WEBVTT 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:09.759 Well, we are in our last week of going through this letter that Paul wrote on the New Testament, is this letter called the Book of Colossians. 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:16.160 So it's our last week, our last message on it, which means it's going to be our last review about it. 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:22.879 So it's your last chance to participate in the review, which some of you have refused to participate for many weeks at this point, and it's your last chance. 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:30.960 So what we've been saying, what we've been learning in the book of Colossians is that there's a structure over these four chapters, and the structure teaches us a lot. 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:40.640 And what we see in chapters one and two of Colossians is Paul launches out and he just writes all these promises to us of what we have in Jesus. 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:42.159 What Jesus is for us. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:46.560 Though we are broken and sinful in our condition, Jesus is our righteousness. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:57.600 He is the Redeemer and the Savior, and you are redeemed and saved by His work alone, not your work, and His promise after promise after promise after promise about your security in Him. 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:02.640 And so you don't have to be so worried constantly that the security could go away. 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:04.959 Chapters one and two, tons of promises. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:09.680 These promises are called the indicatives. 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:11.040 There's like three more added on. 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:11.840 That was your last chance. 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:13.040 I'm not even going to do it again. 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:17.519 So the indicatives, chapters one and two, there's a shift at the end of chapter two, right? 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:18.640 And we go into chapter three. 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:23.040 In chapter three and four, we see all the what does the Christian life look like? 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:26.959 Okay, because of this, how do I live? 00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:28.000 What does this look like? 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:36.560 And so we see in chapters three and four, we see application, and we see this is called the imperatives. 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:37.040 Correct. 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:40.560 So this is how Colossians is structured. 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:52.959 And what we see is we see that God's grace rescues us, his grace alone rescues us, saves us, and transforms us to live out the Christian life. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:58.719 When I was 15 years old, I was playing JV basketball as a sophomore in high school. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:06.319 And if you grew up playing sports, as you grew up, you looked at high school and you looked at those coaches, and they were everything. 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:12.240 But you know, to have their favor, to get into that, get on that team, to play under them. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:13.360 This was everything. 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:15.120 And so I'm playing JV basketball. 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:17.520 We had a bad game on Saturday night. 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:19.919 We didn't do too well and we didn't play well. 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:26.240 And then Sunday, you know, we're all hoping the coach goes to church and has some comfort there, but apparently he didn't. 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:27.840 And we get to practice on Monday. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:29.680 We didn't have a good practice on Monday. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:40.159 And then in the practice, he sits us down, and he was not an incredibly peaceful gentleman to start with, but he sits us down, and he, I can remember it. 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:46.319 I remember it clearly, he's sort of a big guy, he's kind of like reigning over us, and we're all these little skinny boys sitting down there. 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:59.039 And uh he starts over here, and he starts with my friend John, and he says, John, you would be a great player if you weren't such a screw up. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:02.479 You are a screw up. 00:03:03.120 --> 00:03:04.960 And then he comes to Brent. 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:06.000 Brent's next to him. 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:12.159 He says, Brent, we had such hope for you. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:14.479 Past tense. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:19.199 We thought you had so much potential. 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:22.639 And it it's just quiet. 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:23.599 Right? 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:26.240 I mean, he's not saying you missed a few shots. 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:29.919 He he's hitting some core uh some core issues here. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:39.599 And and it's just it's just quiet little hearts breaking, hardening, uh, for more distrust of authority, more distrust of your coach. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:41.520 And I I'm next. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:47.360 And it had not been a good couple years specifically with basketball. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:51.280 I'd broken this little bone in my back, and so I had to rehab and I couldn't practice for a while. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:53.520 And and he gets to me, but I had an arsenal. 00:03:53.599 --> 00:04:06.000 I had a bit of a mouth back then, and so I had an arsenal I could fight back with, um, and I'm I'm preparing for it, and he gets to me and he looks at me, and I can I can remember it like yesterday. 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:12.159 He says, Russ, you would be a good player if you weren't injury prone. 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:16.959 Now you think, that's not a big deal. 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:19.519 The problem is, is you think I'm skinny now. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:21.839 Like I was really skinny then. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:28.879 I was paranoid, I was insecure about, you know, the fact that if I get hurt and I couldn't, you know, I was too weak. 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:36.480 And when he said that, when he said that, what I heard was you are weak. 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:39.600 You don't measure up. 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:44.639 Here's the strange thing about it. 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:48.240 I can still hear those words. 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:51.519 It's been twenty years. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:55.040 Twenty years. 00:04:55.279 --> 00:05:01.839 Maybe you're here and you still hear that word that was spoken to you. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:13.839 By that coach or that person, that father, that mother that you are weak or unworthy or not okay, or you're unseen, or you are you, or you'll never fit in. 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:26.079 And see, what happens is, and this is what I've been learning lately, is that in our sin, which is in us, we hear a lie from outside, and a belief forms around that lie. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:32.560 Our sin turns it and it messes with us, and a life starts to form around that belief. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:37.040 And a life formed around lies is a life of destruction and decay. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:40.000 And this is the power of words. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:42.160 This is the power of words. 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:47.519 These things that come out of our mouth, they're not just words, right? 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:51.680 I mean, James says that it's like a rudder on a ship. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:58.560 They're powerful forces that shape our hearts and guide our histories. 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:03.199 Remember last week I talked about how I went out into my yard and I burned the grass in my yard. 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:06.959 I went out there with that little garden hose and a little match. 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:13.360 You know, and it's just one, you know, just one little flame, right? 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:16.480 It causes all that destruction. 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:20.879 And James says, James says that's words. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:23.439 That words can do that. 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:24.959 Destruction can begin. 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:27.279 James says that that can come out of our mouth. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:28.480 Now that's a bit bleak, right? 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:29.360 I mean, it's true. 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:30.560 It's true. 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:32.319 But it is bleak. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:35.759 Now, Paul says in our passage this morning, some good news. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:38.079 The converse is true. 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:39.439 Amazingly true. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:44.240 That words have the power to destroy, but other words, there are some other words. 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:47.199 And these words can create life. 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:50.160 They can create life in us and create life in other people. 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:53.839 They can give relief to people, they can give healing to people. 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:57.439 They can create a new idea, a new beginning. 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:00.240 And Paul, so Paul takes this. 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:12.000 And he says, we've been delivered out of darkness, and we are called to speak words of grace to those who are still in darkness. 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:15.360 Listen to the passage, Colossians 4, 5 and 6. 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:20.160 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:28.000 So outsiders, outsiders mean those who have yet to have placed faith and believe that Jesus is Savior and Redeemer. 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:32.000 So they are an outsider in that regard. 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:34.959 Make the most of every opportunity. 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:38.720 Let your conversation be always full of grace. 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:42.480 Now that's, if you hear those words always, it's like, oh my gosh, that's going to be difficult. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:49.920 Always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer every one. 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:54.560 Paul's saying, don't be trivial. 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:57.600 Don't be transactional. 00:07:58.319 --> 00:07:59.439 Be relational. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:02.800 Take opportunities. 00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:05.360 And he gives us, he gives us this image of salt, right? 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:10.160 Like James gives us that image of fire for destruction. 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:13.360 And Paul gives us this image of salt. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:19.040 And what they would do back in the ancient times is they would they would take salt. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:21.120 They would just take this little stuff, right? 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:25.680 Just little, you think, how much, how much effect could this have? 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:30.399 Well, just like one little spark can have a lot of effect. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:34.240 One, you know, one grain of salt, just a little bit of salt. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:39.440 And they would take salt and they would rub it, they rub it on the meat to preserve the meat. 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:47.919 So it so if we want to transition, if we want to transition the imagery, Paul is saying to us, you're refrigerators. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:53.759 Now don't be offended, you be some skinny, sleek refrigerator, you know, cool as you want to be. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:57.600 But you are called to be a refrigerator. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:06.639 Because we are supposed to be speaking words of preservation to people that wrap people up. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:14.080 And the decay that's going on in their lives, that salt can come into it and help preserve. 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:17.120 So Paul elaborates, he gives us elaboration here. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:23.360 So and he elaborates, he says, that so the words, the words of preservation are words of grace. 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:29.039 So grace is love that is unearned but given in full, and we know this in Jesus. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:32.799 And these are words that heal. 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:36.720 They speak value to the depleted. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:39.600 They say that wasn't your fault. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:42.720 Or they say that was your fault. 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:44.639 And it's okay. 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:48.080 You don't have to carry that shame anymore. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:51.200 You don't have to carry that guilt anymore. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:53.919 You are okay. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:59.519 These words can say, I'm sorry that happened. 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:02.399 How can I help you? 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:08.559 These words can say, they may not love you. 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:10.639 But I love you. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:15.679 These words say, you're gonna make it. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:22.639 These words say the work doesn't have to define you, your body doesn't have to define you, your children don't have to define you, your friends don't have to define you. 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:27.039 These words say, I see you, you are beautiful, you are loved by me, you are loved by God. 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:34.320 These words say, your sin, the weight and the shame, the guilt of it, it doesn't have to be on your shoulders. 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:38.879 That God is waiting to take that from you. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:43.759 These words say, Jesus is enough for you. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:53.759 See, these words, these words of grace, they unravel misunderstandings and lies that have created wounds and hounded people for too long. 00:10:54.159 --> 00:11:03.360 I could not think, I've told this story before, and maybe you've heard it, forgive me, but I can't think about words of grace being spoken without thinking about my friend James. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:05.519 My friend James, he's a pastor, he's older than me. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:09.279 And years ago, we went to Boston together to attend a conference. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:13.679 And James is one of the most disarming people I know. 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:23.919 He can love anybody, and he can just work his way in, and all of a sudden they are sharing their life story, and he is speaking words of grace into their life. 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:32.480 And I'm we get into Boston, we're on the train, it's like hour one, and I'm just figuring I'm gonna sit back and watch this guy operate for a few days. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:39.360 And we're sitting on the train, and there's a lady sitting next to us, and um, she's a black lady, and he says, How are he said, Where are you where are you headed? 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:41.919 And she speaks, and you could tell right away she's from Haiti. 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:43.679 And he says, Oh, where are you from? 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:46.799 And she says, Haiti, and he says, Oh, are you headed to work? 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:49.440 Are you headed to um you're headed somewhere else? 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:56.080 And she says, Well, I'm I'm headed to work right now, but I also go to school, and she's about 45, and he's like, Wow, that's a load for you, that's a lot to do. 00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:01.039 And this was right after the earthquakes in Haiti, and so he says, Do you sell family in Haiti? 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:08.960 And she says, Yes, I said I have family in Haiti, and so um I see him sort of he's talking to her and he kind of maneuvers a little. 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:23.360 He gets his wallet out when she's not looking, and he he kind of he just pulls out all the cash, puts his wallet back, and they keep talking, and he's just man, I bet that's been hard on you, and you know, I'm gonna pray for you. 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:43.519 I mean, he just keeps speaking life to her, and we get up and we're getting off at the same exit as her, and we get a few steps off the train, and and and he said he hands over this just bunch of cash to her, and he says, I want you to send this to your family and just tell them it comes in the love of Jesus. 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:48.879 And we get about five steps away, and he looks at me and he says, Hey, do you have any cash? 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:50.960 Yeah, thanks, appreciate that. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:13:01.840 Um I mean, just a couple hours later, we're at lunch, and the waitress comes up, and she comes up, and he just says, Hey, um, do you know the church like across the street? 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:03.840 We're going to this conference over there. 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:05.679 Um, you ever seen that church? 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:06.799 And she's like, Yeah, I've seen it. 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:08.000 He's like, You ever been there? 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:13.519 You know, he's just like disarming her to speak words of grace to her, and she didn't even know what's going on. 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:15.120 And he's and she's like, I've never been there. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:16.399 He's like, We're going to a conference. 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:18.480 They're like, uh, can I tell you about the conference? 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:20.080 He's like, Yeah, you can tell me about the conference. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:23.200 All of a sudden he's telling her about this conference, you know, of what we're learning. 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:28.799 And she starts to talk about what she thinks, and he's listening, not just preaching at her, he's listening to her. 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:33.519 And he just at the end of the conversation, at the end of our meal, he just says, Hey, I know the pastor there. 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:35.600 He would love for you to come anytime. 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:38.159 Um, you know, thanks for serving us. 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:39.120 That was the end of that. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:42.159 I mean, we go to the conference, we get on a plane to come home. 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:49.600 Uh he's sitting, I get on a plane, you get on a plane, you're going, just leave me alone, right? 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:51.840 Like, I just want to sleep, I want to read a book. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:58.960 And he sits down and he's sort of like measuring out the lady next to him, like her openness to talk or not. 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:00.320 He's not being pushy. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:08.639 And he, over the course of two hours, she lets it rip about her life. 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:30.320 And it looks like maybe she became a Christian when she was a teenager, and then she uh she became pregnant, she had a child, and her and her boyfriend moved in together, and then they had another child, and they've been living together for 15 years, and they have two children, they operate as a married couple, and when it comes down to it, and he's digging in and he's asking questions, and when it comes down to it, uh she's ashamed. 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:36.799 And so she won't go to church, and she doesn't even know she can interact with faith because of her shame. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:45.120 And he breaks down what Christian faith is to her, and it is like relief coming over her as he speaks. 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:47.759 And then I remember he says, you know what? 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:51.200 He says, uh, I think you should marry him. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:57.120 It would really honor God, and I think it would give so much security to your children. 00:14:57.440 --> 00:14:59.679 She's like, I've never thought about it that way. 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:01.759 He's like, Can I get your email and check back with you? 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:03.039 That's just the end of the conversation. 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:12.799 But it was like a weekend of watching somebody who was so fantastic at speaking grace and just any situation, every situation looked different. 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:17.200 There was no cookie cutter, you know, like, you know, layout here or formula. 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:22.159 It was just looking and seeing people and then speaking life into their lives. 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:26.159 Now, he doesn't always do that perfectly. 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:27.919 I don't always do that perfectly. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:29.360 You you don't always do that perfectly. 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:31.600 We know that we don't do this perfectly. 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:36.559 I mean, in fact, we can replay all the opportunities that we met messed up. 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:41.840 We missed them, we just pushed them aside, we went on with our day, we didn't care. 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:49.759 Or maybe you can even replay when you spoke the words of fire instead of words of salt. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:57.360 And what it is, is easy, it's so easy for us to use words to self-protect or self-project. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:03.279 And so self-protection words is we use words to be closed off to people. 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:04.639 Right? 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:14.080 Because there's still so many lies in us forming our beliefs and our lives, we just can't risk giving any words away. 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:14.960 Right? 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:18.320 We actually don't even think about it when we're self-protecting. 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:28.000 Because you're using all of your words to wrap yourself up, like a shield of armor, just more and more protection. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:34.159 And maybe you don't burn people, but you don't speak life into people. 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:41.519 Or maybe you're more like me and self-project, and you use words to create affirmation back toward you. 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:43.840 This is what I do. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:46.000 So you can't see someone. 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:58.320 In fact, it's that moment where you say, Hi, my name is Russ, and they say their name back, but I don't hear their name because I'm already thinking about the next thing to say, because I want to say the next thing so that they like me and then they affirm me, right? 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:00.000 You know what I'm talking about. 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:00.799 Right? 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:06.559 And it's because we're using our words to self-project and then create affirmation back from them back to us. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:20.319 And so we can't see beyond ourselves when we're trying to use them for self-projection to see the need that they might have, to see them, to listen to them, to care about them. 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:23.759 We're just too busy being needy. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:25.200 And we do this. 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:26.640 We do this because of our sin. 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:34.559 We do this because we have a condition that wants to create the self and redeem the self on our own, apart from God's help. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:45.599 We use other people's words or we use our own words to become righteous instead of using and receiving his word given to us. 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:49.759 Chapters 1 and 2 of Colossians. 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:52.799 That out of darkness he rescued us. 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:58.880 His word given to us, you are secure, you are righteous, you are affirmed, you are accepted. 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:03.920 You don't have to use Cindy Joe and Jojo and Billy Bob's words for affirmation. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:08.640 This is what Colossians teaches us, that there's a Savior for us. 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:12.240 It teaches us that the grace of God rescues us from our penalty of sin. 00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:19.359 And it begins to heal us and it grows us up into the desire to learn to speak words of grace to other people. 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:27.279 And then we can begin to see people because we're not as preoccupied with ourselves, self-protecting ourselves or self-projecting ourselves. 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:37.680 And we begin to be able to spot when other people are doing this, and it's not like a judgment thing, it's just a thing where we see it and we can speak life to them. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:40.720 Help them slowly to see that we do the same thing. 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:42.240 Like, yeah, I do that. 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:43.680 You don't have to do it. 00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:45.440 I'm trying not to do it. 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:51.920 There's a story in John 4, you probably remember we we we taught through it last year at some point. 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:55.119 Jesus is headed through Samaria. 00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:58.160 This is the woman at the well story. 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:00.960 And a lot of Jews didn't even go through this area because they hated Samaritans. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:02.400 They were outsiders. 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:04.000 They were the outsiders. 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:06.400 Don't talk to them, they're different than us, right? 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:13.279 We love to create these categories, and the Jews did it, and they would not even go, but Jesus heads to this area and he goes to the well, and it's midday. 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:14.640 This lady shows up. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:17.279 The fact that she's there midday sort of shows up right away. 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:18.480 She probably has some shame in her life. 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:22.720 She didn't want to be there in the early morning when all the other ladies would be there, so she's avoiding people. 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:28.400 She gets there, Jesus is there, Jesus talks to her and says, Hey, will you give me a drink of water? 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:29.279 She says, What are you doing? 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:30.480 What are you doing talking to me? 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:31.839 You're a Jew and I'm a Samaritan. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:32.640 I'm an outsider. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:34.640 Why would you speak to me? 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:40.319 And he says, Well, if you knew who I was, you would ask me for a drink of water and I would give it to you. 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:46.400 And then Jesus goes on and he says, Well, go get your husband and come back. 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:50.400 And he's like, I don't have a husband. 00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:51.920 You're right. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:53.920 You've had five. 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:55.759 You're living with another man. 00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:00.720 He doesn't speak this to berate her or make her feel guilty. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:05.599 He speaks it to begin to for her to see that she's broken. 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:18.079 And that he wants to extend grace to her because then what he says is he tells her, he says, He who drinks of this water will thirst again, but he who drinks of me will never thirst. 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:18.720 Right? 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:21.920 I mean, what Jesus is saying, he's saying, I know you've messed up. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:24.240 I know who you are, but I'm for you. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:33.039 And everything you're looking for, and you continue to look for in this pattern, is in me. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:35.839 So I'm speaking a word over you. 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:38.799 And it's a word of love and a word of acceptance. 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:40.880 And the word is drink of me. 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:48.640 And then he speaks this other word, and he says, worship the Father in spirit and in truth. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:51.359 See, we see this over and over and over again with Jesus. 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:56.799 He speaks a word over someone, a word of grace, and then he gives a call. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:57.680 Right? 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:01.200 You are healed, go and sin no more. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:05.200 Neither do I condemn you, leave your life of sin. 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:06.799 Same thing Paul is doing. 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:15.119 Chapters 1 and 2, the promises of God, chapters 3 and 4, this is how we live it out. 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:25.039 This passage is so clear for us that God calls us out of his grace to speak words of grace to others. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:29.279 And it's not judgment, it's not religious snobbery, and it's not thinking that we are better. 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:32.559 It's words of grace to them because we know we need them. 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:39.759 There's one last phrase in Colossians 4, 6, and it says this, so that you may know how to answer every one. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:42.480 I read that and it's like, ooh. 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:45.039 I mean, that feels a bit exaggerated to me. 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:46.400 That's what I thought when I read it. 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:47.440 I was like, really? 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:58.640 I mean, I mean, you think I'm gonna be able to show up at the well and divinely know that this lady has had five husbands, she's with another man, and then all of a sudden be able to speak straight into her heart within a few minutes. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.920 I mean, I'm gonna be able to do that. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:03.279 I mean, I can't even answer my kids' questions, right? 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:07.599 I'm not even sure what to do with the intellectual atheist in my office, right? 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:10.880 I mean, how am I gonna be able to answer everyone? 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:17.839 But it seems a bit more realistic, I think, to our lives when we think about it in the context of this passage. 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:24.319 Because I think what it's talking about is it's saying, you're not gonna have, you're not gonna have the answer everyone wants to hear. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:29.200 But you you already have the answer everyone needs. 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:31.759 And that's the word of grace. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:34.160 That's that Jesus is enough. 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:38.960 You don't have to self-protect, you don't have to self-project, you don't have to carry your sin, you don't have to carry your shame. 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:40.559 He's enough. 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:52.160 Paul finishes this letter with some greetings from friends, and then there's a closing word, and it's the word that encompasses and bookends the entire letter. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:54.160 And it's not just do it. 00:22:55.119 --> 00:23:10.559 And it's not be the change or be more, it's it's a better word, it's a deeper word, it's more profound, it is more life-giving, it's the core, it's the energy, it's the sustenance, it is the force of all obedience, and it's grace be with you. 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:15.440 It's how Paul began the letter in verse 2: Grace and peace to you. 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:19.200 It's how he begins and ends most of his letters. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:24.559 He's speaking salt over decay, words of grace over people dying. 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:29.279 It's the word of grace that you need to hear today, that I need to hear today. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:32.400 It's the word of grace you'll need to hear tomorrow. 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:38.640 That in Jesus, God speaks absolution and love over us. 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:42.960 It's the ultimate word of love and freedom. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:44.799 Grace be with you. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:46.160 Let's pray to God. 00:23:51.519 --> 00:24:07.359 God, thank you that we do not have to create our own words for our redemption, and that we don't have to go and seek out other people's words for our redemption, but that you have spoken a word over us. 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:12.000 Help us to root deeper in Jesus. 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:17.920 Help us to root deeper in you and your ways for us. 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:22.960 Would you help us to see the ways we self-protect? 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:32.079 Would you help us to see the ways that we self-project that we might begin to receive more and more you into places of our hearts that we have closed off? 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:43.759 God, would we be a church that holds no religious snobbery over other people because we know that we're broken? 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.920 And we do all of this. 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:56.720 And when we see other people self protecting and self projecting, would we break for our own sin? 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:05.200 And would we be able to speak out of a love of our own experience of your grace to us? 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:07.200 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:08.000 Amen.