225 00:19:26.385 --> 00:19:30.355 Hey, good evening. That's not very good. Come on. 226 00:19:30.865 --> 00:19:33.835 It's not like it's morning or anything for some of you, you know, like it's, 227 00:19:34.335 --> 00:19:36.115 it is for others. But good evening, 228 00:19:38.065 --> 00:19:42.515 good morning for those who are watching. Um, but so glad to be with you. Um, 229 00:19:43.135 --> 00:19:46.075 it is a joy to serve you. It is a joy to be present with you. 230 00:19:46.076 --> 00:19:47.915 It's joy to get to know the leaders of the church. 231 00:19:47.984 --> 00:19:50.355 It's a joy to see what God's doing in this area. 232 00:19:50.815 --> 00:19:55.155 And so I just feel super honored to be with you and a joy to serve you tonight. 233 00:19:55.156 --> 00:19:58.915 In fact, I wanna pray with you, if you would, and just, uh, 234 00:19:58.916 --> 00:20:02.994 invite you to join me in prayer that God would speak to us as we look at his 235 00:20:02.995 --> 00:20:07.835 word together. Father, thank you, uh, for this time. 236 00:20:07.925 --> 00:20:10.875 Thank you for your word. Thank you for the way you speak. 237 00:20:11.005 --> 00:20:15.165 Thank you for the way you lead. Uh, we do ask that you would guide us, 238 00:20:15.195 --> 00:20:18.085 that you would lead us, that you would open up our eyes, 239 00:20:18.244 --> 00:20:21.805 that you would help us to see clearly what you are saying to us. And especially, 240 00:20:21.806 --> 00:20:26.295 Lord, help us to listen, uh, to your voice in Jesus' name. 241 00:20:26.645 --> 00:20:31.615 Amen. Well, uh, Jesus came as most of us know, 242 00:20:32.035 --> 00:20:36.935 to seek and save the lost and to establish his kingdom and to see it become on 243 00:20:36.936 --> 00:20:39.415 earth as it is in heaven. That's his desire for us. 244 00:20:39.795 --> 00:20:41.494 But that's not the only thing he did. 245 00:20:41.505 --> 00:20:44.615 Jesus also came to show us the way to live. 246 00:20:44.715 --> 00:20:49.365 He showed us the most abundant way to live the, the life that is most full, 247 00:20:49.555 --> 00:20:54.325 most fulfilling, most human. I'll say it that way. Uh, in fact, 248 00:20:54.326 --> 00:20:57.365 he calls it the, the abundant life. And, uh, 249 00:20:57.425 --> 00:21:00.365 we know this life is found in relationship with God, 250 00:21:00.366 --> 00:21:04.285 the Father through Jesus Christ, the Son by the spirit in our life. 251 00:21:04.425 --> 00:21:08.605 And he even said things like this, I am the way, the truth and the life. 252 00:21:08.785 --> 00:21:11.605 No one comes to the Father except through me. And I, 253 00:21:11.725 --> 00:21:14.445 I wanna just stop and focus on the first part of that when he says, 254 00:21:14.565 --> 00:21:15.398 I am the way. 255 00:21:15.905 --> 00:21:18.685 And right now we're in this series where we're looking at the way of Jesus. 256 00:21:18.895 --> 00:21:22.525 We're looking at the practices that lead us into the way of Jesus. 257 00:21:23.145 --> 00:21:27.325 And the way that Jesus lived isn't just a great life. It is the very best life. 258 00:21:27.465 --> 00:21:29.325 It is the way to live. In fact, 259 00:21:29.705 --> 00:21:33.565 the reason why we have an account of his life and the gospels is not just so we 260 00:21:33.566 --> 00:21:36.365 can know what he did, but he would also lead us in what he's doing. 261 00:21:36.705 --> 00:21:40.645 And we could engage with him presently in a way that's truly living. Uh, 262 00:21:40.646 --> 00:21:44.725 those of you who are fans of the Mandalorian might say, this is the way, 263 00:21:46.234 --> 00:21:49.075 okay? And the way is Jesus. I wanna clarify that. 264 00:21:49.575 --> 00:21:54.475 And one of the practices that we see as we look at Jesus' life and ministry 265 00:21:54.535 --> 00:21:59.475 is this practice of silence and solitude where Jesus is regularly 266 00:21:59.476 --> 00:22:03.875 getting away to be by himself in the place of solitude 267 00:22:04.455 --> 00:22:05.795 and silence. Now, 268 00:22:05.796 --> 00:22:09.395 what's interesting about this particular practice of silence and solitude is 269 00:22:09.396 --> 00:22:13.275 that many who teach on the practices of Jesus and the way of Jesus would say 270 00:22:13.385 --> 00:22:15.115 that silence and solitude is, 271 00:22:15.175 --> 00:22:19.795 is really the container through which all the other practices find 272 00:22:20.035 --> 00:22:23.035 their way or thrive. Uh, another way to say this is they, 273 00:22:23.036 --> 00:22:25.155 they would say it's almost, uh, 274 00:22:25.645 --> 00:22:29.435 impossible to truly engage in the other practices in the way that God wants you 275 00:22:29.436 --> 00:22:32.115 to engage in them. If you don't also learn how to be silent, 276 00:22:32.935 --> 00:22:37.045 if you don't learn how to be alone with God and with yourself. 277 00:22:37.045 --> 00:22:41.045 And the reason why is because in silence and in solitude, 278 00:22:41.545 --> 00:22:44.845 you are learning to be present with your real self. 279 00:22:46.705 --> 00:22:47.045 See, 280 00:22:47.045 --> 00:22:50.965 the the problem for many of us is that we are not present with our real self. 281 00:22:50.966 --> 00:22:51.355 In fact, 282 00:22:51.355 --> 00:22:56.244 some of us are so frenetically working all the time to almost avoid what's 283 00:22:56.484 --> 00:22:58.205 actually going on inside of our ourself. 284 00:22:58.705 --> 00:23:02.445 And so sadly then when we engage in prayer or we engage in Bible reading, 285 00:23:02.465 --> 00:23:04.845 or we engage in any of the other spiritual practices, 286 00:23:05.075 --> 00:23:07.645 it's almost as if we're keeping ourself far from God. 287 00:23:07.905 --> 00:23:10.405 And the practice is the thing that's in between us and God, 288 00:23:10.475 --> 00:23:13.645 instead of the practice is the way that we actually bring ourselves into the 289 00:23:13.885 --> 00:23:15.645 presence of God with our very real self. 290 00:23:16.484 --> 00:23:20.865 And that the practice of silence and solitude is a way of becoming acquainted 291 00:23:21.055 --> 00:23:25.105 with what's really going on in you so that you can bring what's really going on 292 00:23:25.205 --> 00:23:27.705 in you to God in an honest and real way. 293 00:23:28.125 --> 00:23:32.385 So we're gonna look at that together and we're gonna start in Matthew four. 294 00:23:33.305 --> 00:23:36.425 Uh, and if you want to turn your Bibles, you can, it'll be on the screen. 295 00:23:36.925 --> 00:23:41.145 But this, the setup for this passage is at the end of Matthew three. 296 00:23:41.205 --> 00:23:45.365 If you remember this particular time in Jesus' life, it's when his ministry, 297 00:23:45.366 --> 00:23:47.005 public ministry is about to begin. 298 00:23:47.425 --> 00:23:49.445 And he is getting baptized by John the Baptist. 299 00:23:49.585 --> 00:23:52.325 And as he comes outta the waters of baptism, 300 00:23:52.465 --> 00:23:57.045 the spirit of God descends on him. And he hears this voice from heaven. 301 00:23:57.675 --> 00:24:02.325 This is my son, my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased. 302 00:24:03.025 --> 00:24:03.858 And after that, 303 00:24:03.915 --> 00:24:08.725 he's anointed and led by the spirit into a place that's called the wilderness or 304 00:24:08.726 --> 00:24:12.685 the desert. And I wanna read that with you. Matthew four, one through four. 305 00:24:13.835 --> 00:24:13.995 It says, 306 00:24:13.995 --> 00:24:18.915 Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the 307 00:24:18.916 --> 00:24:19.215 devil. 308 00:24:19.215 --> 00:24:24.115 Now that word wilderness could also be translated lonely place or desolate place 309 00:24:24.255 --> 00:24:28.155 or solitude. He's being led to a place where there is nobody. 310 00:24:28.545 --> 00:24:29.675 He's all by himself. 311 00:24:29.734 --> 00:24:34.395 So the spirit is leading him into solitude and he's being led there. 312 00:24:34.396 --> 00:24:38.515 And he is gonna be tempted by the devil after 40 days and 40 nights 313 00:24:39.585 --> 00:24:43.195 fasting, he was hungry. Now that seems to be an obvious statement. , 314 00:24:43.655 --> 00:24:46.355 if you don't eat for 40 days and 40 nights, I would hope you're hungry. 315 00:24:46.775 --> 00:24:49.234 And it says the tempter came to him and he said to him, 316 00:24:49.835 --> 00:24:53.675 if you are the son of God, command these stones to become stones of, 317 00:24:53.775 --> 00:24:56.715 to become loaves of bread. But he answered, it is written, 318 00:24:57.755 --> 00:24:59.395 man shall not live by bread alone, 319 00:25:00.095 --> 00:25:02.155 but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. 320 00:25:02.215 --> 00:25:04.835 Now there we're not gonna read the rest of the text, but if you keep reading, 321 00:25:04.836 --> 00:25:08.475 there's two more times of temptation that the devil tries to tempt Jesus. 322 00:25:09.155 --> 00:25:12.435 And in each case, Jesus responds with the word of God. Now, 323 00:25:12.436 --> 00:25:16.475 what's really interesting is if you pay attention and you know that text, the, 324 00:25:16.494 --> 00:25:20.435 the devil's actually using God's word to tempt Jesus, to disobey, 325 00:25:21.085 --> 00:25:23.115 which is a, a warning sign to all of us. 326 00:25:23.494 --> 00:25:27.744 You can actually know all of the Bible and not know God. In fact, uh, 327 00:25:27.745 --> 00:25:30.825 there's a time in, in Jesus' life when religious leaders are around him. 328 00:25:30.826 --> 00:25:31.659 And Jesus says to them, 329 00:25:32.105 --> 00:25:35.025 you diligently search the scriptures thinking that by them you'll have eternal 330 00:25:35.026 --> 00:25:37.305 life. And yet you fail to come to me. 331 00:25:38.065 --> 00:25:40.285 And so one of my warnings as we enter into this, 332 00:25:40.315 --> 00:25:45.005 into this teaching tonight is let's not do the spiritual disciplines or walk in 333 00:25:45.006 --> 00:25:48.205 the practices of the way of Jesus as a way of just doing them. 334 00:25:48.225 --> 00:25:50.244 But they were always meant to lead us to him, 335 00:25:50.625 --> 00:25:52.405 to bring us into relationship with him. 336 00:25:53.265 --> 00:25:58.165 And so Jesus shows us that he's being led by the Spirit to be tempted by 337 00:25:58.166 --> 00:26:01.605 the devil. And he's fasting and praying. He's in silence and solitude. 338 00:26:01.785 --> 00:26:06.565 And I don't know about you, but uh, I used to think that sly devil, he went, 339 00:26:06.625 --> 00:26:10.305 he went and got Jesus at his weakest moment, right? He's hungry, 340 00:26:11.135 --> 00:26:14.225 he's alone, isolated. I mean, 341 00:26:14.226 --> 00:26:18.025 he picked the perfect time to tempt Jesus. 342 00:26:18.965 --> 00:26:21.905 And then I read Dallas Willard's book, the Spirit of the Disciplines, 343 00:26:21.906 --> 00:26:25.345 which I highly read. And I realized, no, that's actually not true. 344 00:26:26.484 --> 00:26:31.085 Jesus was at his strongest time. It was through fasting, 345 00:26:31.086 --> 00:26:32.565 it was through silence. 346 00:26:32.825 --> 00:26:37.525 It was through the practice of silence and solitude that he was being prepared 347 00:26:38.225 --> 00:26:41.885 for temptation. He was being prepared for the devil's attack. 348 00:26:42.984 --> 00:26:47.045 He wasn't weak because he was doing those practices. He was strong. In fact, 349 00:26:47.825 --> 00:26:50.805 as you think about the practices and the way of Jesus, 350 00:26:51.605 --> 00:26:55.445 a lot of 'em are abstinence practices of abstinence like silence, solitude, 351 00:26:55.555 --> 00:26:58.045 fasting, Sabbath, rest where we cease from our work. 352 00:26:58.345 --> 00:27:02.565 And those practices of abstinence are meant to make you 353 00:27:03.285 --> 00:27:04.118 stronger, 354 00:27:04.225 --> 00:27:08.405 to be able to go without certain things and hunger more for God than the thing 355 00:27:08.406 --> 00:27:12.645 you're giving up, whether that's the noise of the world or food that you eat. 356 00:27:12.785 --> 00:27:13.845 But in every, any case, 357 00:27:14.155 --> 00:27:19.085 they're meant to teach you a form of self-control that's more dependent on God 358 00:27:19.086 --> 00:27:22.585 than the things of the world. And so Jesus was, 359 00:27:22.645 --> 00:27:27.385 was at an all time high in terms of strength and resolve 360 00:27:28.244 --> 00:27:30.905 and preparation. In fact, 361 00:27:32.135 --> 00:27:35.135 I would even encourage you to, to start asking yourself, 362 00:27:35.275 --> 00:27:39.455 are there challenging areas of my life where I keep having besetting sins or 363 00:27:39.925 --> 00:27:42.895 temptations that I find myself regularly giving into? 364 00:27:43.595 --> 00:27:47.055 And I wanna offer that silence and solitude for you may be one of the ways that 365 00:27:47.056 --> 00:27:50.935 you start to learn how to be more present with yourself and with God, 366 00:27:51.095 --> 00:27:54.095 so that when you face the temptation the next time, you're not doing it alone, 367 00:27:54.096 --> 00:27:58.535 but you're doing it with his power and his presence. And don't miss this. 368 00:27:59.515 --> 00:28:01.975 How does Jesus end up in a solitary place? 369 00:28:03.125 --> 00:28:07.625 It says that he was led by the Spirit. I I used to ask the question, 370 00:28:08.265 --> 00:28:10.385 how did Jesus overcome temptation in Matthew four? 371 00:28:10.386 --> 00:28:13.615 Most people would say he quoted scripture. And I said, well, 372 00:28:13.616 --> 00:28:14.494 that's half of the answer. 373 00:28:15.515 --> 00:28:18.415 The other half is that he was dependent upon the spirit, 374 00:28:18.965 --> 00:28:21.855 that he was led by the spirit, that he wasn't alone. 375 00:28:21.955 --> 00:28:26.135 He actually had the spirit with him to enable him to overcome sin and, 376 00:28:26.415 --> 00:28:29.375 and temptation to face the devil. He wasn't doing it by himself. 377 00:28:29.675 --> 00:28:33.215 And so as you think about your own world and your own practice, 378 00:28:33.535 --> 00:28:38.335 I wanna first of all start and say we don't enter into silence and solitude as 379 00:28:38.455 --> 00:28:42.335 a solitary activity. We enter into it as the spirit leads us, 380 00:28:42.336 --> 00:28:46.415 that we are actually going into it with the spirit's leading and in submission 381 00:28:46.416 --> 00:28:47.455 to the Spirit. In fact, 382 00:28:47.775 --> 00:28:51.015 I would encourage you if you engage in this practice to start by just saying, 383 00:28:51.016 --> 00:28:55.815 I'm gonna submit to you Holy Spirit, as I enter into a place of silence, 384 00:28:56.235 --> 00:29:00.335 as I walk into a place of solitude and I'm inviting you to lead me. 385 00:29:01.095 --> 00:29:04.435 This is your time, this is your activity. 386 00:29:04.505 --> 00:29:06.595 This is your time to work in me. 387 00:29:06.596 --> 00:29:10.035 This is your time to reveal in me what's in me that maybe I don't know, 388 00:29:10.055 --> 00:29:11.915 to show me what I don't see. 389 00:29:13.155 --> 00:29:16.855 And it's also important to note that before Jesus is led into this time of 390 00:29:16.856 --> 00:29:17.895 silence and solitude, 391 00:29:18.195 --> 00:29:22.375 he hears these words and these are the words that he heard in his baptism. 392 00:29:22.725 --> 00:29:26.255 This is my beloved son, or this is the loved son of mine, 393 00:29:26.795 --> 00:29:29.335 the one that I'm so pleased with. He heard that from the Father. 394 00:29:30.035 --> 00:29:32.895 And the reason why this is important is because Jesus, 395 00:29:33.315 --> 00:29:38.055 before he does any ministry publicly begins with a clarity of his 396 00:29:38.335 --> 00:29:40.295 identity and his acceptance before God the Father. 397 00:29:41.105 --> 00:29:45.525 And as he goes into temptation, that's the the word that's ringing in his ears. 398 00:29:46.085 --> 00:29:49.245 I am so loved by the Father, I'm so accepted by the Father. 399 00:29:49.725 --> 00:29:53.205 I am so pleasing to the Father. And it's not because of anything I do, 400 00:29:53.635 --> 00:29:55.645 it's not because of the ministry I'm about to engage in. 401 00:29:55.835 --> 00:30:00.045 It's not because I'm going to heal people or preach well or cast out demons. 402 00:30:00.245 --> 00:30:04.005 I am loved because I am a child of God. And that is simply enough. 403 00:30:06.715 --> 00:30:07.548 And why is that important? 404 00:30:07.745 --> 00:30:12.315 Because the very temptation that the devil's gonna engage him in are 405 00:30:12.795 --> 00:30:17.615 questioning his very identity. If you're the son of God, then do this. 406 00:30:18.155 --> 00:30:21.815 If you have power, do this. And so over and over again, 407 00:30:21.955 --> 00:30:23.615 the temptation is about his identity. 408 00:30:23.915 --> 00:30:27.935 And the way to deal with that identity problem is to go get busy and do work. 409 00:30:29.155 --> 00:30:32.135 And the reason why I wanna bring this up and why it's so important for you and I 410 00:30:32.136 --> 00:30:35.375 is because you and I need to have silence and solitude regularly in our life 411 00:30:35.376 --> 00:30:37.815 because the, the majority of your, your life, 412 00:30:37.816 --> 00:30:40.215 you are being told that you are what you do, 413 00:30:41.335 --> 00:30:46.095 that your identity is in your activity that you're not hearing. I am loved, 414 00:30:46.775 --> 00:30:49.975 I am accepted. God loves me for who I am. 415 00:30:50.475 --> 00:30:53.775 God loves me because of what he's done in Christ to make me his own child. 416 00:30:54.255 --> 00:30:58.135 I don't have to do a thing to earn it. I don't, I won't do a thing to lose it. 417 00:30:58.565 --> 00:31:02.055 It's mine. I'm secure. And even if the temptation comes along, 418 00:31:02.085 --> 00:31:06.815 whether I pass or fail the test, I'm still dearly loved as a child of God. 419 00:31:07.085 --> 00:31:10.985 Amen. 'cause here's the challenge. 420 00:31:11.135 --> 00:31:13.745 Most of us are tempted to look at our work, 421 00:31:15.485 --> 00:31:18.655 our activity as the thing that justifies us, 422 00:31:18.975 --> 00:31:20.255 as the thing that makes us significant, 423 00:31:20.775 --> 00:31:22.735 as the thing that which we feel secure in. 424 00:31:23.335 --> 00:31:24.915 And the reason why this is so important, 425 00:31:25.235 --> 00:31:30.185 'cause if that's your tendency to feel better about yourself, when you do more, 426 00:31:30.535 --> 00:31:35.005 then you'll bring that same problem into your spiritual practices. You'll say, 427 00:31:35.006 --> 00:31:39.485 man, because I got up early and I prayed and I read my Bible, God loves me. 428 00:31:40.575 --> 00:31:43.315 And then when you don't get up early and pray and read your Bible, you go, 429 00:31:43.435 --> 00:31:45.035 I don't know if he loves me that much anymore. 430 00:31:46.015 --> 00:31:50.715 And that seeps in to our practices. It seeps in to our spiritual formation, 431 00:31:51.315 --> 00:31:53.915 uh, engagement. And so we have this in the back of our mind. 432 00:31:54.165 --> 00:31:56.675 Isn't God so proud of me because I did these things? 433 00:31:56.765 --> 00:31:58.315 Isn't he so in love with me? 434 00:31:58.316 --> 00:32:01.955 Because I followed this pathway that I'm walking in the way of Jesus. 435 00:32:02.155 --> 00:32:06.435 I wanna say to you, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, 436 00:32:06.665 --> 00:32:09.675 that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have a eternal life. 437 00:32:09.855 --> 00:32:12.675 And he did that while you were still sinners according to Paul in Romans five 438 00:32:12.676 --> 00:32:15.715 eight, that he demonstrated his love for you in this. 439 00:32:15.815 --> 00:32:18.835 Not that you were doing anything good, but while you were his enemy, 440 00:32:19.055 --> 00:32:20.115 Christ died for you. 441 00:32:21.015 --> 00:32:24.515 So we need to hear that over and over again in silence and solitude is that 442 00:32:24.516 --> 00:32:29.265 place in which we enter into a time of inactivity where 443 00:32:29.266 --> 00:32:33.185 we're not saying anything, we're not necessarily studying anything, 444 00:32:33.755 --> 00:32:38.625 we're not doing anything actively so that we can learn that who we 445 00:32:38.645 --> 00:32:40.765 are in Christ is enough. 446 00:32:42.075 --> 00:32:45.555 Ruth Haley Barton says it this way. She says, 447 00:32:45.615 --> 00:32:50.515 the longing for solitude is also the longing to find ourselves to be in touch 448 00:32:50.705 --> 00:32:52.715 with is what is most real in us. 449 00:32:52.716 --> 00:32:57.435 That which is most solid and enduring than what defines us externally. 450 00:32:57.705 --> 00:32:58.715 This is our soul. 451 00:32:59.595 --> 00:33:03.035 It's the place at the very center of our being that's known by God that's 452 00:33:03.235 --> 00:33:05.635 grounded in God. And that is one with God. 453 00:33:06.425 --> 00:33:09.045 And I just wanna say it again because in light of that, 454 00:33:09.905 --> 00:33:13.805 we need to acknowledge that we're all prone to find our sense of identity and 455 00:33:13.806 --> 00:33:18.245 being in what we do instead of who we are in Christ. We're all prone to it. 456 00:33:21.135 --> 00:33:24.795 And sadly, this leads to greater levels of frenetic activity. Man, I, I meet, 457 00:33:24.835 --> 00:33:26.995 I meet with a lot of leaders. I, 458 00:33:27.225 --> 00:33:29.715 some of the work I do is around emotional health coaching. 459 00:33:30.215 --> 00:33:33.395 And oftentimes when I'm sitting with a leader, especially maybe in a, 460 00:33:33.715 --> 00:33:35.795 an executive in a business or uh, 461 00:33:35.796 --> 00:33:38.155 someone who's leading maybe a ministry or a church, 462 00:33:39.235 --> 00:33:41.075 I find that most of 'em are workaholics. 463 00:33:42.505 --> 00:33:47.005 And the reason why is because they actually believe it is their activity 464 00:33:47.475 --> 00:33:50.475 that justifies them. And that's a false gospel. 465 00:33:51.535 --> 00:33:54.635 You are not saved by your works, but by grace alone, 466 00:33:55.615 --> 00:33:59.835 by faith alone in Christ, alone in what he's done, 467 00:33:59.895 --> 00:34:00.755 not what you've done. 468 00:34:01.335 --> 00:34:05.275 And there's nothing that you do or don't do that can ever separate you from the 469 00:34:05.276 --> 00:34:06.755 love of God that's in Christ Jesus. 470 00:34:08.235 --> 00:34:12.695 And so silence and solitude is a way of saying, I'm gonna, I'm gonna revolt. 471 00:34:12.715 --> 00:34:17.135 I'm gonna, I'm gonna be a renegade against the tendency to see my works, 472 00:34:17.515 --> 00:34:21.695 my activity, my behaviors as the thing that justifies me before God. 473 00:34:26.285 --> 00:34:28.645 I wanna say this real clearly. You are not at your best, 474 00:34:29.005 --> 00:34:30.205 you're strongest or you're most prepared. 475 00:34:30.206 --> 00:34:32.605 If you're not engaging in regular silence and solitude, 476 00:34:33.945 --> 00:34:35.385 I would say you're probably at your weakest. 477 00:34:38.185 --> 00:34:41.885 Now notice what happens next in Jesus' life when it's absolutely packed with the 478 00:34:41.886 --> 00:34:44.605 opportunity to do good everywhere He goes, Luke five says this, 479 00:34:44.945 --> 00:34:49.765 the news about Jesus spreads all the more crowds of people come to hear him. 480 00:34:50.125 --> 00:34:51.364 They'd be healed of their sicknesses, 481 00:34:52.265 --> 00:34:57.005 but Jesus would often withdraw to lonely places and pray. 482 00:34:58.565 --> 00:35:00.425 So Jesus is incredibly busy. In fact, 483 00:35:00.625 --> 00:35:04.185 there's another time in Mark where it says there's a line of people waiting 484 00:35:04.186 --> 00:35:07.825 outside of Simon Peter's, um, mother-in-law's house waiting to be healed. 485 00:35:08.045 --> 00:35:11.145 And at some point Jesus goes, I'm done. I need to go on to the next thing. 486 00:35:11.525 --> 00:35:14.745 And you're thinking, man, you have so many opportunities to keep doing work. 487 00:35:14.765 --> 00:35:17.465 You have so many opportunities to keep doing good. Why would you ever leave? 488 00:35:17.466 --> 00:35:20.025 And he's like, I have to get away. I have to be alone. 489 00:35:20.185 --> 00:35:22.305 I have to take care of my inner world. 490 00:35:23.035 --> 00:35:27.015 So he enters into this opportunity to be silent and solitude, uh, 491 00:35:27.215 --> 00:35:30.775 in in solitude with his father. And he did it often. And the thing about Jesus, 492 00:35:30.955 --> 00:35:35.655 the busier he got, the more he needed it. But I would say to you, 493 00:35:35.656 --> 00:35:38.445 if you're saying like, I don't have time, time to create lots of space, 494 00:35:38.465 --> 00:35:43.085 to be quiet and be with nobody, I'm too busy, then I would say, 495 00:35:43.086 --> 00:35:45.085 then you desperately need it more than you realize. 496 00:35:46.185 --> 00:35:48.665 'cause the likelihood is the reason why you're so busy is because you're not 497 00:35:48.666 --> 00:35:51.864 paying attention to what's going on inside of your world, your inner world. 498 00:35:52.445 --> 00:35:55.835 So the busier he got, the fuller his schedule became, 499 00:35:55.836 --> 00:35:57.315 the greater the demands of his time, 500 00:35:57.775 --> 00:36:02.235 the more he got away to be silent in a space of 501 00:36:02.315 --> 00:36:05.715 solitude. And I just wanna offer this. What if you started your day? 502 00:36:05.716 --> 00:36:08.035 Maybe this is just a beginning step for some of you. 503 00:36:08.036 --> 00:36:11.844 What if you started your day and you maybe you're commuting to work. 504 00:36:11.885 --> 00:36:16.205 I don't know if you are. Maybe it's um, you, you're offing at home. 505 00:36:16.206 --> 00:36:17.039 That's what I'm doing. 506 00:36:17.235 --> 00:36:19.685 What if you just started your day and you turned off all the noise? 507 00:36:20.344 --> 00:36:24.405 If you're commuting, don't listen to the radio. Just turn it all off. 508 00:36:25.205 --> 00:36:28.344 And for that 10 minute, 20 minute, 30 minute, whatever that commute is, 509 00:36:28.645 --> 00:36:32.525 you were just quiet and you just said something like this, holy Spirit, 510 00:36:33.755 --> 00:36:37.495 lead me into the presence of God. Quiet my soul. 511 00:36:39.275 --> 00:36:40.565 Meet with me in this place. 512 00:36:42.075 --> 00:36:46.945 Remind me before I go to work who I am apart from you, who I am, um, 513 00:36:47.094 --> 00:36:51.075 with you apart from what I do today. I'm just, say it again. 514 00:36:52.035 --> 00:36:55.165 Slow down. Just kind of just do this with me in your own heart. Holy Spirit, 515 00:36:55.355 --> 00:36:56.965 lead me into the presence of God. 516 00:37:00.125 --> 00:37:01.155 Quiet my soul. 517 00:37:04.255 --> 00:37:05.785 Meet with me in this place. 518 00:37:08.315 --> 00:37:11.855 Remind me of who I am apart from the work I'm about to do today. 519 00:37:12.805 --> 00:37:16.515 What if you started every day like that? Just breathe that in. 520 00:37:17.355 --> 00:37:18.375 Be present with the spirit. 521 00:37:19.725 --> 00:37:23.545 Ask the spirit to remind you that you are not what you do today. 522 00:37:24.935 --> 00:37:29.035 And then of on your way home or maybe before you close the day, 523 00:37:29.036 --> 00:37:32.915 you close your office door at work or you're driving on your commute home, 524 00:37:32.935 --> 00:37:35.035 you turn off the noise. You don't listen to music, 525 00:37:35.055 --> 00:37:37.594 you don't listen to a talk show, talk radio show, whatever it is, 526 00:37:37.895 --> 00:37:42.395 and you just on your way home or on your way at the end of the day before you 527 00:37:42.396 --> 00:37:45.995 engage in family or friends or whatever it may be, just again, holy Spirit, 528 00:37:47.305 --> 00:37:51.705 lead me again into a place of quiet and rest, meet me in this place. 529 00:37:52.985 --> 00:37:55.725 Remind me that I am not what I've done today. 530 00:37:56.855 --> 00:38:00.755 Remind me that whether it was good or bad, I'm still loved by you. 531 00:38:01.985 --> 00:38:06.605 Remind me in the silence that I am your child regardless of any work 532 00:38:07.165 --> 00:38:07.998 I did today. 533 00:38:09.405 --> 00:38:12.545 Can you imagine if you started your day with like that and ended your day like 534 00:38:12.546 --> 00:38:17.375 that? Because here's my own story. This may not be true of you, 535 00:38:17.376 --> 00:38:18.215 but I know it's true of me. 536 00:38:18.216 --> 00:38:22.335 It is far too easy for me to start my day depending on myself. 537 00:38:23.344 --> 00:38:26.955 It's amazing how I even can have a time in the word in the morning and prayer 538 00:38:27.015 --> 00:38:29.355 and journaling. And as soon as I get into work mode, 539 00:38:29.425 --> 00:38:33.844 it's almost like I moved on to Jeff depending on my skills, 540 00:38:34.065 --> 00:38:37.565 my abilities, my strengths. And what the sad thing about that is, 541 00:38:37.566 --> 00:38:40.525 if that's how I go through my day, then you know how I end my day. 542 00:38:40.825 --> 00:38:45.555 If it was a good day, I exalt in Jeff way to go. 543 00:38:45.665 --> 00:38:49.435 Good work. Look at what you did. And if it's a bad day, I'm devastated. 544 00:38:50.575 --> 00:38:55.355 So it either leads to arrogance and pride or absolute depression and and 545 00:38:55.375 --> 00:38:56.235 self-deprecation. 546 00:38:56.655 --> 00:38:59.995 But what if I start my day like this in the way that we walk in silence and pray 547 00:38:59.996 --> 00:39:03.114 and say, just bring me into your presence. Remind me it's not what I do. 548 00:39:03.375 --> 00:39:07.075 And as I, and Lord, anything that was good or bad today does not define me. 549 00:39:07.155 --> 00:39:08.755 I am yours. I am loved by you. 550 00:39:08.825 --> 00:39:13.475 Nothing I've said nothing I've done changes that as I now go back into the next 551 00:39:13.476 --> 00:39:17.605 part of my day. Like I'd encourage you to lay, lay down in your bed at night, 552 00:39:18.075 --> 00:39:22.245 have some silence and solitude if you can say, Lord, this was your day. 553 00:39:23.885 --> 00:39:28.105 I wanna be quiet with you now, by the way, some of us, 554 00:39:28.175 --> 00:39:30.945 anybody in the room get woken up in the middle of the night with anxious 555 00:39:30.946 --> 00:39:31.779 thoughts. 556 00:39:35.344 --> 00:39:39.325 You find yourself in the middle of the night beginning to overthink what's gonna 557 00:39:39.326 --> 00:39:42.445 about to happen the next day or what you're struggling with in your life. 558 00:39:42.465 --> 00:39:45.364 And then, and then you become frenetic in your activity. And I mean, 559 00:39:45.365 --> 00:39:46.198 that happens to me. And I, 560 00:39:46.235 --> 00:39:48.605 I'll have an hour or even longer sometimes where I'm just like, 561 00:39:48.805 --> 00:39:52.085 I can't sleep and the Lord's teaching me. Just be quiet, be 562 00:39:53.635 --> 00:39:58.635 still know that I am God. 563 00:40:00.685 --> 00:40:03.785 You are not. You don't have to be. 564 00:40:09.025 --> 00:40:09.858 And notice next, 565 00:40:11.614 --> 00:40:16.565 when Jesus' apostles are struggling with the same idea, mark six, 566 00:40:16.895 --> 00:40:19.725 verse 30, it says, the apostles returned to Jesus and he, 567 00:40:20.215 --> 00:40:23.505 they told Jesus all that they had done and taught. Now don't miss that. 568 00:40:23.855 --> 00:40:27.755 They're bragging about all their activity. , they've been busy, 569 00:40:28.225 --> 00:40:32.075 they've been doing the work. And we know in other other passages, 570 00:40:32.076 --> 00:40:35.715 they boast in all that they accomplished. And Jesus goes, no, don't, don't, 571 00:40:35.716 --> 00:40:36.995 don't boast about that . 572 00:40:37.325 --> 00:40:42.035 Don't rejoice that you saw demons cast out or quote unquote Satan fall 573 00:40:42.715 --> 00:40:46.755 rejoice that your names are written in the book of life. Rejoice in who you are, 574 00:40:48.035 --> 00:40:50.975 how loved you are, whose you are. 575 00:40:53.005 --> 00:40:54.855 They have another one of those moments they get back. 576 00:40:54.856 --> 00:40:57.135 And I love that Mark makes sure we see this, 577 00:40:57.136 --> 00:40:59.415 that they told Jesus all they had done and taught. 578 00:40:59.675 --> 00:41:03.415 And I love that He doesn't go like, well done, let's go do more. He goes, no, 579 00:41:04.125 --> 00:41:07.835 come away by yourselves to a desolate place. That's word, 580 00:41:07.836 --> 00:41:09.114 that's the word for solitude. 581 00:41:10.614 --> 00:41:13.505 Find solitary places to go and rest a while 582 00:41:15.135 --> 00:41:16.425 says for many were coming. 583 00:41:16.485 --> 00:41:18.945 And they were going and they had no leisure time even to eat. 584 00:41:19.605 --> 00:41:22.395 And so they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 585 00:41:22.995 --> 00:41:24.795 So I don't want you to miss this. It's like Jesus going like, 586 00:41:24.985 --> 00:41:28.315 I'll take care of this. You go off on your own. 587 00:41:29.725 --> 00:41:34.285 I can handle this. You can't get off on your own. 588 00:41:35.025 --> 00:41:37.364 And I want you to know Jesus is saying that to some of you right now. 589 00:41:37.365 --> 00:41:41.445 He's going, let me take the busyness. Let me take the frenetic thoughts. 590 00:41:41.505 --> 00:41:43.085 Let me take what you're anxious about. 591 00:41:43.185 --> 00:41:48.155 Let me take what you're overwhelmed with and just get away. Just rest 592 00:41:51.325 --> 00:41:52.158 be alone. 593 00:41:53.855 --> 00:41:56.555 Let me handle the things that are too big for you. 594 00:41:59.495 --> 00:42:02.335 And so they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 595 00:42:02.515 --> 00:42:06.935 And they saw many going, the many of them saw that the, 596 00:42:07.114 --> 00:42:09.655 the apostles were going and they recognized them. And so they get this, 597 00:42:09.656 --> 00:42:14.575 they start running on foot to the towns and got ahead of the, 598 00:42:14.635 --> 00:42:17.655 the apostles where they were heading on a boat. Can you imagine this? Like, 599 00:42:17.825 --> 00:42:19.295 can't we get a loan ever? 600 00:42:20.715 --> 00:42:23.094 And then went on the shore and they saw the great crowd and they're like, 601 00:42:23.095 --> 00:42:23.928 here they are again. 602 00:42:24.685 --> 00:42:27.585 And Jesus had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a 603 00:42:27.665 --> 00:42:29.025 shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 604 00:42:29.125 --> 00:42:32.065 If we keep reading the passage, he says, let me take care of them. 605 00:42:32.094 --> 00:42:34.945 They have to feed them. So they do that miracle of feeding. 606 00:42:34.965 --> 00:42:38.585 But then he sends his his apostles off again in a boat one more time. Like, 607 00:42:38.864 --> 00:42:42.465 okay, try it again. And what I love about this is this feels like real life, 608 00:42:42.495 --> 00:42:45.705 doesn't it? It's like you're trying to get alone. You're trying to get silence, 609 00:42:45.706 --> 00:42:49.705 you're trying to get solitude. It's like the kids, you know, like they just, 610 00:42:49.735 --> 00:42:52.985 they they need me and I, I need to be with them and or, you know, 611 00:42:53.015 --> 00:42:57.425 work calls and the phone won't stop. And you know, emergency take takes place. 612 00:42:57.445 --> 00:42:58.226 And I promise you, 613 00:42:58.226 --> 00:43:02.385 if you start to work at this being a regular practice in your life, get ready. 614 00:43:04.375 --> 00:43:09.035 'cause the enemy of your souls does not want this for you. And what I love, I, 615 00:43:09.075 --> 00:43:13.114 I was reading about, you know, Susanna Wesley's biography, 616 00:43:13.715 --> 00:43:16.915 even familiar with Suena, we, Wesley just a great woman in the faith, 617 00:43:17.305 --> 00:43:19.875 married to a, a very famous evangelist. 618 00:43:20.575 --> 00:43:22.715 And what she would do in her kitchen, 619 00:43:23.635 --> 00:43:26.114 because she had a bunch of kids and when she wanted to get quiet and wanted to 620 00:43:26.115 --> 00:43:28.715 be alone and experience silence and solitude and their kids are all running 621 00:43:28.716 --> 00:43:31.275 around and she would just put her apron over her head in the middle of the 622 00:43:31.276 --> 00:43:34.555 kitchen and she'd say, if mom's aprons over her head, don't bother her. 623 00:43:35.015 --> 00:43:39.235 So she wanted it so badly. She used her apron to get solitary silence. 624 00:43:41.045 --> 00:43:45.785 And what Jesus I think is doing is he's saying whatever it takes, get after it. 625 00:43:47.285 --> 00:43:51.155 Years ago, I was not in a very good space. My wife knew it. 626 00:43:51.335 --> 00:43:55.255 We were talking through it and I'd had an older gentleman say, Jeff, 627 00:43:55.275 --> 00:43:59.205 do you have any practice of silence and solitude in your life? I said, no, 628 00:43:59.206 --> 00:44:02.005 I've never done that. I mean, I have my, my time in the morning, 629 00:44:02.125 --> 00:44:05.315 I call it quiet time, but it's anything but quiet, right? 630 00:44:05.555 --> 00:44:08.114 'cause I'm studying and I'm writing and I'm, I'm, I'm doing things. 631 00:44:08.145 --> 00:44:11.555 It's not very quiet when you're constantly doing stuff, it's not bad. 632 00:44:11.556 --> 00:44:14.515 We wanna study our Bible. It's good to journal, it's good to pray. 633 00:44:14.895 --> 00:44:18.645 But I didn't have a practice of doing nothing, just being quiet, 634 00:44:19.864 --> 00:44:22.715 just being alone. And he is like, you know, 635 00:44:22.716 --> 00:44:26.415 this is the thing that's sustained Jesus. He often did it. 636 00:44:26.935 --> 00:44:31.325 I don't know how you think you're any better than him. He's like, 637 00:44:31.326 --> 00:44:32.844 I wanna encourage you to start thinking about it. 638 00:44:33.145 --> 00:44:36.045 So I told my wife and she said, yeah, what are you gonna do? I said, 639 00:44:36.046 --> 00:44:39.045 how about when we go on our next vacation, we'll make time for it. 640 00:44:39.655 --> 00:44:43.825 And so we went away on vacation and uh, 641 00:44:43.826 --> 00:44:46.625 we were gonna take a break where I would take up half a day and just get off by 642 00:44:46.626 --> 00:44:46.946 myself. 643 00:44:46.946 --> 00:44:51.745 And we got home from vacation and we're bringing our luggage into the house. 644 00:44:51.765 --> 00:44:55.965 And she said, wait a minute, you didn't do any solitude? I said, yeah, 645 00:44:56.114 --> 00:44:58.005 it's all right. I'll do it next time. She goes, no, 646 00:44:58.945 --> 00:45:03.015 you're not coming in the house. I said, really? She goes, 647 00:45:03.435 --> 00:45:06.844 you said you were gonna take care of your soul and you didn't do it and you 648 00:45:06.845 --> 00:45:09.405 don't get to come sleep here tonight until you go figure out how to do it. 649 00:45:10.105 --> 00:45:13.045 I'm like, you're joking. She goes, I'm not kidding. Now, by the way, 650 00:45:13.105 --> 00:45:17.005 I'm glad I have a very strong wife 'cause I needed someone to kind of kick my 651 00:45:17.006 --> 00:45:20.725 butt . And she said, get a hotel. Whatever you gotta do, 652 00:45:21.105 --> 00:45:22.525 you're not sleeping here tonight. 653 00:45:22.745 --> 00:45:27.665 You're going to be obedient to what Jesus told you to do. So there's your bag. 654 00:45:27.695 --> 00:45:30.305 It's already packed, you can go. 655 00:45:32.125 --> 00:45:34.145 And so that night I went and stayed in a hotel 656 00:45:35.685 --> 00:45:39.425 and I didn't even know how to do it, man. I was like, I wanted to look at email. 657 00:45:39.665 --> 00:45:40.745 I wanted, I mean, I just, 658 00:45:40.905 --> 00:45:44.705 I was so afraid of being all by myself because I didn't know what was gonna come 659 00:45:44.706 --> 00:45:49.065 up. I didn't know what I was gonna discover in the silence, in the solitude. 660 00:45:49.364 --> 00:45:53.985 And so I learned that I was more afraid of facing Jesus with the real Jeff. 661 00:45:54.205 --> 00:45:58.945 And so I was busy doing stuff for Jesus and not being with Jesus with real 662 00:45:59.005 --> 00:46:03.614 me. But in that moment I learned I've gotta make this a normal practice. 663 00:46:03.615 --> 00:46:06.695 And so for a while I said, once a month I'm gonna take at least one day. 664 00:46:07.075 --> 00:46:09.614 And this is what I discovered. I would go away in the morning. 665 00:46:09.955 --> 00:46:13.455 The problem is I would start my day off with all this busyness at home. 666 00:46:13.456 --> 00:46:17.055 And so the first couple hours I'm still thinking about the conversation we just 667 00:46:17.114 --> 00:46:19.094 had. I'm thinking about the work that needs to get done. 668 00:46:19.155 --> 00:46:20.735 I'm thinking about the bills that need to be paid. 669 00:46:21.075 --> 00:46:25.055 And so half my day is spent still busy with all these thoughts. 670 00:46:25.114 --> 00:46:27.335 And so then I learned like Susanna Wesley, 671 00:46:27.336 --> 00:46:29.935 I'm gonna do whatever it takes to make sure I protect this time. 672 00:46:30.515 --> 00:46:33.335 So I had a friend and everybody has a friend who has a really nice boat. 673 00:46:33.355 --> 00:46:36.775 But I had a friend who had a very nice boat and you could sleep on it. 674 00:46:36.995 --> 00:46:38.175 And I called them up and I said, 675 00:46:38.176 --> 00:46:41.775 do you mind if I spend the night before I have a day of solitude on your boat 676 00:46:42.075 --> 00:46:46.255 and wake up on your boat all alone with nobody to interrupt me and spend a whole 677 00:46:46.256 --> 00:46:48.255 day on your boat? And they said, yep. I said, 678 00:46:48.256 --> 00:46:51.535 you may not come down and talk to me. You all I want is to be alone. 679 00:46:52.465 --> 00:46:57.445 And I did that once a month for over a year until I learned how to actually be 680 00:46:57.446 --> 00:47:01.525 present with myself and with Jesus so I could get what he wanted to give me. 681 00:47:02.114 --> 00:47:06.755 That was me doing whatever it takes to make this a 682 00:47:06.995 --> 00:47:09.645 priority in my life. See, 683 00:47:09.646 --> 00:47:13.045 because I needed to learn how to say no to sin and temptation better than I was 684 00:47:13.046 --> 00:47:16.885 doing, I needed to learn how to be led by the spirit better than I was doing. 685 00:47:17.245 --> 00:47:20.725 I needed to learn how to let God's word spoken over me that says I'm a dearly 686 00:47:20.726 --> 00:47:24.765 loved child no matter what I do actually sink deep enough that I wouldn't look 687 00:47:24.844 --> 00:47:28.005 to my ministry or my work as the thing that justifies me or makes me 688 00:47:28.006 --> 00:47:28.839 significant. 689 00:47:29.325 --> 00:47:32.885 I needed it regularly because the demands of my schedule were making it harder 690 00:47:33.185 --> 00:47:37.145 to listen to God. You do too. 691 00:47:38.355 --> 00:47:41.415 You need this. Some of you need this desperately. 692 00:47:42.565 --> 00:47:45.665 And just so I clarify what it is and how we do it, as we come to an end, 693 00:47:45.985 --> 00:47:49.705 I wanna make sure I clarify that silence and solitude is intentional. 694 00:47:49.706 --> 00:47:53.585 Time of quiet to be alone. I know that seems obvious, 695 00:47:53.805 --> 00:47:55.745 but to be alone with yourself and with God. 696 00:47:55.746 --> 00:47:59.065 And I wanna say a word both about silence and solitude. First of all, 697 00:47:59.175 --> 00:48:00.985 silence is pretty self-explanatory. 698 00:48:00.986 --> 00:48:03.825 But you need to recognize that it's both external and internal. 699 00:48:04.605 --> 00:48:08.315 So when we talk about external, you go to a silent place, 700 00:48:08.375 --> 00:48:11.395 you turn off your phone, you don't check it at all, 701 00:48:11.975 --> 00:48:14.475 you take out out your headphones, you're not listening to music, 702 00:48:15.015 --> 00:48:17.875 you get rid of all external sources that can be a distraction. 703 00:48:18.135 --> 00:48:21.555 You just go and be quiet. You don't necessarily need to talk. I, 704 00:48:21.675 --> 00:48:23.475 I encourage people, don't try to read something. 705 00:48:24.665 --> 00:48:26.585 'cause that's another way of potentially avoiding yourself. 706 00:48:27.525 --> 00:48:31.755 What's going on inside? Just get rid of all external input. 707 00:48:31.985 --> 00:48:35.555 Just be quiet rest. And I would just say start to breathe. 708 00:48:35.556 --> 00:48:38.675 That's a good way to start just to through your nose, 709 00:48:41.135 --> 00:48:42.395 out your mouth. By the way, 710 00:48:43.125 --> 00:48:46.155 physicians will tell you that's a great way to reset everything inside of you 711 00:48:46.156 --> 00:48:49.955 anyway, quiet. It just does something to your soul. 712 00:48:53.335 --> 00:48:55.455 It it frees you from addiction to noise, 713 00:48:57.295 --> 00:49:00.344 addiction to words, addiction to activity. 714 00:49:02.685 --> 00:49:03.515 It's a way of saying, 715 00:49:03.515 --> 00:49:08.485 I'm just gonna pause the external stimulation so that I 716 00:49:08.486 --> 00:49:12.925 can learn how to be present with God and let him be the the loudest voice in my 717 00:49:12.926 --> 00:49:16.055 life. By the way, 718 00:49:16.056 --> 00:49:19.565 it's an expression of trust in God. It really is. 719 00:49:20.825 --> 00:49:23.425 'cause Richard Foster says it this way, in the celebration of the discipline, 720 00:49:24.725 --> 00:49:25.785 one reason we can, 721 00:49:25.805 --> 00:49:29.265 we hardly can bear to remain silent is that it makes us feel so helpless. 722 00:49:30.505 --> 00:49:34.535 We're so accustomed to relying on words to manage and control others. 723 00:49:34.594 --> 00:49:39.105 And I would say even space, if we're silent, 724 00:49:39.235 --> 00:49:42.815 who's gonna take control? God will, 725 00:49:44.295 --> 00:49:45.195 God will take control. 726 00:49:46.705 --> 00:49:49.165 But we're never gonna let him take control if we don't trust him. 727 00:49:50.395 --> 00:49:54.614 So silence is really intimately related to trust. When we're silent, 728 00:49:54.625 --> 00:49:56.614 we're practicing submission to God. 729 00:49:57.545 --> 00:50:01.565 And in turn we're learning to trust that he's in control, that he can speak, 730 00:50:01.795 --> 00:50:04.285 that we don't have to always fill the space. 731 00:50:07.145 --> 00:50:10.844 In fact, I would say silence is the act of doing nothing and in doing nothing, 732 00:50:10.995 --> 00:50:14.205 it's an expression of our faith that God is always at work. But 733 00:50:16.235 --> 00:50:20.935 why is it so hard to do? Why do you always have to have noise on? 734 00:50:21.055 --> 00:50:22.175 By the way, have you ever thought about that? 735 00:50:24.455 --> 00:50:27.525 Why do you always have to have it in the background? You know, like you're, 736 00:50:27.526 --> 00:50:31.045 you're folding your laundry and you gotta watch something on TV or listen to 737 00:50:31.046 --> 00:50:33.045 some music or while you're driving it's gotta be always on. 738 00:50:33.046 --> 00:50:34.565 Or while you're jogging, it's always on. 739 00:50:34.566 --> 00:50:36.965 You're scrolling your phone when you're waiting in line or in traffic. 740 00:50:37.075 --> 00:50:40.165 It's like, why can't we just shut it off? 741 00:50:42.864 --> 00:50:45.915 Nonstop noise. It's almost like we're running from something. 742 00:50:47.635 --> 00:50:52.105 And I would say, I think we are, I think we're running from ourselves 743 00:50:53.855 --> 00:50:55.905 because when you turn off the external noise, 744 00:50:55.925 --> 00:50:58.025 you actually start to notice there's an internal noise, 745 00:50:59.735 --> 00:51:04.025 that there's a murmur going on, that we experience the fear, the anxiety, 746 00:51:04.165 --> 00:51:07.705 the the hatred, the bitterness, the pain, the longing, the jealousy. 747 00:51:08.114 --> 00:51:11.225 Which is why a lot of us avoid it because we don't wanna pay attention to what's 748 00:51:11.226 --> 00:51:12.065 going on inside of us. 749 00:51:13.255 --> 00:51:16.915 And so I just wanna offer a psalm for you for how we can begin to do this. 750 00:51:17.155 --> 00:51:20.915 This is Psalm 1 31 says, oh Lord, my heart is not lifted up. 751 00:51:22.135 --> 00:51:23.835 My eyes are not raised too high. 752 00:51:24.805 --> 00:51:28.085 I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. 753 00:51:28.205 --> 00:51:30.525 And that's another way of saying I don't be consumed with, 754 00:51:30.526 --> 00:51:32.285 become consumed with the things I can't control. 755 00:51:33.864 --> 00:51:37.525 But I've calmed and I've quieted my soul like a ween child with its mother, 756 00:51:37.526 --> 00:51:41.835 like a ween child is my soul within me. And just, just hear that language. 757 00:51:42.075 --> 00:51:45.075 Just say that's you calming you. That's you working on you. 758 00:51:45.076 --> 00:51:49.715 That's you parenting you, that's you treating you like a little baby. And going, 759 00:51:49.935 --> 00:51:54.915 how do I quiet myself down so that I can receive the tender nurturing care 760 00:51:55.625 --> 00:51:58.844 from God? And he ends, oh Israel, 761 00:51:58.875 --> 00:52:02.125 hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. 762 00:52:04.094 --> 00:52:06.435 Now I don't have a lot more time, I'd like to share a lot more with you, 763 00:52:06.436 --> 00:52:08.435 but let me just give you my own experience of this. 764 00:52:10.105 --> 00:52:14.795 Over the years I've learned that when I get times of silence and 765 00:52:14.796 --> 00:52:18.625 solitude, my mind moves. I don't know about you, 766 00:52:18.645 --> 00:52:23.614 but thoughts keep coming up. Ideas, concerns, fears, worries, 767 00:52:23.765 --> 00:52:27.855 longing, sadness hurt. And I, I remember I was out in the wilderness, 768 00:52:27.925 --> 00:52:30.015 take a hike one day on a day of solitude. 769 00:52:30.055 --> 00:52:33.635 I was sitting up on a high rock over a river and I, 770 00:52:33.715 --> 00:52:35.635 I intentionally didn't take out my Bible in my journal. 771 00:52:35.755 --> 00:52:38.435 I kept it in my backpack 'cause I knew if I'm not careful, I'll, 772 00:52:38.436 --> 00:52:41.555 I'll busy myself with reading and writing so that I won't pay attention to 773 00:52:41.556 --> 00:52:42.594 what's going on inside of me. 774 00:52:44.185 --> 00:52:47.605 And a leaf fell from a tree and it landed in the water and it found its way 775 00:52:47.805 --> 00:52:50.765 floating down the river. And as I just followed the, the leaf, 776 00:52:50.965 --> 00:52:54.765 I heard the spirit say to me, Jeff, I want you to learn how to be like the leaf. 777 00:52:56.995 --> 00:52:59.765 That leaf is doing nothing but letting the river carry it. 778 00:53:00.955 --> 00:53:03.175 And I want you to learn how to be that kind of child. 779 00:53:04.375 --> 00:53:06.015 I want you to learn how to let me carry you. 780 00:53:07.045 --> 00:53:10.945 And every time that you have a warrior concern come up during this time of 781 00:53:10.975 --> 00:53:14.505 silence with me. I want you to just, you can follow it, watch it, 782 00:53:14.506 --> 00:53:19.035 go down the river, but let it go. And so I learned how to let every worry, 783 00:53:19.036 --> 00:53:22.114 every concern be something that I didn't try to avoid or ignore. 784 00:53:22.335 --> 00:53:26.315 But I was aware of it and I said, it's yours Lord. That's yours, 785 00:53:27.295 --> 00:53:29.775 that's yours, that's yours. 786 00:53:30.775 --> 00:53:33.955 And through that process I started to realize I had a whole lot of emotions that 787 00:53:33.956 --> 00:53:38.855 would come up. Fear of the things I couldn't control in my world. 788 00:53:39.665 --> 00:53:43.085 And I've learned that whenever I had fear in my time of silence and solitude, 789 00:53:43.086 --> 00:53:46.085 it was my way of becoming aware of something that was too big for me. 790 00:53:46.085 --> 00:53:47.605 That God wanted me to turn over to him 791 00:53:49.465 --> 00:53:52.395 when I would have deep sadness over some loss in my life. 792 00:53:52.875 --> 00:53:53.835 I heard the words of Jesus. 793 00:53:54.195 --> 00:53:55.875 Blessed there are those who mourn for they'll be comforted. 794 00:53:55.935 --> 00:53:56.915 And I just heard him say, 795 00:53:57.025 --> 00:54:00.715 it's okay to tell me the truth about your sadness and the silence and solitude 796 00:54:00.716 --> 00:54:03.415 of your soul. And I'll comfort you. 797 00:54:04.465 --> 00:54:07.995 When I was reminded of pain and hurt that I've gone through, I, 798 00:54:08.035 --> 00:54:10.675 I heard by his wounds were healed. And then I heard him say, 799 00:54:10.715 --> 00:54:13.435 I will attend to that pain but you gotta let me have it. 800 00:54:14.215 --> 00:54:17.594 And it was in that place where the murmur of my heart started to show up with 801 00:54:17.595 --> 00:54:19.755 the sadness and the hurt and even the loneliness. 802 00:54:19.756 --> 00:54:22.955 And I realized I was far more lonely than I really realized because I was 803 00:54:22.956 --> 00:54:26.635 keeping myself so busy that I wasn't aware of how badly I needed his 804 00:54:26.636 --> 00:54:27.469 companionship. 805 00:54:28.325 --> 00:54:31.785 And it was in that place of silence and solitude that I realized I need a 806 00:54:31.786 --> 00:54:36.305 friend. I need a friend who will stick closer than a brother. And Jesus said, 807 00:54:36.385 --> 00:54:37.545 I will be that for you. 808 00:54:39.715 --> 00:54:42.415 If I hadn't entered into those seasons of silence and solitude, 809 00:54:42.735 --> 00:54:46.775 I wouldn't have known how desperately my soul longed for him. 810 00:54:48.114 --> 00:54:52.735 And I would've kept busying myself with frenetic activity and and all kinds of 811 00:54:52.736 --> 00:54:56.695 work and avoiding my soul, being satisfied with good things from the Lord. 812 00:54:58.725 --> 00:55:02.545 And I wanna be clear, solitude's not isolation. 813 00:55:03.245 --> 00:55:04.305 You might be physically alone, 814 00:55:04.306 --> 00:55:08.335 but you're learning to be with yourself and with God. 815 00:55:10.675 --> 00:55:14.085 Richard Foster says this, loneliness is inner emptiness. 816 00:55:15.495 --> 00:55:20.485 Solitude is inner fulfillment. It's where you learn to be with you. 817 00:55:21.785 --> 00:55:24.565 And then as you learn to be with you, you learn how to truly be with God, 818 00:55:24.566 --> 00:55:27.925 with your real self. What you're really going through, 819 00:55:28.075 --> 00:55:31.485 what you're really struggling with. It's what the Psalms are all about, right? 820 00:55:31.486 --> 00:55:36.465 The psalmist is just telling God the truth. I feel absolutely abandoned by you. 821 00:55:36.565 --> 00:55:40.765 God, I am so hurt. Why is everybody turning against me? 822 00:55:40.985 --> 00:55:44.364 You know what He loves to hear you show up with your real self. 823 00:55:49.635 --> 00:55:54.545 So where do you begin? Just some next steps and I'll bring it to a close. 824 00:55:55.935 --> 00:55:58.125 First of all, recognize that everyone's different. 825 00:55:58.126 --> 00:56:02.015 You're all gonna engage in this differently. You don't have to do what I did, 826 00:56:03.344 --> 00:56:07.344 but let me offer that you at least do something about it. In fact, second, 827 00:56:07.485 --> 00:56:10.705 let me offer this. Try starting with a reasonable amount of time. 828 00:56:11.215 --> 00:56:13.565 Maybe it's five to 15 minutes at the start of your day. 829 00:56:14.275 --> 00:56:17.985 For some of you that's gonna seem like a long time. You're gonna go, wow, 830 00:56:17.986 --> 00:56:22.055 that's really hard to be quiet that long , but you can do it. 831 00:56:25.175 --> 00:56:28.614 And then see if it grows over time with my staff, 832 00:56:29.195 --> 00:56:32.575 we started doing that together and we would create space in our day to do it. 833 00:56:32.576 --> 00:56:36.295 And then eventually we got 'em up to a half day and eventually we said once a 834 00:56:36.296 --> 00:56:38.135 quarter, you're all gonna take one day of solitude. 835 00:56:38.565 --> 00:56:41.055 Most of 'em had never done it in their life. And once they started doing it, 836 00:56:41.056 --> 00:56:45.405 it transformed their relationship with Jesus. Third, 837 00:56:45.525 --> 00:56:49.925 I want you to hear this. It's not a performance. Remember your acceptance. 838 00:56:50.165 --> 00:56:52.925 Remember your true identity, your real significance is not in what you do, 839 00:56:53.605 --> 00:56:54.765 it's in Christ and what he's done. 840 00:56:54.864 --> 00:56:57.285 And if there's anybody who knows how to be quiet, it's him. 841 00:56:57.625 --> 00:56:59.765 And he's okay with you struggling with it. 842 00:57:00.605 --> 00:57:03.725 So don't do this as a performance. Like look at how well I did. 843 00:57:03.765 --> 00:57:07.305 I did a day . He's going, I don't care. I just love you. 844 00:57:09.165 --> 00:57:12.535 It's not what I want. It's, I just want you, not your performance. 845 00:57:13.465 --> 00:57:15.965 And then let me offer this as you start to step into this, and I, 846 00:57:16.005 --> 00:57:16.646 I wanna encourage you, 847 00:57:16.646 --> 00:57:20.765 so lemme try it this week as you do process with a few close friends, 848 00:57:20.766 --> 00:57:24.735 what it was like, what came to the surface? What did you discover? 849 00:57:25.775 --> 00:57:30.575 How was it difficult? What do you need help with? Like don't do this alone. 850 00:57:30.595 --> 00:57:33.655 Do it alone. It's what called solitude. But then don't do it alone. Right? 851 00:57:34.075 --> 00:57:36.855 Do it alone in silence and solitude and then meet with some people and say, 852 00:57:37.075 --> 00:57:40.015 let me tell you what it was like for me to go through this 853 00:57:41.765 --> 00:57:46.085 and just know it's gonna take time to develop. That's okay. 854 00:57:46.985 --> 00:57:50.485 If you've never done this, give yourself a ton of grace. Be kind to yourself. 855 00:57:51.345 --> 00:57:52.845 And by the way, we're gonna start right now. 856 00:57:53.885 --> 00:57:57.535 So we're gonna take a minute and I'm gonna give you a time to be silent. 857 00:57:58.685 --> 00:58:03.245 I just want you to pay attention to what comes up in your heart as you're 858 00:58:03.246 --> 00:58:05.325 silent. Okay? So I'm actually gonna time it. 859 00:58:06.075 --> 00:58:10.695 We'll do one minute so you can see how it feels to do one minute and then we'll 860 00:58:10.696 --> 00:58:13.965 respond. So go ahead. 861 00:59:18.605 --> 00:59:22.805 All right, Whatever came to the surface, 862 00:59:23.005 --> 00:59:25.485 I encourage you to turn that into a prayer. 863 00:59:27.905 --> 00:59:31.605 But why don't we just pray together right now and then trust God with this time, 864 00:59:31.635 --> 00:59:35.275 with this space. Let's pray together. 865 00:59:41.225 --> 00:59:46.125 Jesus, you were so good at silence and solitude that you could even be silent 866 00:59:46.945 --> 00:59:48.085 on the cross. 867 00:59:49.965 --> 00:59:53.945 You cried out for our forgiveness and you cried out from your loneliness. 868 00:59:54.045 --> 00:59:58.205 But you could have, you could have stood against your accusers, 869 00:59:58.225 --> 01:00:00.805 you could have cried, called down a, a legion of angels. 870 01:00:00.806 --> 01:00:02.005 You could have saved yourself. 871 01:00:04.145 --> 01:00:08.475 And yet you faithfully obeyed the Father all the way to the end for us. 872 01:00:10.815 --> 01:00:14.875 Thank you. 'cause we were the ones that stood accused. 873 01:00:14.935 --> 01:00:17.995 You could have cried out against us, but instead you cried out for us. 874 01:00:20.925 --> 01:00:25.125 So Father, would you lead us in the way of Jesus spirit? 875 01:00:25.126 --> 01:00:27.125 Would you help us to follow in his pathway? 876 01:00:28.065 --> 01:00:32.495 Would you show us how to be silent and alone? Not alone by ourselves, 877 01:00:32.496 --> 01:00:34.095 but alone with you? Be present. 878 01:00:35.085 --> 01:00:39.185 But I pray for any man or woman or child right now that's here, 879 01:00:39.215 --> 01:00:42.575 that they would know how much you care for their soul, 880 01:00:45.225 --> 01:00:47.565 How much you want them to be present with their real self, 881 01:00:47.705 --> 01:00:51.045 how much you want them to, to show up with what's really going on, 882 01:00:51.046 --> 01:00:55.645 that you are not about only accepting the performance. Lord, 883 01:00:55.665 --> 01:01:00.615 you are the the one who sees that that darkness is not 884 01:01:00.616 --> 01:01:03.735 dark to you. It says light to you that we can't hide from your presence, 885 01:01:04.005 --> 01:01:06.735 that who we really are, you already know and who we really are. 886 01:01:06.755 --> 01:01:09.415 You already love. So Father, 887 01:01:09.535 --> 01:01:13.935 I pray that we would all believe that you love the present version of us as much 888 01:01:14.035 --> 01:01:17.495 as you love the future perfectly sanctified version of us. No less. 889 01:01:17.915 --> 01:01:21.315 You love us absolutely perfectly. So, Lord, 890 01:01:21.316 --> 01:01:25.905 would you move us to a place where we can be quiet with you, quiet with ourself, 891 01:01:26.605 --> 01:01:30.905 and then bring our real self before you for healing, for comfort, 892 01:01:31.755 --> 01:01:34.175 for renewal, for you. 893 01:01:35.845 --> 01:01:40.005 We give you ourselves in Jesus' name. Amen.