WEBVTT 152 00:20:17.244 --> 00:20:20.885 I, uh, I feel like I don't even need to preach a sermon after that. Man. 153 00:20:21.105 --> 00:20:25.765 That's so good. Those truth is so beautiful. How are y'all doing? Good, 154 00:20:26.395 --> 00:20:30.645 good, good. Uh, hey, if you are, uh, 155 00:20:30.705 --> 00:20:33.645 new around here, maybe you haven't seen my face before. My name is Aaron. 156 00:20:33.765 --> 00:20:37.085 I am one of the teaching team here. And, uh, man, I, 157 00:20:37.285 --> 00:20:40.205 I love what we get to do in these spaces. I love the way we get to gather, 158 00:20:40.225 --> 00:20:44.605 the way we get to worship. And, uh, man, if you are new around here, 159 00:20:45.385 --> 00:20:48.965 or maybe if you are returning to church in the new year or something like that, 160 00:20:49.325 --> 00:20:53.845 uh, I just want to kind of lay it out for you pretty clearly and frankly, uh, 161 00:20:53.945 --> 00:20:56.484 who we are and what we're about. Uh, first of all, 162 00:20:56.485 --> 00:21:00.325 we are a family that loves God. We follow Jesus and we share hope. 163 00:21:00.325 --> 00:21:03.165 And we're gonna explore those ideas a little bit more a little bit later on 164 00:21:03.166 --> 00:21:05.565 today. But, uh, at the core of who we are, 165 00:21:06.345 --> 00:21:08.565 at the core of what we do as a church, uh, 166 00:21:08.665 --> 00:21:13.285 is we believe that it is our responsibility as a family to grow 167 00:21:13.395 --> 00:21:18.045 into spiritual maturity. And maybe you've never heard that phrase before. 168 00:21:18.046 --> 00:21:20.285 Maybe you've never, uh, thought about that before. 169 00:21:20.305 --> 00:21:24.045 But essentially all that means is that we believe that in the same way that a 170 00:21:24.046 --> 00:21:29.005 person grows, uh, physically, uh, we believe we also all grow, mature, uh, 171 00:21:29.365 --> 00:21:32.565 maturity wise as it pertains to our spiritual beings as well. 172 00:21:32.566 --> 00:21:35.405 And the Bible actually refers to this as a type of wholeness. 173 00:21:35.435 --> 00:21:39.885 It's us becoming a whole person, becoming the type of person that Jesus has, uh, 174 00:21:40.085 --> 00:21:43.325 uh, intended for us to be. And uh, one of the things that I'm, 175 00:21:43.345 --> 00:21:46.725 I'm coming to learn even as I walk with Jesus is this, 176 00:21:46.744 --> 00:21:49.805 is that it doesn't require us to reinvent the wheel. 177 00:21:51.275 --> 00:21:56.095 We had a leader. We have a man whose name is Jesus, who over 2000 years ago, 178 00:21:56.115 --> 00:21:57.215 he perfected the wheel. 179 00:21:58.335 --> 00:22:02.255 And so often as we find ourselves maybe in seasons of feeling spiritually 180 00:22:02.295 --> 00:22:06.095 stagnant or feeling like, man, I, I don't know if I get this whole God thing. 181 00:22:06.096 --> 00:22:07.095 Typically what happens is, 182 00:22:07.295 --> 00:22:11.175 is we try to come up with all these like creative and sexy ways to like build up 183 00:22:11.195 --> 00:22:13.335 our spiritual selves when the reality is, 184 00:22:13.515 --> 00:22:16.415 is that we look at the blueprint that Jesus gave us and we say, Hey, 185 00:22:16.535 --> 00:22:21.295 but how about we just try that stuff and see what happens? Because the truth is, 186 00:22:21.494 --> 00:22:25.175 is that Jesus cares so deeply about who you are and who you're becoming, 187 00:22:25.365 --> 00:22:29.535 that he has given us a blueprint of how our lives will take this natural 188 00:22:29.536 --> 00:22:33.815 transformation from the inside out as long as we trust him and obey him. 189 00:22:34.915 --> 00:22:38.655 So, uh, as we have already kind of heard over the past six weeks, 190 00:22:38.665 --> 00:22:40.695 we've been in this series called Fresh Start, 191 00:22:40.696 --> 00:22:44.455 where Jason has walked us through the life of a man named Nehemiah. 192 00:22:44.555 --> 00:22:46.855 And we saw in Nehemiah's life, uh, 193 00:22:46.856 --> 00:22:50.095 that all of the successes that he experienced, um, 194 00:22:50.115 --> 00:22:54.095 and all of the triumph that he experienced was all predicated by his 195 00:22:54.445 --> 00:22:58.055 willingness to consistently and humbly pray. 196 00:22:58.075 --> 00:23:00.535 And so it felt like a clear jumping off point, uh, 197 00:23:00.555 --> 00:23:03.575 for us to walk away from the story of Nehemiah and say, okay, 198 00:23:03.576 --> 00:23:08.295 how about we learn what prayer is all about? And so, uh, 199 00:23:08.375 --> 00:23:10.455 I do want to give you a little bit of this disclaimer. 200 00:23:10.456 --> 00:23:12.695 We're gonna be in this series for the next three weeks. Uh, 201 00:23:12.955 --> 00:23:17.895 if all we do is gather together for a collective roughly 202 00:23:18.025 --> 00:23:22.455 three hours over the next three weeks and talk about prayer, we failed, 203 00:23:24.244 --> 00:23:29.095 like the beauty in these practices that Jesus gives us actually comes from 204 00:23:29.155 --> 00:23:32.015 the practice. Like that's where the transformation takes place. 205 00:23:32.035 --> 00:23:35.455 So what I wanna invite all of us into is over these next three weeks, 206 00:23:35.456 --> 00:23:38.975 these next 21 days, it's an opportunity for us to pray together. 207 00:23:38.994 --> 00:23:41.215 And there's a couple of different ways that you can do that. Um, 208 00:23:41.216 --> 00:23:42.615 hopefully there's maybe, uh, 209 00:23:42.616 --> 00:23:45.580 you already have a natural rhythm in prayer in your own life, but if not, 210 00:23:45.581 --> 00:23:47.365 we wanted to give you some parameters, 211 00:23:47.366 --> 00:23:49.845 some things that actually could help you out a little bit. So, um, 212 00:23:49.984 --> 00:23:54.405 at any point you can text the word app to 7 2 9 8 9. As a matter of fact, 213 00:23:54.406 --> 00:23:56.645 if you wanna do it right now, I'm about to tell a story in a minute. 214 00:23:56.646 --> 00:23:59.484 So this is a great time to like tune out and not miss anything. Uh, 215 00:23:59.885 --> 00:24:04.765 but you can text app to 7 2 9 8 9. And in the Hope Community Church app, 216 00:24:04.815 --> 00:24:08.244 we're gonna be walking through 21 days of prayer together. 217 00:24:08.305 --> 00:24:10.484 If you joined us for our 40 days of prayer last year, 218 00:24:10.515 --> 00:24:13.285 it's gonna be kind of similar to that with a few extra elements, 219 00:24:13.465 --> 00:24:15.484 but also at each of our campuses, uh, 220 00:24:15.485 --> 00:24:18.805 we're gonna have different opportunities for you to meet up midweek with other 221 00:24:18.806 --> 00:24:22.244 people who you attend church with and actually pray together. 222 00:24:22.345 --> 00:24:25.285 So be on the lookout for that. Talk to somebody at your campus about that. 223 00:24:25.286 --> 00:24:26.765 Talk to your campus pastor. They'll, uh, 224 00:24:26.766 --> 00:24:27.925 kind of point you in the right direction. 225 00:24:29.105 --> 00:24:30.605 So what are we gonna do on the weekends? 226 00:24:30.955 --> 00:24:33.885 Like if the majority of the heavy lifting is gonna be done during the week? 227 00:24:33.886 --> 00:24:35.285 And through us practicing this together, 228 00:24:35.286 --> 00:24:37.765 what are we gonna talk about over the next couple of weeks? Well, 229 00:24:37.766 --> 00:24:42.525 today we're gonna talk about what prayer really is and how a proper perspective 230 00:24:42.585 --> 00:24:45.645 of prayer, uh, informs the way that we pray. 231 00:24:45.945 --> 00:24:48.725 So today we'll be talking about what is prayer. Next week, uh, 232 00:24:48.734 --> 00:24:51.325 we're gonna explore different prayer postures, um, 233 00:24:51.385 --> 00:24:55.205 and how those can help us in stirring up our affections towards God. 234 00:24:55.345 --> 00:24:56.645 And I just want to tell you right now, 235 00:24:56.715 --> 00:25:00.085 like next week is not the week to watch from home. 236 00:25:01.155 --> 00:25:03.125 It's gonna be highly experiential. Uh, 237 00:25:03.126 --> 00:25:06.085 there's gonna be some things that you definitely want to be in the room for. 238 00:25:06.105 --> 00:25:10.085 So please do all that you can to prioritize being here in person at one of our 239 00:25:10.244 --> 00:25:13.845 physical campuses for next week as we talk about the postures of prayer. Uh, 240 00:25:13.846 --> 00:25:14.685 and then in week three, 241 00:25:14.686 --> 00:25:17.805 we're gonna talk about what it looks like to establish a rhythm of prayer. 242 00:25:17.806 --> 00:25:21.805 Because reality is, uh, we all have busy lives. And if we're not careful, 243 00:25:21.905 --> 00:25:23.565 and you've probably experienced this for yourself, 244 00:25:23.566 --> 00:25:27.165 sometimes prayer tends to be the first thing to go like not on purpose. 245 00:25:27.265 --> 00:25:31.365 It just kind of happens. And so how do we keep that from happening? Now, 246 00:25:31.366 --> 00:25:34.085 I wanna be clear, the purpose in all of this is not, Hey, 247 00:25:34.086 --> 00:25:37.565 let's get the people of Hope Community Church praying so that we believe that 248 00:25:37.566 --> 00:25:40.125 God will have favor on us and we'll be successful as an organization. 249 00:25:40.126 --> 00:25:42.445 That is not the reason why we're doing this three weeks of prayer. 250 00:25:43.425 --> 00:25:47.845 The reason why we're talking about prayer is because we want to stir your 251 00:25:47.846 --> 00:25:49.005 affections for God. 252 00:25:50.734 --> 00:25:53.435 My prayer has been that as we all walk away from this, 253 00:25:53.436 --> 00:25:57.195 that we would walk out of these spaces and these times together and through your 254 00:25:57.196 --> 00:25:59.315 prayer experiences of the week and say, man, God, 255 00:25:59.395 --> 00:26:01.275 I can't wait to sit in front of you again. 256 00:26:02.075 --> 00:26:03.595 I can't wait to hang out with you again. 257 00:26:04.435 --> 00:26:09.355 I can't wait to pour out my heart to you again. See, I think one of the, 258 00:26:09.356 --> 00:26:11.955 the reasons why we don't consistently, uh, 259 00:26:12.025 --> 00:26:15.515 hold onto that posture of prayers, because if we're honest, 260 00:26:16.315 --> 00:26:20.275 I think a lot of us have lost our sense of awe when it comes to prayer. 261 00:26:21.115 --> 00:26:24.115 I don't think we make a big deal of it. Now, I wanna be clear, okay, 262 00:26:24.135 --> 00:26:27.675 on the ground level, you're gonna hear me say the word prayer a lot today. 263 00:26:27.676 --> 00:26:30.115 And so I want to be clear on what I mean by that. 264 00:26:30.225 --> 00:26:33.115 Just kind of hear from the beginning. And its simplest terms, 265 00:26:33.215 --> 00:26:38.035 prayer is talking to God and giving him space to talk 266 00:26:38.036 --> 00:26:42.185 to us. Like on the base level when we talk about prayer, that's what it is. 267 00:26:42.244 --> 00:26:46.605 But I do think there's this cosmic sense of prayer that we need to be mindful of 268 00:26:46.606 --> 00:26:50.005 that does remind us that this is an awe inspiring thing that happens. 269 00:26:50.345 --> 00:26:54.325 And I wanna show you what I mean. Um, back in September, uh, 270 00:26:54.326 --> 00:26:59.125 this got delivered to my front door. See iPhone 16 and all right, 271 00:26:59.126 --> 00:27:02.525 hold on, stay tuned. Uh, 272 00:27:02.585 --> 00:27:05.365 I'm gonna admit something to you that if you're in here and you're an Android 273 00:27:05.366 --> 00:27:08.285 user, you've been waiting to hear an iPhone person say, for a really long time, 274 00:27:09.244 --> 00:27:11.565 uh, I got this phone, I got it outta the box. 275 00:27:12.005 --> 00:27:15.845 I looked at it for a few seconds and I thought, did I just get ripped off? 276 00:27:16.955 --> 00:27:20.405 Because I moved up to the 16 from the 14. And if I'm honest, 277 00:27:20.406 --> 00:27:22.525 nothing really changed , like, 278 00:27:22.526 --> 00:27:25.325 it feels like the same phone that I got two years ago. 279 00:27:25.385 --> 00:27:28.765 And I'm pretty sure this is pretty close to the same phone I'm gonna buy again 280 00:27:28.766 --> 00:27:33.365 next year because old habits die hard. But I remember the first time, 281 00:27:33.925 --> 00:27:35.484 uh, I remember back in 2007, 282 00:27:35.565 --> 00:27:39.725 I was in middle school and a kid named Daniel Pipkin walked into school with the 283 00:27:39.965 --> 00:27:40.798 original iPhone. 284 00:27:41.425 --> 00:27:44.965 And we thought that this kid who was previously the biggest nerd in school, 285 00:27:45.225 --> 00:27:48.725 he immediately got promoted to the coolest kid in class like overnight. 286 00:27:49.025 --> 00:27:51.244 And I don't know if you remember the original iPhone, 287 00:27:51.265 --> 00:27:56.005 but let me just kind of describe to you how powerful this bad boy was. Okay? Uh, 288 00:27:56.115 --> 00:27:58.845 this the base model of the original iPhone, 289 00:27:58.945 --> 00:28:01.244 it came with a whole four gigabytes of storage, 290 00:28:02.655 --> 00:28:04.165 which if you're not a techie out there, 291 00:28:04.166 --> 00:28:08.445 that's about two videos on your phone right now. It doesn't take a lot. Uh, 292 00:28:08.446 --> 00:28:11.965 it touted a two megapixel camera for reference. Uh, 293 00:28:11.966 --> 00:28:15.685 this one has a 48 megapixel camera on it, a rear camera. Of course, 294 00:28:15.765 --> 00:28:19.325 there was no front facing camera because selfies didn't exist yet. Uh, 295 00:28:19.385 --> 00:28:22.885 on top of that, there was no app store. It had no Siri. 296 00:28:23.725 --> 00:28:26.405 FaceTime wasn't a thing. There was no video recording. 297 00:28:26.405 --> 00:28:28.484 This one actually kind of shocked me when I went back and looked it up. 298 00:28:28.705 --> 00:28:33.205 You couldn't copy and paste on it. You couldn't send photos or videos, 299 00:28:33.865 --> 00:28:37.205 you couldn't change your wallpaper on it. There wasn't even a flashlight. 300 00:28:37.225 --> 00:28:40.245 And we had the nerve to call this thing a smartphone. . 301 00:28:40.985 --> 00:28:42.885 If any of you were walking around with this today, 302 00:28:42.886 --> 00:28:44.405 we would've roast you to high heaven. Okay? 303 00:28:44.425 --> 00:28:46.085 I'm just letting you know that right now, . 304 00:28:46.745 --> 00:28:48.325 But here's the thing that's pretty crazy, man. 305 00:28:48.445 --> 00:28:51.085 I got this phone back in September, this iPhone 16, 306 00:28:51.105 --> 00:28:54.525 and I pulled it out the box and I went, me, it's all right. 307 00:28:55.505 --> 00:28:58.045 But if someone would've showed me this in 2007, 308 00:28:59.175 --> 00:29:02.955 my brain would've exploded. Like the fact that on this device, 309 00:29:03.115 --> 00:29:06.275 I can pull it out right now and in a matter of seconds I could be, uh, 310 00:29:06.276 --> 00:29:08.995 talking face to face with someone on the other side of the planet. 311 00:29:09.065 --> 00:29:11.835 It's mind blowing. Like we didn't have that technology back then, 312 00:29:12.175 --> 00:29:14.595 but we also didn't have a proper context for it. 313 00:29:15.135 --> 00:29:17.795 And I know this is a silly example, but when I think about that, 314 00:29:17.855 --> 00:29:19.515 it reminds me of one Peter, 315 00:29:19.855 --> 00:29:23.235 one 10 and how it's descriptive of most of our, uh, 316 00:29:23.265 --> 00:29:27.755 experiences of Western Christianity. Here's, here's what it says. Uh, one Corin, 317 00:29:27.775 --> 00:29:31.835 I'm sorry, one Peter one verse 10. It says, uh, 318 00:29:31.885 --> 00:29:33.395 concerning this salvation, 319 00:29:34.095 --> 00:29:38.795 the salvation that you and I have the prophets who prophesied about the grace 320 00:29:38.905 --> 00:29:39.995 that was to be yours, 321 00:29:40.305 --> 00:29:45.165 they searched and inquired carefully inquiring what person or time 322 00:29:45.265 --> 00:29:49.045 the spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of 323 00:29:49.046 --> 00:29:51.005 Christ and the subsequent glories, 324 00:29:51.985 --> 00:29:54.965 it was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves, 325 00:29:55.345 --> 00:30:00.115 but you in the things that we have now been announced to you 326 00:30:00.116 --> 00:30:03.755 through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from 327 00:30:03.756 --> 00:30:06.675 heaven things into which angels long to look. 328 00:30:06.775 --> 00:30:08.555 Let me paraphrase all of this for you. 329 00:30:09.295 --> 00:30:12.635 You ever read the Old Testament and you hear these incredible stories like the 330 00:30:12.715 --> 00:30:14.835 greatest hits of like Moses part and the Red Sea, 331 00:30:15.235 --> 00:30:17.435 and like the dry bones coming to life, 332 00:30:17.436 --> 00:30:19.915 the army of dry bones in front of Ezekiel. And you think, man, 333 00:30:20.095 --> 00:30:21.475 if I could have saw that stuff, 334 00:30:21.625 --> 00:30:26.315 like my faith would be undoubtedly stronger than it is 335 00:30:26.316 --> 00:30:27.149 today. 336 00:30:27.945 --> 00:30:31.715 What Peter is writing here in this passage is that actually, 337 00:30:32.015 --> 00:30:33.995 if you were able to sit down with Moses, 338 00:30:34.975 --> 00:30:36.995 or if you were able to sit down with Ezekiel, 339 00:30:37.575 --> 00:30:40.515 or if you were able to sit down with one of the prophets of the Old Testament, 340 00:30:40.695 --> 00:30:45.425 you know, who would want to hear the stories? They would, they would be like, 341 00:30:45.605 --> 00:30:46.015 man, 342 00:30:46.015 --> 00:30:50.985 tell me what it's like to have the presence of God with you 24 7 wherever 343 00:30:50.986 --> 00:30:51.819 you go. 344 00:30:52.895 --> 00:30:57.225 Tell us what's it like to just be forgiven by what Jesus did on the cross 345 00:30:57.335 --> 00:31:00.945 without having to do all the sacrifices and go through all the things and ask 346 00:31:01.005 --> 00:31:05.785 all the questions. Like if they genuinely look at us and think, man, 347 00:31:05.965 --> 00:31:09.785 if we could have what those Christians in 2025 have, 348 00:31:10.845 --> 00:31:13.665 and then on top of that, Peter doubles down and says, no, 349 00:31:13.735 --> 00:31:18.545 even the angels watch eagerly meaning in some cosmic 350 00:31:18.565 --> 00:31:23.145 way that I don't understand. Somehow the angels who are in heaven, uh, 351 00:31:23.325 --> 00:31:28.105 around the throne of God look at us and say, man, we wish we had what they had. 352 00:31:30.535 --> 00:31:34.225 Like that's wild to think about because there is something, uh, 353 00:31:34.465 --> 00:31:38.625 innately intimate about the relationship that God has graced us all with. 354 00:31:38.645 --> 00:31:43.265 And I think one of the aspects of that intimacy comes through prayer. 355 00:31:44.925 --> 00:31:46.785 And I think we need to allow, uh, 356 00:31:46.885 --> 00:31:51.865 God to redefine what prayer is in our hearts. Prayer is not a last resort. 357 00:31:53.255 --> 00:31:57.835 Prayer is not a break glass in case of emergency bandaid from when we've tried 358 00:31:57.836 --> 00:31:59.595 everything and it didn't seem to work. 359 00:32:00.695 --> 00:32:03.955 Prayer is not just what we do while we wait for our food to cool off, 360 00:32:05.105 --> 00:32:09.235 there's actually something cosmically important that happens in profound, 361 00:32:09.535 --> 00:32:12.195 and we're gonna kind of build on this definition as we go. 362 00:32:12.196 --> 00:32:14.435 But at its base level, when we pray, 363 00:32:14.935 --> 00:32:18.395 we are responding to a supernatural invitation. 364 00:32:20.685 --> 00:32:24.055 It's a supernatural invitation. Let's go back in time a little bit, 365 00:32:24.056 --> 00:32:25.135 going back to the Old Testament, 366 00:32:25.335 --> 00:32:27.575 talking about some of those prophets that we talked about earlier, right? 367 00:32:27.865 --> 00:32:31.895 Let's go back and look at the Israelite people who Jason talked about throughout 368 00:32:31.896 --> 00:32:36.415 the Nehemiah series. If you go 500 years prior to Nehemiah, uh, 369 00:32:36.425 --> 00:32:41.205 those Israelite people were being released from Egyptian enslavement and 370 00:32:41.206 --> 00:32:43.805 they're out in the wilderness being led by a man named Moses. 371 00:32:44.185 --> 00:32:46.805 But here's what happens, even in the midst of the wilderness, 372 00:32:46.806 --> 00:32:49.805 which they put themselves there by their own disobedience, 373 00:32:50.545 --> 00:32:54.445 God promised to be their God. And this is a big deal. 374 00:32:55.635 --> 00:32:59.965 Like they are surrounded by nations with false gods false idols. 375 00:33:00.065 --> 00:33:03.725 And the one true God of the universe says, you all are my people, 376 00:33:03.905 --> 00:33:07.765 and I'm going to go before you. But there's some rules, 377 00:33:08.765 --> 00:33:12.535 there's some ground rules. See, I'm a holy God. So, uh, 378 00:33:12.715 --> 00:33:15.375 not everyone can step foot into my presence. 379 00:33:15.376 --> 00:33:17.135 We'll talk about that a little bit more. 380 00:33:17.195 --> 00:33:21.215 But God still offered his presence with a few circumstances. 381 00:33:22.735 --> 00:33:27.245 It was made available to one nation in one room, 382 00:33:27.415 --> 00:33:32.405 which was referred to as the holies of Holies, where one man, 383 00:33:33.825 --> 00:33:36.365 one time a year was allowed to enter, 384 00:33:37.525 --> 00:33:39.965 assuming he had done a whole lot of work to go in there. 385 00:33:42.665 --> 00:33:43.498 And in this, 386 00:33:43.795 --> 00:33:47.405 this building that it kind of takes on some different shapes over the history of 387 00:33:47.406 --> 00:33:49.285 the Bible. You have the tabernacle, you have the temple, 388 00:33:49.385 --> 00:33:52.925 and inside of these buildings, you have the Holy of Holies. And in it, 389 00:33:52.926 --> 00:33:57.845 there's a curtain that separates the holy of Holies from everything on 390 00:33:57.846 --> 00:34:00.645 the outside. Now, why was this giant curtain here? Well, 391 00:34:00.825 --> 00:34:03.405 it was to make sure that if somebody was walking through the temple looking for 392 00:34:03.406 --> 00:34:06.205 the bathroom, they didn't accidentally walk in because if they did, 393 00:34:06.585 --> 00:34:11.155 the holiness of God would strike them dead because of their sinfulness, 394 00:34:11.156 --> 00:34:13.995 because of their brokenness in the presence of a holy God, 395 00:34:14.185 --> 00:34:17.075 they wouldn't stand a chance. This curtain was, uh, 396 00:34:17.076 --> 00:34:19.275 historians believe it was 60 feet high. 397 00:34:20.135 --> 00:34:25.114 It was 30 feet wide and about four inches thick made of a single fabric, 398 00:34:25.705 --> 00:34:29.915 meaning, uh, it was impossible for any human hand to really damage it. 399 00:34:29.915 --> 00:34:32.235 As a matter of fact, if it ever needed to be handled, 400 00:34:32.465 --> 00:34:36.835 it's believed that it took somewhere around 300 priests like teamwork, 401 00:34:37.235 --> 00:34:37.585 team lip. 402 00:34:37.585 --> 00:34:40.635 This isn't your couch getting it upstairs to your second floor apartment. 403 00:34:41.045 --> 00:34:45.114 These are 300 men giving all of their effort to move this curtain. 404 00:34:45.215 --> 00:34:49.795 And why was it so big? Why was it so large? Why was it so robust? Well, one, 405 00:34:49.975 --> 00:34:54.955 it was because it was a symbol to all of the people of the separation that sin 406 00:34:55.195 --> 00:34:56.515 calls between us and God, 407 00:34:56.516 --> 00:35:01.435 that no one man was strong enough to move that barrier out of the way so 408 00:35:01.436 --> 00:35:03.395 that any of us could enter in freely. 409 00:35:04.225 --> 00:35:08.594 This curtain was a constant reminder of the sin that, uh, of the, 410 00:35:08.595 --> 00:35:13.395 of the divide that sin created between God and man. And I just wanna be clear, 411 00:35:13.985 --> 00:35:15.555 this wasn't a them problem. 412 00:35:18.195 --> 00:35:22.805 This wasn't just a hurdle that the Israelites had to get over. You see, 413 00:35:22.806 --> 00:35:27.725 for all of us, we all have an issue that separates us from the presence of God. 414 00:35:27.925 --> 00:35:31.725 It makes us unworthy of entering in, and that's our sin. 415 00:35:33.985 --> 00:35:37.645 And the reality is all of us has a curtain. 416 00:35:40.235 --> 00:35:44.025 Maybe it's a sin that you keep running back to over and over again. 417 00:35:44.035 --> 00:35:48.185 Maybe it's shame and maybe it's the guilt for something that you've done in your 418 00:35:48.186 --> 00:35:51.785 past. Maybe it's a lie that you'll never be good enough. Listen to me, 419 00:35:51.805 --> 00:35:53.945 we all have a curtain, 420 00:35:55.965 --> 00:35:59.655 something that by design should separate us from God. 421 00:36:00.875 --> 00:36:05.575 But there's a reason why today we aren't restricted to one nation and one 422 00:36:05.675 --> 00:36:08.175 man going into one room one time a year. 423 00:36:08.176 --> 00:36:12.375 And the reason why all of us in humility can approach our king 424 00:36:13.415 --> 00:36:14.815 is because over 2000 years ago, 425 00:36:15.015 --> 00:36:19.735 a man named Jesus died on the cross being the ultimate sacrifice for us. 426 00:36:20.075 --> 00:36:21.055 And look at what happens. 427 00:36:21.155 --> 00:36:23.935 We hear about this in three of the four gospel accounts. 428 00:36:24.635 --> 00:36:28.775 We get this little detail. This is Mark chapter 15, 37 through 38. 429 00:36:29.235 --> 00:36:33.735 It says that when Jesus was up on the cross and as he was about to die, it says, 430 00:36:33.736 --> 00:36:38.495 then Jesus uttered another loud cry, and he breathed his last. 431 00:36:39.695 --> 00:36:44.575 And the curtain in the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two from top 432 00:36:44.915 --> 00:36:49.505 to bottom. Think about this. 433 00:36:51.395 --> 00:36:54.655 Why do all of these gospel accounts include this detail? 434 00:36:55.085 --> 00:36:59.215 It's because at the moment that Jesus breathed his last breath and the life left 435 00:36:59.315 --> 00:37:01.735 his body, something supernatural happened. 436 00:37:01.915 --> 00:37:06.495 It was around where Jesus was being crucified into the temple where this curtain 437 00:37:06.555 --> 00:37:08.415 was, it was about a half a mile away. 438 00:37:10.085 --> 00:37:11.765 And the moment he let out his last breath, 439 00:37:12.085 --> 00:37:13.765 I love that the Bible includes this detail. 440 00:37:13.905 --> 00:37:17.485 The veil itself was torn from top to bottom, 441 00:37:17.795 --> 00:37:21.965 insinuating that it was torn only by a hand that was strong enough, 442 00:37:22.065 --> 00:37:23.125 and that was tall enough. 443 00:37:24.605 --> 00:37:28.305 It was torn down the middle by God. And at that moment, 444 00:37:28.445 --> 00:37:31.985 for each and every one of us, not only was that curtain destroyed, 445 00:37:32.245 --> 00:37:37.145 but the curtain that we have, our shame was removed by the hand of heaven. 446 00:37:39.645 --> 00:37:42.985 Our guilt was removed by the hand of heaven. 447 00:37:43.125 --> 00:37:47.225 The lies that we believe about ourselves were removed by the hand of heaven. 448 00:37:47.325 --> 00:37:48.585 And God himself, 449 00:37:49.245 --> 00:37:52.185 he handled all the things that could potentially get between us. 450 00:37:52.685 --> 00:37:53.905 He moved him out of the way. 451 00:37:54.165 --> 00:37:57.025 The God that was kept in and the people that were kept out, 452 00:37:57.165 --> 00:38:00.265 he just gave one big invitation to say, come and talk to me. 453 00:38:00.485 --> 00:38:04.145 And that is the supernatural act that happened when Jesus died on the cross. 454 00:38:04.255 --> 00:38:07.344 That makes prayer possible for each and every one of us here today. 455 00:38:08.695 --> 00:38:13.465 That at any given moment you can bow your head and close your 456 00:38:13.466 --> 00:38:14.905 eyes and say, let's pray. 457 00:38:15.935 --> 00:38:17.945 It's all because of the work of what Jesus did on the cross. 458 00:38:20.575 --> 00:38:21.945 When we take the time to pray, 459 00:38:22.364 --> 00:38:26.265 we are responding to this supernatural invitation into the presence of God. 460 00:38:26.266 --> 00:38:29.545 And we humbly say, I accept. Let's talk. 461 00:38:33.785 --> 00:38:37.925 And the the reason why this invitation means so much to us is because of the 462 00:38:37.926 --> 00:38:41.885 character and the identity of the one who extended the invite in the first 463 00:38:41.886 --> 00:38:44.525 place. Listen, when we pray, 464 00:38:44.985 --> 00:38:49.485 we are responding to a supernatural invitation. Yes, but it's from a holy God. 465 00:38:51.325 --> 00:38:55.864 And I think this idea of holiness is something that we forget about, 466 00:38:57.935 --> 00:39:00.815 but it's an inalienable part of God's identity. 467 00:39:00.844 --> 00:39:02.575 When we talk about the holiness of God, 468 00:39:02.576 --> 00:39:05.535 we're talking about the otherness of who he is, who he is. 469 00:39:05.536 --> 00:39:08.895 We're talking about the bigness of who he is, his majesty. This, 470 00:39:09.005 --> 00:39:12.255 this person that the entire history of the world, uh, 471 00:39:12.515 --> 00:39:16.375 has exhausted all of human language trying to describe, 472 00:39:16.675 --> 00:39:18.895 but still somehow manages to fall short. 473 00:39:19.094 --> 00:39:22.575 And the Old Testament is full of examples, uh, where, 474 00:39:22.745 --> 00:39:25.855 where humanity tries to interact with the presence of God. 475 00:39:26.755 --> 00:39:28.015 And in that interaction, 476 00:39:28.016 --> 00:39:31.975 they realize how sinful they are and how holy he is. 477 00:39:32.055 --> 00:39:34.815 I wanna paint a picture for you really quick. This is Isaiah chapter six. 478 00:39:37.085 --> 00:39:38.505 And uh, Isaiah was a prophet, 479 00:39:39.614 --> 00:39:43.065 meaning he was a person that he spoke to the people on behalf of God. 480 00:39:43.165 --> 00:39:47.105 God would give him a message, he would tell the people. And uh, in chapter six, 481 00:39:48.785 --> 00:39:50.245 Isaiah is, uh, 482 00:39:50.325 --> 00:39:54.885 given an opportunity to enter into the presence of God. It's a rare moment. 483 00:39:56.445 --> 00:40:01.364 It says, in the year that King Siah died, I saw the Lord lifted up on a throne, 484 00:40:02.385 --> 00:40:03.155 I'm sorry, sitting, 485 00:40:03.155 --> 00:40:06.925 sitting upon a throne high and lifted up in the train of his robe, 486 00:40:06.945 --> 00:40:11.165 filled the temple above him, stood the seraphim. 487 00:40:11.166 --> 00:40:14.844 There were these angelic heavenly beings. He said each had six wings, 488 00:40:14.985 --> 00:40:17.925 two that covered his faith. Two, he which he covered his feet, 489 00:40:17.926 --> 00:40:21.725 and two with which he flew. And one called to the other and said, holy, 490 00:40:22.675 --> 00:40:25.605 holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. 491 00:40:26.715 --> 00:40:31.405 This is the song that's being sung in heaven. It's a, an, an, 492 00:40:31.425 --> 00:40:36.085 an admonition of how holy God is. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of host. 493 00:40:36.344 --> 00:40:38.885 The whole earth is full of his glory. 494 00:40:39.605 --> 00:40:42.005 I want you to imagine you're Isaiah seeing the scene, 495 00:40:42.485 --> 00:40:46.685 pull that iPhone 16 out. You wanna snap a picture? , 496 00:40:47.425 --> 00:40:51.965 man, I wanna remember this forever. No, look at, look at what happens to Isaiah, 497 00:40:52.105 --> 00:40:54.485 how he perceives everything going on around him. He says, 498 00:40:54.486 --> 00:40:59.245 the foundations of the threshold shook at the voice of him who called and the 499 00:40:59.246 --> 00:41:01.844 house was filled with smoke. And I said, woe is me. 500 00:41:03.715 --> 00:41:05.295 He realized he was in trouble. He said, 501 00:41:05.375 --> 00:41:10.295 I am lost for I'm a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people 502 00:41:10.395 --> 00:41:15.015 of unclean lips for my eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts. Listen, 503 00:41:15.315 --> 00:41:16.815 in light of God's holiness, 504 00:41:16.915 --> 00:41:21.215 the only thing that Isaiah could really wrap his mind around was how unholy he 505 00:41:21.216 --> 00:41:25.975 was and how much he didn't deserve to be there, standing there 506 00:41:27.475 --> 00:41:29.614 in the throne room of the universe, 507 00:41:31.575 --> 00:41:33.485 like the place 508 00:41:35.245 --> 00:41:39.295 where all the decisions of the universe are made. God's office, 509 00:41:40.685 --> 00:41:42.695 he's in there and he can't believe it. 510 00:41:42.696 --> 00:41:45.855 And all he can think about is how much he doesn't belong. 511 00:41:47.105 --> 00:41:49.045 And this is the place that we get to petition. 512 00:41:49.825 --> 00:41:53.285 And this is the God that we get to stand in front of when we pray. 513 00:41:53.305 --> 00:41:55.045 And so maybe you're thinking and you're like, yeah, 514 00:41:55.046 --> 00:41:56.565 but like that's Old Testament God. 515 00:41:56.835 --> 00:41:59.685 Like that sounds like big enlightening and thunder and all this stuff, right? 516 00:41:59.686 --> 00:42:02.685 But like, we got Jesus Now, he's super approachable. 517 00:42:02.705 --> 00:42:06.765 He takes God down off the top shelf. Like, now Jesus is my homeboy. Like, 518 00:42:06.766 --> 00:42:08.965 we have a different, what's up pops? Let's talk about like, 519 00:42:08.966 --> 00:42:12.565 let's how I pray now. No, listen, that never changed. 520 00:42:13.625 --> 00:42:17.925 Listen, because, because we were, because God, like I, 521 00:42:18.445 --> 00:42:19.278 lemme put it this way, 522 00:42:20.125 --> 00:42:23.605 I think a lot of us have had to work really hard to get the image of God out of 523 00:42:23.606 --> 00:42:25.805 our head that's like ready to strike us with a lightning bolt. 524 00:42:27.475 --> 00:42:31.255 And I think what's happened is, is we've learned about God's mercy. 525 00:42:32.315 --> 00:42:35.575 But God's mercy does not negate God's holiness. 526 00:42:36.755 --> 00:42:40.525 Like because he's forgiving and because he's loving and because he welcomes you 527 00:42:40.545 --> 00:42:45.165 in with open arms, like his standard didn't change, he's still holy. 528 00:42:46.125 --> 00:42:50.965 Look at Revelation chapter four back of the book. We see a very similar scene, 529 00:42:50.966 --> 00:42:55.165 and the angels are still singing, holy, holy, holy. 530 00:42:56.075 --> 00:43:00.445 It's the only phrase that's worthy enough of declaring glory to God. 531 00:43:01.635 --> 00:43:02.775 So I wanna be clear in this, 532 00:43:03.605 --> 00:43:07.935 even though right now we can close our eyes and we can pray to God, 533 00:43:08.335 --> 00:43:11.015 I want you to know that just because we have more access, 534 00:43:11.795 --> 00:43:14.335 it doesn't mean that we have less reverence for who he is. 535 00:43:16.025 --> 00:43:18.795 Just because we can boldly walk into his throne room, 536 00:43:18.855 --> 00:43:22.485 it doesn't mean that we lose reverence for who he is. 537 00:43:22.486 --> 00:43:23.925 We don't approach God flippantly. 538 00:43:26.625 --> 00:43:30.875 Hebrews chapter four 16, I just kind of alluded to this. It says that, let, 539 00:43:30.876 --> 00:43:35.795 it says, let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace 540 00:43:36.665 --> 00:43:40.235 that we may receive mercy and find grace in time of need. 541 00:43:40.355 --> 00:43:43.715 I love that verse because it says that we can approach the throne room of God 542 00:43:43.785 --> 00:43:45.915 with confidence, but it's not this. 543 00:43:46.535 --> 00:43:51.114 Let me kick down the doors and call the shots. We approach it confidently, 544 00:43:51.495 --> 00:43:55.755 not as God's boss, but recognizing that he is Lord. 545 00:43:56.575 --> 00:43:58.075 And look at how it says we draw near, 546 00:43:58.295 --> 00:44:03.235 we draw near to the throne of grace because we know that there we will 547 00:44:03.236 --> 00:44:08.235 find mercy and grace in time of need. We can boldly approach, 548 00:44:09.135 --> 00:44:11.114 not because God is our genie in our back pocket, 549 00:44:11.815 --> 00:44:13.114 but because we know he loves us. 550 00:44:15.655 --> 00:44:18.795 All of this is possible because of the work of Jesus, 551 00:44:19.105 --> 00:44:22.435 because of the work of Jesus. We can remain fearful, 552 00:44:23.255 --> 00:44:24.355 but we don't have to be afraid. 553 00:44:26.215 --> 00:44:31.114 We can be reverent without fear of rejection because I 554 00:44:31.115 --> 00:44:35.355 think just as important it is for us to recognize the holiness of God and his 555 00:44:35.635 --> 00:44:38.114 identity and his character. 556 00:44:39.035 --> 00:44:42.795 I think what helps give us some of that confidence and prayer is recognizing the 557 00:44:42.796 --> 00:44:47.275 way that God views us as well. If we have a proper view of God, 558 00:44:47.344 --> 00:44:49.515 he's holy, he's big, he's other. 559 00:44:50.985 --> 00:44:54.925 We also need to recognize and just as important to our relationship of prayer is 560 00:44:54.926 --> 00:44:57.805 we need to recognize that he sees us as his children. 561 00:44:58.105 --> 00:45:01.925 So to complete the statement that we've been building together over this time, 562 00:45:02.355 --> 00:45:03.188 when we pray, 563 00:45:03.585 --> 00:45:08.565 we are responding to a supernatural invitation from a holy 564 00:45:08.745 --> 00:45:10.725 God to his adopted children. 565 00:45:12.885 --> 00:45:16.205 And recognizing your identity as an adopted child of God. Man, 566 00:45:16.364 --> 00:45:19.045 it has the power to be deeply transformative. 567 00:45:20.895 --> 00:45:25.755 At the core of the gift of prayer is the reality that in some supernatural way, 568 00:45:26.935 --> 00:45:29.195 by the means of his supernatural grace, 569 00:45:30.155 --> 00:45:35.035 a supernatural holy God wants to spend time with his children because he wants 570 00:45:35.036 --> 00:45:39.875 to. He wants to welcome you into his family. The New Testament authors, 571 00:45:39.876 --> 00:45:43.435 they write about this idea of adoption a lot because it was a really big deal in 572 00:45:43.436 --> 00:45:48.275 their culture in society to have been an orphan in biblical times. 573 00:45:48.415 --> 00:45:52.275 It was almost in line with a death wish. It meant vulnerability, 574 00:45:52.935 --> 00:45:53.768 it meant poverty. 575 00:45:54.535 --> 00:45:58.114 It meant you were solely dependent on the mercy of other people. 576 00:45:59.094 --> 00:46:01.435 You probably became an orphan, uh, by, 577 00:46:01.535 --> 00:46:04.875 by circumstances that were outside of your control. And in that same way, 578 00:46:05.455 --> 00:46:08.715 you were hopeful that through circumstances outside of your control, 579 00:46:08.716 --> 00:46:10.995 that someone would come and redeem you, 580 00:46:12.705 --> 00:46:17.045 and to have someone adopt you and welcome you into their family, it, 581 00:46:17.065 --> 00:46:21.885 it had life altering implication. It meant that you were chosen. 582 00:46:24.344 --> 00:46:28.285 It meant that someone was willing to share everything that they had with you. 583 00:46:30.085 --> 00:46:33.465 It meant that you were given a place to sit at their table and eat, 584 00:46:33.525 --> 00:46:36.665 and a place to lay your head and find rest. Come on, 585 00:46:36.666 --> 00:46:37.785 we're talking about God here. 586 00:46:38.555 --> 00:46:41.825 We're talking about the way that he welcomed all of us into his family adoption, 587 00:46:41.826 --> 00:46:46.105 ascribes value to someone who thought they were valueless 588 00:46:47.565 --> 00:46:49.185 and whoever adopted you. Could you, 589 00:46:49.186 --> 00:46:52.425 could you just imagine the way you would look at them? Like, 590 00:46:52.426 --> 00:46:55.825 could you imagine the gratitude that you would feel towards them? 591 00:46:55.835 --> 00:47:00.185 Would you throw up your hands and praise them again and again? 592 00:47:00.186 --> 00:47:04.465 Could you imagine the first time that you humbly requested something of them and 593 00:47:04.466 --> 00:47:05.299 they gave it to you? 594 00:47:06.655 --> 00:47:09.725 Could you imagine the first time you humbly requested something of them and they 595 00:47:09.726 --> 00:47:10.505 said no, 596 00:47:10.505 --> 00:47:13.525 but then they pulled you close and explained the reason why and how they were 597 00:47:13.725 --> 00:47:16.125 actually looking out for your good. That's what prayer is. 598 00:47:18.795 --> 00:47:20.825 Think about the holy God that we just talked about, 599 00:47:22.105 --> 00:47:25.785 the one with whom people dreamed of experiencing his presence, 600 00:47:25.805 --> 00:47:28.385 the one that caused Isaiah to fall on his face, 601 00:47:28.445 --> 00:47:33.125 the one that the Book of Psalms goes on and on and on about that holy God 602 00:47:33.126 --> 00:47:37.005 looked at you and said, I want to welcome you into my family. And with that, 603 00:47:37.225 --> 00:47:40.605 the number one gift that I want to give you on top of all of these things, 604 00:47:40.635 --> 00:47:42.364 this inheritance is myself, 605 00:47:44.715 --> 00:47:48.835 The opportunity to hear and be heard by a holy God who just wants to spend time 606 00:47:48.836 --> 00:47:53.235 with his kids. Ephesians chapter one puts it this way, 607 00:47:54.145 --> 00:47:58.275 Paul writes all praise to God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 608 00:47:58.335 --> 00:48:02.635 who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because 609 00:48:03.205 --> 00:48:06.955 we're united where Christ. I just wanna take a moment right here and say, man, 610 00:48:06.956 --> 00:48:10.515 this promise is for those of you who have put your faith in Jesus, 611 00:48:11.135 --> 00:48:14.035 and I wanna let you know something beautiful the same way that that veil was 612 00:48:14.065 --> 00:48:16.515 torn on the cross 2000 years ago. Listen, 613 00:48:16.516 --> 00:48:19.275 there's nothing standing between you and a relationship with God right now. 614 00:48:19.295 --> 00:48:21.635 So if that's you, I I just want you to have a moment. 615 00:48:22.015 --> 00:48:24.995 And I want you to resolve in your heart that you're gonna find somebody to talk 616 00:48:24.996 --> 00:48:28.035 to. If you say, man, I want that sort of relationship with God, 617 00:48:28.114 --> 00:48:31.594 I want you to find someone in next steps. Find a pastor. If you're like, listen, 618 00:48:31.675 --> 00:48:33.275 I don't know where next steps is. I don't know where to go, 619 00:48:34.555 --> 00:48:38.035 everyone else get ready. Just tap somebody on the shoulder and say, Hey, 620 00:48:38.036 --> 00:48:38.676 I need to talk to somebody. 621 00:48:38.676 --> 00:48:40.315 And they'll help you point it in the right direction. 622 00:48:42.545 --> 00:48:44.445 It says that even before God made the world, 623 00:48:44.585 --> 00:48:49.325 God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes, 624 00:48:49.864 --> 00:48:54.765 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family 625 00:48:54.905 --> 00:48:58.485 by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. Listen to this, 626 00:48:58.635 --> 00:49:00.765 this is what he wanted to do. 627 00:49:02.795 --> 00:49:06.935 And it gave him great pleasure. Listen to me, you're not a disappointment. 628 00:49:09.805 --> 00:49:13.344 You're not a nuisance to God. Look, I'm, 629 00:49:13.364 --> 00:49:15.625 I'm talking to people who have never made that decision to follow Jesus. 630 00:49:15.645 --> 00:49:17.585 And I'm talking to the lifelong Christian who just feels like, 631 00:49:17.735 --> 00:49:20.385 like God doesn't want to have anything to do with you. 632 00:49:22.585 --> 00:49:26.945 It was his pleasure to bring you into his family. 633 00:49:28.085 --> 00:49:32.675 You're not an inconvenience. If we jump down to verse 11, it says, 634 00:49:32.676 --> 00:49:35.835 furthermore, because we are united with Christ, 635 00:49:36.015 --> 00:49:40.955 we have received an inheritance from God for he chose us in advance, 636 00:49:41.015 --> 00:49:45.395 and he makes everything work according to his plan. This idea of adoption, 637 00:49:45.495 --> 00:49:48.475 it completely transforms the way that we pray. 638 00:49:51.895 --> 00:49:54.795 Listen, when we talk about prayer this way, it's, I, I think it's, 639 00:49:54.796 --> 00:49:56.395 it's pretty easy to get excited about it. 640 00:49:56.905 --> 00:50:00.875 I've been trying to hold back tears the entire time I've been up here. But, 641 00:50:01.094 --> 00:50:03.594 but that's not my experience like day in and day out. 642 00:50:04.385 --> 00:50:06.275 Like I don't think about it. Like if I'm honest, I, 643 00:50:06.395 --> 00:50:07.955 I try to pray before bed sometimes, 644 00:50:07.975 --> 00:50:10.235 and then my brain wanders off until eventually I fall asleep. 645 00:50:10.905 --> 00:50:14.755 Like I don't pray with zeal with my head on the pillow like something amazing's 646 00:50:14.756 --> 00:50:18.235 gonna happen. I've stood in rooms with people and go, who wants to pray? 647 00:50:18.375 --> 00:50:21.195 And the person who gets stuck doing it is like, dang it, why me? 648 00:50:22.905 --> 00:50:27.485 And I think this happens because we don't have a proper view of what prayer is. 649 00:50:27.565 --> 00:50:31.325 I think our misinterpretation of what it is, has, has broken us. But man, 650 00:50:31.326 --> 00:50:33.325 if we just think of it not as this way of like, oh man, 651 00:50:33.326 --> 00:50:37.045 I gotta say the right stuff in front of these people. But instead we're like, 652 00:50:37.046 --> 00:50:38.165 man, you guys chose me 653 00:50:39.864 --> 00:50:44.795 to go into the throne room of heaven on your behalf, man, 654 00:50:44.875 --> 00:50:48.594 let's pray. Let's talk about it. And man, 655 00:50:48.595 --> 00:50:51.275 that'll make you that person that prays for way too long. And everybody's like, 656 00:50:51.435 --> 00:50:53.035 bro, can we eat, can we just ? 657 00:50:54.195 --> 00:50:58.795 Because you just see the value in talking to your dad. For so many of us, 658 00:50:58.796 --> 00:51:01.515 we just don't know how to pray. And if that is you, uh, 659 00:51:01.516 --> 00:51:04.715 you're actually in good company. Jesus Jesus's disciples, 660 00:51:04.745 --> 00:51:08.475 they didn't know how to either. Actually, they did. 661 00:51:09.795 --> 00:51:13.955 Um, early Judaism. Prayer was like a big part of what they did, 662 00:51:14.775 --> 00:51:15.955 prayed three times a day. 663 00:51:16.625 --> 00:51:19.715 They had prayers for things we would never think to prayer about, pray about. 664 00:51:19.716 --> 00:51:21.155 As a matter of fact, I found out earlier this week, 665 00:51:21.265 --> 00:51:25.315 they had a prayer for if they saw someone who was abnormally short, 666 00:51:25.685 --> 00:51:30.114 abnormally tall or like wasn't physically attractive, they would go, God, 667 00:51:30.685 --> 00:51:32.555 thank you for your creativity and creation, 668 00:51:32.925 --> 00:51:36.195 which is how I'm gonna call people ugly from now on . 669 00:51:37.895 --> 00:51:38.955 But they prayed about everything. 670 00:51:41.215 --> 00:51:44.475 But we find out that there's a time where these disciples walk up to Jesus and 671 00:51:44.476 --> 00:51:46.515 they go, Jesus, can you teach us how to pray? Now, 672 00:51:46.535 --> 00:51:50.495 why would lifelong prayer warriors say that? 673 00:51:51.405 --> 00:51:54.055 It's because there was a way that Jesus prayed that was different. 674 00:51:55.355 --> 00:51:59.295 It struck them. And what, man, we've been doing this our whole life, 675 00:51:59.296 --> 00:52:03.175 but the way he does it, it's different. And so they say, 676 00:52:03.176 --> 00:52:04.375 Jesus teach us how to pray. 677 00:52:04.395 --> 00:52:06.975 And he starts a prayer that has echoed throughout history. 678 00:52:07.035 --> 00:52:10.415 And the first line of it is absolutely brilliant, 679 00:52:11.825 --> 00:52:16.445 but it's so telling. He says, our Father who is in heaven, 680 00:52:17.435 --> 00:52:18.445 holy is your name. 681 00:52:21.185 --> 00:52:23.245 And I was thinking about this and I'm like, man, 682 00:52:24.305 --> 00:52:26.245 it feels like this needs to make it in the message somewhere. 683 00:52:26.875 --> 00:52:28.605 Like this is how Jesus told us to pray. 684 00:52:28.606 --> 00:52:31.765 And so I'm looking at what I have written down, I'm looking at this and I go, 685 00:52:33.695 --> 00:52:34.528 dang it. 686 00:52:35.795 --> 00:52:39.785 Everything I've been trying to say and exhausted myself for the last 30 minutes 687 00:52:39.844 --> 00:52:44.305 to say, Jesus sums up in this one line. Go, go to that, 688 00:52:44.335 --> 00:52:49.175 that next slide, Jesus gives us this invitation and says, 689 00:52:49.176 --> 00:52:50.009 our Father, , 690 00:52:51.145 --> 00:52:55.735 which places on us the identity of adopted children, he said, 691 00:52:55.736 --> 00:53:00.215 you who are in heaven, holy is your name like God. That's your essence. 692 00:53:00.355 --> 00:53:04.295 So Jesus tells us, Hey, when you pray, start by acknowledging two things. 693 00:53:05.435 --> 00:53:07.255 Who is God and who are you? 694 00:53:07.325 --> 00:53:11.495 Because that will inform the way you pray and it will infuse your prayer life 695 00:53:11.635 --> 00:53:16.495 and bring it to another level by simply recognizing who you are and who 696 00:53:16.496 --> 00:53:19.575 he is. So here's what we're gonna do 697 00:53:21.364 --> 00:53:25.565 normally, um, to close out the message, uh, I would say a prayer, 698 00:53:26.985 --> 00:53:29.725 but I'm not gonna do that today. You are. 699 00:53:30.985 --> 00:53:32.565 And maybe you're already in this moment of like, man, 700 00:53:32.645 --> 00:53:35.685 I don't really know what to say. Maybe you're in this moment where you're like, 701 00:53:35.925 --> 00:53:38.725 actually, I, I I definitely want to talk to my father right now. Listen, 702 00:53:38.726 --> 00:53:40.005 if that's you, by all means, 703 00:53:40.025 --> 00:53:43.364 go ahead and say whatever is on your heart and on your mind right now, 704 00:53:45.864 --> 00:53:50.535 But the worship team is gonna play a song. And, uh, this song, 705 00:53:50.935 --> 00:53:55.335 it's, it's simple, yet profound. If you've never heard it before, 706 00:53:55.675 --> 00:53:58.455 within a minute you'll know it. And my, 707 00:53:58.475 --> 00:54:00.975 my prayer for you is that you'll deeply internalize it.