WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.020 The scripture reading today comes from the books of Exodus, Genesis, 2 Samuel, and Joshua. 00:00:06.600 --> 00:00:08.099 Please follow along in your bulletins. 00:00:09.820 --> 00:00:12.900 You shall not covet your neighbor's house. 00:00:13.540 --> 00:00:16.039 You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:18.179 Or his male servant. 00:00:18.660 --> 00:00:19.800 Or his female servant. 00:00:20.100 --> 00:00:20.920 Or his ox. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:22.339 Or his donkey. 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:25.480 Or anything that is your neighbor's. 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:33.880 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. 00:00:34.420 --> 00:00:40.799 And he said to the woman, Indeed, has God said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden? 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:47.519 The woman said to the serpent, From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat. 00:00:48.299 --> 00:00:53.760 But from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:58.899 You shall not eat from it, or touch it, or you will die. 00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:03.519 The serpent said to the woman, You surely will not die. 00:01:04.140 --> 00:01:11.259 For God knows that in the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. 00:01:11.260 --> 00:01:19.160 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, 00:01:19.719 --> 00:01:23.020 and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, 00:01:23.480 --> 00:01:30.200 she took from its fruit and ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:35.880 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. 00:01:35.879 --> 00:01:42.339 And they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves loin coverings. 00:01:43.939 --> 00:01:48.119 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. 00:01:48.759 --> 00:01:56.179 And the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 00:01:56.180 --> 00:02:02.140 Then the Lord God called to the man and said to him, Where are you? 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:11.920 He said, I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself. 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:22.819 Now when evening came, David arose from his bed and walked around the roof of the king's house. 00:02:23.519 --> 00:02:28.599 And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:31.819 So David sent and inquired about the woman. 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:39.739 And one said, Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 00:02:39.740 --> 00:02:42.960 David sent messengers and took her. 00:02:44.040 --> 00:02:46.340 And when she came to him, he lay with her. 00:02:47.480 --> 00:02:52.680 And when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. 00:02:53.740 --> 00:03:00.860 The woman conceived, and she sent and told David, and said, I am pregnant. 00:03:00.860 --> 00:03:08.660 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban. 00:03:09.340 --> 00:03:11.960 For Achan took some of the things under the ban. 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:15.880 Therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel. 00:03:17.640 --> 00:03:25.980 So Achan answered Joshua and said, Truly I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is what I did. 00:03:25.979 --> 00:03:39.399 When I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, I coveted them, and I took them. 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:44.899 And behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it. 00:03:45.579 --> 00:03:46.699 This is God's word. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:48.959 How you guys doing? 00:03:49.879 --> 00:03:51.280 Good, good, good. 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:59.120 For those of you who knew, there's something to me about traditions or being consistent, so that's what I usually ask. 00:03:59.259 --> 00:04:01.280 And usually people go, hmm, good. 00:04:01.340 --> 00:04:03.099 And I have to go, well, that's not very good. 00:04:03.699 --> 00:04:04.819 And so they have to repeat it again. 00:04:04.979 --> 00:04:05.819 So how you guys doing? 00:04:06.219 --> 00:04:06.620 Great. 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:07.520 Great, good. 00:04:07.580 --> 00:04:08.139 Okay, that's good. 00:04:09.460 --> 00:04:11.099 Need all the encouragement I can get. 00:04:11.400 --> 00:04:16.120 Hey, we are continuing a series that we started in June. 00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:19.060 We looked at this idea of gospel and work. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:21.139 And so we did three of them in June. 00:04:21.219 --> 00:04:31.079 So if you haven't looked at them, I usually don't say go back and listen or anything, but I think it's worth listening to because we're trying to set a standard of what it looks like to be Christians in the workplace. 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:32.219 We're also using this book. 00:04:32.659 --> 00:04:33.819 It's by Tim Keller. 00:04:33.899 --> 00:04:34.199 It came out. 00:04:34.219 --> 00:04:35.319 We had two books for sale. 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:37.180 And so these are still out there. 00:04:37.300 --> 00:04:40.599 We're not actually, we're selling them at probably 50% reduced rate. 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:43.060 So don't buy a whole bunch and resell them. 00:04:43.060 --> 00:04:44.720 But I'm joking. 00:04:46.459 --> 00:04:47.300 For some of us. 00:04:47.579 --> 00:04:59.079 Anyway, so but buy one or a great gift and talking about what does it look like for us to be Christians and how do we handle our work and what does that look like to work well for the Lord. 00:04:59.340 --> 00:05:01.180 And so we're going to continue doing that. 00:05:01.180 --> 00:05:05.120 So in the first three sermons, we talked about some things about work. 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:08.340 And I'm going to just flesh out because we're, I'm just, these are assumptions. 00:05:08.579 --> 00:05:11.439 We looked in scripture and we said, this is what God's word says. 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:16.600 And so we're going to assume these things as we move forward in the rest of the five sermons. 00:05:17.180 --> 00:05:19.540 So we got two more today and next week. 00:05:20.339 --> 00:05:23.459 What we saw first in scripture is that God begins with work. 00:05:24.019 --> 00:05:29.019 So in Genesis, God's working in the garden and he's called us to continue his work in creation. 00:05:29.159 --> 00:05:34.699 So we're not just called just to sit here, but we're given roles and things that we need to be doing. 00:05:34.779 --> 00:05:39.519 We learned that work is in our DNA, that each one of us is made to work. 00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:40.879 It's how we're made. 00:05:41.599 --> 00:05:45.399 You often hear people talk about, I can't wait till I retire so I don't have to work. 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:48.579 But the Bible says that you and I were made to work. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:49.299 It's in our gut. 00:05:49.659 --> 00:05:51.180 It's how God created us. 00:05:51.299 --> 00:05:56.680 We also learned that all work is for God, that everything we do is for God, that God is our ultimate boss. 00:05:56.680 --> 00:06:02.039 And so if you're in the office right now and your boss is treating terribly and you're not getting all the appreciation that you feel like you deserve 00:06:02.039 --> 00:06:09.060 and you're towing the line and you're being a great Christian and you're walking and talking and being consistent, you get fired. 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:11.979 The Bible says, and that happens a lot, right? 00:06:12.139 --> 00:06:12.719 It does. 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:14.799 So it doesn't always end up great. 00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:16.859 Your next job is probably going to end up great. 00:06:16.979 --> 00:06:18.680 Your first job, you might get fired. 00:06:19.039 --> 00:06:23.359 But the Bible says that God is your ultimate boss and in the end, he will reward you. 00:06:23.959 --> 00:06:25.539 That he'll give you those things that you need. 00:06:25.939 --> 00:06:29.899 We talked a lot about how all work has value. 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.120 There's not some work that's not valuable and the other work that's more valuable. 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:36.379 That my job as a pastor isn't more valuable than your job. 00:06:36.740 --> 00:06:42.680 And whatever you do, especially as housewives, I have the utmost respect for single moms or housewives and your jobs. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:46.439 Everyone's job is just as valuable, the Scripture says. 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:51.340 And we all give glory to the Lord as we serve him in whatever we've called to do. 00:06:51.720 --> 00:06:55.560 We learn that our primary relationship in everything we do is with Jesus. 00:06:56.340 --> 00:06:57.959 That he is the primary center. 00:06:57.959 --> 00:07:02.139 So the questions we should be asking is, is this job drawing me closer to the Lord? 00:07:02.239 --> 00:07:05.859 Am I feeling closer to Jesus after I work here? 00:07:06.579 --> 00:07:10.759 Are the choices that I'm doing in my job making me feel closer to the Lord? 00:07:10.899 --> 00:07:12.859 And so we talked a lot about that. 00:07:12.919 --> 00:07:17.939 We said there is no such thing as sacred or secular because when we do that, we compartmentalize our lives. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:19.199 And so we live our lives differently. 00:07:19.419 --> 00:07:20.979 We come to church and it's sacred. 00:07:21.079 --> 00:07:22.139 When we go to work, it's secular. 00:07:22.339 --> 00:07:24.159 And we have different rules and different values. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:28.780 And you just watch the news and you realize that people are getting all the rules and their values crossed over. 00:07:28.920 --> 00:07:30.520 And we don't talk about right or wrong. 00:07:30.580 --> 00:07:32.640 We talk about what's permissible, what's lawful. 00:07:32.840 --> 00:07:34.260 And we get in trouble. 00:07:34.420 --> 00:07:36.420 But the Scripture says that we're all sacred. 00:07:36.540 --> 00:07:37.260 It's all sacred. 00:07:37.380 --> 00:07:39.460 Everything that we do is sacred. 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:42.120 Work is our ministry. 00:07:42.980 --> 00:07:48.560 Often people say, I can't wait until I retire so I can go do an NGO and do something really thankful and worthwhile for the Lord. 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:51.879 And the Bible says what you're doing right now is what God wants you to do. 00:07:51.879 --> 00:07:55.899 That he's not going to judge you after you retire on the NGO that you do. 00:07:56.040 --> 00:07:59.379 But he's going to talk and look in your life at what you're doing right now. 00:07:59.620 --> 00:08:01.040 That's the sacred. 00:08:01.180 --> 00:08:02.339 That's why he has you here. 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:04.079 That's your ministry. 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:05.980 To be the best lawyer is your ministry. 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:06.899 To be the best doctor. 00:08:07.019 --> 00:08:07.860 To be the best teacher. 00:08:08.360 --> 00:08:09.379 To be the best housewife. 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:09.899 To be the best. 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:11.180 All that is your ministry. 00:08:12.219 --> 00:08:16.219 So don't be looking out for things to do and say, this is my ministry and this is my work. 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:19.620 The Bible says that our work is our ministry. 00:08:19.620 --> 00:08:21.959 We learned also that we live in a broken world. 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:24.720 We read in the passage in Genesis 2. 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:25.959 We talked about it in depth. 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:28.360 I think the first sermon that everything is broken. 00:08:28.500 --> 00:08:32.120 So everything is, we come to work and things are broken. 00:08:32.220 --> 00:08:33.000 And people are broken. 00:08:33.139 --> 00:08:33.960 And systems are broken. 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:34.899 And countries are broken. 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:40.460 And we have to come into these brokenness and figure out how does God want me to redeem it? 00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:42.639 How does God call me to fix it? 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:44.080 And sometimes we have no idea. 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:47.180 We're like, I have no idea how I can make any sense of this. 00:08:47.179 --> 00:08:52.339 But the scripture teaches us that we're called to be a part of God fixing things. 00:08:52.839 --> 00:08:55.799 It might be just as easy as listening to a person and praying for them. 00:08:56.319 --> 00:08:58.579 But it might be something even bigger than that. 00:08:58.620 --> 00:09:00.539 But we're called to do those things. 00:09:00.599 --> 00:09:02.179 And the last thing we talked about is rest. 00:09:02.979 --> 00:09:05.179 And we said that all of us are called to rest. 00:09:05.239 --> 00:09:07.379 Just as we're created to work, we're created to rest. 00:09:07.379 --> 00:09:15.600 And that we honor the Lord and we glorify him just as much in how we rest and how we work. 00:09:16.360 --> 00:09:18.659 Now some of us, that's very difficult to do. 00:09:19.139 --> 00:09:21.480 But the Bible says that you and I were created to rest. 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:24.379 And we have this cycle of rhythm that we live our life out. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:27.659 And if we don't rest, we're being dishonest to the Lord. 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:29.559 But we're also hurting our bodies. 00:09:29.559 --> 00:09:32.279 Because our bodies are made for sleep and for rest. 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:36.220 And so we have to struggle with what does it mean for us to have a Sabbath and how do we do that. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:38.519 And what does that look like in our lives. 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:41.000 And I was very honest. 00:09:41.159 --> 00:09:43.879 And again, teaching these things are very challenging for me. 00:09:43.980 --> 00:09:48.939 Because I feel like, man, I'm a long way from what scripture is calling us to. 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:52.159 And I'm so thankful that the journey is step by step by step. 00:09:52.620 --> 00:09:54.939 And God's grace covers each step that we walk. 00:09:55.079 --> 00:09:58.199 And so pastors are probably the worst people for Sabbaths. 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:03.300 And you need to be continually praying for us and the staff so that we honor the Lord in our breaks. 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:06.120 Today I want to kind of change gears. 00:10:06.220 --> 00:10:11.420 And I'm going to look at something that is going to seem counter business-wise. 00:10:11.500 --> 00:10:13.300 Or counter what we've been talking about. 00:10:13.420 --> 00:10:20.080 Because I think that work is probably the greatest thing in our life that exposes our idols. 00:10:21.180 --> 00:10:22.120 And our sin. 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:32.399 I mean, how we work and why we work and what we do in our work is probably the greatest thing that points us to what is the idol in our life. 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:35.299 Now for me, it's work in my marriage. 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:40.580 In marriage, sometimes you see in your marriage how you interact and you realize, well, I'm really selfish here. 00:10:41.899 --> 00:10:43.019 Hopefully you realize that. 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:45.460 And you apologize to your wife, husbands. 00:10:46.139 --> 00:10:48.159 But work is also that too. 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:54.539 But work, just something about it that exposes our idols. 00:10:54.620 --> 00:10:56.000 Remember, idols are good things. 00:10:56.139 --> 00:10:57.439 They're things that are created. 00:10:57.860 --> 00:11:00.419 But we grab onto them and say, this is the ultimate thing. 00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:01.699 This is what's going to give me meaning. 00:11:01.860 --> 00:11:02.899 This is what's going to give me truth. 00:11:03.259 --> 00:11:05.039 This is what's going to make it through the day. 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:05.839 This is what's going to. 00:11:06.379 --> 00:11:07.419 How do you find your idols? 00:11:07.559 --> 00:11:08.019 Well, I don't know. 00:11:08.059 --> 00:11:09.059 Each of us have different idols. 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:13.379 You ask the question, what is there in my life that if it was taken away, I couldn't live without? 00:11:13.379 --> 00:11:21.220 What if there's in my job that if I didn't have that anymore, I didn't have that corner office, or I didn't have that degree, or I didn't have that title? 00:11:21.320 --> 00:11:22.259 What if it was taken away? 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:23.759 I couldn't live with that. 00:11:23.820 --> 00:11:27.919 If that's something that's true in you, then the Bible says that that's an idol. 00:11:28.039 --> 00:11:33.600 It's something that you're trying to find hope and purpose and meaning and stability in your life. 00:11:33.939 --> 00:11:36.080 And we need to worry about that. 00:11:36.100 --> 00:11:38.940 Because the Bible says that we serve, all of us serve. 00:11:38.940 --> 00:11:43.200 We either serve the Lord or we serve other idols. 00:11:43.400 --> 00:11:44.940 But we're serving something. 00:11:45.660 --> 00:11:48.060 So the question is, what do we serve? 00:11:48.160 --> 00:11:50.120 And so I want to look at this passage. 00:11:50.280 --> 00:11:51.620 And we're just kind of opening this up. 00:11:51.680 --> 00:11:53.820 So it's not going to be, wow, he taught everything. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.640 You might feel like he taught everything he knew about this. 00:11:55.700 --> 00:11:58.220 But we're just going to skim the surface on some of these things. 00:11:58.580 --> 00:12:03.500 And I want to look at the most dangerous sin, I think. 00:12:03.500 --> 00:12:07.620 The most dangerous idol in our life. 00:12:08.419 --> 00:12:12.320 And I think without a doubt, and you've heard it read today in the passage. 00:12:12.820 --> 00:12:19.059 And so what I want to do to start into that is I want to start with a true story. 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:21.679 A true story, a good story. 00:12:22.139 --> 00:12:26.639 And it's a story that begins as all good stories should begin. 00:12:29.580 --> 00:12:30.080 What? 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:32.500 Come on, guys. 00:12:32.500 --> 00:12:35.220 There's only three beginnings of stories, right? 00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:38.120 There's long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. 00:12:39.460 --> 00:12:41.500 There's in a hole there lived a hobbit. 00:12:42.460 --> 00:12:44.159 And there's once upon a time. 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:46.720 Okay, so this is once upon a time. 00:12:46.820 --> 00:12:47.240 Can you hear that? 00:12:47.259 --> 00:12:48.059 Once upon a time. 00:12:49.100 --> 00:12:50.139 Once upon a time. 00:12:50.460 --> 00:12:52.460 And so I want to tell with you the parable of Caitlin. 00:12:53.340 --> 00:12:53.759 Okay. 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:58.200 Once upon a time, there was a young six-year-old girl named Caitlin. 00:12:58.980 --> 00:13:00.639 She had loving siblings. 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:06.159 She went to school and learned about the world and many other things. 00:13:06.980 --> 00:13:09.259 She enjoyed outdoor activities. 00:13:10.259 --> 00:13:12.240 All was perfect. 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:19.440 Then one day, her parents took her to the shrine of the Golden Arches. 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:26.259 Famous to youngsters for its food. 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:29.299 Caitlin was so excited. 00:13:29.299 --> 00:13:33.139 There, she discovered the happy meal. 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:36.719 Well named as a meal of great joy. 00:13:38.039 --> 00:13:39.639 May I have it, please? 00:13:39.819 --> 00:13:41.039 She asked her parents. 00:13:41.539 --> 00:13:42.459 I got to have it. 00:13:42.959 --> 00:13:45.439 I don't think I can live without this toy. 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:48.500 No, her parents replied. 00:13:48.940 --> 00:13:51.580 We're not giving in to this ingenious marketing ploy. 00:13:52.020 --> 00:13:53.660 We're not going to buy it. 00:13:54.520 --> 00:13:57.840 But, but you don't understand, she pleaded. 00:13:58.300 --> 00:14:02.440 I want this happy meal more than anything else I've ever wanted in my whole life. 00:14:03.040 --> 00:14:07.860 And if I get it, I'll never, ever, ever ask for anything again. 00:14:08.420 --> 00:14:09.480 Never, not ever. 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:10.680 No more complaining. 00:14:10.900 --> 00:14:11.760 No more demanding. 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:12.740 Not for me. 00:14:12.919 --> 00:14:18.480 If you get me that happy meal and that toy, I will be happy the rest of my life. 00:14:19.500 --> 00:14:21.120 Well, this seemed like a good deal to her parents. 00:14:26.500 --> 00:14:27.980 So we bought the happy meal. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:29.939 And you know what? 00:14:30.939 --> 00:14:31.819 It worked. 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:39.039 Caitlin grew up to be a contented, grateful, joyful woman who lived with serenity and grace 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:41.379 her whole life. 00:14:41.439 --> 00:14:43.879 Her life in many ways was hard, but she never complained. 00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:47.299 She would look at her happy meal toy and be satisfied. 00:14:48.439 --> 00:14:52.939 Just as Caitlin proclaimed to her parents that happy meal was all that she needed to be happy, 00:14:53.719 --> 00:14:58.719 she was grateful for the rest of her life, living happily ever after. 00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:00.240 The end. 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:07.840 Now, I ask you, does life really end that way? 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.019 Does things really work that way? 00:15:12.940 --> 00:15:18.279 And what I realized in Caitlin's life and what I continue to realize in our life and my life 00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:20.419 is that we all have this problem. 00:15:21.379 --> 00:15:23.620 And this problem is called coveting. 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:26.600 I mean, it's sisters are greed and envy. 00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:28.720 But the main thing is coveting. 00:15:29.399 --> 00:15:32.220 And so what I want to do very briefly is I want to look at what is coveting. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:34.040 I want to give some symptoms of it. 00:15:34.060 --> 00:15:35.040 What does it look like in our life? 00:15:35.060 --> 00:15:37.139 And I want to talk about how we deal with it. 00:15:37.860 --> 00:15:41.759 Now, I've said that coveting, greed, envy are the most dangerous of all sins. 00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:46.240 And what I mean by that is not that they have the worst consequences, 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:48.600 but that we're blind to them. 00:15:49.779 --> 00:15:54.220 I mean, coveting means to desire and to take things that you don't have 00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:56.440 and maybe in the timing that you don't want it. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:58.920 In Greek, the word actually means just to grasp for more. 00:15:59.820 --> 00:16:02.660 So if you had this bowl of M&Ms and your kids wanted one more M&M, 00:16:02.740 --> 00:16:05.320 and you say, hey, just take one more M&M for the role. 00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:06.960 And coveting is they come in and they just go, 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:11.660 with their hand and they have a handful of M&Ms. 00:16:12.540 --> 00:16:14.040 I mean, think about it in the Ten Commandments. 00:16:14.120 --> 00:16:16.360 All the other Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, go read them tonight. 00:16:16.580 --> 00:16:18.220 All of them deal with outward. 00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:19.840 Don't do this. 00:16:19.980 --> 00:16:20.600 Don't do that. 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:21.379 Don't do these things. 00:16:21.379 --> 00:16:24.399 But coveting deals with our heart. 00:16:26.259 --> 00:16:29.080 Coveting and greed deals with things inside of us. 00:16:29.439 --> 00:16:31.200 It deals with our attitudes and our thoughts. 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:34.759 And these attitudes and these thoughts drive everything. 00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:37.379 Everything. 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:42.519 More often than not, we don't even know that we have a problem with coveting. 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:44.259 We don't even know that we have a problem with greed. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:46.659 James and James, in his book, he said, you know, 00:16:47.019 --> 00:16:49.360 that what are the problems of these angers and these fights 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:50.679 and these quarrels you have within you? 00:16:50.679 --> 00:16:52.259 He says it's the desires of your heart. 00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:53.099 You're coveting. 00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:57.239 In Romans, in your bulletin, Paul says the same thing. 00:16:57.319 --> 00:16:58.500 Paul says, I was a Jew of Jew. 00:16:58.719 --> 00:16:59.479 I lived perfectly. 00:16:59.579 --> 00:17:00.459 I did everything righteously. 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:01.959 I kept every commandment. 00:17:01.979 --> 00:17:03.739 Then all of a sudden the law came and it showed me coveting. 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:06.579 And coveting just went boom, boom, boom, boom, hit me. 00:17:06.659 --> 00:17:10.039 And I just realized, man, I have problems. 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:13.079 Because coveting showed my heart. 00:17:14.179 --> 00:17:15.399 And it showed my desire. 00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:19.060 Paul would say the Christian life is like an onion. 00:17:20.100 --> 00:17:24.420 And you come to Christ and this Holy Spirit comes in and it cuts your onion in half. 00:17:24.460 --> 00:17:26.320 And you look at it and you see all the junk in your life. 00:17:26.380 --> 00:17:27.560 And you start to deal with those things. 00:17:27.900 --> 00:17:29.840 And all of a sudden the Holy Spirit comes in again and it cuts deeper. 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:31.360 And you see more lines. 00:17:31.460 --> 00:17:32.540 And you see more junk. 00:17:32.620 --> 00:17:33.080 And you're like, whoa. 00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:35.240 And then the Holy Spirit comes in and it cuts deeper. 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:45.519 And you just see how much covening and greed and problems we have with idols in our life. 00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:49.500 And the scary thing to me is it's so deceptive. 00:17:50.299 --> 00:17:54.079 I've never had somebody come to me as a counselor or as a pastor and say, can you pray for me? 00:17:54.099 --> 00:17:55.079 I have problems. 00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:56.019 I say, what the problem is? 00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:57.099 They said, I'm too greedy. 00:17:58.399 --> 00:17:59.460 No one's ever said that. 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:07.360 Usually they come and say, I'm lusting or I've cheated or I've hit somebody or I've treated my wife unfairly or I've done a bad business deal. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:09.980 But no one's ever come and said, I'm coveting too much. 00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:10.779 Can you pray for me? 00:18:12.039 --> 00:18:19.720 But Jesus in his gospels, he talks about coveting and greed about 10 times for every time he talks about sex. 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:22.340 I mean, he's talking about it all the time. 00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:27.140 Because he realizes that we have this problem with it as his people. 00:18:27.140 --> 00:18:30.440 And the biggest problem is it's hidden. 00:18:30.660 --> 00:18:31.220 It's quiet. 00:18:31.340 --> 00:18:31.880 It's silent. 00:18:32.320 --> 00:18:34.360 We don't know that it's there. 00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:35.740 We're blind to it. 00:18:35.940 --> 00:18:38.259 The Bible says we're blind to our blindness. 00:18:38.460 --> 00:18:39.940 We're blind to coveting. 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:41.120 It's all around us. 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:41.600 It's in us. 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:42.860 And we don't know that we're greedy. 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:45.880 I mean, we can look at greed and we can say, that's greed. 00:18:46.580 --> 00:18:47.360 Ooh, bad person. 00:18:47.540 --> 00:18:49.860 But when we look in our life, we don't see that. 00:18:50.940 --> 00:18:51.840 Because we're blind. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:59.279 It reminds me of when I was a Boy Scout and we went to this camp in the swamps of Florida and the mosquitoes were out of control. 00:18:59.399 --> 00:19:01.480 They were just eating winds. 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:04.919 And they were just chomping on us. 00:19:05.379 --> 00:19:11.439 And in my tent, we had this, our counselor who was taking us through this week on a canoe trip was his ex-marine. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:13.860 And we're talking one night about what do we do with these mosquitoes? 00:19:14.059 --> 00:19:14.799 And they're killing us. 00:19:14.820 --> 00:19:22.420 And he goes, well, you know, the only mosquito that really bites you is the woman because she needs the blood to incubate the eggs inside of her. 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:24.180 So she's the one biting you. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:27.000 But the only mosquito that makes the sound is the man. 00:19:27.640 --> 00:19:30.299 So when you hear the zzzz, that's a man. 00:19:30.320 --> 00:19:33.880 And he's trying to attract a woman so they can get busy. 00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:38.200 So the woman is the one that bites you and the man is the one that makes the sound. 00:19:38.539 --> 00:19:40.799 So you're really in problem when you hear nothing. 00:19:41.860 --> 00:19:44.960 Because when you hear nothing, then you know that you get it, right? 00:19:45.320 --> 00:19:46.340 The woman doesn't make sounds. 00:19:46.420 --> 00:19:46.860 She's sucking. 00:19:47.320 --> 00:19:47.559 The guy. 00:19:47.660 --> 00:19:52.799 So in the woods, you worry about not hearing and not understanding and not being aware of it. 00:19:53.500 --> 00:19:57.259 And the Bible says in the same way that's what governing and greed is in our life. 00:19:58.279 --> 00:19:59.360 That we don't realize it. 00:20:00.080 --> 00:20:00.980 We don't hear it. 00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:02.640 We don't think about it. 00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:06.880 Materialism and coveting and greed comes into our life. 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:09.259 And, you know, I've been praying about this a lot. 00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:14.839 Because I think that we live in a time and age and in a society that loves coveting. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:18.000 That loves greed. 00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:20.720 I mean, think about it in your work. 00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:22.000 Think about it in Hong Kong. 00:20:22.339 --> 00:20:23.859 Think about it as you walk through the day. 00:20:23.859 --> 00:20:29.059 I'm told that every day six billion U.S. dollars is spent in advertising. 00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:31.199 Six billion. 00:20:32.119 --> 00:20:38.279 And that every day you and I walk through the streets of Hong Kong, we're exposed to 3,000 different types of advertisement. 00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:41.279 Telling us we need something, that we should buy something. 00:20:41.339 --> 00:20:42.700 Our life would be more happy if we had this. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:43.960 And we're incomplete if we don't have this. 00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:45.059 3,000. 00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:49.879 Over and over, our society says to us, hey, you need these things. 00:20:49.960 --> 00:20:52.180 And greed is something that pushes it out there. 00:20:52.579 --> 00:20:56.440 And it's interesting because we, again, we don't see it in our life. 00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:59.119 Because we compare it to other people. 00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:04.319 Princeton professor Robert Wuthno in his book, God and Mammon, which is a very interesting book. 00:21:04.639 --> 00:21:06.299 It's called God and Mammon in America. 00:21:06.699 --> 00:21:14.000 And he says that Christians have just as much problem or probably more blind to coveting and greed than people who have no faith. 00:21:14.879 --> 00:21:17.399 He says they can see it in others, but they don't see it in themselves. 00:21:17.399 --> 00:21:20.319 They don't see their struggle with it, but they see others. 00:21:20.459 --> 00:21:23.539 And when they are caught in it, they welcome the punishment. 00:21:24.359 --> 00:21:26.979 It motivates us to earn more than we need. 00:21:26.980 --> 00:21:30.120 To earn more than we can use. 00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:33.240 To ache for stuff that never satisfies us. 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:36.799 To telling ourselves that this stuff will deliver much more than it can. 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:39.120 And that it will make us happy. 00:21:40.339 --> 00:21:41.200 Like a happy meal. 00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:43.200 Happy, happy, happy. 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:45.680 And he says that we all have these problems. 00:21:45.779 --> 00:21:47.039 And the Bible says that we have these problems. 00:21:47.160 --> 00:21:51.700 And the Bible says that when coveting and greed enters into our life, it destroys relationships. 00:21:53.319 --> 00:21:55.339 It destroys our relationship with God. 00:21:56.980 --> 00:22:00.579 And it destroys our relationship with each other. 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:06.339 Maybe a question you should ask next time you're tempted to buy something or to do something or act a certain way. 00:22:06.680 --> 00:22:09.620 Ask the question, is this going to bring me closer to the Lord? 00:22:10.940 --> 00:22:13.019 Is this going to make our relationship with God better? 00:22:13.120 --> 00:22:16.019 Is this going to make my relationship with my fellow workers better? 00:22:16.019 --> 00:22:20.259 Are they going to see me as a better person, a kinder person, a gentler person? 00:22:20.879 --> 00:22:24.700 Is it going to help me in that way point people to Christ? 00:22:24.779 --> 00:22:32.879 Because the Bible says that coveting and greed and envy, these idols destroy relationships. 00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:36.559 And if you're honest, you've seen it happen in your world, right? 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:38.859 You've seen it happen in families. 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:41.899 We read about it every day in a newspaper in families in Hong Kong. 00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:43.980 You see it happen in work. 00:22:44.879 --> 00:22:45.980 You see it happen among partners. 00:22:47.259 --> 00:22:48.679 You see it happen among spouses. 00:22:50.460 --> 00:22:57.639 In Genesis chapter 3, which we had read, this idea of coveting and greed begins with our eyes. 00:22:57.640 --> 00:23:02.680 Verse 6, we see something that is good for food. 00:23:03.160 --> 00:23:05.640 It's a delight to the eyes. 00:23:06.100 --> 00:23:08.220 We see something that's going to make us happy. 00:23:08.300 --> 00:23:09.720 We see something that's going to make us satisfied. 00:23:09.800 --> 00:23:11.880 We see something that's going to make us complete. 00:23:12.800 --> 00:23:14.520 It's something that we need. 00:23:14.660 --> 00:23:16.540 We start saying that this is what I need. 00:23:17.300 --> 00:23:18.920 This is going to meet all my needs. 00:23:19.220 --> 00:23:20.900 And when we say that, this is what I need. 00:23:20.980 --> 00:23:22.300 This is what we're going to meet, all my needs. 00:23:22.560 --> 00:23:25.460 What we're saying on the flip side is that God doesn't. 00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:29.780 God isn't going to meet my needs. 00:23:29.900 --> 00:23:31.140 God isn't good. 00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:33.480 God isn't good enough. 00:23:33.560 --> 00:23:37.280 Or if he's good, I wonder why he's not being good to me. 00:23:38.620 --> 00:23:42.280 And so we see, you have that problem, don't you? 00:23:43.900 --> 00:23:45.300 Okay, I love Diet Coke. 00:23:46.520 --> 00:23:48.920 But I love Krispy Kreme donuts. 00:23:50.020 --> 00:23:53.480 And when Krispy Kreme came to Hong Kong, I was like, oh, hallelujah. 00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:55.620 This is the greatest thing in the world, right? 00:23:55.619 --> 00:23:59.799 But then I have a heart attack, and my wife's saying, you know, Krispy Kreme donuts is really bad for you. 00:23:59.879 --> 00:24:01.000 You shouldn't be eating Krispy Kreme donuts. 00:24:01.159 --> 00:24:02.079 I'm like, oh, oh, oh, oh. 00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:07.579 And so the Krispy Kreme donuts opens up in Causeway Bay in Times Square area, and we're walking by it. 00:24:07.639 --> 00:24:10.719 And we just happen to walk by it as we're kind of going on a date night. 00:24:11.159 --> 00:24:12.279 And there's this cream. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:13.139 I go, whoa, look at that. 00:24:13.159 --> 00:24:14.119 There's a Krispy Kreme there. 00:24:14.179 --> 00:24:15.759 Who knew that that Krispy Kreme went there? 00:24:16.599 --> 00:24:18.279 I said, why don't we go in and look at it? 00:24:18.279 --> 00:24:22.539 I won't buy anything. 00:24:22.660 --> 00:24:23.279 I promise. 00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:24.920 I'm not going to buy anything. 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:27.399 I just want to go look at it, see what kind of donuts they have. 00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:29.619 I looked, right? 00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:34.740 I saw that it was good to make one wise and healthy. 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:38.119 And my wife is sitting there going, come on. 00:24:39.879 --> 00:24:40.740 That's impossible. 00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:44.140 Well, we walked in, and we looked around, and guess what? 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:46.799 We walked out with two dozen donuts. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:51.299 It's the principle of covening and greed, right? 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:56.279 It happens in our eyes, and we see it, and we say, this is going to make me happy, and I need this. 00:24:56.380 --> 00:25:01.859 And it happens in stupid little ways like Krispy Kreme donuts, but it happens in other big ways in our lives, 00:25:01.859 --> 00:25:06.099 and we just don't realize that it's actually killing us. 00:25:06.099 --> 00:25:10.939 And it's hurting our relationships with God, and it's hurting our relationships with each other. 00:25:11.619 --> 00:25:13.579 We start to challenge God's word. 00:25:13.639 --> 00:25:14.659 In verse 3, you see it. 00:25:14.939 --> 00:25:17.859 She starts to challenge his word, and is his word really true? 00:25:17.939 --> 00:25:19.859 Is God's word true or is it subjective? 00:25:20.099 --> 00:25:24.599 I mean, maybe I feel differently, so the word says this, but I don't feel like that. 00:25:25.059 --> 00:25:27.039 Because if I do this, I'll be so happy. 00:25:27.219 --> 00:25:31.480 And I think that what God's saying here is probably outdated, and it's probably too restrictive, 00:25:31.679 --> 00:25:35.299 and it's probably can't take it too literally. 00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:37.740 It's old, and she does that. 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:40.700 She says God's word isn't true. 00:25:42.019 --> 00:25:43.339 How many times do we struggle with that? 00:25:43.379 --> 00:25:46.200 How many times do you talk to people in your world, and they talk about things, 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:50.619 and they say, yeah, I would go to church, but those rules seem a little restrictive to me. 00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:53.639 And you go, yeah, but they're there for a reason. 00:25:53.779 --> 00:25:56.720 They're there to help us because God wants a relationship with us. 00:25:56.839 --> 00:26:01.339 And if I break the rule, am I really closer to God, or do I feel guilty and shamed? 00:26:01.339 --> 00:26:06.179 And so she starts to wonder if God is good and if the rules are true. 00:26:06.399 --> 00:26:10.599 And then the next thing you see in verses 1 through 5, again, is she wonders if God's character is true. 00:26:11.699 --> 00:26:13.639 I mean, is God really good? 00:26:13.640 --> 00:26:22.120 I mean, if you're like me and you struggle with coveting and greed, you realize that God is powerful. 00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:24.640 He's all powerful. 00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:27.700 But you start to wonder if he's really good. 00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:34.240 Because if he is good, he would give me these things, or he would allow these things to happen in my life. 00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:35.279 And you see it in her life. 00:26:35.340 --> 00:26:37.680 She starts to wonder if God is really good. 00:26:37.779 --> 00:26:40.279 And he's all powerful, but he's not really personal. 00:26:42.019 --> 00:26:46.299 And sin and greed come in there, and they start to help us think of negative things. 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:51.000 Well, this didn't happen, and God didn't do this, and this didn't happen. 00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:54.960 I've been waiting for 20 years for this to happen, and these things didn't happen the way I thought they should. 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:58.000 And we start getting discontentful. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:03.299 And so she goes from seeing to desiring. 00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:07.600 And all these thoughts come in about God and his character and his word. 00:27:07.840 --> 00:27:09.319 And we're always questioning them every day. 00:27:09.380 --> 00:27:14.360 And every time we move towards greed and coveting in our life, we have to ask ourselves the question, 00:27:14.759 --> 00:27:15.720 Is God really good? 00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:20.360 Does he really care about me? 00:27:20.359 --> 00:27:24.259 And is this word true? 00:27:25.919 --> 00:27:27.719 Because if we don't, we're going to be discontent. 00:27:29.199 --> 00:27:30.939 Maybe at work, it works like this. 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:33.279 Your discontent comes out in your workplace. 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:35.379 You're wondering why you haven't had a raise. 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:40.919 Maybe you feel like you have a better position, or you need a better position, or you need a better office, 00:27:41.459 --> 00:27:42.899 or you're not where you want to be. 00:27:42.979 --> 00:27:45.299 Maybe there's some relationships you wish you could speak into. 00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:49.700 Maybe you wish you had a voice to speak into the things that are going into the company. 00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:55.299 And when you feel this discontent because you're not experiencing it, you start to drop seeds of doubt. 00:27:56.819 --> 00:27:58.299 I wonder if we're really doing what we should be doing. 00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:00.019 And is that person the right person for the job? 00:28:00.220 --> 00:28:02.119 And are they really that good? 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:03.240 Are we really on tact? 00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:04.000 Are we on a mission? 00:28:04.299 --> 00:28:07.119 Maybe discontent has played out in our lives because we run after money. 00:28:08.379 --> 00:28:09.700 We run after titles. 00:28:09.700 --> 00:28:15.900 Maybe we're showing our discontent because we're always looking for bigger and better things. 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:23.640 And by the way, Apple's coming out with their new iPhone on Tuesday, which I think is going to be really cool. 00:28:24.940 --> 00:28:26.200 But is that guilt? 00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:27.420 Is that shame? 00:28:27.740 --> 00:28:29.340 Is that pride? 00:28:29.539 --> 00:28:32.400 Is that greed in my life? 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:39.560 The scripture says that as we go through our life, we have to ask ourselves the question, are we discontent? 00:28:40.519 --> 00:28:41.980 Maybe we're looking for the next thing. 00:28:42.040 --> 00:28:49.320 And if we have this thought in our head that if I just do this next thing, or if I get this next bonus, or I get this next role, or if I get this next promotion, then that's going to fix it all. 00:28:49.420 --> 00:28:51.120 Maybe if I get this wife, it will fix it all. 00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:53.640 Maybe if I get rid of my kids, it will fix it all. 00:28:53.940 --> 00:28:55.840 Maybe if I get rid of my kids, it will fix it all. 00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:57.580 We're always looking for the next thing. 00:28:57.680 --> 00:29:01.700 And the Bible says that this next thing is a sign that we have a heart problem. 00:29:03.300 --> 00:29:08.740 It's a sign that we've become greedy, and we're not thinking about what God has done for us. 00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:12.800 Maybe relationally, we're thinking the next relationship is what we need. 00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:13.920 The next hookup. 00:29:14.019 --> 00:29:15.100 The next sexual encounter. 00:29:15.420 --> 00:29:17.019 The next time I go out onto the bars. 00:29:17.100 --> 00:29:20.060 The next time I do these things, then I'm going to find true love, and it's all going to work. 00:29:20.140 --> 00:29:21.000 The next thing. 00:29:22.600 --> 00:29:30.280 And the Bible is full of stories of people who are on the next things, and they're looking for the next things to bring them happiness instead of discontent. 00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:35.299 But the passage says discontent, seeing, and wanting always fractures our relationships. 00:29:36.420 --> 00:29:38.059 It always breaks our relationships with God. 00:29:38.119 --> 00:29:39.539 It always breaks our relationships with others. 00:29:39.960 --> 00:29:42.259 And as you read the passage, what you see is you see this pattern. 00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:43.559 You see the pattern is this. 00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:44.460 I see. 00:29:44.879 --> 00:29:45.660 I want. 00:29:45.819 --> 00:29:46.440 I desire. 00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:47.639 God is not good. 00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:48.779 His word isn't true. 00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:49.839 I take it. 00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:50.240 I see. 00:29:51.439 --> 00:29:53.480 I want. 00:29:53.659 --> 00:29:54.299 I desire. 00:29:54.599 --> 00:29:55.459 I am discontent. 00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:56.299 I take it. 00:29:57.659 --> 00:30:02.139 And every time in Scripture after that taking is done, what you see is a broken thing happen. 00:30:03.579 --> 00:30:06.099 You see a broken relationship. 00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:09.779 You see a broken relationship with God. 00:30:09.879 --> 00:30:12.220 You see a broken relationship with each other. 00:30:12.220 --> 00:30:15.559 And we start to wonder, what do I do with this now? 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:19.380 And when they heard God coming, what did they do? 00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:19.960 They hid. 00:30:20.779 --> 00:30:21.720 They ran away. 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:25.960 When David realized that Bathsheba was pregnant, what did he do? 00:30:26.059 --> 00:30:29.539 He purified her first and did a ceremony so that she was clean. 00:30:29.960 --> 00:30:31.460 But then when she went back, she was pregnant. 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:32.039 What did he do? 00:30:32.120 --> 00:30:33.860 He hid the truth. 00:30:33.859 --> 00:30:36.899 And he had her husband killed. 00:30:37.639 --> 00:30:44.039 When Achan in Jericho takes the stuff, he's not enjoying it, but he's hiding it. 00:30:44.959 --> 00:30:47.359 Because it's broken his relationship with God. 00:30:47.439 --> 00:30:49.000 It's broken his relationship with the family. 00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:53.539 But we all hide things in our life. 00:30:55.219 --> 00:30:56.799 For some of it, it's pornography. 00:30:58.199 --> 00:31:00.059 For some of it, it's stuff. 00:31:01.079 --> 00:31:02.899 For some of it, it's relationships. 00:31:03.859 --> 00:31:07.479 It could be a lot of different things. 00:31:07.679 --> 00:31:09.119 Truths and lies. 00:31:10.740 --> 00:31:17.079 As we go down that road to see, take, hold, hurt. 00:31:19.139 --> 00:31:20.679 What are you hiding today? 00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:26.299 What are you hiding? 00:31:29.099 --> 00:31:31.299 Because the Bible says we all have this problem with greed. 00:31:31.299 --> 00:31:33.079 And we all have this problem with coveting. 00:31:34.199 --> 00:31:39.059 And that we're all hiding things in our life. 00:31:40.159 --> 00:31:42.559 And we're looking for ways to not show those. 00:31:43.679 --> 00:31:49.059 In every sermon, I've asked someone to come up and to share a little testimony of their work 00:31:49.059 --> 00:31:52.119 and how their work plays out in these ideas and thoughts. 00:31:52.199 --> 00:31:54.799 And so what I did today is I asked Celeste to come up. 00:31:55.059 --> 00:31:56.719 And I wanted Celeste to come and just share. 00:31:56.720 --> 00:32:00.059 Everybody's always worried that I forgot the questions. 00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:01.220 I'm going to ask different questions. 00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:09.259 And, but Celeste has the questions. 00:32:09.600 --> 00:32:11.160 And so, kind of. 00:32:11.720 --> 00:32:16.480 And so, Celeste, I just, as we're talking about this journey of work and what God's doing in our life, 00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:20.660 I just wanted you to come and just share just a little bit about yourself and people, they can know you. 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:22.519 Hi. 00:32:22.900 --> 00:32:23.920 My name is Celeste. 00:32:24.319 --> 00:32:26.079 I'm usually on stage doing something else. 00:32:26.220 --> 00:32:27.839 But today I'm actually talking. 00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:32.000 I came to Christ when I was in the last year of high school. 00:32:32.459 --> 00:32:35.059 And, yeah, I've just been walking with the Lord ever since. 00:32:35.259 --> 00:32:36.959 And I'm a solicitor. 00:32:37.139 --> 00:32:38.279 I work in commercial litigation. 00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:41.399 And I serve here at Watermark as a worship leader. 00:32:41.399 --> 00:32:43.019 For Americans, that means you're a lawyer, right? 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:44.339 Yes, it means I'm a lawyer. 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:46.299 An attorney. 00:32:47.179 --> 00:32:50.779 So I serve here at Watermark with the worship team, with the music team. 00:32:50.980 --> 00:32:53.639 And I serve in my marketplace as well. 00:32:53.640 --> 00:33:00.580 So as you've been serving in the marketplace, and we've been talking about business and how it interacts 00:33:00.580 --> 00:33:02.560 and how we as Christians should engage these things. 00:33:02.759 --> 00:33:06.560 And today we're talking about just greed and coveting. 00:33:06.560 --> 00:33:10.480 I'm sure you've never seen that as a lawyer in any of the things that you do. 00:33:11.040 --> 00:33:12.300 But maybe you could just share. 00:33:12.420 --> 00:33:14.120 I mean, we're not doing a bashing thing. 00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:18.540 But as you look at people in their world, what are some things that you've noticed? 00:33:18.539 --> 00:33:26.680 I think the things that people, that lawyers covet in our circle, it's the same. 00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:31.279 It's the same as the things that other people covet in their circles too. 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:35.139 I think very obviously there's money. 00:33:35.659 --> 00:33:36.500 There's power. 00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:39.359 What I see all the time is recognition. 00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:44.879 And I think that's a very big pitfall that most lawyers probably fall into. 00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:50.919 Popularity, reputation, things that are very self-glorifying. 00:33:52.119 --> 00:33:57.539 So as you've seen those things played out, because we've known you for a long time 00:33:57.539 --> 00:34:01.799 and seen you probably at your highest highs and your lowest lows as a family. 00:34:01.799 --> 00:34:05.960 And I remember you sharing stories of some of those things being played out even within the firm. 00:34:06.639 --> 00:34:11.539 Would you say what usually is the effect of those on relationships and things like that? 00:34:12.340 --> 00:34:13.719 I know I'm throwing you a curveball. 00:34:15.139 --> 00:34:16.639 I think it brings a lot of tension. 00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:22.739 Because it's easy to go into a workplace and just be very friendly with everybody 00:34:22.739 --> 00:34:24.239 and have good relationships. 00:34:24.940 --> 00:34:27.659 But when things happen, you get power struggle. 00:34:27.659 --> 00:34:33.679 Even daily relationships, even seeing in trainees, they seem very friendly. 00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:35.980 But politically, they're all fighting to get retained. 00:34:36.420 --> 00:34:38.980 I think there's a lot of undercurrent that goes on in the workplace. 00:34:39.960 --> 00:34:42.519 And it brings a lot of tension between people. 00:34:42.699 --> 00:34:49.379 Even, say, for me as an associate, I see within my own working environment 00:34:49.379 --> 00:34:52.259 that associates are competing to get better work. 00:34:52.379 --> 00:34:54.899 They're competing to get the higher profile work. 00:34:54.900 --> 00:35:00.400 They are competing perhaps to be more recognized, to have a better reputation amongst the team. 00:35:01.059 --> 00:35:06.539 And also, at least for us, feeling wanted, I think, is a big thing. 00:35:06.740 --> 00:35:09.160 You know, having headhunters call you, having offers. 00:35:09.720 --> 00:35:11.220 Even though they're not going to go anywhere, 00:35:11.900 --> 00:35:15.440 it's the wanting to be recognized that you're good at what you do. 00:35:15.900 --> 00:35:18.220 I think that's something that's very real. 00:35:18.219 --> 00:35:22.980 So, you know, the next question then is, in the middle of that wanting to be recognized 00:35:22.980 --> 00:35:26.419 and the struggle as an associate to move up, 00:35:27.219 --> 00:35:32.179 what do you feel like God's been teaching you as following Him on this journey? 00:35:32.279 --> 00:35:33.319 What does that look like for you? 00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:39.279 I don't think that's a straightforward answer for that, for me personally, 00:35:39.280 --> 00:35:43.660 because I'm very challenged every day when I go into work 00:35:43.660 --> 00:35:47.560 as to what kind of lawyer am I going to be today. 00:35:48.560 --> 00:35:52.640 And I've kind of made it my mission statement from day one. 00:35:52.900 --> 00:35:56.480 When I interviewed for my job, I put God all over my application 00:35:56.480 --> 00:36:00.340 so that with the intention and the risk, 00:36:00.780 --> 00:36:03.300 with the intention that my interviewer had to ask me about my faith. 00:36:03.300 --> 00:36:07.580 And I was very intentional about doing that, 00:36:07.640 --> 00:36:09.100 even though it might not get me the job, 00:36:09.580 --> 00:36:11.640 because I felt that there was a greater need 00:36:11.640 --> 00:36:13.760 to not just be kept accountable in my Christian circle, 00:36:13.860 --> 00:36:16.820 but also be kept accountable by the people at work. 00:36:17.380 --> 00:36:21.460 I think people, I needed to put it out there that I am Christian, 00:36:21.720 --> 00:36:26.720 and I told my interviewer that whoever I work for in the office 00:36:26.720 --> 00:36:27.900 is not going to be my boss. 00:36:28.160 --> 00:36:30.500 And I told, well, he is now my partner. 00:36:30.640 --> 00:36:33.160 He employed me two years later, so I guess it went out well. 00:36:33.680 --> 00:36:34.680 And he is not a believer. 00:36:35.180 --> 00:36:38.500 And I set that bar very high for myself 00:36:38.500 --> 00:36:40.780 because I think it's important to keep our hearts in check. 00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:43.340 And sometimes when you're in a workplace, 00:36:43.480 --> 00:36:45.240 when you're not surrounded by your brothers and sisters, 00:36:45.780 --> 00:36:49.400 you know, Jesus says that he's sending us his sheep among wolf packs. 00:36:49.800 --> 00:36:53.600 And it's important to be reminded that we live in a world 00:36:53.600 --> 00:36:54.860 where there are lots and lots of traps. 00:36:55.100 --> 00:36:56.240 And I wanted to be kept accountable, 00:36:56.480 --> 00:36:57.500 not just by my brothers and sisters, 00:36:57.660 --> 00:37:02.160 but also by my colleagues to remind me that, yeah, 00:37:02.159 --> 00:37:06.359 I have a mission to do things differently in this place. 00:37:06.759 --> 00:37:09.359 So I commit every morning before I start working 00:37:09.359 --> 00:37:11.420 to spend time with the Lord in the office. 00:37:11.779 --> 00:37:13.119 I pray for the office. 00:37:13.119 --> 00:37:17.039 And when I joined my firm, I started a prayer group, 00:37:17.579 --> 00:37:21.359 just recognizing that I'm not alone 00:37:21.359 --> 00:37:23.599 and that there are other people in the workplace 00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:24.679 who need to be supported, 00:37:24.839 --> 00:37:28.059 who need to be kept accountable as well in their positions. 00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:30.860 I think God places his people very strategically, 00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:32.699 even in different teams in a company, 00:37:33.440 --> 00:37:34.719 to be a light. 00:37:35.619 --> 00:37:38.500 And it's easy to get lost in work. 00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:40.500 I think we all know what that means when, you know, 00:37:40.659 --> 00:37:43.460 living a busy life is that we can get lost in the busyness 00:37:43.460 --> 00:37:47.380 and we can get lost in feeling important that we have so much to do. 00:37:47.380 --> 00:37:49.700 But ultimately, you know, as lawyers, 00:37:50.940 --> 00:37:52.619 my job is to represent my clients, 00:37:52.760 --> 00:37:55.780 but ultimately if I commit to working for Jesus, 00:37:56.019 --> 00:37:59.720 then ultimately every day I'm representing Jesus as my biggest client. 00:38:00.059 --> 00:38:02.619 And that's a commitment I take very seriously in my workplace. 00:38:03.380 --> 00:38:07.400 So not only am I kept accountable by other Christians in my firm, 00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:09.820 I feel like I need to be kept accountable by my colleagues 00:38:09.820 --> 00:38:12.059 and also amongst my community group. 00:38:12.160 --> 00:38:13.920 I think community support is very important. 00:38:13.920 --> 00:38:15.579 that when I'm stressed, 00:38:15.659 --> 00:38:17.539 I think my stress level is a pretty good indicator 00:38:17.539 --> 00:38:22.039 of where I am that particular week with Christ. 00:38:22.619 --> 00:38:23.720 Am I trusting the Lord? 00:38:23.820 --> 00:38:25.000 Am I really giving it to him? 00:38:25.059 --> 00:38:27.760 Or am I taking everything into my own hands? 00:38:28.360 --> 00:38:31.099 And when I do that, when I stress over these things, 00:38:31.740 --> 00:38:35.340 how much joy am I radiating to the people around me? 00:38:35.579 --> 00:38:38.860 And also, am I doing that for God? 00:38:38.900 --> 00:38:40.019 Or am I doing that for myself? 00:38:40.019 --> 00:38:41.680 And I think that's ultimately, 00:38:41.679 --> 00:38:45.159 that very simple question always brings me back to Jesus. 00:38:45.879 --> 00:38:48.379 I like, one of the things you just said there was, 00:38:48.899 --> 00:38:51.299 which I think is what I experienced in my life 00:38:51.299 --> 00:38:52.699 and in studies and every place I go, 00:38:52.799 --> 00:38:56.259 that usually everyone I talk to and even myself 00:38:56.259 --> 00:38:58.379 in a certain environment, we all feel alone. 00:38:59.079 --> 00:39:00.659 And we feel like, okay, I'm the only Christian here. 00:39:00.759 --> 00:39:02.039 I'm the only person trying to, 00:39:02.500 --> 00:39:04.639 and in most cases, that's not true. 00:39:05.419 --> 00:39:06.019 And like you said, 00:39:06.079 --> 00:39:09.179 God brings people in strategic areas to support. 00:39:09.179 --> 00:39:10.399 And the question is, 00:39:10.519 --> 00:39:13.639 are we as a body going to seek that support 00:39:13.639 --> 00:39:14.819 and be a part of that, right? 00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:17.879 I think that's a huge indicator of success 00:39:17.879 --> 00:39:18.759 and walking with him. 00:39:19.099 --> 00:39:20.000 Thank you so much. 00:39:20.059 --> 00:39:21.379 And I hope I didn't scare you too much. 00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:22.679 I want to pray for Celeste 00:39:22.679 --> 00:39:26.199 and for all the other solicitors. 00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:27.099 Is that right? 00:39:27.139 --> 00:39:27.659 Yes, correct. 00:39:27.659 --> 00:39:27.940 Okay. 00:39:28.980 --> 00:39:31.899 So, yeah, about two years ago, 00:39:31.919 --> 00:39:32.940 we started the church. 00:39:32.940 --> 00:39:37.139 And we had this coffee machine. 00:39:38.039 --> 00:39:39.119 And so we're Americans, right? 00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:40.599 So we've never heard these terms. 00:39:41.260 --> 00:39:43.480 And so Christina's introducing and meeting a guy. 00:39:43.559 --> 00:39:44.519 And she goes, so what do you do? 00:39:44.820 --> 00:39:46.039 He goes, I'm a barrister. 00:39:46.940 --> 00:39:49.079 And Christina goes, that's great. 00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:52.639 We're about to get this coffee machine. 00:39:54.220 --> 00:39:55.639 And we're trying to figure out 00:39:55.639 --> 00:39:57.900 what coffee machine should we really have. 00:39:57.900 --> 00:40:00.200 So if you could help us 00:40:00.200 --> 00:40:01.740 with picking the right coffee machine 00:40:01.740 --> 00:40:02.619 and the right coffee, 00:40:02.940 --> 00:40:05.119 then that would be a huge help to the church. 00:40:05.200 --> 00:40:09.139 And he's like, I don't really drink coffee, but. 00:40:10.500 --> 00:40:13.180 So we are learning new words too. 00:40:13.400 --> 00:40:15.119 So we don't use the words barrister, 00:40:15.280 --> 00:40:17.119 but I love you, honey. 00:40:17.639 --> 00:40:20.180 So Father, we thank you for this day. 00:40:20.260 --> 00:40:21.059 We thank you for your goodness. 00:40:21.340 --> 00:40:22.300 And we thank you for your mercy. 00:40:22.440 --> 00:40:23.400 We just thank you for your grace. 00:40:23.539 --> 00:40:24.500 Thank you for Celeste 00:40:24.500 --> 00:40:26.220 and how you've been with her 00:40:26.220 --> 00:40:27.460 and you continue to be with her 00:40:27.460 --> 00:40:29.099 and you promise that you will always be with her. 00:40:29.179 --> 00:40:30.380 You will always be with all of us. 00:40:31.019 --> 00:40:32.860 We just pray that she would see your hand upon her, 00:40:32.980 --> 00:40:34.440 that she would feel your mercy and grace 00:40:34.440 --> 00:40:36.400 even in the hard, difficult times, 00:40:36.440 --> 00:40:37.720 even when she makes mistakes. 00:40:38.260 --> 00:40:39.880 And she would know that you're there 00:40:39.880 --> 00:40:42.659 and that you have a great plan for her life. 00:40:42.740 --> 00:40:43.679 And pray for all of us 00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:44.840 that we would not feel alone 00:40:44.840 --> 00:40:46.920 because your word says that we're with you 00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:47.980 and that we're not alone. 00:40:48.220 --> 00:40:49.679 And we pray these things in your son Jesus' name. 00:40:49.920 --> 00:40:50.179 Amen. 00:40:50.900 --> 00:40:51.360 Thank you. 00:40:51.519 --> 00:40:51.960 Thanks, Wes. 00:40:51.960 --> 00:40:57.400 The passage says that we take, 00:40:57.760 --> 00:40:58.380 we see, 00:40:58.639 --> 00:40:59.260 we take, 00:40:59.900 --> 00:41:02.039 and we covet, 00:41:02.260 --> 00:41:04.320 and it brings pain and brings hiding. 00:41:05.139 --> 00:41:06.360 Wouldn't it be interesting if, 00:41:07.059 --> 00:41:07.840 as we're tempted 00:41:07.840 --> 00:41:09.440 or we're tempted to do something, 00:41:09.519 --> 00:41:10.460 we're tempted to be greedy, 00:41:10.860 --> 00:41:12.300 that all of a sudden we saw 00:41:12.300 --> 00:41:14.360 all the consequences of that 00:41:14.360 --> 00:41:15.940 before we did it? 00:41:16.820 --> 00:41:18.480 I mean, what would Eve think 00:41:18.480 --> 00:41:20.460 if she knew you could take this apple 00:41:20.460 --> 00:41:21.300 but it's gonna break 00:41:21.300 --> 00:41:23.179 your relationship with God 00:41:23.179 --> 00:41:24.340 and, oh, by the way, 00:41:24.420 --> 00:41:25.820 your older son's gonna murder 00:41:25.820 --> 00:41:26.820 your younger son 00:41:26.820 --> 00:41:28.519 and for the next thousands 00:41:28.519 --> 00:41:29.559 and thousands of years, 00:41:29.699 --> 00:41:32.000 mankind will be in this turmoil 00:41:32.000 --> 00:41:34.440 and the earth is gonna be in trouble 00:41:34.440 --> 00:41:36.000 and there's gonna be tsunamis 00:41:36.000 --> 00:41:36.679 and earthquakes. 00:41:37.320 --> 00:41:38.880 What if she actually saw that 00:41:38.880 --> 00:41:40.760 before she had the opportunity 00:41:40.760 --> 00:41:42.639 to take that apple? 00:41:44.179 --> 00:41:45.639 Do you think she would have taken it? 00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:48.340 And the Bible says that you and I 00:41:48.340 --> 00:41:49.200 actually, we actually 00:41:49.200 --> 00:41:50.500 have that opportunity 00:41:50.500 --> 00:41:51.620 to see those things too. 00:41:52.920 --> 00:41:54.500 And it's called God's Word. 00:41:55.160 --> 00:41:56.559 And as we come to God's Word, 00:41:56.640 --> 00:41:57.260 the thing to me 00:41:57.260 --> 00:41:58.300 that's amazing about this 00:41:58.300 --> 00:41:59.360 is it's a story about 00:41:59.360 --> 00:42:01.200 not perfect people, 00:42:02.440 --> 00:42:04.200 but it's a story about broken people 00:42:04.200 --> 00:42:05.740 who go on a journey with God 00:42:05.740 --> 00:42:09.280 and God continually redeems them 00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:11.280 and heals them. 00:42:12.920 --> 00:42:15.480 Maybe the next time we are tempted 00:42:15.480 --> 00:42:16.780 to be greedy or to covet, 00:42:16.900 --> 00:42:18.260 we should ask questions like, 00:42:18.340 --> 00:42:20.000 is this gonna really draw me 00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:21.340 closer to the Lord? 00:42:22.660 --> 00:42:24.600 Is this really gonna help my marriage? 00:42:26.059 --> 00:42:27.980 Is this really gonna help my mind? 00:42:28.100 --> 00:42:30.220 Is this really gonna help my work? 00:42:30.300 --> 00:42:32.700 Is this really gonna help my children? 00:42:32.860 --> 00:42:34.500 Or is this thing that I'm about to do 00:42:34.500 --> 00:42:37.680 going to break up everything? 00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:41.659 We don't realize it sometimes 00:42:41.659 --> 00:42:43.099 because in the midst of it, 00:42:43.619 --> 00:42:44.739 it's hidden. 00:42:45.519 --> 00:42:46.879 And we think that it's the answer 00:42:46.879 --> 00:42:48.000 to all our problems. 00:42:48.659 --> 00:42:50.279 And the Scripture says that 00:42:50.279 --> 00:42:52.099 the answer to all of our problems 00:42:52.099 --> 00:42:52.619 is Jesus. 00:42:54.679 --> 00:42:55.599 And he's the only thing 00:42:55.599 --> 00:42:57.039 that's gonna give us wholeness. 00:42:58.019 --> 00:42:58.579 He's the only thing 00:42:58.579 --> 00:42:59.739 that's gonna make our life content. 00:43:00.779 --> 00:43:01.379 He's the only thing 00:43:01.379 --> 00:43:02.919 that's gonna make our life happy. 00:43:02.920 --> 00:43:05.440 The Bible says that 00:43:05.440 --> 00:43:06.639 when we enter into these 00:43:06.639 --> 00:43:09.240 dark times, 00:43:10.240 --> 00:43:12.820 to restore it is pretty easy. 00:43:12.920 --> 00:43:14.360 All we do is we come before the Lord 00:43:14.360 --> 00:43:15.639 and we confess what we've done. 00:43:17.460 --> 00:43:19.360 We bring our life to him 00:43:19.360 --> 00:43:20.480 because he's already seen it all. 00:43:20.579 --> 00:43:21.840 We confess the sin 00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:22.900 and the disobedience 00:43:22.900 --> 00:43:24.860 and even the words that we thought. 00:43:24.940 --> 00:43:26.039 I thought if I did this, 00:43:26.700 --> 00:43:27.980 I was gonna bring me happiness. 00:43:27.980 --> 00:43:30.000 But I realize that only you 00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:31.059 bring true happiness. 00:43:32.440 --> 00:43:33.460 This is called confession. 00:43:35.280 --> 00:43:36.559 Scripture says after we confess 00:43:36.559 --> 00:43:38.240 that we just come to the realization 00:43:38.240 --> 00:43:40.300 and acknowledge that God is good 00:43:40.300 --> 00:43:42.699 and that we can trust him 00:43:42.699 --> 00:43:44.480 to be on the journey with us. 00:43:45.119 --> 00:43:46.260 We can trust him to be God 00:43:46.260 --> 00:43:47.820 and to realize that all we really need 00:43:47.820 --> 00:43:50.079 in our relationships is God. 00:43:51.039 --> 00:43:52.480 And all we really need at work 00:43:52.480 --> 00:43:54.400 is Jesus. 00:43:55.139 --> 00:43:56.980 And all we really need in our family 00:43:56.980 --> 00:43:59.039 is that relationship with Jesus. 00:43:59.740 --> 00:44:00.579 And anything that breaks 00:44:00.579 --> 00:44:01.360 that relationship 00:44:01.360 --> 00:44:04.119 is gonna cause us to hide. 00:44:05.519 --> 00:44:06.840 One thing that I realized 00:44:06.840 --> 00:44:08.099 as I was studying this passage 00:44:08.099 --> 00:44:09.000 in my life 00:44:09.000 --> 00:44:11.260 is that you see, 00:44:11.780 --> 00:44:12.460 you covet, 00:44:13.059 --> 00:44:13.840 you take, 00:44:14.440 --> 00:44:15.719 you experience pain. 00:44:16.599 --> 00:44:18.300 But in every one of these stories, 00:44:18.699 --> 00:44:19.539 in the darkness 00:44:19.539 --> 00:44:21.240 and in the hiding 00:44:21.240 --> 00:44:23.159 and in the running away 00:44:23.159 --> 00:44:25.360 and in the not wanting people to see it, 00:44:25.539 --> 00:44:26.559 in every one of these stories 00:44:26.559 --> 00:44:27.019 in Scripture, 00:44:27.920 --> 00:44:28.840 there's a fifth part. 00:44:30.199 --> 00:44:30.759 And that fifth part 00:44:30.759 --> 00:44:31.480 is that God 00:44:31.480 --> 00:44:33.139 steps in 00:44:33.139 --> 00:44:35.299 and he pursues us. 00:44:37.199 --> 00:44:38.820 That God never leaves us alone 00:44:38.820 --> 00:44:39.380 in the darkness. 00:44:39.539 --> 00:44:40.679 That God never leaves us alone 00:44:40.679 --> 00:44:41.699 as we're running from him. 00:44:41.940 --> 00:44:43.039 But the passage says 00:44:43.039 --> 00:44:43.659 that God, 00:44:44.079 --> 00:44:45.340 in the quiet of the garden, 00:44:45.820 --> 00:44:46.619 walked to them. 00:44:46.699 --> 00:44:47.619 He asked questions. 00:44:47.719 --> 00:44:48.820 He knew where they were. 00:44:50.039 --> 00:44:51.259 And he pursued them. 00:44:51.260 --> 00:44:52.540 The passage says 00:44:52.540 --> 00:44:54.420 that David was hiding 00:44:54.420 --> 00:44:55.740 in his castle 00:44:55.740 --> 00:44:57.800 and God sent a prophet 00:44:57.800 --> 00:44:59.580 to pursue him. 00:45:00.780 --> 00:45:01.860 And the story goes over 00:45:01.860 --> 00:45:02.840 and over and over. 00:45:03.320 --> 00:45:04.220 And wherever you are, 00:45:04.300 --> 00:45:05.200 wherever you are on the journey, 00:45:05.300 --> 00:45:05.840 if you're hiding, 00:45:06.400 --> 00:45:07.500 if you're struggling, 00:45:08.180 --> 00:45:09.540 what we want you 00:45:09.540 --> 00:45:10.560 to leave here with 00:45:10.560 --> 00:45:12.520 is all about 00:45:12.520 --> 00:45:14.020 a relationship with Christ. 00:45:15.080 --> 00:45:16.620 And that God is good. 00:45:16.619 --> 00:45:16.659 God, 00:45:17.259 --> 00:45:19.179 he's planned your life out 00:45:19.179 --> 00:45:20.039 from the very beginning 00:45:20.039 --> 00:45:22.480 and you can trust him 00:45:22.480 --> 00:45:25.139 even in the most difficult times. 00:45:26.219 --> 00:45:26.699 Father, 00:45:26.759 --> 00:45:27.420 we just thank you 00:45:27.420 --> 00:45:28.219 for this day. 00:45:29.900 --> 00:45:31.380 As we look at these stories 00:45:31.380 --> 00:45:32.799 of Eve and Adam 00:45:32.799 --> 00:45:34.460 and we wonder 00:45:34.460 --> 00:45:35.239 if they had known 00:45:35.239 --> 00:45:36.179 what was going to happen 00:45:36.179 --> 00:45:37.039 to their relationships 00:45:37.039 --> 00:45:39.500 and what was going to happen 00:45:39.500 --> 00:45:40.239 to us 00:45:40.239 --> 00:45:42.819 and thousands and thousands 00:45:42.819 --> 00:45:43.579 of years later 00:45:43.579 --> 00:45:44.480 we're looking at them 00:45:44.480 --> 00:45:45.039 as a story 00:45:45.039 --> 00:45:46.239 of what not to do 00:45:46.239 --> 00:45:48.699 and I wonder 00:45:48.699 --> 00:45:49.719 in our lives 00:45:49.719 --> 00:45:52.379 if a generation from now 00:45:52.379 --> 00:45:53.279 people will be doing 00:45:53.279 --> 00:45:54.359 the same for us. 00:45:55.479 --> 00:45:56.419 Will our children 00:45:56.419 --> 00:45:57.519 look at our lives 00:45:57.519 --> 00:45:58.019 and wonder 00:45:58.019 --> 00:45:58.859 if it's something 00:45:58.859 --> 00:45:59.879 that they should emulate 00:45:59.879 --> 00:46:00.479 and copy 00:46:00.479 --> 00:46:03.119 or if it's a disaster 00:46:03.119 --> 00:46:04.479 and they need to run away from it? 00:46:06.119 --> 00:46:06.459 Well, 00:46:06.479 --> 00:46:07.359 I pray for those 00:46:07.359 --> 00:46:08.500 of us in here right now 00:46:08.500 --> 00:46:09.099 who don't have 00:46:09.099 --> 00:46:10.199 a relationship with you. 00:46:11.439 --> 00:46:12.159 The scripture says 00:46:12.159 --> 00:46:13.339 that they are blinded 00:46:13.339 --> 00:46:14.279 to their blindness 00:46:14.279 --> 00:46:16.019 and the only way 00:46:16.019 --> 00:46:16.539 that their eyes 00:46:16.539 --> 00:46:17.099 can be opened 00:46:17.099 --> 00:46:17.900 is by you 00:46:17.900 --> 00:46:19.239 opening them 00:46:19.239 --> 00:46:20.519 and showing your son Jesus. 00:46:21.800 --> 00:46:22.759 I pray for my brothers 00:46:22.759 --> 00:46:23.659 and sisters here 00:46:23.659 --> 00:46:25.000 who are in that place 00:46:25.000 --> 00:46:25.460 right now 00:46:25.460 --> 00:46:26.780 that they would realize 00:46:26.780 --> 00:46:27.619 that all the things 00:46:27.619 --> 00:46:28.599 they are grabbing for 00:46:28.599 --> 00:46:29.460 to give meaning 00:46:29.460 --> 00:46:30.759 and hope 00:46:30.759 --> 00:46:32.139 and success 00:46:32.139 --> 00:46:33.480 and comfort 00:46:33.480 --> 00:46:34.000 in their life, 00:46:34.059 --> 00:46:34.739 all these things, 00:46:34.840 --> 00:46:35.579 all these idols 00:46:35.579 --> 00:46:37.320 will enslave them 00:46:37.320 --> 00:46:39.539 and they will be slaves 00:46:39.539 --> 00:46:40.300 to those things 00:46:40.300 --> 00:46:41.300 and they are terrible, 00:46:41.620 --> 00:46:42.760 terrible masters. 00:46:44.200 --> 00:46:46.559 So I pray for those here 00:46:46.559 --> 00:46:47.480 in that situation 00:46:47.480 --> 00:46:48.019 where that you would 00:46:48.019 --> 00:46:48.800 open their eyes. 00:46:48.920 --> 00:46:50.380 I pray that as they realize 00:46:50.380 --> 00:46:51.580 that you're pursuing them 00:46:51.580 --> 00:46:52.480 by the very fact 00:46:52.480 --> 00:46:53.120 that they're here, 00:46:53.220 --> 00:46:54.220 you're pursuing them. 00:46:54.580 --> 00:46:55.539 I pray that they would 00:46:55.539 --> 00:46:56.380 just come to you 00:46:56.380 --> 00:46:56.880 this moment 00:46:56.880 --> 00:46:58.620 and just ask you 00:46:58.620 --> 00:46:59.460 to be real to them. 00:47:01.380 --> 00:47:02.280 That they would confess 00:47:02.280 --> 00:47:03.519 whatever that thing is 00:47:03.519 --> 00:47:04.400 that they're holding on to 00:47:04.400 --> 00:47:05.200 and clinging to 00:47:05.200 --> 00:47:06.320 for hope and meaning 00:47:06.320 --> 00:47:06.780 and purpose, 00:47:06.900 --> 00:47:08.059 the thing that they can't give up, 00:47:08.139 --> 00:47:09.180 they're afraid to give up 00:47:09.180 --> 00:47:11.079 and they'd realize 00:47:11.079 --> 00:47:11.940 that you are good, 00:47:13.039 --> 00:47:14.200 that you're all powerful 00:47:14.200 --> 00:47:16.340 and that you're personal 00:47:16.340 --> 00:47:18.940 and you desire to be with them. 00:47:20.720 --> 00:47:21.920 Father, I pray for those of us 00:47:21.920 --> 00:47:23.960 who have entered into that journey 00:47:23.960 --> 00:47:24.880 with you in the family 00:47:24.880 --> 00:47:30.579 and we're walking right now 00:47:30.579 --> 00:47:32.960 as if we're in a jungle 00:47:32.960 --> 00:47:36.559 or in a dark, dark place 00:47:36.559 --> 00:47:37.460 because we've allowed 00:47:37.460 --> 00:47:39.760 our hearts to become captive 00:47:39.760 --> 00:47:40.920 through certain things, 00:47:42.340 --> 00:47:43.840 certain things that promised us 00:47:43.840 --> 00:47:45.460 success and happiness 00:47:45.460 --> 00:47:46.340 and wholeness 00:47:46.340 --> 00:47:47.860 and wealth 00:47:47.860 --> 00:47:49.059 and comfort 00:47:49.059 --> 00:47:50.420 and health, 00:47:51.220 --> 00:47:52.599 certain things that have promised us 00:47:52.599 --> 00:47:53.240 all those things 00:47:53.240 --> 00:47:54.059 that are good desires 00:47:54.059 --> 00:47:54.820 because you made us 00:47:54.820 --> 00:47:55.800 to have those desires 00:47:55.800 --> 00:47:57.699 and we've grasped onto these things 00:47:57.699 --> 00:47:58.360 only to realize 00:47:58.360 --> 00:47:59.320 that we've grasped onto 00:47:59.320 --> 00:48:00.800 death. 00:48:00.800 --> 00:48:03.519 brokenness, 00:48:04.400 --> 00:48:05.620 something that will 00:48:05.620 --> 00:48:07.140 destroy our family 00:48:07.140 --> 00:48:08.260 and our relationships 00:48:08.260 --> 00:48:10.500 and in our work 00:48:10.500 --> 00:48:11.360 and in our life 00:48:11.360 --> 00:48:12.420 if it's found out 00:48:12.420 --> 00:48:14.260 and so we hide. 00:48:15.880 --> 00:48:17.420 Lord, I pray for those of us 00:48:17.420 --> 00:48:18.019 who are hiding 00:48:18.019 --> 00:48:18.780 that we'd realize 00:48:18.780 --> 00:48:19.640 that you're right there 00:48:19.640 --> 00:48:20.300 and you're pursuing 00:48:20.300 --> 00:48:21.260 and you know everything 00:48:21.260 --> 00:48:22.780 and that you would give us 00:48:22.780 --> 00:48:23.900 the strength just to confess 00:48:23.900 --> 00:48:25.519 and to come before you 00:48:25.519 --> 00:48:29.219 to be so thankful 00:48:29.219 --> 00:48:30.219 for your son, Jesus, 00:48:30.380 --> 00:48:32.139 who is all that we really need 00:48:32.139 --> 00:48:35.679 and that we'd realize 00:48:35.679 --> 00:48:36.239 that your grace 00:48:36.239 --> 00:48:36.820 and your mercy 00:48:36.820 --> 00:48:37.840 have healed us 00:48:37.840 --> 00:48:40.179 and you've forgiven us. 00:48:43.139 --> 00:48:44.340 Lord, I pray for those 00:48:44.340 --> 00:48:46.659 in this area right now 00:48:46.659 --> 00:48:47.900 where you've placed this church 00:48:47.900 --> 00:48:48.619 on the western side 00:48:48.619 --> 00:48:49.039 of the island. 00:48:49.139 --> 00:48:49.800 We pray for those 00:48:49.800 --> 00:48:50.539 in our work 00:48:50.539 --> 00:48:52.480 and in our homes 00:48:52.480 --> 00:48:53.259 and in the restaurants 00:48:53.260 --> 00:48:54.320 we're going to run into today 00:48:54.320 --> 00:48:56.080 who don't know you 00:48:56.080 --> 00:48:56.760 and they're grabbing 00:48:56.760 --> 00:48:57.540 for things 00:48:57.540 --> 00:48:59.240 for purpose and meaning. 00:49:00.580 --> 00:49:01.180 Lord, I pray, 00:49:01.380 --> 00:49:02.680 I think the greatest challenge 00:49:02.680 --> 00:49:03.680 for us as your children 00:49:03.680 --> 00:49:05.040 is just to realize 00:49:05.040 --> 00:49:06.800 that we need to stop 00:49:06.800 --> 00:49:07.940 focusing on ourselves 00:49:07.940 --> 00:49:08.740 for one second 00:49:08.740 --> 00:49:10.640 and focus on the people 00:49:10.640 --> 00:49:11.300 around us 00:49:11.300 --> 00:49:12.260 and to serve them 00:49:12.260 --> 00:49:13.120 and for most of us 00:49:13.120 --> 00:49:13.740 it means just 00:49:13.740 --> 00:49:15.920 sharing our life with them, 00:49:17.500 --> 00:49:18.240 sharing with them 00:49:18.240 --> 00:49:18.820 maybe in just 00:49:18.820 --> 00:49:20.360 in a little beginning way 00:49:20.360 --> 00:49:21.860 the truth of your son, Jesus. 00:49:23.260 --> 00:49:24.740 I'm praying for them. 00:49:26.060 --> 00:49:27.060 So we pray for this 00:49:27.060 --> 00:49:27.820 western part 00:49:27.820 --> 00:49:28.680 of Hong Kong Island 00:49:28.680 --> 00:49:29.400 that there would be 00:49:29.400 --> 00:49:30.700 many other churches planted 00:49:30.700 --> 00:49:33.320 as we walk with you 00:49:33.320 --> 00:49:33.840 faithfully 00:49:33.840 --> 00:49:34.460 and trust you 00:49:34.460 --> 00:49:35.520 for these great things. 00:49:36.540 --> 00:49:37.640 We pray for the offering 00:49:37.640 --> 00:49:38.580 that we're about to give you. 00:49:38.680 --> 00:49:39.320 We just know that 00:49:39.320 --> 00:49:40.380 whatever it is, 00:49:40.420 --> 00:49:41.020 it's to you, 00:49:41.100 --> 00:49:41.820 it's to your glory. 00:49:42.380 --> 00:49:43.360 We pray that you would use it 00:49:43.360 --> 00:49:44.180 to these outreaches 00:49:44.180 --> 00:49:45.300 and to these ministries 00:49:45.300 --> 00:49:47.240 and to these worship events 00:49:47.240 --> 00:49:48.140 and to all these things 00:49:48.140 --> 00:49:49.120 that are a part 00:49:49.120 --> 00:49:49.860 of being a family. 00:49:50.840 --> 00:49:51.880 We pray for these outreaches 00:49:51.880 --> 00:49:52.400 this week 00:49:52.400 --> 00:49:53.480 that are happening everywhere 00:49:53.480 --> 00:49:56.280 that you would be there 00:49:56.280 --> 00:49:58.619 and people would see 00:49:58.619 --> 00:49:59.840 how great your love is 00:49:59.840 --> 00:50:01.300 for us as we sang today 00:50:01.300 --> 00:50:03.900 and how good you are. 00:50:04.940 --> 00:50:06.360 Help us not to be discouraged. 00:50:06.700 --> 00:50:08.039 Help us not to feel heavy. 00:50:08.200 --> 00:50:09.360 Help us not to feel guilty 00:50:09.360 --> 00:50:10.059 or ashamed 00:50:10.059 --> 00:50:11.780 because you don't see it 00:50:11.780 --> 00:50:12.760 that way in our life 00:50:12.760 --> 00:50:13.460 but help us to feel 00:50:13.460 --> 00:50:14.079 the peace 00:50:14.079 --> 00:50:16.579 and the truth 00:50:16.579 --> 00:50:19.340 of your mercy and grace 00:50:19.340 --> 00:50:21.920 because they are real 00:50:21.920 --> 00:50:22.640 and they are true 00:50:22.640 --> 00:50:24.880 and they never change. 00:50:26.680 --> 00:50:27.280 So Father, 00:50:27.380 --> 00:50:28.780 we thank you for this time. 00:50:30.620 --> 00:50:31.519 We love you. 00:50:33.519 --> 00:50:34.620 We pray all these things 00:50:34.620 --> 00:50:35.140 in your son, 00:50:35.600 --> 00:50:36.220 Jesus' name. 00:50:36.220 --> 00:50:38.320 Amen.