WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.520 We're going to look at two scriptures. 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:06.000 The primary one that we're going to look at is 2 Corinthians 5.17. 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:10.640 So if you want to go ahead and get it in your Bible and put a marker, see I'm trying to be there. 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:11.839 Put a marker in your Bible. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.919 And then the first one we're going to look at is Isaiah 1.18. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:18.079 So I'll give you some time to turn there. 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:23.039 Isaiah 118 and 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17. 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:31.359 Now, speaking in another church is always a little scary and it's always a little intimidating because you guys are used to phenomenal preaching every week. 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:34.560 Your pastor does an incredible job at preaching God's word. 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:37.439 And so there's the church differences. 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:38.640 Maybe there's a few differences. 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:40.799 Maybe there's some geographical differences. 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:42.799 Maybe there's some style differences. 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:46.640 And so I was like, oh Lord, what am I going to talk about at Gateway Church? 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:52.640 And I believe that one of the things that I love to talk about is how to get past your past. 00:00:52.719 --> 00:01:04.640 Because here's what I know in a room this size on all of our campuses, and maybe watching online or listening to a podcast, is there are people here that there's something in your past that haunts you from time to time. 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:21.040 Like you just can't seem to get victory in your life because as soon as it seems you get your head above water, as soon as it seems you're living with some joy, as soon as it seems like you're living with some enthusiasm, it, whatever it is, come back, comes back and it haunts you. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:25.439 And you just can't seem to get unleashed from your past. 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:26.239 There's something. 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:31.359 It was an event, it was a season, it was college. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:34.959 It was your first marriage or your second marriage or your third marriage. 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:40.400 I mean, we could go on and on and on, but there's something in your past that seems to kind of haunt you. 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:51.840 So if you don't hear anything else I say, if you want to the sermon in a sentence, if you don't hear anything else I say, if you want to start counting lights or you have to leave early, or your kid sets the nursery on fire, there's always one in every church, right? 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:52.640 It's probably. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:02:01.040 If you don't hear anything else I say, the sermon in a sentence is this that if you don't let your past die, it won't let you live. 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:06.959 If you don't let your past die, it won't let you live. 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:14.719 And for some people, you're gonna be like, well, that's that's a great sentence, and I'm man, I could put that on a sticky note and put that on my mirror, but how do you live that out? 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:17.199 Because you don't understand what I'm going through. 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:18.639 And and uh you know what? 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:20.080 I probably don't. 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:22.400 But I can tell you a little bit of my story. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:24.639 This is this happened to me when I was in the sixth grade. 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:25.840 It's a true story. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:32.879 Um, in the sixth grade, I remember one day we were going to lunch, and we walked in the lunchroom, and they were serving burritos that day. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:36.879 Now it's very important that you remember that we were eating burritos at lunch. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:39.199 So I'm gonna ask you on three, what were we eating? 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:42.080 And on three, all of our campuses, I just want you to respond back to me. 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:44.319 One, two, three, burritos. 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:45.680 That is unbelievable. 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:47.120 You guys are an amazing crowd. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:48.719 I already feel the connection. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:54.800 So, right after lunch in the sixth grade, we went to PE, physical education. 00:02:55.039 --> 00:02:59.599 And that particular, I remember on this particular day we were doing our physical fitness test. 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:05.199 And, you know, you could do pull-ups or push-ups, but on this day, you I'm not making this up. 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:07.120 We were doing the sit-up test. 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:11.680 What'd I have for lunch? 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:19.120 Some of y'all can see this coming, can't you? 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:25.919 So they stood us on the wall and we had to number off as partners because one person would do the sit-ups and the other person would hold their feet. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:27.039 You know what I'm talking about? 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:27.759 Right? 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:29.360 One, two, one, two, one, two. 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:30.319 Well, I was number one. 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.800 Number two was Tara Ann. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:36.719 Tara Ann was the most beautiful girl in the sixth grade. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:37.919 Unbelievable. 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:43.520 Like I was in love with Tara Ann as much in love as you can be in the sixth grade. 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:45.759 And I knew this was my opportunity to win her heart. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:50.879 I was gonna do so many sit-ups that she was gonna fall madly, passionately in love with me. 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:52.479 We were gonna start to go out, whatever that meant. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:54.800 Remember in the sixth grade, my mom will drive, your mom can pick up. 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:55.919 You remember that? 00:03:58.240 --> 00:03:59.840 This was my chance. 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:03.520 I was gonna embrace this opportunity to win her heart. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:06.400 So I went first and she held my feet. 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:11.280 Teacher said, on your mark, get set, go, she blows the whistle, and I started sit-ups. 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:15.439 One, two, on the third sit-up. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:20.720 I parted her hair. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:33.920 There's somebody here going, I can't believe you're talking about that in church. 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:35.839 I'm just telling you, it happened. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:37.600 And it, I'm not proud of it. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:38.399 She's fine. 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:43.920 We got her some counseling, she went through some rehab, she is doing outstanding today. 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:45.839 But I quit. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:47.040 I quit right there. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:48.480 I was like, I'm not doing any more sit-ups. 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:49.519 The teacher said, You'll fail. 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:51.040 I'm like, I'm gonna fail anyway. 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:51.839 I cannot. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:56.959 And for the rest of the year, every time I saw her, I would just want to weep. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:04:59.600 We went to middle school. 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:06.000 Of course, you know, in middle school we're in, you know, separate classes or whatever, but I never will forget, I could be having the best day ever. 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:07.839 The best day ever. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:13.839 And I could walk around the corner, I could see Tara Ann walking down the hall, and I'd be that my joy would just leave me on the spot. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:20.959 I would automatically begin to weep and gnash my teeth and tear my clothes and put ashes on my head because it was just not good. 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:23.120 We're in a high school, same thing. 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:29.199 I could be having the best day ever and see her, and my day was ruined because I couldn't forget what I did. 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:30.319 This is no lie. 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:35.920 At our 10-year high school reunion, I'm standing behind the press box. 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:41.120 The football game's going on, and we're talking to some friends I hadn't seen in a long time. 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:43.120 I feel somebody pull on my shirt. 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:45.120 I turn around, it's Tara Ann. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:47.839 She says, I bet you don't remember me. 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:51.920 It's like, I can't get away from you. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:58.319 It was it was one of those things that's crazy, but it's a funny story, and it's a true story. 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:07.839 But what's not so funny is I think everybody here, if we would just be honest today, probably has a tear-in event. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:15.759 Something in your past that seems to just come up at the most inappropriate time. 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:26.319 And I'll just take you to God's word because Scripture says in Isaiah 1.18, the Bible invites us, this is the invitation from God, where Scripture says, Come now, let us settle the matter, says the Lord. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:30.000 Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:33.120 Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:37.600 In other words, God says, I can take care of the sin problem. 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:44.560 And not only the not only what you did, but I can I can wash it all away. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:57.839 Scripture says also in 2 Corinthians 5.17, and this is the main, this is where we're going to focus for the rest of the day, is therefore, if anyone is in Christ, and in the Greek that word anyone means anyone. 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:03.839 If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:07.519 The old has gone, the new is here. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:11.120 Aren't you glad today that Jesus Christ didn't die on a cross to fix you up? 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:12.800 He died on a cross to make you new. 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:14.560 I am so glad. 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:16.560 A lot of people go, Jesus, I want you to fix me. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:17.920 And Jesus goes, fix you. 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:18.560 Uh-uh. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:21.360 I want to make you brand new. 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:23.199 Now there's some people here that I know. 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:24.959 Yeah, we can we can celebrate that. 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:25.519 We should. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:26.720 I mean, we could clap. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:31.600 In fact, turn to the person to your right right now and say, I'm glad I'm forgiven. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:36.879 Like turn turn to the person, now turn to the person on the other side that you didn't like as much and tell them I'm forgiven. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:37.920 Yeah. 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:40.560 Hey, hold on now, that's all I said to say. 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:41.839 I didn't say good crazy. 00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:42.399 Anyway, so. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:44.000 I wish Pastor Robert was here. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:44.959 Anyway. 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:47.600 I know we struggle with that. 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:53.279 Isn't it funny that we can know the truths of Scripture but not feel the truths of Scripture sometimes? 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:56.399 Like we can know we're forgiven, but we don't feel forgiven. 00:07:56.639 --> 00:08:01.600 One of the things that I've learned is we gotta learn how to take the emotional and submit it to the biblical. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:08.959 And so one of the one of the ways this works out for me is I just visit three statements often when my past seems to come up. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:10.639 Because you've got to understand something about me. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:14.399 Before I met Christ, I was an unbelievably awesome sinner. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:16.079 I sinned and I sinned well. 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:19.040 And since I've met Christ, I still sinned. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:20.000 Isn't that crazy? 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:22.000 I still mess up, I still fall down. 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:29.040 And so these three statements are things that I run to, they are anchors in my life that help me get past my past. 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:33.600 Number one, in Christ, I am completely forgiven. 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:39.919 In Christ, I am completely forgiven. 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:49.360 We all struggle with feeling forgiven sometimes, but the reality is this is when we surrender our lives to Christ, we are forgiven completely, totally on the spot. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:54.320 And we wrestle with that, we don't feel that way, and it's because, well, let me set it up like this. 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:58.720 When uh several years ago, my wife and I, Lacretia, bought a brand new car. 00:08:59.039 --> 00:08:59.679 Brand new. 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:01.440 We had never owned a brand new car. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:05.440 Um, and it's not because we were rich, it's because we saved up and we we bought the brand new car. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:08.159 Because when we first got married, we were broke and poor. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:09.200 You ever been that way? 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:10.240 Broke and poor. 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:13.279 We were so poor we had to go to Kentucky Fried Chicken and lick other people's fingers. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:14.080 You know what I'm talking about? 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:16.320 It was bad. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:18.720 It's really embarrassing, but we got past that. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:21.039 Broke and poor. 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:23.600 So we saved up and we bought a brand new car. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:31.120 I had a meeting in a restaurant one day, and so I drive this car to the meeting, and I come out of the restaurant, and somebody had hit my car. 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:33.840 Yeah, that's what I said. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:39.759 Not just scratched it, I'm talking about mangled the back fender. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:44.240 And half of their bumper was next to it, so it's not like they didn't know they hit the car. 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:45.039 They ran. 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:47.120 And I was mad, angry. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:49.440 I'm talking punch you in the throat mad. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:50.559 You ever been that mad? 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:54.159 Yeah, I know y'all have, because I seen the road construction y'all got on y'all's roads. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:55.519 Some of y'all don't, uh-uh. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:56.639 Don't judge me. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:58.240 You walk in here mad. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:02.159 God better show up today, Melvin, or I'm killing somebody. 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:02.639 Like that. 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:03.039 That's it. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:04.240 You walk in and don't. 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:05.440 It's listen, whew. 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:07.440 Glad I'm in the house of God. 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:13.840 Every once in a while you meet somebody and go, Well, you should have prayed for them. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:14.480 I did. 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:15.759 Prayed for them on the spot. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:19.679 I found a prayer in the book of Psalms where David said, Break the teeth of the wicked, O God. 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:23.360 I was like, Yes! All over that. 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:24.480 Right? 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:31.679 Probably a little out of context, but nonetheless, it felt good in the moment. 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:38.000 What's crazy is that dent robbed me of my joy for a long time. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:39.919 Like I could be having the best day at work. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:52.240 I mean, I could be having the day at work that you just felt like you dotted every I, crossed every T, and you were getting a major win, and walk out and see the dent on that car and just be angry and upset. 00:10:52.399 --> 00:11:01.840 I could be having a great morning, get up, great quiet time, great workout, great cup of coffee, walk out in the carport, look at that dent, and it robbed me of my joy. 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:04.879 And that's what happens to us many times in life. 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:09.919 We look at the dent to identify our life with rather than the death of Christ on the cross. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:15.840 And if you're in Christ, your life is not identified by the dent, but by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:22.799 And he didn't fix up that dent, he made us brand new, according to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 17. 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:27.759 Now, we wrestle with that sometimes because here's what I wrestled with. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:36.960 I believed when I prayed to receive Christ that all my past sins were forgiven, but every sin that I committed from that point on, I had to work and I had to earn. 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:42.240 Until I finally realized that forgiveness is something not something that we achieve. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:45.519 Forgiveness is something very simply that we receive. 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:47.519 Forgiveness is not achieved. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:48.960 Forgiveness is received. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:55.679 And when Jesus Christ died on the cross, listen now, he paid for sins past, present, and future. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:58.320 Jesus is outside of time. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:06.080 And isn't it funny that when he created us, he knew every stupid, foolish, sinful thing we were ever going to do. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:11.039 He created us anyway and went ahead and arranged for the payment to be made. 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:16.639 And in him, in Christ, we are completely forgiven. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:17.519 Amen. 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:23.360 Number two, in Christ, I am valuable. 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:27.679 In Christ, I, we, you, we are valuable. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:29.120 We have value. 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:33.360 Now, everybody in here has something that you consider to be of value. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:35.759 We could go around the room and start naming things. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:39.759 I would, one of the primary things of value in my life is my driver's license. 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:41.200 Let me walk you through why. 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:46.159 In fact, let me walk you through the when I realized how valuable my driver's licenses were. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:49.360 I worked in a restaurant for years called Ryan's. 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:51.120 I think you guys had some Ryan's out here. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:52.480 They've gone out of business. 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:56.000 South Carolina, I don't know what they're doing in Texas, but they they went out of business. 00:12:56.159 --> 00:13:00.399 But I worked, I was working in the cash register, and uh we were really busy this day. 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:09.200 And I remember this guy comes up to the cash register and he had on a jacket and he had on a hood and he had on some gloves, and it was kind of hot outside, and I thought that was weird. 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:14.480 Literally, the thought ran through my mind it'd be funny if this guy tried to rob me. 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:24.639 And I kind of laugh too, until I opened the cash drawer when I was ringing up his ticket, and he reaches in his jacket and he starts pulling out this knife. 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:26.320 It's the biggest knife I've ever seen. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:28.879 In fact, the longer I tell the story, the bigger the knife got. 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:34.320 It was like my name is Igo Montoye. 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:42.320 Some of you love that, some of you didn't connect, and that's that's I'm so sorry. 00:13:42.559 --> 00:13:43.919 It's my bad. 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:52.799 Pulled a knife on me, and every once in a while I'll meet a man, you know, a big burly man, and be like, Did you fight him? 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:54.399 No, Bubba Redneck. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:58.720 I backed off and said, Hey man, hey, you want a biscuit to go? 00:13:58.799 --> 00:13:59.360 I'll get you. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:01.200 Can we get him a steak? 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:01.919 Quick. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:07.120 It wasn't my money. 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:09.120 I wasn't emotionally attached. 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:13.360 But if he had asked for my wallet, we'd have gone around. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:14.320 And I'm a big man. 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:15.759 I've been in a tangle or two. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:17.519 I mean, I think I could have handled myself. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:20.000 You might push back and say, but he had a knife. 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:22.639 Well, you're right, but see, you don't understand. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:27.759 If I would have given him my wallet, if he had asked for my wallet, I'd have given him my wallet. 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:29.039 I didn't have a credit card. 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:30.559 It's my driver's license. 00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:32.639 And I'm not giving up my driver's license. 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:42.399 I would rather be stabbed in the head 17 times than give up my driver's license because if I give up my driver's license, I've got to go to the DMV and stand in line, right? 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:48.159 Obviously, the DMV is awful in Texas too. 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:51.759 You might be here going, well, I wear it for the DMV. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:55.279 Well, smile every once in a while and make somebody happy. 00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:56.559 Good mum. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:04.240 All we're gonna do is get up and get our picture taken and lob out our weight. 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:06.960 So can we get that done as quick as possible? 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:11.759 Value. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:15.440 They mean they are valuable to me, and everybody in here has something of value. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:18.559 Now I think we can all agree on this next statement. 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:24.799 And it doesn't matter if you're a man or woman, it doesn't matter if you're young or old, Christian or non-Christian, I think we can all agree on this statement. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:29.679 That the value of something is determined by the price that someone is willing to pay for it, right? 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:33.279 That the value of something is determined by the price that someone is willing to pay. 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:48.559 I realized on this, it hit me really hard when um a friend of mine named CJ Spiller, who um plays for the Buffalo Bills, he went to Clemson University, and um, and I remember when the Buffalo Bills drafted him five years,$25 million contract. 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:53.759 And I remember going, man, that's awesome! And people going, well, that money won't make you happy. 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:55.600 I'd like to give it a shot. 00:15:55.840 --> 00:16:00.320 But I remember when they drafted him as the Buffalo Bills, I was like, you know what? 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:07.200 They place value on him, and you can tell they place value on him by the price they were willing to pay for his services. 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:10.320 The value of something is determined by the price that someone is willing to pay. 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:15.279 That's true for our cars, that's true for our homes, that's true for any art that we may have in our homes. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:19.840 The value of something is determined by the price that someone is willing to pay. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:27.200 Now, if that's true, it brings a brand new light to John chapter 3, verse 16. 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:37.120 Because if the value of something is determined by the price that someone is willing to pay, and you're in Christ, God gave his son for you. 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:52.960 How dare we stand in the shadow of a bloodstained cross and talk about how invaluable we are when the truth is, God goes, No, I love the world that I gave my one and only Son, that if you believe in him, you will not perish but have eternal life. 00:16:53.200 --> 00:17:08.240 And it's listen, in Christ, your life, the identity, everything about you, it's not determined by the mess you made, but by the price Jesus paid, and because of the price that Jesus Christ paid on the cross for our sins, we are valuable in him. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:09.839 Amen. 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:18.000 Number three, in Christ, I am unconditionally loved. 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:21.279 In Christ, I am unconditionally loved. 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:25.359 Now I gotta be honest because I kind of feel like we've connected a little bit, a little bit family here. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:29.519 I don't love people unconditionally, do you? 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:32.480 I'm not getting a lot of response. 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:32.960 Come on now. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:36.960 Do you do nobody here goes, I love everybody unconditionally? 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:41.200 You're a liar. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:43.519 Or ha. 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:50.799 I'm not sure which one, but like it, it I I you're I'm a condition, like, can we just be honest? 00:17:51.119 --> 00:18:04.160 I know you love people conditionally because you're about to, it's Thanksgiving and Christmas, you're about to go spend a time with a group of people that were you not blood related with these people, you would never be caught dead in the same room with them. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:06.559 We call them family. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:09.599 And every family, right? 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:12.240 Every family has a weirdo in the family. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:14.880 Every family has a weirdo. 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:18.400 You may be sitting there going, well, my family don't have a weirdo. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:33.200 We love people conditionally. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:37.039 There's conditions on the love, but I'll I'll tell you who I love unconditionally. 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:40.480 I'll tell you who I just adore and love unconditionally. 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:42.799 It's my five-year-old little girl named Karis. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:49.680 She's beautiful, she's smart, she's godly, she's a genius, nothing like her father. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:54.720 Um, like she's but I mean, seriously, she I I love her. 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:58.319 And and I I was nervous when she was getting ready to be born. 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:00.799 Like, because I'm you know, first time dad, I didn't know. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:03.200 So I was really kind of nervous, like, how am I gonna love her? 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:04.559 Because I knew how I loved her mother. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:06.799 Like Lucretia, I I pursued her. 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:09.279 Single people, I didn't stalk her, I pursued her. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:10.240 Big difference? 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:12.079 Another story, another time. 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:18.079 I knew how I loved my friends, but I didn't know how I was gonna love care. 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:29.839 So I remember when Lucretia and I got pregnant, mainly Lucretia, um, when we got pregnant, I automatically started freaking out a little bit, going, How am I gonna love this little girl? 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:31.279 Oh my gosh. 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:43.839 So I kind of stressed about it, and we we we finally, I remember Lacretia had a scheduled C-section, so we go in to, because we had some birth complications, and so we go in and she's getting ready to give birth, and they're giving her drugs, and I'm like, hey, can I can I get some can I get some of that? 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:45.200 They said no. 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:47.839 I was like, all right, because the Bible says you do not have because you do not ask. 00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:51.279 I just want to throw a verse out there and I'm good. 00:19:52.640 --> 00:20:02.720 So we're getting ready, and finally the doctor's down there doing everything that he does, and we don't need to talk about that, but and then all of a sudden he holds cares up. 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:04.960 And I got it. 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:06.400 I was like, that's how I love her. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.240 Now let me walk you through. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:12.480 I did not love her because the birth process is so beautiful. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:14.079 Have you ever met that person? 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:19.680 Oh, the birth of a child is so beautiful. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:22.240 No, it's not. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:27.039 Crack smoker, it is not the most beautiful. 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:30.960 It is mortifying, right? 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:34.960 Women say that because they're completely drugged up. 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:37.279 Dad is over in the corner, passed out. 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:42.079 They're giving him juice and cookies, trying to be, he's like, I never want to do this again. 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:51.359 Some people say, Oh, you loved her because she was so beautiful. 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:58.880 Let's be honest about the baby when it first comes out, right? 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:00.880 Because they held Karis up. 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:14.799 They were like, here she is, and I was like, Congratulations, baby. 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:16.960 We've given birth to E.T. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:21.039 Her hand was monstrous. 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:26.720 I mean, I was I didn't love her because the process was beautiful. 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:28.079 I didn't love her because she was beautiful. 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:33.839 Listen to me, I loved her instantaneously because she was mine. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:37.279 Can we be honest? 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:38.160 How many of you are parents? 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:38.799 Would you write your hand? 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:39.680 Come on, you know if you're a parent. 00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:40.480 You know if you're a parent. 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:41.920 You figure that out, right? 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:51.279 Doesn't your child spend the first year of their life trying to get you to never love them again? 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:55.759 Halo turns into a pitchfort really quickly. 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:57.119 You know what I'm talking about? 00:21:57.519 --> 00:22:03.599 Come on, we can be honest, like you bring them home and you're Like, I love this child, and three days later you're going, what do I do? 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:09.839 And then you get them changed, and they use the bathroom automatically on you again. 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:14.319 I remember one time I'm playing with carrots, I've got her held up like this, and she threw up in my mouth. 00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:19.359 I mean, nothing but didn't even touch the time. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:22.400 I'm just gonna run back to her mother. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:24.720 Unbelievable. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:33.680 We don't love our children because they're so good. 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:39.599 Listen, I don't care how many stickers you have on the back of your minivan, your child is not that perfect. 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.880 She's growing up, she's getting, I mean, she's really, she's brilliant. 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:51.839 Lacretia, my wife, her mother, she's a medical doctor. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:55.599 So, I mean, the the the brain power there is unbelievable. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:23:00.319 Didn't get that from me, got it from, and so literally, to tell you how smart she is, she's in kindergarten. 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:08.160 There's a third grader, they're at gymnastics, and the third grader's trying to rush through their homework, and they're like, oh my gosh, the third grader says out loud, I don't know what an adjective is. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:13.119 And my five-year-old daughter goes, An adjective is a word that describes a noun. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:19.440 Lucretia told me that story, and I was like, is that true? 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:22.960 I don't know. 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:26.720 I'm just making sure. 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:32.400 But you you know, parents, you know when they begin to develop that little attitude? 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:34.960 She's starting to develop just a little bit now. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:36.319 We're riding down the road the other day. 00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:37.279 I told her something. 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:39.920 She said, Daddy, I don't think that's true. 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:43.200 So I put her out of the car and made her walk home. 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:43.920 We'll figure this out. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:56.720 Parents, none of us love our children because they're so perfect and they perform so well, and they never mess up. 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:59.279 I don't love my daughter because of her performance. 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:02.880 I love her because of her position as my daughter. 00:24:03.119 --> 00:24:12.640 Now, if that's how I love my little girl, and I'm an imperfect parent, how much more so does our heavenly father love those who belong to him? 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:18.720 It's not based on performance, it's based on position, and his love never goes away. 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:29.759 In fact, Scripture says in Romans chapter 8, I just want to focus on this one verse, Romans chapter 8, verse 38, and I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:30.559 Nothing. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:33.519 And you say, Perry, you don't know what I did. 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:35.839 And you're right, sir, you're right, ma'am. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:45.440 I don't know what you did, but I know what Christ did on the cross, and it paid for your sin, and he wants you today to step into the victory that he's called you to. 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:48.319 I'll close with this. 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:54.559 Every Saturday morning, just about, I take Karis, my little girl. 00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:57.519 We we go on a daddy-daughter date every Saturday. 00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:00.000 I've been doing it since she was seven months old. 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:01.920 It's really awkward at first. 00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:04.000 What do you do with a seven-month-old? 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:08.559 Like, I will take her to Chick-fil-A, I'd eat a biscuit, she'll drool. 00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:13.519 One day she'll probably take me to Chick-fil-A, she'll eat a biscuit, and I'll drool. 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:17.279 So I like, hopefully, this is gonna be a long-term thing. 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:31.039 But I go in and I get her every Saturday morning, and I'm, you know, I want to, I'm teaching her how a gentleman treats a lady, and I always open the door for her, and it's just this thing that I'm doing. 00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:42.640 And um, I remember one Saturday morning I go in to get her, and I opened the door, and the smell was the worst smell I'd ever smelled in my life. 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:48.319 And I said, What has happened in this room? 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:51.359 I walk around the corner and we didn't know. 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:55.359 We found out pretty quickly she had contracted a stomach virus the night before. 00:25:55.599 --> 00:25:58.799 And she had thrown up everywhere. 00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:04.079 I mean, it was on the carpet, it was on her bed, it was on her wall, it was dripping off of her. 00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:12.000 And I'm trying not to be gross because I know we have some sympathetic vomiters here, and you're about to go right now, you're about to don't, because if you blaze, we all blaze, alright? 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:15.680 So just hold, I'm gonna need you to hold that back a little bit. 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:22.079 And so it was everywhere. 00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:24.400 And I had I don't have the strongest stomach in the world. 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:28.400 And I I never will forget what happened because God taught me so much that day. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:35.759 She's dripping in her vomit, and she looks at me and she holds her arms up and she goes, Daddy. 00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:39.359 And let me tell you what I did not do. 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:42.319 I did not give her a lecture. 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:45.680 I did not tell her that good little girls don't make messes. 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:53.279 I did not tell her, you clean up this mess, and when you get it clean, I'll come back into your presence, or maybe you can enter mine. 00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:56.319 I picked her up, vomited all. 00:26:56.640 --> 00:26:58.160 I took her to the bathroom. 00:26:58.400 --> 00:26:59.599 I cleaned her up. 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:01.759 I came back in and I cleaned her mess up. 00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:02.319 You know why? 00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:05.680 Because I'm her father and I'm bigger than the mess she made. 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:06.640 Amen. 00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:35.839 And I don't know who you are, and I don't know your story, but there's somebody here today, and you're dominated by your past, and I'm telling you, God is your father, and he's bigger than the mess that we've made of our lives, and his biggest desire for us is to get over our past because he has, and step into the victory that Jesus called us to. 00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:53.440 They put Jesus in a tomb, but three days later, he came out, and I believe he calls us to do the same thing, to not live in the tomb of our past, but to step out in the victory that he's called us to live in, and we can because we're in Christ. 00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:57.920 In Christ, we are new creations. 00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:01.440