WEBVTT

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 live in light of eternity, and we kind of think, well, how does that look in real life?

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 And that's what Jesus shows us here really in the first 10 verses of Luke 17.

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 So you found your place, you can follow along in your copy of God's Word or follow along on the screen.

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 The Bible says this,

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 Then said he unto his disciples,

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 It is impossible, but the defenses will come.

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 But woe unto him through whom they come.

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 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck,

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 and he was cast into the sea, that he should offend one of these little ones.

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 Take heed to yourselves.

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 If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him.

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 And if he repent, forgive him.

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 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day,

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 and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him.

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 Verse 5,

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 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

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 And the Lord said,

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 If ye had the faith as a grain of a mustard seed,

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 you might say unto the sycamine tree,

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 Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it should obey you.

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 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle,

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 will say unto him by and by,

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 when he has come from the field,

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 Go and sit down to meet?

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 And will not rather say unto him,

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 Make ready wherewith I may sup,

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 and gird thyself, and serve me,

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 till I have eaten and drunken,

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 and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

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 Doth he think that servant,

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 because he did the things that were commanded him?

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 I trow not.

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 Verse 10,

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 So likewise ye,

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 when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you,

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 say,

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 We are unprofitable servants.

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 We have done that which was our duty to do.

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 So what Jesus is going to do here is,

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 he's going to talk about what everyday discipleship looks like.

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 I think sometimes we hear that word discipleship,

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 we may think of Bible studies,

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 and classes,

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 and learning doctrine,

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 and those things are important.

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 But here in Luke 17,

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 what Jesus shows us is,

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 the discipleship is just as much about how we treat people on Monday,

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 as it is what we believe and sing about on a Sunday.

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 Because the Christian life is not lived inside these four walls.

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 The idea is we hear the word of God,

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 and we take it out,

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 and we live it in real time.

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 And real time,

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 I don't know if you found this out in your life,

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 it's hard.

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 Life is hard, isn't it?

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 And we're going to come into problems,

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 we're going to face difficulties.

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 It's impossible that offenses will not come.

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 So how do we deal with that when they do?

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 That's what Jesus is going to show us here this morning.

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 So let's go to the hymn and ask him to help us here today.

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 Father, thank you for this opportunity to once again open your word.

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 Lord, help us never to tire of it.

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 Lord, help us to come to your word with excitement,

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 not just to hear it, Lord,

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 but to receive it and apply it to our life, Lord.

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 I pray that if there is somebody here today

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 that does not know you as their Savior,

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 Lord, that you would make that very clear to them.

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 Lord, you would just convict their heart.

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 Lord, you would draw them to yourself.

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 But Lord, for those that do know you here as their Savior,

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 Lord, I pray that we would take an honest inventory of our life

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 and to make sure that we're living life

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 in a way that points and honors you.

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 Lord, I pray that you would be with me now.

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 You would empty me of self.

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 You'd cleanse me of sin.

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 Fill me with your spirit

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 that I might be a help to these people here this morning.

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 And we ask it in Christ's name.

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 Amen.

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 Thank you so much for standing.

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 You may be seated.

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 You ever started a new job?

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 Maybe it's your first job.

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 And you're kind of excited about it

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 because now you're going to have your own real life money

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 and you can do some things.

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 So you're excited and you go,

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 get that little bit of nerves

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 and you show up on time.

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 That's a good thing.

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 You know, show up on time is a key thing.

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 Teenagers, if you get a job,

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 that's going to put you ahead of about 99% of people in the world

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 just showing up on time.

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 And you do that and you think,

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 okay, I'm ready to go.

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 And then somebody comes and hands you

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 about a 10-inch employee handbook

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 and says, here, read this.

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 Everything you need to know is in there.

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 And thankfully, at some point,

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 somebody's going to come alongside and say,

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 hey, why don't you come here?

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 I'm going to kind of show you how we do things around here.

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 I don't know about you,

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 but I can read about something.

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 I can hear somebody explain it

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 and try to pretend like I'm understanding.

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 Oh, yeah.

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 But really for me,

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 what clicks is when I see it play out in real time.

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 Like, oh, that's how it does

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 because sometimes it just is not getting in there.

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 And it's true when learning a new job.

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 Maybe it's true in learning a skill

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 or it's true in sports and in parenting.

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 And it's certainly true in the Christian life.

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 The Bible tells us in Philippians 3, verse 17,

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 Paul said, listen, mark them in your life

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 that you can follow as an example in the Christian life.

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 And the idea that Paul is saying

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 is that we should all have somebody that we look up to.

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 We should all have somebody that's an example.

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 No matter what stage you are in your life,

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 what stage you are in your Christian walk,

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 there should be somebody

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 that's a little bit further along in the race.

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 And you say, hey, I want to kind of model my life after them

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 because they're modeling their life after Christ.

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 And so we see that and we can see it kind of play out

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 in real time.

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 And we need examples.

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 But not only that, the Bible is going to tell us here

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 this morning that we, as believers in Christ,

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 we need to be an example for others to follow.

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 And so Jesus is kind of digging into that truth.

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 And we see throughout scriptures that by the grace of God,

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 through faith in Christ Jesus,

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 when we call on him for salvation,

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 we're forgiven of our sins.

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 The Bible says that old things are passed away

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 and behold, all things have become new,

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 that we're brand new creatures.

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 I mean, when that happens, it's exciting.

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 And I just want to remind you,

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 you don't have to get over it, by the way.

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 You can still be excited, you know,

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 five, 10, 20, 50 years down the road

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 because you're alive in Christ now.

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 But I think the reality is, is sooner or later,

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 every believer begins to ask the question,

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 well, now what?

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 Now what do I do?

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 What does following Jesus actually look like?

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 Jesus calls us constantly to follow him,

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 constantly to be his disciples.

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 How do I live like that?

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 How does my life look like that?

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 How do I make Sunday's sermon real on Monday morning?

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 Because that's the goal.

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 That's the aim.

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 It's not just, the Christian life's not showing up at church,

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 singing some hymns, opening your Bible,

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 and going to lunch.

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 I like all those things.

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 But that's not what our Christian life should consist of.

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 But as we've seen throughout the Gospel of Luke,

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 Jesus never leaves us guessing.

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 He has a plan.

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 He has a goal.

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 He has an aim.

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 He gives us practical things that we can place into our life.

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 If you were here last week,

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 we saw there at the end of Luke chapter number 16,

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 and really from verses 19 to 31,

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 we looked at a pretty famous story in the Gospel of Luke of the rich man and Lazarus.

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 And Jesus showed us the tragedy of a man who lived entirely for himself.

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 His life, his daily life was all about himself.

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 He fared sumptuously.

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 Every day was a feast.

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 Every day was a holiday.

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 He dressed in the best clothes.

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 He had everything the world had to offer.

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 While ignoring both God and the people right in front of him.

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 He had an opportunity to be a blessing.

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 He had an opportunity to help others.

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 He had an opportunity to point others to God.

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 But instead of using his resources for others,

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 he used it for himself.

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 And the message there was unmistakable,

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 that eternity should change the way that we live.

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 Because we saw later in the story that the poor man, Lazarus,

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 when he died, he went to heaven.

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 And the rich man was not in hell because he was rich.

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 And Lazarus wasn't in heaven because he was poor.

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 No, it's because the rich man trusted in himself,

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 and Lazarus trusted in God.

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 And eternity revealed that.

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 So Jesus was painting this picture that how we live on this side,

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 and what we live for,

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 is going to determine where our eternity is spent.

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 And now he turns to his disciples as we come into our text in Luke 17,

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 and he answers the question.

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 If we are living in light of eternity,

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 what should that actually look like?

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 Because we know eternity is coming.

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 He's kind of made that very, very clear

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 over the last few chapters in Luke's gospel.

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 And as we came and we read this text this morning,

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 these first ten verses,

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 it kind of seems like Jesus is just shotgunning things off.

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 Like none of these things are really related.

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 I mean, he's talking about offenses and forgiving,

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 and then he's talking about mustard seed and trees,

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 and he's talking about servants.

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 I mean, it kind of seems like,

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 Jesus, what is going on?

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 But I think that we're going to see here this morning

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 is they really paint a beautiful picture

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 that shows us what everyday discipleship looks like.

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 Because here's the big idea of this text,

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 that following Jesus is revealed not merely in what we believe,

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 but how we live,

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 and how we love one another,

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 and how we forgive one another,

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 and how we trust God,

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 and how we serve every single day.

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 See, these first ten verses,

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 what Jesus is showing us

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 is he's going to show us some characteristics

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 that mark a faithful follower of Jesus.

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 Because his disciples are there,

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 and they say,

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 okay, eternity's coming,

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 Lord, we want to live for you.

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 What does it look like?

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 And so as Jesus answers that question,

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 he begins to show them.

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 He says,

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 listen, you need to have these marks in your life.

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 And the first characteristic we see

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 of a faithful follower of Jesus

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 is this,

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 is that he guards others from stumbling.

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 That he guards others from stumbling.

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 We see that in verse number one.

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 The Bible says this,

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 it is impossible that offenses will come.

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 I mean, Jesus begins right off the bat

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 with a very sober warning.

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 Now notice,

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 the last few chapters,

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 Jesus has been talking to the Pharisees.

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 Every time he's speaking,

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 he's saying,

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 listen, you need to get this right.

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 You're way in the wrong.

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 But that's not who Jesus is talking to here in this text.

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 That he's talking to his disciples.

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 This is for people that already belong to him.

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 That are true followers of Christ.

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 And here's what he's essentially saying.

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 If you're going to follow me,

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 here's something you need to understand.

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 Here's something you need to make sure

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 that you are very well aware of

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 that it's a part of life.

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 Problems.

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 Anybody love problems?

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 Anybody got problems?

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 We should.

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 I mean, we do.

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 The Bible says this,

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 it's impossible that offenses or problems

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 or really the idea here is stumbling blocks.

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 It's impossible.

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 It's inevitable that they do not come.

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 And really in the original text,

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 in the original language,

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 the picture here is a trigger on a trap

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 to catch an animal.

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 The bait, it looked harmless.

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 It looked like not a big deal.

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 Oh man, there's a piece of cheese.

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 I'm going to go after it.

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 It's very attractive.

00:11:11.920 --> 00:11:12.580
 It's very appealing.

00:11:12.780 --> 00:11:15.080
 But the moment an animal reached in that trap,

00:11:15.420 --> 00:11:16.060
 boom, it shut.

00:11:17.040 --> 00:11:19.379
 And it stumbled them up.

00:11:19.639 --> 00:11:21.040
 And Jesus is kind of teaching

00:11:21.040 --> 00:11:23.100
 that's exactly how temptation works.

00:11:23.940 --> 00:11:25.360
 That we live in a fallen world

00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:26.860
 and sin surrounds us

00:11:26.860 --> 00:11:28.240
 and our flesh is weak.

00:11:28.440 --> 00:11:29.600
 And here's what Satan does.

00:11:29.780 --> 00:11:32.060
 He delights in laying traps for God's people.

00:11:33.060 --> 00:11:34.300
 That's what Jesus is saying.

00:11:34.299 --> 00:11:36.699
 You can't live this life.

00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:39.179
 You can't live in a broken, sinful world

00:11:39.179 --> 00:11:43.000
 and not come into the contact with offenses,

00:11:43.659 --> 00:11:44.859
 with stumbling blocks.

00:11:45.079 --> 00:11:45.939
 It's inevitable.

00:11:47.219 --> 00:11:49.679
 But then Jesus says something at the end of the verse

00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:51.559
 that really should stop us in our tracks

00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:53.959
 and hopefully would have stopped the disciples in their tracks.

00:11:54.839 --> 00:11:56.379
 Because we understand the first part

00:11:56.379 --> 00:11:59.259
 and we've been on the other end of somebody offending us,

00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:00.899
 somebody being a stumbling block.

00:12:00.899 --> 00:12:02.179
 But here's what Jesus says,

00:12:02.459 --> 00:12:06.439
 but woe unto him through whom they come.

00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:11.120
 See, the shocking part is not that stumbling blocks exist.

00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:14.139
 I think the shocking part here is

00:12:14.139 --> 00:12:18.139
 that one of his followers could become a stumbling block.

00:12:19.019 --> 00:12:20.740
 That's what he wanted the disciples to understand.

00:12:21.459 --> 00:12:24.039
 He's saying, listen, you're going to run into this in life,

00:12:24.259 --> 00:12:26.819
 but let me remind you, don't be a stumbling block.

00:12:27.460 --> 00:12:30.079
 Don't be that person that's going to cause other people

00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:30.920
 to stumble.

00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:35.080
 Jesus gives a very strong warning in verse number two.

00:12:35.300 --> 00:12:38.320
 He says, if you do that, here's what you need to be.

00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:41.460
 No, it were better for him that a millstone

00:12:41.460 --> 00:12:44.120
 were hanged about his neck and cast into the sea

00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:47.600
 that he should offend one of these little ones.

00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:50.879
 See, a millstone was not a little pebble

00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:52.520
 that somebody may have found in their pocket.

00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:53.860
 You know when your kids go to the playground

00:12:53.860 --> 00:12:55.200
 when they're little and you come in,

00:12:55.259 --> 00:12:56.060
 you're about to do the laundry

00:12:56.060 --> 00:12:57.940
 and you just pull out a bunch of rocks in their pocket?

00:12:57.940 --> 00:12:58.760
 They're like, what in the world?

00:12:59.100 --> 00:13:00.660
 They're special rocks to me.

00:13:00.980 --> 00:13:01.780
 Like, no, they're not.

00:13:01.940 --> 00:13:03.100
 Leave them in the playground.

00:13:03.280 --> 00:13:04.380
 We don't want them in our house.

00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:05.940
 We don't want them in our washer.

00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:07.660
 You hear all that noise in there.

00:13:08.700 --> 00:13:11.360
 No, a millstone was an enormous stone

00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:13.640
 and it was really used for grinding grain.

00:13:14.520 --> 00:13:16.120
 Many of the millstones in this day

00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:17.540
 would have been so large,

00:13:17.620 --> 00:13:19.280
 they would have had to been turned by a donkey.

00:13:19.400 --> 00:13:20.820
 They would have connected it to it

00:13:20.820 --> 00:13:24.160
 and the donkey would have ground the grain up there.

00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:27.480
 And so Jesus paints this very shocking picture.

00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:30.439
 I mean, I just want to see the disciples' face

00:13:30.439 --> 00:13:31.339
 when Jesus starts teaching.

00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:32.839
 Sometimes he says something,

00:13:32.959 --> 00:13:34.919
 I'm like, you can't say that.

00:13:35.579 --> 00:13:38.319
 I mean, Jesus, you think you should put a millstone

00:13:38.319 --> 00:13:40.139
 around our neck and cast us into the sea?

00:13:40.439 --> 00:13:42.360
 I mean, is Jesus saying that drowning

00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:44.779
 should be the punishment when we offend somebody?

00:13:45.100 --> 00:13:46.319
 No, that's not what he's saying.

00:13:46.939 --> 00:13:47.879
 That's not the idea.

00:13:47.879 --> 00:13:50.899
 But what he is saying is that such a terrible death

00:13:50.899 --> 00:13:52.399
 would actually be preferable

00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:55.340
 as opposed to the judgment coming

00:13:55.340 --> 00:13:58.000
 for someone that knowingly and willingly

00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:00.419
 leads one of his followers into temptation,

00:14:00.860 --> 00:14:02.519
 into sin, into problems.

00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:05.320
 You say, why is he so serious about that?

00:14:05.439 --> 00:14:08.639
 Because that's how seriously Jesus takes our influence.

00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:11.220
 Because I'm sure you've met somebody

00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:12.580
 and you've invited him to church

00:14:12.580 --> 00:14:13.500
 and they'll say something like this,

00:14:13.720 --> 00:14:14.460
 well, I used to go to church,

00:14:14.539 --> 00:14:15.820
 but so-and-so offended me.

00:14:15.820 --> 00:14:17.980
 Well, the preacher said this,

00:14:18.360 --> 00:14:19.700
 and if that's how Christians are gonna be,

00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:21.280
 I'm never going to church again.

00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:22.180
 You know why?

00:14:22.220 --> 00:14:23.760
 Because our influence makes a difference

00:14:23.760 --> 00:14:25.500
 sometimes in people's eternity.

00:14:26.220 --> 00:14:27.820
 Then we need to be very, very careful

00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:29.340
 and we need to make sure our life

00:14:29.340 --> 00:14:31.000
 is not a stumbling block

00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:32.460
 because when we hear the word stumbling block,

00:14:32.540 --> 00:14:33.340
 we think, oh, well,

00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:35.180
 Jesus must be talking about false teaching.

00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:37.740
 False teaching is certainly a stumbling block.

00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:39.340
 I just wanna remind you,

00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:40.940
 be very careful what you listen to.

00:14:41.640 --> 00:14:45.160
 Be very careful what you put your faith in.

00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:46.639
 It should be in this and this alone.

00:14:47.579 --> 00:14:48.600
 Because there's some people,

00:14:48.839 --> 00:14:49.919
 they get on TV

00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:51.000
 and they call themselves preachers.

00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:52.579
 I don't think I'd call them that.

00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:55.019
 If it doesn't say in the word of God,

00:14:55.139 --> 00:14:56.779
 and that's why I always encourage you,

00:14:57.039 --> 00:14:58.159
 bring your own Bible here.

00:14:58.860 --> 00:15:00.120
 Don't just take my word for it

00:15:00.120 --> 00:15:00.959
 because I'm standing up here.

00:15:01.500 --> 00:15:03.219
 No, we are basing our life

00:15:03.219 --> 00:15:04.199
 on the word of God.

00:15:04.259 --> 00:15:05.679
 And yes, a false doctrine

00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:06.399
 and false teaching,

00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:07.579
 it is a stumbling block

00:15:07.579 --> 00:15:09.179
 and it's prevalent in our world today.

00:15:09.179 --> 00:15:11.539
 But Jesus' warning,

00:15:11.659 --> 00:15:13.000
 it reaches much further than that.

00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:15.599
 You know how we can be a stumbling block?

00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:17.939
 We can do it by hypocrisy.

00:15:19.339 --> 00:15:20.359
 And I'm sure you heard that too.

00:15:20.599 --> 00:15:21.279
 Well, I'd go to church,

00:15:21.339 --> 00:15:22.479
 but it's just full of hypocrites.

00:15:23.239 --> 00:15:24.039
 Anybody ever heard that?

00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:25.579
 You know, I tell them,

00:15:25.779 --> 00:15:26.219
 you're right

00:15:26.219 --> 00:15:28.239
 because there's people there.

00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:30.719
 And that's how life is sometimes.

00:15:30.939 --> 00:15:31.659
 But the idea is

00:15:31.659 --> 00:15:33.059
 we're not trying to be that.

00:15:33.819 --> 00:15:35.539
 You know, we can become a stumbling block

00:15:35.539 --> 00:15:36.159
 through bitterness.

00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:38.500
 Everybody knows we go to church,

00:15:38.599 --> 00:15:39.299
 but they're thinking like,

00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:40.519
 that is the most bitter person

00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:41.120
 I've ever met.

00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:42.480
 They're mad about everything.

00:15:42.860 --> 00:15:43.980
 I mean, something good could happen to them

00:15:43.980 --> 00:15:45.059
 and they'd be mad about it.

00:15:45.439 --> 00:15:46.579
 We can become a stumbling block

00:15:46.579 --> 00:15:47.319
 through compromise

00:15:47.319 --> 00:15:49.259
 or gossip or pride

00:15:49.259 --> 00:15:50.879
 or just careless words.

00:15:51.079 --> 00:15:52.319
 We can become a stumbling block

00:15:52.319 --> 00:15:53.939
 through an unforgiving spirit.

00:15:55.699 --> 00:15:57.699
 See, what Jesus is kind of showing us

00:15:57.699 --> 00:15:58.419
 here in this text

00:15:58.419 --> 00:16:00.120
 is that anything in our life

00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:00.959
 that makes it harder

00:16:00.959 --> 00:16:02.480
 for somebody else to follow Jesus

00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:03.899
 is a stumbling block.

00:16:03.899 --> 00:16:06.159
 And that his children,

00:16:06.439 --> 00:16:07.399
 that his followers,

00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:08.559
 that his disciples

00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:11.399
 should not be a stumbling block.

00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:15.059
 That we have to be aware of that.

00:16:15.419 --> 00:16:16.919
 That we need to live a life

00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:18.879
 that is above reproach.

00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:20.679
 I mean, I think parents

00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:22.279
 would understand this idea

00:16:22.279 --> 00:16:23.360
 of being a stumbling block

00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:24.539
 more than anybody.

00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:26.679
 You ever been there

00:16:26.679 --> 00:16:28.259
 and your kids say something?

00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:29.879
 I mean, it stops you in your tracks.

00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:31.699
 And you say to this to them,

00:16:31.700 --> 00:16:34.700
 where did you hear that?

00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:37.240
 Anybody ever say that to your parents?

00:16:37.640 --> 00:16:39.100
 And then it just comes to you,

00:16:39.560 --> 00:16:40.060
 their mother.

00:16:41.640 --> 00:16:43.020
 That's where it always comes from.

00:16:45.180 --> 00:16:46.220
 I'm not even going to look over there.

00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:47.440
 I'm just going to turn my back this way.

00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:51.280
 But in all seriousness,

00:16:52.580 --> 00:16:54.840
 children are incredible imitators.

00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:58.460
 They don't just hear our words.

00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:00.300
 They watch our actions.

00:17:01.259 --> 00:17:02.240
 They notice our attitudes.

00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:05.360
 They observe how we treat other people.

00:17:06.380 --> 00:17:07.819
 They see how we respond

00:17:07.819 --> 00:17:09.880
 when things don't go our way.

00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:11.420
 See, in other words,

00:17:11.660 --> 00:17:12.759
 we see that they learn

00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:14.700
 far more from watching us

00:17:14.700 --> 00:17:16.819
 than they do from listening to us.

00:17:17.600 --> 00:17:19.360
 And we need to be reminded of that.

00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:20.920
 And what Jesus is showing us here

00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:21.840
 in these first couple verses

00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:23.659
 is that if we're followers for Christ

00:17:23.659 --> 00:17:25.199
 and we're living in light of eternity,

00:17:25.459 --> 00:17:26.220
 if we're trying to do

00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:27.000
 what he's called us to do,

00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:28.359
 somebody's watching you.

00:17:29.379 --> 00:17:30.599
 Somebody's taking account.

00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:32.000
 And it might be your children.

00:17:32.199 --> 00:17:33.299
 It might be your grandchildren.

00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:35.599
 It might be a young believer

00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:37.319
 that has just come to faith

00:17:37.319 --> 00:17:38.399
 and really trying to figure out

00:17:38.399 --> 00:17:40.079
 what the Christian life looks like.

00:17:41.539 --> 00:17:42.339
 Listen, it might be,

00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:43.939
 if you're an older married couple in here,

00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:45.359
 it might be a younger married couple.

00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:48.500
 Listen, that's what God has placed us

00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:49.199
 in a church family

00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:50.360
 that they can look around and say,

00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:51.680
 hey, is that what a marriage

00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:52.600
 is supposed to look like?

00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:54.380
 Is that how it happens?

00:17:54.620 --> 00:17:55.819
 It might be a coworker

00:17:55.819 --> 00:17:57.480
 that's very curious about Christianity

00:17:57.480 --> 00:17:59.319
 and they know you are a Christian.

00:17:59.779 --> 00:18:00.840
 They know you go to church.

00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:02.180
 It might be that neighbor

00:18:02.180 --> 00:18:03.360
 that's trying to figure out

00:18:03.360 --> 00:18:04.840
 why you go to church so much.

00:18:06.180 --> 00:18:06.980
 You know, because my kids say,

00:18:07.180 --> 00:18:08.680
 dad, why do we go to church all the time?

00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:09.880
 And when they were little, especially.

00:18:10.840 --> 00:18:11.319
 We gotta explain it.

00:18:11.420 --> 00:18:13.039
 But listen, your neighbors know

00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:14.200
 you're going to church.

00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:17.039
 So how do we live outside of that?

00:18:17.819 --> 00:18:19.379
 See, the thought here is

00:18:19.379 --> 00:18:20.539
 is we can never forget

00:18:20.539 --> 00:18:22.240
 that our lives are teaching

00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:24.440
 something every single day.

00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:26.839
 We're either teaching

00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:28.240
 that we really believe Christ,

00:18:28.519 --> 00:18:29.539
 that we really love him

00:18:29.539 --> 00:18:31.619
 by how we interact with others

00:18:31.619 --> 00:18:33.420
 and how we live our lives.

00:18:33.639 --> 00:18:34.680
 And what Jesus is saying

00:18:34.680 --> 00:18:35.819
 in these first couple of verses

00:18:35.819 --> 00:18:38.099
 is be careful that your life

00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:39.639
 doesn't become a stumbling block

00:18:39.639 --> 00:18:41.539
 that keeps someone from following me.

00:18:42.619 --> 00:18:43.500
 He said it would be better

00:18:43.500 --> 00:18:45.079
 if a millstone was cast around your neck

00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:45.759
 than you would offend

00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:46.660
 one of these little ones.

00:18:47.299 --> 00:18:48.019
 And sometimes we look at that

00:18:48.019 --> 00:18:49.400
 and we think he's talking about little kids.

00:18:50.019 --> 00:18:50.920
 And he could be talking about children,

00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:52.879
 but really the idea is young believers.

00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:55.920
 Those that are babes in Christ.

00:18:56.019 --> 00:18:57.480
 Those that are young in the faith

00:18:57.480 --> 00:18:59.200
 that are just trying to get going.

00:18:59.420 --> 00:19:00.539
 Because sometimes, you know,

00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:02.059
 if you can just get past a certain thing,

00:19:02.140 --> 00:19:03.420
 then you're good to go, so to speak.

00:19:04.440 --> 00:19:06.119
 So many times people are just getting started

00:19:06.119 --> 00:19:06.759
 in their Christian life

00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:07.460
 and suddenly happens and say,

00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:08.579
 well, if that's what it is,

00:19:08.579 --> 00:19:09.700
 I don't want anything to do with it.

00:19:10.359 --> 00:19:12.099
 And they just kind of fall by the wayside.

00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:13.099
 They become shipwrecked.

00:19:13.099 --> 00:19:15.099
 Their faith becomes shipwrecked.

00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:20.480
 See, our lives should remove obstacles to Christ,

00:19:20.619 --> 00:19:21.740
 not create them.

00:19:22.459 --> 00:19:23.719
 That's what Jesus is teaching here.

00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:25.439
 That's what he wants us to understand.

00:19:25.779 --> 00:19:29.099
 And that's why Paul told the Corinthians there

00:19:29.099 --> 00:19:30.799
 in 1 Corinthians 11,

00:19:31.139 --> 00:19:32.779
 be ye followers of me,

00:19:33.259 --> 00:19:35.740
 even as I am a follower of Christ.

00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:37.980
 Now that's a pretty bold statement.

00:19:39.179 --> 00:19:41.339
 I mean, it's kind of pretty audacious

00:19:41.339 --> 00:19:42.279
 to say something like that.

00:19:42.439 --> 00:19:43.179
 If I got up this morning and said,

00:19:43.339 --> 00:19:44.659
 hey, everybody, be like me,

00:19:45.339 --> 00:19:46.939
 I'd be like, this guy is full of himself.

00:19:48.659 --> 00:19:51.059
 But Paul, what he is saying there in that verse is,

00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:52.819
 listen, if you're watching my life,

00:19:52.899 --> 00:19:54.659
 here's what I want you to see, Jesus.

00:19:55.819 --> 00:19:58.299
 I don't want you to see anybody else except Christ.

00:19:58.379 --> 00:19:59.859
 I don't want you to see anybody else

00:19:59.859 --> 00:20:01.220
 except what he has done.

00:20:01.339 --> 00:20:03.879
 And really, that should be the goal for every one of us.

00:20:04.379 --> 00:20:06.539
 Because if we are truly living in light of eternity,

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:08.220
 if we know Christ is our Savior,

00:20:08.220 --> 00:20:09.779
 if we know heaven is our home,

00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:13.180
 then we should care deeply about bringing others with us.

00:20:13.779 --> 00:20:15.559
 That's the whole goal of the Christian life,

00:20:15.740 --> 00:20:17.500
 that we are to go ye therefore into all the world

00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:18.839
 and preach the gospel.

00:20:19.299 --> 00:20:20.620
 We're not trying to build our kingdom.

00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:22.120
 We're not trying to have people look at it and say,

00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:23.279
 man, look at that Christian.

00:20:23.500 --> 00:20:24.860
 No, no, we want people to look at it and say,

00:20:25.059 --> 00:20:25.819
 look at Jesus.

00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:27.500
 I need that in my life.

00:20:27.779 --> 00:20:29.000
 I need that in my marriage.

00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:30.339
 I need that in my parenting.

00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:31.960
 I need to be that kind of coworker.

00:20:32.120 --> 00:20:33.360
 I need to be that kind of friend.

00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:38.019
 But all of us have lived long enough to know that

00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:40.439
 we're going to disappoint other people.

00:20:41.139 --> 00:20:42.479
 We're going to be misunderstood

00:20:42.479 --> 00:20:44.519
 and we're going to misunderstand others.

00:20:44.959 --> 00:20:46.459
 We're going to hurt people

00:20:46.459 --> 00:20:48.359
 and we're going to be hurt by them.

00:20:49.479 --> 00:20:52.719
 So how does a true disciple respond when that happens?

00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:55.179
 That's what Jesus shows us in verse 3 and 4.

00:20:55.659 --> 00:20:56.559
 Here's what he tells us.

00:20:56.639 --> 00:20:58.240
 A faithful follower of Christ

00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:00.559
 is one that learns to forgive again

00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:03.759
 and again and again and again.

00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:06.019
 See, the first couple of verses,

00:21:06.259 --> 00:21:09.759
 he warns us about becoming the reason

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:11.019
 somebody else stumbles.

00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:13.220
 But now he says when that happens,

00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:14.920
 if somebody offends you,

00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:16.339
 you need to forgive them.

00:21:17.380 --> 00:21:19.380
 Notice he doesn't say in verse number 3,

00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:21.099
 if your brother is perfect,

00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:22.120
 if your sister is perfect,

00:21:22.200 --> 00:21:23.039
 if your wife is perfect,

00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:24.019
 if your husband is perfect.

00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:26.620
 He doesn't say if no one ever hurts you.

00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:28.059
 No, he says this.

00:21:28.660 --> 00:21:29.680
 Take heed to yourselves

00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:31.359
 if thy brother trespass against thee.

00:21:32.579 --> 00:21:34.660
 See, the idea is Jesus assumes

00:21:34.660 --> 00:21:36.759
 that when we live in this world

00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:37.859
 and we live in this life,

00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:39.359
 we live within a family,

00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:40.859
 we live within a church,

00:21:42.359 --> 00:21:43.839
 that it's going to include conflict.

00:21:45.120 --> 00:21:46.579
 Anybody have just a perfect home?

00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:48.160
 No problems?

00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:49.900
 You just smile the whole way to church?

00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:51.559
 I mean, you smile when you get in the door.

00:21:51.559 --> 00:21:52.579
 We all know how that goes.

00:21:53.120 --> 00:21:54.279
 He's like, if you do one more thing,

00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:55.460
 I'm going to just stop this car.

00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:55.900
 We're not done.

00:21:56.359 --> 00:21:56.680
 You know.

00:21:57.380 --> 00:21:58.700
 We say things like that all the time.

00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:00.759
 Listen, it happens.

00:22:01.560 --> 00:22:01.880
 Why?

00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:03.460
 Especially when it comes to the local church.

00:22:03.640 --> 00:22:05.000
 You know why God reminds us

00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:06.160
 and Jesus gives us this truth?

00:22:06.279 --> 00:22:08.500
 Because the church isn't made of perfect people.

00:22:09.400 --> 00:22:10.180
 Because if it is,

00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:11.000
 don't join it

00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:11.920
 because you're going to mess it up.

00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:14.340
 I mean, I think we have

00:22:14.340 --> 00:22:15.100
 a pretty awesome church.

00:22:15.180 --> 00:22:16.240
 I love this church.

00:22:16.539 --> 00:22:17.500
 But we're not perfect.

00:22:18.259 --> 00:22:19.519
 Your family's not perfect.

00:22:20.060 --> 00:22:20.240
 You know,

00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:22.099
 because we're just sinners saved by grace.

00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:23.099
 We're growing.

00:22:23.259 --> 00:22:24.640
 Because a church and a family,

00:22:24.819 --> 00:22:25.839
 if we know Christ our Savior,

00:22:26.019 --> 00:22:27.460
 it's just forgiven people

00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:30.099
 who are still growing in Christ.

00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:32.200
 That's what Jesus reminds us of.

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:33.579
 So if we're still growing,

00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:35.940
 then we're going to come across problems.

00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:37.880
 So how do we handle it?

00:22:38.579 --> 00:22:40.259
 Jesus gives us two commands.

00:22:40.920 --> 00:22:41.680
 Here's what we say.

00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:42.039
 Hey,

00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:44.059
 if your brother trespass against you,

00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:44.660
 if he offends you,

00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:45.579
 if he sins against you,

00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:46.259
 here's what we do.

00:22:46.339 --> 00:22:46.660
 Number one,

00:22:46.920 --> 00:22:47.580
 rebuke him.

00:22:48.380 --> 00:22:48.720
 You're like,

00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:48.880
 yeah,

00:22:48.920 --> 00:22:50.220
 that's my spiritual gift.

00:22:51.620 --> 00:22:52.000
 Like,

00:22:52.040 --> 00:22:53.440
 I knew it was in there somewhere.

00:22:55.860 --> 00:22:57.519
 That's not a spiritual gift.

00:22:58.740 --> 00:22:59.040
 You know,

00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:01.140
 God did not bless you with that.

00:23:01.400 --> 00:23:01.560
 Now,

00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:02.820
 that may be what you think it is,

00:23:02.860 --> 00:23:04.019
 but it's not helping other people.

00:23:06.019 --> 00:23:06.200
 I mean,

00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:07.080
 but in all reality,

00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:08.640
 this word rebuke,

00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:09.380
 it kind of makes us

00:23:09.380 --> 00:23:10.320
 a little bit uncomfortable.

00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:12.420
 We don't like it.

00:23:13.160 --> 00:23:13.840
 Maybe you're like me,

00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:14.940
 you hear the word rebuke,

00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:16.080
 and maybe you picture,

00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:17.919
 you're an angry confrontation.

00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:19.519
 You,

00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:19.980
 you,

00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:20.059
 you,

00:23:20.059 --> 00:23:21.659
 you've been in a situation

00:23:21.659 --> 00:23:22.339
 where maybe a,

00:23:22.339 --> 00:23:23.899
 a boss rebuked you

00:23:23.899 --> 00:23:24.619
 in front of everybody,

00:23:24.779 --> 00:23:25.539
 and it was kind of,

00:23:25.779 --> 00:23:26.599
 you were embarrassed,

00:23:26.819 --> 00:23:27.939
 you were publicly shamed.

00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:29.659
 That's not what Jesus

00:23:29.659 --> 00:23:30.419
 is saying here.

00:23:31.079 --> 00:23:32.220
 That's not the idea

00:23:32.220 --> 00:23:33.419
 behind rebuke.

00:23:34.139 --> 00:23:34.379
 No,

00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:34.899
 here's,

00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:36.159
 here's what Jesus is,

00:23:36.299 --> 00:23:37.240
 is showing us,

00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:38.919
 that biblical rebuke

00:23:38.919 --> 00:23:40.980
 is a loving confrontation.

00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:43.279
 The idea is,

00:23:43.399 --> 00:23:44.399
 it's caring enough

00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:45.320
 about somebody

00:23:45.320 --> 00:23:46.820
 to tell them the truth

00:23:46.820 --> 00:23:48.500
 because you love them too much

00:23:48.500 --> 00:23:49.880
 just to leave them there.

00:23:50.600 --> 00:23:52.360
 Just to leave that relationship there.

00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:52.800
 See,

00:23:52.940 --> 00:23:54.740
 the goal is never humiliation.

00:23:55.040 --> 00:23:56.160
 It's always restoration.

00:23:56.560 --> 00:23:57.840
 It's always moving forward.

00:23:58.019 --> 00:24:00.000
 It's always about being better together

00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:00.960
 and moving forward

00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:02.019
 for the cause of Christ.

00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:04.480
 I mean,

00:24:04.560 --> 00:24:06.220
 some people love confrontation.

00:24:07.560 --> 00:24:08.120
 Some people,

00:24:08.340 --> 00:24:10.019
 they'll fight at a drop of a hat,

00:24:10.019 --> 00:24:12.039
 and they bring their own hat.

00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:13.940
 You work with somebody like that?

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:14.119
 I mean,

00:24:14.139 --> 00:24:15.019
 there's people like that.

00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:15.519
 I mean,

00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:15.960
 it's just like,

00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:16.740
 they're just ready to go

00:24:16.740 --> 00:24:17.240
 and they drop it,

00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:17.680
 let's go.

00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:19.440
 But I would imagine

00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:20.980
 the majority of this room

00:24:20.980 --> 00:24:22.480
 probably doesn't like confrontation.

00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:24.379
 It's not something you wake up like,

00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:24.680
 man,

00:24:24.740 --> 00:24:26.639
 I hope I can confront somebody today.

00:24:27.859 --> 00:24:28.079
 No,

00:24:28.200 --> 00:24:29.160
 if you know it's coming,

00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:29.759
 I mean,

00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:30.879
 you may even call in sick.

00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:31.639
 You're like,

00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:32.839
 I don't want to go to work today.

00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:34.259
 I don't want to go to school today.

00:24:34.379 --> 00:24:35.740
 I don't want to face the music.

00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:37.319
 And we avoid confrontation.

00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:39.440
 And sometimes we convince ourself

00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:41.000
 that silence is love.

00:24:42.500 --> 00:24:42.779
 You know,

00:24:42.859 --> 00:24:44.279
 I know they offended me,

00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:45.539
 but you know what?

00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:47.319
 I just don't want to make things awkward.

00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:48.680
 You ever been there?

00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:50.240
 But you know what?

00:24:50.380 --> 00:24:51.420
 It is real awkward

00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:52.339
 because they know it

00:24:52.339 --> 00:24:52.660
 and you know it.

00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:52.880
 You're like,

00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:53.140
 oh.

00:24:54.900 --> 00:24:55.640
 It's awkward.

00:24:57.160 --> 00:24:58.220
 You may think to yourself,

00:24:58.299 --> 00:24:58.359
 well,

00:24:58.359 --> 00:24:59.839
 I don't want to hurt their feelings.

00:24:59.880 --> 00:25:01.220
 I'll just ignore it.

00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:04.480
 I'm sure you found this out like I have.

00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:05.700
 But ignoring sin,

00:25:05.860 --> 00:25:07.120
 ignoring hard times,

00:25:07.259 --> 00:25:08.299
 ignoring offenses

00:25:08.299 --> 00:25:10.480
 doesn't generally heal relationships.

00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:12.980
 It usually causes them

00:25:12.980 --> 00:25:14.079
 to drift further apart.

00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:17.240
 It usually causes more difficulty

00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:18.220
 as you move forward.

00:25:18.519 --> 00:25:20.339
 And Jesus is teaching us something here.

00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:22.799
 When a brother offends us

00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:23.640
 and we rebuke them,

00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:24.740
 he wants us to see

00:25:24.740 --> 00:25:26.819
 that truth and grace belong together.

00:25:27.420 --> 00:25:28.460
 Like peanut butter and jelly.

00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:29.700
 They just go together.

00:25:30.200 --> 00:25:31.240
 I love peanut butter and jelly.

00:25:31.299 --> 00:25:31.980
 Anybody else love it?

00:25:32.680 --> 00:25:33.620
 I eat an Incrustable

00:25:33.620 --> 00:25:34.460
 almost every day.

00:25:35.160 --> 00:25:36.059
 I'm pretty sure

00:25:36.059 --> 00:25:37.059
 that's what the manna was

00:25:37.059 --> 00:25:38.079
 when it fell down

00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:39.160
 in the wilderness.

00:25:39.360 --> 00:25:40.579
 It was Uncrustables.

00:25:41.460 --> 00:25:41.900
 Amazing.

00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:43.779
 Write that down.

00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:46.039
 But listen,

00:25:46.220 --> 00:25:48.220
 truth without grace

00:25:48.220 --> 00:25:49.120
 becomes harsh.

00:25:50.460 --> 00:25:52.160
 And grace without truth

00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:53.220
 isn't biblical.

00:25:54.460 --> 00:25:55.860
 We have to meet there

00:25:55.860 --> 00:25:56.339
 in the middle.

00:25:56.940 --> 00:25:57.920
 Remember what John told us

00:25:57.920 --> 00:25:58.480
 about Jesus

00:25:58.480 --> 00:25:59.839
 in John 1, verse 14?

00:26:00.120 --> 00:26:01.099
 That Jesus came

00:26:01.099 --> 00:26:02.599
 and he was full of grace

00:26:02.599 --> 00:26:04.480
 and truth.

00:26:05.319 --> 00:26:06.259
 Jesus didn't show up

00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:06.639
 on the scene

00:26:06.639 --> 00:26:06.839
 and say,

00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:08.500
 everybody's doing a great job.

00:26:08.579 --> 00:26:09.699
 I love all of you.

00:26:10.099 --> 00:26:10.799
 Everybody's on their way

00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:11.099
 to heaven.

00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:12.359
 No, he loved them,

00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:13.579
 but he told them the truth,

00:26:13.779 --> 00:26:14.559
 that they had sinned

00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:15.439
 and they needed a Savior.

00:26:15.679 --> 00:26:17.099
 That's what the Bible teaches us

00:26:17.099 --> 00:26:18.879
 because real biblical love

00:26:18.879 --> 00:26:20.659
 is willing to speak the truth

00:26:20.659 --> 00:26:22.359
 and is just as willing

00:26:22.359 --> 00:26:23.500
 to extend grace.

00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:24.980
 I think sometimes

00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:26.000
 we can find ourselves

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.899
 on one side or the other

00:26:26.899 --> 00:26:27.679
 depending on our disposition

00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:28.880
 in our personality

00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:29.400
 like, man,

00:26:29.420 --> 00:26:30.539
 I just speak the truth.

00:26:30.740 --> 00:26:31.460
 You need to season it

00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:31.960
 with grace.

00:26:32.500 --> 00:26:33.240
 But on the other side,

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.340
 we can't just be so loving

00:26:34.340 --> 00:26:35.700
 that we just ignore the truth

00:26:35.700 --> 00:26:36.640
 that there's sin

00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:37.580
 and there's problems.

00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:39.279
 We have to deal with it.

00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:42.160
 But before we get excited

00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:43.200
 about rebuking somebody,

00:26:43.360 --> 00:26:44.380
 notice what Jesus says

00:26:44.380 --> 00:26:45.740
 extremely quickly.

00:26:46.140 --> 00:26:47.680
 And if he repent,

00:26:48.539 --> 00:26:49.000
 forgive him.

00:26:50.380 --> 00:26:51.740
 I love how quickly

00:26:51.740 --> 00:26:52.759
 Jesus moves

00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:53.440
 from confrontation

00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:54.680
 to forgiveness.

00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:56.700
 He doesn't let that linger.

00:26:56.700 --> 00:26:57.960
 He's telling us,

00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:58.240
 he's saying,

00:26:58.299 --> 00:26:58.460
 listen,

00:26:58.539 --> 00:26:59.860
 the goal is not

00:26:59.860 --> 00:27:00.900
 winning the argument.

00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:02.180
 Listen,

00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:03.240
 if you're trying to win

00:27:03.240 --> 00:27:03.860
 the argument,

00:27:04.059 --> 00:27:05.080
 if you're trying to be right,

00:27:05.240 --> 00:27:06.740
 you've already lost.

00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:08.519
 You're not helping

00:27:08.519 --> 00:27:09.360
 the relationship.

00:27:09.799 --> 00:27:10.600
 And the goal

00:27:10.600 --> 00:27:12.400
 is always to win a brother

00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:14.019
 or to win a sister back.

00:27:14.140 --> 00:27:15.539
 It's to restore fellowship.

00:27:16.759 --> 00:27:17.740
 That's exactly

00:27:17.740 --> 00:27:19.299
 what Jesus did for us.

00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:21.180
 You know what Jesus did

00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:21.640
 when he came?

00:27:21.640 --> 00:27:22.460
 He confronted

00:27:22.460 --> 00:27:23.559
 our greatest problem,

00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:24.580
 sin.

00:27:25.319 --> 00:27:26.220
 He confronted it

00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:26.880
 with the truth

00:27:26.880 --> 00:27:28.500
 that there's none righteous,

00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:29.339
 there's no not one.

00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:30.740
 That we've all sinned

00:27:30.740 --> 00:27:31.140
 and come short

00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:31.980
 of the glory of God.

00:27:32.120 --> 00:27:33.019
 But he didn't come

00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:33.839
 and condemn us.

00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:34.640
 No, he came

00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:35.860
 and he saved us.

00:27:36.460 --> 00:27:37.839
 He laid down his life.

00:27:37.960 --> 00:27:39.039
 He showed grace

00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:40.079
 and mercy to us.

00:27:40.339 --> 00:27:41.740
 And Jesus is reminding us

00:27:41.740 --> 00:27:42.460
 here in this text

00:27:42.460 --> 00:27:44.079
 that forgiven people

00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:46.360
 should be forgiving people.

00:27:47.180 --> 00:27:48.559
 That should be a mark.

00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:49.839
 That should be a characteristic

00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:50.940
 of somebody

00:27:50.940 --> 00:27:52.079
 that knows Christ

00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:52.720
 as their Savior.

00:27:54.039 --> 00:27:54.880
 Listen to what Paul told

00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:55.460
 the Ephesians

00:27:55.460 --> 00:27:56.600
 in Ephesians 4.32

00:27:56.600 --> 00:27:57.760
 and be ye kind

00:27:57.760 --> 00:27:58.940
 one to another,

00:27:59.300 --> 00:27:59.960
 tenderhearted,

00:28:00.320 --> 00:28:01.500
 forgiving one another.

00:28:01.720 --> 00:28:02.260
 Say, okay,

00:28:02.580 --> 00:28:02.880
 you know,

00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:03.940
 maybe I can do that.

00:28:04.020 --> 00:28:04.920
 But here's the kicker.

00:28:05.360 --> 00:28:06.820
 Even as God

00:28:06.820 --> 00:28:08.260
 for Christ's sake

00:28:08.260 --> 00:28:10.560
 hath forgiven you.

00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:12.140
 See,

00:28:12.620 --> 00:28:14.200
 we see the motivation there.

00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:15.720
 You say, well,

00:28:15.880 --> 00:28:16.420
 you know what?

00:28:16.580 --> 00:28:18.900
 They don't deserve it.

00:28:19.560 --> 00:28:20.260
 You're right.

00:28:21.040 --> 00:28:22.220
 They don't deserve it.

00:28:23.059 --> 00:28:24.100
 None of us deserve it.

00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:26.960
 We don't forgive people

00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:28.480
 because they deserve it.

00:28:29.100 --> 00:28:30.240
 We don't forgive people

00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:32.440
 because we think

00:28:32.440 --> 00:28:33.779
 that they should be forgiven.

00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:34.160
 No,

00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:35.380
 if that were the standard,

00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:36.259
 none of us

00:28:36.259 --> 00:28:37.100
 would ever be forgiven.

00:28:38.100 --> 00:28:39.039
 Not with God

00:28:39.039 --> 00:28:39.880
 and not with each other.

00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:41.299
 Because sometimes

00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:42.279
 what happens

00:28:42.279 --> 00:28:43.360
 was wrong.

00:28:44.279 --> 00:28:45.380
 It was sin.

00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:46.740
 But here's what

00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:48.039
 Jesus is teaching

00:28:48.039 --> 00:28:48.860
 and we see it

00:28:48.860 --> 00:28:49.960
 throughout the New Testament.

00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:50.980
 We forgive

00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:52.579
 because we've already

00:28:52.579 --> 00:28:53.340
 experienced

00:28:53.340 --> 00:28:55.120
 the undeserved grace

00:28:55.120 --> 00:28:56.519
 of God ourselves.

00:28:57.340 --> 00:28:58.660
 That's how we can forgive

00:28:58.660 --> 00:29:00.240
 again and again.

00:29:01.880 --> 00:29:03.240
 Then Jesus really

00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:04.140
 kind of doubles down

00:29:04.140 --> 00:29:05.180
 on it in verse number four.

00:29:06.360 --> 00:29:06.700
 He says,

00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.559
 and if he trespass

00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:08.200
 against thee

00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:09.680
 seven times in a day

00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:11.360
 and seven times in a day

00:29:11.360 --> 00:29:12.240
 turn again to thee

00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:12.539
 saying,

00:29:12.700 --> 00:29:13.259
 I repent,

00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:15.539
 thou shalt forgive him.

00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:17.120
 I'd imagine

00:29:17.120 --> 00:29:17.840
 maybe the disciples

00:29:17.840 --> 00:29:18.559
 there in verse number three

00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:18.840
 they're like,

00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:19.120
 okay,

00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:20.979
 I'm going to work on that.

00:29:21.699 --> 00:29:22.279
 I think I can,

00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:22.719
 I think,

00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:23.019
 you know,

00:29:23.099 --> 00:29:23.859
 by God's grace

00:29:23.859 --> 00:29:24.879
 I think I can do that.

00:29:25.479 --> 00:29:25.779
 All right,

00:29:25.859 --> 00:29:26.039
 let's,

00:29:26.179 --> 00:29:26.319
 okay,

00:29:26.399 --> 00:29:27.139
 next thing Jesus,

00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:28.259
 what else you got for us?

00:29:28.659 --> 00:29:29.859
 And then he says this.

00:29:30.679 --> 00:29:30.959
 You think,

00:29:31.059 --> 00:29:31.619
 excuse me,

00:29:32.099 --> 00:29:32.319
 Jesus,

00:29:32.419 --> 00:29:32.959
 did you say

00:29:32.959 --> 00:29:34.659
 seven times in a day?

00:29:36.139 --> 00:29:37.379
 So you're telling me

00:29:37.379 --> 00:29:38.939
 if somebody offends me,

00:29:39.019 --> 00:29:39.919
 somebody sins against me,

00:29:39.979 --> 00:29:41.099
 somebody says something

00:29:41.099 --> 00:29:41.519
 mean to me,

00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:42.559
 the exact same thing,

00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:44.139
 seven different times a day

00:29:44.139 --> 00:29:45.599
 I have to keep forgiving them?

00:29:45.959 --> 00:29:46.759
 Absolutely not.

00:29:47.619 --> 00:29:47.839
 I mean,

00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:48.099
 if you're,

00:29:48.660 --> 00:29:49.920
 if I'm there,

00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:50.319
 I'm thinking,

00:29:50.539 --> 00:29:51.559
 by the third offense,

00:29:51.660 --> 00:29:52.019
 I'm thinking,

00:29:52.220 --> 00:29:53.119
 are you kidding me?

00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:54.879
 You ever,

00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:56.079
 your kids ever do something

00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:57.299
 over and over and over again?

00:29:58.359 --> 00:29:58.660
 Like,

00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:00.579
 didn't we just talk about this

00:30:00.579 --> 00:30:01.740
 five minutes ago?

00:30:02.920 --> 00:30:03.519
 Didn't we,

00:30:03.700 --> 00:30:05.259
 did you understand

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:06.259
 what was coming out of my mouth?

00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:06.640
 I mean,

00:30:06.700 --> 00:30:08.319
 surely there's a limit to this.

00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:10.359
 Maybe Peter said,

00:30:10.579 --> 00:30:10.700
 hey,

00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:10.960
 Jesus,

00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:11.740
 after the fourth time,

00:30:11.779 --> 00:30:12.619
 can I punch him in the face

00:30:12.619 --> 00:30:13.680
 and just move on from there?

00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:15.920
 I mean,

00:30:15.980 --> 00:30:16.440
 think about that.

00:30:16.600 --> 00:30:17.440
 If that's where you are,

00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:19.460
 if somebody just constantly

00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:20.279
 is just doing the same thing

00:30:20.279 --> 00:30:21.880
 over and over and over again to you,

00:30:22.080 --> 00:30:22.740
 and Jesus,

00:30:23.039 --> 00:30:23.660
 he says,

00:30:23.759 --> 00:30:23.920
 nope,

00:30:24.080 --> 00:30:24.299
 seven,

00:30:24.620 --> 00:30:26.080
 if he does it seven times,

00:30:26.120 --> 00:30:27.080
 you gotta forgive him seven times.

00:30:28.700 --> 00:30:29.060
 Listen,

00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:30.320
 Jesus isn't teaching

00:30:30.320 --> 00:30:31.660
 a math lesson here.

00:30:33.060 --> 00:30:33.299
 So,

00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:33.620
 you know,

00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:35.140
 some people may take this literal,

00:30:35.360 --> 00:30:35.460
 well,

00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:36.320
 I'm gonna keep it in a notebook

00:30:36.320 --> 00:30:36.820
 and be like,

00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:37.180
 yep,

00:30:37.299 --> 00:30:38.100
 that's seven times,

00:30:38.180 --> 00:30:39.140
 you're cut off.

00:30:40.120 --> 00:30:40.320
 No,

00:30:40.360 --> 00:30:41.320
 here's what Jesus is teaching

00:30:41.320 --> 00:30:41.660
 in this verse.

00:30:41.660 --> 00:30:42.799
 He's teaching an attitude.

00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:45.279
 How we should look at it.

00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:47.200
 See,

00:30:47.380 --> 00:30:48.560
 his point isn't,

00:30:49.060 --> 00:30:50.740
 keep forgiving until you reach seven.

00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:51.140
 No,

00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:52.100
 his point is this,

00:30:52.259 --> 00:30:53.400
 don't keep score at all.

00:30:54.460 --> 00:30:55.560
 That's not your job.

00:30:56.400 --> 00:30:57.779
 That's not what God's called you to do.

00:30:59.660 --> 00:31:00.740
 Let me ask you a question.

00:31:01.140 --> 00:31:03.019
 How many times has the Lord forgiven you

00:31:03.019 --> 00:31:03.960
 for something?

00:31:04.700 --> 00:31:05.640
 Can you count it?

00:31:06.259 --> 00:31:07.259
 I didn't think so.

00:31:08.140 --> 00:31:08.759
 Neither can I.

00:31:09.660 --> 00:31:10.420
 But you know what?

00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:11.840
 He does it over

00:31:11.839 --> 00:31:12.980
 and over

00:31:12.980 --> 00:31:14.159
 and over

00:31:14.159 --> 00:31:14.179
 and over.

00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:15.199
 See,

00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:15.740
 his mercy,

00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:16.639
 the Bible tells us,

00:31:16.759 --> 00:31:17.859
 it's new every morning.

00:31:18.879 --> 00:31:20.119
 That's why you're here this morning.

00:31:20.199 --> 00:31:20.919
 His mercy's new.

00:31:21.579 --> 00:31:22.839
 Great is thy faithfulness.

00:31:23.139 --> 00:31:24.359
 His grace is sufficient

00:31:24.359 --> 00:31:25.720
 every single day.

00:31:25.959 --> 00:31:27.299
 And what he's reminding us here,

00:31:27.439 --> 00:31:28.480
 and the thought is this,

00:31:28.659 --> 00:31:29.720
 is shouldn't those

00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:30.519
 who have experienced

00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:31.319
 and received

00:31:31.319 --> 00:31:32.439
 such mercy

00:31:32.439 --> 00:31:33.439
 and such grace

00:31:33.439 --> 00:31:34.179
 be the people

00:31:34.179 --> 00:31:35.679
 who freely extend it?

00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:39.120
 No marriage

00:31:39.120 --> 00:31:40.060
 is going to survive

00:31:40.060 --> 00:31:40.720
 without forgiveness.

00:31:42.400 --> 00:31:43.279
 No family

00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:43.940
 is going to survive

00:31:43.940 --> 00:31:44.560
 without forgiveness.

00:31:44.940 --> 00:31:45.560
 No friendship

00:31:45.560 --> 00:31:46.299
 is going to survive

00:31:46.299 --> 00:31:46.880
 without forgiveness.

00:31:47.180 --> 00:31:48.340
 And certainly no church family

00:31:48.340 --> 00:31:48.940
 is going to survive

00:31:48.940 --> 00:31:49.660
 without forgiveness.

00:31:50.779 --> 00:31:52.560
 Every healthy relationship

00:31:52.560 --> 00:31:54.380
 is built on two people

00:31:54.380 --> 00:31:56.640
 continually extending grace

00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:57.380
 one to another.

00:31:58.320 --> 00:31:59.820
 Because we're all sinners.

00:32:00.279 --> 00:32:01.220
 We're going to mess up.

00:32:01.420 --> 00:32:02.400
 We're going to offend.

00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:04.560
 Because you know what

00:32:04.560 --> 00:32:05.860
 usually destroys relationships?

00:32:06.080 --> 00:32:07.800
 It's not one huge explosion.

00:32:08.860 --> 00:32:10.100
 It's usually a thousand

00:32:10.100 --> 00:32:10.960
 little offenses

00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:11.980
 that were never dealt

00:32:11.980 --> 00:32:12.680
 with biblically.

00:32:13.360 --> 00:32:14.180
 And when that happens,

00:32:14.380 --> 00:32:15.500
 bitterness takes root.

00:32:17.040 --> 00:32:18.960
 Resentment begins to grow.

00:32:19.320 --> 00:32:20.140
 Distance develops.

00:32:20.360 --> 00:32:21.080
 And eventually people

00:32:21.080 --> 00:32:21.900
 that got along

00:32:21.900 --> 00:32:22.920
 and loved each other,

00:32:23.040 --> 00:32:24.080
 and no matter what it was,

00:32:24.140 --> 00:32:24.920
 if it's a marriage

00:32:24.920 --> 00:32:25.600
 or it's a church

00:32:25.600 --> 00:32:26.280
 or it's a friendship,

00:32:26.560 --> 00:32:27.840
 they eventually come to a place

00:32:27.840 --> 00:32:28.340
 where they're not even

00:32:28.340 --> 00:32:29.759
 talking to each other anymore.

00:32:30.740 --> 00:32:31.360
 That's what Jesus

00:32:31.360 --> 00:32:31.920
 is dealing with.

00:32:31.980 --> 00:32:32.240
 He's saying,

00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:32.480
 listen,

00:32:32.680 --> 00:32:33.240
 that's not how

00:32:33.240 --> 00:32:34.380
 my disciples live.

00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:36.200
 Because the world

00:32:36.200 --> 00:32:36.819
 is watching.

00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:37.920
 And the world

00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:39.099
 is seeing how we live.

00:32:39.259 --> 00:32:39.960
 And he's saying,

00:32:40.059 --> 00:32:40.700
 here's what you do.

00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:41.880
 Here's how you get past that.

00:32:42.120 --> 00:32:43.579
 You lovingly confront it.

00:32:43.779 --> 00:32:45.000
 You don't put it

00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:45.599
 under the rug.

00:32:45.740 --> 00:32:47.000
 And you humbly repent

00:32:46.819 --> 00:32:48.380
 When it's brought to you.

00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:49.240
 And when that happens,

00:32:49.420 --> 00:32:49.960
 you've got to forgive.

00:32:52.059 --> 00:32:52.740
 See, that's how

00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:53.680
 the family of God

00:32:53.680 --> 00:32:54.799
 remains healthy.

00:32:56.420 --> 00:32:57.259
 And Jesus isn't

00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:57.720
 pretending

00:32:57.720 --> 00:32:59.620
 that forgiveness is easy.

00:33:00.220 --> 00:33:01.019
 I'm not up here saying,

00:33:01.120 --> 00:33:01.599
 oh, just forgive.

00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:03.719
 No, it's difficult.

00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:05.619
 The disciples knew it.

00:33:05.980 --> 00:33:06.679
 You know it.

00:33:07.019 --> 00:33:07.859
 So you think to yourself,

00:33:08.159 --> 00:33:08.379
 preacher,

00:33:08.579 --> 00:33:10.259
 how can I forgive again?

00:33:10.619 --> 00:33:11.019
 And again,

00:33:11.099 --> 00:33:11.319
 I mean,

00:33:11.480 --> 00:33:12.419
 once is enough.

00:33:12.539 --> 00:33:12.679
 I mean,

00:33:12.740 --> 00:33:13.639
 two is kind of pushing it.

00:33:13.740 --> 00:33:15.539
 But this many times?

00:33:16.419 --> 00:33:17.240
 Well, he gives us the answer

00:33:17.240 --> 00:33:17.859
 in verse 5 and 6.

00:33:17.919 --> 00:33:18.439
 Here's how we do it.

00:33:18.639 --> 00:33:19.759
 We trust God completely.

00:33:21.539 --> 00:33:22.839
 We trust God completely.

00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:24.859
 I mean,

00:33:24.879 --> 00:33:26.240
 imagine sitting there

00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:26.879
 as the disciples.

00:33:27.659 --> 00:33:28.559
 This has to be

00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:29.019
 one of the most

00:33:29.019 --> 00:33:30.079
 demanding commands

00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:30.819
 Jesus gives.

00:33:31.679 --> 00:33:32.779
 We can do other things.

00:33:32.859 --> 00:33:32.980
 We're like,

00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:34.000
 okay, I'm on board with that.

00:33:34.679 --> 00:33:35.939
 But just continually

00:33:35.939 --> 00:33:36.980
 forgiving somebody?

00:33:38.099 --> 00:33:38.679
 You know,

00:33:38.779 --> 00:33:39.319
 I'm not sure

00:33:39.319 --> 00:33:40.220
 I can do that, Jesus.

00:33:40.879 --> 00:33:41.619
 Notice the disciples

00:33:41.619 --> 00:33:41.980
 didn't say,

00:33:42.220 --> 00:33:42.959
 hey, okay,

00:33:43.079 --> 00:33:44.179
 we're going to try harder,

00:33:44.299 --> 00:33:44.539
 Jesus.

00:33:44.679 --> 00:33:45.720
 We're going to do our best.

00:33:45.919 --> 00:33:46.899
 No, here's their response

00:33:46.899 --> 00:33:47.759
 when Jesus said that,

00:33:47.799 --> 00:33:49.000
 Lord, help us.

00:33:49.940 --> 00:33:50.859
 You know what they realized

00:33:50.859 --> 00:33:51.400
 very quickly?

00:33:51.579 --> 00:33:52.779
 We can't do this.

00:33:53.380 --> 00:33:54.660
 They cry out in verse 5,

00:33:54.900 --> 00:33:55.259
 Lord,

00:33:55.539 --> 00:33:56.960
 increase our faith

00:33:56.960 --> 00:33:58.000
 because they're sitting there

00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.839
 and it's hearing,

00:33:59.099 --> 00:34:00.000
 it's hitting their ears

00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:00.339
 and they're thinking,

00:34:00.460 --> 00:34:01.259
 yep, I can't,

00:34:01.339 --> 00:34:01.900
 there's no way

00:34:01.900 --> 00:34:02.660
 I can do that.

00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:06.220
 Really what they're saying,

00:34:06.279 --> 00:34:06.420
 Lord,

00:34:06.559 --> 00:34:08.219
 if we're going to live this way,

00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:10.219
 you're going to have to do it

00:34:10.219 --> 00:34:12.039
 because that's not in me.

00:34:12.980 --> 00:34:14.199
 That's not how I'm built.

00:34:15.159 --> 00:34:16.739
 That's not what I want to do.

00:34:16.739 --> 00:34:18.839
 And really,

00:34:18.959 --> 00:34:20.079
 that's a healthy place to be.

00:34:21.539 --> 00:34:22.339
 Maybe you're here,

00:34:22.419 --> 00:34:23.079
 sitting here this morning

00:34:23.079 --> 00:34:23.319
 thinking,

00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:24.039
 I don't know,

00:34:24.139 --> 00:34:24.359
 you preacher,

00:34:24.479 --> 00:34:25.859
 you don't know what they did.

00:34:26.079 --> 00:34:27.099
 You don't know how it happened.

00:34:27.319 --> 00:34:28.359
 You don't know what they said.

00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:29.079
 You don't understand

00:34:29.079 --> 00:34:30.239
 the pain that it caused.

00:34:30.659 --> 00:34:32.599
 And I may not

00:34:32.599 --> 00:34:33.539
 and I probably don't,

00:34:33.699 --> 00:34:34.299
 but I know this,

00:34:34.539 --> 00:34:36.299
 that if we're going to be able

00:34:36.299 --> 00:34:37.739
 to do what Jesus asked us to do,

00:34:37.879 --> 00:34:39.679
 we have to come to the end of ourself.

00:34:41.419 --> 00:34:42.319
 We have to realize

00:34:42.319 --> 00:34:43.359
 that the Christian life

00:34:43.359 --> 00:34:44.739
 was never designed

00:34:44.739 --> 00:34:46.739
 to be lived in our own strength.

00:34:48.239 --> 00:34:49.699
 Because just these first four verses

00:34:49.699 --> 00:34:51.299
 are impossible for us to do.

00:34:52.799 --> 00:34:53.019
 See,

00:34:53.099 --> 00:34:54.099
 everything he's commanded

00:34:54.099 --> 00:34:54.859
 in this chapter,

00:34:55.299 --> 00:34:56.459
 guarding others from stumbling,

00:34:56.779 --> 00:34:57.959
 forgiving those that hurt us,

00:34:58.279 --> 00:34:59.339
 loving difficult people,

00:34:59.459 --> 00:35:00.459
 it is impossible

00:35:00.459 --> 00:35:01.659
 apart from his grace.

00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:04.199
 We say,

00:35:04.259 --> 00:35:04.959
 how do we do it?

00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:06.959
 That's what Jesus tells us

00:35:06.959 --> 00:35:07.599
 in verse number six.

00:35:07.859 --> 00:35:09.659
 He gives a illustration.

00:35:10.679 --> 00:35:11.059
 He says,

00:35:11.059 --> 00:35:12.480
 if ye had the faith

00:35:12.480 --> 00:35:13.840
 as a grain of a mustard seed,

00:35:14.539 --> 00:35:15.360
 you might say unto

00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:16.360
 the sycamine tree,

00:35:16.759 --> 00:35:17.699
 be thou plucked up

00:35:17.699 --> 00:35:18.360
 by the root

00:35:18.360 --> 00:35:19.820
 and be thou planted

00:35:19.820 --> 00:35:20.519
 in the sea

00:35:20.519 --> 00:35:23.000
 and it should obey you.

00:35:24.519 --> 00:35:25.759
 So they cry out,

00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:26.019
 Lord,

00:35:26.340 --> 00:35:26.900
 Lord,

00:35:26.980 --> 00:35:27.920
 increase our faith.

00:35:28.019 --> 00:35:28.960
 We need more faith

00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:29.500
 or we're not going

00:35:29.500 --> 00:35:30.380
 to be able to do this.

00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:32.219
 But instead,

00:35:32.340 --> 00:35:33.079
 Jesus turns around

00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:33.900
 and he teaches them

00:35:33.900 --> 00:35:35.159
 about the nature of faith.

00:35:36.340 --> 00:35:36.539
 See,

00:35:36.599 --> 00:35:37.400
 the mustard seed

00:35:37.400 --> 00:35:38.739
 was one of the smallest seeds

00:35:38.739 --> 00:35:39.179
 that would have been

00:35:39.179 --> 00:35:40.500
 known to him in this time,

00:35:40.500 --> 00:35:41.639
 especially there in Israel.

00:35:42.619 --> 00:35:43.420
 And really what Jesus

00:35:43.420 --> 00:35:44.579
 is doing in verse number six

00:35:44.579 --> 00:35:46.079
 is he is not emphasizing

00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:47.260
 the amount of faith.

00:35:47.800 --> 00:35:47.900
 See,

00:35:47.960 --> 00:35:48.280
 they thought,

00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:48.760
 okay,

00:35:48.860 --> 00:35:49.500
 the only way is

00:35:49.500 --> 00:35:50.760
 if we have more faith.

00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:51.059
 No,

00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:52.360
 here's what he's emphasizing,

00:35:52.699 --> 00:35:54.679
 the object of their faith.

00:35:55.360 --> 00:35:56.280
 That's what he wanted

00:35:56.280 --> 00:35:56.940
 them to get a hold of

00:35:56.940 --> 00:35:58.280
 because here's the truth,

00:35:58.619 --> 00:36:00.019
 even small faith

00:36:00.019 --> 00:36:01.500
 placed in a great Savior

00:36:01.500 --> 00:36:02.619
 is powerful.

00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:04.780
 That's the idea.

00:36:05.039 --> 00:36:06.099
 I don't know about you,

00:36:06.179 --> 00:36:07.559
 but that's encouraging to me

00:36:07.559 --> 00:36:08.920
 because if we're honest,

00:36:08.920 --> 00:36:10.760
 most of us have experienced

00:36:10.760 --> 00:36:11.760
 moments where our faith

00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:12.880
 seems very,

00:36:13.220 --> 00:36:14.099
 very small.

00:36:15.720 --> 00:36:16.539
 We've prayed

00:36:16.539 --> 00:36:17.260
 while we're trembling.

00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:18.280
 We've obeyed

00:36:18.280 --> 00:36:18.780
 while we're still

00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:19.700
 maybe asking questions.

00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:20.559
 We've trusted

00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:21.579
 while we battled

00:36:21.579 --> 00:36:22.099
 through fear

00:36:22.099 --> 00:36:22.440
 and we're thinking,

00:36:22.559 --> 00:36:22.680
 Lord,

00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:24.300
 I just need more faith.

00:36:25.320 --> 00:36:25.420
 No,

00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:26.619
 Jesus is saying this,

00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:27.420
 you need to make sure

00:36:27.420 --> 00:36:28.119
 your faith is placed

00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:28.940
 in the right thing.

00:36:30.200 --> 00:36:30.960
 Sometimes we think

00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:32.019
 faith is the answer.

00:36:32.700 --> 00:36:32.800
 No,

00:36:33.119 --> 00:36:34.400
 Jesus is the answer.

00:36:34.980 --> 00:36:35.940
 It's the object

00:36:35.940 --> 00:36:36.740
 of our faith

00:36:36.740 --> 00:36:37.679
 and that's why

00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:39.400
 he explains this idea

00:36:39.400 --> 00:36:40.720
 of this sycamine tree.

00:36:41.400 --> 00:36:41.800
 He said,

00:36:41.960 --> 00:36:42.800
 if you have the faith

00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:43.599
 of a mustard seed,

00:36:43.820 --> 00:36:44.760
 you can say to the sycamine tree,

00:36:44.860 --> 00:36:45.539
 sycamine tree,

00:36:45.760 --> 00:36:46.119
 move.

00:36:48.260 --> 00:36:48.460
 See,

00:36:48.500 --> 00:36:49.300
 the sycamine tree

00:36:49.300 --> 00:36:51.500
 are really a mulberry tree.

00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:52.940
 They are known

00:36:52.940 --> 00:36:53.420
 for having

00:36:53.420 --> 00:36:55.480
 an extensive root system.

00:36:56.340 --> 00:36:57.679
 Once they are established,

00:36:58.039 --> 00:36:59.840
 it was incredibly difficult

00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:00.760
 to remove.

00:37:01.559 --> 00:37:02.840
 This is a root system

00:37:02.840 --> 00:37:03.400
 that expanded

00:37:03.400 --> 00:37:04.220
 far,

00:37:04.380 --> 00:37:05.780
 far below the surface.

00:37:07.180 --> 00:37:08.139
 And just as Jesus

00:37:08.139 --> 00:37:08.860
 wasn't giving us

00:37:08.860 --> 00:37:10.180
 a math tutorial earlier,

00:37:10.400 --> 00:37:11.340
 he's not giving us

00:37:11.340 --> 00:37:13.300
 a landscaping class either.

00:37:14.360 --> 00:37:14.539
 No,

00:37:14.660 --> 00:37:15.539
 what he's teaching

00:37:15.539 --> 00:37:16.559
 and what he's illustrating

00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:17.619
 to his disciples here

00:37:17.619 --> 00:37:19.019
 is when something

00:37:19.019 --> 00:37:20.119
 appears impossible,

00:37:20.500 --> 00:37:21.639
 God can still do it.

00:37:22.740 --> 00:37:24.039
 Because remember the context.

00:37:24.639 --> 00:37:25.940
 He's talking about forgiveness.

00:37:27.059 --> 00:37:27.740
 And maybe when some

00:37:27.740 --> 00:37:28.559
 of the disciples heard that,

00:37:28.880 --> 00:37:30.059
 immediately in their mind,

00:37:30.220 --> 00:37:30.780
 they had something

00:37:30.780 --> 00:37:31.360
 they were dealing with

00:37:31.360 --> 00:37:31.619
 and they said,

00:37:31.820 --> 00:37:32.480
 I can't do it.

00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:34.440
 Jesus,

00:37:34.660 --> 00:37:35.340
 you don't know

00:37:35.340 --> 00:37:36.680
 how deeply rooted

00:37:36.680 --> 00:37:37.559
 this hurt is.

00:37:38.680 --> 00:37:39.240
 That bitterness

00:37:39.240 --> 00:37:40.360
 may be in our life,

00:37:40.460 --> 00:37:41.160
 that resentment

00:37:41.160 --> 00:37:41.800
 is growing

00:37:41.800 --> 00:37:42.519
 as we talked about

00:37:42.519 --> 00:37:43.900
 and those old wounds,

00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:44.680
 here's what happens

00:37:44.680 --> 00:37:45.300
 many times,

00:37:45.539 --> 00:37:46.480
 they become firmly

00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:47.619
 planted in our heart.

00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:51.639
 And maybe you've said this,

00:37:51.720 --> 00:37:52.480
 maybe you've thought this,

00:37:52.539 --> 00:37:53.119
 maybe your life

00:37:53.119 --> 00:37:53.820
 is there right now,

00:37:54.019 --> 00:37:54.260
 you're thinking,

00:37:54.380 --> 00:37:55.240
 I can't get over it.

00:37:56.940 --> 00:37:57.619
 I'll never,

00:37:57.780 --> 00:37:58.980
 I just can't forgive them.

00:38:00.980 --> 00:38:02.220
 It's never gonna change.

00:38:02.219 --> 00:38:03.659
 I've forgiven them

00:38:03.659 --> 00:38:04.759
 but it's not changing

00:38:04.759 --> 00:38:05.159
 at all.

00:38:05.899 --> 00:38:06.439
 But you know what

00:38:06.439 --> 00:38:07.519
 Jesus is teaching us here?

00:38:07.779 --> 00:38:08.939
 That faith in God

00:38:08.939 --> 00:38:09.959
 can uproot

00:38:09.959 --> 00:38:11.279
 what seems impossible

00:38:11.279 --> 00:38:11.899
 to us.

00:38:13.419 --> 00:38:14.199
 That's how we can

00:38:14.199 --> 00:38:15.079
 forgive again and again.

00:38:15.579 --> 00:38:16.779
 Because God can do it,

00:38:16.879 --> 00:38:17.859
 Jesus can do it.

00:38:18.579 --> 00:38:19.399
 And let me just ask you

00:38:19.399 --> 00:38:20.099
 before we move on,

00:38:20.279 --> 00:38:21.559
 what feels impossible

00:38:21.559 --> 00:38:22.559
 in your life right now?

00:38:24.299 --> 00:38:25.219
 Maybe it is

00:38:25.219 --> 00:38:26.399
 forgiving somebody.

00:38:27.399 --> 00:38:28.000
 Maybe it is

00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:28.819
 a sinful habit.

00:38:28.820 --> 00:38:30.820
 Maybe it's trusting God

00:38:30.820 --> 00:38:31.519
 with kind of some

00:38:31.519 --> 00:38:32.640
 uncertainties that you're

00:38:32.640 --> 00:38:33.480
 facing right now

00:38:33.480 --> 00:38:34.340
 in your family

00:38:34.340 --> 00:38:35.080
 and in your job

00:38:35.080 --> 00:38:35.680
 and in your health

00:38:35.680 --> 00:38:36.539
 or whatever it may be.

00:38:36.780 --> 00:38:37.940
 Maybe it's loving somebody

00:38:37.940 --> 00:38:39.100
 who's difficult to love

00:38:39.100 --> 00:38:40.160
 and maybe even asking

00:38:40.160 --> 00:38:40.580
 the question,

00:38:40.800 --> 00:38:41.660
 do I have enough faith

00:38:41.660 --> 00:38:42.519
 to even do this?

00:38:42.680 --> 00:38:43.900
 No, the right question is,

00:38:44.019 --> 00:38:45.320
 is my faith resting

00:38:45.320 --> 00:38:46.280
 on the one

00:38:46.280 --> 00:38:47.680
 who is able to do it?

00:38:48.380 --> 00:38:49.039
 That's what Jesus

00:38:49.039 --> 00:38:49.800
 shows us here.

00:38:50.460 --> 00:38:51.120
 That's a mark

00:38:51.120 --> 00:38:51.860
 of a true disciple.

00:38:52.160 --> 00:38:52.600
 It's not about

00:38:52.600 --> 00:38:53.440
 the amount of faith

00:38:53.440 --> 00:38:53.760
 we have,

00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:54.880
 it's where we've

00:38:54.880 --> 00:38:56.640
 placed our faith.

00:38:56.639 --> 00:38:59.299
 Because we found this out

00:38:59.299 --> 00:39:00.460
 in our own lives,

00:39:00.519 --> 00:39:00.879
 I'm sure,

00:39:01.400 --> 00:39:02.839
 Jesus has never failed me.

00:39:03.799 --> 00:39:04.859
 When I trust myself,

00:39:05.159 --> 00:39:06.199
 when I trust my own faith,

00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:07.199
 it crumbles.

00:39:08.119 --> 00:39:09.079
 But Jesus doesn't.

00:39:09.839 --> 00:39:11.079
 Jesus helps us move forward.

00:39:12.339 --> 00:39:13.519
 So Jesus shows us

00:39:13.519 --> 00:39:14.460
 that true disciples,

00:39:14.619 --> 00:39:15.219
 they guard others

00:39:15.219 --> 00:39:15.759
 from stumbling,

00:39:16.239 --> 00:39:17.599
 they forgive again and again,

00:39:17.679 --> 00:39:19.019
 and they trust God completely.

00:39:20.179 --> 00:39:21.259
 But if we're not careful,

00:39:21.339 --> 00:39:22.299
 we can begin to do

00:39:22.299 --> 00:39:23.119
 these things in our life

00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:23.379
 and we think,

00:39:23.480 --> 00:39:24.900
 man, I'm pretty good.

00:39:25.179 --> 00:39:26.039
 I'm a pretty good Christian.

00:39:26.039 --> 00:39:27.219
 I mean, I'm nailing

00:39:27.219 --> 00:39:28.279
 this Christian life thing.

00:39:29.360 --> 00:39:30.139
 And isn't that

00:39:30.139 --> 00:39:31.059
 just like our hearts?

00:39:31.940 --> 00:39:32.940
 The very moment

00:39:32.940 --> 00:39:34.279
 God begins producing fruit

00:39:34.279 --> 00:39:35.039
 and God begins working

00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:35.500
 in our life,

00:39:35.679 --> 00:39:37.179
 we want to take credit for it.

00:39:37.980 --> 00:39:38.179
 We're like,

00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:39.639
 man, anybody like to

00:39:39.639 --> 00:39:40.360
 pat yourself on the back?

00:39:40.500 --> 00:39:40.779
 You don't have to

00:39:40.779 --> 00:39:41.139
 raise your hand.

00:39:41.360 --> 00:39:41.779
 We do.

00:39:42.500 --> 00:39:43.300
 I mean, when I do things

00:39:43.300 --> 00:39:43.800
 around the house

00:39:43.800 --> 00:39:44.820
 that's been on my list

00:39:44.820 --> 00:39:46.820
 to do for a long, long time,

00:39:46.960 --> 00:39:48.199
 I still let my wife know,

00:39:48.300 --> 00:39:50.699
 hey, I did the dishes.

00:39:51.059 --> 00:39:51.920
 Just wanted you to know.

00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:54.699
 And she's like,

00:39:54.699 --> 00:39:55.099
 yeah, that's what

00:39:55.099 --> 00:39:55.659
 you're supposed to do.

00:39:56.360 --> 00:39:57.279
 And that's kind of

00:39:57.279 --> 00:39:57.719
 what's going on

00:39:57.719 --> 00:39:58.739
 in this text right here.

00:39:59.360 --> 00:40:00.360
 That's why Jesus closes

00:40:00.360 --> 00:40:01.619
 with this final lesson

00:40:01.619 --> 00:40:02.679
 in verses 7 through 10.

00:40:02.880 --> 00:40:03.619
 He reminds us

00:40:03.619 --> 00:40:04.279
 that everything

00:40:04.279 --> 00:40:05.039
 that we discuss,

00:40:05.239 --> 00:40:06.480
 if these characteristics

00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:07.259
 are part of our life,

00:40:07.440 --> 00:40:08.619
 they shouldn't produce pride.

00:40:08.719 --> 00:40:09.779
 Here's what they should produce.

00:40:10.019 --> 00:40:10.779
 Humble servants.

00:40:11.759 --> 00:40:12.599
 Because faithful followers

00:40:12.599 --> 00:40:12.960
 of Christ,

00:40:13.039 --> 00:40:14.159
 they serve with humility.

00:40:16.579 --> 00:40:17.340
 Jesus pictures

00:40:17.340 --> 00:40:18.320
 this scene for us.

00:40:18.440 --> 00:40:19.400
 A servant has spent

00:40:19.400 --> 00:40:20.239
 all day in the field

00:40:20.239 --> 00:40:20.659
 working.

00:40:21.400 --> 00:40:22.219
 He's plowing.

00:40:22.219 --> 00:40:23.159
 He's feeding the cattle.

00:40:23.279 --> 00:40:23.820
 He's tired.

00:40:24.260 --> 00:40:24.860
 He's dirty.

00:40:25.140 --> 00:40:25.760
 He's hungry.

00:40:26.360 --> 00:40:26.480
 I mean,

00:40:26.519 --> 00:40:27.860
 he's waiting for the clock

00:40:27.860 --> 00:40:28.660
 to reach 5 o'clock

00:40:28.660 --> 00:40:29.840
 so he can go inside the house

00:40:29.840 --> 00:40:31.200
 and he can eat some food

00:40:31.200 --> 00:40:32.039
 and he's got to think,

00:40:32.140 --> 00:40:33.260
 man, that's what's got

00:40:33.260 --> 00:40:33.700
 to be coming.

00:40:33.940 --> 00:40:34.820
 But he gets in the house

00:40:34.820 --> 00:40:35.740
 there in verse number 8

00:40:35.740 --> 00:40:37.000
 and the master of the house

00:40:37.000 --> 00:40:37.340
 says, hey,

00:40:37.500 --> 00:40:37.800
 what did you get

00:40:37.800 --> 00:40:38.260
 my dinner ready?

00:40:38.320 --> 00:40:38.760
 I'm hungry.

00:40:40.060 --> 00:40:40.700
 And so the servant,

00:40:40.860 --> 00:40:42.440
 he just does what servants do.

00:40:42.580 --> 00:40:43.340
 They keep serving.

00:40:44.300 --> 00:40:45.500
 And Jesus asked this question

00:40:45.500 --> 00:40:46.019
 in verse 9.

00:40:46.280 --> 00:40:47.519
 Doth he thank that servant

00:40:47.519 --> 00:40:48.980
 because he did the things

00:40:48.980 --> 00:40:49.660
 that were commanded?

00:40:49.800 --> 00:40:50.280
 I trow not.

00:40:50.320 --> 00:40:50.820
 He said, no.

00:40:52.280 --> 00:40:54.340
 The servant did exactly

00:40:54.340 --> 00:40:55.660
 what he was expected to do.

00:40:56.700 --> 00:40:57.940
 Now, people read these verses,

00:40:58.019 --> 00:40:58.760
 they get all weirded out.

00:40:59.060 --> 00:41:00.180
 Jesus isn't promoting

00:41:00.180 --> 00:41:01.019
 harsh treatment

00:41:01.019 --> 00:41:02.300
 of other people.

00:41:03.300 --> 00:41:04.320
 No, what he's doing

00:41:04.320 --> 00:41:05.440
 is he's using a picture

00:41:05.440 --> 00:41:06.440
 that his audience

00:41:06.440 --> 00:41:07.100
 would have understood

00:41:07.100 --> 00:41:08.440
 especially that servants

00:41:08.440 --> 00:41:09.700
 didn't expect applause

00:41:09.700 --> 00:41:11.039
 simply for fulfilling

00:41:11.039 --> 00:41:11.840
 their responsibility.

00:41:12.780 --> 00:41:13.900
 That's what they were hired for.

00:41:13.960 --> 00:41:14.620
 Many of these would have been

00:41:14.620 --> 00:41:15.860
 hired help

00:41:15.860 --> 00:41:17.200
 in different situations

00:41:17.200 --> 00:41:18.180
 and Jesus is saying,

00:41:18.360 --> 00:41:19.080
 they're just doing

00:41:19.080 --> 00:41:19.900
 what they're supposed to.

00:41:20.960 --> 00:41:21.780
 But then he brings

00:41:21.780 --> 00:41:22.820
 that same truth

00:41:22.820 --> 00:41:23.500
 and he applies it

00:41:23.500 --> 00:41:24.200
 to our life

00:41:24.200 --> 00:41:24.960
 in verse number 10.

00:41:25.280 --> 00:41:26.340
 So likewise ye,

00:41:27.060 --> 00:41:27.840
 when ye have done

00:41:27.840 --> 00:41:28.860
 all those things,

00:41:29.180 --> 00:41:30.560
 when you're living this life

00:41:30.560 --> 00:41:31.880
 the way that it's designed,

00:41:31.880 --> 00:41:33.460
 which you are commanded,

00:41:33.660 --> 00:41:34.240
 you say,

00:41:34.559 --> 00:41:36.380
 we are unprofitable servants

00:41:36.380 --> 00:41:37.640
 which have done

00:41:37.640 --> 00:41:39.660
 that which is our duty.

00:41:41.000 --> 00:41:42.019
 Verse 10 might seem

00:41:42.019 --> 00:41:42.640
 a little confusing

00:41:42.640 --> 00:41:43.619
 when we first read it.

00:41:44.619 --> 00:41:45.720
 Jesus is not saying

00:41:45.720 --> 00:41:46.800
 that his followers

00:41:46.800 --> 00:41:47.599
 are worthless.

00:41:48.720 --> 00:41:49.559
 It's not the idea.

00:41:49.800 --> 00:41:50.559
 He's not saying

00:41:50.559 --> 00:41:52.119
 that our service

00:41:52.119 --> 00:41:53.140
 has no value.

00:41:53.400 --> 00:41:54.300
 What he's teaching here

00:41:54.300 --> 00:41:55.039
 is humility.

00:41:56.380 --> 00:41:57.539
 See, the word unprofitable,

00:41:57.660 --> 00:41:58.440
 it means that we have

00:41:58.440 --> 00:42:00.140
 not placed God

00:42:00.140 --> 00:42:01.340
 under obligation.

00:42:01.880 --> 00:42:04.480
 He's reminding us

00:42:04.480 --> 00:42:04.940
 of this truth

00:42:04.940 --> 00:42:07.059
 that God owes us nothing.

00:42:08.140 --> 00:42:09.019
 He really doesn't.

00:42:10.220 --> 00:42:11.079
 Now on the other side

00:42:11.079 --> 00:42:11.400
 of the coin,

00:42:11.640 --> 00:42:13.019
 God gives us so many things.

00:42:13.900 --> 00:42:14.820
 But sometimes we think,

00:42:14.900 --> 00:42:15.220
 well I'm doing

00:42:15.220 --> 00:42:15.800
 all these things

00:42:15.800 --> 00:42:17.220
 so I deserve that.

00:42:17.740 --> 00:42:18.800
 I deserve that raise.

00:42:18.860 --> 00:42:19.660
 I deserve these things.

00:42:19.880 --> 00:42:21.000
 God, you owe me

00:42:21.000 --> 00:42:21.460
 because I'm doing

00:42:21.460 --> 00:42:22.440
 all these things.

00:42:22.640 --> 00:42:23.619
 I'm being kind

00:42:23.619 --> 00:42:24.519
 and I'm forgiving

00:42:24.519 --> 00:42:25.220
 and I'm doing

00:42:25.220 --> 00:42:25.900
 all these things.

00:42:25.980 --> 00:42:26.740
 I'm trusting in you

00:42:26.740 --> 00:42:27.900
 so you better give me

00:42:27.900 --> 00:42:28.900
 what I want.

00:42:29.559 --> 00:42:30.740
 We can subtly begin

00:42:30.740 --> 00:42:31.500
 to think in our life

00:42:31.500 --> 00:42:31.960
 that hey,

00:42:32.019 --> 00:42:32.820
 I've served faithfully,

00:42:32.920 --> 00:42:33.900
 I taught a class,

00:42:33.960 --> 00:42:34.340
 I've given,

00:42:34.460 --> 00:42:35.099
 I've sacrificed,

00:42:35.260 --> 00:42:36.099
 I've worked in the nursery.

00:42:36.420 --> 00:42:36.639
 I mean,

00:42:36.740 --> 00:42:37.539
 you'll have a crown in heaven,

00:42:37.599 --> 00:42:38.260
 don't worry about that.

00:42:38.380 --> 00:42:39.360
 I've done my part.

00:42:41.000 --> 00:42:42.440
 We say all of these things

00:42:42.440 --> 00:42:44.660
 as though God owes us

00:42:44.660 --> 00:42:45.380
 something in return.

00:42:45.380 --> 00:42:47.700
 But what verse 10

00:42:47.700 --> 00:42:48.519
 is reminding us

00:42:48.519 --> 00:42:50.200
 is that everything we have

00:42:50.200 --> 00:42:51.400
 comes from Him.

00:42:52.340 --> 00:42:53.200
 Every opportunity

00:42:53.200 --> 00:42:54.400
 we have to serve,

00:42:54.740 --> 00:42:55.460
 it comes from Him.

00:42:56.240 --> 00:42:57.579
 Every gift that you have

00:42:57.579 --> 00:42:58.420
 in your own life,

00:42:58.539 --> 00:42:59.400
 it came from Him.

00:43:00.140 --> 00:43:01.240
 Every ounce of strength

00:43:01.240 --> 00:43:01.800
 that you have

00:43:01.800 --> 00:43:02.300
 came from Him.

00:43:02.519 --> 00:43:03.220
 Every victory

00:43:03.220 --> 00:43:03.980
 came from Him.

00:43:05.500 --> 00:43:06.539
 We serve

00:43:06.539 --> 00:43:07.280
 because He's done

00:43:07.280 --> 00:43:08.420
 so much for us.

00:43:09.160 --> 00:43:10.160
 Because He's changed

00:43:10.160 --> 00:43:10.840
 our life.

00:43:11.800 --> 00:43:12.079
 So I just,

00:43:12.220 --> 00:43:12.840
 I want to ask you

00:43:12.840 --> 00:43:13.340
 that question.

00:43:13.700 --> 00:43:15.100
 Why do you do

00:43:15.100 --> 00:43:15.880
 what you do?

00:43:16.980 --> 00:43:18.200
 Why do you serve the Lord?

00:43:19.440 --> 00:43:20.000
 Is it because

00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:21.579
 you genuinely love Christ

00:43:21.579 --> 00:43:22.400
 or is it because

00:43:22.400 --> 00:43:22.920
 maybe you hope

00:43:22.920 --> 00:43:23.559
 somebody notices?

00:43:26.440 --> 00:43:26.840
 See,

00:43:26.920 --> 00:43:27.740
 would you still teach

00:43:27.740 --> 00:43:28.300
 that class?

00:43:28.960 --> 00:43:29.820
 Would you still visit

00:43:29.820 --> 00:43:30.420
 those people

00:43:30.420 --> 00:43:31.640
 that aren't able

00:43:31.640 --> 00:43:32.220
 maybe to make it

00:43:32.220 --> 00:43:32.500
 to church?

00:43:32.579 --> 00:43:33.660
 Would you still clean

00:43:33.660 --> 00:43:34.640
 and work in the nursery

00:43:34.640 --> 00:43:35.600
 and help somebody in need

00:43:35.600 --> 00:43:37.140
 if nobody ever thanked you?

00:43:38.760 --> 00:43:38.980
 See,

00:43:39.059 --> 00:43:39.940
 Jesus reminds us

00:43:39.940 --> 00:43:40.579
 that the audience

00:43:40.579 --> 00:43:41.920
 that we've always been serving

00:43:41.920 --> 00:43:43.159
 is not all of us,

00:43:43.260 --> 00:43:43.659
 it's Him.

00:43:45.019 --> 00:43:45.820
 That we're not doing

00:43:45.820 --> 00:43:46.320
 what we do

00:43:46.320 --> 00:43:46.740
 so everyone's like,

00:43:46.820 --> 00:43:46.980
 wow,

00:43:47.639 --> 00:43:47.820
 man,

00:43:47.860 --> 00:43:48.159
 look at that,

00:43:48.200 --> 00:43:49.079
 that's a real Christian.

00:43:50.159 --> 00:43:50.300
 No,

00:43:50.320 --> 00:43:50.440
 I mean,

00:43:50.519 --> 00:43:51.659
 I understand

00:43:51.659 --> 00:43:52.800
 that's difficult for us.

00:43:53.619 --> 00:43:54.659
 But here's what Jesus is saying,

00:43:55.019 --> 00:43:56.480
 I never overlook faithfulness.

00:43:57.360 --> 00:43:57.860
 God knows.

00:43:59.619 --> 00:44:01.320
 He'll settle the score one day.

00:44:02.940 --> 00:44:03.139
 I mean,

00:44:03.180 --> 00:44:03.680
 we think back

00:44:03.680 --> 00:44:04.980
 over the last few weeks,

00:44:05.059 --> 00:44:05.860
 we see that Jesus

00:44:05.860 --> 00:44:07.639
 is teaching us

00:44:07.639 --> 00:44:08.840
 to live for what lasts.

00:44:10.019 --> 00:44:10.880
 He reminds us

00:44:10.880 --> 00:44:11.960
 to live in light of eternity

00:44:11.960 --> 00:44:13.420
 and here He's showing us

00:44:13.420 --> 00:44:14.840
 this is what it looks like.

00:44:16.940 --> 00:44:17.740
 Sometimes we look at that

00:44:17.740 --> 00:44:17.980
 and we think,

00:44:18.039 --> 00:44:18.119
 man,

00:44:18.160 --> 00:44:19.480
 that's super difficult.

00:44:20.519 --> 00:44:22.640
 That's some serious stuff

00:44:22.640 --> 00:44:22.940
 right there.

00:44:22.960 --> 00:44:23.619
 I'm not sure I'm there.

00:44:23.860 --> 00:44:24.000
 Listen,

00:44:24.280 --> 00:44:25.480
 Jesus isn't describing

00:44:25.480 --> 00:44:27.940
 some spectacular Christianity.

00:44:28.160 --> 00:44:30.059
 You know what He's describing?

00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:31.880
 Faithful Christianity.

00:44:33.160 --> 00:44:34.340
 That's what it looks like.

00:44:34.720 --> 00:44:36.079
 That everyday Christians,

00:44:36.200 --> 00:44:37.220
 we should do these things.

00:44:37.219 --> 00:44:39.339
 That everyday we have

00:44:39.339 --> 00:44:39.839
 the opportunity

00:44:39.839 --> 00:44:40.980
 to help others

00:44:40.980 --> 00:44:42.480
 instead of cause them

00:44:42.480 --> 00:44:42.879
 to stumble.

00:44:43.279 --> 00:44:44.319
 That everyday we have

00:44:44.319 --> 00:44:44.639
 the opportunity

00:44:44.639 --> 00:44:45.379
 to forgive.

00:44:45.939 --> 00:44:46.519
 Everyday we have

00:44:46.519 --> 00:44:46.859
 the opportunity

00:44:46.859 --> 00:44:47.699
 to trust God

00:44:47.699 --> 00:44:48.339
 and place our faith

00:44:48.339 --> 00:44:49.000
 in Him.

00:44:49.179 --> 00:44:49.699
 Everyday we have

00:44:49.699 --> 00:44:50.119
 the opportunity

00:44:50.119 --> 00:44:51.019
 to serve.

00:44:51.179 --> 00:44:52.059
 And every one

00:44:52.059 --> 00:44:52.719
 of those choices,

00:44:52.839 --> 00:44:53.299
 here's what it does,

00:44:53.500 --> 00:44:54.179
 it makes us become

00:44:54.179 --> 00:44:55.639
 a little more like Christ

00:44:55.639 --> 00:44:57.119
 every single day.

00:44:59.079 --> 00:44:59.699
 I'll leave you

00:44:59.699 --> 00:45:00.319
 with this thought.

00:45:01.059 --> 00:45:02.299
 That everyday discipleship

00:45:02.299 --> 00:45:03.159
 isn't about doing

00:45:03.159 --> 00:45:04.219
 extraordinary things

00:45:04.219 --> 00:45:04.679
 for Jesus.

00:45:04.679 --> 00:45:06.440
 No, it's about

00:45:06.440 --> 00:45:07.699
 faithfully following Him

00:45:07.699 --> 00:45:08.839
 in just the ordinary

00:45:08.839 --> 00:45:09.719
 moments of life.

00:45:10.579 --> 00:45:11.119
 Because all four

00:45:11.119 --> 00:45:11.699
 of these things,

00:45:11.779 --> 00:45:12.099
 you know what you're

00:45:12.099 --> 00:45:12.239
 going to have

00:45:12.239 --> 00:45:12.799
 the opportunity to do?

00:45:12.960 --> 00:45:13.960
 Probably do it tomorrow

00:45:13.960 --> 00:45:15.639
 and the next day

00:45:15.639 --> 00:45:16.940
 and on Wednesday

00:45:16.940 --> 00:45:17.399
 and Thursday

00:45:17.399 --> 00:45:17.839
 and Friday.

00:45:18.139 --> 00:45:18.839
 That's how Sunday

00:45:18.839 --> 00:45:19.519
 touches Monday.

00:45:20.940 --> 00:45:21.559
 This week,

00:45:21.819 --> 00:45:22.579
 guard somebody

00:45:22.579 --> 00:45:23.399
 from stumbling.

00:45:24.579 --> 00:45:25.000
 Instead of just

00:45:25.000 --> 00:45:25.659
 living your life

00:45:25.659 --> 00:45:26.219
 with no thought,

00:45:26.440 --> 00:45:26.960
 think to yourself,

00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:28.460
 how's that co-worker

00:45:28.460 --> 00:45:29.319
 that's been asking me

00:45:29.319 --> 00:45:29.719
 about church

00:45:29.719 --> 00:45:30.059
 that I've been about,

00:45:30.179 --> 00:45:31.219
 how would they view this

00:45:31.219 --> 00:45:31.940
 if I said this

00:45:31.940 --> 00:45:32.539
 or did that?

00:45:32.539 --> 00:45:35.119
 How would my kids

00:45:35.119 --> 00:45:36.539
 respond when they

00:45:36.539 --> 00:45:38.059
 see me do that?

00:45:39.400 --> 00:45:40.039
 Maybe there's somebody

00:45:40.039 --> 00:45:40.679
 you need to forgive

00:45:40.679 --> 00:45:41.219
 this week.

00:45:42.119 --> 00:45:42.579
 Call them up

00:45:42.579 --> 00:45:43.000
 on the phone.

00:45:44.519 --> 00:45:45.579
 Maybe there's a situation

00:45:45.579 --> 00:45:46.219
 right now

00:45:46.219 --> 00:45:47.840
 that you're thinking,

00:45:47.980 --> 00:45:48.699
 Lord, I need more faith.

00:45:48.739 --> 00:45:49.159
 No, you just need

00:45:49.159 --> 00:45:50.420
 to trust God about it.

00:45:52.659 --> 00:45:53.500
 Keep serving

00:45:53.500 --> 00:45:54.460
 without looking

00:45:54.460 --> 00:45:55.079
 for recognition.

00:45:55.940 --> 00:45:57.000
 That's what everyday

00:45:57.000 --> 00:45:59.059
 discipleship looks like.

00:45:59.239 --> 00:45:59.659
 Would you stand

00:45:59.659 --> 00:46:00.380
 with your heads bowed

00:46:00.380 --> 00:46:01.679
 and with your eyes closed?

00:46:01.839 --> 00:46:01.839


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00:46:01.839 --> 00:46:01.839


00:46:01.840 --> 00:46:31.820
 Thank you.