WEBVTT 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:05.360 Well, today, of course, is Palm Sunday, the start of what we call Passion Week. 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:11.519 And, you know, I'd heard it called Passion Week all my life, but never really understood why it was called Passion Week. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:16.239 And, you know, there's a whole movie called The Passion of the Christ. 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:18.399 So I had to look it up. 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:24.239 It's a Latin word that comes from the Latin word passio, which means to endure suffering. 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:33.200 So it's not just about his passion for us, which is true, but it's about the suffering that began on this day for the week. 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:39.679 Because once, again, once he openly declared that he was king, that's when the Jews were like, this guy's got to go. 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:52.719 And you kind of saw it on that video, that clip at the very end, that the religious people were like, there's something, you know, now that people are openly praising him and openly saying this, we have to do something different. 00:00:54.719 --> 00:01:02.240 So the path that Jesus took, the path that Christ took, um, was a journey of faith. 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:06.959 So this is our continuation of our journey of faith discussion. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:08.560 This is part five. 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:12.560 Of course, Christ had a very, very specific path. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:16.239 No other person has ever taken or ever will take that path again. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:21.120 So when you talk about a narrow path, he had a singular path that he had to take. 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:22.560 It wasn't easy. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:24.480 It was super narrow. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:30.239 Um, but he did it because he fully trusted the Father. 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:32.239 And he did it for us. 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:38.799 This is gonna sound disconnected, but I'm gonna connect them here in a little bit. 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:46.400 Um I had a pair of shoes one time that told you, there's no there's no segue. 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:50.079 I had a pair of shoes one time that I really liked. 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:54.159 I loved the way they looked, they were super comfortable, especially the older they got. 00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:55.280 They went with a lot. 00:01:55.359 --> 00:02:01.760 They were, you know, I can kind of dress casual or or be um you know even a little more dressy. 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:08.639 But over time, they lost their the tread on the bottom, so they were extremely slippery when it rained. 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:19.680 And especially on tile floor like this, if I walk into place, I was literally having to kind of flat foot it because I knew that if I hit my heel on it, I had gone down twice in those shoes. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:26.960 But I still wore them, I still liked them because I thought they were just comfortable and all, but I completely lost my trust in them. 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:31.280 Because the shoes themselves completely lost their grip. 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:41.599 The friction was gone, you know, and you can say that I couldn't commit my step because I couldn't trust in what I was putting my step in. 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:43.039 I couldn't commit to that. 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:51.439 I had to commit to, I had to I had to take much more ginger steps when I got onto tile floor, again, especially when it rained. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:57.280 Um our topic today is going to talk about commitment. 00:02:57.439 --> 00:02:59.840 And it goes along a lot like that. 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:03.120 And tying it back to Jesus, Jesus was fully committed. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:03.919 We know that. 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:16.960 And again, I keep relating it to Palm Sunday because really that was the by the time he openly declared he was Christ, he was fully committed to go to the cross because he knew that clock started right then. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:29.599 Yes, he knew he four told it to his disciples before that, but once that once he rode triumphantly as a king into Jerusalem, he knew that was that was it. 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:33.520 I mean, there was a few days hence and and there was a cross. 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:44.159 Um the path of faith that we take, the journey of faith, for us, the farther we need to go, the more commitment it takes. 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:51.599 And the more commitment it takes, the more we have to fully trust in God. 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:56.639 But really, what it's coming down to is can God fully trust in us? 00:03:57.680 --> 00:04:02.560 And obviously, God trusted Jesus, and Jesus trusted in his Father. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:07.120 I won't get into next week's message for Jordan, but I don't know what he's going to talk about yet. 00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:15.840 But you know, in the garden, that was really truly when he had to go against his flesh to say, I am fully committed to your will, Father. 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:18.319 Because his flesh did not want to do it. 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:29.279 And he was resisting so his resisting his will, his own flesh, so badly that it he sweated drops of blood because he knew what was coming. 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:33.040 But he said, Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:42.879 You know, when you plan a trip with your family, you take the vehicle that you're most trusting in. 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:48.639 Usually for most of us, it's also the biggest one we have to then we have to pack into the biggest vehicle anymore. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:51.839 But you also take the one that you can trust in. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:05:07.519 I know for Catherine and I, we're at the point now where our cars are over 10 years old, so when we travel long distance, we just rent anymore because one, I don't want to put the mileage on it, but two, I'm I fully trust in a newer vehicle a lot more. 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:08.959 I don't want to be stranded. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:14.720 I've done that many too many times and don't want to live that life with a car full of stuff. 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:16.399 But it's all about trust. 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:24.240 It's about do I trust to be able to get there confidently and you know, on time, intact, everything else. 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:28.160 God is looking for those he can put his trust in. 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:32.240 When we talk about faith, we talk a lot about us putting our trust in God. 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:35.519 But let's let's turn that around for just a second. 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:41.519 God's looking for those who, when he says, take a step, they won't slip. 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:50.000 Because they've lost their faith or they're afraid or they're they're uncommitted themselves. 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:55.759 God's looking, God needs to, God needs us in this earth to get his gospel out. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:59.199 God needs us in this earth to get his will done. 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:01.040 That's the kingdom of God. 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:16.240 And if he uses someone that, when he says, okay, go take a step of faith and do this, and then we we continue to slip and then we don't do it anymore, well then, like my pair of shoes, I got, I can't use those shoes anymore. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:18.319 I had to get another pair of shoes. 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:25.199 So when God says his will, you know, when we say God is sovereign and his will is going to be done, it will. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:30.399 But whether or not he uses me, it's fully up to me. 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:36.319 Because God has a path for my life, God has a path for your life, and your life, and your life. 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:39.600 It's up to us whether we follow that path. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:46.240 It's up to us whether we're competent and committed enough to take the steps that God has offered us to take. 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:53.600 And the more we start doing that, yes, our faith grows, but God's trust in us grows, and he'll start to trust us with more. 00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:59.199 I can't give my daughter the keys to my car and say, here, hey, go bring the car up for me. 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:09.439 I don't trust her at all to even turn the car on or even sit in a car with a running car because she wants to start touching things and who knows what's going to happen. 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:16.800 When I was a kid, my sister, my mom, you know, back in the day, my mom would always leave us in the car when she went to the store. 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:18.240 We don't do that now. 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:22.399 But we had a V we had a VW, a manual. 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:26.160 So I'm sitting in the front seat, I'm eight or eight or so years old. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:29.439 I'm sitting in the front seat and I I'm just playing. 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:35.519 Car's not on, but I pull the, I pull it out of, I pull it out of gear, and the parking brake's not on. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:39.199 So the cars, you know, and we're in a we're in a store, the car starts rolling back. 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:43.839 So strangers, stranger saw it, helped us, or something, I forgot. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:47.199 My mom, of course, freaked out when she came out of the store, saw her car. 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:51.839 Not in the same spot that she left it, um, with those two kids in it. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:08:02.000 But in that sense, you know, she couldn't trust us in the car anymore or had to do something different because something happened that she was not expecting. 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:10.240 So when we're looking at walking the pathway of faith, it comes down to trust. 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:15.600 Can God trust us and can we trust God enough to take that next step? 00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:25.839 God is looking for those who He can put His trust in, those who won't slip when times get rough, those who He can depend on to finish the task. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:32.879 For God to have faith in us, we have to have faith in Him. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:37.519 So let's dissect that statement for a second. 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:41.679 When we have faith in God, we are saying that we trust in Him. 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:45.360 I trust that what He said will happen will happen. 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:52.080 I trust that His word is true, yes, but I also trust that God has told me to do something. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:54.080 I don't even know why. 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:56.240 I just know that He's told me to do something. 00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:11.519 So I have to trust that it's the right thing, that I've either one heard correctly, that that even though it sounds kind of outrageous and not really what I would want to do, that's what God is telling me to do. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:15.759 I've got to trust that, not even knowing the full outcome yet. 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:17.679 We've all been there. 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:25.440 We've all been in that spot where it's, guys, it's kind of like asking your wife to marry you. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:34.399 You're at you're at that step of, I think I trust her enough to say yes, so I'm gonna step out and and do that. 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:39.600 I'm gonna step out and and ask her to say, you know, will you marry me? 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.840 God is constantly asking us for that commitment. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:48.240 He's asking us, not just for a one-time commitment. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:51.840 He's asking us, are you committed to doing my next word? 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:55.919 Are you committed to doing my next command that I'm asking you to do? 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:01.919 And the more we do that, the further up we go, because the further God can trust us more and more. 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:10.399 Here's the real key though, to what we're what comes down to trust. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:16.399 When we trust, when we trust God, we obey. 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:20.879 Obedience comes down to trust. 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:26.960 You know, we sing that little song, trust and obey, for there's no other way. 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:29.440 There isn't. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:34.320 When we're saying we have faith, that means we're saying we trust God. 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:38.159 But to show that we have to be obeying something. 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:39.759 We can't just have faith. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:45.360 Like James said, you say you have faith, show me your works. 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:48.480 Show me by what you're doing that you have faith. 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:50.080 This is how you do that. 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:54.799 So our journey of faith today is called trust and obey. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:59.440 Because when you fully trust, you fully obey. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:02.159 When you don't trust, you don't obey. 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:03.440 Or we can reverse it. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:06.879 When you don't obey, that means you're not trusting. 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:09.440 And it's true with our kids. 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:24.720 How many times have we said with our kids, honey, listen to me, don't do that because we we know, even if I don't tell her all the consequences of what will happen, you know, don't throw that little sticky hand you have on the lamp because as soon as you do, you're gonna pull that lamp off. 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:26.240 I just say don't throw the sticky hand. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:27.039 Why not? 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:30.480 Just don't throw the sticky hand on the on the lamp. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:35.120 You know, and it's like, I told you, you didn't trust me. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:40.159 You know, that's so even with kids, the disobedience comes from them not trusting you. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:43.279 They want to do their own thing because they don't fully yet trust. 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:49.279 That's really what we're when we're teaching our kids to obey, we are also teaching our kids to trust us. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:55.679 That's why it's so important to do, because when we when they start trusting us, they'll start trusting in a God they can't see. 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:58.720 And they'll start obeying a God they can't see. 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:03.840 I really have not seen it like this until I was studying for this yesterday. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:08.000 So I really believe this is the word for right now, the word for today. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:22.720 So the truest measure of faith, not that we go around telling people or have a meter that shows up on our body or our phone, but the true measure of how much faith we have is how much we're obeying. 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:28.399 It's not how many prayers we got answered or how big a house we have or car we drive. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:30.399 It is truly how much are we obeying? 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:32.399 And really only God knows that. 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:37.120 Because God, you and God are the only two who know what are what He's told you to do. 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:42.320 Because it may be something as simple, yeah, go go witness to that person. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:45.840 Tell your waiter about the Lord. 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:54.080 Do I obey or do I do I struggle with my flesh to go, what are they gonna think about me? 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:57.519 What if they go spitting my food because I said something about God? 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:07.759 You know, all the thoughts that go through your head when God tells you to do something, we don't trust God enough to solve all that for us, so we don't obey. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:09.679 We're too worried about our own self. 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:11.440 And we've all been there. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:19.039 You remember when Jesus said that he'd never seen this much faith in all of Israel? 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:20.960 Who did he see it in? 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:22.879 Was it a disciple? 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:24.399 Was it a child? 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:28.240 No, it was a soldier who understood obedience. 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:32.159 He understood when I say the word, my guys obey. 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:35.279 And when my commander says the word, I obey. 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:37.519 Because I trust them. 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:41.600 And Jesus said, that's the greatest faith I've seen ever. 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:44.080 Because he's seeing the greatest obedience. 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:48.320 Because the per the guy said, just say the word, and I know it will happen. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:51.840 I know whatever that sickness is will have to obey you. 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:57.120 He trusted the fact that the word would bring obedience. 00:13:59.039 --> 00:13:59.679 Amen. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:02.399 2 Timothy 2. 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:04.320 Let's look at a verse. 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:07.039 I have a lot of introduction without a verse. 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:10.399 Um this is Paul talking to Timothy. 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:15.440 Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:20.240 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:26.799 Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:31.840 Endure suffering along with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:36.000 Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life. 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:40.480 For then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:44.799 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:49.840 And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:52.159 Think about what I'm saying. 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:54.799 The Lord will help you understand all these things. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:15:04.879 So Paul actually takes three different quick examples to tell Timothy, basically, okay, I have trusted you with this word. 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:10.960 So they, and these are reliable words I'm teaching you. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:13.919 Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:17.519 In other words, make sure that you're teaching them to people you can trust. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:19.679 And then they will teach them. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:23.120 We can't just teach them to the broad population. 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:30.480 Make sure that the people that you are teaching this to to pass the and to spread the gospel are people you can trust. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:36.000 And he gave the examples of the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:40.080 I'm not going to dive into each of these because I've heard sermons on each one. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:46.000 But a soldier, of course, we just said, fully has to be trustworthy to be a good soldier. 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:50.399 They have to know, the commander has to know, when I tell you to do something, are you going to do it? 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:59.039 Do you trust me enough that even when you don't know the reason why I'm telling you to go dig that ditch, that there's a reason why I'm teaching you to do it. 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:00.799 Or I'm telling you to do it. 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:03.919 The athlete has to listen to a coach. 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:08.000 Why am I running these sprint wind sprints so much, coach? 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:09.360 Why are you having me do that? 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:10.480 I don't understand. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:19.600 You just have to trust them that they're preparing you for the type of exertion that will happen in a real, in a game or in a match, or whatever it might be. 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:22.320 And the farmer has to trust the process. 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:26.720 They have to trust that when I put these seeds in the ground, something's going to happen. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:33.279 I've got to follow my plan, even though I can't see what's happening quite yet, until the harvest is here. 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:37.440 I have to trust the process itself. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:50.720 So the Apostle Paul was trying to get this exact same point that I am today, that God's ability to trust you to get his will done depends on you trusting him. 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:58.399 Letting go of your own comfort, desire, pride to listen to him. 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:06.720 Like my old Jew, God has to be ready that when he's ready to take a step, he knows it's not going to slip. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:09.119 He has to be fully confident in it. 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:12.480 And that to me is the, I liken that to the commitment. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:27.599 Can I, you know, like a never played football, but I know like a football player or any athlete that has to make moves, they have to trust that when they make that cut in the grass and the gravel, that their shoe, the turf, everything's going to hold for them. 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:32.480 Because if they can't trust that and they keep making cuts and slipping, they're going to change something. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:45.119 They're going to change how they're doing it or change their equipment or change something because they have to commit to that move to be able to make the the end product of what they're doing. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:51.759 You know, I think about when I watch these downhill skiers that are doing 70, 80 miles an hour. 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:56.880 I mean, they they are committed to that turn once they get in, once they go into it. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:18:07.200 They're committed to trusting their skis are going to dig into the snow just exactly right without slipping at whatever miles an hour they're going down. 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:10.880 So, yeah, let them do it. 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:23.599 That's not but you know, I think about that because you know, when you know, I'll you know, the few times I've been ice skating, I have yet to do the hockey slide yet, because I'm not committed enough to trust that that move. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:33.839 It's like, I've I've seen it, I've tried, I know the, I just like I've studied it enough to go, I think I can do it, but all I picture of me is going, you know, for halfway down the ice. 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:37.920 So I'm not committed enough because I don't trust my my skates. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:39.359 I don't trust the ice. 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:44.319 Um even though it's the same skates and ice that the person next to me could be doing it in. 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:46.160 I just I haven't trusted it yet. 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:49.440 But so therefore I'm not committing to it yet. 00:18:52.480 --> 00:19:00.720 God has to be able to trust in us, so we have to be able to be fully committed to him in every step of the way. 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:07.759 That's one of the things that God said about David in Acts 13, 22. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:12.000 This is Paul talking about David. 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:24.400 He said, and when he had removed him, Saul, he raised up for them David as king, to whom also he gave testimony and said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:25.039 Why? 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:27.759 Because he will do all that all my will. 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:35.119 He's a man after my heart, not just because he sings songs and plays music and loves the Lord. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:39.039 He's a man after his heart because he will get God's heart done. 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:41.359 He will get God's will done. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:44.079 Because that's exactly what Saul didn't do. 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:46.000 And that's why Saul was removed. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:51.039 Saul was like, you know, we won't go into that story again, but Saul was asked to do something. 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:52.400 He didn't do it. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:53.680 He said he did. 00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:57.039 He still was committed to the fact that he did, even when he didn't. 00:19:57.200 --> 00:19:59.519 And Samuel's like, I hear sheep. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:03.519 There shouldn't have been any sheep because we told you to get rid of all the sheep. 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:04.880 So what's going on here? 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:09.680 And there's also a king standing here from that nation that I just told you to kill everybody in. 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:11.359 Why is he standing here? 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:15.359 So Saul's like, but I still did everything you asked to, or the Lord said to. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:22.720 And Samuel's like, no, the Lord has now said, we're bringing somebody else in who will do God's will. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:32.960 Not who is better, not who is more talented, not who is more skilled, someone who would do God's will, someone who is more committed, someone who God could trust in. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:44.319 And then all throughout the books of the kings and chronicles, so many times they were likened to David. 00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:50.000 This is Hezekiah, and he did what was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father David had done. 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:53.920 This is 2 Kings 18, 3, verse 4. 00:20:54.079 --> 00:21:01.359 He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image, and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made. 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:07.279 For until these days the children of Israel burned incense to it and called it Nehushton. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:19.039 In other words, they had taken something that Moses did obey God in, put a staff up, put a brass serpent on to stop a plague that was happening, and the people started worshiping it. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:24.720 Basically, oh, that's our Savior because it did something good back then. 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:27.839 No, it was a symbol of what God was doing. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:31.039 But this is Hezekiah still. 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:39.039 He trusted in the God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor were before him. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:42.720 He held fast to the Lord. 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:48.720 He did not depart from following him, but he kept his commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:55.759 The Lord was with him, he prospered wherever he went, and he rebelled against the king of Syria and did not serve him. 00:21:56.400 --> 00:22:07.200 So here was a king, and I just I just read through Kings not too long ago, and I don't remember seeing this phrase that um was it? 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:16.880 Yeah, that God called Hezekiah a king that there was none like among him, either before or after him. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:18.640 And that's pretty high. 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:24.559 I mean, David was pretty high, but he's actually saying he's pretty pretty high up there. 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:27.200 Um but why? 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:31.119 Because he trusted God and he obeyed. 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:33.599 He did all the things that he was supposed to do. 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:36.240 He did all the things that God told him to do. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:46.880 Not because he was good to his people, not because he was a generous person, not because he did anything else other than did what God. 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:49.039 He trusted God and obeyed God. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:51.119 Trust and obey. 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:55.279 Jesus showed his trust in his father by his obedience. 00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:05.440 When he entered Jerusalem on this day and heard the shouts and praises of the people, he wasn't obedient for the praise. 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:13.759 He wasn't looking for, he wasn't looking for that moment to go, okay, I'm finally recognized as the king that I am. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:18.640 No, he did it in obedience, knowing what was about to come. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:26.880 Because, as we said, that same crowd just a few days later was like, no, this guy needs to go crucify him. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:30.559 But he was obedient because he trusted. 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:35.519 And of course, the father fully trusted Jesus because of his obedience. 00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:43.519 In fact, this is a verse that most people haven't meditated on very long. 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:44.640 This is talking about Jesus. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:49.680 Even though Jesus was God's son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered. 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:50.799 Hebrews 5.8. 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:54.720 In other words, Jesus had to learn obedience. 00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:57.680 Because he had to learn to trust. 00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:06.400 As a human, he was fully God, but he grew up as a child and had to learn to trust his mom's voice, his dad's voice. 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:10.799 He had to learn obedience through the things that he suffered. 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:18.640 And to the point that he had to be obedient to give his life, he had to get to that point. 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:25.119 If Jesus did it, we have to learn obedience through the things that we suffer. 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:27.440 That's the point of this scripture. 00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:32.640 In other words, obedience is going to require suffering. 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:39.519 And suffering doesn't mean we're going to get beaten and whipped and have, you know, all these things come upon us. 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:42.240 It means that we're going to have to put down our flesh. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:47.599 When we learn to obey God more and more, we're going to have to learn to give up our own way. 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:50.640 Doing with less. 00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:54.640 Giving the best away instead of keeping it for ourselves. 00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:57.519 In other words, suffering our flesh. 00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:04.319 The more we obey, the more God can trust us, the more He will ask of us, the more we can obey. 00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:05.680 It's a cycle. 00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:06.559 It's a step. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:09.119 We grow and grow and grow. 00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:21.599 This is the cycle of faith and why faith pleases God, because those who have more faith can do more obedience and do more for his kingdom and get more done. 00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:39.519 When you look at the people of God and the people that are listed in the Hebrews 11, at the end of Hebrews 11, it talks about all these people who, it doesn't name everybody, but said there are people who are martyred, killed, you know, pierced with the sword, burned. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:46.720 These were people who were fully committed because they gave their life, literally, to God and for God. 00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:53.680 Now, not God's not calling all of us to be martyrs, but God is calling all of us to give up our own desire and way. 00:25:55.759 --> 00:26:04.160 And that's the thing that that it became, this is why the kingdom of God is so different from the kingdom of this world. 00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:12.079 We talked about in our Bible study on Wednesday night, we talked about Babylon, because Babylon is kind of that world system, the world's way of doing things. 00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:14.240 The kingdom of God is so different. 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:18.799 The last will be first and the first last. 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:22.000 You want to be at the top? 00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:23.920 You start at the bottom. 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:25.920 You want the best seat in the house? 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:28.319 Don't take the best seat in the house, Jesus told him. 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:33.680 He said, go sit in the back and let the host come and say, Hey, why don't you come up and come up front? 00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:39.759 He said, That's a whole lot better than you going, Jordan, you know, this I have this seat saved for somebody else. 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:42.720 I need you to go sit way back there, please. 00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:45.119 That. 00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:47.759 Yeah, I need you. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:50.240 There's a spot on the floor in the back. 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:58.400 Our flesh wants to be up front, up high, out doing everything, the best. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:06.400 And God wants the best for us, but the way we get there is not by seeking the best, not by pursuing it. 00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:07.279 That's the difference. 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:09.279 The world, all they want to do is seek the best. 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:10.079 We want the top. 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:11.599 We want to showcase the top. 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:14.319 We want to put the best on Facebook, on Instagram. 00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:17.839 That's all we want, you know, that's all you see, that's all you want. 00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:21.920 God's saying, no, you seek the lowest. 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:26.720 You seek the bottom, and I'll bring you up. 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:40.880 Philemon 1.21, having this is Paul talking to Philemon, having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 00:27:41.440 --> 00:28:03.119 So Paul trusted in Philemon, saying, you know, I won't go into the story of Philemon, but there was a runaway slave who Paul had come to Paul, become Paul's kind of son in the faith again, Anesimus, and he was going to send him back to Philemon, but he had a whole book of instruction for Philemon on how to how to treat him. 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:08.480 And he said to start off with, I trust you're going to obey this and do even more than I say. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:13.200 So Paul had full confidence in Philemon to be able to do what he said. 00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:25.119 2 Corinthians 10, this is a chapter that we quote a lot, especially in the light of what we call label spiritual warfare in the church. 00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:29.839 2 Corinthians 10, 3, but we are human, we don't wage war as humans do. 00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:40.960 We use God's mighty weapons to knock to, or excuse me, we use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and destroy false arguments. 00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:45.440 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. 00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:51.759 We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 00:28:52.400 --> 00:29:00.480 After you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient. 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:11.839 We talk about spiritual warfare because there's a, you know, this is weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they're mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:14.559 That's King James version of this verse. 00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:22.000 But really what it is is putting those thoughts down of you wanting to do your own way. 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:25.920 Putting those thoughts down of not doing the will of the Lord. 00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:40.079 And when we have become fully obedient to the will of the Lord, then we can, you know, it's we're we're not the ones punishing, but God can then use us to punish, you know, judge others who are not being obedient. 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:41.519 And God will judge that. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:46.720 But notice that the line here is not about evil and good. 00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:50.799 It's not about the Satan and God and his angels. 00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:53.359 It's about obedient and disobedient. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:30:00.559 So I think we're starting to see just how important obedience is to God. 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:13.519 Keep the best for themselves, always, always looking for the best. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:22.400 We are asked to sacrifice money, time, or excuse me, when we're asked to sacrifice money or time or possessions, it goes against our flesh. 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:22.960 What? 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:24.559 You want me to do what? 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:26.480 Give up what? 00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:29.920 You want me to give 10% of my income? 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:33.279 You want two hours of my time on a Sunday? 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:34.480 That's my day off. 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:35.039 What? 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:40.160 You know, those are just the basics. 00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:47.519 I mean, those if you aren't doing those, then you're not trusting God, or God can't trust you to do other tasks. 00:30:48.640 --> 00:31:00.880 It means you don't trust him enough to believe his word on tithing, for example, or believe his word enough to know that the Sabbath is a holy day that we need to set it apart and do and honor God on the Sabbath day. 00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:04.559 To be a disciple means to give up yourself. 00:31:05.359 --> 00:31:13.039 It means to literally give something of yours to someone else to lift them up, to bring them up. 00:31:13.279 --> 00:31:16.079 It is more blessed to give than receive. 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:19.119 The world's way is gimme, gimme, gimme. 00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:21.920 I'm ready to receive. 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:22.799 What do you got for me? 00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:28.799 What's in it for me, as we say in the even the project change management world, is what's in it for me. 00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:39.920 That's how we, that's how we, in the in the project management world, that's how we tell people, that's how we get people to accept the change that's coming to them, is we go, here's what's in it for you. 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:44.319 You have to kind of feed them something that says, here, here's your benefit. 00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:56.400 It's not about trusting somebody to say, this is for the good of the company, this is why we're making this decision, because there's a long-term plan, we're getting rid of a, you know, something that's been old and bad. 00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:59.759 I know you're comfortable with it, but it's outdated. 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:01.359 Now we're going to something new. 00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:03.519 But here's what's in it for you. 00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:08.000 Um God doesn't do that. 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:13.279 Now, there's always something in it for us, but God doesn't lead with that. 00:32:13.599 --> 00:32:15.039 God has a good plan for you. 00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:16.960 God has an expected end. 00:32:17.119 --> 00:32:21.119 He has a future and a hope for you, for our kids, for our family, for our church. 00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:25.440 But for us to get there, we have to step back. 00:32:26.160 --> 00:32:29.759 We have to say, Lord, what do you want? 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:33.680 What is the step I'm having to take to be obedient to? 00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:51.119 This is why when John was asked about Jesus, whether or not he was the Messiah, or when John, when the apostles or the disciples of John saw Jesus baptizing on the other side of the Jordan, they're like, hey, look at John, look at he's he's doing that. 00:32:51.839 --> 00:32:55.920 John's like, yeah, that's what I told you guys he was the Messiah. 00:32:56.240 --> 00:33:01.359 Now I must decrease so that he might increase. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:09.839 That's a world's way that's a way of the kingdom that we all struggle with our flesh to do. 00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:10.960 You want me to what? 00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:12.160 You want me to step back? 00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:18.880 I've been pursuing this for a long time, Lord, and you're wanting me to go what looks like backwards for a moment? 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:20.960 And God say, yeah. 00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:23.680 And then He'll turn around and give you the best. 00:33:23.839 --> 00:33:29.039 He'll skip ten steps and go, look, come up here, and I have this for you. 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:34.400 And it's going to be so much easier, so much better, instead of us struggling and struggling to get there. 00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:38.880 The first will be last, and the last first. 00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:43.279 Those who put their own way before God's will end up last. 00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:48.160 But those who put God's way first, who trust him, obey him, will end up first. 00:33:48.960 --> 00:33:50.480 End up with the best. 00:33:51.039 --> 00:33:53.680 Let's look at one more passage and we'll stop. 00:33:55.119 --> 00:33:59.039 In Luke 14, 7, Jesus told a parable. 00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:07.119 He said, So Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table. 00:34:07.359 --> 00:34:09.039 He gave them this advice. 00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:13.199 When you are heading, invited to a wedding feast, don't sit at the seat of honor. 00:34:13.280 --> 00:34:16.559 What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:23.679 The host will come and say, Hey, give that person your seat, and you'll be embarrassed, and you'll have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table. 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:27.599 Instead, take the lowest seat at the foot of the table. 00:34:27.760 --> 00:34:32.719 Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, Friend, we have a better place for you. 00:34:32.960 --> 00:34:35.679 Then you will be honored in front of the other guests. 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:42.960 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. 00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:45.679 Can God trust you? 00:34:46.639 --> 00:34:47.920 He wants to lift you up. 00:34:48.079 --> 00:34:49.599