WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:14.380 How you guys doing? That's awesome. So if you've been here for the last six months or seven months, 00:00:15.120 --> 00:00:20.719 my name is Tobin. I've got a little fan up here, so I've got a little work on that. 00:00:21.460 --> 00:00:28.000 My name is Tobin, and I'm one of the pastors here. About five and a half years ago, God allowed us 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:34.560 to some crazy people, and Christina and I, and about 35 other people, to go on a journey 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:42.200 to help become a new family in this part of Hong Kong. And so God allowed us to plant a 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:48.879 Watermark Community Church. And so this is my last sermon here for a while. If this is your first 00:00:48.879 --> 00:00:54.560 time, you're probably going, that's great. And if you're there for a long time, you're probably going, 00:00:54.560 --> 00:01:03.060 that's awesome also, which is good. And so to finish this journey we've been on, or at least to 00:01:03.060 --> 00:01:09.140 finish this leg of this journey, to think about what the next step will be and just how God's been 00:01:09.140 --> 00:01:16.060 working in our life, I was praying about what to share, and I felt like I needed to start with a 00:01:16.060 --> 00:01:21.240 confession, and I needed to confess to all of you something that I've been struggling with for like 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:29.280 43 years as a Christian. And if you have been listening to the sermons, the series on Psalms, 00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:33.419 if you've been listening to just the worship today, after the music's team up there, I felt like I could 00:01:33.419 --> 00:01:40.479 just shut up, come up, and do communion, and that was an awesome thing. But they told me I have to do a 00:01:40.479 --> 00:01:47.679 sermon, and it can't be more than an hour long. So, but I wanted to confess something to you guys, 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:55.660 you know, and I'll share it in a story. It was September 1st, 1999, and Christina and I had 00:01:55.660 --> 00:02:01.340 just come back from China. We'd been ministering in China, a big Asian country above us, which you 00:02:01.340 --> 00:02:07.560 would say the most foreigners, and they usually say, oh, you're in Japan. Yeah, no, that's not the 00:02:07.560 --> 00:02:12.560 big Asian country we've been in. And we came back to have our first kiddo, Rachel. So Rachel and 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:16.580 Christina was pregnant with Rachel, and you know, we came back, and we just thought we were so with it, 00:02:16.580 --> 00:02:21.180 you know. Some of you are about to have kids, some of you who have had kids, some of you don't want 00:02:21.180 --> 00:02:24.140 to have kids. You know, there's all these books you can read, and all these classes you can take, 00:02:24.180 --> 00:02:28.140 and all these things that just make you feel like you are so confident, and you can do it, 00:02:28.160 --> 00:02:32.540 and you can have the baby in the taxi, you can have the baby in the kitchen, you can do anything, 00:02:32.660 --> 00:02:37.180 you know. And so I thought that we were just really in control of our lives, and it was going to be an 00:02:37.180 --> 00:02:42.800 awesome, smooth delivery. And so we went in on the September 1st, but it didn't turn out so smooth. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:51.320 After about 16 hours of labor, I mean, Christina's pushing for hours, and she's just exhausted. 00:02:51.980 --> 00:02:57.320 And I still don't understand why she wouldn't let me video this birth. I mean, I tried to get her to 00:02:57.320 --> 00:03:01.180 video the birth forever, and I showed her the camera angle, and it was going to be very modest, 00:03:01.480 --> 00:03:05.939 but it was going to be awesome, right? And so instead of me talking about it, I could be showing it to 00:03:05.939 --> 00:03:12.240 you right now. But for some reason, she said, no videoing in the birth room. So I just have to 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:19.659 explain it. And after about 16 hours, she just was not doing good, and we didn't understand what 00:03:19.659 --> 00:03:24.360 was going on. And the doctors came in, and he said, you know, the baby's in distress. And the minute he 00:03:24.360 --> 00:03:27.860 said that, he picked up a phone, and he called, and it went from the doctor and the nurse, and 00:03:27.860 --> 00:03:32.500 Christine and I, about four of us, to like 20 people. And we had these teams in there, and they 00:03:32.500 --> 00:03:38.960 were ready to come in and do a c-section and get rid of the distress and trying to get Rachel out. 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:42.200 And it was just crazy. The guy was saying, you know, if she doesn't come this time, 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:46.920 if she doesn't come this push, we have to take your wife, and we have to just do the surgery 00:03:46.920 --> 00:03:52.439 right here, because the kid's heart rate is not looking good. And all this learning that I did, 00:03:52.500 --> 00:03:56.120 all this studies, and all these classes, and all these things that gave me such confidence, 00:03:56.360 --> 00:04:00.780 in the middle of this craziness, you just felt helpless, right? I mean, you're just like, 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:05.400 oh man, that's out of control. You felt like this weak. You know, I went in feeling like, 00:04:05.400 --> 00:04:10.819 oh, I could do it. And you're in it, and it's like, you're like that small. You're insignificant 00:04:10.819 --> 00:04:14.920 to what's happening, you know, because you were at the forefront of it with your wife, and then 00:04:14.920 --> 00:04:19.300 everybody comes in, and you're pushed off to the side, and you're out of control, where you thought 00:04:19.300 --> 00:04:24.000 you were in control, but you realize you weren't really in control. But you had this illusion that 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:31.120 we're in control, and then you're just watching these things happen, and praying, and you know, 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:36.139 those last push came, and Rachel popped out, and man, I was exhausted, and I was just watching 00:04:36.139 --> 00:04:43.340 Christina, you know, and I know she was just like, worn out, and we both just, we just started crying. 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:49.639 I mean, literally, we just started, just overwhelmingly, we felt like this kind of sense of God, and God 00:04:49.639 --> 00:04:55.579 was present, that God was active, that God was in control, that God was doing something amazing, 00:04:55.579 --> 00:05:02.060 and we just felt this sense of wonder, and this sense of awe of who God is, and what He's done. 00:05:02.139 --> 00:05:08.479 And you know, I thought about that for my whole Christian life, but not really until that moment. 00:05:09.099 --> 00:05:14.439 And I realized then, and many, many, many times afterwards, that you know, that God is always 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:25.399 present. God is always at work. That God is never resting in your life. That God is always 00:05:25.399 --> 00:05:32.899 pursuing you. I don't know if you know that. I mean, I know that sometimes here, but I don't 00:05:32.899 --> 00:05:39.779 really know it here. But then I come into those holy moments, and births, and when people who love 00:05:39.779 --> 00:05:49.560 the Lord die, and you realize that God is doing His thing, and that me, I should be in wonder, 00:05:49.560 --> 00:06:02.840 and I should be in awe of Him all the time. Because there's never a time that He's not working. 00:06:04.139 --> 00:06:09.319 There's never a time that He's not loving. There's never a time that He's not active. There's never 00:06:09.319 --> 00:06:15.100 a time that He turns His back on His children. And I have this confession to make, and the confession 00:06:15.100 --> 00:06:26.439 is this, that in this crazy world, in my craziness, sometimes I lose focus of Him. I forget God. 00:06:28.540 --> 00:06:32.939 You know, I've been keenly aware of it over the last couple years, and in my life, what I realize 00:06:32.939 --> 00:06:39.840 happens, when this happens, this void kind of happens in my heart, and in my life, and I've been 00:06:39.840 --> 00:06:44.900 reading a lot of C.S. Lewis over the years, and Paul Tripp has helped me kind of explain or understand 00:06:44.899 --> 00:06:51.399 what's going on in my spiritual life, and they talk about that we have this void, but it's a void 00:06:51.399 --> 00:07:02.779 of wonder, that we've lost our wonder of God. That we've replaced this awesome, powerful, wonderful God 00:07:02.779 --> 00:07:10.179 with something else in our life. And the truth is, what I am learning, that I want us to learn as a church, 00:07:10.180 --> 00:07:15.879 and I want you to know, that whatever you put in there, whatever you put into your wonder vacuum, 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:20.900 whatever you put into your, this place of emptiness, whatever you do, that you, you're going to start 00:07:20.900 --> 00:07:30.439 to become like that thing. That whatever you fill your heart with, if it's anything but God, 00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:37.579 you're going to become like that. So if you're filling it up with your work, if you're filling 00:07:37.579 --> 00:07:40.360 it up with your relationships, if you're filling it up with your studies, if you're filling it 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:43.420 up with your future, if you're filling it up with your, your health, if you're filling it 00:07:43.420 --> 00:07:49.659 up with anything but the Creator, that we're just saying about, you're going to become like 00:07:49.660 --> 00:08:00.580 that 28,000 28 hundred years ago it's a psalm that the girls read no I'm not 00:08:00.580 --> 00:08:11.440 crying it's just allergies David had the same struggle that I have David has the 00:08:11.440 --> 00:08:17.320 same struggle that you had most Hebrew historians say that he wrote this psalm 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:24.079 either after or during the night that he was about to face Goliath and so you can 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:27.699 think of this night that he's about to face his champion of Gath in the valley 00:08:27.699 --> 00:08:31.839 of Elah the armies of God are here the armies of the Philistines are here they've 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:35.860 been calling out God's people for months and months and no one comes no one 00:08:35.860 --> 00:08:40.179 changes and also this little 16 year old boy comes in and he says hey this is not 00:08:40.179 --> 00:08:46.899 right and he's going to fight this giant for God and I just wonder what he was 00:08:46.899 --> 00:08:52.519 thinking of that night before he went into that fight I mean I wonder where 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:56.399 his focus was I wonder what were the things that were concerning him because 00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:00.559 it was a winner-take-all battle whoever won was going to take everything and 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:08.439 everybody else was going to be killed and the psalmist as our daughter and Abby 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:22.120 read it says that David came out in the midst of his crazy world he looked up into the stars and God 00:09:22.120 --> 00:09:35.260 spoke to him and he said these words oh Lord our Lord Yahweh Adonai it's God's holy name I mean 00:09:35.259 --> 00:09:41.259 God's name is so holy and powerful to God's people that they wouldn't even speak it 00:09:41.259 --> 00:09:45.960 outwardly because they didn't want to be disrespectful to him they had reverence for him 00:09:45.960 --> 00:10:00.259 Yahweh Adonai it means the God who was the God who is the God who is to come it's the word it means I am 00:10:00.259 --> 00:10:08.039 one when God spoke to his people in captivity in Egypt he said it meant that he's the God who sees 00:10:08.039 --> 00:10:20.840 that he's the God who hears that he's the God who cares for you that he's the God who is always 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:26.639 at work in your life and in my life. 00:10:28.060 --> 00:10:33.460 How majestic the words mean wonderful, awesome, intimidating is your name. 00:10:33.780 --> 00:10:34.600 It's your character. 00:10:34.800 --> 00:10:37.800 The most important thing to a Hebrew person was your name. 00:10:37.879 --> 00:10:38.879 It meant your reputation. 00:10:39.060 --> 00:10:40.139 It meant who you are. 00:10:40.220 --> 00:10:41.540 It meant everything about you. 00:10:41.899 --> 00:10:45.460 Okay, so like before we left for our sabbatical, I was downtown. 00:10:45.460 --> 00:10:48.500 I was meeting somebody, and I ran into this guy from Nigeria. 00:10:49.160 --> 00:10:50.200 And we were talking. 00:10:50.840 --> 00:10:52.240 And we're giving our names. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:54.399 And I said, so what's, I'm Tobin. 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:54.920 What's your name? 00:10:55.200 --> 00:10:57.259 And he said, my name is Runny Poo. 00:10:59.280 --> 00:11:00.040 Runny Poo. 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:02.200 R-U-N-N-Y-P-O-O. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:04.960 So that kind of took me back a little, right? 00:11:05.420 --> 00:11:07.360 Because I never ran into a guy named Runny Poo. 00:11:08.660 --> 00:11:10.320 And he's Nigerian, and we're talking. 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:12.700 And I didn't know, I didn't want to call him Mr. Poo. 00:11:13.980 --> 00:11:15.620 Because that was just too weird, right? 00:11:16.060 --> 00:11:17.879 And I didn't want to call him, hey, Runny. 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:20.780 So I was just calling him R-R-P, you know. 00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:22.720 Hey, R-P, what do you think about this? 00:11:23.300 --> 00:11:32.740 But in David's day, amongst the people of God, the name meant everything. 00:11:32.740 --> 00:11:35.620 It was who you were. 00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:37.700 It was what you did. 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:39.600 It was who you worshipped. 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:41.279 It was what you didn't do. 00:11:41.940 --> 00:11:43.899 It was how you did your family. 00:11:45.899 --> 00:11:48.240 He says, how majestic is your name and all there are. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:53.539 If you have displayed, in the Hebrew it means to give gifts, put on display for all to see your splendor, 00:11:53.620 --> 00:11:55.440 which means his awesomeness, his character. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:59.140 It goes on in verse 1, and it says, above the heavens. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:01.960 And circle that, because in Hebrew that's a really important word. 00:12:02.400 --> 00:12:07.660 Whenever you see above the heavens throughout God's word, it means that the author or the poet, 00:12:07.760 --> 00:12:11.940 they're trying to describe something so big, something so awesome, something so vast, 00:12:11.940 --> 00:12:16.880 something so numerous, so wonderful to count, like Texas. 00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:21.940 They would say, above the heavens, Texas. 00:12:23.140 --> 00:12:24.940 Because that's a joke, okay? 00:12:25.140 --> 00:12:28.220 I know I've not been around for a while, but that's a joke, okay? 00:12:28.220 --> 00:12:34.139 But he would say these words because that's how Hebrew people would describe something so awesome. 00:12:35.540 --> 00:12:37.639 And he was saying, God is so awesome. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:41.300 Because all the other gods lived in a little territory, or they lived in a little temple. 00:12:41.540 --> 00:12:43.420 But our God is everywhere. 00:12:45.060 --> 00:12:49.120 And there's nowhere that you are right now, and there's nowhere that you're going to go next week, 00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:51.320 and there's nowhere that you're going to go four years from now. 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:55.820 And there's nowhere that you're going to go for eternity if you're God's people. 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:58.040 But he's not there. 00:12:59.220 --> 00:13:00.879 And that he's going to take care of you. 00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:03.680 So his name was massive. 00:13:04.139 --> 00:13:06.300 Verse 2, he says, from the mouth of infants and nursing babes. 00:13:06.340 --> 00:13:10.200 He meant from the weak, from those who have no ability to save themselves. 00:13:10.300 --> 00:13:12.980 And David is thinking about himself before he goes to Goliath. 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:14.440 You have established strength. 00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:15.300 You've made things great. 00:13:15.379 --> 00:13:18.639 You've given glory because of our enemies, because you want the enemies to cease. 00:13:18.740 --> 00:13:21.360 You want their mouths to be shut for all those who oppose God. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:26.960 Verse 3, when I consider, when I look along, when I'm aware, when I look at the heavens, 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:34.379 when I look at everything that you've made, the moon and the stars which you have fitted together. 00:13:34.379 --> 00:13:37.620 Verse 4, what is man? 00:13:37.620 --> 00:13:40.879 And the Hebrew word is a very interesting word there. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:41.860 It means weakness. 00:13:43.860 --> 00:13:44.899 It means broken. 00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:47.679 It means dark. 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:50.060 It means fallen. 00:13:50.200 --> 00:13:50.840 It means weak. 00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:51.720 It means frail. 00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:57.320 And David, as he looks up into the sky and he sees awesome, awesome things, he's thinking about what's going to happen. 00:13:57.399 --> 00:13:58.639 He's thinking about God's creation. 00:13:58.940 --> 00:14:00.240 And then he's thinking about himself. 00:14:00.540 --> 00:14:02.620 And he said, what am I that you take thought of me? 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:05.279 And that word basically just means remember. 00:14:07.040 --> 00:14:12.200 The passage says that God remembers you. 00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:19.980 In the Son of Man, anyone who's born of man, that you care for him. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:24.200 The Hebrew word means to not forget. 00:14:25.740 --> 00:14:32.700 I know there's a lot of people in here who feel like God's forgotten them or never even met them. 00:14:32.700 --> 00:14:46.420 But the passage says that God never forgets you, that he's always caring for you, that he's never leaving you alone. 00:14:46.560 --> 00:14:48.220 He's never neglecting you. 00:14:49.620 --> 00:14:55.259 The Hebrew actually means that God's thoughts are always on you. 00:14:56.700 --> 00:14:58.000 Think about that. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:05.279 You're going to work tomorrow or you're going to class or you're going someplace where it's going to be difficult, where it's going to be hard. 00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:07.159 You don't know what's going to happen. 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:10.960 You're unsure of what it's going to look like when you come out of there. 00:15:12.379 --> 00:15:23.899 God's word says, the psalm says, that God's thoughts are always on you. 00:15:23.899 --> 00:15:28.279 There's never a time that God is not thinking about you. 00:15:28.379 --> 00:15:30.899 There's never a time that God is not going before you. 00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:32.939 There's never a time that he's not ordering your life. 00:15:35.500 --> 00:15:38.699 So in my final sermon, I want to share three things. 00:15:39.340 --> 00:15:42.319 I know we do that all the time, but it just seems to work that way. 00:15:42.419 --> 00:15:44.000 Three things that I have been struggling with. 00:15:44.519 --> 00:15:48.559 Three things that I've been trying to cling to in the craziness of our world. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:50.539 The craziness of our light. 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:51.879 Our life. 00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:57.039 And my prayer is that it watermarked that you guys, that we would continue to cling through these things. 00:15:57.399 --> 00:16:00.039 And the first one is just found in verses 1 and 9. 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:01.480 And it's just basically our focus. 00:16:02.939 --> 00:16:04.220 What is your focus? 00:16:05.340 --> 00:16:10.620 And as I've been trying to think through this in my life for 43 years as a Christian, this is the way I understand it. 00:16:10.659 --> 00:16:12.220 So I'm going to write it down in Tobin words. 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:14.759 It might not make sense, but this is what I think. 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:19.679 It says, the Bible says that your life is only going to make sense. 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:27.740 That you can only measure or evaluate who you are and what you've done and where you're going. 00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:31.899 You can only truly do that if you begin with God. 00:16:31.899 --> 00:16:41.659 Maybe another way for me to say it or as I've been thinking about it is if you're in here right now and you're looking for meaning, 00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:51.899 you're looking for love, you're looking for purpose, you're looking for a relationship or experience, 00:16:51.899 --> 00:16:58.419 if you're looking for anything else and it doesn't have God at the beginning of it, 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:05.139 this passage says, and the Bible says that you and I are going to be disappointed. 00:17:07.139 --> 00:17:12.000 That we might feel good for a little while, but we will not ultimately feel good 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:17.900 because the Bible says that you and I were made to filter and to focus everything in our world, 00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:20.420 everything in Hong Kong, everything that comes through us, 00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:23.740 everything that we experience when we step out this door, when we're living right now, 00:17:23.799 --> 00:17:24.519 when we're in our family. 00:17:24.859 --> 00:17:29.180 You and I, everything we sense, we were made to filter through God. 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:37.519 God made you, and you are to filter everything through Him. 00:17:37.519 --> 00:18:07.500 God made you, and you are to filter everything in our world. 00:18:07.960 --> 00:18:10.039 How quick you get things done. 00:18:10.819 --> 00:18:16.400 If somebody really wants you, that's the only way you're valued. 00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:18.139 In America? 00:18:19.339 --> 00:18:20.279 And in Hong Kong? 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:24.220 I mean, I know I'm going to step on some toes, but it just blows me away, guys. 00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:30.960 Man, America, we kill more babies than any country in the world before they're born, 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:34.640 and yet we give billions of dollars 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:36.519 to help people with a Zika virus 00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:38.480 to protect their baby inside of them. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:41.360 And that just blows me away. 00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:43.180 What is going on there? 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:47.340 But what's going on there is the truth of this passage 00:18:47.340 --> 00:18:53.559 that your worth, your value in the world 00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:56.600 is only determined by what you can do 00:18:56.600 --> 00:18:59.640 and if somebody wants you. 00:18:59.640 --> 00:19:07.300 But in this psalm, what it says is that God made everyone. 00:19:09.140 --> 00:19:14.360 That everyone in here has God's fingerprint upon them. 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:17.520 That everyone is special. 00:19:18.320 --> 00:19:20.620 Every one of us was made like a mirror 00:19:20.620 --> 00:19:24.600 to reflect God's glory, to reflect God's majesty. 00:19:25.160 --> 00:19:27.060 That he's given everyone in here, 00:19:27.060 --> 00:19:29.280 everyone outside, everywhere you go, 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:36.339 he's giving every person ultimate worth and ultimate value. 00:19:37.639 --> 00:19:39.319 Not because of what you've done. 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:42.859 Not because of what you haven't done. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:45.599 Not because of what you can do. 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:50.899 The psalmist says that God does this based on nothing in us, 00:19:50.900 --> 00:19:53.740 but only because he is massive 00:19:53.740 --> 00:19:56.560 and we are finite. 00:19:57.680 --> 00:20:00.660 And in Hebrew, the words actually say that God 00:20:00.660 --> 00:20:05.019 steps and kneels down to you and I. 00:20:05.019 --> 00:20:08.259 So think about that. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:11.000 Wherever you go today, 00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:14.480 wherever you go tomorrow, 00:20:15.579 --> 00:20:16.779 whatever you've done, 00:20:16.859 --> 00:20:17.759 whatever you haven't done, 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.639 whatever you don't do, 00:20:18.779 --> 00:20:19.920 whether you're dirty, 00:20:20.099 --> 00:20:20.960 whether you're clean, 00:20:21.079 --> 00:20:21.839 or whether you're rich, 00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:22.660 or whether you're poor, 00:20:22.740 --> 00:20:23.440 or whether you're broken, 00:20:23.879 --> 00:20:24.960 the passage says, 00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:25.599 in Hebrew says, 00:20:25.660 --> 00:20:27.980 that God's fingerprints are on you, 00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:30.579 that God's watermark is on you, 00:20:30.579 --> 00:20:32.599 and that there is never a time 00:20:32.599 --> 00:20:36.419 that God is not thinking about you. 00:20:40.139 --> 00:20:41.099 So this week, 00:20:41.259 --> 00:20:43.439 when you leave here, 00:20:44.419 --> 00:20:46.500 and you start to freak out about something, 00:20:47.579 --> 00:20:49.960 like what's going to happen tomorrow? 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:51.879 How am I going to do that? 00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:53.319 What's going to happen in this situation? 00:20:53.879 --> 00:20:55.379 This week, when you leave here, 00:20:55.439 --> 00:20:58.339 and you start to fear about something, 00:20:58.339 --> 00:21:01.000 like your kid's health, 00:21:02.139 --> 00:21:03.619 or your finances, 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:05.939 or your job, 00:21:06.819 --> 00:21:08.339 or whether you're going to get married, 00:21:08.439 --> 00:21:10.299 and all these things are incredibly important, 00:21:11.559 --> 00:21:12.339 this psalm, 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:14.879 and all the rest of the Bible, 00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:16.899 says that Yahweh, Adonai, 00:21:17.339 --> 00:21:18.959 the creator of all things, 00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:21.099 never stops thinking about you, 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:26.559 and that he will never give up on you. 00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:30.899 I don't know how you feel when you hear that, 00:21:31.679 --> 00:21:32.959 but to me, 00:21:33.179 --> 00:21:34.159 coming from a family, 00:21:35.099 --> 00:21:36.539 that my worth was only determined 00:21:36.539 --> 00:21:38.159 by how good I was, 00:21:38.779 --> 00:21:40.480 how well I made in sports, 00:21:41.179 --> 00:21:42.500 how good my grades were, 00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:44.399 at 10 years old, 00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:46.319 when I heard this message, 00:21:47.399 --> 00:21:48.980 it changed my life. 00:21:51.539 --> 00:21:53.259 The passage says that you and I 00:21:53.259 --> 00:21:54.299 are made in God's image, 00:21:54.379 --> 00:21:55.939 that we were made to reflect his glory, 00:21:55.940 --> 00:21:58.220 and that is our position in life. 00:22:00.259 --> 00:22:01.400 Now the problem is, 00:22:01.420 --> 00:22:02.600 and the problem that I have, 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:04.680 and the problem that Tobin has, 00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:06.340 is that I forget this, 00:22:07.080 --> 00:22:08.519 and I turn away from God, 00:22:08.600 --> 00:22:10.779 and instead of just reflecting God's glory, 00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:12.840 and when you reflect God's glory, 00:22:12.920 --> 00:22:14.000 you start to look like Christ, 00:22:14.380 --> 00:22:15.080 but instead of that, 00:22:15.100 --> 00:22:16.840 I get my identity from other things. 00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:19.620 I look around at creation, 00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:21.420 I look at things that have stuff, 00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:22.820 and things that are going to give me meaning, 00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:24.120 and things that are going to give me purpose, 00:22:24.119 --> 00:22:27.939 and I start to reflect those things in my life. 00:22:28.859 --> 00:22:30.479 I look at the things in Hong Kong. 00:22:33.079 --> 00:22:34.539 I think of things of the world. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:44.419 I start by putting Tobin in the center of your life. 00:22:45.099 --> 00:22:47.759 No, putting Tobin in the center of my life. 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:52.379 You put yourself in the center of your life, 00:22:52.859 --> 00:22:56.420 and you start saying things like this. 00:22:57.700 --> 00:22:59.400 What about my life? 00:23:01.619 --> 00:23:03.900 What about my happiness? 00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:09.220 What about my story? 00:23:11.220 --> 00:23:13.019 What about my stuff? 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:16.480 What about my future? 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:20.500 What about my reputation? 00:23:22.599 --> 00:23:27.160 And if you live in this void of awe and wonder long enough, 00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:30.440 you start to say things like, 00:23:31.539 --> 00:23:33.640 Oh, Tobin, our Tobin, 00:23:34.220 --> 00:23:38.299 how majestic is your name in all the world? 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:40.620 Now, hopefully you're not saying my name in there, 00:23:40.619 --> 00:23:44.959 but I'm pretty sure that you have people in your work 00:23:44.959 --> 00:23:47.379 and in your home 00:23:47.379 --> 00:23:50.219 who put their name there. 00:23:51.779 --> 00:23:54.519 And that's what happens when we forget. 00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:58.779 That's what happens when we change our focus off of God. 00:23:58.859 --> 00:24:01.839 That's what happens when we forget that we're made in His image. 00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:06.599 I start thinking about my needs and my feelings 00:24:06.599 --> 00:24:09.379 and my comforts and my wants. 00:24:10.179 --> 00:24:10.759 And you know what? 00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:15.599 Sometimes I even demand that God does stuff for me. 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:19.599 I know that you guys probably never struggle with that. 00:24:20.119 --> 00:24:23.299 But there are times in my life when I have lost focus on God. 00:24:23.699 --> 00:24:27.839 I demand that God does stuff for me. 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:31.519 And in this craziness, in this world, 00:24:31.879 --> 00:24:32.879 you know, sometimes I just, 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:35.179 I don't put God at the center. 00:24:35.339 --> 00:24:36.240 God's not the hero. 00:24:36.439 --> 00:24:37.659 God's not the beginning of my story. 00:24:37.919 --> 00:24:39.740 I put myself in the beginning of that story. 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:42.059 And what I find, and maybe this isn't true to you, 00:24:42.659 --> 00:24:44.599 but it's true for me that when I do that, 00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:47.119 I realize that I start getting angry with people. 00:24:49.579 --> 00:24:50.699 You ever been angry with somebody? 00:24:53.139 --> 00:24:55.799 I realize if I don't have God at the center of my life, 00:24:55.859 --> 00:24:57.559 if I don't begin with God, 00:24:57.839 --> 00:24:59.539 if I don't say that God is my hero, 00:24:59.980 --> 00:25:02.439 I start to get angry with people. 00:25:05.199 --> 00:25:07.980 Sometimes I get angry with God. 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:12.439 I'm just confessing to you guys 00:25:12.439 --> 00:25:13.899 because we wanted to be a church that is, 00:25:14.399 --> 00:25:15.159 you know, sometimes, 00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:18.339 sometimes when I don't start with God 00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:19.259 at the center of my world, 00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:20.839 sometimes when I don't make God my hero, 00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:22.919 and sometimes when I don't begin with God, 00:25:23.579 --> 00:25:25.619 I start to fear. 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:30.399 And I start to worry. 00:25:33.899 --> 00:25:35.039 Anybody in here ever worried? 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:43.159 Anybody in here ever fearful? 00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:46.679 How about what's going to happen next? 00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:49.799 You know, what I'm learning in my life is 00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:51.840 if God isn't my focus, 00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:52.900 if he's not my beginning, 00:25:53.060 --> 00:25:55.759 that sometimes I even get jealous. 00:25:59.560 --> 00:26:00.539 And I get envious. 00:26:00.539 --> 00:26:05.519 I look at the stuff people have around me. 00:26:07.159 --> 00:26:09.079 I look at things my colleagues have. 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:12.539 I look at things my competitors have. 00:26:13.720 --> 00:26:14.779 And I get jealous 00:26:14.779 --> 00:26:16.940 because I want those things 00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:18.799 because God isn't at the center of my life. 00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:21.200 God isn't there to satisfy me 00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:21.920 and to love me 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:22.779 and to take care of me. 00:26:22.859 --> 00:26:24.500 So I'm looking for all these other things. 00:26:24.500 --> 00:26:26.099 And you know, sometimes, 00:26:26.339 --> 00:26:31.519 sometimes if I let that void go for a long time, 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:37.519 God becomes distant to me. 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:42.339 Has God ever been distant to you? 00:26:45.019 --> 00:26:45.960 You're praying 00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:48.180 and you're praying. 00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:51.220 You're waiting for him to speak. 00:26:51.220 --> 00:26:54.000 You're waiting for him to move. 00:26:55.319 --> 00:26:56.799 You're waiting for him to do something. 00:26:58.980 --> 00:27:00.380 It's silence. 00:27:03.299 --> 00:27:03.779 Coldness. 00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:07.559 And I realize it's because on my journey, 00:27:08.500 --> 00:27:10.140 I've changed my focus. 00:27:11.579 --> 00:27:14.279 And I put things in place instead of God. 00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:17.480 And I start to depend on people instead of God. 00:27:19.180 --> 00:27:20.220 And I get angry. 00:27:21.220 --> 00:27:22.019 I get envious. 00:27:23.079 --> 00:27:23.980 I get fearful. 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:25.920 I get jealous. 00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:29.819 Anybody in here like that? 00:27:33.559 --> 00:27:34.319 So how are we doing? 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:38.339 I want to just, 00:27:38.600 --> 00:27:39.779 I always say that, right? 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:41.460 Really, how are you doing? 00:27:44.019 --> 00:27:45.839 Anybody in here fearful lately? 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:52.159 Anybody in here gotten angry lately? 00:27:57.159 --> 00:28:00.339 Anybody in here ever complained lately? 00:28:04.339 --> 00:28:08.399 Anybody in here ever been disappointed lately? 00:28:10.399 --> 00:28:11.639 Anybody been jealous? 00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:12.320 Guys, 00:28:12.320 --> 00:28:15.759 the passage says, 00:28:15.820 --> 00:28:16.720 and the Bible says, 00:28:16.820 --> 00:28:18.580 that you and I 00:28:18.580 --> 00:28:21.920 are on this constant journey 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:24.060 to find meaning, 00:28:25.460 --> 00:28:25.960 purpose, 00:28:26.580 --> 00:28:27.000 identity, 00:28:27.560 --> 00:28:28.000 order, 00:28:28.200 --> 00:28:29.480 to validate our lives, 00:28:29.520 --> 00:28:31.080 to make sense of everything going on. 00:28:31.240 --> 00:28:33.160 We're on this constant journey 00:28:33.160 --> 00:28:36.080 with all these things going on in our world, 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:36.960 our circumstances. 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:39.039 And it says in this passage in Hebrews, 00:28:39.259 --> 00:28:40.680 and it says in this passage in Psalms, 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:42.460 and it says in this passage in all of the Bible, 00:28:42.819 --> 00:28:44.240 that unless we start with God, 00:28:45.900 --> 00:28:47.460 unless we put God at the center, 00:28:48.079 --> 00:28:49.400 unless we focus on Him, 00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:51.400 if we don't put God at the center of our studies, 00:28:51.500 --> 00:28:53.420 we don't put God at the center of our week, 00:28:53.600 --> 00:28:54.980 we don't put God at the center of our work, 00:28:55.100 --> 00:28:55.600 our lives, 00:28:55.680 --> 00:28:56.140 our emotions, 00:28:56.279 --> 00:28:56.620 our feelings, 00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:57.220 our identity, 00:28:57.620 --> 00:28:58.259 our singleness, 00:28:58.259 --> 00:29:00.319 our money, our kiddos 00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:02.859 unless we start with our focus on God 00:29:02.859 --> 00:29:05.160 the passage says 00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:07.359 what's going to happen is that we're going to end up lost 00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:10.019 in his creation 00:29:10.019 --> 00:29:13.359 because we're going to look for other things 00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:13.900 for meaning 00:29:13.900 --> 00:29:17.859 we're going to realize that when we open our fist 00:29:17.859 --> 00:29:20.740 they disappear like 00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:22.019 a vapor 00:29:22.019 --> 00:29:28.099 so what are your eyes turned towards today? 00:29:28.259 --> 00:29:35.559 what are the things 00:29:35.559 --> 00:29:37.079 that you're focusing on 00:29:37.079 --> 00:29:38.759 right now in your life? 00:29:42.460 --> 00:29:43.940 the Bible says 00:29:43.940 --> 00:29:45.379 that whatever that is 00:29:45.379 --> 00:29:48.359 you're going to become 00:29:48.359 --> 00:29:49.519 like that thing 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:52.920 or you're going to become 00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:54.000 like that person 00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:56.879 and I don't need to tell you that 00:29:56.880 --> 00:29:58.600 because you live around people like that all day 00:29:58.600 --> 00:30:00.260 they live for money 00:30:00.260 --> 00:30:01.140 they become like that 00:30:01.140 --> 00:30:01.960 they live for their company 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:02.760 they become like that 00:30:02.760 --> 00:30:03.580 they live for sex 00:30:03.580 --> 00:30:04.320 they become like that 00:30:04.320 --> 00:30:05.920 they live for power 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:06.900 they become like that 00:30:06.900 --> 00:30:08.000 in the Bible 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:08.700 in the Psalm 00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:10.680 God is trying to draw us back to Him 00:30:10.680 --> 00:30:13.540 and to show us that without Him 00:30:13.540 --> 00:30:15.680 nothing means anything 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:16.380 anything 00:30:16.380 --> 00:30:19.640 it's a really simple message 00:30:19.640 --> 00:30:24.840 but it's still taking me 43 years 00:30:24.840 --> 00:30:27.279 to learn it 00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:29.759 does that make sense? 00:30:31.900 --> 00:30:33.200 we have a picture here 00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:33.600 hopefully 00:30:33.600 --> 00:30:34.920 we have a slide 00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:38.259 so this is 00:30:38.259 --> 00:30:40.400 anybody tell me what this is? 00:30:41.940 --> 00:30:42.360 kids 00:30:42.360 --> 00:30:43.000 what is that? 00:30:46.120 --> 00:30:46.660 come on 00:30:46.660 --> 00:30:47.100 it's terrible 00:30:47.100 --> 00:30:50.039 okay 00:30:50.039 --> 00:30:50.800 so this is 00:30:50.800 --> 00:30:52.400 from Apollo 8 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:55.680 the first manned mission 00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:56.400 to the moon 00:30:56.400 --> 00:31:00.300 on our first morning 00:31:00.299 --> 00:31:04.119 they look out their window 00:31:04.119 --> 00:31:07.059 and they 00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:10.279 see the earth rising 00:31:10.279 --> 00:31:12.419 now think about this 00:31:12.419 --> 00:31:14.059 this event 00:31:14.059 --> 00:31:15.299 1968 00:31:15.299 --> 00:31:16.579 December 24th 00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:16.960 no 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:17.759 I didn't watch it 00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:18.879 I was only 5 years old 00:31:18.879 --> 00:31:20.720 most of us probably weren't born 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:22.019 Franklin was probably there 00:31:22.019 --> 00:31:22.960 and a couple other people 00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:24.419 Mike was probably there 00:31:24.419 --> 00:31:26.399 Franklin was working at McDonald's 00:31:26.399 --> 00:31:27.839 and Mike was working for Harvard 00:31:27.839 --> 00:31:28.940 or something like that 00:31:28.940 --> 00:31:31.200 but not many of us were there 00:31:31.200 --> 00:31:33.380 but the awesome thing about this 00:31:33.380 --> 00:31:34.779 is the guys 00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:35.519 Mike's were on 00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:38.720 and as we're looking back to space 00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:41.900 and this is the pinnacle of manhood 00:31:41.900 --> 00:31:44.320 this is the pinnacle of us 00:31:44.320 --> 00:31:45.460 man's creation 00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:47.039 this is the event 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:49.000 that has defined us 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:51.100 this would be like you making 00:31:51.100 --> 00:31:52.779 the head of the university 00:31:52.779 --> 00:31:53.640 or you becoming 00:31:53.640 --> 00:31:55.700 the guy who's in charge of Morgan Stanley 00:31:55.700 --> 00:31:56.860 or Credit Suisse 00:31:56.860 --> 00:31:58.000 or Citibank 00:31:58.000 --> 00:31:59.299 or HSBC 00:31:59.299 --> 00:32:00.779 is there anybody in charge of HSBC 00:32:00.779 --> 00:32:02.319 I'm not sure 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:03.380 but this would be like 00:32:03.380 --> 00:32:04.940 this would be like the pinnacle 00:32:04.940 --> 00:32:06.440 of your career 00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:08.819 your whole life 00:32:08.819 --> 00:32:11.119 but this is for 2,000 years 00:32:11.119 --> 00:32:13.220 mankind has gotten to this point 00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:14.160 and there's three guys 00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:15.279 in this lunar land 00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:16.920 that look out of the earth 00:32:16.920 --> 00:32:18.279 and their words are 00:32:18.279 --> 00:32:20.559 I feel lonely 00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:25.420 I feel lost 00:32:25.420 --> 00:32:29.320 it's dark 00:32:29.320 --> 00:32:33.220 it's scary 00:32:33.220 --> 00:32:34.920 can you imagine that 00:32:34.920 --> 00:32:36.680 you've made head of your bank 00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:37.279 Credit Suisse 00:32:37.279 --> 00:32:38.220 and they come and interview you 00:32:38.220 --> 00:32:39.300 you've done all these things 00:32:39.300 --> 00:32:40.200 everybody wants this done 00:32:40.200 --> 00:32:40.680 and say 00:32:40.680 --> 00:32:41.120 well how do you feel 00:32:41.120 --> 00:32:41.420 you go 00:32:41.420 --> 00:32:43.140 I feel lonely 00:32:43.140 --> 00:32:46.560 I feel lost 00:32:46.560 --> 00:32:46.580 I feel lost 00:32:46.579 --> 00:32:50.339 I feel like life 00:32:50.339 --> 00:32:51.599 has no meaning 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:55.599 and then there was silence 00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:59.019 and the three astronauts 00:32:59.019 --> 00:33:00.220 started to read 00:33:00.220 --> 00:33:02.500 in the beginning 00:33:02.500 --> 00:33:03.059 God 00:33:03.059 --> 00:33:05.699 God created the heavens 00:33:05.699 --> 00:33:06.240 and the earth 00:33:06.240 --> 00:33:08.679 the earth was formless 00:33:08.679 --> 00:33:09.179 and void 00:33:09.179 --> 00:33:10.939 darkness was over 00:33:10.939 --> 00:33:11.779 the surface of the deep 00:33:11.779 --> 00:33:13.539 and the spirit of God 00:33:13.539 --> 00:33:14.559 was moving on the surface 00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:15.099 of the waters 00:33:15.099 --> 00:33:16.519 and God said 00:33:16.519 --> 00:33:17.180 let there be light 00:33:17.180 --> 00:33:18.039 and there was light 00:33:18.039 --> 00:33:19.379 and God saw that 00:33:19.379 --> 00:33:20.099 the light was good 00:33:20.099 --> 00:33:21.160 and God separated the light 00:33:21.160 --> 00:33:21.680 from the darkness 00:33:21.680 --> 00:33:22.519 and God called the light 00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:22.899 day 00:33:22.899 --> 00:33:23.559 and the darkness 00:33:23.559 --> 00:33:24.319 he called night 00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:25.559 and there was evening 00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:26.359 and there was morning 00:33:26.359 --> 00:33:27.180 and one day 00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:29.200 then God said 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:30.099 let there be an expanse 00:33:30.099 --> 00:33:31.700 in the midst of the seas 00:33:31.700 --> 00:33:32.440 of the water 00:33:32.440 --> 00:33:35.240 and those three astronauts 00:33:35.240 --> 00:33:38.200 at the pinnacle 00:33:38.200 --> 00:33:41.240 of mankind's achievement 00:33:41.240 --> 00:33:44.859 read all of the book 00:33:44.859 --> 00:33:46.259 of Genesis 00:33:46.259 --> 00:33:48.640 over the air 00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:51.740 and you realize 00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:54.660 that without God 00:33:54.660 --> 00:33:56.279 at the center 00:33:56.279 --> 00:33:59.779 without God 00:33:59.779 --> 00:34:01.099 at the beginning 00:34:01.099 --> 00:34:04.140 without God 00:34:04.140 --> 00:34:05.660 as our focus 00:34:05.660 --> 00:34:09.099 nothing else 00:34:09.099 --> 00:34:11.159 makes sense 00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:13.579 and you're going 00:34:13.579 --> 00:34:13.759 to be able 00:34:13.759 --> 00:34:14.199 to accomplish 00:34:14.199 --> 00:34:14.819 whatever you're going 00:34:14.819 --> 00:34:15.319 to be accomplished 00:34:15.319 --> 00:34:15.759 and you're going 00:34:15.759 --> 00:34:15.940 to be able 00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:16.299 to do whatever 00:34:16.299 --> 00:34:16.739 you want to do 00:34:16.739 --> 00:34:17.139 because we have 00:34:17.139 --> 00:34:17.779 very capable 00:34:17.779 --> 00:34:18.619 very with it 00:34:18.619 --> 00:34:19.559 very smart people 00:34:19.559 --> 00:34:20.159 at Watermark 00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:21.559 and I'm always amazed 00:34:21.559 --> 00:34:22.679 at how smart people are 00:34:22.679 --> 00:34:23.920 and how capable they are 00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:24.739 and what they can do 00:34:24.739 --> 00:34:26.259 but what this passage says 00:34:26.259 --> 00:34:27.920 and what these astronauts 00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:29.279 knew at the pinnacle 00:34:29.279 --> 00:34:30.980 of mankind's experience 00:34:30.980 --> 00:34:33.579 is that it's meaningless 00:34:33.579 --> 00:34:36.819 unless you begin with God 00:34:36.820 --> 00:34:39.940 does that make sense 00:34:39.940 --> 00:34:41.140 to me 00:34:41.140 --> 00:34:41.860 I'm always 00:34:41.860 --> 00:34:42.600 in awe of that 00:34:42.600 --> 00:34:43.840 especially as I meet guys 00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:44.600 who want to become 00:34:44.600 --> 00:34:45.660 the head of this 00:34:45.660 --> 00:34:46.420 or the head of that 00:34:46.420 --> 00:34:46.940 and they're doing it 00:34:46.940 --> 00:34:47.559 on their own 00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:51.480 so here's the last question 00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:53.300 how do we change 00:34:53.300 --> 00:34:55.920 we know our focus 00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:59.059 we know Tobin's problem 00:34:59.059 --> 00:35:02.100 how do we change that 00:35:02.099 --> 00:35:04.460 how do we center our lives 00:35:04.460 --> 00:35:05.219 on the right things 00:35:05.219 --> 00:35:06.619 how do we like the psalmist 00:35:06.619 --> 00:35:08.659 focus on God 00:35:08.659 --> 00:35:09.799 how do we like David 00:35:09.799 --> 00:35:11.400 put God in the right place 00:35:11.400 --> 00:35:15.480 how do we frame our journey 00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:16.960 as a person 00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:18.259 as a church 00:35:18.259 --> 00:35:20.019 as whoever we are 00:35:20.019 --> 00:35:20.559 as a family 00:35:20.559 --> 00:35:22.440 how do we frame our journey 00:35:22.440 --> 00:35:23.639 with God 00:35:23.639 --> 00:35:28.159 for some of us here 00:35:28.159 --> 00:35:30.519 I believe 00:35:30.519 --> 00:35:31.539 and I realize 00:35:31.539 --> 00:35:34.019 you've never had 00:35:34.019 --> 00:35:34.880 your focus on God 00:35:34.880 --> 00:35:37.860 probably for many of us 00:35:37.860 --> 00:35:38.159 in here 00:35:38.159 --> 00:35:39.320 we've probably never really 00:35:39.320 --> 00:35:41.019 focused on God 00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:44.119 God has not been 00:35:44.119 --> 00:35:45.679 the center of our story 00:35:45.679 --> 00:35:48.400 I mean if you're honest 00:35:48.400 --> 00:35:49.279 you have to say 00:35:49.279 --> 00:35:49.840 that you 00:35:49.840 --> 00:35:51.199 have been 00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:52.239 the center of your story 00:35:52.239 --> 00:35:54.420 for many of us in here 00:35:54.420 --> 00:35:55.340 our hope has only been 00:35:55.340 --> 00:35:55.900 on us 00:35:55.900 --> 00:35:56.960 and I'm just keeping it real 00:35:56.960 --> 00:35:57.820 because I was 00:35:57.820 --> 00:35:58.599 in the exact 00:35:58.599 --> 00:35:59.739 same 00:35:59.739 --> 00:36:00.679 place 00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:02.579 I focused on myself 00:36:02.579 --> 00:36:03.159 and my focus 00:36:03.159 --> 00:36:03.519 on my 00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:04.659 and what I could do 00:36:04.659 --> 00:36:05.519 and who I was 00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:06.219 and what I knew 00:36:06.219 --> 00:36:08.179 and the passage says 00:36:08.179 --> 00:36:09.940 that we have to get right 00:36:09.940 --> 00:36:10.619 with the Lord 00:36:10.619 --> 00:36:13.739 and so for many of us here 00:36:13.739 --> 00:36:15.899 what I would pray for you 00:36:15.899 --> 00:36:16.500 what the elders 00:36:16.500 --> 00:36:17.279 would pray for you 00:36:17.279 --> 00:36:18.440 what the staff 00:36:18.440 --> 00:36:19.059 would pray for you 00:36:19.059 --> 00:36:19.579 is that you would just 00:36:19.579 --> 00:36:20.379 look at this passage 00:36:20.379 --> 00:36:21.000 right here 00:36:21.000 --> 00:36:23.659 that you would read it 00:36:23.659 --> 00:36:23.899 tonight 00:36:23.899 --> 00:36:24.919 before you went to bed 00:36:24.920 --> 00:36:26.940 that you would 00:36:26.940 --> 00:36:28.900 look at Jesus Christ 00:36:28.900 --> 00:36:31.900 that you would realize 00:36:31.900 --> 00:36:32.940 that he's God 00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:35.820 that you realize 00:36:35.820 --> 00:36:36.800 he became man 00:36:36.800 --> 00:36:39.180 that you realize 00:36:39.180 --> 00:36:40.159 as the psalmist says 00:36:40.159 --> 00:36:41.480 that he stoops down 00:36:41.480 --> 00:36:42.639 for you 00:36:42.639 --> 00:36:43.559 to serve you 00:36:43.559 --> 00:36:46.280 that you'd realize 00:36:46.280 --> 00:36:46.720 that he lived 00:36:46.720 --> 00:36:47.760 a perfect life 00:36:47.760 --> 00:36:50.059 that you realize 00:36:50.059 --> 00:36:50.820 that Jesus had 00:36:50.820 --> 00:36:51.480 a perfect 00:36:51.480 --> 00:36:53.740 intense focus 00:36:53.739 --> 00:36:56.259 that you realize 00:36:56.259 --> 00:36:56.859 that Christ 00:36:56.859 --> 00:36:59.000 lost everything 00:36:59.000 --> 00:37:02.959 that he died 00:37:02.959 --> 00:37:04.179 a perfect death 00:37:04.179 --> 00:37:07.679 so that you 00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:08.939 and I 00:37:08.939 --> 00:37:11.199 could gain 00:37:11.199 --> 00:37:12.799 everything 00:37:12.799 --> 00:37:17.699 my hope for you 00:37:17.699 --> 00:37:18.699 if you've never had God 00:37:18.699 --> 00:37:19.199 at the beginning 00:37:19.199 --> 00:37:20.199 that you've never had God 00:37:20.199 --> 00:37:20.639 at the center 00:37:20.639 --> 00:37:21.939 if God's never been your hero 00:37:21.939 --> 00:37:23.159 that you would just 00:37:23.159 --> 00:37:23.920 come real with that 00:37:23.920 --> 00:37:24.920 and confess that to God 00:37:24.920 --> 00:37:25.859 because he knows that 00:37:25.859 --> 00:37:28.279 and that you would think 00:37:28.279 --> 00:37:29.359 about all that Christ 00:37:29.359 --> 00:37:30.219 has done for you 00:37:30.219 --> 00:37:31.799 that he's done 00:37:31.799 --> 00:37:32.779 everything perfectly 00:37:32.779 --> 00:37:33.719 so that you don't 00:37:33.719 --> 00:37:34.839 have to be perfect 00:37:34.839 --> 00:37:36.819 and that all that 00:37:36.819 --> 00:37:37.819 he's asking of you 00:37:37.819 --> 00:37:38.839 is to trust him 00:37:38.839 --> 00:37:41.599 to place your faith 00:37:41.599 --> 00:37:42.420 in him 00:37:42.420 --> 00:37:45.039 and allow him 00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:46.079 to be God 00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:47.539 in your life 00:37:47.539 --> 00:37:49.799 and to take care of you 00:37:49.800 --> 00:37:55.940 there's some of us 00:37:55.940 --> 00:37:56.200 in here 00:37:56.200 --> 00:37:57.080 who call ourselves 00:37:57.080 --> 00:37:57.820 God's people 00:37:57.820 --> 00:37:58.220 already 00:37:58.220 --> 00:38:00.220 and my prayer 00:38:00.220 --> 00:38:00.780 for us 00:38:00.780 --> 00:38:01.340 and for me 00:38:01.340 --> 00:38:02.000 is that we would just 00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:03.060 continue to ponder 00:38:03.060 --> 00:38:04.580 this passage 00:38:04.580 --> 00:38:05.280 that we would continue 00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:06.380 to think of God 00:38:06.380 --> 00:38:07.240 we'd continue to think 00:38:07.240 --> 00:38:08.220 of his love for us 00:38:08.220 --> 00:38:09.280 we'd realize 00:38:09.280 --> 00:38:10.340 how each one of us 00:38:10.340 --> 00:38:11.820 is fearsome 00:38:11.820 --> 00:38:12.480 and awesome 00:38:12.480 --> 00:38:13.760 and wonderfully made 00:38:13.760 --> 00:38:14.720 in God's eyes 00:38:14.720 --> 00:38:15.539 that we'd realize 00:38:15.539 --> 00:38:16.200 that every person 00:38:16.200 --> 00:38:17.019 we bump into 00:38:17.019 --> 00:38:18.300 whether it's at IFC 00:38:18.300 --> 00:38:19.260 or in our home 00:38:19.260 --> 00:38:20.060 or in our work 00:38:20.060 --> 00:38:21.300 or in our eating place 00:38:21.300 --> 00:38:22.500 that everyone there 00:38:22.500 --> 00:38:24.120 has ultimate value 00:38:24.120 --> 00:38:25.400 and ultimate worth 00:38:25.400 --> 00:38:26.180 and they're made 00:38:26.180 --> 00:38:26.940 in God's image 00:38:26.940 --> 00:38:27.940 and God has placed 00:38:27.940 --> 00:38:28.920 us in their lives 00:38:28.920 --> 00:38:29.820 to speak 00:38:29.820 --> 00:38:30.539 and to reflect 00:38:30.539 --> 00:38:31.380 God's glory 00:38:31.380 --> 00:38:32.100 God's mercy 00:38:32.100 --> 00:38:33.000 and God's grace 00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:35.660 and I think 00:38:35.660 --> 00:38:36.280 that some of us 00:38:36.280 --> 00:38:37.640 we need to repent 00:38:37.640 --> 00:38:40.420 and we need to confess 00:38:40.420 --> 00:38:41.320 as God's people 00:38:41.320 --> 00:38:43.100 that we've had 00:38:43.100 --> 00:38:43.740 our mirrors 00:38:43.740 --> 00:38:45.260 turn too long 00:38:45.260 --> 00:38:47.620 at something else 00:38:47.619 --> 00:38:49.579 besides Jesus Christ 00:38:49.579 --> 00:38:53.519 if you're like me 00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:54.079 that's something 00:38:54.079 --> 00:38:55.079 you probably have to do 00:38:55.079 --> 00:38:56.339 many times 00:38:56.339 --> 00:38:57.759 every day 00:38:57.759 --> 00:39:00.480 and my prayer for you 00:39:00.480 --> 00:39:02.000 is that you would do that 00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:04.539 that you would allow God 00:39:04.539 --> 00:39:05.579 to be God 00:39:05.579 --> 00:39:06.420 in your life 00:39:06.420 --> 00:39:08.359 that you would trust him 00:39:08.359 --> 00:39:09.019 on this journey 00:39:09.019 --> 00:39:10.159 that he has you in 00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:12.619 and that you would focus 00:39:12.619 --> 00:39:13.859 on the beauty of Christ 00:39:13.859 --> 00:39:14.480 and realize 00:39:14.480 --> 00:39:15.199 how awesome 00:39:15.199 --> 00:39:16.019 and how wonderful 00:39:16.019 --> 00:39:16.839 he is 00:39:16.840 --> 00:39:20.380 does that make sense 00:39:20.380 --> 00:39:24.660 I'm trying to keep it 00:39:24.660 --> 00:39:25.420 as simple as I can 00:39:25.420 --> 00:39:26.280 understand it 00:39:26.280 --> 00:39:30.039 so the next time 00:39:30.039 --> 00:39:31.120 you start to worry 00:39:31.120 --> 00:39:31.640 about 00:39:31.640 --> 00:39:33.600 your job 00:39:33.600 --> 00:39:35.860 or you're not making 00:39:35.860 --> 00:39:36.660 managing director 00:39:36.660 --> 00:39:38.860 or you're not getting 00:39:38.860 --> 00:39:39.480 the grades 00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:40.340 that you want to get 00:39:40.340 --> 00:39:42.079 or your professor 00:39:42.079 --> 00:39:43.200 you have Samson 00:39:43.200 --> 00:39:44.000 and he's really hard 00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:44.280 on you 00:39:44.280 --> 00:39:45.280 in psychology class 00:39:45.280 --> 00:39:45.720 and you're like 00:39:45.720 --> 00:39:46.220 I don't even know 00:39:46.220 --> 00:39:46.580 if I'm going to get 00:39:46.580 --> 00:39:47.480 a C in this class 00:39:47.480 --> 00:39:48.800 and you're just 00:39:48.800 --> 00:39:49.820 really struggling 00:39:49.820 --> 00:39:50.740 with those things 00:39:50.740 --> 00:39:53.140 what my prayer for you 00:39:53.140 --> 00:39:53.600 is that you would 00:39:53.600 --> 00:39:54.440 open up Psalm 8 00:39:54.440 --> 00:39:57.000 and that you would read 00:39:57.000 --> 00:39:57.600 that the God 00:39:57.600 --> 00:39:58.340 of all things 00:39:58.340 --> 00:39:59.300 has called himself 00:39:59.300 --> 00:40:00.220 into a relationship 00:40:00.220 --> 00:40:00.860 with you 00:40:00.860 --> 00:40:02.400 that the God 00:40:02.400 --> 00:40:03.500 who made the stars 00:40:03.500 --> 00:40:03.940 the God 00:40:03.940 --> 00:40:04.780 who put the stars 00:40:04.780 --> 00:40:05.300 in the sky 00:40:05.300 --> 00:40:06.100 the God 00:40:06.100 --> 00:40:06.960 who takes care 00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:07.580 of the stars 00:40:07.580 --> 00:40:08.240 in the sky 00:40:08.240 --> 00:40:08.980 the God 00:40:08.980 --> 00:40:09.440 who gave 00:40:09.440 --> 00:40:10.160 his only son 00:40:10.159 --> 00:40:10.779 for you 00:40:10.779 --> 00:40:12.940 surely 00:40:12.940 --> 00:40:13.440 if he did 00:40:13.440 --> 00:40:14.440 all those things 00:40:14.440 --> 00:40:17.019 you can trust him 00:40:17.019 --> 00:40:17.739 with your work 00:40:17.739 --> 00:40:21.940 you can trust him 00:40:21.940 --> 00:40:22.879 with your singleness 00:40:22.879 --> 00:40:26.339 you can trust him 00:40:26.339 --> 00:40:27.219 with your grades 00:40:27.219 --> 00:40:30.279 you can trust him 00:40:30.279 --> 00:40:31.119 with your kids 00:40:31.119 --> 00:40:31.839 health 00:40:31.839 --> 00:40:35.199 you can trust him 00:40:35.199 --> 00:40:38.259 the next time 00:40:38.259 --> 00:40:38.960 you get angry 00:40:38.960 --> 00:40:40.019 it's going to happen 00:40:40.019 --> 00:40:40.919 once you leave here 00:40:40.919 --> 00:40:41.500 because you're not 00:40:41.500 --> 00:40:41.839 going to get 00:40:41.839 --> 00:40:42.799 that right parking space 00:40:42.799 --> 00:40:43.159 or you're not 00:40:43.159 --> 00:40:43.819 going to get that food 00:40:43.819 --> 00:40:44.519 or you're not 00:40:44.519 --> 00:40:44.739 going to get 00:40:44.739 --> 00:40:45.259 something happening 00:40:45.259 --> 00:40:45.779 and that guy's 00:40:45.779 --> 00:40:46.319 not going to propose 00:40:46.319 --> 00:40:46.599 to you 00:40:46.599 --> 00:40:47.719 like you want him to 00:40:47.719 --> 00:40:48.139 because he's 00:40:48.139 --> 00:40:48.779 just really slow 00:40:48.779 --> 00:40:49.079 because he's 00:40:49.079 --> 00:40:49.519 an Australian 00:40:49.519 --> 00:40:50.460 but he needs 00:40:50.460 --> 00:40:51.259 to get on the ball 00:40:51.259 --> 00:40:52.000 soda 00:40:52.000 --> 00:40:53.719 the next time 00:40:53.719 --> 00:40:54.379 that happens 00:40:54.379 --> 00:40:55.279 and you get 00:40:55.279 --> 00:40:56.000 a little frustrated 00:40:56.000 --> 00:40:58.019 you come to Psalm 8 00:40:58.019 --> 00:40:59.779 and you read it 00:40:59.779 --> 00:41:00.679 and you realize 00:41:00.679 --> 00:41:01.939 that the God 00:41:01.939 --> 00:41:03.739 who hung the stars 00:41:03.739 --> 00:41:06.319 the God 00:41:06.319 --> 00:41:07.219 who knows 00:41:07.219 --> 00:41:07.959 every hair 00:41:07.959 --> 00:41:09.259 on your head 00:41:09.259 --> 00:41:11.599 the God 00:41:11.599 --> 00:41:12.439 who sees 00:41:12.439 --> 00:41:14.339 who hears 00:41:14.339 --> 00:41:15.839 who knows 00:41:15.839 --> 00:41:16.659 every thought 00:41:16.659 --> 00:41:18.599 every concern 00:41:18.599 --> 00:41:20.679 every bad thing 00:41:20.679 --> 00:41:22.579 every good thing 00:41:22.579 --> 00:41:23.000 that you've done 00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:23.819 with wrong motives 00:41:23.819 --> 00:41:25.619 that God 00:41:25.619 --> 00:41:27.419 gave his son 00:41:27.419 --> 00:41:28.279 for you 00:41:28.279 --> 00:41:30.699 if he can do 00:41:30.699 --> 00:41:31.679 all those things 00:41:31.679 --> 00:41:34.039 he can take care 00:41:34.039 --> 00:41:34.399 of you 00:41:34.399 --> 00:41:37.259 the question is 00:41:37.259 --> 00:41:38.940 are you going 00:41:38.940 --> 00:41:39.419 to let him 00:41:39.419 --> 00:41:42.179 are you going 00:41:42.179 --> 00:41:42.539 to let him 00:41:42.539 --> 00:41:45.039 go to .. 00:41:45.039 --> 00:41:45.480 whereflat 00:41:45.480 --> 00:41:46.380 who hears 00:41:46.380 --> 00:41:47.599 how to 00:41:47.599 --> 00:41:48.940 coming 00:41:48.940 --> 00:41:49.480 is 00:41:49.480 --> 00:41:49.880 how to 00:41:49.880 --> 00:41:51.259 are you 00:41:51.259 --> 00:41:51.940 ....