WEBVTT 00:00:11.970 --> 00:00:17.810 The word of God is something that we can worship and praise through. 00:00:18.050 --> 00:00:18.690 Amen. 00:00:19.410 --> 00:00:21.250 So here's the thing. 00:00:21.570 --> 00:00:23.890 And I want you to agree with me. 00:00:24.130 --> 00:00:25.649 Worship is not over. 00:00:25.810 --> 00:00:26.130 Okay? 00:00:27.409 --> 00:00:28.929 Are we on the same page? 00:00:29.170 --> 00:00:30.689 Worship is not over. 00:00:30.850 --> 00:00:31.570 Guess what? 00:00:31.649 --> 00:00:35.090 You're still gonna get home probably in time for the NFL games. 00:00:35.250 --> 00:00:36.929 Don't worry about it, okay? 00:00:37.170 --> 00:00:41.570 This is this is me, you, and God right now, and we need to hear the word of God. 00:00:41.729 --> 00:00:42.210 Amen? 00:00:42.609 --> 00:00:44.609 Alright, so let's give it up for the word of God. 00:00:44.769 --> 00:00:45.089 Come on. 00:00:45.250 --> 00:00:47.649 Seriously, we love the word of God in this church. 00:00:47.809 --> 00:00:50.769 And in fact, we encourage you to bring a Bible. 00:00:50.929 --> 00:00:51.729 Bring a Bible. 00:00:51.809 --> 00:00:56.769 If you don't have a Bible, there's a Bible in about every other seat in front of you. 00:00:56.850 --> 00:01:00.689 And I encourage you to take that Bible, find a pen somewhere. 00:01:00.850 --> 00:01:02.769 Someone here has a pen they will hand you. 00:01:02.850 --> 00:01:06.769 You write your name in it and you take that Bible home with you. 00:01:07.010 --> 00:01:08.370 We believe it is vital. 00:01:08.450 --> 00:01:09.250 It is important. 00:01:09.489 --> 00:01:12.450 I am gonna do that slide, that one slide. 00:01:12.609 --> 00:01:14.530 This is very important in two weeks. 00:01:14.769 --> 00:01:17.730 In two weeks, we have our one-day marriage conference. 00:01:17.890 --> 00:01:20.530 It is here from nine to three o'clock. 00:01:20.689 --> 00:01:31.090 It is October 3rd, and we want you, whether you are married, whether you are getting married, whether you're in your first year of marriage, whether you're in your 50th year of marriage. 00:01:31.250 --> 00:01:33.090 We would love for you to be a part of that. 00:01:33.329 --> 00:01:36.929 We're also going to be buying Jason's deli. 00:01:37.010 --> 00:01:41.170 We're going to be taking your order and we're just going to ask you to chip in for that. 00:01:41.409 --> 00:01:42.450 10 bucks per couple. 00:01:42.530 --> 00:01:44.530 If you order Jason's deli, that's a steal. 00:01:44.609 --> 00:01:47.810 That means the church is helping buy your lunch. 00:01:47.969 --> 00:01:52.289 And so right now it is only$45 per couple. 00:01:52.530 --> 00:02:00.209 And I'm telling you, it can be life-changing for your marriage because what it does is it hits the reset button on some things. 00:02:00.370 --> 00:02:09.730 And so what you can do, you can text that number, which is super easy, or you can go through the QR code, which I'm going to be honest is a little dangerous. 00:02:09.810 --> 00:02:10.530 And here's why. 00:02:10.689 --> 00:02:12.849 They also use Planning Center. 00:02:13.250 --> 00:02:22.050 And so what happened last year is some people gave toward the conference, they paid toward the conference, and they started tithing to their organization. 00:02:22.210 --> 00:02:24.530 It was, it was, it was crazy. 00:02:24.850 --> 00:02:26.610 But we have we have two weeks. 00:02:26.690 --> 00:02:31.730 And so really we have this Sunday through the rest of this week to next Sunday for you to sign up. 00:02:31.890 --> 00:02:34.130 We want you to be a part of that event. 00:03:04.690 --> 00:03:09.250 And now, 20 years, it's like I've been senior pastoring. 00:03:09.330 --> 00:03:11.330 I'm like, God help me, Lord help me. 00:03:11.410 --> 00:03:24.690 And I was telling Caleb this morning, I'm standing there and I'm saying, Man, I used to watch out the window right before church to see who was coming, because I just I desired in my heart that everyone possible get to hear the message. 00:03:25.010 --> 00:03:27.010 And God was doing that in my heart today. 00:03:27.090 --> 00:03:29.570 And I'm like, Lord, I just want everyone to hear it. 00:03:29.969 --> 00:03:34.610 Because your word is so valuable, faithful, and true. 00:03:35.010 --> 00:03:35.650 Amen. 00:03:36.370 --> 00:03:44.290 And so going through this series, this one another series, we've talked about serving, we've talked about praying, we've talked about loving and all the rest. 00:03:44.450 --> 00:03:50.210 And I've told you there are how many commands in scripture for one another, separate commands? 00:03:50.370 --> 00:03:51.810 There's 66. 00:03:52.210 --> 00:03:55.490 And of those, it's told a hundred times. 00:03:55.570 --> 00:03:58.530 So there's some repeated, there's some that blend together. 00:03:58.690 --> 00:04:03.810 But here's the thing: God is basically telling you how you ought to treat one another. 00:04:03.969 --> 00:04:09.090 And you're like, why on earth does he say it so many times in the New Testament? 00:04:09.330 --> 00:04:10.930 Here's the thing. 00:04:11.570 --> 00:04:13.170 You're bad at it. 00:04:13.650 --> 00:04:18.290 You're bad at treating one another well or treating one another godly. 00:04:18.449 --> 00:04:22.449 And so he wants us to be mindful of how we treat one another. 00:04:22.769 --> 00:04:23.410 Amen. 00:04:24.610 --> 00:04:28.930 So today we're focusing on the disciples in Mark chapter 9. 00:04:29.409 --> 00:04:37.969 And so I ask that you turn in your Bibles to Mark 9, and we're gonna get there in a minute, and we're leave it there because we're going to cover it all throughout this entire message. 00:04:38.209 --> 00:04:40.849 And really, it's not gonna be that long. 00:04:40.930 --> 00:04:44.609 So you can you can go with me and we'll be good together. 00:04:45.250 --> 00:04:55.169 The disciples are heading toward Capernaum, and they're they're talking on this road, and as they're going to Capernaum, this is like the last stop. 00:04:55.649 --> 00:04:59.969 This is the last stop before Jesus' road to the cross. 00:05:00.289 --> 00:05:03.569 And so in Capernaum, a couple of the disciples lived. 00:05:03.649 --> 00:05:12.449 And so let's just say they were going to Peter's house, and the disciples at that point, you know, they were being as human as possible. 00:05:12.609 --> 00:05:14.689 And you can read through that in Mark 9. 00:05:14.849 --> 00:05:19.729 Here's the reality: three of them were just on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus Christ. 00:05:19.889 --> 00:05:25.810 They saw Elijah, they saw Moses, they saw this great work happen on Jesus. 00:05:26.050 --> 00:05:34.209 The other nine, check this out, at that same time, the other nine were trying to cast a demon out of a boy in the valley, and they couldn't. 00:05:34.449 --> 00:05:38.769 And so Jesus came down and he did what they couldn't do. 00:05:40.050 --> 00:05:43.649 And so Jesus, he just he just wanted to be him and the 12. 00:05:43.729 --> 00:05:48.370 And if you if you know anything about Jesus and his disciples, he had a lot more than just 12. 00:05:48.529 --> 00:05:57.649 12 was just the inner circle, and he is just wanting to spend time with his 12 disciples, just a quiet walk down the road. 00:05:59.329 --> 00:06:02.849 And he wanted to emphasize something to them on that walk. 00:06:03.729 --> 00:06:05.810 He told them before, but he wanted to say it again. 00:06:05.889 --> 00:06:07.889 He's like, I'm gonna die. 00:06:08.529 --> 00:06:10.930 I'm gonna be nailed to a cross. 00:06:11.169 --> 00:06:13.490 And he he told them that in verse 31. 00:06:13.649 --> 00:06:18.289 And, you know, they hear this and and their minds just reject it. 00:06:18.449 --> 00:06:20.370 They don't understand what Jesus is talking about. 00:06:20.529 --> 00:06:24.529 So they started talking about things that really matter to them. 00:06:25.409 --> 00:06:27.649 They started talking about rank. 00:06:29.729 --> 00:06:32.050 Who's the greatest among us? 00:06:33.250 --> 00:06:43.009 So today, what we're gonna do, we're gonna examine Mark 9, 33 through 50, and we're gonna look at three ways that peace dies in our lives. 00:06:43.250 --> 00:06:44.930 Who loves the word of God? 00:06:45.409 --> 00:06:48.769 All right, so peace dies when we see rank, and we're gonna see that here. 00:06:48.930 --> 00:06:51.810 Mark 9, 33 through 37 right now. 00:06:51.969 --> 00:06:53.250 Let's read. 00:07:03.569 --> 00:07:09.329 But they didn't answer because they had been arguing which of them was the greatest. 00:07:10.370 --> 00:07:20.689 He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else. 00:07:20.930 --> 00:07:23.810 Then he put a little child among them. 00:07:25.329 --> 00:07:32.609 Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf, they welcome me. 00:07:32.769 --> 00:07:37.889 And anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me, but also my father who sent me. 00:07:40.689 --> 00:07:42.449 You know what I hate? 00:07:43.569 --> 00:07:51.569 I hate walking up on two individuals or a crowd, and all of a sudden they go silent. 00:07:55.490 --> 00:07:58.930 And they go silent for one of three reasons. 00:08:01.009 --> 00:08:02.849 They're talking about me. 00:08:07.169 --> 00:08:11.490 Two, they're talking about something inappropriate. 00:08:13.009 --> 00:08:16.609 Or three, it's a private matter just between those two. 00:08:16.930 --> 00:08:18.129 Or that group. 00:08:20.689 --> 00:08:22.609 Now here's the thing. 00:08:24.289 --> 00:08:28.209 Jesus asked them, what were you talking about on the road? 00:08:31.889 --> 00:08:33.409 And they go, silent. 00:08:35.330 --> 00:08:37.810 That silence is a confession. 00:08:38.450 --> 00:08:41.169 It's a confession of what they were discussing. 00:08:41.250 --> 00:08:45.330 And we know the issue is Jesus was telling them, hey, I'm going to die. 00:08:45.490 --> 00:08:50.850 And here they are, they're ignoring him completely, and they're too busy talking about the things of the kingdom. 00:08:51.009 --> 00:08:54.129 And and they are jockeying for position. 00:08:58.530 --> 00:09:00.850 Here's what they're really doing here. 00:09:01.889 --> 00:09:06.370 And there's some inference here, but this is what they're doing if you look at their original language. 00:09:06.530 --> 00:09:09.650 They are having what is called idle talk. 00:09:10.690 --> 00:09:11.570 Idle talk. 00:09:11.730 --> 00:09:14.129 I-L-E, idle talk. 00:09:14.770 --> 00:09:24.850 And the arguments as they're having them, it's all idle talk, but they're dressed in religious clothing, like we're really talking about the things of the kingdom here, but they're not. 00:09:25.009 --> 00:09:35.009 And so what they're doing is it's it's comparison, it's hey, who is first among us, who's more spiritual, who should be listened to, which one of us is more important? 00:09:37.009 --> 00:09:44.530 And when you participate in that kind of discourse, no one, and I repeat, no one comes out smelling good. 00:09:48.370 --> 00:10:06.050 And what they fail to see, and we often fail to see when we choose that kind of discourse, is that idle talk creates division, it never creates unity, it never brings people alongside you, it never helps them feel like they're a part of something important. 00:10:06.210 --> 00:10:10.610 And there are so many warnings for believers against idle talk. 00:10:11.490 --> 00:10:13.330 Listen to Matthew 12, 36. 00:10:13.410 --> 00:10:14.770 I've got a list of them up on the screen. 00:10:14.930 --> 00:10:23.250 Matthew 12, 36 says, and I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 00:10:24.690 --> 00:10:28.530 Ephesians 4.29 it says, Don't use foul or abusive language. 00:10:28.690 --> 00:10:35.170 Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 00:10:36.129 --> 00:10:43.009 2 Timothy 2.16 it says, Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 00:10:44.450 --> 00:10:49.330 Proverbs 16.28 says, A troublemaker plants seeds of strife. 00:10:49.490 --> 00:10:52.930 Gossip separates the best of friends. 00:10:53.970 --> 00:11:02.690 Proverbs 26, 20 says, fire goes out without wood and quarrels disappear when gossip stops. 00:11:07.810 --> 00:11:17.650 Jesus' response to the discussion they were having on the road was stop wanting to matter. 00:11:20.530 --> 00:11:22.129 This is what he says in verse 35. 00:11:22.210 --> 00:11:28.690 He says, Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else. 00:11:29.650 --> 00:11:33.490 So here he is in a room full of adults, just to make his point clear. 00:11:33.889 --> 00:11:39.889 He takes this room full of adults and he brings a child right to the front. 00:11:46.370 --> 00:11:47.970 Lila, can you come here? 00:11:48.690 --> 00:11:52.050 I know it's putting you on the spot, but you're there. 00:11:52.690 --> 00:11:54.690 She's like, not a chance. 00:11:55.410 --> 00:11:56.370 Not a chance. 00:11:56.530 --> 00:11:57.490 I don't trust him. 00:11:57.650 --> 00:11:59.170 Hey, we've been buds. 00:11:59.730 --> 00:12:00.770 We've been buds here. 00:12:00.850 --> 00:12:02.290 I'm not gonna do you wrong, I promise. 00:12:02.450 --> 00:12:03.730 I'm not even gonna make you do anything. 00:12:03.810 --> 00:12:05.009 Just come here, please. 00:12:05.330 --> 00:12:06.690 Yeah, give it up for Lila. 00:12:06.930 --> 00:12:07.650 Come on. 00:12:12.690 --> 00:12:22.610 In their culture, in the Jewish culture, when they're talking about things that are important, see, kids didn't hold status. 00:12:23.090 --> 00:12:24.610 They didn't hold status. 00:12:24.930 --> 00:12:27.090 And so they weren't viewed as important. 00:12:28.050 --> 00:12:32.129 They hadn't achieved anything, they didn't know anything. 00:12:33.090 --> 00:12:40.690 And Jesus, in their culture, has the audacity to bring the child in front into the adult conversation. 00:12:42.530 --> 00:12:47.490 And then he takes it to a place they never thought it would go. 00:12:47.889 --> 00:12:48.930 And thank you. 00:12:49.330 --> 00:12:50.850 Thank you for coming up. 00:12:55.570 --> 00:13:06.530 And Jesus welcomes the child who is with no rank amongst them and says, How you treat them is how you've treated me. 00:13:07.650 --> 00:13:09.889 How you treat them is how you've treated me. 00:13:12.530 --> 00:13:20.290 And church, if you want to be a person of peace, stop competing for first place. 00:13:22.770 --> 00:13:27.410 And start receiving the least and choosing to take on the least. 00:13:27.570 --> 00:13:35.810 If we take just a few moments, church, to look in the mirror, we might think about those text messages that we send after church. 00:13:37.889 --> 00:13:43.330 Or the quiet conversations that we have that aren't serving the kingdom of God at all. 00:13:43.730 --> 00:13:44.370 Right? 00:13:46.850 --> 00:13:49.170 Well, who did they ask to lead that? 00:13:51.170 --> 00:13:54.690 What did this person do to deserve that title? 00:13:55.570 --> 00:13:58.210 And what we're doing is we don't even realize it. 00:13:58.370 --> 00:14:01.410 We are keeping score in our heads. 00:14:01.810 --> 00:14:08.129 We're keeping score in our heads, and that is no different than what was taking place on the road to Capernaum. 00:14:08.530 --> 00:14:10.050 No different at all. 00:14:10.690 --> 00:14:13.650 And here's our reality that we must embrace. 00:14:13.810 --> 00:14:17.889 If it can't be said with Jesus in the room, it's idle talk. 00:14:20.210 --> 00:14:26.129 You know, I so often I stress over that idle chatter in the church. 00:14:26.290 --> 00:14:27.889 So, like inevitably. 00:14:28.129 --> 00:14:31.170 You know, as the pastor, you just hear everything. 00:14:31.330 --> 00:14:34.290 Everything comes to you, whether you want it or not. 00:14:35.810 --> 00:14:39.570 And I wrestle with should I address it? 00:14:39.889 --> 00:14:41.730 Should I leave it alone? 00:14:42.290 --> 00:14:44.129 And then I realize something. 00:14:44.450 --> 00:14:52.690 If I start chasing everything, every little thing that happens, all I become is a firefighter. 00:14:54.290 --> 00:14:57.009 Putting out one fire after another. 00:14:57.330 --> 00:15:00.050 And I just want to say this and I want to make it clear. 00:15:01.330 --> 00:15:12.129 It is godless chatter, it is godless chatter, and it's not being handled in a biblical matter, and scripture is clear. 00:15:12.770 --> 00:15:19.250 If we choose to engage in such things, we have to give account for that on judgment day. 00:15:21.170 --> 00:15:37.889 And so, what we have to do anytime we engage in godless chatter or we hear it and we're tempted to engage, it's to look in that mirror and remember it's not about whether or not it's on them. 00:15:38.370 --> 00:15:42.210 It's about whether or not you are choosing to let it be on you. 00:15:43.410 --> 00:15:45.330 I will not engage in it. 00:15:49.330 --> 00:15:52.610 And here's the thing with the disciples, what what got them there? 00:15:52.930 --> 00:16:00.129 It's so natural in our human nature that this pride, it causes us to argue who's the greatest among us. 00:16:00.290 --> 00:16:09.250 But it is also pride that the disciples were that what they're about to do and we're about to read about is they decide to unite as a group. 00:16:09.410 --> 00:16:16.530 They want to turn the conversation around because what's happening is Jesus is making them feel guilty about their behavior. 00:16:19.889 --> 00:16:31.250 And John, of all people, his most loved disciple, he wants to turn the conversation towards someone who was doing work in Jesus' name that wasn't a part of their group. 00:16:31.410 --> 00:16:36.930 And the next point that I want to talk about is peace dies at exclusivity. 00:16:39.730 --> 00:16:57.009 Picking up Mark 9, 38 through 41, John said to Jesus, teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn't in our group. 00:16:57.570 --> 00:16:59.650 Don't stop him, Jesus said. 00:16:59.810 --> 00:17:04.450 No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 00:17:04.690 --> 00:17:06.769 Anyone who is not against us is for us. 00:17:06.849 --> 00:17:11.329 And if anyone gives you a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth. 00:17:11.569 --> 00:17:15.089 That person will surely be rewarded. 00:17:18.289 --> 00:17:40.449 So here are the I I can only imagine the disciples are reeling at this point because after the disciples reveal this received the correction that we just discussed by Jesus, now John decides, I'm gonna change the subject, I'm gonna unite the group a little bit, and I'm gonna pull Jesus in because because Jesus, Jesus will surely agree, like we're pretty special. 00:17:41.009 --> 00:17:42.210 They're still dealing with that. 00:17:42.369 --> 00:17:43.730 We're pretty special. 00:17:45.250 --> 00:17:48.289 And John identifies him as not being a part of the group. 00:17:48.369 --> 00:17:51.649 And here's the thing that's territorial Christianity. 00:17:52.049 --> 00:17:54.210 We still deal with this today. 00:17:54.689 --> 00:17:55.329 We do. 00:17:56.289 --> 00:18:01.009 It's like we're on the same team, but let's be clear, we're wearing different jerseys. 00:18:04.689 --> 00:18:08.449 And in John's brain, he thinks, surely Jesus is gonna back me up here. 00:18:09.889 --> 00:18:11.809 And Jesus doesn't have it. 00:18:12.849 --> 00:18:13.809 I can almost hear him. 00:18:14.049 --> 00:18:15.169 Don't stop him. 00:18:17.889 --> 00:18:22.689 No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 00:18:23.009 --> 00:18:28.529 And then his response further, he says, anyone who is not against us is for us. 00:18:30.449 --> 00:18:38.609 And here's the thing: these are the same guys, these same guys stopping this guy from casting out a demon, or these are the same guys. 00:18:40.049 --> 00:18:43.009 They couldn't cast a demon out of the boy in the valley. 00:18:45.490 --> 00:18:49.809 And they see someone else achieving something in Jesus' name that they could not do. 00:18:52.689 --> 00:19:00.449 This guy wasn't bringing harm to the name of Jesus Christ, he wasn't preaching incorrect doctrine or trying to bring attention to himself. 00:19:00.769 --> 00:19:08.289 He was guilty of allegiance with Jesus, but he wasn't a part of their subgroup. 00:19:10.049 --> 00:19:17.089 Church, the kingdom of God does not have room for factions or exclusivity, it doesn't have room for it. 00:19:18.689 --> 00:19:24.689 He makes it so clear that the smallest act of kindness done in his name, it matters. 00:19:24.849 --> 00:19:26.369 He even said, check this out. 00:19:26.529 --> 00:19:58.129 If you give even a cup of water, if you give a cup of water, and so what this really tells me is because what we're doing is we're like, hey, this guy, he's able to cast out demons, this girl, she's able to perform miracles, she's able to do this, and so we start elevating people, and what Jesus is basically doing is he is saying, it is not limited to what a person does, that they can honor me, that they can bring glory to my name. 00:20:03.889 --> 00:20:08.289 Jesus said, even the person that gives a cup of water will be rewarded. 00:20:08.769 --> 00:20:10.529 How special is that? 00:20:11.089 --> 00:20:12.689 You know what that means? 00:20:13.730 --> 00:20:17.169 You can honor the Lord Jesus Christ with your life. 00:20:18.049 --> 00:20:19.089 You can do it. 00:20:19.409 --> 00:20:20.929 You can do it today. 00:20:24.129 --> 00:20:28.129 You know, people of peace, they refuse to make it our group. 00:20:31.889 --> 00:20:35.649 Or the test of just who who or not belongs to his kingdom. 00:20:35.889 --> 00:20:37.089 And see, here's the thing. 00:20:37.250 --> 00:20:39.809 If you like sunshine, great. 00:20:40.210 --> 00:20:41.730 I like sunshine. 00:20:43.569 --> 00:20:46.609 Because of the people who are in it, you know? 00:20:47.730 --> 00:21:05.009 But if we think for a moment that for for we we have a leg up, or because of the doctrine we hold on to that we're better, or the denomination that we're in, or or because the people we do church with, we think we're better. 00:21:05.649 --> 00:21:07.809 Peace is going to die here. 00:21:08.609 --> 00:21:10.449 Peace is going to die here. 00:21:11.889 --> 00:21:24.689 If we start becoming suspicious of, well, that person didn't grow up in this church, or or another church starting down the street, and we're more concerned about those things, and we think we're better, peace can't reign here. 00:21:25.409 --> 00:21:26.289 It can't. 00:21:27.009 --> 00:21:31.009 We need to learn to celebrate the cup of water given. 00:21:34.049 --> 00:21:36.529 Bless the other church that's preaching Christ. 00:21:38.849 --> 00:21:45.889 And we need to stop our minds from ever thinking, well, I'm the only one doing it right. 00:21:47.649 --> 00:21:48.929 It's not of God. 00:21:49.730 --> 00:21:58.929 But instead, if we take on this mindset, anyone who preaches Jesus Christ is not the enemy, they're my brother and sister in Christ. 00:21:59.169 --> 00:22:01.089 That's my brother and sister. 00:22:01.409 --> 00:22:11.009 And so Jesus, what he does is he's he drew out the point that the smallest act of kindness done matters, and so that level. 00:22:11.569 --> 00:22:14.129 The playing field for everyone in this room. 00:22:14.849 --> 00:22:26.609 And then lastly, what he does, check this out, he flips the coin and he brings back that little one from before. 00:22:31.089 --> 00:22:38.449 And he says, anyone who does harm to this little one, your judgment is catastrophic. 00:22:39.089 --> 00:22:40.769 Your judgment is catastrophic. 00:22:40.929 --> 00:22:48.849 And so how we treat the least of these in the room is the ultimate test for if we are living with the flavor of Christ. 00:22:48.929 --> 00:22:53.009 And so, lastly, peace dies when we protect sin more than people. 00:22:56.849 --> 00:23:01.250 I want to read verse 42 through 49, and this is probably the most important part of the message. 00:23:01.649 --> 00:23:03.490 And this is where we're ending today. 00:23:06.129 --> 00:23:15.490 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, remember, he's talking to the 12 still. 00:23:15.649 --> 00:23:26.289 These are the men that have walked with him for three years, and he is telling them, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. 00:23:26.849 --> 00:23:29.250 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. 00:23:29.329 --> 00:23:36.049 It's better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. 00:23:37.169 --> 00:23:39.569 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. 00:23:39.730 --> 00:23:44.769 It's better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. 00:23:44.849 --> 00:23:47.169 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. 00:23:47.569 --> 00:23:56.929 It's better to enter the kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where the maggots never die and the fear never goes out. 00:23:57.089 --> 00:24:01.649 The fire never goes out, for everyone will be tested with fire. 00:24:03.250 --> 00:24:05.089 Salt is good for seasoning. 00:24:06.210 --> 00:24:09.569 But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? 00:24:09.809 --> 00:24:15.970 You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other. 00:24:19.569 --> 00:24:32.609 Church, it is our job to protect the new to Christ, the vulnerable, the weak, the easily wounded, the young. 00:24:34.129 --> 00:24:35.970 So I can I can just see the scene. 00:24:36.129 --> 00:24:38.289 Jesus is sitting in the same house. 00:24:38.449 --> 00:24:45.250 And so let's assume it's Peter's house, because he was from Capernaum, and he picks up that same child from verse 36. 00:24:46.609 --> 00:24:50.129 And he says, He's looking at his disciples. 00:24:50.769 --> 00:25:06.449 If any one of you causes one of these little ones to fall into sin, the things you're doing, if any one of you causes them to fall into sin, it would be better if you had a huge millstone tied around your neck and you drowned to death than face my judgment. 00:25:07.329 --> 00:25:08.689 That would be better for you. 00:25:11.970 --> 00:25:23.329 The disciples, they're so busy pointing fingers that everyone else, that Jesus, he's turning it around on them because here's the thing: sin is getting excused in the process. 00:25:24.529 --> 00:25:28.689 And the more we excuse sin, the more progressive it gets. 00:25:28.929 --> 00:25:37.169 And I'm looking around in a world and I'm brokenhearted over the things that are being decided in our culture that completely excuse sin. 00:25:37.329 --> 00:25:40.769 The Lindsey Clancy case has me completely broken. 00:25:41.089 --> 00:25:46.369 It has me so broken because here's the reality is postpartum a real deal. 00:25:46.529 --> 00:25:47.009 Absolutely. 00:25:47.169 --> 00:25:48.129 Did she need help? 00:25:48.289 --> 00:25:48.769 Absolutely. 00:25:49.089 --> 00:25:51.569 We're innocent lives murdered. 00:25:51.889 --> 00:25:53.169 Absolutely. 00:25:53.889 --> 00:26:04.049 And so we look at these things and and we sit there and think, how can 11 of 12 jurors come to the conclusion that she's she's innocent? 00:26:04.129 --> 00:26:07.649 And you've got this one guy saying, No, I I won't stand for it. 00:26:07.809 --> 00:26:10.210 And here's what I believe the issue is. 00:26:10.849 --> 00:26:19.409 I believe the issue is this divide that we have in our culture is I want to be justified in my sin. 00:26:21.409 --> 00:26:23.649 I want to be justified in my sin. 00:26:25.169 --> 00:26:27.649 So I have to declare her innocent. 00:26:31.490 --> 00:26:33.490 And in this case, who is the victim? 00:26:38.210 --> 00:26:39.889 The root issue. 00:26:40.529 --> 00:26:46.129 Catch this, the root issue is people wanting to excuse sinful nature. 00:26:49.009 --> 00:26:53.490 Jesus gives the remedy, but it's not what the world wants. 00:26:53.970 --> 00:26:54.769 It's not. 00:26:55.409 --> 00:27:01.490 And so what Jesus does, he gets out the figurative knife. 00:27:05.569 --> 00:27:11.009 And he says one of the most misunderstood things in Scripture. 00:27:11.329 --> 00:27:14.369 He says, one of the most misunderstood things in Scripture. 00:27:14.529 --> 00:27:16.210 And I want you to hear this. 00:27:18.210 --> 00:27:24.449 If your hand causes you to sin, what does it say, Josh? 00:27:26.049 --> 00:27:27.490 It should be cut off. 00:27:28.289 --> 00:27:33.569 So Jesus is saying, you guys know how long I've wanted to do this. 00:27:35.409 --> 00:27:41.809 Jesus is saying, it's better for you to just completely remove it, completely cut it off. 00:27:43.889 --> 00:27:50.769 If your feet are causing your sin, even even your dominant foot, I'm gonna assume it's right. 00:27:51.409 --> 00:27:51.730 Okay. 00:27:53.169 --> 00:27:54.689 It's better to cut it off. 00:27:55.089 --> 00:28:01.009 It's better just completely remove it because you don't know what you are facing with hell. 00:28:02.369 --> 00:28:03.649 Here's the thing. 00:28:03.889 --> 00:28:07.089 If your eye, even even your good eye, do you have any good eyes? 00:28:07.730 --> 00:28:08.369 Yeah. 00:28:09.889 --> 00:28:13.970 Even your good eye, if it causes you to sin, gouge it out, right? 00:28:14.449 --> 00:28:15.809 Okay, I don't want you to go anywhere. 00:28:15.889 --> 00:28:16.529 We're not done. 00:28:21.649 --> 00:28:24.289 We hear that and we think, I know what I need to do. 00:28:24.609 --> 00:28:25.970 I know what I need to do. 00:28:28.369 --> 00:28:30.369 At all costs, I need to remove sin out of my life. 00:28:30.449 --> 00:28:32.849 So I I I need to I need to cut off my hand. 00:28:33.169 --> 00:28:36.129 You know, I I I'm a thief, cut off my hands. 00:28:36.369 --> 00:28:38.769 I I lust a lot, gouge out my eyes. 00:28:39.009 --> 00:28:43.809 You know, what what whatever it takes is what I need to do in order to avoid sin. 00:28:43.970 --> 00:28:49.169 And church, I'm telling you, if that's your interpretation, we are missing the mark. 00:28:50.129 --> 00:28:52.210 This is what Jesus is commanding. 00:28:52.929 --> 00:28:57.169 We need to be ruthlessly honest with our sin. 00:28:58.689 --> 00:29:05.009 And whatever sin is tripping you or tripping them, it cannot be negotiated with. 00:29:06.769 --> 00:29:12.929 You aren't gonna say, well, Jesus, I feel justified in this because it doesn't matter. 00:29:15.569 --> 00:29:22.849 And so Jesus, the the shocking statement he is saying is stop treating sin like just a personality quirk. 00:29:24.769 --> 00:29:28.210 This is the exact same language, we're almost done here. 00:29:28.449 --> 00:29:33.169 This is the exact same language that Jesus uses in Matthew 5 when he's talking about adultery. 00:29:33.490 --> 00:29:35.250 Almost the exact same language. 00:29:36.289 --> 00:29:41.490 And he says, Any body part that is causing you to sin, it's better to cut it off. 00:29:41.730 --> 00:29:52.609 But in speaking about the issue of adultery, Jesus said, it is not the outward physical act, it's what begins here in the heart. 00:29:54.529 --> 00:29:56.210 This is what Jesus is saying. 00:29:56.609 --> 00:30:00.289 If you really want to get to the heart of the matter, we gotta take this out too. 00:30:03.970 --> 00:30:05.009 This is what he's saying. 00:30:05.409 --> 00:30:07.169 Thanks, Josh, for trusting me. 00:30:12.529 --> 00:30:19.329 You cannot operate on yourself deep enough to fix the issue. 00:30:20.849 --> 00:30:21.889 You can't do it. 00:30:25.250 --> 00:30:28.369 The disciples' argument to start on the road, how all this started. 00:30:28.529 --> 00:30:31.490 It didn't start with their mouths, it started with their heart. 00:30:31.649 --> 00:30:33.009 Who wants to be first? 00:30:33.809 --> 00:30:40.689 And so that was the issue, and it's that same heart that causes the little ones, the vulnerable, the easily wounded to stumble. 00:30:45.889 --> 00:30:49.169 So, what we have to do is we have to examine our hearts in this. 00:30:49.490 --> 00:30:52.049 Because Jesus is saying it's on the line. 00:30:52.849 --> 00:30:54.289 Your heart is on the line. 00:30:54.529 --> 00:30:56.769 If I could have my worship team come forward. 00:31:19.089 --> 00:31:22.129 Jesus is saying, well, you gotta, you gotta figure this out. 00:31:22.289 --> 00:31:33.409 And here is what I want you to embrace that if you want your life to be the quality salt that Jesus is talking about, you need to look to where you get it from, and it's not through self-help. 00:31:36.289 --> 00:31:38.289 It's not a 10-step program. 00:31:40.689 --> 00:31:43.009 It's not listen to the pastor preach. 00:31:45.569 --> 00:31:47.409 It's God who restores. 00:31:48.849 --> 00:31:52.529 And I want you to listen, and I want you to meditate on this, so you might need to close your eyes. 00:31:52.769 --> 00:31:59.409 Ezekiel 36, 26 and 27, it says, and I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. 00:31:59.569 --> 00:32:04.369 I will take out your stony, stubborn heart, and I will give you a tender, responsive heart. 00:32:04.609 --> 00:32:11.329 I will put my spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. 00:32:11.569 --> 00:32:12.929 Here is the thing, church. 00:32:13.089 --> 00:32:15.329 You want to say, How do I become salty? 00:32:15.409 --> 00:32:17.809 How do I have this quality that Jesus is speaking to? 00:32:17.970 --> 00:32:21.809 It is a life that is full and guided by the Holy Spirit. 00:32:22.289 --> 00:32:23.329 That's it. 00:32:25.169 --> 00:32:35.250 Because that old heart, that old heart, it tries to rank us, it tries to jockey for position, it excludes others, it protects our sin. 00:32:35.329 --> 00:32:54.369 But here's the thing: a new heart, a new heart, what it does is it welcomes the child, it blesses the outsider who is doing the work in the name of Jesus, and it refuses to trip the little ones and cause them to fall into sin. 00:32:57.970 --> 00:33:00.289 It's not done by self-improvement. 00:33:01.009 --> 00:33:04.049 Daily surrender unto God. 00:33:06.049 --> 00:33:09.730 Paul says something pretty similar, but without the knife. 00:33:10.929 --> 00:33:21.329 He says, And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. 00:33:22.529 --> 00:33:29.409 Let them be your bodies, let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind he will find acceptable. 00:33:29.730 --> 00:33:32.369 This is truly the way to worship him. 00:33:34.689 --> 00:33:44.449 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. 00:33:44.609 --> 00:33:49.649 Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 00:33:49.809 --> 00:33:53.730 I want you to notice the order of things here that Paul talks about. 00:33:54.769 --> 00:34:02.289 First thing, present your body, your hands, your feet, your eyes. 00:34:02.609 --> 00:34:11.409 Present your body to him as a living sacrifice, and then let him renew the mind that runs them. 00:34:12.849 --> 00:34:16.690 You see, salt cannot manufacture itself. 00:34:18.210 --> 00:34:22.289 Salt comes from people who have been with Jesus. 00:34:23.170 --> 00:34:31.409 Those who are poor in spirit, those who are pure in heart, those that are no longer living for the applause of the crowd. 00:34:33.329 --> 00:34:35.250 We need that transformation. 00:34:36.369 --> 00:34:37.650 I need it. 00:34:39.889 --> 00:34:44.529 And then to remain in him, that's the only way. 00:34:44.690 --> 00:34:46.610 That's the only way we'll have that quality soul. 00:34:46.690 --> 00:34:50.049 Is that if we choose today, I am going to abide in Christ. 00:34:50.210 --> 00:34:57.170 It is not good enough to think I got filled with the Holy Spirit for today, and it's gonna last me the rest of the week. 00:34:57.329 --> 00:35:02.210 No, it's not because the world's gonna come at you as soon as you leave this building. 00:35:02.449 --> 00:35:06.849 You need you need to abide in him on a daily basis. 00:35:08.929 --> 00:35:10.529 That is the only way. 00:35:11.730 --> 00:35:16.369 That is the only way that you will be men and women of peace. 00:35:17.489 --> 00:35:21.090 Because that's how Jesus ended this, and I want you to hear it again. 00:35:21.730 --> 00:35:29.170 He said in verse 50, salt is good for seasoning, but if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? 00:35:29.329 --> 00:35:34.849 You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other. 00:35:39.569 --> 00:35:42.610 Listen to Matthew 5.9, one of the Beatitudes. 00:35:58.289 --> 00:36:02.849 Lord, start by fixing my heart. 00:36:03.569 --> 00:36:05.170 It's where it starts. 00:36:07.489 --> 00:36:19.569 So, right now, what I want you to do is I want you to just bow your head, close your eyes, meditate on the word that was just spoken, and what God might be doing in you. 00:36:24.769 --> 00:36:30.849 You might need to pray Ezekiel 36, 26 and 27 over your life right now. 00:36:32.289 --> 00:36:39.809 You might need to say, God, I need that old, stubborn, stony heart removed. 00:36:40.529 --> 00:36:45.009 And I need that new heart, that soft heart, that heart of flesh. 00:36:46.610 --> 00:36:49.569 Lord, I need you to put your spirit in me. 00:36:51.250 --> 00:36:55.489 God, I need renewed, I need you to forgive me of my sin. 00:37:01.569 --> 00:37:11.090 And what we do, we get out the figurative knife and we agree that if there's sin in our life, we are going to cut that sin off. 00:37:18.289 --> 00:37:22.210 If you didn't today say, Pastor, I need to surrender to God. 00:37:22.690 --> 00:37:24.529