229 00:27:45.375 --> 00:27:50.295 All right, hope. How we doing? We good? Nice. Nice. You're really good. 230 00:27:50.555 --> 00:27:55.295 That's awesome. Hey, uh, I'm, my name's Ben. I'm a pastor from out in Colorado. 231 00:27:56.135 --> 00:27:58.494 Um, I've been out here a number of times. I'm a, 232 00:27:58.515 --> 00:28:01.575 I'm a friend of hope and hope's been a really good friend to me. 233 00:28:01.576 --> 00:28:03.855 But I've been out here a number of times to the point where it's like I'm not 234 00:28:03.856 --> 00:28:06.295 even gonna, I'm not gonna introduce myself anymore. 235 00:28:06.435 --> 00:28:09.015 If I haven't met you yet, I would love to meet you. 236 00:28:09.205 --> 00:28:11.975 Come say hi to me after this. But we won't do any intro. 237 00:28:12.025 --> 00:28:15.415 We're just gonna jump in today. Um, actually before we jump in, 238 00:28:15.455 --> 00:28:18.775 I wanna say just a really special welcome for any of you. 239 00:28:18.915 --> 00:28:23.655 If you maybe came to hope for the very first time last weekend for Easter 240 00:28:23.895 --> 00:28:27.734 Services and now you're here for a second time to just give it one more shot. 241 00:28:28.115 --> 00:28:30.615 If that's you, welcome. All right. 242 00:28:30.616 --> 00:28:32.815 If you're the kind of person who's trying to figure out faith, 243 00:28:32.816 --> 00:28:36.175 but you feel kind of behind the ball, you're in the right place. Me too. 244 00:28:36.475 --> 00:28:39.815 I'm trying to figure out faith and I feel like I'm kind of behind the ball all 245 00:28:39.816 --> 00:28:40.735 the time. Um, 246 00:28:40.736 --> 00:28:44.775 you're in the right p place because hope is kind of like an island of misfit 247 00:28:44.805 --> 00:28:49.215 toys for people when it comes to faith. All right? So you're in the right place. 248 00:28:49.615 --> 00:28:52.215 Um, you can feel free to jump into this community. 249 00:28:52.275 --> 00:28:55.895 You can also feel free to kind of chill in the back and not talk to anyone if 250 00:28:55.896 --> 00:29:00.775 that's what you need right now. We just wanna say welcome back and then also an, 251 00:29:00.835 --> 00:29:04.655 an encouragement for if you're one of the like 200 people, which is crazy, 252 00:29:05.115 --> 00:29:08.375 who last week had that conversation with Jesus, where you're like, all right, 253 00:29:08.435 --> 00:29:12.575 I'm done fighting you. I'm ready to follow you. If that's you, that's awesome. 254 00:29:13.295 --> 00:29:15.775 I just wanna encourage you to lean in and keep going. 255 00:29:15.975 --> 00:29:19.615 I prayed that same prayer 15 years ago. Totally changed my life, 256 00:29:19.995 --> 00:29:23.215 but I also know that I prayed that prayer and I was like, all right, Jesus, 257 00:29:23.355 --> 00:29:26.815 I'm ready to follow you. And immediately after that I was like, I don't even, 258 00:29:26.935 --> 00:29:27.768 I don't know what that looks like. 259 00:29:27.815 --> 00:29:30.535 I don't know what I'm supposed to do right now. And if you feel that way, 260 00:29:30.685 --> 00:29:33.015 it's okay. You're actually here at the right time. 261 00:29:33.615 --> 00:29:35.695 'cause that's what this series is all about. 262 00:29:35.696 --> 00:29:40.095 This series is about the foundations of our faith. Alright? 263 00:29:40.096 --> 00:29:42.530 And you hear that title, title and some of you might be going like, 264 00:29:42.531 --> 00:29:46.165 it sounds very scholarly. Is this gonna be boring? Well, no. 265 00:29:46.325 --> 00:29:50.125 I believe that making Jesus boring is like the greatest sin on earth. 266 00:29:50.275 --> 00:29:53.925 It's not gonna be boring. Instead, let me explain what this series is about. 267 00:29:53.926 --> 00:29:57.365 We're gonna kind of do it in a roundabout way, but we'll explain it. All right? 268 00:29:57.366 --> 00:30:01.645 So there are, there are many cultural historians and social scientists, 269 00:30:01.795 --> 00:30:05.845 both people who are Christians and people who are not Christians who believe 270 00:30:05.846 --> 00:30:10.005 that America is currently a post-Christian society. 271 00:30:10.105 --> 00:30:13.005 That's the term for it. And don't freak out. 272 00:30:13.006 --> 00:30:17.445 All it means is a post-Christian society is one that no longer considers 273 00:30:17.446 --> 00:30:22.085 Christianity to be the foundation for its ethics and culture. Okay? 274 00:30:22.185 --> 00:30:24.285 It doesn't mean that Christianity is dying, 275 00:30:24.465 --> 00:30:28.485 it just means it's not the foundation for our culture. And again, that's, 276 00:30:28.486 --> 00:30:31.645 that's fine. We don't need to freak out or get grumpy about that. 277 00:30:31.646 --> 00:30:35.085 We're gonna be just fine. Alright? Some of you now are going like, 278 00:30:35.086 --> 00:30:38.005 well then dude, why are you even bringing it up? , great question. 279 00:30:38.345 --> 00:30:41.445 I'm bringing it up because from my observation, at least, 280 00:30:41.755 --> 00:30:45.605 like living in a post-Christian society, especially for me, like raising, 281 00:30:45.606 --> 00:30:48.685 trying to raise kids in one, from my observation, 282 00:30:49.145 --> 00:30:53.045 my culture feels very foundation list in a lot of ways right now. 283 00:30:54.035 --> 00:30:55.205 Like, like for example, 284 00:30:55.365 --> 00:31:00.045 I see a confusion in my culture as it tries to create moral and ethical 285 00:31:00.046 --> 00:31:04.845 beliefs without using Jesus Christianity or the Bible Prime 286 00:31:04.846 --> 00:31:07.245 example of that is in 2005, 287 00:31:07.305 --> 00:31:11.125 the Supreme Court decided that it's unconstitutional to display the 10 288 00:31:11.126 --> 00:31:13.565 Commandments inside courthouses. 289 00:31:13.595 --> 00:31:17.565 Even though our judicial system largely based on Judeo-Christian ethics, 290 00:31:18.405 --> 00:31:20.845 it's just confusing, right? To, to kind of clear that up for you. 291 00:31:20.846 --> 00:31:22.285 What happened is the Supreme Court, 292 00:31:22.375 --> 00:31:24.765 which is ultimately based on many Christian ethics, 293 00:31:25.235 --> 00:31:29.605 used those ethics to declare that it's unethical to display those ethics inside 294 00:31:29.606 --> 00:31:32.885 the courthouses that uphold those ethics. It's confusing, 295 00:31:33.145 --> 00:31:37.925 it feels foundation less. I see the same like foundation, 296 00:31:38.165 --> 00:31:42.765 less aspect of my culture, like leak into people's personal lives. Okay? If you, 297 00:31:42.766 --> 00:31:45.005 if you get on social media later today, you, 298 00:31:45.006 --> 00:31:48.765 you're gonna see a lot of people who are very vocal about their beliefs, 299 00:31:48.785 --> 00:31:49.618 but they don't have, 300 00:31:49.835 --> 00:31:54.485 they can't give any moral foundation for their beliefs other than just like, 301 00:31:54.515 --> 00:31:58.645 well that's my truth, right? You do you, but that's my truth. 302 00:31:58.675 --> 00:32:00.125 There's no foundation. 303 00:32:00.795 --> 00:32:04.885 This is why so many arguments these days can really be boiled down to full grown 304 00:32:04.886 --> 00:32:07.085 adults going like, yeah, no. Yeah. 305 00:32:07.505 --> 00:32:09.845 And that's it because we don't agree on anything. 306 00:32:09.846 --> 00:32:13.805 We don't agree on what is true, right? Wise and good. 307 00:32:14.745 --> 00:32:16.765 And we got there in kind of a, a roundabout way. 308 00:32:16.766 --> 00:32:20.445 But that's what this series is all about because we're gonna talk about the 309 00:32:20.595 --> 00:32:23.605 foundations of our faith. 'cause there's like, 310 00:32:23.606 --> 00:32:28.085 there's like a few core foundations that you're gonna find at the bottom of 311 00:32:28.175 --> 00:32:29.725 every single story in the Bible. 312 00:32:29.726 --> 00:32:32.645 You're gonna find 'em at the bottom of everything that Jesus taught, 313 00:32:32.895 --> 00:32:36.605 every idea about him, every idea from him. In fact, 314 00:32:36.965 --> 00:32:40.765 these same foundations you'll find at the bottom of every great movie, 315 00:32:41.445 --> 00:32:46.285 in every beautiful novel ever written and every human soul walking around the 316 00:32:46.286 --> 00:32:46.745 planet. 317 00:32:46.745 --> 00:32:51.485 And the fancy like theological terms for these foundations are 318 00:32:51.965 --> 00:32:56.525 creation, fall, redemption, and sanctification. Okay? 319 00:32:57.185 --> 00:33:01.245 But some of those are like $10 words from people who went to Bible college. 320 00:33:01.385 --> 00:33:05.885 And so if we're just gonna use normal language, the foundations for our faith, 321 00:33:05.985 --> 00:33:10.045 and I would argue for understanding just existence, are this, 322 00:33:10.985 --> 00:33:14.125 we are created, we are broken, 323 00:33:15.185 --> 00:33:19.685 we can be fixed, and we are on our way towards something better. 324 00:33:19.775 --> 00:33:21.405 Those four things right there, 325 00:33:21.805 --> 00:33:25.365 I believe that that should shape the way that we view everything. 326 00:33:25.675 --> 00:33:27.445 Like absolutely everything. 327 00:33:27.446 --> 00:33:31.165 The way we view ourselves and other people and the way we view our culture and 328 00:33:31.166 --> 00:33:34.645 our context in our history. Like we're created, we're broken, 329 00:33:34.945 --> 00:33:39.045 but we can be fixed and we're on our way towards something better. And, 330 00:33:39.065 --> 00:33:42.885 and whether you follow Jesus your whole life or you're just checking him out, 331 00:33:43.085 --> 00:33:45.525 I would tell you that these, these four foundations, 332 00:33:46.085 --> 00:33:47.925 I believe they can become steady ground, 333 00:33:48.045 --> 00:33:52.925 a steady foundation for you to stand on while you try to navigate 334 00:33:53.405 --> 00:33:54.565 a foundation list culture. 335 00:33:55.325 --> 00:33:58.025 And so that's what we're gonna talk about for the next four weeks. 336 00:33:58.075 --> 00:33:59.505 We're gonna get started right now. 337 00:33:59.845 --> 00:34:04.065 And I wanna start by talking about our identity. Your identity, 338 00:34:05.135 --> 00:34:07.625 okay? There's this phase of life everyone went through. 339 00:34:07.626 --> 00:34:11.864 It happens when you're pretty young. Um, my kids are 10, nine and six. 340 00:34:12.005 --> 00:34:14.665 And so we've been in this phase for a few years now, 341 00:34:14.885 --> 00:34:19.025 but it's this phase where in your little kid mind something clicks and you tell 342 00:34:19.265 --> 00:34:22.145 yourself maybe if I'm mean to other people, 343 00:34:22.364 --> 00:34:26.505 it will make me feel better, okay? It's just, it's human nature. 344 00:34:26.565 --> 00:34:30.585 It happens to everybody, right? But you're also little, so you're bad at it, 345 00:34:30.795 --> 00:34:33.745 right? You don't know how to really stick it to someone yet. 346 00:34:33.925 --> 00:34:37.185 And so what do you do? You start name calling, right? 347 00:34:37.186 --> 00:34:41.545 Name calling is kind of the first step in our like journey towards learning how 348 00:34:41.546 --> 00:34:43.265 to become mean to one another. 349 00:34:43.285 --> 00:34:45.505 But you're not even good at that yet because you're little. 350 00:34:45.565 --> 00:34:48.145 And so it leads to some pretty hilarious name calling at times. 351 00:34:48.215 --> 00:34:51.545 Like the names that my kids call each other are ridiculous. , right? 352 00:34:51.725 --> 00:34:55.065 And then I'll remember, I'll never forget this story. When I was little, 353 00:34:55.545 --> 00:34:59.105 I was probably like eight years old. Um, I had this neighbor friend, 354 00:34:59.125 --> 00:35:02.344 his name was Jeremy. We didn't play very often. Um, 355 00:35:02.775 --> 00:35:05.305 like I didn't know him too well. He was two years older than me. 356 00:35:05.405 --> 00:35:08.945 And when you're eight, this like, this dude's an adult in my mind. You know, 357 00:35:08.946 --> 00:35:12.425 he's 10, he's like renting cars and stuff. Um, so, 358 00:35:12.525 --> 00:35:16.545 but every now and then the stars would align. I would go play with Jeremy. Okay? 359 00:35:16.546 --> 00:35:19.985 So one day we're in my driveway, we're playing basketball, he beats me. 360 00:35:20.265 --> 00:35:23.585 I know it's crazy to think of someone in my stature losing a basketball game. 361 00:35:24.185 --> 00:35:28.585 Um, but it was an upset and he won. Um, and so I turned to call him a name. 362 00:35:29.205 --> 00:35:32.105 And I remember I wasn't even being like, I didn't feel mean. 363 00:35:32.165 --> 00:35:34.505 It was more just kind of like I was trying to be humorous, 364 00:35:34.765 --> 00:35:38.245 but I call him a name. And here's the name that I called him. Um, 365 00:35:38.385 --> 00:35:40.125 my dad was a cartoonist, okay? 366 00:35:40.126 --> 00:35:43.765 So I grew up watching lots of cartoons and Yosemite, 367 00:35:43.945 --> 00:35:48.864 Sam used to say the word dastardly all the time with 368 00:35:48.905 --> 00:35:51.145 a d dastardly, okay? 369 00:35:51.695 --> 00:35:56.665 Somewhere along the way in my little kid mind that got confused with a very 370 00:35:56.735 --> 00:36:00.505 similar sounding word. And so Jeremy beats me in basketball. 371 00:36:00.625 --> 00:36:03.265 I look at him cucumber, cool. And I'm like, Jeremy, 372 00:36:03.765 --> 00:36:07.505 you are such a fill in the blank. Well, he's an adult, he's 10, 373 00:36:07.525 --> 00:36:11.785 he knows these words. So he cries, he goes home. I'm so confused, okay? 374 00:36:11.805 --> 00:36:15.825 I'm just confused enough to go inside and tell my mom . I was like, mom, 375 00:36:15.875 --> 00:36:18.945 weird thing just happened. I explained the whole situation to her. 376 00:36:18.955 --> 00:36:22.065 She's of course like Benjamin, where did you hear that word? And I'm like, mom, 377 00:36:22.385 --> 00:36:27.105 Looney tunes like chill. It's fine. . I didn't have to wash my mouth out. 378 00:36:27.225 --> 00:36:28.505 I did have to go apologize. 379 00:36:28.765 --> 00:36:32.745 But we learned to call each other names at like a really early age 380 00:36:33.665 --> 00:36:34.725 and now we're adults. 381 00:36:34.864 --> 00:36:39.085 So if we can look back on that and kind of think for just one second on what 382 00:36:39.086 --> 00:36:42.165 we're actually doing to people, when we call them names, 383 00:36:42.265 --> 00:36:46.885 we realize that it's really messed up. 'cause what we're doing is we're saying, 384 00:36:46.905 --> 00:36:51.045 Hey, you're not Jeremy to me, right? You're not this like individual, 385 00:36:51.065 --> 00:36:54.645 you're not this unique valuable person in my life. Instead, 386 00:36:55.045 --> 00:36:59.045 you are just a fill in the blank with whatever term you wanna identify them 387 00:36:59.046 --> 00:37:02.005 with. That we're, what we're doing is we're, 388 00:37:02.006 --> 00:37:06.165 we're taking their true identities and ripping them out and replacing them with 389 00:37:06.166 --> 00:37:10.325 really bad identities. And we start doing this when we're like four years old. 390 00:37:11.725 --> 00:37:12.558 And of course, I'm, 391 00:37:12.605 --> 00:37:16.344 I'm talking about right now like the juvenile form of name calling. 392 00:37:16.485 --> 00:37:18.265 But be honest with yourself. 393 00:37:18.266 --> 00:37:22.265 There are some names that you have been called some ways that you've been 394 00:37:22.266 --> 00:37:24.895 defined and they've stuck around, right? 395 00:37:25.015 --> 00:37:27.295 This stuck around for a really long time. And, 396 00:37:27.555 --> 00:37:32.375 and these definitions of who we are, these bad identities, they're not cute, 397 00:37:32.565 --> 00:37:36.535 they're not funny. And if we're being honest, we've spent a lifetime either A, 398 00:37:36.755 --> 00:37:39.375 trying to prove those names wrong or b, 399 00:37:39.755 --> 00:37:44.225 we just started agreeing with those names. Here's what I mean, 400 00:37:44.226 --> 00:37:45.745 I'll go first. For me, 401 00:37:45.985 --> 00:37:50.505 a name that I took on at a really young age is I am weak. 402 00:37:51.675 --> 00:37:54.075 Okay? For me, I honestly, I really like, 403 00:37:54.195 --> 00:37:55.715 I haven't grown since eighth grade , 404 00:37:55.716 --> 00:38:00.114 like since eighth grade I've been five, seven and like 135 pounds soaking wet. 405 00:38:00.335 --> 00:38:03.075 And in eighth grade when it feels like all my friends are like, you know, 406 00:38:03.076 --> 00:38:07.035 growing a foot a day and getting buff and growing goatees and stuff, 407 00:38:07.435 --> 00:38:09.155 I was like the kid in the corner who was like, 408 00:38:09.156 --> 00:38:12.275 do you wanna start a punk band with me? That's, that's who I was. 409 00:38:12.415 --> 00:38:15.715 And I was also, you know, bullied and picked on and the whole nine yards. 410 00:38:15.716 --> 00:38:20.715 And so I walked away from my childhood with a name that says I am weak. 411 00:38:21.655 --> 00:38:24.235 I'm 38 years old now and I hate to admit it, 412 00:38:24.295 --> 00:38:27.635 but I still spend a lot of energy trying to prove that name wrong, 413 00:38:27.636 --> 00:38:31.035 trying to prove that I'm not weak. I'm not that eighth grade kid anymore. 414 00:38:32.635 --> 00:38:33.875 Spend a lot of time doing that for me, 415 00:38:34.355 --> 00:38:36.325 I didn't do that in a physical sense for me. 416 00:38:36.405 --> 00:38:40.725 I tried to overcompensate in other areas, right? So for me, I focused on like, 417 00:38:40.726 --> 00:38:43.045 I gotta try to be the funniest person in the room, 418 00:38:43.105 --> 00:38:46.205 or I've gotta be like the smartest or the most creative or the hard, 419 00:38:46.225 --> 00:38:50.085 at least the hardest working person in the room all to prove that I'm not weak. 420 00:38:50.145 --> 00:38:53.645 I'm not that eighth grade kid anymore, right? That's, that's my thing. 421 00:38:53.985 --> 00:38:58.665 What's your thing? I, I don't know your story. You know your story 422 00:39:00.255 --> 00:39:04.594 for you maybe mom and dad or dad didn't stick around. And so you just, 423 00:39:04.655 --> 00:39:08.315 you got this name at a really early age that said, I am unwanted. 424 00:39:09.175 --> 00:39:11.635 You spent the rest of your life trying to prove that that's not true. 425 00:39:11.855 --> 00:39:16.614 Or you just started to agree that you're unwanted. Actually, 426 00:39:16.615 --> 00:39:20.535 think of it now. What is the bad identity that you're carrying around today? 427 00:39:20.735 --> 00:39:24.855 I am what? I am ugly. I am forgettable, right? 428 00:39:25.015 --> 00:39:29.055 I am an easy date. I am annoying or stupid or worthless. 429 00:39:29.056 --> 00:39:33.355 What is your bad identity at the end of the day? 430 00:39:33.955 --> 00:39:38.915 Your identity totally boils down to your answer to this question. Who are you? 431 00:39:40.085 --> 00:39:43.225 Who are you? However you answer that question, that's your identity. 432 00:39:43.485 --> 00:39:44.945 And whatever your identity is, 433 00:39:45.005 --> 00:39:47.105 it will shape the way that you live the rest of your life. 434 00:39:47.106 --> 00:39:48.665 And if we're being honest with ourselves, 435 00:39:49.145 --> 00:39:52.465 a lot of us are living out of really bad identities. 436 00:39:53.525 --> 00:39:57.185 And then you throw in our foundation less cult culture and the fact that it 437 00:39:57.186 --> 00:40:00.305 doesn't really have a good answer for the question, who are you? 438 00:40:00.364 --> 00:40:04.945 And so it's no surprise that a lot of us are looking to successful careers or 439 00:40:04.946 --> 00:40:09.945 political stances or sexual conquest or physical accomplishment to define 440 00:40:10.205 --> 00:40:13.105 who we are and replace our bad identities. 441 00:40:13.165 --> 00:40:17.735 And so what do we do about this problem? Well, this is where the, 442 00:40:17.755 --> 00:40:22.255 the first foundation of our faith in our existence comes into play. 443 00:40:22.256 --> 00:40:26.415 Because when I ask you who are you? Jesus has an answer for that question. 444 00:40:26.515 --> 00:40:27.415 And I'm telling you, 445 00:40:27.635 --> 00:40:32.455 if you let the answer to his question become the foundation for your identity, 446 00:40:32.635 --> 00:40:35.295 honest to God, it could change your entire life. 447 00:40:36.715 --> 00:40:39.695 So what is Jesus's answer to that question? 448 00:40:41.885 --> 00:40:46.005 Well, we actually find it on the very first page of our Bibles, okay? 449 00:40:46.006 --> 00:40:48.445 Like this foundation, this, 450 00:40:48.515 --> 00:40:53.405 this understanding of who we are is so important that it's literally the first 451 00:40:53.406 --> 00:40:57.085 thing you will encounter when you open up a Bible. The, 452 00:40:57.185 --> 00:40:58.925 the first sentence of the Bible, 453 00:40:58.985 --> 00:41:03.405 the first verse of out of over 23,000 verses goes like this. 454 00:41:03.745 --> 00:41:07.605 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, 455 00:41:08.905 --> 00:41:10.905 okay? In the first 10 words of the Bible, 456 00:41:11.085 --> 00:41:15.385 God is trying to communicate to you that God is the creator. 457 00:41:16.565 --> 00:41:18.985 He is the creator. He wants you to know right off the bat, 458 00:41:19.285 --> 00:41:23.465 he created everything. Like everything, okay? He, 459 00:41:23.466 --> 00:41:28.344 he created big stuff like the solar system with all of its planets. 460 00:41:28.345 --> 00:41:32.665 And he created the small stuff like microbiology and DNA and all of that. 461 00:41:32.725 --> 00:41:36.125 And he made, you know, just like the world colorful just because, 462 00:41:36.945 --> 00:41:39.525 and he made caterpillars turn into butterflies just because, 463 00:41:39.785 --> 00:41:44.085 and he gave you taste buds so that you could enjoy pad T just because he loves 464 00:41:44.105 --> 00:41:46.925 you, right? He just created all of this for us. 465 00:41:47.025 --> 00:41:51.405 And one of my personal favorite creations of his as he made this 466 00:41:51.495 --> 00:41:56.364 incredible phenomenon where if you crudely hammer the right type of metal wire 467 00:41:56.425 --> 00:41:59.045 pulled to the right amount of topness, and if, 468 00:41:59.065 --> 00:42:02.725 if you crudely hammer a bunch of those wires at just the right time, 469 00:42:02.825 --> 00:42:05.435 you're listening to Beethoven, right? 470 00:42:05.436 --> 00:42:09.675 Sometimes unfortunately you're also listening to like Taylor Swift and k-pop. 471 00:42:09.735 --> 00:42:11.995 But that doesn't really prove my point right? 472 00:42:11.996 --> 00:42:16.594 Now the point is that God is the creator and the world that he made is, 473 00:42:16.695 --> 00:42:21.495 is magnificent. His works are wonderful. But then the, 474 00:42:21.515 --> 00:42:24.975 the first chapter of Genesis goes a step further, okay? 475 00:42:24.976 --> 00:42:27.375 We're not only told that God is the creator, 476 00:42:27.515 --> 00:42:31.335 but on top of that we're told that God is your creator. 477 00:42:32.555 --> 00:42:37.495 We find that in verse 26 to kind of summarize what happens between the 478 00:42:37.496 --> 00:42:42.455 first verse and verse 26. God spends five days creating everything in the world. 479 00:42:42.675 --> 00:42:46.495 And at the end of every single day he keeps saying that his creation is good, 480 00:42:46.565 --> 00:42:50.495 this is good, this is good. But then after the end of day six, 481 00:42:50.645 --> 00:42:54.295 it's the first time he says that his creation is very good. 482 00:42:54.555 --> 00:42:57.055 And that's because he creates men and women. 483 00:42:58.125 --> 00:42:59.614 Look at this then God said, 484 00:43:00.035 --> 00:43:04.495 let us make man in our image and in our likeness and let them rule over the fish 485 00:43:04.496 --> 00:43:08.455 of the sea and the birds of the air and over the livestock and the earth and all 486 00:43:08.456 --> 00:43:11.295 the creatures that move along the ground. And so then he did it. 487 00:43:11.915 --> 00:43:16.695 God created man in his own image, in the image of God, he created him, 488 00:43:16.725 --> 00:43:20.775 male and female, he created them. And God saw all that he had made. 489 00:43:20.955 --> 00:43:22.695 And it was very good. 490 00:43:24.335 --> 00:43:28.625 Only after creating humanity does God call his work very 491 00:43:29.055 --> 00:43:33.465 good. Like humanity is basically where God really out does himself. 492 00:43:34.165 --> 00:43:36.265 Humans are like his magnum opus, 493 00:43:36.266 --> 00:43:39.785 like the pinnacle of his creative work in God's eyes. 494 00:43:39.965 --> 00:43:44.405 You and I are simply his masterpieces. Why? 495 00:43:45.235 --> 00:43:49.844 Well, because we're the only piece of his work that was created in his own 496 00:43:50.295 --> 00:43:54.905 image. We'll come back to this image of God's stuff. But first, 497 00:43:54.955 --> 00:43:57.625 right off the bat, don't let that pass you by. 498 00:43:57.815 --> 00:44:02.425 That right there gives you a better foundation for your origins than our culture 499 00:44:02.844 --> 00:44:07.145 can right now. 'cause here's the truth, for some of us, 500 00:44:07.146 --> 00:44:09.985 this is a truth we honestly we don't wanna face right now, but we should. 501 00:44:10.085 --> 00:44:14.945 The truth is that if we weren't created, there's no hope. I mean, 502 00:44:14.946 --> 00:44:18.065 there's no hope for literally any like take the word off the front of the 503 00:44:18.225 --> 00:44:20.685 building. There's no hope. Why? 504 00:44:22.005 --> 00:44:25.465 'cause we're all just biological mistakes, right? 505 00:44:25.466 --> 00:44:28.425 We're just accidents kind of stumbling around this globe, 506 00:44:28.455 --> 00:44:30.065 like loving people for, 507 00:44:30.485 --> 00:44:34.485 for no good reason and just like hurting each other for no good reason and 508 00:44:34.486 --> 00:44:38.985 wanting everything to change for no good reason. It sounds harsh, 509 00:44:39.005 --> 00:44:41.265 but it's the truth. If we weren't, weren't created, 510 00:44:41.405 --> 00:44:45.625 who cares about being a good person? Why care about anything for that matter? 511 00:44:45.685 --> 00:44:49.825 Why care about anything from like social justice to recycling? And frankly, 512 00:44:49.965 --> 00:44:54.705 if we weren't created, who cares that you feel worn down and defeated today? 513 00:44:56.125 --> 00:44:56.766 Who? Who cares? 514 00:44:56.766 --> 00:45:01.485 You're a mistake of nature and an impersonal universe doesn't care about 515 00:45:01.625 --> 00:45:06.525 its mistakes and who cares that you feel aimless today you're 516 00:45:06.645 --> 00:45:11.445 an accident. Accidents don't have purpose. So your life has no purpose, right? 517 00:45:11.465 --> 00:45:15.165 So I guess the only thing you can do is kind of stop whining and pull yourself 518 00:45:15.166 --> 00:45:16.285 up by the bootstraps. 519 00:45:16.515 --> 00:45:21.085 Stop feeling sorry for yourself because in this huge cosmic accident called life 520 00:45:21.335 --> 00:45:23.925 stuff just happens sometimes. So get over it. 521 00:45:25.815 --> 00:45:30.195 Now I don't agree with any of those statements I used to, 522 00:45:30.895 --> 00:45:35.195 but I don't agree with them anymore because I started to agree with God in the 523 00:45:35.196 --> 00:45:37.075 first chapter of his words tos. 524 00:45:38.175 --> 00:45:42.035 And so before I become like the most emo episode of Bill Knight, 525 00:45:42.195 --> 00:45:43.035 the science guy ever made, 526 00:45:43.185 --> 00:45:46.275 this is exactly why in the first chapter of the Bible, 527 00:45:46.535 --> 00:45:50.594 God tries to make clear the truth that God is your creator. 528 00:45:51.725 --> 00:45:53.375 This is the first wonderful. 529 00:45:53.475 --> 00:45:57.535 And honestly it's like a relieving truth that you encounter in the Bible. 530 00:45:57.795 --> 00:46:02.255 You were created on purpose. You're not an accident, you're, 531 00:46:02.256 --> 00:46:04.875 you're not a mistake. Instead, 532 00:46:04.876 --> 00:46:08.715 you are one of the masterpieces of the world's greatest artists. 533 00:46:08.975 --> 00:46:13.795 You were created on purpose to ease your mind. 534 00:46:13.815 --> 00:46:17.835 If this is a truth that's not contained in just the first chapter of the Bible, 535 00:46:17.935 --> 00:46:22.195 it works its way throughout the entire book. Like in Isaiah, God tells us, 536 00:46:22.344 --> 00:46:26.475 fear not for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name. 537 00:46:27.175 --> 00:46:28.155 You are mine. 538 00:46:29.125 --> 00:46:33.665 You're not lost in a sea of humanity or history. You're not anonymous. 539 00:46:34.085 --> 00:46:38.505 God knows you by name. In Psalm 1 39, 540 00:46:38.506 --> 00:46:42.505 David is reflecting on this idea that we were created on purpose. And he says, 541 00:46:42.765 --> 00:46:43.785 he says for you, 542 00:46:43.925 --> 00:46:48.905 God created my inmost being and you knit me together in my mother's womb. 543 00:46:48.906 --> 00:46:52.025 And I praise you because I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. 544 00:46:52.026 --> 00:46:54.825 And your works are wonderful. I know that full well. 545 00:46:56.475 --> 00:46:58.555 It's this image of of God as the craftsman, 546 00:46:58.556 --> 00:47:02.395 like lovingly sculpting the person that would become you. 547 00:47:03.495 --> 00:47:08.065 Like with your physical features and your dreams and aspirations and your 548 00:47:08.094 --> 00:47:12.745 personality, even your weaknesses through which God would display his strengths. 549 00:47:13.005 --> 00:47:15.945 All of it lovingly knit together in your mother's womb. 550 00:47:15.946 --> 00:47:20.785 You were created on purpose. Okay? You are not a nobody. You're not even just, 551 00:47:20.805 --> 00:47:22.585 you're not even just a somebody. 552 00:47:23.445 --> 00:47:28.025 You are a masterpiece on a first name basis with the creator of the universe. 553 00:47:28.085 --> 00:47:30.525 You were created on purpose. 554 00:47:32.405 --> 00:47:36.585 But then we can't stop there, right? 'cause Genesis keeps going. There's, 555 00:47:36.586 --> 00:47:38.785 there's more to this foundation of our faith. 556 00:47:38.844 --> 00:47:43.465 We weren't just created on purpose, we were also created for a purpose. 557 00:47:43.765 --> 00:47:48.625 And this is where the whole image of God stuff comes into play, okay? To, 558 00:47:48.685 --> 00:47:50.705 to refresh your memories. What we just read in Genesis, 559 00:47:50.875 --> 00:47:55.025 we're told that God created man in his own image, in the image of God, 560 00:47:55.026 --> 00:47:57.585 he created him, male and female, he created them. 561 00:47:57.645 --> 00:48:00.385 So you and I and all of humankind, 562 00:48:00.485 --> 00:48:05.225 we were created in the image of God. What does that even mean? Okay? 563 00:48:05.915 --> 00:48:06.748 Personally, 564 00:48:07.265 --> 00:48:11.665 I am of the opinion that this is one of the most important things you could ever 565 00:48:11.775 --> 00:48:14.005 wrap your mind around. Okay, 566 00:48:14.025 --> 00:48:17.885 you can take long division and how to make your front yard green again or 567 00:48:18.045 --> 00:48:21.045 whatever and move them way down the list of things to learn right now. 568 00:48:21.046 --> 00:48:23.645 Because this image of God's stuff is super important. 569 00:48:24.025 --> 00:48:29.005 So what does it mean to be created in the image of God? Well, 570 00:48:29.006 --> 00:48:30.565 some people will say, oh, well, 571 00:48:30.566 --> 00:48:35.205 that means that humans have inherent value and dignity because they were created 572 00:48:35.265 --> 00:48:38.405 by God. I totally agree and I believe that. 573 00:48:38.465 --> 00:48:43.405 But it doesn't explain the image of God because all things were created by God. 574 00:48:43.705 --> 00:48:46.725 And so all things have inherent value and dignity, 575 00:48:47.065 --> 00:48:52.045 not just humans like the lush green woods of North Carolina or 576 00:48:52.225 --> 00:48:55.285 the majestic mountains of Colorado from back where I live. 577 00:48:55.425 --> 00:48:58.045 Or like the dog waiting for you back at home. 578 00:48:58.425 --> 00:49:01.565 Or God forbid maybe you bought cats or whatever. Like , 579 00:49:02.505 --> 00:49:07.245 all created things deserve inherent value, dignity, and worth, 580 00:49:07.246 --> 00:49:10.805 because they're all jaw dropping works of the world's greatest artist. 581 00:49:12.605 --> 00:49:12.606 Uh, 582 00:49:12.606 --> 00:49:16.445 another thing that people will say is that being made in the image of God is the 583 00:49:16.446 --> 00:49:19.525 reason that humans have morality, our sense of right and wrong. 584 00:49:19.825 --> 00:49:22.485 And it's the reason that humans have rationality, 585 00:49:22.745 --> 00:49:26.925 our ability to reason things out. Again, I believe that's true, 586 00:49:26.985 --> 00:49:28.645 but it doesn't explain the image of God. 587 00:49:29.235 --> 00:49:34.165 There's morality in the animal kingdom like chimpanzees have been observed, 588 00:49:34.395 --> 00:49:38.325 consoling family members who have lost babies. And there's morality, 589 00:49:38.326 --> 00:49:42.364 there's rules for how animals govern their own families and and tribes. 590 00:49:42.385 --> 00:49:44.045 And they're also rational. 591 00:49:44.046 --> 00:49:47.005 There's a reason that scientists are obsessed with rats. 592 00:49:47.075 --> 00:49:51.205 It's because rats are whip smart and can come up with solutions for problems 593 00:49:51.206 --> 00:49:53.885 pretty easily. And so we're still back at square one. 594 00:49:53.915 --> 00:49:55.844 Like why are humans unique? 595 00:49:57.005 --> 00:50:01.935 What does it mean that we're created in the image of God? And for today, 596 00:50:02.025 --> 00:50:06.175 we're just gonna tackle the most simple understanding of the image of God. 597 00:50:07.325 --> 00:50:09.655 That word image in, in the Hebrew, 598 00:50:09.885 --> 00:50:14.415 it's a Hebrew word em and sem means sculpture. 599 00:50:15.555 --> 00:50:16.495 And so in other words, 600 00:50:16.555 --> 00:50:21.094 to say that human beings are created in the image of God is the same thing as 601 00:50:21.095 --> 00:50:25.535 saying human beings are sculptures that represent God. 602 00:50:26.525 --> 00:50:30.265 What does that mean? Well, I've always loved how this pastor, 603 00:50:30.485 --> 00:50:32.025 I'm not as smart as this, 604 00:50:32.225 --> 00:50:35.305 this pastor named John Piper explains it in a way that I love. He says this, 605 00:50:35.306 --> 00:50:39.785 imagine this. You got this artist like just a normal human artist. And, 606 00:50:39.786 --> 00:50:40.985 and they go and make a sculpture. 607 00:50:41.045 --> 00:50:44.105 And let's say they put this sculpture in a public place like out in Washington 608 00:50:44.625 --> 00:50:45.295 DC or whatever. 609 00:50:45.295 --> 00:50:49.025 Well they make it sure because they want people to look at it and notice it, 610 00:50:49.245 --> 00:50:53.665 but specifically they want people to think about the person that the sculpture 611 00:50:54.425 --> 00:50:58.705 represents. And they want them to think specific things about that person. 612 00:50:58.725 --> 00:51:02.785 That's why they made the sculpture of this person look heroic or look like a 613 00:51:02.786 --> 00:51:05.305 leader or look wise or whatever that is. 614 00:51:06.364 --> 00:51:10.145 And so what God has done is currently in 2024, 615 00:51:10.614 --> 00:51:15.585 he's placed 7.8 billion sculptures of himself on planet 616 00:51:15.594 --> 00:51:18.785 Earth. Why? Well, because like any other artist, 617 00:51:19.005 --> 00:51:23.425 God wants people to look at those sculptures and then think about the person 618 00:51:23.735 --> 00:51:26.545 that the sculpture represents. In other words, 619 00:51:26.925 --> 00:51:31.705 we have a purpose out here as human beings and 620 00:51:31.805 --> 00:51:35.585 our purpose unique amongst the rest of God's creation. 621 00:51:36.085 --> 00:51:40.945 Our purpose is to represent the characteristics of the person whose image 622 00:51:41.245 --> 00:51:46.015 and likeness we were sculpted in. That person would be God. 623 00:51:47.435 --> 00:51:51.085 What is unique about being created in the image of God? 624 00:51:51.105 --> 00:51:56.005 The answer is humans are uniquely created to represent the characteristics 625 00:51:56.006 --> 00:52:00.285 of God to the world around them. Like that is your life's purpose. 626 00:52:01.575 --> 00:52:05.705 Whether you believe it or not, or whether you want to admit it or not, 627 00:52:05.815 --> 00:52:06.825 it's your life's purpose. 628 00:52:06.965 --> 00:52:11.825 You are a sculpture that reflects God and you are to reflect and represent him 629 00:52:12.055 --> 00:52:16.055 well with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength. And, 630 00:52:16.155 --> 00:52:18.495 and through all of your thoughts and actions and words, 631 00:52:18.555 --> 00:52:22.614 you and I are supposed to basically be saying and shouting to the world like 632 00:52:22.844 --> 00:52:26.855 this is kind of, kind of what my God looks like. I'm getting as close as I can. 633 00:52:27.695 --> 00:52:30.895 Like this is who he loves and this is how he loves. 634 00:52:30.965 --> 00:52:32.975 Like this is what he does when the, 635 00:52:33.005 --> 00:52:36.215 when the cards are down and this is how he behaves when things are going well, 636 00:52:36.216 --> 00:52:40.455 like this is kind of what my God looks like. That's our purpose. 637 00:52:42.125 --> 00:52:45.335 This is why I believe that understanding the image of God is like one of the 638 00:52:45.336 --> 00:52:48.775 most important things we could wrap our minds around. 'cause sure, 639 00:52:48.925 --> 00:52:51.015 it's a foundation for our faith. That's true. 640 00:52:51.205 --> 00:52:54.575 It's also a foundation for how you view the purpose of your life. 641 00:52:55.555 --> 00:52:59.005 It's a foundation for how you view the rest of humanity. 642 00:52:59.395 --> 00:53:02.045 It's a foundation for how you treat your friends and family. 643 00:53:02.235 --> 00:53:04.805 It's even a foundation for how you treat your enemies. 644 00:53:06.094 --> 00:53:09.965 Every human being out here on earth, whether they follow Jesus or not, 645 00:53:10.305 --> 00:53:13.844 is an image bearer of God. And they should be treated as such. 646 00:53:15.985 --> 00:53:18.805 That's why like murder, for example, is, 647 00:53:18.864 --> 00:53:23.165 is offensive to the Jesus follower because we're supposed to view it as one 648 00:53:23.364 --> 00:53:24.197 sculpture of God, 649 00:53:24.315 --> 00:53:28.085 like demolishing and turning to rubble another sculpture of God. 650 00:53:29.225 --> 00:53:32.765 Or let's get even closer to home. Let's take gossip for example, 651 00:53:32.766 --> 00:53:35.085 talking trash about someone behind their back. 652 00:53:35.575 --> 00:53:39.325 Jesus followers are supposed to find that as offensive 'cause we're supposed to 653 00:53:39.326 --> 00:53:44.125 view it as one sculpture of God defacing and spraying graffiti all over another 654 00:53:44.364 --> 00:53:47.005 sculpture of God. In fact, 655 00:53:47.305 --> 00:53:50.364 here's a simple way of understanding sin itself. 656 00:53:50.765 --> 00:53:54.844 'cause sin is a word you almost only ever hear in church and sometimes we get 657 00:53:54.845 --> 00:53:55.765 disconnected from it. 658 00:53:56.325 --> 00:54:01.125 A simple way of understanding sin is to view it as anything that misrepresents 659 00:54:01.185 --> 00:54:06.045 the image and likeness and characteristics of the God we were sculpted 660 00:54:06.046 --> 00:54:10.245 to represent Sin is anytime we're being confusing sculptures. 661 00:54:11.915 --> 00:54:11.996 What I, 662 00:54:11.996 --> 00:54:16.435 what I mean by that is if you go to like the Lincoln Memorial in DC you're not 663 00:54:16.436 --> 00:54:20.035 gonna see a statue of Abraham Lincoln like shredding the electric guitar. 664 00:54:20.105 --> 00:54:23.715 That would be confusing, right? People would look at that and go like, 665 00:54:23.875 --> 00:54:26.195 I don't think Abraham Lincoln ever did that. 666 00:54:27.105 --> 00:54:30.565 And in the same way when we belittle our spouses, 667 00:54:31.395 --> 00:54:33.925 when we delete our phone's history to hide our searches, 668 00:54:34.035 --> 00:54:36.364 when when we flip off the car that cut us off, 669 00:54:36.365 --> 00:54:39.925 or when we cut people down to climb the corporate louder ladder, 670 00:54:40.565 --> 00:54:44.685 we're being just confusing sculptures because I don't think Jesus ever did stuff 671 00:54:44.686 --> 00:54:45.519 like that. 672 00:54:45.985 --> 00:54:50.205 And we're supposed to be representing him out here in this cold hard world. 673 00:54:51.935 --> 00:54:55.235 The first foundation to understanding our faith, and again, 674 00:54:55.355 --> 00:54:59.675 I would argue it's the first foundation to understanding our entire existence, 675 00:55:00.215 --> 00:55:03.755 is to understand that we are created. And not just that, 676 00:55:03.775 --> 00:55:07.594 but we are created on purpose and for a purpose. 677 00:55:07.855 --> 00:55:12.835 And our unique purpose is to represent the characteristics of God to 678 00:55:12.836 --> 00:55:17.265 the world around us. Now, 679 00:55:17.614 --> 00:55:19.665 that was a lot in a short amount of time. 680 00:55:19.885 --> 00:55:22.864 And throughout the rest of the series we're gonna talk about the rest of the 681 00:55:22.865 --> 00:55:23.698 foundations, right? 682 00:55:23.985 --> 00:55:26.505 It it's gonna help you make sense of the way you view the world. 683 00:55:26.535 --> 00:55:28.985 Like we're gonna talk about what went went wrong, 684 00:55:29.015 --> 00:55:33.265 like how did we get broken and how does it get fixed and what does it look like 685 00:55:33.325 --> 00:55:37.145 to just kind of trudge on towards perfection for the rest of our lives? Like, 686 00:55:37.405 --> 00:55:39.585 but to end today, to end right now, 687 00:55:39.725 --> 00:55:44.105 all I want to do is take a moment to just remind us of who we truly are. 688 00:55:45.785 --> 00:55:49.705 Okay? One of my favorite descriptions of God is in Psalm three, goes like this, 689 00:55:50.495 --> 00:55:54.344 says you, oh Lord, are a shield about me, my glory. 690 00:55:54.445 --> 00:55:59.145 And you are the lifter of my head. So it's, 691 00:55:59.175 --> 00:56:04.065 it's like this picture of God as a perfect father walking up to his sons and 692 00:56:04.185 --> 00:56:04.535 daughters. 693 00:56:04.535 --> 00:56:08.625 That would be you and me walking up to his kids who have hung their heads in 694 00:56:08.626 --> 00:56:08.986 defeat. 695 00:56:08.986 --> 00:56:13.225 And it's this picture of him placing a finger under your chin and lifting your 696 00:56:13.226 --> 00:56:16.545 chin, lifting your head back to a posture of confidence, 697 00:56:17.455 --> 00:56:21.825 back to a posture of security and back to a posture of true identity. 698 00:56:23.665 --> 00:56:26.125 And so I'm gonna ask that you do something with me right now. 699 00:56:26.126 --> 00:56:28.045 Only if you feel comfortable, you don't have to do this, 700 00:56:28.105 --> 00:56:29.725 but if you feel comfortable, 701 00:56:29.825 --> 00:56:33.844 I'm gonna ask that you close your eyes right now and just bow your head almost 702 00:56:33.845 --> 00:56:35.525 like you're praying, right? 703 00:56:35.725 --> 00:56:37.645 May or maybe just put your head in your hands right now, 704 00:56:37.675 --> 00:56:41.605 like basically take on the posture of defeat. 705 00:56:43.805 --> 00:56:46.565 'cause I, I told you, er, like at the beginning of this thing, we, 706 00:56:46.705 --> 00:56:50.125 we talked about the bad identities that we carry around all the time, 707 00:56:50.126 --> 00:56:52.565 the bad identities we've been carrying around for years. 708 00:56:53.005 --> 00:56:54.885 I want you to think of yours right now. 709 00:56:55.045 --> 00:56:56.645 I I won't leave you in this place for long, 710 00:56:56.705 --> 00:57:01.245 but for now actually think of it and hang your head in defeat. 711 00:57:01.475 --> 00:57:02.844 What name have you been called? 712 00:57:03.795 --> 00:57:08.485 What name have you been calling yourself for far too long now? I am what? 713 00:57:09.965 --> 00:57:14.165 I am weak, stupid, worthless, unimportant, unwanted. I'm a bad mom. 714 00:57:14.425 --> 00:57:19.285 I'm a bad dad. I'm a bad kid. What, what is your bad identity? 715 00:57:20.785 --> 00:57:24.685 And in your head, say it to yourself like you've said a thousand times before. 716 00:57:24.825 --> 00:57:29.005 Let it sink in the fact that you've been carrying that name around for decades. 717 00:57:31.465 --> 00:57:33.805 And now here, here's what I'm gonna do. 718 00:57:33.945 --> 00:57:36.645 I'm Im gonna tell you what God says about you. 719 00:57:36.825 --> 00:57:39.125 That's what you say about yourself right now. 720 00:57:39.185 --> 00:57:43.485 I'm gonna share what God says about you. I'm just gonna walk through our, 721 00:57:43.945 --> 00:57:47.485 our true identities because of what Jesus has accomplished for us. 722 00:57:47.825 --> 00:57:52.445 And when you're ready to just listen to a voice that's louder and stronger 723 00:57:52.795 --> 00:57:56.325 than the one in your head, then just as a small act of faith, 724 00:57:56.425 --> 00:58:00.845 as a small act of telling God like I, I wanna listen to who you say I am, 725 00:58:00.905 --> 00:58:03.525 not who I say I am. As a small act of faith, 726 00:58:03.526 --> 00:58:06.445 you're just going to lift your chins. Lift your heads. 727 00:58:09.485 --> 00:58:13.885 Alright? So here's what God says about you. He says, 728 00:58:13.886 --> 00:58:17.205 because of Jesus, you are treasured and you are valued. 729 00:58:19.145 --> 00:58:23.165 You are not forgettable, you're not overlooked, you're not unwanted. 730 00:58:23.185 --> 00:58:25.285 You are treasured and you are valued. 731 00:58:27.185 --> 00:58:30.445 God says you are here on purpose and you are here for a purpose. 732 00:58:30.465 --> 00:58:35.005 You're not a mistake. You're not some accident of the cosmos, 733 00:58:35.006 --> 00:58:37.205 you're not inconsequential, you're not anonymous. 734 00:58:38.785 --> 00:58:43.645 You are here on purpose and for a purpose. God says, 735 00:58:43.646 --> 00:58:47.205 you are loved, you are not hated. You are not irredeemable. 736 00:58:47.225 --> 00:58:49.525 You are not too far gone. You are loved. 737 00:58:50.105 --> 00:58:52.365 God says that you are worth dying for, 738 00:58:52.455 --> 00:58:56.645 which means you're absolutely not worthless, not in God's eyes. 739 00:58:56.665 --> 00:58:59.525 You are worth a very great price, A price that he paid. 740 00:59:00.785 --> 00:59:05.525 He says you were worth dying for. God says you are forgiven, 741 00:59:07.165 --> 00:59:12.125 dude, you, you are not the sum of every stupid decision you've ever made. 742 00:59:13.105 --> 00:59:16.405 It has no factor in your relationship with your father anymore. 743 00:59:16.625 --> 00:59:21.005 You are forgiven. And then God says you are free. 744 00:59:22.785 --> 00:59:26.685 You don't have to be a slave to the bad identity in your head. 745 00:59:26.686 --> 00:59:29.525 And you don't have to be chained to your family's history. 746 00:59:29.545 --> 00:59:34.005 You don't have to be chained to your successes or your failures. You are free. 747 00:59:36.865 --> 00:59:41.805 Now everybody raise your heads and just look at those words on the screen and 748 00:59:41.806 --> 00:59:45.325 listen to me that like that is absolutely who you are. 749 00:59:47.875 --> 00:59:48.885 That is who you are. 750 00:59:48.945 --> 00:59:53.805 So that is who you are when you're single and lonely and you're eating dinner by 751 00:59:54.005 --> 00:59:57.925 yourself again. And that is who you are when you're, 752 00:59:57.965 --> 01:00:00.485 you're married with kids and you feel claustrophobic. 753 01:00:00.585 --> 01:00:02.885 You haven't had a minute to yourself in weeks. 754 01:00:04.795 --> 01:00:08.125 That is who you are when you get the promotion, that's who you are. 755 01:00:08.126 --> 01:00:09.125 When you get laid off, 756 01:00:10.635 --> 01:00:14.085 that is who you are when you're addicted and afflicted and ashamed. 757 01:00:14.305 --> 01:00:18.245 And that is who you are when you're ignored or abused and refused. 758 01:00:18.275 --> 01:00:22.885 Like that just is who you are. No ifs, ands or buts, end of story. 759 01:00:23.035 --> 01:00:23.868 It's finished. 760 01:00:26.325 --> 01:00:31.205 Whenever we feel stuck in these bad identities that we're living with, 761 01:00:31.625 --> 01:00:35.485 God doesn't call you names. You're doing that to yourself. 762 01:00:36.985 --> 01:00:39.365 He doesn't call you names, he calls you by name. 763 01:00:40.795 --> 01:00:43.645 When we're feeling defeated, completely defeated. 764 01:00:43.945 --> 01:00:45.685 God doesn't put a finger in your chest. 765 01:00:45.745 --> 01:00:48.885 He doesn't say figure it out and buck up and pull yourself up by your 766 01:00:48.886 --> 01:00:51.285 bootstraps. He doesn't put a finger under your chest. 767 01:00:51.425 --> 01:00:55.885 He puts a finger under your chin and he lifts your head back, 768 01:00:56.155 --> 01:00:59.525 back to confidence, back to true identity. And it's God who says, 769 01:00:59.765 --> 01:01:03.125 I will be your confidence and I will be your strength and I will be your 770 01:01:03.126 --> 01:01:06.085 victory. And only I get to tell you who you are. 771 01:01:06.305 --> 01:01:08.485 And God says that you are mine 772 01:01:10.005 --> 01:01:14.885 and you are my masterpiece. And you were lovingly knit together by me. 773 01:01:15.105 --> 01:01:19.605 And you are my son and you are my daughter. And no one takes you from me. 774 01:01:19.825 --> 01:01:20.335 God says, 775 01:01:20.335 --> 01:01:24.485 don't ever forget who I am and don't ever forget who I say that you are. 776 01:01:26.025 --> 01:01:27.245 God is your creator. 777 01:01:28.505 --> 01:01:33.245 He reserves the sole right to tell you who you are and who he says you are is 778 01:01:33.246 --> 01:01:34.079 freedom. 779 01:01:35.985 --> 01:01:40.685 So chins up and head high shoulders back, 780 01:01:41.355 --> 01:01:44.605 eyes on him. Let's pray. 781 01:01:46.385 --> 01:01:48.685 God, first of all, um, 782 01:01:50.425 --> 01:01:55.005 30 years is a long time. I we're thankful for what you're doing here. Um, 783 01:01:55.845 --> 01:01:59.405 I think sometimes we think that you're like infinite. And so 30 years is like, 784 01:01:59.406 --> 01:02:03.045 you know, just a blink of your eye. But no, you're personal, you're relational. 785 01:02:03.105 --> 01:02:07.645 You live with us. That's 30 you years of you weeping. When we have wept, 786 01:02:09.185 --> 01:02:12.085 that's 30 years of you celebrating when we celebrate. 787 01:02:12.086 --> 01:02:15.845 That's 30 years of you walking closely with us when we're in the valley and 788 01:02:15.846 --> 01:02:18.965 celebrating us when we're on top of the mountain. God, we thank you for that. 789 01:02:20.385 --> 01:02:24.485 God, we boldly ask for 30 more. God, 790 01:02:25.085 --> 01:02:29.485 I thank you for this truth that we found today. God, you are our creator. God, 791 01:02:29.486 --> 01:02:33.285 you made every, you're so beautiful. You made all this stuff that's like it, 792 01:02:33.505 --> 01:02:34.725 it feels like whimsical, 793 01:02:34.726 --> 01:02:37.565 almost like stuff that doesn't even really serve a purpose, 794 01:02:37.705 --> 01:02:41.605 but it just brings us joy or it brings the world beauty and God, 795 01:02:41.606 --> 01:02:45.605 you also created us. And your works are wonderful. We know that full well. 796 01:02:46.665 --> 01:02:50.685 God help us to actually maybe think that just about ourselves, maybe once. 797 01:02:50.686 --> 01:02:51.519 Every now and then. 798 01:02:52.745 --> 01:02:56.645 God help us to remember that we were lovingly knit together in our mother's 799 01:02:56.725 --> 01:02:59.405 womb. We are not forgotten. We are not abandoned, we are not anonymous. 800 01:02:59.665 --> 01:03:04.045 We are called by name and we are yours. God. 801 01:03:04.105 --> 01:03:07.885 Let that truth sink down into our hearts in a way that only you can do. 802 01:03:08.025 --> 01:03:10.005 No pastor, no sermon, no song can do it, 803 01:03:10.006 --> 01:03:14.885 but just you let that truth sink down into our hearts. God, 804 01:03:14.886 --> 01:03:17.485 we praise you for it. God I love you for this community. 805 01:03:17.645 --> 01:03:20.765 I love you for this moment. And I pray this in your son's name. Amen.