WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.480 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. 00:00:06.980 --> 00:00:09.560 Our passion is to experience and express grace. 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:10.620 Join us. 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:17.559 If you have your Bibles, open up to the 19th chapter of Luke, and we're going to begin 00:00:17.559 --> 00:00:24.620 today in verse 45, and we will continue through verse 8 of chapter 20. 00:00:24.620 --> 00:00:32.460 We're going to continue this morning in the detailed last week of Jesus' life that Dr. 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:35.320 Luke lays out for us here over these next several chapters. 00:00:36.219 --> 00:00:42.939 Will helpfully placed us all in this story last week as we were able to marvel at the 00:00:42.939 --> 00:00:45.939 unique King Jesus through the eyes of the young man Samuel. 00:00:46.900 --> 00:00:52.740 We saw Jesus prophesy, and he fulfilled prophecy as he sent his disciples into a village to 00:00:52.740 --> 00:00:57.539 bring back a cult with which the owner easily parted, which is weird. 00:00:58.719 --> 00:01:03.480 We saw people gladly throwing their cloaks on the ground in front of the unique King, not 00:01:03.480 --> 00:01:10.620 because they were compelled to by his power, but because they were compelled to by his person. 00:01:12.180 --> 00:01:18.439 And we saw the people cry out hosannas to Jesus because even if they didn't, the stones surely 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:18.879 would. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:24.920 And then we saw King Jesus weep over his city, Jerusalem. 00:01:26.539 --> 00:01:32.739 The God-man overlooked his home and wept at the coming judgment for this place and for 00:01:32.739 --> 00:01:33.319 these people. 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:41.060 And as we move to this morning's text, the seemingly mild-mannered King Jesus does something that's 00:01:41.060 --> 00:01:44.299 seemingly out of character when you consider last week. 00:01:44.299 --> 00:01:49.879 Then the seemingly patient rabbi gives a short answer to the Pharisees. 00:01:51.079 --> 00:01:57.819 So let's catch up with Dr. Luke as we read Luke 19, starting in verse 45. 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:05.280 And he, being Jesus, entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:05.599 them, 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:14.539 And he was teaching daily in the temple. 00:02:15.539 --> 00:02:20.439 The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 00:02:21.139 --> 00:02:26.139 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words. 00:02:26.139 --> 00:02:32.759 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:35.239 with the elders, came up and said to him, 00:02:36.079 --> 00:02:39.279 Tell us, by what authority do you do these things? 00:02:39.319 --> 00:02:40.779 Or who is it that gave you that authority? 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:42.859 And he answered them, 00:02:43.079 --> 00:02:44.179 Well, let me ask you a question. 00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:45.299 Tell me, 00:02:45.939 --> 00:02:47.739 Was the baptism of John from heaven? 00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:49.399 Or was it from man? 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:52.060 And they discussed it with one another, saying, 00:02:52.140 --> 00:02:53.760 Well, if we say it was from heaven, he'll say, 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:54.920 Well, why don't you believe him? 00:02:55.560 --> 00:02:58.180 But if we say for man, all the people will stone us to death, 00:02:58.240 --> 00:02:59.659 for they're convinced that John was a prophet. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:03.259 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 00:03:05.340 --> 00:03:06.640 And Jesus said to them, 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:10.560 Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. 00:03:11.780 --> 00:03:16.180 This is a trustworthy retelling of the events in Jesus' life. 00:03:17.800 --> 00:03:19.159 We should put our faith in that. 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:19.860 Let's pray. 00:03:24.860 --> 00:03:29.819 Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning as a needy people, 00:03:30.599 --> 00:03:32.000 as a thankful people, 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:36.120 who were driven to consider you 00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:38.000 and consider what you've done in our lives, 00:03:38.040 --> 00:03:39.620 even over the last couple of days. 00:03:41.140 --> 00:03:46.340 But all too often, we are people who compartmentalize our lives, 00:03:46.420 --> 00:03:49.040 and we have you slotted in a certain space. 00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:54.980 And we pray that you would send your Holy Spirit to us now 00:03:54.980 --> 00:03:56.740 to illumine our hearts and our minds 00:03:56.740 --> 00:04:03.180 so that we would allow you to be the backdrop of our entire life 00:04:03.180 --> 00:04:07.120 so that everything we do would be glorifying to you 00:04:07.120 --> 00:04:10.599 and that you would be not a part of our lives, 00:04:10.659 --> 00:04:12.120 but that you would be our lives. 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:16.560 Just as you sent your Son to give his life for us 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:18.879 and rise again so that we can have hope, 00:04:19.819 --> 00:04:21.660 eternal and everlasting hope. 00:04:21.660 --> 00:04:28.460 Please be with the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts. 00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:30.240 I pray that they would be pleasing unto you. 00:04:30.980 --> 00:04:34.860 And all of this in the name of and for the sake of King Jesus. 00:04:34.860 --> 00:04:36.220 Amen. 00:04:38.439 --> 00:04:43.080 Most organizations of any size go to great lengths 00:04:43.080 --> 00:04:47.139 to let the people around them know what their mission and vision is. 00:04:47.860 --> 00:04:49.620 And you don't have to be at Southwood long. 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:52.819 Perhaps you listened to Will a couple of moments ago to hear him say, 00:04:53.540 --> 00:04:59.080 we are a church that experiences grace and expresses grace. 00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:02.939 And that's to say that we desire that all who engage with us 00:05:02.939 --> 00:05:06.719 might experience the grace of Jesus Christ in their lives 00:05:06.719 --> 00:05:10.459 and then turn around and express that grace to others. 00:05:11.159 --> 00:05:12.839 We're people who love people. 00:05:14.419 --> 00:05:16.879 We want to live in community with each other. 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:19.299 And we're driven by these relationships. 00:05:19.599 --> 00:05:22.019 I'll put the core commitment slide up behind us now. 00:05:22.539 --> 00:05:25.240 If you see these, these are the five things that we're committed to 00:05:25.240 --> 00:05:27.199 as a church beyond that. 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:30.659 And we strive to love the least, the lost, the littlest, 00:05:30.759 --> 00:05:32.240 the lonely, and the left out. 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:36.920 We know that our personal restoration, it's only a piece of the puzzle. 00:05:37.719 --> 00:05:40.699 And that we've been called to be agents in our Heavenly Father's 00:05:40.699 --> 00:05:45.399 greater mission of restoring all of creation in Huntsville and beyond. 00:05:46.860 --> 00:05:49.399 I was challenged by Will Sermon a couple of weeks ago 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:53.399 as he discussed the sacrificial giving of our times 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:54.980 and our talents and our treasure. 00:05:54.980 --> 00:06:00.439 And whether or not we take our mina and put it away for safekeeping 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:03.840 or do we reinvest it and see it multiplied tenfold? 00:06:06.960 --> 00:06:12.140 Do we engage the world with our time and our treasure in a sacrificial way? 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:17.400 The core commitments that I've mentioned so far are wonderful things, 00:06:17.540 --> 00:06:19.780 but we can't even seem to do those well. 00:06:19.779 --> 00:06:22.739 And if you see the first two up there, 00:06:23.699 --> 00:06:26.799 the most important one of those five is the one that's listed first, 00:06:26.859 --> 00:06:28.239 that we're committed to being Christ-centered. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:32.599 A natural outflow of what it means to be Christ-centered 00:06:32.599 --> 00:06:35.719 is that we recognize our deep dependence 00:06:35.719 --> 00:06:38.059 and need for prayer. 00:06:38.060 --> 00:06:44.060 As we look at our text this morning, 00:06:44.860 --> 00:06:48.399 we shouldn't be startled at the unique king, 00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:49.480 even though we could be. 00:06:50.220 --> 00:06:52.399 We were marveling at him that last week, 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:56.100 and now we see him angrily going through and cleansing the temple. 00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:57.980 And this is kind of a brief statement of that 00:06:57.980 --> 00:07:00.120 compared to what the other gospels say. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:03.139 But we shouldn't be surprised at this at all 00:07:03.139 --> 00:07:06.439 because Jesus has been giving us his mission and vision statements 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:09.120 throughout the entirety of the book of Luke. 00:07:09.719 --> 00:07:13.180 And as he enters this last week of earthly ministry, 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:18.659 he comes face to face with his people who can't do it right. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:23.919 He's face to face with his people who have made an idol out of what is sacred. 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:30.279 He's face to face with his leadership who refuse to acknowledge his lordship. 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:34.299 As the church of Jesus Christ, even here at Southwood, 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:39.379 all that we do and everything that we are must start with the king 00:07:39.379 --> 00:07:42.779 and be measured against who he is. 00:07:43.819 --> 00:07:46.679 We ought to work backward from who Jesus is 00:07:46.679 --> 00:07:50.739 and what he says about the kingdom of God 00:07:50.739 --> 00:07:53.419 and what he says that that's about. 00:07:53.859 --> 00:07:56.459 And then we can define who we are as a church 00:07:56.459 --> 00:07:59.879 and what we're supposed to be doing in this world. 00:08:00.139 --> 00:08:02.000 We're going to look at this in three ways this morning. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:04.239 First, with his unique authority. 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:07.019 Second, with his unique righteousness. 00:08:07.299 --> 00:08:09.939 And third, with his unique grace handily 00:08:09.939 --> 00:08:11.899 that is all printed on the back of the bulletin 00:08:11.899 --> 00:08:13.479 that you should have received as you walked in. 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:17.459 So considering his unique authority, 00:08:17.859 --> 00:08:20.759 I'd like to dive into this idea of him cleansing the temple. 00:08:20.759 --> 00:08:24.719 Luke doesn't make a mistake 00:08:24.719 --> 00:08:29.039 when he places this section of scripture 00:08:29.039 --> 00:08:31.899 immediately after Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:33.639 If you remember what Will said last week, 00:08:34.500 --> 00:08:37.139 this is a real, the heart of Jesus is 00:08:37.139 --> 00:08:40.460 that you see him looking down 00:08:40.460 --> 00:08:43.620 knowing that judgment is coming for these people 00:08:43.620 --> 00:08:47.179 and he's weeping about that. 00:08:47.259 --> 00:08:48.740 That's who Jesus is. 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:54.179 And so if we look at verse 45 and 46, 00:08:54.299 --> 00:08:54.860 he entered the temple 00:08:54.860 --> 00:08:56.960 and he began to drive out those who sold, 00:08:57.639 --> 00:08:58.200 saying to them, 00:08:58.279 --> 00:08:58.720 it is written, 00:08:58.899 --> 00:08:59.620 my house shall be, 00:08:59.899 --> 00:09:01.600 this shall be a house of prayer, 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:03.100 but you've made it a den of robbers. 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:05.480 And he's referencing back to Jeremiah. 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:09.000 And basically the idea there is that 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:10.879 a den of robbers would be 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:12.159 that these people are coming 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:14.019 to sell their wares and their goods 00:09:14.019 --> 00:09:15.120 and then they're going to take them 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:17.100 and hide them in their dens, 00:09:17.399 --> 00:09:20.539 which would be like caves in the mountains, right? 00:09:20.539 --> 00:09:21.399 That they're going to take that. 00:09:21.459 --> 00:09:22.799 It's a really bad imagery 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:25.179 and having a son of God say that about you 00:09:25.179 --> 00:09:26.379 is not really a good thing. 00:09:27.179 --> 00:09:28.500 That's not where you want to be. 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:32.179 But this is his house. 00:09:34.199 --> 00:09:35.559 And we shouldn't be surprised 00:09:35.559 --> 00:09:37.719 at him saying that about his house. 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:39.019 We can go back to Luke 2 00:09:39.019 --> 00:09:40.500 and remember his parents 00:09:40.500 --> 00:09:41.679 couldn't find him anywhere. 00:09:42.659 --> 00:09:44.059 They couldn't find him anywhere in the city. 00:09:44.319 --> 00:09:45.480 And when they finally did, 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:47.120 they found him in the temple 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:48.340 and he said to them, 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:49.259 why were you looking for me? 00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:50.159 Didn't you know that I must be 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:51.159 in my father's house? 00:09:54.299 --> 00:09:55.700 Woe to you Pharisees 00:09:55.700 --> 00:09:56.840 for you love the best seat 00:09:56.840 --> 00:09:57.620 in the synagogues 00:09:57.620 --> 00:09:58.759 and greetings in the marketplace. 00:09:59.060 --> 00:10:00.779 Woe to you for you're like unmarked graves 00:10:00.779 --> 00:10:02.840 and people walk over them without knowing. 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:04.820 Woe to you lawyers 00:10:04.820 --> 00:10:06.259 for you load people with burdens 00:10:06.259 --> 00:10:07.139 too hard to bear 00:10:07.139 --> 00:10:07.919 and you yourselves 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:09.159 don't want to touch the burdens 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:10.019 with your fingers. 00:10:11.419 --> 00:10:11.980 Woe to you 00:10:11.980 --> 00:10:12.860 for you've taken away 00:10:12.860 --> 00:10:13.860 the key to knowledge. 00:10:14.500 --> 00:10:15.740 You didn't enter yourselves 00:10:15.740 --> 00:10:16.779 and you hindered those 00:10:16.779 --> 00:10:17.500 who were entering. 00:10:18.220 --> 00:10:19.299 This is his house 00:10:19.299 --> 00:10:20.580 where the key of knowledge 00:10:20.580 --> 00:10:21.860 is supposed to be given 00:10:21.860 --> 00:10:24.259 freely to those who come in. 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:26.519 And instead it's become 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:27.620 something else. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:31.639 Probably what was going on here 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:33.039 was stuff that you could 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:33.919 slip into easily. 00:10:34.060 --> 00:10:34.659 Certainly there was 00:10:34.659 --> 00:10:36.039 some bad things going on 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:36.940 or Jesus wouldn't have called them 00:10:36.940 --> 00:10:37.779 a den of robbers. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:39.180 But there were also people 00:10:39.180 --> 00:10:41.600 who were making pilgrimages 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:44.320 to Jerusalem 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:46.420 to do their sacrifices 00:10:46.420 --> 00:10:47.159 and some of these people 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:47.940 were selling things 00:10:47.940 --> 00:10:48.639 to be sacrificed. 00:10:49.500 --> 00:10:50.259 There was a need. 00:10:51.080 --> 00:10:51.279 Right? 00:10:52.340 --> 00:10:53.519 Demand called for it. 00:10:53.540 --> 00:10:54.180 So someone's going to meet 00:10:54.180 --> 00:10:54.740 that demand. 00:10:56.980 --> 00:10:58.259 But somehow we got 00:10:58.259 --> 00:10:59.540 from the tabernacle 00:10:59.540 --> 00:11:00.820 where they used to tie 00:11:00.820 --> 00:11:02.860 something to the ankle 00:11:02.860 --> 00:11:04.060 of the high priest 00:11:04.060 --> 00:11:05.320 in case he died 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:06.399 in the presence of God 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:08.000 so that they could pull him out 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:10.659 to what Herod's temple 00:11:10.659 --> 00:11:11.720 looks like here 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:13.159 in Jerusalem. 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:16.899 We're a long way from that. 00:11:19.779 --> 00:11:20.659 And his leaders 00:11:20.659 --> 00:11:22.559 aren't very happy with him 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:24.840 as he goes on doing this. 00:11:25.500 --> 00:11:26.220 He was teaching daily 00:11:26.220 --> 00:11:26.720 in the temple 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:27.519 and the chief priests 00:11:27.519 --> 00:11:28.519 and the scribes 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:29.820 and the principal men 00:11:29.820 --> 00:11:30.360 of the people 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:31.700 were seeking to destroy him. 00:11:31.779 --> 00:11:32.940 This is the first time 00:11:32.940 --> 00:11:35.000 that is specifically said in Luke 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:36.620 that they're going 00:11:36.620 --> 00:11:38.159 to do something to Jesus. 00:11:39.700 --> 00:11:41.460 And the word for destroy there 00:11:41.460 --> 00:11:43.480 is certainly at least death 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:45.940 but also wiping him 00:11:45.940 --> 00:11:47.019 and any memory of him 00:11:47.019 --> 00:11:47.860 off of the map. 00:11:48.060 --> 00:11:49.460 They want him gone. 00:11:50.700 --> 00:11:51.980 This is going to be done. 00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:56.200 He's making people angry. 00:11:58.740 --> 00:11:59.659 What does he call 00:11:59.659 --> 00:12:01.120 from his leaders though? 00:12:02.060 --> 00:12:02.799 Is it that? 00:12:03.860 --> 00:12:05.159 You remember when he called Simon 00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:06.500 way back in Luke 5? 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:08.100 Hey, don't be afraid. 00:12:08.940 --> 00:12:09.460 From now on 00:12:09.460 --> 00:12:09.879 you're going to be 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:12.060 fishing fishers of men. 00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:14.379 And then they brought 00:12:14.379 --> 00:12:15.279 their boats to land 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:16.419 and how did the leaders respond? 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:17.720 How did his disciples respond? 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:19.679 They left everything 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:21.100 and followed him. 00:12:24.980 --> 00:12:25.919 He told his leaders 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:26.580 be merciful 00:12:26.580 --> 00:12:27.600 even as your father 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:28.340 is merciful. 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:31.019 He asked them 00:12:31.019 --> 00:12:31.779 why do you call me 00:12:31.779 --> 00:12:32.440 Lord, Lord 00:12:32.440 --> 00:12:33.240 and don't do 00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:34.259 what I tell you? 00:12:34.259 --> 00:12:36.919 And then he said 00:12:36.919 --> 00:12:37.740 blessed are those 00:12:37.740 --> 00:12:38.919 who hear the word of God 00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:39.879 and keep it. 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:43.860 Whoever would lose 00:12:43.860 --> 00:12:44.559 his life 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:45.879 who saved his life 00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:46.399 will lose it 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:47.220 but whoever loses 00:12:47.220 --> 00:12:48.620 his life for my sake 00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:50.139 will save it. 00:12:52.439 --> 00:12:53.299 And these leaders 00:12:53.299 --> 00:12:54.139 are nothing like that. 00:12:55.340 --> 00:12:56.600 They don't recognize 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:57.500 that the prophecy 00:12:57.500 --> 00:12:58.740 has come to them. 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:00.500 The thing that they're 00:13:00.500 --> 00:13:01.639 so zealous about 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:02.779 is actually 00:13:02.779 --> 00:13:03.740 in their presence. 00:13:06.519 --> 00:13:07.120 I don't know 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:07.679 if you're familiar 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:08.779 with the basketball player 00:13:08.779 --> 00:13:09.740 Marquez Foltz 00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:11.740 was reading late last night. 00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:12.580 He was the first player 00:13:12.580 --> 00:13:13.419 picked last year 00:13:13.419 --> 00:13:14.360 in the NBA draft. 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:15.000 He plays for the 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:16.259 Philadelphia 76ers. 00:13:17.399 --> 00:13:18.840 And he was 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:19.620 a lights out 00:13:19.620 --> 00:13:20.960 unbelievable young player. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:22.299 He had a shot 00:13:22.299 --> 00:13:23.200 that was pure 00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:24.320 and deserving 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:24.919 of the number one 00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:25.720 pick in the draft. 00:13:27.059 --> 00:13:27.779 Something happened 00:13:27.779 --> 00:13:28.379 to him though. 00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:30.259 Over the course of time 00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:31.779 in the past year and a half 00:13:31.779 --> 00:13:32.559 he has developed 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:33.919 a hitch in his jump shot. 00:13:34.980 --> 00:13:35.460 And basically 00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:36.480 he can't score. 00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:39.019 He's a fine NBA player. 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:39.799 I believe this season 00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:40.200 he's averaging 00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:40.639 something like 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:41.159 eight points 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:42.000 and four rebounds 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:42.720 and a couple assists. 00:13:42.820 --> 00:13:43.519 Something like that. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:44.480 If you don't know basketball 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:45.519 that's good 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:46.159 and if you're doing that 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:46.519 in the NBA 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:47.320 that's really good. 00:13:48.820 --> 00:13:49.620 But that's certainly 00:13:49.620 --> 00:13:50.679 not what they were expecting 00:13:50.679 --> 00:13:51.639 when they spent millions 00:13:51.639 --> 00:13:52.419 and millions of dollars 00:13:52.419 --> 00:13:52.720 on him 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:53.379 and got him first 00:13:53.379 --> 00:13:54.519 in the NBA draft. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:56.360 And I was reading 00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:57.100 last night 00:13:57.100 --> 00:13:58.080 that Elton Brand 00:13:58.080 --> 00:13:59.399 who was the 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:00.180 general manager 00:14:00.180 --> 00:14:01.220 of the 76ers 00:14:01.220 --> 00:14:03.019 former Duke basketball player 00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:04.379 said that they're 00:14:04.379 --> 00:14:05.540 pretty much moving on 00:14:05.540 --> 00:14:06.840 from Markel Fultz 00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:07.860 or Markel Fultz. 00:14:10.420 --> 00:14:11.580 And Heap 00:14:11.580 --> 00:14:12.420 has pulled himself 00:14:12.420 --> 00:14:13.240 off of the team 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:14.360 in the last couple of days 00:14:14.360 --> 00:14:16.040 citing a shoulder issue 00:14:16.040 --> 00:14:18.480 that nobody on the team 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:19.379 has been able to find. 00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:20.180 None of the team doctors 00:14:20.180 --> 00:14:21.019 none of the team surgeons 00:14:21.019 --> 00:14:21.980 nothing like that. 00:14:23.340 --> 00:14:24.420 Rather their assessment 00:14:24.420 --> 00:14:25.220 of the situation 00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:26.160 is that 00:14:26.160 --> 00:14:28.220 he kind of stopped 00:14:28.220 --> 00:14:29.460 practicing the fundamentals 00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:30.560 of his jump shot 00:14:30.560 --> 00:14:31.320 that made him 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:32.279 worthy of a number one 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:33.340 pick in the NBA draft. 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:35.860 He stopped working 00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:37.040 he stopped paying attention 00:14:37.040 --> 00:14:37.680 to the things 00:14:37.680 --> 00:14:38.660 that made him 00:14:38.660 --> 00:14:39.680 successful 00:14:39.680 --> 00:14:40.680 in the first place 00:14:40.680 --> 00:14:42.519 and ultimately 00:14:42.519 --> 00:14:43.600 where that's brought him 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:44.360 to is a point 00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:45.379 that he has 00:14:45.379 --> 00:14:46.180 a problem 00:14:46.180 --> 00:14:47.060 with his jump shot 00:14:47.060 --> 00:14:47.779 that he can't 00:14:47.779 --> 00:14:48.560 recover from. 00:14:49.160 --> 00:14:49.779 It's not a problem 00:14:49.779 --> 00:14:50.440 with his shoulder 00:14:50.440 --> 00:14:52.019 it was a problem 00:14:52.019 --> 00:14:53.240 with his orientation 00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:54.080 ever since he 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:54.879 became drafted. 00:14:55.220 --> 00:14:57.240 So now 00:14:57.240 --> 00:14:57.820 here he is 00:14:57.820 --> 00:14:58.519 without a team 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:00.240 and his stock 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:01.160 has really plummeted 00:15:01.160 --> 00:15:01.879 he's not worth 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:02.440 the contract 00:15:02.440 --> 00:15:03.000 that he has 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:03.420 so he'll be 00:15:03.420 --> 00:15:04.379 hard to unload 00:15:04.379 --> 00:15:05.420 and hard to trade 00:15:05.420 --> 00:15:06.820 I don't mean unload 00:15:06.820 --> 00:15:08.139 in a bad way 00:15:08.139 --> 00:15:09.320 the business of basketball 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:10.200 is all I mean by that. 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:14.060 I use that illustration 00:15:14.060 --> 00:15:14.759 because 00:15:14.759 --> 00:15:15.720 I don't think 00:15:15.720 --> 00:15:16.560 it's hard for us 00:15:16.560 --> 00:15:17.460 to understand 00:15:17.460 --> 00:15:18.560 and relate to 00:15:18.560 --> 00:15:20.399 losing track 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:21.160 of the fundamentals 00:15:21.160 --> 00:15:22.060 in our lives. 00:15:22.059 --> 00:15:25.199 when we lose 00:15:25.199 --> 00:15:25.959 sight of fundamentals 00:15:25.959 --> 00:15:26.599 it becomes 00:15:26.599 --> 00:15:27.139 easy to be 00:15:27.139 --> 00:15:27.739 complacent 00:15:27.739 --> 00:15:28.479 with the good 00:15:28.479 --> 00:15:29.099 things that 00:15:29.099 --> 00:15:29.679 we're doing. 00:15:31.619 --> 00:15:32.399 Most everyone 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:32.919 thinks that 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:33.500 they're right 00:15:33.500 --> 00:15:34.559 I know I do 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:35.679 but thankfully 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:36.679 we have 00:15:36.679 --> 00:15:37.219 holy scripture 00:15:37.219 --> 00:15:37.879 against which 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:38.539 we can balance 00:15:38.539 --> 00:15:39.019 all of our 00:15:39.019 --> 00:15:40.199 notions of that. 00:15:41.299 --> 00:15:42.059 When it comes 00:15:42.059 --> 00:15:42.559 to the church 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:43.159 and the idea 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:43.759 of our core 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:44.219 commitments 00:15:44.219 --> 00:15:45.719 the things 00:15:45.719 --> 00:15:46.179 that we're doing 00:15:46.179 --> 00:15:46.819 in our personal 00:15:46.819 --> 00:15:47.359 lives 00:15:47.359 --> 00:15:48.000 the things 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:48.359 that we should 00:15:48.359 --> 00:15:49.179 be excited about 00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:49.899 as a community 00:15:49.899 --> 00:15:50.779 of believers 00:15:50.779 --> 00:15:52.699 if that can't 00:15:52.699 --> 00:15:53.179 be balanced 00:15:53.179 --> 00:15:53.899 against this 00:15:53.899 --> 00:15:54.299 and what's 00:15:54.299 --> 00:15:55.099 going on 00:15:55.099 --> 00:15:56.779 in the Bible 00:15:56.779 --> 00:15:58.019 and most importantly 00:15:58.019 --> 00:15:59.099 for our context 00:15:59.099 --> 00:16:00.279 in the life 00:16:00.279 --> 00:16:00.899 and through the words 00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:01.399 of Jesus 00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:03.739 we've really 00:16:03.739 --> 00:16:04.799 lost the plot. 00:16:06.019 --> 00:16:06.539 Unlike 00:16:06.539 --> 00:16:07.500 Markel Fultz 00:16:07.500 --> 00:16:08.359 you and I 00:16:08.359 --> 00:16:09.139 can't go out 00:16:09.139 --> 00:16:09.759 every day 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:10.839 and work hard 00:16:10.839 --> 00:16:11.519 enough to be 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.159 good enough 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:12.819 to do what 00:16:12.819 --> 00:16:13.299 we're called 00:16:13.299 --> 00:16:14.019 to do as 00:16:14.019 --> 00:16:14.439 believers. 00:16:16.959 --> 00:16:18.179 I wish I could 00:16:18.179 --> 00:16:18.939 but I can't. 00:16:19.179 --> 00:16:21.359 And Jesus 00:16:21.359 --> 00:16:22.139 isn't calling 00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:23.339 anyone to that 00:16:23.339 --> 00:16:24.379 through these 00:16:24.379 --> 00:16:24.939 words. 00:16:27.079 --> 00:16:27.759 He's calling 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:28.579 people to recognize 00:16:28.579 --> 00:16:29.419 that he is 00:16:29.419 --> 00:16:30.039 the Lord 00:16:30.039 --> 00:16:31.019 who has come 00:16:31.019 --> 00:16:31.479 to call 00:16:31.479 --> 00:16:32.099 sinners to 00:16:32.099 --> 00:16:32.519 repentance. 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:34.679 He is the only 00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:35.599 way we can be 00:16:35.599 --> 00:16:36.059 good enough 00:16:36.059 --> 00:16:36.779 for anything. 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:38.939 Repent and 00:16:38.939 --> 00:16:39.859 follow after me. 00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:41.579 Not go do 00:16:41.579 --> 00:16:42.319 things well enough 00:16:42.319 --> 00:16:42.879 so that you can 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:43.479 do them on your 00:16:43.479 --> 00:16:43.779 own. 00:16:45.079 --> 00:16:45.979 Today the church 00:16:45.979 --> 00:16:46.759 has developed 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:47.759 a relationship 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:48.319 with a school 00:16:48.319 --> 00:16:49.059 in our community 00:16:49.059 --> 00:16:49.719 where we'll be 00:16:49.719 --> 00:16:50.319 doing a prayer 00:16:50.319 --> 00:16:50.679 walk. 00:16:51.939 --> 00:16:52.579 And the great 00:16:52.579 --> 00:16:52.979 thing about a 00:16:52.979 --> 00:16:53.399 prayer walk 00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:53.819 is that you 00:16:53.819 --> 00:16:54.559 can't do it 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:55.019 wrong. 00:16:56.119 --> 00:16:56.559 So please 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:56.979 come. 00:16:57.439 --> 00:16:57.899 I encourage 00:16:57.899 --> 00:16:58.319 everyone to 00:16:58.319 --> 00:16:58.679 come out to 00:16:58.679 --> 00:16:59.279 Weichsburg P8 00:16:59.279 --> 00:16:59.979 for five minutes 00:16:59.979 --> 00:17:00.399 or for an 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:00.919 hour or 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:01.500 whatever time 00:17:01.500 --> 00:17:01.979 that you can 00:17:01.979 --> 00:17:02.319 spare. 00:17:03.079 --> 00:17:03.599 We'll mention 00:17:03.599 --> 00:17:04.099 no more than 00:17:04.099 --> 00:17:04.559 a half an 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:04.759 hour. 00:17:04.899 --> 00:17:05.200 If you want to 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:05.619 stay beyond 00:17:05.619 --> 00:17:06.039 that nobody 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:06.519 is going to 00:17:06.519 --> 00:17:07.059 pull you off 00:17:07.059 --> 00:17:07.279 of the 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:07.599 property. 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:12.039 Believe it or 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:13.220 not things like 00:17:13.220 --> 00:17:14.000 a prayer walk 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:15.460 can be wrong. 00:17:15.460 --> 00:17:18.019 See we do 00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:18.500 this because 00:17:18.500 --> 00:17:19.259 we believe 00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:19.920 that the 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:20.740 full scope 00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:21.500 of the 00:17:21.500 --> 00:17:22.140 gospel of 00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:23.000 Jesus Christ 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:24.100 is in view 00:17:24.100 --> 00:17:24.640 when we 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:25.400 engage our 00:17:25.400 --> 00:17:26.120 community in 00:17:26.120 --> 00:17:27.340 love and 00:17:27.340 --> 00:17:28.079 in justice 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:28.779 and in 00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:29.340 sustainability 00:17:29.340 --> 00:17:30.720 and in 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:31.100 restoration 00:17:31.100 --> 00:17:31.700 and in 00:17:31.700 --> 00:17:32.380 reconciliation. 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:36.200 James 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:37.059 song or 00:17:37.059 --> 00:17:37.480 not James 00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:37.860 song the 00:17:37.860 --> 00:17:38.140 song that 00:17:38.140 --> 00:17:38.720 James performed 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:39.319 a few moments 00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:39.759 ago 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:42.259 hits it on 00:17:42.259 --> 00:17:42.980 the head. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:44.000 God is not 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:44.740 interested in 00:17:44.740 --> 00:17:45.660 our show. 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:48.019 We've not 00:17:48.019 --> 00:17:48.539 been equipped 00:17:48.539 --> 00:17:49.259 to put on 00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:50.039 a show for 00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:50.420 anyone. 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:52.579 We've been 00:17:52.579 --> 00:17:53.680 equipped to 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:54.559 live out the 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:55.160 gospel of 00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:56.000 Jesus Christ 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:56.759 every minute 00:17:56.759 --> 00:17:57.759 of every day. 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:00.140 And as a 00:18:00.140 --> 00:18:00.759 church we need 00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:01.740 to be excited 00:18:01.740 --> 00:18:02.279 about the 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:03.180 opportunities to 00:18:03.180 --> 00:18:04.220 go and do 00:18:04.220 --> 00:18:04.920 something like 00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:05.299 that. 00:18:06.539 --> 00:18:07.519 When my heart 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:08.019 is left to 00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:09.240 itself I want 00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:09.759 to do what I 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:10.359 want to do 00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:10.940 when I want 00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:11.440 to do it. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:11.879 I don't know 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:12.180 if anybody 00:18:12.180 --> 00:18:12.500 else can 00:18:12.500 --> 00:18:13.160 identify with 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:13.440 that. 00:18:14.660 --> 00:18:15.240 I'm glad 00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:15.640 that something 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:16.080 is going 00:18:16.080 --> 00:18:17.500 on but I'm 00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:18.040 also glad 00:18:18.040 --> 00:18:18.440 that there's 00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:18.920 somebody else 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:19.380 out there 00:18:19.380 --> 00:18:19.940 who's doing 00:18:19.940 --> 00:18:20.260 it. 00:18:21.360 --> 00:18:21.860 Don't hear 00:18:21.860 --> 00:18:22.080 what I'm 00:18:22.080 --> 00:18:22.640 not saying. 00:18:22.740 --> 00:18:22.920 Everyone 00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:23.420 can't do 00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:24.080 everything all 00:18:24.080 --> 00:18:25.480 the time and 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:25.900 if we notice 00:18:25.900 --> 00:18:26.240 that you were 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:26.740 trying to do 00:18:26.740 --> 00:18:27.220 everything all 00:18:27.220 --> 00:18:27.580 the time we 00:18:27.580 --> 00:18:28.200 would discourage 00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:28.680 you from that 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:29.200 because that's 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.020 not healthy. 00:18:31.380 --> 00:18:32.060 But the reality 00:18:32.060 --> 00:18:32.840 for most of us 00:18:32.840 --> 00:18:33.220 is that we 00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:34.380 don't do 00:18:34.380 --> 00:18:35.700 anything most 00:18:35.700 --> 00:18:36.240 of the time. 00:18:39.060 --> 00:18:39.780 Not only are 00:18:39.780 --> 00:18:40.700 we not really 00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:41.400 participating, 00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:42.600 but we don't 00:18:42.600 --> 00:18:43.220 even watch to 00:18:43.220 --> 00:18:43.680 see if what's 00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:44.180 happening is 00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:44.880 biblical and 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:45.800 representative of 00:18:45.800 --> 00:18:46.560 Jesus and his 00:18:46.560 --> 00:18:47.400 passion for the 00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:47.800 world. 00:18:49.740 --> 00:18:50.480 The temple 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:51.380 didn't get to 00:18:51.380 --> 00:18:52.320 this place 00:18:52.320 --> 00:18:53.440 because people 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:54.400 were meticulously 00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:55.280 watching and 00:18:55.280 --> 00:18:56.060 balancing what was 00:18:56.060 --> 00:18:57.120 happening against 00:18:57.120 --> 00:18:57.940 the laws and the 00:18:57.940 --> 00:18:58.280 scriptures. 00:19:00.320 --> 00:19:01.200 It got to this 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:01.700 place for the 00:19:01.700 --> 00:19:02.620 opposite reasons. 00:19:02.619 --> 00:19:06.019 Jesus comes in 00:19:06.019 --> 00:19:06.459 because he 00:19:06.459 --> 00:19:06.879 knows the 00:19:06.879 --> 00:19:07.479 stakes are 00:19:07.479 --> 00:19:08.059 high. 00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:09.939 The stakes 00:19:09.939 --> 00:19:10.699 are really 00:19:10.699 --> 00:19:11.179 high. 00:19:12.239 --> 00:19:12.919 When we talk 00:19:12.919 --> 00:19:13.379 about this 00:19:13.379 --> 00:19:14.199 book as 00:19:14.199 --> 00:19:14.819 pastors, I 00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:15.500 constantly use 00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:15.879 the phrase 00:19:15.879 --> 00:19:16.359 that was used 00:19:16.359 --> 00:19:16.839 by one of my 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:17.359 professors, 00:19:17.899 --> 00:19:18.599 eschatological 00:19:18.599 --> 00:19:19.219 intensity. 00:19:20.899 --> 00:19:21.779 Jesus is so 00:19:21.779 --> 00:19:23.319 concerned about 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:24.119 the eternal 00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:25.099 reality of 00:19:25.099 --> 00:19:25.959 every soul 00:19:25.959 --> 00:19:26.359 that he 00:19:26.359 --> 00:19:26.859 encounters 00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:29.279 that there's 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:30.259 no time for 00:19:30.259 --> 00:19:31.019 games in the 00:19:31.019 --> 00:19:31.339 meantime. 00:19:33.579 --> 00:19:34.740 He's always 00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:36.039 on about that 00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:36.619 mission. 00:19:37.639 --> 00:19:38.439 He's always on 00:19:38.439 --> 00:19:39.119 about that 00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:39.619 thing. 00:19:43.059 --> 00:19:43.759 Now, thankfully 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:44.559 for my heart, 00:19:44.659 --> 00:19:45.579 Jesus is happy to 00:19:45.579 --> 00:19:46.379 reorient me. 00:19:46.380 --> 00:19:48.640 And he 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:49.540 reorients me as 00:19:49.540 --> 00:19:50.480 he points me to 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:51.540 his unique 00:19:51.540 --> 00:19:52.320 righteousness. 00:19:55.640 --> 00:19:56.480 We can see it 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:57.000 there in that 00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:57.520 passage, but 00:19:57.520 --> 00:19:59.340 also as we 00:19:59.340 --> 00:20:00.300 look to the 00:20:00.300 --> 00:20:00.740 first four 00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:01.380 verses of 00:20:01.380 --> 00:20:02.040 chapter 20. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:04.460 One day, as 00:20:04.460 --> 00:20:04.940 Jesus was 00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:05.420 teaching the 00:20:05.420 --> 00:20:05.960 people in the 00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:06.400 temple and 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:06.860 preaching the 00:20:06.860 --> 00:20:08.560 gospel, the 00:20:08.560 --> 00:20:09.160 chief priests 00:20:09.160 --> 00:20:09.460 and the 00:20:09.460 --> 00:20:10.060 scribes with 00:20:10.060 --> 00:20:10.420 the elders 00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:11.060 came up and 00:20:11.060 --> 00:20:11.480 said to him, 00:20:11.560 --> 00:20:12.780 tell us, by 00:20:12.780 --> 00:20:13.300 what authority 00:20:13.300 --> 00:20:13.820 do you do 00:20:13.820 --> 00:20:14.580 these things, 00:20:14.580 --> 00:20:15.340 or who is it 00:20:15.340 --> 00:20:15.720 that gave you 00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:16.320 that authority? 00:20:17.380 --> 00:20:18.300 He answered 00:20:18.300 --> 00:20:18.820 them, I will 00:20:18.820 --> 00:20:19.400 also ask you 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:19.880 a question, 00:20:20.080 --> 00:20:21.300 tell me, was 00:20:21.300 --> 00:20:22.060 the baptism of 00:20:22.060 --> 00:20:22.560 John from 00:20:22.560 --> 00:20:24.380 heaven, or 00:20:24.380 --> 00:20:24.900 was it from 00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:25.340 man? 00:20:28.800 --> 00:20:29.540 The first 00:20:29.540 --> 00:20:30.200 part of this 00:20:30.200 --> 00:20:31.360 is amazing 00:20:31.360 --> 00:20:31.680 because it 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:32.360 shows us 00:20:32.360 --> 00:20:33.240 Jesus' 00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:33.920 heart. 00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:36.260 What's 00:20:36.260 --> 00:20:36.840 happening there 00:20:36.840 --> 00:20:37.460 at the very 00:20:37.460 --> 00:20:37.940 beginning of 00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:38.340 that first 00:20:38.340 --> 00:20:38.680 sentence? 00:20:39.280 --> 00:20:39.880 One day, 00:20:40.520 --> 00:20:41.200 Jesus was 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:41.940 teaching the 00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:42.520 people in the 00:20:42.520 --> 00:20:43.100 temple and 00:20:43.100 --> 00:20:43.820 preaching the 00:20:43.820 --> 00:20:44.240 gospel. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:44.319 gospel. 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:47.339 Luke 4, 43, 00:20:47.620 --> 00:20:48.099 this is what 00:20:48.099 --> 00:20:48.720 Jesus said, 00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:49.880 I must preach 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:50.539 the good news 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:51.079 of the kingdom 00:20:51.079 --> 00:20:52.519 of God to 00:20:52.519 --> 00:20:53.299 other towns as 00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:54.120 well because I 00:20:54.120 --> 00:20:54.960 was sent for 00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:55.519 this purpose. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:56.259 This is Jesus' 00:20:56.500 --> 00:20:56.880 heart. 00:21:00.500 --> 00:21:01.559 In Luke 9, he 00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:02.680 talks about the 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:03.339 little children 00:21:03.339 --> 00:21:04.000 coming to him 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:04.440 and the child 00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:05.059 coming to him, 00:21:05.400 --> 00:21:05.740 and he said, 00:21:05.799 --> 00:21:06.460 whoever receives 00:21:06.460 --> 00:21:07.319 this child in my 00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:08.339 name receives me, 00:21:08.420 --> 00:21:08.880 and whoever 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:10.420 receives me receives 00:21:10.420 --> 00:21:11.920 him who sent me. 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:12.700 this is when the 00:21:12.700 --> 00:21:13.279 disciples were 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:13.900 arguing about who 00:21:13.900 --> 00:21:14.860 the greatest was, 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:16.039 and they were 00:21:16.039 --> 00:21:16.860 bickering back and 00:21:16.860 --> 00:21:17.240 forth. 00:21:19.240 --> 00:21:19.820 And Jesus says, 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:20.779 hey, whoever 00:21:20.779 --> 00:21:21.560 thinks that you 00:21:21.560 --> 00:21:23.480 are great, you're 00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:23.860 going to be the 00:21:23.860 --> 00:21:24.200 least. 00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:25.779 But whoever's the 00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:26.420 least among you, 00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:27.160 you're going to be 00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:27.580 the one who's 00:21:27.580 --> 00:21:27.920 great. 00:21:30.700 --> 00:21:31.300 Then he talks, 00:21:31.380 --> 00:21:31.880 there's a popular 00:21:31.880 --> 00:21:33.600 song right now that 00:21:33.600 --> 00:21:34.519 uses this line. 00:21:36.200 --> 00:21:36.820 He said, I tell 00:21:36.820 --> 00:21:37.440 you there's more 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:38.440 joy in heaven over 00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:39.700 one sinner who 00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:40.460 repents than 00:21:40.460 --> 00:21:41.019 ninety-nine 00:21:41.019 --> 00:21:41.920 righteous persons 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:42.740 who need no 00:21:42.740 --> 00:21:43.160 repentance. 00:21:44.460 --> 00:21:45.000 And then even as 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:46.000 we heard last week, 00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:46.839 Jesus drew near to 00:21:46.839 --> 00:21:48.680 the city, and he 00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:49.720 started weeping over 00:21:49.720 --> 00:21:50.019 it. 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:53.480 This is what Jesus 00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:54.279 is doing. 00:21:54.379 --> 00:21:55.480 This is his heart. 00:21:59.079 --> 00:22:00.160 He didn't come to 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.599 judge. 00:22:00.660 --> 00:22:01.759 He came to share 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:02.819 and give of himself 00:22:02.819 --> 00:22:03.839 to the world. 00:22:06.579 --> 00:22:07.240 As good 00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:08.139 Presbyterians, we 00:22:08.139 --> 00:22:09.160 don't always like to 00:22:09.160 --> 00:22:10.019 think about that 00:22:10.019 --> 00:22:10.639 reality. 00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:14.000 When I talk to 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:14.740 the teenagers, I 00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:16.319 use the idea of 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:16.759 there are things 00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:17.440 that are above the 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:18.059 line and things 00:22:18.059 --> 00:22:18.779 that are below the 00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:18.980 line. 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:19.619 If you can imagine 00:22:19.619 --> 00:22:20.319 that this is the 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:20.720 line. 00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:23.440 We know above 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:24.579 the line things 00:22:24.579 --> 00:22:25.660 such as 00:22:25.660 --> 00:22:26.639 predestination and 00:22:26.639 --> 00:22:27.539 election and all 00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:28.039 of those things 00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:28.980 that we like to 00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:29.559 discuss. 00:22:31.079 --> 00:22:31.859 And we somehow 00:22:31.859 --> 00:22:32.440 put them at 00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:33.400 tension with the 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:34.200 below the line 00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:34.960 things, the way 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:35.480 that God has 00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:36.500 descended to us and 00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:37.440 told us to go out 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:38.220 and act in the 00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:38.559 world. 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:42.059 Romans 9 doesn't 00:22:42.059 --> 00:22:42.659 exist without 00:22:42.659 --> 00:22:43.599 Romans 10. 00:22:46.099 --> 00:22:46.879 Romans 9 talks 00:22:46.879 --> 00:22:47.579 about God and 00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:48.779 his disposition 00:22:48.779 --> 00:22:50.519 toward us as 00:22:50.519 --> 00:22:52.440 people, as the 00:22:52.440 --> 00:22:53.159 heavenly father. 00:22:53.399 --> 00:22:54.639 And we can't get 00:22:54.639 --> 00:22:56.159 into his mind and 00:22:56.159 --> 00:22:57.579 know what he is 00:22:57.579 --> 00:22:58.399 doing because we 00:22:58.399 --> 00:22:58.899 are finite. 00:22:59.099 --> 00:22:59.879 He is not. 00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:00.799 He then says to 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:02.659 us, basically a 00:23:02.659 --> 00:23:03.399 summation of what 00:23:03.399 --> 00:23:04.279 Jesus says, who do 00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:05.179 you say that I am? 00:23:05.180 --> 00:23:06.560 Because if you 00:23:06.560 --> 00:23:08.880 confess me with 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:10.480 your heart and 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:11.340 believe that my 00:23:11.340 --> 00:23:12.220 father raised me 00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:13.860 from the dead, if 00:23:13.860 --> 00:23:14.279 these things are 00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:15.220 really true, like 00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:16.060 Michael said today 00:23:16.060 --> 00:23:16.820 that they're true, 00:23:17.900 --> 00:23:20.880 then you're one of 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:21.180 mine. 00:23:25.259 --> 00:23:26.680 Jesus came giving 00:23:26.680 --> 00:23:27.460 of himself to 00:23:27.460 --> 00:23:30.420 everyone because 00:23:30.420 --> 00:23:31.299 people who harden 00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:32.580 themselves and deny 00:23:32.580 --> 00:23:33.960 Christ are ultimately 00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:35.200 responsible for that 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:35.660 action. 00:23:40.500 --> 00:23:41.440 But his heart is 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:42.720 that that wouldn't 00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:43.460 be the case. 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:44.980 And his mission 00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:47.519 is similar. 00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:48.900 We can go back to 00:23:48.900 --> 00:23:49.400 Luke 4. 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:50.019 The spirit of the 00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:50.840 Lord is upon me 00:23:50.840 --> 00:23:51.600 because he's anointed 00:23:51.600 --> 00:23:52.400 me to proclaim the 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:53.319 good news to the 00:23:53.319 --> 00:23:53.640 poor. 00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:54.819 He sent me to 00:23:54.819 --> 00:23:55.660 proclaim liberty to 00:23:55.660 --> 00:23:56.380 captives and 00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:57.299 recovering of sight to 00:23:57.299 --> 00:23:58.620 the blind, to set at 00:23:58.620 --> 00:23:59.400 liberty those who are 00:23:59.400 --> 00:24:00.799 oppressed and proclaim 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:01.420 the year of the 00:24:01.420 --> 00:24:02.039 Lord's favor. 00:24:02.039 --> 00:24:02.139 God's favor. 00:24:02.899 --> 00:24:03.740 Again, I didn't come 00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:04.359 to call righteous 00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:04.659 people. 00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:05.139 I've come to call 00:24:05.139 --> 00:24:06.119 sinners to repentance. 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:11.819 And then some more 00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:14.299 drastic commentary from 00:24:14.299 --> 00:24:14.859 Luke 12. 00:24:15.639 --> 00:24:16.920 I came to cast fire on 00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:19.799 the earth and wood 00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:20.440 that it was already 00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:20.980 kindled. 00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:23.399 Do you think that I've 00:24:23.399 --> 00:24:24.279 come to give peace? 00:24:24.399 --> 00:24:24.599 No. 00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:26.240 I tell you, I've come 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:26.839 to give division. 00:24:26.839 --> 00:24:29.119 You can't encounter 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:31.599 the God-man without 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:32.720 being on one of two 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:33.039 sides. 00:24:33.139 --> 00:24:33.839 There's no neutral 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:35.439 reaction to who he is 00:24:35.439 --> 00:24:36.339 and what he does in 00:24:36.339 --> 00:24:36.779 the world. 00:24:39.559 --> 00:24:40.459 Being asked by the 00:24:40.459 --> 00:24:41.179 Pharisees when the 00:24:41.179 --> 00:24:41.919 kingdom of God would 00:24:41.919 --> 00:24:42.599 come, he said to 00:24:42.599 --> 00:24:44.139 them, the kingdom of 00:24:44.139 --> 00:24:45.059 God is not coming in 00:24:45.059 --> 00:24:45.699 ways that can be 00:24:45.699 --> 00:24:47.679 observed, nor is 00:24:47.679 --> 00:24:48.199 anybody going to say, 00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:48.939 look, here it is, 00:24:48.959 --> 00:24:49.459 or there. 00:24:50.699 --> 00:24:51.399 Rehold, the kingdom 00:24:51.399 --> 00:24:52.740 of God is amongst you 00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:53.119 now. 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:57.679 His mission is for 00:24:57.679 --> 00:24:59.099 people to know him 00:24:59.099 --> 00:25:01.919 and to know the 00:25:01.919 --> 00:25:02.799 kingdom of God. 00:25:05.399 --> 00:25:06.319 This idea of 00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:08.579 reorientation is easy 00:25:08.579 --> 00:25:09.459 for most of us, I 00:25:09.459 --> 00:25:10.679 think, if we use an 00:25:10.679 --> 00:25:11.179 illustration. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:12.859 Most of us in here 00:25:12.859 --> 00:25:15.619 either have kids or 00:25:15.619 --> 00:25:16.279 have worked with 00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:17.459 children in the past. 00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:22.399 Not naming any of you 00:25:22.399 --> 00:25:22.879 in particular. 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:23.420 If you're paying 00:25:23.420 --> 00:25:24.000 attention, I'm not 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:24.580 sure that they are. 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:28.260 But it's not weird to 00:25:28.260 --> 00:25:29.780 say to any of my 00:25:29.780 --> 00:25:31.280 children, hey, buddy, 00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:33.440 go grab your, go get 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:35.420 your PJs out, put them 00:25:35.420 --> 00:25:36.440 on, and brush your 00:25:36.440 --> 00:25:36.720 teeth. 00:25:39.460 --> 00:25:40.720 I wish I had a camera 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:41.620 that could follow 10 00:25:41.620 --> 00:25:42.600 seconds behind them to 00:25:42.600 --> 00:25:43.640 figure out why when I 00:25:43.640 --> 00:25:44.460 go in the bedroom, 00:25:45.020 --> 00:25:45.820 they're listening to 00:25:45.820 --> 00:25:46.640 stories on the CD 00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:47.400 player and playing with 00:25:47.400 --> 00:25:47.920 Legos. 00:25:48.820 --> 00:25:51.740 Or there's a thing 00:25:51.740 --> 00:25:52.559 with a cup and 00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:54.420 tapping it on a desk 00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:56.140 that I don't know why 00:25:56.140 --> 00:25:56.759 that happens. 00:25:56.839 --> 00:25:57.380 I can't get in the 00:25:57.380 --> 00:25:58.440 mind of my children, 00:25:58.559 --> 00:25:58.960 but I'm sure it's 00:25:58.960 --> 00:25:59.839 very, very interesting. 00:26:03.220 --> 00:26:04.480 And in that moment, 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:06.579 as a parent, you have a 00:26:06.579 --> 00:26:07.599 decision to make, right? 00:26:08.539 --> 00:26:10.460 Do I treat my child 00:26:10.460 --> 00:26:11.519 like a 40-year-old? 00:26:13.019 --> 00:26:14.000 Or do I treat them 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:15.500 like their actual age? 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:19.259 But the really simple 00:26:19.259 --> 00:26:20.299 decision you have to 00:26:20.299 --> 00:26:21.420 make is, regardless of 00:26:21.420 --> 00:26:22.279 how you respond in the 00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:23.940 moment, they still need 00:26:23.940 --> 00:26:24.880 to get their PJs on and 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:25.519 they still need to brush 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:26.140 their teeth. 00:26:27.299 --> 00:26:28.559 How do you reorient 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:30.660 them to what they're 00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:31.940 actually supposed to be 00:26:31.940 --> 00:26:32.700 doing in that moment? 00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:36.880 How do you get them to 00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:37.759 do the things that you 00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:38.940 know are best for them? 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:40.680 Because, you know, 00:26:40.740 --> 00:26:41.700 bedtime is one thing, 00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:43.319 but if your house is 00:26:43.319 --> 00:26:44.399 anything like our house 00:26:44.399 --> 00:26:46.299 is, or if working with 00:26:46.299 --> 00:26:47.119 the kids in the nursery, 00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:48.159 or any of the ways you 00:26:48.159 --> 00:26:50.179 might plug in to children, 00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:54.099 it is more herding cats 00:26:54.099 --> 00:26:54.919 most of the time. 00:26:55.019 --> 00:26:55.859 So this could be applied 00:26:55.859 --> 00:26:58.279 to lunchtime, or 00:26:58.279 --> 00:26:59.519 breakfast time, or 00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:01.579 playtime, or rest time, 00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:04.240 or any time of the day. 00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:08.460 We get trained in what is 00:27:08.460 --> 00:27:09.500 the right thing to be 00:27:09.500 --> 00:27:10.079 doing, right? 00:27:10.639 --> 00:27:11.339 Which is also a good, 00:27:11.399 --> 00:27:13.099 that's an aside for 00:27:13.099 --> 00:27:13.459 parents. 00:27:13.539 --> 00:27:14.699 Make sure that we're 00:27:14.699 --> 00:27:15.219 choosing the right 00:27:15.219 --> 00:27:16.159 battles with our kids, 00:27:16.299 --> 00:27:16.519 right? 00:27:18.839 --> 00:27:19.639 You don't have to be 00:27:19.639 --> 00:27:20.359 right all the time 00:27:20.359 --> 00:27:20.919 about everything. 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:23.159 I'm not encouraging 00:27:23.159 --> 00:27:24.139 your parents. 00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:24.799 Don't let your kids 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:25.379 disrespect you, you 00:27:25.379 --> 00:27:25.679 know what I mean? 00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:27.899 But there are also 00:27:27.899 --> 00:27:28.819 battles that need to be 00:27:28.819 --> 00:27:29.419 fought and battles that 00:27:29.419 --> 00:27:30.159 don't need to be fought. 00:27:31.019 --> 00:27:31.899 That's just an aside. 00:27:35.639 --> 00:27:36.699 I don't mean to belittle 00:27:36.699 --> 00:27:40.119 you as a person, but it 00:27:40.119 --> 00:27:41.259 belittles me as a person, 00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:42.059 but this is how Jesus 00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:42.859 treats us. 00:27:45.919 --> 00:27:46.879 This is his ultimate 00:27:46.879 --> 00:27:48.440 goal for his people, is 00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:50.179 that he constantly takes 00:27:50.179 --> 00:27:53.879 us, and that's a move I 00:27:53.879 --> 00:27:54.559 do in my house. 00:27:55.419 --> 00:27:57.720 The TV is a magnet, so 00:27:57.720 --> 00:27:58.659 regardless of what is on 00:27:58.659 --> 00:27:59.539 the TV, even if it's a 00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:00.579 clock bouncing around and 00:28:00.579 --> 00:28:01.159 you just want it to go 00:28:01.159 --> 00:28:02.460 right in the corner, but 00:28:02.460 --> 00:28:03.339 regardless of what's 00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:04.220 happening, the TV always 00:28:04.220 --> 00:28:05.099 has to be looked at. 00:28:06.619 --> 00:28:07.960 Turn their heads and focus 00:28:07.960 --> 00:28:08.720 them back on what they're 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:09.440 supposed to be doing. 00:28:13.319 --> 00:28:14.680 That's most of us, most 00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:15.079 of the time. 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:16.079 If you're like me, your 00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:17.259 pie is divided in so many 00:28:17.259 --> 00:28:18.140 ways that you can be 00:28:18.140 --> 00:28:19.819 distracted doing any 00:28:19.819 --> 00:28:20.640 number of things. 00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:23.640 That's one of the reasons 00:28:23.640 --> 00:28:25.420 I prayed earlier, because 00:28:25.420 --> 00:28:26.299 for me, one of the biggest 00:28:26.299 --> 00:28:27.360 things I need to remember 00:28:27.360 --> 00:28:28.440 all of the time is that 00:28:28.440 --> 00:28:29.440 God is our backdrop. 00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:32.340 God is our top, because 00:28:32.340 --> 00:28:33.400 everything we're doing is 00:28:33.400 --> 00:28:34.420 supposed to be filtered 00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:37.259 through that grid, and 00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:38.100 our focus is always 00:28:38.100 --> 00:28:39.080 supposed to be oriented 00:28:39.080 --> 00:28:41.400 based upon who Jesus is 00:28:41.400 --> 00:28:42.700 and what we're called to 00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.740 do in the world because of 00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:43.960 that. 00:28:46.259 --> 00:28:47.740 I need that all the time. 00:28:49.559 --> 00:28:50.400 And sometimes correction 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:51.759 and reorientation is not 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:52.279 enjoyable. 00:28:55.940 --> 00:28:57.559 We see at the end of that 00:28:57.559 --> 00:29:00.359 passage, he says to the 00:29:00.359 --> 00:29:01.579 Pharisees, neither will I 00:29:01.579 --> 00:29:02.659 tell you by what authority 00:29:02.659 --> 00:29:03.779 I do these things. 00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:04.740 In the second, we'll talk 00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:06.019 about why that's so sad. 00:29:08.539 --> 00:29:09.339 But some of us just don't 00:29:09.339 --> 00:29:10.440 want to be reoriented. 00:29:13.119 --> 00:29:14.859 But thankfully, he shows 00:29:14.859 --> 00:29:17.619 us correction and mercy in 00:29:17.619 --> 00:29:18.159 those ways. 00:29:18.339 --> 00:29:20.480 So finally and quickly, why 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:22.059 does Jesus show us this 00:29:22.059 --> 00:29:23.480 kind of correction and 00:29:23.480 --> 00:29:23.879 mercy? 00:29:24.839 --> 00:29:25.839 Well, because of his 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:26.619 unique grace. 00:29:27.559 --> 00:29:33.879 those last four verses, 00:29:34.879 --> 00:29:35.700 five through eight of 00:29:35.700 --> 00:29:39.799 chapter 20, the Pharisees 00:29:39.799 --> 00:29:40.919 discuss Jesus' question 00:29:40.919 --> 00:29:41.619 with one another. 00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:44.599 And you notice they're not 00:29:44.599 --> 00:29:47.659 even thinking of Jesus and 00:29:47.659 --> 00:29:48.579 all of the things that he's 00:29:48.579 --> 00:29:48.879 done. 00:29:49.359 --> 00:29:50.579 They're giving it zero time 00:29:50.579 --> 00:29:50.899 a day. 00:29:50.900 --> 00:29:56.780 This is the danger, by the 00:29:56.780 --> 00:29:59.240 way, for us when we seek to 00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:01.259 logic people into the 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:01.960 kingdom of heaven. 00:30:05.140 --> 00:30:06.320 We don't want to get into a 00:30:06.320 --> 00:30:07.380 conversation where people 00:30:07.380 --> 00:30:11.380 stop seeing Jesus in us and 00:30:11.380 --> 00:30:13.519 rather start to combat our 00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:14.980 words and experiences based 00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:15.900 upon those things. 00:30:20.819 --> 00:30:22.059 So rather than thinking of 00:30:22.059 --> 00:30:22.880 what Jesus might have 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:24.059 actually been saying to them 00:30:24.059 --> 00:30:25.360 by asking this question, they 00:30:25.360 --> 00:30:26.120 said, well, if he's from 00:30:26.120 --> 00:30:27.400 heaven, if we say that he's 00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:29.380 from heaven, he's going to be 00:30:29.380 --> 00:30:30.000 like, well, why don't you 00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:31.099 believe him and who I am? 00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:34.460 But if we say he's from man, 00:30:34.519 --> 00:30:35.220 all the people are going to 00:30:35.220 --> 00:30:36.519 stone us to death because they 00:30:36.519 --> 00:30:37.220 think he's a prophet. 00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:42.079 And so they answered that 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:42.839 they didn't know where it 00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:43.360 came from. 00:30:45.539 --> 00:30:47.240 And Jesus said, neither will I 00:30:47.240 --> 00:30:48.720 tell you by what authority I do 00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:49.440 these things. 00:30:52.380 --> 00:30:53.600 Throughout the book, he's been 00:30:53.600 --> 00:30:56.900 very willing to engage with the 00:30:56.900 --> 00:30:58.440 Pharisees and to answer them, 00:31:00.120 --> 00:31:01.460 attempting to reorient them in 00:31:01.460 --> 00:31:02.180 myriad ways. 00:31:04.860 --> 00:31:06.339 And at this point, he finally 00:31:06.339 --> 00:31:09.139 says, I'm not going to answer 00:31:09.139 --> 00:31:09.399 you. 00:31:11.419 --> 00:31:13.099 This is the leadership of 00:31:13.099 --> 00:31:13.419 Israel. 00:31:16.439 --> 00:31:18.759 These are the people who are 00:31:18.759 --> 00:31:20.619 charged with leading his people. 00:31:22.639 --> 00:31:26.139 And he says, I'm done. 00:31:30.699 --> 00:31:32.259 But there's a unique grace that's 00:31:32.259 --> 00:31:35.240 being said here that Jesus shows 00:31:35.240 --> 00:31:37.039 to his people throughout all of 00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:39.039 time because at the same, we 00:31:39.039 --> 00:31:42.059 can only imagine that he went 00:31:42.059 --> 00:31:43.099 back to teaching at that point 00:31:43.099 --> 00:31:44.460 in time, which is what he was 00:31:44.460 --> 00:31:45.579 doing at the beginning of this. 00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:47.980 They come to a stalemate in their 00:31:47.980 --> 00:31:48.779 argument. 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:51.700 And Jesus probably turned around 00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:52.519 and began to do what he was 00:31:52.519 --> 00:31:53.180 doing before. 00:31:56.180 --> 00:31:59.240 His heart for his people is 00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:01.079 shown in that type of action, 00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:03.039 but it's also shown in simple 00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:04.539 ways and in complex ways 00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:06.039 throughout the book. 00:32:07.460 --> 00:32:10.019 In Luke 4, he casts a demon out 00:32:10.019 --> 00:32:12.940 of the man and the man wasn't 00:32:12.940 --> 00:32:13.599 even harmed. 00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:17.539 Remember when he healed the 00:32:17.539 --> 00:32:20.420 paralytic in chapter 5? 00:32:22.779 --> 00:32:24.519 He answers the Pharisees in this 00:32:24.519 --> 00:32:24.680 one. 00:32:24.740 --> 00:32:25.619 He said, well, what's it easier 00:32:25.619 --> 00:32:26.099 to say? 00:32:26.659 --> 00:32:27.859 Your sins are forgiven of you 00:32:27.859 --> 00:32:29.059 or is it easier to say rise and 00:32:29.059 --> 00:32:29.359 walk? 00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:32.039 But that you may know that the 00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:33.240 Son of Man has authority on 00:32:33.240 --> 00:32:34.579 earth to forgive sins. 00:32:34.939 --> 00:32:35.919 He said to the man who was 00:32:35.919 --> 00:32:37.179 paralyzed, I say to you, pick up 00:32:37.179 --> 00:32:38.099 your bed and go home. 00:32:40.419 --> 00:32:41.879 He's terribly interested in 00:32:41.879 --> 00:32:44.619 healing our bodies as well as 00:32:44.619 --> 00:32:45.240 our souls. 00:32:49.059 --> 00:32:50.259 And even when that doesn't 00:32:50.259 --> 00:32:51.519 happen, we know from passages 00:32:51.519 --> 00:32:53.799 like that that he is with us and 00:32:53.799 --> 00:32:55.939 empathizes with us in our 00:32:55.939 --> 00:32:57.279 struggles and our lives. 00:32:57.279 --> 00:33:05.299 After he sent out the 72 in 00:33:05.299 --> 00:33:06.740 chapter 10, they came back and 00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:07.539 they're like, man, you should 00:33:07.539 --> 00:33:07.980 have seen. 00:33:08.319 --> 00:33:10.379 We were casting demons out and 00:33:10.379 --> 00:33:11.579 I made a cloud go from here to 00:33:11.579 --> 00:33:12.119 there. 00:33:12.359 --> 00:33:13.460 I don't know why I did that, but 00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:14.119 it was awesome. 00:33:14.899 --> 00:33:16.000 And they're saying all these 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:17.180 great things that he had done 00:33:17.180 --> 00:33:17.759 through them. 00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:20.099 And the eschatological 00:33:20.099 --> 00:33:21.480 intensity, the end times 00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:23.019 intensity, the reality of 00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:25.059 eternity, Jesus focuses them 00:33:25.059 --> 00:33:27.220 back and says, nevertheless, 00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:28.859 don't rejoice in that, that 00:33:28.859 --> 00:33:31.779 spirits are subject to you, but 00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:33.019 rejoice that your names are 00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:33.639 written in heaven. 00:33:36.139 --> 00:33:37.240 For those of us who are 00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:40.519 anxious, are not five sparrows 00:33:40.519 --> 00:33:41.599 sold for two pennies? 00:33:42.019 --> 00:33:42.759 And not one of them is 00:33:42.759 --> 00:33:43.899 forgotten before God. 00:33:43.980 --> 00:33:45.279 Why, even the hairs on your 00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:47.319 head are numbered. 00:33:48.379 --> 00:33:49.960 Fear not, for you're of more 00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:51.399 value than many sparrows. 00:33:51.400 --> 00:33:55.460 And if God so clothes the grass 00:33:55.460 --> 00:33:56.900 which is alive in the field 00:33:56.900 --> 00:33:58.240 today and tomorrow is thrown 00:33:58.240 --> 00:33:59.420 into the oven, how much more 00:33:59.420 --> 00:34:00.920 will he clothe you, O you of 00:34:00.920 --> 00:34:01.500 little faith? 00:34:02.940 --> 00:34:04.120 Instead, seek his kingdom. 00:34:05.280 --> 00:34:06.240 And these things will be added 00:34:06.240 --> 00:34:06.780 under you. 00:34:06.920 --> 00:34:09.700 Fear not, little flock, for it's 00:34:09.700 --> 00:34:11.079 your father's good pleasure to 00:34:11.079 --> 00:34:11.780 give you the kingdom. 00:34:11.780 --> 00:34:17.920 And his passion for his world 00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:20.640 can't be lost in this also. 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:22.680 The grace he shows to his world. 00:34:26.180 --> 00:34:27.860 As for that, in the good soil, 00:34:28.360 --> 00:34:29.660 they are those who, hearing the 00:34:29.660 --> 00:34:32.280 word, hold it fast in an honest 00:34:32.280 --> 00:34:33.880 and good heart and bear fruit with 00:34:33.880 --> 00:34:34.260 patience. 00:34:34.420 --> 00:34:35.920 This is, again, talking about 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:37.260 preaching the gospel openly and 00:34:37.260 --> 00:34:39.220 people receiving it. 00:34:40.660 --> 00:34:42.900 Jesus said to him, remember this 00:34:42.900 --> 00:34:44.380 story, no one who puts his hand 00:34:44.380 --> 00:34:45.940 to the plow and looks back is fit 00:34:45.940 --> 00:34:46.540 for the kingdom. 00:34:49.600 --> 00:34:51.160 In the same hour, he rejoiced in 00:34:51.160 --> 00:34:52.300 the Holy Spirit and said, I thank 00:34:52.300 --> 00:34:53.500 you, Father, Lord of heaven and 00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:54.680 earth, that you have hidden these 00:34:54.680 --> 00:34:55.860 things from the wise and the 00:34:55.860 --> 00:34:57.260 understanding and revealed them to 00:34:57.260 --> 00:34:57.920 little children. 00:34:58.880 --> 00:35:00.200 Yes, Father, for such is your 00:35:00.200 --> 00:35:00.980 gracious will. 00:35:01.060 --> 00:35:02.520 All things have been handed over to 00:35:02.520 --> 00:35:03.460 me by my Father. 00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:05.860 No one knows a son except the 00:35:05.860 --> 00:35:06.180 Father. 00:35:06.179 --> 00:35:06.259 Father. 00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:08.799 Or who the Father is except the 00:35:08.799 --> 00:35:10.480 Son and anyone to whom the Son 00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:11.739 chooses to reveal him. 00:35:13.419 --> 00:35:14.659 It's another above the line, 00:35:14.739 --> 00:35:16.699 below the line statement. 00:35:18.039 --> 00:35:19.159 Great for assurance. 00:35:19.899 --> 00:35:21.019 Terrible to club someone over the 00:35:21.019 --> 00:35:21.440 head with. 00:35:23.879 --> 00:35:25.279 Then last week, as he was coming 00:35:25.279 --> 00:35:26.500 into the city and the Pharisees 00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:27.940 said, hey, tell them to stop saying 00:35:27.940 --> 00:35:28.699 Hosanna to you. 00:35:28.839 --> 00:35:30.259 It's really disruptive and they 00:35:30.259 --> 00:35:32.879 think you're the great one, the 00:35:32.879 --> 00:35:33.739 Messiah who's coming. 00:35:33.739 --> 00:35:36.359 And Jesus said, hey, I could tell 00:35:36.359 --> 00:35:36.779 them that. 00:35:37.000 --> 00:35:39.519 But even if I did, even the stones 00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:40.199 would cry out. 00:35:40.979 --> 00:35:42.079 You can't deny what's happening 00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:42.539 right now. 00:35:45.879 --> 00:35:47.159 Perhaps the biggest sign of his 00:35:47.159 --> 00:35:49.419 grace to the world is that three 00:35:49.419 --> 00:35:51.199 times over the course of the book 00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:55.219 to this point, Jesus tells of his 00:35:55.219 --> 00:35:55.719 death. 00:35:55.719 --> 00:35:55.799 death. 00:35:57.799 --> 00:35:59.599 He says it's going to happen. 00:36:00.399 --> 00:36:01.799 And it has to happen. 00:36:05.219 --> 00:36:07.579 The ultimate grace that we find in 00:36:07.579 --> 00:36:10.679 Jesus is that when we might want to 00:36:10.679 --> 00:36:12.439 play cognitive or intellectual mind 00:36:12.439 --> 00:36:14.339 games with, as though you can play 00:36:14.339 --> 00:36:15.480 this with some other part of your 00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:15.739 body. 00:36:16.099 --> 00:36:18.619 At any rate, we want to play cognitive 00:36:18.619 --> 00:36:22.859 or intellectual games with the word and 00:36:22.860 --> 00:36:24.680 with the reality of the gospel. 00:36:26.360 --> 00:36:28.880 Jesus still has our hearts and our 00:36:28.880 --> 00:36:29.940 souls in view. 00:36:31.180 --> 00:36:34.380 As he knew, he ultimately came to die 00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:39.400 because only him dying and raising 00:36:39.400 --> 00:36:43.800 again, physically raising again, is 00:36:43.800 --> 00:36:45.780 ultimately going to bridge the chasm 00:36:45.780 --> 00:36:48.740 that you and I create between 00:36:48.740 --> 00:36:50.519 ourselves and our Heavenly Father 00:36:50.519 --> 00:36:51.440 every single day. 00:36:54.280 --> 00:36:56.360 I've heard all sorts of analogies for 00:36:56.360 --> 00:36:58.820 what it means to repent of your sins, 00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:01.579 but I can't help but feel that we get 00:37:01.579 --> 00:37:04.460 it wrong because we think that there's 00:37:04.460 --> 00:37:07.739 some tit for tat at play as though if 00:37:07.739 --> 00:37:09.340 I repent of this sin, if I just keep 00:37:09.340 --> 00:37:11.539 doing that enough, then I'll keep up 00:37:11.539 --> 00:37:13.019 with Jesus in all the times that he's 00:37:13.019 --> 00:37:13.679 forgiving me. 00:37:16.280 --> 00:37:17.559 Here's a crazy thought. 00:37:17.759 --> 00:37:18.559 That's a reality. 00:37:18.559 --> 00:37:22.219 During this 40 minutes or 35 minutes that 00:37:22.219 --> 00:37:23.639 I've been up here talking right now, 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:27.340 there's no way that through this entire 00:37:27.340 --> 00:37:29.320 time I've been honoring God with all my 00:37:29.320 --> 00:37:30.719 heart, soul, mind, and strength. 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:33.380 And I don't know how. 00:37:34.380 --> 00:37:36.480 I don't know how to confess those things 00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:37.159 specifically. 00:37:38.659 --> 00:37:41.880 Let alone from 6 o'clock this morning 00:37:41.880 --> 00:37:44.400 up until this point. 00:37:47.140 --> 00:37:50.099 Our debt load is so exponential 00:37:50.099 --> 00:37:54.059 that Jesus has zero interest in us 00:37:54.059 --> 00:37:57.619 thinking of how we could possibly repay him 00:37:57.619 --> 00:37:58.660 through our actions. 00:38:00.760 --> 00:38:03.240 And he knows going through this that only 00:38:03.240 --> 00:38:06.119 people who know how desperate they are 00:38:06.119 --> 00:38:09.619 for their heavenly father and how the only 00:38:09.619 --> 00:38:12.940 way to him is through Jesus. 00:38:16.119 --> 00:38:17.819 They're the only ones who inherit the 00:38:17.819 --> 00:38:18.039 kingdom. 00:38:19.880 --> 00:38:23.359 We see Jesus for who he is and we love 00:38:23.359 --> 00:38:25.599 him and we do what he says and we follow 00:38:25.599 --> 00:38:28.119 him and we repent and we do all of those 00:38:28.119 --> 00:38:31.219 things and they're effective only because 00:38:31.219 --> 00:38:34.460 his death satisfies a debt that we can't 00:38:34.460 --> 00:38:35.000 even imagine. 00:38:35.099 --> 00:38:36.019 We don't know what it is. 00:38:39.400 --> 00:38:43.280 That's the ultimate grace shown to his 00:38:43.280 --> 00:38:45.240 people and to his world. 00:38:47.820 --> 00:38:51.679 This is ultimately what Southwood is 00:38:51.679 --> 00:38:52.019 about. 00:38:54.619 --> 00:38:56.740 This is why we want you to be excited 00:38:56.740 --> 00:38:59.579 about giving of your time and your 00:38:59.579 --> 00:39:00.220 talents. 00:39:02.099 --> 00:39:03.760 God doesn't need your money. 00:39:04.460 --> 00:39:08.639 God will use you in spite of you 00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:12.039 just like he has used me in spite of me. 00:39:14.480 --> 00:39:16.599 But Jesus calls us to action in the 00:39:16.599 --> 00:39:19.960 world not because he needs us but because 00:39:19.960 --> 00:39:21.619 we need him. 00:39:24.420 --> 00:39:26.420 We've been given the key to happiness 00:39:26.420 --> 00:39:29.199 that no one is ever going to seek out 00:39:29.199 --> 00:39:30.699 and find on their own. 00:39:31.300 --> 00:39:33.539 Our neediness is his glory. 00:39:34.460 --> 00:39:38.699 Our brokenness is his passion. 00:39:39.960 --> 00:39:43.240 He loves people and he loves his world. 00:39:44.440 --> 00:39:46.619 Let's be excited as we get to give of 00:39:46.619 --> 00:39:50.019 ourselves sacrificially for the one who 00:39:50.019 --> 00:39:52.780 gives of himself eternally. 00:39:53.639 --> 00:39:54.599 Pray with me please. 00:39:54.599 --> 00:40:02.299 Father thank you for the gift of your word. 00:40:03.940 --> 00:40:09.239 Thank you for the way that Luke has taken the 00:40:09.239 --> 00:40:11.420 time to draw it out and even as we step away 00:40:11.420 --> 00:40:15.539 over the next several weeks to celebrate the 00:40:15.539 --> 00:40:17.059 advent and the coming of our savior. 00:40:17.059 --> 00:40:19.059 Father thank you for the gift of 00:40:19.059 --> 00:40:23.039 we think of the fact that he came to die. 00:40:24.440 --> 00:40:28.719 He came to show us grace unfathomable and 00:40:28.719 --> 00:40:29.340 unmeasurable. 00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:36.440 And we pray that our response to that isn't to do 00:40:36.440 --> 00:40:41.559 anything other than marvel at the wonderful love that 00:40:41.559 --> 00:40:42.699 Christ has for us. 00:40:44.619 --> 00:40:47.079 And I pray that that would drive us today and that 00:40:47.079 --> 00:40:49.139 many of us would come out and pray and walk around 00:40:49.139 --> 00:40:49.599 Whitesburg. 00:40:50.539 --> 00:40:52.940 But even if we don't that that would drive us throughout 00:40:52.940 --> 00:40:57.980 this week and the coming weeks as we consider what does 00:40:57.980 --> 00:41:01.980 it mean to be your people living with your heart and on 00:41:01.980 --> 00:41:03.659 your mission here in the world. 00:41:03.840 --> 00:41:05.880 How does that impact Huntsville and beyond? 00:41:05.880 --> 00:41:09.880 How do we live in a Christ centered way in front of people 00:41:09.880 --> 00:41:11.519 that we live around and work with? 00:41:13.019 --> 00:41:16.420 What does it look like to pray as though we need to pray? 00:41:17.800 --> 00:41:20.980 Where are the least and the lost and the littlest and the 00:41:20.980 --> 00:41:23.280 loneliest and the left out? 00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:30.019 And I pray that we would know and have experienced your grace 00:41:30.019 --> 00:41:35.740 so that we can really express it to those who live around us. 00:41:35.880 --> 00:41:37.400 And who you've put in our path. 00:41:39.039 --> 00:41:41.079 Thank you for your love for us. 00:41:41.980 --> 00:41:42.800 In Christ's name we pray. 00:41:43.280 --> 00:41:43.559 Amen. 00:41:43.559 --> 00:41:43.660 Amen.