WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:10.160 So this morning we jump back into the story of the early church in Acts 13 and 14 as we've been making our way through the book of Acts. 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:16.399 Paul and part of us have been traveling, they end up in Antioch, and Paul teaches this short sermon. 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:22.640 So we're going to jump into verse 26 of chapter 13, Acts 13, verse 26 through 31. 00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:30.960 Brothers, son, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us it has been sent the message of this salvation. 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:44.560 Those who live in Jerusalem and the rulers, because they did not recognize him, nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:50.159 And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:57.200 And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:00:59.520 But God raised him from the dead. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:07.599 And for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:13.680 So verse 31 is pretty important here, and the point coming off of it for us is that resurrection is truth. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:16.319 It's not metaphor or legend. 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:20.799 And what I mean by that is this is historical documentation of the resurrection. 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:26.159 You're going to have to deal with the historical evidence at some point on some level. 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:33.599 Jesus' resurrection is a great documentation throughout the scriptures, which can certainly be a historical document for us to think about history. 00:01:34.319 --> 00:01:51.120 He appears after the resurrection to Mary Magdalene and John 20, to additional women in Matthew 28, to Peter and Luke 24, two disciples in Luke 24, 10 apostles in Luke 24, Thomas and other apostles, John 20, 7 apostles, John 21, all the apostles, Matthew 28, all the apostles, Acts 1. 00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:56.159 1 Corinthians 15 talks about him appearing to 500, 500. 00:01:57.280 --> 00:01:58.079 500 people. 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:05.760 So in other words, at the time, the way this message is going out is not to say, hey, just believe this thing that's so unbelievable. 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:12.479 It's like, oh, by the way, if you're having a hard time believing this, just go talk to one of the 500. 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.479 And so if this wasn't true, the whole thing would fall apart. 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:19.039 The whole thing is based on a historical event. 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:25.199 It's the Bible's way to say the resurrection holds historical accuracy based with eyewitnesses. 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:29.039 The facts are there and we have to wrestle with the facts. 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:34.319 Or perhaps we could say the truth will disrupt us. 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:36.080 It'll disrupt our own beliefs. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:39.039 It'll disrupt our own thinking or lives. 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:41.759 A couple of years ago, Chris and I were at dinner with some friends. 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:44.080 We were eating at a pretty nice restaurant down in Atlanta. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:47.039 The lights are dim, they're sitting at good vibe. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:50.319 You know, it was dinner time, it was dim lies, it was a good vibe. 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:52.080 You know, kind of a cool restaurant. 00:02:52.159 --> 00:03:03.199 And uh the menus came and it was time to order, and uh I went to uh look at the and I was like, I don't know if you've gotten there yet, some of you haven't. 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:04.400 This moment will come. 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:08.879 And so I did like that, and I still couldn't, I couldn't, I couldn't read anything. 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:10.240 I couldn't see anything. 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:11.280 Nothing, nothing. 00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:13.280 I couldn't read a single word on the menu. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:17.840 I mean, I bring it up, I bring it out, I kind of put it out in the aisle, like I'm getting nothing. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:21.919 My my friend Ashley sitting across the table, she sees this. 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:25.199 And she's like two years older than me. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:28.560 She's not much older than me, and she sees this because she's like this. 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:31.280 Having the time of her life reading this menu. 00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:42.400 And she sees me over there doing all that business, and she looks, you know, she just looks up over, you know, she looks up like this, and she just slowly does this. 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:48.400 And I, very slowly, with huge resentment toward her, how dare she? 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:49.439 How dare she? 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:51.039 I'm not that old. 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:57.280 Uh, I I took I took them and I did like this, and wouldn't you know it? 00:03:58.479 --> 00:03:59.599 Like amazing. 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:00.080 Right? 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:01.039 Unbelievable. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:01.680 Unbelievable. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:03.360 Who would who would have thought? 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:04.719 Perfectly clear. 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:06.960 And of course, we all laughed about it. 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:08.560 I I couldn't get over it. 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:13.599 Because in my mind, I was still 33, not 43. 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:21.680 I mean, in my mind right now, I I know I'm in dress boots, I'm in some kind of like, you know, skinny pants. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:28.160 I still really do feel deep in my heart that we could go out in the parking lot and I could beat any of y'all to foot race. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:36.319 I really do, deep in my heart, and this is such a delusion, because I would need to warm up for about 20 minutes. 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:47.439 And even then, I don't think I've sprinted in five years, and it would be better for me just to go ahead and just start walking toward the urgent care because it's not, it's completely a delusion. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:51.759 The truth disrupts my delusions. 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:57.519 And the truth disrupts a lot of my life, and the truth disrupts a lot of what we believe. 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:00.959 We have to wrestle with what is true. 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:05.120 Or we could say the truth will disrupt us. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:08.160 We had a great dinner that night. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:10.480 Uh, just a sweet time with friends. 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:13.199 One of those good dinners, you just, you know, you're just like, oh, it's good. 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:16.639 You're not filtering everything, or you're not posturing, just a good time. 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:21.600 Two days later in the mail from Ashley came a little package. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:26.560 And the note just said, Welcome to middle age. 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:30.480 And there was two reading glasses there for Christy and me. 00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:35.360 I can't change the facts because facts are true. 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:42.480 I can choose to live resenting the facts, or I can become open to them. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:44.319 Think about Paul. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:47.839 That's the guy gave him this little sermon here about the resurrection. 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:53.920 A guy who this would have been a real disruption to his life if the resurrection was true. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:54.959 He was a devout Jew. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:56.959 The system benefited him. 00:05:57.199 --> 00:05:59.600 The religious system, he was all about it. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:02.319 He was good at it and he benefited from it. 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:05.360 This was a huge disruption for him. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:08.560 But he had an encounter with God. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:14.319 And he knew about this resurrection, and he saw the historical accuracy of it. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:17.040 Disrupted. 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:19.920 It's a disruption of grace. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:24.000 Paul didn't decide to follow because he liked it. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:26.000 Not on the front end. 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:28.959 He was disrupted by truth. 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:40.879 He decided because it was true, and then he started to discover that this truth, the idea of following Jesus as Savior, is not a controlling thing, but a freeing thing. 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:41.920 Healing. 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:44.319 That's why he writes Galatians 5:1. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:46.959 For freedom Christ has set us free. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:53.040 Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.680 He said, I was enslaved and now I'm free. 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:57.279 I read this last week in my devotion. 00:06:57.439 --> 00:06:59.920 Just reading kind of just a normal morning devotion. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:00.399 I read this. 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:01.920 Author Kate Norris. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:06.399 So the big question becomes who can save us? 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:10.079 From egocentric, self-destructive repression. 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:11.680 Nothing but love. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:16.879 Not the way we do it, but unremitting, unconditional biblical love. 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:20.079 This love refuses to deny our issues. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:22.720 It stays with us there. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:24.399 And we'll never let go. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:27.519 This love, too, compels us to love. 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:30.079 I am my beloved's, and he is mine. 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:46.800 Acts 13, verse 32, and we bring you, Paul's continuing this sermon, and we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us and their children by raising Jesus, resurrection, as also it is written in the second Psalm. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:55.439 Point number two is this that the resurrection gives us an assured life. 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:57.680 An assured life. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:07:59.439 Not a constant questioning. 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:01.120 It starts to assure us. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:05.279 I'm earning my doctorate right now at Covenant Seminary. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:06.800 I got my first paper back. 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:07.920 First paper. 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:09.199 I got an A. 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:12.560 Your pastor's not failing. 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:14.959 Many other things, not a foot race. 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:16.959 But I made an A. 00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:18.079 Got it in the mail. 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:18.959 It said, A. 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:22.079 It said, some good stuff in here. 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:23.759 Okay, start off good. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:34.720 And then it said, and I quote, the paper could use more information on the adaptive change process in leadership and synthesis of the material. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:44.960 So I got an A, and would you guess what I woke up thinking about the next morning? 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:47.279 Oh, just guess. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:57.440 The paper could use more information on the adaptive change process and leadership and synthesis of the material. 00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:00.799 That was literally the first thought when I woke up the next morning. 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:02.480 I got an A on the paper. 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:06.080 And still the thing that I dwell on is the criticism. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:07.919 Isn't that exhausting? 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:11.360 I mean, that is just, that is numbing. 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:12.480 That is horrible. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:13.919 Oh, what is so awful. 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:16.639 I get an A, and what I remember is the criticism. 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:20.240 You get a hundred words of love and encouragement. 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:30.879 And the one correction, or worse, the judgment or the condemnation sticks to you, beats at you. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:41.840 Man, my needy, weary soul just works so hard to be liked and worthy and accepted that when I get just a little bit of correction, I just stick on that thing for a while. 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:44.159 What or who can save me? 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:53.919 Is there an enduring word that overrides any sort of correction and certainly condemnation or judgment? 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:57.919 See, the resurrection gives us a God's enduring final word to us. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:09:58.799 It's what it gives us. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:01.360 It's the enduring word to say, I love you. 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:02.159 It's finished. 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:02.799 This is clear. 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:08.320 It is a victorious love toward you while you haven't earned this. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:10.240 I'm with you, I'm for you. 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:16.159 And this way the resurrection is our, we can think of it as it's our receipt. 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:25.360 So I went to Costco, this was two weeks ago, I did a little Costco run, and I bought a thing of blueberries, a bottle of Miyomy wine. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:26.480 We like the Miomi wine. 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:27.759 I don't know if you've discovered Miami wine. 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:28.559 Miomi wine. 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:33.039 Massive thing of toilet paper, because we can we can kill some toilet paper at our house. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:34.960 So, and those good tacos. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:37.200 You know the good tacos, the street tacos. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:42.320 And so that's what I got, you know, covering our evening, blueberries, you know, wine, dinner, you know, toilet paper. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:51.519 Uh checkout, and then you know, you're walking toward the checkout, and they have those two employees there at the door before you leave checking your receipt. 00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:52.799 Right? 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:57.840 There's a you you think you're not quite sure if there really are, but they're looking at it and they draw that line with the Sharpie. 00:10:58.080 --> 00:10:59.759 Very powerful line. 00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:08.480 Now, this could be a real moment of anxiety if I had not paid for these things. 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:10.320 But you know what? 00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:12.960 That walk, no anxiety. 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:13.759 Right? 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:21.039 You walk by the air conditioner guy, he's trying to sell your air conditioning, people getting their hot dogs, you know what I'm talking about. 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:26.879 You don't have any anxiety about those people checking for the receipts because it's already been paid for. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:29.679 You have a receipt, it's no big deal, right? 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:32.960 And you just hand them the receipt and they do whatever they're looking for. 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:34.720 I still want to know what are they looking for? 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:38.080 And draw that line through. 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:43.360 It's our the the resurrection is our receipt for an assured life. 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:49.279 And that's very powerful because we're not very assured. 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:56.960 I'm not just my sin, I'm not just my shortcomings, I'm not just my record. 00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:03.679 I am declared fully forgiven, fully righteous, fully loved, fully accepted, fully worthy. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:04.720 Victorious. 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:09.440 That's what the resurrection, a new life, not because of my victory, but because of his victory. 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:10.480 The word is clear. 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:13.679 We are lavishly loved in the work of Jesus. 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:14.559 I have a receipt. 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:16.159 The receipt is the resurrection. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:18.159 Our lives may be swirling. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:22.639 It may be swirling, but our hearts are assured. 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:28.960 Chapter 14 tells us that Paul and Barnabas, they traveled through a couple other cities, they're telling this story. 00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:31.440 Jesus fulfills the law. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:37.679 He has died for our sin, our sin put upon him, his righteousness given to us, they're telling this story, and then Paul heals a crippled man. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:41.360 The people in the city, they start to worship Paul and Barnabas. 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:42.240 They see this happen. 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:48.080 This happened as all these people start to worship Paul and Barnabas like Zeus and Hermes. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:54.399 And then Paul says something to them that takes them from worshiping him to stoning him. 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:56.799 That's quite a turn, right? 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:58.960 So what could he have said? 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:05.039 What in the world could he say to take a group of people from worshiping him to stoning him? 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:06.799 Acts 14, verse 11. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:14.799 And when the crowd saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Laconian, the gods have come down to us in the likeness of men. 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:19.360 Barnabas, they called Zeus and Paul or Mays, because he was the chief speaker. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:25.200 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance of the city, see, because these were idol-worshipping people. 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:29.759 And they see this event, they go, these are gods, these people, these are gods. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:37.840 So this priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance of the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifices with the crowds. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:45.360 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out in the crowd, crying out, Men, why are you doing these things? 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:59.679 We are also men of like nature with you, and we bring you good news that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:03.279 And past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:13.120 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you reins from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness. 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:24.799 Here's point number three resurrection, life, resurrection, life, new life comes after our giving up, after our death, after our surrender. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:26.159 It's the secret of life. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:29.279 It's also a great secret, it's a horrible secret. 00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:35.200 The more dead you are, the more alive you come to the love of God for you. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:39.679 But you don't get it until you get to the end of yourself, all the other things we try. 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:45.600 That's what these things is actually what verse 15 is talking about, the term vain things, worthless things. 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:46.639 That word. 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:48.159 It means idols. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:49.759 And here's how idolatry works. 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:51.919 We go over this, it's feel like about every three months. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:53.840 Life only has meaning. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:56.080 This is how idolatry works, then and now. 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:57.840 Life only has meaning. 00:14:58.080 --> 00:14:58.720 Only. 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:06.240 Or I only have worth if you can plug it in. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:10.960 I mean, we usually know it pretty quickly if we just sort of pause. 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:12.960 Life only has meaning. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:21.039 I only have worth if I'm in control, comfort, money, romance, sex, power, approval, status. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:22.639 Life only has meaning if I have that. 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:24.480 If I don't have that, life doesn't have meaning. 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:28.399 And immediately we are enslaved to it. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:42.799 See, idols are anything we love too much that end up holding power over our hearts for being at peace because they don't love you in your weariness, they actually put you to more work. 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:49.360 And Paul is saying, these idols we create, whatever it is, they promise, but they don't deliver. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:52.799 They don't deliver to our weary hearts. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:58.639 And Paul says to these people, hey, just notice it. 00:15:58.799 --> 00:15:59.200 Just notice it. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.399 Verse 15. 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:04.559 He says, But this living God made the heaven and the earth and the sea, all that's in there. 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:15.279 What he's saying here is he's saying, the creator God made you and all you have, you've been enjoying all of this, and you haven't even done anything. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:22.879 Like we have a certain common grace for all humanity of these gifts around us that God, the Creator, has given to us. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:24.000 We didn't do anything for. 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:33.279 This is why Paul writes, it's the same idea to be loved, to be provided for in our weakness when we haven't done anything, 2 Corinthians 5, 17. 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:36.559 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:41.039 The old is gone, there's a death, the new is here. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:54.559 So resurrection life comes as we are known in Jesus, but we only understand Jesus to be provision for us in all these areas of weakness and neediness, including sin and guilt, also including like things like worth and acceptance. 00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:59.679 Only when we've dying to these other ways we're trying to solve these needs. 00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:03.120 Two weeks ago, I was gone on a weekend leadership retreat. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:04.160 16 leaders. 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:09.200 We spent time together outdoors fishing, so I wasn't complaining about this retreat. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:11.680 Every evening we came around a huge dinner table. 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:13.200 Here's a picture of the dinner table. 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:14.000 There I am, right? 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:15.599 I got my mountain man shirt on. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:16.960 Some sort of brown liquid. 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:19.759 I think somebody handed me apple juice, not sure what that was. 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:27.039 Pretty sure, pretty sure in that setting, a bunch of men in the mountains, that was a bunch of apple juice, is what that was. 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:31.920 So the only requirement for anybody on the retreat is you come to the table. 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:35.599 You can fish half a day, you fish all day, you don't have to fish at all. 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:37.759 But you have to come to the table. 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:43.519 We're gonna dine together, we're gonna feast together, and then there's gonna be a conversation. 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:50.160 And the lead guide would throw out one question a night, four nights, and around the table it went. 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:53.680 You can share as much as you want, and you can never share advice. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:56.079 Praise, I'd like to praise God's sake. 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:58.640 Put a bunch of pastors together, like we're ready. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:01.680 That was a nice rule. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:03.440 You know, thank you for that rule. 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:07.680 Share as much as you want, as little as you want, you can pass if you need to. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:12.319 The first night they asked, Why do you think the Lord has you here? 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:16.319 Good starter. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:21.839 Second, what burden are you carrying and you need help? 00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:25.359 That's when the weeping starts. 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:31.119 Third night, what dream is still in your heart? 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:32.400 See that? 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:33.440 See what just happened there? 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:34.559 Death? 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:35.920 New life. 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.920 But you can't get to that question about new life until you've had some death. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:45.200 Fourth, what word of encouragement do you have for yourself or for the group? 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:49.039 And night after night, I sat and listened to leaders just pour their hearts out. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:50.559 I poured my heart out. 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:56.160 And watched deaths, things that needed to die. 00:18:57.279 --> 00:18:58.880 Giving up, surrender. 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:01.200 And you lie. 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:01.680 Right? 00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:08.079 I experienced, I mean, pretty much like somebody finally says, like, this is the most church I've experienced in a long time. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:12.400 And it's also what we do when we come to the table. 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:13.519 When we come forward. 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:22.000 We come forward with our burden, our neediness, to receive, to feast on God's grace to us while we are needy. 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:25.599 We need this. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:29.920 We need the death and we need the new life. 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:34.960 See, at the end of ourselves, we finally see the fullness of God's provision for us in Jesus. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:38.640 And we can be at rest and we can grow. 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:43.839 We're free, and we're we're also not, we're not even daring to dream how free we could be. 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:50.000 But we have to bring our neediness, our helplessness, our weariness. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:53.680 And it's there that we realize how much God loves us and provides for us. 00:19:54.240 --> 00:20:05.200 That's the resurrection, it's our receipt that we have an assured life, assured in Him for us, and then also growing in what are the implications of that for our lives. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:06.319 Let's pray to God. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:08.640 God, thank you for your grace to us. 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:17.759 That is certain, that is sound, that is reliable, even when we do not know it, remember it. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:19.599 You love us. 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:26.480 You love us in our apathy, you love us when we are absolute morons and mess ups. 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:41.759 God, thank you that our acceptance with you, our forgiveness, our righteousness, our worth is not dependent upon our resume or our record. 00:20:44.319 --> 00:21:00.160 God, would you help us to see how the resurrection gives us an assurance of love and also what that might mean for our hearts as we live our lives, not just for ourselves, but in response to your love for us. 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:01.200 In Jesus' name. 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:01.839 Amen.