WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:29.980 So we started in December to go through the book of Luke and we've been trying to be investigators and basically track what the Holy Spirit is doing and he was fairly quiet for 400 years at least to our knowledge and then boom Christmas hits and he starts and then he first of all angel Gabriel shows up as a work place and then basically gives him the shock of his life and then he goes to show up at Mary Mary's house and then gives her the shock of her life and then Elizabeth is just overwhelmed 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:59.799 of joy and so she goes to meet Mary and they have a little kind of celebration and then after that we see we see the shepherds we see the wise men we see all these people are just just overwhelmed with this wow what's happening and last week I shared hey they were confronted with Christmas and when you're confronted with Christmas it brings about conviction it brings about change and sometimes we are just simply just comforted by the mulled wine when really there is so much more to Christmas there is almost an offensive message to Christmas that we neglect to actually think about. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:29.539 And if we're not offended by the message that actually we need a savior that actually there is no peace and that someone came to bring peace into this world that maybe we have missed the point of Christmas and now we reach an account that is fascinating and I wasn't quite sure whether to go through this because it is the last Sunday of the year and I was in a very reflective mood but then I realized actually it really does match this passage that Cuban just read for us is fascinating it's the only one in the Gospels and it gives us a glimpse into the humanity and the divinity of Jesus. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:54.599 Because it's the only one where we see him as a tween where he's like oh actually he's not full grown miracle working adult he's just this teenage boy and it's funny because Luke kind of does it so casually so he just we're in chapter 2 by the way chapter 2 verse 39 onwards but just before that we had that scene that I shared about two weeks ago where Mary and 00:01:54.599 --> 00:02:02.339 Mary and Joseph take baby 40 day old Jesus take baby 40 day old Jesus to the temple and Simeon and Anna are just this is the thing that they've been waiting for. 00:02:02.339 --> 00:02:04.780 Simeon says I can die now because of this. 00:02:04.939 --> 00:02:16.000 And so it goes from baby Jesus and just without anything more than a sentence Luke travels from baby Jesus to tween Jesus. 00:02:16.900 --> 00:02:18.199 Almost as though it's nothing. 00:02:19.300 --> 00:02:20.460 I mean there's a stark difference. 00:02:20.580 --> 00:02:26.240 There's literally the difference actually even more so than my baby MJ and not so baby RJ. 00:02:26.659 --> 00:02:28.439 So literally, if you're thinking about a 12-year-old, 00:02:28.480 --> 00:02:30.200 we're looking at someone like Reuben's age, 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:33.680 who's now suddenly, he went from being in the temple held up like this 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:38.700 to now being trusted with the freedom of just wandering around the temple 00:02:38.700 --> 00:02:42.580 during the festival to the point where each parent thought 00:02:42.580 --> 00:02:46.500 that the other person had the 12-year-old Jesus, 00:02:46.820 --> 00:02:49.160 and it was only into their travels into the third day, 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:50.480 they were like, hey, who has Reuben? 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:51.700 Who has Jesus? 00:02:52.060 --> 00:02:53.240 And they're like, oh no, we've lost him. 00:02:53.860 --> 00:02:56.000 And so then they spend three days going to look for him, 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:00.819 and I just find it interesting because we see the divinity and humanity of Jesus on display here, 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:03.020 and I think there's something that we can learn from this. 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:06.340 I think there's something that we can learn from seeing how Jesus grew. 00:03:07.659 --> 00:03:10.560 That actually, he didn't come out as the perfect savior 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:13.379 with the blonde hair and the blue eyes and the beard. 00:03:14.139 --> 00:03:15.060 There was a process. 00:03:15.780 --> 00:03:18.520 There was a process, and as we reflect on time, 00:03:18.620 --> 00:03:20.259 maybe especially at the end of 2024, 00:03:21.180 --> 00:03:24.780 I want us to think about, well, actually, what's this year been like for me? 00:03:24.780 --> 00:03:26.879 How have I grown? 00:03:27.500 --> 00:03:31.360 Or rather, if we look at it as a church, how have we grown? 00:03:32.140 --> 00:03:33.580 We were sharing as leaders yesterday. 00:03:33.699 --> 00:03:37.780 Actually, the only KPI that really is deep in my heart is actually, 00:03:37.939 --> 00:03:40.060 are people getting closer and closer to the Lord? 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:41.400 That first mission statement. 00:03:41.719 --> 00:03:44.280 Are we knowing him and enjoying him more? 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:48.080 And as leaders, are we growing in our humility? 00:03:48.259 --> 00:03:50.420 Are we growing in our capacity to love? 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:54.939 That's really all that, at least personally, I am praying for and that I care about. 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:57.939 So I ask you, what is your KPI and what does that look like? 00:03:58.259 --> 00:03:59.699 Because time is a very funny thing, 00:03:59.740 --> 00:04:03.060 and they say that time gets faster and faster as you grow older and older. 00:04:03.060 --> 00:04:04.060 Right? 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:08.960 I think there's a psychologist, Ruth Ogden, who did a study, 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:14.599 and she found that 77% of people keep thinking that Christmas keeps coming faster and faster each year. 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:17.240 It just happens that way. 00:04:17.459 --> 00:04:20.860 I shared a picture with the Rodgers the other day of last year's Christmas service 00:04:20.860 --> 00:04:23.199 with our four kids just sitting there. 00:04:23.340 --> 00:04:24.360 That's a year ago. 00:04:24.779 --> 00:04:25.779 That was one year. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:27.660 And, of course, I think as you get older, 00:04:27.740 --> 00:04:30.300 I think you do realize that time just seems to go faster and faster. 00:04:30.300 --> 00:04:32.120 Part of it is actually just logical. 00:04:32.939 --> 00:04:37.280 One month for my baby Micah is a significant portion of his life, 00:04:37.579 --> 00:04:41.660 whereas one month for someone who is significantly older is much smaller. 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:43.460 Just even percentage-wise is different. 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:46.540 And they say something, actually, there's another theory when it comes to time, 00:04:46.780 --> 00:04:50.699 which is as you are learning, time moves slower. 00:04:51.980 --> 00:04:52.600 I found that. 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:53.420 That's an interesting one. 00:04:53.720 --> 00:04:55.139 Maybe the one I related it to was, 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:58.259 do you know when you're traveling to a new place and you're learning a new route? 00:04:58.259 --> 00:05:00.399 It seems to take longer. 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:02.680 You're just trying to figure out your way to get there. 00:05:02.899 --> 00:05:04.680 But somehow the way back seems a lot faster. 00:05:05.599 --> 00:05:05.779 Right? 00:05:06.019 --> 00:05:08.019 Because when you're learning, this is the theory as it goes, 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:10.680 is when you're learning, time just slows down a little bit. 00:05:10.740 --> 00:05:14.480 So maybe as children, of course, one, your percentage of each month is different. 00:05:14.779 --> 00:05:16.459 And the other thing is you're just learning so much. 00:05:16.699 --> 00:05:18.920 And when you're learning and when your mind is processing so much, 00:05:19.019 --> 00:05:20.860 time just seems to slow down a little bit. 00:05:21.259 --> 00:05:22.620 But then as you get older and older, 00:05:23.180 --> 00:05:25.039 you start to realize, wow, time is flying. 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:29.140 The question is, as we get older, can we still keep learning? 00:05:29.900 --> 00:05:32.140 Can we still keep growing? 00:05:32.780 --> 00:05:35.700 And I think there's something from this passage here that is interesting. 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:37.780 And I'm going to ask you to have a little bit of input here. 00:05:38.020 --> 00:05:40.439 But maybe the first question I just want to get us thinking is actually, 00:05:40.520 --> 00:05:42.300 what's your definition of time? 00:05:43.340 --> 00:05:45.580 What do you think of when I ask you about time? 00:05:47.500 --> 00:05:50.160 How do you even define time? 00:05:50.740 --> 00:05:52.800 What does that look like to you? 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:55.560 Nathan, I haven't picked on you for a while. 00:05:56.500 --> 00:05:57.439 Maybe we'll start with you. 00:05:57.900 --> 00:06:00.020 When I tell you to think of time, what do you think of? 00:06:03.819 --> 00:06:04.139 Death. 00:06:04.680 --> 00:06:05.040 Death. 00:06:08.259 --> 00:06:08.900 That is true. 00:06:11.639 --> 00:06:12.000 Expand. 00:06:13.500 --> 00:06:14.199 Tell us more. 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:16.400 It's a countdown towards that. 00:06:16.980 --> 00:06:18.259 It's a countdown towards death. 00:06:18.259 --> 00:06:19.600 So every time we celebrate a birthday, 00:06:19.740 --> 00:06:21.879 we're just actually celebrating our death getting closer and closer. 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:24.600 I guess that's one way to look at it for sure. 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:27.819 Of course, is that wrong? 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:28.079 No. 00:06:28.779 --> 00:06:32.540 Psalm 90 says, teach us to number our days so that we can have a heart of wisdom. 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:36.279 So we can know actually there are limited days to what we have. 00:06:36.459 --> 00:06:42.019 And time in some ways is the thing that kind of gives us the framework of what life is about. 00:06:42.779 --> 00:06:43.839 I'm going to go over this side. 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:44.980 Gabs, let's go with you. 00:06:45.379 --> 00:06:46.819 What do you think about when you think of time? 00:06:48.519 --> 00:06:49.240 Oh, life. 00:06:49.939 --> 00:06:50.339 Wowzers. 00:06:50.339 --> 00:06:54.560 Tell us more. 00:06:56.060 --> 00:06:59.519 I think it's just everything you're saying. 00:06:59.719 --> 00:07:00.539 It's experiences. 00:07:00.859 --> 00:07:02.000 It's not the experience of film. 00:07:02.139 --> 00:07:03.079 It's not the experience of people. 00:07:04.479 --> 00:07:06.819 All of that is a part of life. 00:07:07.039 --> 00:07:07.219 Yeah. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:07.699 Not time. 00:07:07.879 --> 00:07:08.000 Yeah. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:10.419 Experiences, life. 00:07:10.500 --> 00:07:10.699 Wow. 00:07:11.219 --> 00:07:15.279 Jojo, you're in a very special season of your life and time. 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:17.579 What do you think of when you're thinking about time? 00:07:17.719 --> 00:07:20.239 No doubt you're in a reflective mood as well. 00:07:20.819 --> 00:07:21.259 Ticking. 00:07:21.719 --> 00:07:22.259 It's ticking. 00:07:24.019 --> 00:07:25.259 Time is running out. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:27.299 Save yourself. 00:07:27.979 --> 00:07:28.159 Yeah. 00:07:28.599 --> 00:07:28.939 Yeah. 00:07:29.239 --> 00:07:30.659 It's just constantly moving. 00:07:30.739 --> 00:07:31.239 It doesn't stop. 00:07:31.339 --> 00:07:32.899 Time stops for no one. 00:07:33.179 --> 00:07:33.319 Right. 00:07:33.319 --> 00:07:36.159 I did a bit of a Wikipedia search. 00:07:36.439 --> 00:07:42.019 Time is a continuous progression of our changing existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible 00:07:42.019 --> 00:07:44.959 succession from the past through the present to the future. 00:07:45.500 --> 00:07:50.939 A dictionary version is the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in past, present, 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:51.879 and future. 00:07:51.879 --> 00:07:54.620 Now, humans, we didn't invent time. 00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:56.579 We didn't invent time. 00:07:56.639 --> 00:07:58.180 We did invent the clock, of course. 00:07:58.279 --> 00:08:03.579 Actually, I've been deeply influenced by a sermon by John Tyson where he talks about time. 00:08:04.040 --> 00:08:07.759 And he was talking about, actually, we didn't invent time, but we did invent the clock. 00:08:07.819 --> 00:08:11.360 In the 14th century, the monks invented the mechanical clock. 00:08:12.439 --> 00:08:12.959 Do you know why? 00:08:15.659 --> 00:08:16.879 To remind them to pray. 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:22.480 So they created this mechanism to be able to remind them to pray. 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:23.219 Isn't that amazing? 00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:27.680 They created a clock to measure time to remind them to pray. 00:08:27.819 --> 00:08:30.899 They wanted their lives to revolve around prayer and worship. 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:37.000 And yet we've moved into a time now where, well, not only are we not controlling time, 00:08:37.139 --> 00:08:40.320 we're not on top of it, we're not the masters of it, it feels as though we're slaves of time. 00:08:41.159 --> 00:08:44.820 And suddenly, our lives aren't really revolving around prayer at all. 00:08:44.820 --> 00:08:50.820 But these clocks, these devices that we have are tracking and pushing us forward and forward 00:08:50.820 --> 00:08:52.960 to the point where it keeps ticking and it never stops. 00:08:53.040 --> 00:08:54.360 And we just have constant experiences. 00:08:54.460 --> 00:08:57.180 And maybe Hong Kong is probably the worst of these ones. 00:08:57.580 --> 00:09:01.480 I was in, and I think I've shared this with people before, I was in Nairobi a couple of years ago 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:05.780 and I was just watching these kids and these communities in these slums. 00:09:06.340 --> 00:09:09.020 And I was like, the poverty here breaks your heart. 00:09:09.019 --> 00:09:17.299 But then I was thinking, but one thing they do have that is so blessed is they have time. 00:09:17.419 --> 00:09:21.240 And I look at the people of Hong Kong and we are so time poor. 00:09:22.120 --> 00:09:24.500 There is a poverty of time here where we don't have time. 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:27.000 Think of the people that you really want to spend time with. 00:09:27.500 --> 00:09:30.279 And actually, this is something that growing up in England, I did not have a problem with 00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:34.019 because the people that you spend time with, you do life with, you see them every week. 00:09:34.059 --> 00:09:36.399 You see them two, three times a week because there's no one else to see. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:38.159 That's just the people that you have. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:43.699 Whereas here, the people that you really want to spend time with, you'd be lucky to spend five, six times a year with them 00:09:43.699 --> 00:09:45.480 because you have to fight for it. 00:09:45.839 --> 00:09:49.519 We've developed a habit where if we want to spend time with that family or with that person, 00:09:49.740 --> 00:09:52.419 at the end of the meeting that you're having with them right then, 00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:56.259 you both get your phones out and you go, okay, let's make sure we put another one in. 00:09:56.259 --> 00:10:00.720 Because if we leave here without putting another one in, it'll be three months before we see each other again. 00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:04.919 There's a time poverty here that we already struggle with. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:06.559 It reminds me of the proverb that I've heard. 00:10:07.059 --> 00:10:12.960 Again, I think it's someone in the continent of Africa speaking to someone in the West saying, 00:10:13.379 --> 00:10:15.319 you may have watches, but we have time. 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:18.559 And I was like, oh, that cuts me deep. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:24.679 Because we do have all these fancy watches, but do we actually have time? 00:10:24.679 --> 00:10:27.479 The thing that maybe matters the most. 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:32.599 And so the question I have for us today is, how are we using our time? 00:10:32.779 --> 00:10:37.039 Because we may not have that much time, but are we using it well? 00:10:37.539 --> 00:10:41.659 William Penn, the English author, said, time is what we want most, but what we use the worst. 00:10:42.819 --> 00:10:45.699 Time is what we want the most, but what we use the worst. 00:10:45.739 --> 00:10:49.120 And we have people who are just constantly struggling with procrastination. 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:53.440 Especially when you know you have an exam coming up or when you have a deadline coming up. 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:59.820 Suddenly you're just compelled, compelled to do the daily chores in your house that you haven't been doing for the last six months. 00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:00.840 You're like, today is the day. 00:11:01.259 --> 00:11:02.720 Today is the day that I need to hoover. 00:11:04.340 --> 00:11:05.360 We procrastinate. 00:11:05.980 --> 00:11:08.980 The studies show that, I mean, you can look on this on your phone right now. 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:12.320 I think the average person spends three to five hours on their phone. 00:11:13.159 --> 00:11:14.159 Three to five hours. 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:19.600 And then on top of that is three to five hours on Netflix or whichever TV show you want to watch. 00:11:20.059 --> 00:11:21.459 That's six to ten hours. 00:11:22.620 --> 00:11:23.639 And yet we don't have time. 00:11:24.819 --> 00:11:25.860 But then there are other people. 00:11:26.139 --> 00:11:33.360 There are other people that I was speaking to even yesterday who just, we seek to maximize every single minute of every single day. 00:11:33.699 --> 00:11:42.919 And every activity that we do, every commute that we have, we try and stuff in other things so that we double up, triple up, so that we can maximize that time. 00:11:43.599 --> 00:11:47.599 And John Tyson was the one that said, actually, all the regrets that we have are time-based. 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:53.219 We have these regrets that we didn't do this or we didn't do that well enough or we didn't maximize this. 00:11:53.259 --> 00:11:54.279 They're all time-based. 00:11:54.860 --> 00:11:56.779 Our relationship with time is so poor. 00:11:57.779 --> 00:11:58.479 So, so poor. 00:11:58.979 --> 00:12:01.479 And then we wonder why we're not really actually growing. 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:05.879 Maybe we're approaching even time in the wrong way. 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:14.019 And so as we look at this, I want to ask us a few more questions about what that actually looks like and how have you prioritized your time in this last year? 00:12:14.279 --> 00:12:15.240 What does that look like? 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:19.200 And another one of my favorite quotes is from a Wall Street Journal article. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:27.780 This lady, Laura Vanderkam, talked about this idea that actually when we say, when you say, oh, I'd love to do that, but I don't have time. 00:12:28.400 --> 00:12:29.300 Have we said that before? 00:12:29.620 --> 00:12:32.640 I would love to read the Bible more, but I don't have time. 00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:37.740 I would love to join that group, community group, but I don't have time. 00:12:38.139 --> 00:12:41.819 I would love to go to the gym, but I don't have time. 00:12:42.319 --> 00:12:48.139 And she said, actually, those four words, I don't have time, are completely inaccurate and unhelpful completely. 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:48.539 Why? 00:12:48.740 --> 00:12:50.779 Because what you actually mean is not I don't have time. 00:12:50.939 --> 00:12:52.759 What you actually mean is it's not a priority. 00:12:54.019 --> 00:13:01.980 Actually, more recently, I had a quote that was very similar to that, which was, actually, when you say I don't have time, what you really mean, and just be honest with yourself, what you really mean is I don't want to. 00:13:03.199 --> 00:13:04.220 That's what you actually mean. 00:13:04.779 --> 00:13:08.439 But you just say, I don't have time because it just makes you feel better. 00:13:09.779 --> 00:13:12.199 So the question for us is, are we using our time well? 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:18.699 Psalm 90 teaches to number our days so that we may have a heart of wisdom. 00:13:18.779 --> 00:13:19.659 What is that heart of wisdom? 00:13:19.659 --> 00:13:23.699 That we would know how to use our time and what to use it for. 00:13:24.059 --> 00:13:32.379 And surely the objective in all of this, how we use our time is that we would grow, that we would grow to become more like Jesus, that we would grow to know him more. 00:13:32.379 --> 00:13:34.500 And that we would grow to enjoy him more. 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:38.500 As you look back at this last year, again, I'm not going to put anyone on the spot. 00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:39.460 Have you grown? 00:13:40.659 --> 00:13:44.039 Have you used time in the way that you wanted to? 00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:48.819 And if not, I think this is a perfect time for us to look at this. 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:54.019 There's something else as we look at this account of Jesus is that I'm just fascinated always with how Jesus used time. 00:13:54.659 --> 00:13:56.419 He came to save the world. 00:13:56.419 --> 00:14:00.719 And he only really kick-started in the last three years of his life. 00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:04.279 And he was always interruptible. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:10.139 He'd be going somewhere, but if someone else comes in and asks for something, he'd be willing to stop and he'd go that way instead. 00:14:11.099 --> 00:14:15.019 Actually, that's maybe one of my naive dreams and objectives that I have as I live in Hong Kong here. 00:14:15.199 --> 00:14:17.159 It's can I be busy but unhurried? 00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:23.620 Can I go from thing to thing to thing, which seems to be just how we have to live here? 00:14:23.959 --> 00:14:25.000 Well, maybe it isn't. 00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:26.879 But can I be unhurried? 00:14:27.439 --> 00:14:28.860 And I've tried different things in doing that. 00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:35.279 Maybe when I travel between things, when I'm so tempted just to catch up on all those emails on those two MTR stops, 00:14:35.799 --> 00:14:38.659 I try and just stop and keep my phone in my bag. 00:14:39.339 --> 00:14:40.339 And can I be unhurried? 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:42.919 Can I plod along to the next thing? 00:14:42.919 --> 00:14:49.759 And as I meet this person, that person, this person, can I be fully present in that moment with that person? 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:52.259 Can I be unhurried but busy? 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:54.539 You can hold me accountable then. 00:14:54.659 --> 00:14:56.339 You can ask me, hey, James, how's that going for you? 00:14:56.740 --> 00:14:58.559 And I think some days I'll say it's going great. 00:14:58.659 --> 00:15:00.279 And there's other days I've completely failed. 00:15:01.719 --> 00:15:06.599 But I think if we don't figure out our relationship with time, I don't know if we're going to be growing in the right way. 00:15:07.939 --> 00:15:10.839 And we see Jesus and he was completely in tune. 00:15:10.840 --> 00:15:14.560 And as he grew, verse 40, chapter 2, verse 40 says this, 00:15:14.680 --> 00:15:20.460 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him. 00:15:20.680 --> 00:15:22.720 If we go to the end of chapter 2, it says again, 00:15:23.060 --> 00:15:27.500 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:32.240 Increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man. 00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:33.620 He grew physically. 00:15:34.060 --> 00:15:35.300 He grew socially. 00:15:35.800 --> 00:15:37.200 He grew mentally. 00:15:38.660 --> 00:15:39.560 And emotionally. 00:15:40.840 --> 00:15:41.879 Are we growing? 00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:46.280 And this is whether you are 12 years old or this is whether you are 80 years old. 00:15:46.420 --> 00:15:48.420 Are we still growing to be more like him? 00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:56.019 If the Lord of heaven and earth showed opportunity of growth, we must too. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:58.560 I think that's the question that we have here is, 00:15:58.820 --> 00:16:00.160 Are we growing in the right way? 00:16:00.340 --> 00:16:02.480 And as I look at this account of Jesus, this tween, 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:05.500 And of course, every parent has that nightmare of losing their kids. 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:09.539 I find it just interesting why he does what he does and where he goes. 00:16:09.620 --> 00:16:10.980 So let's start with a little bit of this. 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:13.779 So his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of Passover. 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:16.480 And when he was 12 years old, they went up according to custom. 00:16:16.820 --> 00:16:20.240 And when the Feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:21.159 His parents didn't know. 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:23.500 But supposing him to be in the group, they went a day's journey. 00:16:23.580 --> 00:16:26.559 And then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:28.159 Now, they would go there. 00:16:28.359 --> 00:16:31.419 And of course, Jesus is reaching age. 00:16:31.619 --> 00:16:33.179 Like, he's nearly becoming of age. 00:16:33.339 --> 00:16:34.659 He's approaching his bar mitzvah. 00:16:34.739 --> 00:16:36.319 He's going to become a man very soon. 00:16:36.379 --> 00:16:41.000 So he would have been allowed certain freedoms that maybe younger siblings couldn't have. 00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:42.079 So he would have been wandering around. 00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:48.179 And the thing that he chose to do was to sit at the temple to ask questions, to talk. 00:16:48.819 --> 00:16:50.099 And he would amaze them. 00:16:50.199 --> 00:16:50.899 I think it says here, 00:16:50.899 --> 00:16:53.479 After three days they found him in the temple, verse 46, 00:16:53.480 --> 00:17:02.159 I love this. 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:06.200 Why do I put you on the spot and make you answer some of my questions? 00:17:06.500 --> 00:17:09.180 Apart from the objective of trying to keep Danny awake, 00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:11.599 just in case I ask him a question one time, 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:19.120 is because I truly believe there's something to do with just actually you learn when you engage. 00:17:20.779 --> 00:17:21.380 Don't worry. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:22.140 I remember a time. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:23.339 I know I'm stood here right now. 00:17:23.339 --> 00:17:27.399 I remember a time when I'm approaching Sunday morning church and I've got these things to do. 00:17:27.459 --> 00:17:27.959 Oh, don't worry. 00:17:28.639 --> 00:17:29.679 I'll do it during the sermon. 00:17:31.259 --> 00:17:33.419 Because that's when I have some uninterrupted time. 00:17:34.039 --> 00:17:35.220 About 40 minutes or so. 00:17:35.339 --> 00:17:37.199 And I grew up in a church that had a trilingual service. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:38.759 So sometimes that could be an hour and a half. 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:42.319 This is the time where I catch up on all the things that I need to catch up on. 00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:46.099 And I see here that I don't know if that's the best way to learn. 00:17:46.539 --> 00:17:48.139 I don't know if that's the best way to grow. 00:17:48.140 --> 00:17:53.620 You see Jesus asking questions and them asking questions back. 00:17:53.619 --> 00:18:00.119 And if you're an educator, the pedagogy here is different. 00:18:01.139 --> 00:18:01.899 It's engaging. 00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:02.539 It's interactive. 00:18:03.079 --> 00:18:07.000 It's actually engaging with each person going, hey, where are you at? 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:10.839 And let me see if I can help move you from where you're at to somewhere higher, 00:18:11.739 --> 00:18:13.399 to somewhere closer to the Lord. 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:15.080 And you see him engaging in this way. 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:15.900 And that's my hope. 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:17.640 Now, I think we're getting a little bit too big. 00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:18.900 And I don't know all your names anymore. 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:22.940 So if I don't know your name, then I guess you feel safe that I'm not going to ask you any questions. 00:18:25.360 --> 00:18:26.560 But the question here is this. 00:18:26.600 --> 00:18:32.320 Are you putting yourself in the right place and asking the right questions to the right people? 00:18:32.900 --> 00:18:35.060 Because if you're sitting here going, I don't know if I've grown this year. 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:37.100 Well, maybe that's where we start. 00:18:38.019 --> 00:18:44.699 Maybe, look, this is impossible to be able to meaningfully know each other and to help grow each other. 00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:46.679 But in smaller groups, that's why we have our life groups. 00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:51.459 Do you have those safe spaces where you can actually talk and challenge each other and ask those questions and go, 00:18:51.500 --> 00:18:52.719 oh, I don't really understand that. 00:18:53.459 --> 00:18:57.240 I love it when someone says, hey, I read that passage and I have no clue what it meant. 00:18:57.959 --> 00:18:59.599 I thought that is the same. 00:18:59.959 --> 00:19:00.359 Me too. 00:19:01.139 --> 00:19:02.159 Let's find out together. 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.480 Let's study together. 00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:06.319 Let's engage with this because I think that's the only way that we can grow. 00:19:07.919 --> 00:19:08.819 How do we use our time? 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:12.740 Are we putting ourselves in the right places at the right times, asking the right people the right questions? 00:19:13.659 --> 00:19:14.899 And then something else. 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:18.619 And Jesus not only knew where to go, he also knew his own identity. 00:19:19.819 --> 00:19:23.379 Because when finally mom finds him, she's like, what are you doing? 00:19:23.459 --> 00:19:24.299 Why are you here? 00:19:24.699 --> 00:19:25.659 We've been looking for you. 00:19:25.679 --> 00:19:28.159 And he's like, don't you know that I'm supposed to be in my father's house? 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:33.879 Can you imagine Jesus' voice as a tween, just barely, just about breaking? 00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:35.640 Don't you understand? 00:19:35.820 --> 00:19:42.740 This is the first time we hear Jesus acknowledge his identity as the prince of heaven. 00:19:44.180 --> 00:19:47.080 Don't you realize I'm supposed to be in my father's house? 00:19:47.120 --> 00:19:48.700 And of course, Jesus just sat there going, awkward. 00:19:50.540 --> 00:19:52.820 Well, yeah, your father's been looking for you, by the way. 00:19:54.300 --> 00:19:55.540 Now, he's not being rude here. 00:19:55.539 --> 00:20:03.359 He's not being dismissive, because actually afterwards you see he goes home with them and it actually says, and then he was submissive to them. 00:20:03.960 --> 00:20:09.759 But what he was simply doing was trying to highlight to them, hey, I have an earthly father, but I also have a heavenly father. 00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:14.240 Jesus knew his identity, knew who he was, and knew why he was here. 00:20:15.220 --> 00:20:19.819 Hence why he was investigating and asking questions and growing and learning and using his time in such a way. 00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:24.939 Are we putting ourselves in the right places at the right times, asking the right people the right questions? 00:20:25.179 --> 00:20:26.700 And do we know who we are? 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:27.919 Now, it's interesting here. 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:29.099 He's not being rude. 00:20:29.439 --> 00:20:30.899 And then afterwards, I find it interesting. 00:20:31.019 --> 00:20:32.539 Verse 51, and he went down with them. 00:20:32.759 --> 00:20:34.539 So he says, don't you understand I'm supposed to be here? 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:35.759 But then he does follow them. 00:20:36.339 --> 00:20:39.460 And he shows us, hey, actually, that's what I wanted to do. 00:20:39.579 --> 00:20:41.220 But now I submit and I follow you. 00:20:41.419 --> 00:20:43.200 And he submits and he goes home with them. 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:46.819 And his mother treasures up all these things in her heart, because mothers remember everything. 00:20:46.819 --> 00:20:47.299 Everything. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:50.019 For how long? 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:50.899 For 18 years. 00:20:52.159 --> 00:20:55.579 He was submissive to them for 18 years. 00:20:55.659 --> 00:20:56.179 Can you imagine? 00:20:56.619 --> 00:20:57.539 This is boy Jesus. 00:20:58.220 --> 00:20:58.980 He's growing. 00:20:59.619 --> 00:21:00.720 He's impressing everyone. 00:21:01.919 --> 00:21:08.119 And yet he goes home for another 18 years to be submissive and to lie low. 00:21:09.379 --> 00:21:13.779 This teaches me something else, that he had a good relationship with time because he just simply wasn't rushed. 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:17.639 He wasn't eager to impress the people around. 00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:21.160 He knew something about timing that actually requires patience. 00:21:21.940 --> 00:21:28.539 In the book War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy says the two most powerful warriors are patience and time. 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:30.920 Can you imagine meeting? 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:32.180 Okay, he's 12 then. 00:21:32.579 --> 00:21:34.920 Can you imagine meeting Jesus at 26? 00:21:34.980 --> 00:21:35.500 How old are you, K1? 00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:36.519 25. 00:21:36.879 --> 00:21:38.740 Imagine meeting Jesus at 25. 00:21:38.740 --> 00:21:38.859 25. 00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:40.160 Jesus. 00:21:40.940 --> 00:21:42.000 The Prince of Heaven. 00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:45.079 And you meet Jesus at 25. 00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:46.000 Hey, Jesus, how are you doing? 00:21:47.120 --> 00:21:47.640 I'm cool. 00:21:48.180 --> 00:21:50.519 Just hanging out, working with my dad. 00:21:51.900 --> 00:21:52.420 That's it. 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:56.880 I'm pretty sure he would have had certain powers then. 00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:58.400 Sometimes I try and imagine what kind of powers. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:22:00.779 Like, later on he starts turning water into water. 00:22:00.859 --> 00:22:01.299 Can you imagine? 00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:02.700 He knows it's not time yet. 00:22:03.460 --> 00:22:06.859 Because he tells his mom at the wedding, hey, it's not time yet to do this. 00:22:06.859 --> 00:22:08.539 But he knows he can. 00:22:09.240 --> 00:22:10.479 Can you imagine teenage Jesus? 00:22:11.259 --> 00:22:13.539 It's just like, I know I can do this. 00:22:14.299 --> 00:22:16.159 That classmate that really annoys him. 00:22:16.719 --> 00:22:19.899 He knows he can make that chair fall and lose balance. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:23.399 Mom's told him to do the chores. 00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:27.139 Mom's told him to sweep the flat, but no one's there. 00:22:31.619 --> 00:22:32.559 Mom says, cook. 00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:34.699 When no one's seen. 00:22:36.859 --> 00:22:42.119 But I also get the sense that 25-year-old Jesus was just willing just to sit and just, it's not time yet. 00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:48.259 And yet how many of us are always just waiting, craving, yearning for immediate impact and growth? 00:22:50.019 --> 00:22:54.939 God made me for great things, and I'm supposed to do them right now and save the world. 00:22:56.399 --> 00:23:01.419 Yet Jesus was submissive and went home and hung out for another 18 years, just learning what it meant to be a human. 00:23:01.420 --> 00:23:08.480 Growing in stature, growing in wisdom, growing in favor with God, and also with man. 00:23:09.700 --> 00:23:10.920 I find that interesting. 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:16.440 He was just committed to this path of growth, and he was patient about it. 00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:19.820 Do we have that same kind of patience and trust? 00:23:19.900 --> 00:23:20.920 Even the Apostle Paul. 00:23:20.920 --> 00:23:26.100 In Acts 9, he has this moment where he meets Jesus, and he completely goes 180. 00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:27.460 He goes from Saul to Paul, right? 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:30.100 And then he has a few days where he's kind of blinded. 00:23:30.120 --> 00:23:30.720 He's like, what? 00:23:31.640 --> 00:23:32.539 Jesus is real. 00:23:34.100 --> 00:23:35.180 And I find it fascinating. 00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:36.160 What does he do after that? 00:23:36.560 --> 00:23:40.600 He actually goes home, and he doesn't go and reach out to Peter for another three years. 00:23:40.599 --> 00:23:58.859 If we take the time to look at the events of what happened in the early church, you can see that there is just a patience and a slow and steady growth that happens that is completely different to our experience of church and growth now. 00:23:59.899 --> 00:24:02.939 He waited three years before he even went to introduce himself to Peter. 00:24:02.940 --> 00:24:06.200 Whereas if I had had something like that happen to me, hey, I'm not Saul anymore. 00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:06.640 I'm Paul. 00:24:07.539 --> 00:24:10.840 I would have announced my arrival and said, hey, let's do this. 00:24:11.320 --> 00:24:12.740 Let's bring his kingdom come now. 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:15.700 And yet he goes home for three years and waits. 00:24:17.059 --> 00:24:18.380 There's a patience that's involved. 00:24:18.620 --> 00:24:23.779 Not only that, it's actually he waits 14 years before he goes on his first missions trip. 00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:25.200 14. 00:24:27.460 --> 00:24:28.440 That's a lot of time. 00:24:28.440 --> 00:24:35.160 Sometimes our relationship with time is so poor, we're just so impatient. 00:24:36.080 --> 00:24:37.700 We just want to grow now. 00:24:37.980 --> 00:24:39.400 We want to be healthy now. 00:24:39.600 --> 00:24:41.140 We want to be useful now. 00:24:41.340 --> 00:24:43.140 We want to be a leader now. 00:24:44.380 --> 00:24:47.039 And we completely neglect that actually there's a process. 00:24:47.799 --> 00:24:48.380 There's a journey. 00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:53.620 And I'm not saying that just to kind of hold you back and go, hey, you're not ready yet. 00:24:54.980 --> 00:24:56.940 Because I think you should wait. 00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:58.680 I just look at Jesus. 00:24:58.860 --> 00:25:04.000 I'm like, oh, he had this just, he had this patience about him. 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:06.259 He had this curiosity about him. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:07.820 And he was eager to grow. 00:25:08.340 --> 00:25:11.700 But he was also so, so patient. 00:25:12.680 --> 00:25:13.140 Why? 00:25:14.420 --> 00:25:19.259 Even at the wedding, when his mom's like, okay, now's the time. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:21.320 You are about to announce your arrival. 00:25:21.380 --> 00:25:22.340 He says, it's not the time. 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:23.799 Even then he was reluctant. 00:25:24.680 --> 00:25:25.600 Why was that? 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:27.539 Why did he have such patience? 00:25:29.740 --> 00:25:36.059 I think we get a hint of that in John chapter five, when Jesus says, I'm not here to do anything of my own accord. 00:25:36.119 --> 00:25:39.159 I'm not here to do what I think should be right. 00:25:39.339 --> 00:25:41.179 I'm here and my eyes are on the father. 00:25:42.359 --> 00:25:44.219 I'm only looking at the father. 00:25:44.339 --> 00:25:46.619 The son does nothing apart from the father. 00:25:46.859 --> 00:25:49.699 He only does what he sees the father doing. 00:25:49.700 --> 00:25:55.039 His eyes were completely, completely on God. 00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:58.460 Think about the moments where you're impatient. 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:00.660 You're like, I should be better by now. 00:26:00.860 --> 00:26:02.860 I should be more mature by now. 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:04.460 I should be growing this way by now. 00:26:04.500 --> 00:26:07.000 I should be super holy by now. 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:10.220 I should have a girlfriend or a boyfriend by now. 00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:12.620 I should have this kind of job by now. 00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:14.240 I should have this kind of salary by now. 00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:16.500 I should have this kind of lifestyle by now. 00:26:17.120 --> 00:26:18.519 What are you really, really saying? 00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:26.779 If your statement of I don't have time is really, I don't want to, or it's not a priority, 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:29.960 when you're saying I should have these things by now and I'm just behind, 00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:33.519 what we're really saying is actually, God, I don't think I trust you. 00:26:35.079 --> 00:26:39.279 If we really boil it down, it comes back to that same thing. 00:26:39.319 --> 00:26:42.279 God, look, I trust you, but can you just hurry up? 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:45.299 Which therefore means I don't actually trust you. 00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:52.220 I trust you and my life is in your hands, but could you just do this, please? 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:53.779 Can I just have this already? 00:26:54.759 --> 00:26:57.380 What we're really saying is, God, I don't actually trust you. 00:26:57.380 --> 00:27:02.760 So what we see then, actually, our relationship with time is actually really just a reflection 00:27:02.760 --> 00:27:03.880 of our relationship with God. 00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:10.200 How we deal with time, how we use time, how we perceive time, how we maximize time, 00:27:10.380 --> 00:27:17.900 how we think we waste time, really comes down to actually what our perception of God is really like. 00:27:18.920 --> 00:27:24.200 And I've been recently very inspired by what I think a quote that John Marker quoted from someone else 00:27:24.200 --> 00:27:27.360 in his book, Practicing the Way, and it was just let's discover the art, 00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:33.020 art of wasting time with God, which is completely counterintuitive to how I normally operate, 00:27:33.100 --> 00:27:36.280 which is, hey, I'm going to spend, God, I'm going to spend 30 minutes now. 00:27:36.780 --> 00:27:38.800 I'm going to maximize my time with you. 00:27:39.020 --> 00:27:40.360 I'm going to pray for 10 people. 00:27:40.820 --> 00:27:42.300 I'm going to read this chapter. 00:27:43.860 --> 00:27:46.620 And I'm going to tick this box, and it's going to be a good time. 00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:48.419 And our time is up. 00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:52.739 And I realize, oh, I've approached that the wrong way. 00:27:54.779 --> 00:27:58.919 And then I started, okay, I'm just going to, what do I want to do when I want to hang out with a friend? 00:27:58.959 --> 00:28:00.179 It's actually not to do much at all. 00:28:01.199 --> 00:28:03.239 It's just to spend time just to be with them. 00:28:04.879 --> 00:28:07.239 And it's not, we say wasting time with God. 00:28:07.299 --> 00:28:08.519 It's just in a way that we can understand. 00:28:08.579 --> 00:28:09.839 But really, it's not wasting time. 00:28:09.839 --> 00:28:16.139 It really, again, comes down to how we perceive time, which really, therefore, comes down to how we perceive God. 00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:17.199 How do you use your time? 00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:19.299 Or how do you perceive God? 00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:24.159 And does that ultimately lead you to a path of growth? 00:28:24.359 --> 00:28:25.299 That's what we're here for. 00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:26.779 Why are we here? 00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:33.919 We are here to become more like him, to spend more time with him, to know him, and to enjoy him more, to grow in him. 00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:36.940 Do we use our time wisely? 00:28:37.380 --> 00:28:39.420 And what does that actually look like? 00:28:39.560 --> 00:28:40.920 Because God cannot be rushed. 00:28:42.920 --> 00:28:44.380 2 Peter 3 says this, right? 00:28:44.700 --> 00:28:46.300 You think he's being slow, but he's not. 00:28:46.380 --> 00:28:46.539 Why? 00:28:46.660 --> 00:28:49.980 Because to him, a thousand years is like a day. 00:28:51.560 --> 00:28:55.660 That just shows you he is just completely far beyond our perception of time. 00:28:56.060 --> 00:28:57.880 So you have a body clock that is ticking. 00:28:58.019 --> 00:29:01.220 Well, God doesn't even get affected by that. 00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:05.180 And you see time and time again in scripture, that is not a thing for him. 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:06.360 Why? 00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:07.559 Because he isn't flesh. 00:29:07.860 --> 00:29:08.519 He is spirit. 00:29:09.640 --> 00:29:11.860 He transcends time. 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:14.680 Because he doesn't operate in our realm. 00:29:15.860 --> 00:29:20.420 Genesis 1, when he was just a spirit, just hovering above the waters, he spoke creation into life. 00:29:20.680 --> 00:29:21.920 He is not really part of that. 00:29:21.960 --> 00:29:23.579 He's not rushed, because he's the author. 00:29:24.200 --> 00:29:27.339 Sometimes we look at this book and go, he's the main character of this book. 00:29:28.120 --> 00:29:29.779 He's more than the main character of this book. 00:29:29.779 --> 00:29:32.019 He is the main character, but he's the author of this book. 00:29:33.039 --> 00:29:34.960 Pull yourself out even further. 00:29:35.899 --> 00:29:37.819 He's not Harry Potter or Hermione Granger. 00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:39.319 He's J.K. Rowling. 00:29:40.339 --> 00:29:41.559 In that sense, maybe. 00:29:41.899 --> 00:29:42.920 Not that helpful. 00:29:44.259 --> 00:29:45.559 Maybe I'll retract that one. 00:29:45.700 --> 00:29:46.639 Can we delete that off the recording? 00:29:49.700 --> 00:29:53.500 But just that relationship, let's say, that J.K. Rowling has with her book. 00:29:54.660 --> 00:29:56.119 She's the one orchestrating it. 00:29:56.299 --> 00:29:57.200 She's not rushed. 00:29:57.200 --> 00:29:59.900 She's not impatient. 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:06.900 Sometimes we look at everything, even God things, from our own earthy lens. 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:13.799 From our own flesh and trapped within our understanding of time when God is far above that. 00:30:13.799 --> 00:30:18.579 I think that's how he could be unhurried and busy. 00:30:19.299 --> 00:30:20.919 Because he just pulls himself out. 00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:24.879 And he sees the past, present, and future all at the same time. 00:30:25.099 --> 00:30:26.480 And no, we don't understand that. 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:32.079 If any preacher or any pastor or any scientist tells you, I understand that, well, you don't believe them. 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:37.019 Because our minds are not capable of understanding everything in creation. 00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:49.700 And yet here we see divinity and humanity just held in just perfect tension where he's patient. 00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:52.299 He's perfect, but he's growing. 00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:57.240 He's young, but he's sinless. 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:06.000 He's the author of everything, and yet he's still learning and growing in wisdom and stature and favor. 00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:07.480 Patience. 00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:08.460 Time. 00:31:09.379 --> 00:31:11.659 Let us not be enslaved by time. 00:31:11.660 --> 00:31:13.300 Let us not be trapped by it. 00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:16.960 But let us live by the spirit in the sense that we are just not rushed. 00:31:17.740 --> 00:31:19.620 That is why solitude is so important. 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:26.320 That is why spending time on your own, pulling yourself out of the daily grind of life is so important. 00:31:26.320 --> 00:31:28.860 And putting your phone away and taking your watch off. 00:31:29.140 --> 00:31:35.120 Because in that moment, that's when you pull yourself out of the responsibilities that you have on a daily basis. 00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:43.079 And you sit and you realize, wow, creation is so much bigger than me and my schedule. 00:31:44.179 --> 00:31:48.379 That's why my personal favorite on solitudes is to sit by the ocean. 00:31:50.199 --> 00:31:53.179 And you just watch the tides come in and out. 00:31:53.259 --> 00:31:55.219 And you're like, wow, I am so small. 00:31:56.019 --> 00:32:01.759 If I died right now, there may be a few people who shed a tear, but it's not as though the world would stop. 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:05.220 But there's a world happening outside that just keeps happening. 00:32:06.940 --> 00:32:09.599 Regardless of what we're actually doing here. 00:32:11.059 --> 00:32:13.019 And that's not to say that we're insignificant. 00:32:13.299 --> 00:32:18.359 But that's just to say, just to take that pride off of our shoulders that everything is about us. 00:32:19.259 --> 00:32:24.940 And I think only then do we understand, God is the creator of everything. 00:32:27.039 --> 00:32:28.119 Everything belongs to him. 00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:29.740 We're a vapor in the wind. 00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:31.119 And that actually freezes. 00:32:31.900 --> 00:32:33.200 Freezes to grow at the right time. 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:35.640 Freezes to approach time with the right mindset. 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:41.059 Freezes to actually spend time on the things that we think we truly believe are the most important to us. 00:32:41.759 --> 00:32:46.319 And so I think it's a good time for us this week to do an audit on our lives and go, actually, where do I spend my time? 00:32:46.839 --> 00:32:48.160 Let me have a look at my phone. 00:32:48.440 --> 00:32:50.400 And I go to settings and I go to screen time. 00:32:51.140 --> 00:32:52.039 If you have an iPhone. 00:32:52.500 --> 00:32:57.220 And go, well, actually, how much time am I using on this device? 00:32:57.220 --> 00:33:00.420 And you'll be able to see. 00:33:00.900 --> 00:33:01.579 Oh, wow. 00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:02.640 That's a lot of time. 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:14.759 As a mid-twenties young man, which was not that long ago, I started realizing I had a problem, which was, look at these guys. 00:33:14.759 --> 00:33:18.559 One hour? 00:33:19.180 --> 00:33:19.500 Bro. 00:33:19.980 --> 00:33:20.660 That's impressive. 00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:21.900 How did you hack it? 00:33:24.900 --> 00:33:25.819 Use my iPad. 00:33:26.099 --> 00:33:26.879 Use your iPad. 00:33:26.880 --> 00:33:43.040 And the more experienced in life people, older people, people who are over 40, don't just look at the young people and go, oh, those young people are always on their phones. 00:33:43.300 --> 00:33:48.840 I see you on the MTR playing Candy Crush over and over again. 00:33:49.860 --> 00:33:51.420 It's not just us that are addicted. 00:33:51.560 --> 00:33:52.880 It's not just the young people that are addicted. 00:33:53.120 --> 00:33:54.660 The old people are addicted, too. 00:33:54.660 --> 00:34:02.920 Just because you deem what they're doing to be useless doesn't mean Candy Crush is meaningful. 00:34:05.180 --> 00:34:06.100 But it's the same. 00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:08.180 How are we using our time? 00:34:09.680 --> 00:34:10.460 How are we growing? 00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:12.480 Have a look and just see. 00:34:12.599 --> 00:34:17.119 Yeah, so anyway, as a young, mid-twenties, I realized I had a problem. 00:34:17.300 --> 00:34:18.220 I'll call it a problem. 00:34:18.280 --> 00:34:18.800 I was a teacher. 00:34:19.460 --> 00:34:21.599 Actually, one of the problems with being a teacher, who's a teacher? 00:34:21.599 --> 00:34:26.559 Do you have this thing where after school you just can't function? 00:34:27.219 --> 00:34:28.759 Like your brain just stops? 00:34:29.539 --> 00:34:32.599 And actually, for the sake of my marriage, I actually had to explain to my wife. 00:34:32.679 --> 00:34:35.039 I said, I love you so much. 00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:40.159 But when I come home, the next 30 minutes, I actually can't talk. 00:34:40.920 --> 00:34:42.779 I can barely breathe. 00:34:42.780 --> 00:34:45.840 I just need to play FIFA. 00:34:47.500 --> 00:34:48.120 30 minutes. 00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:49.600 Just give me one game. 00:34:50.600 --> 00:34:51.680 Just give me one game. 00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:54.220 And I'm all yours afterwards. 00:34:55.400 --> 00:34:55.680 Right? 00:34:55.820 --> 00:34:56.680 Because I just can't. 00:34:57.600 --> 00:34:59.440 I don't know which side of my brain I've been using. 00:35:00.360 --> 00:35:01.240 It's just, yeah, which. 00:35:01.740 --> 00:35:03.180 And then I just need to stop. 00:35:03.839 --> 00:35:06.639 And then I started to realize, oh, actually, no, it's not really just half an hour I'm playing. 00:35:07.019 --> 00:35:10.599 Because suddenly I, and then I move on to 2K, and then I play playoff mode, and I play my play. 00:35:10.679 --> 00:35:12.379 And then just, and then it becomes two hours. 00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:13.839 And then, so I started to have this rule. 00:35:14.099 --> 00:35:17.279 Hey, actually, I love those things, and those are technically not bad things. 00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:19.480 I think. 00:35:19.879 --> 00:35:20.379 I think. 00:35:20.379 --> 00:35:20.379 00:35:20.659 --> 00:35:25.359 If you're an addicted gamer, do not take that as your final statement of the sermon today. 00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:30.519 But I was like, I've got to spend more time with God than I have with my PlayStation. 00:35:30.899 --> 00:35:32.960 That's, like, that's got to be a non-negotiable. 00:35:33.899 --> 00:35:36.039 Like, how could that possibly be? 00:35:36.859 --> 00:35:37.500 But that's the thing. 00:35:38.919 --> 00:35:40.239 And then it became, oh, social media. 00:35:40.339 --> 00:35:42.679 And then it became just being on your laptop. 00:35:42.839 --> 00:35:46.139 Or then it became, and now I'm kind of more of a middle-aged man. 00:35:46.179 --> 00:35:50.039 It's just scrolling on Amazon, just looking for items that I don't need so I can buy them. 00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:56.319 But I started measuring and going, okay, actually, how much time am I spending with this? 00:35:56.919 --> 00:35:59.639 And how does that compare to my time with God? 00:36:00.819 --> 00:36:02.960 James, you're free to play three hours of FIFA. 00:36:03.179 --> 00:36:08.779 So long as you pray for three hours and one minute and spend time in the word. 00:36:09.539 --> 00:36:11.259 So how much do you want to play that? 00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:18.379 So that's how I started to kind of put things in place to kind of work on my relationship with time. 00:36:18.380 --> 00:36:24.700 Of course, once you get married, suddenly you have this amount of time and suddenly it's cut in half. 00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:26.599 Because now you only have this amount. 00:36:26.720 --> 00:36:29.559 And each time you have a child, you just have less and less time. 00:36:29.559 --> 00:36:36.539 And so those of us who are married with kids and you're young and single and look at me and you go, yeah, I just don't have time. 00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:39.360 I just have many bad words in my head when I look at you. 00:36:39.559 --> 00:36:40.719 And I'm like, you have no idea. 00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:43.299 You have absolutely no idea. 00:36:43.300 --> 00:36:51.580 And then it gets to a point where actually, no, this isn't a, okay, Pastor James says, spend three hours reading the word. 00:36:51.660 --> 00:36:52.140 No, that's not it. 00:36:52.220 --> 00:36:54.019 It's actually in your season. 00:36:54.019 --> 00:36:56.840 What is it that you want to do? 00:36:57.960 --> 00:36:59.619 And can you reach that yourself? 00:37:00.559 --> 00:37:02.860 And actually, what would make you a little bit uncomfortable? 00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:07.039 What would cause you to grow and go out of your way? 00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:08.639 What would instill a bit of discipline in you? 00:37:09.019 --> 00:37:14.599 And honestly, at this season of your life, if it's 60 seconds, then it's 60 seconds. 00:37:15.360 --> 00:37:16.340 And that's okay. 00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:19.559 I love the quote by Thomas Merton that says, 00:37:20.179 --> 00:37:23.139 the very thing that pleases God is just our desire to please God. 00:37:24.420 --> 00:37:25.219 And that's it. 00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:28.179 So it isn't, oh, I only spent one minute with God today. 00:37:28.280 --> 00:37:28.960 That sucks. 00:37:29.139 --> 00:37:29.920 I'm a bad Christian. 00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:35.440 That's, again, we're dealing with a God who transcends time. 00:37:36.039 --> 00:37:37.199 He sees the heart. 00:37:38.059 --> 00:37:41.659 So he's like, oh, my child tried to spend time with me. 00:37:41.980 --> 00:37:43.880 Got distracted, but that's okay. 00:37:44.960 --> 00:37:48.159 Because today it was 60 seconds, but tomorrow it might be 70 seconds. 00:37:48.619 --> 00:37:50.079 And again, it's not a time thing. 00:37:50.179 --> 00:37:51.960 Suddenly, straight away, it creeps in. 00:37:51.960 --> 00:37:54.159 Just our worldly approach. 00:37:54.599 --> 00:37:56.199 Can I keep growing in this? 00:37:58.019 --> 00:38:02.440 But if we realize that God is spirit and he is completely far above that and transcends time and space, 00:38:03.000 --> 00:38:06.280 then we realize he cares about something altogether different. 00:38:07.420 --> 00:38:08.400 He cares about our hearts. 00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:11.340 He cares about, are we curious enough? 00:38:11.420 --> 00:38:16.820 When we look at a passage of scripture, and let's say we're reading through Chronicles. 00:38:16.820 --> 00:38:17.620 That's the hard one. 00:38:19.380 --> 00:38:26.820 And you read, they carried off their livestock, 50,000 of their camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys, and 100,000 men alive. 00:38:28.039 --> 00:38:31.580 For many fell because the war was of God, and they lived in their place until the exile. 00:38:31.579 --> 00:38:35.199 Right, my devotion's done for today. 00:38:37.039 --> 00:38:38.539 Let me go back to Instagram. 00:38:41.699 --> 00:38:46.779 Can we ask the Holy Spirit to go, well, you may not understand that passage about the cattle. 00:38:48.539 --> 00:38:49.840 But God, you're here. 00:38:51.059 --> 00:38:52.059 Why was that there? 00:38:53.719 --> 00:38:57.940 Give me just enough so I can be actually curious to go, actually, what is there something to learn from there? 00:38:57.940 --> 00:39:02.679 Why were you so meticulous and detail-oriented in the Old Testament? 00:39:03.000 --> 00:39:03.840 What was that all about? 00:39:07.159 --> 00:39:11.059 And pray that the Lord would just grant you that heart of curiosity to grow and just go, well, 00:39:11.340 --> 00:39:14.400 and honestly, there are passages, okay, well, right, I think we're done today. 00:39:14.679 --> 00:39:15.019 We're good. 00:39:16.539 --> 00:39:19.860 Because we're not governed by the law, we're now operating in grace. 00:39:20.900 --> 00:39:22.179 And God only looks at the heart. 00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:25.960 So can we pray for a heart of curiosity as opposed to complacency? 00:39:25.960 --> 00:39:28.300 Can we just be curious? 00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:33.119 And honestly, I think someone was sharing with me the other day, actually, it's really hard reading the Bible on my own. 00:39:33.400 --> 00:39:35.320 It is absolutely hard to read the Bible on your own. 00:39:35.720 --> 00:39:36.800 Find someone to read it with. 00:39:37.480 --> 00:39:38.280 Find someone, anyone. 00:39:39.099 --> 00:39:40.760 Read an easier translation to start with. 00:39:41.860 --> 00:39:43.940 Whatever it takes, start with the message. 00:39:44.360 --> 00:39:45.220 Start with the Passion Version. 00:39:45.340 --> 00:39:47.159 Start with the NLT and then move on to the ESV. 00:39:48.260 --> 00:39:51.500 Do whatever you need to do just to get going. 00:39:52.179 --> 00:39:52.860 Just to start. 00:39:53.519 --> 00:39:54.280 And be curious. 00:39:54.280 --> 00:39:55.519 And ask questions. 00:39:57.019 --> 00:39:58.040 Just like Jesus did. 00:39:58.800 --> 00:39:59.800 Just like Tween Jesus did. 00:39:59.860 --> 00:40:03.420 The second is, let's focus on our identity, on who we are. 00:40:03.620 --> 00:40:06.100 Don't you know that I'm supposed to be in my father's house? 00:40:07.660 --> 00:40:13.000 So next time your friend invites you on a junk boat trip on Sunday morning, 00:40:13.560 --> 00:40:16.120 you say, don't you know I'm supposed to be in my father's house? 00:40:16.119 --> 00:40:20.239 Can we leave from Central Ferry Pier at 1pm? 00:40:22.440 --> 00:40:27.179 Can we prioritize being in the sanctuary? 00:40:27.339 --> 00:40:29.559 Can we prioritize dwelling in him? 00:40:29.559 --> 00:40:32.659 Because I think that's the only way to grow. 00:40:34.259 --> 00:40:38.099 When you put yourself in places, in the right places with the right people asking the right questions. 00:40:39.259 --> 00:40:40.380 May we be curious. 00:40:40.719 --> 00:40:44.699 May we know that our identity is that we are children of God. 00:40:44.699 --> 00:40:49.359 And he seeks to dwell in us, amongst us. 00:40:49.360 --> 00:40:54.579 And finally, let's focus on direction as opposed to destination. 00:40:55.840 --> 00:40:59.019 Sometimes we want to just achieve, we want to just get there. 00:40:59.019 --> 00:41:02.519 We want to be the savior of the world. 00:41:02.739 --> 00:41:05.460 Or we want to be the savior of her world. 00:41:05.679 --> 00:41:06.659 Or his world. 00:41:07.139 --> 00:41:08.079 Or my world. 00:41:10.539 --> 00:41:12.960 Jesus went back to Nazareth for 18 years. 00:41:14.179 --> 00:41:15.480 As a carpenter's son. 00:41:17.579 --> 00:41:20.800 What he think, what I think he cared more about was just direction. 00:41:21.599 --> 00:41:23.780 He grew in stature, in wisdom. 00:41:24.840 --> 00:41:25.880 In favor with man. 00:41:26.300 --> 00:41:27.300 In favor with God. 00:41:27.300 --> 00:41:32.120 That truth that, hey, you are not where you want to be. 00:41:32.700 --> 00:41:34.500 But you're also not where you used to be. 00:41:35.820 --> 00:41:38.120 But can we be a people who are committed year in, year out? 00:41:38.740 --> 00:41:39.539 Week in, week out. 00:41:39.900 --> 00:41:40.640 Day in, day out. 00:41:40.940 --> 00:41:41.600 Am I growing? 00:41:41.720 --> 00:41:43.240 Am I heading in that direction? 00:41:43.400 --> 00:41:45.160 Am I becoming more like Jesus? 00:41:45.420 --> 00:41:48.820 And can I make decisions that are based on who do I want to become? 00:41:50.160 --> 00:41:52.539 And this is someone who is whatever age. 00:41:53.240 --> 00:41:55.019 I want to be patient. 00:41:55.019 --> 00:41:58.099 But I'm going to make a decision now to become patient. 00:41:58.699 --> 00:42:00.059 And it's going to take time. 00:42:00.579 --> 00:42:02.280 And it doesn't happen immediately. 00:42:02.599 --> 00:42:04.219 And it also doesn't happen easily. 00:42:05.820 --> 00:42:08.259 We watched Evan Almighty recently as a family. 00:42:08.380 --> 00:42:12.079 Which is one of those safe, theologically sound movies to watch over Christmas. 00:42:12.079 --> 00:42:16.840 And it's just that one phrase that when, who's watched Evan Almighty? 00:42:17.960 --> 00:42:18.159 Don't you? 00:42:18.259 --> 00:42:18.960 I love it. 00:42:19.019 --> 00:42:19.679 Personally, I love it. 00:42:19.799 --> 00:42:23.779 It's, I imagine God's voice is similar to Morgan Freeman's. 00:42:24.579 --> 00:42:26.400 And he sits in that restaurant, right? 00:42:26.500 --> 00:42:29.099 And he goes, hey, if you want patience, how does God give you patience? 00:42:29.539 --> 00:42:32.340 He gives you opportunity to become patient. 00:42:32.340 --> 00:42:37.740 So when I look at my kids and I'm like, oh, I love my baby right over there. 00:42:38.000 --> 00:42:42.260 And he gives me ample opportunity to become patient. 00:42:44.960 --> 00:42:47.920 My wife's completely, she doesn't need to give me anything. 00:42:48.059 --> 00:42:48.840 She's just perfect. 00:42:49.700 --> 00:42:54.100 She's just, oh, but that's where the real growth comes. 00:42:54.099 --> 00:43:00.579 Can we commit to heading in a direction? 00:43:01.519 --> 00:43:07.860 Maybe if you're just about to fall asleep or you're just waking up now, this is the quote. 00:43:09.219 --> 00:43:11.159 What direction do you want to be heading in next year? 00:43:12.559 --> 00:43:14.019 This is the question you have at lunch. 00:43:14.380 --> 00:43:15.480 I love James' sermon. 00:43:15.559 --> 00:43:16.460 He was talking about direction. 00:43:16.599 --> 00:43:17.639 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:43:19.239 --> 00:43:20.880 Which direction do you want to be heading in? 00:43:20.880 --> 00:43:24.579 And how are you using your time to get there? 00:43:26.660 --> 00:43:27.420 And know this. 00:43:28.200 --> 00:43:30.780 Actually, he will be the one that brings to completion that work. 00:43:31.119 --> 00:43:32.340 In Philippians 1, that's what it says. 00:43:32.820 --> 00:43:35.019 That what he started, he will bring to completion. 00:43:36.160 --> 00:43:38.160 And so let's not grow weary of doing good. 00:43:40.039 --> 00:43:43.800 But those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength and they will soar with wings like eagles. 00:43:44.880 --> 00:43:48.220 Let us be in that place where we recognize he is the everlasting God. 00:43:48.300 --> 00:43:48.820 Have you not known? 00:43:49.500 --> 00:43:50.099 Have you not heard? 00:43:51.260 --> 00:43:54.599 He is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. 00:43:55.200 --> 00:43:56.660 He does not faint nor grow weary. 00:44:00.880 --> 00:44:01.840 Keep your eyes on him. 00:44:03.119 --> 00:44:05.400 Think about ways that you can change. 00:44:05.780 --> 00:44:07.260 This is where the practical application comes. 00:44:07.539 --> 00:44:10.360 Maybe there are things that you need to do to change. 00:44:11.640 --> 00:44:13.960 Maybe it is to lock your phone on a certain screen time. 00:44:14.039 --> 00:44:17.480 Maybe it is to hide your MacBook somewhere else or your iPad somewhere else. 00:44:17.700 --> 00:44:19.660 Whatever it is, I don't know what that is for you. 00:44:19.659 --> 00:44:22.960 Do it. 00:44:24.279 --> 00:44:29.000 I think it was my sister-in-law, Alex, asking me the other week, we keep doing all these things. 00:44:29.059 --> 00:44:31.920 We try the reading plan and that sometimes kind of fizzles out. 00:44:32.199 --> 00:44:33.980 And then we try this and then it fizzles out. 00:44:33.980 --> 00:44:40.599 Why does everything we do, and we were just sharing just collectively, we weren't kind of targeting anything or anyone. 00:44:41.260 --> 00:44:45.320 We just keep failing as a race just when we start new initiatives. 00:44:45.320 --> 00:44:51.900 I mean, January 1st is our next opportunity to sign up to that gym membership and to start again. 00:44:53.039 --> 00:44:56.960 But why does everything that we start always end up just kind of, well, I think that's just the depravity of man. 00:44:57.000 --> 00:45:00.000 I think that's just our hearts are always pulled. 00:45:00.360 --> 00:45:01.280 We have so many idols. 00:45:01.360 --> 00:45:02.240 We have so many distractions. 00:45:02.239 --> 00:45:07.219 But I honestly think it's okay to drop and then just to get back up and to start again. 00:45:08.079 --> 00:45:09.539 Because it's not about unlocking. 00:45:09.739 --> 00:45:12.739 It's not about what you actually have to achieve. 00:45:12.819 --> 00:45:13.759 It's simply just your heart. 00:45:13.839 --> 00:45:15.059 It's just the direction that you're heading in. 00:45:15.099 --> 00:45:16.899 There is no destination until we reach heaven. 00:45:16.900 --> 00:45:21.519 And so let's keep committing to using our time in the best way possible. 00:45:21.619 --> 00:45:24.380 Let's keep committing to heading in the right direction. 00:45:25.200 --> 00:45:28.320 And I'll spend the final few moments now just to give it back over to you to reflect. 00:45:29.019 --> 00:45:35.960 As you look, and I'm going to ask Florence that actually Sam can do that little gifted tinkle that he does for us. 00:45:38.619 --> 00:45:40.240 Can I invite you just to spend a moment? 00:45:40.239 --> 00:45:55.239 As you look at the tween Jesus and you see his heart of curiosity, his steadfast knowledge in who he was, even as a teenager. 00:45:56.379 --> 00:46:07.000 And then can you just imagine the utter patience that he had as a young adult before he decided to launch himself 00:46:07.000 --> 00:46:13.000 into the biggest rescue project in the history of mankind. 00:46:16.019 --> 00:46:17.019 There was a peace. 00:46:17.360 --> 00:46:18.019 There was a trust. 00:46:19.480 --> 00:46:21.800 There was a healthy relationship with time that he had. 00:46:23.179 --> 00:46:24.679 And let's ask the Holy Spirit. 00:46:26.820 --> 00:46:29.880 Is there anything in the way that I use time 00:46:29.880 --> 00:46:33.719 that actually isn't conducive to growth? 00:46:33.719 --> 00:46:37.619 That isn't conducive 00:46:37.619 --> 00:46:41.219 to relationship with you. 00:46:45.399 --> 00:46:46.879 And as a community, can we 00:46:46.879 --> 00:46:49.659 humble ourselves and go, well, actually, no. 00:46:50.159 --> 00:46:52.099 I can't do this quite on my own. 00:46:55.139 --> 00:46:57.480 And if there are people in your group that 00:46:57.480 --> 00:47:00.239 actually, no, I need to tell them, hey, I'm going to, this year, I'm going to do this. 00:47:00.239 --> 00:47:04.279 Can you ask me every Thursday night whether I'm doing it? 00:47:04.500 --> 00:47:06.000 Because we just need 00:47:06.000 --> 00:47:09.979 those safety measures because 00:47:09.979 --> 00:47:12.039 our hearts are 00:47:12.039 --> 00:47:14.379 deceitful above all things. 00:47:17.819 --> 00:47:20.419 Holy Spirit, we just give these final few minutes to you now. 00:47:20.420 --> 00:47:25.519 thank you for giving us a glimpse 00:47:25.519 --> 00:47:32.860 into a Jesus, a boy Jesus that was growing 00:47:32.860 --> 00:47:38.440 with his eyes set on the Father already. 00:47:39.880 --> 00:47:40.680 That's what we want. 00:47:42.320 --> 00:47:44.220 We want to learn from this 12-year-old. 00:47:44.219 --> 00:47:53.339 Help us to be childlike 00:47:53.339 --> 00:47:54.759 and not childish 00:47:54.759 --> 00:47:56.019 in the way we use our time. 00:48:07.079 --> 00:48:07.459 Speak 00:48:07.459 --> 00:48:09.619 for your children listening. 00:48:09.619 --> 00:48:09.679 Amen. 00:48:09.679 --> 00:48:09.679 00:48:14.219 --> 00:48:21.639 Lord, that truly is the one thing we ask. 00:48:23.639 --> 00:48:26.500 One thing that we seek, that we would be here in your love. 00:48:27.519 --> 00:48:30.299 That we would dwell in your house all the days of our lives. 00:48:32.459 --> 00:48:33.799 So we want more of you 00:48:33.799 --> 00:48:35.839 in this next year. 00:48:36.699 --> 00:48:38.799 But we want to want more of you. 00:48:38.800 --> 00:48:45.360 So Lord, can you turn us in the right direction? 00:48:51.180 --> 00:48:52.840 Just like you, Jesus, as a boy 00:48:52.840 --> 00:48:55.800 knew the direction that you were heading in. 00:49:02.860 --> 00:49:04.760 But that you also actually knew the destination. 00:49:04.760 --> 00:49:08.600 That you had come, you had been sent 00:49:08.600 --> 00:49:09.660 to preach the good news. 00:49:10.720 --> 00:49:11.860 To be the good news. 00:49:18.560 --> 00:49:20.360 And you ended up on the cross for us. 00:49:25.080 --> 00:49:26.200 But we now know that is, 00:49:26.460 --> 00:49:27.800 that was not your final destination, 00:49:27.800 --> 00:49:28.660 but you are now 00:49:28.660 --> 00:49:32.620 seated in the heavenly places. 00:49:34.760 --> 00:49:38.140 And now every tongue confesses 00:49:38.140 --> 00:49:39.320 and every knee will bow. 00:49:41.660 --> 00:49:42.440 And you are Lord. 00:49:47.360 --> 00:49:49.140 So keep our eyes focused on you. 00:49:50.900 --> 00:49:52.320 Help us to use our time. 00:49:55.860 --> 00:49:56.900 In your name we pray. 00:49:58.500 --> 00:49:58.860 Amen.