WEBVTT 00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:09.919 Thank you for joining us for a sermon from Sojourn North. 00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:13.919 We're starting a three-week series on community. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:16.960 We just finished uh what book did we just finish? 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:18.320 Philippians, yeah. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:20.239 I was about to say feature Philippians. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:31.280 And so typically, if you're new here, we go through books of the Bible, passage by passage, but we're taking a little break, a three-week break, to do a topical series on community. 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:39.759 And so our desire is to say, Lord, what is your heart for us as we embark on this new season together? 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:47.200 And so as we think about community, I was thinking this was an interesting question that came to mind. 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:50.719 Have you ever wondered how to ruin a good community? 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:52.719 That would be an interesting question to think about. 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:57.039 Because sometimes you think about the negative, so you can think about the positive. 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:02.880 Well, I thought I found out some good ways that I have seen people ruin community that's good. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:05.120 I call them community killers. 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:14.319 And what I would do is I'd start on the inside of a group and I would just encourage tendencies that we all have and just kind of fuel those tendencies. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:17.519 So see if some of these reach you. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:22.079 Community can be broken down when people become these things. 00:01:22.239 --> 00:01:26.000 All right, first one, when people become the fixers. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:29.200 Have you ever been a part of a group where everyone's trying to fix each other? 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:30.799 Oh, not much fun. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:33.040 Every conversation becomes advice. 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:35.760 People are analyzed before they're loved. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:37.920 You want to give advice, advice. 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:41.200 I want to fix you, fix you, fix you, fix you instantly. 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:48.079 And when people feel evaluated, they don't feel loved and accepted, and they're not going to flourish. 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:50.159 So that can hinder community. 00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:52.560 Here's another group of people. 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:55.359 What's funny is I find myself in all of these. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:57.439 The mind reader. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:05.120 It's when you assign meaning and motive to someone's action without talking to them or finding out any other information. 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:10.960 It's like they did this and they must have done this because XYZ. 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:14.800 And then you live based on that story that you make up in your mind. 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:16.560 We all do that. 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:19.039 It's like they didn't look at me in the hall. 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:22.879 They must want me to fail at preaching today. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:24.560 What? 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:26.240 It's kind of crazy. 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:30.240 But if you didn't look at me in the hall, you know who you are. 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:31.439 Just kidding. 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:32.879 Everybody looked at me today. 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:35.120 If you don't look at me, it's fine. 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:36.479 I promise you. 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:39.919 Number three, the scorekeeper keeps a mental spreadsheet. 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:40.879 Who served? 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:41.680 Who didn't? 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:43.120 Who greeted? 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:46.159 Who didn't sit in the right seat this week? 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:49.599 We don't have right seats, but you keep the score anyway. 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:52.560 The critic evaluates everything, the music, the sermon. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:56.000 Pastor, why did your sermon go over two minutes today? 00:02:56.639 --> 00:02:59.520 Not in length, two minutes in length, but two minutes over the. 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:01.360 I'll keep going. 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:05.120 What about the ghost shows up and disappears? 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:06.879 I've done that. 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:09.759 The pretender never admits weakness. 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:11.599 Done that. 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:13.520 The Lone Ranger, I'm good. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:14.639 I don't need anything. 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:15.280 I'm good. 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:16.080 How are you doing? 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:17.039 I'm good. 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:18.080 Good. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:20.479 All of these things can hinder community. 00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:31.520 We could talk also about the performer, the perfectionist, but when we get down to the base level, every one of us, every one of you is a complex human being. 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:37.280 You don't just show up static, you carry in everything that you've ever experienced. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:41.120 It may not be cognitive of it, but we've all lived lives. 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:50.639 And if you only look at people through one lens of how you're experiencing them in that moment, it will hinder and kill community. 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:56.719 But if we can expand our view and say, who is sitting before me? 00:03:56.960 --> 00:04:04.159 And who am I, then it can fuel healthy community. 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:21.519 We have three passages that we're going to look through today, and each one deserves its own sermon, but I want to just pull out a snippet from each one to talk about three lenses that the gospel says we should view each person who is before us and to view ourselves. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:28.319 And the three lenses that I want to look at is that we're, and I'm going to say it in different ways throughout. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:33.600 You have your outline, but the first way I want to say it is we're more broken than we often admit. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:41.439 We are more loved than we could ever believe, and we are more burdened than others know. 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:46.240 So broken, beloved, burdened. 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:48.480 Maybe you'll like this one better. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:52.639 We're sinners, we're saints, and we're sufferers. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:59.920 Every person who you come in contact with, you yourself, if they're in Christ. 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:04.000 So let's look at why community matters. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:10.560 And next week we'll be doing some more practical implications of how does this look like for us at Sojourn North? 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:18.560 What is the Lord inviting us to, and what are the structures, the simple structures that we want to put forth this fall to increase intentional community? 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:23.199 So, number one, because we still battle sin. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:25.759 Why does community matter? 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:27.680 Because we still battle sin. 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:30.240 So James 4, 1 through 3 says this. 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:32.079 It's in your notes here. 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:36.720 What is the source of wars and fights among you? 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:41.040 Don't they come from your passions that wage war within you? 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:47.759 You desire and do not have, you murder and covet and cannot obtain, you fight and wage war. 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:56.959 You do not have because you do not ask, you ask and don't receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your own pleasures. 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:01.519 So there's a lot in that passage, but I want you just to look at this. 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:03.360 This is the reality. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:13.439 There is a source of our conflicts, of the things we wrestle with in our flesh and with others. 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:16.399 And what does James say they are? 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:21.680 It's they come from the passions that wage war within us. 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:24.240 He's talking to Christians. 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:28.959 In Romans 7, Paul says a very similar thing in verse 22 and following. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:32.560 He says, For in my inner self I delight in God's law. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:34.959 So that's the redeemed self, the new me. 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:44.399 But I see different law in the parts of my body waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin and death in the parts of my body. 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:48.079 The main point is you have a war inside, just like I do. 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:49.920 There's a battle inside. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:07:00.720 The great philosopher, mathematician Pascal said it like this that humanity is both the glory and garbage of creation. 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:03.199 That's a heavy statement. 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:11.439 The way I'd state it is humanity has potential to do wonderful, beautiful, loving, sacrificial things. 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:18.319 And humanity has the potential to do cruel, unloving, harmful things. 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:21.040 Is that true for you? 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:23.120 It's true for me. 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:29.600 I want to do a little caveat here. 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:36.160 We see that every one of us are broken and we're sinners, but the truth is we all have agency. 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:37.600 You have choice. 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:40.160 Every one of you is responsible for your own soul. 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:42.319 I'm responsible for my own soul. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:46.399 We don't excuse sin here and say, do whatever you want to. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:49.519 That's not not what we desire at all. 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:51.519 Because sin leads to brokenness. 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:59.199 You know, ultimately sin leads to death and destruction, but it leads to broken relationships, it leads us to not keeping our focus on God. 00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:00.480 But do we still struggle with sin? 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:01.360 Will we still sin? 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:03.279 Yes, we will. 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:12.720 The implications for community, because we're sinners, we are going to misunderstand each other at times. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.319 Because we're sinners, we'll wound one another. 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:21.360 And some people in these seats, and you don't know what people's stories are until you start getting to know them. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:30.879 Some people have been so wounded by religion, by churches, by church leaders. 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:34.159 It's just part of your story. 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:35.440 And we mourn that with you. 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:36.960 And healing takes time. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:40.480 Building trust back up for someone takes time. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:45.039 If you're new here and hanging out, I don't expect you to fully trust me. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:47.279 Get to know me first, you know. 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:49.519 It's like it takes time. 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:55.519 But the implications we wound each other, we disappoint each other, we become defensive. 00:08:55.919 --> 00:09:00.159 I can feel defenses rise, and it's usually in the most important relationships, right? 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:05.200 When someone says something and then you feel that little something kick in, it's like, oh yeah. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:13.600 One of my favorite things to do is when I know I'm right, I'll pull my phone out on the couch with ginger and I'll Google it. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:15.919 Be like, yeah, I'm right. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:20.000 And if I'm wrong, I go. 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:28.240 That's fun, right? 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:31.919 But we're wrong sometimes. 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:34.320 Do you have to always be right? 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:36.639 Man, you're gonna live a miserable life. 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:41.679 And if you're not miserable having to always be right, those around you will be miserable. 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:45.440 Will need real repentance. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:49.200 Community doesn't fail because sin exists. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:54.000 Community fails when we forget sin exists. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:01.200 Community fails when we forget sin exists and that we are sinners. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:04.799 Now, this isn't the whole story, this is one lens. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:14.320 If you only look through the lens of, oh, we're all sinners, then despair kicks in, you're gonna be cynical, it's gonna be heartbreaking. 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:18.799 But let's look at the next thing. 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:25.519 Community matters because we are sinners, but community matters because we belong to God. 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:30.720 So we're sinners, we are saints. 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:42.399 So the reality of point one, there's still this battle within me that will go on until the day I die or the day that the Lord returns, until the new heavens and new earth. 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:44.320 The battle will remain. 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:51.039 But even though this battle still remains, this is who God says I am. 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:56.159 The Apostle Peter, 1 Peter 2, 9, he says this. 00:10:56.320 --> 00:11:04.320 And if you see the bolded words in your notes, it means that those bolded words are references that tie back to the Old Testament. 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:15.360 Within this passage, there's references just in verse 9, Deuteronomy 4, 7 and 10, Exodus 19 and 23, Isaiah 42 and 43. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:17.279 And it's it's amazing. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:19.919 This is the story of God. 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:22.240 It hasn't changed. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:27.759 His story of redemption, and now it's rooted in this people because of the work of Christ. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:39.440 But he says this, but you, talking to believers, you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession. 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:47.120 So that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:52.240 So the main point, God has given us a new identity. 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:55.759 And it's not you will be. 00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:58.000 He says you are. 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:00.559 You are present tense. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:02.960 This is what God has made us. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:10.559 And the reality is I still battle with sin, but my ultimate identity is what God says. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:12.320 That is what is eternal. 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:17.600 And I talk to y'all a lot sometimes, that what is eternal trumps the temporary. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:19.519 And this is our eternal identity. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:21.840 There will be a day where we'd sin no more. 00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:25.200 But this is forever. 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:26.080 This is the gospel. 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:26.960 This is the good news. 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:28.879 Let's look at each of these real quick. 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:31.039 The four movements that Peter says. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:32.480 We are chosen. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:35.679 So this means you are chosen. 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:41.759 It gave God great delight to make you his son or daughter. 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:45.759 It doesn't start with you impressing anyone. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:50.639 It starts with you being first loved and then we love. 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:56.159 The next one goes back, Old Testament view of that we are priests. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:05.759 In the Old Testament, the priests were the go-between between regular people and God, and the priest would offer sacrifices and did this over and over again. 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:10.000 But because of the sacrifice of Christ, he has made us righteous, and we are priests. 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:11.519 There's nothing between us and God. 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:14.080 We can go to God at any moment, any time. 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:21.279 We can have bold faith to jump into Abba's lap and pour our hearts out before Him. 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:23.600 That is who you are. 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:26.720 Community isn't made of spectators. 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:29.279 You are the royal priesthood of God. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:32.240 Priesthood of believers. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:37.360 Next one, this is positionally true. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:39.279 You are holy. 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:56.799 Not because you're perfect and you won't reach perfection on this life, but you've been set apart by God to be a part of his family, to live into the kingdom, and to be sanctified, to grow more like Jesus. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:00.720 And finally, we belong to God. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:02.720 You belong to God. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:05.919 We are a people for his own possession. 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:15.360 The passage that talks about where Paul says that his prize is us. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:17.840 That we are trophies of grace. 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:22.399 That this is God's great desire to redeem us and bring him. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:24.000 We are gods. 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:28.240 And a culture asking, where do I belong? 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:30.320 And some people asking, do I belong? 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:32.080 Is there anywhere I belong? 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:34.559 Yes, you belong. 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:40.000 You belong to God. 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:45.440 And the implication of that, Peter ends with purpose. 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:56.639 You don't just stay with that, it's so that you may proclaim the praises of our God who rescued us from the domain of darkness and brought us into this kingdom of wonderful light. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:59.600 That this is what makes our mouths open. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:10.159 This is why we do community, why we gather to worship and why when we scatter, we still do community and we seek to reach out to a lost and hurting world because they need the message of Jesus. 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:22.320 So the application for this, if we think, going back to the first point, if you see that you're a sinner and that's all you see, you will become cynical. 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:29.679 If all you see is that you're a sinner, you'll eventually become ashamed and you'll feel just live in guilt. 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:35.840 But if we remember that Christ has made us saints, we begin calling out what grace is. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:38.480 It's growing in each other. 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:44.559 I say uh one of my pastor heroes wrote it like this. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:52.559 He says, when he sits with someone, his one of his main jobs is to call out the name of God. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:55.279 Now, listen to me all the way. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:57.919 Not in some weird way of going, God. 00:15:58.559 --> 00:16:01.759 But what he's saying is he's listening to the person's story. 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:06.399 And then he says, How might God be working in the story? 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:12.399 Tell me about a time in life in your life where God seemed present. 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:16.879 What might be God be up to? 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:18.080 What might he be up to? 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:26.559 And you're you're trying to shift people's focus, not to try to fix them or rip them out of the situation, because sometimes valleys last a long time. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:29.440 But you're you're seeking to redirect them. 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:34.639 And if we do that as community, we remember we are sinners, but we're saints. 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:36.960 Precious beloved by God. 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:41.279 We can journey together with this. 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:45.279 Don't reduce people to their worst day. 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:47.200 See what Christ is doing in them. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:50.399 And finally, the last point. 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:54.000 Why does community matter? 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:57.200 Because we carry heavy things. 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:05.519 So one of the paradigms, remember broken, beloved, burdened. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:09.519 Sinner, saint, sufferer, whichever one connects more with you. 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:13.279 Ultimate identity is that one in the middle, beloved, saint. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:16.880 But these are realities in this life right now. 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:32.240 A lot we could say from 2 Corinthians 4, but if you look on uh in your scriptures or on the bulletin, I want to just focus in on the reality of what Paul's saying here as far as suffering goes. 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:41.200 He says, now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:49.599 So he's saying, This glory of God, this Holy Spirit's within us, but we are jars of clay. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:53.039 It's a good band, by the way, back from the 90s. 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:56.880 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:18:00.079 We are perplexed, but not in despair. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:02.319 We are persecuted but not abandoned. 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:05.680 We are struck down but not destroyed. 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:12.319 Okay, he's he's paralleling here this but not this, this, but not this. 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:15.599 I just want to look at the suffering aspect. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:20.640 Because these are realities and they're not to be looked over too quickly. 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:25.519 Paul's describing something especially as he starts with jars of clay. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:31.039 It's an important image because jars of clay were common, but they were purposeful. 00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:36.319 If you've ever had a clay jar or a clay pot, do they crack easy? 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:37.440 They do. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:38.559 They do. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:40.160 They're very fragile. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:43.039 But they have great purpose. 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:50.480 When we think about our lives, have you thought about how easily you crack sometimes? 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:53.200 I know how easily I can crack. 00:18:53.759 --> 00:19:01.599 When the pressure comes in, it's so interesting when pressure mounts and it builds and the stress builds, builds, builds, and then it's like one little text message. 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:07.279 It's like one grain of sand that gets put on top of that, and you just feel like you crumble. 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:17.519 And it's not the grain of sand, it's not the text message where someone asks you if you could help them take out their catalytic converter. 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:19.839 I was trying just to throw something out. 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:23.200 It's actually hard to take off a catalytic converter. 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:26.799 I failed doing that one time, but I didn't have a torch. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:30.319 So that is so random. 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:36.640 It's not that last grain of sand, but it's at everything built up. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:47.759 And these burdens that build up, we just we find ourselves cracking and needing help because we all face these in our lives: uncertainty. 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:50.079 We face disappointment. 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:54.240 We have physical limitations, especially as we grow older. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:56.240 There are physical limitations. 00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:11.200 There's anxiety that we deal with, there's grief that we deal with, there's persecution that we deal with, there's unanswered questions, there's illness, there's relational wounds, and all these things, Paul recognizes them all. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:18.240 If you take a journey through 2 Corinthians and just look at the emotional language that Paul uses, look at how much he suffered. 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:21.359 Not just physically, he suffered greatly physically. 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:24.240 But look how he suffered emotionally as well. 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.839 People saying, like, ah, he's not a good speaker. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:29.519 How can he be an apostle? 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:36.319 He's just a lot, like a lot, a lot going on in his life. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:39.279 But let's look at what he says. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:43.200 Acknowledging our human frailty. 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:47.440 He says, He's a jar of clay, we're jars of clay. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:50.000 He is afflicted in every way. 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:54.480 How do you feel afflicted today? 00:20:55.279 --> 00:21:00.400 With life pressures, with responsibilities, with children, with marriage bills, health stress. 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:10.079 I know with us, like with the beginning of school year, with the college semester and high school, with with kids, like this week I carried a lot of anxiety. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:16.799 And a lot of it's tied to my anxiety as a as a kid and how much I hated school. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:19.200 I did not feel safe. 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:23.680 Inner city, Memphis going from coming from small town, Oklahoma. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:25.119 Anxiety. 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:34.880 And now not knowing this, like I trusted the Lord with my kids, but I'm anxious, and I have to continue to trust the Lord with my kids. 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:37.519 But it's it's it's hard. 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:40.319 What about perplexed? 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.680 Do you feel perplexed? 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:43.680 He writes it, perplexed. 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:46.240 Do you have deep questions? 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:49.839 I have a lot of deep questions sometimes. 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:56.559 A lot of deep questions can only be answered with mystery, like maybe it's mysterious. 00:21:57.200 --> 00:21:59.839 But it helps to say, like, I'm perplexed. 00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:03.839 I'm struggling with understanding. 00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:07.599 Because it gets down into our bones and marrow. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:12.880 And if it just sits there, when I was growing up in church, I'd say, well, why that? 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:18.319 I was very introspective, very thought-provoked little kid. 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:27.599 And I remember asking several teachers in our church, why this, this, and this? 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:31.519 And their answers all the time were just because the Bible says so. 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:38.799 And that's a true answer, but they didn't engage my heart. 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:46.319 And even their interpretation of what the Bible says, it's like, why can't we listen to secular music? 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:49.920 Well, because the Bible says don't look like the world. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:59.039 And if you even if you're listening to Christian music and it sounds like secular music and you drive up to someone in their car, they might go to hell because they may think you're listening to secular music. 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:04.319 And I'm like, I'm in the seventh grade, and that logic is terrible. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:07.599 That makes no sense to me. 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:10.799 Because I'm listening to a beat in my car. 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:13.839 And I'm in charge of their self. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:19.119 What's going on with this logical diffusion you got going on? 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:23.519 But we are perplexed sometimes. 00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:29.279 And sometimes we look to the cross where Jesus is quoting Psalm 22. 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:30.079 Why? 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:32.400 Why have you forsaken me? 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.440 And we know that the Lord knows those questions. 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:40.319 And the pain of questions. 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:41.759 What about persecution? 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:45.279 Not everyone will experience the same levels of persecution. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:54.319 Brothers and sisters overseas who are literally putting their life on the line, but we experience some sort of persecution as believers. 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:58.079 Everyone knows what it's like to be misunderstood. 00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:07.039 I remember when I was going to seminary as a 30-year-old, I've been a school teacher and a coach for some years, and it was like, this is the next step for me. 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:13.920 A loved one sat me down and said, Chad, it's okay to take the Bible seriously, but just don't take it too seriously. 00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:17.200 And I'm like, my whole life I've taken it seriously. 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:19.039 What do you even mean? 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:22.640 But it hurt because it was a loved one. 00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:25.440 It's like I've given my all to this. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:29.759 It's like Peter saying, like, who has words of eternal life? 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:32.400 I have Jesus, and this is my life. 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:35.440 Struck down. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:38.079 Feels like a physical phrase. 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:41.440 Life knocks us over, and we could go on and on and on. 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:47.119 And this is the reality is that God's grace, the second part of all of these, does happen. 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:54.000 That God's grace allows us not to be crushed, to not be despairing, to not be abandoned, to not be destroyed. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:58.799 But I know in life, at times I do feel crushed. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:01.519 I have been in a place of despair. 00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:10.240 I feel like I've been abandoned, even though that's not true from a physician standpoint. 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:15.759 But that's why we do suffering. 00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:19.279 And that's why I want us to remember suffering is real. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:20.720 The burdens are real. 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:25.279 You never know what someone's carrying until you step into their life. 00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:31.119 And the quickest way to shut someone down who's who's pouring their heart out to you is try to be a quick fix person. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:35.680 And it it's it's uncomfortable sometimes to hear people suffering. 00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:39.680 But just sit and receive. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:40.799 You don't have to do anything. 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:42.160 Sit and receive. 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:49.279 My go-to phrase is I'm so sorry you're having to walk through that. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:51.119 And I mean it. 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:58.640 That is so much better than have you thought about this, this, this, what about this? 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:06.720 Have you just sit in comfort, receive them, and ask them this question what do you think you might need? 00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:23.279 I think one of the things that uh I regret in marriage is I didn't know what ginger needed many years, and I would just assume what I thought she needed, and it's not what she needed at all. 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:39.359 And it's like she needed me maybe just to sit with her, and I'm like, okay, she's stressed, so I need to go clean the dishes, and there's like, I need to go do this, and it's like I need to come up with a plan so that it's like she just wanted me to hear her and understand. 00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:45.039 That's what we want to be, and really we have to slow down to be that. 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:48.400 You don't gotta fix nobody. 00:26:50.079 --> 00:26:52.079 What does that even mean, anyway? 00:26:54.799 --> 00:27:00.400 Point people to Jesus, be present with them, look through the lens. 00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:08.160 Everyone I come in contact with is a sinner, every believer I come in contact with is a saint. 00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:12.000 And everyone I come in contact with is in some level of suffering. 00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:15.200 Doesn't mean that we're all suffering all the time. 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:16.880 Some people are. 00:27:31.839 --> 00:27:41.119 Healthy community grows as we learn to see one another with humility, with hope, and compassion. 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:44.319 So let's keep this up here for a moment. 00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:48.559 When I see someone is broken, I know that I'm broken. 00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:51.680 I can be humble when someone messes up. 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:54.720 I can be forgiving. 00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:01.359 I can have hope because God doesn't give up on people. 00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:03.200 He's still at work in people's lives. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:05.119 He's still at work in your life. 00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:09.119 He who began a good work in you, he's gonna bring it about till completion. 00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:11.119 This is the hope that we have. 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:14.240 It's not about me fixing somebody, it's about the Holy Spirit. 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:17.839 I do want to point them to Jesus and I want to be present with them. 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:21.039 And that does mean we challenge each other too, doesn't it? 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:24.799 And finally, we have compassion. 00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:28.079 As we remember people are suffering, that they're burdened. 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:30.880 We have compassion on them. 00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:34.640 And this is community. 00:28:34.880 --> 00:28:38.240 We look through these lenses. 00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:55.519 I'm trying to sense what what's brewing in us with this, and we're gonna switch to communion here, but I just I wonder, so next couple weeks, we're gonna do some implications like how what's your next step in community? 00:28:55.680 --> 00:28:57.359 There's not a one size fits all. 00:28:57.440 --> 00:29:00.079 We're gonna have some communion groups open up. 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:04.559 We got men's and women's ministry kicking back in. 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:14.240 Uh, we'll have some events, it may be some spiritual friendships where you just grab coffee with a friend uh once a week and talk about life. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:20.799 I got a whole list of great questions that help people explore each other's lives if you want that as a tool. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:23.839 But what's the intentional next step? 00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:30.000 Because a lot of what I talked about today, it seems pretty heavy. 00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:32.720 But this is the good news. 00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:37.039 As we do it together, there's joy. 00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:41.039 As we live life together, we laugh together. 00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:46.720 As we celebrate each other's birthdays and kids together, we are happy. 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:50.559 When something bad happens, we mourn with people. 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:58.880 When someone gets a raise or a promotion, we celebrate and we have all these movements through this community, just like we do everyday life. 00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:12.400 And I love at the men's night, we're gonna smoke, meet, and we'll laugh and do things guys do. 00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:16.720 But we'll do it together. 00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:22.960 If you're a Christian here in just a moment, even if you're visiting, this is our tradition. 00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:26.799 Uh, if you've committed your life to Christ, there's some bread and some juice here. 00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:30.000 We've got some uh gluten-free crackers here as well. 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:38.079 You can come forward as there's some music playing, you can reflect on the song, but listen for Jesus' invitation, the Holy Spirit's work. 00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:42.000 And you can take bread and juice back to your seat and just hold it. 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:56.559 And then once everyone receives the elements, uh I will lead us all to partake in communion together as a sacred symbol of all that Jesus has done, all that he's doing, and all he promises to do. 00:30:56.880 --> 00:30:59.359