WEBVTT 139 00:23:15.585 --> 00:23:18.984 Um, look, I wanna make two confessions to you really quick. Uh, 140 00:23:19.045 --> 00:23:22.465 the first one is, I am an over packer. 141 00:23:23.165 --> 00:23:24.655 Like if I ever go and travel anywhere, 142 00:23:24.734 --> 00:23:27.055 I always put way too much aside of my bag. Uh, 143 00:23:27.615 --> 00:23:31.295 I usually end up packing way more clothes than I need. But on top of that, 144 00:23:31.335 --> 00:23:35.895 I always bring a bunch of books that I always intend to read. And, uh, 145 00:23:36.095 --> 00:23:39.135 I have never read one of them like ever any single time. 146 00:23:39.234 --> 00:23:41.775 The second confession is, and this is the part that, uh, 147 00:23:41.895 --> 00:23:45.244 I really wanna kind of hone in on here a little bit, is, uh, this, the, 148 00:23:45.385 --> 00:23:48.005 one of the books that I always bring with me is my Bible. 149 00:23:49.085 --> 00:23:51.585 And I always have this idea that when I go on vacation, I'm like, 150 00:23:51.586 --> 00:23:54.105 I don't have any distractions. There's nothing to get in my way, 151 00:23:54.106 --> 00:23:57.545 there's no excuses. I can sleep until noon, wake up and still read my Bible. 152 00:23:57.865 --> 00:24:01.225 Right? And, uh, that doesn't always happen that way. Um, this past summer, 153 00:24:01.244 --> 00:24:05.065 my wife and I, we went to California and I brought my Bible with me and I said, 154 00:24:05.066 --> 00:24:07.265 every morning I'm gonna wake up and all this stuff, 155 00:24:07.266 --> 00:24:08.099 we're gonna have a good time. 156 00:24:08.105 --> 00:24:10.905 And then I woke up and it was either too hot or the weather was just right, 157 00:24:10.906 --> 00:24:14.105 and I went and hung out in the pool instead. Um, and ended up wasting some time, 158 00:24:14.106 --> 00:24:18.185 right? But, uh, over the first couple of days, I was really beating myself up. 159 00:24:18.265 --> 00:24:20.065 I was really upset at myself because I'm like, man, 160 00:24:20.066 --> 00:24:22.984 I told myself I was gonna bring my Bible. And then I just, I get distracted. 161 00:24:23.025 --> 00:24:24.984 I find something else, I end up. And so yeah, that's, 162 00:24:24.985 --> 00:24:27.744 that's starting to beat up on me. Uh, fast forward, 163 00:24:28.045 --> 00:24:32.885 I'm about halfway through the vacation and we go to this sushi restaurant and 164 00:24:32.886 --> 00:24:36.565 we're sitting down and, uh, we're eating and my wife is talking to me, 165 00:24:36.566 --> 00:24:39.165 but I'm not really listening to anything that she's saying. Um, 166 00:24:39.365 --> 00:24:40.565 I promise this is different than usual. 167 00:24:40.765 --> 00:24:44.765 I there's a reason for it this time. Um, she's talking, 168 00:24:44.905 --> 00:24:49.825 but behind her, there's a homeless guy that walks into the restaurant and, 169 00:24:50.105 --> 00:24:54.545 uh, I can tell he's not all there. He's asking for a cup of water. 170 00:24:55.265 --> 00:24:59.025 Um, the, the server that was in the restaurant is like trying to be helpful, 171 00:24:59.125 --> 00:25:00.825 but not too helpful, you know what I mean? Like, 172 00:25:00.826 --> 00:25:03.425 this guy kind of gave off the vibe that he does this all the time and they're 173 00:25:03.426 --> 00:25:06.085 like, Hey, you know, people are trying to eat and whatever. 174 00:25:06.265 --> 00:25:09.085 Really treating this guy like he was an inconvenience. Uh, 175 00:25:09.145 --> 00:25:11.685 but before he left out, I realized he didn't have any shoes on his feet. 176 00:25:11.885 --> 00:25:13.845 And the entire time, once he walked out, uh, 177 00:25:13.846 --> 00:25:15.325 the entire time my wife is talking to me, 178 00:25:15.705 --> 00:25:19.484 the only thing I can keep hearing over and over and over and over again in, 179 00:25:19.585 --> 00:25:22.285 in my heart is Matthew Chapter 25, 180 00:25:22.815 --> 00:25:25.244 where Jesus is talking about how, uh, 181 00:25:25.295 --> 00:25:29.765 there will be times where you see people or where we saw him, uh, 182 00:25:29.766 --> 00:25:33.125 and he was hungry and we gave him something to eat or he was naked and we gave 183 00:25:33.126 --> 00:25:36.125 him clothes and he was, uh, in jail. And we went to go visit him. 184 00:25:36.126 --> 00:25:38.685 And they asked Jesus, when did we ever see you do any of these things? 185 00:25:38.705 --> 00:25:40.165 And he says, whenever you do these things, 186 00:25:40.225 --> 00:25:42.325 to the least of these is as if you'd done it to me. 187 00:25:43.225 --> 00:25:45.845 So I see this guy and all I can, like, I I, 188 00:25:45.955 --> 00:25:50.045 it's bothering me like it's getting on my nerves. I can't shake this thought of, 189 00:25:50.225 --> 00:25:53.605 of just thinking about Jesus's words and realizing I have to do something. 190 00:25:54.494 --> 00:25:58.035 So I go outside and I go to have a conversation with this guy. 191 00:25:58.036 --> 00:25:59.155 And this is probably the part where you're like, 192 00:25:59.156 --> 00:26:01.675 I did it and it was the best thing I've ever done. And I felt great about it. 193 00:26:01.775 --> 00:26:05.195 The truth is, is like I was pretty uncomfortable the entire time. Uh, 194 00:26:05.335 --> 00:26:07.234 he clearly wasn't in his right mind. 195 00:26:07.395 --> 00:26:10.395 I asked him his name and it took him about two minutes to think of it. Uh, 196 00:26:10.415 --> 00:26:14.555 he had a smell to him because he hadn't had a shower in a really long time. Uh, 197 00:26:14.715 --> 00:26:17.435 I asked him his birthday, I'm pretty sure he made something up. 198 00:26:17.494 --> 00:26:20.755 And so I asked him, I said, Hey, can, can I get you a pair of shoes? 199 00:26:20.775 --> 00:26:23.835 And he's like, yeah. And the closest place was a couple of blocks away, 200 00:26:23.836 --> 00:26:25.355 but his foot was also injured. 201 00:26:25.955 --> 00:26:28.175 So it takes us a couple of minutes to get around the corner, 202 00:26:28.195 --> 00:26:30.775 get to where we're gonna go, all this stuff. It was really time consuming. 203 00:26:30.776 --> 00:26:35.535 But the entire time, all I could think of was Jesus' words from Matthew 25. 204 00:26:36.675 --> 00:26:40.175 Now, I don't tell you this to tell you that I'm a great person because I'm not 205 00:26:40.655 --> 00:26:43.180 . I definitely had some apprehension in this moment, moment. 206 00:26:43.181 --> 00:26:45.660 There were definitely parts of me that, like, I sent my wife back to the car. 207 00:26:45.661 --> 00:26:47.365 I was like, Hey, listen, I just, we don't, you know, 208 00:26:47.744 --> 00:26:50.125 we don't know if we can trust this person. We wanna make sure he's gonna be, 209 00:26:50.126 --> 00:26:51.685 it's gonna be a safe situation, all that stuff. 210 00:26:52.244 --> 00:26:55.605 What the reason why I tell you that story is because it's proof that the word of 211 00:26:55.606 --> 00:26:56.605 God is living in active. 212 00:26:57.335 --> 00:27:01.955 And that even though I hadn't been inside of my Bible in a couple of days at 213 00:27:01.956 --> 00:27:03.075 this point, uh, 214 00:27:03.375 --> 00:27:07.155 the time that I had spent inside of the word had grown down deep into my heart. 215 00:27:07.156 --> 00:27:10.915 And now the Holy Spirit was at work. And I just had this thought, man, I'm like, 216 00:27:10.916 --> 00:27:11.135 man, 217 00:27:11.135 --> 00:27:15.075 I'm so grateful that I read Matthew 25 and had those words from Jesus in there 218 00:27:15.076 --> 00:27:16.315 because when the situation arose, 219 00:27:16.655 --> 00:27:20.395 the Holy Spirit kind of had like this deposit that he was able to, or the, uh, 220 00:27:20.515 --> 00:27:24.195 this deposit that he was able to pull from in order to send me into action. 221 00:27:24.215 --> 00:27:26.075 And then I walked away from that thinking, man, 222 00:27:26.076 --> 00:27:29.915 what else is in here that's not readily available for the Holy Spirit to draw 223 00:27:29.916 --> 00:27:32.795 from in order to move me into being the type of person that he wants me to be? 224 00:27:33.685 --> 00:27:36.945 And in that man, I just had such a hunger and a desire for the word, I'm like, 225 00:27:36.946 --> 00:27:40.145 man, what other things? Like if it gets placed inside of me, 226 00:27:40.465 --> 00:27:43.785 we'll draw up to the surface when the time comes. Uh, I wanna put it this way. 227 00:27:44.484 --> 00:27:47.585 In order for the word of God to get into you, 228 00:27:48.325 --> 00:27:52.025 you have to get into the word of God. So listen to this. 229 00:27:52.255 --> 00:27:55.744 When we talk about reading the Bible, it's not this idea of perfection. 230 00:27:55.815 --> 00:27:57.865 It's not about like, man, you gotta do it every day. 231 00:27:57.866 --> 00:28:00.505 And it's gotta be this religious thing. And this checklist that you do, 232 00:28:01.055 --> 00:28:04.465 what we're talking about is this participation, um, 233 00:28:04.466 --> 00:28:08.225 where you're actually in an ongoing relationship with the Holy Spirit. 234 00:28:08.295 --> 00:28:11.065 He's revealing things to you in real time. And on those days, 235 00:28:11.066 --> 00:28:15.775 even when you can't get to it, uh, it's being worked out in your life. So, 236 00:28:16.415 --> 00:28:19.095 uh, when we talk about the Bible, when we've been doing this entire series, 237 00:28:19.155 --> 00:28:23.015 the purpose of this is that ultimately we wanna see you grow in that this is 238 00:28:23.195 --> 00:28:27.695 the, the job of the church, believe it or not. Uh, Ephesians chapter four, 239 00:28:28.295 --> 00:28:29.535 uh, Paul writes this. He says, 240 00:28:29.675 --> 00:28:34.575 now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church, the apostles, the prophets, 241 00:28:34.576 --> 00:28:36.415 the evangelists, the pastors and teachers. 242 00:28:36.675 --> 00:28:41.535 And their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up 243 00:28:41.536 --> 00:28:43.295 the church, the body of Christ. 244 00:28:44.075 --> 00:28:48.865 This will continue until we all come to such unity 245 00:28:49.045 --> 00:28:51.425 in our faith and knowledge of God's son, 246 00:28:51.535 --> 00:28:56.385 that we will be mature in the Lord measuring up to the full and complete 247 00:28:56.585 --> 00:29:00.755 standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. 248 00:29:01.215 --> 00:29:04.955 We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. 249 00:29:05.495 --> 00:29:09.315 We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever that 250 00:29:09.316 --> 00:29:12.545 they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak, 251 00:29:12.635 --> 00:29:17.505 speak the truth in love growing in every way more and more like Christ who 252 00:29:17.506 --> 00:29:19.305 is the head of his body, the church, 253 00:29:19.925 --> 00:29:22.225 he makes the whole body fit together perfectly. 254 00:29:22.545 --> 00:29:24.585 And each part does its own special work. 255 00:29:24.645 --> 00:29:29.025 It helps the other parts grow so that the whole body is healthy and growing and 256 00:29:29.026 --> 00:29:30.545 full of love. And so that's what I wanna do today. 257 00:29:30.745 --> 00:29:35.665 I want today drop that I want today to be a time for us to, 258 00:29:36.225 --> 00:29:40.505 uh, in a way to train each other and work alongside each other, uh, 259 00:29:40.605 --> 00:29:43.005 to grow in this knowledge of Christ that, 260 00:29:43.006 --> 00:29:46.125 that the Bible's talking about so that we can reach maturity in Christ. 261 00:29:46.835 --> 00:29:48.415 But that starts with baby steps . 262 00:29:48.595 --> 00:29:50.575 So today isn't gonna be as much of a sermon, 263 00:29:50.675 --> 00:29:54.015 as much as it's gonna kind of be a workshop, uh, where we look at, man, 264 00:29:54.016 --> 00:29:58.535 what are some tips and tools and resources that we can use to help us engage in 265 00:29:58.815 --> 00:30:01.415 scripture? Uh, again, not so that we can be religious, 266 00:30:01.416 --> 00:30:03.135 know-it-alls or say we have it all figured out, 267 00:30:03.195 --> 00:30:08.015 but so that we actually know how to feed ourselves so that we know how to go to 268 00:30:08.035 --> 00:30:12.495 God, how to learn from God, and how to let him transform our lives. And so, uh, 269 00:30:12.496 --> 00:30:13.375 here's what we're gonna do. Um, 270 00:30:13.395 --> 00:30:14.735 I'm gonna go ahead and give you some of these tools. 271 00:30:14.755 --> 00:30:17.815 I'm gonna lay 'em out for you. And, uh, we're just gonna start here. 272 00:30:17.895 --> 00:30:21.215 So if you're a note taker, highly encourage you take some notes. Um, 273 00:30:21.435 --> 00:30:24.775 here's my hope for this. If you're someone in here who, 274 00:30:25.065 --> 00:30:28.415 maybe everything I talk about today, you've heard it before and you know it, 275 00:30:28.416 --> 00:30:30.455 and it's a part of your daily routine and all that sort of stuff, 276 00:30:30.735 --> 00:30:32.895 I want this to be something that hopefully models for you, 277 00:30:32.995 --> 00:30:35.775 how you can have conversations with other people. Uh, 278 00:30:35.776 --> 00:30:38.935 maybe there's somebody in your life who doesn't know how to engage the Bible. 279 00:30:38.936 --> 00:30:41.895 Well, hopefully this is a model for that. Uh, this is gonna be online. 280 00:30:41.955 --> 00:30:45.175 So if you ever want to use it as a tool somewhere down the road to say, Hey, 281 00:30:45.176 --> 00:30:47.175 you're trying to get started, you have questions. 282 00:30:47.176 --> 00:30:50.135 Maybe use it with your kids or your coworker who's new to the faith. Uh, 283 00:30:50.136 --> 00:30:53.295 you can point them to this weekend as an example of what that looks like. 284 00:30:53.315 --> 00:30:56.575 So here we go. Here's the first, uh, tool, tip, trick, 285 00:30:56.815 --> 00:30:58.855 whatever you want to call it, that I want to give to you. Uh, 286 00:30:58.875 --> 00:31:01.535 the first step in engaging with your scripture is this, 287 00:31:01.815 --> 00:31:03.135 is to prepare your heart and mind. 288 00:31:04.845 --> 00:31:07.295 Prepare your heart and mind before you even open the book. 289 00:31:07.555 --> 00:31:09.975 We have to prepare our hearts and minds. Uh, 290 00:31:10.015 --> 00:31:13.895 I have plans right now to turn my garage into a man cave. 291 00:31:14.355 --> 00:31:18.335 I'm super excited about it. I'm really exci, I'm too excited about it. , 292 00:31:18.695 --> 00:31:21.295 I was up at three o'clock in the morning the other night taking pictures of the 293 00:31:21.296 --> 00:31:23.575 garage. I have the Home Depot app on my phone. 294 00:31:23.875 --> 00:31:26.135 I'm counting the cost of what it's gonna take to get to things, 295 00:31:26.475 --> 00:31:30.855 but I know I shouldn't get started on this too early without the proper tools, 296 00:31:30.856 --> 00:31:33.095 right? So I wanna make sure that I have all the tools that I need. 297 00:31:33.535 --> 00:31:35.575 I wanna make sure that I have all the resources that I need. 298 00:31:35.655 --> 00:31:37.815 I wanna make sure I have the money to go into this process. 299 00:31:38.375 --> 00:31:41.615 I wanna make sure that I count the cost before I go into it, uh, 300 00:31:41.715 --> 00:31:43.735 so that I don't end up making a bigger mess. 301 00:31:44.435 --> 00:31:47.575 Any of y'all ever try to do a DIY project and you end up making it worse and you 302 00:31:47.576 --> 00:31:50.575 spend way more money and you just end up calling a professional by the end of 303 00:31:50.576 --> 00:31:53.055 all of it, right? Why? Because you didn't do your research. 304 00:31:53.115 --> 00:31:56.135 You didn't come into it prepared and ready to go ahead of time. 305 00:31:56.965 --> 00:31:58.585 Here's the difference about reading the Bible. 306 00:31:59.095 --> 00:32:03.995 Reading the Bible is not a DIY project. It's not something that we just come to. 307 00:32:03.996 --> 00:32:08.035 We say, okay, I read the, the words on the page and now boom, magic bullet, 308 00:32:08.036 --> 00:32:09.795 everything inside of my life is transformed, right? 309 00:32:10.305 --> 00:32:14.875 It's recognizing that our time in the word is actually communion with God. 310 00:32:16.545 --> 00:32:20.085 So if you were to ever have an opportunity for you to go and sit down at a table 311 00:32:20.105 --> 00:32:21.725 across from God, let me ask you something, 312 00:32:21.726 --> 00:32:24.985 would you like kind of get ready for it? ? 313 00:32:25.495 --> 00:32:27.185 Like you'd actually think about it, right? You, 314 00:32:27.186 --> 00:32:29.065 you'd probably start coming up in your mind with, Hey, 315 00:32:29.066 --> 00:32:32.505 here's some questions that I want to ask. God, here's what I'm actually feeling. 316 00:32:32.506 --> 00:32:33.745 Here's what's going on in my brain. 317 00:32:33.745 --> 00:32:35.665 Here are the things that are stressing me out this week. 318 00:32:36.405 --> 00:32:40.885 And we think about all of those things. And then we come to God in humility, 319 00:32:41.355 --> 00:32:45.245 prayerfully. And so, uh, the first thing I want to give you is, 320 00:32:45.246 --> 00:32:49.485 is kind of a prayer that you can use. I, I went through, 'cause the church man, 321 00:32:49.745 --> 00:32:50.578 we have like 322 00:32:52.295 --> 00:32:56.905 generations of saints who have gone before us and have written out, uh, 323 00:32:57.295 --> 00:33:00.905 prayers and, uh, just kind of these thoughts of devotion and stuff like that. 324 00:33:00.925 --> 00:33:03.505 And actually where I found this was the K Love website. 325 00:33:03.585 --> 00:33:06.385 I wasn't expecting it to find it there, but right there, 326 00:33:06.386 --> 00:33:09.785 there was a prayer that you can pray to get yourself ready to read the Bible. 327 00:33:09.805 --> 00:33:13.785 And here it is, dear Lord, I need your word. Like, 328 00:33:13.786 --> 00:33:14.985 I need bread to live. 329 00:33:16.215 --> 00:33:21.195 Help me to recognize my need and to hunger for your truth as I 330 00:33:21.265 --> 00:33:24.715 read Feed my soul Like I eat a hearty meal. 331 00:33:25.555 --> 00:33:28.685 Give me life abundantly as I follow its instructions today. 332 00:33:28.885 --> 00:33:32.825 I love that it's just this moment for you to pause and reflect and say, God, 333 00:33:32.826 --> 00:33:36.335 just, I I need something from you today. Can you, 334 00:33:36.915 --> 00:33:40.825 can you meet my need? And there's a level of trust that comes with this. 335 00:33:41.465 --> 00:33:44.385 I think we actually lose some of that trust when we approach the Bible thinking, 336 00:33:44.405 --> 00:33:45.905 I'm gonna figure it all out. I'm just gonna read it. 337 00:33:45.965 --> 00:33:47.585 I'm gonna know what it means and it's gonna be easy. 338 00:33:48.765 --> 00:33:50.725 I I know at times the Bible can be confusing. 339 00:33:51.175 --> 00:33:55.935 Maybe that's just God's way of asking us to rely on him. 340 00:33:57.325 --> 00:34:01.345 And so as we approach him humbly in that, I think we start to see that happen. 341 00:34:02.185 --> 00:34:04.145 The next recommendation to you would be to, uh, 342 00:34:04.255 --> 00:34:06.825 once you prepare your heart to prepare a space. 343 00:34:07.285 --> 00:34:09.025 And what I mean by that is you find a time, 344 00:34:09.465 --> 00:34:13.825 a location and you get all the tools that you need. Okay? Uh, full transparency. 345 00:34:14.305 --> 00:34:18.775 I am not a morning person. I've tried it. I've tried to be that guy. 346 00:34:18.855 --> 00:34:22.575 I want to be that guy that's like 80 years old who wakes up at 3:00 AM and reads 347 00:34:22.576 --> 00:34:25.815 the Bible till 7:00 AM That's not me. I just know it . 348 00:34:26.075 --> 00:34:29.094 And I used to beat myself up for a long time. And so, you know what happened? 349 00:34:29.255 --> 00:34:30.895 I would say, man, I can't wake up in the Bible, uh, 350 00:34:30.896 --> 00:34:33.015 wake up in the morning to read my Bible in time. And so, 351 00:34:33.016 --> 00:34:37.135 because I thought it had to be in the morning, I never read my Bible. Instead, 352 00:34:37.136 --> 00:34:38.415 I just said, ah, I'll try again tomorrow. 353 00:34:38.475 --> 00:34:40.335 And then I hit s news eight times again. 354 00:34:40.336 --> 00:34:42.614 And then I just repeated that cycle over and over again. 355 00:34:43.435 --> 00:34:45.775 But then what I came to realize was, man, 356 00:34:45.776 --> 00:34:50.685 like Jesus just wants me and that doesn't like expire at a certain time, 357 00:34:51.325 --> 00:34:56.125 , he's okay if I go to him in the times that match, like he made me, 358 00:34:56.145 --> 00:34:58.205 he knows my personality type. 359 00:34:58.625 --> 00:35:01.005 He knows that I'm not at my best in the morning . 360 00:35:01.505 --> 00:35:04.045 And so if I can bring him my best at any point in the day, 361 00:35:04.114 --> 00:35:05.525 he's still okay with that. Now, 362 00:35:05.705 --> 00:35:08.605 I'm not saying that means that we never wake up early. Jesus woke up early, 363 00:35:08.606 --> 00:35:10.445 he often got up early to go and be alone. 364 00:35:10.446 --> 00:35:13.245 So I'm not saying that we should never discipline ourselves, 365 00:35:13.985 --> 00:35:18.005 but I do think that we should at least like not try to kid ourselves either, 366 00:35:18.015 --> 00:35:20.245 right? So you find the time that works for you. 367 00:35:20.246 --> 00:35:22.844 Maybe that's first thing in the morning. Maybe it's during your lunch break. 368 00:35:22.855 --> 00:35:24.605 Maybe it's once you put the kids on the bus. 369 00:35:24.935 --> 00:35:27.685 Maybe it's once your roommate has an intramural soccer game, 370 00:35:27.686 --> 00:35:30.005 and so they're gonna be out of the dorm room for a few minutes. You know, 371 00:35:30.006 --> 00:35:31.645 you're gonna have some quiet to yourself. 372 00:35:32.465 --> 00:35:36.925 And then here's something that's helped me. I have to think of 373 00:35:40.205 --> 00:35:44.815 What does present Aaron need future Aaron to do so that I don't get in my own 374 00:35:44.816 --> 00:35:48.735 way, . So if I make a plan to read the Bible later, 375 00:35:48.935 --> 00:35:51.975 I have to start working now to eliminate those distractions. So, uh, 376 00:35:51.976 --> 00:35:54.295 there was a time where I said, you know, I am gonna discipline myself. 377 00:35:54.315 --> 00:35:55.735 I'm gonna do the early in the morning thing. 378 00:35:56.255 --> 00:35:59.094 I woke up at 5:00 AM for about a week and just said, 379 00:35:59.114 --> 00:36:03.015 I'm gonna wake up every day, 5:00 AM read the Bible. And so the night before, 380 00:36:03.114 --> 00:36:06.855 you know what I did? I got my Bible. I opened it up on my, uh, kitchen island. 381 00:36:07.675 --> 00:36:09.535 We, I love like smart devices. 382 00:36:09.795 --> 00:36:14.695 So I told Google to turn on the kitchen lights at 5:00 AM I went and put 383 00:36:14.696 --> 00:36:16.175 the K-cup in the Keurig. 384 00:36:16.176 --> 00:36:18.335 So all I had to do in the morning was push the button and let it go. 385 00:36:18.335 --> 00:36:22.375 Like I eliminated all possible distractions. And I told a friend of mine, Hey, 386 00:36:22.895 --> 00:36:26.655 um, who we both decided to do this together at 5:00 AM Let's text each other. 387 00:36:27.215 --> 00:36:28.495 Uh, not to give each other a hard time, 388 00:36:28.496 --> 00:36:29.895 but just to make sure the other person got up. 389 00:36:30.285 --> 00:36:31.935 Just give ourselves some accountability, right? 390 00:36:32.055 --> 00:36:35.215 I try to eliminate anything that would create any sort of distractions. 391 00:36:35.995 --> 00:36:39.344 And now at this point, you're ready to open your Bible, right? 392 00:36:40.055 --> 00:36:41.225 It's like when you go to, like, 393 00:36:41.226 --> 00:36:43.625 you do basketball practice and you spend like the first three weeks and you 394 00:36:43.626 --> 00:36:45.705 don't touch a basketball yet. You're like, yeah, but when we get to the stuff, 395 00:36:45.915 --> 00:36:47.025 now's the time. Uh, 396 00:36:47.045 --> 00:36:50.344 and so one of the most common questions that I get all the time from people, um, 397 00:36:50.345 --> 00:36:53.705 especially when I worked with students, middle schoolers and high schoolers, uh, 398 00:36:53.706 --> 00:36:57.385 they would always ask, well, what bible do I get? Like, what's a good one? 399 00:36:57.445 --> 00:36:59.145 What's the right one that I should read? 400 00:36:59.146 --> 00:37:02.344 Like there's all these different translations and versions and what do I do with 401 00:37:02.345 --> 00:37:04.065 all that stuff? And when I was in high school, 402 00:37:04.185 --> 00:37:06.305 I asked my youth pastor this question and he said, you know, 403 00:37:06.306 --> 00:37:08.505 the best bible to get? I said, which one? He goes, 404 00:37:08.506 --> 00:37:13.055 the one you actually read . It makes a whole lot of sense, doesn't it? 405 00:37:13.475 --> 00:37:16.094 So I kind of went through some trial and error and I started trying out some 406 00:37:16.095 --> 00:37:17.614 different things, and then after a while, I, 407 00:37:17.655 --> 00:37:18.895 I found the Bible that worked for me. 408 00:37:18.896 --> 00:37:22.295 But I want to kind of help you in making that decision for yourself. 409 00:37:22.296 --> 00:37:24.175 So we have this chart that I wanna throw up on the screen, 410 00:37:25.155 --> 00:37:28.975 and this shows you kind of a spectrum of all of the different translations that 411 00:37:28.976 --> 00:37:29.175 we have. 412 00:37:29.175 --> 00:37:32.375 Anybody ever like try to figure out what's the difference in all of these and 413 00:37:32.395 --> 00:37:35.655 why are they different and how are they different? Well, hopefully this helps. 414 00:37:35.765 --> 00:37:36.056 Okay? 415 00:37:36.056 --> 00:37:39.335 What this does is it shows you all the different translations of the Bible and 416 00:37:39.336 --> 00:37:42.695 where they fall on the spectrum based on what the translators are trying to do. 417 00:37:43.195 --> 00:37:45.975 So in some of the examples that you see, like the NASB, 418 00:37:45.976 --> 00:37:49.215 that's a New American standard Bible, and the ESV, um, 419 00:37:49.216 --> 00:37:53.335 the English standard version, those are what we call word for word translations. 420 00:37:54.045 --> 00:37:58.025 So the idea is, is that scholars sit down with the ancient text, 421 00:37:58.125 --> 00:38:02.385 the Greek or the Hebrew or the Aramaic, and they say, what do these words mean? 422 00:38:02.885 --> 00:38:07.385 And they translate it exactly, or at least as close as they can with it. 423 00:38:07.386 --> 00:38:10.665 Still making sense in English, right? Because when you translate, 424 00:38:10.666 --> 00:38:12.585 if you've ever used Google Translate before, you know, 425 00:38:12.586 --> 00:38:14.665 sometimes you put it in and the way it comes back, it's like, 426 00:38:14.725 --> 00:38:17.385 that's not exactly what I said, but I could see how you got there. 427 00:38:17.525 --> 00:38:19.745 That's essentially what the word for word translation is. 428 00:38:20.205 --> 00:38:22.625 And then as you move over, kind of as you go, 429 00:38:22.785 --> 00:38:26.225 the meaning for meaning thought for thought, those ideas are like, okay, 430 00:38:26.605 --> 00:38:29.344 how do we put this in a way that Americans will understand? 431 00:38:30.445 --> 00:38:34.385 So the NIV for example, it's the most commonly used translation in the world, 432 00:38:34.445 --> 00:38:36.805 and that's because it's a thought for thought translation. 433 00:38:36.825 --> 00:38:39.325 So it may not be word for word exactly the same, 434 00:38:39.705 --> 00:38:42.125 but you'll be able to get the general idea from it. 435 00:38:42.145 --> 00:38:45.125 And then the further we go over, you also get paraphrased. 436 00:38:45.126 --> 00:38:48.364 And the paraphrase is gonna be something like the message translation. Uh, 437 00:38:48.365 --> 00:38:49.805 this was written by Eugene Peterson, 438 00:38:49.806 --> 00:38:53.605 and basically what he did was he would read the Bible and he would say, 439 00:38:54.265 --> 00:38:58.235 how would I say that? And then wrote it down. So, uh, often around hope, 440 00:38:58.295 --> 00:39:01.155 we won't use the message from stage. Sometimes we will, 441 00:39:01.156 --> 00:39:03.635 if we're trying to communicate or get, get a certain point across. 442 00:39:04.025 --> 00:39:07.635 Usually what we try to use from stage is the ESV. Um, 443 00:39:07.636 --> 00:39:11.835 and the reason why is because we just believe it's close to the original text. 444 00:39:11.895 --> 00:39:14.515 So for example, let's just use this in real time. Uh, 445 00:39:14.516 --> 00:39:18.675 this is Romans chapter 12 verse two. This is it in the ESV. It says, 446 00:39:19.015 --> 00:39:20.675 do not be conformed to this world, 447 00:39:21.335 --> 00:39:23.395 but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. 448 00:39:23.396 --> 00:39:26.235 That by testing you may discern what is the will of God, 449 00:39:26.465 --> 00:39:30.755 what is good and acceptable and perfect. Okay? So that's the ESV, 450 00:39:30.875 --> 00:39:34.625 that's the way they would put it. Here's the way the NLT would put that. 451 00:39:35.605 --> 00:39:38.515 Don't copy. So that first one, just so you know, was word for word. 452 00:39:38.625 --> 00:39:39.875 This one is thought for thought. 453 00:39:40.515 --> 00:39:42.705 Don't copy the behaviors and customs of the world, 454 00:39:42.925 --> 00:39:46.905 but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. 455 00:39:48.075 --> 00:39:50.375 See how it's the same thought? It's just a little bit different. 456 00:39:50.376 --> 00:39:53.055 So that you kind of wrap your mind around it a little bit more. It says, 457 00:39:53.056 --> 00:39:57.015 then you will learn how God's will for you, which is good and plea, uh, 458 00:39:57.016 --> 00:40:00.935 which is good and pleasing and perfect. Now we about to get gangster. 459 00:40:00.936 --> 00:40:03.935 This is the Message translation. All right? This is just shooting from the hip. 460 00:40:03.936 --> 00:40:08.094 This is what I felt when I read it. says, this is Eugene Peterson's, uh, 461 00:40:08.095 --> 00:40:11.335 interpretation of that passage. And so you'll notice too in the message, 462 00:40:11.605 --> 00:40:14.575 it's not just one verse. What he'll do is he'll kind of group two, 463 00:40:14.576 --> 00:40:18.055 three or four verses together to say, here's the, here's the summation, 464 00:40:18.056 --> 00:40:20.735 here's the Cliff Notes version of it. So the way he writes it is, 465 00:40:21.035 --> 00:40:23.295 here's what I want you to do, . I love that. 466 00:40:23.296 --> 00:40:27.535 It's just so straight to the point. God, helping you take your everyday, 467 00:40:28.055 --> 00:40:30.895 ordinary life, you're sleeping, eating, going to work, 468 00:40:30.915 --> 00:40:33.895 and walking around life and place it before God is an offering. 469 00:40:34.605 --> 00:40:38.255 Embracing what God does for you is the best thing that you can do for him. 470 00:40:38.945 --> 00:40:40.415 Don't become so well, adjust, 471 00:40:40.735 --> 00:40:43.455 adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, 472 00:40:43.995 --> 00:40:47.655 fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out, 473 00:40:47.765 --> 00:40:51.015 readily recognized what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. 474 00:40:51.805 --> 00:40:54.945 Unlike the culture around you who are always dragging you down to its level of 475 00:40:54.946 --> 00:40:57.025 immaturity, God brings out the best of you, 476 00:40:57.364 --> 00:41:00.745 and he develops well-formed maturity in you. Can I tell you what, 477 00:41:00.775 --> 00:41:05.245 what the message is? It's Eugene Peterson's sermon of the Bible. It's like, 478 00:41:05.525 --> 00:41:08.325 if he, it's what we do every week. It's when we read a passage, we say, 479 00:41:08.326 --> 00:41:09.364 how do I explain this to people? 480 00:41:09.364 --> 00:41:11.125 That's essentially what the message translation is. 481 00:41:11.305 --> 00:41:14.125 So if you're looking on recommendations on which ones to get, um, 482 00:41:14.235 --> 00:41:19.205 this one is my favorite Bible of all time. Uh, this is the Jesus centered Bible. 483 00:41:19.235 --> 00:41:23.005 It's available on Amazon. Uh, and I have worked this thing to shreds man, 484 00:41:23.035 --> 00:41:27.885 like I think the most Bibles the last book is Revelation minus one, Peter. 485 00:41:28.125 --> 00:41:31.364 'cause it fell out. And so it's back here. Um, but I love it. 486 00:41:31.385 --> 00:41:32.925 And one of the things that I love about it is, 487 00:41:32.960 --> 00:41:37.605 is you know how in the New Testament how the words that are in red, uh, they, 488 00:41:37.795 --> 00:41:41.575 like Jesus said those words in the Old Testament, in this Bible, 489 00:41:42.215 --> 00:41:46.135 anything that alludes to Jesus or kind of foreshadows Jesus is in blue. 490 00:41:46.475 --> 00:41:48.815 So it really helps you make some really cool connections between the Old 491 00:41:49.015 --> 00:41:50.975 Testament and the New Testament. The second one, uh, 492 00:41:50.976 --> 00:41:53.135 is an ESV Student Study Bible. 493 00:41:53.155 --> 00:41:56.375 And what I like about the ESV Student Study Bible is that, uh, 494 00:41:56.445 --> 00:41:57.614 this actually isn't it. 495 00:41:57.735 --> 00:42:01.295 I I left that one at home because I was carrying it around earlier and didn't 496 00:42:01.296 --> 00:42:03.575 fit in my bag. And then I, my wife told me that I left it on the bed. 497 00:42:03.594 --> 00:42:07.335 So this is an ESV Bible. This one's bougie. I, this is handcrafted leather. 498 00:42:07.375 --> 00:42:12.135 I I'm a nerd, y'all, I'm sorry, um, . But the ESV study Bible, 499 00:42:12.165 --> 00:42:15.455 what I love is there's commentary on every verse in the Bible. 500 00:42:16.075 --> 00:42:19.975 So if you read something, um, and you're like, I have no idea what that means, 501 00:42:19.995 --> 00:42:22.255 you can look right at the bottom of a page and it gives you a little bit of 502 00:42:22.256 --> 00:42:24.975 help. And then this one, the Telos Bible, um, 503 00:42:25.195 --> 00:42:28.735 is the one that we recommend for middle schoolers and high schoolers. 504 00:42:28.855 --> 00:42:31.015 This is actually the one that all of our student ministries use. 505 00:42:31.405 --> 00:42:36.215 It's a new international version, the NIV. Um, and it has some stuff in there, 506 00:42:36.245 --> 00:42:38.135 some devotionals and stuff that really help, uh, 507 00:42:38.136 --> 00:42:40.455 drive home a lot of the points of scripture. And so, uh, 508 00:42:40.456 --> 00:42:41.614 highly recommend you do that. 509 00:42:41.615 --> 00:42:43.215 The other thing I would recommend is that when you read, 510 00:42:43.315 --> 00:42:46.175 you read with a goal in mind. Um, 511 00:42:46.575 --> 00:42:49.535 I want to kind of illustrate this with a point, okay? Uh, 512 00:42:49.695 --> 00:42:52.735 I have a word search and I wanna throw it up there for you. 513 00:42:54.645 --> 00:42:59.505 And, uh, I just want you to look until you think you recognize something. And, 514 00:42:59.705 --> 00:43:00.625 uh, I just want to ask you, 515 00:43:00.765 --> 00:43:03.305 has anybody ever looked at the Bible and felt like it looked like this? 516 00:43:03.665 --> 00:43:06.665 just a bunch of jumbled words on the page. Okay, maybe you're, 517 00:43:06.666 --> 00:43:10.925 maybe you're noticing some stuff. Let's go to the next one. Give you a hint. 518 00:43:12.145 --> 00:43:13.475 It's WWE wrestlers. 519 00:43:13.745 --> 00:43:17.985 Anybody kind of pick up on that after you found one or two of them? All right, 520 00:43:17.986 --> 00:43:18.825 let's go to the next one. 521 00:43:21.575 --> 00:43:25.145 Is it a little bit easier now that you have the word bank? 522 00:43:27.355 --> 00:43:31.335 How about now let's go to this last one. It's pretty easy to find 'em there, 523 00:43:31.336 --> 00:43:34.495 right? That's how my Bible looks . 524 00:43:35.355 --> 00:43:38.535 And now whenever I open my Bible or flip through it, man, 525 00:43:38.655 --> 00:43:42.175 I can use these colors that I've put in there to just highlight to me straight 526 00:43:42.176 --> 00:43:45.255 up like, man, this is, this is what it is. So for example, um, 527 00:43:45.375 --> 00:43:48.815 I actually have a slide that shows all the colors that I use in my Bible and 528 00:43:48.816 --> 00:43:51.855 what I use them for. So we'll go ahead and throw that up there for you. Um, 529 00:43:52.645 --> 00:43:55.735 this is my color. God, you don't have to use it exactly like this. 530 00:43:55.765 --> 00:43:58.215 Feel free to take a picture of it if you think it'll be helpful for you. 531 00:43:58.475 --> 00:44:01.705 But for me, like I can open my Bible right now and just, 532 00:44:01.785 --> 00:44:03.625 I can literally flip to any random page. 533 00:44:05.145 --> 00:44:07.085 And if I find something in orange, 534 00:44:07.705 --> 00:44:09.765 it tells me something about the nature of God. 535 00:44:10.835 --> 00:44:14.135 And so if I ever need a reminder of who God is, uh, 536 00:44:14.295 --> 00:44:15.614 I can just look for the orange. 537 00:44:15.765 --> 00:44:18.255 Same thing with the purple or the green or all those things. 538 00:44:18.475 --> 00:44:20.735 The one I'll clarify is the blue, uh, 539 00:44:20.736 --> 00:44:23.575 where I say Old Testament reference or New Testament connection. 540 00:44:23.755 --> 00:44:26.895 If I read anything in the Old Testament that reminds me of the verse in the New 541 00:44:27.135 --> 00:44:31.885 Testament or vice versa, I highlight 'em that way. Uh, highlight those in blue. 542 00:44:32.325 --> 00:44:34.725 Um, and then yellow is stuff that doesn't really fit in a category. 543 00:44:34.785 --> 00:44:35.965 I'm just like, dang, that's really good. 544 00:44:35.985 --> 00:44:39.005 And I don't really know where to put it. So , I think it's good to, 545 00:44:39.025 --> 00:44:41.125 to read those sorts of things and enjoy it that way. 546 00:44:42.085 --> 00:44:44.864 So everything else that I want to tell you about with our last few minutes here, 547 00:44:44.925 --> 00:44:48.025 the last few resources, uh, instead of just telling you about them, 548 00:44:48.145 --> 00:44:52.105 I actually wanna show them to you with a passage of scripture that typically 549 00:44:52.106 --> 00:44:57.065 gets, uh, misused all the time. Okay? So, um, before we do that though, 550 00:44:57.725 --> 00:44:58.558 let's pray. 551 00:44:58.625 --> 00:45:02.235 Because we talked about how the importance of diving into the word before we do 552 00:45:02.236 --> 00:45:06.035 that, uh, approaching the word and humility is super important. So, um, 553 00:45:07.025 --> 00:45:11.585 so let's go ahead and, and pray together. Uh, father, thank you for your word. 554 00:45:12.465 --> 00:45:16.145 Um, and thank you for, um, man, 555 00:45:16.165 --> 00:45:17.785 the way that you want to communicate with us. 556 00:45:19.445 --> 00:45:23.465 The fact that you would even do that is such an honor. And so, Lord, 557 00:45:23.466 --> 00:45:26.625 as we get ready to dive into this passage together, I just pray, um, 558 00:45:27.695 --> 00:45:31.105 that you would reveal something new to us that we would leave out of this space 559 00:45:31.106 --> 00:45:34.625 today with an excitement to continue to read your word because you want to 560 00:45:34.785 --> 00:45:35.864 continue to reveal stuff to us. 561 00:45:41.135 --> 00:45:44.635 Holy Spirit, we ask you to be present with us right now, 562 00:45:46.905 --> 00:45:51.315 saying your son's name, we pray. Amen. Philippians four 13. 563 00:45:53.375 --> 00:45:56.515 You know it , anybody got it tattooed on them anywhere. 564 00:45:57.155 --> 00:45:59.855 Maybe Philippians four 13 says, 565 00:45:59.935 --> 00:46:03.094 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 566 00:46:03.815 --> 00:46:06.445 The verse we see all the time, right? Uh, 567 00:46:06.555 --> 00:46:11.245 it's a verse you hear athletes spit out after they put up like 300 568 00:46:11.255 --> 00:46:14.205 yards in a game or something like that. It's, uh, it was a verse. 569 00:46:14.325 --> 00:46:18.125 I used to like murmur to myself before I took a test that I didn't study for in 570 00:46:18.126 --> 00:46:21.205 high school. , I can do all things through tries who strengthens me. 571 00:46:21.245 --> 00:46:23.245 I know I didn't study, but God, I know you're good. 572 00:46:23.246 --> 00:46:25.925 You're gonna make something happen here, right? Listen, 573 00:46:26.085 --> 00:46:27.925 I don't know if that's what that verse really means, 574 00:46:28.145 --> 00:46:30.285 at least the way that we kind of pluck it out there. 575 00:46:30.945 --> 00:46:33.965 And so what we have to do is think about context and context is super important. 576 00:46:33.966 --> 00:46:36.364 Lemme show you what I mean by that. I have a picture I wanna show you. 577 00:46:37.225 --> 00:46:42.025 You look at this. Can anybody tell me what this is? Anybody? 578 00:46:42.285 --> 00:46:45.725 No. All right, let's, let's zoom out a little bit. 579 00:46:48.295 --> 00:46:50.785 What was it? Go ahead and shout it out. 580 00:46:51.555 --> 00:46:55.395 Are you certain that it's the last supper? Uh, now you're asking questions, 581 00:46:55.396 --> 00:46:58.195 aren't you? Let's zoom out one more time. It's actually the last crawfish boil. 582 00:46:58.225 --> 00:47:02.315 This was a staple in Louisiana homes, uh, all over the place. We loved it. 583 00:47:02.415 --> 00:47:05.715 But do you see how important it's to zoom out and see the entire picture? 584 00:47:06.475 --> 00:47:08.955 'cause when you only have a small portion of it, you start making assumptions, 585 00:47:09.205 --> 00:47:11.275 right? So you read Philippians four 13, oh, 586 00:47:11.276 --> 00:47:12.875 I can do all things through Christ who shrink this me? Well, 587 00:47:12.876 --> 00:47:16.555 I'm gonna close this deal on Monday, right? I'm gonna pass this test. I'm gonna, 588 00:47:16.655 --> 00:47:19.594 I'm gonna finish this or accomplish whatever I want. But as you zoom out, 589 00:47:19.614 --> 00:47:21.355 you start to actually have, uh, 590 00:47:21.995 --> 00:47:26.315 your brain informed by the word instead of your brain informing what the, 591 00:47:26.316 --> 00:47:28.035 what it wants the word to mean, right? 592 00:47:28.375 --> 00:47:32.045 So let's zoom out a little bit and learn something about the book of Philippians 593 00:47:32.275 --> 00:47:35.765 that actually is gonna help illuminate for us what this means. So to do that, 594 00:47:36.125 --> 00:47:37.445 um, I have a video that I wanna show you. 595 00:47:37.995 --> 00:47:40.125 This is from an organization called The Bible Project. 596 00:47:40.265 --> 00:47:43.885 Is anybody familiar with them? Got a few of us. Yeah, they're brilliant. 597 00:47:43.886 --> 00:47:45.485 They're really, really good. Um, 598 00:47:45.585 --> 00:47:49.805 and they offer these animated videos that give a really deep, 599 00:47:50.035 --> 00:47:53.085 rich context into what you're about to read. Now we're gonna watch the whole, 600 00:47:53.094 --> 00:47:55.325 we're not gonna watch the whole thing for Philippians, 601 00:47:55.585 --> 00:47:57.364 but this is the first minute of it. 602 00:47:57.545 --> 00:48:00.165 And watch how much it helps you understand the story a little bit better. 603 00:48:00.166 --> 00:48:00.999 Check this out. 604 00:48:04.085 --> 00:48:05.465 Paul's letter to the Philippians, 605 00:48:05.844 --> 00:48:08.705 the church in Philippi was the first Jesus community. 606 00:48:08.745 --> 00:48:12.585 Paul started in Eastern Europe. And that story is told in Acts chapter 16, 607 00:48:12.905 --> 00:48:16.185 Philippi was a Roman colony in ancient Macedonia. 608 00:48:16.205 --> 00:48:20.785 It was full of retired soldiers, and it was known for its patriotic nationalism. 609 00:48:20.965 --> 00:48:25.585 And so there Paul faced resistance when he was announcing Jesus as the true king 610 00:48:25.605 --> 00:48:28.585 of the world. And after Paul moved on from there, 611 00:48:28.594 --> 00:48:32.864 those who became followers of Jesus continued to suffer resistance and even 612 00:48:33.225 --> 00:48:35.905 persecution. But they remained a vibrant community, 613 00:48:36.265 --> 00:48:37.185 faithful to the way of Jesus. 614 00:48:37.695 --> 00:48:40.785 Paul sent this letter from one of his many imprisonments, 615 00:48:40.844 --> 00:48:42.185 and for a very practical reason, 616 00:48:42.565 --> 00:48:47.145 the Philippians had sent one of their members a parodi to take a financial gift 617 00:48:47.205 --> 00:48:49.065 to Paul to support him in prison. 618 00:48:49.605 --> 00:48:54.585 And Paul sent back this letter with the Aphrodite to say thank you and to do a 619 00:48:54.586 --> 00:48:55.419 whole lot more. 620 00:48:56.844 --> 00:48:59.905 So that video is about nine minutes in total. And with the rest of that time, 621 00:48:59.935 --> 00:49:03.344 they fill that canvas with all the details that are going into the book that 622 00:49:03.345 --> 00:49:04.745 you're reading. And so, uh, 623 00:49:04.815 --> 00:49:08.065 already that's starting to answer some questions for us, right? One, 624 00:49:08.085 --> 00:49:12.265 we learned who wrote the book of Philippians. We learned why he wrote it. 625 00:49:12.645 --> 00:49:16.545 We learned who he wrote it to, and we learned something about those people, 626 00:49:16.635 --> 00:49:19.585 right? So we have to realize now that when Paul writes, 627 00:49:19.625 --> 00:49:21.425 I can do all things through, Christ strengthens me. 628 00:49:21.426 --> 00:49:22.945 He's writing that from a jail cell, 629 00:49:23.844 --> 00:49:27.905 and he's sending this back as a message to some friends as a, 630 00:49:27.965 --> 00:49:31.825 as a thank you, uh, for, for them sending him a gift. 631 00:49:31.826 --> 00:49:34.105 And it's just wild to me that in this situation, 632 00:49:34.106 --> 00:49:37.505 like they send this to Paul as an encouragement and he's in jail. And he goes, 633 00:49:37.506 --> 00:49:40.905 no, actually, let me encourage you, . If I was Paul, 634 00:49:41.385 --> 00:49:43.864 I would not have encouraging things to say. I'll be like, look here. 635 00:49:43.865 --> 00:49:46.105 I've been drawing up these blueprints. This is how you break me out tomorrow. 636 00:49:46.175 --> 00:49:48.825 Okay? Like, that's, that's the type of mindset that I'm in. No, 637 00:49:48.844 --> 00:49:52.844 but instead he's actually encouraging them. And how is he able to do this? 638 00:49:54.195 --> 00:49:57.915 Well, this is why we zoom out and read outside of just chapter four, um, 639 00:49:57.916 --> 00:50:00.515 verse 13. So let's go ahead and start at verse 10, 640 00:50:01.215 --> 00:50:05.555 and we'll work our way through and just see what God starts to reveal to us 641 00:50:05.556 --> 00:50:06.389 through this. 642 00:50:06.965 --> 00:50:11.855 Paul writes How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. Now, 643 00:50:11.985 --> 00:50:15.425 who's concerned about him? The Philippians. 644 00:50:15.565 --> 00:50:19.825 And why are they concerned about him? Because he's in jail. There you go. 645 00:50:20.685 --> 00:50:24.385 He says, I've always, uh, I know you have always been concerned for me, 646 00:50:24.386 --> 00:50:27.415 but you didn't have the chance to help me. Not that I was never, 647 00:50:27.445 --> 00:50:31.055 ever in need for I have learned how to be content. 648 00:50:31.635 --> 00:50:33.855 And now as you continue to read the Bible, 649 00:50:33.875 --> 00:50:36.855 you start to kind of notice some of these literary structures where you notice 650 00:50:37.045 --> 00:50:40.055 that the way Paul writes is he'll introduce an idea and then he'll kind of start 651 00:50:40.056 --> 00:50:40.889 to unpack that. 652 00:50:41.195 --> 00:50:45.495 And so right now what he's about to do is he's about to unpack the idea of what 653 00:50:45.614 --> 00:50:50.545 does it mean to be content? And how did he learn that? He says, 654 00:50:50.546 --> 00:50:54.825 I've learned how to be content with whatever I have. He says, 655 00:50:54.905 --> 00:50:59.675 I know how to live on almost anything or with everything I have learned 656 00:50:59.815 --> 00:51:03.565 the secret of living in every situation. Excuse me, 657 00:51:04.285 --> 00:51:07.055 whether it is with a full stomach or empty, 658 00:51:07.525 --> 00:51:11.935 whether I have a lot or a little. Now just thinking about the context, 659 00:51:12.125 --> 00:51:16.295 doesn't that change when you like, imagine Paul sitting in jail writing this, 660 00:51:16.965 --> 00:51:19.065 you start to kinda wrap your mind around that a little bit more, right? 661 00:51:19.985 --> 00:51:22.085 And then here comes verse 13, 662 00:51:23.415 --> 00:51:27.075 for I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength, 663 00:51:28.364 --> 00:51:32.215 even so you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. 664 00:51:33.825 --> 00:51:34.658 As you know, 665 00:51:34.725 --> 00:51:37.765 EU Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first 666 00:51:37.766 --> 00:51:40.205 brought you the good news and then traveled on from Macedonia. 667 00:51:40.225 --> 00:51:42.205 Now as you zoom out even more, 668 00:51:42.305 --> 00:51:44.725 you start to realize this entire journey of Paul's, 669 00:51:44.875 --> 00:51:48.445 it's written down in the book of Acts as you start to read acts kind of through 670 00:51:48.446 --> 00:51:49.725 chapter 16 and 18. 671 00:51:49.726 --> 00:51:53.005 Like you learn that Paul traveled to all these different places and established 672 00:51:53.006 --> 00:51:56.815 these different churches. Um, uh, I don't remember where I was. 673 00:51:56.835 --> 00:51:57.855 I'm just gonna pick up here. It says, 674 00:51:57.995 --> 00:52:01.215 no other church did this even when I was in Thesal. Inca, 675 00:52:01.216 --> 00:52:05.535 you sent help more than once. I don't say this because I want a gift from you. 676 00:52:05.835 --> 00:52:10.695 Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. Now, 677 00:52:11.685 --> 00:52:14.335 this isn't, think about everything we've read so far. 678 00:52:14.344 --> 00:52:18.864 Think about all of these different concepts, right? Do you think Paul's reward? 679 00:52:18.925 --> 00:52:23.225 Is anything monetary? Do you think Paul's reward? 680 00:52:23.445 --> 00:52:28.035 Is anything material? Do you think Paul's reward for them? He's like, man, 681 00:52:28.114 --> 00:52:30.235 I just hope everything works out for me every now and then. Like, 682 00:52:30.236 --> 00:52:32.114 do you think that's what he's writing from a jail cell? 683 00:52:32.255 --> 00:52:35.995 Or do you think Paul wants them to receive the same type of contentment that he 684 00:52:35.996 --> 00:52:38.055 has? And why would they need it? 685 00:52:38.545 --> 00:52:40.875 Because they were also being persecuted for their faith. 686 00:52:42.675 --> 00:52:46.625 These are all things we learn when we wrap our minds around the entire story. 687 00:52:47.875 --> 00:52:52.185 And so what does Paul want for them? Verse 18, it says, at the moment, 688 00:52:52.705 --> 00:52:55.265 I have all I need and more 689 00:52:57.145 --> 00:53:00.105 in a jail cell counting down his days. 690 00:53:01.875 --> 00:53:05.155 I am generously supplied with the gifts that you sent me with a pitis, 691 00:53:05.156 --> 00:53:08.795 which this is great 'cause who would've known who a paphitis was before that 692 00:53:08.796 --> 00:53:09.629 video? 693 00:53:10.855 --> 00:53:14.215 There are sweet smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 694 00:53:14.216 --> 00:53:19.094 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all of your needs from 695 00:53:19.235 --> 00:53:23.415 his glorious riches, which you have in Christ Jesus. Amen. 696 00:53:23.416 --> 00:53:25.364 This is where it's good to know the rest of the, the word. 697 00:53:26.415 --> 00:53:30.425 This is good to know where those riches, 698 00:53:30.426 --> 00:53:33.305 those glorious riches are listed throughout the Bible. Because if not, 699 00:53:33.306 --> 00:53:36.025 lemme tell you what'll happened. I'll sit down and go, oh, um, 700 00:53:36.125 --> 00:53:39.185 God has all these glorious riches. Let me brainstorm what glorious riches means, 701 00:53:39.625 --> 00:53:43.585 A house cyber truck promotion. 702 00:53:45.185 --> 00:53:49.995 And now I go to Jesus with my Christmas wishlist when Jesus never promised 703 00:53:49.996 --> 00:53:54.425 that. But what does he promise? Matthew six 20, 704 00:53:54.485 --> 00:53:57.465 he promises that treasures in heaven will not, uh, 705 00:53:57.614 --> 00:54:01.344 will not rust or be destroyed, and that thieves can't break in and steal them. 706 00:54:01.505 --> 00:54:04.905 That whatever he has for me is greater than that. Romans 1123 tells me that I, 707 00:54:04.906 --> 00:54:07.905 I have been brought into the family of God. Ephesians one, 708 00:54:07.906 --> 00:54:11.465 seven tells me that redemption is available through the blood of Jesus. 709 00:54:11.565 --> 00:54:15.065 So is forgiveness of sins and his glorious grace. Ephesians two, 710 00:54:15.066 --> 00:54:17.705 four tells me that I'm a made, made alive in Christ. 711 00:54:17.706 --> 00:54:21.105 Ephesians three 16 tells me that I have received his Holy Spirit. 712 00:54:21.155 --> 00:54:25.405 These are his glorious riches. And with that, because of that, 713 00:54:25.406 --> 00:54:29.705 because I have that man, throw me in jail, kill me. 714 00:54:30.255 --> 00:54:34.065 Take whatever you want to away from me. I can do any of these things. Why? 715 00:54:34.215 --> 00:54:39.195 Because Christ is strengthening me. That's what Paul is talking about. 716 00:54:40.165 --> 00:54:42.705 And now that verse, man, it's just so much more than like, 717 00:54:42.935 --> 00:54:46.344 look at all this stuff I could accumulate instead, instead of saying, 718 00:54:46.375 --> 00:54:49.545 what can I do? It's looking at what has Jesus already done? 719 00:54:49.645 --> 00:54:52.265 And I just want to encourage you, when you read your Bible, 720 00:54:52.505 --> 00:54:54.864 a simple way that you can figure out, am I on task? 721 00:54:55.125 --> 00:54:57.385 Am I moving in the right direction? Is is this, 722 00:54:57.895 --> 00:55:01.705 does what you read remind you of your necessity for Jesus? 723 00:55:03.705 --> 00:55:07.594 Because if so, you're probably interpreting it right, . But instead, 724 00:55:07.595 --> 00:55:09.555 if you walk away thinking, man, I don't need Jesus, 725 00:55:09.655 --> 00:55:10.835 I'm just gonna go out and try harder, 726 00:55:10.935 --> 00:55:12.435 you're probably missing the point somewhere. 727 00:55:14.475 --> 00:55:17.335 And so here's what I want us to do as we close up today, 728 00:55:18.645 --> 00:55:22.475 I just want you to, to take this list of questions, 729 00:55:23.015 --> 00:55:26.535 and I want you to consider this whenever you read scripture. 730 00:55:27.835 --> 00:55:32.645 The first is, this is what does this teach me about God? The second is, 731 00:55:32.646 --> 00:55:36.175 what does this teach me about me? And then the third is, 732 00:55:36.176 --> 00:55:38.295 how do I pray in light of this? 733 00:55:39.905 --> 00:55:42.165 And so I'm gonna go ahead and close us out with a prayer and, 734 00:55:42.166 --> 00:55:43.725 and my prayer is simply this, man, I just, 735 00:55:44.465 --> 00:55:49.045 my prayer is that we would all experience what Paul experienced when he was in 736 00:55:49.046 --> 00:55:49.879 prison, 737 00:55:50.735 --> 00:55:55.685 that we would learn contentment because of the truths that we 738 00:55:55.715 --> 00:55:59.545 find in this book. That as we read this book, 739 00:55:59.546 --> 00:56:03.625 that we would connect with the God who wrote it in a way that transforms us from 740 00:56:03.626 --> 00:56:04.459 the inside out. 741 00:56:04.844 --> 00:56:09.815 And that we would be lifelong students of this book so 742 00:56:09.816 --> 00:56:11.335 that we can, uh, uh, uh, can, 743 00:56:11.475 --> 00:56:15.015 can start to just experience a glimpse on this side of heaven, of, 744 00:56:15.155 --> 00:56:19.515 of everything that Jesus died on the cross for, for us, 745 00:56:19.835 --> 00:56:24.605 it's experience unity with the Father and to experience transformation through 746 00:56:24.606 --> 00:56:28.735 His word. Let's pray. Father, 747 00:56:28.755 --> 00:56:31.055 we love you and, uh, 748 00:56:31.114 --> 00:56:34.695 we are just so grateful for the word of the Lord. 749 00:56:36.515 --> 00:56:39.215 God, over these past few weeks, we've talked about a lot. 750 00:56:39.575 --> 00:56:41.055 I feel like we've covered a lot of ground, 751 00:56:41.075 --> 00:56:45.535 yet we haven't even scratched the surface of the riches of your word. 752 00:56:47.505 --> 00:56:50.125 God, I I pray right now, 753 00:56:50.525 --> 00:56:54.245 I give you your Holy Spirit permission that no one would listen to this four 754 00:56:54.445 --> 00:56:57.125 week series and think, oh, that's it. I got everything I need to get. 755 00:56:58.114 --> 00:57:02.695 But that instead, Lord, the same way that we experience physical hunger, 756 00:57:03.375 --> 00:57:07.305 PS for food, for nourishment, for water, 757 00:57:08.605 --> 00:57:11.985 for anything that we have ambition towards God, 758 00:57:12.065 --> 00:57:16.305 I pray that we would yearn that desperately to spend time in your word, 759 00:57:17.635 --> 00:57:20.455 to know you, to be changed by you, 760 00:57:21.395 --> 00:57:23.375 to live lives that are molded by you, 761 00:57:24.395 --> 00:57:27.435 and to reflect you everywhere we go, 762 00:57:29.515 --> 00:57:33.545 Lord, we're nothing without you, Lord. 763 00:57:33.565 --> 00:57:37.885 We are nothing without you, Lord. 764 00:57:38.025 --> 00:57:40.725 We are nothing without you. 765 00:57:42.475 --> 00:57:47.375 So I just pray that we never leave you or our Bibles on the shelves ever 766 00:57:47.385 --> 00:57:52.355 again. We ask all this in your son's name, we pray, amen. Amen. 767 00:57:52.356 --> 00:57:53.189 Love you guys.