WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.459 Our theme today is about selfish ambition versus selfless provision. Mother Teresa said, 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:14.939 it's not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving. And thinking about Mother's Day, 00:00:15.019 --> 00:00:19.940 that probably resonates with many people because there's many people here who are fortunate and 00:00:19.940 --> 00:00:25.140 blessed to have been mothers and are mothers and grandmothers. You know what that actually costs. 00:00:25.140 --> 00:00:31.399 There's a couple of cards that I was going through. I thought you might amuse you. Thanks, Pete. 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:38.140 There we go. To mum, I'm hungry, I'm cold, I'm hot. Can I have, I want to watch. Where are you? 00:00:38.579 --> 00:00:47.500 To dad, where's mum? Here we go. I'm warning you, if you fall out of that tree and break both legs, 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:53.880 don't come running to me. Treat mum to a bottle of wine this Mother's Day. Remember, 00:00:53.880 --> 00:01:08.299 you're the reason why she drinks. I was just thinking with that two contrasts of reading, 00:01:08.659 --> 00:01:14.820 one about love and the other one here, which is really some tough talking from James about 00:01:14.820 --> 00:01:21.500 challenging our character. You know, where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder 00:01:21.500 --> 00:01:29.079 and every evil practice. And we know that. We know that where we sow, what is likely to come up. 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:37.340 And in this morning's reading, selfish ambition is often the heart of many issues that we face. 00:01:37.939 --> 00:01:47.060 You know, it's all about me. It's the I want, it's my way or no way. And so easily we can buy into 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:53.219 that thing from the culture, a preference that's dressed up as a right. You know, this is my right. 00:01:53.359 --> 00:02:00.719 Get even. I love, there was another card up there, which I just couldn't, it's got, get even. 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:11.780 Live long enough to become a problem to your children. And we buy into all this, don't we? 00:02:11.780 --> 00:02:20.800 I was looking through the other day and they were saying that the most played or requested song 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:31.020 at a funeral is My Way by Frank Sinatra. And I thought that is so sad because actually it reinforces 00:02:31.020 --> 00:02:37.960 everything that we're talking about this morning, about selfish ambition. And now the end is near and 00:02:37.960 --> 00:02:43.700 so I, my friend, I'll say it clear. I'll state my case of wish uncertain. I've traveled each and 00:02:43.700 --> 00:02:52.760 every highway, but more, much more than this, I did it my way. What a sad thing to have said on your 00:02:52.760 --> 00:02:59.680 final journey to meet with the Lord. I've loved, I've laughed and cried. I've had my full share of 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:05.760 losing. And now as tears subsides, I find it all so amusing. Isn't that great? Really mess people's 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:11.379 lives up around you. And for what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, he is not. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:20.319 To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels. Ouch. How do people listen to 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:28.859 the words when they choose it? I just thought the promises that we're thinking about this morning, 00:03:28.959 --> 00:03:34.239 we're getting gritty. We're talking about God's provision and not what we do for ourselves. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:41.260 And this morning as we travel through Lent, we're halfway through our 40 acts. This morning, 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:47.480 we're going to pause and just consider in what way our lives might change and how we can change them 00:03:47.480 --> 00:03:54.260 if we look at God's provision for us, as we've seen in the windmill, and what we can make a difference 00:03:54.260 --> 00:04:02.480 if we live in God's way and not just in our way. I was really disappointed the other day. I was at a 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:09.799 meeting and somebody mentioned about, oh, you know, we need to construct the culture because people 00:04:09.799 --> 00:04:15.259 don't come to church on a Sunday anymore. And I thought, no, actually, that's the wrong way around. 00:04:15.839 --> 00:04:22.899 The wrong way around is we as Christians need to influence the culture and we don't buy into the 00:04:22.899 --> 00:04:29.500 culture. That somewhere that church on a Sunday morning is so excited that you would want to come, 00:04:29.500 --> 00:04:34.899 that you would actually sort of make sure that you did football and everything else on another day of 00:04:34.899 --> 00:04:40.259 the week. Because actually to come and be with your friends and your family, to be so encouraged on a 00:04:40.259 --> 00:04:45.319 Sunday, this is the way it's going to be. And I pray for this generation that's coming through, 00:04:45.399 --> 00:04:52.939 for Harvey's generation, that we will actually, in prayer, claim back Sunday for God. Do the people 00:04:52.939 --> 00:05:00.519 say amen to that? I hope you do. That would be great. We can do that. And how do we do that? Because 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:08.100 we shift the culture and look for God's provision in us and through us. We become attractive. 00:05:10.699 --> 00:05:18.519 Mother's Day for money will be a huge joy. For others, it will be a deep sense of sadness, 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:26.799 maybe regret, things we should have done. You know, I was just reflecting on how much I've, 00:05:27.500 --> 00:05:37.139 through my life, had become like my mother. You can laugh. Because I think Mandy looks at me 00:05:37.139 --> 00:05:45.339 sometimes at those moments and says, that is so your mother, isn't it? You know, those little inherited 00:05:45.339 --> 00:05:53.239 things that we pick up. And that is really good in many ways, if they are good things. But so often, 00:05:53.799 --> 00:06:01.159 we pick up almost the dirt and grime of life that we pick up that we need to get rid of. 00:06:01.899 --> 00:06:11.199 God's provision in us to be more God in who we do and what we are. And Jay's son, Zachary, last week, 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:15.620 brought along a great thing. It's called a transformer. I don't know whether you knew 00:06:15.620 --> 00:06:22.379 transformers. They look like one thing, but you turn them inside out and they turn into something 00:06:22.379 --> 00:06:28.759 else. And do you know what? I was thinking about that this week, about how about God's provision 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:37.800 of all the goodness that God has got for us, that somehow we turn ourselves inside out so that God can, 00:06:37.800 --> 00:06:44.000 people can see the goodness that is within us, that we would shine, like we've used a candle this 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:51.900 morning, that we would shine into every situation that we've been called into as Christians, to be a 00:06:51.900 --> 00:06:59.220 changing and transforming power in the lights and places to which we are called during the week. 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:07.660 It is about being transformed. And this is for everybody in all ages. And we've sort of said this 00:07:07.660 --> 00:07:13.880 morning about, seek ye first the kingdom of God. And that's what we need to do more and more. What 00:07:13.880 --> 00:07:25.460 has God got for us? Sometimes we need to learn from our children. And there's a, my daughter showed me 00:07:25.460 --> 00:07:33.440 a clip that's gone viral. It's, they picked it up on the BBC. And it's a lad called Jacob. And do you know 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:43.399 what he was so incensed by seeing a man begging on the streets, that he decided that he would do 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:51.439 something about it? That it wasn't about what he wanted, but it was about God's provision to provide 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:55.600 for somebody else. His mum must have been so proud of him. Shall we have the quick clip? 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:57.600 MUSIC PLAYS 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:15.279 I saw homeless people in Brighton hiding in a scaffolding. When we got home, I ran straight upstairs 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:22.279 and wrote a poster about wanted things and to pack 10 backpacks originally. 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:24.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:08:24.279 --> 00:08:30.279 I'm, I'm really happy because one of these bags may save someone's life. 00:08:30.279 --> 00:08:31.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:34.279 I'm really happy because one of these bags may save someone's life. 00:08:34.279 --> 00:08:35.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:40.279 I keep having to remind me that I'm really happy because one of these bags may save someone's life. 00:08:40.279 --> 00:08:41.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:47.279 I keep having to remind myself that everyone has been so generous because of him. And this 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:54.279 whole thing exists because of his idea. And yeah, it's absolutely incredible. 00:08:54.279 --> 00:08:55.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:56.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:08:56.279 --> 00:08:57.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:58.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:08:58.279 --> 00:08:59.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:00.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:01.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:02.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:03.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:04.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:09:04.279 --> 00:09:05.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:06.279 I've got a present for you, Jay. 00:09:06.279 --> 00:09:07.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:08.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:09:08.279 --> 00:09:09.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:10.279 MUSIC CONVINCES 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:11.279 MUSIC PLAYS 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:16.279 MUSIC faisMik 00:09:16.279 --> 00:09:21.279 spat on, you know, it's not my fault I'm homeless. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:22.279 No. 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:23.279 It's not there for me. 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:24.279 It's good. 00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:27.279 It's nice to see someone actually doing something 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:31.279 and not, you know, criticising us for being homeless. 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:32.279 That's nice meeting you, man. 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:33.279 Cool. 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:34.279 Nice. 00:09:34.279 --> 00:09:38.279 Thank you to all the people that have helped out, 00:09:38.279 --> 00:09:40.279 and it's very simple to be kind, 00:09:40.279 --> 00:09:45.279 and at the end of the day, homeless people are just humans 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:47.279 with a lot of bad luck. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:02.279 I chatted away most of what I was going to say this morning, 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:05.279 because you don't have selfish ambition when you're seven, do you? 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:08.279 You look at God's ambition for what people want 00:10:08.279 --> 00:10:10.279 and to make a difference. 00:10:10.279 --> 00:10:13.279 So this morning, quite simply, 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.279 we're going to submit ourselves to God 00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:19.279 for God's provision in us and through us 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:21.279 to make a difference to this world. 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:26.279 And James says, submit yourself to God and his purposes, 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:28.279 and it's a tough one to do, 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:33.279 to say, Lord, I submit myself to your purposes. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:36.279 And we're going to ask God to do that this morning. 00:10:36.279 --> 00:10:38.279 It takes an acknowledgement. 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:40.279 It takes an acknowledgement in us, 00:10:40.279 --> 00:10:43.279 and it's a word that was used in submission, 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:46.279 that we submit to God's will. 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:47.279 I don't know about you, 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:51.279 how much are we doing that I've done in my own strength 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:55.279 when I can do so much more in God's strength? 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:56.279 That he wants to do. 00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:59.279 I want to be more and more like Jacob. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:02.279 I want to be an agent of change, 00:11:02.279 --> 00:11:03.279 a mover and a shaker. 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:05.279 And it says, fight, never submit. 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:06.279 And do you know what? 00:11:06.279 --> 00:11:11.279 Sometimes we spend so much time fighting against God. 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:16.279 Believe me, that we just need to submit 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:20.279 and let him do what he wants to do in our lives. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:23.279 Does anybody feel like that sometimes? 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:28.279 Just that thing of, Lord, just almost let go 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:31.279 and show me what you want to do. 00:11:32.279 --> 00:11:34.279 I love that thing of John Wimber who said, 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:37.279 you've seen my ministry, now show me yours. 00:11:38.279 --> 00:11:41.279 That was his very simple prayer. 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:45.279 You've seen my ministry, Lord, now show me yours. 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:50.279 Turning from selfish ambition to his selfless provision 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:52.279 is for all of us. 00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:56.279 And we can do that very simply this morning. 00:11:56.279 --> 00:11:59.279 And I'm not going to make a big, big, big, big, 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:00.279 well, we might do an article, we'll see. 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:04.279 No, we're going to actually just spend the time 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:06.279 and we're just going to save, 00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:09.279 have a time of reflection for those things 00:12:10.279 --> 00:12:12.279 that maybe we have spent a lot of energy 00:12:12.279 --> 00:12:15.279 climbing the greasy pole of our career, 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:19.279 of what we want in our lives, 00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:22.279 rather than actually relying on the amazing thing 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:24.279 that God's got for us as well. 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:25.279 The idea that God's got for our power too, 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:26.279 can be on the nature of our恩徊 sagtens the facts the Vedic 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:29.279 long-to-deind Cancer reclaimable as well.