WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 Yes. 00:00:06.333 --> 00:00:08.566 Great are you, Lord. 00:00:08.566 --> 00:00:10.965 Great is the Lord. 00:00:10.965 --> 00:00:11.233 God. 00:00:11.233 --> 00:00:15.099 We come together this morning to celebrate your greatness. 00:00:15.500 --> 00:00:20.432 We come with our brokenness, our challenges. 00:00:20.432 --> 00:00:24.733 But we bring those before you because you are great. 00:00:24.733 --> 00:00:28.500 It's your blood that washes over us. 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:30.666 It's your blood that heals us. 00:00:30.666 --> 00:00:33.200 We stand in your strength. 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:35.566 We've tried in our own. 00:00:35.566 --> 00:00:37.899 That didn't work, hasn't worked. 00:00:37.899 --> 00:00:40.332 It never works. 00:00:40.332 --> 00:00:43.066 Thank you for your blood. 00:00:43.066 --> 00:00:46.732 Jesus, I pray this morning we would hear from you. 00:00:46.732 --> 00:00:50.865 Each one of us tends to block you out in our own way. 00:00:50.865 --> 00:00:55.265 I pray this morning our ears would be open. 00:00:55.265 --> 00:00:57.466 Our hearts would be open to hear from you. 00:00:57.466 --> 00:00:59.799 Our hearts would be tender. 00:00:59.799 --> 00:01:01.100 Yes. 00:01:01.100 --> 00:01:02.332 Thank you for your word. 00:01:02.332 --> 00:01:04.900 We love you, Jesus. Amen. 00:01:06.433 --> 00:01:07.965 Amen. 00:01:07.965 --> 00:01:16.332 Well, it's great to gather with you this morning, and I want to welcome back our students who were, some of them sit in this general direction. 00:01:16.332 --> 00:01:17.965 They were gone last weekend. 00:01:17.965 --> 00:01:21.500 They went to the winter retreat and they had a great time. 00:01:21.500 --> 00:01:25.400 How many of you are still recovering from that from sleep loss during that time? 00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:26.266 I see a few parents. 00:01:26.266 --> 00:01:27.632 I didn't see any students raise their hand. 00:01:27.632 --> 00:01:33.365 It took us a few days in our home to kind of recover from it, but it's those kind of things. 00:01:33.365 --> 00:01:35.533 It's it's worth it. 00:01:35.533 --> 00:01:46.099 I don't know what your experience was like growing up in church, but for me, those events, something about getting away, hearing someone else tell you the things you've already heard 100 times at church. 00:01:46.099 --> 00:01:50.865 It's something about that God can just use that to move in your life. 00:01:50.865 --> 00:02:01.433 And I know as a student there were times of deep, spiritually significant moving moments, and I know that was the case for some who were there this weekend. 00:02:01.433 --> 00:02:07.299 The reason I bring that up is we just need to keep praying for our students, our young adults. 00:02:07.299 --> 00:02:11.832 That's not just some separate side ministry of the church. 00:02:11.832 --> 00:02:13.966 You realize that's the future of this church. 00:02:15.066 --> 00:02:17.633 Those are the future leaders of ministries. 00:02:17.633 --> 00:02:22.599 Those are the future deacons and elders and people on stage seeing it. 00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:25.466 That's the very future of this church. 00:02:25.466 --> 00:02:26.866 That's really the reason why we're here. 00:02:26.866 --> 00:02:28.599 It's not just for us. 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:30.900 We're just stewards of this church. 00:02:30.900 --> 00:02:32.832 It's not my Valley View. 00:02:32.832 --> 00:02:33.765 I mean, we're here. 00:02:33.765 --> 00:02:35.599 It was passed, handed down to us. 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:39.233 None of us were here when it started 85 years ago. 00:02:39.500 --> 00:02:41.265 We're here as a steward. 00:02:41.265 --> 00:02:42.966 We're passing it on to them. 00:02:42.966 --> 00:02:47.066 And, Lord willing, they'll steward it well and pass it on to the next generation. 00:02:47.066 --> 00:02:51.099 So keep praying for our students, and thank you all for taking the time to go. 00:02:51.099 --> 00:02:54.765 There's a million other things you could choose to do. 00:02:55.032 --> 00:02:57.665 Well, we're back in the book of First Peter today. 00:02:57.665 --> 00:03:06.900 We took a break from First Peter for a few weeks to talk about the New Year, Christmas, New Year's talk about who we are, know thyself as a church. 00:03:06.900 --> 00:03:08.633 But we're back in our series in First Peter. 00:03:08.633 --> 00:03:14.300 We're going to spend about six more weeks in First Peter wrapping it up, and we're going to be in First Peter chapter four. 00:03:15.866 --> 00:03:24.165 And the main message of today's passage that we'll be studying is, how do you live when time is short? 00:03:25.566 --> 00:03:28.400 When you know the time is short, it changes your priorities. 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:30.432 It changes the way you live. 00:03:30.432 --> 00:03:33.532 The things you thought were important might not be as important. 00:03:33.532 --> 00:03:37.966 And the things that you know are important take prominence. 00:03:37.966 --> 00:03:52.966 In fact, thinking back, especially to the end of World War Two as it was drawing near, you've got Americans on one side, Russians on the other, coming in, invading Germany, releasing people as they find them. 00:03:52.966 --> 00:03:55.966 And many of the prison camps. 00:03:56.265 --> 00:03:57.300 Something started to happen. 00:03:57.300 --> 00:03:58.800 People knew the end is near. 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:01.665 The end is coming on both sides of the equation. 00:04:01.665 --> 00:04:06.633 The guards and the inmates, and both started to change the way they act. 00:04:06.633 --> 00:04:09.265 The guards would start to be a little nicer. 00:04:10.500 --> 00:04:13.165 You know, these people might be over me here very soon. 00:04:13.165 --> 00:04:15.366 I better start to be a little nicer to them. 00:04:15.366 --> 00:04:25.800 Maybe they'll remember that rather than the awful things I did. Start to be a little nicer, a little more lenient, maybe even slip them some more food, give them more freedoms. 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:28.233 Then on the inmates side, they are starting to sense. 00:04:28.233 --> 00:04:32.165 They didn't want to believe it before, but they are starting to sense something is changing. 00:04:32.165 --> 00:04:33.966 The atmosphere is changing. 00:04:33.966 --> 00:04:36.733 We're probably going to be free soon. 00:04:36.733 --> 00:04:40.333 And they started to act differently towards the guards. 00:04:40.333 --> 00:04:44.632 They didn't seem to see them to have the same hold over them that they used to. 00:04:44.632 --> 00:04:47.000 A little more boldness, a little more freedom. 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:54.266 And the the lines between the two started to blur some in some areas, depending on who the guards were and what the camp was like. 00:04:54.266 --> 00:05:01.966 But the reality was they both knew the end is near, the end is coming, and they started to act in light of that. 00:05:03.500 --> 00:05:07.966 First Peter chapter four, verse seven, it's going to highlight this. 00:05:07.966 --> 00:05:10.833 How do you live when you know the end is near? 00:05:10.833 --> 00:05:15.766 How do you live differently in light of the end coming? 00:05:16.466 --> 00:05:22.966 We're going to look at verses seven through 11 and talk about how that applies to us today, when you know the end is near. 00:05:22.966 --> 00:05:34.132 In fact, in this passage, we're going to see six ways to live in light of the end, six ways that we're called to live when you know the end is near, when you know the end is coming. 00:05:34.132 --> 00:05:38.065 How do you live differently when time is short? 00:05:38.065 --> 00:05:40.000 So we're in First Peter chapter four. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:43.466 And if you have a church Bible, that page number should be on the screen. 00:05:43.466 --> 00:05:47.565 Page 955. If you don't have a Bible, those are out in the lobby. Grab one. 00:05:47.565 --> 00:05:49.665 Any time. Those are free for you. 00:05:49.665 --> 00:05:56.565 We're going to read verses seven through 11, and then we'll unpack these six ways to live when time is short. 00:05:56.565 --> 00:06:02.266 First Peter four verse seven, the end of all things is at hand. 00:06:03.432 --> 00:06:10.865 Therefore be self-controlled, sober minded for the sake of your prayers. 00:06:10.865 --> 00:06:13.233 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly. 00:06:13.233 --> 00:06:17.199 Since love covers a multitude of sins. 00:06:18.333 --> 00:06:24.266 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:27.399 As each has received a gift. 00:06:27.466 --> 00:06:33.033 Use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. 00:06:33.865 --> 00:06:38.432 Whoever speaks as one who speaks oracles of God. 00:06:38.432 --> 00:06:56.233 Whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies, in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to him belong glory and dominion forever and forever. 00:06:56.966 --> 00:06:59.432 Amen. 00:06:59.432 --> 00:07:06.500 Here we have First Peter four seven through 11, setting up this idea of how do you live when time is short? 00:07:06.500 --> 00:07:10.000 How do you live in light of the end when you know the end is near? 00:07:11.065 --> 00:07:16.899 And the first way is right here in this very first phrase, you live with a sense of urgency. 00:07:16.899 --> 00:07:18.266 That should be the first step. 00:07:18.266 --> 00:07:20.500 I should have a heightened sense of urgency. 00:07:20.500 --> 00:07:24.365 If time is short, I have less time to accomplish the things I know that are important. 00:07:24.365 --> 00:07:26.632 There should be a sense of urgency. 00:07:26.632 --> 00:07:28.766 You see it here in this very first phrase. 00:07:28.766 --> 00:07:31.766 The end of all things is at hand. 00:07:33.533 --> 00:07:41.432 Don't forget, we tend to live in a way that we think life's just going to continue on as it always has. 00:07:41.432 --> 00:07:49.199 We we kind of lull ourselves into believing that it's always been a certain way, and it's just going to stay that way forever. 00:07:50.065 --> 00:07:51.432 Every single day. 00:07:51.432 --> 00:07:56.932 Someone who was thinking that in the morning, by the end of the day, everything has changed. 00:07:56.932 --> 00:07:59.500 And some of you have been there at times. 00:07:59.500 --> 00:08:05.865 It could be a health crisis, it could have been a loved one passes unexpectedly. 00:08:05.865 --> 00:08:15.699 It could be a financial change occurs that you didn't see coming, or a job or a relationship of some kind that you thought would be there forever has ended. 00:08:15.699 --> 00:08:17.100 Every single day. 00:08:17.100 --> 00:08:20.033 We thought everything would just keep going on the way it was. 00:08:21.865 --> 00:08:24.000 But then it ended or things changed. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:46.299 We need to live with a sense of urgency, and not with some gloom and doom that any day everything could fall apart, but rather just delighting in the joy of the day God has given us, but also carrying a sense of urgency that we're not guaranteed another day, making the most of every single day. 00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:54.533 Now, the important thing to remember about this phrase yes, we need to live with a sense of urgency in light of the fact that I could I could be gone tomorrow. 00:08:54.732 --> 00:09:06.066 But what Peter here is probably giving more emphasis to is the reality that everything that everyone in the Old Testament had been waiting for has now come true in Christ. 00:09:06.966 --> 00:09:16.432 If you look at the Bible and you split it up into two big halves, the Old Testament and the New Testament, easy way to think of it is the Old Testament is promises, prophecy. 00:09:16.432 --> 00:09:18.033 The New Testament is fulfillment. 00:09:18.033 --> 00:09:20.865 The Old Testament is, here's what we're hoping to see happen. 00:09:20.865 --> 00:09:23.100 Here's how God is working and what he's pointing towards. 00:09:23.100 --> 00:09:25.466 New Testament is - it's happened. 00:09:25.466 --> 00:09:26.566 He has showed up. 00:09:26.566 --> 00:09:36.765 And so when he says the end of all things is at hand, what he means is everything you've been waiting for as you studied the scriptures, the Old Testament has come true in Christ. 00:09:38.432 --> 00:09:40.666 Now there's still a few things to be worked out. 00:09:40.666 --> 00:09:42.100 He's going to come back. 00:09:42.100 --> 00:09:45.100 He's going to sum up all things in him. 00:09:45.932 --> 00:09:48.765 But yet we're a lot closer than we were. 00:09:48.765 --> 00:09:51.232 The end is at hand. 00:09:51.232 --> 00:09:53.466 Things are progressing forward. 00:09:53.466 --> 00:09:56.700 The story has moved forward, a significant chapter. 00:09:56.700 --> 00:10:11.566 There's been a big shift in the story of Scripture, and the end is near, which calls us to live with a sense of urgency, a renewed daily sense of gratitude and joy and hope and peace. 00:10:13.265 --> 00:10:28.966 It's said that the ancient samurai warriors in Japan would every day begin their days meditating on the reality that that day would likely be the day they die, because every day they knew. 00:10:28.966 --> 00:10:31.966 My call is to be ready to die. 00:10:32.066 --> 00:10:34.932 I am a person of the sword. 00:10:34.932 --> 00:10:39.200 That is the instrument that I live by and that I will likely die by. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:42.399 And today I need to be fully ready for that. 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:45.700 And every decision I make will affect that. 00:10:45.700 --> 00:10:55.166 My readiness for that or not, that sense of urgency for their calling, for their mission. 00:10:55.466 --> 00:11:13.500 When I think of walking with Christ, having that sense daily of urgency, of seeing everything that I can do to be about proclaiming him to others, and that everything I do either helps that or takes away from it, is a sense of urgency I hope to carry. 00:11:14.899 --> 00:11:16.365 Walk with a sense of urgency. 00:11:16.365 --> 00:11:21.166 Now, the second half of this verse, though, brings up a dynamic of that that's important. 00:11:21.166 --> 00:11:22.799 How do we do that? 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:26.000 How do we live as if the end of all things is at hand? 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:28.365 Because we don't often, often do that. 00:11:28.365 --> 00:11:29.166 Look at what he says here. 00:11:29.166 --> 00:11:30.865 This is the second point. 00:11:30.865 --> 00:11:36.432 Therefore, be self-controlled and sober minded for the sake of your prayers. 00:11:36.432 --> 00:11:40.666 The second way to live, knowing that time is short is to prepare your heart to pray. 00:11:41.832 --> 00:11:48.100 Prepare your heart to pray. 00:11:48.232 --> 00:11:57.732 This is going to take a second to get our minds around how important this is to understand the connection between the mind and prayer. 00:11:57.732 --> 00:12:05.732 And it's no coincidence that the first thing he mentions when he talks about the importance of living with a sense of urgency is prayer. 00:12:06.832 --> 00:12:13.133 Which is frustrating because when you think someone says live with a sense of urgency, you think that means do more stuff in the short amount of time you have. 00:12:13.133 --> 00:12:15.600 And when you think of prayer, you don't think about doing more stuff. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:18.600 You think, oh, that's doing less stuff. 00:12:19.633 --> 00:12:21.299 That's kind of the point. 00:12:21.299 --> 00:12:23.865 Become less self dependent. 00:12:23.865 --> 00:12:25.732 Become more Christ dependent. 00:12:25.732 --> 00:12:28.666 And prayer is the best picture of that. 00:12:28.666 --> 00:12:32.633 You know, prayer is one of the most important things we can do as a church. 00:12:34.100 --> 00:12:51.533 Every major movement of revival that I've read about was usually either led by a prolonged season of desperate prayer or coincided with a continued season of sincere, desperate prayer. 00:12:53.033 --> 00:12:58.799 And how many of us would say, I, man, I want to see revival break out in our church? 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:04.966 I would say that, but then I got to ask myself, does my prayer life match that desire? 00:13:05.633 --> 00:13:08.633 I confess it doesn't. 00:13:08.899 --> 00:13:09.865 So what does that mean? 00:13:09.865 --> 00:13:16.299 How do we get to a place where our desire for prayer matches the activity of prayer? 00:13:16.299 --> 00:13:19.299 That's what we want. 00:13:19.365 --> 00:13:21.332 We know prayer's not easy. 00:13:21.332 --> 00:13:22.600 It's not. 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:23.566 It can be hard. 00:13:23.566 --> 00:13:24.533 Why is prayer hard? 00:13:24.533 --> 00:13:27.365 What's probably the number one reason prayer is hard? 00:13:27.365 --> 00:13:28.832 You tell me. Give me some reasons. 00:13:30.865 --> 00:13:32.332 I heard the word distraction. 00:13:32.332 --> 00:13:35.332 Who would say that's true for them? 00:13:36.466 --> 00:13:38.633 I think that's probably true. 00:13:38.633 --> 00:13:50.133 You go to pray, and within three nanoseconds, you're thinking about something at work or school or relationship, and you're just off somewhere else. 00:13:50.133 --> 00:13:55.633 And then you're mad at yourself for not praying, and you try to get back, and you can't. 00:13:55.633 --> 00:13:58.600 That it's true. 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:03.466 Two words here that are critical for how we move towards prayer. 00:14:03.865 --> 00:14:07.600 He says here, be self-controlled and sober minded. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:10.200 Let's talk about that word sober minded first. 00:14:10.200 --> 00:14:12.066 Sober minded now. Sober minded. 00:14:12.066 --> 00:14:18.832 Obviously can refer at an obvious level to the chemical state of your mind. 00:14:18.966 --> 00:14:24.066 I mean, if your mind is intoxicated by beverages, your mind is cloudy. 00:14:24.265 --> 00:14:27.000 It's not thinking clearly. 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:28.633 It's being manipulated. 00:14:28.633 --> 00:14:31.066 It's not seeing the world as it really is. 00:14:32.299 --> 00:14:34.232 Instead, we’re called to be sober minded. 00:14:34.232 --> 00:14:40.066 That same word is used of the demon possessed man in Luke chapter eight. 00:14:40.265 --> 00:14:44.865 Jesus comes to him, heals him, sends the demons out into the pigs. 00:14:45.466 --> 00:14:47.500 And here's what it says about the the villagers. 00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:56.732 When they come and find him, it says they find him sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. 00:14:56.732 --> 00:15:01.399 That phrase in his right mind is the same as same word is sober mindedness. 00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:02.799 He had clarity of mind. 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:04.666 He was a completely different person. 00:15:04.666 --> 00:15:11.500 He was no longer the guy that was breaking chains and running around naked in the wilderness. 00:15:11.500 --> 00:15:14.600 I mean, imagine running into a person like that. 00:15:14.600 --> 00:15:20.666 I'm thinking of, I don't know if you remember back in the 80s, the the guys who would come, I think they even came to Valley View. 00:15:20.666 --> 00:15:21.432 The power team. 00:15:21.432 --> 00:15:24.765 You remember those big guys would come and break stuff for Jesus? 00:15:24.765 --> 00:15:28.765 I don't know how that all fit together, but I thought it was fun to watch. 00:15:30.033 --> 00:15:32.432 Imagine one of those guys. 00:15:32.432 --> 00:15:39.265 After the service is over, they strip off all their clothes and run off into Jefferson Memorial Forest to live. 00:15:39.700 --> 00:15:41.966 I would never hike there again. 00:15:41.966 --> 00:15:43.232 You go nowhere near there. 00:15:43.232 --> 00:15:46.232 That would be a scary dude. 00:15:47.166 --> 00:15:53.100 But then you show up one day and there he is, fully clothed in his right mind. 00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:54.500 Sober minded. 00:15:54.500 --> 00:15:59.166 God had gotten a hold of him and radically changed his life. 00:16:00.365 --> 00:16:05.666 To be sober minded is to be clear minded, to be able to hear from the Lord. 00:16:05.666 --> 00:16:07.133 I'm not distracted by other things. 00:16:07.133 --> 00:16:07.899 Now, how does that happen? 00:16:07.899 --> 00:16:08.932 That's what we want. 00:16:08.932 --> 00:16:12.666 None of us want to sit down, to pray and be distracted. 00:16:12.666 --> 00:16:14.332 The other phrase is the key to that. 00:16:14.332 --> 00:16:15.633 Be sober minded. 00:16:15.633 --> 00:16:19.832 Be self-controlled for the sake of your prayers. 00:16:21.700 --> 00:16:22.500 Here's the reality. 00:16:22.500 --> 00:16:26.365 And this is the hard thing to point out about prayer. 00:16:27.133 --> 00:16:32.633 The reason prayer is hard is not because prayer is hard. 00:16:32.633 --> 00:16:35.332 It's because we make it hard. 00:16:35.332 --> 00:16:42.566 The reason I'm distracted during prayer is because of what I've already put into my brain that distracts me. 00:16:42.566 --> 00:16:45.566 That's what requires self-control. 00:16:45.966 --> 00:17:00.332 I've got to have the self-control to say, I'm not going to consume this trivial nonsense or anything that will pull my heart away from Christ, because the moment I want a prayer is when it'll all come back to mind. 00:17:00.332 --> 00:17:05.200 Even if it's not sinful, if it's just meaningless nonsense. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:14.700 And I think we all can say I've spent too much time consuming things that later show up when I try to pray. 00:17:15.665 --> 00:17:19.232 And I want to say, therefore, that prayer is hard. 00:17:19.266 --> 00:17:21.032 I want to make it about prayer being hard. 00:17:21.032 --> 00:17:26.299 But in reality, I've filled up my heart with the things that will distract me from prayer. 00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:29.500 And I did it willingly, and I did it because I wanted to. 00:17:29.500 --> 00:17:33.833 And I did it because I wanted to distract myself from life. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:37.000 I didn't want to be sober minded. 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:39.465 This is all hard to say because it's true of me too. 00:17:39.465 --> 00:17:42.865 I hope it doesn't feel like I'm dumping on you. 00:17:42.865 --> 00:17:44.099 It's us. It's all of us. 00:17:44.099 --> 00:17:46.066 It's just true of life. 00:17:46.066 --> 00:17:49.066 We want to take the easier path. 00:17:49.732 --> 00:17:52.099 But here's what's at stake. 00:17:52.099 --> 00:17:56.000 If I want to see God move through revival, through prayer. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:06.299 If I want to be a part of that, through prayer that requires self-control to say, I'm not going to fill up my mind with things that will distract me in times of prayer from him. 00:18:09.165 --> 00:18:17.965 In fact, I want to give a challenge here before we get into the other few points, just right here in the middle, I want to just give a brief challenge to you. 00:18:17.965 --> 00:18:30.633 Before I give the challenge, let me just ask you, if I could give you a pill right now and it would end distraction to prayer and would end anxiety in your life. 00:18:31.365 --> 00:18:33.566 Would you want that pill? 00:18:33.566 --> 00:18:34.066 That's awesome. 00:18:34.066 --> 00:18:35.865 Hands shoot up pretty fast. 00:18:35.865 --> 00:18:36.799 I don't even know what it is. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:38.400 I don't even need to know the side effects. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:41.266 You can put those at the bottom of the screen and mumble them. 00:18:41.266 --> 00:18:44.266 Just give me the pill. 00:18:44.865 --> 00:18:46.365 Well, there's no pill. 00:18:46.365 --> 00:18:51.032 There isn't for anything hardly, by the way. 00:18:51.766 --> 00:18:56.432 But I think most of our anxiety, in fact, there's been a lot of studies to show this to be the case. 00:18:56.432 --> 00:19:00.200 Most of our anxiety and distractions come from two things news and social media. 00:19:02.333 --> 00:19:03.932 And so here's what I want to challenge you to do. 00:19:03.932 --> 00:19:06.032 Take this week, starting today. 00:19:06.032 --> 00:19:11.200 Starting right now, through this same time next week. 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:16.965 And just do a fast from social media and the news for a week. 00:19:17.465 --> 00:19:21.133 In fact, if you're going, I need that. 00:19:21.133 --> 00:19:22.365 I desperately need that. 00:19:22.365 --> 00:19:25.232 I'm I'm going to give you a challenge. 00:19:25.232 --> 00:19:28.965 In just a second, I'm going to ask you to raise your hand. 00:19:29.532 --> 00:19:33.000 That'll really see how serious we are about it. 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:35.500 If you're going no, I want to do that. 00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:40.200 I'm not sure I can, but I want to, I need that. 00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:42.900 I need to be free from anxiety. 00:19:42.900 --> 00:19:49.299 The number one factor stirring up anxiety in our world has been shown through extensive studies. 00:19:49.465 --> 00:19:52.400 Colby and I just read a whole book on this. 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:54.532 Social media alone. 00:19:54.532 --> 00:19:57.532 Doesn't mean it's all bad, but our excessive use of it. 00:19:57.532 --> 00:20:00.165 So take a break for a week, see what happens. 00:20:00.165 --> 00:20:01.566 See if your anxiety goes down. 00:20:01.566 --> 00:20:03.165 See if your prayer life increases. 00:20:04.299 --> 00:20:05.365 So here's here's what I’m going to do. 00:20:05.365 --> 00:20:09.465 I'm going to ask if that's something you want to do this week. 00:20:09.465 --> 00:20:10.232 Just raise your hand. 00:20:10.232 --> 00:20:13.232 Now go ahead and raise your hand. 00:20:13.232 --> 00:20:14.165 All right. Now keep them up. 00:20:14.165 --> 00:20:15.599 Keep them up. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:19.799 Because I want you to look around at someone around who also has their hand up. 00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:21.032 And don't judge those who don't. 00:20:21.032 --> 00:20:23.532 By the way, they probably already don't use social media. 00:20:23.532 --> 00:20:27.099 Keep them up and pick one person. 00:20:27.099 --> 00:20:31.333 Because here's the key to doing anything like this is accountability and encouragement. 00:20:31.333 --> 00:20:32.266 Pick one person. 00:20:32.266 --> 00:20:34.633 Keep them up for just a little bit longer. 00:20:34.633 --> 00:20:39.665 Pick one person and say, hey, can we encourage one another this week? 00:20:39.665 --> 00:20:40.932 I'm not going to look at social media. 00:20:40.932 --> 00:20:44.965 Can I text you and be an encouragement and just check in each day? 00:20:44.965 --> 00:20:45.665 How's it going? 00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:47.665 How's it going? 00:20:47.665 --> 00:20:49.032 Oh, right. You can put them down now. 00:20:49.032 --> 00:20:49.566 Oh. 00:20:49.566 --> 00:20:52.566 Restore feeling to your arms. 00:20:53.133 --> 00:20:58.766 At the end of the week, just see what God does through that. 00:20:58.766 --> 00:21:02.465 See what he does with your anxiety, with your prayer life. 00:21:02.465 --> 00:21:04.066 Check in on one another. 00:21:04.066 --> 00:21:07.066 Encourage one another. 00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:10.500 And watch him work. 00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:12.066 The end is near. 00:21:12.066 --> 00:21:14.833 Time is short. 00:21:14.833 --> 00:21:17.432 How are we going to live differently? 00:21:17.432 --> 00:21:18.766 Part of it is prayer. 00:21:18.766 --> 00:21:19.799 Third way. 00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:22.799 Love the overlook. 00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:24.066 Love the overlook. 00:21:24.066 --> 00:21:25.133 Let's talk about what that means. 00:21:25.133 --> 00:21:28.133 Look here in verse eight. 00:21:28.865 --> 00:21:36.865 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 00:21:37.365 --> 00:21:39.099 I love this language about love. 00:21:39.099 --> 00:21:43.099 Keep loving one another earnestly in our day and age. 00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:45.299 Love is solely defined as a feeling. 00:21:46.465 --> 00:21:49.500 You can fall in and out of it, and no one really knows why or not. 00:21:49.500 --> 00:21:50.799 You can feel it strongly. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:53.566 Therefore you have to act on it, or it can not be there at all. 00:21:53.566 --> 00:21:56.465 And you can ignore commitments. 00:21:56.465 --> 00:22:00.465 But Scripture says that love is the opposite of that. 00:22:01.400 --> 00:22:02.700 First Corinthians 13. 00:22:02.700 --> 00:22:05.333 Go, go and read that this week. 00:22:05.333 --> 00:22:08.333 One of the phrases in there love endures. 00:22:10.232 --> 00:22:12.165 Love is not just how I feel. 00:22:12.165 --> 00:22:13.865 Love is the opposite of that. 00:22:13.865 --> 00:22:18.066 Love is how I act when I don't feel like it. 00:22:18.066 --> 00:22:20.032 In fact, do you want to know who really loves you? 00:22:20.032 --> 00:22:22.500 Who is there in the hard times? 00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:25.365 Who is there when it all falls apart? 00:22:25.365 --> 00:22:27.833 That's who loves you. 00:22:27.833 --> 00:22:33.400 The prodigal son learned who really loved him wasn't his friends. 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:34.365 The money ran out. 00:22:34.365 --> 00:22:36.099 The fun times ran out. 00:22:36.099 --> 00:22:37.665 They weren't there. 00:22:37.665 --> 00:22:40.232 Who was there? 00:22:40.232 --> 00:22:51.799 It was his father who had been staring down the road looking for him and came running to embrace him, to weep over him. 00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:54.799 That's who loved him. 00:22:55.266 --> 00:22:58.266 I've got a friend whose daughter. 00:22:58.532 --> 00:23:01.932 As soon as she was old enough, she said, I'm out of here. 00:23:01.932 --> 00:23:10.965 I don't want anything to do with your all’s direction in my life, and he has been praying and praying for her. 00:23:11.900 --> 00:23:16.099 Praying for the good times to run out. 00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:22.766 And just a week or two ago, she called him and said, dad, will you come get me? 00:23:24.365 --> 00:23:25.566 Sure. 00:23:25.566 --> 00:23:28.299 You know, we're talking 4 or 5 hours away. 00:23:28.299 --> 00:23:29.965 When do you want me to come? Now. 00:23:31.365 --> 00:23:32.700 I've got to make a change now. 00:23:32.700 --> 00:23:35.432 Will you come? 00:23:35.432 --> 00:23:37.599 She found out who loved her. 00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:40.599 He dropped everything. 00:23:42.299 --> 00:23:43.766 Love endures. 00:23:43.766 --> 00:23:50.665 Love keeps on. The words here - keep loving earnestly - earnestly also can be translated continually. 00:23:50.665 --> 00:23:53.532 Keep loving. 00:23:53.532 --> 00:23:55.566 That's what biblical love is now. 00:23:55.566 --> 00:23:59.266 The point he's making here, specifically about the context of love. 00:23:59.266 --> 00:24:02.299 He says love covers a multitude of sins. 00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:04.665 What does that mean? 00:24:04.665 --> 00:24:06.333 What does it mean to cover up sin? 00:24:06.333 --> 00:24:11.266 You know, there's different ways to take that. Cover sin could mean hiding it. No we don't. 00:24:11.266 --> 00:24:12.099 That's not what we mean. 00:24:12.099 --> 00:24:15.465 What does he mean by the context here of love covers a multitude of sins. 00:24:15.465 --> 00:24:19.665 He's actually quoting or inferencing an Old Testament verse. 00:24:19.665 --> 00:24:20.500 Surprise, surprise. 00:24:20.500 --> 00:24:22.000 Peter loves to quote the Old Testament. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:23.799 In fact, turn to the book of Proverbs. 00:24:23.799 --> 00:24:26.200 12. 00:24:26.200 --> 00:24:32.432 Proverbs is going to be the page number on the screen, but Proverbs is going to be pretty close to the middle of your Bible. 00:24:32.432 --> 00:24:37.165 If you find Psalms, go to the right just a little to get to Proverbs. 00:24:37.165 --> 00:24:39.465 Proverbs is one of my favorite books to read. 00:24:39.465 --> 00:24:43.532 Many people, in fact, if you find yourself stuck in a rut with reading the Bible. 00:24:43.532 --> 00:24:45.566 Proverbs has 31 chapters. 00:24:45.566 --> 00:24:49.799 Whatever day of the week it is, just pick that day of the week and read that chapter of Proverbs. 00:24:49.799 --> 00:24:53.833 You will find something in there that will speak to you that day. 00:24:53.833 --> 00:24:55.465 It's called the Book of Wisdom. 00:24:55.465 --> 00:24:57.133 We all need wisdom. 00:24:57.133 --> 00:25:00.232 But Proverbs chapter ten, verse 12. 00:25:01.299 --> 00:25:06.566 Many believe this is the verse that Peter is quoting or referring to. 00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:16.365 It says hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. 00:25:16.365 --> 00:25:17.566 Hatred. 00:25:17.566 --> 00:25:19.099 And so here's the contrast. 00:25:19.099 --> 00:25:24.766 Hatred stirs up problems, stirs up strife, stirs up contention. 00:25:25.365 --> 00:25:29.232 But love covers offenses. 00:25:29.232 --> 00:25:32.165 Love looks past offenses. 00:25:32.165 --> 00:25:36.732 Loves, doesn't dwell on every little thing you might do wrong. 00:25:38.266 --> 00:25:39.932 Love is going to look over that. 00:25:39.932 --> 00:25:45.299 In fact, love is going to diffuse, not stir up. 00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:48.299 Love is going to unite. 00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:50.732 Not divide. 00:25:50.732 --> 00:25:55.165 We're called to be those kind of people who do defuse conflict, not stir it up. 00:25:55.165 --> 00:26:01.532 And of course, unless we're talking about potential snowball fights between key church members, that's okay to stir up. 00:26:01.532 --> 00:26:03.066 I tried stirring that up last week. 00:26:03.066 --> 00:26:03.665 It didn't happen. 00:26:03.665 --> 00:26:06.400 I'm still praying that it does. 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:07.133 We'll see. 00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:11.200 Pray for more snow. 00:26:11.365 --> 00:26:13.000 Whoa. 00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:16.000 I got a strong response. 00:26:16.465 --> 00:26:18.833 We'll see what your prayer life’s like this week, right? 00:26:18.833 --> 00:26:21.000 I'll pray for snow. 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:22.900 Anyway... 00:26:22.900 --> 00:26:24.766 Love covers a multitude of sins. 00:26:24.766 --> 00:26:27.766 It looks past. 00:26:28.599 --> 00:26:31.599 That’s who we’re called to be. 00:26:31.965 --> 00:26:37.432 And I've had friends who say it seems like every relationship I'm in is full of tension. 00:26:37.432 --> 00:26:42.133 Well, guess who the common denominator is in all those relationships? 00:26:42.732 --> 00:26:48.232 Be a defuser, not a stirring up of hate. 00:26:49.299 --> 00:26:52.299 One who overlooks. 00:26:52.365 --> 00:26:53.799 Love to overlook. 00:26:53.799 --> 00:26:58.500 And then, number four, if you turn back to First Peter. 00:26:58.500 --> 00:27:00.432 Open your door. 00:27:00.432 --> 00:27:01.633 Open your door. 00:27:01.633 --> 00:27:03.665 Look at verse nine. 00:27:03.665 --> 00:27:05.665 How do we live when time is short? 00:27:05.665 --> 00:27:08.665 Show hospitality to one another. 00:27:08.833 --> 00:27:12.165 And a key phrase here, without grumbling. 00:27:14.865 --> 00:27:18.066 Oh, and by the way, before I get into point four, let me comment on this. 00:27:18.066 --> 00:27:19.599 Love overlooks sin. 00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:29.799 This doesn't mean, though, there are some sins that we do need to pause and stop down and deal with. 00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:32.599 We don't just pretend nothing happened. 00:27:32.599 --> 00:27:34.232 Great example. 00:27:34.232 --> 00:27:42.099 We are not going to tolerate anyone who crosses boundaries that we've set up in our our children's ministry. 00:27:42.099 --> 00:27:45.599 We have things set up to protect our children. 00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:50.965 And if you can't abide by those, we'll do our best to run you off. 00:27:51.365 --> 00:27:52.633 We really will. 00:27:52.633 --> 00:27:55.333 That's how much we care about these kids. 00:27:55.333 --> 00:27:58.333 Those sins can't be overlooked. 00:27:58.599 --> 00:27:59.865 Do you understand the balance here? 00:27:59.865 --> 00:28:00.266 Right? 00:28:00.266 --> 00:28:04.032 I'm talking about when I say the overlooked, the little things that we want to make a big deal out. 00:28:04.032 --> 00:28:04.965 That shouldn't be. 00:28:04.965 --> 00:28:07.700 But then there's other sins that cannot be overlooked. 00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:10.500 And shame on us if we do overlook them. 00:28:11.732 --> 00:28:16.165 I hope that Valley View is always a place that protects children and women in particular. 00:28:16.165 --> 00:28:20.333 That everyone, every child, every woman feels safe here. 00:28:20.333 --> 00:28:23.665 And if we're not doing that well, please tell me. Come to me. 00:28:23.665 --> 00:28:25.266 And we want to work on it. 00:28:25.266 --> 00:28:28.299 We want to be a place that values that highly. 00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:29.633 So there's a balance here to that. 00:28:29.633 --> 00:28:34.333 Love overlooks reality, but fourth open your door. 00:28:34.365 --> 00:28:36.066 Hospitality. 00:28:36.066 --> 00:28:36.500 Look back. 00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:39.165 Let me read this verse again since I went on a little bit of a tangent. 00:28:39.165 --> 00:28:45.299 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 00:28:45.299 --> 00:28:47.133 Hospitality. 00:28:47.133 --> 00:28:54.299 And I think the context of the Old Testament scriptures in particular, was opening your home to others. 00:28:54.965 --> 00:28:57.133 It was a very common practice then. 00:28:57.133 --> 00:29:04.833 People say there weren't as many hotels and things and there probably wasn't, but they were probably were in most towns, a home that was known as a place that would rent out rooms in particular. 00:29:06.465 --> 00:29:23.299 I think hospitality in this day and age is one of the most powerful ways to show the gospel to people, to open the door to the gospel because there are plenty of people who will never come in the door of this church, at least not yet. 00:29:23.299 --> 00:29:25.232 But they come in your home. 00:29:25.232 --> 00:29:26.066 You invite them over. 00:29:26.066 --> 00:29:28.965 They let you feed them. 00:29:28.965 --> 00:29:30.700 They feel comfortable in your home. 00:29:30.700 --> 00:29:34.900 Maybe not completely, but they will come in your home. 00:29:34.900 --> 00:29:36.566 Open your door. 00:29:36.566 --> 00:29:43.965 Think of that neighbor who wants nothing to do with church, who probably wants nothing to do with you sometimes, or that coworker. 00:29:43.965 --> 00:29:52.165 Every day you're encountering hundreds of people who don't want to come here, but they come in your home. 00:29:52.833 --> 00:29:54.766 And we know this is important to Jesus, too. 00:29:54.766 --> 00:30:18.432 I mean, think about one of the most defining parables of scripture, the story of the Good Samaritan, who was the person that showed the man laying on the side of the road, half dead, who was the one that really loved him and is the one who picked him up, cleaned him off, took him to a home, cared for his needs. 00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:23.566 This whole idea of hospitality is close to Christ's heart. 00:30:24.266 --> 00:30:28.365 And we're in a weird stage as a culture where people don't like to have people in their home. 00:30:28.365 --> 00:30:31.133 It seemed like we used to do a lot more of that. 00:30:31.133 --> 00:30:35.465 Is that just me, or do you do you experience that as well? 00:30:35.465 --> 00:30:35.932 We did. 00:30:35.932 --> 00:30:40.232 We'd invite people over a whole lot more, hang out in others homes a whole lot more. 00:30:40.232 --> 00:30:47.165 But now it's like even as a pastor, if I show up knocking on your door, you're going to feel really weird. 00:30:48.633 --> 00:30:50.133 That used to be the expectation. 00:30:50.133 --> 00:30:52.232 The pastor is going to drop by and see me at some point. 00:30:52.232 --> 00:30:53.766 Now I know I better not do that. 00:30:53.766 --> 00:30:55.965 That's not welcomed anymore. 00:30:55.965 --> 00:30:58.965 It's a it's just a weird era. 00:31:00.965 --> 00:31:04.133 Which makes it stand out that much more when you do have someone in your home. 00:31:04.133 --> 00:31:04.965 That's the beauty of it. 00:31:04.965 --> 00:31:06.932 When someone is in your home, they go. 00:31:06.932 --> 00:31:10.665 There's something about this that I have missed. 00:31:10.665 --> 00:31:12.266 Now he gives a caveat. 00:31:12.266 --> 00:31:14.865 Unfortunately, he has to do this. 00:31:14.865 --> 00:31:20.133 Show hospitality without grumbling. 00:31:21.165 --> 00:31:22.299 Yeah. 00:31:22.299 --> 00:31:27.799 You know, there's nothing worse than being in someone's home and feeling like they don't really want you there. 00:31:27.833 --> 00:31:28.465 That's. 00:31:28.465 --> 00:31:30.566 That's not hospitality. 00:31:30.566 --> 00:31:32.133 You can't just check off the box. 00:31:32.133 --> 00:31:33.665 And. Yeah, I had someone over. 00:31:33.665 --> 00:31:35.532 I wasn't happy about it, but I had them over. 00:31:36.766 --> 00:31:38.032 That's not hospitality. 00:31:38.032 --> 00:31:39.165 They can feel that. 00:31:39.165 --> 00:31:40.865 I'm right here, you know. 00:31:40.865 --> 00:31:41.932 No, look. 00:31:41.932 --> 00:31:44.599 Hospitality is with joy. 00:31:44.599 --> 00:31:45.333 With delight. 00:31:45.333 --> 00:31:48.333 Meeting the needs of others. 00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:52.599 Julie and I, back when we were dating. 00:31:52.599 --> 00:31:58.833 I had a friend from college get married and got married in Pittsburgh and invited us to the wedding. 00:31:58.833 --> 00:32:01.365 And so we came up. 00:32:01.365 --> 00:32:07.932 But, you know, Pittsburgh's like a seven hour drive, and I didn't have we didn't have any place to stay there, and we weren't married, so we weren't going to, like, get a hotel room or something. 00:32:07.932 --> 00:32:12.766 And I didn't know anyone other than the bride and groom, but I wasn't going to ask to stay at their place. 00:32:12.766 --> 00:32:14.566 But that would have been awkward. 00:32:14.566 --> 00:32:16.965 So but I, I thought, well, I want to go to the wedding. 00:32:16.965 --> 00:32:20.633 We'll just drive up there seven hours, stay for the wedding, drive back. 00:32:20.633 --> 00:32:23.133 It would be a long day, but, you know, we're young. 00:32:23.133 --> 00:32:23.865 We can handle that. 00:32:25.432 --> 00:32:35.732 We show up at the wedding and they seat us with the pastor over the wedding thinking, hey, maybe they'll connect and hang out and talk about spiritual stuff. 00:32:35.732 --> 00:32:40.333 And as we're sitting there talking, we had the best time hanging out with this guy. 00:32:40.333 --> 00:32:41.633 It was so funny. 00:32:41.633 --> 00:32:43.900 I told him all the reasons Presbyterians were wrong. 00:32:43.900 --> 00:32:47.732 He told me all the reasons Baptists were wrong, and we just laughed and had the best time. 00:32:47.732 --> 00:32:49.066 And he made fun of my accent. 00:32:49.066 --> 00:32:52.266 I made fun of his and it was a great time. 00:32:52.266 --> 00:32:59.566 But as we talked, he learned that you drove here seven hours and you're going to turn around and drive back. 00:32:59.566 --> 00:33:01.965 Stay with us. 00:33:01.965 --> 00:33:03.766 Stay with us. 00:33:03.766 --> 00:33:06.099 Really? You’d do that? 00:33:06.099 --> 00:33:07.500 Yeah. 00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:10.633 I don't know, I can't, I can't do I had to do that. 00:33:10.633 --> 00:33:11.266 You know what I mean? 00:33:11.266 --> 00:33:12.165 That little perfunctory. 00:33:12.165 --> 00:33:13.932 Oh, I can't do that. Please ask again. 00:33:17.165 --> 00:33:20.165 Oh, please stay with us. 00:33:20.599 --> 00:33:23.099 And so we went and stayed the night there. 00:33:23.099 --> 00:33:24.566 I got the couch in the basement. 00:33:24.566 --> 00:33:27.865 Julie got the presidential suite upstairs. 00:33:29.266 --> 00:33:31.566 And then in the morning, come eat breakfast. 00:33:31.566 --> 00:33:37.799 And we just continued to talk about Scripture, talk about the gospel, encourage one another. 00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:39.766 I always remember their hospitality. 00:33:39.766 --> 00:33:41.066 They didn't have to do that. 00:33:41.066 --> 00:33:42.465 They didn't know me. 00:33:42.465 --> 00:33:46.000 He knew I wasn't going to join his church. 00:33:46.000 --> 00:33:51.700 I live seven hours away, but I thought about his Christian love. 00:33:51.700 --> 00:33:57.432 His hospitality, his opening the door without grumbling. 00:33:57.965 --> 00:34:04.432 I think that's a key to telling others about how much Christ loves us in this day and age. 00:34:04.432 --> 00:34:15.199 And then number five, look at verse ten-- as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's very grace. 00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:22.166 Whoever speaks as one who speaks oracles of God, whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies. 00:34:22.166 --> 00:34:25.365 Number five use your gifts to serve. 00:34:27.865 --> 00:34:34.065 There's a temptation to view my spiritual gift as for me. 00:34:34.733 --> 00:34:36.965 Whether that's speaking or serving. 00:34:36.965 --> 00:34:40.465 And it's interesting that he didn't walk through every spiritual gift out there. 00:34:40.465 --> 00:34:45.632 He talks about two broad categories that sum up a lot of the spiritual gifts in the church. 00:34:45.632 --> 00:34:52.432 There are those who speak or teach or lead, and then there are often those who are more in a serving role. 00:34:52.432 --> 00:34:54.333 But here's the thing that he's drawing out here. 00:34:54.333 --> 00:34:57.333 Both have their temptations. 00:34:57.365 --> 00:34:59.532 Both have their challenges. 00:34:59.532 --> 00:35:05.065 One is not better than the other because both are tempted to rely on self. 00:35:06.333 --> 00:35:12.932 And the reminder here, for those who speak, speak as one who speaks the oracles of God. 00:35:13.932 --> 00:35:17.865 Now, that doesn't mean I think my words are the very words of God. 00:35:17.865 --> 00:35:26.132 No, I know that I'm up here talking about His word, and that carries a weightiness to it, and I need to be mindful of that. 00:35:26.132 --> 00:35:30.266 And I need to be intentional to make sure everything I'm doing is pointing you to his word. 00:35:30.266 --> 00:35:31.233 Not not my words. 00:35:33.333 --> 00:35:35.900 Look, this is all that matters. 00:35:35.900 --> 00:35:38.900 This is what's going to give you life. 00:35:39.365 --> 00:35:47.833 And so whoever is teaching or speaking, you speak in a way that is pointing people to the oracles of God, to his very word, where true life is found. 00:35:47.833 --> 00:35:52.233 The temptation is to think, well, what I say matters and how I do it. 00:35:52.233 --> 00:35:52.733 Of course. 00:35:52.733 --> 00:35:58.300 Yes, all that plays a part, but at the very core, it's God's Word that brings life. 00:35:58.300 --> 00:36:00.065 That's the temptation for those who speak. 00:36:00.065 --> 00:36:02.432 What's the temptation for those who serve? 00:36:02.432 --> 00:36:03.800 Look at what he says here. 00:36:03.800 --> 00:36:08.099 Serve as one who serves by the strength that God supplies. 00:36:09.032 --> 00:36:11.233 And I've seen it time and time again. 00:36:11.233 --> 00:36:17.865 For those who are in a service role-- and look plenty of people in a speaking role do it for their own glory and praise. 00:36:19.199 --> 00:36:22.166 But so do people in a service role at times. 00:36:22.166 --> 00:36:25.233 I hope others notice how much I'm doing for everyone else. 00:36:25.233 --> 00:36:30.465 I hope see others see me and praise me for my role in serving. 00:36:30.865 --> 00:36:35.565 And by the way, I hope we do praise and show gratitude to those who served. 00:36:35.565 --> 00:36:40.099 I mean, Isaac was up here saying, look, we need help on Sunday mornings. 00:36:40.099 --> 00:36:48.132 The reason we can gather and worship and enjoy music and all this everything time together is because of those who are serving in the background. 00:36:48.132 --> 00:36:50.465 It doesn't just automatically happen. 00:36:50.465 --> 00:36:57.199 Hours and hours and hours of work go into just this one hour or so on Sunday mornings. 00:36:58.532 --> 00:37:03.166 The temptation is to try to do it in our own strength. 00:37:04.099 --> 00:37:08.400 But we have to depend on Christ because that's where grace comes from. 00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:10.565 That's one of the ways we live when time is short. 00:37:10.565 --> 00:37:14.233 I recognize every day I can't live in my own strength. 00:37:14.233 --> 00:37:15.300 Time is short. 00:37:15.300 --> 00:37:16.699 I've got to be dependent on him. 00:37:17.733 --> 00:37:20.965 Now, the last way here, number six. 00:37:20.965 --> 00:37:25.733 Look at this last section of verses the second half of verse 11 through the end. 00:37:25.733 --> 00:37:27.166 Why is all this true? 00:37:27.166 --> 00:37:28.699 Why do we live with the end in mind? 00:37:28.699 --> 00:37:35.565 In order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. 00:37:35.565 --> 00:37:41.833 To him belong glory and dominion, forever and ever. Amen. 00:37:41.833 --> 00:37:46.932 The sixth way to live in light of the end is to leave room for spontaneous praise. 00:37:48.565 --> 00:37:51.565 Leave room for praise. 00:37:51.965 --> 00:37:55.833 The interesting part of this sentence to him belong the glory, dominion, forever and ever. Amen. 00:37:55.833 --> 00:37:56.900 It's like a doxology. 00:37:56.900 --> 00:37:59.900 It's like he burst out in praise. 00:38:00.932 --> 00:38:05.965 But this also really summarizes up the main body of the book 00:38:05.965 --> 00:38:07.500 11. 00:38:07.500 --> 00:38:09.666 The main middle chunk of the book. 00:38:09.666 --> 00:38:12.300 And he ends it by just breaking out in praise. 00:38:15.166 --> 00:38:30.632 And if you have been dwelling on how you've been suffering and how to depend on Christ in the midst of suffering, and if you feel his peace and presence through that man, the response to that should be praise. 00:38:30.632 --> 00:38:33.166 We should break out in praise. 00:38:33.166 --> 00:38:37.500 Now there's another reason why, though it should lead to praise. 00:38:37.733 --> 00:38:40.032 If you know the end is coming. 00:38:40.032 --> 00:38:43.032 We should walk in gratitude. 00:38:43.065 --> 00:38:46.099 Because what's going to happen at the end? 00:38:46.099 --> 00:38:50.065 What's going to happen at the end of all things? 00:38:50.666 --> 00:39:00.532 I'm going to put a quote on screen from Tom Schreiner, and he wrote an article titled Why the Judgment is Good News. 00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:04.532 It's not an article title you hear every day. 00:39:04.532 --> 00:39:06.266 Why the judgment is good news. 00:39:06.266 --> 00:39:08.000 You don't often tend to put those together. 00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:13.000 We try to avoid the idea of judgment, but there will be a day at the end of all things. 00:39:14.900 --> 00:39:18.465 When Jesus comes to judge. 00:39:18.465 --> 00:39:20.666 But here's why that brings joy for those who know him. 00:39:20.666 --> 00:39:21.400 Look at it on the screen. 00:39:21.400 --> 00:39:25.900 It says, when we say Jesus saves, what does he save us from? 00:39:26.965 --> 00:39:35.565 If he doesn't save us from judgment, from the wrath of God on the last day, Jesus saves us from the judgment to come. 00:39:36.766 --> 00:39:40.833 For those who don't know him, that's what awaits them. 00:39:41.565 --> 00:39:46.965 And so when we look forward, when we know time is short, we can rejoice at that. 00:39:46.965 --> 00:39:52.333 Judgment is not for us, but also we know it is for some. 00:39:54.199 --> 00:40:01.333 And we walk with a heavy heart, praying, praying that God would move and continue to save and rescue.