WEBVTT 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:06.100 Good afternoon, good evening. It's great to see you all, great to be back. 00:00:07.600 --> 00:00:14.400 You may, most of you know that last week was my first Sunday back after being gone for four months. 00:00:14.500 --> 00:00:19.679 I was away on a four-month sabbatical thanks to the incredible generosity of this church. 00:00:20.339 --> 00:00:25.240 And two of those months we were more or less here. 00:00:25.300 --> 00:00:28.219 The first month we were in and out of D.C. 00:00:28.219 --> 00:00:32.240 We did a couple of little trips, spent some time in the woods in West Virginia. 00:00:32.859 --> 00:00:36.200 And then on the back end we came back. Our kids started school. 00:00:36.579 --> 00:00:38.100 We transitioned back to being here. 00:00:38.579 --> 00:00:43.960 But the middle, those middle two months, we spent traveling abroad in Europe with our family. 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:50.399 And I can absolutely tell you as one who is from time to time maybe prone to a little hyperbole. 00:00:50.859 --> 00:00:52.099 This is not hyperbole. 00:00:52.700 --> 00:00:55.359 It was the absolute best experience of my life. 00:00:56.120 --> 00:00:56.920 Hands down. 00:00:56.920 --> 00:00:58.500 It was amazing. 00:00:58.500 --> 00:00:59.539 We traveled. 00:00:59.760 --> 00:01:05.799 We were based in the northeast of France thanks to the generosity of some people there. 00:01:06.019 --> 00:01:07.040 We had a house. 00:01:07.180 --> 00:01:08.079 We had a car. 00:01:08.900 --> 00:01:14.640 And so we made no less than 12 road trips over the course of that two-month period. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:17.280 So we saw much of France, the eastern side of France. 00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:19.079 We saw a lot of northern Italy. 00:01:19.299 --> 00:01:22.099 We went hiking and exploring in the Alps. 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:23.960 It was the trip of a lifetime. 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:29.439 And before we left, we told people we were doing this. 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:32.439 And they said, well, sabbaticals are supposed to be restful. 00:01:32.780 --> 00:01:34.059 They're supposed to be relaxing. 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:37.579 And you're traveling in Europe with three young children. 00:01:37.679 --> 00:01:39.579 That sounds really stressful and hard. 00:01:39.579 --> 00:01:42.140 And they were exactly right. 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:47.599 It was incredibly stressful and incredibly hard, but so much fun. 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:49.079 So much fun. 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:55.840 We began to realize how stressful this trip was going to be, how challenging it would be on day one. 00:01:56.420 --> 00:01:57.459 We left. 00:01:57.539 --> 00:01:58.219 We packed up. 00:01:58.340 --> 00:02:01.799 We did an overnight flight from D.C. to Munich. 00:02:01.939 --> 00:02:03.959 The plan was to sleep overnight. 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:06.379 We'd be refreshed and ready to go the next day. 00:02:07.079 --> 00:02:08.259 Didn't sleep at all. 00:02:08.259 --> 00:02:15.039 Nobody got any sleep except for Emmeline, who had the best attitude of anyone on the trip, including me. 00:02:15.259 --> 00:02:15.979 She's one. 00:02:16.519 --> 00:02:18.340 And so we fly overnight. 00:02:18.459 --> 00:02:19.120 We get into Munich. 00:02:19.219 --> 00:02:19.840 We're exhausted. 00:02:20.120 --> 00:02:21.780 All three kids are feeling sick. 00:02:22.239 --> 00:02:23.359 We're groggy. 00:02:23.639 --> 00:02:24.539 And so we're in the airport. 00:02:24.539 --> 00:02:29.299 And we realize, as we're kind of managing our kids, that there's been a gate change. 00:02:29.659 --> 00:02:32.680 And we realize that our plane is about to take off. 00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:37.099 And our gate has literally moved to the other side of the airport. 00:02:37.960 --> 00:02:40.360 And so we look at each other in a blind panic. 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:42.700 And we say, we've got to get there. 00:02:42.780 --> 00:02:44.780 And so we all just grab bags. 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:46.640 And we're throwing bags into our kids' hands. 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:47.920 And we all just start running. 00:02:48.060 --> 00:02:51.920 And Laura and Maddox and Emmeline in the stroller, they just take off like lightning. 00:02:52.580 --> 00:02:53.260 And they're gone. 00:02:53.340 --> 00:02:55.980 And I'm yelling after them, go, go, get there, get there. 00:02:56.379 --> 00:02:59.060 And then I turn around to tell Riley to run. 00:02:59.060 --> 00:03:03.580 And Riley, Riley has lost most of the color in his face. 00:03:04.039 --> 00:03:08.159 And he's about a kind of a light greenish color at this point, kind of a pale green. 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.319 And he says, Dad, I feel really sick. 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:13.140 And I said, we've got to go, man. 00:03:13.159 --> 00:03:14.039 Let's just go. 00:03:14.340 --> 00:03:15.800 And so we start running, right? 00:03:16.099 --> 00:03:16.900 And I'm running. 00:03:17.180 --> 00:03:18.480 And Laura's gone, you know. 00:03:18.520 --> 00:03:19.620 And I keep looking back at Riley. 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:20.900 And I'm like, come on, a little further. 00:03:21.140 --> 00:03:23.560 And he's got his, like, backpack on and his little bear. 00:03:23.780 --> 00:03:25.860 And he's like, but I feel really sick. 00:03:25.860 --> 00:03:28.400 And I'm like, you've just got to go a little further. 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:30.180 And when we get to the plane, you can relax. 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:30.780 You'll feel better. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:31.920 And I'm like, come on, man. 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:32.939 And we're running. 00:03:33.200 --> 00:03:35.180 And then I turn back to see if he's with me. 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:36.340 And he just stops. 00:03:37.659 --> 00:03:39.200 And he's holding his bear. 00:03:39.580 --> 00:03:40.780 And he just looks at me. 00:03:41.159 --> 00:03:44.060 And then he just heaves all over the ground. 00:03:44.819 --> 00:03:46.540 I mean, and I'm talking Munich Airport. 00:03:47.219 --> 00:03:49.140 Like, there's stores. 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:49.960 There's restaurants. 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:51.700 There's hundreds of travelers. 00:03:52.099 --> 00:03:53.780 It's packed shoulder to shoulder. 00:03:53.780 --> 00:03:55.099 And we're right in the middle. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:55.840 Beautiful. 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:59.860 Not just clean tile floor, but, like, German clean tile floor. 00:04:00.259 --> 00:04:01.039 Spotless, you know. 00:04:01.300 --> 00:04:02.699 And he's just everywhere. 00:04:03.219 --> 00:04:05.300 And so, and then we're both standing there frozen. 00:04:05.620 --> 00:04:08.639 And I look at him and I say, do you feel better? 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:12.139 And he kind of says, yeah. 00:04:13.500 --> 00:04:18.560 And then we both look around to see if anybody saw what just happened. 00:04:18.819 --> 00:04:22.639 And then I look at Riley and I say, we got to get out of here. 00:04:22.779 --> 00:04:24.639 And then we just take off running. 00:04:25.479 --> 00:04:27.259 And he starts running with it. 00:04:27.319 --> 00:04:29.500 He says, but we did a bad thing. 00:04:30.459 --> 00:04:31.899 And I said, I know. 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:32.939 It's my fault. 00:04:33.019 --> 00:04:34.360 I'll explain on the plane. 00:04:34.360 --> 00:04:36.960 And we made it to the plane. 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:41.740 And I try to explain why that was kind of okay, but not really. 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:53.580 And, you know, the kind of funny thing is, before this, one of my highest resolutions and goals for the sabbatical is that it would be a time for me to really be an amazing dad. 00:04:55.900 --> 00:04:59.460 I decided I'm going to be the dad I've always wanted to be. 00:04:59.580 --> 00:05:01.139 I'm going to knock it out of the park. 00:05:01.139 --> 00:05:05.159 I'm going to double down on being the dad that they need. 00:05:05.959 --> 00:05:08.199 And, you know, day one, right? 00:05:08.740 --> 00:05:09.899 Not my best moment. 00:05:09.959 --> 00:05:12.659 Not going to make the highlight reel of parenting, right? 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:25.459 But it was almost as though God was saying to me, if you're going to be the kind of dad I want you to be, the first thing that you need is a little humility. 00:05:25.459 --> 00:05:27.919 And it was very humbling, right? 00:05:28.620 --> 00:05:38.959 And the reason I tell you that story is because I think that God says something similar to his church, to us, in the beginning of Romans chapter 12. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:48.599 I think that God is saying there, particularly in verse 3, if you're going to be the kind of church that I want you to be in this world, 00:05:49.039 --> 00:06:00.139 if you're going to be the kind of church that is willing and able to love and to serve and to give sacrificially and generously of your time and of your possessions, 00:06:00.139 --> 00:06:07.819 if you're going to be the kind of church who's able to bring healing where it's most needed and go to the uttermost parts, right? 00:06:08.019 --> 00:06:12.500 If you're going to be the kind of church that is able to hold aloft and glorify the name of Jesus Christ, 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:17.439 the first thing that you need is a little humility. 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:19.379 It's a little humility. 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:23.139 So we're going to look at Romans chapter 12, this great chapter. 00:06:23.139 --> 00:06:29.279 We're primarily going to focus on verse 3, and we're going to talk a little bit about humility in the church. 00:06:29.399 --> 00:06:32.919 We're going to talk about the need for humility, why this matters. 00:06:33.060 --> 00:06:36.219 We're going to talk about the source of humility, where it comes from. 00:06:36.519 --> 00:06:42.219 And then finally, we'll talk about the fruit of humility in the lives of believers in the church. 00:06:42.339 --> 00:06:43.680 What's the impact of this? 00:06:44.060 --> 00:06:45.339 Why should we care? 00:06:46.279 --> 00:06:48.539 So Romans chapter 12, verse 3. 00:06:48.659 --> 00:06:49.120 Let's pray. 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:55.100 Our Father, we thank you for your word, and we thank you that although we most of the time forget, 00:06:55.660 --> 00:06:58.040 most of the time don't believe this, 00:06:58.819 --> 00:07:02.840 we actually need it more than we need food, water, 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:09.139 that the most important thing, the most important need is your word 00:07:09.139 --> 00:07:13.560 because that is what enables us to be in fellowship with you, 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:16.340 to be able to hear your voice, 00:07:16.339 --> 00:07:18.199 to have you speak, 00:07:18.699 --> 00:07:22.560 and to bring the same voice that brought order out of chaos, 00:07:22.879 --> 00:07:25.459 that brought life out of the grave. 00:07:26.199 --> 00:07:28.759 We need that in our own hearts. 00:07:29.579 --> 00:07:32.519 We pray that your Holy Spirit would make that possible. 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:34.500 In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. 00:07:34.779 --> 00:07:35.000 Amen. 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:40.600 So humility, the need for humility, 00:07:41.540 --> 00:07:42.639 why is it so important? 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:43.939 Why talk about this tonight? 00:07:46.459 --> 00:07:48.160 Paul, if you know anything about Romans, 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:52.180 spends 11 chapters laying out what I would consider to be 00:07:52.180 --> 00:07:57.620 the most theologically profound explanation of the gospel ever written. 00:07:57.620 --> 00:07:59.340 11 chapters. 00:08:00.360 --> 00:08:01.899 And when he gets to chapter 12, 00:08:02.019 --> 00:08:05.040 he shifts and he begins to talk about the so what. 00:08:05.240 --> 00:08:07.019 If you believe the gospel, 00:08:07.220 --> 00:08:10.240 if you begin to live out the truths of the gospel, 00:08:10.600 --> 00:08:12.480 this is what's going to happen to you. 00:08:13.579 --> 00:08:15.620 And in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 12, 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:19.759 he says essentially total complete transformation, 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:22.840 the entire renewal of your mind, 00:08:22.980 --> 00:08:24.019 of your imagination, 00:08:24.519 --> 00:08:26.379 everything is going to begin to shift. 00:08:26.379 --> 00:08:29.300 Now where does all of that begin? 00:08:30.540 --> 00:08:32.500 Well, that brings us to verse 3. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:36.939 That total whole life transformation begins this way. 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:38.500 For by the grace given to me, 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:40.039 I say to everyone among you, 00:08:40.100 --> 00:08:41.559 that means everybody in the church, 00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:46.580 not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:48.779 but to think with sober judgment, 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:52.279 each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:55.460 In other words, all of this radical transformation, 00:08:55.460 --> 00:08:57.160 and if you go down in the chapter, 00:08:57.480 --> 00:09:00.220 all of the willingness to use our gifts to serve others, 00:09:00.340 --> 00:09:03.139 all of the willingness even to love and to serve our enemies, 00:09:03.300 --> 00:09:08.780 all of that begins with a shift in how we see ourselves. 00:09:08.940 --> 00:09:12.879 Our self-perception has to change. 00:09:13.940 --> 00:09:19.560 More specifically, the gospel has to knock us down a few pegs in our own estimation. 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:23.599 Now, I grew up in the 80s and 90s, 00:09:23.739 --> 00:09:29.559 and the 80s were the kind of peak for something called the self-esteem movement. 00:09:30.379 --> 00:09:33.979 They continued into the 90s, into the new century. 00:09:34.500 --> 00:09:38.059 They, I think, continue in the online world today. 00:09:38.259 --> 00:09:40.659 But the self-esteem movement was essentially this. 00:09:40.699 --> 00:09:43.059 It was the idea that the best thing we can do for our kids 00:09:43.059 --> 00:09:47.099 is to heap praise and affirmation on them. 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:50.759 We need to protect them from criticism. 00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:55.040 We need to protect them and insulate them from adverse consequences. 00:09:55.279 --> 00:09:59.440 And so, for instance, playing games with kids where there are winners and losers, 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:03.620 that was discouraged because some kids might have to deal with losing. 00:10:03.860 --> 00:10:08.000 And so it was very much about building and affirming and encouraging. 00:10:08.300 --> 00:10:11.879 If you've ever seen the Saturday Night Live skit with Stuart Smalley, 00:10:12.040 --> 00:10:13.700 who does the daily affirmation, 00:10:13.700 --> 00:10:17.580 what is it, I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:19.600 and doggone it, people like me. 00:10:19.960 --> 00:10:20.180 Right? 00:10:20.340 --> 00:10:22.820 That's the self-esteem movement in a nutshell. 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:24.540 And so I grew up in the midst of this. 00:10:24.640 --> 00:10:26.320 It continues online today. 00:10:26.660 --> 00:10:30.860 People put a persona out into the public eye for everyone to see. 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:33.320 And the implicit expectation is that 00:10:33.320 --> 00:10:37.700 everyone around you should heap affirmation on that self-expression. 00:10:37.700 --> 00:10:41.840 And if there is any hint of pushback or critique, 00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:45.160 it is seen as being among the greatest evils. 00:10:46.040 --> 00:10:46.320 Right? 00:10:46.379 --> 00:10:47.860 So this is the culture that I grew up in. 00:10:47.920 --> 00:10:53.660 It's the culture that I think continues to permeate our public life in certain ways. 00:10:54.300 --> 00:10:57.680 And it's interesting to think about that 00:10:57.680 --> 00:11:01.500 because that is part of how people criticize Christianity. 00:11:01.980 --> 00:11:04.920 People will point to verses like Romans 12.3, 00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:07.179 don't think so highly of yourself. 00:11:07.299 --> 00:11:07.639 And they'll say, 00:11:07.719 --> 00:11:09.339 see, this is why I don't like Christianity. 00:11:09.539 --> 00:11:11.199 It's not good for your self-esteem. 00:11:11.319 --> 00:11:14.120 It actually gives you and encourages low self-esteem. 00:11:15.839 --> 00:11:17.759 But what we need to see is that 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:21.240 underneath the sugar candy shell 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:23.299 of the self-esteem movement, 00:11:23.299 --> 00:11:27.319 there is a rotten and, dare I say, wicked core. 00:11:28.139 --> 00:11:30.860 Here's the problem with this entire way of thinking. 00:11:30.860 --> 00:11:37.960 Living in this world as a human being is extraordinarily difficult. 00:11:38.860 --> 00:11:40.440 It's extraordinarily difficult. 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:42.899 Because as much as we like to think, 00:11:43.019 --> 00:11:45.259 especially among more privileged classes, 00:11:45.580 --> 00:11:48.940 that life is about pursuing happiness and fulfillment, 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:53.379 the reality that most people, I think, across history would agree with 00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:56.019 is that life, if anything, is suffering. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:59.220 Life is extraordinarily hard. 00:11:59.220 --> 00:12:07.379 And life forces you to face your inadequacies, 00:12:07.920 --> 00:12:08.980 your failures, 00:12:09.340 --> 00:12:11.320 your most embarrassing mistakes, 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:13.360 your most besetting sins. 00:12:13.460 --> 00:12:15.680 You can't live long without having to come to terms 00:12:15.680 --> 00:12:18.019 with those realities in your own life. 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:21.200 And the cruelty of the self-esteem movement 00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:22.440 and that entire way of thinking 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:23.639 is that it tells you 00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:26.660 your best way of dealing with those things 00:12:26.660 --> 00:12:28.960 in your life is to ignore them. 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:30.740 And to minimize them 00:12:30.740 --> 00:12:32.240 and to bury them 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:33.900 and wallpaper over them 00:12:33.900 --> 00:12:34.940 with platitudes. 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:39.080 And this does enormous damage. 00:12:39.160 --> 00:12:41.060 I think that what we've come to see 00:12:41.060 --> 00:12:44.019 since the height of the 80s 00:12:44.019 --> 00:12:45.720 is that this approach, 00:12:46.660 --> 00:12:49.139 this shallow, feel-good sentimentality, 00:12:49.300 --> 00:12:51.000 does not actually produce 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:54.400 healthy, integrated, mature people. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:57.740 It produces brittle, delicate, 00:12:58.319 --> 00:12:59.959 underdeveloped people. 00:13:00.059 --> 00:13:02.360 It produces people who cannot handle criticism, 00:13:02.959 --> 00:13:06.000 people who are threatened by the success of others, 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:08.360 people who have a very hard time admitting 00:13:08.360 --> 00:13:09.899 that anything about themselves 00:13:09.899 --> 00:13:13.100 is anything less than amazing. 00:13:13.100 --> 00:13:17.600 So what Paul is saying is this. 00:13:18.420 --> 00:13:20.639 He's saying that in order to live 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:22.279 and even to flourish 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:24.019 in a world like this 00:13:24.019 --> 00:13:25.259 as human beings, 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:28.200 we don't need a high self-esteem. 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:31.440 We need an accurate self-assessment. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:33.460 We need to be able to see 00:13:33.460 --> 00:13:34.379 and embrace 00:13:34.379 --> 00:13:36.139 and live into reality. 00:13:37.139 --> 00:13:38.340 Even if it's painful. 00:13:38.560 --> 00:13:39.540 We need a way to do that. 00:13:39.539 --> 00:13:41.279 And so the real question 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:42.740 that this raises is this. 00:13:44.099 --> 00:13:45.379 How is it possible 00:13:45.379 --> 00:13:46.980 to fully face 00:13:46.980 --> 00:13:48.799 and own 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:49.980 and accept 00:13:49.980 --> 00:13:52.139 my worst failures, 00:13:52.459 --> 00:13:53.839 my most besetting sins, 00:13:53.959 --> 00:13:55.719 my most embarrassing moments 00:13:55.719 --> 00:13:56.379 and mistakes? 00:13:57.879 --> 00:13:59.179 How can I do that 00:13:59.179 --> 00:14:01.980 and still live with myself 00:14:01.980 --> 00:14:04.299 and even love myself? 00:14:04.939 --> 00:14:05.879 How is that possible? 00:14:06.959 --> 00:14:08.419 And that leads us 00:14:08.419 --> 00:14:09.259 to the source 00:14:09.259 --> 00:14:11.579 of Christian humility. 00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:12.839 Paul is giving us 00:14:12.839 --> 00:14:13.639 that answer 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:14.759 in this verse. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:15.599 He says this. 00:14:16.179 --> 00:14:17.579 Think about yourself 00:14:17.579 --> 00:14:19.819 with sober judgment, 00:14:20.419 --> 00:14:21.579 each according 00:14:21.579 --> 00:14:22.500 to the measure 00:14:22.500 --> 00:14:23.519 of faith 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:25.079 that God has assigned. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:25.479 Now, 00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:26.240 when he says 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:27.179 think of yourself 00:14:27.179 --> 00:14:28.339 with sober judgment 00:14:28.339 --> 00:14:30.039 according to the measure 00:14:30.039 --> 00:14:30.539 of faith, 00:14:30.620 --> 00:14:31.399 what's he talking about? 00:14:32.779 --> 00:14:33.259 Well, 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.339 that measure of faith 00:14:34.339 --> 00:14:35.059 is what he spent 00:14:35.059 --> 00:14:36.719 11 chapters laying out. 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:38.099 That's the gospel. 00:14:38.419 --> 00:14:40.039 That God has gifted 00:14:40.039 --> 00:14:40.839 each of us 00:14:40.839 --> 00:14:41.979 with a measure 00:14:41.979 --> 00:14:42.679 of faith 00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:43.539 in the gospel. 00:14:43.839 --> 00:14:44.159 So he says 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:45.419 that needs to be 00:14:45.419 --> 00:14:46.299 your yardstick. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:47.479 Does anybody know 00:14:47.479 --> 00:14:48.419 what a yardstick is? 00:14:49.740 --> 00:14:50.219 Yeah. 00:14:50.439 --> 00:14:51.279 It's a stick 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:52.319 that's a yard long 00:14:52.319 --> 00:14:52.759 that you use 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:53.639 to measure things. 00:14:54.099 --> 00:14:55.519 That's your plumb line. 00:14:55.799 --> 00:14:56.019 Do you know 00:14:56.019 --> 00:14:57.039 what a plumb line is? 00:14:57.839 --> 00:14:58.319 Yeah. 00:14:58.620 --> 00:14:59.219 It's a string 00:14:59.219 --> 00:15:00.000 with a weight on it 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:00.639 that you use 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:02.500 to tell what's 00:15:02.500 --> 00:15:03.659 actually up 00:15:03.659 --> 00:15:04.719 and what's actually down. 00:15:04.860 --> 00:15:05.419 It's very helpful 00:15:05.419 --> 00:15:06.240 if you're cutting down 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:07.200 trees in the woods 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:08.259 to know which way 00:15:08.259 --> 00:15:09.060 the tree is going to fall. 00:15:09.180 --> 00:15:09.320 Right? 00:15:09.460 --> 00:15:10.259 So he's saying 00:15:10.259 --> 00:15:12.039 the gospel needs to be 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:12.799 your plumb line. 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:13.299 It needs to be 00:15:13.299 --> 00:15:13.879 your yardstick. 00:15:13.940 --> 00:15:14.379 In other words, 00:15:14.500 --> 00:15:15.139 it needs to be 00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:16.700 your objective unit 00:15:16.700 --> 00:15:18.120 or standard of measurement 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:19.659 that will then give you 00:15:19.659 --> 00:15:20.820 an accurate read 00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:21.980 of yourself. 00:15:25.539 --> 00:15:26.500 How does this work 00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:28.580 in practice? 00:15:29.180 --> 00:15:29.500 Well, 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:30.019 the first thing 00:15:30.019 --> 00:15:31.039 I think we need to realize 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:32.860 is that we already 00:15:32.860 --> 00:15:35.299 have standards 00:15:35.299 --> 00:15:35.919 of measurement 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:36.480 that we use 00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:37.360 to assess ourselves. 00:15:38.179 --> 00:15:39.079 For most of us, 00:15:39.139 --> 00:15:40.539 that's other people. 00:15:41.379 --> 00:15:41.579 Right? 00:15:41.599 --> 00:15:42.079 If I want to know 00:15:42.079 --> 00:15:42.699 how I'm doing 00:15:42.699 --> 00:15:43.559 in a particular area 00:15:43.559 --> 00:15:44.139 of my life, 00:15:44.259 --> 00:15:44.819 the quickest, 00:15:45.079 --> 00:15:45.679 easiest way 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:46.199 to do that, 00:15:46.259 --> 00:15:47.399 to evaluate myself, 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:48.719 is to look at other people. 00:15:49.539 --> 00:15:50.939 And social media 00:15:50.939 --> 00:15:52.059 enables this to happen 00:15:52.059 --> 00:15:53.079 a million times 00:15:53.079 --> 00:15:53.899 more than it used to. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:55.199 But I can look 00:15:55.199 --> 00:15:57.579 and whatever my value 00:15:57.579 --> 00:15:58.439 is that I'm trying 00:15:58.439 --> 00:15:59.620 to evaluate myself 00:15:59.620 --> 00:16:00.060 based on, 00:16:00.139 --> 00:16:00.259 you know, 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:01.500 am I good looking? 00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:02.519 Am I successful? 00:16:02.779 --> 00:16:04.379 Am I wealthy? 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:04.899 Is my, 00:16:05.259 --> 00:16:06.320 where I am 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:07.700 in terms of my life stage, 00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:08.759 is that where I should be 00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:09.539 at this age? 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:09.779 You know, 00:16:09.940 --> 00:16:11.360 am I educated enough? 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:12.220 Am I smart? 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:13.120 All of the things 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:14.240 that we might care about. 00:16:14.500 --> 00:16:15.019 The quickest, 00:16:15.220 --> 00:16:15.679 easiest way 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:16.600 to figure that out 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:17.639 is to look 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:18.500 at other people around you. 00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:20.019 And a lot of us do that. 00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:21.840 And what that results in 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:23.139 is if you're around 00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:23.759 a lot of people 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:24.360 who are, 00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:25.899 you perceive to be 00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:26.960 in a worse place 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:27.320 than you, 00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:28.360 you feel good about yourself. 00:16:28.940 --> 00:16:29.220 If you're around 00:16:29.220 --> 00:16:29.660 a lot of people 00:16:29.660 --> 00:16:30.240 who are in, 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:30.940 as you perceive, 00:16:31.019 --> 00:16:31.740 a better place, 00:16:31.800 --> 00:16:32.899 you feel bad about yourself. 00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:33.399 That's why 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:34.700 when people around you 00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:36.620 succeed or have 00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:38.860 big breaks in their jobs 00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:39.680 or, you know, 00:16:39.740 --> 00:16:40.779 get married 00:16:40.779 --> 00:16:41.660 and start having kids 00:16:41.660 --> 00:16:44.040 or have good things happen, 00:16:44.279 --> 00:16:45.560 you're kind of happy for them 00:16:45.560 --> 00:16:46.899 and you kind of hate their guts. 00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:47.820 You know, 00:16:47.820 --> 00:16:48.700 if you can be totally honest. 00:16:49.180 --> 00:16:49.820 And it's hard 00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:50.500 to really celebrate 00:16:50.500 --> 00:16:51.100 those things. 00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:52.080 Right? 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:53.360 This is human nature 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:55.060 to compare ourselves, 00:16:55.059 --> 00:16:56.899 but it's profoundly unhelpful 00:16:56.899 --> 00:16:59.719 because it's completely arbitrary. 00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:01.479 It's completely arbitrary. 00:17:01.599 --> 00:17:02.299 It's just based on 00:17:02.299 --> 00:17:03.739 some random selection 00:17:03.739 --> 00:17:04.119 of people 00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:04.659 that just happen 00:17:04.659 --> 00:17:05.339 to be around you 00:17:05.339 --> 00:17:06.099 at the time. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:06.480 Right? 00:17:06.539 --> 00:17:07.279 It's completely arbitrary. 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:09.139 So what we need to see 00:17:09.139 --> 00:17:10.339 is that the gospel offers 00:17:10.339 --> 00:17:12.299 a far better way 00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:14.500 of assessing ourselves 00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:16.399 because it is a perfect 00:17:16.399 --> 00:17:17.960 combination of two things. 00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:19.059 It's a perfect combination 00:17:19.059 --> 00:17:20.019 of truth 00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:21.879 and love. 00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:23.740 truth and love together. 00:17:24.540 --> 00:17:25.400 On the one hand, 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:26.420 the gospel tells us 00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:28.020 the truth about ourselves, 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:29.260 the hard, 00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:30.380 unvarnished, 00:17:30.620 --> 00:17:31.260 unpopular, 00:17:31.700 --> 00:17:32.600 painful truth 00:17:32.600 --> 00:17:33.600 about us 00:17:33.600 --> 00:17:34.580 as human beings. 00:17:35.180 --> 00:17:35.400 Right? 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:36.200 It tells us 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:36.880 that we are 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:37.900 completely 00:17:37.900 --> 00:17:39.260 and utterly corrupt. 00:17:39.380 --> 00:17:39.980 It tells us 00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:41.400 that we are broken. 00:17:41.820 --> 00:17:42.480 It tells us 00:17:42.480 --> 00:17:44.060 that we are hopelessly lost. 00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:45.880 Now, 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:47.040 that doesn't preach very well 00:17:47.040 --> 00:17:48.380 and it's not 00:17:48.380 --> 00:17:49.380 a very popular message. 00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:50.300 And particularly, 00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:50.680 honestly, 00:17:50.820 --> 00:17:51.860 I think in the West, 00:17:52.620 --> 00:17:54.000 in societies like ours, 00:17:54.120 --> 00:17:55.140 that runs completely 00:17:55.140 --> 00:17:56.300 against what most people 00:17:56.300 --> 00:17:56.800 think of 00:17:56.800 --> 00:17:57.360 when they think of 00:17:57.360 --> 00:17:58.300 human nature. 00:17:58.840 --> 00:18:00.520 The prevailing idea now 00:18:00.520 --> 00:18:01.620 is that children 00:18:01.620 --> 00:18:02.600 are born 00:18:02.600 --> 00:18:03.620 pure, 00:18:04.600 --> 00:18:05.400 unspoiled, 00:18:06.140 --> 00:18:06.880 undefiled. 00:18:07.340 --> 00:18:08.760 They are full of potential. 00:18:09.380 --> 00:18:10.500 And when we say, 00:18:10.600 --> 00:18:10.680 well, 00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:11.420 where does corruption 00:18:11.420 --> 00:18:12.180 come from? 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:14.180 I think the prevailing answer 00:18:14.180 --> 00:18:15.500 is to point to institutions. 00:18:16.260 --> 00:18:16.560 Well, 00:18:16.620 --> 00:18:17.420 it's institutions 00:18:17.420 --> 00:18:18.200 that are corrupt. 00:18:19.180 --> 00:18:20.960 And they corrupt people. 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:21.539 And they have 00:18:21.539 --> 00:18:22.400 a corrupting influence. 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:22.980 So if you have 00:18:22.980 --> 00:18:23.740 corruption in people, 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:25.019 there's an institution 00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:25.799 somewhere to blame. 00:18:26.620 --> 00:18:26.779 Right? 00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:28.259 What's interesting 00:18:28.259 --> 00:18:28.880 about that way 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:29.840 of thinking is this. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:30.640 If you look 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:31.319 throughout history, 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:32.620 I think you can make 00:18:32.620 --> 00:18:33.460 a pretty strong case. 00:18:33.579 --> 00:18:34.100 I don't think I have 00:18:34.100 --> 00:18:34.960 to really convince you 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:35.779 that virtually 00:18:35.779 --> 00:18:37.019 every human institution 00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:37.880 ever created 00:18:37.880 --> 00:18:38.920 has been corrupt 00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:39.700 on some level. 00:18:40.380 --> 00:18:41.140 Some a little bit, 00:18:41.380 --> 00:18:41.900 some a lot. 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:43.039 Churches, 00:18:43.500 --> 00:18:43.900 governments, 00:18:45.180 --> 00:18:46.180 educational systems, 00:18:46.180 --> 00:18:47.279 all of it, 00:18:47.380 --> 00:18:48.140 has had some level 00:18:48.140 --> 00:18:48.620 of corruption. 00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:50.460 They're built up, 00:18:50.560 --> 00:18:51.580 they do some stuff 00:18:51.580 --> 00:18:52.060 in the world, 00:18:52.140 --> 00:18:53.440 and then they fall apart. 00:18:54.860 --> 00:18:55.539 That's virtually 00:18:55.539 --> 00:18:56.279 every institution. 00:18:56.660 --> 00:18:57.180 So the question 00:18:57.180 --> 00:18:57.700 then becomes, 00:18:57.840 --> 00:18:57.960 well, 00:18:58.180 --> 00:18:59.920 why is every institution 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:01.420 created by human beings 00:19:01.420 --> 00:19:02.400 corrupt? 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:03.960 Well, 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:05.500 I think the easiest 00:19:05.500 --> 00:19:07.259 Occam's razor answer 00:19:07.259 --> 00:19:07.880 to that is that 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:09.080 human beings are corrupt, 00:19:09.460 --> 00:19:10.340 that we have some 00:19:10.340 --> 00:19:11.460 fundamental corruption 00:19:11.460 --> 00:19:12.580 in us. 00:19:12.579 --> 00:19:13.099 You know, 00:19:13.139 --> 00:19:14.519 this idea that human beings 00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:15.579 are born 00:19:15.579 --> 00:19:16.339 and that children 00:19:16.339 --> 00:19:17.199 are pure 00:19:17.199 --> 00:19:19.019 and unspoiled 00:19:19.019 --> 00:19:19.859 and untainted 00:19:19.859 --> 00:19:20.519 in every way 00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:21.099 and that we just need 00:19:21.099 --> 00:19:21.699 to kind of get out 00:19:21.699 --> 00:19:22.119 of their way, 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:23.480 that was popularized 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:24.359 most widely 00:19:24.359 --> 00:19:25.879 by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. 00:19:26.379 --> 00:19:27.279 Rousseau was a huge 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:28.240 proponent of this idea, 00:19:28.339 --> 00:19:29.059 really took hold 00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:29.720 of the imagination 00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:30.279 in the West. 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:32.319 Interestingly enough, 00:19:32.659 --> 00:19:33.039 if you know anything 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:33.699 about Rousseau, 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:34.699 in his own life, 00:19:35.379 --> 00:19:36.419 the moment his children 00:19:36.419 --> 00:19:36.899 were born, 00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:37.439 he sent them 00:19:37.439 --> 00:19:38.279 to an orphanage. 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:40.939 He never even met them. 00:19:42.579 --> 00:19:43.539 I think if Rousseau 00:19:43.539 --> 00:19:44.539 had actually been a parent, 00:19:45.199 --> 00:19:45.679 he might have 00:19:45.679 --> 00:19:47.179 drastically revised 00:19:47.179 --> 00:19:47.779 his theories 00:19:47.779 --> 00:19:49.000 of human nature 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:49.500 in children. 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:50.299 I think if anybody 00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:51.799 questions whether or not 00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:52.319 human beings 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:53.539 are inherently corrupt, 00:19:53.779 --> 00:19:54.439 they need to have 00:19:54.439 --> 00:19:55.139 a two-year-old. 00:19:56.220 --> 00:19:56.799 Two-year-olds 00:19:56.799 --> 00:19:57.559 can be vicious. 00:19:58.500 --> 00:19:59.139 They're sweet, 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:00.419 but they're also violent 00:20:00.419 --> 00:20:01.279 and they have really 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:01.960 no conscience 00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:02.759 or sense of guilt. 00:20:03.379 --> 00:20:03.879 And so they're 00:20:03.879 --> 00:20:05.019 like sociopaths. 00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:06.319 They're just not 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:07.699 strong enough 00:20:07.699 --> 00:20:09.199 or capable enough. 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:09.639 They don't have 00:20:09.639 --> 00:20:10.379 enough coordination 00:20:10.379 --> 00:20:11.659 to do real damage. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:12.379 Right? 00:20:12.380 --> 00:20:12.840 But they would 00:20:12.840 --> 00:20:13.380 if they could. 00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:13.820 Right? 00:20:15.540 --> 00:20:16.360 So what we need 00:20:16.360 --> 00:20:17.120 to understand is 00:20:17.120 --> 00:20:18.240 the Bible tells us 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:19.740 this very hard truth 00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:20.640 about ourselves. 00:20:20.800 --> 00:20:21.260 It tells us 00:20:21.260 --> 00:20:22.740 this very painful reality. 00:20:22.860 --> 00:20:23.100 It says, 00:20:23.460 --> 00:20:24.100 this is the thing 00:20:24.100 --> 00:20:24.600 that you need 00:20:24.600 --> 00:20:25.920 to admit about yourself. 00:20:26.020 --> 00:20:26.760 It's very difficult 00:20:26.760 --> 00:20:27.280 to swallow. 00:20:27.840 --> 00:20:28.220 And yet, 00:20:28.280 --> 00:20:29.380 right along with that 00:20:29.380 --> 00:20:30.180 is the love 00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:30.780 of the gospel. 00:20:31.100 --> 00:20:31.620 And the love 00:20:31.620 --> 00:20:32.060 of the gospel 00:20:32.060 --> 00:20:32.820 means that God 00:20:32.820 --> 00:20:33.520 has gone to 00:20:33.520 --> 00:20:35.400 unimaginable lengths 00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:36.420 to give us 00:20:36.420 --> 00:20:37.880 a new nature. 00:20:38.320 --> 00:20:38.540 Right? 00:20:38.580 --> 00:20:39.160 The gospel says 00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:39.800 that even though 00:20:39.800 --> 00:20:41.540 we are hopelessly lost, 00:20:41.539 --> 00:20:43.500 God looks at us 00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:45.659 and he loves us. 00:20:46.019 --> 00:20:46.559 And he says, 00:20:46.700 --> 00:20:47.579 I will do whatever 00:20:47.579 --> 00:20:48.339 it takes 00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:51.240 to gain that person back, 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:52.960 to bring them back 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:53.819 into my arms. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:54.539 He sends 00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:56.079 the thing that he loves 00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:56.559 most, 00:20:56.639 --> 00:20:57.460 the person he loves 00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:57.980 most, 00:20:58.319 --> 00:20:59.059 Jesus Christ, 00:20:59.180 --> 00:21:00.039 to die 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:01.099 and to suffer, 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:02.480 to redeem 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:04.039 and then to reclaim 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:06.420 the people he loves. 00:21:06.420 --> 00:21:08.080 and then he goes 00:21:08.080 --> 00:21:08.560 to work 00:21:08.560 --> 00:21:09.380 in those people. 00:21:09.560 --> 00:21:10.680 Through his Holy Spirit 00:21:10.680 --> 00:21:11.279 he begins 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:12.340 a massive 00:21:12.340 --> 00:21:13.300 full-scale 00:21:13.300 --> 00:21:14.380 renovation, 00:21:14.700 --> 00:21:15.880 renovating their hearts. 00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:17.360 Right? 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:18.120 So God looks 00:21:18.120 --> 00:21:18.980 at each of us 00:21:18.980 --> 00:21:19.960 and he says, 00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:20.920 I want you 00:21:20.920 --> 00:21:21.940 to belong to me. 00:21:22.019 --> 00:21:22.900 Not just in some 00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:23.800 general sense 00:21:23.800 --> 00:21:25.480 but in a very specific 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:26.800 personal sense. 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:28.200 And then the Bible 00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:29.160 promises that 00:21:29.160 --> 00:21:30.160 as this work 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:30.720 goes on 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:31.800 in our hearts 00:21:31.800 --> 00:21:32.500 and in our lives 00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:33.200 that one day 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:33.940 we will have 00:21:33.940 --> 00:21:35.000 new natures, 00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:36.059 no longer corrupt, 00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:37.299 no longer broken 00:21:37.299 --> 00:21:39.140 but entirely new natures, 00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:39.920 new hearts 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:42.339 and we'll be like Jesus 00:21:42.339 --> 00:21:43.900 in that way. 00:21:44.819 --> 00:21:45.119 Right? 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:46.420 So this is the source 00:21:46.420 --> 00:21:48.440 of true humility, 00:21:48.619 --> 00:21:49.500 the twin pillars 00:21:49.500 --> 00:21:50.420 of God's truth, 00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:51.339 the hard truth 00:21:51.339 --> 00:21:52.660 but also God's 00:21:52.660 --> 00:21:53.299 tremendous 00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:54.819 all-encompassing love 00:21:54.819 --> 00:21:56.200 and they come together 00:21:56.200 --> 00:21:57.220 as grace. 00:21:57.319 --> 00:21:58.500 When we talk about grace 00:21:58.500 --> 00:22:00.140 it's the bringing together 00:22:00.140 --> 00:22:00.859 of the truth 00:22:00.859 --> 00:22:01.799 and the love 00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:02.619 of God 00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:03.559 on the cross. 00:22:03.559 --> 00:22:05.200 that's what it is. 00:22:06.419 --> 00:22:07.619 So Paul is saying 00:22:07.619 --> 00:22:09.039 that needs to be 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:10.679 your gold standard 00:22:10.679 --> 00:22:11.859 by which you 00:22:11.859 --> 00:22:13.220 examine yourself, 00:22:13.319 --> 00:22:14.339 by which you think 00:22:14.339 --> 00:22:15.419 about yourself 00:22:15.419 --> 00:22:16.819 with sober judgment. 00:22:17.819 --> 00:22:19.559 So it works both ways, 00:22:19.619 --> 00:22:19.839 right? 00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:21.099 If you're tempted 00:22:21.099 --> 00:22:22.179 to think too highly 00:22:22.179 --> 00:22:22.839 of yourself, 00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:24.379 if you're tempted 00:22:24.379 --> 00:22:24.859 to sort of 00:22:24.859 --> 00:22:25.819 overestimate 00:22:25.819 --> 00:22:26.940 your worth and value 00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:27.679 relative to people 00:22:27.679 --> 00:22:28.220 around you, 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:29.079 if you're the kind 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:29.599 of boss 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.960 that only hires people 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:32.619 who are worse than you 00:22:32.619 --> 00:22:33.219 so you can feel 00:22:33.219 --> 00:22:34.219 better about yourself, 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:34.799 if you tend 00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:35.859 to shy away 00:22:35.859 --> 00:22:36.439 from criticism 00:22:36.439 --> 00:22:37.139 because you have 00:22:37.139 --> 00:22:38.019 to feel excellent, 00:22:38.179 --> 00:22:38.379 right? 00:22:38.979 --> 00:22:39.799 If you're that kind 00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:40.239 of person, 00:22:40.399 --> 00:22:41.179 then the truth 00:22:41.179 --> 00:22:41.779 of the gospel 00:22:41.779 --> 00:22:43.079 helps bring that 00:22:43.079 --> 00:22:43.879 into perspective. 00:22:45.299 --> 00:22:45.500 It says, 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:46.799 whatever your credentials, 00:22:47.159 --> 00:22:47.879 whatever your resume 00:22:47.879 --> 00:22:48.699 may look like, 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.199 whatever level 00:22:50.199 --> 00:22:50.939 of education 00:22:50.939 --> 00:22:51.979 you achieved, 00:22:52.219 --> 00:22:52.739 however much 00:22:52.739 --> 00:22:53.879 your job pays you, 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:56.279 you were so lost 00:22:56.279 --> 00:22:57.379 and so depraved 00:22:57.379 --> 00:22:57.799 that it took 00:22:57.799 --> 00:22:58.559 nothing less 00:22:58.559 --> 00:22:59.379 than the death 00:22:59.379 --> 00:23:00.059 of the Son of God 00:23:00.059 --> 00:23:00.720 to save you. 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:03.519 So bring it down 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.139 a few notches, 00:23:04.379 --> 00:23:04.559 right? 00:23:04.839 --> 00:23:05.879 But then on the other hand, 00:23:05.919 --> 00:23:06.399 if you're the kind 00:23:06.399 --> 00:23:06.759 of person, 00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:07.440 I think like a lot 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:07.919 of us are, 00:23:08.179 --> 00:23:08.839 who is prone 00:23:08.839 --> 00:23:09.960 to self-criticism, 00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:11.679 one of the things 00:23:11.679 --> 00:23:12.139 that I do 00:23:12.139 --> 00:23:13.859 that I hate 00:23:13.859 --> 00:23:14.679 is that I will wake 00:23:14.679 --> 00:23:15.720 up at 3 o'clock 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:16.200 in the morning 00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:17.220 and I won't be able 00:23:17.220 --> 00:23:17.960 to go back to sleep 00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:19.099 and it is as though 00:23:19.099 --> 00:23:20.000 my mind says, 00:23:20.119 --> 00:23:20.460 oh good, 00:23:20.519 --> 00:23:21.059 you're awake. 00:23:21.659 --> 00:23:22.460 I've prepared 00:23:22.460 --> 00:23:23.819 10 short films 00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:24.639 about the worst things 00:23:24.639 --> 00:23:25.299 you've ever done 00:23:25.299 --> 00:23:26.259 and I'm just going 00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:26.839 to hit play 00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:27.279 and I'd love 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:28.220 for you to watch this. 00:23:28.919 --> 00:23:29.839 And I'm laying there 00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:30.699 thinking that I've 00:23:30.699 --> 00:23:31.299 been betrayed 00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:32.199 by my own mind, 00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:33.019 by my own imagination. 00:23:33.319 --> 00:23:33.539 I'm like, 00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:34.139 all I want to do 00:23:34.139 --> 00:23:34.720 is go to sleep 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:35.199 and this part 00:23:35.199 --> 00:23:35.599 of my mind 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:35.899 is like, 00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:36.399 yeah, 00:23:36.459 --> 00:23:37.699 but there's this film series 00:23:37.699 --> 00:23:38.399 and I really want you 00:23:38.399 --> 00:23:39.119 to binge watch it 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:39.679 right now. 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:40.720 You're going to binge watch 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:41.480 all the worst things 00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:42.019 you've ever done 00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:42.759 and I just lay there 00:23:42.759 --> 00:23:43.539 thinking about it 00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:44.619 and hating myself, 00:23:44.819 --> 00:23:45.019 right? 00:23:45.139 --> 00:23:45.519 I don't know 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:46.019 if anybody else 00:23:46.019 --> 00:23:46.519 does this. 00:23:46.819 --> 00:23:47.399 Maybe it's my own 00:23:47.399 --> 00:23:48.359 little weird thing 00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:48.939 but you know, 00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:49.619 the only thing 00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:50.079 that I can do 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:50.919 to shake that off 00:23:50.919 --> 00:23:52.659 is to begin 00:23:52.659 --> 00:23:53.519 to look to the love, 00:23:54.119 --> 00:23:55.399 the love of God 00:23:55.399 --> 00:23:56.639 and I begin 00:23:56.639 --> 00:23:57.720 to counteract 00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:58.339 those images 00:23:58.339 --> 00:24:00.319 by praying, 00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:01.639 by sometimes 00:24:01.639 --> 00:24:03.139 in my half awake state 00:24:03.139 --> 00:24:04.459 just crying out to God, 00:24:04.859 --> 00:24:05.639 I know you love me. 00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:06.599 Help me know you love me. 00:24:07.500 --> 00:24:08.339 I know you love me. 00:24:08.439 --> 00:24:09.359 Help me know you love me. 00:24:09.459 --> 00:24:10.399 Help me feel your love. 00:24:11.579 --> 00:24:12.619 Tell me a different story 00:24:12.619 --> 00:24:13.279 about myself 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:15.119 because I can't handle 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:15.599 this story. 00:24:15.859 --> 00:24:16.379 I can't handle 00:24:16.379 --> 00:24:17.500 these short films. 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:19.319 These are horror films, 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:20.039 you know. 00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:22.480 And that's how 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.819 I talk myself 00:24:23.819 --> 00:24:25.019 out of those places, 00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:26.480 right? 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:26.980 I go back 00:24:26.980 --> 00:24:27.559 to the love of God. 00:24:27.660 --> 00:24:28.740 I consider myself 00:24:28.740 --> 00:24:29.640 with sober judgment 00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:32.519 and the love of God 00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:33.180 says this, 00:24:33.860 --> 00:24:34.740 that you're worth 00:24:34.740 --> 00:24:35.620 everything to God. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:37.920 There's no price 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:38.660 that is too high, 00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:40.039 right? 00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:40.759 There's no links 00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:41.799 that are too far 00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:43.500 that no matter 00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:44.240 what it costs 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.140 and it costs everything, 00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:47.259 God paid it with joy 00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:48.680 because he wanted you. 00:24:49.860 --> 00:24:50.420 That's what 00:24:50.420 --> 00:24:51.259 the love of God says, 00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:52.360 right? 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:53.299 And so in this way 00:24:53.299 --> 00:24:53.720 we're called 00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:54.700 to consider ourselves 00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:55.740 with sober judgment 00:24:55.740 --> 00:24:57.059 and measure ourselves 00:24:57.059 --> 00:24:58.660 against these twin pillars 00:24:58.660 --> 00:24:59.360 to achieve 00:24:59.360 --> 00:25:00.480 an accurate assessment 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:01.160 of who we are 00:25:01.160 --> 00:25:02.240 in the kingdom of God. 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:04.340 You know, 00:25:04.360 --> 00:25:04.960 it's been said 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:05.620 that humility 00:25:05.620 --> 00:25:08.279 is not thinking 00:25:08.279 --> 00:25:09.240 less of yourself, 00:25:09.319 --> 00:25:09.960 it's thinking 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:11.799 of yourself less. 00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:14.000 And I hope you see 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:14.880 that that's really 00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:15.640 the point here. 00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:18.600 That the movement 00:25:18.600 --> 00:25:19.600 that Paul is trying 00:25:19.600 --> 00:25:20.500 to catalyze 00:25:20.500 --> 00:25:21.160 in our hearts 00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:22.160 through the Spirit 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:23.980 is a movement 00:25:23.980 --> 00:25:24.940 away from thinking 00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:25.620 about ourselves 00:25:25.620 --> 00:25:26.460 much at all. 00:25:27.640 --> 00:25:28.840 The more we consider 00:25:28.840 --> 00:25:29.380 ourselves 00:25:29.380 --> 00:25:30.519 with sober judgment 00:25:30.519 --> 00:25:33.100 by the standard 00:25:33.100 --> 00:25:34.400 of the measure 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:34.940 of faith 00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:35.640 that we've been given 00:25:35.640 --> 00:25:36.180 in the gospel, 00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:37.120 the more we actually 00:25:37.120 --> 00:25:37.779 end up thinking 00:25:37.779 --> 00:25:38.540 about the gospel. 00:25:38.700 --> 00:25:39.040 In other words, 00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:40.000 the more I stop 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:40.800 looking at myself 00:25:40.800 --> 00:25:41.779 and I start looking 00:25:41.779 --> 00:25:42.380 at the cross. 00:25:44.860 --> 00:25:45.620 And that's where 00:25:45.620 --> 00:25:46.600 humility really begins 00:25:46.600 --> 00:25:47.300 to take hold 00:25:47.300 --> 00:25:49.380 and begins to actually 00:25:49.380 --> 00:25:50.060 permeate 00:25:50.060 --> 00:25:51.360 our way of being. 00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:52.219 And the more 00:25:52.219 --> 00:25:52.819 that happens, 00:25:52.899 --> 00:25:53.579 it actually begins 00:25:53.579 --> 00:25:54.959 to produce fruit 00:25:54.959 --> 00:25:56.979 in our lives. 00:25:58.639 --> 00:25:59.659 So the third point 00:25:59.659 --> 00:26:00.119 is simply, 00:26:00.399 --> 00:26:01.299 what is some of the fruit 00:26:01.299 --> 00:26:02.059 that comes out 00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:03.539 of this kind of humility? 00:26:03.779 --> 00:26:04.939 Well, first it begins 00:26:04.939 --> 00:26:05.419 in us. 00:26:05.659 --> 00:26:06.379 I'll just tell you 00:26:06.379 --> 00:26:07.039 what I've noticed 00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:09.019 in people in whom 00:26:09.019 --> 00:26:10.299 I see this thing happening. 00:26:11.019 --> 00:26:12.159 I see that people 00:26:12.159 --> 00:26:13.279 become more open 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:13.819 to admitting 00:26:13.819 --> 00:26:14.359 their faults 00:26:14.359 --> 00:26:14.919 and mistakes. 00:26:16.119 --> 00:26:16.959 I see them 00:26:16.959 --> 00:26:18.259 becoming less defensive. 00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:20.219 I see people 00:26:20.219 --> 00:26:20.619 over the course 00:26:20.619 --> 00:26:21.119 of my ministry 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:22.439 who over the years 00:26:22.439 --> 00:26:23.019 I just noticed 00:26:23.019 --> 00:26:23.759 they become more 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:24.899 receptive to criticism. 00:26:25.939 --> 00:26:26.500 The walls 00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:27.059 don't immediately 00:26:27.059 --> 00:26:27.599 come up. 00:26:27.659 --> 00:26:28.259 They're able to pick 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:29.000 those little nuggets 00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:29.599 of truth 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:30.959 out of their critiques. 00:26:31.059 --> 00:26:31.839 Even if their critiques 00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:32.799 come from a bad, 00:26:33.079 --> 00:26:34.139 poorly motivated place, 00:26:34.199 --> 00:26:35.479 they're able to see truth. 00:26:36.259 --> 00:26:37.299 There's a pause 00:26:37.299 --> 00:26:38.599 before they fire back 00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:40.379 that begins to happen 00:26:40.379 --> 00:26:40.779 in people. 00:26:41.319 --> 00:26:42.000 I see people 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:43.119 becoming more patient 00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:44.959 because they know 00:26:44.959 --> 00:26:46.579 that they require patience. 00:26:46.579 --> 00:26:49.259 I know that people 00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:50.139 have to be tremendously 00:26:50.139 --> 00:26:51.079 patient with me. 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:52.779 So I'm a little more patient. 00:26:53.559 --> 00:26:54.359 You see people 00:26:54.359 --> 00:26:55.720 becoming more compassionate 00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:56.980 toward themselves. 00:26:58.599 --> 00:26:59.819 Self-compassion. 00:27:00.619 --> 00:27:02.279 That's not just sentimentality. 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:04.079 That's not just platitudes. 00:27:04.899 --> 00:27:06.240 That comes out of a genuine place 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:07.319 of seeing yourself 00:27:07.319 --> 00:27:08.279 through God's eyes. 00:27:09.859 --> 00:27:10.919 Bernard of Clairvaux 00:27:10.919 --> 00:27:12.240 has that wonderful illustration 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:13.319 of what it is 00:27:13.319 --> 00:27:14.439 to grow in the love of God. 00:27:14.440 --> 00:27:14.799 And he says, 00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:15.299 first out, 00:27:15.700 --> 00:27:16.980 we start loving ourselves 00:27:16.980 --> 00:27:17.900 for our own sake. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:20.240 And then we start loving God 00:27:20.240 --> 00:27:21.360 for our own sake. 00:27:21.420 --> 00:27:21.820 In other words, 00:27:21.900 --> 00:27:22.559 we love God 00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:23.519 for what he can do for us. 00:27:23.940 --> 00:27:24.259 And he says, 00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:24.960 but as we grow, 00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:25.980 some people come to a place 00:27:25.980 --> 00:27:26.640 where they actually begin 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:27.279 to love God 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:28.200 simply for God's sake. 00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:29.660 Then he says, 00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:30.640 even beyond that 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:31.600 is when you begin 00:27:31.600 --> 00:27:32.759 to look back at yourself 00:27:32.759 --> 00:27:33.580 and you actually begin 00:27:33.580 --> 00:27:34.259 to love yourself 00:27:34.259 --> 00:27:35.299 for God's sake. 00:27:35.860 --> 00:27:36.960 You begin to see yourself 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:37.759 through his eyes. 00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:38.660 Self-compassion. 00:27:38.820 --> 00:27:39.900 You see that growing 00:27:39.900 --> 00:27:40.340 in people 00:27:40.340 --> 00:27:41.720 who are contemplating 00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:42.480 themselves 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:43.500 in light of the cross. 00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:45.240 And then what happens 00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:45.859 is this begins 00:27:45.859 --> 00:27:47.079 to radiate out 00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:48.059 this kind of grace-centered 00:27:48.059 --> 00:27:48.779 humility begins 00:27:48.779 --> 00:27:49.900 to produce fruit 00:27:49.900 --> 00:27:51.440 in our relationships 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:52.680 with other people. 00:27:52.900 --> 00:27:53.160 Right? 00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:55.000 We become less preoccupied 00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:55.660 with ourselves 00:27:55.660 --> 00:27:56.480 and so we begin 00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:57.200 to notice 00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:58.119 there are actually 00:27:58.119 --> 00:27:59.700 other real human beings 00:27:59.700 --> 00:28:00.319 around us 00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:01.400 and they have needs. 00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:02.079 And we begin 00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:02.799 to have these moments 00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:03.220 where we think, 00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:04.119 I think that need 00:28:04.119 --> 00:28:05.240 might be more important 00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:05.819 than my need. 00:28:05.859 --> 00:28:06.279 And we begin 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:07.599 to have these little moments 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:09.140 of genuine selfless concern. 00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:11.059 That's why this chapter 00:28:11.059 --> 00:28:12.039 goes on to describe 00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:13.619 people using the gifts 00:28:13.619 --> 00:28:14.799 that God has given them 00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:15.460 to serve 00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:16.279 and to love 00:28:16.279 --> 00:28:17.119 the people around them. 00:28:17.180 --> 00:28:17.920 That's the fruit 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:18.680 of this kind 00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:19.720 of attitude shift. 00:28:20.359 --> 00:28:20.460 Right? 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:22.319 We become less judgmental. 00:28:22.399 --> 00:28:23.159 We start to become 00:28:23.159 --> 00:28:24.639 willing to forgive things 00:28:24.639 --> 00:28:25.559 we never thought 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:26.240 we would forgive 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:27.159 because we know 00:28:27.159 --> 00:28:27.899 we need forgiveness. 00:28:28.740 --> 00:28:28.940 You know, 00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:29.339 there may have been 00:28:29.339 --> 00:28:30.319 a time back in your life 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:30.559 when you said, 00:28:30.659 --> 00:28:31.859 I can never forgive that. 00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:32.940 That was too bad. 00:28:33.159 --> 00:28:34.659 It was too far. 00:28:35.500 --> 00:28:36.399 It was too much. 00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:38.220 And then you begin 00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:38.640 to realize 00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:40.000 how much you need forgiveness. 00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:41.120 You begin to reconsider. 00:28:41.259 --> 00:28:42.040 Maybe I can forgive 00:28:42.040 --> 00:28:42.640 that person. 00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:43.600 Right? 00:28:43.700 --> 00:28:44.840 We become more open 00:28:44.840 --> 00:28:46.019 to other points of view. 00:28:46.120 --> 00:28:46.980 Can you imagine that 00:28:46.980 --> 00:28:47.540 in this culture? 00:28:48.860 --> 00:28:49.840 Being more open 00:28:49.840 --> 00:28:50.640 to other points of view 00:28:50.640 --> 00:28:51.680 because you're not as afraid 00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:52.720 to admit when you're wrong. 00:28:53.100 --> 00:28:53.880 And you realize, 00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:54.180 you know, 00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:55.400 I don't always get it right. 00:28:55.900 --> 00:28:56.680 And that's okay. 00:28:57.180 --> 00:28:58.240 I'm a human being. 00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:01.380 You become less threatened 00:29:01.380 --> 00:29:02.580 by the success of others. 00:29:04.580 --> 00:29:05.460 That's a big one. 00:29:05.460 --> 00:29:06.880 I had breakfast 00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:07.720 earlier this week 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:08.759 with a bunch of pastors 00:29:08.759 --> 00:29:09.759 I get together with regularly 00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:10.680 and there's one guy 00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:11.620 who convenes it 00:29:11.620 --> 00:29:12.559 and he's an older, 00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:13.559 retired pastor 00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:15.759 and he said something 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.340 that I love. 00:29:16.440 --> 00:29:16.779 He said, 00:29:17.079 --> 00:29:17.640 for a long time 00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:18.220 in my ministry, 00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:19.220 whenever I would meet 00:29:19.220 --> 00:29:19.900 another pastor, 00:29:20.440 --> 00:29:21.299 I would immediately 00:29:21.299 --> 00:29:22.140 look for something 00:29:22.140 --> 00:29:22.900 that I didn't like 00:29:22.900 --> 00:29:23.600 about that person. 00:29:24.460 --> 00:29:24.799 Now, 00:29:24.840 --> 00:29:25.620 why would he do that? 00:29:26.360 --> 00:29:26.680 Well, 00:29:26.740 --> 00:29:27.920 if the person was successful, 00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:29.620 he wanted a quick 00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:30.299 and easy reason 00:29:30.299 --> 00:29:31.299 to discredit 00:29:31.299 --> 00:29:32.519 and write that guy off. 00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:33.579 So he would say, 00:29:33.579 --> 00:29:33.900 well, 00:29:34.039 --> 00:29:34.279 you know, 00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:35.940 they preach this theology, 00:29:36.019 --> 00:29:36.940 it's not a good theology 00:29:36.940 --> 00:29:38.579 or they do church this way, 00:29:38.660 --> 00:29:38.759 you know, 00:29:38.859 --> 00:29:39.799 they do liturgy 00:29:39.799 --> 00:29:41.059 or they don't do liturgy 00:29:41.059 --> 00:29:41.859 or they're contemporary 00:29:41.859 --> 00:29:43.420 or they're too traditional 00:29:43.420 --> 00:29:44.559 or they're too focused 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:45.160 on emotions 00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:46.180 or they're too intellectual 00:29:46.180 --> 00:29:48.500 or they're not diverse enough 00:29:48.500 --> 00:29:49.819 or they worship 00:29:49.819 --> 00:29:50.859 the idol of diversity 00:29:50.859 --> 00:29:51.180 or, 00:29:51.399 --> 00:29:51.539 you know, 00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:52.440 you could just go on 00:29:52.440 --> 00:29:53.099 and on and on 00:29:53.099 --> 00:29:53.539 and on and on. 00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:54.420 Every reason in the book 00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:55.460 to write these people off 00:29:55.460 --> 00:29:56.359 so he could feel better 00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:56.879 about himself. 00:29:58.220 --> 00:29:59.240 And he was alone. 00:30:00.579 --> 00:30:01.579 He didn't have any fellowship. 00:30:01.980 --> 00:30:02.519 He was alone. 00:30:03.559 --> 00:30:04.240 And he says then 00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:05.079 later in his ministry 00:30:05.079 --> 00:30:05.779 he made a shift 00:30:05.779 --> 00:30:06.839 and then when he started 00:30:06.839 --> 00:30:07.720 meeting other pastors 00:30:07.720 --> 00:30:09.919 who might be potential friends, 00:30:10.859 --> 00:30:11.699 even if it was a pastor 00:30:11.699 --> 00:30:12.619 of a completely different church, 00:30:12.679 --> 00:30:13.379 even if it was a pastor 00:30:13.379 --> 00:30:14.139 that made him feel threatened, 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:14.480 he said, 00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:15.619 the first thing I would start doing 00:30:15.619 --> 00:30:16.579 is I would start looking 00:30:16.579 --> 00:30:17.639 for something to like 00:30:17.639 --> 00:30:19.019 in that person 00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:20.960 to get excited about, 00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:21.500 to champion. 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:23.220 And you know what this guy does now 00:30:23.220 --> 00:30:23.779 in his retirement? 00:30:24.419 --> 00:30:25.939 He is literally building bridges 00:30:25.939 --> 00:30:27.599 among all different kinds of pastors 00:30:27.599 --> 00:30:28.579 all throughout the city. 00:30:28.579 --> 00:30:30.159 He's bringing these people together 00:30:30.159 --> 00:30:31.679 in fellowship with one another. 00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:32.579 He's doing things that, 00:30:32.839 --> 00:30:33.000 you know, 00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:33.599 ten years ago 00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:34.519 we didn't think was possible 00:30:34.519 --> 00:30:36.919 because of that little shift, 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:40.279 because of the humility 00:30:40.279 --> 00:30:42.119 that is growing in his heart 00:30:42.119 --> 00:30:43.119 because of the cross of Christ. 00:30:44.199 --> 00:30:44.339 Right? 00:30:44.679 --> 00:30:46.220 And lastly, 00:30:47.159 --> 00:30:48.359 humility means that we become 00:30:48.359 --> 00:30:49.220 less concerned 00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:50.379 with the approval of others 00:30:50.379 --> 00:30:51.779 because our confidence comes 00:30:51.779 --> 00:30:52.679 from the love 00:30:52.679 --> 00:30:53.839 and the approval of God. 00:30:54.039 --> 00:30:55.339 And this is an important point 00:30:55.339 --> 00:30:56.539 simply because of this. 00:30:56.679 --> 00:30:58.019 Some people may hear me say 00:30:58.019 --> 00:30:58.980 the church needs to become 00:30:58.980 --> 00:30:59.440 more humble 00:30:59.440 --> 00:30:59.819 and you say, 00:30:59.900 --> 00:30:59.980 well, 00:30:59.980 --> 00:31:01.019 I actually think the church 00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:02.099 needs to become more bold. 00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:03.359 Well, 00:31:03.379 --> 00:31:04.160 here's the amazing 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:05.700 almost paradoxical reality 00:31:05.700 --> 00:31:07.019 of true humility. 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:08.819 The more humble you become, 00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:10.099 the more concerned you are 00:31:10.099 --> 00:31:10.619 with this 00:31:10.619 --> 00:31:11.740 and the less concerned 00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:12.559 you are with this 00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:13.879 or with whether or not 00:31:13.879 --> 00:31:14.879 other people approve 00:31:14.879 --> 00:31:15.480 or disapprove 00:31:15.480 --> 00:31:16.460 or like or dislike 00:31:16.460 --> 00:31:17.359 who you are 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:18.180 because you know 00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:18.819 you have the opinion 00:31:18.819 --> 00:31:19.799 of the only one who matters. 00:31:20.139 --> 00:31:20.980 And so guess what happens? 00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:22.420 You actually become more bold. 00:31:22.599 --> 00:31:23.720 You become more courageous. 00:31:24.099 --> 00:31:25.039 You become more willing 00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:26.240 to say the hard thing, 00:31:26.339 --> 00:31:27.440 to hold the line. 00:31:28.019 --> 00:31:29.519 Even if it costs you 00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:30.539 social capital 00:31:30.539 --> 00:31:32.680 because you don't care as much 00:31:32.680 --> 00:31:33.619 because you know 00:31:33.619 --> 00:31:34.200 it doesn't matter. 00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:35.879 Right? 00:31:35.980 --> 00:31:36.680 So in this way, 00:31:36.759 --> 00:31:38.000 humility actually produces 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:39.519 tremendously courageous 00:31:39.519 --> 00:31:40.319 and bold 00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:41.519 proclaimers of truth. 00:31:42.440 --> 00:31:43.019 And the reason 00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:43.660 all this matters 00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:44.680 is just to bring this together. 00:31:46.960 --> 00:31:48.299 If we're going to be 00:31:48.299 --> 00:31:49.460 the kind of community 00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:52.039 that God has called us 00:31:52.039 --> 00:31:54.220 to be in this city, 00:31:54.440 --> 00:31:55.440 if Church of the Advent 00:31:55.440 --> 00:31:56.140 is going to be 00:31:56.140 --> 00:31:57.240 the kind of community 00:31:57.240 --> 00:32:00.420 that is willing to serve, 00:32:01.140 --> 00:32:02.960 willing to meet people 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:05.820 in their most hopeless places of need, 00:32:06.259 --> 00:32:06.779 if we're going to be 00:32:06.779 --> 00:32:07.559 the kind of community 00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:08.440 that is able to 00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:09.279 and willing to 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:11.640 joyfully and generously give 00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:11.960 sacrificially 00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:13.519 of our time 00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:14.080 and our money 00:32:14.080 --> 00:32:14.680 and the things 00:32:14.680 --> 00:32:15.460 that God has given us 00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:16.880 to help those who need it, 00:32:17.299 --> 00:32:18.000 if we're going to be 00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:18.799 the kind of church 00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:20.080 that is able to proclaim 00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:23.639 the full reality 00:32:23.639 --> 00:32:24.299 of the gospel, 00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:26.279 to hold aloft 00:32:26.279 --> 00:32:26.960 and to glorify 00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:28.039 the name of Jesus Christ 00:32:28.039 --> 00:32:29.519 even when it costs us, 00:32:30.059 --> 00:32:30.779 if we're going to be 00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:31.759 that kind of community, 00:32:32.220 --> 00:32:34.139 it begins with 00:32:34.139 --> 00:32:35.539 our own hearts 00:32:35.539 --> 00:32:37.019 and our willingness 00:32:37.019 --> 00:32:38.179 to allow the gospel 00:32:38.179 --> 00:32:39.500 to humble us. 00:32:40.299 --> 00:32:41.319 To humble us. 00:32:41.859 --> 00:32:42.579 Because frankly, 00:32:42.699 --> 00:32:43.559 the social fabric 00:32:43.559 --> 00:32:44.299 of our society 00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:45.240 is being torn apart. 00:32:45.799 --> 00:32:46.720 It's being torn apart. 00:32:47.579 --> 00:32:48.259 And you know this. 00:32:48.299 --> 00:32:49.159 I don't have to convince you 00:32:49.159 --> 00:32:49.559 of this. 00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:50.460 I mean, 00:32:50.579 --> 00:32:51.339 tribalism, 00:32:51.720 --> 00:32:52.779 closed-mindedness, 00:32:53.199 --> 00:32:53.799 partisanship, 00:32:54.059 --> 00:32:56.179 people are subdividing themselves 00:32:56.179 --> 00:32:57.480 into smaller and smaller 00:32:57.480 --> 00:32:58.919 and smaller units. 00:32:59.179 --> 00:33:00.299 There's very little 00:33:00.299 --> 00:33:01.619 common ground anymore. 00:33:02.500 --> 00:33:03.259 People are increasingly 00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:04.099 balkanized, 00:33:04.259 --> 00:33:04.939 atomized. 00:33:06.179 --> 00:33:07.099 The thing that we need 00:33:07.099 --> 00:33:07.559 to realize 00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:08.139 as we look at this, 00:33:08.179 --> 00:33:09.339 it's easy to look at it now 00:33:09.339 --> 00:33:10.500 and to say, 00:33:10.659 --> 00:33:11.899 the world's falling apart, 00:33:11.980 --> 00:33:12.960 it's never been this bad. 00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:14.559 But the thing that we have 00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:14.960 to realize 00:33:14.960 --> 00:33:15.879 if you look at history 00:33:15.879 --> 00:33:17.480 is that tribalism, 00:33:18.419 --> 00:33:19.779 hating and wanting to kill 00:33:19.779 --> 00:33:20.660 and destroy people 00:33:20.660 --> 00:33:22.079 who aren't of your tribe, 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:22.920 of your group, 00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:23.599 right, 00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:24.680 wanting to destroy 00:33:24.680 --> 00:33:26.660 the others in the world, 00:33:27.059 --> 00:33:29.279 the strong trampling 00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:30.319 and oppressing the weak, 00:33:30.779 --> 00:33:31.819 if you look at history, 00:33:32.240 --> 00:33:33.079 those are normative. 00:33:33.960 --> 00:33:34.779 Those are normative. 00:33:35.480 --> 00:33:36.920 That's the norm in history. 00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:37.660 Right? 00:33:37.700 --> 00:33:38.160 There was a time 00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:39.519 when every society on earth 00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:40.420 took for granted 00:33:40.420 --> 00:33:41.200 those realities. 00:33:41.319 --> 00:33:41.460 Right? 00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:42.259 If you're somebody 00:33:42.259 --> 00:33:43.620 who owns slaves, 00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:44.319 if you're strong 00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:45.200 and wealthy and powerful 00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:46.319 and you're able to trample 00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:47.840 everybody around you, 00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:48.700 people assumed 00:33:48.700 --> 00:33:49.180 that meant 00:33:49.180 --> 00:33:50.460 you have divine blessing. 00:33:51.140 --> 00:33:52.460 The gods must like you. 00:33:52.579 --> 00:33:53.259 They're giving you 00:33:53.259 --> 00:33:53.940 these things. 00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:56.079 The real miracle 00:33:56.079 --> 00:33:56.779 in history 00:33:56.779 --> 00:33:57.860 is that things 00:33:57.860 --> 00:33:59.100 ever changed. 00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:00.240 Is that there was 00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:01.180 ever a society 00:34:01.180 --> 00:34:01.779 that said, 00:34:02.100 --> 00:34:03.720 we should consider 00:34:03.720 --> 00:34:04.799 this crazy idea 00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:06.500 called universal human rights. 00:34:06.799 --> 00:34:07.519 We should consider 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:08.559 this crazy idea 00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:09.460 that everybody, 00:34:09.460 --> 00:34:10.500 even slaves, 00:34:10.860 --> 00:34:11.820 every single person 00:34:11.820 --> 00:34:12.619 is a person. 00:34:13.139 --> 00:34:13.320 You know? 00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:14.360 We should consider 00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:15.240 this crazy idea 00:34:15.240 --> 00:34:16.280 called justice. 00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:17.619 We should consider 00:34:17.619 --> 00:34:18.480 this crazy idea 00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:19.900 called lifting up 00:34:19.900 --> 00:34:21.300 and freeing the oppressed. 00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:22.260 You know, 00:34:22.340 --> 00:34:23.019 we should build 00:34:23.019 --> 00:34:23.619 our society 00:34:23.619 --> 00:34:24.420 around this idea 00:34:24.420 --> 00:34:26.400 of inclusion 00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:27.119 of lots of different 00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:28.059 kinds of people. 00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:29.059 Right? 00:34:29.220 --> 00:34:30.119 The miracle is 00:34:30.119 --> 00:34:31.480 that that ever happened. 00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:33.139 That ever took hold 00:34:33.139 --> 00:34:33.840 in the imagination. 00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:35.619 And the reason? 00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:38.619 It's directly a result 00:34:38.619 --> 00:34:39.460 of the impact 00:34:39.460 --> 00:34:40.159 of the gospel 00:34:40.159 --> 00:34:40.960 on the hearts 00:34:40.960 --> 00:34:41.779 and minds 00:34:41.779 --> 00:34:42.500 of people. 00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:45.159 And it's a direct result 00:34:45.159 --> 00:34:45.940 of the impact 00:34:45.940 --> 00:34:46.900 that that gospel had 00:34:46.900 --> 00:34:47.460 on the way 00:34:47.460 --> 00:34:48.559 we see ourselves 00:34:48.559 --> 00:34:49.400 and the way 00:34:49.400 --> 00:34:50.559 we see other people. 00:34:50.659 --> 00:34:52.179 A radical transformation 00:34:52.179 --> 00:34:54.719 that changed society. 00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:55.679 And what that means 00:34:55.679 --> 00:34:56.759 is that the church 00:34:56.759 --> 00:34:57.159 is, 00:34:57.739 --> 00:34:58.960 as the keeper 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:59.699 and proclaimer 00:34:59.699 --> 00:35:00.440 of the gospel, 00:35:00.659 --> 00:35:02.779 we are uniquely positioned 00:35:02.779 --> 00:35:04.299 to bring healing 00:35:04.299 --> 00:35:05.440 to the social fabric 00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:06.319 of our society. 00:35:06.320 --> 00:35:08.080 But what that requires 00:35:08.080 --> 00:35:09.360 is that that begins 00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:10.039 with us. 00:35:10.460 --> 00:35:11.620 It begins with our ability 00:35:11.620 --> 00:35:12.120 and willingness 00:35:12.120 --> 00:35:13.660 to become humble 00:35:13.660 --> 00:35:16.519 and thus emboldened 00:35:16.519 --> 00:35:17.600 by the truth 00:35:17.600 --> 00:35:18.380 and the love 00:35:18.380 --> 00:35:18.940 of the gospel. 00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:21.860 All of this 00:35:21.860 --> 00:35:23.019 is one of the main reasons 00:35:23.019 --> 00:35:23.559 we're excited 00:35:23.559 --> 00:35:24.120 to be back. 00:35:25.280 --> 00:35:26.059 It is. 00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:27.440 It's a good time 00:35:27.440 --> 00:35:28.019 to be a Christian. 00:35:28.820 --> 00:35:29.940 And it's a great time 00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:30.740 to be in this community. 00:35:32.120 --> 00:35:33.340 This is a tremendously 00:35:33.340 --> 00:35:34.220 loving community. 00:35:34.699 --> 00:35:35.139 It's a community 00:35:35.139 --> 00:35:35.959 that cares about 00:35:35.959 --> 00:35:36.779 the truth of the gospel, 00:35:37.179 --> 00:35:37.899 cares about the love 00:35:37.899 --> 00:35:38.419 of the gospel. 00:35:38.779 --> 00:35:39.599 Community that again 00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:40.219 and again and again 00:35:40.219 --> 00:35:41.000 over the last 10 years 00:35:41.000 --> 00:35:41.579 I have seen 00:35:41.579 --> 00:35:43.119 rally around need, 00:35:43.339 --> 00:35:44.379 rally around people, 00:35:44.679 --> 00:35:45.779 do what needs to be done. 00:35:46.299 --> 00:35:47.199 Not perfectly. 00:35:48.279 --> 00:35:49.559 Sometimes balls are dropped. 00:35:49.679 --> 00:35:50.299 Sometimes things 00:35:50.299 --> 00:35:50.919 get overlooked. 00:35:51.619 --> 00:35:52.379 But I've seen people 00:35:52.379 --> 00:35:53.239 again and again 00:35:53.239 --> 00:35:54.359 and again striving 00:35:54.359 --> 00:35:55.339 and diving 00:35:55.339 --> 00:35:56.199 into the messiness 00:35:56.199 --> 00:35:57.419 of living our faith out 00:35:57.419 --> 00:35:58.299 in this world. 00:35:58.799 --> 00:35:59.359 And that's the kind 00:35:59.359 --> 00:35:59.739 of community 00:35:59.739 --> 00:36:00.719 I want to be a part of. 00:36:01.219 --> 00:36:01.419 You know, 00:36:01.439 --> 00:36:02.659 we did some amazing things. 00:36:02.659 --> 00:36:03.139 We traveled, 00:36:03.319 --> 00:36:05.000 we saw beautiful places. 00:36:05.500 --> 00:36:05.639 You know, 00:36:05.699 --> 00:36:07.239 we ate bread 00:36:07.239 --> 00:36:08.339 and wine 00:36:08.339 --> 00:36:09.079 and cheese 00:36:09.079 --> 00:36:09.799 and you know, 00:36:09.839 --> 00:36:10.519 it's no cliche 00:36:10.519 --> 00:36:11.480 that they're amazing. 00:36:11.619 --> 00:36:12.799 I have thoughts 00:36:12.799 --> 00:36:13.500 about cheese 00:36:13.500 --> 00:36:14.259 now that nobody 00:36:14.259 --> 00:36:14.940 should have 00:36:14.940 --> 00:36:16.079 about cheese 00:36:16.079 --> 00:36:17.239 and I feel 00:36:17.239 --> 00:36:17.619 that I need 00:36:17.619 --> 00:36:18.440 to confess them 00:36:18.440 --> 00:36:19.019 to somebody. 00:36:19.179 --> 00:36:19.319 I'm like, 00:36:19.359 --> 00:36:20.179 this isn't healthy 00:36:20.179 --> 00:36:21.399 to think this much 00:36:21.399 --> 00:36:22.799 about cheese. 00:36:23.899 --> 00:36:24.619 And yet, 00:36:24.759 --> 00:36:25.759 in all of that, 00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:27.139 the reason that 00:36:27.139 --> 00:36:28.159 we're able to come back 00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:29.920 and be so revitalized 00:36:29.920 --> 00:36:30.559 and so energized, 00:36:31.239 --> 00:36:31.799 it's not because 00:36:31.800 --> 00:36:32.940 we were able to travel Europe 00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:33.920 as memorable 00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:35.480 and amazing as that was. 00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:37.280 It is literally 00:36:37.280 --> 00:36:37.940 because of the love 00:36:37.940 --> 00:36:38.519 of this community. 00:36:39.200 --> 00:36:40.640 It's because we knew 00:36:40.640 --> 00:36:41.980 that every day 00:36:41.980 --> 00:36:42.660 we were there, 00:36:42.740 --> 00:36:43.240 we were there 00:36:43.240 --> 00:36:44.400 with the enthusiastic 00:36:44.400 --> 00:36:46.200 love and support 00:36:46.200 --> 00:36:47.780 of you all. 00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:49.000 And we felt that 00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:50.060 so much 00:36:50.060 --> 00:36:52.380 that it revitalized us. 00:36:53.620 --> 00:36:55.680 It enlivened us. 00:36:56.280 --> 00:36:57.160 Never experienced 00:36:57.160 --> 00:36:58.080 anything like it. 00:36:58.200 --> 00:36:59.460 The outpouring of love 00:36:59.460 --> 00:37:00.599 and encouragement 00:37:00.599 --> 00:37:01.220 that we got. 00:37:01.559 --> 00:37:02.500 So I'm able to come back 00:37:02.500 --> 00:37:03.099 and stand up here 00:37:03.099 --> 00:37:04.159 and say I'm truly, 00:37:04.360 --> 00:37:04.880 genuinely excited 00:37:04.880 --> 00:37:05.400 to be back. 00:37:06.039 --> 00:37:06.619 And it's going to be 00:37:06.619 --> 00:37:07.780 an amazing year together. 00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:08.880 Let's pray.