WEBVTT

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 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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 Our passion is to experience and express grace.

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 Join us.

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 So a big part of like what Into the Wild is, and that's the name of the ministry that I'm

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 part of along with three other men, and two of them are actually elders here, Alan Judge

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 and George Mayer.

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 So George is over there, Alan's over there.

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 And together we're thinking through what does it mean to be an evangelist, or at least think

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 about how do we connect with people in our current culture.

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 And one of the unstated things about Into the Wild is it's evangelism for the rest of us,

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 right?

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 Because evangelism has all this baggage.

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 One of the things we talked about in January was like taking baby steps, because it can

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 seem overwhelming.

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 And one of the baby steps we talked about in January was noticing a tattoo.

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 And that sounds strange to you, but the image of God out in the wild, and the wild, by the

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 way, is everything off of orthodox real estate.

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 Because on Sundays we walk on Christian carpet, we shake Christian hands, we have Christian

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 conversations.

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 And then when we leave and we go out, we're in the wild.

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 Okay?

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 And so one of the things we talk about, a baby step, noticing a tattoo, because the image

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 of God out in the wild is writing their stories in permanent ink on their bodies.

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 They're confessing things.

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 They're telling you what hurts.

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 And they want you to ask, but at the same time they don't want you to ask.

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 It's that sort of thing.

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 So we think about ways we can ask, noticing and sort of asking.

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 And you and I had a conversation about something that happened when you went out sort of noticing

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 tattoos.

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 John, tell us about it.

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 Sure.

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 So yeah, it was recently Andrew and I were out running some errands.

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 And we had one more stop to make going into a retail store.

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 And I was not at all thinking about paying attention to other people, much less their

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 tattoos.

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 I just wanted to get in and get out.

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 I knew exactly what I wanted to get.

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 I knew that I was going to need help from an employee, unfortunately, had to deal with

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 other people.

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 But an employee came, he helped us, and out on the floor he helped us.

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 And so then we were walking up to the front to go close out and pay.

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 He was in front of us.

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 And so as he was walking in front of us, I noticed in his back pocket he had this very

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 large notebook kind of rolled up and sticking out of his back pocket.

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 And so I thought, oh, well, that's cool.

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 You know, maybe he journals or writes poetry or maybe he writes songs, you know, when things

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 are slow out here on the retail floor.

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 And the Spirit used that to kind of rattle my cage like, oh, yeah, I'm supposed to be

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 paying attention to other people and not just myself and my own errands that I need to run.

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 So the Lord was kind of reminding me of that as we were walking to the front.

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 And, you know, Bill and I have been engaged.

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 I'm like, okay, I'm going to work up the courage at least to look for a tattoo.

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 Maybe not ask, but look.

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 Look, so as the young man's actually checking us out, I look and instead of seeing tattoos

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 on his arms, I see cut marks from self-injury.

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 And did well not to just start crying there in the moment, but just kind of reeling from

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 that.

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 He was very kind and helpful.

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 We closed out our business and all I could really do was at least look him in the eye,

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 thank him for his help, call him by name.

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 And that was kind of it in the moment because I was just feeling so overwhelmed and brokenhearted,

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 I guess.

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 And so as we talked about that, I think one of the things about evangelism and one of my

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 goals in January was if we could just start thinking about it, right?

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 Because sometimes things seem so much, such a big step.

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 And so you took a step.

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 You took a step and you started to notice how you felt.

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 And I think a big part of evangelism is having compassion for people.

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 And do you remember what you said?

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 I wrote it down, if you don't, but sort of what your conclusion was.

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 As you reflected on it, you thought something.

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 You know, do you remember what it was?

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 Well, I think if we're thinking of the same thing, it was just kind of that realization

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 of this young man is a precious image bearer of God.

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 And in this case, he was bearing part of his pain and his story, you know, quite literally

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 on his arms and in that notebook sticking out of his back pocket.

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 So like you said, he had a story that involved a lot of pain and part of him probably wanted

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 people to notice that and to know that.

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 And then part of him maybe not.

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 So yeah, we wrestled together with that because probably it would not have been great for me

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 to ask him about the cut marks.

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 And so we've been wrestling with some questions like, what should I have done in that situation

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 to share the love of Christ?

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 You know, it's just this passing moment.

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 Is it enough just to feel that heartache and to maybe shed those tears and even maybe,

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 you know, pray a brief prayer, but knowing I'm probably not ever going to see him again.

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 So is that enough?

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 And, you know, is that evangelism?

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 And even if they had been tattoos rather than cut marks, and if I had gotten up the courage

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 to ask about the tattoo, is that really evangelism?

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 Or is that just a way for me to kind of check the box and make myself feel like I'm doing

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 evangelism while avoiding whatever we might call real evangelism?

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 Absolutely.

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 We do have those discussions.

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 And so, you know, I think one of the things we concluded as we talked, and, you know, I

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 think our time, we can close with this, that, you know, evangelism involves a lot of things,

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 but it's not less than having compassion.

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 It's not less than seeing the hurt that no one's really showing you, thinking about it

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 like that, and developing that heart for it, and creating space in our own hearts to be

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 able to hold that, right?

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 To see it.

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 I think that's what God is doing in our hearts.

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 And if we can have that, because if we start with like, hey, go do evangelism, John, you're

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 going, you know, okay, it can seem like homework at a minimum, but if we can develop that compassion,

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 and that's, by the way, it's a compassion that flows from Jesus.

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 It flows from his compassion for us.

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 It flows from what he did, and that as that grips our hearts, it's like we start to see

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 things we've never seen before, and people, and the hurt, and the pain, and we get to

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 tell them about Jesus, right?

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 So, man, thanks.

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 We're taking baby steps, right?

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 Lord willing.

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 Yes.

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 Amen.

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 Okay.

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 Thanks, John, so much.

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 I'm having a lot of fun.

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 What we're doing, and the idea is, is that it doesn't need to feel like another program.

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 Evangelism for you doesn't need to feel like another program.

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 And so how do you take a church that exists already, and how do you get that help people

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 catch that vision?

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 We believe it's baby steps, and we believe it starts like in a small, smaller, you know,

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 grassroots thing.

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 And so I've got six people.

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 It's a total, I really think about it as five, because two of them are a couple, and

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 we're talking about these things.

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 And we believe, and I believe, and Into the Wild believes, and the board of directors

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 of Into the Wild believes, that that can be a grassroots thing that flows up, and that

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 we all can have hearts and compassion that Jesus has, and we'll see it begin to happen.

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 All right?

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 And so actually this sermon this morning is about that, so you're about to get pounded

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 with this idea.

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 All right?

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 Let me just say a brief prayer, because I need to transition.

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 Father, I'm so grateful for you.

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 I'm grateful that you don't prod and push.

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 Satan does that.

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 You gently lead like a good shepherd.

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 You lead us into the wild, where we live from 12 o'clock noon on Sunday until 9.30 the

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 following Sunday.

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 That's where we live.

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 We live in the wild, Lord, and you have called us out into it.

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 You lead us and guide us.

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 You're the good shepherd, and you give us peace, and you give us a boldness, and a

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 calm humility that is a curiosity in the world, in the wild.

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 So, Father, we want to be your hands and feet, and we want to see people come to Christ, because

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 that's what they need.

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 Give us a vision for that, even through your word this morning.

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 It's in Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 All right, so into the wild.

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 I said into the wild is everything off of orthodox real estate, sort of outside the

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 walls.

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 But what's wild about the wild?

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 What's wild about out there?

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 There's a lot of things I could say.

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 One of the things is that I've noted, and let's see if you've felt this, too.

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 Outside, there's just a lot of noise.

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 There's a lot of noise.

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 A lot of distractions.

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 We all have busy brain.

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 It's just so too much sometimes.

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 Alan Noble, an author, wrote his book, Disruptive Witness, described it well.

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 I just want to read it, because it sounds like me.

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 It sounds like the wild.

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 He said this,

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 And now we have our phones, too.

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 Because now with our phones, for sure, you're never alone, and it's never quiet.

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 So when the notification goes off on our phone for an email or a text, we can't tell the difference

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 anymore between something important or something frivolous.

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 Is something going to change my day?

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 Like, I've got to address, and I've got to get onto it.

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 I've got to handle this.

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 Or is it another video of yet another video of Joe Biden tripping and falling that I'm supposed to laugh at?

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 Can't tell the difference anymore just from the ding.

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 Everything is pushed to you is either going to change your life or it's something frivolous.

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 But that has kind of always been the case, but now it's just ratcheted it up.

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 Like, back in the day, people would still even ask you,

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 Hey, give me a phone call when your plane lands.

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 Have anybody ever done that for you?

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 Okay, call me when your plane lands.

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 I tell people no now, because if the plane crashes, you will know.

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 CNN will tell you Bill's plane crashed.

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 And then how about when you go on vacation, people give you homework.

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 Send pictures.

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 No, no, no, no, no, no.

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 I want to enjoy where I am.

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 And when I get home, I will bore you with pictures from my vacation.

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 Okay?

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 We're never alone.

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 It's never quiet.

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 So what we do for all the anxiety that's created from all these distractions, all this stuff,

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 what do we do to quell the anxiety?

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 We're constantly wondering, what am I missing?

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 Who am I offending?

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 What are they saying?

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 What happens if I don't send immediately right back?

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 What about all this stuff?

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 We've got busy brain.

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 We're a low boil franticness all the time.

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 And we distract ourselves with the distraction of the distraction machine.

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 We get on our phones because we don't want to think about anything.

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 What T.S. Eliot and the Four Quartets, the famous poem in the 20th century,

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 he had that line that said,

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 distracted from distraction by distraction.

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 That's what's wild about the wild.

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 And it's wild in here, too.

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 You all have busy brain.

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 All of you.

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 I know you do.

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 You just don't show it.

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 I have it, too.

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 Distractions galore.

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 Now, here's something I've observed, just thinking it through.

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 We're so distracted to the point that it's keeping us.

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 It's a barrier from seeing the brokenness in people.

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 And from being fully present, fully present to have compassion

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 and to love people as Jesus had compassion and loved us.

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 I'm getting that from at least a couple of scriptures.

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 Ephesians 4.32, be kind and compassionate to one another,

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 forgiving each other, just as Christ, in Christ God forgave you.

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 And how about, you know, 1 John 4.19.

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 You can complete this.

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 We love because he first loved us.

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 Do you see where that's flowing from?

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 You have to begin there.

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 You have to begin with the love of God.

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 That's the Star Trek prime directive for us, right?

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 Above all else, love people.

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 Above all else, show compassion.

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 Above all else, listen to them.

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 Go and show them because God first loved us.

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 God first showed us compassion.

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 But we're so distracted we don't think about that.

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 You know, we do.

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 We go to the retail store.

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 We're in and out.

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 We don't slow down.

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 So distractions are keeping us from seeing the brokenness in people

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 and from being fully present to have compassion

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 and to love them as Jesus had compassion and loved us.

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 I think that's something.

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 We get that, right?

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 Now, how about this?

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 Have you ever in your best moments, in your best moments when you're thinking how you want to be,

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 in light of the love of Jesus, in light of what you've been given through Jesus

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 and the gospel and the grace you've been shown,

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 have you ever had those moments, in your moments of clarity,

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 where you imagine how you want to be with people?

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 And doesn't it look like something where you have a calm humility,

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 but a boldness that is informed by the love of Jesus?

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 And you're not thinking of the next thing that you've got to do?

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 I mean, won't our spouses, if you're married, love that?

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 And wouldn't the people in our lives love for you to be present enough

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 to hold space for them to talk to you?

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 And you listen.

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 And you're not trying to correct.

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 You're not trying to judge.

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 You're not formulating a reply in your head.

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 You're just listening.

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 I think in your best moments, you want to be like that.

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 There's a quote.

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 Oh my gosh, it's a famous quote.

00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:24.879
 I know most, a lot of you have heard it.

00:15:25.160 --> 00:15:28.379
 Even when I was on staff here years ago, it was floating around.

00:15:28.920 --> 00:15:31.200
 But it's written by Henri Nouwen.

00:15:31.760 --> 00:15:33.480
 If you look at it, it says Henri Nouwen.

00:15:33.580 --> 00:15:35.360
 But if you're sophisticated, you say Henri.

00:15:35.879 --> 00:15:36.060
 Okay?

00:15:37.160 --> 00:15:38.300
 It's Henri Nouwen.

00:15:39.100 --> 00:15:39.879
 I'm not sophisticated.

00:15:40.060 --> 00:15:42.379
 Henri Nouwen said this.

00:15:42.820 --> 00:15:43.520
 I'm just going to read it.

00:15:43.560 --> 00:15:44.120
 It's beautiful.

00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:48.640
 More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around,

00:15:48.640 --> 00:15:50.420
 greet people, enter their homes,

00:15:50.820 --> 00:15:54.100
 sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water,

00:15:54.500 --> 00:15:57.180
 and be known as someone who wants to live with them.

00:15:57.740 --> 00:16:00.500
 It is a privilege to have the time to practice

00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:02.920
 this simple ministry of presence.

00:16:04.040 --> 00:16:06.700
 Still, it is not as simple as it seems.

00:16:07.100 --> 00:16:08.879
 Noise, distractions, right?

00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:13.460
 My own desire to be useful, to do something significant,

00:16:13.820 --> 00:16:18.240
 or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time

00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:21.559
 is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops

00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:23.639
 that prevent me from walking the streets.

00:16:24.220 --> 00:16:28.340
 It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause,

00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:32.639
 and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress.

00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:37.819
 But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn't be to know people by name,

00:16:37.819 --> 00:16:42.419
 to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own,

00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:46.240
 and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs

00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:49.819
 that you do not simply like them but truly love them.

00:16:50.860 --> 00:16:53.500
 Henri Nouwen was a priest.

00:16:53.939 --> 00:16:54.779
 I don't remember.

00:16:54.860 --> 00:16:56.039
 Catholic, Episcopalian, something.

00:16:56.039 --> 00:16:58.439
 But he ended up working with special needs adults.

00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:00.679
 Just is an amazing person, right?

00:17:00.779 --> 00:17:03.159
 But don't you wish that was you?

00:17:04.299 --> 00:17:06.099
 Don't you wish that that was you?

00:17:06.139 --> 00:17:07.099
 You could do that?

00:17:08.680 --> 00:17:11.460
 Our 26-year-old daughter told us recently, she said,

00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:13.579
 man, I saw this movie and I love it.

00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:15.960
 Well, you know, I don't know how she had not seen it

00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:17.359
 because it's Sherry's favorite movie.

00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:18.519
 It's Midnight in Paris.

00:17:19.659 --> 00:17:21.740
 And my daughter finally watched it.

00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:24.339
 And Midnight in Paris is about this guy.

00:17:24.339 --> 00:17:24.939
 He's a writer.

00:17:25.299 --> 00:17:26.679
 He lives in modern times now.

00:17:26.679 --> 00:17:29.599
 He's in Paris with his fiancée and her parents.

00:17:29.779 --> 00:17:33.019
 And just the chaos of him doubting his writing ability

00:17:33.019 --> 00:17:34.879
 and just dealing with people and all this other stuff,

00:17:34.899 --> 00:17:35.919
 he's kind of going crazy.

00:17:36.339 --> 00:17:38.839
 But the story is real fanciful because at midnight,

00:17:39.220 --> 00:17:41.740
 he's transported back to 1920s Paris

00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:46.359
 and hangs out with Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald

00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:50.559
 and Dali and Man Ray, all these artists and writers.

00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:54.539
 And our daughter said, oh, I wish I could do that.

00:17:54.919 --> 00:17:56.119
 You know, no phones.

00:17:56.919 --> 00:17:59.099
 Your friends can't really find you.

00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:00.359
 Maybe they catch up with you.

00:18:00.399 --> 00:18:02.000
 And when you do, you just hang out.

00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:05.819
 Oh, man.

00:18:06.460 --> 00:18:07.400
 So many distractions.

00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:08.579
 So much noise.

00:18:08.700 --> 00:18:09.859
 So much busy brain.

00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:15.779
 How do we get to that place where we can have a calm spirit,

00:18:16.779 --> 00:18:18.599
 where the Holy Spirit fills us

00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:22.160
 and we still have room for other people, right?

00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:23.220
 How do we get there?

00:18:23.299 --> 00:18:25.759
 Well, that's what I'm addressing this morning.

00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:27.940
 We're going to look at a passage of Scripture,

00:18:28.059 --> 00:18:29.740
 and I'm going to tell you two stories, and we'll be done.

00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:32.440
 But I think I can get you there.

00:18:32.539 --> 00:18:34.980
 At least take a baby step in that direction, okay?

00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:38.980
 Because I think all of us want to know

00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:43.579
 how we can be with people like Jesus was with people.

00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:46.019
 Calm.

00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:49.000
 Bold.

00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:51.039
 Humble.

00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:55.120
 Yet he told the truth plainly and clearly.

00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:56.180
 He proclaimed the gospel.

00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:57.420
 That's what we want to do.

00:18:58.059 --> 00:18:59.160
 All right, let's look at our text.

00:18:59.160 --> 00:19:01.000
 It's Matthew 9, starting in verse 35.

00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:03.759
 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages,

00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:07.360
 teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom

00:19:07.360 --> 00:19:10.060
 and healing every disease and every affliction.

00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:14.080
 So at the time of Jesus, right, they had the Hebrew text, the Old Testament.

00:19:14.680 --> 00:19:17.380
 And in the Old Testament, there's a number of prophecies,

00:19:17.460 --> 00:19:20.400
 a number of things that are pointing, that's pointing ahead.

00:19:20.740 --> 00:19:23.259
 And it's saying the Messiah is coming,

00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:26.240
 and when he comes, you'll know him because he'll be healing people.

00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:29.779
 And he is going to fix everything that's wrong with the world.

00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:35.000
 He's a king, and he's bringing the kingdom of God on earth.

00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:38.500
 That's how you'll, but you'll know him because he's healing.

00:19:38.700 --> 00:19:39.700
 That's one of the things.

00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:43.039
 He's going to fix everything.

00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:48.899
 So when you read the gospels, in particular, Matthew, Mark, and Luke,

00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:51.500
 they're called the synoptic gospels, right,

00:19:51.579 --> 00:19:55.440
 because they sort of see eye to eye on how it's sort of structured and all that.

00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:58.899
 Right in the middle of all those gospels is a turning point,

00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:02.200
 just like any great story.

00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:03.399
 But this is a true story, right?

00:20:03.399 --> 00:20:04.700
 Any great story has a turning point.

00:20:05.099 --> 00:20:07.500
 And the turning point in the gospels, those three gospels,

00:20:07.500 --> 00:20:09.680
 is when Jesus turns to his disciples and he goes,

00:20:09.740 --> 00:20:11.259
 hey, who do people say that I am?

00:20:12.180 --> 00:20:13.940
 And they say, oh, Elijah and all that sort of thing.

00:20:13.980 --> 00:20:15.720
 But then, hey, Peter, who do you say that I am?

00:20:16.140 --> 00:20:19.119
 And he says that you are the Christ, the son of the living God.

00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:20.759
 And he goes, you're right.

00:20:21.660 --> 00:20:24.099
 And upon that rock, I will build my church.

00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:26.700
 Have you ever noticed that right after that,

00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:28.940
 it says that from that point on,

00:20:29.339 --> 00:20:31.880
 Jesus began to tell them he must go to Jerusalem,

00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:35.599
 suffer, die, and then be raised again on the third day.

00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:39.179
 And so if you think of an outline of how those stories,

00:20:39.419 --> 00:20:41.339
 the gospels work, on the front end,

00:20:41.459 --> 00:20:43.059
 you're learning who is Jesus.

00:20:43.819 --> 00:20:45.000
 And then comes the turning point.

00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:48.059
 And then he says, I must go and die and suffer and die and be raised.

00:20:48.119 --> 00:20:50.000
 And then from there on out,

00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:53.339
 it's drilling down on who he is.

00:20:54.659 --> 00:20:57.259
 More than who he is, but what did he come to do?

00:20:57.939 --> 00:21:00.319
 Who is Jesus, turning point, what did he come to do?

00:21:01.959 --> 00:21:04.639
 And in this part, in chapter nine of Matthew,

00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:06.740
 we're finding out who is Jesus.

00:21:09.120 --> 00:21:12.680
 And that's so important for the gospel

00:21:12.680 --> 00:21:15.340
 because you're going to tell people the gospel

00:21:15.340 --> 00:21:17.180
 because that's the gospel.

00:21:17.520 --> 00:21:18.820
 Jesus came to establish the kingdom.

00:21:19.120 --> 00:21:19.660
 He is king.

00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:20.320
 He's reigning.

00:21:20.560 --> 00:21:21.640
 He's fixing everything.

00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:23.080
 He's making all things new.

00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:24.220
 That's the gospel.

00:21:25.600 --> 00:21:27.520
 And I'm going to help you and tell you

00:21:27.520 --> 00:21:29.600
 how you can tell people that right at the very end.

00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:29.960
 Okay?

00:21:29.960 --> 00:21:33.180
 You're going to know how to tell people that gospel

00:21:33.180 --> 00:21:38.340
 with humility and with boldness and a calm spirit.

00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:40.319
 All right.

00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:42.840
 So next, verse 36.

00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:45.600
 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them

00:21:45.600 --> 00:21:48.600
 because they were harassed and helpless

00:21:48.600 --> 00:21:50.360
 like sheep without a shepherd.

00:21:50.359 --> 00:21:52.959
 So a big part of what's happening

00:21:52.959 --> 00:21:55.240
 in that front end of the gospels

00:21:55.240 --> 00:21:58.419
 is that Jesus is winning the crowds over.

00:21:59.179 --> 00:22:01.119
 They see that he teaches with authority.

00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:02.240
 And you know what they're feeling?

00:22:02.639 --> 00:22:04.899
 They're feeling that compassion that's mentioned here,

00:22:04.959 --> 00:22:06.099
 that he had compassion.

00:22:06.679 --> 00:22:07.659
 They feel it.

00:22:07.819 --> 00:22:08.659
 They see there's healing

00:22:08.659 --> 00:22:09.859
 and they feel this compassion

00:22:09.859 --> 00:22:11.299
 and this teaching has authority.

00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:12.579
 And they're amazed.

00:22:12.859 --> 00:22:13.899
 And there's a whole group of people

00:22:13.899 --> 00:22:15.259
 that don't like that, right?

00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:16.000
 It's the Pharisees.

00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:17.579
 It's the religious people, right?

00:22:17.579 --> 00:22:21.639
 Because the religious people were laying on heavy burdens

00:22:21.639 --> 00:22:23.939
 on the people to the degree where, as you read,

00:22:24.119 --> 00:22:25.599
 they felt harassed and helpless.

00:22:27.019 --> 00:22:29.000
 And those heavy things they're putting on people

00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:29.639
 were things like,

00:22:29.720 --> 00:22:31.159
 here's what you can and can't do on the Sabbath,

00:22:31.720 --> 00:22:32.839
 which scripture doesn't say.

00:22:33.179 --> 00:22:34.399
 Here's how you fast.

00:22:35.079 --> 00:22:37.319
 Scripture didn't talk about how you do it that way.

00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:39.919
 But they're building to all kinds of things

00:22:39.919 --> 00:22:41.779
 because they had the idea

00:22:41.779 --> 00:22:44.119
 that they're the ones that are going to fix the world.

00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:45.779
 Because if you do this,

00:22:46.139 --> 00:22:48.239
 this is how things will be better, right?

00:22:48.299 --> 00:22:49.879
 Isn't that sort of all religions anyways?

00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:52.519
 Here's how we're going to fix the world.

00:22:53.239 --> 00:22:54.539
 You get your act together.

00:22:55.059 --> 00:22:57.279
 You fly right and follow what we do.

00:22:57.719 --> 00:22:59.179
 So when I think about like a people,

00:22:59.319 --> 00:23:01.339
 a sheep without a shepherd is what Jesus calls.

00:23:01.739 --> 00:23:03.659
 The crowds of people are starting to listen to him

00:23:03.659 --> 00:23:04.319
 and follow him.

00:23:04.659 --> 00:23:06.239
 He says, you're a sheep without a shepherd

00:23:06.239 --> 00:23:08.739
 because the people, the Pharisees,

00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:11.079
 were supposed to be shepherding the people,

00:23:11.159 --> 00:23:12.500
 not loading them down with burdens.

00:23:12.500 --> 00:23:15.339
 Okay, so when I think of sheep,

00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:17.559
 I think that would be characterized

00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:20.400
 as they're being attacked by wolves, right?

00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:21.960
 They're being weighed down.

00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:24.480
 Sheep are kind of dumb.

00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:27.799
 So another way that sheep can be attacked

00:23:27.799 --> 00:23:29.759
 is if they get caught,

00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:31.420
 or things can happen to sheep

00:23:31.420 --> 00:23:33.259
 where they become helpless, you know,

00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:34.500
 and they're scared,

00:23:34.660 --> 00:23:36.940
 is when maybe they get caught in a thorn bush.

00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:38.380
 And that's what I'm sort of imagining here.

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:42.400
 And I think that's sort of where our culture is.

00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:44.700
 And I'll explain that.

00:23:44.819 --> 00:23:46.420
 But I think a lot of our culture

00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:50.660
 has tapped into maybe even different religions,

00:23:50.779 --> 00:23:52.500
 but people who present things

00:23:52.500 --> 00:23:54.160
 and it kind of feels like a religion.

00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:56.960
 They think this is how the world is going to be fixed.

00:23:57.299 --> 00:23:58.980
 This is how I can participate

00:23:58.980 --> 00:24:00.779
 in saving the world somehow.

00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:02.660
 And that's big and grandiose.

00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:03.400
 It's massive.

00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:06.220
 There's that part of it.

00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:07.599
 But there's something else

00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:10.220
 where people can get lost and feel weighed down.

00:24:10.860 --> 00:24:13.019
 When Jesus was describing the parable

00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:15.480
 of the sower and the seeds,

00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:17.600
 the idea was that the seed was being scattered

00:24:17.600 --> 00:24:19.180
 and you can see it in the Gospels.

00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:21.420
 And it's a parable.

00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:23.700
 And the picture is of that seed,

00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:25.360
 it's the word of God.

00:24:26.100 --> 00:24:28.420
 And the word of God can flourish

00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:30.620
 in only good soil.

00:24:30.740 --> 00:24:31.920
 And so some of the soil,

00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:33.559
 in particular this one,

00:24:34.039 --> 00:24:36.900
 is soil where the word of God

00:24:36.900 --> 00:24:38.660
 might sort of start to bloom a little bit,

00:24:38.820 --> 00:24:41.860
 but the thorns and the thistles of life,

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:42.460
 as it were,

00:24:42.840 --> 00:24:44.259
 crowded out and kill it.

00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:45.259
 And then Jesus says,

00:24:45.320 --> 00:24:47.240
 you know what those thorns and the thistles are?

00:24:47.600 --> 00:24:48.680
 And I imagine, you know,

00:24:48.740 --> 00:24:50.880
 lost sheep being captured in it.

00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:53.080
 I go back to, I think too,

00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:55.320
 of like in Genesis,

00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:57.280
 how when the curse came,

00:24:57.360 --> 00:24:58.920
 that the picture was that,

00:24:59.180 --> 00:25:00.340
 you know, the thorns and thistles

00:25:00.340 --> 00:25:01.860
 will make, you know,

00:25:01.859 --> 00:25:04.159
 work difficult.

00:25:07.099 --> 00:25:08.519
 But in the parable,

00:25:08.879 --> 00:25:10.859
 the sower and the seed,

00:25:11.959 --> 00:25:14.159
 the thorn bushes represent

00:25:14.159 --> 00:25:16.679
 the deceitfulness of riches,

00:25:16.839 --> 00:25:17.199
 not Jesus.

00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:18.159
 He said, Jesus said,

00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:19.779
 it's the deceitfulness of riches,

00:25:20.199 --> 00:25:22.119
 the desires for other things,

00:25:24.819 --> 00:25:26.539
 and the cares of the world.

00:25:28.379 --> 00:25:30.099
 I think when we look at the wild

00:25:30.099 --> 00:25:30.959
 and we look at people,

00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:33.579
 because they're just like us,

00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:35.819
 they're being driven for the desire

00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:37.140
 for other things.

00:25:38.180 --> 00:25:40.279
 The deceitfulness of riches is driving.

00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:43.440
 That's how I'll be who I am.

00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:45.059
 That's, I'll be happy when that happens.

00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:47.059
 And then the cares of the world,

00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:49.079
 and now that we have phones, man,

00:25:49.120 --> 00:25:50.140
 the cares of the world

00:25:50.140 --> 00:25:51.900
 are coming at us all the time.

00:25:52.460 --> 00:25:53.279
 You know, back in the day,

00:25:53.360 --> 00:25:53.840
 you used to sort of,

00:25:53.880 --> 00:25:54.840
 at the end of the day,

00:25:54.900 --> 00:25:55.900
 you might watch news

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:57.100
 and you might pull out the newspaper

00:25:57.100 --> 00:25:57.779
 and read something.

00:25:58.160 --> 00:25:59.360
 But I went through my whole college

00:25:59.360 --> 00:26:00.579
 and I didn't know what was going on.

00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:02.000
 I had no clue we were that close

00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:03.000
 to like nuclear war or something.

00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:03.680
 I had no clue.

00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:06.019
 I was much happier then, by the way.

00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:09.240
 Young and dumb,

00:26:09.299 --> 00:26:09.980
 but it was awesome.

00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:14.400
 But that's the world

00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:16.559
 that Jesus was looking at.

00:26:17.660 --> 00:26:20.900
 And they were harassed.

00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:22.539
 It is kind of harassing.

00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:23.559
 Phone dings, you look and go,

00:26:23.620 --> 00:26:24.100
 oh no.

00:26:24.099 --> 00:26:24.500
 Wow.

00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:25.779
 Wow.

00:26:26.339 --> 00:26:27.699
 You just kind of feel harassed.

00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:28.459
 And then the picture,

00:26:28.779 --> 00:26:29.879
 you know, where it says that

00:26:29.879 --> 00:26:31.579
 they were helpless,

00:26:31.939 --> 00:26:33.099
 it's an image of sort of just,

00:26:33.219 --> 00:26:33.740
 you know, like the sheep

00:26:33.740 --> 00:26:34.980
 just sort of dropping on the ground

00:26:34.980 --> 00:26:36.959
 like, okay, I can't move another paw.

00:26:37.199 --> 00:26:37.959
 You know, I can't,

00:26:37.959 --> 00:26:38.819
 I can't go,

00:26:38.959 --> 00:26:40.179
 I can't move anymore.

00:26:40.779 --> 00:26:41.859
 And Jesus had compassion.

00:26:42.779 --> 00:26:43.579
 That's the wild.

00:26:44.839 --> 00:26:45.500
 That's out there.

00:26:45.539 --> 00:26:46.539
 And by the way, it's in here too.

00:26:46.639 --> 00:26:47.719
 It's up here also.

00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:52.940
 So at the very end,

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:53.620
 if I were to summarize

00:26:53.620 --> 00:26:54.660
 these last verses

00:26:54.660 --> 00:26:55.279
 and let's read them

00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:56.279
 and I'll summarize them.

00:27:00.839 --> 00:27:01.620
 Verse 37,

00:27:01.700 --> 00:27:02.860
 Then he said to his disciples,

00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:03.819
 The harvest is plentiful,

00:27:03.900 --> 00:27:04.940
 but the laborers are few.

00:27:05.120 --> 00:27:06.819
 Therefore pray earnestly

00:27:06.819 --> 00:27:07.740
 to the Lord of the harvest

00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:09.039
 to send out laborers

00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:10.339
 into his harvest.

00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:12.400
 There are two major points

00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:13.779
 of this whole passage

00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:14.680
 and I'll talk about them

00:27:14.680 --> 00:27:15.299
 in just a second.

00:27:16.059 --> 00:27:16.900
 But if I were to summarize

00:27:16.900 --> 00:27:17.840
 these last two verses,

00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:18.820
 I would say this.

00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:20.660
 And I sort of understand it.

00:27:20.740 --> 00:27:21.920
 This is what those last two verses

00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:22.380
 are saying.

00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:24.180
 There are a lot of people

00:27:24.180 --> 00:27:24.860
 out in the wild.

00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:29.660
 And I want you to venture out,

00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:32.780
 see what you've been missing,

00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:35.019
 be with them

00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:36.860
 and discover what I have already done

00:27:36.860 --> 00:27:37.980
 and are doing

00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:40.040
 and then proclaim the gospel

00:27:40.040 --> 00:27:40.519
 of the kingdom

00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:42.400
 and watch what happens.

00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:43.400
 I think that's maybe

00:27:43.400 --> 00:27:44.300
 one way to say it.

00:27:46.900 --> 00:27:47.800
 And I think that's what Jesus

00:27:47.800 --> 00:27:48.820
 is saying,

00:27:49.560 --> 00:27:50.720
 that he wants people

00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:52.220
 to be out in the harvest,

00:27:52.320 --> 00:27:53.000
 out in the wild,

00:27:54.220 --> 00:27:54.940
 proclaim the gospel

00:27:54.940 --> 00:27:55.860
 and see what happens.

00:27:57.600 --> 00:27:58.640
 And I think it can become

00:27:58.640 --> 00:27:59.980
 very overwhelming though

00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:02.060
 because there are a lot of people.

00:28:02.140 --> 00:28:03.060
 You ever gone to Bridge Street

00:28:03.060 --> 00:28:04.140
 on a nice day

00:28:04.140 --> 00:28:04.640
 when it's not raining

00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:05.680
 and you're sitting there

00:28:05.680 --> 00:28:07.120
 and there's just tons of people,

00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:07.840
 especially out in front

00:28:07.840 --> 00:28:08.680
 of Cheesecake Factory?

00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:09.880
 You know,

00:28:09.880 --> 00:28:10.840
 just tons of people.

00:28:11.380 --> 00:28:12.500
 Or you're just driving around

00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:13.240
 or just being anywhere

00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:13.940
 or going to even

00:28:13.940 --> 00:28:15.080
 like a major city.

00:28:15.360 --> 00:28:16.660
 But even in our small city

00:28:16.660 --> 00:28:17.279
 of Huntsville,

00:28:17.940 --> 00:28:19.420
 it can be overwhelming.

00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:20.460
 There's so many people.

00:28:21.740 --> 00:28:22.480
 And I think maybe

00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:23.940
 you might feel harassed.

00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:25.259
 You might feel helpless

00:28:25.259 --> 00:28:25.660
 thinking,

00:28:25.820 --> 00:28:27.299
 how do I engage with people?

00:28:27.640 --> 00:28:28.799
 I've got enough trouble

00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:29.779
 that I can touch

00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:30.660
 and feel at home

00:28:30.660 --> 00:28:32.740
 and in my job, right?

00:28:33.580 --> 00:28:34.440
 Where do you begin

00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:36.019
 with all the distractions

00:28:36.019 --> 00:28:37.200
 available to help you forget?

00:28:37.500 --> 00:28:37.820
 And yes,

00:28:37.820 --> 00:28:38.559
 you'll pick up your phone

00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:39.160
 to forget

00:28:39.160 --> 00:28:40.320
 and see what's going on,

00:28:40.340 --> 00:28:40.799
 what's going on,

00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:41.299
 what's going on,

00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:41.880
 what's going on.

00:28:41.880 --> 00:28:43.520
 It helps you forget.

00:28:44.040 --> 00:28:44.860
 It also does some really

00:28:44.860 --> 00:28:46.000
 crazy things to your brain

00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:46.760
 too, by the way.

00:28:50.100 --> 00:28:50.860
 Multitasking is from

00:28:50.860 --> 00:28:51.360
 the pit of hell.

00:28:51.700 --> 00:28:52.560
 I am certain of that.

00:28:55.100 --> 00:28:56.460
 So what's a baby step

00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:57.320
 that you can take?

00:28:58.780 --> 00:28:59.400
 I'm going to tell you

00:28:59.400 --> 00:29:00.120
 two stories

00:29:00.120 --> 00:29:01.840
 and we'll conclude.

00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:02.920
 I promise.

00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:03.620
 I'm going to keep saying that

00:29:03.620 --> 00:29:04.400
 until you believe me.

00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:09.820
 Early in the 2000s,

00:29:09.819 --> 00:29:11.379
 when Billy,

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.240
 our oldest son,

00:29:13.139 --> 00:29:15.839
 who is severely autistic,

00:29:16.740 --> 00:29:17.779
 I don't mind saying

00:29:17.779 --> 00:29:18.899
 he's more like,

00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:19.799
 better described

00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:20.799
 as mentally retarded.

00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:23.740
 I think that's a better word

00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:24.220
 because again,

00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:25.159
 autism is such a big

00:29:25.159 --> 00:29:26.039
 broad spectrum now.

00:29:26.159 --> 00:29:27.259
 Very, very smart people

00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:28.179
 with, you know,

00:29:28.339 --> 00:29:29.460
 that have a hard time

00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:29.980
 sort of connecting

00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:30.419
 with people

00:29:30.419 --> 00:29:31.299
 who's considered autistic.

00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:32.799
 Billy's on the very

00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:34.179
 other end over here.

00:29:35.779 --> 00:29:36.460
 And there are a lot

00:29:36.460 --> 00:29:37.460
 of people in this room,

00:29:37.460 --> 00:29:39.180
 a lot of people

00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:39.819
 in this room.

00:29:41.059 --> 00:29:41.460
 Nanette,

00:29:41.660 --> 00:29:42.400
 there are a lot of people

00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:42.880
 in this room

00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:43.579
 that know

00:29:43.579 --> 00:29:45.819
 what we went through

00:29:45.819 --> 00:29:46.519
 to place Billy

00:29:46.519 --> 00:29:47.120
 outside the home

00:29:47.120 --> 00:29:47.900
 when it became violent.

00:29:48.539 --> 00:29:49.319
 He's being cared for

00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:50.160
 fairly well now.

00:29:50.400 --> 00:29:51.680
 Actually, very, very well.

00:29:52.660 --> 00:29:52.680
 And,

00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:55.559
 but back in the early 2000s,

00:29:55.559 --> 00:29:56.380
 he was at home with us

00:29:56.380 --> 00:29:56.700
 and he was like

00:29:56.700 --> 00:29:57.660
 10 or 11 years old.

00:29:57.720 --> 00:29:58.380
 He's 31 now,

00:29:58.400 --> 00:29:58.700
 but he was about

00:29:58.700 --> 00:29:59.500
 10 or 11 then.

00:30:00.120 --> 00:30:01.880
 And I was planting a church

00:30:01.880 --> 00:30:02.460
 and we had worship

00:30:02.460 --> 00:30:03.079
 every Sunday

00:30:03.079 --> 00:30:04.200
 and we had a rented facility

00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:05.500
 and it was just chaos

00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:06.019
 and crazy

00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:07.100
 and we're just doing our thing.

00:30:07.460 --> 00:30:08.680
 And this particular Sunday

00:30:08.680 --> 00:30:09.519
 after church,

00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:09.940
 we were going to go

00:30:09.940 --> 00:30:11.519
 to Billy's special needs school.

00:30:12.380 --> 00:30:12.740
 And there,

00:30:12.860 --> 00:30:13.340
 because every year,

00:30:13.400 --> 00:30:13.900
 like in the fall,

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:15.079
 like winter and spring,

00:30:15.180 --> 00:30:16.120
 they have like a pageant.

00:30:16.200 --> 00:30:17.360
 All the special needs kids

00:30:17.360 --> 00:30:18.140
 go do something.

00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:19.660
 All the families show up

00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:20.240
 with the siblings

00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:20.840
 and everybody.

00:30:21.380 --> 00:30:22.420
 And I looked forward to that.

00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:23.079
 I loved it.

00:30:23.420 --> 00:30:24.460
 But this particular Sunday

00:30:24.460 --> 00:30:25.279
 when we're at church,

00:30:25.600 --> 00:30:26.420
 I had to send Sherry

00:30:26.420 --> 00:30:27.299
 and the kids ahead

00:30:27.299 --> 00:30:29.259
 go because I had to handle

00:30:29.259 --> 00:30:29.720
 an issue.

00:30:30.299 --> 00:30:31.420
 There were two people

00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:31.960
 in the church.

00:30:33.100 --> 00:30:33.319
 Actually,

00:30:33.460 --> 00:30:34.400
 there were two women

00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:35.660
 that were in charge

00:30:35.660 --> 00:30:36.779
 of a Sunday school class

00:30:36.779 --> 00:30:37.839
 and they were arguing

00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:38.379
 over something.

00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:38.960
 I had to go get

00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:39.619
 in the middle of it.

00:30:41.139 --> 00:30:42.379
 And they were arguing

00:30:42.379 --> 00:30:42.940
 over this.

00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:43.379
 They were kind of

00:30:43.379 --> 00:30:43.899
 butting heads.

00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:44.519
 They were really upset

00:30:44.519 --> 00:30:45.039
 with each other

00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:45.559
 and I can't believe

00:30:45.559 --> 00:30:46.119
 you said that

00:30:46.119 --> 00:30:46.819
 about my kid

00:30:46.819 --> 00:30:47.220
 and all that

00:30:47.220 --> 00:30:48.519
 because one of their kids

00:30:48.519 --> 00:30:49.879
 was talking in class,

00:30:50.220 --> 00:30:51.119
 kind of being loud,

00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:51.839
 that sort of thing.

00:30:51.879 --> 00:30:52.779
 And the other mom yelled

00:30:52.779 --> 00:30:53.779
 at the other mom's kid,

00:30:53.879 --> 00:30:53.980
 you know,

00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:54.420
 you sit down

00:30:54.420 --> 00:30:54.940
 and be quiet,

00:30:55.059 --> 00:30:55.279
 you know.

00:30:55.579 --> 00:30:56.399
 Can you not get control

00:30:56.399 --> 00:30:56.879
 of your kid?

00:30:56.980 --> 00:30:58.259
 That was one of those things

00:30:58.259 --> 00:30:58.879
 that was going on.

00:30:59.039 --> 00:30:59.980
 I got in the middle of it.

00:31:00.119 --> 00:31:01.160
 I don't remember what happened.

00:31:01.240 --> 00:31:02.220
 It's probably I have PTSD.

00:31:02.460 --> 00:31:03.139
 I've forgotten it.

00:31:04.579 --> 00:31:04.980
 It's like,

00:31:04.980 --> 00:31:05.920
 I don't want to think about it.

00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:08.519
 But I got late.

00:31:08.620 --> 00:31:09.339
 I showed up late

00:31:09.339 --> 00:31:13.120
 to the special needs

00:31:13.120 --> 00:31:14.559
 spring extravaganza.

00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:16.480
 Found my family,

00:31:16.599 --> 00:31:17.240
 sat down.

00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:19.480
 And it was so clear

00:31:19.480 --> 00:31:20.160
 what had just happened

00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:21.099
 and I'm looking at a room

00:31:21.099 --> 00:31:22.140
 and I'm looking at a room

00:31:22.140 --> 00:31:23.740
 full of moms and dads,

00:31:24.299 --> 00:31:24.700
 siblings.

00:31:25.059 --> 00:31:25.900
 They're out in the audience

00:31:25.900 --> 00:31:26.380
 and their kids,

00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:27.079
 their brothers

00:31:27.079 --> 00:31:28.220
 or their kids are up front.

00:31:28.220 --> 00:31:29.339
 And I thought

00:31:29.339 --> 00:31:30.620
 every one of these parents

00:31:30.620 --> 00:31:31.220
 in this room

00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:33.779
 would cut off their left arm

00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:34.759
 to be that parent

00:31:34.759 --> 00:31:35.400
 that had a kid

00:31:35.400 --> 00:31:36.240
 who could talk

00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:38.140
 and disrupt the class.

00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:38.960
 You know,

00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:39.480
 a normal,

00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:40.779
 non-special needs kid.

00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:41.700
 Any one of us.

00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:43.160
 And I thought,

00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:43.440
 oh.

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:45.160
 And then I looked

00:31:45.160 --> 00:31:45.660
 in the front.

00:31:45.860 --> 00:31:46.420
 I promise you,

00:31:46.440 --> 00:31:46.880
 this happened.

00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:48.240
 It's so clear in my mind.

00:31:48.579 --> 00:31:49.000
 And I was looking

00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:50.559
 at these special needs kids

00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:51.680
 sort of slip syncing

00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:52.079
 or singing

00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:52.720
 or doing whatever

00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:53.319
 they were doing.

00:31:53.919 --> 00:31:55.559
 And I thought,

00:31:55.619 --> 00:31:55.919
 you know,

00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.839
 there's no pretense

00:31:57.839 --> 00:31:59.039
 up there

00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:00.259
 because what you see

00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:00.899
 is what you get.

00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:01.980
 None of them are pretending.

00:32:02.139 --> 00:32:02.779
 They're broken

00:32:02.779 --> 00:32:04.279
 and maybe they don't

00:32:04.279 --> 00:32:05.099
 necessarily know it

00:32:05.099 --> 00:32:05.839
 but it's there

00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:06.480
 for you to see.

00:32:07.700 --> 00:32:08.839
 And everybody in this room,

00:32:08.919 --> 00:32:09.819
 if I were to go up to them

00:32:09.819 --> 00:32:10.439
 like a mom,

00:32:10.659 --> 00:32:11.200
 and this happens

00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:12.139
 when you're in that

00:32:12.139 --> 00:32:13.240
 special needs community,

00:32:13.599 --> 00:32:14.519
 you go up to somebody

00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:15.139
 when you normally

00:32:15.139 --> 00:32:15.539
 like a church

00:32:15.539 --> 00:32:15.779
 and you go,

00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:16.480
 hey, how's it going?

00:32:16.599 --> 00:32:17.019
 And someone goes,

00:32:17.079 --> 00:32:17.899
 oh, it's going great.

00:32:18.059 --> 00:32:18.419
 Busy.

00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:19.980
 That's usually the response, right?

00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:21.759
 You ask,

00:32:21.819 --> 00:32:23.019
 and this is what I usually do.

00:32:23.019 --> 00:32:23.639
 I just go,

00:32:23.819 --> 00:32:24.720
 hey, what kind of day,

00:32:24.900 --> 00:32:25.960
 what kind of day is it?

00:32:27.119 --> 00:32:28.039
 Oh, it's a good day.

00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:29.440
 It's a good day.

00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:30.019
 You know,

00:32:30.259 --> 00:32:32.339
 our child is doing well today

00:32:32.339 --> 00:32:33.660
 and so it's so,

00:32:34.220 --> 00:32:34.400
 you know,

00:32:34.420 --> 00:32:35.379
 we're getting a little rest

00:32:35.379 --> 00:32:35.839
 and, you know,

00:32:35.900 --> 00:32:36.160
 it's,

00:32:36.599 --> 00:32:37.960
 we're connecting on that level,

00:32:38.379 --> 00:32:38.660
 right?

00:32:38.819 --> 00:32:40.019
 Oh, it's a bad day.

00:32:40.980 --> 00:32:41.960
 And you just give them a hug.

00:32:45.019 --> 00:32:45.920
 That's the community.

00:32:46.039 --> 00:32:46.319
 I thought,

00:32:46.460 --> 00:32:46.599
 wow,

00:32:46.660 --> 00:32:47.599
 those are my people.

00:32:47.779 --> 00:32:48.579
 I love this.

00:32:48.900 --> 00:32:49.359
 I love this

00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:50.079
 because it reminds me

00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:50.759
 of the brokenness

00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:51.700
 that I'm trying to pretend

00:32:51.700 --> 00:32:52.519
 isn't in my life

00:32:52.519 --> 00:32:53.379
 or anybody else's.

00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:54.660
 As a pastor

00:32:54.660 --> 00:32:55.519
 trying to plant a church,

00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:55.759
 I thought,

00:32:55.819 --> 00:32:56.500
 if I can just get these people

00:32:56.500 --> 00:32:57.299
 to do certain things,

00:32:57.359 --> 00:32:57.799
 we'll grow.

00:32:58.460 --> 00:32:58.639
 You know,

00:32:58.639 --> 00:32:59.619
 if I can do this and that

00:32:59.619 --> 00:33:00.420
 and if I can get them to,

00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:01.400
 I need people to do this.

00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:01.839
 I'm just,

00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:02.240
 it was just,

00:33:02.359 --> 00:33:03.379
 I wasn't thinking

00:33:03.379 --> 00:33:04.900
 about people hurting,

00:33:05.379 --> 00:33:06.680
 you know?

00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:07.559
 I just wanted to solve

00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:08.079
 that problem

00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:09.220
 with the two moms

00:33:09.220 --> 00:33:10.220
 and kind of move on.

00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:12.039
 I had other fish to fry.

00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:13.279
 I didn't have time.

00:33:14.039 --> 00:33:14.559
 It's terrible.

00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:18.279
 But in that environment,

00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:18.599
 right,

00:33:18.639 --> 00:33:19.460
 there's no pretense.

00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:21.740
 Everybody knows it's rough.

00:33:21.819 --> 00:33:22.579
 That's the thing I love

00:33:22.579 --> 00:33:24.240
 about it on one level.

00:33:25.740 --> 00:33:26.819
 We all kind of know

00:33:26.819 --> 00:33:27.399
 it's rough.

00:33:27.940 --> 00:33:28.679
 No hiding.

00:33:30.740 --> 00:33:33.220
 And what's going on,

00:33:33.720 --> 00:33:34.000
 really,

00:33:34.159 --> 00:33:35.879
 being part of that community,

00:33:36.119 --> 00:33:37.159
 of special needs community,

00:33:37.859 --> 00:33:38.740
 because special needs

00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:39.599
 and having a child like that

00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:41.139
 really defines us.

00:33:41.140 --> 00:33:41.900
 And we have,

00:33:42.020 --> 00:33:42.620
 as a family,

00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:43.600
 have a different posture

00:33:43.600 --> 00:33:45.220
 going into situations

00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:46.680
 because we know

00:33:46.680 --> 00:33:47.420
 everybody's hiding

00:33:47.420 --> 00:33:48.360
 their hurt and their pain.

00:33:48.600 --> 00:33:49.300
 We've seen it

00:33:49.300 --> 00:33:49.960
 because we hurt.

00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:51.640
 And there's,

00:33:51.800 --> 00:33:53.540
 and we know it's rough out there.

00:33:53.740 --> 00:33:54.880
 And we take that posture

00:33:54.880 --> 00:33:55.520
 into that,

00:33:55.860 --> 00:33:56.520
 those settings.

00:33:56.780 --> 00:33:57.940
 But I have to be back

00:33:57.940 --> 00:33:58.840
 with my tribe

00:33:58.840 --> 00:33:59.640
 every once in a while

00:33:59.640 --> 00:34:00.160
 because,

00:34:01.780 --> 00:34:04.880
 because I need to be grounded.

00:34:06.680 --> 00:34:07.120
 Kelly,

00:34:07.240 --> 00:34:07.700
 our daughter,

00:34:08.180 --> 00:34:08.640
 our youngest,

00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:10.119
 she says,

00:34:10.119 --> 00:34:10.700
 I don't have time

00:34:10.700 --> 00:34:11.119
 and patience

00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:12.079
 for normal people.

00:34:13.900 --> 00:34:14.380
 Alec,

00:34:14.440 --> 00:34:15.259
 our middle child,

00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:16.480
 Billy's younger brother,

00:34:16.659 --> 00:34:17.539
 he's 30.

00:34:18.519 --> 00:34:19.579
 His heart breaks

00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:20.299
 for the siblings

00:34:20.299 --> 00:34:21.539
 of special needs kids.

00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:24.440
 And quoting Brendan Manning,

00:34:24.519 --> 00:34:25.920
 he'll say he's just one beggar

00:34:25.920 --> 00:34:27.159
 helping another beggar

00:34:27.159 --> 00:34:28.139
 where he found food

00:34:28.139 --> 00:34:29.440
 because he knows it's hard.

00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:31.199
 And Sherry,

00:34:31.259 --> 00:34:31.859
 my bride,

00:34:33.559 --> 00:34:36.500
 she is her most amazing self,

00:34:36.980 --> 00:34:37.719
 on fire,

00:34:38.339 --> 00:34:38.880
 kind,

00:34:39.539 --> 00:34:39.940
 loving,

00:34:39.940 --> 00:34:41.200
 calm,

00:34:41.200 --> 00:34:42.920
 holding place

00:34:42.920 --> 00:34:43.900
 and space for people

00:34:43.900 --> 00:34:44.619
 when she's with other

00:34:44.619 --> 00:34:45.740
 special needs moms.

00:34:46.539 --> 00:34:47.940
 It's a delight to see.

00:34:49.800 --> 00:34:50.960
 I want that to be

00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:52.440
 all the time for us.

00:34:52.800 --> 00:34:53.360
 I want that to be

00:34:53.360 --> 00:34:54.400
 all the time for you too

00:34:54.400 --> 00:34:56.159
 with everyone.

00:34:57.159 --> 00:34:57.960
 Last story.

00:34:58.500 --> 00:34:59.700
 It's a story of contrast.

00:35:00.480 --> 00:35:02.019
 This is not humble bragging.

00:35:02.119 --> 00:35:02.380
 It's just,

00:35:02.539 --> 00:35:03.539
 I just do this.

00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:05.659
 Maybe that is humble bragging.

00:35:05.720 --> 00:35:06.300
 I'm saying that.

00:35:06.300 --> 00:35:08.860
 But I coach,

00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:10.760
 I coach a special needs

00:35:10.760 --> 00:35:12.039
 baseball team.

00:35:12.180 --> 00:35:13.000
 It's Miracle League.

00:35:13.700 --> 00:35:14.700
 It's a great organization.

00:35:14.940 --> 00:35:15.440
 I've been doing it,

00:35:15.539 --> 00:35:15.760
 I think,

00:35:15.820 --> 00:35:16.580
 17 years.

00:35:17.120 --> 00:35:17.780
 We started it

00:35:17.780 --> 00:35:18.360
 because Billy was still

00:35:18.360 --> 00:35:18.740
 in the home

00:35:18.740 --> 00:35:19.519
 and he got to do it

00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:20.120
 and I coached.

00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:21.600
 So I do it.

00:35:21.720 --> 00:35:22.600
 We just keep doing it.

00:35:22.640 --> 00:35:23.519
 We just keep re-upping

00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:24.039
 every year.

00:35:25.160 --> 00:35:26.340
 And now,

00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:27.680
 I have had these same families

00:35:27.680 --> 00:35:28.200
 for a while

00:35:28.200 --> 00:35:30.519
 and now they're all adults,

00:35:30.660 --> 00:35:32.800
 all the special needs kids.

00:35:33.019 --> 00:35:33.080
 I mean,

00:35:33.140 --> 00:35:33.440
 gosh,

00:35:33.500 --> 00:35:33.860
 I don't know how else

00:35:33.860 --> 00:35:34.240
 to say it,

00:35:34.300 --> 00:35:35.260
 special needs adults.

00:35:35.539 --> 00:35:36.079
 But I had them

00:35:36.079 --> 00:35:36.700
 when they were younger

00:35:36.700 --> 00:35:38.120
 and they're still younger leagues.

00:35:38.200 --> 00:35:38.920
 It's like three divisions.

00:35:39.400 --> 00:35:40.620
 There's like this little itty bitty

00:35:40.620 --> 00:35:42.079
 and then sort of the middle-y

00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:43.079
 kind of teenage-y

00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:43.800
 and then adult.

00:35:44.620 --> 00:35:45.539
 So every once in a while,

00:35:45.660 --> 00:35:46.920
 I'll show up early for a game

00:35:46.920 --> 00:35:47.420
 and I'll watch

00:35:47.420 --> 00:35:48.620
 the little kids group

00:35:48.620 --> 00:35:50.340
 and I notice something.

00:35:50.380 --> 00:35:51.099
 I notice something

00:35:51.099 --> 00:35:52.220
 like in the parents' faces.

00:35:52.700 --> 00:35:53.440
 They're smiling.

00:35:53.599 --> 00:35:53.940
 They're out there

00:35:53.940 --> 00:35:54.460
 with their kid

00:35:54.460 --> 00:35:55.039
 or doing something.

00:35:55.140 --> 00:35:55.820
 They're smiling.

00:35:56.640 --> 00:35:58.539
 But I couldn't help

00:35:58.539 --> 00:36:00.200
 but thanking us back then,

00:36:00.280 --> 00:36:00.539
 Sherry.

00:36:00.640 --> 00:36:01.120
 It was just sort of

00:36:01.120 --> 00:36:02.039
 back in that time

00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:03.860
 where we had hope

00:36:03.860 --> 00:36:04.980
 that Billy could get better.

00:36:06.119 --> 00:36:06.259
 You know,

00:36:06.300 --> 00:36:06.639
 we had this,

00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:07.239
 we were sort of,

00:36:07.320 --> 00:36:07.480
 you know,

00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:07.900
 okay,

00:36:08.360 --> 00:36:08.579
 you know,

00:36:08.619 --> 00:36:08.980
 God,

00:36:09.059 --> 00:36:09.759
 I know you've got this

00:36:09.759 --> 00:36:10.460
 and I know maybe

00:36:10.460 --> 00:36:11.179
 he can get better.

00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:12.400
 We had that smile.

00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:13.000
 It was sort of,

00:36:13.420 --> 00:36:16.679
 it was a smile

00:36:16.679 --> 00:36:17.279
 that was sort of

00:36:17.279 --> 00:36:18.099
 in a hope

00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:19.360
 that was contingent.

00:36:20.019 --> 00:36:21.019
 Maybe we can fix him.

00:36:21.259 --> 00:36:22.099
 Maybe it'll get better.

00:36:22.219 --> 00:36:22.739
 Maybe the future,

00:36:22.820 --> 00:36:23.039
 I think,

00:36:23.099 --> 00:36:23.840
 won't happen,

00:36:23.900 --> 00:36:24.119
 right?

00:36:25.039 --> 00:36:26.119
 So then comes

00:36:26.119 --> 00:36:26.840
 the 30-year-olds

00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:27.539
 and they show up

00:36:27.539 --> 00:36:28.880
 and we're out there

00:36:28.880 --> 00:36:29.259
 with them

00:36:29.260 --> 00:36:30.680
 and then some of the parents

00:36:30.680 --> 00:36:31.380
 that are there

00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:32.440
 because a lot of parents

00:36:32.440 --> 00:36:33.180
 when they're adults

00:36:33.180 --> 00:36:34.720
 they don't participate anymore

00:36:34.720 --> 00:36:35.480
 and it's just life

00:36:35.480 --> 00:36:36.220
 and I get it.

00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:38.120
 But those parents,

00:36:38.220 --> 00:36:39.720
 I see a smile on their face

00:36:39.720 --> 00:36:41.460
 but it's a wiser smile.

00:36:42.300 --> 00:36:43.740
 It's a wiser smile

00:36:43.740 --> 00:36:45.180
 that sort of has done this

00:36:45.180 --> 00:36:46.640
 and Sherry has taught me this

00:36:46.640 --> 00:36:48.480
 because she says

00:36:48.480 --> 00:36:50.100
 when we see those parents

00:36:50.100 --> 00:36:51.940
 it's sort of like a surrender.

00:36:53.100 --> 00:36:54.040
 It's this idea

00:36:54.040 --> 00:36:54.760
 that you sort of

00:36:54.760 --> 00:36:56.060
 take a deep breath

00:36:56.060 --> 00:36:57.860
 and you exhale

00:36:57.860 --> 00:36:59.519
 and you go,

00:36:59.620 --> 00:36:59.920
 you know,

00:37:00.160 --> 00:37:02.380
 I can't fix this.

00:37:03.220 --> 00:37:04.500
 I can't fix it.

00:37:05.740 --> 00:37:06.500
 I'm just gonna

00:37:06.500 --> 00:37:09.200
 bring them close,

00:37:09.280 --> 00:37:10.019
 my child,

00:37:10.700 --> 00:37:11.620
 as they are.

00:37:11.900 --> 00:37:13.120
 I don't have to fix them anymore

00:37:13.120 --> 00:37:15.140
 because I can't.

00:37:16.460 --> 00:37:17.420
 And there's a wisdom

00:37:17.420 --> 00:37:18.519
 that comes from that

00:37:18.519 --> 00:37:19.900
 and there's a wisdom

00:37:19.900 --> 00:37:21.500
 that just grows

00:37:21.500 --> 00:37:22.539
 from thinking about it.

00:37:24.440 --> 00:37:25.380
 And I don't always

00:37:25.380 --> 00:37:26.120
 want to re-up

00:37:26.119 --> 00:37:26.859
 but when I get

00:37:26.859 --> 00:37:28.619
 where I'm with my tribe

00:37:28.619 --> 00:37:29.960
 I re-up to be a coach.

00:37:32.059 --> 00:37:33.119
 Here's what I've learned.

00:37:36.639 --> 00:37:37.920
 It comes from

00:37:37.920 --> 00:37:38.759
 seeing life

00:37:38.759 --> 00:37:40.000
 for what it really is.

00:37:40.159 --> 00:37:41.059
 In those two stories

00:37:41.059 --> 00:37:41.659
 I told you.

00:37:42.199 --> 00:37:42.960
 What I've learned

00:37:42.960 --> 00:37:43.839
 is that assume

00:37:43.839 --> 00:37:45.059
 brokenness

00:37:45.059 --> 00:37:48.139
 sheep without a shepherd.

00:37:48.380 --> 00:37:49.420
 Assume brokenness

00:37:49.420 --> 00:37:51.980
 in every context

00:37:51.980 --> 00:37:52.480
 you're in.

00:37:52.980 --> 00:37:53.880
 Assume brokenness

00:37:53.880 --> 00:37:54.680
 out there.

00:37:55.180 --> 00:37:55.760
 Assume it

00:37:55.760 --> 00:37:58.200
 no matter how good it looks

00:37:58.200 --> 00:37:59.660
 because you're not gonna be

00:37:59.660 --> 00:38:00.320
 at the spring

00:38:00.320 --> 00:38:01.700
 special needs school pageant

00:38:01.700 --> 00:38:02.640
 where you can see it

00:38:02.640 --> 00:38:03.920
 and you know

00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:05.160
 what everybody's going through.

00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:07.240
 You know, right?

00:38:08.079 --> 00:38:09.200
 Out in the wild

00:38:09.200 --> 00:38:11.380
 people are distracted.

00:38:12.619 --> 00:38:14.579
 They're distracting themselves.

00:38:15.180 --> 00:38:16.019
 Pursuit of riches,

00:38:16.240 --> 00:38:17.380
 desire for other things,

00:38:17.680 --> 00:38:18.440
 care to the world.

00:38:18.760 --> 00:38:20.039
 I'm following a cause.

00:38:20.119 --> 00:38:20.880
 We're gonna fix this.

00:38:20.920 --> 00:38:21.579
 We're gonna do that.

00:38:21.579 --> 00:38:23.239
 They're out there

00:38:23.239 --> 00:38:24.819
 and they don't have time

00:38:24.819 --> 00:38:25.579
 to think about it

00:38:25.579 --> 00:38:26.460
 and if you don't see it

00:38:26.460 --> 00:38:26.980
 you kind of wonder

00:38:26.980 --> 00:38:27.599
 are they broken?

00:38:27.759 --> 00:38:28.579
 Yes, they are.

00:38:29.319 --> 00:38:30.360
 I promise you.

00:38:35.079 --> 00:38:35.880
 And so

00:38:35.880 --> 00:38:39.920
 I've learned that

00:38:39.920 --> 00:38:41.420
 and also learned this

00:38:41.420 --> 00:38:42.400
 to run into it

00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:43.219
 with the posture

00:38:43.219 --> 00:38:45.159
 of someone who gets it.

00:38:47.639 --> 00:38:48.579
 You're a fellow

00:38:48.579 --> 00:38:49.719
 distracted person.

00:38:49.719 --> 00:38:51.480
 You are harassed

00:38:51.480 --> 00:38:52.619
 by everything too.

00:38:53.119 --> 00:38:53.959
 You're tired.

00:38:54.119 --> 00:38:54.659
 You're helpless.

00:38:54.899 --> 00:38:55.779
 Sheep as well.

00:38:56.459 --> 00:38:57.119
 And do it no matter

00:38:57.119 --> 00:38:57.799
 how you feel.

00:38:58.439 --> 00:38:59.399
 Run into the situation.

00:38:59.659 --> 00:39:00.099
 Proximity.

00:39:00.439 --> 00:39:01.259
 Go into the wild.

00:39:01.859 --> 00:39:03.019
 Discover your parish.

00:39:03.299 --> 00:39:04.759
 Discover your tribe.

00:39:05.459 --> 00:39:05.579
 You know,

00:39:05.699 --> 00:39:06.539
 Miracle League

00:39:06.539 --> 00:39:07.699
 is part of my tribe,

00:39:07.779 --> 00:39:08.519
 my parish.

00:39:09.019 --> 00:39:09.319
 You know,

00:39:09.480 --> 00:39:10.899
 it feels like a family reunion

00:39:10.899 --> 00:39:11.779
 when I see them.

00:39:13.719 --> 00:39:14.759
 Discover that for yourself

00:39:14.759 --> 00:39:15.739
 and run into it

00:39:15.739 --> 00:39:17.059
 with a posture of humility

00:39:17.059 --> 00:39:19.199
 because you're broken too.

00:39:20.299 --> 00:39:21.179
 So go do that.

00:39:21.219 --> 00:39:21.759
 But here's the thing.

00:39:21.860 --> 00:39:23.460
 I can't leave you there

00:39:23.460 --> 00:39:24.599
 because that sounds like homework,

00:39:24.699 --> 00:39:25.059
 doesn't it?

00:39:25.400 --> 00:39:25.619
 It's like,

00:39:25.699 --> 00:39:25.920
 ah,

00:39:26.759 --> 00:39:27.460
 okay Bill.

00:39:28.679 --> 00:39:29.759
 Sounds good and all

00:39:29.759 --> 00:39:31.079
 but man,

00:39:31.159 --> 00:39:32.239
 I can't do this.

00:39:32.340 --> 00:39:33.119
 I cannot.

00:39:34.340 --> 00:39:35.340
 Sounds exhausting.

00:39:35.340 --> 00:39:39.980
 You've tried evangelism.

00:39:41.500 --> 00:39:41.900
 Compassion,

00:39:42.039 --> 00:39:42.340
 man,

00:39:42.440 --> 00:39:43.559
 I can't look beyond

00:39:43.559 --> 00:39:46.160
 the tattoos sometimes,

00:39:46.260 --> 00:39:46.539
 man.

00:39:46.700 --> 00:39:47.860
 What is wrong

00:39:47.860 --> 00:39:48.660
 with those people,

00:39:48.780 --> 00:39:49.100
 you know?

00:39:49.220 --> 00:39:49.440
 I mean,

00:39:49.480 --> 00:39:50.620
 or just anybody.

00:39:51.340 --> 00:39:51.539
 You know,

00:39:51.620 --> 00:39:51.820
 gosh,

00:39:51.840 --> 00:39:52.760
 what's wrong with them?

00:39:55.240 --> 00:39:56.700
 It kind of feels like homework,

00:39:56.820 --> 00:39:57.300
 doesn't it?

00:39:58.500 --> 00:39:59.539
 You can't do it.

00:39:59.860 --> 00:40:00.680
 You can't do it

00:40:00.680 --> 00:40:01.539
 and it feels like homework.

00:40:02.340 --> 00:40:03.059
 Here's the gospel.

00:40:03.340 --> 00:40:04.720
 There is one who did though.

00:40:05.399 --> 00:40:07.000
 There is one who ran into the wild

00:40:07.000 --> 00:40:09.259
 and it didn't feel like homework.

00:40:10.219 --> 00:40:11.359
 It felt like love

00:40:11.359 --> 00:40:12.559
 for him.

00:40:12.980 --> 00:40:14.459
 He was motivated by love.

00:40:15.419 --> 00:40:17.299
 There is one who ran into the wild.

00:40:21.659 --> 00:40:22.779
 In our passage,

00:40:23.559 --> 00:40:25.039
 and I'm going to tell you who it is.

00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:26.599
 In our passage,

00:40:26.719 --> 00:40:27.859
 there are two points of emphasis,

00:40:28.219 --> 00:40:28.459
 right?

00:40:29.059 --> 00:40:30.699
 And it's helpful here as we close.

00:40:32.319 --> 00:40:32.759
 First,

00:40:32.859 --> 00:40:33.759
 the word compassion.

00:40:33.760 --> 00:40:35.580
 That's in verse 36,

00:40:35.640 --> 00:40:35.900
 right?

00:40:37.720 --> 00:40:38.480
 I found,

00:40:38.600 --> 00:40:38.760
 you know,

00:40:38.760 --> 00:40:39.040
 doing,

00:40:39.300 --> 00:40:40.420
 looking and research and reading,

00:40:40.840 --> 00:40:42.500
 that word is never used.

00:40:42.540 --> 00:40:43.220
 The Greek word,

00:40:43.300 --> 00:40:43.560
 right?

00:40:44.020 --> 00:40:44.260
 You know,

00:40:44.260 --> 00:40:45.600
 it sounds cool when seminarians go,

00:40:45.660 --> 00:40:46.300
 the Greek word,

00:40:46.500 --> 00:40:47.560
 but I promise you.

00:40:49.260 --> 00:40:51.220
 That word is never used

00:40:51.220 --> 00:40:53.300
 when it's referencing

00:40:53.300 --> 00:40:54.460
 a man,

00:40:54.540 --> 00:40:55.260
 a human being,

00:40:55.500 --> 00:40:55.700
 you know,

00:40:55.720 --> 00:40:56.180
 a person.

00:40:56.179 --> 00:40:57.559
 It's only in reference

00:40:57.559 --> 00:40:59.119
 to the divine.

00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:01.799
 This is the divine compassion.

00:41:02.339 --> 00:41:03.799
 It's a divine compassion

00:41:03.799 --> 00:41:06.359
 that we will for all eternity

00:41:06.359 --> 00:41:08.539
 be astonished at that compassion.

00:41:09.319 --> 00:41:10.899
 It knows no bottom.

00:41:12.799 --> 00:41:13.980
 And that compassion

00:41:13.980 --> 00:41:15.199
 is what Jesus showed us.

00:41:15.239 --> 00:41:16.159
 It's the kind of compassion

00:41:16.159 --> 00:41:17.779
 you wish you had for people.

00:41:18.419 --> 00:41:19.359
 You wish you had for,

00:41:19.519 --> 00:41:20.319
 if you're married,

00:41:20.519 --> 00:41:21.719
 you wish you had for your spouse

00:41:21.719 --> 00:41:22.339
 so you wouldn't say

00:41:22.339 --> 00:41:23.460
 the stuff you say.

00:41:23.460 --> 00:41:26.880
 Because you want that calm heart.

00:41:26.980 --> 00:41:27.820
 You want that heart

00:41:27.820 --> 00:41:28.860
 that leaves space

00:41:28.860 --> 00:41:30.139
 to hold for other people,

00:41:30.320 --> 00:41:31.780
 that you can love people

00:41:31.780 --> 00:41:33.059
 because Jesus loved you.

00:41:33.240 --> 00:41:34.880
 And it comes from grasping

00:41:34.880 --> 00:41:35.679
 that compassion

00:41:35.679 --> 00:41:37.960
 that Jesus has for you

00:41:37.960 --> 00:41:40.179
 and that you saw on the cross.

00:41:40.679 --> 00:41:41.960
 So that's one of the emphases.

00:41:42.099 --> 00:41:43.579
 The second one is the last one

00:41:43.579 --> 00:41:44.340
 because,

00:41:44.699 --> 00:41:44.900
 hey,

00:41:45.000 --> 00:41:45.480
 now go.

00:41:45.619 --> 00:41:46.199
 Jesus is saying,

00:41:46.280 --> 00:41:46.400
 look,

00:41:46.440 --> 00:41:47.800
 I had compassion on these people.

00:41:48.199 --> 00:41:48.760
 And he's going,

00:41:50.619 --> 00:41:51.920
 now go out there and get them.

00:41:52.800 --> 00:41:52.980
 No,

00:41:52.980 --> 00:41:53.639
 that's not it.

00:41:53.679 --> 00:41:54.219
 He says,

00:41:54.679 --> 00:41:54.960
 pray.

00:41:56.219 --> 00:41:56.780
 He says,

00:41:56.920 --> 00:41:57.380
 pray.

00:41:58.559 --> 00:41:59.599
 Pray to the Lord

00:41:59.599 --> 00:42:00.320
 of the harvest.

00:42:01.760 --> 00:42:02.800
 And so I would tell you,

00:42:04.719 --> 00:42:05.880
 your baby step

00:42:05.880 --> 00:42:07.500
 for evangelism

00:42:07.500 --> 00:42:08.880
 is praying.

00:42:09.940 --> 00:42:11.619
 Tell him what overwhelms you.

00:42:13.480 --> 00:42:15.340
 Tell him how distracted you are.

00:42:17.440 --> 00:42:18.960
 Tell him how you want

00:42:18.960 --> 00:42:19.800
 his compassion

00:42:19.800 --> 00:42:20.840
 that has shown you

00:42:20.840 --> 00:42:21.500
 to be the thing

00:42:21.500 --> 00:42:23.119
 that flows from your heart.

00:42:25.599 --> 00:42:27.199
 Pray that when that happens,

00:42:28.059 --> 00:42:28.960
 you will see people

00:42:28.960 --> 00:42:30.039
 like he sees people.

00:42:31.219 --> 00:42:31.800
 And by the way,

00:42:31.940 --> 00:42:33.079
 prayer is evangelism

00:42:33.079 --> 00:42:33.980
 because Jesus is saying,

00:42:34.119 --> 00:42:34.579
 look at the harvest,

00:42:34.659 --> 00:42:34.980
 it's ready,

00:42:35.139 --> 00:42:35.380
 pray.

00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:37.519
 That's evangelism.

00:42:38.380 --> 00:42:39.840
 There's no argument about that.

00:42:39.960 --> 00:42:40.739
 It's evangelism.

00:42:40.840 --> 00:42:42.119
 Just like noticing a tattoo is.

00:42:42.159 --> 00:42:43.019
 I think we concluded that.

00:42:44.300 --> 00:42:45.699
 Prayer is evangelism

00:42:45.699 --> 00:42:46.519
 because,

00:42:46.699 --> 00:42:47.139
 you know why?

00:42:47.139 --> 00:42:48.739
 Because it changes you

00:42:48.739 --> 00:42:50.779
 and only a changed you

00:42:50.779 --> 00:42:52.139
 will be comfortable,

00:42:53.599 --> 00:42:54.179
 bold,

00:42:54.940 --> 00:42:55.400
 humble,

00:42:55.980 --> 00:42:56.679
 relaxed,

00:42:56.879 --> 00:42:57.420
 calm,

00:42:58.039 --> 00:42:59.019
 able to hold space

00:42:59.019 --> 00:42:59.779
 for other people.

00:43:02.599 --> 00:43:03.359
 You know what?

00:43:03.379 --> 00:43:04.259
 You'll be a curiosity.

00:43:05.079 --> 00:43:06.000
 You'll be a curiosity

00:43:06.000 --> 00:43:06.699
 out in the wild

00:43:06.699 --> 00:43:08.119
 because everybody

00:43:08.119 --> 00:43:10.219
 is out of the low-boiled franticness

00:43:10.219 --> 00:43:11.159
 and they're searching

00:43:11.159 --> 00:43:12.179
 and they're lost.

00:43:12.679 --> 00:43:13.500
 They're lost sheep,

00:43:13.619 --> 00:43:14.859
 caught in the briar bushes,

00:43:15.660 --> 00:43:17.019
 the deceitfulness of riches,

00:43:17.180 --> 00:43:18.460
 desire for other things,

00:43:18.920 --> 00:43:20.260
 and the cares of the world.

00:43:21.420 --> 00:43:22.320
 Be a curiosity.

00:43:23.280 --> 00:43:23.579
 All right.

00:43:23.800 --> 00:43:24.680
 So when you're out there

00:43:24.680 --> 00:43:25.680
 holding space for people

00:43:25.680 --> 00:43:26.579
 and you're calm, right,

00:43:26.620 --> 00:43:27.420
 because you're thinking

00:43:27.420 --> 00:43:27.980
 about Jesus

00:43:27.980 --> 00:43:29.780
 and the coin drops

00:43:29.780 --> 00:43:30.599
 and the Holy Spirit

00:43:30.599 --> 00:43:31.500
 fills you

00:43:31.500 --> 00:43:32.440
 in that peace

00:43:32.440 --> 00:43:33.079
 that transcends

00:43:33.079 --> 00:43:33.920
 all our understanding,

00:43:34.280 --> 00:43:34.900
 guarding your hearts

00:43:34.900 --> 00:43:35.980
 and minds in Christ Jesus

00:43:35.980 --> 00:43:36.680
 as you go out

00:43:36.680 --> 00:43:37.400
 into the wild,

00:43:39.019 --> 00:43:40.059
 you will be able

00:43:40.059 --> 00:43:41.059
 to listen to people.

00:43:41.559 --> 00:43:42.539
 You will listen to hear

00:43:42.539 --> 00:43:44.079
 rather than listen to respond

00:43:44.079 --> 00:43:45.219
 or listen to judge

00:43:45.219 --> 00:43:46.159
 or listen to correct

00:43:46.159 --> 00:43:49.099
 and you'll give them space

00:43:49.099 --> 00:43:50.319
 and you'll hold space for them.

00:43:52.599 --> 00:43:53.900
 And when they ask,

00:43:55.279 --> 00:43:56.219
 1 Peter 3,

00:43:57.500 --> 00:43:57.659
 you know,

00:43:57.719 --> 00:43:58.799
 Will did such a great job

00:43:58.799 --> 00:43:59.619
 preaching on that.

00:44:00.880 --> 00:44:01.940
 And when they ask you

00:44:01.940 --> 00:44:03.000
 for the hope you have,

00:44:03.619 --> 00:44:04.440
 you can give an answer.

00:44:04.480 --> 00:44:04.940
 And I'm going to give you

00:44:04.940 --> 00:44:05.420
 the answer,

00:44:05.840 --> 00:44:06.759
 what to say.

00:44:08.579 --> 00:44:09.639
 But before I do,

00:44:09.639 --> 00:44:11.920
 think about

00:44:11.920 --> 00:44:13.159
 when do people ask,

00:44:14.659 --> 00:44:15.400
 tell me where you

00:44:15.400 --> 00:44:16.599
 get your hope from.

00:44:17.920 --> 00:44:18.960
 Isn't it when they're

00:44:18.960 --> 00:44:20.159
 helpless, hopeless,

00:44:20.519 --> 00:44:21.219
 when they're sort of

00:44:21.219 --> 00:44:21.819
 like the sheep,

00:44:21.900 --> 00:44:22.420
 the lost sheep,

00:44:22.500 --> 00:44:22.799
 they're just,

00:44:23.699 --> 00:44:24.639
 and they've been harassed

00:44:24.639 --> 00:44:25.699
 and they can't take it anymore

00:44:25.699 --> 00:44:27.359
 and they get to that place,

00:44:27.420 --> 00:44:27.619
 you know,

00:44:27.719 --> 00:44:28.920
 I'm coming up empty,

00:44:28.980 --> 00:44:29.879
 where do you get hope?

00:44:32.719 --> 00:44:33.639
 You can tell them.

00:44:33.639 --> 00:44:36.639
 I got the answer

00:44:36.639 --> 00:44:37.599
 that I'm going to give you

00:44:37.599 --> 00:44:39.819
 right here in this room

00:44:39.819 --> 00:44:41.059
 about this time last year.

00:44:42.019 --> 00:44:42.679
 Richard Pratt,

00:44:42.759 --> 00:44:43.920
 one of my seminary professors,

00:44:44.039 --> 00:44:44.379
 preached,

00:44:44.819 --> 00:44:45.480
 and then afterwards

00:44:45.480 --> 00:44:46.519
 he did this Q&A.

00:44:47.879 --> 00:44:48.539
 Q&A,

00:44:48.619 --> 00:44:48.839
 I mean,

00:44:48.900 --> 00:44:49.679
 may have even been better

00:44:49.679 --> 00:44:50.259
 than the sermon.

00:44:50.779 --> 00:44:51.460
 It was fantastic.

00:44:51.739 --> 00:44:52.920
 And so he said something in that

00:44:52.920 --> 00:44:53.859
 and I'm stealing from him.

00:44:54.739 --> 00:44:55.859
 And so you all pretend,

00:44:56.299 --> 00:44:56.819
 I'm doing a,

00:44:57.159 --> 00:44:58.440
 you know,

00:44:58.759 --> 00:45:00.000
 Jedi thing.

00:45:00.460 --> 00:45:01.920
 Bill actually said this first,

00:45:02.259 --> 00:45:02.539
 you know.

00:45:04.619 --> 00:45:05.400
 But what he said,

00:45:05.480 --> 00:45:06.879
 I hadn't stopped thinking about it.

00:45:06.940 --> 00:45:07.519
 I heard a sermon

00:45:07.519 --> 00:45:08.559
 that he did just recently

00:45:08.559 --> 00:45:09.819
 where he had this in there again,

00:45:10.619 --> 00:45:11.420
 but it's profound.

00:45:12.179 --> 00:45:13.420
 So when somebody says,

00:45:13.739 --> 00:45:14.519
 where's your hope?

00:45:15.000 --> 00:45:16.039
 You give them the gospel

00:45:16.039 --> 00:45:16.900
 and here's what you say.

00:45:17.159 --> 00:45:18.019
 Because people are at the end

00:45:18.019 --> 00:45:18.980
 of the rope at that point.

00:45:19.460 --> 00:45:20.019
 They're tired,

00:45:20.119 --> 00:45:20.539
 they're broken,

00:45:20.619 --> 00:45:20.980
 they're helpless,

00:45:21.079 --> 00:45:22.059
 they're sheep without a shepherd.

00:45:23.699 --> 00:45:25.000
 And as Will taught us,

00:45:25.239 --> 00:45:26.000
 go be a shepherd

00:45:26.000 --> 00:45:28.139
 out in the wild.

00:45:28.980 --> 00:45:29.219
 Go.

00:45:30.039 --> 00:45:30.980
 Pastor these people.

00:45:31.219 --> 00:45:31.980
 Pastor non-believers.

00:45:32.119 --> 00:45:32.460
 Be there.

00:45:32.739 --> 00:45:33.319
 When they say,

00:45:33.320 --> 00:45:34.080
 where's your hope from?

00:45:34.120 --> 00:45:34.780
 And here's what you say.

00:45:35.840 --> 00:45:36.720
 I didn't think of it,

00:45:36.780 --> 00:45:37.920
 but you pretend like I did.

00:45:37.980 --> 00:45:38.460
 I love it.

00:45:38.920 --> 00:45:39.820
 This is what you say to them.

00:45:40.820 --> 00:45:42.539
 I know the name of the man

00:45:42.539 --> 00:45:45.760
 who is fixing everything.

00:45:48.220 --> 00:45:49.160
 I know the man

00:45:49.160 --> 00:45:50.820
 who is setting every wrong right.

00:45:50.920 --> 00:45:51.780
 I know his name.

00:45:53.260 --> 00:45:54.780
 I talk to him all the time.

00:45:56.140 --> 00:45:56.940
 And when I do,

00:45:57.019 --> 00:45:58.140
 I don't feel harassed.

00:45:58.260 --> 00:45:59.519
 I don't feel frantic.

00:45:59.519 --> 00:46:01.219
 I don't feel anxious.

00:46:01.920 --> 00:46:03.119
 I'm not distracted

00:46:03.119 --> 00:46:04.780
 when I talk with him.

00:46:06.119 --> 00:46:07.039
 Because he's already

00:46:07.039 --> 00:46:09.079
 making my heart new.

00:46:10.920 --> 00:46:12.320
 Because he lives in my heart.

00:46:13.480 --> 00:46:15.219
 And I'm tasting the new world

00:46:15.219 --> 00:46:16.099
 he is creating.

00:46:16.599 --> 00:46:18.000
 I'm tasting it right now.

00:46:19.000 --> 00:46:20.079
 I know his name.

00:46:21.019 --> 00:46:21.300
 You know,

00:46:21.340 --> 00:46:22.199
 we know him as the Lord

00:46:22.199 --> 00:46:22.719
 of the harvest.

00:46:23.320 --> 00:46:24.559
 But I know his name.

00:46:25.699 --> 00:46:26.960
 His name is Jesus.

00:46:26.960 --> 00:46:30.980
 He died and rose from the dead.

00:46:31.059 --> 00:46:32.480
 And I'm not afraid anymore.

00:46:32.960 --> 00:46:33.920
 I'm not afraid.

00:46:34.440 --> 00:46:35.519
 I'm not afraid of

00:46:35.519 --> 00:46:37.000
 the cares of the world anymore.

00:46:37.740 --> 00:46:38.440
 I'm not afraid

00:46:38.440 --> 00:46:39.860
 if I don't ever get what I desire.

00:46:39.940 --> 00:46:40.659
 And I'm not afraid

00:46:40.659 --> 00:46:43.519
 that I won't have money.

00:46:46.159 --> 00:46:47.179
 And I don't have

00:46:47.179 --> 00:46:49.119
 to control outcomes anymore.

00:46:51.240 --> 00:46:52.500
 And I would tell people this

00:46:52.500 --> 00:46:53.139
 if I was doing that.

00:46:53.199 --> 00:46:53.599
 I would say,

00:46:53.720 --> 00:46:54.119
 you know,

00:46:54.119 --> 00:46:57.799
 what's my son Billy?

00:46:58.940 --> 00:46:59.839
 Everything that's wrong

00:46:59.839 --> 00:47:00.799
 with him is being fixed.

00:47:00.839 --> 00:47:01.400
 And one day,

00:47:01.519 --> 00:47:02.519
 it's all going to be

00:47:02.519 --> 00:47:03.339
 swallowed up

00:47:03.339 --> 00:47:06.799
 in the new world

00:47:06.799 --> 00:47:08.980
 that Jesus is creating.

00:47:10.960 --> 00:47:12.539
 And Billy will hug me

00:47:12.539 --> 00:47:13.480
 in a way that he doesn't

00:47:13.480 --> 00:47:14.119
 hug me now.

00:47:14.420 --> 00:47:15.259
 And when I look

00:47:15.259 --> 00:47:16.299
 into his eyes,

00:47:16.819 --> 00:47:18.279
 I will see something

00:47:18.279 --> 00:47:19.579
 that I've never seen before

00:47:19.579 --> 00:47:20.279
 but I always knew

00:47:20.279 --> 00:47:20.799
 was there.

00:47:21.619 --> 00:47:22.759
 And when he talks,

00:47:22.839 --> 00:47:23.659
 I'm going to hear a voice

00:47:23.659 --> 00:47:24.899
 that I long to hear

00:47:24.899 --> 00:47:27.079
 even when he was first born

00:47:27.079 --> 00:47:28.119
 and I've longed to hear it

00:47:28.119 --> 00:47:29.420
 and I'll hear it one day.

00:47:33.739 --> 00:47:34.839
 Because I couldn't help him

00:47:34.839 --> 00:47:35.719
 and I couldn't fix it

00:47:35.719 --> 00:47:36.799
 but there is one who is

00:47:36.799 --> 00:47:37.960
 and I know his name

00:47:37.960 --> 00:47:38.899
 and he's fixing it.

00:47:40.099 --> 00:47:40.920
 So no matter

00:47:40.920 --> 00:47:42.039
 how my life goes,

00:47:42.139 --> 00:47:42.960
 I'm not missing out

00:47:42.960 --> 00:47:44.159
 on anything

00:47:44.159 --> 00:47:45.679
 because the best

00:47:45.679 --> 00:47:46.559
 is yet to come.

00:47:47.440 --> 00:47:48.500
 And even on a real

00:47:48.500 --> 00:47:49.159
 practical effort,

00:47:49.259 --> 00:47:50.099
 it's okay if I never

00:47:50.099 --> 00:47:50.879
 answer that email

00:47:50.879 --> 00:47:52.059
 or answer that text.

00:47:52.059 --> 00:47:53.679
 they're going to get over it.

00:47:54.519 --> 00:47:55.679
 I don't care anymore.

00:47:58.400 --> 00:47:59.519
 The Lord of the harvest

00:47:59.519 --> 00:48:00.679
 wants you to be

00:48:00.679 --> 00:48:01.960
 at peace

00:48:01.960 --> 00:48:04.199
 and fully present

00:48:04.199 --> 00:48:05.299
 out in the wild.

00:48:05.980 --> 00:48:06.840
 He wants that.

00:48:07.619 --> 00:48:07.699
 He,

00:48:09.019 --> 00:48:10.059
 where you're bold

00:48:10.059 --> 00:48:10.880
 and there's a calm

00:48:10.880 --> 00:48:12.039
 humility about you.

00:48:13.599 --> 00:48:14.559
 People are hiding

00:48:14.559 --> 00:48:15.059
 their hurt

00:48:15.059 --> 00:48:16.179
 but you know it's there

00:48:16.179 --> 00:48:18.059
 and that you pray

00:48:18.059 --> 00:48:18.799
 and you pray

00:48:18.799 --> 00:48:20.019
 to the Lord of the harvest.

00:48:20.019 --> 00:48:22.699
 think on the divine

00:48:22.699 --> 00:48:23.900
 compassion of Jesus.

00:48:24.039 --> 00:48:24.679
 What did it lead him

00:48:24.679 --> 00:48:25.480
 to do for the joy

00:48:25.480 --> 00:48:27.039
 that was set before him?

00:48:27.079 --> 00:48:27.960
 He endured the cross

00:48:27.960 --> 00:48:29.039
 despising the shame

00:48:29.039 --> 00:48:33.820
 and then go into

00:48:33.820 --> 00:48:34.559
 the field,

00:48:34.820 --> 00:48:35.500
 the harvest field,

00:48:35.599 --> 00:48:36.119
 the wild

00:48:36.119 --> 00:48:38.599
 and start the process

00:48:38.599 --> 00:48:39.179
 of harvesting

00:48:39.179 --> 00:48:40.460
 by listening to hear,

00:48:41.340 --> 00:48:42.099
 not judge,

00:48:42.179 --> 00:48:42.840
 not correct.

00:48:43.800 --> 00:48:45.119
 Hold space for people

00:48:45.119 --> 00:48:45.599
 to listen.

00:48:46.139 --> 00:48:47.119
 Do you know how unusual

00:48:47.119 --> 00:48:48.159
 and what a curiosity

00:48:48.159 --> 00:48:48.759
 you will be?

00:48:48.760 --> 00:48:49.900
 No one listens

00:48:49.900 --> 00:48:50.860
 to each other anymore.

00:48:51.520 --> 00:48:52.360
 They're going to look at you

00:48:52.360 --> 00:48:52.700
 and you go,

00:48:53.100 --> 00:48:54.380
 what is in you?

00:48:54.940 --> 00:48:55.240
 What?

00:48:55.940 --> 00:48:56.700
 And you tell them,

00:48:57.240 --> 00:48:58.540
 I know his name,

00:48:59.020 --> 00:49:00.640
 the guy who's fixing it all.

00:49:01.860 --> 00:49:03.020
 Be a curiosity

00:49:03.020 --> 00:49:04.020
 in a distracted,

00:49:04.240 --> 00:49:04.920
 frantic world.

00:49:05.780 --> 00:49:07.140
 Don't fret over outcomes,

00:49:07.680 --> 00:49:07.980
 right?

00:49:08.160 --> 00:49:08.800
 Even as John

00:49:08.800 --> 00:49:09.280
 was talking about,

00:49:09.360 --> 00:49:10.760
 is this evangelism?

00:49:11.520 --> 00:49:12.060
 Is this?

00:49:12.840 --> 00:49:13.260
 You know,

00:49:13.380 --> 00:49:15.460
 don't fret the outcomes.

00:49:15.460 --> 00:49:17.320
 You know why?

00:49:17.519 --> 00:49:18.280
 Because the Lord

00:49:18.280 --> 00:49:18.900
 of the harvest

00:49:18.900 --> 00:49:20.240
 knows what the harvest

00:49:20.240 --> 00:49:20.679
 will be.

00:49:21.119 --> 00:49:21.940
 He's not surprised.

00:49:22.059 --> 00:49:22.840
 He's not disappointed.

00:49:23.980 --> 00:49:25.199
 That's the beauty of it.

00:49:25.500 --> 00:49:26.260
 He sends us out

00:49:26.260 --> 00:49:27.099
 with his compassion.

00:49:27.599 --> 00:49:28.500
 He already knows

00:49:28.500 --> 00:49:28.960
 the harvest

00:49:28.960 --> 00:49:29.619
 and he goes,

00:49:29.800 --> 00:49:30.099
 go.

00:49:31.900 --> 00:49:33.119
 Be fully present.

00:49:35.420 --> 00:49:36.980
 Then watch what happens.

00:49:37.579 --> 00:49:38.720
 You'll be amazed.

00:49:38.980 --> 00:49:39.920
 This church will be

00:49:39.920 --> 00:49:40.920
 different.

00:49:41.360 --> 00:49:42.220
 You won't recognize

00:49:42.219 --> 00:49:42.839
 this church

00:49:42.839 --> 00:49:44.459
 in five years.

00:49:46.139 --> 00:49:46.819
 Let's pray.

00:49:48.459 --> 00:49:48.899
 Father,

00:49:49.119 --> 00:49:49.519
 gosh,

00:49:49.619 --> 00:49:51.519
 thank you so much

00:49:51.519 --> 00:49:54.199
 for your compassion.

00:49:56.079 --> 00:49:57.139
 You even saw it

00:49:57.139 --> 00:49:57.980
 in your providence

00:49:57.980 --> 00:49:58.899
 for a word

00:49:58.899 --> 00:49:59.939
 to only be used

00:49:59.939 --> 00:50:00.619
 about you.

00:50:01.799 --> 00:50:02.839
 So we wonder

00:50:02.839 --> 00:50:04.799
 and we ponder

00:50:04.799 --> 00:50:05.619
 and we think

00:50:05.619 --> 00:50:06.939
 and your spirit

00:50:06.939 --> 00:50:08.179
 allows the coin

00:50:08.179 --> 00:50:09.279
 to drop in our hearts.

00:50:09.280 --> 00:50:12.220
 and with that compassion

00:50:12.220 --> 00:50:12.980
 we can go

00:50:12.980 --> 00:50:15.880
 and pray

00:50:15.880 --> 00:50:16.640
 to the Lord

00:50:16.640 --> 00:50:17.240
 of the harvest

00:50:17.240 --> 00:50:19.220
 and see what happens.

00:50:21.260 --> 00:50:22.200
 A calm,

00:50:23.400 --> 00:50:23.780
 humble,

00:50:25.380 --> 00:50:26.060
 bold

00:50:26.060 --> 00:50:27.960
 presence

00:50:27.960 --> 00:50:29.440
 is what we desire,

00:50:29.620 --> 00:50:29.800
 Father,

00:50:30.200 --> 00:50:30.780
 so that we can

00:50:30.780 --> 00:50:31.600
 proclaim the gospel

00:50:31.600 --> 00:50:33.060
 and tell people,

00:50:34.060 --> 00:50:34.140
 yeah,

00:50:34.180 --> 00:50:34.960
 there's a lot wrong.

00:50:35.480 --> 00:50:35.880
 The world

00:50:35.880 --> 00:50:36.640
 is pretty messed up

00:50:36.640 --> 00:50:37.040
 and I know

00:50:37.040 --> 00:50:38.380
 the name of the man

00:50:38.380 --> 00:50:39.880
 who's fixing it.

00:50:40.940 --> 00:50:41.660
 In Jesus' name,

00:50:41.920 --> 00:50:42.119
 amen.

00:50:44.820 --> 00:50:46.000
 For more information,

00:50:46.400 --> 00:50:47.320
 visit us online

00:50:47.320 --> 00:50:48.599
 at southwood.org.