WEBVTT 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:03.279 You're listening to audio from the Via. 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:08.080 If you'd like information on how to get connected, have the link to our website in the show notes. 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:12.800 Welcome to Via. 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:15.519 It is so nice to see you. 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:17.359 Happy Thursday, friends. 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:19.039 Hey, do this for me before we start. 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:24.800 I want you to look at somebody to your right, to your left, in front of you, and behind you, and just say, I'm glad to be a via with you. 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:33.039 I am glad to be a Via with you. 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:42.159 If you and I haven't met yet, my name is Clayton, and I have the privilege of being a part of our team here at Silverdale Young Adults, and tonight have the privilege of sharing God's word with you. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:43.119 So do this. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:46.399 If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Matthew chapter 4. 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:51.759 Matthew chapter 5, excuse me, not Matthew chapter 4, Matthew chapter 5. 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:57.200 It's the first book of the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew and chapter 5 is what we're going to be tonight. 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:01.679 And then hopefully on your way in, you got one of the worship gods that we give to you from our home team. 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:14.799 And we give those to you for lots of reasons, but if you've been around Via at all, then you know that we give them to you because we believe it is no small thing that God is the creator of the universe and that he speaks to us. 00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:20.640 And when he does, we want to be sure that we pay attention and that we write down the things that he says. 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:31.040 We went on a mission trip together to the Dominican Republic. 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:32.159 So spiritual. 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:37.280 Just in case you guys are about seven or eight months, if you want to, you know, copy us, you want to go on the mission trip, it's great. 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:39.439 It's good, good, it's good. 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:45.120 We went on this mission trip, and we weren't just going like as members, we were leaders. 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:46.079 We were the adults. 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:52.079 We were going with our student ministry here at our church, and so we'd gotten asked to be, you know, leaders, chaperones. 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:56.319 And so we went, Sophie and I, and we get on the plane and we go down there, and it's awesome. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:03.439 I've been to that particular um place to help serve with ministry there, and um it was a place that had changed my life many times before. 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:09.520 So I was excited to go with this woman I was in love with and um, you know, have her experience some of the things that I'd experienced. 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:16.560 And so we get there, we get there on the first day, and the first day, I don't know if you've ever been on a mission trip before, especially if you've been on one out of the country. 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:21.680 But um the way that we kind of do it sometimes at Silverdale is like, you know, every night at the end, you kind of have your team devo. 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:22.319 You know what I mean? 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:30.159 Like someone from your team kind of shares some scripture and leads a time of prayer, kind of to wrap up the day, look forward to the next one, and then go to bed. 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:40.960 And so that first night we were there, we uh we're we're we're we met together for our team night, and uh, the pastor that was leading that um the team was kicked off our our week of devotions. 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:48.879 And so when we got there, he we were talking about the fact that we were about to go all week long and we were about to go serve all these um people in the Dominican Republic. 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:58.639 We were gonna serve the staff of the place that we were staying, we were gonna serve uh these kids in these villages, we were gonna serve alongside these ministries that were doing really important gospel work. 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:04.560 But this pastor said, before we could go serve those people outside, we had to be sure that we were serving one another. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:06.000 We were serving our team together. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:08.159 And it was like, oh, this is a good leader. 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.080 And so here's what happened. 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:20.639 Because, you know, sometimes Christians do kind of weird things, so this is one of those weird Christian things, is um, you know, we look in the Bible and we see that Jesus washes the feet of the disciples on the night of the Last Supper. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:28.479 And so what had happened is that pastor had gathered some different kind of like, you know, bowls, pails, type things, and we were gonna wash one another's feet as a team. 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:36.080 And we were just gonna like center ourselves and say, like, hey, we're serving one another, we we're doing this, it's ugly, nobody likes feet, this is no good, right? 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:43.199 But this is what he asked us to do: he asked us to say, God, would you just show me the person in the room that you want me to wash their feet? 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:46.879 There was about 40 people or so, maybe 45 on the team. 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:52.800 There's a kind of a small room, we're sitting in this circle, these metal chairs, and Sophie's sitting right beside me. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:54.319 Remember, I'm in love with her. 00:03:54.560 --> 00:04:01.360 And so we turn on some music, you're gonna pray, ask God to show you who you want to wash feet. 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:03.360 And so we start praying. 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:11.439 And as God is my witness, hand on my Bible, I will testify before the Lord one day for all of my sin. 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:20.319 I will not testify for this that I'm lying, that I felt, God tell me to wash the feet of another person, another girl leader on the trip. 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:21.360 Tough. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:21.839 Okay? 00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:22.959 Strike one. 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:24.000 Strike two. 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:29.600 There's two other couples on the trip that they're also in love, and wouldn't you know it? 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:31.759 God spoke to them and they washed each other's feet. 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:32.800 That was convenient. 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:44.000 So now, not only am I washing another adult girl's woman's feet, the other two people are washing each other's feet, but I'm I'm doing what I feel like God has asked me to do. 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:44.800 And I mean that. 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:45.839 I really mean that. 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:49.279 And I don't even know, there's a whole reason I could explain to you why that was. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:50.959 I'm not even gonna have to do that. 00:04:53.120 --> 00:05:03.680 There's music playing on this boombox, it's a tile floor, there's chairs in a circle all around, metal chairs scooting around, there's water splashing, this whole thing's a spiritual moment. 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:10.319 So I finished washing this girl's feet, and I go back to my chair right beside Sophie, who hadn't gotten up this whole time. 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:16.399 And she gets up and she goes and gets one of the pails, and she comes over and she kneels down in front of me. 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:19.439 Oh, this is so spiritual. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:21.360 She's gonna wash my feet. 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:29.920 And so the music's playing, there's chairs scooting, it's kind of loud, and so I'm sitting down in this chair, and she has this pail, and you know, you gotta take off your socks. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:32.720 You've been in a plane all day, it's hot outside, it stinks. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:34.399 Like, I mean, it just stinks in the room. 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:37.199 And sure enough, Sophie starts washing my feet. 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:41.839 And as she's washing my feet, she looks up at me and she's crying. 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:46.160 It's like, oh, this is like, man, this is like a really special moment, right? 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:53.040 And she looks up at me and she says, I don't want to do this for the rest of my life. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:55.279 Records crash. 00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:56.480 Hold on. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:05:57.680 What? 00:05:58.079 --> 00:05:59.120 What do you mean? 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:00.560 What did you say? 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:03.360 You don't want to do this for the rest of your life? 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:09.120 There's music playing, there's chairs scooting, it's a tile floor, I can't really hear that much. 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:10.639 Did she break up with me? 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:14.240 This girl's breaking up with me on night one of the mission trip. 00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:16.959 Like, we're not even gonna wait until the sightseeing day. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:20.560 We haven't even gone to bed in this other country, and I've been broken up with. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:21.600 I love this girl. 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:24.240 I want to marry this woman, and she's breaking up with me. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:26.399 And I lean forward and I say, What did you say? 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:29.600 And she just looks back up and she's now she's not just like tears. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:30.720 It's it's like bawling. 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:32.000 It was sobbing at this point. 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:37.680 And I'm like, Oh my gosh, she broke up with me on the very first night of this mission trip. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:38.720 Can you believe it? 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:41.680 The music's playing, chairs are scooting, it's loud. 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:43.040 I'm like, What did you say? 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:44.480 She's not talking to me. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:48.959 She finishes, she gets back up, she sits down, I whisper, what did you say? 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:50.639 She doesn't say anything to me. 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:53.279 We we end, our pastor prays, we're going to bed. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:55.600 There's a girl's dorm and a boy's dorm. 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:57.839 She she beelines it for the door. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:06:59.279 Another strike, right? 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:04.399 What do you why aren't we gonna hold hands and walk back and like say we love each other before we go to bed? 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:08.319 She goes to the girls' dorm and I go knock on the door to the girls' door. 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:11.600 Another person answers and I say, Hey, um, can you grab Sophie? 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:12.959 I can see in the room. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:15.600 The lights are on, the girls are chattering. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:18.240 This girl closes the door, let me check, I'll be right back. 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:19.120 She comes back. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:20.480 I'm sorry, she's in bed. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:21.839 The lights are on, sister. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:23.199 I know she's not. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:28.800 This girl broke up with me on the first night of a mission trip. 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:29.920 Can you believe that? 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:32.800 So I go to bed, I'm like, in my prayer journal. 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:34.480 What are you trying to teach me, God? 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:35.600 Why is this happening? 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:36.959 I don't really sleep that much. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:38.480 I wake up early the next morning. 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:39.600 I hate waking up early. 00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:40.879 I'm at breakfast early. 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:41.759 I'm gonna wait on her. 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:43.920 I'm gonna be like, baby, please, like, what's going on? 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:44.800 What did I do? 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:45.600 I know I should. 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:46.720 I mean, God told me. 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:48.079 It was it about the girl's feet? 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:49.600 That's it, you know. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:52.800 She walks in, she's avoiding eye contact. 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:55.360 We are getting no good signs here, people. 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:57.680 Like everything is going the wrong direction. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:06.480 Finally, I corner her, you know, classic, and I'm like, what are you what is going on? 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:10.160 She goes, What are you talking about? 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:11.680 And I'm like, what do you mean? 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:12.720 Why did you say? 00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:13.519 What did you mean? 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:15.920 Like you said, I don't want to do this for the rest of my life. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:17.040 What are you talking about? 00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:20.319 She goes, You idiot. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:23.279 That is not what I said. 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:28.560 I said, I want to do this for the rest of my life. 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:31.199 I want to serve you for the rest of my life. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:32.000 I love you. 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:33.440 I want to marry you. 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:42.960 And I said that, and you just look back at me with this dumb look on your face, and so I got my feelings hurt, on top of the fact that you watched some other girl's feet, and I went to bed. 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:47.919 What happened? 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:56.159 Because I couldn't hear her, I missed out on something that she had for me. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:58.320 This really powerful moment. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:03.519 This moment that we talked about, we love each other, but we really hadn't talked about marriage or life. 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:08.080 And I because I couldn't hear her, I missed out on something that she had for me. 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:09.279 Listen to me, people. 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:16.879 I believe that God wants to speak to you tonight, but if you cannot hear him, you will miss out on what he has for you in this place. 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:26.080 The Bible says that when God teaches, God gives a parable one time and he talks kind of confusing, and he says, He who has ears, let him hear. 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:27.840 And so here's what I want to ask tonight. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:30.799 There's no there's no reason for us to keep our cards on the table. 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:36.960 I'm asking you tonight to evaluate your life, your faith, your walk with Christ tonight. 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:41.360 All semester we've talked about, kind of make some assumptions about where you are spiritually. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:45.039 I'm asking you tonight, where are you in your walk with Christ? 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:47.120 Do you even have a walk with Christ? 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:57.200 Because I'm believing our team has been praying in faith that God wants to speak something to you, and if you can't hear it, you're gonna miss out on what he has for you. 00:09:57.519 --> 00:10:00.799 So here's what I want to ask you to do: I want to ask you to pray. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:09.679 God's word says that if we pray and we open ask God to open our ears and our eyes, that the Holy Spirit does it and it teaches us what he wants us to see. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:19.679 So I'm gonna pray out loud, and I'm just asking, whether you're close and on fire for the got for God, or whether you feel far from God and prayer feels weird to you, I'm just asking, would you just pray? 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:21.200 God, would you speak to me tonight? 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:22.960 I want to hear what you have to say to me. 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:24.240 Lord Jesus, we love you. 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:26.639 God, we're thankful for who you are and what you've done for us. 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:30.559 God, we praise you for your goodness and your righteousness and your blessings. 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:33.919 God, your your honor, the fact that you are wise and in control. 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:38.080 Lord Jesus, we ask tonight that you would give us ears to hear and eyes to see. 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:40.799 God, tonight, Holy Spirit, would you convict us? 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:44.639 Would you show us where we are walking out of obedience with you? 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:47.360 Where some of us are walking just in death. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:50.080 We've never been raised from death to life. 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:52.720 God, I'm asking that you would save people tonight. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:58.000 God, I'm asking that you would transform people tonight because your spirit can, your word can. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:02.480 We ask that you would open up our ears and open up our eyes to hear and to see what you have for us. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:09.519 Sinor holy, holy, holy, and precious thing we pray, and all God's people said, Amen. 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:23.440 We've been studying what the Bible has to say about spiritual warfare, and what we've been looking at is mostly what the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians about the armor of God and what's true about our battle and how God has outfitted us and all these things. 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:28.080 And when we get to spiritual warfare, tonight we're gonna talk a little bit of a about a different angle. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:30.080 We're gonna look at what Jesus says about it. 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:44.559 Because frankly, for most of us, and we've talked about this all over the last several weeks, when it comes to spiritual attack, like when it comes to our problems, we have a tendency to externalize our problems and internalize our solutions. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:48.159 In other words, your problem is really your boss. 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:56.799 Your problem is really your professor, your problem is really your dad, your problem is really your mental health condition, your problem is really. 00:11:57.039 --> 00:12:09.279 It's it's these external factors, these things that kind of cause you to be the way that you are, and that's the problem, and the enemy is attacking me, um, but uh I've just gotta fight those things off. 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:15.039 But here, what we're gonna look in, Matthew chapter five, is that is not what Jesus says is our greatest problem. 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:20.080 So if you have your Bibles, let's read together in Matthew chapter 5, verses 27 through 30. 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:32.720 Jesus says this, you have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery, but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:37.919 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:43.279 For it is better that you lose one of your members than your whole body be thrown into hell. 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:47.600 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:52.879 For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. 00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:54.720 Thanks be to God for the power of his word. 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:55.519 Amen. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:58.879 If you're taking notes tonight, the first thing I want you to write down is this. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:03.279 I want you to write down that the problem is deeper than behavior. 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:07.360 The problem is deeper than behavior. 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:08.399 What do I mean? 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:12.080 I'm asking you tonight to evaluate your life. 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:20.960 I'm asking you tonight to have an honest, excuse me, conversation with yourself about where you are when you're walk with the Lord. 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:38.639 Like the good, the bad, the ugly, the things that you like about yourself, the things that give yourself the ick, the things that make you frustrated, the things that you wish you didn't deal with anymore, that the things that you'd be embarrassed by if somebody on your row found out about it. 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:41.200 I'm asking you to evaluate those things. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:49.840 And what I'm suggesting, or rather, what the Lord is saying to us in his word, is that your problem is not your behavior. 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:53.279 Look at it again in what he says in verse number 27. 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:55.919 Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has what? 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:59.039 Already committed adultery in his heart. 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:02.720 If you know your Bible, you know that this is part of the Sermon on the Mount. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:12.559 This is Jesus' most powerful sermon where he flips the script on what everyone thinks it is to be God's chosen people, to be a follower of God. 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:19.039 And so we've been talking about spiritual battles and the armor of God, but here Jesus moves the battle. 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:23.679 Jesus says, the problem isn't your actions, the problem is your heart. 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:29.039 The problem isn't your behavior, the problem is your desire. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:34.320 In other words, here's what I want you to know: sin isn't just what you do, it's what you want. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:37.600 Sin isn't just what you do, it's what you want. 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:39.120 And you go, Clayton. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:41.679 Are you serious, man? 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:51.120 Like you're saying, I think I know what you're saying, you're saying that it's not just enough to not do certain things. 00:14:51.200 --> 00:15:02.080 You're saying, just even the desire sometimes, just to try not to get drunk on the weekends, to try not to, you know, clean up my language, to try to keep it clean with my girlfriend. 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:07.679 You're saying, even trying, but even still struggling with wanting those things, you're saying that's a sin. 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:13.279 I'm doing my best to clean it up, and you're saying even wanting it or fighting it is a sin. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:15.200 That's what you're saying? 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:18.080 The Bible is, yes. 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:20.480 Think about this. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:24.080 If you know your Bible, think about Genesis chapter 3. 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:26.320 Remember when God created the world? 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:29.120 He creates the world and he creates Adam and Eve. 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:31.039 And what does he do with Adam and Eve? 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:35.200 He puts them in the Garden of Eden that he gives to them, and what does he say? 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.200 You can do anything you want. 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:46.000 Take dominion, name the animals, have fun, eat whatever, except of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:51.279 And we know, because we're here, we know Adam and Eve didn't do what God said. 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:53.440 So here's my question to you. 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:58.080 When did Adam and Eve sin? 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:03.840 Like at what point in the process did they commit the sin? 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:07.120 We know they're in the garden, Satan comes and he tempts them. 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:10.399 Did God really say they take the fruit and they eat? 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:14.240 And then they they feel shame, they run and they hide from God. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:18.639 When in that chronological timeline is it that they sin? 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:22.480 Look at it in Genesis chapter 3, verses 4 through 6 on the screen. 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:25.919 But the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:29.039 Satan will always try to twist God's word. 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:36.240 For God knows that when you eat of your eye, eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:37.440 Listen to this. 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:56.639 So, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she gave also some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:59.120 When did Adam and Eve sin? 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:03.600 Did they eat it when their jaw jumped up and down on a fruit? 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:04.160 No. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:08.319 They sinned when they wanted the fruit more than when they wanted God. 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:15.440 They sinned when they wanted control of their life more than they wanted to submit to the control of God, their maker. 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:24.240 Eating the fruit was not the sin, wanting the fruit, wanting control, rejecting God's authority was the sin. 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:26.799 The problem is deeper than your behavior. 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:28.240 That's the first thing I want you to write down. 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:33.359 The second thing is this behavior modification cannot fix a sinful heart. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:38.720 Behavior modification cannot fix a sinful heart. 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:43.119 Look at what he says in verse number 29 and 30 in Matthew chapter 5. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:48.960 Jesus says, if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:54.319 For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:59.519 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:02.319 Now maybe you've grown up around church. 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:04.319 Maybe you're even familiar with this passage. 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:10.319 And maybe you've heard this passage taught about like, this is how much, um, this is how much we should hate sin. 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:13.440 This is how serious of an issue sin is. 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:19.920 Like, if this is your problem, is lust is your problem, it's better to pull out your eye than have to struggle with this anymore. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:20.799 And is that true? 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:22.079 Are those things true? 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:23.839 Yes, absolutely. 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:28.079 And it's missing out on the point of what Jesus is saying right here. 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:29.680 What do we know? 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:32.160 Jesus is preaching the Sermon on the Mount. 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:36.720 He's changing upside down the whole rules of what it means to walk in obedience to God. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:44.480 And Jesus is using extreme language to show that sin is serious, and also what is he showing? 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:48.799 That external fixes do not go far enough. 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:50.079 Why? 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:54.400 Because you can remove the eye, but not the desire. 00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:57.279 Think about it. 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:02.319 If you struggle with lust, yeah, sure, you can pluck out your eye. 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:06.160 I won't look at it anymore, I won't go to that anymore, I won't double back anymore. 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:13.119 But if you pull out your desire, I does that all of a sudden remove the desire in your heart, the urge that you would fix. 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:17.680 Do you not have your mind left to fantasize about whatever it is that you want? 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:26.000 You can cut off your arm, you can pluck out your eye, but it will not change your heart, it will not remove your desire. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:45.920 Jesus is looking at the crowd and saying, Listen, I'm not just saying that you've got to cut off the arm because it causes you to sin, because I'm saying you can cut off your arm, you can pluck out your eye, you can pluck out your tongue, you can cut off your legs, and you're still gonna have the problem inside of you because you're gonna want it at your very core. 00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:51.039 That's why behavior modification can't fix a sinful heart. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:56.160 This is why you can delete the app, but not the craving. 00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:01.680 You might be able to avoid the situation, but not the struggle. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:05.599 You can cut off the hand, but you can't cut out the heart. 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:09.839 And isn't that like where some of us feel tonight? 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:19.039 Like maybe, especially if you've kind of familiar with Jesus or familiar with church, it feels like, yeah, yeah, church is just kind of like, maybe it's just kind of these pep talks. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:21.920 It's like, yeah, just like, you know, go in, get it this week. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:22.720 You guys can do it. 00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:24.240 And I'm just gonna try hard enough. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:31.440 And if I can do it and put enough, enough good days in a row, enough good weeks in a row, enough good months in a row, then maybe that'll be it. 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:32.799 Maybe my life will change. 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:34.640 Maybe I won't feel this way anymore. 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:37.279 Isn't that we just heard in Jordan's story? 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:46.559 That no matter how much we try, it still doesn't change what's true on the insides because behavior modification can't fix a sinful heart. 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:48.559 That's point number two. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:51.759 The next thing I want you to write down is this can I just tell you something? 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:54.480 You don't need better habits, you need a new heart. 00:20:54.799 --> 00:20:59.680 I want you to turn to the person you're sitting next to and say, You don't need better habits, you need a new heart. 00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:05.920 You don't need better habits, you need a new heart. 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:10.400 We're talking about spiritual warfare, and we've been talking about the enemy's attacks on us. 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:13.440 We've been talking about our own struggles and some of that. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:22.720 And some of us we get to a point, and maybe you scroll on Instagram long enough, or you have a conversation with a friend, and it's like, okay, no, here's what I'm gonna do. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:23.759 I'm gonna set the alarm. 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:32.480 I'm gonna get one of those alarms with the hand that slaps you in the morning so that I'll wake up, or I'll get one that like vibrates, and I gotta do like a math equation to turn it off because I'm not good at math. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:33.440 That'll get me up. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:36.240 I need a I need this, this is what I need, I need a better habit. 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:40.400 Um, I'll meal prep on Sundays because this is really the thing that's gonna do me. 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:43.359 This is gonna help me, this is gonna change my desire. 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:45.920 And listen, those things are all good. 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:49.119 I want you to have good habits, I want you to live life well. 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:57.920 There is an enemy and there are schemes, but can I tell you the enemy doesn't have to create sin, he just exploits what's already in you. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.759 He is not created. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:02.240 Creating sin opportunities for you. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:04.480 He's exploiting what's already in you. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:06.319 What are you talking about, Clayton? 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:08.079 I'm talking about what the Bible says. 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:09.119 Look at these verses. 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:11.920 James chapter 1, verses 14 through 15. 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:17.440 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by what? 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:19.519 By his own desire. 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:25.680 Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, beings death. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:26.640 What about this one? 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:28.640 Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 9. 00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:34.319 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. 00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:36.480 Oh, that's not really Jesus talking. 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:37.680 What Jesus had to say about it. 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:40.720 Check out what Jesus says in Mark chapter 7, verses 21. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:46.960 And Jesus says, and it's what comes out of a person that defiles him. 00:22:47.279 --> 00:23:03.759 For from within, out of the heart of men, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness, all these evil things come from within. 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:10.799 The greatest battlefield is not around you, but it is inside you. 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:16.720 Your biggest problem is not on the outside of you, it is on the inside of you. 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:19.119 In other words, you are the problem. 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:21.599 And then actually, do this for me. 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:26.640 With love in your voice, friend, why don't you turn to somebody around you and just say, you're the problem? 00:23:29.920 --> 00:23:32.799 Now turn back to that person and say, No, you're the problem. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:44.000 The greatest battlefield is not outside of you, it is inside of you. 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:46.079 And let me tell you, can we just be honest? 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:55.039 This flies in the face of what every single thing, institution, organization, or person will tell you outside of this building. 00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:58.720 They will say that the greatest problem is social injustice. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:02.160 The greatest problem is the unjust hierarchies of society. 00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:08.240 The greatest problem is actually your family upbringing and the trauma instilled upon you by your parents. 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:12.720 The greatest problem is barriers to health care that prevent people getting the care they need. 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:15.519 The greatest problem is toxic people around you. 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:19.359 Your greatest problem is not enough money in your bank account. 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:24.799 The greatest problem is your boss, it's your old car, it's your roommate, it's your mom, it's whoever. 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.640 It's not you, it's them. 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:30.960 Friends, as loving as I can tell you, your problem isn't them, it's you. 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:33.440 There may be problems outside of you. 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:37.119 I'm not discounting anything that's ever been done to you or happened to you. 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:40.000 Yes, there are unjust things all around us outside. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:43.759 There are problems, galore, but that is not your problem. 00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:45.759 Your problem is you. 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:49.519 This was true of me when I was in college. 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:57.359 I've showed my story all the time, but I I I went into college and man, I just made bad decision after bad decision after bad decision. 00:24:57.599 --> 00:24:59.119 And can I tell you? 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:03.359 Nobody was forcing me to drink the stuff I drank. 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:07.119 Nobody was forcing me to chase the girls I was chasing. 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:11.519 Nobody was forcing me to talk as unwholesome as I was talking. 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:16.640 Nobody was forcing me to dwell on all these negative things all the time. 00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:20.240 Nobody forced me into any of those things. 00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:27.119 It came out of my desire to be in control of my own life, to reject authority, to do what I want to do. 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:31.359 Finally, I could do what I wanted to do, and I was gonna do what I wanted to do. 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:33.440 And look how I ruined my life. 00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:34.960 Look where it led. 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:37.519 I did it all by myself. 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:40.480 And sure, we can play the blame game. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:41.920 She's crazy. 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:44.000 That's why that relationship ruined. 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:48.400 No, my you don't understand my family, my situation. 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:50.720 There was a promise, the promise got broken. 00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:52.960 This is why I am the way that I am. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:55.359 Everybody else, nobody told me. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:56.559 You don't understand. 00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:58.799 We can do that all day long. 00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:01.279 But the problem, friend, is us. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:03.599 Shout out Taylor Swift. 00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:10.640 At the core of your issue is not something outside of you, but it's something inside of you. 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:15.359 The last thing I want you to write down tonight is this is that Jesus did what you couldn't. 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:17.039 Somebody say amen. 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:20.720 Jesus did what you couldn't. 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:27.119 This friend is where Christianity and following Jesus is markedly different. 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:42.559 Most religion, and even if we're honest, sometimes even Christians, can get to this point and we talk about our problem with sin, and we talk about our anger outbursts, and we talk about our lusts, or we talk about our bad spending, or we talk about all these things, and it's like, yeah, yeah, we just gotta lock in. 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:47.599 We just gotta tighten up, we just gotta try harder, work on yourself, get the help that you need. 00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:50.720 I mean, this is in right now all over the place, right? 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:52.880 Instagram, it's about discipline. 00:26:53.039 --> 00:27:03.359 Like, like working out, clean eating, having discipline over your life, waking up at 4 a.m., doing the thing, meal prepping, all like taking control, screen, blocking your screen time. 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:05.119 All of it is being sold to you right now. 00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:06.960 It's like be in control of your life. 00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:10.720 If you work hard enough, you can create the life that you really need. 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:14.400 Buy this, try this, eat this, take this. 00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:18.799 This is what's really going to help you get where you need to go. 00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:31.279 And Jesus, friends, is looking at us the whole time and saying, You can take every supplement, you can set every alarm, you can lift every weight, you can do all that, but there is a deeper problem in you that only I can fix. 00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:38.319 And can I just tell you, Jesus isn't looking at you saying, you need a renovation. 00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:41.680 Jesus is looking at saying you saying, you need to be recreated. 00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:44.720 You say, Well, I don't understand. 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:45.920 Why does it say this in the Bible? 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:50.240 Look at what it says first in the Old Testament, Ezekiel chapter 36, verse 26. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:58.240 Says, I a promise says, I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 00:27:58.400 --> 00:28:05.359 And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:14.079 John chapter 3, verse 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus, truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:15.200 You know this. 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:18.000 Jesus didn't come to make bad people better. 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:22.799