WEBVTT 00:00:01.649 --> 00:00:03.120 So we're starting the series. 00:00:03.149 --> 00:00:06.330 What matters most, what matters most? 00:00:06.331 --> 00:00:15.720 And this is a great question to ask whether you're dealing with your family or you're dealing with your business or dealing with your career, or are you dealing with the church? 00:00:16.050 --> 00:00:18.300 It makes a difference. 00:00:18.300 --> 00:00:25.170 What matters most, even if you're raising your kids, what matters most? 00:00:25.170 --> 00:00:33.149 Because what you're doing is you're determining your priorities and determining priorities is critical to success. 00:00:33.479 --> 00:00:43.649 In fact, I would say that the choices you make and the stands that you take in life are directly related to, they are a product of your priorities. 00:00:44.219 --> 00:00:55.950 Priorities are those things that you determine matter more than other things you say this for whatever reason in your life matters more than something else. 00:00:55.951 --> 00:00:58.500 And so you pay more attention to that thing. 00:00:58.710 --> 00:01:04.049 And, and life is filled with prioritizations that it doesn't really end in life. 00:01:04.049 --> 00:01:19.170 It changes a little bit because priorities do change, uh, throughout life, but it changes a little bit, but there is always an opportunity to make these, these adjustments, if you will, or, or to rank these things in our life. 00:01:19.171 --> 00:01:22.290 And so we have those priorities that we talk about. 00:01:22.709 --> 00:01:26.219 We say, well, Christie and I have had the conversation over the years. 00:01:26.221 --> 00:01:28.680 We say, well, are we going to go out to eat after church today? 00:01:28.950 --> 00:01:31.920 And the next question becomes, where's the budget. 00:01:32.189 --> 00:01:42.299 If the budget is more of a priority than the food, then we don't go out to eat because the budget says no, for years, we said, what does Ramsey say 00:01:42.379 --> 00:01:43.010 About that? 00:01:44.030 --> 00:01:48.799 Um, because we were on the Dave Ramsey plan, how to Lou you more than the Gordon Ramsey plan. 00:01:49.250 --> 00:01:49.640 Okay. 00:01:51.290 --> 00:01:52.549 That just popped into my head. 00:01:52.551 --> 00:01:53.329 So anyway, 00:01:53.989 --> 00:01:59.719 So what's more important is the cool car more important than the practical minivan? 00:02:00.859 --> 00:02:01.939 Whereas the priority, 00:02:03.739 --> 00:02:04.189 I was 00:02:04.189 --> 00:02:08.389 One who said, I would never drive a minivan, but then I discovered you could put a whole sheet of plywood. 00:02:08.509 --> 00:02:13.729 If you lay the seats down right in the back of that minivan, all piece of sheet rock right there. 00:02:13.849 --> 00:02:16.219 And it's incredibly practical. 00:02:16.310 --> 00:02:19.879 So where's the priority in your life. 00:02:20.090 --> 00:02:24.800 So those are the kind of spoken ones, but then you have your unspoken priorities. 00:02:24.979 --> 00:02:33.139 When you start talking to somebody, dating somebody, you start trying to assess our looks or personality the priority. 00:02:33.889 --> 00:02:36.889 And sometimes if you're like me, you get blessed with both 00:02:37.939 --> 00:02:40.610 [inaudible] cause, cause I'm not a stupid man. 00:02:40.610 --> 00:02:41.479 Hallelujah. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:43.039 They are. 00:02:43.370 --> 00:02:47.360 And so, and so you, you, you, but, but you don't talk about that. 00:02:47.419 --> 00:02:50.150 You, you, you, you, you keep that among yourself. 00:02:50.539 --> 00:03:00.789 You know, if you're a movie buff, then, then you, you, you try to weigh things like, do I want to watch a quality movie or Batman versus got it. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:04.319 Right. 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:10.289 Ma maybe your decision making is more like, do I care more about winning or being a Browns fan? 00:03:16.050 --> 00:03:16.439 Okay. 00:03:16.441 --> 00:03:20.219 In first service, I also had the most response to that one there. 00:03:20.430 --> 00:03:25.740 In fact, one persons that I have never walked out on a sermon before, but I was this close. 00:03:29.069 --> 00:03:29.069 What 00:03:29.610 --> 00:03:34.319 The priority is itself care or care for others? 00:03:35.069 --> 00:03:37.889 Where is your prioritization? 00:03:37.890 --> 00:03:38.969 Where does that go? 00:03:39.629 --> 00:03:41.159 And here's the thing you think. 00:03:41.161 --> 00:03:45.900 Well, whenever I become very successful in something, then those things will just work itself out. 00:03:45.901 --> 00:03:46.919 And that's not true. 00:03:47.189 --> 00:03:55.229 In fact, the more successful you are, the more you have to pay attention to the priority because more opportunity comes your way. 00:03:55.740 --> 00:04:00.870 If you're more successful in your family, then you're going to have more things that compete for your family stuff. 00:04:00.871 --> 00:04:03.150 And you're going to have to determine what's most successful. 00:04:03.180 --> 00:04:04.800 What's most important there. 00:04:04.979 --> 00:04:13.469 If you're successful in business, more opportunities are gonna come from business and you're going to have to determine what am I trying to really achieve in business? 00:04:13.710 --> 00:04:16.589 And it that's the true about across the board. 00:04:17.009 --> 00:04:25.889 The more successful you are in something, if it's finances, more opportunity is going to come your way to be able to invest finances in particular things. 00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:29.279 And you're going to have to determine do what's the priority. 00:04:29.470 --> 00:04:32.129 What kind of things will I invest in? 00:04:32.130 --> 00:05:01.230 And what kind of things will I not invest in priorities are about gaining and maintaining the right focus for this time in your life, in your family, in your career, in your business, and pretty much anything else, other category of life that you could put into that sentence, it's about determining, gaining and maintaining the right focus and whatever sits at the top of your priority list. 00:05:01.470 --> 00:05:11.699 That's the thing that you're saying this matters most, this matters most, and we have all kinds of possibilities with that. 00:05:11.730 --> 00:05:12.420 Emotionally. 00:05:12.420 --> 00:05:19.589 We might say, well, our family matters most or, or family time matters most or love matters. 00:05:19.620 --> 00:05:30.029 Most those that's really what sits at the top of my priority list, or maybe in your family it's education matters most or, or sports. 00:05:30.329 --> 00:05:39.149 And, and that kind of team engagement matters most this world would S would say that that career matters most or wealth matters. 00:05:39.151 --> 00:05:41.250 Most prestige matters. 00:05:41.250 --> 00:05:50.699 Most different things compete for what matters most and only you can determine what matters most in your own life. 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:55.230 But I would ask the question today, what does Jesus say matters most? 00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:00.769 What would be the top priority in his estimation? 00:06:01.220 --> 00:06:05.029 If he is who he says he is, then he is the savior of the world. 00:06:05.031 --> 00:06:09.199 He is the son of God made flesh that dwelt among us. 00:06:09.470 --> 00:06:19.540 But even if he's not, he's an incredibly wise man, people who don't even believe that he is the savior recognize the wisdom of what he brought to this earth. 00:06:19.819 --> 00:06:28.970 And, and many people would say, I don't believe he's the son of God, but I still listen or live by his principles because they're just good for life. 00:06:28.970 --> 00:06:34.579 So no matter where you fall on the spectrum, I, for one, believe he is exactly who he says he is. 00:06:34.759 --> 00:06:45.490 Eh, but no matter where you fall on the spectrum, the, the reality is knowing what he believes or what he says matters most is critical to our lives. 00:06:45.850 --> 00:06:49.629 And in John chapter 17, we find a very intimate prayer. 00:06:49.899 --> 00:06:58.180 Some people call it the high priest, prayer, or an intercessor prayer, but it's Jesus talking to his father in a very intimate way. 00:06:58.180 --> 00:07:00.519 He's, he's on his way to the cross. 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:08.379 And so he's very intense about everything that's going on is very, very dedicated to the focus of his life. 00:07:08.380 --> 00:07:17.740 And, and he's just, he he's, he's, he's approaching the time when he knows he's going to sacrifice it all for the sin of mankind. 00:07:17.740 --> 00:07:24.069 But while he's dedicated to that, he's also caring very deeply about the people that he's leaving behind. 00:07:24.069 --> 00:07:26.500 And he saying, father, I want you to take care of them. 00:07:26.500 --> 00:07:28.600 Here's, here's what I've brought them to here. 00:07:28.730 --> 00:07:32.740 The understanding that we've come to, and, and now I'm going to be with you. 00:07:32.740 --> 00:07:39.819 And so I'm asking you to care for those that I'm leaving behind and out of 25 prayers of Jesus and scripture. 00:07:39.970 --> 00:07:43.060 This is by far the longest prayer. 00:07:43.449 --> 00:07:46.509 And we're going to read part of that John chapter 17 verse number. 00:07:47.019 --> 00:07:53.199 And he says, and I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. 00:07:53.589 --> 00:07:55.180 And I am coming to you. 00:07:55.209 --> 00:08:14.170 Holy father, keep them in your name, which you have given me that they may be one, even as we are one now who's, who's the we, the father and Jesus, who's the, they, the, they, it could be the disciples. 00:08:14.170 --> 00:08:15.550 It could be the apostles. 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:18.490 It could be, but he goes ahead in his own prayer. 00:08:18.490 --> 00:08:23.949 And he defines the day in verse number 20, we pick it up. 00:08:23.951 --> 00:08:34.269 It says, I do not ask for these only those who are with him right there in that moment, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. 00:08:34.570 --> 00:08:55.029 So if you're a believer, because what you see in scripture, if you're a believer, because you've read the words of Christ in on the page, if you're a believer, because you've seen the work of Christ and others' lives who have also read the word of God, then you are one who've been in, who has been impacted by the words from those who are with Jesus. 00:08:55.230 --> 00:09:10.679 This moment, when he's praying, he's talking about you and me verse number 21, he says that they may all be one just as you father are in me and I in you, that they may also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 00:09:10.830 --> 00:09:12.389 So that's the second time. 00:09:12.390 --> 00:09:17.039 And this one, prayer that Jesus has asked the father to help them 00:09:17.190 --> 00:09:19.110 Become one. 00:09:19.289 --> 00:09:31.409 The second time he said that, and then verse 22, the glory that you have given me, I have given to them that they may be one, even as we are one. 00:09:31.410 --> 00:09:37.289 So that now that's the third time that Jesus has said the same thing to the father. 00:09:37.291 --> 00:09:44.610 It's not because the father forgot what Jesus said, and it's not because Jesus is not aware of what he said. 00:09:44.610 --> 00:09:56.789 But now for the third time, he said that they may be one, even as we are one, and then verse 23, I, and them and you in me that they may become perfectly one 00:09:56.909 --> 00:09:58.080 The fourth time. 00:09:58.081 --> 00:09:58.320 He's 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:05.309 Saying this why, again, he's repeating himself again so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them. 00:10:05.340 --> 00:10:06.990 Even as you loved 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:09.690 Me, four times, 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:12.210 Jesus says, let them be 00:10:12.409 --> 00:10:16.850 One like you and I are one, four times. 00:10:17.419 --> 00:10:20.389 He, he is crying out for the same thing. 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:25.429 Now in this, in this, this is not the only thing he says in this prayer. 00:10:25.580 --> 00:10:28.159 He also gives four goals for the believer. 00:10:28.580 --> 00:10:31.309 He says, number one, I want them to be in the father. 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:33.289 How many wants to be in the fathers today? 00:10:33.620 --> 00:10:36.830 You, if you don't know, yes, you want to be in the father today. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:37.460 Okay? 00:10:37.789 --> 00:10:38.720 We want to be in the father. 00:10:38.750 --> 00:10:41.450 Then he said, I want them to be sanctified in truth. 00:10:41.809 --> 00:10:43.909 I want to be sanctified in truth today. 00:10:44.269 --> 00:10:46.429 He says, I want them to be in heaven. 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:52.190 He's praying this for you and I, that we will be with him in heaven when it's all said and done. 00:10:52.580 --> 00:10:54.950 And then he says that God's love will be in them. 00:10:55.279 --> 00:11:01.700 So in all of these things, these are the goals he's setting out for his people in this prayer and all four of them. 00:11:01.700 --> 00:11:02.720 I want to be part of. 00:11:02.721 --> 00:11:10.460 We want to be part of so four goals and four times he says that they may be one. 00:11:10.519 --> 00:11:11.960 Now he could have prayed for anything. 00:11:12.379 --> 00:11:16.549 This is, this is the son of God made flesh walking on planet earth. 00:11:16.610 --> 00:11:21.019 He is about to ride, go to his death, but he's going to rise again in glory. 00:11:21.139 --> 00:11:22.730 He's going to sit at the right hand of the father. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:25.070 He has power and authority. 00:11:25.159 --> 00:11:27.950 He understands who he is and what he's there to do. 00:11:28.100 --> 00:11:33.500 And he could have prayed for anything he could have said, father give them all kinds of power. 00:11:33.620 --> 00:11:37.190 Just give them power that they just ooze power all the time. 00:11:37.309 --> 00:11:38.570 Just power, power, power. 00:11:38.659 --> 00:11:41.779 How many would like to be endued with power from on high? 00:11:42.139 --> 00:11:49.700 Ah, your were because he said the Holy spirit would give us power from on high, but he could have prayed that in this prayer. 00:11:49.700 --> 00:11:50.299 And he did it. 00:11:50.690 --> 00:11:53.830 Another thing could have prayed as Lord give wealth. 00:11:53.860 --> 00:11:59.529 Like the world has never seen so that when they say it, they can do it in G in. 00:11:59.830 --> 00:12:01.389 Does Jesus pray in Jesus' name? 00:12:01.390 --> 00:12:01.929 I'm not sure. 00:12:02.019 --> 00:12:05.529 So let so let that, how many real, okay. 00:12:05.530 --> 00:12:09.850 If the Lord prayed for you to have vast wealth, I'd be okay with that. 00:12:10.370 --> 00:12:11.529 Some of y'all are lying. 00:12:11.590 --> 00:12:13.090 I'm just telling you you're lying. 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:14.740 You'd be okay with that. 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:19.509 How about Lord father give them worldly authority. 00:12:19.750 --> 00:12:24.190 So when they say it, they're in the chart, they're in charge of the, of the government. 00:12:24.191 --> 00:12:25.360 They're in charge of the arts. 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:26.559 They're in charge of entertainment. 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:28.059 They're in charge of wealth. 00:12:28.090 --> 00:12:30.940 They're in charge of the, of the world systems. 00:12:30.941 --> 00:12:34.960 He could have prayed all of those things and he didn't, he didn't. 00:12:35.289 --> 00:12:55.659 In fact, he has four priorities for us, four things, four goals, rather for us four goals for us, all of them that we want to achieve, but all of them take one priority, four goals, one priority, Jesus prays for unity of his followers. 00:12:55.899 --> 00:12:59.440 Four times father, let them be one. 00:12:59.470 --> 00:13:04.870 Even as we are one he's prioritizing unity. 00:13:05.379 --> 00:13:11.740 Now the big idea today is this unity matters most for ultimate success. 00:13:12.190 --> 00:13:15.730 Unity matters most for ultimate success. 00:13:16.539 --> 00:13:19.840 Now Jesus was focused on the spiritual realities of life. 00:13:20.019 --> 00:13:25.539 He, he was focused on you and I getting to heaven, being in God and God working through us. 00:13:25.750 --> 00:13:31.779 He, he was, he was focused on you and I getting the gospel of Jesus Christ out and around the world. 00:13:32.350 --> 00:13:36.639 But unity is what matters most in every part of life. 00:13:37.179 --> 00:13:46.000 And then this series, we're going to discover how to build unity in the decisions that we make and the stands that we take. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:48.279 And you might be saying, well, wait a minute, I don't lead a church. 00:13:48.730 --> 00:13:51.460 And so do I need to know about this? 00:13:51.940 --> 00:13:52.659 And I would. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:55.029 I'm just, I'm just really happy that you asked that question. 00:13:55.809 --> 00:13:57.100 I was, I was counting on it. 00:13:57.100 --> 00:14:01.629 In fact, because I have three thoughts for us on that thought. 00:14:01.630 --> 00:14:11.649 Number one is this, all relationships are as strong as the unity developed all relationships. 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:15.940 Unity means being joined as a whole. 00:14:16.419 --> 00:14:20.379 It means that you can't get one without the other. 00:14:20.950 --> 00:14:25.210 Jesus said, no, man can come to the father except through me. 00:14:25.539 --> 00:14:28.179 So if you don't accept me, you don't get the father. 00:14:28.690 --> 00:14:31.480 If you get the father, it's because you've got me too. 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:39.340 You might say to me, well, Hey, I want you to be a friend in my life, but I don't care much about what Christie has to say about things. 00:14:40.210 --> 00:14:45.100 And I'm going to say you're out of luck because anytime I don't know what I think I just asked Christie, 00:14:51.529 --> 00:14:52.039 If you don't know 00:14:52.100 --> 00:14:57.529 If she's my wife and, and you don't get me, if you don't get Christie, that's how it is. 00:14:57.950 --> 00:14:59.090 And you don't get her. 00:14:59.100 --> 00:15:04.370 If you don't get me, when you get one, you get both because God has joined us together. 00:15:05.029 --> 00:15:10.100 It's about being a whole consider every relational breakdown. 00:15:10.669 --> 00:15:18.679 If the family experiences of the couple experiences divorce and the family breaks down, it didn't start with divorce. 00:15:18.681 --> 00:15:20.029 Patient was being served. 00:15:21.110 --> 00:15:23.330 It didn't begin with an affair. 00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:26.750 Those things are products of a problem in the marriage. 00:15:27.470 --> 00:15:34.370 When you think about kids being estranged from their parents, we're a family of kids and parents don't talk to one another anymore. 00:15:34.370 --> 00:15:38.480 They're not in one another's life that didn't happen overnight. 00:15:39.409 --> 00:15:48.830 Businesses don't end and business relationships don't end because of one problem or one issue or, or one bad decision. 00:15:49.340 --> 00:16:02.330 In fact, even churches, churches, don't split over one bad song or one issue that somebody didn't like, or somebody took somebody else's seat in a particular service. 00:16:02.539 --> 00:16:05.149 And so therefore everybody's all whacked out. 00:16:05.299 --> 00:16:06.500 No, that doesn't happen. 00:16:06.590 --> 00:16:12.710 In fact, every one of these situations, the break down begins with a breakdown of unity. 00:16:13.669 --> 00:16:19.789 When unity begins to dissolve, that's when the problem really begins. 00:16:20.629 --> 00:16:24.139 That's why Jesus prays for unity of the believer. 00:16:25.070 --> 00:16:29.840 I believe completely that the strong local church is the hope of the world. 00:16:30.470 --> 00:16:33.799 I believe that with all of my heart, that's why I do what I do. 00:16:33.801 --> 00:16:39.289 It's the mechanism that God created to bring the gospel to the world. 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:53.450 Jesus is praying and he's giving over to the church, the mission that he began, he he's, he's praying to the father, keep them unified, just like we are unified, but that need for unity. 00:16:53.451 --> 00:16:54.590 Doesn't stop. 00:16:54.591 --> 00:16:55.549 Or doesn't end. 00:16:55.669 --> 00:17:04.009 When we walk out of the doors of the church, you walk out of the door of the church and, and you need unity in your car. 00:17:04.069 --> 00:17:05.119 As you're driving home. 00:17:05.121 --> 00:17:16.609 Can somebody say air, man, you, you, you know, I've driven to church having a full on argument with Christie and I get out of the truck and, and it's like, Hey, praise the Lord 00:17:16.650 --> 00:17:17.019 Brother. 00:17:17.020 --> 00:17:17.740 How you doing? 00:17:20.500 --> 00:17:21.339 You have to, 00:17:22.269 --> 00:17:24.970 And then we get in the truck and pick up right where we left off. 00:17:26.619 --> 00:17:27.910 And amen. 00:17:28.089 --> 00:17:30.220 Let me tell you what you did and why you sent it on that. 00:17:30.700 --> 00:17:31.990 It's yeah, 00:17:33.130 --> 00:17:34.329 I don't actually talk like that. 00:17:34.330 --> 00:17:34.990 Just so you know, 00:17:38.019 --> 00:17:38.680 Unity. 00:17:39.430 --> 00:18:00.000 We need unity in our families because families and individuals choosing to worship together, that is the local church, local business and local industry fuel the economy that empower those individuals in those families, the community around us is reached by those making up the local church. 00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:05.309 All of it is working together and, and fitting together and building together. 00:18:05.430 --> 00:18:11.640 And the breakdown of unity is detrimental to all of us, detrimental to all of every area of life. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:17.759 And you may have heard the phrase, well, the chain is as strong as the weakest link. 00:18:18.690 --> 00:18:29.970 So that means you can pull that chain and that chain we'll stay together and we'll stay strong until you reach the capacity of the weakest link in the chain, and then it breaks apart. 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:46.650 But here's what I would say when dealing with people, whether it be friends or family or businesses or church, wherever it may be the family, the group, the team, the church, the friendship is as strong as its dedication to unity. 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:51.690 It's as strong as its dedication to unity. 00:18:52.500 --> 00:19:07.470 So whenever, wherever, and with whomever, the dedication to unity begins to abate, then adjustments must be made or it's going to be detrimental to the whole, the whole will suffer. 00:19:08.190 --> 00:19:09.000 So, so what do we do? 00:19:09.569 --> 00:19:11.250 What do we do if we want to build unity? 00:19:11.250 --> 00:19:22.140 And in this sermon today, I'm setting the table for the rest of this, this series, because we've got to understand what it is we're engaged in and thought number two is that unity is a choice. 00:19:22.769 --> 00:19:23.549 It's a choice. 00:19:23.700 --> 00:19:25.890 It's a choice made by everybody involved. 00:19:26.849 --> 00:19:28.529 We unified by choice. 00:19:29.430 --> 00:19:31.740 Nobody can demand your friendship. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:35.789 I've never had anybody come up to me and say, I am going to be my friend. 00:19:35.790 --> 00:19:36.990 You are going to be my friend. 00:19:36.990 --> 00:19:38.339 We are going to love one another. 00:19:38.430 --> 00:19:39.930 And that's just how it is. 00:19:41.910 --> 00:19:43.079 It doesn't work that way. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:47.849 I mean, you might say it, but then I'm going to call the police. 00:19:49.650 --> 00:19:51.839 And I'm going to say, we've got a problem with that person. 00:19:52.619 --> 00:19:54.779 And they will make you go away. 00:19:58.339 --> 00:19:58.700 They will. 00:20:01.609 --> 00:20:10.609 So, so that can, I have never stood at a, at an altar with a couple where, one of what I said, do you take this man to be your husband? 00:20:10.819 --> 00:20:13.099 Do you take this woman to be your life wife? 00:20:13.101 --> 00:20:15.289 And one of them said, you know what? 00:20:15.349 --> 00:20:17.180 I'm being forced to be here. 00:20:17.900 --> 00:20:19.490 I don't, I don't even want to be here. 00:20:20.119 --> 00:20:23.539 So yeah, I guess that's never happened. 00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:27.200 We enter into those relationships by choice. 00:20:28.430 --> 00:20:33.230 We don't demand and cannot command people to go into business with us. 00:20:34.009 --> 00:20:46.819 Nobody's forcing you to accept employment from that company, that person, we, we enter into these unified relationships by choice. 00:20:47.619 --> 00:20:49.269 And when things are good, it's gratifying. 00:20:49.270 --> 00:20:55.059 When you walk into the house and the whole family's together, and man, the kids love you and you love them. 00:20:55.060 --> 00:20:57.190 And your spouse is like, Oh, this is awesome. 00:20:57.191 --> 00:20:59.410 Or your friends are there and everything's going good. 00:20:59.410 --> 00:21:01.990 And then, then there's nothing more beautiful than that. 00:21:01.990 --> 00:21:06.069 More gratifying you come in and you're like, Oh, this is what life's all about. 00:21:06.220 --> 00:21:13.690 When you walk into that business and, and you sit down, whether you're the owner or you're an employee, and, but you're in that relationship and everything's cooking. 00:21:13.900 --> 00:21:25.059 I mean, you got a couple emails and some phone calls to make, but, but you know, everything's going, like it's supposed to in you're, you're hitting all the right numbers and everything's working like it's supposed to, then it's satisfying and you go, wow. 00:21:25.089 --> 00:21:26.769 I just, um, this is awesome. 00:21:26.770 --> 00:21:27.579 I'm made for this. 00:21:27.580 --> 00:21:28.900 This is, this is working. 00:21:28.901 --> 00:21:29.500 I love it. 00:21:29.980 --> 00:21:30.819 It's good. 00:21:31.420 --> 00:21:43.960 When, when the church, when you come into church and they sing every song that you like at the exact volume level that you love and, and, and they don't sing anything or do anything that you don't like. 00:21:43.960 --> 00:21:49.299 And then the preacher gives the sermon that you sent them the notes too. 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:52.660 I mean, it cannot get better than this. 00:21:52.930 --> 00:21:55.480 And when all of that's happened, you are cooking. 00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:58.930 It is, it is so gratifying in is beautiful. 00:21:59.109 --> 00:22:01.660 But how many of us know it doesn't always work that way. 00:22:02.859 --> 00:22:04.900 It doesn't always go good. 00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:18.579 And so now you're in a unified situation where it was gratifying, but now that friendship hits some difficult conversations and they didn't go the way that you wanted them to, or that marriage had some tough times. 00:22:18.940 --> 00:22:20.890 And it's a little awkward. 00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:28.059 I know people that have driven around the block five times before they pull into their driveway, just getting up the courage to, to walk in that front door. 00:22:28.060 --> 00:22:36.220 It just didn't work the way you thought it was going to companies have ups and downs and people's opinions and situations shift. 00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:38.049 And so it can be difficult. 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:42.609 Churches, experience, cultural shifts, things, change things. 00:22:42.611 --> 00:22:45.400 Don't, don't remain the way that they've always been. 00:22:45.700 --> 00:22:48.519 And so, and so it can become disconcerting. 00:22:48.520 --> 00:22:55.240 It can, it can become stretching and, and it can become uncomfortable at times, hard times. 00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:57.549 And places of unity are hard. 00:22:57.550 --> 00:22:58.420 They're frustrating. 00:22:58.421 --> 00:22:58.960 Why? 00:22:59.349 --> 00:23:02.740 Because you care, you care about them deeply. 00:23:03.069 --> 00:23:05.769 That's why you were unified with them in the first place. 00:23:05.770 --> 00:23:09.700 And so now something's not going the way that you thought it would and it hurts. 00:23:09.701 --> 00:23:11.289 And it's, it's tough. 00:23:11.829 --> 00:23:17.079 But regardless of the situation, unity is always a choice. 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:19.119 It's always a choice. 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:21.220 You never have to leave. 00:23:21.609 --> 00:23:23.410 You never have to separate. 00:23:23.589 --> 00:23:27.700 You never have to abandon the friendship, the spouse, the family unit. 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:29.470 You don't have to do those things. 00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:33.400 It is just, it is rather your choice. 00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:39.339 Now I get questions and I I'm where every time I talk about this kind of stuff, I get questions about this. 00:23:39.970 --> 00:23:43.539 And, and people ask me questions like, well, Shanghai, you have left that situation. 00:23:43.750 --> 00:23:44.950 Should I have left them? 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:47.720 I have left that marriage should I've left that company. 00:23:47.721 --> 00:23:48.980 Should I've left that church. 00:23:49.130 --> 00:23:51.980 Should I have left where I have come from? 00:23:52.130 --> 00:23:54.470 Or it's something that happened in my past? 00:23:54.619 --> 00:23:55.970 Should I go back to them? 00:23:56.210 --> 00:23:57.710 I want to be very clear on something. 00:23:58.279 --> 00:24:02.809 If there's an abusive situation, you should never have to go back to that straight up. 00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:03.410 Okay. 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:10.460 Um, and then number two, I would say that we can always second guess the decisions that have been made in life. 00:24:11.029 --> 00:24:19.160 And, and I've had people say to me, I wish I had not done what I did 20 years ago, but, but I did well, here's my encouragement to you today. 00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:23.210 Instead of maybe there's somebody that you need to apologize to. 00:24:23.329 --> 00:24:28.369 Maybe there's something that you can get as right as it can be and get it right in your own heart. 00:24:28.369 --> 00:24:29.480 But here's my encouragement. 00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:31.490 Make it right from today. 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:33.049 Decide today. 00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:35.720 I'm going to walk in unity with my, with my family. 00:24:35.869 --> 00:24:36.319 I'm walk. 00:24:36.380 --> 00:24:43.700 I'm going to walk in unity with my friendships, with my business, with my church, I'm going to build unity in those areas of my life. 00:24:43.819 --> 00:24:48.470 Let's be as intentional about building unity in these areas of life. 00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:51.680 As we are about other things in life. 00:24:52.309 --> 00:25:05.779 If we were as intentional about building unity, as we are about many other things, we would be a more unified country, a more unified church, a more unified family, a more unified community, a more unified everything. 00:25:05.780 --> 00:25:11.059 So my encouragement is today say I choose unity today. 00:25:11.690 --> 00:25:19.759 And that brings us to thought, number three, that unity is consistently intentional, consistently intentional. 00:25:20.509 --> 00:25:25.670 We intentionally choose it and we intentionally maintain it because here's the thing about unity. 00:25:26.099 --> 00:25:29.359 It's not a choice that you make today and never have to think about again. 00:25:30.349 --> 00:25:32.509 We don't say, Oh, I'm unified today. 00:25:32.510 --> 00:25:35.269 Therefore, I never have to worry about being unified again. 00:25:35.450 --> 00:25:36.680 I am unified. 00:25:36.769 --> 00:25:37.609 That's it? 00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:40.519 We done doesn't happen that way. 00:25:40.520 --> 00:25:42.500 If that were true, we'd never have a divorce. 00:25:42.859 --> 00:25:45.289 If that were to, we'd never have a breakup of friendship. 00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:47.809 If that was true, we would never have a split of a church. 00:25:48.019 --> 00:25:51.950 If that was true, we would never have a departure of any relationship. 00:25:52.430 --> 00:26:00.230 It doesn't remain naturally because that thing that you walked into and it was new and it was fresh. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:02.059 It becomes normal. 00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:03.200 After a while. 00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:10.400 In fact, we have people to come to church sometimes and they say things like, man, I'm never been to a church that says awesome. 00:26:10.401 --> 00:26:16.430 As this church, I'm never had a pastor as, as divinely inspired by you. 00:26:16.609 --> 00:26:20.450 Like you, as soon as people tell me that I'm thinking you're not going to be here very 00:26:20.450 --> 00:26:20.839 Long, 00:26:23.150 --> 00:26:32.150 Because what's going to happen is a little while later often what we hear is, you know, I think this church should be more like the place I left. 00:26:33.170 --> 00:26:34.759 I think I shouldn't do it. 00:26:34.760 --> 00:26:36.500 Shouldn't we think about changing it like that. 00:26:36.500 --> 00:26:39.769 And shouldn't we think about changing it like this shouldn't we think about 00:26:43.900 --> 00:26:43.900 [inaudible] 00:26:44.130 --> 00:26:44.970 That's what happens. 00:26:45.660 --> 00:26:51.359 That's what happens because what, because what was fresh and new and exciting becomes normal 00:26:52.039 --> 00:26:53.059 And routine. 00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:55.400 And over time, 00:26:55.880 --> 00:27:00.019 The weight of the reality shifts, young people that are in the room right now. 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:01.819 I'm not, I'm not dismissing. 00:27:01.820 --> 00:27:02.869 I'm not minimizing. 00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:06.470 I'm not doing anything negative to the situations that you're in right now. 00:27:06.619 --> 00:27:11.150 But let me just say, as we get older, the weight of the situations we carry 00:27:11.720 --> 00:27:12.380 It's heavier. 00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:15.890 It typically affects more people. 00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:19.309 I it's, it's more impacting across ed. 00:27:19.310 --> 00:27:24.079 So, or we just understand the gravity of it more than we did years ago. 00:27:24.619 --> 00:27:26.720 And so the thing you're dealing 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:29.690 With right now is the heaviest thing you're carrying to date. 00:27:30.019 --> 00:27:36.230 But I unfortunately am going to tell you that it will probably get heavier as you go forward in life. 00:27:36.859 --> 00:27:39.349 And so the heavier something gets 00:27:39.829 --> 00:27:48.529 It's the, the, the more we have to consistently maintain and choose unity. 00:27:50.150 --> 00:27:51.680 And it seems like at some point 00:27:52.190 --> 00:27:55.130 It might just be easier to walk away because the situation 00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:58.039 [inaudible] is so, so heavy. 00:27:58.970 --> 00:28:00.289 I'm going to, I'm going to say something here. 00:28:00.380 --> 00:28:01.160 It's going to be on the screens. 00:28:01.161 --> 00:28:06.500 And I encourage you write it down or take a picture of the screen, because this is the thing that you've got to get more than anything else today. 00:28:06.500 --> 00:28:13.190 I hope when unity breaks down, we blame the weight of our condition versus the state 00:28:13.190 --> 00:28:13.940 Of our heart. 00:28:15.470 --> 00:28:21.799 When unity breaks down, we blame the weight of our condition versus the state of our heart. 00:28:21.980 --> 00:28:22.849 And it makes sense 00:28:23.660 --> 00:28:26.599 Because things can get heavy. 00:28:27.380 --> 00:28:28.069 Now, this, 00:28:28.460 --> 00:28:31.339 This right here is really not that heavy. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:36.710 Most of us are a toddler could come grab this by the end and drag it around. 00:28:36.711 --> 00:28:40.670 But Tim and Amy, would you come help me with this real quick, just run up here real fast. 00:28:40.940 --> 00:28:43.490 And so here I am, I'm feeling strong. 00:28:43.490 --> 00:28:44.630 I can carry this. 00:28:44.869 --> 00:28:46.130 I can curl this. 00:28:46.339 --> 00:28:48.109 I can, I can move this around. 00:28:48.111 --> 00:28:49.130 That's not a problem in man. 00:28:49.131 --> 00:28:53.450 If I can unify one of you get on this side and, uh, Amy, come get on this side. 00:28:53.690 --> 00:28:57.349 And so, I mean, with the three of us, this is not a problem at all. 00:28:58.309 --> 00:28:59.720 We, we are good. 00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:01.190 This is light. 00:29:01.579 --> 00:29:04.069 This is easy, but here's the problem. 00:29:05.029 --> 00:29:11.779 We think the lighter, the situation, the easier it becomes to handle, but, and that's true. 00:29:11.869 --> 00:29:18.019 But if we're not in unity, the weight of the situation, isn't going to change the problem. 00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:20.150 Amy, I want you to walk that way. 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:22.279 Tim walked that way and I'm going to walk forward. 00:29:22.309 --> 00:29:22.599 No, no, no. 00:29:22.609 --> 00:29:23.240 Hold onto this. 00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:26.750 Cause we're cause we're unified here. 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:28.099 So you walk that way. 00:29:28.101 --> 00:29:28.910 He's walking that way. 00:29:28.911 --> 00:29:29.569 I'm walking this way. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:33.109 Now this is a light. 00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:34.789 This is a light issue. 00:29:35.299 --> 00:29:40.700 This is not a heavy situation, but because we're not unified, we all over the place, 00:29:42.009 --> 00:29:46.180 We've got a problem because the situation is light. 00:29:46.750 --> 00:29:50.529 We could easily handle it, but we're not unified in it. 00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:57.099 So we think, well, if the situation would change, then we'd be better. 00:29:57.579 --> 00:29:59.589 The problem isn't the situation. 00:30:00.069 --> 00:30:04.839 The problem is the unity, because here's, here's another reality. 00:30:06.609 --> 00:30:08.200