WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.640 If you have your Bible's turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:11.839 And I'm going to begin this message with three questions for you to contemplate. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:18.239 And hopefully these three questions are tied together, especially as the sermon develops. 00:00:18.239 --> 00:01:59.359 First question number one. Have you ever thought how wonderful it would be if God would save some of the prominent world leaders? I mean, wouldn't it have been amazing if God saved Obama during his presidency? I actually prayed for that. And wouldn't it have been amazing the testimony of him changing direction in his testimony and his verbiage right in the middle of his term and he began to witness to everybody? It's like, man, God, do that. That would bring you such glory and that would be such an aid to the kingdom of God. Or would have some of the leading scientists would be converted or some of the renowned philosophers of our age or even some celebrated Hollywood actors. If we could get people with big platforms that have a big microphone, if we could get them converted or if God would reach down and call them. What amazing thing that would be, we would think for the kingdom of God to advance his calls to get the respectable groups, the elite among us around the world and focus on those men, women, convert them and through their testimony and their platform and their prestige and how respected that they are in the world that they could use all that to spread the gospel. So we ever considered that. 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:40.319 Wouldn't that be wonderful? Maybe you would think second question. Have you ever considered and thought to yourself, I am the least qualified to be a Christian. I mean, when it comes to spreading the gospel and evangelizing, I'm just not very good at this. You ever felt to yourself, thought to yourself, I am. I am just not not just worthy. That's one thing to not be worthy, but I'm just not qualified. I'm not gifted. I am. I am very honest. I feel so incompetent. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:52.319 You know, there's nothing worse than feeling incompetent to a job. Feeling like the job is way bigger than your abilities. And it's like, I can't meet the standards that are placed upon me. 00:02:52.319 --> 00:03:06.080 You ever felt that way? I know a lot of you have and I wonder why God called you, all people, why called me? I mean, I don't, I can't do much. Why would God choose me? 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:32.479 Uh, the third question leads into my third question here is why does God choose to save nobodies and pass over the elites of the world? You know, why, why say people like us and not save the renowned, powerful, celebrated people of the world? 00:03:33.439 --> 00:04:08.400 I mean, you know, the nobodies, the world that the people like us that the world doesn't even know exist for the most part. Well, what Paul is doing in our text, chapter one, verse 26, through the end of the chapter, he's given his second argument, his second reason why the Corinthians had a false metric when they judged who's the better preacher between Paul and Apollos. Apollos had better speaking abilities. 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:28.879 And for that reason, the majority, so it seems to me, the majority of the Corinthians were gravitating to Apollos and the apostle Paul wasn't gifted in speaking. Um, in fact, Paul says of himself that his speaking is of no account. You know, it's not much to talk about. 00:04:29.519 --> 00:05:10.639 And here's Apollos who's trained. He's a professional speaker. And for this reason, the Corinthians were evaluating and judging Apollos's speaking skills as more valuable than the apostle Paul's preaching. And Paul is going to give his first argument. We looked at last week and says the power is not in the presentation. The power is not in the speaker. The power is in the gospel. It's the simple message of the gospel that same souls. So don't put and look to the preacher as the, what is important is the purity of that which is preached. The clarity of the gospel. 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:20.399 That is the power of God into salvation. That's his first argument telling the Corinthians, you've got a false metric of how to judge what is spiritual and what is powerful. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:55.040 This comes to our second argument. We come to this text that this really is the fourth paragraph of this book, but it's a second argument for how to evaluate preachers. And he says, consider your own calling. Look at with me in verse 26 for consider your calling brothers. Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. Not many were powerful. Not many were of noble birth, but God chose what is foolish in the world. Now this is what he's basically saying. We're foolish. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:06:09.519 God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low in despise in the, in the world, even the things that are not. 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:30.399 I mean, that's who we are. We're, we're the nobodies things that are not to bring to nothing the things that are so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus who became to us from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:39.759 So that it is written, let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. So here, consider your own calling. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:07:02.160 God didn't choose you and pick you because you were the top student in your class. Rather, you had either failed the class or you were expelled from the class. I mean, if you had a position and you were hiring people for your job, you didn't, you don't go to the rejects. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:47.680 You don't go to the bottom of the class and go, I'm going to choose you to beat my workers. You don't do that. No one does that. You want the best workers, the top selections. You want the cream of the crop. Lord says, okay, I need workers. Where do I look? Okay. Let me go look at the bottom of the barrel. Let me find the dreads. Let me find the outcast. There were a foolish, the despise, the, the ones that made a wreck of their lives, the ones that really don't know what they're doing, the ones that are failures. I'll use them. And he tells us to consider ourselves. I mean, we're not noble. We're out of typically out of the poor class of society. 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:55.920 We're uneducated. We're not the elites in the powerful. We're not the Obamas and the Clintons. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:04.480 We're not the scribes and the Pharisees. We're not the Kings and the nobles. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:11.199 Rather we're tax collectors and sinners. That's who we are. 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:32.240 We're, we're out of that group for the, the woman at the well that has multiple, has had multiple husbands, you know, we're the Samaritan. We're, we're the ones that have no ability to even apply for the position. We're not going to be accepted. 00:08:32.240 --> 00:09:14.559 But in God choosing the lowest of us and coming after the, the foolish ones, the ones that are not the nobodies, how then are we qualified for such a great work? I mean, how could we be qualified ever been in a position like you felt uncomfortable, like you don't belong there, you know, like the year among a lot of rich people. I mean, I personally, I just feel uncomfortable when you're in a dinner table and there's multiple utensils. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:50.639 I mean, I'm, I'm, I'm looking at those plastic forks and spoons and barbecue on the table, elbows on the table. I mean, that's where I'm comfortable, you know, put the elbows on the table. That's my people, you know, that's, that's where I'm fit. Every now and then I find myself in a position where I don't know which fork to choose and your left hand is under the table, you know, for some reason. And I think there's powerful people in the room and rich people in the room. And I'm like, I'm from, I'm from backwoods Arkansas. I don't know how to behave here. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:58.080 I don't, this is not, this is, I'm uncomfortable. It's like, here, you've been chosen. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:05.679 You, you know, you're a bunch of Arkansans. Some of your, from Canada, I mean, goodness gracious. 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:13.679 Here you are, you're chosen to be the children of the King. 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:33.519 To represent royalty, you know, you're chosen. You're, you know, you're going to be representative of Jesus Christ. You're going to be the sons of the living God. You're going to be put in, in heavenly places. And we don't know how to behave. We don't know how to act. We're not educated. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:59.120 We're not, we're not, we're not, we're not, we're just not qualified. Why, why? And what makes us qualified for such a high calling for such a noble task or such a great responsibility? Why would he choose you and me? Well, there's two reasons, according to our text. Reason number one is because you are unqualified. In other words, you're qualified by your disqualification. 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:28.960 It's the fact that you are a nobody that makes you able to do this job. Second is Christ and only Christ is your qualification. Let's look, let's look at this first point and this is good news for us, but it's humbling. And in fact, it's humbling for all of us, but this is why it's good news are the first reason we're qualified to be the sons of God and representatives of the King. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:40.960 It's not because we been cherry picked because we're just going to be the ones that really represent the Lord well and we can do it in a way that the world is going to be impressed with. 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:47.840 Now, the reason we've been chosen is because we're very much unqualified or disqualified. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:57.120 We see this for various reasons. First of all, in verse 26, we were not chosen because we're wise. 00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:07.200 You know, it's like, well, God chose me because I'm very smart. No, not really. Look at verse 26 for consider your calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:34.799 This word here wise could be translated as just learned or cultivated or skilled or even highly educated. You know, where are all the philosophers and the debaters of the age Paul previously asked, where are they? You know, you're looking up at the world and go, you know, these these scholars are amazing. And Paul says, well, where are they at? 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:55.840 They're not among us. They're not here. There's not many. He didn't say no, but there's not many learned scientists among us leading scholars, respected educators. Rather, Christ says, I'll take you fishermen. You're you know, you don't have any letters behind your name. 00:12:55.840 --> 00:13:14.960 The unlearn. I'll take you fishermen and I'll make you disciples of men. I'll take what the world is going to bypass. You know, truck drivers, garbage men, housewives, things that the world despises or looks down or doesn't think highly up. 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:20.639 I'll use you to do a mighty work. I'll use you to represent me. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:32.879 So there's many is among us. Secondly, we see in verse 26, there's not many of us who are powerful for consider your calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:14:25.279 Not many were powerful. The word here is as one who has clout and the community as a respectability. And because of their position or their wealth, they can do things and get things done. There are movers and shakers. You know, if you want something to be done in the city of Conway, there's people you can call that can make it happen. Don't look at me. I mean, I'm not going to be able to help you. You know, who are us that can really get things done? We're not the ones that have power. We're not been in the world. We haven't been elevated into positions of kings or leaders often were very uninfluential. And this to God bypassed King Herod and Pontius Pilate. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:57.039 God didn't go after those men, did he? He said, well, if God could have chose the emperors of Rome and just focus his time on Herod and Pilate and some of these major leaders, then the kingdom could advance much further and faster. But no, he goes after those who have no prestige or power or position. God chooses unknown day laborers. Third, we're not chosen because we're among the elite. 00:14:57.039 --> 00:15:04.639 Look at verse 26, the end of it, not many of noble birth. This is not merely referring to nobility. 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:13.919 Those who are born in the right families, but those who are born wealthy are even privileged. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:37.519 You know, the World Economic Forum is a unelected governed body that chooses its members from what they consider to be the elite of the elites. They choose the most powerful and prestigious. They go after various actors and they bring together once a year of the world leaders in the elite of society. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:50.559 This is what they call stakeholders. And literally, these are the most important people in the room, and they are overlooking us. They would not have come after us. There's nothing we could bring. 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:55.840 Why would they choose you to come? You would not be able to add any credibility to their group. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:16:11.759 In fact, they're only after the best of the best. You would think Christ would organize his kingdom in the same fashion, but he doesn't. He doesn't go after the elites of the elites. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:20.159 He comes after comes after us, comes after you and me. We're among the forgettable. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:27.120 We will live and die and for most of us will live and die and be forgot. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:54.000 But why did God come after us? Fourth, we were not chosen because we're righteous. Now, verse 30, we'll get into this a minute when he talks about Christ being our righteousness, implying that he didn't choose us because we are righteous. Now, he didn't come for the self-righteous. He didn't come for the scribes and the Pharisees. He came for sinners. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:17:21.680 Jesus didn't come to call the righteous, but I come to call people like the prodigal son that had wrecked their lives, who had made a mess of everything, the ones who have just proved to be a failure, who have taken all that they had and wasted it and come to the end of themselves as like I have nothing, nothing, nothing. That's who he comes to save is sinners. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:27.519 See, the Pharisees stumbled over Christ's fellowshiping with tax collectors and sinners. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:32.400 They didn't understand. They thought the Messiah would choose them. There were the leaders. 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:54.240 The Messiah would come and elevate them into positions of power. But here comes the Messiah and he simply walks by them, pass them, doesn't pay them attention. And it will sit down at a Samaritan woman who you and I would probably just bypass. 00:17:54.240 --> 00:18:25.839 Have you ever seen the videos of San Francisco of the street tent cities of the people walking around high on drugs? You know, these are people are not just not adding to society. They're not contributors, but they're sucking from societies. They're not just downcast and outcast. They're they're the low, the low lives of this world. 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:33.680 You know, it takes other people to support them and their detriment to themselves and to society. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:47.440 Why would God come after them? You know, why would God come after those who have nothing to give him, nothing to offer him? You see, this is who Christ has come for. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:19:00.960 Those who have no way of contributing to society or in themselves, advancing the kingdom of God, the heathen, if you would, the wretched, the nobodies. 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:07.039 Charles Spurgeon says men choose those who would be most helpful to him. 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:10.240 God chooses those who he could be the most helpful. 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:16.240 It is very he goes on to say it is the very opposite way of choosing. 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:20.240 We select those who are the best because they are the most deserving. 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:24.319 He selects those who are worse because they are least deserving. 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:30.559 That so his choice may be more clearly seen to be an act of grace and not of merit. 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:37.359 I say it clearly, contrary to man's way of choosing. Spurgeon goes on. 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:43.119 God passes by the king on purpose that he might meet with the beggar. 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:50.720 He leaves the noble that he may lay hold upon the base, passes over the philosopher that he may receive the fool. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:53.119 Oh, this is strange. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:58.160 It is passing strange. It is marvelous. 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:00.480 Let us praise him for this wonderful grace. 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:13.839 You see, the reason we are qualified to be Christians and to work that he's called us to do as Christians is because we're all together unqualified. 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:18.400 We're good representatives of his grace. 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:23.839 We're representatives of his mercy and his kindness. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:26.240 And so we're qualified. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:31.839 The only thing you need to be saved is acknowledge that you're a sinner. 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:36.400 That's the only qualification you need to come to Christ. 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:38.240 You don't have to be somebody. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:39.839 You don't have to do anything. 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:46.400 You have to rather come to the conclusion you are nothing and a nobody and have zero to give. 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:48.799 You have nothing to offer him. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:50.559 He doesn't need you. 00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:52.799 In fact, he doesn't need the rich either. 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:53.839 He doesn't need the noble. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:55.039 He doesn't need anybody. 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:56.240 He doesn't need any of us. 00:20:56.240 --> 00:21:00.480 But thus we must come to the conclusion that we have nothing to offer the Lord. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:05.279 And this state of salvation is truly 100% receptive. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:08.240 We must be beggars. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:09.200 We must receive. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:12.000 We're not exchanging anything. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:13.440 We have nothing to exchange. 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:21.200 We must cry out, Lord, have mercy upon me, a wretched sinner of no value of worth. 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:24.079 See, this is what qualifies us. 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:27.119 Now, why does this qualify us? 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:33.599 Well, Paul goes into two important reasons why you're qualified by your disqualification. 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:40.079 Why you make a good candidate for salvation because you have nothing to offer Christ. 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:42.000 Two reasons. 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:52.160 First, our disqualification qualifies us because we are in a position to bring extra embarrassment upon the elites of this world. 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:58.400 You know, it's one thing to get beat by the great teams, the best teams. 00:21:58.400 --> 00:22:01.119 It's quite embarrassing to get beat by the losers. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:05.440 I mean, if Alabama beats Arkansas, that's one thing. 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:14.160 But you don't want to get beat by, you know, a the worst team in division two. 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:18.480 I mean, that's humiliating. 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:22.160 So God wants to show up the wise of the world. 00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:23.119 So he chose you. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:30.720 He chose you to put to shame the wise and the leaders of the world. 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:35.119 God chose those who are shameful to shame those who are deemed praiseworthy. 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:38.079 And because we are nothing. 00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:45.680 We are in the perfect position to shame those who are something or those who think there's something. 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:52.160 You see, we see in verse 27, God chose the foolish to shame the wise. 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:57.599 Look, but God shows what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:02.799 In other words, this could be translated as God chose the foolish ones. 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:05.359 The philosophers are the wise one. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:08.720 He chose the uneducated. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:13.920 The illiterate of us. 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:18.160 The foolish ones, those who have made terrible mistakes. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.759 That's who he's chosen to shame the wise. 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:23.519 Those who are ignorant. 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:32.160 Jesus said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven on Earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned. 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:35.359 And you've revealed them to little children. 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:42.960 Psalm a to from the mouths of children and infants, you have ordained praise on the count of your adversaries. 00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:46.480 To silence the enemy and the Avenger. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:50.400 Jeremiah eight, nine, the wise will be put to shame. 00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:55.440 They will be dismayed and trapped since they have rejected the word of the Lord. 00:23:55.440 --> 00:24:06.880 You see, God has chosen to on the day of judgment, especially, but even in today, he shows into shame those who are the most wise among us. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:12.400 Through revealing himself to the ones that are most foolish among us. 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:15.440 You see, this goes on. 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:18.640 God chose the weak to shame the powerful. 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:19.519 Look at twenty seven. 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:22.000 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:25.839 You know, James tells us he's chosen. 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:29.759 The poor of this world. 00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:32.079 To be rich in faith. 00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:34.640 He shows in. 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:36.960 Literally. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:38.720 The. 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:44.000 Leftovers rejected. 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:46.880 What the world rejected. 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:49.599 He chose. 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:54.880 He chose the outcast the shame the elites look at twenty eight. 00:24:54.880 --> 00:25:00.720 God chose what is low and despise in the world, even the things that are not to bring to nothing the things that are. 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:03.279 Those who are below. 00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:05.519 Predicry. 00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:07.599 Those who are despised. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:11.119 Such as the woman at the well again. 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:12.480 And. 00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:15.359 That's not who you would go in. 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:17.519 Have a meeting with. 00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:19.440 Um. 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:24.240 Let's be honest, if there was a room of powerful people. 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:26.880 That come in our church, powerful people. 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:30.559 Notable people's celebrities. 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:34.319 We'd all have gravitate to a little time with that person. 00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:36.640 If a poor person came in here. 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:41.039 And racks and no one knew where they were. 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:45.200 It might be that we don't even think about going talking to him. 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:50.400 And while the world is chasing after the notable. 00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:52.000 The celebrities. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:54.079 Paying them attention. 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:57.759 Christ Jesus is finding that little woman at the well. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:59.759 He's looking at you. 00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:05.839 You may be this is good news for some of us because you may be the one that feels like you're nothing. 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:10.079 You feel like you're you're you're being overlooked that you're. 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:14.319 No one's paying is like we don't have anything to offer. 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:17.200 So you don't you understand why you're being overlooked. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:21.440 But that that feeling of incompetence and littleness and loneliness. 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:26.400 All that feeling that's comes in with you this sense of nothingness that you have. 00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:34.160 It's a hard feeling, but don't be discouraged because Jesus comes after those very ones. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:36.480 He comes after you. 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:38.160 He comes and looks and pays attention. 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:39.279 So let's have a conversation. 00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:40.240 Let me talk to you. 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:43.440 And he'll bypass the leaders. 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:45.200 He'll bypass the celebrities. 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:48.480 He'll bypass the powerful and the rich and the notable. 00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:56.000 The platform people help bypass those and come and set down with you and says you are the perfect one for my job. 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:58.160 I have a work for you to do. 00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:00.559 I have a mission for you to accomplish. 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:01.759 You say, well, I can't do it. 00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:02.799 I know you can't do it. 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:04.000 That's why you're qualified. 00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:08.400 That's why I'm choosing you because you know you're nothing. 00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:15.599 I need you to to show up the the powerful. 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:20.400 I need you to to to shame the the elites. 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:27.359 I need fishermen and not rulers to be my disciples. 00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:37.680 You know, think of think of this illustration of Michael Jordan. 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:40.079 Everybody here knows who Michael Jordan is. 00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:44.000 Even if you don't like basketball, you know, Michael Jordan. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:45.119 He's the best, right? 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:47.039 Yeah. 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:47.519 Amen. 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:55.680 I mean, there's no doubt that model Jordan is the best basketball player in all history. 00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:58.000 There's not even a distant second. 00:27:58.000 --> 00:27:59.599 I mean, he takes first and second place. 00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:00.160 He's so good. 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:04.640 Distant third may be LeBron James. 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:06.319 Maybe. 00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:11.519 But what if model Jordan told LeBron James, listen, I want you to go pick out. 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:16.319 I want you to pick out four players and you're going to play my team. 00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:18.880 You pick out any players you want. 00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:23.839 And LeBron goes and picks out four of the top players throughout history. 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:25.920 Picks the best. 00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:27.279 He gets the perfect team. 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:35.440 And he comes to face Jordan and Jordan. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:36.160 He's so good. 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:38.960 He goes to the Lonia Peewee squad. 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:44.799 And he doesn't even pick from the first team of the Peewee squad. 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:46.640 He goes, what are the players on the bench? 00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:49.359 And there's some pretty good bench players. 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:51.680 He goes, No, I don't need those. 00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:52.640 They're still too good. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:59.599 Um, who are the players that got kicked? 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:04.480 No one gets, no one doesn't make the Peewee squad, but which player didn't make the Peewee squad? 00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:06.799 And he goes after them. 00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:11.920 You know, it's the guy that's blind, the kid that's blind. 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:13.200 I said, I'll take the blind kid. 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:15.759 Oh, that one legged kid. 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.480 I'll take him. 00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:18.319 He'll help me out. 00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:21.039 And he picks out two more. 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:25.920 Just, you know, the nerd, you know, three sets of glasses. 00:29:25.920 --> 00:29:26.960 I'll take that. 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:28.799 I'll take that little dumpy kid. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:33.119 And he gets his team and think about that model. 00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:40.240 Jordan with this team of rejects facing off LeBron and all the best other players. 00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:46.640 Why would Jordan, I mean, hypothetically, why would he choose such poor players? 00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:50.079 Well, Jordan wouldn't, but the Lord Jesus did. 00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:51.440 He did. 00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:59.839 He bypassed the best of the best and came after the least, the worst rejects. 00:29:59.839 --> 00:30:07.759 And the reason why is to show how pitiful the best of the best are. 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:11.599 How foolish the wise people are. 00:30:11.599 --> 00:30:14.960 You know, the wisest people in the world are still fools. 00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:19.839 The most talented of the world are still fools. 00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:22.400 Even the most celebrated celebrities. 00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:25.279 I mean, they only have a moment of fame and they're going to be in. 00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:29.680 They're going to be in the eternal darkness and obscurity for the rest of eternity. 00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:31.279 What fools? 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:31.519 What? 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:33.920 What do they have? 00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:34.799 They have nothing. 00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:35.599 They have zero. 00:30:35.599 --> 00:30:36.400 They have nothing. 00:30:36.400 --> 00:30:37.279 They have no. 00:30:37.279 --> 00:30:44.559 You know, there's really not a lot of difference between the wisest and the most foolish among this world compared to God. 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:45.519 We're all fools. 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:57.039 But he chooses the weakest of us all in order to bring shame and embarrassment and disgrace upon the greats of this world. 00:30:57.039 --> 00:31:00.880 Remember, media Gideon. 00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:03.200 He says, you got too many people. 00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:04.400 Let's cut that down. 00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:05.440 You still got too many people. 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:06.400 Let's cut that down. 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:06.960 I listen. 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:08.000 You still got too many people. 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:08.960 Let's cut that down. 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:12.480 Like getting like get down to 300. 00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:14.799 And in fact, that 300 didn't hardly do anything. 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:20.799 They break some clay pots and God shames the media nights that puts them in disarray. 00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:26.160 And he wins the battle through a few handful of people. 00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:28.720 Think about D.L. Moody. 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:32.799 D.L. Moody was illiterate, grew up, didn't even know how to read. 00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:36.640 And when he was saved, the Lord saved him. 00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:38.160 He felt called to preach. 00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:42.880 But the people all, every one of them told him, you are not called to preach. 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:46.000 You can't even speak. 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:47.039 You have speaking issues. 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:50.640 You're in fact, every one of them viewed him like you have. 00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:53.200 You're going to be used by God, but not in preaching. 00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:57.440 Everybody discouraged D.L. Moody. 00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:04.720 And before D.L. Moody died, he preached to over a hundred million people. 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:20.319 God chose the least candidate to bring about a great amount of salvation and sanctification in his church through a nobody of deal moody. 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:23.519 So don't think, hey, I'm not qualified. 00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:25.680 Don't think I can't do anything great for the Lord. 00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:27.440 Who am I? 00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:29.039 Yeah, that makes you qualified. 00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:30.480 That makes you ready. 00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:34.640 Once you can come to the realization that you can't do it, that's when you're ready to do it. 00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:42.240 That's why that Paul, you're looking at different preachers wrongly. 00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:45.279 You're evaluating one preacher based upon natural gifting and talent. 00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:48.400 You're looking at other preachers that can't even speak and it go like that. 00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:49.920 No, that's not how God works. 00:32:49.920 --> 00:33:05.359 The second reason he chooses disqualified people and qualifies them through their disqualification is that all the glory, not most of it, but all the glory will go to God. 00:33:05.359 --> 00:33:13.279 This what verse 29 says, so that no human might boast in the presence of God. 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:18.240 He shows that the worthless in order that the worthless doesn't take credit for it. 00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:20.240 I mean, deal moody. 00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:21.920 I mean, he can't go, look what I've done. 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:27.519 Why was his preaching attended with such amount of fruit? 00:33:27.519 --> 00:33:32.319 Wasn't because he was gifted speaker. 00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:34.960 We can't take credit. 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:37.759 Why would we save? 00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:42.720 It's not because we're we did something and we earned it or we were we impressed the Lord. 00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:45.920 We were saved because we had nothing. 00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:49.920 And this brings glory not to self. 00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:52.960 It doesn't go look at me. 00:33:56.480 --> 00:34:02.799 It brings all the glory to the mercy and the grace and the power of God. 00:34:02.799 --> 00:34:10.320 Verse 31 repeats this is like the apostle Paul is coming back to this again. 00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:13.920 So that it is written, let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:18.960 Jeremiah says this says the Lord let not the wise man boast in his wisdom. 00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:25.760 Let not the mighty man boast in his might not let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this. 00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:31.920 That he understands and knows me that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness. 00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:35.920 The earth for these are the things I delight declares the Lord. 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:40.000 I mean, this is the beauty of the gospel. 00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:43.920 It brings glory to Jesus Christ. 00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:49.360 And you're in a perfect position to bring God glory. 00:34:49.360 --> 00:35:01.599 Not not if you're self righteous, not if you're if you're wise in your own estimation, not if you're puffed up and arrogant, not if you think you're somebody or something, or you think that, hey, I need to be listened to. 00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:02.559 I'm smart. 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:08.079 Not if you're looking to yourself in any way that you're not ready to and need to be used. 00:35:08.079 --> 00:35:14.079 When you come to the point that you're weak and you're lowly and you're incompetent, and you feel that you're you can't do it. 00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:24.239 You feel your own reality and your incompetency and you feel that, hey, I just not capable of living this Christian life and being a witness and evangelizing. 00:35:24.239 --> 00:35:26.480 All these things are I don't know what I'm doing. 00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:29.760 Old Lord have mercy. 00:35:29.760 --> 00:35:30.239 Help me. 00:35:30.239 --> 00:35:32.880 Lord says, Oh, I can use someone like that. 00:35:32.880 --> 00:35:42.000 I can use someone like that because though you can do nothing, you can do all things in Christ Jesus. 00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:51.039 This brings me to the second thing that qualifies us. 00:35:51.039 --> 00:35:54.159 First thing that qualifies us is our we're unqualified. 00:35:55.119 --> 00:35:57.039 Okay, that makes us qualified. 00:35:57.039 --> 00:36:00.800 The second thing is that our qualification comes in Christ alone. 00:36:00.800 --> 00:36:01.599 Look at verse 30. 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:09.360 And because of the help, you are in Christ Jesus who become to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. 00:36:09.360 --> 00:36:16.960 You see, here's how us nobodies they're not wise, noble, prestigious. 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:18.719 This is what qualifies us is that we're. 00:36:18.719 --> 00:36:21.920 Though we're nothing, we're in Christ. 00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:41.760 This past week, I was attending the G3 conference and I brought my little boy Britain into the green room and they gave me this little pin. 00:36:41.760 --> 00:36:56.000 It represented that I had the privilege of going into the green room, but I was a kind of a coming in there on the as a, you know, not really a speaker. 00:36:56.000 --> 00:37:02.159 I was kind of a pre-conference event and so they went ahead and felt sorry for me and they gave me a little tag. 00:37:02.159 --> 00:37:11.119 And so I go into that green room and here's all these amazing speakers and like, am I really supposed to be here? 00:37:11.119 --> 00:37:15.360 And, you know, felt uncomfortable about it. 00:37:15.360 --> 00:37:16.639 I brought one moment. 00:37:16.639 --> 00:37:20.639 I brought her shin and no Britain in there and there was this ice chest. 00:37:20.639 --> 00:37:27.119 I mean, if you're if you're just a tender, you got to spend ten dollars on a coke for for the speakers. 00:37:27.119 --> 00:37:31.199 They have an ice chest, bull of Coca-Cola and Sprite. 00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:33.360 And I said, Brittany, you want to Sprite? 00:37:33.360 --> 00:37:36.880 And he says, can we get one? 00:37:36.880 --> 00:37:38.480 Said, I think so. 00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:41.840 You know, I think we can. 00:37:42.559 --> 00:37:46.480 And, you know, and I said, let's just get one. 00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:49.440 And, you know, he's timid, I'm timid, not get the Sprite out for him. 00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:55.039 And, you know, we, you know, like crack open the thing and he's drinking it. 00:37:55.039 --> 00:38:02.559 And I thought to myself, I don't he and I know we don't belong here. 00:38:02.559 --> 00:38:06.719 You know, we're not among, you know, we don't belong here. 00:38:06.719 --> 00:38:11.039 But I got this tag. 00:38:11.119 --> 00:38:15.920 I got this tag that says I can come here. 00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:20.960 You know, you feel like you don't belong in the kingdom of God. 00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:22.559 You don't belong in the great works. 00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:24.320 You don't have a purpose. 00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:25.599 You don't like who am I? 00:38:25.599 --> 00:38:27.119 I'm just I'm just I don't fit. 00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:28.000 I don't fit. 00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:28.639 I don't fit. 00:38:28.639 --> 00:38:31.440 But you've got the name of Jesus on you. 00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:40.480 You have you have a tag and your qualifications, your credentials is not you. 00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:41.840 It's not you. 00:38:41.840 --> 00:38:46.400 It's not that they recognize me in Britain and say you two along here. 00:38:46.400 --> 00:38:50.719 No, they recognize the credentials because of the tag you can come in. 00:38:50.719 --> 00:38:58.320 Hey, you're nothing, but you've got Jesus's name on your lapel tag here. 00:38:58.320 --> 00:39:01.760 You have a right into the throne rule of God. 00:39:01.760 --> 00:39:04.079 You have access to the power of Christ. 00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:08.960 You have access to all the glories and riches and all things that pertain to life. 00:39:08.960 --> 00:39:10.960 Righteous as sanctification and glory. 00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:14.480 All the things that you need to perform the task set before you. 00:39:14.480 --> 00:39:17.039 All the resources are not within you. 00:39:17.039 --> 00:39:20.719 You don't have resources in your own natural giftings and talents. 00:39:20.719 --> 00:39:23.440 You're bankrupt, but you have access. 00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:30.159 You have an ice chest full of grace and just go ahead and help yourself get what you need. 00:39:30.159 --> 00:39:48.079 You can get everything you need to fulfill the task in which you're called to because you're completely qualified in Jesus Christ and to say I can't do it is somehow not trusting in Jesus Christ, and he's your only confidence. 00:39:48.079 --> 00:39:51.519 And with him, you can do all things. 00:39:51.519 --> 00:39:57.760 You see, Christ is our wisdom. 00:39:57.760 --> 00:40:04.480 Verse 30 Christ is our power. Christ is our righteousness, sanctification and redemption. 00:40:04.480 --> 00:40:11.679 You see, Christ is the full credentials for all of us. 00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:16.239 And if we have Christ, we are qualified. 00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:17.920 Let me close. 00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:19.280 Hey, this clock. 00:40:19.280 --> 00:40:26.159 I haven't looked at it, so maybe not really helping much if I don't look at it, but we're doing well. 00:40:26.159 --> 00:40:31.360 So let me take five minutes to close this out with some application. 00:40:31.360 --> 00:40:37.840 This is good news for us who are outcast. 00:40:37.840 --> 00:40:39.920 Spurgeon says. 00:40:39.920 --> 00:40:43.840 How encouraging is this for us this morning? 00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:48.079 Because he preached this same passage some years ago. 00:40:48.079 --> 00:40:52.159 Some of us cannot boast of any predi predi gree. 00:40:52.159 --> 00:40:53.440 We have no great learning. 00:40:53.440 --> 00:40:54.719 We have no wealth. 00:40:54.719 --> 00:41:00.000 Our names are all unknown to fame, but all what a mercy. 00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:05.119 He has been pleased to choose just such foolish things as we are. 00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:11.199 Such despised creatures as ourselves, such things that are not to bring to not the things that are. 00:41:11.199 --> 00:41:13.840 This is good news for us. 00:41:13.840 --> 00:41:16.639 It's good news for you and I. 00:41:16.639 --> 00:41:23.199 You know, and even this is good news for the rich and the noble and the powerful. 00:41:23.199 --> 00:41:24.639 Maybe there are some among us. 00:41:24.639 --> 00:41:31.440 That do have clout that do have a little power and nobility in their blood. 00:41:31.440 --> 00:41:34.000 It doesn't say none. 00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:35.920 Does it? 00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:37.599 No. 00:41:37.599 --> 00:41:40.320 Powerful, no wise. 00:41:40.320 --> 00:41:42.159 It just says not meaning. 00:41:42.159 --> 00:41:45.360 Queen Elizabeth pointed that out. 00:41:45.360 --> 00:41:47.119 She says, I'm glad it doesn't say none. 00:41:49.119 --> 00:41:53.840 And so maybe you are born privileged more than the average person. 00:41:53.840 --> 00:41:56.880 Maybe you are a little more wealthy than the average person. 00:41:56.880 --> 00:42:00.639 Maybe you do have a position of power and prestige in the eyes of the world. 00:42:00.639 --> 00:42:02.639 There's still hope for you. 00:42:02.639 --> 00:42:09.199 But that hope comes through emptying yourself. 00:42:09.199 --> 00:42:12.400 Is not because of these things. 00:42:12.400 --> 00:42:15.039 It's like the rich young ruler. 00:42:17.039 --> 00:42:19.199 Jesus looked at him and says, you have to forsake that. 00:42:19.199 --> 00:42:23.920 You have to forsake that you cannot have any confidence in that. 00:42:23.920 --> 00:42:26.480 We all come to Christ the same way. 00:42:26.480 --> 00:42:37.119 Empty understanding our use full uselessness, our unworthiness, our bankruptcy. 00:42:37.119 --> 00:42:39.280 We all come to Christ. 00:42:39.280 --> 00:42:42.480 So here it doesn't matter your your status in society. 00:42:42.480 --> 00:42:43.280 It doesn't matter. 00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:48.480 What matters is you come to realize that all of it is rubbish. 00:42:48.480 --> 00:42:53.840 Paul says, I I advanced and I was making I had credentials. 00:42:53.840 --> 00:42:56.719 I was trained under the best instructions. 00:42:56.719 --> 00:42:59.519 I was I was the Pharisee among the Pharisees. 00:42:59.519 --> 00:43:04.639 All these things that would have advanced my career and brought prestige to my name. 00:43:04.639 --> 00:43:08.000 All that I consider as dung and worthless as useless. 00:43:08.000 --> 00:43:09.679 I I reject all of that. 00:43:09.679 --> 00:43:11.280 That is nothing in my mind. 00:43:11.280 --> 00:43:13.760 I I say that has no value to me. 00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:17.519 I reject that in order that I might know. 00:43:17.519 --> 00:43:19.380 God. 00:43:19.380 --> 00:43:24.239 If you want to come to the Lord Jesus Christ, some of you are already at the end of yourself. 00:43:24.239 --> 00:43:27.119 You're already recognized that you have nothing to offer God. 00:43:27.119 --> 00:43:28.320 Well, here's good news for you. 00:43:28.320 --> 00:43:31.440 You can come to Christ as you are. 00:43:31.440 --> 00:43:34.960 Bring your sins, bring your disgrace, bring your your shame. 00:43:34.960 --> 00:43:36.639 Don't hide from it. 00:43:36.639 --> 00:43:38.079 Don't pretend like it's not there. 00:43:38.079 --> 00:43:39.360 You you you bring it to God. 00:43:39.360 --> 00:43:39.840 The Lord. 00:43:39.840 --> 00:43:41.280 I don't have anything but wickedness. 00:43:41.280 --> 00:43:42.880 I don't have anything but my foolishness. 00:43:42.880 --> 00:43:44.320 I don't have anything to give you. 00:43:44.320 --> 00:43:46.159 Could you use a pool full like me? 00:43:46.159 --> 00:43:48.559 I come to you. 00:43:48.559 --> 00:43:49.760 Have mercy. 00:43:49.760 --> 00:43:54.880 And if you have things that you take pride in, turn from it. 00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:57.679 And the end of the day, it's nothing. 00:43:57.679 --> 00:43:59.599 You have nothing. 00:43:59.599 --> 00:44:05.599 We're all equally undeserving. 00:44:10.320 --> 00:44:12.719 Another application. 00:44:12.719 --> 00:44:14.800 We really don't know how useless. 00:44:14.800 --> 00:44:18.800 We actually are how needy we are. 00:44:18.800 --> 00:44:21.840 One of the two things that I struggle with, I don't know how great God is. 00:44:21.840 --> 00:44:24.880 My God, my vision of God is slow. 00:44:24.880 --> 00:44:30.400 I have a pixelated fuzzy, incomplete, poor vision of God. 00:44:30.400 --> 00:44:32.400 That's why I have such lack of faith. 00:44:32.400 --> 00:44:34.320 God is not as big as he actually is. 00:44:34.320 --> 00:44:36.320 I can't see God in this. 00:44:37.119 --> 00:44:42.719 His greatness and I want to see him more and more and more. 00:44:42.719 --> 00:44:44.480 And I see through a glass of darkly. 00:44:44.480 --> 00:44:45.760 I recognize that. 00:44:45.760 --> 00:44:50.719 So that's one of my problems in my Christian life is my lack of sight and vision of God. 00:44:50.719 --> 00:44:55.360 The second problem I have is that I think too highly of myself still. 00:44:55.360 --> 00:44:58.400 I'm still too competent in my own mind. 00:44:58.400 --> 00:45:01.360 I still I look too much to my gifts. 00:45:01.360 --> 00:45:02.480 I'm gifted. 00:45:02.480 --> 00:45:03.119 I'm not. 00:45:03.119 --> 00:45:04.000 No, I've done this. 00:45:04.800 --> 00:45:09.599 I still trust too much of myself and that hinders me. 00:45:09.599 --> 00:45:17.039 Why are we not doing great things for God is I think part of the reason is that we're doing too many great things for ourself. 00:45:17.039 --> 00:45:28.800 And so we need to come and see more and more just how needy we are. 00:45:28.800 --> 00:45:32.480 God comes to the needy, he comes to the beggars, he comes to it. 00:45:32.480 --> 00:45:34.000 It's not like exchange. 00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:36.159 It's like we come to the full realization. 00:45:36.159 --> 00:45:45.280 I have nothing and it's not even that doesn't change after salvation that progresses into a greater realization that I still have nothing to offer God. 00:45:45.280 --> 00:45:47.679 And I just I need grace. 00:45:47.679 --> 00:45:48.639 I need more grace. 00:45:48.639 --> 00:45:49.280 I need help. 00:45:49.280 --> 00:45:50.800 I need divine favor. 00:45:50.800 --> 00:45:52.400 I have to be a recipient. 00:45:52.400 --> 00:45:55.519 God God is choosing those who need not those who. 00:45:55.519 --> 00:45:58.800 Kids or have something to offer him. 00:46:03.199 --> 00:46:05.760 So it comes for the useless. 00:46:05.760 --> 00:46:07.199 The needy. 00:46:07.199 --> 00:46:11.519 Burgess says now what is your spirit this morning towards this subject? 00:46:11.519 --> 00:46:13.199 Do you kick at it? 00:46:13.199 --> 00:46:16.239 Do you say you cannot bear it? 00:46:16.239 --> 00:46:19.440 You know, some of you is like, I don't like this teaching. 00:46:19.440 --> 00:46:22.480 The Pharisees didn't like it. 00:46:22.480 --> 00:46:24.559 That's why they hated him. 00:46:24.559 --> 00:46:29.519 I talked to young old man is on his deathbed. 00:46:29.519 --> 00:46:32.639 I said, you got to reject your righteousness. 00:46:32.639 --> 00:46:33.760 He says, that's not fair. 00:46:33.760 --> 00:46:36.320 I've been a good person my whole life. 00:46:36.320 --> 00:46:39.679 And I gave him the parable of the. 00:46:39.679 --> 00:46:45.599 The prodigal son getting the fatted calf and the older brother did everything right. 00:46:45.599 --> 00:46:47.280 And he was rejected from the party. 00:46:47.280 --> 00:46:49.119 He says, that's not fair. 00:46:49.119 --> 00:46:54.559 So some of you, your problem is that you you think God owes you something. 00:46:54.559 --> 00:47:01.519 Come to the realization he owes you nothing, nothing. 00:47:01.920 --> 00:47:05.360 And just ask, Lord, you owe me nothing. 00:47:05.360 --> 00:47:07.119 I have nothing to give you. 00:47:07.119 --> 00:47:08.320 I'm unworthy. 00:47:08.320 --> 00:47:08.880 Serve it. 00:47:08.880 --> 00:47:10.480 Have mercy. 00:47:10.480 --> 00:47:12.880 And God will have mercy upon you. 00:47:12.880 --> 00:47:14.400 His promise. 00:47:14.400 --> 00:47:17.599 He's looking for those who are humble. 00:47:17.599 --> 00:47:22.880 He's looking to exalt those who are lowly. 00:47:22.880 --> 00:47:26.079 He's looking for those who see themselves as nothing. 00:47:26.079 --> 00:47:35.920 In fact, the apostle Paul, because of his death, because of his elevated status, he was he was saw visions and he planted churches. 00:47:35.920 --> 00:47:43.199 He wrote scriptures and and Paul, Paul tells of himself, unless I become conceited, God put a thorn in my flesh. 00:47:43.199 --> 00:47:47.519 And many people struggle what this thorn is. 00:47:47.519 --> 00:47:49.119 I actually don't know what the thorn is. 00:47:49.119 --> 00:47:50.960 Some people say is poor eyesight. 00:47:50.960 --> 00:47:53.679 I think it has something to do with humiliating him. 00:47:53.679 --> 00:48:06.719 Maybe it was poor speaking ability, something that that brought a measure of humiliation because the purpose of the thorn is to keep them humble, to keep them seeing his need. 00:48:06.719 --> 00:48:12.239 They cannot begin to trust the elevation of all the God had done through them. 00:48:12.239 --> 00:48:16.639 They begin to take it for granted that God is that he was he that did anything. 00:48:16.639 --> 00:48:21.519 So God had to humble him and often God pushes through things. 00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:23.360 He puts tests in our lives. 00:48:23.360 --> 00:48:30.960 He puts trials in our lives to remind us not that we didn't know that, but to remind us that we are nothing that we can nothing. 00:48:30.960 --> 00:48:34.239 So that we don't look to ourselves in it. 00:48:34.239 --> 00:48:41.679 Paul says it's only when we are weak that we see our weakness and our need that we are actually useful and strong. 00:48:41.679 --> 00:48:52.079 It's only when we come to realize that we're empty vessels, broken vessels that we are fit instruments to bring not ourselves glory, but Christ glory. 00:48:53.440 --> 00:48:59.519 And so this is our goal is to not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. 00:48:59.519 --> 00:49:12.639 Our self-confidence should not be in our gifts or education or self-worth. 00:49:12.639 --> 00:49:16.400 These things can become a hindrance. 00:49:16.400 --> 00:49:17.679 I'm not saying or a hindrance. 00:49:17.679 --> 00:49:19.920 I'm saying they could become a hindrance to us. 00:49:20.400 --> 00:49:21.360 I'm going to read. 00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:28.639 Last thing I want to say, and I want to say this to myself and to all of us. 00:49:28.639 --> 00:49:38.480 The way up is the way down. 00:49:38.480 --> 00:49:42.000 In God's economy. 00:49:45.360 --> 00:50:13.119 And if you're struggling with trying to be a Christian witness to your children, finding the right words to say to your co-workers, or if you just want to be used the way that God would receive glory, then recognize that Christ will be glorified in your dependence upon Him, upon your weakness and upon your inabilities. 00:50:14.079 --> 00:50:20.159 God can use someone just like you. 00:50:20.159 --> 00:50:21.519 Let's pray. 00:50:21.519 --> 00:50:25.440 Lord, we're thankful for this word. 00:50:25.440 --> 00:50:27.360 It gives us hope. 00:50:27.360 --> 00:50:32.320 It does crush our pride, but it gives us hope. 00:50:32.320 --> 00:50:34.400 We don't have to pretend anymore. 00:50:34.400 --> 00:50:37.760 We don't have to have a facade of greatness. 00:50:37.760 --> 00:50:42.880 We can come down to reality and to be honest with you and honest before the world. 00:50:43.519 --> 00:50:45.360 We are nothing but Jesus Christ. 00:50:45.360 --> 00:50:56.880 He and He alone is everything to heal alone, be honor and glory and majesty and power and prestige and worship and fame forever. 00:50:56.880 --> 00:50:59.840 Now in this day and for all eternity. 00:50:59.840 --> 00:51:01.519 Amen.