WEBVTT 00:00:00.869 --> 00:00:01.649 Praise God. 00:00:02.129 --> 00:00:10.439 Well, we're in our Siri stepping stones, and I want to encourage you to get out your notebook and or note page or whatever you use your, your phone. 00:00:11.189 --> 00:00:15.300 Uh, I used to say that, um, that, you know, I'm just gonna assume you're not playing angry birds. 00:00:15.301 --> 00:00:18.420 And I was told nobody plays angry birds anymore. 00:00:18.570 --> 00:00:20.550 So I don't know. 00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:22.350 I guess all the birds are happy now. 00:00:22.410 --> 00:00:24.960 I like that positive. 00:00:26.670 --> 00:00:28.260 We're moving in the right direction. 00:00:29.129 --> 00:00:31.230 So we're in this series, stepping stones. 00:00:31.260 --> 00:00:39.450 And we're talking about stepping stones because stepping stones intentionally lead to an end result when we we've said it from the beginning. 00:00:39.451 --> 00:00:47.759 When we play stepping stones in our yards, we don't walk outside, throw a big stone up in the air and wherever it happens to land, that's where it sits. 00:00:47.939 --> 00:00:49.140 No, we're very intentional. 00:00:49.140 --> 00:00:50.939 We say, here's where I'm going to be. 00:00:50.939 --> 00:00:52.289 I'm going to be on the patio. 00:00:52.530 --> 00:01:04.230 And I want to go specifically to that place over there called the garden or that specific place over there called the deck or that specific place over there called whatever it may be, wherever your destination may be. 00:01:04.530 --> 00:01:06.599 And we take very specific steps. 00:01:06.600 --> 00:01:11.040 We want to make sure that where we place our feet, that our path is clear. 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:14.609 We want to make sure that wherever we place our feet, it's stable and secure. 00:01:14.849 --> 00:01:30.659 And that at the end of the day, when, when we get to that last step, we got to someplace on purpose, wherever you're at in your life right now in every area of your life, whether it's in your relational life, your financial life, your career, life, wherever, whatever part of your life it may be in. 00:01:30.930 --> 00:01:33.689 You've taken some, some particular steps. 00:01:33.870 --> 00:01:45.569 You've taken steps where your feet, your foot rested, where your heart rested, where your mind dwelt for awhile and the, in those places, they became stepping stones for you. 00:01:45.569 --> 00:01:50.069 And they set up what was available to you in your next step. 00:01:50.519 --> 00:01:55.799 Well, God's set up some stepping stones for, for his people, for Israel and therefore to us. 00:01:56.010 --> 00:02:04.859 And he said, if you'll take these stepping stones and utilize them the way that I've designed them, then you're going to start in a place where you were slaves to something. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:14.129 In the Israelites case, they were slaves to Egypt and our case, we are slaves to sin, and they're going to end up in a particular place. 00:02:14.250 --> 00:02:22.379 You will end up as a, as a free people with your own land, with a great relationship with God, with, with a great relationship with one another. 00:02:22.530 --> 00:02:23.759 And with those around you. 00:02:23.939 --> 00:02:27.210 And in our case, we are going to end up with heaven as our home. 00:02:27.330 --> 00:02:31.139 We're going to have a great relationship with our father and with those around us. 00:02:31.259 --> 00:02:36.240 And he said, here's some stepping stones that will, that will get you intentionally from here to there. 00:02:36.241 --> 00:02:47.189 So our job is to use them to use those stepping stones and week number one, our big idea was the first step to eternal successes worshiping only God stepping stone. 00:02:47.191 --> 00:02:50.430 Number one was, I am the only God worship only me. 00:02:50.789 --> 00:02:57.930 He said, let me just define for you the fact that I'm it, there is no other, and I'm the only one that you can worship stepping. 00:02:57.931 --> 00:03:01.930 So number two was don't create images or idols to represent God's true. 00:03:02.620 --> 00:03:04.569 God's himself or false gods. 00:03:04.570 --> 00:03:08.949 He said, I don't, I don't want you to create parameters in which you think I'm going to live. 00:03:09.129 --> 00:03:12.219 I'm going to define myself week. 00:03:12.221 --> 00:03:15.849 Number two, we said the second step is to guard your relationship with God. 00:03:16.210 --> 00:03:20.919 And so stepping stone, number three was treat my name and reputation with respect. 00:03:21.129 --> 00:03:23.259 Don't take my name in vain. 00:03:23.710 --> 00:03:28.750 In fact, somebody told me this week that they were walking out the door of the church just after the sermon. 00:03:28.751 --> 00:03:35.229 And, and uh, somebody said something to them about, I don't know what, but they, uh, they looked at them and said, oh my God. 00:03:35.770 --> 00:03:42.370 And when I can't say that, good, good. 00:03:42.371 --> 00:03:43.180 I'm glad. 00:03:43.210 --> 00:03:44.500 Just take it seriously. 00:03:44.949 --> 00:03:45.699 Take take. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:55.030 When you refer to God and make sure you're serious in that reference, stepping stone, number four, pursue intentional time with me pursue intentional time with me. 00:03:55.031 --> 00:03:57.520 Don't let it be a last minute thing. 00:03:57.520 --> 00:03:59.830 Don't let it be something that you're casual about. 00:03:59.830 --> 00:04:01.930 No pursue intentional time with me. 00:04:01.931 --> 00:04:05.469 And today we're going to talk about the fifth, sixth, and seventh commandments. 00:04:05.471 --> 00:04:07.180 We're going to hit all three. 00:04:07.370 --> 00:04:09.520 And so I got to preach fast. 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:12.219 You've got to write fast and we got to all listen faster. 00:04:12.219 --> 00:04:24.399 Praise God, Exodus chapter 20 says it this way, verses 12 through 14 honor, your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land, which your God, which your Lord, God is giving you. 00:04:25.509 --> 00:04:29.889 Then verse 13, you shall not murder 14. 00:04:29.891 --> 00:04:32.019 You shall not commit adultery. 00:04:33.370 --> 00:04:36.970 So here are some commandments from God. 00:04:37.269 --> 00:04:38.860 They're very specific. 00:04:39.339 --> 00:04:40.930 They're not vague. 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:50.290 They're not hard to understand the first one, obey your mother and father is the only commandment that he gives that has a specific promise attached to it. 00:04:51.100 --> 00:04:56.110 The rest of them are just don't do this or do this. 00:04:58.269 --> 00:05:01.449 But notice he's shifting focus until this moment. 00:05:01.451 --> 00:05:06.759 And the first four stepping stones, it's all been about the relationship between God and man. 00:05:07.480 --> 00:05:11.500 But now he's talking about relationship with between humanity and humanity. 00:05:12.310 --> 00:05:13.810 And he said, ah, this this matters. 00:05:13.810 --> 00:05:15.160 And some people may say, well, wait a minute. 00:05:15.339 --> 00:05:18.310 I am just really all about God and God alone. 00:05:18.910 --> 00:05:22.089 I'm not really worried about the relationship that I have with other people. 00:05:22.091 --> 00:05:24.250 I mean, they, that just has to be what it is. 00:05:24.310 --> 00:05:31.329 I'm really, I'm just all about God ever heard about the ever heard the phrase all so heavenly minded, there are no earthly. 00:05:31.331 --> 00:05:31.810 Good. 00:05:34.149 --> 00:05:39.610 Well, what it's saying is that they're so focused on God that can't do anything good on the earth. 00:05:40.060 --> 00:05:41.290 I'm so focused on God. 00:05:41.290 --> 00:05:42.730 And here's the, here's the issue with that? 00:05:42.819 --> 00:05:43.930 It sounds good. 00:05:43.930 --> 00:05:45.250 It sounds very spiritual. 00:05:45.250 --> 00:05:52.959 It sounds very high minded, but the reality is that God placed us here on this earth to reach other people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:59.000 And if your relationship with other people don't matter, then how can you reach them with the gospel of Jesus Christ? 00:05:59.870 --> 00:06:05.509 If how you treat other people around you, isn't important, then why would you be sent? 00:06:05.511 --> 00:06:09.949 Why would I be sent to reach them with the gospel of Christ? 00:06:10.819 --> 00:06:13.189 Focusing on God alone is beautiful. 00:06:13.850 --> 00:06:17.029 It's high-minded, but it doesn't result in a great nation. 00:06:17.031 --> 00:06:18.620 It doesn't result in a great state. 00:06:18.620 --> 00:06:20.180 It doesn't result in a great city. 00:06:20.269 --> 00:06:24.410 It doesn't result in a great neighborhood, great street or a great home. 00:06:24.410 --> 00:06:26.389 It does not result in a great family. 00:06:26.540 --> 00:06:31.939 If you don't pay attention to the people that are around you, none of those things will be positive in your life. 00:06:32.750 --> 00:06:39.949 And at the end of the day, your relationship with other people matter to God, because you're called to reach others with the gospel. 00:06:40.250 --> 00:06:42.620 You can't positively impact those. 00:06:42.620 --> 00:06:44.959 You're fighting against you. 00:06:44.961 --> 00:06:46.670 Can't positively impact those. 00:06:46.670 --> 00:06:47.629 You're fighting against. 00:06:48.410 --> 00:06:54.379 So whenever if your relationship with other people is not positive, then you can't influence them for Christ. 00:06:54.410 --> 00:07:00.439 They may know exactly what you think about everything that you think, and you might feel pretty good about that. 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:16.490 But after you share all that, you think, can you share the gospel with them after you share everything that's on your heart and your mind, are you able to win them to Christ after you've declared your faults on every issue that's going on our world today. 00:07:16.490 --> 00:07:20.990 And there are many issues that we all feel deeply about. 00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:30.829 Are you able then to turn around and tell them about the love of Jesus and would they respond if you did, based upon your relationship with them. 00:07:32.060 --> 00:07:36.500 So God's calling us to pay attention to our relationships with people around us. 00:07:37.189 --> 00:07:45.589 It's so important that we don't, that we understand rather that we don't fight against flesh and blood in whatever the situation may be. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:49.250 It's not the flesh and blood people in front of us that we're fighting against. 00:07:49.250 --> 00:07:51.709 It's the principalities and empowers. 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:58.490 So I can come against the principalities and powers every day, all day with absolute confidence. 00:07:59.209 --> 00:08:15.709 But with the people around us, let's be slow to anger, slow to speak, slow to the scripture consistently tells us to be slow, careful, methodical in our faults and in our approaches to things because our relationships with others matter. 00:08:16.579 --> 00:08:22.819 So he says properly earthly relationship begins with how you treat those in authority and moves outward. 00:08:22.821 --> 00:08:23.449 From there. 00:08:23.509 --> 00:08:28.310 Here's our big idea today, engage with God's design for life. 00:08:28.370 --> 00:08:33.710 As he designed, defines them, engage with God's designs for life. 00:08:33.740 --> 00:08:35.419 As he defines them. 00:08:36.049 --> 00:08:40.940 Now in the first four commandments, he's defining our relationship with him. 00:08:41.419 --> 00:08:42.889 He's saying, this is who I am. 00:08:42.890 --> 00:08:44.059 I'll define myself. 00:08:44.690 --> 00:08:47.179 He saying, treat my name with respect. 00:08:47.860 --> 00:08:50.600 He's saying pursue intentional time with me. 00:08:50.809 --> 00:08:55.100 It's all about how he defines himself and how we should relate to him. 00:08:55.350 --> 00:08:59.580 But now he say, I want to define how you treat others. 00:09:00.870 --> 00:09:01.799 They are mine. 00:09:01.801 --> 00:09:02.970 You are mine. 00:09:03.539 --> 00:09:11.009 I'm going to define how these relationship should work because he designed it. 00:09:11.340 --> 00:09:12.629 It's sacred to him. 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:14.190 It's holy to him. 00:09:14.700 --> 00:09:16.080 It's set apart to him. 00:09:16.889 --> 00:09:21.899 It means, and it matters something to him and what God does designs. 00:09:21.899 --> 00:09:24.809 He defines, he says, I've designed it. 00:09:24.811 --> 00:09:26.490 I'm going to define how it works. 00:09:26.490 --> 00:09:28.259 If you design it, you get to define it. 00:09:28.260 --> 00:09:32.549 But because God designed it, he said, I get to define how this works. 00:09:33.029 --> 00:09:36.419 I'll define myself and I'll define what I create. 00:09:36.421 --> 00:09:37.769 And so I have three thoughts for you today. 00:09:37.770 --> 00:09:44.820 And thought, number one is this honor, God given authority, honor God given authority. 00:09:45.450 --> 00:09:48.269 He starts with honor your mother, your father, and your mother. 00:09:48.270 --> 00:10:02.850 This is the first level of God given authority in your life from the day you're born, that your mother and your father, your father, and your mother are your primary, immediate authority figures in your world. 00:10:02.850 --> 00:10:05.340 And you might say, well, that is just so simple. 00:10:05.460 --> 00:10:07.649 I mean, that's just easy to understand. 00:10:08.039 --> 00:10:12.149 And I would say that everything is simple and easy to understand until it's not. 00:10:15.779 --> 00:10:23.519 We went hiking one day and everything was really easy until it wasn't every this, everything just seemed to be going along smooth. 00:10:23.549 --> 00:10:24.419 And then it wasn't. 00:10:25.500 --> 00:10:30.330 And sometimes it's easy to honor your mother and your father, and then something shifts. 00:10:30.331 --> 00:10:31.200 Something changes. 00:10:31.201 --> 00:10:36.539 There's a rumor out there that every day we're getting a little bit older, just a rumor. 00:10:36.541 --> 00:10:38.220 I don't know if I believe it, but it's there. 00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:47.370 And so as people get older things change, we get into different seasons of life, different things matter to us at different parts of life and, and seasons. 00:10:47.370 --> 00:10:49.799 And so, and so here we are, things are shifting. 00:10:49.801 --> 00:10:54.539 And so maybe, maybe you have a father and a mother that you're able to honor all through life. 00:10:54.541 --> 00:10:57.509 And then, and it's just seems simple and easy and a no brainer. 00:10:57.510 --> 00:10:58.919 Then suddenly things shift. 00:10:59.100 --> 00:11:01.080 And now it's hard to honor them. 00:11:01.830 --> 00:11:02.669 It's difficult. 00:11:02.671 --> 00:11:09.990 But the fact that as he always calls us to honor our father and our mother in simple terms, this means to make things heavy with them. 00:11:09.990 --> 00:11:15.090 It means that what they say, when they speak, what they do should matter to us. 00:11:15.539 --> 00:11:19.080 It has a level of weight to it and importance to it. 00:11:19.769 --> 00:11:27.659 It's God given God given authority because you and I don't get to choose who were born to God. 00:11:27.660 --> 00:11:33.990 Didn't give me a handbook and or a flip book and say, all right, flip through these people and decide which couple you want to be born to. 00:11:35.940 --> 00:11:40.019 He didn't give me the flip book about who I wanted to be born to me either. 00:11:44.519 --> 00:11:49.679 I would have chosen exactly what I have no doubt, but, but I didn't get a choice. 00:11:49.799 --> 00:11:51.029 And neither did you. 00:11:51.899 --> 00:11:59.169 God said this who you're born to, this is who I'm going to give to you to be born to your, into your life. 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:01.600 Now you might say, wait a minute. 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:03.129 My mom and dad, they had me. 00:12:03.130 --> 00:12:07.029 And then they, they couldn't keep me, or they didn't want me or whatever the case may be. 00:12:07.149 --> 00:12:12.370 So I was given up by my parents and now I have adopted parents. 00:12:12.370 --> 00:12:23.230 Then could I say that you were maybe even doubly blessed in this life where you had somebody who bore you out of natural consequences, natural course that God said, here you are. 00:12:23.230 --> 00:12:24.909 And then he gave your life. 00:12:25.389 --> 00:12:29.500 He gave you other people in your life that said, I choose you. 00:12:29.500 --> 00:12:31.720 I choose to raise you and care for you. 00:12:31.870 --> 00:12:35.679 And to bless you and to cover you and give you all that you need through life. 00:12:35.681 --> 00:12:39.250 And to help you become the adult that God's called you to be. 00:12:39.580 --> 00:12:45.519 If you're an adopted person today, man, or woman, I would just say, you may be doubly blessed of all of us. 00:12:46.389 --> 00:12:48.490 I praise God for what he does and how he does it. 00:12:49.539 --> 00:12:53.679 But Ephesians six, if you're saying, well, wait a minute, that's a great old Testament concept. 00:12:53.681 --> 00:12:54.970 Let's bring it into new Testament. 00:12:55.750 --> 00:13:01.210 Paul writes children obey your parents because you belong to the Lord for this is the right thing to do. 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:08.620 He says children, obey your parents, heed them, conform to them, conform to their words. 00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:11.049 When they say something, make your life, look like that. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:16.210 If they say, brush your teeth, make your teeth look like they are brushed by brushing them. 00:13:17.470 --> 00:13:22.629 I know how devious children's minds think the ha I will do something other than brush my teeth, but they'll look like their brush. 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:25.149 Clean your room. 00:13:25.150 --> 00:13:28.539 It means conform, go make your room clean. 00:13:29.950 --> 00:13:36.039 They say, get up, get up, go to bed, go to bed, conform children. 00:13:36.580 --> 00:13:37.509 That's what he's saying. 00:13:37.539 --> 00:13:41.470 Children obey, who fits the definition of a child. 00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:46.029 I know that we use that term kind of loosely today. 00:13:46.030 --> 00:13:48.970 And we say, I say to my kids, you are my children. 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:54.190 So I want you to get, I want you to understand that I don't care how old you are or where you are. 00:13:54.340 --> 00:14:01.990 If I'm with you and I'm going to leave you or I'm greeting you, I'm going to give you a hug and I'm going to give you a kiss and you're going to make it more awkward for yourself. 00:14:01.990 --> 00:14:06.399 If you try to fight that or you can just accept it. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:08.649 And they've been really good about it. 00:14:09.789 --> 00:14:15.639 And when they're 63, they're still going to be my children, but they are not by definition children. 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:21.100 They are no longer kids or children by age. 00:14:21.100 --> 00:14:25.389 And so who fits the defin definition of a child and should obey. 00:14:25.390 --> 00:14:26.139 Here you go. 00:14:26.289 --> 00:14:33.789 If you depend on parents for your finances, for your phone, yes. 00:14:33.791 --> 00:14:40.330 That's a thing for your house, for your insurance, for your clothes. 00:14:40.331 --> 00:14:45.879 If you are dependent on your parents, then you remain in some ways a child. 00:14:46.570 --> 00:14:49.179 And there are some really good reasons for doing that. 00:14:49.210 --> 00:14:50.649 Do not misunderstand me. 00:14:51.259 --> 00:14:54.830 You might be 35 and still qualify in some of those areas. 00:14:55.009 --> 00:15:06.889 And you say, well, by age, I'm not a child, but knowing the areas that you remain dependent, you remain dependent and you remain a child in those areas and thereby obey in those areas. 00:15:07.460 --> 00:15:13.759 If you're using your parents' insurance and they are charging you, they say you pay your own deductibles. 00:15:14.210 --> 00:15:22.490 Well, then if you throw a fit about that, you need to obey your parent and pay your own deductibles because you're a dependent in that area. 00:15:24.169 --> 00:15:26.330 You don't, that's good preaching right there. 00:15:26.331 --> 00:15:29.659 I'm just telling you, I don't even have to turn around and act like, I don't know. 00:15:29.929 --> 00:15:30.320 It's real. 00:15:30.321 --> 00:15:31.519 It's just true. 00:15:31.850 --> 00:15:32.419 Okay. 00:15:33.019 --> 00:15:42.440 Paul says, it's the right thing to do obey because God says, so that's pretty heavy, but that's what Paul says, new Testament. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:45.470 So look, let's, let's continue on with what Paul's writing. 00:15:45.590 --> 00:15:47.570 He says, honor, your father and mother. 00:15:47.720 --> 00:15:49.820 This is the first commandment with a promise. 00:15:50.029 --> 00:15:55.580 If your honor, if you honor your father and mother things will go well for you and you will have long life on the earth. 00:15:55.581 --> 00:16:03.200 And so he's telling us very clearly when you honor God given authority things go well and you end up with a long life on earth. 00:16:03.230 --> 00:16:06.769 There's a, there's prosperity within the context of life. 00:16:07.190 --> 00:16:08.720 If you learn to honor. 00:16:09.980 --> 00:16:11.210 And that makes sense. 00:16:12.019 --> 00:16:15.259 It makes sense because parents deserve honor from their children. 00:16:16.580 --> 00:16:21.440 Uh, you think about the honor, the reverence, the obedience that parents receive from kids. 00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:25.070 They, they, they deserve it because they are your parents. 00:16:25.370 --> 00:16:29.210 The position that they hold in your life means that they get that. 00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:40.940 They, they get to expect that from us as their, as their children, as their kids in a, in a sense that the authors of your being now, I know God is always the author of all things. 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:46.250 But if you take my kids DNA sequencing, you can figure out that I'm their daddy. 00:16:46.250 --> 00:16:52.190 If you have mine and have theirs, you can figure out that Christy is their mother. 00:16:52.191 --> 00:16:56.389 If you have theirs and hers, you're going to find out these things. 00:16:56.390 --> 00:17:03.830 Because, uh, when she and I came together, there was something unique and beautiful that was created by in those two boys. 00:17:04.490 --> 00:17:09.529 And now we have a right to their honor. 00:17:09.559 --> 00:17:11.119 They should honor us. 00:17:11.660 --> 00:17:15.410 W parents, shelter, nourish children. 00:17:15.589 --> 00:17:17.059 They protect them, educate them. 00:17:17.060 --> 00:17:19.579 They provide the foundation of all that. 00:17:19.580 --> 00:17:21.200 They know their moral training. 00:17:21.201 --> 00:17:25.190 The first elements of all of their knowledge comes from their parents. 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:31.519 And frankly, it's a wise thing to obey your parents to honor your parents at whatever age. 00:17:32.089 --> 00:17:45.410 Because when you think about it, parents gain absolutely nothing from their children's unhappiness, but I've heard many young people tell me, my parents just don't want me to be happy. 00:17:48.650 --> 00:17:49.589 You're so right. 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:53.250 They brought you into this world. 00:17:53.250 --> 00:17:54.329 They fed you nourished. 00:17:54.330 --> 00:17:55.720 You cared for you clothed. 00:17:56.009 --> 00:17:56.009 You. 00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:57.809 They've put you in homes. 00:17:57.810 --> 00:17:58.500 They've they? 00:17:58.500 --> 00:18:06.029 Everything that you need it and have needed to this point has been provided without your ability to demand it or even requested at some points in your life. 00:18:06.059 --> 00:18:07.289 They did all of that stuff. 00:18:07.349 --> 00:18:13.019 And then yesterday, they decided now it's our time to make them miserable. 00:18:13.890 --> 00:18:15.960 We've done all that to get to this point. 00:18:16.619 --> 00:18:18.930 No, that's, that's a foolish way of thinking. 00:18:18.931 --> 00:18:22.500 That's not a wise way of thinking a wise way of thinking. 00:18:22.589 --> 00:18:25.170 You say, I may not like what my parents have said. 00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:27.240 I may not like what they're asking me to do. 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:34.559 I may not like their opinion on the subject matter, but because I know they have my best interest at heart, I will obey it. 00:18:36.029 --> 00:18:36.990 I will do it. 00:18:37.859 --> 00:18:38.460 It's wise. 00:18:38.579 --> 00:18:44.430 It's also practical because as young people, we must learn to honor and obey somebody. 00:18:44.490 --> 00:18:49.980 Sometime parents, let me give you just a heads up in this. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:19:04.440 If you won't teach your child to obey and to submit their will to someone in authority, somebody is going to teach them that, or they're going to have a miserable life. 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:07.619 They will learn it from someone. 00:19:08.490 --> 00:19:11.039 It may not be you, but it will be somebody young people. 00:19:11.099 --> 00:19:12.960 You will learn it from somebody. 00:19:12.961 --> 00:19:29.299 If you do not learn to obey your parents, you're going to learn to obey somebody when you get a job, do you think, do you think your employer is going to put up with you throwing a fit and refusing to do the work they've ascribed to you? 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:32.359 They're going to fire you. 00:19:37.549 --> 00:19:40.670 Well, that will be different because well, I'm getting paid to do it. 00:19:41.420 --> 00:19:45.230 So that's all different for a minute. 00:19:46.970 --> 00:19:50.750 And about three days in, you're going to come home and say, you know, what's wrong with that company? 00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:53.390 Let me tell you what's wrong with that company. 00:19:53.391 --> 00:19:56.839 They ought to be doing it this way, and they're doing it that way and what they really should do it. 00:19:56.900 --> 00:20:00.950 And about three days in most young people have every company figured out what's right with them. 00:20:00.951 --> 00:20:02.869 What's wrong with them and what needs to be fixed with them? 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:12.599 [inaudible] 00:20:14.160 --> 00:20:14.910 Young people. 00:20:14.911 --> 00:20:16.710 We don't know what we don't know. 00:20:17.789 --> 00:20:20.400 And we, and we have to learn how to submit our will. 00:20:20.549 --> 00:20:21.359 Here's the thing. 00:20:21.390 --> 00:20:23.369 Teachers will expel you until you learn it. 00:20:23.940 --> 00:20:26.069 Drill instructors will push it into you. 00:20:26.130 --> 00:20:31.200 And maybe more, if you don't learn it, bosses will fire you until you learn it. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:36.809 And until you learn how to submit your will to someone else's, you will live a miserable life. 00:20:36.810 --> 00:20:49.569 You won't even be able to have a great relationship with anybody else you romantically or otherwise, because you will not have learned to submit your will to another persons will or to God's will. 00:20:50.500 --> 00:21:00.130 And so we miss this step when we disrespect people in public or private, when we're rude and dismissive of them, we, we w we missed this step. 00:21:00.309 --> 00:21:07.359 And, and I I'm intentionally saying in public or private, because this is something God is looking at, not something he's telling us to look at. 00:21:07.380 --> 00:21:14.470 And judge, he's saying, I'm looking at this, obey your parents, respect your parents, honor your father and your mother. 00:21:15.009 --> 00:21:16.900 So if you do it in private, God sees it. 00:21:16.901 --> 00:21:18.490 If you do it in public, God sees it. 00:21:19.779 --> 00:21:20.349 We miss it. 00:21:20.351 --> 00:21:23.740 When we disrespect were rude or were dismissive, we hit it. 00:21:23.769 --> 00:21:24.670 We hit the step. 00:21:24.671 --> 00:21:34.660 When we listen, when they speak, when we treat them with respect and with deference, when we're willing to explain ourselves, when we're willing to make ourselves accountable. 00:21:36.190 --> 00:21:38.410 Now not everybody has a father or a mother. 00:21:38.411 --> 00:21:39.609 That's easy to honor. 00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:47.890 Some people are raised with families that you're like, I mean, it's like mom and dad are like the, I mean, they're the ultimate mothers and fathers. 00:21:47.891 --> 00:21:59.200 And, and, and just everybody around could say it would be so easy to honor if my parents were like those parents, but the truth is we don't get to choose that. 00:22:00.579 --> 00:22:07.089 In fact, I have a friend of mine whose dad kind of removed himself from his life years ago when he was young. 00:22:07.690 --> 00:22:10.839 Not many years later, his dad is coming back into his life. 00:22:11.650 --> 00:22:13.539 And here's the thing that's beautiful about it. 00:22:13.779 --> 00:22:21.609 When his dad wasn't a part of his life, my friend would say, I wish my dad was part of my life, but he didn't speak badly about his father. 00:22:22.660 --> 00:22:26.920 And now that his father is trying to come back into his life, he doesn't speak badly about his father. 00:22:27.670 --> 00:22:28.420 Are there hurts? 00:22:28.450 --> 00:22:29.049 Absolutely. 00:22:29.250 --> 00:22:29.829 There hurts. 00:22:30.190 --> 00:22:33.880 Are there things he's having to work through and deal with emotionally to try to reconnect? 00:22:33.910 --> 00:22:34.630 Absolutely. 00:22:34.631 --> 00:22:37.630 There are, but he's not condemning his father. 00:22:38.289 --> 00:22:47.200 He's trying to open up for opportunity for the relationship to be, uh, strengthened and tightened and see what God can do in this relationship. 00:22:47.230 --> 00:22:48.730 He's hitting the step. 00:22:49.660 --> 00:22:56.140 But as we grow up, it also does not always mean that we obey every word or take the advice that they've given. 00:22:56.289 --> 00:23:01.240 And I'm going to tell you the, the, the reason I'm saying that is because it says children obey your parents. 00:23:01.420 --> 00:23:09.549 But once you're no longer a dependent on your parents honor, your parents remains an absolute step that we are to take. 00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:13.089 But obeying our parents is no longer part when you're not. 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:16.000 When you're not a dependent on your parents. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:18.609 Now you get to choose your own path. 00:23:18.819 --> 00:23:21.009 You can outgrow obedience. 00:23:21.099 --> 00:23:23.380 You cannot outgrow honor. 00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:26.109 You can't outgrow honor. 00:23:28.269 --> 00:23:36.160 So while you're a dependent obey, and when independent honor, but choose your own path, listen to what they say. 00:23:36.161 --> 00:23:39.670 My mom will call me sometimes and say, Hey son, I tried to call you that today. 00:23:39.671 --> 00:23:40.930 Why didn't you pick up the phone? 00:23:41.619 --> 00:23:43.420 I could tell her mama, I'm a busy man. 00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:47.329 I'm a full grown busy man. 00:23:49.309 --> 00:23:51.819 Why don't you just mind your I'm not even going to say it. 00:23:52.009 --> 00:23:53.720 Cause you go watch this and I'm going to be in trouble. 00:23:55.789 --> 00:23:59.509 Now I'll honor my mother and say, here's what was going on, mom. 00:23:59.900 --> 00:24:01.990 And sometimes I can't remember exactly what was going on. 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:08.210 So I don't remember, but, but be, but honor, your mother and father, no matter how old you get. 00:24:08.211 --> 00:24:09.170 And that brings us the thought. 00:24:09.171 --> 00:24:15.500 Number two, respect God designed states of existence, respect God designed states of existence. 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:18.349 Life is God designed existence. 00:24:18.589 --> 00:24:20.390 God brought us into this life. 00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:28.640 He's designed the life and, and we are living out his design murder, artificially cuts. 00:24:28.670 --> 00:24:30.859 God's designed life in short. 00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:33.619 It says, I'm not going to let this continue. 00:24:33.950 --> 00:24:34.700 I stop it. 00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:44.059 I choose to stop it now murder in the sense of how it's written here goes further than killing by violence or strategic strikes. 00:24:44.060 --> 00:24:59.869 So it's not just sitting in an alleyway, waiting for somebody to come by, but it's saying any killing that goes on that that's taking a human life based on carelessness, based on unprovoked violence, based on hatred, based on anger or revenge. 00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:05.000 All of those things, according to the step that God gives us here is off limits. 00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:07.339 We, we, we don't do those things. 00:25:07.789 --> 00:25:11.839 We don't take a human life out of revenge, right? 00:25:11.840 --> 00:25:12.799 Of anger. 00:25:13.069 --> 00:25:14.240 It's sacred to God. 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:22.069 He decides when it comes into the world, he'll decide when it comes out of the world, but it's not because this life is the highest state of human existence. 00:25:22.220 --> 00:25:28.940 We know that if we're, if we're children of God, we're going to leave this life and move into eternal life with God. 00:25:28.970 --> 00:25:30.019 That is the hope. 00:25:30.049 --> 00:25:32.630 But it is the existence that we have here. 00:25:32.779 --> 00:25:50.539 It is the existence in which we, we engage with our father and we live out his plan for this existence at, before we move into our eternal life with him in this life, God saves in the next life, God rewards. 00:25:51.230 --> 00:25:55.940 And so he chooses when that natural life begins and ends. 00:25:56.539 --> 00:26:01.849 And he determines, we like to say that the steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord. 00:26:02.269 --> 00:26:03.109 I agree. 00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:08.150 That's what the Bible says, but he also determines how many steps we take on this earth. 00:26:09.109 --> 00:26:16.369 And we don't get to artificially shorten that in the life of another or in my own life. 00:26:17.329 --> 00:26:26.359 Somebody has asked me in many times, actually I've been asked if suicide is automatically hell and I do not believe that it is. 00:26:26.779 --> 00:26:33.589 There's one passage in the scripture that talks about an unpardonable sin, a sin from which we cannot be pardoned. 00:26:33.590 --> 00:26:35.390 And that is blasphemy against the holy spirit. 00:26:35.480 --> 00:26:36.799 It does not talk about suicide. 00:26:39.049 --> 00:26:43.230 So it seems easy enough in a sense to say, well, you know what, good thing. 00:26:43.230 --> 00:26:44.130 I'm glad I'm here today. 00:26:44.131 --> 00:26:49.559 Because you know, when I looked at my to-do list that Betty talked about earlier, murder was not on the list. 00:26:50.670 --> 00:26:52.950 I don't anticipate murdering anybody this afternoon. 00:26:53.849 --> 00:26:55.589 So I feel like I'm really hitting this step. 00:26:55.619 --> 00:27:00.180 Pastor Jesus took it to another level. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:02.130 Matthew 5 21. 00:27:02.131 --> 00:27:06.569 He says, you have heard it, that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder and whatever. 00:27:06.690 --> 00:27:09.000 And whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. 00:27:09.960 --> 00:27:12.569 He's talking about the commandments that we're talking about today. 00:27:13.230 --> 00:27:18.779 He said, but I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. 00:27:18.900 --> 00:27:21.720 Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause. 00:27:22.380 --> 00:27:29.130 And whoever says to his brother, Rocco, that's an insult shall be in danger of the council. 00:27:29.400 --> 00:27:32.579 But whoever says you fool shall be in danger of hell fire. 00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:38.549 So Jesus is saying to be angry with a brother without a cause. 00:27:39.450 --> 00:27:50.519 Now I know none of us in this place or online have ever been angry with somebody without being completely and totally within the right to be angry. 00:27:52.500 --> 00:28:05.940 He said, with total sarcasm, no he's saying, Hey, if you're angry without a cause you're calling names. 00:28:05.941 --> 00:28:07.440 You're in being insulting. 00:28:07.890 --> 00:28:09.089 It leads to judgment. 00:28:09.329 --> 00:28:12.150 And that judgment may be a court ordered judgment. 00:28:13.619 --> 00:28:20.640 The counsel in may be a spiritually ordered judgment where the world doesn't say it's wrong, but God does. 00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:26.339 Or it could even lead the, a judgment of hell fire, which is the ultimate judgment. 00:28:28.109 --> 00:28:31.950 So he's telling us, be careful how we treat the other people. 00:28:31.951 --> 00:28:34.259 We get angry with others and we insult them. 00:28:34.680 --> 00:28:37.769 We kill reputations through slander or gossip. 00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:41.220 We killed careers through deceit and lies. 00:28:41.221 --> 00:28:44.700 We kill opportunities through trickery and treachery. 00:28:44.970 --> 00:28:48.599 When somebody does something we don't like, we'll say all kinds of stuff. 00:28:49.289 --> 00:28:55.440 Maybe you've had a situation where somebody has been your friend and then some, at some point they weren't your friend anymore. 00:28:56.549 --> 00:28:57.660 They were your coworker. 00:28:57.661 --> 00:29:00.089 But at some point they weren't your coworker anymore. 00:29:00.569 --> 00:29:04.529 They're your employee, but suddenly they weren't your employee anymore. 00:29:04.950 --> 00:29:08.579 They were your employer, but suddenly they weren't your employer anymore. 00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:25.680 And all of the beautiful things that you had shared with one another through the course of your relationship were suddenly spewed out into the world and an completely inaccurate way because they're mad and they're working out their anger at your expense. 00:29:27.809 --> 00:29:33.240 No one in this service has ever experienced that, but I've heard it's happened to others. 00:29:35.190 --> 00:29:36.539 And it's a hurtful thing. 00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:40.799 Jesus raises the bar, good murder. 00:29:40.800 --> 00:29:43.059 Isn't on our to-do list for the rest of the day. 00:29:43.180 --> 00:29:45.130 But he says, I'm raising the bar. 00:29:45.131 --> 00:29:51.789 It's far higher than just, just murder, killing somebody in cold blood. 00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:56.710 But the gospel of Jesus Christ gives us the strength and the ability to hit the bar. 00:29:58.789 --> 00:30:10.099 We champion life at five lakes, church we're, we're great partners with the pregnancy center, helping men and women walk through pregnancies. 00:30:10.101 --> 00:30:11.839 That may be a surprise to them. 00:30:11.840 --> 00:30:17.390 It may be a difficult situation and yet helping them preserve life in the womb. 00:30:17.539 --> 00:30:19.130 And I praise God for that. 00:30:19.789 --> 00:30:23.359 But we believe in supporting life after the womb as well. 00:30:23.390 --> 00:30:24.349 Can we say amen? 00:30:25.730 --> 00:30:28.369 Just this week, we have people in our building. 00:30:28.819 --> 00:30:43.549 There's a, there is a program called the program program, Inc, that we support financially and with space about 20, 25 young men were in this building this week, all who have lost their fathers in one way or another. 00:30:44.329 --> 00:30:51.799 And these are men who have stepped up and said, I'm willing to serve and spend some time helping these young men become young men. 00:30:51.800 --> 00:31:01.339 So this week they talked about finances and then they played Dodge ball, a huge range of ages. 00:31:03.859 --> 00:31:07.940