WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.060 So some people are back from the holidays. Happy New Year. 00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:09.300 Well, that was sad. I might as well just say, how are we doing, instead of Happy New Year. 00:00:09.800 --> 00:00:15.099 Happy New Year, guys. Yeah, God has some great things in store for us this New Year. 00:00:15.200 --> 00:00:18.400 I hope we believe that as we walk with Him and trust Him. 00:00:19.879 --> 00:00:24.339 You know, I love the New Year. I wanted to start off with some questions and resolutions, 00:00:24.339 --> 00:00:28.320 but I think we always do those things. But just one question. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:35.500 Can I see a show of hands if anybody feels like they probably ate more than they should have eaten in the last week or so? 00:00:36.259 --> 00:00:39.039 Come on. The rest of you are lying, right? 00:00:39.380 --> 00:00:43.039 So I need just the comfort of that because I just felt like, bleh. 00:00:43.859 --> 00:00:46.560 It was amazing food, but I felt like a blob. 00:00:47.179 --> 00:00:48.900 You know, I love the break. 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:53.659 I got a chance to catch up on things that I don't normally do sometimes. 00:00:53.659 --> 00:00:57.740 You know, I realize that I'm a parent and we have kids. 00:00:57.740 --> 00:01:02.179 You know, they're not in school anymore and you have to figure out what you're going to do with them for 24 hours, right? 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:05.400 I've been just like, you know, you remember what parenting is like. 00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:09.859 And so we had some great time with our kids and I got to read some books. 00:01:10.700 --> 00:01:13.480 And as I've shared before, if you don't know me, my name is Tobin. 00:01:13.579 --> 00:01:15.000 I'm one of the pastors here. 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:20.620 One of my big learning things throughout my life and one of my big struggles is parenting. 00:01:21.520 --> 00:01:29.439 And I just feel like I've probably never had as many models as I needed to or the type of models that I needed to. 00:01:30.180 --> 00:01:36.040 And so I always felt like I'm in this massive deficit when it comes to parenting my kids and loving them. 00:01:36.359 --> 00:01:40.880 And so I got to read books this break and read about parenting. 00:01:40.939 --> 00:01:43.120 One of my favorite authors I've been reading is a guy named Paul Tripp. 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:46.380 And we've had him come speak and he did a parenting conference here. 00:01:46.800 --> 00:01:50.760 And Tripp talks a lot about as a parent we look for teachable moments. 00:01:51.300 --> 00:01:53.680 You're always looking for teachable moments in your kids' lives. 00:01:54.120 --> 00:01:57.240 And teachable moments aren't necessarily things that you can produce. 00:01:57.400 --> 00:01:58.340 They're just things that happen. 00:01:58.420 --> 00:01:59.820 And often teachable moments happen. 00:02:00.360 --> 00:02:03.300 Sometimes they're within the good and sometimes they're within the bad. 00:02:03.299 --> 00:02:11.139 But always teachable moments are these opportunities for us to show our kids God's grace and who God is and how amazing he is and how wonderful he is. 00:02:11.259 --> 00:02:15.460 And so I was looking for teachable moments this holiday. 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:17.219 And we were playing some games. 00:02:17.300 --> 00:02:21.539 And all of a sudden I heard this bark, this dog bark outside of our apartment. 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:29.979 And so I went to the window and I saw there was this amazing, you know, my wife is going to kill me here when I start talking about these things. 00:02:29.979 --> 00:02:36.239 But there was this amazing, beautiful chocolate lab puppy that was running around on the podium below us. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:39.280 And it was just, it's like one of your dream dogs, right? 00:02:39.299 --> 00:02:39.939 So it's beautiful. 00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:45.459 So I grabbed KK from the board game, our youngest, and we went down to play with the dog. 00:02:45.679 --> 00:02:50.299 And it was just, you know, just a little puppy and it was running around and licking us and all these things. 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:59.459 And after about 10 minutes of playing, KK, who's 8 years old, looks at me and she asked the question that only 8-year-olds can ask. 00:02:59.460 --> 00:03:02.180 She said, Dad, do you think there will be dogs in heaven? 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:05.200 It's teachable moments, right? 00:03:05.260 --> 00:03:08.960 So in my mind as a pastor, I'm thinking teachable moments and what should I say? 00:03:09.040 --> 00:03:13.680 And I said, you know, well, I'm sure God will have amazing things in heaven. 00:03:13.780 --> 00:03:15.700 These amazing things are going to reflect his nature. 00:03:16.180 --> 00:03:17.400 They're going to reflect his character. 00:03:17.580 --> 00:03:19.300 They're going to reflect his creativity. 00:03:19.460 --> 00:03:20.920 They're going to reflect his beauty. 00:03:21.419 --> 00:03:26.119 And so I said to her, yeah, you know, I said all that to her because I wanted this teachable moment to be theologically correct. 00:03:26.619 --> 00:03:30.419 And I said, you know, I hope so because dogs are just awesome. 00:03:30.959 --> 00:03:34.299 And I hope God has dogs in heaven because they're just awesome. 00:03:34.699 --> 00:03:36.799 And so we kept playing with the puppy for a little while longer. 00:03:37.239 --> 00:03:40.099 And then, you know, then she asked the question that, you know, is going to come next. 00:03:40.099 --> 00:03:43.379 And she looks at me after about five minutes and she says, what about cats? 00:03:44.239 --> 00:03:45.299 Will cats be in heaven? 00:03:45.920 --> 00:03:49.060 And, you know, and so again, I'm thinking teachable moment, teachable moment, you know. 00:03:49.100 --> 00:03:51.439 So I'm thinking about all these theological things I just said to her. 00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:56.600 And I was going to say the exact same thing about God's wonder and his creation and his creativity. 00:03:56.900 --> 00:03:58.880 And I looked at her and I said, nope. 00:04:01.040 --> 00:04:01.800 Cats are evil. 00:04:03.980 --> 00:04:08.220 Now, calm down now because I know that some of you, you know, are getting all fired up about this. 00:04:08.220 --> 00:04:12.780 But, you know, I love cats and I love dogs and I grew up with both cats and dogs. 00:04:12.780 --> 00:04:17.620 But I realized at a really early age that cats and dogs, they're very different. 00:04:17.720 --> 00:04:19.959 They have very different perspectives on life. 00:04:20.019 --> 00:04:21.100 They have very different focuses. 00:04:21.779 --> 00:04:23.680 Cats and dogs use different pronouns. 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:26.500 Cats and dogs have different theology. 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:28.620 They see the world differently. 00:04:28.939 --> 00:04:32.180 I'm an example for a dog theology or a dog focus. 00:04:32.339 --> 00:04:33.980 Dogs say things like this. 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:40.600 If you love me and you feed me and you walk me and you take care of me, you must be God. 00:04:40.600 --> 00:04:42.560 That's dog theology. 00:04:42.680 --> 00:04:43.240 Dogs say that. 00:04:43.340 --> 00:04:46.540 Dogs use pronouns like you and us and we. 00:04:47.980 --> 00:04:50.260 But cats, their theology is a little different. 00:04:50.800 --> 00:05:01.360 Cats say things like, if you love me and you feed me and you clean my litter box and you flip those things off my skin and you take care of me, I must be God. 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:08.639 Cats' favorite pronouns are I and me and mine. 00:05:08.900 --> 00:05:10.020 And they think very differently. 00:05:10.199 --> 00:05:12.780 You know, cats, when they look at God's word, they look at the Bible. 00:05:13.139 --> 00:05:17.439 They see the Bible as a story and they see this story is about them. 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:20.800 So everything they read is about them, David and Goliath. 00:05:20.960 --> 00:05:25.259 And they're David and they're beating the giant and all these things. 00:05:25.259 --> 00:05:29.000 And they see that in the middle of God's word that they're at the center of it. 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:32.379 And cats use words like, you know, what's in it for me? 00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:35.539 And they come into churches and they say, what can I get out of this? 00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:36.959 What does this have to offer for me? 00:05:37.459 --> 00:05:38.819 They use those type of things. 00:05:38.860 --> 00:05:39.860 Those are cat questions. 00:05:40.300 --> 00:05:45.019 But when dogs, they or people with a dog focus, they look at God's word. 00:05:45.240 --> 00:05:48.980 They see just the whole of God's word and they're just happy to be here. 00:05:48.980 --> 00:05:52.280 I mean, they're just happy that they're included in God's plan. 00:05:52.540 --> 00:05:54.660 They see this as God's the hero. 00:05:54.819 --> 00:05:55.740 God's at the center. 00:05:56.700 --> 00:05:58.319 It's God who's doing everything. 00:05:58.439 --> 00:05:59.460 And it's all about God. 00:05:59.520 --> 00:06:01.180 And it's not about them. 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:05.000 And so dogs and cats have very different focuses. 00:06:06.340 --> 00:06:10.040 So the question is for us today, what's your focus? 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:12.780 Now, be honest. 00:06:13.700 --> 00:06:14.620 Are you a cat? 00:06:17.200 --> 00:06:18.220 Or are you a dog? 00:06:18.980 --> 00:06:24.480 Don't say what you want to be here, but just say what you think you are. 00:06:24.700 --> 00:06:28.000 Because I think that I struggle with both of these things. 00:06:28.360 --> 00:06:30.280 And there's sometimes I'm being a dog really well. 00:06:30.340 --> 00:06:31.920 And other times I'm being a cat. 00:06:32.379 --> 00:06:35.939 And so we wanted to look at this passage because we realized at the beginning of this year, 00:06:36.100 --> 00:06:37.740 we're going to struggle with focus. 00:06:37.860 --> 00:06:41.819 We're going to struggle with our theology and who we are and the pronouns we use. 00:06:41.819 --> 00:06:45.780 We're going to struggle with how we see ourselves and how we see God, how we see God's word, 00:06:46.080 --> 00:06:47.720 how we fit within God's word. 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:51.160 And so we started talking about this idea of start-overs and do-overs. 00:06:51.620 --> 00:06:58.420 Because we realized that God gives his children an amazing amount of start-overs. 00:06:58.420 --> 00:07:02.860 And so I wanted to look at Psalms, Psalm 73. 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:06.360 It's one of these Psalms that I actually just studied recently with our elders. 00:07:07.060 --> 00:07:10.120 And it's one of these things that I continually go back to. 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:12.259 It's a Psalm of this guy named Asaph. 00:07:13.060 --> 00:07:15.400 Now, Asaph didn't know anything about dog or cat theology, 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:22.259 but he has a ton of things to teach us about just focus and vision and do-over. 00:07:22.699 --> 00:07:27.939 And I think that, you know, as we look into this new year, Asaph, you know, he's 500 B.C., 00:07:27.939 --> 00:07:29.979 so he was 2,500 years ago. 00:07:30.299 --> 00:07:32.599 But when you read the Psalms and when you read them up on screen, 00:07:32.679 --> 00:07:37.539 what you realize is that the things that Asaph faced and struggled with 00:07:37.539 --> 00:07:42.079 are the same things that you and I struggle with today. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:47.519 They're the same emotions and the feelings and the confusion and just the unclarity. 00:07:48.379 --> 00:07:51.579 And so I want to look at Asaph's life in Psalm 73, 00:07:51.859 --> 00:07:53.319 and I want to look at a couple things. 00:07:53.399 --> 00:07:56.659 I want to look at very briefly, and we're going to go to communion after this. 00:07:57.019 --> 00:07:59.439 So what we're going to do is we're going to look at what his problem was. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:01.719 We're going to look at what caused his problem, 00:08:02.099 --> 00:08:04.240 and how did he fix it or how did he heal himself. 00:08:04.379 --> 00:08:06.959 So what his problem was, what caused his problem, 00:08:07.099 --> 00:08:10.339 and how did he fix it or heal himself, and then we're going to do communion. 00:08:10.339 --> 00:08:11.000 So you got it? 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:15.500 Okay, so when we come to Psalms, they're very difficult to teach sometimes, 00:08:15.660 --> 00:08:18.060 and they're incredibly hard to understand 00:08:18.060 --> 00:08:25.839 because they're not necessarily this deep theological treatise like the book of Romans is. 00:08:26.660 --> 00:08:28.879 And you realize that when these guys wrote these Psalms, 00:08:29.220 --> 00:08:34.399 some of them wrote them 1,500 years before Jesus was born, like Moses. 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:37.220 And so they didn't even know about Christ. 00:08:37.299 --> 00:08:38.919 They didn't even know about what God was going to do. 00:08:38.919 --> 00:08:40.919 They didn't see the cross. 00:08:40.979 --> 00:08:41.919 They didn't see the resurrection. 00:08:42.379 --> 00:08:45.120 They didn't understand grace like we understand it today. 00:08:45.579 --> 00:08:50.539 And so all they knew when they wrote the Psalms from 1,500 B.C. to about 500 B.C., 00:08:50.539 --> 00:08:53.899 all they knew is that somehow one day God is going to come back, 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:55.620 and he's going to make everything right. 00:08:56.719 --> 00:08:57.559 I mean, that's all they knew. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:08:59.759 They didn't see the cross. 00:08:59.839 --> 00:09:00.659 They didn't see these things. 00:09:00.659 --> 00:09:05.779 And so when we come to Psalms, sometimes they can be incredibly challenging 00:09:05.779 --> 00:09:08.139 because the Psalms are meant to be mirrors. 00:09:09.579 --> 00:09:14.639 The Psalms are meant to be mirrors of our lives and in our hearts and of our souls and of our emotions. 00:09:15.100 --> 00:09:20.419 And the Psalms are very honest and raw, and sometimes they just drive me crazy. 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:22.019 Can I be honest with you? 00:09:22.819 --> 00:09:29.480 I mean, I think one of the reasons I believe the Bible is true is because of things like Psalms. 00:09:30.620 --> 00:09:33.519 Because if I were going to write a book about God and how amazing he is, 00:09:33.559 --> 00:09:37.220 I wouldn't add things in about doubts and struggles. 00:09:38.019 --> 00:09:41.139 It would always be about heroes and victory, and we're all doing well, 00:09:41.179 --> 00:09:45.220 and we all get rich, and everything is good, like sometimes we hear in churches today. 00:09:45.220 --> 00:09:52.340 But when we read the Psalms, it's raw, and it's out of control, and it's pain, and it's suffering. 00:09:52.420 --> 00:09:55.820 And there's a couple Psalms in here that they didn't even teach the young Hebrew boys 00:09:55.820 --> 00:09:57.120 because basically the guys are just saying, 00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:59.740 God, why don't you just destroy everybody? 00:10:00.820 --> 00:10:03.180 Because they're evil and wicked, and why aren't you kicking the butts 00:10:03.180 --> 00:10:05.160 out of all these people who are making my life difficult? 00:10:06.279 --> 00:10:08.899 And you read that, and you go, wow, if I was going to write a Bible, 00:10:08.899 --> 00:10:12.879 I wouldn't put that in there because that's too honest. 00:10:15.220 --> 00:10:16.740 It's too real. 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:18.300 It's too much how I feel. 00:10:18.420 --> 00:10:22.820 It's not how a good Christian should feel or think. 00:10:23.860 --> 00:10:27.200 When you come to the Psalms, you realize that the focus is always worship. 00:10:29.259 --> 00:10:30.580 It's what we've been doing today. 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:32.240 It's what we're doing right now. 00:10:32.300 --> 00:10:33.940 It's what you're doing in every second of your life. 00:10:35.160 --> 00:10:39.100 Worship basically means, in Hebrew, the word just means to bow before. 00:10:40.220 --> 00:10:41.980 It means to bend the knee. 00:10:42.100 --> 00:10:43.120 It means to submit. 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:49.259 It means to offer to whatever you're worshiping what they deserve for who they are 00:10:49.259 --> 00:10:50.360 and what they've done. 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:56.600 The focus of the Psalms and of our life is worship. 00:10:57.539 --> 00:11:01.560 It means to bow the knee and to offer whatever we're worshiping, 00:11:01.860 --> 00:11:05.480 what we think they deserve for who they are and what they've done. 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:08.820 The object of worship in the Psalms, 00:11:09.300 --> 00:11:11.139 and I don't know what the object of worship is in your life. 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:15.320 The object of worship in my life sometimes switches and changes 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:19.399 because I am a cat sometimes and I'm a dog sometimes. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:23.779 But the object of worship in the Psalms is Yahweh. 00:11:24.779 --> 00:11:25.740 It's God. 00:11:26.460 --> 00:11:28.120 It's the creator of all things. 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:31.279 And so when we talk about worshiping God, 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:35.019 in Hebrew, what it means is we come before the Lord, 00:11:35.539 --> 00:11:37.560 we bow down before him, 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:41.100 and we give him what he deserves 00:11:41.100 --> 00:11:44.820 because of who he is and what he's done. 00:11:44.820 --> 00:11:50.020 We come before the Lord, 00:11:50.740 --> 00:11:52.320 we bow down before him, 00:11:52.740 --> 00:11:55.600 and we give him what he deserves 00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:59.420 because of who he is and what he's done. 00:12:00.560 --> 00:12:04.040 So here's a great question I've been asking myself a lot recently. 00:12:05.340 --> 00:12:08.580 If someone were to come in and watch me worshiping God, 00:12:08.580 --> 00:12:12.120 if someone were to follow me around 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:15.060 and watch me worship the Lord, 00:12:15.920 --> 00:12:18.220 if they looked at how I used my time, 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:23.280 if they looked at how I used my talents and my gifting, 00:12:24.660 --> 00:12:27.240 if they looked at how I used my money, 00:12:28.980 --> 00:12:31.520 if they looked at all these things I offered to God 00:12:31.520 --> 00:12:34.220 because of who he is and what he's done for me, 00:12:35.060 --> 00:12:37.379 what would they think about the God that I worship? 00:12:38.580 --> 00:12:44.540 If they watched everything that I do and I give and who I am, 00:12:44.780 --> 00:12:45.960 and they looked at these things, 00:12:46.020 --> 00:12:47.500 and they realized that Tobin's worshiping, 00:12:47.740 --> 00:12:50.540 and he's giving to God what he thinks God deserves 00:12:50.540 --> 00:12:51.920 for who he is and what he's done, 00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:55.220 would they look at my worship and think, 00:12:56.160 --> 00:12:59.340 wow, he serves an amazing God. 00:13:00.379 --> 00:13:01.960 He serves an incredible God. 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:03.960 He serves a sacrificial God. 00:13:04.259 --> 00:13:07.940 He serves the creator God. 00:13:09.379 --> 00:13:11.000 Or would they look at my wife and say, 00:13:11.139 --> 00:13:12.660 wow, his God is about that small. 00:13:14.460 --> 00:13:15.960 His God is insignificant. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:20.220 Because as he worships, it's insignificant. 00:13:20.520 --> 00:13:22.000 As he gives, it's insignificant. 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:25.040 As he serves, it's insignificant. 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:31.139 And what we see in the Psalms is a call to examine our lives 00:13:31.139 --> 00:13:33.620 and who we worship and how we worship. 00:13:34.500 --> 00:13:35.959 And what we have to understand is, 00:13:36.219 --> 00:13:38.779 as we grow in our understanding of God, 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:40.860 who he is and what he's done for us, 00:13:41.099 --> 00:13:42.839 our worship always grows. 00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:46.500 And if you're here and you've been a believer for a long time 00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:48.120 and your worship hasn't changed, 00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:49.599 what you do hasn't changed, 00:13:49.799 --> 00:13:51.000 what you think hasn't changed, 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:52.360 what you give hasn't changed, 00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:54.480 then you have to ask the question, 00:13:54.779 --> 00:13:58.480 are you really worshiping the true God creator of the world? 00:13:59.700 --> 00:14:02.080 Because the passages say that as we see him 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:03.559 and as we understand more of him, 00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:05.100 our worship is just going to grow 00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:07.340 because our understanding of him is going to grow 00:14:07.340 --> 00:14:09.580 and our vision of grace is going to grow 00:14:09.580 --> 00:14:11.320 and our mercy is going to grow 00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:13.100 because God is awesome 00:14:13.100 --> 00:14:16.539 and we continue to grow as we worship and come before him. 00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:20.860 And so we come to this Psalm and it's Psalm 73 00:14:20.860 --> 00:14:22.620 and it was written by Asaph 00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:23.899 and he's a very interesting man. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:25.679 We only know a few things about him. 00:14:25.719 --> 00:14:27.079 We know that he wrote 10 Psalms 00:14:27.079 --> 00:14:28.039 so he was very important 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:30.099 because God entrusted him with God's word. 00:14:31.099 --> 00:14:32.899 He was one of David's worship leaders. 00:14:34.199 --> 00:14:36.000 And so when you came to the tent of the meeting, 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:37.539 because the temple wasn't built yet, 00:14:37.659 --> 00:14:38.860 Solomon builds a temple, remember? 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:40.219 So Solomon builds a temple, 00:14:40.339 --> 00:14:41.120 David can't build it 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.500 because he has blood on his hands. 00:14:42.719 --> 00:14:43.579 So there's just this tent 00:14:43.579 --> 00:14:45.360 with the Ark of the Covenant inside of it 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:46.879 and all of Israel gathers around it. 00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:48.800 And Asaph is one of these guys. 00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:50.379 He has this incredible privilege 00:14:50.379 --> 00:14:52.419 to call the Lord forward. 00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:55.399 The cloud of God falls on the tent of worship. 00:14:55.820 --> 00:14:58.279 People fall down and they worship God 00:14:58.279 --> 00:15:00.740 and Asaph is there and he's worshiping God. 00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:05.019 But as he's doing that, he has some problems. 00:15:06.740 --> 00:15:08.159 And it's in your passage way. 00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:09.700 And in verse one, he's basically, 00:15:09.800 --> 00:15:10.980 he starts the passage and he says, 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:12.060 this is the truth. 00:15:12.180 --> 00:15:13.139 This is what I know of God. 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:14.060 This is what I've been learning. 00:15:14.379 --> 00:15:14.940 This is true. 00:15:14.940 --> 00:15:16.140 This is real. 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:16.960 You can bank on it. 00:15:17.280 --> 00:15:18.540 Surely God is good to Israel. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:19.800 So it's all the people 00:15:19.800 --> 00:15:21.040 because everybody is worshiping. 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:22.700 So it's all the people of God are worshiping. 00:15:23.100 --> 00:15:24.520 And to those who have a pure heart, 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:25.540 it doesn't mean perfect. 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:28.760 When God says he wants you to have a pure heart, 00:15:28.820 --> 00:15:29.960 all it means is that you're real 00:15:29.960 --> 00:15:31.580 and you're pursuing him 00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:33.080 and you're honest 00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:35.520 and you confess and you repent. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:36.820 So here's God. 00:15:36.900 --> 00:15:37.760 He's good to all the people 00:15:37.760 --> 00:15:39.420 and he's good to those who have a pure heart, 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:41.120 to those who serve him. 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:43.360 And then you get to verse two and three 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:44.480 and it says this is his problem. 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:46.180 You look in the passage 00:15:46.180 --> 00:15:46.940 and this is what he says. 00:15:47.180 --> 00:15:48.220 He says my problem is this. 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:50.560 My problem is I've lost my focus. 00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:51.180 In the Hebrew, 00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:52.860 it actually means that his vision 00:15:52.860 --> 00:15:54.220 has become cloudy. 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:56.620 He's lost his focus 00:15:56.620 --> 00:15:58.919 and he's come close to stumbling, 00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:00.240 to falling. 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:02.200 So he's lost his focus. 00:16:02.279 --> 00:16:04.060 His vision has come close to cloudy 00:16:04.060 --> 00:16:07.039 and he's come close to stumbling. 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:08.600 And in verse 13 and 14, 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:10.899 it says that he's actually come close 00:16:10.899 --> 00:16:11.840 to giving up on God. 00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:15.259 I don't know if you've ever been in that place, 00:16:15.680 --> 00:16:18.259 but Asaph, when he came and he worshiped 00:16:18.259 --> 00:16:19.659 and he saw things going on before him, 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:20.659 he just wondered, 00:16:20.800 --> 00:16:21.740 is it all worth it? 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:25.879 Is it really worth what we're doing here? 00:16:25.980 --> 00:16:27.460 Is it really worth worshiping God? 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:29.100 Is it really worth coming before him? 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:31.420 I mean, he had massive concerns. 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:33.060 He had massive doubts. 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:35.160 He wondered if God were real. 00:16:35.159 --> 00:16:38.659 If all this thing meant 00:16:38.659 --> 00:16:40.459 what it was supposed to mean. 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:45.059 And he shares this concern with us 00:16:45.059 --> 00:16:47.339 in a very intimate and personal way 00:16:47.339 --> 00:16:48.639 because he's struggling with 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:49.879 should he give up on God. 00:16:51.539 --> 00:16:53.219 So here's a question I have for us. 00:16:55.439 --> 00:16:57.139 Have any of you in here ever doubted? 00:16:57.139 --> 00:17:05.379 Have any of you in here ever wondered 00:17:05.379 --> 00:17:07.740 that God is real? 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:13.759 Have any of you in here ever had 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:16.940 such deep and heavy concerns and burdens 00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:18.079 that you just wondered, 00:17:18.180 --> 00:17:19.460 should I just give up? 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:21.900 I mean, is it worth working through 00:17:21.900 --> 00:17:22.960 all these things? 00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:25.619 Have you ever been there? 00:17:25.619 --> 00:17:31.239 Well, I was amazing. 00:17:31.339 --> 00:17:33.119 God opened my eyes to Christ 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:34.279 in this little amazing church 00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:34.979 in Montgomery, Alabama. 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:35.919 I love the church. 00:17:36.279 --> 00:17:37.199 The people are amazing. 00:17:37.399 --> 00:17:38.659 We go back and it's just like 00:17:38.659 --> 00:17:39.359 I'm back at home. 00:17:39.719 --> 00:17:40.539 But one of the things 00:17:40.539 --> 00:17:41.579 that was hard for me at the church 00:17:41.579 --> 00:17:42.979 is no one ever talked about feelings. 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:46.319 No one ever talked about doubt. 00:17:47.439 --> 00:17:48.859 No one ever talked about concerns. 00:17:49.059 --> 00:17:50.279 No one ever talked about fear. 00:17:50.579 --> 00:17:51.059 As a Christian, 00:17:51.179 --> 00:17:52.139 you were never supposed 00:17:52.139 --> 00:17:53.219 to talk about those things. 00:17:53.219 --> 00:17:53.899 You were just supposed to 00:17:53.899 --> 00:17:55.019 hold those inside 00:17:55.019 --> 00:17:56.139 and your appearance 00:17:56.139 --> 00:17:57.420 was what was important. 00:17:58.819 --> 00:18:00.680 So no one ever talked about it in church. 00:18:00.740 --> 00:18:01.960 But when I went outside of church, 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:03.339 people talked about it all the time. 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:04.559 They talked about doubts of God 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:06.539 and existence and is he real 00:18:06.539 --> 00:18:07.779 and are church hypocrites 00:18:07.779 --> 00:18:09.079 and all these things. 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:11.779 And I learned later 00:18:11.779 --> 00:18:13.440 that sometimes when we have these fears 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:14.099 and these doubts 00:18:14.099 --> 00:18:14.920 and these concerns 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:17.220 that we don't want to share these things, 00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:19.700 I learned that sometimes we do that 00:18:19.700 --> 00:18:22.339 because we're afraid 00:18:22.339 --> 00:18:23.740 that God's going to get angry at us. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:27.360 We're afraid that God 00:18:27.360 --> 00:18:28.860 is not going to like us anymore. 00:18:29.059 --> 00:18:29.819 We're afraid that God's 00:18:29.819 --> 00:18:30.720 just going to give up on us. 00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:31.680 We're afraid that God's going to say, 00:18:31.740 --> 00:18:32.339 oh, you had a fear. 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:33.339 That's terrible. 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:34.039 You're out of here. 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:36.000 You should never have fears. 00:18:37.460 --> 00:18:38.720 But I realized in my life 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:39.259 as I did that, 00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:41.160 I was living like a cat. 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:42.860 I was living with this idea 00:18:42.860 --> 00:18:43.500 of performance. 00:18:43.500 --> 00:18:43.700 performance. 00:18:44.579 --> 00:18:46.099 And I didn't understand grace. 00:18:47.099 --> 00:18:47.779 I didn't understand 00:18:47.779 --> 00:18:49.279 that God came to me 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.079 and he accepted me 00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:51.539 not because of my thoughts 00:18:51.539 --> 00:18:52.720 or my fears or my doubts, 00:18:52.859 --> 00:18:53.619 but he came to me 00:18:53.619 --> 00:18:54.720 because of Jesus Christ. 00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:57.160 And Christ is the same 00:18:57.160 --> 00:18:58.299 yesterday, today, and forever 00:18:58.299 --> 00:18:59.799 and he never changes. 00:19:01.779 --> 00:19:03.000 And so I realized personally 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:04.500 that it was really good 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:07.339 to express my doubts 00:19:07.339 --> 00:19:08.759 and to express my fears 00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:10.440 and to express my concerns. 00:19:11.339 --> 00:19:12.700 And I realized as a Christian 00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.980 that I actually didn't 00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:15.500 really grow in my faith 00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:16.900 until I expressed those 00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:17.700 and worked through those 00:19:17.700 --> 00:19:18.660 and talked to people 00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:19.059 about those, 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:20.420 I realized for me personally 00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:21.640 one of the greatest factors 00:19:21.640 --> 00:19:22.600 of my spiritual growth 00:19:22.600 --> 00:19:23.740 was bringing my doubts 00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:25.059 before people and the Lord 00:19:25.059 --> 00:19:26.519 and asking them these questions 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:27.519 like, so what about this 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:28.279 and what about that 00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:29.660 and how do we justify 00:19:29.660 --> 00:19:30.340 these things 00:19:30.340 --> 00:19:31.680 and how does a good God 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:33.180 allow this stuff to happen? 00:19:33.700 --> 00:19:33.900 And you know, 00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:34.720 when we started Watermark, 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:35.539 we said we wanted to be 00:19:35.539 --> 00:19:36.620 a church where people 00:19:36.620 --> 00:19:37.220 could come and they 00:19:37.220 --> 00:19:37.960 could have doubts. 00:19:39.980 --> 00:19:40.980 We wanted to be a church 00:19:40.980 --> 00:19:41.580 where people could come 00:19:41.580 --> 00:19:42.580 and they could ask questions 00:19:42.579 --> 00:19:43.439 they could have concerns 00:19:43.439 --> 00:19:44.179 they could have fears. 00:19:44.579 --> 00:19:46.079 We wanted to be a church 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:47.220 where people could come 00:19:47.220 --> 00:19:47.879 and you know, 00:19:47.980 --> 00:19:50.259 I think there's probably 00:19:50.259 --> 00:19:50.899 people in here 00:19:50.899 --> 00:19:51.699 that they don't know 00:19:51.699 --> 00:19:53.059 if God really exists right now. 00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:56.240 And I think there's probably 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.480 some people in here right now 00:19:57.480 --> 00:19:58.359 who are wondering 00:19:58.359 --> 00:20:00.379 if God is really good, 00:20:00.699 --> 00:20:01.639 if following Christ 00:20:01.639 --> 00:20:02.539 is really worth it 00:20:02.539 --> 00:20:03.539 because it's been really hard 00:20:03.539 --> 00:20:04.519 and it's been really difficult. 00:20:05.179 --> 00:20:06.000 I'm pretty sure 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:06.879 there's probably people in here 00:20:06.879 --> 00:20:07.639 who are wondering 00:20:07.639 --> 00:20:08.799 if Christianity is true. 00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:10.619 I'm pretty sure 00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:11.460 there's some people in here 00:20:11.460 --> 00:20:11.900 who are wondering, 00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:13.319 do I even really believe 00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:14.059 what I'm saying? 00:20:15.319 --> 00:20:16.539 Because when I preach, 00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:17.799 sometimes I look at you 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:18.480 and it looks like 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:19.660 I'm pulling your teeth out. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:20.759 You're sitting there going, 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:23.539 mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, 00:20:23.539 --> 00:20:25.480 and I realize, 00:20:25.660 --> 00:20:26.539 okay, they're having 00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:28.259 a real hard time with this 00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:28.980 but I wonder why 00:20:28.980 --> 00:20:30.539 we don't ever talk about it, 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:31.840 we don't ever address it 00:20:31.840 --> 00:20:32.620 and sometimes we just 00:20:32.620 --> 00:20:33.480 rest in our doubts 00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:34.920 and I've had friends, 00:20:35.019 --> 00:20:36.160 we've talked about doubts forever 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:37.299 and often my friends 00:20:37.299 --> 00:20:37.600 just say, 00:20:37.640 --> 00:20:38.039 I don't want to really 00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:38.759 talk about it. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:39.859 I'm just happy 00:20:39.859 --> 00:20:40.779 with my doubts 00:20:40.779 --> 00:20:42.799 but what I realized 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:43.879 when I struggled with that 00:20:43.879 --> 00:20:44.960 was that that's really 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:46.099 just a fear, isn't it? 00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:47.720 I don't want to bring 00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:48.779 my doubts out in the open 00:20:48.779 --> 00:20:49.700 because maybe people 00:20:49.700 --> 00:20:50.859 are going to answer my doubts. 00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:52.740 Maybe God's going 00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.379 to answer my doubts, 00:20:53.500 --> 00:20:54.339 maybe God's going 00:20:54.339 --> 00:20:55.140 to answer all my fears 00:20:55.140 --> 00:20:55.759 and my concerns 00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:56.200 and my doubts 00:20:56.200 --> 00:20:56.660 and then I'm going 00:20:56.660 --> 00:20:57.480 to have to deal with God 00:20:57.480 --> 00:20:58.519 and I don't want 00:20:58.519 --> 00:20:59.079 to deal with God, 00:20:59.119 --> 00:20:59.599 I just want to deal 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:00.079 with myself 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:03.460 because I like being God 00:21:03.460 --> 00:21:06.220 but our prayer for us 00:21:06.220 --> 00:21:06.700 as a church 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:07.480 is that we'd be a place 00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.220 where people could come 00:21:08.220 --> 00:21:09.120 and ask questions 00:21:09.120 --> 00:21:11.259 and seek the elders 00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:12.059 and leadership 00:21:12.059 --> 00:21:13.460 and community group leaders 00:21:13.460 --> 00:21:14.240 and your friends 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:15.339 and share 00:21:15.339 --> 00:21:16.860 and share your doubts. 00:21:18.420 --> 00:21:18.900 I mean it's okay 00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:19.559 to have doubts, 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:20.680 just don't stay there. 00:21:21.539 --> 00:21:22.779 Don't stay in your doubts, 00:21:23.180 --> 00:21:24.039 examine your doubts, 00:21:24.180 --> 00:21:24.839 pull them out, 00:21:25.160 --> 00:21:26.339 look at what God's word says, 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:26.960 look at what people 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:27.620 around you say, 00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:28.980 see what God is speaking 00:21:28.980 --> 00:21:30.660 to you and deal with those 00:21:30.660 --> 00:21:32.120 and so Asaph comes 00:21:32.120 --> 00:21:32.779 and he has these 00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:33.579 incredible doubts 00:21:33.579 --> 00:21:34.819 and he just shares them. 00:21:34.819 --> 00:21:37.480 The next thing you see here 00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:38.439 is what caused these doubts 00:21:38.439 --> 00:21:39.859 and that's verses 3 through 14 00:21:39.859 --> 00:21:41.220 and basically what you see 00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:42.779 is that he loses his focus 00:21:42.779 --> 00:21:43.779 as he's leading worship 00:21:43.779 --> 00:21:45.119 and he looks out around them 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:46.559 and he sees these things 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:48.000 that he doesn't understand 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:48.480 at all 00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:50.679 and you see what he sees, 00:21:50.879 --> 00:21:51.799 he sees these people 00:21:51.799 --> 00:21:53.599 who are living lifestyles 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:54.759 that don't follow the Lord 00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:56.559 and they're prospering. 00:21:57.899 --> 00:21:59.019 Have you ever seen that 00:21:59.019 --> 00:21:59.539 in Hong Kong? 00:22:00.879 --> 00:22:01.679 He sees these people 00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:03.680 who could care less about God 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:06.200 but they're wealthy 00:22:06.200 --> 00:22:07.640 and it just blows his mind. 00:22:08.600 --> 00:22:09.460 It blows his mind 00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:10.700 because he grew up thinking 00:22:10.700 --> 00:22:12.660 well if you love the Lord 00:22:12.660 --> 00:22:13.640 and you follow the Lord 00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:15.320 then everything's going to be good 00:22:15.320 --> 00:22:16.400 and God's going to prosper you 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:17.440 and everybody's going to get a Rolex 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:18.820 and your kids aren't ever going to die 00:22:18.820 --> 00:22:20.039 and your life's going to be perfect 00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:21.160 and you're always going to get married 00:22:21.160 --> 00:22:22.180 and your wife's never going to leave you 00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:23.240 or your husband's never going to leave you 00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:24.539 and if you do all these things 00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:25.799 well God's going to bless you 00:22:25.799 --> 00:22:27.080 but Asaph looks around 00:22:27.080 --> 00:22:28.259 and he sees these things happening 00:22:28.259 --> 00:22:30.140 and he just cannot understand it 00:22:30.140 --> 00:22:31.300 because all these things 00:22:31.300 --> 00:22:32.160 are against everything 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:33.480 that he learned and understood 00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:35.220 as his walk with the Lord. 00:22:36.280 --> 00:22:37.020 I mean verse 11 says 00:22:37.020 --> 00:22:39.460 he actually sees people mocking God 00:22:39.460 --> 00:22:42.080 and they say well God is real 00:22:42.080 --> 00:22:42.880 yeah well yeah 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:44.120 he's not real in my life 00:22:44.120 --> 00:22:44.700 and I'm doing okay 00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:45.759 so I don't really need him. 00:22:48.780 --> 00:22:50.220 You see how he describes the people 00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:51.340 in verses 4 through 12? 00:22:52.360 --> 00:22:53.840 There's no pains in their death 00:22:53.840 --> 00:22:55.740 their bodies are fat 00:22:55.740 --> 00:22:57.960 they're not in trouble as other men 00:22:57.960 --> 00:22:59.500 nor have they been plagued like mankind 00:22:59.500 --> 00:23:02.319 pride is this necklace 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:04.500 their garments are violence 00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:05.559 and it covers them 00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:08.359 their eyes bulge with fatness 00:23:08.359 --> 00:23:09.839 and their imagination is their heart 00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:11.799 and they just do whatever their heart wants to do 00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:13.660 and their imagination runs crazy 00:23:13.660 --> 00:23:17.299 they mock and they speak wickedly of oppression 00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:18.579 and they do whatever they want 00:23:18.579 --> 00:23:19.759 and they look at God 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.279 and they just kind of laugh at him 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:24.279 and you know what? 00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:25.720 and as they do that 00:23:25.720 --> 00:23:27.759 people gather around them 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:29.839 like an entourage 00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:32.779 and they encourage those things 00:23:32.779 --> 00:23:34.039 and they just say yeah that's great 00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:34.519 you're right 00:23:34.519 --> 00:23:35.019 let's do it 00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:35.899 let's get going on 00:23:35.899 --> 00:23:36.799 that's great 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:40.160 and Asaph is leading worship 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:41.460 and he's seeing all this happen 00:23:41.460 --> 00:23:44.119 and he's wondering 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:45.339 God what are you doing? 00:23:45.339 --> 00:23:47.839 aren't you in control? 00:23:49.059 --> 00:23:50.000 don't you care? 00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:52.759 aren't you focusing on these things? 00:23:53.139 --> 00:23:54.019 and what gets worse 00:23:54.019 --> 00:23:56.259 is that he realizes in verse 13 00:23:56.259 --> 00:23:58.339 that he actually envies 00:23:58.339 --> 00:24:00.159 them 00:24:00.159 --> 00:24:04.279 have you ever envied those people? 00:24:06.839 --> 00:24:08.439 he looks at what they have 00:24:08.439 --> 00:24:11.679 and he realizes that he doesn't have it 00:24:11.679 --> 00:24:14.039 he doesn't have a spouse 00:24:14.039 --> 00:24:14.879 he doesn't have the kids 00:24:14.879 --> 00:24:15.599 he doesn't have the family 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:16.220 he doesn't have the money 00:24:16.220 --> 00:24:18.420 he doesn't have whatever they're mocking God with 00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:19.519 whatever he wants 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:21.159 he envies it in his heart 00:24:21.159 --> 00:24:22.399 and he's basically saying 00:24:22.399 --> 00:24:23.599 have I served God in vain? 00:24:23.799 --> 00:24:25.639 have I served God for nothing? 00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:29.639 and the envy actually points to this root struggle in his life 00:24:29.639 --> 00:24:31.460 and basically what he's saying is 00:24:31.460 --> 00:24:32.339 if I just had this 00:24:32.339 --> 00:24:34.899 if I just had this thing 00:24:34.899 --> 00:24:36.200 my life would be okay 00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:37.539 and everything would be okay 00:24:37.539 --> 00:24:39.059 and the struggle would go away 00:24:39.059 --> 00:24:44.119 what's that in your life? 00:24:49.319 --> 00:24:51.779 what is it if I just had this 00:24:51.779 --> 00:24:56.059 I wouldn't struggle anymore? 00:25:00.399 --> 00:25:01.799 if I just had the life 00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:04.419 if I just had a job 00:25:04.419 --> 00:25:07.720 if I just had some true friends 00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:11.299 if I just had five minutes alone 00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:12.579 to myself in the bathroom 00:25:12.579 --> 00:25:13.819 without my kids running in 00:25:13.819 --> 00:25:17.279 if I just had three flats 00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:18.980 because you need more than one flat in Hong Kong 00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:19.160 right? 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:19.779 you gotta have three 00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:21.120 you gotta have two that rent 00:25:21.120 --> 00:25:21.839 and one you live in 00:25:21.839 --> 00:25:22.059 right? 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:23.240 so if I just had those three flats 00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.299 everything was gonna be okay 00:25:24.299 --> 00:25:26.460 if I just had money 00:25:26.460 --> 00:25:28.740 if I just had a spouse 00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:31.319 if I just had kids 00:25:31.319 --> 00:25:34.519 maybe not that 00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:37.379 but if I had more money 00:25:37.379 --> 00:25:39.720 if I had a chocolate lab 00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:43.240 then everything would be okay 00:25:43.240 --> 00:25:47.279 and ASAP says 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:47.980 that he realizes 00:25:47.980 --> 00:25:49.240 this envy comes in 00:25:49.240 --> 00:25:51.160 and this envy focuses on something 00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:52.019 and it's basically 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:53.720 he starts to use different pronouns 00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:55.099 if you follow the pronouns 00:25:55.099 --> 00:25:55.619 in the passage 00:25:55.619 --> 00:25:56.220 it's amazing 00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:57.160 because at the beginning 00:25:57.160 --> 00:25:58.480 the first 14 verses 00:25:58.480 --> 00:25:58.960 he just says 00:25:58.960 --> 00:25:59.299 I 00:25:59.299 --> 00:25:59.740 I 00:25:59.740 --> 00:26:00.180 I 00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:00.559 me 00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:01.019 me 00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:01.460 me 00:26:01.460 --> 00:26:03.140 and he gets to this point 00:26:03.140 --> 00:26:03.900 where he sees God 00:26:03.900 --> 00:26:04.640 and God comes in 00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:04.940 and he says 00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:05.500 you 00:26:05.500 --> 00:26:05.840 you 00:26:05.840 --> 00:26:06.220 you 00:26:06.220 --> 00:26:06.600 you 00:26:06.600 --> 00:26:07.380 and at the end 00:26:07.380 --> 00:26:07.759 he says 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:08.539 you and me 00:26:08.539 --> 00:26:09.220 you and me 00:26:09.220 --> 00:26:09.900 you and me 00:26:09.900 --> 00:26:11.440 so he goes from cat theology 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:11.880 I 00:26:11.880 --> 00:26:12.180 I 00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:12.500 I 00:26:12.500 --> 00:26:12.779 me 00:26:12.779 --> 00:26:13.079 me 00:26:13.079 --> 00:26:13.360 me 00:26:13.360 --> 00:26:13.799 to 00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:14.440 you 00:26:14.440 --> 00:26:14.720 you 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:15.039 you 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:15.079 you 00:26:15.079 --> 00:26:15.660 you 00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:16.000 you and me 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:16.660 you and me 00:26:16.660 --> 00:26:18.259 there's a flow here 00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:19.620 and you can see that he's struggling with it 00:26:19.620 --> 00:26:21.039 but he's struggling with these things 00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:22.220 and he's asking these questions 00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:23.579 and he asks the question 00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:24.980 that we all ask 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:25.700 and the question is 00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:26.660 is God really good? 00:26:30.340 --> 00:26:31.200 you ever ask that question? 00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:34.920 is God really good? 00:26:36.620 --> 00:26:38.940 I mean is God really in control? 00:26:39.360 --> 00:26:41.819 does God really want my best? 00:26:42.340 --> 00:26:44.240 I mean it's the very first question that was ever asked 00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:47.900 it was a question that was asked in the garden by Satan to Adam and Eve 00:26:47.900 --> 00:26:53.940 and it's the same question that the world and the devil keeps asking you and me and Jesus throughout our life 00:26:53.940 --> 00:26:55.000 and the question is 00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:55.960 is God really good? 00:26:55.960 --> 00:26:58.000 but the question boils down to one question 00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:58.680 and the question is 00:26:58.680 --> 00:27:00.240 what's wrong with God? 00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:04.420 because of God 00:27:04.420 --> 00:27:06.480 we're really God 00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:09.500 everything 00:27:09.500 --> 00:27:11.779 would be okay 00:27:11.779 --> 00:27:15.620 because I'm walking with him 00:27:15.620 --> 00:27:18.920 I'm trusting him 00:27:18.920 --> 00:27:22.600 and so it's almost like this psalm starts off at this pinnacle 00:27:22.600 --> 00:27:24.400 and then he starts on this slippery slope 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:26.660 and he just starts falling down into this cavern 00:27:26.660 --> 00:27:28.860 of I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I 00:27:28.860 --> 00:27:30.240 and then he hits verse 16 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:32.420 and something happens in verse 16 00:27:32.420 --> 00:27:34.160 and then he goes back up the hill 00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:36.759 and so he ends up at the end in verse 28 00:27:36.759 --> 00:27:37.940 where he started with verse 1 00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:39.620 but he goes down 00:27:39.620 --> 00:27:41.160 and then he comes up 00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:42.660 and my question is 00:27:42.660 --> 00:27:44.519 what caused him to come up? 00:27:47.580 --> 00:27:48.960 what causes you to come up? 00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:54.900 how do you get from I, I, I, me, me, me, I need, I need, I need 00:27:54.900 --> 00:27:56.480 to God? 00:27:56.480 --> 00:28:00.460 how do we change our focus? 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:03.420 and he says it really quickly here 00:28:03.420 --> 00:28:05.500 and really succinctly 00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:06.660 he basically says 00:28:06.660 --> 00:28:08.180 I came 00:28:08.180 --> 00:28:10.319 I, 00:28:10.599 --> 00:28:11.400 verse 17 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:13.759 I came into the sanctuary of God 00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:18.079 how does ASAP change his focus? 00:28:19.379 --> 00:28:21.579 he says he came before the Lord 00:28:21.579 --> 00:28:23.500 I mean how does he go from 00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:24.839 what's wrong with God 00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:26.400 and why is everything a mess 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:28.160 to what's wrong with me? 00:28:28.660 --> 00:28:30.200 why am I like I am? 00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:33.319 and the psalmist says 00:28:33.319 --> 00:28:34.859 he comes before the Lord 00:28:34.859 --> 00:28:38.099 now there wasn't a sanctuary back then, right? 00:28:38.140 --> 00:28:39.119 there was this big tent 00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:40.200 and so in Hebrew 00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:41.200 what it actually means 00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:41.599 is it means 00:28:41.599 --> 00:28:42.920 he came before God 00:28:42.920 --> 00:28:44.660 and he laid out all his concerns 00:28:44.660 --> 00:28:45.920 he came before God 00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:47.100 he laid out all his fears 00:28:47.100 --> 00:28:48.259 he came before God 00:28:48.259 --> 00:28:49.480 and he laid out all his doubts 00:28:49.480 --> 00:28:50.680 he expressed them 00:28:50.680 --> 00:28:51.340 he spoke them 00:28:51.340 --> 00:28:52.039 he was angry 00:28:52.039 --> 00:28:54.700 he spoke truthfully and honestly to God 00:28:54.700 --> 00:28:56.140 like so many of us cannot do 00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:57.440 because we're afraid of doing it 00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:58.600 but God wants us to do it 00:28:58.600 --> 00:29:00.400 he came before the Lord in his sanctuary 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:01.600 and he prayed 00:29:01.600 --> 00:29:05.140 he came before the Lord in his sanctuary 00:29:05.140 --> 00:29:06.800 and he spent time with God 00:29:06.800 --> 00:29:07.720 in God's word 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:09.519 he came before the Lord in his sanctuary 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:10.779 and it means that he came 00:29:10.779 --> 00:29:11.700 into the community 00:29:11.700 --> 00:29:13.220 and fellowship of God's people 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:15.019 and he spent time with them 00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:17.620 he came before the Lord 00:29:17.620 --> 00:29:18.660 he prayed 00:29:18.660 --> 00:29:20.140 he expressed his thoughts 00:29:20.140 --> 00:29:21.640 and he came before God's people 00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:22.840 all these four things 00:29:22.840 --> 00:29:23.640 I don't want to do 00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:27.100 I mean when I'm a cat 00:29:27.100 --> 00:29:31.799 and I'm in the middle of the junk 00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:35.759 those are the things 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:36.819 I least want to do 00:29:36.819 --> 00:29:38.720 what I want to do 00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:39.640 is I want to get by myself 00:29:39.640 --> 00:29:40.140 what I want to do 00:29:40.140 --> 00:29:41.220 is get away from God's people 00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:41.840 what I want to do 00:29:41.840 --> 00:29:43.380 is just stop talking to God 00:29:43.380 --> 00:29:44.380 because I'm angry with God 00:29:44.380 --> 00:29:46.880 but what Asaph does 00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:48.060 is he comes before the Lord 00:29:48.060 --> 00:29:48.780 in his sanctuary 00:29:48.780 --> 00:29:51.100 and he lays out all these things 00:29:51.100 --> 00:29:52.900 and what he does 00:29:52.900 --> 00:29:54.240 God shows him some things 00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:57.460 you see what God shows him 00:29:57.460 --> 00:30:00.000 the first thing he shows them 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:02.080 is that those who aren't following God 00:30:02.080 --> 00:30:03.300 their end is a disaster 00:30:03.300 --> 00:30:05.400 all these people 00:30:05.400 --> 00:30:06.580 in verses 4 through 12 00:30:06.580 --> 00:30:07.100 who are fat 00:30:07.100 --> 00:30:08.220 and they're rich in pride 00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:09.279 and they do whatever they want 00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:10.620 and they say where is God 00:30:10.620 --> 00:30:11.759 he says in the end 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:13.480 their future is a disaster 00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:16.160 I mean he looks at their lives 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:17.019 and he sees these things 00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:17.880 he doesn't see a struggle 00:30:17.880 --> 00:30:19.140 but what he realizes 00:30:19.140 --> 00:30:20.380 is that there's always 00:30:20.380 --> 00:30:21.039 going to be a struggle 00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:23.920 Solomon 00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:25.960 the wisest man who ever lived 00:30:25.960 --> 00:30:27.400 I put the passage 00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:28.319 in the very top of your bullet 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:29.079 in Ecclesiastes 00:30:29.079 --> 00:30:30.339 and in that passage 00:30:30.339 --> 00:30:31.160 Solomon says 00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:32.620 that God has put eternity 00:30:32.620 --> 00:30:33.420 in our hearts 00:30:33.420 --> 00:30:34.920 and we will always 00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:36.100 struggle with that 00:30:36.100 --> 00:30:37.220 what the passage means 00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:38.120 in Hebrew is God 00:30:38.120 --> 00:30:39.240 has built heaven 00:30:39.240 --> 00:30:40.220 inside of you 00:30:40.220 --> 00:30:41.700 God has built a relationship 00:30:41.700 --> 00:30:42.319 with him 00:30:42.319 --> 00:30:43.259 inside your heart 00:30:43.259 --> 00:30:44.380 and until you have 00:30:44.380 --> 00:30:45.019 that working 00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:46.160 you're always going to be 00:30:46.160 --> 00:30:46.539 unhappy 00:30:46.539 --> 00:30:47.640 you're always going to be 00:30:47.640 --> 00:30:48.240 dissatisfied 00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:49.319 you're always going to be 00:30:49.319 --> 00:30:49.779 a cat 00:30:49.779 --> 00:30:50.759 you're always going to be 00:30:50.759 --> 00:30:51.100 selfish 00:30:51.100 --> 00:30:52.100 you're always going to be 00:30:52.100 --> 00:30:52.440 angry 00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:53.360 you're always going to be 00:30:53.360 --> 00:30:53.660 bitter 00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:54.480 you're always going to 00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:55.039 envy people 00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:56.400 because God made you 00:30:56.400 --> 00:30:57.079 for a relationship 00:30:57.079 --> 00:30:57.660 with him 00:30:57.660 --> 00:31:04.900 God made you 00:31:04.900 --> 00:31:06.160 for heaven 00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:10.019 and when ASAP looks at these people who don't have that 00:31:10.019 --> 00:31:11.940 what he realizes is that they're standing 00:31:11.940 --> 00:31:14.220 on a teeter-totter 00:31:14.220 --> 00:31:17.779 and their lives are on a precipice 00:31:17.779 --> 00:31:20.540 and ultimately what he says is 00:31:20.540 --> 00:31:22.800 a person's present condition 00:31:22.800 --> 00:31:27.320 is no indicator of their future condition 00:31:27.320 --> 00:31:31.440 I mean in our world we look at a person's present condition 00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:32.680 and then say they got it made 00:31:32.680 --> 00:31:35.480 and ASAP was struggling with that same thing 00:31:35.480 --> 00:31:37.960 but what he realizes is that the present condition 00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:41.140 is never a good indicator of your future condition 00:31:41.140 --> 00:31:43.440 it doesn't mean where you're going to end up 00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:47.039 it doesn't mean where those people are going to end up 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:51.059 the next thing that God shows ASAP as he struggles 00:31:51.059 --> 00:31:52.759 is he sees the foolishness of his heart 00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:55.299 you read this? 00:31:55.420 --> 00:31:57.160 I mean 22 and 23 00:31:57.160 --> 00:32:01.319 are some of the most honest verses in scripture 00:32:01.319 --> 00:32:04.720 he comes before God 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:05.799 he lays out his struggles 00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:06.879 he lays out his plans 00:32:06.879 --> 00:32:09.220 and he realizes that all of his doubts 00:32:09.220 --> 00:32:10.139 all of his fears 00:32:10.139 --> 00:32:11.359 all of his concerns 00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:12.960 when they're compared to God 00:32:12.960 --> 00:32:14.099 and his riches and his glory 00:32:14.099 --> 00:32:14.700 and who he is 00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:16.359 all of those things mean nothing 00:32:16.359 --> 00:32:21.139 he looks at all these things that he's angry about 00:32:21.139 --> 00:32:22.500 and all these things that he's working through 00:32:22.500 --> 00:32:25.059 and basically he realizes that he was just an animal 00:32:25.059 --> 00:32:30.379 he was just worried about himself 00:32:30.379 --> 00:32:32.000 he was just worried about his food 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:32.619 and his clothing 00:32:32.619 --> 00:32:33.579 and his fornication 00:32:33.579 --> 00:32:35.019 and whatever else animals do 00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:37.240 he just worried about those things 00:32:37.240 --> 00:32:41.539 verse 23 is one of my favorite words 00:32:41.539 --> 00:32:42.299 it's nevertheless 00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:43.399 you can circle that 00:32:43.399 --> 00:32:44.240 you can go back home 00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:45.359 and think about that 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:46.059 and ponder that 00:32:46.059 --> 00:32:47.319 because this is what it means 00:32:47.319 --> 00:32:49.659 it means no matter what's going on in your life 00:32:49.659 --> 00:32:50.779 no matter how you've done 00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:51.859 no matter where you are 00:32:51.859 --> 00:32:53.259 no matter what you're struggling with 00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:54.759 no matter where your sin is 00:32:54.759 --> 00:32:55.099 nevertheless 00:32:55.099 --> 00:32:57.599 God is pursuing you 00:32:57.599 --> 00:33:03.019 God is seeking you 00:33:03.019 --> 00:33:07.019 God wants a relationship with you 00:33:07.019 --> 00:33:07.559 nevertheless 00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:09.119 no matter what's happened in the past 00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:09.879 no matter where you are 00:33:09.879 --> 00:33:10.879 no matter where your struggles are 00:33:10.879 --> 00:33:12.700 God is going after you 00:33:12.700 --> 00:33:13.700 and it doesn't just say 00:33:13.700 --> 00:33:14.720 that God is going after you 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:15.799 he says that God 00:33:15.799 --> 00:33:16.920 if you're his child 00:33:16.920 --> 00:33:20.500 God is holding your hand 00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:25.559 did you know that 00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:30.920 no matter what's going on in your life 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:31.779 no matter the struggles 00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:32.579 no matter the doubt 00:33:32.579 --> 00:33:33.460 no matter the fear 00:33:33.460 --> 00:33:34.339 no matter the concern 00:33:34.339 --> 00:33:36.119 God is there 00:33:36.119 --> 00:33:37.420 he's in your life 00:33:37.420 --> 00:33:38.599 he's holding on 00:33:38.599 --> 00:33:39.920 and he's taking care of you 00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:44.680 the last thing that Asaph saw 00:33:44.680 --> 00:33:45.640 as he looked at these things 00:33:45.640 --> 00:33:46.759 as he realized 00:33:46.759 --> 00:33:48.480 the fullness of God's mercy 00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:49.619 and grace 00:33:49.619 --> 00:33:50.940 in his life 00:33:50.940 --> 00:33:52.879 verse 24 00:33:52.879 --> 00:33:53.799 it says that God 00:33:53.799 --> 00:33:55.039 protects his people 00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:55.819 he guards them 00:33:55.819 --> 00:33:57.440 and gives them his glory 00:33:57.440 --> 00:33:58.700 verse 25 means that God 00:33:58.700 --> 00:33:59.700 provides for us 00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:00.500 he cares for us 00:34:00.500 --> 00:34:01.619 he's always there 00:34:01.619 --> 00:34:02.839 even when it doesn't seem like it 00:34:02.839 --> 00:34:03.279 he's there 00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:04.400 verse 25 says 00:34:04.400 --> 00:34:06.700 God shares everything good with us 00:34:06.700 --> 00:34:10.000 he shares glory with us 00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:14.099 and finally in verse 28 00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:16.340 he comes to this conclusion 00:34:16.340 --> 00:34:17.420 and you can circle good 00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:19.380 because it's a word 00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:20.659 that started him on his journey 00:34:20.659 --> 00:34:21.480 his journey was 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:22.519 is God really good 00:34:22.519 --> 00:34:26.760 and now he says 00:34:26.760 --> 00:34:28.239 God is good 00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:31.059 and all I need 00:34:31.059 --> 00:34:32.619 is God 00:34:32.619 --> 00:34:35.820 and God is enough 00:34:35.820 --> 00:34:39.099 he had these concerns 00:34:39.099 --> 00:34:40.360 he had these doubts 00:34:40.360 --> 00:34:42.519 he had these fears 00:34:42.519 --> 00:34:44.299 he was envying 00:34:44.299 --> 00:34:46.500 he was jealous 00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:48.819 he thought other things 00:34:48.819 --> 00:34:49.219 were needed 00:34:49.219 --> 00:34:50.779 to fulfill his life 00:34:50.779 --> 00:34:52.619 and at the end of the Psalms 00:34:52.619 --> 00:34:53.839 he writes 00:34:53.839 --> 00:34:55.500 God 00:34:55.500 --> 00:34:56.920 is enough 00:34:56.920 --> 00:34:59.619 God 00:34:59.619 --> 00:35:01.559 is enough 00:35:01.559 --> 00:35:05.460 how about us 00:35:05.460 --> 00:35:10.740 is God enough 00:35:10.740 --> 00:35:11.059 for you 00:35:11.059 --> 00:35:18.199 if you just had God 00:35:18.199 --> 00:35:18.880 would that be enough 00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:25.780 the nearness of God 00:35:25.780 --> 00:35:26.500 beside you 00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:29.099 in this life 00:35:29.099 --> 00:35:32.139 is that enough 00:35:32.139 --> 00:35:36.299 they have to realize 00:35:36.299 --> 00:35:37.119 just as we 00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:38.139 need to realize 00:35:38.139 --> 00:35:39.500 as we head into the new year 00:35:39.500 --> 00:35:41.440 that you and I 00:35:41.440 --> 00:35:42.059 are going to struggle 00:35:42.059 --> 00:35:45.339 we're going to wonder 00:35:45.339 --> 00:35:47.179 is God enough 00:35:47.179 --> 00:35:49.559 we're going to try 00:35:49.559 --> 00:35:50.579 to fill our lives 00:35:50.579 --> 00:35:52.599 with a lot of different things 00:35:52.599 --> 00:35:54.819 we're going to say 00:35:54.819 --> 00:35:55.900 if I don't get this 00:35:55.900 --> 00:35:56.859 if I don't have this 00:35:56.859 --> 00:35:57.659 if I'm not happy 00:35:57.659 --> 00:35:58.679 I'm not going to be 00:35:58.679 --> 00:35:59.639 fulfilled 00:35:59.639 --> 00:36:02.259 I'm not going to have enough 00:36:02.259 --> 00:36:04.559 and ASAP 00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:05.659 begs us 00:36:05.659 --> 00:36:08.259 to come before him 00:36:08.259 --> 00:36:10.159 to come before the Lord 00:36:10.159 --> 00:36:11.500 and lay those things out 00:36:11.500 --> 00:36:12.579 in front of God 00:36:12.579 --> 00:36:13.739 and allow God 00:36:13.739 --> 00:36:14.460 in his sanctuary 00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:15.500 to talk to you 00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:16.579 to speak to you 00:36:16.579 --> 00:36:17.539 to meet you 00:36:17.539 --> 00:36:18.699 and to show you 00:36:18.699 --> 00:36:19.379 that he's 00:36:19.379 --> 00:36:20.359 enough 00:36:20.359 --> 00:36:29.359 we're about to head 00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:29.980 into communion 00:36:29.980 --> 00:36:35.300 whenever we come 00:36:35.300 --> 00:36:35.620 to communion 00:36:35.620 --> 00:36:36.480 we ask the question 00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:39.059 is God enough 00:36:39.059 --> 00:36:43.000 that's what communion 00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:43.440 is about 00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:43.820 right 00:36:43.820 --> 00:36:45.519 communion is about 00:36:45.519 --> 00:36:46.360 taking the elements 00:36:46.360 --> 00:36:46.840 and the bread 00:36:46.840 --> 00:36:47.340 and the wine 00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:47.780 and it's about 00:36:47.780 --> 00:36:49.019 celebrating God's 00:36:49.019 --> 00:36:49.480 sufficiency 00:36:49.480 --> 00:36:50.740 and Jesus Christ's 00:36:50.740 --> 00:36:51.640 sufficiency in our life 00:36:51.640 --> 00:36:52.400 it's about saying 00:36:52.400 --> 00:36:53.380 he's enough 00:36:53.380 --> 00:36:56.000 even amongst the struggles 00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:57.280 even amongst the concerns 00:36:57.280 --> 00:36:58.740 even amongst the doubts 00:36:58.739 --> 00:37:01.459 even amongst the fears 00:37:01.459 --> 00:37:04.759 my prayer for us 00:37:04.759 --> 00:37:05.419 as a church 00:37:05.419 --> 00:37:06.219 and as individuals 00:37:06.219 --> 00:37:07.159 and brothers and sisters 00:37:07.159 --> 00:37:08.359 as we go into this new year 00:37:08.359 --> 00:37:10.419 is that we realize 00:37:10.419 --> 00:37:11.619 that we are going to face doubts 00:37:11.619 --> 00:37:14.039 we're going to be hit 00:37:14.039 --> 00:37:15.359 by a ton of concerns 00:37:15.359 --> 00:37:17.379 we're going to look around us 00:37:17.379 --> 00:37:18.319 and people's lives 00:37:18.319 --> 00:37:18.659 are going to be 00:37:18.659 --> 00:37:19.819 so much better than ours 00:37:19.819 --> 00:37:21.699 and we're going to want 00:37:21.699 --> 00:37:22.859 the things that we think 00:37:22.859 --> 00:37:23.359 are going to make 00:37:23.359 --> 00:37:24.279 their lives happy 00:37:24.279 --> 00:37:25.579 and the passage says 00:37:25.579 --> 00:37:27.059 if we move down that route 00:37:27.059 --> 00:37:28.179 we're going to fail 00:37:28.179 --> 00:37:32.159 because there's nothing there 00:37:32.159 --> 00:37:32.960 but emptiness 00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:36.219 hollowness 00:37:36.219 --> 00:37:38.519 deceit 00:37:38.519 --> 00:37:41.099 and brokenness 00:37:41.099 --> 00:37:46.639 my favorite passage 00:37:46.639 --> 00:37:47.380 in verse 00:37:47.380 --> 00:37:48.360 in this whole section here 00:37:48.360 --> 00:37:49.739 is this basically 00:37:49.739 --> 00:37:50.619 what we've read again 00:37:50.619 --> 00:37:51.480 in verse 23 00:37:51.480 --> 00:37:54.079 what he says here 00:37:54.079 --> 00:37:54.380 and I don't know 00:37:54.380 --> 00:37:55.180 if you realize this 00:37:55.180 --> 00:37:56.039 he says Tobin 00:37:56.039 --> 00:37:58.340 you were walking 00:37:58.340 --> 00:37:59.300 in darkness 00:37:59.300 --> 00:38:01.420 you were an enemy 00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:02.119 to me 00:38:02.119 --> 00:38:02.880 you were acting 00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:03.760 like an animal 00:38:03.760 --> 00:38:06.599 you had doubts 00:38:06.599 --> 00:38:07.820 and you had fears 00:38:07.820 --> 00:38:09.200 and you had concerns 00:38:09.200 --> 00:38:10.599 and you were living 00:38:10.599 --> 00:38:11.360 like a cat 00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:12.180 and your pronouns 00:38:12.180 --> 00:38:12.700 were I 00:38:12.700 --> 00:38:13.039 I 00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:13.360 I 00:38:13.360 --> 00:38:13.640 me 00:38:13.640 --> 00:38:14.000 me 00:38:14.000 --> 00:38:14.400 me 00:38:14.400 --> 00:38:14.519 me 00:38:14.519 --> 00:38:18.180 and still 00:38:18.180 --> 00:38:19.300 I held on to your hand 00:38:19.300 --> 00:38:23.340 still I would not 00:38:23.340 --> 00:38:24.000 let you go 00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:26.659 still my grace 00:38:26.659 --> 00:38:28.139 was in your life 00:38:28.139 --> 00:38:30.539 and I was covering you 00:38:30.539 --> 00:38:31.320 with my love 00:38:31.320 --> 00:38:34.340 my prayer is 00:38:34.340 --> 00:38:35.579 that we would understand that 00:38:35.579 --> 00:38:39.260 I'm going to ask 00:38:39.260 --> 00:38:39.900 the communion stewards 00:38:39.900 --> 00:38:40.840 to come up right now 00:38:40.840 --> 00:38:44.280 but I want you to think 00:38:44.280 --> 00:38:44.880 about this 00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:49.579 the passage says 00:38:49.579 --> 00:38:50.219 that God 00:38:50.219 --> 00:38:51.599 never lets go 00:38:51.599 --> 00:38:52.980 of his children's hands 00:38:52.980 --> 00:38:54.679 no matter what 00:38:54.679 --> 00:38:55.199 they're going through 00:38:55.199 --> 00:38:56.019 no matter their struggle 00:38:56.019 --> 00:38:56.840 no matter their doubt 00:38:56.840 --> 00:38:57.880 no matter their concerns 00:38:57.880 --> 00:39:01.840 there's only one person 00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:04.400 one child 00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:06.760 in all of history 00:39:06.760 --> 00:39:08.840 that God 00:39:08.840 --> 00:39:09.780 let go of their hand 00:39:09.780 --> 00:39:14.400 he let go of Jesus' hand 00:39:14.400 --> 00:39:17.059 why 00:39:17.059 --> 00:39:17.280 Christ 00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:18.400 was nailed to the cross 00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:20.760 Christ's words were 00:39:20.760 --> 00:39:21.579 my God 00:39:21.579 --> 00:39:22.840 my God 00:39:22.840 --> 00:39:24.500 why have you 00:39:24.500 --> 00:39:25.139 forsaken 00:39:25.139 --> 00:39:26.059 me 00:39:26.059 --> 00:39:29.800 we come to communion 00:39:29.800 --> 00:39:30.300 today 00:39:30.300 --> 00:39:32.119 to worship 00:39:32.119 --> 00:39:32.639 the God 00:39:32.639 --> 00:39:33.260 who always 00:39:33.260 --> 00:39:34.099 holds our hand 00:39:34.099 --> 00:39:36.960 who forsook 00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:37.700 his son 00:39:37.700 --> 00:39:40.139 so that you and I 00:39:40.139 --> 00:39:42.180 would never have to be 00:39:42.180 --> 00:39:42.619 forsaken 00:39:42.619 --> 00:39:46.659 Christ 00:39:46.659 --> 00:39:48.159 forsook 00:39:48.159 --> 00:39:49.159 his son 00:39:49.159 --> 00:39:51.759 he let his son's 00:39:51.759 --> 00:39:52.159 hand 00:39:52.159 --> 00:39:52.819 go 00:39:52.819 --> 00:39:54.980 so that he would 00:39:54.980 --> 00:39:55.839 never have to let 00:39:55.839 --> 00:39:56.739 our hand 00:39:56.739 --> 00:39:57.319 go 00:39:57.320 --> 00:40:10.240 we go 00:40:15.860 --> 00:40:16.880 who