WEBVTT 159 00:22:27.395 --> 00:22:28.395 Well, what's going on? Whole 160 00:22:28.395 --> 00:22:32.165 family. Hi, good to be with you. 161 00:22:32.205 --> 00:22:33.725 A quick truth for you right outta the gate. 162 00:22:33.865 --> 00:22:38.285 If the map is wrong, the journey goes wrong. Okay? 163 00:22:38.405 --> 00:22:41.125 Anybody ever been doing business with a bad map before? 164 00:22:41.155 --> 00:22:43.605 Anybody? Yeah. So, uh, here's the deal. 165 00:22:43.605 --> 00:22:46.365 For those of you who are considerably younger than I am, uh, 166 00:22:46.365 --> 00:22:50.605 there was a day where, uh, before we had Apple CarPlay 167 00:22:50.985 --> 00:22:52.445 and these cellular phones 168 00:22:52.445 --> 00:22:53.725 that were kinda like many computers 169 00:22:53.895 --> 00:22:57.485 where we actually had these paper maps, if we didn't know 170 00:22:57.485 --> 00:22:59.365 where it was that we wanted to go, and they would fold up 171 00:22:59.365 --> 00:23:00.965 and they could fit in their glove box, okay? 172 00:23:01.265 --> 00:23:03.525 Now, I remember my dad when I was young, he said, listen, 173 00:23:03.585 --> 00:23:04.605 son, this is something you need to know. 174 00:23:05.155 --> 00:23:07.085 Anytime you're gonna drive in your car somewhere, you need 175 00:23:07.085 --> 00:23:08.605 to make sure you have your road atlas with you. 176 00:23:08.825 --> 00:23:09.805 And I, I didn't 177 00:23:09.805 --> 00:23:10.965 understand it, but I thought it was really cool. 178 00:23:11.005 --> 00:23:12.205 I mean, the thing was like this thick, 179 00:23:12.205 --> 00:23:14.325 and I thought, anytime we need to make a break for it 180 00:23:14.325 --> 00:23:16.285 and had to Ontario, Canada, like we are set, 181 00:23:16.585 --> 00:23:17.685 we got everything that we need. 182 00:23:19.025 --> 00:23:21.445 But then something happened, uh, 183 00:23:21.545 --> 00:23:23.925 and this website called MapQuest was invented. 184 00:23:24.385 --> 00:23:26.885 And what would, what what you did was you would use your 185 00:23:26.885 --> 00:23:29.565 dial up internet, uh, dial up internet goes 186 00:23:29.565 --> 00:23:32.325 to the phone lines, phone lines 187 00:23:32.325 --> 00:23:35.085 or these things that we, okay, so here's what happened. 188 00:23:35.305 --> 00:23:36.765 Uh, you go to this website 189 00:23:36.865 --> 00:23:39.525 and you, you put in your current location, 190 00:23:39.705 --> 00:23:43.285 and then you put in, uh, where your final destination is, 191 00:23:43.285 --> 00:23:45.005 and you hit enter, and then it would print out, 192 00:23:45.105 --> 00:23:47.805 it would show you the exact directions of where you wanted 193 00:23:47.805 --> 00:23:49.045 to go, every single street name, 194 00:23:49.185 --> 00:23:50.965 how long you were on each one of those streets. 195 00:23:51.265 --> 00:23:53.445 But then, because our computers were still as big 196 00:23:53.445 --> 00:23:55.605 as our telephones or as big as our televisions 197 00:23:55.745 --> 00:23:56.565 and had to stay plugged 198 00:23:56.565 --> 00:23:57.765 into the wall, you'd have to print it out. 199 00:23:57.765 --> 00:23:58.645 And then you'd get like five 200 00:23:58.645 --> 00:23:59.805 sheets of paper that looked like this. 201 00:24:00.145 --> 00:24:01.285 And it was still pretty dangerous 202 00:24:01.285 --> 00:24:03.405 because inevitably, like they're on the floorboard 203 00:24:03.565 --> 00:24:04.485 and you're trying to drive and 204 00:24:04.485 --> 00:24:05.405 you're trying to find out what they are. 205 00:24:06.185 --> 00:24:07.285 That's not the point of this. 206 00:24:07.675 --> 00:24:10.325 What the point is, is sometimes you would find roads would 207 00:24:10.325 --> 00:24:14.045 be closed, and then sometimes, uh, you would find 208 00:24:14.045 --> 00:24:17.285 that maybe roads could change before maps could be rewritten 209 00:24:17.625 --> 00:24:20.125 or, or before the software could really be updated. 210 00:24:20.145 --> 00:24:21.245 And if you didn't have a compass 211 00:24:21.305 --> 00:24:24.685 or if you didn't have, uh, the knowledge to leverage the sun 212 00:24:24.785 --> 00:24:27.125 and the stars is navigational beacons, 213 00:24:27.555 --> 00:24:29.365 like there was a good chance you were gonna get 214 00:24:29.365 --> 00:24:30.445 turned around and get lost. 215 00:24:30.665 --> 00:24:34.045 And, and the point is this, the directions that we trust, 216 00:24:35.075 --> 00:24:36.365 they shape where we end up. 217 00:24:37.865 --> 00:24:39.285 And that's true in life as well. 218 00:24:39.705 --> 00:24:42.445 And, uh, what we believe life is about, like 219 00:24:42.445 --> 00:24:45.245 what we believe, who God is, what, where we believe 220 00:24:45.245 --> 00:24:47.645 that our hope comes from, it forms this kind 221 00:24:47.645 --> 00:24:49.165 of internal map inside of us. 222 00:24:49.165 --> 00:24:52.045 And if we're honest, a lot of us are going through life 223 00:24:52.395 --> 00:24:54.965 with these maps that are formed by who knows what. 224 00:24:55.745 --> 00:24:58.325 Uh, there's these cultural maps that tell us, Hey, 225 00:24:59.155 --> 00:25:00.325 just be true to yourself. 226 00:25:00.795 --> 00:25:02.045 Like you can find your own truth. 227 00:25:02.825 --> 00:25:05.125 Uh, there's these religious maps that say, Hey, 228 00:25:05.125 --> 00:25:06.685 just try harder, right? 229 00:25:06.745 --> 00:25:09.805 Uh, do better and maybe one day you'll be good enough. 230 00:25:09.945 --> 00:25:11.205 Or maybe there's no map at all. 231 00:25:11.205 --> 00:25:12.245 We're just kind of going through life 232 00:25:12.245 --> 00:25:13.405 hoping that we don't fall off a cliff. 233 00:25:13.405 --> 00:25:15.125 And I got a story about that a little bit later. 234 00:25:15.625 --> 00:25:20.125 But, but what if, uh, the, the only way 235 00:25:20.125 --> 00:25:22.965 that we're going to experience a life of, of, of peace 236 00:25:23.345 --> 00:25:24.845 and of hope and of belonging 237 00:25:24.845 --> 00:25:28.485 and purpose was by following a map that God, our creator, 238 00:25:29.525 --> 00:25:33.445 actually provided for us and gave to us, uh, a w Tozer. 239 00:25:33.445 --> 00:25:36.525 He was a theologian from, uh, the mid 19 hundreds 240 00:25:38.105 --> 00:25:39.845 for those of us that were born in the 19 hundreds, 241 00:25:39.845 --> 00:25:41.245 that should make us feel just a little bit old. 242 00:25:41.585 --> 00:25:43.645 Uh, but he's quoted as saying this, 243 00:25:43.645 --> 00:25:46.525 what comes into our minds when we think about God is the 244 00:25:46.525 --> 00:25:47.765 most important thing about us. 245 00:25:48.865 --> 00:25:50.845 And so that's why we're gonna be kicking off this series, 246 00:25:51.065 --> 00:25:53.325 uh, of this tiny welcome 247 00:25:53.325 --> 00:25:56.165 through this tiny letter in the New Testament called Titus. 248 00:25:56.395 --> 00:25:58.405 Okay? It's three chapters long, uh, 249 00:25:58.425 --> 00:26:00.565 and what I want you to do is, is we're calling the, the, 250 00:26:00.565 --> 00:26:01.725 the series field notes. 251 00:26:01.725 --> 00:26:03.685 So I want you to think about this as field notes 252 00:26:03.985 --> 00:26:05.125 for the Journey of Life. 253 00:26:05.145 --> 00:26:08.005 And it's written by a seasoned mentor, Paul, the kind 254 00:26:08.005 --> 00:26:10.565 of his understudy and the faith Titus. 255 00:26:10.745 --> 00:26:13.925 And the letter is really about how right thinking leads 256 00:26:13.925 --> 00:26:16.565 to right belief, and then right belief 257 00:26:17.255 --> 00:26:18.365 leads to right living. 258 00:26:18.785 --> 00:26:20.605 Um, we've subtitled the series, this, 259 00:26:20.605 --> 00:26:21.605 and this kind of sums it up. 260 00:26:21.875 --> 00:26:24.325 Good doctrine leads to Godly living. 261 00:26:25.345 --> 00:26:27.765 And I'm almost hesitant to use that word doctrine 262 00:26:27.765 --> 00:26:29.885 because I know anytime you use a word like theology 263 00:26:30.105 --> 00:26:31.885 or doctrine, it can feel like, wait a minute, 264 00:26:32.035 --> 00:26:33.405 that feels a little bit staunchy. 265 00:26:33.405 --> 00:26:34.485 That feels a little bit heady. 266 00:26:35.245 --> 00:26:37.085 I want to demystify these words 267 00:26:37.105 --> 00:26:38.365 for us a little bit like theology. 268 00:26:38.505 --> 00:26:41.325 It really just means the study of God. That's it. 269 00:26:41.505 --> 00:26:43.445 And then doctrine. When we say doctrine, 270 00:26:43.445 --> 00:26:45.765 that's really just the implications of our study 271 00:26:45.785 --> 00:26:48.805 of God lived out through our faith and our personal lives, 272 00:26:48.805 --> 00:26:50.805 and then collectively as the body of Christ. 273 00:26:50.805 --> 00:26:53.605 So this letter starts out with this one powerful idea. 274 00:26:53.735 --> 00:26:55.045 Sound doctrine matters 275 00:26:55.555 --> 00:26:58.565 because it shapes the way that we live our lives. 276 00:26:58.825 --> 00:27:00.005 And so if you've got your Bibles, 277 00:27:00.045 --> 00:27:02.285 I wanna encourage you go ahead and turn, uh, over 278 00:27:02.285 --> 00:27:04.085 to Titus chapter one. 279 00:27:04.185 --> 00:27:06.005 And, uh, I'm gonna give us just a little bit 280 00:27:06.005 --> 00:27:08.285 of context here, uh, for the letter. 281 00:27:08.585 --> 00:27:11.485 So Paul is the author of this letter. He was a Jewish man. 282 00:27:11.745 --> 00:27:13.285 Uh, he grew up in the Jewish faith. 283 00:27:13.285 --> 00:27:15.805 He was extremely well-trained in the scriptures, like 284 00:27:15.805 --> 00:27:17.965 what we would refer to as the Old Testament in our Bible. 285 00:27:18.945 --> 00:27:20.285 And was originally one 286 00:27:20.285 --> 00:27:22.365 of the greatest persecutor of Christians. 287 00:27:22.365 --> 00:27:24.765 Like he played a role in murdering those 288 00:27:24.825 --> 00:27:28.445 who expressed belief in the resurrected Jesus. 289 00:27:29.145 --> 00:27:32.565 And one day, Paul's, uh, walking on this road to Damascus, 290 00:27:32.565 --> 00:27:33.685 essentially to arrest and 291 00:27:33.685 --> 00:27:34.845 potentially even kill other Christians. 292 00:27:34.985 --> 00:27:36.565 And then he's blinded by this light 293 00:27:36.565 --> 00:27:39.685 and he falls down on his face, and then he hears this voice. 294 00:27:39.685 --> 00:27:41.205 He can't see anything, but he hears a voice. 295 00:27:41.265 --> 00:27:43.685 Say, Saul, his name was Saul before it changed to Paul. 296 00:27:43.825 --> 00:27:46.845 He says, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 297 00:27:48.105 --> 00:27:49.885 And so Paul asks, who is speaking? 298 00:27:49.945 --> 00:27:52.165 And this is what he hears, he hears, I am Jesus 299 00:27:52.715 --> 00:27:53.925 whom you are persecuting. 300 00:27:54.425 --> 00:27:56.045 And so Jesus speaks to him. 301 00:27:56.265 --> 00:27:58.365 And you can read all about this in Acts chapter nine. 302 00:27:58.365 --> 00:27:59.645 Now, this would've been crazy for Paul 303 00:27:59.645 --> 00:28:03.045 because in Paul, in Paul's mind, Jesus had been crucified 304 00:28:03.045 --> 00:28:04.125 and should have been in a tomb. 305 00:28:04.125 --> 00:28:05.925 And he's persecuting those 306 00:28:05.945 --> 00:28:07.725 who are declaring that Jesus is alive. 307 00:28:07.985 --> 00:28:09.325 But from there, he can't see. 308 00:28:10.035 --> 00:28:12.725 He's led to Damascus where he prays and fast for three days, 309 00:28:12.985 --> 00:28:16.965 and then he meets a disciple of Jesus by the name of Ananias 310 00:28:16.965 --> 00:28:19.165 who goes to him because Jesus tells him in a vision 311 00:28:19.425 --> 00:28:20.445 to go meet this guy. 312 00:28:20.505 --> 00:28:22.605 So Ananias has all kinds of guts, right? 313 00:28:22.605 --> 00:28:24.485 Because he knows this guy's killed Christians. 314 00:28:24.745 --> 00:28:27.365 But he's, he lays hands on him, he prays for him. 315 00:28:27.585 --> 00:28:29.165 And then Saul regains his sight. 316 00:28:29.945 --> 00:28:32.365 He believes that Jesus actually rose from the grave. 317 00:28:32.675 --> 00:28:35.205 He's filled with the Holy Spirit, he gets baptized 318 00:28:35.205 --> 00:28:37.445 and he becomes one of the greatest missionaries, uh, 319 00:28:37.465 --> 00:28:39.445 in the name of Jesus that the world has ever known. 320 00:28:39.745 --> 00:28:41.885 He goes out and immediately starts proclaiming 321 00:28:41.885 --> 00:28:43.885 that Jesus has been resurrected from the dead. 322 00:28:43.885 --> 00:28:45.885 So he goes from, from murdering Christians 323 00:28:45.885 --> 00:28:47.485 to declaring the gospel publicly. 324 00:28:47.705 --> 00:28:49.605 He lives this crazy life. He gets shipped direct. 325 00:28:49.605 --> 00:28:51.565 He goes through all this stuff to plant these 326 00:28:51.765 --> 00:28:53.005 churches all across the land. 327 00:28:53.145 --> 00:28:54.165 And then he encourages 328 00:28:54.185 --> 00:28:57.405 and equips them by writing them letters, uh, many 329 00:28:57.405 --> 00:28:59.565 of which are what make up our New Testament. 330 00:29:00.525 --> 00:29:02.885 Titus is one of those letters, as we mentioned 331 00:29:02.885 --> 00:29:04.205 to his trusted partner, Titus, 332 00:29:04.335 --> 00:29:06.165 who's been left on the island of Crete. 333 00:29:06.505 --> 00:29:09.725 Uh, as, as the letter tells us, uh, to put things in order 334 00:29:10.225 --> 00:29:14.125 and the, is there, uh, Crete was a wild place. 335 00:29:14.745 --> 00:29:16.365 Um, I want you to think like Pirates 336 00:29:16.365 --> 00:29:18.685 of the Caribbean meets Las Vegas, okay? 337 00:29:18.685 --> 00:29:20.085 Like this. It's a nuts. So place. 338 00:29:20.425 --> 00:29:22.805 Um, there's confusion, there's corruption, chaos. 339 00:29:23.185 --> 00:29:24.525 But Paul knew this. He knew 340 00:29:24.525 --> 00:29:26.485 that if those churches there were gonna thrive in 341 00:29:26.485 --> 00:29:28.405 that environment, which I would argue is not all 342 00:29:28.405 --> 00:29:30.805 that different than the world that we live in today. 343 00:29:31.305 --> 00:29:32.845 If they're gonna thrive, they needed 344 00:29:32.875 --> 00:29:34.085 more than good intentions. 345 00:29:35.035 --> 00:29:36.885 Like they needed a gospel framework. 346 00:29:36.885 --> 00:29:40.685 They needed a doctrine for godliness, for leadership, 347 00:29:41.425 --> 00:29:43.845 and for the mission that it was, that God had for them. 348 00:29:43.845 --> 00:29:45.005 And in the first four verses, 349 00:29:45.005 --> 00:29:46.485 which is all we're gonna unpack this week, 350 00:29:46.485 --> 00:29:48.325 we're just gonna go through the greeting, which by the way, 351 00:29:48.325 --> 00:29:50.885 I would encourage you, we're gonna be in this three chapter 352 00:29:50.885 --> 00:29:52.445 letter for about six to eight weeks. 353 00:29:52.845 --> 00:29:54.885 I would encourage you, read this thing every day. 354 00:29:54.885 --> 00:29:56.605 You can get through these three chapters pretty quickly. 355 00:29:56.625 --> 00:29:58.765 But let's read through this together as the family 356 00:29:58.765 --> 00:29:59.885 of God regularly. 357 00:30:00.065 --> 00:30:01.325 If there's something you don't understand, 358 00:30:01.545 --> 00:30:02.725 uh, we're gonna be talking about it. 359 00:30:02.785 --> 00:30:04.005 So let's do that together. 360 00:30:04.025 --> 00:30:05.165 But in the first four verses, 361 00:30:05.165 --> 00:30:07.525 what he unpacks is why truth matters 362 00:30:07.905 --> 00:30:10.685 and actually what it's meant to produce for us in our lives. 363 00:30:11.025 --> 00:30:13.525 Uh, before we open God's word, I I just wanna pray for us. 364 00:30:13.825 --> 00:30:18.105 Uh, father, I believe that so much 365 00:30:18.265 --> 00:30:20.905 of this letter, um, elevates the importance 366 00:30:22.365 --> 00:30:26.785 of leaning into, um, your word, the Bible 367 00:30:26.815 --> 00:30:28.145 that you have given to us. 368 00:30:28.845 --> 00:30:32.065 And so, as we spend time just unpacking this thing, verse 369 00:30:32.125 --> 00:30:35.065 by verse and, and leaning into what it was that we believe 370 00:30:35.065 --> 00:30:38.585 that you gave to Paul, uh, to speak to Titus 371 00:30:38.845 --> 00:30:40.985 and to the churches there and Crete, and also to us. 372 00:30:40.985 --> 00:30:43.345 Lord, I pray that your spirit would do in our lives 373 00:30:43.455 --> 00:30:44.785 what I could never do. 374 00:30:45.365 --> 00:30:47.425 Um, would you help us to see you for who you are? 375 00:30:47.425 --> 00:30:48.905 Would you help us to learn more about you? 376 00:30:48.905 --> 00:30:51.865 Would you help us to, to get grounded deep in the truths of 377 00:30:51.865 --> 00:30:54.185 who you are and what you desire for us in our lives? 378 00:30:54.185 --> 00:30:56.425 We love you. We pray these things in Jesus' name. 379 00:30:56.425 --> 00:30:58.345 All God's people said, amen. 380 00:30:58.415 --> 00:31:01.305 Okay, starts out Titus chapter one, verse one. 381 00:31:01.305 --> 00:31:03.065 It says, Paul, a servant of God 382 00:31:03.605 --> 00:31:05.265 and an apostle of Jesus Christ. 383 00:31:06.125 --> 00:31:07.825 Notice how Paul introduces himself. 384 00:31:07.845 --> 00:31:10.985 He, he doesn't say, Hey, uh, this is Dr. Paul here, uh, 385 00:31:10.985 --> 00:31:12.745 author of the majority of the New Testament. 386 00:31:13.045 --> 00:31:15.065 He doesn't say that there's no ego here. 387 00:31:15.095 --> 00:31:18.185 He's just a servant. This is a man under the orders of God. 388 00:31:18.185 --> 00:31:19.865 He's saying, I don't own this truth 389 00:31:20.255 --> 00:31:21.425 that I'm about to share with you. 390 00:31:21.545 --> 00:31:23.705 I just steward it. I'm not here to tell you my opinion. 391 00:31:24.365 --> 00:31:26.345 I'm here to share with you on behalf of God, 392 00:31:26.345 --> 00:31:28.305 understand I am sent by Jesus. 393 00:31:28.525 --> 00:31:33.105 I'm an apostle of Jesus. But these are God's words. 394 00:31:33.965 --> 00:31:35.865 And in a world where leaders don't 395 00:31:36.605 --> 00:31:40.865 always get the best reputation, Paul reminds us here 396 00:31:40.865 --> 00:31:44.145 that true godly leadership, it starts 397 00:31:44.145 --> 00:31:45.265 with submission to God. 398 00:31:46.605 --> 00:31:48.745 Uh, he's not the originator of the message. 399 00:31:48.765 --> 00:31:51.465 He is the messenger under the authority sent 400 00:31:51.485 --> 00:31:53.345 by Jesus with a purpose. 401 00:31:53.765 --> 00:31:55.865 And, and you could be here at any of our campuses, 402 00:31:55.865 --> 00:31:57.345 you could be joining with us online and, 403 00:31:57.365 --> 00:31:58.745 and you could have been burned 404 00:31:58.805 --> 00:32:00.465 by a religious leader at some point. 405 00:32:00.765 --> 00:32:05.745 Um, who seems more interested in power than in people. 406 00:32:06.885 --> 00:32:09.505 And what Paul's saying here, what he's modeling is 407 00:32:09.785 --> 00:32:12.505 that Christian leadership is marked by humble service, not, 408 00:32:12.505 --> 00:32:13.705 not a personal platform. 409 00:32:14.695 --> 00:32:18.305 He's saying it's marked by character, not charisma. 410 00:32:20.165 --> 00:32:21.905 And that I think that's important for you to hear 411 00:32:21.905 --> 00:32:25.665 because here at hope we teach the Bible period. 412 00:32:25.905 --> 00:32:28.345 I mean, we believe that it is the, uh, in air, 413 00:32:28.405 --> 00:32:29.745 the authoritative word of God. 414 00:32:29.805 --> 00:32:31.665 We don't shy away from hard truths. 415 00:32:32.125 --> 00:32:33.705 But I want you to know it doesn't come from 416 00:32:33.745 --> 00:32:34.785 a manipulative place. 417 00:32:35.045 --> 00:32:36.345 It doesn't come from a place of judgment. 418 00:32:36.485 --> 00:32:38.185 It comes from a place of believing 419 00:32:38.185 --> 00:32:39.290 what I said at the very beginning. 420 00:32:39.665 --> 00:32:41.805 If the map is wrong, the journey goes wrong. 421 00:32:42.185 --> 00:32:44.925 And, and out of love for you, out of care for you, out 422 00:32:44.925 --> 00:32:47.445 of love for this church, out of love for the the people 423 00:32:47.505 --> 00:32:49.285 around us in our everyday lives, 424 00:32:49.465 --> 00:32:53.485 we have a calling on us from God to elevate sound doctrine 425 00:32:53.635 --> 00:32:55.805 that you and that we can build our lives on. 426 00:32:55.805 --> 00:32:58.845 Because good doctrine leads to godly living. 427 00:33:00.305 --> 00:33:02.325 So Paul, a servant of God 428 00:33:02.985 --> 00:33:05.445 and an apostle of Jesus Christ, he goes on to say, 429 00:33:05.465 --> 00:33:07.885 for the sake of the faith of God's elect, 430 00:33:07.885 --> 00:33:09.605 who are God's elect, these are God's people. 431 00:33:09.795 --> 00:33:11.325 This is the family of God. This is the church. 432 00:33:11.325 --> 00:33:12.845 This is sons and daughters of God. 433 00:33:12.845 --> 00:33:16.125 These are those who God has chosen, uh, any of us 434 00:33:16.205 --> 00:33:18.325 who have called on the name of Jesus for salvation, 435 00:33:18.345 --> 00:33:20.045 for the sake of the faith of God's elect 436 00:33:20.305 --> 00:33:22.005 and their knowledge of the truth, 437 00:33:22.975 --> 00:33:24.565 which accords with godliness. 438 00:33:25.785 --> 00:33:28.845 Paul's getting into the why, uh, really of his mission 439 00:33:28.985 --> 00:33:31.885 and ultimately this letter, uh, 440 00:33:31.905 --> 00:33:34.525 and he's saying it's for the church to have faith. 441 00:33:35.155 --> 00:33:37.325 He's saying, I want you to have the knowledge of the truth. 442 00:33:37.425 --> 00:33:40.325 Why? Because it leads to godliness in our lives. 443 00:33:40.325 --> 00:33:42.525 Just because without sound doctrine, without the knowledge 444 00:33:42.525 --> 00:33:45.845 of the truth, we don't really have an idea of 445 00:33:45.845 --> 00:33:47.525 what we're supposed to put our faith in. 446 00:33:48.235 --> 00:33:49.725 Like much less do we have an opportunity 447 00:33:49.725 --> 00:33:52.165 to live our lives the way that God created us to live. 448 00:33:52.165 --> 00:33:53.805 And so what he's saying is doctrine. 449 00:33:53.995 --> 00:33:57.805 It's not just information. It's for transformation. 450 00:33:58.515 --> 00:34:00.725 Like we're not just trying to build up head knowledge. 451 00:34:00.725 --> 00:34:03.765 We we're, we're studying God's words so that we can engage 452 00:34:03.765 --> 00:34:06.365 with this tree so that it can shape how we live our lives. 453 00:34:06.445 --> 00:34:07.565 I want you to imagine two trees. 454 00:34:08.305 --> 00:34:10.325 Uh, one of them is planted by a river, 455 00:34:10.785 --> 00:34:12.605 and then one of them them's planted in the middle 456 00:34:12.605 --> 00:34:14.165 of a dry field, okay? 457 00:34:14.675 --> 00:34:17.485 Over time, um, one of them is gonna grow. 458 00:34:17.545 --> 00:34:18.885 One of them is gonna thrive, one 459 00:34:18.885 --> 00:34:19.965 of them is gonna produce fruit 460 00:34:20.225 --> 00:34:21.525 and the other one's gonna dry up. 461 00:34:21.585 --> 00:34:24.965 Why is that? It's the root system 462 00:34:26.385 --> 00:34:27.445 that's doctrine. 463 00:34:28.195 --> 00:34:30.045 Like that's the root system of our life. 464 00:34:30.105 --> 00:34:32.885 If it's shallow or if it gets fed the wrong things, 465 00:34:32.885 --> 00:34:34.845 like it's gonna show up in our relationships, 466 00:34:34.875 --> 00:34:36.165 it's gonna show up in our marriages, 467 00:34:36.165 --> 00:34:37.645 it's gonna show up in the decisions that we make, 468 00:34:37.645 --> 00:34:39.045 it's gonna show up in our desires. 469 00:34:39.785 --> 00:34:41.165 And you understand, 470 00:34:41.165 --> 00:34:43.605 like the world is gonna throw stuff at us all the time. 471 00:34:43.675 --> 00:34:46.445 It's not going to lead to a place of of faith. 472 00:34:48.355 --> 00:34:50.645 It's not gonna take us to the places in life 473 00:34:50.645 --> 00:34:51.925 that we've been created to go. 474 00:34:51.925 --> 00:34:53.405 It's not gonna take us towards the plans 475 00:34:53.425 --> 00:34:55.485 and purposes that God has for us and our lives. 476 00:34:55.485 --> 00:34:57.605 And so I want you to ask yourself this question, is 477 00:34:57.605 --> 00:35:00.325 what I believe about God positively shaping my life? 478 00:35:02.265 --> 00:35:03.925 And I know that's the question that's up on screen. 479 00:35:04.125 --> 00:35:05.245 'cause that's the question that I gave 480 00:35:05.245 --> 00:35:06.485 to the communications team. 481 00:35:06.485 --> 00:35:07.725 But as I'm sitting here right now, 482 00:35:08.505 --> 00:35:12.325 I'm wondering maybe a better question is, do the roots 483 00:35:12.345 --> 00:35:16.045 of my life dig down deep enough to enough sound doctrine 484 00:35:17.305 --> 00:35:19.005 to actually move me in the direction 485 00:35:19.005 --> 00:35:20.405 that God has for me in my life? 486 00:35:22.265 --> 00:35:24.885 And if not, what changes do I need to make? 487 00:35:24.955 --> 00:35:26.405 What decisions do I need to make? 488 00:35:26.545 --> 00:35:30.685 So Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, 489 00:35:30.705 --> 00:35:33.085 but the sake of the faith of God's elect for us 490 00:35:33.345 --> 00:35:34.805 and their knowledge of the truth which 491 00:35:34.955 --> 00:35:36.485 accords with godliness. 492 00:35:36.485 --> 00:35:37.650 So we're transformed. 493 00:35:37.785 --> 00:35:42.045 Why in hope of eternal life, which God 494 00:35:42.105 --> 00:35:45.365 who never lies promised before the ages began. 495 00:35:46.185 --> 00:35:48.125 You read that like in hope of eternal life. 496 00:35:48.625 --> 00:35:52.325 Uh, if you're like me, you can read that and be like, hope. 497 00:35:53.275 --> 00:35:55.205 Like that sounds a little bit like wishful thinking. 498 00:35:55.245 --> 00:35:57.845 I wish it was something a little more concrete like, um, 499 00:35:58.315 --> 00:36:01.365 with our confidence in eternal life, like the, 500 00:36:01.835 --> 00:36:02.845 that word in the Greek 501 00:36:02.865 --> 00:36:04.365 and the way it's used throughout scripture, 502 00:36:05.235 --> 00:36:07.005 it's not like hope, like a wish and a prayer. 503 00:36:07.065 --> 00:36:08.125 It kind of represents a, 504 00:36:08.405 --> 00:36:12.405 a confident expectation rooted in God's character 505 00:36:12.745 --> 00:36:13.765 and in his promises. 506 00:36:14.185 --> 00:36:17.725 Uh, I have a, an 85 pound German shepherd. 507 00:36:18.305 --> 00:36:21.005 And every day at 6:00 AM 508 00:36:21.505 --> 00:36:23.445 and at 6:00 PM he's standing 509 00:36:23.545 --> 00:36:26.005 by a large stainless steel bowl, uh, 510 00:36:26.915 --> 00:36:30.245 because he has hope that the ones that care 511 00:36:30.245 --> 00:36:32.485 for him are gonna take a plastic cup of food out 512 00:36:32.605 --> 00:36:34.925 of his food bag and bring it over and put it in. 513 00:36:35.125 --> 00:36:37.565 I would say that his hope, it's not like just now, 514 00:36:37.585 --> 00:36:38.805 Pavlov might disagree with me, 515 00:36:38.805 --> 00:36:41.525 but it's not just in something that maybe he's hopeful 516 00:36:41.665 --> 00:36:44.725 for wishful thinking like it is based in this confident 517 00:36:44.725 --> 00:36:48.205 expectation as if he can actually think this well rooted in 518 00:36:48.395 --> 00:36:50.285 what he probably thinks is the character 519 00:36:50.285 --> 00:36:51.565 and the faithfulness of his owners. 520 00:36:51.745 --> 00:36:54.845 Now, I hope that our, our faith in who God is 521 00:36:54.845 --> 00:36:56.445 and his character and his promises is far 522 00:36:56.445 --> 00:36:57.525 deeper than what my dogs is. 523 00:36:57.525 --> 00:36:58.565 But I just want you to understand, 524 00:36:58.795 --> 00:37:00.325 it's this confident expectation. 525 00:37:00.385 --> 00:37:01.485 We show up every day. 526 00:37:01.665 --> 00:37:03.165 We get up out of bed every day 527 00:37:03.165 --> 00:37:06.125 with this confident expectation that we have this hope 528 00:37:06.265 --> 00:37:08.285 of eternal life despite the situations 529 00:37:08.285 --> 00:37:10.285 and circumstances that we find ourselves in. 530 00:37:12.265 --> 00:37:13.325 How can we have that hope? 531 00:37:14.075 --> 00:37:16.085 Whether you know it or not, Paul's about to tell us. 532 00:37:16.085 --> 00:37:18.405 He he's actually teaching theology right now. 533 00:37:18.515 --> 00:37:20.205 He's teaching doctrine right now. 534 00:37:20.595 --> 00:37:22.765 He's teaching about God, which we've already said. 535 00:37:23.065 --> 00:37:25.685 If we don't learn about God, we can't experience a life 536 00:37:25.685 --> 00:37:26.925 of faith and godliness. 537 00:37:27.355 --> 00:37:29.525 What he says is this hope that I want 538 00:37:29.525 --> 00:37:31.565 to impart to you in your life. 539 00:37:32.705 --> 00:37:35.885 It comes from a God who's truthful. He never lies. 540 00:37:36.435 --> 00:37:38.645 This is not wishful thinking. This is a promise. 541 00:37:39.065 --> 00:37:41.445 And you're gonna see later in the letter, this is kind 542 00:37:41.445 --> 00:37:43.485 of like a, um, a subtle 543 00:37:44.105 --> 00:37:46.965 but direct shot at the Crete culture. 544 00:37:47.505 --> 00:37:48.965 Um, it was famous for lying. 545 00:37:48.965 --> 00:37:50.925 In fact, there's a statement that we'll read in, in, 546 00:37:50.925 --> 00:37:53.405 in a couple weeks where, uh, that we find out that 547 00:37:53.545 --> 00:37:54.845 to act like a Creon, 548 00:37:54.845 --> 00:37:56.845 it was really s slang for being deceptive. 549 00:37:57.545 --> 00:37:59.885 And while you could just kinda read over that think, well, 550 00:37:59.885 --> 00:38:01.125 yeah, that was for Titus and that was 551 00:38:01.125 --> 00:38:02.205 for the churches there in Crete. 552 00:38:02.465 --> 00:38:04.885 Uh, what I wanna warn you of is this. 553 00:38:06.925 --> 00:38:11.475 It's the same in our culture. Our culture is deceptive. 554 00:38:12.815 --> 00:38:16.235 It will lie to you. It it will whisper to you 555 00:38:16.235 --> 00:38:19.715 that your worth is wrapped up in your possessions. 556 00:38:21.135 --> 00:38:22.715 It will tell you that your value 557 00:38:22.735 --> 00:38:24.915 and your satisfaction in life is only gonna come 558 00:38:24.915 --> 00:38:26.075 from what you can accumulate. 559 00:38:26.975 --> 00:38:30.915 Um, it's gonna tell you that, um, you can determine 560 00:38:31.095 --> 00:38:34.955 for yourself what is better for you, more so than God can. 561 00:38:35.050 --> 00:38:37.285 And you can declare that truth for yourself and your life. 562 00:38:37.315 --> 00:38:39.885 It's gonna tell you that you have to earn your way towards 563 00:38:39.885 --> 00:38:41.245 what it is that you need in your life 564 00:38:41.245 --> 00:38:42.965 that's ultimately gonna bring you satisfaction. 565 00:38:43.145 --> 00:38:45.245 And that's a lie. This world is deceiving. 566 00:38:45.985 --> 00:38:47.765 And so the knowledge of the truth 567 00:38:47.765 --> 00:38:50.685 that Paul's talking about here, uh, the faith 568 00:38:50.685 --> 00:38:51.765 that he wants us to be filled 569 00:38:51.765 --> 00:38:53.125 with this, the hope of eternal life. 570 00:38:53.435 --> 00:38:54.685 This is the gospel message. 571 00:38:55.155 --> 00:38:56.925 It's not something that you have to strive to gain. 572 00:38:57.275 --> 00:38:58.565 It's something that's been promised. 573 00:38:58.565 --> 00:39:00.445 It's something that Jesus has taken care of 574 00:39:00.625 --> 00:39:03.165 and that Jesus has offered to us that all we have 575 00:39:03.165 --> 00:39:04.565 to do is freely receive. 576 00:39:04.565 --> 00:39:06.645 Paul saying, you've heard a lot of lies, 577 00:39:07.545 --> 00:39:10.855 but this message, this is sound doctrine. 578 00:39:11.005 --> 00:39:13.735 This is something that you can dig down deep with the roots 579 00:39:13.875 --> 00:39:15.575 of your life and you can find hope. 580 00:39:15.675 --> 00:39:17.575 And so I wanna give you a field note here at the name 581 00:39:17.575 --> 00:39:18.695 of the series is Field Notes. 582 00:39:18.775 --> 00:39:21.375 I wanna give you a field note, sound doctrine. 583 00:39:21.635 --> 00:39:24.775 It allows us to have eternal hope in the midst 584 00:39:24.775 --> 00:39:25.775 of our temporary hustle. 585 00:39:27.155 --> 00:39:29.895 Um, I I can't preach to you a sermon 586 00:39:30.275 --> 00:39:32.615 that's gonna take away your need to hustle in this life. 587 00:39:33.045 --> 00:39:34.215 Like it's just gonna happen. 588 00:39:34.245 --> 00:39:36.255 Like we can do self-care and we can do all this stuff, 589 00:39:36.395 --> 00:39:37.895 but the reality is there's times in 590 00:39:37.895 --> 00:39:39.015 our lives where we just gotta hustle. 591 00:39:39.115 --> 00:39:41.295 We just gotta grind. I can't preach any message 592 00:39:41.295 --> 00:39:43.495 that's gonna take away the troubles from your, our lives 593 00:39:43.725 --> 00:39:46.255 that Jesus ultimately tells us is gonna come our way. 594 00:39:46.595 --> 00:39:50.055 Um, there's no sermon that I can preach to undo, uh, 595 00:39:50.195 --> 00:39:51.535 the wrong or the betrayal 596 00:39:51.535 --> 00:39:53.615 that you faced from a man or a woman in your life. 597 00:39:53.765 --> 00:39:55.495 That there's no sermon that I can preach 598 00:39:55.755 --> 00:39:57.295 to bring a loved one back to life. 599 00:39:57.455 --> 00:39:59.935 I assure you if I could do that, I would do it for myself. 600 00:40:00.475 --> 00:40:03.175 But what I can promise you is that through the building up 601 00:40:03.175 --> 00:40:04.935 of our knowledge of truth and devoting ourselves 602 00:40:04.995 --> 00:40:08.375 to sound doctrine, we can find a map 603 00:40:08.555 --> 00:40:10.815 that's gonna give us hope in the midst of the journey 604 00:40:10.815 --> 00:40:12.055 that we find ourselves in. 605 00:40:12.595 --> 00:40:14.135 That's what Paul's talking about here. 606 00:40:16.155 --> 00:40:18.375 So how does this doctrine get rooted in us? 607 00:40:19.485 --> 00:40:21.815 Paul goes on verse three and he says, 608 00:40:21.815 --> 00:40:25.175 and at the proper time, it manifested in his word 609 00:40:25.175 --> 00:40:28.255 through the preaching, which I Paul had been entrusted 610 00:40:28.255 --> 00:40:31.055 by the command of our God, our savior. 611 00:40:31.115 --> 00:40:32.935 Paul's telling Titus, Hey, this gospel, 612 00:40:33.045 --> 00:40:34.775 this good news, this isn't new. 613 00:40:34.795 --> 00:40:38.135 It was planned before the ages, but now it's been revealed. 614 00:40:38.475 --> 00:40:40.655 And what he's talking about is the gospel, the life, 615 00:40:40.655 --> 00:40:41.695 the death, the resurrection, 616 00:40:41.695 --> 00:40:44.015 and the new life that we have available to us. 617 00:40:44.035 --> 00:40:45.535 As a result of that, he's talking about 618 00:40:45.535 --> 00:40:47.935 how even back in Genesis, um, when Adam 619 00:40:47.995 --> 00:40:49.175 and Eve disobeyed God, 620 00:40:49.175 --> 00:40:51.695 and there was this separation between man and woman, 621 00:40:51.715 --> 00:40:54.175 and between God and between one another, God said in 622 00:40:54.175 --> 00:40:56.295 that moment, okay, Satan, you've messed this up. 623 00:40:56.295 --> 00:40:57.415 You've created an environment 624 00:40:57.415 --> 00:40:58.455 for this thing to get messed up. 625 00:40:58.475 --> 00:41:00.615 And, and all of mankind is gonna experience this 626 00:41:00.675 --> 00:41:03.095 for a long time, but through her offspring, 627 00:41:04.635 --> 00:41:07.015 I'm gonna make a way for one to come to be born, 628 00:41:07.595 --> 00:41:10.015 to ultimately put all this brokenness back together again. 629 00:41:10.015 --> 00:41:11.455 And then you see these prophecies all 630 00:41:11.455 --> 00:41:12.535 through the Old Testament again. 631 00:41:12.555 --> 00:41:14.095 God is faithful to his promises. 632 00:41:14.315 --> 00:41:15.815 All of these prophecies are fulfilled. 633 00:41:15.985 --> 00:41:17.255 Jesus shows up on the scene. 634 00:41:17.255 --> 00:41:18.895 He lives the life that we never could have lived. 635 00:41:19.235 --> 00:41:22.535 He goes to the cross and pays the penalty that we deserve 636 00:41:22.535 --> 00:41:24.335 to pay as a result of our sins. 637 00:41:24.335 --> 00:41:27.135 He goes into a tomb, he's raised from the dead three days 638 00:41:27.135 --> 00:41:29.175 later so that we can have new life, so 639 00:41:29.175 --> 00:41:31.615 that we can have this hope of eternal life. 640 00:41:31.615 --> 00:41:35.365 And what Paul is saying is, the way this hope is spread is 641 00:41:35.365 --> 00:41:36.925 through the word, it's through preaching. 642 00:41:38.305 --> 00:41:39.485 And it's not just preaching. 643 00:41:39.485 --> 00:41:42.765 When a pastor gets up with a Bible in front of a, a group 644 00:41:42.765 --> 00:41:46.325 of people, um, it's when the word is shared together 645 00:41:46.545 --> 00:41:47.565 as the family of God. 646 00:41:47.565 --> 00:41:49.845 When we all get together, he's saying it's learned 647 00:41:49.865 --> 00:41:53.005 and believed and it shaves us through time 648 00:41:53.025 --> 00:41:55.165 and the word through scripture, through preaching, yes, 649 00:41:55.385 --> 00:41:56.845 but also through meditating on it, 650 00:41:56.845 --> 00:41:57.965 through sharing it with one another. 651 00:41:58.425 --> 00:42:01.645 And I do want you to hear me say this, uh, 652 00:42:02.745 --> 00:42:05.525 we don't get together, um, on Thursday nights 653 00:42:06.065 --> 00:42:07.605 or on Sunday mornings 654 00:42:08.515 --> 00:42:09.765 because we don't have anything 655 00:42:09.765 --> 00:42:11.005 better to do on a Sunday morning. 656 00:42:12.185 --> 00:42:16.685 Um, it's in large part to proclaim the truth of the gospel 657 00:42:16.945 --> 00:42:19.445 and sound doctrine so that we can come 658 00:42:19.445 --> 00:42:21.965 to learn the knowledge of the truth so that it can 659 00:42:22.565 --> 00:42:23.765 transform our lives. 660 00:42:24.035 --> 00:42:25.765 It's for right theology, which by the way, 661 00:42:25.765 --> 00:42:29.565 just our theology is what, uh, impacts our doctrine, 662 00:42:29.565 --> 00:42:30.565 what it is that we believe, 663 00:42:30.565 --> 00:42:33.485 but our theology also flows into our doxology, 664 00:42:33.625 --> 00:42:35.885 how we actually respond to God and worship. 665 00:42:35.905 --> 00:42:38.285 That's why when we get together sometimes, um, 666 00:42:38.425 --> 00:42:41.125 we have a time in scripture, in in the word together, 667 00:42:41.345 --> 00:42:43.565 but then we actually have a song after in response. 668 00:42:43.565 --> 00:42:44.725 Some of you don't know that. 'cause as soon 669 00:42:44.725 --> 00:42:45.685 as the prayer's over, you're kind of 670 00:42:45.685 --> 00:42:46.485 heading out to the parking lot. 671 00:42:46.485 --> 00:42:48.125 But, but we actually do that. 672 00:42:48.185 --> 00:42:51.165 We sing and we celebrate and we respond to the goodness 673 00:42:51.165 --> 00:42:52.485 and to the glory that's been revealed 674 00:42:52.485 --> 00:42:53.765 to us through his word. 675 00:42:55.795 --> 00:42:57.605 Like, we need to spend time together. 676 00:42:57.845 --> 00:42:58.925 I need this in my life 677 00:42:58.945 --> 00:43:01.205 as a 46-year-old man who's been following Jesus 678 00:43:01.265 --> 00:43:02.565 for the better part of 40 years. 679 00:43:03.515 --> 00:43:05.325 Like I need to be reminded 680 00:43:05.505 --> 00:43:07.525 and have the truths of God put in my 681 00:43:07.525 --> 00:43:08.965 heart and put on my lips. 682 00:43:09.785 --> 00:43:10.965 We need to encourage one another. 683 00:43:10.985 --> 00:43:12.725 As a church family, your neighbors need it, 684 00:43:12.995 --> 00:43:14.365 your coworkers need it. 685 00:43:14.875 --> 00:43:16.005 Your children need it. 686 00:43:17.785 --> 00:43:20.285 So the field note here is the message of hope. 687 00:43:21.105 --> 00:43:24.845 It shapes us through engaging God in his word. 688 00:43:25.905 --> 00:43:27.765 And again, I'm gonna go back to that question. 689 00:43:28.185 --> 00:43:31.205 If this is true, if this is the map that's gonna lead us 690 00:43:31.225 --> 00:43:33.085 to the life that God ultimately has for us, 691 00:43:33.345 --> 00:43:35.605 are we engaging God through his word? 692 00:43:38.145 --> 00:43:40.645 You get to verse four. And, uh, Paul ends this greeting 693 00:43:40.705 --> 00:43:41.725 by addressing Titus. 694 00:43:41.785 --> 00:43:43.765 And, uh, this is so beautiful. 695 00:43:43.945 --> 00:43:45.685 It, it's strong, but it's tender. 696 00:43:45.785 --> 00:43:50.005 He says to Titus, my true child in a common faith. 697 00:43:52.265 --> 00:43:53.805 And I just love Paul's heart here. 698 00:43:55.435 --> 00:43:57.585 Which by the way, this should be the heart of every pastor, 699 00:43:57.585 --> 00:43:58.905 whoever gets up and opens 700 00:43:58.905 --> 00:44:00.225 God's word and shares it with the group. 701 00:44:00.525 --> 00:44:03.185 And really every man or woman or, or son 702 00:44:03.185 --> 00:44:05.225 or daughter of God, this is personal. 703 00:44:05.695 --> 00:44:07.825 This isn't Paul writing in called doctrine. 704 00:44:07.855 --> 00:44:09.185 He's writing to someone that he loves. 705 00:44:09.215 --> 00:44:10.825 He's writing to someone that he believes in. 706 00:44:10.975 --> 00:44:12.705 Like this is discipleship in motion. 707 00:44:13.005 --> 00:44:15.665 One generation imparting God's truth in God's 708 00:44:15.665 --> 00:44:16.865 word to another generation. 709 00:44:16.895 --> 00:44:19.345 This is how the church should be lived out. 710 00:44:20.085 --> 00:44:22.745 And, uh, we're gonna see this as we continue to, to move 711 00:44:22.745 --> 00:44:25.025 through the text together over the upcoming weeks. 712 00:44:25.125 --> 00:44:28.065 But a good portion of how sound doctrine is supposed 713 00:44:28.065 --> 00:44:30.625 to be passed along is man to man. 714 00:44:30.625 --> 00:44:32.685 It's woman to woman. It's from one generation, 715 00:44:32.975 --> 00:44:35.805 older generation down to a younger generation. 716 00:44:35.955 --> 00:44:38.685 It's not just coming. It is in part coming to a place 717 00:44:38.945 --> 00:44:40.245 and it's someone opening God's word. 718 00:44:40.245 --> 00:44:43.245 But it's not just that. It's generation to generation. 719 00:44:43.255 --> 00:44:44.725 We've seen that all throughout scripture. 720 00:44:45.865 --> 00:44:49.365 Um, you, this is probably a good place to mention this, 721 00:44:49.525 --> 00:44:51.085 speaking of generation to generation, we're kind 722 00:44:51.085 --> 00:44:53.765 of coming into a season right now where, uh, we got a ton 723 00:44:53.765 --> 00:44:55.685 of high school students, uh, they call Hope Home. 724 00:44:55.905 --> 00:44:57.965 And we've got some high school seniors 725 00:44:57.965 --> 00:45:00.485 who are moving into a milestone moment in their lives 726 00:45:00.935 --> 00:45:02.125 graduating from high school. 727 00:45:02.125 --> 00:45:03.925 And so I just thought it would be appropriate just across 728 00:45:03.945 --> 00:45:05.005 all of our campuses right now, 729 00:45:05.005 --> 00:45:06.925 can we just celebrate our high school seniors 730 00:45:07.085 --> 00:45:08.365 together, those big family? 731 00:45:14.645 --> 00:45:16.765 I want you to hear me say we are proud of you. 732 00:45:17.585 --> 00:45:20.725 Uh, this, uh, you, we do not believe 733 00:45:20.755 --> 00:45:22.165 that you are the church of the future. 734 00:45:22.825 --> 00:45:25.005 Uh, we believe you are the church now. 735 00:45:25.905 --> 00:45:29.685 And, uh, while we're excited for you, uh, for graduating 736 00:45:30.275 --> 00:45:33.205 high school, um, as you move on to college, as you move on 737 00:45:33.205 --> 00:45:35.125 to a trade, whatever it is that your next steps are, 738 00:45:35.365 --> 00:45:37.205 I want you to know as proud of you as we are for 739 00:45:37.315 --> 00:45:39.005 what you've done already and what you're gonna do, 740 00:45:39.005 --> 00:45:40.885 there is nothing that you can study in your life 741 00:45:40.885 --> 00:45:43.845 that is gonna be more beneficial than actually getting into 742 00:45:44.055 --> 00:45:45.965 God's Word and learning true 743 00:45:45.965 --> 00:45:47.725 theology, learning sound doctrine. 744 00:45:47.865 --> 00:45:49.325 If you wanna grow into the man 745 00:45:49.325 --> 00:45:51.365 or the woman that God's created you to be, 746 00:45:52.075 --> 00:45:53.405 this is where we need to spend time. 747 00:45:53.625 --> 00:45:55.005 And so if you're moving off to college, 748 00:45:55.065 --> 00:45:56.085 if you're going somewhere else, 749 00:45:56.145 --> 00:45:57.205 the the first thing I want you 750 00:45:57.205 --> 00:45:59.005 to do is go find a good Bible teaching church. 751 00:45:59.185 --> 00:46:00.285 If you're staying here at Hope. 752 00:46:00.545 --> 00:46:02.965 Uh, we've got a phenomenal college in young adults ministry. 753 00:46:02.965 --> 00:46:04.445 Corey Paxton is an incredible 754 00:46:04.635 --> 00:46:05.965 college and young adults pastor. 755 00:46:06.025 --> 00:46:07.405 He is more than that. He's a great man. 756 00:46:07.405 --> 00:46:08.685 He is a great husband, he's a great dad. 757 00:46:08.905 --> 00:46:10.445 We would love to come alongside you 758 00:46:10.445 --> 00:46:11.605 and continue to disciple you 759 00:46:11.825 --> 00:46:15.005 and equip you for the life of ministry that God has for you. 760 00:46:15.265 --> 00:46:17.325 But we should be investing in one another's lives 761 00:46:17.545 --> 00:46:20.005 as any good father or good mother or good brother 762 00:46:20.025 --> 00:46:22.445 or good sister would do as the life of their family. 763 00:46:22.505 --> 00:46:24.125 So your field note here is this, on the journey 764 00:46:24.125 --> 00:46:26.805 of faith, we're better together. 765 00:46:28.945 --> 00:46:31.765 Who are you passing the baton of faith along to? 766 00:46:32.985 --> 00:46:35.725 Who, who are you receiving the baton of faith to? 767 00:46:35.725 --> 00:46:37.485 Who is it that you would call if you know you needed 768 00:46:37.485 --> 00:46:38.645 something and your life? 769 00:46:39.485 --> 00:46:41.765 A few weeks back, Heather Sullivan gave a message 770 00:46:42.785 --> 00:46:45.845 on the importance of biblical community, um, is a part of 771 00:46:45.845 --> 00:46:47.325 what it really means to follow Jesus. 772 00:46:47.745 --> 00:46:50.525 And through that message, she gave you an opportunity, uh, 773 00:46:50.625 --> 00:46:52.645 the the church really an opportunity to say, Hey, 774 00:46:52.965 --> 00:46:54.525 I would love to find that sense 775 00:46:54.525 --> 00:46:56.165 of belonging and purpose in my life. 776 00:46:56.165 --> 00:46:57.805 And gave you an opportunity to say, Hey, I would love 777 00:46:57.805 --> 00:47:00.525 to get connected into a small group, into a community group. 778 00:47:00.745 --> 00:47:02.445 Um, you all responded. 779 00:47:03.225 --> 00:47:05.245 And, uh, what we found was we ended 780 00:47:05.245 --> 00:47:06.365 up having to do some math. 781 00:47:06.665 --> 00:47:09.445 And what we found is, so hope is about 5,000 people in 782 00:47:09.445 --> 00:47:11.525 average weekend attendance across all of our campuses. 783 00:47:12.195 --> 00:47:14.405 What we figured when we mathed this thing was 784 00:47:15.065 --> 00:47:16.685 if every single one of those men 785 00:47:16.685 --> 00:47:18.885 and women raise their hand at the same time 786 00:47:18.885 --> 00:47:20.965 and said, Hey, I wanted to get connected into a group. 787 00:47:21.425 --> 00:47:24.565 We have about one open spot for every eight men 788 00:47:24.565 --> 00:47:26.165 and women that would want to get into a group. 789 00:47:26.985 --> 00:47:30.445 Um, if you're not good at math, those numbers don't work. 790 00:47:31.385 --> 00:47:34.325 And so for us to be the type of church 791 00:47:35.515 --> 00:47:36.965 that God's calling us to be, 792 00:47:36.965 --> 00:47:39.685 that sound doctrine calls us into becoming, 793 00:47:40.115 --> 00:47:42.245 it's gonna take men and women who are willing to stand 794 00:47:42.385 --> 00:47:44.005 to step up and say, you know what? 795 00:47:44.005 --> 00:47:46.725 I'll go first. I will do whatever it takes 796 00:47:46.725 --> 00:47:48.765 to create an opportunity for this type 797 00:47:48.765 --> 00:47:50.525 of biblical community to be created. 798 00:47:50.525 --> 00:47:52.885 Where, where faith can be passed along from one man 799 00:47:52.885 --> 00:47:55.085 to another, from one woman to another, from family 800 00:47:55.145 --> 00:47:56.645 to family, from adult to child. 801 00:47:56.985 --> 00:47:58.685 And I know that can sound intimidating, 802 00:47:58.745 --> 00:48:00.685 but I want you to hear me say this like as your church, 803 00:48:00.685 --> 00:48:02.845 Ephesians four says, it is our responsibility 804 00:48:02.845 --> 00:48:05.605 to equip the church for the work of ministry. 805 00:48:05.825 --> 00:48:07.325 We want to come alongside of you. 806 00:48:07.325 --> 00:48:09.045 We're working on a, a discipleship 807 00:48:09.045 --> 00:48:10.965 and leadership development right now, uh, 808 00:48:10.965 --> 00:48:12.525 that we're gonna pilot through the summer 809 00:48:12.545 --> 00:48:14.725 and then we're gonna pilot again in the fall. 810 00:48:14.785 --> 00:48:17.605 And so if the Holy Spirit is stirring anything inside 811 00:48:17.605 --> 00:48:20.365 of your life saying like, I, I don't know if I want 812 00:48:20.365 --> 00:48:21.725 to do this, but I think I'm called to do it, 813 00:48:21.725 --> 00:48:24.365 and I understand in scripture, we want you to let us know. 814 00:48:25.305 --> 00:48:28.005 And so the way you do that is you can go to next steps 815 00:48:28.005 --> 00:48:29.605 after the service, or right now on your phone, 816 00:48:29.665 --> 00:48:33.485 you can text the word lead to 7 2 9 8 9. 817 00:48:33.825 --> 00:48:35.125 Um, Heather Sullivan, one 818 00:48:35.125 --> 00:48:36.645 of our associate pastors from your campus, 819 00:48:36.645 --> 00:48:37.805 they will follow up with you. 820 00:48:38.665 --> 00:48:39.765 But before we move on from this, 821 00:48:39.885 --> 00:48:41.925 I also wanna say we've got a lot of small group leaders here 822 00:48:41.925 --> 00:48:44.005 that you've probably been leading here for a while 823 00:48:44.005 --> 00:48:45.685 and you're like, I don't know 824 00:48:45.685 --> 00:48:46.845 that we've done the best job at 825 00:48:46.845 --> 00:48:48.325 equipping our small group leaders. 826 00:48:49.785 --> 00:48:53.365 And I want you to hear me say, uh, I agree with you. 827 00:48:54.105 --> 00:48:56.365 Um, and so I want you to hear me own that. 828 00:48:56.825 --> 00:49:00.445 Uh, I want to confess, uh, a potential sin of passivity 829 00:49:00.465 --> 00:49:03.565 of not investing, uh, in our, in our small group leaders 830 00:49:03.585 --> 00:49:05.125 and discipling the way that we should. 831 00:49:05.665 --> 00:49:06.805 But if you hear me say that 832 00:49:06.805 --> 00:49:07.965 and you're like, well, I'm out here doing this 833 00:49:07.965 --> 00:49:09.405 and if you guys are serious about this thing, 834 00:49:09.425 --> 00:49:10.685 I'm willing to give you one more shot. 835 00:49:10.965 --> 00:49:12.725 I want you to reach out to us too. Same thing. 836 00:49:12.725 --> 00:49:14.725 Text the word lead to 7 2, 9 8, 9. 837 00:49:14.935 --> 00:49:17.205 Let's work together to build up the family of God 838 00:49:17.205 --> 00:49:20.645 that we know that we need to be, uh, to, to lean in 839 00:49:21.225 --> 00:49:22.765 to God's word together and challenge 840 00:49:22.765 --> 00:49:25.805 and encourage one another to grow into the image of Christ. 841 00:49:26.315 --> 00:49:27.325 Okay, so that's that. 842 00:49:28.085 --> 00:49:32.285 I wanna close with a story 2003, myself 843 00:49:32.385 --> 00:49:34.005 and Merri Lawn, who is the Athletes 844 00:49:34.005 --> 00:49:35.325 and Action director at NC State. 845 00:49:35.325 --> 00:49:37.805 So that's the ministry to varsity athletes at NC State. 846 00:49:38.585 --> 00:49:41.445 And then us two, Colt Morton, 847 00:49:41.445 --> 00:49:43.285 who was a catcher on the baseball team. 848 00:49:43.825 --> 00:49:45.165 And Craig Moody, 849 00:49:45.165 --> 00:49:46.845 who was the defensive back on the football team. 850 00:49:47.025 --> 00:49:49.205 Uh, it was the end of wrestling season, so it was kind 851 00:49:49.205 --> 00:49:51.645 of the end of February. 852 00:49:52.105 --> 00:49:53.685 And we were kind of doing what guys do 853 00:49:53.685 --> 00:49:54.765 and talking about how tough we were. 854 00:49:55.105 --> 00:49:57.565 And it was Tuesday and we decided, Hey, uh, 855 00:49:57.825 --> 00:49:59.285 why don't we go camping this weekend? 856 00:49:59.705 --> 00:50:01.325 And it was like, yeah, let's go camping. 857 00:50:01.375 --> 00:50:03.325 Where do you want to go? I don't know, somewhere tough. 858 00:50:03.865 --> 00:50:04.925 Um, okay. 859 00:50:04.985 --> 00:50:06.245 And so we started asking around 860 00:50:06.245 --> 00:50:07.765 and we heard Linville Gorge is kind 861 00:50:07.765 --> 00:50:08.925 of a tough place to go camping. 862 00:50:09.265 --> 00:50:12.885 Um, we were really good athletes. We weren't good campers. 863 00:50:13.665 --> 00:50:16.045 Um, so on Tuesday I thought, well, 864 00:50:16.205 --> 00:50:17.245 if we're gonna go camping on Friday, 865 00:50:17.325 --> 00:50:18.525 I guess I should go get some new boots. 866 00:50:18.525 --> 00:50:20.005 So I went and got some new, some boots. 867 00:50:20.365 --> 00:50:22.125 I borrowed a hiking backpack from somebody. 868 00:50:22.145 --> 00:50:25.125 We took a tent, we took a couple tents, some sleeping bags, 869 00:50:25.485 --> 00:50:27.765 a little bit of food, and as much water as we could carry. 870 00:50:28.065 --> 00:50:30.005 And on Friday we drove to Linville Gorge. 871 00:50:30.185 --> 00:50:31.365 Um, we hiked in 872 00:50:31.585 --> 00:50:33.605 and we immediately noticed as we're walking 873 00:50:33.605 --> 00:50:35.965 through the woods, like these, these 874 00:50:36.025 --> 00:50:37.405 trails aren't marked all that well. 875 00:50:39.185 --> 00:50:40.565 And we went a little further and we thought, 876 00:50:41.065 --> 00:50:43.165 is this terrain gonna get any safer? 877 00:50:43.275 --> 00:50:45.285 Like, we're literally walking alongside 878 00:50:45.285 --> 00:50:47.045 of like cliffs looking down, thinking if one 879 00:50:47.045 --> 00:50:48.365 of us fell, this is bad. 880 00:50:48.365 --> 00:50:50.205 Like Colt was a catcher. He was like six four. 881 00:50:50.265 --> 00:50:51.285 I'm like, I, I'm big. 882 00:50:51.345 --> 00:50:52.645 I'm not getting you outta there if you fall. 883 00:50:54.065 --> 00:50:57.285 And so then we set, we get down, we finally get down 884 00:50:57.285 --> 00:50:58.725 after three and a half, four hours of, 885 00:50:58.725 --> 00:51:00.045 of hiking, we get down to this river. 886 00:51:00.065 --> 00:51:01.245 We have no idea where we are, but 887 00:51:01.245 --> 00:51:02.325 we're guys, we can figure this out. 888 00:51:03.145 --> 00:51:06.405 And um, but it's not really flat, okay? 889 00:51:06.405 --> 00:51:08.205 Like the whole terrain is kind of sloped. 890 00:51:08.205 --> 00:51:09.725 So we pitch a tent on a slope, 891 00:51:10.585 --> 00:51:14.565 and uh, we go to bed, we start a fire, we go to bed, 892 00:51:14.565 --> 00:51:16.405 we make up, wake up the next morning, everything's cool. 893 00:51:16.405 --> 00:51:18.365 We spend some time reading our Bibles. We talk about life. 894 00:51:18.945 --> 00:51:21.605 But as we get into that afternoon, we realize, okay, 895 00:51:21.605 --> 00:51:23.165 we're running outta water a little bit. 896 00:51:23.165 --> 00:51:24.525 We're gonna stay till Sunday though, 897 00:51:24.525 --> 00:51:25.645 but we're starting to run outta water. 898 00:51:25.705 --> 00:51:26.725 Can we drink the water in the river? 899 00:51:27.045 --> 00:51:30.565 Probably not a good idea. And then it starts getting colder 900 00:51:30.835 --> 00:51:31.885 than we anticipated. 901 00:51:31.985 --> 00:51:33.325 And then the wind picks up. 902 00:51:33.445 --> 00:51:35.565 I mean, it's howling through the trees. 903 00:51:36.585 --> 00:51:38.005 And then snowflakes start to fall. 904 00:51:39.475 --> 00:51:41.125 Like, man, did anybody check the weather? 905 00:51:42.405 --> 00:51:43.685 I mean, it is the end of February. 906 00:51:44.425 --> 00:51:46.485 And so we go in our tents, 907 00:51:46.705 --> 00:51:49.045 and I'm saying, when I'm saying the wind was loud, 908 00:51:49.385 --> 00:51:51.365 you started to hear limbs snap off. 909 00:51:51.385 --> 00:51:54.005 It sounded like trees were falling, rolling down the hill. 910 00:51:54.005 --> 00:51:57.365 You're like, could, could a limb or a tree fall 911 00:51:57.385 --> 00:51:58.525 and run over our tent? 912 00:51:58.525 --> 00:51:59.645 And I like opened the tent 913 00:51:59.645 --> 00:52:00.725 to see if there were any trees blocked. 914 00:52:00.765 --> 00:52:03.085 I was like, absolutely it could, it definitely could. 915 00:52:05.275 --> 00:52:07.805 Finally fell asleep. Woke up at two 30 in the morning. 916 00:52:07.985 --> 00:52:09.125 My feet were freezing. 917 00:52:09.445 --> 00:52:11.245 I opened up my flashlight, turned on the light. 918 00:52:11.405 --> 00:52:13.165 'cause we were down here. I'm like on a slope, right? 919 00:52:13.185 --> 00:52:14.965 And my feet are down here 920 00:52:15.025 --> 00:52:17.245 and there's like three inches of cold water in the tent. 921 00:52:17.365 --> 00:52:18.765 'cause of course we didn't have a rain fly. 922 00:52:19.465 --> 00:52:22.325 And it's like frozen, frothy water by the bottom 923 00:52:22.345 --> 00:52:23.565 of my sleeping bag is soaked. 924 00:52:23.585 --> 00:52:24.765 My, my socks are soaked. 925 00:52:25.625 --> 00:52:27.685 So I kind of try to lay at an angle, which kind 926 00:52:27.685 --> 00:52:30.605 of makes you roll down the hill, finally fall back asleep, 927 00:52:30.635 --> 00:52:32.005 wake up the next morning, we get up, 928 00:52:32.005 --> 00:52:33.645 there's about five inches of snow on the ground 929 00:52:36.545 --> 00:52:38.285 in the snow with no trail markers. 930 00:52:38.315 --> 00:52:39.925 It's hard to figure out how to get out. 931 00:52:40.985 --> 00:52:42.205 And so we pack up camp, 932 00:52:42.225 --> 00:52:44.005 we realize we're pretty much outta water, 933 00:52:44.465 --> 00:52:47.445 and we hiked for about six hours, very lost. 934 00:52:48.345 --> 00:52:49.965 And then somehow we get back to the car 935 00:52:50.985 --> 00:52:54.125 and, uh, start heading back. 936 00:52:54.545 --> 00:52:57.445 Um, just as a heads up, uh, 937 00:52:58.055 --> 00:52:59.885 Craig ate snow off the side 938 00:52:59.885 --> 00:53:01.485 of the mountain the whole time we were there, 939 00:53:01.835 --> 00:53:03.885 even though I advised him against it, he ended up having 940 00:53:03.885 --> 00:53:05.805 to go to the emergency room that night, was in the hospital 941 00:53:05.905 --> 00:53:07.885 for five days with a bacteria infection. 942 00:53:08.115 --> 00:53:09.325 He's okay. Now we can laugh about it. 943 00:53:09.745 --> 00:53:12.245 Um, why do I tell you that? 944 00:53:13.115 --> 00:53:14.965 Because we went into that unprepared. 945 00:53:15.025 --> 00:53:17.845 If you Google is linville gorge dangerous? 946 00:53:17.845 --> 00:53:19.485 Like you will get all kinds of warnings. 947 00:53:19.485 --> 00:53:20.765 This is not a, we didn't have 948 00:53:20.765 --> 00:53:21.885 Google back then, I don't think. 949 00:53:22.305 --> 00:53:23.885 We didn't use it. But he would find like, 950 00:53:23.885 --> 00:53:25.765 do not go into this place without maps. 951 00:53:25.945 --> 00:53:27.845 The trails are not marked. Well, it would say, you need 952 00:53:27.845 --> 00:53:31.085 to take these things with you when you go, being rescued out 953 00:53:31.085 --> 00:53:32.205 of this place is difficult. 954 00:53:32.465 --> 00:53:35.445 Why do I tell you this? Because my concern, like my heart, 955 00:53:36.185 --> 00:53:41.125 is that so many of us in the church are going through life 956 00:53:42.365 --> 00:53:47.185 and we're unprepared because we haven't rooted our lives 957 00:53:48.015 --> 00:53:49.425 into the truth of God's word. 958 00:53:50.765 --> 00:53:52.865 And Paul's saying, no, no, I'm writing this to you. 959 00:53:53.245 --> 00:53:56.785 So, so that you can have knowledge of the truth so 960 00:53:56.785 --> 00:53:58.625 that it will lead to godliness, to the life 961 00:53:58.625 --> 00:54:00.865 that created you to live. 962 00:54:01.805 --> 00:54:03.905 But if we don't root ourselves in God's word, 963 00:54:04.045 --> 00:54:05.945 I'm gonna tell you from experience what's gonna happen. 964 00:54:06.125 --> 00:54:08.385 You're gonna wake up one morning, metaphorically speaking, 965 00:54:08.645 --> 00:54:10.505 and there's gonna be four inches of snow on the ground. 966 00:54:11.525 --> 00:54:14.185 You're gonna be trying to go to bed at night, and the winds 967 00:54:14.185 --> 00:54:15.265 and the storms are coming 968 00:54:15.265 --> 00:54:16.585 whether you want 'em to come or not. 969 00:54:20.395 --> 00:54:22.245 What, what do we do as followers of Christ? 970 00:54:22.265 --> 00:54:23.645 If we're not rooted in God's word, 971 00:54:25.505 --> 00:54:27.405 if the map is wrong, the journey goes wrong. 972 00:54:28.545 --> 00:54:31.525 The directions that we trust, shapes where we end up. 973 00:54:33.305 --> 00:54:37.205 The world will give us a map. But where is it leading? 974 00:54:37.865 --> 00:54:40.885 So why does doctrine matter? It's not to make us smarter. 975 00:54:41.625 --> 00:54:43.165 Uh, it's not to win arguments. 976 00:54:44.355 --> 00:54:46.125 It's certainly not to impress people. 977 00:54:47.585 --> 00:54:49.405 It matters because it leads to godliness. 978 00:54:49.545 --> 00:54:52.405 It matters because it gives us an eternal hope in the midst 979 00:54:52.425 --> 00:54:54.205 of whatever we find ourselves in our lives. 980 00:54:54.205 --> 00:54:56.085 It matters because it came from God 981 00:54:56.265 --> 00:54:59.325 and it was handed to us in love to experience life 982 00:54:59.885 --> 00:55:01.565 ultimately, that Jesus came to make available 983 00:55:01.585 --> 00:55:02.765 to us in our lives. 984 00:55:04.875 --> 00:55:05.815 As we wrap up, I'm just, 985 00:55:05.835 --> 00:55:06.815 I'm just gonna have you by your head. 986 00:55:07.755 --> 00:55:11.615 And, um, I am believing this weekend that there is 987 00:55:12.205 --> 00:55:14.175 some man or woman or student across all 988 00:55:14.175 --> 00:55:16.215 of our campuses right now, maybe in this room right now, 989 00:55:16.215 --> 00:55:20.335 maybe you're listening online, who is going through life 990 00:55:22.995 --> 00:55:25.055 and recognizes, man, I've been going through this thing. 991 00:55:25.085 --> 00:55:28.375 Like I have no idea where this map came from 992 00:55:28.375 --> 00:55:31.255 that I'm following and I'm hoping for the best 993 00:55:31.315 --> 00:55:32.375 and I'm coming up dry. 994 00:55:36.035 --> 00:55:38.575 And if that's you, I want you to know there is a truth 995 00:55:38.575 --> 00:55:40.895 that leads to life and it's found in Jesus. 996 00:55:42.595 --> 00:55:43.495 And you might think, yeah, yeah, 997 00:55:43.495 --> 00:55:44.575 yeah, but you don't know what I've done. 998 00:55:44.575 --> 00:55:46.495 I've gone too far. You wanna talk about being on the right 999 00:55:46.495 --> 00:55:47.495 path with the right map. 1000 00:55:47.815 --> 00:55:49.175 I am in a totally different state, 1001 00:55:49.335 --> 00:55:51.695 a totally different country, a totally different planet. 1002 00:55:51.915 --> 00:55:53.695 But that's the good news of the gospel. 1003 00:55:53.955 --> 00:55:55.295 It doesn't matter where you've been, 1004 00:55:55.295 --> 00:55:56.575 it doesn't matter what you've done. 1005 00:55:56.825 --> 00:55:58.895 Everything is level at the foot of the cross. 1006 00:56:01.275 --> 00:56:03.615 And if that's you, I wanna call you gently 1007 00:56:03.615 --> 00:56:06.055 but firmly into responding to the gospel. 1008 00:56:08.155 --> 00:56:10.415 And so I'm just gonna give you an invitation right now with, 1009 00:56:10.415 --> 00:56:14.695 with every head down, with every eye closed except for mine. 1010 00:56:17.555 --> 00:56:20.335 If that's you, right Now across all of our campuses, 1011 00:56:20.715 --> 00:56:22.415 and I know it could be weird, I'm on a screen, 1012 00:56:22.435 --> 00:56:23.810 but if that's you and you want 1013 00:56:23.810 --> 00:56:26.525 to step over into this new life following 1014 00:56:26.525 --> 00:56:28.685 after Jesus, I just would ask you, would you just, 1015 00:56:28.695 --> 00:56:30.045 would you just slip your hand in the air? 1016 00:56:36.355 --> 00:56:36.645 Yeah. 1017 00:56:42.825 --> 00:56:43.965 It is the best decision that 1018 00:56:43.965 --> 00:56:45.005 you could ever make in your life. 1019 00:56:46.865 --> 00:56:48.645 And I'm gonna ask you to do something bold here. 1020 00:56:48.785 --> 00:56:51.605 Um, and I know, again, it could be weird if I'm on a screen, 1021 00:56:52.505 --> 00:56:53.845 I'm just gonna ask you just to open your 1022 00:56:53.845 --> 00:56:55.685 eyes just to look up at me. 1023 00:57:00.765 --> 00:57:02.445 I just want you to pray this prayer after me. 1024 00:57:02.445 --> 00:57:06.205 Father, I recognize I've been doing life my own way. 1025 00:57:09.165 --> 00:57:11.285 I wanna make a decision to trust in Jesus 1026 00:57:11.825 --> 00:57:13.125 as my Lord and as my savior. 1027 00:57:13.805 --> 00:57:17.485 I recognize that he died on a cross for my sins, 1028 00:57:18.425 --> 00:57:20.565 and that he rose from the grave three days later 1029 00:57:21.415 --> 00:57:23.885 overcoming sin and death so that I could have new life. 1030 00:57:26.475 --> 00:57:27.765 Lord, help me to follow you. 1031 00:57:30.315 --> 00:57:33.285 Help the roots of my life to dig deep into doctrine, 1032 00:57:33.285 --> 00:57:36.925 into the knowledge of the truth, So 1033 00:57:36.925 --> 00:57:38.565 that we can be transformed into the image 1034 00:57:38.565 --> 00:57:42.885 of Jesus and everyone else. 1035 00:57:43.105 --> 00:57:47.045 Uh, I'm just gonna, to those of us in here who are followers 1036 00:57:47.045 --> 00:57:49.405 of Christ, um, I'm gonna give you an opportunity 1037 00:57:49.405 --> 00:57:50.405 to make a decision as well. 1038 00:57:50.445 --> 00:57:52.165 I want you to have a moment, and I want 1039 00:57:52.165 --> 00:57:53.205 you to ask yourself this question. 1040 00:57:53.465 --> 00:57:56.565 Am I intentionally pursuing scripture in a way 1041 00:57:56.565 --> 00:57:58.205 that can transform my life? 1042 00:57:58.945 --> 00:58:03.005 And if you're not, but you wanna make a declaration right 1043 00:58:03.005 --> 00:58:05.085 here, right now, maybe it's 1044 00:58:05.085 --> 00:58:06.605 through this series, something's gonna be different. 1045 00:58:06.665 --> 00:58:09.205 I'm gonna engage but with God through reading scripture. 1046 00:58:09.305 --> 00:58:12.205 If that is you, I want to pray for you. 1047 00:58:12.225 --> 00:58:13.765 And so if that's you, would you just raise your hand 1048 00:58:13.765 --> 00:58:14.845 up in the air right now? 1049 00:58:15.835 --> 00:58:20.765 Yeah. Yeah. Goodness gracious. 1050 00:58:20.985 --> 00:58:22.525 If thousands of men and women 1051 00:58:22.545 --> 00:58:26.205 and students would just take seriously the opportunity 1052 00:58:26.205 --> 00:58:28.765 that we have to engage God through scripture. 1053 00:58:28.765 --> 00:58:30.205 Father, I come to you and pray right now, 1054 00:58:30.205 --> 00:58:33.005 and I pray for these men and these women and these students. 1055 00:58:33.435 --> 00:58:36.045 Lord, I pray that your spirit would do a work in our heart 1056 00:58:36.475 --> 00:58:39.405 that, that I could never do through wise words 1057 00:58:40.065 --> 00:58:42.605 or that you would convict us, that you would put, um, 1058 00:58:42.965 --> 00:58:46.525 a desire for your word on our heart like honey on our lips. 1059 00:58:48.265 --> 00:58:49.445 And Lord, I pray that it, 1060 00:58:49.865 --> 00:58:52.285 we would not just grow in our knowledge of the truth, 1061 00:58:52.985 --> 00:58:54.405 but it'll be a knowledge of the truth 1062 00:58:54.405 --> 00:58:55.445 that leads to godliness. 1063 00:58:55.445 --> 00:58:57.085 That it would change our lives 1064 00:58:59.265 --> 00:59:02.165 or that we would be transformed into the image of Christ. 1065 00:59:04.625 --> 00:59:06.965 May we be a church God who intentionally pursues 1066 00:59:07.505 --> 00:59:11.725 the knowledge of the truth, Not just for the sake 1067 00:59:11.725 --> 00:59:13.125 of transformation in our own lives, 1068 00:59:13.185 --> 00:59:14.525 but also for the lives 1069 00:59:14.545 --> 00:59:16.005 of those whom you have placed around us. 1070 00:59:16.005 --> 00:59:18.605 Lord, we love you and we pray these things in Jesus' name. 1071 00:59:19.345 --> 00:59:21.525 All God's people said, amen. 1072 00:59:21.545 --> 00:59:22.765 Hey, listen, um, 1073 00:59:24.505 --> 00:59:27.525 Sam Cannoli here at the Raleigh campus, if you're joining 1074 00:59:27.525 --> 00:59:28.525 with us, uh, online 1075 00:59:28.585 --> 00:59:31.045 or at our other campuses, they we're playing, 1076 00:59:31.045 --> 00:59:32.405 this is the air I breathe earlier. 1077 00:59:32.705 --> 00:59:33.725 And you know, I mentioned to you, 1078 00:59:33.725 --> 00:59:37.205 our theology should shape our doctrine to our, our doctrine, 1079 00:59:37.205 --> 00:59:40.405 but our theology should form our doxology, 1080 00:59:40.415 --> 00:59:43.725 which is really our response in celebrating the goodness 1081 00:59:43.945 --> 00:59:44.965 and the glory of God. 1082 00:59:45.465 --> 00:59:46.525 And when I heard them singing 1083 00:59:46.525 --> 00:59:48.445 that song like this is my daily bread, 1084 00:59:48.515 --> 00:59:50.365 your very word spoken to me. 1085 00:59:50.595 --> 00:59:51.925 This is the air I breathe. 1086 00:59:52.725 --> 00:59:54.565 I thought, man, what a better song. 1087 00:59:54.565 --> 00:59:56.325 What a better response, Lord, 1088 00:59:56.625 --> 00:59:58.885 we need your word in this life. 1089 00:59:58.885 --> 01:00:00.965 Like we need the breath in our lungs. 1090 01:00:01.625 --> 01:00:02.805 And so I'm just gonna invite you 1091 01:00:02.805 --> 01:00:04.605 to stand across all of our campuses. 1092 01:00:04.605 --> 01:00:06.285 We're gonna join and we're gonna sing this together 1093 01:00:06.385 --> 01:00:07.845 as one big family of families. 1094 01:00:08.045 --> 01:00:09.485 I just wanna invite you to stand and sing. 1095 01:00:15.955 --> 01:00:17.405 This is the, 1096 01:00:23.315 --> 01:00:24.405 this is the 1097 01:00:35.625 --> 01:00:38.805 living in 1098 01:00:39.105 --> 01:00:39.325 Me, 1099 01:00:52.105 --> 01:00:52.325 My 1100 01:01:08.705 --> 01:01:09.125 on church. 1101 01:01:16.605 --> 01:01:18.405 I, you, 1102 01:01:30.295 --> 01:01:32.495 I I'm lost without you. 1103 01:01:35.785 --> 01:01:38.535 Let's say that again. And die. And 1104 01:01:38.875 --> 01:01:43.495 Die Desperate. 1105 01:01:44.395 --> 01:01:46.015 I'm desperate for you. 1106 01:02:04.525 --> 01:02:09.215 This is the air I've read. This is 1107 01:02:54.665 --> 01:02:55.085 spoken. 1108 01:03:00.025 --> 01:03:00.245 And 1109 01:03:07.475 --> 01:03:07.595 I 1110 01:03:21.225 --> 01:03:22.465 i am lost without 1111 01:03:26.105 --> 01:03:28.625 Sing, I'm lost Without you, I'm lost. 1112 01:03:28.815 --> 01:03:33.585 Without sing 1113 01:03:33.585 --> 01:03:36.345 that again, without 1114 01:03:39.685 --> 01:03:40.945 say, I can't live without you. 1115 01:03:41.745 --> 01:03:43.905 I can't live without you. 1116 01:03:47.085 --> 01:03:49.745 Say I'm desperate. I'm desperate for 1117 01:03:54.925 --> 01:03:55.465 one more time, 1118 01:04:03.405 --> 01:04:04.335 desperate for 1119 01:04:31.075 --> 01:04:32.075 God. You are a 1120 01:04:32.075 --> 01:04:32.375 provider 1121 01:04:33.995 --> 01:04:37.175 and you make a way out of the darkness, out 1122 01:04:37.175 --> 01:04:38.615 of the lostness through your son Jesus. 1123 01:04:39.675 --> 01:04:44.375 We give you thanks for that. And in His name we pray, amen. 1124 01:04:45.915 --> 01:04:48.615 We hope it has been a good time to be together. 1125 01:04:48.815 --> 01:04:51.735 I want to encourage you, as the Holy Spirit 1126 01:04:51.735 --> 01:04:53.655 of God has stirred anything in your heart 1127 01:04:53.715 --> 01:04:56.575 and your thoughts to, to make a move toward him 1128 01:04:56.755 --> 01:04:58.175 or maybe a move towards community. 1129 01:04:58.555 --> 01:05:01.575 Uh, don't, uh, don't leave the campus 1130 01:05:01.575 --> 01:05:02.735 that you're at without stopping 1131 01:05:02.835 --> 01:05:04.335 by next steps and having a conversation. 1132 01:05:04.355 --> 01:05:05.415 And if you're joining online 1133 01:05:05.415 --> 01:05:06.935 or listening later, uh, 1134 01:05:06.945 --> 01:05:09.015 don't leave without dropping a note in the chat 1135 01:05:09.235 --> 01:05:12.295 or texting the word follow to 7 2 9 8 9. 1136 01:05:12.305 --> 01:05:15.775 We'll be in touch with you. Uh, one more thing before we go. 1137 01:05:15.775 --> 01:05:17.790 As Jason mentioned, uh, celebrating all 1138 01:05:17.790 --> 01:05:20.325 of our graduating high school seniors across all 1139 01:05:20.325 --> 01:05:22.365 of our communities and all of our campuses. 1140 01:05:22.665 --> 01:05:24.205 And before we go, we just want 1141 01:05:24.205 --> 01:05:26.645 to pray a commissioning prayer over them. 1142 01:05:27.065 --> 01:05:28.885 And so if you're in the room with us 1143 01:05:28.885 --> 01:05:30.205 and you're near a high school senior, 1144 01:05:30.425 --> 01:05:32.525 and it's not gonna be too weird, I just encourage you, 1145 01:05:32.525 --> 01:05:35.445 like put a hand on a shoulder and pray with them. 1146 01:05:35.545 --> 01:05:37.805 Or if you're online, when you're get 1147 01:05:37.805 --> 01:05:39.645 to wherever you're going, send a text 1148 01:05:39.645 --> 01:05:41.485 to a high school senior and encourage them maybe 1149 01:05:41.485 --> 01:05:42.485 with some words from this prayer. 1150 01:05:42.485 --> 01:05:45.125 Would you join me in prayer? Father, you are so good 1151 01:05:45.995 --> 01:05:47.605 that you've called us into this family 1152 01:05:47.665 --> 01:05:49.285 of families called the church. 1153 01:05:50.105 --> 01:05:53.965 Uh, we are blessed as a church family to have 1154 01:05:54.715 --> 01:05:57.805 literally hundreds of high school students is a part 1155 01:05:57.805 --> 01:05:59.365 of this ministry that you've given us. 1156 01:05:59.385 --> 01:06:01.965 And we are blessed to have, uh, hundreds 1157 01:06:01.985 --> 01:06:05.525 of seniors graduating in our communities who are moving on 1158 01:06:05.525 --> 01:06:06.605 to what you have for them. 1159 01:06:06.675 --> 01:06:10.605 Next, uh, Lord, as a church, we work hard, uh, 1160 01:06:10.605 --> 01:06:13.125 to see these young men and women, uh, 1161 01:06:13.125 --> 01:06:16.565 have a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that they own 1162 01:06:16.625 --> 01:06:19.045 for themselves and that they pass on to others. 1163 01:06:19.545 --> 01:06:22.085 And that is what we are commissioning them into 1164 01:06:22.625 --> 01:06:24.925 in the coming weeks, the coming months, in the coming years, 1165 01:06:24.985 --> 01:06:26.645 no matter what their accomplishments are, 1166 01:06:27.035 --> 01:06:30.405 that their greatest source of strength would be the truth 1167 01:06:30.405 --> 01:06:32.245 of your word and the power of your spirit 1168 01:06:32.245 --> 01:06:34.045 and the grace of your son Jesus Christ. 1169 01:06:34.545 --> 01:06:36.285 And their greatest energy 1170 01:06:36.285 --> 01:06:39.885 and efforts will be put toward bringing more people into the 1171 01:06:39.885 --> 01:06:42.525 family of God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. 1172 01:06:43.065 --> 01:06:45.565 May they be surrounded by godly men 1173 01:06:45.565 --> 01:06:48.685 and women wherever they go that would challenge them 1174 01:06:48.785 --> 01:06:51.165 and spur them on toward love and good deeds. 1175 01:06:51.165 --> 01:06:53.925 In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. 1176 01:06:54.395 --> 01:06:57.045 Next week we'll continue our field note study in Titus. 1177 01:06:57.045 --> 01:06:58.965 We hope that you'll share this message with somebody 1178 01:06:58.985 --> 01:06:59.765 and we'll see you then.