WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.640 And so when Kevin said I could preach on anything today, so I have a more relaxed style, so 00:00:07.640 --> 00:00:12.019 actually I hoped that I could finish in a time where we could have a question and answer time 00:00:12.019 --> 00:00:17.480 afterwards. But he said you could preach on anything today, and I said, okay, what can I 00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:23.140 preach on? Because I know we always want to be about the Word and God's Spirit and what God's 00:00:23.140 --> 00:00:29.699 doing in his life and so in people's lives. And so I thought I would just preach on this verse 00:00:29.699 --> 00:00:40.280 that I have been working on in my heart for 43 years, 43 years. So you would think that 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:47.799 God came into my life and opened my eyes to Jesus when I was 10 years old. My family were 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:54.640 not Christians. They were just, my dad was a military man. So, but Jesus came into my life 00:00:54.640 --> 00:01:01.100 and showed me God, the Holy Spirit, and just, I fell in love. And not soon afterwards, this 00:01:01.100 --> 00:01:07.040 verse, the verse that you read today, was this verse that came into my mind and to my heart, 00:01:07.219 --> 00:01:12.879 and I started to struggle with it. So I have been struggling with this for 43 years. So 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:17.439 you would think if you've done something for 43 years, you should have it perfect, right? 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:24.599 And the amazing thing about the Christian life is, is that God and the Holy Spirit always 00:01:24.599 --> 00:01:32.079 has a way of turning your life upside down and showing you different aspects of who you 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:39.200 are and how much you really need him. Because often we think we have our life all together 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:45.759 and we can do it. And so this is the passage today. So I want to share it with you and hopefully 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:52.520 you can struggle with me now for the next 43 years. So when I come back in five years, 00:01:52.600 --> 00:01:57.060 you can tell me how much I bothered you by giving you this verse to think about, which 00:01:57.060 --> 00:02:01.640 is awesome to be bothered by God's word. So I want to start with a story. A friend told 00:02:01.640 --> 00:02:10.120 me this story. He and some buddies were canoeing down a river in Northern America. The water was 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:16.520 very, very, very, very, very cold. And they were on this canoe trip in Maine. And as they were going 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:24.060 down this river, they looked up ahead and they saw this waterfall in this dam, this big dam. 00:02:26.140 --> 00:02:30.740 And most of the people left. They got out of the water because they said there's just no way, 00:02:30.860 --> 00:02:34.719 the water was freezing, there's no way they can navigate, they could do it. But one guy said, 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:41.439 I can do this. And so he went and he tried to navigate his way through the dam and he got 00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:49.159 caught in the waves of the water and he went over the waterfall. And when he went over the waterfall, 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:58.240 like my notes just did, when he went over the waterfall, he fell out of his canoe. And he fell 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:04.360 out of his canoe and the water was very, very, very, very cold, right? And the dam is like this. 00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:12.360 And at the base of the water where he fell into was this whirlpool. And this whirlpool was swirling 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:19.020 around and he's trying to fight this whirlpool because this whirlpool is trying to suck him in. 00:03:20.260 --> 00:03:25.240 And in his mind, he thinks, if I go into this whirlpool, I'm going to die. It's going to kill me. 00:03:25.340 --> 00:03:33.340 I'm going to drown. Now his friends are helpless because he's so far into the water. The water is ice 00:03:33.340 --> 00:03:38.379 cold. They can't help. They're yelling. They're screaming. They're throwing ropes. No ropes can 00:03:38.379 --> 00:03:44.199 get to him. And he's just fighting. And he about to get away from the whirlpool and then it sucks him 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:49.240 back in. And he's swimming and he's swimming. He's about to get away from the whirlpool and it sucks him 00:03:49.240 --> 00:03:59.340 back in. And the water is so cold that eventually he dies. He dies of hypothermia. And the friend said 00:03:59.340 --> 00:04:08.140 that the moment he died and his body relaxed, his body went into that whirlpool and it went under the 00:04:08.140 --> 00:04:16.160 water. And like three seconds later, the body popped up 20 yards down the river. 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:29.080 And if he was alive, he could have swam to the shore and saved himself. But he spent so much 00:04:29.080 --> 00:04:37.960 time struggling and struggling against the current that he had died. And his friends looked at this 00:04:37.959 --> 00:04:46.259 and they thought, what a tragedy. Because the thing, the whirlpool that he thought was going to kill him 00:04:46.259 --> 00:04:55.179 would have actually saved him. Because he would have gone down three seconds. He would be over here. He 00:04:55.179 --> 00:05:02.699 could climb out and he could survive. And the reason I tell you this story is because in his world, 00:05:02.699 --> 00:05:12.000 safety looked counterintuitive. The safe thing would have been to go into the hole. 00:05:13.079 --> 00:05:22.599 But in his mind, he thought that would have brought death. And that's the message of this story today. 00:05:24.339 --> 00:05:32.680 That often when we walk with God, God's going to take us to places that look at the world. 00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:38.120 That it's going to look like it's death. That it's going to look like it's very dangerous. 00:05:38.939 --> 00:05:43.340 That it looks like it's going to be impossible. It looks like there's no way that I can get out of it. 00:05:44.400 --> 00:05:50.139 And to save ourselves is going to be counterintuitive. You know, counterintuitive 00:05:50.139 --> 00:05:56.960 means the opposite of what you think is going to happen. And so many of us today in the world 00:05:56.959 --> 00:06:07.259 are going to struggle like my friend did in the cold water trying to fight God in their walk with God. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:16.979 But if they've just given up and let God take control of their life, they would be free. 00:06:16.980 --> 00:06:23.879 Does that make sense? So I ask a lot. I ask a lot of times. I'm going to ask, 00:06:23.960 --> 00:06:26.700 does that make sense? Because sometimes it doesn't make sense to me. 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:31.580 So the passage we read today is in the life of Jesus. 00:06:33.200 --> 00:06:35.860 And it's the last five days of Jesus' life. 00:06:35.860 --> 00:06:41.400 So for the last three years, Jesus and his disciples have been going around to Galilee. 00:06:41.699 --> 00:06:45.199 They've been doing amazing things. They've been feeding 5,000 people. 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:49.600 They've been healing people physically. They've been healing people spiritually. 00:06:50.740 --> 00:06:54.480 They're casting out demons. They're raising people from the dead. 00:06:54.759 --> 00:06:58.160 They're bringing people hope. They're bringing people freedom. 00:06:58.160 --> 00:07:03.460 And all of a sudden, Jesus and his followers are coming into Jerusalem for the Passover. 00:07:04.640 --> 00:07:07.980 Now, Jerusalem is a city that's normally like 20,000 people, 00:07:08.840 --> 00:07:11.940 like the size of Pokh Fulam or like Baggio Villa. 00:07:13.020 --> 00:07:18.140 But in this celebration, there's over 1 million people there. 00:07:19.260 --> 00:07:22.360 I mean, everybody comes to the temple because they want to celebrate. 00:07:23.400 --> 00:07:26.400 And Jesus is coming, and he's riding on this white donkey. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:30.659 And it's this prophecy that happened many, many hundreds of years ago 00:07:30.659 --> 00:07:33.259 about the Savior coming to Jerusalem. 00:07:34.199 --> 00:07:36.719 And all the people who have been following Jesus, 00:07:36.919 --> 00:07:39.219 they're on the road, and they're waving these branches, 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:43.060 and they're singing, Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna, 00:07:43.139 --> 00:07:47.319 which means, come save me, come quickly, I need you, come save me. 00:07:48.219 --> 00:07:52.279 Because in their mind, they think that freedom's going to happen 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:54.839 because Jesus is going to come, and he's going to bring power. 00:07:54.839 --> 00:07:57.459 And he's going to fight the Romans. 00:07:58.519 --> 00:07:59.879 And he's going to bring power. 00:08:00.779 --> 00:08:03.060 And he's going to fight the leaders, the religious leaders. 00:08:03.679 --> 00:08:05.919 And so they want this freedom that's going to happen. 00:08:06.500 --> 00:08:11.679 But the passage in the Bible says that that's not what Jesus came to do. 00:08:13.500 --> 00:08:15.799 Jesus came for one reason. 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:18.899 Jesus came to die on a cross. 00:08:18.899 --> 00:08:25.519 And we're told later on that he came to die for you and for me. 00:08:26.459 --> 00:08:31.019 And that if he didn't die, if he didn't give his life, 00:08:31.939 --> 00:08:33.679 then you and I would be lost. 00:08:34.980 --> 00:08:39.419 We would still have God's wrath, God's judgment, 00:08:39.959 --> 00:08:42.879 that we'd have to fix on our own, but we can't do that. 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:48.559 And so Jesus, all the noise, save us, save us, power, strength. 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:52.919 But what he really is going to do is he's going to save you and me by dying. 00:08:54.299 --> 00:08:55.299 Does that make sense? 00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:00.059 And so the passage says that Jesus is probably in the temple and he's teaching. 00:09:00.919 --> 00:09:03.919 And we're told that these Greek men come up to talk to Jesus. 00:09:04.939 --> 00:09:07.399 Now Greek just means anybody who's not Jewish. 00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:12.480 So these non-Jewish men come up to talk to Jesus and they go to Philip and Andrew 00:09:12.480 --> 00:09:14.340 because Philip and Andrew have Greek names. 00:09:15.299 --> 00:09:17.199 And so they said, hey, we're going to go talk to the Greek men. 00:09:17.319 --> 00:09:20.419 The Greek men are going to bring us to Jesus and Jesus is going to answer all our questions. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:23.659 We really don't know why they're there. 00:09:24.519 --> 00:09:27.840 But the interesting thing is that when Jesus hears that men are there to visit him, 00:09:28.819 --> 00:09:30.279 he answers very strangely. 00:09:31.220 --> 00:09:34.439 He doesn't say, yeah, yeah, yeah, come on in, let's do dinner. 00:09:35.079 --> 00:09:37.179 Or he doesn't say, no, no, no, I'm too busy. 00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:41.279 Or he doesn't say, yeah, yeah, put them on my schedule. 00:09:41.439 --> 00:09:43.779 Schedule them in and I'll see them Tuesday. 00:09:44.360 --> 00:09:45.939 He says something really strange. 00:09:46.019 --> 00:09:53.799 He says this, he says, the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:59.699 And what he's saying there is when he says the hour, he means the hour of his death. 00:10:00.980 --> 00:10:04.139 That the time for him has come to die. 00:10:04.139 --> 00:10:04.220 Glorified. 00:10:05.019 --> 00:10:10.439 And that word glorified there is a really, really powerful word in Greek. 00:10:11.100 --> 00:10:13.519 And it means to be made heavy. 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:15.759 To be made important. 00:10:16.379 --> 00:10:18.500 To be made of ultimate importance. 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:21.279 To be made of ultimate significance. 00:10:21.779 --> 00:10:24.019 To be made the most important thing. 00:10:24.019 --> 00:10:32.480 And so what Jesus is telling all of us is he says, hey, when I go to the cross and I die, 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:37.860 God's going to do something counterintuitive in my death. 00:10:38.980 --> 00:10:43.679 Instead of making me weak, he's going to do something awesome. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:51.639 And because he's going to do something awesome, you and I are here today at Watermark. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:57.079 Because he chose to give his life instead of keep his life. 00:10:58.099 --> 00:11:01.219 So what I want to do is I want to quickly, and I don't know how much time I have, 00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:04.399 but I want to look at the passage and I want to look at three things really quickly. 00:11:04.959 --> 00:11:06.399 I want to look at a principle. 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:08.720 I want to look at a practice. 00:11:09.379 --> 00:11:10.819 And I want to look at a promise. 00:11:11.139 --> 00:11:11.740 You got that? 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:13.779 A principle, a practice, a promise. 00:11:13.899 --> 00:11:14.360 A principle. 00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:15.519 First, a principle. 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:16.860 It's found in verse 24. 00:11:18.059 --> 00:11:21.059 So when you look at your verse 24 and you read it, 00:11:21.439 --> 00:11:26.100 whenever you see the words truly, truly, in Greek it actually means amen, amen. 00:11:27.319 --> 00:11:32.059 So usually you put amen, amen after a really important statement. 00:11:32.539 --> 00:11:35.519 Like so-and-so is going to win the World Cup. 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:36.019 Amen. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:38.240 Like really important, right? 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:40.679 But when Jesus uses amen here in the beginning, 00:11:40.959 --> 00:11:42.939 when he says amen in the beginning of the statement, 00:11:43.059 --> 00:11:44.679 what he's saying is, hey guys, listen up. 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:50.600 Because what I'm about to tell you is the most important thing you need to know. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:56.620 What I'm about to tell you as my followers is this is really important, so listen up. 00:11:57.179 --> 00:11:58.259 And so this is what he says. 00:11:58.620 --> 00:12:04.379 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. 00:12:04.379 --> 00:12:08.539 But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 00:12:08.539 --> 00:12:13.199 So Jesus uses this illustration of farming. 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:18.379 And it's like he has this piece of grain or rice in his hand. 00:12:18.379 --> 00:12:25.379 And he says, if you just keep the grain of rice in your hand and keep it here, you think you're keeping it safe. 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:27.439 But you're not really. 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:30.300 Because it just stays by itself. 00:12:30.300 --> 00:12:32.460 And it's not safe. 00:12:32.460 --> 00:12:42.480 But if you open your hand and you give your life away, that grain of rice falls into the ground. 00:12:43.340 --> 00:12:44.820 And it looks like it's going to die. 00:12:45.680 --> 00:12:47.160 But it doesn't die. 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:57.240 It produces this fruit over and over and over of more rice and more rice and more rice. 00:12:57.240 --> 00:13:01.560 And so Jesus is saying, hey, this is what's going to happen to my life. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:04.060 I could guard my life. 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:05.340 I could fight off the Romans. 00:13:05.500 --> 00:13:06.279 I could do anything. 00:13:06.519 --> 00:13:09.080 But instead, I'm going to give my life for you. 00:13:10.500 --> 00:13:16.340 So that 2,000 years later, you are the fruit of his life. 00:13:16.340 --> 00:13:24.560 But what he's also saying is we as watermark, we need to hold our life open also. 00:13:25.980 --> 00:13:31.899 And we need to be willing to give our life in anything that God gives us back to God. 00:13:33.060 --> 00:13:35.399 And that is scary. 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:38.080 And that's difficult. 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:42.379 And sometimes I struggle with that. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:45.560 Because I want to keep my life. 00:13:45.660 --> 00:13:48.020 And I want to keep control over my life. 00:13:48.820 --> 00:13:54.680 And when I look around Hong Kong, and I talk to my friends who aren't in church, 00:13:55.560 --> 00:13:59.840 they tell me things like, oh, man, you need to look out for yourself, dude. 00:14:00.560 --> 00:14:02.160 That sounds Mexican, didn't it? 00:14:04.259 --> 00:14:07.460 Whenever I try to sound Chinese, I always sound Hispanic. 00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:08.060 I'm sorry. 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:10.000 Too long in Texas. 00:14:10.700 --> 00:14:13.280 But Hong Kong, my friends say, look out for yourself. 00:14:14.180 --> 00:14:15.360 Take care of yourself. 00:14:16.160 --> 00:14:17.620 You only live once. 00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:21.600 If you don't take care of yourself, no one else is going to take care of yourself. 00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:24.860 You need to watch out because they're out for you. 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:28.740 Don't be too friendly to people because they're going to use you. 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:31.019 That's the message I hear. 00:14:31.940 --> 00:14:36.900 But the message of the Bible and the message of Jesus, 00:14:37.460 --> 00:14:40.820 and the messages he wants for us at Watermark, 00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:44.440 is that don't worry about yourself. 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:47.960 Because God will take care of you. 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:54.060 The same God who took care of Jesus will take care of you. 00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:58.620 And so there's this principle, and the principle is this. 00:14:59.879 --> 00:15:02.240 Life comes by dying. 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:06.440 Can you repeat that for me? 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:09.320 Life comes by dying. 00:15:10.899 --> 00:15:13.379 If you try to keep your life, 00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:17.279 Jesus says you're going to lose it. 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:21.559 But if you give your life to God, 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:26.240 he's going to do something awesome and something amazing in it. 00:15:26.959 --> 00:15:28.220 So that's the principle. 00:15:28.220 --> 00:15:32.480 The second thing I want us to look at is the practice. 00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:36.019 And the practice is found in verse 25. 00:15:36.820 --> 00:15:40.259 And this is a word that we get in trouble with all the time in my family. 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:42.860 And the practice basically is paraphrased, 00:15:42.980 --> 00:15:44.460 and this is what the practice says. 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:45.980 The practice says, 00:15:45.980 --> 00:15:48.620 If you love your life, 00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:51.240 and the Greek word there is suke. 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:52.960 Suke. 00:15:53.399 --> 00:15:55.399 Suke means me, 00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:56.659 my stuff, 00:15:57.220 --> 00:15:58.019 my schedule, 00:15:58.539 --> 00:15:59.220 my honor, 00:15:59.680 --> 00:16:00.420 my pride, 00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:01.620 my power, 00:16:01.960 --> 00:16:02.700 my reputation, 00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:03.960 my job, 00:16:04.340 --> 00:16:05.180 my family, 00:16:05.700 --> 00:16:07.379 my three houses in Hong Kong 00:16:07.379 --> 00:16:08.300 where I live in one, 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:09.060 I rent two. 00:16:09.420 --> 00:16:11.080 All these things, right? 00:16:11.520 --> 00:16:13.360 That's the way it used to be, right? 00:16:13.480 --> 00:16:14.480 It still is, right? 00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:16.759 So those are mine, 00:16:16.900 --> 00:16:17.280 mine. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:18.200 And Jesus says, 00:16:18.420 --> 00:16:19.580 If you love your suke, 00:16:20.580 --> 00:16:22.580 what's he say? 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:24.660 You're going to lose it. 00:16:27.080 --> 00:16:29.680 But if you hate your life, 00:16:30.700 --> 00:16:32.940 now this is a really strong word, guys, 00:16:32.980 --> 00:16:33.740 because in my family, 00:16:33.800 --> 00:16:34.940 we can't use the word hate. 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:37.180 Whenever the kids say hate to each other, 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:38.000 I hate you. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:38.640 Wow, 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:39.700 we just get in trouble, 00:16:39.700 --> 00:16:41.000 and Christina gets all angry, 00:16:41.180 --> 00:16:42.220 and when Christina gets angry, 00:16:42.340 --> 00:16:43.220 everybody gets angry, 00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:44.840 and, you know, 00:16:44.900 --> 00:16:45.220 it's just, 00:16:45.280 --> 00:16:45.840 it's not good. 00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:46.940 But what he says here is, 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:48.220 if you hate your life, 00:16:49.280 --> 00:16:50.080 if you, 00:16:50.180 --> 00:16:52.280 if you love God 00:16:52.280 --> 00:16:55.500 more than the things of the world, 00:16:57.580 --> 00:16:58.940 that if you love God 00:16:58.940 --> 00:17:01.379 more than the things of Hong Kong, 00:17:03.020 --> 00:17:04.819 that if you love God 00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:05.960 more than comfort 00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:08.620 in health, 00:17:08.619 --> 00:17:11.259 in your reputation, 00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:13.319 in your money, 00:17:14.399 --> 00:17:15.719 in the awesome schools 00:17:15.719 --> 00:17:16.899 that your kids go to, 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:19.239 in the country club memberships, 00:17:20.099 --> 00:17:21.019 that if you love God 00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:22.299 more than those things, 00:17:22.879 --> 00:17:24.199 then you're going to have 00:17:24.199 --> 00:17:24.939 this amazing, 00:17:25.299 --> 00:17:26.359 amazing life. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:28.659 Because those things 00:17:28.659 --> 00:17:30.039 in the culture of Hong Kong 00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:31.119 look so good, 00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:33.859 but in God's kingdom, 00:17:34.379 --> 00:17:36.419 they bring death. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:40.459 And so the passage says this, 00:17:40.500 --> 00:17:41.459 and I'm going to say something 00:17:41.459 --> 00:17:42.679 that's going to be very hard, 00:17:43.539 --> 00:17:44.919 and you can argue with me later, 00:17:45.059 --> 00:17:45.979 you could peeping me, 00:17:46.219 --> 00:17:46.979 criticize me, 00:17:47.019 --> 00:17:47.259 right? 00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:48.819 But you can argue with me, 00:17:48.879 --> 00:17:50.259 but this is what the passage says. 00:17:50.659 --> 00:17:51.859 The passage says, 00:17:51.979 --> 00:17:52.639 in this room, 00:17:54.219 --> 00:17:55.479 the passage says, 00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:56.220 in Hong Kong, 00:17:57.660 --> 00:17:59.339 there are only two types of people. 00:18:00.940 --> 00:18:01.700 Two types. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:03.319 They're the people 00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:05.059 who love themselfies. 00:18:07.220 --> 00:18:08.240 And they're the people 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:09.120 who love Jesus. 00:18:11.380 --> 00:18:12.299 They're the people 00:18:12.299 --> 00:18:14.180 who worship themselves. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:17.839 And they're the people 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:19.500 who worship Jesus. 00:18:20.940 --> 00:18:21.860 They're the people 00:18:21.860 --> 00:18:23.420 who try to build this kingdom 00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:24.740 so that when people look at them, 00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:25.079 they go, 00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:25.660 ah. 00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:29.099 And they're the people 00:18:29.099 --> 00:18:30.539 who give their things away. 00:18:31.220 --> 00:18:32.500 So then they look at them, 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:32.960 they go, 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:34.099 God. 00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:37.140 They're the people 00:18:37.140 --> 00:18:38.019 who live 00:18:38.019 --> 00:18:39.400 and look like Hong Kong. 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:42.480 Or it's the people 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:43.259 who live 00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:44.720 and look like Jesus. 00:18:46.940 --> 00:18:48.519 So I've got to ask you the question. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:51.980 Which one are you? 00:18:54.740 --> 00:18:56.500 Be honest. 00:18:59.059 --> 00:19:00.660 If I were to follow you around 00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:01.640 today 00:19:01.640 --> 00:19:02.700 or tomorrow 00:19:02.700 --> 00:19:03.980 or next week 00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:06.720 and I were to look at 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:07.759 how you use your time, 00:19:08.299 --> 00:19:10.299 how you treat your family, 00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:12.940 how you use your money, 00:19:13.940 --> 00:19:16.579 how you love people, 00:19:17.740 --> 00:19:20.519 how you sacrifice for others, 00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:23.519 which person 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:24.099 would I say 00:19:24.099 --> 00:19:24.700 that you are? 00:19:29.019 --> 00:19:30.279 Maybe I should ask the question, 00:19:30.359 --> 00:19:30.799 which person 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:31.539 do you want to be? 00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:34.660 Because I struggle 00:19:34.660 --> 00:19:35.379 in that area. 00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:36.920 And the interesting thing 00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:37.539 in this passage 00:19:37.539 --> 00:19:38.099 is that Jesus 00:19:38.099 --> 00:19:39.539 doesn't hide anything. 00:19:40.579 --> 00:19:40.859 You know, 00:19:40.900 --> 00:19:41.559 I was coming over 00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:42.099 on an airplane 00:19:42.099 --> 00:19:43.720 and we used our frequent flyers 00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:44.359 to come here 00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:44.779 and we thought, 00:19:44.900 --> 00:19:45.099 great, 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:46.259 we're going to come to Hong Kong, 00:19:46.339 --> 00:19:47.319 we have frequent flyers, 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:47.940 free miles. 00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:49.039 But then we tried 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:50.100 to use our free miles, 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:51.920 there were all these rules 00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:53.380 and regulations, 00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:55.740 stipulations, 00:19:56.320 --> 00:19:57.720 and some of the reading 00:19:57.720 --> 00:19:58.320 is like really, 00:19:58.400 --> 00:19:58.559 really, 00:19:58.620 --> 00:19:59.200 really small, 00:19:59.279 --> 00:19:59.500 right? 00:20:00.220 --> 00:20:01.420 And I was just thinking, 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:02.360 I get free miles. 00:20:03.539 --> 00:20:03.860 No. 00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:06.340 You have to do this, 00:20:06.420 --> 00:20:07.019 you have to do this, 00:20:07.059 --> 00:20:07.559 you have to do this, 00:20:07.580 --> 00:20:08.200 you have to do this. 00:20:08.440 --> 00:20:09.220 And the awesome thing 00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:09.920 about the gospel 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:10.519 and this passage 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:11.960 is Jesus doesn't hide anything. 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:15.079 Jesus says right away, 00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:15.420 hey, 00:20:16.400 --> 00:20:18.200 my gift of eternal life 00:20:18.200 --> 00:20:19.160 to you is free. 00:20:20.740 --> 00:20:21.640 It's this gift. 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:23.960 I gave it to you 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:24.660 on the cross. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:27.039 I love you so much, 00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:28.279 I'm an innocent man, 00:20:28.360 --> 00:20:29.160 I died for you, 00:20:29.220 --> 00:20:30.079 I give it away. 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:32.000 It's a free gift. 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:36.559 Now after we take that gift, 00:20:38.340 --> 00:20:39.160 Jesus says, 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:41.880 we start to change. 00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:45.480 Because we thought 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:47.079 of that free gift so much 00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:49.200 and we thought of 00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:50.740 how God loves us so much 00:20:50.740 --> 00:20:53.259 that we start to treat 00:20:53.259 --> 00:20:54.000 people differently. 00:20:55.740 --> 00:20:56.759 We start to love 00:20:56.759 --> 00:20:57.500 people differently. 00:20:58.759 --> 00:20:59.660 We start to take 00:20:59.660 --> 00:21:00.400 people differently. 00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:02.660 We start to take care 00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:03.420 of people differently. 00:21:04.860 --> 00:21:06.079 So the gift is free. 00:21:07.100 --> 00:21:07.960 But when you come 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:08.660 into the family, 00:21:09.660 --> 00:21:10.980 you start to act 00:21:10.980 --> 00:21:11.620 like the family. 00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:13.860 And you can see 00:21:13.860 --> 00:21:14.880 my kids up here, 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:15.880 we all start to act 00:21:15.880 --> 00:21:16.480 like each other 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.559 and they look like each other 00:21:17.559 --> 00:21:18.160 and some of us 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:18.759 are more handsome 00:21:18.759 --> 00:21:19.799 than other people. 00:21:20.100 --> 00:21:21.759 But we act the same, 00:21:21.819 --> 00:21:22.079 right? 00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:23.779 And that's what Jesus 00:21:23.779 --> 00:21:25.000 is saying in this passage. 00:21:25.720 --> 00:21:26.500 It's interesting, 00:21:26.620 --> 00:21:27.279 in verse 25, 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:27.880 he says, 00:21:28.019 --> 00:21:29.200 he who loves his life 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:30.160 loses it. 00:21:31.100 --> 00:21:32.519 He who hates his life 00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:33.140 in this world 00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:33.720 will keep it 00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:34.519 to life eternal. 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:36.519 And that word hate 00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:37.920 there in Jesus' world 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:39.400 means a comparison. 00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:42.480 So what Jesus is saying 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:43.360 is like this. 00:21:45.360 --> 00:21:46.720 I love pizza 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:48.620 and rice. 00:21:49.560 --> 00:21:51.180 I don't really like rice. 00:21:51.300 --> 00:21:52.000 Okay, so that's a bad, 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:52.820 that's a bad example. 00:21:53.220 --> 00:21:54.600 I've eaten too much rice. 00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:55.000 But let's say, 00:21:55.140 --> 00:21:56.540 I love pizza and hamburgers. 00:21:58.680 --> 00:21:59.780 Compared to my love 00:21:59.780 --> 00:22:00.400 for pizza, 00:22:01.280 --> 00:22:03.840 I hate hamburgers. 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:05.740 Ming Bai, 00:22:05.919 --> 00:22:06.439 make sense? 00:22:07.859 --> 00:22:08.480 I said, 00:22:08.639 --> 00:22:09.959 I love my wife 00:22:09.959 --> 00:22:11.779 and I love my children. 00:22:12.919 --> 00:22:14.500 But compared to my love 00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:16.099 for my wife, Christina, 00:22:16.299 --> 00:22:18.919 I hate my children. 00:22:19.859 --> 00:22:22.039 Now, I love them both, right? 00:22:23.339 --> 00:22:24.459 You got to hear me. 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:26.659 Because sometimes people hear this 00:22:26.659 --> 00:22:27.019 and they go, 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:28.079 oh, Jesus wants us 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:28.799 to hate people. 00:22:29.619 --> 00:22:30.000 No. 00:22:31.639 --> 00:22:33.059 What he's saying is, 00:22:34.119 --> 00:22:35.480 compared to your love 00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:36.919 for dim sum, 00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:40.559 you should hate 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:41.700 Diet Coke 00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:43.500 or something like that. 00:22:43.799 --> 00:22:44.539 Does that make sense? 00:22:45.220 --> 00:22:46.180 So it's a very, 00:22:46.339 --> 00:22:47.399 very powerful word. 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:49.879 What Jesus is really saying 00:22:49.879 --> 00:22:50.359 is this. 00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:53.319 When we come into his family, 00:22:54.200 --> 00:22:57.240 our love for him 00:22:57.240 --> 00:23:01.220 our love for Jesus 00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:04.240 should make everything else 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:05.200 that we used to love 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:05.819 in the world 00:23:05.819 --> 00:23:07.620 look like hate. 00:23:10.420 --> 00:23:11.480 Look like nothing. 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:14.000 So that's what happened 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:14.680 in that passage 00:23:14.680 --> 00:23:15.799 we read about Mary. 00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:18.819 Mary, 00:23:19.380 --> 00:23:20.400 Sister Martha, 00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:22.460 and Mary is there 00:23:22.460 --> 00:23:23.960 and she comes into this meeting 00:23:23.960 --> 00:23:25.079 in verse 8, 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:25.799 1 through 8, 00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:27.700 and she comes into this meeting 00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:28.639 and Mary does 00:23:28.639 --> 00:23:30.079 some very strange things. 00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:32.200 Mary comes into the meeting, 00:23:32.740 --> 00:23:33.879 she lets her hair down. 00:23:34.220 --> 00:23:35.019 You never do that. 00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:37.259 Mary comes into the meeting 00:23:37.259 --> 00:23:39.119 and she's weeping and crying 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:40.039 and showing emotion. 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:41.019 You would never do that. 00:23:41.139 --> 00:23:42.259 She's losing her dignity. 00:23:42.779 --> 00:23:44.220 She's losing face. 00:23:44.700 --> 00:23:45.579 Everything's bad. 00:23:45.639 --> 00:23:46.039 No good. 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:47.799 Mary comes into the meeting 00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:50.399 and she gives this perfume bottle. 00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:52.339 This perfume bottle 00:23:52.339 --> 00:23:55.079 was 300 denarii. 00:23:55.079 --> 00:23:56.980 Now there were not banks 00:23:56.980 --> 00:23:57.699 in Jesus' day. 00:23:57.819 --> 00:23:59.539 People lived one denarii 00:23:59.539 --> 00:24:00.480 for one day. 00:24:01.539 --> 00:24:03.579 So this thing that Mary had 00:24:03.579 --> 00:24:05.919 maybe was the most expensive thing 00:24:05.919 --> 00:24:06.720 in her house. 00:24:07.819 --> 00:24:08.819 It was something 00:24:08.819 --> 00:24:09.779 that she was guarding. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:12.179 She was protecting it. 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:14.399 She was hoping that one day 00:24:14.399 --> 00:24:15.919 if life got really difficult 00:24:15.919 --> 00:24:17.919 she would have this money 00:24:17.919 --> 00:24:18.859 to save herself. 00:24:18.859 --> 00:24:21.759 And so she comes in 00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:24.619 and she breaks this bottle 00:24:24.619 --> 00:24:28.359 and pours it all onto Jesus 00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:30.679 as a sacrifice and an offering. 00:24:31.879 --> 00:24:33.339 And everybody around her 00:24:33.339 --> 00:24:33.659 is like, 00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:34.599 what are you doing? 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:37.339 You need to take care of yourself. 00:24:38.399 --> 00:24:39.339 One day you're going to have 00:24:39.339 --> 00:24:40.099 a rainy day 00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:41.359 and you're not going to have a job 00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:42.819 and who's going to take care of you? 00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:45.439 But what Mary was saying 00:24:45.439 --> 00:24:46.200 was this. 00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:49.879 Compared to my love for Jesus, 00:24:50.779 --> 00:24:53.220 everything else 00:24:53.220 --> 00:24:55.519 looks like hate. 00:24:57.519 --> 00:24:59.079 And I can give Jesus 00:24:59.079 --> 00:25:00.319 the most important things 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:01.099 in my life 00:25:01.099 --> 00:25:03.740 because Jesus 00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:05.639 is going to take care of me. 00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:08.120 And so Mary was willing 00:25:08.120 --> 00:25:09.720 to get rid of her sacrifice, 00:25:09.860 --> 00:25:10.560 her reputation, 00:25:11.080 --> 00:25:12.340 her wealth, 00:25:12.780 --> 00:25:13.580 her security, 00:25:14.120 --> 00:25:14.620 her ego. 00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:17.220 She just laid it all out there 00:25:17.220 --> 00:25:18.520 and gave it to Jesus 00:25:18.520 --> 00:25:21.160 because she was in love with Jesus. 00:25:23.940 --> 00:25:25.600 So every time I read this passage 00:25:25.600 --> 00:25:26.600 for 43 years, 00:25:26.660 --> 00:25:27.800 I have to ask myself, 00:25:28.800 --> 00:25:32.000 do I love Jesus like that? 00:25:35.640 --> 00:25:38.480 Am I willing to just give him 00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:40.620 my ego, 00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:44.680 my reputation, 00:25:46.280 --> 00:25:49.640 my American Express card 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:51.060 that I always rely on, 00:25:51.600 --> 00:25:53.600 my kids, 00:25:55.460 --> 00:25:57.259 my pastorate? 00:25:59.040 --> 00:26:00.940 Do I love Jesus more 00:26:00.940 --> 00:26:02.280 than all those things? 00:26:02.279 --> 00:26:06.160 And the passage says 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:07.740 that as we look at 00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:09.339 what Jesus has done for us, 00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:11.339 we realize 00:26:11.339 --> 00:26:13.799 how much he loves us. 00:26:14.859 --> 00:26:16.539 And that if we build our life 00:26:16.539 --> 00:26:18.160 on anything else 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:20.420 but Jesus, 00:26:21.019 --> 00:26:23.299 we're going to get lost. 00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:26.879 We're going to fall apart. 00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:29.399 Does that make sense? 00:26:29.400 --> 00:26:29.519 Yes. 00:26:31.780 --> 00:26:33.259 You got a Dan? 00:26:33.400 --> 00:26:33.840 Yes or no? 00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:34.600 Yes, makes sense? 00:26:34.700 --> 00:26:35.420 No, it makes sense. 00:26:35.880 --> 00:26:36.140 Dan? 00:26:36.420 --> 00:26:37.259 Dan, I'm glad to see 00:26:37.259 --> 00:26:38.220 you finally married Soda. 00:26:38.759 --> 00:26:39.280 I'm glad. 00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:39.620 Yes. 00:26:45.800 --> 00:26:47.060 I grew up in the north, 00:26:47.660 --> 00:26:48.080 Montana. 00:26:50.380 --> 00:26:51.440 So if you're from Canada 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:52.240 and here we call 00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:53.540 Canada Northern Montana. 00:26:56.060 --> 00:26:56.860 Because you want to be 00:26:56.860 --> 00:26:57.580 just like Montana. 00:26:57.860 --> 00:26:58.280 Right, Millen? 00:26:59.400 --> 00:27:01.980 I remember hearing this story 00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:04.080 of this lumberjack. 00:27:05.420 --> 00:27:06.340 And he was told 00:27:06.340 --> 00:27:06.920 to go out 00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:07.540 and cut down 00:27:07.540 --> 00:27:08.500 all these trees. 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:09.680 It was about three acres 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:10.180 of trees, 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:11.060 a lot of trees. 00:27:12.080 --> 00:27:12.800 His boss said, 00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:14.160 you need to go in there 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:14.940 and you need to chop down 00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:15.800 all these trees 00:27:15.800 --> 00:27:17.019 because we're going 00:27:17.019 --> 00:27:17.820 to cut them all down 00:27:17.820 --> 00:27:18.400 and we're going to use them 00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:18.820 for lumber 00:27:18.820 --> 00:27:19.720 and then we're going 00:27:19.720 --> 00:27:20.800 to plant new trees. 00:27:21.840 --> 00:27:22.400 And so the guy 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:23.140 went out there 00:27:23.140 --> 00:27:23.820 and he's looking 00:27:23.820 --> 00:27:24.700 at all the trees 00:27:24.700 --> 00:27:26.620 and he starts to chop 00:27:26.620 --> 00:27:27.280 on one tree 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:28.920 and as he's chopping 00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:29.359 on this tree 00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:30.019 he looks up 00:27:30.019 --> 00:27:30.940 and about four trees 00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:31.920 down there's an eagle 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:34.079 and the eagle 00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:35.259 is building his nest 00:27:35.259 --> 00:27:36.839 in this tree. 00:27:38.059 --> 00:27:39.039 And the lumberjack 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:39.559 is thinking, 00:27:39.899 --> 00:27:41.059 oh, crap. 00:27:41.579 --> 00:27:42.639 Can I say crap here? 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:43.359 Okay. 00:27:43.859 --> 00:27:45.019 I get in trouble 00:27:45.019 --> 00:27:45.839 when I say crap 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:46.339 in America. 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:46.779 They're like, 00:27:46.899 --> 00:27:47.720 oh man. 00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:49.279 So the lumberjack 00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:49.960 says crap. 00:27:55.180 --> 00:27:55.700 I'm going to have 00:27:55.700 --> 00:27:56.579 to cut that tree down. 00:27:57.440 --> 00:27:58.220 And the eagle's 00:27:58.220 --> 00:27:59.059 building a nest in it. 00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:00.700 So he goes over 00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:01.299 to the tree, 00:28:01.720 --> 00:28:02.920 he takes his axe 00:28:02.920 --> 00:28:03.880 and takes the flat end 00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:04.740 and he just kind of 00:28:04.740 --> 00:28:05.720 beats it against the tree. 00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:06.640 Boom, boom, boom. 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:08.319 The eagle freaks out 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:09.200 and the eagle gets up 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.120 because the eagle's 00:28:10.120 --> 00:28:10.880 building the nest 00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:12.059 and the eagle sees 00:28:12.059 --> 00:28:12.759 the lumberjack 00:28:12.759 --> 00:28:13.960 and the eagle flies away 00:28:13.960 --> 00:28:14.819 and the eagle flies away 00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:15.480 to another tree 00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:17.559 about 20 yards away. 00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:19.059 So the lumberjack's 00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:19.720 watching that 00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:20.299 and he's like, 00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:22.279 I've got to cut 00:28:22.279 --> 00:28:23.120 that tree down too. 00:28:24.100 --> 00:28:25.039 So he goes over 00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:25.700 to that tree 00:28:25.700 --> 00:28:26.680 and he takes the axe 00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:27.180 and he hits it 00:28:27.180 --> 00:28:27.759 against the tree 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:30.140 and it shakes 00:28:30.140 --> 00:28:30.660 the bird up 00:28:30.660 --> 00:28:31.339 and the bird stops 00:28:31.339 --> 00:28:32.079 making its nest 00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:32.920 and it flies over 00:28:32.920 --> 00:28:33.620 to another tree. 00:28:35.120 --> 00:28:36.000 The eagle does this 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:36.839 four times. 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:39.360 Finally, 00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:39.839 the lumberjack 00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:40.220 goes over 00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:41.220 and he hits the fourth tree 00:28:41.220 --> 00:28:42.940 and the eagle flies away 00:28:42.940 --> 00:28:43.839 and there's a mountain 00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:46.420 and the eagle starts 00:28:46.420 --> 00:28:47.019 to build his nest 00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:47.480 in the mountain. 00:28:47.720 --> 00:28:53.140 And the story tells us 00:28:53.140 --> 00:28:56.940 that no matter what tree 00:28:56.940 --> 00:28:59.620 you build your house in, 00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:02.539 in the end, 00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:03.440 all the trees 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:04.180 are going to come down. 00:29:07.880 --> 00:29:08.640 You're going to build 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:09.960 your life on your health. 00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:12.420 You're going to build 00:29:12.420 --> 00:29:13.860 the tree of success. 00:29:13.859 --> 00:29:15.879 You're going to build 00:29:15.879 --> 00:29:17.000 a tree of popularity. 00:29:18.679 --> 00:29:19.279 You're going to build 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:20.359 a tree of reputation 00:29:20.359 --> 00:29:20.899 or money. 00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:23.319 In the end, 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:25.240 all those trees 00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:26.059 are going to fall down. 00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:29.879 And the only tree 00:29:29.879 --> 00:29:30.839 or the only thing 00:29:30.839 --> 00:29:31.619 that's going to stand 00:29:31.619 --> 00:29:33.319 is the rock. 00:29:33.319 --> 00:29:36.819 that rock 00:29:36.819 --> 00:29:37.740 is Jesus Christ. 00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:40.960 So if you build 00:29:40.960 --> 00:29:41.299 your life 00:29:41.299 --> 00:29:42.279 on anything else, 00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:44.960 if you love anything else 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:46.019 more than you love Jesus, 00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:50.240 you're going to be lost. 00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:56.660 Jesus wants us to know that 00:29:56.660 --> 00:29:59.559 so that we can love him. 00:30:02.440 --> 00:30:03.500 So there's a principle, 00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:04.819 there's a practice, 00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:05.700 hate your life, 00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:07.059 and there's a promise, 00:30:07.160 --> 00:30:08.220 and the promise is this. 00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:10.880 if you trust God, 00:30:12.039 --> 00:30:14.400 if you let that piece 00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:15.980 of rice fall to the ground, 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:19.299 if you start to look 00:30:19.299 --> 00:30:20.339 more like God 00:30:20.339 --> 00:30:21.380 instead of the things 00:30:21.380 --> 00:30:22.019 of Hong Kong, 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:25.319 if you hate the things 00:30:25.319 --> 00:30:26.259 that you used to think 00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:26.940 were awesome 00:30:26.940 --> 00:30:28.640 because now Jesus 00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:29.720 is even more beautiful, 00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:32.839 the promise is that 00:30:32.839 --> 00:30:34.640 God will never leave you, 00:30:36.120 --> 00:30:38.120 that he's always there. 00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:41.600 and that he will honor you 00:30:41.600 --> 00:30:44.559 just like he honored his son. 00:30:45.860 --> 00:30:46.799 And he's going to do 00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:47.600 something awesome 00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:50.120 in your life 00:30:50.120 --> 00:30:52.620 if you let him. 00:30:55.339 --> 00:30:56.400 Does that make sense? 00:31:02.140 --> 00:31:04.019 I was counseling a friend. 00:31:04.660 --> 00:31:05.819 One of the great privileges 00:31:05.819 --> 00:31:06.779 I have as a pastor 00:31:06.779 --> 00:31:07.940 is I get to talk to people 00:31:07.940 --> 00:31:10.019 whose lives are in trouble 00:31:10.019 --> 00:31:11.820 often. 00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:14.480 And this friend 00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:15.240 three weeks ago 00:31:15.240 --> 00:31:16.220 was talking to me 00:31:16.220 --> 00:31:17.120 and he said, 00:31:17.380 --> 00:31:19.779 I've made some choices, 00:31:20.360 --> 00:31:21.779 I've actually made 00:31:21.779 --> 00:31:22.980 some choices for God 00:31:22.980 --> 00:31:25.200 and I feel like 00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:27.140 my life is out of control. 00:31:29.059 --> 00:31:31.140 My wife is leaving me, 00:31:31.140 --> 00:31:33.200 my kids are crazy, 00:31:33.200 --> 00:31:34.180 my kids are crazy, 00:31:34.180 --> 00:31:37.700 I feel like God 00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:38.840 has abandoned me. 00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:42.880 Have you ever felt like 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:43.860 God has abandoned you? 00:31:48.860 --> 00:31:50.300 The passage says 00:31:50.300 --> 00:31:51.300 it's God's children. 00:31:51.299 --> 00:31:51.759 God has abandoned me. 00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:52.299 God has abandoned me. 00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:53.200 I feel like God 00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:53.299 is Jesus. 00:31:53.299 --> 00:31:55.419 That the only person 00:31:55.419 --> 00:31:57.200 that God has ever abandoned 00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:59.500 is Jesus. 00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:03.220 Because Jesus hung on a cross 00:32:03.220 --> 00:32:05.299 and he cried out, 00:32:05.879 --> 00:32:06.919 my God, 00:32:07.259 --> 00:32:08.240 my God, 00:32:09.019 --> 00:32:10.980 why have you forsaken me? 00:32:10.980 --> 00:32:13.640 And the message 00:32:13.640 --> 00:32:14.380 of the gospel 00:32:14.380 --> 00:32:15.720 and the message 00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:16.339 of the passage 00:32:16.339 --> 00:32:18.240 is God 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:20.180 forsook his son 00:32:20.180 --> 00:32:23.259 so that one day 00:32:23.259 --> 00:32:24.860 he would not have to 00:32:24.860 --> 00:32:27.220 forsake you. 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:32.559 There's a principle, 00:32:33.360 --> 00:32:34.860 you've got to die 00:32:34.860 --> 00:32:35.440 to live. 00:32:35.579 --> 00:32:36.980 It looks counterintuitive. 00:32:37.279 --> 00:32:38.160 When you're doing it, 00:32:38.539 --> 00:32:39.339 he's going to ask you 00:32:39.339 --> 00:32:40.319 to do these things 00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:41.059 and you're going to go, 00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:41.359 man, 00:32:41.419 --> 00:32:44.619 if I really tithe that much, 00:32:45.319 --> 00:32:46.500 if I really give up 00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:47.319 one of my houses 00:32:47.319 --> 00:32:49.139 for God's kingdom, 00:32:49.439 --> 00:32:50.839 who's going to take care of me? 00:32:51.399 --> 00:32:52.359 It's going to be death. 00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:55.980 If I really trust the Lord 00:32:55.980 --> 00:32:56.819 with my children 00:32:56.819 --> 00:32:58.579 instead of trying to guard them 00:32:58.579 --> 00:32:59.339 and manage them 00:32:59.339 --> 00:33:00.119 and do these things, 00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:01.980 what's going to happen to them? 00:33:03.299 --> 00:33:04.799 If I really speak up 00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:05.919 in my office space 00:33:05.919 --> 00:33:06.659 the next time 00:33:06.659 --> 00:33:07.740 somebody says something 00:33:07.740 --> 00:33:08.919 that just isn't right, 00:33:09.339 --> 00:33:11.419 what's going to happen to me? 00:33:13.299 --> 00:33:14.619 The passage says 00:33:14.619 --> 00:33:16.259 that God's going to take us 00:33:16.259 --> 00:33:16.919 to a place 00:33:16.919 --> 00:33:18.139 that's going to look like 00:33:18.139 --> 00:33:19.579 death, 00:33:20.319 --> 00:33:22.439 but if we trust him, 00:33:22.939 --> 00:33:24.319 he is going to do 00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:25.139 something awesome. 00:33:26.399 --> 00:33:27.539 There's a practice, 00:33:28.659 --> 00:33:29.399 hate your life, 00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:31.980 and there's a promise 00:33:31.980 --> 00:33:36.000 that God is always with you 00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:38.519 and he'll never leave you 00:33:38.519 --> 00:33:40.920 and he's going to honor you 00:33:40.920 --> 00:33:42.099 as you trust him 00:33:42.099 --> 00:33:43.740 and walk with him. 00:33:45.859 --> 00:33:46.940 We're about to enter 00:33:46.940 --> 00:33:48.500 into a time of communion 00:33:48.500 --> 00:33:51.960 and I was praying 00:33:51.960 --> 00:33:53.539 about how to end this sermon 00:33:53.539 --> 00:33:55.380 because I have no idea 00:33:55.380 --> 00:33:57.579 because I've been praying 00:33:57.579 --> 00:33:58.279 about this sermon 00:33:58.279 --> 00:33:59.420 for 43 years, 00:33:59.420 --> 00:34:03.920 but my prayer for you, 00:34:04.039 --> 00:34:04.600 Watermark, 00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:07.600 as an awesome church, 00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:15.119 I don't know what God 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:16.599 is calling you to die to. 00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:22.639 I don't know what God 00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:24.179 is calling you to hate 00:34:24.179 --> 00:34:26.699 more than you love Jesus. 00:34:28.319 --> 00:34:29.500 You know that. 00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:33.000 God's Spirit will teach you that. 00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:41.559 about 150 years 00:34:41.559 --> 00:34:42.760 after Jesus died, 00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:44.699 150 years, 00:34:45.739 --> 00:34:47.760 there was a large plague, 00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:50.059 you know, 00:34:50.139 --> 00:34:51.579 plague like a disease. 00:34:52.619 --> 00:34:54.320 The disease hit 00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:56.679 every city 00:34:56.679 --> 00:34:58.340 in the Roman Empire. 00:34:59.380 --> 00:35:00.639 You can read about it. 00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:01.659 All the historians 00:35:01.659 --> 00:35:02.460 talk about it. 00:35:02.460 --> 00:35:03.960 There is a plague 00:35:03.960 --> 00:35:05.740 and this bubonic plague 00:35:05.740 --> 00:35:06.880 or some kind of plague. 00:35:07.059 --> 00:35:08.659 It's hitting every city 00:35:08.659 --> 00:35:09.579 in the Roman Empire 00:35:09.579 --> 00:35:10.880 about 150 years 00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:11.820 after Jesus died. 00:35:13.280 --> 00:35:15.099 Thousands and thousands 00:35:15.099 --> 00:35:15.900 and thousands 00:35:15.900 --> 00:35:16.760 of people are dying. 00:35:17.820 --> 00:35:18.019 I mean, 00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:18.940 people are just leaving 00:35:18.940 --> 00:35:19.639 their family 00:35:19.639 --> 00:35:20.639 in the city 00:35:20.639 --> 00:35:21.920 to die 00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:23.139 because they are 00:35:23.139 --> 00:35:24.220 so afraid of dying 00:35:24.220 --> 00:35:24.980 they're escaping 00:35:24.980 --> 00:35:26.019 and they're running away. 00:35:27.220 --> 00:35:27.960 And so the cities 00:35:27.960 --> 00:35:29.139 are just filled 00:35:29.139 --> 00:35:30.800 with sick 00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:32.119 and dying 00:35:32.119 --> 00:35:33.000 people 00:35:33.000 --> 00:35:36.000 except for the Christians. 00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:38.639 And the Christians 00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:39.219 said, 00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:40.099 hey, 00:35:41.099 --> 00:35:42.839 Christ died for us. 00:35:44.440 --> 00:35:45.480 We don't have anything 00:35:45.480 --> 00:35:46.219 else to fear. 00:35:48.119 --> 00:35:49.500 What would it look like 00:35:49.500 --> 00:35:50.400 if we stayed 00:35:50.400 --> 00:35:52.339 and we loved 00:35:52.339 --> 00:35:52.940 these people? 00:35:52.940 --> 00:35:53.019 people? 00:35:56.220 --> 00:35:57.119 What would it look like 00:35:57.119 --> 00:35:57.760 if we stayed 00:35:57.760 --> 00:35:58.539 and we took care 00:35:58.539 --> 00:35:59.220 of these people? 00:36:01.860 --> 00:36:02.720 And so the Christians 00:36:02.720 --> 00:36:03.220 did it. 00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:05.300 And you know what? 00:36:06.179 --> 00:36:06.940 The Christians 00:36:06.940 --> 00:36:07.659 died 00:36:07.659 --> 00:36:09.720 by the thousands 00:36:09.720 --> 00:36:11.599 because they were 00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:12.500 giving their life 00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:13.460 to help their enemies 00:36:13.460 --> 00:36:15.280 and helping the relatives 00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:15.860 of their enemies 00:36:15.860 --> 00:36:16.440 and they were taking 00:36:16.440 --> 00:36:17.059 care of people 00:36:17.059 --> 00:36:18.820 and they didn't 00:36:18.820 --> 00:36:19.440 have immunity. 00:36:19.639 --> 00:36:20.619 They actually died 00:36:20.619 --> 00:36:22.440 serving what God 00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:23.400 wanted them to do. 00:36:24.599 --> 00:36:25.500 But a little while 00:36:25.500 --> 00:36:26.179 after the plague 00:36:26.179 --> 00:36:26.799 left 00:36:26.799 --> 00:36:30.119 and all the people 00:36:30.119 --> 00:36:30.599 came back 00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:31.320 into the cities, 00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:34.099 the church, 00:36:34.659 --> 00:36:35.279 which just used 00:36:35.279 --> 00:36:36.599 to be really small, 00:36:37.820 --> 00:36:38.460 exploded 00:36:38.460 --> 00:36:41.840 because all these 00:36:41.840 --> 00:36:42.639 people said, 00:36:43.099 --> 00:36:44.840 I don't know 00:36:44.840 --> 00:36:46.220 too much about Jesus, 00:36:46.960 --> 00:36:49.460 but I know love 00:36:49.460 --> 00:36:52.599 and I know 00:36:52.599 --> 00:36:52.980 when people 00:36:52.980 --> 00:36:54.059 sacrifice themselves 00:36:54.059 --> 00:36:54.860 for their enemy 00:36:54.860 --> 00:36:57.500 and I know 00:36:57.500 --> 00:36:58.099 that's what Jesus 00:36:58.099 --> 00:36:59.099 did on the cross. 00:37:00.840 --> 00:37:01.320 And so because 00:37:01.320 --> 00:37:02.019 the Christians 00:37:02.019 --> 00:37:02.840 in the early church 00:37:02.840 --> 00:37:03.240 were willing 00:37:03.240 --> 00:37:04.579 to give their life, 00:37:05.960 --> 00:37:06.900 the world 00:37:06.900 --> 00:37:07.880 was changed. 00:37:08.460 --> 00:37:11.380 I don't know 00:37:11.380 --> 00:37:11.940 what the next 00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:13.320 plague in Hong Kong 00:37:13.320 --> 00:37:13.780 is. 00:37:15.659 --> 00:37:16.440 I know that 00:37:16.440 --> 00:37:17.079 there's a lot 00:37:17.079 --> 00:37:18.039 of serious things 00:37:18.039 --> 00:37:19.139 happening in Hong Kong. 00:37:20.860 --> 00:37:21.599 I know that 00:37:21.599 --> 00:37:22.119 there are a lot 00:37:22.119 --> 00:37:23.220 of difficult decisions 00:37:23.220 --> 00:37:24.220 you have to make 00:37:24.220 --> 00:37:24.860 as a church 00:37:24.860 --> 00:37:25.760 and as individuals. 00:37:27.960 --> 00:37:29.159 But I do know 00:37:29.159 --> 00:37:30.840 that as you 00:37:30.840 --> 00:37:31.920 walk with the Lord 00:37:31.920 --> 00:37:33.960 and hold your life 00:37:33.960 --> 00:37:34.699 and your church 00:37:34.699 --> 00:37:35.860 with open hand 00:37:35.860 --> 00:37:38.159 and ask God 00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:38.920 what does it look 00:37:38.920 --> 00:37:39.359 like for me 00:37:39.359 --> 00:37:39.920 to die 00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:40.839 at my work? 00:37:41.779 --> 00:37:42.299 What does it 00:37:42.299 --> 00:37:42.799 look like for me 00:37:42.799 --> 00:37:43.440 to die 00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:44.420 in my marriage? 00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:45.619 What does it 00:37:45.619 --> 00:37:46.099 look like for me 00:37:46.099 --> 00:37:46.699 to die 00:37:46.699 --> 00:37:47.579 in my friends? 00:37:47.859 --> 00:37:48.119 What does it 00:37:48.119 --> 00:37:48.500 look like for me 00:37:48.500 --> 00:37:48.960 to die 00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:49.879 in my sports club? 00:37:50.259 --> 00:37:50.539 What does it 00:37:50.539 --> 00:37:51.039 look like for me 00:37:51.039 --> 00:37:51.799 to serve 00:37:51.799 --> 00:37:53.039 people 00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:54.119 who I don't 00:37:54.119 --> 00:37:54.519 like? 00:37:56.519 --> 00:37:57.319 The passage 00:37:57.319 --> 00:37:58.359 says that 00:37:58.359 --> 00:37:59.500 as you do 00:37:59.500 --> 00:37:59.920 that 00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:02.000 God will 00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:02.699 honor that 00:38:02.699 --> 00:38:07.259 and he will take that little bit of sacrifice 00:38:07.259 --> 00:38:11.179 and do something awesome for his kingdom.