WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.799 Christmas is is fast approaching. 00:00:02.959 --> 00:00:04.639 That's why we're talking about all this stuff. 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:11.039 And if you're like me, you are full-blown in the gift-giving mindset for Christmas. 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:13.439 I enjoy getting things for Christmas. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:14.320 I really do. 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:16.079 I don't expect much of my kids. 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:17.839 I know their income. 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:21.760 And I just know nothing they're gonna buy is gonna blow me away. 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:24.640 I hope it's sentimental, I hope it's sweet, and I will love it. 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:27.039 Probably won't change my life. 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:31.600 But I'm at this stage of life where I look so forward to what I can what I can give. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:39.600 I get so excited about getting gifts for my family, and especially when I think I have a gift that is like perfect. 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:47.439 Have you ever had that experience where you're like, I know it, I've got it some years, especially with some people in your family, you're you're like, I have no idea what to get them. 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:48.719 I have no clue. 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:50.079 They're hard to buy for. 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:53.920 But then every once in a while you have this gift and you're like, this is it. 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:56.640 It yes, this is it's perfect. 00:00:57.119 --> 00:01:00.880 Several years ago, I had a gift like that for my dad. 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:08.560 I was in college at the time, and my dad is a really brilliant businessman, just an incredibly good businessman. 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:16.159 He's been really successful, worked at a lot of really big companies, he does a great job, he's really smart, he's really good with people, he's a really great presenter. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:19.040 And I would watch my dad go on all these business trips. 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:26.719 And every time my dad would go on a business trip, he would take one of these with him, and it would just be this big binder full of CDs. 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:28.959 For those of you who are, I know our students are in the room, guys. 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:30.799 This is a book of circles. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:34.079 There's these really tiny circles in here. 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:40.159 And back in the day, you would feed them into your computer almost like it had a mouth. 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:42.159 And uh, yeah, so there you go. 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:43.760 These are called CDs. 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:46.879 That's good. 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:51.760 So my dad would take this giant book of CDs with him every time he would travel. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:57.920 And this had all of all of his documents that he would give out to the people he was making sales pitches to. 00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:04.239 These would have all of his presentations because depending on the client, he would have all these different types of presentations that he might give. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:08.000 And when I was in college, these came out. 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:10.879 Flash drives. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:13.439 I remember the first time I saw one of these. 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:15.840 I thought it was like voodoo or something like that. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:20.400 Like this dude came in my room and he plugged this little thing into my computer, and I was like, What is that? 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:22.400 He's like, Oh, it's called a flash drive. 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:24.479 And it can store blah blah blah. 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:28.560 It was something crazy, probably like 516 kilobytes of information back in the day. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:29.280 But it was amazing. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:33.120 I was like, You're telling me that you can store all your documents that you need on this? 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:34.000 And he's like, Yes. 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:37.360 And I was like, my dad needs one of these. 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:42.400 And back when I was in college, to get one that contained, like, I think it was 50 megabytes. 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:43.120 I actually remember. 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.240 It was like$100 for 50 megabytes. 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:47.439 But I bought one. 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:48.719 And I was so excited. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:50.319 Because my dad's hard to buy for. 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:53.840 Like, like anyone have a dad that's really hard to buy for? 00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:55.199 Dads are the hardest. 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:56.400 Maybe your dad isn't. 00:02:56.639 --> 00:02:57.680 Is it just me? 00:02:58.000 --> 00:02:59.039 It feels like it's just me. 00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:00.000 Okay, well, fine. 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:03.120 Either you guys aren't in the mood to participate, or it's just me. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:03.599 It's fine. 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:04.479 Either way. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:08.000 So my dad's hard to buy for, because he's like a lot of dads. 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:08.560 He's like me. 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:10.639 Like when I see something I like, I just get it. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:14.800 And so by the time Christmas rolls around, it's like, ah, I already got all the stuff I wanted. 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:16.000 Sorry. 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:20.719 But this, I was like, this will change my dad's life. 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:28.719 No more carrying around the CDs, no more, no more having to bring that with him, no more worrying about a CD getting scratched or getting left in the computer or anything. 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:29.840 This is it. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:35.439 So Christmas Day, I'm like, finally, first time in my life, I got something from my dad that he's gonna love. 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:38.240 And he opens it up and he just goes, What is what is this? 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:40.639 And I said, Dad, it's a flash drive. 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:46.719 And it can take everything that's in this book, every single thing, and you can keep it with you. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:50.639 And it's this small, you can put it on your keychain, no more, no more of this. 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:54.719 And he just kind of looked at it and he was like, I don't know. 00:03:56.479 --> 00:03:58.240 And I was like, no, no, Dad, trust me. 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:03.439 And he had all these questions, like, well, what if I find a computer that doesn't have the the piece that needs to be plugged into? 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:07.360 I'm like, it's just a USB, it's it's a pro trust me, every computer has one of these. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:11.759 In fact, the likelihood of a computer not having a CD drive is higher than the likelihood of that. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:14.400 Dad just trusts me, and he's like, I just don't know. 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:22.319 And so I came back to visit like a month after Christmas, and it was it was still in the case. 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:25.519 Um he just he couldn't make the switch, and I get it. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:28.240 Like, look, when you're doing something that works for you, do it. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:32.240 But I was so convinced that this gift was like the gift. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:35.680 He just, for whatever reason, didn't click. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:39.759 Today, and by the way, Dad, I don't have any hard feelings about that at all. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:40.639 You're we're good. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:41.680 We're good. 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:48.000 Today, we're gonna talk about a gift that God has given all of us. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:51.360 And it's perfect, and it's life-changing. 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:57.279 But it is a gift that we tend to have a hard time wrapping our heads around. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:04:59.759 We don't fully understand it. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:08.399 And so it can actually make us resistant to experiencing the gift that we've been given. 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:16.319 Now, for some context, we've been exploring for the last few weeks this amazing conversation that Jesus had with his best friends before he went to the cross. 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:19.600 It was the last meal that Jesus had with his followers. 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:22.160 He loved them, he knew exactly what was going to happen to them. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:27.600 He knew that he was going to go to the cross and die, he knew that they were gonna scatter, that they were gonna be afraid. 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:38.480 He understood that even though he had spent three years teaching them, demonstrating the power of God, the love of God, the wisdom of God, they still hadn't gotten it yet. 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:46.639 So if you're ever trying to follow Jesus and you just don't get it, you feel like it doesn't click for you, you are in really good company. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:53.199 One of the first requirements of being a disciple of Jesus is not understanding what Jesus is all about. 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:54.959 We all have to start there. 00:05:56.240 --> 00:06:03.199 So Jesus sees that there's all these dots that need connected in their minds, and he has one more meal with them to do just that. 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:06.560 And so this meal ends up being one of the most iconic moments of Jesus' life. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:11.759 The Lord's Supper, the little mini meal that we just took together, that comes from that last meal. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:15.439 Jesus saying things like, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:19.439 If you've ever heard that, that came from the conversation at that table. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.560 Jesus washed his disciples' feet. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:25.920 We talked about that a few weeks ago, this iconic moment where he serves them. 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:27.839 That happened at that meal. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:30.560 This is one of the most important moments in Jesus' life. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:38.079 And thanks to the scriptures that we have and how well documented this meal is, it's like we get a seat at the table. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:40.639 And so today we're gonna jump in. 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:45.040 John chapter 14, verses 15 through 31. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:50.000 Jesus says, If you love me, obey my commandments. 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:55.439 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate who will never leave you. 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:58.720 He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:03.600 The world cannot receive him because it isn't looking for him and it doesn't recognize him, but you know him. 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:07.120 Because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:10.879 No, I will not abandon you as orphans, I will come to you. 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:13.839 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:15.680 Since I live, you will also live. 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:20.720 When I'm raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:24.000 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:26.720 And because they love me, my father will love them. 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:29.279 And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:38.000 Judas, not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name, said to him, Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large? 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:41.600 Jesus replied, All who love me will do what I say. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:46.000 My father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:48.079 Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me. 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:49.759 And remember, my words are not my own. 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:52.240 What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 00:07:52.399 --> 00:08:04.480 I'm telling you these things now while I'm still with you, but when the Father sends the advocate as my representative, that is the Holy Spirit, he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:09.439 I'm leaving you with a gift, peace of mind and heart. 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:13.519 And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give, so don't be troubled or afraid. 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:14.399 Remember what I told you. 00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:16.959 I'm going away, but I will come back to you again. 00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:22.160 And if you really loved me, you would be happy that I'm going to the Father who is greater than I am. 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:27.040 I have told you these things before they happen, so that when they do happen, you will believe. 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:31.040 I don't have much more time to talk to you because the ruler of this world approaches. 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:32.720 He has no power over me. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:37.200 But I will do what the Father requires of me so that the world will know that I love the Father. 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:39.200 Come, let's be going. 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:47.120 Jesus, in the last few moments of this meal with his best friends, promises them a gift. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:51.600 That God the Father is going to send a gift to them. 00:08:51.759 --> 00:09:05.279 And that even though he will no longer be with them physically, it's not going to matter because they will have something that Jesus later on says is even better than having him physically. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:14.879 They will have the Holy Spirit, the very presence of God in their lives. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:24.000 And Jesus says it's a gift that brings peace that the world cannot give. 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:27.919 Peace of mind, peace of heart. 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:40.080 Galatians chapter 5, verses 22 and 23 say that the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:41.759 There is no law against these things. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:44.240 This is what the Holy Spirit will give. 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:51.279 And Jesus promises that he's going to give the Holy Spirit to everyone who believes in him. 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:55.440 And so today we're going to talk about the Holy Spirit. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:58.720 And also next week, we're going to talk about the Holy Spirit. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:06.000 Because, trust me, as I was writing this this week, I realized, yeah, this is a two-week conversation. 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:09.200 Now, I'm just going to be honest. 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:13.759 I love slash hate talking about the Holy Spirit. 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:16.879 When the Holy Spirit is like the subject of the conversation in church. 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:17.440 And here's why. 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:18.559 I'm just going to be really direct. 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:22.080 I love talking about the Holy Spirit because I love God and the Holy Spirit is God. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:23.039 And I love God. 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:24.879 And I love Jesus and I love the Holy Spirit. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:25.679 I love all. 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:26.639 All of God. 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:35.200 I want to experience all of God, and I don't know if any of you resonate with that, but I do not want to be a person who lives life and only gets to experience a portion of God. 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:36.720 I want all of God. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:39.919 If there's more of God that I haven't experienced, then let me have it. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:44.480 I love the Holy Spirit, and I've experienced the Holy Spirit. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:51.360 But I also hate talking about this for a few very specific reasons. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:55.360 Number one, the Holy Spirit, it's kind of a loaded topic. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:11:04.639 Because all of us are coming from different backgrounds, and we've all had different experiences, and the Holy Spirit can be like a touchy subject. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:06.080 So I'll give you an example. 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:09.919 When I was in college, I worked at a restaurant, and I always worked Sunday nights. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:10.960 That was one of my shifts. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:15.919 I went to church on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, worked at Chili's. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:16.480 It was great. 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:17.519 Great times. 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:25.039 And uh and Sunday night was an interesting shift because we had a lot of churches around us that had Sunday night services. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:26.320 That was a big deal back in the day. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:38.240 And so you would get the Sunday night crowd, and you would you would think that the people who had been to church twice in one day would be like the most loving, kind, patient, generous people. 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:39.360 No. 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:40.399 No. 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:42.159 That's not the case. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:45.679 And so I had, and I will not, I will not name the denominations. 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:46.559 I will not do it. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:48.320 You can ask me later and I'll tell you in private. 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:55.200 But and by the way, we're non-denominational, but what that really means is we just all come from lots of different backgrounds. 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:56.559 We're like a big melting pot. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:05.440 And so there was this really big, big church close by, and and its people were like really awesome, but very serious. 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:06.639 They were very serious people. 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:09.279 I remember one night, we had five minutes until we closed. 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:10.159 We closed at 9 p.m. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:14.320 And at 8 55, a group of 30 from this church walked in. 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:18.399 And our our kitchen crew had already started closing the kitchen down. 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:19.360 We had no guests at all. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:21.919 We're cleaning up and we're like, it's been a long day, ready to go home. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:23.679 And they said, Hey, what time do you guys close? 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:26.159 And I was like, we close at 9. 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:28.960 And the guy went, awesome. 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:36.960 And so I went back and told our kitchen crew, and then they proceeded to cuss at me, thankfully, in a language I didn't understand. 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:43.919 And so I just came back out, and I remember it was like it was so painful because it took a long time for their meal because everything was closed down. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:46.080 They complained that it took so long. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:47.679 And I'm like, you're at Chili's. 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:49.600 Like, lower your standards, please. 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:50.639 Come on, this is not fine. 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:51.360 I love chilies. 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:52.879 I'm not, if you work at Chili's, I'm not knocking it. 00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:53.840 I worked there for three years. 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:55.039 It's just like, it's chilies. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:56.000 Like, come on. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:58.480 And then they just left a terrible tip. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:02.159 So I had that crew pretty often on Sunday nights, wasn't fun. 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:04.320 But then I had this other group. 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:06.159 And they were from a different church. 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:11.679 And this was a church that was like, I'm just gonna, it was like all about the Holy Spirit. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:15.200 And every time they sat at my table, they would start talking to me. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:17.039 And I I loved Jesus. 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:20.080 But they would start asking me real personal questions. 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:23.360 And it would be like, they would like, it was, it was, I'm just gonna be out, they were odd. 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:25.039 They were they were a little kooky, okay? 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:26.720 Some kooky people. 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:34.240 And every time I'd sit down, and or they would sit down and I'd be their waiter, they would ask me, Have you ever been filled with the Holy Spirit? 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:36.639 I'm like, that's a weird question to ask your waiter. 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:38.080 You know? 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:40.399 I'm like, have you ever had our baby back ribs? 00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:44.480 Like, what do I respond with that question? 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:47.840 And I remember saying, what they here's what they meant. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:14:06.000 They came from a very specific tradition that believed that you either speak in tongues, which is, if you're not familiar, it is a spiritual gift that we see in the New Testament, and it's a spiritual gift that many people experience to this day, where it's like you and God have a conversation that bypasses your brain, and it's just like spirit, spirit. 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:07.840 We'll talk about that at another time. 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:09.679 But I had never experienced that. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:15.679 And I remember I would tell them, I know what you mean, I've never spoken in tongues, but I love Jesus very much. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:20.960 And I believe that the Holy Spirit gives a lot of different gifts to people who follow him. 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:22.240 I just should have never had that one. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:25.200 And they would go, we'll pray that you experience the Holy Spirit. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:27.519 And I'd be like, Great, thank you. 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:33.440 And I pray that he's given you the gift of generosity, which is also a spiritual gift listed in the Bible. 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:38.639 Um turns out, no, they only got the tongues thing, no generosity. 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:41.679 So it worked for me. 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:46.080 I had a lot of experiences like that growing up. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:48.480 And I'm I'm being really, I'm just being very direct. 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:53.039 I had a lot of experiences with people who talked a lot about the Holy Spirit. 00:14:53.200 --> 00:15:00.960 But in this very like, I'm above you, I'm more spiritual than you, maybe one day you'll rise to my level kind of way. 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:09.919 I also had a lot of experiences with people who talked a lot about the Holy Spirit, and then they just behaved in really weird ways that were very off-putting. 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:15.759 And it was like, if that's what being filled with the Holy Spirit looks like, no thank you. 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:28.559 I mean, I found myself, when I was in my early 20s, I was extremely resistant anytime someone would start talking to me about experiencing more of the Holy Spirit because I'm like, no, no, no, I know what that looks like. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:33.600 I've seen the people who act kooky and odd and off-putting, and I don't want that. 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:45.519 So me at 23, 24 years old was very like, I would have almost a physical response where I would stiffen up anytime someone would start to talk about the Holy Spirit. 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:53.600 And then one day I met this person, and her name is Susan. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:55.360 Susan's one of the founding pastors of our church. 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:56.000 I love Susan. 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.000 If you knew Susan, she's just an incredible person. 00:15:58.080 --> 00:15:59.279 I miss her a lot. 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:04.080 Susan had something that I didn't have. 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:06.000 It was different. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:16.159 She had this passion and this sort of light, and it wasn't off-putting, and it and it wasn't kooky and weird. 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:20.879 Being weird is not a gift of the Holy Spirit, by the way. 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:23.600 That's not like he doesn't say I bless you with oddness. 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:24.639 That's not a thing. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:28.000 Susan had the Holy Spirit, but it was in, it was so attractive. 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:30.000 It was like, what is that? 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:34.559 You have some type of connection to God, and I I've never experienced it. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:41.200 Not at least in the way that you have, and I want to, but I'm kind of nervous because I don't want to get weird. 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:47.200 And Susan sort of opened my eyes to what that was really like. 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:50.240 And that resistance in me started to fade. 00:16:51.679 --> 00:17:00.000 But I know when I talk about the Holy Spirit, I'm talking to a group of people, and many of you may have had experiences like what I experienced. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:03.360 And there's a resistance because you've seen the kooky stuff. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:04.960 And you're like, no, thank you. 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:16.400 And let's be honest, we even see pastors in churches that kind of just go way off and get really strange and use the Holy Spirit as sort of this covering to behave that way. 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:21.119 And it's very off-putting, and oftentimes it's just even wrong. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:35.039 One of my favorite authors said he believes that the greatest tool of the devil is really odd people who use the Holy Spirit as an excuse to behave however they want to behave, and it's self-indulgent and it isn't of God. 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:40.799 And so when I talk about the Holy Spirit, I just want you to know, I promise I'm not I'm not one of those people. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:42.400 I don't think I am. 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:45.119 I I can't be a hundred percent sure. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:18:06.240 But the other reason that I love slash hate talking about the Holy Spirit as a subject is because every time I talk about the Holy Spirit, and I've I've preached on the subject of the Holy Spirit, ah gosh, five or six times, I always feel this pressure to make it like this all-encompassing message that will answer every question you could possibly have about the Holy Spirit. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:15.680 Like I gotta go way back and backtrack and lay a foundation, and the goal is that by the time I'm done talking about this, you're like, I totally, completely understand the Holy Spirit. 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:20.240 And that's impossible because I do not totally and completely understand the Holy Spirit. 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:21.680 Not in the least. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:26.000 The older I get, the more I realize, the less I know. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:29.599 And the more I hunger and thirst to know more. 00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:37.519 Jesus, if you can't tell by what we read, was very comfortable teaching in ways that would make people go, I have no idea what he's talking about. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:39.759 Can you say that again? 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:43.599 Like he was okay talking in a way that would make you ask a lot of questions. 00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:50.960 And rather than answer all of those questions, Jesus would be very comfortable with you leaving, thinking, and wrestling. 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:54.480 Maybe he knew that that's part of the process. 00:18:54.960 --> 00:19:03.680 That it's more important for us to have a heart that seeks God, that asks questions, rather than have a mind that thinks it knows all the answers. 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:09.759 And so just know that after this week and next, you will still have a lot of questions about the Holy Spirit. 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:11.680 But I'm gonna do my best. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:15.599 And I've prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to help me, so I expect good things. 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:22.079 But just know this: if if you're a new Jesus follower, be excited because this is oh, this is everything. 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:28.000 If you're someone who's been following Jesus for years and you're like, look, I get it, I understand all this stuff, I promise there's more. 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:29.519 There's more. 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:32.000 There is always more of God. 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:41.119 And if you're skeptical, if you're like, I this, I don't know if I've given my life to Jesus or not, I'm not sure about this, and this Holy Spirit stuff, I'm skeptical. 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:41.839 Look, I get it. 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:43.359 You have good reason to be. 00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:48.000 But I will never try to prove God to you. 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:49.680 Because I don't need to. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:52.640 He is perfectly capable of proving himself. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:58.559 And I believe that if you have an open heart and an open mind, you will experience whatever you need to experience from him. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:02.319 So, with that said, let's talk about the Holy Spirit. 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:05.359 What is the Holy Spirit? 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:09.920 Well, to get started, it's not a what, it's a who. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:16.400 We have a tendency to, when we talk about the Holy Spirit, I'm probably guilty of this, I may have already done it in the message, to say it. 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:17.519 It is. 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:19.440 Well, the Holy Spirit is a person. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:25.599 When Jesus left, he said, I want you to baptize people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:27.680 We had five people get baptized last Sunday. 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:32.000 All of them were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:38.720 And so you have these three people, these three persons, personalities that make up what we call God. 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:52.400 Very often when we say God, we're talking about God the Father specifically, but God really is an umbrella term that describes God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. 00:20:52.640 --> 00:21:01.920 We don't believe in three different gods, we believe in one God that exists with three distinct personalities or persons. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:04.319 And if you're like, how in the world is that possible? 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:07.759 Okay, I would say look at yourself. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:15.119 The very first chapter of the Bible, when we're created, God says, let us, plural, make man in our image. 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:26.559 And so if God exists in this sort of Father, Son, Holy Spirit, three persons, one person thing, and we're made in his image, then we should reflect that, and we do. 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:29.599 When is the last time you had an argument with yourself? 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:32.640 Like honestly. 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:38.640 I said earlier that my oldest and I are doing this one-month no sugar challenge. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:44.960 And just in the last two days, the number of arguments I've had with myself about sugar, it's like he'll never know. 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:45.920 He won't know. 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:46.960 He's not here right now. 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:49.440 One bag of MMs, it's not even that much. 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:57.599 Because what's happening is my body is craving sugar, and my mind is saying, like, no, Justin, no, no, stop. 00:21:58.640 --> 00:21:59.759 And there's a fight that ensues. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:00.319 Sues. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:01.680 Am I crazy? 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:03.839 Maybe. 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:12.000 But like honestly, how many of you have had moments like that where you are literally having a conversation with yourself as if you're two distinct people? 00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:12.960 Right? 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:17.440 That's because there's a physical you, you have a body, and that is you. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:18.880 That is absolutely you. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:22.400 But you have an intellectual self. 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:24.160 We would actually call that a soul. 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:27.440 Your soul are your it's your thoughts, your emotions, your will. 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:28.799 That's your soul. 00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:33.839 And sometimes your soul and your body are in line, and sometimes they are not, and little battles ensue. 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:35.920 But you also have a deeper part of you. 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:37.839 You have a spirit. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:42.000 And it's it's deeper than your body, it's deeper than even your soul. 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:54.480 And those of you who have followed God for for a long time, maybe even not that long, know this experience where maybe your body and your soul are on one page, but something's not right in a deeper part of you, in your spirit. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:58.880 And you have a little bit of a conflict within yourself. 00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:03.279 Well, that is you exhibiting exactly what we're talking about. 00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:10.319 We have a God who is Father, Son, and Spirit, except He's never at war with Himself. 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:13.599 And we actually reflect that. 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:17.200 The Holy Spirit is God. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:27.279 And the Holy Spirit shows up in the very first moments in Scripture, Genesis chapter 1, verses 1 and 2, says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:35.119 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:40.640 Right in the very first few verses, we have the Spirit. 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:46.000 And if you read the Bible in the Old Testament, there's moments where the Spirit of God comes upon people. 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:46.960 That's the language used. 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:54.000 The Spirit came upon someone, and usually it's to give them something that they need for that moment, and often it's kind of big stuff. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:24:02.559 And we get the impression in the Old Testament that the Holy Spirit would sort of be very selective and show up in moments when something big needed to happen. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:05.839 And maybe even in certain circumstances, there would be like a prophet. 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:09.279 If you've never read their stories, read Elijah or Elisha. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:17.839 And they seem to just have the presence of God with them in a really constant way, but that doesn't seem to be the case for everybody. 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:19.599 They're definitely unique. 00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:23.759 But Jesus comes along and he says it's not going to be like that anymore. 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:29.680 Because of what I'm doing, because of what I'm going to accomplish on the cross, I'm going to open up the Holy Spirit to all of you. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:33.680 And you will have the presence of God with you. 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:36.079 God will make his home inside of you. 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:37.359 That is the Holy Spirit. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:39.359 This isn't just for the select few. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:42.799 This isn't just for those moments when God needs something big to happen. 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:45.519 This is a daily, constant truth. 00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:48.960 That you have the Spirit of God within you. 00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:55.279 The Holy Spirit teaches us, reminds us what Jesus has said. 00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:57.119 The Holy Spirit strengthens us. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:00.640 Scripture says that strengthens our innermost being. 00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:09.599 The Holy Spirit gives us gifts and abilities, helps equip us for the part that we get to play in God's kingdom. 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:16.000 The Holy Spirit, the Bible says, is the guarantee, the seal that we belong to God. 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:20.400 That's who the Holy Spirit is. 00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:31.440 And we have the capacity to know God's Spirit and to experience God's presence in a powerful, intimate way. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:36.960 And Jesus tells us that this is what has to happen. 00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:45.119 So today I want to talk really about two simple words that will get us going in this conversation. 00:25:45.279 --> 00:25:48.880 And then next week we're going to pick it up and I can't wait for what we're going to talk about next week. 00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:51.759 I was going to try to put all this into one message, but I love you too much. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:52.319 I just do. 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:54.240 And I knew how long it would take. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:58.000 First word need. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.440 How badly do we need the Holy Spirit? 00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:07.839 Now, a few years ago I had a really cool experience. 00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:12.400 First and only time this has happened in my life is we went to buy a car. 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.720 We bought our Arkea minivan. 00:26:15.359 --> 00:26:16.480 That's how we roll. 00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:25.119 And I was so excited because every other time I've ever purchased a vehicle, I had one filter in mind, and it was what is the cheapest car that you are selling in this lot? 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:26.720 Show me that car. 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:29.759 That's how we got our scion, and I'm still rocking it today. 00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:30.640 Drove it here this morning. 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:34.319 Check engine light is on, maintenance required light is on, it is still going. 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:37.680 Maybe by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:38.720 I don't know. 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:45.599 But when we got the Kia, we were like, look, we got four kids. 00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:51.519 This needs to be a car that lasts for a long time, and let's go, let's sit down and let's look at our options. 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:56.400 And I didn't realize how many options there are nowadays when you get a car. 00:26:56.559 --> 00:27:01.039 Like they said a few things came standard, like a backup camera. 00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:02.240 I'd never had a backup camera. 00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:04.160 How many of you have a backup camera on your car? 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.359 It's amazing. 00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:11.279 I don't understand how we haven't been hitting things with the back of our cars like every single time we go in reverse. 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:16.079 And I mostly love it because every time I put my car in reverse, it's like I get to play a little video game for a few seconds. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:16.720 It's great. 00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:19.759