WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.440 Thanks for listening. 00:00:56.100 --> 00:01:14.800 Well, good morning. 00:01:15.740 --> 00:01:21.180 If you've got your Bibles with you, go ahead and open them up to Luke chapter 18 is where 00:01:21.180 --> 00:01:22.440 we're going to be this morning. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:29.520 As we've been kind of working our way through the gospel of Luke since Christmas, we've been 00:01:29.520 --> 00:01:34.640 not going through necessarily verse by verse, but making sure we're strategic and focusing 00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:36.260 in on several passages. 00:01:36.580 --> 00:01:41.560 And so as you, have you been navigating through this journey with us, you'll see if you kind 00:01:41.560 --> 00:01:47.320 of look ahead into chapter 19, that next week where we're going to find ourselves is the 00:01:47.320 --> 00:01:53.500 triumphal entry that Jesus is getting closer and closer to approaching Jerusalem, which 00:01:53.500 --> 00:02:01.040 means the cross is more, is nearer than it was before as his ministry is culminating and 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:02.120 as he's heading there. 00:02:02.220 --> 00:02:07.300 And so what we're going to notice and see is not that Jesus has been soft before because 00:02:07.300 --> 00:02:14.080 he hasn't, but he's loosening the filter a little bit of what he's saying and the impact 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:17.080 and being a little bit more blunt in his teaching. 00:02:17.500 --> 00:02:21.840 And we're going to see that in three verses that we're going to look at this morning. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:25.380 Luke 18, we'll start reading at verse 15 in just a moment. 00:02:25.500 --> 00:02:27.820 Before we do that, though, let's go to the Lord in prayer. 00:02:28.760 --> 00:02:33.420 God, I thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity to be gathered in here together. 00:02:34.580 --> 00:02:38.340 Lord, I thank you that we have the opportunity to sing songs to you. 00:02:38.500 --> 00:02:41.020 Lord, that we have an opportunity to open your word. 00:02:41.640 --> 00:02:49.220 And Lord, I pray that as we study this morning, as I share, Lord, as we read, as we pray, Lord, 00:02:49.260 --> 00:02:55.140 that you would open hearts and open minds to hear your message, Lord, and that we would 00:02:55.140 --> 00:03:01.620 be transformed more and more into the image of Christ, Lord, and that that is who we would 00:03:01.620 --> 00:03:06.760 radiate and what people would see and what they would come to know simply, Lord, by being 00:03:06.760 --> 00:03:11.680 near us, by hearing the words that we speak and seeing the actions that we share. 00:03:12.700 --> 00:03:15.260 And so, Lord, I thank you for every individual that is in here. 00:03:16.360 --> 00:03:20.180 Lord, as we're just going to be reminded in your words and here in just a moment, Lord, 00:03:20.180 --> 00:03:27.460 we are so grateful for our children who are gathered right now as well, worshiping you, 00:03:28.500 --> 00:03:38.120 studying your word, offering prayers, and maybe just maybe, Lord, maybe one or few or many right 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:42.660 now in this moment could come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior, and we'll celebrate 00:03:42.660 --> 00:03:43.380 you for it. 00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:45.080 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:03:45.600 --> 00:03:45.900 Amen. 00:03:46.480 --> 00:03:46.720 Amen. 00:03:47.320 --> 00:03:52.500 What Jesus is, he's loosening that filter a little bit, speaking bold words. 00:03:52.500 --> 00:03:57.700 What we're going to notice today is Jesus is really going to kind of go counterculture. 00:03:58.660 --> 00:04:03.740 And Jesus is going to go counterculture, not with the Pharisees that we're kind of used 00:04:03.740 --> 00:04:08.680 to, where we're used to the Pharisees saying or doing something, and Jesus stepping in and 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:11.040 going, hold up, time out, that's not what you're going to do. 00:04:11.180 --> 00:04:15.760 But what we're going to see here this morning is that Jesus is going to do that with the 00:04:15.760 --> 00:04:16.220 disciples. 00:04:17.260 --> 00:04:20.920 Jesus is going to go to those who should get it, those who should know, those who've been 00:04:20.920 --> 00:04:23.680 encountered this, go, hold up, time out, you're missing it. 00:04:23.860 --> 00:04:29.060 Let me correct you and set you on the path that you need to understand as he's headed in 00:04:29.060 --> 00:04:31.160 his obedience toward Jerusalem. 00:04:31.400 --> 00:04:34.140 So let's start reading Luke 18, verse 15. 00:04:35.080 --> 00:04:40.380 It says, now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. 00:04:41.100 --> 00:04:44.380 And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked him. 00:04:44.900 --> 00:04:51.520 But Jesus called them to him saying, let the children come to me and do not hinder them 00:04:51.520 --> 00:04:53.800 for such belongs the kingdom of God. 00:04:54.140 --> 00:05:00.500 Verse 17, truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall 00:05:00.500 --> 00:05:01.260 not enter it. 00:05:02.460 --> 00:05:02.800 All right. 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:07.320 Now, this is the passage, these three verses, what we're going to look at this morning. 00:05:07.320 --> 00:05:14.400 And if we're not careful, we'll only see the children as the illustration. 00:05:15.180 --> 00:05:18.520 And now we're going to do that at the end of the message. 00:05:18.620 --> 00:05:23.860 We're going to take like the back half and understand this illustration that Jesus is giving us. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:28.800 But if we're not careful, that's the entirety of the message is the illustration. 00:05:29.300 --> 00:05:32.780 But verse 16 is something that we also need to see as well. 00:05:32.780 --> 00:05:40.520 And what Jesus is going to do is establish the value of children for the disciples to understand. 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:44.120 Now, remember, the disciples are going to be the church planners. 00:05:44.960 --> 00:05:50.300 The disciples are going to be the ones carrying on and moving forward in the mission of God 00:05:50.300 --> 00:05:52.420 when Jesus ascends into heaven. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:57.560 They're going to be the one filling the streets of Jerusalem and going out all over Europe, 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:02.760 North Africa, the Middle East, and some all the way even to as far as India 00:06:02.760 --> 00:06:04.860 and carrying and proclaiming the gospel. 00:06:05.200 --> 00:06:09.180 And so as Jesus corrects or rebukes those disciples, 00:06:09.500 --> 00:06:12.160 like he here establishes like, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. 00:06:12.360 --> 00:06:17.820 These are God's creation too, equally made in the image and likeness of God as you have. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:21.140 And so we've got to understand the value of children. 00:06:21.140 --> 00:06:24.640 And it's what comes out in these first two verses that we read. 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:31.100 Now, Jesus is a known person and people flock to him. 00:06:31.960 --> 00:06:35.580 When people hear that Jesus is coming into town, 00:06:35.960 --> 00:06:39.240 that for some of them he is a spectacle that they must see. 00:06:40.040 --> 00:06:44.440 They've heard stories and they want to find out who he is for themselves, 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:48.760 maybe not necessarily for salvation, but for other reasons. 00:06:49.740 --> 00:06:51.200 Jesus is a known person. 00:06:51.400 --> 00:06:53.520 He's known as a healer. 00:06:53.520 --> 00:06:59.700 I mean, just imagine if you've gotten word that there's this man who has brought dead people back to life, 00:06:59.780 --> 00:07:02.160 that is called blind people to see again, 00:07:02.320 --> 00:07:06.440 that is literally walked up to people who have been paralyzed, 00:07:06.840 --> 00:07:08.700 who have been lame their entire life. 00:07:08.900 --> 00:07:12.040 And Jesus says, get up and go. 00:07:12.300 --> 00:07:15.400 And they stand themselves up, 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:17.800 not with weak legs anymore, 00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:21.260 but with the full strength that an adult would have. 00:07:21.260 --> 00:07:23.100 And immediately they begin to walk. 00:07:23.340 --> 00:07:24.740 You'd be like, man, I need to check that out. 00:07:25.320 --> 00:07:26.600 Like, he's coming to town. 00:07:27.500 --> 00:07:31.540 Like, he can do things that normal people can't do, 00:07:31.640 --> 00:07:33.860 even if you don't think he's the Messiah. 00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:36.140 There's some things about him. 00:07:36.180 --> 00:07:37.780 You're like, I got to check this out. 00:07:38.260 --> 00:07:39.580 So people flock to him. 00:07:40.220 --> 00:07:44.440 Also, Jesus is a teacher that's different than the norm. 00:07:44.640 --> 00:07:44.780 All right? 00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:48.580 Now, every so often, I feel like, politically speaking, 00:07:48.680 --> 00:07:50.640 what kind of happens in our country, 00:07:50.900 --> 00:07:53.880 regardless of what side that you may fall on, 00:07:54.020 --> 00:07:57.360 is that there's someone who comes out in your political party 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:00.340 who kind of goes a little bit counter against 00:08:00.340 --> 00:08:03.340 and maybe speaks into an area that you're like, 00:08:03.420 --> 00:08:04.380 oh, I like that. 00:08:04.440 --> 00:08:06.100 I want to hear some more about that. 00:08:06.340 --> 00:08:08.940 And so we dive into that. 00:08:09.060 --> 00:08:11.320 Like, the first time that I can remember that happening, 00:08:11.380 --> 00:08:12.200 I don't know if you remember this, 00:08:12.280 --> 00:08:14.500 was when the Ross Perot thing happened, right? 00:08:14.960 --> 00:08:16.820 And so Ross Perot came and people were like, 00:08:16.900 --> 00:08:19.460 whoa, that's some things that I like. 00:08:19.520 --> 00:08:22.900 Let's go find this out and hear more of what he has to say. 00:08:22.900 --> 00:08:27.160 Well, there's kind of been that movement within Christ as well. 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:29.740 In Jesus' ministry, he's a teacher 00:08:29.740 --> 00:08:32.560 that's going a little bit different than the norm. 00:08:32.880 --> 00:08:34.700 And so people hear he's coming into town, right? 00:08:34.760 --> 00:08:36.860 Like, they can't get on YouTube and watch him. 00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:37.620 He's here. 00:08:37.720 --> 00:08:39.220 Let me go find out what he has to say. 00:08:39.880 --> 00:08:42.240 He's also done some things that are different 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:46.320 that would have caused specifically different groups of people 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:48.420 to feel like, man, that's someone I can approach. 00:08:49.400 --> 00:08:52.660 One of the things that maybe we don't emphasize enough, 00:08:52.660 --> 00:08:53.680 but we need to, 00:08:54.420 --> 00:08:56.540 is Jesus not just including, 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:01.420 but Jesus welcoming and valuing women. 00:09:02.680 --> 00:09:04.520 And it's been the case throughout Scripture 00:09:04.520 --> 00:09:07.780 of what God does and how God works and God moves 00:09:07.780 --> 00:09:10.220 as men and women both made in the image of God 00:09:10.220 --> 00:09:11.240 in the Imago Dei. 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:14.400 And so Jesus' teaching is like, 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:18.160 no, no, I know before this was only like for guys, 00:09:18.160 --> 00:09:20.420 but ladies, like you can come forward too. 00:09:21.240 --> 00:09:24.580 And we see in his ministry and those that are surrounding him 00:09:24.580 --> 00:09:26.700 that his inner circle is not just men, 00:09:26.780 --> 00:09:28.300 but his inner circle is women as well. 00:09:28.640 --> 00:09:31.100 And then on a whole other side, 00:09:31.180 --> 00:09:32.800 the group of people, both men and women, 00:09:32.860 --> 00:09:33.720 who have been excluded, 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:36.180 you got to think there's people who are sinners, 00:09:36.400 --> 00:09:38.480 who have been culturally established, 00:09:38.620 --> 00:09:40.320 that they're not the norm and they can't come. 00:09:40.380 --> 00:09:42.680 And Jesus says, no, no, no, no, I welcome you. 00:09:43.420 --> 00:09:45.600 So as Jesus walks into these towns 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.060 until he says things that makes people mad 00:09:48.060 --> 00:09:49.620 and causes them to scramble, 00:09:49.760 --> 00:09:50.580 a lot of these people are like, 00:09:50.640 --> 00:09:53.280 no, he heals dead people, he welcomes sinners, 00:09:53.540 --> 00:09:56.080 he welcomes women, he's going counterculture. 00:09:56.340 --> 00:09:58.160 Man, I wanna hear what he has to say. 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:00.660 He's kind of got like this phenomenon 00:10:00.660 --> 00:10:01.920 that is following him. 00:10:02.100 --> 00:10:04.660 And so what we see here is that as Jesus enters 00:10:04.660 --> 00:10:06.440 into this town, as he's teaching, 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.420 there are people who are hearing this buzz about who he is. 00:10:09.620 --> 00:10:12.640 And so they're like, let's bring our babies to him, right? 00:10:12.940 --> 00:10:14.880 Let's get close to him. 00:10:14.880 --> 00:10:18.820 And literally what they're doing is as Jesus passes by, 00:10:18.940 --> 00:10:20.520 when Jesus sits down to teach, 00:10:20.740 --> 00:10:22.240 they're like, hey, hold my baby. 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:23.860 Hold him. 00:10:24.880 --> 00:10:28.700 That by you holding and touching my child, 00:10:28.940 --> 00:10:30.780 that my child might be blessed. 00:10:30.920 --> 00:10:33.860 Now, not because he's the savior, right? 00:10:33.900 --> 00:10:34.960 That's not their motive, 00:10:35.780 --> 00:10:38.720 but because of what they may believe him to be, 00:10:38.820 --> 00:10:40.060 whether he is that or not. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:42.720 And the disciples see this happening. 00:10:44.100 --> 00:10:45.720 And the disciples are like, no, we got an agenda. 00:10:46.740 --> 00:10:47.680 We got things to do. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:49.800 We got people of importance. 00:10:49.920 --> 00:10:51.860 We got people of value, right? 00:10:51.920 --> 00:10:55.340 The disciples are more maybe used to the ladies coming forward 00:10:55.340 --> 00:10:56.900 and the sinners coming forward, 00:10:57.060 --> 00:10:59.360 but babies, what is this? 00:10:59.460 --> 00:11:01.600 And so if the movement for them, 00:11:01.660 --> 00:11:03.520 if this movement is gonna happen, right? 00:11:03.680 --> 00:11:07.080 Like it won't be because of toddlers and babies, Jesus. 00:11:07.280 --> 00:11:10.040 Let's clear these out from where you are. 00:11:10.100 --> 00:11:11.720 But look back at verse 16. 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:14.000 But Jesus called to him saying, 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:16.180 let the children come to me. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:19.880 Do not hinder them for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 00:11:20.020 --> 00:11:23.120 Now, at this point, Jesus isn't giving us the illustration. 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:27.400 Jesus is placing value on kids right there in that moment. 00:11:28.140 --> 00:11:30.860 So the illustration is gonna come in the next breath. 00:11:31.140 --> 00:11:34.880 But right now, who are you to stop a child from coming to me? 00:11:35.640 --> 00:11:41.500 In fact, clear the way, bring on the babies, right? 00:11:41.680 --> 00:11:43.220 This is Jesus's ministry. 00:11:43.540 --> 00:11:44.380 This is his life. 00:11:44.600 --> 00:11:45.320 This is who he is. 00:11:45.520 --> 00:11:47.640 And so a couple of things before we kind of dive 00:11:47.640 --> 00:11:49.420 into the illustration of this, 00:11:49.520 --> 00:11:52.180 I want us to understand that children need to come to Jesus. 00:11:53.340 --> 00:11:55.020 And as a church, as adults, 00:11:56.400 --> 00:11:59.380 as men and women who say we're mature in our faith, 00:11:59.640 --> 00:12:02.640 we need to make sure that we understand that 00:12:02.640 --> 00:12:04.880 and that we implement that and that we don't fall. 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:06.160 Parents, listen to me, 00:12:06.420 --> 00:12:07.540 children's ministry workers, 00:12:07.680 --> 00:12:09.160 or those of you who are hearing this 00:12:09.160 --> 00:12:10.660 who should be serving in children's ministry, 00:12:10.860 --> 00:12:12.040 but you're not, right? 00:12:12.180 --> 00:12:13.120 Listen to this, okay? 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:16.640 The Bible is not just for good moral teaching 00:12:16.640 --> 00:12:18.900 so that our kids will behave. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:22.800 It's not that for you. 00:12:24.680 --> 00:12:25.860 It's not that for them. 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:29.980 So many times when we sit down with our kids, 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:31.420 we just want to take the Bible 00:12:31.420 --> 00:12:33.640 and help our kids be more respectful. 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:34.980 Not that it's a bad thing. 00:12:35.160 --> 00:12:36.120 It's a good thing. 00:12:36.260 --> 00:12:37.780 There are these lessons that we can take from 00:12:37.780 --> 00:12:38.700 and that we can learn. 00:12:38.940 --> 00:12:40.720 But the root of all of this, right, 00:12:40.820 --> 00:12:43.520 is the proclamation of the gospel. 00:12:43.880 --> 00:12:44.760 Jesus says, 00:12:45.260 --> 00:12:46.320 let them come to me, 00:12:46.400 --> 00:12:48.900 for such belongs the kingdom of God. 00:12:49.020 --> 00:12:51.440 That is what Jesus wants to focus in on, 00:12:51.580 --> 00:12:52.920 is that as they come to me, 00:12:53.100 --> 00:12:54.320 here's what they can gain. 00:12:54.500 --> 00:12:55.800 Not right behavior, 00:12:56.300 --> 00:12:58.040 but the kingdom of God. 00:12:58.940 --> 00:12:59.720 And so for us, 00:12:59.760 --> 00:13:02.460 if we value children the way that we say 00:13:02.460 --> 00:13:03.820 that we value children, 00:13:03.920 --> 00:13:05.440 the importance of what we need to do 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:07.940 is sit down and proclaim the kingdom of God. 00:13:09.060 --> 00:13:12.880 I had a parent call me a few weeks ago. 00:13:14.280 --> 00:13:15.780 So on a weeknight, 00:13:16.060 --> 00:13:17.360 and my phone started to ring, 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:18.700 and I was sitting down to eat some dinner. 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:20.200 And answered, 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:20.660 and he said, 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:22.680 hey, but I just want to tell you something 00:13:22.680 --> 00:13:24.720 that happened in kids' ministry this week. 00:13:25.860 --> 00:13:26.540 I'm like, all right. 00:13:27.760 --> 00:13:28.260 He said, 00:13:28.280 --> 00:13:30.340 my daughter on the ride home 00:13:30.340 --> 00:13:32.140 says to me, 00:13:32.200 --> 00:13:32.520 daddy, 00:13:33.340 --> 00:13:34.980 do you know who Jesus is? 00:13:36.580 --> 00:13:37.340 And he said, 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:38.960 yeah. 00:13:40.540 --> 00:13:42.320 Who do you think Jesus is? 00:13:43.800 --> 00:13:47.520 And his younger than preschool age daughter 00:13:47.520 --> 00:13:53.040 begins to lay out an explanation of the gospel. 00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:55.540 Of who Jesus is, 00:13:55.680 --> 00:13:57.120 of what Jesus came to do, 00:13:57.260 --> 00:13:58.500 of what Jesus did, 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:00.300 of what Jesus asked from us, 00:14:00.380 --> 00:14:02.120 and what it looks like 00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:04.140 when a life is repented before God. 00:14:05.420 --> 00:14:07.440 And his statement to me at the end of that 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:11.160 was thank you for not babysitting my kids, 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:14.420 but thank you for sharing the gospel with them. 00:14:15.540 --> 00:14:17.060 Children should come to Jesus, 00:14:17.220 --> 00:14:19.120 and we need to push that through. 00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:21.420 But also the second thing, 00:14:22.520 --> 00:14:22.980 church, 00:14:23.700 --> 00:14:25.520 don't be like the disciples here. 00:14:26.540 --> 00:14:28.120 Don't hinder children 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:30.520 from coming to Jesus. 00:14:31.660 --> 00:14:34.160 Don't dismiss the value, 00:14:34.660 --> 00:14:35.480 the truth, 00:14:35.640 --> 00:14:36.880 of what children 00:14:36.880 --> 00:14:39.220 and children's ministry means 00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:40.540 in the engagement 00:14:40.540 --> 00:14:42.160 of the body of Christ. 00:14:42.600 --> 00:14:43.820 Because Jesus says, 00:14:44.160 --> 00:14:44.860 for to such 00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:45.860 belongs 00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:46.600 the kingdom. 00:14:47.700 --> 00:14:48.480 So as important 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:50.740 as this is right now, 00:14:51.560 --> 00:14:52.580 as important 00:14:52.580 --> 00:14:53.200 as this is 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:53.880 what we're doing, 00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:54.700 right? 00:14:55.660 --> 00:14:56.300 As that 00:14:56.300 --> 00:14:57.180 fifth grade 00:14:57.180 --> 00:14:58.220 small group leader 00:14:58.220 --> 00:14:58.900 sits down 00:14:58.900 --> 00:14:59.960 with that group of kids 00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:00.880 and imparts 00:15:00.880 --> 00:15:01.580 the gospel, 00:15:01.920 --> 00:15:03.160 it's of equal value 00:15:03.160 --> 00:15:03.640 that's there. 00:15:04.580 --> 00:15:05.160 And we 00:15:05.160 --> 00:15:06.280 as a group of people, 00:15:06.420 --> 00:15:07.260 we as the body 00:15:07.260 --> 00:15:08.240 of Christ 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:09.320 should engage 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:09.820 in that. 00:15:10.880 --> 00:15:11.720 And so my concern 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:12.680 for us this week 00:15:12.680 --> 00:15:13.620 is that we would just 00:15:13.620 --> 00:15:14.760 slide through 00:15:14.760 --> 00:15:15.560 verse 15 00:15:15.560 --> 00:15:16.520 and verse 16 00:15:16.520 --> 00:15:17.200 and land on 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:18.180 verse 17 00:15:18.180 --> 00:15:18.720 but miss 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:19.380 what Jesus 00:15:19.380 --> 00:15:20.220 is laying out 00:15:20.220 --> 00:15:21.060 in here 00:15:21.060 --> 00:15:22.040 as the value 00:15:22.040 --> 00:15:23.620 of children, 00:15:23.900 --> 00:15:25.260 the continual 00:15:25.260 --> 00:15:25.900 proclamation 00:15:25.900 --> 00:15:27.300 of the gospel. 00:15:27.540 --> 00:15:28.700 But let's jump now 00:15:28.700 --> 00:15:29.560 and look back 00:15:29.560 --> 00:15:30.880 at verse 17. 00:15:31.640 --> 00:15:32.220 The illustration 00:15:32.220 --> 00:15:32.880 that Jesus 00:15:32.880 --> 00:15:33.620 is going to give. 00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:34.980 Jesus says, 00:15:35.040 --> 00:15:36.340 truly I say to you, 00:15:36.660 --> 00:15:37.420 whoever does not 00:15:37.420 --> 00:15:38.200 receive the kingdom 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:38.860 of God 00:15:38.860 --> 00:15:40.320 like a child 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:41.960 shall not 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:42.640 enter it. 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:42.900 Now, 00:15:43.060 --> 00:15:43.780 we've got to pause 00:15:43.780 --> 00:15:44.480 here for a second 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:45.400 because Jesus 00:15:45.400 --> 00:15:46.860 gives us a qualifier. 00:15:47.540 --> 00:15:47.980 Jesus says, 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:48.120 hey, 00:15:48.260 --> 00:15:49.120 look at yourself 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:50.000 here for a moment. 00:15:50.300 --> 00:15:51.060 Look at the people 00:15:51.060 --> 00:15:51.840 who say they want 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:52.660 to be a part of this. 00:15:52.920 --> 00:15:53.760 Here's what it needs 00:15:53.760 --> 00:15:54.480 to look like. 00:15:54.740 --> 00:15:55.740 Whoever does not 00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:56.760 receive the kingdom 00:15:56.760 --> 00:15:57.480 of God 00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:58.940 like a child 00:15:58.940 --> 00:16:00.160 shall not 00:16:00.160 --> 00:16:00.620 enter it. 00:16:00.820 --> 00:16:01.900 Not might not 00:16:01.900 --> 00:16:02.340 enter it 00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:03.400 but shall not. 00:16:03.640 --> 00:16:04.660 Jesus speaks 00:16:04.660 --> 00:16:05.620 to a definite 00:16:05.620 --> 00:16:06.660 motive here 00:16:06.660 --> 00:16:07.660 of what he is 00:16:07.660 --> 00:16:08.280 seeking for them 00:16:08.280 --> 00:16:09.020 to understand. 00:16:09.300 --> 00:16:09.940 There's got to be 00:16:09.940 --> 00:16:10.760 a faith 00:16:10.760 --> 00:16:11.800 like a child, 00:16:11.900 --> 00:16:12.660 a response 00:16:12.660 --> 00:16:13.620 like a child 00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:14.200 and what will even 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:15.360 look like continual 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:16.740 fruit like a child 00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:18.140 in order to enter 00:16:18.140 --> 00:16:19.620 into the kingdom 00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:20.400 of God. 00:16:20.520 --> 00:16:20.660 Now, 00:16:20.820 --> 00:16:21.560 the difficulty 00:16:21.560 --> 00:16:22.700 for you and I 00:16:22.700 --> 00:16:23.840 in this world 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:24.640 is there's going 00:16:24.640 --> 00:16:25.320 to be sinful 00:16:25.320 --> 00:16:25.940 tendencies 00:16:25.940 --> 00:16:27.400 that you and I 00:16:27.400 --> 00:16:28.620 face on a day-in, 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:29.580 day-out basis 00:16:29.580 --> 00:16:30.780 that prevent us 00:16:30.780 --> 00:16:31.880 from being childlike. 00:16:32.560 --> 00:16:32.700 Right? 00:16:32.880 --> 00:16:33.200 Now, 00:16:33.620 --> 00:16:34.160 there are sinful 00:16:34.160 --> 00:16:35.100 tendencies that cause 00:16:35.100 --> 00:16:35.960 us to be childlike 00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:37.620 but there's also 00:16:37.620 --> 00:16:38.480 sinful tendencies 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:40.200 that prevent us 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:41.620 from being childlike 00:16:41.620 --> 00:16:42.280 and this is what 00:16:42.280 --> 00:16:43.160 we're going to look 00:16:43.160 --> 00:16:43.680 at in here. 00:16:43.940 --> 00:16:44.640 Three things 00:16:44.640 --> 00:16:45.300 that I believe 00:16:45.300 --> 00:16:46.200 that we can draw 00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:46.920 from this 00:16:46.920 --> 00:16:48.320 and begin to understand 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:49.320 of what it means 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:50.340 to have the faith 00:16:50.340 --> 00:16:50.920 like the child 00:16:50.920 --> 00:16:52.120 so that verse 17 00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:53.560 rings true for us 00:16:53.560 --> 00:16:54.400 and the first 00:16:54.400 --> 00:16:55.140 is this, 00:16:55.720 --> 00:16:57.100 wonder like a child. 00:16:57.860 --> 00:16:58.960 Wonder like a child. 00:16:59.700 --> 00:17:00.420 Have you ever played 00:17:00.420 --> 00:17:00.740 peek-a-boo 00:17:00.740 --> 00:17:01.200 with a baby? 00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:03.120 You ever done that? 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:04.880 You ever played 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:05.100 peek-a-boo 00:17:05.100 --> 00:17:05.600 with an adult? 00:17:07.320 --> 00:17:07.680 Right? 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:09.720 Two different reactions. 00:17:10.300 --> 00:17:11.240 If you don't believe me, 00:17:12.020 --> 00:17:12.840 next time you're in line 00:17:12.840 --> 00:17:13.520 at a grocery store 00:17:13.520 --> 00:17:14.100 and there's a baby, 00:17:14.860 --> 00:17:15.340 play peek-a-boo. 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:17.340 Next time you're in line 00:17:17.340 --> 00:17:17.900 at the grocery store 00:17:17.900 --> 00:17:18.700 and there's not a baby 00:17:18.700 --> 00:17:20.300 and there's a person 00:17:20.300 --> 00:17:21.240 standing in front of you, 00:17:21.860 --> 00:17:22.440 play peek-a-boo. 00:17:22.620 --> 00:17:22.800 Right? 00:17:24.080 --> 00:17:25.100 See what reactions 00:17:25.100 --> 00:17:25.640 you get. 00:17:26.820 --> 00:17:27.180 Now, 00:17:27.320 --> 00:17:28.300 if you're a mom 00:17:28.300 --> 00:17:28.940 or you're a dad 00:17:28.940 --> 00:17:29.920 and you're standing there 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:30.660 with your baby 00:17:30.660 --> 00:17:31.380 and you come up 00:17:31.380 --> 00:17:31.940 and play peek-a-boo 00:17:31.940 --> 00:17:32.280 with them, 00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:33.180 just understand 00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:34.340 you are now engaged 00:17:34.340 --> 00:17:35.400 for the next three hours. 00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:35.720 Right? 00:17:35.940 --> 00:17:37.200 Because the moment you stop, 00:17:37.320 --> 00:17:38.800 that child begins to cry 00:17:38.800 --> 00:17:39.740 and that parent's 00:17:39.740 --> 00:17:40.580 going to be on you. 00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:41.200 So, all right, 00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:42.500 you're going home with them. 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:43.420 You're going to help them 00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:44.160 do the groceries 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:45.000 and peek-a-boo 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:45.580 the whole time. 00:17:45.620 --> 00:17:45.720 Right? 00:17:45.940 --> 00:17:47.120 Well, here's what I'm getting to. 00:17:47.260 --> 00:17:48.740 When you play peek-a-boo 00:17:48.740 --> 00:17:49.500 with a baby, 00:17:49.600 --> 00:17:50.840 it amazes me, right? 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:52.600 They are always surprised. 00:17:53.840 --> 00:17:54.260 You know what a child 00:17:54.260 --> 00:17:54.760 never does? 00:17:54.860 --> 00:17:55.860 A baby never says, 00:17:56.140 --> 00:17:56.920 nah, I knew that was coming. 00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:57.860 Right? 00:17:57.940 --> 00:17:59.220 Like, you're going to do that. 00:17:59.760 --> 00:18:00.420 You're going to wait 00:18:00.420 --> 00:18:02.760 and peek-a-boo 00:18:02.760 --> 00:18:04.300 and they're going to lose it 00:18:04.300 --> 00:18:05.820 every single time. 00:18:06.180 --> 00:18:08.300 They always laugh 00:18:08.300 --> 00:18:09.940 every time 00:18:09.940 --> 00:18:13.620 and they never want it to end. 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:16.380 They're continually amazed 00:18:16.380 --> 00:18:17.320 with the fact 00:18:17.320 --> 00:18:18.860 that a grown adult 00:18:18.860 --> 00:18:20.280 will put their hands 00:18:20.280 --> 00:18:21.560 over their face, 00:18:21.840 --> 00:18:22.960 pretend like they're not 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:23.660 in the room 00:18:23.660 --> 00:18:24.920 and then whether you wait 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:26.560 a second or a minute, 00:18:26.940 --> 00:18:27.920 throw your hands back 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:30.000 and say those magical words 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:31.200 or that magical word, 00:18:31.800 --> 00:18:32.200 peek-a-boo. 00:18:32.860 --> 00:18:33.540 They're amazed 00:18:33.540 --> 00:18:36.260 every single time. 00:18:37.020 --> 00:18:38.880 And what we see in Scripture 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:42.060 is that when mature men 00:18:42.060 --> 00:18:43.440 and women of faith 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:45.900 encounter God, 00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:47.860 they're amazed 00:18:47.860 --> 00:18:49.920 and struck into wonder 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:53.940 every single time. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:56.680 And so there's a lot 00:18:56.680 --> 00:18:57.460 to be learned 00:18:57.460 --> 00:18:59.660 as a believer in Christ 00:18:59.660 --> 00:19:02.260 from watching an adult 00:19:02.260 --> 00:19:03.960 play a silly game 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:04.820 of peek-a-boo 00:19:04.820 --> 00:19:05.520 with a child. 00:19:06.460 --> 00:19:07.620 That as that child 00:19:07.620 --> 00:19:08.500 is amazed 00:19:08.500 --> 00:19:09.700 and captivated, 00:19:10.220 --> 00:19:12.340 so too does the King of Kings 00:19:12.340 --> 00:19:13.220 and the Lord of Lords 00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:14.140 that every time 00:19:14.140 --> 00:19:15.180 you open up His Word 00:19:15.180 --> 00:19:17.020 wants you to be captivated 00:19:17.020 --> 00:19:17.680 by who He is. 00:19:18.600 --> 00:19:19.240 That every time 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:20.400 that we fall on our knees 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:21.400 in prayer, 00:19:21.600 --> 00:19:22.420 there's a desperation 00:19:22.420 --> 00:19:23.200 in the moment 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:25.180 because He hears us 00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:26.200 and is with us. 00:19:26.560 --> 00:19:27.280 That every time 00:19:27.280 --> 00:19:28.100 that we gather 00:19:28.100 --> 00:19:29.700 together in a room 00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:30.720 or we're sitting 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:31.440 in our car 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:32.500 on the way to work 00:19:32.500 --> 00:19:34.200 and that song comes on 00:19:34.200 --> 00:19:35.020 and we begin 00:19:35.020 --> 00:19:36.740 a reckless abandonment 00:19:36.740 --> 00:19:37.480 of singing 00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:38.320 in the car 00:19:38.320 --> 00:19:39.200 or in here 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:40.520 because the King of Kings 00:19:40.520 --> 00:19:41.580 and the Lord of Lords 00:19:41.580 --> 00:19:42.660 is listening to us, 00:19:42.820 --> 00:19:43.700 there's a part of us 00:19:43.700 --> 00:19:44.500 that's there 00:19:44.500 --> 00:19:46.000 that we are like the child 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:46.660 who's there 00:19:46.660 --> 00:19:47.500 with a peek-a-boo 00:19:47.500 --> 00:19:48.960 caught in the amazement 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:49.460 of God. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:52.160 But the Bible describes 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:53.880 that there's an internal struggle 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:56.140 that you and I have 00:19:56.140 --> 00:19:58.980 and what prevents this 00:19:58.980 --> 00:20:00.020 and what moves this 00:20:00.020 --> 00:20:01.000 from us 00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:02.220 and it's because 00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:03.320 we're fascinated 00:20:03.320 --> 00:20:04.600 with the beauty of new. 00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:06.500 We're fascinated 00:20:06.500 --> 00:20:07.660 with wanting to move 00:20:07.660 --> 00:20:08.540 from the next thing 00:20:08.540 --> 00:20:09.380 to the next thing 00:20:09.380 --> 00:20:10.300 to the next thing 00:20:10.300 --> 00:20:12.120 and we very rarely 00:20:12.120 --> 00:20:12.880 just want to stop 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:13.480 and kind of dig 00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:13.880 in the moment 00:20:13.880 --> 00:20:14.580 with where we are. 00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:16.580 That at our core, 00:20:16.740 --> 00:20:17.980 we're not satisfied 00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:19.760 and so what 00:20:19.760 --> 00:20:20.880 that projects to 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:22.860 is unless there's 00:20:22.860 --> 00:20:23.720 something that's 00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:24.380 brand new, 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:24.860 we just want to 00:20:24.860 --> 00:20:26.140 move on. 00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:27.700 Over time, 00:20:27.780 --> 00:20:28.720 we become bored 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:30.460 with what we know 00:20:30.460 --> 00:20:32.020 and we think 00:20:32.020 --> 00:20:33.460 will only be satisfied 00:20:33.460 --> 00:20:34.280 with that 00:20:34.280 --> 00:20:35.860 which we don't have 00:20:35.860 --> 00:20:37.680 and it's sinful 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:38.080 and it's where 00:20:38.080 --> 00:20:38.800 we find ourselves 00:20:38.800 --> 00:20:39.320 with God 00:20:39.320 --> 00:20:40.880 and instead of 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:41.680 digging in, 00:20:42.320 --> 00:20:42.540 right, 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:43.360 we just want 00:20:43.360 --> 00:20:43.980 to move out. 00:20:44.780 --> 00:20:45.860 The hardest battle 00:20:45.860 --> 00:20:47.060 that I've walked through 00:20:47.060 --> 00:20:47.960 with people 00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:48.740 and as they seek 00:20:48.740 --> 00:20:49.980 to grow in their faith 00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:51.440 comes around 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:52.380 the two-year mark. 00:20:53.360 --> 00:20:53.880 Someone new 00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:54.840 comes to Christ 00:20:54.840 --> 00:20:55.960 or maybe you've 00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:56.660 walked away 00:20:56.660 --> 00:20:57.140 and you're now 00:20:57.140 --> 00:20:58.400 re-engaging back 00:20:58.400 --> 00:20:59.140 in your relationship 00:20:59.140 --> 00:20:59.640 with Him, 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:01.180 re-engaging with the church 00:21:01.180 --> 00:21:02.780 and there's about 00:21:02.780 --> 00:21:03.660 a two-year 00:21:03.660 --> 00:21:04.980 of what I've seen 00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:06.260 about a time frame 00:21:06.260 --> 00:21:07.020 and over those 00:21:07.020 --> 00:21:08.020 first two years 00:21:08.020 --> 00:21:09.220 what you're getting 00:21:09.220 --> 00:21:10.060 a lot of 00:21:10.060 --> 00:21:10.640 is you're new 00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:11.140 in Christ, 00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:11.980 you're young 00:21:11.980 --> 00:21:12.480 in Christ, 00:21:12.740 --> 00:21:13.320 you're immature 00:21:13.320 --> 00:21:14.040 in Christ 00:21:14.040 --> 00:21:15.300 and so you show up 00:21:15.300 --> 00:21:16.560 and you're like a child 00:21:16.560 --> 00:21:17.540 and you're like feed me 00:21:17.540 --> 00:21:18.280 and we're like great, 00:21:18.440 --> 00:21:19.100 I'll feed you 00:21:19.100 --> 00:21:19.960 and I'll feed you 00:21:19.960 --> 00:21:20.840 and I'll feed you 00:21:20.840 --> 00:21:21.740 and I'll feed you 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:22.520 and your small group 00:21:22.520 --> 00:21:23.480 leader's like we'll feed you, 00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:24.320 we'll feed you, 00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:25.180 we'll feed you 00:21:25.180 --> 00:21:26.440 but then at some point 00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:27.180 in time we go 00:21:27.180 --> 00:21:28.260 well and now 00:21:28.260 --> 00:21:29.300 there's a moment 00:21:29.300 --> 00:21:30.640 that you gotta grab 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:31.360 the spoon 00:21:31.360 --> 00:21:32.840 and you gotta dip it 00:21:32.840 --> 00:21:33.580 in yourself 00:21:33.580 --> 00:21:34.480 and in God's word 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:36.060 and you gotta feed yourself. 00:21:37.320 --> 00:21:38.880 You gotta dig in here 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:40.340 for just a moment 00:21:40.340 --> 00:21:42.740 and in those moments 00:21:42.740 --> 00:21:43.920 when the difficult 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:44.960 point comes 00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:45.840 of digging in 00:21:45.840 --> 00:21:46.780 and feeding yourself 00:21:46.780 --> 00:21:48.200 around that two year mark 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:49.320 is where most people go 00:21:49.320 --> 00:21:49.840 well nah, 00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:50.480 I'm out. 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:51.940 I'm out, 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:53.040 this is too hard 00:21:53.040 --> 00:21:55.520 and instead of digging down 00:21:55.520 --> 00:21:56.180 our tendency 00:21:56.180 --> 00:21:56.960 is to quit 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:59.480 and we quit 00:21:59.480 --> 00:22:00.660 in a couple different ways. 00:22:01.640 --> 00:22:02.400 I want you to picture 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:03.660 someone who's digging a hole. 00:22:04.520 --> 00:22:06.240 Jesus uses digging a hole 00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:07.080 and a foundation 00:22:07.080 --> 00:22:08.240 all the time 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:08.940 about what it means 00:22:08.940 --> 00:22:09.980 to walk in relationship 00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:10.460 with him 00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:11.880 and I've seen this 00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:12.780 in my life 00:22:12.780 --> 00:22:13.460 at different points 00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:14.300 and times and seasons 00:22:14.300 --> 00:22:15.100 and in the life 00:22:15.100 --> 00:22:16.040 of so many others 00:22:16.040 --> 00:22:17.640 that we walk along beside 00:22:17.640 --> 00:22:18.760 as they seek to grow 00:22:18.760 --> 00:22:19.480 in their relationship 00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:20.000 with Christ 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:21.140 that when it comes time 00:22:21.140 --> 00:22:21.860 when they kind of hit 00:22:21.860 --> 00:22:22.720 that two year mark 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:24.120 and they begin to dig down 00:22:24.120 --> 00:22:24.840 and dig down 00:22:24.840 --> 00:22:25.480 and dig down 00:22:25.480 --> 00:22:26.380 and then all of a sudden 00:22:26.380 --> 00:22:27.760 that they hit a spot 00:22:27.760 --> 00:22:28.660 that's a little rough 00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:29.480 that's a little hard 00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:30.040 and they don't know 00:22:30.040 --> 00:22:30.520 what to do. 00:22:30.700 --> 00:22:31.380 The first thing 00:22:31.380 --> 00:22:32.120 that often times 00:22:32.120 --> 00:22:32.580 people do 00:22:32.580 --> 00:22:33.580 is they set 00:22:33.580 --> 00:22:35.100 the shovel down 00:22:35.100 --> 00:22:36.840 and they just sit there. 00:22:38.380 --> 00:22:39.420 I'm not gonna dig anymore. 00:22:40.600 --> 00:22:41.440 I'm gonna wait 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:42.220 until someone else 00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:42.960 can do this for me. 00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:44.340 I've tried 00:22:44.340 --> 00:22:45.120 and it's too hard. 00:22:46.040 --> 00:22:46.340 You know I've had 00:22:46.340 --> 00:22:47.040 a quiet time 00:22:47.040 --> 00:22:47.880 for about three days 00:22:47.880 --> 00:22:48.400 and I'm not really 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:49.440 understanding a lot of it. 00:22:50.460 --> 00:22:51.620 I've really tried to pray 00:22:51.620 --> 00:22:52.520 but God's really not 00:22:52.520 --> 00:22:53.280 answering my prayers 00:22:53.280 --> 00:22:54.000 in the way that I think 00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:54.800 that he should 00:22:54.800 --> 00:22:55.300 or I don't know 00:22:55.300 --> 00:22:56.320 what to say. 00:22:57.340 --> 00:22:58.440 So I'm just gonna wait 00:22:58.440 --> 00:22:59.040 and let someone else 00:22:59.040 --> 00:23:00.000 do that for me 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:02.780 and instead of being amazed 00:23:02.780 --> 00:23:03.980 by the wonder of God 00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:05.040 and being able to understand 00:23:05.040 --> 00:23:05.760 that we've gotta just 00:23:05.760 --> 00:23:06.600 kind of dig down 00:23:06.600 --> 00:23:07.360 and dig down 00:23:07.360 --> 00:23:08.500 and dig down 00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:10.420 or the second thing 00:23:10.420 --> 00:23:10.920 what I think 00:23:10.920 --> 00:23:14.120 is even more troubling 00:23:14.120 --> 00:23:16.720 is we just drop the shovel 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:17.360 and walk away. 00:23:18.660 --> 00:23:19.320 So you know what? 00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:20.820 This ain't worth it. 00:23:21.660 --> 00:23:23.000 The life that I had before 00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:24.000 was a little bit easier. 00:23:24.680 --> 00:23:25.860 The life that I had before 00:23:25.860 --> 00:23:26.780 wasn't as complicated. 00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:28.420 The life that I had before 00:23:28.420 --> 00:23:29.440 didn't cost me as much. 00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:30.520 I'm sitting here 00:23:30.520 --> 00:23:32.940 and my arms are strained, 00:23:33.020 --> 00:23:34.060 my back's wore out 00:23:34.060 --> 00:23:35.400 and so I'm just gonna drop it 00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:36.760 and walk away. 00:23:38.120 --> 00:23:39.020 Jesus calls us 00:23:39.020 --> 00:23:39.720 to something different. 00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:42.020 He calls us like a child 00:23:42.020 --> 00:23:44.180 and to be fascinated 00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:46.080 at every moment 00:23:46.080 --> 00:23:47.540 and at every part 00:23:47.540 --> 00:23:48.300 with who he is. 00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:49.840 So man, yeah, 00:23:49.880 --> 00:23:50.660 sometimes it's like 00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:51.940 digging a hole 00:23:51.940 --> 00:23:52.680 at my house. 00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:55.480 Man, we have 345 feet 00:23:55.480 --> 00:23:57.180 of sand at my house, right? 00:23:57.640 --> 00:23:58.500 And you just dig 00:23:58.500 --> 00:23:58.960 and dig 00:23:58.960 --> 00:23:59.460 and dig 00:23:59.460 --> 00:23:59.880 and dig 00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:00.280 and dig 00:24:00.280 --> 00:24:00.840 and then I go 00:24:00.840 --> 00:24:01.580 to my parents' house 00:24:01.580 --> 00:24:02.340 in North Augusta 00:24:02.340 --> 00:24:03.100 and they have about 00:24:03.100 --> 00:24:05.040 this much topsoil, right? 00:24:05.140 --> 00:24:06.540 And about 345 feet 00:24:06.540 --> 00:24:07.020 of clay 00:24:07.020 --> 00:24:07.720 and so digging 00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:08.260 at their house 00:24:08.260 --> 00:24:08.520 is like, 00:24:08.620 --> 00:24:09.680 oh, I just removed 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:10.280 the grass 00:24:10.280 --> 00:24:11.240 and now I broke 00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:12.300 my shovel, right? 00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:13.820 And so regardless 00:24:13.820 --> 00:24:14.820 of wherever we are 00:24:14.820 --> 00:24:16.180 with every scoop, 00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:17.060 no matter how much 00:24:17.060 --> 00:24:17.540 comes out, 00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:18.360 as we dig in, 00:24:18.460 --> 00:24:19.880 as we press down into, 00:24:20.080 --> 00:24:20.840 there's the wonder 00:24:20.840 --> 00:24:21.660 and the amazement 00:24:21.660 --> 00:24:22.300 of the child of, 00:24:22.460 --> 00:24:22.780 I didn't know 00:24:22.780 --> 00:24:23.460 what was next. 00:24:24.420 --> 00:24:24.780 I didn't know 00:24:24.780 --> 00:24:25.280 what was there. 00:24:25.960 --> 00:24:26.500 It was like a child 00:24:26.500 --> 00:24:27.140 with peekaboo. 00:24:27.840 --> 00:24:28.180 I don't care 00:24:28.180 --> 00:24:29.120 how many times 00:24:29.120 --> 00:24:30.060 you stand there 00:24:30.060 --> 00:24:30.680 and do it, 00:24:30.800 --> 00:24:31.560 it amazes 00:24:31.560 --> 00:24:32.120 and I don't care 00:24:32.120 --> 00:24:32.940 how many times 00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:33.800 that we stand there 00:24:33.800 --> 00:24:34.720 and read another word 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:35.540 or read another page 00:24:35.540 --> 00:24:36.660 or offer up a prayer 00:24:36.660 --> 00:24:37.720 or engage in a song 00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:38.660 or hear a story, 00:24:38.860 --> 00:24:39.600 there's the amazement 00:24:39.600 --> 00:24:39.980 and the wonder 00:24:39.980 --> 00:24:40.760 about who God is 00:24:40.760 --> 00:24:42.480 and what God has done 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:44.100 and what God is doing. 00:24:45.180 --> 00:24:46.120 The wonder of a child. 00:24:47.320 --> 00:24:47.920 The second thing 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:48.980 that I want us to see 00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:51.220 what scripture supports 00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:53.220 is to be dependent 00:24:53.220 --> 00:24:55.000 like a child, right? 00:24:56.060 --> 00:24:57.060 Now, in order 00:24:57.060 --> 00:24:57.820 for a child 00:24:57.820 --> 00:24:58.540 or an infant 00:24:58.540 --> 00:24:59.960 maybe specifically 00:24:59.960 --> 00:25:02.260 to get what they need, 00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:04.020 they are dependent 00:25:04.020 --> 00:25:04.740 on people 00:25:04.740 --> 00:25:06.180 who care for them, right? 00:25:06.940 --> 00:25:07.880 Like whether you have kids 00:25:07.880 --> 00:25:08.320 or not, 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:10.520 like you know this. 00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:12.300 You know that in order 00:25:12.300 --> 00:25:13.340 for a child 00:25:13.340 --> 00:25:14.520 to get things, 00:25:14.780 --> 00:25:16.300 they need you. 00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:17.680 I'm understanding 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:18.800 that more and more 00:25:18.800 --> 00:25:19.960 even as my kids 00:25:19.960 --> 00:25:20.420 are entering 00:25:20.420 --> 00:25:21.600 into their teenage years 00:25:21.600 --> 00:25:22.260 because I'm getting 00:25:22.260 --> 00:25:23.220 a lot of daddy I need, 00:25:23.340 --> 00:25:23.920 daddy I need, 00:25:24.020 --> 00:25:24.520 daddy I need, 00:25:24.560 --> 00:25:25.080 and we're walking 00:25:25.080 --> 00:25:25.280 through, 00:25:25.360 --> 00:25:25.760 do you need, 00:25:25.820 --> 00:25:26.360 do you want, 00:25:26.440 --> 00:25:27.140 like where are we at, 00:25:27.320 --> 00:25:28.220 how many pairs of shoes 00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:29.420 do we need, right? 00:25:29.580 --> 00:25:30.300 But it's what we're 00:25:30.300 --> 00:25:30.980 going through, 00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:32.040 they're dependent 00:25:32.040 --> 00:25:33.820 on me. 00:25:35.120 --> 00:25:35.840 Like Emma and Grayson, 00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:36.600 they've never made 00:25:36.600 --> 00:25:37.380 a mortgage payment, 00:25:38.280 --> 00:25:38.520 right? 00:25:38.840 --> 00:25:39.780 I'm stoked 00:25:39.780 --> 00:25:40.640 when they cook 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:41.960 Kraft macaroni 00:25:41.960 --> 00:25:43.060 and cheese for lunch 00:25:43.060 --> 00:25:43.660 on a Saturday, 00:25:43.820 --> 00:25:44.040 right? 00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:44.980 Like this is where 00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:45.760 we're going, 00:25:45.880 --> 00:25:46.520 they're dependent 00:25:46.520 --> 00:25:47.140 on us 00:25:47.140 --> 00:25:48.560 and God says 00:25:48.560 --> 00:25:49.420 that he wants 00:25:49.420 --> 00:25:50.660 his children, 00:25:51.100 --> 00:25:51.760 that God wants 00:25:51.760 --> 00:25:52.540 his people 00:25:52.540 --> 00:25:53.440 to be the same way. 00:25:54.520 --> 00:25:55.040 Think about the 00:25:55.040 --> 00:25:55.560 illustrations, 00:25:55.800 --> 00:25:56.520 the pictures 00:25:56.520 --> 00:25:57.680 that God paints 00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:58.800 of who he is 00:25:58.800 --> 00:25:59.600 to his people, 00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:00.640 right? 00:26:00.700 --> 00:26:01.740 He's God the Father. 00:26:03.160 --> 00:26:04.380 Jesus over and over 00:26:04.380 --> 00:26:05.040 and over again 00:26:05.040 --> 00:26:05.500 says that he's 00:26:05.500 --> 00:26:06.140 the good shepherd 00:26:06.140 --> 00:26:07.860 all the way back 00:26:07.860 --> 00:26:08.720 into the Old Testament 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:09.440 where we continually 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:10.560 hear and get 00:26:10.560 --> 00:26:11.360 the picture 00:26:11.360 --> 00:26:12.700 of the shepherd. 00:26:13.280 --> 00:26:14.940 That God is his shepherd 00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:16.140 and the people 00:26:16.140 --> 00:26:17.820 are his sheep. 00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:19.520 And I love that. 00:26:20.260 --> 00:26:20.760 And here's why 00:26:20.760 --> 00:26:21.860 I love that picture 00:26:21.860 --> 00:26:22.400 so much. 00:26:22.900 --> 00:26:23.680 Because no matter 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:24.680 how old 00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:26.360 a sheep gets, 00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:28.260 no matter how many 00:26:28.260 --> 00:26:29.520 years they've been 00:26:29.520 --> 00:26:30.180 with the shepherd, 00:26:31.060 --> 00:26:32.260 no matter how well 00:26:32.260 --> 00:26:33.280 they know the rest 00:26:33.280 --> 00:26:33.940 of the flock, 00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:35.340 no matter how many 00:26:35.340 --> 00:26:36.800 times they've grazed 00:26:36.800 --> 00:26:37.820 in the field, 00:26:38.540 --> 00:26:39.220 the sheep 00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:40.400 are dependent 00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:41.700 on the shepherd 00:26:41.700 --> 00:26:42.900 for everything. 00:26:44.100 --> 00:26:44.200 Right? 00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:45.520 The shepherd 00:26:45.520 --> 00:26:46.300 protects them, 00:26:46.380 --> 00:26:46.820 the shepherd 00:26:46.820 --> 00:26:48.140 sustains them, 00:26:48.260 --> 00:26:48.940 the shepherd 00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:50.420 disciplines them, 00:26:50.780 --> 00:26:51.380 the shepherd 00:26:51.380 --> 00:26:52.600 guides them. 00:26:53.720 --> 00:26:54.180 Now here's 00:26:54.180 --> 00:26:54.640 what's hard 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:55.200 for us 00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:56.840 as Jesus 00:26:56.840 --> 00:26:57.400 puts this 00:26:57.400 --> 00:26:58.940 into counterculture 00:26:58.940 --> 00:26:59.660 for us 00:26:59.660 --> 00:27:00.380 a little bit 00:27:00.380 --> 00:27:01.220 for then 00:27:01.220 --> 00:27:02.020 and for today. 00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:03.640 If we look 00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:04.420 at how we 00:27:04.420 --> 00:27:05.660 raise up children 00:27:05.660 --> 00:27:07.420 and this is 00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:08.040 a good thing, 00:27:08.140 --> 00:27:08.740 I'm not preaching 00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:09.520 against this. 00:27:09.780 --> 00:27:10.100 I'm trying 00:27:10.100 --> 00:27:10.700 to push 00:27:10.700 --> 00:27:11.240 forward 00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:11.700 with my 00:27:11.700 --> 00:27:12.100 children 00:27:12.100 --> 00:27:12.740 in this. 00:27:12.860 --> 00:27:12.960 Alright? 00:27:13.300 --> 00:27:14.040 So here's 00:27:14.040 --> 00:27:14.800 a good thing 00:27:14.800 --> 00:27:15.600 in our world 00:27:15.600 --> 00:27:16.380 that we do. 00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:17.660 As my kids 00:27:17.660 --> 00:27:18.400 mature, 00:27:19.260 --> 00:27:20.180 where I'm hoping 00:27:20.180 --> 00:27:21.100 they go to 00:27:21.100 --> 00:27:22.340 in relationship 00:27:22.340 --> 00:27:23.260 with me 00:27:23.260 --> 00:27:24.420 is more 00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:25.260 and more 00:27:25.260 --> 00:27:26.400 independence, 00:27:26.780 --> 00:27:27.900 not dependent. 00:27:28.780 --> 00:27:30.160 So at a young age 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:30.880 as a baby, 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:31.940 they were really 00:27:31.940 --> 00:27:33.340 dependent on me. 00:27:33.540 --> 00:27:34.040 And as they 00:27:34.040 --> 00:27:34.720 grew older, 00:27:34.860 --> 00:27:35.320 they became 00:27:35.320 --> 00:27:36.420 more and more 00:27:36.420 --> 00:27:37.600 dependent on me. 00:27:37.800 --> 00:27:38.440 So now 00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:39.220 we're at the 00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:39.760 point where 00:27:39.760 --> 00:27:40.480 one of our 00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:40.960 kids comes 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:41.860 and asks me 00:27:41.860 --> 00:27:42.620 a question 00:27:42.620 --> 00:27:43.400 about what 00:27:43.400 --> 00:27:43.800 they need 00:27:43.800 --> 00:27:44.300 to do 00:27:44.300 --> 00:27:45.180 and I know 00:27:45.180 --> 00:27:45.720 an answer 00:27:45.720 --> 00:27:46.180 that I'd like 00:27:46.180 --> 00:27:46.980 to give them 00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:47.900 but the answer 00:27:47.900 --> 00:27:48.480 that I give 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:48.820 them is 00:27:48.820 --> 00:27:49.500 what do you 00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:49.860 think? 00:27:50.800 --> 00:27:51.360 What do you 00:27:51.360 --> 00:27:51.760 think you 00:27:51.760 --> 00:27:52.300 should do? 00:27:53.160 --> 00:27:53.660 Because in 00:27:53.660 --> 00:27:54.480 five years 00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:55.440 and before that 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:55.980 but in five 00:27:55.980 --> 00:27:56.540 like when you're 00:27:56.540 --> 00:27:57.540 out of the house 00:27:57.540 --> 00:27:58.040 and you're 00:27:58.040 --> 00:27:58.760 on your own 00:27:58.760 --> 00:27:59.220 and you're 00:27:59.220 --> 00:27:59.840 in that apartment 00:27:59.840 --> 00:28:00.620 or that college 00:28:00.620 --> 00:28:01.140 dorm room 00:28:01.140 --> 00:28:02.260 like you gotta 00:28:02.260 --> 00:28:03.340 make your decision 00:28:03.340 --> 00:28:04.480 then in that 00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:04.760 moment. 00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:05.760 So what do you 00:28:05.760 --> 00:28:06.020 think? 00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:07.020 So we want 00:28:07.020 --> 00:28:07.860 our children 00:28:07.860 --> 00:28:08.620 to gain 00:28:08.620 --> 00:28:09.220 independence. 00:28:09.640 --> 00:28:10.460 Get a job. 00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:11.280 Find your own 00:28:11.280 --> 00:28:11.700 way. 00:28:12.040 --> 00:28:12.500 Figure out who 00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:13.080 you are. 00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:13.940 Buy a home. 00:28:14.060 --> 00:28:14.780 Start a family. 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:16.220 Begin within 00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:17.300 yourself to 00:28:17.300 --> 00:28:18.780 cultivate a life 00:28:18.780 --> 00:28:19.420 that God 00:28:19.420 --> 00:28:20.460 has for you. 00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:21.180 And so here's 00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:21.840 the hard part 00:28:21.840 --> 00:28:22.100 of it. 00:28:22.380 --> 00:28:23.160 As they 00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:23.800 mature, 00:28:24.120 --> 00:28:24.800 we want them 00:28:24.800 --> 00:28:25.380 to gain 00:28:25.380 --> 00:28:26.020 independence 00:28:26.020 --> 00:28:27.180 but the gospel 00:28:27.180 --> 00:28:28.120 calls us 00:28:28.120 --> 00:28:29.080 that as we 00:28:29.080 --> 00:28:30.160 mature in 00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:30.580 Christ, 00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:31.380 we gain 00:28:31.380 --> 00:28:31.860 more and 00:28:31.860 --> 00:28:32.400 more dependence 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:32.900 on him. 00:28:33.820 --> 00:28:34.540 The more 00:28:34.540 --> 00:28:35.500 mature I 00:28:35.500 --> 00:28:36.160 am in 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:36.720 Christ 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:38.780 causes me 00:28:38.780 --> 00:28:39.340 the more 00:28:39.340 --> 00:28:39.860 and more 00:28:39.860 --> 00:28:41.000 to realize 00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:42.280 how dependent 00:28:42.280 --> 00:28:43.480 I am 00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:44.400 on him. 00:28:45.520 --> 00:28:46.100 So when I 00:28:46.100 --> 00:28:46.660 was young 00:28:46.660 --> 00:28:47.340 in my faith, 00:28:47.420 --> 00:28:47.760 when I was 00:28:47.760 --> 00:28:48.480 immature in the 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:48.900 things that I 00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:49.320 would do, 00:28:49.520 --> 00:28:49.920 I would be 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:50.360 the sheep 00:28:50.360 --> 00:28:50.720 that says 00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:51.080 I want to 00:28:51.080 --> 00:28:51.760 wander off 00:28:51.760 --> 00:28:52.260 and go find 00:28:52.260 --> 00:28:52.520 out what 00:28:52.520 --> 00:28:52.980 this pasture 00:28:52.980 --> 00:28:53.380 is like. 00:28:54.560 --> 00:28:54.980 But I want 00:28:54.980 --> 00:28:55.280 to wander 00:28:55.280 --> 00:28:55.900 off and figure 00:28:55.900 --> 00:28:56.460 out the path 00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:57.060 for my own. 00:28:57.940 --> 00:28:58.280 But I want 00:28:58.280 --> 00:28:58.740 to do these 00:28:58.740 --> 00:28:59.520 things and God 00:28:59.520 --> 00:28:59.820 says no, 00:28:59.840 --> 00:28:59.940 no, 00:28:59.940 --> 00:29:00.100 no, 00:29:00.100 --> 00:29:00.240 no, 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:00.720 you're 00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:01.000 like a 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:01.320 child, 00:29:01.420 --> 00:29:01.520 you're 00:29:01.520 --> 00:29:01.800 like a 00:29:01.800 --> 00:29:02.080 child, 00:29:02.140 --> 00:29:02.260 you're 00:29:02.260 --> 00:29:02.540 like a 00:29:02.540 --> 00:29:02.760 child, 00:29:02.840 --> 00:29:02.960 you've 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:03.060 got to 00:29:03.060 --> 00:29:03.140 be 00:29:03.140 --> 00:29:03.440 dependent 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:03.820 on me. 00:29:04.860 --> 00:29:05.100 And so 00:29:05.100 --> 00:29:05.380 that in 00:29:05.380 --> 00:29:05.840 everything 00:29:05.840 --> 00:29:06.280 that you 00:29:06.280 --> 00:29:06.540 do, 00:29:06.620 --> 00:29:06.980 in every 00:29:06.980 --> 00:29:07.400 decision 00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:07.800 that you 00:29:07.800 --> 00:29:08.340 make, 00:29:08.600 --> 00:29:08.820 that is 00:29:08.820 --> 00:29:09.620 run through 00:29:09.620 --> 00:29:10.320 and filtered 00:29:10.320 --> 00:29:10.660 through the 00:29:10.660 --> 00:29:10.960 gospel, 00:29:11.860 --> 00:29:12.360 everything, 00:29:13.280 --> 00:29:13.720 everything. 00:29:14.540 --> 00:29:15.440 So saved 00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:16.120 at 22, 00:29:17.040 --> 00:29:17.640 I'll turn 00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:18.860 42 next 00:29:18.860 --> 00:29:19.280 week, 00:29:20.060 --> 00:29:20.800 20 years 00:29:20.800 --> 00:29:21.600 of salvation 00:29:21.600 --> 00:29:22.640 and here's 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:22.940 what I 00:29:22.940 --> 00:29:23.660 understand 00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:24.840 more today 00:29:24.840 --> 00:29:25.620 than I did 00:29:25.620 --> 00:29:26.160 when I got 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:26.560 saved, 00:29:26.760 --> 00:29:27.360 that I need 00:29:27.360 --> 00:29:28.080 God more, 00:29:28.880 --> 00:29:29.240 that I need 00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:30.000 God more, 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:30.760 and that I 00:29:30.760 --> 00:29:31.180 need God 00:29:31.180 --> 00:29:31.940 more and 00:29:31.940 --> 00:29:32.460 that I'm 00:29:32.460 --> 00:29:33.140 not capable 00:29:33.140 --> 00:29:33.740 in and of 00:29:33.740 --> 00:29:34.420 myself to do 00:29:34.420 --> 00:29:35.480 anything in 00:29:35.480 --> 00:29:36.580 my dependency 00:29:36.580 --> 00:29:37.780 on him. 00:29:38.580 --> 00:29:39.260 So every 00:29:39.260 --> 00:29:39.940 decision I 00:29:39.940 --> 00:29:40.540 make, I want 00:29:40.540 --> 00:29:41.320 it bathed in 00:29:41.320 --> 00:29:42.240 scripture and 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:43.080 in light of the 00:29:43.080 --> 00:29:43.960 gospel that is 00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:44.940 in me and who 00:29:44.940 --> 00:29:45.640 I am so that 00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:47.280 God leads me on 00:29:47.280 --> 00:29:48.040 the path and on 00:29:48.040 --> 00:29:49.000 the process of 00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:49.820 who he is and 00:29:49.820 --> 00:29:50.520 that's what being 00:29:50.520 --> 00:29:51.380 dependent on God 00:29:51.380 --> 00:29:52.220 looks like. 00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:53.700 And that's hard 00:29:53.700 --> 00:29:55.600 for us because 00:29:55.600 --> 00:29:56.280 somewhere along the 00:29:56.280 --> 00:29:57.060 way we've taken the 00:29:57.060 --> 00:29:57.900 earthly standard of 00:29:57.900 --> 00:29:58.660 maturity and we've 00:29:58.660 --> 00:29:59.360 applied that to our 00:29:59.360 --> 00:29:59.920 spiritual life. 00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:00.580 I don't need to 00:30:00.580 --> 00:30:01.060 pray about that. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:03.100 I know what God 00:30:03.100 --> 00:30:03.440 wants. 00:30:04.280 --> 00:30:04.780 I know what we 00:30:04.780 --> 00:30:05.200 need to do. 00:30:06.260 --> 00:30:08.300 James says in his 00:30:08.300 --> 00:30:09.940 letter in James 00:30:09.940 --> 00:30:11.020 chapter 4, he 00:30:11.020 --> 00:30:11.940 says do not be the 00:30:11.940 --> 00:30:13.160 person that says I'm 00:30:13.160 --> 00:30:13.800 going to make a plan 00:30:13.800 --> 00:30:14.520 and go to this town 00:30:14.520 --> 00:30:15.160 and this town and 00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:15.880 this town and make a 00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:16.280 certain amount of 00:30:16.280 --> 00:30:17.220 money and then go 00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:18.400 and leave but instead 00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:19.380 bring all things 00:30:19.380 --> 00:30:19.980 before the Lord. 00:30:20.840 --> 00:30:21.680 Be dependent on 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:23.300 him with everything 00:30:23.300 --> 00:30:24.120 with who you are, 00:30:24.520 --> 00:30:25.520 with everything that 00:30:25.520 --> 00:30:26.000 you're about. 00:30:26.380 --> 00:30:27.320 Oh but I got work 00:30:27.320 --> 00:30:28.140 stuff, bring it 00:30:28.140 --> 00:30:28.720 before the Lord. 00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:30.800 Be dependent on 00:30:30.800 --> 00:30:31.540 him. 00:30:32.760 --> 00:30:33.500 And then lastly 00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:34.240 what I want us to 00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:34.880 see and we'll close 00:30:34.880 --> 00:30:36.920 on this point is not 00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:37.560 only do we need to 00:30:37.560 --> 00:30:39.000 wonder like a child 00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:40.080 and be dependent like 00:30:40.080 --> 00:30:41.000 a child but we need 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:42.960 to be desperate like 00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:43.300 a child. 00:30:44.420 --> 00:30:45.020 Now there's not a 00:30:45.020 --> 00:30:46.820 creature in this 00:30:46.820 --> 00:30:48.900 world more desperate 00:30:48.900 --> 00:30:49.460 than a baby. 00:30:50.740 --> 00:30:51.360 Here's what a baby 00:30:51.360 --> 00:30:51.780 can do. 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:53.440 Thought a lot about 00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:53.760 this. 00:30:54.300 --> 00:30:55.000 I got a little bit 00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:55.480 of experience. 00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:57.680 A baby can sleep. 00:30:59.180 --> 00:31:00.300 A baby can cry. 00:31:01.640 --> 00:31:02.640 A baby can eat. 00:31:03.840 --> 00:31:05.000 A baby can have 00:31:05.000 --> 00:31:05.920 bodily functions, 00:31:06.040 --> 00:31:06.220 right? 00:31:07.860 --> 00:31:08.740 And last and probably 00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:09.360 the most important 00:31:09.360 --> 00:31:11.000 thing, a baby can 00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:11.520 look cute. 00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.380 I can't really think 00:31:14.380 --> 00:31:15.040 of anything else that 00:31:15.040 --> 00:31:15.580 a baby can do. 00:31:16.360 --> 00:31:17.080 That's what babies 00:31:17.080 --> 00:31:17.360 do. 00:31:17.820 --> 00:31:18.480 They cry. 00:31:19.040 --> 00:31:19.760 They sleep. 00:31:20.260 --> 00:31:20.940 They eat. 00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:22.100 They go to the 00:31:22.100 --> 00:31:22.580 bathroom. 00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:24.080 They throw up. 00:31:24.200 --> 00:31:25.180 They look cute. 00:31:26.080 --> 00:31:28.240 Now only two of these 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:29.700 five do they do 00:31:29.700 --> 00:31:30.960 correctly, right? 00:31:31.040 --> 00:31:31.860 Like no one has to 00:31:31.860 --> 00:31:32.580 teach a baby how to 00:31:32.580 --> 00:31:32.880 cry. 00:31:33.600 --> 00:31:34.120 They don't like 00:31:34.120 --> 00:31:34.420 something. 00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:35.800 They let you know by 00:31:35.800 --> 00:31:36.500 raising their hand and 00:31:36.500 --> 00:31:37.460 say, mom, dad, excuse 00:31:37.460 --> 00:31:37.980 me for a second. 00:31:38.100 --> 00:31:38.340 I don't like. 00:31:38.440 --> 00:31:39.360 No, they cry, right? 00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:40.220 They know how to do 00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:40.480 that. 00:31:40.660 --> 00:31:41.540 They do that well. 00:31:42.400 --> 00:31:43.100 Babies know how to 00:31:43.100 --> 00:31:43.460 look cute. 00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:44.280 They're just born 00:31:44.280 --> 00:31:44.940 without ability, 00:31:45.100 --> 00:31:45.240 right? 00:31:45.280 --> 00:31:45.840 They can just sit 00:31:45.840 --> 00:31:46.560 there and look at 00:31:46.560 --> 00:31:46.920 you and you're like, 00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:48.420 I'm done, right? 00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:49.440 Like I'm in this 00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:50.140 moment, right? 00:31:50.280 --> 00:31:51.040 They can do that. 00:31:51.260 --> 00:31:52.800 But everything else, 00:31:52.860 --> 00:31:54.460 right, we gotta train 00:31:54.460 --> 00:31:54.800 them up. 00:31:54.920 --> 00:31:55.780 We gotta teach them. 00:31:55.820 --> 00:31:56.780 We gotta work through 00:31:56.780 --> 00:31:57.280 this, right? 00:31:57.480 --> 00:31:59.000 The hardest thing for us 00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:00.320 and we finally achieved 00:32:00.320 --> 00:32:01.600 this at like year six 00:32:01.600 --> 00:32:02.700 was teaching our kids 00:32:02.700 --> 00:32:03.740 to sleep, right? 00:32:03.820 --> 00:32:05.060 Like they couldn't get 00:32:05.060 --> 00:32:05.160 it. 00:32:05.220 --> 00:32:06.220 They couldn't move in 00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:06.440 that. 00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:07.400 And so we were all, 00:32:07.560 --> 00:32:08.540 we were a family of 00:32:08.540 --> 00:32:10.180 sleep deprived individuals 00:32:10.180 --> 00:32:12.040 till like seven years 00:32:12.040 --> 00:32:12.500 ago, right? 00:32:12.700 --> 00:32:14.000 Like we even gotta teach 00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:15.220 them how to go to the 00:32:15.220 --> 00:32:16.540 bathroom correctly, you 00:32:16.540 --> 00:32:16.700 know? 00:32:16.880 --> 00:32:17.660 Like no, no, no, no. 00:32:17.780 --> 00:32:19.000 Not on yourself. 00:32:19.120 --> 00:32:20.460 Like that's a bad idea. 00:32:20.660 --> 00:32:21.400 Like here's what you need 00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:21.660 to do. 00:32:21.780 --> 00:32:23.180 And they fight against 00:32:23.180 --> 00:32:23.440 that. 00:32:23.640 --> 00:32:24.780 Like kids and who they 00:32:24.780 --> 00:32:26.260 are, like they know they 00:32:26.260 --> 00:32:28.780 need to eat but yet 00:32:28.780 --> 00:32:29.800 they're like, but I can't 00:32:29.800 --> 00:32:30.600 figure this out. 00:32:30.660 --> 00:32:31.240 Like I can't move my 00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:32.280 thumbs and I can't do 00:32:32.280 --> 00:32:33.280 what I need to do and I 00:32:33.280 --> 00:32:33.680 don't even have the 00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:34.560 strength for us. 00:32:34.560 --> 00:32:35.380 That doesn't amaze 00:32:35.380 --> 00:32:35.520 you. 00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:36.160 Like they don't have the 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:37.680 strength for the spoon 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:39.100 but all of a sudden a 00:32:39.100 --> 00:32:40.640 baby can go ninja on you 00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:41.360 in a minute, right? 00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:42.140 And like catch you in 00:32:42.140 --> 00:32:43.120 the nose and you're done. 00:32:43.160 --> 00:32:44.020 I don't understand it, 00:32:44.040 --> 00:32:44.200 right? 00:32:44.340 --> 00:32:46.200 So a baby has to be 00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:48.360 trained in what to do. 00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:49.400 And if they face a 00:32:49.400 --> 00:32:52.100 problem, their answer is 00:32:52.100 --> 00:32:53.120 to cry. 00:32:53.860 --> 00:32:55.260 They can't fix it. 00:32:55.800 --> 00:32:57.160 They can't do anything 00:32:57.160 --> 00:32:58.340 in and of themselves. 00:32:59.020 --> 00:33:01.320 If a baby is hungry, 00:33:01.580 --> 00:33:03.100 they can't fix that 00:33:03.100 --> 00:33:03.700 themselves. 00:33:03.700 --> 00:33:05.080 They need it to be done 00:33:05.080 --> 00:33:05.680 for them. 00:33:06.940 --> 00:33:08.480 Whatever is natural for a 00:33:08.480 --> 00:33:10.280 baby at the very beginning, 00:33:11.280 --> 00:33:15.320 right, still leads them in 00:33:15.320 --> 00:33:16.580 their points of desperation. 00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:18.700 Let's prove it to you. 00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:22.080 All you moms and dads out 00:33:22.080 --> 00:33:24.600 here with babies, next week 00:33:24.600 --> 00:33:27.120 we're just going to have the 00:33:27.120 --> 00:33:28.040 nursery open. 00:33:29.340 --> 00:33:30.060 Just going to need you just 00:33:30.060 --> 00:33:30.840 to drop them off. 00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:32.120 Nobody's going to be in 00:33:32.120 --> 00:33:33.420 there, right? 00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:35.300 You're like, well, then I 00:33:35.300 --> 00:33:36.360 guess I know that I'm not 00:33:36.360 --> 00:33:37.620 coming back here ever again, 00:33:37.660 --> 00:33:37.800 right? 00:33:38.020 --> 00:33:38.420 No. 00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:40.480 No, we wouldn't do that. 00:33:40.560 --> 00:33:40.780 Why? 00:33:41.820 --> 00:33:42.840 Because they're desperate. 00:33:43.780 --> 00:33:46.120 They need someone to clean up 00:33:46.120 --> 00:33:46.860 what they've done. 00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:49.420 They need someone to take care 00:33:49.420 --> 00:33:51.060 of what they can't take care 00:33:51.060 --> 00:33:51.360 of. 00:33:51.580 --> 00:33:54.700 If you leave a baby alone to 00:33:54.700 --> 00:33:56.920 figure things out, here's what 00:33:56.920 --> 00:33:57.320 happens. 00:33:57.320 --> 00:33:58.740 They die. 00:34:00.220 --> 00:34:02.100 They come into this world 00:34:02.100 --> 00:34:07.800 blind, helpless, afraid, weak, 00:34:08.540 --> 00:34:11.760 and unless someone steps in, 00:34:12.660 --> 00:34:15.500 every child that is ever born 00:34:15.500 --> 00:34:18.500 is headed toward instant death. 00:34:18.660 --> 00:34:19.560 Every one of them. 00:34:21.160 --> 00:34:23.580 There ain't a baby in this world 00:34:23.580 --> 00:34:27.000 who survives on their own. 00:34:29.700 --> 00:34:31.200 So go back into this setting 00:34:31.200 --> 00:34:31.680 with Jesus. 00:34:33.660 --> 00:34:36.460 He's there and mamas are 00:34:36.460 --> 00:34:40.320 handing their babies over to a 00:34:40.320 --> 00:34:42.760 man that they've never seen 00:34:42.760 --> 00:34:43.140 before. 00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:48.260 There's a crowd and people were 00:34:48.260 --> 00:34:50.100 pushing and trying to fight to 00:34:50.100 --> 00:34:51.040 get to where he is. 00:34:53.060 --> 00:34:54.960 The babies are there and 00:34:54.960 --> 00:34:57.120 they're being handed and pushed 00:34:57.120 --> 00:34:58.600 back and forth as the disciples 00:34:58.600 --> 00:35:00.660 say no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:35:02.100 --> 00:35:03.600 And I would have a feeling, 00:35:03.740 --> 00:35:05.040 scripture doesn't say this, 00:35:05.120 --> 00:35:05.860 but I've been around enough 00:35:05.860 --> 00:35:08.100 babies to know, right, that 00:35:08.100 --> 00:35:09.760 there begins to be a noise 00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:13.160 that happens and the babies 00:35:13.160 --> 00:35:13.880 begin to cry. 00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:20.140 And Jesus says, unless you're like 00:35:20.140 --> 00:35:23.740 that, you can't enter the kingdom 00:35:23.740 --> 00:35:26.140 of God, right? 00:35:26.840 --> 00:35:29.860 Unless you're as desperate as they 00:35:29.860 --> 00:35:32.340 are, then you can't enter in. 00:35:33.180 --> 00:35:36.580 The Bible teaches that you and I, 00:35:37.400 --> 00:35:40.240 apart from Christ, that we are like a 00:35:40.240 --> 00:35:44.040 baby, that we are blind, we are 00:35:44.040 --> 00:35:47.880 helpless, that we are afraid, that 00:35:47.880 --> 00:35:50.500 we are weak, and that we are headed 00:35:50.500 --> 00:35:53.900 for instant and eternal death. 00:35:55.180 --> 00:36:00.140 Unless Jesus steps in and saves us. 00:36:03.180 --> 00:36:07.260 As we close this week, I want to ask 00:36:07.260 --> 00:36:10.300 you the question, do you have the 00:36:10.300 --> 00:36:12.820 wonder and amazement for God? 00:36:13.960 --> 00:36:18.260 Are you dependent on him to guide 00:36:18.260 --> 00:36:20.220 you and to lead you? 00:36:21.540 --> 00:36:23.500 But I think the most important thing 00:36:23.500 --> 00:36:25.840 that we see, and that we're going 00:36:25.840 --> 00:36:28.560 to close with this, is have you 00:36:28.560 --> 00:36:30.580 understood and do you understand 00:36:30.580 --> 00:36:34.000 understand that you and I cannot 00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:35.480 bring ourselves life? 00:36:36.640 --> 00:36:38.760 The law won't bring it. 00:36:39.780 --> 00:36:41.960 The people around us won't bring. 00:36:42.680 --> 00:36:45.480 The only one that can bring life 00:36:45.480 --> 00:36:46.520 is Jesus. 00:36:47.880 --> 00:36:50.040 And are you desperate for him? 00:36:50.960 --> 00:36:51.700 Would you pray with me? 00:36:57.260 --> 00:36:58.660 Lord, we come to you this morning. 00:37:00.580 --> 00:37:03.500 Lord, thanking you for who you are. 00:37:04.560 --> 00:37:05.960 Lord, for what you've done. 00:37:07.160 --> 00:37:09.200 And for what life looks like with you. 00:37:11.320 --> 00:37:13.100 Lord, I pray that we would have the 00:37:13.100 --> 00:37:14.040 faith of a child. 00:37:15.440 --> 00:37:17.420 Lord, that we would be in wonder of 00:37:17.420 --> 00:37:18.040 your word. 00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:21.440 In wonder of our relationship with you. 00:37:22.300 --> 00:37:24.880 In wonder of what you've done, 00:37:25.100 --> 00:37:27.320 what you're doing, and what you will 00:37:27.320 --> 00:37:27.660 do. 00:37:28.860 --> 00:37:30.580 Lord, that we would be captivated and 00:37:30.580 --> 00:37:33.140 amazed by the work of your hand. 00:37:34.420 --> 00:37:37.380 In the miracle and in the ordinary. 00:37:38.740 --> 00:37:40.300 Lord, I pray that we would be dependent 00:37:40.300 --> 00:37:40.760 on you. 00:37:41.900 --> 00:37:44.180 Not for our way or what we think needs 00:37:44.180 --> 00:37:44.820 to be done. 00:37:45.860 --> 00:37:47.900 Lord, but that we would understand that a 00:37:47.900 --> 00:37:51.420 desperation for maturity is not found in 00:37:51.420 --> 00:37:53.500 our independence from you, but in our 00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:54.660 dependence from you. 00:37:55.600 --> 00:37:58.060 So, Lord, with everything, with who we are, 00:37:58.180 --> 00:37:59.460 may we bring it before you. 00:38:00.300 --> 00:38:02.440 May every decision that we have to make 00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:04.920 be poured over and may your will be 00:38:04.920 --> 00:38:05.980 sought out. 00:38:08.820 --> 00:38:10.160 And, Lord, lastly, 00:38:11.160 --> 00:38:14.820 as a child is desperate to be saved, 00:38:16.440 --> 00:38:17.700 may we be desperate for you. 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:22.800 A child who cannot defend themselves, 00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:25.040 a child who cannot sustain themselves, 00:38:25.320 --> 00:38:27.740 a child who cannot give themselves life, 00:38:28.060 --> 00:38:30.160 a child who is laying there, 00:38:30.500 --> 00:38:32.580 stuck in the mess that they've created for 00:38:32.580 --> 00:38:35.660 themselves, blinded by their sin, 00:38:35.780 --> 00:38:37.700 afraid of what tomorrow holds, 00:38:38.040 --> 00:38:40.240 helpless, weak, wounded, 00:38:40.240 --> 00:38:43.380 and crying. 00:38:45.560 --> 00:38:48.000 Lord, may we understand that that's who we are. 00:38:50.060 --> 00:38:52.460 And while a child cries for 00:38:52.460 --> 00:38:54.600 anyone to save them, 00:38:56.160 --> 00:38:58.640 Lord, may we be desperate and cry out to you. 00:38:59.900 --> 00:39:02.020 It's not religion that saves us, 00:39:02.080 --> 00:39:04.180 it's not the law that saves us, 00:39:04.180 --> 00:39:06.420 but it is Christ and Christ alone. 00:39:09.020 --> 00:39:10.120 Faith by grace. 00:39:13.100 --> 00:39:14.040 And so, Lord, I pray, 00:39:14.160 --> 00:39:15.540 if there's anyone here this morning 00:39:15.540 --> 00:39:18.300 who does not know you, 00:39:19.660 --> 00:39:21.760 Lord, that today will be the day 00:39:21.760 --> 00:39:23.980 in their moment 00:39:23.980 --> 00:39:26.440 where they become desperate 00:39:26.440 --> 00:39:28.920 for the King of kings 00:39:28.920 --> 00:39:30.900 and the Lord of lords 00:39:30.900 --> 00:39:32.040 to save them. 00:39:33.460 --> 00:39:35.080 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:39:35.920 --> 00:39:36.240 Amen. 00:39:37.400 --> 00:39:37.800 Amen. 00:39:37.860 --> 00:39:40.080 We're going to go into a worship set. 00:39:40.860 --> 00:39:41.540 Two more songs. 00:39:44.980 --> 00:39:46.720 I want you to respond 00:39:46.720 --> 00:39:48.820 like a child this morning. 00:39:49.100 --> 00:39:49.440 All right? 00:39:52.020 --> 00:39:53.260 I want you to respond 00:39:53.260 --> 00:39:54.040 in the wonder 00:39:54.040 --> 00:39:55.940 of who God is. 00:39:57.320 --> 00:39:58.940 I want you to respond 00:39:58.940 --> 00:40:00.780 in the dependence 00:40:00.780 --> 00:40:02.440 of how you need Him 00:40:02.440 --> 00:40:03.780 for the next breath 00:40:03.780 --> 00:40:04.380 that you take. 00:40:04.460 --> 00:40:05.120 Without Him, 00:40:05.160 --> 00:40:05.900 it will fail you. 00:40:07.540 --> 00:40:09.060 And I want you to respond 00:40:09.060 --> 00:40:11.200 in the desperation 00:40:11.200 --> 00:40:13.000 that you have 00:40:13.000 --> 00:40:14.420 to every day 00:40:14.420 --> 00:40:15.520 to be saved from yourself. 00:40:17.360 --> 00:40:18.600 So would you join me 00:40:18.600 --> 00:40:20.160 as we stand 00:40:20.160 --> 00:40:21.380 and respond to Him? 00:40:21.380 --> 00:40:38.780 Thanks again for listening 00:40:38.780 --> 00:40:39.920 to the Willow Ridge Church 00:40:39.920 --> 00:40:40.700 weekly podcast. 00:40:41.180 --> 00:40:42.220 We hope that you enjoyed 00:40:42.220 --> 00:40:43.520 listening to this week's message. 00:40:43.800 --> 00:40:45.080 If you'd like to learn more 00:40:45.080 --> 00:40:45.920 about who we are 00:40:45.920 --> 00:40:47.540 or explore additional resources, 00:40:48.120 --> 00:40:49.000 visit us online 00:40:49.000 --> 00:40:52.560 at www.willowridgechurch.com 00:40:52.560 --> 00:40:53.780 or by searching 00:40:53.780 --> 00:40:54.800 for Willow Ridge Church 00:40:54.800 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