WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:05.280 We're gonna wrap up our series that we've been in for the last four or five weeks called Better Today. 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:06.080 We're gonna wrap that up. 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:10.240 Next week we've got something new that we're doing, and really soon we're gonna be jumping back into the book of Romans. 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:16.320 Um Romans is something we'll be going through for a while, but every once in a while, Romans is so deep, I've got to come up for air every once in a while. 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:16.960 That's really the truth. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:18.239 I just have to come up for air. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:23.600 Um, but today's really special because we actually have uh a guest speaker that's gonna wrap up this series for us. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:25.839 And by guest, I really don't mean a guest. 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:28.320 I mean someone that's been a big part of our family for a long time. 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:30.000 His name is Madison Tompkins. 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:31.679 He's our youth pastor. 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:35.039 You can give a round of applause from Madison before don't come out quite yet, Madison. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:36.560 I don't know where you're at, wherever he's at. 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:37.200 I don't know. 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:39.280 Um real quick, I want to set this up. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:41.759 Those of you watching from home, I'm gonna challenge you. 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:45.039 Sometimes people hear there's a guest speaker, they're like, nope, I can, this is my two-nat day. 00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:45.920 No, no, no, no, no. 00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:48.000 Madison's message is awesome. 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:48.799 It really is. 00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:50.560 I got to work with him on it this week. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:54.079 And more importantly, Madison is an incredible young man. 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:56.560 I met Madison when he was in the sixth grade. 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:59.200 I was the youth pastor here for many years. 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:03.600 And right away, early on in middle school, I could tell there was just something really special about him. 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:09.760 I remember when he was an eighth grader, Megan and I looked at each other and we said, He's he's got an important role here to play one day. 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:10.799 I just I know it. 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:12.879 Sometimes God shares those things with you. 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:18.799 And I've watched him grow and mature in his faith over the years at a pace, honestly, that is threatening to me. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:22.000 Um, you know, because I'm like, wow, I better, I better make sure I keep up. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:24.799 But seriously, Madison loves the Lord. 00:01:25.120 --> 00:01:28.959 And parents of teenagers, middle school, high school that he works with. 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:30.239 I mean, I want to encourage you. 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:40.560 If there's ever an opportunity to have your kids connected to Madison, when we're doing our stuff here at the building, or even if it's just the Zoom stuff that's happening right now online, you want your kids to have someone like Madison in their life. 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:44.560 Because he will guide them closer and closer to Jesus, because that's how he lives. 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:49.280 Almost every time I swing by his desk in the office, he's he's got the scriptures open. 00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:49.920 He's just reading the word. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:51.840 And maybe he hears me coming and he just does that. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:52.560 I don't know. 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:53.920 I don't think so. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:57.760 But he takes his relationship with God incredibly seriously. 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:00.879 And I know that he's put a lot of time and prayer into what he's going to share today. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:04.400 And so, with all that said, uh, can you guys make a little bit of noise and welcome Madison? 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:05.760 Madison, come on out. 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:10.719 I knew that would happen. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:11.439 There you go. 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:14.080 By the way, it's his first time ever doing the message in the big room. 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:16.000 And uh, this is nerve-wracking, right? 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:17.039 And he already dropped his paper. 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:18.159 I dropped the paper. 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:19.759 I'm on the big screens, I don't know. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:20.319 Half fun. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:22.159 Thank you. 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:24.960 Thanks, guys. 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:32.240 Yeah, thank you, Justin, for the kind words, and um, thank you to all of you who have been part of my life. 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:37.520 Like this church has been an amazing place for me to be, and beyond just the place, it's really the people. 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:50.719 And so if you've uh invested in me, if you had to deal with me in middle school, if you had to be around during those awkward phases, I'm I'm just super appreciative, and I'm really excited and kind of nervous to share today. 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:52.080 So let's do this. 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:57.759 Um I don't know about you, but this year has been a year of firsts for me. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:02.080 This is, again, the first time I'll be giving a whole message on the big room stage. 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:03.439 Kind of nerve-wracking. 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:05.759 It's the first year I've been a Zoom pastor. 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:08.159 Um, I lovingly call myself a Zoom pastor. 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:09.199 It's been a lot of fun. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:14.319 Uh it's the first global pandemic that I've ever lived through, so that's been really exciting. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:16.800 But it's also the first time that I've gotten to be a dad. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:18.800 This this year, yes. 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:20.240 Yes. 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:26.479 In February, uh, Simon James Tompkins was born, and this is a picture of Simon. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:28.080 Let's see how cute he is. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:29.599 Oh, it looks terrifying. 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:33.199 The maybe I can get my face right where his face is. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:34.240 Okay, perfect. 00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:35.759 That's a picture of Simon. 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:38.319 Simon is absolutely the sweetest baby. 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:42.879 He's so joyful, and because I'm a dad, you have to bear with me while I share more photos of him. 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:45.280 This is another picture of Simon smiling. 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:49.360 Yes, isn't that smile just like amazing? 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:50.639 Absolutely amazing. 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:54.319 And we went to the pumpkin patch uh just recently. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:58.800 Simon is is super cute, and it's been uh a huge blessing for me. 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.280 And I didn't know what to expect uh being a dad. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:05.360 I didn't know to uh I knew Hannah and Simon would be close, you know. 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:12.719 Mom and baby are very close to each other, and I was just willing to be alongside for support and and just do whatever I needed to do. 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:15.919 But I've been surprised because Simon and I are actually really close. 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:26.079 One of the benefits of quarantine was that I got to spend a ton of uninterrupted time with my son, and because of that, I think he genuinely knows who I am, and I really do feel like he loves me. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:32.319 Or at least when I leave the room, he starts crying, which I think is baby for come back, I want to I want to be with that person. 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:35.040 And so it's been it's been an amazing thing. 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:42.079 But if working with teenagers has taught me anything, I know that one day Simon will pull away. 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:56.000 One day for one reason or another, whether it's just the the inevitable growing up and becoming more independent, or whether it's something that I do or something that he does, like disobeying me, I know that at some point he will pull away from me. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:58.639 We won't be as close as we are today. 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:05.439 And for parents of teenagers in the room, I just want to say thank you for not giving up on your teenagers during that season. 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:21.600 I know how painful it can be because I've worked alongside many parents during that season of pulling away, and it's just so amazing and it's such a blessing to this church and to this community to understand that the parents of teenagers aren't gonna give up on them when it seems like they're giving up on pretty much everything. 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:24.160 So thank you for investing in them. 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:28.079 But we have this ability to disconnect from each other, to pull away. 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:32.079 And I don't think it's just from each other, I think it's from God too. 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:41.600 And I believe that uh if we really want to live that better life that God has for us, we need to be fully connected to Him. 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:49.040 There's plenty of reasons why we might disconnect, but we really want to be close to Him. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:56.480 Because I feel most connected to somebody when I understand what they want and they understand what I want. 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:58.720 Perfect example is Hannah, my wife. 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:02.720 She is an amazing gift giver because she understands what I want. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:14.079 Even without me understanding it, she'll tuck away in a like a comment that I made months and months and months ago just for right at the right time to pull it out and say, hey, I got you this, and it's the perfect gift. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:23.920 For an example, uh, as we were coming out of quarantine, like quarantine proper, as we were coming out of quarantine, I was just starved for time with my friends. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:29.600 And we were out and about doing our chores, getting things done, getting all the stuff that the baby needs. 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:35.199 And out of nowhere, all of my friends just showed up for a surprise birthday party. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:37.839 It was really sweet, it was genuinely sweet. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:46.079 And had you asked me that day, or at any time in my life, Madison, hypothetically, would you enjoy a surprise birthday party? 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:48.319 I would have told you, absolutely not. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:50.720 I do not want a surprise birthday party. 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:53.279 That sounds like the opposite of what I want. 00:06:53.519 --> 00:07:02.560 But I felt so close to Hannah, and I felt known and I felt loved by her because she knew what I wanted more than I even understood. 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:03.920 I think the opposite is true. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:08.560 If I don't understand what she wants, it's really easy to feel super far away. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:12.480 I do the classic guy thing if she's upset, like, what's wrong? 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:16.879 And then when what's wrong inevitably doesn't work, I do these grand gestures. 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:24.000 I'll clean the house to try to fix something, I'll I'll even dust the dreaded dusting, I'll do whatever it is. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:28.639 Half the time she doesn't want any of that, she just wants to know that she's loved. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:34.560 This season, I don't know about you, but it's been really easy to feel far from God. 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:40.399 Sometimes it's like I'm at my Bible desiring that, and sometimes it's a chore. 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:43.920 It's ups and downs, highs and lows. 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:50.319 But if we really want to be close to him, we have to understand what he wants. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:55.759 And I believe if we understand what he wants, we'll feel more connected to him than ever before. 00:07:56.319 --> 00:08:02.319 And so this series, better, has been us going through little snapshots of what God wants. 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:06.879 It's better to give than to receive because God wants us to be generous. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:08.800 God wants us to have peace. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:14.560 And today we look at 1 Samuel chapter 15, verse 22, says this. 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:18.399 But Samuel replied, What's more pleasing to the Lord? 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:23.279 Your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice. 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:31.519 Listen, obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:34.879 Obedience is better than sacrifice. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:38.080 God wants obedience and he does not want sacrifice. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:43.440 Everything we talk about today will come back to that fact that obedience is what God wants. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:45.919 But is that the full picture of what he wants? 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:53.360 Because if we really want to live fully connected and feeling close to the Lord, we have to fully understand what he wants. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:09:00.320 And we get the full picture of that on page one of the Bible, after God creates Adam and Eve, Genesis 1.28. 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:13.840 God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it, rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the ground. 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:20.320 When God creates us, he gives us so much and asks of us so little. 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:23.039 It's a completely lopsided relationship. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:27.200 He gives us a good and flourishing earth to live on, a great place to be. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:30.559 He gives us a partner so that we don't have to live alone. 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:32.960 He gives us good and fulfilling work to do. 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:34.559 I mean, be fruitful and multiply. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:36.960 Sounds like an amazing job description. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:43.919 He gives us so much and asks of us so little, but he does ask something. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:46.559 Genesis 2, 16 and 17. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:58.240 And the Lord God commanded them, the man, you are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will certainly die. 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:09.600 God doesn't give us this endless list of do's and don'ts that we have to memorize in order to accomplish and receive his love. 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:16.240 God doesn't give us a task that is over the top that we couldn't possibly complete by ourselves. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:23.039 God gives us so much and asks that we have simple obedience to a simple boundary. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:27.039 I mean, on top of all the things that God gave us, he gave us his presence. 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:32.559 In the garden, we were able to walk alongside God and work hand in hand with him. 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:38.559 He gave us absolutely everything and expected so little. 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:45.840 And we honestly don't last super long with that one expectation, with that one simple boundary. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:46.960 We cross that line. 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:48.720 I mean, I'm sure you know the story. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:51.840 And do you know what happens when we cross that line? 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:54.320 Sure, we get kicked out of the garden. 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:58.399 There's like the flaming sword and the angels that guard the garden. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:05.120 We have to work against the land and we have to uh labor and childbirth is painful, and we eventually do die. 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:08.559 But before any of that happens, do you know what happens? 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:10.720 We pull away. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:16.080 Our disobedience causes a disconnect, and we pull away. 00:11:16.399 --> 00:11:17.840 Genesis 3.8. 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:30.480 When the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, they hid themselves from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:34.480 That disobedience caused a disconnect. 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:41.039 And before that disconnect has anything to do with what God is handing down as a consequence, it has to do with us. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.639 We pull away, we retreat. 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:48.399 See, God's still looking for the humans. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:52.799 He still wants to be with them, find out where they are and what's going on. 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:59.279 But we cross that line, we took a step back and hid ourselves. 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:05.600 Now I don't know about you, but I really identify with Adam and Eve there. 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:09.840 I cross a line that I know I shouldn't cross. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:16.000 Something I know that is either commanded against in scripture or is just plain old stupid. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:19.360 And I might look for ways to fix it. 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:22.240 Like I'm a fixer, that that happens. 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:25.519 But honestly, sometimes it's just better to retreat. 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:31.440 And I keep God at a distance because of my disobedience. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:34.320 But it's a self-imposed distance. 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:36.960 He's probably looking for me. 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:46.879 And so this feeling of distance and this uh lack of closeness that we might feel with God has been an experience since the first humans. 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:53.840 Like since Adam and Eve, that distance between us and God has always existed. 00:12:54.639 --> 00:13:03.039 And practically every single uh group of people has dealt with it a similar way, and that's through animal sacrifice. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:07.600 Yes, I pulled the short straw and I get to talk about animal sacrifice. 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:09.440 I'm really excited. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:11.519 No, but it's really cool. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:29.039 We okay, so we want to make it right with God, we want to close the gap, we all want a close feeling to the Lord, and we want to understand what he wants, and so for some reason, and because God made a concession to us in our disobedience, we have to kill an animal in order to make up for the disobedience. 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:35.759 We have to shed innocent blood in order to make it right with the Lord. 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:47.039 And that might feel really like ancient and distant, and like I can't even relate to that, but I think we have practical examples even today where we understand this idea of sacrifice. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:48.080 I'll give you an example. 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:53.919 My neighbor across the street, his uh mailbox was completely destroyed by a distracted driver. 00:13:54.159 --> 00:14:01.679 And I was really blessed to see, and honestly, just super encouraged, that the the driver didn't just speed off and pretend like it didn't happen. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:03.679 He looked for ways to make it right. 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:17.279 He spent his afternoon driving back and forth from Home Depot, gathering supplies and uh solving problems that he didn't really realize that he caused, but it was all his fault, um, just to make it right with the neighbor. 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:30.639 And so instead of uh us thinking about the uh you know, death of an animal, whatever, we understand sacrifice and atonement is the word that we're talking about, through just really practical examples. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:42.000 The time spent, the money spent, and the effort spent by that careless driver was the atoning sacrifice for the sin of knocking down the mailbox. 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:52.159 And so instead of thinking of an afternoon spent and mailboxes, let's talk about deep, disobedient sin and the death of an animal. 00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:59.279 Because for some reason, human nature understands that we have to make up for that feeling of failure in distance. 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:05.120 And you've seen the movies where a person needs to get thrown into a volcano to appease the gods. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:12.080 This idea of atonement and sacrifice keeps coming up over and over and over again, and it's all through scripture. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:18.960 And so whenever you encounter that, you're it's like distant and strange, but it's part of what we believe and how it works. 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:21.360 But is this what God wanted? 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:31.759 Is the death of the innocent, whether it be a dove or a cow or a sheep, is that death what God wanted? 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:32.879 No. 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:40.559 I think animal sacrifice feels wrong and backwards and barbaric, is because it is wrong and backwards. 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:42.639 This is never what God wanted. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:54.639 What God wanted was that intimate, loving relationship walking alongside us, just like it was in the garden, but instead we have sacrifice. 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:56.639 We have sacrifice. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:59.759 And we get this sense that God doesn't want this all through scripture. 00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:02.080 Isaiah 1.11 says this. 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:06.879 What makes you think I want all your sacrifices, says the Lord? 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:12.000 I'm sick of your burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fat and cattle. 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:16.159 I get no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:24.799 Proverbs 21, 3 says, The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:28.639 And then what we discussed earlier today, 1 Samuel 15, 22. 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:33.679 What's more pleasing to the Lord, your burnt offerings and sacrifices, or your obedience to his voice? 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:40.000 Listen, obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:43.039 God never wanted it this way. 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:46.399 And you can hear that he's almost like disgusted with it. 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:50.879 It's like, guys, this is never how I wanted to relate to you. 00:16:51.120 --> 00:17:01.840 And even at the height of this sacrificial system, we see God's desire for something better, more intimate, more personal, more close. 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:12.960 Jeremiah 31, 31 through 34 says this The days are coming, declares the Lord, where I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:22.640 It won't be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them. 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:28.880 This is the covenant I will make with the people of the Isra of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:33.200 I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. 00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:36.640 I will be their God, and they will be my people. 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:43.200 No longer will they teach their neighbor or say to one another, Know the Lord, because they will all know me. 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:49.119 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:52.240 What does that sound like to you? 00:17:53.519 --> 00:18:03.279 To me, it sounds like an intimate and personal, close relationship with a loving God that gives us so much and asks of us so little. 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:08.480 That plan sounds like the first plan in the garden. 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:12.799 He's gonna be my God and I'm gonna be his person. 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:21.359 He's gonna write his law on my heart and on my mind, and he's gonna forget my wickedness and forgive my sins. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.720 That's the plan that I want to step into. 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:27.680 But instead, we have sacrifice. 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:37.359 We have this concept of sacrifice that that's honestly, we might not have a sacrificial system anymore, but we definitely hold on to a sacrificial mindset. 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:47.599 How many times have I crossed the line and then I beat myself up for a week because I know that I need to somehow make it right by my effort? 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:50.319 That's a sacrificial mindset. 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:55.359 How often have I promised this is the last time that I'll do this? 00:18:55.519 --> 00:19:00.079 God please, this is the last time only to do it over and over again. 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:02.720 That's that sacrificial mindset. 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:15.039 How many times have I isolated myself from either my church community, my family, whatever that looks like, because I'm beating myself up over some disobedience that I've caused. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:19.279 That's that sacrifice mindset. 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:27.039 And God doesn't want sacrifice because when we're confused about what God wants, we'll live with that sacrifice mindset. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:33.119 We will live thinking that if we work enough hours, we can make it right or prove we're worthy. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:43.599 We live thinking that if everybody simultaneously smiles in the holiday photos, we can pull that off, then maybe we'll seem like we have it all together. 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:53.839 Or if we present this version of ourselves that doesn't have any disobedience and doesn't struggle with anything, then we'll get the we'll get the thumbs up. 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:57.119 But we are not called to live like that. 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:00.240 When I live like that, I feel like a hypocrite. 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:02.160 And it's because I am one. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:10.160 I live walking disobediently and then putting on a show for everybody, pretending that it's not a problem at all. 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:12.160 Because I can't make it right. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:19.039 I absolutely have no power in my own strength to do anything about my disobedience. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:20.319 I can't bridge the gap. 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:22.400 I can't fix the mailbox. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:24.960 There's nothing I can do. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:26.880 But God can make it right. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:29.519 And God does make it right once and for all. 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:31.359 Let's look at Simon again. 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:34.160 Again, I'm the dad, so you have to see pictures of my son. 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:35.440 That's Simon. 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:36.720 I'll stand out of the way. 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:37.119 Okay. 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:40.000 So I love Simon. 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:47.599 There's absolutely nothing that Simon can do to ruin that love that I have for him. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:51.920 I will continue to love him, even if he pulls away, even if he's disobedient. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:56.160 No matter what happens, I love Simon because he's my son. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:58.240 And I'm his father. 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:05.599 But my love pales in comparison with God's love for us. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:14.000 My love is puny compared to God's love for us, because here's the thing: God had a son that looked just like Simon. 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:20.000 Just a sweet and precious little boy. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:24.640 A baby born in a manger but destined to die. 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:41.119 And the whole time, looking at his son, playing, learning, growing, that's what was in the back of God's mind or in the front of his mind if we're taking Jeremiah seriously or God seriously from the first pages of the Bible. 00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:54.720 You see, the difference between Simon and Jesus is that Simon is gonna pull away from me, but Jesus never pulled away from the Father. 00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:59.759 Jesus was perfectly obedient to his dad and walked a perfectly. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:04.240 Life into the murder that he knew was waiting for him. 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:16.240 And Jesus is that final and perfect atoning sacrifice for every single one of us so that we don't have to feel like we need to make it right anymore. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:22.480 I want you all to picture your kids and how much you love them as we read this next verse. 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:27.200 That's so familiar to us, but really get a sense of God's love for us. 00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:29.200 John 3 16. 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:39.839 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:44.079 I think that feels wrong because it is wrong. 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:46.720 It feels backwards because it is. 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:23.519 But in God's perfect love and in his perfect clarity, he gave the ultimate sacrifice to make things right with him. 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:31.839 And so we have this problem of feeling far away, but understanding that Jesus brings us closer. 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:36.559 We might understand that, but what can we practically and actually do? 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:39.680 I'm gonna leave you with three things. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:50.000 Three things that I think are very practical application of how we feel closer to God, even in this crazy season where we might feel so far away. 00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:52.160 The first thing is this accept him. 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:53.680 Accept him. 00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:57.039 It all comes down to Jesus. 00:23:57.200 --> 00:24:06.480 Romans 10, 9 says, if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:09.920 If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth. 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:16.799 I think belief, the belief part is slightly more simple, although I do understand that belief is not simple for a lot of us. 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:20.960 Belief is a struggle where we are constantly working it out. 00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:22.559 But don't overcomplicate it. 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:39.839 If you're feeling, whether it's through a relationship or a YouTube video you heard or something that I've said today, whatever it is, through scripture you're reading, if you're feeling that God actually is who he says he is, that Jesus actually said and did the things that Scripture says that he did and said, respond to that. 00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:41.119 Accept him. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:43.119 Believe. 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:44.799 And then share that. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:54.400 Share that with your friends and family, even though it might be awkward and difficult if you're not from a Christian household, or with the people at your work or your church community here. 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:56.640 That's what baptism is all about. 00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:03.119 It's about sharing the decision and the moment that your life starts new and it starts now. 00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:10.240 We actually have uh someone getting baptized later today who's already made that decision, which is just uh really awesome. 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:12.000 But accept him. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:16.640 And then, secondly, trust he'll give you what you need. 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:19.279 Trust that he'll give you what you need. 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:32.240 2 Peter 1.3 says, His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:38.400 By his divine power, he's given us everything we need to live a godly life. 00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:42.640 We don't have to get our life together in order to follow through on it. 00:25:43.039 --> 00:25:49.119 We don't have to read like a certain percentage of the Bible, and once you've read 51%, then you can join the club. 00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:49.519 No. 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:56.480 If you've accepted Jesus and you're committed to following him, trust that he'll give you what you need. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:58.960 Courage, strength, whatever it is. 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:04.799 You don't have to get your finances together or make yourself look super attractive just to be part of this. 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:07.440 God will give you everything you need. 00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:09.279 Don't overcomplicate it. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:12.880 And then lastly, is simply obey. 00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:15.119 Simply obey. 00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:20.480 Remember, God wants obedience, and we definitely overcomplicate obedience. 00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:31.759 We turn obedience into a long list of discrete rules where we either pass or fail, and if we fail any of them, we create that distance between us and God. 00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:34.720 That's not what obedience really looks like. 00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:38.960 Obedience is about giving your predecided yes to God. 00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:44.319 Pre-decide now that God gets your yes. 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:48.480 No one would call me an obedient husband because it sounds really strange. 00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:50.640 Madison's a really obedient husband. 00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:52.720 No, that just sounds weird. 00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:53.920 But I am. 00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:57.920 On my wedding day, I gave Hannah my pre-decided yes. 00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:02.319 And I choose her and I only choose her every single day. 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:04.480 Do the same with God. 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:07.759 Give him your predecided yes. 00:27:07.839 --> 00:27:12.400 And really practically, that that might look like an interesting afternoon for you today. 00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:22.400 It might look like having that conversation that you know you've needed to have, that you know is the right thing to do, but you've come up with excuses as to why why you shouldn't do it. 00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:30.319 If you are trying to live in simple obedience to your creator, and you've given him your predecided yes, I think you know what you need to do. 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:34.079 Or it might be some aspect of your life that needs to fall away. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:38.079 Some behavior or thought pattern or uh whatever it is. 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:45.519 If you've given your predecided yes to God, I think you know what to do. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:47.279 It's that simple. 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:51.599 Don't come up with excuses, don't try to justify this or that. 00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:53.039 Just say yes to him. 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:56.640 Because remember, it's a lopsided relationship. 00:27:56.960 --> 00:28:00.160 He will give you everything you need in order to live a godly life. 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:02.640 That's a lopsided relationship. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:10.799 To walk closely, side by side, hand in hand, with simple obedience. 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:12.799 I'll give you an example. 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:17.920 Uh, several years ago, I was living my life in a way that I knew I shouldn't live. 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:23.839 And I was sitting there on the porch reading my Bible, because I was like, I should read my Bible. 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:36.079 And I don't know what the scripture verse was, I should have written it down, but I knew that God was directly saying to me, Madison, you either correct this problem or you're directly disobeying me. 00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:41.839 And I was like, oh no, no, I don't want that conversation. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:43.759 And it terrified me. 00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:47.440 It absolutely terrified me because I understood the seriousness of God. 00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:53.440 I understood the bigness and like holiness and like what this meant to say this to me. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:59.920 It terrified me because I had convinced myself that I could make it right on my own, by my own strength. 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:01.599 I could bridge that gap. 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:07.359 It terrified me because I knew that correcting this problem would be a painful process. 00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:18.799 But by the grace of God, by his divine power giving everything that I need, I was able to say yes. 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:21.039 Was that process painful? 00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:22.079 Yes. 00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:25.759 Is my life better now? 00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:26.720 Yes. 00:29:27.200 --> 00:29:28.400 Do I still struggle? 00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:29.039 Yes. 00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:30.559 I'm still a person. 00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:34.799 But life is a whole lot better because I'm not confused about what God wants. 00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:43.680 How long was I gonna live beating myself up and trying to work so hard in order to make it right with him when he fixed the mailbox 2,000 years ago? 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:46.240 He's done it for you. 00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:47.440 Accept it. 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:50.960 Trust he'll give you what you need and simply obey. 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:57.599 And we're we're gonna finish up with Lord's Supper. 00:29:57.839 --> 00:30:02.319 So if you have one of your cups, I'll have you grab that right now. 00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:12.720 I thought Lord's Supper was a perfect way to end today because it just symbolizes everything that God's done for us. 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:20.400 And during that last meal, Jesus was talking with his friends, and this is what he said about the juice we're about to drink. 00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:22.799 And it was wine back then, but you'll get the point. 00:30:23.039 --> 00:30:27.680 Matthew 26, 26, 28 says, This is my blood of the covenant. 00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:35.039 And in the footnotes, you'll see the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:42.799 Jesus is stepping into what God was talking about through the prophet Jeremiah. 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:48.160 Jesus is stepping into that page one again of the Bible. 00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:58.160 Through Jesus, we're able to have that close and intimate relationship, that better life where we are fully connected and walking hand in hand with God. 00:30:58.960 --> 00:31:03.039 That life where he's your God and you're his people. 00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:09.279 That life where he forgives your wickedness and forgets your sins. 00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:15.359 That life where his law, what to do, is just written on your heart and on your mind. 00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:17.279 Through his spirit, we are given that. 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:22.799 And what Jesus did on the cross stands as that last act of making it right. 00:31:23.359 --> 00:31:25.279 Don't beat yourself up. 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:28.240 Jesus was beaten up for you. 00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:33.599 Don't try to fix the mailbox when it's been fine for thousands of years. 00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:40.400 Just step into the life and the close and loving relationship that the Father wants with you. 00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:42.799 So let's grab the breath. 00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:58.319 Lord, I pray that as we receive your body, that we will receive what you have for us. 00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:18.240 If we feel a million miles away from you, that this moment will make us feel so close and understand that there's no circumstance we can be in, no disobedience that we could do that would keep you far from us. 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:22.480 Thank you for letting your body be broken. 00:32:24.079 --> 00:32:25.359 See the pressure. 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:43.839 And Lord, thank you for forgiving our wickedness, forgetting our sin. 00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:48.079 Your blood washes us clean. 00:32:50.160 --> 00:32:56.079 By your blood, we can step into a close relationship with you every single day. 00:32:56.319 --> 00:33:04.000 Lord, I pray that we would just embrace what it means to simply obey you, to walk with you every single day. 00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:06.799 Thank you for stringing Jesus. 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:15.599 Thank you guys for being part of this and for uh for listening to me. 00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:16.720 It's been it's been awesome. 00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:18.799 Uh I think we have some baptisms. 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:25.039 Well done, man. 00:33:25.279 --> 00:33:25.680 Thanks. 00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:27.519 Let's hear it from Madison one more time. 00:33:27.599 --> 00:33:28.400 You did a great job.