WEBVTT 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:11.919 What's it become? 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:14.400 Father, son, and holy spirit. 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:20.800 Let's bring it. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:22.400 Almighty God. 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:34.240 The Lord be with you. 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:37.360 Let us pray. 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:49.439 For God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:55.439 Granted, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:05:02.879 When he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:53.600 Weeping and groaning because God no longer even turns toward the offerings and receives with a finger at your hand. 00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:56.959 You ask on what account. 00:05:57.759 --> 00:06:07.519 On this account, because the judge of all flesh was a witness between you and the wife of your youth, in which you betrayed her. 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:18.639 And is not the spirit of the one who is not a god. 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:24.720 And what does the one desire God in the spirit? 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:30.720 So God you're owned spirits and against the life of the one you like no one. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:07:02.079 And the one who despises around We will be song. 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:17.680 Be not angry on account of the wicked. 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:24.399 For they soon wither like wild grass. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:32.160 Be still before the most high and wait patiently for her. 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:43.600 Let go the anger and forsake wrath. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:50.240 For the wicked shall be cut off. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:04.800 For the faithful one loves justice. 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:18.079 I have seen the wicked oppressing. 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:26.800 They passed on, and suddenly they were no more. 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:34.960 Regard the blameless and behold the unright. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:44.480 But transgressors shall be utterly destroyed altogether. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:52.080 The salvation of the righteous is from the ever present God. 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:54.000 In order that we may also obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:59.679 For if we die together, we will also live together. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:02.879 If we endure, we will also remain together. 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:06.480 If we deny Christ, he will also deny us. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:12.080 If we are faithless, faithful he remains, for he cannot deny himself. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:13.600 The word of the Lord. 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:57.919 Jesus also told this parable that certain folk who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised everyone else. 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:04.720 Two persons went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:08.799 The Pharisee was standing by himself, praying thus. 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:18.799 Thieves, cooks, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:21.200 I fast twice a week. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:23.679 I give a tenth of everything I require. 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:38.799 But the tax collector standing far off would not raise his eyes to heaven, but rather he was beating his breast and saying, God be merciful to me, and I tell you this one. 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:43.600 Went down to his home, made righteous rather than the other. 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:49.600 And I wouldn't tell you, if you do that in the South, that's a long tradition of a way of trying to earn some backhanded compliments and pity. 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:52.000 And it has nothing to do with humility. 00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:58.879 I had a teacher who told me that humility means being who God made you to be, no more and no less. 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:05.919 And here's what Southern culture needs to hear: exactly who God made you to be and no less. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:10.080 And some of us need to hear and know more. 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:14.799 My suspicion is if you're a woman and a southern woman, you need to hear no less. 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:18.480 And my suspicion is if you're a southern man, you need to hear no more. 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:20.559 And I'm saying that as a southern man. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:24.240 And how is it that we do this? 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:26.879 Look, if you've been to church, you've heard this parable before. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:38.960 And of course, what we like to do, if you've been to church a few times in your life, is when you hear the word Pharisee, think, oh, like that's Darth Vader, like that's the evil hypocrite who's wrong. 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:41.759 And I just want to let you know Jesus was a Pharisee. 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:43.759 He was a Pharisee. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:48.720 And when you hear the word Pharisee at the time of Jesus, the image that should immediately come to mind is St. 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:51.919 Francis of Assisi or Gandhi or Mother Teresa. 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:59.039 Like Pharisees were the people who went out of their way on I-45 to help you change your tire when you had a flat. 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:01.519 This parable is a surprise. 00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:05.840 Tax collectors sold mattresses and used cars. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:09.360 So this is a trope. 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:16.240 And the crowd's surprised because the good guy does not go home justified before God. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:19.919 He only goes home justified before himself. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:21.679 I want you to hear this. 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:24.639 They both go home justified that day. 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:28.720 Oh, I'm using the wrong word because the scripture says made righteous. 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:33.120 Justified and made righteous are the same thing. 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:40.720 In the Bible, somebody's righteous not because they pray more sincerely than you, it's because they practice justice. 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:55.519 So sometimes we'll say, oh, that person is so righteous, like they cry and they sing praise songs, and they put their hands in the air and they're not embarrassed, and they wear a bonnet to church and look at all their righteousness. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:17:00.879 And look, if you're righteous before God and don't love your neighbor, you did it all wrong. 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:08.240 I've met atheists that are more righteous than I am because they treat other human beings better than I do. 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:10.240 And that's biblical. 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:11.839 That's not my opinion. 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:14.799 You know how you justify your margins? 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.480 It means you make them right. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:22.000 The people who practice justice are righteous. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:30.400 And boy, this parable, you know, I was going to tell you, I don't know that it's wrong to pray like a Pharisee until we get to the end. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:40.640 I mean, here's the thing I don't think it's condescending to say to God, I am so grateful I'm not addicted to drugs and alcohol. 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:43.680 And I am so grateful for that. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:56.240 The issue, I think, comes with we start saying, and I'm glad I'm not like you because you are. 00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:02.720 Now, there is this expression I've heard in church, there but the grace of God, go away. 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:06.319 And maybe there's something to that, but I do want you to hear a couple of things. 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:12.079 I can't help myself from sharing a little bit of like uh biblical criticism here. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:17.039 Our Jewish brothers and sisters to this day, they don't bow their heads when they pray, they look up. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:18.799 To this day. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:23.119 They look up because God's in heaven and they expect God to answer. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:28.960 So the Pharisee bowing, I mean, sorry, the tax sector bowing his head was not normal. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.720 Like, that's weird. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:35.839 We have this relationship with God who loves us, so we look up expectantly, we don't have to avert our eyes. 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:37.119 So this is like weird. 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:41.119 Other thing that's weird is we don't know what happens tomorrow. 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:42.640 So don't you imagine? 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:44.079 The Pharisee's telling the truth. 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:48.079 He doesn't lie, he doesn't cheat, he doesn't steal, he doesn't give 10% of 10%. 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:50.160 He gives 10% of everything. 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:54.400 He fasts twice a week, and if you're Jewish, you only have to fast one day a year. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:58.640 Why does he fast twice a week to make up for the people who don't do that? 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:02.480 He tried to carry the community. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:05.279 He could be telling the truth. 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:11.920 The tax collector could go cheat every day and come to the temple and say, Have mercy on me a sinner. 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:16.000 Come back the next day and cheat people and say, God, have mercy on me a sinner. 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:20.559 If that was the pattern after a year, who do you think goes home made just before God? 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:26.240 Now, this is phenomenal because we don't even know what's happening. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:32.240 But one thing I know that you may not know is that people didn't choose to be tax collectors, they were born into the tree. 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:40.319 So strong, in fact, that there's a there's a major monograph that says, you know, St. 00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:43.839 Patrick got kidnapped from England, went to Ireland? 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:45.119 Did you hear this term? 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:49.680 The major monograph says, Oh, do you know what Patrick's death did? 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:51.920 He's a tax collector. 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:56.880 The major monograph said Patrick didn't want to do that, and he had to fake his death. 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:01.920 The only way you get out of being a tax collector is by faking your death. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:05.200 That's how he was a vicious and not a tax collector. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:08.240 I'm not a historian, so I can't adjudicate that. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:14.880 But it's a major monograph by a researcher, not somebody right on a social media platform. 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:20.559 This is a tax collector, his choice could have been collect taxes or rotten shit. 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:21.920 What would you pick? 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:28.480 And maybe, I mean, we never know the context. 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:32.880 But maybe he's saying, God, I want to do this. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:36.000 I don't want to collect taxes. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:38.480 What choice do I have? 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:42.079 God have mercy on me. 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:51.440 And I'm going to tell you because I mentioned humility, and like I said, I think both people went unjustified. 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:59.440 It's just that the Pharisees decided to justify himself instead of being made just and righteous before God. 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:10.160 And if I had to say the number one reason that church attendance is declining in America and the rest of the world, it's because we've decided that this is all about justifying ourselves. 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:12.240 And I love justifying myself. 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:13.680 I'm going to tell you this right now. 00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:24.960 I can think of a major incident almost every day, even when I'm on vacation, where I was doing something that wasn't quite in line with my values, and when I realize it, I'd like to justify it instead of repenting. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:30.319 And I'm really good at it. 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:36.160 I'm really good at it because I think quickly. 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:37.839 By the way, I want you to hear this. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:39.519 Humility from your priest. 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:41.359 I think really quickly. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:46.319 I have a great memory for facts and things that I hear. 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:47.680 I'm not bragging to you. 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:49.519 It's how my brain works. 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:54.240 I don't do well churning things over slowly in the background for a long time. 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:59.759 I like to be rapid and slip shod, and my memory and my elocution lets me get away with. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:00.480 That. 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:02.400 So I'm going to recognize that. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:03.680 I'm smart. 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:07.680 It doesn't mean I'm smarter than my spouse who does this differently. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:09.920 It means we have different kinds of intelligence. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:13.759 And maybe this is where true humility is to be found. 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:22.000 And I'll say this: I don't like being called down. 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:23.680 I mean, I don't mind calling myself down. 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:25.680 I just don't like you doing it. 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:33.200 When you do it, I'm faced with this thought of, like, oh my God, like, there's shame and there's threat. 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:43.359 And you know, when I'm not living into my values, the one thing that I love to do more than anything is find somebody doing it worse than I am so that I can justify myself. 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:46.880 Do you know that story or that life? 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:49.440 Then this is a story for you. 00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:51.359 This is a story for you. 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:58.319 And listen, I don't want you to think, oh my God, the priest said that I need to feel even worse about myself when I judge somebody. 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:01.039 No, here's what I invite you to consider. 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:13.599 Maybe Jesus is offering not that we need to judge ourselves more harshly because we like to justify ourselves, but rather what we could do is judge our own judgment. 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:19.920 And you can judge your own judgment pretty harshly and come out with more life at the end. 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:29.440 Maybe Jesus isn't telling us to judge less, maybe he's telling us judge more our thinking patterns. 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:31.440 Because here's some good trick for you. 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:33.759 If you've been abused, you're not your trauma. 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:35.440 You're not your trauma. 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:39.759 And here's another thing is you're not your judgments. 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:44.160 You can judge your judgments without losing yourself. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:50.960 In fact, you can judge your judgments and end up somewhere way, way better off. 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:59.200 So avoid driving is a way I like to self-justify every day. 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:03.359 Anybody ever been on the road, especially in Houston, and thought, what is all this traffic about? 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:06.480 And I hope you realize you're part of the traffic. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:09.440 Like you were part of that problem, right? 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:14.079 But no, the problem is that not everybody else drives like you do. 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:18.319 See if they just drove like you, there wouldn't be a problem. 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:22.319 Doesn't this occur to you often? 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:25.440 I mean, look, I live in this neighborhood and the speed limit's 25. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:29.039 And if you're going 23, boy, I got a lot of judgment. 00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:31.359 I got a lot of judgment. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:34.240 I was just in an international airport, but let me just tell you. 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:57.279 Like, when the aisle's this wide, somebody's got their suitcase, and then they just stop and start looking around, and they move to the side! Stop in the middle! And I'm gonna tell you, because I'm so like tightly around on this, is not only do I say, like, huh, that's an interesting choice, I think you're not fully human. 00:24:57.440 --> 00:25:00.000 Like no human being just stop. 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:06.720 If you're in Costco and you're walking with your family on that street, but you're five watt. 00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:07.519 I mean, really? 00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:11.119 Get in the car and like just like walking two lines. 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:12.880 Don't walk in a road. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:18.559 You ever pass somebody on the road who's driving too slow or driving nuts? 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:23.200 And you make sure you look at them so you know what kind of person is doing that. 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:26.079 Yeah, so this story's for you. 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:29.279 This story is for you. 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:37.440 And man, have you ever found yourself when somebody gets caught thinking you got what you deserved? 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:39.359 Glad you got it. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:44.480 Man, I'll tell you, I've only had a friend who was an alcoholic say this. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:47.680 Because I didn't do that anymore. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:50.720 I just think, oh my God, have mercy on me. 00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:55.119 I love getting away with stuff. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:58.240 God, have mercy on me. 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:08.400 I think it's one thing to say, God, I'm trying really hard, but you know, we're gonna talk about Veterans Day in a second, that my dad was a veteran. 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:10.640 And he said two really interesting things that I remember. 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:12.480 He already had five really good quotes. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:21.599 One of them was we think that we're different from everybody else, is the man we are just like everybody else. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:39.680 And because my dad is a combat actor against his will, because he was drafted, his definition of a contact was a man trying to take care of his family. 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:45.279 What I perceive to be cruising. 00:26:47.519 --> 00:26:49.519 I don't know how you vote. 00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:51.519 I hope you do. 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:53.920 And I hope you're an informed voter. 00:26:54.079 --> 00:27:02.319 But I'll tell you a Democrat is somebody trying to take care of their family, and I'll tell you a Republican is somebody trying to take care of their family, period. 00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:08.960 I don't think Jesus is telling us to throw accountability out the window. 00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:16.240 Actually, I think Jesus is telling us accountability only works if we recognize God's presence in one another. 00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:18.400 By the way, that's how the Constitution works. 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:22.319 Because if you get a trial by your peers, even if I catch you in the act, right? 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:28.640 We decided you're worthy of a trial, even if I know you're guilty. 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:32.079 We decided we could have, I don't know if you've seen the movie, I haven't. 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:34.160 This one about the Nuremberg trials. 00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:43.759 We decided we were gonna put Nazis on trial because they did not lose their humanity. 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:53.440 We were gonna hold humans accountable for acts of inhumanity, but you don't give non-humans a trial. 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:54.640 You don't. 00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:58.079 Please consider this. 00:28:01.279 --> 00:28:07.279 And maybe maybe this is the slip in the story. 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:16.640 I don't know if you've been to Al-Anon before. 00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:24.559 But then in Al-Anon and an AA, I mean, essentially what they tell you is sometimes you'd have to pick between being right and being happy. 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:29.599 I mean, you would be right all the time. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:32.160 Here's some news from your priest, you're gonna be alone. 00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:34.640 You would be living by yourself. 00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:38.000 Happy may not be the right word. 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:44.000 In the parable of day, the choice is sometimes we choose between right and being righteous. 00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:48.960 Between being right and being righteous. 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:54.799 Now, the other scriptures do some really interesting things about this, right? 00:28:55.039 --> 00:28:58.799 Uh this almost contradictory hymn from Timothy. 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:03.200 If you see this as a hymn, it's older than the author himself. 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:05.200 If we endure, we'll reign together. 00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:06.960 If we deny Christ, he'll deny us. 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:09.359 And here's some cognitive dissonance. 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:13.680 If we're faithless, faithful he remains, for he cannot deny himself. 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:16.319 Did you hear two opposite perspectives there? 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:18.880 If you deny, he'll deny. 00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:21.519 If you're faithless, he'll be faithful anyway. 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:27.200 And probably what's happening is there's like this cultural proverb being quoted. 00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:32.160 You've heard it said, if we deny Christ, he'll deny you. 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:38.079 But I tell you, if you're faithless, God will be faithful. 00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:41.519 The New Testament uses this all the time. 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:46.319 You've heard it said, slaves obey your masters. 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:50.799 But I tell you, masters love your slaves. 00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:55.039 By the way, can you love somebody and keep them enslaved? 00:29:59.039 --> 00:29:59.839 I don't think so. 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:01.440 I don't think it's possible. 00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:03.200 I don't think it's possible. 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:12.480 So, look, if you heard this hymn from Timothy and thought, oh my God, I've denied Jesus and my neighbor, and he's going to deny me, I want you to hear the conclusion. 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:17.519 If you're faithless, God will be faithful to you. 00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:18.480 What does that mean? 00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:19.839 God can't deny himself. 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:26.799 Well, uh, we were in this study group on Thursday, and I love these study groups because they just have these really thoughtful things in us. 00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:31.920 Um, you know, the scriptures tell us we're children of God over and over again, children of God. 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:35.920 And boy, there was this image like, oh, like we've got God's DNA. 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:40.240 Anyone had more than one kid? 00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:42.319 I got two. 00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:43.519 I got two. 00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:51.759 Boy, it's amazing, isn't it, how like similar DNA can result in like really different kids, but vastly different kids. 00:30:51.839 --> 00:30:54.960 Like, oh my god, where did you actually come from, kind of kids? 00:30:56.400 --> 00:30:57.279 And what do you know? 00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:01.359 Like, the Trinity of Three has got like nine billion kids on the planet. 00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:05.599 And how amazing, isn't it, all the diversity that's in the Trinity of Three? 00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:07.920 And nine billion still doesn't cover it. 00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:13.359 About God's DNA and you and I, we're all really different. 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:16.000 And God loves that. 00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:18.319 Because God loves you. 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:23.039 And since we're children of God, uh, God can't deny God's self in you. 00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:33.200 Which means when we deny God and the tax collector, what have we done? 00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:36.799 What have we done? 00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:45.759 That's the hard truth, because look, I'm going to tell you, having just got back from traveling, a couple interesting things about Día de los Marcos and what about Mexico? 00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:51.039 If you know about Dia de los Marcos, a lot of people will go on a parade and they paint their face in a skull. 00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:55.599 That's a hundred years old, a tradition of skull. 00:31:56.160 --> 00:32:04.160 It seems to have come around during some socialist movements in southern Mexico, Latin America, South America. 00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:05.119 I don't know if you know this. 00:32:05.359 --> 00:32:10.720 Turns out there's gross inequity in those parts of the world as a result of colonialism and enslavement. 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:15.920 It's still a problem today, but even more of a problem 100 years ago, if you can believe that. 00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:22.480 So the people who started paying the face with the skull, they weren't rich people, they were poor people. 00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:31.279 And it was a social protest to say, behind all of your wealth and privilege, we all poop and we all have bones and we all die. 00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:34.880 So you're not coming out ahead. 00:32:35.119 --> 00:32:36.079 We all die. 00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:43.359 And it was this reminder from the poorest of the poor that our bones come from God. 00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:47.759 And that death comes to all of us. 00:32:49.599 --> 00:33:04.720 We choose to live with our privilege and our power in a way like the Pharisee and the story, and we are not like other people who are actually living under the shroud of death already. 00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:07.359 It's an interesting thought. 00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:12.880 And look, I gotta tell you, I love traveling and going to other countries, and this thing drives my wife crazy. 00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:18.240 When I'm talking to people who have a different accent, I usually adopt what I perceive to be their accent. 00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:19.599 I don't even try, I just do. 00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:24.640 So when I talk to German people who speak English, I usually do something like Swiss. 00:33:25.359 --> 00:33:27.119 And I don't, it's not like a plan. 00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:29.839 And my wife says to me, Why are you making fun of those people? 00:33:29.920 --> 00:33:31.519 And I'm like, I'm not doing that. 00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:37.039 Like, I can't help myself because I love trying to communicate with people like they communicate. 00:33:37.839 --> 00:33:42.480 And let me tell you one thing I can't stand is when people try to charge me to go to the bathroom. 00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:50.400 I mean, I'm gonna tell you particularly, as a like, would you rather urinate in the street or pay the 50 cents? 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:56.000 Like, I just sort of have this American value that I have a right to use the bathroom without having to pay. 00:33:56.079 --> 00:33:59.519 I don't know where it came from, but I hold on to it really strongly. 00:33:59.680 --> 00:34:06.960 So, look, I'm in Mexico and there's this bathroom, and normally there's an attendant there, and you have to give them 10 places to go to the bathroom. 00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:08.559 It's like 50 cents. 00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:18.079 And we're getting back on this bus, and you know, like I don't see the attendant, I don't really have to go, but I'm like, oh, this I'm not gonna have to pay, so this will be fine. 00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:22.400 I go in and use the restroom, and I'm trying to come out and the attendant's return. 00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:26.400 And I wasn't really quite listening. 00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:30.320 I just hear her saying, senor, and like I'm walking to the bus, and she grabs my back. 00:34:33.199 --> 00:34:34.800 Because I violated the culture. 00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:41.920 Now listen, I'm really trying to respect other cultures, but not when she grab my back. 00:34:42.239 --> 00:34:43.679 I was like, no way. 00:34:44.079 --> 00:34:45.360 And I was like, no. 00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:51.599 And went to the bus, and oh my god, why did I do that? 00:34:53.199 --> 00:34:55.280 Over 50 cents? 00:34:56.159 --> 00:34:58.480 And of course, that was her wage. 00:34:58.800 --> 00:35:02.719 That was how she lived, was cleaning the restroom. 00:35:03.360 --> 00:35:06.159 But I don't think that we should have to pay that soon. 00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:08.400 So there I was, right? 00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:18.320 And like I get that it's funny, and it's like it's a little shattering to think I could justify myself like I just did before you. 00:35:19.440 --> 00:35:21.280 I mean, what if you can't pay for the back? 00:35:21.679 --> 00:35:24.639 I mean, I don't know what they do for those people, but I sure could. 00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:28.079 So it's not like I was taking a stand for justice. 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:30.639 I was taking a stand for my own convenience. 00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:32.400 And I was surprised. 00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:35.760 And once I got on the bus and it started moving, I couldn't go back and pay. 00:35:36.239 --> 00:35:37.039 God, I wish I had. 00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:40.000 50 cents? 00:35:40.400 --> 00:35:45.360 You ever find yourself doing this over 50 cents? 00:35:46.719 --> 00:35:53.280 Pennies on a dollar, just keeping mouth closed, which costs us nothing. 00:35:53.440 --> 00:36:04.400 I mean, these are the stupidest things that I do that cost me nothing, so that I can go home justified by myself. 00:36:06.239 --> 00:36:10.960 God, have mercy on me, a sinner. 00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:17.519 I don't know if this tax collector really cheats people. 00:36:18.239 --> 00:36:19.360 We don't know them. 00:36:20.079 --> 00:36:24.000 I don't know if the Pharisee does what he thinks he does. 00:36:26.159 --> 00:36:36.559 But I do want to invite you, along with the invitation I hear from this story, to maybe judge our judgment a little bit more harshly. 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:43.679 I don't want you to feel bad than you judge, because actually that's not going to correlate to you changing. 00:36:44.960 --> 00:36:46.639 We don't change because we're ashamed. 00:36:46.880 --> 00:36:49.840 We change because we see there's something better than our shame. 00:36:50.320 --> 00:36:57.599 And the thing that can be better than our shame is here I am. 00:36:58.639 --> 00:37:05.119 Trying to be better than you and somebody else have mercy on me.