WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.179 And Peter is talking and he's ending up the passage in chapter 5. 00:00:05.700 --> 00:00:09.380 And for the first time, he mentions something that you never see him mention. 00:00:09.620 --> 00:00:10.679 It's in verse 8. 00:00:11.339 --> 00:00:12.820 He talks about the devil. 00:00:14.419 --> 00:00:18.679 You know, what he said, this was written about 50, 60 A.D. 00:00:19.260 --> 00:00:22.940 And pretty soon, things are going to become very uncomfortable for the church. 00:00:23.940 --> 00:00:27.000 In 62 A.D., Rome burns. 00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:28.019 And you know the story. 00:00:28.120 --> 00:00:28.719 Rome burns. 00:00:28.839 --> 00:00:29.820 Nero's playing a fiddle. 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:34.259 And most people think that Rome burned because Nero burned Rome. 00:00:34.619 --> 00:00:36.579 Because he wanted to do new building projects. 00:00:36.679 --> 00:00:40.620 And he wanted to clear out the old things and put in statues of himself in his garden. 00:00:40.759 --> 00:00:43.320 And when you go to Rome, you see those things that were built after the fire. 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:48.280 But what Nero does is he accuses the Christians of starting a fire. 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:53.420 And so because of this accusation, in 62 A.D., across the whole Roman Empire, 00:00:53.519 --> 00:00:55.359 there's massive, massive persecution. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:58.200 And Christians are being killed left and right. 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:03.920 And so Peter is talking and he's preparing the people in the church for this persecution. 00:01:04.460 --> 00:01:07.340 Now, again, we probably will never face some of this persecution. 00:01:07.340 --> 00:01:10.740 But we do face persecution every day. 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:14.180 And Peter is challenging and encourages us to handle it well. 00:01:14.180 --> 00:01:20.260 Now, I know when you hear the word devil, some of you probably had your eyes rolling. 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:21.040 Oh, my gosh. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:23.760 Pitchforks, red outfit, you know. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:25.800 And to be honest, that's what I thought too. 00:01:25.799 --> 00:01:30.780 When a friend introduced Christianity to me and we're talking about the devil and spiritual things, 00:01:30.859 --> 00:01:31.739 I'm like, oh, come on. 00:01:31.759 --> 00:01:32.319 I'm a scientist. 00:01:32.399 --> 00:01:33.060 I study medicine. 00:01:33.319 --> 00:01:34.479 You can't believe in the devil. 00:01:34.659 --> 00:01:35.179 No way. 00:01:37.039 --> 00:01:41.019 But what the Bible says is that there's a spiritual dimension to everything. 00:01:42.780 --> 00:01:47.840 And that there's this personal, very powerful entity called Satan. 00:01:48.599 --> 00:01:49.679 He has many names. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:52.400 His names usually characterize what he does. 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:55.940 One of his names is Diablo, which means to rip and to tear. 00:01:56.460 --> 00:01:58.760 He's always shown in Scripture as in separating. 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:06.860 He always comes in and he causes tension, separation, disunity, and breaks up the community of God. 00:02:07.340 --> 00:02:11.180 And we see it from the beginning of Genesis to all the way through Revelation 00:02:11.180 --> 00:02:18.159 that this angel who refused to submit to God has been leading a rebellion throughout Scripture. 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:21.159 You know, when you think about spiritual things, 00:02:21.159 --> 00:02:24.159 C.S. Lewis said that often we do one of two things. 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:28.180 We either make too much of Satan and we say, oh, yeah, there's a devil everywhere. 00:02:28.340 --> 00:02:29.139 Demons are everywhere. 00:02:29.519 --> 00:02:30.079 Oh, be careful. 00:02:30.379 --> 00:02:31.579 Let's be praying all the time. 00:02:31.879 --> 00:02:34.840 Or we tend just to kind of, oh, we're modern man. 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:36.579 No one thinks that way anyway. 00:02:36.819 --> 00:02:37.599 That's terrible. 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:40.000 And both of those things are wrong. 00:02:41.300 --> 00:02:43.979 We are to respect the devil. 00:02:43.979 --> 00:02:48.679 We're not to mock him or make fun of him because he's incredibly powerful. 00:02:49.500 --> 00:02:51.479 And Scripture says that he knows your name. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:54.319 But we're also not to fear him. 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:57.719 Because God has already won the battle. 00:02:58.679 --> 00:03:01.759 And if you're in here and you're God's child, there's nothing to fear. 00:03:02.579 --> 00:03:04.500 There's a whole book about this in the Bible. 00:03:04.620 --> 00:03:05.419 It's called Job. 00:03:06.079 --> 00:03:09.439 And it's probably the first book written that was added into the Old Testament. 00:03:10.139 --> 00:03:13.060 And it's a story of a man who's doing very well and he's prospering. 00:03:13.099 --> 00:03:15.519 And when it says one day that the devil comes in front of God, 00:03:15.579 --> 00:03:17.799 which I don't understand how that happens, a lot of questions. 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:20.120 And God says to him, have you looked at Job? 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:23.159 Have you considered my righteous servant? 00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:24.959 And the devil looks at him and goes, oh, of course he's righteous 00:03:24.959 --> 00:03:26.659 because you give him everything he wants. 00:03:27.560 --> 00:03:28.280 He's prosperous. 00:03:28.399 --> 00:03:28.959 He has kids. 00:03:29.099 --> 00:03:29.360 Everything. 00:03:30.540 --> 00:03:33.620 But if you let me get into his life and if you let me take out everything 00:03:33.620 --> 00:03:37.000 that he holds dear, then Job is going to curse you. 00:03:39.200 --> 00:03:40.460 He's going to hate you. 00:03:42.340 --> 00:03:46.260 And what you see from that point on in Scripture is that whenever Satan comes 00:03:46.260 --> 00:03:49.819 into the scene, he basically makes us answer two questions. 00:03:50.900 --> 00:03:53.920 There's two questions that we've been answering all through 1 Peter. 00:03:54.060 --> 00:03:55.560 You don't know it because you haven't talked about it. 00:03:56.260 --> 00:03:58.760 There's two questions that we always answer all through Scripture 00:03:58.759 --> 00:03:59.439 as we study it. 00:03:59.939 --> 00:04:03.379 They're hidden questions, but they're found throughout all temptations. 00:04:04.079 --> 00:04:05.219 And the questions are this. 00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:08.179 Is there a God? 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:11.699 Is he involved in my life? 00:04:13.519 --> 00:04:14.439 And is he good? 00:04:15.939 --> 00:04:16.920 Can I trust him? 00:04:17.800 --> 00:04:19.439 Does he have my best interest at heart? 00:04:19.500 --> 00:04:20.399 Does he care about me? 00:04:20.860 --> 00:04:21.719 Is there a God? 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:26.860 I mean, when things are good, Satan comes in and he tempts us not to believe 00:04:26.860 --> 00:04:30.440 in God because we don't need God because we just have everything that we need 00:04:30.440 --> 00:04:31.360 and we don't need God. 00:04:31.560 --> 00:04:34.500 And when things are bad, Satan comes in and he tempts us to say, 00:04:34.980 --> 00:04:36.180 well, God must not love you. 00:04:37.300 --> 00:04:38.680 God must not care for you. 00:04:39.860 --> 00:04:41.020 He must not be good. 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:45.620 In my life, I just ask the questions, where's God in all of this? 00:04:45.620 --> 00:04:50.639 And when things are difficult and stress is hitting me and I feel like I'm about to fall apart, 00:04:50.899 --> 00:04:54.639 the question I ask myself is, is God really good? 00:04:56.920 --> 00:04:58.220 Does he really care for me? 00:04:59.740 --> 00:05:01.379 Does he really know what I'm going through? 00:05:01.379 --> 00:05:07.420 I'm pretty sure that every one of us in here asks those same two questions at different times in our life. 00:05:08.100 --> 00:05:10.779 Sometimes we ask those questions multiple times in our life. 00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:14.459 And Peter has been answering all these questions through the book of 1 Peter 00:05:14.459 --> 00:05:18.899 as he's been talking about suffering and submission and authority and serving. 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:22.860 And sometimes we don't realize it, but what he's saying is Satan is at work in your life. 00:05:25.399 --> 00:05:28.120 He works especially during suffering. 00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:36.660 The passage says that whenever you see suffering, you know that Satan is at work, 00:05:37.579 --> 00:05:39.480 especially among God's people. 00:05:40.819 --> 00:05:42.699 And so that's what 1 Peter 5 is about. 00:05:43.259 --> 00:05:45.240 1 Peter 5, you can divide it into two sections. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:48.220 You can divide it into the leaders and then the rest of the people within the church. 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:51.399 But what you realize in 1 Peter 5, 1 through 11, 00:05:51.660 --> 00:05:55.420 is those two questions are being asked over and over and over. 00:05:56.300 --> 00:05:57.519 Things are going to get bad. 00:05:57.519 --> 00:05:58.740 Is there really a God? 00:05:59.359 --> 00:06:00.419 Things are really difficult. 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:01.479 Does God care for me? 00:06:01.919 --> 00:06:02.799 Can I trust Him? 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:03.899 Can I give my life to Him? 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:04.799 Can I submit to Him? 00:06:04.979 --> 00:06:06.240 All these questions are happening. 00:06:06.620 --> 00:06:08.879 And what we see in verses 1 through 4, if you look in your bulletin, 00:06:08.899 --> 00:06:09.859 is just basically this. 00:06:10.819 --> 00:06:12.680 When there's suffering and when there's temptation, 00:06:13.060 --> 00:06:14.879 Satan comes in and he attacks the leaders. 00:06:16.339 --> 00:06:19.180 It says that he attacks the leaders first in the midst of suffering. 00:06:19.859 --> 00:06:21.019 He attacks the elders. 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:22.519 He attacks the overseers. 00:06:23.359 --> 00:06:24.479 He attacks his shepherds. 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:27.080 Verses 1, 2, and 3 says, 00:06:27.200 --> 00:06:31.480 He attacks them by trying to make them forget why they do what they do. 00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:38.480 He attacks the leaders by trying to make them forget why they're leading God's people. 00:06:39.480 --> 00:06:42.640 He attacks the leaders by making them lose their willingness 00:06:42.640 --> 00:06:46.100 in the proper motivation to shepherd and to lead. 00:06:46.100 --> 00:06:52.820 He's attacking the leaders by making them not model what Christ has called them to model. 00:06:53.700 --> 00:06:55.060 The leaders are just bullying. 00:06:55.280 --> 00:06:56.540 The leaders are just lording. 00:06:56.660 --> 00:06:57.439 The leaders are just saying, 00:06:57.660 --> 00:06:59.100 Do this even though I don't do it. 00:06:59.180 --> 00:07:00.140 You need to do this. 00:07:00.139 --> 00:07:13.300 He attacks the shepherds in their ego and in their prestige and in their power and in their earthly honor. 00:07:13.860 --> 00:07:20.419 And he tries to make the leaders of the church, the leaders of the community, forget that they're leading. 00:07:20.420 --> 00:07:30.900 I mean, he's there and he's trying to make us forget that there is really a chief shepherd and that shepherd is Christ. 00:07:31.460 --> 00:07:37.100 And one day when that shepherd comes back, he's going to call all the leaders account for that. 00:07:38.259 --> 00:07:41.600 The passage says that he tries to make us forget authority. 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:50.800 Satan comes into your life, to the leaders' lives, and he makes you forget what authority is all about. 00:07:52.400 --> 00:07:54.640 In the stressful times, you default and you say, 00:07:54.740 --> 00:07:55.680 Well, the authority is for me. 00:07:55.760 --> 00:07:57.000 I need to look out for myself. 00:07:57.060 --> 00:07:58.160 I need to get these things for myself. 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:00.600 I don't need to bless the people underneath me. 00:08:01.379 --> 00:08:03.720 I don't need to take these people into a better place. 00:08:05.260 --> 00:08:07.240 And that's how Satan attacks the church. 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:12.199 But the scripture says that's also how he attacks dads. 00:08:14.980 --> 00:08:17.420 And that's also how he attacks men. 00:08:19.060 --> 00:08:22.360 That in the difficult times, men forget what it means to lead. 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:27.879 Men forget what it means to shepherd their family and their wives and their kids well. 00:08:28.939 --> 00:08:32.100 Men default to getting what they want for themselves 00:08:32.100 --> 00:08:38.920 to the exclusion in the pain, in the hurt of their family, 00:08:39.580 --> 00:08:42.300 in their children, in their wives. 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:45.300 And Peter is telling us, 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:47.220 Be careful. 00:08:48.560 --> 00:08:52.500 Because Satan is real, and he's going to tempt you in this way. 00:08:52.620 --> 00:08:54.860 And if you're not careful, you're going to fall for it. 00:08:55.659 --> 00:08:58.300 Now remember, the world is going to tell you a couple things. 00:08:58.299 --> 00:09:00.899 The world is going to say a leader is confident. 00:09:01.539 --> 00:09:02.979 A leader is self-assured. 00:09:03.539 --> 00:09:05.039 A leader is assertive. 00:09:05.359 --> 00:09:06.740 A leader is self-made. 00:09:10.079 --> 00:09:13.000 But what Peter says, what the Bible says, 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:14.699 is that the leader is humble. 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:19.699 That he or she serves. 00:09:22.319 --> 00:09:25.099 Humility doesn't mean to think that you're a worm. 00:09:25.100 --> 00:09:30.440 Because we already know as Christians that we have this incredible comparison 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:33.779 that we are bad off, but then we are precious in God's sight. 00:09:34.899 --> 00:09:39.279 But what humility means is that we think less of ourselves. 00:09:41.379 --> 00:09:43.500 We think less of ourselves, 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:46.940 and we think more of those around us. 00:09:47.960 --> 00:09:51.120 The passage says that the world measures leaders 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:54.179 in terms of success in numbers. 00:09:55.879 --> 00:09:57.379 But the leaders of the church, 00:09:58.460 --> 00:10:00.379 the leaders of the family, 00:10:01.419 --> 00:10:03.139 the leaders of your business, 00:10:03.799 --> 00:10:06.120 they're measured in things like faithfulness. 00:10:07.220 --> 00:10:08.840 They're measured in things like service. 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:10.820 They're measured in things like sacrifice. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:14.860 And Peter's talking to us, and he's saying, 00:10:14.940 --> 00:10:15.440 Be careful. 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:18.180 Because in the difficult times, 00:10:18.280 --> 00:10:19.680 when things get really hard, 00:10:20.560 --> 00:10:22.380 you're going to forget that. 00:10:23.780 --> 00:10:25.340 And when you do, you're going to damage. 00:10:26.260 --> 00:10:27.720 You're going to damage the church. 00:10:29.060 --> 00:10:30.520 You're going to damage your families. 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:33.100 You're going to damage your wives. 00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:35.620 You're going to damage your colleagues. 00:10:37.700 --> 00:10:38.820 Verses 5 through 7, 00:10:38.920 --> 00:10:41.460 Peter begins to talk to this group of people. 00:10:41.580 --> 00:10:43.940 In the Greek, the word men is not actually there. 00:10:43.940 --> 00:10:46.480 It's just the youngers. 00:10:47.620 --> 00:10:48.840 And what Peter says is that 00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:50.980 in the middle of these temptations and these trials, 00:10:51.500 --> 00:10:53.680 Satan is going to come into everybody else in the church, 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:54.660 everybody else. 00:10:55.340 --> 00:10:56.460 And he's going to attack them. 00:10:56.520 --> 00:10:57.420 He's going to tempt them 00:10:57.420 --> 00:10:59.840 to forget what it means to be humble. 00:11:01.800 --> 00:11:03.920 He's going to encourage them to attack the leaders, 00:11:04.040 --> 00:11:04.940 to attack the elders, 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:06.200 to be prideful, 00:11:06.420 --> 00:11:07.640 to think of themselves only, 00:11:07.700 --> 00:11:09.000 to not think of everybody else. 00:11:09.800 --> 00:11:12.240 The word there actually means to clothe. 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:14.279 It means to get on an apron 00:11:14.279 --> 00:11:16.759 that a servant gets on. 00:11:18.500 --> 00:11:20.460 And Peter says that when you're going through life 00:11:20.460 --> 00:11:22.759 and the difficult times hit, 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:25.940 and it becomes really hard 00:11:25.940 --> 00:11:28.220 in your family 00:11:28.220 --> 00:11:29.879 and in the church, 00:11:30.779 --> 00:11:33.419 your default is going to be pride. 00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:36.940 Your default is going to be, 00:11:37.460 --> 00:11:38.600 I have to think of myself 00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:40.039 because if I don't think of myself, 00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:41.279 no one else will think of me. 00:11:42.299 --> 00:11:44.219 Now, I don't know if you've ever said those words, 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:46.079 but I have. 00:11:47.339 --> 00:11:49.019 And they're scary words to say 00:11:49.019 --> 00:11:51.120 because what Peter says 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:53.199 is the minute we say those to ourselves, 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:57.659 the devil is grabbing us. 00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:00.519 He's trying to destroy everything 00:12:00.519 --> 00:12:04.659 that we hold pure, valuable, and true. 00:12:04.659 --> 00:12:07.179 So in 5-7, 00:12:07.299 --> 00:12:08.419 he says the devil comes in 00:12:08.419 --> 00:12:09.539 and he causes disunity, 00:12:10.039 --> 00:12:11.100 he causes tearing, 00:12:11.659 --> 00:12:13.579 he talks to the younger people in the church 00:12:13.579 --> 00:12:14.100 and he says, 00:12:14.500 --> 00:12:15.559 you don't need to submit, 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:16.860 you don't need to serve, 00:12:17.139 --> 00:12:18.039 just think of yourself, 00:12:18.139 --> 00:12:19.000 don't think of the leaders 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:20.279 and don't think of anybody else. 00:12:21.500 --> 00:12:22.559 Now, Peter has been sharing 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:24.579 about what a healthy community looks like 00:12:24.579 --> 00:12:26.360 all through all of these five chapters, 00:12:26.579 --> 00:12:27.759 and what he continues to say 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:28.860 is a healthy church, 00:12:28.959 --> 00:12:29.959 a healthy family, 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:31.360 a healthy business 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:33.800 looks like the leaders who serve 00:12:33.800 --> 00:12:35.440 and where everybody else 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:36.980 submits to each other. 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:41.539 In the rest of the passage, 00:12:41.680 --> 00:12:42.560 verses 6 and 7, 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:43.740 it's for the rest of the church, 00:12:44.060 --> 00:12:45.019 and what Peter says is 00:12:45.019 --> 00:12:46.860 if Satan is walking around, 00:12:47.180 --> 00:12:48.500 if Satan is attacking you, 00:12:48.680 --> 00:12:49.960 if there's difficult times, 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:50.620 if there's pressure, 00:12:50.779 --> 00:12:51.940 there's suffering, 00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:53.740 Satan is going to attack you 00:12:53.740 --> 00:12:55.019 in your pride, verse 6, 00:12:56.120 --> 00:12:58.879 and in your anxiety, verse 7. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:01.279 The Bible says that pride 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:02.200 is just this attitude, 00:13:02.340 --> 00:13:03.860 this attitude of anything 00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:05.480 that's opposed to God's grace, 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:07.799 that a prideful person 00:13:07.799 --> 00:13:09.100 answers the first question, 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:11.419 no, there's not a God, 00:13:12.039 --> 00:13:13.419 I don't need Him, 00:13:14.500 --> 00:13:15.480 because I'm God. 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:19.939 And Satan says, 00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:21.120 in the midst of the trials 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:21.759 and the suffering 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:22.620 and the temptations, 00:13:22.899 --> 00:13:24.519 that all of us are going to be tempted 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:25.500 to be prideful. 00:13:26.220 --> 00:13:27.259 We're all going to think 00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:27.879 that we're God, 00:13:27.879 --> 00:13:28.860 we're all going to be thinking 00:13:28.860 --> 00:13:30.240 that we don't need anybody else. 00:13:30.519 --> 00:13:31.840 And what he says in his passage 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:32.679 is we need to, 00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:33.460 at these moments, 00:13:33.620 --> 00:13:35.279 realize that we're in the middle 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:36.759 of this incredible battle, 00:13:37.299 --> 00:13:39.659 sometimes for our soul. 00:13:42.620 --> 00:13:44.679 And we need to humble ourselves 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:47.000 and bring our lives 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:49.200 underneath Christ. 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:53.139 Again, the idea of humbling 00:13:53.139 --> 00:13:54.879 is we focus on all 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:56.940 that Christ has done for us. 00:13:56.940 --> 00:13:58.820 We focus on our worth 00:13:58.820 --> 00:13:59.920 and all of our worth 00:13:59.920 --> 00:14:01.060 is focused on all 00:14:01.060 --> 00:14:02.120 that Christ has done 00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:03.320 in us and through us. 00:14:04.760 --> 00:14:05.400 In verse 7, 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:06.180 the word anxious 00:14:06.180 --> 00:14:07.400 means to divide, 00:14:08.160 --> 00:14:09.360 to distract. 00:14:10.140 --> 00:14:10.400 It says, 00:14:10.520 --> 00:14:11.220 when we become anxious, 00:14:11.340 --> 00:14:12.200 we lose our focus. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:14.380 We lose our focus on God 00:14:14.380 --> 00:14:15.660 and what He's doing around us 00:14:15.660 --> 00:14:17.500 and our focus is distracted. 00:14:18.040 --> 00:14:19.380 The imagery is almost like 00:14:19.380 --> 00:14:20.780 you're digging this bucket 00:14:20.780 --> 00:14:22.200 and you're filling it with water, 00:14:22.360 --> 00:14:23.520 but when you become anxious, 00:14:23.860 --> 00:14:25.760 holes are punched in the bucket 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:27.240 and water is spilling out everywhere 00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:28.659 and you're carrying your life 00:14:28.659 --> 00:14:29.439 around like this 00:14:29.439 --> 00:14:30.700 and you're distracted 00:14:30.700 --> 00:14:31.720 because all of the things 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:32.659 that you are supposed to do, 00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:33.299 all the things 00:14:33.299 --> 00:14:34.220 that you are focused on 00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:35.259 are flowing out 00:14:35.259 --> 00:14:36.059 through the holes. 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:38.919 And He uses very, 00:14:39.179 --> 00:14:40.419 very, very strong language 00:14:40.419 --> 00:14:41.080 here, guys. 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:42.100 I mean, 00:14:42.179 --> 00:14:42.960 I wish I could, 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:46.379 He uses very strong language here 00:14:46.379 --> 00:14:47.280 and what He says here is 00:14:47.280 --> 00:14:48.860 if we as a church 00:14:48.860 --> 00:14:50.480 are in the middle of this battle 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:51.879 and we become prideful 00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:52.759 and we become anxious, 00:14:52.980 --> 00:14:54.139 what He says is that 00:14:54.139 --> 00:14:55.920 God sets Himself 00:14:55.920 --> 00:14:58.019 against you. 00:15:02.860 --> 00:15:04.660 That if you are walking around 00:15:04.660 --> 00:15:05.500 with a prideful heart, 00:15:06.500 --> 00:15:07.879 if you're struggling 00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:08.800 with not being humble, 00:15:09.879 --> 00:15:10.340 if you're struggling 00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:11.200 with not serving, 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:12.920 if you're struggling 00:15:12.920 --> 00:15:13.879 with being anxious, 00:15:14.800 --> 00:15:15.960 all of these things 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:17.259 are answering those two questions. 00:15:17.400 --> 00:15:18.320 No, there's not God 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:19.460 and no, He's not good. 00:15:19.680 --> 00:15:20.500 And the Bible says 00:15:20.500 --> 00:15:22.960 if we live our life like this, 00:15:23.780 --> 00:15:25.820 Peter says if we do this, 00:15:27.140 --> 00:15:29.460 the God is opposed to us. 00:15:30.920 --> 00:15:32.180 The imagery is, 00:15:32.440 --> 00:15:33.580 I'm an American, 00:15:33.700 --> 00:15:34.740 so I think of American football, 00:15:34.860 --> 00:15:35.960 but basketball or whatever, 00:15:36.259 --> 00:15:37.220 and you're lining up 00:15:37.220 --> 00:15:38.560 in the field of life, 00:15:38.660 --> 00:15:39.920 you're about to go to work, 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:41.639 and you're about to play the play, 00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:42.459 and you look up, 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:45.479 and your opponent is God. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.379 And so many of us go to work 00:15:50.379 --> 00:15:53.299 and we have incredibly difficult times. 00:15:54.339 --> 00:15:56.319 And so many of us go into marriage 00:15:56.319 --> 00:15:57.559 and in relationships 00:15:57.559 --> 00:16:00.099 and we have incredibly difficult times. 00:16:00.839 --> 00:16:02.099 And what Peter says is 00:16:02.099 --> 00:16:03.000 one of the reasons 00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:04.219 that could be for that is 00:16:04.220 --> 00:16:06.379 is that you have pride 00:16:06.379 --> 00:16:08.740 and you're anxious 00:16:08.740 --> 00:16:11.700 and you don't believe there's a God 00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:14.420 and you don't believe that He's good. 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:18.100 He's saying it's for everybody, 00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:21.200 that we all are going to struggle with it, 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:23.680 especially when things get difficult. 00:16:24.680 --> 00:16:26.080 And He's saying be careful 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:26.920 when that happens 00:16:26.920 --> 00:16:28.399 because there's this lion, 00:16:28.899 --> 00:16:30.639 this roaring lion, 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:32.179 and He's watching 00:16:32.179 --> 00:16:33.319 and He's prowling. 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:34.259 And the words are 00:16:34.259 --> 00:16:36.240 the devil is His adversary. 00:16:36.419 --> 00:16:36.960 Verse 8. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:39.779 He's going after us. 00:16:39.819 --> 00:16:40.699 He's looking around. 00:16:40.939 --> 00:16:41.860 He's prowling. 00:16:41.939 --> 00:16:43.019 He's active. 00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:45.480 He's trying to devour, 00:16:46.299 --> 00:16:46.720 destroy, 00:16:47.500 --> 00:16:48.039 swallow, 00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:49.539 break up, 00:16:50.819 --> 00:16:51.679 cause grief. 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:56.179 And the problem is 00:16:56.179 --> 00:16:57.359 that sometimes in the church 00:16:57.359 --> 00:16:58.739 we don't realize that. 00:17:00.099 --> 00:17:01.679 And sometimes as God's people 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:03.099 we don't realize that. 00:17:03.779 --> 00:17:04.740 And we don't realize 00:17:04.740 --> 00:17:05.759 that when things are difficult 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:07.139 it might be because 00:17:07.139 --> 00:17:08.839 we have prideful 00:17:08.839 --> 00:17:11.720 and unhumble hearts 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:14.039 and we don't think 00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:14.980 that God is good enough 00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:15.899 to take care of us. 00:17:17.700 --> 00:17:18.740 Does that make sense? 00:17:20.299 --> 00:17:21.419 This week Kip and I 00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:22.720 are watching the Discovery channels. 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:24.200 There's some great shows on there. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:24.700 We've been watching 00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:25.700 the Arctic channels. 00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:26.539 So they've been talking 00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:27.000 about the Arctic 00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:27.500 and they've been talking 00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:28.600 about the little seal islands 00:17:28.600 --> 00:17:29.800 off of South Africa. 00:17:30.560 --> 00:17:31.300 And it's interesting 00:17:31.300 --> 00:17:31.820 because they're talking 00:17:31.820 --> 00:17:32.500 about predators 00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:32.920 and you know 00:17:32.920 --> 00:17:33.800 what's going to happen, right? 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:35.480 I mean the seals 00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:36.300 are swimming around 00:17:36.300 --> 00:17:37.680 and as long as the seals 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:38.720 stay together in a group 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:39.960 they're pretty good. 00:17:40.060 --> 00:17:40.519 I mean they can do 00:17:40.519 --> 00:17:41.340 these little moves 00:17:41.340 --> 00:17:42.460 and the sharks miss them 00:17:42.460 --> 00:17:43.200 most of the time 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:43.680 and all these things. 00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:45.039 But what the passage showed us 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:45.460 is that you know 00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:46.500 that the seals 00:17:46.500 --> 00:17:47.080 when they get off 00:17:47.080 --> 00:17:47.779 by themselves 00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:50.039 when they leave 00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:50.600 the community 00:17:50.600 --> 00:17:51.140 when they leave 00:17:51.140 --> 00:17:52.200 the family of faith 00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:52.820 when they leave 00:17:52.820 --> 00:17:53.500 the group 00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:56.860 this great white shark 00:17:56.860 --> 00:17:57.340 comes up 00:17:57.340 --> 00:17:58.759 and just chomps them 00:17:58.759 --> 00:17:59.280 in half. 00:18:00.820 --> 00:18:01.640 When the seals 00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:02.700 get off by themselves 00:18:02.700 --> 00:18:03.740 and they're walking around 00:18:03.740 --> 00:18:04.220 and they forget 00:18:04.220 --> 00:18:04.920 where they're at 00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:06.280 this polar bear 00:18:06.280 --> 00:18:06.780 comes in 00:18:06.780 --> 00:18:08.380 and just pounds them 00:18:08.380 --> 00:18:08.780 on the head 00:18:08.780 --> 00:18:09.759 and drags them away. 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:13.000 And Peter's reminding 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:13.880 you and I 00:18:13.880 --> 00:18:16.960 that that could be us. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:21.640 the imagery he uses 00:18:21.640 --> 00:18:22.519 is very powerful. 00:18:23.819 --> 00:18:25.539 He says that we are all sheep. 00:18:28.059 --> 00:18:28.660 Now I don't know 00:18:28.660 --> 00:18:29.579 what you think about sheep. 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:31.579 I don't know 00:18:31.579 --> 00:18:32.819 if you've ever been around sheep. 00:18:34.180 --> 00:18:35.000 One of the things 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:36.120 I've learned as a pastor 00:18:36.120 --> 00:18:37.200 is that sheep bite 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:38.960 and sometimes sheep 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:39.620 aren't as cuddly 00:18:39.620 --> 00:18:40.579 as you think they are. 00:18:42.340 --> 00:18:44.579 And sheep are totally defenseless. 00:18:44.579 --> 00:18:46.960 We were in Israel 00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:48.159 probably the first time we went 00:18:48.159 --> 00:18:49.500 and we were at Bethlehem 00:18:49.500 --> 00:18:51.519 and we were there 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:52.639 and all of a sudden 00:18:52.639 --> 00:18:53.379 we were in this field 00:18:53.379 --> 00:18:53.899 where the angels 00:18:53.899 --> 00:18:54.839 were supposed to appear 00:18:54.839 --> 00:18:55.839 and we watched 00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:56.659 and these shepherds 00:18:56.659 --> 00:18:57.240 came together 00:18:57.240 --> 00:18:57.859 and they were talking 00:18:57.859 --> 00:18:58.460 and there was probably 00:18:58.460 --> 00:18:59.319 like 800 sheep 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:00.099 mingling around. 00:19:01.159 --> 00:19:01.720 And you're like 00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:02.839 how in the heck 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:03.619 are they going to separate 00:19:03.619 --> 00:19:04.579 800 sheep 00:19:04.579 --> 00:19:06.240 when it's time to leave? 00:19:07.159 --> 00:19:08.019 And our guide said 00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:08.639 hey watch this. 00:19:09.579 --> 00:19:10.220 And all of a sudden 00:19:10.220 --> 00:19:12.620 the shepherds broke up 00:19:12.620 --> 00:19:14.100 and the shepherds 00:19:14.100 --> 00:19:14.779 just started talking 00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:16.920 and he's just walking off 00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:17.539 singing a song 00:19:17.539 --> 00:19:19.240 and the sheep heard his voice 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:21.019 and whoever his sheep were 00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:22.400 they followed him. 00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:24.500 And within a matter of minutes 00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:25.860 800 sheep were divided 00:19:25.860 --> 00:19:27.299 perfectly to their owners 00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:29.059 because the sheep knew 00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:30.240 who their master was 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:32.920 and they followed him. 00:19:35.339 --> 00:19:36.299 And what Peter is asking 00:19:36.299 --> 00:19:37.100 each one of us in here 00:19:37.100 --> 00:19:37.759 is do we know 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:38.799 who our master is? 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:43.200 Do we know his voice? 00:19:45.159 --> 00:19:46.799 Do we know what he's saying to us? 00:19:48.299 --> 00:19:49.039 I mean the wording 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:51.460 is really, really, really specific. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:53.379 I mean he's giving us 00:19:53.379 --> 00:19:54.419 a lot of responsibility. 00:19:55.819 --> 00:19:57.059 He's saying be on the alert. 00:19:58.779 --> 00:19:59.200 Watch. 00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:01.039 Be careful. 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:03.200 Know that there's something 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:04.220 prowling after you. 00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:05.639 Know that it doesn't have 00:20:05.639 --> 00:20:06.639 your best interest in heart. 00:20:08.099 --> 00:20:08.720 Watch out. 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:12.579 But sheep do one thing 00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:13.500 really well. 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:16.700 What sheep do really well 00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:17.919 is they cling to the shepherd. 00:20:20.220 --> 00:20:20.980 And the shepherd 00:20:20.980 --> 00:20:22.399 is that protection for them. 00:20:23.899 --> 00:20:25.299 And what Peter is talking to us 00:20:25.299 --> 00:20:25.779 as a church 00:20:25.779 --> 00:20:26.319 is in the midst 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:27.259 of difficult times, 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:28.339 in the midst of temptations 00:20:28.339 --> 00:20:29.379 to forget why we lead, 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:30.539 in the midst of temptations 00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:32.139 to forget why we're men and dads, 00:20:32.399 --> 00:20:33.240 in the midst of temptations 00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:34.480 to forget why we're good friends, 00:20:34.740 --> 00:20:35.720 in the midst of temptations 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:36.799 when things are getting difficult 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:37.940 and we want to be selfish 00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:39.059 and we want to be angry 00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:40.599 and we want not to be humble. 00:20:40.839 --> 00:20:42.180 We want to take care of ourself. 00:20:42.259 --> 00:20:43.099 We want to be prideful. 00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:44.500 In the midst of all these things, 00:20:44.619 --> 00:20:45.779 he's warning us, 00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:48.819 don't go away from the flock. 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:51.740 Don't leave the shepherd. 00:20:53.579 --> 00:20:54.079 I mean to me, 00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:54.819 this is the, 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:57.779 probably the most powerful passage 00:20:57.779 --> 00:20:58.359 of hope 00:20:58.359 --> 00:21:00.740 in all the world 00:21:00.740 --> 00:21:01.619 when it comes to suffering. 00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:03.219 Because at the end, 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:04.039 what he says is this. 00:21:04.099 --> 00:21:04.439 He says, 00:21:04.819 --> 00:21:05.839 just realize this. 00:21:06.659 --> 00:21:07.519 You're going to suffer. 00:21:09.079 --> 00:21:10.879 But you're not going to suffer alone. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:13.599 Because everybody else 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:14.259 is going to be suffering 00:21:14.259 --> 00:21:15.299 the same ways that you have. 00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:16.879 And people have gone before you already. 00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:18.819 Just realize this. 00:21:19.179 --> 00:21:20.099 You're going to suffer, 00:21:20.699 --> 00:21:21.359 but it's going to be 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:22.479 for a very short time. 00:21:23.479 --> 00:21:24.559 Just realize this. 00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:26.259 Difficult times 00:21:26.259 --> 00:21:26.919 are going to happen. 00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:30.160 But God is with you. 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:32.720 He's guiding you. 00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:35.120 He's protecting you. 00:21:35.700 --> 00:21:37.180 He's going before you. 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:38.460 There's nothing 00:21:38.460 --> 00:21:39.820 that you're going to face today 00:21:39.820 --> 00:21:40.900 wherever you go out, 00:21:41.019 --> 00:21:42.060 wherever you leave this week, 00:21:42.120 --> 00:21:43.220 whatever happens in your life, 00:21:43.360 --> 00:21:44.740 no matter how bad things get, 00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:45.519 there's nothing 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:46.700 you're ever going to face 00:21:46.700 --> 00:21:49.600 that's going to be apart from Christ 00:21:49.600 --> 00:21:50.980 if you're his child. 00:21:53.019 --> 00:21:53.820 Peter's saying, 00:21:54.060 --> 00:21:54.779 remember that. 00:21:56.920 --> 00:22:00.019 Remember that. 00:22:02.560 --> 00:22:04.060 It's the message of ultimate hope. 00:22:06.340 --> 00:22:07.320 Does that make sense? 00:22:10.120 --> 00:22:10.900 We're all sheep. 00:22:12.840 --> 00:22:13.820 We're all going to be tempted 00:22:13.820 --> 00:22:15.200 to forget why we do what we do. 00:22:15.380 --> 00:22:16.740 Leaders are going to forget to lead. 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:18.080 They're going to be anxious. 00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:19.259 It's going to be hard. 00:22:19.380 --> 00:22:20.160 There's going to be suffering. 00:22:20.320 --> 00:22:20.980 There's going to be difficult. 00:22:20.980 --> 00:22:23.519 People are going to get angry. 00:22:24.339 --> 00:22:25.039 The younger people 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:26.079 are going to want to submit 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:26.700 to the leadership. 00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:27.660 They're going to be angry. 00:22:27.779 --> 00:22:29.180 They're going to be prideful. 00:22:29.299 --> 00:22:29.940 They're going to be thinking 00:22:29.940 --> 00:22:30.559 of themselves. 00:22:30.660 --> 00:22:31.400 I can do it better. 00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:32.880 The rest of us 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:33.420 are going to struggle 00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:34.079 with anger 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:35.480 and pride 00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:36.799 and worry. 00:22:38.700 --> 00:22:39.420 And Peter's saying, 00:22:39.420 --> 00:22:39.980 it's okay 00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:42.940 because there's an adversary 00:22:42.940 --> 00:22:43.759 who's after you. 00:22:44.840 --> 00:22:46.279 And if you realize that, 00:22:46.680 --> 00:22:48.039 you can handle him. 00:22:49.880 --> 00:22:51.539 And if you realize that, 00:22:52.060 --> 00:22:53.220 you can trust Christ. 00:22:55.120 --> 00:22:56.740 The passage ends 00:22:56.740 --> 00:22:57.660 by saying, 00:22:58.220 --> 00:22:58.900 you and I 00:22:58.900 --> 00:23:01.220 have the arch, 00:23:01.840 --> 00:23:03.039 the chief shepherd. 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:07.139 and he's coming back for us. 00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:09.960 And that shepherd 00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:11.359 has already laid down his life 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:12.240 for you and me. 00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:14.819 He's already taken 00:23:14.819 --> 00:23:15.639 the sting of death. 00:23:16.639 --> 00:23:17.460 He's already taken 00:23:17.460 --> 00:23:18.259 the sting of sin. 00:23:19.259 --> 00:23:20.960 He's already resurrected 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:22.200 to prove that he is God 00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:23.440 and he's given us eternal life 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:24.299 and given us passage 00:23:24.299 --> 00:23:25.339 back to God the Father. 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:27.639 And all we need to do now 00:23:27.639 --> 00:23:28.639 is to trust him. 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:31.759 To walk with him. 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:35.119 To do it together 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:35.940 as a community. 00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:38.500 To be aware. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:41.539 Does that make sense? 00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:46.700 The church is an amazing thing. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:48.700 One of the scariest things 00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:49.779 for me about being a pastor 00:23:49.779 --> 00:23:51.579 is that I'm responsible 00:23:51.579 --> 00:23:52.539 for everybody in here. 00:23:55.579 --> 00:23:56.819 I pray for you. 00:23:56.940 --> 00:23:58.039 The elders pray for you. 00:23:58.559 --> 00:23:59.720 When you're not here 00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:01.559 and I see someone's not there, 00:24:01.559 --> 00:24:02.539 Ji-Shing's not there, 00:24:02.539 --> 00:24:02.940 I'm like, okay, 00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:03.680 I wonder where he is. 00:24:03.879 --> 00:24:04.740 He's still traveling. 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:06.299 I call him up. 00:24:07.019 --> 00:24:07.940 We do our best 00:24:07.940 --> 00:24:08.440 to shepherd 00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:09.639 and take care of everybody. 00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:11.319 I mean, we don't even know. 00:24:11.379 --> 00:24:12.180 Some of us aren't members. 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:13.200 We're doing a membership class 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:13.659 next week, 00:24:13.740 --> 00:24:14.879 but that's one of the important things 00:24:14.879 --> 00:24:15.500 about being a member 00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:16.480 is so the elders know 00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:17.440 who you are 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:18.319 and we can pray for you. 00:24:19.659 --> 00:24:20.700 Some of the saddest times 00:24:20.700 --> 00:24:21.159 in my life 00:24:21.159 --> 00:24:21.960 have been seeing people 00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:22.980 leave the fellowship. 00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:26.240 Wander off on their own 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:27.339 because they just get angry 00:24:27.339 --> 00:24:28.279 and they get prideful 00:24:28.279 --> 00:24:30.779 and they refuse to be humble 00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:34.259 and they forget about grace 00:24:34.259 --> 00:24:36.039 and all that Christ 00:24:36.039 --> 00:24:36.799 has done for them. 00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:40.599 And I just hear this sound. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:41.539 Da-na-na. 00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:45.740 Da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na. 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:47.000 And I think this seal swimming 00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:49.200 and I think this great white shark 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:49.920 going after it. 00:24:51.160 --> 00:24:52.099 And I just pray. 00:24:52.099 --> 00:24:55.779 I pray that's never us. 00:24:59.079 --> 00:25:00.319 I pray that's never us. 00:25:01.819 --> 00:25:03.119 Father, I thank you for this day. 00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:04.480 We thank you for your faithfulness. 00:25:04.919 --> 00:25:06.219 We thank you for your word. 00:25:06.299 --> 00:25:08.559 We thank you for a place to meet. 00:25:10.059 --> 00:25:11.439 We thank you for your son 00:25:11.439 --> 00:25:14.119 who is the model of our life 00:25:14.119 --> 00:25:15.459 as men and as women, 00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:18.099 as leaders and as underleaders. 00:25:18.099 --> 00:25:22.359 We're called to look at his life 00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:23.819 and to lay our life over him 00:25:23.819 --> 00:25:26.159 and to follow in his footsteps 00:25:26.159 --> 00:25:27.259 and to trace him. 00:25:28.539 --> 00:25:29.159 And Father, I thank you 00:25:29.159 --> 00:25:30.199 for these words of Peter. 00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:33.959 We're assured that there will be hard times. 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:35.019 There will be difficult times 00:25:35.019 --> 00:25:35.659 because we're different 00:25:35.659 --> 00:25:36.799 than the world around us. 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:38.980 But we're also equally assured 00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:39.939 that you're there. 00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:42.980 That you're using those difficult 00:25:42.980 --> 00:25:44.059 and hard times 00:25:44.059 --> 00:25:47.000 to create something amazing in us. 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:49.279 and we know that 00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:51.579 you don't waste suffering. 00:25:53.980 --> 00:25:55.539 That you're always at work. 00:25:56.920 --> 00:25:58.240 Father, I know there's some of us 00:25:58.240 --> 00:25:58.960 in here right now 00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:01.299 who just laugh at what's been said 00:26:01.299 --> 00:26:03.319 and I laughed when I first heard it. 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:04.299 And I pray that you would 00:26:04.299 --> 00:26:05.740 open their hearts. 00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:09.039 I would pray that they would think about 00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:11.160 what is actually shepherding their life. 00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:13.680 Whether it's their company 00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:15.220 or their finances 00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:17.360 or their body 00:26:17.360 --> 00:26:19.720 or their intellect. 00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:23.059 And I pray that they would realize 00:26:23.059 --> 00:26:23.640 that one day 00:26:23.640 --> 00:26:25.519 all those things will fail them. 00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:28.720 And they'll be left shepherdless. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:32.140 But there's one shepherd 00:26:32.140 --> 00:26:33.039 that never fails 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:34.620 and that's your son, Jesus Christ. 00:26:36.299 --> 00:26:37.240 I pray for us 00:26:37.240 --> 00:26:39.339 who are on this journey already 00:26:39.339 --> 00:26:41.019 and we become prideful. 00:26:42.139 --> 00:26:43.480 We start to worry 00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:44.500 and we start to doubt. 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:46.359 I pray that we would be 00:26:46.359 --> 00:26:47.379 in a community of people 00:26:47.379 --> 00:26:48.639 who love us enough 00:26:48.639 --> 00:26:50.379 to come alongside 00:26:50.379 --> 00:26:51.699 and to encourage us. 00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:54.919 I pray for every father in here 00:26:54.919 --> 00:26:57.259 that he has another man in his life 00:26:57.259 --> 00:27:00.359 who has the strength 00:27:00.359 --> 00:27:02.899 to call him out 00:27:02.899 --> 00:27:04.379 when he's being selfish. 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:07.819 Who loves him enough 00:27:07.819 --> 00:27:09.579 to challenge him 00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:11.759 and how he uses his authority 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:12.699 and how he serves. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:15.819 I pray for all the singles in here. 00:27:16.879 --> 00:27:17.799 And Lord, I pray 00:27:17.799 --> 00:27:18.779 that they would become a community 00:27:18.779 --> 00:27:19.879 that would love each other, 00:27:19.959 --> 00:27:20.939 think the best of each other, 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:21.859 care for each other, 00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:22.979 and be there 00:27:22.979 --> 00:27:24.679 in the difficult times 00:27:24.680 --> 00:27:26.779 and in the good times, 00:27:27.420 --> 00:27:28.000 rejoicing 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:29.560 of your mercy 00:27:29.560 --> 00:27:30.320 and your grace. 00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:32.840 And Lord, I pray for us 00:27:32.840 --> 00:27:33.500 as a church. 00:27:35.620 --> 00:27:35.980 All right, Lord, 00:27:36.060 --> 00:27:36.519 I just pray, 00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:38.220 I hope we don't just come here 00:27:38.220 --> 00:27:38.779 and gather 00:27:38.779 --> 00:27:39.799 and then leave 00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:40.860 and come back next week 00:27:40.860 --> 00:27:41.500 and we do nothing. 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:43.900 I mean, if that's the only reason 00:27:43.900 --> 00:27:44.340 we're here, 00:27:44.380 --> 00:27:45.240 to take up space 00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:47.279 and to get hot 00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:49.019 in a little box, 00:27:49.160 --> 00:27:50.240 then we might as well 00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:51.360 stop being a church. 00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:54.660 I pray that we would be a church 00:27:54.660 --> 00:27:56.240 that thinks of what it was like 00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:57.240 before we knew you, 00:27:58.640 --> 00:28:00.900 how fearful it was 00:28:00.900 --> 00:28:01.900 to be away from 00:28:01.900 --> 00:28:03.100 the true shepherd 00:28:03.100 --> 00:28:05.500 and that we would share 00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:06.580 with those around us 00:28:06.580 --> 00:28:09.180 this amazing gift of grace 00:28:09.180 --> 00:28:09.820 that we found. 00:28:11.800 --> 00:28:12.920 Father, we love you. 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:14.980 We thank you. 00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:17.040 We pray all these things 00:28:17.040 --> 00:28:18.000 in your Son, Jesus Christ, 00:28:18.120 --> 00:28:18.700 holy name. 00:28:19.700 --> 00:28:19.960 Amen.