WEBVTT 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:29.679 All right. 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:36.560 As I mentioned a little earlier, this is my first Sunday in four, five, that I've been here. 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:41.840 I've been on vacation, and uh and a lot of you this morning have already asked me the question. 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:43.679 What's the question? 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:46.479 That's a great question, Luke. 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:46.880 Thanks. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:49.520 That's not the question, but it's a good question. 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:54.000 The question is what did you do on your vacation? 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:57.679 And the answer really is like a whole lot of not much. 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:00.000 Do you know what my goal was every day? 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:01.520 To go for a walk. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:03.359 That was it you said. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:04.400 Yeah, fantastic. 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:05.040 Thank you. 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:05.920 Thank you very much. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:10.159 Yes, I I actually did not every day, you know, I'm not perfect or anything like that. 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:12.239 But but I did go for a lot of walks. 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:18.079 I did taxi my children around a lot with no sense of uh you know angst. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:21.920 Sometimes I come home from work and the first things are like, can you drive me here? 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:24.239 And I'm like, that is the last thing I want to do today. 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:25.920 And I have a bad attitude about it. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:27.280 This is confession now. 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:35.920 Um, but uh but because I was on vacation, I didn't have anything else to do, I didn't have a bad attitude, so I just got up and went and took my kids' places, and and it was great. 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:41.359 So um that answers everybody who's here now doesn't have to ask me the question, what did you do on your vacation? 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:42.959 I've I've answered it for everybody. 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:48.319 Um I appreciate the investment you have in my life, uh, but I don't want to answer that question 300 times. 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:49.519 So there it is. 00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:50.480 I've answered it once. 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:51.840 Hopefully that covers most of you. 00:01:52.079 --> 00:02:01.120 Um in between the the drives and the walks, you know, walking's a good thing for me because I I read a lot, you know, not physically while I'm walking, that would be weird. 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:03.599 Run into people, but I listen to a lot of ebooks. 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:07.040 Um I I I I got to spend more time with Melissa. 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:10.000 But I have to confess, I did I did think about you. 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:11.919 I actually like you. 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:14.319 Like I really genuinely like you. 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:18.719 If you didn't contractually obligate me to be here every weekend, I would still come. 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:22.240 Like I really enjoy our church. 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:26.080 It was a bit of a struggle for me after the first two Sundays to stay away. 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:33.199 I thought about you, I dreamed about the church and and what God has for us in the next season. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:38.960 I feel really blessed today to have a job that I want to come back to, that I enjoy. 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:41.599 Um, and thank you for being a part of that. 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:45.280 And I probably should have timed this series or this message better. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:46.879 Uh, talked to a friend about it. 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:51.120 You know, it's a long weekend and some people are away, and like, do we just like kind of go for it? 00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:59.360 There was a part of me that was like, I don't know, maybe I'll just have like a I don't know what a th what a throwaway church series would look like. 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:01.280 Uh those are not slides for today. 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:02.479 I don't know where they came from. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:06.639 Um we've got the wrong um we've got the wrong thing. 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:08.400 I'll let them try and figure that out. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:11.680 If nothing else, just put up a blank screen, that's okay. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:17.520 Um sorry, that that took me off my game. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:20.080 Oh yeah. 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:24.240 I considered reining it in, but I I'm actually I don't I'm not very good at that. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:32.400 You know, part of part of speaking for me is is is speaking from the heart, and so um I had an opportunity to think about us and to dream about us. 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:36.800 And so so now that I've answered your question, I want to get into something that I think is really important for us to talk about. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:39.599 No reining it in, no, let's just hit it hard this morning. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:04:00.000 And it's a bit like um, you know, this series might feel a little bit like uh if you're a sports fan, you might know the story of uh famous Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi coming in in the first of a training camp one year and uh talking to the then uh repeat Super Bowl champions and going, gentlemen, this is a football. 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:06.479 And that's where he started with the guys who had just won the Super Bowl the year before, taking them right back to basics. 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:11.199 In some sense, maybe this series feels a little bit like that, but I think that it's important. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:13.439 And so I want us to consider this question. 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:17.360 You know, you all had a question for me, here's a question that I have for you. 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:24.000 When you say I'm following Jesus, what do you mean? 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:28.000 Like what does that actually mean? 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:31.439 I've had a few conversations lately. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:35.600 Cool. 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:40.000 Um, so the big X over on the right of the screen, hit that. 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:45.680 Then hit the first slide in my presentation. 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:49.519 Can you hit the very first slide in my presentation? 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:51.839 That's not it. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:53.920 It's not in my presentation. 00:04:54.079 --> 00:05:00.079 All right, we'll just go with clearing it and getting the second one, and we'll we'll the graphics aren't very important anyway. 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:07.360 Some things have slipped while I've been gone. 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:09.920 Um this is all my fault, by the way. 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:12.319 Do not get after, I'm not even gonna use his name. 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:14.480 Don't get after the guy because you can't see him right now. 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:16.800 He's he's hidden behind the screen, so don't. 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:18.160 It's not that one. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:22.000 This is amazing. 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:24.480 I'm so glad to be with you. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:25.839 Just, just, yep. 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:28.000 Um, come follow me would be fine. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:28.959 Yep, that's awesome. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:30.399 Let's just go with that. 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:36.959 Answering the question, what does it mean to follow Jesus is important. 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:42.079 It's important because it's actually what he invited us to do. 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:53.920 And and I've had a few conversations lately at home and and with friends that just made me like like hone in on like, what do we mean when we invite somebody to follow Jesus? 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.759 What do we mean when we claim to be Jesus' followers? 00:05:58.319 --> 00:06:01.920 If that was what Jesus actually invited us to do, right? 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:09.680 These are the first words he gives to the disciples that ended up being his partners and his friends while he was here on earth. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:12.160 He said, Come follow me. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:15.839 And they must have wondered, like, to do what? 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:17.439 Jesus. 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:19.120 Like, where are we gonna go? 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:21.279 He doesn't explain that to them. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:22.240 Right? 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:29.519 And at no point, you know, we often use the language like we're we're we're helping people to invite Jesus into their heart. 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:34.720 And and a lot of us came to faith with that language, right? 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:40.879 But what's interesting, myself included, what's interesting, can you turn my mic down a little bit, Doug? 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:47.279 Um what's interesting about that is that Jesus never used those words. 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:50.800 In fact, those words don't really show up in the scriptures anywhere. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:06:51.600 You know? 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:59.199 So if that's what what we're what we're telling people, it's like, ah, is our have we just have we substituted language for Jesus? 00:06:59.439 --> 00:06:59.759 Right? 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:07.120 So much of our of our focus has become about our salvation, the the afterlife, which I'm not saying isn't important. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:13.279 I'm just saying that wasn't what Jesus invited people to do. 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:16.959 Jesus said, come follow me. 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:29.120 His obsession seemed to be around the dynamic of people following him to do something and build something here on earth. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:35.839 What he says to the disciples is, come follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people. 00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:37.360 Yeah. 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:38.879 What does that mean? 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:45.519 I mean, I think he was just contextualizing what he was talking about for his audience, right? 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:50.160 Because Peter and Andrew, the guys he's talking to at the time, they're fishermen. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:55.519 So Jesus is you know trying to use some language and some metaphor that they might resonate with. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:57.279 But but what is what does that mean? 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:03.279 Well, as with many things that that we do with the language of Jesus, we've kind of reduced it and changed it. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:16.639 And you know, so now when when people hear that phrase, if if you're a person around church and you hear, you know, like, I will send you out to fish for people, or I will make you fishers of men, if you were a Sunday school person in the 80s, you probably sang a song that sounded that had those words in it. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:17.920 I will make you fishers of men. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:19.759 What what is what does that mean? 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:23.199 Well, we think about this thing, evangelism. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:30.399 And and evangelism is becoming a word that not even most Christians really like anymore. 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:34.639 Because we've equated it with a program. 00:08:36.720 --> 00:08:42.559 Awkward, aggressive way of trying to get people to believe what we believe. 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:45.519 And so we we actually we shy away from it. 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:52.399 If our church was to run an evangelism course, I bet you there's a whole ton of you that just like run in the other direction, not want anything to do with it. 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:52.960 Right? 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:57.360 So if that's what we mean, if that's what Jesus was calling us to, how many people are interested in becoming fishers of men? 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:03.840 If fishers of men means becoming the kind of people who are awkward and aggressive with the way that they share their faith. 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:05.600 Here's the good news. 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:08.000 I don't think that's what Jesus meant at all. 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:18.720 I don't think that when he said, Come and I will help you to fish for people, that he meant for us to create an awkward, aggressive program out of it. 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:31.039 I think the metaphor was that come follow me, and I will teach you to attract people the way that bait attracts fish. 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:35.360 Not to catch them and kill them. 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:37.360 That would be awkward. 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:43.440 To help us build something that matters. 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:45.919 And what was the bait? 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:49.039 Well, I mean, all of that happens in Matthew chapter 4. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:51.679 In Matthew chapter 5, I think we learn what the bait is. 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:58.240 Matthew chapter 5 is the beginning of Jesus' most famous, most concentrated sermon, the Sermon on the Mount. 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:08.399 And it's where Jesus articulates his vision for the Christian life in its most sort of complete form. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:17.759 It what we believe is that that's a message that Jesus spoke not just one time on one hillside, but everywhere he went. 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:19.360 It was the message that he carried. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:30.000 So if you want to know what the central core of Jesus' message was while he was here on earth, you need to read over and over and over again. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:34.000 Matthew chapter 5, 6 and 7. 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:36.960 Which ends how? 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:47.200 Jesus' invitation to come and build your life on something solid. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:50.240 Something foundational. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:54.080 Come and learn a new way of life. 00:10:54.399 --> 00:11:12.240 What Jesus was proposing he would teach Peter and Andrew, and by extension, as we read, all of us, it's a way of life that's solid, foundational, and attractive to other people. 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:18.960 The problem, of course, is that not many of us feel like we need a new way of life. 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:20.320 Right? 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:21.840 We're hooked already. 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:24.080 We've already taken the bait. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:28.080 Why would we need a new life? 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:30.240 Quick, quick check. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:32.399 Everybody here is alive, right? 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:35.759 Take your finger, put it under somebody's nose next to you. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:39.279 Only if you know them really well, don't do it if they're not your friend. 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:40.799 That would be weird. 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:43.519 Don't be weird. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:47.519 Is that nobody's found anybody who's dead? 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:49.360 Okay, we don't have a medical emergency. 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:50.000 This is good? 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:50.480 Okay. 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:51.360 Awesome. 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:52.240 Thank you. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:53.120 Right? 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:54.399 We're all alive. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:58.159 We already think we have life. 00:11:58.879 --> 00:11:59.519 Right? 00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:09.600 But being alive, according to Jesus, isn't living the life that he called us to live. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:15.919 There's a difference for Jesus between existence and real life. 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:16.639 Right? 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:20.559 So all of us, because we breathe, we exist. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:22.480 This is a good thing. 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:29.200 The problem is most of us have equated existence and life. 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:39.039 We've substituted the things of life for the purpose of our lives. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:46.159 We've been lulled into confusing life and existence. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:51.759 We've been caught and taught by various forcers. 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:58.240 We become consumers long before we became Christians, if that's your story. 00:12:58.639 --> 00:12:59.279 Right? 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:08.080 And so we've been taught to look for the markers of life in things like success, however you define it. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:11.679 Your money, your bank account, your toys, right? 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:18.080 We become consumers before we become followers of Jesus. 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:22.639 And so we have been taught to pursue those things. 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:31.840 And oftentimes we just kind of go about life and unwittingly teach our kids that these are the most important things too. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:35.519 We pass it on generation to generation. 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:37.679 Right? 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:46.720 We take our kids to activities that we believe can teach them character instead of pointing them to the way of Jesus as the foundation of their character. 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:47.279 Right? 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:53.840 We want our kids to be to be goal achievers and competitive, which is a good thing. 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:54.960 I'm a goal achiever. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:56.480 I'm a competitive person. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:57.039 Right? 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:02.080 There's nothing intrinsically bad with that. 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:05.120 Unless it's out of sync. 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:13.440 Unless it's in the wrong place, as long as it's become the most important thing to us. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:25.759 In essence, what we say is that we're okay with existence, which at various times God just calls existence death. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:36.559 We're okay being dead if we can build up enough markers of our own success around us that will make us forget the ultimate point of our life. 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:42.960 And this is not something Jesus introduced into our way of thinking. 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:54.320 If you go back all the way back to the beginning of the Jewish scriptures, what we call the Old Testament, in the book of Genesis, right, this is where that concept gets introduced. 00:14:54.559 --> 00:15:00.240 The concept of real life being unavailable without God. 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:01.279 Right? 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:13.440 It says that God formed man, so the existence was there, and then breathed the breath of life into him. 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:21.279 Why the focus on making him a it says a living being? 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:31.600 Because until we encounter God, we're existing, not living. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:34.480 Right? 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:38.879 And it we think it's obvious, but maybe not. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:54.320 Maybe a huge part of the story that the scriptures try to tell us is that we are prone to become confused about the essence of life. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:16:01.519 That we are going to be pulled away from over and over and over again. 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:07.200 Him as the source of the life that we were made to live. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:16.720 If you continue on with the story in the Jewish scriptures, you see over and over and over again, one thing becomes so clear. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:23.600 In fact, at one point in the book of Exodus, God says it just as plain as you can articulate it. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:33.679 God says to these people that he's trying to form into a family of his own, he says, I have set before you today life and death. 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:36.639 Choose life. 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:42.960 Choose life, choose our relationship now. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:50.399 Follow me, and I will lead you into the life that you were made for. 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:54.080 And the story really hasn't changed. 00:16:54.320 --> 00:17:02.559 If you want to know what God is up to in your life over and over and over again, this is it. 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:11.200 God is always trying to lead us to an intersection that requires a choice. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:19.200 And that choice, it's not a one-time, okay, I prayed a prayer and now I'm covered kind of thing. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:21.519 I don't mean that your salvation isn't secure. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:29.039 What I mean is that in order to live the life that God is calling you to, it doesn't just require one decision one time. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:34.799 It comes over and over and over again in many small choices of our lives. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:41.200 The choice is will you choose me or something else? 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:43.759 Life or existence? 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:47.119 Me or somebody else? 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:50.319 Life. 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:57.759 Life is the bait, life is the hook that Jesus offered to teach Peter and Andrew. 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:02.319 The lure to fish for men. 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:04.480 Real life. 00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:09.440 The life of purpose that they were made to live. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:17.519 And it's interesting that that life, Jesus, is still so attractive to people. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:20.319 I rarely meet somebody. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:22.160 I say, how do you feel about Jesus? 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:25.279 And have them say, He was a horrible guy. 00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:32.960 People are still interested in, attracted to, the life that Jesus lived. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:36.559 But doesn't it? 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:41.839 I mean, if you've been on the journey for a while, aren't there moments where it just feels like something's missing? 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:43.839 Right? 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:47.759 Let me ask you a personal question. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:55.359 Is this how you think about your relationship with God? 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:03.359 Are you looking to him for life? 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:08.319 Or just salvation? 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:11.759 Just religion. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:22.640 This is where it really gets to me because it's my job when I start asking myself, are we looking for life when we come here? 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:26.240 Or just religion. 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:30.640 Because follow me here. 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:36.640 You know, if we're all on a search for life, it should be tangible when we're together. 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:37.599 Shouldn't it? 00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:47.039 Like this is the highest concentration of people who are on the search for the life that Jesus offered. 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:47.680 Yes? 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:57.200 Like there's no place where more people get together on a weekly basis to go, I am trying to follow Jesus. 00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:06.640 And so, this is one of the reasons why I am so obsessed with asking people who come here for the first time, how was your experience? 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:07.839 You know? 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:09.680 Did you feel welcome? 00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:11.599 Did somebody say hello to you? 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:14.160 Did you actually feel cared for? 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:16.000 Did you enjoy what happened? 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:20.640 Did it feel like there was a sense of energy in the room? 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:31.680 This should be easy to say, yeah, I felt something different here. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:38.880 And if that isn't our experience, why not? 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:40.559 How come? 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.359 How does anybody leave here without going, wow? 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:50.720 Wow, that was amazing. 00:20:51.680 --> 00:21:12.720 Not because I was particularly funny or clever or the music was particularly awesome, but because the interaction of several hundred people trying to follow Jesus and find life was contagious and tangible and attractive. 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:32.480 So if that sounds like any version of the church that you want to be a part of, it's really important for us to define and to know what it means to follow Jesus. 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:37.599 And if you're still a little bit confused, that's okay. 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:40.960 People have been confused about it for 2,000 years. 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:49.839 Let me show you a story from the book of Matthew, where somebody just struggled with what it meant to follow Jesus. 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:59.759 We call this story often, it might be titled in your Bible, The Story of the Rich Young Ruler, which is a weird title for the story because he wasn't. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:00.960 A ruler at all. 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:04.480 Like he wasn't a king or you know, a lord or anything like that. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:10.480 He he was he was a well-respected man in the religious community that he was in. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:17.359 So we're gonna call this guy the fairly well-to-do, well-thought-of religious Jewish guy. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:17.839 Okay? 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:31.680 So this fairly well-to-do, blah, blah, blah Jewish guy comes up to Jesus and he asks, teacher, what good thing must I do to inherit eternal life? 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:35.599 Wasn't it interesting that he's looking for the same thing we think we're looking for too? 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:36.480 Right? 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:43.839 And and I always read a little bit of arrogance into this story, like this guy probably came with his head really high and his nose in the air. 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:48.559 You know, because Jesus is just like the kingdom of heaven belongs to the little children. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:50.720 That's the story that precedes this one, right? 00:22:50.799 --> 00:23:02.720 So this guy, you know, fairly well-to-do, well-thought of, rich Jewish guy, you know, comes to Jesus and we're like, well, if the children are making it, Jesus, surely I must be able to make it too. 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:03.680 Right? 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:09.920 And Jesus, as he often does, answers a question with a question. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:12.559 And he doesn't even get to the heart of what the guy's asking. 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:16.400 He's like, why do you ask me about what is good? 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:20.400 There's only one who's good. 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:27.359 Yeah, Jesus is kind of pointing out the obvious, like, do you actually think that I have the answer to the question that you're asking for? 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:31.680 Like, are you willing to put your faith in my answer? 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:32.400 Huh. 00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:33.440 Well, this is interesting. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:35.680 Because you're a fairly well-thought of Jewish guy. 00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:40.240 If you take my advice, you're not going to be fairly well thought of anymore by the Jewish community. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:42.559 In fact, they really don't like me. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:48.559 But Jesus answers this question you know, if you want to enter life, keep the commandments. 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:53.119 I mean, that was the agreement that Jesus had or that God had with these Jewish people, right? 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:58.400 If you keep my commandments, then I'll bless you. 00:23:58.640 --> 00:23:59.200 Right? 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:01.200 Okay, so keep my commandments. 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:04.400 If you're in good standing with the commandments, you're in good standing with God. 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:07.359 I don't know if Jesus is returning wit for wit here. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:08.319 I like to think that he is. 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:12.160 Maybe that's because I'm sarcastic and I like the sarcastic reading of Jesus. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.519 Whatever, we all do that. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:16.400 Well, don't we all read ourselves into Jesus from time to time? 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:22.559 Jesus says, look, ultimately, you know, Mr. 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:27.279 Successful, somewhat arrogant, but fairly well thought of, rich, religious Jewish guy. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:28.480 Keep the commandments. 00:24:28.559 --> 00:24:30.160 And the guy's not satisfied with that. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:31.359 He's like, well, which ones? 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:35.039 It's like, bro, there's 613. 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:38.400 Like, there's 613 commandments. 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:40.000 Do I need to keep all of them? 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:43.039 Can you be more specific here, Jesus, please? 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:44.880 Jesus said, Well, okay. 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:53.519 You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and your mother, and love your neighbor as yourself. 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:58.000 I mean, on the surface, it doesn't seem like much, right? 00:24:58.400 --> 00:24:59.759 That's what's amazing about Jesus. 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:00.160 I love it. 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:01.839 He just keeps whittling it down and whittling it down. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:08.319 So he took 613, and in this case, he makes it one, two, three, four, five, six. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:09.039 Six. 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:10.960 Six is way better than six hundred and thirteen. 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:11.359 Awesome. 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:18.799 Okay, so maybe that's kind of doable because these are just like like be a decent human being, right? 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:19.680 Like, don't kill people. 00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:21.440 Okay, I think we all understand that one. 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:23.839 Don't steal, especially somebody's spouse. 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:24.319 Yep. 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:24.880 Okay. 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:26.480 Don't lie. 00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:30.559 Call your mother and love your neighbor. 00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:33.200 The love of your neighbor one is sometimes a little tough. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:34.799 Granted. 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:37.680 But like the list isn't all that wild, is it? 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:39.200 That's not crazy. 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:40.720 Be a decent human being. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:46.799 I'm I'm I'm not surprised that this guy's answer is pretty confident, right? 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:49.200 All these I've kept, he said. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:52.000 What do I still lack? 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:58.000 Even in his self-assurance, even in his arrogance, he knows. 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:00.480 He knows he's not there. 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:00.880 Okay. 00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:07.119 Jesus answered, Well, if you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor. 00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:08.880 And you'll have treasure in heaven. 00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:13.759 Then come follow me. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:17.279 And here we are. 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:20.720 One of those intersections. 00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:23.759 A moment of decision for this man. 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:27.440 You want to know where life is found, friends? 00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:34.640 Life is found on the other side of whatever it is that you put your confidence in instead of God. 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:37.359 That's where life is. 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:39.359 That's what Jesus is trying to say here. 00:26:39.440 --> 00:26:47.680 Jesus is not saying, hey, by the way, if you want to be my follower, go ahead and sell everything you've got and give it to the poor and live with bare feet for the rest of your life. 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:48.720 That's not what he's saying. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:49.200 Okay? 00:26:49.839 --> 00:27:02.960 For this particular person, I think the issue was that his sense of self-assurance was in his standing in the community and what he had. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:12.640 And for him, like if you want to get it right, if you want to make this easy, sell everything you got. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:22.319 Because until you decide that I am more important than that, you will continue to have a problem. 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:30.720 And so, as we read, the question becomes what is it for us? 00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:37.279 And some of you might be sitting here going, you know, like Tim, I settled this a long time ago. 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:41.680 I made Jesus the most important thing in my life 50 years ago. 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:43.519 Amazing. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:50.319 If you have gone 50 years without choosing anything above Jesus, woo! Good for you. 00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:56.000 Something's coming that is going to tempt you to make it more important than Jesus. 00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:58.160 And it's going to come faster than you think. 00:27:58.400 --> 00:27:59.440 So what is it? 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:00.720 What is that thing? 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:01.759 Is it money? 00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:03.599 Is it family? 00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:05.920 Is it work? 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:09.680 Your stuff? 00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:11.440 Your boyfriend? 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:12.960 Your girlfriend? 00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:16.400 Security? 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:19.359 Your politics? 00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:21.920 Your intelligence? 00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:24.720 Your need to be the smartest person in the room? 00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:26.160 Your control? 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:29.440 Or the approval of other people? 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:43.920 What is the thing that you crave more that you are tempted to prioritize over the opinion of God displayed in the person of Jesus in your life? 00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:45.359 What is that thing? 00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:49.839 Following Jesus. 00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:50.720 This is what I think. 00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:52.480 This is the answer to the question that I asked you. 00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:57.839 Following Jesus means giving the top spot to him. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:00.000 That's it. 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:09.759 It's a lifelong pursuit to choose the things that Jesus would choose for you because what he pursues is what's best for you. 00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:13.839 And we put our faith in that. 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:17.039 We read the life that Jesus lived. 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:21.599 We see the outpouring, what happens when you prioritize the things. 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:32.400 We go back and we read the Sermon on the Mount, and then we watch the rest of Jesus' life and we see congruence between the ideas that he had and the life that he lived and go, man, what if? 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:41.359 What if people were that connected, were that committed, were that convicted? 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:46.240 What if? 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:59.920 What if, what if we believed and made it our life's pursuit to let God set the priorities for our life. 00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:08.240 Following Jesus means giving your life to becoming the person that he would be if he lived through you. 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:10.480 And I know that's a little bit of a wordplay. 00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:11.759 But just imagine for a second. 00:30:11.839 --> 00:30:15.519 Sometimes it's hard for us to remember that Jesus isn't just some like ethereal being. 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:17.039 Like he's a real dude. 00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:21.119