WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.080 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:11.580 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, redistribution, or any other 00:00:11.580 --> 00:00:15.280 use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:22.620 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:22.620 --> 00:00:34.820 Today's reading is from the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 3, starting in verse 1. 00:00:36.520 --> 00:00:43.780 In those days, John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, 00:00:44.939 --> 00:00:48.240 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. 00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:52.180 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah. 00:00:52.619 --> 00:00:58.559 A voice of one calling in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths 00:00:58.559 --> 00:00:59.079 for him. 00:01:00.299 --> 00:01:05.060 John's clothes were made of camel's hair and he had a leather belt around his waist. 00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:07.539 His food was locusts and wild honey. 00:01:08.500 --> 00:01:13.039 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:17.680 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:24.380 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to 00:01:24.380 --> 00:01:24.660 them, 00:01:24.659 --> 00:01:25.659 You brood of vipers. 00:01:25.659 --> 00:01:30.039 You brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the coming wrath. 00:01:30.599 --> 00:01:32.979 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 00:01:33.939 --> 00:01:38.500 And do not think you can say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. 00:01:39.319 --> 00:01:44.840 I tell you that out of these stones, God can raise up children for Abraham. 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:50.260 The axe is already at the root of the trees and every tree that does not produce good fruit 00:01:50.260 --> 00:01:52.920 will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 00:01:53.579 --> 00:01:56.140 I baptize you with water for repentance. 00:01:56.939 --> 00:02:02.800 But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. 00:02:03.600 --> 00:02:06.340 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:12.480 His winnowing fork is in his hand and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:16.179 into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:22.719 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 00:02:23.339 --> 00:02:27.839 But John tried to deter him saying, I need to be baptized by you. 00:02:28.399 --> 00:02:29.599 And do you come to me? 00:02:30.579 --> 00:02:32.500 Jesus replied, let it be so now. 00:02:33.079 --> 00:02:36.939 It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness. 00:02:38.019 --> 00:02:39.459 Then John consented. 00:02:39.460 --> 00:02:43.659 And as soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. 00:02:44.340 --> 00:02:46.520 At that moment, heaven was opened. 00:02:46.740 --> 00:02:51.060 And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 00:02:51.600 --> 00:02:56.219 And a voice from heaven said, this is my son whom I love. 00:02:56.780 --> 00:02:59.439 With him I am well pleased. 00:03:00.219 --> 00:03:02.140 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:03:03.100 --> 00:03:04.480 Praise to you, O Christ. 00:03:04.659 --> 00:03:04.900 Amen. 00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:05.719 You may be seated. 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:05.840 Amen. 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:05.900 Amen. 00:03:05.900 --> 00:03:05.939 Amen. 00:03:05.939 --> 00:03:05.980 Amen. 00:03:05.980 --> 00:03:06.020 Amen. 00:03:06.020 --> 00:03:06.040 Amen. 00:03:06.040 --> 00:03:06.080 Amen. 00:03:09.460 --> 00:03:11.620 Well, Happy New Year, Christ Church. 00:03:11.740 --> 00:03:13.620 You all look well rested this morning. 00:03:14.520 --> 00:03:20.680 And it's a joy to start this new year in worship together, just praising God and thanking him 00:03:20.680 --> 00:03:26.420 for all of his goodness to us over the past year and anticipating the goodness he'll show 00:03:26.420 --> 00:03:28.280 to us in this next year. 00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:33.460 So what does one preach on New Year's Day? 00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:38.680 What does one preach here on the eighth day of the 12 days of Christmas? 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:46.400 At Christmas, we've been celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, but Jesus grew up. 00:03:47.639 --> 00:03:52.620 I don't know if that's a spoiler alert to any of you, but Jesus didn't stay a baby. 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:53.340 He grew up. 00:03:53.420 --> 00:03:54.180 He became a man. 00:03:54.180 --> 00:03:59.180 He went into public ministry, and when he did so, he turned the world upside down. 00:04:00.040 --> 00:04:03.520 And the gospel of Matthew puts us in touch with that reality. 00:04:03.659 --> 00:04:11.640 It puts us in touch with the historical Jesus of Nazareth, who is the revelation of God. 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:19.899 And Matthew 3 is the place where Jesus' public ministry begins, here on the edge of the waters 00:04:19.899 --> 00:04:21.500 of the Jordan River. 00:04:21.500 --> 00:04:31.139 And what I think this text tells us today is that real life flows from the Son's baptism 00:04:31.139 --> 00:04:34.660 and the Father's love and the Spirit's power. 00:04:35.220 --> 00:04:39.300 And I think we can see all of those things here in this text, that real life flows from 00:04:39.300 --> 00:04:44.220 the Son's baptism and the Father's love and the Spirit's power. 00:04:44.300 --> 00:04:48.399 And I want to talk a little bit about, first of all, about the Son's baptism. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:53.799 It says in verse 1, that in those days John the Baptist came and he was preaching in the 00:04:53.799 --> 00:04:59.939 wilderness of Judea, and he was saying, repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. 00:05:00.799 --> 00:05:05.299 We all know Paul Revere, you know, the British are coming, the British are coming. 00:05:05.679 --> 00:05:07.919 John the Baptist says the kingdom of God is coming. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.179 The kingdom of heaven is coming. 00:05:10.180 --> 00:05:17.000 And his role is to alarm us, to alarm us into serious preparation. 00:05:18.060 --> 00:05:19.180 And where is he doing that? 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:24.420 He's doing that at the very place where the liberated people of God entered into the promised 00:05:24.420 --> 00:05:24.680 land. 00:05:24.740 --> 00:05:27.060 They came into the promised land at the Jordan River. 00:05:27.180 --> 00:05:31.399 And so John goes back to that place and he says, let's begin again. 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:41.459 Let's have a fresh start at these waters and get ready for the liberating rule of God, the 00:05:41.459 --> 00:05:44.979 gracious reign of God that's just around the corner. 00:05:45.159 --> 00:05:47.279 It's an announcement that it's coming. 00:05:47.539 --> 00:05:49.000 And how do the people respond? 00:05:49.679 --> 00:05:54.519 Well, it says in verse 5 that people went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the 00:05:54.519 --> 00:06:00.599 whole region of the Jordan and they were confessing their sins and they were being baptized by him 00:06:00.599 --> 00:06:02.139 in the Jordan River. 00:06:03.319 --> 00:06:06.639 They weren't minimizing their sins. 00:06:06.779 --> 00:06:08.699 They weren't denying their sins. 00:06:08.799 --> 00:06:10.500 They weren't justifying their sins. 00:06:11.399 --> 00:06:19.459 They were coming and openly admitting their destructive self-centeredness that, yeah, you know, we are 00:06:19.459 --> 00:06:21.039 not the people we should be. 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:25.240 We've not been loving God with all of our heart. 00:06:25.420 --> 00:06:29.819 We've not been loving our neighbors as much as or more than we love ourselves. 00:06:29.939 --> 00:06:35.280 We've been missing the high mark for which God made us, the mark of love. 00:06:35.379 --> 00:06:38.620 We've been falling way short of that mark. 00:06:38.780 --> 00:06:43.280 And therefore, we need to be washed by the mercies of God. 00:06:43.379 --> 00:06:46.460 We need to be cleansed by the grace of God. 00:06:46.459 --> 00:06:52.819 And John continues with his preaching in verse 7 and says that when he saw many of the Pharisees 00:06:52.819 --> 00:06:58.359 and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them, you brood of vipers who warned 00:06:58.359 --> 00:07:01.139 you to flee from the coming wrath. 00:07:01.259 --> 00:07:05.000 Now, John's kind of a blunt guy. 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:06.319 He's a little bit rude. 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:11.259 And, you know, he says to the pastors and the priests who come out, he says, you know, 00:07:11.339 --> 00:07:15.560 your spiritual and moral condition is pretty desperate. 00:07:16.740 --> 00:07:20.819 You're far worse than you imagine yourselves to be. 00:07:21.420 --> 00:07:27.039 You too, theologians and Bible scholars, need to turn around. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:28.620 You need to change your mind. 00:07:28.719 --> 00:07:30.100 You need to repent. 00:07:30.100 --> 00:07:38.160 And gratefully, you know, John shifts away from this very uncomfortable diagnosis of our 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:42.379 condition to a very comforting treatment of that condition. 00:07:42.840 --> 00:07:48.580 In verse 11, when he starts to say, I baptize you with water for repentance. 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:56.040 But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. 00:07:56.040 --> 00:08:04.180 Now, every Christian needs this kind of humility toward this king who's bringing the kingdom 00:08:04.180 --> 00:08:04.660 of heaven. 00:08:04.840 --> 00:08:11.360 An Israelite in these days, he would never ask his slave to take off his shoes when he 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:14.460 came home from work because that would just be too degrading. 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:17.759 You know, a person should take their own shoes off. 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:26.020 But John the Baptist says, you know, Lord, I'm willing to do for you what a slave would not 00:08:26.019 --> 00:08:27.259 even be asked to do. 00:08:27.479 --> 00:08:33.100 And yet I recognize that I'm not even worthy to do that which a slave would never be asked 00:08:33.100 --> 00:08:33.559 to do. 00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:41.179 And that's the proper and fitting attitude toward this king who's coming and bringing 00:08:41.179 --> 00:08:42.399 the kingdom of heaven. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:49.860 He says one's coming and he's powerful and you're not even worthy to, you know, bend down 00:08:49.860 --> 00:08:51.319 on the ground he walks on. 00:08:52.019 --> 00:08:53.840 But what does he say in verse 11? 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:58.960 He says he is going to come and he's going to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with 00:08:58.960 --> 00:08:59.340 fire. 00:09:00.580 --> 00:09:05.639 And every pastor needs, you know, the humility to know that what we can and what we cannot 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:06.580 do. 00:09:06.899 --> 00:09:13.200 And John basically says, look, I can put water on you, but only the king can come and give 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:14.340 you the real thing. 00:09:14.420 --> 00:09:18.000 Only he can come and bring you what this water signifies. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:25.919 Only this king can come and immerse you and plunge you into the very presence and power 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:27.799 of the living God. 00:09:28.740 --> 00:09:33.419 That only this one who's coming can cleanse you with the water and purify you with the 00:09:33.419 --> 00:09:36.740 power and the fire of the Holy Spirit. 00:09:36.740 --> 00:09:42.240 And John is asking all the people that have gathered in his little congregation there at 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:44.840 the Jordan River, are you ready? 00:09:45.700 --> 00:09:48.419 Are you prepared for this king who's coming? 00:09:49.639 --> 00:09:53.539 Now notice what he says in verse 12 as he gets toward the end of his sermon. 00:09:53.539 --> 00:09:59.500 John says, his winnowing fork is in his hand and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering 00:09:59.500 --> 00:10:04.240 his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 00:10:04.299 --> 00:10:05.860 And you're like, man, that's intense. 00:10:06.319 --> 00:10:09.059 That's extreme, kind of uncomfortable language. 00:10:09.339 --> 00:10:15.799 But if you read the gospel, Jesus uses equally strong language and he's continually pressing 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:17.860 this question upon the people. 00:10:17.860 --> 00:10:22.800 He's saying, are you wheat or are you chaff? 00:10:24.060 --> 00:10:24.419 Right? 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:27.639 And wheat is something that has life in it. 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:28.460 Right? 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:30.060 Chaff does not. 00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:32.620 Chaff is this lifeless shell. 00:10:32.740 --> 00:10:34.460 It's this empty husk. 00:10:35.220 --> 00:10:39.779 But someone who's wheat is somebody who's received the life of God in themselves. 00:10:39.940 --> 00:10:43.519 They've received life from above, the life of heaven. 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:49.340 And Jesus is saying, I want to gather up all the wheat and I want to take that wheat and 00:10:49.340 --> 00:10:54.840 I want to turn it into bread and I want to form a community of wheat and bread that I 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:57.079 can use to feed the whole world. 00:10:57.159 --> 00:11:02.699 Are you ready to be that for this coming king, John says? 00:11:04.079 --> 00:11:11.960 But see, what happens next is quite shocking because it subverts all the expectations that 00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:16.920 John's been building up in our minds about what this coming king of fire is going to do. 00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:25.400 It says in verse 13 that when Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, he came to be baptized by John. 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:27.379 Now, wait a minute. 00:11:28.580 --> 00:11:32.139 I thought that Jesus was going to come and do the baptizing. 00:11:32.820 --> 00:11:36.120 I thought he was going to come and baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 00:11:36.200 --> 00:11:40.139 I thought when he showed up, he was going to have a winnowing fork in his hand. 00:11:40.139 --> 00:11:48.000 And then he was going to gather up all the chaff, which is all of us, basically, and burn us up in unquenchable fire. 00:11:49.199 --> 00:11:51.139 But that's not what's happening here. 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:57.580 Jesus comes and he stands in humility before John the Baptist. 00:11:57.779 --> 00:12:03.319 And he seems to be sharing in the penitential mood of all the people. 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:11.640 And he seems to be asking for the waters of baptism that would wash away the stain and the pollution of sin. 00:12:11.740 --> 00:12:14.160 What in the world is Jesus doing? 00:12:15.180 --> 00:12:20.420 He's coming and he's identifying himself not with the God who comes in wrath. 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:24.940 Not with the God who brings just judgment on this world. 00:12:24.940 --> 00:12:32.700 Rather, he's identifying himself with the people who are facing God's judgment and who need to repent. 00:12:35.760 --> 00:12:37.880 Now, that's not how I would have done it. 00:12:39.060 --> 00:12:43.720 If I were becoming the king of this great kingdom of heaven, 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:50.640 I would not choose to launch my campaign here in this river full of sinners. 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:56.480 I think I would want to protect my image a little more, 00:12:56.659 --> 00:12:59.740 brand myself a little better as more competent, 00:12:59.899 --> 00:13:02.939 surround myself with more successful people. 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:06.819 But, you know, listen to what John says in verse 14. 00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:09.819 John tried to deter him, saying, 00:13:10.059 --> 00:13:13.120 I need to be baptized by you and do you come to me? 00:13:13.179 --> 00:13:14.039 And Jesus replied, 00:13:14.039 --> 00:13:22.959 John knows, he says, 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:26.519 You don't need this baptism like all of us need this baptism. 00:13:27.799 --> 00:13:28.599 But Jesus says, 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:30.179 You know, you're right. 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:34.500 I've come to live a righteous life. 00:13:35.299 --> 00:13:38.419 I've come to do it differently than everybody else here. 00:13:38.519 --> 00:13:41.039 I've come to carry out God's will in every particular. 00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:43.419 I've come to be morally perfect. 00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:46.919 I've come to completely obey God. 00:13:47.620 --> 00:13:49.479 But I've not just come to do that. 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:53.159 I've come to get down low where all of you people are. 00:13:53.219 --> 00:13:57.019 I've come to get down into the water with you. 00:13:57.079 --> 00:13:59.860 I've come to take the place of sinners. 00:14:01.099 --> 00:14:06.519 I'm here in my baptism to identify with you. 00:14:06.620 --> 00:14:08.439 I've come to be you. 00:14:08.579 --> 00:14:10.919 I've come to serve as your substitute. 00:14:10.919 --> 00:14:15.379 And I've come to represent all of you in these waters. 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:20.919 And what's amazing to me is that if you read on to the very end of Matthew's gospel, 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:24.299 his ministry ends just like it begins. 00:14:24.360 --> 00:14:27.139 It begins here in a river full of sinners and failures. 00:14:27.139 --> 00:14:33.059 And then it ends on this cross between two sinners and before a bunch of sinners. 00:14:33.199 --> 00:14:34.779 And why did Jesus do this? 00:14:34.899 --> 00:14:37.080 Why did he come to live this way? 00:14:37.740 --> 00:14:40.840 Well, his baptism is a foreshadowing of his cross. 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:53.100 He's basically saying in this moment that I've come to be judged as the chaff so that you all can be gathered up as the wheat. 00:14:54.139 --> 00:15:02.940 That I've come to be burned up in the fire of God's judgment so that you all could be blessed with the spirit of the living God. 00:15:02.940 --> 00:15:08.460 I've come to die your death so that you could live in union with God. 00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:15.160 I've come to be sin for you so that you can have my righteousness. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:18.100 You can have the very righteousness of God. 00:15:18.100 --> 00:15:26.860 Martin Luther, when he was reflecting on this text in the 16th century, he said this. 00:15:28.420 --> 00:15:28.820 He said, 00:15:28.820 --> 00:15:30.300 Christ wanted to say, 00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:38.560 Although I am not myself a sinner, yet nevertheless I now bring with me the sin of the whole world, 00:15:39.040 --> 00:15:44.720 so that I am now only a sinner and the greatest sinner of the whole world. 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:51.000 For he was not washed and cleansed for his own sins since he had none, 00:15:51.420 --> 00:15:55.660 but from my sins and from the sins of the whole world. 00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:57.879 And when I believe that, Luther says, 00:15:57.980 --> 00:16:03.279 I am freed from my sins and I don't know of any more sin. 00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:06.899 So friends, as we begin this new year, 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:10.460 do you believe that Jesus was baptized, 00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:15.700 that he was washed and that he was cleansed for your sins? 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:19.080 That when he went down into those waters, 00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:21.139 he went down into the Jordan River, 00:16:21.580 --> 00:16:23.820 carrying you with him. 00:16:24.680 --> 00:16:26.840 And that when he came up out of those waters, 00:16:26.940 --> 00:16:29.900 he was bearing you up as a new creature, 00:16:30.040 --> 00:16:32.740 washed and reconciled with God. 00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:36.519 And if you're here and you're exploring the Christian faith, 00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:38.059 you've not been baptized, 00:16:39.299 --> 00:16:45.199 are you ready to come and share in this great baptism of Jesus Christ? 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:50.659 Are you ready to receive the grace that's displayed here at the Jordan River 00:16:50.659 --> 00:16:52.740 and that's waiting for you personally? 00:16:53.539 --> 00:16:56.620 I can think of no better way to begin a new year 00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:59.779 than to look at this righteousness of Christ 00:16:59.779 --> 00:17:03.659 and to step into that as your very own 00:17:03.659 --> 00:17:07.240 that's on offer for you here in this river full of sinners, 00:17:07.379 --> 00:17:09.920 just like you and just like me. 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:16.480 Matthew's telling us that real life flows from the son's baptism. 00:17:16.700 --> 00:17:19.799 It's no mistake that this is where he began his ministry 00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:23.099 because this is what his ministry is going to be all about. 00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:27.460 But real life flows not only from the son's baptism, 00:17:27.460 --> 00:17:30.140 it also flows from the father's love. 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:33.860 Real life flows to us from the father's love. 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:36.579 If you think back to the Old Testament 00:17:36.579 --> 00:17:39.819 and you go back to Israel's baptism 00:17:39.819 --> 00:17:45.039 where God the father brings his people out of their bondage in Egypt 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:48.900 and remember he takes them through the waters of the Red Sea, 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:51.019 their baptism in the waters of the Red Sea, 00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:54.039 and he takes them out to freedom at Mount Sinai. 00:17:54.039 --> 00:17:57.559 And there at that place in Exodus 19, 00:17:57.879 --> 00:17:59.480 he says to Israel, he says, 00:17:59.619 --> 00:18:00.960 you are my favored son. 00:18:01.859 --> 00:18:03.259 You are my treasured possession. 00:18:03.379 --> 00:18:05.379 You are the jewel in my crown. 00:18:05.460 --> 00:18:06.220 I love you. 00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:07.559 I'm pleased with you. 00:18:07.859 --> 00:18:08.960 I delight in you. 00:18:09.539 --> 00:18:09.740 Right? 00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:13.519 But that was kind of the high point of Israel's story. 00:18:13.639 --> 00:18:15.059 From there on out, 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:18.059 like things just went down and down and down. 00:18:18.159 --> 00:18:18.980 Things deteriorated. 00:18:18.980 --> 00:18:22.420 Israel never really lived up to her high status 00:18:22.420 --> 00:18:25.200 as the treasured possession of God. 00:18:26.220 --> 00:18:28.420 And yet here in the fullness of time is Jesus 00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:30.620 standing in the place of Israel, 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:34.059 acting as a substitute for the people of God. 00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:36.519 And when he comes up out of the water, 00:18:36.700 --> 00:18:38.099 what does he hear? 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:40.480 It says in verse 16, 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:41.920 as soon as Jesus was baptized, 00:18:42.120 --> 00:18:43.160 he went up out of the water. 00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:44.099 And at that moment, 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:45.799 heaven was opened, 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:47.599 and he saw the spirit of God 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:49.799 descending like a dove and alighting on him. 00:18:49.940 --> 00:18:52.099 And a voice from heaven said, 00:18:52.579 --> 00:18:55.059 this is my son whom I love. 00:18:55.539 --> 00:18:58.419 With him I am well pleased. 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:03.500 See, the father cherishes his son. 00:19:03.579 --> 00:19:05.240 The father adores his son. 00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:08.619 The father pours out his blessing upon his son. 00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:10.639 And though the people of God 00:19:10.639 --> 00:19:13.019 that are surrounding Jesus in this river, 00:19:13.159 --> 00:19:14.299 that though they've failed, 00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:17.519 though there's a river full of sin-sick people, 00:19:18.359 --> 00:19:19.879 God points to one of them. 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:21.159 Out of all of them, he says, 00:19:21.579 --> 00:19:24.319 you are my favored son. 00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:25.799 You are my treasured possession. 00:19:26.019 --> 00:19:28.339 You are the jewel in my crown. 00:19:28.419 --> 00:19:29.139 I love you. 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:30.460 I'm pleased with you. 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:32.359 I delight in you. 00:19:33.859 --> 00:19:36.419 We all know that the most important thing 00:19:36.419 --> 00:19:38.960 that any son or any daughter needs to know 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:40.659 is the love of their father 00:19:40.659 --> 00:19:42.759 and the love of their mother. 00:19:43.399 --> 00:19:43.659 Amen? 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:48.720 But this is not just a word that's spoken to Jesus 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:49.700 and for Jesus. 00:19:49.879 --> 00:19:53.079 It's really God the Father's word spoken to us 00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:54.339 and for us. 00:19:54.399 --> 00:19:55.519 Because he doesn't say, 00:19:56.099 --> 00:19:57.559 you are my son whom I love. 00:19:57.619 --> 00:20:00.500 He says, this is my son whom I love. 00:20:01.319 --> 00:20:04.659 It's God the Father giving a public declaration, 00:20:04.660 --> 00:20:07.080 a word to all humanity, 00:20:07.080 --> 00:20:07.700 a word to all humanity, 00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:09.720 basically saying, dear world, 00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:12.740 here in Jesus, 00:20:13.540 --> 00:20:14.340 my son, 00:20:15.400 --> 00:20:18.860 is everything I want to say and reveal and do, 00:20:18.980 --> 00:20:23.000 is everything I want for people to hear and see and believe. 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:26.160 if you want to know anything about me, 00:20:26.579 --> 00:20:29.660 if you want to know anything from me, 00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:31.160 if you want to please me, 00:20:31.220 --> 00:20:33.859 then get together with my son. 00:20:33.859 --> 00:20:39.679 You see, God the Father looks on the person of his son, 00:20:39.740 --> 00:20:41.219 he looks on the work of his son, 00:20:42.479 --> 00:20:43.819 and he basically says to us, 00:20:43.899 --> 00:20:44.679 isn't he lovely? 00:20:44.680 --> 00:20:47.620 Isn't he so pleasing? 00:20:48.220 --> 00:20:51.420 Isn't he just absolutely delightful? 00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:55.860 And it's so important for us to begin a new year meditating on this 00:20:55.860 --> 00:21:00.160 because the way God the Father is talking about his son, 00:21:00.320 --> 00:21:00.580 Jesus, 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:05.580 is an indicator of how he feels about us. 00:21:07.560 --> 00:21:10.060 If you are a Christian, 00:21:10.860 --> 00:21:12.340 if you've been united with Christ, 00:21:12.339 --> 00:21:14.720 if your life is hidden in Christ, 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:17.959 then the Father says to you, 00:21:19.139 --> 00:21:20.059 you are my daughter, 00:21:20.839 --> 00:21:22.199 whom I love, 00:21:22.339 --> 00:21:24.619 and with you I am well pleased. 00:21:25.879 --> 00:21:27.939 You are my beloved son. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:31.980 On you my favor rests. 00:21:33.220 --> 00:21:35.379 I don't merely pity you, 00:21:35.980 --> 00:21:38.299 or tolerate you, 00:21:38.399 --> 00:21:39.779 or put up with you. 00:21:39.779 --> 00:21:40.920 I treasure you, 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:43.139 and I cherish you. 00:21:43.220 --> 00:21:44.240 I delight in you, 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:45.599 and I desire to be with you. 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:46.680 I welcome you, 00:21:46.859 --> 00:21:49.339 and I want more of you. 00:21:49.639 --> 00:21:51.079 I not only love you, 00:21:51.339 --> 00:21:52.279 I like you. 00:21:52.980 --> 00:21:53.759 I like you. 00:21:55.539 --> 00:21:56.000 Friends, 00:21:56.099 --> 00:21:56.859 do you know that? 00:21:58.339 --> 00:22:00.240 Are you beginning this new year 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.940 hearing these words of blessing 00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:03.319 from your Father in heaven? 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:03.779 Do you realize 00:22:03.779 --> 00:22:06.399 realize that of all the identities 00:22:06.399 --> 00:22:07.839 the world is trying to give you, 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:11.139 this is who you really are? 00:22:12.660 --> 00:22:14.680 If we began this year, 00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:16.519 if we began our weeks, 00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:19.079 if we began every morning of every day 00:22:19.079 --> 00:22:21.339 just hearing this voice of love 00:22:21.339 --> 00:22:23.500 that's speaking to us 00:22:23.500 --> 00:22:25.700 from all eternity to all eternity, 00:22:26.639 --> 00:22:27.960 I believe more and more 00:22:27.960 --> 00:22:29.759 we would come to live out 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:31.960 the life of the beloved son, 00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:33.160 Jesus Christ. 00:22:33.259 --> 00:22:34.380 For this is our first 00:22:34.380 --> 00:22:35.920 spiritual task, 00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:38.660 is to claim and to live 00:22:38.660 --> 00:22:39.440 the life 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:42.400 as the beloved of God. 00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:45.740 And that's not an easy task. 00:22:46.680 --> 00:22:46.840 Right? 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:47.819 It's a real struggle 00:22:47.819 --> 00:22:49.960 to claim the truth 00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:51.880 of who we really are 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:52.460 in this world. 00:22:53.900 --> 00:22:54.420 Right? 00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:55.319 Who am I? 00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:57.259 That's the question 00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:58.840 that follows us 00:22:58.840 --> 00:23:00.340 all the days of our life. 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:01.680 Do we take our final breath? 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:02.480 Who am I? 00:23:03.340 --> 00:23:04.060 It's the question 00:23:04.060 --> 00:23:05.080 that people are spending 00:23:05.080 --> 00:23:07.180 tons of money and energy 00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:08.720 trying to find the answer 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:09.500 to that question. 00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:11.620 Who am I? 00:23:12.380 --> 00:23:13.320 And the world is trying 00:23:13.320 --> 00:23:14.920 to give us the answer 00:23:14.920 --> 00:23:15.600 to that question. 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:15.820 Right? 00:23:15.860 --> 00:23:16.580 The world says, 00:23:17.380 --> 00:23:18.500 well, it's easy. 00:23:18.620 --> 00:23:19.600 I am what I do. 00:23:20.700 --> 00:23:21.759 I am what I do. 00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:23.180 And when I do good things 00:23:23.180 --> 00:23:24.720 and I have success in life 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:26.220 and I feel good about myself, 00:23:27.019 --> 00:23:28.600 but of course when I fail, 00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:30.680 I get low and I get depressed. 00:23:30.680 --> 00:23:31.840 And when I grow older 00:23:31.840 --> 00:23:33.920 and I can't do as many things 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:35.100 as I used to do 00:23:35.100 --> 00:23:36.880 and I just can kind of sit there 00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:38.120 and look at all my trophies 00:23:38.120 --> 00:23:39.240 and the things I accomplished 00:23:39.240 --> 00:23:40.940 and the children I raised 00:23:40.940 --> 00:23:42.019 and kind of wonder to myself, 00:23:42.140 --> 00:23:42.539 I don't know, 00:23:42.620 --> 00:23:43.759 did I do something good? 00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:45.440 The world says, 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:46.440 I am what I do. 00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:49.060 And the world also says, 00:23:49.140 --> 00:23:50.120 well, I am what others 00:23:50.120 --> 00:23:51.299 people say about me. 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:53.180 And that's great. 00:23:53.259 --> 00:23:54.019 If people are speaking 00:23:54.019 --> 00:23:54.799 well about me, 00:23:54.840 --> 00:23:55.460 then I can sort of 00:23:55.460 --> 00:23:56.360 walk around freely. 00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:58.000 But a person says 00:23:58.000 --> 00:23:59.500 something negative about me 00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:01.319 and I start feeling kind of bad. 00:24:02.159 --> 00:24:03.059 And one person, 00:24:03.139 --> 00:24:04.479 a thousand people can praise me, 00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:06.019 one person criticizes me 00:24:06.019 --> 00:24:08.119 and what I start spiraling down 00:24:08.119 --> 00:24:10.019 and down and down. 00:24:10.879 --> 00:24:11.879 The world says, 00:24:12.019 --> 00:24:12.719 I am what I do. 00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:14.459 I am what people say about me. 00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:15.919 The world says, 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:17.419 I am what I have. 00:24:18.179 --> 00:24:19.579 And that's all well and good. 00:24:19.699 --> 00:24:21.319 I might have kind parents 00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:22.599 and a solid education 00:24:22.599 --> 00:24:23.599 and good health 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:24.000 and enough 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:24.819 in my bank account. 00:24:24.899 --> 00:24:25.459 But what about 00:24:25.459 --> 00:24:28.159 when my parent dies? 00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:30.639 What about when 00:24:30.639 --> 00:24:33.019 my memory starts to fade? 00:24:34.019 --> 00:24:35.019 And, you know, 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:36.959 my health starts to go 00:24:36.959 --> 00:24:38.240 and I lose the resources 00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:38.839 that I have. 00:24:39.059 --> 00:24:40.000 Who am I then 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:40.939 when I don't have 00:24:40.939 --> 00:24:41.699 anything anymore? 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:44.879 And this is the spiritual struggle. 00:24:46.119 --> 00:24:48.099 Because every one of us 00:24:48.099 --> 00:24:49.279 has to face the challenge 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:50.119 every day of saying, 00:24:50.119 --> 00:24:53.139 I am not what I do. 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:54.740 And I am not 00:24:54.740 --> 00:24:55.859 what other people say 00:24:55.859 --> 00:24:56.639 about me. 00:24:56.719 --> 00:24:57.519 And I am not 00:24:57.519 --> 00:24:59.019 what I have. 00:24:59.139 --> 00:24:59.500 Rather, 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:01.199 in union with Jesus Christ, 00:25:01.459 --> 00:25:02.399 I am the beloved 00:25:02.399 --> 00:25:03.759 of God the Father. 00:25:05.219 --> 00:25:06.500 And on me, 00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:08.419 because of Christ, 00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:10.279 his favor 00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:11.579 is resting. 00:25:13.679 --> 00:25:14.359 Friends, 00:25:14.419 --> 00:25:14.939 do you believe 00:25:14.939 --> 00:25:16.439 that that's who you really are? 00:25:17.539 --> 00:25:18.980 What if we did? 00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:19.879 What if we knew that 00:25:19.879 --> 00:25:20.639 in our bones? 00:25:21.560 --> 00:25:22.780 What if we got that 00:25:22.780 --> 00:25:23.620 into the core 00:25:23.620 --> 00:25:24.720 of our being? 00:25:24.840 --> 00:25:26.020 What if in 2023 00:25:26.020 --> 00:25:27.400 we could so hear 00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:28.500 and believe 00:25:28.500 --> 00:25:29.880 and get this 00:25:29.880 --> 00:25:31.320 into the code 00:25:31.320 --> 00:25:32.160 of our DNA 00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:33.920 as our core truth 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:35.560 and our centering reality 00:25:35.560 --> 00:25:36.520 that we have 00:25:36.520 --> 00:25:37.120 the blessing 00:25:37.120 --> 00:25:38.660 of God the Father, 00:25:38.740 --> 00:25:39.840 that we are the beloved 00:25:39.840 --> 00:25:41.720 of God the Father? 00:25:43.100 --> 00:25:44.740 That blessing 00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:46.720 has the power 00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:48.279 to heal 00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:49.900 all of our wounds 00:25:49.900 --> 00:25:51.079 and our tragedies 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:51.880 and our sorrows. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:53.940 It has the power 00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:55.220 to change the taproot 00:25:55.220 --> 00:25:56.220 of so many 00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:57.319 of our pathologies. 00:25:58.519 --> 00:25:59.559 It has the power 00:25:59.559 --> 00:26:00.140 to silence 00:26:00.140 --> 00:26:01.440 our voices 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:02.740 of performance 00:26:02.740 --> 00:26:03.660 from the outside 00:26:03.660 --> 00:26:04.680 and our inner critics 00:26:04.680 --> 00:26:05.420 on the inside. 00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:07.360 It has the power 00:26:07.360 --> 00:26:07.860 to change 00:26:07.860 --> 00:26:09.160 the way we approach 00:26:09.160 --> 00:26:09.779 singleness 00:26:09.779 --> 00:26:10.819 and marriage, 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:11.740 the way we approach 00:26:11.740 --> 00:26:12.299 our work. 00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:13.539 We're not going out 00:26:13.539 --> 00:26:14.759 looking to other people 00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:16.119 to get the blessing 00:26:16.119 --> 00:26:17.000 and the acceptance 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:17.539 and the love 00:26:17.539 --> 00:26:19.039 because we already have it. 00:26:20.139 --> 00:26:21.200 It changes the way 00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:21.720 we're a church. 00:26:21.819 --> 00:26:22.680 We don't come in here 00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:23.899 looking to get 00:26:23.899 --> 00:26:24.500 the blessing 00:26:24.500 --> 00:26:26.700 because we already know 00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:27.720 we have it. 00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:28.740 We come looking 00:26:28.740 --> 00:26:30.299 to give the blessing 00:26:30.299 --> 00:26:31.799 that we have 00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:33.539 from our Heavenly Father. 00:26:36.339 --> 00:26:37.579 Is this making sense? 00:26:38.299 --> 00:26:39.720 Real life flows 00:26:39.720 --> 00:26:40.960 from the Son's baptism 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:43.259 and from the Father's love 00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:44.319 and finally it flows 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:46.140 from the Spirit's power. 00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:47.559 And I'll close with this. 00:26:49.400 --> 00:26:50.700 It says in verse 16 00:26:50.700 --> 00:26:53.180 that at that moment 00:26:53.180 --> 00:26:54.160 heaven was open 00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:55.160 and Jesus saw 00:26:55.160 --> 00:26:56.359 the Spirit of God 00:26:56.359 --> 00:26:58.000 descending like a dove 00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:59.859 and alighting on Him. 00:27:01.180 --> 00:27:02.920 When we are baptized, 00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:06.240 we have that same 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:07.420 heaven-sent, 00:27:07.819 --> 00:27:10.000 dove-like Holy Spirit 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:11.539 descend upon us. 00:27:11.539 --> 00:27:13.059 And by the power 00:27:13.059 --> 00:27:13.659 of the Spirit 00:27:13.659 --> 00:27:15.099 that came upon Jesus, 00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:17.119 He could then go out 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:18.180 in the rest of His life 00:27:18.180 --> 00:27:19.259 and the rest of His ministry 00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:19.680 saying, 00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:21.379 I know who I am. 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:22.039 I can hear 00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:23.460 my Father's voice 00:27:23.460 --> 00:27:24.059 that you are 00:27:24.059 --> 00:27:25.000 the beloved Son 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:25.940 and with you 00:27:25.940 --> 00:27:26.759 I'm well pleased. 00:27:26.879 --> 00:27:28.299 That is who I am. 00:27:28.339 --> 00:27:29.220 And Jesus heard 00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:30.279 that voice 00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:31.599 and He clung to those words 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:33.339 for the rest of His life. 00:27:34.119 --> 00:27:35.240 And that was so critical 00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:36.659 because what was happening? 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:38.099 People were praising Jesus 00:27:38.099 --> 00:27:39.059 in one minute 00:27:39.059 --> 00:27:41.000 and they were rejecting Him 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:41.480 the next minute. 00:27:41.579 --> 00:27:42.079 They were saying 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:43.980 Hosanna on Palm Sunday 00:27:43.980 --> 00:27:44.919 and they were saying 00:27:44.919 --> 00:27:45.919 crucify Him 00:27:45.919 --> 00:27:47.039 on Good Friday. 00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:48.679 But you see, 00:27:48.779 --> 00:27:49.119 Jesus, 00:27:49.339 --> 00:27:50.079 by the power 00:27:50.079 --> 00:27:51.139 of the Holy Spirit 00:27:51.139 --> 00:27:52.240 that came on Him, 00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:54.139 He held on 00:27:54.139 --> 00:27:54.899 to the truth 00:27:54.899 --> 00:27:56.980 even in the darkness, 00:27:57.159 --> 00:27:58.039 even in the loneliness 00:27:58.039 --> 00:27:59.399 that I am 00:27:59.399 --> 00:28:01.220 the beloved of God. 00:28:01.220 --> 00:28:03.160 even as the world 00:28:03.160 --> 00:28:04.319 is praising me 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:06.420 or spitting on me, 00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:09.160 I am the beloved of God. 00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:10.839 And you see, 00:28:10.900 --> 00:28:12.900 the Spirit-empowered life, 00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:15.620 it's a life of listening. 00:28:16.620 --> 00:28:16.720 Right? 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:18.819 Jesus began every day 00:28:18.819 --> 00:28:19.720 by the power 00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:20.440 of the Holy Spirit 00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:21.700 listening to God. 00:28:21.740 --> 00:28:22.660 He started every day 00:28:22.660 --> 00:28:23.319 in prayer 00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:25.180 and He would go 00:28:25.180 --> 00:28:26.259 and by the Holy Spirit 00:28:26.259 --> 00:28:26.880 He would listen 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:28.400 to the Father's word. 00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:30.519 He would listen out 00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:31.400 for the Father's wisdom 00:28:32.120 --> 00:28:33.200 and the Father's will 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:34.340 and the Father's ways. 00:28:35.540 --> 00:28:36.820 And if you've ever tried 00:28:36.820 --> 00:28:38.080 to start your day like that, 00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:39.080 you know it requires 00:28:39.080 --> 00:28:39.960 some discipline. 00:28:40.100 --> 00:28:41.240 It requires some effort 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:43.060 to keep open 00:28:43.060 --> 00:28:44.000 and empty space 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:44.280 and say, 00:28:44.380 --> 00:28:46.080 I'm not gonna check this 00:28:46.080 --> 00:28:47.360 and I'm not gonna go there. 00:28:47.420 --> 00:28:48.120 I'm gonna wait 00:28:48.120 --> 00:28:49.000 in this place 00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:51.200 and I'm just gonna listen out 00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:53.300 for the voice of God 00:28:53.300 --> 00:28:54.200 speaking to me 00:28:54.200 --> 00:28:55.280 by the Holy Spirit 00:28:55.280 --> 00:28:56.140 to tell me 00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:57.400 who I truly am. 00:28:57.400 --> 00:28:59.200 And I just wanna invite you 00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:00.340 in these first mornings 00:29:00.340 --> 00:29:02.220 of 2023 00:29:02.220 --> 00:29:03.640 to begin your day 00:29:03.640 --> 00:29:04.860 the way that Jesus 00:29:04.860 --> 00:29:05.800 began His day 00:29:05.800 --> 00:29:06.600 listening 00:29:06.600 --> 00:29:08.380 by the power 00:29:08.380 --> 00:29:09.240 of the Holy Spirit. 00:29:10.600 --> 00:29:12.100 But the Spirit-empowered life 00:29:12.100 --> 00:29:13.420 is not only one 00:29:13.420 --> 00:29:13.920 of listening, 00:29:14.060 --> 00:29:15.300 it's also one of serving. 00:29:16.600 --> 00:29:16.759 Right? 00:29:16.840 --> 00:29:17.519 John said, 00:29:18.120 --> 00:29:19.300 this person is gonna come 00:29:19.300 --> 00:29:20.920 whose sandals 00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:22.160 I am not even worthy 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:23.220 to carry. 00:29:23.220 --> 00:29:25.220 Again, 00:29:25.860 --> 00:29:26.360 that's an ancient 00:29:26.360 --> 00:29:27.140 Near Eastern way 00:29:27.140 --> 00:29:27.680 of saying 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:30.100 I'm not worthy 00:29:30.100 --> 00:29:31.500 to kiss the ground 00:29:31.500 --> 00:29:32.539 that He walks on. 00:29:32.620 --> 00:29:33.319 I'm not worthy 00:29:33.319 --> 00:29:34.519 to gather up the crumbs 00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:35.700 from under His table 00:29:35.700 --> 00:29:37.279 because He's the King. 00:29:37.640 --> 00:29:37.799 Right? 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:39.039 I'm just the little subject. 00:29:39.299 --> 00:29:40.559 He's the Master 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:42.319 and I'm the servant. 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:43.160 He's the sovereign 00:29:43.160 --> 00:29:44.640 and I'm here 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:46.079 to do His bidding. 00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:48.039 And that, I think, 00:29:48.059 --> 00:29:48.740 is the attitude 00:29:48.740 --> 00:29:51.019 of people who've received 00:29:51.019 --> 00:29:52.240 the Holy Spirit. 00:29:52.500 --> 00:29:54.059 They begin their day 00:29:54.059 --> 00:29:55.779 and they say, 00:29:55.980 --> 00:29:56.220 you know, 00:29:56.339 --> 00:29:57.319 I'm not my own 00:29:57.319 --> 00:29:59.279 but I've been bought 00:29:59.279 --> 00:30:00.039 with a price. 00:30:00.139 --> 00:30:00.639 So Lord, 00:30:01.059 --> 00:30:01.960 would You give me 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:03.199 the great privilege 00:30:03.199 --> 00:30:04.639 and the great responsibility 00:30:04.639 --> 00:30:06.779 of carrying 00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.879 Your sandals today? 00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:08.779 I mean, 00:30:08.819 --> 00:30:10.259 I know I'm not worthy 00:30:10.259 --> 00:30:11.279 to even be 00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:12.259 Your slave 00:30:12.259 --> 00:30:13.740 but how can I serve 00:30:13.740 --> 00:30:14.659 You today? 00:30:14.660 --> 00:30:16.120 How can I serve Your people? 00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:17.880 How can I build up 00:30:17.880 --> 00:30:18.360 Your church? 00:30:18.460 --> 00:30:19.480 How can I carry out 00:30:19.480 --> 00:30:20.440 Your purposes? 00:30:20.600 --> 00:30:21.580 You know that somebody 00:30:21.580 --> 00:30:23.080 has the Holy Spirit 00:30:23.080 --> 00:30:24.120 of God coming down 00:30:24.120 --> 00:30:24.800 upon them 00:30:24.800 --> 00:30:25.640 when they have 00:30:25.640 --> 00:30:26.840 this sort of mentality 00:30:26.840 --> 00:30:29.019 that I'm not even worthy 00:30:29.019 --> 00:30:30.640 to carry Your sandals 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:31.480 but I want to. 00:30:33.620 --> 00:30:34.400 And finally, 00:30:34.519 --> 00:30:35.620 the Spirit-empowered life 00:30:35.620 --> 00:30:36.320 is not just one 00:30:36.320 --> 00:30:37.740 of listening to God. 00:30:37.840 --> 00:30:38.460 It's not just one 00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:39.060 of serving 00:30:39.060 --> 00:30:40.900 as a slave of Christ 00:30:40.900 --> 00:30:42.120 but finally, 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:43.120 it's one of gathering. 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:44.540 Right? 00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:45.740 John says of Jesus, 00:30:45.879 --> 00:30:46.720 His winnowing fork 00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:47.379 is in His hand 00:30:47.379 --> 00:30:48.180 and He will clear 00:30:48.180 --> 00:30:49.680 His threshing floor 00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:50.879 gathering His wheat 00:30:50.879 --> 00:30:51.619 into the barn. 00:30:51.740 --> 00:30:52.200 And that's, 00:30:52.579 --> 00:30:53.879 if that's Jesus' mission 00:30:53.879 --> 00:30:55.500 is to gather 00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:56.500 more and more people 00:30:56.500 --> 00:30:57.240 into the barn, 00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:58.180 more and more people 00:30:58.180 --> 00:30:59.440 into the Father's kingdom 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:01.200 so that they can know 00:31:01.200 --> 00:31:02.359 this earth-shattering, 00:31:02.539 --> 00:31:04.000 life-changing good news 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:04.700 that we've been talking 00:31:04.700 --> 00:31:05.319 about today, 00:31:05.980 --> 00:31:07.399 then the question for us is 00:31:07.399 --> 00:31:09.000 who are we gathering? 00:31:10.639 --> 00:31:12.039 Who's the one person 00:31:12.039 --> 00:31:14.200 that God's put in your life 00:31:14.200 --> 00:31:15.140 that needs to hear 00:31:15.140 --> 00:31:15.620 and know 00:31:15.620 --> 00:31:16.440 and experience 00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:18.680 these deep truths 00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:19.220 of God? 00:31:20.380 --> 00:31:21.180 My prayer 00:31:21.180 --> 00:31:21.779 and my hope 00:31:21.779 --> 00:31:22.360 in 2023 00:31:22.360 --> 00:31:23.420 is that Jesus, 00:31:24.640 --> 00:31:25.340 by the power 00:31:25.340 --> 00:31:26.080 of the Holy Spirit, 00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:26.860 would be gathering 00:31:26.860 --> 00:31:28.200 more and more 00:31:28.200 --> 00:31:28.920 and more people 00:31:28.920 --> 00:31:30.019 into the Father's kingdom 00:31:30.019 --> 00:31:31.180 and that He would gather 00:31:31.180 --> 00:31:33.039 people through us, 00:31:33.700 --> 00:31:33.840 right, 00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:34.759 through our presence, 00:31:34.900 --> 00:31:35.700 through our love, 00:31:35.819 --> 00:31:37.420 through our invitations, 00:31:38.620 --> 00:31:39.319 through our humble 00:31:39.319 --> 00:31:40.440 and bold witness 00:31:40.440 --> 00:31:42.779 to the great baptism 00:31:42.779 --> 00:31:43.440 of the Son, 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:45.460 the great love 00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:46.080 of the Father, 00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:48.340 and the great power 00:31:48.340 --> 00:31:49.259 of the Holy Spirit. 00:31:50.360 --> 00:31:51.320 May it be so 00:31:51.320 --> 00:31:52.460 among us. 00:31:53.100 --> 00:31:53.980 In Jesus' name, 00:31:54.320 --> 00:31:54.539 Amen. 00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:54.660 Amen. 00:31:54.660 --> 00:31:55.660 Amen.