WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.905 --> 00:00:02.885 Hey, thanks for being here this weekend at The Gathering 2 00:00:02.885 --> 00:00:04.085 of Christ Community Chapel. 3 00:00:04.345 --> 00:00:05.445 My name is Zach weRock. 4 00:00:05.465 --> 00:00:07.085 I'm lead pastor here at CCC, 5 00:00:07.085 --> 00:00:09.005 and I'm so glad you're here this weekend. 6 00:00:09.565 --> 00:00:10.845 'cause you're gonna get to hear from my friend, 7 00:00:10.845 --> 00:00:14.365 pastor Sean Sears, pastor of Grace Church in Boston. 8 00:00:14.955 --> 00:00:17.725 This weekend, we're putting the focus on Orchard in eeo, 9 00:00:17.825 --> 00:00:20.565 our church planting ministry here at CCC, 10 00:00:20.655 --> 00:00:23.645 where we have a mission to plant 60 churches in 11 00:00:23.645 --> 00:00:24.805 the next 30 years. 12 00:00:25.185 --> 00:00:27.445 And I can't think of anyone better for us to learn from 13 00:00:27.465 --> 00:00:29.445 and to be inspired by than Sean. 14 00:00:29.705 --> 00:00:32.285 That's because in addition to pastoring Grace Church, 15 00:00:32.395 --> 00:00:35.165 Sean leads a network a lot like Orchard in Boston, 16 00:00:35.625 --> 00:00:38.485 and they have seen God do amazing things. 17 00:00:38.645 --> 00:00:41.605 I cannot wait for you to hear some of the incredible stories 18 00:00:41.605 --> 00:00:42.965 that Sean has witnessed 19 00:00:43.145 --> 00:00:46.045 and been part of God's faithfulness to Boston 20 00:00:46.265 --> 00:00:48.005 and to his mission to plant churches. 21 00:00:48.225 --> 00:00:51.245 And my hope is that we'll find something in Sean's story 22 00:00:51.545 --> 00:00:53.725 and in what he comes to share from God's word 23 00:00:53.795 --> 00:00:57.125 that will encourage us to continue down the road 24 00:00:57.265 --> 00:01:00.645 of planting local churches all over northeast Ohio. 25 00:01:00.915 --> 00:01:03.725 Sean is a phenomenal leader, a great pastor, loves Jesus, 26 00:01:04.015 --> 00:01:06.925 loves his family, and is a personal friend of mine. 27 00:01:06.925 --> 00:01:09.525 Would you join me in welcoming him to the stage 28 00:01:09.785 --> 00:01:12.365 and in praying for God to do incredible things this weekend 29 00:01:12.395 --> 00:01:13.525 through his ministry. 30 00:01:20.475 --> 00:01:22.005 It's an honor to be here at your church 31 00:01:22.345 --> 00:01:24.645 and, uh, to be a friend of your, of your pastor. 32 00:01:24.865 --> 00:01:27.125 Uh, we met through a, uh, coaching network 33 00:01:27.235 --> 00:01:28.645 that I've been in for seven years. 34 00:01:28.695 --> 00:01:31.765 We've locked it up so that nobody else knew can come in. 35 00:01:32.145 --> 00:01:34.805 And when they told us that they were bringing a new guy into 36 00:01:34.805 --> 00:01:36.325 this network, we said it's not gonna work. 37 00:01:36.785 --> 00:01:38.325 And they brought in, uh, Zach, 38 00:01:38.425 --> 00:01:39.525 and he ruined the whole thing. 39 00:01:39.825 --> 00:01:42.605 I'm just kidding. He did. Uh, yeah, 40 00:01:42.635 --> 00:01:43.965 he's got fantastic stories. 41 00:01:44.105 --> 00:01:47.565 And actually, what I got to watch your pastor do, uh, 42 00:01:47.675 --> 00:01:52.125 this this week, uh, is a, uh, I, I told him earlier, I, 43 00:01:52.165 --> 00:01:53.685 I said, it's actually a really beautiful 44 00:01:53.685 --> 00:01:54.925 example of what we're talking about today. 45 00:01:55.345 --> 00:01:59.445 Uh, I have a, uh, rookie Mark McGuire, uh, baseball card. 46 00:01:59.535 --> 00:02:01.005 There were five rookie cards. 47 00:02:01.465 --> 00:02:04.685 Uh, this is not the most valuable of the five rookie cards, 48 00:02:04.685 --> 00:02:07.325 but if this was a in mint condition, meaning that it would, 49 00:02:07.325 --> 00:02:10.005 if it was scored as a 10, it would be worth anywhere 50 00:02:10.285 --> 00:02:13.845 between $1,500 and $3,000. 51 00:02:14.225 --> 00:02:17.245 Uh, this one in this condition is only worth about 200. 52 00:02:17.545 --> 00:02:20.885 But the weird thing to me about it is that it's just a piece 53 00:02:20.885 --> 00:02:22.485 of cardboard, right? 54 00:02:22.555 --> 00:02:25.765 It's cardboard in ink. How in the world can that be worth? 55 00:02:26.185 --> 00:02:28.645 Uh, $200, let alone 3000. 56 00:02:28.715 --> 00:02:31.965 When I was nine, our church secretary had a son 57 00:02:31.985 --> 00:02:34.405 who turned 13 and thought he was too mature 58 00:02:34.505 --> 00:02:36.285 for his baseball cards and football cards. 59 00:02:36.825 --> 00:02:38.805 And he asked me if I wanted them. 60 00:02:38.885 --> 00:02:39.965 I was the youth pastor's son. 61 00:02:39.965 --> 00:02:41.725 And so I said, yes, please, can I have them? 62 00:02:41.725 --> 00:02:45.725 And he brought me the next Sunday, two grocery bags full 63 00:02:45.865 --> 00:02:46.925 of baseball cards 64 00:02:46.945 --> 00:02:49.165 and football cards from the sixties and seventies. 65 00:02:49.315 --> 00:02:52.285 Does anybody remember paper bags? Anybody at all? 66 00:02:52.655 --> 00:02:54.045 These are the old people in the room. 67 00:02:54.465 --> 00:02:57.525 Um, but two full grocery bags of baseball cards 68 00:02:57.525 --> 00:02:59.285 and football cards all from the sixties and seventies. 69 00:02:59.745 --> 00:03:03.725 And, uh, I, I sorted them by sport. I sorted them by team. 70 00:03:03.885 --> 00:03:04.965 I sorted them by year. 71 00:03:05.345 --> 00:03:07.045 Uh, then I put them in shoe boxes 72 00:03:07.465 --> 00:03:08.965 and then put them back in the bags. 73 00:03:08.985 --> 00:03:10.925 And then a few years later, my family moved. 74 00:03:10.945 --> 00:03:12.125 And when we got to the new place, 75 00:03:12.525 --> 00:03:13.765 I wasn't old enough at the time 76 00:03:13.905 --> 00:03:15.165 to do most of the heavy lifting. 77 00:03:15.265 --> 00:03:17.525 So I was waiting for the adults to unpack my bedroom. 78 00:03:17.985 --> 00:03:20.445 And when my bedroom was finally unpacked, um, 79 00:03:20.725 --> 00:03:23.285 I couldn't find my, my, uh, my, my football cards 80 00:03:23.285 --> 00:03:25.285 and baseball cards in anywhere. 81 00:03:25.285 --> 00:03:27.165 Couldn't find 'em anywhere. And I went to my mom 82 00:03:27.585 --> 00:03:30.085 and, uh, I said, mom, uh, do, do you, do you know 83 00:03:30.085 --> 00:03:32.165 where my football, my football cards, my baseball cards are? 84 00:03:32.185 --> 00:03:33.805 She goes, yeah. Uh, do you remember the yard 85 00:03:33.805 --> 00:03:35.005 sale we had before we moved? 86 00:03:36.685 --> 00:03:41.165 I know. And I said, yes. She said, I sold them. 87 00:03:41.985 --> 00:03:46.565 And I said, how much did you get for him? And she said, $5. 88 00:03:48.065 --> 00:03:50.285 And that's why I still don't talk to my mom today. 89 00:03:52.535 --> 00:03:54.565 Jesus can forgive all kinds of sin. 90 00:03:54.885 --> 00:03:57.085 I don't know if he can forgive that kind of dumb. 91 00:03:57.455 --> 00:04:00.525 Sorry, I have my mom's permission to say that, by the way. 92 00:04:00.905 --> 00:04:02.445 She, she knows I tell that story 93 00:04:02.465 --> 00:04:03.605 and she's like, just make sure 94 00:04:03.835 --> 00:04:05.725 that they know I'm not your right mom. 95 00:04:05.945 --> 00:04:07.725 Um, but she, but from her perspective, 96 00:04:08.195 --> 00:04:09.525 it's two bags of cardboard. 97 00:04:09.525 --> 00:04:13.405 And she got some joker to pay $5 for two bags of cardboard. 98 00:04:14.305 --> 00:04:16.475 Like from her perspective, that's a smoking deal. 99 00:04:17.145 --> 00:04:18.795 It's just cardboard in ink. 100 00:04:19.135 --> 00:04:22.195 But you and I both know that a baseball card 101 00:04:22.195 --> 00:04:25.115 or a football card is not what it brings to the table. 102 00:04:25.305 --> 00:04:26.955 It's worth what somebody else would put on the 103 00:04:26.955 --> 00:04:28.435 table to make it theirs. 104 00:04:29.065 --> 00:04:30.795 Does that make a sense? Does that make sense? 105 00:04:31.335 --> 00:04:33.875 And value is completely sub subjective. 106 00:04:34.215 --> 00:04:37.435 So you might not like, uh, uh, Mark McGuire at all. 107 00:04:37.435 --> 00:04:39.395 She'd say, I, I don't care if it was $5. 108 00:04:39.595 --> 00:04:41.355 I wouldn't, I wouldn't buy that cart. 109 00:04:41.695 --> 00:04:44.435 Uh, but then you, you might would buy another one 110 00:04:44.435 --> 00:04:45.715 that I'm, it's subjective. 111 00:04:45.715 --> 00:04:48.355 And that idea of placing different value on different things 112 00:04:48.895 --> 00:04:52.475 is that the heart of an entire chapter in the life of Jesus. 113 00:04:52.535 --> 00:04:53.475 So if you've got your Bible, why 114 00:04:53.475 --> 00:04:54.475 don't you go to Luke chapter 15. 115 00:04:54.945 --> 00:04:56.475 Luke chapter 15 is where we're at. 116 00:04:57.185 --> 00:05:01.035 It's one of my favorite chapters, uh, in the Bible, uh, 117 00:05:01.035 --> 00:05:03.555 because of these three stories that Jesus tells. 118 00:05:03.655 --> 00:05:06.635 And, and actually it's the reason why he tells these stories 119 00:05:06.785 --> 00:05:10.395 that make the stories to me, um, me meaningful. 120 00:05:10.745 --> 00:05:14.395 Luke chapter 15, verse one, um, says this, tax collectors 121 00:05:14.395 --> 00:05:16.515 and other notorious sinners often came 122 00:05:16.855 --> 00:05:18.075 to listen to Jesus teach. 123 00:05:18.095 --> 00:05:19.115 And I wanna stop right there 124 00:05:19.185 --> 00:05:21.315 because I don't, I don't know what it takes 125 00:05:21.335 --> 00:05:22.555 to be a notorious sinner. 126 00:05:23.095 --> 00:05:25.795 Uh, I think all of us would probably admit YaMma sinner. 127 00:05:25.795 --> 00:05:28.435 I've, I've made mistakes, I've done bad things. 128 00:05:28.455 --> 00:05:30.715 But I don't know how many of us would classify ourselves 129 00:05:30.775 --> 00:05:31.875 as notorious sinners. 130 00:05:32.015 --> 00:05:35.515 That's for people like our brother-in-laws, but right. 131 00:05:36.255 --> 00:05:38.515 Um, but I'm not necessarily like, what would it take 132 00:05:38.515 --> 00:05:40.715 for them to say that this person is a notorious sinner? 133 00:05:40.715 --> 00:05:43.075 And the other thing that I like about just this first verse 134 00:05:43.075 --> 00:05:46.155 already is that it's not that Jesus was going to them. 135 00:05:47.185 --> 00:05:49.035 They often came to him. 136 00:05:49.615 --> 00:05:51.195 And the truth is, you 137 00:05:51.195 --> 00:05:52.755 and I both go hang out with people 138 00:05:53.585 --> 00:05:54.755 that we feel comfortable with. 139 00:05:55.375 --> 00:05:57.035 And so what I, I think I wanna point out 140 00:05:57.125 --> 00:05:59.005 before we get to the rest of the, we're not going verse 141 00:05:59.005 --> 00:06:00.245 by verse through the entire chapter, 142 00:06:00.635 --> 00:06:01.685 that would take too long. 143 00:06:01.705 --> 00:06:04.205 But the first thing I wanna point out is that the people 144 00:06:04.205 --> 00:06:07.005 who were farthest from God felt most loved by God, 145 00:06:08.665 --> 00:06:11.325 the notorious sinners wanted to hang out with Jesus 146 00:06:11.325 --> 00:06:14.725 because Jesus actually made them feel like they mattered. 147 00:06:15.745 --> 00:06:17.445 You don't like hanging out with people that pick on you. 148 00:06:17.445 --> 00:06:19.125 You don't like people telling you, you hanging out 149 00:06:19.125 --> 00:06:20.565 with people that always criticize you. 150 00:06:21.025 --> 00:06:22.445 You and I both enjoy the company 151 00:06:22.445 --> 00:06:24.005 and people that make us feel good about ourselves. 152 00:06:24.425 --> 00:06:25.765 And I'm not trying to imply 153 00:06:25.765 --> 00:06:27.485 that Jesus made people feel good about 154 00:06:27.485 --> 00:06:28.645 themselves and their sin. 155 00:06:28.795 --> 00:06:30.805 It's that Jesus made people feel valuable 156 00:06:31.475 --> 00:06:36.445 even though they had not done, They had not lived the life 157 00:06:36.445 --> 00:06:38.045 that others would've assign as valuable, 158 00:06:39.915 --> 00:06:41.775 broken people felt seen by Jesus. 159 00:06:43.475 --> 00:06:46.215 And unlovely people felt loved. 160 00:06:46.305 --> 00:06:49.015 Sorry, I'm not even into the sermon already. 161 00:06:49.015 --> 00:06:51.535 I'm getting emotional. But they felt loved by him. 162 00:06:53.425 --> 00:06:55.465 I, I'm a preacher's kid and my mom 163 00:06:55.465 --> 00:06:56.865 and dad raised me in a Christian school 164 00:06:58.205 --> 00:06:59.345 to keep me away from every, 165 00:06:59.605 --> 00:07:02.265 and I, I think they wanted to protect me. 166 00:07:02.605 --> 00:07:05.825 That's the honest truth. But on accident, 167 00:07:06.375 --> 00:07:08.425 they kept me away from everybody that was intended 168 00:07:08.425 --> 00:07:09.465 to benefit from my faith. 169 00:07:10.345 --> 00:07:13.205 I I graduated from a Christian school, went 170 00:07:13.205 --> 00:07:15.125 to a Christian college, graduated from a Christian college, 171 00:07:16.795 --> 00:07:20.245 then went to a Christian grad school, uh, then worked 172 00:07:20.265 --> 00:07:23.285 for a church, then went and taught at a Christian college. 173 00:07:23.785 --> 00:07:26.165 And it wasn't until I moved to Boston when I was 31 174 00:07:27.835 --> 00:07:29.405 that I ever had any close friends 175 00:07:29.405 --> 00:07:30.565 that didn't share my worldview. 176 00:07:32.305 --> 00:07:34.445 Um, Yeah. 177 00:07:34.445 --> 00:07:36.885 So I didn't know how much of the story I was gonna tell 178 00:07:36.885 --> 00:07:38.645 and I don't have the time to tell the whole thing. 179 00:07:38.665 --> 00:07:40.805 But moving to s Stoughton, Massachusetts, 180 00:07:40.815 --> 00:07:44.045 which is on the southern edge of, uh, just just 181 00:07:44.045 --> 00:07:47.365 outside the city of Boston, uh, there are, 182 00:07:47.495 --> 00:07:49.565 there are four gospel preaching, 183 00:07:49.565 --> 00:07:52.885 evangelical churches in the whole town of 30,000. 184 00:07:52.905 --> 00:07:54.325 And only one of them speaks English. 185 00:07:54.785 --> 00:07:56.325 Uh, the other three are Portuguese. 186 00:07:56.905 --> 00:07:59.365 And, um, we didn't have anywhere to take. 187 00:07:59.545 --> 00:08:00.965 So for the first time in my life, none 188 00:08:00.965 --> 00:08:02.045 of my friends shared my faith. 189 00:08:02.465 --> 00:08:04.205 And that was the first time that I had skin in the game. 190 00:08:04.205 --> 00:08:05.685 And these were amazing people. I'd always taught 191 00:08:05.685 --> 00:08:07.125 that people couldn't have a happy 192 00:08:07.365 --> 00:08:08.405 marriage if they weren't Christian. 193 00:08:08.405 --> 00:08:09.845 They think they're happy, but not really happy. 194 00:08:10.045 --> 00:08:11.445 'cause if they're Christian, then they could be really 195 00:08:11.445 --> 00:08:13.005 happy, then they could have a good marriage, 196 00:08:13.005 --> 00:08:14.125 then they could be whatever. 197 00:08:14.145 --> 00:08:16.205 But some of the most generous, phenomenal, 198 00:08:16.355 --> 00:08:18.085 awesome people I've ever met in my entire 199 00:08:18.085 --> 00:08:19.565 life were great people. 200 00:08:19.565 --> 00:08:21.045 They were just disconnected from God. 201 00:08:21.225 --> 00:08:22.445 And I knew that if they spent the rest 202 00:08:22.445 --> 00:08:23.725 of their life disconnected from God, 203 00:08:24.395 --> 00:08:26.165 they would treat eternity the same way, 204 00:08:26.165 --> 00:08:27.325 disconnected from God. 205 00:08:29.795 --> 00:08:31.215 And there wasn't a church in the area 206 00:08:31.215 --> 00:08:32.615 that I felt comfortable bringing people 207 00:08:32.615 --> 00:08:34.535 who weren't religious to, there's churches 208 00:08:34.645 --> 00:08:36.295 that are good for Christians. 209 00:08:36.295 --> 00:08:38.575 Do you know what I'm talking about? And then there's 210 00:08:38.655 --> 00:08:39.855 churches that you would actually take a friend 211 00:08:39.855 --> 00:08:41.215 who wasn't necessarily religious. 212 00:08:41.215 --> 00:08:42.255 You want to take them to a place 213 00:08:42.255 --> 00:08:43.135 where they're not gonna feel like 214 00:08:43.135 --> 00:08:44.015 everybody's looking at them. 215 00:08:44.355 --> 00:08:46.695 And I didn't feel like there was a church close 216 00:08:46.695 --> 00:08:47.815 that they would attend with us. 217 00:08:48.515 --> 00:08:49.815 And so my wife and I began praying 218 00:08:49.815 --> 00:08:53.775 that God would send somebody To start a church in our town. 219 00:08:54.795 --> 00:08:57.405 And I, I, we asked everybody I knew from Bible college 220 00:08:57.405 --> 00:08:59.165 that was a, I thought that if God wanted me 221 00:08:59.165 --> 00:09:00.445 to start a church, we'd move into this city. 222 00:09:00.465 --> 00:09:01.765 We didn't. We moved outside the city. 223 00:09:01.845 --> 00:09:03.045 I thought that was God telling me no 224 00:09:04.265 --> 00:09:05.285 not to start this church. 225 00:09:05.285 --> 00:09:06.405 And so I called all of my friends, 226 00:09:06.405 --> 00:09:07.845 if you come start this church, we'll help you. 227 00:09:08.105 --> 00:09:10.205 You can live in my attic. You can, I'll give you my minivan. 228 00:09:10.205 --> 00:09:12.125 You could, you could borrow my dog, keep my dog. 229 00:09:12.265 --> 00:09:14.005 I'm like, whatever. We'll help you do this. 230 00:09:14.005 --> 00:09:15.485 Just please come do this and nobody would do it. 231 00:09:15.705 --> 00:09:18.125 And finally my wife said, maybe God already sent somebody. 232 00:09:18.805 --> 00:09:21.125 I was like, who? And she goes, maybe it's us. 233 00:09:21.785 --> 00:09:23.525 And I said, you're smoking crack. 234 00:09:25.565 --> 00:09:27.485 I know I said that because the next words outta my mouth 235 00:09:27.485 --> 00:09:28.885 were, it can't be me 236 00:09:28.885 --> 00:09:31.125 because I still use the word crack in sentences. 237 00:09:32.985 --> 00:09:35.205 Uh, then my non-religious neighbors across the street 238 00:09:35.225 --> 00:09:37.365 who are closest friends, had a friend go through trauma 239 00:09:38.265 --> 00:09:40.805 and she's at the hospital, says to her friend, you need God, 240 00:09:40.805 --> 00:09:42.285 my neighbor knows and I'll be right back. 241 00:09:43.585 --> 00:09:45.245 She knocks on our door. There's a few other things 242 00:09:45.245 --> 00:09:46.285 that happened this week, that week 243 00:09:46.285 --> 00:09:47.325 that I don't have the time to share. 244 00:09:47.385 --> 00:09:50.525 But uh, then we go into the hospital 245 00:09:51.025 --> 00:09:54.445 and she, uh, non-religious, a friend of ours who hadn't been 246 00:09:54.445 --> 00:09:56.485 to church since she was a little girl, is saying 247 00:09:56.485 --> 00:09:58.845 to her friend who's not a disconnected from God. 248 00:09:59.225 --> 00:10:01.645 Uh, if you need to be in a Bible study, if Sean 249 00:10:01.645 --> 00:10:02.765 and Billy Jane started a Bible 250 00:10:02.765 --> 00:10:03.845 study in their house, would you go to it? 251 00:10:04.065 --> 00:10:05.645 She goes, yeah, if you and your husband Glen will go. 252 00:10:05.645 --> 00:10:07.005 And she goes, okay Sean. 253 00:10:07.575 --> 00:10:08.765 She's like, crap, now I gotta start 254 00:10:08.765 --> 00:10:09.845 this church in my living room. 255 00:10:10.385 --> 00:10:12.525 So I might be the only guy who's pastoring a church 256 00:10:12.525 --> 00:10:14.805 that was started by Pagans, but it rocks. 257 00:10:15.625 --> 00:10:18.125 So it is totally my my vibe. 258 00:10:18.985 --> 00:10:20.965 But I'm wondering if you're the kind of Christian 259 00:10:20.965 --> 00:10:22.965 that people who are farthest from God feel most loved 260 00:10:22.985 --> 00:10:25.405 by, that's where I'm going. 261 00:10:28.315 --> 00:10:32.595 I think sometimes we place a value 262 00:10:32.695 --> 00:10:35.195 to a person based on the stats on the back of their card, 263 00:10:37.925 --> 00:10:40.265 how many times they've been divorced, whether 264 00:10:40.265 --> 00:10:41.585 or not they're sleeping with their partner, 265 00:10:42.325 --> 00:10:44.705 how many baby mamas they got, whether 266 00:10:44.705 --> 00:10:46.145 or not they've been through bankruptcy, whether 267 00:10:46.145 --> 00:10:47.745 or not they make the same kind of money we have, whether 268 00:10:47.745 --> 00:10:49.505 or not they have an education, whether 269 00:10:49.505 --> 00:10:52.695 or not they speak English, Right? 270 00:10:54.115 --> 00:10:57.365 And we assign a value 271 00:10:57.985 --> 00:11:00.445 and we put that mentally on a sticker 272 00:11:00.445 --> 00:11:01.645 and we put that on the front of the cart. 273 00:11:03.625 --> 00:11:04.965 And what I'm saying is that the people 274 00:11:04.965 --> 00:11:09.325 who are farthest from God actually felt most loved by him. 275 00:11:11.255 --> 00:11:13.555 And I think that if you are a genuine follower of Jesus, 276 00:11:13.745 --> 00:11:16.355 then the people that maybe you were taught not to be friends 277 00:11:16.355 --> 00:11:19.315 with growing up because they what ruin you 278 00:11:20.615 --> 00:11:24.865 or whatever those people are the very reasons why you have 279 00:11:24.865 --> 00:11:25.985 that job there with them. 280 00:11:27.815 --> 00:11:30.265 Like your job, I don't believe is just for your income. 281 00:11:31.905 --> 00:11:33.865 I think that you work with people, you go to school 282 00:11:33.865 --> 00:11:37.145 with people that genuinely do not care 283 00:11:38.275 --> 00:11:39.985 about anything Zach will ever say, 284 00:11:39.985 --> 00:11:40.985 because he's not their friend. 285 00:11:41.005 --> 00:11:44.505 You are. And you, you might not even be yet. 286 00:11:45.525 --> 00:11:47.985 I'm just saying that the person who's farthest from God near 287 00:11:48.005 --> 00:11:51.105 circle of influence of all the people in the world, 288 00:11:51.105 --> 00:11:52.225 they've got to know for a fact 289 00:11:52.225 --> 00:11:53.325 that if they ever needed anything, 290 00:11:53.345 --> 00:11:54.805 you were the first person they would come to 291 00:11:54.915 --> 00:11:56.685 because the way you already treat them. 292 00:11:56.715 --> 00:11:58.645 Because that's the way Jesus treated 293 00:11:58.645 --> 00:11:59.805 people who are far from God. 294 00:12:00.195 --> 00:12:01.565 Alright, that's verse one. 295 00:12:02.385 --> 00:12:03.885 All right, you guys ready for verse two? 296 00:12:05.345 --> 00:12:09.605 Uh, and by the way, I, I, I wanna say that 297 00:12:09.825 --> 00:12:11.685 as a person who was raised in church, 298 00:12:11.885 --> 00:12:13.445 I was always taught we're supposed to love everybody. 299 00:12:13.445 --> 00:12:14.445 And that's not the question. 300 00:12:15.185 --> 00:12:16.685 The question isn't if you love those 301 00:12:16.705 --> 00:12:17.725 who are farthest from God, 302 00:12:18.445 --> 00:12:20.005 I think the better question is if those 303 00:12:20.025 --> 00:12:23.125 who are farthest from God feel loved by you. 304 00:12:24.485 --> 00:12:26.285 'cause if they don't feel loved by you, 305 00:12:27.775 --> 00:12:28.865 then what good is your love? 306 00:12:30.245 --> 00:12:33.715 Right? Uh, verse two, this made the Pharisees 307 00:12:33.715 --> 00:12:35.235 and teachers of religious law complain 308 00:12:35.235 --> 00:12:37.315 that he was associating with such sinful people. 309 00:12:39.265 --> 00:12:40.995 Look, look at the crowd he hangs out with. 310 00:12:42.105 --> 00:12:43.475 He's even eating with them. 311 00:12:44.305 --> 00:12:46.755 Like that was the part that was so over the top for them. 312 00:12:47.825 --> 00:12:49.915 Because if Jesus was just gonna hang out, 313 00:12:49.915 --> 00:12:50.915 if he was gonna hang out with them 314 00:12:50.915 --> 00:12:52.235 and then invite them to synagogue, 315 00:12:52.655 --> 00:12:54.635 or tell them they needed to repent, they needed 316 00:12:54.635 --> 00:12:56.955 to take their sacrifices according to the law of Moses, 317 00:12:57.425 --> 00:12:59.555 they needed to reconcile their hearts to God. 318 00:12:59.985 --> 00:13:01.515 Like they would've been fine with all of that, 319 00:13:02.765 --> 00:13:04.825 but you're just hanging out with them watching. 320 00:13:06.905 --> 00:13:07.905 I almost said the Browns, 321 00:13:07.905 --> 00:13:09.305 I don't know anybody in New England 322 00:13:09.305 --> 00:13:11.065 that has ever hung out and watched the browns. 323 00:13:11.165 --> 00:13:12.385 I'm sorry, I don't think 324 00:13:12.385 --> 00:13:14.945 that has ever happened in Boston, ever. 325 00:13:16.125 --> 00:13:18.345 But I'm just saying, Jesus, like you're just eating 326 00:13:18.345 --> 00:13:21.105 with them as though you genuinely just like them. 327 00:13:21.885 --> 00:13:25.585 And I think that's the question is if those 328 00:13:25.685 --> 00:13:30.105 who are farthest from God are the type, if you are the type 329 00:13:30.105 --> 00:13:32.905 of friend to those people that they would actually ask you 330 00:13:33.885 --> 00:13:36.945 to go to their barbecue, like I think that's the mission. 331 00:13:36.945 --> 00:13:39.345 That's the job. That's what we're supposed to do. 332 00:13:39.345 --> 00:13:41.545 Like my wife and I early on, I told you none 333 00:13:41.545 --> 00:13:43.065 of our friends were were fathers of Jesus. 334 00:13:43.285 --> 00:13:46.105 And we're, we're at a, uh, a football, uh, 335 00:13:46.195 --> 00:13:47.345 we're watching the football 336 00:13:47.345 --> 00:13:48.505 game on the back of somebody's house. 337 00:13:48.505 --> 00:13:49.905 They had like one of those projectors 338 00:13:49.925 --> 00:13:52.545 and invited every, like all the, all the, 339 00:13:52.565 --> 00:13:54.745 all the cool parents in town go to this. 340 00:13:55.045 --> 00:13:57.585 So if you, you're not a little league dad, 341 00:13:57.585 --> 00:13:58.905 you have no clue what I'm talking about. 342 00:13:58.925 --> 00:14:02.625 But there's a social, there's a dorks table as an adult, 343 00:14:02.625 --> 00:14:04.145 just like there was in middle school. 344 00:14:04.365 --> 00:14:06.545 So when you finally get a chance to go 345 00:14:06.545 --> 00:14:09.585 to like the cool kids like football party at their house on 346 00:14:09.585 --> 00:14:11.385 a Monday night to watch the Patriots in the back 347 00:14:11.385 --> 00:14:12.745 of the house, you go. 348 00:14:13.045 --> 00:14:15.625 And when my wife and I got in the car, the difficult thing 349 00:14:15.625 --> 00:14:19.225 for us, she's a preacher's kid too, is uh, by the end 350 00:14:19.225 --> 00:14:22.105 of the night everybody was trash drunk. 351 00:14:22.215 --> 00:14:23.265 Everybody was drunk. 352 00:14:24.765 --> 00:14:26.945 And when I carried my wife to the car, I'm just kidding, 353 00:14:27.045 --> 00:14:30.945 she wasn't, I just wanted to say that, uh, 354 00:14:30.995 --> 00:14:32.185 she's not gonna see it anyway. 355 00:14:32.325 --> 00:14:35.745 So, um, when we got in the car, 356 00:14:36.125 --> 00:14:37.545 the conversation was whether 357 00:14:37.545 --> 00:14:38.665 or not we should have left earlier 358 00:14:38.665 --> 00:14:40.905 because of the example the other adults were setting 359 00:14:40.925 --> 00:14:42.665 for our kids that we were uncomfortable with. 360 00:14:44.015 --> 00:14:46.065 Like, at what point should we have left the party? 361 00:14:46.065 --> 00:14:47.265 Should we have stayed as long 362 00:14:47.265 --> 00:14:48.705 as we did when everybody got drunk? 363 00:14:50.385 --> 00:14:52.885 And we settled on a solution of that that I don't have time 364 00:14:52.885 --> 00:14:54.365 to unpack that I'm very comfortable with, 365 00:14:54.365 --> 00:14:57.245 and if, if it would help you, uh, find me 366 00:14:57.415 --> 00:14:58.645 after this service. 367 00:14:59.025 --> 00:15:02.085 But, um, I told my wife, I said, the fact 368 00:15:02.085 --> 00:15:03.645 that we're having this conversation means 369 00:15:03.645 --> 00:15:04.925 that we were at least at the right party. 370 00:15:08.685 --> 00:15:13.395 Jesus was called a publican, a sinner, and a drunkard. 371 00:15:14.965 --> 00:15:19.245 Was he any of those things, yes or no? The answer is no. 372 00:15:19.465 --> 00:15:21.805 Was he any of those things? Yes or no? No. 373 00:15:22.185 --> 00:15:23.285 Why was he called those things? 374 00:15:23.955 --> 00:15:25.885 Because the company that he keeps, 375 00:15:27.445 --> 00:15:29.705 and I'm saying that I think God's calling us 376 00:15:29.705 --> 00:15:30.985 as devoted followers of Jesus 377 00:15:33.855 --> 00:15:34.875 to keep verse company. 378 00:15:38.685 --> 00:15:40.005 I think that's what Jesus would do. 379 00:15:41.385 --> 00:15:43.045 How will those people farthest from God 380 00:15:43.555 --> 00:15:45.005 ever know they are loved by him? 381 00:15:45.705 --> 00:15:47.165 If the people who claim to know him 382 00:15:47.615 --> 00:15:48.765 don't make them feel loved? 383 00:15:51.605 --> 00:15:54.305 So as a result of their misunderstanding of the character 384 00:15:54.305 --> 00:15:57.465 and nature of God, Jesus tells 'em this next 385 00:15:57.465 --> 00:15:58.945 story that's in verse three. 386 00:15:59.685 --> 00:16:01.305 So that means because of this, 387 00:16:01.975 --> 00:16:04.025 because they misunderstood the 388 00:16:04.025 --> 00:16:05.185 character and nature of Jesus. 389 00:16:05.645 --> 00:16:07.425 So because of this, he tells them the story. 390 00:16:08.085 --> 00:16:09.625 Uh, if a man has a hundred sheep 391 00:16:09.625 --> 00:16:11.225 and one of them gets lost, what will he do? 392 00:16:11.955 --> 00:16:14.025 Won't leave the 99 others in the wilderness 393 00:16:14.025 --> 00:16:15.585 and go to search, uh, for the one 394 00:16:15.585 --> 00:16:16.985 that was lost until he finds it. 395 00:16:17.125 --> 00:16:18.625 And the answer to that question is yes. 396 00:16:18.975 --> 00:16:20.305 Like if you're a business owner 397 00:16:21.245 --> 00:16:24.385 and uh, you find out that you're losing 1% of your income, 398 00:16:25.165 --> 00:16:27.465 uh, ev every week, every day, every month, you're, 399 00:16:28.085 --> 00:16:30.105 you have a responsibility to find out 400 00:16:30.105 --> 00:16:31.585 where the leakage is and stop it. 401 00:16:32.405 --> 00:16:33.625 So if you have a hundred sheep 402 00:16:33.625 --> 00:16:36.585 and you just lost one, one matters, uh, 403 00:16:36.585 --> 00:16:38.185 because you can't get loose with one, you get loose 404 00:16:38.185 --> 00:16:40.105 with one, then it's two, then it's three, then it's four. 405 00:16:40.725 --> 00:16:43.625 You guys get how this goes. So if you lose one sheep, 406 00:16:43.625 --> 00:16:45.745 whatcha gonna do, you're, you're going to go find it. 407 00:16:45.885 --> 00:16:46.905 So Jesus is talking 408 00:16:46.985 --> 00:16:49.585 to an agrarian culture and they get this. 409 00:16:49.645 --> 00:16:51.225 And so the obvi, I mean the answer, 410 00:16:51.335 --> 00:16:55.025 it's a rhetorical question when he go find it, yes, 411 00:16:55.085 --> 00:16:56.705 of course he's, they're shepherds. 412 00:16:56.705 --> 00:16:58.505 They would've done that too. Keep reading. 413 00:16:59.325 --> 00:17:00.865 Uh, and when he has found it, 414 00:17:01.245 --> 00:17:03.345 he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 415 00:17:03.345 --> 00:17:04.905 And when he arrives, so call together his friends 416 00:17:04.905 --> 00:17:06.145 and neighbors saying, rejoice of me 417 00:17:06.145 --> 00:17:07.905 because I found my lost sheep. 418 00:17:08.725 --> 00:17:11.145 Now, this isn't a guy who's like brought his sheep back into 419 00:17:11.145 --> 00:17:13.625 the pen or into the gate or whatever. 420 00:17:13.625 --> 00:17:14.625 He is got to keep his sheep. 421 00:17:14.625 --> 00:17:15.945 And he is like, I can't find one. 422 00:17:16.245 --> 00:17:17.385 And then he, he looks over 423 00:17:17.385 --> 00:17:20.625 and then he, he sees the other one behind the wagon. 424 00:17:20.805 --> 00:17:22.425 You don't throw a party over that, right? 425 00:17:22.425 --> 00:17:24.305 It's like, okay, it's just over there. It's behind the bush. 426 00:17:25.345 --> 00:17:26.505 I mean, if you're throwing a party 427 00:17:26.505 --> 00:17:30.505 because you found a sheep, like this is a sheep 428 00:17:30.505 --> 00:17:31.865 that's like really lost. 429 00:17:32.335 --> 00:17:35.345 Like this one's this one, you can't see it. 430 00:17:35.895 --> 00:17:37.225 It's far enough away from you. 431 00:17:37.415 --> 00:17:39.345 When you whistle it can't hear it. 432 00:17:39.695 --> 00:17:42.345 Like you've, you have to aggressively 433 00:17:42.405 --> 00:17:44.585 and you to go find the one that's lost. 434 00:17:44.965 --> 00:17:47.265 You actually have to leave the 99. 435 00:17:47.645 --> 00:17:49.280 And that might have made the 99 436 00:17:49.280 --> 00:17:50.445 nervous that the shepherd's leaving. 437 00:17:50.465 --> 00:17:53.605 And that wasn't the point. The point is, I, I have 438 00:17:53.605 --> 00:17:55.605 to find the one that was lost. 439 00:17:56.465 --> 00:17:59.405 And then when he finally finds it, he's excited throw. 440 00:17:59.465 --> 00:18:01.245 So he throws a party. Okay? 441 00:18:01.385 --> 00:18:05.125 So, so far everybody that Jesus is preaching to is with him. 442 00:18:05.125 --> 00:18:08.125 Nobody's upset and everybody's with him on the story 443 00:18:08.455 --> 00:18:11.045 until he gets to this verse, this, this next statement, 444 00:18:11.045 --> 00:18:13.645 verse seven, in the same way he said, 445 00:18:14.055 --> 00:18:17.525 there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repent 446 00:18:17.525 --> 00:18:19.805 and returns to God than over 99 others who are righteous 447 00:18:20.065 --> 00:18:21.085 and haven't straight away. 448 00:18:21.425 --> 00:18:23.285 And that's when they felt offended. 449 00:18:25.215 --> 00:18:26.275 Here's what it'd be like. 450 00:18:27.655 --> 00:18:29.795 Uh, I don't know everybody in in this. 451 00:18:29.995 --> 00:18:32.115 I don't know anybody in this church other than 452 00:18:32.115 --> 00:18:33.155 the people that I was introduced. 453 00:18:33.395 --> 00:18:35.115 I don't even know them though, right? 454 00:18:35.695 --> 00:18:38.555 Um, like I'm barely sure your pastor's a Christian. 455 00:18:38.715 --> 00:18:42.275 I don't know. I'm just, I don't know the spiritual condition 456 00:18:42.275 --> 00:18:43.275 of, of anybody here. 457 00:18:44.535 --> 00:18:46.035 So let's say that you're in this service 458 00:18:46.935 --> 00:18:48.235 and you're not sure where you're at 459 00:18:48.235 --> 00:18:49.315 in your relationship with God. 460 00:18:49.695 --> 00:18:51.275 You're here because you love your spouse 461 00:18:51.655 --> 00:18:53.115 and your spouse is really into it. 462 00:18:53.855 --> 00:18:55.515 So you're here more or less supporting them. 463 00:18:56.295 --> 00:18:58.235 And every time you show up, you look around the room 464 00:18:58.235 --> 00:19:00.315 and you're like, this is not my thing. 465 00:19:00.955 --> 00:19:03.915 I don't, what the heck am I doing here? 466 00:19:05.395 --> 00:19:08.635 I want you to know from Jesus's own mouth 467 00:19:09.625 --> 00:19:12.875 that God is quantifiably measurably happier 468 00:19:14.145 --> 00:19:16.795 that you are here today than all 469 00:19:16.795 --> 00:19:18.275 of these other Christians combined. 470 00:19:23.355 --> 00:19:27.335 And it's true. The whole thing is a rescue mission. 471 00:19:28.355 --> 00:19:31.055 The whole thing from Genesis to Revel, genesis 472 00:19:31.195 --> 00:19:34.015 to Revelation, the entire thing is a rescue mission. 473 00:19:35.605 --> 00:19:36.775 It's never been about the 474 00:19:36.775 --> 00:19:37.895 people who have already been found. 475 00:19:37.965 --> 00:19:40.135 It's always been about those who still have not 476 00:19:40.155 --> 00:19:41.295 yet been found. 477 00:19:41.875 --> 00:19:44.815 And so when he said this, if it offended you, 478 00:19:45.255 --> 00:19:47.655 I don't even think biblically I'm allowed to say I'm sorry 479 00:19:48.535 --> 00:19:50.065 because when Jesus said this, 480 00:19:50.165 --> 00:19:52.345 he knew it would make them feel some kind of way. 481 00:19:53.605 --> 00:19:55.265 But he was hoping it would motivate them 482 00:19:55.265 --> 00:19:56.985 to care about the same thing he cared about. 483 00:19:57.045 --> 00:20:00.025 But it didn't. It was, what are you saying about me? 484 00:20:00.025 --> 00:20:01.265 This isn't about you, dude. 485 00:20:01.775 --> 00:20:04.865 This is about me and all of mine that aren't here yet. 486 00:20:05.695 --> 00:20:07.585 Like my life has never been about me. 487 00:20:07.655 --> 00:20:11.745 Neither is yours about me, but it's also not about you. 488 00:20:12.735 --> 00:20:16.185 Like the whole thing is for the glory of God 489 00:20:16.185 --> 00:20:18.065 and those created in his image to turn from the sin 490 00:20:18.065 --> 00:20:19.585 that separates them from him 491 00:20:20.285 --> 00:20:22.505 and be reconciled to him through faith in his son Jesus. 492 00:20:22.885 --> 00:20:24.865 That's the whole thing. That's the whole point. 493 00:20:25.615 --> 00:20:26.905 They were a little offended by this 494 00:20:27.445 --> 00:20:29.425 and I don't think they were enough offended by it. 495 00:20:29.525 --> 00:20:31.145 Or maybe he's looking around the room 496 00:20:31.145 --> 00:20:32.665 and says, I don't think you guys get it yet. 497 00:20:32.735 --> 00:20:34.425 Because he tells them another story 498 00:20:34.425 --> 00:20:36.505 that almost has the exact same punchline. 499 00:20:36.965 --> 00:20:39.105 And that's in verse, there's verse eight, 500 00:20:39.405 --> 00:20:40.985 and here's what he says or suppose. 501 00:20:40.985 --> 00:20:42.065 And here's his second story. 502 00:20:42.505 --> 00:20:45.385 A woman has 10 silver coins and loses one. 503 00:20:45.405 --> 00:20:47.445 And it's the idea that in our culture, 504 00:20:47.515 --> 00:20:49.005 when you're married, you have a wedding ring. 505 00:20:49.665 --> 00:20:52.405 And in their culture, uh, the women would have a headband 506 00:20:52.405 --> 00:20:53.645 with different coins on it. 507 00:20:53.905 --> 00:20:56.725 And wearing this was a symbol that she had been married 508 00:20:57.225 --> 00:21:00.405 and she loses a coin off of that, that headband. 509 00:21:00.945 --> 00:21:03.325 So she's definitely not gonna go out in public with 510 00:21:03.325 --> 00:21:06.125 that headband, with that missing coin right here, 511 00:21:06.125 --> 00:21:07.965 above her right eye, she'd look like an idiot. 512 00:21:08.385 --> 00:21:10.285 So she's not gonna go outside, she's embarrassed. 513 00:21:10.625 --> 00:21:13.245 She wants to find it before her husband comes home, right? 514 00:21:13.245 --> 00:21:15.005 It'd be like losing an actual 515 00:21:15.005 --> 00:21:16.165 diamond out of your wedding ring. 516 00:21:16.165 --> 00:21:20.525 Like if my, my wife's done that, 517 00:21:20.545 --> 00:21:22.965 she lost actually the first wedding ring she ever had. 518 00:21:23.065 --> 00:21:25.925 The one that I married her with is in the bottom 519 00:21:25.945 --> 00:21:28.285 of a paint can and a dump somewhere in Denver. 520 00:21:28.905 --> 00:21:31.925 But, uh, so we lost that, but we looked for it forever. 521 00:21:33.225 --> 00:21:35.605 We looked for that for that, uh, wedding ring. 522 00:21:35.625 --> 00:21:38.285 So, so like if you lost a diamond, you do the same thing, 523 00:21:38.335 --> 00:21:40.285 you'd stop, won't she light a lamp 524 00:21:40.285 --> 00:21:41.485 and sweep the entire house 525 00:21:41.485 --> 00:21:43.325 and search carefully until she finds it? 526 00:21:43.905 --> 00:21:45.165 And the answer to that question is 527 00:21:45.165 --> 00:21:46.365 yes, but I have another question. 528 00:21:46.785 --> 00:21:51.565 Why is her house that filthy, I've never had to sweep 529 00:21:52.025 --> 00:21:53.645 to see a quarter on the floor? 530 00:21:54.905 --> 00:21:56.005 Am I right? Yes or no? 531 00:21:56.665 --> 00:21:59.925 The dirtiest place in my whole house is under the couch. 532 00:22:00.315 --> 00:22:01.445 Anybody agree with that? 533 00:22:01.905 --> 00:22:04.445 You lift up the couch and there are softball sides 534 00:22:04.465 --> 00:22:06.685 of tumbleweeds under there, 535 00:22:07.065 --> 00:22:09.525 and the skirt is only this far off the floor. 536 00:22:09.765 --> 00:22:13.005 I don't know how that that softball size 537 00:22:13.025 --> 00:22:14.725 of dust got under there. 538 00:22:15.065 --> 00:22:18.005 But even that, I could pick up my couch, see 539 00:22:18.005 --> 00:22:19.565 how strong am I did that with one hand 540 00:22:20.625 --> 00:22:22.085 and I could go, oh, there's the quarter. 541 00:22:22.875 --> 00:22:24.205 Like the story doesn't make sense 542 00:22:24.205 --> 00:22:28.405 unless the woman has what kind of a floor, dirt floor 543 00:22:29.185 --> 00:22:30.645 and she doesn't know when she's lost it. 544 00:22:31.235 --> 00:22:34.805 This chick's got kids. Where is it? It could be anywhere. 545 00:22:35.425 --> 00:22:36.565 Her kids may have run on it. 546 00:22:37.265 --> 00:22:39.885 It got pressed into the dirt, got covered up with more dirt. 547 00:22:40.425 --> 00:22:42.525 So what does it mean that she sweeps the whole house 548 00:22:42.615 --> 00:22:43.685 until she finds it? 549 00:22:44.155 --> 00:22:46.125 Like for her, it would've taken a trowel, 550 00:22:46.325 --> 00:22:48.435 a rake, and a shovel. 551 00:22:49.745 --> 00:22:51.035 Like she's gotta go through everything. 552 00:22:51.055 --> 00:22:52.075 She has no idea where this is at. 553 00:22:52.075 --> 00:22:53.435 It could have been kicked over into the corner 554 00:22:53.655 --> 00:22:55.315 and then pushed into the dirt over there. 555 00:22:56.505 --> 00:22:58.755 Like, is it an eighth of an a 16th? An eighth? 556 00:22:58.775 --> 00:23:02.195 Now I gotta practice my fractions five eighths. 557 00:23:02.345 --> 00:23:04.955 Like how far down the end of the dirt is this? 558 00:23:05.215 --> 00:23:06.715 It doesn't matter. She's going 559 00:23:06.715 --> 00:23:08.835 to keep working until she finds it. 560 00:23:08.835 --> 00:23:11.475 When she finds it. The punchline was the same. 561 00:23:12.095 --> 00:23:15.275 Uh, that there's more joy in heaven over the one, uh, coin 562 00:23:15.275 --> 00:23:17.515 that was found then over the nine that was lost. 563 00:23:18.925 --> 00:23:20.665 And they're still not offended enough. 564 00:23:21.485 --> 00:23:23.785 So Jesus goes, okay, it's three in a row. 565 00:23:23.785 --> 00:23:25.265 It's the only time in the, in the whole Bible 566 00:23:25.265 --> 00:23:26.945 where Jesus repeats the same, 567 00:23:27.215 --> 00:23:29.945 essentially same story three times in a row. 568 00:23:30.045 --> 00:23:33.305 Now I was raised by a southern mama from Savannah, Georgia. 569 00:23:33.605 --> 00:23:36.225 If she tells you once you better do it, if she has 570 00:23:36.225 --> 00:23:39.265 to tell you twice you're on notice, if there's a third time, 571 00:23:39.545 --> 00:23:42.905 I promise you, you'll remember that one. 572 00:23:43.435 --> 00:23:44.625 There won't be a fourth time. 573 00:23:45.585 --> 00:23:48.445 So I don't know how often God ever repeats himself. 574 00:23:48.505 --> 00:23:51.165 So for Jesus to repeat this three times, I'm thinking 575 00:23:51.165 --> 00:23:53.245 that this is probably the one thing he 576 00:23:53.245 --> 00:23:54.405 wants every one of us to get. 577 00:23:55.715 --> 00:23:57.005 Show me any other place in the Bible 578 00:23:57.005 --> 00:23:59.685 where Jesus repeats the same 0.3 times in a row. 579 00:24:00.145 --> 00:24:02.485 He doesn't. It's just on this. 580 00:24:03.065 --> 00:24:05.245 And in this story, there's a man with two sons 581 00:24:05.245 --> 00:24:07.285 and the younger son, not the older one comes up 582 00:24:07.545 --> 00:24:10.325 and essentially says, I wish you were dead. 583 00:24:10.395 --> 00:24:13.795 Give me my stuff now. Okay? 584 00:24:14.235 --> 00:24:16.555 I I would never say that 585 00:24:17.355 --> 00:24:20.075 I don't think I would live if I ever said that again. 586 00:24:20.115 --> 00:24:21.915 I told Jim, I'm a little afraid of my mom. 587 00:24:22.725 --> 00:24:25.675 She's a strong woman. I even if I said it 588 00:24:25.675 --> 00:24:26.955 to my dad, she'd go, what'd you say? 589 00:24:27.815 --> 00:24:31.115 Um, doesn't matter. You guys are like, he needs counseling. 590 00:24:31.275 --> 00:24:33.035 I do. But that's not a part of today's teaching. 591 00:24:33.975 --> 00:24:36.515 Um, in any case, I would never say that to my dad. 592 00:24:37.015 --> 00:24:38.835 And because of the Torah, I know that the, 593 00:24:38.895 --> 00:24:41.315 the older son gets twice the amount 594 00:24:41.335 --> 00:24:42.475 as all of the other sons. 595 00:24:43.255 --> 00:24:45.195 So essentially since there were just two sons, 596 00:24:45.195 --> 00:24:46.475 the older son's gonna get two thirds. 597 00:24:46.475 --> 00:24:47.755 The younger son's gonna get one third. 598 00:24:48.175 --> 00:24:50.555 And so what the younger son did was essentially say 599 00:24:50.815 --> 00:24:53.435 by saying, I want my inheritance now, he was saying, 600 00:24:53.575 --> 00:24:54.595 you're dead to me 601 00:24:54.975 --> 00:24:58.755 and I want one third of all of your assets in cash. 602 00:24:59.215 --> 00:25:00.875 Now, okay, first of all, 603 00:25:00.875 --> 00:25:02.035 no Jewish kid would've ever done that. 604 00:25:02.235 --> 00:25:04.035 'cause according to the Torah, he should be taken 605 00:25:04.095 --> 00:25:06.395 to the city gates where the elders would pronounce him 606 00:25:06.395 --> 00:25:08.355 guilty of breaking the fifth commandment, 607 00:25:08.355 --> 00:25:09.715 which is dishonoring your father and mother. 608 00:25:10.135 --> 00:25:11.675 And the punishment for that was to be dragged 609 00:25:11.675 --> 00:25:13.715 outside the city and be stoned to death with rocks. 610 00:25:13.715 --> 00:25:15.155 Your dad throwing the first rock. 611 00:25:16.215 --> 00:25:20.355 So no Jewish son, first of all would've ever said this. 612 00:25:21.095 --> 00:25:22.555 So the fact that he said it 613 00:25:23.145 --> 00:25:25.515 gets people in the crowd going, what, Noah? 614 00:25:25.665 --> 00:25:27.155 Okay, now you've lost me. 615 00:25:27.655 --> 00:25:30.515 And here's the most defensive part so far is 616 00:25:30.515 --> 00:25:31.675 that the dad actually does it. 617 00:25:32.775 --> 00:25:34.995 The dad liquidates a third of his estate 618 00:25:35.015 --> 00:25:36.595 and gives it to this moron. 619 00:25:37.415 --> 00:25:39.595 We find out later in the story that the sun goes 620 00:25:39.595 --> 00:25:42.795 to a far country and wastes all of the money on parties 621 00:25:43.215 --> 00:25:44.235 and prostitutes. 622 00:25:45.525 --> 00:25:47.105 That's what he did with his inheritance. 623 00:25:48.405 --> 00:25:50.385 And when he is jobless, he's sitting in a gutter 624 00:25:50.385 --> 00:25:53.425 and he says, even servants at my dad's 625 00:25:53.425 --> 00:25:54.585 house are treated better than this. 626 00:25:54.845 --> 00:25:57.385 I'm no longer worthy to be his son. I get that. 627 00:25:58.145 --> 00:25:59.385 I told him, I wish he was dead, 628 00:26:00.525 --> 00:26:02.305 but maybe he'll give me an immigrant job. 629 00:26:02.635 --> 00:26:05.545 Maybe he'll give me a new to the country job. 630 00:26:06.435 --> 00:26:08.185 Maybe he'll let me work the field. 631 00:26:08.905 --> 00:26:11.545 Anything's better than this. So he goes back home 632 00:26:12.765 --> 00:26:14.065 and in Jesus's story, 633 00:26:14.085 --> 00:26:16.265 the dad's sitting on the porch every day watching 634 00:26:16.285 --> 00:26:17.305 for his son to come home. 635 00:26:17.325 --> 00:26:18.985 And when the dad recognized 636 00:26:18.985 --> 00:26:21.305 that it was son walking down the road, he gets up 637 00:26:21.305 --> 00:26:22.465 and he runs out to the son. 638 00:26:22.765 --> 00:26:24.945 And that's where I think everybody listening 639 00:26:24.945 --> 00:26:26.425 to Jesus's story loses it. 640 00:26:27.775 --> 00:26:30.545 Because in that culture, that patriarchal society, 641 00:26:30.605 --> 00:26:31.945 dad doesn't run for nobody. 642 00:26:33.365 --> 00:26:35.465 It doesn't matter if you're 54 years old, 643 00:26:36.005 --> 00:26:37.185 if your dad's still alive 644 00:26:37.185 --> 00:26:40.145 and he says he's thirsty, you ask him if he wants tea, uh, 645 00:26:40.285 --> 00:26:41.505 ice in his tea or not. 646 00:26:41.965 --> 00:26:43.925 In that culture, the idea 647 00:26:43.925 --> 00:26:46.005 that this dad in the robe would hike it up 648 00:26:46.025 --> 00:26:47.605 and actually embarrass 649 00:26:47.605 --> 00:26:51.445 and humiliate himself by running down the street at his age 650 00:26:51.985 --> 00:26:53.005 was beyond the pale. 651 00:26:54.155 --> 00:26:57.845 When he gets to his son, he wraps his arms around him. 652 00:26:57.945 --> 00:27:00.365 And the way that it's worded implies that it was 653 00:27:00.365 --> 00:27:03.925 to protect his son from the beating he was sure 654 00:27:03.925 --> 00:27:06.245 to get from the elders because the way he humiliated the 655 00:27:06.245 --> 00:27:09.485 family, willing to take the punishment for his son, 656 00:27:09.785 --> 00:27:12.205 the son gets his practice speech halfway out 657 00:27:13.705 --> 00:27:15.045 and the dad interrupts him 658 00:27:15.465 --> 00:27:18.325 and yells back for a robe, uh, 659 00:27:18.675 --> 00:27:21.965 sandals in his ring, the family crest. 660 00:27:22.825 --> 00:27:24.485 And each one of those means something different. 661 00:27:24.505 --> 00:27:26.085 In Jewish culture, the quickest one 662 00:27:26.085 --> 00:27:27.405 to explain is the sandals, 663 00:27:27.405 --> 00:27:28.845 because servants were not 664 00:27:28.845 --> 00:27:29.965 allowed to wear shoes in the house. 665 00:27:30.025 --> 00:27:32.285 So when he said, bring the sandals so I can bring him home, 666 00:27:33.025 --> 00:27:34.885 he was saying he gets to wear sandals in the house 667 00:27:34.885 --> 00:27:35.925 again because he's family. 668 00:27:36.865 --> 00:27:39.165 The signet rings the authority of the family. 669 00:27:39.625 --> 00:27:43.165 The robe means you're under my covering. They throw a party. 670 00:27:43.585 --> 00:27:45.445 The older son's been away and he comes back 671 00:27:45.465 --> 00:27:48.645 and he's ticked, he's ticked. 672 00:27:49.505 --> 00:27:51.205 He said, why is there a party I didn't know about? 673 00:27:51.515 --> 00:27:54.125 Your brother came home. Is did he die? 674 00:27:55.265 --> 00:27:57.765 No, your dad shielded him. My dad said, what? 675 00:27:58.785 --> 00:28:01.965 What's the party? Your dad's actually thrown a party for me, 676 00:28:01.965 --> 00:28:03.125 invited everybody in town. 677 00:28:04.865 --> 00:28:07.695 I'm not honoring this crap. I'm not going in there. 678 00:28:08.685 --> 00:28:11.135 Like I, I can't co-sign this at all like I am. 679 00:28:11.525 --> 00:28:12.815 This is all inappropriate. 680 00:28:13.605 --> 00:28:15.175 This this against the law of Moses. 681 00:28:16.085 --> 00:28:20.215 Like everything about this is wrong. It's wrong. 682 00:28:21.175 --> 00:28:22.695 Somebody tells the dad that his son's outside, 683 00:28:22.835 --> 00:28:24.055 he runs outside the son. 684 00:28:24.275 --> 00:28:25.575 He said, why don't you in? He said, dad, 685 00:28:25.575 --> 00:28:26.815 you never did any of this for me. 686 00:28:27.565 --> 00:28:30.415 Like I never broke the rules. I was the good son. 687 00:28:31.325 --> 00:28:33.895 Like I've defended your honor, I've handled our, I've 688 00:28:34.455 --> 00:28:36.935 possibly even rebuilt our wealth since he's been gone. 689 00:28:37.685 --> 00:28:39.015 I've never dishonored your name 690 00:28:39.275 --> 00:28:40.975 and you've never thrown a party for me. 691 00:28:41.315 --> 00:28:45.615 And he said to his son, son, all that I have is yours. 692 00:28:46.875 --> 00:28:49.295 You should have been the one throwing this party 693 00:28:50.805 --> 00:28:52.295 with me for him. 694 00:28:52.955 --> 00:28:54.055 And the end of the story. 695 00:28:55.195 --> 00:28:58.095 Now, what's the same about all three of these stories is 696 00:28:58.095 --> 00:29:00.535 that the lostness of the item never affected its value 697 00:29:01.525 --> 00:29:02.935 because the value is not 698 00:29:03.175 --> 00:29:04.375 determined by what it brings to the table. 699 00:29:04.395 --> 00:29:07.295 And I think there are some of us who feel like in the eyes 700 00:29:07.295 --> 00:29:09.975 of God because we have gone through a divorce 701 00:29:11.885 --> 00:29:13.735 that it's messed up our stats. 702 00:29:17.655 --> 00:29:19.235 Or because you cheated on your spouse 703 00:29:19.255 --> 00:29:22.395 and you lost your family or 704 00:29:22.395 --> 00:29:23.635 because you struggled with an addiction 705 00:29:23.635 --> 00:29:26.555 that nobody knows about or 706 00:29:26.555 --> 00:29:28.595 because somebody hurt you when you were a little kid. 707 00:29:31.825 --> 00:29:34.885 And the voices in your head are how worthless you are. 708 00:29:36.665 --> 00:29:38.685 And everything that we're doing is we're trying 709 00:29:38.685 --> 00:29:40.005 to prove that I'm something. 710 00:29:40.105 --> 00:29:41.725 I'm trying to prove that I'm, I'm just trying 711 00:29:41.725 --> 00:29:44.125 to erase the stats and write better ones. 712 00:29:44.505 --> 00:29:47.285 But what you need to remember from this story is 713 00:29:47.285 --> 00:29:50.565 that your value never came from your stats. 714 00:29:52.035 --> 00:29:54.765 Your value doesn't come from what you put on the table. 715 00:29:55.345 --> 00:29:57.725 It comes from what somebody would put on the table 716 00:29:57.785 --> 00:29:59.565 to make you theirs in God. 717 00:29:59.825 --> 00:30:03.925 Put the life of his own son on the table to make you his. 718 00:30:05.105 --> 00:30:06.605 That's where my value comes from. 719 00:30:07.435 --> 00:30:09.205 There's nothing you will ever do 720 00:30:10.235 --> 00:30:13.165 that will make you more loved by God than you are right now. 721 00:30:14.585 --> 00:30:16.725 And there's nothing you could ever do 722 00:30:17.745 --> 00:30:20.205 and nothing that's ever been done to you 723 00:30:21.635 --> 00:30:24.645 that makes you loved be loved any less. 724 00:30:26.305 --> 00:30:29.885 That's the point of all three stories that the person 725 00:30:29.915 --> 00:30:33.525 that you're avoiding at work is as valuable, 726 00:30:36.195 --> 00:30:37.775 was gonna say is a Tom Brady card. 727 00:30:37.775 --> 00:30:39.335 But I didn't wanna offend you, but I'm definitely 728 00:30:39.335 --> 00:30:40.455 not saying Baker Mayfield. 729 00:30:43.995 --> 00:30:48.855 Excuse me. Your value doesn't come from your, all 730 00:30:48.855 --> 00:30:50.055 of us are cardboard and ink. 731 00:30:50.055 --> 00:30:52.175 Dude, everybody in this room is cardboard and ink. 732 00:30:52.955 --> 00:30:54.215 Our value comes from the fact 733 00:30:54.215 --> 00:30:56.415 that Jesus laid life down to make us His. 734 00:30:56.885 --> 00:30:58.735 What I wanna do in closing is 735 00:30:58.735 --> 00:30:59.775 show you how they're different. 736 00:31:00.935 --> 00:31:02.015 I wanna show you how they're different. 737 00:31:06.755 --> 00:31:10.415 The first story, the first parable highlights the priority 738 00:31:10.415 --> 00:31:14.695 God places on those who are far from him, the priority 739 00:31:14.695 --> 00:31:16.055 of those who are far from God over 740 00:31:16.055 --> 00:31:17.135 those who've already found them. 741 00:31:17.995 --> 00:31:19.175 And the point that I wanna make from that 742 00:31:19.175 --> 00:31:21.575 for you guys is this, that this church isn't for Christians. 743 00:31:22.675 --> 00:31:25.615 And I just, and don't hang on. Don't turn on me yet. 744 00:31:26.605 --> 00:31:27.935 This church isn't for Christians. 745 00:31:29.195 --> 00:31:30.615 The church is Christians 746 00:31:31.395 --> 00:31:33.055 and we're here for everybody who ain't. 747 00:31:34.045 --> 00:31:37.455 Does that make sense? The church is us. 748 00:31:38.435 --> 00:31:39.975 And we're not here just for us. 749 00:31:41.615 --> 00:31:44.665 This church exists for everybody in your town 750 00:31:45.595 --> 00:31:48.625 who's still disconnected from God and your church 751 00:31:48.625 --> 00:31:50.105 because the way God has blessed you 752 00:31:50.105 --> 00:31:51.625 to whom much is given, much is required. 753 00:31:51.965 --> 00:31:54.305 You guys are now responsible for all of North. 754 00:31:54.605 --> 00:31:57.105 You guys have volunteered to take responsibility 755 00:31:57.105 --> 00:31:58.705 for northeast Ohio. 756 00:31:59.605 --> 00:32:01.105 And this church is here for that. 757 00:32:01.165 --> 00:32:03.265 That's why this church exists. 758 00:32:03.915 --> 00:32:06.345 We're here for everyone who isn't. We don't measure. 759 00:32:06.565 --> 00:32:09.705 We church by the number of people who are in our church. 760 00:32:09.725 --> 00:32:11.505 We measure our church by the number of our friends 761 00:32:11.525 --> 00:32:12.665 who still aren't here yet. 762 00:32:15.905 --> 00:32:18.285 That's what we measure. So at Grace's Church, 763 00:32:19.205 --> 00:32:20.285 I ask people occasionally, 764 00:32:21.405 --> 00:32:22.635 raise your hand if you have a 765 00:32:22.635 --> 00:32:23.715 spiritually disconnected friend. 766 00:32:23.715 --> 00:32:24.915 Someone ask you guys that. 767 00:32:24.915 --> 00:32:25.955 Raise your hand if you have a friend 768 00:32:25.955 --> 00:32:27.035 disconnected from God right now. 769 00:32:27.035 --> 00:32:28.915 Raise your hand, keep it up for a second. 770 00:32:29.905 --> 00:32:32.075 This church will be done when there are no more 771 00:32:32.075 --> 00:32:33.315 hands raised to that question. 772 00:32:35.085 --> 00:32:36.425 And you're not done until then 773 00:32:37.295 --> 00:32:39.280 because that's who this church is here, here for. 774 00:32:39.665 --> 00:32:42.285 The second parable shows the amount of work we're willing 775 00:32:42.285 --> 00:32:44.085 to go through to make sure the loss become found. 776 00:32:44.145 --> 00:32:46.645 How long did she look? As long 777 00:32:46.785 --> 00:32:49.445 as it took You don't give up. 778 00:32:49.625 --> 00:32:51.045 You don't give up. You got 779 00:32:51.045 --> 00:32:52.165 a sister you've been praying for forever. 780 00:32:52.225 --> 00:32:53.605 She walked away from God. She's not coming back. 781 00:32:53.605 --> 00:32:55.805 You don't give up. You keep looking till you find. 782 00:32:55.825 --> 00:32:57.525 If you have to dig through an inch of dirt, 783 00:32:57.665 --> 00:32:58.805 you dig through an inch of dirt. 784 00:32:59.025 --> 00:33:00.805 And the last story is how much grace. 785 00:33:00.905 --> 00:33:02.445 It doesn't matter how far they've run, 786 00:33:02.945 --> 00:33:04.365 it doesn't matter how far they've run. 787 00:33:05.105 --> 00:33:08.405 And the last set of distinctions, the last set 788 00:33:08.405 --> 00:33:10.605 of distinctions is the reason why they're lost. 789 00:33:10.985 --> 00:33:12.045 The sheep was lost out of 790 00:33:12.045 --> 00:33:13.165 ignorance that didn't know any better. 791 00:33:13.555 --> 00:33:14.725 It's just a dumb sheep. 792 00:33:15.065 --> 00:33:16.525 We have friends that are far from God 793 00:33:16.525 --> 00:33:18.365 and they weren't raised from Christian families. 794 00:33:19.195 --> 00:33:20.845 It's not their fault. They didn't know any better. 795 00:33:21.625 --> 00:33:23.285 The coin was lost out of negligence. 796 00:33:24.105 --> 00:33:26.085 It wasn't the coin's fault, but it was somebody's fault. 797 00:33:26.115 --> 00:33:27.605 Some of our friends, they grew up in church, 798 00:33:27.605 --> 00:33:28.845 but they were pushed out by church 799 00:33:29.385 --> 00:33:30.405 or they went through some type 800 00:33:30.405 --> 00:33:31.885 of bad thing and they felt unloved. 801 00:33:31.915 --> 00:33:35.085 They felt metaphorically punched in the face by those 802 00:33:35.085 --> 00:33:36.325 who claim to be followers of Jesus. 803 00:33:36.985 --> 00:33:38.445 So they're lost by negligent. 804 00:33:38.865 --> 00:33:40.885 And then you've got other Christians who have no excuses, 805 00:33:40.885 --> 00:33:43.605 raised in Godly families, have no excuses. 806 00:33:43.605 --> 00:33:45.885 They're like Captain Dan who tied himself to the top 807 00:33:45.885 --> 00:33:48.445 of the mast of the ship in the hurricane and Forests Gump 808 00:33:49.225 --> 00:33:50.365 and said, God, do your worst. 809 00:33:50.445 --> 00:33:53.685 I stink and hate you and to God. 810 00:33:54.545 --> 00:33:56.165 It doesn't matter why they're lost. 811 00:33:57.145 --> 00:34:01.145 It only matters that they are the only people who care. 812 00:34:01.205 --> 00:34:04.525 Why is us? That's it. 813 00:34:05.345 --> 00:34:06.445 So if you're far from God, 814 00:34:06.645 --> 00:34:07.645 'cause you weren't raised in a Christian 815 00:34:07.645 --> 00:34:08.765 family, God says, come home. 816 00:34:09.705 --> 00:34:11.485 If every church you've ever been to 817 00:34:12.165 --> 00:34:13.605 metaphorically punched you in the face, 818 00:34:13.915 --> 00:34:16.405 they weren't following Jesus, come home. 819 00:34:17.625 --> 00:34:18.645 And if you're a Christian 820 00:34:18.665 --> 00:34:21.805 who has royally screwed up every could have taken your 821 00:34:21.805 --> 00:34:24.765 life, come home. 822 00:34:26.315 --> 00:34:27.895 And it's our job as the older brothers 823 00:34:27.895 --> 00:34:32.735 and sisters to run out there and meet 'em halfway. 824 00:34:34.185 --> 00:34:36.655 Let's pray. God love you with all of my heart, 825 00:34:36.655 --> 00:34:37.615 and I'm thankful that you love me 826 00:34:37.615 --> 00:34:38.615 first and you love me more. 827 00:34:39.595 --> 00:34:41.295 God, every one of these people raised their hand 828 00:34:41.295 --> 00:34:42.175 and said that they had a friend 829 00:34:42.175 --> 00:34:43.255 who was disconnected from you. 830 00:34:45.115 --> 00:34:46.535 God, it's for them that you brought 831 00:34:46.635 --> 00:34:47.775 us into this church family. 832 00:34:50.275 --> 00:34:51.895 God, when we look around at people at work 833 00:34:51.955 --> 00:34:53.295 or people at school, people that 834 00:34:54.915 --> 00:34:57.735 we deem less valuable convict us of that. 835 00:34:57.735 --> 00:35:01.295 Dear God, who are we to assign value 836 00:35:01.315 --> 00:35:02.855 to another person created in your image. 837 00:35:03.715 --> 00:35:05.095 The truth is, if you gave me 838 00:35:05.095 --> 00:35:07.215 what I deserved, I wouldn't be here. 839 00:35:07.235 --> 00:35:11.095 And you know that. So God, if I will take love, grace, 840 00:35:11.115 --> 00:35:13.015 and forgiveness from you, help me to offer love, 841 00:35:13.015 --> 00:35:14.135 grace, and forgiveness to others. 842 00:35:14.635 --> 00:35:16.295 If you'll serve me, let me serve them. 843 00:35:16.835 --> 00:35:19.175 If you'll be kind to me when I'm unkind, let me be kind 844 00:35:19.175 --> 00:35:20.175 to them when they're unkind. 845 00:35:20.175 --> 00:35:22.335 Let the people who are farthest from you in my life feel 846 00:35:22.445 --> 00:35:23.775 most loved by me. 847 00:35:24.755 --> 00:35:27.735 That's all I'm asking. God, I pray for you 848 00:35:27.735 --> 00:35:30.135 to increase the influence of this church and the community, 849 00:35:30.915 --> 00:35:33.735 but do that first by influence, by increasing the influence 850 00:35:33.735 --> 00:35:36.095 of the members of this church in the lives of those 851 00:35:36.095 --> 00:35:38.095 who are farthest from you, that you're drawing to you. 852 00:35:38.325 --> 00:35:39.975 This is our prayer. And we ask in the name 853 00:35:39.975 --> 00:35:41.375 of Jesus and we all say together. 854 00:35:42.405 --> 00:35:42.695 Amen.