WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.639 All right, we started a conversation last Sunday called Lessons from the Garden. 00:00:04.959 --> 00:00:05.919 Lessons from the Garden. 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:14.400 And what we're doing is we're looking back at the very first story or very first collection of stories that we have in the Bible, the Old Testament, the Book of Genesis. 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:17.920 And guys, these are some of the most ancient stories in human history. 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:22.000 And it's amazing how much we learn by looking back at the beginning. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:36.640 It's incredible, really, how much we can learn about who God is, who we are, the kind of relationship that God desires to have with us, and maybe some of the pitfalls that can come between us and God. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:44.479 Not as so much as God having something that's between him and us, but it's more how we respond to things that happen and create distance between ourselves and God. 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:49.359 We learn a lot about God, about us, about this whole relationship by looking at the beginning. 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:55.119 And so we started last week and we explored this concept of the tree of life. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:59.359 And if you weren't here for that, it's one of the most foundational teachings for us as a church. 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:01.520 We are what we call a tree of life church. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:03.200 And if you're like, what in the world does that mean? 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:08.719 I highly encourage you to go back, listen to last week's message, watch it online, really interesting stuff. 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:10.480 But today I just want to jump back in. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:14.159 And the cool thing about this story, by the way, if you're new to church, is you probably know this story. 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:19.599 Even if you've never opened a Bible, you've never read it directly from the source, you know the gist of the story. 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:28.400 There's these two people, Adam and Eve, they're in a garden, and then there's a serpent, and there's forbidden fruit, and they're tricked, and they eat the fruit, and everything goes awry. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:29.920 You know this story. 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:32.799 But we're gonna examine it from some really unique angles. 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:38.159 And so, that said, I'm gonna read from Genesis chapter 2, verses 15 through 18. 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:43.840 It says, The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:51.040 But the Lord God warned him, You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:53.840 If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die. 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:56.879 Then the Lord God said, It is not good for man to be alone. 00:01:56.959 --> 00:01:59.840 I will make a helper who is just right for him, and he he creates woman. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:06.879 I find it interesting that the moment God gives man some type of instruction, he immediately goes, He's gonna need help. 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:08.960 Uh this isn't gonna go well. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:14.719 It's like he was like he was looking at Adam, and Adam's nodding his head, and God's like, You don't understand what I'm all right. 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:16.479 Uh hold on, let me figure this out. 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:17.280 I know. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:18.560 I'll create women. 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:19.039 You know? 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:21.680 Because let's be honest, men without women, where would we be? 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:23.439 Like, where would we be? 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:24.080 You know? 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:24.960 Amen. 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:28.240 Have more money, but that's I'm just joking. 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:29.280 I'm just joking. 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:33.439 No, I wouldn't. 00:02:33.599 --> 00:02:34.159 I wouldn't. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:35.520 I'd have so much less of everything. 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:39.360 Megan, I would have less of everything that is good if you weren't in my life. 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:40.639 So here we go. 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:42.560 Let's keep going before I dig a deeper hole. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:43.680 Genesis 3:1. 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:49.120 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:56.240 One day, he asked the woman, Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden? 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:57.759 And then they have this conversation. 00:02:57.919 --> 00:03:02.400 And actually, we're going to explore that conversation in depth, do kind of a zoom in next week on that. 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:07.840 So I don't want to get into all the nuts and bolts of their conversation and how it goes, but again, you know the gist of the story. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:11.360 This serpent, which is always associated with our enemy, right? 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:12.879 With Satan, with the devil. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:15.680 This serpent, he convinces Eve. 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:17.120 It says she's convinced. 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:19.360 This is Genesis 3, 6 through 7. 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:24.319 She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:29.039 So she took some of the fruit and ate it, and then she gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it too. 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:36.319 And at that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness, so they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:39.919 Now, last week we asked kind of a basic question early on. 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:43.120 Why in the world did God put that tree there in the first place? 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:48.159 Why would God create this garden, this paradise? 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:57.599 And you've got the tree of life, which he's like, eat freely from that, and it's it's a representation of Jesus really and the life that we can have with God when we just come to Him for everything we need. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:04.639 But why would God put this other tree, this tree he calls the knowledge of good and evil, and he's like, oh, if you eat that, bad things will happen. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:06.240 Why even put it there? 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:11.439 And we talked briefly last week about the concept that maybe God values freedom. 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:17.920 Maybe God desires such a real relationship with us that he knew the only way to have a real relationship is for us to have a choice. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:19.360 So he gives us a choice. 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:26.800 And it's interesting because very often we get angry at God, and I mean collectively as people, we get angry at God because bad things happen. 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:30.720 And sometimes we might even ask, God, if you're real, why is there suffering in the world? 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:32.160 That's a pretty common question. 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:34.319 It's a good question to ask, by the way. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:44.480 It's not an easy question to answer, but I will say that if you look at the majority of suffering that's happening in the world, almost all of it is happening as the direct result of someone's choices. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:48.639 There is suffering that happens sort of just naturally. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:49.279 Right? 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:52.000 Maybe like a natural disaster that happens or something like that. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:59.439 But the vast majority of human suffering is done at the hands of another person, the decisions that they make. 00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:04.959 And so then we can ask the question okay, if I want to eliminate suffering, then Lord, just eliminate all of our choices. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:06.000 Take all of our choices away. 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:07.680 And everyone's like, oh, hold on, hold on, wait. 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:08.399 No, no, no. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:09.759 I like my choices. 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:10.959 It's tough, right? 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:19.279 Like we want to have freedom, we want to have the ability to choose, to have free will, but at the same time, we want nothing bad to happen. 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:21.920 And maybe that just doesn't work. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:24.800 God seems to value freedom. 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:27.040 Maybe that's why he put that tree there. 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:28.959 But but what we just read begs another question. 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:37.600 It's another one of those, hey God, I don't mean to like tell you what to do, but if we're all honest, if we had God's power for a day, how many of us think I would make some things better? 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:44.079 Like, come on, like if you had God's power for one day, how many of you, just show of hands, be honest, we'll be like, I think I can improve some things. 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:44.800 Right? 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:46.720 Some of you are not being honest. 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:47.759 We all do. 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:53.120 If you had God's power for one day, you'd just be like, it's perfect the way it is. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:59.600 God is just, I'm just, no, you'd be like, finally, finally, this is getting done. 00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:05.680 Because there is something deep down inside of all of us that sort of believes that you know we could maybe do a little better. 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:07.360 At least I do. 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:14.480 So it's not that we want to look at God and say, hey, God, I think you're doing it wrong, but sometimes we have those thoughts. 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.680 And I look at this story, and there's the why is there a tree there? 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:23.199 But then maybe even more specifically, hey, hey God, why is there a serpent in your garden? 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:28.000 Like, can we just stop for a second and say maybe that's a bad idea? 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:35.040 A few years ago, we lived in our first home, first house Megan and I ever lived in. 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:37.920 We got that house when we became pregnant with our first child. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:42.720 And it was a tiny little house, and it had a tiny, tiny backyard. 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:47.920 But our backyard uh had a had a fence, and then that backed up to this sort of wild area, and there was a creek. 00:06:48.079 --> 00:07:00.240 And one day I opened the sliding glass door to step into our backyard, and thank God, like for some reason I looked down, and right before my foot hits the ground, there there is a copperhead snake directly underneath my foot. 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:02.879 Like, just and I knew exactly what kind of snake it was. 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:04.879 I grew up in southern Missouri, they're very common there. 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:06.879 I'm like, whoa, okay. 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:10.560 So I come back in and I'm like, I I let my son play out there all the time, right? 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:11.600 I can't have that. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:15.199 I can't, I can't have a snake in the backyard. 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:21.439 Like that part of me as a man that's like, this is my tiny territory and I will defend it, you know, came up. 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:27.519 And so I tried to kill the snake, and I was unsuccessful, and the snake slid into our neighbor's yard. 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:30.079 And it was one of those neighbors that I've you've never spoken to before. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:30.800 You have those neighbors. 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:32.000 Anyone have those neighbors? 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:33.920 Like I have a neighbor, never met them. 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:35.920 All right, I'm a terrible neighbor then. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:37.199 So it was one of those. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:43.360 So I go, I knock on the neighbor's door, neighbor opens up, and she looks at me like she knows who I am, but we've never spoken. 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:45.120 And she's like, Yes. 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:47.040 I said, Hey, I just want to let you know. 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:49.680 Sorry, but there was a copperhead snake in my backyard. 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:52.240 I tried to kill it, unsuccessful, and it slid into yours. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:54.160 And she goes, Oh, I get those back there all the time. 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:54.879 It's fine. 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:57.199 And I was like, Who are who are you? 00:07:57.360 --> 00:07:59.360 Like, what? 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:02.560 So that happens. 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:09.360 And then, like, two weeks later, we had this little mat in the in the backyard, and I lift it up, and there's two snakes under the mat. 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:11.120 And I'm like, what is going on? 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:13.279 I live in this like snake place. 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:16.879 So, so I I'm like, I gotta figure out how to snake proof the yard. 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:25.439 And I went to Home Depot and I got this like like chicken wire stuff that was really, really like I'm like, only a tiny, tiny snake could get through this, right? 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:27.360 I was maybe okay with that, but not really. 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:33.200 So I got as small of chicken wire as I could find, and I lined the back fence, the gap between the fence and the ground with it. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:35.600 I'm like, I have no snake is getting in. 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:38.639 But then the thought occurred to me, what if one is already in the yard? 00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:43.279 I've just created a yard that it can't leave. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:48.080 And I mean it, that messed with me for, I'm like, I may have trapped, I mean, that's it. 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:49.919 We're moving, you know? 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:52.639 And we did, but not for that reason. 00:08:52.879 --> 00:09:01.200 But just the idea that there was a snake in the yard that my my children play in, I couldn't handle that as a dad. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:06.720 So I look at this story, and again, it's not like, hey, God, I want to tell you how to do things. 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:11.759 And I don't know about that tree that you put there, like maybe that wasn't a good idea, but but that's fine. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:12.639 Take your tree. 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:14.480 Let's talk about the serpent. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:18.480 Why is there a serpent in your garden? 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:21.360 It doesn't seem very safe. 00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:26.240 And turns out it wasn't safe. 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:29.600 We frequently refer to the Garden of Eden as paradise. 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:30.399 That's the word that we use. 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:31.600 That's actually a very ancient word. 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:37.679 The word paradise has existed for thousands of years, and uh it means a walled garden. 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:40.240 That's what the word paradise actually literally means. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:47.679 So it doesn't just have the idea of a beautiful place, it also has the idea of a safe place, a protected place. 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:48.960 There's a wall. 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:57.440 So why on earth would God allow a serpent in paradise? 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:01.120 Because it just doesn't seem very safe. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:08.559 And I think that maybe we ought to consider the idea that there are things God values more than safety. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:17.600 There's been this development in the last seven, eight years, um, you may have heard of this, called uh safe spaces. 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:22.480 And it's been something that's become very common on college campuses, it's actually gotten a lot of attention. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:26.960 And it's one of those topics that people will have very different opinions on, and you can go either way, and that's that's fine. 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:52.879 But the basic idea of it, if you haven't heard of this, is that there are a lot of students who sort of demand, it's not everybody, it's just enough and a loud enough group, that demand that you know the campus should be a safe space, meaning it should be a place where you can be guaranteed that you won't be perhaps offended or uh encounter maybe ideas that really, really anger and upset you, you know, that are extremely different than your own. 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:59.840 And and so colleges have actually done a lot of work, and this is something you can go research if you're unfamiliar, they've done a lot of work to create what they call safe spaces. 00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:04.080 These are like a place where you're guaranteed to not be offended or upset. 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:07.360 Turns out that's really hard to do, right? 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:11.200 Because man, if there's one thing as people we are amazing at, it is getting offended. 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:13.360 How many of you have a gift for getting offended? 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:14.399 Come on, like raise your hand. 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:16.720 Like I can get offended so well. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:21.120 Some of you, I'm good at it. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:27.200 You know, it's like if you ever hear someone say the phrase, like, never in my life have I been treated, it's like, come on. 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:31.360 Never in your life have you been like, come on. 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:33.679 Like, we're good at getting offended. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:35.519 So the safe space thing is hard. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:50.480 And what that's led to really practically, it's been like people being banned from speaking on campuses, commencement speakers who have accomplished really great and amazing things, being told, actually, we're canceling your speaking engagement because a lot of students are upset about that. 00:11:50.639 --> 00:12:03.759 It's led to uh this idea of this thing called trigger warnings, which is that the idea that like professors should have to give warnings if there's any content in the class that might be offensive, you have to warn that you might get triggered if you come to that. 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:07.279 And then that's even led to the bit the banning of certain words and phrases. 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:08.559 Like this is a real thing. 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:15.360 There's a college in Massachusetts that banned the phrase, that's crazy, or that's insane. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:16.799 Like if you had a test, like how was it? 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:17.600 It was insane. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:22.080 Can't say that because there are people who are actually insane and they might get offended. 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:26.960 So in this scenario, it's like I'm talking to an insane person about the test I took. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:28.639 And they're like, how was your test? 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:30.000 And I was like, it was insane. 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:31.600 And they're like, How dare you? 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:34.000 Because I'm insane and I know it. 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:35.120 And I'm offended. 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:37.519 Like, that's a weird thing, right? 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:40.639 It's just not a scenario I think you're gonna encounter. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:43.360 It's like, okay. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:47.440 Uh and they suggested instead use the this was an actual thing. 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:49.600 Instead, say that's bananas. 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:55.039 Because fruit can't get offended, right? 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:56.960 Yet. 00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:58.320 We'll find a way. 00:12:58.480 --> 00:12:59.840 We will find a way. 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:01.519 We'll find a way. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:05.840 And so this just it's just like it's one thing after after another. 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:09.759 And it's silly, but it shouldn't be surprising. 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:15.279 Because while I'll say this, it's very easy to look at that concept and laugh at it. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:26.080 And usually, whenever the concept of safe spaces is being discussed, it's often like an older generation looking at a younger generation and being like, that's ridiculous, like, come on, just toughen up. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:33.360 But very often the generation that's judging that is the same generation that raised the generation demanding safe spaces. 00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:40.879 Because, like, that generation raised a group of kids who weren't allowed to ever do anything, like, never got to go and just be. 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:47.919 Like, how many of you, and I would love a show of hands that's legitimate, like just for one second, get over it if you don't like raising your hand, just for a minute, okay? 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:55.600 How many of you grew up in a time where you could be somewhere and your parents didn't know where you were and that was fine? 00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:56.799 Yeah. 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:02.320 Like, how many of you did things you shouldn't have done when your parents right? 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:12.240 Do you know what would happen to me now if someone knocked on my door and said, Do you know where your your eight-year-old is? 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:13.360 And I was like, No. 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:20.720 Like they're like, I would, like, they would pull me away. 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:22.240 You're you can you're not fit to parent. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:23.840 I'm like, they're probably fine. 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:25.360 Like, I don't. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:28.000 But that's how we were raised. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:29.440 But there was there was a shift. 00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:30.480 You have to understand our culture. 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:40.960 There was a shift, and and there's a lot of different reasons for it, no reason to get into all of it, but like all of a sudden parents start going, oh no, no, no, no, you can't, we're gonna protect safety, safety, safety, safety. 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.799 Everything's about safety. 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:53.679 And so you raise a generation that they're not allowed to take risks, and they're not allowed to do things that that might, and parents are there just hovering and making sure that everything goes well, everything goes great. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:15:01.679 And then they're like, oh, that's that's maybe that develops into an unhealthy need for safety. 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:06.559 See, we have to understand that as human beings, we all crave safety and security. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:18.720 And so while while you might be someone who's like thinking about a college campus and college students demanding safety, like before you judge that, do you live in an incredibly safe neighborhood and yet you have a security system? 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:21.360 Like, I mean, some like let's be honest. 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:22.240 It's so funny. 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:24.879 Megan and I have a security system in our home. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:30.960 And it just like it came with the house basically, and it's the nicest place we've ever lived. 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:34.080 The first apartment we lived in had a meth lab next door. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:36.159 I'm not exaggerating, I'm not making it up. 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:43.919 The first apartment we lived in cost us$385 a month, and it's not like it was 1950 when you could buy like soda for a nickel. 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:45.200 It wasn't that long ago. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:53.840 So when you're paying$380 a month for an apartment 15 years ago, it's because you're living in a very bad place. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:16:01.679 We had a neighbor who would get drunk all the time and bang on our door thinking it was his and he had been locked out. 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:03.440 This happened all the time. 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:09.279 And like be one in the morning, and he's banging out, I'd be like, hey man, you don't live here, you're one door over. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:13.519 And we had no security system. 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:15.679 And we're fine. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:25.120 And then we get into a nicer neighborhood where like it's a lot of like just there's sort of the protection of the community, and it's like, well, we better, you know, have a code before we go to sleep. 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:34.720 Like it's just, can we admit the fact that maybe as human beings, all of us, no matter the generation, no matter where we're at, we have a deep need for safety and security. 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:38.639 Maybe an unhealthy need. 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:46.159 My my pastor in college, his name's Roy, love Roy, he said, there's very few things that someone will say, and 20 years later you remember it. 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:52.720 And one time he said that almost every decision a human being makes is made out of a desire for comfort or security. 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:55.600 We crave comfort and security. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:58.320 It's safety, safety, safety. 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:08.000 In fact, in 1 Thessalonians, uh Paul is talking about this time when Jesus will return, and it's often called the day of the Lord. 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:10.400 Some of the songs we sang this morning kind of sing about this idea. 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:13.920 It's really mysterious in scripture, really interesting to study. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:24.880 And he says this now concerning how and when this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don't really need to write you, for you know quite well that the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:34.480 When people are saying everything is peaceful and secure, then disaster will fall on them suddenly, as like a pregnant woman's labor pains begin, and there will be no escape. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:36.559 It's a very comforting uh thought. 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:49.359 But it's interesting that in Paul's explanation of the day of Jesus' return and all this craziness that'll happen in his culture and time, what happened in Jerusalem in 70 AD, study all that if you want to, really interesting. 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:56.799 It all happened really suddenly, but but it's interesting because he's saying it'll be at a time when everyone's saying, safety, safety, security. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:59.599 It's all safe, it's all secure, and oh, it's not. 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:03.039 So let's let's go back to the garden. 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:09.119 We have a need as people for safety and for security. 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:16.000 We all tend to live our lives in ways that minimize risk and maximize comfort. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:22.720 And God creates a perfect place that isn't safe. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:27.279 At the very least, it's not perfectly safe. 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:32.000 God himself did not create a snake-proof garden. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:38.400 Maybe there's something God values more than safety and security. 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:39.599 What could that be? 00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:44.480 Maybe it's strength. 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:52.640 Joshua chapter one is an interesting conversation between God and Joshua. 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:56.240 And if you don't know the story, Joshua is the guy who succeeds Moses. 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:00.799 Moses was the leader of the people of Israel, Moses has died, and now Joshua takes over. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:07.200 He's got big shoes to fill, and he's got a big task ahead of him because he has to lead the people of Israel into the promised land. 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:09.119 And it's going to be a battle. 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:12.319 It's going to be a series of battles. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:18.480 And so, this is what the Lord says to Joshua be strong and courageous. 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:24.640 For you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:26.400 Be strong and very courageous. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:29.200 Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:32.160 Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:34.240 Then you will be successful in everything you do. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:36.559 Study this book of instruction continually. 00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:40.960 Meditate on it day and night, so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:43.599 Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:44.799 This is my command. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:46.960 Be strong and courageous. 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:52.240 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:56.640 Multiple times God says to Joshua, be strong and courageous. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:58.240 He actually commands him to. 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:00.400 It's kind of a tough command, right? 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:01.680 Just be strong. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:02.960 Oh, okay. 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:04.079 Thanks. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:05.039 I am now. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:05.839 You know? 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:08.960 That's not how strength works. 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:12.640 Unless there's a strength inside of you that you're not aware of. 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:18.640 There's an interesting story in the book of Judges, there's a man named Gideon. 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:21.119 He becomes a judge of the nation of Israel. 00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:24.640 At this time, they don't have a king, and the judges are the ones who lead the people. 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:27.279 And they're not someone that comes via a family. 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:30.720 It's not like you become a judge and now your son will be the judge after you or whatever. 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:35.119 No, it's kind of like God picking specific people that he wants to use. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:42.400 It says that the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abuzer. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:47.279 Gideon, son of Joash, was threshing wheat at the bottom of a wine press to hide the grain from the Midianites. 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:51.599 At this time, the people of Israel have been attacked by this place called Midian. 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:55.039 And so Gideon is doing this thing in a very secret way. 00:20:55.119 --> 00:20:56.799 He's hiding, he's afraid. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:00.640 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, Mighty hero, the Lord is with you. 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:02.160 That's an awesome greeting. 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:08.240 Like the angel of the Lord, which might be, many scholars would say, this is Jesus before coming as a man. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:10.240 And he calls him mighty hero. 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:12.799 But Gideon doesn't seem to get the compliment. 00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:15.759 Sir Gideon replied, If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:18.000 Where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:20.000 Didn't they say they brought us up out of Egypt? 00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:23.359 But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites. 00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:29.359 The Lord turned to him and said, Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:30.480 I am sending you. 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:34.640 Now Gideon goes on to argue with God more, which is a theme in the Bible. 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:37.359 So if you ever find yourself arguing with God, you're in great company. 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:38.480 That's a good thing. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:41.279 But he says, like, I'm not strong, I'm weak. 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:44.880 In fact, my family is weak, and I'm weak in my family. 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:48.000 But he says, Go in the strength you have. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:52.640 In other words, your strength is enough for what I'm asking you to do. 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:58.319 You're strong enough, you're stronger than you think, you're strong enough when you do it with me, that's for sure. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:09.519 So many times in Scripture, we see God telling people that they're stronger than they think they are. 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:15.200 That they're capable of more than they believe that they are. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:20.000 So much so that he feels comfortable saying, no, no, no, no. 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:21.759 You're gonna do this. 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:29.519 You see, Moses, argue, God, but God, I'm not a good speaker, and I don't know what they're gonna say, and he's like, Moses, you're doing it. 00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:31.599 I'm sending you. 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:39.119 God values strength. 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:58.400 And I think what maybe the garden reminds us of, the fact that there's a serpent there in the first place, whatever that means, whatever that that is, is that his idea of perfection does not mean perfectly safe. 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:10.079 And very often our need for comfort and security will come at odds with the things that God might have us to do. 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:17.759 What would happen if we valued strength more than we value comfort? 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:20.240 How would that change the way we live our lives? 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:22.079 How would that change the way we think? 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:24.960 How would that change the way that we go about doing things? 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:36.960 Like honestly, if we truly valued strength more than safety, let's look at this in kind of a specific way. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:37.519 Parents. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:39.440 I'm gonna start there with parents. 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:43.119 I know not all of us are parents, uh, but a lot of us are. 00:23:43.359 --> 00:23:47.920 And I think that this is something that comes up a lot when it comes to how we raise our kids. 00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:52.079 When it comes to raising our children, do we value safety or strength more? 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:56.079 I will tell you, I was a youth pastor for a decade. 00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:58.799 And the normal answer is safety. 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:08.720 And the reason I know that is because you know you watch parents freak out anytime their kids maybe encounter something that's challenging or hard or upsetting. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:17.440 And my wife was a teacher, and I know my wife can tell you the number of times a parent was upset that something happened at school. 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:26.480 And that and the parents like, I just I'm I'm letting it be known, I demand that everything be taken care of, and that tomorrow be guaranteed that it's perfect and wonderful and safe. 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:29.200 No one uses that language, but that that's what happens, right? 00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:31.200 Because we want our kids to be safe. 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:32.880 Of course we do. 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:36.079 But it but it goes too far very often. 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:43.119 I remember many years ago, uh was right when I don't know if you guys know this, I have a son who plays basketball, and he had just started playing basketball. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:25:00.720 This is a brain joke, and uh and there was this there was this team from one of the schools, and the way it's supposed to work locally is there's this big league, and all the schools have teams, and it's supposed to be kind of evenly distributed, uh, so that it's competitive and no team is just like clearly better than the other, so the kids all, and it never works out that way. 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:02.000 Because there's cheaters. 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:02.799 That's the truth. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:04.000 There's cheaters. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:12.079 And I'm not sure if this is the way it is now, but in 2017, Avery Elementary were a bunch of cheaters, okay? 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:14.720 And it was just well known. 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:25.119 As you saw Avery on your schedule, you're like, well, either you're gonna get Avery's B team, it's like somehow all the kids who weren't very good got on one team, and then somehow all the kids who were great got on one team, right? 00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:26.400 But this this actually happened. 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:31.759 And I remember talking to uh uh a guy about it, like, hey, how does that team always end up like so good? 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:34.880 He's like, oh, well, they don't really do it the way we tell them to. 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:37.359 They kind of just all agree to put all the best kids on one team. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:38.480 I was like, oh, okay. 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:42.880 And you know, I didn't care because like no one's going, man, you should have seen me in second grade. 00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:44.079 I was so amazing. 00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:45.599 Like second grade basketball. 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:52.240 But here, but I remember thinking about it and going, what a what an absolute travesty for those kids. 00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:56.240 Because they've been put in a situation where they're guaranteed to win. 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:59.279 It's not even, they don't even have to worry about it. 00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:01.759 Like the game's over before it starts. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:05.839 So they never have to experience the pain of defeat. 00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:09.759 I would watch my son lose games and cry. 00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:12.079 And then I would say, I'll give you something to cry. 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:12.880 I know how to do that. 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:13.440 Just joke. 00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:15.920 No. 00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:20.160 Like I I watched him, I I would watch him lose close games. 00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:25.039 You know, I remember a game where he could have hit the shot to win it and he missed it. 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:28.240 And I'm really glad he had those experiences. 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:38.480 Because, yeah, creating a system where you guarantee your child's success, they're gonna enjoy it in the moment. 00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:42.640 And let's be honest, as a parent, you enjoy it because you feel good when your kid succeeds. 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:45.200 But that does not develop strength of character. 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:47.279 That's not how you develop strong kids. 00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:55.279 What if instead of paving the road to their success, what if you taught them how to actually succeed? 00:26:57.279 --> 00:27:05.440 And one of the challenges, I'll have to be honest, one of the challenges those of us who have young kids face today is children are just exposed to more than they've ever been exposed to. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:08.079 It is not a safe world for kids. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:10.640 And you can't make it perfectly safe. 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:23.920 Look, if if God couldn't create a place that was truly free of temptation, there's no serpents in his garden, don't believe for a moment as a parent you can create a home where there's no temptation. 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:36.319 In fact, I will say this to some of you who have raised children that have grown, and maybe your children rebelled, maybe you maybe you took your kids to church and you thought you did it the right way, and then for some reason they they went the other way, and you're like, what did I do wrong? 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:42.640 If God Himself could not create a rebellion-proof environment, there's no way you could. 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:45.599 So cut yourself some slack. 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:51.359 Because Adam and Eve rebelled against God and they were living in paradise. 00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:59.680 Parents, I just want to say this your children, they're gonna get exposed to things. 00:27:59.839 --> 00:28:03.759 In fact, if you have a child that's in middle school, they've already been exposed to more than you think they have. 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:06.079 Whatever you think they have, you're wrong. 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:09.759 It's just, and I'm not saying that immediately, you're just you are. 00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:12.799 Because the world that we live in, it's not safe. 00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:20.160 And there's exposure in all kinds of ways and areas, and and one of some of you are hearing that like freaking out, like, I'm gonna go home and snake proof my house. 00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:20.960 Right? 00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:24.880 You're gonna get home, your kids are like, no devices, no television, we've thrown it out. 00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:34.640