WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:03.120 You have your Bibles, would you turn to Mark chapter 10? 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:05.120 Mark chapter 10. 00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:12.800 And we have been in Mark chapter 10, and we've looked at the rich young ruler. 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:41.280 You recall that the rich young ruler, he came to Jesus, and in the discussion with Jesus, he was clear that he had followed the commandments that Jesus spoke to him about, which were all the commandments related to the aspects of a religious commitment, outward behavior, none of those commandments that Jesus spoke of or inward intimacy relationship with him. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:48.799 And then it says, it has this key verse in which it says, Jesus loved him. 00:00:49.920 --> 00:01:01.280 So Mark records it, Jesus loved the rich young ruler, and then Jesus calls him, challenges him to give up all of his riches. 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:06.560 You see, what he noticed in the rich young ruler, we've already talked about this, was this was the idol in his life. 00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:10.079 In church, we have idols in our lives at times, don't we? 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:15.359 And Jesus calls us out to surrender our idols to him. 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:28.000 We sometimes are mistaken that we think that idols are only in Japan or only in South America, or idols are somehow only in some Asian country where they worship some kind of a statue. 00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:37.120 But idols are anything within our heart that takes our love away from God. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:38.719 And so he couldn't follow him. 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:49.359 And it's the only time in the Bible, it's the only place in Scripture where Jesus gives a challenge to being his disciple where he gets a negative response. 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:51.040 And so we're picking it up there. 00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:52.959 We're in Mark chapter 10. 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:56.560 That's the context of verse 23. 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:58.000 Verse 23. 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:05.760 By the way, I was checking tonight and I realized that sometimes some of you come without a Bible, not many of you, but some of you do. 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:09.680 There are Bibles in the back of these chairs that they use here at Chapwell's Church. 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:10.479 You can use them. 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:20.319 So we use the New King James Version, but it's actually close enough. 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:22.400 So if you need a Bible, you can pull one out. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:24.800 Just give it back to them because it's the other church's Bibles. 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:26.080 It's not ours. 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:36.240 Then Jesus looked around and he said to his disciples, How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:39.919 So he's speaking of this rich young ruler. 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:55.840 And the disciples were astonished at his words, but Jesus answered again and said to them, Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God. 00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:04.879 Now, Jesus says twice, he mentions twice how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God. 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:07.599 Second time he says, those who trust in riches. 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:09.759 And notice the context. 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:18.240 The context is the Old Testament scriptures, the Old Dispensation, where all through the scriptures their blessings were poured out. 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:22.960 Blessings were poured out based on obedience to God. 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:28.400 And so the Jews had, they looked at the riches of David, they had looked at the riches of Solomon. 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:30.800 They're right there at the Temple Mount. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:35.840 I mean, they know what the temple looks like, and they've been there, they've done pilgrimages there. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:43.599 It's potential that right here, these men and women are on the pilgrimage, headed to Jerusalem at that time. 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:56.000 And so there was an association that was clear that if you fully obeyed God, the rains would come, the harvest would come, there'd be blessing on your family, your wife would bear children. 00:03:56.240 --> 00:04:04.240 And then Jesus comes from this angle after talking to this young man who's very wealthy, and he says, it's difficult. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:06.479 I mean, this must have just blown their mind. 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:13.360 It's difficult for someone with wealth to enter the kingdom of God. 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:21.680 Trusting in their riches instead of trusting in Christ. 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:32.800 And we know that God's not against riches per se, but he is against those who would find their self-sufficiency and their power from their riches. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:36.079 And so Jesus challenges this. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:47.680 And later, Jesus would say, No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:51.680 You cannot serve God and mammon. 00:04:53.199 --> 00:05:02.079 Now I'll be honest with you, this is a tough one because, I mean, especially with this generation, I'll just say this to you young people. 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:08.480 I meet so many in their 20s and 30s, especially men. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:16.560 Actually, I've I see I've seen I see less of this in the women than I do in the men who just won't stick to a job. 00:05:17.279 --> 00:05:19.920 And I want to say, man, get a job. 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:26.240 Set sights on making money to provide for a wife and a family. 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:29.920 But trust in God in the process. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:34.879 Trust him in that process of hard work and diligence. 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:41.920 And so Jesus says, look, you're gonna have these masters that are they're gonna compete with you. 00:05:42.480 --> 00:06:00.480 And the competition is gonna be between the self-sufficiency and the security that comes through financial blessing, physical, material things, and trusting me for your physical and material needs. 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:01.680 Isn't that tough? 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:04.480 It's really hard, especially if you're a tither. 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:09.040 If you're a tither in this room, you give 10% away. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:11.120 I'll tell you, here's what's great about tithing. 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:20.240 Here's what's great about giving is when you start learning to tithe, it really causes you to learn to be disciplined with your money. 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:28.800 And it has a it has a cascading effect, not only a blessing in your life, but it also disciplines your heart. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:45.519 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:53.839 How many of you have traveled to more than three countries of the world? 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:55.040 Raise your hand. 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:58.079 More than five countries of the world. 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:01.279 More than ten countries of the world. 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:01.920 Okay. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:11.680 Over half of you raised your hand the first time, and I would imagine that a number of you didn't just go to Europe, but you might even. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.319 How many have been in a two-thirds world country? 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:24.319 Guess who in this room is wealthy? 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:27.199 Every one of you. 00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:30.959 We are so wealthy. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:37.439 So Jesus is saying this to all of us in this room. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:39.839 He's saying it to Steve Holt. 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:41.600 He's saying it to every one of you guys. 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:44.560 He's saying, it is easier for a camel. 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:48.879 Now this was this came from a Persian phrase. 00:07:49.360 --> 00:08:02.079 The Persian phrase was when they were trying to define something that was impossible, they said it's harder for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle. 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:09.279 But the biggest animal in the Middle East, this part, this area of Palestine, was a camel. 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:13.040 So the colloquialism had changed to a camel. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:22.879 He's saying to us as Americans, you guys, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for an American to enter the kingdom of God. 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:26.079 We are so wealthy. 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:27.600 We're so rich. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:09:03.200 Now I don't know about you, but when I started rereading that this week and studying it and thinking of it in terms of being in Philippines, being in Thailand, being in Burma, being in Nepal, being in India, being in Mexico, places that I've been, Uganda, I know how much I'm driven and how easily I'm captivated by the security that comes from my job. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:06.639 I don't think I worship it. 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:09.519 And I think you're here tonight because you don't either. 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:17.600 But isn't that a good wake-up call to all of us to put in perspective who is our provider? 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:20.159 Ultimately, who's our provider? 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:22.720 It's the Lord. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:35.279 And he is going to provide, and especially as you have learned to give, give away, and that you're feeding into the kingdom of God through even your finances, God's going to use you as a conduit. 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:43.120 And I believe He will, He'll open doors that no man can shut to provide for you because you're providing for the kingdom. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:45.600 And they were greatly astonished. 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:46.960 Of course they were. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:51.039 Saying among themselves, who then can be saved? 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:53.200 It seems impossible what he's saying. 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:58.639 But Jesus looked at them and said, With men, this is impossible. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:01.600 But not with God. 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:05.120 Underline or highlight with God. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:10.240 With men, impossible. 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:16.080 With God, all things are possible. 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:19.440 Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter 3. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:25.120 Just keep your finger in Mark. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:27.759 Turn to Romans chapter 3. 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:39.039 The point Jesus is bringing out is that salvation by human effort is impossible. 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:44.320 Men and women, it is impossible for you to save yourself. 00:10:45.279 --> 00:11:06.240 Now, many of you knew I grew up, I grew up Lutheran and went through catechism class as a Lutheran, understood grace, grace of God through and through, through my my wonderful pastor father, as he taught from Luther's treatise on grace, Luther's treatise on baptism. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:19.360 Then truly came into a born-again relationship with the Lord, my freshman year at the University of Georgia, and then I started hearing people talk about I accepted the Lord. 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:20.960 I accepted the Lord. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:34.080 But in the midst of that, we can lose focus that God saved you. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:38.960 That it was initiated by the Lord in his grace. 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:44.240 Even Martin Luther said that even the faith to believe was initiated by the Lord. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:47.200 In other words, he called you out. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:50.799 Some of you older, some of you younger. 00:11:51.360 --> 00:12:00.559 Some of you in this room have been through horrendous experiences that would have broken anyone less than you. 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:08.480 Drugs, infidelity, divorce, brutal abuse. 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:17.919 Some of you have been shielded from that, and you've come up in more of a godly Christian home, but God saves us. 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:22.080 It's God's sovereign work of grace in our life. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:25.679 So in Romans chapter 3, Paul's trying to make this point. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:26.799 Look at verse 20. 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:28.720 Start at verse 20 with me. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:36.720 Therefore, by the deeds of the law, so he's speaking to Jews. 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:39.679 He's speaking to those who understand the law. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:49.039 So we've been given the Ten Commandments. 00:12:49.120 --> 00:13:01.840 We've been given the scriptures that give us a knowledge of sin, but the knowledge of sin and the personal attempts to live a righteous life can't save us. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:04.080 Really important. 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:28.799 There's a lot of churches that say that, but the pressure that's placed on the seeker or even the believer to somehow raise our standard of personal, even, I would consider it almost fleshly righteousness, overwhelms our understanding at the heart level of what God has done for us. 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:35.919 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed. 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:59.440 So Christ came and there's now a revelation that we have of the righteousness of God being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith, underline that, faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:17.360 So there is this, there's this imputed righteousness from Christ when we believe and we take on his righteous work, his righteous actions that were, that were presented to us not only in the life that he lived, but the death that he died. 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:25.440 And when we believe, and men and women, when you put your faith in Christ, even that faith to believe comes from him. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:29.840 You trust in him. 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:34.879 Listen, his righteousness is poured into you. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:38.240 It's imputed into you, it's given to you. 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:40.320 You're saved. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:42.159 Forever. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:46.240 You're saved forever. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:50.559 You say, well, what about? 00:14:50.639 --> 00:15:02.799 I know this guy over here and he and he believed, he said he believed, and he could he'd tell you the time and the hour and just everything about it, and then three years later, man, he went off. 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:04.799 We all know those stories, don't we? 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:06.960 I don't have an answer for all of that. 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:16.080 All I know is if it depends on me to save me, then it's gonna depend on me to keep my salvation. 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:25.440 If it depends on him and he seals the deal, as it says in Ephesians 1 through his Holy Spirit, when he comes and seals the work unto salvation, then it's up to him. 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:29.759 And we will go through ebbs and flows. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:32.399 And we will go through times where we struggle. 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:33.039 Hello? 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:37.840 And at the road, we believe in being honest about that. 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:40.320 Don't play these religious games. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:41.440 Share your hurting. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:47.440 That's why we have D groups, that's why we have C groups, because we share honestly and we get prayer because everybody needs it. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:52.799 But God saves us and God keeps the salvation. 00:15:54.399 --> 00:16:20.000 And so he says to those who believe, for there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, not in your personal redemption or how well you can live out the Ten Commandments or how good you are, how honest you are, but it is a surrender unto His righteousness. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:33.039 And the spirit-filled life, church, is letting the Spirit of God increasingly over time as we grow, sanctify what we've been justified in. 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:39.200 And so we are justified by the work of Christ in our heart. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:45.120 We're sanctified as we grow and we're glorified when we meet him someday in the heavenlies. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:48.720 It's not up to you. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:51.440 Well, yeah, well, don't we have a responsibility? 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:52.639 Of course we do. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:59.679 But see, even the desire to have a responsibility is the work of the Spirit as you increasingly surrender to him. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:00.879 Does that make sense? 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:04.960 So you have to increasingly surrender to Jesus Christ. 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:17.200 Everybody, every guy in this room, every woman in this room struggles with envy, strife, jealousy, and lust sometimes. 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:24.880 But as you surrender that to the Lord and become quicker and quicker in surrendering it to the Lord, it can't get a stronghold. 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:34.079 And as it doesn't get a stronghold, God begins to increasingly make us and develop us and build us and deepen in us Christlieness. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:18:09.119 Verse 25, whom God set forth as a propitiation, that's a big word, by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:13.839 He's saying here, men and women, that you are declared righteous. 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:15.839 You are declared righteous. 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:19.119 Propitiation means appeasement or satisfaction. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:29.440 Christ's violent death satisfies the offended holiness and wrath of God against for those whom Christ died. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:33.839 So through your sin, you have angered God. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:40.160 The wrath of God is upon you if you've not put your faith in Jesus Christ. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:45.759 Tonight, put your faith in Christ. 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:49.039 If you have doubts about that, put your faith in Jesus. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:53.440 Because the scriptures say that God gives us an assurance of our salvation. 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:57.759 And if you do not have an assurance of your salvation, you might not be saved. 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:01.440 Come to Christ. 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:03.519 It's a good deal. 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:05.279 You get heaven. 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:10.559 But more than that, and this is a better deal, you get eternal life now. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:14.319 You start living eternal life right now. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:17.200 So you begin to start living heaven now. 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:20.319 It's not just out there, it's now. 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:24.160 We have the power and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:27.519 The scriptures start to come alive. 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:29.680 We start to have a hunger and thirst for Him. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:35.359 That is impossible with men. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.480 That is possible with God. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:42.000 All right, now go back to Mark. 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:43.920 Verse 28. 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:51.440 Then Peter began to say to him, Peter really, Peter's not really that interested in his salvation. 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:57.200 I think he's interested in what kind of deal he's going to get because the rich young ruler really confused him. 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:01.839 See, we've left all and followed you. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:14.720 So Jesus answered and said, Assured I say to you, and I love this passage, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father. 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:39.680 And I want you to keep noting, or, or, or, or, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospels, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time houses, brothers and sisters, and mothers and children and lands with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:43.119 But many who are first will be last and the last first. 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:57.359 So Peter, who had left a thriving fishing business, his brothers left this thriving fishing business, sees a rich young ruler. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:01.200 Here's this thing about a camel and a sewing needle. 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:05.680 And he's like, I mean, what are we getting out of the deal? 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:07.359 If it's that impossible. 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:21.519 And then Jesus says, or, or, or, or, or, men and women, when you put your faith in Jesus Christ, when you decide to be a revolutionary disciple of Jesus Christ, you will lose friends. 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:24.799 You will lose family members. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:26.960 You may lose your spouse. 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:29.279 You may lose sons and daughters. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:30.720 You guys know what I'm talking about. 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:41.759 I know most of you in this room, and everyone that I know in this room has gone through stuff in your life, and you've lost stuff because you chose to follow Christ, and Christ understands that. 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:49.200 And he's giving us an assurance, not just in eternal life, but now. 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:51.680 Look around. 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:59.759 These are your sons and your daughters and your mothers and your fathers. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:04.799 I remember in uh years ago leaving to go to Japan. 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:08.400 Leaving my mom and dad. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:11.039 I didn't know Liv's existed yet. 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:16.480 So I was gonna sense kind of, I know I'd be gone for three years. 00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:24.960 And maybe there, I mean, I'm I mean, I think Japanese girls are cute and everything, but I just never was attracted to Asian women. 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:32.319 So I'm pretty much figuring that when I get back, I'm still gonna be in the same state that I am when I'm leaving. 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:35.759 I'm not gonna be with my parents, and I'm out of here. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:42.079 Well, then I met Liz, things happened, we got married, and we got married in Tokyo. 00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:45.200 And we had 200 people there. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:48.480 And there were only six from our family. 00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:57.200 All the rest were new believers, missionaries, disciples, uh, folks that were in our discipleship groups and stuff. 00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:58.880 I had a new family. 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:09.519 I had I had friends literally 200-fold right there, in there in the reception and stuff. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:11.200 And then look at you guys. 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:12.640 You're our family. 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:13.680 You're our friends. 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:18.960 Some of you, like Bonnie over here and others, you mean you guys pray for us. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:22.079 You always pray for Liz and I and our family. 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:25.200 And Pam and others that are prayer warriors. 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:31.680 So many of you, Roy and Betty, have been with us for years, and so many others, you pray almost every day for us. 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:35.119 Louis and Edna, you pray for us all the time. 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:38.079 This is true. 00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:40.400 You can test this, it works. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:41.519 You follow Christ. 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:43.599 I don't know how people do it without the church. 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:46.079 How do you do it without the church? 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:48.960 You don't. 00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:55.279 We did not, okay, we did a lot of the raising of our kids. 00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:56.079 We did. 00:23:56.880 --> 00:24:03.759 But I can tell you right now, all of our kids at around 12 to 14, we say, I want you to find a mentor in our church. 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:16.559 We've told all our sons and daughters to have mentors outside of us that have our vision and values, have our heart, we want you to develop other relationships than just us that can mentor and help you grow, and everyone on happy. 00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:30.160 And I know it has gotten them out of a lot of fixes because I can say it until I am flipping blue in the face, and then they hear it from this other guy, and they run home and say, You're not gonna believe what Joe said. 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:32.480 You're not gonna believe what Susie said. 00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:37.200 You're right. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:38.960 Amen, brother. 00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:40.079 That's awesome. 00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:41.839 I never thought of that. 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:43.200 Really? 00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:44.880 Let me write that down. 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:50.160 Folks, you can, it was it. 00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:52.160 Hillary Clinton wrote a book, It takes a village. 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:53.680 Let me tell you, it takes a church. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:57.599 It takes a church. 00:24:58.400 --> 00:25:01.119 Let us be a part of discipling your family. 00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:02.480 That's what we're here for. 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:03.680 Are we perfect? 00:25:03.839 --> 00:25:04.000 No. 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:04.799 Do we have much time? 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:08.640 168 hours in a week, and we have about 90 minutes. 00:25:09.119 --> 00:25:17.440 But I can tell you, we can set a course with the vision of what God's doing and building disciples that will energize your home if you'll let us. 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:19.440 If you'll let God work. 00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:24.319 With persecutions, though, with persecutions, let's not skip that. 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:30.240 Being a Jesus disciple is part and parcel suffering. 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:32.400 You will suffer. 00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:36.799 We will suffer, but let's suffer together. 00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:39.039 Let's suffer together. 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:42.079 Let's be in this fight together. 00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:55.839 Folks, with I was just watching, believe it or not, I was watching CNN when I was working out today, and they were interviewing, I believe it'll be on at noon tomorrow on CNN. 00:25:56.240 --> 00:26:07.519 It's that Indian, it sounds like an Indian-sounding name, one of their, one of their uh CNN correspondents is interviewing the Jordanian president. 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:11.839 And he said, they just picked, they cherry-picked this one part. 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:16.160 He said, we are headed to a third world war with ISIS. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:21.440 And this is our Jordanian president. 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:30.319 And the the interview, which I recorded, I'm recording it tomorrow, is basically what do you what do we do in the Middle East with this situation? 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:38.000 Well, I just happened to be reading William Manchester's book uh on Winston Churchill right now, third volume, when he becomes prime minister. 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:53.599 And um, when you when you see how we treated how Roosevelt and Congress treated Churchill and the English under the attack of Nazi Germany, it's nauseating. 00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:58.480 It's nauseating our isolationist views. 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:03.119 So are we headed to World War III? 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:07.200 We will be if we don't do anything. 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:11.599 The reality, men and women, though, is that ISIS is here. 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:18.000 We have intelligence reports that it is in this country and it's only a matter of time. 00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:23.519 And you as a believer are gonna be persecuted in your lifetime like you never have in the past. 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:27.039 So I want to challenge you tonight to make a choice. 00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:31.279 Are you gonna be a Jesus disciple or not? 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:34.319 Because this is what this is what was happening at that time. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:36.079 Guess what's happening here, guys? 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:39.039 They're headed to Jerusalem. 00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:46.000 And starting next week, up until Easter, we're gonna go through those, that that final week of Jesus' life. 00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:48.160 It all begins in chapter 11. 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:53.200 And Jesus keeps telling them what he's about to tell them right now for the third time. 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:55.599 Look at verse 32. 00:27:55.920 --> 00:28:00.240 Now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem. 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:04.880 Jerusalem is about 2,550 feet above sea level. 00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:07.920 So coming up to Jerusalem, they're coming from Jericho. 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:14.160 And Jesus was going before them, and they were amazed as they followed, and they were afraid. 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:17.920 There's something different about Jesus now. 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:21.920 You guys that have done sports, you know what I'm talking about. 00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:25.839 You don't want to see your parents right before your sport. 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:27.920 There's something about an athlete. 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:29.359 You get resolute. 00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:35.440 You got a job to do: baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, whatever it is. 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.240 You're resolute. 00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:38.079 Something's changed in Jesus. 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:40.960 He's resolute, he's determined, and they see it. 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:42.480 It says they're amazed. 00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:45.759 There's something that's about to happen. 00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:47.839 And they're fearful. 00:28:49.119 --> 00:28:53.680 Twice before he's told them he's going to Jerusalem to die. 00:28:54.400 --> 00:29:03.839 And he's about to tell them the most the most succinct, the most precise description of what he's going to go through. 00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:07.039 So there's fear. 00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:08.240 I love this. 00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:10.400 I love that Mark is so earthy. 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:15.519 There's an earthy kind of masculinity to this passage. 00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:17.440 Jesus is resolute. 00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:19.440 He's determined as he goes to Jerusalem. 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:23.200 He knows what he's going there to do, and his disciples are fearful. 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:30.720 Then he took the twelve aside again and again began to tell them the things that would happen to him. 00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:35.519 Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. 00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:48.880 And the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priest and to the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles. 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:53.599 Listen, he's never as descriptive as he is right now. 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:55.759 This is the third time he's told them this. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:10.720 They will mock him and scourge him and spit on him, and then they will kill him, but on the third day he will rise again. 00:30:11.920 --> 00:30:17.759 This is the third and the last prediction of his death and resurrection that he will make to his disciples. 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:21.200 It's the most detailed of all the others. 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:26.720 For the first time, specifically mentioning mocking, scourging, and being spat upon. 00:30:29.759 --> 00:30:33.519 You see, the Jews did not have a right to kill anyone. 00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:37.920 The Romans, the Roman law had taken the scepter of death away. 00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:44.799 And so he predicts that the Jews will turn him over to the Romans. 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:53.279 Luke says they didn't understand this. 00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:56.799 Mark obviously agrees. 00:30:56.960 --> 00:31:04.400 So if you ever, if you ever heard a serious, if you ever heard something really serious, and then someone tells a joke. 00:31:05.359 --> 00:31:09.279 And there's kind of this feeling like, man, you just don't get it. 00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:14.160 Well, read on with me. 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:17.519 Seriously, these guys are idiots. 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:19.680 Verse 35. 00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:27.440 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him saying, Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask. 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:30.000 Bad timing. 00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:37.680 Seriously, guys, the pride and ego of these guys is astounding. 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:40.400 So Jesus has just said that. 00:31:41.200 --> 00:31:52.880 The most serious thing he's ever said in all of our other commentations, in all our other accounts from other gospels, no one, no other places, so detailed as this. 00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:54.960 He is pouring out his heart. 00:31:55.119 --> 00:32:01.119 That's why he has this determined step as he goes to Jerusalem, and they want to know what they're going to get out of it. 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:05.200 And he said to them, What do you want me to do for you? 00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:13.440 And they said to him, Grant us that we may sit one on your right hand and the other on your left in your glory. 00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:17.599 But Jesus said to them, You do not know what you ask. 00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:26.240 Are you able to drink the cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 00:32:27.039 --> 00:32:29.039 They said, We are able. 00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:30.640 Hello. 00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:50.160 Now, I will say that if you ever come to those places in your life where, and it's usually going to be your wife. 00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:55.680 And guess what? 00:32:55.839 --> 00:32:57.039 She's probably right. 00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:02.720 Remind her. 00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:06.079 The disciples didn't get it either. 00:33:11.119 --> 00:33:13.519 And then run for the hills. 00:33:13.839 --> 00:33:18.960 Run for the hills as you dodge pots and pans and stuff being thrown at you. 00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:32.319 Church, Jesus is saying to his disciples, there is a baptism that I must go through, and there is a baptism you will go through. 00:33:34.799 --> 00:33:37.200 And again, I want to emphasize persecutions. 00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:45.200 The fact that when we become Jesus followers, we do enter into a baptism of pain. 00:33:46.000 --> 00:33:48.799 You will be baptized with hurt. 00:33:49.119 --> 00:33:51.599 You will be baptized with persecution. 00:33:51.839 --> 00:33:53.519 You will lose friends. 00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:57.839 You will lose family members if you truly follow Christ. 00:33:58.960 --> 00:34:01.680 If you haven't yet, you probably will. 00:34:04.400 --> 00:34:11.760 It is a baptism that Christ went through. 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:13.599 He's gone before us. 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:22.960 He has been the first son of the baptism of the wrath that comes when we choose to follow Christ. 00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:26.960 But men and women, listen up. 00:34:27.280 --> 00:34:34.880 There is a baptism of pain being in demonic territory on this earth anyway. 00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:51.440 I would rather have the pain and the baptism of suffering that comes with doing the right thing than being drunk out of my head or shooting up dope or making a fool of myself. 00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:52.159 Why? 00:34:52.320 --> 00:34:53.760 Because I've done it all. 00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:56.719 Some of you have too. 00:34:57.599 --> 00:35:03.519 Doesn't this feel a little better than some of the places you used to hang out in on Saturday nights? 00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:08.000 Because you actually have your wits about you tomorrow morning. 00:35:15.679 --> 00:35:22.960 I'd rather be hugging my pillow with my beautiful blonde wife than a toilet bowl. 00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:27.119 I don't know why I thought of that, but it just seems like maybe a better deal. 00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:37.679 So Jesus said to them, You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with, you will be baptized. 00:35:37.920 --> 00:35:44.639 But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared. 00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:50.719 I'll tell you, if I heard those words, I would be looking around and going, Who started this conversation? 00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:57.840 We just said yes to a baptism that doesn't sound really fun right now, and then we still don't get the big seats. 00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:05.119 Eleven of the 12 disciples would die martyrs' death. 00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:12.559 Verse 41. 00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:19.760 And when the 10 heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 00:36:20.480 --> 00:36:21.679 10 on two. 00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:25.840 Dude, what in the world are you doing? 00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:28.159 That was so stupid what you said. 00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:45.199 And by the way, I will say that in one particular gospel, the mother of the sons of thunder gets involved. 00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:51.280 Now, how would you like it if the mother of the sons of thunder, your son, you're called a son of thunder. 00:36:53.519 --> 00:36:54.880 Son of thunder. 00:36:55.840 --> 00:36:59.679 Mom, ask him if we can get like a prominent place. 00:37:01.519 --> 00:37:08.960 I don't know about you, but that gives me a lot of hope for me to know that these are who are the lamb's twelve. 00:37:11.119 --> 00:37:22.400 But Jesus called them to himself and he said to them, You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lorded over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:26.400 Yet it shall not be so among you. 00:37:27.039 --> 00:37:30.880 But whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 00:37:31.679 --> 00:37:34.639 Circle that, underline that, highlight that. 00:37:35.199 --> 00:37:38.960 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be a slave of all. 00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:51.840 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. 00:37:53.760 --> 00:38:02.800 So you know what I love about this is Jesus saying, look, your passion and your desire to be first is okay. 00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:05.760 I gave you that desire. 00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:10.880 That desire to be the best that you can be at whatever you do, that's from the Lord. 00:38:11.119 --> 00:38:13.679 Some of you that are in the military, be the best that you can be. 00:38:13.760 --> 00:38:16.800 Some of you are engineers, be the best that you can be for the glory of God. 00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:20.000 Some of you who are mechanics, be the best mechanic in the city. 00:38:20.159 --> 00:38:26.320 Some of you that are that are raising your children, you're a stay-home mom, be the best stay-home mom you can be for the glory of God. 00:38:28.079 --> 00:38:37.840 But realize that what and how we define greatness is flipped in the kingdom. 00:38:38.960 --> 00:38:45.360