WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.940 I wouldn't say you can have a seat, but it looks like everybody's done that. 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:06.980 So if y'all will join me in prayer this morning. 00:00:10.040 --> 00:00:16.800 Lord, what a privilege to come together as believers that we might lift our hearts up to you. 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:19.559 For Father, we do come to worship you. 00:00:22.580 --> 00:00:28.480 Father, you're worthy of our worship in a far greater way than we can ever imagine. 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:39.939 Your word declares your majesty and your power and your goodness and your glory and your grace and your mercy and your kindness. 00:00:43.659 --> 00:00:48.740 Lord, it's you who provide all good things for us. 00:00:48.939 --> 00:00:51.700 You're the source of all good things according to your word. 00:00:51.700 --> 00:00:56.660 And so, Father, we lift up our eyes and we look to the heavens. 00:00:58.940 --> 00:01:01.520 And it's the heavens that declare your majesty. 00:01:03.340 --> 00:01:07.000 And we look to you, Lord, because we desire to be led by you. 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:11.020 We desire to live for you. 00:01:11.019 --> 00:01:22.259 God, we, as a church this morning, declare to you that we are weak, Father. 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:29.519 But we remember what Paul said is that when we are weak, then truly we're strong. 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:35.599 Because it's when we're weak, we recognize our weakness that we turn to you and say, help me, God. 00:01:37.399 --> 00:01:40.640 And so, Lord, this morning we turn to you and we say, help us, God. 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:42.000 Help us to be faithful. 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:50.620 God, keep us focused on things that truly matter. 00:01:51.819 --> 00:01:55.140 Help us to live for your kingdom and your glory. 00:01:55.140 --> 00:01:58.140 Father, you alone deserve to be glorified. 00:01:58.680 --> 00:02:01.239 You alone deserve to be worshipped and lifted up. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:06.379 So, Father, in our weakness, I pray that you would make us strong. 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:08.979 You'd help us to live lives that honor you. 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:13.120 To live lives that demonstrate that we trust you. 00:02:14.180 --> 00:02:20.219 To live lives that give a message to the lost and dying world that we can trust you. 00:02:20.219 --> 00:02:24.560 Father, a message of truth. 00:02:24.659 --> 00:02:26.620 A message of a Savior. 00:02:26.819 --> 00:02:28.780 A message of dependency. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:31.120 A message of worship. 00:02:31.300 --> 00:02:35.280 That, Father, when the world around sees us, they would see something different. 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:37.300 Not just another person. 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:40.219 But they would see a person who's been changed and transformed. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:43.379 A person who's been indwelt by the Holy Spirit. 00:02:43.639 --> 00:02:45.400 A person that has a joy. 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:50.020 A joy that's hard to explain. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:57.180 That in the midst of storms and trials, that there's a joy that still bubbles out of us, God. 00:02:57.219 --> 00:02:58.140 And that's supernatural. 00:02:59.740 --> 00:03:02.180 So, we ask, God, that you would do that in our lives. 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:04.580 You would do that which is supernatural. 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:05.860 That can't be explained. 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:09.300 That even in the midst of hard times, God, that we rejoice. 00:03:09.300 --> 00:03:13.240 I love how Paul says it, God. 00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:14.280 He says, rejoice. 00:03:14.420 --> 00:03:16.400 And again, I say, rejoice. 00:03:17.260 --> 00:03:19.660 In all things, rejoice. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:25.180 Because, God, in truth, this time we spend here is short. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:28.620 It's like a vapor that's here one day and gone tomorrow. 00:03:28.620 --> 00:03:36.420 And after that, Father, your children enter into eternity. 00:03:37.140 --> 00:03:38.539 Enter into your glory. 00:03:38.780 --> 00:03:40.020 Enter into your presence. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:42.300 Enter into the heavenly realm. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:48.480 The kingdom that you're putting together, Father. 00:03:48.640 --> 00:03:53.819 The kingdom that you're ruling over. 00:03:53.819 --> 00:03:57.039 The kingdom that we get to be a part of. 00:03:57.799 --> 00:03:58.959 The kingdom of heaven. 00:03:59.539 --> 00:04:01.259 So, Father, we look forward. 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:04.139 We turn our eyes to your kingdom. 00:04:04.459 --> 00:04:06.579 And we rejoice with great joy. 00:04:06.799 --> 00:04:08.959 Because of who you are and what you're doing. 00:04:09.239 --> 00:04:10.639 And what you've done in our lives. 00:04:10.699 --> 00:04:12.379 That you would call us by your name. 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:18.500 And, Father, you would grant us salvation through the shed blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:04:19.019 --> 00:04:20.659 Father, that's why we're here this morning. 00:04:20.660 --> 00:04:25.180 We gather here because you've done a work in each of our lives. 00:04:25.260 --> 00:04:27.600 And we gather here to worship you this morning. 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:30.620 To lift up our hearts in thanks to you. 00:04:30.760 --> 00:04:33.220 To raise up our hands in worship to you. 00:04:34.080 --> 00:04:39.900 To celebrate together in fellowship as a body of believers. 00:04:40.300 --> 00:04:42.520 As those who've been called by your name. 00:04:43.080 --> 00:04:44.540 So, God, we worship this morning. 00:04:45.340 --> 00:04:50.040 And, God, I pray that you would move us, stir us to share this incredible good news. 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:52.240 With the people that live in our neighborhoods. 00:04:52.640 --> 00:04:55.600 And with the people we work with. 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:58.460 And with the people we sit in the bleachers with watching ball games. 00:04:59.500 --> 00:05:00.960 God, give us a burden. 00:05:02.020 --> 00:05:04.240 To share the message. 00:05:04.400 --> 00:05:05.780 The greatest message of all. 00:05:05.879 --> 00:05:07.040 That Jesus has come. 00:05:08.080 --> 00:05:09.340 That we might have life. 00:05:10.320 --> 00:05:12.180 So, God, this morning as we open your word. 00:05:12.180 --> 00:05:15.180 As we look at Matthew chapter 6. 00:05:15.259 --> 00:05:19.620 I pray that, God, you would open our hearts and our minds to hear and to understand. 00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:22.019 God, give us spiritual ears. 00:05:23.780 --> 00:05:26.240 That we would hear the truth. 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:28.620 And that you would stir us deeply this morning. 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:29.780 That we might live for you. 00:05:29.840 --> 00:05:31.560 And I pray these things in the name of Jesus. 00:05:31.980 --> 00:05:32.300 Amen. 00:05:32.300 --> 00:05:32.360 Amen. 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:32.800 Amen. 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:40.319 So, Jonathan has a calendar. 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:43.040 And on that calendar, he puts certain dates when I get to preach. 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:44.480 And this happens to be one of those dates. 00:05:44.540 --> 00:05:45.500 And he did it to me again. 00:05:45.540 --> 00:05:46.540 He didn't give me a passage. 00:05:46.819 --> 00:05:50.340 So, that gives me the freedom to do whatever I want to do. 00:05:50.379 --> 00:05:50.620 Right? 00:05:50.680 --> 00:05:51.939 I can pick any passage. 00:05:51.939 --> 00:06:00.340 And really, the way that I was led by the Lord to pick a passage this week was just based on the time of year it is. 00:06:00.379 --> 00:06:01.180 It's the new year. 00:06:01.180 --> 00:06:03.560 Today is the first day of 2023. 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:10.579 You know, it's common on the calendar when certain dates happen that our culture does certain things. 00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:13.900 And in our culture, it's common to have New Year's resolutions. 00:06:13.900 --> 00:06:16.879 It's something that you might have done yourself. 00:06:17.019 --> 00:06:19.439 You might have something that you've said, 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:25.180 Okay, when January starts and I'm finished eating all that food for Thanksgiving and all that food for Christmas, 00:06:25.500 --> 00:06:27.300 I'm going to go on a diet in January. 00:06:27.300 --> 00:06:31.000 Because we don't want to miss out on the fun times with families and stuff. 00:06:31.180 --> 00:06:32.980 It might be that that's you. 00:06:33.100 --> 00:06:37.660 It might be that you're saying that this year I'm going to read through the Bible. 00:06:37.939 --> 00:06:43.540 And so, I want to start this year and I want to do what I've hoped I would always do. 00:06:43.620 --> 00:06:47.220 That is, I want to read through the Bible because I know that it will bless my soul if I do that. 00:06:47.220 --> 00:06:49.060 It might be that you say, 00:06:49.060 --> 00:06:58.820 Yes, I want to do this thing or I want to go on these trips or I want to spend more time with my family 00:06:58.820 --> 00:07:01.980 or I want to work a little harder to put a little more money in the bank. 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:04.060 There's all these motives that we have. 00:07:04.420 --> 00:07:09.040 There's all these things that really ask for our time that draw our time. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:12.140 And so, my question this morning is, is that you? 00:07:12.340 --> 00:07:14.640 Has this time of year been that for you? 00:07:14.700 --> 00:07:19.040 Have you considered a new beginning or a new start or a resolution? 00:07:21.200 --> 00:07:23.520 And it doesn't have to be January 1st. 00:07:23.560 --> 00:07:25.480 You know, we do these things throughout the year. 00:07:25.580 --> 00:07:28.980 It might be that we say March is the month that I'm really going to do whatever. 00:07:28.980 --> 00:07:36.140 But that's the reason that the Lord led me to chapter 6 of Matthew. 00:07:36.960 --> 00:07:40.480 It is this concept of how we use our time. 00:07:42.420 --> 00:07:46.280 And so, I ask you, how are you using your time? 00:07:46.379 --> 00:07:51.120 What is it this coming year that you're going to invest your time in? 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:55.960 And what is it that lends itself to that decision? 00:07:55.959 --> 00:07:59.839 When you consider spending your time in a certain way, 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:02.659 what is it that drives that decision? 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:09.819 What is it that motivates you to make that decision on spending your time? 00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:12.379 So, this morning, here's what I want you to hear. 00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:15.879 It is that we all make these considerations. 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:18.899 We all have things that we want to do, right? 00:08:18.939 --> 00:08:22.139 We all have things that we want to spend our time doing. 00:08:22.740 --> 00:08:25.939 But what I want to do this morning is I want to open the Scripture. 00:08:25.959 --> 00:08:27.279 And we want to ask this question, 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:31.919 do the Scriptures direct us on how we should spend our time? 00:08:34.139 --> 00:08:40.579 Does Matthew 6 point us in a certain direction on how we should spend our time? 00:08:40.779 --> 00:08:42.720 On how we should be motivated? 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:45.439 And the answer to that, of course, is yes. 00:08:46.899 --> 00:08:49.439 And so, we turn to chapter 6 of Matthew. 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:57.140 And you'll recognize this as being in the section of Scripture where Christ is teaching on the mountain. 00:08:57.280 --> 00:08:58.700 It's called the Sermon on the Mount. 00:09:01.040 --> 00:09:05.580 And I think it's important for us to set up the time. 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:10.660 What was happening before Christ went up on the mountain and He turned to teach? 00:09:10.659 --> 00:09:13.319 And He shared these truths from the mountain. 00:09:13.959 --> 00:09:18.939 You will remember that Christ was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 00:09:19.299 --> 00:09:22.699 And you remember that after He was baptized and came out of the water, 00:09:23.059 --> 00:09:26.639 that the Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, drove Him into the wilderness. 00:09:27.659 --> 00:09:31.360 And for 40 days He was in the wilderness and He was tempted by Satan. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:36.060 There was a war that took place, if you will, 00:09:36.259 --> 00:09:41.740 in the spiritual realm where the enemy was trying to get Christ to sin. 00:09:42.860 --> 00:09:48.200 And He was using these temptations to get Him to sin, but Christ did not. 00:09:49.300 --> 00:09:53.460 Christ was victorious over Satan in that setting. 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:56.139 Does that mean Satan never tempted again? 00:09:56.300 --> 00:09:56.560 No. 00:09:56.559 --> 00:10:01.000 For the rest of His life on earth He was tempted. 00:10:02.319 --> 00:10:05.619 For the rest of His time on earth Satan tried to kill Him. 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:12.899 But He comes down from this mountain of temptation and He goes into the region of Galilee 00:10:12.899 --> 00:10:15.419 and He begins calling His disciples. 00:10:16.519 --> 00:10:18.239 And He calls the twelve. 00:10:19.599 --> 00:10:21.359 And He begins to minister. 00:10:21.539 --> 00:10:22.759 We know some of the stories. 00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:27.080 We would remember that He went to Cana of Galilee where His first miracle took place. 00:10:27.899 --> 00:10:30.100 And He began healing many. 00:10:30.819 --> 00:10:34.679 And He went to the Sea of Galilee as He passed through Capernaum. 00:10:34.740 --> 00:10:36.019 And He went to the Sea of Galilee. 00:10:36.419 --> 00:10:37.779 And many followed Him. 00:10:37.819 --> 00:10:38.600 And He did miracles. 00:10:38.779 --> 00:10:40.000 And He fed them. 00:10:40.600 --> 00:10:42.179 He fed multitudes. 00:10:43.019 --> 00:10:44.620 Miraculously they were fed. 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:48.960 And the Scripture before the Sermon on the Mount says this, 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:55.040 And He went throughout all Galilee teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming. 00:10:55.420 --> 00:10:56.800 Notice what He's proclaiming. 00:10:57.019 --> 00:10:58.860 The gospel of the kingdom. 00:11:01.259 --> 00:11:05.519 And healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:08.980 So His fame spread throughout all of Syria. 00:11:08.980 --> 00:11:12.740 You will notice that Syria is not part of Israel. 00:11:14.259 --> 00:11:16.800 So not only was His fame in Galilee. 00:11:17.139 --> 00:11:21.120 Not only was His fame in Jerusalem in the southern part of the kingdom. 00:11:21.420 --> 00:11:25.460 His fame also spread past the borders of Israel. 00:11:26.759 --> 00:11:29.039 His fame spread throughout all Syria. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:33.899 And they brought Him all the sick and those afflicted with various diseases and pains. 00:11:33.899 --> 00:11:36.879 Those opposed by demons. 00:11:37.079 --> 00:11:39.419 Those having seizures and paralytics. 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:40.379 And He healed them. 00:11:41.199 --> 00:11:44.779 And great crowds followed Him from Galilee and Decapolis. 00:11:44.980 --> 00:11:46.480 From Jerusalem and Judea. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:48.039 And even beyond the Jordan. 00:11:48.740 --> 00:11:53.500 So you see this picture of the ministry of Christ. 00:11:53.659 --> 00:11:55.379 That once He was baptized. 00:11:55.699 --> 00:11:58.480 And once He was driven into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:00.840 And once He came back and called His disciples. 00:12:00.840 --> 00:12:02.759 He stepped into ministry. 00:12:03.899 --> 00:12:07.899 And His name was spread abroad. 00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:11.740 Because He taught them like no other one. 00:12:12.579 --> 00:12:15.360 He taught them like one having authority. 00:12:15.720 --> 00:12:16.459 Because He did. 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:22.240 And then the scripture says here. 00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:25.279 In chapter 5. 00:12:26.340 --> 00:12:26.720 It says, 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:29.139 Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain. 00:12:29.259 --> 00:12:32.019 And when He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 00:12:32.019 --> 00:12:35.879 And if we stopped there, we would think that only the 12 came to Him. 00:12:36.740 --> 00:12:41.720 And so we could mistakenly think that the Sermon on the Mount was given to the 12. 00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:45.639 But if we look at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, here's what you'll hear. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:50.039 And when Jesus finished these sayings, that is the Sermon on the Mount. 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:54.039 The crowds were astonished at His teaching. 00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:58.219 I want you to notice it was the crowds that were astonished. 00:12:58.219 --> 00:13:03.319 He taught all of this incredible gathering by going up on the mountain. 00:13:04.099 --> 00:13:09.059 And as He taught them, He said these things were incredibly important. 00:13:10.339 --> 00:13:18.179 So He meets their needs by healing and by delivering from demonic oppression. 00:13:18.179 --> 00:13:20.639 By feeding them. 00:13:21.239 --> 00:13:23.539 And then He teaches them the truth. 00:13:23.620 --> 00:13:29.379 You know that the teaching is just as important and maybe more so than the physical needs that He met. 00:13:31.139 --> 00:13:35.559 The spiritual needs that we have are greater than the physical needs that we have. 00:13:35.620 --> 00:13:36.239 Do you all agree? 00:13:36.439 --> 00:13:36.620 Amen? 00:13:36.620 --> 00:13:41.620 But sometimes we forget that in this life. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:50.019 In our humanity, in our humanness, we walk through life and we sometimes forget that the spiritual is greater than the physical. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:52.799 The spiritual is greater than the temporal. 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:57.860 And we let the temporal drive our decisions. 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:01.120 You know the Scripture never tells us to do that? 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:08.139 The Scripture indicates that the spiritual should drive our decision making, not the temporal. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:15.320 And so with that, we turn to chapter 6. 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:24.480 And I'm going to cover more than just this section, but this is going to be for sake of time. 00:14:24.940 --> 00:14:30.379 I can't read the whole Sermon on the Mount, so we're going to prioritize at least reading this section, 00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:34.600 starting in verse 19 and going through the end of the chapter in chapter 6 of Matthew. 00:14:34.860 --> 00:14:39.179 So I'd ask if you have your Scriptures to open up the Scriptures and read along with me. 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:40.639 I'm reading from the ESV. 00:14:41.860 --> 00:14:43.879 And I read starting in verse 19. 00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:52.259 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 00:14:52.259 --> 00:15:06.000 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:08.720 The eye is the lamp of the body. 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:12.379 So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:17.100 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:22.040 If then the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness. 00:15:22.460 --> 00:15:24.360 No one can serve two masters. 00:15:24.940 --> 00:15:30.379 For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. 00:15:30.580 --> 00:15:33.259 You cannot serve God and money. 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:41.800 Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:44.560 nor about your body, what you will put on. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:47.979 Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:50.779 Look at the birds of the air. 00:15:51.439 --> 00:15:57.399 They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 00:15:58.379 --> 00:16:00.619 Are you not of much more value than they? 00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:06.959 And which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to his lifespan? 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:10.359 And why are you anxious about clothing? 00:16:11.059 --> 00:16:13.500 Consider the lilies in the field, how they grow. 00:16:13.500 --> 00:16:15.600 They neither toil nor spin. 00:16:16.440 --> 00:16:22.139 Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:29.100 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, 00:16:29.860 --> 00:16:33.200 will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:37.900 Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, what shall we eat? 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:40.040 Or what shall we drink? 00:16:40.160 --> 00:16:41.800 Or what shall we wear? 00:16:42.580 --> 00:16:48.300 For the Gentiles seek after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 00:16:48.820 --> 00:16:55.500 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 00:16:55.500 --> 00:17:02.440 Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. 00:17:02.899 --> 00:17:06.859 Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 00:17:07.220 --> 00:17:07.680 Let's pray. 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:19.420 Lord, I pray that your word would penetrate to our hearts, and not just our ears. 00:17:21.220 --> 00:17:24.980 Father, we pray that you would spiritually open our ears to hear. 00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:28.660 Father, you would spiritually open our eyes to see. 00:17:29.320 --> 00:17:32.700 And Father, you would stir our heart with affections for you. 00:17:32.700 --> 00:17:36.420 And I pray that your word this morning would be life. 00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:41.980 I pray that your word would direct us on the way that you would have us live. 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:43.720 And I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:17:46.740 --> 00:17:52.940 So though I started in verse 19 in red, I want to back up to verse 1 of chapter 6. 00:17:53.539 --> 00:17:55.220 We just didn't have time to read it all. 00:17:56.340 --> 00:17:58.420 And I want you to notice this. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:01.279 Hold on. 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:03.200 Sorry, I have a cold. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.180 I might do that more than once. 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:07.559 I want you to notice this. 00:18:08.740 --> 00:18:10.299 He says this word, beware. 00:18:14.039 --> 00:18:18.940 Christ, who loves them enough to care for these physical needs of theirs, 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:22.359 when he teaches them, he says, I want you to beware of something. 00:18:22.700 --> 00:18:23.039 Beware. 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:33.839 And he's talking about motivations that direct us on how we use our time and how we make our decisions. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:36.139 We'll talk more about that in a minute. 00:18:36.379 --> 00:18:38.159 Let me just share a story when I was young. 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:47.620 So when I was a kid, 10 years old, I was introduced to the game of golf. 00:18:48.019 --> 00:18:51.019 My parents went for the first time, and I went with them. 00:18:51.820 --> 00:18:55.200 Perhaps my dad had gone once before and figured out how to do it all, 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:56.980 and then I went with him very soon after that. 00:18:57.160 --> 00:18:58.420 And I started playing golf. 00:18:58.660 --> 00:19:00.620 And it was fun to be together with family. 00:19:00.619 --> 00:19:05.239 And I noticed within me this desire to be better at golf. 00:19:06.039 --> 00:19:10.079 And so over the next several years, I started playing tournaments, 00:19:10.219 --> 00:19:14.000 and I started spending a lot of time playing golf, a lot of time. 00:19:15.159 --> 00:19:20.739 So if I look forward into my middle school years and into my high school years, 00:19:21.459 --> 00:19:27.299 you would have found me on the golf course very early in the morning when I was able to drive. 00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:31.240 Before I was able to drive during the summers, my parents would drop me off at the country club. 00:19:31.659 --> 00:19:33.899 Small town, USA, Lake City, South Carolina. 00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:37.619 Drop me off at the golf course, and there was a swimming pool there. 00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:39.039 If I wanted to, I could go swimming. 00:19:39.579 --> 00:19:41.259 There was a tennis court, which I never touched. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:44.659 And there was a golf course, and that's where I spent all my time. 00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:47.680 And I started, my dad had a golf cart he had bought, 00:19:47.779 --> 00:19:50.759 and I could drive that golf cart all day long, and it was just fun. 00:19:51.059 --> 00:19:52.659 And on top of that, I wanted to be better. 00:19:52.660 --> 00:19:59.120 And so I began spending hours upon hours upon hours upon hours playing golf. 00:19:59.300 --> 00:20:00.660 And it begs this question. 00:20:01.320 --> 00:20:02.580 The question is this, why? 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:06.840 Why would I spend so much time to play golf? 00:20:07.040 --> 00:20:09.400 You know, if you would have asked me when I was a kid, 00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:11.100 if you would have asked me when I was in high school, 00:20:11.380 --> 00:20:14.960 and I was investing untold hours into the game of golf, 00:20:15.019 --> 00:20:16.160 and by the way, I did get better. 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:19.779 If you would have asked me why I was doing that, 00:20:19.840 --> 00:20:21.300 I would have told you, and I did. 00:20:21.299 --> 00:20:23.019 I had many people ask me that. 00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:25.059 Why are you doing this, or why are you spending so much? 00:20:25.099 --> 00:20:26.259 I want to be on the PGA Tour. 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:28.799 I want to be a professional golfer. 00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:31.700 That was my motivation. 00:20:32.339 --> 00:20:35.680 But you know there's another question that I should also ask, 00:20:35.740 --> 00:20:38.200 and I would not have known the answer to it when I was young, 00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:39.799 but I know it now. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:42.119 So if someone asked me the question, 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:42.819 why are you playing golf? 00:20:42.839 --> 00:20:44.799 Because I want to be on the PGA Tour. 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:46.659 But I would also ask this question, 00:20:46.740 --> 00:20:48.299 why do you want to be on the PGA Tour? 00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:52.579 This is when it becomes very revealing 00:20:52.579 --> 00:20:56.759 that the self is incredibly involved in our decision making. 00:20:57.019 --> 00:20:58.779 Because the answer to that question 00:20:58.779 --> 00:21:00.759 is because I wanted people to notice me. 00:21:01.159 --> 00:21:02.960 I wanted people to applaud for me. 00:21:03.500 --> 00:21:05.859 I wanted people to look at me with respect. 00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:10.180 I wanted to be the best because I wanted to be significant. 00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:13.320 I wanted to be important. 00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:17.500 It was driven by pride. 00:21:18.580 --> 00:21:23.980 The real motive behind my decision to spend time on the golf course 00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:26.500 is because I wanted to be important. 00:21:26.779 --> 00:21:28.220 I wanted to be lifted up. 00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:29.580 I wanted to be the best. 00:21:29.820 --> 00:21:31.519 I wanted to be able to look at everybody and say, 00:21:31.600 --> 00:21:32.160 I'm better than you. 00:21:32.299 --> 00:21:32.920 I'm better than you. 00:21:33.019 --> 00:21:33.640 I'm better than you. 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:34.400 I'm better than you. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:35.019 I'm better than you. 00:21:35.060 --> 00:21:35.940 I must be important. 00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:37.820 I must be important. 00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:42.860 And so I ask the question of us, 00:21:43.220 --> 00:21:45.380 what drives our decision making? 00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:48.860 What is it that motivates the way we spend our time? 00:21:49.259 --> 00:21:50.039 Is it temporal? 00:21:51.600 --> 00:21:52.600 Is it spiritual? 00:21:53.880 --> 00:21:56.259 So Christ, as he's teaching them, 00:21:57.360 --> 00:21:59.740 I'm going to go back actually to chapter 5 real quick, 00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:02.360 and this is going to be a very brief overview of chapter 5. 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:03.360 But you know what he starts with? 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:07.339 He says, let me tell you what it is to really truly be blessed. 00:22:08.159 --> 00:22:09.259 It's not a big house. 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:10.319 It's not a big car. 00:22:10.519 --> 00:22:11.740 It's not a big name. 00:22:12.099 --> 00:22:13.399 It's not a big job. 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:15.179 It's not a big bank account. 00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:17.319 Let me tell you what it really means to be blessed. 00:22:17.679 --> 00:22:19.319 Blessed are those who are poor in spirit. 00:22:19.699 --> 00:22:20.919 Blessed are those who mourn. 00:22:21.099 --> 00:22:23.759 Blessed are those who are meek. 00:22:23.959 --> 00:22:26.859 Blessed are those who are hungry for righteousness. 00:22:28.699 --> 00:22:32.240 See, Christ is teaching them something that's radically different 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:34.240 than anything they had heard others teach. 00:22:36.259 --> 00:22:37.279 He's saying, no, no, no. 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:40.359 The way to be blessed is not that way. 00:22:40.940 --> 00:22:41.880 It's this way. 00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:44.000 It's this way of humility. 00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:46.059 It's this way of surrender. 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:47.180 It's this way of service. 00:22:47.539 --> 00:22:51.599 It's this way that illustrates that you're saved. 00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:57.019 You know, true blessing comes as we're saved, as we bow the knee to the Lord. 00:22:57.359 --> 00:22:59.639 And then this is a sequential list. 00:22:59.719 --> 00:23:04.799 It's just beautiful to look at what happens in the life of one who turns their eyes on Christ. 00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:09.679 And when we realize we can't bring ourselves into the kingdom, you know what that's called? 00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:10.619 That's called poor in spirit. 00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:13.299 I don't have anything to offer to you. 00:23:13.419 --> 00:23:13.879 I come. 00:23:14.179 --> 00:23:16.980 And God, I mourn over my sins because you've made me aware of it. 00:23:16.980 --> 00:23:19.339 So let me just say this in chapter 5. 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:22.279 Christ starts out with something incredibly important. 00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:27.160 As he climbs on the mountain, as he turns to teach the people, he says, listen, you need salvation. 00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:33.259 You need to recognize that apart from me, Christ is saying, apart from me, the Savior, you'll never have life. 00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:38.799 You're truly blessed when you understand that you can't earn your own salvation. 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:42.700 Then not by doing the law will you ever come into the kingdom. 00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:46.220 The kingdom is based on the gospel. 00:23:46.220 --> 00:23:47.120 Remember chapter 5? 00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:51.779 I said he came preaching about or proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. 00:23:51.860 --> 00:23:52.480 What is the gospel? 00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:54.100 That you need Jesus. 00:23:57.059 --> 00:24:04.160 And so he's talking to this multitude of people that are hungry and that are hurting and that want their needs addressed. 00:24:04.839 --> 00:24:08.160 And he says, you know, the greatest need you have, you need to be saved. 00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:10.700 You need that which is spiritual. 00:24:10.900 --> 00:24:11.880 And so he teaches them. 00:24:11.880 --> 00:24:17.240 And if I summarize the rest of chapter 5, listen to what he says six times. 00:24:17.520 --> 00:24:20.540 He says this, you have heard that it was said. 00:24:21.340 --> 00:24:25.800 But I say, you have heard that it's been said. 00:24:26.300 --> 00:24:31.480 The things that you've been taught, I want to teach you something different. 00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:37.360 Instead of having physical eyes and law-filled eyes, eyes that you're trying to accomplish the law, 00:24:37.559 --> 00:24:39.940 what I want you to see is there's something different. 00:24:41.160 --> 00:24:44.599 The Pharisees and the Sadducees and the teachers of the law are saying this, 00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:46.039 but I say something different. 00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:49.440 You need to change the way you think. 00:24:50.180 --> 00:24:51.279 You know that's true for you and me? 00:24:53.140 --> 00:24:55.519 Do you all know we need to change the way you think? 00:24:55.539 --> 00:24:56.880 You know how the scripture talks about it? 00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:59.160 We need to be renewed in our mind. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:03.940 Our mind needs to be renewed. 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:04.940 What does that mean? 00:25:05.100 --> 00:25:06.280 We need to think differently. 00:25:07.300 --> 00:25:10.220 We don't need to think like we used to think before we were in the kingdom. 00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:12.360 You know that's the tendency for us? 00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:16.400 We tend to think like we used to think. 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:20.300 And we're gradually learning that we need to change the way we think. 00:25:21.120 --> 00:25:22.740 But it's going slow, isn't it? 00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:27.480 You know what Paul says when he was talking to the church at Corinth? 00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:28.140 He says this. 00:25:28.460 --> 00:25:34.000 He said, take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:41.019 Every single thought that flows through your mind, you recognize what it says. 00:25:41.299 --> 00:25:44.500 And if it's not in surrender to Christ, you say, no. 00:25:45.420 --> 00:25:47.400 I will not accept that thought. 00:25:48.200 --> 00:25:50.980 Because you know the enemy puts thoughts in your mind. 00:25:50.980 --> 00:25:56.099 You know that's the battleground for this spiritual battle that we're in? 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:57.680 The battles in the mind? 00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:59.660 It's a battle of making decisions. 00:25:59.779 --> 00:26:01.440 You know what the decisions we're called to make? 00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:02.299 That's what we're looking at. 00:26:02.860 --> 00:26:04.559 What is it that he's calling us to do? 00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:06.620 How is he calling us to live? 00:26:08.120 --> 00:26:09.920 How does he want us to make decisions? 00:26:10.059 --> 00:26:11.240 That's what we're looking at this morning. 00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:14.819 And it's interesting to me that he says in chapter 5, 00:26:14.900 --> 00:26:16.299 you need to change the way you think. 00:26:17.180 --> 00:26:19.420 Number one, you can't come to Christ on your own. 00:26:19.420 --> 00:26:20.600 You need me, the Savior. 00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:21.640 That's why I've come. 00:26:22.259 --> 00:26:24.080 Number two, you need to change the way you think. 00:26:24.320 --> 00:26:25.580 And number three, he says, beware. 00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:29.720 Chapter 6, verse 1, he says, beware. 00:26:29.880 --> 00:26:31.400 What does he say beware of? 00:26:31.480 --> 00:26:32.160 Isn't it interesting? 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:33.759 He loves these people, doesn't he? 00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:36.259 He's taking care of needs. 00:26:36.340 --> 00:26:36.900 He's on the mountain. 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:42.100 He says, now you're ready to hear the message that's so important you need to hear. 00:26:42.300 --> 00:26:43.440 And he says this, beware. 00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:45.660 Beware of what? 00:26:45.660 --> 00:26:50.240 But here's what I would say about us, and here's what I'd say about them. 00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:52.380 You know we're motivated by the wrong things? 00:26:53.320 --> 00:26:55.420 Do you find that to be true in your life? 00:26:56.340 --> 00:26:59.240 Do you find yourselves motivated by the wrong things? 00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:03.140 That's what he's warning them about. 00:27:04.779 --> 00:27:05.620 Notice what he says. 00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:08.140 Beware of practicing your righteousness. 00:27:08.300 --> 00:27:09.519 Let me just stop there for a second. 00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:12.779 Do you think that apart from Christ we have any righteousness? 00:27:14.299 --> 00:27:17.279 You know what it's called when the word yours before righteousness? 00:27:18.379 --> 00:27:19.740 You know what it's called self? 00:27:20.279 --> 00:27:21.639 It's called self-righteousness. 00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:25.619 Beware of self-righteousness. 00:27:26.639 --> 00:27:32.700 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order that you might be seen by them. 00:27:32.819 --> 00:27:36.539 Is anybody tempted to do that? 00:27:36.539 --> 00:27:39.599 Do you find that to be real in your life? 00:27:40.579 --> 00:27:42.920 Hey, when you became a Christian, that just left, didn't it? 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:44.920 Unfortunately, no. 00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:47.680 That's been the biggest animal in my life. 00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:49.680 I love applause. 00:27:51.139 --> 00:27:52.099 I always have. 00:27:53.259 --> 00:27:55.559 And yet that is the wrong motive. 00:27:57.000 --> 00:28:00.899 And that is leading me away from the lordship of Christ. 00:28:00.900 --> 00:28:05.460 And he gives them a warning and says, 00:28:06.019 --> 00:28:11.840 Beware that the normal human way of things is that you want to impress. 00:28:12.080 --> 00:28:16.440 And if you were to read the next 20 verses or so, 18 verses or so, 00:28:16.540 --> 00:28:17.259 it would say this, 00:28:18.580 --> 00:28:26.960 Beware of doing things, of living in such a way that you may be praised by others, 00:28:27.040 --> 00:28:28.840 is what it says in verse 2. 00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:32.980 It says that you may be seen by others in verse 5. 00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:36.119 That you may be heard by others in verse 7. 00:28:36.539 --> 00:28:37.299 Do you hear the message? 00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:43.439 Beware of wanting to be praised and wanting to be seen and wanting to be heard. 00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:45.599 Beware. 00:28:48.980 --> 00:28:50.220 Now, church, 00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:55.000 this isn't intended to be easy. 00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:58.819 What I'm sharing with you is not my opinion. 00:28:58.940 --> 00:29:00.759 What I'm sharing with you is the very word of God. 00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:04.259 It's the warning that Christ gives to the people. 00:29:04.920 --> 00:29:06.200 And it's for us today. 00:29:07.059 --> 00:29:09.000 And I think it still affects us. 00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:15.960 Do you ever find in your life that you want to receive the praise of men? 00:29:17.319 --> 00:29:18.259 You know what's called? Pride. 00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:19.519 You know how deep pride runs? 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:22.539 In my life, I hadn't found the bottom yet. 00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:24.339 I'm serious. 00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:28.759 I've asked God to show me my selfishness. 00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:30.519 And I didn't know it was so deep. 00:29:30.639 --> 00:29:32.039 And yet, He keeps showing it to me. 00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:36.180 He's gracious enough to do it a small segment at a time. 00:29:36.359 --> 00:29:38.099 But we hadn't gotten to the bottom yet. 00:29:38.519 --> 00:29:41.900 I keep finding myself wanting the praise of men. 00:29:41.900 --> 00:29:49.780 I keep finding myself wanting the pat on the back or wanting to impress. 00:29:50.900 --> 00:29:54.740 I keep finding myself wanting to compete in order that I can win, 00:29:54.840 --> 00:29:56.780 in order that I can think that I'm significant. 00:29:57.800 --> 00:29:59.240 You hear the lie in it? 00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:02.519 There's nothing that makes us significant except for the blood of Jesus. 00:30:03.840 --> 00:30:06.580 Everything else is temporal and worldly and it means nothing. 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:11.100 And yet, we can find ourselves wanting that, which means nothing. 00:30:12.519 --> 00:30:14.180 And so Christ says, beware of that. 00:30:14.300 --> 00:30:15.540 Beware of that. 00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:17.580 Living for other people. 00:30:17.820 --> 00:30:21.000 Being motivated for the applause of men. 00:30:22.300 --> 00:30:23.300 You know what else He says? 00:30:23.400 --> 00:30:24.740 If we look at verse 19. 00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:28.840 He really kind of summarizes in verse 19 what He's talking about. 00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:30.700 This beware of that thing. 00:30:30.800 --> 00:30:34.340 That is, living so that others would notice you and be impressed. 00:30:34.340 --> 00:30:36.960 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth. 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:39.320 Another warning, right? 00:30:39.319 --> 00:30:41.740 He's on the mountain. 00:30:41.879 --> 00:30:44.559 He says, don't lay up treasures on earth. 00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:46.799 Don't try to accumulate stuff. 00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:49.539 Don't fill your barns up with stuff. 00:30:49.919 --> 00:30:53.579 Don't work for all this money to get a bag full of it 00:30:53.579 --> 00:30:56.559 so that you can go spend it on your selfish indulgence. 00:30:58.259 --> 00:30:59.319 Don't do that. 00:31:00.519 --> 00:31:03.339 He says this, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. 00:31:03.339 --> 00:31:06.059 It begs the question, what in the world is that? 00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:08.919 What is treasure in heaven? 00:31:11.399 --> 00:31:14.059 At least we can say that it's not temporal, correct? 00:31:14.959 --> 00:31:15.859 It's spiritual. 00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:21.799 He's saying that be focused on spiritual things and not temporal things. 00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:24.919 Don't lay up for yourselves temporal things. 00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:27.720 Lay up for yourselves spiritual things. 00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:30.839 Because spiritual things have the value. 00:31:31.200 --> 00:31:32.640 Temporal things will all burn up. 00:31:33.559 --> 00:31:34.440 Isn't that how it says it here? 00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:34.700 Listen. 00:31:35.140 --> 00:31:37.559 It says, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth 00:31:37.559 --> 00:31:40.140 where moth and rust destroy, 00:31:41.380 --> 00:31:43.579 where thieves break in and steal. 00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:47.500 Do you notice that temporal things fit that category? 00:31:48.539 --> 00:31:53.059 That all of them are, in a sense, they have an expiration date on them. 00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:56.119 They don't amount to anything. 00:31:56.599 --> 00:31:57.579 They'll be burned up. 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:03.079 You know what I mean when I say they'll be burned up, right? 00:32:03.460 --> 00:32:04.740 It's the judgment of the world. 00:32:04.839 --> 00:32:07.879 When the world is judged, temporal things don't make it to the other side. 00:32:09.779 --> 00:32:14.399 He says instead, focus your life and your heart on spiritual things. 00:32:15.299 --> 00:32:16.940 And so, we go on in verse 21. 00:32:17.079 --> 00:32:20.200 It says, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 00:32:20.200 --> 00:32:23.980 Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 00:32:24.120 --> 00:32:25.500 And I ask this question of you and me. 00:32:25.700 --> 00:32:26.460 Where's our treasure? 00:32:27.620 --> 00:32:29.380 What is it that you treasure? 00:32:30.380 --> 00:32:31.380 You know what I treasure? 00:32:31.460 --> 00:32:33.000 I treasure to be on the PGA Tour. 00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:37.480 I wanted to be, I literally thought this and believed this and pursued this. 00:32:37.620 --> 00:32:39.420 I wanted to be the best golfer in the world. 00:32:39.539 --> 00:32:40.860 I wanted to be number one in the world. 00:32:41.340 --> 00:32:44.200 I wanted to be the one that won more tournaments than anybody else. 00:32:44.440 --> 00:32:49.279 I was motivated so much that I would get up before the sun rises 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:51.379 and I would stay until after the sun goes down. 00:32:51.480 --> 00:32:54.240 I was working so hard at that because I wanted to be the best. 00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:55.779 You know that's temporal? 00:32:56.819 --> 00:32:58.680 It has nothing to do that would honor God. 00:32:58.839 --> 00:33:01.200 It has nothing to do that has any value that's lasting. 00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:02.359 It's all temporal. 00:33:02.519 --> 00:33:03.539 It's all sin-filled. 00:33:05.700 --> 00:33:07.119 I've come to see it now. 00:33:07.619 --> 00:33:08.599 I didn't see it then. 00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:11.539 But he says, here's what I want you to do. 00:33:11.799 --> 00:33:13.359 You picture him on the mountain, right? 00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:16.940 He's talking to this multitude of people, this crowd of people. 00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:19.660 He's saying, desire spiritual things. 00:33:21.620 --> 00:33:26.720 Where your treasure is, the things you desire are going to drive the way you spend your time. 00:33:26.759 --> 00:33:27.340 Do you believe that? 00:33:28.380 --> 00:33:32.100 The things you desire is where you're going to spend your time. 00:33:32.140 --> 00:33:35.519 Now, I know we have to work and sometimes we work because we've got to make a paycheck. 00:33:35.620 --> 00:33:36.539 We've got to pay the bills and stuff. 00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:37.880 And we might not like it. 00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:41.840 Now, if you're blessed enough to like what you do, keep doing it. 00:33:42.380 --> 00:33:43.440 What a blessed place. 00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:45.700 What I do is just like making money. 00:33:45.700 --> 00:33:48.059 Now, it's good because God calls me to connect with people. 00:33:48.180 --> 00:33:49.140 I'm in sales and stuff. 00:33:49.299 --> 00:33:52.960 But I don't do it because I'm so happy to be in sales. 00:33:53.140 --> 00:33:57.420 I do it because God's planted me there and he's opened this job for me and he's taught me a lot. 00:33:58.319 --> 00:34:00.519 He's shown me my sin a lot through the sales. 00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:03.240 He's shown me my weakness a lot in this sales job. 00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:05.700 And he's put me in front of people that don't know Jesus. 00:34:06.779 --> 00:34:08.679 So there's a reason he planted me there. 00:34:08.780 --> 00:34:10.800 But I didn't see it all when I first started. 00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:11.740 I was kicking and screaming. 00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:12.519 I didn't want to be there. 00:34:12.519 --> 00:34:17.420 But I've come to realize God blessed me a lot in ways I didn't see with that job. 00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:19.079 But how do we spend our free time? 00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:21.800 What do we focus on? 00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:23.519 You know that this life is short. 00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:32.480 And if we're going to spend our time focused on temporal things and we're all going to burn up and then we get to heaven, we're going to be sad. 00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:35.259 We're going to be sick in a sense. 00:34:35.800 --> 00:34:39.880 Because look at the time we wasted that we could have invested in his kingdom. 00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:41.699 You know, that's where we're going, right? 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:43.440 Y'all did hear the key verses. 00:34:43.579 --> 00:34:45.440 Verse 33 talks about his kingdom. 00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:53.539 So he warns us not to be looking for applause and he warns us not to be focused on temporal things. 00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:55.280 And you know what else he warns us about? 00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:58.980 If we turn to verse 25, he says this, 00:34:59.220 --> 00:35:00.179 Don't be anxious. 00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:07.599 I think I can stop here. 00:35:07.599 --> 00:35:11.619 I think we all struggle with that, don't we? 00:35:13.599 --> 00:35:16.219 Anybody would say last week they weren't anxious at all? 00:35:17.940 --> 00:35:18.380 Yesterday? 00:35:19.839 --> 00:35:20.679 20 minutes ago? 00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:23.880 So you see what I'm saying? 00:35:23.920 --> 00:35:26.319 It's hard to live this way. 00:35:26.420 --> 00:35:27.319 But you hear what he's saying. 00:35:27.539 --> 00:35:29.839 He's saying really to us, Christians, 00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:31.119 Christian, live this way. 00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:33.239 And he doesn't just say it once. 00:35:33.319 --> 00:35:35.619 Isn't it amazing he says it three times? 00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:39.799 In verse 25, don't be anxious. 00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:42.019 In verse 31, don't be anxious. 00:35:42.440 --> 00:35:44.219 And in verse 34, don't be anxious. 00:35:45.579 --> 00:35:49.079 And is there therefore in front of it every time? 00:35:52.199 --> 00:35:54.480 You know what the first therefore is in verse 25? 00:35:54.579 --> 00:35:55.659 Therefore, don't be anxious. 00:35:55.839 --> 00:35:57.799 We have to go backwards to see what it's there for. 00:35:58.279 --> 00:35:58.819 Why is it there? 00:35:58.860 --> 00:36:00.019 He said you can't serve two masters. 00:36:02.059 --> 00:36:05.119 So he said, because you can't serve two masters, don't be anxious. 00:36:05.960 --> 00:36:06.799 What is he saying? 00:36:08.039 --> 00:36:09.900 He said, what are you really truly serving? 00:36:09.980 --> 00:36:10.880 Are you serving me? 00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:12.719 Are you serving self? 00:36:15.519 --> 00:36:16.460 Why are you anxious? 00:36:16.559 --> 00:36:17.599 What are you trying to control? 00:36:20.019 --> 00:36:22.960 Are you trying to be your own God and your own Lord? 00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:24.159 Are you trying to do it all? 00:36:25.539 --> 00:36:27.519 My voice is changing because I got a cold. 00:36:28.259 --> 00:36:30.299 Can you delete that part on that thing? 00:36:30.460 --> 00:36:31.900 I don't want that high pitching. 00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:34.159 Yeah, sorry about that. 00:36:34.159 --> 00:36:36.159 Yeah, I'm going to try to keep it a little bit on the lowdown. 00:36:37.379 --> 00:36:41.159 He's saying, don't be anxious because I'm your Lord. 00:36:43.559 --> 00:36:44.960 You can't serve two masters. 00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:45.779 Serve me. 00:36:46.519 --> 00:36:47.339 Trust me. 00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:50.140 And he goes on. 00:36:50.720 --> 00:36:52.860 He says, therefore, again. 00:36:53.260 --> 00:36:55.019 And before this, therefore, you know what he said? 00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:59.579 He says, I want you to consider the animal kingdom and I want you to consider the plant kingdom. 00:36:59.579 --> 00:37:05.400 I want you to take a wide angle view at this truth that I'm about to share you. 00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:07.880 And understand that Jesus is on the mountain. 00:37:07.980 --> 00:37:08.719 He's teaching the people. 00:37:09.699 --> 00:37:11.500 And as he's teaching the people, you know what he says? 00:37:11.559 --> 00:37:13.860 He says, I want you to look at the birds. 00:37:14.980 --> 00:37:15.480 Look at them. 00:37:15.480 --> 00:37:22.039 Tell me how many birds are sowing seeds and reaping the seeds and going and going to harvest and cutting them down. 00:37:23.480 --> 00:37:25.320 There's not a bird alive that's doing that. 00:37:26.740 --> 00:37:28.539 But yet, I serve them. 00:37:28.900 --> 00:37:30.139 I mean, excuse me, I provide for them. 00:37:32.780 --> 00:37:33.619 They don't sow. 00:37:33.740 --> 00:37:34.280 They don't reap. 00:37:34.420 --> 00:37:35.760 And yet, they don't gather in barns. 00:37:35.760 --> 00:37:36.920 They don't prepare for the future. 00:37:37.300 --> 00:37:39.880 They live moment by moment by moment by moment. 00:37:40.240 --> 00:37:41.320 They live in the present. 00:37:41.559 --> 00:37:42.940 And I provide for them. 00:37:42.940 --> 00:37:45.400 Are you not much greater than they? 00:37:47.079 --> 00:37:55.000 Church, you know, this is, I want to say this is so incredibly, radically hard to live like this. 00:37:55.900 --> 00:38:01.380 In order to live like this, we actually have to believe that God will do what he said he'd do. 00:38:05.340 --> 00:38:06.240 Let me say that again. 00:38:06.700 --> 00:38:11.559 We actually have to believe that he's going to do what he said he's going to do. 00:38:11.559 --> 00:38:13.019 Do you believe it? 00:38:14.139 --> 00:38:15.599 If you're worrying, you don't. 00:38:17.299 --> 00:38:20.900 That's what makes this tough because every one of us experience worry. 00:38:22.059 --> 00:38:24.539 And so, it begs the question, why do we worry? 00:38:24.639 --> 00:38:25.000 You know why? 00:38:25.179 --> 00:38:26.000 So, we don't trust him. 00:38:26.719 --> 00:38:27.880 That's why we don't worry. 00:38:28.079 --> 00:38:30.320 We don't really think he's as good as he says he is. 00:38:33.579 --> 00:38:36.519 In our humanness, we want to do it ourselves. 00:38:36.519 --> 00:38:40.579 We want to put it in the barn so we don't have to worry about it later. 00:38:40.659 --> 00:38:43.159 We want to make sure that we've got something set aside. 00:38:45.179 --> 00:38:46.099 That's a whole other sermon. 00:38:46.219 --> 00:38:48.019 I know exactly what you just thought. 00:38:48.440 --> 00:38:50.280 But that's another sermon for another day. 00:38:50.360 --> 00:38:51.659 My point today is this. 00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:56.159 There is this life that Christ is calling us to that's free of anxiety. 00:38:58.059 --> 00:38:58.739 It's real. 00:38:59.559 --> 00:39:03.799 It's not some figment of the imagination of Jesus on the mountain saying these goody things. 00:39:04.719 --> 00:39:05.500 This is real. 00:39:05.699 --> 00:39:09.939 This is the life that he's provided for us and he's called us to live in. 00:39:10.919 --> 00:39:13.759 And he said, also, I want you to consider the plant kingdom. 00:39:14.359 --> 00:39:15.939 I want you, have you ever seen a lily? 00:39:16.019 --> 00:39:21.339 Have y'all ever walked on the mountainside in the Smoky Mountains and you're walking on this trail in the middle of nowhere 00:39:21.339 --> 00:39:23.439 and you think, I don't know if anybody's ever been here before. 00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:28.360 Or it's overgrown, you're getting wet because you're walking by and it's just water pouring down your boots. 00:39:28.960 --> 00:39:31.579 And you're looking around, you don't hear a soul, you don't see a soul. 00:39:31.659 --> 00:39:32.760 It's you and God in the mountain. 00:39:33.019 --> 00:39:36.599 And you look up on the mountain and trilliums are lining the whole side of the mountain. 00:39:36.639 --> 00:39:37.420 You ever seen a trillium? 00:39:38.240 --> 00:39:39.159 Oh, it's beautiful. 00:39:40.059 --> 00:39:42.320 It's amazing to look at the side of the mountain. 00:39:42.320 --> 00:39:45.639 The whole side of the mountain is awash in trillium. 00:39:46.500 --> 00:39:48.579 Or to go at a certain time of year. 00:39:48.579 --> 00:39:54.099 Have you ever seen the mountain laurel or the rhododendron in full bloom? 00:39:54.340 --> 00:39:55.400 Oh, my goodness. 00:39:55.579 --> 00:40:00.860 I could just sit in my chair and watch the sun just work its way through the limbs with all the beautiful flowers. 00:40:00.920 --> 00:40:03.059 I mean, it's amazing to see them. 00:40:03.319 --> 00:40:05.219 It's just the most brilliant color. 00:40:05.860 --> 00:40:06.679 They're huge. 00:40:07.299 --> 00:40:10.500 Mountain laurels are kind of dainty, but there's tons of them. 00:40:10.819 --> 00:40:12.440 And they're white with this red rim. 00:40:12.539 --> 00:40:14.000 It's like, how did you get so creative? 00:40:15.659 --> 00:40:16.880 And you know what he says about this? 00:40:16.880 --> 00:40:18.900 He said, you look at that, and guess what? 00:40:18.940 --> 00:40:20.720 A lot of those flowers last one day. 00:40:20.820 --> 00:40:22.380 He mentions lilies by name. 00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:24.380 You ever seen road lilies? 00:40:24.460 --> 00:40:25.519 Lilies that grow on the side of the road? 00:40:25.700 --> 00:40:25.960 Wild. 00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:28.140 They come up and they flower and they're beautiful. 00:40:28.240 --> 00:40:29.019 The flowers are beautiful. 00:40:29.280 --> 00:40:30.900 Next day you go by, that flower's gone. 00:40:32.039 --> 00:40:35.740 And he says, listen, that beauty is greater than Solomon ever experienced. 00:40:38.260 --> 00:40:42.960 That's how much I'm able to do in your life. 00:40:42.960 --> 00:40:50.920 Why do you worry about what you put on when I put on this incredible beauty for the grass that is here today and gone tomorrow? 00:40:52.720 --> 00:40:54.039 Church, do you hear what he's saying? 00:40:56.119 --> 00:41:00.019 Beware lest you serve the opinion of people. 00:41:01.900 --> 00:41:04.760 Beware lest you live for temporal things. 00:41:04.760 --> 00:41:10.920 Beware lest you try to control your world and not serve the Lord Jesus. 00:41:12.180 --> 00:41:13.740 He's given us these warnings. 00:41:14.780 --> 00:41:16.720 He's telling us there's something greater. 00:41:17.400 --> 00:41:19.020 There's a life that's much greater. 00:41:19.500 --> 00:41:26.440 There's a life that when you're yoked with me, it's easy and the burden is light. 00:41:26.440 --> 00:41:39.039 There's this life that is full of joy and full of peace, full of contentment, full of meaning, full of purpose, full of fellowship. 00:41:39.380 --> 00:41:40.860 And you can enjoy it right now. 00:41:42.099 --> 00:41:48.679 For those of us that are born again, for those of us that are truly Christians, he said, why are you waiting? 00:41:50.500 --> 00:41:51.940 Jesus says, here it is. 00:41:51.940 --> 00:41:56.740 You know the beautiful thing he leads us to is this. 00:41:58.720 --> 00:42:01.099 He leads us to verse 33. 00:42:03.099 --> 00:42:06.300 This verse has struck me from the first time I ever read it. 00:42:06.340 --> 00:42:11.099 You know, I thought I read my Bible when I was a kid, but I never understood a word and not one verse ever stuck. 00:42:11.720 --> 00:42:12.440 I wasn't a Christian. 00:42:13.820 --> 00:42:19.179 I could have still memorized it even though I wasn't a Christian, but it just never impacted me. 00:42:19.179 --> 00:42:25.960 When I first started reading the Bible for real after I became a Christian, I circled that verse quick because it spoke to me. 00:42:26.819 --> 00:42:28.539 Because it gave me direction. 00:42:28.940 --> 00:42:30.339 Here's what you need to do. 00:42:31.279 --> 00:42:35.379 I had one person that kind of led me into the kingdom and they gave me some direction. 00:42:35.500 --> 00:42:38.539 When I read that verse, oh, that's the way I'm supposed to live. 00:42:38.819 --> 00:42:39.759 What does that mean? 00:42:40.559 --> 00:42:43.839 And I've been in pursuit of trying to figure out what that means for a long, long time. 00:42:43.840 --> 00:42:48.600 And it is so deep and it's so rich that I hope you'll hear it. 00:42:48.920 --> 00:42:52.140 And it's worth us spending a couple of minutes to understand what's being said here. 00:42:52.400 --> 00:42:53.420 Here's what Christ says. 00:42:54.240 --> 00:42:56.600 Beware, beware, beware, but do this. 00:42:57.680 --> 00:42:58.480 What is he saying to you? 00:42:58.780 --> 00:43:00.880 Seek first the kingdom of God. 00:43:01.380 --> 00:43:04.039 Seek first the kingdom of God. 00:43:04.460 --> 00:43:08.280 Make it your highest priority, the kingdom of God. 00:43:08.280 --> 00:43:15.760 Before you do any of this other stuff, seek the kingdom of God. 00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:19.500 And if you seek the kingdom of God, you don't have to worry about the other stuff. 00:43:21.140 --> 00:43:23.000 How many people want to be free of anxiety? 00:43:23.940 --> 00:43:24.560 Free of worry? 00:43:25.180 --> 00:43:26.340 Not have to deal with it again? 00:43:26.960 --> 00:43:28.100 He says, here it is. 00:43:29.420 --> 00:43:31.740 He's not saying from a human perspective this is easy. 00:43:31.800 --> 00:43:34.180 He's not even saying from a human perspective you can do it. 00:43:36.720 --> 00:43:37.820 Let me say that again. 00:43:37.820 --> 00:43:41.700 From a human perspective you can't do this. 00:43:44.620 --> 00:43:45.400 But you know what? 00:43:45.420 --> 00:43:48.000 There's something supernatural in the life of Christians. 00:43:48.120 --> 00:43:48.600 You know what it is? 00:43:48.640 --> 00:43:49.780 It's the indwelling Holy Spirit. 00:43:50.280 --> 00:43:52.900 He said, I've given you everything you need for life and godliness. 00:43:53.880 --> 00:43:57.860 It's the very God of the universe and the person of the Holy Spirit has come to dwell within us. 00:43:58.620 --> 00:44:00.580 And he says, I will take care of it all. 00:44:01.360 --> 00:44:06.120 He said, if you'll depend on me and you'll be led by me and you'll walk in step with me, 00:44:06.119 --> 00:44:08.019 your burden will be light. 00:44:09.599 --> 00:44:11.119 My yoke is easy. 00:44:11.779 --> 00:44:14.940 I take care of you and I lead you and I guide you and I bless you. 00:44:15.199 --> 00:44:19.000 And I cause my spirit to go crazy inside of you with joy. 00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:22.400 And so here it is. 00:44:22.619 --> 00:44:23.780 He's saying this right here. 00:44:24.079 --> 00:44:25.320 Seek first the kingdom of God. 00:44:25.380 --> 00:44:26.440 So let me ask this question. 00:44:26.559 --> 00:44:27.780 What is the kingdom of God? 00:44:28.739 --> 00:44:31.019 Do you realize Christ talked about it all the time? 00:44:32.400 --> 00:44:33.119 I got a cough again. 00:44:34.719 --> 00:44:37.000 I got a microphone there so I have to... 00:44:37.800 --> 00:44:40.619 He talked about the kingdom of God all the time. 00:44:40.619 --> 00:44:43.739 And you know most Christians don't have any idea what it is. 00:44:44.759 --> 00:44:45.880 We think it's heaven. 00:44:46.000 --> 00:44:49.460 We think it's that place that we go to after we die. 00:44:49.559 --> 00:44:50.460 You know that's not what it is? 00:44:52.299 --> 00:44:52.619 Now that... 00:44:53.179 --> 00:44:54.940 It's not that that's apart from it. 00:44:54.980 --> 00:44:55.460 It's different. 00:44:55.599 --> 00:44:56.059 It's not. 00:44:56.440 --> 00:45:01.519 The kingdom of God is bigger than just this faraway place that happens after we die. 00:45:02.880 --> 00:45:07.199 I don't have time to do a full sermon on the kingdom because it would take multiple days. 00:45:07.199 --> 00:45:10.539 I don't even have time to hardly wet the whistle on the kingdom. 00:45:10.699 --> 00:45:15.259 But I am going to read a few verses and I want you to hear some of the truths about the kingdom. 00:45:15.619 --> 00:45:20.319 And then we'll come back and we'll see exactly what we've been told to do here when he says seek the kingdom. 00:45:20.899 --> 00:45:22.919 Seek first the kingdom of God. 00:45:23.179 --> 00:45:25.619 In Mark 1 it says this about the kingdom. 00:45:27.639 --> 00:45:30.139 As Jesus begins his ministry he says this. 00:45:30.279 --> 00:45:31.859 The time is fulfilled. 00:45:32.239 --> 00:45:34.419 The kingdom of God is at hand. 00:45:34.420 --> 00:45:43.519 So when Christ comes up out of the water and he goes into the wilderness to be tempted and he comes back out of the wilderness to start his ministry. 00:45:43.700 --> 00:45:44.579 He made this statement. 00:45:44.840 --> 00:45:46.659 The time is at hand. 00:45:46.880 --> 00:45:48.740 The kingdom of God is now. 00:45:50.260 --> 00:45:51.360 It's not in the future. 00:45:52.700 --> 00:45:55.260 It was back in the first century he's talking about. 00:45:55.340 --> 00:45:57.079 1 John says this. 00:45:57.079 --> 00:46:03.819 The reason the son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 00:46:04.960 --> 00:46:08.199 Do you realize that the God of this world is Satan? 00:46:09.400 --> 00:46:19.900 Do you realize that he was thrown down to earth and he was given in a sense given powers to be able to affect this world? 00:46:19.980 --> 00:46:21.360 He's the God of this age. 00:46:21.819 --> 00:46:22.079 He tempts. 00:46:23.079 --> 00:46:24.480 He's the father of lies. 00:46:24.619 --> 00:46:25.500 We know. 00:46:25.599 --> 00:46:26.619 I don't have to go over all that. 00:46:26.619 --> 00:46:27.799 But here's what it says. 00:46:28.099 --> 00:46:32.199 The reason the son of God appeared is not the only reason. 00:46:33.659 --> 00:46:35.659 But it certainly is one of the reasons. 00:46:36.019 --> 00:46:39.659 The reason he appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 00:46:39.759 --> 00:46:40.880 What are the works of the devil? 00:46:42.119 --> 00:46:44.000 What are the works of the devil in your life? 00:46:46.019 --> 00:46:47.319 What does he do in your life? 00:46:48.099 --> 00:46:50.619 Does he ever tempt you to pride? 00:46:50.619 --> 00:46:54.380 Does he ever tempt you to turn your back on God? 00:46:54.440 --> 00:46:55.380 Does he ever tempt you? 00:46:56.339 --> 00:46:57.960 I could go on and on and on. 00:46:59.159 --> 00:47:01.679 In our lives, there's sin, right? 00:47:01.799 --> 00:47:03.339 You know we used to be ruled by it. 00:47:03.380 --> 00:47:04.940 You know we used to be servants of Satan. 00:47:04.940 --> 00:47:08.400 You know we were delivered from the dominion of darkness. 00:47:08.619 --> 00:47:10.579 That is servitude to Satan. 00:47:11.519 --> 00:47:13.480 We were delivered from the dominion of darkness. 00:47:13.539 --> 00:47:16.000 We were translated into the kingdom of his dear son. 00:47:16.000 --> 00:47:22.519 And what does it look like to be in the kingdom of his dear son? 00:47:22.599 --> 00:47:24.699 Well, eventually it looks like full glory, doesn't it? 00:47:25.059 --> 00:47:28.699 You know that when we're in glory, you know that Brantley is not sinning right now? 00:47:30.659 --> 00:47:33.340 You know there's going to be no more tears, no more weeping, no more crying. 00:47:33.480 --> 00:47:37.340 He's going to be, at some point, when the end happens, 00:47:37.639 --> 00:47:41.099 his spirit's going to be reunited with his body and he's going to be fully glorified. 00:47:41.099 --> 00:47:42.380 But right now, he's not sinning. 00:47:44.219 --> 00:47:44.639 You know what? 00:47:46.019 --> 00:47:47.799 That is what's happening in our life. 00:47:47.860 --> 00:47:48.900 You know what's called sanctification? 00:47:49.079 --> 00:47:52.360 You know that Christ is doing a work of sanctification in each of our lives? 00:47:52.679 --> 00:47:55.420 He's changing us into the image of Christ. 00:47:58.759 --> 00:48:02.119 He's destroying the works of the devil that have plagued us. 00:48:03.960 --> 00:48:09.099 He's destroying the sin that we are continuing to walk in. 00:48:09.099 --> 00:48:13.079 He's saying, hey, Treg, do you realize the reason you just did that? 00:48:13.139 --> 00:48:14.880 It's because you wanted that guy to clap for you. 00:48:15.000 --> 00:48:16.659 Oh, no, not again. 00:48:18.039 --> 00:48:19.019 Oh, God, I'm sorry. 00:48:19.880 --> 00:48:22.799 God, do something in me where I don't walk that way anymore. 00:48:23.619 --> 00:48:24.539 He says, I am. 00:48:25.159 --> 00:48:25.659 I am. 00:48:25.699 --> 00:48:28.319 I'm doing it one day at a time, one step at a time. 00:48:28.480 --> 00:48:31.980 I'm destroying the works of the devil because that's the motivation behind all of that. 00:48:31.980 --> 00:48:35.500 And I'm helping you to live for me and walk in my ways. 00:48:36.179 --> 00:48:39.300 To let me direct you. 00:48:39.780 --> 00:48:41.880 That you would depend fully on me. 00:48:42.860 --> 00:48:44.719 I'm doing that work in your life, Treg. 00:48:46.800 --> 00:48:48.699 And in John 12, it says this. 00:48:50.199 --> 00:48:56.099 This is Christ when he's talking about his ascension, his resurrection and ascension. 00:48:56.360 --> 00:48:58.019 He's talking to the disciples about it. 00:48:58.019 --> 00:48:58.579 He says this. 00:48:58.579 --> 00:49:01.480 Now, in other words, it was just right around the corner. 00:49:01.619 --> 00:49:04.500 This is the last week of his life he's talking to his disciples. 00:49:04.840 --> 00:49:06.179 He says now, right now. 00:49:07.179 --> 00:49:10.039 And this would have been right before he's arrested. 00:49:11.400 --> 00:49:13.619 Now is the judgment of this world. 00:49:14.079 --> 00:49:16.739 Now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 00:49:17.940 --> 00:49:23.159 This concept of Satan having the privilege to be accusing us before God. 00:49:23.159 --> 00:49:30.199 When Christ is resurrected and ceding the power of authority, guess what place the enemy has to accuse us afterwards? 00:49:32.099 --> 00:49:32.539 Zero. 00:49:34.059 --> 00:49:34.500 Why? 00:49:34.599 --> 00:49:36.519 Because the blood of Jesus paid for my sin. 00:49:36.719 --> 00:49:37.579 So what's Satan going to do? 00:49:37.639 --> 00:49:38.639 See, that guy sinned. 00:49:39.039 --> 00:49:39.859 The blood paid for it. 00:49:40.819 --> 00:49:41.440 He's forgiven. 00:49:41.559 --> 00:49:42.019 He's mine. 00:49:43.079 --> 00:49:47.779 The works of Satan in that life have been destroyed because my blood has covered him. 00:49:48.139 --> 00:49:49.359 Because he's my child. 00:49:49.360 --> 00:49:54.360 He says he will be cast out. 00:49:54.480 --> 00:49:58.340 Boy, Revelation chapter 12, if y'all been in Sunday school. 00:49:59.720 --> 00:50:03.940 By the way, there's sheets out there for chapter 15 and 60 if y'all want to grab them on the way out. 00:50:04.280 --> 00:50:06.420 If y'all been in Sunday school, we've been talking about Revelation. 00:50:06.579 --> 00:50:09.260 And this point in Revelation chapter 12 says this. 00:50:09.539 --> 00:50:12.380 And the great dragon, that is Satan, was thrown down. 00:50:13.519 --> 00:50:14.320 Same concept. 00:50:14.480 --> 00:50:17.180 Cast out and thrown down in the original language is the same. 00:50:17.179 --> 00:50:19.359 He's thrown down. 00:50:19.440 --> 00:50:23.199 That ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. 00:50:23.339 --> 00:50:24.940 He was thrown down to earth. 00:50:25.000 --> 00:50:26.639 He no longer has access to heaven. 00:50:27.759 --> 00:50:29.119 He can't accuse us anymore. 00:50:30.619 --> 00:50:32.259 And his angels were thrown down with him. 00:50:32.299 --> 00:50:33.899 And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, 00:50:33.900 --> 00:50:43.200 Now, the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come. 00:50:43.900 --> 00:50:44.420 When? 00:50:44.660 --> 00:50:49.300 When Jesus was resurrected and placed at the right hand of God in all power. 00:50:49.880 --> 00:50:50.700 The kingdom came. 00:50:51.680 --> 00:50:53.420 The reign of Christ came. 00:50:54.880 --> 00:50:55.519 His kingdom. 00:50:56.780 --> 00:50:58.360 So Luke says this. 00:50:58.460 --> 00:50:59.840 And I hope you're not getting confused. 00:50:59.900 --> 00:51:00.840 You know this is all about the kingdom. 00:51:01.640 --> 00:51:02.559 I'm trying to talk. 00:51:02.620 --> 00:51:03.600 There's two kingdoms, you know. 00:51:03.680 --> 00:51:05.340 There's the kingdom of this world and there's the kingdom of heaven. 00:51:05.840 --> 00:51:06.720 Or the kingdom of God. 00:51:07.420 --> 00:51:12.220 And we are a part of the kingdom of this world until we're translated to the kingdom of his dear son. 00:51:12.519 --> 00:51:13.980 Now we're a part of the heavenly kingdom. 00:51:15.680 --> 00:51:18.440 And so he's telling us to seek first his kingdom. 00:51:19.260 --> 00:51:20.160 What is he saying? 00:51:20.240 --> 00:51:21.380 That's what we're trying to figure out. 00:51:21.440 --> 00:51:22.880 That's why I'm talking about this kingdom. 00:51:22.880 --> 00:51:28.400 This kingdom that started when Christ was on earth, he says it's now. 00:51:28.660 --> 00:51:32.700 And when he was resurrected and seated at the power of authority, he said the kingdom is now in full swing. 00:51:33.519 --> 00:51:34.800 It's fully operational. 00:51:37.200 --> 00:51:39.500 And then it begs the question, well, what is the kingdom? 00:51:39.619 --> 00:51:41.180 Okay, if I'm going to seek it, what am I seeking? 00:51:41.340 --> 00:51:42.300 Well, listen to this. 00:51:43.780 --> 00:51:47.780 It says, being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, 00:51:47.780 --> 00:51:50.640 the kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed. 00:51:54.980 --> 00:51:57.240 Nor will they say, oh, look here, here it is. 00:51:57.780 --> 00:51:58.940 Or, oh, there it is. 00:52:02.100 --> 00:52:04.700 For behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 00:52:05.800 --> 00:52:10.840 Oh, here is the key for us to be able to understand what we've been called to do. 00:52:11.620 --> 00:52:13.519 Do you realize the kingdom of God is within you? 00:52:13.519 --> 00:52:21.119 So when he says, seek the kingdom of God, he's not saying go to this place and find it. 00:52:21.320 --> 00:52:29.579 He's saying the kingdom of God is this thing that's beautifully talked about in Romans 14. 00:52:29.699 --> 00:52:33.559 Listen, it says, for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking. 00:52:35.000 --> 00:52:36.500 Okay, what is it a matter of? 00:52:38.000 --> 00:52:40.500 He says, this is Paul speaking to the Romans. 00:52:40.500 --> 00:52:46.500 He said, the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, 00:52:46.860 --> 00:52:50.260 but about righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 00:52:51.880 --> 00:52:55.059 The kingdom of God is about righteousness. 00:52:57.539 --> 00:52:58.960 It's about peace. 00:52:59.119 --> 00:53:01.219 It's about joy in the Holy Spirit. 00:53:01.599 --> 00:53:05.940 The kingdom of God is about the relationship we have with the Holy Spirit. 00:53:05.940 --> 00:53:10.300 Goodness, there's so much more. 00:53:10.780 --> 00:53:14.400 I wish I had time to go dig deeper into this concept of the kingdom. 00:53:14.740 --> 00:53:18.760 So what is he saying to us when he's giving us this incredible direction? 00:53:18.920 --> 00:53:24.500 I really fully believe this is the central point of the Sermon on the Mount. 00:53:26.579 --> 00:53:28.240 Seek the kingdom of God. 00:53:28.280 --> 00:53:28.920 What does that mean? 00:53:29.320 --> 00:53:30.380 What is the kingdom of God? 00:53:30.460 --> 00:53:32.099 With the kingdom, you've got a king. 00:53:32.099 --> 00:53:38.199 And with the kingdom, you've got those who are in the kingdom, right? 00:53:38.279 --> 00:53:38.819 The people. 00:53:40.799 --> 00:53:46.079 And if the king is reigning, what do the people do? 00:53:46.219 --> 00:53:47.500 They bow to the king. 00:53:47.599 --> 00:53:48.699 They honor the king. 00:53:48.940 --> 00:53:50.339 You know what we're being called to do? 00:53:50.880 --> 00:53:53.599 We're being called to bow our knee to the king. 00:53:53.779 --> 00:53:57.739 We're being called to recognize the reign of the king. 00:53:57.739 --> 00:54:01.679 So I would define the kingdom of God in this way. 00:54:02.059 --> 00:54:08.699 It's the reign of Christ the king in the lives of his kingdom people. 00:54:10.019 --> 00:54:13.139 When is it true that Christ is reigning in your heart? 00:54:14.319 --> 00:54:16.319 Listen, he's not reigning if we say no. 00:54:17.519 --> 00:54:21.019 When he prompts us to live in a certain way, we say no, no, no, no. 00:54:21.279 --> 00:54:22.179 I'm scared of that. 00:54:22.239 --> 00:54:22.919 I don't want that. 00:54:22.979 --> 00:54:23.899 I'm not ready for that. 00:54:24.039 --> 00:54:25.259 Hey, catch me in two years. 00:54:25.339 --> 00:54:26.179 I'll think about it. 00:54:26.739 --> 00:54:27.619 He's not reigning. 00:54:27.739 --> 00:54:31.259 You know when he's reigning, when we say yes, Lord. 00:54:31.579 --> 00:54:32.039 Yes, Lord. 00:54:32.379 --> 00:54:32.919 Yes, Lord. 00:54:33.259 --> 00:54:33.839 Yes, Lord. 00:54:34.139 --> 00:54:34.659 Yes, Lord. 00:54:35.000 --> 00:54:35.459 Yes, Lord. 00:54:36.339 --> 00:54:36.979 Yes, Lord. 00:54:39.419 --> 00:54:40.859 No, Lord don't go together. 00:54:41.099 --> 00:54:42.359 Those two words don't go together. 00:54:42.699 --> 00:54:44.259 No, Lord means he's not your Lord. 00:54:45.039 --> 00:54:47.059 I'm my own Lord when I tell him no. 00:54:47.419 --> 00:54:50.519 If he's reigning, if I'm seeking his kingdom, you know what I'm seeking? 00:54:50.739 --> 00:54:52.739 I'm seeking his reign in my life. 00:54:53.839 --> 00:54:55.759 You know what Christ is saying to the people? 00:54:55.760 --> 00:55:00.740 Surrender yourself fully to the reign of God in your life. 00:55:00.739 --> 00:55:10.179 As we look forward to this coming year, as we, whether it's January the 1st today, whether 00:55:10.179 --> 00:55:15.479 it's March the 1st, whether it's June the 5th, whatever time it is that you're considering 00:55:15.479 --> 00:55:20.479 how to spend your time, listen to the word of God. 00:55:20.480 --> 00:55:28.159 The word of God says this, you focus your heart and your time on the reign of Christ in your heart. 00:55:30.559 --> 00:55:34.579 The result of that will be his glory and your good. 00:55:35.159 --> 00:55:39.760 You will begin to enjoy this life where you don't have to worry about a thing. 00:55:39.760 --> 00:55:45.480 Y'all did say you didn't want to worry about something. 00:55:45.640 --> 00:55:46.280 I ask you. 00:55:47.360 --> 00:55:52.980 You know the way to not ever worry about anything more again is to not trust in your human ability, 00:55:53.220 --> 00:55:55.400 but it's to trust in his sovereign ability. 00:55:57.080 --> 00:55:57.800 And guess what? 00:55:57.840 --> 00:56:01.840 It might not turn out the way you want because sometimes what you want is not what he wants. 00:56:01.840 --> 00:56:12.140 But he's calling us this life of joy and peace, and the pathway there is to surrender to him, 00:56:12.240 --> 00:56:13.940 is to seek his reign in your heart. 00:56:14.280 --> 00:56:16.200 When he's reigning, you're saying, yes, Lord. 00:56:16.240 --> 00:56:17.500 Are you saying, yes, Lord, to him? 00:56:18.500 --> 00:56:23.600 When you read the word and he says, live like this, are you living like that? 00:56:24.340 --> 00:56:27.019 When he says, don't let an unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, 00:56:27.160 --> 00:56:30.240 but only a type of word that's good for the edification of others. 00:56:30.440 --> 00:56:31.500 Is that true for you? 00:56:31.840 --> 00:56:39.079 That's just one of hundreds of directional words in Scripture. 00:56:40.620 --> 00:56:42.460 Are we saying, yes, Lord? 00:56:42.700 --> 00:56:43.880 Are you surrendered? 00:56:44.320 --> 00:56:47.300 Is there any sin in your life that you're aware of? 00:56:47.500 --> 00:56:48.100 Any sin? 00:56:48.960 --> 00:56:49.720 Even one? 00:56:50.160 --> 00:56:53.740 Right now, this day, this moment, is there even one sin? 00:56:53.800 --> 00:56:55.920 And there might be more than one that you're aware of. 00:56:55.940 --> 00:56:58.600 Let me say, if you're going to seek the kingdom of God, you know what you're going to do? 00:56:58.599 --> 00:57:03.819 You're going to come up here, and you're going to bow on your knee as we sing to him, 00:57:03.980 --> 00:57:05.880 and you're going to say, forgive me, God. 00:57:06.619 --> 00:57:07.259 Forgive me. 00:57:08.400 --> 00:57:11.380 I'm not allowing you to reign in that area. 00:57:11.639 --> 00:57:12.420 I've sinned. 00:57:12.480 --> 00:57:13.259 Forgive me, God. 00:57:13.460 --> 00:57:17.159 You changed my life, and you changed my desires, and you helped me to live for you. 00:57:17.219 --> 00:57:19.380 Because you can't do it in your human strength. 00:57:19.380 --> 00:57:23.039 It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to live in this way. 00:57:23.300 --> 00:57:26.200 You know what he's calling us all to do is live by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:57:26.820 --> 00:57:32.000 If there's any sin in your life that you're aware of, and by the way, you'll never get to the bottom. 00:57:32.840 --> 00:57:38.059 If there's any sin you're aware of, please, I beg you to get in your closet and ask God to forgive you. 00:57:38.220 --> 00:57:40.559 Not to just cauterize it. 00:57:41.980 --> 00:57:43.140 Not just a token. 00:57:43.400 --> 00:57:45.340 I'm going to just throw up this token and hope he hears it. 00:57:45.599 --> 00:57:46.840 It's a genuine life change. 00:57:46.840 --> 00:57:48.440 Repent means I'm turning away. 00:57:49.019 --> 00:57:52.600 I'm turning the opposite way with an intention to never go there again. 00:57:53.920 --> 00:57:57.140 True repentance is a true change. 00:57:58.460 --> 00:58:00.240 We're stepping into the new year. 00:58:00.920 --> 00:58:02.180 How are we going to change? 00:58:02.640 --> 00:58:03.860 What are we going to change? 00:58:04.500 --> 00:58:05.780 How are we going to live? 00:58:06.380 --> 00:58:07.760 What's going to motivate you? 00:58:08.260 --> 00:58:09.180 Where's your treasure? 00:58:09.640 --> 00:58:09.960 Let's pray. 00:58:09.960 --> 00:58:21.400 Father, it's hard to believe that there's such a thing as a life that's free of anxiety and free of worry. 00:58:21.639 --> 00:58:24.940 God, it's totally hard to believe that for me. 00:58:25.800 --> 00:58:34.519 God, I confess that I've struggled through the years with fear of the future and fear of finance and fear of opinion of men and fear of a lot of things, God. 00:58:34.519 --> 00:58:38.739 I thank you that in part you've delivered me from some of that stuff. 00:58:38.739 --> 00:58:58.919 And God, I just ask that as right now, as a church, right now, this church, right now, God, as you're speaking to each heart, I pray that you'd give us the courage to ask for forgiveness and the courage to bow our knee and the courage to serve you as Lord and the courage to really believe that you're good. 00:58:58.920 --> 00:59:05.280 And you'll take care of our needs, what we eat and what we wear. 00:59:05.380 --> 00:59:07.220 God, you'll take care of all those things. 00:59:08.400 --> 00:59:10.180 God, you say there's this life. 00:59:10.280 --> 00:59:11.220 I see it in your word. 00:59:11.320 --> 00:59:12.800 It's so beautiful to look at. 00:59:13.280 --> 00:59:18.180 There's this life that's free of anxiety because we're absolutely dependent on you. 00:59:18.260 --> 00:59:22.460 And God, I just confess I had the hardest time trying to get there, God. 00:59:22.460 --> 00:59:33.720 I've for years desired that, this life where I don't walk in sin anymore, where I don't go down these roads that are obviously sinful, God. 00:59:33.780 --> 00:59:38.440 And I just confess that apart from your power, I'll walk down the same road again. 00:59:39.480 --> 00:59:41.119 And I'm sure it's true for all of us, God. 00:59:41.119 --> 00:59:45.460 And so I'm asking you to do a supernatural work in our life. 00:59:45.500 --> 00:59:53.719 And I'm asking you to help us to be aware of the faults that cascade through our mind and to turn away from anything that's not surrendered to you. 00:59:55.079 --> 00:59:58.440 God, show us our sin that we might repent of it and turn away from it. 00:59:58.880 --> 01:00:01.239 And show us your light that we might walk toward it. 01:00:01.819 --> 01:00:03.199 For God, we desire to serve you. 01:00:03.239 --> 01:00:05.579 We really, truly desire to serve you as Lord. 01:00:06.859 --> 01:00:08.239 I pray that you'd help us to do it. 01:00:08.239 --> 01:00:08.960 And I pray in your name. 01:00:09.199 --> 01:00:09.400 Amen. 01:00:11.119 --> 01:00:12.119 Amen.