WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading comes from Matthew chapter 4 and Luke chapter 6.

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 Please follow along on the screen, the bulletin, or your own Bible.

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 In Matthew 4 verse 13 we read,

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 And leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea,

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 in the territory of Zabulon and Naphtali.

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 Then in verse 17 we read,

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 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying,

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 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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 While walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,

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 Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother,

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 casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

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 And he said to them,

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 Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

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 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

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 And he went throughout all Galilee.

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 And going on from there, he saw two other brothers,

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 James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother,

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 in the boat with Zebedee, their father, mending their nets,

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 and he caught them.

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 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

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 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,

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 and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,

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 and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

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 And in Luke 6, verse 39, we read,

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 He also told them a parable.

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 Can a blind man lead a blind man?

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 Will they not both fall into a pit?

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 A disciple is not above his teacher,

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 but everyone, when he is fully trained,

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 will be like his teacher.

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 Amen.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Amen.

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 Great.

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 Thank you so much, Angeline.

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 Just such a great privilege and pleasure to be with you this morning.

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 Let me just pray for us as we dive into God's word together.

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 Father, I just want to thank you that your word is powerful,

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 that you call us to follow you.

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 And I pray this morning that even as I speak and we listen,

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 Lord, I pray that you'd remove the distractions from our hearts.

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 And I pray that you would open our eyes to see you in a fresh way,

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 and to see in a fresh way what it means to become like you as followers,

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 to have a new goal,

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 to be people who are transformed into your image.

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 And I pray this in Jesus' wonderful name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Great.

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 It's such a privilege to be with you guys this morning.

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 We're continuing, again, in our series looking at what it means to follow Jesus.

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 And if I was to ask you a quick trivia quiz question,

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 what is Watermark's mission statement?

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 I don't know how many of you would be able to answer that.

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 But our mission statement is all about we're here to make mature disciples of Jesus,

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 who then make more disciples of Jesus and more disciples of Jesus,

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 and fill this city and transform this city to the glory of God with people who are followers,

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 disciples of Jesus.

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 And so we're looking at this idea of what does it mean to follow Jesus in everyday life?

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 That following him is not just something which is a Sunday thing,

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 but actually in all of your life,

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 from your social media to your dating choices, your parenting,

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 every aspect of life is shaped by what it means to follow Jesus.

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 And so last week, Kevin looked at what it means to be a Talmudim,

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 a first century disciple of Jesus.

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 And he showed us that an apprentice in the first century to a rabbi

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 would be someone who has gone through a whole load of education,

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 and they qualify to be a disciple of a rabbi

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 by having passed basically a disciple job interview,

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 where they show their performance.

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 And he showed us how Jesus was so different,

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 that Jesus didn't require a performance grade to get in,

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 that he chose a random bunch of people out of pure grace.

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 It was his initiative.

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 And then he showed us that he was not just the normal rabbi like everyone else,

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 he's the king of heaven who is inviting us,

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 not just to follow him as an ordinary teacher,

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 but as the king of heaven who is bringing in the kingdom of heaven.

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 And he showed us that the goal of a disciple was three things.

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 To be with Jesus, which we looked at last week,

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 to become like Jesus,

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 and to do what Jesus did, what your rabbi does.

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 And so he showed us last week,

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 everything that we do comes out of,

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 and everything we're going to carry on in the rest of this series

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 comes out of that sense of abiding with,

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 of being with Jesus in relationship with him.

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 Everything else is not kind of,

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 we've moved on from that.

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 Everything else flows out of this relationship with Jesus.

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 We don't just do a Bible study or a quiet time in the morning

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 and then forget about Jesus.

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 The whole of our lives are to be lived in the presence of Jesus.

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 And so we've talked about that last week,

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 and today we're going to move on to what it looks like as a disciple

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 to become like Jesus.

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 And I'm going to read to you that verse again in a second.

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 Well, that verse which says,

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 Can a blind man lead a blind man?

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 Will they not both fall into a pit?

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 A disciple is not above his teacher,

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 but everyone, when he's fully trained,

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 will become like his teacher.

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 Now, Don Whitney, who's an author,

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 he illustrates this principle by saying,

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 imagine if you are a six-year-old kid

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 who has been forced by your mom or your dad

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 to do piano practice.

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 And it's death.

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 Like, you're just dying.

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 You hate it.

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 And then suddenly an angel comes down from heaven

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 and whisks you away during your piano practice,

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 takes you away to this incredible concert hall,

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 maybe Asia World Expo,

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 and there is this piano genius,

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 a virtuoso,

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 playing the hardest Mozart piece,

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 his sonata number 18,

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 and it's breathtaking.

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 It is effortless.

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 It's incredible.

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 And the angel turns to you and says,

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 what do you think?

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 And you go, wow.

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 And then the angel turns and says,

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 that's you in 20 years' time.

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 Then he turns to your piano and says,

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 but you must practice.

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 And the angel disappears,

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 and you're left there with your piano.

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 Now, what's just happened?

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 If he remembers who he's going to become like,

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 his day-to-day practice

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 has just got a totally new vision.

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 He's just got a whole new direction,

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 a whole new goal,

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 which is going to move him into his future.

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 His practice will not look the same again.

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 And that's what Jesus is saying in this parable.

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 He's saying,

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 who you want to become like,

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 the vision that you have of your life,

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 and your teacher,

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 who you want to be like,

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 that is going to change and shape everything

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 that you do in your life.

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 Everyone, when he's fully trained,

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 will be like his teacher.

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 So what Jesus is doing,

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 he's trying to give us a vision

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 for where he's going,

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 to be like Jesus.

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 Here's how Paul says the same thing.

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 He says, 2 Corinthians 3 verse 18,

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 he says,

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 and we all with unveiled face,

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 beholding the glory of the Lord,

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 are being transformed.

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 That is a present continuous,

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 that's an ongoing process,

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 into the same image of Jesus,

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 from one degree of glory to another.

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 You see what he's saying?

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 That word transformed

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 is the word metamorphosis.

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 It's the word,

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 it's that process of transformation,

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 when you go from a caterpillar,

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 all the way,

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 changing stage by stage,

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 to become this beautiful butterfly.

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 And he's saying,

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 that this is what,

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 some people call spiritual transformation,

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 or sanctification.

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 This is what the goal,

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 of the Christian life is.

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 Author Dallas Willard,

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 said it like this,

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 spiritual formation,

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 in the Christian tradition,

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 is a process,

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 of being increasingly possessed,

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 and permeated,

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 by the character traits of Jesus,

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 as we walk,

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 in the easy yoke of discipleship,

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 with Jesus as our teacher.

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 Do you see what he's saying?

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 The goal that Jesus saved you for,

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 was not simply to go to church.

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 It was not simply,

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 just to get into heaven.

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 It's not simply so you read your Bible,

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 and become a nice moral person.

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 The reason,

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 that Jesus saved you,

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 is so that you,

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 and I,

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 and we as a church,

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 will be conformed,

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 will be transformed,

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 will be metamorphosized,

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 into,

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 the image,

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 of Jesus,

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 that we become,

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 like him.

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 He is God,

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 we are not.

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 But our character,

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 can look ever more,

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 like his,

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 incredible,

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 all glorious character.

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 And for first century disciples,

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 this was not theory.

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 I read about,

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 a,

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 someone who,

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 a group of rabbi,

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 a group of disciples,

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 who in imitating their rabbi,

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 their rabbi had a stoop.

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 And so,

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 he would walk behind,

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 his disciples would walk behind,

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 and everyone else,

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 would have this stoop,

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 as his disciple.

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 I heard other,

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 there's another story,

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 where,

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 disciples so wanted,

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 to be like their teacher,

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 that they would hide,

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 in the bedroom,

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 of the rabbi,

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 to see how,

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 he made love to his wife,

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 so they knew how to do it.

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 This is,

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 serious business.

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 You know,

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 I don't know if you've ever seen,

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 that Japanese TV,

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 game show,

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 called Human Tetris.

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 It's,

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 it's very funny.

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 It's,

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 they have this moving wall,

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 with a hole,

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 cut out in different shapes.

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 And,

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 and there are contestants,

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 and what they have to do,

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 they have to,

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 as the,

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 the wall moves towards them,

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 they have to make,

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 the shape,

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 of the hole,

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 otherwise they get knocked,

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 into the water,

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 a pool of water,

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 behind them.

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 And this is actually,

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 what Christian discipleship,

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 is.

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 It is human Tetris,

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 of a different time.

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 Jesus,

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 he's not just our saviour,

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 he's our lord,

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 and he's shaping us,

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 so that our lives,

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 begin to bend,

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 and conform,

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 and to flex,

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 into his,

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 cross shaped,

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 life.

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 That we look,

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 more like him.

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 That's the goal,

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 of discipleship.

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 But then the question is,

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 if we are meant to,

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 shape and flex,

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 into him,

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 why should we,

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 even do that?

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 Why should we,

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 follow Jesus?

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 Well firstly,

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 recognize,

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 every one of us,

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 is following someone.

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 You know,

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 Taylor Swift,

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 has 88 million followers,

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 on Twitter.

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 Justin Bieber,

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 has 113 million,

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 I just found out.

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 What do followers,

00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:21.959
 do?

00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:23.839
 Followers,

00:12:23.939 --> 00:12:24.740
 get shaped,

00:12:24.979 --> 00:12:25.599
 and influenced,

00:12:25.719 --> 00:12:26.819
 by who they follow.

00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:28.359
 My brother-in-law,

00:12:28.459 --> 00:12:29.379
 is what you might call,

00:12:29.439 --> 00:12:31.019
 a key opinion leader,

00:12:31.459 --> 00:12:32.319
 in food,

00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:33.199
 and restaurants,

00:12:33.319 --> 00:12:34.199
 and staycations.

00:12:34.659 --> 00:12:36.000
 His YouTube channel,

00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:36.620
 has hundreds,

00:12:36.620 --> 00:12:37.940
 thousands of subscribers.

00:12:38.580 --> 00:12:39.840
 And what do they do?

00:12:40.139 --> 00:12:41.480
 What he recommends,

00:12:41.620 --> 00:12:42.820
 people follow.

00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:45.060
 That's why advertisers,

00:12:45.220 --> 00:12:45.899
 pay him money.

00:12:46.980 --> 00:12:48.320
 But when Jesus says,

00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:50.600
 can a blind man,

00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:52.080
 lead a blind man,

00:12:52.460 --> 00:12:53.279
 will they not,

00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:55.200
 both fall into a pit?

00:12:55.860 --> 00:12:57.060
 He's referring,

00:12:57.560 --> 00:12:58.919
 to the religious leaders,

00:12:59.100 --> 00:13:00.019
 the Pharisees.

00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:01.620
 And he's saying,

00:13:01.620 --> 00:13:03.080
 who you follow,

00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:04.820
 really matters.

00:13:05.299 --> 00:13:05.820
 Because,

00:13:06.019 --> 00:13:07.779
 if they are blind,

00:13:07.980 --> 00:13:09.299
 your teacher is blind,

00:13:09.460 --> 00:13:10.519
 you are going to fall,

00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:12.120
 into a pit in your life.

00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:15.039
 And so the reality,

00:13:15.220 --> 00:13:15.779
 he's saying is,

00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:17.100
 follow someone,

00:13:17.220 --> 00:13:18.460
 who is going to give you,

00:13:18.620 --> 00:13:20.279
 a beautiful future,

00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:20.820
 not someone,

00:13:20.899 --> 00:13:21.700
 who's going to lead you,

00:13:21.740 --> 00:13:22.460
 into a pit.

00:13:23.399 --> 00:13:24.460
 And there's a question,

00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:25.720
 and here's the reality.

00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:28.080
 You're not autonomous.

00:13:29.220 --> 00:13:30.600
 You are being discipled.

00:13:31.160 --> 00:13:32.540
 Who is discipling you?

00:13:33.800 --> 00:13:34.200
 Well,

00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:35.980
 if you do nothing about that,

00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:36.660
 let me tell you,

00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:37.279
 here's one thing,

00:13:37.340 --> 00:13:38.040
 that's discipling you,

00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:38.600
 this city,

00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:39.940
 is discipling you.

00:13:40.779 --> 00:13:41.080
 You know,

00:13:41.139 --> 00:13:42.320
 when I first came to Hong Kong,

00:13:43.060 --> 00:13:43.920
 I didn't,

00:13:44.180 --> 00:13:44.899
 need to feel,

00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:46.060
 any moments of kind of,

00:13:46.180 --> 00:13:46.340
 you know,

00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:47.500
 when you're waiting for the MTR,

00:13:47.620 --> 00:13:48.540
 you're waiting for something.

00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:50.019
 And I was so relaxed,

00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:50.600
 I was fine,

00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:51.540
 and I would laugh,

00:13:51.860 --> 00:13:52.740
 at everybody else,

00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:53.420
 who was just kind of,

00:13:53.419 --> 00:13:54.240
 rushing around,

00:13:54.339 --> 00:13:54.779
 restfully,

00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:56.240
 trying to get into the lift,

00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:57.059
 trying to kind of,

00:13:57.139 --> 00:13:58.179
 all the time on their phone,

00:13:58.259 --> 00:13:59.019
 any spare minute,

00:13:59.240 --> 00:13:59.479
 like,

00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:00.439
 like they were an addict,

00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:01.000
 or something.

00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:03.559
 And I would laugh at it.

00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:03.959
 I thought,

00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:04.120
 well,

00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:04.740
 that's ridiculous.

00:14:06.299 --> 00:14:07.659
 And then I got sucked in.

00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:09.799
 And two years ago,

00:14:09.860 --> 00:14:11.120
 I suddenly realised,

00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:13.319
 I was just like them.

00:14:13.479 --> 00:14:14.979
 I couldn't get into a lift,

00:14:15.139 --> 00:14:16.240
 for 30 seconds,

00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:17.799
 without pulling out my phone,

00:14:18.059 --> 00:14:18.860
 and kind of looking,

00:14:18.860 --> 00:14:20.099
 at a WhatsApp message,

00:14:20.219 --> 00:14:21.059
 that I'd already looked at,

00:14:21.099 --> 00:14:22.000
 like a minute before.

00:14:23.419 --> 00:14:24.519
 And I got FOMO,

00:14:24.659 --> 00:14:25.939
 fear of missing out,

00:14:26.339 --> 00:14:27.379
 if I didn't check,

00:14:27.439 --> 00:14:29.299
 when the notification ding went off.

00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:30.319
 My heart,

00:14:30.439 --> 00:14:31.579
 had been captured.

00:14:32.899 --> 00:14:33.579
 This city,

00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:34.679
 is discipling,

00:14:34.719 --> 00:14:35.399
 what you love,

00:14:35.579 --> 00:14:36.599
 and what you fear,

00:14:37.059 --> 00:14:38.139
 and to desire,

00:14:38.339 --> 00:14:39.500
 certain things,

00:14:39.659 --> 00:14:40.579
 through your habits.

00:14:40.939 --> 00:14:41.659
 Your parents,

00:14:41.740 --> 00:14:42.839
 have discipled you,

00:14:42.979 --> 00:14:44.439
 more than anybody else.

00:14:44.699 --> 00:14:45.959
 They've influenced you,

00:14:46.099 --> 00:14:47.719
 and your responses today,

00:14:47.959 --> 00:14:48.759
 are much,

00:14:49.339 --> 00:14:50.379
 much shaped,

00:14:50.379 --> 00:14:51.360
 by what they,

00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:52.600
 have shaped,

00:14:52.779 --> 00:14:53.600
 in your life.

00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:56.360
 You don't need to do anything,

00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:57.860
 except wake up tomorrow,

00:14:58.179 --> 00:14:59.559
 and you're already being discipled,

00:14:59.659 --> 00:15:00.139
 by someone.

00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:02.360
 And conformed,

00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:03.200
 into their image,

00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:04.159
 which is why,

00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:06.799
 James Smith,

00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:07.779
 says this,

00:15:08.779 --> 00:15:10.039
 discipleship,

00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:11.360
 with Jesus,

00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:12.980
 is a way,

00:15:13.139 --> 00:15:14.720
 to curate your heart,

00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:16.279
 to be attentive,

00:15:16.980 --> 00:15:17.420
 to,

00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:18.420
 and intentional,

00:15:18.420 --> 00:15:19.200
 about,

00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:19.960
 what,

00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:20.600
 and who,

00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:21.279
 you love.

00:15:21.800 --> 00:15:22.440
 He's saying,

00:15:22.779 --> 00:15:24.320
 we've got to be intentional,

00:15:24.940 --> 00:15:25.420
 about,

00:15:25.680 --> 00:15:26.379
 what it means,

00:15:26.460 --> 00:15:27.240
 to follow Jesus.

00:15:28.560 --> 00:15:29.320
 But you think,

00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:29.500
 well,

00:15:29.620 --> 00:15:30.340
 why Jesus?

00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:32.019
 Why not Elon Musk,

00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:33.360
 or Li Kao Xing,

00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:34.320
 or your boss?

00:15:36.060 --> 00:15:36.820
 Here's why.

00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:38.220
 Anyone else,

00:15:38.220 --> 00:15:38.899
 you follow,

00:15:39.639 --> 00:15:41.220
 will weigh you down,

00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:42.320
 with expectations,

00:15:42.540 --> 00:15:43.700
 you can't live up to.

00:15:43.700 --> 00:15:46.120
 But Jesus wants to free you,

00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:47.300
 from the burdens,

00:15:47.500 --> 00:15:48.640
 that people put on you.

00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:49.620
 Matthew 23,

00:15:49.800 --> 00:15:51.300
 describes the religious leaders,

00:15:51.400 --> 00:15:51.920
 of the time.

00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:53.660
 Here's what he says about them.

00:15:54.280 --> 00:15:55.180
 These other teachers,

00:15:55.320 --> 00:15:55.680
 he says,

00:15:56.060 --> 00:15:57.780
 they tie up heavy burdens,

00:15:58.680 --> 00:15:59.740
 hard to bear,

00:16:00.520 --> 00:16:01.560
 and they lay them,

00:16:01.740 --> 00:16:02.920
 on people's shoulders,

00:16:03.740 --> 00:16:04.860
 but they themselves,

00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:05.920
 are not willing,

00:16:06.100 --> 00:16:06.820
 to move them,

00:16:06.940 --> 00:16:07.680
 with their finger.

00:16:08.800 --> 00:16:09.700
 Do you know what he's saying?

00:16:10.060 --> 00:16:10.620
 He's saying,

00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:11.660
 any other teacher,

00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:13.540
 self-help books,

00:16:13.700 --> 00:16:14.460
 religion,

00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:15.820
 devoid of relationship,

00:16:15.820 --> 00:16:16.420
 with Jesus,

00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:17.520
 Hong Kong culture,

00:16:17.900 --> 00:16:18.540
 this city,

00:16:19.379 --> 00:16:20.320
 what does it do?

00:16:20.400 --> 00:16:22.100
 It lays expectations,

00:16:22.100 --> 00:16:22.620
 on you.

00:16:22.800 --> 00:16:24.020
 It lays standards,

00:16:24.340 --> 00:16:25.720
 for you to have to live up to.

00:16:25.940 --> 00:16:26.700
 And if you manage,

00:16:26.820 --> 00:16:27.379
 to reach them,

00:16:27.580 --> 00:16:28.100
 you are filled,

00:16:28.220 --> 00:16:29.480
 with self-righteous pride,

00:16:29.680 --> 00:16:30.560
 and if you don't,

00:16:30.740 --> 00:16:31.520
 you get crushed,

00:16:31.640 --> 00:16:32.140
 in shame,

00:16:32.400 --> 00:16:32.900
 in guilt,

00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:33.980
 in just this sense,

00:16:34.020 --> 00:16:35.200
 of burden on your back,

00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:35.980
 that you're a failure,

00:16:36.100 --> 00:16:36.920
 never good enough.

00:16:37.500 --> 00:16:38.759
 And no one comes,

00:16:39.040 --> 00:16:40.120
 and lifts those burdens,

00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:40.640
 off you.

00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:45.220
 Here's what Jesus says.

00:16:47.019 --> 00:16:47.659
 Come to me,

00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:49.259
 all,

00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:50.120
 all,

00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:51.720
 who are weary,

00:16:52.199 --> 00:16:53.559
 and heavy laden,

00:16:54.439 --> 00:16:56.019
 and I will give you rest.

00:16:56.740 --> 00:16:58.460
 Take my yoke upon you,

00:16:58.740 --> 00:17:00.580
 and learn from me,

00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:02.439
 for I am gentle,

00:17:02.699 --> 00:17:03.639
 and lowly,

00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:06.460
 and you will find rest,

00:17:06.460 --> 00:17:07.700
 for your souls.

00:17:07.700 --> 00:17:11.180
 Isn't that an amazing promise?

00:17:11.860 --> 00:17:12.100
 You see,

00:17:12.259 --> 00:17:13.200
 that yoke,

00:17:13.860 --> 00:17:15.720
 was a rabbi's term,

00:17:15.819 --> 00:17:16.140
 actually,

00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:17.240
 for someone's teaching.

00:17:17.360 --> 00:17:18.680
 They talked about the yoke of the law,

00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:19.620
 and things like that.

00:17:20.100 --> 00:17:20.240
 But,

00:17:20.340 --> 00:17:21.340
 but literally,

00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:22.980
 it was a wooden weight,

00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:23.799
 that you put,

00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:25.100
 on an oxen,

00:17:26.019 --> 00:17:26.140
 to,

00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:27.200
 around their neck,

00:17:27.299 --> 00:17:28.299
 to train them,

00:17:28.539 --> 00:17:29.380
 to plow,

00:17:29.500 --> 00:17:30.620
 a field straight.

00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:33.100
 And Jesus here says,

00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:34.840
 I have a yoke of training,

00:17:35.500 --> 00:17:37.019
 but it's not a weighty yoke.

00:17:37.660 --> 00:17:38.960
 It's an easy yoke.

00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:40.019
 He's not saying,

00:17:40.379 --> 00:17:41.980
 it's easy for life,

00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:42.680
 as a Christian.

00:17:42.779 --> 00:17:43.240
 It's not.

00:17:43.319 --> 00:17:43.700
 But he's saying,

00:17:43.799 --> 00:17:44.960
 I don't load you,

00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:46.599
 with all the other burdens,

00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:48.279
 all the other expectations,

00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:49.180
 all the guilt,

00:17:49.339 --> 00:17:50.059
 all the shame,

00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:51.299
 all those other things,

00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:52.839
 that even in religion,

00:17:53.619 --> 00:17:54.839
 even in church,

00:17:54.940 --> 00:17:56.480
 you can feel that,

00:17:57.400 --> 00:17:58.839
 when we're not walking with Jesus.

00:18:00.099 --> 00:18:01.500
 But Jesus says,

00:18:01.500 --> 00:18:02.059
 on the cross,

00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:03.039
 I've taken them.

00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:04.879
 I've taken them.

00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:06.619
 My yoke is easy.

00:18:06.619 --> 00:18:08.019
 My burden is light.

00:18:08.239 --> 00:18:08.759
 Your guilt,

00:18:09.019 --> 00:18:09.719
 your shame,

00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:11.479
 those unmet expectations,

00:18:11.479 --> 00:18:13.459
 that you can't lift by yourself,

00:18:13.679 --> 00:18:14.919
 and you can't carry,

00:18:15.139 --> 00:18:16.419
 your own sinfulness,

00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:19.739
 I lift that off you.

00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:22.159
 I'm not harsh,

00:18:22.419 --> 00:18:23.000
 and punishing.

00:18:23.239 --> 00:18:24.139
 I'm gentle,

00:18:24.439 --> 00:18:25.399
 and lowly.

00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:26.719
 I'm accessible.

00:18:27.139 --> 00:18:28.399
 I'm with you.

00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:31.019
 And if you're trying to,

00:18:31.180 --> 00:18:33.420
 if you're starting to take those burdens,

00:18:33.720 --> 00:18:34.900
 on your back,

00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:37.900
 those expectations,

00:18:38.420 --> 00:18:39.860
 of all the things that you've got to be,

00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:41.180
 but you know you can't be,

00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:44.300
 that's because you're trying to take another yoke,

00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:45.040
 not mine.

00:18:46.320 --> 00:18:48.080
 Your training with Jesus,

00:18:48.080 --> 00:18:50.300
 is not about meeting a standard.

00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:53.740
 Jesus has met the standard for you.

00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:56.839
 This yoke is a yoke of grace.

00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:00.039
 But here's the key thing.

00:19:01.620 --> 00:19:05.319
 Grace is not opposed to effort.

00:19:06.019 --> 00:19:07.599
 It is opposed to earning.

00:19:08.859 --> 00:19:10.420
 Earning is an attitude,

00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:12.579
 where you never feel you've done enough,

00:19:12.579 --> 00:19:16.519
 but effort is an action that you have to do.

00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:18.960
 Jesus,

00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:21.700
 when calling us to become like him,

00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:24.740
 he's not calling us to try harder,

00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:27.639
 but he's calling us to train.

00:19:29.180 --> 00:19:29.500
 You know,

00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:30.839
 I love my son.

00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:33.960
 When he wasn't walking,

00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:35.000
 I loved him.

00:19:36.059 --> 00:19:37.259
 Now he's walking,

00:19:37.420 --> 00:19:38.400
 I still love him,

00:19:38.660 --> 00:19:38.960
 okay?

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:42.519
 My love for him is not determined

00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:44.200
 whether he walks or not.

00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:45.799
 But,

00:19:46.220 --> 00:19:48.819
 I have still spent ages

00:19:48.819 --> 00:19:51.080
 encouraging him how to walk.

00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:52.279
 I've held his hands.

00:19:52.539 --> 00:19:53.900
 I've walked with him step by step.

00:19:54.200 --> 00:19:55.160
 I've encouraged him

00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:56.500
 as he's kind of fallen over again

00:19:56.500 --> 00:19:57.640
 and he's come back up again

00:19:57.640 --> 00:19:58.860
 and we've gone on this journey

00:19:58.860 --> 00:20:00.380
 again and again and again

00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:01.360
 and again and again.

00:20:03.080 --> 00:20:03.559
 Why?

00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:05.660
 He wasn't earning my love.

00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:07.240
 He already had that.

00:20:07.559 --> 00:20:08.660
 But what was he doing?

00:20:08.840 --> 00:20:10.279
 He was training to become

00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:12.120
 the person he was made to be.

00:20:12.340 --> 00:20:13.319
 Someone who can walk.

00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:17.259
 Someone who is going to flourish.

00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:19.319
 That as a father

00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:20.700
 who loves his child

00:20:20.700 --> 00:20:21.480
 is what I want.

00:20:21.779 --> 00:20:23.720
 That when God looks at us

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:25.339
 and he calls us to train

00:20:25.339 --> 00:20:27.460
 is what he wants for us.

00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:28.759
 He is conforming us

00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:30.519
 into the image of his son

00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:31.980
 because that's where we flourish.

00:20:32.659 --> 00:20:34.579
 That's where we find rest.

00:20:36.700 --> 00:20:37.980
 To be like Jesus.

00:20:38.879 --> 00:20:40.740
 Follow me, he says.

00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:42.559
 That's where we're going.

00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:46.240
 But you know,

00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:47.640
 sometimes I think as Christians,

00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:51.299
 don't we often look at our lust

00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:53.420
 or our lack of self-control

00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:55.519
 or our complaining

00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:56.680
 and all the things

00:20:56.680 --> 00:20:58.519
 that we see that we do wrong

00:20:58.519 --> 00:20:59.720
 and then we look at Jesus'

00:20:59.940 --> 00:21:00.900
 perfect responses

00:21:00.900 --> 00:21:01.660
 and we go,

00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:03.640
 yeah, but that's Jesus, isn't it?

00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:05.160
 I'm not Jesus.

00:21:05.859 --> 00:21:06.799
 I can't do that.

00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:07.899
 And we just kind of carry on

00:21:07.899 --> 00:21:08.819
 living our own way.

00:21:11.500 --> 00:21:12.940
 And in one sense, it's true.

00:21:13.399 --> 00:21:15.019
 You can't do that now.

00:21:17.099 --> 00:21:18.619
 But if my son had looked

00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:19.539
 at someone running

00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:20.859
 while he still couldn't walk

00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:22.059
 and said,

00:21:22.180 --> 00:21:23.099
 I can't do that.

00:21:24.099 --> 00:21:24.819
 It's true.

00:21:25.339 --> 00:21:26.519
 He couldn't at that moment.

00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:28.079
 At least not yet.

00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:30.079
 But with practice,

00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:30.659
 he will.

00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:31.460
 And he is.

00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:33.000
 Jesus says,

00:21:33.179 --> 00:21:35.559
 everyone when he is fully trained

00:21:35.559 --> 00:21:37.980
 becomes like his teacher.

00:21:38.439 --> 00:21:40.139
 That means you can be partially trained.

00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:41.379
 We're not fully trained yet.

00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:43.500
 But we're in that training process

00:21:43.500 --> 00:21:44.439
 which will continue

00:21:44.439 --> 00:21:46.259
 for the rest of our lives.

00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:47.899
 And he's saying,

00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:48.980
 I'm leading you

00:21:48.980 --> 00:21:50.679
 to become more like me.

00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:51.980
 Will you trust me?

00:21:51.980 --> 00:21:55.140
 Some people think

00:21:55.140 --> 00:21:56.120
 that that just should happen

00:21:56.120 --> 00:21:56.940
 miraculously.

00:21:57.360 --> 00:21:58.160
 We say things like,

00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:59.759
 let go and let God.

00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.819
 Which is actually

00:22:00.819 --> 00:22:01.860
 terrible theology.

00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:03.220
 You see,

00:22:03.660 --> 00:22:04.500
 it's like God will do

00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:05.579
 everything for you.

00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:08.059
 No, it's a partnership.

00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:10.039
 If I say to my son,

00:22:10.259 --> 00:22:11.579
 we're just going to lay hands on you

00:22:11.579 --> 00:22:13.039
 and pray that you're going to walk

00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:13.880
 without any effort.

00:22:14.019 --> 00:22:14.680
 That's a miracle.

00:22:15.180 --> 00:22:16.680
 God does that in our lives.

00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:17.500
 But if that happens

00:22:17.500 --> 00:22:18.660
 every single time,

00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:19.620
 he's going to need a miracle

00:22:19.620 --> 00:22:21.360
 every time he tries to stand up.

00:22:22.980 --> 00:22:24.039
 But God says,

00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:25.480
 no, I want to partner with you.

00:22:25.559 --> 00:22:26.779
 I'm going to take the weight

00:22:26.779 --> 00:22:27.860
 of the yoke

00:22:27.860 --> 00:22:29.660
 so you don't have to earn my love.

00:22:29.880 --> 00:22:30.759
 You've got it.

00:22:31.380 --> 00:22:32.460
 It's a light yoke.

00:22:32.680 --> 00:22:34.819
 And I'm giving my spirit in you

00:22:34.819 --> 00:22:36.319
 to empower you.

00:22:36.519 --> 00:22:38.200
 You just need to walk with me,

00:22:38.299 --> 00:22:39.319
 to be with me,

00:22:39.360 --> 00:22:40.640
 as Kevin was saying last week.

00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:42.420
 And I'm going to lead you there.

00:22:43.559 --> 00:22:44.839
 I'm going to lead you there.

00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:48.519
 And I know often in my life,

00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.420
 I've wanted to change.

00:22:51.019 --> 00:22:51.960
 Don't we want to change?

00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:53.920
 I've wanted to change.

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:57.759
 But I've just not known how to change.

00:22:58.779 --> 00:23:00.480
 And so here's what I want to spend

00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:02.039
 the rest of our time looking at.

00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:04.640
 We've talked about what it means

00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:06.620
 that the goal is to be like Jesus.

00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:08.140
 It's by grace.

00:23:08.519 --> 00:23:09.519
 But let's see,

00:23:09.700 --> 00:23:12.039
 how do we get chained by Jesus?

00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:14.100
 I've got four things here,

00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:15.940
 how Jesus trains us.

00:23:15.940 --> 00:23:20.580
 The first is through his word.

00:23:22.460 --> 00:23:22.860
 You know,

00:23:23.460 --> 00:23:26.080
 the world around is discipling us

00:23:26.080 --> 00:23:29.080
 to believe a certain story about life,

00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:31.140
 a vision of the good life.

00:23:32.140 --> 00:23:32.700
 You know,

00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:34.360
 what's the Hong Kong story?

00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:36.179
 It's like life is a competition.

00:23:37.259 --> 00:23:37.459
 You,

00:23:37.939 --> 00:23:39.679
 your value is based

00:23:39.679 --> 00:23:40.759
 on how you perform

00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:41.500
 in this competition.

00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:42.419
 So,

00:23:42.599 --> 00:23:43.679
 for you to be a success,

00:23:43.919 --> 00:23:45.539
 for you to be worth anything,

00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:47.000
 what have you got to do?

00:23:47.339 --> 00:23:47.659
 Well,

00:23:47.939 --> 00:23:48.579
 you've got to

00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:50.039
 get in the best schools,

00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:51.299
 you've got to study hard,

00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:52.539
 you've got to get the best jobs,

00:23:52.599 --> 00:23:53.419
 you've got to get promotion,

00:23:53.819 --> 00:23:55.139
 you've got to then buy a flat,

00:23:55.379 --> 00:23:55.919
 get married,

00:23:56.059 --> 00:23:56.959
 buy a bigger flat,

00:23:57.240 --> 00:23:58.019
 earn enough money

00:23:58.019 --> 00:23:59.199
 so that you can retire early,

00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:00.539
 so that then your kids

00:24:00.539 --> 00:24:02.420
 can get into the best schools,

00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.420
 can study hard,

00:24:03.580 --> 00:24:04.440
 can get the best jobs,

00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:06.420
 and it just goes on and on and on and on and on,

00:24:06.460 --> 00:24:07.180
 and that's the cycle.

00:24:08.180 --> 00:24:09.900
 And anyone who's not in that race,

00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:11.200
 or anyone who's like a loser

00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:12.460
 down in last place,

00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:13.299
 they're just,

00:24:13.360 --> 00:24:14.900
 they're just a loser,

00:24:15.620 --> 00:24:16.180
 a failure.

00:24:18.620 --> 00:24:20.000
 And we can look down on them.

00:24:20.539 --> 00:24:21.440
 So just get working,

00:24:21.580 --> 00:24:22.120
 get harder.

00:24:23.900 --> 00:24:25.640
 How much does that burden us?

00:24:27.700 --> 00:24:28.100
 Parents,

00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:29.920
 students,

00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:31.360
 workers,

00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:33.200
 the poor,

00:24:34.519 --> 00:24:35.819
 how much do we feel

00:24:35.819 --> 00:24:37.360
 the heaviness of that yoke?

00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:39.519
 And yet that's a vision

00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:41.900
 that many of us,

00:24:42.380 --> 00:24:44.980
 all of us are saturated with

00:24:44.980 --> 00:24:46.539
 every single day

00:24:46.539 --> 00:24:47.779
 as we go out into Hong Kong.

00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:51.720
 Jesus comes and he says,

00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:53.559
 learn from me.

00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:56.299
 I want to give you a new story.

00:24:56.840 --> 00:24:58.580
 I want you to see who I am.

00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:00.819
 And this is why teaching

00:25:00.819 --> 00:25:03.100
 and scripture is so important.

00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:06.640
 It's why Sundays are so important

00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:08.100
 to get your mind.

00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:09.460
 Here's what Romans says,

00:25:09.720 --> 00:25:12.299
 don't be conformed to this world,

00:25:12.380 --> 00:25:13.160
 but be transformed.

00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:15.440
 So the renewal of your mind,

00:25:15.660 --> 00:25:17.319
 there's the same metamorphosis word.

00:25:17.580 --> 00:25:19.400
 Your mind needs to get changed

00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:21.220
 and transformed by God's word

00:25:21.220 --> 00:25:22.200
 as you're reading scripture,

00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:23.279
 as you're listening to sermons,

00:25:23.360 --> 00:25:24.960
 as you're discussing it together.

00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:26.299
 God's word,

00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:27.340
 worship music,

00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:29.259
 needs to flood your heart

00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:30.500
 so you have a new

00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:31.559
 and a better story,

00:25:31.860 --> 00:25:33.180
 a new and a better goal,

00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:34.559
 a new and a better teacher

00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:36.460
 to have your eyes fixed upon.

00:25:38.059 --> 00:25:39.519
 And this is not just about

00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:40.819
 getting information,

00:25:41.360 --> 00:25:43.500
 it's about getting a new set of lenses

00:25:43.500 --> 00:25:45.859
 and desires

00:25:45.859 --> 00:25:48.500
 and loves to shape you

00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:49.460
 in all of life.

00:25:50.460 --> 00:25:50.680
 You know,

00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:52.880
 when Etienne was five months old,

00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:55.019
 Fiona downloaded an app

00:25:55.019 --> 00:25:56.180
 for baby activities.

00:25:57.019 --> 00:25:58.220
 And before you could get on the app,

00:25:58.259 --> 00:25:59.559
 there was this survey to fill in.

00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:01.480
 And at the end of it,

00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:02.259
 suddenly it pulled up

00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:03.079
 all these statistics.

00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:04.339
 And it said,

00:26:04.339 --> 00:26:08.139
 your baby is 19th percentile,

00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:10.839
 19% percentile for communication,

00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:12.919
 14% for movement.

00:26:13.059 --> 00:26:13.579
 And by this I'm going,

00:26:13.659 --> 00:26:14.399
 oh my goodness,

00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:17.119
 12% for brain development.

00:26:17.399 --> 00:26:17.720
 And I'm going,

00:26:17.779 --> 00:26:18.759
 he's going to be a failure

00:26:18.759 --> 00:26:20.139
 for all of his life.

00:26:21.439 --> 00:26:22.959
 49% for something else,

00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:23.279
 I don't know.

00:26:23.339 --> 00:26:23.599
 And I went,

00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:25.519
 at least he's normal in that one.

00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:26.740
 And then suddenly,

00:26:27.699 --> 00:26:29.659
 I stopped.

00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:31.939
 And I thought,

00:26:31.940 --> 00:26:34.320
 that's ridiculous.

00:26:35.620 --> 00:26:37.980
 My son's life is in God's hands.

00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:39.320
 He loves us.

00:26:39.559 --> 00:26:40.559
 He cares for us.

00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:41.860
 He's got our future

00:26:41.860 --> 00:26:43.220
 in his hands.

00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:45.220
 Why am I so worried

00:26:45.220 --> 00:26:47.759
 about this little stupid thing

00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:49.059
 at five months old?

00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:51.880
 But isn't that exactly

00:26:51.880 --> 00:26:53.299
 what social media,

00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:54.840
 what the rest of Hong Kong

00:26:54.840 --> 00:26:56.160
 does to us every single day

00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:57.120
 and how we respond?

00:26:58.660 --> 00:26:59.640
 But scripture

00:26:59.640 --> 00:27:02.400
 is what will recalibrate you

00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:03.440
 to see life

00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:04.780
 through a different lens.

00:27:06.660 --> 00:27:07.640
 And it gets you out

00:27:07.640 --> 00:27:09.259
 of that performance insanity

00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:10.840
 that we're just soaked in.

00:27:12.340 --> 00:27:13.680
 But many Christians in Hong Kong,

00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:14.820
 we think transformation

00:27:14.820 --> 00:27:17.340
 is about just information.

00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:19.040
 And so we think

00:27:19.040 --> 00:27:20.860
 more Bible knowledge

00:27:20.860 --> 00:27:22.480
 equals more godliness.

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:25.319
 That's why we do

00:27:25.319 --> 00:27:26.180
 tons of courses.

00:27:26.579 --> 00:27:27.819
 We do whether it's BSF

00:27:27.819 --> 00:27:28.960
 or Bible story course

00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:30.440
 or Bible studies.

00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:31.759
 We listen to famous preachers.

00:27:31.819 --> 00:27:33.140
 And it's all great stuff

00:27:33.140 --> 00:27:33.940
 we need to learn.

00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:35.180
 We're all about the Bible

00:27:35.180 --> 00:27:36.079
 here at Watermark.

00:27:38.680 --> 00:27:40.039
 But I think many of us,

00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:40.779
 our view

00:27:40.779 --> 00:27:43.980
 of how we learn Jesus

00:27:43.980 --> 00:27:44.720
 is shaped more

00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:45.559
 by the city's view

00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:46.240
 of education

00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:47.680
 rather than Jesus' view

00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:48.599
 of discipleship.

00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:50.480
 Because, you know,

00:27:50.539 --> 00:27:51.640
 you could study this passage

00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:52.400
 about come to me

00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:53.360
 and I will give you rest.

00:27:53.600 --> 00:27:54.140
 You could listen

00:27:54.140 --> 00:27:55.180
 to sermons about it

00:27:55.180 --> 00:27:56.960
 and listen all year

00:27:56.960 --> 00:27:57.920
 and you never actually

00:27:57.920 --> 00:27:59.000
 experience the rest

00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:00.560
 that Jesus wants to give you.

00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:02.120
 Do you know why?

00:28:02.920 --> 00:28:03.940
 Because you're not learning

00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:05.120
 to be with Jesus

00:28:05.120 --> 00:28:05.840
 as you're reading.

00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:06.840
 You're just doing it

00:28:06.840 --> 00:28:07.540
 for information.

00:28:09.640 --> 00:28:10.780
 He wants you to listen

00:28:10.780 --> 00:28:11.480
 to this sermon.

00:28:11.600 --> 00:28:13.080
 He wants you to read scripture

00:28:13.080 --> 00:28:13.840
 saying,

00:28:13.960 --> 00:28:15.360
 God, I want you to speak to me.

00:28:15.400 --> 00:28:16.360
 I want to know you.

00:28:16.359 --> 00:28:19.279
 And it's not just

00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:20.500
 you're not learning

00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:21.500
 to be with Jesus,

00:28:21.719 --> 00:28:22.439
 but actually

00:28:22.439 --> 00:28:24.019
 there are habits

00:28:24.019 --> 00:28:25.240
 in our life

00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:26.759
 which directly

00:28:26.759 --> 00:28:27.479
 counter

00:28:27.479 --> 00:28:29.319
 everything we're reading

00:28:29.319 --> 00:28:31.359
 and start to shape us

00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:32.439
 so they offset

00:28:32.439 --> 00:28:33.459
 everything that God

00:28:33.459 --> 00:28:35.119
 is trying to form us into.

00:28:35.719 --> 00:28:36.679
 Which is why

00:28:36.679 --> 00:28:37.819
 learning scripture

00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:38.699
 is not enough.

00:28:38.939 --> 00:28:39.779
 It's important.

00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:41.219
 But we also need

00:28:41.219 --> 00:28:41.959
 the second thing,

00:28:42.579 --> 00:28:43.159
 which is

00:28:43.159 --> 00:28:44.319
 we need to practice

00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:45.439
 his godly habits.

00:28:48.879 --> 00:28:49.359
 Do you know your,

00:28:49.639 --> 00:28:50.200
 this is what

00:28:50.200 --> 00:28:51.559
 James Smith says.

00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:54.379
 Your deepest desire

00:28:54.379 --> 00:28:56.460
 is the one manifested

00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:57.679
 by your daily life

00:28:57.679 --> 00:28:58.299
 and habits.

00:28:58.879 --> 00:28:59.599
 Just stop there

00:28:59.599 --> 00:28:59.980
 for a minute.

00:29:00.980 --> 00:29:02.079
 Just think about that.

00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:04.740
 Your deepest desire

00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:06.159
 is the one manifested

00:29:06.159 --> 00:29:07.200
 by your daily life

00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:07.859
 and habits.

00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:10.200
 This is because

00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:10.939
 our action,

00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:11.539
 our doing,

00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:12.299
 bubbles up

00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:13.240
 from our loves

00:29:13.240 --> 00:29:14.640
 which are habits

00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:15.839
 we've acquired

00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:16.980
 through the practices

00:29:16.980 --> 00:29:18.079
 we're immersed in.

00:29:19.319 --> 00:29:20.620
 And here's what he says.

00:29:20.759 --> 00:29:21.779
 I might be learning

00:29:21.779 --> 00:29:23.099
 to love a goal

00:29:23.099 --> 00:29:25.420
 that I'm not even aware of

00:29:25.420 --> 00:29:26.640
 and that nonetheless

00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:28.140
 governs my life

00:29:28.140 --> 00:29:30.000
 in unconscious ways.

00:29:30.440 --> 00:29:31.339
 This is what Jesus,

00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:31.680
 you know,

00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:32.279
 the Bible says,

00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:34.380
 sow to the spirit.

00:29:35.220 --> 00:29:36.259
 Because what you sow,

00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:36.880
 you'll reap.

00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:39.980
 How easy

00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:42.640
 is it to get into habits?

00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:44.680
 Bad ones,

00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:46.040
 really easy.

00:29:46.840 --> 00:29:47.520
 Good ones,

00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:48.740
 really hard.

00:29:49.500 --> 00:29:51.380
 Sin is a bad habit

00:29:51.380 --> 00:29:53.180
 hardwired into our hearts.

00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:54.840
 Good godliness

00:29:54.840 --> 00:29:56.060
 is a good habit

00:29:56.060 --> 00:29:57.360
 that the spirit

00:29:57.360 --> 00:29:58.400
 is wanting to work

00:29:58.400 --> 00:29:59.880
 and change our hearts

00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:01.140
 to desire and practice

00:30:01.140 --> 00:30:01.700
 inside.

00:30:03.400 --> 00:30:05.300
 My son will not let us

00:30:05.300 --> 00:30:06.300
 brush his teeth.

00:30:06.620 --> 00:30:07.759
 He hates it.

00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:09.800
 He shuts his mouth.

00:30:10.080 --> 00:30:11.200
 He turns his head away.

00:30:11.200 --> 00:30:12.940
 But I can guarantee

00:30:12.940 --> 00:30:14.039
 if he's anything like me

00:30:14.039 --> 00:30:15.220
 in 20 years' time,

00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:17.120
 if he goes one day

00:30:17.120 --> 00:30:18.420
 without brushing his teeth,

00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:18.880
 he's going to go,

00:30:19.059 --> 00:30:19.299
 man,

00:30:19.340 --> 00:30:20.220
 there's something wrong.

00:30:20.360 --> 00:30:22.380
 I just don't like this.

00:30:24.019 --> 00:30:25.279
 How do you get

00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:26.860
 from hating something

00:30:26.860 --> 00:30:28.279
 to loving it?

00:30:29.140 --> 00:30:30.460
 One of the key ways

00:30:30.460 --> 00:30:32.640
 is you just practice it.

00:30:33.100 --> 00:30:34.259
 Your habits,

00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:35.740
 your desires

00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:37.200
 just get shaped

00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:38.279
 by these habits

00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:39.279
 so your responses

00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:40.440
 become automatic.

00:30:41.339 --> 00:30:42.259
 I don't even think

00:30:42.259 --> 00:30:43.720
 about brushing my teeth now.

00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:45.759
 But the habits

00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:46.779
 you have today

00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:47.680
 are forming

00:30:47.680 --> 00:30:48.399
 your future.

00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:50.200
 This is what

00:30:50.200 --> 00:30:50.960
 scripture's saying.

00:30:51.579 --> 00:30:52.339
 What you reap

00:30:52.339 --> 00:30:53.460
 is what you sow

00:30:53.460 --> 00:30:54.220
 is what you reap.

00:30:54.660 --> 00:30:55.740
 What the first thing,

00:30:56.099 --> 00:30:56.420
 just think,

00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:57.180
 when the first thing

00:30:57.180 --> 00:30:57.980
 you do in the morning

00:30:57.980 --> 00:30:59.279
 and the last thing

00:30:59.279 --> 00:30:59.920
 you do at night

00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:01.139
 is look at your phone,

00:31:01.899 --> 00:31:02.579
 don't think

00:31:02.579 --> 00:31:03.639
 that isn't shaping you,

00:31:03.640 --> 00:31:04.120
 it is.

00:31:05.460 --> 00:31:06.200
 Don't think,

00:31:06.280 --> 00:31:07.040
 if you have nothing

00:31:07.040 --> 00:31:08.420
 to do for four minutes

00:31:08.420 --> 00:31:09.759
 without,

00:31:10.040 --> 00:31:11.140
 and you have to

00:31:11.140 --> 00:31:11.960
 reach for your phone

00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:13.040
 and mindlessly look

00:31:13.040 --> 00:31:13.720
 through Facebook

00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:14.320
 or YouTube

00:31:14.320 --> 00:31:15.020
 or something,

00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:16.200
 you're going to enjoy

00:31:16.200 --> 00:31:17.200
 rest with God

00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:17.780
 in the present.

00:31:18.060 --> 00:31:19.140
 Don't think you will.

00:31:19.600 --> 00:31:21.220
 That habit is countering

00:31:21.220 --> 00:31:21.960
 everything Jesus

00:31:21.960 --> 00:31:23.080
 wants to do in you.

00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:25.380
 Our culture's discipling us

00:31:25.380 --> 00:31:27.640
 into restless mediocrity

00:31:27.640 --> 00:31:28.640
 where we struggle

00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:29.880
 to relate to anyone else

00:31:29.880 --> 00:31:30.880
 when Jesus wants

00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:31.460
 to bring us

00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:32.220
 into flourishing.

00:31:34.420 --> 00:31:36.100
 What if we as a church

00:31:36.100 --> 00:31:38.299
 started a gospel rebellion

00:31:38.299 --> 00:31:40.500
 against our restless culture?

00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:43.100
 What if the first thing

00:31:43.100 --> 00:31:44.079
 that you did in the morning

00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:45.539
 was to train yourself

00:31:45.539 --> 00:31:46.160
 to say,

00:31:46.720 --> 00:31:48.200
 thank you, Father,

00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:49.880
 that I'm a dearly loved child

00:31:49.880 --> 00:31:51.000
 of God today.

00:31:51.539 --> 00:31:52.460
 Today's your day.

00:31:52.539 --> 00:31:53.660
 I am living for you.

00:31:54.180 --> 00:31:55.340
 I need your grace.

00:31:56.160 --> 00:31:57.620
 What if the last thing

00:31:57.620 --> 00:31:59.519
 you did every day

00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:00.519
 was to look back

00:32:00.519 --> 00:32:01.340
 over your day

00:32:01.339 --> 00:32:01.740
 and say,

00:32:01.799 --> 00:32:02.119
 God,

00:32:02.379 --> 00:32:03.500
 search my heart.

00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:05.519
 Show me

00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:06.639
 where there is any sin

00:32:06.639 --> 00:32:08.500
 and you confess it

00:32:08.500 --> 00:32:09.599
 and you thank God

00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:10.459
 for his grace.

00:32:11.019 --> 00:32:12.000
 What if you made

00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:12.659
 scripture

00:32:12.659 --> 00:32:14.779
 a daily habit?

00:32:15.259 --> 00:32:16.039
 You set a time,

00:32:16.119 --> 00:32:16.939
 you set a place,

00:32:17.179 --> 00:32:18.019
 15 minutes

00:32:18.019 --> 00:32:19.579
 every single day

00:32:19.579 --> 00:32:21.139
 in God's word.

00:32:21.379 --> 00:32:22.519
 That is going to

00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:23.759
 shape your life.

00:32:23.939 --> 00:32:24.699
 That is going to

00:32:24.699 --> 00:32:26.079
 metamorphosize you.

00:32:27.919 --> 00:32:29.139
 Here's what's going to happen.

00:32:29.140 --> 00:32:31.300
 Let me just kind of

00:32:31.300 --> 00:32:32.300
 flesh this out.

00:32:33.720 --> 00:32:34.380
 Let's say you've got

00:32:34.380 --> 00:32:35.320
 a habit of grumbling

00:32:35.320 --> 00:32:36.140
 and complaining.

00:32:37.020 --> 00:32:38.420
 When life goes wrong,

00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:39.540
 you just get miserable

00:32:39.540 --> 00:32:40.800
 and grumpy.

00:32:41.040 --> 00:32:41.820
 Anyone like that?

00:32:42.460 --> 00:32:42.960
 Okay.

00:32:44.600 --> 00:32:45.620
 And you read

00:32:45.620 --> 00:32:46.480
 Hebrews 12

00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:48.020
 that says,

00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:48.759
 Jesus,

00:32:49.259 --> 00:32:50.100
 for the joy

00:32:50.100 --> 00:32:50.820
 that was set

00:32:50.820 --> 00:32:51.620
 before him,

00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:53.380
 endured the cross.

00:32:53.380 --> 00:32:55.740
 and you go,

00:32:57.120 --> 00:32:57.580
 Jesus,

00:32:57.820 --> 00:32:58.680
 in the hardest

00:32:58.680 --> 00:32:59.600
 situation,

00:33:00.420 --> 00:33:01.200
 what is he?

00:33:01.360 --> 00:33:02.660
 He's got this joy

00:33:02.660 --> 00:33:04.320
 that is sustaining him

00:33:04.320 --> 00:33:05.220
 through this

00:33:05.220 --> 00:33:06.360
 most agony.

00:33:07.580 --> 00:33:08.680
 And there's this new vision

00:33:08.680 --> 00:33:09.840
 of how we can live life.

00:33:10.020 --> 00:33:10.840
 And what we go is,

00:33:10.920 --> 00:33:11.120
 oh, well,

00:33:11.120 --> 00:33:12.140
 that was just Jesus, right?

00:33:12.680 --> 00:33:13.580
 I can't do that.

00:33:14.340 --> 00:33:15.300
 Because we've forgotten

00:33:15.300 --> 00:33:16.740
 that Jesus gave his spirit

00:33:16.740 --> 00:33:17.280
 in us

00:33:17.280 --> 00:33:18.760
 to make us like him.

00:33:19.860 --> 00:33:20.500
 And then

00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:21.940
 we read in James 1

00:33:21.940 --> 00:33:22.460
 where it says,

00:33:22.840 --> 00:33:23.880
 consider it pure joy,

00:33:23.960 --> 00:33:25.120
 my brothers and sisters.

00:33:25.340 --> 00:33:26.480
 Whenever you face trials

00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:27.200
 of many kinds

00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:28.140
 because this is testing

00:33:28.140 --> 00:33:28.580
 your faith

00:33:28.580 --> 00:33:30.200
 and it's growing you mature

00:33:30.200 --> 00:33:31.380
 and we read that

00:33:31.380 --> 00:33:32.860
 and we hate that verse,

00:33:32.940 --> 00:33:33.279
 don't we?

00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:35.460
 Because we realize

00:33:35.460 --> 00:33:37.160
 that that's commanding us

00:33:37.160 --> 00:33:37.960
 not to be grumpy

00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:38.420
 all the time

00:33:38.420 --> 00:33:39.259
 but actually to rejoice

00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:40.799
 and we go,

00:33:40.880 --> 00:33:41.539
 yeah, I know that

00:33:41.539 --> 00:33:42.460
 but I can't do it.

00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:44.039
 And Jesus says,

00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:44.519
 yes,

00:33:44.600 --> 00:33:45.460
 not yet.

00:33:46.460 --> 00:33:47.420
 But you will

00:33:47.420 --> 00:33:48.920
 if you let me train you.

00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:50.799
 And so you go,

00:33:50.860 --> 00:33:51.559
 you grit your teeth

00:33:51.559 --> 00:33:51.860
 and you go,

00:33:51.940 --> 00:33:52.160
 okay,

00:33:52.340 --> 00:33:53.940
 I'm going to be joyful today.

00:33:55.580 --> 00:33:56.299
 Good luck.

00:33:56.460 --> 00:33:57.160
 That's going to last

00:33:57.160 --> 00:33:58.759
 about five minutes.

00:33:59.680 --> 00:34:01.180
 Because Jesus' yoke

00:34:01.180 --> 00:34:03.059
 is not a self-reliant yoke.

00:34:03.700 --> 00:34:04.580
 It's a yoke

00:34:04.580 --> 00:34:06.160
 of dependent prayer.

00:34:07.360 --> 00:34:07.779
 God,

00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:10.039
 that's where I want to be

00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:11.820
 but I'm not there right now.

00:34:11.940 --> 00:34:12.720
 Change my heart.

00:34:12.860 --> 00:34:13.519
 Forgive me.

00:34:13.880 --> 00:34:15.059
 Make me new, Lord.

00:34:15.099 --> 00:34:15.960
 I need you.

00:34:17.220 --> 00:34:18.599
 Spirit, fill me.

00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:22.279
 What are you doing?

00:34:23.380 --> 00:34:24.779
 That's a new habit

00:34:24.779 --> 00:34:26.440
 of the heart

00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:28.019
 of Jesus' reliance

00:34:28.019 --> 00:34:29.480
 not self-reliance.

00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:32.179
 And so you fill your soul

00:34:32.179 --> 00:34:33.019
 with Jesus.

00:34:33.159 --> 00:34:34.079
 You put other scriptures

00:34:34.079 --> 00:34:35.579
 about joy and thankfulness

00:34:35.579 --> 00:34:36.559
 on your screensaver.

00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:38.199
 You listen and read

00:34:38.199 --> 00:34:39.299
 Christian biographies

00:34:39.299 --> 00:34:40.019
 of videos

00:34:40.019 --> 00:34:41.259
 of joyful believers

00:34:41.259 --> 00:34:42.099
 who are just

00:34:42.099 --> 00:34:43.179
 imitating Jesus.

00:34:43.179 --> 00:34:45.099
 You start praising God

00:34:45.099 --> 00:34:46.399
 when you don't feel like it.

00:34:46.440 --> 00:34:47.159
 You keep praying

00:34:47.159 --> 00:34:48.319
 for God to change you

00:34:48.319 --> 00:34:49.179
 through that process.

00:34:49.579 --> 00:34:50.179
 And then

00:34:50.179 --> 00:34:53.299
 God gives you opportunities

00:34:53.299 --> 00:34:54.179
 to get grumpy.

00:34:56.179 --> 00:34:57.579
 That annoying colleague.

00:34:58.119 --> 00:34:59.659
 Your kid's just playing up.

00:35:00.159 --> 00:35:01.259
 Everything going wrong.

00:35:02.059 --> 00:35:02.440
 And you go,

00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:02.699
 okay,

00:35:02.799 --> 00:35:03.859
 this is an opportunity

00:35:03.859 --> 00:35:04.879
 for Jesus

00:35:04.879 --> 00:35:06.179
 to change me.

00:35:06.419 --> 00:35:07.500
 And you thank God

00:35:07.500 --> 00:35:08.139
 and it works

00:35:08.139 --> 00:35:09.139
 for a few minutes.

00:35:09.319 --> 00:35:10.319
 And then something else

00:35:10.319 --> 00:35:10.699
 hits you

00:35:10.699 --> 00:35:11.659
 and then you just spiral down

00:35:11.659 --> 00:35:12.279
 into complaining

00:35:12.280 --> 00:35:12.620
 and you go,

00:35:12.680 --> 00:35:13.240
 oh, there you go,

00:35:13.280 --> 00:35:13.780
 it didn't work.

00:35:13.960 --> 00:35:14.560
 And you give up.

00:35:18.440 --> 00:35:19.500
 That's just like people

00:35:19.500 --> 00:35:20.340
 who go to the gym

00:35:20.340 --> 00:35:21.660
 once

00:35:21.660 --> 00:35:23.260
 and then afterwards

00:35:23.260 --> 00:35:24.100
 they look in the mirror

00:35:24.100 --> 00:35:25.460
 and they look at themselves

00:35:25.460 --> 00:35:27.340
 and what do they see?

00:35:29.140 --> 00:35:29.500
 Nothing.

00:35:30.320 --> 00:35:31.200
 No change.

00:35:31.620 --> 00:35:32.360
 So they go for

00:35:32.360 --> 00:35:33.480
 maybe two weeks,

00:35:33.580 --> 00:35:34.380
 three times a week,

00:35:34.660 --> 00:35:35.200
 look in the mirror,

00:35:35.300 --> 00:35:35.920
 what do they see?

00:35:37.380 --> 00:35:37.740
 Nothing.

00:35:40.460 --> 00:35:41.400
 But do that

00:35:41.400 --> 00:35:42.700
 for six months,

00:35:43.300 --> 00:35:44.300
 for nine months,

00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:45.579
 for a year,

00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:46.780
 what will you see?

00:35:48.380 --> 00:35:48.860
 Change.

00:35:50.119 --> 00:35:50.639
 Change.

00:35:51.160 --> 00:35:51.559
 You see,

00:35:51.639 --> 00:35:53.059
 spiritual transformation

00:35:53.059 --> 00:35:54.860
 is this partnership

00:35:54.860 --> 00:35:56.400
 with the Spirit of God,

00:35:56.960 --> 00:35:58.300
 getting in His Word,

00:35:59.180 --> 00:36:00.099
 allowing Him

00:36:00.099 --> 00:36:01.559
 to bring us

00:36:01.559 --> 00:36:02.360
 to our knees,

00:36:02.660 --> 00:36:03.480
 requiring Him

00:36:03.480 --> 00:36:04.619
 filling our soul

00:36:04.619 --> 00:36:05.180
 with Jesus

00:36:05.180 --> 00:36:06.900
 in whatever way we can

00:36:06.900 --> 00:36:09.340
 in the long haul,

00:36:09.619 --> 00:36:10.800
 not just the short term.

00:36:12.380 --> 00:36:13.500
 But what helps you

00:36:13.500 --> 00:36:14.720
 to not give up?

00:36:15.160 --> 00:36:15.880
 What helps us

00:36:15.880 --> 00:36:16.780
 to persevere

00:36:16.780 --> 00:36:17.760
 in this?

00:36:19.139 --> 00:36:19.579
 Well,

00:36:19.619 --> 00:36:20.780
 we need training partners.

00:36:21.599 --> 00:36:23.240
 That's Christian community

00:36:23.240 --> 00:36:24.440
 that's coming around us.

00:36:24.559 --> 00:36:25.320
 How much easier

00:36:25.320 --> 00:36:26.380
 is it to go to the gym

00:36:26.380 --> 00:36:27.700
 if you've got somebody

00:36:27.700 --> 00:36:28.860
 to go with?

00:36:29.559 --> 00:36:30.639
 This is why

00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:32.280
 community is such a big value

00:36:32.280 --> 00:36:33.360
 for us as a church.

00:36:33.360 --> 00:36:34.660
 Because you know

00:36:34.660 --> 00:36:35.980
 who you hang around with

00:36:35.980 --> 00:36:36.840
 shapes

00:36:36.840 --> 00:36:38.460
 who you become

00:36:38.460 --> 00:36:39.780
 and what you love.

00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:42.840
 Make your non-believing

00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:43.880
 family or friends

00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:45.079
 your primary community

00:36:45.079 --> 00:36:46.180
 and unless you are

00:36:46.180 --> 00:36:47.240
 really alert,

00:36:48.240 --> 00:36:48.840
 their loves,

00:36:49.019 --> 00:36:49.660
 their desires

00:36:49.660 --> 00:36:50.800
 rub off on you.

00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:52.079
 Guaranteed.

00:36:52.300 --> 00:36:53.180
 So if you are not

00:36:53.180 --> 00:36:54.300
 in Christian community

00:36:54.300 --> 00:36:55.140
 right now

00:36:55.140 --> 00:36:55.740
 during COVID,

00:36:55.820 --> 00:36:56.620
 if you're just doing this

00:36:56.620 --> 00:36:57.099
 by yourself,

00:36:57.320 --> 00:36:58.180
 let me tell you,

00:36:58.180 --> 00:36:59.440
 you are being discipled

00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:00.300
 by everyone else,

00:37:00.579 --> 00:37:01.700
 but Jesus has probably

00:37:01.699 --> 00:37:02.899
 got a whole lot of stuff

00:37:02.899 --> 00:37:03.939
 he wants you to grow in,

00:37:04.099 --> 00:37:05.559
 but you won't be hearing him

00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:06.679
 because you need

00:37:06.679 --> 00:37:07.839
 community in that.

00:37:09.139 --> 00:37:09.559
 You know,

00:37:09.699 --> 00:37:10.519
 what community does,

00:37:10.579 --> 00:37:11.239
 it exposes

00:37:11.239 --> 00:37:12.480
 and encourages you.

00:37:13.559 --> 00:37:14.579
 When I'm feeling

00:37:14.579 --> 00:37:15.219
 restless,

00:37:16.079 --> 00:37:16.799
 burdened,

00:37:16.919 --> 00:37:17.980
 and someone shares

00:37:17.980 --> 00:37:19.599
 how Jesus and his word

00:37:19.599 --> 00:37:20.939
 is filling them

00:37:20.939 --> 00:37:21.559
 with joy

00:37:21.559 --> 00:37:22.099
 in the midst

00:37:22.099 --> 00:37:23.299
 of tough circumstances,

00:37:23.579 --> 00:37:23.819
 do you know

00:37:23.819 --> 00:37:24.439
 what that does?

00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:26.699
 It exposes me again

00:37:26.699 --> 00:37:27.079
 and goes,

00:37:27.079 --> 00:37:27.339
 hey,

00:37:27.419 --> 00:37:28.259
 I'm not there,

00:37:29.399 --> 00:37:31.359
 but I want to be like that.

00:37:32.559 --> 00:37:33.399
 And it shows you

00:37:33.399 --> 00:37:34.599
 you come back to God again

00:37:34.599 --> 00:37:34.779
 and go,

00:37:34.839 --> 00:37:34.960
 God,

00:37:35.059 --> 00:37:35.500
 forgive me.

00:37:35.519 --> 00:37:36.980
 And it just encourages you,

00:37:37.139 --> 00:37:38.359
 it spurs you on

00:37:38.359 --> 00:37:39.980
 as Hebrews tells us.

00:37:40.219 --> 00:37:40.639
 It's like,

00:37:40.899 --> 00:37:42.779
 let's keep gathering,

00:37:43.179 --> 00:37:43.759
 Hebrews says,

00:37:43.799 --> 00:37:44.899
 so that we urge each other,

00:37:45.059 --> 00:37:46.139
 spur each other on

00:37:46.139 --> 00:37:47.319
 to love and good deeds.

00:37:47.399 --> 00:37:47.659
 And you go,

00:37:47.739 --> 00:37:47.960
 Jesus,

00:37:48.059 --> 00:37:48.460
 I want that,

00:37:48.579 --> 00:37:49.159
 change me.

00:37:49.419 --> 00:37:50.079
 And there is just

00:37:50.079 --> 00:37:51.779
 this new vital hope.

00:37:52.359 --> 00:37:53.759
 That's why we're starting

00:37:53.759 --> 00:37:55.599
 something called

00:37:55.599 --> 00:37:57.099
 Transformation Groups,

00:37:57.659 --> 00:37:58.159
 TGs,

00:37:58.159 --> 00:38:01.460
 which are two to four people

00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:03.059
 who meet a couple of times

00:38:03.059 --> 00:38:03.559
 a month.

00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:06.219
 And the goal of that

00:38:06.219 --> 00:38:07.440
 is that they're going to

00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:08.199
 encourage us

00:38:08.199 --> 00:38:09.179
 and expose us

00:38:09.179 --> 00:38:10.339
 to help pursue

00:38:10.339 --> 00:38:11.799
 Christ-likeness

00:38:11.799 --> 00:38:12.659
 together.

00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:14.440
 And if you are not

00:38:14.440 --> 00:38:15.359
 in a community group,

00:38:16.139 --> 00:38:17.019
 because in community groups

00:38:17.019 --> 00:38:17.779
 we're going to be doing this,

00:38:17.839 --> 00:38:19.000
 if you're not in one of those,

00:38:19.279 --> 00:38:20.399
 but you know

00:38:20.399 --> 00:38:21.899
 you need to be in a TG,

00:38:22.399 --> 00:38:22.719
 then like,

00:38:22.799 --> 00:38:23.359
 let me know

00:38:23.359 --> 00:38:24.219
 or let Kevin know

00:38:24.219 --> 00:38:25.259
 or one of the staff,

00:38:25.260 --> 00:38:26.260
 because we want to

00:38:26.260 --> 00:38:26.880
 just gather you

00:38:26.880 --> 00:38:28.480
 together with one of those

00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:29.820
 because this is so crucial

00:38:29.820 --> 00:38:31.520
 for your health

00:38:31.520 --> 00:38:32.500
 and the health

00:38:32.500 --> 00:38:33.400
 of those around you

00:38:33.400 --> 00:38:33.780
 and the health

00:38:33.780 --> 00:38:34.540
 of the church.

00:38:38.000 --> 00:38:39.600
 So we get God's word,

00:38:40.360 --> 00:38:41.360
 learning Jesus,

00:38:42.360 --> 00:38:43.380
 and that reshapes us,

00:38:43.460 --> 00:38:44.760
 it reshapes our desires,

00:38:44.900 --> 00:38:46.180
 that we desire him more.

00:38:46.580 --> 00:38:47.820
 We learn new habits

00:38:47.820 --> 00:38:48.980
 in community.

00:38:49.560 --> 00:38:50.500
 The final thing

00:38:50.500 --> 00:38:53.220
 is Jesus trains us

00:38:53.220 --> 00:38:54.200
 through the hard knocks

00:38:54.200 --> 00:38:54.720
 of life.

00:38:56.240 --> 00:38:57.040
 You know what 1 Peter

00:38:57.040 --> 00:38:57.840
 tells us?

00:38:58.300 --> 00:39:00.800
 It's through trials

00:39:00.800 --> 00:39:01.660
 and testing

00:39:01.660 --> 00:39:02.780
 that we get refined

00:39:02.780 --> 00:39:03.840
 like gold.

00:39:05.280 --> 00:39:05.700
 You know,

00:39:05.800 --> 00:39:06.880
 nothing in life

00:39:06.880 --> 00:39:07.820
 that's worthwhile

00:39:07.820 --> 00:39:09.100
 ever happens

00:39:09.100 --> 00:39:09.940
 without pain.

00:39:11.100 --> 00:39:11.980
 We're about to give birth

00:39:11.980 --> 00:39:13.040
 to our second child.

00:39:13.360 --> 00:39:14.180
 That's painful.

00:39:15.180 --> 00:39:16.300
 If you get a master's,

00:39:16.360 --> 00:39:17.060
 that's painful.

00:39:17.620 --> 00:39:19.380
 If you're a great athlete,

00:39:19.380 --> 00:39:20.400
 there's a pain

00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:21.260
 in training

00:39:21.260 --> 00:39:22.440
 that you have to go through.

00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:24.380
 But how does the yoke

00:39:24.380 --> 00:39:26.280
 be easy in your life?

00:39:27.599 --> 00:39:28.579
 It's not that the pain

00:39:28.579 --> 00:39:29.240
 is not real.

00:39:29.340 --> 00:39:29.840
 It's not that there's

00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:31.579
 not real effort involved.

00:39:31.579 --> 00:39:35.579
 But as Jesus is using

00:39:35.579 --> 00:39:37.699
 those trials,

00:39:37.840 --> 00:39:38.539
 the challenges

00:39:38.539 --> 00:39:39.799
 that you may go through

00:39:39.799 --> 00:39:41.719
 to sculpt you

00:39:41.719 --> 00:39:43.079
 to become more like Jesus,

00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:45.299
 your eyes,

00:39:45.559 --> 00:39:47.299
 if your eyes are fixed

00:39:47.299 --> 00:39:47.960
 on that prize,

00:39:48.059 --> 00:39:49.460
 I want to be like Jesus,

00:39:49.799 --> 00:39:51.500
 then anything that happens

00:39:51.500 --> 00:39:52.039
 to you

00:39:52.039 --> 00:39:53.659
 is a place to rejoice

00:39:53.659 --> 00:39:55.219
 because Jesus is going

00:39:55.219 --> 00:39:55.960
 to use that

00:39:55.960 --> 00:39:57.759
 to make you more like him.

00:39:57.760 --> 00:39:59.640
 and we do that together

00:39:59.640 --> 00:40:00.380
 in community.

00:40:01.420 --> 00:40:02.420
 Hong Kong's story

00:40:02.420 --> 00:40:03.680
 tells you live for comfort,

00:40:04.000 --> 00:40:04.820
 avoid suffering.

00:40:05.740 --> 00:40:06.320
 That's why we get

00:40:06.320 --> 00:40:07.500
 so grumpy at hardship.

00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:10.320
 But if you see this pain

00:40:10.320 --> 00:40:11.440
 as an opportunity

00:40:11.440 --> 00:40:13.560
 to be trained by him,

00:40:13.660 --> 00:40:14.980
 to become more like him,

00:40:15.800 --> 00:40:16.700
 in God's word,

00:40:16.900 --> 00:40:17.620
 in community,

00:40:18.580 --> 00:40:19.820
 man, you're going to see

00:40:19.820 --> 00:40:21.060
 Jesus displayed

00:40:21.060 --> 00:40:23.180
 more and more

00:40:23.180 --> 00:40:24.420
 and more in our lives.

00:40:24.420 --> 00:40:27.820
 I heard a podcast

00:40:27.820 --> 00:40:28.720
 of a man recently

00:40:28.720 --> 00:40:29.559
 who'd just been struggling

00:40:29.559 --> 00:40:30.119
 with cancer

00:40:30.119 --> 00:40:31.019
 for quite a while.

00:40:32.039 --> 00:40:33.599
 It's just a really tough situation.

00:40:35.200 --> 00:40:36.220
 But he said this,

00:40:36.260 --> 00:40:37.200
 and I'll paraphrase him.

00:40:38.400 --> 00:40:39.760
 I wouldn't trade this

00:40:39.760 --> 00:40:40.619
 for anything else

00:40:40.619 --> 00:40:42.800
 because I've discovered

00:40:42.800 --> 00:40:44.119
 Jesus in a new way.

00:40:45.079 --> 00:40:46.420
 I've learned to rejoice

00:40:46.420 --> 00:40:47.220
 in a new way.

00:40:47.840 --> 00:40:49.079
 I realized how shallow

00:40:49.079 --> 00:40:50.220
 my life was before.

00:40:50.340 --> 00:40:51.400
 I always used to sing

00:40:51.400 --> 00:40:52.760
 Jesus enough for me,

00:40:52.760 --> 00:40:53.940
 but I actually thought

00:40:53.940 --> 00:40:55.059
 that him and something else

00:40:55.059 --> 00:40:56.220
 was enough.

00:40:56.480 --> 00:40:57.139
 That really Jesus

00:40:57.139 --> 00:40:58.280
 wasn't totally enough.

00:40:58.539 --> 00:40:58.980
 But he said,

00:40:59.119 --> 00:41:00.079
 now, when everything

00:41:00.079 --> 00:41:00.800
 is stripped away,

00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:02.240
 now I know that it's true.

00:41:04.860 --> 00:41:05.599
 Jesus says,

00:41:05.860 --> 00:41:06.159
 follow me.

00:41:06.760 --> 00:41:07.519
 Be with me.

00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:08.780
 Get in my word.

00:41:09.340 --> 00:41:10.059
 Learn new habits.

00:41:10.780 --> 00:41:11.960
 Be in Christian community.

00:41:12.440 --> 00:41:13.700
 And you'll walk through life,

00:41:14.059 --> 00:41:14.860
 and there'll be ups

00:41:14.860 --> 00:41:15.599
 and there'll be downs.

00:41:16.119 --> 00:41:17.800
 But as you rely on my spirit

00:41:17.800 --> 00:41:18.960
 to change you,

00:41:18.960 --> 00:41:20.220
 we,

00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:21.920
 and as a church,

00:41:22.340 --> 00:41:24.280
 will look more and more

00:41:24.280 --> 00:41:25.019
 like Jesus.

00:41:26.139 --> 00:41:28.019
 The question for us is,

00:41:28.619 --> 00:41:29.920
 do you want that?

00:41:30.760 --> 00:41:33.599
 Do you want to follow Jesus?

00:41:34.340 --> 00:41:35.360
 Because this is where

00:41:35.360 --> 00:41:36.179
 he's leading us.

00:41:36.519 --> 00:41:37.579
 This is the call.

00:41:39.059 --> 00:41:40.240
 And this is the journey

00:41:40.240 --> 00:41:41.300
 that we're on together.

00:41:41.300 --> 00:41:43.579
 Let me pray.

00:41:43.579 --> 00:41:57.239
 Father,

00:41:58.699 --> 00:42:03.480
 I know there are some,

00:42:03.619 --> 00:42:05.179
 some of us who,

00:42:07.360 --> 00:42:07.960
 you know,

00:42:08.039 --> 00:42:09.259
 we look at Jesus,

00:42:09.259 --> 00:42:09.739
 and we,

00:42:10.059 --> 00:42:10.239
 it's,

00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:11.579
 your character seems

00:42:11.579 --> 00:42:12.659
 so far off.

00:42:13.880 --> 00:42:15.139
 And we look at our lives,

00:42:15.199 --> 00:42:16.119
 and we see the areas

00:42:16.119 --> 00:42:16.860
 where we struggle.

00:42:18.539 --> 00:42:19.139
 And we,

00:42:19.340 --> 00:42:20.920
 we almost give up

00:42:20.920 --> 00:42:23.519
 the goal that you have

00:42:23.519 --> 00:42:24.340
 called us to,

00:42:25.039 --> 00:42:26.460
 to be conformed,

00:42:26.480 --> 00:42:27.360
 to be transformed

00:42:27.360 --> 00:42:28.440
 into your image.

00:42:30.920 --> 00:42:31.880
 Because we often think

00:42:31.880 --> 00:42:33.279
 it all relies on ourselves.

00:42:33.920 --> 00:42:35.299
 Or we're more captivated

00:42:35.299 --> 00:42:36.299
 by other stories.

00:42:36.500 --> 00:42:37.659
 Or we've built so many

00:42:37.659 --> 00:42:38.980
 habits in our lives

00:42:38.980 --> 00:42:40.960
 that we have failed to see

00:42:40.960 --> 00:42:42.240
 that actually

00:42:42.240 --> 00:42:43.900
 those are shaping us

00:42:43.900 --> 00:42:44.639
 away from you

00:42:44.639 --> 00:42:45.599
 rather than drawing us

00:42:45.599 --> 00:42:45.920
 to you.

00:42:45.960 --> 00:42:46.440
 Lord, I pray,

00:42:46.599 --> 00:42:48.220
 change us as a church.

00:42:48.699 --> 00:42:49.539
 Open our eyes

00:42:49.539 --> 00:42:50.699
 to see that you are

00:42:50.699 --> 00:42:51.699
 the great shepherd.

00:42:51.880 --> 00:42:52.980
 You are a great rabbi,

00:42:53.039 --> 00:42:53.940
 a great king.

00:42:54.199 --> 00:42:54.699
 You're the one

00:42:54.699 --> 00:42:55.900
 who is leading us.

00:42:56.440 --> 00:42:57.699
 Not to just wait

00:42:57.699 --> 00:42:58.659
 and sit and wait

00:42:58.659 --> 00:42:59.199
 for heaven,

00:42:59.460 --> 00:43:00.720
 but you today

00:43:00.720 --> 00:43:01.619
 want to begin

00:43:01.619 --> 00:43:02.820
 and want to continue

00:43:02.820 --> 00:43:04.240
 this transformation work.

00:43:04.320 --> 00:43:05.440
 I pray as a community,

00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:07.019
 we will be more

00:43:07.019 --> 00:43:07.900
 centered

00:43:07.900 --> 00:43:09.780
 on that goal

00:43:09.780 --> 00:43:11.420
 than any other goal.

00:43:12.059 --> 00:43:12.760
 Lord, I pray

00:43:12.760 --> 00:43:13.320
 that we would

00:43:13.320 --> 00:43:14.660
 earning more money,

00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:16.059
 getting a great job,

00:43:16.420 --> 00:43:17.240
 getting a spouse,

00:43:17.400 --> 00:43:18.079
 having kids,

00:43:18.240 --> 00:43:19.460
 having all the other things

00:43:19.460 --> 00:43:20.800
 would be way down

00:43:20.800 --> 00:43:21.680
 the list of goals

00:43:21.680 --> 00:43:22.840
 compared to that goal

00:43:22.840 --> 00:43:23.740
 in our lives, Lord.

00:43:24.240 --> 00:43:25.920
 I pray reorient us

00:43:25.920 --> 00:43:27.119
 to see that you

00:43:27.119 --> 00:43:27.780
 are the place

00:43:27.780 --> 00:43:28.480
 of flourishing,

00:43:28.900 --> 00:43:29.960
 that you want to give us

00:43:29.960 --> 00:43:31.220
 rest in our souls.

00:43:32.380 --> 00:43:32.800
 And Lord,

00:43:32.860 --> 00:43:34.240
 let us walk with you

00:43:34.239 --> 00:43:36.479
 together today

00:43:36.479 --> 00:43:37.759
 with effort,

00:43:38.699 --> 00:43:40.699
 with struggling,

00:43:41.419 --> 00:43:43.339
 but knowing

00:43:43.339 --> 00:43:45.139
 that you're the one

00:43:45.139 --> 00:43:46.099
 who has already

00:43:46.099 --> 00:43:47.159
 gone before us.

00:43:47.319 --> 00:43:47.839
 You're the one

00:43:47.839 --> 00:43:49.159
 who suffered for us.

00:43:49.539 --> 00:43:50.639
 You died for us

00:43:50.639 --> 00:43:51.539
 so that you could

00:43:51.539 --> 00:43:52.779
 make us like you.

00:43:54.539 --> 00:43:55.479
 Work this in us,

00:43:55.539 --> 00:43:55.959
 I pray.

00:43:56.359 --> 00:43:57.259
 In Jesus' name.

00:43:57.979 --> 00:43:58.279
 Amen.