WEBVTT 00:00:08.541 --> 00:00:10.944 Welcome to Valley View Church's podcast. 00:00:10.944 --> 00:00:13.545 We hope this message encourages you. 00:00:13.545 --> 00:00:17.350 For more information about our church, check us out at the church. 00:00:17.449 --> 00:00:26.826 Talk. 00:00:26.893 --> 00:00:37.103 You are the. 00:00:37.203 --> 00:00:40.173 Oh, God. 00:00:40.173 --> 00:00:43.143 Oh, hey, men. 00:00:43.308 --> 00:00:50.817 Thank you, Lord. 00:00:50.884 --> 00:00:56.923 Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. 00:00:56.923 --> 00:01:04.730 Thank you, Lord God, You love your Lord. 00:01:04.730 --> 00:01:06.865 I love you. 00:01:06.865 --> 00:01:21.013 I love a man I love. 00:01:21.114 --> 00:01:23.882 Oh, you. 00:01:23.882 --> 00:01:32.659 Oh, good boy. 00:01:32.759 --> 00:01:37.796 A man can't stop praising. 00:01:37.864 --> 00:01:39.599 How many of you wish that was your problem? 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:41.433 Every day, right? 00:01:41.433 --> 00:01:45.772 Can't stop praising the Lord. 00:01:45.871 --> 00:01:51.578 Oh, you. 00:01:51.644 --> 00:01:53.780 Thank you, Lord. 00:01:53.780 --> 00:01:55.515 I'll just. 00:01:55.515 --> 00:01:56.281 Just keep. 00:01:56.281 --> 00:01:58.484 I'm just going to keep praying here, Lord. We do. 00:01:58.484 --> 00:02:06.159 Thank you. 00:02:06.225 --> 00:02:11.698 Thank you for what you've done. 00:02:11.764 --> 00:02:18.837 Oh, God. 00:02:18.905 --> 00:02:25.745 We just praise you, Lord. 00:02:25.812 --> 00:02:37.723 Oh, yeah. 00:02:37.824 --> 00:02:46.665 We praise you for being faithful to through whatever we face. 00:02:46.765 --> 00:02:49.068 Oh, thank you. 00:02:49.068 --> 00:03:01.813 That you were there. Oh, I thank you for your comfort, for your character, for Your Holiness. 00:03:01.881 --> 00:03:08.054 When we're not holy, you're holy, we're not pure, you're pure, we're not faithful. 00:03:08.054 --> 00:03:12.324 You're faithful. 00:03:12.391 --> 00:03:27.439 Can I pray this morning as we continue to worship, as we look at your word, I pray your presence, the overwhelming nature of your presence would just continue on us. 00:03:27.539 --> 00:03:29.308 Thank you, Jesus, for this morning, Lord. 00:03:29.308 --> 00:03:32.245 Thank you. That we can worship. 00:03:32.245 --> 00:03:32.745 Thank you for that. 00:03:32.745 --> 00:03:37.449 You comfort us. 00:03:37.516 --> 00:03:40.887 Amen. 00:03:40.954 --> 00:03:41.820 Well, good morning. 00:03:41.820 --> 00:03:45.824 It is good to worship with you today. 00:03:45.891 --> 00:03:57.169 And I love when the spirit moves in ways we can't plan. 00:03:57.270 --> 00:03:59.605 Not in my sermon notes. 00:03:59.605 --> 00:04:00.173 All right. 00:04:00.173 --> 00:04:03.042 We're going to be okay with that. 00:04:03.042 --> 00:04:05.478 I've got to be okay with that. 00:04:05.578 --> 00:04:07.212 I mean, that was our prayer this morning. 00:04:07.212 --> 00:04:12.985 I was walking down the hall with the lady and she says, I know that God is going to move in revival in a powerful way. 00:04:12.985 --> 00:04:14.653 And honestly, I felt a little uncomfortable. 00:04:14.653 --> 00:04:15.822 Are you sure? Are. 00:04:15.822 --> 00:04:17.656 You sound a little too confident about that. 00:04:17.656 --> 00:04:20.660 Are you really sure? 00:04:20.692 --> 00:04:22.595 No. I know God is going to move. 00:04:22.595 --> 00:04:24.997 She had to get on me. 00:04:24.997 --> 00:04:26.165 I've been praying. 00:04:26.165 --> 00:04:27.233 I've been waiting too long. 00:04:27.233 --> 00:04:30.737 He's going to move in Revival in a powerful way. 00:04:30.836 --> 00:04:33.072 We forget that. 00:04:33.072 --> 00:04:36.375 It's easy to forget that he he really does want to move. 00:04:36.475 --> 00:04:39.411 He really does. 00:04:39.411 --> 00:04:41.814 The question is, am I ready for that? 00:04:41.814 --> 00:04:44.817 I'm not always ready for that. 00:04:44.884 --> 00:04:45.785 It's not always comfortable. 00:04:45.785 --> 00:04:59.331 It's not always according to plan, which fits in well with what I had did plan to talk about today, because one reality of life is one of the things we don't always plan for. 00:04:59.432 --> 00:05:11.377 We're looking at John chapter 12 today, and it reminded me of a story that I experienced and that my family experienced when we were serving as missionaries in the South Pacific. 00:05:08.440 --> 00:05:11.377 I've mentioned that before. 00:05:11.377 --> 00:05:15.148 We lived outside of the capital city on a large island. 00:05:15.281 --> 00:05:17.016 The capital city was Suva. 00:05:17.016 --> 00:05:43.509 We lived in a small village outside of it and each day when I would drive or ride in the taxi from our village to the main city where we worked, there was just one road into the city and along the side of that road was this gigantic clearing on the hill and covering the entire hill for what seemed like a good solid mile was a cemetery, and it was so overwhelming. 00:05:43.509 --> 00:05:49.014 Many times we like to took our cemeteries away out of sight behind gates. 00:05:49.014 --> 00:05:52.584 Because I don't know about you, but I don't really like to be reminded about death. 00:05:52.584 --> 00:05:54.019 I like to avoid it. 00:05:54.019 --> 00:05:56.755 I like to not think about it. 00:05:56.755 --> 00:06:05.031 But every day driving past that, I got to tell you that it was almost like an audible voice that came to mind over and over again. 00:06:05.130 --> 00:06:10.435 Don't forget, don't ever forget that you'll be there someday. 00:06:10.502 --> 00:06:12.271 I didn't like hearing that. 00:06:12.271 --> 00:06:13.639 I would have gone a different route. 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:15.742 That was the only way to get to that city. 00:06:15.742 --> 00:06:19.946 I would have gone all the way around that cemetery every day. 00:06:19.946 --> 00:06:22.548 Don't forget. 00:06:22.548 --> 00:06:23.983 Don't be deceived. 00:06:23.983 --> 00:06:25.752 There will be a day. 00:06:25.752 --> 00:06:30.689 The death rate, I'm pretty sure, is pretty close to 100%. 00:06:30.757 --> 00:06:33.759 None of us will escape death. 00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:41.500 And in the passage today, though, John, Chapter 12 Jesus talks about death. 00:06:41.567 --> 00:06:44.771 And this This is one of the reasons why I preach through a book. 00:06:44.771 --> 00:06:51.644 It's the Bible, by the way, because I don't wake up on Monday morning to go, you know, I think Sunday we really need to focus on death. 00:06:51.644 --> 00:06:52.411 Wouldn't that be great? 00:06:52.411 --> 00:06:55.882 Wouldn't they just come in in droves to hear that? 00:06:55.982 --> 00:07:00.086 No, I'm not showing up for that sermon series on death. 00:07:00.153 --> 00:07:10.196 But when we preach through books of the Bible, when we work our way through a book of the Bible, we're going to encounter stuff that we might naturally avoid, that I might naturally avoid. 00:07:10.262 --> 00:07:19.105 But death is a reality we all face will face and honestly have faced with loved ones and those close to you. 00:07:19.204 --> 00:07:21.406 And Jesus has a perspective on death. 00:07:21.406 --> 00:07:23.543 And today we're going to see John. 00:07:23.543 --> 00:07:30.649 Chapter 12 versus 20 is where we're going to start What Jesus thinks about death. 00:07:30.783 --> 00:07:34.052 Now, there's one challenge for us as we look at his view on death. 00:07:34.052 --> 00:07:39.524 One challenge for us is he's going to view death personally very differently than we will, right? 00:07:39.591 --> 00:07:42.795 Because he knows resurrection for himself is coming back. 00:07:42.894 --> 00:07:51.803 That's very different than, well, there will be a resurrection, but in the near term, his death is a little different than ours. 00:07:51.803 --> 00:07:56.641 But what we're going to see in this passage are four ways he view death. 00:07:56.709 --> 00:07:58.377 And to try to make this a little easier. 00:07:58.377 --> 00:08:01.747 If you're a note taker, Isaac's going to hate me for this. 00:08:01.747 --> 00:08:02.014 Okay. 00:08:02.014 --> 00:08:09.855 By the way, Isaac, the guy who's jumping around here, he's also kind of our graphic design guy, and he makes ugly things look pretty on screen. Isaac, I apologize in advance. 00:08:09.855 --> 00:08:17.596 I sketched this on a sheet of paper last night, but I had in mind kind of a ladder structure. 00:08:17.596 --> 00:08:18.396 All right? 00:08:18.396 --> 00:08:22.901 And on each rung of the ladder are the four ways Jesus viewed death. 00:08:23.035 --> 00:08:24.803 He's going to talk about death in here. 00:08:24.803 --> 00:08:29.141 And of course, the way it applies to him on the left side is different than how it applies to us. 00:08:29.141 --> 00:08:32.711 So we'll talk about his perspective on death and then what that means for us. 00:08:32.711 --> 00:08:37.817 So if you like taking notes, you might sketch that out on the sheet of paper and fill that in as we go. 00:08:37.817 --> 00:08:40.820 It might help you track along with the reality. 00:08:40.952 --> 00:08:48.094 Jesus has a perspective on death and he wants us to learn from him in the midst of that. 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:49.562 So, John, Chapter 12. 00:08:49.562 --> 00:08:52.097 We've been working through the book of John. 00:08:52.197 --> 00:08:56.034 John Chapter 1220 through 36 is what we're going to work through. 00:08:56.034 --> 00:08:59.337 And if you don't have a Bible, we have Bibles out in the connection corner. 00:08:59.337 --> 00:09:07.078 That passage, I think the passage has already been up on the screen with the page number of page 845 is tied into that free Bible that's out there for you. 00:09:07.145 --> 00:09:08.614 Take that. Keep it. 00:09:08.614 --> 00:09:11.116 We want you in God's word. 00:09:08.614 --> 00:09:11.116 We want you studying God's Word. 00:09:11.116 --> 00:09:12.717 We want you reading it on your own. 00:09:12.717 --> 00:09:19.325 That is the way you are going to grow personally, spiritually, in knowing the Lord. 00:09:19.325 --> 00:09:27.600 We're going to start with the first couple of verses here, verse 23, 22 and get our bearings, get the setting of the passage, get the setting up today's story. 00:09:27.667 --> 00:09:30.602 So I'm going to read here verse 20. 00:09:30.669 --> 00:09:35.341 Now, among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 00:09:35.408 --> 00:09:42.615 So these came to Philip, who was from Masada in Galilee, and asked him, Sir, we wish to see Jesus. 00:09:42.682 --> 00:09:44.817 Philip went and told Andrew. 00:09:44.817 --> 00:09:48.854 Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 00:09:48.955 --> 00:09:50.155 So we have the setting. 00:09:50.155 --> 00:09:59.230 Jesus has been in the temple area teaching, and now some Greeks come and they want to get some time with him. 00:09:59.230 --> 00:10:03.769 They want to get some of Jesus teaching with them as well. 00:10:03.869 --> 00:10:07.873 Now we got to do a little bit of unpacking to understand why this happened. 00:10:07.873 --> 00:10:16.115 This way, though, calling someone a Greek at this time doesn't mean in particular that they are only from Greece. 00:10:16.182 --> 00:10:19.317 I heard our mother talk about it this way. 00:10:19.384 --> 00:10:20.919 He said he has Amish roots. 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:24.190 His family came from Amish backgrounds. 00:10:24.255 --> 00:10:31.364 Our mothers and president Southern Seminary, very influential throughout Baptists shout out to Southern Seminary over here. 00:10:31.429 --> 00:10:34.767 But he said that he has Amish background. 00:10:34.767 --> 00:10:38.803 And for the Amish, anyone who's not Amish is called English. 00:10:38.870 --> 00:10:46.611 If you're from Iran or as Becca, Stan or even Arkansas, they call you English if you're not Amish. 00:10:46.711 --> 00:11:04.663 And at this time, with the spread of Hellenism which was Greek culture that spread across the world because of Alexander the Great conquering the world from a Jews perspective, anyone who was not Jew was oftentimes we say Gentile, but also Greek. 00:11:04.764 --> 00:11:12.138 Anybody else other than Jews, those who follow the one true God, they are the Greeks. 00:11:12.238 --> 00:11:24.616 Now, if you remember back to our study in the book of Ephesians, we talked about how there was this wall, this partition in the temple, because part of what the Ephesians talked about was we need to break down the barriers that are between us. 00:11:24.616 --> 00:11:27.586 Christ breaks down the barrier that is between us. 00:11:27.586 --> 00:11:32.591 But there was literally a wall in the temple that said if you're not a Jew, don't come past here. 00:11:32.658 --> 00:11:35.660 And if you do, your death is on your own hands. 00:11:35.660 --> 00:11:38.063 It's not necessarily a great church growth strategy. 00:11:38.063 --> 00:11:40.432 I don't think we're not going to employ that here. 00:11:40.432 --> 00:11:43.769 But the point being, the Greeks couldn't get to Jesus. 00:11:43.769 --> 00:11:46.739 He must have been on the other side of that barrier. They couldn't get to him. 00:11:46.739 --> 00:11:51.076 And so they come to Andrew and say, Can get time with Jesus. 00:11:51.177 --> 00:11:53.611 Why did they come to Philip? 00:11:53.611 --> 00:11:57.349 Why did they come to Philip, and why did Philip go to Andrew? 00:11:57.349 --> 00:12:01.854 Philip and Andrew are the only disciples with Greek names. 00:12:01.953 --> 00:12:12.998 And so there's a good chance, much like Timothy, Timothy's mother, was Jewish, but his father was Greek, and more than likely their Greek names were a clue. 00:12:12.998 --> 00:12:19.238 These are guys we can probably go to Philip if you know the city, Philadelphia city of Brotherly Love. 00:12:19.238 --> 00:12:31.182 Filippo is one of the Greek words for love, but it's also Philip Leo Hippo, which doesn't mean he was really large, but hippos, the Greek word for horse. 00:12:31.283 --> 00:12:33.351 A horse probably raised horses. 00:12:33.351 --> 00:12:35.254 Horse lover, friend of horses. 00:12:35.254 --> 00:12:43.696 Andrew The Greek word behind that, Andros just means man, That would simplify a lot of things, wouldn't it? 00:12:43.696 --> 00:12:46.398 Hey, man, let's go on. Chief. 00:12:46.398 --> 00:12:49.400 Andrew Manly, courageous. 00:12:49.501 --> 00:12:51.604 And I know what our worship leader is thinking. 00:12:51.604 --> 00:12:53.004 That's right. 00:12:53.004 --> 00:12:53.773 Manly. 00:12:53.773 --> 00:12:57.042 His name's Andrew, by the way. Courageous. 00:12:57.143 --> 00:13:03.682 So they come to them and they say, we we need to get an audience with you. 00:13:03.916 --> 00:13:07.153 They probably could speak their language. 00:13:07.153 --> 00:13:08.921 There was a good chance. 00:13:08.921 --> 00:13:12.191 I spent this week on a road trip going from here. 00:13:12.191 --> 00:13:25.037 I left last Sunday after church on the way to Arizona because my oldest son, he's a sophomore, starting his sophomore year in college, Grand Canyon Canyon University, in fact, show up some of these images of our road trip. 00:13:25.136 --> 00:13:29.274 This was our first night camping spot, unbelievably majestic. 00:13:29.375 --> 00:13:32.711 That was our second night sleeping under this Mexican hat. 00:13:32.711 --> 00:13:36.447 If you've seen cars, a lot of this scenery showed up in the movie. 00:13:36.447 --> 00:13:37.982 Cars keep going. 00:13:37.982 --> 00:13:39.618 Here we are at Monument Valley. 00:13:39.618 --> 00:13:41.886 A lot of those buttes. 00:13:41.953 --> 00:13:44.089 And then lastly, we were at this arch. 00:13:44.089 --> 00:13:44.523 That's us. 00:13:44.523 --> 00:13:47.426 You can barely see us standing in the middle of this free standing. 00:13:47.426 --> 00:13:48.059 Oh, thank you. 00:13:48.059 --> 00:13:49.160 That's how you do it. 00:13:49.160 --> 00:13:51.797 Free standing, arch and arches. 00:13:51.797 --> 00:13:53.832 We traveled across the U.S. 00:13:53.832 --> 00:13:56.302 We stopped and camped a few nights, and you can take that down. 00:13:56.302 --> 00:14:00.004 Eventually we ended up in Phenix and we stayed at a buddy's house. 00:14:00.038 --> 00:14:03.042 A friend of mine I went to seminary with in Phenix. 00:14:03.042 --> 00:14:04.976 His name's Harold. 00:14:04.976 --> 00:14:08.246 And Harold married a Hispanic woman. 00:14:08.313 --> 00:14:11.649 And what they do in their home is he talks to the kids in English. 00:14:11.716 --> 00:14:15.486 She talks to them in Spanish from the very beginning. 00:14:15.486 --> 00:14:16.621 That's how they've done it. 00:14:16.621 --> 00:14:20.993 And the kids can go either way, no problem at all. Our world. 00:14:20.993 --> 00:14:28.100 It's crazy how quickly our world is changing in a lot of ways, just even the languages we use. 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:29.534 But in their home. 00:14:29.534 --> 00:14:31.636 Yeah, we've raised our kids to be able to talk. 00:14:31.636 --> 00:14:32.238 Who knows? 00:14:32.238 --> 00:14:33.772 Maybe Philip. 00:14:33.772 --> 00:14:36.708 Andrew had been raised that way. 00:14:36.708 --> 00:14:44.984 For whatever reason, the Greeks come to them and say, We need to get time with Jesus. 00:14:45.083 --> 00:14:52.024 And here is the shocking part of that where we ended last week in verse 19. 00:14:52.024 --> 00:14:56.394 Just look back at verse 19, if you recall what was happening. 00:14:56.394 --> 00:15:02.067 The Pharisees said to one another, You see that you are gaining nothing. 00:15:02.067 --> 00:15:07.572 Look, the world has gone after him at the very moment. 00:15:07.572 --> 00:15:15.047 Those who should have been bowing down at Jesus, those who should have been saying, We will follow you, you are a messiah. 00:15:15.280 --> 00:15:22.721 The very moment they are rejecting him, literally, the whole world is coming to him. 00:15:22.788 --> 00:15:32.865 Those from other parts of the country, God, fears of the world, God fears who just want to know how do I get to know God? 00:15:32.865 --> 00:15:34.466 I've got I've heard about Jesus. 00:15:34.466 --> 00:15:37.269 Maybe he has the answers. 00:15:34.466 --> 00:15:37.269 I've got to get time around him. 00:15:37.269 --> 00:15:44.943 And you get this contrast between those who are rejecting him and those who are coming to him. 00:15:45.009 --> 00:15:50.581 And this sets the stage now for how Jesus is going to respond. 00:15:50.649 --> 00:15:56.254 So Philip and Andrew come and say, Jesus, can you get a little bit of time here with these guys they've traveled from? 00:15:56.254 --> 00:16:00.826 Who knows where they just want a few minutes with you. 00:16:00.926 --> 00:16:03.928 Let's look at how Jesus responds to them. 00:16:03.962 --> 00:16:04.830 Look at verse 23. 00:16:04.830 --> 00:16:09.634 Jesus answered them the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. 00:16:09.634 --> 00:16:16.642 Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. 00:16:16.741 --> 00:16:19.745 But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 00:16:19.912 --> 00:16:21.779 Whoever loves his life loses it. 00:16:21.779 --> 00:16:28.220 Whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 00:16:28.220 --> 00:16:39.097 If anyone serves me, he must follow me where I am there will my servant be Also, if anyone serves me, the father will honor him. 00:16:39.163 --> 00:16:40.966 So Philip and Andrew. 00:16:40.966 --> 00:16:41.399 Jesus. 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:44.937 Can you get some time with these guys? 00:16:45.004 --> 00:16:47.438 They're expecting just yes or no. 00:16:47.438 --> 00:16:51.809 And Jesus goes off on some rambling about fruit and death and hating yourself. 00:16:51.809 --> 00:16:55.447 And they've got to be going. What? 00:16:55.514 --> 00:16:57.950 In fact, they probably are expecting him to say yes. 00:16:57.950 --> 00:17:01.253 He scolded them before for keeping the children away. 00:17:01.352 --> 00:17:02.653 I'll bring them to me. 00:17:02.653 --> 00:17:04.556 Don't keep them away. 00:17:04.556 --> 00:17:07.125 And they're anticipating. Yes. 00:17:07.125 --> 00:17:09.661 And Jesus goes another direction. 00:17:09.661 --> 00:17:15.401 He doesn't even acknowledge that they are there, doesn't even acknowledge the question. 00:17:15.467 --> 00:17:23.608 And here we're going to get his first perspective on death, how Jesus views death. 00:17:23.674 --> 00:17:30.182 And the key phrase to write down here on that top ladder rung is the word life. 00:17:30.249 --> 00:17:34.619 When Jesus thinks about death, he thinks about life. 00:17:34.685 --> 00:17:41.192 In fact, on his side, death is what brings life. 00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:44.229 You can throw up that phrase as well. 00:17:44.229 --> 00:17:45.763 This hopefully will help you track with it. 00:17:45.763 --> 00:17:51.936 One a first wrong side has Jesus has said death equals life. 00:17:52.136 --> 00:17:53.172 Death brings life. 00:17:53.172 --> 00:18:03.382 It's through his death that real life comes when he died and was raised again. 00:18:03.481 --> 00:18:06.484 That's where we now can find real life. 00:18:06.684 --> 00:18:15.227 So he doesn't fear death because he knows there's so much of greater reward through his death. 00:18:15.326 --> 00:18:17.996 Death equals life. 00:18:17.996 --> 00:18:22.901 But the other thing that happens here is notice his very first response. 00:18:22.968 --> 00:18:24.103 Jesus answered them. 00:18:24.103 --> 00:18:27.105 The hour has come. 00:18:27.338 --> 00:18:34.613 If you've been paying attention to the book of John, what has he been up until this point? About his hour. 00:18:34.712 --> 00:18:36.115 It's not here yet. 00:18:36.115 --> 00:18:36.949 His mom comes. 00:18:36.949 --> 00:18:39.785 Ask him to turn or do something about the wine that had run out. 00:18:39.785 --> 00:18:42.921 It's not my time. It's not my hour. 00:18:42.921 --> 00:18:46.959 He says it again to another group, not my hour, not my time. 00:18:47.025 --> 00:18:51.195 But when the Greeks show up now it's my time. 00:18:51.195 --> 00:18:59.872 Now things have been set in motion that will bring about my death, which will bring about life. 00:18:59.971 --> 00:19:09.248 Now, he also has some other comments on that as well in terms of what that means for us. 00:19:09.314 --> 00:19:17.088 And one of the ways this applies to us as well is that there is some truth to that. 00:19:17.088 --> 00:19:42.013 Our death bringing life not in the same way that Jesus does, but surely a number of us have read stories of famous missionaries or martyrs who have laid their life on the line for the gospel, and it has led to hundreds, thousands, millions more knowing about Christ than ever would have known because of their sacrifice as well. 00:19:42.114 --> 00:19:47.118 You know, their death doesn't save anyone, but it is a factor in the spread of the gospel. 00:19:47.118 --> 00:19:53.925 I remember hearing about Jim Elliott in College Missionary to in Ecuador, to the Alcoa Indians. 00:19:54.058 --> 00:19:55.993 He was martyred. 00:19:55.993 --> 00:19:57.095 He was killed. 00:19:57.095 --> 00:20:00.298 His wife stayed to continue to reach those missionaries. 00:20:00.365 --> 00:20:05.604 The books by Elizabeth Elliott about that or mind blowing. 00:20:05.604 --> 00:20:07.573 Unbelievable. 00:20:07.573 --> 00:20:12.376 And he had this famous quote that he wrote obviously before he died, thought of on screen. 00:20:12.376 --> 00:20:19.284 He says he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain, what he cannot lose. 00:20:19.384 --> 00:20:26.991 I mean, saw his life as a vessel, whether I keep it or not, the ultimate goal is for God to be glorified, for the gospel to be multiplied. 00:20:26.991 --> 00:20:33.765 And there's a famous story of two guys that could take a while to unpack, but two guys are being martyred. 00:20:33.765 --> 00:20:41.105 They're being burned to death in the 1500s for basically distributing copies of the Bible in English. 00:20:41.205 --> 00:20:47.011 Now, when allowed and they're being led to be burned. 00:20:47.246 --> 00:20:52.951 And one of the guys is really struggling with this, understandably so. 00:20:52.951 --> 00:20:54.118 And here's what the other guy says to him. 00:20:54.118 --> 00:21:03.127 Here's what you Lattimer says to him, though, that up on screen as well, play the man, Master Ridley, which was another way of saying man up. 00:21:03.194 --> 00:21:06.597 Okay, be courageous in this moment. 00:21:06.664 --> 00:21:08.000 Stop whining. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:09.334 Play the man, Master Ridley. 00:21:09.334 --> 00:21:16.173 We shall this day lights a candle, which is another layer of irony. 00:21:16.173 --> 00:21:18.277 They're about to be burned. 00:21:18.277 --> 00:21:24.982 We shall this day light such a candle By God's grace in England, as our trust shall never be put out. 00:21:24.982 --> 00:21:30.655 Meaning our death will multiply, will spread the gospel. 00:21:30.655 --> 00:21:38.730 Many will to know of God's Word and to know Christ because of our sacrifice. 00:21:38.864 --> 00:21:45.871 So that's one dynamic of the way our death might also bring life to others. 00:21:45.936 --> 00:21:54.011 But here's one I think that's going to apply to us, most of us, on a daily basis, most often to all of us. 00:21:54.011 --> 00:22:01.752 And that's just simply dying to self brings life. 00:22:01.752 --> 00:22:05.057 In fact, that's on that other side of the word life. 00:22:05.156 --> 00:22:08.960 Dying to self brings life. 00:22:09.060 --> 00:22:12.596 And anybody who's lived any amount of time knows the reality of this. 00:22:12.663 --> 00:22:23.174 When I am self-focused, when I am self-centered, when I am only thinking of myself, life does not go well for me or anyone around me. 00:22:23.275 --> 00:22:24.576 That's not how you want to live. 00:22:24.576 --> 00:22:27.511 That is death. 00:22:27.511 --> 00:22:42.527 But if, as Jesus says here, whoever loves his life gives it up, loses it, understands that there's a greater reality than just my own existence. 00:22:42.626 --> 00:22:44.363 That's where you lose it. 00:22:44.363 --> 00:22:51.169 But whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 00:22:51.269 --> 00:22:56.375 That's a strong word hate about in your home. 00:22:56.375 --> 00:22:59.310 But in our home we try to avoid using that word, you know? 00:22:59.310 --> 00:23:00.846 Oh, I hate broccoli. 00:23:00.846 --> 00:23:02.381 I really hate it. 00:23:02.381 --> 00:23:08.353 It's pretty strong now. Hate you, hate your life. 00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:11.390 Does this mean I'm supposed to hate myself? 00:23:11.390 --> 00:23:13.858 No, that's not what this means. Okay. 00:23:13.858 --> 00:23:16.595 Jesus already assumes you love yourself. 00:23:16.595 --> 00:23:22.567 That's one of the great commandments of Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind is drink. 00:23:19.631 --> 00:23:22.567 Love your neighbor as yourself. 00:23:22.567 --> 00:23:24.803 Love your neighbor as much as you already love yourself. 00:23:24.803 --> 00:23:29.673 There's already an assumption that you love yourself but hate your life in this world. 00:23:29.673 --> 00:23:36.480 Recognize that our existence, our significance, the purpose doesn't exist in this world. 00:23:36.548 --> 00:23:39.750 The worldly realm is not going to ultimately satisfy. 00:23:39.851 --> 00:23:41.586 Yes is joy. Yes, there is delight. 00:23:41.586 --> 00:23:44.588 Yes, there are things that bring us fulfillment. 00:23:44.823 --> 00:23:53.999 But it's not ultimate, real, meaningful life dying to self is where we find life. 00:23:53.999 --> 00:24:00.271 And if you've experienced anything of significance in life, you've experienced this. 00:24:00.471 --> 00:24:03.541 The kingdom work requires dying to self. 00:24:03.541 --> 00:24:03.875 Spreading. 00:24:03.875 --> 00:24:06.545 The Gospel requires dying to self. 00:24:06.545 --> 00:24:11.516 Marriage requires a good marriage requires dying. 00:24:11.516 --> 00:24:19.356 The self parenting requires first acknowledging how selfish I really am. 00:24:19.458 --> 00:24:24.496 I get exposed pretty quickly, dying to self to serve others. 00:24:24.496 --> 00:24:33.939 If you're trying to build a business, you know the amount of sacrifice you've had to put, the amount of things you've had to say no to. 00:24:34.005 --> 00:24:49.688 For us, part of life comes from death, dying to self day in and day out, over and over and over again. 00:24:49.753 --> 00:24:54.659 So that's his first perspective on death, is that through death comes life. 00:24:54.659 --> 00:24:55.759 That's that whole analogy. 00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:58.730 Grain, wheat falls in the ground multiplies. 00:24:58.730 --> 00:25:05.336 It's only through death that life ultimately springs forth and comes forth. 00:25:05.403 --> 00:25:09.673 The second rung here is in the next set of verses. 00:25:09.740 --> 00:25:15.814 Look at verse 27 with me now my soul is troubled and what shall I say? 00:25:15.814 --> 00:25:19.351 Father saved me from this hour. 00:25:19.416 --> 00:25:23.954 But for this purpose I've come to this hour, Father, glorify your name. 00:25:24.055 --> 00:25:25.323 Then a voice came from heaven. 00:25:25.323 --> 00:25:28.292 I have glorified it. 00:25:25.323 --> 00:25:28.292 I'll glorify it again. 00:25:28.527 --> 00:25:31.496 The crowd that stood there heard it, said that it had thundered. 00:25:31.496 --> 00:25:35.599 Others said An angel has spoken to him. 00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:38.702 On the second rung of the ladder is the father's will. 00:25:38.903 --> 00:25:43.807 When Jesus thinks about death, he thinks about the Father's will. 00:25:43.875 --> 00:25:50.949 To him, obeying the Father is more important with going than going with how you feel. 00:25:51.016 --> 00:25:54.219 And look what I love about what he says here. 00:25:54.286 --> 00:25:56.922 Now my soul is troubled. 00:25:56.922 --> 00:25:59.457 Jesus says My soul is troubled. 00:25:59.457 --> 00:26:07.198 It is okay to acknowledge how you feel, but it is okay to acknowledge the reality of where you are. 00:26:07.265 --> 00:26:14.905 In fact, I would say it's unhealthy to just over Spiritualized what you're feeling and where you are. 00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:17.709 Acknowledge where you are. 00:26:17.709 --> 00:26:22.480 My soul is troubled, but here's what he says. 00:26:22.547 --> 00:26:26.151 In fact, the common phrase today is follow your heart. 00:26:26.250 --> 00:26:29.119 I follow your heart. 00:26:26.250 --> 00:26:29.119 Take where your heart leads you. 00:26:29.220 --> 00:26:31.923 The Bible says, Lead your heart. 00:26:31.923 --> 00:26:33.424 Go before your heart. 00:26:33.424 --> 00:26:36.728 Lead it along where it needs to end up. 00:26:36.795 --> 00:26:40.632 If I just follow my heart, that is not a good place to be. 00:26:40.699 --> 00:26:42.166 I need to lead my heart. 00:26:42.166 --> 00:26:45.069 And this is what Jesus does. 00:26:42.166 --> 00:26:45.069 My soul is troubled. 00:26:45.069 --> 00:26:47.439 So what shall I say in response to that? 00:26:47.439 --> 00:26:49.673 Is this what I should pray, Father? Save me from this? 00:26:49.673 --> 00:26:57.781 Our should I pray the same thing that the crowd has just been saying to him, Hosanna, save us now. 00:26:57.915 --> 00:26:59.084 That's what Hosanna means. 00:26:59.084 --> 00:27:00.417 Just in the previous verses. 00:27:00.417 --> 00:27:03.188 Hosanna! Hosanna! Save us now! Jesus. 00:27:03.188 --> 00:27:06.924 Should I pray that saved me. 00:27:06.924 --> 00:27:10.127 Lord. 00:27:10.228 --> 00:27:19.403 But for this purpose I have come in the midst of struggling. 00:27:19.403 --> 00:27:21.940 He preaches truth to himself. 00:27:21.940 --> 00:27:24.509 No, this is why I'm here. Yes, I'm trouble. 00:27:24.509 --> 00:27:27.412 But this is what I'm called to do. 00:27:27.511 --> 00:27:33.484 And so when we think of the Father's will for Jesus, he said, I got to trust the father's will. 00:27:33.550 --> 00:27:35.086 That's on his side of the ladder. 00:27:35.086 --> 00:27:40.724 Number two, the trust of the fathers will. 00:27:40.791 --> 00:27:43.193 Now, what does that mean for us? 00:27:43.193 --> 00:27:45.963 Okay, We need to trust the father's will as well. 00:27:45.963 --> 00:27:49.166 But there's a first layer to that. 00:27:49.233 --> 00:27:53.704 God shows up God the father, and speaks for the crowd to hear. 00:27:53.704 --> 00:27:56.273 But there were two responses. 00:27:56.273 --> 00:27:57.174 What? 00:27:57.174 --> 00:27:59.076 What does half the crowd say or whatever? 00:27:59.076 --> 00:28:02.079 A portion of the crowd, whether it's half or not? 00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:05.083 How did it sound to them? 00:28:05.250 --> 00:28:17.095 Like thunder, Just large, loud sound, no discernible words like maybe like the parents and Charlie Brown's is wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah. 00:28:17.295 --> 00:28:19.396 Just well, you don't even know what they say. 00:28:19.396 --> 00:28:21.732 You don't know what it means. 00:28:21.833 --> 00:28:25.069 Their ears weren't attuned to hear from the Lord. 00:28:25.303 --> 00:28:27.905 In fact, it could have been easy to say Maybe that was God, maybe it wasn't. 00:28:27.905 --> 00:28:29.507 It could have just been thunder. 00:28:29.507 --> 00:28:39.017 You said it was God speaking, but another part of the crowd goes, They get a lot closer. 00:28:39.017 --> 00:28:40.551 Oh, that was an angel. 00:28:40.551 --> 00:28:46.156 An angel has spoken to clearly some divine voice has spoken to Jesus. 00:28:46.156 --> 00:28:47.791 This is a holy moment. 00:28:47.791 --> 00:28:51.362 This is a divine moment in this. 00:28:51.429 --> 00:28:58.236 And so for us, when we think about the father's will, the first step is to hear the fathers will listen to the father's. 00:28:58.236 --> 00:29:00.471 Will Jesus trust the father's will? 00:29:00.471 --> 00:29:01.806 He already knew it. 00:29:01.806 --> 00:29:03.775 But first we got to hear it. 00:29:03.775 --> 00:29:10.080 We've got to have ears that are attuned to hear from him, ears that are open to hearing from him. 00:29:10.147 --> 00:29:12.584 We've got to want to be in the place to hear from him. 00:29:12.584 --> 00:29:18.957 Minute I've been there where I'm like, I don't know that I want to hear what he has to say about this right now. 00:29:19.156 --> 00:29:21.558 I think already know what he'll say. 00:29:21.558 --> 00:29:23.595 I'm not sure I want to hear that. 00:29:23.595 --> 00:29:27.766 I want to just kind of keep thinking what I think. 00:29:27.865 --> 00:29:41.211 But how can we have ears to hear, to hear him, to move towards him in the midst of whatever we're facing, while at the same time acknowledging the reality of the pain? 00:29:41.311 --> 00:29:44.315 There is real suffering and real pain in life. 00:29:44.548 --> 00:29:50.922 And it's okay to acknowledge that, but keep moving towards him in the midst of that. 00:29:50.989 --> 00:29:51.321 All right. 00:29:51.321 --> 00:29:53.525 That's the second rung of the ladder. Now. 00:29:53.525 --> 00:30:01.132 Number three, look at verses 32, 33, Jesus answered. 00:30:01.132 --> 00:30:05.103 This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 00:30:05.170 --> 00:30:07.305 Now is the judgment of this world. 00:30:07.305 --> 00:30:09.641 Now we're the ruler of, this world be cast out. 00:30:09.641 --> 00:30:15.913 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. 00:30:15.980 --> 00:30:20.351 He said this to show about what kind of death he was going to die. 00:30:20.417 --> 00:30:26.790 The third word on the third rung of the ladder is reconciliation. 00:30:26.857 --> 00:30:38.036 When Jesus thinks of his death, he knows, as he said here, when I'm lifted up, I will draw all people to myself. 00:30:38.135 --> 00:30:49.980 And this is important in this context in the Jews versus Greeks or Gentiles, context, it exposes the reality that we naturally divide. 00:30:50.080 --> 00:30:54.652 We naturally find ways to pull apart from one another. 00:30:54.751 --> 00:30:57.087 We have to fight for unity. 00:30:57.087 --> 00:31:01.092 We aren't naturally drawn to one another. 00:31:01.159 --> 00:31:05.063 A friend of mine in seminary went to pastor a church in Ohio. 00:31:05.063 --> 00:31:07.699 It was a church he had grown up in as well. 00:31:07.699 --> 00:31:11.201 It was part of the Brethren denomination. 00:31:11.269 --> 00:31:18.009 And he said, just to be clear, I want you to know we're from the Pro Buttons side of the Brethren denomination. 00:31:18.076 --> 00:31:20.278 Pro buttons. What are you talking about? 00:31:20.278 --> 00:31:35.393 It's like, well, if you go back far enough, hundreds of years ago, there was a time where they were so conservative that if you wore buttons that was considered too showy or too ostentatious, I'm thinking not having buttons would be pretty showy, right? 00:31:35.393 --> 00:31:38.395 That'd be a bigger problem. 00:31:38.630 --> 00:31:43.667 But apparently one group said buttons are bad, One group said no, buttons are okay. 00:31:43.835 --> 00:31:46.671 We're being innovative here. 00:31:46.770 --> 00:31:48.138 And so they went with the probe. 00:31:48.138 --> 00:31:50.842 We will find anything to divide over. 00:31:50.842 --> 00:31:55.380 The whole group splits over buttons. 00:31:55.445 --> 00:31:57.781 And you've seen it. 00:31:57.781 --> 00:32:00.550 I mean, we laugh at that. 00:32:00.550 --> 00:32:09.559 You've seen you've seen people divide over even sillier things. 00:32:09.661 --> 00:32:13.664 I've done it now. I can point the fingers out here. 00:32:13.664 --> 00:32:15.900 I've done it. 00:32:15.900 --> 00:32:18.135 I married a girl who went to UK. 00:32:18.135 --> 00:32:19.537 Okay, Do you? 00:32:19.537 --> 00:32:26.576 Well, there's some division in our home too, but we're working through it. It's okay. 00:32:26.576 --> 00:32:28.479 We'll get there. 00:32:28.479 --> 00:32:30.949 The point being dividing is natural. 00:32:30.949 --> 00:32:31.682 That's easy. 00:32:31.682 --> 00:32:34.652 But we've got to fight for unity. 00:32:34.652 --> 00:32:40.857 There's a reason why this church had one of our key words for the church unity for a season. 00:32:40.924 --> 00:32:42.192 It's not random. 00:32:42.192 --> 00:32:55.272 There probably was some division, by the way, that could be a key word for every year of any church forever, because we naturally divide we we naturally square up against one another. 00:32:55.373 --> 00:33:01.913 But Jesus knows, as he said, his death brings reconciliation. 00:33:02.012 --> 00:33:16.661 It's through his death that reconciliation can happen, first reconciled to him, but then the chance even to be reconciled to one another comes through him. 00:33:16.661 --> 00:33:26.237 And so for us, applying his death to reconciliation, the way that comes is reconciliation for me to be reconciled to you. 00:33:26.237 --> 00:33:37.147 If we have a difference that requires death, I have got to die to self to be able to move towards reconciliation. 00:33:37.147 --> 00:33:49.093 I have got to say no to my own desire to take vengeance, to make sure everyone knows I was right for retribution. 00:33:49.093 --> 00:33:54.298 I've got to die to some of that to see reconciliation happen. 00:33:54.298 --> 00:33:57.035 Forgiveness is really hard. 00:33:57.035 --> 00:34:00.038 It's not easy. 00:34:00.104 --> 00:34:05.476 Ephesians 432 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ is forgiving you. 00:34:05.476 --> 00:34:10.047 The reason I can forgive someone else is because He has forgiven me so much. 00:34:10.114 --> 00:34:13.217 That doesn't mean it's easy. 00:34:13.317 --> 00:34:15.753 It requires a death. 00:34:15.753 --> 00:34:21.525 In fact, there is a cost to forgiveness. 00:34:21.592 --> 00:34:23.693 But it's what we're called to do. 00:34:23.693 --> 00:34:33.570 And it's what Jesus saw was a key part of his death, was that it would bring about reconciliation. 00:34:33.570 --> 00:34:40.610 It would provide the opportunity for even people to have the chance of reconciling. 00:34:40.710 --> 00:35:01.565 I remember when Julian, I were serving in ministry in Little Rock, she got involved in a ministry to international families, in particular those who had come to Little Rock Four to study, which, you know, that's the mecca of places colleges to study at is Little Rock, Arkansas. 00:35:01.565 --> 00:35:03.835 But they would come from all over the world. 00:35:03.835 --> 00:35:05.268 And one family came. 00:35:05.268 --> 00:35:09.106 A number of families came from Iran. 00:35:09.206 --> 00:35:20.851 And I had just when these families came, I had just finished reading a book about the Iran hostage crisis back at the end of President Carter's presidency. 00:35:20.918 --> 00:35:27.492 And so I'm kind of on edge about Iranians at this moment, you know, And they're like, what are you talking about? 00:35:27.492 --> 00:35:28.425 That was a long ago. 00:35:28.425 --> 00:35:30.628 But, you know, I wanted to talk about its history. 00:35:30.628 --> 00:35:33.164 It's interesting. 00:35:33.164 --> 00:35:35.932 But naturally, there's a division nationally. 00:35:35.932 --> 00:35:39.402 We are against you. 00:35:39.503 --> 00:35:48.211 One of those families comes to Know Christ, which, by the way, is a death sentence. 00:35:48.278 --> 00:35:57.889 I can't think of a moment in my life when I've been worried for my life just because I call Christ Lord. 00:35:57.989 --> 00:36:02.527 They literally said, We can't go back home now. 00:36:02.592 --> 00:36:08.365 In that moment, all of those divisions and it is just fade away. 00:36:08.365 --> 00:36:16.173 I mean, we're unified in Christ in a way that bridges all other differences. 00:36:16.239 --> 00:36:21.344 And just think about some of the people that you hang out with here. 00:36:21.445 --> 00:36:27.284 You wouldn't hang out with them otherwise, probably, and you may not want to now, I don't know. 00:36:27.284 --> 00:36:28.985 But you see what I'm saying? 00:36:28.985 --> 00:36:45.902 You're sitting next to someone you had nothing else in common with except that you both know Christ and that man that transcends all those other differences that seem so significant, even sports teams or professions or interests or hobbies. 00:36:45.969 --> 00:36:51.074 Reconciliation comes through Christ and then number four, look at me. 00:36:51.074 --> 00:36:56.947 Look with me at these last few verses, verse 34. 00:36:57.047 --> 00:36:58.181 So the proud answer him. 00:36:58.181 --> 00:37:01.251 We have heard from the Lord the Christ remains forever. 00:37:01.251 --> 00:37:04.222 How can you say that the son of man must be lifted up? 00:37:04.222 --> 00:37:05.389 Who is this son of man? 00:37:05.389 --> 00:37:10.594 Jesus said to them, The light is among you for a little while longer. 00:37:10.661 --> 00:37:16.166 Walk while you have the light lest the darkness overtake you. 00:37:16.199 --> 00:37:19.269 The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 00:37:19.469 --> 00:37:25.309 While you have the light, believe in the light that you may become sons of light. 00:37:25.309 --> 00:37:27.445 Sons of light. 00:37:27.445 --> 00:37:27.711 Okay. 00:37:27.711 --> 00:37:34.085 First thing to note here is the crowd responds to him. 00:37:34.150 --> 00:37:41.125 Still notice Jesus never went to talk to those Greeks, never even acknowledged them. 00:37:41.192 --> 00:37:58.208 He he's engaging with the crowd but also their presence started the hour of his coming started the day of his death when he is lifted up, as he mentioned. 00:37:58.208 --> 00:38:00.543 When I am lifted up, I'll draw people to myself. 00:38:00.543 --> 00:38:03.347 When he is lifted up on the cross. 00:38:03.347 --> 00:38:08.518 But the crowd who is there is confused about who he is. 00:38:08.585 --> 00:38:10.987 They get a few things right. 00:38:10.987 --> 00:38:13.990 They understand that he is claiming be the Messiah. 00:38:14.224 --> 00:38:17.360 They understand that he's claiming to be the son of man. 00:38:17.360 --> 00:38:18.228 They use the word Christ. 00:38:18.228 --> 00:38:21.965 They use the phrase son of man, although they say, Who is this son of man? 00:38:22.032 --> 00:38:26.269 Most agree. By that they mean who is the son of man? 00:38:26.269 --> 00:38:28.539 Like, what type of messiah will he be? 00:38:28.539 --> 00:38:30.041 What do you mean by this? 00:38:30.041 --> 00:38:33.010 We are expecting the Messiah to last forever. 00:38:33.010 --> 00:38:35.313 Isaiah talks about and of his reign. 00:38:35.313 --> 00:38:37.681 There will be no end. 00:38:37.681 --> 00:38:38.748 But you're talking about die. 00:38:38.748 --> 00:38:42.152 And we don't understand. We're confused. 00:38:42.219 --> 00:38:54.465 And Jesus, in this moment, and this is so important to hear, He tells them what they need to hear, not what they wanted to hear. 00:38:54.532 --> 00:38:58.501 Jesus answer our questions about the Messiah. 00:38:58.568 --> 00:39:01.572 Jesus says, You're asking the wrong question. 00:39:01.639 --> 00:39:04.507 Look again at how He responds to them. 00:39:04.507 --> 00:39:09.713 Jesus said to them, 35, The light is among you for a little while longer. 00:39:09.813 --> 00:39:13.617 Walk while you have the light lets the darkness overtake you. 00:39:13.684 --> 00:39:17.655 So on this ladder rung the fourth. 00:39:17.722 --> 00:39:21.592 When he thinks about death, he thinks about time. 00:39:21.726 --> 00:39:24.961 And for him time is fleeting. 00:39:25.028 --> 00:39:27.697 He My time is short. 00:39:27.697 --> 00:39:28.532 Okay? 00:39:28.532 --> 00:39:31.235 Jesus knows I'm not going to be with you much longer. 00:39:31.235 --> 00:39:42.746 And if you want to be able to endure in the light, spend as much time with me as you can, make the most of the time with me that you can. 00:39:42.746 --> 00:39:44.681 I'm not here much longer. 00:39:44.681 --> 00:39:49.085 They don't fully understand what that means yet. 00:39:49.152 --> 00:39:56.726 But for us today, we can say the same walk in the light. 00:39:56.726 --> 00:40:02.032 Yes, there will come a day when we all pass away. 00:40:02.032 --> 00:40:04.367 It'll happen to every one of us. 00:40:04.367 --> 00:40:08.338 But for now, walk in the light. 00:40:08.405 --> 00:40:09.706 Don't let that derail you. 00:40:09.706 --> 00:40:12.610 Don't let that lead you to wonder what is then? 00:40:12.610 --> 00:40:14.344 Does life have any meaning? 00:40:12.610 --> 00:40:14.344 Why am I living? 00:40:14.344 --> 00:40:26.690 Why am I trying now? Walk in the light, keep pursuing Christ in the midst of the reality that there will come a day. 00:40:26.791 --> 00:40:34.998 There will come a day, and none of us knows when that is. 00:40:35.099 --> 00:40:51.181 I prayed with a man down here last week who shared with me how great God has been moving in his life and was asking for prayer for his son, whose distance from. 00:40:51.181 --> 00:40:57.755 And he passed away this week, probably about the same age as me. 00:40:57.755 --> 00:40:59.222 Very close. 00:40:59.222 --> 00:41:02.126 You never know. 00:41:02.126 --> 00:41:03.994 Walk in the reality. 00:41:03.994 --> 00:41:06.197 Time is fleeting. 00:41:06.197 --> 00:41:08.865 Walk in the light. 00:41:08.865 --> 00:41:10.333 Walk in the light. 00:41:10.333 --> 00:41:12.302 That's where you're going to find life. 00:41:12.302 --> 00:41:24.414 All the other things that provide some measure of life are all going to fall short, walk in the light, find true life there with him there. 00:41:24.514 --> 00:41:31.956 You know, it's interesting that we tend to avoid thinking about death. 00:41:31.956 --> 00:41:32.956 I know I do. 00:41:32.956 --> 00:41:38.695 I asked my son as we were driving to Arizona a random question, How often do you think about your own death? 00:41:38.862 --> 00:41:40.630 You know what? 00:41:40.630 --> 00:41:44.601 I wasn't expecting that question like I know. 00:41:44.601 --> 00:41:46.003 Just tell me, what do you think it's like? 00:41:46.003 --> 00:41:48.172 I never think about it. Me either. 00:41:48.172 --> 00:41:51.041 I try to avoid it. 00:41:51.041 --> 00:41:55.079 I've been listening to a book called The Comfort Crisis, which has its highs and lows. 00:41:55.211 --> 00:41:59.382 It's not a full blown endorsement, by the way. 00:41:59.483 --> 00:42:07.724 And he's making the case that our fascination with comfort is what's killing us. 00:42:07.824 --> 00:42:15.632 After sleeping on the ground a few days while camping or traveling across the US, there's some truth to that. 00:42:15.699 --> 00:42:20.237 Learned a lot about myself along the way. 00:42:20.336 --> 00:42:32.715 But one of the recollections, or one of the observer observations he makes in this book is that he at least had read and seen that one of the measurably happiest countries in the world is a little country called Bhutan. 00:42:32.815 --> 00:42:38.021 If any of you heard of Bhutan, I'd heard of it. 00:42:38.021 --> 00:42:41.025 But and I feel like I'm pretty strong at geography. 00:42:41.125 --> 00:42:43.126 That's one of my skills in life. 00:42:43.126 --> 00:42:45.396 Maps navigating. 00:42:45.396 --> 00:42:47.697 I don't know. 00:42:45.396 --> 00:42:47.697 I confess. Had to look it up. 00:42:47.697 --> 00:42:48.331 All right. 00:42:48.331 --> 00:42:54.505 It's like in between Nepal and China and India over there in the Himalayas. 00:42:54.605 --> 00:43:10.454 And this author makes the case that one of the reasons why they are some of the measurably happiest people on Earth is that their country encourages them daily to meditate on their own death. 00:43:10.521 --> 00:43:14.425 You need to daily think about the reality that there will come a day when you are no more. 00:43:14.425 --> 00:43:18.661 So how are you living now? 00:43:18.728 --> 00:43:24.300 And I heard that and I thought about that and I thought, is that what we need? 00:43:24.300 --> 00:43:26.269 Is that our problem in America? 00:43:26.269 --> 00:43:31.074 Bhutan measurably happy America, measurably not. 00:43:31.175 --> 00:43:40.284 High suicide rates, high anxiety, depression, some of the highest in the world, yet some of the wealthiest miserably not happy. 00:43:40.284 --> 00:43:42.485 Is that what we need to be to? 00:43:42.485 --> 00:43:45.489 If I just every day start meditating on? 00:43:45.655 --> 00:43:53.463 Don't forget there will be a day maybe. 00:43:53.463 --> 00:43:58.235 But what is way more important for us is to meditate on Christ's death. 00:43:58.302 --> 00:44:02.039 That is where we're going to find. 00:44:02.106 --> 00:44:05.041 I don't need to think any more about myself, whether it's my death or life. 00:44:05.041 --> 00:44:07.644 I need to think about him more. 00:44:07.744 --> 00:44:12.650 His death, his is what brings life. 00:44:12.750 --> 00:44:31.402 And so this week, as you're facing whatever you face, whether it's bus delays or parenting or marriage or work, Yes, acknowledge that life will end, but also focus on him, focus on his life. 00:44:31.501 --> 00:44:40.543 Focus on the fact that through him we have reconciliation, focus on the father's will, focus on finding the father's will and walk in the light. 00:44:40.643 --> 00:44:47.351 Let's pray God, we thank you for this morning. 00:44:47.418 --> 00:44:53.056 We thank you for your word that guides us. 00:44:53.157 --> 00:44:58.695 We thank you that through your death, we have hope. 00:44:58.762 --> 00:45:03.300 We don't have to live as those without hope. 00:45:03.367 --> 00:45:09.672 We don't have to live as those who think the day will come when it all ends and there's nothing else. 00:45:09.773 --> 00:45:14.711 We have eternal hope, eternal life, eternal purpose. 00:45:14.945 --> 00:45:22.552 There will be a day of the resurrection of the dead who come to walk with you for eternity. 00:45:22.652 --> 00:45:35.364 And I pray today that each of us would find strength, peace, comfort and hope in the midst of whatever we're facing. 00:45:35.465 --> 00:45:38.635 Thank you, Jesus, for loving us and caring for us. 00:45:38.702 --> 00:45:40.503 It's in your name. We pray. Amen.