WEBVTT

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 Such a joy to worship with you this morning.

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 We're going to continue on in our series in Matthew.

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 So if you would open up your Bibles.

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 We're going to finish off chapter 16, starting from verse 21.

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!

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 If there's anybody, if not, let's turn our Bibles to Matthew 16, starting from verse 21.

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 Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's Word.

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 Father, we thank you for your Word.

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 It is a lamp onto our feet.

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 It is the guidebook of how to live this life.

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 The definition of what a truly good life is.

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 And so Father, we want to sit underneath your teaching, Lord Jesus.

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 We want to be transformed by your Word today.

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 Let not these words come into one ear and out the other, but bring real life transformation today.

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 By the power of your Spirit.

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 Empower me today to preach as an act of worship.

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 To preach, not fearing man, but fearing you alone.

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 And that you would truly be glorified.

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 Not just to pray that as a rote thing, but be glorified today.

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 Be glorified in our hearts.

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 Receive the glory that you are due, Lord Jesus.

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 It's in your name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 If you are able, please rise for the reading of God's Word.

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 Amen.

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 Starting from verse 21.

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 From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem

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 and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes,

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 and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

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 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying,

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 Far be it from you, Lord.

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 This shall never happen to you.

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 But he turned and said to Peter,

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 Get behind me, Satan.

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 You are a hindrance to me.

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 For you are not setting your mind on the things of God,

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 but on the things of man.

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 Then Jesus told his disciples,

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 If anyone would come after me,

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 let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

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 For whoever would save his life will lose it,

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 but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

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 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world

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 and forfeits his soul?

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 Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

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 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels

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 in the glory of his Father,

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 and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

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 Truly I say to you,

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 there are some standing here who will not taste death

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 until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.

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 This is God's holy and authoritative word.

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 Please be seated.

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 What is the good life?

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 How would you describe a life well lived?

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 Maybe it looks like a life of comfort,

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 living in your spacious dream home,

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 eating a gourmet dinner,

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 sharing a fancy cheese board,

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 splitting a bottle of wine with your loved one,

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 and capturing the night with a bike ride

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 in sunny, beautiful weather to the local ice cream shop.

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 Maybe it looks like new adventures every week

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 as you travel around the world,

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 meeting new people,

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 eating exotic foods,

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 witnessing the greatest sights that this world has to offer.

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 Maybe it looks like the big corner office

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 with the amazing view of the city on the 50th floor.

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 You made Forbes 30 under 30.

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 You're a CEO entrepreneur.

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 You were the youngest self-made centi-billionaire in the world.

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 Of course, all those things are not sinful in and of themselves.

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 But are those the things,

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 and the pursuit of them,

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 that define a good life?

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 The world, by its example and its teaching,

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 would wholeheartedly say yes.

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 Life is not worth living unless you have those things.

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 But to Jesus,

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 it's not comfort,

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 success,

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 riches,

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 power,

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 or leadership

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 that define the good life.

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 But it's suffering,

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 lowliness,

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 weakness,

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 self-denial,

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 and carrying your cross.

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 To follow after him,

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 that's what defines a life well lived.

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 Because ultimately,

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 he knows that the path of suffering

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 is the path to glory.

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 That's the main point of my sermon today.

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 He invites us to follow after him.

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 As he first models,

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 the good life by carrying the cross himself.

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 And then he mandates his disciples

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 to carry their own crosses.

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 In the passage right before,

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 Jesus just finished encouraging

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 and blessing his disciples.

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 In particular, Peter.

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 After Peter confesses

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 Jesus' true identity as the Christ,

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 he sets Peter apart

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 as the leader of the twelve

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 and subsequently

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 as the leader of his church.

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 And to that congregation

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 of those who confess Jesus

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 as the Christ,

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 Jesus grants

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 the keys of the kingdom.

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 Mayors grant keys

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 to the city,

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 to local heroes

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 and esteemed public figures

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 as an act of honor

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 to esteem them.

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 But that's just one city.

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 And that key

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 really doesn't do anything.

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 It doesn't give them any power.

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 But the power of the keys

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 that Jesus grants to his church

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 has the power

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 to determine

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 who is in

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 and who is out

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 of the kingdom of heaven.

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 Not on the municipal,

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 not on the national,

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 but on the global scale.

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 Because of this,

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 the disciples,

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 they must be feeling

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 pretty good about themselves.

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 Feeling like the Messiah's

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 wrecking crew,

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 that nothing could stop them,

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 not even the gates of Hades,

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 not even Satan himself.

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 Like an inflating balloon,

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 you can almost see

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 their chests puff up

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 line by line,

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 moment by moment.

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 Ffft.

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 Ffft.

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 Ffft.

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 That is until

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 Jesus

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 takes a pin

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 and pops

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 all of their hopes,

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 all their expectations.

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 And he does it

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 in an unprecedented way.

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 For the first time

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 in Matthew's gospel,

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 Jesus begins to show them

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 that he must go

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 to Jerusalem,

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 suffer many things,

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 be killed

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 at the hands

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 of the elders,

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 chief priests,

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 and scribes,

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 and be raised

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 on the third day.

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 I imagine this

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 not to just be

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 this one line,

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 mic drop sentence,

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 this one moment

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 that the gospel writers

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 have summarized it

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 like here.

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 Matthew writes

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 that Jesus begins

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 to show them.

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 Knowing the shock

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 of this statement,

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 I hear Jesus

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 slowly,

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 carefully,

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 explain to them

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 why he must go

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 and do this,

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 that he is bound

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 to do this,

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 that there is no

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 other possible future

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 for him.

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 Perhaps he pointed

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 to the Old Testament

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 prophecies that

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 prophesied about his death,

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 or maybe he explained

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 that this was the only

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 way for sinners

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 like you and me

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 to come to everlasting life.

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 But as a loving,

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 patient teacher,

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 not content

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 to keep his disciples

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 in the dark,

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 he takes the time

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 to ready his disciples

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 of what's to come.

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 The ear-to-ear grin

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 pulled across

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 the disciples' faces,

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 right?

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 Slowly starts

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 to lose

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 that tension.

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 With every line,

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 they end up

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 more and more confused,

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 maybe even angry

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 and frustrated.

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 Jesus,

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 you're supposed

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 to be our leader.

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 We're supposed

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 to go to Jerusalem

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 and crown you

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 as the rightful king

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 as you deliver us

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 from our oppressors.

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 But,

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 you're going to

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 die there.

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 And die not

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 to our Roman enemies,

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 but

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 the hands of our own

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 people,

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 the Jewish leaders?

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 So,

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 foolishly answering

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 a question that,

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 frankly,

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 no one asked him.

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 Already the type

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 to speak before

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 he thinks,

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 but now emboldened

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 as a newly

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 appointed leader,

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 Peter takes it

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 upon himself

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 to be the

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 spokesperson

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 for the group.

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 In their honor-shame

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 culture,

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 it's important

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 to save face,

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 right?

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 You do your best

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 to protect

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 the honor

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 and reputation

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 of others.

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 So,

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 Peter,

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 probably thinking

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 that he's doing

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 Jesus a favor,

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 he takes him aside,

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 puts his arm

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 around his shoulder,

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 and he,

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 I imagine him

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 just whispering

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 these concerns

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 to him.

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 Far be it

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 from you,

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 Lord,

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 this shall never

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 happen to you.

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 This is not

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 a private question.

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 It's not a

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 confused statement.

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 This is a,

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 what in the world

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 are you talking

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 about,

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 Jesus?

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 Stop speaking

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 such nonsense.

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 It's not even

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 undesirable,

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 but it is

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 unthinkable

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 for Peter

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 to see

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 his Messiah,

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 his leader,

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 to go and be killed.

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 Though still

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 with the honorific

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 Lord,

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 Peter rebukes

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 Jesus,

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 which,

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 wow,

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 amazing.

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 Which,

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 I have to say,

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 right,

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 Peter has some

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 guts

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 guts

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 to rebuke

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 Jesus.

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 It takes

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 some guts

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 to rebuke

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 the man

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 who he himself

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 rebuked the wind

00:11:43.259 --> 00:11:44.000
 and the waves

00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:45.939
 in Matthew 8,

00:11:46.679 --> 00:11:47.439
 who rebuked

00:11:47.439 --> 00:11:48.000
 a demon

00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:48.879
 to cast it out

00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:50.240
 in Matthew 17.

00:11:51.099 --> 00:11:51.679
 Peter rebuked

00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:52.299
 that man.

00:11:54.199 --> 00:11:54.759
 And it only

00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:55.559
 seems like

00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:56.199
 it's because

00:11:56.199 --> 00:11:56.939
 Peter has some

00:11:56.939 --> 00:11:58.000
 selective hearing,

00:11:58.279 --> 00:11:58.479
 right?

00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:00.539
 He completely

00:12:00.539 --> 00:12:01.639
 skips over

00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:02.000
 Jesus'

00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:02.879
 incredible

00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:03.500
 prediction

00:12:03.500 --> 00:12:04.139
 of his

00:12:04.139 --> 00:12:04.659
 resurrection.

00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:06.799
 Jesus didn't

00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:07.339
 say that he

00:12:07.339 --> 00:12:08.120
 would die

00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:08.740
 and stay

00:12:08.740 --> 00:12:09.079
 dead,

00:12:09.199 --> 00:12:09.779
 but be

00:12:09.779 --> 00:12:10.599
 raised on

00:12:10.599 --> 00:12:11.159
 the third

00:12:11.159 --> 00:12:11.639
 day.

00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:13.379
 More than

00:12:13.379 --> 00:12:14.579
 conquering the

00:12:14.579 --> 00:12:14.919
 Romans,

00:12:15.439 --> 00:12:15.939
 Jesus is

00:12:15.939 --> 00:12:16.459
 predicting that

00:12:16.459 --> 00:12:16.959
 he is about

00:12:16.959 --> 00:12:17.620
 to conquer

00:12:17.620 --> 00:12:18.299
 death.

00:12:18.779 --> 00:12:19.439
 That should

00:12:19.439 --> 00:12:20.479
 floor Peter,

00:12:21.259 --> 00:12:22.059
 but he seems

00:12:22.059 --> 00:12:22.579
 to miss it

00:12:22.579 --> 00:12:23.039
 altogether.

00:12:24.819 --> 00:12:25.319
 But if

00:12:25.319 --> 00:12:26.000
 Peter had

00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:26.759
 paid attention

00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:28.000
 to the glory

00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:28.699
 that is coming

00:12:28.699 --> 00:12:30.199
 after just

00:12:30.199 --> 00:12:30.759
 his death,

00:12:31.599 --> 00:12:32.439
 then maybe

00:12:32.439 --> 00:12:33.079
 he could have

00:12:33.079 --> 00:12:33.799
 avoided what

00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:34.339
 was coming

00:12:34.339 --> 00:12:34.719
 to him.

00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:36.459
 I see

00:12:36.459 --> 00:12:37.479
 Jesus

00:12:37.479 --> 00:12:38.399
 listening to

00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:39.620
 Peter with

00:12:39.620 --> 00:12:40.059
 his body

00:12:40.059 --> 00:12:40.579
 turned to

00:12:40.579 --> 00:12:41.099
 the side,

00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:42.299
 head leaning

00:12:42.299 --> 00:12:43.539
 in, a

00:12:43.539 --> 00:12:44.139
 posture of

00:12:44.139 --> 00:12:45.059
 active listening,

00:12:45.179 --> 00:12:45.639
 not one of

00:12:45.639 --> 00:12:45.839
 speaking.

00:12:47.019 --> 00:12:47.979
 He lets

00:12:47.979 --> 00:12:48.799
 Peter finish,

00:12:49.939 --> 00:12:50.799
 then turns

00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:51.199
 to him,

00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:52.519
 looks him

00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:53.099
 straight in the

00:12:53.099 --> 00:12:54.740
 eye, and

00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:55.399
 addresses him.

00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:56.439
 And he

00:12:56.439 --> 00:12:56.879
 doesn't hold

00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:57.199
 back.

00:12:57.200 --> 00:13:00.940
 get behind

00:13:00.940 --> 00:13:01.980
 me, Satan.

00:13:03.980 --> 00:13:04.720
 Growing up,

00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:04.920
 do you

00:13:04.920 --> 00:13:05.540
 remember that

00:13:05.540 --> 00:13:07.060
 feeling that

00:13:07.060 --> 00:13:07.600
 you got when

00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:08.800
 just one line

00:13:08.800 --> 00:13:09.240
 from your

00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:10.360
 mom, your

00:13:10.360 --> 00:13:10.900
 dad, your

00:13:10.900 --> 00:13:11.540
 teacher, whoever

00:13:11.540 --> 00:13:13.100
 it is, just

00:13:13.100 --> 00:13:13.820
 made your heart

00:13:13.820 --> 00:13:15.740
 drop, right?

00:13:15.940 --> 00:13:16.580
 Oh, like,

00:13:17.460 --> 00:13:18.420
 you're in it

00:13:18.420 --> 00:13:18.780
 now.

00:13:18.900 --> 00:13:19.560
 You done did

00:13:19.560 --> 00:13:19.980
 it now.

00:13:19.980 --> 00:13:23.220
 Now, your

00:13:23.220 --> 00:13:24.200
 eyes widen, your

00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:25.200
 pulse gets

00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:26.080
 faster, your

00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:27.000
 hands get

00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:27.500
 sweaty.

00:13:27.659 --> 00:13:28.220
 Peter must be

00:13:28.220 --> 00:13:29.420
 feeling all of

00:13:29.420 --> 00:13:29.700
 that.

00:13:31.340 --> 00:13:32.560
 And Peter is

00:13:32.560 --> 00:13:33.279
 certainly not the

00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:34.139
 main character of

00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:34.960
 this passage, but

00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:36.220
 again, I have to

00:13:36.220 --> 00:13:37.519
 say, you have to

00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:38.580
 appreciate that as

00:13:38.580 --> 00:13:39.800
 the leader of this

00:13:39.800 --> 00:13:41.259
 church, who is

00:13:41.259 --> 00:13:42.279
 bestowed with the

00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:42.920
 keys of the

00:13:42.920 --> 00:13:44.580
 kingdom, his first

00:13:44.580 --> 00:13:47.080
 act is to rebuke

00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:47.580
 Jesus.

00:13:49.020 --> 00:13:50.480
 Like, how wrong

00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:51.200
 can you get?

00:13:51.820 --> 00:13:52.540
 This is almost

00:13:52.540 --> 00:13:53.280
 comical.

00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:54.560
 Peter must have

00:13:54.560 --> 00:13:55.500
 the Guinness

00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:56.200
 world record of

00:13:56.200 --> 00:13:56.920
 the fastest

00:13:56.920 --> 00:13:58.440
 spiritual rise and

00:13:58.440 --> 00:13:59.660
 fall in all of

00:13:59.660 --> 00:13:59.980
 history.

00:14:01.160 --> 00:14:01.740
 And you know

00:14:01.740 --> 00:14:01.860
 what?

00:14:01.860 --> 00:14:03.000
 I'm so encouraged

00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:04.020
 by his example.

00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:06.040
 So many of us

00:14:06.040 --> 00:14:06.900
 tend to think that

00:14:06.900 --> 00:14:08.020
 there are tier lists

00:14:08.020 --> 00:14:08.940
 in Christendom.

00:14:09.900 --> 00:14:10.540
 You have the

00:14:10.540 --> 00:14:11.759
 average Joe,

00:14:12.400 --> 00:14:13.879
 normal churchgoer,

00:14:14.500 --> 00:14:15.740
 the lowly Navy

00:14:15.740 --> 00:14:16.980
 sailor, base

00:14:16.980 --> 00:14:17.300
 rank.

00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:19.259
 Then on the next

00:14:19.259 --> 00:14:19.840
 level up, you

00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:20.720
 have the pastor.

00:14:21.700 --> 00:14:22.680
 He's a special

00:14:22.680 --> 00:14:23.100
 Christian.

00:14:23.300 --> 00:14:24.600
 He's like the

00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:25.360
 Navy SEAL.

00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:27.100
 And then if you

00:14:27.100 --> 00:14:27.800
 really want to be

00:14:27.800 --> 00:14:29.120
 overachieving, you

00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:31.899
 move overseas and

00:14:31.899 --> 00:14:32.580
 become a missionary.

00:14:32.980 --> 00:14:33.620
 You become a

00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:34.639
 super-duper elite

00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:35.060
 Christian.

00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:36.800
 They're SEAL

00:14:36.800 --> 00:14:37.560
 Team 6.

00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:39.580
 But the

00:14:39.580 --> 00:14:40.360
 capital-A

00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:41.360
 apostles, like

00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:42.420
 Peter, Jesus'

00:14:42.680 --> 00:14:43.700
 direct disciples,

00:14:43.899 --> 00:14:44.600
 these are like the

00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:46.060
 five-star fleet

00:14:46.060 --> 00:14:46.620
 admiral.

00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:48.100
 These are the

00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:49.300
 top dog, the

00:14:49.300 --> 00:14:49.980
 head honchos.

00:14:51.080 --> 00:14:51.600
 But when the

00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:53.680
 gospels consistently

00:14:53.680 --> 00:14:54.840
 portray even

00:14:54.840 --> 00:14:55.860
 these capital-A

00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:56.539
 apostles with

00:14:56.539 --> 00:14:57.759
 egg on their

00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:00.259
 face, it reminds

00:15:00.259 --> 00:15:01.019
 me, as many have

00:15:01.019 --> 00:15:02.000
 said, there are

00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:03.940
 no great men of

00:15:03.940 --> 00:15:05.720
 God, but only men

00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:07.000
 of a great God.

00:15:08.560 --> 00:15:10.120
 So we are not to

00:15:10.120 --> 00:15:10.960
 put our hope in

00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.200
 fallible men, but

00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:14.639
 only in the God-man,

00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:15.620
 Jesus Christ.

00:15:17.659 --> 00:15:18.919
 And every time I

00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:20.460
 feel like I mess up

00:15:20.460 --> 00:15:21.759
 the communion or

00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:22.639
 feel like I botched

00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:24.199
 the sermon, I want

00:15:24.199 --> 00:15:24.960
 to come back to this

00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:26.059
 passage and remember

00:15:26.059 --> 00:15:28.559
 that, hey, at least I

00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:29.500
 never tried to rebuke

00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:30.259
 Jesus like this.

00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:33.480
 But I digress.

00:15:33.480 --> 00:15:37.019
 The word Satan, it's

00:15:37.019 --> 00:15:38.580
 possible that it could

00:15:38.580 --> 00:15:40.460
 be translated generally

00:15:40.460 --> 00:15:42.560
 as enemy or adversary

00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:43.940
 because that's what the

00:15:43.940 --> 00:15:45.500
 word Satan ultimately

00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:45.980
 means.

00:15:46.980 --> 00:15:49.080
 But I think Jesus is

00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:50.300
 intentionally alluding to

00:15:50.300 --> 00:15:51.340
 an earlier event in

00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:52.200
 Matthew 4.

00:15:53.019 --> 00:15:53.740
 It's been over a year

00:15:53.740 --> 00:15:54.820
 since we preached on

00:15:54.820 --> 00:15:55.899
 that passage, so just

00:15:55.899 --> 00:15:56.860
 by way of reminder,

00:15:57.560 --> 00:15:59.100
 there Satan tempts

00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:00.720
 Jesus three times to

00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:02.259
 get into sin and

00:16:02.259 --> 00:16:03.379
 ultimately to abandon

00:16:03.379 --> 00:16:04.100
 the cross.

00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:06.500
 But every time Jesus

00:16:06.500 --> 00:16:07.680
 is holding on to

00:16:07.680 --> 00:16:09.279
 promises and truths

00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:10.460
 of God through

00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:11.720
 scripture overcomes

00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:12.659
 that temptation to

00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:13.659
 fulfill all

00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:14.200
 righteousness.

00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:16.840
 In that chapter, in

00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:17.980
 verse 10, Jesus

00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:20.620
 remarks, be gone

00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:21.180
 Satan.

00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:23.700
 In the original

00:16:23.700 --> 00:16:25.040
 Greek, Jesus actually

00:16:25.040 --> 00:16:26.639
 speaks the same exact

00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:28.259
 words to Peter here,

00:16:28.259 --> 00:16:29.919
 but to Peter, he

00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:31.600
 includes two pivotal

00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:32.960
 words that change the

00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:35.100
 meaning from be gone

00:16:35.100 --> 00:16:37.100
 to get behind me.

00:16:38.700 --> 00:16:39.899
 You might be wondering,

00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:43.480
 is Jesus harsh and

00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:44.019
 punitive?

00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:47.759
 The type of person that

00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:48.899
 you need to walk around

00:16:48.899 --> 00:16:51.039
 him with all care,

00:16:51.179 --> 00:16:54.019
 with sensitivity, walk

00:16:54.019 --> 00:16:54.939
 on eggshells because you

00:16:54.939 --> 00:16:55.700
 might just get the

00:16:55.700 --> 00:16:56.000
 stick.

00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:58.960
 It is a blunt

00:16:58.960 --> 00:16:59.700
 rebuke.

00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:01.899
 But at the end of the

00:17:01.899 --> 00:17:03.059
 day, his command to

00:17:03.059 --> 00:17:04.119
 Satan is one of

00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:05.640
 complete rejection.

00:17:06.940 --> 00:17:08.500
 His command to Peter is

00:17:08.500 --> 00:17:10.680
 a stark but merciful

00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:12.500
 command to get back

00:17:12.500 --> 00:17:13.839
 into his rightful place.

00:17:14.339 --> 00:17:16.519
 Not as a leader, but as

00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:17.359
 a follower.

00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:20.359
 And how often are we

00:17:20.359 --> 00:17:21.980
 guilty of the same thing,

00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:23.259
 of getting ahead of

00:17:23.259 --> 00:17:23.539
 Jesus?

00:17:24.379 --> 00:17:26.319
 How often do we try to

00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:27.799
 dictate what Jesus can

00:17:27.799 --> 00:17:29.160
 and cannot do?

00:17:31.079 --> 00:17:33.400
 For a lot of us, we're

00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:34.740
 all just starring in our

00:17:34.740 --> 00:17:35.359
 own movies.

00:17:36.619 --> 00:17:39.299
 We are the director, the

00:17:39.299 --> 00:17:41.279
 writer, the producer, and

00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:41.920
 lead actor.

00:17:42.420 --> 00:17:44.460
 And everyone else, our

00:17:44.460 --> 00:17:46.839
 friends, our family, our

00:17:46.839 --> 00:17:49.039
 spouses, maybe even Jesus

00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.720
 himself, they're all just

00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:51.660
 supporting characters.

00:17:52.860 --> 00:17:54.799
 They have one job.

00:17:55.779 --> 00:17:56.720
 They are supposed to

00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:58.579
 know and say their

00:17:58.579 --> 00:17:59.519
 lines as they're

00:17:59.519 --> 00:17:59.720
 written.

00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:00.240
 That's it.

00:18:01.420 --> 00:18:02.400
 And when they mess up,

00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:03.940
 when they botch it, they

00:18:03.940 --> 00:18:05.120
 get so frustrated.

00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:08.600
 But the core of the

00:18:08.600 --> 00:18:11.039
 Christian experience is

00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:12.539
 that Jesus is the one

00:18:12.539 --> 00:18:13.480
 directing the show.

00:18:15.140 --> 00:18:16.660
 That the camera is not

00:18:16.660 --> 00:18:18.400
 centered on us, but on

00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:19.680
 Jesus Christ himself.

00:18:21.040 --> 00:18:22.400
 Don't forget your

00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:23.560
 place, brothers and

00:18:23.560 --> 00:18:25.800
 sisters, saying that my

00:18:25.800 --> 00:18:27.540
 life is not supposed to,

00:18:27.780 --> 00:18:28.640
 it's not going how it's

00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:29.340
 supposed to go.

00:18:30.360 --> 00:18:31.580
 I'm supposed to have

00:18:31.580 --> 00:18:33.280
 this and that by now.

00:18:33.360 --> 00:18:34.360
 I'm supposed to be at

00:18:34.360 --> 00:18:35.880
 this life stage by now.

00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:39.420
 No, Jesus knows the

00:18:39.420 --> 00:18:40.840
 story that he is writing

00:18:40.840 --> 00:18:42.600
 for you, brothers and

00:18:42.600 --> 00:18:42.880
 sisters.

00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:45.140
 And I promise, according

00:18:45.140 --> 00:18:46.740
 to his great love for you,

00:18:46.740 --> 00:18:48.680
 it will be a glorious

00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:49.660
 story.

00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:52.920
 A glorious story with an

00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:54.259
 ending that's far better

00:18:54.259 --> 00:18:55.180
 than you could ever

00:18:55.180 --> 00:18:56.000
 imagine, that you could

00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:57.120
 write for yourself.

00:18:58.380 --> 00:19:00.319
 All you need to do is

00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:01.640
 follow him.

00:19:02.660 --> 00:19:03.819
 Don't get ahead of him.

00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:06.740
 Because if you get ahead,

00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:08.259
 you might be like Peter,

00:19:08.420 --> 00:19:10.380
 who's supposed to be the

00:19:10.380 --> 00:19:11.599
 rock on which the church

00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:13.539
 is built, but in this

00:19:13.539 --> 00:19:14.799
 grand reversal, he's

00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:16.139
 called a hindrance.

00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:18.159
 And that word hindrance is

00:19:18.159 --> 00:19:19.419
 actually probably better

00:19:19.419 --> 00:19:20.879
 translated as stumbling

00:19:20.879 --> 00:19:22.899
 block, as the ESV footnote

00:19:22.899 --> 00:19:23.399
 shows.

00:19:24.359 --> 00:19:25.639
 That illuminates, I think,

00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:27.379
 the intentional wordplay

00:19:27.379 --> 00:19:28.559
 that Jesus is making, that

00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:31.440
 the foundational rock is

00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:33.720
 now become the stumbling

00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:34.119
 block.

00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:37.059
 Not part of our common

00:19:37.059 --> 00:19:38.440
 vernacular, but the term

00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:39.980
 stumbling block was used

00:19:39.980 --> 00:19:41.500
 back then to describe

00:19:41.500 --> 00:19:42.680
 anything that would lead

00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:44.080
 you to fall away from

00:19:44.080 --> 00:19:46.259
 faithful obedience, to

00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:47.539
 act contrary to what you

00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:48.840
 knew was right.

00:19:49.960 --> 00:19:50.140
 Right?

00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:52.779
 Offering a bribe, bringing

00:19:52.779 --> 00:19:54.460
 a recovering alcoholic to

00:19:54.460 --> 00:19:56.200
 a bar, that's all like

00:19:56.200 --> 00:19:57.400
 putting a stumbling block

00:19:57.400 --> 00:19:58.220
 in front of others.

00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:01.039
 And we know in the garden

00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:03.160
 of Gethsemane, the cross,

00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:05.500
 it daunts Jesus.

00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:09.180
 He knows full well that he

00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:11.299
 must drink the cup of wrath

00:20:11.299 --> 00:20:12.839
 down to the dregs, not to

00:20:12.839 --> 00:20:14.819
 leave a single drop to save

00:20:14.819 --> 00:20:15.839
 sinners like you and me.

00:20:17.460 --> 00:20:19.019
 But nonetheless, as an honest

00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:20.940
 reflection of his heart, he

00:20:20.940 --> 00:20:23.299
 prays that the cup might pass

00:20:23.299 --> 00:20:23.819
 from him.

00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:28.019
 Because Jesus is truly God,

00:20:28.099 --> 00:20:31.099
 he could not sin, but yet as

00:20:31.099 --> 00:20:33.139
 truly human, he experienced

00:20:33.139 --> 00:20:34.399
 real temptation.

00:20:35.899 --> 00:20:37.980
 If there was any temptation

00:20:37.980 --> 00:20:39.380
 with the greatest alluring

00:20:39.380 --> 00:20:41.660
 power for Jesus, it was this,

00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:43.779
 it was the pull to avoid the

00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:44.200
 cross.

00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:47.380
 To try to obey and glorify God

00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:50.420
 without the suffering of the

00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:50.799
 cross.

00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:53.740
 In this way, Peter, who was

00:20:53.740 --> 00:20:56.200
 supposed to be one of Jesus'

00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:58.160
 closest disciples, one of his

00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:00.000
 closest friends, sounds less

00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:01.860
 like an ally, less like a friend,

00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:04.400
 and more like an enemy as he

00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:06.920
 echoes Satan's temptation to

00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:09.500
 avoid, to abandon the cross.

00:21:11.300 --> 00:21:12.500
 And then Jesus highlights the

00:21:12.500 --> 00:21:13.820
 ultimate reason that Peter has

00:21:13.820 --> 00:21:15.960
 gotten it all wrong, verse 23.

00:21:17.120 --> 00:21:19.200
 It's because he set his mind not

00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:21.180
 on the things of God, but on the

00:21:21.180 --> 00:21:21.860
 things of man.

00:21:23.060 --> 00:21:26.060
 On earth, in our economy,

00:21:27.300 --> 00:21:28.660
 might makes right.

00:21:28.660 --> 00:21:33.460
 Peter is thinking that Jesus

00:21:33.460 --> 00:21:35.840
 would be the mighty Messiah to

00:21:35.840 --> 00:21:38.259
 call down the legions of armies,

00:21:38.360 --> 00:21:40.700
 of angels, to restore the

00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:43.420
 geopolitical nation of Israel

00:21:43.420 --> 00:21:45.080
 back to its former glory.

00:21:45.820 --> 00:21:48.380
 With Jesus, he's thinking that we

00:21:48.380 --> 00:21:50.259
 have the muscle, we have the

00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:52.840
 power, and we're going to get

00:21:52.840 --> 00:21:53.560
 things done.

00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:58.919
 Are we tempted to, to think

00:21:58.919 --> 00:22:00.659
 like that, to follow that

00:22:00.659 --> 00:22:01.079
 pattern?

00:22:02.740 --> 00:22:04.619
 In college, I told my parents

00:22:04.619 --> 00:22:07.339
 that I wanted to devote my life

00:22:07.339 --> 00:22:10.500
 to full-time ministry, to use my

00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:12.759
 life for things of eternal

00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:13.460
 consequence.

00:22:15.940 --> 00:22:18.039
 In response, in a thinly veiled

00:22:18.039 --> 00:22:20.059
 attempt to try to get me to live

00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:21.460
 their version of the good life,

00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:24.240
 they replied that I need

00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:25.220
 earthly status.

00:22:26.380 --> 00:22:28.740
 I need earthly influence to

00:22:28.740 --> 00:22:30.980
 maximize my impact for the

00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:31.200
 kingdom.

00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:35.120
 If I wanted to do God's work, I

00:22:35.120 --> 00:22:36.620
 needed to progress in my career.

00:22:37.100 --> 00:22:38.500
 I needed to stack my resume.

00:22:38.660 --> 00:22:40.500
 I needed people to listen to me.

00:22:43.120 --> 00:22:44.680
 That's the only way to get

00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:45.259
 things done.

00:22:46.840 --> 00:22:48.720
 And I love my parents, but

00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:51.180
 don't you see that this is just

00:22:51.180 --> 00:22:53.039
 another example of setting your

00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:54.799
 mind on the things of man, not

00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:55.820
 on the things of God.

00:22:57.340 --> 00:23:00.240
 God needs not our fancy degrees.

00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:04.060
 He does not need our sophisticated

00:23:04.060 --> 00:23:07.220
 subject matter expertise, or an

00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:10.019
 earthly platform to get his way

00:23:10.019 --> 00:23:10.420
 done.

00:23:12.460 --> 00:23:14.840
 John Piper probably, or opened

00:23:14.840 --> 00:23:17.279
 probably his most famous sermon

00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:17.660
 life.

00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:19.279
 I need to know a

00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:19.700
 life.

00:23:19.700 --> 00:23:22.319
 You don't have to know a lot of

00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:24.799
 things for your life to make a

00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:27.339
 lasting impact, a lasting difference

00:23:27.339 --> 00:23:27.899
 in this world.

00:23:29.099 --> 00:23:32.440
 You don't have to be smart, or good

00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:34.700
 looking, or come from a good family.

00:23:36.200 --> 00:23:40.420
 You just have to know a few basic,

00:23:40.920 --> 00:23:43.759
 glorious, majestic, unchanging,

00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:46.879
 eternal things, and be gripped by

00:23:46.879 --> 00:23:49.019
 them, and be willing to lay down

00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:50.500
 your life for them.

00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:55.000
 Jesus knows that it is not by

00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:57.259
 gaining earthly power and influence

00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:59.819
 that lets us transform the world.

00:24:00.099 --> 00:24:03.379
 It is not by human strength, but by

00:24:03.379 --> 00:24:04.640
 our weakness.

00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:06.700
 Then his strength is made perfect.

00:24:08.500 --> 00:24:11.420
 That's precisely why Jesus then moves

00:24:11.420 --> 00:24:14.400
 the focus off himself as the model of

00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:17.320
 the cross to now a mandate of the

00:24:17.320 --> 00:24:17.720
 cross.

00:24:18.740 --> 00:24:20.700
 Moving on from speaking directly to

00:24:20.700 --> 00:24:22.860
 Peter, now to all of his disciples,

00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:25.880
 Jesus explains what it means to get

00:24:25.880 --> 00:24:27.920
 behind him and to follow him.

00:24:28.620 --> 00:24:31.840
 And it requires two things, to deny

00:24:31.840 --> 00:24:34.340
 yourself and to carry your cross.

00:24:35.700 --> 00:24:37.960
 What does it mean to deny yourself?

00:24:37.960 --> 00:24:41.519
 To deny is a verb that's typically used

00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:43.539
 to signify in scripture, a complete

00:24:43.539 --> 00:24:47.059
 dissociation from another, a severance of

00:24:47.059 --> 00:24:49.019
 any connection and relationship.

00:24:49.640 --> 00:24:53.759
 Only this time Jesus uses it to call us to

00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:55.900
 be completely dissociated with ourselves.

00:24:57.240 --> 00:25:00.500
 As an example, again, harping on Peter, he

00:25:00.500 --> 00:25:04.180
 thrice denies knowing Jesus right before his

00:25:04.180 --> 00:25:04.799
 crucifixion.

00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:07.180
 Why does he do this?

00:25:07.299 --> 00:25:10.399
 It's because he's ultimately loyal, not

00:25:10.399 --> 00:25:12.960
 to Jesus, but to himself.

00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:16.559
 He knows that to be associated with Jesus

00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:17.859
 could be in his own head.

00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:20.859
 And so he's just looking out for number

00:25:20.859 --> 00:25:21.159
 one.

00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:28.720
 The opposite of self-denial is self-preservation.

00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:33.880
 To be clear, self-preservation can be a good

00:25:33.880 --> 00:25:34.839
 thing, right?

00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:39.000
 I think seatbelts, annual physicals, saved

00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:42.279
 emergency funds, they can all be true good

00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:43.259
 blessings from God.

00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:49.200
 But when your selfish desires become at odds

00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:53.319
 with God's desires, what wins out?

00:25:53.319 --> 00:25:59.139
 When obedience becomes costly, who are you

00:25:59.139 --> 00:25:59.740
 loyal to?

00:26:02.339 --> 00:26:05.259
 When your coworkers ask you what you did over

00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:08.779
 the weekend, do you eagerly share about your

00:26:08.779 --> 00:26:11.779
 Sunday service, about the members meeting that

00:26:11.779 --> 00:26:12.200
 you attended?

00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:15.360
 Or do you waffle?

00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:20.539
 You say, uh, you know, the usual.

00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:26.140
 When you know that God is calling you to rest from your

00:26:26.140 --> 00:26:30.860
 work, do you deny yourself and you trust in him, not rely

00:26:30.860 --> 00:26:32.299
 on your own power, your own strength?

00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:35.799
 Or do you keep convincing yourself that you have no limit?

00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:41.359
 When you know that you're living in sin and feel the pull

00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:45.220
 of the Holy Spirit prompting you to confess that to others,

00:26:46.159 --> 00:26:50.599
 do you share honestly, risking your reputation?

00:26:50.819 --> 00:26:56.240
 Or do you keep silent to save face, to protect yourself?

00:26:57.399 --> 00:27:02.879
 When another brother lives in unrepentant sin, do you go and

00:27:02.879 --> 00:27:05.740
 lovingly, patiently confront that brother?

00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:06.680
 To win him back.

00:27:07.419 --> 00:27:09.960
 Or you don't want to cause any problems.

00:27:10.059 --> 00:27:11.859
 You don't want to ruffle any feathers.

00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:13.579
 So you just let it slide.

00:27:15.119 --> 00:27:18.440
 Every single one of these moments asks the same question.

00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:23.740
 Will I deny myself or will I preserve myself?

00:27:24.440 --> 00:27:28.720
 Will I identify with Christ and follow him or will I protect

00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:29.680
 my own interests?

00:27:31.819 --> 00:27:35.740
 Then Jesus raises the stakes of what it means to follow him.

00:27:35.799 --> 00:27:38.159
 That we must carry our crosses.

00:27:39.180 --> 00:27:44.379
 Remember that the cross is not the tame domesticated symbol that it is today.

00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:46.019
 We slap it on our cars.

00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:47.379
 We wear it around our necks.

00:27:47.919 --> 00:27:48.879
 Plaster it on our buildings.

00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:52.820
 Even in our common vernacular, it's not even taken seriously.

00:27:53.300 --> 00:27:57.580
 We hear things like, Starbucks ran out of oat milk, so I needed to get almond.

00:27:58.200 --> 00:27:59.580
 My cross to carry, I guess.

00:28:00.420 --> 00:28:02.540
 And that's how we speak of the cross today.

00:28:02.539 --> 00:28:12.440
 But we can't forget that the cross was a symbol of the most excruciating death that one could die.

00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:21.720
 Just imagine for a moment being stripped naked, flogged, whipped so that your back is shredded,

00:28:23.360 --> 00:28:28.420
 nailed to a wooden beam, and lifted up to asphyxiate to death.

00:28:28.420 --> 00:28:37.800
 And not just the bloody cruelty of the cross, but the stigma of the social disgrace made the Jews shudder.

00:28:38.840 --> 00:28:46.759
 Only the worst, the worst of all, the worst of the worst, they were the ones that deserved the cross.

00:28:46.759 --> 00:28:54.160
 The Jews considered it the ultimate shame if a family member, someone that they knew closely, was crucified.

00:28:56.140 --> 00:29:01.940
 And remember from last week's passage, Jesus and his disciples, they are in Caesarea Philippi,

00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:05.460
 which was a hub of Roman power.

00:29:06.440 --> 00:29:09.599
 A town literally named after Caesar, the Roman king.

00:29:10.339 --> 00:29:14.759
 The Jews felt the authority of the Romans very palpably in that town.

00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:22.400
 The threat of the Roman cross was very real to the disciples, especially in the place that they're in.

00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:28.680
 And that's the context Jesus is commanding his disciples to carry their cross.

00:29:30.079 --> 00:29:38.359
 And of course, Jesus is not literally commanding every single one of his disciples to die, to literally be crucified.

00:29:38.359 --> 00:29:48.479
 But as commentator R.T. Francis said, discipleship is a life of at least potential martyrdom.

00:29:50.939 --> 00:29:54.839
 Discipleship is a life of at least potential martyrdom.

00:29:54.839 --> 00:30:04.059
 The disciples knew what Jesus was asking them to do, to be willing to pay the ultimate price.

00:30:04.059 --> 00:30:11.419
 And this command is not just for the spiritual overachievers and pastors and missionaries.

00:30:12.419 --> 00:30:17.839
 But it is a requirement for any person who calls themselves a Christian.

00:30:18.159 --> 00:30:21.419
 Any person who has been baptized, who partakes of the Lord's Supper.

00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:29.379
 Whether or not you are martyred, following Jesus costs you your life.

00:30:29.380 --> 00:30:35.560
 Verse 25, 26, make that clear.

00:30:36.380 --> 00:30:40.520
 It says, for anyone who wants to save his life will lose it.

00:30:41.100 --> 00:30:44.620
 But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

00:30:46.040 --> 00:30:49.580
 You see, Jesus' double usage of the word life here, right?

00:30:49.640 --> 00:30:51.640
 He speaks of two kinds of life.

00:30:52.080 --> 00:30:53.860
 The physical, temporal life on earth.

00:30:53.860 --> 00:30:58.780
 And then the spiritual, eternal, everlasting life, either in heaven or hell.

00:31:00.380 --> 00:31:04.400
 Counter to literally everything that the world stands for, teaches.

00:31:05.500 --> 00:31:09.540
 He's teaching that we need to lose our lives to find them.

00:31:11.140 --> 00:31:16.780
 This world often teaches us that we need to go on these journeys of self-discovery.

00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:20.240
 To find our authentic selves.

00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:27.240
 By ordering your life around what feels good to you, what feels most true to you,

00:31:27.339 --> 00:31:33.599
 then will you be able to make choices that are in alignment with who you truly are?

00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:36.140
 That's the kind of language that the world teaches.

00:31:36.140 --> 00:31:41.960
 Only this goes against everything that Jesus is saying here.

00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:45.700
 We need not discover but deny ourselves.

00:31:46.560 --> 00:31:52.460
 We don't need to ultimately learn everything about ourselves but lose ourselves for the sake of Christ.

00:31:54.040 --> 00:31:55.660
 And focus on those key words.

00:31:56.040 --> 00:31:57.080
 For my sake.

00:31:57.079 --> 00:32:02.460
 Unbelievers, they can make sacrifices all the time by God's common grace.

00:32:03.019 --> 00:32:06.899
 Performing acts of charity, giving to the poor, serving needy communities.

00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:10.519
 But for whose sake?

00:32:12.079 --> 00:32:20.139
 Self-denial alone accomplishes nothing of everlasting value if it is separated from Jesus.

00:32:20.139 --> 00:32:25.000
 For we know that without faith, it is impossible to please him.

00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:28.420
 And so the famous saying from C.T. Studd goes,

00:32:29.579 --> 00:32:32.799
 Only one life will soon be passed.

00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:36.119
 Only what is done for Christ will last.

00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:40.819
 So if you do lose your life,

00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:46.619
 when others pass you at work because you privatize church,

00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:53.339
 when others pass you financially because you faithfully give to the needy,

00:32:53.339 --> 00:32:58.279
 when others pass you, you won't regret it.

00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:08.639
 For there is no greater tragedy in this life than to meet your maker on that last day,

00:33:09.639 --> 00:33:11.539
 thinking that you lived the good life,

00:33:12.439 --> 00:33:14.399
 that you've invested in the right things,

00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:20.400
 only to find out that everything you thought to be true was a lie.

00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:25.160
 Many climb the corporate ladder today

00:33:25.160 --> 00:33:30.300
 only to find that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.

00:33:32.040 --> 00:33:35.500
 Many run with all zeal in this rat race

00:33:35.500 --> 00:33:39.660
 only to find that they run straight into the pits of hell.

00:33:39.660 --> 00:33:44.500
 This is the greatest tragedy of our time.

00:33:45.240 --> 00:33:46.880
 It's happening all around us.

00:33:47.600 --> 00:33:50.000
 And may we never grow numb to it.

00:33:51.259 --> 00:33:53.960
 For many will find that with all the comfort,

00:33:54.560 --> 00:33:58.940
 success, riches, and power that the whole world has to offer,

00:33:59.940 --> 00:34:01.680
 they're poor.

00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:07.480
 In Luke 12, Jesus tells this parable.

00:34:08.480 --> 00:34:10.980
 The land of a rich man produced plentifully.

00:34:11.680 --> 00:34:12.960
 And he thought to himself,

00:34:13.180 --> 00:34:14.180
 what shall I do?

00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:16.840
 For I have nowhere to store my crops.

00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:19.119
 And he said, I will do this.

00:34:19.240 --> 00:34:21.880
 I will tear down my barns and build larger ones.

00:34:22.059 --> 00:34:24.659
 And there I will store all my grain and my goods.

00:34:24.840 --> 00:34:26.260
 And I will say to my soul,

00:34:26.420 --> 00:34:29.340
 soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years.

00:34:29.340 --> 00:34:31.700
 Relax, eat, drink, be merry.

00:34:32.380 --> 00:34:34.640
 But God said to him, fool,

00:34:35.720 --> 00:34:38.180
 this night your soul is required of you.

00:34:38.200 --> 00:34:39.320
 And the things that you have prepared,

00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:40.740
 whose will they be?

00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:43.920
 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself

00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:46.340
 and is not rich toward God.

00:34:46.740 --> 00:34:50.300
 Oh, if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ,

00:34:51.039 --> 00:34:52.820
 how I plead with you

00:34:52.820 --> 00:34:55.760
 that you might not be like this poor, poor man.

00:34:56.440 --> 00:34:57.420
 How I plead with you

00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:59.180
 that you might not be deceived

00:34:59.180 --> 00:35:02.019
 in what truly the good life is.

00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:05.480
 For the good life is not defined

00:35:05.480 --> 00:35:07.260
 by riches and comfort,

00:35:07.780 --> 00:35:09.639
 but by following Jesus

00:35:09.639 --> 00:35:11.119
 with the cross on your back.

00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:14.200
 For the path of suffering

00:35:14.200 --> 00:35:16.240
 is the path to glory.

00:35:17.680 --> 00:35:19.380
 You see, the economy of the kingdom

00:35:19.380 --> 00:35:21.079
 is completely backward,

00:35:21.260 --> 00:35:22.480
 completely upside down

00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:23.780
 from the way this world works.

00:35:23.780 --> 00:35:26.160
 In God's economy,

00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:28.860
 the way down is actually the way up.

00:35:29.620 --> 00:35:31.940
 That to die is actually to gain.

00:35:32.519 --> 00:35:34.820
 That it is more blessed to give

00:35:34.820 --> 00:35:35.800
 than to receive.

00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:40.880
 This passage began with Jesus predicting

00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:42.680
 his death,

00:35:44.040 --> 00:35:44.519
 disgrace,

00:35:45.460 --> 00:35:45.920
 shame,

00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:48.039
 but it ends

00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:49.820
 in glory.

00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:52.900
 For verse 27

00:35:52.900 --> 00:35:54.579
 says that in his future coming,

00:35:54.980 --> 00:35:56.039
 Jesus will come

00:35:56.039 --> 00:35:57.460
 with his angels

00:35:57.460 --> 00:35:59.059
 in the glory of his father.

00:36:00.019 --> 00:36:00.920
 The whole world

00:36:01.700 --> 00:36:03.780
 will see the radiance of the sun

00:36:03.780 --> 00:36:06.300
 and they will see

00:36:06.300 --> 00:36:08.740
 something that they have never seen before

00:36:08.740 --> 00:36:11.220
 and they will tremble at his sight.

00:36:11.219 --> 00:36:13.699
 And the disciples

00:36:13.699 --> 00:36:14.919
 don't even have to wait

00:36:14.919 --> 00:36:16.939
 until Jesus' second coming.

00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:18.519
 For verse 28

00:36:18.519 --> 00:36:19.299
 clearly says

00:36:19.299 --> 00:36:20.559
 that some standing here

00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:22.019
 will behold Jesus

00:36:22.019 --> 00:36:23.359
 in his kingdom,

00:36:23.500 --> 00:36:24.399
 coming in his kingdom

00:36:24.399 --> 00:36:25.779
 during their lifetime.

00:36:27.059 --> 00:36:29.299
 This is a highly debated verse

00:36:29.299 --> 00:36:30.919
 and it's really hard,

00:36:31.059 --> 00:36:32.419
 really difficult to understand

00:36:32.419 --> 00:36:33.119
 if you believe

00:36:33.119 --> 00:36:33.839
 that it refers

00:36:33.839 --> 00:36:35.719
 to Jesus' second coming.

00:36:36.819 --> 00:36:37.739
 Because we know

00:36:37.739 --> 00:36:39.059
 that Jesus hasn't yet come

00:36:39.059 --> 00:36:41.699
 and the disciples are long dead.

00:36:42.860 --> 00:36:43.940
 So I think the key

00:36:43.940 --> 00:36:44.599
 to this verse

00:36:44.599 --> 00:36:45.299
 is to see that

00:36:45.299 --> 00:36:46.259
 verse 27

00:36:46.259 --> 00:36:47.420
 and verse 28

00:36:47.420 --> 00:36:48.779
 they're speaking about

00:36:48.779 --> 00:36:49.279
 related

00:36:49.279 --> 00:36:50.320
 but altogether

00:36:50.320 --> 00:36:51.699
 separate events.

00:36:52.659 --> 00:36:53.779
 For verse 28

00:36:53.779 --> 00:36:54.940
 Jesus is not coming

00:36:54.940 --> 00:36:55.980
 to earth

00:36:55.980 --> 00:36:57.159
 but he's coming

00:36:57.159 --> 00:36:58.000
 into his kingdom

00:36:58.000 --> 00:36:59.019
 into heaven.

00:37:00.460 --> 00:37:01.340
 The verse is referring

00:37:01.340 --> 00:37:02.420
 to Daniel 7

00:37:02.420 --> 00:37:03.579
 which I think I threw up

00:37:03.579 --> 00:37:04.159
 on the screen

00:37:04.159 --> 00:37:05.340
 where the son of man

00:37:05.340 --> 00:37:06.840
 comes to the ancient

00:37:06.840 --> 00:37:07.519
 of days

00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:08.759
 and is seated

00:37:08.759 --> 00:37:09.539
 in heaven

00:37:09.539 --> 00:37:10.559
 and he receives

00:37:10.559 --> 00:37:11.920
 dominion and glory

00:37:11.920 --> 00:37:12.460
 and a kingdom

00:37:12.460 --> 00:37:13.300
 that all peoples,

00:37:13.460 --> 00:37:13.739
 nations,

00:37:13.880 --> 00:37:14.320
 and languages

00:37:14.320 --> 00:37:15.500
 should serve him.

00:37:16.460 --> 00:37:17.659
 That's fulfilled

00:37:17.659 --> 00:37:18.599
 by Jesus

00:37:18.599 --> 00:37:20.460
 when he after his death

00:37:20.460 --> 00:37:21.219
 and resurrection

00:37:21.219 --> 00:37:22.940
 ascends to the Father

00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:24.199
 to receive his kingdom.

00:37:25.259 --> 00:37:26.360
 For it's after

00:37:26.360 --> 00:37:27.300
 Jesus' death

00:37:27.300 --> 00:37:27.820
 and resurrection

00:37:27.820 --> 00:37:29.320
 right before his ascension

00:37:29.320 --> 00:37:30.440
 that he says

00:37:30.440 --> 00:37:31.079
 in Matthew 8

00:37:31.079 --> 00:37:31.659
 right before

00:37:31.659 --> 00:37:32.900
 the Great Commission

00:37:32.900 --> 00:37:35.000
 all authority

00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:35.780
 in heaven

00:37:35.780 --> 00:37:36.340
 and on earth

00:37:36.340 --> 00:37:37.360
 is given to me.

00:37:38.460 --> 00:37:39.260
 And there some

00:37:39.260 --> 00:37:39.900
 of the disciples

00:37:39.900 --> 00:37:41.360
 not including Judas

00:37:41.360 --> 00:37:43.280
 will behold his coming

00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:44.040
 into his kingdom

00:37:44.040 --> 00:37:45.300
 as he ascends

00:37:45.300 --> 00:37:46.320
 to heaven.

00:37:48.240 --> 00:37:49.340
 It's also probable

00:37:49.340 --> 00:37:50.080
 that this verse

00:37:50.080 --> 00:37:51.160
 has an even more

00:37:51.160 --> 00:37:52.640
 immediate secondary

00:37:52.640 --> 00:37:53.580
 reference to

00:37:53.580 --> 00:37:54.660
 as I think Jesus

00:37:54.660 --> 00:37:55.540
 is referring to

00:37:55.540 --> 00:37:57.280
 his transfiguration

00:37:57.280 --> 00:37:59.160
 which comes immediately

00:37:59.160 --> 00:38:00.200
 in the next passage.

00:38:01.320 --> 00:38:01.660
 In fact,

00:38:01.780 --> 00:38:02.700
 all three of the

00:38:02.700 --> 00:38:03.980
 synoptic gospels

00:38:03.980 --> 00:38:04.619
 Matthew,

00:38:04.920 --> 00:38:05.260
 Mark,

00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:05.740
 Luke,

00:38:05.980 --> 00:38:07.659
 they have the event

00:38:07.659 --> 00:38:08.860
 of the transfiguration

00:38:08.860 --> 00:38:09.960
 immediately after

00:38:09.960 --> 00:38:10.820
 this statement.

00:38:11.019 --> 00:38:11.920
 Even Luke

00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:12.860
 who has often

00:38:12.860 --> 00:38:13.780
 a wildly different

00:38:13.780 --> 00:38:14.539
 order of events.

00:38:15.480 --> 00:38:16.179
 And I think

00:38:16.179 --> 00:38:16.880
 that's intentional.

00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:18.559
 And we'll speak

00:38:18.559 --> 00:38:19.360
 more about this

00:38:19.360 --> 00:38:20.260
 next week

00:38:20.260 --> 00:38:21.619
 but there the

00:38:21.619 --> 00:38:22.840
 inner circle,

00:38:23.400 --> 00:38:24.079
 only some

00:38:24.079 --> 00:38:24.719
 of the disciples,

00:38:24.880 --> 00:38:25.500
 they witness

00:38:25.500 --> 00:38:27.199
 Jesus' transfiguration

00:38:27.199 --> 00:38:29.039
 into awesome splendor.

00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:30.179
 See,

00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:31.300
 the transfiguration

00:38:31.300 --> 00:38:32.840
 is like a sneak peek,

00:38:33.080 --> 00:38:34.560
 a preview of some sorts,

00:38:34.640 --> 00:38:35.580
 the curtain rolled back

00:38:35.580 --> 00:38:36.240
 just a little

00:38:36.240 --> 00:38:37.740
 into the full

00:38:37.740 --> 00:38:39.180
 resurrected glory

00:38:39.180 --> 00:38:39.680
 of the son

00:38:39.680 --> 00:38:40.700
 that he will receive

00:38:40.700 --> 00:38:41.800
 when he ascends

00:38:41.800 --> 00:38:42.680
 to his kingdom.

00:38:43.940 --> 00:38:45.539
 The point being,

00:38:46.519 --> 00:38:48.240
 death and disgrace

00:38:48.240 --> 00:38:49.380
 are coming soon,

00:38:49.720 --> 00:38:49.940
 sure.

00:38:51.000 --> 00:38:52.700
 But make no mistake

00:38:52.700 --> 00:38:53.180
 about it,

00:38:53.940 --> 00:38:54.640
 incredible,

00:38:55.660 --> 00:38:57.380
 uncontainable glory

00:38:57.380 --> 00:38:58.680
 is soon coming

00:38:58.680 --> 00:38:59.660
 right after.

00:38:59.659 --> 00:39:01.980
 the path of suffering

00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:03.619
 is the path

00:39:03.619 --> 00:39:04.199
 to glory.

00:39:05.399 --> 00:39:06.679
 And when he returns

00:39:06.679 --> 00:39:07.299
 in glory,

00:39:07.839 --> 00:39:09.879
 he will rightly judge

00:39:09.879 --> 00:39:10.359
 the living

00:39:10.359 --> 00:39:11.079
 and the dead

00:39:11.079 --> 00:39:11.759
 to repay

00:39:11.759 --> 00:39:12.839
 every man,

00:39:13.000 --> 00:39:13.819
 every woman

00:39:13.819 --> 00:39:15.019
 for what they have done

00:39:15.019 --> 00:39:15.659
 in this life.

00:39:16.619 --> 00:39:17.440
 He will see

00:39:17.440 --> 00:39:18.219
 if there are those

00:39:18.219 --> 00:39:18.699
 who lived

00:39:18.699 --> 00:39:20.339
 the truly good life.

00:39:21.099 --> 00:39:22.199
 And all of us

00:39:22.199 --> 00:39:22.839
 will have to give

00:39:22.839 --> 00:39:23.239
 an account

00:39:23.239 --> 00:39:23.920
 for our works.

00:39:25.619 --> 00:39:26.319
 So the question

00:39:26.319 --> 00:39:26.819
 of the hour,

00:39:26.820 --> 00:39:29.700
 have you lived

00:39:29.700 --> 00:39:30.500
 a good enough life?

00:39:33.900 --> 00:39:34.720
 Knowing Jesus'

00:39:34.960 --> 00:39:35.340
 definition

00:39:35.340 --> 00:39:36.680
 of what a good life is,

00:39:37.080 --> 00:39:39.500
 to die to yourself,

00:39:40.300 --> 00:39:41.640
 to live for God,

00:39:42.440 --> 00:39:43.140
 to sacrifice

00:39:43.140 --> 00:39:43.760
 your time,

00:39:43.880 --> 00:39:44.080
 money,

00:39:44.200 --> 00:39:44.519
 body,

00:39:44.600 --> 00:39:45.019
 maybe even

00:39:45.019 --> 00:39:45.620
 your own life,

00:39:46.559 --> 00:39:48.600
 have you lived

00:39:48.600 --> 00:39:49.460
 the good life?

00:39:49.460 --> 00:39:53.699
 The undeniable truth

00:39:53.699 --> 00:39:54.159
 is that

00:39:54.159 --> 00:39:56.099
 none of us have.

00:39:57.619 --> 00:39:58.300
 In fact,

00:39:58.420 --> 00:39:59.519
 we can't.

00:40:01.079 --> 00:40:02.360
 Left to ourselves,

00:40:03.380 --> 00:40:04.699
 every single one of us

00:40:04.699 --> 00:40:05.360
 knows the

00:40:05.360 --> 00:40:06.800
 countless ways

00:40:06.800 --> 00:40:07.699
 that we have not

00:40:07.699 --> 00:40:08.619
 denied

00:40:08.619 --> 00:40:09.460
 but defended

00:40:09.460 --> 00:40:10.000
 ourselves.

00:40:11.000 --> 00:40:11.820
 We have not

00:40:11.820 --> 00:40:12.440
 died to

00:40:12.440 --> 00:40:13.340
 but indulged

00:40:13.340 --> 00:40:13.880
 in sin.

00:40:14.559 --> 00:40:15.360
 We have not

00:40:15.360 --> 00:40:16.039
 been devoted

00:40:16.039 --> 00:40:16.780
 to Christ

00:40:16.780 --> 00:40:17.600
 but have

00:40:17.600 --> 00:40:18.400
 denounced him.

00:40:20.019 --> 00:40:21.060
 Apart from Christ,

00:40:21.180 --> 00:40:21.920
 we have not

00:40:21.920 --> 00:40:23.519
 lived a good life.

00:40:25.120 --> 00:40:25.760
 And we will

00:40:25.760 --> 00:40:26.400
 have nothing

00:40:26.400 --> 00:40:27.300
 to show for

00:40:27.300 --> 00:40:28.440
 when Christ

00:40:28.440 --> 00:40:29.700
 returns.

00:40:31.060 --> 00:40:32.160
 Like Peter,

00:40:32.420 --> 00:40:33.519
 we feel the shame

00:40:33.519 --> 00:40:34.740
 of watching Jesus

00:40:34.740 --> 00:40:36.640
 carry his cross

00:40:36.640 --> 00:40:37.960
 to Calvary alone

00:40:37.960 --> 00:40:39.780
 when we should

00:40:39.780 --> 00:40:40.200
 have been there

00:40:40.200 --> 00:40:40.960
 following him.

00:40:42.560 --> 00:40:43.460
 When Jesus

00:40:43.460 --> 00:40:44.120
 collapses

00:40:44.120 --> 00:40:45.120
 from exhaustion,

00:40:45.119 --> 00:40:46.900
 it should have

00:40:46.900 --> 00:40:47.839
 been us

00:40:47.839 --> 00:40:49.119
 to catch

00:40:49.119 --> 00:40:49.719
 the cross

00:40:49.719 --> 00:40:51.119
 but embarrassingly

00:40:51.119 --> 00:40:52.059
 some random

00:40:52.059 --> 00:40:53.000
 stranger is there.

00:40:54.880 --> 00:40:55.819
 We should have

00:40:55.819 --> 00:40:56.480
 been crucified

00:40:56.480 --> 00:40:57.659
 next to Christ

00:40:57.659 --> 00:40:58.679
 but instead

00:40:58.679 --> 00:40:59.359
 we hear our

00:40:59.359 --> 00:41:00.179
 mocking voice

00:41:00.179 --> 00:41:00.539
 yell,

00:41:01.000 --> 00:41:01.859
 crucify him,

00:41:02.199 --> 00:41:03.079
 crucify him.

00:41:04.940 --> 00:41:05.699
 But Jesus

00:41:05.699 --> 00:41:06.400
 Christ,

00:41:06.679 --> 00:41:07.059
 knowing

00:41:07.059 --> 00:41:08.119
 full well

00:41:08.119 --> 00:41:08.980
 our sin,

00:41:09.079 --> 00:41:09.960
 our shortcomings

00:41:09.960 --> 00:41:11.059
 in the greatest

00:41:11.059 --> 00:41:12.019
 expression

00:41:12.019 --> 00:41:13.139
 of his love,

00:41:13.679 --> 00:41:14.079
 laid down

00:41:14.079 --> 00:41:14.719
 his life

00:41:14.719 --> 00:41:15.259
 for his

00:41:15.259 --> 00:41:15.759
 friends

00:41:15.759 --> 00:41:16.539
 on the cross.

00:41:17.380 --> 00:41:18.119
 Even when

00:41:18.119 --> 00:41:19.380
 he was the

00:41:19.380 --> 00:41:20.259
 only one

00:41:20.259 --> 00:41:20.940
 who truly

00:41:20.940 --> 00:41:21.659
 lived a good

00:41:21.659 --> 00:41:22.059
 life,

00:41:22.659 --> 00:41:23.259
 he died

00:41:23.259 --> 00:41:23.739
 as if he

00:41:23.739 --> 00:41:24.460
 was the worst

00:41:24.460 --> 00:41:25.219
 of criminals.

00:41:26.460 --> 00:41:26.980
 And it was

00:41:26.980 --> 00:41:27.500
 the greatest

00:41:27.500 --> 00:41:28.219
 act of

00:41:28.219 --> 00:41:28.900
 injustice

00:41:28.900 --> 00:41:30.519
 in all of

00:41:30.519 --> 00:41:31.279
 human history.

00:41:32.400 --> 00:41:33.219
 But Jesus

00:41:33.219 --> 00:41:34.400
 willingly took

00:41:34.400 --> 00:41:35.119
 the injustice.

00:41:35.960 --> 00:41:36.940
 He took it

00:41:36.940 --> 00:41:37.719
 upon himself

00:41:37.719 --> 00:41:38.340
 so that he

00:41:38.340 --> 00:41:39.159
 could satisfy

00:41:39.159 --> 00:41:40.460
 God's justice

00:41:40.460 --> 00:41:41.139
 on behalf

00:41:41.139 --> 00:41:41.659
 of sinners.

00:41:43.719 --> 00:41:44.500
 By his

00:41:44.500 --> 00:41:44.799
 death,

00:41:44.879 --> 00:41:45.559
 we are now

00:41:45.559 --> 00:41:46.859
 washed clean

00:41:46.859 --> 00:41:48.119
 of all our

00:41:48.119 --> 00:41:48.339
 sin,

00:41:48.440 --> 00:41:48.940
 all our

00:41:48.940 --> 00:41:49.480
 selflessness,

00:41:49.619 --> 00:41:50.019
 all our

00:41:50.019 --> 00:41:50.739
 betrayals,

00:41:50.859 --> 00:41:51.500
 and we are

00:41:51.500 --> 00:41:52.239
 now united

00:41:52.239 --> 00:41:52.739
 to him

00:41:52.739 --> 00:41:53.759
 by faith

00:41:53.759 --> 00:41:55.659
 eternally,

00:41:55.920 --> 00:41:56.779
 interseparably.

00:41:58.159 --> 00:41:59.039
 It is that

00:41:59.039 --> 00:42:00.159
 union we

00:42:00.159 --> 00:42:00.759
 share with

00:42:00.759 --> 00:42:01.319
 Christ that

00:42:01.319 --> 00:42:02.219
 now enables

00:42:02.219 --> 00:42:02.839
 us to say,

00:42:03.199 --> 00:42:03.679
 just like

00:42:03.679 --> 00:42:04.339
 Paul said,

00:42:05.059 --> 00:42:06.039
 Galatians 2.20,

00:42:06.039 --> 00:42:08.699
 I have

00:42:08.699 --> 00:42:09.579
 been crucified

00:42:09.579 --> 00:42:11.579
 with Christ.

00:42:11.980 --> 00:42:12.519
 It is no

00:42:12.519 --> 00:42:13.300
 longer I

00:42:13.300 --> 00:42:13.820
 who live,

00:42:13.900 --> 00:42:14.340
 but Christ

00:42:14.340 --> 00:42:14.679
 who lives

00:42:14.679 --> 00:42:14.960
 in me.

00:42:15.279 --> 00:42:15.539
 And the

00:42:15.539 --> 00:42:16.000
 life I

00:42:16.000 --> 00:42:17.199
 now live

00:42:17.199 --> 00:42:17.440
 in the

00:42:17.440 --> 00:42:17.699
 flesh,

00:42:17.800 --> 00:42:18.139
 I live

00:42:18.139 --> 00:42:18.639
 by faith

00:42:18.639 --> 00:42:18.920
 in the

00:42:18.920 --> 00:42:19.219
 Son of

00:42:19.219 --> 00:42:19.880
 God who

00:42:19.880 --> 00:42:20.400
 loved me

00:42:20.400 --> 00:42:20.880
 and gave

00:42:20.880 --> 00:42:21.579
 himself for

00:42:21.579 --> 00:42:21.779
 me.

00:42:22.980 --> 00:42:23.980
 Those who

00:42:23.980 --> 00:42:24.500
 have so

00:42:24.500 --> 00:42:25.579
 often abandoned

00:42:25.579 --> 00:42:26.199
 our crosses

00:42:26.199 --> 00:42:27.000
 to save our

00:42:27.000 --> 00:42:27.500
 own skin

00:42:27.500 --> 00:42:28.900
 can legitimately

00:42:28.900 --> 00:42:29.599
 say with

00:42:29.599 --> 00:42:30.599
 full truth,

00:42:31.420 --> 00:42:32.099
 I have

00:42:32.099 --> 00:42:32.779
 been crucified

00:42:32.779 --> 00:42:33.199
 already.

00:42:33.619 --> 00:42:34.400
 I have not

00:42:34.400 --> 00:42:35.259
 abandoned my

00:42:35.260 --> 00:42:36.140
 Lord, but

00:42:36.140 --> 00:42:36.340
 I have

00:42:36.340 --> 00:42:37.120
 followed him,

00:42:37.180 --> 00:42:37.460
 I have

00:42:37.460 --> 00:42:38.080
 died with

00:42:38.080 --> 00:42:38.280
 him.

00:42:39.440 --> 00:42:39.720
 And you

00:42:39.720 --> 00:42:40.340
 see Galatians

00:42:40.340 --> 00:42:40.860
 2.20,

00:42:40.920 --> 00:42:41.500
 it explains

00:42:41.500 --> 00:42:42.220
 the inward

00:42:42.220 --> 00:42:43.540
 spiritual reality

00:42:43.540 --> 00:42:43.880
 of our

00:42:43.880 --> 00:42:45.000
 death, our

00:42:45.000 --> 00:42:45.580
 resurrection

00:42:45.580 --> 00:42:46.500
 with Christ.

00:42:47.260 --> 00:42:47.600
 And if

00:42:47.600 --> 00:42:48.460
 that's true

00:42:48.460 --> 00:42:48.800
 of you,

00:42:48.880 --> 00:42:49.720
 by faith,

00:42:50.060 --> 00:42:50.840
 your inward

00:42:50.840 --> 00:42:51.900
 spiritual death

00:42:51.900 --> 00:42:53.120
 will manifest

00:42:53.120 --> 00:42:53.940
 itself, will

00:42:53.940 --> 00:42:54.740
 show itself

00:42:54.740 --> 00:42:55.180
 by your

00:42:55.180 --> 00:42:56.460
 outward daily

00:42:56.460 --> 00:42:57.100
 cross that

00:42:57.100 --> 00:42:57.540
 you take

00:42:57.540 --> 00:42:57.760
 up.

00:42:59.120 --> 00:42:59.380
 And so

00:42:59.380 --> 00:43:00.020
 friends, I

00:43:00.020 --> 00:43:00.720
 want you to

00:43:00.720 --> 00:43:01.540
 feel the

00:43:01.540 --> 00:43:01.860
 weight of

00:43:01.860 --> 00:43:02.320
 the cross,

00:43:02.440 --> 00:43:03.840
 yes, but

00:43:03.840 --> 00:43:04.800
 I don't want

00:43:04.800 --> 00:43:05.260
 you to be

00:43:05.260 --> 00:43:06.060
 crushed by

00:43:06.060 --> 00:43:06.300
 it.

00:43:07.940 --> 00:43:08.680
 The Christian

00:43:08.680 --> 00:43:09.300
 life is all

00:43:09.300 --> 00:43:10.240
 demanding, yes,

00:43:10.440 --> 00:43:11.640
 but it is not

00:43:11.640 --> 00:43:12.500
 impossible.

00:43:14.539 --> 00:43:15.200
 Not only

00:43:15.200 --> 00:43:15.880
 because you

00:43:15.880 --> 00:43:16.740
 are in

00:43:16.740 --> 00:43:17.800
 Christ, you

00:43:17.800 --> 00:43:18.519
 have already

00:43:18.519 --> 00:43:19.160
 lived the

00:43:19.160 --> 00:43:20.240
 good life in

00:43:20.240 --> 00:43:20.600
 and through

00:43:20.600 --> 00:43:21.539
 him, but

00:43:21.539 --> 00:43:22.260
 now by his

00:43:22.260 --> 00:43:22.780
 grace you

00:43:22.780 --> 00:43:23.840
 are empowered,

00:43:24.039 --> 00:43:24.300
 you have

00:43:24.300 --> 00:43:25.000
 power from

00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:25.360
 the Holy

00:43:25.360 --> 00:43:26.380
 Spirit to

00:43:26.380 --> 00:43:26.900
 live the

00:43:26.900 --> 00:43:27.360
 good life

00:43:27.360 --> 00:43:27.860
 yourselves.

00:43:29.380 --> 00:43:29.880
 And being

00:43:29.880 --> 00:43:30.720
 a disciple

00:43:30.720 --> 00:43:31.360
 of Christ

00:43:31.360 --> 00:43:33.300
 is radical,

00:43:33.640 --> 00:43:34.220
 it is

00:43:34.220 --> 00:43:36.140
 extreme, but

00:43:36.140 --> 00:43:36.760
 it doesn't

00:43:36.760 --> 00:43:37.260
 mean that it

00:43:37.260 --> 00:43:38.000
 will always

00:43:38.000 --> 00:43:39.680
 look radical

00:43:39.680 --> 00:43:40.440
 or extreme.

00:43:41.880 --> 00:43:42.400
 Consider

00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:43.340
 Matthew 25,

00:43:43.620 --> 00:43:44.039
 a passage

00:43:44.039 --> 00:43:44.860
 that's closely

00:43:44.860 --> 00:43:45.460
 connected to

00:43:45.460 --> 00:43:45.840
 what Jesus

00:43:45.840 --> 00:43:46.260
 is saying

00:43:46.260 --> 00:43:46.480
 here.

00:43:47.539 --> 00:43:48.200
 There, Christ

00:43:48.200 --> 00:43:49.019
 returns with

00:43:49.019 --> 00:43:50.260
 his angels to

00:43:50.260 --> 00:43:50.840
 judge the

00:43:50.840 --> 00:43:51.260
 living and the

00:43:51.260 --> 00:43:51.960
 dead, language

00:43:51.960 --> 00:43:53.120
 strikingly similar

00:43:53.120 --> 00:43:53.900
 to this text.

00:43:54.900 --> 00:43:55.519
 And how does

00:43:55.519 --> 00:43:56.220
 he recognize

00:43:56.220 --> 00:43:57.099
 his flock,

00:43:57.220 --> 00:43:57.780
 his sheep,

00:43:57.880 --> 00:43:58.500
 his people?

00:43:58.500 --> 00:44:00.519
 It's not by

00:44:00.519 --> 00:44:01.659
 grand displays

00:44:01.659 --> 00:44:02.599
 of holiness,

00:44:03.239 --> 00:44:04.480
 taking vows

00:44:04.480 --> 00:44:05.260
 of poverty,

00:44:05.619 --> 00:44:06.380
 moving overseas

00:44:06.380 --> 00:44:07.139
 for missions,

00:44:07.400 --> 00:44:08.159
 or becoming

00:44:08.159 --> 00:44:08.920
 martyrs, but

00:44:08.920 --> 00:44:10.059
 it's by

00:44:10.059 --> 00:44:10.639
 simple,

00:44:11.420 --> 00:44:11.960
 faithful,

00:44:12.659 --> 00:44:13.579
 daily obedience.

00:44:14.920 --> 00:44:15.440
 A meal

00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:17.000
 given to a

00:44:17.000 --> 00:44:17.340
 stranger,

00:44:18.619 --> 00:44:19.199
 a cup of

00:44:19.199 --> 00:44:20.380
 water that's

00:44:20.380 --> 00:44:20.860
 offered in

00:44:20.860 --> 00:44:21.260
 his name,

00:44:22.420 --> 00:44:23.219
 warm clothing

00:44:23.219 --> 00:44:23.880
 provided to

00:44:23.880 --> 00:44:24.320
 the needy.

00:44:25.539 --> 00:44:26.099
 These are

00:44:26.099 --> 00:44:27.119
 not miraculous

00:44:27.119 --> 00:44:27.960
 acts.

00:44:28.500 --> 00:44:29.079
 They are

00:44:29.079 --> 00:44:30.079
 ordinary

00:44:30.079 --> 00:44:31.420
 acts done

00:44:31.420 --> 00:44:32.300
 by faith

00:44:32.300 --> 00:44:33.019
 in Jesus

00:44:33.019 --> 00:44:33.519
 Christ.

00:44:34.019 --> 00:44:34.639
 And I

00:44:34.639 --> 00:44:35.599
 see that

00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:36.099
 kind of

00:44:36.099 --> 00:44:36.639
 faithfulness

00:44:36.639 --> 00:44:37.380
 in you,

00:44:37.539 --> 00:44:38.159
 week in,

00:44:38.500 --> 00:44:39.159
 week out,

00:44:39.420 --> 00:44:39.980
 regularly

00:44:39.980 --> 00:44:41.119
 glorifying the

00:44:41.119 --> 00:44:41.360
 Lord.

00:44:43.119 --> 00:44:43.840
 Some of you

00:44:43.840 --> 00:44:44.400
 may follow

00:44:44.400 --> 00:44:45.179
 Christ by

00:44:45.179 --> 00:44:46.179
 entering

00:44:46.179 --> 00:44:46.800
 full-time

00:44:46.800 --> 00:44:47.260
 ministry,

00:44:48.159 --> 00:44:49.239
 going overseas,

00:44:50.659 --> 00:44:51.199
 maybe even

00:44:51.199 --> 00:44:51.820
 being martyred

00:44:51.820 --> 00:44:52.440
 for your

00:44:52.440 --> 00:44:53.559
 faith.

00:44:55.480 --> 00:44:56.380
 Some of you

00:44:56.380 --> 00:44:56.960
 may follow

00:44:56.960 --> 00:44:57.780
 Christ by

00:44:57.780 --> 00:44:58.260
 leading a

00:44:58.260 --> 00:44:58.820
 quiet,

00:44:59.760 --> 00:45:00.160
 orderly

00:45:00.160 --> 00:45:00.560
 life,

00:45:01.000 --> 00:45:01.660
 faithful

00:45:01.660 --> 00:45:02.320
 obedience.

00:45:03.900 --> 00:45:05.060
 But all

00:45:05.060 --> 00:45:05.400
 of you

00:45:05.400 --> 00:45:06.820
 will die

00:45:06.820 --> 00:45:07.700
 to yourself

00:45:07.700 --> 00:45:08.940
 and live

00:45:08.940 --> 00:45:09.660
 for Christ.

00:45:10.620 --> 00:45:11.320
 Whether

00:45:11.320 --> 00:45:11.580
 through

00:45:11.580 --> 00:45:12.440
 extraordinary

00:45:12.440 --> 00:45:13.380
 sacrifice,

00:45:14.220 --> 00:45:15.120
 or ordinary

00:45:15.120 --> 00:45:17.040
 faithfulness,

00:45:17.700 --> 00:45:18.300
 and probably

00:45:18.300 --> 00:45:18.780
 a little bit

00:45:18.780 --> 00:45:19.180
 of both,

00:45:19.900 --> 00:45:21.019
 by your

00:45:21.019 --> 00:45:21.860
 union with

00:45:21.860 --> 00:45:22.080
 him,

00:45:22.160 --> 00:45:22.540
 you are

00:45:22.540 --> 00:45:23.420
 empowered to

00:45:23.420 --> 00:45:24.260
 follow Christ

00:45:24.260 --> 00:45:24.960
 by denying

00:45:24.960 --> 00:45:25.560
 yourself,

00:45:26.080 --> 00:45:26.580
 taking up

00:45:26.580 --> 00:45:27.020
 your cross,

00:45:27.140 --> 00:45:27.980
 staying loyal

00:45:27.980 --> 00:45:28.500
 to him,

00:45:29.060 --> 00:45:29.640
 even when it

00:45:29.640 --> 00:45:30.260
 costs you.

00:45:31.440 --> 00:45:31.860
 And it

00:45:31.860 --> 00:45:33.380
 will cost you,

00:45:33.480 --> 00:45:33.880
 brothers and

00:45:33.880 --> 00:45:34.100
 sisters,

00:45:34.200 --> 00:45:34.920
 it will cost you

00:45:34.920 --> 00:45:35.880
 something this

00:45:35.880 --> 00:45:36.480
 very week.

00:45:38.820 --> 00:45:39.460
 And so as you

00:45:39.460 --> 00:45:40.640
 faithfully follow

00:45:40.640 --> 00:45:41.540
 Christ and bear

00:45:41.540 --> 00:45:42.240
 your cross,

00:45:42.920 --> 00:45:43.540
 even when it

00:45:43.540 --> 00:45:43.980
 costs you,

00:45:44.060 --> 00:45:44.740
 remember that

00:45:44.740 --> 00:45:45.360
 there is a

00:45:45.360 --> 00:45:46.620
 crown of glory

00:45:46.620 --> 00:45:47.660
 awaiting for you,

00:45:47.700 --> 00:45:48.320
 that the path

00:45:48.320 --> 00:45:49.220
 of suffering is

00:45:49.220 --> 00:45:49.920
 the path to

00:45:49.920 --> 00:45:50.260
 glory,

00:45:50.260 --> 00:45:51.380
 and that the

00:45:51.380 --> 00:45:52.060
 God of all

00:45:52.060 --> 00:45:52.920
 grace who

00:45:52.920 --> 00:45:54.100
 called you to

00:45:54.100 --> 00:45:54.800
 his eternal

00:45:54.800 --> 00:45:55.760
 glory in Christ

00:45:55.760 --> 00:45:56.840
 after you have

00:45:56.840 --> 00:45:57.940
 suffered for a

00:45:57.940 --> 00:45:58.620
 little while,

00:45:59.140 --> 00:45:59.980
 will himself

00:45:59.980 --> 00:46:00.980
 restore you and

00:46:00.980 --> 00:46:01.900
 make you strong,

00:46:02.500 --> 00:46:02.800
 firm,

00:46:02.980 --> 00:46:03.860
 and steadfast.

00:46:05.080 --> 00:46:05.560
 Brothers and

00:46:05.560 --> 00:46:05.800
 sisters,

00:46:05.940 --> 00:46:06.880
 we follow him,

00:46:08.120 --> 00:46:08.960
 denying ourselves,

00:46:09.260 --> 00:46:09.640
 carrying our

00:46:09.640 --> 00:46:11.680
 crosses to live

00:46:11.680 --> 00:46:12.360
 onto eternal

00:46:12.360 --> 00:46:12.680
 glory.

00:46:13.760 --> 00:46:14.540
 Let's pray.

00:46:14.540 --> 00:46:14.600
 Amen.

00:46:21.160 --> 00:46:22.040
 Heavenly Father,

00:46:22.180 --> 00:46:22.660
 we pray,

00:46:24.860 --> 00:46:27.320
 though the cost

00:46:27.320 --> 00:46:28.000
 of discipleship

00:46:28.000 --> 00:46:28.480
 is great,

00:46:28.640 --> 00:46:29.300
 we know that,

00:46:29.900 --> 00:46:30.400
 Lord Jesus,

00:46:31.480 --> 00:46:33.960
 it is the

00:46:33.960 --> 00:46:34.660
 greatest privilege

00:46:34.660 --> 00:46:35.300
 of our life

00:46:35.300 --> 00:46:36.720
 to follow you.

00:46:40.080 --> 00:46:40.940
 Empower us

00:46:40.940 --> 00:46:41.920
 by your spirit

00:46:41.920 --> 00:46:46.940
 to have great

00:46:46.940 --> 00:46:47.380
 faith,

00:46:48.820 --> 00:46:49.140
 to

00:46:49.139 --> 00:46:51.079
 jump onto

00:46:51.079 --> 00:46:51.579
 the water

00:46:51.579 --> 00:46:52.519
 when it feels

00:46:52.519 --> 00:46:52.960
 scary,

00:46:53.539 --> 00:46:55.559
 to have the

00:46:55.559 --> 00:46:56.319
 faith to know

00:46:56.319 --> 00:46:56.980
 that you will

00:46:56.980 --> 00:46:57.859
 empower us

00:46:57.859 --> 00:46:58.460
 to walk on

00:46:58.460 --> 00:46:58.759
 water,

00:46:59.819 --> 00:47:02.559
 and to die,

00:47:02.659 --> 00:47:03.039
 to lose

00:47:03.039 --> 00:47:03.519
 ourselves,

00:47:04.759 --> 00:47:07.940
 to fight

00:47:07.940 --> 00:47:08.559
 the impulse,

00:47:08.759 --> 00:47:10.659
 to try to

00:47:10.659 --> 00:47:11.279
 save ourselves,

00:47:11.440 --> 00:47:12.000
 to try to

00:47:12.000 --> 00:47:12.940
 hoard and

00:47:12.940 --> 00:47:13.719
 grab everything

00:47:13.719 --> 00:47:14.319
 that we can,

00:47:15.799 --> 00:47:16.599
 but to let

00:47:16.599 --> 00:47:18.480
 go and to

00:47:18.480 --> 00:47:19.059
 trust you.

00:47:19.139 --> 00:47:20.859
 and know

00:47:20.859 --> 00:47:23.119
 that when

00:47:23.119 --> 00:47:23.679
 we lose,

00:47:24.480 --> 00:47:26.239
 we win.

00:47:28.099 --> 00:47:28.659
 And when

00:47:28.659 --> 00:47:29.139
 we're passed

00:47:29.139 --> 00:47:29.480
 up,

00:47:29.920 --> 00:47:30.460
 you don't

00:47:30.460 --> 00:47:32.199
 forget us.

00:47:36.799 --> 00:47:37.379
 And that

00:47:37.379 --> 00:47:38.259
 when we are

00:47:38.259 --> 00:47:39.159
 faithful to you,

00:47:39.199 --> 00:47:39.759
 even in the

00:47:39.759 --> 00:47:40.359
 midst of suffering,

00:47:40.879 --> 00:47:42.460
 we will be

00:47:42.460 --> 00:47:43.079
 glorified with

00:47:43.079 --> 00:47:43.279
 you,

00:47:43.400 --> 00:47:43.960
 and we look

00:47:43.960 --> 00:47:44.559
 forward to

00:47:44.559 --> 00:47:44.779
 that,

00:47:44.920 --> 00:47:45.219
 Lord Jesus.

00:47:46.339 --> 00:47:46.779
 It's in your

00:47:46.779 --> 00:47:47.259
 name we pray.

00:47:47.659 --> 00:47:47.920
 Amen.

00:47:47.920 --> 00:47:48.019
 Amen.