WEBVTT 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.520 Did anyone else have a really stressful week? 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:05.519 It's okay, we can admit it. 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:06.719 I had a stressful week. 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:07.519 Yes. 00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:12.640 If you're anything like me, we probably deal with stress in a very similar way. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:15.119 And there's actually a sound that I wanted to talk about. 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:19.280 There's a sound that you might be familiar with if you're anything like me. 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:26.079 If I have a long day at work or I have a stressful task that's ahead of me and I'm just trying to procrastinate on it. 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:28.800 This sound it brings me comfort. 00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:32.000 It's like my almost a coping mechanism, this sound. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:35.039 And so I want to know if this sound sounds familiar to you. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:36.240 Let's play it. 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:41.840 Yeah? 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:44.479 It's like comfort food. 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:46.000 It's comfort food. 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:47.920 Yeah, we don't have to listen to the whole thing. 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:52.640 I'll get I'll like settle in and start just zoning out if I listen to any more of that. 00:00:52.799 --> 00:01:02.079 If you don't know what that is, it's the intro theme to the office because I return time and time again to just binge watching the office to avoid my problems in my life. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:04.159 Is anybody else in the same boat with me? 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:05.120 Okay, thank you. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:08.159 And if it's not the office for you, then it's then it's something. 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:13.760 You have something you return to to help you just get through the day, to help you cope. 00:01:14.239 --> 00:01:16.480 But what if you didn't have to cope? 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:22.640 What if life was about more than just getting through the day? 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:24.640 That's what today is about. 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:33.519 It's about stepping out of this coping and survival mode and into a life that we can fully enjoy and be present in. 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:46.000 It's about letting God, because it is an act of God, move us out of the condition that we were born into a new life, an eternal life that starts today. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:48.799 And it's all because of Jesus. 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:50.480 That's what this whole series has been about. 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:51.680 It's all because of Jesus. 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:53.920 It's something that He provides. 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:59.680 And Paul finishes his thought in Romans 5 by saying this. 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:01.519 He gives us a solution to this problem. 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:05.920 He says, God's law was given so that people could see how sinful they were. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:11.439 But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:25.919 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:29.919 That's Paul's solution because he experienced it firsthand. 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:35.199 Paul understands that eternal life can be experienced today. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:37.840 That's his solution, but what's the problem? 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:41.280 Why do we find ourselves just getting through the day? 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:44.560 Why do we find ourselves in this position of just coping? 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:51.120 Well, to understand that, we have to go all the way back to the very beginning because it's somebody you're related to. 00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:57.840 Now, it's not the person you're sitting next to, they're not the problem, but somebody you're related to is the problem. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:00.000 And starts with Adam. 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:01.199 And that's where Paul starts. 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:05.280 So we'll be in Romans 5 today, looking at verses 12 through 21. 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:11.919 Justin said that he was gonna pick up the pace on the All Because of Jesus series, and then did like two verses every week. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:14.960 Sometimes he did like a word, and then he's like, Madison, I'm gonna be out of town. 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:16.639 Could you just take the rest of the chapter? 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:19.039 I was like, yes, that's picking up the pace. 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:26.800 And so we're gonna look at uh a huge chunk of scripture today, but I'm really glad for it because it is all one continuous thought. 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:28.719 And it really helps us take this journey. 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:35.840 It helps us step out of coping and into something new, into living, into eternal life today. 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:40.319 So let's look at Romans chapter 5, verse 12. 00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:44.879 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:50.479 Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:58.400 Yes, sin or people sinned even before the law was given, but it wasn't counted as sin because there was not any law to break. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:07.919 Still, everyone died from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even those who didn't disobey an explicit commandment of God as Adam did. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:12.879 Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ who is yet to come. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:15.280 This is what Paul's getting at. 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:28.399 Paul is trying to reveal to us or just bring to mind that Adam is our spiritual great, great, great, great, however many greats, grandfather, that we have to deal with the consequences of his decision. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:36.879 His decision has been passed down to us generation after generation after generation, and so we have inherited his problem. 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:45.519 It's that problem that causes a disconnect inside of us, it's a problem that causes us to hurt other people. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:52.879 It's that problem that by our own strength we definitely can't overcome at all. 00:04:53.519 --> 00:05:00.959 And finding out that Adam is your spiritual great-great-great-grandfather is kind of like Luke finding out that Vader is his dad. 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:03.600 Yeah, sorry to spoil it if you haven't seen it. 00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:06.399 It's like 50 years old now. 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:10.399 But it's bad news. 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:16.399 Luke is in the prime of his life, and he finds out that his dad is a murdering dark space wizard. 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:18.160 Like, what do you do with that? 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:19.839 What do you do with it? 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:23.759 And Luke has every opportunity to live up to his family name. 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:34.959 He can join the dark side and just become another evil murdering space wizard, or he has the opportunity to redeem himself, to make a new name for the Skywalker legacy. 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:38.720 We don't have the same luxury that Luke has. 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:45.199 We have no ability in and of ourselves to overcome our family name. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:49.759 The spiritual darkness that we've inherited, it's who we are. 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:51.920 It's our human condition. 00:05:52.879 --> 00:06:02.720 It leaves us in this position where all we can do, the best we can do, is cope in our own strength by ourselves. 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:09.040 And so when we live relying on ourselves, that's what we have to deal with. 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:15.680 That spiritual something off that goes on inside of us. 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:20.480 But even at this point, there's still hope. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:23.839 Because Paul's not done, and Jesus isn't done either. 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:27.439 This is what Romans continues to say. 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:33.759 But there's a great difference between Adam's sin and God's gracious gift. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:38.319 For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:40.480 That's you and me. 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:47.920 But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 00:06:48.079 --> 00:06:53.920 And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. 00:06:54.560 --> 00:07:04.720 For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:12.160 For the sin of this one man as Adam caused death to rule over many. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:20.399 That's what it feels like that coping, that getting through, that death is ruling over many. 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:32.000 But even greater is God's wonderful grace, and his gift of righteousness for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:43.519 Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation to everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and a new life for everyone. 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:46.879 Yeah. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:57.680 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners, but because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:06.319 God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were, but as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:22.480 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:24.399 That's epic. 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:26.959 See you guys next week. 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:30.240 Just read Romans 5 over and over and over again. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:38.159 But seriously, our human condition, it means survival, it means getting through, but God offers us so much more. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:41.600 Absolutely offers us so much more. 00:08:42.080 --> 00:08:45.759 And so often we refuse to really understand it. 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:47.840 We refuse to receive it. 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:49.759 It is a free gift. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:52.559 But we still live coping. 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:59.360 And I do want to address something really quick, because the scripture does say eternal life. 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:01.919 It doesn't say like a better life. 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:07.120 It doesn't say, you know, like tomorrow will be better or we'll get you through the day. 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:08.720 It says eternal life. 00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:11.360 So isn't that talking about heaven? 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:15.279 Like one day we'll see the restoration of our bodies. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:17.519 One day there will be a place of no more tears. 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:22.639 One day we'll be able to experience the full and real presence of the God that loves us. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:24.639 Isn't that what Paul's talking about? 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:27.519 Am I just taking this out of context to be encouraging? 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:28.960 I don't think so. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:30.960 And I'll tell you why. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:34.399 A few weeks ago, Justin talked about the Holy of Holies. 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:39.840 This is the place where heaven and earth have crossed over most intensely. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:42.960 But then everything changed when Jesus showed up. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:48.799 Heaven and earth are fully, that crossover is complete in Jesus. 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:53.120 Jesus is fully God, and he's fully man. 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:57.440 And everywhere that Jesus went on earth, people experienced the love of heaven. 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:02.399 It was actually Jesus' mission to bring heaven to earth, to reunite heaven and earth. 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:06.399 And so that everywhere he goes, people see the restoration of their bodies. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:10.080 The lame can walk, the blind can see. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:12.879 It's the place of no more tears. 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:19.120 The family mourning over Lazarus gets to celebrate at the joy of his resurrection. 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:25.519 It's the place where we get to experience the full and real presence of God. 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:30.559 Everywhere Jesus went, people experienced the love of heaven where they went. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:36.320 And here's the thing: Jesus didn't just, you know, take heaven with him when he left. 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:39.279 He gave it to each and every one of us. 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:46.399 And by the power of his Holy Spirit working in us, we are able to continue the mission that Jesus started. 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:56.559 We are able to bring the love of heaven to experience the restoration of our bodies, to see the presence of God fully known in our community. 00:10:56.799 --> 00:11:00.799 That's our job now through Jesus. 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:07.519 And so when Paul's talking about eternal life, it's not just one day. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:15.279 We will be very confused and powerless Christians if our faith ever becomes about heaven alone. 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:21.919 If we're always just waiting for that one day, I'm waiting to see the restoration of my body. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:23.919 I'm waiting for that place of no more tears. 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:25.120 I'm waiting, I'm waiting. 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:28.159 And until then, I'll just cope. 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:30.399 I'll just get through it. 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:34.559 That is not what our faith is about. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:37.759 It's about understanding that heaven is with us. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:40.399 And that's good news. 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:42.159 That's the good news. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:50.000 But it still doesn't really feel like good news because we have this heritage that still kind of competes for our attention. 00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:52.320 It competes for our time. 00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:55.039 It competes for our emotions. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:56.559 It competes for everything. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:59.840 This thing that we've inherited from Adam. 00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:03.759 So how do we actually step from coping and into living? 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:11.360 How do we receive that gift so that it's not just an expectation or something we understand in our head, but it's an experience. 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:16.960 Because you are not just supposed to settle for one day you'll get to meet God. 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:25.120 It's not about waiting to take a test where you get all your theology points correct and you answer all the questions right. 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:27.120 That's what I make it. 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:33.840 It's about experiencing the real and present and satisfying love of God as you live your life. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:38.000 Life is not meant to be about coping, it's about so much more. 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:40.399 So how do we get there? 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:47.759 Because I don't know about you, but it it can sometimes feel like we're just getting through. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:55.679 And honestly, I I I struggle to communicate the urgency of this. 00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:57.679 And maybe you feel it too. 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:06.879 But as I'm serving the high school students, as I'm living life with my friends and my family, this just seems to be the recurring problem. 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:14.559 It's that sin and death reigning over us, and so we're just struggling to get through the day. 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:21.360 I think if we start to understand what coping actually looks like, we'll be able to step into that life. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:22.799 But it is just the start. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:26.080 And so, what does coping look like? 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:29.840 What are the things that we do? 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:37.440 The first thing that I've noticed in myself and in my friends and family, students I serve, is that we avoid. 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:39.279 We avoid the problem. 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:48.799 We understand that something's off, but we do everything that we can to distract ourselves from having to address it or to even look at it. 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:52.960 And so we binge watch the office for hours and hours and hours. 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:59.679 Or maybe it's our phones, and it's the first thing we look at and the last thing we look at before we go to bed and as we wake up. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:05.279 Or maybe our distraction is us trying to externalize our problem. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:10.480 We can kind of put the problem into work, like, oh, all the stress about work. 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:15.679 If I could just be so distracted with work, then I won't have to look inside. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:25.919 If I could just blame my family for what's going on, my spouse, my kids, then I wouldn't have to look inside. 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:37.200 But here's the thing if you're if your family was perfect and your job was a dream, you'd still have this spiritual problem given to us generation after generation by Adam. 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:39.759 It's just nothing you can do to fight it. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:43.519 We've all sinned, we all fall short of the glory of God. 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:48.000 And the only way we can bridge that gap is through Jesus. 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:49.919 But what else do we do to cope? 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:53.120 So we avoid and we indulge. 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:55.200 We indulge. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:15:01.600 And honestly, like we do this in a couple of ways. 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:06.080 We do it publicly, where we embrace our sin. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:07.600 We know something's off. 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:17.279 We might understand that it's Adam or we might call it something else, but we embrace it publicly, and when we embrace it publicly, we actually get celebrated for it. 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:21.279 And that makes a ton of sense because everyone's in the same boat. 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:27.600 The world approves of you when you embrace your sin publicly because they can recognize themselves in you. 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:34.879 They're like, yes, they're just like me, and just brave enough to do it in the middle of the street, whatever it is. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:39.840 But that celebration won't solve anything. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:42.240 Or you indulge privately. 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:51.360 And because of that, you you you carry around the guilt and the shame, because you're the only one that knows about it. 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:59.279 Your sin might inspire you to indulge in substances, drugs, alcohol, even food. 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:07.440 You might indulge in media, watch endless YouTube videos or Netflix, something just to feel something. 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:09.279 It might be pornography. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:14.000 We indulge in our relationships, we indulge in our emotions. 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:22.159 Anything that we can do to feel something, to distract us from the problem that we might not have even named yet. 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:26.879 And here's the thing avoidance doesn't work. 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:34.879 At the end of the day, you'll be sitting with yourself, reminded of that, and indulgence doesn't last. 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:40.720 So when avoidance doesn't work and indulgence doesn't last, where does that leave us? 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:44.000 It leaves us giving up. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:47.840 So we avoid, we indulge, and we give up. 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:52.080 And it's in this dark place that we find ourselves unable to do anything at all. 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:55.840 And let me just make this really clear. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:00.159 None of you are too far gone for God. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:03.200 Seriously. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:08.319 None of you are pathetic, none of you are useless. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:11.440 And I'm reminding myself of this too. 00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:15.200 None of you are unloved. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:22.400 Giving up won't solve the problems you'll think it solves, or think it might solve. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:28.799 Giving up won't help your marriage or make your kids happier. 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:33.200 Giving up won't stop the pain. 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:39.279 Giving up won't address the problems you have in your workplace or at school. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:43.279 Do not give up. 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:45.839 But know that you're not alone in this darkness. 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:52.319 This is this is a place that we have felt for hundreds and hundreds of years, ever since Adam. 00:17:52.559 --> 00:18:01.119 Humans have felt this darkness and this hopelessness, but even in this hopeless spot, even as dark as it might seem, there's hope. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:06.720 I like the way that uh David puts it in Psalm 139. 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:08.880 Let's see if I can find it. 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:17.119 He says, Surely the dark darkness will hide me, and the light will become night around me. 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:20.880 But even the darkness will not be dark to you. 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:25.839 The night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:32.079 There is no darkness that can overcome the light and life of Jesus. 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:35.680 None of it. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:39.920 Absolutely nothing. 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:46.559 And we might be seeking to be satisfied by stuff that is just so much less than God. 00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:50.880 We satisfy our need for God with something that's so much less. 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:55.680 You might know the story of Jesus as he's traveling. 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:59.440 He's thirsty, and he asks this woman to get him a drink. 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:02.000 And this is what happens in John 4. 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:06.720 The woman was surprised, for the Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans. 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:10.240 She said to Jesus, You're a Jew and I'm a Samaritan woman. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:12.640 Why are you asking me for a drink? 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:23.519 Jesus replied, If only you knew the gift that God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me and I would give you living water. 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:27.920 But, sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket, and this well's very deep. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:30.400 Where are you gonna get this living water? 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:34.880 And besides, do you think you're greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:40.079 How can you offer any better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed? 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:50.559 Jesus replied, Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again, but those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:57.039 It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life. 00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:59.920 It is all because of Jesus. 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:05.359 And you'll notice, Jesus doesn't offer her water that will one day satisfy her. 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:11.599 She's not offered, like, hey, here's some water, I'll offer you something, but one day your life's gonna be changed. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:14.880 One day you'll experience the full and satisfying love of God. 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:19.680 He offers her water that'll satisfy her now and forever. 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:23.759 And he offers us the same exact thing. 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:27.440 You see, this woman did go out for her physical needs. 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:32.480 She lives in the Middle East, she's thirsty, she needs water to drink. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:43.440 But if you know anything about that woman, and if you know how the story goes, you you know that she's not only trying to satisfy a physical need, but there's a spiritual one there too. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:45.680 One she's been struggling with. 00:20:46.480 --> 00:21:01.200 She's been in relationship after relationship after relationship, husband after husband after husband, and she's returning to that same well, trying to satisfy the need for God with a relationship that is far less than Him. 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:04.720 But what happens? 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:11.839 God offers her that eternal life today, and her life is changed that day. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:24.000 It does become a well that bubbles up inside of her and overflows because many people in her community also believed in Jesus that very day. 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:35.200 That's the day that she stepped from coping to living, where all she can focus on is satisfying her spiritual, physical needs, getting through the day. 00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:40.400 But because of Jesus, she steps into something much, much greater. 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:42.400 Much, much greater. 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:44.640 So, how do we do it? 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:48.240 And there are probably two camps in the room. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:57.599 The first camp is we've been following Jesus forever, but we've kind of got comfortable in our identity as children of Adam. 00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:59.759 It's kind of easy to cope because. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:04.400 There's a practical step to follow, and it feels good. 00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:14.640 And so if you're in that camp, my hope is that these next couple minutes will just be really practical steps to help grow your faith and to remind yourself of the gift that you've already been given. 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:18.240 To remind yourself how you can live that eternal life today. 00:22:18.400 --> 00:22:23.200 But there's another camp who you might not know who Jesus is. 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:28.960 This might be the very first time you've ever sat long enough to listen. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:34.640 Or you might be the first time that he's stirring inside you and you feel something happening. 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:37.119 And my encouragement is that you choose him. 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:39.200 Choose him. 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:45.680 Because he'll give you an eternal life that starts today, that bubbles up and overflows. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:50.160 Not about coping, not about getting through, not about surviving. 00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:52.240 But something much, much more. 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:54.799 But how do we step from coping to living? 00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:57.279 If we're already following Jesus, we know we've received it. 00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:00.960 It's making sense in our brain, but how do we live it out? 00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:05.839 It sounds really simple, but we just do the opposite of our coping mechanisms. 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:12.720 So, first one was that we avoid, and the opposite of avoiding would be to confess. 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:18.000 We confess our sins specifically and to the right people. 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:32.960 If you're like me, you you've walked around for years buying the lie that if you do confess your sin, if people knew about this, then everything would fall apart. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:38.640 It's like we've kept it secret for long enough, and if someone finds out about this, then it's all gonna fall apart. 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:45.519 My boss will fire me, my wife will leave me, my kids will hate me, my friends will ostracize me. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:47.200 That's a lie. 00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:51.839 Confession only leads to freedom, and this is what I mean. 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:54.720 This is the truth that comes from 1 John. 00:23:55.039 --> 00:24:05.039 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:08.319 That's the truth. 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:20.319 I walked around for years with unconfessed sin, and I bought the lie that I'd be fired, that my wife would leave me, that everyone would hate me. 00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:23.359 And I just I hated myself. 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:26.319 I was surviving. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:29.119 That's where I was. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:38.000 But when I finally was given the courage, and I do believe it was by God, to confess that sin, guess what happened? 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:42.240 The truth of Scripture stood to the test. 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:46.079 God's word proved true. 00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:47.920 Did my life fall apart? 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:48.480 No. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:50.319 Were there consequences? 00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:51.200 Absolutely. 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:52.240 Was it challenging? 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:52.960 Yes. 00:24:53.200 --> 00:25:01.759 But God was faithful to forgive me and is still, slowly but surely, purifying me of all my unrighteousness. 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:05.759 And so you might have something to confess today. 00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:10.559 And it might be something that you thought you would take to the grave. 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:12.480 Seriously. 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:20.960 And again, the goal of this is to help us step out of coping, to address the problem that we try to avoid. 00:25:21.839 --> 00:25:27.599 It might be a sin that weighs you down daily, or something that keeps you up at night. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:33.279 Confess it and confess it to the Lord first. 00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:40.400 Take God seriously at his word that he is faithful to forgive. 00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:44.559 Confess it to the Lord right now. 00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:50.400 And then ask him. 00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:53.039 Who else needs to know? 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:55.839 Who else needs to know? 00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:58.720 And it might be the people you've hurt. 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:02.079 It might be your husband or your wife. 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:05.200 It might be your employer or a coworker. 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:07.440 It might be your teacher or your parent. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:09.440 But ask him who else needs to know. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:11.119 But it might stop there. 00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:13.839 It might be just between you and God. 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:18.559 But ask him who else needs to know and then pray for the courage to confess. 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:22.000 Understand he is faithful to forgive. 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:24.799 And also confess it specifically. 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:30.960 It's really easy to say, I'm, I'm, I'm Adam, I'm terrible, I'm bad. 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:34.960 No, name the sin because then you've named it for yourself. 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:42.079 You can actually see what's happening in your spirit because of that problem we've inherited for Adam. 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:50.880 But if we want to experience eternal life today, we need to name our sin and confess it to the Lord and confess it to who we need to confess it to. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:55.039 And that might be the most challenging thing you've ever done. 00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:58.799 I'm not going to underestimate that. 00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:02.880 But know that we'll come alongside you. 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:04.960 That we'll help you through that process. 00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:07.839 If you need the courage to confess, we'll pray for you. 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:10.319 Stick around after the service and pray. 00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:21.519 If there's fallout from that confession, if you experience the consequences of your sin, we'll walk alongside you through that process. 00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:27.440 We want to be with you and experience that as we can help you and do whatever we can. 00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:31.119 But confess it, confess it specifically. 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:33.920 What's the opposite of indulging? 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:36.079 We control ourselves. 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:38.400 We control ourselves. 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:53.279 And I'll be honest, this is my least favorite thing that pastors and preachers and health gurus and you know, fitness people, they are always talking about discipline, always talking about controlling ourselves. 00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:56.480 It's like, okay, try harder. 00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:57.200 Cool. 00:27:57.359 --> 00:28:02.000 It's like telling me not to like, or it's telling me to enjoy olives on my pizza when I hate olives. 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:04.799 It's like, they just taste like rotten mushrooms. 00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:05.839 Like, I don't know. 00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:09.599 You just telling me to try harder to like it isn't gonna change anything. 00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:15.519 Maybe one day I'll like it, but it's gonna be a process, and it's like a very, very slow process. 00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:27.519 And so in one camp, you've got people telling you to try harder, and then the other camp, which I've also experienced, it seems like this thing that only comes from God, and that it's just his job to give it to you. 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:30.960 Like that's also not helpful because I'm still struggling. 00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:38.319 Galatians 5 says that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:42.559 And that self-controlled piece always seems to be the one that I'm waiting for. 00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:47.039 It's like, Holy Spirit, right at the moment of sin, please stay my hand. 00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:49.200 It's like that's what you want to happen. 00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:54.160 And so is it from our own effort or if is it a gift from the spirit? 00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:56.079 It's both. 00:28:56.559 --> 00:29:01.759 And so hopefully that this conversation is more helpful than it's frustrating. 00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:08.079 I remember years ago, Justin and I had a conversation that really helps me see it as walking. 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:12.240 When you walk, like which foot do you put first? 00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:14.160 Your left or your right? 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:15.680 It doesn't matter. 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:17.279 You just walk. 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:22.079 So is it from God or is it human effort? 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:23.039 It doesn't matter. 00:29:23.200 --> 00:29:25.200 Maybe you put your best foot forward. 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:31.759 Maybe you know you can start by trying really hard and trusting that the Lord will give you what you need. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:38.160 Or maybe the Lord just has to provide it and you take that next step by trying hard. 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:41.440 My son's first birthday was yesterday. 00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:43.920 Made it through a year. 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:50.000 And he's been learning to walk, which has been a very interesting season for us. 00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:54.960 It's been, I mean, even yesterday he took a tumble and busted his head on the corner. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:58.559 I was like, you can't bust your head on the corner of the wall on your birthday. 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:01.920 But he did, because he's still learning how to walk. 00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:05.680 And in that process, he's needed a physical structure to help him. 00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:11.119 He had this little zebra walker that he'd kind of like lean forward and then catch up to. 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:15.039 And sometimes he needs us to hold his hand. 00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:19.599 For you, self-control might look a lot like learning to walk. 00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:25.599 You might need a physical structure in your life to help you get to the next thing. 00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:32.880 If you struggle with substances, getting those substances out of your house isn't weakness, it's wisdom. 00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:39.359 If you struggle with pornography, locking down your technology isn't weakness, it's wisdom. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:48.160 You might need a physical structure around you to help you learn how to walk as you're trying, as you're letting the Spirit empower you. 00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:50.880 You might need somebody to hold your hand. 00:30:51.119 --> 00:30:53.200 And again, that's not weakness, that's wisdom. 00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:58.000 Somebody that's been further down the road with this issue than you. 00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:01.279 Someone who's seen freedom in Jesus. 00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:05.119 They might need to hold your hand and help you get back up when you fall. 00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:06.960 Because we will fall. 00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:11.839 We do, and the temptation there is to give up. 00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:20.880 When we make a mistake, to say, you know what, I sinned a little bit, might as well sin a lot, but never give up. 00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:23.759 Because the opposite of giving up is enduring. 00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:25.839 We endure. 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:32.799 Eternal life today is a life that lasts forever, so we should never stop living it. 00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:41.119 We should never stop pushing to the next thing, trusting that Jesus will give us all that we need. 00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:52.079 The author of Hebrews has this like iconic Hebrews 11, where it's just like person after person of like Hall of Famers from the Old Testament. 00:31:52.319 --> 00:32:00.400 And they're not all like 100% great people, but they have these moments of faith that just redefined their life. 00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:06.960 And then the very next conversation that that author wants to have with us is an encouragement. 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:10.319 Hebrews chapter 12. 00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:22.160 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. 00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:26.240 And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. 00:32:26.480 --> 00:32:34.160 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. 00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:39.680