WEBVTT 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:07.360 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.759 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.839 Today, embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:19.120 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:27.679 So, today we're coming to the end of First Peter. 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:42.000 We're in chapter four of First Peter, and he's concluding this encyclical letter that went out across the Asia Minor area to churches with a challenge to the culture of a church. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:44.000 How to have a healthy culture. 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:51.439 Let me just say this as being a pastor now for 30 years and a missionary and pastor for 40 years, culture matters. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:52.799 Culture's important. 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:56.960 And the problem with culture is you don't know your culture until you're out of your culture. 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:00.640 It's kind of like a fish telling a fish that he's in water. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:01.280 They don't know. 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:14.640 And I've been around the world, and the American culture is unique, the European culture is unique, Asian culture is unique, and then you can break it down into subcultures. 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:21.760 In other words, if you're in Japan, the Japanese culture is entirely different in many ways than the Korean culture. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:25.760 The Korean culture is extremely different than the Filipino culture. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:30.239 Filipino culture is very different than a Malay or Malaysian culture. 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:31.519 So culture matters. 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:33.359 Well, churches have culture. 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:39.359 And some of you, if not all of you, here, come to the road because of culture. 00:01:39.519 --> 00:01:42.480 You don't really know how to explain it exactly. 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:53.519 Maybe it's the teaching, maybe it's the worship, maybe there's a few things you you appreciate, but actually what you appreciate the most is there's something of a feeling that you get when you're here. 00:01:53.599 --> 00:02:02.560 Because there's a lot of great churches in Colorado Springs, but you come to the road because there's some kind of something that resonates within your heart with the road. 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:03.680 Well, that's culture. 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:16.400 And so as we come to the end of this book, Peter is talking to leadership of churches and the membership of churches about the proper, healthy culture that they should have. 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:22.639 So turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter, and we're gonna look at chapter 5, and we're gonna conclude here. 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:25.759 We're gonna start actually with one verse in chapter 4. 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:28.719 So if you'd stand with me, we're gonna read God's word. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:36.159 I'm gonna read all of it, and then we're gonna break down different verses within this final chapter. 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:44.000 I'm gonna start with verse 17 because I think verse 17 is kind of a title preparing us for chapter 5. 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:46.000 417. 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:50.400 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:56.400 And if it begins with us first, then what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:58.479 Now chapter 5, verse 1. 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:27.840 The elders who are among you, I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, also partaker of the glory that will be revealed, shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly, not as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:30.159 In other words, modeling what you say. 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:35.360 And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:36.159 Verse 5. 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:37.439 Likewise, you younger people. 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:39.599 So now he's talking to the congregation. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:41.840 He he points at younger people. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:45.919 Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:50.800 Yes, all of you, be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility. 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:54.319 For God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. 00:03:54.479 --> 00:04:04.400 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you. 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:18.319 Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, that's diabolos there in Greek, the diabolical one, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:26.879 Resist him, steadfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:41.360 But may the God of all grace, who called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:44.480 To him be the glory and the dominion for it ever and ever. 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:45.360 Amen. 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:50.319 By Sylvanus, our faithful brother, that's also Silas. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:53.680 We believe this is Silas in the book of Acts, Acts 15, Acts 18. 00:04:53.839 --> 00:05:04.319 Silas or Sylvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I've written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:07.839 We believe that Sylvanus was the one who brought the letter. 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:14.480 She who is in Babylon, that's not the Mesopotamian Babylon, that no longer hardly existed at all at this writing. 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:16.319 So this is probably Rome. 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:18.480 He's speaking of Rome where he's writing the letter. 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:24.800 She who is in Rome or Babylon, elect together with you, greets you, and so does Mark. 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:27.279 He wrote the second gospel, Matthew Mark. 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:33.199 Mark wrote that, who is my son with you, greets you, and so does Mark, my son. 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:35.759 Greet one another with a kiss of love. 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:38.480 Peace to you, all who are in Christ Jesus. 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:39.120 Amen. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:45.759 So, God, we just ask you to take the word of God here this morning and use it in our lives. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:48.000 Equip us, empower us. 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:51.439 We are your sheep, and you are our shepherd. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:52.560 In your name we pray. 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:53.279 Amen. 00:05:53.519 --> 00:05:54.319 All right, guys. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:06:01.360 So let's go back to verse 17 of chapter 4, for the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:06.000 And if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:13.120 We're living in a time where there's so much sin in the leadership of the church. 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:14.319 It's just a bit amazing. 00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:30.240 It feels like the last year, every other month or so, we find about another sin or another area of usually sexual, usually sexual sin, among pastors of large churches in our nation. 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:38.480 And so judgment begins with the household of God because we have the Holy Spirit and God can bring judgment to us and conviction of our sin. 00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:44.879 And what I've noticed in my own life is that God gives me opportunity to repent. 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:50.639 God gives me the opportunity to repent because I have the Holy Spirit, so I can hear from God. 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:51.920 Right? 00:06:52.399 --> 00:07:06.240 And so when we had the thing with the Paris, you know, and everybody was talking up in arms about that opening ceremony thing and all about the Lord's Last Supper and it being kind of a blasphemy against that. 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:07.839 What do you expect? 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:12.079 I mean, you expect them they're gonna be worshiping Jesus or something? 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:14.240 I mean, that's the way the world is. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:15.839 That's demonic territory. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:16.879 That's what they do. 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:21.120 That's the kind of stuff I would do if I didn't have the Holy Spirit. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:24.160 So we need a kingdom of God revolution. 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:27.199 We don't need to be judging and pointing our fingers at everybody. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:28.720 I just don't see it. 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:34.240 I don't see it anywhere in Scripture where it's our place to constantly judge the culture. 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:37.839 Judgment begins in the house of God. 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:42.560 I mean, you can't bring the good news if you're the bad news. 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:47.680 So, so when I see this stuff happening in churches, I go, well, that's the point. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:54.079 We need to clean up our act before we judge everybody else who don't even have the Holy Spirit. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:55.360 They don't know the Lord. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:01.360 Well, how would they know the Lord unless somebody who has the Lord leads them to the Lord? 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:05.680 And how can we lead them to the Lord if we're still messing around with our own stuff? 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:08.480 And so he says, judgment begins in the household of God. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:18.959 So, men and women, what that what that's saying to us is, you know, let's let's walk in righteousness, peace, and joy, the fruit of the kingdom. 00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:25.040 Let's be the kingdom before we talk about the kingdom. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:42.000 How many times have you known people that have come to you and maybe a great message or whatever it is, but they're always late for work, or they always leave work early, or they do a lousy job, and yet they say they're a really committed Christian, and the thing that comes in your mind is this little word called hypocrite. 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:54.639 Versus someone who maybe they don't even they don't know how to share their faith yet, or they're not the greatest witness as far as verbal, but they're just consistently men and women of integrity. 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:56.320 That's a better witness. 00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:02.399 Now it's great when you can do both, but the point is that he's saying, look, judgment begins in the household of God. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:08.399 Because God cares most about his sheep. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:09.679 He does. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:17.120 He cares about you and me in a deep way, and so we have the Holy Spirit, we can hear his voice, and God can speak to us. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:28.720 And so now he moves into the shepherds because in the household of God, the most important models or examples of the kingdom of God should be the pastors and the leaders. 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:39.279 He says, the elders who are among you exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that is to be revealed. 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:40.559 Now, this is amazing. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:51.440 This sentence is amazing because what Peter's saying is, I was a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and that was his greatest day of shame. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:57.360 That was Peter's greatest night of shame. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:03.759 Because it was at the sufferings of Christ that he denied he knew Christ three times. 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:05.759 Everybody knows that. 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:06.720 Everybody knows that. 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:08.080 Who's reading this letter? 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:14.080 Peter is saying, on my greatest night of shame, I'm a fellow elder with you. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:18.639 I mean, that is phenomenal vulnerability. 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:23.120 That is phenomenal authenticity by Peter. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:25.600 He, why did he say the resurrection? 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:28.000 Because he was a witness of the resurrection. 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:29.279 He saw that too. 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:34.159 But rather, he says, I want you to remember that I'm not so great. 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:36.320 I'm just a fellow elder, just like you. 00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:40.000 You guys call me apostle, but look what I did. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:49.200 And some of you in this room, you've done really bad things, or you've had bad things happen to you, and you're ashamed of that. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:55.440 And it really is a weight on your heart, and sometimes it really bothers you. 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:57.279 But look what Peter does. 00:10:57.519 --> 00:11:09.519 Peter goes on to say, I'm a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory of God. 00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:13.919 You see, Peter has experienced forgiveness. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:16.080 Peter's been set free. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:20.159 Peter's no longer, you know, hiding his shame. 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:24.240 He's being authentic and real about his shame. 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:29.279 That's one of the things we train you in at a whole heart advance. 00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:32.799 I share about my stuff there. 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:44.960 And I challenge you to go deeper in your heart knowledge of God so that God can allow his glory to be revealed in areas there's never been any glory before. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:46.960 Because we have these hidden dark places of our heart. 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:49.039 We don't let anybody in, right? 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:53.600 And because of that, God's saying, look, I want to heal that. 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:55.759 And Peter's been healed. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:03.600 So Peter humbles himself with an authenticity that is flat unprecedented. 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:04.559 I mean, it's unprecedented. 00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:10.320 Only in Christianity can you have that kind of vulnerability, know you're forgiven, and be okay with that. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:12.879 Because we have forgiveness. 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:16.480 And I don't want you to carry that, men and women. 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:21.600 I don't think you're supposed to carry that shame anymore. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:28.879 God wants you to walk in a new kind of freedom because you're vulnerable and open, because he says, confess, what does he say? 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:34.799 Confess your sins to one another so that you may be healed. 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:40.879 So when we confess, which by the way, confession, another word for that is truth-telling. 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:42.639 It's just telling the truth. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:45.679 All that confession is, is telling the truth. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:51.440 When you start telling the truth to God and to men, there's a healing that comes. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:54.960 God comes and he heals that, and it's amazing. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:56.159 And that's what Peter's saying here. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:57.919 He said, Look, I'm a fellow elder. 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:03.200 Look, I blew it, but I have the glory of God on me because I'm healed. 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:21.600 Shepherd, the flock of God, which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly, nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:29.519 So here there is this Peter mentioned shepherding the flock of God. 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:30.720 Well, where does that come from? 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:33.360 Well, the idea of the flock of God, the shepherding. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:33.679 Remember? 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:35.200 Remember what happened to Jesus next? 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:36.960 I mean, what happened to Peter next? 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:43.279 So a few weeks later, Jesus comes to them. 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:50.559 We don't know how long it was from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee, but remember the disciples are out there fishing. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:51.120 Okay? 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:54.240 And then Jesus comes, but they don't recognize him. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:58.159 He says, Hey, you guys, throw your nets on the right side of the boat. 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:03.279 So they throw their nets on the right side of the boat, they make this great hall of fish, and then Peter's the first one to go. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:05.200 It's our Lord, it's Jesus. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:13.200 And so he jumps in and he swims to the shore, and there by the fire on the side of the Sea of Galilee, what does Jesus say? 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:14.960 He says, Do you love me more than these? 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:17.519 Three times, do you love me more than these? 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:19.360 Do you love me more than these? 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:22.240 So the three, see what's going on here? 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:31.519 The three denials are now met with three positive responses of do you love me more than these? 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:33.679 And he says, Feed my sheep. 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:36.960 Tend to my lambs, feed my sheep. 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:54.159 So immediately Peter knew that, he remembered back, I think, to a confession that he had made maybe a few months before, where Jesus asked him, Who do men say that I am? 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:56.000 He said, You're the Christ. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:58.000 You're the Son of the living God. 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:06.799 And then Jesus pronounces to him, basically, well done, Peter, on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:16.240 Peter knew that he was called to leadership, that he was going to be a shepherd over the flock, but that the main point was feed my sheep. 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:21.919 And so now he says to pastors and leaders, shepherd the flock of God. 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:24.559 Shepherd the flock of God. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:29.679 That's the main responsibility of pastors and leaders in a local church. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:31.120 That's my main responsibility. 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:36.240 I have to model it before my team, is feed the sheep. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:50.559 That's why I believe it's more important on Sunday morning that you get equipped and empowered with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit than being an evangelistic-minded church. 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:52.159 So evangelism's great. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:53.039 I love evangelism. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:54.320 I've done it my whole life. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:16:04.000 But on Sunday morning, my main responsibility is exactly here to shepherd the flock of God by feeding, feeding you. 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:09.039 So that you go out and evangelize, so that you go out and make a difference in your life. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:11.519 And then he talks about three vices. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:20.960 The three vices and the three antidotes to being a pastor leader. 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:27.039 He says, not by compulsion, but willingly. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:30.240 In other words, the word compulsion here means pressure. 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:36.559 Feeling like this, feeling this pressure, this pressure to be a pastor, this pressure to be a leader. 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:38.879 But rather enjoy it. 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:43.200 Be in it because you're called to do it and then enjoy it. 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:50.080 And that's so important with my pastors that we enjoy what we're doing, not by compulsion, not by pressure. 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:55.200 And that's that's largely the reason I've not recruited much from seminaries. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:17:00.320 Some of the guys are getting their seminary degrees as they go, and I think that's valuable. 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:00.879 It's important. 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:21.359 I've got a seminary degree from Fuller, but a lot of times my experience has been that those who go through kind of the system, the American evangelical pastoral system, see the pastorate as a vocation more than a calling. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:24.400 In other words, you're you're looking for the job. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:28.480 And I know because I've counseled these people, you know, from time to time. 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:30.000 Well, what do you know, what do you think about this? 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:31.599 And think, well, what's God saying to you? 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:45.039 Well, I don't, I mean, they pay this amount, and uh, this part of the country is really, it's close to our family, so it'll be really, that'd be good because it'd only be like, you know, uh two hours from my mother-in-law, and um, and da-da-da-da. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:49.759 I'm like, that is like the dumbest way to make a decision. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:56.000 You are, I say, when I hear that kind of stuff, I just go, man, you are in the wrong pastor's office. 00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:04.000 I've never made a decision on being close to my family or not being close to my family or how much they pay me or anything like that. 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:08.240 It's a calling, and God better speak to you about where you're supposed to go. 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:11.839 Not by compulsion, but willingly. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:16.640 In other words, you're doing it because you know you're anointed and called to do that thing. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:22.880 So I get asked from time to time from family members, like, where do you want to live next when you retire? 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:26.000 I said, Well, you had a couple problems with that question. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:29.200 Number one, I may not retire. 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:32.480 And then number two, I don't have any decision in that. 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:33.599 That's God's job. 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:36.079 God's always spoken to us about where to live. 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.039 And I said, right now, I just love Colorado Springs. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:40.559 I dig Colorado Springs. 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:44.240 I can't think of a better city to be in with the best people in the world. 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:46.240 I'm not going anywhere, man. 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:50.400 So, so he's saying that to pastors. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:53.119 He's saying, look, you need to, you need to be all in. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:19:06.079 You need to be willingly there, not some kind of pressure thing, not trying to seek out a vocation or how much you can make, because he says this next, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:09.440 So it's not about a salary, it's not about finances. 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:11.279 Now he's talking about dishonest gain. 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:12.720 Honest wage is fine. 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:14.079 It's all through scripture. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:16.720 Every pastor should be paid, I believe. 00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:18.240 But eagerly. 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:22.240 Like you're not doing it for the money, you're doing it for the people. 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:24.400 You're doing it because you love them. 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:34.240 Nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:43.759 So this word Lord has the idea of a military general, a military leader, or a political leader. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:50.960 In other words, you're pressuring people to do things, you're using people. 00:19:51.440 --> 00:20:00.160 There's a lot of pastors that use people to grow their churches, versus loving people and God grows the church. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:02.240 Do you understand the subtle difference? 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:07.119 I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail again. 00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:11.839 I, Jesus is saying it, he builds the church, we don't build the church. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:14.559 The question is, is it his church? 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:18.000 Because he builds his church. 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:20.720 I will build my church. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:28.720 It's not a senior pastor or a shepherd of the flock, you build my church for me, because I really don't know how to do it. 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:31.920 Culture's too complicated for me. 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:36.480 So I need all the new bells and whistles for 2024, right? 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:37.920 To but to build the church. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:56.240 How about how about if we just let the church be God's church, and he's the capital S senior, capital P pastor, and then he builds his church through leaders that love people and care about people and model to the people. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:58.240 And that starts with me. 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:02.799 And and guys, you know I'm not a perfect model of this at all. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:05.039 Man, I mess up all the time. 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:09.680 And I feel that I feel that weight and that responsibility all the time. 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:10.799 But you know what? 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:15.119 There's nothing I'd rather do than be here with you. 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:19.920 That's the reason I'm not gonna retire because there's nothing to do in retirement. 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:24.960 I mean, I like fly fishing, but not every single day. 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:25.599 Okay. 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:31.359 Too many days where you don't catch anything. 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:36.000 No, but but to see lives get changed and transformed. 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:37.680 That's what I dig that, man. 00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:39.519 I dig the prayer up front. 00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:41.200 I like everything about the church. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:41.920 I do. 00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:44.240 I like when we have to change the carpet. 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:48.160 I like when we think about architecture, I like when we think about starting groups. 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:55.680 Right now, right now, over there in the library, all these people, like 40 people getting trained to be small group leaders. 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:57.440 It's packed out in there in the library. 00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:58.319 I just went in there. 00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.519 And it's like, yeah. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.839 That's what it's all about, man. 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:03.920 Starting small groups and doing that. 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:06.880 It's just the best job. 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:08.480 It's so much fun. 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:12.960 We'll receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:14.799 Likewise, you younger people. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:21.680 So this I and I think he's going after younger people here because younger people tend to be the most prideful. 00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:27.200 They tend to be kind of, you know, thinking they can take on the world and everything's going to go their way. 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:33.839 And by the way, I think there's nothing wrong with that if you put it under the rubric of God's power. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:39.119 Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:43.039 Yes, all you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility. 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:46.240 So here's the deal with the church, in my opinion. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:46.720 Okay? 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:52.559 After 40 years of doing this kind of stuff, how can you submit to something you don't know what it is? 00:22:54.160 --> 00:23:01.359 Sub under mission, a calling, a direction, a vision. 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:05.519 What's the vision of the road? 00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:06.799 Tell me what it is. 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:08.160 What is it? 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:11.519 Come on, baby. 00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:18.079 My daughter, my beautiful daughter, and daughter-in-law and her roommate. 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:18.960 They get it, man. 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:20.160 That's fantastic. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:20.720 Okay. 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:28.799 So you know our vision and you know our mission because we talk about it all the time. 00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:33.920 So he's saying, be subbed, be under the vision, be under the mission. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:34.960 How many churches? 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:36.400 We don't know what their vision is. 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:37.920 We don't know what their mission is. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:39.119 Why are they here? 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:41.039 Pay the salary of the pastors? 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:42.720 I don't know why they're here. 00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:51.759 So during COVID, when everything was shut down, I would read in the Christian Post or Christianity Day. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:54.880 Oh, you know, all these churches are shutting down. 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:57.920 During COVID, and I'm going, well, good. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:02.079 I don't want churches that are churches in name only. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:07.599 I want churches that are being built by Jesus, and if Jesus is building the church, they won't shut down. 00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:10.480 So I don't get sad about that at all. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:11.920 I just think it's great. 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:15.599 Let's get it down to the irreducible minimum and start growing. 00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:24.640 So if your company has been dedicated to God and you're the owner of that company, he will build that company. 00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:31.440 Doesn't mean you don't have a responsibility, but it does mean that you keep putting that on the altar of God. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:32.880 You have to keep putting that on the altar. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:35.839 You gotta put your finances on the altar of God. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:38.160 You gotta put your spouse on the altar of God. 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:42.480 You have to put your your uh your singleness on the altar of God. 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:45.920 And God will build you. 00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:48.559 God will strengthen you. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:49.200 Why? 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:50.960 Because of what he says next. 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:54.880 God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. 00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:58.720 So here's my definition of being prideful. 00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:04.799 Definition of pride means I can do it, I've got what it takes, I don't need anybody to help me. 00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:06.240 That's pride. 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:08.480 Here's what humility is. 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:17.440 Humility is I don't have what it takes, I'm not strong enough, I'm not smart enough, but God is and I'm gonna submit to him. 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:19.279 That's all that humility is. 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:24.799 All that humility is, is realizing you don't have what it takes. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:30.960 I think Peter, at the very beginning, here is trying to help us understand that's where he was. 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:34.000 He was still full of Peter. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:46.720 Even as Christ has been arrested and then taken by force to this colonnade area at night with a fire. 00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:54.720 At that point, in the reference to that culture of that time, to have a servant girl ask Peter, aren't you one of his disciples? 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:55.759 No, no, I don't know him. 00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:58.880 No, I think I saw you at no, I don't know him. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:07.200 It wasn't a soldier, it wasn't a centurion, it was a servant girl at night. 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:11.680 Talk about, you know, a coward. 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:20.240 Peter was a coward, and he's saying, he's reminding them that I was a coward because that's where he's taking us here. 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:23.039 He's saying, God resists the proud. 00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:24.160 That was me. 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:31.839 But he gives grace to the humble, and that's who I pray I am now because God humbled me. 00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:42.720 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him for he cares for you. 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:44.480 There's the definition of humility. 00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:48.799 The definition of humility is right there in verses six and seven. 00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:51.200 Humbling yourselves under. 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:53.920 Remember, I said submission. 00:26:54.559 --> 00:26:59.119 Under the mission, the direction, and the power of Jesus. 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:02.640 And let him exalt you. 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:11.200 If I was speaking to pastors, let Jesus exalt your church if it's worthy to be exalted. 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:14.880 Let God exalt you if you're worthy to be exalted. 00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:16.960 Don't even think about that. 00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:20.319 Don't even think about what people say about you. 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:22.799 Don't even think about what people say about the road. 00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:26.559 Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. 00:27:26.880 --> 00:27:28.160 That's where you need to stay. 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:29.359 Stay low. 00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:30.720 Stay low. 00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:32.240 Serve your people. 00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:33.680 Love your people. 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:35.920 Be all in in El Paso County. 00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:36.640 Be all in. 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:38.000 Just love people. 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:42.000 Keep going for it every day for Jesus, for his glory. 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:46.480 And if he in the economy of God wants to exalt you, he will. 00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:48.160 Don't think about exalting. 00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:50.640 That's what drives me crazy about social media. 00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:53.200 Everybody's into social media. 00:27:53.839 --> 00:27:56.640 That's to me like the dumbest thing on the face of the earth. 00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:59.759 It's like you're always exalting yourself. 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:03.839 You know, here I am, you know, with so and so. 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:22.880 You know, I know I know ministries that pay people hundreds of thousands of dollars to be the frontmen for their ministry, so that there's like there's a photo every day of them doing something or whatever. 00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:25.519 Because, and I know some of these people. 00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:31.119 And the first thing they want you to know is how many views they get, how many followers they have. 00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:32.559 What pressure. 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:37.599 So I don't even I never even look at it. 00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:39.440 Praise God. 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:40.960 Hallelujah. 00:28:41.359 --> 00:28:42.880 I don't know who looks at it. 00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:50.000 So if you read stuff that she she put it on, so if it just really seems like it wasn't really good, that's charity's fault. 00:28:50.160 --> 00:28:50.480 Okay? 00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:56.319 If it looks really good, it definitely was charity's fault because I didn't have anything to do with it. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:29:00.079 So be careful with that stuff, gang. 00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:02.319 Be careful with exalting yourself. 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:03.839 You know, slow down. 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:05.680 Everything's fine. 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:07.039 We love you. 00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:07.839 We love you. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:08.880 Your family loves you. 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:10.400 You got some friends. 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:21.680 Everybody in the world does not have to see you on your vacation doing little things that you look happy when you're not, because you just had a fight with your spouse like the entire time. 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:29.680 Or you went to this or that country and you puked your lungs out because you got food poisoning, but then you're like this in the picture on the beach. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:32.640 Hello. 00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:35.279 You guys know what I'm talking about? 00:29:35.440 --> 00:29:36.160 I mean, I don't know. 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:37.119 I guess that's what they do. 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:39.200 I never read it, I never look at it, so I don't know. 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:43.599 But uh when I was doing it five years ago, that's what it seemed like it was like. 00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:46.640 I would think it's at a new level now, right? 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:51.119 But anyway, God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. 00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:55.839 So here's the other part of it is when we're prideful, God resists you. 00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:58.960