WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:04.719 So when our oldest daughter was about a year old, she was in a preschool. 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:06.000 We were living down in Atlanta. 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:09.599 She was in a little like morning, mother's out morning preschool thing. 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:10.960 Christy was working halftime. 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:13.439 I was working full-time in a church down in Atlanta. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:14.560 So she's a year old. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:19.519 And so what would happen is we would alternate picking uh Josie up from this little preschool. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:20.399 She's a year old. 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:23.760 And so I did know it was my turn. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:24.960 I did know that. 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:27.839 I had it written down 11:30 a.m. 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:33.520 Pick up Josie, and then I'd pick her up, and usually we'd go to the playground for 30 minutes, and then I'd hand off to Christy. 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:35.920 Christy take her home and then I'd go back to work. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.399 And I did, I really did know it was my morning. 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:42.719 And I had been saying, like, pick, you know, pick up Josie, pick up Josie, 11:30, pick up Josie. 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:48.640 And I was working away at my desk, just working away, and you know, the Lord's work, just you know, working. 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:53.840 And last I remember I looked up and it was 11.05, and I was like, oh, great. 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:56.880 I have about 10 minutes, 10 more minutes to work. 00:00:57.039 --> 00:00:58.479 I need to be there at 11:30. 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:01.359 Okay, so I put my head back down, blah blah blah blah blah. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:03.280 I mean, inspiration is coming. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:04.959 I mean, I'm in the I'm in the zone. 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:06.719 I'm in the work zone. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:13.599 And then I turn my head over to the to the clock, and it's 11:40. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:16.959 Okay, so I'm 10 minutes late already. 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:24.719 Uh it takes me about three minutes full speed to run from my office up the stairs through the sanctuary, down the main hall, into that parking deck. 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:28.799 So that's three minutes, and then it's about seven minutes to get over to that other church to pick her up. 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:33.840 And I'm like, so 10 minutes late, and I just gonna take me, I'm 20 minutes late right now. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:36.000 And so I I take off. 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:37.040 I am out the door. 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:43.359 I'm running, I get in the car, I'm driving over there, and sure enough, I get there's no car rider line like buffer, right? 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:47.599 Like there's no like long car rider line that you're like, oh, I'll be I'll sneak in right at the end. 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:48.400 Nobody will know. 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:49.840 You know, I mean, I'm late. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:51.760 I show up, the parking lot's empty. 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:54.480 The only people left is her teacher and her. 00:01:54.799 --> 00:02:03.280 So all the other preschool employees are fully aware what kids left and what parents you know neglected this child, they're aware of this. 00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:10.479 Then it's just her and her teacher of that walk of shame walking in, felt like a third grader coming into your teacher. 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:15.680 I apologize to the teacher, I pick her up, and now's the dilemma. 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:20.400 Tell Christie. 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:22.159 Do I tell Christie? 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:24.479 It's the dilemma. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:26.879 There's some factors in this, right? 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:33.199 Because number one is my daughter's a year old, she barely can speak, she can't speak sentences, so she can't tell. 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:39.439 I I doubt the teacher's gonna say anything, probably she's not gonna say that. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:46.159 So it's probably a pretty safe thing to not mention, except I felt really bad about it. 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:54.080 I could confess it, but not like the full honesty of like, oh, I love my work more than my child, that's why I was late, right? 00:02:54.240 --> 00:03:13.360 So I could confess sort of like a half, half honest, like I was late, I would you know, just want to let you know if the teacher says anything, you know, I was I was late, but it was sort of because you know I was late and then I was running out of gas and I had to go to the quick trip, and then you know, pump one was out, so I had to go to pump five, you know, like I could do something like that, sort of like a hybrid confession, that was an option. 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:16.319 Or I could come clean. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:17.759 Right? 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:23.439 Now, how honest I am in that moment has everything to do with a couple factors. 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:28.319 It has to do with uh just how exhausted I am, just how at the end of myself I am. 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:34.159 Am I just like broken and exhausted and like I just don't care to pretend or perform and just whatever happens, happens. 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:37.919 And also, what is her regard toward me? 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:41.039 How confident am I of her regard to me? 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:50.879 Because if I think there is a shame-filled lecture waiting for me, you ain't getting my honest confession. 00:03:51.439 --> 00:04:00.080 If I think there's a guilt trip, if I think there's scorekeeping on me, waiting for me, you're not gonna get my confession. 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:02.400 Right, we're gonna hedge on that. 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:16.160 But what if, what if there's a co-parenting spouse who knows imperfection and forgetfulness and mess-ups and knows all of that also, and is waiting to extend forgiveness. 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:18.480 What if that was true? 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:24.879 Well, it's like now we now we could talk about repentance this morning if that is true of God. 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:35.120 If that's true of God toward us, then we could talk about repentance without it being like fearful and like turn and burn, and like, you know, me have to conjure up fear in you, and then you'll repent. 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:42.879 Like, like we could talk about it because it's in the context of what the scriptures say, God's kindness leads us to repentance. 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:49.839 My favorite definition of repentance, which I've mentioned before, is the late profound pastor Jack Miller. 00:04:50.160 --> 00:05:01.920 His definition, and it said this repentance is our ongoing calling to collapse on Jesus, acknowledging our need and receiving his supply. 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:05.519 Our ongoing collapse on Jesus. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:13.839 Author Henry Nowen, he described it like this: He said, Oh, it's like you're in a room and you're facing the door. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:20.720 But the door's locked from the outside, and you're trying to get out of this door, and you just can't, you can't get out. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:21.519 It's locked. 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:36.959 I mean, at first you're pushing on it, you're turning that handle, and then you start to really get your shoulder into it, like you know, you're backing up, Herschel Walker, kind of putting your shoulder, and nothing you can do, and the wall, you can't get out of those walls, and you're just pounding on it, pounding, and you're just getting more and more tired. 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:40.879 You can't, out of your own strength, you can't get out of this room. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:51.279 So finally, finally, you fall down, and when you fall down, you turn around, and when you turn around, you realize there's no wall behind you. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.759 There was never a wall behind you. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:06:00.720 And the point is that a life of enslavement is always only three walls. 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:03.680 If only you'll turn around. 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:05.040 Repent. 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:05.920 Right? 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:10.000 And we what we're repenting of is we're repenting of all that self-saving. 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:18.959 It's all of us trying to get out of this room by ourselves without any surrender, without any death to the self. 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:21.680 That we are gonna do it all. 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:30.399 We're gonna work our way into fulfillment, work our way out of guilt, work our way out of our own sin and its consequences and the separation with God. 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:33.920 We're gonna work our way into favor with God. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:36.319 We're gonna put our shoulder into that door. 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:41.680 We're gonna get more and more tired, but the whole time, God's saying, Would you just quit? 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:44.160 We stop, we die to self, we surrender. 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:46.240 There's no wall behind you. 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:48.720 It's in the giving up and the turning around. 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:51.759 So, a couple points, work our way through this, we'll read the text. 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:58.720 Point number one is this is repentance is a sorrowful, yet a joyful turn. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:01.600 Here's our text, Luke 13, 1 through 4. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:03.040 Christy read it, I'll reread it. 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:12.959 There were some present at the very time who told him, Jesus, about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, so he he murdered them, he killed them. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:14.240 And he answered them. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:16.079 Jesus answered this group. 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:22.160 Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:23.839 No, I tell you. 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:28.319 But unless you repent, you will likewise perish. 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:38.240 Or those 18 on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:44.480 So some of the people they were asking this question about these people who were killed by Pilate. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:47.040 Their implied question is this. 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:50.639 They're worse than me, right, Jesus? 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:55.600 Like they're kind of like the they're kind of like the super sinners, and I'm just like maybe like not quite as bad. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:03.680 Because if that's true, well, it means I'm better than them, which we would love that, but then it also means then maybe something like that can't happen to me. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:11.199 Because then it would just be reserved for like the really bad people, and then what I need to do in my life is just not be too bad. 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:14.560 And Jesus says, Oh no. 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:18.639 No, there's no worse sinners. 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:26.560 You're not better than them, and you can't control whether that happens to you or not. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:29.439 See, Jesus turns it around directly on them. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:31.600 And he says, Hey, quit looking at them. 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:33.120 Like that's not even the game. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:35.759 Unless you repent, you will also perish. 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:39.840 So he turns it right back on you and me. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.919 Don't sit in judgment on somebody else. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:46.960 They're worse than you or better than you. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:48.480 Unless you repent. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:51.919 Unless you give up, unless you turn around. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:58.320 All we have is people created beautiful in God's image. 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:00.320 But we're sinners. 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:01.360 We're not perfect. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:04.799 We rebel, we try to self-save, live without God. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:06.240 That's all we have. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:07.759 And that's point number two. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:10.799 There are no good people, and there are no bad people. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:14.159 There are only beautiful yet broken people. 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:16.480 So there's no like better people, like good people. 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:17.600 That's a good person. 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:21.759 But there's no also no bad people, like, oh, that's the super, the worst person. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:22.720 That's not how it is. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:23.440 You know what it is? 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:24.240 It's just us. 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:31.279 And what we are is we are beautifully created by God, and yet we are sinners in need of God's grace. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:33.279 It's the story of every person. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:40.080 Jesus wants to point out some things about this, so he heads into a parable to teach it. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:44.320 Verse 5, he repeats his thing about repent, or you'll also perish. 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:52.480 No, I tell you, but unless you repent, so the way to life, eternal life, is by turning toward God, you will also likewise perish. 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:54.000 And he told him this parable. 00:09:55.120 --> 00:10:01.039 A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit from it, and he found none. 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:07.440 And he said to the vine dresser, Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:08.639 Cut it down. 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:11.279 Why should it use up the ground? 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:17.440 And he answered him, Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:25.120 Then it should be bear fruit next year, well and good, but if not, you cut it down. 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:26.720 Now I didn't cut the text here. 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:28.000 That's actually where the parable ends. 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:29.519 We don't know what happens to the tree. 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:30.240 We have no idea. 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:31.840 It's almost like Jesus' point. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:32.799 You don't know. 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:40.320 But what we know here is the owner is God the Father, the gardener is Jesus, and we're the fig tree. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:42.960 And the owner says, hey, the tree's not producing any fruit. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:44.240 Let's cut it down. 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:47.679 And this is where the gardener steps in, and this is the good news for us. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:57.759 Verses 8 and 9 is the good news for us because Jesus says, Oh, are you talking about that that useless, beat up tree, that one? 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:00.000 I know that tree. 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:02.000 I know him. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:04.960 I know her. 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:08.320 Will you give me some time? 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:11.200 Give me some time with her. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:13.039 I know it's not looking good. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:15.440 I know she hasn't changed a lot. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:17.360 I know there's not a lot of fruit. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:21.120 We're probably not gonna put a testimony video of him up in front of the church. 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:22.240 I I know that. 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:24.240 Will you give me time? 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:30.320 I I think they'll get their act together. 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:31.600 That's what he's saying. 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:35.039 I think I I think I I can do something with him. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:43.519 Last Christmas, the sermons were over, Christmas Eve was over, the sermons were over. 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:46.720 Christmas presents were over on Christmas morning. 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:57.840 We had breakfast and Christmas presents, and we throw all the bags in the car, and we're all packed up to go to Florida, to Christy's parents' house in Florida, and we're heading down, we head down Church Street, we turn left on the loop. 00:11:57.919 --> 00:11:58.799 Nobody's on the road. 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:00.240 My Christmas gift to myself. 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:03.279 Nobody's on the road to drive in these situations. 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:04.960 It's just worth it, guys. 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:11.519 Just say, hey, you know, only present I want, sweetheart, just let me go drive on the Interstate Christmas afternoon. 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:12.879 It is wonderful. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:15.039 And I'm looking forward to getting on that interstate. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:21.679 We're so close to being on the interstate, so we're 10 minutes from our house, and I look at Christy and I say, Hey, did you get the swim bag? 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:27.519 Sort of implying, like, hey, you were supposed to get the swim bag. 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:35.200 Did you get the like goggles, sunscreen, pool tool, like our sanity for being around a pool with little kids? 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:37.679 And it wasn't Christmas joy. 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:40.480 She looked back at me and was like, no, I didn't. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:41.279 Did you get it? 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:43.919 Because I was actually the one supposed to get the swim back. 00:12:44.159 --> 00:12:49.679 And I wasn't really frustrated with Christy because I was the one who's supposed to get the I always get the swim back. 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:51.120 I'm the one who gets the swim back. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:53.039 I'm frustrated with myself. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:55.519 And this wasn't my plan, right? 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:58.000 I was gonna make great time. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.679 We're gonna have a rest stop right before making. 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:02.879 Great rest stop. 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:03.679 We hit that one. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:05.279 We're gonna stop in Tifton for food. 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:07.039 We're gonna hit the rest stop on the turnpike. 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:10.639 We're gonna dehydrate our children in between so there's no extra stuff. 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:15.600 Like, I have the plan, and this is not, this is not part of my plan here. 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:23.600 And it's like, here again, just a reminder, just a reminder, Russ is sort of gonna mess something up. 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:24.320 Right? 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:37.279 Like, oh, I kind of messed that sermon up last night on Christmas Eve, and if I noticed, but I noticed, and I'm thinking about that, and then like, oh yeah, I was a little impatient with that other thing, oh yeah, by the way, and you can't even put a swim bag in the car. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:44.159 It would have only been 10 minutes home, 30 seconds to get the bag, 10 minutes back. 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:47.679 We're talking 20 minutes and 30 seconds, right? 00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:51.360 So hard to turn around. 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:56.240 So hard. 00:13:57.679 --> 00:13:59.519 We just hate turning around. 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:04.879 Because turning around implies that we were wrong. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:10.399 But what if? 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:16.000 What if the turnaround was always in the context of God's kindness? 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:21.200 What if it was always in the context of God's love and acceptance of you? 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:29.360 What if it was never there was what if there was never a shame-filled lecture or guilt trip or condemnation when you turned around? 00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:35.440 Tim Keller wrote a great article, All of Life is repentance. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:38.000 I've read this quote before, it's worth reading again. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:42.960 Our hope is in Christ's righteousness, not our own. 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:48.480 So it is not traumatic to admit our weaknesses and lapses. 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:52.639 In religion, we repent less and less often. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:15:02.320 But the more accepted and loved in the gospel we feel, the more and more often we will be repenting. 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:17.360 Point number three is this while the result of repentance is bearing fruit, while the result of repentance is bearing fruit, Jesus is patient with us to work out that fruit. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:24.080 So while the result of repentance is bearing fruit, Jesus is patient with us to work out that fruit. 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:31.679 Like it didn't do much. 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:33.200 Like, I mean it just planted it. 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:37.759 Like it took so long for anything impressive to happen. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:43.039 My neighbor across the street, Greg across the street, diagonal across the street, he planted an elm tree like three years ago. 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:45.440 It was almost the same size. 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:52.000 And Jesus compares us to a tree, a fig tree. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:56.159 Trees are very unimpressive in their ability to change quickly. 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:02.080 See, change doesn't always happen quickly. 00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:03.759 Not always. 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:06.720 And you know this. 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:11.600 If you've ever lived with anyone, right? 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:21.360 Like a roommate, a brother, a sister, a parent, a spouse, you know this because you know the human nature in them and they know the human nature in you. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:28.639 And maybe you can do some adaption and your behavior out in public, but they know the you that is resistant to change. 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:38.879 But the promise is not that you're gonna be transformed into perfection overnight. 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:40.240 That's not the promise. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:45.600 The promise is Jesus' regard to you, that he asked for more grace in this situation. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:47.279 Hey, give me more time with him. 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.440 I want more time with her. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:51.519 The tree should have been cut down. 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:53.440 The owner's like, hey, it's not producing fruit. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:54.159 Let's cut it down. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:55.759 It's just no, give me some more time. 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:57.039 I want some more time. 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:02.000 I'm gonna put some fertilizer around, I'm gonna dig around, I'm gonna work some in their heart. 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:05.119 I think they'll come around. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:07.680 I think they're getting there. 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:14.559 And in all the ways, I mean, this is sort of the point where I go, like, okay, so like, is my repentance enough? 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:17.440 Like, like, am I sorrowful enough? 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:23.759 And like, well, maybe I'll just okay, so then I could, I'll just repent of the lack of my repentance. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:25.200 Anybody doing that yet? 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:26.000 I'll do that. 00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:27.599 That kind of covers a few things, right? 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:32.400 Just like, all right, so I repent, but I'm like, ah, it's not quite sorrowful enough, so let's repent of the lack of sorrow. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:36.079 So, okay, so I covered that, and then like, well, there's probably stuff I haven't repented of. 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:38.160 Well, let's repent of the stuff I'm not aware of. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:40.880 And I'm like, all right, now we're like pretty covered here. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:45.759 And then you're like, well, but what if all of that is not like meaningful enough or something? 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:47.599 And here's what I want to say. 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:51.519 Yes, it's not. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:59.759 And you get a ways down the road and you're like, oh wow, even my repentance was like pretty self-righteous in that moment, or you are aware of something else. 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:01.839 You repent of what you're aware of. 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:03.680 That's what you repent of. 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:06.640 You repent of it in the amount of sorrow you have. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:12.960 And for all the ways that you lack in your repentance, Christ's righteousness, still enough for you. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:15.039 Still enough. 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:19.759 That's why our sin is put upon him on the cross. 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:21.279 Like that's where the work was done. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:22.880 He did the word, not us. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:26.079 And his righteousness is given to us. 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:30.400 This week we watched the documentary on Mr. 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:31.920 Rogers, Won't You Be My Neighbor? 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:32.799 Has anybody seen that? 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:35.359 He's won some awards, pretty fantastic. 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:38.799 Uh his second most popular song is in there. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:40.079 He sings it. 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:43.359 And it's called It's You I Like. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:45.519 Here are the lyrics. 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:46.640 It's you I like. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:50.000 It's not the things you wear. 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:55.279 It's not the way you do your hair, but it's you I like. 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:04.880 The way you are right now, the way down deep inside you, not the things that hide you, not your toys, that are just beside you. 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:11.599 But it's you I like, every part of you, your skin, your eyes, your feelings, whether old or new. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:16.799 I hope that you'll remember, even when you're feeling blue, that it's you I like. 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:18.240 It's you yourself. 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:19.200 It's you. 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:20.960 It's you I like. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:26.079 I said, what's that about? 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:28.079 Well, it's not about license. 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:28.960 It's really not. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:32.000 It's not about like license, oh well, that means I can do whatever I want. 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:33.519 That's not what it's about. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:36.480 He knew. 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:48.160 He knew the best chance at real change from the heart outward, that the best chance for that came if you were fully known and fully loved. 00:19:49.119 --> 00:20:00.319 That is when the heart becomes so secure in being loved and forgiven that the heart is relieved and healed. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:06.720 And new motives, empowerment unto growth and grace can actually happen. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:10.000 The parable gives us exactly what we need to hear. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:17.680 Number one, accept reality about yourself, that you are in fact, and I am in fact, not perfect, in need of God's grace. 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:22.880 We are in need of Jesus stepping in and saying, like, oh yeah, they're not bearing enough. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:24.160 Give me some more time. 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:25.519 Give me some more time. 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:28.079 I'm I'm with I'm with him, I'm with her. 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:37.599 Number two, live in astonishment of that grace and repentance of anything you're aware of, and that's that's fruit. 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:39.200 That's fruit. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:50.640 And then lastly, trust and know that there is a gardener who refuses to cut you down because you're having a hard time. 00:20:51.599 --> 00:21:00.400 My brothers and sisters, we have a Jesus so wonderfully loving to us that he defends us and he nourishes us. 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:04.319 So may we live in continual collapse on him. 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:06.000 Let's pray together. 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:25.759 God, thank you that you love us so much that while we don't deserve life with you by our merit or our goodness, you yourself come in the person of Jesus, and not only do you teach, but you lived out a life of grace upon us. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:30.240 Our lives are not what they should be. 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:37.920 They're not what we even want them to be in so many ways, especially when it comes to our hearts and motives and thinking. 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:41.759 And yet you fully know all of it and you fully love us. 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:47.359 You declare us righteous by the cross, absolved of all of our sin. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:54.480 Would we trust and know this gardener who says, Give me some more time? 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:58.000 I love him, I love her. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:22:05.039 And would this love, this kindness, lead us to repentance and a life that honors you? 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:06.319 In Jesus' name. 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:07.279 Amen.