WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:13.339 Good morning, Messiah. I wish I was there with you in person, but I'm grateful to Andrew and Marie and the team that's found a way to be able to meet together in some capacity, spend time in the scriptures, even though there's a lockdown. 00:00:13.339 --> 00:00:33.579 Christmas has just happened. New Year's is upon us. And as we turn our attention to New Year's, perhaps some are making New Year's resolutions. All of us should be assessing the health of our walk with God, looking at our behaviors and spiritual disciplines to see, are there any areas where we need to really emphasize some growth this next year? 00:00:33.579 --> 00:00:46.039 If we don't take time to assess our walk with God, our habits and behaviors, if we don't do that every now and then, we will find that we're beginning to slip into just what is natural to us instead of what God's really calling us to. 00:00:46.140 --> 00:01:02.119 And so I hope that in today's sermon that God will speak to you. I'm praying for God to speak to every one of us, including me, that he would help us to see where are there areas specific to each one of us that we need to pay more attention to this year. 00:01:02.119 --> 00:01:07.840 So I'm going to be speaking on six disciplines for us to endure in the faith. 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:18.700 And we're going to be in 2 Kings 9, and I'm going to share with you some of the key characters just before I read the scripture passage to you so that you're able to really track with where this true story is going. 00:01:18.700 --> 00:01:22.560 But first, the context of how this even came to mean so much to me. 00:01:23.140 --> 00:01:35.700 As a kid, like others of us, I was devastated when I heard of some pastors that were really, really, had made such an impact in my life, had actually fallen away from the faith. 00:01:35.700 --> 00:01:48.359 And it seems if you follow Christian news that you'll hear of people, whether famous and far away or closer to home, following that same pattern of making such an impact in their lives and then falling away. 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:56.700 We're going to look at a passage that speaks directly into that, and not just directly to those who have a big platform, but to every one of us. 00:01:56.700 --> 00:02:17.780 So if each one of us doesn't take the time to be serious about our habits and behaviors, our disciplines, and our walk with God, then even if we don't fall away from the faith, at the very least, we're going to find ourselves not walking in the fullness of what we were made for as children of God. 00:02:17.780 --> 00:02:19.580 So we're going to be in 2 Kings 9. 00:02:19.620 --> 00:02:23.460 If you have a Bible in print or on your phone, please turn to 2 Kings 9. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:25.780 As you do, let me introduce you to the main characters. 00:02:25.900 --> 00:02:26.780 We have Jezebel. 00:02:26.939 --> 00:02:29.139 She was the queen of the northern kingdom of Israel. 00:02:29.580 --> 00:02:34.180 She had been the wife of Ahab before he had been removed by God's judgment. 00:02:34.180 --> 00:02:44.039 But Queen Jezebel was a woman that had brought into Israel these pagan, vile practices that often centered around the exploitation of the marginalized and the vulnerable. 00:02:44.039 --> 00:02:54.959 That included cult prostitution, where they would be using often underage girls and boys in the ritualistic pagan practices of worshiping the deities. 00:02:55.379 --> 00:02:56.859 It was a form of human trafficking. 00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:10.739 She brought in the murdering of children through putting them in fire, putting children alive into fire, where these kids would be burned up as if that was a sacrifice to the gods, a sacrifice of worship, vile practices. 00:03:11.359 --> 00:03:12.939 Her son Joram is the king. 00:03:12.939 --> 00:03:13.939 He's reigning with her. 00:03:14.280 --> 00:03:16.280 His name is Joram. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:20.719 He has an alliance with Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:23.240 And that king's name is Ahaziah. 00:03:23.379 --> 00:03:25.740 You'll see that they're working together in the story. 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:27.979 The main character we're going to look at is Jehu. 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.219 He is an officer in Jezebel and Joram's army. 00:03:31.740 --> 00:03:36.520 And you're going to see that God calls him to stage a coup and overthrow this dark, evil kingdom. 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:39.699 You're also going to hear a couple shout-outs to Naboth. 00:03:39.699 --> 00:03:44.079 He was an innocent, godly man who had a vineyard that Ahab wanted. 00:03:44.519 --> 00:03:47.060 And Ahab wasn't sure how to get this land from him. 00:03:47.119 --> 00:03:52.579 So Jezebel had this innocent man put to death so that her husband Ahab can get the plot of ground. 00:03:53.179 --> 00:03:56.919 And I think that's all the characters you need to be able to follow the story. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:03:57.759 2 Kings 9. 00:03:57.839 --> 00:03:59.539 Let's pray as we dive into God's word. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:03.799 Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of your scriptures. 00:04:03.800 --> 00:04:10.740 I pray that just as you have throughout time, that you would speak to us, your people, again, through your word. 00:04:11.320 --> 00:04:12.700 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:04:13.700 --> 00:04:14.580 2 Kings 9. 00:04:14.580 --> 00:04:19.840 The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, 00:04:20.100 --> 00:04:21.600 Tuck your cloak into your belt. 00:04:21.960 --> 00:04:23.639 Take this flask of oil with you. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:25.040 Go to Rameth Gilead. 00:04:25.319 --> 00:04:28.879 When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:33.699 Call to him, get him away from his companions, and take him into an inner room. 00:04:33.900 --> 00:04:37.580 Then take this flask of oil and pour the oil on his head and declare, 00:04:37.860 --> 00:04:39.300 This is what the Lord says. 00:04:39.400 --> 00:04:41.120 I anoint you king over Israel. 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:42.540 And open the door and run. 00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:43.540 Do not delay. 00:04:43.540 --> 00:04:46.439 So the young man, the prophet, went to Rameth Gilead. 00:04:46.640 --> 00:04:50.260 When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. 00:04:50.760 --> 00:04:52.760 I have a message for you, commander, he said. 00:04:52.980 --> 00:04:54.180 For which one of us asked Jehu. 00:04:54.379 --> 00:04:55.800 For you, O commander, he replied. 00:04:56.340 --> 00:04:57.840 Jehu got up and went into the house. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.600 Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu's head and declared, 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:03.500 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. 00:05:03.860 --> 00:05:06.400 I anoint you king over the Lord's people Israel. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:09.439 You are to destroy the house of Ahab, your master. 00:05:09.660 --> 00:05:12.420 And I will avenge the blood of my servants, the prophets, 00:05:12.420 --> 00:05:15.759 and the blood of all the Lord's servants shed by Jezebel. 00:05:16.020 --> 00:05:18.560 The whole house of Ahab shall perish. 00:05:18.860 --> 00:05:22.319 I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel, slave or free. 00:05:22.960 --> 00:05:27.840 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, 00:05:28.280 --> 00:05:30.100 and like the house of Basha, the son of Ahijah. 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:34.560 As for Jezebel, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, 00:05:34.700 --> 00:05:35.920 and no one will bury her. 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:37.480 Then he opened the door and ran. 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:40.860 When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, 00:05:41.100 --> 00:05:42.140 Is everything all right? 00:05:42.580 --> 00:05:44.400 What did this madman come to you and say? 00:05:44.879 --> 00:05:47.300 You know the man and the sort of things he says, Jehu replied. 00:05:47.540 --> 00:05:48.640 That's not true, they said. 00:05:48.680 --> 00:05:49.280 Tell us now. 00:05:49.819 --> 00:05:51.740 Jehu said, Here is what he told me. 00:05:52.060 --> 00:05:53.259 This is what the Lord says. 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:55.180 I anoint you king over Israel. 00:05:55.700 --> 00:05:58.920 They hurried and took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. 00:05:59.180 --> 00:06:00.600 Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, 00:06:00.780 --> 00:06:01.540 Jehu is king! 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:02.280 Jehu! 00:06:02.400 --> 00:06:03.200 Jehu is king! 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:08.079 So Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against King Joram. 00:06:08.420 --> 00:06:13.740 Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramath Gilead against Hazel, king of Aram. 00:06:14.039 --> 00:06:19.079 But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him 00:06:19.079 --> 00:06:20.839 in the battle with Hazel, king of Aram. 00:06:21.219 --> 00:06:26.240 Jehu said, If this is the way you feel, don't let anyone slip out of the city to go tell the news in Jezreel. 00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:30.339 And he got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel because King Joram was resting there, 00:06:30.339 --> 00:06:32.959 and Nehaziah, king of Judah, had gone down to see him. 00:06:33.860 --> 00:06:37.899 When the lookout standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu's troops approaching, he called out, 00:06:38.139 --> 00:06:39.219 I see some troops coming. 00:06:39.779 --> 00:06:40.959 Get a horseman, Joram ordered. 00:06:41.339 --> 00:06:43.439 Send him to meet them and ask, Do you come in peace? 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:46.819 The horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, This is what the king asks. 00:06:47.060 --> 00:06:47.860 Do you come in peace? 00:06:48.579 --> 00:06:49.680 What do you have to do with peace? 00:06:49.819 --> 00:06:51.500 Jehu replied, Falling behind me. 00:06:51.819 --> 00:06:54.620 The lookout reported, The messenger reached him, but he's not coming back. 00:06:55.180 --> 00:06:56.800 So the king sent out a second horseman. 00:06:56.919 --> 00:06:59.680 When he came to them, he said, This is what the king asks. 00:06:59.800 --> 00:07:01.480 Do you come in peace? 00:07:02.280 --> 00:07:04.420 Jehu replied, What do you have to do with peace? 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:05.500 Falling behind me. 00:07:05.900 --> 00:07:09.520 The lookout reported, The messenger reached him, but he's not coming back either. 00:07:09.840 --> 00:07:13.879 The driving is like that of Jehu's son Nimshi, for he drives like a madman. 00:07:14.360 --> 00:07:15.660 Hitch up my chariot, Joram ordered. 00:07:15.660 --> 00:07:20.720 Then it was hitched up, Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out, each in 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:22.000 his own chariot, to meet Jehu. 00:07:22.260 --> 00:07:25.720 They met him at the plot of ground that belonged to Naboth, the Jezreelite. 00:07:25.960 --> 00:07:29.200 When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, Have you come in peace, Jehu? 00:07:30.060 --> 00:07:31.520 How can there be peace? 00:07:31.700 --> 00:07:36.520 Jehu replied, So long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound. 00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:40.640 Joram turned about and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, Treachery, Ahaziah, treachery! 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:44.959 Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. 00:07:45.339 --> 00:07:48.419 The arrow pierced his heart and he slumped down in his chariot. 00:07:48.860 --> 00:07:53.019 Jehu said to Bidkar, his aide, Pick him up and throw him on the field that belonged 00:07:53.019 --> 00:07:54.279 to Naboth, the Jezreelite. 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:58.479 Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots behind Ahaziah, his father, when 00:07:58.479 --> 00:08:00.759 the Lord God made this prophecy about him? 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:04.360 Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, declares the Lord. 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:08.819 And I will surely make you pay for it on this plot of ground, declares the Lord. 00:08:08.819 --> 00:08:13.939 Now then pick him up and throw him on that plot in accordance with the word of the Lord. 00:08:14.420 --> 00:08:18.800 When Ahaziah king of Judah saw what had happened, he fled the road to Beth Hagen. 00:08:19.240 --> 00:08:21.139 Jehu chased him, shouting, Kill him too! 00:08:21.420 --> 00:08:25.480 They wounded him in his chariot on the way up to Ger near Ibalim, but he escaped to Megiddo 00:08:25.480 --> 00:08:26.060 and died there. 00:08:26.500 --> 00:08:30.939 His servants took him in his chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his fathers in the tomb 00:08:30.939 --> 00:08:31.879 in the city of David. 00:08:32.460 --> 00:08:35.759 In the eleventh year of Joram, son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king of Judah. 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:38.039 Then Jehu went to Jezreel. 00:08:38.299 --> 00:08:42.259 When Jezebel heard about this, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair, and looked out 00:08:42.259 --> 00:08:42.720 of a window. 00:08:43.080 --> 00:08:46.980 As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your 00:08:46.980 --> 00:08:47.379 master? 00:08:47.980 --> 00:08:50.679 Jehu looked up at the window and called out, Who's on my side? 00:08:50.779 --> 00:08:51.000 Who? 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:53.620 Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. 00:08:53.939 --> 00:08:55.220 Throw her down, Jehu said. 00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:56.539 So they threw her down. 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:00.700 And some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot. 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:02.600 Jehu went in, ate, and drank. 00:09:02.600 --> 00:09:06.560 Take care of that cursed woman, he said, and bury her, for she's a king's daughter. 00:09:06.980 --> 00:09:10.759 But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet, and her 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:11.120 hands. 00:09:11.420 --> 00:09:15.680 They went back and told Jehu, who said, This is the word of the Lord, that he spoke through 00:09:15.680 --> 00:09:17.100 his servant Elijah the Tishbite. 00:09:17.340 --> 00:09:20.540 On the plot of ground of Jezreel, dogs will devour Jezebel's flesh. 00:09:21.040 --> 00:09:24.779 Jezebel's body will be like refuse on the ground on the plot of Jezreel, so that no one 00:09:24.779 --> 00:09:26.399 will be able to say, This is Jezebel. 00:09:27.320 --> 00:09:29.160 This is the word of the Lord. 00:09:30.420 --> 00:09:31.279 Thanks be to God. 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:34.179 It's a bloody passage. 00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:35.779 In many ways, it's a dark passage. 00:09:35.939 --> 00:09:41.259 But ultimately, it is a passage of God refusing to be okay with these things that are not okay. 00:09:41.379 --> 00:09:48.480 Refusing to be okay with the reality of darkness and evil in Israel and his bringing Jehu to 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:52.240 overthrow the darkness, to bring light and goodness into the kingdom. 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:57.179 We're going to see six principles that you and I can learn in order to be people who walk 00:09:57.179 --> 00:10:00.039 with God through all the different seasons of time in these words. 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:03.579 First, where is Jehu when he receives his call? 00:10:04.539 --> 00:10:07.019 Jehu is with his friends and his fellow officers. 00:10:07.139 --> 00:10:10.679 We don't know if he's planning, looking at maps and doing what officers do, or if they're 00:10:10.679 --> 00:10:11.699 just playing cards and hanging out. 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:13.059 But either way, there's noise. 00:10:13.539 --> 00:10:16.620 And into that noise, this prophet from God comes. 00:10:16.699 --> 00:10:19.439 This young prophet comes and says, I have a message for you, O commander. 00:10:19.899 --> 00:10:21.159 For which one of us asks Jehu? 00:10:21.319 --> 00:10:22.079 For you, commander. 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:24.740 And he brings Jehu into an inner room. 00:10:25.740 --> 00:10:32.000 And in that inner room, away from the noise, in the place of quiet, Jehu hears this message 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:32.460 from God. 00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:33.620 Jehu, this is who you are. 00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:34.160 You're king. 00:10:34.580 --> 00:10:36.000 And Jehu, this is what you're called to do. 00:10:36.540 --> 00:10:38.920 You're to overthrow the dark kingdom. 00:10:39.620 --> 00:10:40.580 You're to stage a coup. 00:10:40.580 --> 00:10:47.540 You and I find ourselves surrounded by noise and busyness. 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:51.639 And it's easy for us to find ourselves, even if we're spending time in the word, it's still 00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:54.520 amidst such busyness and noise. 00:10:54.519 --> 00:10:59.779 You'll find that if you look through the scriptures, that the women and men of God of faith, or 00:10:59.779 --> 00:11:04.740 if you just look through history and see the women and men of God who have endured in their 00:11:04.740 --> 00:11:11.439 faith, whatever the season is, are people who spend time alone, who make time for quiet 00:11:11.439 --> 00:11:12.340 with God. 00:11:13.659 --> 00:11:16.340 And this is a separate point from spending time in scripture. 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:17.559 That's important too. 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:21.159 I found there certain times in my life where I'm getting to spend time in scriptures and 00:11:21.159 --> 00:11:27.779 I'm spending time in prayer, but I'm not spending time quiet before God, alone with God. 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:29.659 Focus time with God. 00:11:29.959 --> 00:11:34.679 The first point for godly endurance is spend time alone with God. 00:11:35.419 --> 00:11:39.659 It's absolutely beautiful and ideal when you can spend some time, you know, first thing 00:11:39.659 --> 00:11:43.600 in the morning to spend a big, significant time before God in his presence. 00:11:44.039 --> 00:11:49.279 But some might find, maybe you're a homeschool mom of like four kids, five kids, there's just 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:53.720 so much going on that the moment, no matter how early you set your alarm, there's just 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:56.919 busyness and chaos from the moment you wake up. 00:11:57.199 --> 00:12:01.799 I want to encourage you not to hear this point as another burden to throw onto your already 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:02.620 weary shoulders. 00:12:03.220 --> 00:12:09.240 But even if it's just a sliver, if all you can manage is a sliver, take that sliver. 00:12:09.639 --> 00:12:13.500 For me, in times of great busyness, when I feel like I'm just not getting the time of 00:12:13.500 --> 00:12:16.579 God I want, I somehow still have time to scroll my phone. 00:12:16.580 --> 00:12:22.300 That time that you might just take a minute to just scroll, maybe that's time that one 00:12:22.300 --> 00:12:25.440 could stop and disorient their heart toward God. 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:31.840 In that place of quiet, Jehu hears who he is and what he's called to. 00:12:31.900 --> 00:12:32.740 And that's the second point. 00:12:32.820 --> 00:12:35.360 It makes the busyness and noise of life. 00:12:35.740 --> 00:12:38.360 The men and women of God have been able to endure in their faith. 00:12:38.800 --> 00:12:42.440 And not just endure in that they technically still believe all the true things about God 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:49.900 and go to church, but people who really know their God are people who take time to be reoriented 00:12:49.900 --> 00:12:52.280 about who they are and what they're called to do. 00:12:52.340 --> 00:12:54.620 And that's what happens to Jehu in that quiet place. 00:12:54.680 --> 00:12:59.880 So the second point is to know who you are, to be reminded of who you are and what you're 00:12:59.880 --> 00:13:00.420 called to do. 00:13:01.160 --> 00:13:05.120 Jehu is called to be king and he's called to go stage a coup. 00:13:05.300 --> 00:13:07.800 You and I most likely won't be called by God to stage a coup. 00:13:08.280 --> 00:13:09.360 So what are we called to do? 00:13:09.420 --> 00:13:09.960 Who are we? 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:14.620 Well, in Colossians chapter three, Paul writes to the church at Colossae, and this is significant. 00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:20.780 He writes to them, telling them to rid themselves of these sinful, toxic, very serious behaviors. 00:13:21.340 --> 00:13:25.840 Before they've had a chance to change, to repent, to confess, he says, as God's holy 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:27.620 and beloved and keeps writing. 00:13:27.920 --> 00:13:29.500 It's all in Colossians chapter three. 00:13:30.900 --> 00:13:36.080 That shows me that even if you and I are battling temptation and we're not doing very 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:40.440 well in our fight against the flesh, that if we're in Jesus, if we're Christians, then 00:13:40.440 --> 00:13:41.900 we are holy and beloved. 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:46.120 Because that's the language Paul uses for these Christians who are battling temptation. 00:13:46.560 --> 00:13:48.120 What does it mean to be holy and beloved? 00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:51.600 Holy means set apart for special use. 00:13:52.100 --> 00:13:57.300 The goblets in the temple, they're goblets, just like there's other goblets that were in 00:13:57.300 --> 00:13:57.620 Israel. 00:13:57.820 --> 00:14:02.180 But the goblets in the temple were for the purpose of God, set apart for that. 00:14:02.179 --> 00:14:06.479 And so when the king of Babylon in the book of Daniel, when he comes in, invades the temple 00:14:06.479 --> 00:14:13.120 and removes those goblets to his own palace and lifts those chalices to his own lips and 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:18.500 drinks of them, God strikes him down because God defends that which is holy to him. 00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:20.399 You and I are holy to God. 00:14:20.599 --> 00:14:24.319 Perhaps because of sins that you've done, you feel like you're damaged goods. 00:14:24.479 --> 00:14:28.679 Perhaps because of harmful things people have done to you or just the pain that you've been 00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:30.979 through, you feel like damaged goods. 00:14:30.980 --> 00:14:33.500 Hear this word from scripture today. 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:35.759 You are holy and beloved. 00:14:36.440 --> 00:14:36.820 Holy. 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:40.000 I know some here at Messiah are fans of the Marvel movies. 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:40.539 I am. 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:42.320 And you know that Thor's hammer. 00:14:42.460 --> 00:14:46.659 That is not a hammer that he uses to just put a nail on the wall for his calendar. 00:14:47.259 --> 00:14:49.279 No, he uses that hammer to vanquish the enemy. 00:14:49.879 --> 00:14:55.940 And similarly, God has called us and made us to be part of his ushering in his kingdom 00:14:55.940 --> 00:14:58.360 into this world, vanquishing the darkness. 00:14:58.720 --> 00:14:59.899 You and I are holy to him. 00:14:59.899 --> 00:15:07.019 And even though we might not see God avenge us as quickly as he avenged those goblets, 00:15:07.079 --> 00:15:14.079 I promise you that you are more holy to God and precious to him as his children made in 00:15:14.079 --> 00:15:16.679 his image than those chalices ever were. 00:15:16.939 --> 00:15:20.500 God will defend and avenge his own. 00:15:20.500 --> 00:15:23.480 Second, we're beloved. 00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:25.399 That's the word Paul chooses to use. 00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:27.679 He could have just written, you are loved by God. 00:15:27.879 --> 00:15:30.179 But he says, we're beloved by God. 00:15:30.299 --> 00:15:32.519 Beloved means both love and liked. 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:37.759 When, you know, like every parent should love their children. 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:43.419 But sometimes when children are being very toxic and self-destructive and this absolutely 00:15:43.419 --> 00:15:48.980 miserable to be around, you may not necessarily feel like they're beloved to you, but you 00:15:48.980 --> 00:15:49.759 still love them. 00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:55.439 God is having Paul use the word beloved because not only does he love us as a parent loves 00:15:55.439 --> 00:16:00.679 a wayward child, but the word beloved, it also includes that love, that light, that 00:16:00.679 --> 00:16:02.220 cherishing and delighting. 00:16:02.220 --> 00:16:06.860 When you just, when you love to be around someone because you love their personality, 00:16:07.040 --> 00:16:10.019 you love who they are, you, they're so special to you. 00:16:10.060 --> 00:16:11.340 That's this word beloved. 00:16:12.060 --> 00:16:16.560 You and I, even as there's so much in our lives still to clean up, are holy and beloved 00:16:16.560 --> 00:16:17.000 by God. 00:16:17.060 --> 00:16:18.580 That's who we are in him. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:22.700 So that's who we are, holy and beloved children of God. 00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:25.840 Second is that, what are we called to? 00:16:26.740 --> 00:16:32.120 Well, Jesus, at the very start of his mission, at the start of his public ministry, he reaches 00:16:32.120 --> 00:16:38.759 out to the ancient prophecy of Isaiah 61 and he unfurls it and reads it as his mission 00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:39.100 statement. 00:16:39.580 --> 00:16:42.379 So turn with me if you have a moment to Isaiah 61. 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:48.399 This is Jesus' mission statement and Jesus calls us not just to believe in him, five times 00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:52.860 in the gospel Jesus calls us to believe in him, but 20 times Jesus calls us to follow 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:53.060 him. 00:16:53.419 --> 00:16:57.240 So if this is Jesus' mission statement and we're called to follow him, then this becomes 00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:58.100 our mission statement. 00:16:58.220 --> 00:17:00.240 This is your mission statement for life. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:04.779 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to preach 00:17:04.779 --> 00:17:05.859 good news to the poor. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:10.819 He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release 00:17:10.819 --> 00:17:12.400 from darkness for the prisoners. 00:17:13.140 --> 00:17:15.160 This is the mission statement of Jesus. 00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:20.740 John, in the first chapter, as he's introducing Jesus invading our world at Christmas, breaking 00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:26.000 into our brokenness, sums up Jesus' mission by saying light shines in the darkness and the 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:27.359 darkness has not overcome it. 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:29.839 That's Jesus' mission, to be light in the darkness. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:33.039 It's an even more succinct summary than this Isaiah 61 verse 1. 00:17:33.399 --> 00:17:35.000 And that's you're my call. 00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:38.019 It's going to look different for different ones of us, for sure. 00:17:38.259 --> 00:17:42.939 But all of us are called to share in being light in the darkness, in the name and the 00:17:42.939 --> 00:17:43.859 power of Jesus. 00:17:44.019 --> 00:17:44.759 That's who we are. 00:17:44.959 --> 00:17:45.899 That's what we're called to do. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:48.000 So Jehu hears his call. 00:17:48.419 --> 00:17:49.579 He hears his identity. 00:17:49.659 --> 00:17:52.519 He comes out dripping with oil, dripping down his face, down his beard. 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:55.259 And his friends say, what did that man say to you? 00:17:55.700 --> 00:17:57.859 And Jehu says, well, you know the guy and the sort of things he says. 00:17:57.900 --> 00:17:59.480 You can see that he kind of shrugs it off. 00:17:59.879 --> 00:18:01.660 He doesn't embrace who he really is. 00:18:01.700 --> 00:18:04.420 He has this epic word over his life, doesn't believe it. 00:18:05.059 --> 00:18:06.519 Maybe that's like you and I sometimes. 00:18:06.660 --> 00:18:07.639 God has called us. 00:18:07.900 --> 00:18:09.160 God has called us. 00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:17.099 God has called us to be his ambassadors, to be light in the darkness, in this broken 00:18:17.099 --> 00:18:17.480 world. 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:21.680 And yet we often can just live as if we're just trying to make it through the next day. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:23.579 And yet, so there's Jehu. 00:18:23.779 --> 00:18:25.240 He doesn't really embrace his call. 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:27.019 His friends say, Jehu, what did he say? 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:28.420 Jehu says, okay. 00:18:28.579 --> 00:18:29.400 Vulnerably shares with them. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.759 This is the prophecy from God. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:31.380 He said, I'm king. 00:18:31.579 --> 00:18:34.099 He said, I'm called to destroy Jezebel and the whole house of Ahab. 00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:36.180 And his friends respond epically. 00:18:36.920 --> 00:18:37.680 Jehu is king. 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:38.920 Jehu, Jehu is king. 00:18:39.299 --> 00:18:41.339 They're saying to Jehu, Jehu, this is who you are. 00:18:41.860 --> 00:18:43.819 Jehu, this is what you're called to do. 00:18:44.420 --> 00:18:46.360 And you see that as Jehu hears them. 00:18:46.360 --> 00:18:47.019 It's beautiful. 00:18:47.480 --> 00:18:49.500 You see that as Jehu hears them say this. 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:51.079 He kind of stands up a little tall. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.099 Shoulders back. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:54.640 He begins giving them his battle plan. 00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:55.920 Don't let anyone out of the city. 00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:57.360 I'm going to take the chariot. 00:18:57.500 --> 00:18:59.599 Some of us are going to ride to the capital in Jezreel. 00:18:59.880 --> 00:19:00.500 You're going to stay here. 00:19:00.539 --> 00:19:01.339 You're not going to let anyone out. 00:19:01.460 --> 00:19:02.440 We're going to do this. 00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:07.279 If you and I are going to be people who endure in our faith, we need to be people who have 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:08.980 Jehu's friends type friends. 00:19:09.339 --> 00:19:10.880 We need to have the kind of friends Jehu had. 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:17.000 Those friends who are able to hear us share vulnerably what we really believe God's calling 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:17.380 us to. 00:19:17.859 --> 00:19:21.680 Every one of us is going to find, if we're giving ourselves to the work that God has called 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:25.920 us to do, in whatever realm of life it is, we're going to find times where we just want 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:26.839 to give up. 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:34.480 We need to have those kind of friends like Jehu's friends who help us be able to keep going 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:35.539 when the going gets tough. 00:19:35.539 --> 00:19:39.480 We need to have friends who are able to call us out when we're starting to strain to toxic 00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:41.700 behaviors and thought patterns. 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:44.180 Maybe here's an example. 00:19:44.619 --> 00:19:48.839 Earlier this year, I got to make some brief videos for our ZAM. 00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:53.940 I was really excited to see the way that they were making an impact. 00:19:54.119 --> 00:19:55.480 They were getting a lot of views. 00:19:55.899 --> 00:19:57.240 I thought this was exciting. 00:19:57.740 --> 00:19:58.659 I was talking about it. 00:19:58.660 --> 00:20:03.960 Alexandra, my wife, challenged me, Daniel, is your heart for these videos that people 00:20:03.960 --> 00:20:06.320 get to hear the word of God? 00:20:06.860 --> 00:20:12.779 Or are you just feeling a little bit like the most smallest of many celebrities and you 00:20:12.779 --> 00:20:13.600 think that's kind of fun? 00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:15.880 Right away, my response, no, no. 00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:18.440 It's just about every view as another person. 00:20:19.100 --> 00:20:21.900 I was trying to just portray myself. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:23.080 I just really cared about all the people. 00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:29.220 But Alexandra is a close enough friend to me that she can see that I was enjoying some 00:20:29.220 --> 00:20:31.119 of the aspects of fame more than I... 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:32.599 It's not even fame, but you know what I'm saying. 00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:37.359 And she was able to see through my facade, see through the way I wanted to present myself, 00:20:37.439 --> 00:20:40.460 not only to others, but even the way I wanted to present myself to myself. 00:20:40.879 --> 00:20:47.779 And she was able to help me see some brokenness and sin in my life, in my attitude and ego. 00:20:48.899 --> 00:20:51.419 It's such a gift to me to have a friend like that. 00:20:51.420 --> 00:20:53.360 You and I need friends like that. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:55.560 You can see through how we're doing. 00:20:55.779 --> 00:20:59.519 My friend Alonzo, he's someone classic who can say, how are you? 00:20:59.600 --> 00:21:00.220 Oh, I'm doing well. 00:21:00.340 --> 00:21:02.519 Daniel, what's bothering you? 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:05.160 You know, and I'm not even aware there's something bothering me. 00:21:05.620 --> 00:21:09.840 Surely I'm not the only one who sometimes presents himself to other than themselves in a way that 00:21:09.840 --> 00:21:12.220 is photoshopped. 00:21:13.120 --> 00:21:14.620 We need to have friends like this. 00:21:15.600 --> 00:21:19.420 Please take a moment even now and assess who are your close friends. 00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:21.480 And are they Jehu friend type friends? 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:24.420 I saw a quote. 00:21:24.560 --> 00:21:26.480 This isn't from the Bible, but I think it resonates. 00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:29.320 We become like the five people we spend the most time with. 00:21:30.019 --> 00:21:31.440 Life is so much of life. 00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:37.320 The world, the flesh, and the devil are pulling us to minimal commitment to God, pulling us 00:21:37.320 --> 00:21:42.000 to lip service to God, pulling us to facade and pulling us to a shallow faith. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:47.060 We need to have friends who themselves are friends whose heart are after God's own heart. 00:21:47.059 --> 00:21:48.319 Yeah, absolutely. 00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:53.399 We should also have friends who, and be interacting with people who need, who need to hear about 00:21:53.399 --> 00:21:53.639 Jesus. 00:21:53.799 --> 00:21:58.960 It's not good for us to try to make a life that's only in a very isolated Christian bubble. 00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:05.579 But at the same time, our most intimate friends, the people we're really living life with, 00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:11.819 entrusting our hopes and our fears and our dreams to, should be people who like Jehu, his 00:22:11.819 --> 00:22:16.099 friends are able to call us to God and to godliness. 00:22:17.059 --> 00:22:17.980 Do you have those friends? 00:22:18.039 --> 00:22:22.779 If not, be prayerfully and proactively looking to cultivate those friendships. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:24.279 One last point on that. 00:22:24.859 --> 00:22:28.419 A few of us at Church Messiah used to be housemates together. 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:29.899 We loved God. 00:22:30.019 --> 00:22:31.399 We would spend time reading the scriptures. 00:22:32.419 --> 00:22:33.500 We're serious about our faith. 00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:39.160 And then one of the guys, I think it was Peter Mahaffey, he said, you know, although we 00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:41.240 all are serious about our faith, we never talk about it. 00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:43.339 We all love God, but we never talk about him. 00:22:43.900 --> 00:22:49.259 We're far too satisfied to talk about sports or news or this, just the more shallow stuff. 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:54.140 And he said, guys, if we're going to really be the man that God's called us to be, we need 00:22:54.140 --> 00:22:57.599 to be talking deeply about life, about God. 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:01.379 And so the first couple of weeks, and maybe it was a couple of days, I don't know, the 00:23:01.379 --> 00:23:06.240 first bit of trying to embrace Peter's exhortation felt a bit forced. 00:23:06.339 --> 00:23:07.740 It felt unnatural, at least for me. 00:23:08.539 --> 00:23:09.480 Some of you can relate. 00:23:09.539 --> 00:23:13.379 It just feels a little bit forced to try to take the conversation deep. 00:23:13.699 --> 00:23:18.980 So we'd be hanging out and someone would say, what are you guys reading the word today? 00:23:19.179 --> 00:23:21.019 Or what have you learned from the Bible recently? 00:23:21.399 --> 00:23:23.019 And it felt like it was forced. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.759 But our souls need that. 00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:31.839 And if we're forcing deep and meaningful conversation, that's actually a really precious thing. 00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:35.920 Another easy way to go deep is to say, hey, how can I be praying for you this week? 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:41.379 And it takes a conversation both deeper, more vulnerable, and also turns our attention 00:23:41.379 --> 00:23:41.960 toward God. 00:23:42.379 --> 00:23:44.160 We need to be going deep. 00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:49.279 In Hebrews 13, the author of Hebrew writes and tells us to be exhorting each other with 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:50.319 the gospel. 00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:55.700 We need to be people who are preaching the gospel to each other in our conversation. 00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:56.920 Some of you know Rich Crosby. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:01.019 He's a pastor of Grace City Church, I think it's called, in Ottawa. 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:06.740 He's someone who whenever I would chat with him about anything, he always responds to my 00:24:06.740 --> 00:24:09.340 questions with, what does the gospel say about that? 00:24:09.779 --> 00:24:12.920 What is the good news about who Jesus is and what he's done say about that? 00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:16.660 And it's constant and it's good. 00:24:17.340 --> 00:24:21.720 I want to encourage us to use Rich's words and ask each other as we're sharing stuff, 00:24:22.440 --> 00:24:23.420 having conversations. 00:24:23.560 --> 00:24:24.800 What does the gospel say about that? 00:24:24.980 --> 00:24:28.220 Try to reorient life through the good news of who Jesus is. 00:24:28.480 --> 00:24:33.039 As we do that, we will become for each other, Jehu friend type friends, which is absolutely 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:33.720 necessary. 00:24:33.720 --> 00:24:38.620 You will see that the women and men of faith throughout the Bible, throughout history, and 00:24:38.620 --> 00:24:43.940 to this day are the people who cultivate gospel-centered, godly friendships. 00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:45.220 We need that. 00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:49.180 So after you have that encounter with Jehu's friends, he braces his calling. 00:24:49.380 --> 00:24:51.700 He rides out like a madman toward the capital city. 00:24:52.039 --> 00:24:57.319 And as he's writing out, you'll see that there's certain sentences that are reoccurring. 00:24:57.319 --> 00:25:00.819 And the first of them is, this is the word of the Lord. 00:25:01.099 --> 00:25:09.379 You see that this soldier officer who drives like a madman, he knows the scriptures, that 00:25:09.379 --> 00:25:12.720 he can bring it to mind and apply it to various situations. 00:25:12.899 --> 00:25:18.659 And that's how he knows what to do with Joram regarding an innocent Naboth and his vineyard. 00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:24.500 You see that he's able to navigate life righteously because he knows the word of the Lord. 00:25:24.500 --> 00:25:29.619 And then when he messes up and says, give her a royal burial regarding Jezebel, and that's 00:25:29.619 --> 00:25:30.720 not what they were supposed to do. 00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:36.579 He's able to respond to his mistake and correct his course as he recalls to mind the word 00:25:36.579 --> 00:25:37.960 of the Lord spoken to Elijah. 00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:42.799 In Psalm 119 verse 9, the psalmist says, how can a young man keep his way pure? 00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:43.519 Pure. 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:50.759 A life that is both devoid of defilement and sin, and that's filled with the righteousness 00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:51.299 of God. 00:25:51.380 --> 00:25:52.980 How can a man keep his way pure? 00:25:52.980 --> 00:25:57.620 Or, then he answers that question by guarding his way according to your word, he says. 00:25:58.140 --> 00:26:01.140 He means by living our lives according to the Bible. 00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:05.980 And Jesus embodies this psalm when in the desert, he's facing temptation. 00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:07.799 He defeats that temptation. 00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:11.019 He resists temptation by quoting Deuteronomy. 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:14.079 He's guarding his way according to the word of the Bible. 00:26:15.019 --> 00:26:17.700 You and I need to be living our life in the same way as Jesus. 00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:21.720 In that way that if Jesus needed the strength that comes from Deuteronomy, the strength that 00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:23.400 comes from the Bible, you and I do too. 00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:28.380 And I don't know if I know enough of Deuteronomy that when I'm facing a decision, when I'm facing 00:26:28.380 --> 00:26:33.779 temptation, that I'd be able to quote Deuteronomy and do the righteous thing. 00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:36.339 I don't know that I know Deuteronomy well enough for that. 00:26:36.420 --> 00:26:36.779 Do you? 00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:38.579 Do you know Obadiah? 00:26:38.579 --> 00:26:42.919 Do you know Philemon, 3 John? 00:26:43.419 --> 00:26:49.899 Enough to be able to use that in your arsenal against temptation in a life pursuing godliness 00:26:49.899 --> 00:26:51.000 and purity. 00:26:51.539 --> 00:26:55.179 If Jesus needed these tough to read books of the Bible, so do we because we're not stronger 00:26:55.179 --> 00:26:56.379 than him and he needed that strength. 00:26:56.899 --> 00:27:01.619 I want to encourage you to be reading more than just the books of the Bible that are so 00:27:01.619 --> 00:27:02.220 easy to read. 00:27:02.279 --> 00:27:06.639 The Gospels, some of the letters, Colossians, Philippians, some of the historical books, 00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:11.259 Psalms, those are the ones that the meaning easier jumps off the page. 00:27:11.700 --> 00:27:14.600 But we should be wrestling through all the Bible. 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:20.160 A great resource Daniel Avitan introduced me to some years ago is the Bible Project. 00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:24.920 Type in any book of the Bible, Leviticus Bible Project, type that into YouTube and it will 00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:30.040 give you a six minute, well illustrated, very helpful overview of the book that's going 00:27:30.040 --> 00:27:34.920 to help you read the book in a gospel centered, meaningful way that will help you apply it to 00:27:34.920 --> 00:27:35.320 your life. 00:27:35.319 --> 00:27:36.859 It's so helpful, this resource. 00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:40.099 YouTube, type in Bible Project, any book of the Bible. 00:27:40.659 --> 00:27:45.980 We need to be people who, like Jehu, can call the scriptures to mind and live according 00:27:45.980 --> 00:27:46.319 to them. 00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:49.939 Now the next reoccurring phrase you may have noticed even more than this is the word of 00:27:49.939 --> 00:27:55.480 the Lord is this question Jehu was asked by first one messenger, then the next messenger, 00:27:55.619 --> 00:27:57.599 then the kings, and then finally Jezebel. 00:27:58.119 --> 00:28:00.339 The question is, Jehu, do you come in peace? 00:28:01.079 --> 00:28:02.339 Notice what they're not asking him. 00:28:02.339 --> 00:28:05.859 They're not saying, Jehu, would you join us in the work of darkness? 00:28:06.059 --> 00:28:10.039 Jehu, would you help us offer some children in the fires as a pagan worship? 00:28:10.119 --> 00:28:10.959 That's not what they say. 00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:13.919 They just say, Jehu, will you come in peace? 00:28:14.139 --> 00:28:16.319 Jehu, will you coexist with us? 00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:20.000 My friends, there's a lot of darkness in this world today. 00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:27.759 Peter writes in his letters that we have an enemy who is like a lion roaming around looking 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:28.700 for whom he can devour. 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:35.660 You and I have an enemy that wants to take us down, that wants to neutralize us, that 00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:40.619 wants to make our lives make no impact, that wants to make our relationship with God hollow 00:28:40.619 --> 00:28:41.400 and surface. 00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:44.599 Not only does he want to do this to us, he wants to do this to our friends. 00:28:44.599 --> 00:28:49.419 The people beside you at church or six feet apart from you at church or online, the enemy 00:28:49.419 --> 00:28:50.199 is coming after them. 00:28:50.659 --> 00:28:51.719 There's a lot of darkness. 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:52.500 It's real. 00:28:53.299 --> 00:28:59.539 The reality of human trafficking, sexual abuse, abortion, just lostness, people who are living 00:28:59.539 --> 00:29:02.179 their life apart from God. 00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:03.719 There's so much darkness. 00:29:04.439 --> 00:29:08.299 And the enemy is asking us, I think every day, will you come in peace? 00:29:08.699 --> 00:29:11.419 Will you just coexist with all this lostness and brokenness? 00:29:11.420 --> 00:29:15.019 You and I were called to be light in the darkness. 00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:17.320 Do not make peace with the darkness. 00:29:18.259 --> 00:29:19.960 Do not make peace with the darkness. 00:29:20.140 --> 00:29:24.700 Just like there was so much riding on whether or not Jehu would respond to his call or not. 00:29:25.180 --> 00:29:31.920 So you and I engaging in being salt and light in this world makes a difference or not. 00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:38.480 I want to encourage you starting today or for those of you already living this out, continuing 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:39.880 today and each day. 00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:42.559 Declare war on the darkness in the name of Jesus. 00:29:42.779 --> 00:29:43.500 How do we do this? 00:29:43.980 --> 00:29:45.599 Well, we can do this by our prayers. 00:29:45.700 --> 00:29:49.039 Just today, even before you know how to do any other being and making a difference. 00:29:49.420 --> 00:29:49.740 Pray. 00:29:50.279 --> 00:29:51.779 Our intercession makes a difference. 00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:59.779 Pick a kind of a realm of the battle and strengthen that realm through our prayers. 00:29:59.779 --> 00:30:03.519 For me, some years ago, I decided I wanted to fight against human trafficking. 00:30:03.619 --> 00:30:05.639 That was going to be part of the darkness I wanted to be a light against. 00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:07.839 And so I went and Googled, what are the charities? 00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:08.680 What are the ministries? 00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:11.500 Who are the people who are engaged in this fight? 00:30:11.980 --> 00:30:17.519 And I began praying, actively praying for them that God would strengthen and bless and 00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:18.639 resource them. 00:30:18.899 --> 00:30:20.200 I believe it makes a difference. 00:30:20.680 --> 00:30:25.519 Whatever the interests or burdens on your heart, be actively praying there. 00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:31.680 I love Ian just wrote a book, published a book, Ian at Messiah, about God and video games. 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:37.940 And what a brilliant and imaginative way to be light in the darkness and the whole global 00:30:37.940 --> 00:30:40.400 world of video games, to be shining light there. 00:30:40.819 --> 00:30:46.779 If you're passionate about video games, find who, Ian, is actively making a difference there 00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:49.720 and be praying and interceding for that work. 00:30:50.039 --> 00:30:53.960 So think of what are your areas of interest and be actively praying for the light there. 00:30:53.960 --> 00:30:55.539 We have our prayers. 00:30:55.660 --> 00:30:57.200 Second, we have some of us have money. 00:30:57.640 --> 00:31:02.059 We should be using our money to help strengthen the light in the darkness. 00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:06.240 So look at what charities and people are making a difference and give. 00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:11.140 Let's see if we can get even more of our money to resourcing being a light in the darkness. 00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:15.200 Give our time, whether it's volunteer work or there's ways through our jobs that we can 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:20.400 be engaging in Isaiah 61 verse 1 mission of God that can look like so many different areas. 00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:25.700 I know people who are truck drivers and they went and were Googling what's relevant to 00:31:25.700 --> 00:31:31.100 truck drivers and found that there's a lot of victims of human trafficking that are trafficked 00:31:31.100 --> 00:31:31.600 on the 401. 00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:37.519 And so they went and took some training and became equipped to be able to recognize where 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:38.580 there's some trafficking happening. 00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:43.500 And they were able to found a ministry that works with truck drivers to help rescue victims 00:31:43.500 --> 00:31:44.220 of human trafficking. 00:31:44.580 --> 00:31:46.820 And the same is true for flight attendants and various things. 00:31:46.819 --> 00:31:52.299 So whatever area of life you are in, be prayerfully and imaginatively looking for how you can 00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:53.159 be light in the darkness. 00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:58.460 And ultimately, regardless of all the various interests and areas of being light in the darkness, 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:04.779 we're all called to be people who are witnesses to the gospel, introducing people to Jesus. 00:32:05.399 --> 00:32:10.500 And so through our prayers, through time, through money, through relationships, let us be doing 00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:11.539 the work of evangelism. 00:32:11.659 --> 00:32:13.279 That is light in the darkness. 00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:18.680 Let us refuse to make peace with the darkness out in the world and also the darkness within. 00:32:19.099 --> 00:32:25.220 For our whole lives, we have a battle of temptation, of toxic behaviors and patterns that we crave. 00:32:25.579 --> 00:32:31.279 Engage in the fight, actively engage in the fight of putting to death those toxic behaviors 00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:34.779 and embracing the works of righteousness, the works of godliness. 00:32:35.299 --> 00:32:36.740 We cannot make peace with the darkness. 00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:40.379 Now, I heard all this being preached for the first time when I was 13 years old. 00:32:40.380 --> 00:32:46.260 It was at a youth rally of a couple thousand students on the West Coast in BC. 00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:48.900 The preacher was an MMA fighter. 00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:49.820 He has an epic voice. 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:54.860 And as he's preaching, that epic, raspy voice, he called out to all the thousands of students, 00:32:55.120 --> 00:32:56.440 I'm looking for Jehu's tonight. 00:32:56.660 --> 00:32:57.980 And everybody was standing up. 00:32:58.020 --> 00:32:58.720 I want to be Jehu. 00:32:58.800 --> 00:32:59.500 I want to be Jehu. 00:32:59.860 --> 00:33:00.980 I did not want to be Jehu. 00:33:01.100 --> 00:33:02.000 I refused to stand. 00:33:02.540 --> 00:33:03.080 Why is that? 00:33:03.079 --> 00:33:06.019 Well, just like some of you, I got bored of all he was preaching. 00:33:06.759 --> 00:33:08.139 And I flipped the page. 00:33:08.379 --> 00:33:10.359 Maybe this is some of you who got bored of all I'm speaking. 00:33:10.599 --> 00:33:11.399 He flipped the page. 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:14.720 And I read the rest of Jehu's life in 2 Kings 10. 00:33:14.859 --> 00:33:15.699 We're in 2 Kings 9. 00:33:15.819 --> 00:33:16.639 Read 2 Kings 10. 00:33:17.379 --> 00:33:20.019 And I found to my horror that Jehu is the statistic. 00:33:20.539 --> 00:33:27.480 That Jehu, this man who throws over the darkness and leads the people in this great and glorious coup 00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:32.880 in response to God's call, goes on to lead the people into other pagan practices. 00:33:33.900 --> 00:33:35.980 He finishes his life far from God. 00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:37.279 It's haunting. 00:33:37.700 --> 00:33:39.420 So while everyone else is standing, I want to be Jehu. 00:33:39.559 --> 00:33:40.079 I'm not. 00:33:40.180 --> 00:33:41.059 I don't want to be Jehu. 00:33:41.120 --> 00:33:43.339 There's enough Jehus in this world. 00:33:43.480 --> 00:33:44.720 I want to be faithful. 00:33:45.240 --> 00:33:47.960 I want to walk with God to the end of my life. 00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:49.539 I want to finish my race. 00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:50.799 Don't you? 00:33:51.940 --> 00:33:55.880 So after that experience, I spent time as a teen, 00:33:55.880 --> 00:34:02.060 reading through 2 Kings 9 and 10, trying to find what did Jehu, what was missing? 00:34:02.660 --> 00:34:06.380 And much of what I've shared with you comes from those years of just trying to read through this 00:34:06.380 --> 00:34:08.320 and find what is it. 00:34:08.760 --> 00:34:14.500 And you'll notice in 2 Kings 10, that the five principles we've looked at are in 2 Kings 10. 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:19.940 You can see that as Jehu falls away from God, that he's not spending time in that quiet place, 00:34:19.960 --> 00:34:22.460 just focused hearing God's word away from the noise. 00:34:22.780 --> 00:34:25.240 You see that the word of the Lord is no longer on his lips. 00:34:25.239 --> 00:34:32.179 His Jehu friends, his friends aren't there to call him to his true identity in God and his call. 00:34:32.839 --> 00:34:35.500 You'll see that those five principles are missing. 00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:36.799 He has made peace with the darkness. 00:34:37.239 --> 00:34:39.319 But there's one more thing on this will end. 00:34:40.899 --> 00:34:45.399 To see this, I had to go look at other Kings, Saul and David. 00:34:45.400 --> 00:34:50.019 Saul, David, you, me, all of us, Jehu, struggle with sin. 00:34:51.059 --> 00:34:56.740 You'll notice that when Saul's confronted by his Jehu's friend type friend, Samuel, with his sin, 00:34:57.260 --> 00:34:59.519 Saul's response is, don't leave me, Samuel. 00:34:59.940 --> 00:35:00.980 Samuel, stay with me. 00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:02.059 Why does he say that? 00:35:02.440 --> 00:35:06.019 Samuel validates Saul's kingship. 00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:10.539 Samuel is someone who kind of, he's a validation for Saul. 00:35:10.900 --> 00:35:12.480 And Saul loves his job. 00:35:12.840 --> 00:35:16.259 Saul loves his call to be the king, protector, defender of Israel. 00:35:16.619 --> 00:35:18.159 And he doesn't want it to be taken away. 00:35:18.340 --> 00:35:20.159 That's his response when he's confronted with sin. 00:35:20.280 --> 00:35:27.480 David pens this song, this song of confession when he's confronted by his Jehu friend type friend, Nathan. 00:35:27.480 --> 00:35:32.260 And in that Psalm, Psalm 51, he says, do not take your Holy Spirit from me. 00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:35.480 Saul says, Samuel, stay with me. 00:35:35.699 --> 00:35:37.480 David says, God, would you stay with me? 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:38.940 Look what David doesn't say. 00:35:39.039 --> 00:35:41.880 David doesn't say, God, don't take away my kingship. 00:35:41.960 --> 00:35:42.960 Don't take away my throne. 00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:44.139 Don't take away my call. 00:35:44.539 --> 00:35:47.360 He says, don't take away your spirit from me. 00:35:47.639 --> 00:35:48.980 Don't take away your presence. 00:35:51.360 --> 00:35:54.079 Saul's heart was after his call. 00:35:54.260 --> 00:35:56.119 David's heart was after the one who called him. 00:35:56.119 --> 00:36:00.619 And it looks to me that Jehu is someone who relished in his call. 00:36:01.259 --> 00:36:03.599 Shy at first, but embraced it for all that he's worth. 00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:05.719 But you don't ever see anywhere here. 00:36:06.019 --> 00:36:10.400 For all his loving the word of the Lord, you never see that he loves the Lord. 00:36:11.900 --> 00:36:14.500 I find that I can be quite like this myself. 00:36:16.299 --> 00:36:19.960 Anyone who is preaching the scriptures might be able to relate to this. 00:36:19.960 --> 00:36:24.319 I find sometimes I can see myself really drifting into loving my call more than the one who called me. 00:36:24.320 --> 00:36:30.960 When my daily Bible reading is more real sermon prep than actually is letting God speak to me for me. 00:36:32.220 --> 00:36:38.800 There's all the different ways I can see that I'm filling my life with the stuff of God, but not really treasuring God. 00:36:39.400 --> 00:36:43.780 And when that begins to be the case, it's our relationship with God that is being eroded. 00:36:43.780 --> 00:36:49.180 David writes in Psalm 63, expressing that same heartbeat we see in Psalm 51, where he says, 00:36:49.780 --> 00:36:51.840 Your steadfast love is better than life. 00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:55.160 That means God's steadfast love is better than all the stuff of life. 00:36:55.960 --> 00:36:58.720 Any of the good stuff, any of the bad temptation, anything. 00:36:59.140 --> 00:37:01.560 He's saying, God, your steadfast love is better than life. 00:37:01.559 --> 00:37:07.980 For us to be people who endure through the various seasons of life, that needs to be the anthem of our lives. 00:37:08.199 --> 00:37:10.659 Our very heartbeat to know God. 00:37:11.420 --> 00:37:17.420 And that way, when we do find ourselves sinning, and we have and we will, we don't try to do our own PR. 00:37:18.019 --> 00:37:23.400 Do we try to cover up and make sure that we still come across as good as we can. 00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:32.039 But as we're able to rest in our belovedness in God, as we're able to rest in our being holy because of what Jesus has done, not because of our own righteousness. 00:37:32.720 --> 00:37:39.860 Then when we're confronted with sin, whether it's Holy Spirit conviction or it's friends like my wife talking to me about my ego. 00:37:40.619 --> 00:37:42.059 We don't need to be defensive. 00:37:42.420 --> 00:37:45.400 We don't need to be fragile like that because we know our belovedness. 00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:51.820 And in our resting in our belovedness, resting in our holiness to God, we're able to say, you know what, you're right. 00:37:51.820 --> 00:37:54.140 And we're able to confess it to our friend. 00:37:54.220 --> 00:37:55.940 We can confess it to God in prayer. 00:37:56.500 --> 00:37:58.300 And we're able to look to him to change. 00:37:58.620 --> 00:38:04.180 I think the most frustrating thing about all of this, at least for me, is that I want to have a heart that's after God's own heart. 00:38:04.240 --> 00:38:06.200 I want to be a man of God. 00:38:06.620 --> 00:38:10.360 And yet, I don't have the strength to make it happen. 00:38:10.519 --> 00:38:13.120 I want my heart to be like David's, a heart after God's own heart. 00:38:13.200 --> 00:38:16.519 But I try and I can't ever try hard enough. 00:38:16.519 --> 00:38:23.360 My heart is so still, though I'm redeemed, so prone to wander from God. 00:38:24.259 --> 00:38:26.579 And your heart is probably like my own. 00:38:27.219 --> 00:38:28.820 And this brings us back to the gospel. 00:38:28.960 --> 00:38:33.380 This brings us back to the gift of God's presence in our lives. 00:38:33.460 --> 00:38:36.699 That we need God in order to desire God. 00:38:36.800 --> 00:38:40.119 We need God in order to receive God into our lives. 00:38:40.179 --> 00:38:41.059 We need his grace. 00:38:41.059 --> 00:38:46.320 And so here, as we wrap this up, I want to encourage you to look at these six principles I've shared with you. 00:38:46.500 --> 00:38:49.320 And to see, and there's more spiritual disciplines than this. 00:38:49.539 --> 00:38:59.599 But to look here at the cusp of a new year and see how are you doing in your cultivating a deep and personal relationship with God. 00:38:59.960 --> 00:39:03.059 How are you living out your call to be light in the darkness? 00:39:03.059 --> 00:39:13.900 And see where you might need to emphasize more time and energy to live out what it really means to cultivate a deep, personal, and vibrant walk with God. 00:39:14.299 --> 00:39:15.619 We need to be intentional about this. 00:39:15.679 --> 00:39:23.659 But more than anything, would you join me in praying that God would cultivate, that God would cultivate within us a heart that beats for him. 00:39:24.380 --> 00:39:24.880 Let's pray. 00:39:25.139 --> 00:39:29.099 Heavenly Father, I thank you for my friends at Church of Messiah. 00:39:29.099 --> 00:39:32.440 Those who I've known and walked with and those who are new and I haven't met yet. 00:39:32.440 --> 00:39:35.720 God, I pray for your blessing on every one of us. 00:39:36.320 --> 00:39:38.940 That we would know you, our God. 00:39:39.659 --> 00:39:45.720 Not just know about you, but that we would know you and that our hearts would beat to know you still more. 00:39:46.380 --> 00:39:51.380 That every one of us would be people who endure in our faith. 00:39:52.260 --> 00:39:56.760 That not only would we believe in you, but that we would follow you by your grace. 00:39:56.760 --> 00:40:02.880 Would you cultivate within us a hunger and a thirst to know you more? 00:40:03.980 --> 00:40:09.220 Would you help us to love you with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength? 00:40:09.660 --> 00:40:11.100 In Jesus' name, amen.