WEBVTT 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:08.279 Good morning. Happy New Year. Good to be here with you today. If you don't know me, my name is Eric. 00:00:09.160 --> 00:00:14.980 I'm one of the guys here on staff at Watermark Church, and it's great to see all of you in this year of the dog. 00:00:15.419 --> 00:00:22.500 I want to start out today with a story. It's not an amazing story. It's actually a pretty boring story, 00:00:22.580 --> 00:00:24.420 but there's a reason I'm going to tell you this story. 00:00:24.420 --> 00:00:30.100 It was a little over a year ago. I was at a wedding banquet here in Hong Kong. 00:00:30.720 --> 00:00:35.340 The party was going well, and the groom walks up to me, and he says, 00:00:35.420 --> 00:00:39.040 Hey, Eric, I need your help. We're running out of wine. 00:00:40.900 --> 00:00:43.460 So I called all the waiters together, and I said, 00:00:43.540 --> 00:00:48.420 Hey, we need you to fill up some buckets with water, and then we're going to do something really special. 00:00:49.079 --> 00:00:51.540 It's not what I did. I grabbed a friend. 00:00:51.539 --> 00:00:54.280 We ran across the street to the grocery store. 00:00:54.979 --> 00:01:01.840 We picked up 24 more bottles of wine, got some boxes to carry them back, put it on my credit card, 00:01:02.439 --> 00:01:05.280 came back, and the party kept going. Very unspectacular. 00:01:06.939 --> 00:01:10.319 But I tell you that story to introduce the story of Jesus today, 00:01:10.379 --> 00:01:15.319 because I think sometimes we can miss how unspectacular the setting of this story is. 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:21.459 It's a wedding. The fate of the universe does not really hang in the balance in this moment, 00:01:21.459 --> 00:01:27.280 and yet Jesus steps in and does something super incredible in this moment, 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:29.280 and I want us to catch that today. 00:01:30.039 --> 00:01:33.899 So like Kevin said, the past few weeks we've been looking at who is this man. 00:01:33.979 --> 00:01:34.899 We've been looking at Jesus. 00:01:35.839 --> 00:01:42.399 We've seen that he is the one who gives the second birth, 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:44.680 the birth in the Spirit, and offers us life. 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:48.300 We've seen that he is a healer who offers us a new way to live. 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:56.260 And today, we're going to see that he offers us more than anything and anyone else. 00:01:56.260 --> 00:02:01.280 That he offers us satisfaction that our souls crave for. 00:02:01.460 --> 00:02:06.380 That he is the Lord who wants to give us the abundant life in all of life, 00:02:06.620 --> 00:02:09.620 from the trivial moments to the most important ones. 00:02:09.620 --> 00:02:14.659 And to get there, we're going to see a problem, a solution, and a challenging truth. 00:02:15.539 --> 00:02:17.379 But before we jump in, let's pray. 00:02:18.360 --> 00:02:23.060 Father, we thank you for today, for this time together to look at your word, to learn about you. 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:27.920 We pray that as we come together today, that we would see Jesus, 00:02:28.060 --> 00:02:30.620 that we would see his beauty, and that we would fall in love with you, 00:02:30.780 --> 00:02:33.759 and recognize you as the one who truly satisfies, 00:02:34.040 --> 00:02:36.379 who truly gives us what our souls are longing for. 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:38.700 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:02:39.620 --> 00:02:43.140 So this passage starts out with a problem. 00:02:44.480 --> 00:02:45.439 A little context. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:48.800 In the book of John, John has just finished introducing Jesus, 00:02:49.020 --> 00:02:50.560 telling us a little about who he is. 00:02:51.060 --> 00:02:54.280 Jesus has called his first five disciples, 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:59.000 and he is now back near the area where he grew up. 00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:05.719 And he goes to a wedding, and he gets to bring his disciples with him to this wedding. 00:03:05.819 --> 00:03:10.060 He gets a plus five or so, which I think is pretty special. 00:03:10.180 --> 00:03:11.620 I've never gotten a plus five at a wedding. 00:03:13.099 --> 00:03:16.699 And a little background on the context of this wedding, 00:03:16.780 --> 00:03:21.580 because in verse three, John says something that sounds pretty everyday, 00:03:21.580 --> 00:03:23.900 when the wine ran out. 00:03:23.960 --> 00:03:26.180 It sounds pretty trivial, pretty commonplace. 00:03:26.680 --> 00:03:29.640 To help us understand the significance of this comment, 00:03:29.720 --> 00:03:34.680 I think we need a little more background on Jewish weddings 2,000 years ago. 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:38.420 In a lot of ways, they were very similar to Hong Kong weddings. 00:03:39.379 --> 00:03:44.260 It was a chance to throw a huge party and invite all your friends and extended family, 00:03:44.340 --> 00:03:45.280 a massive celebration, 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:49.120 and it was a chance for you to show off your generosity and wealth. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:53.000 Like in Hong Kong, the groom was expected to pay for everything. 00:03:54.200 --> 00:03:59.539 And also like in Hong Kong, there was a lot of honor and shame to be gained or lost, 00:03:59.740 --> 00:04:02.219 depending on how good or bad of a celebration it was. 00:04:03.319 --> 00:04:08.040 But in some ways, it was a much bigger celebration than your normal Hong Kong wedding. 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:11.960 See, these celebrations could last up to a week, 00:04:12.599 --> 00:04:16.579 which means you need a little bit more food than you do for a Hong Kong wedding, 00:04:16.579 --> 00:04:20.519 although I think the average Hong Kong wedding probably has about three days worth of food. 00:04:20.979 --> 00:04:24.800 So you probably don't need too much more, but a little bit more. 00:04:25.579 --> 00:04:28.740 And the stakes were higher in these weddings. 00:04:29.379 --> 00:04:34.319 So it's possible that if the wedding ran out of food or wine early, 00:04:35.479 --> 00:04:39.599 the bride's family could sue the groom for bringing shame on them. 00:04:40.599 --> 00:04:44.180 And it could become this legal dilemma for the groom 00:04:44.180 --> 00:04:46.219 if he did not plan or prepare adequately. 00:04:46.220 --> 00:04:49.180 To run out of wine in a wedding was a huge deal. 00:04:49.400 --> 00:04:52.700 You made sure that you planned enough in advance that you didn't let it happen 00:04:52.700 --> 00:04:54.780 because there was not a grocery store across the street 00:04:54.780 --> 00:04:56.660 where you could send your groomsmen with a credit card. 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:00.420 And so when he says, when the wine ran out, 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:04.080 it sounds like a fairly commonplace, not a big deal thing, but it was. 00:05:04.900 --> 00:05:05.940 It was rare. 00:05:06.200 --> 00:05:07.020 It was shameful. 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:11.040 It meant that the groom was either poor or worse, 00:05:11.420 --> 00:05:14.920 too stingy to provide adequately for his own wedding celebration. 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:20.460 And it tells us that Mary, Jesus' mother, somehow learns about this dilemma, 00:05:20.960 --> 00:05:24.660 comes to Jesus, and tells him they have no wine. 00:05:25.540 --> 00:05:29.020 Now, John later tells us that this was Jesus' first miracle. 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:33.000 So my assumption is Mary is not expecting Jesus to do what he did. 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:37.199 She is not thinking, ah, if I tell him he's going to find some water, 00:05:37.319 --> 00:05:39.100 turn it into wine, party's going to be all set. 00:05:40.180 --> 00:05:41.660 No, she's his mom. 00:05:41.779 --> 00:05:43.579 She probably knows he's a good problem solver. 00:05:44.019 --> 00:05:44.980 I mean, he's God. 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:46.540 He's got to be a good problem solver, right? 00:05:47.339 --> 00:05:48.740 And she's just thinking, 00:05:49.180 --> 00:05:52.360 how can I avoid this awkward social situation? 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:56.300 I know a guy who's really good at solving problems, my son Jesus. 00:05:56.300 --> 00:06:00.960 She just wants to avoid social awkwardness. 00:06:01.259 --> 00:06:06.520 She wants some help with what she sees as a trivial situation. 00:06:07.180 --> 00:06:12.860 But Jesus hears her comment, and he sees something way deeper going on here. 00:06:12.860 --> 00:06:18.879 See, he knows that he is the Messiah, 00:06:19.780 --> 00:06:22.420 the Savior that God has promised, 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:27.500 who's coming to save and rescue the world and bring God's kingdom to earth. 00:06:28.420 --> 00:06:29.980 And he's read the Old Testament, 00:06:30.139 --> 00:06:34.300 and he knows that when the Old Testament talks about God's kingdom, 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:37.780 imagery of abundant wine is everywhere. 00:06:38.620 --> 00:06:41.699 If you look at Isaiah chapter 25, verse 6, 00:06:41.699 --> 00:06:42.620 it says, 00:06:42.939 --> 00:06:46.920 On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of rich food, 00:06:47.219 --> 00:06:49.459 a feast of well-aged wine. 00:06:50.279 --> 00:06:53.300 If you look at the prophets Joel and Amos, 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:56.759 they talk about how the mountains during this time will drip sweet wine. 00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.439 And then in the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament, 00:07:00.740 --> 00:07:04.360 this imagery just gets blown up to epic proportions. 00:07:05.060 --> 00:07:09.519 There's this Jewish writing from between the Old Testament and the New Testament, 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:11.060 and they say in this writing, 00:07:11.060 --> 00:07:12.860 when God's kingdom comes, 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:15.879 on each vine, there will be a thousand branches. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:20.199 And on each branch, it will produce a thousand clusters. 00:07:21.139 --> 00:07:22.920 And guess how many grapes will be on each cluster? 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:24.639 A thousand. 00:07:25.300 --> 00:07:30.100 And each grape will produce over 35 gallons of wine. 00:07:30.100 --> 00:07:35.700 So if you're a math person, that's 35 billion gallons of wine per vine. 00:07:36.960 --> 00:07:40.040 Probably a slight exaggeration, but you get the image. 00:07:40.280 --> 00:07:44.420 God's kingdom is a kingdom of abundant wine, an abundant celebration. 00:07:44.600 --> 00:07:46.000 And Jesus knows this. 00:07:46.080 --> 00:07:49.080 He sees this opportunity to provide wine at this party 00:07:49.080 --> 00:07:53.379 as a way of giving a glimpse into the work that he's going to do 00:07:53.379 --> 00:07:56.080 and a foretaste of what he's going to accomplish. 00:07:56.079 --> 00:08:00.579 So Mary comes looking for a boost to the party, 00:08:01.259 --> 00:08:03.859 looking to avoid an awkward social situation, 00:08:04.199 --> 00:08:08.399 and Jesus sees an opportunity to display his glory. 00:08:08.539 --> 00:08:13.039 He sees spiritual meaning of cosmic importance in the midst of the mundane. 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:18.700 And I think that is why he answers the way that he does in verse 4. 00:08:19.620 --> 00:08:20.480 Jesus said to her, 00:08:20.860 --> 00:08:23.180 Woman, what does this have to do with me? 00:08:23.319 --> 00:08:24.620 My hour has not yet come. 00:08:25.300 --> 00:08:26.160 Quick side note, 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:31.340 woman is not as offensive of a way to respond to your mother in that culture 00:08:31.340 --> 00:08:32.180 as it is in ours. 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:36.159 It was actually a quite respectful term, 00:08:36.460 --> 00:08:38.600 but not really one you would use for your mom. 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:41.680 It would kind of be like me calling my mom Mrs. Scott. 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:43.059 It's not, it's respectful, 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:46.259 but it's not really a way a son talks to his mother, right? 00:08:46.359 --> 00:08:48.639 And I think what Jesus is doing here 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:52.500 is Mary has become comfortable around Jesus. 00:08:53.059 --> 00:08:55.739 And Mary has this expectation that Jesus is there 00:08:55.739 --> 00:08:58.459 to fulfill her desires and make her life easier. 00:08:58.579 --> 00:08:59.379 And Jesus is saying, 00:08:59.500 --> 00:09:00.839 No, that's not how you come to me, 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:01.899 even if you're my mother. 00:09:02.599 --> 00:09:03.839 If you're coming to me, 00:09:04.179 --> 00:09:06.519 you have to fit your life into my plans, 00:09:06.599 --> 00:09:07.479 not the other way around. 00:09:08.419 --> 00:09:10.359 And that's true for all of us here today. 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:12.560 It's a challenge to us that when we come to Jesus, 00:09:12.680 --> 00:09:14.500 he's not there to make our lives easier. 00:09:14.659 --> 00:09:18.060 He's there for us to fit our lives into his plan. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:20.139 And that's just something to keep in mind 00:09:20.139 --> 00:09:22.840 if anyone ever tells you that we should be praying to Mary. 00:09:23.680 --> 00:09:25.019 Now back to Jesus' comment. 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:25.399 He says, 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:26.779 What does this have to do with me? 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:28.620 My hour has not yet come. 00:09:29.060 --> 00:09:30.259 Now in the book of John, 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:32.539 when Jesus mentions his hour, 00:09:32.659 --> 00:09:33.919 does anyone know what he's talking about? 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:37.500 It's the cross. 00:09:37.699 --> 00:09:38.899 Every time, always. 00:09:39.639 --> 00:09:42.339 Jesus' hour is referring to the cross. 00:09:42.699 --> 00:09:44.539 So Mary comes and says, 00:09:44.679 --> 00:09:46.559 Hey, the party needs more wine. 00:09:46.819 --> 00:09:47.959 And Jesus is like, 00:09:48.179 --> 00:09:50.659 It's not time for me to die. 00:09:52.219 --> 00:09:54.620 It seems like an odd response. 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:58.399 But why is Jesus focused so quickly on the cross 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:01.139 when he realizes that the party is out of wine? 00:10:02.740 --> 00:10:04.639 It's because Jesus is the one 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:06.919 who's bringing this kingdom of abundant wine. 00:10:07.019 --> 00:10:08.539 But because of our sin, 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:10.879 that kingdom has to be purchased at a price. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:14.980 He knows that if he gives a glimpse 00:10:14.980 --> 00:10:16.819 into the kingdom that he's going to bring, 00:10:17.019 --> 00:10:19.319 he can't do it without thinking of the price 00:10:19.319 --> 00:10:21.480 that it's going to cost him to bring that kingdom. 00:10:21.480 --> 00:10:23.980 And that price will be the cross. 00:10:26.379 --> 00:10:28.740 There's deep, spiritual, loaded meaning 00:10:28.740 --> 00:10:29.820 in Jesus' response. 00:10:30.220 --> 00:10:32.379 And I think this went right over Mary's head. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:35.120 Because rather than recognizing 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:37.720 all of this deep, spiritual, cosmic meaning 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:38.700 in Jesus' words, 00:10:38.980 --> 00:10:40.420 she simply turns to the servants 00:10:40.420 --> 00:10:41.860 and says in verse 5, 00:10:42.500 --> 00:10:43.519 Do whatever he tells you. 00:10:44.060 --> 00:10:45.159 Which is good advice. 00:10:47.100 --> 00:10:48.620 And that brings us to 00:10:48.620 --> 00:10:50.680 the solution to the problem. 00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:52.639 It tells us here, 00:10:52.800 --> 00:10:54.659 there were six stone water jars 00:10:54.659 --> 00:10:56.480 for the Jewish rites of purification, 00:10:56.879 --> 00:10:59.259 each holding 20 or 30 gallons. 00:10:59.680 --> 00:11:01.759 Now, notice what these jars are holding. 00:11:02.460 --> 00:11:02.920 It's water. 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:05.300 And if you look through the book of John, 00:11:05.420 --> 00:11:07.960 water shows up again and again and again. 00:11:08.420 --> 00:11:09.519 So a couple weeks ago, 00:11:09.940 --> 00:11:13.039 Kevin talked about Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, 00:11:13.259 --> 00:11:14.159 where Jesus says, 00:11:14.300 --> 00:11:17.899 you have to be born of water and the Spirit. 00:11:17.899 --> 00:11:20.559 And in John chapter 1, 00:11:20.939 --> 00:11:24.759 John comes baptizing in water. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:26.179 In John chapter 4, 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:28.279 Jesus has a conversation with a woman at the well 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:31.159 where he asks her to give him some water. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:32.579 Water is all over the place. 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:34.379 It shows up many more times as well. 00:11:34.819 --> 00:11:35.980 And if you look through, 00:11:36.360 --> 00:11:38.840 every time water shows up in the book of John, 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:40.379 you notice a theme. 00:11:41.659 --> 00:11:44.079 Water in and of itself is never a bad thing. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:47.220 But it's also never quite enough 00:11:47.220 --> 00:11:49.280 to get you what you really want or need. 00:11:50.280 --> 00:11:52.259 So when Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, 00:11:52.340 --> 00:11:54.000 being born of water isn't a bad thing, 00:11:54.560 --> 00:11:55.780 but you need something more. 00:11:56.100 --> 00:11:57.500 You need to be born again. 00:11:58.560 --> 00:12:01.379 When John comes baptizing in water in John chapter 1, 00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:02.660 he's baptizing in water. 00:12:02.860 --> 00:12:03.220 Why? 00:12:03.920 --> 00:12:05.420 So that he can point to the one 00:12:05.420 --> 00:12:07.360 who's going to baptize in the Spirit. 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:10.000 When Jesus comes to the woman at the well 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:12.060 in John chapter 4 and asks her for water, 00:12:12.059 --> 00:12:14.539 he ends up rebuking her 00:12:14.539 --> 00:12:16.139 because he says there's something more that you need. 00:12:16.239 --> 00:12:18.859 There's a living water that will satisfy you 00:12:18.859 --> 00:12:20.339 and quench your thirst forever. 00:12:20.479 --> 00:12:21.639 And you should have asked me for that. 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:24.059 The water in and of itself isn't a bad thing, 00:12:24.179 --> 00:12:27.459 but you need something more every single time 00:12:27.459 --> 00:12:29.279 because the water itself is not enough. 00:12:29.979 --> 00:12:31.379 And it's the same at this party. 00:12:31.479 --> 00:12:32.839 The water is not a bad thing, 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:35.679 but what the party needs isn't the water in the jars, 00:12:36.119 --> 00:12:36.619 but wine. 00:12:37.659 --> 00:12:41.299 And why does the party not need the water anymore? 00:12:41.299 --> 00:12:44.519 Well, it has to do with why the water is there 00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:45.279 in the first place. 00:12:45.359 --> 00:12:47.199 It says it's there for ceremonial cleaning. 00:12:47.719 --> 00:12:48.699 A little bit of background. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:51.500 In the Old Testament, God has the Israelites. 00:12:51.719 --> 00:12:52.699 They're his chosen people. 00:12:52.859 --> 00:12:54.219 They've got promised blessings. 00:12:54.379 --> 00:12:55.500 They're supposed to obey God. 00:12:55.839 --> 00:12:56.719 And they fail. 00:12:57.599 --> 00:13:00.479 Again and again and again. 00:13:00.740 --> 00:13:03.399 And eventually, they get sent into exile 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:05.459 as a punishment for their failure. 00:13:06.539 --> 00:13:09.500 After 70 years, God sends them back into their own land 00:13:09.500 --> 00:13:12.720 and they realize, hmm, when we disobey, 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:14.259 things don't go too well. 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:16.820 So let's obey from now on. 00:13:17.860 --> 00:13:21.740 And they realized that if you took all of the commands 00:13:21.740 --> 00:13:23.200 that God gives in the Old Testament, 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:26.639 you could create extra commands 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:30.019 to keep you from accidentally breaking any of God's commands. 00:13:30.019 --> 00:13:34.799 And so one Jewish teacher realized, 00:13:35.259 --> 00:13:36.899 you know, if we just have water 00:13:36.899 --> 00:13:40.779 and wipe our hands off with it before meals, 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:43.259 that can keep us from accidentally breaking 00:13:43.259 --> 00:13:45.439 these other laws that God has given us. 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:48.460 So it's not something that God explicitly commanded, 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:51.740 but the Jews practiced it in Jesus' day 00:13:51.740 --> 00:13:54.279 to help them be more obedient to the other laws 00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:55.199 that God did give. 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:58.360 And so they have these jars at this party 00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:00.020 to help them wash, 00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:03.879 to help them avoid accidentally breaking God's commands. 00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:07.440 But here's the thing. 00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:10.900 The water can't do that. 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:13.840 The water symbolizes purity, 00:14:14.280 --> 00:14:14.820 but guess what? 00:14:15.220 --> 00:14:17.900 At this party is the one who is full, 00:14:18.460 --> 00:14:19.180 who is pure. 00:14:19.800 --> 00:14:23.520 The water symbolizes cleaning from things that defile us, 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:25.860 but Jesus is at this party 00:14:25.860 --> 00:14:27.059 and he's the one who's going to bring 00:14:27.059 --> 00:14:29.779 the ultimate cleansing from everything that defiles us. 00:14:30.019 --> 00:14:32.399 The people at this party have the water 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:34.079 to help them fulfill God's law, 00:14:34.179 --> 00:14:35.939 but at the party is the man 00:14:35.939 --> 00:14:39.179 who is the fulfillment of God's law. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:42.220 So the water in and of itself isn't a bad thing, 00:14:42.299 --> 00:14:45.039 but it can never achieve the cleansing that it symbolizes. 00:14:45.220 --> 00:14:46.659 It's just not enough. 00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:50.279 So where have the Old Testament religious systems 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:50.960 gotten this party? 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:53.680 Out of wine? 00:14:54.780 --> 00:14:56.600 In danger of being shut down early? 00:14:57.720 --> 00:15:00.220 Basically, their reliance on tradition 00:15:00.220 --> 00:15:03.379 and their own obedience to achieve blessing 00:15:03.379 --> 00:15:07.160 can never give them what their hearts truly desire. 00:15:08.580 --> 00:15:11.160 And I think if we look around this room today, 00:15:11.300 --> 00:15:14.019 most of us don't try to follow 00:15:14.019 --> 00:15:15.500 Old Testament religious systems 00:15:15.500 --> 00:15:17.240 as a way of achieving blessing in our lives. 00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:20.460 But we do turn to other things. 00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:23.360 For many of us, it's our jobs. 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:26.259 We believe that if I can work hard enough 00:15:26.259 --> 00:15:27.560 and if I can do well enough, 00:15:27.700 --> 00:15:29.940 my job will give me the meaning and the purpose 00:15:29.940 --> 00:15:31.460 and the fulfillment in my life 00:15:31.460 --> 00:15:33.639 that I truly crave and desire. 00:15:33.860 --> 00:15:35.720 And so we pour ourselves into our jobs 00:15:35.720 --> 00:15:37.379 and we work insane hours 00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:40.879 so we can get what our hearts desire. 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:45.439 Maybe for some of us, it's relationships. 00:15:45.620 --> 00:15:48.580 We believe that you're nobody until somebody loves you. 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:52.960 And so we pursue relationship after relationship 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:55.720 because we believe that my identity 00:15:55.720 --> 00:15:58.159 and my fulfillment in life, 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:01.879 that the abundant life comes from having someone to love. 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:04.200 and we end up cutting corners 00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:05.799 and dating people we know we shouldn't date 00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:08.419 and sticking around in relationships 00:16:08.419 --> 00:16:09.639 long after it's clear 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:11.799 that this is not a healthy place for us to be 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:14.080 because we believe that that's the path 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:15.139 to the abundant life. 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:18.559 For some of us, it's social media. 00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:21.779 If I can get enough likes on this post 00:16:21.779 --> 00:16:23.240 and it's going to prove that I'm somebody. 00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:27.799 And so we custom build this image of ourselves 00:16:27.799 --> 00:16:29.940 that has nothing to do with our real lives 00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:32.380 and put it online 00:16:32.380 --> 00:16:35.860 because we are chasing those clicks and those likes. 00:16:36.060 --> 00:16:37.580 And the more clicks we get, 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:39.920 the more we feel like I've made it 00:16:39.920 --> 00:16:43.360 because we believe that getting likes 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:45.580 is more important to true abundant life 00:16:45.580 --> 00:16:46.640 than being truly known. 00:16:49.940 --> 00:16:51.180 We're just like the Israelites. 00:16:51.380 --> 00:16:52.460 We have our own systems. 00:16:53.020 --> 00:16:55.320 We believe that these things that we can achieve 00:16:55.320 --> 00:16:57.180 are going to fulfill us 00:16:57.180 --> 00:16:58.960 but just like the Old Testament law 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:02.460 couldn't bring what their hearts truly desired, 00:17:03.100 --> 00:17:04.740 none of the things other than Jesus 00:17:04.740 --> 00:17:06.180 that we rely on in life 00:17:06.180 --> 00:17:08.340 are ever going to truly satisfy us. 00:17:08.840 --> 00:17:11.180 Instead of giving us the abundant life 00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:11.980 that we long for, 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:13.579 what do they give us? 00:17:14.420 --> 00:17:15.500 They give us stress 00:17:15.500 --> 00:17:18.500 because who am I going to be 00:17:18.500 --> 00:17:19.680 if I lose my job? 00:17:21.860 --> 00:17:24.039 They give us anxiety. 00:17:25.180 --> 00:17:26.220 What is it about me 00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:27.940 that makes nobody want to date me? 00:17:29.620 --> 00:17:31.079 They give us fear. 00:17:31.220 --> 00:17:34.279 Why hasn't anybody clicked like on my picture yet? 00:17:34.339 --> 00:17:35.460 Does everyone hate me? 00:17:37.860 --> 00:17:40.420 The things we long for 00:17:40.420 --> 00:17:43.400 cannot be achieved through our efforts. 00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:44.339 It's only in Jesus 00:17:44.339 --> 00:17:45.640 that we can find the security, 00:17:45.799 --> 00:17:46.259 the stability, 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:48.039 and the freedom that our souls crave. 00:17:48.200 --> 00:17:50.160 He is the only source 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:51.480 of the truly abundant life. 00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:54.039 And he demonstrates this at the party. 00:17:54.039 --> 00:17:56.240 He tells the servants, 00:17:56.659 --> 00:17:58.000 fill the jars up with water. 00:17:58.299 --> 00:18:00.279 Symbolically showing that he is the one 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:01.940 who fulfills completely 00:18:01.940 --> 00:18:03.220 the Old Testament law. 00:18:03.299 --> 00:18:04.420 But he doesn't just fill them 00:18:04.420 --> 00:18:05.159 and leave them full. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:07.440 He has them fill the jars 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:09.599 and then pull wine from them. 00:18:10.819 --> 00:18:12.139 It's almost like he's saying, 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:13.639 by fulfilling the law, 00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:15.899 I'm inaugurating the new age 00:18:15.899 --> 00:18:16.599 of God's kingdom, 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:18.420 the kingdom of the abundant wine 00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:19.859 right here, right now. 00:18:19.859 --> 00:18:21.419 The water of the law, 00:18:21.539 --> 00:18:22.159 it's not bad, 00:18:22.659 --> 00:18:23.779 but it can never get you 00:18:23.779 --> 00:18:25.039 what you're longing for. 00:18:25.179 --> 00:18:25.919 But my kingdom 00:18:25.919 --> 00:18:27.500 will bring you satisfaction. 00:18:28.659 --> 00:18:30.639 The other things you long for, 00:18:30.740 --> 00:18:31.599 you cling to, 00:18:31.699 --> 00:18:32.759 to get you that life 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:34.479 can never satisfy you. 00:18:35.379 --> 00:18:36.679 Only I can. 00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:40.539 So he has them draw the water, 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:42.559 bring it to the master of the feast, 00:18:42.679 --> 00:18:44.079 and that brings us to 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:45.799 a challenging truth. 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:48.319 The master of the feast, 00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:49.700 he tastes the wine, 00:18:50.099 --> 00:18:52.220 and he realizes this is delicious. 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:54.139 So he calls the groom over 00:18:54.139 --> 00:18:54.980 and he says to him, 00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:56.899 everyone serves good wine first, 00:18:57.000 --> 00:18:58.159 and when people have drunk freely, 00:18:58.460 --> 00:18:59.339 then the poor wine. 00:18:59.619 --> 00:19:01.259 But you have kept the good wine 00:19:01.259 --> 00:19:02.779 until now. 00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:06.299 Notice what he's saying here. 00:19:08.059 --> 00:19:09.619 Not only had the party 00:19:09.619 --> 00:19:10.379 run out of wine, 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:12.480 not only was the party 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:15.159 in danger of being shut down 00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:16.200 because this groom 00:19:16.200 --> 00:19:17.800 hadn't adequately prepared. 00:19:19.300 --> 00:19:21.300 But the wine they were relying on 00:19:21.300 --> 00:19:22.560 to fuel their enjoyment 00:19:22.560 --> 00:19:23.560 up to this point 00:19:23.560 --> 00:19:25.640 was nothing compared 00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:26.920 to what Jesus offered them. 00:19:28.360 --> 00:19:29.700 How often in our lives 00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:31.360 do we try our best 00:19:31.360 --> 00:19:33.140 to squeeze every drop 00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:34.500 out of the mediocre 00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:35.320 that we can provide 00:19:35.320 --> 00:19:36.580 when Jesus is ready 00:19:36.580 --> 00:19:37.460 to offer us something 00:19:37.460 --> 00:19:38.279 so much greater, 00:19:38.600 --> 00:19:39.720 something so much better, 00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:41.380 if only we would ask. 00:19:43.940 --> 00:19:44.880 And something else, 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:45.820 by this point, 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:47.560 literally any wine 00:19:47.560 --> 00:19:48.560 would have made them happy. 00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:49.460 They were expecting 00:19:49.460 --> 00:19:50.720 the boxed stuff at this point. 00:19:51.420 --> 00:19:52.940 If Jesus had shown up 00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:53.560 and been like, 00:19:53.660 --> 00:19:54.960 here's some boxed wine, 00:19:55.020 --> 00:19:56.080 I got it on sale 00:19:56.080 --> 00:19:56.860 at the supermarket, 00:19:57.760 --> 00:19:59.340 they would have been ecstatic 00:19:59.340 --> 00:20:00.540 because the party 00:20:00.540 --> 00:20:01.920 can keep going. 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:05.000 And what does Jesus 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:05.740 bring them instead? 00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:06.740 He gives them 00:20:06.740 --> 00:20:07.680 the good stuff. 00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:10.060 How often in our lives 00:20:10.060 --> 00:20:10.840 do we reach a point 00:20:10.840 --> 00:20:12.340 where we're so desperate 00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:13.679 for anything good 00:20:13.679 --> 00:20:14.259 to happen 00:20:14.259 --> 00:20:15.359 that we take 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:16.240 the spiritual equivalent 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:17.000 of boxed wine? 00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:20.059 And Jesus is showing us 00:20:20.059 --> 00:20:20.799 and reminding us 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:21.659 that he doesn't give us 00:20:21.659 --> 00:20:22.259 the cheap stuff. 00:20:22.359 --> 00:20:23.819 He always gives us 00:20:23.819 --> 00:20:25.119 true abundance. 00:20:25.379 --> 00:20:26.740 But here's the really 00:20:26.740 --> 00:20:27.859 challenging truth. 00:20:28.899 --> 00:20:29.519 That abundance 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:30.539 often doesn't look like 00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:31.139 what we expect. 00:20:32.939 --> 00:20:34.199 We believe that 00:20:34.199 --> 00:20:35.339 the true abundant life 00:20:35.339 --> 00:20:36.199 comes from fame, 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:36.919 from money, 00:20:37.139 --> 00:20:37.659 from power, 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:38.480 from comfort. 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:40.240 But Jesus says, 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:40.440 no, 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:41.180 true abundance 00:20:41.180 --> 00:20:42.319 is about a relationship 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:42.920 with me 00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:44.660 where you come to me, 00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:45.620 you submit to me, 00:20:45.660 --> 00:20:46.620 and you trust in me. 00:20:46.660 --> 00:20:47.720 It's about a relationship, 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:48.920 not stuff. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:52.880 If you look back 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:53.519 in verse four, 00:20:53.620 --> 00:20:54.579 remember Jesus' comment 00:20:54.579 --> 00:20:55.819 where he said, 00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:57.259 my hour has not yet come. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:20:59.940 In this moment, 00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:03.120 his focus is on the cross. 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:04.480 His focus is on the price 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:05.759 that he has to pay 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:06.819 to bring us 00:21:06.819 --> 00:21:07.579 this kingdom 00:21:07.579 --> 00:21:08.799 of the abundant wine 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:09.460 and to make that 00:21:09.460 --> 00:21:10.720 a reality for you 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:11.419 and for me. 00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:13.659 And he actually 00:21:13.659 --> 00:21:15.579 uses wine 00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:16.659 to talk about 00:21:16.659 --> 00:21:17.099 the price 00:21:17.099 --> 00:21:17.879 that he was going to pay 00:21:17.879 --> 00:21:18.579 in another meal. 00:21:18.659 --> 00:21:19.319 In the Last Supper, 00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:20.480 he sits down 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:21.299 with his disciples. 00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:22.919 He pulls out 00:21:22.919 --> 00:21:23.819 this glass of wine 00:21:23.819 --> 00:21:24.299 and he says, 00:21:24.679 --> 00:21:25.399 this cup 00:21:25.399 --> 00:21:26.639 is the new covenant 00:21:26.639 --> 00:21:27.720 of my blood. 00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:29.379 He's saying, 00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:29.939 the price 00:21:29.939 --> 00:21:31.319 that it's going to cost me 00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:33.119 to bring this kingdom 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:34.079 of abundant wine 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:34.700 is the wine 00:21:34.700 --> 00:21:35.379 of my blood, 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:36.460 but I'm willing to do it. 00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:36.779 Why? 00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:39.000 Is it so that we can be famous 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:40.160 and rich and powerful? 00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:41.440 No. 00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:43.240 It's because it's about 00:21:43.240 --> 00:21:43.799 a relationship 00:21:43.799 --> 00:21:45.120 and that's the price 00:21:45.120 --> 00:21:46.019 that it costs 00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:47.759 to have that relationship 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.720 with us. 00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:49.519 And Jesus 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:50.279 was willing 00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:50.960 to pay that 00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:52.120 because he 00:21:52.120 --> 00:21:54.279 cares about you 00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:55.299 and he cares about me 00:21:55.299 --> 00:21:56.279 and he loves us. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.740 And here's the second half 00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:01.759 of the super challenging truth. 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:04.359 the abundant life 00:22:04.359 --> 00:22:05.440 brought Jesus 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:06.160 to the cross 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:07.879 and he says 00:22:07.879 --> 00:22:08.500 that if we're going 00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:09.119 to have the truly 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:09.839 abundant life, 00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:11.359 that we live 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:12.299 that abundant life 00:22:12.299 --> 00:22:12.839 on the way 00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:13.440 of the cross 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:13.900 as well. 00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:16.379 That the way 00:22:16.379 --> 00:22:17.140 to abundant life 00:22:17.140 --> 00:22:18.059 is not by pursuing 00:22:18.059 --> 00:22:18.759 our power 00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:19.879 and our fame 00:22:19.879 --> 00:22:20.559 and our prestige, 00:22:20.940 --> 00:22:21.440 but it's by 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.519 laying down 00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:23.319 our desires 00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:24.279 every single day 00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:25.500 and pursuing him 00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:26.220 by loving 00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:27.299 the people around us. 00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:29.259 I don't know about you, 00:22:29.299 --> 00:22:30.099 but that's scary to me 00:22:30.099 --> 00:22:32.259 because it feels 00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:32.919 way easier 00:22:32.919 --> 00:22:34.059 to just pour myself 00:22:34.059 --> 00:22:34.960 into my job 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:35.500 and believe 00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:36.419 that if I can do 00:22:36.419 --> 00:22:36.940 really well 00:22:36.940 --> 00:22:38.619 and I can achieve success, 00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:39.819 that that's going 00:22:39.819 --> 00:22:40.259 to give me 00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:41.059 true life. 00:22:41.419 --> 00:22:41.919 And what Jesus 00:22:41.919 --> 00:22:42.399 is saying 00:22:42.399 --> 00:22:43.359 is that best case scenario, 00:22:43.500 --> 00:22:44.200 that's the boxed wine. 00:22:45.700 --> 00:22:46.940 And even if I can 00:22:46.940 --> 00:22:47.919 get that boxed wine 00:22:47.919 --> 00:22:48.480 for a little bit, 00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:49.259 it's going to run out 00:22:49.259 --> 00:22:49.680 eventually. 00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:52.740 So here's my question 00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:53.240 for us today. 00:22:53.339 --> 00:22:54.240 What will it take 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:56.039 for us to recognize 00:22:56.039 --> 00:22:58.099 that Jesus is so much better 00:22:58.099 --> 00:23:00.000 than the other things 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:01.019 that we're relying on 00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:02.319 for this abundant life? 00:23:03.879 --> 00:23:04.740 I think step one 00:23:04.740 --> 00:23:05.480 is recognizing 00:23:05.480 --> 00:23:06.339 how powerless 00:23:06.339 --> 00:23:07.579 these other things are 00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:08.639 to satisfy us. 00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:09.180 And I think, 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:11.159 you might call me crazy, 00:23:12.599 --> 00:23:13.539 but I think Madonna 00:23:13.539 --> 00:23:15.240 expressed this 00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:16.240 really well. 00:23:16.879 --> 00:23:17.519 In an interview 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:18.079 with Vogue, 00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:18.539 she said, 00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:19.420 my drive in life 00:23:19.420 --> 00:23:20.299 comes from a fear 00:23:20.299 --> 00:23:21.460 of being mediocre. 00:23:22.159 --> 00:23:23.700 That is always pushing me. 00:23:23.740 --> 00:23:24.399 I push past 00:23:24.399 --> 00:23:25.279 one spell of it 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:26.180 and discover myself 00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:27.700 as a special human being. 00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:29.000 But then I feel 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:29.940 I'm still mediocre 00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:30.940 and uninteresting 00:23:30.940 --> 00:23:32.480 unless I do something else. 00:23:33.339 --> 00:23:33.960 Because even though 00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:34.980 I've become somebody, 00:23:35.079 --> 00:23:35.819 I still have to prove 00:23:35.819 --> 00:23:36.859 that I am somebody. 00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:37.759 My struggle 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:38.980 has never ended 00:23:38.980 --> 00:23:40.019 and I guess 00:23:40.019 --> 00:23:41.700 it never will. 00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:42.759 She's saying, 00:23:42.980 --> 00:23:44.160 I feel this pressure 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:44.680 every day 00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:45.319 to wake up 00:23:45.319 --> 00:23:46.680 and prove through my efforts 00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:47.579 that I am somebody. 00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:50.759 And on a really good day, 00:23:51.639 --> 00:23:52.799 I get the spiritual equivalent 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:53.839 of boxed wine. 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:55.240 But then I wake up 00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:55.819 the next morning 00:23:55.819 --> 00:23:56.519 and I realize 00:23:56.519 --> 00:23:57.259 I'm out again 00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:58.279 and I have to go 00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:59.659 produce more 00:23:59.659 --> 00:24:01.079 every single day. 00:24:01.199 --> 00:24:01.959 I can't rest. 00:24:02.059 --> 00:24:02.859 I can't let it go. 00:24:03.079 --> 00:24:03.659 And I recognize 00:24:03.659 --> 00:24:04.279 that fame 00:24:04.279 --> 00:24:04.919 and money 00:24:04.919 --> 00:24:05.599 and success 00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:06.959 can never give me 00:24:06.959 --> 00:24:08.339 the deep desires 00:24:08.339 --> 00:24:08.980 of my soul. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:11.899 I'm chasing 00:24:11.899 --> 00:24:12.459 what I think 00:24:12.459 --> 00:24:13.299 is the abundant life 00:24:13.299 --> 00:24:14.579 and what I feel like 00:24:14.579 --> 00:24:15.199 is the best way 00:24:15.199 --> 00:24:15.740 to do it, 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:18.559 but it has me trapped. 00:24:18.859 --> 00:24:19.759 I can't stop. 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:21.599 If I ever stop trying, 00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:22.179 I'm afraid 00:24:22.179 --> 00:24:22.919 that it's all 00:24:22.919 --> 00:24:24.079 going to disappear 00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:24.959 and be gone. 00:24:25.859 --> 00:24:26.919 And how clearly 00:24:26.919 --> 00:24:28.740 does that express 00:24:28.740 --> 00:24:29.799 what so many of us 00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:30.819 feel and experience 00:24:30.819 --> 00:24:31.519 when we try 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:32.879 and accomplish 00:24:32.879 --> 00:24:34.819 and achieve 00:24:34.819 --> 00:24:35.719 the abundant life 00:24:35.719 --> 00:24:36.639 on our own? 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:39.079 But Jesus comes to us 00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:40.339 and he says, 00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:40.719 stop. 00:24:43.859 --> 00:24:44.879 Stop striving. 00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:47.459 Rest. 00:24:47.460 --> 00:24:51.200 The best that you 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:51.980 can accomplish 00:24:51.980 --> 00:24:53.059 through your efforts 00:24:53.059 --> 00:24:54.539 is mediocrity. 00:24:55.840 --> 00:24:56.940 But I've come 00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:58.680 to bring abundance. 00:25:00.360 --> 00:25:01.420 See my beauty 00:25:01.420 --> 00:25:02.660 come to me. 00:25:04.059 --> 00:25:05.059 And how can we know 00:25:05.059 --> 00:25:06.539 that when we stop 00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:07.799 that he's going 00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:08.220 to be there 00:25:08.220 --> 00:25:08.799 and he's going 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:09.759 to provide for us? 00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:11.299 Well, look what happens 00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:13.059 in this story. 00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:14.299 Look at the drama 00:25:14.299 --> 00:25:15.480 that plays out here. 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:16.220 It's actually 00:25:16.220 --> 00:25:17.160 a reenactment 00:25:17.160 --> 00:25:18.259 of the gospel story. 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.480 There's a man 00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:21.339 who has this duty 00:25:21.339 --> 00:25:22.500 but it's a joyful duty 00:25:22.500 --> 00:25:24.140 to provide food 00:25:24.140 --> 00:25:24.519 and drink 00:25:24.519 --> 00:25:25.319 for his party. 00:25:25.460 --> 00:25:26.279 It's a joyful duty 00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:27.180 because if he does it well 00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:27.980 everyone's going to have 00:25:27.980 --> 00:25:28.539 a great time 00:25:28.539 --> 00:25:29.180 and they're going to have 00:25:29.180 --> 00:25:30.240 the best party possible 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:32.920 and he fails miserably. 00:25:35.640 --> 00:25:36.940 And for his failure 00:25:36.940 --> 00:25:38.059 he deserves shame 00:25:38.059 --> 00:25:38.920 and honor 00:25:38.920 --> 00:25:39.799 and punishment. 00:25:40.660 --> 00:25:41.660 And in the moment 00:25:41.660 --> 00:25:42.460 of his failure 00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:43.759 Jesus steps in 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:44.660 and does for this man 00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:45.140 what the man 00:25:45.140 --> 00:25:45.799 could not do 00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:46.319 for himself 00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:47.319 provides for him 00:25:47.319 --> 00:25:48.160 in a way that the man 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:49.500 cannot provide for himself. 00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:52.059 And because of the work 00:25:52.059 --> 00:25:52.619 of Jesus 00:25:52.619 --> 00:25:53.799 at this party 00:25:53.799 --> 00:25:54.660 the groom 00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:55.400 who deserves 00:25:55.400 --> 00:25:56.160 shame 00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:57.200 dishonor 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:57.960 and punishment 00:25:57.960 --> 00:25:59.299 instead is given 00:25:59.299 --> 00:25:59.920 praise and honor. 00:26:01.779 --> 00:26:02.680 That's the story 00:26:02.680 --> 00:26:03.200 of the gospel. 00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:04.019 We have 00:26:04.019 --> 00:26:05.099 a duty 00:26:05.099 --> 00:26:06.240 but it's a joyful duty 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:07.680 to obey God. 00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:08.619 And God tells us 00:26:08.619 --> 00:26:09.339 that when we live 00:26:09.339 --> 00:26:09.920 our lives 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:11.039 obediently to him 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:12.139 that's going to be 00:26:12.139 --> 00:26:12.960 the most abundant 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:13.599 fruitful 00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:14.559 joyful way 00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:15.079 to live 00:26:15.079 --> 00:26:15.980 and it's a blessing 00:26:15.980 --> 00:26:16.579 to have 00:26:16.579 --> 00:26:17.759 this responsibility 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:19.059 and yet you and I 00:26:19.059 --> 00:26:20.039 every single one of us 00:26:20.039 --> 00:26:21.480 fail miserably. 00:26:22.639 --> 00:26:23.899 And for our failure 00:26:23.899 --> 00:26:25.579 we deserve shame 00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:27.139 dishonor 00:26:27.139 --> 00:26:28.319 and punishment. 00:26:29.619 --> 00:26:30.779 And in the midst 00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.599 of our failure 00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:32.779 Jesus steps in 00:26:32.779 --> 00:26:34.399 and does for us 00:26:34.399 --> 00:26:35.559 what you and I 00:26:35.559 --> 00:26:36.819 cannot do for ourselves. 00:26:37.720 --> 00:26:38.700 On the cross 00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:40.140 he pays the price 00:26:40.140 --> 00:26:40.819 for everything 00:26:40.819 --> 00:26:42.019 that we've ever done wrong 00:26:42.019 --> 00:26:43.500 and gives us credit 00:26:43.500 --> 00:26:44.680 for his perfection 00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:45.779 so that although 00:26:45.779 --> 00:26:47.019 we have failed 00:26:47.019 --> 00:26:48.340 through the work 00:26:48.340 --> 00:26:48.799 of Jesus 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:49.940 you and I 00:26:49.940 --> 00:26:51.220 can be given 00:26:51.220 --> 00:26:52.799 praise and honor 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:53.740 and glory 00:26:53.740 --> 00:26:55.180 in God's sight. 00:26:56.460 --> 00:26:57.140 See when we 00:26:57.140 --> 00:26:58.120 stop striving 00:26:58.120 --> 00:26:59.120 that's when Jesus 00:26:59.120 --> 00:27:00.000 steps in 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:00.900 and starts fighting 00:27:00.900 --> 00:27:01.400 our battles 00:27:01.400 --> 00:27:02.160 for us. 00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:04.799 He demonstrates 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:05.519 that here 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:07.000 he demonstrates 00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:08.360 that on the cross. 00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:11.680 and on top 00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:12.120 of that 00:27:12.120 --> 00:27:13.980 think about this 00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:15.480 whose responsibility 00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:15.960 is it 00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:16.740 to provide 00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:17.080 the wine 00:27:17.080 --> 00:27:17.640 for the feast? 00:27:19.160 --> 00:27:19.980 The groom. 00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:21.779 Who does 00:27:21.779 --> 00:27:22.900 actually provide 00:27:22.900 --> 00:27:23.420 the wine 00:27:23.420 --> 00:27:24.000 for the feast? 00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:26.779 Jesus. 00:27:27.080 --> 00:27:27.319 Do you think 00:27:27.319 --> 00:27:28.140 there's significance 00:27:28.140 --> 00:27:28.539 to that? 00:27:28.759 --> 00:27:29.279 Probably. 00:27:29.940 --> 00:27:30.740 In the Old Testament 00:27:30.740 --> 00:27:31.400 over and over 00:27:31.400 --> 00:27:32.240 and over again 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:33.480 God refers 00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:34.460 to the Israelites 00:27:34.460 --> 00:27:35.840 his special people 00:27:35.840 --> 00:27:36.799 as his bride 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:38.259 and in the New Testament 00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:40.079 it calls the church 00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:41.440 the bride of Christ. 00:27:41.680 --> 00:27:42.160 What's Jesus 00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:42.799 showing us 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:43.379 by providing 00:27:43.379 --> 00:27:43.839 the wine 00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:44.359 at this feast? 00:27:44.519 --> 00:27:45.339 He's showing us 00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:46.700 that he is 00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:48.039 the greater groom. 00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:50.400 He is the one 00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:51.240 that our souls 00:27:51.240 --> 00:27:51.859 are longing for. 00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:52.299 It's about 00:27:52.299 --> 00:27:53.140 a relationship 00:27:53.140 --> 00:27:53.839 with him 00:27:53.839 --> 00:27:54.660 and he is going 00:27:54.660 --> 00:27:55.400 to do something 00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:56.000 that's going 00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:57.039 to call a people 00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:57.680 to himself 00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.779 and give us 00:27:58.779 --> 00:28:00.640 unite us 00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:01.160 to him 00:28:01.160 --> 00:28:01.539 in the most 00:28:01.539 --> 00:28:02.460 intimate relationship 00:28:02.460 --> 00:28:02.940 possible 00:28:02.940 --> 00:28:04.019 for eternity. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:04.799 So as we ask 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.480 the question today 00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:06.779 who is this man? 00:28:08.120 --> 00:28:08.579 We see that 00:28:08.579 --> 00:28:09.620 Jesus is the Savior 00:28:09.620 --> 00:28:10.559 who rescues us 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:11.279 through no work 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:11.720 of our own 00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:12.420 and offers us 00:28:12.420 --> 00:28:13.220 abundance 00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:14.160 in the place 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:14.759 of our failure 00:28:14.759 --> 00:28:15.380 and Jesus 00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:16.579 is the greater groom 00:28:16.579 --> 00:28:17.680 who is seeking 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:18.259 a bride 00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:19.220 for his own 00:28:19.220 --> 00:28:19.900 possession. 00:28:22.279 --> 00:28:23.220 John concludes 00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:23.579 the story 00:28:23.579 --> 00:28:24.079 by saying 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:24.819 that Jesus 00:28:24.819 --> 00:28:27.299 displayed his glory 00:28:27.299 --> 00:28:28.960 by doing this sign. 00:28:29.460 --> 00:28:30.360 We've been discussing 00:28:30.360 --> 00:28:31.259 the glory of Christ 00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:31.539 lately. 00:28:31.640 --> 00:28:32.120 We've been saying 00:28:32.120 --> 00:28:32.579 it's sort of like 00:28:32.579 --> 00:28:33.000 a diamond. 00:28:33.420 --> 00:28:34.099 It's the fullness 00:28:34.099 --> 00:28:34.740 of who he is 00:28:34.740 --> 00:28:35.359 but when you look 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:35.699 at it from 00:28:35.699 --> 00:28:36.219 different angles 00:28:36.219 --> 00:28:36.759 you see 00:28:36.759 --> 00:28:37.959 different things 00:28:37.959 --> 00:28:39.299 and in this story 00:28:39.299 --> 00:28:40.299 Jesus shows us 00:28:40.299 --> 00:28:41.019 another glimpse 00:28:41.019 --> 00:28:42.519 of who he is 00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:44.539 and I think 00:28:44.539 --> 00:28:45.019 what he's trying 00:28:45.019 --> 00:28:45.819 to show us here 00:28:45.819 --> 00:28:46.980 is that everything 00:28:46.980 --> 00:28:48.119 we're looking for 00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:48.879 in all our 00:28:48.879 --> 00:28:49.719 religious systems 00:28:49.719 --> 00:28:50.679 and all our 00:28:50.679 --> 00:28:51.719 self-reliant efforts 00:28:51.719 --> 00:28:53.179 is found in him. 00:28:54.679 --> 00:28:55.399 We're not going 00:28:55.399 --> 00:28:55.839 to find it 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:56.480 anywhere else. 00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:57.899 He is the only place 00:28:57.899 --> 00:28:58.500 where we're going 00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:59.279 to find the truly 00:28:59.279 --> 00:28:59.939 abundant life. 00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:00.659 Not our jobs, 00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:01.480 not our relationships, 00:29:01.699 --> 00:29:02.399 not social media, 00:29:02.519 --> 00:29:03.139 nothing else 00:29:03.140 --> 00:29:04.440 and because of this 00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:06.620 it's worthwhile 00:29:06.620 --> 00:29:07.440 to forsake 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:09.080 everything else 00:29:09.080 --> 00:29:10.360 in order 00:29:10.360 --> 00:29:11.820 to pursue him 00:29:11.820 --> 00:29:12.780 because that's 00:29:12.780 --> 00:29:13.320 the path 00:29:13.320 --> 00:29:14.480 to the truly 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:15.580 abundant life. 00:29:17.780 --> 00:29:18.860 He did the first 00:29:18.860 --> 00:29:19.420 of his signs, 00:29:19.580 --> 00:29:20.640 he manifests his glory 00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:21.759 and his disciples 00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:23.080 believed in him. 00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:24.200 I think there are 00:29:24.200 --> 00:29:26.020 two closing things 00:29:26.020 --> 00:29:26.680 that are super 00:29:26.680 --> 00:29:27.180 significant 00:29:27.180 --> 00:29:29.040 in this last comment 00:29:29.040 --> 00:29:29.920 about the disciples 00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:31.220 believing in him. 00:29:31.380 --> 00:29:31.960 John tells us 00:29:31.960 --> 00:29:33.259 the signs in the book 00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:33.579 of John 00:29:33.579 --> 00:29:34.059 are recorded 00:29:34.059 --> 00:29:35.220 so that we can 00:29:35.220 --> 00:29:36.960 believe and have 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:38.279 life by believing. 00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:39.860 Jesus does the signs 00:29:39.860 --> 00:29:41.160 to lead to believe 00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:42.319 and it tells us here 00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:43.539 that the disciples 00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:44.360 believed. 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:45.059 But what does that 00:29:45.059 --> 00:29:45.240 mean? 00:29:47.700 --> 00:29:48.960 Everyone at the party 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:49.880 saw the sign 00:29:49.880 --> 00:29:51.299 but only the disciples 00:29:51.299 --> 00:29:51.960 believed. 00:29:53.240 --> 00:29:54.539 And that tells us 00:29:54.539 --> 00:29:55.720 it's possible 00:29:55.720 --> 00:29:56.980 to see the work 00:29:56.980 --> 00:29:57.519 of Jesus 00:29:57.519 --> 00:29:59.660 and not believe. 00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:01.680 And I think 00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:02.220 there are some 00:30:02.220 --> 00:30:03.160 of us here today 00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:06.279 who are in this place 00:30:06.279 --> 00:30:06.900 that we've been 00:30:06.900 --> 00:30:08.039 coming to Watermark 00:30:08.039 --> 00:30:08.960 for a long time. 00:30:09.599 --> 00:30:10.539 We've been hearing 00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:11.240 about Jesus, 00:30:11.379 --> 00:30:12.059 we've been seeing 00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:12.599 the difference 00:30:12.599 --> 00:30:13.259 that he makes 00:30:13.259 --> 00:30:14.200 in people's lives 00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:16.359 and we still 00:30:16.359 --> 00:30:17.359 haven't believed. 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:21.420 And God's calling 00:30:21.420 --> 00:30:22.059 to you today 00:30:22.059 --> 00:30:22.799 if this is you 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:23.660 and saying 00:30:23.660 --> 00:30:25.960 Jesus is 00:30:25.960 --> 00:30:27.180 the only path 00:30:27.180 --> 00:30:28.220 to the abundant 00:30:28.220 --> 00:30:29.019 life that you desire. 00:30:29.180 --> 00:30:30.120 All your efforts 00:30:30.120 --> 00:30:31.960 cannot get you 00:30:31.960 --> 00:30:34.040 what he offers. 00:30:35.160 --> 00:30:36.080 Stop striving, 00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:36.840 stop relying 00:30:36.840 --> 00:30:37.600 on yourself 00:30:37.600 --> 00:30:39.140 because only Jesus 00:30:39.140 --> 00:30:39.900 can give you 00:30:39.900 --> 00:30:40.560 what your soul 00:30:40.560 --> 00:30:41.140 is craving. 00:30:42.200 --> 00:30:42.660 And yes, 00:30:43.240 --> 00:30:44.100 pursuing Jesus 00:30:44.100 --> 00:30:45.500 it means a path 00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:46.000 of letting go 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:46.920 of your self-reliance 00:30:46.920 --> 00:30:48.240 and embracing 00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:49.320 this path 00:30:49.320 --> 00:30:49.820 of the cross 00:30:49.820 --> 00:30:50.660 the way of sacrifice 00:30:50.660 --> 00:30:51.400 and trust 00:30:51.400 --> 00:30:52.880 but it will bring you 00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:53.860 the true abundance 00:30:53.860 --> 00:30:54.480 that you have 00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:55.160 always craved. 00:30:55.260 --> 00:30:56.200 So if you're here today 00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:57.380 and you haven't 00:30:57.380 --> 00:30:58.080 trusted in Jesus 00:30:58.080 --> 00:30:59.380 I challenge you today 00:30:59.380 --> 00:31:00.940 trust in him 00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:02.100 he's the only path 00:31:02.100 --> 00:31:03.840 to the truly abundant life. 00:31:04.980 --> 00:31:06.120 But the second thing 00:31:06.120 --> 00:31:07.600 this passage shows us 00:31:07.600 --> 00:31:08.040 it says 00:31:08.040 --> 00:31:09.040 the disciples 00:31:09.040 --> 00:31:10.380 believed in him. 00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:11.960 Now think about this 00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:13.440 they were already 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:14.160 his disciples. 00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:17.100 To become his disciples 00:31:17.100 --> 00:31:18.280 they had 00:31:18.280 --> 00:31:19.540 to believe 00:31:19.540 --> 00:31:20.460 in him somehow 00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:22.220 and yet it tells us 00:31:22.220 --> 00:31:23.120 that after seeing 00:31:23.120 --> 00:31:23.720 this sign 00:31:23.720 --> 00:31:25.140 they believed in him. 00:31:26.180 --> 00:31:27.500 So what I see here 00:31:27.500 --> 00:31:28.740 is that it's possible 00:31:28.740 --> 00:31:29.779 to believe 00:31:29.779 --> 00:31:30.960 but not believe. 00:31:31.819 --> 00:31:32.860 Or in other words 00:31:32.860 --> 00:31:33.740 there are different 00:31:33.740 --> 00:31:35.220 levels of belief. 00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:37.100 For the disciples 00:31:37.100 --> 00:31:38.360 they probably believed 00:31:38.360 --> 00:31:39.259 that he was 00:31:39.259 --> 00:31:40.079 a good teacher 00:31:40.079 --> 00:31:41.620 maybe that he was 00:31:41.620 --> 00:31:42.279 sent by God 00:31:42.279 --> 00:31:43.259 to teach God's truth 00:31:43.259 --> 00:31:44.360 but they see this 00:31:44.360 --> 00:31:45.299 and they realize 00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:46.319 that he is powerful. 00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:48.579 And the book of John 00:31:48.579 --> 00:31:49.359 is a journey 00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:50.379 of the disciples 00:31:50.379 --> 00:31:51.960 going deeper and deeper 00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:53.480 and coming to see 00:31:53.480 --> 00:31:54.339 more and more 00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:55.220 of who Jesus is 00:31:55.220 --> 00:31:56.259 and growing in their belief 00:31:56.259 --> 00:31:56.919 until they reach 00:31:56.919 --> 00:31:58.039 the point where they recognize 00:31:58.039 --> 00:32:00.200 this is God. 00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:02.819 He is risen from the dead 00:32:02.819 --> 00:32:04.039 and he is the savior 00:32:04.039 --> 00:32:04.740 who is here 00:32:04.740 --> 00:32:05.799 to rescue us. 00:32:06.639 --> 00:32:07.579 And I think there are 00:32:07.579 --> 00:32:08.559 some of us here today 00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:10.519 who are sort of in this place 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:11.099 where we believe 00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:11.779 but don't believe. 00:32:11.779 --> 00:32:16.160 And God's calling us today 00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:18.440 to just believe. 00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:20.220 I think there are probably 00:32:20.220 --> 00:32:21.359 some of us here today 00:32:21.359 --> 00:32:22.980 who maybe we say 00:32:22.980 --> 00:32:24.879 I believe that Jesus 00:32:24.879 --> 00:32:25.920 can forgive my sins 00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:26.639 and that he's going to 00:32:26.639 --> 00:32:27.399 give me eternal life 00:32:27.399 --> 00:32:28.240 and that's going to be great 00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:29.779 but I don't really believe 00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:32.559 that he has the power 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:34.139 and he alone has the power 00:32:34.139 --> 00:32:35.019 to give me the most 00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:36.079 abundant life possible 00:32:36.079 --> 00:32:36.899 here and now 00:32:36.899 --> 00:32:37.480 today. 00:32:37.480 --> 00:32:42.339 And he's showing us 00:32:42.339 --> 00:32:43.720 that yes, he does. 00:32:44.819 --> 00:32:47.120 The call is to believe. 00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:50.240 Jesus is reminding us 00:32:50.240 --> 00:32:51.440 that he cares immensely 00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:52.920 about the everyday moments 00:32:52.920 --> 00:32:53.420 of our lives 00:32:53.420 --> 00:32:54.240 here and now 00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:54.980 and he wants us 00:32:54.980 --> 00:32:55.860 to have the most abundant 00:32:55.860 --> 00:32:56.579 life possible 00:32:56.579 --> 00:32:57.720 right now. 00:32:58.279 --> 00:32:58.759 Think about it. 00:32:58.799 --> 00:33:01.339 Jesus came to earth 00:33:01.339 --> 00:33:02.400 literally to save the world. 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:04.180 The things that he did 00:33:04.180 --> 00:33:05.220 included raising the dead, 00:33:05.660 --> 00:33:06.539 giving sight to the blind, 00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:07.460 casting out demons, 00:33:07.480 --> 00:33:08.579 things that are really 00:33:08.579 --> 00:33:09.720 big deals 00:33:09.720 --> 00:33:10.759 and he gets dragged 00:33:10.759 --> 00:33:11.640 into providing food 00:33:11.640 --> 00:33:12.120 and beverage 00:33:12.120 --> 00:33:12.860 at a wedding party. 00:33:13.819 --> 00:33:15.140 He has the same conversation 00:33:15.140 --> 00:33:16.559 that I had with a friend. 00:33:16.660 --> 00:33:17.559 If I had the conversation 00:33:17.559 --> 00:33:18.960 it can't be that significant 00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:19.779 of a conversation 00:33:19.779 --> 00:33:21.000 that like the fate 00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:21.460 of the universe 00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:22.220 hangs in the balance 00:33:22.220 --> 00:33:22.539 at it. 00:33:24.420 --> 00:33:26.160 But he still stepped in 00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:27.099 to help in this 00:33:27.099 --> 00:33:28.599 relatively trivial situation. 00:33:29.059 --> 00:33:29.299 Why? 00:33:29.539 --> 00:33:30.380 Because he cares. 00:33:30.860 --> 00:33:32.480 Because he wants us 00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:34.599 to have the most abundant life 00:33:34.599 --> 00:33:35.980 right now. 00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:37.680 And he cares about 00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:38.720 the problems of our lives 00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:39.660 even the trivial ones. 00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:40.299 But it's not just 00:33:40.299 --> 00:33:41.079 the trivial ones. 00:33:42.079 --> 00:33:43.500 In providing for this 00:33:43.500 --> 00:33:44.960 fairly trivial situation 00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:46.079 he gives a picture 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:47.180 of his provision 00:33:47.180 --> 00:33:48.259 for our greatest problem 00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:48.740 as well. 00:33:51.299 --> 00:33:52.240 Just a reminder 00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:53.019 him caring 00:33:53.019 --> 00:33:53.480 and wanting 00:33:53.480 --> 00:33:54.160 an abundant life 00:33:54.160 --> 00:33:54.380 for us 00:33:54.380 --> 00:33:54.940 doesn't mean 00:33:54.940 --> 00:33:55.500 everything's going 00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:55.940 to work out 00:33:55.940 --> 00:33:56.539 the way that we want 00:33:56.539 --> 00:33:57.440 it to all the time. 00:33:57.960 --> 00:33:59.039 But it does mean 00:33:59.039 --> 00:33:59.980 it's going to work out 00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:00.579 in a way that's 00:34:00.579 --> 00:34:02.360 ultimately best for us. 00:34:02.359 --> 00:34:04.299 So this week 00:34:04.299 --> 00:34:04.899 when we're tempted 00:34:04.899 --> 00:34:05.759 to find our identity 00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:06.699 by pouring ourselves 00:34:06.699 --> 00:34:07.479 into our jobs 00:34:07.479 --> 00:34:08.179 or relationships 00:34:08.179 --> 00:34:08.940 or social media 00:34:08.940 --> 00:34:09.400 remember 00:34:09.400 --> 00:34:11.859 only 00:34:11.859 --> 00:34:13.139 Jesus 00:34:13.139 --> 00:34:15.179 can bring the abundance 00:34:15.179 --> 00:34:16.659 that our souls crave. 00:34:16.839 --> 00:34:18.099 The truly abundant life 00:34:18.099 --> 00:34:18.859 is found in the way 00:34:18.859 --> 00:34:19.480 of the cross 00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:21.759 the way of sacrifice 00:34:21.759 --> 00:34:22.400 service 00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:23.239 and self-denial 00:34:23.239 --> 00:34:24.039 and that Jesus 00:34:24.039 --> 00:34:25.359 is trying to show 00:34:25.359 --> 00:34:25.900 you and me 00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:27.480 the inadequacy 00:34:27.480 --> 00:34:29.299 of everything else 00:34:29.299 --> 00:34:30.500 that we're going to rely on 00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:31.299 instead of him. 00:34:31.300 --> 00:34:32.960 It might be uncomfortable 00:34:32.960 --> 00:34:34.560 but it's the path 00:34:34.560 --> 00:34:35.920 to the abundant life. 00:34:36.940 --> 00:34:37.860 Will you trust 00:34:37.860 --> 00:34:38.400 in him today? 00:34:39.539 --> 00:34:40.460 Will you believe 00:34:40.460 --> 00:34:42.360 and pursue him alone 00:34:42.360 --> 00:34:43.360 for the abundant life? 00:34:44.019 --> 00:34:44.720 Let's pray. 00:34:47.220 --> 00:34:47.780 Jesus 00:34:47.780 --> 00:34:48.500 we thank you 00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:49.620 that you alone 00:34:49.620 --> 00:34:50.980 gives the abundant life. 00:34:51.080 --> 00:34:51.560 We thank you 00:34:51.560 --> 00:34:52.180 that you 00:34:52.180 --> 00:34:53.340 care about 00:34:53.340 --> 00:34:54.400 trivial moments 00:34:54.400 --> 00:34:55.480 and trivial situations 00:34:55.480 --> 00:34:56.440 in our lives 00:34:56.440 --> 00:34:57.500 but that you also 00:34:57.500 --> 00:34:58.720 care about 00:34:58.720 --> 00:34:59.480 the big moments 00:34:59.480 --> 00:35:00.400 and the big situations 00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:01.500 because you care 00:35:01.500 --> 00:35:02.099 about us. 00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:04.079 We thank you 00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:05.220 that you offer us 00:35:05.220 --> 00:35:07.019 the truly abundant life 00:35:07.019 --> 00:35:08.220 not this mediocrity 00:35:08.220 --> 00:35:11.240 but true abundance. 00:35:11.680 --> 00:35:12.139 We thank you 00:35:12.139 --> 00:35:13.220 that by offering us 00:35:13.220 --> 00:35:13.880 true abundance 00:35:13.880 --> 00:35:14.940 you offer us 00:35:14.940 --> 00:35:15.420 the chance 00:35:15.420 --> 00:35:16.119 as well 00:35:16.119 --> 00:35:16.840 to rest. 00:35:18.160 --> 00:35:19.019 You alone 00:35:19.019 --> 00:35:19.900 give us a chance 00:35:19.900 --> 00:35:21.519 to be free 00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:22.380 from our striving 00:35:22.380 --> 00:35:23.500 and our efforts 00:35:23.500 --> 00:35:24.340 to achieve 00:35:24.340 --> 00:35:25.840 what only you can give. 00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:27.140 so I pray 00:35:27.140 --> 00:35:27.880 that this week 00:35:27.880 --> 00:35:29.320 as we go 00:35:29.320 --> 00:35:29.960 throughout our weeks 00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:30.900 that we would 00:35:30.900 --> 00:35:32.280 learn to rest 00:35:32.280 --> 00:35:33.160 in you alone 00:35:33.160 --> 00:35:34.940 that we would 00:35:34.940 --> 00:35:35.600 have freedom 00:35:35.600 --> 00:35:36.460 from our striving 00:35:36.460 --> 00:35:37.460 that we would believe 00:35:37.460 --> 00:35:39.059 that we would find 00:35:39.059 --> 00:35:39.860 our abundance 00:35:39.860 --> 00:35:40.780 in you. 00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:43.640 Thank you 00:35:43.640 --> 00:35:44.220 for your love. 00:35:45.340 --> 00:35:46.160 In Jesus name 00:35:46.160 --> 00:35:46.700 Amen. 00:35:46.700 --> 00:35:46.840 Amen. 00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:47.300 Thank you. 00:35:47.940 --> 00:35:48.240 Thank you. 00:35:48.320 --> 00:35:49.300 Thank you. 00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:52.380 Thank you.