WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:04.639 So Tuesday night I went out with my little girls trick-or-treating. 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:10.640 My two uh my two little ones were dressed for characters from Descendants, which is a new Disney movie. 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:19.760 My oldest one was was dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, and Christy and I, we taped uh pictures of helicopters to our to our shirts. 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:20.640 You get it? 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:23.039 Helicopter parents, you get it. 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:25.120 We were kind of proud of that. 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:44.880 So we're walking along, and the girls are running up to each house and they're coming back, and then we go up to the sidewalk to the next one, and they run up to the next house and they come back, and about halfway through the night, uh, my littlest one, the four-year-old, who's having an absolute blast because I mean, this to her, this was amazing. 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:50.880 These houses, strangers are just giving her candy. 00:00:51.119 --> 00:00:54.399 I mean, this is an amazing, amazing thing. 00:00:54.640 --> 00:01:02.880 And so she looks down at one point, we're walking along, and it's just the most magical night of her life, the fact that this is happening. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:12.400 And she looks down into her bag and she sees all this candy, and she looks up at me with this huge smile, like, Dad, is this really happening? 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:14.640 Can't could this be true? 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:18.000 Now she doesn't know that we take all the candy away two days later. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:18.959 She doesn't know about that. 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:24.319 But for her, it was like she was getting away with something. 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:26.159 Like, like, this is so amazing. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:37.280 And just like almost like the next moment we hit the next house, she turns, I turn, we look up the sidewalk to that house, and that house is decked out. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:47.840 I'm talking fog machine, spooky music, there's like a coffin, and there's like witches, and she looks at me, the smile's gone at this point. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:52.560 Smile's gone, and she looks at me, and she just says, Dad, I don't I don't want to go. 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:54.400 Now, there's plenty of candy up there. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:56.319 Same candy's been in other houses, right? 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:59.120 Like same free candy, but something changed, right? 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:00.560 Something changed. 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:08.159 Suddenly, all that free candy, she knew the free candy was up there, but all that free candy didn't matter. 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:09.439 Why? 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:20.479 Well, because suddenly all the joy and the life and the magic of all of it that she was experiencing, it just stopped because she ran up against fear. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:22.400 And you know the feeling, right? 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:30.400 Like life is going on and you're full of joy and you're full of you know all this great life, and then all of a sudden it just stops. 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:36.319 Because you and I we start to think things like, well, what if that happened? 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:38.639 Or what if that happened? 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:42.319 Or what if that, what if that, what if that never happened? 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:44.560 And what would that say about me? 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:48.319 What would that say about what would that say about me if this is always true? 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:52.240 Or what would that say about me if the thing I'm thinking is really true about me? 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:55.199 I mean, what if what if I really am a fake? 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:57.599 Like that fear that's really inside of me? 00:02:57.759 --> 00:02:58.879 What if that's really true? 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:01.039 What if people, what if people don't approve of me? 00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:03.120 What if what if I really am a failure? 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:04.960 Like that fear that's inside of me? 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:09.199 Or what if I really am unlovable, like that fear that's inside of me? 00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:11.439 What if I go there and I'm alone? 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:14.080 What if I go there and I get hurt? 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.240 And I'm learning, I'm learning more and more about my fears. 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:24.000 Very clearly, I am afraid of failing and I am afraid of looking incompetent. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:27.039 Those are my fears, amongst many, many others. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:33.199 And at times it leaves me feeling a lot like my little four-year-old on that sidewalk. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:39.680 Because if I go there and if I fail, I mean, what if I look incompetent, right? 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:43.680 Like, what if, and what if, and what if, and we get stuck, don't we? 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:44.479 We get stuck. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:45.439 That's what fear does. 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:46.639 We get stuck. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:55.120 And so that brings me to this text this morning because these guys in this text, in this upper room, they're a little stuck. 00:03:55.360 --> 00:03:59.280 Like Jesus has told them what to do, but they're they're huddled up. 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:01.280 They're huddled up in a room. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:03.919 They're not out there doing everything Jesus said to do. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:11.919 Because if you remember in Matthew 28, Jesus says to his folks, hey, you will go into all the nations telling the story of rescue and redemption of me. 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:15.120 Go and baptize and do this work. 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:19.279 And then we get there in Jerusalem, hey, there's plenty of folks there. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:22.560 And they ain't out there sharing with them. 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:24.160 They're huddled up. 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:27.199 The same group of people. 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:30.879 They are very hesitant, they're unsure, they're afraid, they're stuck. 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:32.399 And they're thinking, hey, what if? 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:33.439 What if I go there? 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:34.560 What if I go out there? 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:35.439 What if I say that? 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:37.199 What will the Romans do? 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:40.000 Like, what if people don't approve of me? 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:41.279 What if people don't respond? 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:42.480 What if I get arrested? 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:43.600 What if I get killed? 00:04:43.759 --> 00:04:47.439 What if this, what if, and what if, and what if, and what if, and what if? 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:51.120 And you know the feelings, the ways that we do this in our minds. 00:04:52.000 --> 00:05:00.639 So we get this passage in Acts 2, this group of people in a room, quite hesitant, quite unsure, afraid, they're stuck. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:03.040 And let me reread verses 1 through 4. 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:12.720 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place, and suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:19.120 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:21.680 So something incredible happened, right? 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:29.920 So divided tongues as of fire, so something like as dynamic as fire, something just mystical and crazy and unusual. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:34.000 It rested on each of them, and they were filled, that means overwhelmed. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:42.240 You can visit last week's sermon for that, with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:44.079 So just a few points here. 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:52.560 Point number one, Pentecost, point number one, Pentecost is the turning point from do it yourself to grace to you. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:57.120 Pentecost is the turning point from do it yourself to grace to you. 00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:01.519 I read that this week and I stole it, and that's why it's point number one, because it is that good. 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:04.800 Now to understand Acts chapter two, and I never got this. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:16.480 I've read, I've read Acts chapter many, many, many times, but to understand Acts chapter two, we have to go back to this ancient story, which is in Exodus 32, to understand Acts 2. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:21.759 And the people of Israel had been in slavery for 400 years in Egypt. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:24.720 And finally, God moves on their behalf. 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:30.560 And yet, in spite of a bunch of these plagues that God's putting on the Egyptians, he said, Hey, free my people, free my people. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:32.480 And Egyptians say, Ah, we're not going to free them. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:34.720 Another plague, we're not going to free them, another plague. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:38.000 And Pharaoh keeps refusing to let God's people go. 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:41.360 And finally, one last plague comes. 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:42.800 And it's known as the Passover. 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:54.560 And the Passover is where an angel went through all of Egypt and killed every firstborn in every household where there was not blood put on the doorpost. 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:55.759 Blood of a lamb. 00:06:55.920 --> 00:06:57.759 That's a strange story, right? 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:04.160 Strange story, but the story is telling us something, is leading us somewhere. 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:08.560 See, after these people were led out of Egypt through the Red Sea, they're in the desert. 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:11.279 I am paraphrasing a lot of history at this point. 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:17.680 While in the desert, Moses goes up on Mount Sinai to hear from God, like, hey, what are our lives supposed to be like, God? 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:19.759 Like now we're your people and we're free. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:21.120 What are we free for? 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:22.240 How do we live? 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:24.079 What is life like for us? 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:30.480 And so he goes up on Mount Sinai and he comes back down with these ten commandments, the law. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:33.040 This is how you should live your life. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:34.879 He gives them to the people. 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:42.000 Then Moses goes back up on the mountain, and the people don't like how long it's taking Moses to come back down. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:42.480 Right? 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:45.600 We never quite like timing in our lives. 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:47.360 And they don't like it. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:57.120 And sure enough, when Moses comes back down later than the people thought he should have come down, when he comes back down, the people had thrown a huge party. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:07:58.720 They are going at it. 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:04.079 They are drunk, they're gorging themselves, and worse yet, they've built an idol. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:07.360 And they are bowing down and they are worshiping an idol. 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:18.800 Basically saying, hey, that God who rescued us and did those amazing things and led us out of Egypt through the Red Sea and conquered an army for us. 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:21.360 Like that God, not enough. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:26.079 I'm just going to build something with my hands and I will bow to that every day. 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:30.560 And God was enraged toward such destructive behavior. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:32.399 And out of this we get this verse. 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:34.480 Exodus 32, verse 28. 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:37.440 This is the connection to Acts 2, verse 28. 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:44.320 And that day, about 3,000 men of the people fell. 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:47.440 Not like drunk and fell, right? 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:51.360 Like fell, like dead, fell and dead. 00:08:51.759 --> 00:09:00.960 Now, if we jump to Acts chapter 2, where this shift is occurring for how people should understand how God wants to relate to them this side of Jesus. 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.200 And the people begin to speak in different tongues. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:06.960 We're going to look at that next week, this kind of mystical miracle thing. 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:17.200 And then just as miraculous, Peter, this incredibly wimpy disciple, I mean, this really wimpy guy, he gets up, he preaches in front of thousands of people. 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:20.879 Like kind of like the last guy you think would do this. 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:23.440 And he starts talking about Joel, the prophet. 00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:35.200 He talks about King David, and he weaves it together, and he kind of puts out in front of them the proof that Jesus is the Christ and he died on the cross for your sins, gives you his righteousness, your sin is put upon him. 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:43.679 And then it says in Acts chapter 2, there were added that day about three thousand souls. 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:51.679 Now, why would Luke, the author, pick three thousand souls? 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:55.440 Well, it wasn't the evangelical counting. 00:09:55.600 --> 00:10:01.039 I see that hand, I see the hand in the back, I see that hand over there. 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:05.840 We won't ask you to come down front, and the whole time they're gonna get you to come down front, right? 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:07.600 Like, that's not what it is. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:17.919 It's not the counting, it's a way so brilliant that Luke is hiding in the text something. 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:20.159 He's hinting towards something. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:29.919 See, when Moses came down off that mountain, it was 50 days after Passover, Penta. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:40.639 And now we have this moment where the Spirit comes upon this room, Peter reacts, goes and preaches, and it's 50 days after Passover, and it's Pentecost. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:44.639 And then Luke writes 3,000 men. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:55.039 Luke's point is this: the law, which is about being enough and being perfect or maintaining some level of being good enough. 00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:57.039 This is not the gospel. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:19.919 The gospel is while you hide and you're stuck and you fail before the law and you fail before the Ten Commandments, and you're in fear in some way, in some upper room, God finds you and He bestows upon you his spirit, not because you're good, not because you're, but because you're His. 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:22.799 3,000 dead? 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:24.240 No, no, no, no, no. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:25.519 Not anymore. 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:27.919 It's 3,000 alive. 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:31.919 Ten years ago we bought a little craftsman house in Grant Park. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:34.639 I talk about that house a lot because it was our first, it was our first child. 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:37.039 That house was our first child. 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:49.039 It was broken down, it was beat up, and we renovated that thing room by room, and we lived there for five years, and eventually it became time to renovate the one, the one bathroom in the house. 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:52.639 So day one, and we lived in the thing. 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:53.840 Like we're not moving out. 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:55.039 Okay, so understand that. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:55.759 Turn this. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:12:02.240 So day one, I removed the sink and the toilet and the tub, and the tile guy comes in and he demos the tile. 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:03.279 That's day one. 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:08.559 Day two, the tile guy levels the floor because there ain't no level floor in that entire house. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:10.399 So he levels the floor. 00:12:10.799 --> 00:12:16.960 And then at this point, day three, remember we're without a bathroom, so we're showering at the Y. 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:20.320 We got a little outhouse thing going on in the backyard. 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:25.919 And we're becoming friends, awkward friends with the people at the CVS, because you ain't buying nothing. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:29.600 You're just walking in toward the back and kind of giving a little wave and nod. 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:33.360 And if you fill that in, you know what I'm talking about. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:35.120 So finally, day four comes. 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:37.840 We're looking forward to a bathroom. 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:41.919 Because Brenda at the CVS is getting weirder and weirder every day. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:45.600 And so finally, day four comes, and the tile guy he grouts. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:52.720 And that afternoon, I can put the sink in and I get the tub in, and finally it's time for the toilet. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:57.039 I've never wanted a toilet more than day four. 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:59.279 And so I handle those first two pretty easily. 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:02.080 Get the sink in, tubs in, no problem. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:02.879 No problem. 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:19.440 And I get to that toilet, and I got like a gasket and like some other things that the guy at Lowe's told me to buy, and I get it down and in, and man, it's the pipe's not reaching because the floor is higher than it used to be. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:21.679 So I'm back up at Lowe's to buy another gasket. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:24.240 It was apparently can only use a gasket one time. 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:27.200 And I'm buying another gasket and like some pipe or something. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:29.039 I don't know what I'm doing. 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:30.159 I don't know what I'm doing. 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:33.039 I'm talking to a guy at Lowe's, he's trying to fill me it. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:36.240 He's never been to my house, hadn't seen my toilet, hadn't seen my floor. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:37.440 I'm buying something else. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:38.480 I'm back at my house. 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:45.519 It's gone from afternoon into evening, and my frustration is building and building and building. 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:52.320 And then by late evening, you you've maybe you've been here where you've taken on great projects like this, very wise of you. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:57.039 And now it's late evening, and now I'm beginning to be afraid. 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:03.840 That Christy and I are driving up to the CVS again to wave to Brenda and head toward the back of the store. 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:09.759 And finally, sometime in the evening, I do what Christy had told me to do like in the afternoon. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:14.960 Why don't you call a plumber? 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:16.960 A brilliant idea. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:25.039 No, I would prefer to waste eight hours of my life buying more and more gaskets and pipes and stuff, right? 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:26.639 That's what I want to do. 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:32.159 And finally, finally, I call, I call Buddy the plumber. 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:36.399 And I can remember all the frustration just go away. 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:39.519 Like as soon as I call, just all the frustration go away. 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:43.600 Because suddenly I wasn't alone in it, right? 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:46.639 The do-it-yourself project was over. 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:52.240 There's no better feeling than the do-it-yourself project being over. 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:55.039 Does anybody know the feeling of that? 00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:59.679 Like you took something on and you're so under it, you're overwhelmed, and what do I do? 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:02.080 And then finally you're like, I'm out. 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:04.159 I'm calling somebody. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:12.080 And you're so free when finally somebody shows up and they know what they're doing. 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:15.759 He knows what he's doing, and you feel so free and so grateful. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:17.360 And we know these experiences. 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:25.440 We know them in home projects, we know them in school projects, we know them in relationship issues, we know them in illnesses and anxieties and fears. 00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:34.320 We know it in guilt, situations where things just aren't turning out the way you thought they were, and you've been trying to handle it all. 00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:41.919 And all of this, we are afraid of how out of control a situation is getting, and we're overwhelmed. 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:48.879 And then in that fear, we just start to hide, we clamp down, we withdraw, we're afraid of the future. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:50.480 We're like these disciples. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:54.159 They're afraid, they don't know what the future holds, and they're very afraid. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:56.559 They don't know how to move forward. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:04.000 And then we have this Pentecost where the helper comes, right? 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:05.200 That's last week's sermon. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:19.759 The helper, the counselor, one that lives in you, that declares upon you the gospel that by the cross of Jesus you are righteous and you are validated, and you have a power within yourself from God over, over your fear. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:26.159 The do-it-yourself project is over because now it is about grace to you. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:32.639 Pentecost is all about that arrival, that arrival happening for us. 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:40.799 Fear says, oh, if you if you don't get that, or you know what, you better not end up like that. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:50.240 But see, if you're already loved, if you're already righteous, if you're already justified, see, this is the gospel. 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:51.840 That all of this is already true. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:17:01.440 This is what the Spirit, the helper, the counselor, is declaring over us in correction and in comfort, that you're already justified and righteous. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:03.440 And this was Peter's story. 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:15.519 This wimpy guy who stands up and preaches in front of thousands, not because he was perfectly brave, but because he was no longer bound by the fear. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:21.920 He could deal with the fear because he was already justified, already righteous, already loved. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:31.519 So to summarize a good bit of that, point number two, Pentecost is the beginning of the church being outward-looking movement. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:36.000 Pentecost is the beginning of the church being an outward-looking movement. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:38.400 Jesus says, go into all the nations. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:40.640 Jesus says, be my witnesses. 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:42.480 See, this is where it started. 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:44.480 This group of people going out. 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:56.319 From that room to Peter's sermon, to literally your grandma's Methodist church or the Catholic church on the hill or the underground church in China. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:58.960 This is where it started. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:05.039 And last point, point number three, Pentecost shows us where God meets us. 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:06.799 Because here's the good news. 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:12.720 Most days, you and I do not feel like Peter. 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:19.519 When apparently, he's apparently, I don't know, he's not perfectly brave. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:23.279 But he's feeling pretty brave when he's out there proclaiming in front of thousands. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:25.200 I mean, there was quite a transformation there. 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:27.200 But most days we just don't feel like that. 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:29.680 I think most days Peter probably doesn't feel like that. 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:32.319 And that's just kind of the reality of our humanity. 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:35.359 Most of the time we don't feel perfectly brave. 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:36.640 We're far from perfect. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:38.799 We don't always have a grip over our fears. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:41.039 Most days we do feel fake. 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:43.839 A lot of times we are pretending. 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.200 We definitely feel like we're not measuring up. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:52.000 And yet the good news is that God does not meet you at the top of your rope. 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:53.839 Where does he meet these guys? 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:59.440 He meets these folks in a room when they're hesitant and they're unsure. 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:02.240 The Spirit meets us in our fear. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:07.839 God always meets us in our fear when we don't have our acts together and when we're at our dead end. 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:13.119 Because then, it's only then, it's the only way it'll ever be that we're finally open. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:22.480 When finally we're ready for the do-it-yourself project, that we just keep trying to do in our own power and control. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:34.799 We're that mentality in life and in school and in relationships and in finances and and your value, when finally that project's just over. 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:45.599 And even your self-righteousness project can be over because the spirit gives to you the work of Christ for you, his righteousness put upon you. 00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:52.319 That in Jesus you are beloved, and Jesus you are valued, and Jesus you are righteous. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:56.000 So, my brothers and sisters, we're the church. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:20:07.920 May you grow in your awareness of the spirit which is already in you, and may you begin to move into your fear, overcoming these things in our life. 00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:09.440 Let's pray together. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:27.839 God, we acknowledge that your perfect love overcomes fear, not because fear will suddenly go away, but that we can finally deal with it rather than be controlled by it or run from it or pretend it's not there. 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:34.319 God, we thank you that it is not 3,000 dead, it is 3,000 alive. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:40.319 And we are no longer under the law, we are under your grace to us. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:49.680 We thank you for the gift of Jesus that makes all this possible, that we do not have to live under fear and hesitancy. 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:55.519 Would you help us as a group of people who truly lack faith? 00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:58.079 We just don't always live in faith. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:03.279 Would you help us to rest and trust in greater ways in Jesus? 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:09.599 That He is sufficient, that you are sufficient for us in that great gift of your Son. 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:14.079 And would you help us to see that we're always at the bottom of our road? 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:17.359 We're always there. 00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:19.759 Everything else is an illusion. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:25.039 Help us to see that so that we might be open to your spirit working in us. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:28.160 Help us with our fear. 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:29.440 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:30.240 Amen.