WEBVTT 00:00:09.779 --> 00:00:13.320 Hello, and welcome to the Kalamazoo church of Christ podcast. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:14.839 Thank you so much for listening. 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:16.199 We're startup church. 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:23.460 We just planted in September, 2020 and at the Kalamazoo church, we believe that Christianity is done best when it is done together. 00:00:23.579 --> 00:00:32.299 And so if you live in the Kalamazoo area, we would love to connect, be it coming to a Sunday service, one of our small groups, or even just grabbing coffee with a member to learn more. 00:00:32.539 --> 00:00:36.439 You can visit kalamazoo.church in order to do that. 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:40.439 We pray that you are inspired by what you hear today. 00:00:40.979 --> 00:00:42.960 Good morning, Kalamazoo church. 00:00:43.619 --> 00:00:45.020 It's great to be here. 00:00:45.460 --> 00:00:55.820 Um, you know, my wife and I really wanted to come earlier in the year, but we had a pretty wild year and we just weren't able to do it. 00:00:55.820 --> 00:01:13.819 But we came last year, sang a bunch of songs together, had a great time and uh, we're, I'm pumped to be back and I wanted to bring a family, but for anybody that has any kids or two or three, you're like, it's diminishing returns with how many you have. 00:01:14.219 --> 00:01:16.140 And so we decided that I would just come today. 00:01:16.620 --> 00:01:22.599 Um, we opened up your Bible to Luke 19 and I just want to introduce myself just for a moment. 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:32.099 And, you know, thank Jaron and Bianca, obviously for your kind words, you know, it's, it's strange hearing nice things said about you because then you feel like, you know, I need to like be those things. 00:01:32.620 --> 00:01:41.099 I was like, I got to be passionate, you know, um, I, you know, I really appreciate, um, you Jaron and your wife. 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:43.299 We were talking last night, we had some time together. 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:54.659 I'll just, I often think of Jaron and Bianca that, you know, sometimes with leadership, there can be, we probably all had times where you felt a little strange about leadership, right? 00:01:54.739 --> 00:02:01.180 Like there's like a, sometimes there's a weird vibe in the people leading or like, Oh, like they really like being a leader. 00:02:01.659 --> 00:02:03.319 Not ever what you want to say about someone. 00:02:05.099 --> 00:02:08.520 And then you meet people who are leaders who don't, they don't treat you any different. 00:02:09.020 --> 00:02:09.939 There's no elitism. 00:02:10.439 --> 00:02:11.439 There's a humility there. 00:02:11.460 --> 00:02:16.400 And I feel like that kind of disposition, uh, the things exude and I really appreciate that. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:23.479 I don't, I don't ever feel like when I'm speaking, either of you are listening to talk or whatever, that there's a feeling of I'm better. 00:02:23.659 --> 00:02:27.139 And I just think that's, I think that's indicative of your relationship with God. 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:29.759 Um, so I, I really love and appreciate you guys. 00:02:30.419 --> 00:02:31.719 We love and appreciate the church. 00:02:31.860 --> 00:02:35.840 I was praying for the church this morning, this church here and think about you guys often. 00:02:35.860 --> 00:02:38.060 And I, I'm not upset if you don't think about me often. 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:42.300 I won't ask you about how did you think about me earlier today? 00:02:43.340 --> 00:02:46.680 Um, you know, I, I want to introduce my family to you guys. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:49.259 So, uh, you're in my family. 00:02:49.620 --> 00:02:53.560 Um, so my wife, Kristen Rowan is the oldest in the middle. 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:56.180 Kate is the one that the only way to make her smile is to tickle her. 00:02:56.780 --> 00:02:58.020 Um, she's rebellious. 00:02:58.099 --> 00:03:00.259 And then the one in that little brace, that's Noel. 00:03:00.699 --> 00:03:02.879 She's been the reason our life's been wild this year. 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:07.400 Um, sleep is, uh, that's just a thing of the past. 00:03:08.020 --> 00:03:09.039 People are like, how are you asleep? 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:10.639 I was like, don't, don't ask me that question. 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:11.939 You don't want to know the answer. 00:03:11.939 --> 00:03:12.060 Okay. 00:03:12.659 --> 00:03:13.000 Okay. 00:03:13.379 --> 00:03:13.759 Okay. 00:03:15.139 --> 00:03:22.319 Um, you know, I want to give you a little bit of the, kind of the attitude of my children. 00:03:22.460 --> 00:03:24.400 I won't talk, speak too much about Noel. 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:26.539 There's a whole bunch of life that's happened there. 00:03:27.060 --> 00:03:30.560 But, uh, uh, Kate, this is a little more my kid's personality. 00:03:31.060 --> 00:03:33.840 Um, this is a really good indicator of my kid's personality. 00:03:35.139 --> 00:03:40.680 So my son Rowan is six and my daughter Kate is four and a half. 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:43.860 And Noel, the little lion, is one. 00:03:45.099 --> 00:03:47.400 And I'm asking God to not give us any more. 00:03:47.659 --> 00:03:47.759 Yeah. 00:03:49.139 --> 00:03:50.800 I'm not sure I'll keep the fourth alive. 00:03:51.139 --> 00:03:53.680 Like, so you can do what you want with that, Lord. 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:54.180 All right. 00:03:54.280 --> 00:03:54.979 That's my opinion. 00:03:55.539 --> 00:03:56.479 Uh, this is her attitude. 00:03:56.639 --> 00:04:02.259 So Kate, we were trick-or-treating and, uh, Kate is very, she's confident. 00:04:03.020 --> 00:04:05.419 And so she's trick-or-treating and she's walking up to these doors. 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:09.699 And you know when you're trick-or-treating, you're like, some doors are like, obviously that's a door you walk up to. 00:04:09.699 --> 00:04:11.740 You're like, all the lights are on, there's five pumpkins. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:12.979 You're like, yeah, definitely do that. 00:04:13.219 --> 00:04:15.759 And then there are some that are like, you might get murdered if you go there. 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:16.319 Yeah, yeah, right. 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:18.379 They've intentionally turned every light off. 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:20.860 But Kate will still, she's up, she's like, I'm gonna get that candy. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:23.399 And she walked up to one house that was kind of an in-between. 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:28.800 And there was like a teenage boy that was clearly his mom had told him you have to, like he had been punished or something. 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:29.000 Yeah. 00:04:29.220 --> 00:04:30.139 To hand out this candy. 00:04:30.500 --> 00:04:32.519 So he had a big jar, like a big bowl. 00:04:33.060 --> 00:04:36.079 And they walk up and knock on the door, trick-or-treating, he's like, what do you want? 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:40.639 And he just gives, he has the audacity to just give us any candy. 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:41.060 Okay. 00:04:41.819 --> 00:04:43.060 And Rowan's like, I'll take whatever you got. 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:43.740 Like, I don't care. 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:46.480 And Kate's like, she kind of pushed it away. 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:48.680 She's like, do you have anything almond? 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:52.060 And he was like, wait, what? 00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:55.420 And you could tell, like, he was like, I wasn't prepared for a conversation. 00:04:56.300 --> 00:04:57.199 He's like, yeah, do you have anything almond? 00:04:57.220 --> 00:04:58.160 Like, I'm allergic to peanut butter. 00:04:58.399 --> 00:04:59.220 So can I get something almond? 00:04:59.319 --> 00:05:00.060 He's like, oh, all right. 00:05:00.100 --> 00:05:01.660 And she's like, thanks, man. 00:05:02.300 --> 00:05:03.519 She walked, now that's Kate. 00:05:04.139 --> 00:05:04.800 This is Rowan. 00:05:05.779 --> 00:05:07.500 Rowan is our sensitive part. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:09.699 So, you know, I don't know. 00:05:09.899 --> 00:05:13.959 The other night, you know, my wife Kristen was talking to him, kind of our bedtime routine. 00:05:14.259 --> 00:05:15.600 And I'm in and out of there pretty quick. 00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:17.019 Kristen's in there for like 20 minutes. 00:05:17.300 --> 00:05:18.680 I'm like, what are we talking about? 00:05:18.899 --> 00:05:19.639 She's like, life. 00:05:19.779 --> 00:05:20.360 And I'm like, man. 00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:24.579 I mean, our son's a pretty smart kid, but that's a long time to talk to a six-year-old. 00:05:25.319 --> 00:05:29.660 And one of the conversations they're having, I think that in his kids' class, they had learned about John the Baptist. 00:05:30.060 --> 00:05:32.139 And we had read a story about Elijah or something like that. 00:05:32.139 --> 00:05:33.139 So he's mixing these stories. 00:05:33.139 --> 00:05:38.800 And so Kristen was like, son, how do you build your friendship with God? 00:05:39.060 --> 00:05:40.000 Kind of a deep question. 00:05:40.819 --> 00:05:42.600 And Rowan's like, good question, Mom. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:44.420 He would say that. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:45.779 He'd say, I think you pray. 00:05:46.379 --> 00:05:47.060 You praise. 00:05:47.500 --> 00:05:48.079 Then you stop. 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:51.379 And he's like, you wear itchy clothes and don't eat for three days. 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:54.660 And I think that's how you're close to God. 00:05:55.160 --> 00:05:59.879 And I think maybe you misunderstood what was happening in the ministry of John the Baptist. 00:05:59.899 --> 00:06:00.939 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:06:01.100 --> 00:06:02.800 But that's Rowan, too. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:03.680 He's soft-hearted. 00:06:03.800 --> 00:06:04.800 He wants to know what's right. 00:06:05.399 --> 00:06:08.500 And the question that Kristen asked, I think, is really relevant. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:10.660 How can we be close to God? 00:06:11.060 --> 00:06:11.720 It's a great question. 00:06:12.660 --> 00:06:18.360 And as I understand it, you guys have been going through a series on encountering Jesus. 00:06:19.300 --> 00:06:22.879 And I realize that I'll go back and I'll come back forward. 00:06:23.500 --> 00:06:25.699 Today, the title of today's lesson is called Healing the Heart. 00:06:25.819 --> 00:06:34.800 And I want to talk a little bit about this Bible-y word called repentance and what it has to do with being close to God. 00:06:35.060 --> 00:06:35.800 And what is it? 00:06:36.459 --> 00:06:38.339 But I want to start by reading in Luke 19. 00:06:38.459 --> 00:06:39.399 Hopefully, you're already there. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:40.939 We're going to read the story of Zacchaeus. 00:06:41.019 --> 00:06:43.579 And let me give you a little context as you turn, if you're not there yet. 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:48.259 Zacchaeus is a really great story in the Bible, only recorded in Luke, I believe. 00:06:48.759 --> 00:06:52.240 And it's the story of this very short tax collector. 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:56.920 And I don't know a lot of the times in the Bible where they really want you to know he was short. 00:06:57.199 --> 00:06:58.000 It's like, really? 00:06:58.459 --> 00:07:00.779 They're like, I want you to know this is a short dude. 00:07:00.779 --> 00:07:04.939 And I think it was because it was part of his identity, which I can relate to. 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:07.839 And I'll talk about it before the sermon's over. 00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:09.040 You'll learn all kinds of things about him. 00:07:09.620 --> 00:07:11.000 Now, Zacchaeus was a tax collector. 00:07:11.339 --> 00:07:13.480 And perhaps those who have been around church a while know this. 00:07:13.540 --> 00:07:16.839 Perhaps this is your first time at church or you have no idea what that would have meant. 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:23.860 But the Romans were occupying Israel, Jerusalem, the city that a lot of these things take place in. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:27.899 This is taking place in Jericho, which is a city in the region of Judea. 00:07:28.360 --> 00:07:29.800 And the Romans are in charge. 00:07:29.800 --> 00:07:32.079 They kind of let the Jews do their own thing. 00:07:33.019 --> 00:07:40.620 And the way that the Romans collected taxes from the Jews were that they basically hired Jewish people to collect taxes from their own people. 00:07:41.399 --> 00:07:51.759 The problem with that was that the way the tax collectors raised the money they earned their way of life was that they charged extra for their cut. 00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:59.439 And so the Romans knew that they had to find someone who was willing to extort their family and their friends and their people. 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:02.300 And really be known as a sellout and an outcast. 00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:09.620 And so when you hear the word tax collector, you're supposed to – I mean, I think we all don't feel like warm and fuzzy. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:12.879 But you're supposed to feel almost a visceral hatred. 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:16.519 That's how the Jews would have felt about Zacchaeus because he was a sellout. 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:17.899 He sold out. 00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:21.040 He gave up his family and his culture for his greed. 00:08:22.379 --> 00:08:26.480 Luke 19 verse 1, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:28.720 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.440 He was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 00:08:32.538 --> 00:08:35.558 Okay, so you have to understand when you see that he was extravagant. 00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:39.798 He was the guy managing other tax collectors and he was wealthy. 00:08:40.158 --> 00:08:41.019 Where did he get that wealth? 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:42.220 By extorting his people. 00:08:42.820 --> 00:08:46.940 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was so short he could not see over the crowd. 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:47.960 I totally relate. 00:08:48.419 --> 00:08:53.440 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore fig tree to see him since Jesus was coming that way. 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:56.700 When Jesus reached his plot, he looked up and said, Zacchaeus, come down immediately. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:58.759 I must stay at your house today. 00:08:58.899 --> 00:08:59.419 I love that. 00:08:59.879 --> 00:09:01.720 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 00:09:02.139 --> 00:09:07.620 All the people saw this and began to mutter he is gone to be the guest in the house of a sinner. 00:09:08.779 --> 00:09:16.179 Zacchaeus stood up, presumably some time later, and he said to the Lord, Look, Lord, here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor. 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:20.960 And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay four times the amount back. 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:26.340 Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:29.200 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what the world wants. 00:09:29.379 --> 00:09:29.620 Wow. 00:09:30.759 --> 00:09:31.919 Such a great story. 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:36.220 What's so interesting to me is that we have no other dialogue from Jesus and Zacchaeus. 00:09:36.340 --> 00:09:36.740 That's right. 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:37.360 Nothing. 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:42.659 Luke didn't deem it worthy to talk about how did this happen? 00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:45.200 Why did Zacchaeus want to see Jesus? 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:50.139 Why is it that when he encountered him, his transformation was so dramatic? 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:51.740 That's what I want to talk about. 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:56.419 I want to talk about what I believe to be the reasons that he has changed, because it's a common theme biblically. 00:09:57.080 --> 00:10:03.740 You know, this word repentance, for me, has been a foundational word in my life in ministry. 00:10:03.820 --> 00:10:08.419 And I've had the privilege of serving the ministry for about 15 years, alongside my wife for most of that. 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:10.700 I talk about repentance all the time. 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:24.580 But if you've been around for any amount of time, what you learn quickly is that these concepts that are such foundational principles that you seem to think you know everything about, you have times in your life when you realize it's almost like you never knew what it was. 00:10:25.139 --> 00:10:30.000 And I feel like the last three months, for me, have been that in regard to repentance. 00:10:30.299 --> 00:10:32.899 I feel like I've learned so much about what it is. 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:34.940 It's a very important word, of course. 00:10:35.220 --> 00:10:39.220 Repentance means a change of heart that leads to a change of mind. 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:42.240 A change of heart that leads to a change of mind. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:53.240 But it's interesting, because I think sometimes what we think repentance is, is actually behavior modification, rather than heart transformation. 00:10:54.500 --> 00:10:58.759 And there are two important truths I just want to discuss briefly this morning. 00:10:58.899 --> 00:11:07.600 One, that repentance is a transformation of the heart that naturally leads to transformed behavior. 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:08.659 That's the first one. 00:11:09.179 --> 00:11:18.480 I highlighted the word naturally on purpose, because I wanted to call attention to the fact that it's not a willed change, necessarily. 00:11:19.080 --> 00:11:22.019 It's an organic change, because what happens is changing you. 00:11:22.980 --> 00:11:25.379 No one told Zacchaeus to do this. 00:11:26.919 --> 00:11:30.460 Perhaps, maybe Jesus did, but you don't get that sense at all from the story. 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:32.220 It's abrupt, actually. 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:33.120 Isn't the story abrupt? 00:11:33.820 --> 00:11:37.100 You don't even know, is he still in the tree? 00:11:37.940 --> 00:11:39.279 Is he at dinner? 00:11:39.379 --> 00:11:40.220 Was this hours later? 00:11:40.220 --> 00:11:42.299 Did this happen in the middle of this crowd? 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:43.240 You don't actually know. 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:48.139 I've always thought of it as later, but I suppose I actually contextually don't know. 00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:49.919 But it's so dramatic. 00:11:50.620 --> 00:11:54.519 And you've got to think, God has been doing something in this guy's heart for a while. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:57.139 And when he saw Jesus, he was ready. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:11:59.399 His heart changed. 00:11:59.539 --> 00:12:06.399 And when you see change that dramatic, it seems that there's almost only ever one reason that could be. 00:12:06.659 --> 00:12:08.379 It's because they want to change. 00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:11.360 Zacchaeus wanted to be different. 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:12.720 No one forced him to do it. 00:12:13.179 --> 00:12:20.480 He wasn't trying to conform to what was normal culturally, or what made him feel accepted in his circle of people. 00:12:21.799 --> 00:12:23.799 Something dramatic happened in his heart. 00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:36.240 And it seems like the grave that presumably drove this man to forsake and betray his friends and family, and that would have isolated him, lost its value when he encountered God. 00:12:37.220 --> 00:12:39.679 You know, a lot of people encounter Jesus and don't change. 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:41.320 It's all over the Bible. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:43.960 And it's not just people who didn't see a miracle. 00:12:44.940 --> 00:12:49.919 There are times they watch Jesus do something, and it means nothing to them. 00:12:50.340 --> 00:12:51.600 And it makes them angry, actually. 00:12:52.580 --> 00:12:54.960 This is, of course, normal in our lives as well. 00:12:55.379 --> 00:12:59.240 I want to talk about this idea, the difference between behavior modification and heart transformation. 00:12:59.820 --> 00:13:01.259 Kristen and I have been talking about this a lot lately. 00:13:02.299 --> 00:13:04.519 Recently, Kristen and I, I want to illustrate the story. 00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:07.100 Is anybody here allergic to wasps? 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:14.179 We've got to state it as an insult. 00:13:14.279 --> 00:13:15.500 You're going to be terrified of the story. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:18.279 Yeah, you're welcome. 00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:19.159 I just, I prepped you. 00:13:21.460 --> 00:13:22.740 I'm allergic to wasps. 00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:24.940 Probably not as bad as you are. 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:30.279 But I was stung, based on your reaction, I was stung about a year and a half ago, and I didn't sleep for like a week. 00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:32.080 I mean, it was like this crazy rash. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:34.159 It was like this bacterial infection, really bad. 00:13:35.100 --> 00:13:41.019 So about three months ago, Kristen and I noticed some yellow jackets out of our siding on our side. 00:13:41.500 --> 00:13:43.580 And you know, at first you're like, I'm a dad of three. 00:13:43.700 --> 00:13:44.899 Like, I can handle this, no problem. 00:13:45.019 --> 00:13:45.320 You know what I mean? 00:13:45.700 --> 00:13:48.480 It's almost a moment of heroism. 00:13:49.220 --> 00:13:50.539 People are like, Dad, there's a wasp. 00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:52.279 I'm like, you know what I mean. 00:13:54.700 --> 00:13:56.620 I take it personally when they come into my house. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:05.460 But they're just outside, and I'm kind of like, you know, with your house, you're like, I'm just going to see how long that can last before I do anything about it. 00:14:05.539 --> 00:14:07.360 Like, it's a very normal home ownership thing. 00:14:07.740 --> 00:14:08.620 Do you need a furnace? 00:14:09.700 --> 00:14:10.860 Nah, we'll see. 00:14:11.179 --> 00:14:12.320 We'll see what happens. 00:14:12.419 --> 00:14:13.419 The Lord will provide for it. 00:14:13.559 --> 00:14:15.779 I mean, sometimes the Lord breaks, and you're like, oh, I need to buy a new one. 00:14:16.179 --> 00:14:18.659 So these wasps are not worried about it. 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:20.200 I'm kind of like outside of my mind. 00:14:20.279 --> 00:14:22.059 But then I start to see them in the house. 00:14:22.899 --> 00:14:23.840 In our basement. 00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:27.279 One or two, and they're really sluggish by the time. 00:14:27.340 --> 00:14:28.700 It's like they got drugged on the way in. 00:14:29.580 --> 00:14:30.659 They're easy kills. 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:32.860 I'm sorry if you're a wasp lover. 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:35.379 There's a lot of death to wasps. 00:14:36.740 --> 00:14:37.919 And no one's loud enough. 00:14:38.759 --> 00:14:40.139 And no one goes, like, I'm not going to say it. 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:44.480 And so these wasps start to get in our house, and it's getting kind of bad. 00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:47.720 At one point, there were like five in there, and some of them were a little active. 00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:49.000 I saw one in our room one time. 00:14:49.159 --> 00:14:54.500 So our kids are just like never going into the basement, which makes the rest of our house insane. 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:55.860 That's where all the toys are supposed to go. 00:14:55.940 --> 00:14:57.179 They're like, can you go get it? 00:14:57.580 --> 00:15:01.600 So not only have they been going into the basement, they're making me go down and get their stuff and bring it up. 00:15:02.179 --> 00:15:04.940 So eventually I'm like, okay, I think I probably should do something about this. 00:15:05.019 --> 00:15:11.019 So I walk outside, and a friend of mine tells me one of the ways to kill wasps is to don soap. 00:15:11.500 --> 00:15:12.220 I don't know if you knew that. 00:15:12.299 --> 00:15:14.279 It's shockingly effective. 00:15:14.899 --> 00:15:16.220 Don't ever use the pesticide. 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:17.000 Go get some soap. 00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:18.639 It does the job. 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:21.720 I even get the bushy spray as well. 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:26.120 I remember one time I had kind of a mentoring time with a young guy in the church I had. 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:30.100 We just sat outside, and I clogged the hole with soap. 00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:34.000 And the wasps were leaving the nest and coming back and building. 00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:36.279 There's obviously a nest in our house. 00:15:37.059 --> 00:15:38.659 And they were coming, and I would clog it. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:39.899 And there was kind of like a traffic jam. 00:15:39.899 --> 00:15:41.679 And I waited until like 30 of them gathered. 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:45.440 I'm telling you, I killed at least 500 of them. 00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:47.580 And there's just a pile of bodies. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:52.379 It was almost traumatic for me. 00:15:52.580 --> 00:15:54.039 And I left them there on purpose. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:57.600 I wanted the other wasps to see what's going to happen to you. 00:15:57.899 --> 00:16:00.179 It's still outside. 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:00.980 And no, it was terrible. 00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:04.059 I feel like he was court-sanctioned in that situation. 00:16:04.059 --> 00:16:06.659 And there's just a pile that thick. 00:16:06.980 --> 00:16:08.580 And I'm like, surely I'm making a dent. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:10.919 But more are coming into my house. 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:11.659 More, more, more. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:14.620 One day I found 50 in my basement. 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:16.360 I killed 50 wasps. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:17.860 And I got so mad. 00:16:18.019 --> 00:16:20.019 I was slapping them out of the air with my hands. 00:16:20.100 --> 00:16:20.879 I was so fed up. 00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:22.379 I was like, I don't care anymore. 00:16:24.340 --> 00:16:26.519 So eventually I'm like, we need to hire an exterminator. 00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:28.120 Which some of you would have done immediately. 00:16:29.860 --> 00:16:31.539 I don't want to pay the money. 00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:32.360 So I hire the exterminator. 00:16:32.679 --> 00:16:33.580 This dude is not ready. 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:35.639 He's like, yeah, I'm kind of new to the job. 00:16:37.820 --> 00:16:39.039 Better get that hazmat suit. 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:44.080 I noticed there was a panel in the ceiling. 00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:46.379 And if I was really quiet, you could kind of hear them buzzing. 00:16:46.779 --> 00:16:47.960 I was like, I think that's where they're at. 00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:50.279 But I never opened it just for fear for my life. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:52.679 I want to raise my kids, all that stuff. 00:16:53.539 --> 00:16:55.039 So he's like, crack the thing open. 00:16:55.100 --> 00:16:55.840 I'm like, do you mind? 00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:56.700 I'm not even joking. 00:16:56.899 --> 00:16:59.860 So he went and got his bee suit on. 00:17:00.860 --> 00:17:04.019 And I put a sweater on, my two fly swatters. 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:06.200 And we crack it open, and the sound. 00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:11.480 As you open it, I'm not exaggerating. 00:17:11.618 --> 00:17:14.920 There were at least 2,000 wasps in the ceiling of my basement. 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:20.740 And he's like, oh! It's crazy. 00:17:20.940 --> 00:17:24.519 I took video, I was like, oh! I don't have the video with me, unfortunately. 00:17:26.500 --> 00:17:31.420 It's kind of like, you know before a traumatic video comes on, you get a little warning. 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:32.980 It's like, I need to put that. 00:17:33.819 --> 00:17:34.940 So we just take him out. 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:37.000 He goes in there, he grabs the nest. 00:17:37.059 --> 00:17:39.200 I'm talking about 3 feet of hive. 00:17:40.619 --> 00:17:42.039 And I'm like, oh. 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:44.240 This was the problem. 00:17:46.859 --> 00:17:50.200 Him tearing that thing out was like, it was a therapy for me. 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:55.920 I was like, get the queen! It was all because of one queen. 00:17:57.420 --> 00:17:59.140 Produced thousands of wasps. 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:02.519 What does this have to do with the Bible? 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:14.039 My efforts to kill these wasps, are analogous to our efforts to modify our behavior, without any heart change. 00:18:14.740 --> 00:18:26.519 Man, I'm telling you, I spent so much time filling the gaps in my window with a cock gun, I'm all around the edges, and they just keep sneaking. 00:18:26.660 --> 00:18:27.599 I'm like, where did they come from? 00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:29.799 I'm going to go crazy. 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:31.720 How are they getting in at my house? 00:18:32.059 --> 00:18:33.500 I was filling everything. 00:18:33.940 --> 00:18:35.299 I had killed hundreds of them. 00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:36.259 I couldn't believe it. 00:18:37.079 --> 00:18:39.619 My efforts were very reactive. 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:42.720 I'm going to stop them from coming in. 00:18:42.779 --> 00:18:48.559 I'm going to do as much as I can on the outside of my house to stop them encroaching on my territory. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:51.619 Because the symptoms were seeping out. 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:54.859 The wasps were overflowing inside. 00:18:54.859 --> 00:18:56.339 Perhaps you can see where I'm going. 00:18:57.619 --> 00:19:09.940 Jesus says to the Pharisees, who were this Jewish religious leading group who were known to be particularly corrupt and self-righteous, He says, if you clean the outside of the cup and dish, but on the inside you're full of rot and death. 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:17.380 Any person can change their behavior for a time, without God. 00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:20.200 That's why self-help books are so popular. 00:19:20.859 --> 00:19:23.259 People have wills, some stronger than others. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:25.900 Repentance is not changing the way you behave. 00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:28.240 It's changing the way you feel. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:29.900 You can't do that. 00:19:30.460 --> 00:19:36.160 Which is why repentance is not a work of man, or just a work of God, it's a co-working between. 00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:41.420 It's not wrong to modify your behavior to do the right thing. 00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:42.680 Self-denial is a thing. 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:54.339 I was with someone, I was teaching him about God, and he was of the impression that I do nothing, so I'll just live my life until I feel differently, then I'll change. 00:19:54.619 --> 00:19:59.660 And of course you're like, that's absurd, that's ridiculous, because Jesus often says to deny yourself. 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:03.400 Self-denial means you do the thing you don't want to do, because it's right. 00:20:03.779 --> 00:20:04.960 That has a place in Christianity. 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:06.980 In fact, I believe it's the beginning of repentance. 00:20:07.900 --> 00:20:10.400 Most of the time you start to change something, you don't want to. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:14.039 But over time, the hope is that you don't want to do it anymore. 00:20:15.099 --> 00:20:28.200 If you're someone who continues to struggle with the same stuff, perhaps, this is not a full diagnosis, but perhaps your intention to modify your behavior may be to fit the church culture. 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:33.000 I'm accepted if I don't do this, or if I do this. 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:38.000 And what you'll find is that then your openness becomes kind of particular. 00:20:38.700 --> 00:20:42.420 You start to share things with some people, but not everything, because you kind of know the line. 00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:48.039 You almost get to the point where you don't even know what's happening. 00:20:48.220 --> 00:20:50.759 All you know is Christianity is really hard, and you're not sure you can do it. 00:20:51.339 --> 00:20:58.019 A lot of people walk away from God, because they've actually never learned that it's supposed to change here, not just here. 00:20:59.099 --> 00:21:13.039 And I could have, literally, if I would have continued just to kill the wasps on the outside and not call the exterminator, the exterminator came in and he said, you were about a month away from needing to basically board up your house and fumigate the whole thing. 00:21:13.559 --> 00:21:15.920 They were going to get in the vents, in the walls. 00:21:16.380 --> 00:21:17.900 This is exactly the way sin is. 00:21:18.599 --> 00:21:20.579 It's in your heart, it creeps in there. 00:21:20.579 --> 00:21:25.700 And you know that something's in your heart, because it starts to seep out of the silence. 00:21:25.940 --> 00:21:27.200 It starts to get in your basement. 00:21:28.599 --> 00:21:32.599 Sin is a symptom of something broken inside. 00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:33.640 Always. 00:21:34.279 --> 00:21:35.500 That is always the case. 00:21:35.900 --> 00:21:46.019 You can modify that behavior, but if you never address the source, you never address the high, you're going to delay how bad it is, but then it will become explosively bad. 00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:48.099 Because you're going to be really embittered with God. 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:49.359 It's like, why is it not changing? 00:21:49.700 --> 00:21:51.339 It's actually getting harder. 00:21:52.200 --> 00:21:57.259 Christianity will only become harder if you try to modify your behavior, rather than change your heart. 00:21:57.579 --> 00:21:59.079 So what is our transformation? 00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:00.519 It's when the root is transformed. 00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:02.119 It's when you take out the high. 00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:04.200 Of course, you see this with trees, right? 00:22:04.220 --> 00:22:05.279 It's like the age old analogy. 00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:08.720 You judge the fruitfulness of a tree by its roots, right? 00:22:08.779 --> 00:22:12.539 But we have a really, really prolific pear tree in our backyard. 00:22:12.539 --> 00:22:16.079 I'm telling you, like 1,000 pears dropped off this thing this year. 00:22:16.500 --> 00:22:18.480 This is not, I mean, it was like about 1,000. 00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:20.420 And some people are like, wow, that's so magical. 00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:21.279 Until it's not. 00:22:22.339 --> 00:22:25.779 Because unless you pick them up, guess what loves pears? 00:22:26.119 --> 00:22:26.539 The issues. 00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:30.500 And they know better now, too. 00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:33.339 Like, I've taken care of that neighborhood, but they keep coming back. 00:22:35.819 --> 00:22:37.319 The pear tree is very fruitful. 00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:37.920 Why? 00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:43.619 It's root system is incredibly, incredibly healthy. 00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:46.500 You can't even see it, but you can tell by the fruit. 00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:47.960 It's always this way with people. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:57.480 You can tell how close someone is to God, and how clean their heart is, by continued interaction with them, and continued exposure to their behavior. 00:22:58.099 --> 00:23:02.299 Because when you're trying to modify your behavior, you will never do it perfectly. 00:23:02.740 --> 00:23:04.299 Stuff will always seep out. 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:06.720 And you'll be frustrated that that happens. 00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:09.200 You won't understand, but it's because it's not changing here. 00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:17.799 So, the very first thing that we must do if we want to have the response of Zacchaeus, is you've got to identify what's happening at the root. 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:21.400 Why are these symptoms what they are? 00:23:21.940 --> 00:23:22.700 How do you do this? 00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:25.380 Well, when you go to the doctor, you go to the doctor because you have symptoms. 00:23:26.779 --> 00:23:27.880 I'm feeling sick. 00:23:28.180 --> 00:23:28.920 I'm coughing. 00:23:29.420 --> 00:23:30.420 My heart hurts. 00:23:30.420 --> 00:23:31.740 I have a sore throat. 00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:33.000 I'm getting migraines. 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:42.380 Some of you probably, I don't know for sure, but in a group this size, people probably have chronic illnesses, sicknesses that you don't understand that no one can figure out. 00:23:43.019 --> 00:23:47.759 And you go to the doctor, and you're like, hey, what's going on with me? 00:23:47.859 --> 00:23:51.779 I have a facial tick, which will manifest. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:52.819 It happens now. 00:23:52.859 --> 00:23:53.480 It's gotten better. 00:23:54.099 --> 00:23:57.240 I've had it about four years, and I went to the doctor about three months ago. 00:23:57.240 --> 00:24:00.480 It was kind of a holistic nutritionist, chiropractic doctor. 00:24:00.839 --> 00:24:02.039 Now, I was pretty terrified to do this. 00:24:02.180 --> 00:24:08.720 Some of you were like, yeah! And some of you were like, no! Some of you were like, I don't know what that is, and I still don't either. 00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:12.680 And she kind of just, I told her my symptoms. 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:17.599 I wrote down a huge list of the symptoms that I've seen with a primary like, help me address this. 00:24:18.900 --> 00:24:20.819 And we've been talking a lot about my nutrition. 00:24:21.019 --> 00:24:25.920 And the changes I've made in my diet have changed my facial tick by about 60% better. 00:24:27.240 --> 00:24:31.799 I'm addressing something going on internally, and it's just not manifesting as much. 00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:33.720 This is always the way it is. 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:38.559 But I wonder if sometimes we're not good at getting down to the root. 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:39.759 What's happening? 00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:40.619 Where is the high? 00:24:40.680 --> 00:24:44.019 We don't know how to find that, and so we're frustrated, and we don't change. 00:24:44.359 --> 00:24:45.700 Perhaps you have that thing in your life. 00:24:45.779 --> 00:24:51.220 I believe there's one simple question if you learn to ask yourself, you will eventually get there. 00:24:51.319 --> 00:24:54.359 It's learning to ask the question of yourselves and others, why? 00:24:58.240 --> 00:24:59.720 You struggle with overeating. 00:25:01.019 --> 00:25:05.259 Let's say you struggle with overeating, or you struggle with any coping mechanism. 00:25:05.859 --> 00:25:07.720 Growing up for me, it was impurity. 00:25:07.819 --> 00:25:11.019 I was addicted to pornography for 10 years in my young life. 00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:13.380 It hasn't been in my life for a long time. 00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:15.759 I was addicted to video games. 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:21.619 People that are non-video game people are like, that's ridiculous, but it's the same thing. 00:25:22.420 --> 00:25:23.339 It's the same thing. 00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:26.500 It's not that different from alcoholism or being addicted to drugs. 00:25:26.980 --> 00:25:32.680 Alcoholism and drugs and pornography have a much more noticeable societal impact. 00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:35.579 But video games, I coped. 00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:37.420 What do you cope with? 00:25:39.299 --> 00:25:42.059 The first question you ask yourself is, why am I doing it? 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:47.779 If you can't control your anger, why do you get angry? 00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:52.039 For me, I struggle with fits of rage growing up. 00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:57.039 If you would have asked me why, I would have said, I hate failing. 00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:59.460 You're still not there yet. 00:26:00.059 --> 00:26:01.720 You're just a couple steps down on the branch. 00:26:02.220 --> 00:26:03.200 Why do you hate failing? 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:08.940 This is of course my perspective now. 00:26:08.940 --> 00:26:10.039 I wasn't saying that when I was 16. 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:11.220 I was like, I don't know, I just hate it. 00:26:11.339 --> 00:26:16.000 But now I say, I hate failing because I hate how it makes me look. 00:26:16.599 --> 00:26:17.539 Why do you care about that? 00:26:18.119 --> 00:26:21.539 You're like, I'm uncomfortable now. 00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:26.019 But I suppose I really care what people think about me. 00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:27.380 Why do you care what people think about you? 00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:31.799 I suppose it's because that's where I get my security. 00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:34.900 Eventually you'll say something and you're like, That's bad. 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:39.380 When you say that live, you're like, that's usable for that person. 00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:42.539 Why do you think that is? 00:26:42.779 --> 00:26:43.779 Why do you care so much? 00:26:44.700 --> 00:26:46.500 I suppose I'm not secure enough in God. 00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:49.940 I'm almost there now. 00:26:54.019 --> 00:26:57.200 I was not content with who God made me. 00:26:58.180 --> 00:27:00.779 I did not trust how He chose to form me. 00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:06.000 Like Zacchaeus, I am, but especially was, a really small kid. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:12.500 I meant to put a picture up here because I know you may be thinking, you're probably not that small, but you guys are like, oh wow. 00:27:13.019 --> 00:27:17.240 I have pictures of me with my friends. 00:27:17.420 --> 00:27:18.960 Middle school was pretty awkward. 00:27:20.279 --> 00:27:23.660 All my friends that were girls were a foot taller than me. 00:27:23.819 --> 00:27:24.619 I was older than them. 00:27:24.619 --> 00:27:25.940 Do you know what that does to a boy? 00:27:26.940 --> 00:27:27.660 It's terrible. 00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:32.700 I also had a really high voice. 00:27:33.380 --> 00:27:36.619 I have a high voice still. 00:27:36.819 --> 00:27:38.960 I listen to myself in recordings and I'm like, I don't sound good. 00:27:41.299 --> 00:27:52.039 I remember I would go through a drive, this happened numerous times when I was 16, 17, and I'd be like, can I get a... 00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:55.319 And 30% of the time they'd say, is that all man? 00:27:58.480 --> 00:27:58.880 Strong. 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:03.480 It's like you laugh now, but I just stopped crying about that like 5 months ago. 00:28:04.599 --> 00:28:06.200 That cut to the core, man. 00:28:06.539 --> 00:28:07.700 I was really insecure. 00:28:07.819 --> 00:28:12.480 I didn't even really get made fun of that much. 00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:20.660 I had a bunch of friends and I bullied some, but it was more that I didn't get attention from certain people that I really wanted that would have felt really validating. 00:28:21.299 --> 00:28:26.640 There's a group of people in school or church that if you got their attention, it meant you meant something. 00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:28.000 I did not get that. 00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:31.980 It caused a lot of insecurity and honestly, it was the root of most of my sin. 00:28:32.259 --> 00:28:36.680 But the root wasn't insecurity, the root was I didn't trust who God chose me to be. 00:28:37.779 --> 00:28:39.259 Now I'm at the root. 00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:41.740 You have to get that deep. 00:28:42.579 --> 00:28:44.140 And oftentimes you'll need help doing that. 00:28:45.099 --> 00:28:45.740 Help getting there. 00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:55.200 My second point and my final point is that repentance is a co-working that heals your brokenness. 00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:58.759 So you've identified, why is it so hard for me to repent? 00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:01.160 It's because your heart's not changing. 00:29:01.259 --> 00:29:02.539 You're just modifying your behavior. 00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:04.660 What happened with Zacchaeus? 00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:06.380 Zacchaeus was broken. 00:29:07.380 --> 00:29:08.740 Think about what his life would have been like. 00:29:09.640 --> 00:29:13.640 He would have been the stereotypical super rich, super lonely guy. 00:29:14.819 --> 00:29:15.200 Hated. 00:29:15.900 --> 00:29:23.019 So he had stuff and people had to respect him because he had the backing of the Roman Empire, but they just feared him and despised him. 00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:24.640 Imagine living like that. 00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:26.599 You know what you gave up. 00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:30.059 And then you realize money's not doing it for me anyway, because it never does. 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:35.200 Greed wasn't the answer, but by the time he figured that out, it felt too late perhaps for him. 00:29:36.940 --> 00:29:42.599 Perhaps the least understood part of repentance for me personally is how deeply repentance is tied into healing. 00:29:43.980 --> 00:29:44.819 There are two verses. 00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:47.259 I'm just going to reference them. 00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:54.440 Acts 3.19 says, So that times of refreshing may come. 00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:55.640 Interesting. 00:29:56.720 --> 00:30:03.200 I like the repent and turn to God part, but the times of refreshing part I'm never sure I've totally understood because repentance feels kind of hard to me. 00:30:03.700 --> 00:30:08.119 I'm like, is this refreshing or is this just horrible because I'm not doing the thing I want to do? 00:30:09.000 --> 00:30:17.140 And what I've learned is that verse in James 5.16 which says, Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. 00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:18.660 Fascinating. 00:30:19.380 --> 00:30:21.740 Refreshing, of course, is a part of repentance. 00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:23.500 How is repentance healing? 00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:27.799 I believe that repentance is about becoming whole. 00:30:28.819 --> 00:30:39.099 When you are sinning, I believe it's rooted almost always in some kind of brokenness or pain or trauma in your past. 00:30:39.099 --> 00:30:46.799 I'm telling you, for me, my insecurity that I talked about drove almost all of my sinful nature. 00:30:48.019 --> 00:30:50.160 That is often the way it goes. 00:30:51.140 --> 00:30:55.180 Jesus here doesn't just give Zacchaeus his salvation. 00:30:55.779 --> 00:30:56.980 He makes him whole again. 00:30:57.519 --> 00:31:04.559 Imagine what it would have been as beloved as Jesus was for Jesus to go to Zacchaeus' house and to proclaim that around everybody. 00:31:04.559 --> 00:31:08.740 It was so ridiculous that people were like, he's going to be the guest in the house of a sinner. 00:31:08.940 --> 00:31:10.059 But that was normal for Jesus. 00:31:10.740 --> 00:31:19.200 And what happened, and you'll see a theme, is that Jesus goes the extra mile not just to heal somebody but he restores their dignity. 00:31:20.119 --> 00:31:21.200 Have you ever looked at the woman at the well? 00:31:23.380 --> 00:31:27.000 There is no more powerful story than in John 4. 00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:28.880 Jesus restores this woman's dignity. 00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:30.579 He brings her back. 00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:34.839 Everybody forgets who they thought she was because of her interaction with Jesus. 00:31:35.640 --> 00:31:37.920 You have to presume it's exactly what happened to Zacchaeus. 00:31:38.059 --> 00:31:39.880 Jesus was very intentional in his healing of Zacchaeus. 00:31:40.440 --> 00:31:42.960 He didn't just tell him to change and be better. 00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:49.240 Something about the way Zacchaeus was changed because he felt like, I actually don't need this grief. 00:31:49.640 --> 00:31:50.599 I need Jesus. 00:31:50.839 --> 00:31:54.240 I need him to be the thing I love most. 00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:59.680 And once that happened, it would restore his relationships with everybody else. 00:31:59.839 --> 00:32:00.059 Why? 00:32:00.339 --> 00:32:02.259 Because he reconciled people. 00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:05.160 People he cheated, love him now. 00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:07.160 Can you imagine? 00:32:07.640 --> 00:32:14.480 This guy's been extorting me for years and I paid him $1,000 and he just put four grand in my bank. 00:32:15.180 --> 00:32:16.740 That would restore my relationship. 00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:18.339 Why? 00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:22.059 Not because you gave me money but because you've proven something about how you're different. 00:32:22.500 --> 00:32:25.599 You have earned the right to earn my trust back. 00:32:26.359 --> 00:32:29.319 And we don't have the full story of Zacchaeus. 00:32:29.460 --> 00:32:32.640 Jared told me something really interesting that may or may not be true. 00:32:33.160 --> 00:32:40.720 Some scholars believe that perhaps Zacchaeus was the apostle who was appointed after Jesus was killed who would be renamed Matthias. 00:32:41.019 --> 00:32:41.759 Is that true? 00:32:42.660 --> 00:32:45.019 If it's wrong, it's totally Jared's fault. 00:32:45.819 --> 00:32:47.079 Same way you felt about the song. 00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:47.539 You didn't like it? 00:32:47.660 --> 00:32:48.259 Totally fine. 00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:55.279 Whatever is true about that, we know that you know Zacchaeus' life was different. 00:32:55.380 --> 00:32:55.779 And why? 00:32:56.019 --> 00:32:57.019 Because he was here. 00:32:58.039 --> 00:33:01.119 What do you think drove Zacchaeus to make this decision? 00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:03.119 To become a tax collector? 00:33:03.720 --> 00:33:04.279 He knew. 00:33:04.380 --> 00:33:06.279 It wasn't like, I didn't know, too late. 00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:08.460 It was a very intentional move away. 00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:08.799 What? 00:33:09.420 --> 00:33:10.859 Was it about his songs? 00:33:10.920 --> 00:33:12.059 Why did they keep talking about it? 00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:24.640 I don't know, but something, some pain, something that happened to him, that he believed about himself drove him to these actions and it built that wasp nest in his heart. 00:33:25.660 --> 00:33:27.420 And he stopped caring what people thought. 00:33:27.859 --> 00:33:28.660 But did he really? 00:33:28.839 --> 00:33:29.380 Does anyone care? 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:31.200 When people are like, I don't care anything, I'm like, yes you do. 00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:32.339 Or else you wouldn't say it. 00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:35.019 You just gave yourself away. 00:33:35.299 --> 00:33:36.319 Everyone cares. 00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:41.200 Or you become so calloused and disconnected that you don't even know how to have relationships anymore. 00:33:42.539 --> 00:33:44.099 What is it for you? 00:33:45.079 --> 00:33:49.920 The fact that pain always lies at the root of your sin does not excuse your sin. 00:33:53.119 --> 00:34:04.119 If I were to still be addicted to pornography in my marriage and Kristen would not think, oh it's okay honey because you're really hurt and you're coping with your insecurity. 00:34:04.299 --> 00:34:05.720 No, that's not how that would go. 00:34:07.138 --> 00:34:13.460 It would be like, I can sympathize that something is driving this behavior but you have to change this. 00:34:15.360 --> 00:34:17.599 My closing is, how does one do that? 00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:20.019 How do you change the way you feel about something? 00:34:20.179 --> 00:34:21.320 You actually can't do it. 00:34:22.019 --> 00:34:24.519 Which is where repentance is a co-worker. 00:34:25.320 --> 00:34:28.760 Repentance is not just you, it's not just God, it's both of you together. 00:34:29.300 --> 00:34:31.639 You are co-laborers, 1 Corinthians 3. 00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:34.440 This is how I think repentance works. 00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:37.940 You recognize, look at the symptoms seeping out of my life. 00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:40.000 The wasps coming out of the siding in your basement. 00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:42.679 Whatever it may be, what does that mean about you? 00:34:42.699 --> 00:34:43.679 You do the work of identifying. 00:34:44.039 --> 00:34:45.039 You ask those questions. 00:34:45.719 --> 00:34:47.079 God of course helps us through his spirit. 00:34:47.699 --> 00:34:49.179 Points us to things, points it out. 00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:51.760 We have to choose that we want to be different. 00:34:52.340 --> 00:34:54.099 I don't want this anymore. 00:34:54.199 --> 00:34:55.340 I want God. 00:34:55.340 --> 00:34:58.900 I want to love what he loves because I love him. 00:34:58.980 --> 00:35:01.340 Not because I want to fit in the church because I'm lonelier. 00:35:01.840 --> 00:35:03.400 Because this is what people expect of me. 00:35:03.460 --> 00:35:06.559 But because I actually want a relationship with God because they believe he's real. 00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:09.679 He died and he was here and I believe this crazy stuff. 00:35:09.780 --> 00:35:10.440 You ever had that moment? 00:35:10.980 --> 00:35:12.239 You're like, do I believe this? 00:35:12.360 --> 00:35:13.280 This is wild. 00:35:14.219 --> 00:35:17.860 I believe this dude came down and I really believe it. 00:35:18.679 --> 00:35:19.920 I really want to live it. 00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:25.559 Every time I see sin in my life, the first question is not, it's not stating to stop doing it. 00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:27.199 That's not the first thing we say to one another. 00:35:27.340 --> 00:35:29.179 We say, why do you think that's happening? 00:35:29.900 --> 00:35:33.480 Because if you really want to take the wasp nest out, you have to ask why. 00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:39.179 And then at that point, once you identify it, I believe the only way to change is to get on your knees and pray. 00:35:39.300 --> 00:35:40.519 I believe that is the answer. 00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:42.039 I'm that deep into it. 00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:48.739 I think you can modify your behavior, but if you really want to feel differently, if you want to not do it anymore, that's what I'm talking about. 00:35:49.059 --> 00:35:56.119 If you overeat, if you want to not want that anymore, prayer is the only way out. 00:35:58.579 --> 00:35:59.599 There's a difference in prayer. 00:36:00.840 --> 00:36:02.579 I'm like, oh, help me out, dude. 00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:06.519 Even when people call God bro or dude, I'm like, I don't know. 00:36:08.260 --> 00:36:16.500 He's your friend and perhaps he's fine with that, but I'm talking about that reverent, authentic desperation. 00:36:17.260 --> 00:36:18.980 I do not want to be this way. 00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:20.900 I don't want to do that. 00:36:21.780 --> 00:36:24.699 I need you to change how I feel about this. 00:36:25.039 --> 00:36:26.039 Please, God. 00:36:27.719 --> 00:36:32.820 I have to believe Zacchaeus had those moments, and so we have the outcome that we have. 00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:35.940 So for you, think about your sin. 00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:39.420 What does your sin say about what's happening here? 00:36:39.420 --> 00:36:40.840 What has led you to be that way? 00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:43.719 There's a reason for the way you act and the way you feel. 00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:44.840 What lies at the root? 00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:46.280 What's the lost nest? 00:36:47.500 --> 00:36:48.900 Is it unconfessed sins? 00:36:49.199 --> 00:36:50.800 Is it some trauma? 00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:52.260 Is it some choice you made? 00:36:52.360 --> 00:36:54.559 Sometimes it's not something that happened to you, it's something that you did. 00:36:55.179 --> 00:36:57.320 Sometimes it's not something you did, it's something that happened to you. 00:36:57.599 --> 00:37:00.000 You didn't have any control, but you've got to deal with it now. 00:37:00.559 --> 00:37:01.440 What are you going to do about it? 00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:06.920 We can live like a victim, and some of us have more reasons than others to live that way. 00:37:07.480 --> 00:37:09.380 Or we can choose to bear up under it. 00:37:10.119 --> 00:37:10.920 God allowed that. 00:37:10.980 --> 00:37:12.400 For some reason, you can never understand. 00:37:12.880 --> 00:37:13.699 But he gives you the power. 00:37:13.760 --> 00:37:14.380 You can deal with it. 00:37:16.199 --> 00:37:17.579 Some people's journey is a lot further. 00:37:17.659 --> 00:37:19.019 We need to be empathetic about that. 00:37:19.219 --> 00:37:21.300 Some people have been through more than you can possibly imagine. 00:37:23.380 --> 00:37:26.780 I think we have to be empathetic, and we also have to help people heal. 00:37:26.780 --> 00:37:30.539 The church is not a club we go to when we got together. 00:37:30.659 --> 00:37:31.719 It's supposed to be a rehab center. 00:37:33.300 --> 00:37:37.000 When people are frustrated about it, there's a lot of sick people in the church, but there's a lot of sick people in the hospital too. 00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:38.920 That's just kind of the way it goes. 00:37:40.059 --> 00:37:42.880 If it's just a bunch of people that are healthy, do you want to be part of that church? 00:37:43.219 --> 00:37:44.619 Do you think you could handle being a part of that church? 00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:46.440 I don't want to be part of that church. 00:37:47.199 --> 00:37:49.460 We have to deal with the sin, but we have to deal with it the right way. 00:37:49.460 --> 00:37:51.639 We have to help love people into that repentance. 00:37:52.340 --> 00:37:55.559 Repentance brings refreshing and healing because it addresses your wounds. 00:37:55.900 --> 00:37:56.000 Amen? 00:37:56.400 --> 00:37:57.099 Let's do this. 00:37:57.239 --> 00:37:58.500 Let's say a quick prayer here. 00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:06.059 Father God, we love you. 00:38:06.139 --> 00:38:13.320 We know that you know everything that's happening inside of us, and we don't always know what's happening inside of us. 00:38:13.420 --> 00:38:21.539 So we really pray that you would give us the wisdom to see through our sin and the symptoms and to really repent. 00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:25.219 Not to just change our behavior, but that you would transform our heart. 00:38:25.400 --> 00:38:29.539 I don't know if people are going through this room, but we're all kind of going through the same junk. 00:38:30.139 --> 00:38:37.900 I really pray, especially for those that have deep wounds, deep trauma, hurt that maybe they feel like no one else can understand. 00:38:38.019 --> 00:38:40.940 I really pray that you would do a special work in those hearts to heal us. 00:38:41.480 --> 00:38:46.400 I pray that this church would be a place of growth and healing. 00:38:46.820 --> 00:38:47.400 So let me pray. 00:38:47.559 --> 00:38:47.679 Amen.