WEBVTT 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:05.519 You are listening to the Gateway Franklin Church podcast. 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:13.279 To learn more about Gateway Franklin Church, including our service times here in Franklin, Tennessee, visit us online at GatewayFranklin.com. 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:16.000 And now, here is this week's message. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:23.120 I'll show you some logos when you recognize it. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:23.920 Tell me what it is. 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:34.000 Oh, you said that one a lot less enthusiastically. 00:00:49.920 --> 00:01:02.719 All the men on Chanel was like, uh so there's no telling, and right, we could have gone over because we're such a I mean, 70% of our economy is based on on consumption, right? 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:03.759 Consumers. 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:08.319 So obviously, then that makes brands and brand identity pretty big business. 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:18.000 And in fact, um it said that 30 up to 50% of the value of certain companies are in their brand identity, how they are recognized. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:24.719 And it represents 20% of their, could represent um a significant part of their worth in a sale. 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:33.359 Um other studies shows that 80-some percent of people will pay uh up to a third more for something if it's if it's a certain brand. 00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:38.079 Um and so I don't want to seem shallow to you, but I'm very brand identity conscious. 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:39.439 I always have been. 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:47.280 Now I don't I stopped wearing, like until they're paying me, I stopped wearing like a lot of symbols of a company, right? 00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:53.359 I'm like, if I'm gonna if I'm gonna wear your brand and you're not paying me for it, then I'm gonna I want your brand logo hidden, you know. 00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:59.439 But but there are certain brands that I value because of the longevity of the pieces and the quality. 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:03.760 It's it's not from a status standpoint, I don't believe I don't want you to think of me in that way. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:17.039 Um, but also about brands for me is I'm not gonna do a deep dive forensically in how you spend your money as a company, but if you lead with something that's against my values, I write you off. 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:17.680 I will. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:27.199 There are certain things that have had my closet for years, and then over the course of the last six, eight, ten years, these companies have come out with a different set of values and they've stated it. 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:34.400 So, in my opinion, they've staked their value on those things, and when they do that, then I I make my particular choices. 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:37.759 Um, I'm a pretty loyal, uh, pretty loyal guy. 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:44.080 We did a we did a memorial service in here yesterday for a man that worked for Kubota on 31. 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:48.240 It's a mile from my house when that company let him go and they had to move. 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:52.560 I've stopped spending money at the Kubota store uh down by my house. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:58.639 Um they thought that was funnier than you did, but uh that's kind of how loyal I am. 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:02.319 Um I'm sure some of you have brands showing today. 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:12.319 So if I if I were to ask you what is the brand identity of Christianity, what is the logo of Christianity, you might say a cross. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:16.960 Crosses uh are sure for sure a mark of Christianity. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:21.280 They're prominent in Christian architecture, jewelry, who's wearing a cross today? 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:22.159 Raise your hand. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:23.520 Yeah, cross on. 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:24.960 Um, even tattoos. 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:26.159 Anyone have a cross tattoo? 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:27.840 We have sure, yeah. 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:33.680 Well, um, it's interesting though that how Jesus gave the cross a brand makeover, right? 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:37.680 You you are wearing a symbol of execution uh around your neck. 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:38.800 You've spent money for that. 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:40.879 You spent money to be tattooed. 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:42.639 It's like, okay, this is how people die. 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:43.199 Here you go. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:43.840 What do you think? 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:44.560 What do you think? 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:44.960 Right? 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:47.599 So Jesus gave the cross a pretty big makeover. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:54.560 Um I mean, it was such a brutal form of execution that Rome quits it not long after they crucified Jesus. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:55.039 All right. 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:58.400 So, I mean, seriously, that's how brutal crucifixion was. 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:01.919 Um, and yet we have this as our symbol because of what Jesus did. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:11.759 But would you believe that that symbol of a cross coming to represent kind of Christianity doesn't really appear in broad scale to the fourth century? 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:12.800 To the fourth century. 00:04:12.960 --> 00:04:14.080 So here was an earlier one. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:15.680 You recognize this symbol? 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:19.360 The it's um some will just say fish or ichthus. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:20.639 Anybody have that on their car? 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:22.319 Anybody have an icthus on their car? 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:23.759 You have it on car used to, right? 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:24.399 Yeah, right? 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:28.959 So you'd be careful, careful, um, because this is a pretty significant symbol. 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:30.959 This one shows up in the second century. 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:40.160 So when you break out it like an acrostic on the Greek letters, it will say uh Jesus Christ, God, son, savior. 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:41.439 That's how the letters break out. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:43.519 Jesus Christ, God, son, savior. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:46.240 That's that's a pretty comprehensive, right? 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:52.879 So make sure your driving then corresponds with Jesus Christ, God, Son, and Savior. 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:54.079 Is what I got to say. 00:04:54.319 --> 00:05:08.959 So this pops up in uh heavy Roman persecution time and when when you did not want to be known as a Christian in the sense that that it could mark you, in the sense that it could mark you for imprisonment and those kind of things. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:18.959 So you've heard some of you have heard me do this before, but if I would come up to Mark on a on a sh on a street and I have some sense that Mark may be a believer, I would draw an ark with my toe. 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:22.160 And if he was, then he would from his size reverse it. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:27.680 He would draw it, makes this symbol, and then we know one another that we are Christians. 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:34.079 So the ichthus predates the cross in terms of the recognition of that brand. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:48.000 I met a businessman recently in Franklin that his mission um is to uh these aren't exactly his words, could so hold on, but to replace the cross as a symbol of Christianity with the empty tomb. 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:55.439 And so the empty tomb, um, in his perspective, then he's has a jewelry line that he's he's marketing now. 00:05:55.600 --> 00:06:01.279 Um I told him I don't wear jewelry, so um I'm out I'm out of his his uh test market. 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:07.120 But he's his kind of conviction comes from Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:19.680 So, because in in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul says, listen, if you don't believe in the resurrection of the dead, and you don't believe that Jesus resurrected, right, then the rest of this stuff doesn't matter. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:26.480 Now you've heard me talk about Christianity being being viewed as a behavioral modification system, and it's not. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:32.879 It's a transformational system that happens because the tomb is empty. 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:39.120 So all of those, all of those represent kind of a brand identity, if you will, of Christianity. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:46.160 But would it surprise you that Jesus himself had a consciousness of brand identity? 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:57.759 So I think this is 130% conjecture, but I would think that Joseph, what he made, his dad, had a logo on it. 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:03.199 Some kind of mark that was carved into furniture, or some kind of mark it was burned into furniture. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:07.439 Because you want you want to differentiate the quality of his craftsmanship. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:12.560 You want to identify the um uh the type of materials that is used, right? 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:14.079 And I would see this. 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:18.319 Um, I'm not saying that precipitates these next verses of scripture. 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:25.439 I'm just I just want to say that that brand the idea of brand and identity isn't anything new to the 21st century. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:25.920 Okay? 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:34.720 So um we're continuing this series um on Jesus' discourse out of the Last Supper. 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:36.000 This is the third week. 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:38.319 Here's the passage we're gonna focus in on today. 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:41.279 John chapter 13, 34 through 35. 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:46.319 Now, the that that pericopey is a little longer than that, but this is what I want to focus in on. 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:51.680 Jesus says, A new command I give you, love one another. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:56.639 As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:01.120 By this everyone will know, do you get the brand identity there? 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:05.279 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you what? 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:08.560 Love one another. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:26.800 So the context here, Judas now has has left the building, and Jesus now just has these eleven around him, and this begins the farewell discourse that Jesus teaches as in John 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:28.319 So he begins it with it. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:32.639 This is his first statements around this farewell discourse. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:33.679 It's very Jewish. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:42.879 Moses, before he passes the torch to Joshua, gives this kind of final discourse, and then he hands the reins over to Joshua. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:52.399 Elijah gives this end of life, end of term discourse, and then he hands it over to Elisha. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:58.559 Now, what's interesting here is Jesus' final discourse, he's not handing any of this over to a person. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:03.120 He's handing it over to a group of people. 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:09.840 That will extend to a group of people and a group of people, to a group of people, to actually us sitting here today. 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:23.519 Really, you can track back to this beginning discourse, which he is saying that your mark and your identity is going to be how you love one another. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:25.840 And I just find that very odd. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:43.200 It wasn't that you're going to wear a certain type of dress, or that you're going to carry a certain physical mark, or that you're going to adhere to a set of standard beliefs. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:50.240 That's not what Jesus is saying will be the mark and the identifying piece of you. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:57.600 It's going to be how you love, how you love one another. 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:08.879 Now, he begins, if you back up a verse, he begins by saying, My children, I will be only, I will with, I will be with you only a little longer. 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:14.080 You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now where I'm going, you cannot come. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:17.279 Now, he's not saying going to heaven, you can't come to heaven. 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:19.440 He's going to the cross and you can't come. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:26.879 But I like I like he begins again, round the 11, and he and he looks at him and he says, My little children. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:28.960 So my daughter calls. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:36.639 Most of the time, when my daughter calls, my answer, how I pick up the phone, is I say, Hey little girl, hey little girl. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:40.240 She's 28, married, two kids, owns a business, they have their own home. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:42.639 I go, hey little girl. 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:43.279 Right? 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:48.559 So her married name is Bender, and on my phone it says Annie Weir. 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:50.720 And I've apologized to Brady over and over. 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:51.919 I've just said it's not changing. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:54.639 So, right, saying you're a little girl, she's my little girl. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:55.039 All right. 00:10:55.120 --> 00:11:03.360 So there is this sense of camaraderie deeper than that, right? 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:12.720 There's this sense of fatherhood that Jesus takes with these leaven and begins this final discourse by saying, My little children. 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:21.600 But there's another side of this, and I take it as the side, is like when your son or daughter reaches the age of 12 and you start calling them your little children. 00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:26.639 This one is a reminder to them, they don't know everything. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:27.600 Right? 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:31.360 That there is still stuff for you to learn. 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:34.240 I'm not as dumb as you think I am. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:35.279 Right? 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:47.440 Now I I can see Jesus here saying, my little children, as this as this endearing drawing them in, but it's also has this context of saying, guys, there's a lot more to life. 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:50.080 And I need you to listen up. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:57.200 Because I'm gonna teach you something pretty significant here on how you're to live this out. 00:11:58.159 --> 00:12:02.559 That there is literally something pretty large at stake. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:06.799 And I'm and I want you to get this from the jump. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:12.879 That if you're gonna carry my mark, you gotta love one another. 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:15.279 It's pretty pretty significant. 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:19.840 That that's how he kind of dives into this passage. 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:35.759 Um uh I I I I I feel like I I teach this a lot that that the the love that that he's referring to, the the word love that he uses is agape, right? 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:38.159 Which is an action word. 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:44.720 It is a whole self, unconditional giving over of myself to you. 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:45.840 Right? 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:51.679 So it's not he's not saying, hey guys, I want you to be a little nicer to one another. 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:54.720 I want you to be a little bit more polite to one another. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:13:04.960 I mean he's saying, I want I want you to I want you to love one another with this deep sense of giving, convicting kind of love. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:11.200 And we don't, I really don't believe that our Western culture understands that depth of that love. 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:15.200 We used love for so many different, or we got one word, it's all we get, right? 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:23.200 We get one word and we use it all in different ways, that it's difficult to let that sink in deeper. 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:34.159 That what we've received from God through Christ is this whole self, unconditional, you don't do anything for me, I do everything for you. 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:42.960 I think we continue to look for reasons to be loved, that we live in a manner by which to garner back love. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:46.000 And he leads with love. 00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:51.440 He doesn't connect it to our behavior or our past or our music. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:53.919 He leads with that. 00:13:54.559 --> 00:14:01.519 And it's it's it's such an impressionable transformative love that that becomes his mark. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:11.759 And he said, if you if you're gonna, I need you to represent me, and I need you to understand the best transformative way for you to represent me. 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:21.679 And it's not gonna be adherence to this or this mark of that, it's going to be how deeply you love one another. 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:26.960 The way I've loved you, this is the way you are to love. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:33.200 I mean, it just had to be just dead quiet in the room. 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:40.240 Jesus had already redefined the mark of a disciple by just choosing these guys. 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:45.120 Discipleship was a long process for a rabbi. 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:50.159 It required high certification on whoever they would choose. 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:54.799 And Jesus chooses people that couldn't spell certification. 00:14:55.600 --> 00:15:00.720 I mean, in the sense that, and I mean, so many of the Jewish boys would have had this experience. 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:12.399 At some point in time in Torah school, the certain levels of it, at some point in time a rabbi looked at him and said, God, you're a good kid, but you're not going to be a you're not going to be a rabbi. 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:16.720 You're a good kid, but you're you're not, you can't be my disciple. 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:22.159 You know, you got the books out of order, you're not real, you know, can't tell the difference between a mid-rash and a rash. 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:24.000 That's some really Jewish humor. 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:25.840 You'd have to dig deeper for that one. 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:33.279 And so none of the all these guys would have had that that that conversation with a rabbi in school. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:35.919 And Jesus chooses them. 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.200 He's already he's already flipped the mark. 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:43.360 I mean, Jewishness had a mark, it was a private mark, but it was circumcision. 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:48.720 You read the New Testament, it's like, yeah, circumcision is in the heart. 00:15:49.440 --> 00:16:00.480 The mark you're going to carry isn't going to be anything other than how you extend yourselves to one another. 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:10.480 It is, to me, it's just still an odd, odd thing to choose as your opening line of a discourse. 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:16.399 So when Jesus uses the word a new command I give you, this was not a new command. 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:20.000 He doesn't use the word new in the sense that it's novel. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:22.879 He uses the word new in the sense of fresh. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:29.200 He is gonna, he wants to refresh this command in a new way. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:29.759 Okay? 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:33.840 There were 614 Old Testament commandments. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:35.120 614. 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:38.000 So you can understand why. 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:47.759 There's a story recorded in the Gospels where a Jewish scholar comes to Jesus and says, Hey, what's the most important commandment? 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:48.320 Right? 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.200 So it makes sense. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:50.799 There's 614. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:56.080 Gosh, I'm lost trying to keep up with 614 commandments as a good Jewish man. 00:16:56.399 --> 00:16:58.799 Can you just tell me the most important one? 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:05.680 And maybe if you can tell me the most, I'm not saying you didn't have ulterior motives, but I'm just saying this is something you could perceive out of this. 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:14.480 So Jesus harkens back to what's called uh the the the Shema or Shema, depending on um which way I want to get it wrong. 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:21.599 But Deuteronomy 6, 4 and 9, this was a foundational confession of the Jewish faith. 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:25.839 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:31.359 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:37.039 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts, and press them on your children. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:40.799 Talk about them when you sit at home, when you walk along the road. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:42.480 Anyone think this one's important? 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:45.440 When you lie down and when you get up. 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:53.039 Tie them as symbols on your hands, bind them on their foreheads, write them on the door frames of your houses and your gates. 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:56.880 Like this is utmost important. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:17:59.759 So Jesus would lead with that. 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:04.640 The second one he throws in is actually a little is a little bit more obscure. 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:15.519 Now it doesn't seem obscure because if you have learned this story, the story of Jesus' answer is love your Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:18.400 Sometimes even called that golden rule. 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:25.680 But out of the 614 commandments, that one is buried in Leviticus. 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:29.680 Anybody read Leviticus this week? 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:41.200 It's buried in Leviticus and it states like this do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:42.799 I am the Lord. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:58.240 So in this man's attempt to find the one, Jesus' response is, I'm gonna give you one you know, I'm gonna pull out one that you probably read over, and I'm not gonna set these two up as the most important. 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:01.119 I'm gonna do something a lot stronger than that. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:08.319 I'm gonna say that all of the law and prophets, which means all the law and what anybody had ever taught about the law. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:15.680 Hang on these two of the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:17.599 Love your neighbor as yourself. 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:23.839 Hang, meaning if you keep these two, you keep all 614. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.839 So he's not giving anybody a shortcut. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:35.200 What he's saying is they all can coalesce and come underneath the umbrella of these two particular things. 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:43.279 So when so when Jesus is telling them, is you're they'll know you're my disciples by how you love one another. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:45.440 And he marks it as a new command. 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:47.440 He is bringing freshness to this. 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:49.039 Look around, guys. 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:54.319 Look to your left, look to your right. 00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:55.920 You see these men? 00:19:56.960 --> 00:20:00.079 These are the people I'm telling you to love. 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:03.039 Actively. 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:11.839 And if you will actively love these eleven, people will see you and that you'll know that you're my disciple. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:13.680 Pretty significant. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:18.160 And that's the beginning of his farewell address. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:20.960 It's not don't forget what I taught you. 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:24.400 He he begins with don't forget how I loved you. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:29.920 I would have started with don't forget what I taught you. 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:31.119 Right? 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:35.920 It's the list you leave the babysitter of your first child. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:40.160 You start with the things that will kill them. 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:42.480 And you work your way down. 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:48.160 He starts with, guys, how I love you. 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:50.720 That's what I need you to remember. 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:53.359 And I need you to love one another like that. 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:56.160 So let's break down these symbols of Christianity and what they mean. 00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:57.680 Let's put the cross back up. 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.559 The cross is this quintessential Christian symbol. 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:01.039 Why? 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:07.359 It's because it is the best illustration of God's love for you and me. 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:14.400 There is no better expression of the love of God than the cross of Christ. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:26.240 Later in John's discourse, Jesus will tell them, he said, Um, rarely would a man die for someone else, even a good person. 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:28.880 Rarely would that happen. 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:37.279 He said, but I will, my context, I will lay my life down for my friends. 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:41.119 And then he says this really striking thing, he says, You're my friends. 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:43.440 You're my friends. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:46.319 Rarely would a man die for a good man. 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:49.039 I'll die for my friends. 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:51.599 You are my friends. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:58.880 The reason why it is the quintessential mark of love is because there is no transaction involved with this. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:03.839 There is no you go first or what are you going to do next? 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:13.759 The cross is given without pretext, and the cross is done without any movement on our part. 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:15.039 It doesn't change. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:21.599 My acceptance of the love of God has no bearing on the intensity of the love of God. 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:29.119 My rejection of the love of God does not one iota diminish the love of God. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:31.599 Because the love of God went first. 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:34.240 God goes first. 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:38.720 Alright, what about the the the other symbol, next symbol? 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:41.200 So the empty, the empty tomb, right? 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:46.960 So Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, if if Jesus doesn't rise from the dead, then none of this matters. 00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:50.400 Because it just it just it's just another system of life. 00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:53.519 It's just another rule-based manner. 00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:56.880 You might be a better person because of it. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:03.119 You know, but there's not going to be life in any life to it if he didn't have any life after this. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:09.519 On Easter, what I'm working on is thinking through Jesus' first breath. 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:12.880 See, we don't get to see that. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:18.640 We don't see any of the gospels until Mary shows up, and then we get the story. 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:24.160 But what was that first breath like after he laid breathless for a couple days? 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:26.480 Anybody ever get the wind knocked out of them? 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:27.839 Right? 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:31.359 It's like you're okay, you can't, no one can convince you of that. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:45.839 I mean, it's that it's that significant of this, I I can't, I can't catch my breath, and Jesus lays there two days, and with that with that first breath, his lungs feel restricted by some of that. 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:50.240 With that first breath, we all get life. 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:54.480 So you can see why the tomb would be significant that we get life. 00:23:54.799 --> 00:24:02.319 The ichthus, it's a strong, it's a super strong theological statement. 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:05.200 Jesus Christ, God, Son, Savior. 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:08.960 I mean, that's there's a lot, a lot there. 00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:13.599 And this is what represents our tribe. 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:22.480 This is what allows us to go all over the world and run into a Christian and feel like you've known them all your life. 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:27.279 I think it's funny when I traveled, whenever I heard someone speak English, I went to them. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:32.720 You know, so like maybe they can help me because I'm completely lost and they speak my language. 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:44.640 But also when I got around those other believers in those countries, boy, they're talking about being settled, it just kind of settles you that, oh, we we know the same God and we know him in the same way. 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:45.200 Right? 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:47.119 So those are pretty significant. 00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:48.720 But here's I want to add one. 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:50.799 Um, then the basin and the towel. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:25:02.240 We did this what three weeks ago, two weeks ago, when Jesus washes the feet, and I unpacked that and I talked about washing the feet being, I talked about it on an identity side, but I talked about on the cleansing side. 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:09.200 In this case, what Jesus is is pointing out is that this is um this is our mark. 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:13.599 And I haven't seen anybody with a tattoo of a pitcher, a basin, and a towel. 00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:22.079 I haven't seen any necklace with a basin, but I've seen no ring, I've seen no t-shirt, I don't, I don't see this anywhere. 00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:25.920 And yet, and yet, this is the mark. 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:31.119 This is the mark that he gives that we should carry: a basin and a towel. 00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:35.759 So here's how Paul articulates it out of the message. 00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:37.359 Well, he does it right in the message. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:42.720 The message is a translation or a version of Ephesians 5, 1 and 2. 00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:47.279 He says, Watch what God does, and then you do it. 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:52.079 Like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. 00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:55.759 Mostly what God does is love you. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:59.440 Keep company with him and learn a life of love. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:02.079 Observe how Christ loved us. 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:05.200 His love was not cautious but extravagant. 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:11.279 He didn't love in order to get something from us, but to give everything of himself to us. 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:14.640 And this is why I like this this version of it, the last three words. 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:15.680 Love like that. 00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:19.039 Love like that. 00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:23.920 You've experienced, you've experienced that love. 00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:31.440 That's the kind of love that I'm calling you to exhibit one to another. 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:35.119 A little bit of a breakdown of world's love is a self-serving love. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:41.440 I mean, I think if we're just gut level honest, what we love just enough to get back what we need. 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:47.440 I'm gonna love you just enough, I'm gonna be cordial just enough, I'm gonna be nice just enough. 00:26:47.519 --> 00:26:52.720 Um because I need I need some I'm gonna evaluate you based on what you can do for me. 00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:55.279 Does any does this does this feel true? 00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:58.799 You want to be good at your job? 00:26:58.960 --> 00:26:59.839 Don't do this. 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:02.319 I don't care what job you got. 00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:09.920 I'm gonna give you just enough to get what I want. 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:13.599 I'm going to engage you if you have something of value to me. 00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:15.359 If you don't, next. 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:16.160 Next. 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:18.880 That's in essence, that's the world's love. 00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:25.599 God's love is extravagant, holding nothing back, regardless of how it's received. 00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:35.119 The world make this makes the world's love transactional, and God's love is transformational. 00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:44.640 So it's interesting, it's an interesting cap to wear to say, how can I love you in a way that will transform you? 00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:49.759 That's a significant thing to wrestle with. 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:53.839 Now, one more twist. 00:27:55.680 --> 00:28:07.039 I think if I would have polled you, more than likely a high percentage of you would have said the mark of a disciple would be how we love other people. 00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:09.039 What's the mission of the church, right? 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:11.839 We said the mission of the church is love other people. 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:17.039 There's so much talk about well, I get I gotta get outside of the walls of the church. 00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:18.960 What are we doing out there? 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:24.000 And that it's not to take anything away from that. 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:30.319 Jesus will get there, but he begins with what happens here. 00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:33.279 Love one another. 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:36.640 He could have said anything. 00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:40.720 The mark of my disciples, how you love people who don't love me. 00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:43.599 He didn't say that here in the discourse. 00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:56.240 Now, John has this to say in his letter in 1 John, gives an explanation for it. 00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:59.039 I like that John goes ahead and explains John. 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:07.839 Chapter 4, verse 20 says, Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or a sister is a liar. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:16.079 For whoever does not love their brother and sister whom they have seen can't love God, whom they have not seen. 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:19.680 And he has given us this command. 00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:24.319 Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:29.119 Did anybody grow up in a church that called each other brother and sister? 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:31.039 I did. 00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.079 I did. 00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:33.680 I mean, they didn't call me that. 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:34.480 I was 10. 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:38.559 But I mean, you know, Sister Muni played the piano. 00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:44.640 You know, I mean, these are the these are the these are these are the memories that I have. 00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:57.839 Um he said, if you can't love one another within the context of both sharing the cross together, how are you about to love someone in a transformational way uh if you can't love one another that way? 00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:59.599 Now I don't have brothers and sisters. 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:01.279 I don't know how this family thing works. 00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:02.079 I really don't. 00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:04.880 I mean, the only person I fought with was my mom. 00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:07.599 My dad would not engage in any fights. 00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:11.680 Um, and when he spoke something, it sounded like a lion and I just stopped. 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:14.480 But but my mom, I can't blame anybody else. 00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:15.359 Dad would question it. 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:16.000 Mom did it. 00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:19.200 You know, I mean I just I lost out on all that, all that fun. 00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:21.920 Like she's looking at me, mom. 00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:23.839 Right? 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:26.640 He's playing with my toy. 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:27.680 I mean, I forget all that. 00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:45.039 But here's what I here's what I've been, you know, watch in families is the more mature and the older your kids get, the less arguing, fighting, more defending happens. 00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:52.240 Less blaming, more loving. 00:30:53.839 --> 00:31:04.079 And so you say you love God, and yet the person bearing my image next to you, you don't love. 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:24.400 Again, again, he's not saying be nicer to one another, be more polite, be more engaging. 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:30.240 He's saying I want you to actively put yourself out for somebody. 00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:40.640 And when you do that for one another, that's gonna tell people who you are. 00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:50.480 I believe a loving family, well, so we we can we can say it, we can say it in your a context of your family or a church family, it works both ways. 00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:54.960 So let's start with your family, and you got kids, and you got a loving family. 00:31:55.359 --> 00:31:56.799 Where do the kids come play? 00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:58.799 Where do your friends' kids come play? 00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:00.559 They come play your house. 00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:02.480 I mean, you might have a pool too. 00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:04.480 I mean, that doesn't that that helps, right? 00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:07.039 You might give the best snacks in the neighborhood. 00:32:07.119 --> 00:32:14.079 I mean, I get I get that, but people are drawn to that kind of experience. 00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:19.119 They want to be a part of like if there's high tension in your house, where are the kids going to play? 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:20.480 Your house. 00:32:21.359 --> 00:32:23.039 Because the tension's palatable. 00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:30.640 So you look at Acts chapter 2, and Acts chapter 2 is 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:32.319 Holy Spirit is given. 00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:35.440 Peter steps out and preaches the first sermon. 00:32:36.880 --> 00:32:39.759 He preaches a sermon about who it was that they killed. 00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:45.920 These are probably a lot of the same people are in this crowd that would have been in that crowd 50 days earlier. 00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:50.480 And 3,000 people, the scripture says were cut to the heart. 00:32:52.079 --> 00:32:54.000 They repent and are baptized. 00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:55.759 This is in Acts chapter 2. 00:32:56.160 --> 00:33:06.000 At the end of Acts chapter 2, the last words of Acts chapter 2, says that, and the Lord added daily the numbers of those being saved. 00:33:07.519 --> 00:33:17.680 Four or five verses prior to that, John starts coloring out how this new group of people were acting towards one another. 00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:31.839