WEBVTT 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:02.640 Well, good morning. 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:06.160 We are in our fifth Sunday of Lent. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:10.640 So this is that season leading up to Good Friday and Easter, two weeks away. 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:15.839 Now, 3,000 years ago in Israel, King David was dying. 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:20.000 And nobody knew which son would be king. 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:24.480 David had told Bathsheba that it was going to be Solomon, but it hadn't been announced yet. 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:28.960 So if all this family strife developed and then battles, eventually Solomon becomes king. 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:31.440 And Solomon becomes powerful. 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:33.280 And he builds the temple. 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:41.520 If you remember an image of the temple from a couple weeks ago, Solomon leads this build seven years, 180,000 men. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:45.520 It's 88 feet long, 30 feet wide, 45 feet tall. 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:50.479 And Solomon goes on as king to become one of the wealthiest men of all time. 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:01.359 So he built himself a big house, four times the size of the temple. 00:01:01.520 --> 00:01:03.439 It took 14 years to build. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:09.760 I got curious this week who's the wealthiest man in the world, who's the wealthiest person in the world at this point. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:11.120 And do you all know who it is? 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:12.959 It's not who I thought it was. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:16.319 I thought it was Elon Musk, but it's not. 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:21.519 He got surpassed last year by Bernard Arnold. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:23.680 This French guy. 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:27.280 He owns Louis Vuitton and like 70 other brands. 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:33.920 And this guy, he took 10 years to build his house, this mansion, historic mansion in Paris, 12 acres in Paris. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:35.359 That's in Paris, believe it or not. 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:39.599 He also has this really humble coastal home down on the south of France. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:40.560 That's his home there. 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:46.799 Now, Bernard makes about$7 billion a year. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:58.239 King Solomon, poor little humble King Solomon, Solomon made 666 talents of gold per year, which in today's money is not Bernard money. 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:00.560 It's about 1.5 billion per year. 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:04.480 So that's what King Solomon, that's how wealthy Solomon was. 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:08.800 And Solomon also wrote over a thousand songs. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:11.360 He wrote over 3,000 Proverbs. 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:15.759 So Solomon is Bernard and Bono to put together. 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:18.560 That's who Solomon is. 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:27.039 He had the money, he had the women, he had the house, he had the influence, he probably had the Sid Mashburn blazer that I want. 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:29.360 He had someone to do all his laundry. 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:32.800 He had someone to do the cooking and the dishes, right? 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:33.919 I mean. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:36.080 But he was a mess. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:40.639 He was always wrestling with joy and happiness. 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:45.520 Solomon wrote this book in the Old Testament called Ecclesiastes, which means meaningless. 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:46.639 And he says this. 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:49.840 He says, wealth never satisfies, and we toil in the wind. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:52.560 He says life is full of trouble and then we die. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:55.680 It's just sort of this like cynical spirit. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:11.199 Ecclesiastes 5, 18 through 20 says this Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:18.479 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot, and rejoice in his toil. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:20.000 This is the gift of God. 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:26.159 For he will not much remember the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:34.400 So Solomon's just sort of unsure of any other way other than like just like make a lot of money and enjoy it as best as you can. 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:36.879 But notice what Solomon doesn't say. 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:41.759 What Solomon doesn't say is what Saint Paul says in the New Testament. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:45.599 Paul in Philippians 4, 11 and 12, says this. 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:53.199 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I'm to be content. 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:57.840 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:05.439 In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:08.879 So Paul says, I know a secret. 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:14.800 I know how to be content, whether I have a little bit or whether I have a lot. 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:18.720 Paul was ten years younger than Jesus. 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:19.519 He was well off. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:20.240 He was respected. 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:21.279 He was from a Jewish family. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:26.000 He went on to become a very religious and prominent Jewish leader. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:28.639 I mean, this guy had his act together. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:35.759 He had all the behaviors, he dressed the right way, he had the job, he attended the right meetings, he was passionate and committed. 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:40.480 And in Acts 9, Saul, who's Paul, same person. 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:43.279 Saul is hunting down Christians to imprison them. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:48.160 And he's on his way to Damascus, and a light is this spiritual moment. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:50.079 A light blinds him. 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:51.360 He falls to the ground. 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:52.720 Hears a voice. 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:55.040 Acts 9, 4 through 6. 00:04:55.279 --> 00:05:00.720 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:02.639 And he said, Who are you, Lord? 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:06.160 And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:10.000 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do. 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:14.240 Now the men with Saul are frozen, they're speechless for days. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:18.720 Paul's blind, can't eat, doesn't eat, doesn't drink. 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:20.240 Then his sight is restored. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:26.879 And in this there's this transformation, this change that he begins to see Jesus incredibly different. 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:36.720 Not as religious opposition, not as his opponent, but actually as a savior, that Jesus is true love and forgiveness from God. 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:40.480 And so Paul's empowered to say radical things. 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:46.000 Like, I've learned in whatever circumstance, I can be content. 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:53.439 There's certain things inside of Paul that have already been settled about who he is and about forgiveness. 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:58.560 So we have Solomon and we have Paul, two very different outlooks on what brings life. 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:05.920 That's our question where where do we find true life for our weary souls? 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:12.560 So our text for today, so we can begin the sermon, is John 12, verse 20. 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:16.879 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:22.800 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, Sir, we wish to see Jesus. 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:26.079 Philip went and told Andrew, Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:30.160 And Jesus answered them, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:36.480 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:39.839 But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:44.879 Whoever loses his life, whoever loves his life, loses it. 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:49.040 And whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:54.639 If anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:57.519 If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:06.959 Our first point is this creating true life from your own means or your production in the world is a self-defeating process. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:11.759 Verse 25 says, Whoever loves his life will lose it. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:15.439 The word love is to treat with affection or be enamored with. 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:27.759 So if you're enamored with your own life, if your heart is set to form your own life by your own means, if you do that, you'll actually never find life self-defeating. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:30.319 Jesus is saying, your love is needy. 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:31.920 It's too needy, in fact. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:36.800 Your needy love destroys the life it seeks to attain. 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:43.279 Last Sunday afternoon I looked at the weather and it was gonna freeze last Sunday night. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:48.560 And that's not normally a big deal, but I had just bought a bunch of plants to install in my yard. 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:52.959 So, oh no, all those little babies are back behind my garage, they're not in the ground yet. 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:56.079 Here's a picture of a little hydrangea bud. 00:07:56.319 --> 00:07:57.920 Isn't that not the most darling? 00:07:58.240 --> 00:07:58.800 Isn't that? 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:01.040 Oh, I mean, that's just the most darling. 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:05.040 I don't want anything to happen to that little baby. 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:12.560 And so I went back there and I covered these plants with tarps to keep them safe from the freeze. 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:19.199 Now, what would happen if I just left those covers on those little babies forever? 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:21.040 Well, they would die. 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:22.079 They would die. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:23.040 You are right. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:24.639 You are listening. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:26.079 They would die. 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:29.600 So obvious. 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:35.200 They would not get the space or the light that they need. 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:35.840 Right? 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:40.960 I would smother them to death with the suffocation of my own love. 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:51.200 See, we can so badly need to become someone, or to have someone's approval, or to have some amount of money. 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:59.759 We can so badly need that that the very neediness suffocates our souls from the life God intends for us. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:02.480 But there's another way. 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:03.840 Verse 25. 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:05.279 There's another way. 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:12.320 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:18.399 The word hate means you have a deeper goal for your life than comfort or approval. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:21.360 That is more than just this life. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:24.559 You're also thinking about the afterlife in eternity. 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:31.039 And this is the difference between secular pursuit and spiritual pursuit, the worldly path and gospel path. 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:45.039 The worldly path says gain life by forming an identity and increasing your joy through obtaining as much material power, influence, and approval as possible. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:52.799 And maybe you recognize that message from outside of you coming to you, but then as well from inside of you. 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:55.840 And Jesus says, be careful. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:57.279 Be careful. 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:03.919 That needy love can suffocate you from the actual life that you're trying to attain in that pursuit. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:06.320 But there's another way, gospel path. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:15.279 Gain life by receiving an identity and growing your joy through the gift of God's astonishing acceptance of you in Christ. 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:22.159 Now, a lot of things in life are about grit and working hard. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:24.879 Most of our work is, school is, exercises. 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:28.399 Like Jesus loves me, but he will not cut my grass. 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:28.879 Okay? 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:33.600 Jesus loves me, he will not write the report that is due on Tuesday. 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:34.320 Right? 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:39.519 So there's a lot of life that is about grit and getting it done. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:50.080 But these things of the heart identity, forgiveness, wholeness, joy, the heart works differently. 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:55.279 These are received from outside of us as gifts from God to us. 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:57.600 This is what makes him so secure. 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:03.679 This word gospel means good news. 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:08.559 Good news, something accomplished outside of us and given to us. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:12.159 Did you hear the good news on Monday? 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:14.159 Did you? 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:17.200 I heard it on Monday. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:21.200 Our beloved Kirk Cousins became an Atlanta Falcon. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:24.000 He's moving to Atlanta. 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:25.440 I heard he's already here. 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:29.120 I heard he's living in Alpharetta in his in-law's basement. 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:30.240 How I know that? 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:31.120 I don't know. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:31.919 I do. 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:35.039 I can feel his presence. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:40.399 Like my quest to be his best friend is alive and active. 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:48.320 The Falcons released this picture of Kurt on this week, sort of like a quarterback Jesus going. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:52.240 The Falcons also released this picture. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:58.559 Surprised me, but that came out this week. 00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:05.840 And I'm I'm not saying I caused him to be our new quarterback. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:07.279 I'm not saying that. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:11.600 But I mean it's suspicious a little bit, right? 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:15.840 Because it was only a couple weeks ago that I talked a lot about him. 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:20.559 So if you have any other players that you want to be Falcons players, you can let me know. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:23.519 So what I learned this week? 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:28.240 Well, I learned I will have a new BFF that it's possible and it's happening. 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:31.679 And I look good news comes at you. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:38.480 Monday, when he signed, I got 10 texts in like seven and a half minutes. 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:42.159 Good news finds you where you are. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:43.600 I had nothing to do with this. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:46.960 And all day Monday, I was in a great mood. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:50.080 Good news came at me, found me where I was. 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:52.720 I'm now excited to watch Falcons games. 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:57.279 That's a miracle for any of us to be a part of. 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:00.080 Gospel means good news. 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:04.399 Something that was done and accomplished outside of us and given to us. 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:06.879 That's the power of the cross. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:14.320 Our sin put upon Jesus, his righteousness given to us, and this good news, his work for us, not our work for him. 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:21.440 There's a salvation question to do with eternity, becoming a Christian. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:26.720 Have I received the gift of God's grace to me and Jesus' forgiveness and righteousness? 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:32.320 Am I his by his work for me, or do I think I'm his by my work for him? 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:38.720 And then there's the discipleship question, a growth in grace question. 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:42.960 These are the questions that came to me this week looking at this text. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:49.120 In what ways am I trying to manufacture or earn my own identity and joy? 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:54.159 Those are most likely my idols, my false saviors. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:58.320 That would be the areas for us to confess and repent of. 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:06.080 And what ways can I rest more deeply in God's acceptance of me in Christ for my identity and joy? 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:10.080 And as we lose our life, we find it. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:14.639 And our trajectory has shifted from a worldly path to a gospel path. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:15.759 Point number two is that. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:38.080 For these issues of the heart? 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:51.039 Martin Luther, the great reformer in the 1500s, said, Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God, your functional savior. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:54.000 We close with John 12, 26. 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:56.799 If anyone serves me, he must follow me. 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:59.759 And where I am, there will my servant be also. 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:02.639 If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:07.440 This means our lives are about his concerns and his priorities. 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:13.360 It means effort is not over, earnings over, but in the gospel we still have effort. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:15.600 Our work and our families become about him. 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:19.600 Our money and our giving and our gifts become about him. 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:23.039 We move toward giving and toward service. 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:24.559 We move toward volunteering. 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:27.039 We move toward loving others. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.240 And yet we're not perfect in any of that. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:34.399 So we have to remember the one who is speaking and teaching. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:36.799 And that's where we get our last point. 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:42.720 As our love for our own lives is insufficient, our love for God is insufficient. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.960 God's love for our lives is always sufficient. 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:49.759 And we know this securely in the cross. 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:51.440 We know this in the person of Jesus. 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:53.279 We are not loved as we should be. 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:59.360 We are loved exactly where we are because Jesus is enough for us. 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:01.279 Let's pray together. 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:08.399 God, thank you that in Jesus we are found, fully forgiven and fully righteous. 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:13.039 For all the ways we look outside of you for an identity and joy, please forgive us. 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:19.679 Would you reveal that to us so we might confess and repent even more, falling back into your grace? 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:24.240 Would you increase the trust we have in you? 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:31.200 That we might know a life that is about this world, but also about eternity. 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:37.840 And that we might have a life that is rooted in you, in service to you. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:46.000 Would you flood us this morning with the riches of your gospel? 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:50.799 That in Jesus you see us just as you see your own Son. 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:57.360 But our hearts be more rooted and more formed by Him than anything else. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:58.559 In Christ's name we pray. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:16:59.120 Amen.