WEBVTT 00:00:03.500 --> 00:00:06.365 Well, good morning, Valley View. 00:00:06.365 --> 00:00:09.333 It's great to be back with you after being gone last week, I think. 00:00:09.333 --> 00:00:11.766 I was visiting my son in Colorado. 00:00:11.766 --> 00:00:17.300 I think he tried to kill me last week hiking on the various high mountain passes and it almost worked. 00:00:17.300 --> 00:00:19.065 But I'm back, I made it. 00:00:19.065 --> 00:00:20.265 He does love me, I think. 00:00:20.265 --> 00:00:22.000 I'm pretty sure. He's a great kid. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:23.832 It was great to get time away with him. 00:00:23.832 --> 00:00:28.300 One thing that was interesting on my journey back, we landed the airport. 00:00:28.300 --> 00:00:31.800 It's late at night, you know, it's probably 9 p.m., which is very late to me. 00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:34.932 And the airport's a ghost town at that point. 00:00:34.932 --> 00:00:39.432 Except when I get past security, there's hundreds of people there not to greet me. 00:00:39.432 --> 00:00:42.566 I thought it was y'all at first, then it wasn't. 00:00:42.566 --> 00:00:44.899 They were all dressed up in like, patriotic characters. 00:00:44.899 --> 00:00:48.533 There was like George Washington and Paul Revere. 00:00:48.533 --> 00:00:50.700 I thought, what in the world is going on? 00:00:50.700 --> 00:00:51.700 And they were there. 00:00:51.700 --> 00:00:53.066 And of course not everyone was. 00:00:53.066 --> 00:00:58.533 But there was also just a number of American flags and signs that were there to welcome back and Honor Flight. 00:00:58.533 --> 00:00:59.832 I don't know if you're familiar with those. 00:00:59.832 --> 00:01:08.766 That's where the government flies a group of people, veterans to go visit Washington, D.C., see all the sights, the memorials, especially those who have been through wars. 00:01:08.766 --> 00:01:09.865 My grandfather did that. 00:01:09.865 --> 00:01:11.099 He was a World War Two veteran. 00:01:11.099 --> 00:01:12.332 He went on one of those. 00:01:13.566 --> 00:01:15.299 The thing I loved about that was I love. 00:01:15.299 --> 00:01:19.465 I always loved seeing a great display of patriotism. 00:01:19.465 --> 00:01:20.200 It just swells. 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:23.766 Something up within you could be all the flags on display. 00:01:23.766 --> 00:01:27.566 It could be any time you do the national anthem. 00:01:27.566 --> 00:01:31.832 You know, that's the one time everyone kind of gets still and quiet at a ballgame. 00:01:31.832 --> 00:01:33.465 The national anthem is played. 00:01:33.465 --> 00:01:39.165 That's probably one song that is always a go to going to stir me up emotionally just a little bit. 00:01:39.165 --> 00:01:41.500 Something about patriotism building up pride in your country. 00:01:41.500 --> 00:01:41.965 And I love that. 00:01:41.965 --> 00:01:47.632 America, for the most part, has a real strong sense of patriotism, patriotism, and pride. 00:01:47.632 --> 00:01:49.165 One thing I've noticed, it's really interesting. 00:01:49.165 --> 00:01:51.400 It's not just America. 00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:52.832 You go to any other country. 00:01:52.832 --> 00:01:54.500 They're crazy about their country too. 00:01:55.832 --> 00:02:02.400 I've spent time in Rwanda, which is this tiny little country in the middle of Africa, overpopulated, very poor. 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:03.900 And they're nuts about their country. 00:02:03.900 --> 00:02:06.165 They love it. Flags everywhere. 00:02:06.165 --> 00:02:09.133 Anyone who's from there, they're going to talk about how great their country is. 00:02:09.133 --> 00:02:14.866 We lived in Fiji, in the South Pacific, pick any little tiny island nation all throughout the South Pacific. 00:02:14.866 --> 00:02:17.099 They are crazy about the country. 00:02:17.099 --> 00:02:19.032 They love their culture, their heritage. 00:02:19.032 --> 00:02:21.466 You're going to see patriotism on display. 00:02:21.466 --> 00:02:28.199 And that one thing I've seen is that patriotism kind of works across the gamut. 00:02:28.199 --> 00:02:29.133 And I think here's why. 00:02:29.133 --> 00:02:32.265 And we're going to see it in today's passage as well. 00:02:32.265 --> 00:02:35.265 There is a unity in our shared story. 00:02:36.265 --> 00:02:40.099 There's something about a shared story that binds us together. 00:02:40.099 --> 00:02:42.032 It could be the shared story of the past. 00:02:42.032 --> 00:02:42.866 It could be the present. 00:02:42.866 --> 00:02:44.199 It could be what's coming. 00:02:45.265 --> 00:02:50.866 And I think Paul is going to emphasize that today in our passage in Philippians. 00:02:50.866 --> 00:02:56.000 Kobe set it up last week talking about the unity we have in Christ. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:02.366 But Paul's going to emphasize it even more today and talk about how we need to be living it out. 00:03:02.432 --> 00:03:05.032 But it's rooted in the shared story we have in Christ. 00:03:05.032 --> 00:03:07.866 So turn to Philippians chapter two. 00:03:07.866 --> 00:03:10.400 We've wrapped up chapter one. 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:15.866 We're moving into chapter two, and Philippians chapter two is going to draw this out. 00:03:15.866 --> 00:03:23.599 In fact, we're going to see three aspects of our unity in Philippians chapter two, verses one through 11, or the section we're going to cover. 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:26.966 If you have a church Bible, I think that's on page 921. 00:03:26.966 --> 00:03:28.665 Those church Bibles are out in the lobby. 00:03:28.665 --> 00:03:29.866 You can grab one any time. 00:03:29.866 --> 00:03:31.332 Those are free for you. 00:03:31.332 --> 00:03:35.800 We want you in God's Word, reading God's Word, studying God's Word. 00:03:35.800 --> 00:03:44.466 And I hope as we're going through the book of Philippians, look, you can see if you have your Bible open, Philippians is like three pages in your Bible. It's not much. 00:03:44.466 --> 00:03:49.233 You can read that every week, multiple times, get saturated in the book of Philippians. 00:03:49.233 --> 00:03:50.265 Get familiar with it. 00:03:50.265 --> 00:03:51.066 Get to know it. 00:03:51.066 --> 00:04:01.199 We're going to be in the book of Philippians up until Christmas, basically, and this is a great opportunity to get to know God's Word, one section of God's Word really well. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:05.133 We're going to see three aspects of unity in Philippians chapter two. 00:04:05.133 --> 00:04:09.332 And we're going to start by just reading the first four verses of chapter two. 00:04:09.332 --> 00:04:12.765 As we set up the very first aspect of unity. 00:04:12.765 --> 00:04:14.432 So here we go, chapter two, verse one. 00:04:16.233 --> 00:04:34.466 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, comfort from love, any participation in the spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:43.600 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:49.932 Let each of you look not only to your own interest, but also to the interest of others. 00:04:49.966 --> 00:04:53.565 Thank you, Isaac, for setting us up to look at some of these verses today. 00:04:53.565 --> 00:04:57.065 There's a reason why those verses were chosen as our memory verse for the month. 00:04:57.065 --> 00:05:01.065 We'll talk about that in a minute as we unpack these. 00:05:01.065 --> 00:05:07.665 The first aspect of our unity that Paul is going to talk about here is that our unity is to be lived out and active in the present. 00:05:09.065 --> 00:05:10.966 That's the first blank in your outline there. 00:05:10.966 --> 00:05:15.000 Our unity is to be revealed, shown, lived out in the present. 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:18.266 And he's going to highlight three ways that is here. 00:05:18.266 --> 00:05:24.165 Now, before we unpack those three ways, it's important to highlight that this is unpacking a previous verse. 00:05:24.165 --> 00:05:28.300 You know, we have chapter numbers and verse numbers that we reference. 00:05:28.300 --> 00:05:31.065 But keep in mind this was just a letter written. 00:05:31.065 --> 00:05:32.333 Initially Paul wrote a letter. 00:05:32.333 --> 00:05:34.665 He didn't add chapter numbers in first numbers as he went. 00:05:34.665 --> 00:05:36.600 You don't do that when you write a letter. 00:05:36.600 --> 00:05:43.632 And so sometimes an idea that starts at chapter two, verse one began earlier and Colby began us in chapter one, verse 27. 00:05:43.632 --> 00:05:49.100 Looking at this idea only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. 00:05:49.100 --> 00:05:52.132 How does our life appear to be worthy of the gospel of Christ? 00:05:52.132 --> 00:05:54.665 How do we display the gospel of Christ to the world? 00:05:54.665 --> 00:05:57.665 Part of is that we live out unity in the present. 00:05:58.833 --> 00:06:07.733 And in verse one, the first way he says, the first thing we are to do and how we live out our unity in the present, is that we reflect. 00:06:07.833 --> 00:06:11.966 We are called to reflect on our life in Christ. 00:06:11.966 --> 00:06:16.165 Look back at verse one because it begins the second word here with a very important word. 00:06:16.165 --> 00:06:31.300 So if there is any encouragement in Christ and in fact, in the original language, that word if appears with each of those phrases, if any comfort from love, if any participation in the spirit, if any affection and sympathy. 00:06:31.300 --> 00:06:34.899 And he uses the word if not, he's not asking, does that occur? 00:06:34.899 --> 00:06:35.800 We can use it that way. 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:44.165 But it can also mean, since okay, since there is encouragement in Christ, he knows these things are true there. 00:06:44.165 --> 00:06:46.733 He's reminding them this is true of you. 00:06:46.733 --> 00:06:54.665 Since there is consolation or comfort in love, since there is fellowship, participation in the spirit, since there is affection and compassion among you. 00:06:56.365 --> 00:07:00.165 Now, why is it important that he reminds them of that? 00:07:01.533 --> 00:07:07.600 One of the things we often take for granted is how much has been given to us in our lives. 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:10.233 Just about anything. 00:07:10.233 --> 00:07:17.565 The road I drove in on the water delivered to my house the power lines when I was born, I didn't. 00:07:17.565 --> 00:07:20.132 I had no part in creating any of that. 00:07:20.132 --> 00:07:22.100 That was all already there for me. 00:07:22.100 --> 00:07:24.266 The government was already in place. 00:07:24.266 --> 00:07:27.733 That provides a peaceful setting for me to live in. 00:07:27.733 --> 00:07:31.000 Industries were in place on and on and on. 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:39.033 We could list 100 million things that were already in place that you had nothing to do with, that were given to you. 00:07:39.033 --> 00:07:43.065 Paul is emphasizing the spiritual reality of that. 00:07:43.065 --> 00:07:56.333 Now, I know we all have different spiritual heritages and backgrounds, but if you're here in church, there is a spiritual heritage that has been created here that none of us really, except maybe 1 or 2 that were here near the beginning. 00:07:56.333 --> 00:08:01.065 We're probably down to just one none of us had anything to do with. 00:08:01.065 --> 00:08:02.899 That's a legacy that's been handed down to us. 00:08:02.899 --> 00:08:10.165 When I walk in in the morning, I see the cornerstones on a couple of the buildings that are dated years before I was even born. 00:08:10.165 --> 00:08:11.833 We had nothing to do with that. 00:08:11.833 --> 00:08:20.065 That's been handed down to us, and it is really healthy spiritually for us to pause occasionally and remind ourselves of that. 00:08:20.065 --> 00:08:21.399 Thank you God. 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:27.500 I had nothing to do with my parents coming to know Christ and staying together and staying married. 00:08:27.500 --> 00:08:32.633 I had nothing to do with their parents coming to no Christ, staying together, stay married, handing that down. 00:08:32.633 --> 00:08:33.432 Not everybody has that. 00:08:33.432 --> 00:08:39.700 I know, but something has been handed to you, and we need to walk in the reality of the gratitude of that. 00:08:39.700 --> 00:08:49.533 There is so much power in pausing and reflecting, because the enemy wants you to be completely ed up with all the things that are wrong in your life, in this world. 00:08:49.533 --> 00:08:51.332 And there's plenty to focus on. 00:08:51.332 --> 00:08:58.000 Any one just turn on anything and you'll be reminded of all the things that are wrong with everything. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:00.799 This world wants you to be completely discontent. 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:05.899 The enemy wants you to be so frustrated and anxious and angry and disappointed. 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:10.600 We've got to be intentional, to reflect. 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:20.000 If we want to live active in the present, in unity, we've got to reflect on that shared unity that shared heritage that we all share right now and give thanks for it. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:21.066 There's so much power in that. 00:09:21.066 --> 00:09:23.732 So that's the first step. Reflect. 00:09:23.732 --> 00:09:29.399 Second, though, if these things are true, since these things are true, what are we called to do? 00:09:30.700 --> 00:09:34.832 Reflect but then connect. 00:09:34.865 --> 00:09:37.432 Be intentional to connect with one another. 00:09:37.432 --> 00:09:39.899 That's how we move towards unity. 00:09:39.899 --> 00:09:42.533 We move towards one another. 00:09:42.533 --> 00:09:44.166 Look back at verse two. 00:09:44.166 --> 00:09:55.865 Since these things are true, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 00:09:56.932 --> 00:10:00.100 I love how Paul starts this section complete my joy. 00:10:00.100 --> 00:10:09.466 It makes it sound like his joy is incomplete, that somehow he is depending on them to have any kind of joy in life. 00:10:09.466 --> 00:10:16.732 And that's not a good place to be if if my joy in life completely depends on your spiritual growth. 00:10:16.732 --> 00:10:18.899 If only if you're happy, am I happy? 00:10:18.899 --> 00:10:21.633 That's a tough that's a tough place to be. 00:10:21.633 --> 00:10:24.732 People who live that way are usually miserable. 00:10:24.732 --> 00:10:27.566 It's hard to find happiness that way. 00:10:27.566 --> 00:10:28.265 What do you mean? 00:10:28.265 --> 00:10:34.966 Here is complete my joy because circumstantially, he is not dependent on his circumstances for his joy. 00:10:34.966 --> 00:10:41.600 We know that Paul is in prison, probably in Rome, many have said, probably chained to his guards on either side of him. 00:10:43.232 --> 00:10:44.932 That doesn't sound like any fun to me. 00:10:44.932 --> 00:10:46.000 That's not how I want to live. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:48.466 It would be hard to find joy in those circumstances. 00:10:48.466 --> 00:10:53.432 Paul's circumstances they don't determine his joy. 00:10:53.432 --> 00:11:13.033 Instead, he is saying, I'm going to find joy in the fruit of my labor spiritually, and I know that Christ is at work in your lives, so keep getting after it, keep growing in him, and he's going to find great delight in that complete fill up is another way to translate that fill up my joy. 00:11:13.033 --> 00:11:19.832 It's already there, but man, keep filling it up and has you pursue Christ in all that you do. 00:11:19.832 --> 00:11:22.765 But he's encouraging them to continue in this unity. 00:11:22.765 --> 00:11:24.466 Connect with one another. 00:11:24.466 --> 00:11:27.332 If you look back at verse two, here's how he does this. 00:11:27.332 --> 00:11:37.832 First he says to focus on the way you think by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind. 00:11:37.832 --> 00:11:42.200 The focus here is on a unity, a connectedness in the way we think. 00:11:42.200 --> 00:11:53.166 In fact, that phrase that's translated full accord, some will translate like that of the same spirit, that phrase, even sometimes we might. 00:11:53.166 --> 00:11:56.533 A language we might use that has probably has a similar sentiment. 00:11:56.533 --> 00:12:05.899 You might describe someone as a soul mate, someone you feel so deeply connected with that you feel like you're on the same page about everything. 00:12:05.899 --> 00:12:09.633 You know, what they're going to say before they say, you know what they're going to do before you. 00:12:09.633 --> 00:12:10.166 They even do it. 00:12:10.166 --> 00:12:12.100 You can look at their face and tell what they're thinking. 00:12:12.100 --> 00:12:16.633 There's a deep connection, of course, that happens hopefully in relationships at times. 00:12:16.633 --> 00:12:19.100 That also happens in great musical bands. 00:12:19.100 --> 00:12:22.399 You see, you know that they know automatically what that person's going to play. 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:23.466 They're synced up. 00:12:23.466 --> 00:12:24.899 They just know what's going to happen. 00:12:24.899 --> 00:12:25.932 They know the next note. 00:12:25.932 --> 00:12:26.799 They know the change. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:29.533 They know the key change is about to hit and it just seems seamless. 00:12:29.533 --> 00:12:33.533 They just seem so together and unified or a great sports team. 00:12:33.533 --> 00:12:37.200 You've seen that the point guard knows what the power forward is going to be before he even starts to move. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:38.500 The ball is already moving that way. 00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:39.700 He hits it, it catches. 00:12:39.700 --> 00:12:44.166 It's like they just know there's a synergy there that happens. 00:12:44.500 --> 00:12:48.633 And Paul is saying that's how we need to be. 00:12:48.633 --> 00:12:53.966 We need to have that kind of unity of mind, of heart, of love, of care, of concern, of connection. 00:12:53.966 --> 00:12:59.166 We feel it when someone else in the body is suffering. 00:12:59.166 --> 00:13:01.332 Have this mind among yourselves. 00:13:01.332 --> 00:13:04.332 There should be a deep connection. 00:13:05.732 --> 00:13:09.200 Part of the challenge, though, is we need to connect. 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:12.200 How do we get there is verse three. 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:16.299 Verse three says, have this mind, sorry. 00:13:16.332 --> 00:13:25.633 Verse three says do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves first. 00:13:25.633 --> 00:13:28.466 Or as we progress, we connect. 00:13:28.466 --> 00:13:29.799 How do we connect? 00:13:29.799 --> 00:13:32.799 Number three respect. 00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:38.566 We've got to grow in our respect, concern, love for one another. 00:13:39.500 --> 00:13:43.500 And the first step here is to not be about selfish ambition. 00:13:43.500 --> 00:13:46.100 That's the phrase do nothing from selfish ambition. 00:13:46.100 --> 00:13:57.966 This is in direct contrast to chapter one, verse 17, which we looked at a few weeks ago, where he's talking about some people who preach the gospel out of selfish ambition for their own benefit. 00:13:57.966 --> 00:13:58.666 And that's true. 00:13:58.666 --> 00:14:00.033 People do that. 00:14:00.033 --> 00:14:05.732 People get up on stage on churches every week, and their motives are not pure ethic. 00:14:05.732 --> 00:14:09.200 Look, by the way, do any of us always have pure motives? 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:13.865 I mean, I'm constantly question was of where was my heart true in that interaction? 00:14:13.865 --> 00:14:16.232 Was it pure in that? Lord, I hope it was. 00:14:16.232 --> 00:14:18.000 Please expose it if it wasn't. 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:25.232 But there are many who intentionally get up, preach the gospel out of selfish ambition, for their own benefit, for their own glory. 00:14:25.232 --> 00:14:27.600 But he says that's not what you're called to do. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:31.666 If you want to pursue unity, if you want to pursue respecting one another instead. 00:14:31.666 --> 00:14:39.432 The contrast he gives here, not with selfish ambition. Verse three, but in humility. 00:14:40.232 --> 00:14:44.200 And this is so important because unity can't occur without humility. 00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:47.832 That's why Pastor Kevin years ago was always talking about unity and humility. 00:14:47.832 --> 00:14:50.533 Unity and humility over and over and over again. 00:14:50.533 --> 00:14:54.799 If I can't humble myself, there's no chance of us moving forward in unity. 00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:59.166 If I can't say, you know, maybe I was wrong about that. 00:14:59.166 --> 00:15:00.765 Maybe there's another way. 00:15:00.765 --> 00:15:04.732 Let me at least consider your idea about this. 00:15:04.732 --> 00:15:07.000 Then there's no chance of moving forward. 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:08.265 If my ways the only way. 00:15:08.265 --> 00:15:08.932 The right way. 00:15:08.932 --> 00:15:11.633 There's no other option. 00:15:11.633 --> 00:15:14.633 We can't move towards unity. 00:15:14.832 --> 00:15:16.633 That's why humility is so important. 00:15:16.633 --> 00:15:24.033 I've got to be able to take a step back and just ask God, what do you want me to see in this? 00:15:24.100 --> 00:15:25.899 In fact, he describes this a little more. 00:15:25.899 --> 00:15:27.066 What does humility mean? 00:15:27.066 --> 00:15:31.500 Count others more significant than yourselves. 00:15:33.166 --> 00:15:37.765 Now this is a this can be a tricky section to unpack. 00:15:37.765 --> 00:15:40.100 Okay, count consider regard. 00:15:40.100 --> 00:15:41.566 It's not a math term. 00:15:41.566 --> 00:15:42.899 It's a mental term. 00:15:42.899 --> 00:15:45.500 Understand others to be more significant than yourselves. 00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:52.466 This doesn't mean that somehow I look at other people and I go, I am meaningless and worthless compared to them. 00:15:52.466 --> 00:15:56.899 There's so much more significant in their essence in being that I have no significance. 00:15:56.899 --> 00:15:58.899 That's not what this is referring to. 00:15:58.899 --> 00:16:05.399 One way to translate it might be something like count them as having a higher rank than you. 00:16:06.666 --> 00:16:08.966 So last night we had a wedding in here. 00:16:08.966 --> 00:16:12.700 The Puckett's daughter Audrey and her new husband, Devin Dixon. 00:16:12.700 --> 00:16:17.232 They got married last night and Devin is finishing up ROTC at u eval. 00:16:17.232 --> 00:16:19.566 He's going to start as a second lieutenant in January. 00:16:20.666 --> 00:16:33.865 And when Devin walks in the room as a second lieutenant and there's a major or a colonel or a general, his first thought isn't, I'm such a worthless piece of trash because I'm just a lowly second lieutenant. 00:16:33.865 --> 00:16:34.899 No, no, no. 00:16:34.899 --> 00:16:40.633 But his first thought is, I better give them honor and respect because of their rank. 00:16:40.633 --> 00:16:42.566 Because they are higher ranked. 00:16:42.566 --> 00:16:44.100 That is his immediate assumption. 00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:45.732 He's not sizing up, going well, you know what? 00:16:45.732 --> 00:16:48.166 I'm really a little better than these guys. 00:16:48.166 --> 00:16:49.732 I'm stronger than them in some ways. 00:16:49.732 --> 00:16:51.765 I mean, that dude's a general. Really? 00:16:51.765 --> 00:16:54.765 Come on. No no, no. 00:16:55.133 --> 00:17:01.000 Count others as higher rank as more significant. 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:05.465 And the beauty of this is most of us, when we walk in a room, we're doing the we're doing the opposite. 00:17:05.465 --> 00:17:08.000 Okay, who can I put down to feel better about myself? 00:17:09.299 --> 00:17:10.200 Who I'm sizing up? 00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:11.532 Where do I stand? 00:17:11.532 --> 00:17:13.333 Who can I go and get good feels from? 00:17:13.333 --> 00:17:13.732 Who cannot? 00:17:13.732 --> 00:17:14.965 Who do I need to avoid? 00:17:14.965 --> 00:17:16.266 Look, some of that's healthy. 00:17:16.266 --> 00:17:18.900 I get that. 00:17:18.900 --> 00:17:27.232 But when you walk in the room, starting from a place of humility, count others more significant than yourself. 00:17:27.232 --> 00:17:28.900 And then now what does that mean? 00:17:28.900 --> 00:17:34.633 Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:41.833 I heard a powerful story of this this week. 00:17:41.833 --> 00:17:49.000 How do I, in my mindset, think about the interest of others more than myself from a place of health? 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:50.299 How do I do that? 00:17:50.299 --> 00:17:53.700 There's this MMA fighter, UFC fighter Jorge Saint-Pierre. 00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:54.532 He's retired now. 00:17:54.532 --> 00:17:57.465 He's considered one of the best. 00:17:57.465 --> 00:18:02.165 One thing that fascinated me about him is he said that before every fight, he would pray for his opponent. 00:18:03.833 --> 00:18:05.299 Now, I'm sure we're all going. 00:18:05.299 --> 00:18:06.599 I can think of some great prayers. 00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:08.532 I would pray for my opponent. Right. 00:18:08.532 --> 00:18:10.165 Which leg should snap in half? 00:18:10.165 --> 00:18:10.932 Before we start? 00:18:10.932 --> 00:18:12.432 There's all kinds of prayers we can pray. 00:18:12.432 --> 00:18:18.700 That's not how he prayed his prayer, first and foremost was a prayer of thanks for them. 00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:20.099 Thank you for them. 00:18:20.099 --> 00:18:23.066 Thank you for the hard work they put in to prepare for today. 00:18:23.066 --> 00:18:24.766 That made me better. 00:18:24.766 --> 00:18:27.500 If they weren't given their all, I wouldn't give my all. 00:18:27.500 --> 00:18:31.165 I wouldn't be my best without them, I wouldn't be who I am. 00:18:31.165 --> 00:18:34.232 Thank you for this opponent, this guy who wants to tear my head off. 00:18:34.232 --> 00:18:37.133 Thank you for him. 00:18:37.133 --> 00:18:41.532 Next, he would give thanks not only for that, but he would also pray for their health. 00:18:42.665 --> 00:18:43.633 It's funny, he said. 00:18:43.633 --> 00:18:47.266 I love all the training, but I actually hate the fighting. 00:18:47.266 --> 00:18:49.900 Like, okay, I know plenty of people that hate their job. 00:18:49.900 --> 00:18:50.799 That makes sense. 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:58.000 I love all the training, hate the fighting, and I don't want to see them hurt to a place where they can't continue in life. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:01.865 So God, would you protect them in the midst of this? 00:19:01.865 --> 00:19:08.665 And then he would pray this, and this is mind blowing, and let the thing that needs to happen happen. 00:19:08.900 --> 00:19:13.700 He knew that not every win was good for him, and he won a lot. 00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:15.133 By the way. 00:19:15.133 --> 00:19:22.266 But sometimes we learn more through a loss than a win, and none of us are wise enough to know what we need. 00:19:23.532 --> 00:19:24.665 And I heard him share that. 00:19:24.665 --> 00:19:26.766 And I thought, what in the world? 00:19:26.766 --> 00:19:28.165 I've got no category for that. 00:19:28.165 --> 00:19:32.766 Have I ever prayed for an enemy like that, for an opponent like that? 00:19:33.766 --> 00:19:37.566 In fact, I think right now I don't want to hear any names right now. 00:19:37.566 --> 00:19:41.232 Think right now of a person who is opposed to you right now. 00:19:41.232 --> 00:19:49.200 Someone it could be someone at work that you know every day you show up, they want nothing better than for you to be gone or to see you fail. 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:55.000 Could be someone at school who is desperate to just see you fall on your face and laugh. 00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:59.732 Could be someone at church, not this church. 00:19:59.732 --> 00:20:00.965 Someone at another church. 00:20:00.965 --> 00:20:03.032 Probably. 00:20:03.032 --> 00:20:05.799 It could be someone in your family who is opposed to you. 00:20:05.799 --> 00:20:10.333 When is the last time you stopped and prayed for them? 00:20:11.365 --> 00:20:14.799 But that's a struggle of mine as well. 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:16.400 When was the last time you prayed God? 00:20:16.400 --> 00:20:18.200 Would you help them to flourish? 00:20:19.432 --> 00:20:20.799 Would you help them? 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:22.566 That's what I mean by pray. 00:20:22.566 --> 00:20:23.766 Pray the right way for them. 00:20:23.766 --> 00:20:26.165 I'm sure we've prayed some of the other ways for them. 00:20:26.165 --> 00:20:31.865 There's a lot of Psalms I love to look up and pray for some who are my opponents. 00:20:31.865 --> 00:20:33.766 When is the last time you prayed? 00:20:33.766 --> 00:20:35.032 Help them to flourish. 00:20:35.032 --> 00:20:36.532 Thank you for them. 00:20:36.532 --> 00:20:40.000 Thank you for the way you've used them in my life. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:44.965 And by the way, I'm not excusing the fact that many have sinned against us and done great evils against us. 00:20:44.965 --> 00:20:49.900 I'm not saying that's okay, but you see what he's saying here? 00:20:49.900 --> 00:20:52.465 I walk into a room, I think, what can I get out of this moment? 00:20:52.465 --> 00:20:53.200 What do I need? 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:55.032 Instead of what do others need? 00:20:55.032 --> 00:20:56.299 How can I serve them? 00:20:56.299 --> 00:21:02.766 How can even my opponent be pointed toward Christ in the way I act and respect them? 00:21:04.665 --> 00:21:05.865 So this is a high calling. 00:21:05.865 --> 00:21:06.965 How do we pursue unity? 00:21:06.965 --> 00:21:08.133 We do it in the present. 00:21:08.133 --> 00:21:11.465 Every action we take says something about our beliefs. 00:21:11.465 --> 00:21:15.900 Do we believe that Christ can unify us or not? 00:21:16.766 --> 00:21:23.799 I hope the answer is yes, yes I do, but it happens in the present. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:24.299 Now. 00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:27.400 Second, our unity is lived out in the present. 00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:33.732 That's the first aspect of our unity, but the second is the reality that it is rooted in the past. 00:21:33.932 --> 00:21:40.299 It's lived out in the present, but it is deeply rooted in the past shared story we have together. 00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:48.900 When I saw George Washington and Paul Revere that has shaped our American story, the stories of each of them I cannot tell, and I, the Redcoats are coming. 00:21:48.900 --> 00:21:58.732 We have all these stories we share over and over again, and the story of Christ is what shapes our present unity today, rooted in the past. 00:21:58.732 --> 00:22:21.465 Look at verse five with me have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form. 00:22:21.465 --> 00:22:30.232 He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 00:22:30.232 --> 00:22:42.766 What we're going to see in verses five through eight and Paul does this so well, Scripture does this so well when Scripture gives commands, it's never followed by because I said so. 00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:48.700 But, by the way, that works great actually doesn't even work great for a two year old. 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:52.465 We can do that when someone is little and not really thinking for themselves. 00:22:52.465 --> 00:22:57.532 But there comes a point, and we've all experienced this in our spiritual life where because I said so doesn't work anymore. 00:22:57.532 --> 00:22:59.232 I need more than that. 00:22:59.232 --> 00:23:00.165 That's not enough. 00:23:01.165 --> 00:23:08.500 And Paul, when he gives commands and we saw this in the book of Ephesians, the first half was be, here's who you are in Christ. 00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:13.500 Here's the truth of your identity, your position in him because of who you are now. 00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:18.365 Do we don't do to gain our position? 00:23:18.365 --> 00:23:21.099 We do because of who we are in Christ. 00:23:21.099 --> 00:23:25.032 We don't earn our salvation by what we do. 00:23:25.032 --> 00:23:27.532 We are saved in him. 00:23:27.532 --> 00:23:31.500 And because of that, we act out of the overflow of that. 00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:33.299 And so when Paul says, be unified. 00:23:33.299 --> 00:23:36.900 And here's how, now he's going to tell us why. 00:23:36.900 --> 00:23:38.766 Here's why we saw it. 00:23:38.766 --> 00:23:43.400 Verse five, have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus. 00:23:43.400 --> 00:23:49.232 The reason why we can humble ourselves, not pursue selfish ambition? 00:23:49.232 --> 00:23:51.865 No, there's more significance is because that's what Jesus did. 00:23:53.432 --> 00:23:55.299 He was our model. 00:23:55.299 --> 00:23:58.299 He was our example in this regard. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:09.833 And this is so countercultural today, but especially then this, this goes against all just natural human inclinations. 00:24:09.833 --> 00:24:18.165 Every one of us has to fight against the inclination to just take things under control ourselves. 00:24:18.465 --> 00:24:27.900 In fact, there's some difficult concepts in here because this is one of the richest sections in Scripture on Jesus and his humanity and divinity together. 00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:33.700 So look back at some of these phrases here, because I want to talk about a couple of these, which are hard. 00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:43.000 Verse six, it says, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God to be grasped. 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:49.032 Now some people see that word form of God and they say, see, look, he was only in the form of God. 00:24:49.032 --> 00:24:50.032 He wasn't actually God. 00:24:51.566 --> 00:24:57.133 Well, that can't be true, because if you look at the rest of the verse, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. 00:24:57.133 --> 00:25:02.200 It says that form of God, whatever that meant, he was equal with God. 00:25:02.200 --> 00:25:16.232 That's the blank in your notes form equals equality, whatever it meant in this context, in this verse, he's saying he didn't count being with God equal with God before he came to earth. 00:25:16.232 --> 00:25:17.432 There's a fancy word for that. 00:25:17.432 --> 00:25:22.732 When he became incarnate, the incarnation of Christ. 00:25:22.732 --> 00:25:24.032 That's an easy word to remember. 00:25:24.032 --> 00:25:31.932 If you've ever been to Chipotle and ordered carne asada carnitas flesh before he put on flesh became incarnate. 00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:33.400 Just a fancy word. 00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:39.566 Before he became human, he was in heaven, in the state of glory, completely separate from us. 00:25:39.566 --> 00:25:47.200 And it says here he didn't consider that something to be grasped, something to be held on to, something to be used only for himself. 00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:54.865 But something he willingly gave up, in fact, looked at how it describes this. 00:25:54.865 --> 00:25:56.833 He didn't count something to be grasped. 00:25:56.833 --> 00:26:06.200 Verse seven, but he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and emptied here doesn't mean he didn't become not God. 00:26:06.200 --> 00:26:07.299 I said that right. 00:26:07.299 --> 00:26:09.566 He stayed. God. 00:26:09.566 --> 00:26:15.200 But just as we count others as higher ranked, he counted himself lower ranked. 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:16.900 He emptied himself. 00:26:16.900 --> 00:26:19.900 He became low. 00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:33.700 And you've seen these movies, war movies where someone has made a poor choice, disobeyed a command, and they come up and rip off the rank, rip off their badge, they are made low. 00:26:33.700 --> 00:26:36.700 You no longer of any significance. 00:26:36.833 --> 00:26:40.432 But the powerful part with Jesus is no one else did that to him. 00:26:40.432 --> 00:26:41.432 He did it himself. 00:26:42.465 --> 00:26:44.000 I will make myself low. 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:46.365 No one else could have made him low. 00:26:46.365 --> 00:26:51.700 He chose to, and I think probably the best picture of this is in John 13. 00:26:51.700 --> 00:26:53.900 We've studied that when we studied the book of John. 00:26:53.900 --> 00:26:55.465 Just a quick summary. 00:26:55.465 --> 00:27:03.833 That's when Jesus, sitting at the table with the disciples leading up to his death, he steps away from the table. 00:27:03.833 --> 00:27:08.432 He takes off his outer garment, lays aside his outer garment. 00:27:08.432 --> 00:27:19.833 He kneels before them, takes on the position of a servant, makes himself low, and he washes their feet, which we don't have a category for. 00:27:19.833 --> 00:27:23.965 How humiliating that would have been to them. 00:27:23.965 --> 00:27:31.400 Peter even said, don't you dare touch my feet, don't you dare! And Jesus said, no, no, no, you do not understand who I am. 00:27:33.133 --> 00:27:38.266 This is the picture he paints for who he is and who we're called to follow. 00:27:38.266 --> 00:27:43.900 And by the way, there is no worse example to hold up to a Roman citizen than Jesus. 00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:47.232 Especially in Philippi. 00:27:47.232 --> 00:27:48.700 We talked a lot about this last week. 00:27:48.700 --> 00:27:51.400 They were all about titles and importance were a Roman colony. 00:27:51.400 --> 00:27:54.133 Look how special we are for full of extra Roman citizens. 00:27:54.133 --> 00:27:56.932 We're more important than all the other cities that were conquered by Rome. 00:27:56.932 --> 00:28:02.665 We're special, and we're going to pile up our titles about how great we are. 00:28:02.665 --> 00:28:06.665 And you want to hold up Jesus the servant, the one of low rank, the one who lowered himself. 00:28:06.665 --> 00:28:09.665 You want to hold him up as special? 00:28:11.633 --> 00:28:16.000 Listen, we've got to be very careful to not try to change the message of the gospel to fit the culture. 00:28:17.900 --> 00:28:21.932 There are friends of yours who you feel are this close to coming to Christ. 00:28:21.932 --> 00:28:26.099 And if this message of the gospel was just a little different, maybe they'd come to know him well. 00:28:26.099 --> 00:28:27.200 They wouldn't come to know him. 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:32.099 If you change the message, they come to know a false gospel at that point. 00:28:32.099 --> 00:28:34.965 Look, I know try to connect with people, try to be relevant. 00:28:34.965 --> 00:28:38.965 I'm not saying that, but we don't change the message of Scripture. 00:28:38.965 --> 00:28:43.099 We don't change the message of the cross to try to appeal to the culture. 00:28:43.099 --> 00:28:44.633 They didn't work then. 00:28:44.633 --> 00:28:46.732 Paul didn't do it. 00:28:46.732 --> 00:28:47.532 It wouldn't work. 00:28:47.532 --> 00:28:48.333 Now listen. 00:28:48.333 --> 00:29:01.599 At that time, there was nothing worse than crucifixion in the minds of us, in the minds of the eyes, of the people, which is it's hard to get our minds around how tragic it would have been to them for us. 00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:09.732 When we talk about the crucifixion, if you've ever heard a message on the crucifixion on a Sunday morning at Easter, usually it goes into a great or a movie about the crucifixion. 00:29:09.732 --> 00:29:15.365 It goes into great detail about all the horror, the pain, how horrendous of a torture device it was. 00:29:15.365 --> 00:29:20.200 You'll hear things like this was the worst form of torture ever invented, which, you know, I mean, I don't I'm not tested them all. 00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:21.133 I have no idea. 00:29:21.133 --> 00:29:26.066 But you'll hear people say all the focus is on the pain. 00:29:26.165 --> 00:29:29.766 And by the way, it would have been horrendously painful. 00:29:29.766 --> 00:29:31.799 But why do we only talk about the pain? 00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:33.500 It's because Americans hate pain. 00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:35.032 We do all we can to avoid pain. 00:29:35.032 --> 00:29:36.700 You give me 30s of loneliness. 00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:40.500 I got to pick up something to distract me from the pain of being lonely. 00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:45.066 Or if some pain occurs in my life, I've got to take some pills quickly to avoid the pain. 00:29:45.066 --> 00:29:47.465 And we're all trying to numb ourselves from potential pain. 00:29:47.465 --> 00:29:48.566 We hate pain. 00:29:48.566 --> 00:29:50.500 There's nothing worse that could happen to you than pain. 00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:54.165 But to a Roman. 00:29:54.165 --> 00:29:56.900 Yeah, the pain was there, but it was way worse. 00:29:56.900 --> 00:30:00.000 Was the shame, the humiliation. 00:30:01.133 --> 00:30:12.200 If you ended up on a cross, your family may never recover from the shame of that event because they cared so much about what other people think about them. 00:30:14.066 --> 00:30:16.400 In fact, even in your notes, I've put a quote from Cicero. 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:19.633 He was a famous, Roman official. 00:30:19.633 --> 00:30:20.333 Roman orator. 00:30:20.333 --> 00:30:21.099 He said it this way. 00:30:21.099 --> 00:30:21.865 Be far away. 00:30:21.865 --> 00:30:23.032 He's speaking of crucifixion. 00:30:23.032 --> 00:30:28.232 Be far away not only from the body of a Roman citizen, but even from his thoughts, his eyes, his ears. 00:30:28.232 --> 00:30:29.532 We don't even want to talk about it. 00:30:29.532 --> 00:30:30.633 We don't want to think about it. 00:30:30.633 --> 00:30:31.532 We don't want to see it. 00:30:31.532 --> 00:30:33.099 We look away in the midst of it. 00:30:33.099 --> 00:30:37.133 It was even against the law for a Roman citizen to be crucified. 00:30:38.932 --> 00:30:43.833 The shame of it was too great for them to endure. 00:30:44.032 --> 00:30:47.032 And Jesus is the one that Paul is saying. 00:30:47.732 --> 00:30:49.232 He is the one we follow. 00:30:49.232 --> 00:30:52.232 He endured the shame. 00:30:52.500 --> 00:30:57.266 And because he endured the shame, you don't have to. 00:30:57.266 --> 00:30:59.099 Yeah. 00:30:59.099 --> 00:31:02.500 Now our unity is rooted in the past. 00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:05.500 Our unity is rooted in what he did. 00:31:06.232 --> 00:31:08.066 But he didn't stay there. 00:31:08.066 --> 00:31:10.066 He didn't stay dead. 00:31:10.066 --> 00:31:12.900 He didn't stay on the cross. 00:31:12.900 --> 00:31:15.900 But our unity is also secured. 00:31:15.965 --> 00:31:18.766 Our hope is secured in the future. 00:31:18.766 --> 00:31:21.599 We have a future story we look forward to as well. 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:30.532 Part of why we are here is because we know there will be a greater day than today, and today may be one of the greatest days of your life, but you know, it pales in comparison to what awaits you. 00:31:31.900 --> 00:31:35.465 Look at verses nine through 11. 00:31:36.200 --> 00:31:58.432 Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 00:31:59.165 --> 00:32:00.333 I love this section. 00:32:00.333 --> 00:32:02.000 It's so powerful. 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:06.165 It's calling us to praise him, to exalt his name. 00:32:06.165 --> 00:32:11.865 You know, in the Old Testament, the name of Jesus spoke to his character, his essence. 00:32:11.865 --> 00:32:13.732 We use that the same way today. 00:32:13.732 --> 00:32:15.500 He's got a great name. 00:32:15.500 --> 00:32:18.000 We don't just mean we like the way it sounds. 00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:24.700 We mean someone of great strength, of great character, a great person, which is really powerful. 00:32:24.700 --> 00:32:26.665 You know, I've not talked about this much yet. 00:32:26.665 --> 00:32:28.833 We're a whole chapter into Philippians. 00:32:28.833 --> 00:32:35.165 But if you remember in first Peter, first Peter just had Old Testament quote after Old Testament quote after Old Testament quote. 00:32:35.165 --> 00:32:43.365 Peter would say, as it said in Isaiah, as it says, as it says, Philippians doesn't have any direct Old Testament quotes. 00:32:43.365 --> 00:32:47.900 Now, none of them show up that way to different audiences. 00:32:47.900 --> 00:32:52.900 Probably the nature of this letter, Philippians is also one of the most encouraging, comforting letters. 00:32:52.900 --> 00:32:54.665 Paul's got a different agenda here. 00:32:54.665 --> 00:32:56.900 I'm not just heaping on verses of proof on you. 00:32:57.965 --> 00:33:01.000 However, he does hint at Old Testament. 00:33:01.000 --> 00:33:09.732 In fact, if you turn to the book of Isaiah, if you have a church Bible, tell you what page that's on Isaiah is on page 567. 00:33:10.299 --> 00:33:14.532 This is an inference to a passage in the Old Testament. 00:33:14.532 --> 00:33:17.532 Isaiah 42. 00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:23.032 Or 45, whichever you prefer. 00:33:23.333 --> 00:33:24.566 Thank you. Julie. 00:33:24.566 --> 00:33:27.566 Isaiah 45. 00:33:27.700 --> 00:33:32.500 And you can have just a few words that give an inference to an entire passage. 00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:33.365 We do this all the time. 00:33:33.365 --> 00:33:39.032 If I just say two words for score, what do you say? 00:33:39.266 --> 00:33:40.532 Two words. 00:33:40.532 --> 00:33:41.099 Okay. That's enough. 00:33:41.099 --> 00:33:42.099 You don't have to call the whole thing. 00:33:42.099 --> 00:33:44.000 Homeschoolers unite. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:45.566 Right? Four score. 00:33:45.566 --> 00:33:49.500 If I say I have a dream. 00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:51.833 Yeah, I mean, come on, there are words. 00:33:51.833 --> 00:33:56.000 Just a couple of words strung together in our language that you immediately go. 00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:56.900 I know what you're talking about. 00:33:56.900 --> 00:34:00.333 I know you're pulling on a whole huge tradition. 00:34:00.333 --> 00:34:03.333 And here every knee will bow, every tongue will confess. 00:34:04.299 --> 00:34:07.299 Isaiah 45. 00:34:08.632 --> 00:34:11.632 Look at verse 22. 00:34:12.932 --> 00:34:14.565 And you'll see this here. 00:34:14.565 --> 00:34:20.400 And this is important in terms of why Paul can make the claim that Jesus was equal with God. 00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:22.300 Isaiah 4522. I'm getting there. 00:34:22.300 --> 00:34:25.300 Be patient 4522. 00:34:27.365 --> 00:34:30.333 Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. 00:34:30.333 --> 00:34:33.333 For I am God, and there is no other. 00:34:33.833 --> 00:34:36.565 This is God speaking by myself. 00:34:36.565 --> 00:34:40.733 I have sworn he doesn't have to swear on anything else. 00:34:41.365 --> 00:34:43.532 He's the greatest authority by myself. 00:34:43.532 --> 00:34:45.865 I have sworn from my mouth has gone out. 00:34:45.865 --> 00:34:48.500 Righteousness a word that shall not return. 00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:56.065 And there he says to me, every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear allegiance. 00:34:57.032 --> 00:35:00.233 Only God can demand that kind of allegiance. 00:35:00.233 --> 00:35:02.766 Only God demands. 00:35:02.766 --> 00:35:07.766 Only God is the one that we should bow the need to and confess how great he is. 00:35:08.099 --> 00:35:18.333 And so you see here there will be a day, as he says in chapter two, verse nine, there will be a day when every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. 00:35:19.333 --> 00:35:23.065 And so here's what I want to plead with you today. 00:35:23.800 --> 00:35:28.099 There will be a day when everyone will bow. 00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:29.800 Everyone will confess. 00:35:29.800 --> 00:35:32.800 But we don't have to wait till then. 00:35:33.000 --> 00:35:36.500 You don't have to be forced to confess that he is Lord. 00:35:36.500 --> 00:35:38.300 You don't have to be forced to bow to him. 00:35:38.300 --> 00:35:43.233 You can willingly do that every day of your life. 00:35:43.632 --> 00:35:45.000 Bow before him. 00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:48.500 Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time. 00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:49.300 And listen. 00:35:49.300 --> 00:35:54.333 I really want to lay it on heavy today with a plea for you to not wait. 00:35:55.132 --> 00:36:00.000 Don't play around anymore about your faith. Don't wait another day. 00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:03.000 You're not guaranteed another day. 00:36:03.099 --> 00:36:05.632 We saw that very publicly with Charlie Kirk. 00:36:05.632 --> 00:36:08.733 You're not guaranteed more moments with your very young children. 00:36:08.733 --> 00:36:10.333 It won't last forever. 00:36:12.099 --> 00:36:14.199 It's not a game. 00:36:14.199 --> 00:36:15.365 Your spiritual life. 00:36:15.365 --> 00:36:19.632 It's not a game that we just fiddle around with and tack on to the other side of your life. 00:36:19.632 --> 00:36:33.365 If you truly believe, and I want you to do a little self-reflection here, if you truly believe that there's nothing more important in your life than your spiritual growth and relationship with God, if you truly believe that. 00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:39.099 Here's one of mine I ask you to do today, I'm going to I'm going to call you to a point of commitment. 00:36:39.099 --> 00:36:41.432 This will be uncomfortable for many of us. 00:36:41.432 --> 00:36:42.400 That's okay. 00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:44.166 It's okay to be uncomfortable. 00:36:44.166 --> 00:36:45.632 We're uncomfortable every day at work. 00:36:45.632 --> 00:36:46.632 I'm uncomfortable every day. 00:36:46.632 --> 00:36:48.632 When I drive the car, somebody cuts me off. 00:36:48.632 --> 00:36:50.865 Life can be uncomfortable. 00:36:50.865 --> 00:36:51.599 It's okay. 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:57.699 I want to call us to make a commitment today. 00:36:57.699 --> 00:37:00.333 A fresh commitment. 00:37:00.333 --> 00:37:07.666 And I was on the fence about doing this because I'm going to call you to commit to being at church every day for the next four weeks, every Sunday. 00:37:07.666 --> 00:37:11.500 You don't have to be here every day, every Sunday for the next four weeks. 00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:12.032 And I get it. 00:37:12.032 --> 00:37:13.099 You already have some commitments. 00:37:13.099 --> 00:37:16.333 Look, I was gone last week, okay, I get it. It's okay. 00:37:16.333 --> 00:37:18.565 But to the best of your ability. What? 00:37:18.565 --> 00:37:26.800 I'm trying to appeal to is the reality that since Covid, there's just been this, I don't know, complacency in the church. 00:37:26.833 --> 00:37:28.500 It used to be that it was a commitment. 00:37:28.500 --> 00:37:30.699 And now we'll just see if I have time. 00:37:30.699 --> 00:37:33.099 I'll figure it out. It's an option now. 00:37:34.099 --> 00:37:37.599 And by the way, attending church isn't everything in your spiritual growth. 00:37:37.599 --> 00:37:40.766 If you have a better plan, I'd love to hear it. 00:37:40.766 --> 00:37:45.699 Most people who are just skipping out on church aren't following some greater plan for their spiritual growth. 00:37:45.699 --> 00:37:48.000 Maybe you are. It's possible. 00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:50.865 If you don't have a better plan, then come. 00:37:50.865 --> 00:37:52.900 Make it a commitment. 00:37:52.900 --> 00:37:57.432 These next four weeks, all of October, the first Sunday in November, I'm going to be here. 00:37:57.432 --> 00:37:59.500 I'm going to do the best that I can to be here. 00:37:59.500 --> 00:38:00.932 Yes, I committed to this other thing. 00:38:00.932 --> 00:38:02.733 I'm going to see if I can move it around or not. 00:38:02.733 --> 00:38:05.432 But I'm not just going to go. Yeah. 00:38:05.432 --> 00:38:10.400 Oh, you know, I think we'll just stay home today a little tired. 00:38:11.532 --> 00:38:14.532 I stayed up late last night. 00:38:15.099 --> 00:38:16.400 Will you commit today? 00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:19.000 Here's what I ask you to do in just a second. 00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:21.500 If you will commit to the next four Sundays. 00:38:21.500 --> 00:38:24.233 To be here to the best of your ability. 00:38:24.233 --> 00:38:27.965 If you already had your anniversary vacation planned and you're going to be gone, I get it. 00:38:27.965 --> 00:38:28.666 That's fine. 00:38:28.666 --> 00:38:29.666 I'm going to ask you to stand. 00:38:29.666 --> 00:38:35.132 And also, if you're online at home watching and I know some people can't be here. 00:38:35.132 --> 00:38:36.465 It's okay physically. 00:38:36.465 --> 00:38:37.300 Can't I get that? 00:38:37.300 --> 00:38:40.599 But I'm talking to the person who goes to. 00:38:40.599 --> 00:38:44.432 We'll see a lot easier to just stay home and watch it. 00:38:44.432 --> 00:38:46.699 I get that. 00:38:46.699 --> 00:38:47.465 So here's what I'm going to do. 00:38:47.465 --> 00:38:56.766 If you'll commit to the next four weeks to the best of your ability, and put a stake in the ground today in your spiritual growth, will you stand now with me? 00:39:04.333 --> 00:39:06.465 Now, if you stood and look. 00:39:06.465 --> 00:39:07.432 If you didn't stand. 00:39:07.432 --> 00:39:08.065 I get it. 00:39:08.065 --> 00:39:11.333 I know some are from out of town and all that. 00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:12.199 If you stood. 00:39:12.199 --> 00:39:14.965 Here's what I want you to do. 00:39:14.965 --> 00:39:21.099 I want you to talk to someone about that after the service, especially if you've been the complacent person and you know it. 00:39:21.099 --> 00:39:22.199 And I don't have anybody in mind. 00:39:22.199 --> 00:39:22.800 I'm not. 00:39:22.800 --> 00:39:26.900 If I glanced at you, I wasn't thinking about you. Okay? 00:39:26.900 --> 00:39:31.000 I want you to go to that person, someone, and say, listen, hold me accountable to this. 00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:32.199 I'm going to be here next week. 00:39:32.199 --> 00:39:33.400 I want you to check on me. 00:39:33.400 --> 00:39:34.565 Would you call me this week? 00:39:34.565 --> 00:39:35.699 This is important to me. 00:39:35.699 --> 00:39:37.266 I can't do this alone. 00:39:37.266 --> 00:39:39.565 We're not called to do this alone. 00:39:39.565 --> 00:39:40.932 If you hadn't. Stan, go ahead and stand. 00:39:40.932 --> 00:39:42.500 Let's stand the rest of us together. 00:39:43.699 --> 00:39:46.632 Because this verse, verses nine through 11. 00:39:46.632 --> 00:39:47.666 Do you remember what it said? 00:39:47.666 --> 00:39:53.132 Every what knee will bow and every what? 00:39:54.032 --> 00:39:57.365 We don't have to wait to bow the knee and confess the tongue. 00:39:57.365 --> 00:39:58.565 Here's what we're going to do now. 00:39:58.565 --> 00:40:00.199 We're going to do this collectively. 00:40:00.199 --> 00:40:03.032 I'm going to ask everyone if you're able. 00:40:03.032 --> 00:40:09.500 Once Isaac starts leading us in this song to kneel where you are and I'm going to kneel down front. 00:40:09.500 --> 00:40:16.833 And if you feel comfortable, if you want to come down front and kneel, we're going to kneel and confess as we sing the song. 00:40:17.632 --> 00:40:22.233 We don't have to wait to a future day to kneel and confess. 00:40:22.233 --> 00:40:23.333 We can do it now. 00:40:23.333 --> 00:40:28.166 Every day can be about humbling yourself before him. 00:40:28.166 --> 00:40:29.865 Every knee here bowed. 00:40:29.865 --> 00:40:30.532 Every tongue. 00:40:30.532 --> 00:40:32.365 Confess that Jesus is Lord Isaac. 00:40:32.365 --> 00:40:34.000 Will you please lead us in that? 00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:35.065 Come join me if you want. 00:40:35.065 --> 00:40:36.065 As we kneel down front.