WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.820 Okay, the title of my message today is Soul Saving Shared Hardship. 00:00:07.400 --> 00:00:09.140 ! Soul Saving Shared Hardship. 00:00:09.800 --> 00:00:14.339 And I'm going to be sticking in basically one text for most of the whole sermon. 00:00:14.339 --> 00:00:18.820 So, if you've got your Bibles, you can turn to 2 Timothy 2, 3-10. 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:22.539 2 Timothy 2, 3-10. 00:00:22.900 --> 00:00:27.679 We're going to look at that text predominantly this morning. 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:33.579 So, I'm going to read through the text to start off. 00:00:35.519 --> 00:00:39.359 2 Timothy 2, 3-10. 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:47.340 It says, 00:00:47.340 --> 00:00:50.939 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:55.140 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, 00:00:55.140 --> 00:00:58.539 since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 00:00:59.500 --> 00:01:03.060 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 00:01:03.700 --> 00:01:07.400 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:09.299 Think over what I say. 00:01:09.859 --> 00:01:11.840 The Lord will give you understanding in everything. 00:01:12.900 --> 00:01:15.740 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, 00:01:16.240 --> 00:01:19.099 the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 00:01:19.099 --> 00:01:22.459 for which I am suffering, bound with chains is a criminal. 00:01:23.059 --> 00:01:24.719 But the word of God is not bound. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:29.459 Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect, 00:01:29.459 --> 00:01:35.119 that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:35.320 Okay. 00:01:36.520 --> 00:01:37.320 Okay. 00:01:38.260 --> 00:01:39.740 So, that's the text. 00:01:41.320 --> 00:01:45.260 I was just thinking about our church 00:01:45.260 --> 00:01:56.060 and thinking about just the required daily embracing of hardship, 00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:58.080 but thinking about it together. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:01.579 In that first verse in 2 Timothy 2, verse 3, 00:02:01.939 --> 00:02:03.280 he says, share in suffering. 00:02:04.140 --> 00:02:04.319 Okay. 00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:06.359 You know, you're eating a sandwich. 00:02:06.759 --> 00:02:07.560 Someone else is hungry. 00:02:07.719 --> 00:02:09.359 You might, you know, break off another half. 00:02:09.419 --> 00:02:10.219 You might share it with them. 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:11.219 Think about that. 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:11.979 You've got some chips. 00:02:12.099 --> 00:02:14.340 You might say, hey, share with my chips. 00:02:14.740 --> 00:02:14.879 You know. 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:17.159 You ever think, oh, I'm suffering. 00:02:17.340 --> 00:02:18.400 That person's suffering. 00:02:18.460 --> 00:02:19.620 I'm going to share in their suffering. 00:02:20.819 --> 00:02:22.599 Not normally, right? 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:24.159 Not your go-to. 00:02:24.840 --> 00:02:25.539 Maybe chips. 00:02:25.539 --> 00:02:26.340 Maybe a sandwich. 00:02:26.340 --> 00:02:29.460 But not typically, suffering. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:33.680 In the NASB, he says, suffer hardship with me. 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:34.860 With me. 00:02:35.420 --> 00:02:35.640 Okay. 00:02:35.699 --> 00:02:36.900 So, there's a togetherness. 00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:43.900 And one of the things, one of the best ways to build us up together 00:02:43.900 --> 00:02:45.840 is by doing hard things together. 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:47.620 By doing hard things together. 00:02:47.659 --> 00:02:50.199 You think about all the people you're closest with. 00:02:50.659 --> 00:02:53.819 There's probably at some point in time, you had to do something hard together. 00:02:53.819 --> 00:03:00.379 And when you make it through a hard thing together, that relationship is just stronger. 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:01.500 It's just better. 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:06.799 And it always, every time you go through hard things together, it tests the relationship. 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:11.079 In other words, if you don't make it through, well, then the relationship wasn't that strong, right? 00:03:11.080 --> 00:03:13.680 But if you make it through, it gets stronger each time. 00:03:14.580 --> 00:03:17.040 And there's a number of ways we can build family together. 00:03:17.140 --> 00:03:19.020 We can build togetherness together. 00:03:19.720 --> 00:03:22.000 And one of them is just doing hard things together. 00:03:22.439 --> 00:03:28.400 And so, it's important for us to realize that the human nature is to avoid hard things, right? 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.900 We don't typically choose hard things. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:34.560 It's typically hard things that we want to avoid. 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:38.500 And we live in a culture that is doing everything we can to avoid hard things. 00:03:38.740 --> 00:03:40.740 And to seek after convenience. 00:03:40.939 --> 00:03:44.340 We live in an extremely convenient culture. 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:47.379 A friend of mine just bought a wash machine. 00:03:48.040 --> 00:03:48.700 No dryer. 00:03:49.040 --> 00:03:49.520 You know why? 00:03:49.920 --> 00:03:51.120 Because they're the same thing. 00:03:51.180 --> 00:03:52.319 It's just all in one now. 00:03:52.540 --> 00:03:53.580 You just throw it in there. 00:03:53.920 --> 00:03:55.080 You never have to switch it. 00:03:55.540 --> 00:03:57.319 Once it's done washing, it gets dried. 00:03:57.319 --> 00:03:59.180 It just keeps getting easier. 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:01.219 Everything just keeps getting easier, right? 00:04:02.259 --> 00:04:04.159 That's how life is. 00:04:04.219 --> 00:04:07.159 It's trending towards those kind of things. 00:04:08.239 --> 00:04:19.000 And yet, the call to follow Jesus, the call to be a Christian and be a disciple of Jesus, 00:04:19.459 --> 00:04:20.740 is one of losing our life. 00:04:20.839 --> 00:04:22.139 It's one of inconvenience. 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:23.459 It's one of suffering. 00:04:23.579 --> 00:04:25.379 It's one of hardship, okay? 00:04:25.379 --> 00:04:30.279 And Paul, when he starts off this part here, he says, share in suffering. 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:33.899 Suffer hardship with me, says in the NASB. 00:04:34.120 --> 00:04:35.600 Do this together with me. 00:04:36.100 --> 00:04:39.939 And we should have that same kind of view as a small little church. 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:44.620 Just say, hey, if someone's going through something hard, I don't ever want them to go through that alone. 00:04:45.259 --> 00:04:46.899 I want to do this together with them. 00:04:47.219 --> 00:04:50.500 I want to embrace the suck, so to speak, with them, right? 00:04:50.500 --> 00:04:52.740 Like, if they're going through it, I want to go with it. 00:04:52.779 --> 00:04:53.439 I want to help them. 00:04:53.500 --> 00:04:54.620 I want to be with them. 00:04:54.660 --> 00:04:56.180 I don't want them to go through things alone. 00:04:56.899 --> 00:05:02.300 And if something's hard, a lot of times it's a lot harder when we do it by ourself. 00:05:02.699 --> 00:05:04.779 But when we do things together, it becomes easier. 00:05:05.660 --> 00:05:06.819 So he says, share in suffering. 00:05:07.079 --> 00:05:12.040 Suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, okay? 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:17.600 So he's specifically talking about hardship related to being a soldier, okay? 00:05:17.960 --> 00:05:19.540 So what's hard about being a soldier? 00:05:20.740 --> 00:05:22.660 Well, no civilian pursuits. 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:24.100 We'll see that in the next part, right? 00:05:24.660 --> 00:05:28.520 One of the hardest things about being a soldier is you're fairly limited. 00:05:28.900 --> 00:05:32.740 You know, if you sign up for, like, the U.S. military, you know you're not your own anymore. 00:05:32.939 --> 00:05:33.740 They got you. 00:05:33.939 --> 00:05:35.620 You're theirs. 00:05:35.820 --> 00:05:36.920 They can send you where you want. 00:05:36.980 --> 00:05:40.700 You don't have any, really, rights of your own at that point. 00:05:40.699 --> 00:05:47.120 They are, you're bought and sold to the U.S. military, and they can do whatever they want with you, right? 00:05:47.860 --> 00:05:54.480 The civilian pursuits that you would do, the kind of fun things you do, you give those up when you serve in the military, right? 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:58.319 When you become a soldier, there's no more civilian pursuits. 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:00.500 You don't get to do what normal civilians do. 00:06:01.379 --> 00:06:08.079 Ordinary, everyday pleasures and pursuits are sacrificed for the soldier's mission, okay? 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:12.339 A soldier has an objective, a mission, okay? 00:06:12.459 --> 00:06:19.259 When a soldier gets sent someplace, one of the first things they ask is, what are my orders, right? 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:20.300 What are my orders? 00:06:20.599 --> 00:06:21.500 What's the mission? 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:22.699 What's the objective? 00:06:23.319 --> 00:06:24.360 That's what soldiers do. 00:06:24.519 --> 00:06:27.259 Soldiers don't soldier for the sake of soldiering. 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:31.099 Soldiers always have a specific objective that they're after. 00:06:31.100 --> 00:06:35.939 Even when they're not at war, their objective is to train so that they're ready for one, okay? 00:06:36.500 --> 00:06:39.900 And to do that, they have to forego certain things. 00:06:40.060 --> 00:06:41.220 They make commitments. 00:06:41.540 --> 00:06:43.600 They are signed up for a certain length of time. 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:47.080 They're not afforded some of the luxuries that regular civilians are. 00:06:47.540 --> 00:06:53.120 If someone goes away as a soldier, they're away from their family, okay? 00:06:53.120 --> 00:07:04.540 So being a soldier involves a level of hardship because you're having to give up certain things in order to serve the mission or the aim, as it says. 00:07:05.280 --> 00:07:14.420 Verse 4 says, no soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him, okay? 00:07:14.420 --> 00:07:17.660 So here we're seeing this section of scripture. 00:07:17.819 --> 00:07:21.040 There's three different groups of people that are being talked about here, right? 00:07:21.080 --> 00:07:24.600 We got soldier, we got athlete, we got farmer, okay? 00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:26.319 Soldier, athlete, farmer. 00:07:26.620 --> 00:07:30.040 Each one is talked about with a specific thing that they do. 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:38.819 And then each one of those specific things that are doing something has a certain kind of reward that comes with it, right? 00:07:38.819 --> 00:07:47.560 And here we see the first one, the reward he's speaking of, that when a soldier, his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 00:07:47.599 --> 00:07:52.659 When a soldier is not getting involved in civilian pursuits and is a good soldier, as he says earlier, 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:57.279 and he's enduring hardship as a good soldier, he's not getting involved with civilian pursuits, 00:07:57.980 --> 00:07:59.740 this pleases the one who enlists him. 00:07:59.899 --> 00:08:01.759 This pleases his commanding officer. 00:08:02.219 --> 00:08:03.039 That's the goal. 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:03.860 That's the aim. 00:08:03.860 --> 00:08:09.699 But to do that, he has to not get entangled in civilian pursuits, okay? 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:12.819 It's an interesting choice of words there, entangled. 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:16.860 This word entangled in the Bible dictionary BDAG says, 00:08:17.379 --> 00:08:23.780 to become involved in an activity to the point of interference with other activity or objective. 00:08:24.420 --> 00:08:30.400 To become involved in an activity to the point of interference with other activities or objectives, okay? 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:37.799 So, what ends up happening is, we can get involved with other things apart from the mission of God, 00:08:38.019 --> 00:08:42.699 and what it can do is, it interferes with the mission of God. 00:08:43.100 --> 00:08:45.459 It interferes with God's priorities. 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:47.860 It interferes with what we're supposed to do. 00:08:48.179 --> 00:08:51.579 That's the kind of entanglement we have to watch out for, all right? 00:08:51.799 --> 00:08:59.439 Something that involves an activity that pulls us away or interferes with the thing that we're supposed to be doing. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:03.060 Now, the question is, do you know what you're supposed to be doing? 00:09:03.700 --> 00:09:04.360 Do you know? 00:09:04.420 --> 00:09:05.440 Are you confident in it? 00:09:05.980 --> 00:09:08.200 A lot of times people say, man, I'm so tired. 00:09:08.380 --> 00:09:09.740 I'm so worn out. 00:09:09.980 --> 00:09:10.640 I need rest. 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:12.060 I need a vacation. 00:09:12.260 --> 00:09:13.320 I need a break. 00:09:13.820 --> 00:09:17.680 And oftentimes, I agree with them. 00:09:17.740 --> 00:09:18.380 They need rest. 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:22.260 But the rest isn't because of hard work. 00:09:22.260 --> 00:09:24.440 It's because of lack of priorities. 00:09:24.820 --> 00:09:25.700 What do you mean? 00:09:26.640 --> 00:09:29.260 There's few things that are more tiring than lack of priorities. 00:09:29.700 --> 00:09:30.120 Why? 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:33.360 Because a lack of priorities is a lack of confidence. 00:09:33.620 --> 00:09:34.260 It's insecurity. 00:09:34.740 --> 00:09:43.240 When you don't know that what you're doing is right, and if you're a Christian and you have a conscience that is animated by the Holy Spirit, 00:09:43.680 --> 00:09:45.760 you'll feel bad about being out of priority. 00:09:47.140 --> 00:09:48.720 And that will wear upon you. 00:09:49.680 --> 00:09:51.560 Another word for that is called stress. 00:09:51.559 --> 00:10:05.000 Stress is what happens when you're doing something and involving a lot of effort into something that you subtly know or don't know, and maybe that's the problem, whether it's a priority or not. 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:15.460 Either you know it's a priority and you're not engaging in the thing that's supposed to be a priority or you're engaging in something else, civilian pursuits, or you don't know. 00:10:15.460 --> 00:10:20.480 And so there's always this nagging question in the back of your mind, like, am I doing what I'm supposed to be doing? 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:22.820 I lack confidence. 00:10:22.980 --> 00:10:23.960 I'm insecure about it. 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:25.440 And you know what? 00:10:25.500 --> 00:10:26.320 That's exhausting. 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:35.000 You end up being way less productive when you're out of priority because the things you're doing are so much more exhausting. 00:10:35.140 --> 00:10:35.700 They're stressful. 00:10:36.140 --> 00:10:37.280 They weigh upon you. 00:10:39.140 --> 00:10:42.480 We must prioritize our lives based on the kingdom of God. 00:10:42.520 --> 00:10:46.680 We've got to seek first the kingdom, and then all these other things will be added. 00:10:46.780 --> 00:10:47.560 But do you know? 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:52.000 Do you know whether what you're engaged in in your life is a priority? 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:56.100 Have you ever just sat down and said, what are the things I'm doing right now in this season of life? 00:10:56.920 --> 00:11:02.760 And then you just list them out, and then you prioritize them based on the Bible, based on the kingdom of God. 00:11:03.620 --> 00:11:08.900 Just doing that sometimes is one of the most clear-headed ways to live, and you just start to see, like, oh, my gosh. 00:11:11.060 --> 00:11:12.600 I shouldn't be doing this. 00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:15.540 Or, man, this thing needs to move way down the list. 00:11:15.640 --> 00:11:18.440 Why am I spending so much time and effort on this? 00:11:19.640 --> 00:11:24.520 It's causing me to be distracted from these other aims that I know for sure are a priority, 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:27.379 but because I've never just sat down and thought about it, 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:33.799 I didn't actually get a confident knowing that this was a priority. 00:11:35.019 --> 00:11:40.079 Essentially, I'm involved in civilian pursuits, and I'm missing the aim to please my commanding officer, 00:11:40.179 --> 00:11:41.139 the one who enlisted me. 00:11:41.139 --> 00:11:47.220 When I look to him, I know what's the priority, but if I live in such a way where I'm so busy 00:11:47.220 --> 00:11:52.819 that I never take the time to ask what I'm doing, whether or not it's what I'm supposed to be doing, 00:11:53.019 --> 00:11:57.419 I end up living this exhausted lifestyle that feels productive because I'm busy. 00:11:57.419 --> 00:12:02.479 And yet, really, all we could really be doing is just being involved with civilian pursuits, 00:12:02.599 --> 00:12:06.319 and we really could be distracted from what our commanding officer wants us to do. 00:12:07.599 --> 00:12:09.360 This is one of the worst ways to live. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:12.419 Now, the opposite is one of the best ways to live. 00:12:12.459 --> 00:12:17.120 When you know what is a civilian pursuit and what is your king's orders. 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:20.579 When you know, hey, this is what I'm supposed to be doing in this season. 00:12:20.819 --> 00:12:23.839 And don't get weird on me with some weird, sacred, secular stuff. 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:25.240 I'm not talking about that kind of stuff. 00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:32.360 You can do very normal, everyday things like working a job and taking care of kids 00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:35.240 and cleaning your room or your house. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:40.379 Those things are very spiritual because they're part of the priority of bringing order to your home 00:12:40.379 --> 00:12:41.419 that God wants you to do. 00:12:41.820 --> 00:12:46.940 I'm not talking about making sure that you spend every waking moment in a quiet time with your Bible open. 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:48.080 I'm not talking about that. 00:12:48.659 --> 00:12:53.019 I'm talking about ordering your life in such a way as to honor God 00:12:53.019 --> 00:12:55.779 and to not get involved with civilian pursuits. 00:12:56.600 --> 00:13:01.199 Because when you say yes to one thing, you're automatically saying no to something else. 00:13:01.340 --> 00:13:02.799 Whenever you say yes to something. 00:13:03.179 --> 00:13:07.579 And in a society that has FOMO and hates missing out, we don't like to think that way. 00:13:07.659 --> 00:13:09.259 We like to think, no, I can have it all. 00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:11.000 Well, you can't have it all. 00:13:11.220 --> 00:13:13.139 The biggest lie of our age right now is that you can't. 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:13.500 You can't. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:14.899 Is that you can have it all? 00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:15.480 You can't. 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:16.759 You can't. 00:13:17.439 --> 00:13:20.159 And so we have to ask, what are civilian pursuits? 00:13:20.259 --> 00:13:23.500 What are those things that are not even bad things in and of themselves, 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:26.439 but that are keeping me from the things I know I'm supposed to do? 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:31.080 Maybe they're keeping you from just what I mentioned before. 00:13:31.139 --> 00:13:33.980 Maybe they are keeping you from just spending time reading the Bible 00:13:33.980 --> 00:13:35.779 and praying and fellowshipping with Jesus. 00:13:36.419 --> 00:13:37.740 Maybe that's the thing that's going. 00:13:37.740 --> 00:13:43.740 If your life doesn't fit to have that, well, something's out of order 00:13:43.740 --> 00:13:46.680 and something needs to go, right? 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:50.139 Or maybe you don't have enough time to be with the church, 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:55.500 to actually fellowship with the church and be in relationship with this church. 00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:57.600 Like there's too many other things. 00:13:57.759 --> 00:13:58.779 And you have to say, you know what? 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:02.539 I need to be connected with the church in a meaningful way. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:07.720 Or maybe things in your life are keeping you from being on mission to lost people. 00:14:07.740 --> 00:14:09.879 We'll look at that here in a second. 00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:10.379 Okay? 00:14:10.940 --> 00:14:17.860 But beware that a good soldier doesn't get entangled in civilian pursuits 00:14:17.860 --> 00:14:20.480 since his aim is to please the one enlisted in. 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:21.279 Okay? 00:14:22.139 --> 00:14:23.259 So that's the soldier. 00:14:23.379 --> 00:14:24.740 The next one is an athlete. 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:25.539 Verse 5. 00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:31.000 It says an athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 00:14:31.700 --> 00:14:32.180 Okay? 00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:33.580 So a similar thing. 00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:37.780 He's basically saying what an athlete is supposed to do, 00:14:38.139 --> 00:14:39.720 just like he did with the soldier, right? 00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:42.560 And a soldier shouldn't be engaged with civilian pursuits. 00:14:43.480 --> 00:14:46.759 An athlete has to make sure he competes according to the rules. 00:14:47.540 --> 00:14:47.720 Right? 00:14:47.800 --> 00:14:48.879 Or another way of saying it, 00:14:49.139 --> 00:14:51.840 the way I would like to say it probably would be no shortcuts. 00:14:52.560 --> 00:14:52.860 Right? 00:14:53.220 --> 00:14:54.120 No shortcuts. 00:14:54.259 --> 00:14:54.780 No cheating. 00:14:55.540 --> 00:14:56.540 An athlete can't cheat. 00:14:56.759 --> 00:14:56.980 Right? 00:14:57.240 --> 00:14:58.800 He's got to compete according to the rules. 00:14:59.500 --> 00:15:02.480 And, you know, that's true in athletics, 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:07.519 but it's also true in just in training as well. 00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:09.159 You know, you get a lot of people, 00:15:09.340 --> 00:15:12.360 they can talk all they want about how to gain muscle, 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:15.740 but you got to actually get in there and lift some weights. 00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:16.379 You know? 00:15:16.820 --> 00:15:18.019 And there's no shortcuts. 00:15:18.539 --> 00:15:19.220 You can, you know, 00:15:19.379 --> 00:15:20.460 there's things that can help, 00:15:20.539 --> 00:15:21.279 but at the end of the day, 00:15:21.379 --> 00:15:24.740 nothing trumps actually getting in the gym and putting in the work. 00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:25.759 Right? 00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:28.019 You can have people who talk about it all the time. 00:15:28.100 --> 00:15:31.320 They take pictures at the gym and do videos at the gym, 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:33.059 but are they actually working out? 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:33.600 You know? 00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:36.659 And there's no shortcuts for that. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:39.340 And it's the same way in the spiritual world. 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:39.720 Right? 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:41.040 The Bible says you reap what you sow. 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:42.399 Right? 00:15:42.779 --> 00:15:44.180 God's not mocked. 00:15:44.560 --> 00:15:46.340 You know, if you sow to please your sinful flesh, 00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:47.620 then you'll reap destruction. 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:48.779 If you sow to please the Spirit, 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:50.420 then you'll reap the fruit of the Spirit. 00:15:50.560 --> 00:15:50.759 Right? 00:15:50.920 --> 00:15:51.720 You'll reap life. 00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:52.440 Okay? 00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:53.600 There's no shortcuts. 00:15:54.300 --> 00:15:55.899 There's no easy way out of this. 00:15:55.899 --> 00:15:57.960 There's no, you know, 00:15:58.019 --> 00:16:00.100 and some people like to be spiritual gurus 00:16:00.100 --> 00:16:01.460 or trying to give you all these. 00:16:01.580 --> 00:16:02.960 There just, there isn't any shortcuts. 00:16:03.060 --> 00:16:03.860 It's the same thing. 00:16:03.940 --> 00:16:04.540 Tried and true. 00:16:04.899 --> 00:16:05.960 The Word of God hasn't changed. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:07.560 Same yesterday, today, and forever. 00:16:07.559 --> 00:16:10.619 Or the Lord doesn't change. 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.759 These things are all true. 00:16:13.219 --> 00:16:14.059 So there's no shortcuts. 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:15.719 An athlete is not crowned 00:16:15.719 --> 00:16:17.139 unless he competes according to the rules. 00:16:17.539 --> 00:16:19.079 And again, what's the goal here? 00:16:19.119 --> 00:16:19.559 The crown. 00:16:20.539 --> 00:16:21.199 The crown. 00:16:21.339 --> 00:16:22.079 How do you get the crown? 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:23.779 You gotta compete according to the rules. 00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:28.500 And this, I think, speaks of prioritization and focus. 00:16:29.179 --> 00:16:29.279 Okay? 00:16:30.059 --> 00:16:31.399 Prioritization and focus. 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:34.159 Again, what is your priorities 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:35.399 and what are you focused on? 00:16:36.479 --> 00:16:36.679 Okay? 00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:37.599 You might say, 00:16:37.659 --> 00:16:38.819 well, yeah, this is a priority of mine. 00:16:38.959 --> 00:16:40.019 Are you focused on it? 00:16:40.339 --> 00:16:40.719 Well, yeah. 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:41.559 What does that look like? 00:16:41.599 --> 00:16:42.579 Do you give time to it? 00:16:42.919 --> 00:16:43.699 Do you plan it? 00:16:44.620 --> 00:16:45.179 Is it planned? 00:16:45.439 --> 00:16:48.000 Anything worth doing is worth planning into your week. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:49.239 Okay? 00:16:50.459 --> 00:16:51.719 Do you have weekly rhythms? 00:16:52.679 --> 00:16:55.879 Are you kind of a, you know, 00:16:56.739 --> 00:16:57.759 spiritual nomad, 00:16:57.859 --> 00:17:00.519 just kind of hoping that good things will happen to you, right? 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:02.319 Like, I just hope I'll get in the Word. 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:05.440 I just hope I'll engage with great friendships in the church. 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:07.880 And I just hope that lost people will get saved. 00:17:08.120 --> 00:17:09.120 But there's no plan. 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:09.960 There's no discipline. 00:17:10.180 --> 00:17:10.940 There's no training. 00:17:12.279 --> 00:17:14.259 You know, 1 Corinthians 9.25 says, 00:17:14.420 --> 00:17:15.180 every athlete, 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:18.039 this is the other verse that talks about athletes in the Bible, 00:17:18.580 --> 00:17:21.420 every athlete exercises self-control in all things. 00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:22.700 NIV says, 00:17:22.779 --> 00:17:23.840 goes into strict training. 00:17:24.360 --> 00:17:26.140 They do it to receive a perishable wreath, 00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:27.180 but we in imperishable. 00:17:27.620 --> 00:17:27.799 Okay? 00:17:27.799 --> 00:17:32.639 There's a strict training that's involved in the kingdom of God. 00:17:32.940 --> 00:17:33.200 It says, 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:34.099 hey, I'm going to train. 00:17:34.639 --> 00:17:35.879 I'm going to be strict with it. 00:17:36.619 --> 00:17:37.180 You know, 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:37.960 as well as I do, 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:39.000 that if you're ever on a diet, 00:17:39.159 --> 00:17:41.099 and you're trying to train yourself, 00:17:41.099 --> 00:17:42.519 if you're not strict, 00:17:42.599 --> 00:17:43.319 what happens? 00:17:44.180 --> 00:17:44.960 It doesn't work. 00:17:46.019 --> 00:17:46.339 And, 00:17:46.339 --> 00:17:47.899 I know, 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:48.720 because I've tried it. 00:17:49.579 --> 00:17:50.559 If you're not strict, 00:17:50.619 --> 00:17:51.419 it doesn't work. 00:17:51.879 --> 00:17:53.059 But when you are strict, 00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:53.939 it does work. 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:55.139 And, 00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:58.399 the difference between results and not result 00:17:58.399 --> 00:18:00.559 is strictness over time. 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:04.240 Strictness over time. 00:18:04.459 --> 00:18:06.319 The difference between a good athlete and a bad athlete, 00:18:06.399 --> 00:18:07.079 a lot of times, 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:09.519 other than just naturally talented, 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:10.159 and some are, 00:18:10.939 --> 00:18:11.980 is, 00:18:12.179 --> 00:18:15.139 strictness over time. 00:18:15.140 --> 00:18:17.040 Even the ones who are really talented, 00:18:17.140 --> 00:18:17.540 I remember, 00:18:17.780 --> 00:18:20.340 I think it was Rob Gronkowski, 00:18:20.460 --> 00:18:22.400 his last season that he played, 00:18:23.120 --> 00:18:23.300 he, 00:18:25.460 --> 00:18:26.300 while he was, 00:18:26.460 --> 00:18:28.140 he was supposed to do training for the summer, 00:18:28.300 --> 00:18:31.259 and he took videos the same day with different clothes on 00:18:31.259 --> 00:18:33.259 to say that he was doing his training for the summer 00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:34.700 as an accountability thing, 00:18:35.080 --> 00:18:35.840 that he was faking it. 00:18:35.860 --> 00:18:36.759 He didn't really do the training. 00:18:37.320 --> 00:18:37.540 And, 00:18:37.600 --> 00:18:38.900 you could tell when he started the season, 00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:40.080 even though he was a great athlete. 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:41.000 But, 00:18:41.040 --> 00:18:41.580 over time, 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:42.380 at the end of the season, 00:18:42.500 --> 00:18:42.780 he got, 00:18:43.080 --> 00:18:44.400 you could tell he was back in shape. 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:44.960 And, 00:18:45.040 --> 00:18:45.960 and he ended up winning the Super Bowl. 00:18:46.080 --> 00:18:46.220 But, 00:18:46.380 --> 00:18:48.080 even a great athlete like that, 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:48.759 can't fake it. 00:18:48.800 --> 00:18:49.620 There's no shortcuts. 00:18:50.120 --> 00:18:51.120 He tried to do the shortcut. 00:18:51.240 --> 00:18:51.680 If I just, 00:18:51.980 --> 00:18:53.880 send in this video saying that I was working out, 00:18:54.019 --> 00:18:54.240 that'll, 00:18:54.360 --> 00:18:54.940 that'll do it. 00:18:55.320 --> 00:18:57.360 The thing you're working out isn't as good as working out. 00:18:58.360 --> 00:18:58.720 Apparently. 00:18:59.600 --> 00:19:01.100 He was sluggish on the field. 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:01.900 It didn't work. 00:19:02.900 --> 00:19:03.080 Okay? 00:19:03.940 --> 00:19:05.019 Strictness over time. 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:07.000 Now, 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:09.280 what we like is, 00:19:10.080 --> 00:19:11.900 flashy over a short time. 00:19:12.100 --> 00:19:12.240 Right? 00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:14.039 Give me something new. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:15.079 Give me something novel. 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:17.819 Give me something flashy and, 00:19:17.819 --> 00:19:18.339 and, 00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:19.099 and different. 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:23.400 I don't want to do the same boring thing over and over again for a long period of time. 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:24.359 Well, 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:26.880 that's immaturity speaking if we say things like that. 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:27.680 Now, 00:19:27.700 --> 00:19:28.759 most people wouldn't say that out loud, 00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:29.319 but in fact, 00:19:29.339 --> 00:19:30.140 you might be thinking that, 00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:30.380 right? 00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:30.839 But, 00:19:30.839 --> 00:19:32.700 that's the difference between maturity and immaturity. 00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:34.920 Maturity does strictness over time. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:36.759 Strictness over time. 00:19:37.220 --> 00:19:38.000 Same things, 00:19:38.099 --> 00:19:38.900 day in and day out. 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:42.859 One of the things that was most impressive about Daniel in the Bible was what? 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:44.539 Every day. 00:19:45.079 --> 00:19:45.839 He did the same thing. 00:19:45.879 --> 00:19:46.379 What did he do? 00:19:46.900 --> 00:19:47.259 Morning? 00:19:48.019 --> 00:19:48.420 Lunch? 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:49.079 Night? 00:19:49.299 --> 00:19:49.879 What did he do? 00:19:50.420 --> 00:19:51.440 He got before the Lord, 00:19:51.559 --> 00:19:52.420 opened up that window, 00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:53.119 and he prayed. 00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:58.559 The thing that was most impressive about the three guys he ran with, 00:19:58.940 --> 00:19:59.299 Shadrach, 00:19:59.379 --> 00:19:59.720 Meshach, 00:19:59.779 --> 00:20:00.200 and Abednego, 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:04.980 was they had a strictness over time that separated them from the people around them. 00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:05.900 Okay? 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:09.819 An athlete goes into strict training. 00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:14.180 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 00:20:14.579 --> 00:20:17.400 Takes prioritization and focus. 00:20:18.360 --> 00:20:22.799 Some of us have had seasons of prioritization where we've really hunkered down. 00:20:23.740 --> 00:20:26.900 January seems to be a great time for that a lot of times for people, right? 00:20:28.339 --> 00:20:31.980 But January Christians aren't the one who see the kingdom of God come. 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:33.279 Okay? 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:35.460 We need some December Christians. 00:20:35.899 --> 00:20:38.119 We need people who carry on through the whole year. 00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:39.519 Strictness over time. 00:20:39.879 --> 00:20:40.519 Strict training. 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:42.319 Prioritization and focus. 00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:44.299 Not seasons of prioritization. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:46.399 Lifestyles of prioritization. 00:20:47.859 --> 00:20:48.779 Do we do that? 00:20:48.879 --> 00:20:49.519 Can't we do that? 00:20:50.940 --> 00:20:52.920 We don't want to just, you know, 00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:54.680 I want to see this church grow. 00:20:55.139 --> 00:20:56.379 I want to see this church mature. 00:20:56.819 --> 00:20:58.539 I want to see us grow close as a family. 00:20:58.539 --> 00:21:00.399 I want to see lost people get saved. 00:21:00.819 --> 00:21:04.980 I want us to take advantage of this new move to Grandview and whatever the Lord might have for us. 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:06.619 Because we weren't anticipating this, right? 00:21:06.740 --> 00:21:09.460 So, kind of excited to see what that's going to look like. 00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:13.139 But, we want to build for the long haul, right? 00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:16.660 We want to build a church that our kids are excited about when they're older. 00:21:17.140 --> 00:21:19.880 We want to build a multi-generational church. 00:21:20.320 --> 00:21:23.020 We want to build a church that isn't a flash in the pan. 00:21:23.080 --> 00:21:24.120 Those happen all the time. 00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:28.820 You know, when we planted Bellicose 14 years ago, 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:32.540 there was a lot of churches being planted in Kansas City at that time. 00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:39.639 I was just talking to someone the other day and they were saying it was kind of a weird amount of churches that were being planted at that time. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:40.720 You know what? 00:21:40.779 --> 00:21:42.180 A lot of them don't exist anymore. 00:21:43.079 --> 00:21:44.440 They don't exist anymore. 00:21:45.659 --> 00:21:49.099 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:51.019 Strictness over time. 00:21:52.379 --> 00:21:52.539 Okay? 00:21:53.099 --> 00:21:53.899 Third one. 00:21:55.779 --> 00:21:56.559 Third one. 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:58.819 The hardworking farmer, right? 00:21:59.240 --> 00:21:59.960 Verse 6. 00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:04.740 It is the hardworking farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:05.720 Okay? 00:22:06.200 --> 00:22:08.660 The hardworking farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:10.380 Again, we have the two things. 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:11.860 We have what he's doing. 00:22:12.019 --> 00:22:13.019 He's doing hard work. 00:22:13.340 --> 00:22:14.120 What's the result? 00:22:14.460 --> 00:22:15.460 He gets a share in the harvest. 00:22:15.579 --> 00:22:16.440 He gets a share in the crops. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:18.340 He gets the fruit of his labor. 00:22:19.120 --> 00:22:19.380 Okay? 00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:21.559 Again, these are all principles. 00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:23.079 You got the soldier, the athlete. 00:22:23.779 --> 00:22:25.420 You got the hardworking farmer. 00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:27.519 They're supposed to do certain things. 00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:30.799 And when they do those things, certain fruit follows. 00:22:31.480 --> 00:22:32.980 It's no different with the hardworking farmer. 00:22:33.059 --> 00:22:36.319 When he works hard, he gets the first share of the crops. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:37.119 Okay? 00:22:39.139 --> 00:22:40.259 All of us are working. 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:46.440 And that's one thing I really preach about this church is there's a lot of collective effort and work. 00:22:46.440 --> 00:22:55.259 We're going to, you know, after the service, we're going to stack up all the chairs, throw some in some trucks, and some of those are going to head over to the new building. 00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:55.660 Right? 00:22:56.059 --> 00:22:58.440 It's usually never a problem asking people to do that. 00:22:58.779 --> 00:22:59.019 All right? 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:01.759 Work is one thing. 00:23:02.100 --> 00:23:02.960 Do you work hard? 00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:04.420 Do you work hard? 00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:04.920 Do you work? 00:23:06.259 --> 00:23:10.660 It's easy to work, but do we have a consistent hard work ethic? 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:12.400 Do we work hard when no one's looking? 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:17.740 Do we work hard when we're tired, when we're discouraged, when there seems to be no results? 00:23:18.220 --> 00:23:19.820 That's the thing about a farmer, right? 00:23:20.300 --> 00:23:22.560 He's got to keep going no matter what. 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:25.820 Any of you guys ever see that movie Faith Like Potatoes? 00:23:25.860 --> 00:23:32.600 That true story about the potato farmer who put all his money into, all he had left into planting a bunch of potatoes? 00:23:32.940 --> 00:23:35.880 The thing about potatoes is they're below ground. 00:23:36.540 --> 00:23:40.320 You can't tell if they're growing until you harvest them. 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:42.819 So the whole time, you know, you're growing corn. 00:23:43.000 --> 00:23:45.579 It's like it's going taller and taller. 00:23:46.019 --> 00:23:48.779 In Wisconsin, they always said knee-high by the 4th of July. 00:23:49.379 --> 00:23:50.879 That's not how it is here. 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:52.279 It gets a lot taller before then. 00:23:52.919 --> 00:23:54.119 You can see it growing. 00:23:54.379 --> 00:23:57.059 You know, you're driving around like, oh, it's getting close to harvest season. 00:23:57.559 --> 00:23:59.339 That corn is taller than I am. 00:23:59.599 --> 00:23:59.819 Right? 00:24:00.399 --> 00:24:01.460 You're planting potatoes. 00:24:02.179 --> 00:24:04.079 It's just a big field of dirt. 00:24:04.579 --> 00:24:05.359 There's nothing. 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:10.419 And you just got to keep working, keep trusting. 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:13.699 And church planting is a lot like planting potatoes. 00:24:14.539 --> 00:24:14.639 Right? 00:24:15.199 --> 00:24:17.539 A lot of times you're like, is there anything underneath that ground? 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:18.979 Is it some fools Aaron? 00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:20.859 Were we dumb to do this? 00:24:21.699 --> 00:24:23.119 Should we have just stayed where we were? 00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:26.279 Did we really have to get out and inconvenience ourselves and start a new church? 00:24:26.819 --> 00:24:27.839 What if nothing happens? 00:24:28.479 --> 00:24:29.599 What if there's no fruit? 00:24:29.719 --> 00:24:30.599 What if nothing grows? 00:24:31.819 --> 00:24:33.299 Those are the questions that get there. 00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:34.980 But there's a principle. 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:39.599 It's the hardworking farmer who have to have a first share of the crop. 00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:40.399 Okay? 00:24:40.680 --> 00:24:43.220 Hardworking farmers, what ends up happening? 00:24:43.819 --> 00:24:44.680 They get crops. 00:24:45.419 --> 00:24:46.319 They get crops. 00:24:48.519 --> 00:24:50.039 Acts 20, 35. 00:24:51.379 --> 00:24:52.039 Paul said, 00:24:52.419 --> 00:24:54.180 In all things I have shown you, 00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:56.319 that by working hard in this way, 00:24:56.379 --> 00:24:57.399 we must help the weak. 00:24:57.819 --> 00:24:59.259 And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, 00:24:59.259 --> 00:25:00.460 how he himself said, 00:25:01.059 --> 00:25:03.579 It is more blessed to give than to receive. 00:25:04.379 --> 00:25:04.579 Okay? 00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:06.359 He says, 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:09.480 In all things I have shown you that by working hard, 00:25:10.180 --> 00:25:11.420 must help the weak. 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:12.539 Remember the words of Jesus. 00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:13.859 It is better to give than to receive. 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:15.279 That's why we work hard. 00:25:15.640 --> 00:25:18.339 We work hard because it's better to give than to receive. 00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:20.299 We're not just looking to receive. 00:25:20.299 --> 00:25:22.019 We know it's actually better to be givers. 00:25:22.879 --> 00:25:24.440 We know that if we stay diligent, 00:25:24.859 --> 00:25:26.240 there's a crown waiting for us. 00:25:26.440 --> 00:25:27.899 There's a crop waiting for us 00:25:27.899 --> 00:25:30.159 that will please our commanding officer. 00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:31.180 Okay? 00:25:32.159 --> 00:25:33.460 In all things I've shown you, 00:25:33.919 --> 00:25:35.799 are we showing a good work ethic 00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:38.220 in our attention to the details? 00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:39.919 In our attention to 00:25:39.919 --> 00:25:42.879 the little things 00:25:42.879 --> 00:25:44.460 that we need to make a church run 00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:45.319 and to work? 00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:47.079 The little things of discipleship. 00:25:47.419 --> 00:25:49.759 The little inconveniences that we have to do 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:50.939 to be in each other's lives. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:52.200 The inconveniences of mission. 00:25:52.919 --> 00:25:53.659 You know, we talk a lot about 00:25:53.659 --> 00:25:54.819 the inconvenience of discipleship. 00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:56.059 Mission is inconvenient. 00:25:56.779 --> 00:25:57.539 It is. 00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:59.379 It's much easier to not be on mission. 00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:00.599 You know how I know that? 00:26:00.980 --> 00:26:02.639 Because that's why a lot of churches don't do it. 00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:05.019 It's just much easier not to. 00:26:05.619 --> 00:26:07.439 It's just much easier to just enjoy your life, 00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:08.799 have your little church, 00:26:08.939 --> 00:26:09.919 us four no more, 00:26:10.379 --> 00:26:11.500 your kids have friends, 00:26:11.819 --> 00:26:14.079 you got people you can watch Chiefs games with, 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:16.079 and all's right with the world 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:17.539 and we can sing love songs to Jesus 00:26:17.539 --> 00:26:18.759 and celebrate the gospel. 00:26:19.439 --> 00:26:19.639 Right? 00:26:20.039 --> 00:26:20.740 Isn't that great? 00:26:21.779 --> 00:26:23.819 Well, what about the lost and dying world out there? 00:26:24.439 --> 00:26:25.059 It's inconvenient. 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:27.319 Gets into our schedule. 00:26:27.799 --> 00:26:28.779 Takes up our time. 00:26:29.619 --> 00:26:31.119 Causes us to have to be able to 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:32.960 give up certain other things for the mission. 00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:34.899 It's like, well, 00:26:35.259 --> 00:26:36.779 all the things I want to do, 00:26:37.139 --> 00:26:38.919 I don't have time to do them and mission. 00:26:39.799 --> 00:26:40.240 Yes. 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:41.480 That's right. 00:26:41.480 --> 00:26:45.079 Those other things are called civilian pursuits. 00:26:46.839 --> 00:26:47.200 Okay? 00:26:47.900 --> 00:26:49.099 So with hard work, 00:26:50.059 --> 00:26:50.440 we keep, 00:26:50.860 --> 00:26:52.480 we'll reap a harvest if we don't give up, 00:26:52.539 --> 00:26:53.180 the Bible says. 00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:55.360 We'll reap a harvest if we don't give up. 00:26:55.860 --> 00:26:56.120 Okay? 00:26:57.160 --> 00:26:57.860 But we just keep, 00:26:57.960 --> 00:26:59.299 we got to just keep being consistent. 00:27:00.120 --> 00:27:01.819 Praying for the gospel to be proclaimed 00:27:01.819 --> 00:27:03.099 to believers and unbelievers. 00:27:03.660 --> 00:27:06.059 Building new and existing relationships with people. 00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:07.079 Okay? 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:08.940 Preaching the gospel to strangers 00:27:08.940 --> 00:27:10.820 and those we're building relationships to. 00:27:11.580 --> 00:27:13.100 Exposing the people we're on mission to 00:27:13.100 --> 00:27:14.140 to the family of believers. 00:27:14.440 --> 00:27:16.360 Then making those people into disciples. 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:18.880 And then just over and over 00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:20.740 and over and over again. 00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:23.080 Until one day, 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:24.120 we're sitting in a coffin 00:27:24.120 --> 00:27:25.640 and someone's telling about how 00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:26.759 their whole life, 00:27:26.840 --> 00:27:28.600 they just did these things over and over again. 00:27:28.599 --> 00:27:31.539 That's what you want, right? 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:32.279 That's what I want. 00:27:32.439 --> 00:27:33.459 I hope that's what people do 00:27:33.459 --> 00:27:35.079 and I'm dead and gone. 00:27:35.199 --> 00:27:36.159 People said this guy, 00:27:37.219 --> 00:27:39.159 he did the, 00:27:39.199 --> 00:27:41.359 he did the things over and over and over again. 00:27:42.039 --> 00:27:45.299 He had a strict hard work ethic over time. 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:47.619 Verse seven says, 00:27:47.740 --> 00:27:48.980 think over what I say 00:27:48.980 --> 00:27:50.659 for the Lord will give you understanding everything. 00:27:51.199 --> 00:27:52.659 Think over these three things. 00:27:52.819 --> 00:27:54.159 Think over the soldier, 00:27:54.599 --> 00:27:55.179 the athlete, 00:27:55.819 --> 00:27:56.539 the farmer. 00:27:56.980 --> 00:27:57.679 Think over them. 00:27:57.680 --> 00:28:00.560 It's interesting. 00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:01.620 A lot of times when we think 00:28:01.620 --> 00:28:03.120 we're trying to understand things, 00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:04.220 we think, well, 00:28:04.620 --> 00:28:07.600 how do we understand things in the scripture? 00:28:08.060 --> 00:28:10.140 This is one of the most simple commands here, 00:28:10.360 --> 00:28:11.799 but it's a good one to remember 00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:13.060 because sometimes I don't think we 00:28:13.060 --> 00:28:14.980 realize how important this is. 00:28:15.360 --> 00:28:17.940 What did he say was the way to understand these things? 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:20.180 It's really simple. 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:21.720 See what he said? 00:28:22.620 --> 00:28:23.420 Think about them. 00:28:24.560 --> 00:28:25.460 Think about them. 00:28:26.580 --> 00:28:27.580 Isn't that a strange thing? 00:28:27.579 --> 00:28:27.980 You might think, 00:28:28.199 --> 00:28:29.259 okay, yeah, great. 00:28:29.399 --> 00:28:30.639 What's so big deal about that? 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:32.819 How often do we just skim through the scriptures 00:28:32.819 --> 00:28:34.199 and we don't spend time thinking? 00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:36.480 How often do we just read it and we think, 00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:37.759 I don't really understand what that means. 00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:38.619 Moving on. 00:28:40.500 --> 00:28:40.759 Right? 00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:42.839 He didn't say Google it 00:28:42.839 --> 00:28:44.199 and then you'll understand everything. 00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:46.159 Nothing wrong with Googling stuff. 00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:46.659 That's good. 00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:47.539 Okay? 00:28:47.939 --> 00:28:48.319 But he said, 00:28:48.379 --> 00:28:49.099 think upon them. 00:28:49.579 --> 00:28:49.919 Okay? 00:28:50.179 --> 00:28:51.519 Are we thinking upon the scriptures 00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:52.299 and we're reading them? 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:54.960 We're going through James right now, right? 00:28:55.220 --> 00:28:56.159 Those weeks when I'm not here, 00:28:56.200 --> 00:28:57.039 you guys are going through James, 00:28:57.119 --> 00:28:59.319 so I've enjoyed listening to those so far. 00:28:59.539 --> 00:28:59.740 Right? 00:29:00.180 --> 00:29:01.279 Are you thinking upon them? 00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:02.799 Are you taking these verses? 00:29:02.940 --> 00:29:05.059 Are you reading them outside of the Sunday mornings? 00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.619 Getting saturated in them 00:29:06.619 --> 00:29:08.779 before the next text gets read 00:29:08.779 --> 00:29:09.759 and gets preached on? 00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:11.059 Are you thinking about them? 00:29:11.839 --> 00:29:13.359 Sometimes it's just as simple as that. 00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:14.460 Just reading and thinking. 00:29:15.460 --> 00:29:15.840 You know, 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:18.200 I was just hit by the simplicity of that, right? 00:29:18.539 --> 00:29:19.140 It just says, 00:29:19.819 --> 00:29:20.740 think over what I say 00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:22.819 for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 00:29:23.120 --> 00:29:24.519 How is he going to give you understanding in everything? 00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:26.640 Just by thinking about it. 00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:28.600 It's pretty cool, actually. 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:30.519 Verse 8. 00:29:31.079 --> 00:29:32.299 Remember Jesus Christ, 00:29:32.420 --> 00:29:33.279 risen from the dead, 00:29:33.380 --> 00:29:34.340 the offspring of David, 00:29:34.779 --> 00:29:35.920 is preached in my gospel 00:29:35.920 --> 00:29:37.420 for which I am suffering, 00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:38.819 bound with chains as a criminal. 00:29:39.700 --> 00:29:41.319 Seems like a goofy thing to say, 00:29:41.400 --> 00:29:42.559 remember Jesus Christ. 00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:43.500 It's like, well, 00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:44.740 shouldn't that be obvious? 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:46.679 Did he really need to say that? 00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:48.200 Like, duh, right? 00:29:48.839 --> 00:29:50.740 We're supposed to remember Jesus Christ? 00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:53.799 The fact that he says it makes us, 00:29:54.200 --> 00:29:55.319 should cause us to pause 00:29:55.319 --> 00:29:56.399 and think about it and say, 00:29:56.579 --> 00:29:59.079 is that something we just forget a lot of times? 00:29:59.579 --> 00:30:00.819 When you're having a hard time 00:30:00.819 --> 00:30:02.139 being a good soldier, 00:30:02.259 --> 00:30:03.619 when you're having a hard time 00:30:03.619 --> 00:30:05.859 and you're thinking about a shortcut as an athlete, 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:07.179 when you're having a hard time 00:30:07.179 --> 00:30:08.159 doing the hard work 00:30:08.159 --> 00:30:09.839 to reap a harvest, 00:30:10.379 --> 00:30:11.819 are you remembering Jesus Christ? 00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:13.879 You're remembering Jesus Christ, 00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:15.259 risen from the dead. 00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:17.379 You're remembering that his resurrection 00:30:17.379 --> 00:30:18.379 is your justification. 00:30:19.399 --> 00:30:20.259 You're remembering that. 00:30:21.319 --> 00:30:22.299 When we remember that, 00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:24.220 it's preached in my gospel. 00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:26.639 You're willing to do things that he did, 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:27.839 which is suffering. 00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:29.759 He was bound with chains as a criminal. 00:30:30.619 --> 00:30:31.700 And he closes with this, 00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:32.539 in this section here, 00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:32.940 and he says, 00:30:33.319 --> 00:30:34.859 but the word of God is not bound. 00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:36.659 Therefore. 00:30:36.660 --> 00:30:36.900 Therefore. 00:30:37.740 --> 00:30:39.080 The word of God is not bound. 00:30:39.300 --> 00:30:39.640 Therefore. 00:30:40.680 --> 00:30:42.560 So this next section is going to be tied 00:30:42.560 --> 00:30:44.300 to the fact that the word of God is not bound. 00:30:44.620 --> 00:30:45.820 The word of God isn't chained. 00:30:45.940 --> 00:30:46.980 The word of God isn't hindered. 00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:48.540 The word of God isn't stopped. 00:30:49.259 --> 00:30:50.820 No matter who gets in office, 00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:53.440 no matter who's getting more airtime in the media, 00:30:53.980 --> 00:30:55.600 no matter what celebrity says this, 00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:55.820 that, 00:30:55.880 --> 00:30:56.380 or the other, 00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:57.920 the word of God is not bound. 00:30:58.360 --> 00:31:00.300 No matter what you see with your natural eyes, 00:31:00.360 --> 00:31:01.460 the word of God is not bound. 00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:04.640 No matter whether you see the church growing or not, 00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:06.040 the word of God is not bound. 00:31:06.360 --> 00:31:07.620 Whether you see results or not, 00:31:07.660 --> 00:31:08.759 the word of God is not bound. 00:31:09.040 --> 00:31:10.620 The word of God is not bound. 00:31:10.820 --> 00:31:11.480 Do you believe that? 00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:14.000 You believe that the word of God is not bound. 00:31:14.420 --> 00:31:16.340 Do you preach like the word of God is not bound? 00:31:16.820 --> 00:31:17.700 In your workplaces, 00:31:17.780 --> 00:31:19.960 do you speak the word of God like it's not bound? 00:31:20.800 --> 00:31:22.540 Do you make effort to be on mission 00:31:22.540 --> 00:31:24.000 like the word of God is not bound? 00:31:24.380 --> 00:31:25.240 Like it's powerful. 00:31:25.420 --> 00:31:27.340 Like it's sharper than a two-edged sword. 00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:29.360 Separating soul and spirit, 00:31:29.500 --> 00:31:29.960 joints and marrow. 00:31:30.180 --> 00:31:32.020 That it actually judges the thoughts 00:31:32.020 --> 00:31:32.880 and attitudes of the heart. 00:31:33.300 --> 00:31:34.060 Hebrews 4.12. 00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:35.920 Do you believe that the word of God 00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:37.680 in the gospel in Romans 1.16 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:39.140 is actually the power of God 00:31:39.140 --> 00:31:40.800 for the salvation of those who believe? 00:31:41.120 --> 00:31:41.880 Do we believe that? 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:43.640 We believe it. 00:31:43.740 --> 00:31:44.140 Then he says, 00:31:44.300 --> 00:31:44.640 therefore, 00:31:45.580 --> 00:31:46.740 I endure everything. 00:31:47.820 --> 00:31:48.740 Endure everything 00:31:48.740 --> 00:31:50.440 for the sake of the elect 00:31:50.440 --> 00:31:53.140 that they may also attain the salvation 00:31:53.140 --> 00:31:54.640 that is in Christ Jesus 00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:55.660 with eternal glory. 00:31:56.080 --> 00:31:58.240 Here he throws in one more motivation, right? 00:31:58.980 --> 00:31:59.700 He says, 00:32:00.040 --> 00:32:01.740 I endure everything. 00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:02.880 It's another one of these. 00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:05.020 He doesn't give a category of this 00:32:05.020 --> 00:32:06.060 like he did with soldier, 00:32:06.420 --> 00:32:06.820 athlete, 00:32:07.360 --> 00:32:08.440 and farmer. 00:32:08.800 --> 00:32:09.760 But it's the same thing. 00:32:10.120 --> 00:32:10.540 He says, 00:32:10.620 --> 00:32:11.460 what does he do? 00:32:11.880 --> 00:32:13.300 He endures everything 00:32:13.300 --> 00:32:14.940 because the word of God is not bound. 00:32:15.020 --> 00:32:15.760 He endures everything. 00:32:16.220 --> 00:32:18.300 And then what is the result of that? 00:32:19.160 --> 00:32:20.440 It's for the sake of the elect 00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:23.020 that they also may obtain the salvation 00:32:23.020 --> 00:32:24.600 that is in Christ Jesus 00:32:24.600 --> 00:32:25.580 with eternal glory. 00:32:25.579 --> 00:32:28.059 And this is what we have to remember, 00:32:28.439 --> 00:32:29.799 that we're enduring everything. 00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:32.799 We're voluntarily inconveniencing ourselves. 00:32:33.000 --> 00:32:33.299 Why? 00:32:33.819 --> 00:32:34.799 For the sake of the elect, 00:32:35.179 --> 00:32:36.779 so that those who are not in Christ now 00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:37.679 could be in Christ, 00:32:38.139 --> 00:32:39.740 though those who are lost could be found. 00:32:40.240 --> 00:32:42.279 For those who are heading towards 00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:43.899 eternity without Jesus 00:32:43.899 --> 00:32:45.220 could hear the gospel, 00:32:46.460 --> 00:32:46.759 repent, 00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:47.720 and believe. 00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:52.399 Think of all the people. 00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:53.800 It's good every once in a while 00:32:53.800 --> 00:32:54.640 to think of people 00:32:54.640 --> 00:32:56.980 that you'll be in eternity with 00:32:56.980 --> 00:32:59.800 because they heard the gospel 00:32:59.800 --> 00:33:00.640 through your lips. 00:33:01.420 --> 00:33:02.300 Isn't that an amazing thing 00:33:02.300 --> 00:33:03.380 to think about those people? 00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:05.600 I was thinking about this the other day. 00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:06.960 I don't know why I was thinking about it. 00:33:07.220 --> 00:33:08.540 I was thinking about the first person 00:33:08.540 --> 00:33:10.740 I ever saw saved in high school. 00:33:11.600 --> 00:33:13.420 And I remember I was talking about 00:33:13.420 --> 00:33:14.519 not believing the word of God, 00:33:14.540 --> 00:33:15.240 God is not bound. 00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:16.620 I shared the gospel with her 00:33:16.620 --> 00:33:18.280 and I didn't believe she was going to get saved. 00:33:18.680 --> 00:33:19.759 And then she got saved 00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:20.560 and I was shocked. 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:24.679 And her life is so different 00:33:24.679 --> 00:33:26.079 from what it was before. 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:28.319 And sometimes when I think about that, 00:33:28.359 --> 00:33:30.059 I just think it's so incredible. 00:33:30.200 --> 00:33:31.960 Like every single Christian you know, 00:33:32.359 --> 00:33:34.119 before they were in Christ, 00:33:34.379 --> 00:33:36.279 they were someone who you'd look at and think, 00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:38.460 I don't think that person's going to become a Christian. 00:33:38.960 --> 00:33:40.220 That person's life is going 00:33:40.220 --> 00:33:41.659 in the total opposite direction. 00:33:42.059 --> 00:33:42.799 And now look at them. 00:33:42.839 --> 00:33:43.819 That's all of us. 00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:45.099 That was all of us. 00:33:45.159 --> 00:33:46.339 There's a lot of other people 00:33:46.339 --> 00:33:48.460 out of these four walls. 00:33:48.460 --> 00:33:50.360 There might be a few more than four, 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:52.440 but out of this room, 00:33:53.140 --> 00:33:53.400 okay, 00:33:54.200 --> 00:33:56.640 that were just like us 00:33:56.640 --> 00:33:58.519 before we were in Christ. 00:33:58.900 --> 00:34:00.259 And they need to hear the gospel. 00:34:01.079 --> 00:34:02.480 And when they hear the gospel, 00:34:03.480 --> 00:34:04.340 for the sake of the elect, 00:34:04.380 --> 00:34:05.759 that they may obtain the salvation 00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:06.720 that is in Christ Jesus. 00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:08.800 They might obtain eternal glory 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:11.380 forever and ever and ever and ever 00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:12.500 reward with Jesus. 00:34:12.740 --> 00:34:13.460 Eternal glory. 00:34:13.460 --> 00:34:13.860 Glory. 00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:16.500 That is what we get to give to people. 00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:17.420 That is the gift 00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:19.179 that we get to offer to people. 00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:21.059 That's why we endure all things. 00:34:21.940 --> 00:34:23.720 If you get weary of enduring all things, 00:34:23.800 --> 00:34:24.019 you're like, 00:34:24.099 --> 00:34:24.360 man, 00:34:24.980 --> 00:34:26.260 this is an endurance. 00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:26.720 Yeah, 00:34:26.960 --> 00:34:27.519 it is. 00:34:28.199 --> 00:34:30.480 Remember Christ Jesus risen? 00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:31.760 And remember the elect. 00:34:32.380 --> 00:34:33.019 Remember those, 00:34:33.079 --> 00:34:35.400 that God is wanting to pluck out of darkness 00:34:35.400 --> 00:34:36.440 and into his light. 00:34:36.820 --> 00:34:37.760 That he's wanting to save. 00:34:38.199 --> 00:34:38.500 Even, 00:34:38.579 --> 00:34:39.880 it says in Jude, 00:34:39.960 --> 00:34:41.280 that we should even hate the clothing 00:34:41.280 --> 00:34:42.540 corrupted by sinful flesh. 00:34:42.740 --> 00:34:44.340 We rescue people from the fire. 00:34:45.380 --> 00:34:46.580 That's an awesome vision. 00:34:47.160 --> 00:34:48.640 And that's the one I want to hear 00:34:48.640 --> 00:34:49.880 the Lord say, 00:34:50.700 --> 00:34:51.660 my commanding officer, 00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:52.260 well done, 00:34:52.340 --> 00:34:53.220 good and faithful servant. 00:34:54.040 --> 00:34:55.560 You were faithful with little. 00:34:56.060 --> 00:34:57.300 Now I'll be entrusted with much. 00:34:57.660 --> 00:35:00.040 You took this little life you had 00:35:00.040 --> 00:35:01.940 and you endured everything 00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:03.100 for the sake of the elect. 00:35:03.620 --> 00:35:04.519 You endured everything. 00:35:04.519 --> 00:35:05.420 You remembered me, 00:35:05.540 --> 00:35:06.360 risen from the dead. 00:35:06.780 --> 00:35:08.060 And you gave it to other people. 00:35:08.820 --> 00:35:11.180 And welcome into paradise. 00:35:11.940 --> 00:35:13.360 And we'll get to see them there. 00:35:14.019 --> 00:35:15.040 Be an amazing thing. 00:35:15.820 --> 00:35:16.040 And, 00:35:16.200 --> 00:35:16.360 you know, 00:35:16.400 --> 00:35:17.880 there's a lot of things we can do in life 00:35:17.880 --> 00:35:18.720 that are fun. 00:35:19.560 --> 00:35:20.920 There's a lot of things we can do in life 00:35:20.920 --> 00:35:21.840 that are enjoyable. 00:35:22.440 --> 00:35:23.780 There's a lot of things that we can do in life 00:35:23.780 --> 00:35:24.920 that will make great memories. 00:35:25.580 --> 00:35:27.420 But a lot of those things will only last 00:35:27.420 --> 00:35:28.740 as long as this life lasts. 00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:31.080 There's a way to make eternal memories. 00:35:32.100 --> 00:35:33.820 There's a way to make eternal impact. 00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:35.980 And it's being a group of people 00:35:35.980 --> 00:35:36.900 who endures everything 00:35:36.900 --> 00:35:37.920 for the sake of the elect, 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:38.960 for the sake of the gospel. 00:35:38.960 --> 00:35:41.380 And I know you know this. 00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:43.599 I'm preaching to the choir in one sense. 00:35:44.300 --> 00:35:46.400 But I just want to encourage us again with that. 00:35:46.740 --> 00:35:47.480 It's worth it. 00:35:48.220 --> 00:35:52.300 But you got to endure hardship 00:35:52.300 --> 00:35:53.240 like a good soldier. 00:35:53.940 --> 00:35:54.820 We got to do it together. 00:35:55.260 --> 00:35:56.019 And there's no shortcut. 00:35:56.699 --> 00:35:58.159 We got to compete according to the rules. 00:35:58.579 --> 00:36:00.539 And it's the hardworking farmer 00:36:00.539 --> 00:36:01.920 who reaps the harvest. 00:36:02.280 --> 00:36:03.220 And we'll reap a harvest 00:36:03.220 --> 00:36:04.119 if we don't give up. 00:36:04.300 --> 00:36:04.480 Amen? 00:36:05.420 --> 00:36:05.740 Amen. 00:36:05.900 --> 00:36:06.300 Let's stand. 00:36:06.300 --> 00:36:06.420 Amen. 00:36:06.420 --> 00:36:06.360 Let's stand. 00:36:06.360 --> 00:36:06.420 Amen. 00:36:06.420 --> 00:36:06.420