:25:13.180 our placement 00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:14.240 in society, 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:15.260 that we 00:25:15.260 --> 00:25:16.160 are all 00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:17.040 family, 00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:19.180 brothers and 00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:19.940 sisters in 00:25:19.940 --> 00:25:20.340 Christ, 00:25:20.660 --> 00:25:21.700 before the 00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:22.140 heavenly 00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:23.320 father. 00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:25.180 not the 00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:25.620 CEO, 00:25:26.620 --> 00:25:27.600 not the 00:25:27.600 --> 00:25:28.000 manager, 00:25:29.060 --> 00:25:30.320 but before 00:25:30.320 --> 00:25:31.560 our heavenly 00:25:31.560 --> 00:25:32.480 father. 00:25:33.900 --> 00:25:34.260 And I 00:25:34.260 --> 00:25:34.720 think right 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.120 now, 00:25:36.380 --> 00:25:37.120 more so, 00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:40.120 my life 00:25:40.120 --> 00:25:40.600 has been 00:25:40.600 --> 00:25:41.520 brief so 00:25:41.520 --> 00:25:41.840 far, 00:25:42.840 --> 00:25:43.540 but I 00:25:43.540 --> 00:25:44.180 believe there's 00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:44.840 an opportunity 00:25:44.840 --> 00:25:45.880 for the 00:25:45.880 --> 00:25:46.240 church, 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:47.780 for the 00:25:47.780 --> 00:25:48.280 family of 00:25:48.280 --> 00:25:48.620 God, 00:25:49.120 --> 00:25:50.300 to display 00:25:50.300 --> 00:25:50.900 themselves 00:25:50.900 --> 00:25:51.980 in such 00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:52.600 a capacity 00:25:52.600 --> 00:25:54.420 that glorifies 00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:55.660 him and 00:25:55.660 --> 00:25:57.240 draws people 00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:58.240 to him. 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:01.140 That we 00:26:01.140 --> 00:26:01.760 have an 00:26:01.760 --> 00:26:02.600 opportunity, 00:26:03.820 --> 00:26:04.080 that as 00:26:04.080 --> 00:26:05.340 Berger talked 00:26:05.340 --> 00:26:05.860 about at the 00:26:05.860 --> 00:26:06.620 very beginning 00:26:06.620 --> 00:26:07.220 of God's 00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:07.580 plan, 00:26:08.580 --> 00:26:09.100 that in the 00:26:09.100 --> 00:26:09.880 midst of the 00:26:09.880 --> 00:26:10.420 chaos, 00:26:10.580 --> 00:26:11.120 in the midst 00:26:11.120 --> 00:26:12.000 of the ugly, 00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:12.760 in the midst 00:26:12.760 --> 00:26:13.520 of the hatred, 00:26:13.940 --> 00:26:14.520 in the midst 00:26:14.520 --> 00:26:15.280 of the name 00:26:15.280 --> 00:26:15.760 calling, 00:26:16.760 --> 00:26:17.380 that we 00:26:17.380 --> 00:26:19.060 have an 00:26:19.060 --> 00:26:20.080 opportunity to 00:26:20.080 --> 00:26:20.760 reflect something 00:26:20.760 --> 00:26:21.440 different in the 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:22.100 family that 00:26:22.100 --> 00:26:23.060 causes everyone 00:26:23.060 --> 00:26:24.060 else to not 00:26:24.060 --> 00:26:24.880 know and 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:26.100 understand why 00:26:26.100 --> 00:26:26.920 they can hate 00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:27.680 me, but I 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:28.300 just love 00:26:28.300 --> 00:26:28.660 them. 00:26:30.280 --> 00:26:30.760 And it 00:26:30.760 --> 00:26:31.300 gives us 00:26:31.300 --> 00:26:32.500 that moment 00:26:32.500 --> 00:26:33.280 in time. 00:26:34.040 --> 00:26:34.380 But the 00:26:34.380 --> 00:26:35.120 question that I 00:26:35.120 --> 00:26:36.100 have for us 00:26:36.100 --> 00:26:36.840 as a church, 00:26:37.560 --> 00:26:38.120 what kind 00:26:38.120 --> 00:26:38.860 of family 00:26:38.860 --> 00:26:39.800 are we 00:26:39.800 --> 00:26:40.440 displaying? 00:26:41.700 --> 00:26:42.380 What kind 00:26:42.380 --> 00:26:43.100 of family 00:26:43.100 --> 00:26:44.020 are we 00:26:44.020 --> 00:26:45.120 portraying? 00:26:45.660 --> 00:26:46.420 What are we 00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:47.800 living out 00:26:47.800 --> 00:26:49.440 in this 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:50.180 world? 00:26:51.360 --> 00:26:51.700 I want to 00:26:51.700 --> 00:26:52.060 tell y'all a 00:26:52.060 --> 00:26:52.620 story and 00:26:52.620 --> 00:26:53.540 wrap up with 00:26:53.540 --> 00:26:53.880 this. 00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:55.640 Growing up, 00:26:55.740 --> 00:26:56.380 one of my 00:26:56.380 --> 00:26:56.900 best friends 00:26:56.900 --> 00:26:57.300 was a guy 00:26:57.300 --> 00:26:57.780 named Pat. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:26:59.320 Pat and I 00:26:59.320 --> 00:26:59.660 were best 00:26:59.660 --> 00:27:00.180 friends all 00:27:00.180 --> 00:27:01.480 through elementary 00:27:01.480 --> 00:27:02.960 school and 00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:03.480 middle school. 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:05.880 Pat would 00:27:05.880 --> 00:27:06.860 always come 00:27:06.860 --> 00:27:07.580 over to my 00:27:07.580 --> 00:27:08.600 house and 00:27:08.600 --> 00:27:08.920 spend the 00:27:08.920 --> 00:27:09.140 night. 00:27:10.120 --> 00:27:10.580 We played 00:27:10.580 --> 00:27:10.960 on the same 00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:11.580 baseball team 00:27:11.580 --> 00:27:11.940 together. 00:27:12.060 --> 00:27:12.480 Johnny's 00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:12.940 recaps. 00:27:13.020 --> 00:27:13.460 My dad 00:27:13.460 --> 00:27:14.140 was our 00:27:14.140 --> 00:27:14.420 coach. 00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:14.880 I was the 00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:15.500 second baseman. 00:27:15.780 --> 00:27:16.220 He was the 00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:16.740 shortstop. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:17.200 He would 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:17.580 come to 00:27:17.580 --> 00:27:18.020 my house 00:27:18.020 --> 00:27:18.440 and we 00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:18.700 would just 00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:19.340 play baseball 00:27:19.340 --> 00:27:20.700 all day 00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:21.440 long. 00:27:21.780 --> 00:27:22.120 He'd come 00:27:22.120 --> 00:27:22.700 over Friday 00:27:22.700 --> 00:27:23.160 when we 00:27:23.160 --> 00:27:23.540 got out 00:27:23.540 --> 00:27:23.920 of school 00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:24.220 and he 00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:24.580 would stay 00:27:24.580 --> 00:27:25.260 until after 00:27:25.260 --> 00:27:26.340 church on 00:27:26.340 --> 00:27:26.840 Sunday. 00:27:27.600 --> 00:27:28.140 Pat was 00:27:28.140 --> 00:27:28.420 like a 00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:29.000 brother to 00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:29.180 me. 00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:30.420 I loved 00:27:30.420 --> 00:27:30.680 him. 00:27:30.760 --> 00:27:30.860 We're 00:27:30.860 --> 00:27:31.240 still 00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:32.840 friends to 00:27:32.840 --> 00:27:33.440 this day. 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:34.560 Absolutely 00:27:34.560 --> 00:27:35.940 love Pat. 00:27:36.860 --> 00:27:37.360 Pat would 00:27:37.360 --> 00:27:38.360 spend the 00:27:38.360 --> 00:27:39.140 whole weekend 00:27:39.140 --> 00:27:39.520 at our 00:27:39.520 --> 00:27:39.900 house, 00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:41.020 would eat 00:27:41.020 --> 00:27:41.700 meals with 00:27:41.700 --> 00:27:41.980 us, 00:27:42.340 --> 00:27:43.280 would watch 00:27:43.280 --> 00:27:44.520 TV with 00:27:44.520 --> 00:27:44.860 us. 00:27:45.540 --> 00:27:46.160 My parents 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:46.560 were like 00:27:46.560 --> 00:27:47.160 his parents. 00:27:47.280 --> 00:27:48.020 My sister 00:27:48.020 --> 00:27:48.600 was like 00:27:48.600 --> 00:27:49.200 his sister. 00:27:49.860 --> 00:27:50.160 We know 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:50.600 the beautiful 00:27:50.600 --> 00:27:51.340 thing about 00:27:51.340 --> 00:27:52.460 elementary age 00:27:52.460 --> 00:27:53.480 kids sometimes 00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:54.840 is we say 00:27:54.840 --> 00:27:55.600 things that 00:27:55.600 --> 00:27:56.360 everyone's 00:27:56.360 --> 00:27:57.480 thinking but 00:27:57.480 --> 00:27:58.160 no one has 00:27:58.160 --> 00:27:58.820 yet said, 00:27:58.880 --> 00:27:59.140 right? 00:27:59.880 --> 00:28:00.620 And one day 00:28:00.620 --> 00:28:01.480 Pat's at my 00:28:01.480 --> 00:28:02.020 house and 00:28:02.020 --> 00:28:02.820 we're playing 00:28:02.820 --> 00:28:03.100 and we're 00:28:03.100 --> 00:28:03.600 having a good 00:28:03.600 --> 00:28:04.660 time and I 00:28:04.660 --> 00:28:05.220 remember this 00:28:05.220 --> 00:28:05.780 conversation. 00:28:05.940 --> 00:28:06.260 I said to 00:28:06.260 --> 00:28:06.520 him, I said, 00:28:06.580 --> 00:28:08.480 Pat, man, 00:28:08.520 --> 00:28:08.860 why don't you 00:28:08.860 --> 00:28:09.420 ever ask me to 00:28:09.420 --> 00:28:09.620 spend the 00:28:09.620 --> 00:28:09.900 night at your 00:28:09.900 --> 00:28:10.260 house? 00:28:12.540 --> 00:28:12.960 And he 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:13.420 kind of sat 00:28:13.420 --> 00:28:13.880 there for a 00:28:13.880 --> 00:28:16.440 minute and 00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:16.760 he said, 00:28:16.840 --> 00:28:17.160 man, he 00:28:17.160 --> 00:28:17.400 said, 00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:21.100 see, I 00:28:21.100 --> 00:28:21.400 don't know 00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:21.920 my dad. 00:28:23.580 --> 00:28:24.220 My dad's 00:28:24.220 --> 00:28:24.620 never been 00:28:24.620 --> 00:28:25.080 involved in 00:28:25.080 --> 00:28:25.560 my life. 00:28:28.540 --> 00:28:29.000 And I 00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:29.660 come here 00:28:29.660 --> 00:28:33.840 and your 00:28:33.840 --> 00:28:34.320 dad takes 00:28:34.320 --> 00:28:34.720 us down to 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.020 the gas 00:28:35.020 --> 00:28:35.400 station and 00:28:35.400 --> 00:28:35.800 buys us 00:28:35.800 --> 00:28:36.400 candy and 00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:37.520 drinks and 00:28:37.520 --> 00:28:38.600 plays baseball 00:28:38.600 --> 00:28:39.020 with us in 00:28:39.020 --> 00:28:39.240 the front 00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:39.480 yard. 00:28:40.860 --> 00:28:41.460 He said, 00:28:41.760 --> 00:28:42.420 my mom, 00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:44.540 she's got her 00:28:44.540 --> 00:28:45.140 own problems 00:28:45.140 --> 00:28:45.600 and her own 00:28:45.600 --> 00:28:47.560 struggles and 00:28:47.560 --> 00:28:48.020 she's not like 00:28:48.020 --> 00:28:48.500 your mom. 00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:50.540 He said, 00:28:50.580 --> 00:28:50.800 I don't know if 00:28:50.800 --> 00:28:51.260 my mom will be 00:28:51.260 --> 00:28:51.840 at home when I 00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:52.320 wake up in the 00:28:52.320 --> 00:28:52.540 morning. 00:28:53.780 --> 00:28:54.100 She doesn't 00:28:54.100 --> 00:28:54.900 cook for us. 00:28:55.840 --> 00:28:56.160 She doesn't 00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:56.600 do stuff. 00:28:56.660 --> 00:28:57.080 My mom would 00:28:57.080 --> 00:28:57.320 go out and 00:28:57.320 --> 00:28:57.800 play basketball 00:28:57.800 --> 00:28:58.320 with us and 00:28:58.320 --> 00:28:58.980 beat us most 00:28:58.980 --> 00:28:59.420 of the time. 00:29:00.100 --> 00:29:00.240 He said, 00:29:00.300 --> 00:29:00.700 my mom, 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:02.160 she doesn't 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:02.620 do that. 00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:04.340 He said, 00:29:04.340 --> 00:29:04.860 my house 00:29:04.860 --> 00:29:05.640 isn't like 00:29:05.640 --> 00:29:06.120 your house. 00:29:07.000 --> 00:29:07.380 We don't 00:29:07.380 --> 00:29:07.880 eat together. 00:29:08.020 --> 00:29:08.320 We don't 00:29:08.320 --> 00:29:09.140 watch TV 00:29:09.140 --> 00:29:09.500 together. 00:29:09.620 --> 00:29:10.300 We don't 00:29:10.300 --> 00:29:10.720 hang out 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.120 together. 00:29:12.860 --> 00:29:13.120 He said, 00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:13.440 but when I 00:29:13.440 --> 00:29:13.700 come to 00:29:13.700 --> 00:29:14.380 your house, 00:29:15.520 --> 00:29:16.860 you all 00:29:16.860 --> 00:29:17.240 become my 00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:17.600 family. 00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:20.080 You see, 00:29:21.300 --> 00:29:22.160 what Pat 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:23.040 experienced 00:29:23.040 --> 00:29:25.360 was a depth 00:29:25.360 --> 00:29:26.060 of love 00:29:26.060 --> 00:29:27.420 that he 00:29:27.420 --> 00:29:28.100 longed for. 00:29:29.140 --> 00:29:29.940 A depth 00:29:29.940 --> 00:29:30.640 of love 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:31.680 that he 00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:32.460 craved 00:29:32.460 --> 00:29:33.540 and that he 00:29:33.540 --> 00:29:33.840 needed. 00:29:36.580 --> 00:29:37.100 there's 00:29:37.100 --> 00:29:37.580 people in 00:29:37.580 --> 00:29:38.140 this world 00:29:38.140 --> 00:29:40.040 that need 00:29:40.040 --> 00:29:41.200 to experience 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:42.320 the love 00:29:42.320 --> 00:29:42.660 of Jesus 00:29:42.660 --> 00:29:43.140 Christ. 00:29:44.440 --> 00:29:45.180 A depth 00:29:45.180 --> 00:29:45.840 of love 00:29:45.840 --> 00:29:47.000 that as 00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:47.440 Christians, 00:29:48.300 --> 00:29:48.980 we say 00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:49.480 we know, 00:29:50.420 --> 00:29:51.020 we say 00:29:51.020 --> 00:29:51.340 we've 00:29:51.340 --> 00:29:51.920 experienced, 00:29:52.760 --> 00:29:53.500 we've even 00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:53.980 acknowledged 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:54.980 that we've 00:29:54.980 --> 00:29:56.100 been called 00:29:56.100 --> 00:29:57.120 to share it 00:29:57.120 --> 00:29:57.640 with them. 00:29:58.320 --> 00:29:58.920 but the 00:29:58.920 --> 00:29:59.400 question I 00:29:59.400 --> 00:29:59.700 have 00:29:59.700 --> 00:30:01.240 for all 00:30:01.240 --> 00:30:01.820 of us, 00:30:03.900 --> 00:30:04.400 do we? 00:30:06.300 --> 00:30:07.060 Do we? 00:30:08.320 --> 00:30:08.800 There's only 00:30:08.800 --> 00:30:09.540 two options. 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:11.640 You're either 00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:12.060 a sheep 00:30:12.060 --> 00:30:14.040 or you're 00:30:14.040 --> 00:30:14.360 a goat. 00:30:16.100 --> 00:30:16.840 Jesus is real 00:30:16.840 --> 00:30:17.200 clear. 00:30:18.800 --> 00:30:19.400 And I 00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:19.900 love the 00:30:19.900 --> 00:30:20.320 argument 00:30:20.320 --> 00:30:21.840 that happened 00:30:21.840 --> 00:30:22.300 between those 00:30:22.300 --> 00:30:22.700 two little 00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:23.080 kids. 00:30:24.380 --> 00:30:25.140 I'm one, 00:30:25.240 --> 00:30:25.880 no I'm one, 00:30:25.960 --> 00:30:26.620 no I'm one, 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:27.420 no I'm one. 00:30:28.620 --> 00:30:29.020 And here's 00:30:29.020 --> 00:30:29.520 my hope. 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:31.640 I hope 00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:31.940 we all 00:30:31.940 --> 00:30:32.220 are. 00:30:33.180 --> 00:30:33.660 I hope 00:30:33.660 --> 00:30:34.020 we all 00:30:34.020 --> 00:30:34.360 are. 00:30:36.520 --> 00:30:37.200 But it 00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:37.740 says 00:30:37.740 --> 00:30:39.960 that we 00:30:39.960 --> 00:30:40.380 gotta live 00:30:40.380 --> 00:30:40.840 like it. 00:30:42.060 --> 00:30:42.420 So are 00:30:42.420 --> 00:30:42.660 you a 00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:42.880 sheep? 00:30:43.700 --> 00:30:44.340 Are you 00:30:44.340 --> 00:30:44.600 a goat? 00:30:45.380 --> 00:30:45.560 Would you 00:30:45.560 --> 00:30:45.820 pray with 00:30:45.820 --> 00:30:45.960 me? 00:30:48.800 --> 00:30:54.480 Lord, 00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:54.720 come to 00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:54.960 you this 00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:55.320 morning. 00:30:58.800 --> 00:30:59.280 Lord, 00:30:59.300 --> 00:30:59.620 I thank 00:30:59.620 --> 00:30:59.880 you for 00:30:59.880 --> 00:31:00.160 your 00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:00.980 unfailing 00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:01.600 love for 00:31:01.600 --> 00:31:02.000 us. 00:31:03.800 --> 00:31:04.280 Lord, 00:31:04.360 --> 00:31:04.540 it is 00:31:04.540 --> 00:31:05.380 by your 00:31:05.380 --> 00:31:05.880 love and 00:31:05.880 --> 00:31:06.300 through your 00:31:06.300 --> 00:31:07.000 love only 00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:08.960 we find 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:09.520 life, 00:31:10.740 --> 00:31:11.240 we find 00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:11.720 hope, 00:31:12.860 --> 00:31:13.400 we find 00:31:13.400 --> 00:31:13.920 purpose. 00:31:17.160 --> 00:31:17.640 Lord, 00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:18.060 if those 00:31:18.060 --> 00:31:18.700 are of us 00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:20.120 that are 00:31:20.120 --> 00:31:20.440 sheep. 00:31:22.280 --> 00:31:22.800 Lord, 00:31:22.860 --> 00:31:23.220 may we 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.920 continue 00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:25.200 to be 00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:25.640 transformed 00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:26.240 by the 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:26.640 gospel, 00:31:26.800 --> 00:31:27.220 to live 00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:27.840 our lives 00:31:27.840 --> 00:31:28.560 worthy 00:31:28.560 --> 00:31:30.500 of the 00:31:30.500 --> 00:31:30.920 name by 00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:31.300 which we've 00:31:31.300 --> 00:31:31.940 been saved. 00:31:34.140 --> 00:31:34.620 Lord, 00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:35.300 continuing 00:31:35.300 --> 00:31:36.560 to press 00:31:36.560 --> 00:31:37.240 into 00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:38.240 in difficult 00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:39.020 situations, 00:31:39.260 --> 00:31:39.800 in difficult 00:31:39.800 --> 00:31:40.580 relationships, 00:31:41.060 --> 00:31:41.660 grace and 00:31:41.660 --> 00:31:42.080 kindness. 00:31:42.420 --> 00:31:42.540 Lord, 00:31:42.580 --> 00:31:42.900 that we 00:31:42.900 --> 00:31:43.640 would understand 00:31:43.640 --> 00:31:44.240 that within 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:45.000 us that 00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:45.600 the gospel 00:31:45.600 --> 00:31:46.140 is greater 00:31:46.140 --> 00:31:46.540 than our 00:31:46.540 --> 00:31:46.920 opinion. 00:31:47.300 --> 00:31:47.560 And Lord, 00:31:47.600 --> 00:31:47.880 that the 00:31:47.880 --> 00:31:48.560 gospel maybe 00:31:48.560 --> 00:31:49.040 begin to 00:31:49.040 --> 00:31:49.400 shape and 00:31:49.400 --> 00:31:49.800 change our 00:31:49.800 --> 00:31:50.140 opinion. 00:31:54.260 --> 00:31:54.740 Lord, 00:31:54.780 --> 00:31:55.060 may we 00:31:55.060 --> 00:31:55.500 begin to 00:31:55.500 --> 00:31:56.240 understand 00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:57.180 what it 00:31:57.180 --> 00:31:57.760 looks like 00:31:57.760 --> 00:31:58.160 to love 00:31:58.160 --> 00:31:59.560 everyone and 00:31:59.560 --> 00:32:00.060 love the 00:32:00.060 --> 00:32:00.560 family of 00:32:00.560 --> 00:32:00.820 God. 00:32:03.820 --> 00:32:04.340 Lord, 00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:04.960 the beauty 00:32:04.960 --> 00:32:06.640 that is 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:07.200 developed 00:32:07.200 --> 00:32:08.540 and 00:32:08.540 --> 00:32:09.320 matured 00:32:09.320 --> 00:32:10.960 and how 00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:11.100 that 00:32:11.100 --> 00:32:11.820 attracts 00:32:11.820 --> 00:32:12.080 and how 00:32:12.080 --> 00:32:12.220 that 00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:12.680 draws 00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:13.220 in 00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:14.900 and how 00:32:14.900 --> 00:32:15.160 people 00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:15.880 long 00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:17.160 to want 00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:18.300 to know 00:32:18.300 --> 00:32:19.320 you. 00:32:21.320 --> 00:32:21.700 Lord, 00:32:21.780 --> 00:32:22.320 convict our 00:32:22.320 --> 00:32:22.780 hearts, 00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:25.360 capture us. 00:32:26.840 --> 00:32:27.220 It's in 00:32:27.220 --> 00:32:27.660 Jesus' name 00:32:27.660 --> 00:32:28.080 we pray. 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:29.180 Amen. 00:32:30.260 --> 00:32:31.160 One question 00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:31.580 for you. 00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:33.360 I just 00:32:33.360 --> 00:32:33.900 got one. 00:32:35.940 --> 00:32:36.680 We're all 00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:37.060 going to walk 00:32:37.060 --> 00:32:37.360 out these 00:32:37.360 --> 00:32:37.660 doors. 00:32:39.420 --> 00:32:40.060 We're all 00:32:40.060 --> 00:32:40.520 going to go 00:32:40.520 --> 00:32:40.920 to our 00:32:40.920 --> 00:32:41.520 lives. 00:32:43.060 --> 00:32:43.700 Monday is 00:32:43.700 --> 00:32:43.900 going to 00:32:43.900 --> 00:32:44.340 come for 00:32:44.340 --> 00:32:44.840 all of us 00:32:44.840 --> 00:32:45.180 short of 00:32:45.180 --> 00:32:45.440 Jesus 00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:45.940 calling us 00:32:45.940 --> 00:32:46.240 back. 00:32:48.220 --> 00:32:48.840 As you 00:32:48.840 --> 00:32:49.360 leave here, 00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:52.080 will you 00:32:52.080 --> 00:32:52.440 leave a 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:52.640 sheep 00:32:52.640 --> 00:32:54.840 or will you 00:32:54.840 --> 00:32:55.080 leave a 00:32:55.080 --> 00:32:55.240 goat? 00:32:56.940 --> 00:32:57.580 We'll stand 00:32:57.580 --> 00:33:17.800 as we 00:33:17.800 --> 00:33:18.400 worship him. 00:33:18.400 --> 00:33:19.040 Thanks again 00:33:19.040 --> 00:33:19.560 for listening 00:33:19.560 --> 00:33:19.920 to the 00:33:19.920 --> 00:33:20.340 Willow Ridge 00:33:20.340 --> 00:33:20.680 Church 00:33:20.680 --> 00:33:21.060 weekly 00:33:21.060 --> 00:33:21.480 podcast. 00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:22.420 We hope 00:33:22.420 --> 00:33:22.660 that you 00:33:22.660 --> 00:33:23.000 enjoyed 00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:23.500 listening to 00:33:23.500 --> 00:33:23.940 this week's 00:33:23.940 --> 00:33:24.300 message. 00:33:24.760 --> 00:33:25.180 If you'd 00:33:25.180 --> 00:33:25.480 like to 00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:25.860 learn more 00:33:25.860 --> 00:33:26.300 about who 00:33:26.300 --> 00:33:26.680 we are 00:33:26.680 --> 00:33:27.360 or explore 00:33:27.360 --> 00:33:27.760 additional 00:33:27.760 --> 00:33:28.340 resources, 00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:29.320 visit us 00:33:29.320 --> 00:33:30.100 online at 00:33:30.100 --> 00:33:33.340 www.willowridgechurch.com 00:33:33.340 --> 00:33:34.560 or by searching 00:33:34.560 --> 00:33:35.220 for Willow Ridge 00:33:35.220 --> 00:33:35.840 Church on 00:33:35.840 --> 00:33:36.540 Facebook and 00:33:36.540 --> 00:33:36.920 Instagram.