136 00:20:38.595 --> 00:20:43.405 What a great story, mayor, 137 00:20:43.406 --> 00:20:46.484 what a great story. I think my, the Jones family, phenomenal family. 138 00:20:46.605 --> 00:20:48.685 I think the key takeaway from that is, uh, 139 00:20:48.744 --> 00:20:52.925 we should all wanna be a little bit more like Mr. Dave. And so listen, 140 00:20:52.984 --> 00:20:55.725 if you're a part of Hope man and you don't have a place that where you're 141 00:20:55.925 --> 00:20:57.805 actually engaging and, and, and, uh, 142 00:20:58.085 --> 00:21:01.685 look and actually living out your role and responsibility as a family member 143 00:21:01.686 --> 00:21:05.484 here, my wife actually serves in special needs as well. Man, I've, I've not, 144 00:21:05.925 --> 00:21:07.965 I've never spoken to anyone, uh, 145 00:21:08.025 --> 00:21:11.005 who serves in a ministry at Hope Community Church that has not said that. 146 00:21:11.006 --> 00:21:12.765 It gives them life, it gives them purpose. 147 00:21:12.825 --> 00:21:14.965 And so if you're looking to take a next step, I would encourage you, 148 00:21:14.966 --> 00:21:17.325 check out the next steps area at your campus where you are. 149 00:21:17.326 --> 00:21:20.685 They'd love to help you take that next step. Uh, welcome this week, 150 00:21:20.686 --> 00:21:23.445 this weekend, this whatever day it is that you're hearing this, uh, 151 00:21:23.446 --> 00:21:27.125 that we're spending some time together. If we haven't met, my name is Jason. Uh, 152 00:21:27.126 --> 00:21:31.045 we're jumping in into week two of a series that we're calling who we Are. 153 00:21:31.785 --> 00:21:35.605 If you're like week two, I thought we just ended a series last week, uh, 154 00:21:36.165 --> 00:21:40.244 a month ago I kicked off a series who We Are. And um, uh, um, 155 00:21:40.315 --> 00:21:44.645 unfortunately my, my dad passed away. He went to be with the Lord, and uh, 156 00:21:44.744 --> 00:21:47.885 our elders lovingly said, Hey, listen, you should probably take some time off, 157 00:21:47.886 --> 00:21:49.045 spend some time with your family. 158 00:21:49.275 --> 00:21:51.565 Obviously you can't pull out from everything from day to day, 159 00:21:51.566 --> 00:21:53.645 but let's get some other folks lined up to preach. 160 00:21:53.705 --> 00:21:56.885 And I think Clay and Dwayne have done a fantastic job over the last few weeks. 161 00:21:57.185 --> 00:22:00.685 And so now, uh, I'm jumping back in and picking back up. 162 00:22:00.685 --> 00:22:03.765 But I do wanna say thank you so much to you all as our church family. 163 00:22:03.865 --> 00:22:04.545 My wife and I, 164 00:22:04.545 --> 00:22:08.365 my kids have felt so incredibly loved and supported through a really difficult 165 00:22:08.366 --> 00:22:11.885 time. Uh, so here we are, we're jumping in week two of who we are. 166 00:22:12.505 --> 00:22:14.125 And what we did was we said, man, 167 00:22:14.126 --> 00:22:17.685 we need to make sure that as a church we are spending the appropriate amount of 168 00:22:17.686 --> 00:22:21.805 time, uh, elevating who it is that God is calling us to be. 169 00:22:21.925 --> 00:22:24.085 And so I wanna start out just by asking you a question. 170 00:22:25.555 --> 00:22:30.325 Have you ever lost your focus? And that could be like, 171 00:22:30.326 --> 00:22:33.645 and I'm not asking for myself like I haven't already lost my focus, you know, 172 00:22:33.646 --> 00:22:34.484 two minutes into the message, 173 00:22:34.585 --> 00:22:37.205 but it could be two minutes after you start something. 174 00:22:37.225 --> 00:22:40.285 For those of us that do have adult, A DHD, maybe it's two weeks, 175 00:22:40.286 --> 00:22:43.085 maybe it's two months, it could be two years, it could be 10 years. 176 00:22:43.105 --> 00:22:47.725 You just wake up one day and you think, how did I get where I am right now? 177 00:22:48.005 --> 00:22:51.045 I mean, sometimes that's me. I'm like, did I, did I set out to be a pastor? 178 00:22:51.665 --> 00:22:54.325 How in the world did I end up here? But man, we, we've got to, 179 00:22:54.845 --> 00:22:58.244 to pay attention to our focus, uh, of man by the name of James Clear, 180 00:22:58.245 --> 00:23:00.205 he wrote a book called Atomic Habits. 181 00:23:01.025 --> 00:23:04.085 And in the book he talks about how everybody in life, 182 00:23:04.244 --> 00:23:07.525 a lot of people in life actually have goals. But goals aren't the secret sauce. 183 00:23:08.005 --> 00:23:10.484 Um, it's really what you do leading up to your goals. 184 00:23:10.485 --> 00:23:13.605 Like he talks about if you have a group of people that line up for a hundred 185 00:23:13.606 --> 00:23:17.645 meter race and they all go to the starting line, everyone has the same goal. 186 00:23:17.646 --> 00:23:20.725 What's the goal? Win the race, right? 187 00:23:20.726 --> 00:23:22.645 Like everybody's had the same goal the whole time. 188 00:23:22.945 --> 00:23:27.445 But the secret sauce has been what has their focus been every single day leading 189 00:23:27.545 --> 00:23:28.378 up to the race? 190 00:23:28.435 --> 00:23:31.885 Like ha have they had the right focus as it relates to their training every day 191 00:23:32.744 --> 00:23:34.605 as it relates to eating the right foods, 192 00:23:34.705 --> 00:23:38.005 as it relates to getting the right amount of rest as it relates to making sure 193 00:23:38.006 --> 00:23:40.525 we're getting enough sleep. And so for us as a church, 194 00:23:40.535 --> 00:23:43.125 we've elevated this identity, uh, who we are. 195 00:23:43.145 --> 00:23:47.565 We believe God's calling us to recognize that we are a family who loves God, 196 00:23:47.994 --> 00:23:51.484 follows Jesus and shares hope. And in week one, 197 00:23:51.485 --> 00:23:54.205 we kicked off this idea that we are the family of God. 198 00:23:54.825 --> 00:23:58.085 And so this week we're gonna be taking a look at what are the most important 199 00:23:58.086 --> 00:24:02.765 areas that we can focus on to be the best family of God that we can possibly be, 200 00:24:02.766 --> 00:24:05.965 to be the best sons and daughters of God, the best brothers and sisters, 201 00:24:06.265 --> 00:24:09.925 and have the most impact that God would have us to have on the world around us. 202 00:24:10.265 --> 00:24:13.365 So as we jump in, I want you to know that in my opinion, 203 00:24:14.355 --> 00:24:15.645 when you have an opportunity, 204 00:24:16.825 --> 00:24:19.725 if you're looking to ask like some of life's biggest questions, 205 00:24:20.025 --> 00:24:24.244 if you have the opportunity, it's always best to start by asking Jesus. 206 00:24:25.244 --> 00:24:29.205 Uh, and it just so happens that Jesus has actually answered this question about 207 00:24:29.206 --> 00:24:31.365 where our focus needs to be. And so if you have your Bibles, 208 00:24:31.645 --> 00:24:35.484 I wanna encourage you turn to Mark chapter 12, verse 28. 209 00:24:35.705 --> 00:24:36.645 And we're gonna start there. 210 00:24:36.646 --> 00:24:40.045 We're gonna jump into a conversation that Jesus is having with some other folks. 211 00:24:41.065 --> 00:24:43.365 To give you some context as to what's going on here. 212 00:24:43.395 --> 00:24:47.765 This is a conversation that's taking place in the final week of Jesus' life here 213 00:24:47.766 --> 00:24:52.365 on earth before his crucifixion. So this is after his triumphal entry. He, 214 00:24:52.475 --> 00:24:55.285 he's into back into Jerusalem. He's in the temple courts. 215 00:24:55.475 --> 00:24:59.325 He's with different religious leaders, Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes. 216 00:24:59.405 --> 00:25:00.725 And really what they're trying to do, 217 00:25:00.726 --> 00:25:03.405 they're trying to trap him with difficult questions. 218 00:25:04.205 --> 00:25:08.205 I think Why in the world would they do that if you didn't know, uh, 219 00:25:08.206 --> 00:25:09.965 the religious leaders of the Jewish faith, 220 00:25:10.035 --> 00:25:13.805 they struggled with Jesus because he had like challenged some of the ways that 221 00:25:13.806 --> 00:25:15.725 they go about their business. Uh, 222 00:25:15.726 --> 00:25:19.165 he had already had this moment where he turned over the tables, uh, 223 00:25:19.225 --> 00:25:21.525 at the temple, gave him a hard time. Uh, 224 00:25:22.025 --> 00:25:26.765 and so like he said some things and done some things that 225 00:25:26.766 --> 00:25:31.165 don't actually fit their religious paradigms. And so I just want, 226 00:25:31.166 --> 00:25:34.045 I think it's just important to recognize like Jesus doesn't always fit the 227 00:25:34.046 --> 00:25:36.765 tradition and religious paradigms that we might bring to the table. 228 00:25:37.185 --> 00:25:41.085 But at the same time as a teacher, he's built like a tremendous following. 229 00:25:41.115 --> 00:25:44.445 He's been answering some really difficult questions at this point to where 230 00:25:44.446 --> 00:25:46.325 people are like, man, this guy's actually pretty smart. 231 00:25:46.705 --> 00:25:48.885 And the question that we're asking ourselves today, 232 00:25:49.115 --> 00:25:52.805 what is the most important thing for us to focus on, uh, as the family of God? 233 00:25:53.035 --> 00:25:57.365 Believe it or not, it was actually a common debate among Jewish scholars. 234 00:25:58.234 --> 00:26:02.205 They had about 613 different commandments in their Torah, 235 00:26:02.484 --> 00:26:06.165 right in the first five books of our Old Testament, like their book of the law. 236 00:26:07.225 --> 00:26:10.805 And people regularly wanted to know, like, is, that's a lot. Like, 237 00:26:10.945 --> 00:26:14.845 is there one that kind of sums up everything? And so with that, 238 00:26:14.905 --> 00:26:18.765 we jump into Mark chapter 12, verse 28. And one it says, 239 00:26:19.045 --> 00:26:22.845 and one of the scribes came up and he heard them disputing with one another and 240 00:26:22.846 --> 00:26:25.925 seeing that he, he being Jesus had answered them well. 241 00:26:27.145 --> 00:26:30.405 And he asked him, which commandment is the most important of all? 242 00:26:31.505 --> 00:26:32.925 And so Jesus answered him, 243 00:26:33.725 --> 00:26:38.165 the most important is here O Israel, the Lord our God. 244 00:26:38.744 --> 00:26:41.205 The Lord is one. What does that mean? 245 00:26:41.206 --> 00:26:44.365 Doesn't sound like he answered his question. We'll get back to that in a minute. 246 00:26:45.055 --> 00:26:48.244 Verse 30. And you shall love the Lord your God. 247 00:26:48.265 --> 00:26:51.445 You should love that one God with all your heart, with all your soul, 248 00:26:51.595 --> 00:26:54.925 with all your mind, and with all your strength. Um, 249 00:26:55.645 --> 00:26:57.645 I want you to know that when I was spending time, um, 250 00:26:57.646 --> 00:27:00.685 by myself and time with the elders, like pursuing God like God, 251 00:27:00.686 --> 00:27:04.085 what is your heart for hope, uh, for the future? Uh, 252 00:27:04.365 --> 00:27:07.085 I would be lying if I didn't like bring some hopes and, 253 00:27:07.445 --> 00:27:10.805 and presuppositions to the table like it was things like, I hope it's simple. 254 00:27:11.565 --> 00:27:13.525 I hope it's clear. Uh, Lord, 255 00:27:13.526 --> 00:27:17.685 please allow it to be wildly biblical as if he would take us in a different 256 00:27:17.686 --> 00:27:18.885 direction. Would it be like, 257 00:27:19.015 --> 00:27:22.845 could we just see from scripture ever so clearly that is what Jesus is calling 258 00:27:22.846 --> 00:27:26.725 us into. And so when we say God's calling us in to be a family who loves God, 259 00:27:26.726 --> 00:27:30.125 right outta the gate, Jesus is saying, what's the most important commandment? 260 00:27:30.395 --> 00:27:35.085 He's saying like, love the Lord God with everything that you have. 261 00:27:35.984 --> 00:27:39.045 And so we gotta recognize that. Now, 262 00:27:39.965 --> 00:27:44.885 I want you to hold on to those words of Jesus. And I want you to remember He, 263 00:27:44.955 --> 00:27:47.525 he's saying these words just before he leaves earth. 264 00:27:48.785 --> 00:27:53.165 And I want you to know where it comes from, uh, like what he was talking about. 265 00:27:53.484 --> 00:27:55.925 'cause a little bit was more going on than him just giving them an answer. 266 00:27:56.305 --> 00:27:59.484 And so I think it's easy when we read the Bible to kind of miss the connection 267 00:27:59.485 --> 00:28:01.244 between the Old Testament and the New Testament. 268 00:28:01.465 --> 00:28:05.605 For some reason when some people paint a, a picture of the Old Testament, 269 00:28:06.035 --> 00:28:09.244 they talk about maybe a distant or even an angry God. 270 00:28:09.265 --> 00:28:10.685 But then when we get to the New Testament, 271 00:28:10.686 --> 00:28:14.484 they talk about maybe God is a bit more grace filled and a bit more gentle and a 272 00:28:14.485 --> 00:28:19.005 bit more loving. And I want you to know nothing could be further from the truth. 273 00:28:20.244 --> 00:28:21.205 Uh, believe it or not, 274 00:28:21.225 --> 00:28:24.685 the Old Testament is filled with the love and the grace and the mercy of God. 275 00:28:25.385 --> 00:28:26.605 And the opposite is true as well. 276 00:28:26.606 --> 00:28:30.725 Like the New Testament is filled with hard truths, uh, accountability, uh, 277 00:28:30.726 --> 00:28:33.765 justice judgment. And it's so important for us to realize, 278 00:28:34.005 --> 00:28:36.365 like the Bible is 66 books, alright? 279 00:28:36.435 --> 00:28:40.805 It's all telling this one overarching story, this one overarching narrative. 280 00:28:40.806 --> 00:28:43.325 And it actually points to Jesus from cover to cover. 281 00:28:43.326 --> 00:28:46.885 And I have this deep conviction that if we're gonna be the family of God that 282 00:28:46.886 --> 00:28:50.765 he's calling us to be, especially in today's world like our biblical literacy, 283 00:28:51.125 --> 00:28:53.045 it, it just has to increase a bit. 284 00:28:53.665 --> 00:28:56.805 And so any chance I can get to tie the New Testament with the Old Testament, 285 00:28:56.865 --> 00:29:01.325 I'm gonna do that. And so, uh, with that in mind, remember Jesus command, 286 00:29:01.326 --> 00:29:04.245 this is what he says, hero Israel, the Lord our God. The Lord is one. 287 00:29:04.505 --> 00:29:06.845 And you shall love the Lord God with all your heart, with all your soul, 288 00:29:06.846 --> 00:29:08.165 with all your mind, and with all your strength. 289 00:29:09.275 --> 00:29:13.445 What Jesus's audience would've known, um, 290 00:29:13.855 --> 00:29:18.285 right away is that he's actually referring to a place in the Torah, um, 291 00:29:18.295 --> 00:29:19.285 their book of the law, 292 00:29:19.385 --> 00:29:23.405 our first five books in the Old Testament and the book of Deuteronomy. Um, 293 00:29:23.635 --> 00:29:28.405 this exact same concept is taught and even in greater detail, uh, 294 00:29:28.515 --> 00:29:32.965 this passage in Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, it's pronounced, uh, the Shama. 295 00:29:33.435 --> 00:29:37.925 Okay, so everyone say that together. Repeat after me. The Shama Shama. Okay, 296 00:29:37.945 --> 00:29:40.445 one more time. Across all of our campuses, it sounds like you're sneezing, 297 00:29:40.446 --> 00:29:44.885 you're not, everyone repeat after me. The Shema, the, okay, great, well done. 298 00:29:44.985 --> 00:29:48.845 The Shema is a cornerstone of the Jewish faith. Uh, so his listeners, 299 00:29:48.846 --> 00:29:51.605 like when he said that they would've immediate, they wouldn't just been like, 300 00:29:51.606 --> 00:29:52.326 oh, that's interesting. 301 00:29:52.326 --> 00:29:55.885 I've never thought about they would've known that he's referring to something 302 00:29:55.886 --> 00:29:58.045 else. Their brains would've would've immediately gone there. 303 00:29:58.046 --> 00:30:03.005 And so cannot overstate how important this passage of scripture was to 304 00:30:03.006 --> 00:30:07.885 them. Why is that? Deuteronomy was written by Moses, 305 00:30:08.845 --> 00:30:10.605 okay, who had led the Israelites for, 306 00:30:10.865 --> 00:30:14.845 for over 40 years out of slavery in Egypt. Remember going to Pharaoh, 307 00:30:14.846 --> 00:30:19.285 let my people go, um, away from the Egyptians to the Red Sea. 308 00:30:19.345 --> 00:30:21.445 The Red Sea parts. They go through the Red Sea, 309 00:30:21.665 --> 00:30:25.045 the Egyptians follow 'em in the water, comes back in, he'd led them, uh, 310 00:30:25.046 --> 00:30:28.325 then they were following God with a cloud by day, a fire by night. 311 00:30:28.595 --> 00:30:33.445 This man had given everything of himself that he had to God's people for over 40 312 00:30:33.446 --> 00:30:36.525 years. And if you read it, like they weren't always the most pleasant to lead. 313 00:30:37.165 --> 00:30:38.765 Uh, he wasn't perfect himself, 314 00:30:39.985 --> 00:30:44.165 but like these were kind of in his last days of leadership. Uh, 315 00:30:44.225 --> 00:30:48.045 but he is like an incredibly great leader for the Israelite people. 316 00:30:48.465 --> 00:30:51.845 And God had already told him, like, look, he went up on a mountain. God said, 317 00:30:51.846 --> 00:30:53.205 I the Israelites, 318 00:30:54.195 --> 00:30:58.725 they're gonna cross over into Canaan like they're gonna move into this promised 319 00:30:58.795 --> 00:31:02.645 land. But he knew he wasn't going to be able to accompany him there. 320 00:31:03.255 --> 00:31:06.725 Moses had been told he was to appoint Joshua to actually lead them into the 321 00:31:06.885 --> 00:31:09.605 promised land. And so, so Deuteronomy like, 322 00:31:09.606 --> 00:31:13.845 it's really like a collection of thoughts and sermons from Moses. And, 323 00:31:14.165 --> 00:31:14.515 and I want, 324 00:31:14.515 --> 00:31:18.845 it's important for us to hear this as written by a man who just like Jesus was 325 00:31:18.846 --> 00:31:20.125 on his last days on earth, 326 00:31:20.945 --> 00:31:25.085 he knew he just had a little bit more time to remind these people like, Hey, 327 00:31:25.135 --> 00:31:26.365 don't lose sight of this. 328 00:31:26.385 --> 00:31:29.965 In a sense this was like what the Jewish people would refer to as his ethical 329 00:31:29.966 --> 00:31:34.365 will. Uh, in America, we know about like our last will and testament, right? 330 00:31:34.366 --> 00:31:35.199 Like what we do, 331 00:31:35.315 --> 00:31:39.285 what we wanna see happen with our physical possessions after we pass away. Um, 332 00:31:39.725 --> 00:31:41.885 in their tradition, they also had like an ethical will. 333 00:31:41.985 --> 00:31:45.045 How we want our descendants to actually live their lives. 334 00:31:46.355 --> 00:31:47.245 This is a big deal. 335 00:31:48.745 --> 00:31:52.685 And so for man who's given his life leading and shepherding these people in some 336 00:31:52.686 --> 00:31:55.485 of his final words, this is what he says in Deuteronomy chapter six, 337 00:31:55.725 --> 00:31:57.965 verse four through nine, here, O Israel, 338 00:31:59.505 --> 00:32:03.885 the Lord our God, the Lord is one. It's gonna start sounding a little familiar. 339 00:32:05.035 --> 00:32:07.765 What does that mean? In that day, 340 00:32:07.905 --> 00:32:11.005 the world was primarily a polytheistic uh, culture. 341 00:32:11.585 --> 00:32:15.205 And so what that means is most people believed, uh, in multiple gods. 342 00:32:15.206 --> 00:32:18.645 So there was a God of fertility, a god of rain, a god of the sea, 343 00:32:18.685 --> 00:32:23.685 a god of judgment. There was a God of storms, uh, a God of sex and pleasure, uh, 344 00:32:23.686 --> 00:32:28.125 a God of wealth and prosperity. And many had idols to these gods. 345 00:32:28.865 --> 00:32:33.485 And Moses is saying here, oh, Israel, like listen up family of God. 346 00:32:35.365 --> 00:32:37.685 Remember the Lord our God is one. 347 00:32:38.475 --> 00:32:42.885 There's one true God who's sovereign over all things. He's not one God of many. 348 00:32:42.955 --> 00:32:46.605 He's the true God who's holy, who is sovereign, who's the sustainer, 349 00:32:46.606 --> 00:32:49.605 who's the creator, like he is the redeemer of the world. 350 00:32:50.015 --> 00:32:53.845 Don't lose sight of that as you move forward into this new land because the 351 00:32:53.846 --> 00:32:57.405 truth is you're gonna be interacting with some other people that live their life 352 00:32:57.565 --> 00:33:00.325 a different way. And I would say to us church families, 353 00:33:00.326 --> 00:33:02.125 we move forward into this new identity. 354 00:33:02.345 --> 00:33:07.085 We cannot lose sight o of what we're really about as the family of God. 355 00:33:08.145 --> 00:33:13.085 And uh, before you move on and dismiss this part and say, 356 00:33:13.485 --> 00:33:14.318 well, 357 00:33:14.825 --> 00:33:19.675 clearly we're not a polytheistic culture and certainly we 358 00:33:19.676 --> 00:33:20.515 don't have idols 359 00:33:22.655 --> 00:33:25.915 and certainly we don't have things that we worship as many gods. 360 00:33:27.075 --> 00:33:30.635 I just wanna pause for a minute and say, are you sure? 361 00:33:33.345 --> 00:33:36.635 Like I'm definitely not certain that that's the case. 362 00:33:36.695 --> 00:33:41.075 And so I far be it from me if you know me to get in anybody's business, okay? 363 00:33:41.595 --> 00:33:43.355 Um, but I do wanna ask you a question. 364 00:33:44.905 --> 00:33:48.275 What is the thing that you think about the moment you wake up in the morning and 365 00:33:48.276 --> 00:33:51.715 your feet hit the floor quite possibly before your feet even do hit the floor. 366 00:33:54.185 --> 00:33:59.005 What's the thing that you think about when you have some down moments 367 00:33:59.065 --> 00:33:59.898 during the day? 368 00:34:03.845 --> 00:34:08.645 I know he is back there. . . Thank you Terrell. 369 00:34:09.205 --> 00:34:11.805 But what, you know, one of the things when you lay down to go bed at night, 370 00:34:12.045 --> 00:34:13.405 one of the things that you think about when, 371 00:34:13.555 --> 00:34:16.364 when you're trying to fall asleep and you can't, 372 00:34:16.395 --> 00:34:20.765 what is it that's running through your head that's demanding your attention? 373 00:34:21.925 --> 00:34:25.045 Uh, our team here together, uh, put together some things that we thought, hey, 374 00:34:25.175 --> 00:34:28.245 maybe this will help communicate the point. This is my wheelbarrow. 375 00:34:28.246 --> 00:34:29.285 Great wheelbarrow. Um, 376 00:34:30.005 --> 00:34:33.925 apparently they think that my idols are clearly sports because they have foot 377 00:34:33.926 --> 00:34:37.565 large footballs and a lot of basketballs. But how about this? How about like, 378 00:34:37.805 --> 00:34:40.005 um, how about football? Um, 379 00:34:41.105 --> 00:34:45.405 if you're a guy across all of our campuses, it can be a girl too. I'm sorry, 380 00:34:45.525 --> 00:34:48.165 I apologize for that. I think statistically speaking, 381 00:34:48.235 --> 00:34:50.525 more men play fantasy football. I think we're safe to say that, 382 00:34:50.545 --> 00:34:53.605 but if you're a guy or a gal across any of our campus and play fantasy football, 383 00:34:53.614 --> 00:34:56.765 would you just raise your hand? Just high in the air. Really high in the air. 384 00:34:56.844 --> 00:35:00.045 I play, I play. It's okay. Here's a problem though. 385 00:35:00.225 --> 00:35:02.364 If we know more about the waiver wire 386 00:35:04.325 --> 00:35:08.045 than we do about the theology of atonement, we might have a problem. 387 00:35:09.395 --> 00:35:12.245 Like if we know, we know we can memorize quarterbacks, 388 00:35:12.725 --> 00:35:15.045 receivers running backs when they play, when they don't, 389 00:35:15.245 --> 00:35:17.525 when their bi-week is when somebody gets hurt, who's the backup? 390 00:35:17.795 --> 00:35:22.045 Like we can memorize all that and we sometimes have a difficult time finding 391 00:35:22.395 --> 00:35:25.925 time to study the word of God. Uh, I don't know why basketballs are up here. 392 00:35:26.035 --> 00:35:26.965 Best I understand. 393 00:35:27.125 --> 00:35:29.965 I think basketball is that sport that has the wooden floors that you put the 394 00:35:29.966 --> 00:35:33.844 wrestling mats on top of in the winter. , I'm just kidding. 395 00:35:34.125 --> 00:35:38.405 I love basketball grew up. Michael Jordan fan bulls through that era. Um, 396 00:35:38.406 --> 00:35:40.765 basketball support. Hey, this is a picture of a family 397 00:35:42.905 --> 00:35:46.525 if you can't tell, it's actually Clark Griswold and his family. 398 00:35:46.705 --> 00:35:50.005 So this is the best we could do apparently. But you could be thinking, 399 00:35:50.006 --> 00:35:52.605 wait a minute, I thought like our families are supposed to be a big deal. 400 00:35:53.465 --> 00:35:55.765 Our families are supposed to be a big deal. Um, 401 00:35:55.825 --> 00:35:59.965 it should be our priorities should be God, right? Um, our spouse, 402 00:36:00.145 --> 00:36:02.005 if we're married, our children, uh, 403 00:36:02.025 --> 00:36:04.045 the mission that he's called us to in our lives, 404 00:36:05.505 --> 00:36:09.844 but like in today's world, it's so easy to get this outta whack. 405 00:36:09.845 --> 00:36:12.125 Like as parents, we can develop these high expectations. 406 00:36:12.585 --> 00:36:16.765 My kids must make straight A's they must get into this university. 407 00:36:16.825 --> 00:36:17.925 If we're honest as parents, 408 00:36:17.926 --> 00:36:21.685 sometimes it's probably more about our identity than it is really theirs. Um, 409 00:36:21.815 --> 00:36:24.485 maybe it's sports. They gotta find success. And I'll be honest, 410 00:36:24.486 --> 00:36:26.165 it's something I gotta be very, very careful of. 411 00:36:26.405 --> 00:36:28.205 I read something this past week and it said 412 00:36:30.485 --> 00:36:35.445 0.003% of all of our children were ac will actually play professional sports, 413 00:36:36.985 --> 00:36:41.685 but 100% of them will one day stand before God. 414 00:36:44.105 --> 00:36:45.685 We just need to make sure as parents, 415 00:36:46.405 --> 00:36:49.565 we're actually investing our time in the right areas. Um, 416 00:36:51.255 --> 00:36:52.925 looks like we got some cash in here. 417 00:36:53.114 --> 00:36:56.045 Like that can probably become an idol or a mini guide to some people. 418 00:36:56.395 --> 00:36:57.605 This is not real by the way. 419 00:36:57.655 --> 00:37:00.405 Don't come up here and rush the stage and try to take it. It looks real. 420 00:37:00.755 --> 00:37:02.364 It's not, um, oh, 421 00:37:02.365 --> 00:37:05.445 here's an idol for me that's caused me a tremendous amount of heartache over the 422 00:37:05.446 --> 00:37:09.125 years being a Miami Dolphins fan. Uh, that's, that's tough. 423 00:37:09.265 --> 00:37:12.525 So that's a real one, man. I gotta speed this up. I wasn't planning on, uh, 424 00:37:12.526 --> 00:37:15.805 what do we got here? Oh, here's a good one. How about this? 425 00:37:17.135 --> 00:37:19.605 Could this be an idol for some of us? Can you guys see that? 426 00:37:20.735 --> 00:37:23.685 Looks like that's a donkey. Don't worry before you boo anything. Uh, 427 00:37:23.895 --> 00:37:26.245 don't do that. Don't boo that one. Don't boo this one. 428 00:37:26.246 --> 00:37:30.965 Like we're we're one big church family in here, okay, . But listen, 429 00:37:31.905 --> 00:37:34.565 how many times do we get to a place in life, 430 00:37:34.566 --> 00:37:37.685 like election season is coming up where we think, man, the, 431 00:37:37.925 --> 00:37:40.045 the the candidate that gets put in office, man, 432 00:37:40.105 --> 00:37:42.844 that's gonna directly impact everything in our lives. 433 00:37:43.205 --> 00:37:44.844 We're at the end of the day, we forget. No, no, no, no. 434 00:37:44.845 --> 00:37:49.405 There is a God who's on the throne. We, we, 435 00:37:49.505 --> 00:37:52.565 we can't lose sight of that. So I don't know what it is for you. You know, it, 436 00:37:52.585 --> 00:37:55.045 it could be what you spend your time with in the downtime. 437 00:37:55.046 --> 00:37:58.285 It could be your cell phone, right? The endless scroll. It could be, uh, 438 00:37:58.286 --> 00:38:01.045 turn into alcohol to numb the pain. It it could be porn, 439 00:38:01.065 --> 00:38:05.925 it could be yourself like looking to just do whatever it 440 00:38:05.926 --> 00:38:08.165 takes to make sure that you're satisfied all the time. 441 00:38:08.265 --> 00:38:11.405 It could be the idol of control. 442 00:38:14.205 --> 00:38:16.805 And you can say, well Jason, I know these things aren't Gods, though 443 00:38:18.364 --> 00:38:22.725 I know that. I know they're not gods. But see, 444 00:38:22.726 --> 00:38:26.364 we're more sophisticated and educated and so we don't call them gods, 445 00:38:26.365 --> 00:38:29.325 but the reality is that there's anything in our life that we put our affection 446 00:38:29.326 --> 00:38:34.125 to and we put our hope in that gives us an identity that's greater than that 447 00:38:34.185 --> 00:38:39.085 of our identity in God. Whether we call it a God or not, it is an idol. 448 00:38:42.625 --> 00:38:45.325 And some of these things aren't bad. I mean like some of them are, 449 00:38:46.145 --> 00:38:47.805 but some of them are, are, are bad. 450 00:38:47.806 --> 00:38:50.565 But in the midst of all the created things around us, 451 00:38:50.585 --> 00:38:55.405 we cannot lose sight of our creator. And that's what Moses is saying. 452 00:38:55.406 --> 00:38:59.205 That's what Jesus was saying. He's like, do not forget culture is sneaky. 453 00:38:59.206 --> 00:39:03.205 You're gonna be distracted. Do not forget what's most important there is. 454 00:39:03.305 --> 00:39:07.045 But one God, he goes on verse five, he says, 455 00:39:07.046 --> 00:39:09.205 you shall love the Lord God with all your heart, with all your soul, 456 00:39:09.206 --> 00:39:10.039 with all your might. 457 00:39:10.645 --> 00:39:15.085 I think most of us get what this means intuitively like it's saying with every 458 00:39:15.086 --> 00:39:18.045 single thing that you have. I did do some word studies for you guys. 459 00:39:18.105 --> 00:39:21.405 My notes are like a mess. I have no idea what, let's see. Okay. Um, 460 00:39:21.765 --> 00:39:25.005 I actually did do a Hebrew word study on these three words. Heart, soul might. 461 00:39:25.385 --> 00:39:27.165 So what does it mean to love God with those things? 462 00:39:27.455 --> 00:39:29.685 Heart more than emotions and feelings. 463 00:39:29.875 --> 00:39:34.565 Your entire mind will and intellect and undivided and whole devotion 464 00:39:35.025 --> 00:39:38.805 to love God with your heart, to love God with your soul, your desires, emotions, 465 00:39:38.885 --> 00:39:43.125 vitality your whole life, even to the point of sacrifice. 466 00:39:43.945 --> 00:39:44.778 Sounds familiar? 467 00:39:44.895 --> 00:39:47.925 Jesus saying things like you might have to take up your cross daily and follow 468 00:39:47.985 --> 00:39:52.364 me. And then with your might, might, some translations say strength, uh, 469 00:39:52.745 --> 00:39:56.485 but also has the representation of resources, everything that we have, 470 00:39:56.545 --> 00:40:01.405 all our energy possessions and all of our capacity, our heart, 471 00:40:01.425 --> 00:40:04.205 our soul, our strength, our time, our service, our wallet. 472 00:40:04.545 --> 00:40:06.485 We should love him with everything that we have. 473 00:40:06.905 --> 00:40:08.325 And I want to ask you a question. 474 00:40:08.905 --> 00:40:12.965 Is there a part of your life that you are withholding from? God, 475 00:40:18.525 --> 00:40:21.344 I'm gonna let that sit for a minute. It's uncomfortable. 476 00:40:22.344 --> 00:40:24.035 I've had to sit in it for like a whole month. 477 00:40:28.844 --> 00:40:31.585 Is there a part of our lives that we're withholding from God? 478 00:40:32.405 --> 00:40:33.425 Now we're a family here, 479 00:40:33.426 --> 00:40:35.745 so I want you to turn to the person next to you and just tell him what it is. 480 00:40:36.285 --> 00:40:38.985 I'm just kidding. Don't do that. , don't do that. 481 00:40:41.745 --> 00:40:46.145 Could scare somebody. I know you people. Um, look, so after that, Moses, 482 00:40:46.335 --> 00:40:49.585 then I think what he does is, is he move. I know what he does. 483 00:40:49.844 --> 00:40:52.825 He moves into highlighting what it is that prevents us from, 484 00:40:52.975 --> 00:40:56.145 from living this thing out. So we get to verse six and he says, 485 00:40:56.344 --> 00:40:59.665 in these words that I command you today, they shall be on your heart. 486 00:40:59.815 --> 00:41:02.745 What words is he talking about? Just those couple verses that we read. No, no, 487 00:41:02.746 --> 00:41:04.945 no. Remember Deuteronomy, it's like a collection of sermons. 488 00:41:04.946 --> 00:41:08.505 This is like everything, man. I'm on my way. I'm gonna give you these messages, 489 00:41:08.506 --> 00:41:11.705 everything that we've talked about, the 10 commandments, we've covered that, uh, 490 00:41:11.706 --> 00:41:14.225 everything that we've learned together in the 40 years through the desert, 491 00:41:14.226 --> 00:41:17.344 everything that we know to be true of the character of God and what he calls us 492 00:41:17.415 --> 00:41:21.745 into and has hopes on us for as the people of God. All of that. 493 00:41:22.375 --> 00:41:25.864 Keep that in your heart. Then he gets to verse seven. 494 00:41:26.205 --> 00:41:30.305 You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk with them when 495 00:41:30.306 --> 00:41:32.425 you sit around the house and when you walk by the way. 496 00:41:32.725 --> 00:41:34.645 And when you lie down and when you rise, 497 00:41:36.735 --> 00:41:38.745 he's saying like all day, right? Um, 498 00:41:39.055 --> 00:41:42.505 this passage is taught regularly in the church to remind us as parents our 499 00:41:42.506 --> 00:41:46.185 responsibility to disciple and teach our children the things of God. 500 00:41:47.535 --> 00:41:49.344 This is important. Uh, 501 00:41:49.645 --> 00:41:54.305 and while it's true that God does desire our homes to have an 502 00:41:54.306 --> 00:41:58.425 incredibly high and healthy spiritual climate, it really is bigger than that 503 00:42:00.275 --> 00:42:01.425 Moses is saying, 504 00:42:02.015 --> 00:42:05.864 talk about and teach and remind each other the truths of God all the time. 505 00:42:07.165 --> 00:42:11.425 Not just once a week, not just twice a week. 506 00:42:13.175 --> 00:42:16.065 Fill your days with the things and the thoughts of God. Why? 507 00:42:16.614 --> 00:42:18.864 Because those idols that we talked about earlier, 508 00:42:20.695 --> 00:42:21.745 they don't take a day off. 509 00:42:24.265 --> 00:42:28.705 Like the world is constantly throwing stuff at us and teaching us things whether 510 00:42:28.925 --> 00:42:33.705 we want it to or not. Talk about them all the time. He goes on verse eight, 511 00:42:33.706 --> 00:42:37.225 you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets 512 00:42:37.226 --> 00:42:41.025 between your eyes and you shall write them on your doorposts and on your house 513 00:42:41.045 --> 00:42:43.985 and on your gates. They, um, they Jewish leaders, 514 00:42:44.015 --> 00:42:46.505 they wore these bands around their head and they had these boxes that they put 515 00:42:46.705 --> 00:42:50.105 scriptures into. Um, if you're not Jewish, I I'm not encouraging you to do that. 516 00:42:50.905 --> 00:42:55.305 Um, but what he's really saying is like, put scripture everywhere. 517 00:42:56.275 --> 00:42:59.175 My wife will take index cards and she writes scripture on 'em. 518 00:42:59.176 --> 00:43:01.935 She'll put them in the refrigerator, inside the cabinets, inside the bathroom, 519 00:43:01.936 --> 00:43:05.695 inside the medicine cabinets. I mean, you name it. Like he's saying, man, 520 00:43:06.675 --> 00:43:10.975 do not forget the word of God. Do not forget these truths. 521 00:43:11.755 --> 00:43:14.575 And here's what he's getting at. And this is kind of like big truth number two, 522 00:43:15.055 --> 00:43:17.815 uh, from our talk this week. And big truth number one is just clearly, hey, 523 00:43:18.085 --> 00:43:20.775 love God with everything you have, like a SubT truth. 524 00:43:21.055 --> 00:43:23.895 The second big truth is this, if you're gonna love God, 525 00:43:25.275 --> 00:43:29.325 you have to know God. Have you, have you ever thought about that? 526 00:43:29.326 --> 00:43:33.005 Like to the extent of which you know your spouse kind of is the extent of which 527 00:43:33.006 --> 00:43:36.805 you can love them to the extent of which you know your neighbor and kind of is 528 00:43:36.806 --> 00:43:38.485 to the extent of which you can love your neighbor. 529 00:43:38.486 --> 00:43:40.645 And I was reflecting on this over the last month 530 00:43:42.425 --> 00:43:46.885 and I realized we don't love God with everything that we have 531 00:43:47.105 --> 00:43:51.885 either because we don't know or we don't regularly reflect on 532 00:43:52.545 --> 00:43:56.705 who he really is. Because I think all throughout scripture, 533 00:43:56.775 --> 00:43:59.145 like you see people when they come into contact with God, 534 00:43:59.146 --> 00:44:00.705 like they don't just keep on about their day, 535 00:44:00.735 --> 00:44:03.305 like they fall on their face before God. 536 00:44:04.405 --> 00:44:09.265 And if I have a concern for the world today, which I have plenty, um, 537 00:44:11.155 --> 00:44:15.825 it's that the church all across America could be filled with 538 00:44:15.826 --> 00:44:18.864 Christians that don't really know the living God. 539 00:44:20.705 --> 00:44:21.538 . 540 00:44:23.175 --> 00:44:27.635 And if we had a hundred thousand men and women and children filling up campuses 541 00:44:27.636 --> 00:44:32.245 across the state that don't know the one true God for who he really is, 542 00:44:33.385 --> 00:44:36.685 if they don't know him for who he really is, they won't love him for who he is. 543 00:44:38.864 --> 00:44:40.605 And if we don't love God for who he is, 544 00:44:40.625 --> 00:44:44.725 we don't have a chance at being the church family that he's called us to be. 545 00:44:46.685 --> 00:44:49.125 And church, my challenge to us as the church, 546 00:44:49.145 --> 00:44:50.885 if we're gonna be a church that loves God, 547 00:44:52.135 --> 00:44:54.125 would be that we would be a church that knows God. 548 00:44:54.844 --> 00:44:57.045 I think we have gotta be a church that that's, 549 00:44:57.065 --> 00:45:01.925 that's willing to get in his word and be reminded of his truths in our lives. 550 00:45:03.205 --> 00:45:06.965 First John chapter five, verse three. It's his for this is the love of God. 551 00:45:06.966 --> 00:45:08.364 What is the love of God for? 552 00:45:08.365 --> 00:45:13.205 This is the love of God that we keep His commandments and his 553 00:45:13.206 --> 00:45:14.765 commandments are not burdensome. 554 00:45:16.625 --> 00:45:19.085 So if the love of God is to keep his commandments, 555 00:45:20.875 --> 00:45:24.495 we have to realize we can't keep his commandments unless we know them, right? 556 00:45:24.496 --> 00:45:26.255 Like this is logical. Just make sense. 557 00:45:26.315 --> 00:45:30.535 We can't know them unless we spend time in His word and reminding ourselves of 558 00:45:30.536 --> 00:45:34.255 his truth. That's why like this gathering is so important. That's why, uh, 559 00:45:34.256 --> 00:45:37.335 the gathering across all of our campuses is so important for you to get 560 00:45:37.455 --> 00:45:41.375 together. Listen, every single week, okay, I know covid happened. 561 00:45:41.376 --> 00:45:42.655 I know the whole thing. Look, 562 00:45:42.925 --> 00:45:47.415 that is a trap to keep you away from experiencing God's best for your life. 563 00:45:47.715 --> 00:45:50.855 We need to come together every single week and have a, 564 00:45:51.015 --> 00:45:55.215 a group of people and men and women and students put words of praise on our lips 565 00:45:55.216 --> 00:45:58.295 so that we can do something physically so that our spiritual selves will 566 00:45:58.296 --> 00:46:01.614 respond. We need to get together to sit under biblical teaching. 567 00:46:01.614 --> 00:46:03.695 And the word of God, like it is so important. 568 00:46:03.835 --> 00:46:07.415 That's why it's so important for us to be involved in a ministry team. 569 00:46:07.416 --> 00:46:10.455 Like you heard from the video earlier and the thing where like you can, 570 00:46:11.455 --> 00:46:14.655 I mean to love God as we saw earlier with everything that we have, 571 00:46:14.715 --> 00:46:16.495 it requires a sacrifice. 572 00:46:16.745 --> 00:46:20.295 There is something good and right about how we're created that, 573 00:46:20.296 --> 00:46:24.895 that we love God best when we're actually serving other people. 574 00:46:24.955 --> 00:46:27.055 And then you get around folks and you get connected. 575 00:46:27.165 --> 00:46:30.695 It's why small groups are so important so that you can have an opportunity to 576 00:46:30.696 --> 00:46:34.055 connect with other people and be encouraged to know that there's people that are 577 00:46:34.056 --> 00:46:36.055 praying for you along the way. But man, 578 00:46:37.435 --> 00:46:41.655 we have got to take seriously what it means to come to know God 579 00:46:42.435 --> 00:46:45.135 if we really have a shot at really loving him for who he is. 580 00:46:48.505 --> 00:46:49.925 As we wrap up, um, 581 00:46:51.645 --> 00:46:53.925 I was reflecting on this in my own life 582 00:46:56.385 --> 00:47:01.045 and I asked myself the question, why don't I love God 583 00:47:02.665 --> 00:47:03.885 for all He really is? 584 00:47:06.625 --> 00:47:11.245 Why are there areas in my life that I still regularly disobey? 585 00:47:14.535 --> 00:47:18.395 And I think it's because it's very convenient 586 00:47:20.614 --> 00:47:22.315 to focus on the goodness of God, 587 00:47:24.825 --> 00:47:29.565 to focus on the grace of God, the loving nature of God, 588 00:47:31.705 --> 00:47:33.285 And miss the holiness of God. 589 00:47:37.245 --> 00:47:38.705 And I would even argue, like, 590 00:47:38.706 --> 00:47:42.305 and I stand in the spot of one who probably needs to repent of this, 591 00:47:42.364 --> 00:47:44.545 but I would even argue that I think the church at the west, 592 00:47:44.864 --> 00:47:46.785 in the west to here in America especially, like 593 00:47:49.165 --> 00:47:53.505 we definitely want to lean towards creating an environment where people are 594 00:47:53.506 --> 00:47:56.425 gonna want to come back and they're gonna wanna stay. And they, you know, 595 00:47:56.455 --> 00:47:58.505 some things are easier to digest than others, 596 00:48:02.875 --> 00:48:06.855 but I think if we're not careful, we forget just how holy, just how big, 597 00:48:06.856 --> 00:48:10.495 just how set apart our God is, which that's what holy means by the way. 598 00:48:10.594 --> 00:48:15.135 It means set apart. It means nothing else comes even close. 599 00:48:15.225 --> 00:48:19.655 There is only one God who is like our God. And so what I wanna do, 600 00:48:19.695 --> 00:48:20.528 I thought about should I, 601 00:48:20.575 --> 00:48:23.375 is there three application points I should give for love? Like that feels weird. 602 00:48:23.815 --> 00:48:25.375 Probably not that oversimplifies things. 603 00:48:26.114 --> 00:48:29.535 And so what I wanna do is I want to end our time together by painting a picture 604 00:48:29.536 --> 00:48:31.215 of God that we don't often talk about. 605 00:48:33.055 --> 00:48:37.495 I want us to focus on the one true God and all of his splendor 606 00:48:38.395 --> 00:48:39.375 and all of his glory. 607 00:48:41.035 --> 00:48:44.055 And I want us to take a time across all of our campuses to respond. 608 00:48:46.195 --> 00:48:50.775 And I wanna do that because I believe that if we saw God for who he really was, 609 00:48:51.565 --> 00:48:54.735 like those little g gods, those idols that sneak into our lives, 610 00:48:54.895 --> 00:48:56.335 I believe we would set 'em down. 611 00:48:57.045 --> 00:49:00.575 Like if we got up every single day and just saw God for who he was, 612 00:49:00.995 --> 00:49:04.775 not the God that we made up in our minds, not the God that's convenient for us, 613 00:49:07.155 --> 00:49:08.815 but if we see him for who he is. 614 00:49:09.675 --> 00:49:12.135 And so there's this passage in Revelation chapter four, 615 00:49:15.415 --> 00:49:18.935 and the apostle John, he's, he has a vision into the throne room of heaven. 616 00:49:19.275 --> 00:49:20.855 And I want you to know right now, I'm gonna tell you, 617 00:49:20.856 --> 00:49:25.015 there's a lot of symbolism in here that I'm not gonna get into unpacking. 618 00:49:25.075 --> 00:49:29.975 And so I just want you to visualize this as best you can. 619 00:49:31.445 --> 00:49:35.655 Chapter four, verse two. It says that once I was in the spirit, and behold, 620 00:49:35.735 --> 00:49:39.575 a throne stood in heaven with one seated on the throne. 621 00:49:40.995 --> 00:49:44.455 And he who sat there had the appearance of Jasper and cornelian, 622 00:49:45.594 --> 00:49:49.094 and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald, 623 00:49:51.165 --> 00:49:54.575 Beautiful setting, majestic setting. Verse four, 624 00:49:54.855 --> 00:49:58.655 around the throne were 24 thrones. And seated on those thrones were 24 elders, 625 00:49:59.215 --> 00:50:02.175 clothed in white garments with golden crowns on their head. 626 00:50:03.114 --> 00:50:07.175 And from the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peels of 627 00:50:07.176 --> 00:50:11.335 thunder. And before the throne were burning the seven torches of fire, 628 00:50:11.336 --> 00:50:15.575 which were the seven spirits of God. And before the throne there was, 629 00:50:15.594 --> 00:50:17.614 as it were, a sea of glass like crystal. 630 00:50:20.165 --> 00:50:24.575 This is where things started to get a little crazy. Around the throne, 631 00:50:25.075 --> 00:50:29.725 on each side of the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and 632 00:50:29.726 --> 00:50:32.965 behind. The first living creature was like a lion. 633 00:50:33.905 --> 00:50:36.485 The second living creature was like of an ox. 634 00:50:37.545 --> 00:50:40.605 The third living creature had the face of a man and the fourth living creature 635 00:50:40.606 --> 00:50:44.205 like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, 636 00:50:44.206 --> 00:50:45.645 each of them had six wings, 637 00:50:46.965 --> 00:50:50.565 are full of eyes all around and within and day and night. 638 00:50:50.715 --> 00:50:53.125 They never cease to say Holy, holy, 639 00:50:53.475 --> 00:50:57.925 holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. 640 00:50:58.025 --> 00:51:01.085 And I'm not done yet. But I want you to know that those four creatures, 641 00:51:01.086 --> 00:51:05.125 if any one of those things flew into any of our campuses right now, 642 00:51:05.585 --> 00:51:09.045 and you are standing there drinking a cup of coffee, I assure you, 643 00:51:09.105 --> 00:51:11.364 you would stop doing what you were doing. 644 00:51:12.715 --> 00:51:16.605 Like you would have a sense of awe. You might even have a healthy fear. 645 00:51:16.795 --> 00:51:18.525 Like what can a creature do like that? 646 00:51:18.785 --> 00:51:20.844 But there's four of them in the throne room of heaven. 647 00:51:20.985 --> 00:51:23.485 And nobody's talking about those creatures. 648 00:51:24.614 --> 00:51:28.325 Every single one of those creatures and the elders, they're saying, holy, holy, 649 00:51:28.435 --> 00:51:32.605 holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. 650 00:51:33.955 --> 00:51:37.725 There's no small G gods. There's no little idols sneaking into the picture. 651 00:51:38.975 --> 00:51:42.285 Verse nine, it says, and whenever the living creatures give glory and honor, 652 00:51:42.305 --> 00:51:46.245 and thanks to him who is seeded on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 653 00:51:46.545 --> 00:51:47.605 the 24 elders, 654 00:51:47.606 --> 00:51:51.725 they fall down before him who seeded on the throne and they worship him. 655 00:51:52.795 --> 00:51:56.645 When is the last time that we just fell down and worshiped him, 656 00:51:58.385 --> 00:52:03.125 who lives forever and ever? They cast their crowns before the throne saying, 657 00:52:03.565 --> 00:52:04.398 worthy, 658 00:52:04.545 --> 00:52:09.445 are you our Lord and God to receive glory and honor 659 00:52:09.745 --> 00:52:14.565 and power for you, created all things and by your will, 660 00:52:15.075 --> 00:52:19.844 they existed and were created church. 661 00:52:19.845 --> 00:52:23.405 What if we woke up every single day remembering 662 00:52:24.635 --> 00:52:25.725 that one true God? 663 00:52:30.065 --> 00:52:34.445 You could say, man, that sounds intimidating. It probably should. 664 00:52:36.285 --> 00:52:41.285 I mean, Proverbs actually says that fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. 665 00:52:44.625 --> 00:52:47.844 But here's what's cool. This is what's beautiful. 666 00:52:49.765 --> 00:52:53.045 While that is our God, while he's completely set apart holy, 667 00:52:55.425 --> 00:52:59.525 he still pursues us. Think he's still good to us. 668 00:52:59.575 --> 00:53:04.285 Every good and perfect gift comes to us from him in spite of our 669 00:53:04.286 --> 00:53:07.885 brokenness, in spite of our rebellion, in spite of us taking on him, 670 00:53:07.886 --> 00:53:09.725 being everything that we just read about 671 00:53:11.185 --> 00:53:15.925 And turning back constantly over and over and over again to our small g gods, 672 00:53:15.926 --> 00:53:18.965 to our idols, to this wheelbarrow full of trash. 673 00:53:21.525 --> 00:53:24.925 Like that's what it's like. But in spite of that, he said, no, no, no, no, no, 674 00:53:25.045 --> 00:53:27.765 no, no, I'm not gonna leave you to yourself. I'm not gonna stay here. 675 00:53:27.825 --> 00:53:30.045 I'm gonna send my son Jesus. He's gonna come down, 676 00:53:30.114 --> 00:53:32.885 he's gonna make right what you never would and you never could. 677 00:53:33.025 --> 00:53:37.605 And he lived a perfect life and he went to a cross and he paid the penalty that 678 00:53:37.665 --> 00:53:42.445 we deserved to pay. I think I mentioned the theology of atonement earlier. 679 00:53:42.625 --> 00:53:44.364 That's what that is, by the way, 680 00:53:44.805 --> 00:53:48.725 him atoning for our sins that we deserve to pay so that we could have a restored 681 00:53:48.726 --> 00:53:53.364 relationship with that God, he loved us that much. 682 00:53:56.825 --> 00:53:59.085 That's why the Bible says in one John four 19, 683 00:54:00.425 --> 00:54:03.605 we love because he first loved us. 684 00:54:05.145 --> 00:54:08.685 So this whole thing, when we say we're a family who loves God, 685 00:54:09.015 --> 00:54:11.565 understand we've gotta know God so that we can understand, 686 00:54:11.675 --> 00:54:15.925 it's predicated on realizing he is high and he is holy and he is set apart. 687 00:54:16.105 --> 00:54:17.885 But he loved us first. 688 00:54:20.225 --> 00:54:24.165 So I don't know where you are in your walk with God, Man, 689 00:54:24.185 --> 00:54:26.925 my prayer is this lights a fire in you wherever you are, 690 00:54:27.755 --> 00:54:29.285 that this might be known for the first time. 691 00:54:29.364 --> 00:54:32.285 I wanna start that relationship with Jesus that you just talked about. 692 00:54:32.565 --> 00:54:35.245 If that's you, talk to somebody at one of your campuses or maybe it's like, no, 693 00:54:35.364 --> 00:54:38.005 I know, but I've, I've had these idols in my life, these things, 694 00:54:38.285 --> 00:54:39.245 and I haven't wanted to admit it, 695 00:54:39.344 --> 00:54:43.364 but I know God is worthy of my worship and me laying these things down. 696 00:54:43.655 --> 00:54:45.285 Would we be a church? 697 00:54:45.286 --> 00:54:49.325 Would we be a family of God who loves God in such a way that the world has never 698 00:54:49.326 --> 00:54:50.159 seen before? 699 00:54:52.995 --> 00:54:54.844 Next week we're gonna talk about what that looks like, 700 00:54:54.845 --> 00:54:57.245 what it really looks like to live a life following Jesus. 701 00:54:57.344 --> 00:54:59.565 But this week before we leave any of our campuses, 702 00:54:59.645 --> 00:55:03.605 I just wanna give us an opportunity to respond to that guide and worship, 703 00:55:03.715 --> 00:55:05.085 that guide that we just read about. 704 00:55:05.305 --> 00:55:09.285 And so I'm gonna invite you to stand across all of our campuses and I'm gonna 705 00:55:09.286 --> 00:55:13.885 pray for us and then abandon your campus is gonna lead you in the time of 706 00:55:13.886 --> 00:55:16.205 worship here. Father, I thank you for your word. 707 00:55:16.645 --> 00:55:20.805 I thank you for how you have used this week to painfully remind me 708 00:55:21.985 --> 00:55:25.045 of the, the idols that I allow to sneak into my life, 709 00:55:25.105 --> 00:55:28.725 to distract me from your goodness, from your holiness, from your greatness, 710 00:55:28.726 --> 00:55:29.645 from your majesty. 711 00:55:31.245 --> 00:55:33.765 But I thank you for the conviction that if we're truly gonna love you, 712 00:55:33.766 --> 00:55:35.245 we have to know you first. 713 00:55:35.575 --> 00:55:38.605 Would we be a church in a world that does anything but this? 714 00:55:38.815 --> 00:55:42.525 Would we be a church that seeks to come to know you through prayer and through 715 00:55:42.725 --> 00:55:46.645 engaging scripture and through fellowshipping with other men and women and 716 00:55:46.646 --> 00:55:50.965 brothers and sisters, good? 717 00:55:50.966 --> 00:55:53.045 Would you ignite a fire, a passion, 718 00:55:53.325 --> 00:55:56.765 a love in us that we have never experienced before? 719 00:55:58.965 --> 00:56:01.525 And would we be a church, would be a family who loves you? 720 00:56:02.565 --> 00:56:05.364 And would that drive us to following after you with everything that we have? 721 00:56:06.185 --> 00:56:10.125 God, we worship you. We declare your greatness. You are worthy. We love you. 722 00:56:10.185 --> 00:56:13.165 And everyone said across all of our campuses, amen. 723 00:56:22.445 --> 00:56:22.445 We'll. 724 00:56:22.445 --> 00:56:23.525 Declare Holy, holy. 725 00:56:25.285 --> 00:56:25.445 The. 726 00:56:25.445 --> 00:56:26.278 Lord. 727 00:56:28.085 --> 00:56:32.405 Let's not leave today without declaring this truth in our lives here and now. 728 00:56:32.645 --> 00:56:33.478 We don't have to 729 00:57:03.325 --> 00:57:08.045 sing The name, 730 00:57:09.965 --> 00:57:10.798 name 731 00:57:18.565 --> 00:57:19.398 stands above 732 00:58:16.855 --> 00:58:18.135 you in freedom. 733 00:58:19.655 --> 00:58:20.175 And. 734 00:58:20.175 --> 00:58:21.655 You name 735 00:58:28.215 --> 00:58:29.048 come. 736 00:58:29.655 --> 00:58:30.488 Ing. 737 00:58:34.495 --> 00:58:35.328 And the 738 00:59:58.165 --> 01:00:01.325 the highest, the. 739 01:00:01.725 --> 01:00:02.558 Greatest. 740 01:00:55.085 --> 01:00:55.918 Kingdom. 741 01:01:56.355 --> 01:01:57.188 My heart. 742 01:03:06.365 --> 01:03:08.045 Come on church. Come on family. 743 01:03:13.605 --> 01:03:17.925 Yeah. My heart will sing. 744 01:03:18.485 --> 01:03:22.925 Declared how great is our. 745 01:03:40.665 --> 01:03:44.085 He is holy and set apart. Thank you Lord. 746 01:03:45.725 --> 01:03:46.558 Hmm. 747 01:03:48.305 --> 01:03:51.405 You know, at the end of, uh, or at, 748 01:03:51.505 --> 01:03:53.965 at the end of where Jason left off in Mark 12, 749 01:03:54.875 --> 01:03:59.805 there's a story where Jesus is sitting outside the temple and 750 01:04:00.195 --> 01:04:04.445 he's watching people walk by and they're putting money in the offering. 751 01:04:05.825 --> 01:04:09.805 And many of the people that put the money in the offering are giving out of 752 01:04:09.806 --> 01:04:12.645 abundance of what they have. 753 01:04:14.105 --> 01:04:18.325 And then there's a poor widow that comes up and she has 754 01:04:19.235 --> 01:04:22.285 just a few coins and she puts 'em in the, the offering. 755 01:04:24.585 --> 01:04:26.285 And Jesus sees this as a teaching moment and says, 756 01:04:26.365 --> 01:04:31.245 he is disciples come over here and he tells 'em what's going on and he asks them 757 01:04:33.255 --> 01:04:35.805 which of these, uh, people has given the most. 758 01:04:38.185 --> 01:04:40.245 And I know from my perspective, 759 01:04:40.345 --> 01:04:44.285 if I saw a few cents in the offering and I saw a hundred dollars in the 760 01:04:44.405 --> 01:04:49.085 offering, well, I'd say, well, that's, that's the most. And Jesus says to them, 761 01:04:49.645 --> 01:04:49.995 no, 762 01:04:49.995 --> 01:04:54.805 it's the poor widow who gave the most because she gave everything that she 763 01:04:54.865 --> 01:04:58.285 had. And right there in that moment, 764 01:04:58.905 --> 01:05:02.245 we see Jesus's heart when it comes to giving. 765 01:05:03.785 --> 01:05:06.485 We see that it's not about how much we give, 766 01:05:07.995 --> 01:05:08.925 it's that we give. 767 01:05:13.505 --> 01:05:15.845 And if you've ever felt like, oh, I, you know, 768 01:05:16.195 --> 01:05:19.285 what I would give would not be enough, right? 769 01:05:21.225 --> 01:05:25.325 Or you've held back from giving. I wanna encourage you that, 770 01:05:25.605 --> 01:05:30.165 that giving is a way that we take the words, 771 01:05:30.565 --> 01:05:34.325 I trust God and put them into a physical 772 01:05:35.885 --> 01:05:39.325 action. Right? And the instant that we do that, 773 01:05:39.465 --> 01:05:42.245 God can take the smallest amount and multiply it. He's, 774 01:05:42.246 --> 01:05:44.645 he's a God of multiplication. He does it all throughout the Bible. 775 01:05:47.065 --> 01:05:48.285 And so I just wanna encourage you, 776 01:05:48.305 --> 01:05:52.685 if you've never given and you want to take that step and see where it will lead 777 01:05:52.686 --> 01:05:56.445 you in your relationship with Jesus, uh, to text, 778 01:05:56.635 --> 01:06:01.085 give to 7, 2, 9, 8, 9. There's some other ways that you can do it there as well. 779 01:06:02.125 --> 01:06:07.045 Um, and I would love to see how God uses that in your life and changes, um, 780 01:06:07.315 --> 01:06:08.148 your heart. 781 01:06:09.275 --> 01:06:14.245 What we receive here is not meant to stay here. I know you all know that, 782 01:06:14.535 --> 01:06:14.905 right? 783 01:06:14.905 --> 01:06:18.765 But I want to encourage you as we leave to remember that what we receive here, 784 01:06:20.215 --> 01:06:24.845 we're meant to take it with us, take it to the world and share it. 785 01:06:28.515 --> 01:06:31.405 Take it there so that they can know who Jesus is. 786 01:06:33.245 --> 01:06:35.805 I can't wait to see you all next week. Love you guys. 787 01:06:35.855 --> 01:06:36.765 Let's go and be the church.