WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:04.799 Well, we are on our final week studying our way through the Jacob and Esau story. 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:09.359 So maybe you've been with us the past two weeks, or it's been three weeks on the story of Jacob and Esau. 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:11.439 If you haven't been with us, I'll catch you up a little bit. 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:16.079 So Esau was hurting, probably rebellious to his family. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:25.440 He comes in from the fields, and Jacob, his younger brother, manipulates him out of his birthright, the blessing, a double inheritance. 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:34.640 He gets swindled, and part of it's him being rebellious and him hurting, and he hands that over, and part of it's Jacob being manipulative. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:36.399 But this happens between brothers. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:42.399 And so then Esau is furious afterward, and Esau threatens to kill his brother Jacob. 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:46.079 So Jacob takes off to Uncle Laban's house, which we talked about last week. 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:47.840 He's away for 20 years. 00:00:47.920 --> 00:01:00.960 And then finally, last week, we talked about Jacob coming back home to his homeland, which meant that Jacob was returning home toward his brother Esau, who said, last he knew, wanted to kill him. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:07.120 And as he's coming back, Esau is barreling toward him with 400 men. 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:12.560 So we think, like last week, we think is it, like for Jacob. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:13.599 Like he's goner. 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:16.319 Like that this is this is the end of the story. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:23.519 But then, as we read last week, Esau, he had a heart change. 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:29.519 I mean, he some stuff had happened inside of him in these 20 years because Esau didn't kill him. 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:35.519 Esau embraced him and he fell over him and he wept over him and he kissed him. 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:37.200 And they wept together. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:44.480 And I leave that text and I think to myself, I mean, these two are gonna live in the same cul-de-sac, right? 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:47.519 Like one's gonna have the trampoline, the other one's gonna have the pool. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:52.799 They may live off burnt hickory in one of those secret enclaves we all drive by, and you're like, what's back there? 00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:53.760 There's six houses. 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:58.000 Who are you, you know, like they're gonna be together, is what's gonna happen. 00:01:58.159 --> 00:01:58.959 That's what you think. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:08.000 Because all this love and forgiveness, their weeping, they're kissing, all this, family restoration, this is happily ever after. 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:15.039 Because we expect Jacob to go with Esau to Seir. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:19.520 Which is what Jacob led Esau to believe. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:21.520 But then that's not what he did. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:27.919 So let's reread part of this text that Josh read, Genesis 33, 12 through 17. 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:31.199 Then Esau said, Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you. 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:36.800 But Jacob said to him, My Lord knows that the children are frail, that the nursing flocks and the herds are a care to me. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:40.479 If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:43.360 Let my Lord pass on ahead of his servant. 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:51.759 I will lead on slowly at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my Lord in Seir. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:56.879 So Esau said, Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me. 00:02:57.120 --> 00:02:59.120 But he said, What need is there? 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:00.800 Let me find favor in the sight of my Lord. 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:03.199 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:09.039 But Jacob journeyed to Sukkuth and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:11.360 Therefore the name of the place is called Sukkuth. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:20.080 So point number one is this forgiveness does not always mean healthy communication and perfect relationships. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:21.520 Amen? 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:22.800 Right? 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:25.840 I mean, forgiveness sets people free. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:28.960 Forgiveness is a powerful thing. 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:34.560 It creates the path of restoration, but it doesn't always fix all our relationships. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:40.240 And you know that because you forgave your cranky Aunt Susie and she's still a pain, right? 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:45.199 Or Aunt Susie forgave you and you're still a pain, right? 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:48.639 And the communication's still off, and the family doesn't always work together. 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:53.680 Like, like forgiveness happened, but it didn't fully fix the relationship. 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:59.120 Now we're not sure why Jacob says to his brother who just wept over him. 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:02.719 Yeah, I'm coming right behind you. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:03.680 I'm right behind you, brother. 00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:05.039 You go ahead, I'm right behind you. 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:07.120 And then he goes in the other direction. 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:13.680 Now, Esau did go to land that was not the land God intended for them. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:19.120 And Jacob went toward land that was the land God intended for them. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:22.319 So many people think, well, Jacob was being upright. 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:30.480 Which may be true in terms of where he settled, but it doesn't change the fact that he was not upright to mislead his brother. 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:31.680 Right? 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:39.839 I mean, when I read this, I think it could have been easier just to say, brother, I'm so sorry. 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:41.759 I can't come. 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:44.160 I can't go live there. 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:46.399 I have to live in this other place. 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:49.279 I know I said I would come. 00:04:49.519 --> 00:04:52.879 I gotta, I have to settle on the land God instructed me to live in. 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:54.000 I love you. 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:57.040 I'll see you at 30 A at spring break. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:58.480 I mean, this is what he could have said. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:00.160 Like, I'll see you on vacation. 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:01.360 But I can't live. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:02.800 I can't live there. 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:06.399 He could have said that, but he didn't. 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:11.120 So he has some communication issues, Jacob. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.560 There's still something going on in him that's not fully resolved. 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:18.000 And we don't know all that in this story, but we sense it. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:22.399 Counselor and author Dan Allender, he wrote a book entitled Communication. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:24.800 Here are a few summary points on communication. 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:26.160 I think we can get something out of. 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:30.079 I think Jacob could have used this book back in ancient times. 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:35.279 Number one is this your words have power to hurt or heal. 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:39.680 Proverbs 18, 21, 15.1, Proverbs 12, 18. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:41.759 Your words have power to hurt or heal. 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:49.360 We could see how these words of Jacob would have been very hurtful to Esau after Jacob never showed up. 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:52.800 Like, oh, my brother's manipulating me again. 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:59.839 Some of you remember the thing that was never said to you that should have been said. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:10.480 Some of you remember things that were said to you, like back in 10th grade, you're 14 years old or 16 years old or you're nine years old, and you can remember that. 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:11.680 You remember it. 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:14.319 It got lodged in you somewhere. 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:17.199 And you think it's gone, right? 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:24.399 Most of us, we're getting older, you think it's gone, and then you're driving down the road, you're listening to Counting Crows, and all of a sudden just like boom, it hits you, right? 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:31.120 Like something takes you back to that somehow, and it hits you like it was just spoken. 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:32.639 Words have power. 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:40.000 Now, the other side of this, the good news is just as powerful words can be hurtful, powerful words can be healing. 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:48.639 Friday night, our family watched very profound 1993 John Candy movie Cool Runnings. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:52.319 Oh. 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:55.439 Am I okay? 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:56.079 We don't know. 00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:00.160 We'll figure we will figure that out during the week. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:07.519 So John Candy, back to John Candy. 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:14.959 Which, by the way, last night on TV, at the same time, the Great Outdoors and Uncle Buck were on at the same time. 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:16.720 So just some of you. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:18.399 Some of you know that's a big deal. 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:20.000 Most of you, you don't care. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:21.600 But here's what John Candy said. 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:23.279 This is John Candy Wisdom. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:28.319 Um, powerful words, healing words spoken in cool runnings, right? 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:31.600 I'm watching it thinking, I'm getting, you know, what's going to come out of this? 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:35.279 When you're watching cool runnings with your family, you're thinking, what's coming out of this? 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:43.439 You know, but he said to his very ambitious, overly ambitious driver of the bobsled, he says this. 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:51.920 He says, a gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you are not enough without it, you won't be enough with it. 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:55.839 You're like, oof, come on, come on, cool runnings. 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:57.839 That's some good cool runnings. 00:07:58.319 --> 00:07:58.639 Right? 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:00.000 Words have power. 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:03.680 He set he set that guy free with those words. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:05.120 Words have power. 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:08.800 Number two, there is a time to be quiet and a time to speak up. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:12.079 Proverbs 10, 19, Proverbs 16, 23. 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:13.839 Healthy communication knows both. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:17.199 A lot of us, we know how to be quiet or we know how to speak up. 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:20.399 But healthy communication knows both of these. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:25.759 Number three, we need to grow in the art of listening and reflecting. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:27.759 Proverbs 29, 20. 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:40.559 It's taken me 17 years of marriage, 20 years in the ministry to realize the most powerful thing I can do if I'm with you, and I don't do it a lot because some of you have been with me, and I can't wait to talk. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:44.480 The most powerful thing I can actually do is listen. 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:47.679 Most of us just want to be listened to. 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:50.399 We just need to get it out a little bit. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:51.919 Like just talk something out. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:53.039 Get it out. 00:08:53.679 --> 00:08:54.879 Number four. 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:59.519 We should pray as we prepare to communicate with people. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:05.120 1 Corinthians 7, 3 through 6, Romans 8, 22 and 23, and 26 and 27. 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:20.000 My friend David, pastor at Stonebridge Church, when I have lunch with him, a lot of times, not always, but a lot of times, he'll show up in the lunch meeting, he'll say something like, I was praying on the way here, and I wonder, and then he'll like ask me a question. 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:21.360 I'm like, wow. 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:27.919 Like, because on the way there, I was like thinking about a John Candy movie or just anxious about something. 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:39.679 And like, wow, he was praying like for our conversation on his way here, and he shows up into that conversation, like ready with a question or something. 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:41.840 It's like, man, I want to be like him. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:45.840 Like when I grow up, like as a pastor, when I grow up, I'm gonna be like David Eldridge. 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:47.279 It's amazing. 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:50.960 To pray as we go into communication with people. 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:56.799 So Jacob and Esau, these two brothers, they settle in two different lands. 00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:00.559 Esau and his people become the nation of Edom. 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:10.559 Jacob and his people become the nation of Israel, of which the Messiah, Jesus, comes out of that nation, of which Jesus saves all the nations. 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:12.480 Here's what's interesting. 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:17.039 Over time, the Bible blasts Edom. 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:19.840 Just blasts Edom. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:21.919 I mean, Edom is hated. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:29.120 Edom becomes almost a representation of evil throughout the texts of the Old Testament. 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:36.320 I know you've been reading the book of Obadiah a lot in verses 10 through 12 in Obadiah. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:38.080 You didn't know it was a book. 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:40.559 I actually forgot it was a book until this week. 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:42.799 And I was like, that is a book of the Bible. 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:49.840 The prophet actually says that shame shall come over them, and they will be cut off forever. 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:50.639 Ooh. 00:10:53.519 --> 00:11:05.279 But tucked away in the book of Deuteronomy, another Old Testament book, there's a few hints of God's special concern for these people, these people of Edom, Esau's people. 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:07.440 Deuteronomy 2, 5. 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:19.120 So the people of Israel are traveling around out in the wilderness, and the Lord speaks to people, says this, do not contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land, talking about Edom. 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:27.120 No, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:32.080 So this is kind of like for Bible study nerds. 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:33.600 Like some of you are like, eh, who cares? 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:36.080 But like you're like me, you're like, you can nerd out on this stuff. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:46.240 It's real interesting because there's this concern God has for Esau and Edom, and then the Bible goes and blasts Edom, right? 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:49.759 You're like, what, like, how's this work itself out? 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:53.759 There's two kind of Bible nerd out points with this, and it's this. 00:11:53.919 --> 00:12:01.200 Number one is this Esau's name becomes synonymous with the generations who followed him. 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:08.399 Okay, so sometimes if we read Esau's name in the Old Testament, sometimes it's talking about Esau the person, but sometimes it could be talking about Esau's people. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:12.639 So it's not necessarily Esau the person and who he was. 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:14.320 It could be Esau's people. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:21.200 Number two is this the people who followed Esau didn't follow the heart of Esau. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:22.480 Right? 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:24.559 So we could read about Esau or read about Edom. 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:30.320 It's not necessarily talking about the person Esau was in the latter years of his life. 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:32.559 And here's our second point. 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:35.120 Point number two is this. 00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:40.879 Your children are not the final word on your worth and identity. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:42.320 Right? 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:50.559 If your kids are good and respectable and they dress right, well then you feel good. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:55.360 Or like maybe even a good Christian or whole or centered. 00:12:55.600 --> 00:13:04.240 But if your kid's a lousy kid, like just kind of, eh, like, you know, like we see the kid and you're like, ooh, what's going on? 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:04.799 Yeah. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:05.600 Like. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:09.759 And maybe they're horrible at sports and singing, like both. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:17.919 Like they're just not finding, they're not finding, and they they dress weird, and you found dope in their car, like you did. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:20.159 You hadn't told anybody yet, but you did. 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:22.399 And you found a pregnancy test in their bathroom. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:24.879 You hadn't told anybody that either, but you did. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:28.000 Or they can't hold down a job. 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:30.720 They grow up, they can't hold down a job. 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:32.720 Or a relationship. 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:35.679 And all of a sudden, what does that mean about you? 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:41.200 Are you the summation of your children's behavior? 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:43.919 Or are you something more secure? 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:51.039 Are you the summation of your good or average or horrible parenting? 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:53.519 Is that who you are? 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:55.919 Or are you something more secure? 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:57.600 Now we need parenting wisdom. 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:00.879 This fits in really well for next Sunday night at 6.30 commercial. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:03.360 Like this is a pastoral convenience here, right? 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:07.519 To come back for that workshop shop because we need parenting wisdom. 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:09.519 We want to be good parents. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:12.159 We want to parent well. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:20.559 But parenting and the generations that follow us is not the final word on who we are. 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:26.799 So we should be moving toward greater compassion toward each other as we all parent. 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:33.039 We should be growing more secure in our own identity, even apart from any of the roles we play in our lives. 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:36.240 And as we raise our kids, we're freeing our kids. 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:37.200 And it's going to be a journey. 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:41.679 My kids aren't going to look like your kids, your kids aren't going to look like my kids, the kids aren't going to look like each other, right? 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:42.960 I mean, we're freeing them. 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:44.960 It's going to be challenging. 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:50.799 But none of it's a final word about you and your heart. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:55.279 So come to the parent workshop next evening, next Sunday evening at 6 30. 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:56.720 All right, now back to Jacob. 00:14:56.960 --> 00:15:00.080 Jacob very apparently lacks some maturity. 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:00.720 Right? 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:02.399 He misleads his brother. 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:05.360 So he's manipulative in some way here. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:09.600 So Jacob experienced this grace from Esau. 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:16.799 What an incredible moment that was we looked at last week, where Esau, we think Esau's going to kill him, and he just embraces him and weeps over him, kisses him. 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:21.919 I mean, unbelievable, but still Jacob is lacking this maturity. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:25.840 He's still in a process of coming alive to God's grace. 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:29.519 Coming alive to how good grace is. 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:32.240 And this gives us our point number three. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:38.080 In Christ, we are both secure in God's love and we're growing in God's love. 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:48.000 One morning this week, I woke up kind of frantic, just kind of woke up frantic with everything I wanted and everything I wanted to do, right? 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:49.279 Like those are my two checklists. 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:59.279 Like everything I want in life, and if I can get all this, and then everything I want to do today, I need to do, and if I get all this done and check all this off, like that's gonna that's gonna really make me feel secure. 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:05.679 And then I received a text from a friend in a text group I'm a part of, and it said, Zephaniah 3.17. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:07.759 This verse keeps showing back up into my life. 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:09.919 Zephaniah 3.17. 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:16.240 He will quiet you when you finish your checklist and have everything you want. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:17.200 No, right? 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:17.919 No. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:19.759 It doesn't work, does it? 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:22.159 We keep trying, it just makes us more frantic. 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:27.759 No, the verse says, He will quiet you with his love. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:36.080 And then my friend texted, his love settles and centers you. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:44.240 That's what I needed. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:47.919 Like even focusing on my growth won't do this. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:53.120 That's like a spiritual navel gazing, bent in on yourself. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:55.519 I need to be quieted by his love. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:58.559 Then in that love, something happens to me, right? 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:03.840 Like when I'm secure in that love, then the Holy Spirit inside of me begins to do something to me. 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:08.720 All of a sudden, love is generated back toward God, love is generated toward other people. 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:15.119 So just a couple pastoral reminders of what it even means to become alive to grace. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:19.200 What it means to mature, what it means to grow. 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:22.640 What we wish Jacob had had. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:29.519 Number one, gospel growth is a deepening into your secure belovedness in Christ. 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:30.720 That's what it is. 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:33.119 You have belovedness in Christ as a free gift. 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:37.839 Gospel growth and maturity is a deepening into that which is already given to you. 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:44.400 What that means is the gospel rides this guilt and shame paradigm and replaces it with love. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:55.599 So what it means is you're more astonished with God's grace to you than you are ashamed of your failures or weaknesses. 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:02.559 Titus 2 teaches us by grace we are saved, but then also grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness. 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:08.240 So grace is the way into relationship with God, and grace is the way in which we grow. 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:17.519 Number two, gospel growth is a desire to linger longer in the Word and God's presence. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:24.480 Now you could so quickly hear that as, oh, so I need to do A, B, and C this week in order to be. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:25.680 No, no, that's not what it is. 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:28.319 This is not for you to be a perfect Christian. 00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:32.160 This is because you have already been perfectly loved. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:36.960 Quiet moments with the Lord are welcomed, not obligated. 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:44.400 The evangelical church has made a huge movement in, say, the last 30 to 50 years of quiet times and devotionals. 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:46.880 Mainline Christians, the sacraments meant everything. 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:47.920 Well, let's have both. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:49.440 Why can't we have both? 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:50.000 Right? 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:51.200 And why can't they mean something? 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:52.799 They don't have to be obligation. 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:54.880 They be something that we're welcomed into. 00:18:55.119 --> 00:19:07.359 I don't like to get too prescriptive on it because I have a wife that wakes up very early, sits by the fire, reads her Bible, devotional book, journals, prays for our children. 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:09.920 I wake up two hours later. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:11.519 Right? 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:16.880 I could beat myself up over that if I was in a comparison of spiritual disciplines. 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:21.359 My spiritual practice just looks different than hers, and hers looks different than mine. 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:33.440 But we have to work it out as we're just trying to move toward a pace of grace, being more astonished of God's grace, than I am putting myself to work in my spiritual practices. 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:38.559 We're moving away from frantic and into peace and presence. 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:43.680 I like to think about it in terms of luxurious moments and limited moments. 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:47.039 Like luxurious moments is the retreat, right? 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:50.880 You're away from the world, you have all this time, this is amazing. 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:52.319 It's so luxurious, right? 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:53.759 You're by a pool. 00:19:54.559 --> 00:20:06.319 And you have a brand new devotional book or a book somebody gave you, and you're by a pool, and you got yourself a little drink, and the sun is shining, and your children are with grandma or whatever. 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:08.480 Like, and this can't get better. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:17.119 And the Lord is speaking to you, and it's so good, and you're underlining, and you're like, oh, you're laying there, then you nap, and then you wake back up, you read more. 00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:18.559 It's just so luxurious. 00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:21.759 It's like a long walk in the woods, and you don't have anywhere to be. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:24.000 There's no like cap on the end of it, right? 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:26.480 Like, we love luxurious moments. 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:29.920 Like these are good, but there's also a whole bunch of limited moments. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:37.519 And those limited moments are like you're doing the dishes and you just put your airpods in and listen to worship music. 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:40.240 So you can't hear anybody else. 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:42.400 Or you just get to worship. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:45.680 You drive to work with a teaching podcast on. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:21:00.000 You get to your lunch appointment 10 minutes early and sit in your car, and you don't scroll your phone because you keep a devotional book in your glove box and you pull it out, and for 10 minutes, you read it. 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:01.920 And you don't read the devotion on your phone. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:05.039 No, it's like an actual paper book, right? 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:07.279 It's not gonna distract you, you're not gonna jump to anything else. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:09.200 Like a real book, paper, they make these. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:10.640 Have you seen them? 00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:11.440 Have you seen them? 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:14.799 They open and amazing things. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:26.960 And we're very imperfectly, we're beginning to realize we were made to rest and enjoy God's presence, not rush through all of our days. 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:33.359 This week I was thinking about I don't know what it is. 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:38.720 It scares me worse because I think the noise is up here. 00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:45.359 Something may come out, I'm not sure. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:50.000 This week I was thinking about Jacob. 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:54.400 He manipulated his brother three times. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:55.519 Right? 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:56.640 Three times. 00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:58.640 First for the birthright. 00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:01.839 Second, he he tried to bribe him. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:05.359 And then third, he lies to him. 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:07.599 Three times. 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:10.000 It reminded me of Peter in the New Testament, right? 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:12.079 Jesus dies three times. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:14.000 Peter's asked, hey, your follower of Jesus? 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:14.880 Your follower of Jesus? 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:18.319 Your followers like, no, no, no, no, not me. 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:23.039 Just just doubt, just failure, weakness. 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:35.759 And right after Jesus has died and resurrects, to die for the very sin and failure that Peter exhibits, right? 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:41.599 Jesus takes on all that sin and mistake and failure and gives righteousness to us. 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:45.119 And Jesus seeks out Peter. 00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:48.880 And he just simply asks him, Do you love me? 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:52.400 Do you love me? 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:54.640 And three times, do you love me? 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:57.599 And three times Peter says, Yes, you know I do, yes, yeah. 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:04.799 And see, Jesus is just drawing Peter back to the main point, which is which is love. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:06.960 I love you. 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:12.240 I died for you for all this failure and sin, and probably at this point he's feeling a lot of shame. 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:13.599 Do you love me? 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:21.519 Because if this is true, if you can understand that I'm pursuing you and finding you and I love you, and you love me, this changes everything, and we can move forward. 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:26.960 See, Jesus's pursuing love creates Peter's love. 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:34.240 And in that pursuing redeeming love of Christ, Peter is quieted, and Peter goes on to be this just incredible, brave leader. 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:40.640 It's an image for us of resting in God's pursuit of us. 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:42.799 Christ's love for us. 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:45.599 That we might know gospel growth. 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:46.799 Let's pray together. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:49.839 God, thank you that your grace is enough. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:51.920 That you quiet us with your love. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:57.200 You call us to greater and greater communication of honesty to grow in that. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:01.519 And at the same time that we're fully loved in you and all our lack of it. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:10.960 Help us to be more enamored by your love for us than our work for you, more enamored by your love for us than any of our guilt or any of our shame. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:12.559 I pray this in Jesus' name. 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:13.279 Amen.