WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:00.719 Amen. 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:04.160 Well, if you're just joining us, let me kind of catch you up on where we're at this year. 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:07.280 We started something back in February called following Jesus. 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:11.039 It is an almost year-long trek through the book of Matthew. 00:00:11.199 --> 00:00:17.600 We've been trying our best to follow along with Jesus, just follow in his footsteps, learn as much as we can about Jesus. 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:20.879 I don't think you can ever stop learning about Jesus. 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:23.679 I don't think there'll ever be a day where you can say, I've got enough. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:27.760 I've now become a Jesus expert, and I don't have to learn anything more. 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:29.280 That will never happen. 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:31.679 I talk about Jesus every single week. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:40.719 I plan messages and I spend hours reading and thinking, and I constantly discover new things about Jesus, new little wrinkles in who he is that blow my mind. 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:44.560 There will never be a day where we can say, I've learned enough. 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:51.520 The deeper we go with Jesus, the more deeply we examine him and know him, the closer we are with God because he is God. 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:56.880 So it's been a great year so far, and it's okay if you are new, every week is designed to stand on its own. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:00.479 And we actually break up this entire book of Matthew into a lot of little mini-series. 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:03.679 In fact, we're in a little mini-series right now called VIPs. 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:05.120 We started this last week. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:14.480 And this is a section where Jesus has all of these interactions and teachings that sort of highlight for us the kind of people that Jesus would point to and say, Hey, be like them. 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:19.120 And as is very typical with Jesus, it's quite surprising. 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:21.040 It's not the people that you would expect. 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:30.480 Last week we had Jesus take a child in front of all of his disciples, in the midst of an argument that they were having about which one of them was the greatest, he said, You should be more like this child. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:32.079 You should humble yourselves. 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:34.319 You should take the lowest position. 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:36.640 You shouldn't see yourself as important. 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:40.799 You should see yourself as humble as a child. 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:43.920 Jesus said that the first will be last and the last will be first. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:47.359 That's a little bit of a theme we're going to see in the next couple of weeks. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:52.480 The people that this world might look at and say, wow, they're successful. 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:53.840 They've got it figured out. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:54.640 Be like them. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:59.040 They're not necessarily the people that Jesus would look at and say, yeah, model your lives after that person. 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:07.840 And sometimes the people that this world overlooks the most, the people that this world values the least, are the very people that Jesus says they've actually got it figured out. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:09.039 Be like them. 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:14.400 So we're examining who are the VIPs in God's eyes. 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:16.719 And this isn't to say the people God loves the most. 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:19.280 God loves all of us, He loves all people. 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:23.759 But there are people that Jesus would look at and say, Yeah, do that. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:25.439 Follow in their footsteps. 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:27.280 And we're exploring that right now. 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:32.800 Today we're going to examine this really interesting story and a teaching of Jesus that comes from it. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:37.840 It's an interaction Jesus has with someone, it's someone I like to refer to as the almost disciple. 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:40.560 I like to call this guy the almost disciple. 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:42.479 I think life is often made up of almost moments. 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:50.479 You probably had moments in life where if you look back, you're at a crossroads and you almost made one decision, and had you made that decision, it would have changed everything. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:53.280 Your life would be completely different. 00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:55.520 I've had a lot of those in my life. 00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:56.560 I was thinking of a few. 00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:59.120 One happened in November of 2009. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:00.080 It's a long time ago. 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:03.680 I started working here at his hands in March of 2007. 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:06.319 And I came here to work with high school students and junior high students. 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:09.439 I moved here from Kansas City, Missouri to be part of this church. 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:13.360 And two years in, it was going, it was going okay. 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:14.800 It was going all right. 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:16.479 But not amazing. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:20.879 I mean, I liked it, I loved it in many different ways, but it was also a lot harder than I thought. 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:31.280 That happens a lot in life, whether it's a job, marriage, you name it, where you have a certain expectation going in, and then you're like, wow, this is this is tougher, this is different. 00:03:31.680 --> 00:03:40.000 And so I was kind of at that point, 2009, if you remember in 2008, the economy tanked and that had a massive impact on our church, and it was just a tough season. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:45.439 But on top of working here, I was also doing sports journalism on the side, something I'd always been passionate about. 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:49.680 I was writing a lot of articles, and I was starting to get some traction, and that was going really well. 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:52.080 And in November 2009, I got this email. 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:56.879 And there's very few things in life that I have kept as like a memento, just very few. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:03.439 This is one of the only things that I've kept because like I want to make sure that this was real, this happened because for me this was like out of the blue and amazing. 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:08.240 I have the email, I'm not gonna bore you with it for long, but I just want to prove to you this email exists, okay? 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:09.520 Here's the email. 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:11.840 Uh I got this email from a recruiter at ESPN. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:13.439 You guys can take the email down. 00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:20.319 And I just one day I'm checking my email, and this guy says, Hey Justin, been following your articles, really like it. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:21.680 Let's talk. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:26.000 And so I just noticed the email was from ESPN.com. 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:34.319 And guys, if you grew up as sports fans, you know that ESPN at one point in time at least was like a sacred thing. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:40.720 You know, it's like God and then ESPN, like, ah, should be an easy one. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:47.600 But man, I'm excited, so I had a phone call, and I remember I was only, gosh, 26, 27 at the time. 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:50.639 I remember specifically in the phone call trying to make my voice sound deeper. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:51.920 I don't know why. 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:54.720 I don't have a particularly deep voice. 00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:57.120 Puberty started, it just never finished. 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:58.000 I don't know what happened. 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:03.199 But like, so I remember I was just very distinctly remember calling and just being like, hello. 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:14.240 Like very I'm sure I sounded odd, but that led to another phone call, which led to another phone call, and it ended with them saying, Hey, we want to fly you up to Bristol, Connecticut to interview in person. 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:16.959 And I was at a crossroads. 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:21.600 Because A, I was here and I love this church, and I felt called here. 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:27.199 B, my wife was pregnant with our first child, and this is where she's from. 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:31.199 We don't know anyone in Connecticut, and so I was thinking through man, what if I said yes? 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:33.600 What if they offered me a job? 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:35.680 A, would I be able to say no to that? 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:38.319 Do I know myself well enough to know if I could turn that down? 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:44.720 And and then we'd move up to Connecticut, and we don't know anyone in Connecticut, and she's pregnant, it's our first child, and her whole family's here. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:53.120 And so I prayed about it, thought about it, and very reluctantly but decidedly said no to ESPN. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:55.759 I said, hey, I'm thank you, but I'm not gonna go. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:59.360 And it's not like I it's not like I turned ESPN down for this church. 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:02.800 I'm not saying that as some type of like, hey, never forget, guys, okay? 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:05.920 When you get mad at me, just remember I said no to now. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:08.560 I don't even know if they would have offered me the job, it was just an interview. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:12.000 Um, but I did get to this point in my mind where I was at a crossroads. 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:13.600 Like, what if I say yes to this interview? 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:14.639 What if they offer? 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:15.680 What will that lead to? 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:17.120 And do I stay here? 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:23.279 And so it's crazy to me because I've been here for 17, 18 years, most of my adult life. 00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:27.279 And two years in, I almost went a different way. 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:31.040 That was an almost moment that would have changed my entire life. 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:34.079 And I'm so glad, by the way, that I decided to stay here. 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:37.600 I've had other almost moments that I didn't even know about. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:43.439 For example, summer of 2002, there was an almost moment in my life that would have changed everything. 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:46.399 At the time, Megan and I had only been dating for a little bit. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:50.240 We were high school sweethearts, and we had gone to prom, you know, that kind of thing. 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:59.120 And I was going to college a thousand miles away from her, and that was going to be a big deal having a long-distance relationship, and so we were just trying to spend as much time together before I left for college as possible. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:03.360 This one night we went on a date where we took this really long walk, and I remember it very clearly. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:04.800 It was a great date. 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:12.879 After we had been married for 15 years, randomly, Megan just said to me, Hey, do you remember that date we had that summer where we went on that long walk? 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:15.600 And I was like, Oh my gosh, yes, what a beautiful memory. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:19.040 She said, Yeah, I was planning on breaking up with you that day. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:30.079 She's like, I was, she drove to meet me there, and she was like preparing to end the relationship. 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:34.160 And I didn't know this until we've been married for 15 years. 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:43.120 And I was like, Oh, I was gonna break up with you a bunch of times, you know, like I was like, I just no, I never once thought about breaking up with Megan. 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:47.920 Like, she was just, it was clear to me she was the one, and it kind of blew my mind. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:50.160 I'm glad I had my A game on that walk, I guess. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:55.600 Like, because, you know, whatever it was about that walk, she changed her mind, and the rest is history, but that was an almost moment. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:01.439 It was a decision that she could have made, she almost made, and it would have changed the entirety of my life. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:06.399 Very often, our lives are made up of these almost what-if moments where we're at a crossroads. 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:18.720 And today we're gonna see someone who I believe has the greatest, maybe that's the wrong word, the most potentially impactful almost moment of their life, and unfortunately it doesn't go the way that it ought to go. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:22.639 And so with that said, we're gonna open up Matthew chapter 19, and we're gonna read a big chunk here. 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:31.439 We're gonna read the second half of Matthew 19 and essentially the first half of Matthew 20, because this interaction leads Jesus to give a very iconic teaching. 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:38.639 It says, Someone came to Jesus with this question, Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:40.639 Why ask me about what is good? 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:41.440 Jesus replied. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:47.360 Which ones? 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:48.000 the man asked. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:55.360 And Jesus replied, You must not murder, you must not commit adultery, you must not steal, you must not testify falsely, honor your mother and father, love your neighbor as yourself. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:57.840 I've obeyed all these commandments, the young man replied. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:08:59.279 What else must I do? 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:07.200 Jesus told him, If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:09.440 Then come follow me. 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:14.960 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:22.480 And then Jesus said to his disciples, I uh his disciples, I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:28.559 I'll say it again, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:30.799 The disciples were astounded. 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:32.879 Then who in the world can be saved? 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:36.399 Because you have to understand in their culture, wealth was a sign of God's favor. 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:39.759 If someone was rich in their mind, God loved them. 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:41.279 God had blessed them. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:43.039 This was connected to favor. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:52.879 And so this concept of Jesus saying that someone who is wealthy may not actually be as favored as they thought was a very difficult idea for them. 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:55.360 And they say, Who can be saved? 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:58.639 And Jesus answers, humanly speaking, it's impossible. 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:01.759 But with God, everything is possible. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:04.480 And then Peter said to him, We've given up everything to follow you. 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:05.120 What will we get? 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:15.679 Jesus replied, I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:26.080 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or poverty for my property for my sake will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:34.559 But many who are the greatest now will be the least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:39.039 This young man would have seemed to be the most important person around. 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:41.360 He would have been, in their eyes, a VIP. 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:43.519 And Jesus says it doesn't really work like that. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:45.759 And this leads Jesus to a teaching. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:48.159 He can tell his disciples aren't quite tracking. 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:49.120 This doesn't make sense. 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:50.240 This is a lot for them to process. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:53.039 It kind of challenges all of their assumptions about God and life. 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:59.919 And so he says this for the kingdom of heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:04.000 He agreed to pay them the normal daily wage and he sent them out to work. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:08.480 At nine o'clock in the morning, as he was passing through the marketplace, he saw some people standing around doing nothing. 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:12.720 So he hired them too, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:14.879 So they went to work in the vineyard. 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:17.360 At noon and again at three o'clock, he did the same thing. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:21.679 At five o'clock in the afternoon, he was in town and again saw some more people standing around. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:23.919 He asked them, Why haven't you been working today? 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:26.000 And they replied, Because no one hired us. 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:30.480 So the landowner told them, Then go out and join the others in my vineyard. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:35.679 That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:40.799 When those hired at five o'clock were paid, each received a full day's wage. 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:44.559 When those who were hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:47.600 But they too were paid a day's wage. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:56.159 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, those people worked for only one hour, and you pay them just as much as you paid us, who have worked all day in the scorching heat? 00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:59.360 And he answered one of them, Friend, I haven't been unfair. 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:01.919 Didn't you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:03.120 Take your money and go. 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:05.919 I wanted to pay his this last worker the same as you. 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:08.399 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:10.720 Should you be jealous because I'm kind to others? 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:14.639 So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last. 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:16.320 We see this theme again. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:19.200 This shift. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:27.279 And Jesus is reinforcing for his disciples hey, you guys think you can look at the world and figure out who ranks at the top. 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:31.360 This world teaches us to value things like wealth and success. 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:43.919 And there's nothing wrong with being wealthy and successful, but wealth and success in the world's eyes, in and of itself, is not indicative necessarily of someone who is living the life that God would have them live. 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:49.279 You can actually become very wealthy and very successful and do the exact opposite of what God would have you to do. 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:53.200 This world values things like wealth and success. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:55.600 This world values things like seniority. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:00.320 I've been here longer, I've worked harder, I've done more. 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:05.360 And we're used to ranking ourselves and each other with those types of metrics. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.240 That's how we determine how valuable we are. 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:12.480 And it's easy for us to say that must be how God determines how valuable we are to him as well. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:15.200 But Jesus says, nope, forget all that you know. 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:17.679 The last will be first, the first will be last. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:27.039 This doesn't make sense because God's values are different, and he's telling his disciples, you need to unlearn the way that you've looked at the world so that you can understand the way that God sees us. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:29.279 It's tough. 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:40.480 We can spend our entire lives doing everything we can pursuing the kind of success and notoriety that this world can offer, and Jesus might look at us and say, hey, not so fast. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:46.559 Because in your pursuit of that, you could actually lose sight of what's most important to God. 00:13:48.720 --> 00:14:02.399 What we find in these stories is that the thing about all the people that uh either makes them commendable in Jesus' eyes or a cautionary tale, in the case of this rich young ruler, is one simple thing. 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:05.600 It's just those who say yes to God. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:07.039 That's it. 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:15.039 The people that Jesus highlights here and the people that he warns against, it all hinges on one simple thing. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:17.600 Have you said yes to God? 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:19.919 Does God have your yes? 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:24.799 Let's go back to that rich young ruler, that young man that says no. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:28.720 I said at the beginning that I view him as the almost disciple. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:29.840 And there's a reason for that. 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:32.960 I want to read from you uh for you, Matthew chapter 4. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:38.399 This is Jesus calling Peter and some of the other fishermen disciples to be his followers. 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:49.519 It says that one day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, also called Peter and Andrew, throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:55.840 Jesus called out to them, Come follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people, and they left their nets at once and followed him. 00:14:56.159 --> 00:15:01.840 Notice that this has the exact same structure, like the exact same structure as this rich young man. 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:14.159 We saw in Matthew 19 that we just read, verse 21, Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, then come follow me. 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:18.879 He says to Peter and Andrew, hey, your earthly thing is fishing. 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:21.279 You're fishermen, that's your thing. 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:26.639 But I want you to drop your nets, and I'll give you a heavenly version of what you have. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:28.720 I'll make you fishers of men. 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:30.879 Now come follow me. 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:35.200 And they drop their nets, they leave at once, and they go and they follow Jesus. 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:38.320 And he does the same thing with this rich young man. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:40.720 He says, Hey, you've got all this money and wealth. 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:42.320 That's your earthly thing. 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:43.360 You're rich. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:46.480 Why don't you drop that? 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:49.600 Just go sell it all, give it all to the poor. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:54.159 I'll give you a heavenly version of what you have, I'll give you treasure in heaven. 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:56.559 Now come follow me. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:59.840 It's the exact same thing that Peter and Andrew experienced. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:02.799 Jesus is calling this man to be one of his disciples. 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:04.159 Think about that. 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:06.080 Like, think about that. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:07.600 He's he's picking this man. 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:12.000 Other translations, uh, or rather, other versions in the Gospels give us a few more details. 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:14.960 One of the versions actually tells us that Jesus looked at this man and loved him. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:16.639 He's like, I love this guy. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:20.000 I like this guy, I want him to be on my team. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:23.600 And he offers this man the chance of a lifetime. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:30.559 Like if Jesus showed up at your office on Tuesday or tomorrow if you're working on Labor Day. 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:35.440 If he showed up at your office and said, Hey, I want you to quit this job right now and come and be one of my disciples. 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:38.559 Just leave it, drop it, follow me. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:39.120 Let's go. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:40.240 Would you do it? 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:42.720 Would it be difficult? 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:46.240 Some of us say no, it depends on the job, I guess, right? 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:47.039 You know? 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:53.759 I mean, admittedly, dropping a net full of fish sounds easier than selling everything you have. 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:58.639 But the funny thing is that for Peter and Andrew, that was everything that they had. 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:00.320 That's what they had worked their whole lives for. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:08.799 In fact, that happens right after Jesus miraculously helps them have the greatest single catch in their lives, probably worth a fortune in their eyes. 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:12.480 I think all of us would say yes. 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:13.839 Of course. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:16.319 Of course, I would drop it. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:20.400 But sometimes it's more challenging than that. 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:22.319 I mean, it really can be. 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:30.400 Sometimes it's hard to let go of the things that we care about deeply, even if it's God asking us to let them go. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:37.920 And we find that what keeps this young man from saying yes to Jesus, this almost moment in his life where he almost became one of the followers of Jesus. 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:38.799 I've thought about this a lot. 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:40.079 How different would his life have been? 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:42.000 How different would our world be? 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:51.839 The two men that write the majority of books in the New Testament happen to be in terms of pages and letters and whatnot, uh, Luke and Paul. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:18:05.839 We have letters written by some of the other disciples like Peter and John, and some of the gospels were written by other people, but Luke and Paul write a lot of scripture that we read that informs us about who God is. 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:08.319 And you know, they were super educated guys. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:18.559 Luke was a doctor, Paul was incredibly well educated, and it's no doubt that this young man, because he's wealthy and obviously comes from an important family, would have been extremely well educated as well. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:20.799 Maybe this guy would have written scripture. 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:29.039 Maybe he would have written letters and testimonies about what Jesus had done, and we would read his letters. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:32.160 And we would know more about Jesus through his words. 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:34.319 That could have been his life. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:37.039 We would know his name. 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:44.400 There might be stories of miracles that he was involved in, and he had that opportunity, and he missed it. 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:49.279 He missed that because he couldn't let go. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:53.599 He couldn't say yes to Jesus because he was holding on. 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:56.160 And there's so many things that we hold on to. 00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:02.559 It's so easy to hold on tight to things that we need to let go of and miss opportunities with God. 00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:06.960 We can hold on to sin. 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:20.160 Hebrews 12 says that therefore, since we're surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:22.960 And let's run with endurance the race that God has set before us. 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:25.839 I love scriptures like that because it's like, yeah, just let go of your sin. 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:26.720 Just stop. 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:30.960 And it's easier said than done. 00:19:31.279 --> 00:19:37.200 Because sometimes our our sins, our issues, our addictions, there are things that we want to let go. 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:39.519 We've tried maybe in the past, we just struggle with it. 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:41.200 We have a weakness. 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:46.079 But it's easy to hold on to those things as a comfort. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:52.640 It's easy to hold on to some behaviors that we know are wrong or at the very least less than what God would have us to do. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:55.440 But they just we're used to it. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:56.799 It brings us some comfort. 00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:58.319 Our friends do it. 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:00.720 Like it's it's what all the guys do after work. 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:02.559 It's just, it's the way things are. 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:05.599 And if God were to look at you and say, hey, I have more for you. 00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:12.079 I have more for you in life, if you'll just drop that, if you'll let that go, you can receive it. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:14.640 Can we let those things go? 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:18.079 Sometimes it's it's hard. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:19.119 We might need help. 00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:26.160 It's one of the beauties of being part of a church, by the way, is that you have access to people who will help you, who will talk with you, who will meet with you. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:28.960 That's why it's important to be part of communities, right? 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:36.000 Not just in a room like this, but being part of something like Generations or Moving Forward that starts here in a week, or just part of one of our Bible studies. 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:38.240 That you have relationships with other people and they can help you. 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:39.839 They can say, hey man, you've got this. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:41.599 You can do this, and I'm here for you. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:42.559 I'm praying for you. 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:44.960 Here's how God helped me get over this. 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:46.240 Let's do it. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:49.599 But if you live isolated, it's it's really tough. 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:53.359 Sometimes we hold on to the very things that this man held on to. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:56.480 We hope we hold on to wealth and the things of this world. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:02.880 We see this in Matthew chapter 6, verse 19 and 20. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:08.480 Jesus said, Don't store up treasures here on earth where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:13.519 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:16.160 Wherever your treasure is, there your heart is also. 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:18.799 Like it's just stuff. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:20.000 The stuff of this world. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:25.920 Sometimes it's shiny and wonderful, and we we obsess over it, and we we just order our lives around it. 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:26.880 We pursue it. 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:28.079 We've got to have more. 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:42.319 Jesus once taught in Matthew 13 this parable of a farmer scattering seed, and some of the seed falls on the path, and it just instantly gets snatched up, and the final group of seed falls in this fertile soil and it grows and multiplies. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:49.039 But there's this actual third category, the one right before the harvest, and it's seed that falls among the thorns. 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:51.359 And so it starts to grow, but it eventually gets choked out. 00:21:51.440 --> 00:22:02.319 And Jesus explained to his disciples in Matthew 13, 22, that the seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of This life and the lure of wealth. 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:04.319 So no fruit is produced. 00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:08.960 Sometimes there's just things in this world that we value too much. 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:11.119 Again, it's not wrong to be successful. 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:19.759 It's not bad to be to be wealthy, but if that's our obsession and focus, there's gonna be moments where God might call us to do something, and we're like, I can't, because that would mean I have to let go of this. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:21.440 It's challenging. 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:25.359 There's all kinds of things to hold on to, all kinds of idols. 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:29.359 That's why I think the Ten Commandments, idolatry is first. 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:31.839 I've always looked at that and been like, man, that's random. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:40.640 It seems like that should be the last one, because it should be sort of like, don't kill people, don't lie, don't steal, like, don't have an affair, and oh, and obviously don't worship other gods but me. 00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:46.799 That's how the commandment should go, because clearly shouldn't do that, but it's the first one. 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:49.839 And I think it's because God knows that it's the one we might struggle with the most. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:55.200 We by nature as people are worshipers, and there's so many options when it comes to things to worship. 00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:57.839 Idols are everywhere. 00:22:58.640 --> 00:22:59.599 They're everywhere. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:04.880 I mean, I was joking, kind of, when I said that when that letter from ESPN came. 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:22.240 I mean, like, I don't know if Jesus has an email address, but like if he did, I'm not saying I wouldn't have been more excited by an email from Jesus, but I am admitting that it was pretty close. 00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:27.440 I mean, I grew up obsessed with sports, and I grew up as a kid, I watched ESPN. 00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:32.160 It was like the thing you did first in the day was you woke up, you turned on ESPN. 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:35.119 I don't even know what ESPN stands for, to be honest with you, but it doesn't matter. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:39.839 Like you just watched it and you did Sports Center and then you went about your day, and it was like, yeah, that was sports. 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:44.240 It was synonymous with sports, and I grew up loving sports and idolizing sports. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:51.599 To be honest with you, sports are great, but there's a lot of times for people where even something like that becomes an idol. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:54.000 And here's how you know it just look at youth sports. 00:23:55.279 --> 00:24:03.119 There's there's whole families that if if a God thing, a church thing ever conflicts with a sports thing, the sports thing wins every time. 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:04.559 Every time. 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:07.039 God always loses that tiebreaker. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:15.039 And if God never wins the tiebreaker, what does that say about who our God really is? 00:24:15.200 --> 00:24:16.240 It's challenging. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:19.359 Understand, this is a challenging teaching of Jesus. 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:25.359 It's deeply challenging because he's saying there's going to be things you have to let go of. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:28.799 You've got to drop your nets if you want to follow me. 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:33.039 Like the disciples who follow Jesus, if they didn't say, hey, can we just keep the nets and drag it along? 00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:33.839 It's a lot of fish. 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:35.279 It'll feed us for days. 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:36.960 We might need these fish, Jesus. 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:38.160 These nets might come in handy. 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:40.000 Lots of uses for nets. 00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:40.960 No. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:42.640 Jesus says you've got to drop it. 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:52.000 And that doesn't mean you have to quit your job or whatever it is to be a Christian, but what it does mean is you have to have a heart that says, Lord, my yes is to you and you alone. 00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:57.759 And if you ever tell me that I need to let something go, I'll do it. 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:08.559 How different would this guy's life have been if he would have been able to let go of his earthly wealth that's gone, it's gone, it's been gone for thousands of years. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:10.000 It matters nothing now. 00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:13.920 He could have been a follower of Jesus and a close one, a disciple. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:14.799 It's amazing. 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:17.359 Now, we'll wrap up. 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:22.880 This leads Jesus into a really interesting teaching that seems super unfair, right? 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:29.039 This teaching about how a man goes out and he hires people for his for his field, for his vineyard. 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:30.640 He would have started, by the way, at 6 a.m. 00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:32.400 That's what time the Jewish workday started. 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:33.279 They really went with the sun. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:36.720 So 6 a.m., these guys go and they work all day long, right? 00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:37.440 6 a.m. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:39.359 to 6 p.m., 12-hour day. 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:42.880 And these other guys show up at 5 and they get paid the same amount. 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:44.880 It's crazy. 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:50.160 But he's illustrating something here where he's saying, listen, the disciples asked a question. 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:54.000 Hey, I I gave up everything for you, right? 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:55.599 He says this thing about this rich young man. 00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:57.599 He says, Man, he couldn't let go of what he had. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:58.640 He could have been one of us. 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:01.039 And they look at Jesus and they go, hey, we've let go of everything. 00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:02.559 We've given up everything for you. 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:04.240 Remember when we dropped our nets? 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:05.599 You remember that, Jesus? 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:07.759 Like, what are we gonna get? 00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:09.200 That's their question. 00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:10.880 Is this going to work out well for me? 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:14.799 Jesus, I need you to remember, I gave up ESPN for you. 00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:15.440 Okay? 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:17.680 Is this gonna work out? 00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:18.799 What am I gonna get? 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:20.559 That's a normal question to ask. 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:22.880 And Jesus says, hey, yeah, guys, you're gonna. 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:29.599 He gives them these crazy ideas about like when my kingdom comes in its fullness, and yeah, you'll have to sit on thrones and judge and all that. 00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:32.799 But then he gives them this other story and he says, but hey, you know what? 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:35.359 You're thinking about what you're gonna get. 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:39.119 And you guys are talking to the disciples, you're like the first ones. 00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:40.720 You're my first followers. 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:43.119