WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:21.760 January 2020. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:23.920 I began reading a book. 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:26.559 Was really excited about this, was can't couldn't wait. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:28.640 Thought this was my year. 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:30.399 You did too. 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:35.119 And the book was your best year ever. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:39.119 Boy, was that way off. 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:42.320 Wow, 2020. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:45.520 And even as I say that, some of you are having PTSD. 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:49.119 I apologize for that because we have gone through it. 00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:52.399 Isn't it wild that it's only four years ago? 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:54.000 It feels like a lifetime ago. 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:55.119 It feels like a blur. 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.600 It feels like all sorts of different things. 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:02.880 And I remember what part of like with awakening, we're in the season. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:03.679 God's growing. 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:05.519 We're seeing this explosive growth. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:10.879 Just as Bailey's saying, like this like movement of the spirits, like, oh, this is exciting. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:16.319 And then we hear these like, you know, whispers and rumors of this COVID thing. 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:18.400 We don't know what this coronavirus is. 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:20.000 Like, what is going on? 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:25.280 And then I remember it so clearly, March 1st, I was like, okay, we need a plan. 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:28.799 And I came up with a three-stage plan. 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:30.560 So proud of my plan. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:32.560 You know, I was like, I'm so smart. 00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:33.280 Look at me. 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:34.480 We're ahead of the game. 00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:37.359 We got this whole COVID thing figured out. 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:40.959 A week later, the plan was kibbutz, you know. 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:44.079 I thought this plan, three stages, would take us months. 00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:48.560 So March 1st, we kind of talked through this plan. 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:52.400 March 8th, this church that's booming, growing, half of you showed up. 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:59.200 We didn't know what was going on, but all of a sudden we were like, oh, uh March 15th, we're all sheltered in place. 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:06.560 And March 8th was the last time we gathered in this room for a very, very long time. 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:10.159 Now, here's the hubris or really ignorance. 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:14.879 Um Easter wasn't until April 14th that year. 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:17.520 And so we thought, okay, it's March 15th. 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:19.919 This thing's gonna blow over in like three weeks, right? 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:21.120 Anyone else thought that? 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:24.479 Like, this is not a long-term deal, we're fine. 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:26.479 Uh and we weren't. 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:29.280 Um and you know what? 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:42.000 My tendency when things go wrong, my tendency is to take matters into my own hands. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:43.759 Anyone else? 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:45.919 So I remember it clearly. 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:52.639 All of a sudden we're in lockdown, and uh that leader drive in me was like it went into high gear. 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:55.039 And and our team did the same. 00:02:55.120 --> 00:03:00.319 And we're trying to figure out how do we navigate this, how do we work through this, how do we set up a studio in our offices. 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:08.879 And I remember one night staying there super late, trying to hang these string lights just right, only to see on screen that looked terrible. 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:11.439 I mean, I spent hours, no one even knew I was there. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:17.280 But there's just something compulsive about us that we when life's out of control, we want control. 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:22.159 And we take matters into our own hands. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:27.280 And how do you react when things go wrong? 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:30.080 When life doesn't go as planned. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:34.080 We kind of grit through it, we get through it. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:37.759 Maybe you just give up, get out, I'm done. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:44.719 When life is out of your control, what is your response? 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:49.520 Maybe lean into the age-old biblical verse. 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:51.439 It's actually not in the Bible, though. 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:54.319 God helps those who help themselves. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:58.800 Well, I'm gonna do it, and God, you come along with me. 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:02.800 We're in a series called Savior. 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:10.319 We've been spending the last several weeks looking at Jesus' sermon from the cross. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:22.160 The pulpit, his cross, he now proclaims seven powerful sayings, utterances from the cross that that are life-shaping and transforming. 00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:31.759 And today we come to his final breath of prayer. 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:36.399 His final last gasp. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:44.480 And in it, in it, he speaks words of life when life goes wrong. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:52.560 He speaks the powerful truth that your soul, my soul, desperately needs. 00:04:53.920 --> 00:04:57.360 We pick it up in Luke chapter 23, verse 44. 00:04:57.519 --> 00:05:04.639 If you have your Bibles, you can open up to it or open your phones to it. 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:14.480 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:22.560 It's as if the sun couldn't even look at what took place that day on the cross. 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:28.560 For the sun had stopped shining, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:34.319 And Jesus called out with a loud voice. 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:44.879 Now, scholars tell us uh that um at this stage of Jesus' moment on the cross, he's been hanging all day. 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:50.319 Um this would have taken every bit of strength to cry out with a loud voice. 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:58.720 Uh when you die on crucifixion, uh, by crucifixion, you die by asphyxiation, thank you very much over there. 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:00.800 Um you suffocate. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:21.920 And so you have the nails in your hand, he's been flogged, he's his back is ripped open wide, and he's hanging there, and there's a little post for his feet, and as he hangs down like this, it begins to put pressure on his lungs, and he cannot get a breath, and so he has to push up and he has to pull himself up and to get a breath. 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:35.120 And you just think about doing this all day long, and eventually your strength gives out, and he's been hanging there and say, get out this gas. 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:38.240 He he doesn't just whisper it. 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:41.920 He doesn't whimper it out. 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:45.040 He declares it. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:47.360 He shouts it. 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:53.120 Not a cry of defeat, but a shout of victory. 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:55.360 And here is his shout. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:57.680 Father. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:03.519 Into your hands. 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:05.120 I commit. 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:07.199 My spirit. 00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:14.319 What are you gonna shout when life goes wrong, when life's out of control, when you're at the end of your rope? 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:16.560 Father. 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:21.120 Into your hands, I commit. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:23.199 My spirit. 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:27.519 When he said this. 00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:36.160 When life's out of control. 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:39.040 What's your response? 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:41.519 How do you react? 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:45.199 When things go wrong. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:50.800 I just want to draw your attention to a few things in our time together. 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:53.839 Uh the first thing is simply this. 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:56.480 Yeah, you already know it anyways. 00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:00.319 But you have far less control than you think you do. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:04.079 We get it, we know it, we just like to ignore it. 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:12.480 We'd rather pretend like we have a lot of control, and the reality is you have far less control than you care to admit. 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:15.279 And as kids, we got this, we understood this. 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:24.720 In fact, there was somebody at the first service who had just recently moved from uh Dallas, Texas, uh, to take a football coaching job here. 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:31.199 And I remember I was born in Dallas and I moved when I was eight, but I remember as a kid, you remember things like this as a kid, right? 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:33.919 Uh but in in Texas, they have storms. 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:37.440 Here, I and I get it, I'm a weather wimp. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:38.960 Like right now it's freezing. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:40.080 Um this is awful. 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:42.799 I'm like, we pay sunshine tax, okay? 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:45.919 Um I'm a weather wimp now. 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:48.960 In Dallas and Texas, they have storms. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:56.879 They they have lightning that splits the sky, thunder that shakes the house, and rain that comes down like sheets. 00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:10.240 I remember as a kid, the storm would come, and the lightning would crack through the night sky, and the thunder, oh, it would shake and it would shake me to the core. 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:12.799 You know what I did as a little kid? 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:16.159 I ran into my mom and dad's room. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:18.639 Because that was that's what kids do. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:27.440 We recognize that we have far less control than we think we do, and so we run into our mom or dad's, we run into their bedroom. 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:36.639 When the night terrors come, we run to our parents who have far more strength and power than we do. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:43.120 You have far less control than you think you do. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:49.039 Jesus's first word of his final word was father. 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:53.600 His father was Abba was Abba. 00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:56.480 And he's saying this sovereign. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:02.159 Sovereign means you're in complete control and good. 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:05.600 You have my good. 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:08.879 You are good. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:16.879 Abba, sovereign and good heavenly Father, one who's responsible for the origin and care of all that exists. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:23.440 My first cry, my shout isn't just God, Father. 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:28.000 In fact, Jesus is actually quoting Psalm 31, verse 5. 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:38.480 And we talked about this uh last week that Jesus is quoting the psalms from the uh cross, and oh, how we need the psalms, and and this psalm, this is an amazing psalm. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:45.840 This was the psalm that a like a little uh Jewish mom would teach their child to pray at night. 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:48.480 Into your hands, I commit my spirit. 00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:54.639 You know, you maybe you heard, you know, um uh what's the what's the one prayer we always pray? 00:10:54.879 --> 00:11:00.080 Um pray the Lord my soul to keep, you know, one of those things maybe your parent taught you. 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:01.120 This is the prayer. 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:08.960 You can just imagine Jesus next to Mary and Mary teaching him this prayer, and he changes one word of it. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:15.440 It talks about Lord, God, and he says, No, it's Father. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:37.679 I'm not just running to God who is in control of everything, I'm coming to a perfect heavenly father who cares, who loves, who responds, who's safe, who I can cry for in desperation. 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:48.320 And yet the reality is, and the problem is for us, many of us, is we would rather live in the illusion of control than to cry out to our Heavenly Father. 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:52.320 Taking responsibility back into our own hands. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:58.320 And we live in this illusion of control because we we we think we can control our circumstances, don't we? 00:11:58.639 --> 00:11:59.519 Think about this. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:01.519 Um, this is a funny one. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:11.200 Um my buddy Jay had just recently gone to four Warriors games, and he posted this the other day uh after the fourth one. 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:16.080 Been to four Warriors games, they've lost all four games. 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:19.120 No, and here's what I wrote back. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:22.559 Please stop going to Warriors games. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:24.559 Because it must be you. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:28.639 We we even buy into superstitious stuff, don't we, like that? 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:31.519 Like, you know, if I wear the right thing, then I'll get the job. 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:34.879 If I wear just this, I mean sports is layered with that. 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:40.559 But our circumstances, we somehow believe we can impact our circumstances or have control over it. 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:45.279 And yet we know we don't have any control really over the economy, who's gonna be president. 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.320 We can't even control the weather, for goodness sake. 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:50.000 And even our own health. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:54.080 We can do all the right things and still get the wrong report. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:58.720 The illusion of control follows our circumstances, even timing, right? 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:01.120 The timing about when things should happen. 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:08.720 Well, I should have been here in my life, I'm not quite where I thought I would be because you thought you could control those timings, or where is Mr. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:09.120 Perfect? 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:09.840 Where is Mr. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:14.720 Right that we can somehow, well, it should have been happening all the while now? 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:16.399 Or other people. 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:19.120 We try to control other people. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:21.759 When we do that, it's just manipulation. 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:27.840 Because you can't control another person, or we try actually to control God, don't we? 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:35.840 We think there's certain things and activities that I can do, and if I do those things, then he has to respond in a certain way. 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:37.840 In fact, A.W. 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:45.840 Tozer in his classic, The Knowledge of the Holy, writes this: left to ourselves, we tend to reduce God to manageable terms. 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:51.440 We want to get him where we can use him, or at least know where he is when we need him. 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:54.559 We want a God we can in some measure control. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:04.480 First thing I want you to realize, us to realize, to remember, you have far less control than you think you do. 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:11.759 And so first we turn to Father, Abba, Sovereign, Good, Heavenly Father. 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:19.759 Secondly, you are not meant to live, and I'm not meant to live under the burden of outcomes. 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:24.080 All those things we can't control. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:30.799 And we live under them the weight, great weight of anxiety, the burden of outcomes. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:32.799 Will my kids turn out okay? 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.720 Will my relationship make it? 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:36.000 Will this marriage make it? 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:37.840 What about this dating relationship? 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:40.559 This friendship, how will we survive? 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:42.080 Will I get promoted? 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:43.279 Will I be successful? 00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:44.720 Will I be healthy? 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:52.559 We are not meant to live under the burden of outcomes, actually to abandon our outcomes to God. 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:57.519 In fact, when it comes to the burden of outcomes, we actually have three options. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:09.679 We either take matters into our own hands, we entrust them to someone else's hands, or we entrust it to the hands of our Heavenly Father. 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:12.559 Matters into our own hands, that's my natural tendency. 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:21.279 Sometimes we go, hey, somebody else has maybe the agency to bring about the desired outcome. 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:25.600 Maybe it's a marriage partner, maybe it's uh an expert. 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:32.799 Or we entrust it into the hands of our Heavenly Father. 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:37.039 Uh this Jesus says, Father, into your hands. 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:47.759 Hands means the power to direct or determine, understood by the directing power of a hand, perhaps with an emphasis on dominion. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:56.720 Palm Sunday, we remember that five days before this point, Jesus comes into Jerusalem. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:01.519 It's at capacity, festival capacity, millions of people there. 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:04.879 And as he rides in on a donkey, what are they saying? 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:07.120 We sang it, you can say it. 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:11.200 Hosanna, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:14.159 This is the son of David, the king is here. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:25.679 And something you'll see in Jesus and you'll read is that he did not entrust himself to men because he knew their hearts. 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:30.000 But he entrusted himself to his heavenly father. 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:38.000 We can entrust and take matters into our own hand, entrust it into someone else's hand, or simply go, God, this is in your hands. 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:49.519 Sovereign, good, wise, God, only you know, and only you have the ability to determine outcomes. 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:54.559 Uh, there's a picture that I draw, um, and I've drawn it quite a bit. 00:16:54.799 --> 00:17:02.720 I remember my buddy in uh once uh probably 20 years ago drew this for me as during a challenging time of ministry. 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:06.160 And he drew this picture for me, and it so helped. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:11.920 Because I think when we say, okay, well, we're not supposed to live under the burden of outcomes, oh, thank you very much. 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:17.119 Well, then do I just kind of, you know, passively go through life? 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:18.960 Do I do nothing? 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:22.400 And this picture was so helpful. 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:28.640 And he drew just a column, you know, and made three columns in the left-hand column. 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:31.519 Uh, what is it only I can do? 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:33.759 What am I in control of? 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:38.160 And then in the right column, he said, what is it only God can do? 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:41.839 What are the things that only he is responsible for? 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:45.200 Now, I love the middle column. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:46.799 It's my favorite. 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:53.200 The older I've gotten, the longer this list has gotten in the middle column. 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:57.680 And in the middle column, it's stuff I don't know. 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:00.559 Stuff I don't know. 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:18.720 See, what happens, and we're gonna do a whole series on anxiety, but much of our anxiety, and I'm not talking about some of the clinical side of this, but but so much worry and angst in our life is we're trying to do and control only things that God can control. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:22.079 And we're like, how do I do this? 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:25.839 And we're not focused on the very things that we are able to do. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:27.680 In fact, I've drawn this quite a bit. 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:31.039 We've had a ton of marriages that are just struggling lately. 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:37.599 I've had the opportunity, my wife and I have had the opportunity to get to meet with them, walk with them, drawn this up. 00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:39.519 And so let's just take this for the example. 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:44.160 Maybe you're in a struggling marriage, and by the way, we have a marriage class coming out of uh Easter. 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:45.519 Hope you're able to make it. 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:47.680 But what is it that only God can do? 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:53.359 Well, first, He can only change their heart, and He can only heal their marriage. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:57.119 You're like, if only she would change, if only He would change. 00:18:57.279 --> 00:19:02.400 And I gotta figure out how to change their hearts, and no, only God can do that. 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:11.119 And only God can heal the marriage, only God can redeem what you have wrecked or they have wrecked. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:15.279 So, what is it that only you can do? 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:18.880 Well, first, only you can do well is pray. 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:22.960 And right when I say prayer, some of you dismissed it. 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:26.240 Like, yeah, I can pray. 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:31.920 And I got a little bit on my uh, anyways, soapbox last service. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:33.759 Oh, here we go again. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:42.400 Oswald Chambers said it this way Um, we do not pray in order to fit us for the greater work. 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:44.160 Prayer is the greater work. 00:19:44.480 --> 00:20:01.599 Oh, that we would be a people of prayer, that we would recognize our own dependence and inability to affect and come before the Heavenly Father who loves to hear our voice and is moved on our behalf. 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:03.359 Prayer. 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:11.680 We can pray, we can get counseling, maybe even marriage counseling. 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:17.759 You know, I like to say it this way: no matter how flat a pancake, there's always two sides, right? 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:26.079 You're like, well, she's the problem, well, he's the problem, well, you're both married, so one of you, maybe a bigger part of the problem, but you're both the problem. 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:28.960 Why don't you just start working on your part of the problem? 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:32.160 Why don't you focus on your relationship with Jesus? 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:33.599 Grow deeper. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:35.680 Begin to do the work. 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:38.240 Right? 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:40.960 Now, here's the stuff I don't know. 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:44.160 I don't know if my marriage will heal. 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:48.079 I don't know how long this will take. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:55.839 I don't know if this will be that redemption story that we hope for. 00:20:56.160 --> 00:21:07.839 But I will entrust that into the very hands of God because if I meddle in that right column, what I do know is I can really make a mess of all of it, and it makes a mess of me. 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:13.680 And so I'm gonna lean into God, this is what you've called me to. 00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:20.640 And if I lean into that left column, regardless of how the story ends, I'm closer to Jesus. 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:24.799 I'm a person of character. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:28.079 I'm better off than when I started. 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:43.759 Dallas Willard says we must accept that we do not have in ourselves, uh in our own heart, soul, mind, and strength, the wherewithal to make this come out right, whatever this is. 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:50.799 Instead, let us entrust our souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right. 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:54.319 You have far less control than you think you do. 00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:58.240 And you're not meant to live under the burden of outcomes. 00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:59.599 I like how Mark Sayers says it. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:05.440 Taking things into your own hands doesn't seize your destiny, it sabotages it. 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:18.720 And just think if Jesus took things into his own hands up here, on the night he was betrayed, he's mobbed by these armed armed mob, I guess is what you call them. 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:19.359 Yeah. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:23.599 And one of his disciples takes matters into his own hands, cuts off at ear. 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:27.119 If you're doing our Bible reading plan, you would have just read this with us. 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:28.880 And Jesus tells them not to. 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:30.079 And you know what he says? 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:34.240 If I wanted to, I could call 12 legions of angels. 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:36.960 But not my will be done. 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:42.160 And if Jesus took matters in his own hand, we wouldn't have Resurrection Sunday. 00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:43.680 We wouldn't have redemption. 00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:45.279 We wouldn't have new life. 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:52.480 We wouldn't have that relationship that we desperately needed, the healing, the salvation, the grace, the purpose. 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:54.240 We would have missed out on all of that. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:57.119 And he said, Into your hands I commit my spirit. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:04.079 I trust you in this darkness, in this darkness that you will bring resurrection out of this. 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:08.799 And so, Jesus knew on the cross. 00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:20.960 And what we need to know in the midst of life's difficulties, the dark nights, you're strongest when you're fully surrendered to your heavenly Father. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:26.079 You're strongest when you're fully surrendered to your heavenly father. 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:30.160 He says, Father, into your hands I commit. 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:35.200 Commit means to give into the care or protection of someone, to entrust for safekeeping. 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:37.759 Give over, entrust, commend. 00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:41.519 Into your hands I give over for protection. 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:44.079 I entrust it for safekeeping. 00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:51.839 I make a decision to turn my life and will over to the care of a loving heavenly father. 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:03.599 And you know what we tend to believe is when we're fully surrendered, we're actually really weak. 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:06.960 Don't we? 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:10.720 Because I should be able to figure this out. 00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:12.880 I should be able to make this work. 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:23.039 Somehow, if I can get it into my hands and that rugged individual. 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:28.640 You're strongest when you're fully surrendered. 00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:35.119 And the truth is, isn't it, that many of us, come on, many of us uh are we're partially surrendered. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:44.720 Jesus, I love you, you're my savior, you're the Lord of my life, um, but don't mess with my sexuality. 00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:48.640 Jesus, I love you, you're the savior of my life, but don't mess with my finances. 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:51.519 Jesus, I love you, savior, but don't mess with my addiction. 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:54.960 Jesus, I love you, save me, but don't mess with that relationship. 00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:56.319 Don't mess with that habit. 00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:02.400 I love you, save me, and we are most strongest when we're fully surrendered. 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:05.200 Jesus, into your hands I commit what? 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:07.119 He said, My spirit. 00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:08.559 My spirit. 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:11.279 It's the Greek word pneuma, it's my breath. 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:14.240 Goes on. 00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:27.680 The immaterial you, your inner being, that which animates or gives life to your body, the source and seat of insight, feeling, will, the inner you, all of me. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:39.279 I wonder what God might want to do if you would surrender all of you. 00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:48.960 I wonder what we are missing out when we only give part of us. 00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:57.119 Isaiah said it this way. 00:25:57.519 --> 00:26:02.640 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:08.000 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the rock eternal. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:10.960 Thou swill it again. 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.960 The secret to peace. 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:16.559 As the great apprentices of Jesus have long known. 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:19.680 It's being abandoned to God. 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:27.359 Being abandoned to God. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:33.680 Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:41.119 One commentator said this: even on the cross, Jesus died like a child falling asleep in his father's arms. 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:49.039 Your anxiety, by the way, decreases as your understanding of your heavenly father increases. 00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:54.240 When you recognize the one you're entrusting your life to. 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:30.319 I mean, he's one of the one of the great uh writers on spirituality of the 20th century. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:36.960 Um he died, I believe it was 1996, and he died at age 64. 00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:41.279 And so for the last five years, and I love this, he's like this spiritual giant. 00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:42.160 This is amazing. 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:50.720 The last four or five years of his life, he went to the circus and he became completely enamored with the trapeze. 00:27:51.680 --> 00:28:01.680 And he he wanted to talk to those in the the company, uh the trapeze company, um uh the the flying, I think it was Rodley's is what their name was. 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:05.680 And and he began to talk with them, build a friendship, and they said, Why don't you come on the road with us? 00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:06.400 And so he does. 00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:09.519 He spends a whole week with them, and they're like, Do you want to try? 00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:10.880 He says, Absolutely. 00:28:11.119 --> 00:28:15.759 And so, like the last five years of his life, this is so amazing. 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:20.079 At 60 years of age, he's learning to be a trapeze artist. 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:22.880 Here's a picture with him with the group. 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:26.319 And it is a little distracting. 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:27.279 We'll turn that off now. 00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:40.799 And he was asking the leader, who everyone gives all these great applauses, you know, because he flies through the air, does his somersaults, and you're like, wow. 00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:46.000 And he says, you know who the hero is. 00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:48.640 It's not me. 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:51.359 My job's actually easy. 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:53.599 It's Joe the catcher. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:59.119 See, my job as the flyer is just simply to do nothing. 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:01.759 He goes, What do you mean, do nothing? 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:06.880 Well, if I try to catch the catcher, it's the worst thing I could possibly do. 00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:12.559 If I try to catch the catcher, I could break his arm, break my arms, it would end our careers both the time. 00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:19.839 What I'm to do is to simply stretch my hands out and let him catch me. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:32.160 Joe the catcher, it is on him, and I have to trust completely that he'll catch me, and my job is to do nothing, and Joe's job is to do everything to catch me. 00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:38.160 And he saw it as such a profound picture for the spiritual life. 00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:40.720 Our job. 00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:49.599 Stretch our arms out and let our heavenly Father catch us. 00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:52.319 In fact, we worship sometimes this way, don't we? 00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:59.519 To reach our arms and you know what we do when we're flying or maybe falling. 00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:02.160 What we naturally do is we flail. 00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:05.039 We reach out. 00:30:05.359 --> 00:30:06.799 Woo! I don't know what that does. 00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:08.160 Maybe I'll get wings, right? 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:11.039 We just we we naturally do that. 00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:23.039 And he says, no, no, no, just trust, trust that the catcher is good and wise and perfect and sovereign and has your best interest. 00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:27.359 Would you trust him and would you just let him catch you? 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:34.880 Would you let him catch you in the heartache and the pain? 00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:40.160 When the relationship's not going the way you thought it would. 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:44.400 When life's not turning out the way you hoped it would. 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:51.039 When it's so easy to take matters back into our own hands. 00:30:58.799 --> 00:30:59.759 I commit. 00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:03.759 Into your hands. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:05.039 I commit. 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:09.839 That's what surrender is. 00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:16.480 When you take all of you, God, if you just catch me, you got me. 00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:25.359 You know, the name we call someone determines the type of relationship we have with them. 00:31:27.119 --> 00:31:34.240 The other day I was at the park and I heard uh this uh voice, hey coach, and it's Carter. 00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:35.920 I'm like, what's up, Carter? 00:31:37.119 --> 00:31:40.319 Um, some of my kids' friends, you know, they call me uh Mr. 00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:41.039 Ingram. 00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:50.000 You know, some of you call me Pastor, Ryan, some of you call me names I don't want to know. 00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:58.480 But the name we call someone like reveals the type of relationship we have with them. 00:31:58.640 --> 00:32:01.440 Only three people on this planet call me dad. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:09.119 Three people have my heart, like almost no one else. 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:22.000 Three people, regardless of what they've done, where they've been, where they go, they will always have a safe landing here. 00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:30.880 Three people that if they call, I come running. 00:32:32.160 --> 00:32:33.839 Now you got all me. 00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:38.319 You have all my resources, all my time, all my energy. 00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:42.720 All that I have is yours because you're my kid. 00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:47.200 Let me ask you. 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:51.119 Do you know your heavenly father? 00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:53.759 Do you know God as your heavenly father? 00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:58.160 I think a lot of us, we know God as like Mr. 00:32:58.400 --> 00:32:59.039 Deity. 00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:07.200 Maybe you even know God as like coach, like he's out there, he's gonna help my life, but but do you know him as father? 00:33:10.079 --> 00:33:20.079 I once had a dear friend mentor about a decade ago say to me, Ryan, you really know what it's like to be a servant. 00:33:20.319 --> 00:33:23.599 My prayer is that you learn how to be a son. 00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:39.200 Many of us, you've gone through the Christian life and you know what it's like to be a servant, and you're good at doing the right things, but do you know what it's like to be a daughter, what it's like to be a son? 00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:46.480 Do you know that that whether you have your quiet time or not, he still loves you and delights in hearing your voice? 00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:57.920 Do you know that there's no length you can go or depth you can dive or how far you can go away, that he doesn't just want to welcome you back. 00:33:58.720 --> 00:34:04.880 And all of heaven's resources are at your disposal, not because you've earned it, but because you're his kid. 00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:11.119 Do you know God as your heavenly father? 00:34:11.360 --> 00:34:13.840 Because when you know him as Father. 00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:19.920 Man, yeah, you can catch me. 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:24.800 You can catch me. 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:37.360 I think there's some here that you didn't even know you could have a personal relationship with God. 00:34:39.679 --> 00:34:48.239 That it's not just like, oh God, help me, but it's like, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. 00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:57.039 And as I've been talking, like if you really want to have relationships with him, he says, today is the day, and the spirit of God is drawing you. 00:34:57.199 --> 00:34:58.880 There's something like burning in you. 00:34:58.960 --> 00:35:02.559 You're like, I don't know what this is all about, but I want that. 00:35:02.880 --> 00:35:10.239 And today you can experience the daughtership, the sonship, enter the family of God. 00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:16.159 And as we close, I just want to pray and invite you and give you an opportunity to step into the family of God. 00:35:16.239 --> 00:35:17.840 And would you pray with me? 00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:32.960 And if you're here and that's where you're at, you want to begin a relationship, step into the family of God, experiencing God not just as the supreme being, but as your perfect, good Heavenly Father. 00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:35.280 Would you pray this after me? 00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:38.239 Lord Jesus, I need you. 00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:48.880 I believe you are the Son of God who died for my sins and rose from the grave so that I might have life now and forevermore. 00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:56.320 I open the door of my life and receive you as my Savior and my Lord. 00:35:57.519 --> 00:36:03.519 Take control of my life and make me the kind of person you want me to be. 00:36:04.960 --> 00:36:08.239 Thank you for forgiving me, for giving me new life. 00:36:09.599 --> 00:36:11.920 Making me a part of your family. 00:36:13.280 --> 00:36:18.079 If you are here and you prayed that prayer, would you just keep your eyes closed, everyone? 00:36:18.239 --> 00:36:20.079 I just would love to be able to pray over you now. 00:36:20.239 --> 00:36:22.880 Would you raise your hand if you prayed that with me? 00:36:23.119 --> 00:36:23.599 Amen. 00:36:23.840 --> 00:36:24.400 Amen. 00:36:25.039 --> 00:36:26.639 Go ahead, keep those hands high. 00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:27.440 Amen. 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:39.920 God, I pray for my friends. 00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:45.440 Rightly so, my brothers and sisters. 00:36:47.679 --> 00:36:54.559 God, would you help us simply to entrust all that we have to you? 00:36:54.880 --> 00:36:59.679 Thank you for those who stepped for the very first time into your family today. 00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:03.519 Got new brothers and sisters in heaven's partying. 00:37:06.880 --> 00:37:12.320 Overwhelm us afresh now in this moment with your love, your kindness, your grace. 00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:15.599 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:37:15.760 --> 00:37:20.239 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:37:20.400 --> 00:37:22.480 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:28.559 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.