WEBVTT 00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:04.559 You know, a lot of people ask, Pastor, why do you do this? 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:08.000 Uh the Bible tells us to honor those who serve us well. 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:17.440 Uh and and you know, I get up here and and yell at you every Sunday, uh, but the bulk of the work is done by our awesome staff who work very, very hard. 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:25.920 Uh, and nothing goes on around here without our staff working hard to make sure uh that they that everything goes off without a hitch. 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:30.079 And uh, you know, we can't thank them enough for what they do. 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:39.679 Um a lot of times, unfortunately, the senior pastor gets most of the uh the praise and accolades, but they all deserve uh to be honored and praised so well for what they do. 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:40.320 Amen. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:40.960 Amen. 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:41.679 Yes. 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:47.359 So we live in a world that divines blessings all wrong. 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:50.240 You know, you see the hashtag blessed. 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:54.719 Uh, we're blessed because we're rich, we're blessed because we're comfortable. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:55.359 We say it. 00:00:55.520 --> 00:01:04.640 The world says we're blessed because we're successful, or the world says we're blessed because we're popular, have a lot of followers, have a lot of like and subscribe. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:09.439 Blessed are the people with influence, followers, money, and status. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:17.120 But then today, Jesus steps in and completely obliterates all of that. 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:30.079 Jesus looks at people who are struggling, grieving, hungry, overlooked, persecuted, and exhausted, and says, You are blessed. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:41.200 So if you find yourself at the end of your rope, blessed and stressed, Jesus says, You are blessed. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:43.040 Now I know what you're thinking, Pastor. 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:45.120 That that sounds kind of backwards. 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:51.599 Because most people are thinking blessing means no problems, no pain, no struggle, no hardship. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:56.400 But Jesus teaches us that blessing is not determined by your circumstances. 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:02.560 It's determined by your position in the kingdom of God. 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:09.439 And what this passage says today is giving us a picture of what the kingdom of heaven looks like. 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:25.759 A kingdom where the last becomes first, a kingdom where the broken people are welcomed, a key kingdom where suffering is not wasted, a kingdom where earthly loss can lead to eternal reward. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:39.199 And honestly, we should encourage every person in this room who has walked and is carrying pain because Jesus is saying, your struggle is not proof that God has abandoned you. 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:49.120 Sometimes your struggle is the very place where God meets you the most deeply. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:03:00.560 And those that have struggled are saying amen this morning because the title of the message this morning is We Are Blessed in Our Brokenness. 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:06.560 God blesses us in our brokenness. 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:10.800 Now listen, this morning is not gonna be a woo-hoo message. 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:15.680 This morning is gonna, this is one of these, you know, leafy green type messages, okay? 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:19.280 It's it's the it's the nutrients that you need, okay? 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:32.400 Uh, because we I think sometimes we we think that our life with Christ is gonna be full of mountaintop experiences, but Jesus does his best work in us when we are broken. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:40.400 Because it's when we are broken that he can put us back together the way that he wants us to be. 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:44.319 So if you have your Bibles, grab them, go to Luke chapter 6. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:47.439 This morning, we are going to start in verse 20. 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:54.080 This is known, this is a famous passage known as the be attitudes, okay? 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:59.919 Because Jesus wants you to be about these attitudes, okay? 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:02.159 So if you have your Bibles, grab them, turn to that. 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:05.599 If you don't have your Bible, you can tap the NFC tag there on the chair in front of you. 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:08.400 Hit sermon notes, and all of my sermon notes are there. 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:09.759 But we're gonna start in verse 20. 00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:19.439 It says, and he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said, Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:23.279 First, this is not what America says. 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:26.000 It says, Blessed are the poor. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:29.519 Blessed are the poor. 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:34.959 Notice, Jesus did not say, Blessed are the self-sufficient. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:39.439 He doesn't say, Blessed are the people who have it all together. 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:40.399 Amen. 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:44.399 No, he says, Blessed are the poor. 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:53.120 Luke specifically emphasized, emphasizes literal poverty and those who are material lacking and marginalized. 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:53.839 Why? 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:58.000 Because poverty has a way of revealing dependence. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:04.319 When you have nothing else to lean on, you discover that God is enough. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:22.000 Listen, guys, sometimes God allows seasons where resources dry up, the answers disappear, and control slips through our fingers because he's trying to teach us dependence on him over self-sufficiency. 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:27.120 The kingdom belongs to people who know they need him. 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:29.519 Now, listen this morning. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:45.279 I'm saying there are times, there are seasons that God lets us go through seasons of drought so that we can enjoy the seasons of plenty, but know that it all comes from Him. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:52.240 Some of the most powerful prayers are not prayed in comfort. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:54.879 They're prayed in hospital rooms. 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:57.360 They're prayed in financial stress. 00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:03.759 They're prayed at funerals, at kitchen tables with unpaid bills at 2 a.m. 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:06.399 when anxiety won't let you sleep. 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:11.519 Because desperation has a way of stripping away pride. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:27.360 You stop pretending, you stop performing, you stop relying on yourself, and suddenly your heart opens to God in a way it has never opened up to Him before. 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:32.720 Some of you have been viewing your weakness as a curse. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:39.199 When maybe it's the very thing that's driving you towards Jesus. 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:42.959 Stop waiting until you have it all together. 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:45.839 Because listen, you're not gonna have it all together. 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:49.040 Stop waiting until you have it all together to come to God. 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:54.399 The kingdom is filled with people who have come to Jesus with empty hands. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:07:01.519 I think the problem is most of the time we come to Jesus expecting him to do something. 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:08.319 When Jesus says, just come with empty hands and let me do what I'm going to do. 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:17.199 Because, guys, God often does his deepest work in people who have run out of everything except him. 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:28.639 Because let me tell you, I I experienced this very thought when I went on a mission trip to Guatemala. 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:32.240 Let me tell you, these people have nothing. 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:40.000 What's amazing is I go to, I travel from our beautiful, amazing church here in America down to Guatemala. 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:43.519 We serve these people, and you know what they do? 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:46.240 They lavish us with gifts. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:48.639 Why do they do that? 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:51.040 Because they want to honor God. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:59.600 They have nothing, we'll go without, yet they want to honor God with every part of their lives. 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:04.720 Let me just tell you, some of the most impactful moments of my life. 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:10.639 I got the opportunity to sit back and play and sing in Spanish. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:16.399 Now, if you've ever talked to me, you know Spanish is no bueno for me. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:24.800 And I pretty much Rachel's taught me a couple things. 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:29.279 But I spent the whole flight working on this one song. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:33.600 And when I got there, I was singing the song Let It Rain. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:42.960 Open the floodgates of heaven. 00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:55.679 And I watched as these kids and staff, as God just poured out their lives, just broke things inside of them. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:58.879 You know what the cool thing was? 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:04.480 It was worth every bit of travel all the way from here in America down there. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:09.519 It was worth being away from my family, it was worth being away from my church. 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:17.519 So God could show me truly, I don't have to have stuff to have everything that I need. 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:22.879 I can have everything that I need in Him. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:26.639 And if you don't believe me, look at the richest people in the world. 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:28.320 Do they have happiness? 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:33.279 You know, we all say if I just had a little bit more money, I might be happy. 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:36.639 Well, you get a little bit more money and suddenly you find ways to spend it. 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:37.200 Amen. 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:50.399 She got$150, but she owed dad$93 for her phone. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:54.000 And she found a good concept that all adults learn. 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:57.360 That sometimes when it hits your bank account, it's already spoken for. 00:09:57.519 --> 00:09:57.919 Amen. 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:03.360 But we are blessed because we are poor. 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:03.759 Amen. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:04.879 Amen. 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:06.080 Let's keep reading. 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:07.279 Verse 21. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:15.279 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:21.440 Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:24.559 Number two is blessed are the hungry. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:33.120 Notice it doesn't say comfortable, not spiritually indifferent, not people satisfied with surface-level Christianity. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:40.240 The hunger, the hungry, there's a difference between knowing about God and desperately longing for him. 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:47.759 The problem is many of us know about God, but we don't long for more of him. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:55.919 This passage points towards future fulfillment that God Himself will satisfy those who trust Him. 00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:59.039 The world keeps offering substitutes. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:05.759 Those substitutes are like success, relationships, money, pleasure. 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:08.000 We love achievement. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:10.000 We love entertainment. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:13.200 That's why we're addicted to that phone that's in our hand. 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:16.720 But nothing fills your soul like Jesus. 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:23.279 Listen, guys, you can fill your schedule full and still have an empty heart. 00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:31.120 How people can binge watch things. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:41.120 They can binge watch shows on Netflix, they can binge social media, they can they can dive into work and binge work, they can binge distractions. 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:46.960 But we binge everything except the presence of God. 00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:49.840 Do you think it would change our world? 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:56.559 Do you think it would change anything in the Church of America if instead of binging Netflix, we binge Jesus? 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:07.519 But many people are spiritually starving while surrounded by endless consumption. 00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:13.440 You can feed your flesh constantly and still starve your soul. 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:16.720 So let me ask you this. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:18.879 What are you feeding your spirit? 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:27.519 Some of you are spiritually exhausted, not because God is absent, but because you haven't been feeding on him. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:36.879 You cannot live on one sermon a week and expect deep spiritual strength. 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:42.240 Listen, this is just this just bumps you up and gets you to the baseline. 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:48.320 You're not going to grow deeper if all you do spiritually all week long is come and hear one sermon. 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:52.080 And some of you come once a month to hear one sermon. 00:12:52.559 --> 00:13:02.480 Some of you come every other week, some of you come once every six weeks, and that's the only spiritual thing that you get, and you wonder why you're spiritually starving. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:10.639 Guys, you need his word, you need his presence, you need prayer, worship, community. 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:19.440 Let me tell you, I teach a Bible study on Wednesdays at 6:30, and I have about 15 people in there. 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:24.000 If you want to grow, I should have 150 in there. 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:35.840 The amens came for the two people in my class, but here's the thing it's not fancy. 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:40.000 We just sit around and pick apart Romans. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:44.960 And we go deep into the word of God. 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:46.320 And you know what? 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:52.320 I get more out of that 90 minutes than I do out of the rest of my spiritual week. 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:52.879 Why? 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:56.559 Because God's people are together going after Jesus. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:07.519 And let me tell you, if you don't have that in your life, where you have a small group of people around you that push you to be better spiritually, then you are going to be spiritually depraved. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:15.759 Because you live in a world where spiritual consumption is at its highest, but people are at their most broken. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:17.360 Why? 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:19.279 Because we starve ourselves. 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:21.759 We're anorexic Christians. 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:24.799 We have all the food. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:29.039 You know, I don't know if I should say this or not. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:35.279 I'm gonna say it, but you know, America's full of fat people. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:36.159 Why? 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:39.360 Because we've got McDonald's on every corner. 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:53.440 So we should be, we should not be spiritually malnourished because you have all of the resources at your fingertips, more resources than any church in history has ever had. 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:55.759 Why are we struggling the most? 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:02.559 Because the world could entertain your flesh. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:09.679 We love the entertainment of our flesh, but only Jesus can satisfy your soul. 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:18.480 We look for the satisfaction of our flesh over the satisfaction of our soul. 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:22.639 21b. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:29.600 Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:35.679 Blessed are you who weep now because you shall laugh. 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:40.960 Number three, making it real easy for you this week in the notes. 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:42.879 Blessed are those who weep. 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:45.919 You know, some real flashy preaching this week. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:52.879 Jesus is not glorifying pain here, he's promising a reversal. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:56.240 This is one of the major themes in Luke. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:16:00.080 God reverses what sin and brokenness have done. 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:02.960 The world says if you're crying, you're losing. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:07.120 Jesus says your tears are not the end of your story. 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:11.519 There will come a day when grief will give way to joy. 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:14.799 This is hope of the hope of the gospel. 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:20.639 The hope of the gospel is pain is temporary, but redemption is eternal. 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:27.279 Those of you that have been in the room with the saint that has passed away and gone to heaven know this truth. 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:32.080 You know you're sad they're gone, but you're happy they're with Jesus. 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:36.000 And you hope that one day you'll get to see him again too. 00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:43.679 But sometimes you don't realize how exhausted you are until you finally hit rock bottom. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:50.639 And guys, there's people in this room today that have been carrying silent burdens. 00:16:51.600 --> 00:17:02.639 Grief, disappointment, betrayal, fear, heartbreak, prayers that still haven't gone unanswered. 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:05.920 And maybe nobody else sees it today. 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:10.160 But I want you to know this: Jesus does. 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:13.759 Jesus sees your pain. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:16.000 Jesus sees your tears. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:20.880 And the Bible says that he captures everyone. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:25.200 So don't let pain make you bitter. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:30.319 Let pain drive you closer to Jesus. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:35.680 Because the enemy wants suffering to isolate you from God. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:40.799 But suffering can actually deepen your dependence on him. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:45.359 Your sorrow is not wasted in the hands of God. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:53.279 Listen, guys, God doesn't ignore your tears, he redeems them. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:59.279 God wants to take your brokenness and redeem it. 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:03.519 That's why he says, Blessed are those who are broken, because they will act. 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:12.640 Because one day, no matter what amount of brokenness that we have in our lives, one day, if we choose him, we will be at the throne of heaven. 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:17.920 And we will have joy like we've never had before. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:22.720 Verse 22. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.000 Where am I? 00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:26.400 There it is. 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:30.000 Blessed are you when people hate you. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:32.400 This was tough. 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:42.640 Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:51.599 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for so their fathers did to the prophets. 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:54.400 This is the one we don't like to hear. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:57.759 Number four, blessed are the persecuted. 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:03.279 Now let me tell you, I'm not preaching this morning that I think the American church is persecuted. 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:03.839 Okay. 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:08.240 We face persecution, but we are not persecuted. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:17.200 Now we might be one day, we face persecution in our lives, but we are not persecuted yet. 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:24.559 Jesus is not talking about being disliked because you're rude, arrogant, or difficult. 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:25.119 Okay? 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:32.079 If you are a pain in the butt, Jesus is not talking about blessed are you because you are a pain in the butt. 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:36.880 You're just a pain in the butt, and you need to stop being a pain in the butt. 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:37.680 Okay? 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:38.720 Sorry, mom. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:42.160 Bottom is what I was supposed to say. 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:49.599 He's talking about suffering because you genuinely follow Jesus. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:57.039 This passage teaches that opposition to Christ is not abnormal, it's part of following Jesus. 00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:02.720 Listen, we live in a culture that wants Christians to compromise quietly. 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:10.400 They want us to soften the truth to avoid conviction that they feel because they want us to fit in. 00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:15.279 But following Jesus will cost you something. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:25.359 It might cost you relationships, it might cost you popularity, it might cost you opportunities, and it may even cost you approval. 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:32.240 But when Jesus says, when that happens, rejoice. 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:33.680 Why? 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:38.319 Because heaven sees what earth rejects. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:46.880 Listen, the prophets that we read about in the Bible stood for truth and they were hated. 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:52.559 The disciples stood for truth and they were persecuted. 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:56.640 Jesus stood for the truth and he was crucified. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:03.519 So why do you think that faithful Christians would always be applauded by our culture? 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:10.880 Listen, I am not surprised when I post a reel or TikTok and my comment is full of haters. 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:14.319 That just means I'm doing the work of the Lord. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:20.559 I'm not surprised that people have bad things to say about me in the public. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:22.000 You know why? 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:25.759 Because if I'm preaching the word, you're not always gonna like me. 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:32.079 Sometimes I'm going to have to say things that offend you. 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:36.400 But remember, offense is taken, not given. 00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:40.319 I'm just speaking the truth over your life. 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:47.039 Now, listen, sometimes you leave the service, you're like, that preacher, I don't know how he read my mail. 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:52.000 Listen, I had this planned since last summer. 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:52.799 Okay? 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:59.039 This message was on the calendar, and we are scheduled with Luke until 2028. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:05.599 So if someone is reading your mail, it is the Holy Spirit, not I. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:13.440 Jesus knew to drop in my head that this is what you needed to hear today. 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:16.559 It's not me. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:27.839 So if you want to write an email to pastor Todd at HopechurchCleaver.com and get mad at me, you can just be ready for what comes back to you. 00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:30.160 Because I'm going to tell you the truth. 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:31.440 Because I love you. 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:38.000 Because one day I'm going to stand before the throne of God and you're not going to say, I wish that preacher was easier on me. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:41.519 You're going to say, I wish that preacher would have pushed me harder. 00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:47.359 Listen, stop measuring faithfulness by applause. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:58.640 If everybody always agrees with you, if everybody always applauds you, if everybody always celebrates you, you may not actually be standing boldly for Jesus. 00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:07.359 Don't compromise the truth that we find in God's word to gain acceptance. 00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:15.680 If you are rejected, you stand shoulder to shoulder with Jesus. 00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:23.839 Because if you live for the applause of people, you'll eventually compromise the truth of God. 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:27.039 Here's the problem. 00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:32.079 I know this is some of yours is going to stop you flat. 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:34.160 Sometimes I'm too nice. 00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:35.599 You're like, what? 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:37.599 Yeah, I heard Cheryl laugh on the front. 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:38.960 Like, sometimes I'm too nice. 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:41.039 Sometimes I get up here and I go, you know what? 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:41.599 I don't know. 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:43.039 I don't know if I should say that. 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:44.640 I don't want to offend somebody. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:46.160 I don't know if I should say that. 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:50.720 And and trust me, the nice one, Crystal, she's got a headache this morning. 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:51.519 Pray for her. 00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:53.119 She might be here second service. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:53.440 I don't know. 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:56.720 I haven't haven't checked my phone yet, but pray for her. 00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:01.039 But she'll get home and she'll go, Did you really say that? 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:04.960 Like she'll she'll she'll have something to say. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:07.440 Like, did you really tell them that they're supposed to not like you? 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:08.799 Did you really tell them that? 00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:12.400 And I'll go, listen, babe, it's not my job. 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:15.440 It's not my job for them to be a fan of me. 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:18.000 You can't always be a fan of me. 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:19.279 Now, I want you to like me. 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:21.759 The humanness inside of me wants you to like me. 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:25.279 But as a pastor, I have to speak the truth. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:27.279 And the same is true in your life. 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:32.640 Sometimes you're gonna have some friends in your life that are making really stupid decisions. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:40.400 And sometimes they just need a friend to put their arm around them and say, hey, listen, it'd be really great if you'd stop being stupid. 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:48.640 You know, you know, it'd be really great if you'd stop cheating on your wife. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:53.759 You know, it'd be really great if you'd stop being a butthead. 00:24:53.920 --> 00:24:55.119 I said that earlier. 00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:57.119 Or a bottom, excuse me. 00:24:58.079 --> 00:24:59.359 A posterior. 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:05.839 But we need those people in our lives. 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:10.640 Have you ever had somebody step in and say, hey, you better wake up before it's too late? 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:13.920 Aren't you grateful for those people? 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:20.720 I hope that I have people in my life that will step in and save me before I jump off a cliff. 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:28.480 But that means that you have to have people in your life that aren't afraid to speak God's truth over you. 00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:34.480 Because God says, blessed are the persecuted. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:47.440 So let me tell you, if you're facing some hardship in your life, if you've been passed over for things in your life, God sees that and God knows. 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:50.400 So, what are our transformational moments this morning? 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:53.039 I want us to move forward because I want us to have some time. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:56.079 I believe God's gonna do some things at the altar today. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:26:03.279 If you're new here at Hope Church, my transformational moments are questions to challenge you for the rest of your week. 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:09.519 Number one, what if your brokenness is the very place that God wants to meet you? 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:18.079 What if every hard thing that you're going through right now is just what Jesus wants to do in your heart? 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:22.160 Maybe you're just so hard-headed. 00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:25.519 Here's the part where you won't like me. 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:32.799 Maybe you're just so hard-headed that Jesus has to let you beat yourself down so that he can build you back up. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:40.240 Because listen, most of us, God doesn't have to, God, and the Bible says God won't beat us down. 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:45.279 He'll allow us to beat ourselves down, he'll allow the devil to beat us down. 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:52.799 But he'll step in and put you together back peace by peace. 00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:57.039 Number two, what are you feeding more? 00:26:57.359 --> 00:27:00.559 Your flesh or your spirit? 00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:09.759 Some of you need to delete TikTok from your phone and only keep the Bible app on your phone. 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:14.799 You're like, man, I just I just can't stop scrolling. 00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:18.000 To delete it. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:22.240 Like nobody is holding your phone going, up, you gotta keep that. 00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:26.720 Your hundreds of followers are gonna miss you, right? 00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:33.680 Like, like, even if I dropped off the world, nobody would really miss me. 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:35.599 You're like, oh, yes, Pastor Help me. 00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:38.480 They put another guy up here and you wouldn't miss me. 00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:41.440 Thanks. 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:45.599 But here's the thing: what are you feeding more? 00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:48.000 Your flesh or your spirit? 00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:56.240 Because listen, if you're counting on you, if you're counting on you to step in, it's not gonna happen. 00:27:57.279 --> 00:28:04.960 Those of you iPhone users, I know I'm sure Google has something similar, you can actually put a screen time password on things. 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:11.680 I have friends of mine that struggle with their scrolling and they give their spouse a screen time password. 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:13.759 They get one hour a day on TikTok. 00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:17.039 And when that hour's up, the screen time password comes up. 00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:22.720 And you have to, if you if you want to break through, you have to actually ask an accountability partner. 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:26.079 Maybe not, maybe your spouse isn't the best one, maybe somebody else. 00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:29.279 I'm a verbal processor, I'm processing this right now. 00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:33.599 Uh if you need that, do it. 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:39.759 Some of you just need to delete it altogether, and I bet you won't miss it. 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:46.799 Number three, are you living for the approval of heaven or the applause of people? 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:55.200 Listen, some of us are caught in the trap of we want everybody to like us. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:29:02.000 But when you get to heaven one day and stand before Jesus, Jesus is not gonna say, Did everybody like you? 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:05.279 He's gonna say, What did you do for me? 00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:15.200 And I think many of us have spent too much time trying to entertain people that we don't like. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:16.720 Yes. 00:29:18.079 --> 00:29:20.640 Instead of praising the one who created us. 00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:31.519 And like Noah said, let him go to Hawaii, let him go to Disney. 00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:36.319 I'm gonna go to Guatemala and give kids Christmas. 00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:37.119 That's right. 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:40.160 Because you know what? 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:42.799 When I get to heaven, Jesus is not gonna go. 00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:46.240 How is the serf in Hawaii? 00:29:47.039 --> 00:29:50.640 He's gonna say, see this guy here? 00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:54.960 He's from Guatemala, and he's here because you gave. 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:04.799 So here's my question for you today. 00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:08.480 What are you living for? 00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:12.799 You living for the applause of people? 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:17.359 Jesus says, live for the applause of heaven. 00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:22.000 So I'm gonna ask everybody to bow their head and close their eyes all over the room. 00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:28.559 Just want you to begin to ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. 00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:37.519 You didn't come into this place today to just feel good about yourself. 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:41.440 Ask God what needs to change in you. 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:53.279 And there's some of us here today that don't have a relationship with Jesus. 00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:56.960 In just a moment, I'm gonna walk you through what that means. 00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:07.680 But some of you here today do have a relationship with Jesus, and we just need to stop being apathetic and start going towards God. 00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:14.480 But those of you in this room that don't have a relationship with Jesus, I'm about to say a prayer. 00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:21.119 And I truly believe this is step one in the rest of your walk with Jesus. 00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:24.000 This is not what saves you. 00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:27.519 What saves you is the life that you live after this. 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:34.400 But if you feel God tugging at your heart this morning and you want to accept him, just repeat after me. 00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:37.680 Dear Jesus, I'm a sinner. 00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:41.039 I need your love in my life. 00:31:41.440 --> 00:31:43.519 Forgive me where I failed you. 00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:46.000 I give my heart to you today. 00:31:46.720 --> 00:31:50.319 Take my life, use it for your purpose. 00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:52.160 In Jesus' name. 00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:52.960 Amen.