WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.400 We're gonna jump into a conversation that we started last Sunday called Rest for Your Soul. 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:08.560 Rest for your soul. 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:12.320 Matthew chapter 11, verses 28 through 30. 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:15.039 This is Jesus talking, so you gotta pay careful attention. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:21.920 He says, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:32.079 Take my yoke upon you, let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:37.840 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:43.520 Now, how many of you hear those words and go, yeah, I'm all in for that? 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:45.439 I want that. 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:53.359 You know, I said last week there's just certain things that Jesus says sometimes, and in in in simply his words, you see his heart. 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:59.840 And you see this deep desire in these words for him to give us something that the world cannot offer us. 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:07.280 When you think about the idea of rest for your soul, your soul is a deep part of who you are. 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:24.239 It's your thoughts, it's your desires, it's your will, it's your motivations, it's it's really what drives you much of the time, which is why when it gets tired and exhausted, life in every aspect is just a challenge. 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:28.799 If you have an exhausted soul, you'll never thrive. 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:34.000 Because so much of what you do, it comes out of the strength of your soul. 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:37.599 But if your soul's at rest, that's that's a powerful thing. 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:41.120 And we live in a world that cannot offer us rest for our soul. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:45.200 The reason our world can't offer us that is because our world is never at rest. 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:48.799 I mean, look at the last few years. 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:54.400 Uh, if you want a word to describe the time that we're living in right now, it is a time of unrest. 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:57.200 And there's all kinds of unrest, right? 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:03.200 There's political unrest and economic unrest, there's cultural unrest, there's racial unrest. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:05.359 It's just unrest everywhere you look. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:15.360 And no matter what your opinions on that unrest are, no matter what your views on what the cause of that unrest is, what the solution might be, there's no denying that we live in a time of unrest. 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:20.800 And so, how can a world that is never at rest offer you rest for your soul? 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:22.400 It can't. 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:25.280 You cannot give what you don't have. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:29.360 But you know, Jesus is different. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:33.360 Because Jesus lived in a time of unrest as well. 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:37.199 He lived in a time of great political unrest. 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:48.800 He lived in a time where diseases like leprosy were running rampant and there was a lot of fear, there was so much uncertainty, there was deep poverty. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:59.360 Jesus lived in a time of unrest, so much so, by the way, that just a few decades after Jesus was raised again to life, his part of the world was decimated by war. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:01.680 Completely and totally decimated. 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:02.960 He lived in a time of unrest. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:09.680 And yet, when you look at the life of Jesus, he was not a person living in a state of unrest. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:16.800 See, as scary as the unrest out there might be sometimes, the unrest in here is worse. 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:26.000 And sometimes we get so distracted by looking at the unrest out there that we forget to pay attention to the unrest in here. 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:29.199 But it's the battle within that really matters. 00:03:29.599 --> 00:03:36.240 Study history, you find that most great empires that have ever existed were never really conquered by another more powerful empire. 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:38.560 They fell apart from the inside out. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:40.800 They weakened internally. 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:44.240 And that's when they they fell. 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:46.800 It's the unrest in here that we have to watch out for. 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:54.400 But if we are people who have rest in our souls, then we can be people who have sanity in a world that's gone insane. 00:03:55.919 --> 00:04:04.879 If we're people that have rest in our souls, we can have a calmness and a steadfast faith in a world that is absolutely terrified. 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:10.479 If we have rest for our souls, and that is what Jesus offers us. 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:12.080 That's what he promises us. 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:13.280 Rest for your soul. 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:17.519 We're gonna spend a few weeks unpacking this powerful statement of Jesus. 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:20.000 We've broken it up into four pieces. 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:25.360 Last week we started with his first words, come to me, come to Jesus. 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:28.240 If you want rest for your soul, the first step is to come to Jesus. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:31.040 It's always about someone, not something. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:37.439 We we often spend time trying to find another thing to add to our lives, but if you have the right who, you're good. 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:39.600 So we start by coming to Jesus. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:41.439 Today we're gonna look at the second part. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:44.399 He says, essentially, let me lead you. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:47.600 We come to him, we let him lead us. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:51.040 Next week we'll we'll look at him saying, Let me teach you. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:55.439 We have to let him teach us, and then finally we have to let go. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:05:00.800 So come to Jesus, let him lead you, let him teach you, let go. 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:03.120 That's what we're gonna be looking at over the course of these few weeks. 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:05.600 If you weren't here last week, I encourage you to catch up. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:09.920 But today we're gonna jump into this statement that he says, Take my yoke upon you. 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:13.120 In other words, let me let me lead you. 00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:23.759 Now, I I hope that in this room and with everyone watching online, I hope that there are those of us who can say, I have been fortunate enough, blessed enough to be led by some amazing leaders. 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:24.959 And I would love to see a show of hands. 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:27.279 Those of you online, uh, feel free to put names down. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:28.480 Bless the people who have led you well. 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:34.079 Like, how many of you have been led by someone who was a phenomenal leader at some point in your life? 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:36.480 There, there's nothing like that, right? 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:46.240 When you've been underneath the authority of someone who's a really strong leader, whether it's a coach or a teacher, maybe a parent, a boss, you name it, it it's it's invigorating. 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:49.439 Like it's energizing, it makes you better. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:56.319 And I saw about half the hands went up with uh with, yeah, I've been under the authority of a really good leader. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:06:01.360 Those of you watching online, again, post their names, bless them a little bit, like let them know that they were great. 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:02.879 Or maybe they currently are. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:04.160 Let's let's flip that though. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:05.199 Show of hands. 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:07.360 And those of you online don't post names on this one. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:13.600 Um how many of you have ever been underneath the authority of a poor leader? 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:16.959 All right, more hands. 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:22.399 It's funny, if you look at the world, apparently leadership ability is not a requirement for leadership. 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:27.839 Uh, there are a lot of people in leadership that aren't leaders at all. 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:32.480 And we've probably all experienced what it's like to be under the authority of a poor leader. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:40.639 And just as being under the authority of a good leader is invigorating and energizing, being under the authority of a poor leader will drain you like few things can. 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:50.160 I was thinking about some of the leaders that I've I've had that are great, and I have been blessed, uniquely blessed, to be led by some really amazing people, some of which are in the room right now. 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:58.560 Um I've also been under some really interesting people that I wouldn't be able to classify as good leaders, and it's come at a variety of stages of my life. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:03.759 For example, um, you've probably been underneath at some point in time the authority of a hesitant leader. 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:05.600 A hesitant leader. 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:08.639 I uh I waited tables for several years while I was in college. 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:11.040 It was a great job while I was in school, I loved it. 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:15.839 Um, just gave me a chance to talk to all kinds of people, taught me how to not get mad when someone gets my name wrong. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:21.199 So to this day, uh many of you who go here will come up and say, you know, hey Jason, which isn't my name. 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:22.800 Uh my name's Justin. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:25.600 But I've never corrected you because I just don't even care anymore. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:28.000 Because when you wait tables, you get called by the wrong name so much. 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:29.600 You're like, I'm starts with a J. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:32.800 I'm just proud that you got that letter right, and we're good, you know? 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:44.319 Um so I waited tables for several years, loved that experience, and I had a variety of managers, lots of different types, but I had this one guy that just sticks out in my mind because he was so hesitant, he wouldn't make decisions. 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:51.680 He he he has something that I've actually researched and looked up, I think he he could clinically be diagnosed with this, it's something called trochophobia. 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:54.079 Um you've probably never heard of trochophobia. 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:55.920 It's the fear of buses. 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:57.519 Let me explain what I mean. 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:06.240 Um, every night, when it was time to start letting some servers go home, the way restaurants typically work is you know, you have a group of servers, they kind of come in waves. 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:13.360 You know, some come earlier and then more come so that by the time things are at their peak, you have everybody on, all the tables are open, but then you start to cut those down. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:20.240 So by the end of the night, when things have slowed down again, those who got there first have gone home, and those who got there last are still there, so hopefully they're still getting tables. 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:25.120 Um, and so what you're supposed to do as a manager is start making cuts when things slow down. 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:29.439 But but this guy was terrified that like a bus would show up. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:32.399 And I worked there for four years, never once. 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:40.879 Never, not joking, not one time did I ever see a bus pull into the Chili's Bar and Grill on in Liberty, Missouri. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:42.240 Like no one goes to Liberty, Missouri. 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:43.759 There's no buses anywhere. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:45.679 And it'd be like 9 p.m. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:48.799 And you say, hey man, I got here at like two. 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:51.440 Haven't had a table in 45 minutes. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:53.519 Um, you think maybe you might make cuts? 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:55.840 And he'd always just, he's like, man, I don't know. 00:08:56.159 --> 00:08:59.440 You just you just never know when a bus might pull up. 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:00.320 You know? 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:04.399 I'm like, I kind of think we do know when a bus might pull up. 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:05.679 Not at 9 p.m. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:07.200 on a Tuesday. 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:13.759 He just wouldn't make a decision, and it was maddening because you'd sit there just like, I'm just I'm just waiting for this person to make up their minds. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:18.799 When you're under a hesitant leader, it's tough, but Jesus is different. 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:29.440 You know, Jesus wasn't reckless, although there are moments in his ministry where if you had different goals, if your if your goal was survival, maybe he was reckless, but that wasn't his goal. 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:33.440 Jesus was never reckless, but he was never hesitant. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:35.600 He was decisive. 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:40.559 I mean, you you read his story and you look at the decisions that he had to make. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:44.720 Jesus had to make incredibly difficult decisions on a constant basis. 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:47.919 And here we are 2,000 years later talking about him. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:50.879 I think he made the right calls, made the right decisions. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:52.000 He's not a hesitant leader. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:55.759 If you if you follow Jesus, he'll make the right decisions. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:57.279 You can trust that. 00:09:57.519 --> 00:10:02.960 Some of you have probably been underneath a uh, this is worse than a hesitant leader, an incompetent leader. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:04.240 Show of hands, real quick. 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:08.639 Someone who did not know what they were doing, and yet somehow you are underneath them, right? 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:09.600 That's fun. 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:16.320 And this happens, this happens a lot in like family-owned operations where someone has a job because of their last name. 00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:21.600 Um, happens a lot in politics, you know, and and I don't know if any of you have ever watched the show Parks and Rec. 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:22.720 I'm sure some of you have. 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:24.399 Any Parks and Rec fans in the room? 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:30.399 Like I always think of uh Paul Rudd played a character named Bobby Newport in that show, and he's just a moron. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:35.840 But his dad is really important, and so he's like a political leader, just for that very reason. 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:41.679 Being underneath an incompetent leader will drive you crazy because you know that you know more than them. 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:44.399 And and you can't say that though, right? 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:46.080 Because you have to have respect for authority. 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:49.919 God has actually put authority in place, and sometimes you're like, God, you make some interesting calls, but whatever. 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:57.120 Um, but like you have to be respectful, but it's hard when you know that you know more than the guy or the lady telling you what to do. 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:01.200 It's just you sit there and it it like it makes you it just makes you want to do bad things. 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:03.279 You know, that's what it makes you want to do. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:08.559 It's hard to be under an incompetent leader, but Jesus is different. 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:12.720 He's not incompetent, he's a genius. 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:19.039 You can't you can't deny just how brilliant Jesus is. 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:23.279 I mean, the things that he said are still being talked about to this day. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:28.159 He's affected the entire world's culture like no one else ever has. 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:34.240 And what's interesting is that Jesus could have been that person who just showed up because he happened to have a father who was really important. 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:38.960 No one's ever had a father more important than Jesus. 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:50.639 And yet Jesus laid aside all the privileges that came from being the Son of God, and he worked from the ground up to earn the right to lead us. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:54.159 Jesus is amazing. 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:59.759 Some of you have definitely been underneath uh an egotistical leader. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:03.200 This is someone who's just all they're just all about them. 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:04.720 You know, it's all about them. 00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:06.799 They they always take the credit. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:11.279 You work really, really hard, and and somehow it just sort of goes to them. 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:16.960 And and no matter what they do, they might even be really competent, really good at what they do, but it's just it's all about them. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:21.600 And and being underneath that kind of leader, it's actually kind of nauseating, right? 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:35.840 When the person that's in charge of you is just so clearly filled with pride, Jesus, by all logical accounts, should be egotistical. 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:40.159 I mean, like, come on, like if you were Jesus for a day, you'd have a swelled head. 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:40.720 Let's be honest. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:43.600 Like all of us in the room, if someone said, Hey, hey, what'd you do today? 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:46.559 Ah, I just healed a couple blind people, you know, no big deal. 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:47.679 Wasn't really a major thing. 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:54.480 There's this one guy, he couldn't walk, he's actually never walked his entire life, but then you know, I just kind of looked at him and he started walking, and it's kind of, you know, no big deal. 00:12:54.559 --> 00:13:02.240 You know, it's not about me, but like if you were Jesus for a day, the typical person, it would be so hard not to be not to be filled with pride. 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:05.200 And yet Jesus is humble because he's different. 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:09.600 He's different, he's confident, right? 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:10.799 It's not a false humility. 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:17.200 Sometimes people mask pride with false humility, where it's like, oh, you know, I mean, I'm just I'm just here to serve, but clearly you're here to, you know, whatever. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:19.919 But like, no, it wasn't a false humility. 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:23.360 Jesus is just different, he's confident. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:28.799 He knows that he's the only one who can do the things that he does. 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:35.519 But he's not egotistical because he pours all of himself out and gives all of himself to others, and egotistical people never do that. 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:37.120 Jesus is different. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:51.200 I think the worst type of leader to be under, and I'm sure many of us have been under someone like this, is an abusive leader, someone who's obsessed with power, they love power, they flaunt their power, and they look for every opportunity they can to make other people feel small. 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:54.000 How many of you have been underneath someone like that? 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:55.039 That's rough. 00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:57.519 Some of you aren't raising your hands because you're like PTSD. 00:13:58.159 --> 00:13:59.519 You don't want to go there. 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:06.480 No one has ever had the power that Jesus displayed in his time on this earth. 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:12.480 And not only did he not abuse that power, he didn't even use that power for his own benefit. 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:20.159 He used his power to bless people, to raise people up, to take people from places that were low and lift them higher. 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:22.639 That's what he still does to this day for all of us. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:23.919 Jesus is different. 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:25.679 He's just a different kind of leader. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:37.039 Now, I think we have to be honest as people and recognize, and I think this is especially true of Americans, it's like our whole history and culture, we don't always like being led. 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:40.879 You know, we don't we don't like being told what to do. 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:59.759 But man, when you find a good leader, when you find a leader who leads well, who leads strong, someone who's competent, someone who's decisive, someone who's servant-hearted, someone who has power but uses that power to lift other people up. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:05.360 I don't care how adverse to being led you are, if you find someone like that, let them lead you. 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:09.120 Let them lead you because it will go well for you. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:13.919 Jesus is worth following. 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:17.120 He is worth surrendering to. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:26.240 And he calls us, he calls us to, in a sense, tether ourselves to him, to let, to let him lead us, to let him be the one that guides us. 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:27.919 He actually uses a very specific phrase. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:31.360 He says, Take my yoke upon you. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:33.519 Take my yoke upon you. 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:37.759 This is Jesus saying, attach yourself to me and let me lead the way. 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:44.559 Now, in our culture, in our time, our language, the word yoke, it's not like a very pleasant sounding word. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:47.759 Like if I said at the beginning of the morning, who's ready to get yoked today? 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:49.679 I'm pretty sure none of you would have raised your hands. 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:51.519 Like, I don't know, that doesn't sound good at all. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:53.279 I don't want, I don't ever want to be yoked. 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:54.240 What does that mean, right? 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:59.519 It's just kind of an ugly sounding word in English, but this is actually a really powerful uh it's a powerful picture. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:02.639 It's one we see very often in scripture, it's an agricultural term. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:06.240 Um, we have to remember when we read the Bible, we're reading something that's very old. 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:07.519 I know sometimes we forget that. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:13.440 Sometimes people get offended because they'll read something in scripture and it just doesn't line up with the values of the day, and they're like, this is offensive. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:15.679 It's like, that was 3,000 years ago. 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:18.399 You know, so just like chill a little bit, right? 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:24.480 You read the Bible, you're reading stuff from a very long time ago, and this was an agricultural pre-mechanical society. 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:30.720 And so if you would have been, if you've been walking around just living life, you would see animals yoked together all the time. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:35.360 And so this language pops up very often in scripture, and almost always it's used in a negative sense. 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:41.679 It's it's warning us, saying, do not be yoked, do not be tied to something you shouldn't be tied to. 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:50.320 For example, Acts chapter 15, uh, this really crazy phenomenon was happening in the church at the time where people who were not Jewish were beginning to believe in Jesus. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:53.600 And at first that was like, oh, we don't have a category for that. 00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:57.039 Because everyone who had started following Jesus had come from Judaism. 00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:03.440 And so now you have people who were never Jewish following Jesus, and the question was, well, do they have to be Jewish too? 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:08.319 Do they have to become a Jewish person, convert to Judaism, then become a Christian? 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:12.319 And, you know, if you were a man, that just meant this little thing called uh being circumcised. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:15.039 And uh that was, I mean, honestly, it's a big deal. 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:16.480 Like, it's a big deal. 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:18.880 And so they had all these conversations, they had to figure this out. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:25.599 In Acts chapter 15, it says the apostles and the elders met together to resolve the issue. 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:28.880 You know, do these people coming to Jesus have to first become Jews? 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:32.559 And at the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and he addressed them as follows. 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:39.599 He said, Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the good news and believe. 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:41.440 God knows people's hearts. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:46.559 And he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:50.720 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:58.319 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:02.960 We believe that we are all saved the same way by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus. 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:09.440 He's saying, guys, why would we, why would we take on the yoke of the law when we've been freed from it? 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:13.279 Sometimes people will try to turn our faith in Jesus into a religion again. 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:17.279 And by religion I mean this set of rules and regulations that feels like a burden. 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:18.720 Jesus didn't do that. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:20.079 And we have to fight that. 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:21.599 He says, don't be yoked to that. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:23.039 So there it's used in a negative sense. 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:26.079 We also see it used in a negative sense in 2 Corinthians 6.14. 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:28.559 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:31.119 For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:33.279 What fellowship can light have with darkness? 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:35.039 That sounds really harsh out of context. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:40.880 If you read the entirety of 2 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians, all those letters that Paul wrote to that church, it's not harsh at all. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:45.519 Paul's really saying, hey, if you're gonna tie yourself to a person, think like marriage. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:48.640 Or maybe you're gonna start a business with someone. 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:50.640 That's a big decision. 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:59.519 And you want to make sure that in doing that, by tying yourself to that person, if you have that choice, if you're in that situation right now, pray about that. 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:03.119 Really think about that, because you know, as they go, so will you. 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:12.880 There have been times in my life, being married to my wife, that I know that if not for her faith, if not for her prayers, I don't think I would have made it through certain seasons. 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:15.279 And I'm I'm so blessed by that. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:23.359 I'm so blessed that I have a spouse who prays, who hears from the Lord, who seeks the Lord, who gives me wise advice. 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:29.279 There have been so many mistakes that I would have made if not for my wife speaking sense into me. 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:39.599 In fact, I always think back to when I interviewed for this job, uh, sat across the table from the couple that started our church, and we interviewed together, Megan and I. 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:46.400 Uh, and Megan squeezed my leg like six times during the conversation, which meant shut up. 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:49.519 Um I talk a lot. 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:51.359 I talk way less than I used to. 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:52.799 Um, I don't clap. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:54.240 That's that's a you know, thank you. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:55.200 I talk enough. 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:56.000 I talk enough. 00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:59.759 I actually had someone recently that I, you know, there was a little frustration in a conversation. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:02.000 They're like, you talked for like 60% of this conversation. 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:03.680 I was like, that's a big improvement. 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:09.039 Um because like 50% would be right, and I used to be more of an 80% person. 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:12.319 Now I'm six, so you know, um, like I just always talked a lot. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:15.839 And and all jokes aside, I in that conversation, I did talk too much. 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:17.200 It's just I tend to do that. 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:21.359 And so Megan squeezed my leg several times from the table, like, that's enough. 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:25.680 And I stopped and I got the job, and I really I don't think without those leg squeezes I would have. 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:27.039 I'm being honest. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:45.680 I would have just kept going, and they would have been like, no, like, you know, when you're when you're yoked with someone who's wise, who prays, who seeks the Lord, and you know, that's kind of a funny example, but when our son was in the NICU for two weeks, there were times where my faith faltered pretty hard, but hers didn't. 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:49.680 But we're yoked together, we're tied together. 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:52.160 And so as she goes, often I go. 00:20:52.400 --> 00:21:05.039 And so I'm just saying this real quick aside, those of you in the room that are making those kind of life decisions right now, be careful that you don't choose a partner based on how they make you feel. 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:07.519 Because right now they might make you feel amazing. 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:09.759 Trust me, if you're married long enough, they won't. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:13.680 Um it's gotta be more than that. 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:15.519 It's gotta be more than that. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:20.240 It's gotta be something where you're like, I I I want to tie myself to them. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:23.440 Because as they go, I will go. 00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:25.839 And I see them going toward the Lord. 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:28.400 Just pray about that. 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:35.119 So usually when this word yoke shows up in scripture, it's like in the, it's like, don't, don't be yoked to that, don't get yoked to them. 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:36.720 But Jesus uses it in the positive. 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:39.200 He says, take my my yoke upon you. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:42.160 And guys, this is such a it's a beautiful picture. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:59.759 See, in in his culture, when you would have a young ox that wasn't strong, wasn't ready to plow a field, you would yoke that that young ox to a strong ox, and they would they would walk side by side, pulling whatever they were pulling. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.039 Pulling a plow. 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:04.799 And that young ox would feel like they were doing it. 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:10.079 That young ox would be like, you know, if they could talk, I don't really, you know, just picture what an ox thinks. 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:11.039 I don't really know what they think. 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:13.680 But that young ox would be like, man, we're doing this. 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:18.240 And the big ox is like, I mean, we is a little bit generous of a term here. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:19.519 I'm doing it. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:27.839 But in walking side by side, that that young ox would learn how to carry the weight. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:32.799 And as that ox would get stronger bit by bit, it would begin to pull a little bit more and a little bit more. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:36.720 And eventually it would be strong enough where it wouldn't need that ox. 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:40.799 But that was only possible because they were yoked together. 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:42.880 And they went side by side. 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:46.960 The strong ox didn't pull the young ox behind it, didn't drag it. 00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:52.240 Oftentimes that strong ox would have to slow down intentionally just to let the young ox keep up. 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:57.200 But being yoked together meant that that young ox got to grow, got to strengthen. 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:01.200 Because they were side by side with strength. 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:06.480 Jesus says He wants He wants us to take his yoke upon us. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:08.240 That's what he's talking about. 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:11.200 It's not Jesus dragging us. 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:15.519 It's not him shoving us into some situation we're not ready for. 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:21.200 It's not Jesus thrusting us into situations where he knows we're gonna we're gonna fail. 00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:34.000 It's Jesus walking side by side with us, always there, always available, carrying the brunt of the weight, but allowing us to also take part in the adventure. 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:36.240 He doesn't do it for us, he does it with us. 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:42.319 And we don't have to live for him, we get to live with him if we're yoked together with him. 00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:46.640 I actually got to have a really cool personal experience with that this week. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:52.880 My my middle son Judah, who just turned five, we got him a pair of roller skates a year ago. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:55.359 We got we got all of our older kids roller skates. 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:59.200 And you know, he's younger, and so a year ago he wasn't he wasn't happy about roller skating. 00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:09.839 We tried in the driveway and he screamed, and then he went to the grass and he would roller skate on the grass, um, which is really no different than walking, but uh but it he felt he felt confident, right? 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:14.880 But all of a sudden a few weeks ago, it's like something something just clicked, and he's like, I want to roller skate. 00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:18.640 And so he's been roller skating like crazy for the last few weeks. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:24.319 And he and I have started going on walks in our neighborhood, and he roller skates and I walk next to him. 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:32.799 It's been really awesome because you know he's he's the middle child, he's the middle boy, and so we don't have a lot of time one-on-one, and these have become really precious moments for me. 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:36.480 He usually just he talks the entire way, so uh he's me. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:41.759 Um and so a few days ago, we're we're doing our normal, our normal thing. 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:43.680 This is something we've been developing over the last few weeks. 00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:46.640 And so I walk next to him, and he's not very steady yet. 00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:50.799 Like he stumbles a lot, and he's kind of always almost about to fall, like the entire time. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:53.680 He's just like, you look and you're like, you are not, this is bad. 00:24:53.759 --> 00:25:00.160 Um so I grab his hand, but he doesn't want me to grab his hand, you know, because he's at that age where he he wants to do it. 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:04.720 And so when I grab his hand, usually he just knocks it away and he says, No, I don't need your hand. 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:05.839 I I want to do this. 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:09.519 A couple days ago, we were taking a walk and we went a different route than normal. 00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:15.599 And on this route, we got to a place in our neighborhood that has a pretty steep hill going down. 00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:19.920 And we got to it and we just kind of both stopped and we looked at it. 00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:22.880 And I'm like, is this a bad idea? 00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:26.000 You know, if Megan were here, what would she do? 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:29.200 And I ignored that thought pretty fast. 00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:31.519 Uh she's not here. 00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:32.799 So it's okay. 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:34.880 At that moment, we were unyoked. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:35.599 It was fine. 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:38.640 Um but but I'm just looking down. 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:40.240 I'm trying to figure out is this a good idea? 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:41.200 Because it's pretty steep. 00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:43.359 And he just, it was awesome. 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:48.000 He's just looking at it, calculating in his mind, like, wow, I'm I don't know if I'm ready for this. 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:55.680 And he just looked up at me without saying a word and just went, he's like, hand, please. 00:25:56.160 --> 00:26:02.559 And so we're normally he's knocking my hand away, he just reaches up and I took his hand and we went down the hill, and it was amazing. 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:03.279 It was awesome. 00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:04.400 And it was really cool. 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:12.160 Like, I actually got to let him go pretty fast to the point where he's kind of nervous, but then I would like squeeze his hand and give it some strength to let him know, I've got you, man. 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:13.200 You're fine, you're not gonna fall. 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:15.599 And we had this really cool adventure together. 00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:19.680 That's what it's like to walk side by side with Jesus. 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:26.559 At any moment in time, you can just reach up and say, hand, please. 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:32.880 And he's gonna take your hand, and he's gonna walk with you, and he's gonna lead you. 00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:33.680 It's a beautiful thing. 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:36.000 Like when Judah reached up his hand, I didn't say no. 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:39.839 You said you didn't want my hand, so I'm just gonna shove you down the hill and you're gonna learn the hard way. 00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:41.119 Like, I didn't do that. 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:45.359 I mean, there have been times where I've wanted to, but I didn't do that, you know. 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:50.720 I just took his hand, and I and as a father who loves my son, I'm honored. 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:58.000 I'm honored to be able to hold his hand and make sure he knows that he's safe and he knows that he's gonna be okay. 00:26:58.160 --> 00:26:59.920 God the Father, he loves you. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:08.400 And Jesus wants to walk by your side, and at any moment in time, he's there, he is never far away from you. 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:11.599 You are always in his thoughts. 00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:16.160 He always desires to help you, to bless you. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:22.640 Now, that doesn't mean that life is not without its challenges, because sometimes in leading us, Jesus knows we need to go down the hills. 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:25.759 We need those experiences sometimes. 00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:31.920 Sometimes we need to stumble a little bit just so that we realize that we can get back up. 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:36.400 But that's what it's like to be yoked to Jesus, to be led by Jesus. 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:40.720 I think the words of David in Psalm 23 paint this picture so beautifully. 00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:46.319 And you know, David lived before Jesus, but Jesus shows up and he uses a lot of this language when he teaches. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:48.960 He uses a lot of shepherd language, he calls himself the good shepherd. 00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:51.200 And it harkens back to scriptures like this. 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:53.440 David wrote, The Lord is my shepherd. 00:27:54.079 --> 00:27:55.599 I have all that I need. 00:27:56.880 --> 00:28:05.920 He lets me rest in green meadows, he leads me beside peaceful streams, he renews my strength, he guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:10.960 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you're close beside me. 00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:14.319 Now, pay attention that it just said he leads me along right paths. 00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:17.680 Sometimes the right path takes you through a dark valley. 00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:27.599 Sometimes we like to think that, man, if I'm making the right decisions, if I'm going the right direction, if I make the right choices, I'll never have a valley, I'll never have to go through a troubling time. 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:28.640 That's not how it works. 00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:31.599 It says he leads me along the right paths. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:37.519 And then when I walk through the dark valleys, some verses say, some translations rather say the valley of the shadow of death. 00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:41.200 Sometimes the right path includes dark valleys. 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:43.119 But you don't have to be afraid. 00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:43.599 Why? 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:46.640 Because he's right beside you. 00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:48.400 He's right beside you. 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:51.599