169 00:19:41.244 --> 00:19:46.135 Well, what's going on? Hope Community Church. How we doing today? Alright, 170 00:19:47.725 --> 00:19:50.015 well y'all are excited. I'm excited. 171 00:19:50.255 --> 00:19:52.975 I am so looking forward to spending this time with you. Uh, 172 00:19:53.005 --> 00:19:56.215 this has been a phenomenal series that we've been in for the past few weeks, 173 00:19:56.395 --> 00:19:58.494 and I'm excited to close things out today. 174 00:19:58.495 --> 00:20:03.215 And I wanna start service off with just this thing that I grew up saying when I 175 00:20:03.216 --> 00:20:05.135 came to church. And maybe you've heard it before. 176 00:20:05.155 --> 00:20:06.975 If you've been around church in any amount of time, 177 00:20:07.435 --> 00:20:09.135 or maybe if you haven't been around church, 178 00:20:09.136 --> 00:20:11.815 this will be the first time you hear it. But it's really good, I promise you. 179 00:20:12.295 --> 00:20:15.335 Uh, I would walk into church and almost as soon as I got into the door, 180 00:20:15.355 --> 00:20:19.335 no matter who was holding the microphone would say these words, 181 00:20:19.915 --> 00:20:24.494 God is good all the time. All the time, all the time, right? And all the time 182 00:20:26.395 --> 00:20:30.935 it was a thing. And they would say it all the time. . 183 00:20:31.175 --> 00:20:33.175 I mean, I heard it so much when I was growing up, 184 00:20:33.176 --> 00:20:36.335 and I would jump into it and I would share in it. 185 00:20:36.435 --> 00:20:41.015 And I loved the sound of it, the rhythm of it. But here's the problem with it. 186 00:20:42.095 --> 00:20:46.535 I wasn't a hundred percent sure it was true. You know, um, 187 00:20:47.065 --> 00:20:48.565 my life was a struggle at times. 188 00:20:49.545 --> 00:20:53.325 And so I wasn't a hundred percent sure that his goodness extended to me. 189 00:20:53.665 --> 00:20:57.285 And the bigger issue was that the truth is, is that at that time in my life, 190 00:20:57.645 --> 00:21:00.925 I had never opened the Bible. I had never really read it for myself. 191 00:21:01.205 --> 00:21:03.445 I had never applied it's truth to my life. 192 00:21:03.885 --> 00:21:08.085 I didn't have a clear picture of who Jesus was. And so for me, 193 00:21:09.045 --> 00:21:13.484 I wasn't a hundred percent sure that he actually was good. 194 00:21:14.505 --> 00:21:17.405 You see everything I knew about God that came from my picture, 195 00:21:18.075 --> 00:21:21.405 that I received mostly from other people. And yeah, 196 00:21:21.406 --> 00:21:23.765 I grew up in the local church and things were great, 197 00:21:24.265 --> 00:21:27.085 and I loved going to service. But for myself, 198 00:21:27.885 --> 00:21:31.085 I wasn't really sure that I knew that God was good. 199 00:21:32.775 --> 00:21:36.355 You see, I grew up in a place where God was present. 200 00:21:37.275 --> 00:21:38.515 I knew he was around our family, 201 00:21:38.535 --> 00:21:40.715 and I knew he was somebody who I needed to know, 202 00:21:40.815 --> 00:21:45.435 but I didn't know that he was actually something that was good for me. 203 00:21:45.655 --> 00:21:48.994 And I think if we're honest, many of us struggle with this same reality. 204 00:21:49.255 --> 00:21:53.155 And so because we have a lack of understanding when it comes to whether God is 205 00:21:53.156 --> 00:21:57.115 good or not, we pour ourselves into a lot of other things. 206 00:21:58.494 --> 00:22:02.994 You see, for me, those other things consisted of all kinds of stuff. Uh, 207 00:22:03.015 --> 00:22:04.435 it was things like sports. 208 00:22:04.655 --> 00:22:07.875 And so I tried to be the best athlete that I could possibly be. Uh, 209 00:22:07.876 --> 00:22:08.994 it was accomplishments. 210 00:22:08.995 --> 00:22:11.475 And so I tried to accomplish as much as I possibly could. 211 00:22:11.895 --> 00:22:13.795 And then later in life, I joined the military. 212 00:22:13.955 --> 00:22:16.515 And so I wanted to be the best marine that I could possibly be. 213 00:22:17.375 --> 00:22:21.435 And so I did everything to pour myself into something with the hopes of finding 214 00:22:21.545 --> 00:22:25.155 fulfillment in those things. And the problem is, 215 00:22:25.215 --> 00:22:29.795 is that they never came. Fulfillment never came. 216 00:22:31.365 --> 00:22:35.994 Those are really good things to pursue, but they weren't God things. 217 00:22:37.315 --> 00:22:38.675 And you know what I think our challenge is, 218 00:22:38.895 --> 00:22:43.275 is that I think sometimes we try to make good things into God. Things. 219 00:22:43.475 --> 00:22:47.595 I think we make things that God created to, for us to enjoy and experience. 220 00:22:47.655 --> 00:22:49.195 And those are good things for us. 221 00:22:49.415 --> 00:22:54.395 But we try to turn those into little gods and we start pursuing those things 222 00:22:55.465 --> 00:22:59.994 instead of pursuing the God who created them. You know? Um, 223 00:23:00.755 --> 00:23:05.315 I am a dad of adults now, but when my kids were little, um, as a father, 224 00:23:05.515 --> 00:23:07.155 I wanted them to enjoy their time. 225 00:23:07.734 --> 00:23:12.475 And so I coined something called the 99 cent party. And dads, you can take this. 226 00:23:12.476 --> 00:23:16.955 This is free for you, okay? You go buy a pack of bubbles, right? And, 227 00:23:17.135 --> 00:23:19.395 and quickly, if you put 'em out in front of your children, 228 00:23:19.785 --> 00:23:23.234 they will become the 99 cent party. You could just lay 'em out, 229 00:23:23.494 --> 00:23:24.715 let 'em play with the bubbles, 230 00:23:24.895 --> 00:23:29.275 and you watch as your kids just chase bubble after bubble after bubble. 231 00:23:29.335 --> 00:23:32.475 And they try to break 'em and they try to grab 'em. By the way, 232 00:23:32.476 --> 00:23:35.155 those ain't my kids. I'm just gonna say that right in front, . 233 00:23:37.645 --> 00:23:38.885 But they try to pursue 'em. 234 00:23:38.945 --> 00:23:42.085 And it seems like almost as soon as they try to get one in their hands, 235 00:23:43.494 --> 00:23:47.645 it just burst. And and you would think that that would discourage 'em. But man, 236 00:23:47.646 --> 00:23:50.285 if you've ever been around kids, like they don't get discouraged at all. 237 00:23:50.355 --> 00:23:52.325 They just keep running and chasing bubbles, 238 00:23:52.326 --> 00:23:55.765 and they try to burst another one and, and another one, and, and, 239 00:23:55.865 --> 00:23:59.365 and another one. And, and soon enough they get tired. But man, 240 00:23:59.435 --> 00:24:00.645 it's interesting to watch. 241 00:24:02.465 --> 00:24:05.484 And I think that this is what we do. 242 00:24:06.885 --> 00:24:09.925 I think this is a picture of how many of us pursue our lives. 243 00:24:10.945 --> 00:24:15.005 We chase thing after thing after thing, 244 00:24:16.525 --> 00:24:17.805 and we try to control life. 245 00:24:18.625 --> 00:24:22.244 But just as soon as we almost have our hands around it, 246 00:24:23.875 --> 00:24:28.744 life changes on a dime and the bubble burst and 247 00:24:28.745 --> 00:24:33.234 we're left there with that same empty feeling. You see, 248 00:24:33.755 --> 00:24:38.755 I think the big lie that many of us have been told is that a person can 249 00:24:38.785 --> 00:24:42.675 find contentment or happiness apart from God. 250 00:24:43.415 --> 00:24:47.715 And so we begin to pursue all these other things hoping that they'll bring us 251 00:24:47.716 --> 00:24:50.555 fulfillment, that they'll bring us happiness, that they'll bring us joy. 252 00:24:50.935 --> 00:24:51.795 And at the end of it, 253 00:24:51.796 --> 00:24:55.994 we often find that they just leave us even more empty than when we started. 254 00:24:57.215 --> 00:25:02.075 So today my goal is through the word of God to 255 00:25:02.076 --> 00:25:06.275 show you that God is indeed good. And because he is good, 256 00:25:07.175 --> 00:25:12.145 we don't have to chase anything but him. You see, 257 00:25:12.146 --> 00:25:15.744 there's a book in the Bible known as Ecclesiastes. And if you have your Bible, 258 00:25:16.025 --> 00:25:20.665 I would love it if you go ahead and turn over to that book because it shares the 259 00:25:20.666 --> 00:25:24.345 story of a man, uh, who really feels this out, 260 00:25:24.445 --> 00:25:27.705 who really learns this oftentimes even the hard way. 261 00:25:27.925 --> 00:25:32.625 You see the book lays out an example of an approach that many of us take. 262 00:25:32.865 --> 00:25:36.265 And this guy who's in this book, uh, is probably King Solomon, 263 00:25:36.266 --> 00:25:39.945 most believe he's King Solomon, but he may be another king in the line of David. 264 00:25:40.285 --> 00:25:41.585 But he has done everything. 265 00:25:41.734 --> 00:25:44.865 He's experienced everything and he's come to the end of his life. 266 00:25:44.895 --> 00:25:47.984 This man has lived and he has learned, 267 00:25:49.205 --> 00:25:53.665 and he shares what he's learned with us about pursuing things that are not God 268 00:25:54.605 --> 00:25:55.585 as though they are. 269 00:25:56.645 --> 00:26:00.984 And so today we're gonna look at some snapshots in the book of Ecclesiastes. 270 00:26:01.045 --> 00:26:05.625 And I love the way the book is actually laid out because it's laid out from, uh, 271 00:26:05.725 --> 00:26:09.545 the view of a person who is called Koheleth in the book. Now, 272 00:26:09.984 --> 00:26:12.265 Koheleth is known as the teacher. That's what the word actually means. 273 00:26:12.285 --> 00:26:15.505 It means the teacher. And so the teacher is at the end of his life, 274 00:26:15.565 --> 00:26:18.945 and honestly, he's found out that this is a really difficult thing. 275 00:26:18.945 --> 00:26:21.585 And so he's a little bit disgruntled in his tone. 276 00:26:21.885 --> 00:26:25.265 And so when you get to the book right from the very beginning in chapter one, 277 00:26:25.266 --> 00:26:28.505 verse two, here's what he says. The teacher says, vanity, 278 00:26:29.045 --> 00:26:32.705 vanity all is vanity. 279 00:26:33.725 --> 00:26:38.425 What's vanity? Well, it's pursuit for things. And when we think of vanity, 280 00:26:38.865 --> 00:26:41.305 oftentimes we think of our current definition of vanity. 281 00:26:41.405 --> 00:26:44.965 And so we think it's like this self-centered thing. It's this conceited thing. 282 00:26:45.255 --> 00:26:47.565 We're looking for something that's gonna make us look better. 283 00:26:47.825 --> 00:26:49.805 But that's not the vanity that he's talking about. 284 00:26:49.865 --> 00:26:54.645 The word he is using there for vanity actually means meaningless. 285 00:26:56.385 --> 00:26:57.765 It means meaningless. 286 00:26:58.705 --> 00:27:02.685 It means that this pursuit for things often ends up in a place where we realize 287 00:27:02.715 --> 00:27:06.765 that it's meaningless, that none of it actually really matters. 288 00:27:08.285 --> 00:27:09.725 And so right from the beginning of the book, 289 00:27:09.726 --> 00:27:11.765 he lets us know that there's a problem with this. 290 00:27:13.005 --> 00:27:16.005 And so he goes on these five pursuits that we'll probably find, 291 00:27:16.725 --> 00:27:17.558 we'll find familiar, 292 00:27:18.145 --> 00:27:23.125 and these are things that he tries to pursue in place of God with the hopes 293 00:27:23.126 --> 00:27:27.005 of finding fulfillment. The first one he looks for is something called wisdom. 294 00:27:28.345 --> 00:27:31.645 And in Ecclesiastes chapter one, verse one through 13, he says, 295 00:27:32.525 --> 00:27:37.005 I devoted myself to the search for understanding and to 296 00:27:37.075 --> 00:27:39.605 explore my wisdom. Uh, 297 00:27:39.615 --> 00:27:42.565 everything being done under heaven, 298 00:27:42.566 --> 00:27:44.765 everything being done under heaven. 299 00:27:45.265 --> 00:27:49.244 You see the teacher set out to try to find out how wise he can be. 300 00:27:49.665 --> 00:27:52.205 And so he pursues wisdom in a very real way. 301 00:27:52.305 --> 00:27:56.285 So he probably had the best teachers, he had amazing resources. 302 00:27:56.286 --> 00:27:57.565 So he had the best teachers. 303 00:27:57.785 --> 00:28:01.244 He probably had the great thought leaders of the day at his beck and call. 304 00:28:01.425 --> 00:28:05.765 And he does everything that he can to pursue wisdom and ultimately leaves him 305 00:28:05.855 --> 00:28:09.645 empty. And he probably had the same mindset that if we're honest, 306 00:28:09.675 --> 00:28:11.525 many of us have. You see, 307 00:28:11.526 --> 00:28:14.325 we say to ourselves at some point in our lives about wisdom, 308 00:28:15.545 --> 00:28:18.805 if I could just insert narrative, 309 00:28:20.005 --> 00:28:24.275 then I'd have all the wisdom I would ever need. And that plays it out, 310 00:28:24.635 --> 00:28:27.475 self out in some different ways depending on what stage of life you're at. 311 00:28:28.234 --> 00:28:31.635 And maybe you say to yourself like, if I could just get that master's degree, 312 00:28:32.115 --> 00:28:33.635 then I'll have all the wisdom I'll ever need. 313 00:28:33.636 --> 00:28:36.795 I'll be smarter than everybody in my office and everything will be great. 314 00:28:38.395 --> 00:28:41.195 Or maybe you say to yourself, man, if I could just go to that conference, 315 00:28:41.335 --> 00:28:44.355 you know, the one they sent the other guy to that I really wanted to go to, 316 00:28:45.755 --> 00:28:49.235 and I'll have the wisdom that I need and everything will be great. 317 00:28:50.955 --> 00:28:52.555 And maybe you're a high school student and you say, man, 318 00:28:52.556 --> 00:28:56.835 if I could just get into the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, 319 00:28:57.035 --> 00:28:58.435 then everything will be great. It won't. 320 00:28:59.395 --> 00:29:00.228 . 321 00:29:04.175 --> 00:29:08.075 But that's the pursuit. If I could just get into that honors class, 322 00:29:08.855 --> 00:29:10.475 if I could just get to the next degree, 323 00:29:11.335 --> 00:29:14.475 if I could just get to the next thing and the next thing and the next thing. 324 00:29:14.695 --> 00:29:17.875 And what Solomon finds out here who's believed to have written a book, 325 00:29:17.876 --> 00:29:20.635 what he finds out here is that those things never ever, 326 00:29:20.665 --> 00:29:22.195 ever brought fulfillment. 327 00:29:23.135 --> 00:29:26.035 He concludes that this is a waste of time. 328 00:29:27.055 --> 00:29:30.915 He comes to the realization that not even the greatest attempts at attaining 329 00:29:30.916 --> 00:29:32.755 wealth or wisdom or any of those things, 330 00:29:32.975 --> 00:29:36.475 and not even the greatest attempt at obtaining wisdom will help him. 331 00:29:36.895 --> 00:29:39.275 One officer says it this way. He says, here's the problem with wisdom. 332 00:29:39.535 --> 00:29:43.245 Wisdom has the power to share with us what we need. We need God, 333 00:29:43.465 --> 00:29:44.685 but it has no power 334 00:29:46.345 --> 00:29:51.045 to actually help us get to God because we need 335 00:29:51.145 --> 00:29:51.978 God. 336 00:29:53.095 --> 00:29:57.715 And I think what I'm always surprised by with wisdom is that we pursue it 337 00:29:58.135 --> 00:30:00.715 and we pursue it and we pursue it. 338 00:30:02.035 --> 00:30:04.595 And what often happens is we get puffed up. 339 00:30:06.455 --> 00:30:09.915 We start to tell people how wise we are or how smart we are. 340 00:30:11.035 --> 00:30:11.275 Or. 341 00:30:11.275 --> 00:30:15.415 How great we are. Well, Ecclesiastes chapter one, 342 00:30:16.075 --> 00:30:19.495 the teacher says all of this wisdom stuff, 343 00:30:20.935 --> 00:30:23.685 it's meaningless. It's like chasing. 344 00:30:24.625 --> 00:30:25.458 The wind. 345 00:30:26.885 --> 00:30:30.845 And so wisdom doesn't solve the problem for him. And so in chapter two, 346 00:30:30.865 --> 00:30:32.845 he begins to move into another pursuit. 347 00:30:33.265 --> 00:30:36.485 He goes after something that will also sound familiar. He goes, instead, 348 00:30:36.775 --> 00:30:41.165 after pleasure, he says, okay, wisdom doesn't work. So let me pursue pleasure. 349 00:30:41.166 --> 00:30:44.685 And in the next few verses, you see him use some very interesting words. 350 00:30:44.985 --> 00:30:49.245 He uses the word laughter. He goes after laughter, he goes after pleasure. 351 00:30:49.305 --> 00:30:53.805 He goes after wine or strong drink, and he also goes after foolishness. Now, 352 00:30:53.806 --> 00:30:54.185 listen, 353 00:30:54.185 --> 00:30:57.645 if you add the all star at the Waffle House at two o'clock in the morning, 354 00:30:57.715 --> 00:30:59.605 that directly describes my twenties. 355 00:31:00.365 --> 00:31:01.198 . 356 00:31:02.765 --> 00:31:04.685 Because I too pursued pleasure. 357 00:31:06.125 --> 00:31:10.465 And I thought that it would land me in a place where I had a lot of friends and 358 00:31:10.466 --> 00:31:14.055 I had a lot of fun, but it didn't land me that place at all. 359 00:31:15.635 --> 00:31:20.295 At the end of it, I actually had a loss of hope. You know, 360 00:31:20.355 --> 00:31:24.695 one of the hardest things for me as a pastor to watch is to watch young people 361 00:31:24.725 --> 00:31:28.255 grow up in our ministries here at Hope Community Church or at other churches. 362 00:31:28.755 --> 00:31:32.455 And we have phenomenal children's ministry all the way up to high school and 363 00:31:32.456 --> 00:31:35.935 even a great, uh, young adults ministry when they enter into college. 364 00:31:36.075 --> 00:31:39.895 But I watch as young people grow up in the training of the Lord, and, 365 00:31:39.995 --> 00:31:42.255 and they're rooted and locked into Jesus, 366 00:31:42.475 --> 00:31:46.335 and then they get to high school or they get to college and for whatever reason, 367 00:31:46.365 --> 00:31:49.175 because they wanna be popular or because they wanna have fun, 368 00:31:49.405 --> 00:31:50.575 they stray away from God. 369 00:31:53.355 --> 00:31:56.235 And I have watched as many, a young person 370 00:31:58.315 --> 00:31:59.115 has stepped away from their. 371 00:31:59.115 --> 00:31:59.948 Faith. 372 00:32:02.315 --> 00:32:03.475 It's one of the hardest things to watch. 373 00:32:06.235 --> 00:32:11.015 And I watched over and over again as 20 year olds and 30 year 374 00:32:11.085 --> 00:32:11.918 olds, 375 00:32:12.195 --> 00:32:17.175 and even 50 year olds have pursued pleasure instead of 376 00:32:17.235 --> 00:32:20.455 God. I mean, have you ever experienced this 377 00:32:22.095 --> 00:32:26.175 where you have this desire for the next party or the next event 378 00:32:27.235 --> 00:32:30.335 or the next thing that will hopefully bring you pleasure even for some of us the 379 00:32:30.336 --> 00:32:33.415 next vacation or the next trip or the next getaway, 380 00:32:33.555 --> 00:32:36.335 and it becomes bigger and bigger and bigger of a desire, 381 00:32:36.435 --> 00:32:40.245 and all of a sudden you find yourself just moving away from God and moving 382 00:32:40.246 --> 00:32:42.485 towards this need for pleasure 383 00:32:45.005 --> 00:32:49.655 because pleasure was never meant to be something that fills the emptiness in our 384 00:32:49.656 --> 00:32:52.865 hearts, but I see it over and over again 385 00:32:54.705 --> 00:32:59.225 and Solomon goes after all of it. And Ecclesiastes chapter two, 386 00:32:59.226 --> 00:33:00.059 here's what he says. 387 00:33:01.065 --> 00:33:04.395 I found that this too was meaningless. 388 00:33:06.575 --> 00:33:10.865 Just a side note for parents and for students parents, 389 00:33:11.685 --> 00:33:13.345 if you see your kids go in this direction, 390 00:33:14.415 --> 00:33:16.785 just know that you don't need to lose your cool, 391 00:33:17.995 --> 00:33:19.495 you need to point 'em towards Jesus. 392 00:33:19.645 --> 00:33:23.695 What I've found is that when you lose your cool, you often lose your child. 393 00:33:25.715 --> 00:33:26.548 And if you're a kid, 394 00:33:26.555 --> 00:33:28.855 you might think your parents are trying to destroy your fun. 395 00:33:29.905 --> 00:33:34.325 They're probably trying to save your life because they've seen what it looks 396 00:33:34.326 --> 00:33:38.275 like to get to the end. Did not work either. 397 00:33:39.825 --> 00:33:43.445 So pleasure doesn't work, wisdom doesn't work. 398 00:33:44.455 --> 00:33:47.315 And so what does he pursue after that? He says, you know what? 399 00:33:47.525 --> 00:33:50.115 Let's try work and see if that works. 400 00:33:50.895 --> 00:33:54.715 And so he begins in Ecclesiastes chapter two, verse four. He says, I, 401 00:33:54.955 --> 00:33:59.395 I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself 402 00:33:59.855 --> 00:34:02.075 and by planting beautiful vineyards, 403 00:34:02.315 --> 00:34:05.875 I made gardens and parks and I built reservoirs. 404 00:34:06.115 --> 00:34:09.035 I made good things is what the teacher says. You see, 405 00:34:09.036 --> 00:34:13.555 he began working on any and every project that he could find for himself. 406 00:34:14.614 --> 00:34:16.635 He poured himself into his work. 407 00:34:18.035 --> 00:34:21.995 And I'll tell you when this became really real for me, uh, during Covid, um, 408 00:34:22.755 --> 00:34:25.955 I would try to build stuff, not because I'm particularly handy, 409 00:34:26.135 --> 00:34:27.515 I'm the kind of man that needs a man around. 410 00:34:29.285 --> 00:34:31.545 But I tried during Covid to build stuff. 411 00:34:31.565 --> 00:34:35.425 And I'll tell you exactly why I tried because everybody was in the same house 412 00:34:37.045 --> 00:34:41.265 for every minute of every single day. And so I said, you know what? 413 00:34:41.285 --> 00:34:43.344 I'm gonna find stuff to build. I think we can replace the sink. 414 00:34:43.385 --> 00:34:45.785 I think we could do that. I've never done plumbing a day in my life, 415 00:34:45.786 --> 00:34:48.905 but I was gonna figure it out because I needed to do something to deal with what 416 00:34:48.906 --> 00:34:52.344 was happening in my household. And lo and behold, I go to Lowe's, 417 00:34:52.465 --> 00:34:56.905 I would go to Home Depot and I would see a hundred dads just with the same lack 418 00:34:56.906 --> 00:34:59.185 of handiness that I had trying to build something too. 419 00:35:02.225 --> 00:35:05.705 I saw some of our staff there. I'm not gonna say your names. 420 00:35:07.725 --> 00:35:10.864 The truth is is that we weren't there to build stuff. 421 00:35:12.285 --> 00:35:13.385 We were trying to find peace. 422 00:35:15.085 --> 00:35:19.305 And so we began to build a bunch of stuff with the hopes that that stuff would 423 00:35:19.306 --> 00:35:21.344 bring the fulfillment or the peace that we needed. 424 00:35:22.545 --> 00:35:25.325 And all of a sudden we got a bunch of rec projects all around our house. 425 00:35:27.035 --> 00:35:27.545 Because. 426 00:35:27.545 --> 00:35:30.875 The work was never gonna fulfill us. See, 427 00:35:30.915 --> 00:35:33.875 I want you to understand that work is a good thing. 428 00:35:34.635 --> 00:35:36.035 I believe that God gave us work. 429 00:35:36.235 --> 00:35:38.765 I believe that we are supposed to work as though we're working for the Lord. 430 00:35:38.766 --> 00:35:39.495 As a matter of fact, 431 00:35:39.495 --> 00:35:42.485 Christians should be some of the best workers in all of the world. 432 00:35:42.705 --> 00:35:44.844 We should work hard, we should be diligent, 433 00:35:44.845 --> 00:35:48.645 and we should reflect the faith of following Jesus and what we do in our 434 00:35:48.646 --> 00:35:51.005 day-to-day work. That's how work is supposed to work. 435 00:35:52.745 --> 00:35:57.005 But work can sometimes go a little too far. 436 00:35:58.315 --> 00:36:01.364 Sometimes we can not set healthy boundaries. 437 00:36:02.685 --> 00:36:06.765 Sometimes we can work so hard that we neglect our faith or we neglect our 438 00:36:06.766 --> 00:36:10.445 family. You know, in a recent study about American work habits, 439 00:36:10.705 --> 00:36:15.525 the author says these words, he says that in America that we have longer days, 440 00:36:15.705 --> 00:36:17.364 we have less vacation time, 441 00:36:17.825 --> 00:36:22.805 and that we retire almost later than any other nation all over the 442 00:36:22.806 --> 00:36:23.639 world. 443 00:36:24.425 --> 00:36:27.995 We are literally sometimes working ourselves to death. 444 00:36:30.545 --> 00:36:32.844 And again, I don't think there's anything wrong with work. 445 00:36:34.915 --> 00:36:39.245 Work is a great tool to share the good news of Jesus Christ. 446 00:36:40.545 --> 00:36:44.515 Work in and of itself was never meant to be The thing that we worship. 447 00:36:46.445 --> 00:36:46.786 You know, 448 00:36:46.786 --> 00:36:49.905 I think we've gotten caught up in this idea of something called the work life 449 00:36:50.175 --> 00:36:54.825 balance, where we try to say, you know what? We need to have as much work, 450 00:36:54.875 --> 00:36:58.905 50% work and 50%, uh, life. 451 00:36:58.925 --> 00:37:03.785 And so our family gets 50%, our job gets 50%, and we try to balance it all out. 452 00:37:03.945 --> 00:37:06.665 And it's like this lifelong effort of trying to balance the skills. 453 00:37:06.685 --> 00:37:07.665 And here's the problem with that. 454 00:37:07.844 --> 00:37:12.145 The scales actually never balance because our families and our faith we're 455 00:37:12.146 --> 00:37:15.065 always meant to have a higher percentage of our heart. 456 00:37:17.844 --> 00:37:18.677 See, 457 00:37:19.185 --> 00:37:24.105 I read an article recently from Jack Welch who's the former CEO of General 458 00:37:24.465 --> 00:37:25.165 Electric. 459 00:37:25.165 --> 00:37:29.625 And in the article he says that we hire more people than anybody in America. 460 00:37:29.725 --> 00:37:32.425 And here's what he says about the work-life balance. He says, 461 00:37:32.426 --> 00:37:34.265 there's no such thing as the work-life balance. 462 00:37:34.455 --> 00:37:38.864 It's nearly impossible to raise a family and to have a successful 463 00:37:39.135 --> 00:37:40.825 executive level career. 464 00:37:41.165 --> 00:37:44.905 And so he has people in his organization who are working their way all the way 465 00:37:44.906 --> 00:37:45.739 up to the top, 466 00:37:47.935 --> 00:37:50.195 and they're hoping that they're gonna have this work-life balance, 467 00:37:52.605 --> 00:37:53.438 and it doesn't exist. 468 00:37:55.885 --> 00:38:00.715 Maybe you found yourself in that position where you have 469 00:38:01.055 --> 00:38:06.015 worked so hard at something and right before you got 470 00:38:06.016 --> 00:38:10.215 to the big promotion and right before you got to the big moment when everything 471 00:38:10.216 --> 00:38:13.695 was gonna be perfect for you, you reached out for that bubble 472 00:38:15.295 --> 00:38:19.614 and it burst right before your eyes. Well, 473 00:38:19.615 --> 00:38:20.535 here's what I want you to know. 474 00:38:22.015 --> 00:38:25.175 I want you to know that while work is important, 475 00:38:26.395 --> 00:38:28.614 it was never meant to be the source of your hope. 476 00:38:29.475 --> 00:38:32.375 It was never meant to be the source of your contentment. 477 00:38:33.455 --> 00:38:37.085 And when I see people pursuing work like this with reckless abandon, uh, 478 00:38:37.185 --> 00:38:41.805 it often reminds me of a question that I ask myself regularly and I'll ask it to 479 00:38:41.806 --> 00:38:45.525 you today. Uh, it's a series of questions that you can simply answer. Uh, 480 00:38:46.005 --> 00:38:48.045 anytime you want to think through this or work through this, 481 00:38:48.385 --> 00:38:52.485 has your work has working yourself to death have working yourself so hard? 482 00:38:52.825 --> 00:38:55.405 Has it ever gotten you to a place, has work, 483 00:38:55.715 --> 00:38:58.045 ever produced hope for you? 484 00:39:00.995 --> 00:39:01.828 Has your work. 485 00:39:02.965 --> 00:39:03.614 Ever. 486 00:39:03.614 --> 00:39:04.447 Actually given you. 487 00:39:04.635 --> 00:39:05.468 Joy? 488 00:39:06.435 --> 00:39:10.925 I'm talking about joy that comes from the Lord, not temporary happiness. 489 00:39:12.375 --> 00:39:13.208 Joy. 490 00:39:14.594 --> 00:39:16.525 Have you ever worked your way to happiness? 491 00:39:18.165 --> 00:39:18.455 Have. 492 00:39:18.455 --> 00:39:21.935 You ever worked your way to the place of fulfillment? 493 00:39:24.585 --> 00:39:28.325 See, when I hear someone answer, yeah, work's, has done all those things, 494 00:39:29.505 --> 00:39:31.965 my worry is that you might be missing out. 495 00:39:33.375 --> 00:39:36.015 And what actual fulfillment and contentment actually looks like? 496 00:39:37.725 --> 00:39:41.445 What real hope, what real joy in a relationship with Jesus. 497 00:39:42.415 --> 00:39:43.248 Looks like? 498 00:39:44.415 --> 00:39:49.305 Maybe it's time to reevaluate. Maybe it's even time to make some decisions. 499 00:39:51.255 --> 00:39:51.556 You know, 500 00:39:51.556 --> 00:39:55.035 maybe you're at one of our campuses or you're watching online and you're a 501 00:39:55.036 --> 00:39:58.155 college student and you're thinking about stepping out into the workplace for 502 00:39:58.156 --> 00:39:58.989 the first time. 503 00:40:01.355 --> 00:40:04.945 Consider what you're about to do very carefully and make sure 504 00:40:06.135 --> 00:40:07.945 that your faith is a real part of how. 505 00:40:07.945 --> 00:40:08.778 You live. 506 00:40:10.715 --> 00:40:13.935 See the teacher try work and that didn't work either. 507 00:40:15.364 --> 00:40:19.285 And so he turns to something else. He goes to the place of pursuing wealth. 508 00:40:20.565 --> 00:40:23.485 In Ecclesiastes chapter two, verse eight says that, he says, 509 00:40:23.805 --> 00:40:27.005 I collected great sums of silver and gold. 510 00:40:27.525 --> 00:40:28.965 I collected treasure, 511 00:40:30.165 --> 00:40:32.765 the treasure of many kings and many provinces. 512 00:40:33.145 --> 00:40:36.364 And it's believed that Solomon had one of the greatest, uh, 513 00:40:36.365 --> 00:40:40.325 amount of treasure as anybody had. I'm talking about big money. Uh, 514 00:40:40.344 --> 00:40:44.645 by today's standards, he would've had $2.6 trillion. 515 00:40:44.705 --> 00:40:48.965 That's like Elon Bezos money. That's like big money. 516 00:40:50.725 --> 00:40:54.725 And so he asses all this fortune so much so that he can do anything, 517 00:40:54.726 --> 00:40:55.885 that he can go anywhere. 518 00:40:56.225 --> 00:40:59.925 And he comes to these conclusions as you move through the book about money. Uh, 519 00:40:59.926 --> 00:41:03.805 here's what he says, conclusion number one, we are never satisfied. 520 00:41:05.025 --> 00:41:06.325 No matter how much money we get, 521 00:41:06.455 --> 00:41:08.844 we're never actually satisfied with that amount. 522 00:41:09.585 --> 00:41:12.605 The Bible says that those who love money will never, ever, 523 00:41:12.675 --> 00:41:17.475 ever have enough because we just keep pursuing it and 524 00:41:17.715 --> 00:41:21.565 pursuing it and pursuing it. Conclusion number two, 525 00:41:22.745 --> 00:41:27.285 he says that the more money that we have, the more we worry about. 526 00:41:27.645 --> 00:41:28.478 It. 527 00:41:29.385 --> 00:41:30.965 We worry about losing it all. 528 00:41:32.385 --> 00:41:37.125 We worry about somebody else getting a hold of it. The more money you have, 529 00:41:37.425 --> 00:41:41.605 the more people come to help you spend it, especially our children. 530 00:41:45.085 --> 00:41:48.545 Number three, the more money you have, 531 00:41:49.285 --> 00:41:51.344 the more you worry about losing it all. 532 00:41:53.215 --> 00:41:56.275 He says that the rich seldom get a good night's sleep. 533 00:41:58.205 --> 00:42:02.265 They seldom rest in the words of the great theologian, 534 00:42:02.266 --> 00:42:04.105 biggie Smalls mo money, more problems. 535 00:42:04.705 --> 00:42:05.538 . 536 00:42:07.405 --> 00:42:10.985 So money doesn't fulfill them. 537 00:42:12.335 --> 00:42:14.515 You know what I've learned after reading all this stuff, 538 00:42:16.245 --> 00:42:17.555 money is a great tool. 539 00:42:18.465 --> 00:42:22.555 It's a resource that God has given us to make a difference in the world with. 540 00:42:23.415 --> 00:42:25.355 And when we learn how to do money God's way, 541 00:42:25.425 --> 00:42:29.075 it's really important to use it for his glory and to share it with people around 542 00:42:29.076 --> 00:42:31.955 us, our family, our friends, our neighbors, uh, 543 00:42:31.956 --> 00:42:34.155 even people who are far off in distant lands. 544 00:42:34.255 --> 00:42:37.435 We are supposed to use money as a tool. And it's a great tool. 545 00:42:37.485 --> 00:42:41.835 Money is a wonderful tool, but it's a horrible God. 546 00:42:44.094 --> 00:42:46.355 It was never meant to be our God. 547 00:42:47.985 --> 00:42:52.445 And if you are having a hard time, but doing money God's way, 548 00:42:52.855 --> 00:42:57.605 could you go to get hope.net/classes because we have a great ministry 549 00:42:57.606 --> 00:42:59.844 called Financial Peace that will help you with that. 550 00:43:01.135 --> 00:43:05.515 We want every person who attends Hope Community Church to be a good steward and 551 00:43:05.516 --> 00:43:10.155 to use money God's way. See, money doesn't work for Solomon either. 552 00:43:11.335 --> 00:43:13.235 And so he goes to his fifth journey, 553 00:43:14.295 --> 00:43:18.795 he goes to relationships and he starts pursuing relationships with 554 00:43:19.195 --> 00:43:22.594 reckless abandon. And I'm talking about horrible relationships. 555 00:43:22.975 --> 00:43:27.035 He moves his way towards women and he starts trying to fulfill desires that he 556 00:43:27.315 --> 00:43:32.315 has with those women. In Ecclesiastes chapter two, verse eight says that I had, 557 00:43:32.316 --> 00:43:36.355 this is Solomon talking. I had many beautiful concubines. 558 00:43:36.555 --> 00:43:40.715 I had everything that a man could desire. He didn't just do relationships, 559 00:43:40.735 --> 00:43:45.155 he did relationships to the fullness that you can ever do relationships. 560 00:43:45.215 --> 00:43:50.035 The Bible says that he had over 700 wives and over 561 00:43:50.036 --> 00:43:52.035 300 concubines at the time, 562 00:43:55.235 --> 00:43:56.068 reckless abandon. 563 00:43:57.255 --> 00:44:00.995 And he tried to pursue these relationships with everything that he could pursue 564 00:44:01.195 --> 00:44:02.915 'em with. He tried to provide for these folks, 565 00:44:03.015 --> 00:44:04.755 he tried to build a relationship with these folks, 566 00:44:05.015 --> 00:44:07.795 and he did it over and over and over again. 567 00:44:09.565 --> 00:44:13.625 And just like all the other things, it left him empty. 568 00:44:15.855 --> 00:44:16.535 You know, 569 00:44:16.535 --> 00:44:21.395 our relationships sometimes depict what we see in the movies because 570 00:44:21.495 --> 00:44:26.275 we start entering in these relationships with folks and we believe the hype that 571 00:44:26.344 --> 00:44:30.075 this person completes me. You ever see it in the movie? You 572 00:44:31.645 --> 00:44:32.478 complete me. 573 00:44:35.145 --> 00:44:39.364 And then we get into the relationship and we find out that the person 574 00:44:40.355 --> 00:44:44.885 doesn't have the ability to complete us and that we don't have the ability to 575 00:44:45.125 --> 00:44:45.958 complete them. 576 00:44:47.005 --> 00:44:50.185 And oftentimes we take what is rightfully God, 577 00:44:50.205 --> 00:44:54.145 we take our hearts and instead of giving it to the Lord and letting him instruct 578 00:44:54.146 --> 00:44:58.585 us on how to use it in the midst of a relationship and how to have our heart led 579 00:44:58.586 --> 00:45:01.505 by the Lord, instead of that, we give our heart to somebody else. 580 00:45:01.925 --> 00:45:04.905 And oftentimes that person may not have our best interest in mind. 581 00:45:05.125 --> 00:45:09.265 And if anybody is trying to take you away from a relationship with God and 582 00:45:09.465 --> 00:45:12.465 trying to steal your heart from God, that's not a person who's for you. 583 00:45:17.114 --> 00:45:21.425 So we have to be very careful to give our hearts to the Lord. First. 584 00:45:24.355 --> 00:45:29.285 Solomon learns this the hard way because as you move through the text just 585 00:45:29.286 --> 00:45:32.555 a little more, the Bible says 586 00:45:34.455 --> 00:45:37.145 that they actually end up turning his heart away from God. 587 00:45:39.035 --> 00:45:42.425 It says that these concubines, that these wives, 588 00:45:43.745 --> 00:45:44.755 they took him off course. 589 00:45:46.785 --> 00:45:49.525 And so he's tried everything. 590 00:45:50.885 --> 00:45:55.455 He's tried to pursue this whole host of things in order to find fulfillment. 591 00:45:55.456 --> 00:45:58.015 Things that many of us, if we're honest, we pursue it as well. 592 00:45:58.235 --> 00:46:00.775 And he goes after thing, after thing after thing. 593 00:46:00.915 --> 00:46:03.935 And he comes to the same place that none of it really matters. 594 00:46:03.995 --> 00:46:07.614 And he learns these two lessons because he is lived and now he's learned and he 595 00:46:07.615 --> 00:46:08.455 learns these two things. 596 00:46:08.715 --> 00:46:13.614 The first one is that we cannot control any of it when we kid 597 00:46:13.615 --> 00:46:14.448 ourselves. 598 00:46:14.655 --> 00:46:17.855 Oftentimes it's because we think that we have the power and the ability to 599 00:46:17.856 --> 00:46:19.335 control this life. 600 00:46:22.105 --> 00:46:24.565 So we pursue these things with the hope of grasping them. 601 00:46:26.505 --> 00:46:30.045 And the bubbles pop right before our eyes, 602 00:46:31.295 --> 00:46:35.864 right before we get 'em in our grasp, the burst. 603 00:46:38.344 --> 00:46:42.005 The second thing that he learns is that apart from God, 604 00:46:45.225 --> 00:46:46.058 none of this, 605 00:46:47.705 --> 00:46:50.745 none of these things can ever bring fulfillment. 606 00:46:52.805 --> 00:46:56.645 None of these things apart from God can ever bring 607 00:46:57.435 --> 00:46:59.765 fulfillment. You see, 608 00:46:59.766 --> 00:47:04.765 all of these things are created things given to us by the 609 00:47:04.766 --> 00:47:05.599 Creator. 610 00:47:05.985 --> 00:47:09.085 And what I think happens sometimes is we begin to pursue these things because we 611 00:47:09.086 --> 00:47:11.045 believe that these things will fulfill us. 612 00:47:11.065 --> 00:47:15.525 And so we think in our minds that maybe God isn't good enough and so we have to 613 00:47:15.526 --> 00:47:18.245 pursue something other than him to find fulfillment. 614 00:47:18.246 --> 00:47:23.165 And there's just one problem with this Is that he is good 615 00:47:25.645 --> 00:47:27.585 and he is the ultimate fulfillment. 616 00:47:29.545 --> 00:47:34.035 Solomon gets to the end of all of this. And when it's all over, 617 00:47:34.175 --> 00:47:37.835 he says these words, all has been heard. 618 00:47:39.225 --> 00:47:43.205 Here is the conclusion. This is the whole of the matter. 619 00:47:44.685 --> 00:47:47.705 What we are here to do is to fear God 620 00:47:49.925 --> 00:47:52.625 and to keep his commandments. 621 00:47:53.765 --> 00:47:57.665 For this is the whole duty of all of mankind 622 00:47:58.335 --> 00:48:01.705 because God will bring into judgment every good deeded, 623 00:48:02.455 --> 00:48:04.305 including every hidden. 624 00:48:04.755 --> 00:48:05.588 Thing. 625 00:48:06.645 --> 00:48:10.265 You see when you have an accurate picture of who God is. Uh, 626 00:48:10.295 --> 00:48:12.505 when we have a good understanding of who it is, 627 00:48:12.844 --> 00:48:15.665 we enter into this state of adoration. Like we, 628 00:48:15.805 --> 00:48:19.705 we love him because we realize that he's majestic and he's intimate that he's 629 00:48:19.805 --> 00:48:23.145 God and he's near that He is good and he's faithful. 630 00:48:25.165 --> 00:48:26.425 So because of that truth, 631 00:48:28.165 --> 00:48:32.825 our response is to live a life connected to him and worship. 632 00:48:35.245 --> 00:48:39.305 So we fear God, but at the same time, we're fearing God. 633 00:48:39.565 --> 00:48:43.945 We also keep his commands because his commands are the guardrails that help us 634 00:48:44.425 --> 00:48:46.985 actually live a life of fulfillment. 635 00:48:49.195 --> 00:48:53.135 And it begins with us putting our hope and our trust in him. 636 00:48:54.745 --> 00:48:59.415 You know how we find real fulfillment by following Jesus? 637 00:49:02.015 --> 00:49:06.505 Because he has already done the work on the cross of 638 00:49:06.506 --> 00:49:11.405 fulfilling us for all of eternity. And through a relationship with him, 639 00:49:11.665 --> 00:49:12.645 we get access. 640 00:49:13.745 --> 00:49:17.325 We get access to a life of abundance and goodness, 641 00:49:17.705 --> 00:49:21.165 and we begin to put those things that we pursue into the right perspective. 642 00:49:21.364 --> 00:49:23.565 We begin to look through a different lens. 643 00:49:26.545 --> 00:49:28.325 You see, when we see God for who he is, 644 00:49:29.945 --> 00:49:31.965 he shapes all of those other areas. 645 00:49:34.864 --> 00:49:38.085 And I believe that those things are good things, 646 00:49:40.295 --> 00:49:41.594 but they're not God things. 647 00:49:44.675 --> 00:49:49.545 He is our God. You know, in the first week of the series, 648 00:49:50.875 --> 00:49:55.705 chase Gardner shared a quote with us from a w Tozier where he said, 649 00:49:55.775 --> 00:49:59.715 what comes into your mind when you think about God 650 00:50:01.455 --> 00:50:04.114 is the most important thing about us? 651 00:50:05.875 --> 00:50:07.235 And so for the past four weeks, 652 00:50:08.255 --> 00:50:12.955 we have been trying to get a clear picture of who God is. 653 00:50:15.205 --> 00:50:19.025 He is good, but he is a whole lot of other things. 654 00:50:22.435 --> 00:50:24.085 When we recognize that truth, 655 00:50:25.585 --> 00:50:27.725 it helps us to live our lives very differently. 656 00:50:29.985 --> 00:50:31.445 As we close our time today, 657 00:50:32.765 --> 00:50:37.485 I want every single one of us watching online or every one of us watching at one 658 00:50:37.486 --> 00:50:42.145 of our physical campuses to take a look at the picture of 659 00:50:42.285 --> 00:50:47.265 God, not from what we've heard, like me when I was a kid, 660 00:50:48.205 --> 00:50:50.505 not from an image that we made up in our minds, 661 00:50:51.725 --> 00:50:53.585 but directly from the word of God. 662 00:50:56.635 --> 00:50:57.785 Let's take a moment and pray, 663 00:50:58.844 --> 00:51:03.275 and let's spend some time reflecting on this truth. Father God, 664 00:51:03.355 --> 00:51:04.315 I thank you for today. 665 00:51:07.275 --> 00:51:10.675 I thank you so much that you are a good God. 666 00:51:13.275 --> 00:51:17.594 And because you are good, it means that I don't have to pursue any other thing. 667 00:51:19.775 --> 00:51:22.875 It means I don't have to chase after anything else for fulfillment. 668 00:51:27.515 --> 00:51:32.375 See, what Solomon found out is that there is no goodness apart from you. 669 00:51:35.605 --> 00:51:37.785 And so Father, we just take this moment 670 00:51:40.025 --> 00:51:41.445 to reflect on your goodness, 671 00:51:45.625 --> 00:51:48.885 to remember the image that you have shared with us of who you are, 672 00:51:50.055 --> 00:51:51.045 right from your word. 673 00:51:53.315 --> 00:51:55.375 And we pray that as we leave this place today, 674 00:51:57.675 --> 00:52:01.614 it will guide our steps. It will shape our lives. 675 00:52:03.485 --> 00:52:07.745 And instead of pursuing other things to find fulfillment or happiness or joy, 676 00:52:10.795 --> 00:52:11.715 that we will pursue you 677 00:52:14.545 --> 00:52:18.435 through a relationship with you. All of those things, 678 00:52:20.935 --> 00:52:24.635 all of that stuff will be fulfilled. 679 00:52:26.375 --> 00:52:29.195 In Jesus name we pray, amen. 680 00:53:09.605 --> 00:53:12.625 God is great. God is gracious. 681 00:53:14.005 --> 00:53:15.665 God is glorious. He's good. 682 00:53:18.735 --> 00:53:19.025 This. 683 00:53:19.025 --> 00:53:23.585 Is who He is. And this is our God. 684 00:53:24.135 --> 00:53:27.685 This is who He is, and he loves us. 685 00:53:28.985 --> 00:53:32.045 And this is our God. This is what He does. 686 00:53:33.025 --> 00:53:36.645 He saves us. He bo the cross, 687 00:53:37.765 --> 00:53:41.205 beat the graves. Let heaven and earth broke. 688 00:53:42.155 --> 00:53:45.485 This is our God, king Jesus. 689 00:53:47.885 --> 00:53:49.605 Can we sing that again? Proclaim it tonight. 690 00:53:52.355 --> 00:53:55.155 And this is our God. This is who He is, 691 00:53:55.935 --> 00:53:59.955 and he loves us. Who this is our God. 692 00:54:00.545 --> 00:54:04.355 This is what He does. He saves us. 693 00:54:05.335 --> 00:54:09.675 He bo the cross beat the grave. So let, 694 00:54:12.475 --> 00:54:15.275 this is our guy, king Jesus. 695 00:54:26.114 --> 00:54:26.195 It. 696 00:54:26.195 --> 00:54:29.995 Is just continue to respond and worship to his goodness, our king. 697 00:54:41.185 --> 00:54:45.785 The he's my, 698 00:54:48.405 --> 00:54:49.238 the, 699 00:55:48.165 --> 00:55:48.998 the. 700 00:56:10.085 --> 00:56:10.918 My song. 701 00:57:06.065 --> 00:57:09.305 You declare. 702 00:59:16.405 --> 00:59:20.395 Isn't he good tonight? Hope Isn't he gracious and glorious? 703 00:59:22.905 --> 00:59:23.738 He's worth. 704 00:59:32.165 --> 00:59:35.705 You know, this message that God is good. 705 00:59:35.706 --> 00:59:37.425 It's the greatest message the world has ever known. 706 00:59:38.205 --> 00:59:41.545 And I think it's a beautiful thing that we can come together and hear, 707 00:59:41.546 --> 00:59:43.825 that we can be together in here and we can celebrate in that. 708 00:59:43.845 --> 00:59:46.745 We can revel in that. We can remind ourselves of that. 709 00:59:48.365 --> 00:59:52.945 But I'm willing to bet, um, you know, I was sitting right over here and, uh, 710 00:59:52.946 --> 00:59:54.985 there were plenty of moments where I was like, yeah, 711 00:59:55.025 --> 00:59:58.465 I needed to hear this because there are times where I'd pursue all of those 712 00:59:58.466 --> 01:00:02.465 other things over, uh, just resting in the fact that God is good. 713 01:00:03.085 --> 01:00:07.585 But the truth is, is that you probably could think of a few people in your life, 714 01:00:08.115 --> 01:00:11.945 maybe your kids, maybe a friend at work or someone else who you know, 715 01:00:12.765 --> 01:00:16.385 who has, you also see them pursuing these things from a distance. And you may, 716 01:00:16.386 --> 01:00:18.145 I just, in my brain, I was like, man, 717 01:00:18.225 --> 01:00:22.985 what would it be like if every single person in here echoed the goodness of 718 01:00:23.045 --> 01:00:24.105 God wherever we went? 719 01:00:25.655 --> 01:00:30.425 What if we echoed the message that our God is good and he is good enough so we 720 01:00:30.426 --> 01:00:32.625 don't have to pursue after all this other stuff? 721 01:00:32.625 --> 01:00:36.705 What would that actually look like? The beauty of that is, 722 01:00:36.825 --> 01:00:38.865 is that each and every one of us, we have the words. We have. 723 01:00:38.955 --> 01:00:42.465 We've been given this gospel to go and spread out to everyone as well. But man, 724 01:00:42.545 --> 01:00:45.225 I love that while we all get a chance to do that on an individual level, 725 01:00:45.245 --> 01:00:47.065 we get to do that as a church also. 726 01:00:47.645 --> 01:00:51.505 And so it does my heart well to see all the things that Jason reminded us of at 727 01:00:51.506 --> 01:00:53.505 the beginning of this service of ways, uh, 728 01:00:53.506 --> 01:00:57.385 that as a community we're making an impact on the world around us and echoing 729 01:00:57.386 --> 01:01:00.505 the love of God around us. So I just want to give you a moment, 730 01:01:00.645 --> 01:01:03.945 and I want to invite you, uh, into being a part of that as well, 731 01:01:04.085 --> 01:01:08.025 if you're not already. And the way that we're asking for you to do that is if, 732 01:01:08.045 --> 01:01:09.145 if you feel like, man, 733 01:01:09.185 --> 01:01:12.345 I want to contribute to what God is doing throughout the world, 734 01:01:12.415 --> 01:01:15.665 through Hope Community Church, uh, we want to invite you to give, 735 01:01:16.365 --> 01:01:18.425 and there's a couple of different ways that you can do that. 736 01:01:18.485 --> 01:01:19.545 You can always go to get 737 01:01:21.225 --> 01:01:24.065 hope.net/give and you'll be able to get tons of information on that here on the 738 01:01:24.066 --> 01:01:26.945 screens. We have options, uh, for digital, for in-person. 739 01:01:27.045 --> 01:01:29.705 If you're watching online, there are opportunities there for you as well. 740 01:01:31.725 --> 01:01:33.545 But man, the reason why we do this, 741 01:01:33.605 --> 01:01:37.505 the reason why we give from this place is to echo the truth to the world that 742 01:01:37.506 --> 01:01:40.465 our God is good and we want them to experience that goodness as well. 743 01:01:40.485 --> 01:01:44.625 So as you get ready to head out, as you get ready to log off, think about, man, 744 01:01:44.905 --> 01:01:49.825 how this week, what can I do to echo the goodness of God to everybody around me? 745 01:01:49.925 --> 01:01:54.425 Can we do that? Yeah. Love spending time with y'all. We'll see you next time.