WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.439 Romans chapter 12. 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:04.240 Romans chapter 12 is where we're going to be. 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:12.640 I want to take this opportunity to give a special word of greeting to all of the men at the Ramsey Unit and all of the women at the Plain State Correctional Facility. 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:19.760 We are so grateful to bring this message to you and excited to see how God hopefully can use it in your midst. 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:24.000 And we are just continuing to pray and ask for continual open doors. 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:25.600 We have some exciting things coming up. 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:32.640 I know that we can't wait to share with you, church, about opportunities for you to engage and involve in our prison ministry. 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:38.079 There is an unwritten word, unwritten code that exists out there. 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:41.280 It's called the dude code, man code, however you want to word it. 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:58.560 I don't really know what exactly you would call it, but there is just this idea where it is not something that a man ever wants to show up to an event, to show up to church, to show up to whatever it is that he's going to, and he is dressed just like another dude. 00:00:58.719 --> 00:01:01.119 It's just something that you don't ever want to experience, right? 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:04.159 It's not something that is recommended. 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:08.079 Maybe if you're at a sporting event or something like that, that maybe could be okay. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:20.719 But when it comes to just normal things in life, one of the greatest fears, letting you in on this, ladies, of any man is matching or color coordinating with another guy, all right? 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:25.599 It's not necessarily that it's the worst thing in the world, but I mean it looks like, oh, did you guys plan this? 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:28.879 And it's just kind of one of those things that's just, no, of course we didn't plan it. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:31.200 We didn't even plan what we put on that day, right? 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:32.480 You just sort of showed up. 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:34.159 You're a guy, that's kind of how things work. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:36.480 It's sort of a guy code, if you will. 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:42.799 That's the backstory for what I want to tell you about something that happened Father's Day of last year. 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:47.680 Uh, Father's Day, I believe, is the greatest day on the actual calendar of the whole year. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:48.959 I just want to point that out. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:54.159 Uh, it is a big day for sure, just so you guys know, it is the third week of January. 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:56.239 Second week of January. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:57.680 Uh, you should know, not me. 00:01:57.760 --> 00:01:58.000 All right. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:00.959 So just know that if you're if you're you've got a dad, what is it? 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:03.200 June, whatever it is. 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:09.039 We celebrate Father's Day all year at my house, so therefore, that's why that's the case. 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:11.520 Uh but in June, it is that day. 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:22.319 And so last year we had a nine different ladies here at United City who decided that they wanted to get something very special for their husbands for Father's Day, which again is a great idea. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:26.000 They all went in and got a poll, a golf shirt, a polo. 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:27.919 Uh, that gives a very nice golf shirt. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:30.240 It's a great golf shirt, and that's a very good thing. 00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:37.039 I highly encourage all of you that have fathers to go in to get them something for Father's Day in June. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:49.840 But they weren't just getting them the golf shirt for Father's Day, they were also very specific and very intentional when they gave that gift and the instructions upon which that gift was to be received. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:57.280 They were told that they had to wear their shirt that they got for Father's Day on Father's Day, right? 00:02:57.439 --> 00:02:59.759 So you kind of get the backdrop of what's going on there. 00:02:59.919 --> 00:03:02.719 And they didn't do this because they loved their husbands. 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:06.400 They didn't do this because they wanted to honor them for Father's Day. 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:15.360 They did this because they wanted them to experience the horror of showing up and seeing a bunch of other dudes dressed the same as them, all right? 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:16.800 And that's what happened. 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:21.439 I I don't have a picture of all of them, but these are a bunch of guys, even in the same life group, that all showed up. 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:23.039 It's a great golf shirt, don't get me wrong. 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:24.400 It is a good golf shirt. 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:30.800 But that being said, they were they were they were tricked by their wives to all look the exact same way. 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:35.199 We're getting a new sermon series this morning called Kingdom Culture. 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:37.280 We're gonna begin in Romans chapter 12. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:43.039 We're gonna be looking for the next multiple weeks as we go all the way into Easter for the rest of the book of Romans. 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:44.879 And I'm just telling you, you better get buckle up. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:46.000 This is some good preaching. 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:48.240 Like, this is some good stuff. 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:59.919 I mean, there is so much practical information that is found at the end of the book of Romans, and everything in so many ways has been culminating for this is now what you're supposed to do. 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:02.479 This is now how you are to live. 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:14.800 And the whole goal as we go through this kingdom culture series is that you would look the same, that you would act the same, and that you would think the same, but not like everybody else. 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:29.680 You see, what I want us to realize is that this whole series is designed to get us not necessarily to wear the same shirt, but instead that we would all pursue the same kingdom. 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:40.959 That we would find ourselves at a place where the way that we think, the way that we act, the way that we live our lives is counter-cultural. 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:45.279 Whenever I was in junior high, I used to have this shirt, and I used to wear this shirt all the time. 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:48.399 Uh, maybe you've seen this shirt, uh, maybe you've even worn this shirt. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:55.439 It's it's a shirt that I don't know why I had it, but I liked it a lot, and so I always wore it, but I think the image is a pretty good image. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:05:03.680 It shows a bunch of fish going in one direction, and it shows a lone fish going in the opposite direction. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:16.800 The idea and the goal of this series is not that you individually would be that lone fish going against everything else coming up against you, although if that is the case, that's still what should happen. 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:26.720 Instead, it's that we collectively, as a group of people, as United City, would be seen in the one that is going against the grain. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:35.279 That we see ourselves responding and acting differently than the culture that is around us. 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:39.600 This is not gonna be a series where we're gonna yell at the culture and talk about how bad the culture is. 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:40.639 We don't need that. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:41.759 We all know. 00:05:42.160 --> 00:06:01.759 But instead, this is gonna be a series where we're gonna talk through what it looks like to be a group of people who've been transformed by Jesus, who, if we collectively look, act, and think differently, how we can begin to bring the kingdom of God into and against the culture that we face against us. 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:10.959 We can be a people that are a blessing to others, that the mercies of God which we receive can be the mercies of God which we also then give. 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:16.079 Begin reading with me in Romans chapter 12, beginning in verse 1. 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:36.639 It says, I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:42.079 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:51.279 That by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 00:06:52.160 --> 00:07:00.240 In many ways, Romans chapter 12, verses 1 and 2 is like the heading upon which the rest of the book goes underneath. 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:08.480 This verse is going to be ones that we're gonna come back to each and every week because it tells us this idea that we've called the kingdom culture. 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:14.399 It has this idea of a transformed living of you looking differently than everybody else. 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:22.959 And it's saying here this principle that really is the principle for today, but in many ways it could be the principle for every week going forward in this series. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:30.319 It's this in kingdom culture, you look, think, and act different. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:38.240 In kingdom culture, you look, think, and act different. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:41.120 Look at the language there in verse one. 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:43.600 I appeal to you, therefore, brothers. 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:46.879 Some translations say, I urge you, therefore, brothers. 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:52.319 The idea is this it's almost like a guy who's really, it's like the it's like the pep alley guy. 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:55.360 He's trying to urge everybody, you got you gotta get in on this. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:59.839 Like this is not something that you want to sit on the sidelines about. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:02.480 This is something I appeal to you, I long for you. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:12.800 I have felt this all week, this longing, wanting you as a people, wanting us as a church not just to hear this, but to actually get this. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.160 Like I long for this for you. 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:20.480 It says, I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:22.240 What are the mercies of God? 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:26.079 Mercies of God have been outlined throughout the book of Romans as we begin to talk through this. 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:29.279 It talks about how we were all sin and fall short of the glory of God. 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:34.480 It begins to talk about how we have a gift that has been given to us, the gift of eternal life. 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:42.240 It is something where God sent his son Jesus to die on a cross for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:45.759 He gives us his righteousness in exchange for his sin. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:09:02.960 I mean, on and on and on, it kind of culminates to where last week we talked about the crescendo, the doxology at the end of Romans chapter 11, which says, For from him and through him and to him be all things, to him be glory in the church forever. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:03.759 Amen. 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:05.919 If you weren't here last week, you missed out. 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:06.879 We had church. 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:08.000 It was on. 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:10.000 It was a moment. 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:11.679 You want to know why it was a moment? 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:14.320 Not necessarily because of anything special that we did. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:20.960 It was a moment because we as a church had the opportunity to reflect the greatness of our God. 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:28.320 And these two realities became a comfort to us that God is God and I am not. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:31.279 And because of that, what did we do? 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:32.480 We worshiped. 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:36.720 He's saying, I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God. 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:46.000 Let's just be honest, if any of you thought through it, you all, no matter how good or bad of a week that you had, God was merciful to you this week. 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:46.960 You're here. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:50.080 You're alive, you've got breath in your lungs. 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:53.039 You have the opportunity to be here at this service. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:57.919 You had opportunities to see God's goodness even in the struggles and the trials in your life. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:00.399 And if you had a really, really great week, please hear me. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:03.039 As much as you may think it was because you're awesome, please hear me. 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:04.639 It's because God's awesome. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:07.279 And he's good and he's merciful and he's gracious. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:19.759 And so, whether it is you leaning upon the mercies of God from God's word, which I believe is what he's telling us to do, but also the mercies of God that are present in your life, the appeal, the beg, please do this. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:25.279 What he tells us is to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:27.360 I want to encourage you to take notes today. 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:33.440 Uh, if you are somebody who takes notes, I believe that you're gonna get uh first in line when you get to heaven. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:36.559 And if you don't take notes, you're gonna be in the back. 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:38.320 All right, so I just want you to know that. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:40.399 So I encourage you to take notes. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:44.080 I know a lot of times I say that, and a lot of times you guys look at me like, I'm not taking notes. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:44.720 All right, that's fine. 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:45.360 You can be in the back. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:48.559 I'll be in front, I'll tell you how heaven is, I'll give you a heads up, all right? 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:50.240 I'm gonna be up front. 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:55.279 I want to ask, I want to list this to you first of all as a progression. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:11:01.360 Okay, this idea, first of all, might I present my body, I believe it's kind of this idea of being all in. 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:09.519 He's saying this in light of the mercies and the goodness and the grace and all the things of God. 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:15.759 Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, which is your spiritual worship. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:24.320 The word spiritual there in the Greek, it's actually probably better translated your reasonable or your logical worship. 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:29.440 What this means is this it doesn't make any sense not to be all in. 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:54.320 Like if you truly knew all that you should know about God, if you truly were overwhelmed with his mercy and his grace, if you truly were able to see behind the curtain and see all of the ways in which he's blessed you, and all of the ways which he's been good to you, and all the ways, even in your trials, when he's using those things to accomplish something very, very good in you, then the only thing that logically makes sense is for you to be like, all right, I'm all in. 00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:55.600 I'll do whatever. 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:57.279 Like whatever you want me to do. 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:04.320 I would tell you, I've been following Jesus now for over 30 years, and I would tell you it makes more sense to me right now than it ever has. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:06.480 I don't understand why you wouldn't do this. 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:11.679 Like for those of you that are not believers, I just want to implore you, it doesn't make any sense what you're doing. 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:15.679 Like at the end of the day, this is the most logical thing that you could do. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:16.960 What does it say that we should do? 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:21.200 Romans 12, verse 1, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:22.799 Let's break this down. 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:25.279 Some of you don't like your body. 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:39.120 Some of you think your body's too big, some of you think your body's too small, some of you think your body's too skinny, some of you think your body's too fat, some of you think your body's too ugly, some of you think your body's too old, some of you think your body's too young. 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:42.159 You can go on and on and on about your body. 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:45.120 I think the idea here is this. 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:46.720 I am to be all in. 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:53.200 I'm not just gonna mentally say, hey, I'm all in on Jesus, but instead, there's an action that is involved. 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:58.480 I gotta like actually use the body that He has given me to be active. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:02.399 You see, we got a lot of people who are poster Christians, right? 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:04.480 They they would tell you that they're believers. 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:06.159 They would tell you that they're all in. 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:08.559 Their body hasn't learned that yet, though. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:12.320 Because they just talk about it, they don't actually do anything with it. 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:17.519 And what he's saying is that the sacrifice that we are to be in this all in involves our bodies. 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:18.240 What does this mean? 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:19.919 This means for you that are kids in the room. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:27.120 This means that you're to use your bodies and the energy and the excitement and all that you have in order to be a conduit of the mercy by which you have received. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:37.200 This means for you that are youth, let me just go ahead and tell you one thing I guarantee it means is that you are to use your body to get other bodies here for encounter weekend so they can experience the mercies of God. 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:38.639 I can promise you that. 00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:40.320 I can promise you that. 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:51.279 You are to use every bit of influence and leverage that you have in order to get your friends who don't know Jesus, no matter how many times they've rejected you, and invite them to come to a weekend that is designed for them to come to get to know Jesus. 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:52.879 Use your bodies doing this. 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:59.600 Young adults, you're gonna have so many different things that are gonna be told to you as to what you need to do to find purpose and meaning in your life. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:01.120 Can I tell you what you need to do? 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:14.399 Your purpose and your meaning in your life comes whenever you offer up your body to follow God's plan and God's agenda connected to his church rather than you just following the whims of everybody else on the newest fat or thing that's out there. 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:19.039 Some of you parents, you may find yourself at a place, I'm definitely feeling this. 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:26.320 I've got two high school students, I've got one middle school student, and I've got one freshman, or excuse me, I've got one fifth grader, sorry, elementary school kid. 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:45.120 And so, because of that, what I have found is this is that God desires for me to use my body, which can be exhausted, shuttling people back and forth all of the time, not as an excuse, but instead as a way in order to leverage that influence and those relationships for the cause of Jesus. 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:52.240 Some of you senior adults, some of you folks that have been around a little while, what you've noticed is that your body's breaking down, but your mind's as sharp as ever. 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:56.399 If I'd have known what I'd have known back then, what I know now, I promise you that I'd be better off. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:05.919 And maybe it's that God wants to use that wisdom with the body that He still has given to you to be presented as a, what does it say there? 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:09.440 A living sacrifice. 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:13.360 You want to know the biggest problem about living sacrifices? 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:15.440 They can crawl off the altar. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:30.559 You see, some of you, your situation is that you've made a decision along the way, hey, I'll I'll do, I'm all in, I'll do whatever it is that you want me to do, and then all of a sudden you hear what it is that you're being asked to do, and you're like, I'm out on that, I'll back off, and you just sort of fade away. 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:37.039 It's a lot easier to say something, it's a whole lot different to be able to do something. 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:42.559 And so to be all in is a living sacrifice, is saying, God, I'm available, I'm ready. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:47.120 I'm not just gonna sing that song that we just sang, but I'm gonna live that song that we just sang. 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:48.639 Let me walk you through this. 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:52.000 Here's what this begins to look like as you continue to go forward. 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:53.519 Uh let me show here. 00:15:53.759 --> 00:16:00.799 All in, when you make that commitment to be all in, the first thing that takes place is you're called to reject the world. 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:04.080 You're called to reject the world. 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:08.159 I want you to see there is a progression that is going to take place in all of this. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:11.679 I want you to see how this projection is gonna go. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:13.200 Romans chapter 12, verse 2. 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:13.919 Look at what it says. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:19.279 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed. 00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:22.000 The word transformed is from the Greek word metamorphae. 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:23.919 It's where we get the word metamorphosis. 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:25.440 So I want you to carry this idea. 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:28.080 This is how a tadpole becomes a frog. 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:28.639 Okay? 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:41.039 This is how a um this is this is how we begin to see um uh a change take place where you where you see a transition happen where a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:52.240 And what he's saying is the language is super specific that we are to be conform, we are not to be conformed to this world, but we're to be transformed, we're to be different, we're to look differently than everybody else. 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:55.600 Tony Dungey, I think the guy's just a total stud. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:58.720 Uh, he is a commentator for NBC. 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:01.679 Uh he was, of course, a football coach for 13 seasons. 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:04.079 He won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts. 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:06.400 Uh he is in the NFL Hall of Fame. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:12.559 He is just a great, great human being uh that has been an ambassador for the game of football in every single way. 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:16.559 Uh Tony Dungey has been married to his wife Lauren for 40 years. 00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:17.359 40 years. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.720 He has 11 children. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:22.720 Many of those children he actually adopted out of very difficult situations. 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:24.799 Uh Tony Dungey has started a ministry. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:34.079 I encourage you, any dads in the room, if you're looking for ways to connect with your son, if you're looking for help and tips along the way, there's a ministry that he started called All Pro Dads. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:34.880 It's awesome. 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:36.000 It's absolutely incredible. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:51.279 Got a great newsletter blog, some other resources that just talk about how to help dads not be deadbeats, but instead to be actively engaged in the life of their children, specifically when it comes to raising them up to be men and women of God. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:52.400 Great, great man. 00:17:52.640 --> 00:18:03.519 Tony Dungey took some heed a couple of weeks ago because he tweeted out his support and his excitement for participating in an event called the March for Life. 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:05.680 Tony was actually going to be speaking at this. 00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:06.799 It happened in Washington. 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:14.799 It happens every year where people that are pro-life go and descend onto Washington and they begin to march for the issue of life. 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:18.240 You may not have heard much about it because most of the media never covers it. 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:20.160 That being said, it is a huge event. 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:23.039 It is an unbelievable crowds that happen every single year. 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:24.880 Tony Dungey was there. 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:31.200 And Tony Dungey, I encourage you to go online and watch the YouTube clip of Tony Dungey March for Life. 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:32.799 His speech was phenomenal. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:35.279 I mean, it was absolutely amazing in the issue of life. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:37.839 For some of you that are like, I didn't realize that you were pro-life here. 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:41.759 Please know this isn't a political issue for us, this is a theological issue for us. 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:44.480 So we unapologetically in every way are pro-life. 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:45.599 Every way, all right? 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:50.880 And so therefore, we support this, and I would love at some point to send people to this event, okay? 00:18:51.119 --> 00:19:07.759 That being said, Tony Dungey, he is there, and he makes this speech and a phenomenal job, not just for the issue of life, but Tony Dungey also makes a phenomenal job of speaking specifically about the biblical values that drive him towards the idea of being pro-life. 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:10.079 And he got crushed for it. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:12.079 He got crushed for it. 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:16.400 I mean, you had people that were coming on saying that he needed to be canceled from NBC. 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:20.079 You had people that were coming on saying that he needed to be removed from all influence. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:25.680 You had people that were saying the NFL needs to disassociate themselves from Tony Dungey in every single way. 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:27.759 I mean, he absolutely got crushed for it. 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:28.880 But I want you to know this. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:34.799 Tony Dungey knew when he sent the tweet, this is what was going to happen. 00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:39.200 Because Dony Dungey knows what Romans 12 does. 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:41.839 Do not be conformed, but be transformed. 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:42.880 And he knows this. 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:48.480 When you reject the world, the world will reject you. 00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:51.680 You gotta own it. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:54.400 Like get over yourselves. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:56.160 Like, please hear me. 00:19:56.240 --> 00:20:06.880 When you make this choice to be all in, and it leads you to actually rejecting the world, you're not gonna have a group of people that are gonna be standing there cheering you on, telling you how proud they are. 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:08.960 Students, I want you to hear me. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:11.359 I say this to my kids all the time. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:14.799 Leaders do hard things. 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:18.960 And sometimes they have to do it alone. 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:31.359 If you're gonna be serious about living for Jesus in your schools, in your work, in your neighborhood, in your spheres of influence, then you gotta just go ahead and buckle up and get ready. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:35.920 You will be rejected by the world that you are rejecting. 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:38.079 Which bears the question. 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:40.240 Have any of you felt that? 00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:45.759 Let me just tell you if the answer is no, that is scary. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:53.200 Because what that means is that you're trying to say, yeah, I'm all in, but I want to play both sides. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:21:03.920 I'm all in, but I want to make sure that the world loves me, celebrates me, lifts me up instead of realizing that whenever I reject the world, the world's gonna reject me. 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:04.559 Please hear me. 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:06.559 I'm not trying to say that you need to be unlikable. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:08.960 I'm not trying to say that we need to just go around looking for fights. 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:10.400 That's not how it is either. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:13.119 But I would tell you this: we need to understand this. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:17.039 When we follow after Jesus, it should cost something. 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:22.559 Can I just tell you it's gonna cost you something? 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:33.839 Which bears the question does the way that you act this past weekend and the weekend before that look any different than the person who's sitting at home not even thinking about church right now? 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:43.440 Is the language that you use any different than the person who has no relationship with God the way that they use their language on Wednesday? 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:55.440 Is the way you spend your money, does it look any different whatsoever because you've been saved and bought and believe in Jesus than it does with somebody who doesn't? 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:59.359 I'm not talking about intentions here. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.359 I'm talking instead about your actual life. 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:08.160 You've got to live in such a way where you know you will reject the world. 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:09.039 Please hear me. 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:11.279 It will not always be easy. 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:14.240 It will oftentimes be very, very hard. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:16.640 But it's always worth it. 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:19.759 Let me walk you through what this looks like as you continue on. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:27.359 Not only do you reject the world, but the next way in which this takes place is it leads to a transformed mind. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:33.279 Transformed mind. 00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:41.519 Do not conform any longer to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:46.079 What this describes is this gradual transformation. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:52.559 I'm not talking about where it's just all of a sudden a one-time event and I make a decision and I feel like I'm different, but then it just wanes. 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:54.480 I'm not talking about a two-week transformation. 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:56.559 I'm not talking about a two-month transformation. 00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:58.720 I'm not talking about a two-year transformation. 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:06.880 I'm saying that there is a gradual thing that takes place where you look up and over time you have become something that is very different. 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:09.759 It's that metamorphosis that we talked about. 00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:12.240 It's the tadpole that turns into a frog, okay? 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:15.039 It's the caterpillar that turns into a butterfly. 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:19.680 Yes, it started out this way, but now it is something very beautifully different. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:25.200 This is the type of change that God desires and wants to lead you to be able to do. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:39.680 This is the fish that we're gonna look at that's gonna look different so that the culture begins to be shaped and affected by the fact that we are living our lives in such a radical way, not trying to go along with everybody else and just hoping that they notice that we're a different color. 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:50.240 We instead are living transformed lives, and the way that it says that we transform our lives is by transforming our minds. 00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:56.640 Romans 12, verse 2, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:00.880 Psalm chapter 119, verses 9 through 11. 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:03.119 How can a young man keep his way pure? 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:05.599 By guarding it according to your word. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:07.839 With my whole heart I seek you. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:10.160 Let me not wander from your commandments. 00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:14.640 I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:16.559 We've got to renew our minds. 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:19.519 We've got to literally reprogram how we think. 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:24.960 We have to undo what has been done and we can recalibrate it so that it can be different. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:27.279 Let's talk first about what goes on in your minds. 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:28.960 How many of you are iPhone users? 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:30.079 Would you raise your hands? 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:31.359 iPhone users? 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:34.160 How many of you are on that other thing that's out there? 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:35.119 Okay. 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:38.319 I can't help you, and I'm gonna pray that you get saved. 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:38.720 All right. 00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:46.720 So for those of you that are iPhone users, I'm sure you've got something similar to this, but uh I get every week, I think most iPhone do users do as well. 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:48.079 Go ahead and pull your phones out. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:53.039 And I know for some of you I just completely lost you because now you're gonna be checking all this different stuff. 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:53.759 Don't do that. 00:24:53.920 --> 00:24:57.359 Fight against that for a minute, but it actually proves the point, okay? 00:24:57.599 --> 00:25:01.839 Uh I get at about 9.27 is when I got it today. 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:03.519 I got my screen time report. 00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:05.279 Anybody get their screen time report? 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:06.880 Okay, okay, all right. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:11.519 Is there anything more judging in the entire week than your screen time report when it shows up? 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:16.480 Is there anything that makes you feel better or worse at that moment than your screen time report? 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:16.960 All right. 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:21.279 So I got my screen time report and I was up 29% last week. 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:29.359 Now I need you to know I was traveling, my kids were using my iPad to watch a movie, like this, my my iPad's on right now, that doesn't count. 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:31.440 I I mean, I have all these reasons why I would tell you that. 00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:33.599 That's like that was an aberration in every way. 00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:38.160 By the way, just so you know, every one of you do the exact same thing. 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:47.119 Uh well, I did this, and uh to justify or rationalize why your screen time was up so much. 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:48.480 Or why your screen time was up? 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:50.799 Let's just talk a little confession time, okay? 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:53.920 How many of you, your screen time was down compared to last week? 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:55.039 Would you raise your hand? 00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:56.960 Man, you're feeling good, aren't you? 00:25:57.359 --> 00:25:58.000 All right. 00:25:58.400 --> 00:25:59.680 And how about the rest of us? 00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:02.079 How many of us, the screen time was up from last week? 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:03.440 Yep, that's not good. 00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:03.920 Okay. 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:07.680 Yep, we didn't raise our hand quite as proud and quite as high, okay? 00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:13.839 If you have no idea what I'm talking about, if you got an iPhone, I know you can go to your settings, you can go to screen time, and you can look at it. 00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:24.400 Uh and let me just ask the question: how many of you last week in the little screen time thing that you got are on your phones more than two hours a day? 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:25.680 Would you raise your hands? 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:27.839 Come on, raise your hands up there. 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:31.839 Okay, that's most of us that are raising their hands, all right? 00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:35.920 How many of you were more than five hours on your phones? 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:37.839 Okay. 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:42.079 Not very fewer hands than the first one, okay? 00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:45.279 How many of you ten hours on your phone? 00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:46.720 Would you raise your hands? 00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:53.440 That was me this past week, because again, I was watching a movie, blah, blah, blah. 00:26:53.519 --> 00:26:53.839 Okay. 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:56.000 Anybody over? 00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:58.640 Actually, I'm not going to do that to you. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:01.200 We have a support group that starts on Wednesday night. 00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:04.079 And you need to go to it, okay? 00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:07.759 Here's what I would tell you. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:13.359 Regardless of what your number is, you know right now. 00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:15.200 Ah, it's probably too much. 00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:23.599 There's sociologists that now have a definition for this. 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:26.319 It's called doom scrolling. 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:34.880 But it basically is this is that we grab our phones and we begin to look up on stuff, and it doesn't necessarily have to be bad stuff. 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:40.799 In fact, although we are definitely one of those people that drive by the wreck and we stop and slow down just to look at it a little bit, right? 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:42.160 We want to find bad stories. 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:48.799 I mean, I wouldn't look for them, but I mean they just, well, that's interesting, and what's going on there, and whatever, and and this this stuff that we're gonna scroll. 00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:57.039 And you probably have these moments as you're scrolling around on your phone when you know I should be doing something more productive. 00:27:57.759 --> 00:28:01.440 But you have the inability to stop and do it. 00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:16.640 The reason why is that they tell us, doctors tell us, that whenever you start scrolling on your phone, the area of your brain that is affected is actually the decision system of your brain, the motivational system of your brain. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:22.079 Meaning this, that you in that moment are saying, Man, I should be doing something else. 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:28.960 However, the way that the social media, the way that the phone works, is it actually demotivates you. 00:28:29.119 --> 00:28:30.079 And so what do you do? 00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:33.359 You look up and you watched one video which turned into three and a half hours. 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:36.480 Now, here's the deal. 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:40.079 I haven't even talked about looking at bad stuff. 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:47.599 Which, by the way, the average age upon which a person now is exposed to pornography for the very first time is under the age of nine. 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:49.839 Nine. 00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:59.839 I'm not talking about really, really evil things that are out there, which we all know are freely available on the internet, and we can all definitely get towards those. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:29.839 I'm just talking to you, though, if this idea is true that we are not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of our mind, then I think we need to have an honest conversation about the idea that on a consistent basis, all of us are spending so much time, not necessarily looking at bad things, but instead looking at mind and soul numbing things that keep us from being all in. 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:32.640 I'll tell you that's the case for me. 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:37.359 That's my biggest thing I want to do in 2023 is to be on this stupid thing less. 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:44.000 Not because I'm looking at anything bad or anything that I wouldn't have any of you be more than happy to look at. 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:49.680 But I would simply tell you, just because I know it is crushing my soul. 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:55.119 I'm missing out on moments that I don't even know to look for anymore. 00:29:56.079 --> 00:30:06.000 I'm missing out because I'm I've got all of these inputs that are constantly coming, and what he is saying is that we are to have a different way of thinking and a different way of living. 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:24.240 Philippians chapter 4, verse 8, it tells us finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there's any excellence, if there's anything worthy of praise. 00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:27.359 Think about these things. 00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:30.799 What are you putting in your mind? 00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:37.920 On our website at unitedcity.church, we have some links about how to read God's word and how to get on a Bible reading plan. 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:40.799 We've got some links that tell you about fasting. 00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:43.839 We just went through a whole week of prayer and fasting as a church. 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:48.000 For some of you, you may need to fast yet again from media. 00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:54.559 Just begin to fill your mind and your heart with things like the local Christian radio stations, for example. 00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:58.880 We've got some great ones that can allow you just to begin to put different inputs in. 00:30:59.039 --> 00:31:05.359 The question you have to ask is Am I thinking that I'm going to be all in while I'm filling my mind with junk? 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:10.799 Not just bad, but just not godly things. 00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:19.519 Ultimately, what happens is once you begin to transform your mind, it begins to lead you to the end of the verse which says this. 00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:26.480 At that time I will know God's will, his good, pleasing, and perfect will. 00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:30.480 You see, there is a progression in all of this. 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:35.039 The idea is this that I make this commitment to be all in. 00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:39.200