WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:05.599 All right, if you have your Bibles, would you turn to Mark chapter 10? 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:07.759 Mark chapter 10. 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:17.679 I'm calling this the question of the wholehearted disciple. 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:23.760 Because in Mark chapter 10, Jesus is leaving Galilee. 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:28.719 He will never return to Galilee in his first life. 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:33.119 He will return to Galilee after he rises from the dead. 00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:41.439 But as we've been talking about the last couple weeks, Jesus is preparing his disciples for the cross. 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:45.039 He's preparing his disciples for eternity. 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:49.520 And now he's about to hit a couple thorny questions. 00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:54.320 I'm actually going to hit on a couple controversial issues tonight. 00:00:56.399 --> 00:01:02.640 And I'm calling it the question of the wholehearted disciple because guess what, gang? 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:10.959 If you choose to be a disciple, you'll have a lot of questions as you grow. 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:15.120 You won't just have one question about whether to receive Christ or not. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:32.079 You're going to have questions throughout your whole life about issues about marriage, sex, arguments with your parents, which I know none of you young people have had, because we all have perfect homes here. 00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:37.599 You're going to have issues with time management and being a disciple. 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:44.319 And so Jesus hits on some of these in a pretty pointed way in our passage. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:52.319 Then he arose from there, verse 1, and he came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan. 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:54.480 Very interesting, it says the other side of the Jordan. 00:01:54.799 --> 00:02:00.640 And multitudes gathered to him again, and as he was accustomed, he taught them again. 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:02.480 Now here's what Jesus is doing. 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:14.159 He's going to the other side of the Jordan, you guys, because that was what Jews did to avoid Samaritan country. 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:18.719 So between Galilee and Judea was Samaria. 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:30.159 And if you took the literal west side of the road down through the Jordan River and alongside the Jordan River, which was the route they took, you went through Samaria. 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:41.199 And in this case, Jesus is taking a more traditional route out of Galilee among those that are devout Jews, and he's going to the other side so that he can avoid Samaria. 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:45.599 And it's important because of the question he's going to be asked. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:48.639 So he's going on the other side, he's leaving Galilee. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:53.680 He's never to return to Galilee until after he's resurrected. 00:02:54.159 --> 00:02:55.520 The Pharisees. 00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:58.719 Aren't you ever get sick of these guys? 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:01.919 I mean, they follow him around. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:09.599 Do you guys have anybody like that in your life? 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:11.919 You know, they like they never go away. 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:13.840 Might be your family. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:15.039 I mean, I don't know. 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:18.560 But anyway, they follow him around. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:20.400 And I think everybody's got this in your life. 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:23.039 You got people in your life, they follow you around. 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:29.680 And it's like everywhere you go, they're, I mean, not everywhere, but I mean, from time to time, they pop up. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:44.719 And they're like, they're like this burr in your saddle that God has placed there to sanctify you. 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:46.879 It might even be your spouse. 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:52.400 It probably is your spouse, but I'm talking about extra spousal people. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:57.759 The Pharisees came and asked him, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? 00:03:58.479 --> 00:03:59.680 Testing him. 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:04.560 Now, divorce is not even an issue anymore. 00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:06.879 It's not, it's a non-issue. 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:13.759 Because at one time, I don't know if you know this, but in America, we had what we call fault divorce. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:21.680 You couldn't even go to a judge and get a divorce unless you had a reason for the divorce, and usually it was related to infidelity. 00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:28.480 Unless you could prove physical abuse, it was usually sexual in nature, and it's called fault divorce. 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:34.720 Well, now we have no fault divorce, and so you can just go and get a divorce if you want a divorce. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:37.759 You can, it's really quick and easy nowadays. 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:41.839 And so this is not even an issue today, but it was an issue then. 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:45.360 And the reason it was an issue then is you had two views. 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:52.319 You had a liberal hill, Rabbi Hillel view, and you had a conservative view. 00:04:52.560 --> 00:05:03.040 And the liberal hill view based on Deuteronomy 24 would be pretty much what we have today, which is no fault divorce. 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:08.079 If a guy wanted to divorce his wife, he could just divorce her. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:21.519 There was nothing that you had to give to the elders or to the authorities for the divorce, except that you now wanted a divorce. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:24.160 It might be for burning the gravy. 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:32.639 It could be that you know she told a joke about your mom or your dad while she was in the kitchen. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:37.680 Or she didn't sign up for cable quick enough for the Super Bowl. 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:38.480 I don't know. 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:41.519 But you could, you could, you could divorce for anything. 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:43.360 And then there was a conservative view. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:49.680 And the conservative view was based on the word uncleanness. 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:58.079 And what that meant was interpreted differently at different times, but it had to be something to do with uncleanness. 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:03.680 Now what's interesting is that probably where Jesus, now listen to this, it's important. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:08.000 Where Jesus is at when they asked the question is probably Perea. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:20.800 Perea was the town where Herod and Tippus had his ruling throne. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:23.040 Do you remember who he is? 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:30.560 He's the guy that John the Baptist came against for his adultery with his brother's wife. 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:33.120 So he's probably going through Perea. 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:34.240 It's right there. 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:35.519 It's where Herod and Tippus. 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:48.639 It could have been right in front of the main house where Herod and Tippus lived when just either a few months ago or a few years ago, because we don't know exactly when John the Baptist was beheaded. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:57.920 That's what and where the controversy began when John called out Herod about adultery in his life. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:08.959 Folks, if you start to take a stand on issues of the family, you can lose your head nowadays. 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:15.360 And he answered, he said to them, Well, what did Moses command you? 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:22.560 They said, Well, Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and to dismiss her. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:29.120 So they're basically sharing from a liberal perspective, but also biblical perspective of Deuteronomy 24. 00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:30.000 Let me read that. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:34.720 Deuteronomy 24, verses 1 through 4. 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:56.720 When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes, because he has found some uncleanliness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house. 00:07:58.399 --> 00:08:33.840 When she has departed from his house and goes and becomes another man's wife, if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, this is really, this is a bad day for this gal, puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies, who took her as his wife, listen to this, then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled. 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:41.039 For that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:51.120 So there's this prohibition that you can divorce her and she's allowed to remarry, but he could divorce her basically for no reason. 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:56.720 Now, all the women in here, is this encouraging you at all? 00:08:57.200 --> 00:09:06.000 Has anybody been in a relationship with their spouse where you had a situation in which, what does it say, finds no favor? 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:10.399 Well, that's why it's key to what Jesus says next. 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:11.600 Verse 5. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:23.919 Jesus answered and said to them, Because of the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this precept. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:29.759 Men and women, that's where it all begins, right? 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:32.879 The hardness of our heart. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:42.080 Some of you tonight in your marriage may be struggling with the hardness of your heart. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:46.480 You get offended. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:49.039 You don't talk about it. 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:51.279 You don't work it out. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:55.600 And then the offenses start to grow. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:57.759 And guess what offenses do? 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:00.960 Offenses always stay there. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:09.679 Don't you wish, like when you get saved, that all the offenses just poof, they're gone, and you never have any more. 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:11.919 Well, they don't. 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:17.279 Now they may be forgiven, they may be under the blood of Christ for sure, and that's awesome. 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:22.879 But at some point, offenses build walls between people. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:29.759 And just so that we're not misunderstood here, all of us have some of that. 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:31.200 Okay? 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:33.039 Nobody's perfect here. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:37.519 So some of us have offenses that can be there. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:43.919 But until you start to talk about them and maybe even get counseling, counseling's great. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:45.200 I go to a counselor. 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:47.440 My counselor's in the room. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:50.639 He's watching over me. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:53.679 I make him be here. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:57.759 But I don't pay him to be here. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:10:58.320 Okay. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:01.279 But some of us need counseling, right? 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:09.759 And so as you start to work on stuff, you can start to knock down some of the strongholds, and we can begin to have a relationship again with you. 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:13.039 It's a hardness of the heart, though, if we don't deal with it. 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:19.679 So Moses, recognizing his hardness of heart, kind of acquiesced to this. 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:28.240 But men and women, Jesus did not harden his heart with you. 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:34.720 He's there for you. 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:53.919 And one of the challenges of marriage, I think, is that the Lord quickens our hearts to remember how He, Jesus, responds to us as a model for how we respond to each other. 00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:58.799 So really what this is is a discipleship issue. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:04.639 Some would call it maybe a lordship issue, but I'm going to use a different term here at the road. 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:08.320 I'll call it a wholehearted discipleship issue. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:16.720 You see, it's not you and your spouse, it's you, your spouse, and Jesus. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.200 See, he's in the relationship now. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:21.519 See, before he wasn't. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:23.039 Now he is. 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:29.039 That's good news and challenging news. 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:40.000 Because I think you can boil down almost every issue to something to do with our relationship with God, our relationship with Christ. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:57.279 So, in that sense, when we're even parenting our kids, we're guiding them, we're teaching them responsibility, we are working with them and sometimes having to bring discipline into the relationship with our kids. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:04.960 But ultimately, aren't we not gathering together all these experiences toward making a disciple? 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:07.039 Toward building a disciple. 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:14.480 Because the reality is there's going to come a point where that dependence becomes interdependence, becomes independence. 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:30.240 And so we we're in this process of launching our kids, and the best thing we can give them, the best thing we can give them is an encounter with Christ that becomes an intimate relationship for the rest of their lives. 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:39.200 Now we can't make them want it, we can't make them desire it, but we can offer, I believe, the invitation in that. 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:47.759 Well, I think in a I think that all begins in our relationship with each other, and we're always battling the hardness of the heart. 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:49.039 We just are. 00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:52.960 We battle the hardness of our of our hearts. 00:13:53.039 --> 00:14:10.159 And so for you men, and I cover this in my book, Jesus entered your world, learned your genetic code, and loved you. 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:12.720 Have you ever thought about that? 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:15.440 Jesus learned your code. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:22.159 And the way you experience Christ is different than the person who's sitting next to you tonight. 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:27.200 That Jesus knows what you need, and he meets you where you're at. 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:29.039 It's not the same for everybody. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:35.200 And as a husband, I have a responsibility in my marriage to learn her code. 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:39.840 And that's very, very strange. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:42.320 That is a strange code. 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:44.639 That is a female code. 00:14:46.720 --> 00:15:02.639 And so, like Jesus entering our world, learning our code, and dying for us, we have to enter our wife's world, guys, learn her code, and believe me, if you enter her world and you learn her code, you will die there. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:06.559 You will die there. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:09.919 You will go to the cross every day. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:17.039 Now, ladies, same thing. 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:24.799 You have to somehow enter your man's world and learn his code, or it's gonna be really frustrating for you. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:27.120 And so God made us do. 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:29.279 Why did God do this? 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:33.919 He could have made it so much easier. 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:46.799 And I believe the answer to that is that we're in a lifetime journey of discipleship and sanctification and growth to become more like Christ. 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:55.919 And I can't think of anything that he's created that is harder to do than to have a joyful marriage. 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:58.080 It really takes a lot of work. 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:04.320 I want to encourage you, fight against that hardness of the heart. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:07.440 Because that's deadly. 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:16.960 But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:21.200 Our culture has lost this part. 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:30.000 And one of the issues of the day is same-sex marriage, same gender marriage. 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:33.120 Let me just say this about the road. 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:44.960 We can love, and I really truly mean this, we can love unconditionally a gay or a lesbian. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:50.559 Because saint or sinner, we are called to that kind of love. 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:52.879 That's what Jesus would do. 00:16:55.200 --> 00:17:03.919 But men and women, our authority has to be this book. 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:20.240 Not the cultural twist of America or the Western world, not what the media bombards us with, and not our personal experience. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:32.880 Soon as you give up the scriptures and begin to guide your life based on just what you feel about it, man, you're on shaky ground. 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:35.680 You're on shaky ground. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:41.759 So at this church, we do not affirm same-gender marriage. 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:43.359 And we never will. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:44.960 This is going to be our authority. 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:50.240 Reason I say that is Time magazine last week just came out with an article. 00:17:50.559 --> 00:18:00.720 It was quite an article, basically talking about how many evangelical churches are starting to basically give that one up and acquiesce to that. 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:02.160 We're not going to do that. 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:07.359 And we but but here, everybody, you hear what I'm saying. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:11.599 The preface to what I said is this doesn't have to do with love. 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:17.839 From the perspective of how we love those who have that kind of attraction, we are there. 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:29.119 But the scripture is clear from Genesis to Revelation about issues related to male and femaleness and what marriage was designed for. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:35.759 For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:38.960 So this is the first separation of our lives. 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:48.319 The first major separation of our lives is that we leave our mommy and daddy and we cleave to our wife. 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:53.599 So you have to quit being a mommy's boy. 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:59.680 You have to quit being daddy's little girl. 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:06.559 Now you're daddy's little girl from a distance, and you're maybe a mommy's boy from a distance. 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:20.640 But when there's a conflict between those parents getting involved in your marriage when it is consistently either unbiblical or wrong, you got to take a stand, guys. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:22.400 I'm telling you, you got to take a stand. 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:24.240 Scriptures are clear. 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:34.079 I mean, you work it out, conflict resolution, Matthew 5, Matthew 18, all of that's crucial. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:43.200 But ultimately you do leave, you do leave your father and mother, even emotionally, and you are joined to your wife. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:44.000 Verse 8. 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:46.799 And the two shall become one flesh. 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:50.880 All the men in this room really like this part. 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:54.480 So then they're no longer two but one flesh. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:56.960 Glued together is actually what it means. 00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:58.960 It means like super glue. 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.279 One fleshness. 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:05.839 This is why adultery is so awful. 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:15.039 This is why adultery is so hurtful and so painful to each person, is because you became one flesh with someone else. 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:19.200 This is tough. 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:21.200 Men or women. 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:32.640 My experience in all the years of counseling and pastoring is it's not any easier for the man or for the woman when there's been an affair or adultery or sexual infidelity. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:44.400 But it also doesn't mean that when someone has committed adultery, that it's an automatic divorce. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:51.200 Dozens of people that I know have been able to forgive. 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:56.319 They had to go through some counseling and some work with forgiveness issues. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:21:05.519 But with that forgiveness, they hung together and they have happy, joyful, even better marriages as a result because they didn't quit. 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:11.119 They didn't forego that covenant, but they hung in there. 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:13.119 Verse 9. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:17.359 Therefore, what God is joined together, let no man separate. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:23.599 In the house, his disciples also asked him again about the same matter. 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:28.400 And so he said to them, Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:32.319 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:34.640 Understand the context, church. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:41.920 Deuteronomy basically said they could easily divorce and easily remarry for nothing. 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:47.440 And Jesus again, using extreme language, says what he says about it. 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:51.359 He's saying, you've got to take marriage seriously. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.599 Our meeting today said pre-engagement counseling. 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:06.720 We are maybe we should start doing that at the row. 00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:13.119 We have pre-engagement counseling, then pre-marriage counseling, and then post-marriage counseling. 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:15.440 You might actually have a chance. 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:24.240 You that have been through divorce, there's forgiveness. 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:26.319 It's not the unpardonable sin. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:28.880 There's always forgiveness. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:41.279 I mean, seriously, if we could see into the hearts and homes and the backgrounds of all of us in this room, we've got some, we got some bad stuff in this room. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:44.079 And it's forgiven. 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:45.440 Guess what? 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:53.680 The only unpardonable sin is not giving your heart to Christ and rejecting him. 00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.920 You will go to hell. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:15.119 But if you have heaven and you've accepted Christ, you have a personal, vital, dynamic, growing relationship of intimacy with him, eternal life begins then, now on this earth. 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:17.839 We're experiencing heaven now. 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:24.160 Not in the hereafter yonder over the river. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:27.039 But right now we're experiencing eternal life. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:31.200 We can invite that eternal life into our marriage. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:36.960 And some of you, if you're having an affair right now, break it off tonight. 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:40.079 Repent tonight. 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:42.880 And get help. 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:44.799 We'll be there to help you. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:48.319 We'll be there to love you through that process. 00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:50.160 But don't stay there. 00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:58.400 It's death to your heart, and it's death to your relationship with your spouse. 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:05.359 I think it's interesting, and in verse 13, what happens? 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:08.079 Because it says this. 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:19.519 Then they brought little children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuke those who brought them. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:23.759 The greatest victims are children. 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:29.920 When there's been an affair and infidelity, it's actually not the other spouse, I don't believe. 00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:34.079 I believe it's the children that know about it and their sense of betrayal. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:43.519 It so hinders their understanding of the marriage, covenant and life in general about commitments and sexuality, right? 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:49.119 And so, right here in this context of marriage and divorce, they bring the children to him. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:55.920 You kind of wonder if the moms and dads were sitting there talking and going, you know, I wonder if we should have done that. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:02.160 And we got all these issues with Caleb and Aaron. 00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:07.119 Maybe Jesus can lay his hands on them and bless them. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:13.680 And so they bring the children, and the mighty and powerful, insightful disciples rebuke them. 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:16.480 Pretty interesting. 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:24.960 Jesus has his strongest words for the disciples. 00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:28.799 It's going to say in the next verse, greatly displeased. 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:39.519 If we use the true strength of this word, which is the only time it's used in the New Testament this way, is he rebukes them for rebuking the parents who are bringing their children. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:41.279 He is ticked off. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:46.400 Because he loves the children. 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:50.240 There's something about children that's of the kingdom. 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:53.119 He's indignant. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:54.480 That's probably a better word. 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:59.759 He has indignation toward his disciples for rebuking the children. 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:08.000 That's why it's so important with our children back here. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:11.200 That we disciple them. 00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:23.839 That we, when they, when you guys come in and we put and they're in that class, those teachers have poured into that lesson all week getting ready. 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:25.680 And there's worship in there. 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:27.200 It's really cool worship. 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:29.920 Sometimes the worship in there is better than in here. 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:33.200 It's really, really good worship. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:42.000 And we engage those kids in the Bible and we engage them in worship because we're training them at an age-appropriate level to be a wholehearted disciple. 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:42.960 And guess what? 00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:45.599 They get it better than us most of the time. 00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:49.839 I mean, some of you right now, I mean, you're just you're completely daydreaming. 00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:51.839 You don't even know what I'm talking about. 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:53.119 I mean, you don't. 00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:55.119 Because I know I'm not that good. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:27:03.279 And um, and you're, you know, you're thinking about the Super Bowl, and are they gonna deflate the footballs for this one too? 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:04.480 I mean, I don't know. 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:08.319 I mean, sometimes I'm preaching and I don't even know what I'm talking about. 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:15.920 But when you go in there and you see 50 some odd kids in that elementary, they're they're in it, man. 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:17.680 They are focused. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:27.119 I'm walking out of a meeting here, and uh, and there's Jay Inman dressed like Moses or something. 00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:29.920 And he had a staff and he had the whole thing on. 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:30.720 I'm going. 00:27:32.319 --> 00:27:36.799 Charity's gonna have a lot of cool things to say about the meeting tonight. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:39.359 Because Jay's gonna engage him. 00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:40.400 I guarantee you, Mr. 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:43.920 Teacher is at it and he's dressed up, right, Jan? 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:47.680 I'm surprised he didn't dress you up like Mary or something. 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:48.480 He tried to? 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:50.240 Okay, it doesn't surprise me. 00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:55.200 But when Jesus saw it, he was greatly displeased. 00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:56.960 He was indignant, that's a better word. 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:00.640 And he said to them, Let the little children come to me. 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:05.440 Do not forbid them, for such is the kingdom of God. 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:16.000 You know, if we understood this halfway, we wouldn't have any problem with getting teachers in the elementary school class. 00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:22.319 Because you'd be in there and you'd be going, such is the kingdom of God. 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:38.079 I mean, last week we had a big, you know, we had all the refreshments out there and everything, and all you guys were all packed out there, and there were kids just running everywhere. 00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:42.079 Can I tell you my personal opinion about that? 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:43.359 I love it. 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:47.279 I love kids running around. 00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:51.759 Now, if you don't know where your kids are, I'm gonna be mad at you, okay? 00:28:52.160 --> 00:29:08.880 But basically, if they're in the area, I there's there's a joy, there's a spontaneity, they mess up things, but it's a childlike faith that Jesus is speaking of here. 00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:21.119 And church, have time in your life to love kids, to bend down and listen to them. 00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:23.279 There's so many cool things they're up to. 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:29.519 I walked in today, and my daughter had made these little, she has this little business now. 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:32.960 She's nine years old. 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:37.839 And her and Victor's daughter, Gabby, they've got a business. 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:42.960 And they've got tape and stuff, and they make little wallets and they're colorful tape and everything. 00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:45.599 I told her, I'm not buying it till I get camo. 00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:48.559 So she's gonna get camo. 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:52.160 But she had her little table out there with the prices and everything. 00:29:52.480 --> 00:29:55.119 Is that priceless or what? 00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:09.759 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. 00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:17.599 And he took them up in his arms and he laid his hands on them and he blessed them. 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:20.079 You know, kids are cool. 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:24.000 You say to kids, you know, you're gonna go to heaven. 00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:25.599 Yeah. 00:30:26.079 --> 00:30:28.799 First question is, do we have to take a bath up there? 00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:31.279 I mean, that's what they're concerned about, right? 00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:34.799 And then, and then you get with, you know, you get with folks like you. 00:30:35.279 --> 00:30:38.960 And you're talking about heaven, and they want to know, well, which heaven? 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:41.279 You know, which heaven are we talking about? 00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:46.240 You know, is it is it the one, you know, with paradise and there's a gap? 00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:51.279 And, you know, what, I mean, really, are they gonna be, I mean, what do they mean we're gonna be angels? 00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:52.960 I mean, we're not gonna be married. 00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:58.400 That means we're gonna know our spouse, we're not gonna know our spouse, and we totally miss the point. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:03.039 They're just like, they want to know, do we have to take a shower? 00:31:03.839 --> 00:31:05.119 They just believe it. 00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:07.440 It's good, it's awesome, right? 00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:14.880 There's something about kids, they just take it by faith, they believe it, and church don't lose that completely. 00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:17.119 I mean, I think there's maturity. 00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:24.400 I mean, we we we have a 13-year gap, no 17-year gap between our oldest and our youngest. 00:31:24.559 --> 00:31:26.319 That's a pretty big gap. 00:31:27.440 --> 00:31:33.119 And we treat our each of our children differently according to their maturity level. 00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:37.599 So for one of our kids, it's issues about a job or an interview. 00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:42.000 With our other one, they just want to cuddle up when there's a lightning storm. 00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:46.000 So I'm for maturity. 00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:47.359 Mature. 00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:53.680 If I've got a 30-year-old that needs to cuddle up in a lightning storm, we got some issues there. 00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:56.160 Something went wrong. 00:31:57.039 --> 00:32:06.880 But it, but I think what he's saying is remember the heart of a child, not being child-ish, but being childlike. 00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:11.519 Some of you guys, seriously, me too. 00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:15.200 We take ourselves way too seriously. 00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:19.279 We're way into us too much. 00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:22.319 Enjoy Jesus. 00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:26.000 Enjoy your life in Christ. 00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:35.200 Kids do, and he says that there's something about them that's attuned to the kingdom of God. 00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:36.559 Verse 17. 00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:40.160 Now, as he was going on the road, one came running. 00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:41.599 I like this part. 00:32:41.920 --> 00:32:44.400 Running, running. 00:32:44.880 --> 00:32:50.000 He knelt down before him and he said, Good teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 00:32:50.160 --> 00:32:51.359 This is ironic. 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:54.400 So he just said, they're like kids, eternal life. 00:32:54.480 --> 00:32:58.640 And then here comes, and this is in Matthew and Luke, the rich young ruler. 00:32:58.799 --> 00:33:03.920 And he doesn't walk up, he doesn't sachet up, he runs up. 00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:08.480 Kids just believe in heaven, no question. 00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:15.519 But the rich young ruler, he wants to know if he's going to heaven or not. 00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:18.799 And he says, What must I do? 00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:21.279 What must I do? 00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:25.119 He's a moralist, he's a religionist. 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:27.440 What, here's what he's saying. 00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:30.079 And Jesus can see into his heart. 00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:36.160 He says, What must I do externally to get into heaven? 00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:42.160 Listen, this guy has everything, but he has nothing. 00:33:43.680 --> 00:33:49.359 Like most of those that we read about who are NFL players. 00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:53.039 They have everything, they have nothing. 00:33:54.160 --> 00:34:00.480 So that's why your NFL player guy makes, you know, three, four million a year and he's in a gunfight. 00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:06.319 I mean, what do you what do you need to be in a gunfight over when you're a millionaire? 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:19.360 Or we have to watch again and again on ESPN, like a dozen times, this guy whacking his girlfriend in an elevator and then dragging her out. 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:26.079 He has everything, he has nothing. 00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:35.519 And we have rock stars that make millions off their concerts and their music, and we find out they're in rehab. 00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:38.960 There's even now a reality show about rehab. 00:34:40.079 --> 00:34:45.760 It's almost like the coolest thing is that you're in rehab in Hollywood. 00:34:46.159 --> 00:34:48.719 Have you ever been with somebody who's in rehab? 00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:51.599 It's actually not a very cool thing. 00:34:53.360 --> 00:34:55.599 He has everything, he has nothing. 00:34:55.760 --> 00:34:58.400 So Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? 00:34:58.880 --> 00:34:59.840 I love this. 00:35:00.159 --> 00:35:02.559 No one's good but one. 00:35:03.280 --> 00:35:04.559 That is God. 00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:08.239 Only God is good. 00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:09.679 So here's what he's saying. 00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:14.559 He's saying, either I'm not good, or I'm God. 00:35:15.679 --> 00:35:17.760 And quite frankly, for you, Mr. 00:35:17.920 --> 00:35:20.559 Young Ruler, that's your issue. 00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:24.320 Because I like what he says next. 00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:37.199 Verse 19, you know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother. 00:35:37.440 --> 00:35:45.280 Every one of the ten commandments that Jesus quotes here have to do with morality, have to do with external behavior. 00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:54.559 He actually bypasses all the relational commandments because he's revealing his heart. 00:35:54.800 --> 00:35:57.280 He's saying, you know the rules, right? 00:35:57.440 --> 00:35:58.320 He goes, Yeah. 00:35:58.559 --> 00:36:03.679 So he says, Teacher, all these things I've kept from my youth. 00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:12.960 Then Jesus goes to the core church, to the heart of being a disciple of Christ. 00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:26.639 I mean, I wish I wish we could just camp here for another two hours, but Jesus looking at him loved him. 00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:29.760 Jesus, here's what it means. 00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:33.760