WEBVTT

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 All right, Matthew chapter 9. Thank you for letting me know.

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 We are going to continue on in our series about stories of the kingdom, the parables of Jesus.

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! And we are going to look at Matthew chapter 9 today.

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 The title is Treasures and...I'm sorry, that was last Sunday.

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 Treasures and Pearls. Anybody remember that?

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 Treasures and Pearls. This Sunday we're going to talk about garments and wineskins.

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 You notice there's kind of a theme.

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 Jesus takes these very interesting themes in each parable, and a parable is just an illustrative story,

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 a tale that someone would tell to make a greater point, and Jesus was always making a greater point,

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 about the kingdom of God.

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 So we're going to look at verses 14 down through verse 17.

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 How many of you enjoyed the service already this morning?

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 Amen.

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 Glory to His name.

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 Thank you, Jesus, for the blood applied.

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 We thank those who have gone before and paid the ultimate sacrifice for us on this earth,

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 and we thank the one who came before us and paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

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 Matthew chapter 9, verse 14.

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 You've been up and down today.

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 I'm going to let you keep your seats, but let's read verses 14 down through 17.

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 Then John's disciples came to Him saying,

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 Why do we and the Pharisees fast often?

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 But your disciples do not fast, Jesus.

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 Can you hear a little passive aggression there?

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 It's not like, Jesus, we respect you as a teacher.

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 Please instruct us, help us understand why it's better for your disciples not to fast according to our custom.

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 It doesn't seem to be, maybe, you know, we try to not read too much into the text other than what it says,

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 but it certainly could have been phrased differently.

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 And so they come to Jesus and say,

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 Why do we fast and your disciples don't?

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 Jesus said to them,

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 Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them?

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 The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

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 No one patches an old garment with unshrunk cloth because the patch pulls away from the garment and makes the tear worse.

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 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins.

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 Otherwise, the skins burst and the wine spills out and the skins are ruined.

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 No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.

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 Let's pray together.

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 God, please give us an understanding of what you meant to teach here.

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 What your greater point was, what you were teaching us about the kingdom of God and our role in it.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 How many of you have an older phone?

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 Anybody?

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 An older cell phone?

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 Smartphone?

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 Y'all all a bunch of latest model.

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 There you go.

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 They're pointing to Barbara.

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 Y'all be nice to Barbara.

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 Come on now.

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 Just proud she's got one, you know?

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 That's awesome.

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 Al, yeah.

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 Al, you don't have a smartphone, do you?

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 You told me that he's like, I am staying off the grid.

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 That's good.

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 They're going to find us, but they're not going to find you.

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 That's good.

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 We're all coming to your house.

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 All right.

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 I have had many older phones.

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 The very first cell phone my family ever got was when I was a kid, and it was very large

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 and had a big old antenna coming out of it, and that was my dad's cell phone, and we thought

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 they were the cat's pajamas because we had a cell phone.

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 I think it was made by Nextel or something.

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 I don't know.

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 This right here is an iPad that my mom, not my mom, my kid's mom, my wife got me for.

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 That was good.

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 Can we just start over real quick here?

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 Cut the tape.

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 We're starting over.

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 Remember we used to have tapes?

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 Yeah.

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 Now it's all live.

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 Anyway, I love this thing.

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 I preach from this thing.

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 Y'all want to see how this looks?

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 Not that you can all see.

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 First of all, there's Holly.

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 Isn't she pretty?

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 And then here it is.

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 There's no way you can see that, but maybe some of you up front.

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 I've got the slides over here that you see, so I see what's coming up next.

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 I've got all my notes right here that correspond to the slides, and that's what works for me.

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 Now, before I had that, now this is not the latest iPad, trust me.

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 It's a few years old, but those tend to be a little cheaper than the latest ones, so it's new to me, and it works great, and I love it.

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 Before I had that, I had this iPad, and I could not preach from it for the simple reason that it will not hold a charge.

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 So you can charge this thing up, and I did just recently, and it will not turn on.

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 So there you go.

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 Not only will it not hold a charge, it does not receive the latest updates.

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 It's very, very old in its updates.

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 How many of you know what we're talking about?

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 How many of you had your iPhone or your Android or whatever pop up there?

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 You need to update your software.

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 Yeah.

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 How many of you have tried to update your software, and for some reason you wake up in the morning,

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 and it says your iPhone was not connected to a power source and Wi-Fi, so the software update failed.

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 Anybody had a software update fail?

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 Yeah, me too.

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 I'm really glad y'all raised your hand, because I thought maybe I was the only one.

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 But listen, this is the world we live in now.

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 Smartphones and software updates.

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 And do y'all understand this concept, this principle that these companies make?

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 Designed obsolescence.

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 Anybody understand what that is?

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 Yes, sir?

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 Bill says yes, I got it.

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 Look, they make it to where your phone is going to be out of date soon.

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 I feel like I just got my phone, and it's already showing its age,

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 because I think it's three or four years old now.

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 Some of you are like, man, my phone's 10 years old.

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 Might be time.

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 Look, if you have a phone that's 10 years old, you can't get the latest software for your phone.

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 Who cares?

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 I don't need the latest software.

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 That means some of the apps that you try to use probably won't work,

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 because they're designed to work with the latest software.

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 They get you coming and going, you know?

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 Buy the phone, spend a bunch of money on it,

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 and then you're going to have to keep these software updates coming

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 so it works how you want it to work.

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 All these fancy, you know, advantages that this phone gives you.

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 Oh, by the way, you've got to have the latest software updates to use them.

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 Well, after a while, your phone won't update anymore,

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 and then you've got to go get a new one.

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 It's how it works.

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 Why?

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 Because old phones are not compatible with new updates.

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 Now, this is not, I don't think, too hard of a concept for anybody in this room to understand.

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 If it is, we'll talk after.

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 But look, Jesus is talking about that in this passage.

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 He's talking about old phones not being compatible with new updates, new software.

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 Okay?

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 But he's using different illustrations because they didn't have phones back then.

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 But he's using the same principle.

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 So, thank God, I don't have to use this thing anymore.

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 Now, it looks nice, but it doesn't work.

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 It doesn't function.

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 So it does me no good.

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 Because it's incompatible with anything that I want to do with it now.

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 Let me just say this, y'all.

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 Now, the traditions of men are incompatible with what God wants to do.

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 Let's throw it out there again.

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 The traditions of men are incompatible with what God wants to do.

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 Man creates structures.

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 God comes in to replace them.

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 All right, we're getting ahead of ourselves.

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 Let's look back at the text.

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 Number one, from Matthew chapter 9, verses 14 through 17.

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 Let's look back at verse 9.

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 Jesus went on from there.

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 Where?

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 Hold on a minute.

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 I'm in chapter...

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 I'm in verse 9.

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 I need to be in verse 14.

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 Here we go.

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 Then John's disciples came to Jesus and they said,

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 Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?

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 We talked about it a moment ago.

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 Do you see what they just said there?

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 First of all, who's the John they're talking about?

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 Anybody know?

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 John's disciples.

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 Who was that John?

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 Say it again.

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 Y'all, this is a Baptist church.

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 Let's say it together.

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 Ready?

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 John the...

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 Yes, we love to say that word.

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 Say, see, Baptists were in the Bible too.

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 It's a little different than the Baptists on the...

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 Anyway, John wasn't the first Baptist pope, okay?

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 There is no Baptist pope.

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 I'm sorry.

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 Can't necessarily trace the Southern Baptist Convention back to John the Baptist, all right?

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 But he did baptize and we do too.

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 So we get to share that name.

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 All right, so John the Baptist was what to Jesus?

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 Cousins, right?

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 They were related.

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 They grew up together.

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 John the Baptist was what by God?

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 It's kind of getting obscure here.

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 He was sent by God to be a forerunner of Jesus, the Messiah.

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 John was an evangelist.

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 John was going around.

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 He was a missionary, like the kids were talking about.

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 He was telling people about Jesus, but Jesus wasn't out there yet.

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 His public ministry hadn't started yet.

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 So John's going around preaching about the coming king, his cousin.

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 He didn't even necessarily know yet who it was.

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 But then we get to read early in the Gospel of John how this all plays out.

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 Now listen.

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 Here's the deal.

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 John had his own disciples.

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 Those who believed his message.

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 The Gospel message.

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 The message of Jesus Christ.

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 And they would believe.

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 And they would start to follow him.

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 And they would help him in his ministry.

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 So these guys knew by now that Jesus was, of course, John's cousin.

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 But he was the Messiah.

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 Because John had called it.

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 He said, this is the one.

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 This is the one who I've been preaching about.

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 I'm not even worthy to tie his shoes, basically, is what he said.

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 So he held Jesus in high regard.

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 He was God.

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 He was the Son of God.

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 He was the Messiah.

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 He was the one that John had been preaching about.

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 He taught his disciples this.

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 So they come to Jesus.

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 And they say, Master.

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 Jesus.

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 Teach us everything we need to know.

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 John taught us this much.

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 You fill in the blanks, Jesus.

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 That's not what they said.

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 It's probably what they should have said.

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 It's probably the attitude they should have had.

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 And it's probably the attitude you and I should have when we pray, when we talk to Jesus.

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 God teach us.

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 God teach us.

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 Show us.

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 We can only understand so much.

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 But instead, they had a different attitude.

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 They said, we've noticed something.

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 We fast a lot because we are good religious people.

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 We follow the customs.

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 We follow the religious traditions.

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 Oh, and just to back us up in this, by the way, we're not alone.

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 The Pharisees do this too.

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 The great religious leaders of the day.

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 You know, Jesus, they love you.

00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:55.100
 Those Pharisees.

00:12:55.100 --> 00:12:57.860
 Let's try that one again.

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 They love you, those Pharisees.

00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:01.399
 You know, they're your biggest fans, Jesus.

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 Y'all, they didn't.

00:13:03.820 --> 00:13:04.019
 Okay?

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 Do I need to educate you on this?

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 The Pharisees hated Jesus.

00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:08.320
 They couldn't stand him.

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 Read the Gospels.

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 Open it up.

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 It's the books that have a bunch of words in red.

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 That's the words of Jesus.

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 Look, they didn't like him.

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 The religious leaders of the day called the Pharisees and then another group called the Sadducees.

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 They hated Jesus.

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 Isn't that weird?

00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:22.639
 Isn't that crazy?

00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:27.659
 Now, Jesus, Christianity is the most common religion around the world.

00:13:28.659 --> 00:13:33.740
 And yet, back in the day, religion rejected Jesus.

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 So they said, we have this tradition, and the Pharisees do too, and we fast.

00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:46.759
 They fasted twice a week.

00:13:47.639 --> 00:13:48.759
 Mondays, Thursdays.

00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:50.740
 It was a sad day.

00:13:50.740 --> 00:13:53.120
 Monday was a sad day.

00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:55.200
 Thursday was a sad day.

00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:56.820
 It's great.

00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:58.980
 Great form of religion there.

00:14:00.700 --> 00:14:01.159
 Why?

00:14:01.379 --> 00:14:02.259
 Why would they fast?

00:14:02.299 --> 00:14:03.299
 Because they were in mourning.

00:14:04.139 --> 00:14:05.399
 They were in sadness.

00:14:05.659 --> 00:14:06.399
 They were crying.

00:14:06.539 --> 00:14:07.320
 They were weeping.

00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:12.200
 That's what the whole day was basically given over to.

00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:14.340
 Why?

00:14:14.340 --> 00:14:18.120
 Because Jehovah God had instructed them a long time ago to do this?

00:14:19.300 --> 00:14:19.780
 No.

00:14:20.560 --> 00:14:21.460
 He hadn't.

00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:27.420
 Do you know the one day per year they were required to fast?

00:14:28.580 --> 00:14:30.640
 They call it Yom Kippur now.

00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:32.759
 It was the day of atonement.

00:14:34.100 --> 00:14:39.939
 The one day a year when the high priest that God had appointed would go into the Holy of Holies.

00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:46.740
 Inside the tabernacle, he would go into the Holy of Holies, and he would take the sacrifice, the animal that had been killed,

00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:53.100
 to make a show of atonement for the sin of the people.

00:14:54.019 --> 00:14:58.560
 That was the one day that God had said you should fast on this day.

00:14:58.600 --> 00:14:59.519
 What does it mean to fast?

00:15:00.920 --> 00:15:06.980
 I mean, I feel like in today's world, you know, there's all kinds of fasts out there to lose weight, that kind of thing.

00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:09.340
 I should probably look into a couple of them.

00:15:09.379 --> 00:15:10.960
 But look, I'm working on it, all right?

00:15:11.019 --> 00:15:12.379
 Seriously, we're on this diet plan.

00:15:12.500 --> 00:15:13.700
 It's actually working right now.

00:15:15.460 --> 00:15:16.980
 Could have used some amens right there.

00:15:17.040 --> 00:15:18.700
 Like, yes, it really is, man.

00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:19.460
 You're doing great.

00:15:19.460 --> 00:15:24.400
 But look, fasting, you know, there's this intermittent fasting, all this stuff.

00:15:24.460 --> 00:15:26.320
 That's not what this was about, okay?

00:15:26.379 --> 00:15:29.300
 This wasn't trying to be healthy or lose weight or get on a diet plan.

00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:32.060
 This was a religious show.

00:15:32.160 --> 00:15:33.379
 It was a religious practice.

00:15:33.800 --> 00:15:36.940
 Came from that, Jehovah's commandment to his people.

00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:43.900
 But then, just like people always do, they take what God set up and they mess it up.

00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:47.840
 God put the line here.

00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:51.460
 Here, here's one day a year that you should fast.

00:15:52.100 --> 00:15:57.399
 And before you know it, man gets a hold of God's commandments and he twists them.

00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:02.800
 And before you know it, they're now asking people to fast twice a week.

00:16:05.560 --> 00:16:06.879
 And most of those people were sincere.

00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:10.420
 They were using that time to call out to God.

00:16:10.680 --> 00:16:11.900
 God, send your Messiah.

00:16:12.540 --> 00:16:15.340
 Send the Deliverer who's going to help us.

00:16:15.340 --> 00:16:16.340
 God, send the Deliverer who's going to help us.

00:16:18.560 --> 00:16:21.960
 So first of all, John's disciples are in bad company.

00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:24.600
 They think they're in great company.

00:16:25.700 --> 00:16:27.200
 Man, the Pharisees do this.

00:16:27.280 --> 00:16:28.180
 We learned it from them.

00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:34.580
 Why do we fast twice a week like our religious customs ask us to do?

00:16:34.780 --> 00:16:35.639
 Hey, side note.

00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:39.460
 What do your religious customs ask you to do that God never asked you to do?

00:16:41.139 --> 00:16:43.779
 Do you know what religious customs are really good at?

00:16:44.319 --> 00:16:48.899
 They're really good at distracting you from the thing that God wants you to be doing.

00:16:50.439 --> 00:16:59.799
 Religious customs are excellent, excellent tools to get you not doing what God said to do and doing everything but that.

00:16:59.799 --> 00:17:02.479
 That's what was happening here.

00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:06.339
 So they said, Jesus, why does this happen?

00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:10.899
 Do you understand that old religion has expectations?

00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:15.079
 Old religion has expectations.

00:17:15.500 --> 00:17:18.619
 Remember, we've learned this in recent weeks and some of you already knew it before.

00:17:18.619 --> 00:17:27.159
 But every passage of the Bible, every group block of verses that you pick up and read, it has an interpretation that is correct.

00:17:27.539 --> 00:17:29.319
 This is what it's saying.

00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:34.379
 And then it has all kinds of extra applications that you can take and apply to your life.

00:17:34.419 --> 00:17:36.099
 Because this was written a long time ago.

00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:38.979
 So there's different ways to apply it back then.

00:17:39.059 --> 00:17:41.079
 And there's different ways to apply it now.

00:17:41.159 --> 00:17:44.799
 So how can we apply it now in 2025 in Henrietta, Texas?

00:17:46.099 --> 00:17:48.059
 Old religion has expectations.

00:17:48.619 --> 00:17:52.819
 They were sincere, but they were misguided.

00:17:53.879 --> 00:17:57.659
 They've been trained to expect a certain religious rhythm.

00:17:58.679 --> 00:18:04.019
 Fasting as a sign of being pious, being religious, being holy.

00:18:04.979 --> 00:18:08.919
 Grief, sadness, longing for God's deliverance.

00:18:08.919 --> 00:18:17.919
 Their assumption was that the form they assumed that this form of religion had to be preserved at all costs.

00:18:18.619 --> 00:18:20.299
 That's where the Pharisees come in.

00:18:20.679 --> 00:18:21.899
 At all costs.

00:18:22.979 --> 00:18:25.539
 Man, they just about had the Roman army on their side.

00:18:25.859 --> 00:18:29.000
 Almost as their arm of enforcing at times.

00:18:29.579 --> 00:18:33.919
 They're going to preserve their religious customs at all costs.

00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:39.340
 Even if the function no longer fits the moment.

00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:48.680
 Even if the function started in sincerity, started for a good purpose, but it's no longer relevant.

00:18:48.820 --> 00:18:51.640
 It's no longer applicable to the moment.

00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:57.259
 What they didn't understand is it was no longer relevant or applicable to the moment.

00:18:57.259 --> 00:18:58.740
 Why?

00:18:59.779 --> 00:19:01.140
 Because Jesus was there.

00:19:02.099 --> 00:19:03.000
 Jesus was there.

00:19:04.180 --> 00:19:05.759
 And we're going to get there in just a minute, okay?

00:19:06.019 --> 00:19:06.779
 But stick with me.

00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:12.480
 First, Acts chapter 15 makes this incredibly valuable point that they didn't get.

00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.980
 And this was the early church.

00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:21.960
 Peter was talking to the early church because they were starting to do the same thing that those disciples did of John when they came to Jesus,

00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:27.079
 the Son of God, the one we pray to, the one we sing to, he's out there walking around with him.

00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:32.120
 And the disciples of John go to him and say, what about our religious traditions?

00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:35.279
 You and your crowd ain't keeping them.

00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:36.819
 What's up with that?

00:19:38.600 --> 00:19:39.460
 Fast forward.

00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:41.720
 Jesus has died on the cross.

00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:43.420
 He's risen from the dead.

00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:45.120
 Spoiler alert if you didn't know.

00:19:45.940 --> 00:19:47.000
 Jesus rose from the dead.

00:19:47.059 --> 00:19:47.519
 He's alive.

00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:48.960
 He hears the songs.

00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:49.880
 He hears the prayers.

00:19:49.880 --> 00:19:52.280
 He's here with us today through his spirit.

00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:54.400
 But listen, his church started.

00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:55.360
 They took off.

00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:56.600
 They started spreading everywhere.

00:19:56.760 --> 00:19:57.880
 It wasn't just his disciples.

00:19:58.040 --> 00:19:59.360
 It wasn't just the disciples of John.

00:19:59.600 --> 00:20:02.400
 Now there's Jesus followers all over the world.

00:20:02.560 --> 00:20:04.240
 It's spreading like wildfire.

00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:07.420
 And somebody says, hold on, hold on, hold on.

00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:08.820
 We're letting this get away from us.

00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:12.340
 Too many people getting baptized around here.

00:20:13.360 --> 00:20:15.660
 Too much momentum from God around here.

00:20:16.320 --> 00:20:18.560
 Too much fruit from the Holy Spirit around here.

00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:20.259
 It's starting to spiral out of control.

00:20:20.679 --> 00:20:23.000
 And our religious traditions are not being kept.

00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:33.879
 And so Peter gets up and says, folks, we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

00:20:33.880 --> 00:20:38.880
 He said, we are making it difficult.

00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:45.600
 By all these people who are catching a glimpse of Jesus and they're responding to Jesus.

00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:50.620
 They're not responding to our Jewish religious customs that we grew up with.

00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:52.520
 They're responding to Jesus.

00:20:52.940 --> 00:20:55.560
 Fast forward to 2025 in Clay County.

00:20:55.680 --> 00:21:00.720
 Folks, people are not responding to your religious customs or traditions.

00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:03.240
 But they will respond to Jesus.

00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:05.779
 Look, I love the church building.

00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:07.000
 I love the choir.

00:21:07.339 --> 00:21:08.400
 I love the pews.

00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:09.620
 I'm throwing things.

00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:10.680
 I love a lot.

00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:13.200
 I love to throw things.

00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:16.740
 I love a lot of the stuff we do around here.

00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:19.319
 But that's not what draws people to Jesus.

00:21:19.700 --> 00:21:20.440
 He is.

00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:22.400
 He is what draws them.

00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:27.019
 So if the custom fits the moment, then we do it.

00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:32.660
 If it doesn't, then we hold it loosely and we say, God, what would you have us do now?

00:21:32.900 --> 00:21:39.220
 What will now help us reach people for you, not for our traditions?

00:21:39.420 --> 00:21:41.140
 We don't want to make it hard on anybody.

00:21:43.620 --> 00:21:49.220
 Turning from sin and turning to the Savior, that's hard enough.

00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:56.299
 Turning from darkness to light, humbling yourself before God and saying, I can't save myself.

00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:57.480
 I need you to save me.

00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:58.559
 That's hard enough.

00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:01.100
 We don't need to add anything to it.

00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:05.440
 We don't need to make it hard for the Gentiles.

00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:12.420
 Say, look, God loves you and we do too as long as you fit our mold.

00:22:13.600 --> 00:22:14.740
 As long as you fit in.

00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:23.359
 As long as you do this Jesus life how we do it, then we love you and we want you to walk with us.

00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:27.039
 That's the danger of old religion.

00:22:27.160 --> 00:22:28.140
 It has expectations.

00:22:29.660 --> 00:22:33.259
 Jesus didn't come to bring old religion.

00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:36.000
 Then or now.

00:22:37.420 --> 00:22:41.140
 Jesus' way is always the new way.

00:22:41.940 --> 00:22:43.839
 It's always the radical way.

00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:48.779
 It's always the way that flies in the face of your tradition.

00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:49.740
 I promise you.

00:22:50.399 --> 00:22:58.899
 So, why do we fast and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?

00:23:00.779 --> 00:23:04.619
 Because Jesus came to abolish those traditions.

00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:09.279
 Now, let me jump in here with this.

00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:17.359
 Too often, you and I operate just like the disciples of John.

00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:21.940
 We say, why aren't things like they used to be?

00:23:23.379 --> 00:23:26.059
 Why don't things look like I'm used to them looking?

00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:29.299
 Why don't they sound like I'm used to them sounding?

00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:34.619
 Jesus isn't interested in maintaining appearances.

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:38.019
 He's inaugurating something completely new.

00:23:38.399 --> 00:23:40.899
 He's kicking off something completely new.

00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:42.879
 Listen, He's always doing it.

00:23:43.399 --> 00:23:45.819
 He's taking the old time religion

00:23:45.819 --> 00:23:50.720
 and He's turning it on its head.

00:23:51.939 --> 00:23:54.259
 You know the one thing that never changes?

00:23:56.259 --> 00:23:57.559
 The color of the carpet.

00:23:59.659 --> 00:24:00.279
 Nope.

00:24:01.159 --> 00:24:03.579
 You know the one thing that never changes?

00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:05.980
 Who the pastor is.

00:24:06.659 --> 00:24:06.899
 Nope.

00:24:06.900 --> 00:24:09.280
 Who's sitting in the pews?

00:24:10.019 --> 00:24:10.380
 Nope.

00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:12.900
 How the lights look.

00:24:13.980 --> 00:24:16.440
 I thought building the grounds was going to do something about the lights,

00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:17.920
 so that's why I use that as an illustration.

00:24:18.860 --> 00:24:19.800
 Don't start that way.

00:24:20.340 --> 00:24:21.259
 What's going on with the lights?

00:24:23.100 --> 00:24:27.940
 The one thing that never changes is the message of Jesus.

00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:30.360
 That was the same message that John preached.

00:24:30.360 --> 00:24:32.560
 That was the same message that Jesus preached.

00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:39.179
 God willing, it will be the same message that gets preached from this pulpit forever

00:24:39.179 --> 00:24:41.399
 until Jesus comes back.

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:44.079
 That's the message that doesn't change.

00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:47.440
 Everything else, we hold loosely.

00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:50.539
 It's subject to change.

00:24:51.179 --> 00:24:53.019
 You ever seen the disclaimer at the bottom,

00:24:53.179 --> 00:24:54.940
 terms and conditions subject to change?

00:24:55.579 --> 00:24:55.980
 Well, listen.

00:24:56.299 --> 00:24:57.799
 Conditions will change.

00:24:58.980 --> 00:25:01.799
 The terms of salvation will never change.

00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:07.539
 But the terms of how we live in this world as followers of Jesus,

00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:11.139
 how we communicate the gospel to the lost,

00:25:11.500 --> 00:25:13.039
 the kind of music we use,

00:25:13.299 --> 00:25:16.180
 unfortunately, there's no Ten Commandments regarding church music.

00:25:17.259 --> 00:25:20.519
 So we've got to work it out through the guidance of the Holy Spirit

00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:24.839
 what best suits our day, our moment,

00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:28.399
 so we don't make it hard for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:31.060
 Not saying,

00:25:31.740 --> 00:25:33.980
 well, this is how we did it 20 years ago,

00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:37.600
 so why are you not wanting to do it this way now?

00:25:39.500 --> 00:25:41.120
 Because God came to bring something new.

00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:45.400
 His gospel is new.

00:25:45.400 --> 00:25:50.360
 The vehicle that carries his gospel is the church.

00:25:51.360 --> 00:25:55.580
 And the church must continually refresh itself

00:25:55.580 --> 00:25:58.720
 so we are not a stale vehicle

00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:03.320
 for the always new, always alive gospel of Jesus.

00:26:04.280 --> 00:26:06.080
 The story that never changes,

00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:08.619
 and yet it's always fresh.

00:26:09.419 --> 00:26:10.139
 It's always new.

00:26:10.199 --> 00:26:10.799
 Isn't that amazing?

00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:13.159
 There's nothing like it on this earth.

00:26:14.119 --> 00:26:15.659
 So what is God doing now

00:26:15.659 --> 00:26:17.059
 and how must we respond?

00:26:17.419 --> 00:26:19.059
 That is the attitude.

00:26:19.439 --> 00:26:19.599
 Okay?

00:26:19.679 --> 00:26:21.659
 You want to know what kind of attitude should you have

00:26:21.659 --> 00:26:23.859
 toward God and church and his work?

00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:25.839
 What is God doing now

00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:28.099
 and how should I respond to it?

00:26:28.539 --> 00:26:30.019
 Not how should I react?

00:26:30.359 --> 00:26:32.079
 Not how should I get bent out of shape?

00:26:32.500 --> 00:26:35.159
 Not how should my expectations not be met?

00:26:35.160 --> 00:26:36.400
 Nope, that's the old religion talking.

00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:38.580
 Old religion has expectations.

00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:40.759
 Jesus brought something new.

00:26:41.040 --> 00:26:42.220
 How do we respond to it?

00:26:43.700 --> 00:26:45.380
 So religious routines,

00:26:45.560 --> 00:26:47.200
 even well-meaning ones,

00:26:47.340 --> 00:26:48.660
 can become barriers

00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:52.279
 to recognizing Jesus when he shows up.

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:54.880
 And he's showing up, by the way.

00:26:55.820 --> 00:26:58.040
 We've had 30 people baptized in the last two years.

00:27:01.180 --> 00:27:02.300
 I'm excited about that.

00:27:02.360 --> 00:27:04.700
 We've had 30 people baptized in the last two years.

00:27:05.160 --> 00:27:06.140
 Glory to God.

00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:06.560
 Yeah.

00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:08.140
 Glory to God.

00:27:09.540 --> 00:27:10.920
 I'm excited about that.

00:27:12.320 --> 00:27:13.140
 Verse 15.

00:27:13.380 --> 00:27:14.180
 Let's go to verse 15.

00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:16.400
 We'll be done in just a couple of minutes.

00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:20.980
 Y'all stick with me,

00:27:21.040 --> 00:27:22.140
 so that's not a lie, okay?

00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:23.279
 Verse 15.

00:27:23.340 --> 00:27:23.800
 Here we go.

00:27:24.800 --> 00:27:25.660
 Jesus said to them,

00:27:25.800 --> 00:27:27.980
 can the wedding guests be sad

00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:29.460
 while the groom is with them?

00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:30.680
 The time will come

00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:32.880
 when the groom will be taken away from them

00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:34.680
 and then they will fast.

00:27:34.760 --> 00:27:35.560
 What's he talking about?

00:27:35.880 --> 00:27:38.040
 Does anybody get that off just face value?

00:27:39.300 --> 00:27:40.240
 Aubrey, don't raise your hand.

00:27:40.300 --> 00:27:41.100
 I'll have you explain it.

00:27:41.700 --> 00:27:43.400
 And you have your newfound voice again.

00:27:43.740 --> 00:27:45.460
 So, look.

00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:50.400
 Back then, weddings were different, okay?

00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:53.019
 You know how weddings work today?

00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:55.059
 Back then, it was different.

00:27:55.180 --> 00:27:57.759
 The groom would go to the bride-to-be's house

00:27:57.759 --> 00:28:00.019
 and he would carry with him a payment,

00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:01.200
 a dowry.

00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:03.360
 Dowry for the bride.

00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:05.299
 He had to pay off the dad

00:28:05.299 --> 00:28:06.340
 to give his bride away,

00:28:06.420 --> 00:28:07.140
 to give his daughter away.

00:28:07.140 --> 00:28:07.300
 It was,

00:28:08.700 --> 00:28:09.740
 I'm not gonna say it's weird

00:28:09.740 --> 00:28:10.600
 because that's their culture,

00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:12.040
 but different for us, right?

00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:14.680
 I'm like,

00:28:15.040 --> 00:28:15.680
 good night, man.

00:28:15.700 --> 00:28:16.380
 I bought her a ring.

00:28:16.460 --> 00:28:17.040
 What do you want?

00:28:19.780 --> 00:28:20.840
 But look, it was different.

00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:22.200
 He would go to the bride's house.

00:28:22.280 --> 00:28:24.660
 He would pay the price for the bride

00:28:24.660 --> 00:28:25.640
 and then he would take her

00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:27.300
 and he would bring her to his house

00:28:27.300 --> 00:28:29.160
 and there would be a big feast set up

00:28:29.160 --> 00:28:30.800
 and all the friends and family would be there

00:28:30.800 --> 00:28:31.580
 and they would celebrate

00:28:31.580 --> 00:28:32.759
 and it was great

00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:33.780
 and they wouldn't leave

00:28:33.780 --> 00:28:35.020
 and go off to a honeymoon then.

00:28:35.060 --> 00:28:36.240
 It would last for a week.

00:28:37.140 --> 00:28:39.380
 So they're celebrating this wedding for a week.

00:28:39.480 --> 00:28:40.280
 It's the reception,

00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:41.460
 the rehearsal,

00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:42.420
 the ceremony,

00:28:42.560 --> 00:28:43.080
 and the honeymoon

00:28:43.080 --> 00:28:44.080
 all rolled into one.

00:28:44.540 --> 00:28:46.840
 Just a big week-long to-do.

00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:48.960
 So that's the culture

00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:51.420
 that Jesus is using this illustration in.

00:28:52.540 --> 00:28:53.720
 So, isn't that interesting?

00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:54.920
 Little side note here.

00:28:55.460 --> 00:28:58.460
 Do you know who the bridegroom is in Scripture?

00:28:59.220 --> 00:28:59.480
 Anybody?

00:29:00.900 --> 00:29:02.660
 Jesus is the bridegroom.

00:29:02.840 --> 00:29:04.600
 Do you know who the bride is?

00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:06.180
 The church.

00:29:06.180 --> 00:29:07.160
 It's us, right?

00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:08.519
 It's us.

00:29:08.519 --> 00:29:09.779
 And do you know

00:29:09.779 --> 00:29:11.539
 that someday

00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:13.360
 he will come

00:29:13.360 --> 00:29:15.080
 and he will rapture

00:29:15.080 --> 00:29:16.820
 or take his church away

00:29:16.820 --> 00:29:19.180
 and we will celebrate in heaven

00:29:19.180 --> 00:29:20.600
 for seven years?

00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:21.880
 What an exciting thing.

00:29:22.180 --> 00:29:22.420
 All right?

00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:23.660
 Now, we can talk about timelines

00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:25.620
 and get into arguments about Revelation

00:29:25.620 --> 00:29:26.799
 and how that all plays out.

00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:27.519
 But look,

00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:30.240
 you know that Jesus is coming to get us

00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:32.480
 and we're so thankful for that.

00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:34.620
 And it's a reference to this.

00:29:36.440 --> 00:29:40.620
 But why would they be talking about fasting here?

00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:42.960
 Why is he using this as an illustration of fasting?

00:29:43.380 --> 00:29:45.740
 Because nobody would eat

00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:47.740
 until the groom got there.

00:29:48.740 --> 00:29:50.440
 The party didn't start

00:29:50.440 --> 00:29:51.720
 until the groom walked in.

00:29:53.319 --> 00:29:53.740
 Listen.

00:29:53.740 --> 00:29:56.000
 Jesus is saying

00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:57.039
 your fasting

00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:58.460
 has been

00:29:58.460 --> 00:29:59.579
 because you're waiting

00:29:59.579 --> 00:30:01.000
 for the groom to come.

00:30:01.220 --> 00:30:02.220
 In the Old Testament,

00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:03.039
 Jehovah God

00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:04.200
 referred to himself

00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:05.579
 as the bridegroom.

00:30:06.259 --> 00:30:06.740
 Now,

00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:08.900
 Jesus is referring to himself

00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:11.000
 in front of these disciples of John

00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:12.480
 as the bridegroom.

00:30:12.599 --> 00:30:13.059
 He's saying,

00:30:13.339 --> 00:30:14.240
 that's me.

00:30:14.380 --> 00:30:15.980
 I'm the one you've been waiting for.

00:30:16.299 --> 00:30:17.200
 I'm the groom.

00:30:17.400 --> 00:30:17.900
 He's saying,

00:30:17.900 --> 00:30:19.019
 there's no reason

00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:20.560
 to be sad.

00:30:21.060 --> 00:30:22.100
 There's no reason

00:30:22.100 --> 00:30:23.060
 for Monday, Thursday,

00:30:23.220 --> 00:30:24.240
 sad days anymore.

00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:25.960
 There's no reason

00:30:25.960 --> 00:30:27.280
 to fast anymore.

00:30:27.880 --> 00:30:29.120
 I am here.

00:30:30.380 --> 00:30:31.200
 It's time

00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:32.220
 to celebrate.

00:30:33.060 --> 00:30:34.000
 It's time

00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:35.160
 for joy.

00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:37.240
 It's time

00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:38.280
 for rejoicing.

00:30:40.860 --> 00:30:42.360
 In the presence

00:30:42.360 --> 00:30:44.960
 of God,

00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:48.299
 there is great joy.

00:30:50.299 --> 00:30:52.079
 There is joy

00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:53.620
 in God's presence.

00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:55.720
 And he was present

00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:56.900
 with them.

00:30:57.539 --> 00:30:57.799
 Boy,

00:30:57.860 --> 00:30:58.440
 they had endured

00:30:58.440 --> 00:31:00.019
 a long period of darkness.

00:31:00.500 --> 00:31:01.100
 They had endured

00:31:01.100 --> 00:31:02.340
 a long night.

00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:03.160
 But what does

00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:04.279
 Lamentations teach us?

00:31:04.779 --> 00:31:06.140
 Weeping may endure

00:31:06.140 --> 00:31:07.039
 for the night,

00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:08.039
 but what comes

00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:08.620
 in the morning?

00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:09.940
 Joy.

00:31:10.360 --> 00:31:11.220
 And the morning

00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:11.940
 was there.

00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:12.880
 It was present

00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:13.299
 with them.

00:31:13.420 --> 00:31:13.840
 Some of y'all

00:31:13.840 --> 00:31:14.460
 have forgotten

00:31:14.460 --> 00:31:16.120
 that joy is here.

00:31:16.299 --> 00:31:16.980
 We're living

00:31:16.980 --> 00:31:17.900
 in the morning.

00:31:18.360 --> 00:31:19.420
 Jesus came.

00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:21.240
 He's here

00:31:21.240 --> 00:31:22.480
 with us.

00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:24.299
 So we can put

00:31:24.299 --> 00:31:24.940
 a smile

00:31:24.940 --> 00:31:25.900
 on that grouchy face.

00:31:26.840 --> 00:31:27.980
 We can lighten up

00:31:27.980 --> 00:31:28.720
 a little bit.

00:31:29.840 --> 00:31:30.759
 Because Jesus

00:31:30.759 --> 00:31:31.500
 is here.

00:31:32.900 --> 00:31:33.500
 And I got

00:31:33.500 --> 00:31:34.140
 a question.

00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:37.160
 If there's no joy,

00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:39.140
 is it because

00:31:39.140 --> 00:31:39.600
 you don't have

00:31:39.600 --> 00:31:40.120
 God's presence?

00:31:41.559 --> 00:31:42.180
 Why do y'all think

00:31:42.180 --> 00:31:42.759
 I keep giving

00:31:42.759 --> 00:31:43.279
 an invitation

00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:44.240
 every Sunday morning?

00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:45.299
 saying some of you

00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:45.960
 probably need to

00:31:45.960 --> 00:31:46.539
 turn to Jesus

00:31:46.539 --> 00:31:47.339
 for the first time.

00:31:47.579 --> 00:31:48.779
 Because I suspect

00:31:48.779 --> 00:31:49.759
 you don't have

00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:50.819
 God's presence

00:31:50.819 --> 00:31:52.240
 because you don't

00:31:52.240 --> 00:31:53.299
 exhibit his joy.

00:31:54.700 --> 00:31:55.859
 And in the presence

00:31:55.859 --> 00:31:56.480
 of God,

00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:57.980
 there's joy.

00:31:59.380 --> 00:32:00.640
 Oh, there's sorrows.

00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:01.980
 There's weeping.

00:32:02.460 --> 00:32:03.059
 It'll endure

00:32:03.059 --> 00:32:03.680
 for the night,

00:32:03.880 --> 00:32:04.539
 but the morning

00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:05.859
 always comes.

00:32:06.200 --> 00:32:07.579
 Jesus is always there.

00:32:07.799 --> 00:32:09.220
 He never abandons us.

00:32:09.900 --> 00:32:10.720
 He's still there

00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:11.420
 and the joy

00:32:11.420 --> 00:32:12.579
 has to be

00:32:12.579 --> 00:32:14.220
 the overriding

00:32:14.220 --> 00:32:15.500
 attribute

00:32:15.500 --> 00:32:17.680
 of your personality.

00:32:18.579 --> 00:32:19.240
 It's not that you all

00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:19.920
 got to be type A

00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:20.539
 people persons

00:32:20.539 --> 00:32:21.500
 and I love to talk

00:32:21.500 --> 00:32:22.380
 and I'm going to be

00:32:22.380 --> 00:32:23.220
 the life of the party.

00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:23.740
 That's not it.

00:32:23.839 --> 00:32:24.980
 But there's a joy

00:32:24.980 --> 00:32:26.380
 that can't be

00:32:26.380 --> 00:32:27.500
 extinguished.

00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:31.279
 No matter how hard

00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:32.880
 the rains fall,

00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:35.440
 you're built on the rock.

00:32:36.420 --> 00:32:37.940
 So, the groom's here.

00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:39.299
 There's no reason

00:32:39.299 --> 00:32:40.039
 to fast anymore.

00:32:41.059 --> 00:32:41.779
 There's joy.

00:32:41.940 --> 00:32:42.460
 There's no reason

00:32:42.460 --> 00:32:43.000
 to mourn.

00:32:43.080 --> 00:32:43.539
 There's no reason

00:32:43.539 --> 00:32:44.440
 to be sorrowful.

00:32:44.820 --> 00:32:46.620
 The groom is here

00:32:46.620 --> 00:32:47.940
 with the bride.

00:32:48.380 --> 00:32:50.019
 It's time to celebrate now.

00:32:50.500 --> 00:32:51.100
 We're going to pivot

00:32:51.100 --> 00:32:52.059
 to the last two verses

00:32:52.059 --> 00:32:52.660
 and we'll be done.

00:32:54.900 --> 00:32:55.960
 It's 1157.

00:32:56.740 --> 00:32:57.320
 We're going to try

00:32:57.320 --> 00:32:58.340
 to knock this thing out

00:32:58.340 --> 00:33:00.019
 in eight minutes.

00:33:00.100 --> 00:33:00.539
 12.05?

00:33:00.740 --> 00:33:01.500
 Can I get 12.05?

00:33:02.200 --> 00:33:02.600
 Okay.

00:33:02.880 --> 00:33:03.600
 I'm going to shoot for it.

00:33:03.660 --> 00:33:04.000
 Here we go.

00:33:04.059 --> 00:33:04.200
 Ready?

00:33:04.200 --> 00:33:06.380
 Verse 16.

00:33:07.940 --> 00:33:08.860
 No one patches

00:33:08.860 --> 00:33:10.860
 an old garment

00:33:10.860 --> 00:33:13.180
 with unshrunk cloth.

00:33:14.420 --> 00:33:15.559
 No one patches

00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:16.299
 an old garment

00:33:16.299 --> 00:33:17.440
 with unshrunk cloth.

00:33:17.500 --> 00:33:17.680
 Why?

00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:18.980
 Because an old garment

00:33:18.980 --> 00:33:20.100
 with unshrunk cloth,

00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:21.720
 the patch will pull away

00:33:21.720 --> 00:33:22.340
 from the garment

00:33:22.340 --> 00:33:24.600
 and make the tear worse.

00:33:25.340 --> 00:33:26.460
 Wow, I totally skipped that.

00:33:27.120 --> 00:33:27.340
 All right,

00:33:27.340 --> 00:33:28.299
 we're just going to move ahead, y'all.

00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:29.140
 We're going to move ahead.

00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:29.559
 Here we go.

00:33:30.360 --> 00:33:30.620
 All right,

00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:31.480
 we need new clothes.

00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:35.640
 The ladies are like,

00:33:35.779 --> 00:33:36.620
 yes and amen.

00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:37.960
 We need new clothes.

00:33:38.059 --> 00:33:38.720
 Let's go shopping.

00:33:39.860 --> 00:33:42.620
 Everybody will meet at TJ Maxx

00:33:42.620 --> 00:33:43.000
 or whatever.

00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:45.039
 All right.

00:33:46.180 --> 00:33:47.380
 No one patches an old garment

00:33:47.380 --> 00:33:48.240
 with unshrunk cloth

00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:49.059
 because the patch

00:33:49.059 --> 00:33:50.380
 pulls away from the garment

00:33:50.380 --> 00:33:52.240
 and makes the tear worse.

00:33:53.100 --> 00:33:53.720
 Stop there.

00:33:53.860 --> 00:33:54.660
 We're going to get to 17

00:33:54.660 --> 00:33:55.299
 in just a second.

00:33:55.960 --> 00:33:57.039
 We've already lost a minute.

00:33:57.140 --> 00:33:57.559
 Here we go.

00:33:58.620 --> 00:34:00.200
 We need new clothes.

00:34:00.299 --> 00:34:01.319
 What do we mean by this?

00:34:02.279 --> 00:34:04.600
 Jesus is deepening his warning.

00:34:05.100 --> 00:34:06.880
 He used the whole wedding thing

00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:09.000
 and he made the first point there,

00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:10.740
 but now he's bringing

00:34:10.740 --> 00:34:13.119
 his new reality of his kingdom,

00:34:13.280 --> 00:34:14.059
 the kingdom of God

00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:14.760
 that he's talking about,

00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:15.340
 this whole thing.

00:34:15.659 --> 00:34:16.579
 All these are stories

00:34:16.579 --> 00:34:17.400
 about his kingdom.

00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:19.320
 He's having to teach everybody

00:34:19.320 --> 00:34:20.400
 because, by the way,

00:34:20.440 --> 00:34:21.159
 the kingdom of God

00:34:21.159 --> 00:34:22.059
 is very different

00:34:22.059 --> 00:34:23.159
 than the kingdom of this world.

00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:25.199
 Completely night and day.

00:34:25.740 --> 00:34:27.639
 You and I are taught

00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:28.779
 and brainwashed

00:34:28.779 --> 00:34:30.199
 in the kingdom of this world

00:34:30.199 --> 00:34:32.219
 from the time we are born.

00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:35.400
 If we're blessed by God

00:34:35.400 --> 00:34:36.400
 to grow up in a home

00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:37.539
 that worships Jesus

00:34:37.539 --> 00:34:38.759
 and tries to follow him,

00:34:38.900 --> 00:34:39.980
 then we also hear

00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:41.940
 about the kingdom of God.

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:44.259
 But it's always competing

00:34:44.259 --> 00:34:46.299
 with all these other voices

00:34:46.299 --> 00:34:47.739
 that are training us

00:34:47.739 --> 00:34:49.079
 in the kingdom of this world.

00:34:49.159 --> 00:34:50.460
 So Jesus is coming into this

00:34:50.460 --> 00:34:51.159
 and he's saying,

00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:52.460
 my kingdom's different.

00:34:53.359 --> 00:34:54.879
 And he's using this illustration.

00:34:55.819 --> 00:34:56.659
 Clothes back then,

00:34:56.699 --> 00:34:57.319
 they're made of wool.

00:34:57.639 --> 00:34:57.879
 So,

00:34:58.599 --> 00:35:02.400
 you put a new patch

00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:06.039
 on this old garment

00:35:06.039 --> 00:35:07.339
 and it's not pre-shrunk.

00:35:08.539 --> 00:35:09.500
 Anybody, ladies,

00:35:09.559 --> 00:35:10.119
 know what we're talking about?

00:35:10.179 --> 00:35:10.900
 Like pre-shrunk?

00:35:11.279 --> 00:35:11.859
 Men too.

00:35:11.980 --> 00:35:12.579
 I'm not trying to be.

00:35:13.159 --> 00:35:13.460
 Anyway.

00:35:14.539 --> 00:35:16.000
 You gotta pre-shrink things, right?

00:35:16.500 --> 00:35:17.239
 What happens

00:35:17.239 --> 00:35:19.440
 if you don't pre-shrink it

00:35:19.440 --> 00:35:21.039
 before you patch it

00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:23.559
 onto an old garment

00:35:23.559 --> 00:35:24.519
 that's already shrunk?

00:35:26.519 --> 00:35:26.960
 Shrinks.

00:35:27.639 --> 00:35:28.039
 There you go.

00:35:29.199 --> 00:35:30.099
 It's not gonna work.

00:35:30.659 --> 00:35:31.799
 The patch isn't gonna work.

00:35:32.299 --> 00:35:33.219
 And you're gonna end up

00:35:33.219 --> 00:35:34.440
 ruining both garments.

00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:39.440
 So he's saying the old fabric

00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:45.320
 is illustrating this old way,

00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:46.659
 these old customs,

00:35:47.099 --> 00:35:48.159
 these old traditions,

00:35:48.700 --> 00:35:49.940
 these rigid systems

00:35:49.940 --> 00:35:51.559
 that the Pharisees had come up with.

00:35:51.619 --> 00:35:52.099
 By the way,

00:35:52.260 --> 00:35:53.440
 we're not that different

00:35:53.440 --> 00:35:54.460
 from the Pharisees.

00:35:54.619 --> 00:35:57.280
 We come up with our own rigid systems

00:35:57.280 --> 00:35:58.059
 and structures.

00:35:58.599 --> 00:35:59.700
 Why do we do it this way?

00:35:59.699 --> 00:36:00.919
 Well, because it's how

00:36:00.919 --> 00:36:01.739
 it's always been done.

00:36:02.099 --> 00:36:03.219
 I've heard this illustration

00:36:03.219 --> 00:36:04.179
 from two different people.

00:36:04.259 --> 00:36:04.819
 We've talked about it

00:36:04.819 --> 00:36:05.359
 in staff meeting.

00:36:05.659 --> 00:36:06.519
 I've heard it from people

00:36:06.519 --> 00:36:07.279
 in this church.

00:36:07.819 --> 00:36:08.439
 Somebody said,

00:36:08.519 --> 00:36:08.960
 who was it?

00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:09.939
 Somebody can raise their hand.

00:36:10.279 --> 00:36:10.919
 Somebody said

00:36:10.919 --> 00:36:13.219
 they would get a roast

00:36:13.219 --> 00:36:15.339
 and they would cut the end

00:36:15.339 --> 00:36:16.179
 off of the roast

00:36:16.179 --> 00:36:18.039
 before they put it in the oven.

00:36:18.599 --> 00:36:18.939
 Anybody know

00:36:18.939 --> 00:36:19.539
 what I'm talking about?

00:36:20.079 --> 00:36:20.799
 Yeah, there you go.

00:36:20.939 --> 00:36:21.500
 I've heard this

00:36:21.500 --> 00:36:22.460
 from a couple different people here.

00:36:23.119 --> 00:36:24.380
 And, you know,

00:36:24.460 --> 00:36:24.820
 the daughter,

00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:25.659
 whoever it was,

00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:25.940
 says,

00:36:26.220 --> 00:36:26.820
 why do you do that?

00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:27.460
 Why do you cut the end

00:36:27.460 --> 00:36:28.019
 off the roast?

00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:29.340
 I mean, that's valuable meat, right?

00:36:29.820 --> 00:36:30.059
 She says,

00:36:30.099 --> 00:36:30.880
 well, that's how my mom

00:36:30.880 --> 00:36:31.420
 always did it.

00:36:31.460 --> 00:36:32.280
 Well, it turned out

00:36:32.280 --> 00:36:33.220
 it was because

00:36:33.220 --> 00:36:35.139
 her mom had a small oven

00:36:35.139 --> 00:36:37.460
 and the roast wouldn't fit

00:36:37.460 --> 00:36:39.240
 without trimming off part of it.

00:36:39.780 --> 00:36:41.460
 But she never understood that,

00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:42.260
 so it's just like,

00:36:42.300 --> 00:36:42.900
 that's what you do.

00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:44.000
 You cut the end off the roast.

00:36:44.740 --> 00:36:45.740
 What are things

00:36:45.740 --> 00:36:46.440
 that we're cutting

00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:47.740
 the end off the roast

00:36:47.740 --> 00:36:49.240
 and it doesn't even apply anymore?

00:36:49.980 --> 00:36:50.240
 Right?

00:36:51.240 --> 00:36:52.340
 Doesn't even apply anymore,

00:36:52.340 --> 00:36:53.740
 but we hold on to things

00:36:53.740 --> 00:36:55.420
 because that's how we know it.

00:36:55.700 --> 00:36:57.059
 We were trained in that.

00:36:57.280 --> 00:36:58.320
 We grew up in that.

00:36:58.440 --> 00:36:59.400
 That's what we know.

00:36:59.680 --> 00:37:01.019
 That's what we relate to.

00:37:01.200 --> 00:37:02.760
 That's what makes sense to us.

00:37:02.820 --> 00:37:04.120
 That's what we're comfortable with.

00:37:04.640 --> 00:37:05.539
 What's going to happen

00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:06.660
 if I put the whole roast

00:37:06.660 --> 00:37:07.500
 in the oven, man?

00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:09.260
 It's going to like blow up

00:37:09.260 --> 00:37:09.740
 or something.

00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:10.680
 It's too much.

00:37:10.800 --> 00:37:11.500
 Too much roast.

00:37:12.740 --> 00:37:13.740
 What's going to happen

00:37:13.740 --> 00:37:16.220
 if we have too many new people

00:37:16.220 --> 00:37:16.960
 coming to the church?

00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:18.480
 It's too many.

00:37:19.079 --> 00:37:20.079
 Too many new people.

00:37:20.079 --> 00:37:21.739
 They might start

00:37:21.739 --> 00:37:22.739
 populating our committees.

00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:24.360
 They might start

00:37:24.360 --> 00:37:25.440
 populating our teams.

00:37:26.000 --> 00:37:26.940
 They might start

00:37:26.940 --> 00:37:27.460
 getting involved

00:37:27.460 --> 00:37:28.239
 in the service.

00:37:29.239 --> 00:37:30.480
 Things might start changing.

00:37:31.480 --> 00:37:32.739
 I'm not comfortable with that.

00:37:36.360 --> 00:37:37.199
 And maybe

00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:40.059
 something worked

00:37:40.059 --> 00:37:42.279
 for a moment in time,

00:37:42.280 --> 00:37:44.940
 but God wants to change it

00:37:44.940 --> 00:37:46.880
 because it's a new moment

00:37:46.880 --> 00:37:49.160
 and His gospel

00:37:49.160 --> 00:37:50.420
 is never outdated.

00:37:51.500 --> 00:37:52.400
 It's fresh

00:37:52.400 --> 00:37:52.960
 and alive

00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:53.460
 and applicable

00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:55.620
 for every single moment,

00:37:55.760 --> 00:37:56.380
 but we're trying

00:37:56.380 --> 00:37:57.480
 to put holy patches

00:37:57.480 --> 00:38:00.120
 on our old garments.

00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:02.660
 We're trying to take

00:38:02.660 --> 00:38:03.519
 what God's doing

00:38:03.519 --> 00:38:05.500
 and somehow make it work

00:38:05.500 --> 00:38:07.560
 with what we know

00:38:07.560 --> 00:38:08.660
 and are used to.

00:38:08.659 --> 00:38:10.819
 And I promise you,

00:38:11.259 --> 00:38:12.759
 it doesn't work.

00:38:13.399 --> 00:38:14.799
 It didn't work back then.

00:38:15.039 --> 00:38:16.239
 It will never work.

00:38:16.559 --> 00:38:17.339
 What happens

00:38:17.339 --> 00:38:18.639
 is you ruin both.

00:38:19.359 --> 00:38:20.460
 You make the gospel

00:38:20.460 --> 00:38:21.339
 more ineffective.

00:38:21.980 --> 00:38:22.739
 You make it

00:38:22.739 --> 00:38:23.559
 not as loving,

00:38:23.699 --> 00:38:24.379
 not as gracious,

00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:25.440
 not as compassionate

00:38:25.440 --> 00:38:26.599
 as it should be,

00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:28.699
 and you ruin

00:38:28.699 --> 00:38:29.359
 what you had.

00:38:30.699 --> 00:38:31.899
 It never works.

00:38:33.579 --> 00:38:33.819
 So,

00:38:34.159 --> 00:38:35.599
 2 Corinthians 5, 17,

00:38:36.179 --> 00:38:36.900
 instead of trying

00:38:36.900 --> 00:38:37.940
 to put a holy patch

00:38:37.940 --> 00:38:39.319
 on your old garment,

00:38:39.860 --> 00:38:41.279
 Jesus wants to give you

00:38:41.279 --> 00:38:42.319
 a new garment.

00:38:43.500 --> 00:38:44.259
 It's what He did

00:38:44.259 --> 00:38:45.360
 when you got saved.

00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:46.819
 Maybe you're not saved.

00:38:47.099 --> 00:38:47.900
 We talked about that

00:38:47.900 --> 00:38:48.860
 a moment ago, right?

00:38:50.440 --> 00:38:51.920
 Maybe you haven't experienced

00:38:51.920 --> 00:38:53.199
 God's presence yet.

00:38:53.380 --> 00:38:53.980
 In reality,

00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:55.679
 you've had this form

00:38:55.679 --> 00:38:56.400
 of religion,

00:38:56.799 --> 00:38:57.920
 but you don't have

00:38:57.920 --> 00:38:58.539
 a relationship

00:38:58.539 --> 00:38:59.299
 with the Savior.

00:39:00.500 --> 00:39:01.739
 When you get one,

00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:03.000
 it's just like

00:39:03.000 --> 00:39:03.860
 that wedding garment.

00:39:03.860 --> 00:39:05.620
 Was that

00:39:05.620 --> 00:39:06.920
 two Sundays ago?

00:39:08.740 --> 00:39:09.240
 You've got to have

00:39:09.240 --> 00:39:10.079
 the right wedding garment

00:39:10.079 --> 00:39:10.539
 on, right?

00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:12.039
 Jesus' righteousness.

00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:13.240
 He clothes you

00:39:13.240 --> 00:39:14.120
 in Jesus' righteousness.

00:39:14.440 --> 00:39:15.820
 Just like that,

00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:17.460
 God wants to give you

00:39:17.460 --> 00:39:18.460
 a new garment,

00:39:18.780 --> 00:39:20.320
 continually clothing you

00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:21.160
 in Him,

00:39:21.579 --> 00:39:22.760
 continually clothing you

00:39:22.760 --> 00:39:23.860
 in Jesus' righteousness.

00:39:24.180 --> 00:39:25.640
 And that's not going to work

00:39:25.640 --> 00:39:26.800
 with the clothes

00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:27.620
 you have on.

00:39:27.680 --> 00:39:28.240
 I'm not talking about

00:39:28.240 --> 00:39:28.900
 the clothes you're wearing

00:39:28.900 --> 00:39:29.400
 right now.

00:39:30.360 --> 00:39:30.960
 I'm talking about

00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:32.200
 what you clothe yourself

00:39:32.200 --> 00:39:33.360
 in every day.

00:39:33.860 --> 00:39:35.599
 our selfishness,

00:39:36.200 --> 00:39:36.980
 our pride,

00:39:37.300 --> 00:39:38.120
 our ego,

00:39:39.120 --> 00:39:40.440
 our traditions.

00:39:41.260 --> 00:39:42.360
 It's what we wrap

00:39:42.360 --> 00:39:43.240
 ourselves in,

00:39:43.300 --> 00:39:44.120
 like an armor

00:39:44.120 --> 00:39:46.039
 that protects us

00:39:46.039 --> 00:39:47.720
 from all the horrible

00:39:47.720 --> 00:39:48.300
 people that want

00:39:48.300 --> 00:39:49.059
 to change things.

00:39:51.640 --> 00:39:52.360
 Instead,

00:39:52.920 --> 00:39:54.980
 God wants to make you

00:39:54.980 --> 00:39:55.860
 a new creation.

00:39:56.420 --> 00:39:57.800
 The old will continue

00:39:57.800 --> 00:39:59.780
 to pass away

00:39:59.780 --> 00:40:01.260
 because the new

00:40:01.260 --> 00:40:02.820
 is here.

00:40:04.019 --> 00:40:05.519
 The new has come.

00:40:06.940 --> 00:40:07.700
 That's what Jesus

00:40:07.700 --> 00:40:08.180
 is teaching.

00:40:08.560 --> 00:40:09.180
 These themes

00:40:09.180 --> 00:40:09.980
 are consistent.

00:40:10.240 --> 00:40:10.680
 You find them

00:40:10.680 --> 00:40:11.420
 in the Old Testament.

00:40:11.540 --> 00:40:11.900
 We'll get there

00:40:11.900 --> 00:40:12.200
 in a minute.

00:40:12.460 --> 00:40:12.920
 You find them

00:40:12.920 --> 00:40:13.840
 in Jesus' teaching

00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:14.760
 and you find them

00:40:14.760 --> 00:40:16.260
 in Paul's letters

00:40:16.260 --> 00:40:17.400
 to the churches.

00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:19.660
 It's the same principle.

00:40:20.660 --> 00:40:21.760
 We've got to let go

00:40:21.760 --> 00:40:22.540
 of the old garment

00:40:22.540 --> 00:40:23.220
 entirely

00:40:23.220 --> 00:40:24.900
 if we want to wear

00:40:24.900 --> 00:40:26.060
 the righteousness

00:40:26.060 --> 00:40:27.100
 of Christ.

00:40:27.099 --> 00:40:28.639
 Now,

00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:29.659
 last verse.

00:40:30.380 --> 00:40:31.159
 It's 12.05.

00:40:33.659 --> 00:40:34.099
 Y'all,

00:40:34.139 --> 00:40:34.679
 we've got to do it.

00:40:34.719 --> 00:40:35.279
 We've got to do this

00:40:35.279 --> 00:40:35.819
 last one.

00:40:35.940 --> 00:40:36.799
 Last one and we're done,

00:40:36.860 --> 00:40:37.039
 okay?

00:40:37.279 --> 00:40:37.960
 I promise you

00:40:37.960 --> 00:40:39.139
 I'll try to wrap it up

00:40:39.139 --> 00:40:40.099
 as soon as I can.

00:40:40.519 --> 00:40:41.759
 But please don't miss this.

00:40:41.839 --> 00:40:42.420
 It's what ties

00:40:42.420 --> 00:40:43.940
 the whole thing together.

00:40:44.380 --> 00:40:45.079
 Verse 17.

00:40:46.799 --> 00:40:47.639
 Jesus says

00:40:47.639 --> 00:40:49.119
 to the disciples of John,

00:40:49.679 --> 00:40:51.239
 no one puts new wine

00:40:51.239 --> 00:40:52.659
 into old wineskins.

00:40:53.319 --> 00:40:54.480
 Let me throw a disclaimer

00:40:54.480 --> 00:40:55.039
 about there.

00:40:55.039 --> 00:40:57.300
 I'm not advocating

00:40:57.300 --> 00:40:58.659
 drinking alcohol,

00:40:58.960 --> 00:40:59.179
 okay?

00:41:01.099 --> 00:41:02.779
 You make your best decision

00:41:02.779 --> 00:41:03.800
 based on you and God.

00:41:03.880 --> 00:41:05.539
 The Bible gives absolute warnings

00:41:05.539 --> 00:41:06.579
 about drunkenness,

00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:07.940
 about addictions,

00:41:08.259 --> 00:41:09.219
 about how dangerous

00:41:09.219 --> 00:41:10.739
 alcohol can be.

00:41:11.039 --> 00:41:11.880
 I'm not advocating

00:41:11.880 --> 00:41:13.139
 for anything like this.

00:41:13.519 --> 00:41:14.539
 Wine was a common drink

00:41:14.539 --> 00:41:14.960
 of the day.

00:41:15.219 --> 00:41:16.440
 It's not like the Chardonnay

00:41:16.440 --> 00:41:17.420
 that you go get in a bottle,

00:41:17.559 --> 00:41:17.739
 okay?

00:41:17.860 --> 00:41:18.480
 Very different.

00:41:19.179 --> 00:41:20.279
 Lower alcohol content,

00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:21.179
 more fruit.

00:41:21.539 --> 00:41:23.279
 It was fermented beverage.

00:41:23.280 --> 00:41:24.760
 Very different from what

00:41:24.760 --> 00:41:25.420
 we're talking about today.

00:41:25.500 --> 00:41:26.740
 So just work with me on that.

00:41:26.820 --> 00:41:27.400
 Don't get hung up

00:41:27.400 --> 00:41:27.980
 on the wine part.

00:41:29.540 --> 00:41:30.680
 No one puts new wine

00:41:30.680 --> 00:41:31.519
 into old wineskins.

00:41:32.160 --> 00:41:32.560
 Otherwise,

00:41:32.880 --> 00:41:33.780
 the skins burst.

00:41:34.300 --> 00:41:35.580
 The wine spills out

00:41:35.580 --> 00:41:37.180
 and the skins are ruined.

00:41:37.600 --> 00:41:37.820
 No.

00:41:38.060 --> 00:41:39.200
 They put new wine

00:41:39.200 --> 00:41:40.780
 into fresh wineskins

00:41:40.780 --> 00:41:42.600
 and both are preserved.

00:41:42.720 --> 00:41:42.940
 Do you know

00:41:42.940 --> 00:41:44.100
 what the number one problem

00:41:44.100 --> 00:41:46.160
 facing most churches

00:41:46.160 --> 00:41:47.200
 in America today,

00:41:47.320 --> 00:41:48.960
 especially in small rural areas?

00:41:48.960 --> 00:41:50.619
 We're trying to put

00:41:50.619 --> 00:41:51.380
 new wine

00:41:51.380 --> 00:41:52.380
 into old wineskins.

00:41:53.340 --> 00:41:54.260
 Work with me on that.

00:41:54.460 --> 00:41:55.099
 Just follow me there.

00:41:55.179 --> 00:41:55.599
 Hold that.

00:41:55.699 --> 00:41:56.380
 Set it to the side.

00:41:56.539 --> 00:41:57.340
 I'll explain

00:41:57.340 --> 00:41:58.000
 what I'm talking about.

00:41:58.460 --> 00:41:59.559
 This is the heart

00:41:59.559 --> 00:42:00.760
 of Jesus' message.

00:42:01.159 --> 00:42:02.039
 The new wine.

00:42:02.460 --> 00:42:03.059
 The life

00:42:03.059 --> 00:42:04.280
 that the Holy Spirit

00:42:04.280 --> 00:42:05.220
 brings to us.

00:42:05.500 --> 00:42:06.159
 The movement

00:42:06.159 --> 00:42:07.179
 of God's kingdom.

00:42:07.559 --> 00:42:08.099
 The power

00:42:08.099 --> 00:42:09.119
 of His gospel.

00:42:09.500 --> 00:42:10.179
 His message.

00:42:10.420 --> 00:42:11.559
 This is the new wine.

00:42:11.639 --> 00:42:12.019
 And do you know

00:42:12.019 --> 00:42:12.639
 what it will do?

00:42:12.920 --> 00:42:14.119
 It will burst

00:42:14.119 --> 00:42:15.860
 anything rigid,

00:42:15.860 --> 00:42:19.079
 anything that can't move

00:42:19.079 --> 00:42:20.480
 and form with it,

00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:22.140
 anything that it can't

00:42:22.140 --> 00:42:23.200
 mold and shape,

00:42:23.360 --> 00:42:24.480
 it will burst it.

00:42:26.240 --> 00:42:27.340
 The Bible uses

00:42:27.340 --> 00:42:28.320
 another illustration

00:42:28.320 --> 00:42:29.280
 that if you keep

00:42:29.280 --> 00:42:32.300
 hammering on a hard heart

00:42:32.300 --> 00:42:33.700
 with the gospel of Jesus,

00:42:33.780 --> 00:42:34.539
 it will break.

00:42:34.900 --> 00:42:36.480
 It likens it to a sword

00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:37.559
 that is so sharp

00:42:37.559 --> 00:42:40.000
 it can pierce anything.

00:42:43.420 --> 00:42:44.680
 Jesus' way

00:42:44.679 --> 00:42:46.460
 is revolutionary.

00:42:48.059 --> 00:42:48.799
 But that doesn't

00:42:48.799 --> 00:42:49.960
 necessarily describe

00:42:49.960 --> 00:42:51.399
 His followers.

00:42:53.419 --> 00:42:54.500
 So what happened?

00:42:55.699 --> 00:42:57.239
 Where did we lose

00:42:57.239 --> 00:42:58.119
 the power?

00:42:59.619 --> 00:43:00.579
 It's our wine skin.

00:43:02.419 --> 00:43:03.579
 It's what we're trying

00:43:03.579 --> 00:43:04.759
 to put the wine in.

00:43:05.759 --> 00:43:06.919
 It doesn't work.

00:43:07.919 --> 00:43:09.299
 It just ruins both.

00:43:10.699 --> 00:43:11.940
 The skin bursts

00:43:11.940 --> 00:43:13.899
 and the wine spills out.

00:43:14.679 --> 00:43:16.039
 So,

00:43:16.599 --> 00:43:18.099
 the problem

00:43:18.099 --> 00:43:18.980
 is never

00:43:18.980 --> 00:43:21.259
 the beverage.

00:43:21.739 --> 00:43:22.719
 It's always

00:43:22.719 --> 00:43:23.619
 the vessel.

00:43:24.980 --> 00:43:25.879
 The problem

00:43:25.879 --> 00:43:27.139
 is not the wine.

00:43:27.539 --> 00:43:28.679
 It's the wine skin.

00:43:30.359 --> 00:43:31.419
 This is where

00:43:31.419 --> 00:43:32.419
 we have to look inside.

00:43:33.199 --> 00:43:34.159
 Have we become

00:43:34.159 --> 00:43:35.739
 old wine skins?

00:43:36.419 --> 00:43:37.559
 Has our church

00:43:37.559 --> 00:43:38.000
 become

00:43:38.000 --> 00:43:39.379
 an old wine skin?

00:43:39.960 --> 00:43:40.699
 Have we built

00:43:40.699 --> 00:43:41.239
 a culture

00:43:41.239 --> 00:43:43.199
 in our church polity,

00:43:43.199 --> 00:43:43.839
 our governance,

00:43:44.000 --> 00:43:44.579
 our structure,

00:43:44.899 --> 00:43:45.759
 our relationships,

00:43:46.239 --> 00:43:46.919
 our presence

00:43:46.919 --> 00:43:47.579
 in the community,

00:43:47.699 --> 00:43:48.419
 our reputation

00:43:48.419 --> 00:43:50.779
 that's unable

00:43:50.779 --> 00:43:51.419
 to bend,

00:43:51.899 --> 00:43:52.859
 unable to break,

00:43:53.559 --> 00:43:54.759
 unable to be filled

00:43:54.759 --> 00:43:56.339
 even by God's Spirit,

00:43:56.679 --> 00:43:57.919
 unable to be moved

00:43:57.919 --> 00:44:00.839
 even by God's Spirit.

00:44:03.039 --> 00:44:04.299
 Galatians chapter 5

00:44:04.299 --> 00:44:05.199
 and verse 25.

00:44:05.199 --> 00:44:09.599
 Wow, that was good.

00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:13.079
 I want to show you this.

00:44:15.579 --> 00:44:16.239
 There we go.

00:44:17.239 --> 00:44:18.239
 God wants to replace,

00:44:18.379 --> 00:44:18.839
 not repair.

00:44:19.179 --> 00:44:19.319
 Okay,

00:44:19.659 --> 00:44:20.619
 turn to Galatians

00:44:20.619 --> 00:44:21.019
 if you would.

00:44:21.079 --> 00:44:21.819
 Galatians chapter 5

00:44:21.819 --> 00:44:22.359
 and verse 25.

00:44:22.679 --> 00:44:23.299
 While you're turning,

00:44:23.659 --> 00:44:24.239
 I'm going back.

00:44:24.460 --> 00:44:25.099
 Sometimes I forget

00:44:25.099 --> 00:44:26.000
 to advance these slides,

00:44:26.099 --> 00:44:26.579
 but I don't want you

00:44:26.579 --> 00:44:27.159
 to miss this point.

00:44:27.699 --> 00:44:28.539
 Back on the patches

00:44:28.539 --> 00:44:29.159
 and the garments,

00:44:29.519 --> 00:44:30.679
 God wants to replace,

00:44:30.679 --> 00:44:31.259
 not repair.

00:44:32.060 --> 00:44:34.720
 That's an interesting point

00:44:34.720 --> 00:44:35.620
 that he's making here.

00:44:36.100 --> 00:44:37.660
 Don't patch an old garment

00:44:37.660 --> 00:44:38.640
 with a new patch.

00:44:39.600 --> 00:44:40.200
 He's saying he wants

00:44:40.200 --> 00:44:40.540
 to give you

00:44:40.540 --> 00:44:41.260
 a whole new garment,

00:44:41.460 --> 00:44:41.660
 right?

00:44:41.760 --> 00:44:42.300
 So replace,

00:44:42.380 --> 00:44:42.740
 not repair.

00:44:43.020 --> 00:44:43.540
 Now we're up

00:44:43.540 --> 00:44:44.240
 in Galatians 5.

00:44:45.440 --> 00:44:46.340
 Galatians 5,

00:44:46.500 --> 00:44:47.600
 talking about new wineskins.

00:44:48.680 --> 00:44:48.840
 Ooh.

00:44:50.740 --> 00:44:52.420
 If we live by the Spirit,

00:44:52.780 --> 00:44:54.480
 let us also keep in step

00:44:54.480 --> 00:44:55.580
 with the Spirit.

00:44:56.440 --> 00:44:56.980
 Did you hear that?

00:44:56.980 --> 00:44:59.519
 If we live by the Spirit,

00:45:00.019 --> 00:45:01.699
 let us also keep in step

00:45:01.699 --> 00:45:02.760
 with the Spirit.

00:45:02.880 --> 00:45:03.300
 How many of y'all

00:45:03.300 --> 00:45:04.139
 went to Texas A&M?

00:45:04.240 --> 00:45:04.780
 Slip your hand up

00:45:04.780 --> 00:45:05.320
 loud and proud.

00:45:06.320 --> 00:45:06.960
 There you go.

00:45:07.500 --> 00:45:07.940
 There you go.

00:45:08.599 --> 00:45:09.820
 I expected a little more pride,

00:45:10.059 --> 00:45:10.699
 but that's all right.

00:45:11.619 --> 00:45:12.500
 What is this?

00:45:14.740 --> 00:45:15.539
 What is that, y'all?

00:45:16.500 --> 00:45:17.039
 Aggie man.

00:45:17.099 --> 00:45:17.539
 There you go.

00:45:18.340 --> 00:45:18.659
 Look,

00:45:18.780 --> 00:45:20.079
 if you know me at all,

00:45:20.300 --> 00:45:21.039
 you know that I'm

00:45:21.039 --> 00:45:21.860
 a Longhorn fan.

00:45:21.980 --> 00:45:22.260
 Hook them.

00:45:22.420 --> 00:45:22.880
 There you go.

00:45:23.099 --> 00:45:23.400
 Tyler,

00:45:23.780 --> 00:45:24.139
 Bruce,

00:45:24.320 --> 00:45:24.639
 Harlan,

00:45:25.360 --> 00:45:25.679
 Matt,

00:45:25.880 --> 00:45:26.539
 wherever y'all are.

00:45:27.920 --> 00:45:28.320
 Billy,

00:45:28.719 --> 00:45:29.599
 we got some

00:45:29.599 --> 00:45:30.360
 Longhorn fans in here.

00:45:31.980 --> 00:45:33.179
 I will admit

00:45:33.179 --> 00:45:35.860
 the Aggies have a good band.

00:45:36.159 --> 00:45:36.400
 All right?

00:45:36.559 --> 00:45:37.940
 We also have a good band

00:45:37.940 --> 00:45:38.460
 in Texas.

00:45:38.579 --> 00:45:38.980
 It's great,

00:45:39.360 --> 00:45:40.340
 but the Aggies have a good band.

00:45:41.280 --> 00:45:42.280
 One thing they know

00:45:42.280 --> 00:45:43.280
 how to do really well

00:45:43.280 --> 00:45:44.960
 is march.

00:45:45.659 --> 00:45:46.519
 They march in step.

00:45:46.860 --> 00:45:47.059
 Right?

00:45:48.179 --> 00:45:48.860
 Now listen.

00:45:51.420 --> 00:45:52.320
 As much as I hate

00:45:52.320 --> 00:45:53.039
 to look at that picture,

00:45:53.840 --> 00:45:55.260
 it's really good formation.

00:45:55.260 --> 00:45:57.780
 That's a strength of theirs,

00:45:57.860 --> 00:45:58.180
 all right?

00:46:02.720 --> 00:46:04.860
 If we live by the Spirit,

00:46:05.620 --> 00:46:08.000
 let us also keep in step

00:46:08.000 --> 00:46:09.220
 with the Spirit.

00:46:10.220 --> 00:46:12.520
 Do you know how you keep in step?

00:46:12.519 --> 00:46:15.759
 My dad went to San Marcos

00:46:15.759 --> 00:46:16.840
 Baptist Military Academy,

00:46:17.739 --> 00:46:18.239
 San Jacinto.

00:46:18.900 --> 00:46:19.920
 He did drill team.

00:46:20.500 --> 00:46:21.719
 He knows how to be in step.

00:46:22.719 --> 00:46:23.579
 So I'm walking,

00:46:24.119 --> 00:46:25.579
 and then I get out of step,

00:46:26.019 --> 00:46:28.340
 and then I got to do a little change step.

00:46:28.739 --> 00:46:28.940
 Right?

00:46:29.440 --> 00:46:30.259
 Then I'm back in step.

00:46:30.780 --> 00:46:32.360
 Everybody know the whole change step deal?

00:46:33.300 --> 00:46:33.579
 Yeah.

00:46:33.780 --> 00:46:34.940
 It's just kind of a little hitch,

00:46:35.940 --> 00:46:38.460
 and then you're back in step

00:46:38.460 --> 00:46:39.400
 with the people next to you.

00:46:39.400 --> 00:46:41.119
 I never did drill team,

00:46:41.200 --> 00:46:41.920
 but my dad taught me that

00:46:41.920 --> 00:46:42.500
 from an early age,

00:46:42.599 --> 00:46:44.200
 and I have fun with it.

00:46:44.320 --> 00:46:45.119
 And my wife and I

00:46:45.119 --> 00:46:46.019
 go walking around the neighborhood,

00:46:46.260 --> 00:46:47.039
 usually with the dog,

00:46:47.380 --> 00:46:49.300
 and sometimes I'll get out of step with her,

00:46:49.519 --> 00:46:51.079
 and who cares,

00:46:51.139 --> 00:46:52.360
 as long as we're not really out of step,

00:46:52.420 --> 00:46:52.599
 right?

00:46:53.000 --> 00:46:54.900
 But it's just a thing with me.

00:46:54.960 --> 00:46:55.840
 I've got to get back in step.

00:46:55.920 --> 00:46:56.940
 So I'll do a little change step,

00:46:57.000 --> 00:46:57.559
 and then I'll make sure

00:46:57.559 --> 00:46:58.500
 that our legs are,

00:46:58.579 --> 00:46:59.579
 and my legs are longer than her,

00:46:59.579 --> 00:47:01.380
 so we get out of step a lot.

00:47:01.440 --> 00:47:01.740
 But anyway,

00:47:01.739 --> 00:47:05.059
 what does it mean

00:47:05.059 --> 00:47:07.239
 to be in step with the Spirit?

00:47:09.179 --> 00:47:12.299
 Keep in step with the Spirit.

00:47:14.919 --> 00:47:16.419
 Y'all, please don't miss this.

00:47:17.239 --> 00:47:18.559
 I know we've got lunch around the corner.

00:47:18.779 --> 00:47:20.439
 I know there are cookies being sold.

00:47:21.599 --> 00:47:22.519
 It's going to be awesome.

00:47:22.519 --> 00:47:25.359
 But please don't miss this.

00:47:25.360 --> 00:47:31.820
 New wine in old wineskins doesn't work.

00:47:32.620 --> 00:47:36.660
 You can't keep in step with the Spirit

00:47:36.660 --> 00:47:40.660
 and also keep in step with yourself

00:47:40.660 --> 00:47:41.940
 and what you want.

00:47:42.820 --> 00:47:45.019
 It does not work.

00:47:46.640 --> 00:47:49.700
 Many of you will keep trying to make it work,

00:47:50.300 --> 00:47:53.140
 but I pray by God's Spirit,

00:47:53.140 --> 00:47:55.120
 He will use His words

00:47:55.119 --> 00:47:56.880
 to show you

00:47:56.880 --> 00:47:58.759
 and enlighten you

00:47:58.759 --> 00:48:01.380
 to change your step.

00:48:02.420 --> 00:48:03.900
 Do a change step

00:48:03.900 --> 00:48:06.000
 and get back in step

00:48:06.000 --> 00:48:07.880
 with the Spirit.

00:48:08.739 --> 00:48:10.440
 Because if someone

00:48:10.440 --> 00:48:12.480
 is out of step,

00:48:12.900 --> 00:48:15.319
 it ruins our whole formation.

00:48:20.819 --> 00:48:22.039
 I didn't plan that,

00:48:22.139 --> 00:48:22.739
 but wow.

00:48:23.880 --> 00:48:25.099
 Again, I hope it's nothing serious.

00:48:25.119 --> 00:48:26.960
 Nobody's in danger there,

00:48:27.039 --> 00:48:27.659
 but man.

00:48:28.679 --> 00:48:29.059
 Look.

00:48:30.460 --> 00:48:32.079
 It is serious.

00:48:33.319 --> 00:48:35.019
 It is a crisis, okay?

00:48:35.179 --> 00:48:36.259
 It is an emergency.

00:48:36.579 --> 00:48:37.599
 Listen, folks.

00:48:38.000 --> 00:48:39.880
 We've seen it in our church.

00:48:40.759 --> 00:48:42.559
 We've seen people get out of step.

00:48:42.759 --> 00:48:44.440
 We've seen it in our community.

00:48:44.900 --> 00:48:46.659
 We've seen people get out of step.

00:48:46.819 --> 00:48:49.539
 If you refuse to stay in step

00:48:49.539 --> 00:48:51.159
 with what God is doing,

00:48:51.380 --> 00:48:53.960
 it ruins the whole formation.

00:48:54.880 --> 00:48:57.659
 It ruins what we're trying to accomplish.

00:48:58.300 --> 00:49:01.659
 Keep in step with the Spirit.

00:49:01.880 --> 00:49:02.880
 Not your spirit.

00:49:03.099 --> 00:49:05.259
 Not your spirit of a judgmental attitude.

00:49:05.639 --> 00:49:07.739
 Not your spirit of prioritizing

00:49:07.739 --> 00:49:09.219
 what you want over everybody else.

00:49:09.480 --> 00:49:10.679
 Not your spirit of,

00:49:10.900 --> 00:49:13.159
 I'm right and I deserve to get my say.

00:49:13.159 --> 00:49:17.239
 Not your spirit of what you show

00:49:17.239 --> 00:49:18.739
 on social media.

00:49:19.699 --> 00:49:21.119
 Not your spirit,

00:49:22.119 --> 00:49:23.779
 which is actually

00:49:23.779 --> 00:49:25.759
 the devil's spirit.

00:49:26.759 --> 00:49:28.019
 It's the spirit of darkness.

00:49:28.019 --> 00:49:28.139
 darkness.

00:49:28.759 --> 00:49:30.539
 And it's incompatible

00:49:30.539 --> 00:49:32.699
 with the spirit of light.

00:49:35.420 --> 00:49:36.619
 Y'all, I promise you,

00:49:37.340 --> 00:49:38.519
 this is what it's about.

00:49:39.860 --> 00:49:41.539
 I adjust myself

00:49:41.539 --> 00:49:43.440
 to what God is doing.

00:49:44.019 --> 00:49:46.099
 I don't ask God to adjust to me.

00:49:46.780 --> 00:49:49.099
 I don't ask His church to adjust to me.

00:49:49.599 --> 00:49:51.920
 I don't ask His people to adjust to me.

00:49:52.179 --> 00:49:53.759
 I adjust myself

00:49:53.759 --> 00:49:56.460
 to what God is doing.

00:49:57.199 --> 00:49:57.900
 Here's our takeaway.

00:49:58.019 --> 00:50:05.159
 I'm not going to have you turn there.

00:50:05.340 --> 00:50:06.259
 I'm just going to read it for you.

00:50:07.139 --> 00:50:08.259
 Not everyone who says to me,

00:50:08.340 --> 00:50:08.880
 Lord, Lord,

00:50:08.940 --> 00:50:10.099
 will enter the kingdom of heaven

00:50:10.099 --> 00:50:12.639
 because I will declare to them,

00:50:13.539 --> 00:50:14.320
 I never knew you.

00:50:15.360 --> 00:50:16.099
 Do you realize

00:50:16.099 --> 00:50:18.239
 that the sobering truth is

00:50:18.239 --> 00:50:19.900
 many people are out of step

00:50:19.900 --> 00:50:20.420
 with the Spirit

00:50:20.420 --> 00:50:22.159
 because they're not saved.

00:50:23.480 --> 00:50:25.179
 Many people who come to this church

00:50:25.179 --> 00:50:26.980
 go to other churches in town,

00:50:26.980 --> 00:50:29.280
 other churches across this country,

00:50:29.679 --> 00:50:31.099
 and sit there Sunday after Sunday,

00:50:31.340 --> 00:50:32.920
 and they hear the Word of God preached,

00:50:33.440 --> 00:50:36.500
 but they've never submitted themselves to God.

00:50:36.500 --> 00:50:39.320
 And they're going to get to heaven,

00:50:39.559 --> 00:50:39.800
 well,

00:50:40.199 --> 00:50:41.480
 they're going to get to the judgment someday,

00:50:41.679 --> 00:50:42.019
 not heaven.

00:50:42.360 --> 00:50:43.539
 They're going to get to the judgment someday,

00:50:43.559 --> 00:50:44.099
 and they're going to say,

00:50:44.820 --> 00:50:45.039
 Lord,

00:50:45.099 --> 00:50:45.619
 what in the world?

00:50:47.360 --> 00:50:49.820
 I called myself a Christian all my life.

00:50:50.219 --> 00:50:51.980
 I did all kinds of things in your name.

00:50:52.039 --> 00:50:52.619
 I told God,

00:50:52.739 --> 00:50:53.079
 I said,

00:50:53.139 --> 00:50:54.019
 God bless you to people

00:50:54.019 --> 00:50:55.460
 more times than you can count.

00:50:55.460 --> 00:50:56.840
 And he's going to say,

00:50:57.000 --> 00:50:58.559
 I never knew you.

00:50:59.679 --> 00:51:00.720
 I never knew you.

00:51:01.240 --> 00:51:02.220
 Matthew chapter 7.

00:51:03.659 --> 00:51:03.900
 So,

00:51:04.960 --> 00:51:08.039
 I told you the Old Testament

00:51:08.039 --> 00:51:08.980
 talks about this stuff.

00:51:09.940 --> 00:51:11.000
 The former things

00:51:11.000 --> 00:51:12.820
 don't dwell on the past.

00:51:12.920 --> 00:51:13.360
 Forget them.

00:51:14.099 --> 00:51:14.500
 See,

00:51:14.619 --> 00:51:15.940
 I'm doing a new thing.

00:51:17.539 --> 00:51:17.740
 Y'all,

00:51:17.780 --> 00:51:19.119
 we got our 150th anniversary

00:51:19.119 --> 00:51:19.800
 coming up next year.

00:51:19.820 --> 00:51:20.440
 How many of y'all knew that?

00:51:20.480 --> 00:51:21.220
 This church's been around

00:51:21.220 --> 00:51:22.679
 almost 150 years.

00:51:23.099 --> 00:51:23.699
 Isn't that incredible?

00:51:23.699 --> 00:51:27.059
 Thank God for it.

00:51:27.939 --> 00:51:29.759
 Thank God for what he's done in the past.

00:51:30.779 --> 00:51:32.119
 But then move on.

00:51:34.439 --> 00:51:35.960
 Because he's not doing

00:51:35.960 --> 00:51:38.379
 what he did in the past again.

00:51:38.779 --> 00:51:39.879
 Ever again.

00:51:40.119 --> 00:51:41.119
 He's going to do

00:51:41.119 --> 00:51:42.359
 a new thing.

00:51:43.699 --> 00:51:45.000
 I don't need him

00:51:45.000 --> 00:51:48.019
 to make me the next Ted Traylor.

00:51:48.579 --> 00:51:49.539
 I don't need him

00:51:49.539 --> 00:51:50.960
 to make me the next Ron Gunner

00:51:50.960 --> 00:51:52.299
 or name your favorite pastor

00:51:52.299 --> 00:51:52.779
 of this church.

00:51:52.780 --> 00:51:53.900
 I need him

00:51:53.900 --> 00:51:54.860
 to make me

00:51:54.860 --> 00:51:56.560
 what he wants Sam Bunnell to be.

00:51:58.120 --> 00:51:58.560
 Deacons,

00:51:58.680 --> 00:51:59.660
 you don't need to be

00:51:59.660 --> 00:52:00.440
 those deacons

00:52:00.440 --> 00:52:01.260
 who came before you.

00:52:01.440 --> 00:52:02.660
 You need to be the deacon

00:52:02.660 --> 00:52:03.920
 that God wants you to be now.

00:52:04.840 --> 00:52:05.280
 Trustees,

00:52:05.440 --> 00:52:05.940
 same for you.

00:52:06.180 --> 00:52:06.980
 Sunday school teachers,

00:52:07.140 --> 00:52:07.700
 same for you.

00:52:07.940 --> 00:52:08.700
 Committee chairman

00:52:08.700 --> 00:52:09.120
 and members,

00:52:09.260 --> 00:52:10.019
 same for you.

00:52:10.380 --> 00:52:11.760
 You are going to do

00:52:11.760 --> 00:52:12.720
 a new thing

00:52:12.720 --> 00:52:14.300
 through God's power

00:52:14.300 --> 00:52:15.420
 because he's going to do it.

00:52:15.680 --> 00:52:16.800
 It springs up

00:52:16.800 --> 00:52:18.160
 and it's already springing up.

00:52:18.400 --> 00:52:19.100
 Haven't you seen it?

00:52:19.400 --> 00:52:20.320
 Haven't you seen it happen?

00:52:20.420 --> 00:52:21.400
 Haven't you seen the new faces,

00:52:21.400 --> 00:52:22.400
 people you don't know?

00:52:22.680 --> 00:52:23.340
 Haven't you seen

00:52:23.340 --> 00:52:24.240
 what God's doing?

00:52:24.599 --> 00:52:25.480
 I've been counting up.

00:52:25.559 --> 00:52:26.240
 We're almost up to

00:52:26.240 --> 00:52:28.539
 20 new individual family units

00:52:28.539 --> 00:52:29.280
 who have come

00:52:29.280 --> 00:52:30.340
 over the last two years

00:52:30.340 --> 00:52:31.300
 and kept coming.

00:52:31.700 --> 00:52:32.880
 And I thank God for them.

00:52:35.460 --> 00:52:36.840
 He's doing a new thing.

00:52:38.200 --> 00:52:39.240
 We should have 20 more.

00:52:39.740 --> 00:52:40.519
 We should have 30 more.

00:52:41.139 --> 00:52:42.300
 God's going to do it.

00:52:42.980 --> 00:52:44.160
 Are we going to be here for it

00:52:44.159 --> 00:52:45.059
 or are we going to be

00:52:45.059 --> 00:52:46.059
 fighting back against it?

00:52:46.619 --> 00:52:47.879
 Are we going to be softening

00:52:47.879 --> 00:52:50.039
 or are we going to be stiffening up?

00:52:50.539 --> 00:52:51.199
 Hold on a minute.

00:52:52.039 --> 00:52:52.839
 This doesn't look like

00:52:52.839 --> 00:52:53.440
 what I'm used to.

00:52:53.980 --> 00:52:54.879
 This doesn't look like

00:52:54.879 --> 00:52:55.519
 what I recognize.

00:52:56.579 --> 00:52:58.059
 So that's our takeaway this morning.

00:52:58.199 --> 00:52:59.659
 Are you going to soften you,

00:53:00.039 --> 00:53:00.379
 yourself,

00:53:01.139 --> 00:53:03.399
 so God can fill you?

00:53:03.920 --> 00:53:04.679
 Or are you going to be

00:53:04.679 --> 00:53:05.199
 the hard,

00:53:06.319 --> 00:53:06.619
 brittle,

00:53:07.279 --> 00:53:08.199
 wine skin?

00:53:10.199 --> 00:53:11.460
 You know what's going to happen to you?

00:53:11.460 --> 00:53:13.679
 The new wine's going to burst you.

00:53:14.579 --> 00:53:15.599
 It's going to burst you.

00:53:16.400 --> 00:53:17.400
 It's already happened.

00:53:18.380 --> 00:53:19.340
 And it's going to keep happening.

00:53:20.940 --> 00:53:22.460
 God will not be denied.

00:53:23.360 --> 00:53:24.280
 God will win the day.

00:53:24.920 --> 00:53:26.099
 I want to be on the winning side.

00:53:26.199 --> 00:53:26.760
 Let's pray together.

00:53:27.579 --> 00:53:29.880
 God, please soften our hearts.

00:53:30.059 --> 00:53:30.760
 Start with me.

00:53:31.400 --> 00:53:32.380
 Start with my family.

00:53:33.780 --> 00:53:34.920
 Go to our leadership.

00:53:35.220 --> 00:53:36.059
 Go to our staff.

00:53:36.800 --> 00:53:37.579
 Go to our deacons,

00:53:37.679 --> 00:53:38.440
 our committee leaders,

00:53:38.559 --> 00:53:39.179
 our teachers,

00:53:39.179 --> 00:53:41.739
 our d-group leaders,

00:53:42.059 --> 00:53:43.259
 our Sunday school teachers.

00:53:45.819 --> 00:53:47.919
 Go to everybody in this church, God.

00:53:48.319 --> 00:53:50.000
 Soften us so we are ready

00:53:50.000 --> 00:53:52.119
 for your new wine.

00:53:53.399 --> 00:53:54.480
 I want to taste it.

00:53:54.559 --> 00:53:55.859
 I want to see how good it is.

00:53:58.039 --> 00:53:59.919
 And we don't get any credit for it, God.

00:54:00.579 --> 00:54:01.359
 You did it.

00:54:01.719 --> 00:54:02.639
 It was your wine

00:54:02.639 --> 00:54:06.139
 that made it look so good

00:54:06.139 --> 00:54:06.719
 and so new.

00:54:06.719 --> 00:54:08.399
 But Jesus,

00:54:09.159 --> 00:54:11.419
 let us not resist it.

00:54:11.519 --> 00:54:12.559
 Let us be suitable

00:54:12.559 --> 00:54:15.559
 to receive your new wine, God.

00:54:19.779 --> 00:54:20.959
 Tradition, expectation,

00:54:21.259 --> 00:54:22.039
 religious structure.

00:54:26.059 --> 00:54:27.079
 It's got to change.

00:54:27.619 --> 00:54:28.539
 It's got to be compatible

00:54:28.539 --> 00:54:29.719
 for the new thing you're going to do.

00:54:31.179 --> 00:54:32.219
 Are we going to be ready?

00:54:33.739 --> 00:54:35.239
 Are we going to let you make us new?

00:54:35.239 --> 00:54:37.099
 Remake us?

00:54:37.819 --> 00:54:39.239
 Give us a whole new garment?

00:54:41.239 --> 00:54:42.819
 That's what I pray for right now, God.

00:54:45.399 --> 00:54:46.000
 Stretch us,

00:54:46.139 --> 00:54:46.579
 soften us,

00:54:46.679 --> 00:54:48.039
 yield us to your spirit.

00:54:48.139 --> 00:54:48.859
 What you want to do

00:54:48.859 --> 00:54:49.659
 in this church, God,

00:54:50.000 --> 00:54:50.799
 it's not ours,

00:54:50.879 --> 00:54:51.359
 it's yours.

00:54:52.859 --> 00:54:54.239
 We ask it in Jesus' name.

00:54:55.359 --> 00:54:56.239
 Church, would you stand...