WEBVTT

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 Tonight we'll be teaching on this text, and it's an interesting text for a lot of reasons, because it's more narrative than some mysterious meaning.

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! We look at this text and there's so much going on there, but it's not like chapters 1-2 up to verse 18.

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 It's really more narrative than some esoteric theology, where we're looking for, well, what does this mean?

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 And it's pretty clear. You can read it.

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 And what he says is that he hopes to see the Philippians soon, and that he's going to send Timothy and Epaproditus to him.

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 So, we can read that, and pretty much that's what it's saying.

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 And it's interesting because the last time I taught, I taught on something that was kind of similar to it, where it was really just straightforward.

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 This is what the Bible says. It's not like we really have to do some cross-references and look all over Scripture to see what this means.

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 And so, I think because of that, maybe I'm prone to believe that God is trying to teach me something, that I make these really short and simple and sweet texts.

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 I pass over them a lot of the times.

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 And I really like the bigger ones that you have to look all over and understand, well, what does this text mean?

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 I think that's kind of what the Lord's trying to teach me, is that I enjoy these big theoretical texts, but when it comes to very straightforward Scripture that you don't really get around, because you can't really interpret it five different ways.

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 It means what it means. Don't grumble. You can't interpret that.

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 Well, I think Paul might be saying when it comes to when you're in the church, don't grumble, but when you're outside, it's okay, or whatever.

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 Like, it's not like that. It's just very straightforward.

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 And so, this is the second time.

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 So, I get this text, and I'm wondering what God's trying to teach me.

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 And it's not wrong for us to search for these bigger texts and to like these texts that have a lot going on there.

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 It's not wrong, because it's good.

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 We're actually commanded to search the text for deeper meanings.

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 There's so much going on in Scripture, and we're commanded to look into it.

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 But it is wrong if we start putting the scale, or we start saying,

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 okay, well, these are the more, like, bigger texts, like 27 through 30 of chapter 1,

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 but then these verses in 14 through 18 aren't that important, because it's straightforward.

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 But, kind of in, like, Christian circles, we tend to do that.

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 We easily kind of put a balance and a scale and see, well, this text means more,

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 because we can really examine it more.

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 And the reason why this is so hard is because it's like simple texts reminding people that it should be really above these texts,

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 that we should have these down, that these are basic Christianity points.

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 We should have these points down.

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 And it should be something that we're still trying to cover,

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 but the truth is that we still all struggle with being humble.

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 We all still struggle with not grumbling.

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 And for someone to say, well, you're not really giving those texts enough attention that they need,

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 it's kind of like reminding a college student about the golden rule,

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 which is something that you learn when you're in preschool.

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 And it's kind of humbling.

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 It's like, well, I know not to put others before myself, but I learned that in preschool,

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 so why are you reminding me of that now?

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 And so we have pride.

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 And the truth is that our pride hates being reminded that we so oftentimes neglect the small,

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 simple things that we're commanded to.

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 And so kind of the best way that I can illustrate this in my own life is that

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 if you've ever learned a really, really simple, basic truth to Christianity later on in your life

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 and you realize that you probably should have known that a long time ago,

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 for me that was, I don't think it was until a year ago that I understood that

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 the reasoning why Jesus needs to be born of a virgin.

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 I just didn't understand that.

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 I always just kind of accepted it.

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 I was like, okay, yeah, Jesus is born of a virgin,

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 and that's the way things are.

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 And then when I realized, oh, he needs to be born of a virgin so that he's completely pure and free from sin.

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 And then I realized, well, I can't let anyone know that I just figured that out

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 because then they won't think that I'm some like theologically solid rock who knows everything.

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 Like I can't do that.

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 I just have to play it off cool.

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 And yeah, I knew that the whole time.

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 So the thing is that there are a lot of things that we pass over in Scripture.

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 So we read this, and I think our natural kind of, if you were to read this in your own time,

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 if you were to read this on your own, and we read this, we're kind of going to read this and keep going.

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 It's not like you're going to spend 30 minutes just looking at this text and trying to understand,

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 well, what does it mean?

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 How does it apply to my life?

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 And so on.

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 We're probably going to move on to chapter three.

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 But the thing is that we move, we tend to pass over things consciously or subconsciously.

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 And there's a lot of examples that we can go into this.

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 And so that's where we're going to kind of go tonight.

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 Really, I can give a couple examples of these that are going to be kind of tough.

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 But we neglect the simple things that either Jesus says or Paul says or someone says that we're just not being faithful to.

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 I'm going to list off three.

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 It is better to give than it is to receive.

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 That's something that's very basic, can't get around it, and it means what it means.

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 But so many of us have such a hard time grasping that truth and really living it out in our lives.

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 It almost seems like we like to take these truths and we know them,

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 but then keep going and learn the more complex things.

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 Another thing would be love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

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 And that's something that we know is true.

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 We know it's true because it's a very simple, straightforward text.

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 But how often do we live that out in our lives?

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 If someone hates you where you're at right now, we're definitely probably not going to turn around and love that person.

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 Someone that might be making fun of us or whatever.

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 It's just that's a simple truth and somehow we pass over that because it's not necessarily deep.

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 Another one, and I think this one's really timely, is 1 Timothy 2, verse 1 through 2.

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 You don't have to turn there, but he says,

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 Real talk.

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 we cannot, for most of the people,

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 if you're in the South, most of the people

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 cannot stand the recently re-elected

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 president.

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 And if you don't believe me, then you should

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 have been on Facebook the day after the election

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 day.

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 So much of it blew up.

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 There's not a single

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 status that wasn't about that.

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 People are so frustrated, and if you grew up in a Christian

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 home, probably your parents still

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 kind of were on that same side of

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 definitely not, at least, I'm not

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 going to say as far as how much we may go into it, but

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 we definitely don't pray and intercede

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 for President Obama.

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 I can't remember the last time that I was

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 in my house, and my parents

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 and my family were like, well, let's pray for President

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 Obama. We really need to pray and

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 intercede for him. It's a simple

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 thing like that. That is so simple,

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 but somehow we make it this very, very

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 complex thing.

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 And unfortunately, a lot

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 of those comments were from a lot of Christians,

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 from a lot of people who would say they're Christians.

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 And so we're looking

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 no different from the world in that.

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 So why do we do that?

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 The truth is that pride has caused us

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 to blatantly pass over

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 simple truth that's in God's Word.

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 And God's Word, as much

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 as we love it,

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 and as much as we say we love it, is

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 so inconvenient to our lives.

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 It is really tough

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 for us to follow. We deal with these inconvenient

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 texts like pray for, like honor

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 the emperor in 1 Peter, or

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 pray for kings, make intercessions

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 for them.

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 And we make it this very

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 complicated theoretical,

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 theological

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 truth. They're like, okay, well, this is what he meant

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 in this context, and we really need to probably look at the

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 Greek root of that and understand, well,

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 what's Paul actually talking about here?

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 And it's very straightforward.

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 Paul is saying, you need to make

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 intercessions and pray for the king.

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 And our king in this country is

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 at least President Obama.

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 And so we kind of, what we do is we kind of

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 insulate ourselves from these

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 tough truths like loving your neighbor,

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 or loving your neighbor, loving your enemies,

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 praying for kings, praying for

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 Obama, and we turn into this complex

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 theoretical jargon, and we

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 insulate ourselves by that so we don't have

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 to follow that truth out.

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 And so

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 it's a phenomenon, actually, that

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 was very common in Jesus' time.

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 The best example that I can give from this

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 is Luke 10, 25

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 through 37. So

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 if you want to turn there, we're not going to read all of it,

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 but just so you can get kind of equated with the

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 story, what's going on here.

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 So

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 in Luke 10,

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 Jesus is

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 talking to his disciples,

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 and then someone walks up,

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 and this lawyer walks up to him

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 and asks him, he says,

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 what must I do

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 to

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 wait, sorry, let me turn to it, actually, I'm going to kind of look at my notes.

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 Okay, so he says,

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 what is written, he says,

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 what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

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 And so we know the story, Jesus says,

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 what is written in the law, how do you read it?

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 And so he says,

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 you know, I should love my neighbor,

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 I should love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and mind.

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 And Jesus says, you've judged correctly.

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 And so

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 I'm going to give a little excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.

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 He wrote this in one of his books called Strength to Love.

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 He kind of wrote about this,

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 and he called this phenomenon of where we

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 overanalyze something, and we don't act on it.

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 He called this

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 the paralysis of analysis.

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 So

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 we know the story,

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 we know that

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 this lawyer is talking to Jesus,

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 and he says,

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 teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

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 So Martin Luther King Jr. picks up right here,

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 he says,

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 the ethical concern of this man

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 is expressed in a magnificent little story

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 which begins with a theological discussion

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 on the meaning of eternal life

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 and concludes in a concrete expression

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 of compassion on a dangerous road.

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 Jesus is asked a question by a man

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 who had been trained in the details of Jewish law.

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 Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

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 The retort is prompt.

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 What is written in the law?

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 How readest thou?

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 After a moment,

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 the lawyer recites articulately,

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 thou shalt love the Lord thy God

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 with all thy heart

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 and with all thy soul

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 and with all thy strength

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 and with all thy mind

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 and thy neighbor as thyself.

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 Then comes the decisive word from Jesus,

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 thou hast answered right.

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 This do and thou shalt live.

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 Desiring to justify himself

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 and to show that Jesus' reply

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 was far from conclusive,

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 the lawyer asked,

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 and who is my neighbor?

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 The lawyer was now taking up

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 the cudgels of debate

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 that might have turned the conversation

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 into an abstract theological discussion.

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 But Jesus, determined not to be caught

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 in the paralysis of analysis,

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 pulls the question from midair

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 and places it on a dangerous curve

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 between Jerusalem and Jericho.

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 He told the story of a certain man

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 who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho

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 and fell among robbers

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 who stripped him,

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 beat him,

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 and departing him,

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 left him half dead.

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 By chance,

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 a certain priest appeared,

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 but he passed by on the other side.

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 And after that,

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 a Levite also passed by.

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 Finally,

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 a certain Samaritan,

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 a half-breed

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 from a people

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 with whom the Jews

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 had no dealings,

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 appeared.

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 When he saw the wounded man,

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 he was moved with compassion,

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 administered first aid,

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 and placed him on his breast

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 and brought him to an inn

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 and took care of him.

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 Who is my neighbor?

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 I do not know this man,

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 says Jesus in essence.

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 He is anyone to harm you

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 or neighborly.

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 He is anyone who lies in need

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 at life's roadside.

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 He is neither Jew nor Gentile.

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 He is neither Russian nor American.

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 He is neither Negro nor white.

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 He is a certain man,

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 any needy man,

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 one of the most numerous

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 Jericho roads of life.

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 So Jesus defines a neighbor,

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 not in theological definition,

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 but in a life situation.

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 So,

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 that's the most amazing thing

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 about Jesus,

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 is you have this lawyer

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 who's trying to trap Jesus

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 and just talking about

00:12:07.740 --> 00:12:09.059
 theology for a second.

00:12:09.059 --> 00:12:09.460
 Well,

00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:10.340
 let's just talk about,

00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:10.840
 you know,

00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:11.279
 Jesus,

00:12:11.399 --> 00:12:12.259
 what do I need to do

00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:13.179
 to inherit eternal life?

00:12:13.500 --> 00:12:13.720
 He's like,

00:12:13.740 --> 00:12:13.899
 you know,

00:12:13.939 --> 00:12:15.319
 I've done those things,

00:12:15.379 --> 00:12:15.740
 what else?

00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:18.360
 And Jesus doesn't allow him

00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:19.779
 to get away by asking the question,

00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:20.879
 who is my neighbor?

00:12:21.100 --> 00:12:22.000
 He doesn't allow it

00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:22.580
 because he knows

00:12:22.580 --> 00:12:24.120
 this lawyer is trying to

00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:25.120
 insulate himself

00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:26.539
 from action.

00:12:29.179 --> 00:12:30.919
 And the unfortunate thing

00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:31.700
 is that

00:12:31.700 --> 00:12:33.559
 we're kind of in the same place

00:12:33.559 --> 00:12:34.220
 as that lawyer.

00:12:34.700 --> 00:12:35.639
 This lawyer kind of wants

00:12:35.639 --> 00:12:37.200
 this new revelation from Jesus.

00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:37.460
 Yes,

00:12:37.500 --> 00:12:38.360
 he's trying to test him,

00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:39.220
 but he also wants

00:12:39.220 --> 00:12:40.399
 a new revelation from him.

00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:41.299
 Who is my neighbor?

00:12:41.399 --> 00:12:42.019
 Tell me something

00:12:42.019 --> 00:12:43.600
 I don't know right now.

00:12:43.860 --> 00:12:45.379
 And Jesus doesn't let him do that.

00:12:45.939 --> 00:12:47.000
 And the thing is that

00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:48.980
 we want that new revelation

00:12:48.980 --> 00:12:50.000
 all the time.

00:12:50.079 --> 00:12:51.259
 We want to know what's next.

00:12:51.319 --> 00:12:52.159
 We want to learn more

00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:53.100
 and it's good

00:12:53.100 --> 00:12:53.759
 and that's great.

00:12:53.819 --> 00:12:54.740
 We want to learn more

00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:55.319
 about the Bible.

00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:56.620
 But the truth is

00:12:56.620 --> 00:12:57.259
 is that

00:12:57.259 --> 00:12:59.879
 what we don't want to learn

00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:01.659
 is we don't want to be faithful

00:13:01.659 --> 00:13:02.079
 to the things

00:13:02.079 --> 00:13:03.019
 that we already know.

00:13:03.699 --> 00:13:04.980
 We want to learn something new

00:13:04.980 --> 00:13:05.600
 from a pastor,

00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:06.100
 a book,

00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:07.659
 a sermon,

00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:08.279
 anything.

00:13:08.279 --> 00:13:10.179
 But we definitely

00:13:10.179 --> 00:13:11.199
 don't want to

00:13:11.199 --> 00:13:12.559
 take a break from those things

00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:14.939
 and leave everything else

00:13:14.939 --> 00:13:15.899
 and just ask God

00:13:15.899 --> 00:13:16.519
 what are the things

00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:17.439
 you've taught me lately

00:13:17.439 --> 00:13:18.860
 that I'm not being faithful to

00:13:18.860 --> 00:13:19.559
 right now.

00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:20.980
 We don't want to be faithful

00:13:20.980 --> 00:13:21.559
 to those things.

00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:23.240
 It's much easier

00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:24.039
 to keep going

00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:25.519
 and learn new things

00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:26.519
 than it is

00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:27.379
 to be faithful to things

00:13:27.379 --> 00:13:28.199
 that we already have.

00:13:29.379 --> 00:13:30.399
 And the reason why

00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:31.220
 we do this

00:13:31.220 --> 00:13:32.879
 is because we fooled ourselves

00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:33.379
 into believing

00:13:33.379 --> 00:13:35.019
 that we can separate

00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:36.279
 intellectual knowledge

00:13:36.279 --> 00:13:38.299
 from belief

00:13:38.299 --> 00:13:38.879
 and obedience.

00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:39.779
 We believe that we can

00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:40.659
 separate the two,

00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:41.579
 that we can divorce them,

00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:42.600
 but they're never meant

00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:43.480
 to be like that.

00:13:44.959 --> 00:13:45.379
 And so,

00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:46.379
 you're kind of wondering

00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:47.799
 how that is going to apply

00:13:47.799 --> 00:13:48.679
 to the text tonight.

00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:50.000
 I promise I'm going

00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:50.720
 somewhere with it.

00:13:51.559 --> 00:13:51.720
 But,

00:13:51.860 --> 00:13:52.419
 so tonight,

00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:53.379
 the direction that we're going

00:13:53.379 --> 00:13:54.199
 is tonight we're going

00:13:54.199 --> 00:13:55.120
 to look at two examples

00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:55.879
 of men

00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:58.220
 who love Christ

00:13:58.220 --> 00:13:59.059
 so much

00:13:59.059 --> 00:14:00.100
 and they love

00:14:00.100 --> 00:14:00.740
 the Philippians

00:14:00.740 --> 00:14:01.699
 more than themselves

00:14:01.699 --> 00:14:03.059
 and why that matters

00:14:03.059 --> 00:14:03.620
 to us.

00:14:03.620 --> 00:14:06.000
 I'm really excited

00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:06.379
 about it.

00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:07.679
 I'm going to pray for us

00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:08.440
 before we get started.

00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:10.320
 Father,

00:14:10.700 --> 00:14:12.060
 thank you so much

00:14:12.060 --> 00:14:13.179
 for tonight.

00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:15.159
 God,

00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:16.460
 I pray that your spirit

00:14:16.460 --> 00:14:17.379
 would be here

00:14:17.379 --> 00:14:18.620
 actively working

00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:19.159
 in the hearts

00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:19.639
 of everyone

00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:20.580
 who's in this room.

00:14:21.960 --> 00:14:22.440
 Father,

00:14:22.539 --> 00:14:23.299
 what I'm

00:14:23.299 --> 00:14:25.220
 so afraid of

00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:26.779
 is not things

00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:28.259
 running poorly

00:14:28.259 --> 00:14:30.159
 or not running smoothly,

00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:32.679
 but God,

00:14:32.699 --> 00:14:33.740
 what I'm afraid of most

00:14:33.740 --> 00:14:34.879
 is us coming here

00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:36.259
 and leaving unchanged

00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:37.819
 because we haven't

00:14:37.819 --> 00:14:38.779
 met with you tonight

00:14:38.779 --> 00:14:40.319
 and you haven't

00:14:40.319 --> 00:14:41.819
 been here with us

00:14:41.819 --> 00:14:42.659
 and we haven't

00:14:42.659 --> 00:14:43.459
 invited you in

00:14:43.459 --> 00:14:44.500
 to change our hearts.

00:14:44.980 --> 00:14:45.120
 So,

00:14:45.199 --> 00:14:45.319
 Father,

00:14:45.379 --> 00:14:45.939
 would you please

00:14:45.939 --> 00:14:46.659
 change our hearts

00:14:46.659 --> 00:14:48.199
 tonight by this text?

00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:49.039
 We know that your word

00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:49.779
 is powerful.

00:14:50.439 --> 00:14:51.399
 There is nothing

00:14:51.399 --> 00:14:53.079
 wise that I can say

00:14:53.079 --> 00:14:53.939
 because your power

00:14:53.939 --> 00:14:55.039
 doesn't rest

00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:55.899
 in so-called

00:14:55.899 --> 00:14:56.819
 eloquent wisdom

00:14:56.819 --> 00:14:57.379
 but God,

00:14:57.659 --> 00:14:58.860
 it rests in your power.

00:14:58.860 --> 00:15:00.220
 And I pray that

00:15:00.220 --> 00:15:01.060
 it would be here

00:15:01.060 --> 00:15:01.519
 tonight

00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:03.000
 actively working

00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:03.800
 in the hearts

00:15:03.800 --> 00:15:04.560
 of everyone here.

00:15:04.940 --> 00:15:05.480
 And we ask this

00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:06.159
 in Christ's name

00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:06.779
 knowing that you're

00:15:06.779 --> 00:15:07.320
 going to do it.

00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:08.360
 Amen.

00:15:10.060 --> 00:15:10.320
 Okay.

00:15:11.139 --> 00:15:11.360
 So,

00:15:11.940 --> 00:15:12.639
 Philippians.

00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:14.300
 If you've been here

00:15:14.300 --> 00:15:14.720
 so far,

00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:16.139
 it's a very encouraging book.

00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:17.940
 It's a very encouraging book.

00:15:18.680 --> 00:15:19.120
 But,

00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:20.580
 every single one of us

00:15:20.580 --> 00:15:21.539
 is going to say,

00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:22.159
 every one of us

00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:22.639
 is lying

00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:23.259
 if we say that

00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:24.120
 this book has not

00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:24.920
 been difficult

00:15:24.920 --> 00:15:25.659
 to swallow.

00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:27.600
 There's a lot

00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:28.060
 in here.

00:15:28.860 --> 00:15:29.300
 That,

00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:30.120
 there's a lot

00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:30.919
 of difficult themes

00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:31.740
 that are running

00:15:31.740 --> 00:15:32.300
 through Philippians

00:15:32.300 --> 00:15:32.700
 so far.

00:15:32.860 --> 00:15:33.300
 And there's a lot

00:15:33.300 --> 00:15:33.980
 of difficult verses

00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:34.779
 that I just wish

00:15:34.779 --> 00:15:35.600
 were not there.

00:15:36.259 --> 00:15:37.000
 Let's deal with

00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:37.779
 the first problem.

00:15:38.139 --> 00:15:38.899
 Is that Paul

00:15:38.899 --> 00:15:39.700
 is imprisoned

00:15:39.700 --> 00:15:40.960
 for selling

00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:41.700
 Girl Scout cookies?

00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:42.560
 No.

00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:43.480
 He's preaching

00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:44.019
 the gospel

00:15:44.019 --> 00:15:44.960
 and he's in prison

00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:45.440
 for that.

00:15:46.980 --> 00:15:47.940
 But don't worry.

00:15:48.680 --> 00:15:49.539
 We get that privilege

00:15:49.539 --> 00:15:50.580
 too of suffering.

00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.659
 Paul hasn't just

00:15:51.659 --> 00:15:52.100
 left us

00:15:52.100 --> 00:15:53.220
 to not partake

00:15:53.220 --> 00:15:53.500
 in that.

00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:54.300
 He's allowed us

00:15:54.300 --> 00:15:54.519
 to.

00:15:54.740 --> 00:15:55.500
 Verse 29

00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:58.100
 of chapter 1

00:15:58.100 --> 00:15:58.620
 if you're following

00:15:58.620 --> 00:15:58.940
 that.

00:15:59.659 --> 00:16:00.200
 So those are

00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:00.620
 two things.

00:16:00.940 --> 00:16:01.639
 Paul is imprisoned.

00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:02.720
 We also get to

00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:02.919
 suffer.

00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:04.480
 What else?

00:16:04.759 --> 00:16:05.419
 Tell me more

00:16:05.419 --> 00:16:05.899
 good news.

00:16:06.779 --> 00:16:07.419
 Well, Paul says

00:16:07.419 --> 00:16:08.539
 to live is to be

00:16:08.539 --> 00:16:09.200
 like Christ

00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:10.000
 and to die

00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:10.879
 is much better.

00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:12.919
 That's hard.

00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:14.820
 Even though we

00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:15.220
 just say it

00:16:15.220 --> 00:16:15.980
 so flippantly.

00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:17.220
 That's verse 22

00:16:17.220 --> 00:16:17.899
 of chapter 1.

00:16:17.899 --> 00:16:19.579
 So those are

00:16:19.579 --> 00:16:19.980
 three things.

00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:20.899
 And then finally

00:16:20.899 --> 00:16:22.519
 another point

00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:23.159
 that I could list

00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:23.480
 would be

00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:24.220
 don't be selfish.

00:16:24.699 --> 00:16:25.939
 Don't look to

00:16:25.939 --> 00:16:26.679
 your own concerns

00:16:26.679 --> 00:16:27.199
 but look to

00:16:27.199 --> 00:16:27.600
 the needs

00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:28.220
 and concerns

00:16:28.220 --> 00:16:28.639
 of others

00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:29.399
 above yourself.

00:16:30.959 --> 00:16:31.959
 And don't grumble

00:16:31.959 --> 00:16:32.639
 while doing it.

00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:34.399
 So these are

00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:35.399
 tough pills

00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:35.819
 to swallow.

00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:36.679
 These are tough

00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:36.980
 verses.

00:16:37.259 --> 00:16:37.860
 If we're just

00:16:37.860 --> 00:16:38.759
 saying this has

00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:39.879
 been flowers

00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:40.620
 and sweet tea

00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:41.139
 the whole time

00:16:41.139 --> 00:16:41.439
 then we're

00:16:41.439 --> 00:16:42.259
 lying to ourself.

00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:44.379
 So let's just

00:16:44.379 --> 00:16:44.980
 be real with that.

00:16:45.100 --> 00:16:46.579
 These are tough

00:16:46.579 --> 00:16:47.480
 texts to follow

00:16:47.480 --> 00:16:47.800
 with.

00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:50.039
 And so I think

00:16:50.039 --> 00:16:50.720
 the camps that

00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:51.240
 we fall into

00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:52.279
 is we read this

00:16:52.279 --> 00:16:53.399
 and we either

00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:54.340
 say that's

00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:54.820
 impossible

00:16:54.820 --> 00:16:55.420
 and that's

00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:55.820
 nice

00:16:55.820 --> 00:16:57.680
 but it's

00:16:57.680 --> 00:16:58.379
 impossible.

00:16:58.779 --> 00:16:59.259
 We can't

00:16:59.259 --> 00:16:59.720
 follow this.

00:16:59.960 --> 00:17:00.820
 Or we say

00:17:00.820 --> 00:17:01.300
 that is a

00:17:01.300 --> 00:17:02.340
 beautiful text

00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:04.460
 and we become

00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:05.220
 hopelessly

00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:05.900
 idealistic

00:17:05.900 --> 00:17:07.000
 and we don't

00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:07.680
 even really

00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:08.180
 take the time

00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:08.660
 to apply it

00:17:08.660 --> 00:17:09.039
 to our lives.

00:17:09.180 --> 00:17:09.960
 We just kind

00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:10.120
 of say

00:17:10.120 --> 00:17:10.500
 that's a great

00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:11.039
 text to read.

00:17:12.279 --> 00:17:13.620
 And so I think

00:17:13.620 --> 00:17:14.799
 because most of

00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:15.519
 us find ourselves

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.039
 in that camp

00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:16.819
 unless you are

00:17:16.819 --> 00:17:18.000
 so holy

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:18.279
 that you're

00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:18.679
 doing all

00:17:18.679 --> 00:17:19.000
 these things

00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:19.759
 perfectly right

00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:20.159
 now.

00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:21.399
 We're finding

00:17:21.399 --> 00:17:22.119
 that these

00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:22.839
 texts are hard

00:17:22.839 --> 00:17:24.240
 to live out.

00:17:24.599 --> 00:17:25.720
 And so I

00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:26.559
 think that

00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:27.579
 there's a

00:17:27.579 --> 00:17:28.179
 reason why

00:17:28.179 --> 00:17:29.179
 Paul pauses

00:17:29.179 --> 00:17:29.519
 here.

00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:30.559
 If you're

00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:31.000
 familiar with

00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:31.579
 scripture at all

00:17:31.579 --> 00:17:32.379
 you kind of

00:17:32.379 --> 00:17:32.759
 know that

00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:33.659
 verse 19

00:17:33.659 --> 00:17:34.159
 through 30

00:17:34.159 --> 00:17:34.819
 that's kind

00:17:34.819 --> 00:17:35.319
 of out of

00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:35.740
 place.

00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:37.319
 Usually Paul

00:17:37.319 --> 00:17:38.619
 will write a

00:17:38.619 --> 00:17:39.139
 letter and

00:17:39.139 --> 00:17:39.419
 then he'll

00:17:39.419 --> 00:17:40.139
 add this bit

00:17:40.139 --> 00:17:40.740
 at the very

00:17:40.740 --> 00:17:41.139
 end.

00:17:41.140 --> 00:17:42.240
 So look

00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.680
 at Galatians,

00:17:43.800 --> 00:17:44.259
 Ephesians,

00:17:44.460 --> 00:17:44.860
 Colossians,

00:17:45.020 --> 00:17:45.280
 Timothy,

00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:45.759
 all those

00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:45.980
 books.

00:17:46.420 --> 00:17:46.880
 And this

00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:47.480
 is kind

00:17:47.480 --> 00:17:47.960
 of out of

00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:48.820
 place because

00:17:48.820 --> 00:17:49.520
 we usually

00:17:49.520 --> 00:17:49.940
 call these

00:17:49.940 --> 00:17:50.660
 travel plans

00:17:50.660 --> 00:17:51.240
 or greetings

00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:52.120
 or shout

00:17:52.120 --> 00:17:52.400
 outs.

00:17:53.320 --> 00:17:53.980
 But it's

00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:54.380
 right in the

00:17:54.380 --> 00:17:54.660
 middle of

00:17:54.660 --> 00:17:54.980
 the book.

00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:55.720
 Literally

00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:56.300
 right in the

00:17:56.300 --> 00:17:56.420
 middle.

00:17:56.800 --> 00:17:57.520
 And I don't

00:17:57.520 --> 00:17:57.840
 think it's

00:17:57.840 --> 00:17:58.300
 just because

00:17:58.300 --> 00:17:59.080
 Paul just

00:17:59.080 --> 00:17:59.860
 got sidetracked.

00:18:00.280 --> 00:18:01.000
 I think he

00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:01.520
 puts it there

00:18:01.520 --> 00:18:02.000
 for a reason.

00:18:02.120 --> 00:18:02.440
 I think because

00:18:02.440 --> 00:18:03.040
 God has his

00:18:03.040 --> 00:18:04.080
 inspired hand

00:18:04.080 --> 00:18:04.640
 on Paul in

00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:04.800
 this.

00:18:05.520 --> 00:18:06.180
 The reason

00:18:06.180 --> 00:18:06.960
 why I think

00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:09.520
 that is

00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:10.440
 for a lot

00:18:10.440 --> 00:18:10.799
 of reasons.

00:18:10.859 --> 00:18:11.019
 I'm going

00:18:11.019 --> 00:18:11.480
 to go on.

00:18:11.740 --> 00:18:12.940
 But obviously

00:18:12.940 --> 00:18:13.500
 he keeps going

00:18:13.500 --> 00:18:14.139
 in chapter 3

00:18:14.139 --> 00:18:14.940
 so there's a

00:18:14.940 --> 00:18:15.440
 reason why

00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:16.180
 he pauses

00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:16.920
 here and

00:18:16.920 --> 00:18:17.200
 he gets

00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:18.019
 narrative on

00:18:18.019 --> 00:18:18.299
 us.

00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:19.480
 He doesn't

00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:20.200
 really do

00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:20.980
 that in a

00:18:20.980 --> 00:18:21.279
 lot of his

00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:21.720
 other letters.

00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:23.079
 So the two

00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:23.480
 themes of

00:18:23.480 --> 00:18:24.200
 Philippians so

00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:25.000
 far have

00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:25.259
 been,

00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:26.220
 the first

00:18:26.220 --> 00:18:26.440
 one has

00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:26.879
 been stand

00:18:26.879 --> 00:18:27.779
 firm and

00:18:27.779 --> 00:18:28.379
 have unity

00:18:28.379 --> 00:18:28.879
 amongst the

00:18:28.879 --> 00:18:29.139
 body.

00:18:30.660 --> 00:18:31.039
 And then the

00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:31.400
 second one

00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:32.019
 would be look

00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:32.460
 to the interests

00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:33.019
 of others

00:18:33.019 --> 00:18:33.539
 ahead of

00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:34.279
 yourself by

00:18:34.279 --> 00:18:34.720
 looking to

00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:35.299
 Christ as

00:18:35.299 --> 00:18:35.779
 that model.

00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:36.400
 And so we

00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:36.819
 said that's

00:18:36.819 --> 00:18:37.259
 tough.

00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:37.839
 Those are

00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:38.500
 tough things to

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:38.879
 follow.

00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:40.680
 And the

00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:41.160
 thing is I

00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:41.619
 think he

00:18:41.619 --> 00:18:42.240
 stops because

00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:42.759
 he wants to

00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:44.500
 give examples

00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:45.680
 of men who

00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:46.259
 are doing

00:18:46.259 --> 00:18:46.660
 this.

00:18:46.940 --> 00:18:47.420
 He doesn't

00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:48.039
 want us to

00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:48.759
 get discouraged

00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:49.339
 and bogged

00:18:49.339 --> 00:18:50.819
 down or to

00:18:50.819 --> 00:18:51.619
 become hopelessly

00:18:51.619 --> 00:18:52.319
 idealistic and

00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:52.960
 not follow through

00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:53.160
 with this.

00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:53.759
 I think he

00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:54.599
 wants to stop

00:18:54.599 --> 00:18:55.279
 here and give

00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:56.259
 examples of

00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:56.779
 men that are

00:18:56.779 --> 00:18:57.259
 doing this.

00:18:57.319 --> 00:18:57.660
 It's almost

00:18:57.660 --> 00:18:58.759
 like Paul is

00:18:58.759 --> 00:18:58.900
 saying,

00:18:59.059 --> 00:18:59.940
 hey stop.

00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:01.400
 It's not

00:19:01.400 --> 00:19:01.700
 hopeless.

00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:02.279
 I know this

00:19:02.279 --> 00:19:03.200
 is big and

00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:03.519
 I know this

00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:03.960
 is a lot

00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:04.879
 going on but

00:19:04.879 --> 00:19:05.279
 you don't

00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:06.059
 have to lose

00:19:06.059 --> 00:19:07.599
 hope by such

00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:08.859
 heavy things

00:19:08.859 --> 00:19:09.199
 that are going

00:19:09.199 --> 00:19:09.559
 on in this

00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:09.799
 text.

00:19:10.019 --> 00:19:10.259
 I think

00:19:10.259 --> 00:19:10.679
 Paul is

00:19:10.679 --> 00:19:11.299
 saying just

00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:12.459
 pause for a

00:19:12.459 --> 00:19:12.679
 moment.

00:19:13.179 --> 00:19:14.019
 I promise you

00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:14.659
 this is not a

00:19:14.659 --> 00:19:15.179
 lost cause.

00:19:15.299 --> 00:19:16.439
 I'm not wasting

00:19:16.439 --> 00:19:16.839
 my time.

00:19:16.879 --> 00:19:17.500
 I'm not wasting

00:19:17.500 --> 00:19:18.199
 your time with

00:19:18.199 --> 00:19:18.559
 something that

00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:19.299
 you can't do.

00:19:20.959 --> 00:19:21.899
 Paul pauses

00:19:21.899 --> 00:19:22.959
 here because

00:19:22.959 --> 00:19:23.379
 he's going to

00:19:23.379 --> 00:19:24.339
 give examples of

00:19:24.339 --> 00:19:25.119
 guys who are

00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:26.079
 doing this.

00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:26.759
 He's already

00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:27.119
 given the

00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:27.579
 example of

00:19:27.579 --> 00:19:27.919
 Christ.

00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:28.479
 And so

00:19:28.479 --> 00:19:29.199
 ultimately

00:19:29.199 --> 00:19:30.000
 Christ is our

00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:30.379
 example.

00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:32.159
 Timothy and

00:19:32.159 --> 00:19:32.599
 Epaphrodite

00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:32.899
 are going to

00:19:32.899 --> 00:19:33.199
 get to them

00:19:33.199 --> 00:19:33.379
 and they're

00:19:33.379 --> 00:19:34.500
 great guys but

00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:35.659
 they are not

00:19:35.659 --> 00:19:36.099
 our goal.

00:19:36.199 --> 00:19:36.539
 They're not our

00:19:36.539 --> 00:19:37.019
 motivation.

00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:37.440
 They're not

00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:37.920
 our motor.

00:19:38.059 --> 00:19:38.420
 They're not

00:19:38.420 --> 00:19:39.799
 the end goal

00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:40.139
 of things.

00:19:40.299 --> 00:19:40.440
 And so

00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:41.519
 Christ is.

00:19:41.960 --> 00:19:42.660
 We kind of

00:19:42.660 --> 00:19:43.400
 clay went over

00:19:43.400 --> 00:19:45.339
 that not too

00:19:45.339 --> 00:19:45.819
 long ago when

00:19:45.819 --> 00:19:46.339
 he went through

00:19:46.339 --> 00:19:47.339
 verses 5 through

00:19:47.339 --> 00:19:48.000
 11.

00:19:48.700 --> 00:19:49.799
 So Christ is

00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:50.319
 the reason that

00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:50.599
 we're doing

00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:50.779
 this.

00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:51.660
 He's our aim.

00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:52.559
 He's our goal.

00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:53.660
 If you're not

00:19:53.660 --> 00:19:54.460
 waking up and

00:19:54.460 --> 00:19:55.019
 Jesus is the

00:19:55.019 --> 00:19:55.740
 motivation for

00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:56.539
 why you are

00:19:56.539 --> 00:19:57.700
 living a godly

00:19:57.700 --> 00:19:58.279
 life then we

00:19:58.279 --> 00:19:59.299
 need to reassess

00:19:59.299 --> 00:20:00.079
 and reevaluate

00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:00.680
 what we're doing.

00:20:02.819 --> 00:20:03.160
 And so

00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:06.160
 here's why I

00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:06.579
 say that.

00:20:06.579 --> 00:20:07.720
 I promise

00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:08.159
 I'll back

00:20:08.159 --> 00:20:08.500
 that up.

00:20:08.599 --> 00:20:09.399
 I think Paul

00:20:09.399 --> 00:20:10.039
 is pointing

00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:10.619
 these guys

00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:11.379
 for a specific

00:20:11.379 --> 00:20:11.619
 reason.

00:20:11.659 --> 00:20:12.059
 I don't think

00:20:12.059 --> 00:20:12.439
 it's random.

00:20:13.339 --> 00:20:14.279
 So you can

00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:14.740
 be the judge

00:20:14.740 --> 00:20:15.059
 of that.

00:20:15.500 --> 00:20:16.039
 I think

00:20:16.039 --> 00:20:16.399
 there's a lot

00:20:16.399 --> 00:20:17.019
 of similarity

00:20:17.019 --> 00:20:17.720
 in language

00:20:17.720 --> 00:20:18.319
 in verses

00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:18.899
 3 through

00:20:18.899 --> 00:20:19.299
 4 of

00:20:19.299 --> 00:20:20.099
 chapter 2

00:20:20.099 --> 00:20:21.119
 and then

00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:22.539
 in verse

00:20:22.539 --> 00:20:24.240
 21 and

00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:24.839
 so on

00:20:24.839 --> 00:20:26.199
 in this

00:20:26.199 --> 00:20:26.480
 text.

00:20:26.879 --> 00:20:27.000
 So

00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:28.119
 Philippians

00:20:28.119 --> 00:20:29.539
 2,

00:20:29.939 --> 00:20:30.379
 3 through

00:20:30.379 --> 00:20:30.839
 4,

00:20:31.220 --> 00:20:31.619
 it says

00:20:31.619 --> 00:20:32.039
 do nothing

00:20:32.039 --> 00:20:33.000
 from selfish

00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:33.659
 ambition or

00:20:33.659 --> 00:20:34.279
 vain conceit

00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:35.139
 but in humility

00:20:35.139 --> 00:20:35.779
 count others

00:20:35.779 --> 00:20:36.579
 more significant

00:20:36.579 --> 00:20:37.539
 than yourself.

00:20:38.660 --> 00:20:39.160
 Is it

00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:39.599
 coincidence

00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:40.660
 that

00:20:40.660 --> 00:20:42.359
 Timothy

00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:42.819
 in verse

00:20:42.819 --> 00:20:43.920
 21 is

00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:44.460
 seeking the

00:20:44.460 --> 00:20:44.759
 needs of

00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:45.240
 other people?

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:45.879
 He says

00:20:45.879 --> 00:20:46.480
 this same

00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:46.819
 language.

00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:47.099
 He says

00:20:47.099 --> 00:20:47.920
 for they all

00:20:47.920 --> 00:20:48.240
 seek their

00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:48.660
 own interests

00:20:48.660 --> 00:20:49.180
 but not

00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:49.579
 those of

00:20:49.579 --> 00:20:50.259
 Jesus Christ.

00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:51.559
 Timothy

00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:52.240
 has proven

00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:52.839
 his worth.

00:20:53.220 --> 00:20:53.680
 So Timothy

00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:54.160
 is doing

00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:54.519
 that.

00:20:55.059 --> 00:20:55.579
 Epaphroditus

00:20:55.579 --> 00:20:56.420
 he also

00:20:56.420 --> 00:20:56.879
 sought the

00:20:56.879 --> 00:20:57.180
 needs of

00:20:57.180 --> 00:20:57.980
 others so

00:20:57.980 --> 00:20:58.720
 much that

00:20:58.720 --> 00:20:59.180
 he almost

00:20:59.180 --> 00:20:59.639
 died by

00:20:59.639 --> 00:21:00.160
 risking his

00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:00.720
 life.

00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:00.759
 life.

00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:02.600
 He almost

00:21:02.600 --> 00:21:02.720
 died

00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:03.220
 risking his

00:21:03.220 --> 00:21:03.860
 life there.

00:21:04.600 --> 00:21:05.200
 It's not

00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:05.680
 a coincidence

00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:06.240
 that Paul

00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:06.860
 urges the

00:21:06.860 --> 00:21:07.980
 unified church

00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:08.680
 body in

00:21:08.680 --> 00:21:09.559
 verse 27

00:21:09.559 --> 00:21:10.400
 and then

00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:11.940
 goes on to

00:21:11.940 --> 00:21:12.240
 say that

00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:12.819
 Timothy is

00:21:12.819 --> 00:21:13.400
 caring more

00:21:13.400 --> 00:21:14.180
 about the

00:21:14.180 --> 00:21:14.579
 affairs of

00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:14.940
 the church

00:21:14.940 --> 00:21:15.240
 than his

00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:15.799
 own life

00:21:15.799 --> 00:21:16.700
 in verse

00:21:16.700 --> 00:21:18.220
 21.

00:21:19.360 --> 00:21:19.940
 It's not

00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:20.400
 a coincidence

00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:21.120
 that Paul

00:21:21.120 --> 00:21:21.720
 says to

00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:22.579
 live is

00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:23.079
 Christ.

00:21:23.180 --> 00:21:23.519
 That is a

00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:24.000
 tough thing

00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:24.360
 to say.

00:21:24.600 --> 00:21:24.920
 He says

00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:25.140
 that in

00:21:25.140 --> 00:21:25.680
 verse 21

00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:26.220
 of chapter

00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:26.559
 1.

00:21:27.299 --> 00:21:27.579
 And then

00:21:27.579 --> 00:21:28.400
 Epaphroditus

00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:30.540
 nearly died

00:21:30.540 --> 00:21:30.820
 for the

00:21:30.820 --> 00:21:31.080
 sake of

00:21:31.080 --> 00:21:31.519
 the gospel.

00:21:32.540 --> 00:21:33.019
 I don't

00:21:33.019 --> 00:21:34.180
 think it's

00:21:34.180 --> 00:21:34.540
 coincidence

00:21:34.540 --> 00:21:35.320
 that he's

00:21:35.320 --> 00:21:36.019
 placing these

00:21:36.019 --> 00:21:37.060
 verses right

00:21:37.060 --> 00:21:37.420
 here.

00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:40.660
 And the

00:21:40.660 --> 00:21:40.960
 thing is

00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:41.720
 that a lot

00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:42.180
 of times we

00:21:42.180 --> 00:21:43.080
 read scripture

00:21:43.080 --> 00:21:43.700
 with skewed

00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:43.980
 lenses.

00:21:44.460 --> 00:21:44.880
 We read

00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:45.400
 Philippians and

00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:45.740
 we say that's

00:21:45.740 --> 00:21:46.420
 beautiful, let's

00:21:46.420 --> 00:21:47.060
 talk about it,

00:21:47.100 --> 00:21:47.340
 let's have

00:21:47.340 --> 00:21:47.900
 discussion groups

00:21:47.900 --> 00:21:48.259
 about it,

00:21:48.340 --> 00:21:49.000
 but I don't

00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:49.460
 want to live

00:21:49.460 --> 00:21:50.720
 this out because

00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:51.259
 it's just too

00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:51.620
 hard, it's

00:21:51.620 --> 00:21:52.019
 unrealistic.

00:21:52.580 --> 00:21:52.800
 And the

00:21:52.800 --> 00:21:53.420
 thing is that

00:21:53.420 --> 00:21:54.620
 that is common

00:21:54.620 --> 00:21:55.640
 and paralyzing.

00:21:55.780 --> 00:21:56.300
 All of us

00:21:56.300 --> 00:21:56.780
 face that.

00:21:57.259 --> 00:21:57.980
 That's very

00:21:57.980 --> 00:21:58.340
 common.

00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.060
 And it's

00:21:59.060 --> 00:21:59.880
 very paralyzing.

00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:00.519
 It paralyzes

00:22:00.519 --> 00:22:01.120
 us from

00:22:01.120 --> 00:22:01.680
 doing any

00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:02.040
 work.

00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:03.480
 And I

00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:04.300
 think that's

00:22:04.300 --> 00:22:04.700
 why Paul

00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:05.320
 places these

00:22:05.320 --> 00:22:06.040
 verses here so

00:22:06.040 --> 00:22:06.640
 that we don't

00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:07.540
 become paralyzed.

00:22:10.620 --> 00:22:12.840
 So, it is

00:22:12.840 --> 00:22:15.200
 so vital for

00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:15.720
 us to be

00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:16.400
 around men

00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:16.840
 and women

00:22:16.840 --> 00:22:17.759
 like Timothy

00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:18.660
 and Epaphroditus.

00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:20.800
 If we don't

00:22:20.800 --> 00:22:21.640
 do that, let's

00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:22.060
 just say we

00:22:22.060 --> 00:22:23.080
 just take this

00:22:23.080 --> 00:22:23.900
 and we just

00:22:23.900 --> 00:22:24.560
 cut out that

00:22:24.560 --> 00:22:25.920
 verse, man,

00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:26.320
 we're going to

00:22:26.320 --> 00:22:27.460
 lose sight that

00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:28.140
 the Bible was

00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:29.100
 intended not

00:22:29.100 --> 00:22:29.620
 just to be

00:22:29.620 --> 00:22:30.200
 picked apart

00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:31.020
 and talked

00:22:31.020 --> 00:22:31.700
 about, but

00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:32.080
 it was to be

00:22:32.080 --> 00:22:33.300
 lived out every

00:22:33.300 --> 00:22:34.060
 single day.

00:22:35.160 --> 00:22:36.020
 It's vital that

00:22:36.020 --> 00:22:36.420
 we surround

00:22:36.420 --> 00:22:36.920
 ourselves with

00:22:36.920 --> 00:22:37.860
 godly men and

00:22:37.860 --> 00:22:39.320
 women who are

00:22:39.320 --> 00:22:40.380
 striving for the

00:22:40.380 --> 00:22:41.400
 gospel for the

00:22:41.400 --> 00:22:42.100
 long haul.

00:22:42.099 --> 00:22:42.159
 people.

00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:45.519
 I want to surround

00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:46.059
 myself with

00:22:46.059 --> 00:22:46.500
 those men.

00:22:47.159 --> 00:22:48.179
 I know that

00:22:48.179 --> 00:22:48.799
 y'all do too.

00:22:48.879 --> 00:22:49.240
 I know that I'm

00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:49.899
 not alone in

00:22:49.899 --> 00:22:50.139
 that.

00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:51.799
 I think a

00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:52.619
 very dangerous

00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:53.159
 thing that we

00:22:53.159 --> 00:22:53.759
 could do as

00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:54.359
 believers is we

00:22:54.359 --> 00:22:54.819
 could make this

00:22:54.819 --> 00:22:56.059
 perilous assumption

00:22:56.059 --> 00:22:57.980
 that one day we

00:22:57.980 --> 00:22:59.779
 will arrive, that

00:22:59.779 --> 00:23:00.439
 we will be one of

00:23:00.439 --> 00:23:01.000
 these men and

00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:03.019
 women who are

00:23:03.019 --> 00:23:03.859
 standing firm in

00:23:03.859 --> 00:23:04.359
 the faith, who

00:23:04.359 --> 00:23:05.319
 are here for the

00:23:05.319 --> 00:23:07.199
 long haul, but

00:23:07.199 --> 00:23:07.699
 we're not

00:23:07.699 --> 00:23:08.179
 surrounding

00:23:08.179 --> 00:23:09.119
 ourselves by those

00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:09.399
 people.

00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:10.500
 I think that is

00:23:10.500 --> 00:23:11.540
 a perilous thing

00:23:11.540 --> 00:23:12.120
 to fall into.

00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:12.980
 Say that, you

00:23:12.980 --> 00:23:13.380
 know, I'm just

00:23:13.380 --> 00:23:14.500
 going to coast

00:23:14.500 --> 00:23:15.180
 into holiness.

00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:15.820
 I don't think

00:23:15.820 --> 00:23:16.220
 there's a single

00:23:16.220 --> 00:23:16.660
 person, I could

00:23:16.660 --> 00:23:17.440
 ask every single

00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:19.240
 person here, do

00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:20.160
 you want to turn

00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:21.620
 from Christ in

00:23:21.620 --> 00:23:22.259
 40 years?

00:23:24.300 --> 00:23:25.200
 No one's going

00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:25.860
 to say no.

00:23:27.140 --> 00:23:27.600
 Everyone's going

00:23:27.600 --> 00:23:28.280
 to say, man, I

00:23:28.280 --> 00:23:29.740
 want to be here

00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:30.259
 for the long haul,

00:23:30.340 --> 00:23:31.840
 I want to be in

00:23:31.840 --> 00:23:32.460
 it for the long

00:23:32.460 --> 00:23:33.860
 run, that we

00:23:33.860 --> 00:23:34.519
 want to surround

00:23:34.519 --> 00:23:35.140
 ourselves, but the

00:23:35.140 --> 00:23:35.759
 thing is that we

00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:36.620
 believe that we're

00:23:36.620 --> 00:23:37.380
 just going to coast

00:23:37.380 --> 00:23:38.980
 into that because

00:23:38.980 --> 00:23:39.280
 we're not

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:39.619
 surrounding

00:23:39.619 --> 00:23:40.119
 ourselves with

00:23:40.119 --> 00:23:40.559
 those people.

00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:42.160
 We believe that

00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:43.500
 as we get older,

00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:43.899
 we're going to

00:23:43.899 --> 00:23:44.460
 coast into

00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:45.019
 holiness and

00:23:45.019 --> 00:23:45.240
 we're going to

00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:46.099
 get farther and

00:23:46.099 --> 00:23:47.839
 farther away from

00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:48.879
 heresy, from

00:23:48.879 --> 00:23:50.180
 apostasy, from

00:23:50.180 --> 00:23:50.879
 all those things,

00:23:50.980 --> 00:23:51.559
 just because of

00:23:51.559 --> 00:23:51.879
 the fact that

00:23:51.879 --> 00:23:52.180
 we're getting

00:23:52.180 --> 00:23:52.660
 older.

00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:54.799
 And I think

00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:55.200
 that's a really

00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:55.899
 dangerous assumption

00:23:55.899 --> 00:23:56.359
 to make.

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:58.359
 And here's why I

00:23:58.359 --> 00:23:58.839
 think why.

00:23:59.160 --> 00:23:59.660
 I'm going to

00:23:59.660 --> 00:24:00.139
 read something that

00:24:00.139 --> 00:24:01.000
 John Piper wrote

00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:02.059
 in his book called

00:24:02.059 --> 00:24:02.519
 The Roots of

00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:02.940
 Endurance.

00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:04.559
 So he says,

00:24:04.660 --> 00:24:05.799
 how my mind has

00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:06.379
 changed.

00:24:06.639 --> 00:24:07.480
 As I complete my

00:24:07.480 --> 00:24:08.680
 50th year as a

00:24:08.680 --> 00:24:09.600
 professing Christian,

00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:10.600
 I feel the

00:24:10.600 --> 00:24:11.820
 urgency of

00:24:11.820 --> 00:24:12.820
 endurance more

00:24:12.820 --> 00:24:13.200
 than ever.

00:24:13.460 --> 00:24:14.080
 I used to think

00:24:14.080 --> 00:24:14.480
 differently.

00:24:14.900 --> 00:24:15.500
 I used to think

00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:16.480
 when I was in my

00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:17.480
 20s and 30s that

00:24:17.480 --> 00:24:18.620
 sanctification had a

00:24:18.620 --> 00:24:19.480
 kind of cumulative

00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:20.620
 effect that at

00:24:20.620 --> 00:24:21.840
 50, the likelihood

00:24:21.840 --> 00:24:23.240
 of apostasy would be

00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:24.460
 far smaller than at

00:24:24.460 --> 00:24:25.220
 30 or 40.

00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:26.740
 In one sense, this is

00:24:26.740 --> 00:24:27.019
 true.

00:24:27.460 --> 00:24:28.420
 Surely growth in

00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:29.220
 grace and knowledge

00:24:29.220 --> 00:24:30.519
 and faith helps us

00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:32.259
 to no longer be

00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:32.940
 taught to be

00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:33.980
 children tossed to

00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:35.120
 and fro by the

00:24:35.120 --> 00:24:35.980
 ways and carried

00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:36.960
 about by every wind

00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:38.420
 of doctrine as

00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:39.559
 in Ephesians 4.

00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:40.279
 He says,

00:24:40.519 --> 00:24:41.140
 I see more

00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:42.019
 clearly now that

00:24:42.019 --> 00:24:42.779
 even after the

00:24:42.779 --> 00:24:43.360
 years of such

00:24:43.360 --> 00:24:43.940
 growth and

00:24:43.940 --> 00:24:45.279
 stability, shocking

00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:46.500
 coldness and even

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:47.620
 apostasies are

00:24:47.620 --> 00:24:48.340
 possible.

00:24:49.400 --> 00:24:49.980
 This is John

00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:50.279
 Piper.

00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:51.200
 I'm not saying

00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:52.059
 he's the greatest

00:24:52.059 --> 00:24:52.819
 man to ever walk

00:24:52.819 --> 00:24:53.579
 the earth, but

00:24:53.579 --> 00:24:54.620
 this is someone

00:24:54.620 --> 00:24:55.600
 that a lot of us

00:24:55.600 --> 00:24:56.019
 would say, this is

00:24:56.019 --> 00:24:56.779
 a godly man that

00:24:56.779 --> 00:24:57.799
 I would love to be

00:24:57.799 --> 00:24:58.420
 surrounded by.

00:24:59.079 --> 00:25:00.000
 He's saying this.

00:25:00.299 --> 00:25:00.620
 He says,

00:25:00.619 --> 00:25:02.299
 and I have known

00:25:02.299 --> 00:25:03.879
 moments of horrifying

00:25:03.879 --> 00:25:05.599
 blankness that made

00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:06.799
 me realize my utter

00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:07.639
 dependence on the

00:25:07.639 --> 00:25:08.439
 mercies of God

00:25:08.439 --> 00:25:10.019
 being new every

00:25:10.019 --> 00:25:10.359
 morning.

00:25:11.239 --> 00:25:11.599
 He says,

00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:12.619
 perseverance is a

00:25:12.619 --> 00:25:12.939
 gift.

00:25:13.639 --> 00:25:14.179
 That I will wake

00:25:14.179 --> 00:25:15.079
 up and be a believer

00:25:15.079 --> 00:25:16.399
 tomorrow morning is

00:25:16.399 --> 00:25:17.479
 not finally and

00:25:17.479 --> 00:25:19.219
 decisively owing to

00:25:19.219 --> 00:25:20.399
 my will, but to

00:25:20.399 --> 00:25:20.699
 God.

00:25:21.459 --> 00:25:22.519
 I have known too

00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:23.419
 many mornings on

00:25:23.419 --> 00:25:25.039
 the precipice to

00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:25.819
 think otherwise.

00:25:26.679 --> 00:25:27.259
 That I have been

00:25:27.259 --> 00:25:28.179
 snatched back every

00:25:28.179 --> 00:25:28.979
 time is sheer

00:25:28.979 --> 00:25:29.399
 mercy.

00:25:29.400 --> 00:25:30.420
 The human will

00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:31.620
 cannot be

00:25:31.620 --> 00:25:32.400
 depended on,

00:25:32.700 --> 00:25:33.280
 because in the

00:25:33.280 --> 00:25:34.220
 crisis of faith,

00:25:34.540 --> 00:25:35.580
 it is precisely

00:25:35.580 --> 00:25:37.060
 that same will

00:25:37.060 --> 00:25:38.400
 that is weak and

00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:38.960
 failing.

00:25:40.140 --> 00:25:40.980
 So John Piper

00:25:40.980 --> 00:25:42.000
 even knows himself

00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:42.900
 well enough to

00:25:42.900 --> 00:25:43.940
 say that I don't

00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:46.680
 trust myself to

00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:47.640
 make it to the

00:25:47.640 --> 00:25:47.980
 end.

00:25:48.300 --> 00:25:50.040
 I need Christ.

00:25:51.060 --> 00:25:52.780
 And so Paul

00:25:52.780 --> 00:25:53.480
 gives this example

00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:54.160
 of Timothy.

00:25:54.780 --> 00:25:55.580
 I just want to

00:25:55.580 --> 00:25:56.580
 take a second to

00:25:56.580 --> 00:25:57.360
 look at the

00:25:57.360 --> 00:25:57.900
 character of

00:25:57.900 --> 00:25:58.280
 Timothy.

00:25:58.279 --> 00:26:00.920
 I think

00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:01.519
 Timothy is an

00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:02.980
 excellent example

00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:05.259
 of someone who

00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:06.660
 has such endurance

00:26:06.660 --> 00:26:07.399
 that John Piper is

00:26:07.399 --> 00:26:08.019
 talking about.

00:26:09.879 --> 00:26:10.839
 And the thing is

00:26:10.839 --> 00:26:11.519
 that Paul is

00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:12.019
 writing this about

00:26:12.019 --> 00:26:13.399
 Timothy, but not a

00:26:13.399 --> 00:26:14.579
 lot of people, if

00:26:14.579 --> 00:26:15.200
 you've read 2

00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:15.859
 Timothy, not a lot

00:26:15.859 --> 00:26:16.660
 of people followed

00:26:16.660 --> 00:26:17.500
 Paul to the very

00:26:17.500 --> 00:26:17.740
 end.

00:26:18.019 --> 00:26:19.240
 So Paul is executed

00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:20.319
 in 2 Timothy,

00:26:20.700 --> 00:26:21.720
 probably after he

00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:22.379
 wrote that letter.

00:26:23.059 --> 00:26:24.619
 Turn to 2 Timothy 1,

00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:25.160
 if you would,

00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:25.660
 real quickly.

00:26:39.900 --> 00:26:40.500
 Okay.

00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:43.599
 So this is the

00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:45.019
 final book from

00:26:45.019 --> 00:26:46.400
 Paul right before

00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:47.079
 he's executed.

00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:49.480
 And then, like we

00:26:49.480 --> 00:26:50.200
 said, the end of the

00:26:50.200 --> 00:26:50.819
 book usually has

00:26:50.819 --> 00:26:52.980
 travel plans, what's

00:26:52.980 --> 00:26:53.579
 going on in his life,

00:26:53.640 --> 00:26:54.240
 kind of like small

00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:54.980
 updates, kind of more

00:26:54.980 --> 00:26:55.359
 narrative.

00:26:56.359 --> 00:26:57.819
 But 2 Timothy has a

00:26:57.819 --> 00:26:58.819
 completely different

00:26:58.819 --> 00:26:59.200
 theme.

00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:01.380
 Imagine someone writing

00:27:01.380 --> 00:27:02.359
 their last letter to

00:27:02.359 --> 00:27:03.059
 you, most likely,

00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:04.000
 knowing this is their

00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:04.619
 last letter before

00:27:04.619 --> 00:27:05.339
 they're about to die

00:27:05.339 --> 00:27:06.000
 for the sake of the

00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:06.299
 gospel.

00:27:06.299 --> 00:27:08.759
 I would key in so

00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:09.460
 much to hearing what

00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:10.119
 they have to say.

00:27:11.099 --> 00:27:12.500
 And so, it's kind of

00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:14.519
 this very unsettling

00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:15.779
 theme that's going

00:27:15.779 --> 00:27:16.619
 through 2 Timothy,

00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:17.980
 that Paul is talking

00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:18.220
 about.

00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:19.680
 The truth is, is that

00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:20.519
 many have actually

00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:21.700
 abandoned Paul.

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:23.579
 I'm going to point out

00:27:23.579 --> 00:27:24.180
 a few ones.

00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:26.779
 Verse 15, you are

00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:27.899
 aware that all who

00:27:27.899 --> 00:27:28.799
 are in Asia turned

00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:29.960
 away from me, among

00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:32.279
 whom are Phygelus and

00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:33.019
 Hermogenes.

00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:36.400
 So, all of Asia has

00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:37.680
 turned away from Paul,

00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:38.139
 or at least the

00:27:38.139 --> 00:27:38.779
 believers that he

00:27:38.779 --> 00:27:39.139
 knows.

00:27:39.779 --> 00:27:40.680
 All of them have

00:27:40.680 --> 00:27:41.720
 turned away from Paul,

00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:43.420
 specifically these two

00:27:43.420 --> 00:27:44.559
 guys, Phygelus and

00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:45.240
 Hermogenes.

00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:47.839
 And then turn to, flip

00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:49.319
 the next page, chapter

00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:51.019
 4, verse 9.

00:27:52.980 --> 00:27:53.519
 Okay.

00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:55.339
 So he says, do your

00:27:55.339 --> 00:27:56.240
 best to come to me

00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:59.099
 soon, for Demas, in

00:27:59.099 --> 00:28:00.139
 love with this present

00:28:00.139 --> 00:28:01.139
 world, has deserted

00:28:01.139 --> 00:28:01.960
 me and gone to

00:28:01.960 --> 00:28:02.599
 Thessalonica.

00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:04.659
 Crescens has gone to

00:28:04.659 --> 00:28:06.000
 Galatia, Titus to

00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:06.539
 Dalmatia.

00:28:07.019 --> 00:28:07.980
 Luke alone is with

00:28:07.980 --> 00:28:08.179
 me.

00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:09.859
 Get Mark and bring

00:28:09.859 --> 00:28:10.959
 him with you, for

00:28:10.959 --> 00:28:13.240
 he is very useful for

00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:13.899
 my ministry.

00:28:15.899 --> 00:28:16.819
 Demas, I want to

00:28:16.819 --> 00:28:17.879
 just, who is this

00:28:17.879 --> 00:28:18.159
 guy?

00:28:18.500 --> 00:28:20.419
 He left Paul, because

00:28:20.419 --> 00:28:21.019
 he's fallen in love

00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:21.539
 with the world.

00:28:22.219 --> 00:28:22.939
 And the thing is, if

00:28:22.939 --> 00:28:23.659
 you do a word search

00:28:23.659 --> 00:28:24.339
 on Demas, he's

00:28:24.339 --> 00:28:25.139
 actually someone who's

00:28:25.139 --> 00:28:26.980
 been mentioned in

00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:27.959
 Paul's letters before.

00:28:28.139 --> 00:28:29.019
 Where is he familiar

00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:29.399
 from?

00:28:30.199 --> 00:28:31.439
 Colossians 4, verse

00:28:31.439 --> 00:28:32.039
 14.

00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:34.299
 Really quick.

00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:36.000
 So, he says that

00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:36.839
 Demas has left

00:28:36.839 --> 00:28:37.099
 him.

00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:38.539
 And then he says,

00:28:39.099 --> 00:28:40.179
 this is before he

00:28:40.179 --> 00:28:40.879
 wrote that, in

00:28:40.879 --> 00:28:41.619
 Colossians.

00:28:44.619 --> 00:28:45.779
 So, kind of given

00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:48.339
 the same orders of

00:28:48.339 --> 00:28:49.679
 his travel plans, he

00:28:49.679 --> 00:28:51.459
 says in verse 14, he

00:28:51.459 --> 00:28:54.000
 says, Luke, the

00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:54.779
 beloved physician,

00:28:54.899 --> 00:28:55.980
 greets you, as does

00:28:55.980 --> 00:28:56.439
 Demas.

00:28:56.440 --> 00:28:58.380
 kind of listing off all

00:28:58.380 --> 00:28:58.840
 these people.

00:28:58.840 --> 00:29:01.580
 He says, he lists

00:29:01.580 --> 00:29:02.279
 Demas as someone who

00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:03.100
 was actually with him,

00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:03.880
 laboring for the

00:29:03.880 --> 00:29:04.259
 gospel.

00:29:04.860 --> 00:29:06.140
 One more place is in

00:29:06.140 --> 00:29:09.380
 Philemon 1, verse 24.

00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:14.120
 So, he's giving more

00:29:14.120 --> 00:29:15.440
 commands at the end of

00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:15.880
 this book, and he

00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:16.960
 says, Epaphras, my

00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:17.940
 fellow prisoner in

00:29:17.940 --> 00:29:18.840
 Christ, Jesus sends

00:29:18.840 --> 00:29:19.580
 greetings to you.

00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:20.460
 So, we're talking

00:29:20.460 --> 00:29:21.720
 about prison here.

00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:23.299
 Like, he's listing off

00:29:23.299 --> 00:29:23.819
 his prisoners.

00:29:24.360 --> 00:29:26.539
 So, he says, Epaphras,

00:29:26.579 --> 00:29:27.299
 my fellow prisoner in

00:29:27.299 --> 00:29:28.140
 Christ, Jesus sends

00:29:28.140 --> 00:29:29.480
 greetings to you.

00:29:29.860 --> 00:29:30.980
 And so do Mark,

00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:34.880
 Aristarchus, Demas, and

00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:35.720
 Luke, my fellow

00:29:35.720 --> 00:29:36.120
 workers.

00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:37.960
 So, this is a guy who's

00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:38.920
 in prison with Paul.

00:29:39.059 --> 00:29:40.640
 We're not talking about

00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:41.940
 a guy that, when the

00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:44.039
 going gets rough, I'm

00:29:44.039 --> 00:29:44.740
 going to peace out.

00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:46.140
 Like, he's not like

00:29:46.140 --> 00:29:46.339
 that.

00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:47.920
 He's not, this is not a

00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:49.740
 guy who was just here

00:29:49.740 --> 00:29:51.360
 because Paul is doing a

00:29:51.360 --> 00:29:51.700
 lot of cool things.

00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:53.620
 He's doing miracles, and

00:29:53.620 --> 00:29:54.700
 he agrees with them, and

00:29:54.700 --> 00:29:55.319
 he's there.

00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:56.120
 But as soon as things

00:29:56.120 --> 00:29:57.299
 get tough, he backs

00:29:57.299 --> 00:29:57.579
 out.

00:29:57.860 --> 00:29:58.660
 That's not Demas.

00:29:58.779 --> 00:29:59.880
 Demas, that's not him.

00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:01.339
 This is the guy who's

00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:02.160
 been in prison with

00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:03.860
 Paul, and probably

00:30:03.860 --> 00:30:04.799
 through a lot worse.

00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:06.039
 And then at the end of

00:30:06.039 --> 00:30:06.880
 his letter in 2nd

00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:08.380
 Timothy, he's fallen

00:30:08.380 --> 00:30:09.019
 in love with the world,

00:30:09.059 --> 00:30:10.180
 and he's left Paul.

00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:12.440
 So, if that's not

00:30:12.440 --> 00:30:13.400
 unsettling, that we can

00:30:13.400 --> 00:30:14.740
 be in prison for

00:30:14.740 --> 00:30:15.140
 Christ.

00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:17.059
 And that doesn't mean

00:30:17.059 --> 00:30:17.920
 anything.

00:30:20.299 --> 00:30:21.079
 It's like, man,

00:30:21.079 --> 00:30:23.460
 and so the truth is

00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:26.559
 that we don't know if

00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:27.639
 Demas comes back.

00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:28.720
 He might.

00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:29.879
 He might have come

00:30:29.879 --> 00:30:30.179
 back.

00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:31.699
 But as far as we're

00:30:31.699 --> 00:30:32.879
 concerned, as far as we

00:30:32.879 --> 00:30:34.039
 know in Scripture, there's

00:30:34.039 --> 00:30:34.740
 no indication that he

00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:35.199
 does.

00:30:35.559 --> 00:30:36.319
 It's kind of this

00:30:36.319 --> 00:30:37.519
 unsettling thought that you

00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:39.679
 can be in it and around

00:30:39.679 --> 00:30:42.339
 people and not endure, and

00:30:42.339 --> 00:30:43.439
 not be this example that

00:30:43.439 --> 00:30:44.279
 Paul's giving in

00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:44.759
 Philippians.

00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:49.180
 And so, Timothy stays.

00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:51.039
 And as far as we know, so

00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:51.920
 does Epaphroditus.

00:30:52.740 --> 00:30:54.299
 Is Timothy flawless?

00:30:56.119 --> 00:30:56.559
 No.

00:30:56.940 --> 00:30:58.279
 Timothy's not flawless, man.

00:30:58.359 --> 00:31:00.279
 He's, in fact, a majority

00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:02.480
 of 1 Timothy that Paul

00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:04.859
 writes to Timothy, I mean,

00:31:04.940 --> 00:31:05.839
 it sounds good because it's

00:31:05.839 --> 00:31:06.539
 a book, but it's also

00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:07.660
 because Paul's writing this

00:31:07.660 --> 00:31:08.740
 to Timothy as instructions

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:09.440
 to Timothy.

00:31:10.400 --> 00:31:11.299
 Here's some of the things

00:31:11.299 --> 00:31:12.000
 that's going on with

00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:12.240
 Timothy.

00:31:12.740 --> 00:31:13.680
 Timothy is most likely

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:14.480
 backing down from

00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:15.559
 preaching the gospel, so

00:31:15.559 --> 00:31:17.339
 Paul says, don't back

00:31:17.339 --> 00:31:18.019
 down from preaching the

00:31:18.019 --> 00:31:18.180
 gospel.

00:31:18.359 --> 00:31:19.259
 Preach it boldly.

00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:20.880
 And then he's not being

00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:21.940
 above reproach, and so

00:31:21.940 --> 00:31:23.099
 Paul's saying, be above

00:31:23.099 --> 00:31:23.740
 reproach.

00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:25.599
 And it's possible he's not

00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:27.440
 tolerating dissension and

00:31:27.440 --> 00:31:28.660
 ungodly teaching in his

00:31:28.660 --> 00:31:29.019
 church.

00:31:30.120 --> 00:31:31.640
 Timothy was a pastor in

00:31:31.640 --> 00:31:34.799
 Ephesus, and so he's got a

00:31:34.799 --> 00:31:36.500
 lot of cultural influence

00:31:36.500 --> 00:31:37.000
 on him.

00:31:37.380 --> 00:31:38.980
 And so, Timothy's by no

00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:39.700
 means flawless.

00:31:40.620 --> 00:31:42.039
 He's got a lot that Paul

00:31:42.039 --> 00:31:44.099
 is instructing him on, and

00:31:44.099 --> 00:31:45.700
 Paul is asking him to stand

00:31:45.700 --> 00:31:46.579
 true to his teaching.

00:31:47.059 --> 00:31:48.599
 But the truth is that

00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:50.159
 Timothy endures.

00:31:52.259 --> 00:31:54.539
 God uses flawed, broken

00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:56.420
 life to be an encouragement

00:31:56.420 --> 00:31:57.539
 to the Philippians in this

00:31:57.539 --> 00:31:57.899
 text.

00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:01.879
 Not just the past two

00:32:01.879 --> 00:32:04.879
 chapters, but because he

00:32:04.879 --> 00:32:06.339
 doesn't intend those things

00:32:06.339 --> 00:32:08.299
 to just be theoretical.

00:32:08.299 --> 00:32:10.460
 He gives this example of

00:32:10.460 --> 00:32:13.680
 broken, flawed Timothy, and

00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:14.859
 Epaphroditus, who I'm sure

00:32:14.859 --> 00:32:15.899
 he's got a long list of

00:32:15.899 --> 00:32:16.159
 things.

00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:17.639
 But he gives this example of

00:32:17.639 --> 00:32:20.159
 these guys that are living

00:32:20.159 --> 00:32:20.740
 this out.

00:32:22.359 --> 00:32:24.000
 And the question is, why?

00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:26.000
 Why does Paul, Paul does

00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:27.339
 this, and God puts this there

00:32:27.339 --> 00:32:30.019
 because God has never intended

00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:32.039
 his word to solely be

00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:32.700
 theoretical.

00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:36.819
 He, God has always intended

00:32:36.819 --> 00:32:38.259
 to be applied to our love

00:32:38.259 --> 00:32:39.840
 and not just our minds.

00:32:41.920 --> 00:32:43.759
 And so, the thing is, is

00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:46.259
 that as, if we read

00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:47.860
 Philippians like it's a

00:32:47.860 --> 00:32:49.840
 biology experiment to be

00:32:49.840 --> 00:32:51.940
 dissected, pulled apart,

00:32:52.759 --> 00:32:53.700
 studied, and philosophized

00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:56.000
 over, and that's it, we miss

00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:57.200
 the point completely.

00:32:57.960 --> 00:32:59.180
 So, it's kind of nice that

00:32:59.180 --> 00:33:01.140
 we have this pause here

00:33:01.140 --> 00:33:02.900
 because Paul is writing this

00:33:02.900 --> 00:33:03.920
 letter, he's giving all

00:33:03.920 --> 00:33:05.120
 these hard things, and I

00:33:05.120 --> 00:33:06.039
 can imagine Paul just

00:33:06.039 --> 00:33:06.940
 kind of saying, I know

00:33:06.940 --> 00:33:07.700
 this is tough, I know this

00:33:07.700 --> 00:33:09.460
 is tough, but I'm going to

00:33:09.460 --> 00:33:10.600
 give an example of this.

00:33:11.100 --> 00:33:12.340
 And Paul is saying, don't

00:33:12.340 --> 00:33:14.100
 miss the purpose of these

00:33:14.100 --> 00:33:14.779
 two chapters.

00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:16.680
 Don't miss the point of

00:33:16.680 --> 00:33:16.759
 it.

00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:18.600
 Don't overanalyze this, and

00:33:18.600 --> 00:33:19.960
 just let this be theory.

00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:21.700
 This needs to affect your

00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:22.559
 life like it's affected

00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:24.200
 Timothy and Epaphroditus.

00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:25.480
 So, if you're kind of

00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:26.180
 sitting here, and we've

00:33:26.180 --> 00:33:26.779
 been reading through

00:33:26.779 --> 00:33:27.799
 Philippians, and we've

00:33:27.799 --> 00:33:28.599
 been talking about it in

00:33:28.599 --> 00:33:29.839
 our discussion groups, and

00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:31.220
 you've kind of gotten

00:33:31.220 --> 00:33:32.359
 discouraged because there's

00:33:32.359 --> 00:33:33.779
 so much going on, and it

00:33:33.779 --> 00:33:35.259
 almost seems impossible to

00:33:35.259 --> 00:33:35.819
 live this out.

00:33:36.599 --> 00:33:37.440
 Don't be discouraged.

00:33:37.579 --> 00:33:39.240
 Paul is begging us, don't

00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:39.680
 be discouraged.

00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:41.660
 Here are two guys who you

00:33:41.660 --> 00:33:42.119
 know.

00:33:42.460 --> 00:33:43.519
 Jesus is someone who we've

00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:44.680
 heard about, and we read

00:33:44.680 --> 00:33:45.639
 about, but these are two

00:33:45.639 --> 00:33:46.680
 guys that we know.

00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:48.819
 And so, he's giving

00:33:48.819 --> 00:33:50.440
 first-hand examples of

00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:52.220
 Timothy and Epaphroditus.

00:33:52.220 --> 00:33:56.940
 And so, we want, every

00:33:56.940 --> 00:33:57.799
 single person in this room

00:33:57.799 --> 00:33:59.700
 wants to be like Epaphroditus

00:34:00.380 --> 00:34:01.000
 and Timothy.

00:34:01.059 --> 00:34:02.400
 We want to endure to the

00:34:02.400 --> 00:34:02.600
 end.

00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:04.839
 And the question is, and

00:34:04.839 --> 00:34:05.799
 how do we do that?

00:34:05.880 --> 00:34:07.579
 If we've got so much here in

00:34:07.579 --> 00:34:09.559
 the text that Paul is giving

00:34:09.559 --> 00:34:10.720
 us, and then we've got this

00:34:10.720 --> 00:34:12.480
 example of Timothy and

00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:13.699
 Epaphroditus, and I definitely

00:34:14.240 --> 00:34:15.119
 don't feel like a Paul and

00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:16.240
 Epaphroditus, or Timothy and

00:34:16.240 --> 00:34:17.199
 Epaphroditus all the time.

00:34:17.460 --> 00:34:19.440
 I don't feel like, I wonder

00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:20.240
 what I would do in these

00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:21.399
 situations that Timothy was

00:34:21.399 --> 00:34:21.779
 put in.

00:34:22.659 --> 00:34:24.219
 And I think it has two

00:34:24.219 --> 00:34:25.199
 responses for that.

00:34:26.659 --> 00:34:28.659
 How do we keep this when we

00:34:28.659 --> 00:34:31.019
 know that, Lord, we're prone

00:34:31.019 --> 00:34:31.799
 to wander.

00:34:32.119 --> 00:34:35.419
 I'm just as capable of sin and

00:34:35.419 --> 00:34:37.500
 apostasy as Demis is.

00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:39.479
 And if we tell ourselves that

00:34:39.479 --> 00:34:40.439
 we're not, we're fooling

00:34:40.439 --> 00:34:40.879
 ourselves.

00:34:42.019 --> 00:34:44.219
 And so, I'm going to finish

00:34:44.219 --> 00:34:48.079
 out, actually, what John

00:34:48.079 --> 00:34:50.319
 Piper says here in the next

00:34:50.319 --> 00:34:50.579
 page.

00:34:50.639 --> 00:34:53.719
 He says, that is my cry.

00:34:54.279 --> 00:34:55.699
 He says, let your goodness,

00:34:55.819 --> 00:34:57.739
 O God, bind my heart with a

00:34:57.739 --> 00:34:58.519
 chain to you.

00:34:58.980 --> 00:35:01.019
 Seal my will to yours with an

00:35:01.019 --> 00:35:03.039
 unbreakable application of your

00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:03.960
 eternal covenant.

00:35:03.960 --> 00:35:06.760
 Is this the way that Christians

00:35:06.760 --> 00:35:07.260
 should pray?

00:35:07.720 --> 00:35:08.260
 Keep me.

00:35:08.380 --> 00:35:09.019
 Preserve me.

00:35:09.380 --> 00:35:10.940
 Defeat every rising rebellion.

00:35:11.440 --> 00:35:13.139
 Overcome every doubt.

00:35:13.740 --> 00:35:15.679
 Deliver me from every destructive

00:35:15.679 --> 00:35:16.260
 temptation.

00:35:16.940 --> 00:35:18.199
 Nullify every fatal

00:35:18.199 --> 00:35:18.579
 alignment.

00:35:19.079 --> 00:35:20.320
 Expose every demonic

00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:20.800
 deception.

00:35:21.340 --> 00:35:22.539
 Tear down every arrogant

00:35:22.539 --> 00:35:23.000
 argument.

00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:23.820
 Shape me.

00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:24.480
 Incline me.

00:35:24.599 --> 00:35:24.960
 Hold me.

00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:25.720
 Master me.

00:35:26.139 --> 00:35:27.679
 Do whatever you must to keep

00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:29.659
 me trusting you and fearing you

00:35:29.659 --> 00:35:31.659
 until Jesus comes or calls.

00:35:31.659 --> 00:35:36.139
 So, I think we keep that by

00:35:36.139 --> 00:35:37.359
 crying out to God.

00:35:37.899 --> 00:35:40.500
 I think it always starts in the

00:35:40.500 --> 00:35:40.779
 heart.

00:35:41.460 --> 00:35:43.139
 If we go straight to hands after

00:35:43.139 --> 00:35:44.399
 this, like if we just go straight

00:35:44.399 --> 00:35:47.139
 into applying this to our lives

00:35:47.139 --> 00:35:48.139
 and just thinking of practical

00:35:48.139 --> 00:35:49.399
 ways that we can do this, that we

00:35:49.399 --> 00:35:50.259
 can be a Timothy and a

00:35:50.259 --> 00:35:52.839
 Paphroditus, we're going to burn

00:35:52.839 --> 00:35:53.119
 out.

00:35:53.859 --> 00:35:55.239
 You will not make it.

00:35:56.719 --> 00:35:58.359
 Because we're focused so much on

00:35:58.359 --> 00:35:59.819
 our actions and we're not

00:35:59.819 --> 00:36:00.679
 focused on our hearts.

00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:02.379
 And so, I think along with that

00:36:02.379 --> 00:36:03.719
 cry that John Piper is talking

00:36:03.719 --> 00:36:05.179
 about, it has to start in our

00:36:05.179 --> 00:36:05.359
 hearts.

00:36:05.419 --> 00:36:06.739
 It has to start when we go home

00:36:06.739 --> 00:36:08.319
 tonight and just thinking about,

00:36:08.539 --> 00:36:09.919
 Lord, I want to be kept by you.

00:36:09.980 --> 00:36:12.559
 I want to be all these things that

00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:13.500
 you're talking about in these

00:36:13.500 --> 00:36:14.739
 first two chapters of Philippians.

00:36:14.819 --> 00:36:16.000
 I want to be like Timothy and

00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:18.399
 Epaphroditus, but I need you to

00:36:18.399 --> 00:36:19.480
 keep me.

00:36:21.500 --> 00:36:23.460
 And so, that's our text for

00:36:23.460 --> 00:36:23.739
 tonight.

00:36:23.980 --> 00:36:25.339
 The thing is that we need to

00:36:25.339 --> 00:36:28.139
 surround ourselves with godly men

00:36:28.139 --> 00:36:28.759
 and women.

00:36:30.059 --> 00:36:32.099
 And Nathan said this a few times

00:36:32.099 --> 00:36:34.599
 is that it is so important that

00:36:34.599 --> 00:36:35.879
 we do more than just hang out with

00:36:35.879 --> 00:36:36.579
 college students.

00:36:37.299 --> 00:36:38.559
 It is so important that we get

00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:39.940
 around people with families.

00:36:40.179 --> 00:36:41.480
 It is important that I get around

00:36:41.480 --> 00:36:44.440
 Chris and his family and that I get

00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:46.619
 around to see them, how they

00:36:46.619 --> 00:36:47.179
 operate.

00:36:47.839 --> 00:36:48.719
 It is so important.

00:36:49.079 --> 00:36:50.539
 We need someone like that in our

00:36:50.539 --> 00:36:50.819
 life.

00:36:51.139 --> 00:36:53.059
 We need to not just see them on

00:36:53.059 --> 00:36:54.819
 Sunday, but we need to be there

00:36:54.820 --> 00:36:56.240
 around their lives to eat with

00:36:56.240 --> 00:36:59.039
 these families, to break bread

00:36:59.039 --> 00:36:59.440
 with them.

00:37:00.360 --> 00:37:02.120
 And so, as we're concluding this

00:37:02.120 --> 00:37:04.940
 out, this is such a nice pause for

00:37:04.940 --> 00:37:06.780
 our discussion groups tonight for

00:37:06.780 --> 00:37:10.039
 just where we're at because we have

00:37:10.039 --> 00:37:12.640
 really important questions to ask

00:37:12.640 --> 00:37:13.140
 ourselves.

00:37:14.100 --> 00:37:16.080
 There's two questions, or there's

00:37:16.080 --> 00:37:17.320
 three questions that I say, okay,

00:37:17.380 --> 00:37:18.200
 just think about.

00:37:19.780 --> 00:37:21.980
 Because that first part of tonight

00:37:21.980 --> 00:37:23.519
 where I'm saying that it's easy to

00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:26.219
 pass over what we're reading so far

00:37:26.219 --> 00:37:26.920
 in Philippians.

00:37:27.440 --> 00:37:29.320
 It's easy to pass over this part

00:37:29.320 --> 00:37:30.440
 because it's a narrative.

00:37:32.360 --> 00:37:35.259
 But the question is that with the

00:37:35.259 --> 00:37:38.559
 knowledge that you know, knowledge is

00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:40.320
 a very great thing, but it's also a

00:37:40.320 --> 00:37:41.579
 dangerous thing, and everyone will

00:37:41.579 --> 00:37:42.219
 tell you that.

00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:44.579
 And the question is, is what you're

00:37:44.579 --> 00:37:46.599
 learning here, what you're learning

00:37:46.599 --> 00:37:48.579
 tonight, what you're reading from even

00:37:48.579 --> 00:37:50.239
 your own time in the work, is it

00:37:50.239 --> 00:37:52.860
 leading to a knowledge that puffs up

00:37:52.860 --> 00:37:55.420
 like Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 8?

00:37:55.460 --> 00:37:56.620
 Is it leading to a knowledge that

00:37:56.620 --> 00:37:58.559
 puffs up, or is it leading to a

00:37:58.559 --> 00:37:59.940
 knowledge that builds up in love?

00:38:00.840 --> 00:38:04.599
 Our knowledge is worthless if we don't

00:38:04.599 --> 00:38:05.079
 have love.

00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:09.300
 So what are we doing with that

00:38:09.300 --> 00:38:10.820
 knowledge that we already have?

00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:13.700
 You can see Timothy and Epaphroditus

00:38:13.700 --> 00:38:16.660
 love Paul, and they love the

00:38:16.660 --> 00:38:17.240
 Philippians.

00:38:17.980 --> 00:38:19.360
 They're great examples.

00:38:19.360 --> 00:38:21.660
 Christ is our ultimate example, but

00:38:21.660 --> 00:38:22.880
 these are great examples.

00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:26.340
 The next question is, are you being

00:38:26.340 --> 00:38:27.940
 faithful to the revelation that you

00:38:27.940 --> 00:38:29.059
 already have?

00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:32.079
 Or are we passing over these simple

00:38:32.079 --> 00:38:34.380
 truths the Bible has made very clear

00:38:34.380 --> 00:38:34.840
 to us?

00:38:35.180 --> 00:38:36.380
 Non-negotiable truth.

00:38:37.720 --> 00:38:39.079
 And are we looking for a new

00:38:39.079 --> 00:38:41.140
 revelation instead of being faithful

00:38:41.140 --> 00:38:41.720
 to those things?

00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:44.400
 Man, a practical way in my life is

00:38:44.400 --> 00:38:46.180
 sometimes I have to just stop

00:38:46.179 --> 00:38:48.519
 listening to sermons from like John

00:38:48.519 --> 00:38:52.039
 Piper or John MacArthur or Matt

00:38:52.039 --> 00:38:52.279
 Chandler.

00:38:52.359 --> 00:38:54.279
 I have to stop because I just like

00:38:54.279 --> 00:38:55.960
 to listen to those things, and I

00:38:55.960 --> 00:38:57.599
 don't even think about the fact that,

00:38:57.899 --> 00:38:59.239
 God, am I even being faithful to

00:38:59.239 --> 00:38:59.759
 those things?

00:39:00.440 --> 00:39:02.399
 Am I just stocking up knowledge

00:39:02.399 --> 00:39:03.819
 because it's what I like to do?

00:39:06.319 --> 00:39:09.159
 And then, man, kind of a more deeper

00:39:09.159 --> 00:39:13.239
 question is, have Jesus' words and

00:39:13.239 --> 00:39:15.899
 Paul's words, have they lost their

00:39:15.899 --> 00:39:18.219
 original intention to be lived out

00:39:18.219 --> 00:39:18.699
 in your life?

00:39:18.879 --> 00:39:21.639
 And they're merely just words on a

00:39:21.639 --> 00:39:23.739
 page that we are just analyzing and

00:39:23.739 --> 00:39:26.819
 studying, and they have no application

00:39:26.819 --> 00:39:27.459
 in our lives.

00:39:28.979 --> 00:39:31.299
 Those are good places to start.

00:39:32.539 --> 00:39:34.359
 Let's just be thinking about those as

00:39:34.359 --> 00:39:36.379
 we're worshiping Christ through our

00:39:36.379 --> 00:39:38.259
 musical worship and as we get to talk

00:39:38.259 --> 00:39:39.939
 to each other tonight.

00:39:39.940 --> 00:39:42.780
 I love getting to be in these

00:39:42.780 --> 00:39:45.679
 discussion groups because what I've

00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:47.720
 loved is having guys and girls in the

00:39:47.720 --> 00:39:49.420
 group that I get to know their name,

00:39:49.579 --> 00:39:52.460
 I get to talk about this, but then I

00:39:52.460 --> 00:39:54.740
 get to pray for them, and we get to ask

00:39:54.740 --> 00:39:55.720
 each other, man, what's going on in your

00:39:55.720 --> 00:39:55.940
 life?

00:39:56.059 --> 00:39:57.240
 Like, you're telling me what's going on.

00:39:57.320 --> 00:39:58.519
 Like, just tell me something so I can

00:39:58.519 --> 00:39:59.059
 pray for you.

00:40:00.440 --> 00:40:02.000
 That is what I love so much about it,

00:40:02.019 --> 00:40:05.079
 and so let's take this and let's ask

00:40:05.079 --> 00:40:06.800
 ourselves those questions as Wes comes

00:40:06.800 --> 00:40:10.300
 up and as we break out into discussion

00:40:10.300 --> 00:40:10.740
 groups.

00:40:11.900 --> 00:40:12.980
 Let me just pray for us.

00:40:18.820 --> 00:40:22.820
 Heavenly Father, you are so good to us.

00:40:24.600 --> 00:40:27.480
 God, you have not just left us following

00:40:27.480 --> 00:40:31.440
 a rigid and dogmatic religion that means

00:40:31.440 --> 00:40:34.019
 nothing to us, that has no impact on our

00:40:34.019 --> 00:40:37.099
 lives, but God, you have given us truth,

00:40:37.179 --> 00:40:38.960
 and you've given us men to look to and

00:40:38.960 --> 00:40:42.079
 women to look to that can encourage us

00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:42.820
 to live this out.

00:40:42.940 --> 00:40:45.079
 Father, thank you that you love us more

00:40:45.079 --> 00:40:46.880
 than any one of us in this room will

00:40:46.880 --> 00:40:48.739
 ever understand, and I know I will never

00:40:48.739 --> 00:40:49.519
 understand it.

00:40:50.239 --> 00:40:53.340
 God, I beg you to change my heart over

00:40:53.340 --> 00:40:54.019
 this text.

00:40:54.360 --> 00:40:55.860
 Would you please change the hearts in

00:40:55.860 --> 00:40:57.380
 this room over this text?

00:40:57.739 --> 00:40:59.539
 God, I just pray that tonight we would

00:40:59.539 --> 00:41:04.159
 just pause and, God, invite you in to

00:41:04.159 --> 00:41:06.759
 change our hearts, maybe in just a small

00:41:06.759 --> 00:41:09.500
 way, Father, but God, I just pray that you

00:41:09.500 --> 00:41:11.800
 would change our hearts before we try and

00:41:11.800 --> 00:41:13.179
 start changing our actions.

00:41:13.880 --> 00:41:16.059
 We love you, and you are so good to us.

00:41:16.480 --> 00:41:17.900
 We pray this in Christ's name.

00:41:18.099 --> 00:41:18.259
 Amen.