WEBVTT 00:00:01.943 --> 00:00:02.504 For real. 00:00:02.504 --> 00:00:05.530 We're going to be in Galatians, chapter 4 this morning. 00:00:05.530 --> 00:00:07.052 Galatians, chapter 4. 00:00:07.052 --> 00:00:38.652 You ever met somebody that had a really tough surface, like they looked like they were strong, but then they got put in certain situations maybe maybe around a little kid or maybe around their dog, and they were gentle, like Donovan, and they were tender and you're like I didn't know that person had that in them. 00:00:38.652 --> 00:00:46.049 I thought they were so tough and strong and big, but then in this situation they're gentle and they're tender. 00:00:46.049 --> 00:00:52.631 I think we've all met people like that and seen guys like that, the gentle, giant type. 00:00:52.631 --> 00:01:03.445 You know, the reason why I bring that up is because we've been going through a series the last few months called Paradigm Shift and we've been going through somebody. 00:01:03.445 --> 00:01:09.266 Tell me we've been going through the book of Galatians Awesome, the book of Galatians. 00:01:09.307 --> 00:01:17.349 You guys remember the book of Galatians and we've seen Paul the writer seemingly tough. 00:01:17.349 --> 00:01:21.435 I mean he didn't even come across as mean. 00:01:21.435 --> 00:01:25.012 He's used strong language. 00:01:25.012 --> 00:01:26.900 He's told people you need to straighten out. 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:33.013 He got in somebody's face like he was a weigh-in for a UFC fight or something. 00:01:33.013 --> 00:01:43.646 This is what he did and the reason, as we've been discovering the last couple months now, is these people had drifted from the gospel. 00:01:43.646 --> 00:01:49.105 They understood that Jesus came, he died, he was buried and he resurrected. 00:01:49.105 --> 00:01:52.132 They understood they need to put faith in Christ. 00:01:52.132 --> 00:01:58.400 But they were thinking they got to do all these other things to get God's acceptance and God's love. 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:03.608 And Paul says, no, you don't got to do this. 00:02:03.608 --> 00:02:07.594 And he's strong and he's very clear. 00:02:07.594 --> 00:02:12.270 There's no doubt what he's thinking, because he's telling it like it is, you know. 00:02:12.270 --> 00:02:38.364 But today we're going to see a side of him that is compassionate and it's like he has this nurturing heart, this heart of a well, this heart of a spiritual leader, and today what we're really going to see is we're going to see the heart of a spiritual leader. 00:02:38.383 --> 00:02:39.927 Now, no, no, no. 00:02:39.927 --> 00:02:41.171 I want to talk to a few of you for just a moment. 00:02:41.171 --> 00:02:41.752 It's just us here. 00:02:41.752 --> 00:02:41.993 No, no, no, no. 00:02:41.993 --> 00:02:43.658 I want to talk to a few of you for just a moment. 00:02:43.658 --> 00:02:46.669 It's just us here. 00:02:46.669 --> 00:02:50.704 Some of you have been hurt by a spiritual leader before. 00:02:50.704 --> 00:03:03.060 Maybe somebody misused their leadership or maybe they did something that was just wrong, that they shouldn't have done. 00:03:03.060 --> 00:03:19.631 I want to say to you that I'm sorry and I would acknowledge that you experienced some things that you shouldn't have experienced I also want to say to you is that just because somebody is in the position of spiritual leadership doesn't mean that they're a spiritual leader. 00:03:19.631 --> 00:03:30.350 Just because somebody is in a spiritual leadership position, that doesn't mean that they're a spiritual leader. 00:03:30.350 --> 00:03:38.568 And for those of you that I've been talking to for the last 60 seconds or so, I think today can be very significant for you. 00:03:38.568 --> 00:03:48.770 It can be very recalibrating for you and for your heart, because we're going to look at scripture and we're going to see some of what a true spiritual leader is. 00:03:49.951 --> 00:03:56.751 But before we get there, in Galatians, chapter 4, paul is going to be reminding these people of some things he's already been telling them. 00:03:56.751 --> 00:04:00.449 So we're going to pick it up in Galatians, chapter 4, verse number 8. 00:04:00.449 --> 00:04:01.412 Galatians 4, 8. 00:04:01.412 --> 00:04:04.508 If you're ready for the word, would you say amen, amen. 00:04:04.508 --> 00:04:05.531 Hey, I'm excited. 00:04:05.531 --> 00:04:09.889 This is like my first full-length message here in like over a month, so I'm excited to be back. 00:04:09.889 --> 00:04:11.222 I know that's right. 00:04:11.222 --> 00:04:13.074 That means it's going to be about an hour and a half guys. 00:04:13.074 --> 00:04:14.580 No, just kidding, making up for last time. 00:04:14.580 --> 00:04:16.963 I'm really excited for this summer here at FCC. 00:04:16.963 --> 00:04:23.649 I really believe by God's grace, we're going to have a summer jump and not a summer slump and I just believe that God has great things for us this summer. 00:04:24.951 --> 00:04:28.435 Galatians, chapter 4, verse 8, it says but in the past you didn't know God. 00:04:28.435 --> 00:04:30.439 You were what's that word? 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:30.800 You were. 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:35.930 You're enslaved to the things that, by nature, are not God's. 00:04:35.930 --> 00:04:44.819 Before you'd put your faith in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, some of you were enslaved to this religious system, keeping all the rules. 00:04:44.819 --> 00:04:46.879 No doubt, in this context, some of these people were enslaved to this religious system, keeping all the rules. 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:52.112 No doubt in this context, some of these people were enslaved to mysticism and astrology and all of these. 00:04:52.112 --> 00:04:54.809 There's got to be this spirituality gods out there. 00:04:54.809 --> 00:04:56.427 They were enslaved to some of these things. 00:04:56.427 --> 00:05:00.040 This is before Christ, verse 9, he says. 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:16.103 Verse 9, he says but now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elements? 00:05:16.103 --> 00:05:20.951 Why would you go back to that when you have Christ now? 00:05:20.951 --> 00:05:31.677 Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? 00:05:31.677 --> 00:05:32.199 You're God's child. 00:05:32.199 --> 00:05:37.004 You don't need to go back to these things that you were holding, to, all these religious things that I had to do this. 00:05:37.004 --> 00:05:37.365 I had to do that. 00:05:37.365 --> 00:05:37.887 No, you have Christ. 00:05:37.887 --> 00:05:38.709 Christ is enough. 00:05:39.610 --> 00:05:43.884 And Paul, he's just repeating these things over and over and over again in this book in different ways. 00:05:43.884 --> 00:05:51.165 One way that these people are doing it verse 10, is he says you're observing special days, special months, seasons and years. 00:05:51.165 --> 00:05:57.221 I am fearful for you that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted. 00:05:57.221 --> 00:06:04.105 So, these people, they were observing certain days and months and seasons and years, and there was nothing wrong with that, but what they were saying? 00:06:04.105 --> 00:06:06.050 Because the Jews had all kinds of different feasts. 00:06:06.050 --> 00:06:10.947 But what they're saying is like you have to do these things or you are not a follower of Jesus. 00:06:10.947 --> 00:06:14.161 You have to keep these things In another place. 00:06:14.161 --> 00:06:17.031 Paul would write about different celebrating, different seasons and things. 00:06:17.620 --> 00:06:21.745 He says in verse five one person judges one day of Romans Romans 14,. 00:06:21.745 --> 00:06:24.668 One person judges one day to be more important than another day. 00:06:24.668 --> 00:06:28.072 So you think this day is important wonderful. 00:06:28.072 --> 00:06:31.375 Someone else judges every day to be the same. 00:06:31.375 --> 00:06:40.831 Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind Whoever observes the day observes it for the honor of the Lord, okay. 00:06:40.831 --> 00:06:41.857 So you think you should worship on Saturday? 00:06:41.857 --> 00:06:41.978 Great. 00:06:41.978 --> 00:06:43.824 You think you should worship on Sunday Great. 00:06:43.824 --> 00:06:47.112 Let each one be convinced in his own mind. 00:06:48.961 --> 00:07:00.108 And what Paul is saying is Paul is just repeating again and again what he's been saying is that it's not these other things that give you acceptance with God, it's your faith in Christ. 00:07:00.108 --> 00:07:12.052 And he's been teaching these people the truth and he's been being very clear with people because he loves people enough to tell them the truth. 00:07:12.052 --> 00:07:18.591 He loves these people enough to speak hard truth to these people. 00:07:18.591 --> 00:07:32.831 And then we get to verse 12, and now we're going to start seeing this compassion, this nurturing heart of Paul coming out. 00:07:32.831 --> 00:07:39.266 He says I beg you verse 12, brothers and sisters, become as I am, for I have also become as you are. 00:07:39.266 --> 00:07:40.605 You have not wronged me. 00:07:40.605 --> 00:07:42.745 Let me explain this. 00:07:42.745 --> 00:07:46.971 Become as I am, for I've become as you are. 00:07:46.971 --> 00:07:50.543 Paul says I'm someone that's fully following Christ. 00:07:50.543 --> 00:07:52.927 I just want to know him. 00:07:52.927 --> 00:07:55.552 I'm resting on my identity in him. 00:07:55.552 --> 00:07:56.113 I'm living. 00:07:56.113 --> 00:08:01.110 He's going to say in verse 5, I'm living in this freedom in Christ, or chapter 5. 00:08:01.110 --> 00:08:02.442 I'm living in this freedom in Christ. 00:08:02.442 --> 00:08:12.942 He's saying become like I am In Christ is satisfaction. 00:08:12.942 --> 00:08:13.605 He says I've become as you are. 00:08:13.605 --> 00:08:14.026 What does that mean? 00:08:14.026 --> 00:08:18.706 Well, 1 Corinthians, chapter nine Paul would talk about how he would go to a place and he would become like these people so they could better receive him. 00:08:19.350 --> 00:08:28.427 Now, this doesn't mean that Paul would jump into the sinful things they would do, but he would jump into the cultural things and he would do things like they did culturally. 00:08:28.427 --> 00:08:31.100 For example, have you ever been to another country? 00:08:31.100 --> 00:08:37.272 And they just do things that are kind of different. 00:08:37.272 --> 00:08:38.815 I'm not used to this, right? 00:08:38.815 --> 00:08:51.461 Maybe you are in a family, and you grew up in a family, where taking your shoes off in the house wasn't a big deal, but maybe you go to somebody's house and it's like you have your shoes on in their house. 00:08:51.461 --> 00:08:52.083 That's being rude. 00:08:52.083 --> 00:08:53.450 You know what I'm saying, right? 00:08:53.450 --> 00:09:02.730 What Paul would do is Paul would go to certain places and Paul would just say whatever the culture is here, I'm going to become like these people so I could try to point these people to Jesus. 00:09:02.730 --> 00:09:04.477 This is what I'm going to do. 00:09:04.477 --> 00:09:06.913 I'm going to maybe look a little different, maybe dress a little different. 00:09:06.913 --> 00:09:09.244 I'm going to do these things so people can know Christ. 00:09:09.645 --> 00:09:10.649 1 Corinthians 9,. 00:09:10.688 --> 00:09:11.471 He talks about this. 00:09:11.471 --> 00:09:14.802 And Paul says I have become as you are. 00:09:14.802 --> 00:09:25.509 I've done some of the things that I thought was a little bit weird, but I did it because I became as you are and he says you have not wronged me. 00:09:25.509 --> 00:09:27.173 What does he mean by that? 00:09:27.173 --> 00:09:28.302 Verse 13,. 00:09:28.302 --> 00:09:33.493 You know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a weakness in the flesh. 00:09:33.493 --> 00:09:40.994 You did not despise or reject me, though my physical condition was a trial for you. 00:09:40.994 --> 00:09:44.404 So Paul had some physical issue. 00:09:44.404 --> 00:09:48.962 There was something that, when he came to Galatia, it affected the people. 00:09:48.962 --> 00:09:52.511 We don't know what it was, but there was something that he had. 00:09:52.511 --> 00:09:56.990 Now we think we know it is based on the next verse, but we're not going to get there yet. 00:09:56.990 --> 00:10:03.312 On the contrary, you received me as an angel and a messenger of God, as Jesus Christ himself. 00:10:07.543 --> 00:10:08.125 Verse 15. 00:10:08.125 --> 00:10:18.643 What Do y'all get that? 00:10:18.643 --> 00:10:21.769 Torn out your eyes and given them to me? 00:10:21.769 --> 00:10:27.427 No, we know Paul had some type of a physical limitation. 00:10:27.427 --> 00:10:29.394 We believe it was his eyesight. 00:10:29.394 --> 00:10:38.248 Many people do because of this verse and then also because of later on in chapter I think it's six, maybe it's five, but we think it was his eyesight. 00:10:38.248 --> 00:10:42.139 But regardless whether it was his eyesight or not, this is what we do know. 00:10:42.139 --> 00:10:48.580 These people loved him enough that they were willing to give him their eyes. 00:10:48.580 --> 00:10:56.779 Man, that's some love Like I know a lot of y'all love me in here, but I don't think y'all love me that much. 00:10:56.779 --> 00:11:00.755 I know I don't love y'all that much. 00:11:00.755 --> 00:11:04.360 You give me your eyes. 00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:08.346 They loved him, he loved them. 00:11:09.609 --> 00:11:11.195 So then, verse 16, he asked them a question. 00:11:11.195 --> 00:11:14.119 So then, have I become your enemy? 00:11:14.119 --> 00:11:16.601 Because I told you the truth? 00:11:16.601 --> 00:11:33.355 You love me, I love you, I have told you the truth. 00:11:33.355 --> 00:11:35.917 Now am I your enemy? 00:11:35.917 --> 00:11:36.758 We live in a world. 00:11:36.758 --> 00:11:46.566 We live in a world that says if you don't affirm everything about me, then you don't love me. 00:11:46.566 --> 00:11:53.392 We live in a world that's confused acceptance with affirmation. 00:11:53.392 --> 00:12:00.097 Watch this Jesus accepted everybody, but he didn't affirm everything. 00:12:00.097 --> 00:12:00.879 This is what Paul says. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:06.106 Paul says I'm not your enemy because I told you the truth and I love this. 00:12:06.106 --> 00:12:08.509 He just asked them the question because they know Paul cares about them. 00:12:08.509 --> 00:12:11.759 They know Paul loves them. 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:13.143 Paul's like hey, listen, listen, listen, listen. 00:12:13.143 --> 00:12:13.985 I've told you the truth. 00:12:13.985 --> 00:12:20.102 I've been strong, but he's leaning into the love, like he's leaning into the relationship here. 00:12:21.335 --> 00:12:22.017 Verse 17,. 00:12:22.017 --> 00:12:24.485 He says they court you eagerly, but not for good. 00:12:24.485 --> 00:12:26.758 Now, these people, these are the. 00:12:26.758 --> 00:12:33.985 What we've talked about is the Judaizers, people that say you need to be circumcised, you need to do all these different things to have God's acceptance. 00:12:33.985 --> 00:12:36.845 These people have courted you eagerly, but not for good. 00:12:36.845 --> 00:12:38.519 They want to. 00:12:38.519 --> 00:12:39.140 What's that word? 00:12:39.140 --> 00:12:40.625 They want to Exclude. 00:12:40.625 --> 00:12:43.741 Exclude you from me so that you would pursue them. 00:12:43.741 --> 00:12:47.495 So these Judaizers, they want to get you away from me. 00:12:47.495 --> 00:12:55.626 They don't want you to be taught the gospel, they don't want that. 00:12:57.609 --> 00:13:03.005 Scripturally, can I just say watch out for people that are trying to remove you from the flock, from the body. 00:13:03.005 --> 00:13:11.105 Watch out for people that are saying, yeah, yeah, you don't need spiritual shepherds in your life, you can do this thing on your own. 00:13:11.105 --> 00:13:12.106 Just come over here. 00:13:12.106 --> 00:13:14.750 This is what they're doing here. 00:13:14.750 --> 00:13:16.120 Paul tells them very clearly. 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:19.662 He says they want to exclude you from me so that you would pursue them. 00:13:19.662 --> 00:13:21.645 This is what's happening. 00:13:21.645 --> 00:13:27.999 Verse 18, but it's always good to be pursued in a good manner and not just when I am with you. 00:13:30.201 --> 00:13:31.043 And then verse 19,. 00:13:31.043 --> 00:13:35.269 We see the heart of spiritual leadership. 00:13:35.269 --> 00:13:42.855 Spiritual leadership. 00:13:42.855 --> 00:13:47.863 He says my children, I am again suffering labor pains for you until Christ is formed in you. 00:13:47.863 --> 00:13:56.700 My children, I am again suffering labor pains for you until Christ is formed in you. 00:13:56.700 --> 00:13:59.023 Whoa. 00:14:01.125 --> 00:14:03.770 First of all, let me talk to the ladies real quick. 00:14:03.770 --> 00:14:09.861 Some of y'all ladies just thought Paul's writing that he's a dude. 00:14:09.861 --> 00:14:17.426 He has no idea what suffering labor pains is like Some of y'all are like some of you ladies are like you're like rolling your eyes. 00:14:17.426 --> 00:14:21.398 Like Paul, you don't know what that's like, right, obviously he doesn't. 00:14:21.398 --> 00:14:23.799 But here's what Paul's trying to do. 00:14:23.799 --> 00:14:44.144 Paul's trying to emphasize and trying to communicate that, like a loving, devoted mother goes through the suffering of labor pains for the birth of her baby, paul says listen, I love you and I'm devoted to you and I'm willing to suffer so Christ can be formed in you. 00:14:44.144 --> 00:14:58.609 Like I'm willing to go through difficulties and hardships so you can mature spiritually, so Christ can be formed in you, so you will value what God values, so you will see yourself as God sees you, so you will prioritize spiritual things. 00:14:59.673 --> 00:15:03.861 Paul says I didn't come to Galatia because I was trying to get a big following. 00:15:03.861 --> 00:15:05.365 Everybody come, follow me. 00:15:05.365 --> 00:15:10.860 Hey, here's my social media number, or whatever. 00:15:10.860 --> 00:15:11.763 Like, follow me. 00:15:11.763 --> 00:15:12.443 Here we go. 00:15:12.443 --> 00:15:13.907 Paul isn't doing that. 00:15:13.907 --> 00:15:17.580 Paul's not like I need to feel good about myself, I need status. 00:15:17.580 --> 00:15:21.649 No, paul's like I just wanted Christ to be formed in you. 00:15:21.649 --> 00:15:25.601 And then, in verse number 20, he says this. 00:15:25.601 --> 00:15:32.563 He says I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice because I don't know what to do about you. 00:15:32.563 --> 00:15:37.764 He's writing them, but he's not talking to them in person. 00:15:37.764 --> 00:15:38.346 He's writing them. 00:15:38.346 --> 00:15:41.561 He's saying I just don't know what to do. 00:15:41.561 --> 00:15:47.485 He said I know I've been really strong, but it's because I love you, I just don't know what to do. 00:15:47.485 --> 00:15:52.647 And what we see here in this text is we just see the heart of a spiritual leader, number one. 00:15:52.647 --> 00:15:54.196 I mean. 00:15:54.196 --> 00:16:01.711 He said I want Christ to be formed in you, christ to be formed in you, christ to be formed in you. 00:16:01.731 --> 00:16:10.730 Now, sometimes people can step into a role, a position of spiritual leadership, for misguided reasons. 00:16:10.730 --> 00:16:33.221 Sometimes what can happen is people can step into a role of spiritual leadership because of, maybe, some insecurity, for example, maybe there's insecurity and before we can see the heart of a spiritual leader, there's some reasons why misguided reasons people step into a role of spiritual leadership. 00:16:33.221 --> 00:16:48.126 It could be insecurity, maybe there's some insecurities that somebody has and they think that if I'm in this position of leadership, I'll be able to feel a certain way about myself, whether those insecurities are understood and realized or whether we don't even realize them. 00:16:48.126 --> 00:16:51.698 It's if I can step into this role, I'll feel a certain way about myself. 00:16:51.698 --> 00:16:56.698 That's a misguided reason to step into a role of spiritual leadership. 00:16:56.698 --> 00:17:01.149 Sometimes people step into the role because of expectations. 00:17:01.149 --> 00:17:10.476 Maybe there were people that were in your life growing up that were in roles of spiritual leadership. 00:17:10.476 --> 00:17:24.349 Maybe there are people in your life around you right now that are spiritual leaders and what we can think and what people can feel is, whether it's said or unsaid, there's just like this expectation. 00:17:24.349 --> 00:17:33.640 That's like because they're in a role of spiritual leadership, because they were a deacon, a teacher, a growth group leader, a whatever a pastor that I should be. 00:17:33.640 --> 00:17:36.063 It's a misguided reason. 00:17:36.063 --> 00:17:49.530 Sometimes it's out of obligation, like nobody's there, I'm just going to do it, I just feel obligated to do it. 00:17:49.530 --> 00:17:58.525 Misguided reason Sometimes and this is ugly, but this is real, it's just us, we talk real here Sometimes people step into that role because they want control. 00:17:58.525 --> 00:17:59.666 I just want to make decisions. 00:17:59.666 --> 00:18:03.855 I want to be in power In my company over here. 00:18:03.855 --> 00:18:07.215 I never had any authority, so I'm going to try to get an authority in the church to make decisions. 00:18:08.718 --> 00:18:12.884 Sometimes people step into leadership because of personal wounds. 00:18:12.884 --> 00:18:25.577 This happened to me in my past, where I was raised in this environment, and I have this wound in my life and I think if I can just step into this role over here, it's going to take care of this wound and I'm going to feel better. 00:18:25.577 --> 00:18:36.047 Sometimes what can happen is people can seek a leadership position, expecting a leadership position to do for them what only Jesus can do for them. 00:18:36.047 --> 00:18:51.703 And sometimes people can seek a leadership position where what they really need to do is seek a godly counselor or a godly therapist that will allow them to work through their emotional needs and wounds and hurts. 00:18:51.703 --> 00:18:59.685 Because this is why Because church leadership doesn't make someone whole, it just exposes places where they lack wholeness. 00:18:59.685 --> 00:19:04.063 Church leadership doesn't make someone whole. 00:19:04.063 --> 00:19:20.628 It just exposes places where they lack wholeness, so, like an insecure leader or somebody that is leading from a place of deep personal woundedness, their leadership is going to expose some of those things and how they respond if they don't get healed, things of this nature. 00:19:20.628 --> 00:19:31.691 And what can happen is leaders can hurt people and can misguide people because the motives aren't right and the motives aren't pure. 00:19:33.215 --> 00:19:49.759 Now I just want to stop and say for a second I'm really, really thankful that I get to be a part of a leadership team here and with leaders here that love people well and serve people well and care about people and are not leading from some of these positions. 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:51.323 I'm really thankful for that. 00:19:51.323 --> 00:19:52.767 Yeah, you can clap for that. 00:19:52.767 --> 00:19:53.718 You can clap for these people. 00:19:53.718 --> 00:19:56.807 Okay, I love it. 00:19:56.807 --> 00:19:57.269 I love it. 00:19:57.269 --> 00:19:59.316 The 9 am service they clapped about it too. 00:19:59.316 --> 00:20:03.987 Didn't clap about anything else in the message, but they clapped about that, it's true. 00:20:03.987 --> 00:20:09.926 Though and you know, I do want to talk to just our ministry leaders here. 00:20:09.926 --> 00:20:18.143 There's about 30 of us, which is awesome as far as if you're a growth group leader or a coordinator or a Kingdom Kids leader or a deacon, there's about 30 of us here, which is awesome, right. 00:20:18.143 --> 00:20:23.172 I kids leader at Deegan there's about 30 of us here, which is awesome, right. 00:20:23.172 --> 00:20:23.855 I want to say this. 00:20:23.855 --> 00:20:27.247 So this is just to talk to the rest of you. 00:20:27.247 --> 00:20:29.015 You're just sitting into our conversation, okay? 00:20:34.565 --> 00:20:36.974 We have to regularly ask ourselves what is our motive for being in our role of leadership. 00:20:36.974 --> 00:20:43.321 We have to be ruthlessly self-aware with our hearts and we have to say why am I doing what I'm doing right now? 00:20:43.321 --> 00:20:44.665 Am I doing this to people, please? 00:20:44.665 --> 00:20:47.172 Am I doing this because of other people are doing this? 00:20:47.172 --> 00:20:49.259 And this is what can happen sometimes. 00:20:49.259 --> 00:20:55.321 Sometimes, our motives are maybe drift a little bit and what we do in those moments is we don't quit and walk away. 00:20:55.321 --> 00:21:01.156 We just pray and repent and we say, hey, hey, I want to come back like Lord, purify my motives. 00:21:02.299 --> 00:21:24.730 Before I ever pray for any of you guys on my prayer list, I pray for me first, because I need to pray for me, and I have like five or six prayers I personally pray for myself and one of them is this I pray that God would give me purity in my motives and purity in my thinking, because this is a daily heart check for me, because this is what I know about me. 00:21:24.730 --> 00:21:27.494 This is going to surprise everybody. 00:21:27.494 --> 00:21:32.702 I'm normal. 00:21:32.702 --> 00:21:32.962 It's funny. 00:21:32.962 --> 00:21:40.392 Somebody walked in this morning and I think this is like their second or third time and they looked at me like out of the corner of their eye, like you can tell they knew I was the pastor. 00:21:40.392 --> 00:21:41.799 It was like don't talk to him. 00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:43.837 I was like man. 00:21:43.837 --> 00:21:45.423 I guess I got the cooties or something. 00:21:45.423 --> 00:22:02.224 You know, I'm a normal person, so my heart can drift from God and I can get misguided in my motives and this is why myself and us as leaders this is what we need to pray Lord, search my heart, lord, like what are my motives? 00:22:02.224 --> 00:22:05.009 Right, because our motives can get bad. 00:22:06.289 --> 00:22:11.076 And while these are misguided reasons for spiritual leadership, there are some right reasons for spiritual leadership. 00:22:11.076 --> 00:22:15.597 Here they are, and I love these and I'm thankful I get to serve with people that have these One, you love God. 00:22:15.597 --> 00:22:19.627 Two, you want Christ to be formed in those who are leading. 00:22:19.627 --> 00:22:23.700 And three, god is leading you to be in that role. 00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:25.363 That's why. 00:22:25.363 --> 00:22:29.737 That's why you want Christ to be formed in people. 00:22:29.737 --> 00:22:31.603 And when these are our motives, this is what we're going to do. 00:22:31.603 --> 00:22:35.402 We're going to care more about how people are doing than what people are doing. 00:22:35.402 --> 00:22:47.019 When these are our motives and this is our, why we can truly help people take steps of growth, because growth happens one step at a time and we won't need people to grow so they'll do something for us. 00:22:47.019 --> 00:22:55.008 We want people to grow because we genuinely care about them and we want Christ to be formed in them, and we won't use people to do something for us. 00:22:55.008 --> 00:23:00.356 We will do things for people because we love people and care about people and want Christ to be formed in them. 00:23:00.356 --> 00:23:04.085 This is when we're leaders that will actually pray for people. 00:23:04.085 --> 00:23:11.307 These are when we'll be leaders that are not looking for accolades and notoriety and reserve parking. 00:23:11.307 --> 00:23:18.586 We'll be leaders that are willing to pick up the towel and wash feet and serve and clean the restrooms when nobody's looking. 00:23:18.586 --> 00:23:31.240 And spiritual leadership is praying and sacrificing and serving people so Christ can be formed in those you're leading. 00:23:31.260 --> 00:23:32.824 Can we get that next slide up on the screen? 00:23:32.824 --> 00:23:34.528 This is what it's about. 00:23:34.528 --> 00:23:41.347 It's about this heart and it's so interesting that this was the heart of Paul. 00:23:41.347 --> 00:23:51.607 He says Christ formed in them and my goodness, paul went through a lot of stuff so Christ could be formed in these people. 00:23:51.607 --> 00:24:01.490 Man, leadership is tough, especially at that time, especially in 2024, because you love people and you want God to grow people. 00:24:01.490 --> 00:24:04.784 And Paul said this is my heart here. 00:24:04.784 --> 00:24:07.923 But I can't get away from something in the text. 00:24:07.923 --> 00:24:25.785 It's just kind of like gnawed at my heart this week as I was going through it is that Paul was willing to be a spiritual leader and make Jesus known to these people despite some physical limitations that he had. 00:24:25.785 --> 00:24:36.127 He had limitations in his life and there's a paradox to trials, setbacks and limitations. 00:24:37.796 --> 00:24:41.196 Everybody say the word paradox together Ready, okay, you guys know what. 00:24:41.196 --> 00:24:45.567 That is Great, I got the answer for you. 00:24:45.567 --> 00:24:52.142 It's something that seems to contradict itself, but it's actually true. 00:24:52.142 --> 00:24:56.263 So I'm going to give you this paradox in just a minute. 00:24:56.263 --> 00:24:57.048 Just a minute. 00:24:57.048 --> 00:25:01.344 I'm not giving it to you yet, but it seems to contradict itself. 00:25:01.344 --> 00:25:05.117 But in the kingdom of God it's true. 00:25:05.117 --> 00:25:17.347 Here it is the path to strength is paved with weakness. 00:25:17.347 --> 00:25:30.301 Now hold on, because in America, weakness is to be avoided at all costs. 00:25:30.301 --> 00:25:35.570 I don't even want to bring up my weaknesses, I don't even want to think about them. 00:25:35.570 --> 00:25:37.111 Only the strong survive. 00:25:37.111 --> 00:25:46.192 I'm strong, I can do it on my own, I don't need anything. 00:25:46.192 --> 00:25:48.733 I got this. 00:25:48.733 --> 00:25:54.675 But in the kingdom of God it's not the case. 00:25:54.675 --> 00:25:59.304 But in the kingdom of God it's not the case. 00:25:59.304 --> 00:26:15.163 In fact, this paradox, this kingdom of God paradox, will revolutionize the way you view trials and setbacks and limitations. 00:26:15.163 --> 00:26:15.345 It will. 00:26:15.345 --> 00:26:24.744 It'll revolutionize the way you view trials, setbacks and limitations. 00:26:28.664 --> 00:26:32.130 In 2 Corinthians 12, paul talks about some of this stuff he says concerning this what is this? 00:26:32.130 --> 00:26:34.693 It's his trial, his setback, his physical limitation. 00:26:34.693 --> 00:26:38.058 I pleaded with the Lord, so he prayed. 00:26:38.058 --> 00:26:47.027 I believe these were seasons of prayer. 00:26:47.027 --> 00:26:47.848 I prayed, pleaded with the Lord. 00:26:47.848 --> 00:26:48.349 How many times he did it? 00:26:48.349 --> 00:26:48.851 How many times? 00:26:48.851 --> 00:26:49.612 Three, that it would leave me. 00:26:49.612 --> 00:26:50.795 So he had something going on. 00:26:50.795 --> 00:27:02.666 Eyesight, I don't know, eyesight, I don't know. 00:27:02.666 --> 00:27:04.009 God, take this away. 00:27:04.029 --> 00:27:06.637 Now we're thinking if Paul prayed it, you know God's saying yes to that. 00:27:06.637 --> 00:27:07.179 I mean, this guy's Paul. 00:27:07.179 --> 00:27:07.661 You think Paul prayed? 00:27:07.661 --> 00:27:09.825 God's like Paul. 00:27:09.825 --> 00:27:10.405 What are you praying? 00:27:10.405 --> 00:27:12.749 Yes, yes, yes, it's your thing. 00:27:12.749 --> 00:27:21.601 Paul said I pleaded with the Lord, not once, not twice, three times. 00:27:21.601 --> 00:27:31.890 But he said to me guys looking at the verse, but he said to me the answer is yes, I'm going to allow that to leave you. 00:27:31.890 --> 00:27:34.809 Did it say that yes or no? 00:27:34.809 --> 00:27:42.326 No, that to leave you. 00:27:42.326 --> 00:27:43.891 Did it say that yes or no? 00:27:43.891 --> 00:27:47.662 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness, and that's not the answer that Paul wanted. 00:27:47.662 --> 00:27:49.145 That's not the answer that I want when I pray. 00:27:49.145 --> 00:27:53.111 Therefore, paul says what's he going to do? 00:27:53.111 --> 00:28:00.101 I'm going to gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may reside in me. 00:28:00.101 --> 00:28:06.244 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and in difficulties. 00:28:06.244 --> 00:28:13.882 He's listed all of the things for the sake of Christ, for when I am weak, then I am strong. 00:28:13.882 --> 00:28:14.243 What? 00:28:14.243 --> 00:28:23.525 And I am strong what Paul says? 00:28:23.525 --> 00:28:29.830 It was in my weakness that I found strength, because it caused me to rely deeper on Christ, because it caused me to understand what his grace can do. 00:28:30.651 --> 00:28:36.175 Now, when it comes to trials and setbacks and limitations, a lot of us, most of us we have one or two views. 00:28:36.175 --> 00:28:37.116 Okay, one or two views. 00:28:37.116 --> 00:28:38.097 You gotta get this one or two views. 00:28:38.097 --> 00:28:54.148 One view over here is that if I'm in a trial, a setback, a limitation, it's because God doesn't care about me, or because God is mad at me Because God doesn't care about me, or God's mad at me, or else, of course, I wouldn't be going through this. 00:28:54.148 --> 00:29:11.523 I mean, you know God's trying to get me because of what I did, but sometimes, oh, this is really uncomfortable. 00:29:11.523 --> 00:29:12.465 This is really uncomfortable. 00:29:12.465 --> 00:29:27.131 I'm going to say it, though Sometimes the reason you're having to trial this, to back the limitations, is because God actually does care about you, because God actually does care about you. 00:29:27.131 --> 00:29:31.570 So the thing that we think is the reason why God doesn't care is actually a source of his care sometimes. 00:29:31.570 --> 00:29:35.229 Now, sometimes we experience these because of the brokenness of the world and those things. 00:29:35.229 --> 00:29:50.817 We understand that, but sometimes it's because God cares about you, because God wants you to mature, because God wants you to experience what Paul talks about, like this strength, because God wants you to understand he is a stronger identity than any of these other things that we often hold to. 00:29:51.486 --> 00:29:52.289 It reminds me of a story. 00:29:52.289 --> 00:29:59.789 There was this young preacher, this up-and-coming preacher why are you laughing? 00:29:59.789 --> 00:30:02.269 I ain't talking about me, y'all, please. 00:30:02.269 --> 00:30:06.345 No, young, up-and-coming preacher, and I'm an old preacher man. 00:30:06.345 --> 00:30:08.953 I've been doing this for like five years now in a lead pastor role. 00:30:08.953 --> 00:30:12.314 Okay, man, I tell you what I'm losing my hair back here because of you guys. 00:30:12.865 --> 00:30:16.541 Now there's a young preacher and somebody went. 00:30:16.541 --> 00:30:23.967 Somebody had heard him, and then they went to this older, wise seasoned pastor and they said hey, you got to go hear this guy. 00:30:23.967 --> 00:30:30.499 He's great, you need to hear him, he's inspiring, he's a great Bible teacher. 00:30:30.499 --> 00:30:34.828 The wise seasoned pastor said, okay. 00:30:34.828 --> 00:30:46.673 So he showed up first Sunday, sat in the service and took notes Because there's a special place in heaven for note takers. 00:30:46.673 --> 00:30:57.653 You know what I'm saying, just kidding Took notes and after the service, the person that invited the old seasoned preacher to come here's the young preacher. 00:30:57.653 --> 00:31:04.853 What you think, wasn't he great? 00:31:04.853 --> 00:31:24.830 The old, wise seasoned pastor says I think he can be, but he's going to have to deeply suffer before he ever will be. 00:31:30.207 --> 00:31:42.371 And what that old, wise seasoned pastor understood and knew is that it's in the trials and the setbacks and limitations that God does his deep work in us. 00:31:42.371 --> 00:31:48.211 And can I just say, like, as your pastor, like, if you're in a season like that, let God do his work in you. 00:31:48.211 --> 00:31:55.605 And I know it's painful and like I know it's hard and I know there might be times you're like what in the world is happening right now? 00:31:55.605 --> 00:32:00.317 God might be doing a work in you in the season that you're in that you don't realize. 00:32:00.317 --> 00:32:11.292 And if you're anything like me, when I'm in the moment of one of these things, I don't have clear vision and I don't understand what God's doing and I ask him and he seems to not talk back to me. 00:32:11.292 --> 00:32:11.835 You know what I mean? 00:32:11.835 --> 00:32:25.395 I don't know, but when I'm in the rear view mirror and when I'm in the future and I'm looking back hindsight's 20-20, and I can see so much of what God was doing in that season, but I had to let God do his work in that season, you know what I'm saying. 00:32:27.006 --> 00:32:34.949 And sometimes what can happen is we can view this situation as God doesn't care about me, when it may be God doing his deep work of care in you. 00:32:34.949 --> 00:32:49.335 That's one view, another view, and I think it can be just as dangerous as this is that we can think that because I have a setback or limitation or a hardship, I'm not able to do what God wants me to do. 00:32:49.335 --> 00:32:55.817 I'm not willing and I'll say this a little bit stronger I can't obey God. 00:32:55.817 --> 00:32:58.928 I'm not willing, and I'll say this a little bit stronger I can't obey God. 00:32:58.928 --> 00:33:03.611 So, because of this, because I'm experiencing this, I can't do what God wants me to do. 00:33:03.611 --> 00:33:04.852 And I want to say a word to you. 00:33:04.852 --> 00:33:13.619 Okay, god isn't limited by your limitations, right, like God's calling in your life isn't limited by your limitations. 00:33:13.619 --> 00:33:23.031 So what we can think is we can think, because I have this issue, because I'm going through that, because I'm experiencing this, I can't do what God's word clearly says. 00:33:23.031 --> 00:33:23.553 I can't do that right now. 00:33:23.553 --> 00:33:36.540 Or God might have put something in you and you're like I just can't do this right now because, well, you know, I mean I have this over here and then, before we know it, it's like one year, five years, 10 years, 15 years, and God's calling is back here and God wants you to do something. 00:33:36.540 --> 00:33:39.557 And it's like we spent years before we followed God's calling. 00:33:39.557 --> 00:33:41.747 The calling of God is without repentance. 00:33:41.747 --> 00:33:45.596 Sometimes what we think is we're like man, it's summer, it's like whatever. 00:33:45.596 --> 00:33:48.130 Like you know, I'm gonna kind of take it easy on my faith. 00:33:48.130 --> 00:33:50.305 I'm not gonna take it serious about my faith, you know. 00:33:50.305 --> 00:33:55.251 So I can't really obey God and fully follow God in the summer, because I'm just chilling all summer. 00:33:55.251 --> 00:33:56.393 It's like no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:33:56.393 --> 00:34:00.699 God's calling is limited by your limitations. 00:34:01.400 --> 00:34:05.791 You think about some of the great heroes of scripture that we talk about. 00:34:05.791 --> 00:34:09.298 You think about people like Job. 00:34:09.298 --> 00:34:12.987 Job lost everything. 00:34:12.987 --> 00:34:22.139 If I was Job, I think I would have just crawled up in the fetal position and just cried and then looked for something to end my life. 00:34:22.139 --> 00:34:29.773 Honestly, he lost everything, but he still said I'm still following God. 00:34:29.773 --> 00:34:34.530 Think about King David. 00:34:34.530 --> 00:34:35.916 You read the Psalms. 00:34:35.916 --> 00:34:37.492 This bro was depressed. 00:34:37.492 --> 00:34:42.110 He had some emotional things, he was working through some heavy emotional things. 00:34:42.110 --> 00:34:46.208 He still said I'm going to see God and pursue God all the days of my life. 00:34:46.208 --> 00:35:02.552 You think of Mary, mary, the mother of Jesus, in a world where there were women, were marginalized, mistreated and aside, mary's a teenager and God says Mary said at your word, I'm going to believe you. 00:35:03.735 --> 00:35:04.596 You think of Rahab. 00:35:04.596 --> 00:35:06.980 Rahab had a sketchy past. 00:35:06.980 --> 00:35:07.326 Y'all. 00:35:07.326 --> 00:35:09.652 She had a real sketchy past. 00:35:09.652 --> 00:35:13.208 But God spoke to her of what she was supposed to do and she obeyed. 00:35:13.208 --> 00:35:16.177 She didn't say God, you don't know what I did last summer. 00:35:16.177 --> 00:35:18.088 She was supposed to do and she obeyed. 00:35:18.088 --> 00:35:19.972 She didn't say God, you don't know what I did last summer. 00:35:19.972 --> 00:35:20.614 She got, I'm following Right. 00:35:20.614 --> 00:35:21.596 And here's why I bring this up. 00:35:21.635 --> 00:35:22.318 Here's why I bring this up. 00:35:22.318 --> 00:35:37.320 It's because every one of us have limitations, trials and setbacks in our life, and what the enemy wants us to do is he wants us to say because of this, I can't follow God and do this. 00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:40.132 Can we get that next slide up? 00:35:40.132 --> 00:35:42.909 And this is what I want you to do. 00:35:42.909 --> 00:35:43.773 I want you to think right now. 00:35:43.773 --> 00:35:51.536