WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:01.760 Well, it's good to be back. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:14.160 I had the gift of having about a month off to rest and replenish and sort of break the cycle of leading, teaching, or studying, teaching, preaching, leading, studying, teaching, preaching. 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:17.679 Like Sunday ends immediately, you know, reboot for the next one. 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:20.879 Just kind of keep doing that and kind of let that kind of stop. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:24.719 Just kind of stop all that cycling for just a bit. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:27.359 And so it was great rest and replenishing. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:32.960 Three profound reminders really hit me this month over the course of the month. 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:34.719 I really love my family. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:35.600 They're awesome. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:37.920 Like I love hanging out with my family. 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:40.719 Number two was I'm the beloved of God. 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:42.640 Like I'm not a role. 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:50.399 Like it's just nice to step away from a role for a minute to remember who you are, like truly at your core. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:55.600 And then the last, which it's just true, I love to fly fish. 00:00:55.759 --> 00:00:56.719 I love it. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:00:59.600 Here's a picture of us, my fly fishing buddies. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:02.320 We're driving out to the river in Idaho. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:04.879 Um, this is an introvert's dream, right? 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:06.400 There I am on the river. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:09.680 Uh, and do you know what's going through my mind right there? 00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:11.120 Nothing. 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:12.159 Absolutely nothing. 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:13.200 It's wonderful. 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:14.560 Just nothing all day. 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:22.079 I mean, if any thought is actually going through my mind, it's like I was pretty sure there's a cutthroat trout about 15 feet out, tucked behind a rock. 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:23.599 And it's the real dilemma. 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:25.359 Does he want the yellow sally fly? 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:26.879 Does he want the chubby Chernobyl? 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:29.040 Does he want the copper John with the orange thread? 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:30.799 Or maybe he wants the pink thread? 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:32.799 I mean, these are the big debates of the day. 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:34.719 That's the stress of the day, you know. 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:37.439 Huckleberry ice cream or huckleberry milkshake. 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:46.000 That's the that's the extreme decision making of the day, which is great to have a break for those to be your decisions within a day. 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:48.480 To have that kind of replenishing. 00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:57.040 We're gonna spend the next three Sundays studying the book of Titus, and then after that, we're gonna go, we're gonna study the book of James for the fall. 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:00.480 James will take us to Advent, and then we'll be at Christmas. 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:04.640 So that's what the fall looks like in terms of what we will be studying. 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:11.039 We've preached on Titus before, but I want to use it in the next three weeks to remind us, for us to be reminded. 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:21.599 What does it mean to be saved by the grace of God, this grace without conditions, and also and also to live and rest and grow in that grace? 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:24.400 Because that's the heartbeat of our church. 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:29.520 This summer I've been on a bit of a journey, I had a bit of a pillow journey, pillow stress. 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:31.360 I don't know if you've ever had pillow stress. 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:33.759 Are y'all one pillow sleepers? 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:34.639 Any one pillow? 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:37.360 You're minimalist, simple people, just happy? 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:38.159 Two pillow? 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:39.120 Any going to two? 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:40.080 Anyone going to two? 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:40.560 Three? 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:42.000 You want to admit that out loud? 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:42.639 Four? 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:44.719 Is anybody willing to admit four publicly? 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:45.520 Confession? 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:46.400 Four pillows. 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:50.479 Anybody got the weird knee pillow going on for the hip alignment? 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:54.400 I don't want to know about your weird pillows, it's up to you. 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:58.000 I I saw this pillow when I was shopping online. 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:01.520 I thought that that could be a new ministry for us, perhaps. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:04.080 Just have those in the lobby for you on Sunday mornings. 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:07.120 Just maybe take communion, go outside, yell in a pillow. 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:08.879 Could be therapeutic. 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:12.639 So my pillow stress is that I'm a side sleeper. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:15.199 Y'all, are you a side side sleepers? 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:19.039 Let's go ahead and back sleepers, stomach sleepers. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:21.199 We don't understand, y'all. 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:23.280 I'm a side sleeper. 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:29.919 And about two months ago, I started waking up and my my shoulder would like legitimately hurt. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:31.120 This is where I'm at in life. 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:34.159 I I'm eating injured, sleeping. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:36.960 I wake up injured. 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:38.319 I haven't done anything. 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:47.840 I haven't done anything, and I'm starting the day injured, so I was like, oh, okay, I gotta I gotta transition, conversion to back sleeper. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:52.400 Then the problem is, is uh like my head's flopping, I don't have any support. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:54.960 Like I need a I need a different pillow, is what I realized. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:57.840 There's a little bit of a pillow stress because I don't I haven't changed pillows in a while. 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:00.080 I don't know, do I need a down feather pillow? 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:02.080 I don't know anything about that, never done that. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:06.879 Cut up memory foam infused with cool gel, cooling gel. 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:09.759 There's a lot of options. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:11.599 Lots of options, very stressful. 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:15.360 So if you know about pillows, I'm open for your advice, counsel, prayer. 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:15.919 It's a lot. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:17.519 It's a lot of stress going on right now. 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:18.639 Here's my point. 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:22.319 Back to the fact that I could be injured while sleeping. 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:28.319 Where and how you rest means a lot. 00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:30.160 It actually means everything. 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:34.879 And you can actually rest in a way where you get hurt, injured. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:35.839 It's not as good for you. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:36.959 It can be damaging. 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:39.519 And you can rest in a way where you flourish. 00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:45.199 This is why we're all shopping for pillows and trying out infused cooling gel. 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:47.920 The book of Titus is written by Paul. 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:48.879 It's written to Titus. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:50.319 Titus is in Crete. 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:53.279 Titus is in Crete because he's getting the church is organized. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.000 He's like, let's raise up leaders, let's get organized. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:58.000 Now, the people in Crete, they're having a problem. 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:02.480 The problem is something that we all have, we've probably experienced, we've been around church long enough, you'll run into it. 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:05.199 It's what is the Christian life like? 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:07.920 Is it about rules and more rules? 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:12.079 And let's add some more rules, and if I live up to those rules, then I'm a good Christian. 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:15.040 Then I'm godly, then God loves me, then I'm accepted today. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:16.240 Is that what it is? 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:20.319 Or is it about God's grace without conditions? 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:21.439 No condition. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:24.879 And because of that, I'm just gonna do whatever I want. 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:31.680 I'm just gonna go for it, just like, you know, pour another round and another round and another round because I can do whatever I want because of God's grace. 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:35.759 Now, maybe you've been in places where you've experienced each of these. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:42.399 Many of us, if you've been around church, you've been in places where people can't have enough rules. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:54.399 It was legalistic in a way to say that follow these rules, and if you follow them, you do good enough, and then you will be, because of your following, you will be accepted right with God. 00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:57.199 God will love you today, He smiles upon you today. 00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:01.519 Now, if you don't follow these rules, maybe God still loves you. 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:03.199 Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe not. 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:04.480 Depends on where you are. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:06.879 But you're not good with them today. 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:14.720 And so your gaze turns upon your performance to God, and therefore you're really proud of yourself at times. 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:19.199 And then you're also devastated at other times. 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:24.959 You're secretly become judgmental to other people who can't get their acts together. 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:38.000 And on the inside, all the while, and I speak from experience, you're getting more and more anxious and more and more tired. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:42.639 Because you're unsure how God feels about you. 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:56.399 Now maybe you were in legalism or heavy religious, lots of rules, and you just swung to license, or maybe you were in license and you swung to legalism. 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:03.600 Over in license, it looks like this: God is so gracious and I am so secure, I do whatever I want. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:04.480 Sin all the more. 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:05.199 Who cares? 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:06.000 License. 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:09.439 God's grace gives me the license to sin all the more. 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:11.600 Legalism or license, which is it? 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:13.360 What's the path for the Christian life? 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:15.439 Well, Titus has something to say about this. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:16.959 Titus 1, 1 through 3. 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:25.839 Paul, a servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness. 00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:38.160 In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began, and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God or Savior. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:40.560 That was one sentence, heck of a sentence. 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:43.839 Now I don't have all the answers about election. 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:49.040 You saw that word, like God picks, chooses, those are his, doesn't pick others. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:50.560 I don't have all the answers for that. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:57.920 Here's what I do know his choosing of me empowers my choosing of him. 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:07.120 And because that is true, all my spiritual narcissism and spiritual anxiety can start to go away. 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:17.439 Because in the end, all of my pursuit of him, my wanting to know him, any of my efforts and spiritual disciplines, all of these things are inside of God's pursuit of me. 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:20.000 God's already choosing of me. 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:23.600 That makes incredible security for us. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:25.120 That's good news. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:32.960 Verses 4 through 9, Paul gives Titus kind of tips on guys to be, who should be pastors and overseers and leaders and church leaders. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:34.000 So we can learn from that. 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:38.720 We learn that I, any pastor, church leader, back then, now, they should be like this. 00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:41.039 They should be blameless or above reproach. 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:44.480 Now, that doesn't mean you're perfect, thankfully. 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:47.200 But their life has an integrity. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:50.639 There's a direction of God-centeredness or godliness. 00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:54.080 Husband of one wife, meaning monogamous. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:55.679 That's good advice. 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:01.519 Family of believers, meaning that while your children are young, they're guided by the gospel. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:08.080 I like how Eugene Peterson translates in his The Message, translates the character of the leader. 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:20.639 It's important that a church leader responsible for the affairs in God's house be looked up to, not pushy, not short-tempered, not a drunk, not a bully, not money hungry. 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:34.720 He must welcome people, be helpful, wise, fair, reverent, have a good grip on himself, and have a good grip on the message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it. 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:40.000 Now we're not perfect before that, but it's a trajectory, it's a direction, it's a description. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:44.879 Jumping to verse 10, Paul says that these leaders must fight against false teaching. 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:48.799 And so we have to ask ourselves, like, okay, what are they fighting against? 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:50.159 Verse 10. 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:57.600 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:09:59.840 So these would be the legalists. 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:07.440 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:13.840 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:15.360 This testimony is true. 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:25.200 Therefore, rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:27.679 Here's what I read about this text this week. 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:34.000 External conformity urged by the legalizers, that was there in verse 10, the circumcision party. 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:42.480 External conformity urged by the legalizers merely papers over hearts seeking to gain God's approval by human efforts. 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:44.159 That's ultimately what they're doing. 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:50.399 Underneath a religion of rules and merit, performance-oriented faith, is not a love of God. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:53.440 It's a love of control. 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:57.840 Legalism actually keeps you in love with yourself. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:02.320 You're in love with your strength, your autonomy, and your provision. 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:07.440 This is why you're incredibly proud at times and you're devastated other times. 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:13.840 And it's easy to swing from license to legalism and miss gospel freedom and growth. 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:18.320 So Paul in verses 10 through 14 confronts the legalists. 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:23.039 And then in verses 15 and 16, Paul confronts those living in license. 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:27.039 Verse 15, to the pure, all things are pure. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:34.399 But to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:38.720 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:43.440 They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:44.399 Wow. 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:46.320 Okay, Paul tell us what you think. 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:51.600 I mean, Paul's incredibly gracious, and he's no pushover. 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:58.240 See, the fruit of our lives is not to merit God's love. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:03.919 It's an imperfect but honest response that we're already loved. 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:06.000 Here's our points. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:06.720 Two points for today. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:11.600 Point number one: legalism and license are both traps. 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:13.519 Both of them are traps. 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:16.879 Three years ago we had rats in our attic. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:20.559 That's probably too much information publicly, but it's true. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:21.919 Maybe you've been there. 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.080 The pest control guy came out. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:28.000 He brought out these uh sticky traps. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:29.039 You seen these? 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.120 Yeah, you can take those right back with you. 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:33.600 Back to Candyland or else they work. 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:35.279 I'm at war. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:37.440 I don't need a sticky trap up in my attic. 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:38.559 So off he goes. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:39.919 You thank you for coming. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:42.559 I go to Home Depot, I buy 15 snap traps. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:45.440 Like break your finger, old school, it's war. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:47.279 This is what they're in my house. 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:51.120 You know, so you know, if we're in the woods, different, they're in my house. 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:56.480 I go up in the attic, I set these 15 snap traps super carefully. 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:05.440 There is no better sound in the world than laying in bed at night. 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:14.320 And you you hear above you just a little, just tiny little scratching. 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:22.559 And joy overtakes your whole body. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:24.399 It was Christmas in the morning. 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:26.320 I'm sending pictures to my friends. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:28.159 I got five last night. 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:30.559 I'm going reloading for tonight. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:35.600 Now, I still have those snap traps of my attic. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:36.720 We're a clean house, by the way. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:37.360 We've been clean. 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:38.399 We're clean. 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:39.840 I still got them up there. 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:40.480 I'm ready. 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:41.919 If you come back, I'm ready. 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:43.679 I also have a trap out of my back porch. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:45.440 It's like a cage thing. 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:48.480 Different trap, same result, same result. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:51.279 Two different traps, same result. 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:53.120 Right? 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:56.240 Legalism and license, two different traps. 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:07.440 Neither are filled with grace, acceptance, freedom, growth, flourishing. 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:10.000 We need a third way. 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:15.279 Point number two is this the rescue from both traps is the gospel. 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:24.879 And when I say gospel, I mean specifically justification by grace alone, through faith alone, and Christ alone. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:30.080 There's no addition, nothing else is needed, nothing for you to add, no added performance. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:34.320 We do not need to add a single bit of performance to Jesus' work for us. 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:37.679 Jesus plus nothing really does equal everything for you. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:44.000 You are fully accepted, fully loved, fully forgiven, fully righteous, as you are, not as you should be. 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:47.600 Because Christ was as you should be. 00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:52.080 And it's actually that good. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:15:07.279 Tertelian, a Christian writer in the second and third century, said this: just as Christ was crucified between two thieves, so this doctrine of justification is ever crucified between two opposite errors. 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:13.919 See, legalism says, I perform or obey as to be accepted. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:17.120 I perform or obey, so I will be accepted. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:22.799 License says I should do whatever I want because God is so gracious. 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:28.799 The gospel says I'm already accepted because of Jesus. 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:31.840 And that does something to me. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:36.080 That heals the heart that's self-justifying or hiding. 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:40.799 And a nourishing in this new identity begins and a flourishing begins. 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:44.080 Therefore, I want to obey. 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:49.120 God doesn't love a future version of you, He fully loves you now, the mess you are now. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:54.480 And that truth, as we surrender into it, as we rest there, that's the right place to rest. 00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:58.240 It begins to heal the heart, change our lives. 00:15:58.399 --> 00:15:59.440 Listen to where Paul's taking us. 00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:00.879 This is where we're going to camp out next week. 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:03.919 What does it actually mean to grow in the grace of God? 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:10.399 Paul says this, Titus 2, 11 and 12, for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:12.480 All right, so the grace of God brings salvation. 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:22.000 Verse 12, here's what it also does: training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age. 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:24.799 The grace of God does that. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:28.879 This past Sunday, my mentor texted out. 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:30.000 This is my prayer. 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:33.759 When I read this, I was like, oh, that's the prayer for Titus. 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:40.480 Jesus, astonish, nourish, and flourish our hearts with your love. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:44.639 Astonish us even more. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:51.679 May we grow more enamored that we're already accepted and loved and forgiven, worthy, righteous. 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:54.080 Already enough? 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:56.639 So Jesus, nourish us in that. 00:16:57.120 --> 00:17:00.000 And may that flourish our hearts and our lives. 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:03.759 I have some purple sage in my backyard. 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:07.440 Gardeners, y'all know that sage loves the sun, right? 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:09.759 You never put, don't put sage in this in the shade. 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:10.559 Well, sure enough. 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:16.960 When I planted the sage last year, I put it over kind of behind the trampoline, this little spot. 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:20.799 I thought it was gonna get enough sun, but apparently, like the shadow of the trampoline is a lot of shade over there. 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:26.319 Within six weeks, this sage is like scraggly and brown, just sort of limping along. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:31.599 Here's a picture of kind of scraggly limping along, sage, struggle, struggling sage is sad. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:33.039 It's a sad sight. 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:35.200 Pitiful, pitiful looking. 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:37.359 It's easy to feel like that, isn't it? 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:38.960 It's easy to feel like that. 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:50.960 So a few weeks ago, back in May, I moved the sage from one side of the trampoline over to the other side, where it should have been the whole time, in the sun, the proper place for it to rest. 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:53.839 And here's a picture of the sage now. 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:55.599 Doing great. 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:57.119 Flourishing. 00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:58.799 Nothing else changed. 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:01.279 It just had to be in the right spot. 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:03.440 It had to rest in the right spot. 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:07.039 We don't have to live as struggling sage. 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:16.160 To put it in Bible language, we would say we don't have to live as orphans when we are the beloved of Abba Father. 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:21.039 Where we rest, our hearts changes everything else. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:22.480 And this is good news. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:25.599 It means you're free from being a legalist. 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:31.359 And if you're a legalist, we know you are not as good as you let on. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:35.279 And you're free from living in license. 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:40.079 And if you're living in license, we know you are not as free as you let on. 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:43.759 The gospel is our way. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:53.200 We are enough to God and enough as human beings, not because of any work we have done, but because of the work Christ has done for us. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:56.240 God loves you and He likes you. 00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:58.799 And that's the good news that we rest in. 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:00.319 Let's pray together. 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:04.480 God, thank you for this good news. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:08.240 That you pursue us even while we're sinners. 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:16.079 This morning, may we grow even more astonished that Christ is sufficient. 00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:18.960 And we are fully loved, fully accepted. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:22.720 We are forgiven and righteous by Christ for us. 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:25.759 May this nourish our souls. 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:29.519 May our hearts flourish, and may our lives flourish. 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:31.599 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:32.480 Amen.