WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.280 Well, Jeff, I don't know if you know this or not, 2 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:04.400 but I live to please you and your every whim. 3 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:05.000 Did you know that? 4 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:06.879 Well, that's what this passage is all about. God wants 5 00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:07.839 you to be a people pleaser. 6 00:00:08.279 --> 00:00:10.039 I'm not sure it says quite that. 7 00:00:10.279 --> 00:00:11.439 No, Well, we're going to find out. 8 00:00:11.480 --> 00:00:13.720 He's Chris and I'm Jeff and we're the Bible Guys. 9 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:27.679 Well, hey, Jeff, today we have a segment called mail 10 00:00:27.719 --> 00:00:29.679 bags and we haven't and those are fun. Yeah, they 11 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:30.480 haven't done this in a while. 12 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:31.199 Those are great. 13 00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:33.799 So listen. By the way, if you want to ask 14 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:36.359 a question that you would like us to, you know, 15 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:38.799 talk about, he would love to hear it. So just 16 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:42.159 send your question to info at the Bible Guys dot 17 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:44.640 com and we would love for, you know, for us 18 00:00:44.679 --> 00:00:46.799 to look through them and perhaps even use one of 19 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:49.719 your questions. So today it comes from Jackie M. 20 00:00:50.119 --> 00:00:50.920 Jackie M. 21 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:53.640 So she mailed this in emailed, I suppose. 22 00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:55.280 Right, instead of I haven't seen this one, by the way. 23 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:58.119 Yeah, and so she says, if you could trade places 24 00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:01.200 with anyone in the world, who would it be? And why? 25 00:01:01.399 --> 00:01:03.759 Oh oh that's a good question. 26 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:04.200 It's fun. 27 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:05.959 Yeah, have you thought about this one. 28 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:07.359 No, I just now read it. 29 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:10.879 If we could trade places with anyone? Well, actually, Jackie, 30 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:14.040 I really like being me, I really do. 31 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:17.680 Oh come on, anybody in the world. I don't know. 32 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:20.719 Who do you have would trade places? 33 00:01:20.920 --> 00:01:23.239 I mean, I guess the question. I mean you get 34 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:25.719 technical with it, but like, is it temporary or is 35 00:01:25.719 --> 00:01:28.599 it permanent? Like trade places until you die? 36 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:30.079 I don't know. She didn't ask us. 37 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:32.359 I know. So let's let's assume that it's. 38 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:34.480 Temporary, temporary, a temporary thing, and it has to be 39 00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:35.159 a real person. 40 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:36.760 Because none of us would want to abandon our lives 41 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:38.760 a real person, yes, of course. 42 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:39.560 Okay, Oh you're. 43 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:43.519 Talking about like Superman right now or in the past. 44 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:46.959 I want to be Superman for a day exactly. How 45 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:50.079 about let's do right now, living, right now living? Okay? 46 00:01:50.439 --> 00:01:55.519 Oh man, I'm having a hard one. 47 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:58.359 Anybody who gets to go to space? How about that? 48 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:00.000 Oh wow, yeah, go to space. 49 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:01.159 That's a great answer. 50 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:03.439 I know I have good answers. All my answers are 51 00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:03.920 great answer. 52 00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:06.159 But do you have to have the knowledge? Are you 53 00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:06.959 going to mess things up? 54 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:08.879 I don't know. They sent William Shattner to space. 55 00:02:09.560 --> 00:02:12.159 Well, oh yeah, he's like ninety years old. I guess 56 00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:13.680 you're right, okay, as long as you don't have to 57 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:14.120 do stuff. 58 00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:15.840 Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm not saying I want to 59 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:17.080 be a technical astronaut. 60 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:19.319 Well, I mean, if you were like a heart surgeon, 61 00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:20.840 I'd like to be a heart surgeon for Dan all 62 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:21.960 of a sudden, boot you popping? 63 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:24.319 Yeah, yeah, you know, kill somebody. I don't know. I 64 00:02:24.360 --> 00:02:25.879 might be good at it, I've never tried. 65 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:29.159 I think I just just caught here. 66 00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:31.280 Yeah, maybe how about you? 67 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:33.280 You know what I think? Honestly, I think I would 68 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:35.000 love to be a talk show host. 69 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:36.159 A talk show host. 70 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:40.280 Yeah. So who Jimmy Fallon? 71 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:42.960 Jimmy Fallon? Yeah, yeah, yeah, just because you do well 72 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:43.240 with that. 73 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:45.439 You know, you get that fun. You need to interact 74 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:48.120 with celebrities and movie stars and things, right, and you 75 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:51.000 get to creatively sort of still do what I do now, 76 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:54.360 which and you're so cute, right, which is the camera 77 00:02:54.599 --> 00:02:54.919 loves me? 78 00:02:55.000 --> 00:03:00.319 Yeah yeah, yeah, Okay, So you want to be Jimmy 79 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:03.159 Fallon and I want to be William Shatner. Apparently, apparently 80 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:06.240 that's the answer, Jackie M there you go. So hey, 81 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:07.599 by the way, I'm not sure if that's what she 82 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:08.960 was thinking, Hey, you know'll be fun. 83 00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:12.360 If some of our listeners would actually comment in and 84 00:03:12.439 --> 00:03:14.520 just tell me who you would switch for. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 85 00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:15.560 who would you switch with? 86 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:17.879 If you're watching on YouTube, that's the place that we 87 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:19.360 can do this, right, it's ont. 88 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:23.039 On YouTube, okay, and or email us in yeah and 89 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:25.080 let us know, because that'd be fun to just read through. 90 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:25.560 Yeah. 91 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:28.599 Yeah, So if you're not watching on YouTube, email us 92 00:03:28.759 --> 00:03:30.639 at info at the Bible guys dot com. 93 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:33.120 Yeah, that'd be fun. Oh that's great. 94 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:37.039 Well, today you already mentioned this that we're supposed to 95 00:03:37.080 --> 00:03:39.400 be living to please others, right, and it can kind 96 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:40.960 of come off when you say that phrase, like we're 97 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:43.159 supposed to be people pleasers, which is really not the 98 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:45.439 case as a matter of fact. Paul warns against that idea. 99 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:48.879 But let's let's unpack it. So in Romans chapter fifteen, 100 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:50.639 we're coming pretty close to the end of the Book 101 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:52.960 of Romans, now we are. And so the first half 102 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:54.919 of the book he spends most of his time talking 103 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:56.680 about grace and the law. 104 00:03:56.840 --> 00:03:57.319 That's it. 105 00:03:57.599 --> 00:03:59.840 Then he pivoted just a couple of chapters ago and 106 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:02.639 turns into so how should we live as Christians in 107 00:04:02.680 --> 00:04:03.960 this grace we have, right. 108 00:04:03.879 --> 00:04:06.240 It goes from theology to practical application. 109 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:08.639 Yeah yeah, yeah, well, which I think is really important 110 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:11.520 for all of us to think about. Sometimes theologians want 111 00:04:11.560 --> 00:04:14.319 to kind of imply that the only thing that you 112 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:17.600 really need is good theology. But in maybe the most 113 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:21.360 theologically dense book in the Bible, Romans. Maybe only Hebrews 114 00:04:21.399 --> 00:04:23.959 would be the other one. But Romans is more than 115 00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:27.079 half application, right, And I think that's really important for 116 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:31.240 us to understand that theology that's not applied is of 117 00:04:31.240 --> 00:04:33.720 no real use, right, And so you got to apply it. 118 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:35.079 And so this is why you spend so much time 119 00:04:35.079 --> 00:04:36.040 applying it the way. 120 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:38.759 That's the message that you're speaking on Sunday. So the 121 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:42.399 main point of Sunday is relevant. Scripture practically applied always 122 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:44.079 results in life transformation. 123 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:45.160 That's right. That's right. 124 00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:48.720 So let's just pick up in Romans, chapter fifteen. We'll 125 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:50.959 start verse one, and I'm just going to read like 126 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:53.879 the first thirteen verses because this is a big passage. 127 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:57.040 It says, we who are strong must be considered to 128 00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:59.759 those who are sensitive about things like this, which must 129 00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:02.720 not just please ourselves. We should help others do what 130 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:05.079 is right and build them up in the Lord. For 131 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:08.399 even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the scriptures say, 132 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:10.600 the insults of those who insult you, Oh God, have 133 00:05:10.680 --> 00:05:13.240 fallen on me. Such things were written in the scriptures 134 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:15.519 long ago to teach us, and the scriptures give us 135 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:18.399 hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises 136 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:22.399 to be fulfilled. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, 137 00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:25.120 help you live in complete harmony with each other. It's 138 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:28.319 fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you 139 00:05:28.360 --> 00:05:31.519 can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory 140 00:05:31.560 --> 00:05:34.519 to God, the father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Therefore, 141 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:38.480 accept each other, just as Christ has accepted you, so 142 00:05:38.519 --> 00:05:41.800 that God will be given glory. Remember that Christ came 143 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:43.680 as a servant to the Jews to show that God 144 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:45.839 is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. 145 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:48.879 He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory 146 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:51.040 to God for his mercies to them. That is what 147 00:05:51.079 --> 00:05:53.160 the Psalmist meant when he wrote, for this, I will 148 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:55.639 praise you among the gentiles. I'll sing praise this to 149 00:05:55.639 --> 00:05:59.199 your name. In another place that's written, rejoice with his people, 150 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:02.160 you gentiles and yet again, praise the Lord, all you gentiles. 151 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:04.279 Praise him, all you people of the earth. And in 152 00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:07.600 another place, Isaiah said, the air to David's throne will come, 153 00:06:07.800 --> 00:06:10.160 and he will rule over the gentiles. They will place 154 00:06:10.199 --> 00:06:13.319 their hope on him. I pray that God, the source 155 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:15.720 of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace 156 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:18.600 because you trust in Him, and then you will overflow 157 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:21.040 with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. 158 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:24.480 So the second half of this passage is really talking 159 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:27.920 about because you're a believer, you know you have hope 160 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:30.759 in Christ and He's going to fulfill these things in 161 00:06:30.759 --> 00:06:32.759 your life, all of God's promises in your life. But 162 00:06:32.839 --> 00:06:36.839 the beginning of the chapter, he's really kind of highlighting 163 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:39.000 what he just spent all this time talking about in 164 00:06:39.480 --> 00:06:42.160 Roman's chapter fourteen, and that is, don't cause other people 165 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:45.519 to stumble. Sure, and so he says, so you are strongness, 166 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:48.399 be considerate of those who are sensitive about things. 167 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:51.360 Like this, right, because it's attached to the previous thought. 168 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:54.319 That's right, which is we've divided up into chapters. But 169 00:06:54.439 --> 00:06:56.360 that's correct, But he didn't have chapters when he wrote 170 00:06:56.360 --> 00:06:56.920 this letter. 171 00:06:56.759 --> 00:06:57.120 That's right. 172 00:06:57.160 --> 00:07:00.519 So he was talking about eating meat that was offered idols. 173 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:03.800 He was talking about holy days all those kinds of things, 174 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:07.399 and he said, you know, you are free, but you 175 00:07:07.480 --> 00:07:09.879 need to be considered to the people who struggle with 176 00:07:10.839 --> 00:07:13.360 feeling like maybe it's wrong to do those things right. 177 00:07:13.319 --> 00:07:16.600 Right, right, right. And last week that's where we left off. 178 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:20.680 We talked about how it's interesting to me and we 179 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:22.920 didn't talk about this part of it, but it's interesting 180 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:28.079 to me how those who may get offended sometimes could 181 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:30.759 be in the category of those who sort of misunderstand. 182 00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:33.600 Because Paul says, hey, we both know this meat is 183 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:36.480 just meat. We both know that sacrificing it to that 184 00:07:36.519 --> 00:07:40.240 false God means absolutely nothing because there is no false God. 185 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:43.199 That false God is a statue. Right, it's a piece 186 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:45.600 of wood, right, and so it's just a good piece 187 00:07:45.639 --> 00:07:48.319 of cow right, right. And so he's like, so, really, 188 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:52.000 there's nothing wrong with eating it. But those who are weaker, 189 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:55.120 that's the part. It's those who are not as strong 190 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:58.639 in their faith, they don't understand the breadth of things. 191 00:07:59.399 --> 00:08:02.199 Just be considered of them. If you know for a 192 00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:03.000 fact that they're going to. 193 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:06.160 Stumble, right, yeah, or well, I don't even know if 194 00:08:06.199 --> 00:08:08.120 you have to know for fact that they're going to stumble, 195 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:10.360 but what we do may cause him to stumble. And 196 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:12.360 he says, so you give up your freedoms for the 197 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:14.759 benefit of others. That's what the way of saying. So 198 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:18.000 he says that here, so we must not just please ourselves. 199 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:20.879 And then I think this is the real highlight, quite honestly, 200 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:23.399 is as he's talking about we should help others do 201 00:08:23.480 --> 00:08:25.560 what is right and build them up in the Lord. 202 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.759 For even Christ didn't live to please himself. So a 203 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:31.399 big part of our spiritual growth early on, when we 204 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:35.639 become believers, it's really about us because we're babies. As 205 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:37.519 a matter of fact, the Bible refers to us as 206 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:40.600 you know, babes in Christ. He says, right, And so 207 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:43.879 as a new believer, we're a babe in Christ. But 208 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:46.200 God's goal is not for you to stay a baby 209 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:48.120 in your faith. He wants you to grow up in 210 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:51.759 your faith. And eventually, as you grow up, you start 211 00:08:51.799 --> 00:08:53.879 to be able to provide for yourself, take care of yourself, 212 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:56.320 not just rely on others to provide for you. And 213 00:08:56.360 --> 00:08:58.919 then finally you start being able to provide for others 214 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:02.279 and care for others and develop others and so that's 215 00:09:02.360 --> 00:09:03.279 kind of the expectation. 216 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:04.120 He says. 217 00:09:04.440 --> 00:09:08.159 Unless you're developing others, you're not really strong in your faith. 218 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:10.720 You're not mature in your faith, you're not growing in faith, 219 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:14.039 because your focus should be to help others do what 220 00:09:14.200 --> 00:09:15.639 is right and to build them up. 221 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:15.960 In the Lord. 222 00:09:16.279 --> 00:09:19.120 Yeah, and you know what, it's actually a really great 223 00:09:20.200 --> 00:09:23.440 perspective reminder for all of us who think that faith 224 00:09:23.559 --> 00:09:27.039 is just us and God and nothing else, you know, 225 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:29.360 you know, and people use terms like well, my faith 226 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:32.440 is private and with the with what that translates into 227 00:09:32.440 --> 00:09:34.480 a lot of times is saying like, well, I don't 228 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:37.399 necessarily go to church, I don't necessarily talk about my 229 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:40.799 faith at all with anybody else, don't I don't do anything, 230 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:43.519 but I do, you know, think about God or perhaps 231 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:46.799 even read or pray, and and it's an individualistic thing. 232 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:49.519 But again we've mentioned this before. Faith is not meant 233 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:52.120 to be you know, individual, it's communal. 234 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:56.120 Right, right, yeah, so then this this idea. 235 00:09:56.840 --> 00:09:59.519 Have you ever heard people say I just don't feel 236 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:02.679 like I'm getting anything out of the services or. 237 00:10:02.679 --> 00:10:03.519 All my life. 238 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:06.720 Yeah. Yeah, and you know, and by the. 239 00:10:06.679 --> 00:10:08.879 Way, there's always those who say this is the best 240 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:10.759 thing I've ever heard, Oh, sure, and then and then 241 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:12.840 I'm not getting anything out of it, and then there's 242 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:14.039 then there's everybody in between. 243 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:16.080 So a lot of times the people who think that 244 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:19.519 everything you say or everything I say is brilliant, they're 245 00:10:19.559 --> 00:10:21.559 new Christians and they're hearing these things for the first time. 246 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:24.360 Sure, or I would argue and say, or I would add, 247 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:29.799 not argue. I would add and say. When God is 248 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:32.600 at work in somebody's life, it doesn't matter what you say. 249 00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:34.879 You can almost get up there and read the dictionary, right, 250 00:10:35.080 --> 00:10:37.399 and it's like and it's like, oh, that was just amazing. 251 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:40.039 God just showed me. And it's like, really, that's what 252 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:41.879 you got out of it, because the Holy Spirit's already 253 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:44.480 doing a great work and they're sensitive the leader of 254 00:10:44.519 --> 00:10:44.840 the Spirit. 255 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:47.320 Yeah, I would say there's a substantial difference between the 256 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:50.120 what the Holy Spirit would use if you read the 257 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:52.000 dictionary versus what the Holy Spirit would. 258 00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:52.879 Use if you're using the Bible. 259 00:10:52.919 --> 00:10:53.399 Supposed to be. 260 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:56.440 Funny, right, right, right, But the the I get what 261 00:10:56.480 --> 00:10:58.879 you're saying that sometimes the Holy Spirit's already preparing a 262 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:02.679 person's heart and they're just ready to hear from God. Right, 263 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:05.559 And I believe that God speaks primarily through his word, 264 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:09.960 and he uses preachers to highlight that. But usually newer 265 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:12.840 believers when they hear the preacher preach an idea for 266 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:15.720 the first time, every new idea is amazing. But then 267 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:19.120 people have been a believer for a while, They've heard 268 00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:21.519 all of your jokes, they've heard most of your stories, 269 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:24.519 they've heard how you apply things. When you come to 270 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:26.799 a certain topic. They already know how you're going to 271 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:29.720 close that topic, right. They knew all those things because 272 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:31.399 they've been around you a while, they've been a believer. 273 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:34.200 You've kind of poured out all that you have for them. 274 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:37.399 And then those are the people, these what I would 275 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:42.000 say maybe adolescent young adolescent Christians, but you know, post 276 00:11:42.039 --> 00:11:43.320 pubescent Christians. 277 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:47.399 Just you know, they're they're just getting smart enough to go. 278 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:50.879 I feel like mom and dad aren't giving me enough anymore, right, 279 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:54.559 and I wish that the pastor gave me more. That 280 00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:58.799 person is shifting from being a child in the faith 281 00:11:59.399 --> 00:12:01.240 to being in a adult and the faith growing up 282 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:03.799 in their faith, and so it stops being so much 283 00:12:03.799 --> 00:12:06.200 about you and starts being more and more and more 284 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:10.720 for others. So your spiritual growth there's only so much 285 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.440 content you can take in, and then you're just you're 286 00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:16.440 just fat and blobby, but you're not strong. The only 287 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:19.840 way you can be strong and healthy is to use 288 00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:22.279 all of what you're taking in right and build it 289 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:24.200 into spiritual muscle. And the only way you can do 290 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:25.879 that is to build others up. And that's really what 291 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:26.919 I think Paul's talking about you. 292 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:30.919 In fact, this is a great idea to talk about 293 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:34.559 just for a minute, because I've actually planned a series 294 00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:37.399 coming up in our church coming up. Heritage Church is 295 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:39.879 where we both serve and for those who don't know that, 296 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:44.399 but it's actually information versus application. So a lot of 297 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:48.200 people think Christianity is more information. So a lot of 298 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:51.000 times when I hear somebody say I'm not getting enough 299 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:54.519 out of the services or whatever. Not all the time, 300 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:56.639 but most of the time, I would say, what the 301 00:12:56.679 --> 00:13:00.879 really meaning is do my studying for me right? Because 302 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:03.759 what they're saying is you didn't teach me anything new 303 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:06.080 to which all I would really have to do, and 304 00:13:06.120 --> 00:13:08.279 I have done this in so many occasions is I 305 00:13:08.279 --> 00:13:10.399 would say, well, I just got a simple question for you. 306 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:13.320 You know, have you mastered that which I talked about today, 307 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:15.679 And I've had people literally look at me and say no, 308 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:19.639 not even close, right, And I'd say, well, then, how 309 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:22.399 could you possibly say this message wasn't for you. 310 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:24.600 Well, that's a dangerous idea because Jesus said to whom 311 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:26.279 much is given, much is required. 312 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:26.840 Sure. 313 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:29.440 So if you're saying, I want more information, but I 314 00:13:29.480 --> 00:13:31.879 haven't mastered what you gave me before, what you want 315 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:33.559 is you want to be accountable for even more that 316 00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:34.200 you're not going to do. 317 00:13:34.279 --> 00:13:37.039 Yeah, and heck, you don't even have to master it. 318 00:13:37.080 --> 00:13:38.600 You just have to feel like you're you have a 319 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:39.480 good hold on Yeah. 320 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:42.080 Yeah, you're at least learning to apply it, right Yeah. 321 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:42.559 Yeah. Yeah. 322 00:13:42.559 --> 00:13:44.559 So it's like, well, oh, I've heard that sermon before, 323 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:47.679 Well have you have you done it? Well? No, but 324 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:51.120 I know it. And it's like, well listen, then that 325 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:53.559 means you need to hear the sermon again. Yeah, Because 326 00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:57.279 it's all about application. It's life transformation. And by the way, 327 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:01.799 Jesus gives us his word for results, so he always 328 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.639 says it's either inward results like you have peace, you'll 329 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:07.519 have joy, you'll find life, you'll find substance or purpose 330 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:11.480 or direction, or it's the result of moving God's kingdom forward. 331 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:14.120 You know, there's always you know, the furthering of His kingdom, 332 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:17.000 the furthering of his word, the credibility of His gospel. 333 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:21.080 And then you know, there's also results in our own lives. 334 00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:24.399 And they could be both circumstantially, they could be relationally. 335 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.440 It can be all these different things. But the Word 336 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:30.480 of God is supposed to bring about results. And if 337 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:34.679 it's not about application and results, then it's you know, 338 00:14:34.840 --> 00:14:36.600 it's not much. It's not good for much. 339 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:39.600 I think it's fair if somebody, if a mature Christian 340 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:41.360 comes and goes, hey, I'm just not getting what I 341 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:43.720 used to get from your preaching, It's fair for me 342 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:47.080 to pause and to think about it, sure, and to contemplate. 343 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:51.399 Have I let my attention to detail? Have I let 344 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:56.039 my you know, attention to study lacks right? But if 345 00:14:56.039 --> 00:14:58.799 I haven't, then really it's probably not on me. It's 346 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:02.399 probably that part. And I believe that God allows a 347 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:05.799 certain amount of holy discontent at certain stages in your 348 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:08.919 spiritual growth to make you decide it's time for me 349 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:12.720 to move a little further in my faith. Otherwise we 350 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:14.679 would always stay in the nest, we'd never get out 351 00:15:14.679 --> 00:15:16.559 of the out. 352 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:17.799 Of the crib, we'd never learn how to walk. Right. 353 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:20.480 There's all these little moments in our lives. I think 354 00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:23.559 that this discontent rises up where we say there's got 355 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:25.320 to be more. And so if you're feeling a little 356 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:29.120 frustrated right now in your faith, I think maybe, especially 357 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:31.080 if you've been a believer for a while, maybe the 358 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.559 next thing is not just what can you get from 359 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:36.159 other Bible teachers? But now, who are you supposed to 360 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:38.480 be helping build up? As he says in that verse, 361 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:41.960 there it's our job to help others do what is 362 00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:43.759 right and to build them up in the Lord. 363 00:15:44.200 --> 00:15:44.440 Yeah. 364 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:46.200 Right, And if we're going to be more like Jesus, 365 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:47.679 we have to remember that even Christ didn't live to 366 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:48.360 please himself. 367 00:15:48.679 --> 00:15:51.200 Right. And you know there's a zoom out button on 368 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:54.600 the Macintosh computer. It's like control whatever it is, right, 369 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:58.320 control whatever, and then you zoom out, zoom out. You know, 370 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:01.639 this conversation reminds me how one thing is connected to 371 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:03.720 the other. And I feel like I have a next 372 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:07.000 thought that always zooms out, and the zoom out thought 373 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:10.200 from that conversation is I guess it depends. Also, if 374 00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:14.240 we're talking about Sunday morning, experiences for each believer. The 375 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:16.440 zoom out conversation is, I guess it depends on what 376 00:16:16.440 --> 00:16:18.720 you believe the purpose of a Sunday morning is supposed 377 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:21.679 to be at your church. Because after all, we should 378 00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:24.559 always keep in mind that this Sunday morning go to 379 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:29.039 church experience is not what was what was first in 380 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:31.320 place in the book of Accents. 381 00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:34.840 Let's sing some songs, let's make a couple of announcements, 382 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:36.799 Let's have the pastor get up and talk for thirty 383 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:37.279 five minutes. 384 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:39.759 And look there's light lights, and thought, ye right, yeah, right, 385 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:43.000 So it was it was actually Christians meeting in homes 386 00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:46.120 and and and actually it wasn't good what we're doing 387 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:47.480 now exactly. 388 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:49.279 They're taking scripture and just talking about it. That's right 389 00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:52.799 on the surface as they as they this was church, yeah. 390 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:54.360 Right, And so it was just digging into God's word. 391 00:16:54.440 --> 00:16:56.559 It was pressing into the words of Jesus in the 392 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:59.279 ways of Jesus. And so you know that that that 393 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:03.799 is that is a self feeder, right or feeding one another, 394 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:06.440 you know, each other, encouraging one another, sharpening one another. 395 00:17:07.160 --> 00:17:09.039 But like you know, listen, if we're going to be 396 00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:12.640 talking about the Western world, the culture of the United 397 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:15.799 States of America, the consumerism culture and everything else. The 398 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:18.640 reason why we do what we do is because we 399 00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:22.799 know it's the best way to reach people and still 400 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:25.440 you know, sort of like incorporate God's word in their lives. 401 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:29.440