1 00:00:02,669 --> 00:00:06,539 I realize that sometimes listening to me 2 00:00:06,539 --> 00:00:09,576 is like getting a drink of water out of out of a fire hose. 3 00:00:09,576 --> 00:00:12,145 And so I apologize if it comes across that way. 4 00:00:12,145 --> 00:00:15,482 I'm a little bit on edge because football season has started. 5 00:00:16,249 --> 00:00:19,786 Had an exuberant time of Chilean cornhole last night. 6 00:00:19,819 --> 00:00:22,989 My competitive juices are flowing a little bit, and I'm 7 00:00:22,989 --> 00:00:25,992 so excited about what God is doing in this church. 8 00:00:26,292 --> 00:00:29,262 I was doing a little bit of research this week 9 00:00:29,262 --> 00:00:33,266 about this next gen ministry and age group, 10 00:00:33,266 --> 00:00:37,137 and specifically Gen Z millennials 11 00:00:37,971 --> 00:00:41,674 and Gen alphas, and what I, what I found was this Barna 12 00:00:41,674 --> 00:00:48,114 in their research in the first six months of this year, reports that 39% of the Gen 13 00:00:48,114 --> 00:00:51,184 Z generation, which is right up to about 29, 30 years old, 14 00:00:51,584 --> 00:00:56,056 and 44% of the millennial generation consider AI. 15 00:00:58,625 --> 00:00:59,993 For spiritual guidance 16 00:00:59,993 --> 00:01:02,996 to be as trustworthy as pastors. 17 00:01:03,797 --> 00:01:05,131 Don't. Don't listen. 18 00:01:05,131 --> 00:01:07,901 Just hang tight. Don't bemoan anything yet. 19 00:01:07,901 --> 00:01:14,707 One what's that say to those who are Gen Z and millennials amongst us? 20 00:01:14,741 --> 00:01:15,909 Don't bemoan it. 21 00:01:15,909 --> 00:01:18,211 Because here's the other stat. 22 00:01:18,211 --> 00:01:21,881 Nearly half of all practicing Christians, 23 00:01:22,148 --> 00:01:26,219 regardless of age, say they would trust AI 24 00:01:27,020 --> 00:01:31,558 in some capacity to help determine and develop their spiritual growth. 25 00:01:32,258 --> 00:01:34,627 That's nothing to do with age. 26 00:01:34,627 --> 00:01:36,896 And so here's here's 27 00:01:36,896 --> 00:01:41,434 the church must not adopt an anti AI position. 28 00:01:41,434 --> 00:01:44,037 That cannot be our position as a church. 29 00:01:44,037 --> 00:01:47,040 It can't be our position as Christ followers. 30 00:01:47,140 --> 00:01:49,342 What the congregation, what the church needs 31 00:01:49,342 --> 00:01:52,378 is a theology to understand the role of AI. 32 00:01:53,746 --> 00:01:55,548 We don't need to deny it. 33 00:01:55,548 --> 00:01:58,051 We need a theology about it. 34 00:01:58,051 --> 00:02:04,023 And so we have to understand that, well, AI is valuable. 35 00:02:04,057 --> 00:02:06,626 AI cannot shepherd a soul. 36 00:02:06,626 --> 00:02:08,261 It has no spiritual authority. 37 00:02:08,261 --> 00:02:11,231 It cannot create a conscience. It is not community. 38 00:02:11,231 --> 00:02:16,736 And it must never be a substitute for careful interpretation of Scripture. 39 00:02:17,837 --> 00:02:18,304 It can 40 00:02:18,304 --> 00:02:21,307 give great information, but it cannot give wisdom. 41 00:02:22,108 --> 00:02:24,744 And so here's, here's here's our here's 42 00:02:24,744 --> 00:02:27,914 our our our view of of AI. 43 00:02:29,082 --> 00:02:32,252 It is here to stay is just going to grow larger and its influence. 44 00:02:32,252 --> 00:02:35,255 But here's here's the Christians view of AI. 45 00:02:36,222 --> 00:02:39,225 Scripture governs all things. 46 00:02:39,792 --> 00:02:42,262 It starts and ends with Scripture. 47 00:02:42,262 --> 00:02:45,265 Pastors teach and shepherd. 48 00:02:45,398 --> 00:02:48,401 They teach Scripture, and they shepherd the people. 49 00:02:48,468 --> 00:02:52,172 The church affirms what Scripture is taught and the teaching 50 00:02:52,172 --> 00:02:57,377 of its pastors and the technology and AI simply assists in that process. 51 00:02:58,311 --> 00:03:01,114 Do we all understand? 52 00:03:01,114 --> 00:03:04,384 This is this is specially matters to our Gen X 53 00:03:04,384 --> 00:03:08,755 and Gen Alpha generation, because they'll oftentimes go to 54 00:03:08,755 --> 00:03:11,958 and consult technology before seeking Scripture 55 00:03:11,958 --> 00:03:15,795 and speak impersonally to a parent, pastor or a mentor. 56 00:03:17,797 --> 00:03:20,633 The danger is that while AI can give great information, 57 00:03:20,633 --> 00:03:24,304 it cannot give wisdom, but it's often the first voice most people trust. 58 00:03:26,039 --> 00:03:28,741 And so this is one reason, 59 00:03:28,741 --> 00:03:32,278 my dear friends, why this flip side flow is so important. 60 00:03:32,979 --> 00:03:36,015 Because this has to do with relationships with each other and with God, 61 00:03:36,015 --> 00:03:39,018 not technology. 62 00:03:39,052 --> 00:03:42,722 While there is a noticeable increase 63 00:03:42,989 --> 00:03:48,761 in and rise and engagement of younger adults in faith, 64 00:03:49,963 --> 00:03:53,433 there is not at all any rise or increase 65 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:58,571 in the disciplines and the development of their spiritual formation. 66 00:03:58,838 --> 00:04:01,841 So they're interested, but there's no development. 67 00:04:02,842 --> 00:04:05,078 Fewer Christians today 68 00:04:05,078 --> 00:04:09,282 than two decades ago say that faith organizes 69 00:04:09,282 --> 00:04:14,454 their everyday life, and they're less engaged in evangelism 70 00:04:15,622 --> 00:04:19,792 and less consistent in church participation week by week. 71 00:04:20,159 --> 00:04:24,197 So the interest is growing, but the discipline and formation is not. 72 00:04:24,197 --> 00:04:27,333 And that's why this flip side flow is so important, 73 00:04:27,634 --> 00:04:31,771 because we're invited to belong to the family of God by faith, 74 00:04:31,971 --> 00:04:35,842 expressed that in baptism and being a part of a church community 75 00:04:35,842 --> 00:04:36,676 every week 76 00:04:36,676 --> 00:04:40,546 so that we can become more of the image of Christ 77 00:04:40,546 --> 00:04:44,517 and learn the disciplines necessary for that in Bible reading and journaling 78 00:04:44,517 --> 00:04:48,655 and being a part of a small group and spiritual disciplines, so that we can 79 00:04:48,655 --> 00:04:52,792 give to the Kingdom of God, of our time, our talent, our resources, our energies. 80 00:04:52,792 --> 00:04:58,264 Because the Kingdom becomes a priority and we go on mission and our witnesses 81 00:04:58,264 --> 00:05:01,901 to the world because they need to be invited to belonging to his family. 82 00:05:01,934 --> 00:05:03,136 Do you understand this? 83 00:05:04,937 --> 00:05:07,307 This flip side flow? 84 00:05:07,307 --> 00:05:10,877 There are real practical ways to help Christians become biblically 85 00:05:10,877 --> 00:05:15,214 literate, prayerful, generous, 86 00:05:16,082 --> 00:05:19,052 sexually and morally obedient, 87 00:05:20,053 --> 00:05:23,389 to be a part of a Christian community, 88 00:05:23,589 --> 00:05:28,795 to be servants, to be witnesses, and to be spiritually durable. 89 00:05:29,262 --> 00:05:31,731 And so this is why we said, you're going to see this a lot. 90 00:05:31,731 --> 00:05:35,068 You have them in front of you, understand where you are on this flow, 91 00:05:35,101 --> 00:05:38,304 and understand what your next steps are for your own spiritual development. 92 00:05:38,705 --> 00:05:40,940 That's why this next gen thing is so important, 93 00:05:40,940 --> 00:05:42,542 why the young adult ministry is so important, 94 00:05:42,542 --> 00:05:45,545 why these things are doing with men and women are so important. 95 00:05:46,346 --> 00:05:49,382 It forms the spiritually and it makes us good models for the younger generation. 96 00:05:49,382 --> 00:05:52,185 Is that clear? Yeah. 97 00:05:52,185 --> 00:05:55,188 So Matthew 20, we're going through the book of Matthew. 98 00:05:55,254 --> 00:05:58,224 We're not going to get through the book of Matthew until right before 99 00:05:58,224 --> 00:06:01,594 Christmas, that we're just taking our time going through this. 100 00:06:01,594 --> 00:06:03,162 And so we're in Matthew 20. 101 00:06:03,162 --> 00:06:06,032 We started Matthew 20 last week. We're going to finish it this week. 102 00:06:06,032 --> 00:06:10,069 Last week we talked in Matthew 20 about the difference 103 00:06:10,069 --> 00:06:15,975 between gifts and rewards and how salvation is a gift of God. 104 00:06:15,975 --> 00:06:18,144 And a gift is something that is given freely. 105 00:06:18,144 --> 00:06:20,913 You don't earn it. You don't work for you don't pay for it. 106 00:06:20,913 --> 00:06:25,385 Salvation is a gift by faith because of God's grace. 107 00:06:25,385 --> 00:06:29,756 And after salvation, now comes the opportunity for rewards. 108 00:06:29,789 --> 00:06:33,826 Jesus says, now that your the received the gift of salvation. 109 00:06:33,860 --> 00:06:36,763 Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. 110 00:06:36,763 --> 00:06:41,200 And so there will be rewards that will be based on what we do on earth, 111 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:46,506 how we serve, how we give, how we minister, how we how we suffer, 112 00:06:47,507 --> 00:06:49,675 those that will all be rewarded in heaven. 113 00:06:49,675 --> 00:06:52,512 It's not salvation. Salvation not based on what we do. 114 00:06:52,512 --> 00:06:53,479 That's the free gift. 115 00:06:53,479 --> 00:06:56,482 But rewards are based on what we do on earth. 116 00:06:57,617 --> 00:07:00,620 And from Monday morning, 117 00:07:01,187 --> 00:07:04,157 Jesus was very clear store for yourself treasures in heaven. 118 00:07:04,157 --> 00:07:06,759 We talked about what that looks like as far as rewards are 119 00:07:06,759 --> 00:07:09,295 and what gets rewarded and what doesn't in heaven. 120 00:07:09,295 --> 00:07:13,065 And so from Monday morning until this morning, there have been men 121 00:07:13,065 --> 00:07:16,669 and women and young and old in this church storing up treasures in heaven 122 00:07:17,303 --> 00:07:20,273 because they've been serving very well. 123 00:07:20,273 --> 00:07:24,977 There have been many people, many of you have been storing up treasures in heaven. 124 00:07:24,977 --> 00:07:26,212 There are some who have who 125 00:07:26,212 --> 00:07:29,482 for them, it looks like the renovation of all the stuff that's going on here. 126 00:07:30,082 --> 00:07:33,619 They're serving behind the scenes, faithfully stirring up treasures 127 00:07:33,619 --> 00:07:34,153 in heaven. 128 00:07:34,153 --> 00:07:35,021 For some, it's been 129 00:07:35,021 --> 00:07:36,823 they've been visiting people who need visits 130 00:07:36,823 --> 00:07:38,791 on behalf of the church they've been witnessing. 131 00:07:38,791 --> 00:07:43,763 I just someone just told me I saw one of your people at the pool that to serve at 132 00:07:43,796 --> 00:07:47,133 witnessing and sharing faith with someone, I'm like, it's treasures in heaven. 133 00:07:47,533 --> 00:07:49,101 It's really cool. 134 00:07:49,101 --> 00:07:50,970 There are some of you been involved in ministry 135 00:07:50,970 --> 00:07:54,040 throughout the week and this morning, first service during the service 136 00:07:54,073 --> 00:07:56,876 and for next service. Stronger treasures in heaven. 137 00:07:56,876 --> 00:07:58,678 Some of you have used your gifts and ability 138 00:07:58,678 --> 00:08:01,981 in the organization of all things the event, the prayer thing, 139 00:08:01,981 --> 00:08:05,818 the children's, the ministry stored up treasures in heaven by your organization. 140 00:08:06,652 --> 00:08:09,055 Some of you showed up this morning to set up this stuff. 141 00:08:09,055 --> 00:08:11,424 Didn't just show up outside. 142 00:08:11,424 --> 00:08:14,360 These guys show up there strong up churches in heaven by their service 143 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:15,228 in the morning. 144 00:08:15,228 --> 00:08:17,430 Our sheepdog ministry, 145 00:08:17,430 --> 00:08:18,664 the ones that you never see 146 00:08:18,664 --> 00:08:22,335 who have responsibility for our safety and well-being should anything happen 147 00:08:22,535 --> 00:08:25,471 there, all around this campus, every service and every event. 148 00:08:25,471 --> 00:08:28,908 And they just they know that there isn't anything. 149 00:08:28,908 --> 00:08:31,077 That's how they're serving the Lord. They're treasures in heaven. 150 00:08:31,077 --> 00:08:33,479 And they understand what Jesus said. The last will be first. 151 00:08:33,479 --> 00:08:36,015 Those who were unseen will be seen there. 152 00:08:36,015 --> 00:08:38,017 And I'm so proud of you. 153 00:08:38,017 --> 00:08:40,052 I'm so thank you, church, for your service. 154 00:08:40,052 --> 00:08:42,522 Thank you for stirring up churches in heaven. 155 00:08:42,522 --> 00:08:45,391 Well done. Keep it up. Lean into it. 156 00:08:45,391 --> 00:08:47,627 So that was the first section of Matthew 20. 157 00:08:47,627 --> 00:08:49,562 We really kind of leaned into that last week. 158 00:08:49,562 --> 00:08:53,933 So this week and we're going to round out Matthew 24 verse 17 159 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:55,334 on through the last of the chapter. 160 00:08:55,334 --> 00:08:59,739 And chapter 20 sets up the rest of Jesus's earthly life. 161 00:08:59,772 --> 00:09:02,775 Everything from chapter 21 on 162 00:09:02,775 --> 00:09:05,811 is all about the last week of his life, his death, and his resurrection. 163 00:09:06,379 --> 00:09:10,216 And so to wrap this up, here's today 164 00:09:10,816 --> 00:09:13,819 we're going to see two kingdoms in conflict with each other, 165 00:09:14,954 --> 00:09:15,755 the personal 166 00:09:15,755 --> 00:09:18,758 kingdom of our own agenda and God's kingdom. 167 00:09:19,759 --> 00:09:21,427 And we're going to see what characterizes both. 168 00:09:21,427 --> 00:09:24,897 So here's the big idea for this second half of chapter 20. 169 00:09:24,931 --> 00:09:29,936 Here's what boils down to Kingdom of greatness is found in serving like Jesus 170 00:09:30,303 --> 00:09:34,907 and seeking him in humble, persistent prayer Kingdom greatness. 171 00:09:35,274 --> 00:09:37,777 Now the Hall of Fame game just happened with the NFL. 172 00:09:37,777 --> 00:09:39,412 There was the great induction into the hall. 173 00:09:39,412 --> 00:09:44,150 People in all of fame, Luke Keely and Sean Payton or Drew Brees and these guys. 174 00:09:44,183 --> 00:09:47,186 The greatest that the NFL had to offer in this class. 175 00:09:47,353 --> 00:09:50,222 That's what worldly greatness looks like. 176 00:09:50,222 --> 00:09:52,592 You championed me because I'm better than you. 177 00:09:52,592 --> 00:09:55,027 You celebrate me because of what I've accomplished. 178 00:09:55,027 --> 00:09:56,896 That's different than kingdom greatness. 179 00:09:56,896 --> 00:09:59,465 Kingdom greatness says you want to be great. 180 00:09:59,465 --> 00:10:02,001 Then follow the example of Jesus and serve 181 00:10:03,202 --> 00:10:04,670 and pursue 182 00:10:04,670 --> 00:10:07,707 him in humble, persistent prayer. 183 00:10:08,507 --> 00:10:10,142 And so let's just jump in here. 184 00:10:10,142 --> 00:10:12,578 I'm going to start in verse 17 and 17, 18, 19. 185 00:10:12,578 --> 00:10:15,581 Then we'll talk about it and we'll just go through the chapter, 186 00:10:15,948 --> 00:10:16,816 verse 17. 187 00:10:16,816 --> 00:10:20,720 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the 12 disciples aside. 188 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:25,091 And on the way he said to them, see, we're going up to Jerusalem, 189 00:10:25,091 --> 00:10:29,261 and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. 190 00:10:29,362 --> 00:10:32,331 They will condemn him to death. 191 00:10:33,666 --> 00:10:34,734 Who will condemn him to death 192 00:10:34,734 --> 00:10:39,171 and deliver him over to the Gentiles, to be mocked and flogged and crucified. 193 00:10:39,171 --> 00:10:42,041 And he'll be raised on the third day. 194 00:10:42,041 --> 00:10:43,876 Jesus is saying, listen, I want you to understand 195 00:10:43,876 --> 00:10:45,311 what we're walking into right now. 196 00:10:45,311 --> 00:10:47,146 He's walking into the last week of his life. 197 00:10:47,146 --> 00:10:48,347 He knows this. 198 00:10:48,347 --> 00:10:53,152 And he says, the way of the kingdom is the way of the cross. 199 00:10:55,187 --> 00:10:57,690 There is no Christianity without the cross. 200 00:10:57,690 --> 00:11:00,860 There is no Christian without the cross, not just the cross of Christ, 201 00:11:00,860 --> 00:11:03,863 but the cross that we have to pick up every day to 202 00:11:04,096 --> 00:11:06,198 the way of the Kingdom is the way of the cross. 203 00:11:06,198 --> 00:11:07,133 It's the way of suffering. 204 00:11:07,133 --> 00:11:09,835 It's the way of serving 205 00:11:09,835 --> 00:11:12,104 that is kingdom living. 206 00:11:12,104 --> 00:11:16,042 And Jesus is very clear with them about what's going to happen. 207 00:11:16,709 --> 00:11:19,712 The way of the kingdom is the way of the cross 208 00:11:21,013 --> 00:11:22,381 and then the resurrection. 209 00:11:22,381 --> 00:11:25,384 But the cross has to come first. 210 00:11:29,155 --> 00:11:30,723 It's interesting as you look 211 00:11:30,723 --> 00:11:33,959 at what he says, he lays out for them five things that are going to happen. 212 00:11:34,660 --> 00:11:37,697 He says, I'm, I'm going to Jerusalem. 213 00:11:38,197 --> 00:11:42,301 And when I'm there, these things are going to happen to me. 214 00:11:42,334 --> 00:11:43,402 He knows it. 215 00:11:44,670 --> 00:11:47,106 Betrayed, condemned, 216 00:11:47,106 --> 00:11:50,342 mocked, flogged, crucified. 217 00:11:50,376 --> 00:11:53,212 He knows it. 218 00:11:53,212 --> 00:11:55,281 This is not going to be surprised. Him. 219 00:11:55,281 --> 00:11:56,415 He knows ahead of time. 220 00:11:56,415 --> 00:11:58,150 This is what I'm walking into. 221 00:11:58,150 --> 00:11:59,752 I want you to walk with me. 222 00:11:59,752 --> 00:12:01,754 I don't want you to participate in this. 223 00:12:01,754 --> 00:12:02,988 Your time will come later. 224 00:12:02,988 --> 00:12:04,857 But I want you to watch me do it. 225 00:12:04,857 --> 00:12:07,860 Because this is my father's will. 226 00:12:08,561 --> 00:12:11,530 And knowing that's where he's headed, 227 00:12:12,631 --> 00:12:15,201 he keeps walking. 228 00:12:15,201 --> 00:12:16,602 He doesn't try to skirt it. 229 00:12:16,602 --> 00:12:19,171 He didn't try to get around it. He tries not to make excuses. 230 00:12:19,171 --> 00:12:20,506 He doesn't try to back off. 231 00:12:20,506 --> 00:12:23,509 He says, this is what's waiting for me. 232 00:12:24,477 --> 00:12:26,278 I'm going to be delivered 233 00:12:26,278 --> 00:12:29,281 in the hands of evil, evil men. 234 00:12:29,582 --> 00:12:31,917 And they will condemn me and mock 235 00:12:31,917 --> 00:12:34,920 me and flog me and crucify me on a Roman cross. 236 00:12:35,788 --> 00:12:38,991 And I'm going to walk straight into the teeth of it. 237 00:12:41,093 --> 00:12:44,096 This is the way of the kingdom. 238 00:12:47,133 --> 00:12:50,469 Jesus is not surprised by the suffering he's going to face. 239 00:12:50,469 --> 00:12:53,472 He embraces it. 240 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:55,674 So to follow 241 00:12:55,674 --> 00:13:00,479 Jesus is to embrace his priorities rather than try 242 00:13:00,513 --> 00:13:03,516 to avoid the hardship. 243 00:13:06,152 --> 00:13:09,421 I'm going to embrace the priorities of Christ as model by Christ, 244 00:13:09,455 --> 00:13:12,424 rather than to try to avoid the hardship of what it means 245 00:13:12,424 --> 00:13:15,427 to be a radical disciple of Christ. 246 00:13:17,229 --> 00:13:19,665 And he has this moment with his, with this. 247 00:13:19,665 --> 00:13:22,067 12 and he presses into this, and, 248 00:13:22,067 --> 00:13:25,971 and and this is the first place where he details how he's going to die. 249 00:13:26,038 --> 00:13:27,640 He's told him before he's going to die. 250 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:31,477 But this was the first place in Scripture he says it's going to be by crucifixion, 251 00:13:31,510 --> 00:13:37,383 the most brutal way designed for capital punishment that the world had known. 252 00:13:39,018 --> 00:13:39,518 This ought 253 00:13:39,518 --> 00:13:42,521 to be a shock to the disciples crucified. 254 00:13:43,322 --> 00:13:45,457 Only Romans can crucify what? 255 00:13:45,457 --> 00:13:47,593 How are the Romans going to get Ahold of you? 256 00:13:47,593 --> 00:13:49,562 This makes no. 257 00:13:49,562 --> 00:13:52,031 They should have felt a charge of adrenaline. 258 00:13:52,031 --> 00:13:56,335 Jesus, if this is where you're headed, I am right by your side, I will. 259 00:13:56,902 --> 00:14:00,072 There should have been this acknowledgment that we're. 260 00:14:00,172 --> 00:14:02,641 This is sacred, holy ground. 261 00:14:02,641 --> 00:14:03,442 Jesus said. 262 00:14:03,442 --> 00:14:06,745 And listen, I want you to understand the call on 263 00:14:06,745 --> 00:14:10,382 my life is to suffer for you and to die for you. 264 00:14:10,382 --> 00:14:13,152 I will be resurrected, but it doesn't. 265 00:14:13,152 --> 00:14:15,921 The resurrection doesn't happen without the cross. 266 00:14:15,921 --> 00:14:17,556 This is what I'm walking into. 267 00:14:17,556 --> 00:14:20,559 I want you to understand what it's going to cost me. 268 00:14:23,095 --> 00:14:24,730 This is a sacred moment. 269 00:14:24,730 --> 00:14:27,399 It's a holy moment. It's a power for a moment. 270 00:14:27,399 --> 00:14:30,102 It's an intense moment. It's a passionate moment. 271 00:14:30,102 --> 00:14:31,904 It's an emotional moment. 272 00:14:35,474 --> 00:14:38,010 This is the way the kingdom. 273 00:14:38,010 --> 00:14:41,480 This is the culmination of a kingdom life. 274 00:14:44,350 --> 00:14:47,319 And then the response. 275 00:14:47,319 --> 00:14:50,322 The disciples show how stupid they are. 276 00:14:51,657 --> 00:14:54,660 You have this moment with Jesus, 277 00:14:54,693 --> 00:14:57,696 this incredible, 278 00:14:58,264 --> 00:14:59,899 this incredible moment 279 00:14:59,899 --> 00:15:02,902 you're invited into with them. 280 00:15:06,672 --> 00:15:09,508 Look at what happens 281 00:15:09,508 --> 00:15:09,909 then. 282 00:15:09,909 --> 00:15:13,612 The mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to her with her son. 283 00:15:13,779 --> 00:15:14,713 This is just. 284 00:15:14,713 --> 00:15:15,614 This is mind blowing. 285 00:15:15,614 --> 00:15:18,851 Some freaking Jewish Karen comes up and says, hey! 286 00:15:23,222 --> 00:15:25,457 These are grown men, James and John. 287 00:15:25,457 --> 00:15:27,693 She's the mother of James. 288 00:15:27,693 --> 00:15:31,497 These are grown men in tow behind mommy. 289 00:15:32,865 --> 00:15:36,201 Like at some point have a freaking backbone, man. 290 00:15:36,235 --> 00:15:39,939 Quit following mommy around and letting her plead your case. 291 00:15:39,972 --> 00:15:41,707 You've heard about her mom's? 292 00:15:41,707 --> 00:15:44,109 This is a Jewish bulldozer, mom. Right here. 293 00:15:45,577 --> 00:15:48,147 This is ridiculous. 294 00:15:48,147 --> 00:15:51,150 Look at what she says. 295 00:15:53,452 --> 00:15:55,220 She came with the two sons, and before him, 296 00:15:55,220 --> 00:15:57,122 she asked him for something, and he said to her. 297 00:15:57,122 --> 00:15:58,157 What do you want? This. 298 00:15:58,157 --> 00:16:00,392 That's the question I want you to pay attention to. 299 00:16:00,392 --> 00:16:03,963 Jesus is going to ask another couple of people this exact same question. 300 00:16:03,963 --> 00:16:05,297 And here's here's the thing. 301 00:16:05,297 --> 00:16:08,300 He might be asking you this question right now. 302 00:16:08,334 --> 00:16:11,337 He might be asking you, what do you want? 303 00:16:12,071 --> 00:16:15,074 Why are. You here? 304 00:16:23,916 --> 00:16:24,817 She said to him, 305 00:16:24,817 --> 00:16:29,121 say to these two sons of mine, say that these two sons of mine 306 00:16:29,121 --> 00:16:32,491 are to sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your kingdom. 307 00:16:32,491 --> 00:16:35,494 Those are places of prestige, 308 00:16:35,594 --> 00:16:40,132 typical over involved bulldozer. Mom, 309 00:16:41,633 --> 00:16:44,670 I want to make sure that you know how special my children are. 310 00:16:44,670 --> 00:16:48,040 And I want to make sure that you treat them like they're supposed to be treated. 311 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:49,308 And I want to make sure 312 00:16:49,308 --> 00:16:51,744 that you're honoring them the way I think they need to be honored. 313 00:16:51,744 --> 00:16:53,712 And I want to make sure they get the right playing time. 314 00:16:53,712 --> 00:16:56,081 And I want to make sure that you understand their issue. 315 00:17:03,822 --> 00:17:04,857 I bet you didn't realize how 316 00:17:04,857 --> 00:17:07,860 practical scripture is sometimes, 317 00:17:10,829 --> 00:17:12,931 Jesus answers. 318 00:17:12,931 --> 00:17:15,934 You don't know what you're asking. 319 00:17:17,036 --> 00:17:18,737 I wonder. 320 00:17:18,737 --> 00:17:21,740 This mom was at the cross 321 00:17:21,740 --> 00:17:24,743 and she looked up and saw Jesus 322 00:17:24,877 --> 00:17:27,880 with one on the right and one on the left. 323 00:17:29,214 --> 00:17:32,217 And I wonder if that moment 324 00:17:32,384 --> 00:17:35,387 she thought, I don't know what I'm asking. 325 00:17:37,356 --> 00:17:40,359 Just as you do not know what you're asking. 326 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:42,361 And then he turns to the boy. 327 00:17:42,361 --> 00:17:45,397 Since I was you able to drink the cup that I'm going to drink? 328 00:17:47,099 --> 00:17:50,636 In the context, drinking the cup was the full participation with, he said, 329 00:17:50,636 --> 00:17:54,373 do you really participate with me fully in what I'm about to participate in? 330 00:17:55,741 --> 00:17:58,744 And in their ignorance, they said, yeah, we can take it. 331 00:18:04,416 --> 00:18:07,553 And he said to them, verse 23, you will drink my cup, 332 00:18:07,619 --> 00:18:10,556 but to sit on my right hand and my left is not for me to grant, 333 00:18:10,556 --> 00:18:12,991 it's for those for whom it is being prepared by my father. 334 00:18:12,991 --> 00:18:16,028 He said, all right, James and John, you will drink the cup. 335 00:18:18,697 --> 00:18:21,300 James was the first disciple martyred 336 00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:25,671 in the new church, beheaded John. 337 00:18:25,771 --> 00:18:27,639 They tried to martyr him. They just couldn't. 338 00:18:27,639 --> 00:18:29,374 They boiled him to death. 339 00:18:29,374 --> 00:18:31,710 But he didn't die. 340 00:18:31,710 --> 00:18:36,515 And then they sequestered him to the island of Patmos, a prison colony. 341 00:18:36,582 --> 00:18:39,251 And that's where he received the revelation of God and wrote the Book 342 00:18:39,251 --> 00:18:42,321 of Revelation and the three epistles, first, second, third John. 343 00:18:43,522 --> 00:18:45,557 See, John knew that as long as he was on 344 00:18:45,557 --> 00:18:48,560 God's agenda and God's plan, he was invincible. 345 00:18:49,862 --> 00:18:52,865 But they both drank the cup. 346 00:18:57,736 --> 00:19:01,173 And when the ten heard at verse 24, they were indignant at the two brothers. 347 00:19:01,173 --> 00:19:04,943 But Jesus called them and said to them, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles 348 00:19:04,943 --> 00:19:07,946 lorded over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 349 00:19:07,946 --> 00:19:10,716 It shall not be so among you. 350 00:19:10,716 --> 00:19:13,118 Whoever would be great among you must be your servant. 351 00:19:13,118 --> 00:19:15,554 Whoever would be first among you must be your slave. 352 00:19:15,554 --> 00:19:17,956 He says that. Got it? Tell us. 353 00:19:20,559 --> 00:19:23,795 I just told you the way of the kingdom. 354 00:19:24,163 --> 00:19:27,533 And now you're over here worried about your position 355 00:19:28,100 --> 00:19:31,103 in the world. 356 00:19:31,737 --> 00:19:35,874 That's how people who are not part of my kingdom live their lives. 357 00:19:35,908 --> 00:19:38,911 That's not us. 358 00:19:38,944 --> 00:19:41,947 That's not how we live. 359 00:19:44,583 --> 00:19:46,118 It's not about your position. 360 00:19:46,118 --> 00:19:47,753 It's not about your elevation. 361 00:19:47,753 --> 00:19:50,756 It's not about your promotion. 362 00:19:52,224 --> 00:19:55,227 So if you want to be great. 363 00:19:56,361 --> 00:19:58,797 You'll be a servant. 364 00:19:58,797 --> 00:20:01,800 That word servant, the Greek, is Diakonoff 365 00:20:02,301 --> 00:20:05,304 and means literally minister. 366 00:20:05,437 --> 00:20:06,772 It doesn't mean pastor. 367 00:20:06,772 --> 00:20:08,674 That's a different word. 368 00:20:08,674 --> 00:20:12,544 But servant means minister, which is someone who does 369 00:20:12,544 --> 00:20:15,781 the menial work at the command of another. 370 00:20:17,349 --> 00:20:20,352 That's kingdom 371 00:20:20,385 --> 00:20:21,954 that if I'm a kingdom man, 372 00:20:21,954 --> 00:20:24,957 I am doing the hard work 373 00:20:25,824 --> 00:20:28,827 at the command of someone else. 374 00:20:31,530 --> 00:20:34,032 I'm a servant. 375 00:20:34,032 --> 00:20:35,000 It's a way of the kingdom. 376 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,536 Now, most of us would say, I don't mind serving. 377 00:20:37,536 --> 00:20:40,539 I just don't want you to think of me as your servant. 378 00:20:41,106 --> 00:20:41,907 Right? 379 00:20:42,941 --> 00:20:43,375 I don't 380 00:20:43,375 --> 00:20:46,378 mind serving, but don't you treat me like a servant. 381 00:20:47,312 --> 00:20:48,981 Well, 382 00:20:48,981 --> 00:20:52,818 the way of the kingdom is the way of a servant. 383 00:20:52,851 --> 00:20:56,755 And then he goes further and he says, whoever you want 384 00:20:56,755 --> 00:20:59,825 to, the Great One are the ones who will be the slaves. 385 00:21:00,492 --> 00:21:05,030 And it literally means Dulos slave. 386 00:21:09,534 --> 00:21:12,537 Literally. 387 00:21:15,073 --> 00:21:18,944 It's someone who disregards their own 388 00:21:18,944 --> 00:21:22,581 interests for the advancement of God's kingdom. 389 00:21:25,217 --> 00:21:28,587 The way of the kingdom is the way of a servant 390 00:21:29,054 --> 00:21:32,357 who does the work at the command of another, 391 00:21:33,592 --> 00:21:35,694 and he sacrifices their agenda 392 00:21:35,694 --> 00:21:38,697 for the advancement of the kingdom of God. 393 00:21:40,065 --> 00:21:43,535 And these guys missed it completely. 394 00:21:45,304 --> 00:21:47,706 Jesus just talked about dying 395 00:21:47,706 --> 00:21:50,709 and the disciples are talking about promotion. 396 00:21:50,709 --> 00:21:53,745 Do you notice how quickly the kingdom becomes about herself? 397 00:22:00,018 --> 00:22:03,021 The key to this whole thing is verse 28. 398 00:22:03,422 --> 00:22:06,425 And in verse 28 399 00:22:06,591 --> 00:22:09,428 Jesus says, even as he says, 400 00:22:09,428 --> 00:22:12,431 be a servant and be a slave, even as 401 00:22:13,031 --> 00:22:16,001 the Son of Man came not to be served, 402 00:22:16,001 --> 00:22:21,540 but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom. 403 00:22:22,441 --> 00:22:24,943 That's the way of the kingdom. 404 00:22:24,943 --> 00:22:29,348 It's the way of the cross, and it's the way of serving 405 00:22:29,348 --> 00:22:32,351 and slavery 406 00:22:32,451 --> 00:22:35,454 that my life is no longer about my agenda. 407 00:22:35,454 --> 00:22:37,222 It's no longer about myself promotion. 408 00:22:37,222 --> 00:22:40,225 It's no longer about my elevation. 409 00:22:42,561 --> 00:22:43,195 It's about 410 00:22:43,195 --> 00:22:46,865 I allow the Kingdom of God and the agenda to God to redirect 411 00:22:46,865 --> 00:22:49,868 and read my life. 412 00:22:52,270 --> 00:22:55,273 As a servant and a slave. 413 00:22:58,543 --> 00:23:01,546 This guy's just missed it. 414 00:23:03,315 --> 00:23:06,318 And I think we do sometimes. 415 00:23:07,452 --> 00:23:09,821 Want to add Jesus to my life to make it better. 416 00:23:11,790 --> 00:23:14,793 Says you missed it. 417 00:23:15,394 --> 00:23:16,294 And then. 418 00:23:16,294 --> 00:23:18,497 And then Matthew tells this other account, 419 00:23:18,497 --> 00:23:21,333 and I think Matthew puts these two things right back to back 420 00:23:21,333 --> 00:23:23,335 for a very important reason, because you had these 12 421 00:23:23,335 --> 00:23:25,370 guys who saw Jesus, who literally them 422 00:23:25,370 --> 00:23:27,639 and who missed them, and he had these two men who were blind, 423 00:23:27,639 --> 00:23:30,642 who had no sight that saw him. 424 00:23:32,778 --> 00:23:34,613 Look at what the Bible says. 425 00:23:34,613 --> 00:23:36,748 Verse 20. 426 00:23:36,748 --> 00:23:38,517 Oh, sorry, we already did that one. 427 00:23:38,517 --> 00:23:43,355 Verse 29 and as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 428 00:23:43,355 --> 00:23:46,425 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside. 429 00:23:46,425 --> 00:23:49,795 And when they heard Jesus passing by, they cried out, you notice they had to him 430 00:23:49,795 --> 00:23:52,798 because he couldn't see him. 431 00:23:54,032 --> 00:23:57,035 Little details. 432 00:23:57,135 --> 00:24:00,338 They cried out, Lord, have mercy on a son of David. 433 00:24:00,338 --> 00:24:03,141 And the crowd rebuked and tells him to be silent. 434 00:24:03,141 --> 00:24:07,379 But they cried out all the more, Lord, have mercy on the Son of David. 435 00:24:12,717 --> 00:24:13,985 What's the next word say? 436 00:24:13,985 --> 00:24:16,621 And what? 437 00:24:16,621 --> 00:24:17,722 What's this they say? 438 00:24:17,722 --> 00:24:20,158 Answer with your mouth open. What's it say? 439 00:24:20,158 --> 00:24:23,161 And stopping, 440 00:24:23,562 --> 00:24:26,198 just notice 441 00:24:26,198 --> 00:24:29,434 Jesus has just said, this is what I'm going into. 442 00:24:29,468 --> 00:24:31,002 This is where I'm headed. 443 00:24:31,002 --> 00:24:34,439 This is going to start in these next couple days. 444 00:24:36,041 --> 00:24:40,879 This is the horrific evil that's going to be perpetrated against me. 445 00:24:41,379 --> 00:24:42,681 His mind is set. 446 00:24:42,681 --> 00:24:44,483 He is focused. He's determined. 447 00:24:44,483 --> 00:24:46,718 Nothing is going to distract him. 448 00:24:46,718 --> 00:24:49,821 And he's walking along and he hears this guy, 449 00:24:50,922 --> 00:24:53,892 Son of David, have mercy. 450 00:24:54,392 --> 00:24:57,195 And he stops. 451 00:24:57,195 --> 00:25:00,198 And I love that about my Jesus. 452 00:25:03,435 --> 00:25:04,202 That he will. 453 00:25:04,202 --> 00:25:06,171 Stop. 454 00:25:06,171 --> 00:25:06,938 For those who. 455 00:25:06,938 --> 00:25:09,474 Cry out. 456 00:25:09,474 --> 00:25:11,877 I've had so many people tell me, I don't know, 457 00:25:11,877 --> 00:25:13,712 man, I know God's are like really busy. 458 00:25:13,712 --> 00:25:16,214 Why is he going to like he's got so much? Like 459 00:25:17,549 --> 00:25:20,018 if. You cry out, 460 00:25:20,018 --> 00:25:23,021 he will stop. 461 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:30,362 Jesus called them and said, what do you want me to do for you? 462 00:25:30,362 --> 00:25:33,331 The same question he. Asked. 463 00:25:33,398 --> 00:25:35,133 James, John's mother. 464 00:25:35,133 --> 00:25:37,068 Like I said, he might be asking you to that question today. 465 00:25:37,068 --> 00:25:37,936 What do you want me to do? 466 00:25:37,936 --> 00:25:40,939 Why are you here? 467 00:25:43,542 --> 00:25:46,378 They said to him, Lord, let our eyes be open to Jesus in pity. 468 00:25:46,378 --> 00:25:49,381 Touch their eyes, and immediately they received their sight and followed him. 469 00:25:51,583 --> 00:25:53,418 Now this same account is told 470 00:25:53,418 --> 00:25:56,555 in Mark and John, but it's told a little differently there. 471 00:25:56,555 --> 00:26:00,559 In those gospel accounts it only says there's one blind person. 472 00:26:01,159 --> 00:26:02,227 Matthew says, there's two. 473 00:26:02,227 --> 00:26:04,596 I want to give you a little Bible knowledge, just so you're not caught off 474 00:26:04,596 --> 00:26:06,898 guard by someone who doesn't understand the Bible. 475 00:26:06,898 --> 00:26:09,134 There's no contradiction here in the least. 476 00:26:10,101 --> 00:26:12,304 The purpose of Mark's writing and Mark will say, 477 00:26:12,304 --> 00:26:15,640 there's one guy, and I think Mark was the one who calls this guy Bartimaeus. 478 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:17,442 Like they knew who he was. 479 00:26:17,442 --> 00:26:19,411 Blame Bart. 480 00:26:19,411 --> 00:26:21,179 And he says, there's one. Here's why. 481 00:26:21,179 --> 00:26:25,250 Because Mark's gospel is written like a like a news report. 482 00:26:25,317 --> 00:26:26,785 Just the facts. 483 00:26:26,785 --> 00:26:27,752 Just give me the facts. 484 00:26:27,752 --> 00:26:32,958 And the fact is, one man cried out, but there were two president. 485 00:26:32,958 --> 00:26:33,491 And the reason 486 00:26:33,491 --> 00:26:37,762 why Matthew says that there were two is because he was writing his gospel to Jews. 487 00:26:37,762 --> 00:26:40,398 And for Jews, they had to have the testimony 488 00:26:40,398 --> 00:26:43,401 of two people in order for something to be corroborated. 489 00:26:43,735 --> 00:26:48,440 And so that's why Matthew says to and Mark and Luke say one. 490 00:26:48,673 --> 00:26:50,342 There were probably two, but only one of them 491 00:26:50,342 --> 00:26:54,346 spoke on behalf of both of them, and his name was Bartimaeus. 492 00:26:57,382 --> 00:26:57,983 And so 493 00:26:57,983 --> 00:27:02,454 Matthew puts these two stories together because he wants to show the juxtaposition 494 00:27:02,654 --> 00:27:07,192 between those who had sight and proximity and who missed Christ, 495 00:27:07,459 --> 00:27:10,629 and those who had no sight, but who were desperate 496 00:27:11,429 --> 00:27:14,432 and who received him. 497 00:27:14,733 --> 00:27:17,869 See, these blind men didn't simply just believe in Jesus. 498 00:27:17,869 --> 00:27:19,971 They publicly pursued Jesus. 499 00:27:19,971 --> 00:27:23,341 Their faith was visible, their faith was audible, 500 00:27:23,341 --> 00:27:26,344 and their faith was. 501 00:27:31,816 --> 00:27:34,819 The Bible says they cried out all the more, 502 00:27:35,553 --> 00:27:37,322 Son of David, have mercy on us. 503 00:27:37,322 --> 00:27:39,190 Shut up! 504 00:27:39,190 --> 00:27:42,894 Like you don't have to be that brass. 505 00:27:43,194 --> 00:27:44,696 Nobody needs to hear. 506 00:27:44,696 --> 00:27:47,432 Nobody needs to like just God. 507 00:27:47,432 --> 00:27:50,435 Nobody needs to see your thing. 508 00:27:51,102 --> 00:27:52,704 Just quiet down. 509 00:27:52,704 --> 00:27:56,041 You don't gotta take this whole thing so public and serious. 510 00:27:56,041 --> 00:27:58,343 Just throttle it back. 511 00:27:58,343 --> 00:28:01,613 And in response, even more. So 512 00:28:02,747 --> 00:28:03,882 you want to shut me up? 513 00:28:03,882 --> 00:28:05,650 You'll hear me more. 514 00:28:05,650 --> 00:28:08,186 See, they were so desperate 515 00:28:08,186 --> 00:28:12,290 that their desperation didn't care about who was around 516 00:28:12,290 --> 00:28:15,560 and who was looking, and what everybody else thought. 517 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:16,895 They were desperate. 518 00:28:16,895 --> 00:28:20,498 And sometimes desperation gets loud. 519 00:28:24,335 --> 00:28:27,238 And some of you have been in those places, 520 00:28:27,238 --> 00:28:30,241 you know, when you have been desperate 521 00:28:30,642 --> 00:28:33,611 but yet so insecure. 522 00:28:35,714 --> 00:28:38,717 You've never been loud. 523 00:28:40,385 --> 00:28:41,986 These men had a need. 524 00:28:41,986 --> 00:28:44,989 They were desperate, and they believed Jesus could. 525 00:28:44,989 --> 00:28:49,194 And had they remained silent, the implications just would have walked on 526 00:28:49,194 --> 00:28:53,665 by. But because they had a need 527 00:28:53,698 --> 00:28:56,301 that they could meet, and because they were desperate enough 528 00:28:56,301 --> 00:29:00,071 to cry out in front of everybody, Jesus stopped. 529 00:29:02,307 --> 00:29:03,875 And he intervened. 530 00:29:03,875 --> 00:29:07,178 And he did what nobody else could 531 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:10,749 because of his mercy, 532 00:29:12,650 --> 00:29:13,218 their 533 00:29:13,218 --> 00:29:17,255 arrogance and their pride could have kept them blind. 534 00:29:17,422 --> 00:29:20,658 But their desperation and humility 535 00:29:20,825 --> 00:29:23,828 was the touchpoint of their healing. 536 00:29:26,464 --> 00:29:28,032 And I wonder how many here 537 00:29:28,032 --> 00:29:31,035 Jesus is saying, what do you want me to do for you? 538 00:29:31,336 --> 00:29:34,339 Are you desperate enough? 539 00:29:35,940 --> 00:29:38,943 To cry out? 540 00:29:49,220 --> 00:29:52,357 Our faith is meant to be expressed, 541 00:29:52,390 --> 00:29:55,393 not merely possessed. 542 00:29:55,460 --> 00:29:58,997 Some of us possess great faith, but 543 00:29:58,997 --> 00:30:02,000 it's not really expressed in the public. 544 00:30:03,034 --> 00:30:05,103 And that's not faith that moves mountains, 545 00:30:05,103 --> 00:30:08,106 and that's not faith that gets healed. 546 00:30:12,410 --> 00:30:14,579 They cried out, 547 00:30:14,579 --> 00:30:17,749 no, what they didn't do, they didn't sit there 548 00:30:17,749 --> 00:30:21,653 silent in their hearts, thinking, I know Jesus can and I'm just going to pray. 549 00:30:21,653 --> 00:30:25,256 He hears my prayers, which he does 1,000%. 550 00:30:25,323 --> 00:30:26,658 He does hears silent prayer. 551 00:30:26,658 --> 00:30:29,661 Absolutely. 552 00:30:31,162 --> 00:30:32,997 But there was such desperation 553 00:30:32,997 --> 00:30:36,634 and then that their faith was impossible to ignore. 554 00:30:43,274 --> 00:30:46,511 Faith cannot be ashamed 555 00:30:46,578 --> 00:30:49,581 to be expressed and heard. 556 00:30:52,817 --> 00:30:55,820 The crowd tried to silence them, 557 00:30:55,854 --> 00:30:58,857 and they shouted all the more. 558 00:31:07,065 --> 00:31:08,800 Their declaration of Son of David! 559 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:11,302 This was a this was a messianic title. 560 00:31:11,302 --> 00:31:14,539 What they were saying is Jesus, we believe that you are the Son of God. 561 00:31:14,539 --> 00:31:16,040 We believe in your DD. 562 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:19,711 We believe that you came to set the captives free, to heal the 563 00:31:19,711 --> 00:31:22,780 the sick, to to free the oppressed, to open the eyes of the blind. 564 00:31:22,780 --> 00:31:24,182 And we believe this is who you are. 565 00:31:24,182 --> 00:31:27,185 This was not a safe statement for them to make. 566 00:31:27,986 --> 00:31:30,054 The scribes and Pharisees hated you. 567 00:31:30,054 --> 00:31:33,825 They were going to kill him in a week to align themselves with Jesus. 568 00:31:33,825 --> 00:31:38,229 And the statement who Jesus was was putting them in the crosshairs of death. 569 00:31:39,697 --> 00:31:42,700 They didn't care. 570 00:31:44,102 --> 00:31:45,003 They weren't embarrassed. 571 00:31:45,003 --> 00:31:45,703 They weren't. 572 00:31:45,703 --> 00:31:49,240 They were the living example of Matthew ten. 573 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:53,211 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge 574 00:31:53,211 --> 00:31:56,281 before my father in heaven they lived it. 575 00:31:58,182 --> 00:32:00,385 One of Satan's greatest victories 576 00:32:00,385 --> 00:32:03,988 is convincing Christians that private prayer is 577 00:32:03,988 --> 00:32:06,991 okay all the time. 578 00:32:07,091 --> 00:32:08,226 Jesus does teach. 579 00:32:08,226 --> 00:32:09,994 Go to your prayer closet in private. 580 00:32:09,994 --> 00:32:12,030 The father who sees in private will reward you. 581 00:32:12,030 --> 00:32:13,531 He teaches that absolutely. 582 00:32:13,531 --> 00:32:17,835 There are times when you go to your prayer closet alone where nobody knows. 583 00:32:17,835 --> 00:32:20,838 But that's not all the time. 584 00:32:24,475 --> 00:32:26,811 The first church always prayed together. 585 00:32:26,811 --> 00:32:29,547 Acts one, acts two, acts four, acts 12. 586 00:32:29,547 --> 00:32:32,317 Over and over and over Bartimaeus shouted. 587 00:32:32,317 --> 00:32:34,152 The tax collector cried out. 588 00:32:34,152 --> 00:32:35,920 The church prayed together. 589 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:37,255 Paul prayed publicly. 590 00:32:37,255 --> 00:32:38,723 The elders prayed publicly. 591 00:32:38,723 --> 00:32:41,492 The apostles prayed publicly. 592 00:32:41,492 --> 00:32:41,993 Listen. 593 00:32:41,993 --> 00:32:46,731 Prayer is personal, but never intended to only be private. 594 00:32:48,066 --> 00:32:49,200 There are times when it 595 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:52,203 must cry out in public. 596 00:32:54,172 --> 00:32:56,741 Charles Spurgeon said this if a person will just come to 597 00:32:56,741 --> 00:32:59,744 Jesus, he will find no stinginess in Jesus's healing 598 00:32:59,744 --> 00:33:02,747 power. 599 00:33:05,416 --> 00:33:08,519 I challenge you, show me anywhere in the scripture 600 00:33:08,519 --> 00:33:12,190 where someone cried out to Jesus and he ignored them and walked by. 601 00:33:13,157 --> 00:33:16,160 Now he walked by a lot of people who were in need 602 00:33:17,095 --> 00:33:18,830 because they were silent. 603 00:33:18,830 --> 00:33:22,200 But I don't see anywhere in Scripture where someone in desperation 604 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:25,403 cries out for Jesus and he ignores him and walks by. 605 00:33:25,436 --> 00:33:30,708 And my question to you this morning is if Jesus were to ask you, what do you want? 606 00:33:30,742 --> 00:33:32,944 Why are you here? 607 00:33:32,944 --> 00:33:36,180 If you would just stay silent and he will walk by 608 00:33:36,914 --> 00:33:42,186 or in desperation as a blind beggar, you will say, I have no hope. 609 00:33:42,186 --> 00:33:45,189 I have no help. I am so desperate. 610 00:33:46,424 --> 00:33:47,692 I don't care who sees. 611 00:33:47,692 --> 00:33:50,695 I don't care who's around. 612 00:33:53,731 --> 00:33:58,669 The healthiest thing for a church is that people pray with each other 613 00:33:58,669 --> 00:34:02,540 after they've heard the Word of God, preached and taught and proclaimed. 614 00:34:19,590 --> 00:34:22,560 There are so many Sundays, 615 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:24,829 and I know because you tell me 616 00:34:24,829 --> 00:34:27,832 the stories of the healing that you need, 617 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:31,669 the surgeries that are upcoming, the marriages that are falling apart, 618 00:34:31,669 --> 00:34:35,306 the kids that are wandering away, the health battles you're struggling, 619 00:34:35,573 --> 00:34:39,277 the financial pit that you're in, and you tell me, 620 00:34:39,277 --> 00:34:43,915 I know all of this desperation that you need God to do something. 621 00:34:43,915 --> 00:34:48,820 And week after week, we have opportunity to go before God 622 00:34:48,820 --> 00:34:54,058 with another person of God to approach God's throne of grace together in prayer. 623 00:34:54,058 --> 00:34:56,627 And though there's desperation in your life, 624 00:34:56,627 --> 00:34:59,697 there's a silence in your prayers, and you walk out hoping that 625 00:34:59,697 --> 00:35:02,700 somebody at some point says some prayer for you. 626 00:35:05,002 --> 00:35:07,972 And I just wonder 627 00:35:08,039 --> 00:35:11,042 if there's enough desperation to cry out. 628 00:35:13,878 --> 00:35:16,881 If God would stop. 629 00:35:17,348 --> 00:35:19,851 Not because God can't hear silent prayer. 630 00:35:19,851 --> 00:35:21,652 He absolutely does. 631 00:35:21,652 --> 00:35:25,990 And every morning I go to my prayer closet and pray Scripture. 632 00:35:25,990 --> 00:35:30,394 And for people buying, I know he hears me in the private place, 633 00:35:31,762 --> 00:35:34,432 but public prayer says I need Jesus 634 00:35:34,432 --> 00:35:37,502 and I am so desperate and I'm not ashamed to seek him. 635 00:35:37,602 --> 00:35:40,571 Jesus said, my house will be a house of prayer. 636 00:35:42,707 --> 00:35:45,776 See, prayer is the expression of dependance. 637 00:35:46,210 --> 00:35:50,882 And when we come together in open and pray, it's my expression. 638 00:35:50,882 --> 00:35:54,385 I am so dependent on God, I'm not going to let them walk by 639 00:35:54,385 --> 00:35:57,388 and ignore me. 640 00:35:59,090 --> 00:35:59,790 Let us 641 00:35:59,790 --> 00:36:03,594 then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may 642 00:36:03,594 --> 00:36:06,931 receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 643 00:36:06,998 --> 00:36:08,666 Do you have an area of your life 644 00:36:08,666 --> 00:36:12,737 where you need the mercy and grace of God to intervene if you do? 645 00:36:14,739 --> 00:36:17,475 When we sing this last song, I'm a band. 646 00:36:17,475 --> 00:36:20,478 Come forward when we sing this last song. 647 00:36:21,179 --> 00:36:22,280 I don't want you to think. 648 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:22,880 You gotta wait 649 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:27,418 till everybody's gone I got trained prayer people all around this place. 650 00:36:27,418 --> 00:36:30,588 Who will stand up and be around. Go 651 00:36:31,822 --> 00:36:34,425 ask someone to approach God's throne of grace. 652 00:36:34,425 --> 00:36:38,095 Where you need mercy and grace. 653 00:36:39,030 --> 00:36:40,665 And in public. 654 00:36:40,665 --> 00:36:45,036 Pray not because God doesn't hear some prayer, but because sometimes 655 00:36:46,537 --> 00:36:48,039 prayer must be public. 656 00:36:48,039 --> 00:36:52,777 And it's got to be desperate enough to be a blind beggar who cries out, God 657 00:36:52,810 --> 00:36:55,813 have mercy! 658 00:36:59,550 --> 00:37:01,319 Through Jesus, 659 00:37:01,319 --> 00:37:04,355 we have also obtained access by faith 660 00:37:04,355 --> 00:37:07,358 into that grace. 661 00:37:10,194 --> 00:37:12,897 It may be humbling to walk towards someone and say, hey, 662 00:37:12,897 --> 00:37:17,635 I need prayer and I need you to approach God on my behalf with me. 663 00:37:17,668 --> 00:37:19,303 Not for me, but with me. 664 00:37:20,304 --> 00:37:21,138 But I'm 665 00:37:21,138 --> 00:37:24,141 amazed that some people are so public 666 00:37:24,542 --> 00:37:28,679 regarding their politics and their sports, and detailing 667 00:37:28,679 --> 00:37:32,583 every area of their lives on social media, and yet struggle 668 00:37:32,617 --> 00:37:36,153 to be silent when it comes to the Christ 669 00:37:36,153 --> 00:37:39,156 in public. 670 00:37:40,391 --> 00:37:41,092 He's blind. 671 00:37:41,092 --> 00:37:44,395 Men remind me there are moments when faith should have a voice, 672 00:37:45,062 --> 00:37:47,431 and especially in a safe place 673 00:37:47,431 --> 00:37:50,434 of the house of prayer. 674 00:37:51,202 --> 00:37:53,037 To seek the church and play with you, 675 00:37:53,037 --> 00:37:56,040 not just for you. 676 00:37:56,073 --> 00:37:57,875 When we sing, I'm going to invite you. 677 00:37:57,875 --> 00:37:58,709 We're all going to stand up. 678 00:37:58,709 --> 00:38:02,346 I'm going to invite you if you have that place that you need 679 00:38:02,346 --> 00:38:05,483 the mercy and grace of God, don't keep it. 680 00:38:05,516 --> 00:38:08,519 Be desperate enough. 681 00:38:09,987 --> 00:38:11,822 To ask for prayer. 682 00:38:11,822 --> 00:38:14,825 Perhaps this morning 683 00:38:16,761 --> 00:38:19,730 Christ is going to stop. 684 00:38:20,865 --> 00:38:22,300 In your life 685 00:38:23,301 --> 00:38:26,304 and do what only he can do. 686 00:38:28,239 --> 00:38:30,875 Throughout the Bible, Jesus constantly stopped 687 00:38:30,875 --> 00:38:34,178 and intervened for people who cried out publicly 688 00:38:35,713 --> 00:38:38,716 and walked by those who remain silent. 689 00:38:40,618 --> 00:38:42,586 If there's a thing, you need God to move in. 690 00:38:42,586 --> 00:38:46,857 If there's a health thing that you have that you're walking into, 691 00:38:47,692 --> 00:38:52,063 if there's a relationship thing that you have not been able 692 00:38:52,396 --> 00:38:55,700 to gain peace, closure, restoration, 693 00:38:55,700 --> 00:39:00,171 healing in, there's a family issue, a financial issue, 694 00:39:00,171 --> 00:39:03,641 a future issue over your kids, over your grandkids. 695 00:39:05,276 --> 00:39:07,578 Don't stay seated. 696 00:39:07,578 --> 00:39:11,716 Approach God's throne of grace will you will receive mercy 697 00:39:11,716 --> 00:39:14,719 and grace to help in your time of need. 698 00:39:16,721 --> 00:39:20,224 Everybody make flip side a house of prayer. 699 00:39:20,791 --> 00:39:22,860 Pick up those lanyards. 700 00:39:22,860 --> 00:39:24,695 Can you imagine? 701 00:39:24,695 --> 00:39:26,263 Just dream a little bit. 702 00:39:26,263 --> 00:39:29,633 Can you imagine what might happen 703 00:39:30,668 --> 00:39:33,671 by a church like ours? 704 00:39:34,438 --> 00:39:35,740 Desperate people like 705 00:39:35,740 --> 00:39:38,876 us who approach God's throne of grace with each other. 706 00:39:38,876 --> 00:39:44,148 How God might move, the healing that is waiting, 707 00:39:44,148 --> 00:39:47,952 the restoration that is waiting in the wings, and 708 00:39:49,053 --> 00:39:53,624 what God might do in our community as every student and teacher 709 00:39:53,624 --> 00:39:57,762 and admin and school board member and administer 710 00:39:57,762 --> 00:40:01,031 and superintend are prayed for by name every day, 711 00:40:01,031 --> 00:40:04,034 can you imagine 712 00:40:04,468 --> 00:40:07,471 what it might be like for God to stop 713 00:40:08,172 --> 00:40:11,175 and not walk by this time? 714 00:40:14,678 --> 00:40:17,681 This is why he went to the cross. 715 00:40:18,883 --> 00:40:21,852 This is the way of the kingdom. 716 00:40:23,954 --> 00:40:24,422 Father. 717 00:40:24,422 --> 00:40:26,424 Thank you. 718 00:40:26,424 --> 00:40:29,093 We come to you in the knowledge 719 00:40:29,093 --> 00:40:32,096 that we need you. 720 00:40:32,363 --> 00:40:36,066 You, God, are our only hope. 721 00:40:37,234 --> 00:40:39,003 As we seek you. 722 00:40:39,003 --> 00:40:43,140 Allow us the privilege to find you. 723 00:40:44,575 --> 00:40:45,743 And as we 724 00:40:45,743 --> 00:40:48,946 find you, meet all of our needs for your glory. 725 00:40:49,947 --> 00:40:54,452 See us in this moment, in this place as we seek you. 726 00:40:54,518 --> 00:40:59,256 Hear us as we cry out for you and respond, 727 00:41:00,558 --> 00:41:03,260 we trust you, God. 728 00:41:03,260 --> 00:41:06,530 There are some people right now who are going to approach your throne 729 00:41:06,597 --> 00:41:10,100 of grace, so that they may receive mercy and grace 730 00:41:10,100 --> 00:41:13,103 to help them in their need. 731 00:41:13,337 --> 00:41:15,639 Oh God, 732 00:41:15,639 --> 00:41:18,642 respond. 733 00:41:20,411 --> 00:41:21,378 Our prayers 734 00:41:21,378 --> 00:41:24,381 are the statement of our dependance upon you. 735 00:41:25,749 --> 00:41:27,518 Oh God, respond. 736 00:41:27,518 --> 00:41:30,187 May your kingdom come in this place right now, 737 00:41:30,187 --> 00:41:32,957 as it already is in heaven 738 00:41:32,957 --> 00:41:34,625 for your glory. 739 00:41:34,625 --> 00:41:36,594 Amen. Church. 740 00:41:36,594 --> 00:41:38,662 I'm going to bite you. Stand up and sing. 741 00:41:38,662 --> 00:41:42,633 And if there is that need, do not leave here. 742 00:41:43,601 --> 00:41:46,770 Do not leave here until you have cried out with someone. 743 00:41:47,371 --> 00:41:49,073 Oh, Lord have mercy.