WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.600 So today is the first Sunday in Advent, as Matt said. 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:07.120 And so that's these weeks and this time period leading up to Christmas. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:09.359 There's the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:13.599 And this text is kind of shocking given the fact that it is Advent. 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:15.839 You think, oh, we're waiting, we're moving towards Christmas. 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:21.039 And shouldn't we be talking about warm and fuzzy and Christmas type of things of hope? 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:24.640 And then you get this text and these thoughts and this language. 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:27.039 It's shocking language. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:29.039 It's shocking thoughts. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:30.879 We use that word a lot, right? 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:31.440 Shock. 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:32.240 I'm shocked. 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:33.840 I'm shocked. 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:35.039 Did you hear that? 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:36.159 I'm shocked about that. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:39.119 I'm shocked what happened yesterday at the game. 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:40.719 I'm shocked, right? 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:41.600 I'm shocked. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:42.799 Did you hear they broke up? 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:44.479 Did you I can't believe they broke up? 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:46.799 I can't believe she's with him. 00:00:47.359 --> 00:00:48.640 I'm shocked about that, right? 00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:52.399 We we use this language, or maybe you were been literally shocked. 00:00:52.719 --> 00:01:02.479 Because you one time you changed the batteries and flashlights, or you're a pro-electrician, and so you thought you could change an outlet without turning the breaker because you didn't want to walk all the way to the basement. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:03.920 Then you take the cover off. 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:10.319 You're such a pro, and as soon as you pull that outlet out, you your finger hits that live wire, and that jolt shoots up. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:12.319 Anybody just want to confess that? 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:13.439 Okay, me too. 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:13.920 I mean it. 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:15.280 That's why I have this example. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:19.920 And that jolt shoots up your hand into your forearm, right? 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:21.280 You've been shocked. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:23.280 It's a jolt to your system. 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:26.159 And if it doesn't kill you, it will wake you up. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:27.760 It wakes you up. 00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:30.079 That's what happens when you're shocked. 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:36.879 That's what happens when you have a shocking thought, or somebody puts in front of you a shocking truth, and shocking things happen. 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:38.319 Sometimes we need to be shocked. 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:40.400 We need to be shocked with truth. 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:43.840 We need to be awakened to what is true. 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:47.920 Because it's easy, it's easy for life to just be a cycle, right? 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:52.959 Like sort of like a sort of like a Truman show where you just remember it, right? 00:01:53.040 --> 00:02:03.840 You just fall asleep and you wake up the next morning and you you do that day again, and you fall asleep, and then you do like like yesterday is just today, and tomorrow's gonna be today, and you just keep doing the same thing. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:08.560 We can almost hear ourselves say it when we say, like, oh, can you believe it's almost Christmas again? 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:12.080 Like, oh, the fall, the fall went, the fall went by so fast. 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:13.840 Oh, we're almost at Christmas. 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:15.759 Like, like this, like this cycle, right? 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:19.520 Like it just keeps going and keeps going and keeps going. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:26.080 And then here comes Jesus into this cycle that we often get in. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:29.759 And he just jolts us with some truth this morning. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:38.159 And the main point is this the main point is nothing new, perhaps, if you've been around church, and it's that the world is passing away. 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:42.240 And we should get used to that now. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:49.280 And maybe that's new to you, or maybe it may be maybe you've never heard it. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:50.400 But let's let's see it in the text. 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:53.439 We'll work our way through this text, Luke 21, 25 through 36. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:56.879 We'll read a few verses, talk a little bit, read a few more verses, talk a little bit. 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:03.280 Verse 25, and there will be signs and sun and moon and stars. 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:06.639 Jesus is getting kind of poetic here, like this language. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:23.680 And on the earth, distress of nations and perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken, and then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:34.879 So just before this, in the preceding verses, Jesus has been talking with these people, been talking very practically, hey, there's there's wars coming for you, and your temple will be destroyed. 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:37.840 Now that would have been horrific thoughts to them. 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:40.479 That would have been horrible thoughts to them. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:49.599 And then he goes from that to just like mentioning in sort of this like vague brush of language that this world will end. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:04:02.800 And he mentions this world will end, and the day will come one day when all that is broken will be restored. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:10.719 That brokenness is never the end of the story, and that's the good news when we come around this type of shocking truth: that there is a restoration. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:16.160 There is a return of Jesus to come and a restoration. 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:24.959 Now we always get sort of vague language when we get around this topic, and oftentimes people want, like, are we gonna get into a doctrinal conversation here? 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:26.480 Are you gonna explain it for me? 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:28.399 No, I will not explain it for you, right? 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:31.680 Like it is it's a very difficult subject matter. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:38.319 When we get around it, the writers of scriptures are always starting to use metaphors and poetic language, and we can form some theories about it. 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:39.920 Surely we can form those theories about it. 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:41.519 It's not what this text is about. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:54.399 This text is about Luke is writing, he's quoting Jesus, and he's moving us from this shocking truth, the world will end, your world will end, and he's moving us past that without a lot of explanation. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:57.519 Because just when we go, like, oh, tell tell me more about that, like what? 00:04:57.600 --> 00:04:58.399 Can you give me some details? 00:04:58.560 --> 00:04:59.199 Like, what's going on? 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:01.600 And he just moves us on. 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:04.160 But the truth is there, this is point number one. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:08.639 The world is unreliable, and this world will end. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:16.800 So, verse 28, now when these things begin to take place, begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads. 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:20.800 So this is this idea like, hey, like when this is going, don't be afraid. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:22.720 Straighten up, raise your heads. 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:23.920 You don't have to be afraid. 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:25.759 Because your redemption is drawing near. 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:26.959 And he told them a parable. 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:35.040 Look at the fig tree and all the trees, as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves, and know that summer is already near. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:39.279 So here's this idea of restoration, this idea of redemption is near. 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:43.360 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:48.639 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:52.480 So he's carrying us somewhere with this. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:56.959 Verse 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:20.800 And then he gets to verse 34, and he says, But watch yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap, for it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:23.040 So he takes us through this, right? 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:27.360 And he takes us from the shocking thought, and he takes us to our hearts. 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:32.560 Because this is true, this world is unreliable, and this world will end. 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:37.839 Because this is true, let's talk about your heart now. 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:46.879 That you and I, your Aunt Batty, your very grumpy neighbor, all of us have an interior life. 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:50.800 We have hearts that are easily weighed down. 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:59.519 And point number two is this is our hearts can care too little, and our hearts can care too much. 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:02.160 Let me explain that. 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:03.839 Verse 34 says, watch yourself. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:10.240 So this means to devote yourself to seeing yourself. 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:12.399 Now that sounds very selfish, doesn't it? 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:19.759 But but it means part of growing in grace will be to understand yourself more, to watch yourself. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:21.519 Why am I feeling this way? 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:23.360 Why did I do that? 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:30.879 Why did I emotionally shut down at Christmas dinner at my dad's house? 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:36.079 Why do I keep doing that? 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:39.040 Why do I keep feeling that? 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:44.879 Like now you're growing, you start asking those, but you're watching yourself, and you start growing, and you go, Lord, what's going on here? 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:50.240 Now there's room for confession, now there's room for the Holy Spirit to work in you and to grow you in grace. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:54.160 And you will see some beautiful things when you begin to watch yourself. 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:55.040 About yourself. 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:56.879 You'll see some beautiful things. 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:03.759 And then you will see some horrific things about your motives and about your anxiety and about your fear. 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:10.480 And all of that's going on inside of this interior, interior life. 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:13.040 And then Jesus says, okay, so that's going on. 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:19.439 You have this, you have your heart, it's easily weighed down, and then he really gets up in our business. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:22.879 And the first thing he gets up in our business about is about our drinking. 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:24.399 That's the first thing. 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:30.240 Not drinking alcohol, but drinking too much alcohol. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:32.720 There's two words here: there's dissipation, there's drunkenness. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:34.639 Neither means to not drink. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:39.519 Dissipation means you've drunken to the point of being nauseous. 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:42.960 He says, Oh, be careful when you're hitting that point. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:50.159 Drunkenness means you're drunk to the point you are no longer under control and the substance is under control. 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:51.519 Right? 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:56.720 This is all about using alcohol for something it can never deliver. 00:08:56.879 --> 00:09:01.039 And this is a common reaction to caring too little or caring too much. 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:04.080 If you care too little about something, you just want to escape. 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:08.080 Oh, there's nothing easier to escape with than a drink, right? 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:09.519 Or a few drinks. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:13.919 And if you care too much, you need to escape. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:19.039 Your heart is looking for a deliverer from these positions. 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:21.919 We want to escape. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:25.519 And we run to alcohol to give us relief, but it never lasts, right? 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:31.120 And you end up in some destruction in your wake, or eventually you will if you're going to alcohol for that. 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:41.440 You wake up the next morning with regret, you wake up the next morning with no memory, you wake up needing to say sorries, you wake up somewhere, you shouldn't wake up, all these things are possible. 00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:48.399 Then just when all the teetotalers in the room right now are getting judgy, right? 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:51.679 Like you're like, I knew it, I know that's how it works. 00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:59.200 Jesus says in verse 34, in the cares of this life. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:07.519 Meaning this, he he says, okay, like, all right, so I covered like how a very common way to escape, right? 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:17.759 He says, if you just, if you're bound up by the cares of this life, if you're overly attached. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:26.799 Jesus said, you can be overly concerned with life stuff that should just be stuff, but you're allowing it to be your functional king. 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:33.679 As much as somebody else is allowing alcohol to be their functional king, you can allow just life stuff to be your functional king. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:37.200 Are you distracted by worry? 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:40.000 Are you consumed by laundry? 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:40.399 Yes. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:41.039 All right, right? 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:41.759 Like, yeah. 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:44.879 Children, parenting, are you consumed by your body? 00:10:45.039 --> 00:10:46.320 Are you consumed by your money? 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:48.879 Are you consumed by romance or the lack thereof? 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:51.840 Are you consumed by your work or consumed by school, right? 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:54.399 All of this is life stuff. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:56.879 And none of what I just listed is bad. 00:10:57.039 --> 00:10:58.080 It's just life stuff. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:08.799 It's cares of this world that you should care about, but if you care about it too much, all of a sudden you're enslaved to it. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:13.279 It becomes your functional king, and your heart is weighed down. 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:14.480 Right? 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:17.919 You care too little, you can end up with a problem. 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:21.759 You care too much, you could end up with a problem. 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:26.639 And it says, and then a day comes like a trap. 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:31.519 This week I learned we had a little visitor in our crawl space. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:39.200 A little guy living down there, and I preferred to think of him sort of like a cute little Mickey Mouse. 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:41.440 Just a cute little friend down there. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.559 So I I got a couple of those good old snap traps. 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:46.639 I got down to the crawl space. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:48.559 I smeared the peanut butter on that. 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:50.159 I pulled that hinge back. 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:51.360 You ever set one of those? 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:52.480 That'll terrify you. 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:57.279 You set the pull that hinge back, you're watching your fingers and all of that, right? 00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:02.879 And I didn't see it happen, but I can imagine what happened because I saw the result the next day. 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:10.639 And I'm imagining little Mickey, he's crawling around down there, and he finds that peanut butter, and he's getting on that trap, and he is going to town. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:12.799 He is loving this peanut butter. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:17.759 He is smacking down on it, and then whack, he didn't even see it coming. 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:20.799 That's what a trap does, right? 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.799 Like he didn't even see it, it's over. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:28.240 You get caught up with all that peanut butter. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:31.200 And it's like a trap. 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:37.600 You didn't even realize it will all end soon. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:42.480 I'm not trying to say be in fear now. 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:46.639 I'm trying to say you don't have to fear now. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:57.200 Because everything you own, and everything you want, everything I own, and everything I want, it will pass away. 00:12:57.840 --> 00:12:58.799 It all ends. 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:00.879 It's a shocking truth. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:04.000 This great building. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:12.960 Your your your cozy home or your little apartment, your career, and your grades, and that new farmhouse sink you saved up for. 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:15.759 It's all gonna pass away. 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:20.559 It's just a matter of time until it ends. 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:22.639 And one day it will be restored. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:27.279 But it was never meant to be completely yours now. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:31.919 So you can you can see how you can care too little and you can care too much. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:36.720 And Jesus is giving us this gift with this shocking truth, isn't he? 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:50.399 Do you see can you start to see how this is a this is an absolute gift to receive the truth ahead of time so that when you turn 20 or 40 or 60 or 80, and then all of a sudden you realize, oh, this ends? 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:52.639 You don't have to be angry. 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:56.559 Like you've you've known this the whole time. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:13.200 Our culture is filled filled with people in love with the world and angry, either consciously or subconsciously, because they will lose the thing that they've given their hearts to. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:16.720 And Jesus says, We don't have to be angry. 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:25.919 Like, let's go ahead and come to grips with this truth now so that we don't have to be angry when we suddenly realize it at some point that all of this ends. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:27.360 What a gift this is. 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:29.519 We'll also want perfect justice. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:37.440 You're gonna want perfect justice because he did that or she did that or they did that, and you're never gonna get it. 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:47.759 No matter what, you're still left with your heart and to deal with your pain and your loss. 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:50.960 And that's something that the world can never help you with. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:58.399 Luke 21, verse 36. 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:03.039 But stay awake at all times. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:16.080 See how Jesus brings us into your life to right now, but stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man. 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:26.639 So Jesus has gone from the shocking truth, he's gone to our hearts, and now he gets into our practical lives, but it's attached to this idea that the world will end, and he attaches it to this idea of judgment in the afterlife. 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:28.799 You know, stand before the son of man. 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:30.639 Oh no, you're not supposed to be afraid of that. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:31.840 We'll get to that. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:36.799 This idea of staying awake, this means to intentionally with effort watch. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:40.159 This is kind of the second time he's mentioned this kind of thought. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:41.840 Stay awake. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:44.000 Be in the now. 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:46.720 Don't move into, don't move into worry. 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:48.399 You don't have to escape. 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:51.200 He says, pray. 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:52.720 Right? 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:57.200 And that doesn't mean like hit your knees at 7 a.m. 00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.120 for five minutes and you're done for the day. 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:00.000 That's not what that means. 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:01.039 That's not what that means. 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:03.039 It can be that, and it should be a lot more. 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:11.039 It means to live and walk in a surrender in a stillness with God, knowing that you live and move and have your being with God. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:13.519 It's an abiding, right? 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:16.080 Even in this context of this text, he's talking about your strength. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:17.519 It's like, well, where are you getting your strength? 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:19.360 Well, it's in this idea of I abide. 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:22.080 I am weak, but God, you are strong. 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:26.639 And because we're watching, here's what will happen. 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:29.919 Because you're being alert, here's what will happen. 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:34.000 You will realize you're not watching, right? 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:37.519 If you begin to watch, you'll realize you weren't watching. 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:42.559 If you begin to pray and live this, you'll realize, oh, I don't pray all the time, right? 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:48.000 Like you will inevitably come in touch with the fact that you don't do this very thing Jesus is asking you to do. 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:51.679 That's so important, you will not do it perfectly. 00:16:52.240 --> 00:17:02.320 And the good news is, is in the grace of God and in Jesus Himself, who's not just our teacher, but our Savior and our substitute, we go, oh yeah, okay, yeah. 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:06.079 I've been off for a day, I've been off for a week, I've been off for an hour. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:07.279 Thank you, Lord. 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:10.559 Righteous is in you, it's not about my record, it's about your record. 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:12.880 Uh thank you. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:15.279 And you begin to walk again. 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:19.920 Point number three, you get to stand tall. 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:23.119 And if not now, then one day. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:28.559 You you get to stand tall in the face of fear, in the face of judgment. 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:30.079 You get to stand tall. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:32.640 And if not now, then one day. 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:35.759 See, twice Jesus says, stand tall. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:44.720 But I'm aware there are days where we fail before that calling to stand tall in the face of this type of shocking reality of life. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:49.039 And this is why it's so important for us to always continue to remember what I just said. 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:59.119 Jesus was our teacher, but he was our Savior, our substitute, because he stood tall for us in front of fear. 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:10.400 He stood tall in purity, and he stood tall in integrity, and he stood tall in righteousness, and the cross is all about the place where he says, I will go and take all your lacking, your sin, upon myself. 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:13.440 I will give you my report, my record. 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:18.240 So when you stand before me, it is not about your record, it's about my record. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:20.240 And that's why you can stand tall. 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:23.599 Without that, how could you ever stand tall? 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:31.200 We don't have to be our own saviors with our perfect records and our perfect posture before fear. 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:37.039 And this is why the idea of judgment for the Christian has no fear. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:38.000 No fear. 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:40.720 Because it's not your record, it's Jesus' record. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:50.559 I heard this quote this week as an article by this lady, Sarah Dahl, that is titled Trading Brunch for the Eucharist. 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:53.920 Eucharist, I always consider that a fancy word for communion. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:19:02.240 And here's she lives in San Francisco and she did this odd thing with her family where she no longer does work out and brunch, but they go to church. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:05.359 An odd thing for some people to make that transition. 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:10.880 And here's what she writes So come to this table, says one of our pastors each week. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:16.240 You who have much faith, and you who would like to have more. 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:25.440 You who have been here often, and you who have not been here for a while, you who have tried to follow Jesus and you have failed, come. 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:29.359 It is Christ who invites us to meet him here. 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:32.559 We are issued an invitation, not an imperative. 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:35.680 Someone is waiting, regardless of our response. 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:41.279 We ourselves, our lives, our visions, our projects are abruptly decentered. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:52.240 We find ourselves guests in someone else's home, on someone else's schedule, oddly powerless, yet loved and honored, strangers and sojourners, but welcome nonetheless. 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:56.559 At the end of the day, we will die. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:10.240 And honestly, the fact remains that the human experience is in that sense one giant failure that is wholly resistant to innovation, design, creativity, and optimization as we know it. 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:18.880 Again, the body and blood that lie waiting on the table ask, is this final accounting such bad news? 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:32.799 The reason that we set it out each week and eat it and remember Jesus' story over and over again is because it's only a bad thing to be dead if it's also up to you to get yourself out of it. 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:43.279 When we go to church, we are reminded that we actually don't have a say in the matter, and that's the very best news of all. 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:56.400 My brothers and sisters in Jesus, you can stand tall because Jesus is the one who brings life into you, into all the dead parts. 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:58.240 Let's go to the Lord in prayer. 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:15.920 God, we thank you that our judgment is not based on our record, but based on your record, and our ability to overcome the death in us, the sin in us, is not based on our ability, but based on you and your power and grace in us. 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:20.480 And then it is something that is given, that we receive, we do not earn. 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:27.680 God, we are shocked when we read language like this about the end of the world, that so much of it is hard to understand. 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:33.920 We do not know the day, that the world will end, or that our world will end. 00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:36.799 And yet we know where you take us. 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:38.960 You take us into our hearts. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:54.160 Not to be afraid, but to be free of having to escape, to trust in you and find our joy and peace, and you to be the kinds of people that abide. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:57.119 And watch. 00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:59.359 And pray. 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:06.319 Give us the faith that we do not have to stand tall with our heads high. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:09.519 For you are sufficient for us. 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:14.079 Thank you for the work on the cross in Jesus' name. 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:14.960 Amen.