WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:04.320 Well, if you're just joining us, we are wrapping up a series today called United. 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:10.240 We've been talking for the last month, five weeks, or so about what it really means to be united as a church. 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:19.280 And the reason we've been talking about this is because Jesus actually dreamed of a united church, a church that would be known for the fact that they love each other, the fact that they're together. 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:26.480 If you look at the church today, and a lot of people outside of the church do, by the way, you may be here today and you may consider yourself someone who's not a Jesus follower. 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:28.399 You're kind of checking this out, figuring this out. 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:29.679 So glad that you're here. 00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:34.960 But if you've looked at the church from the outside, you may have noticed a lot of division. 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:41.920 You may have noticed that the church looks just as fractured, just as splintered, sometimes even more so, than the rest of the world. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:43.359 And there's truth to that. 00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:45.280 That's a sad reality, and it has to change. 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:47.039 I believe it is changing. 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:51.920 But no matter what, we we know that Jesus did not envision that kind of church. 00:00:52.240 --> 00:00:54.880 Jesus envisioned and prayed for a united church. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:58.640 In fact, in John chapter 17, he prayed right before he went to the cross. 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:02.880 And one of the things he prayed to God the Father, he said, I am in them and you are in me. 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:13.040 May they experience, talking about his followers, us, may they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:22.719 So he says, I pray that there is so much unity in my church, in my people, that the world sees that unity, they see that love, and they know that I'm from you. 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:25.519 That's how united we're supposed to be. 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:29.120 So we've been talking about what that really looks like, how that plays out. 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:32.560 We've been going through a section in this book of the New Testament called Ephesians. 00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:36.239 Paul was writing to a group of Christians, and this really cool thing was happening in the church. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:37.519 Walls were coming down. 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:46.079 People who had never ever interacted together, people who were completely separate in terms of their upbringing, in terms of their culture, that were coming together in the name of Jesus. 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:48.239 So you have this mixture of cultures happening. 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:51.120 People who used to hate each other are now worshiping together. 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:56.079 And he's reflecting on this unity that we have, and he talks about all the different ways this unity plays out. 00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:01.599 He talks about the fact that we've been united by the blood of Christ, that Jesus has died for every single one of us. 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:05.760 And so, because of the blood of Christ, we're blood, we're family. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:09.039 Sitting around you right now are not fellow church members. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:15.919 Sitting around you right now are not fellow citizens of this community, that they're not even like fellow attendees, they're brothers and sisters. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:17.759 The blood of Jesus has made us blood. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:23.120 We've talked about the fact that we're united by the Holy Spirit, that we all have the same spirit inside of us. 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:29.360 Scripture says that if you give your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes and joins with your spirit, making you a new creation. 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:35.840 And if that's happened for you, if you've given your life to Jesus, then you have the Holy Spirit in you, and so does the person next to you, the person in front of you, behind you. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:38.400 We all share the same spirit that unites us. 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:40.400 We've talked about how we're united by love. 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:46.080 Last week we talked about how we're united by a commitment to peace, by a commitment to work through conflict. 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:51.280 If we're gonna be the church that Jesus envisioned and dreamed about, we will have conflict. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:54.560 Because we should have conflict if we're doing important things. 00:02:55.039 --> 00:02:58.639 But real peace is not the absence of conflict, it's the overcoming of conflict. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:03.120 And so if we're gonna be a united church, we have to be committed to working through our issues. 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:04.800 Because man, some of us have issues. 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:05.759 Anyone here have issues? 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:07.520 Anyone want to raise your hand and say, I have issues? 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:08.639 Okay, issues. 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:10.080 Jamie, you didn't raise your hand. 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:11.759 You've got a few, at least one or two, right? 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:12.719 It's my buddy Jamie. 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:13.759 I just noticed you're sitting there. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:14.080 Sorry. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:14.479 I'm sorry. 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:16.960 If you want to watch the Duke game tomorrow, um, I'm gonna be hanging out. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:17.599 You want to? 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:18.319 We can do that? 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:19.360 All right, they're cool. 00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:20.639 He doesn't have too many issues. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:21.360 He's a good guy. 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:22.159 All right, whatever. 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:23.840 Um, my point is we all have issues. 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:25.360 But let's work through our issues. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:27.039 Like, let's be committed to peace. 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:28.879 That's what it means to be united as a church. 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:32.560 Today we're gonna talk about something actually really challenging. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:36.319 I got I got challenged big time this week preparing for this. 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:37.120 It's kind of like this. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:41.759 Ooh, is that is that something that really describes our church? 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:46.000 Is this something what we're gonna read, is this something that really describes the church in America? 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:47.439 Is this something that we do well? 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:49.520 And if not, what needs to change? 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:55.680 Today we're gonna talk about the fact that we're united, or at least should be united, by a commitment to grow. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:00.719 We're united by a commitment to grow, a commitment to mature. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:05.520 I'm gonna open up to Ephesians chapter 4, verses 5 through 10. 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:06.879 We're just gonna go through this. 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:07.759 It's a pretty big section. 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:19.680 Paul begins by just sort of going off on how awesome Jesus is and that he's the one true God, and he says, There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and in all and living through all. 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:24.240 However, he's given each of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:27.920 And then Paul does something like you ever see someone just get distracted? 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:30.800 You know, they're talking all of a sudden they just like go off on a tangent. 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:33.439 Paul does that all the time when he starts talking about Jesus. 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:35.040 He gets so excited about Jesus. 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:40.319 He starts talking about, you know, he's focused, he's on this one topic, then all of a sudden Jesus comes up and it's like he goes down this rabbit trail. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:41.199 And that's what happens here. 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:43.199 This is his like squirrel moment, you know. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:49.439 He goes, That is why the scriptures say when he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people. 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:50.879 Notice that it says he ascended. 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:59.600 This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world, and the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:03.120 Then he goes, back to what I was talking about. 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:07.120 Now, verse 11, these are the gifts Christ gave to the church. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:11.120 The apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and the teachers. 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:15.680 Their responsibility is to entertain God's people, to keep them coming back to church. 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:17.759 Um, I'm sorry, I read that wrong. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:23.600 Their responsibility is to excite people and make them inspired and feel excited about life. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:25.199 And nope, hold on. 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:26.639 One more time. 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:32.639 Their responsibility is to equip God's people, to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:38.959 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord. 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:41.920 Measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:42.560 Oof. 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:49.600 Full and complete standard of Christ, that we will become mature in the Lord. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:56.720 We'll come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord. 00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:01.920 He then says this in verse 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:05.040 We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:09.920 We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:16.000 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:18.240 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:25.279 As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:29.360 That's what it looks like to be mature in the Lord. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:35.519 So if we're going to be united as a church, we have to be united and committed to grow. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:39.839 Individually, corporately, we have to be united in a commitment to mature. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:44.639 Now let's let's talk for a second about growth and how growth happens. 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:48.319 Because some growth happens just automatically, right? 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:50.399 Some growth happens without effort. 00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:52.240 For example, I have a prop with me. 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:53.920 I brought this with me to illustrate. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:55.920 Um, this is a pair of basketball shoes. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:00.639 It's been approximately five weeks since I've mentioned that my oldest son is really into basketball, and that's really good for me. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:02.720 So that's way, way more than my average. 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:09.600 Um, my my daughter Lily's four, she just asked me if she could start playing basketball, and I was like, yes! It's happening, it's happening. 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:11.040 If I have one more, I've got a whole team. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:12.639 So um that's what I'm going for. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:14.800 But um, there's a little story to these. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:17.759 These are my son's basketball shoes for his season that he's playing in right now. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:19.680 Um, they're yellow, if you can't tell. 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:21.120 Anyone ever struggling to see that? 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:21.759 Yellow? 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:27.839 So the story behind the yellow shoe thing is that last year he was he was playing this game, he was just doing amazing. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:28.720 He was doing awesome. 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:31.199 Had 22 points as a second grader in this game. 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:31.759 He was just awe. 00:07:31.920 --> 00:07:32.560 It was awesome. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:33.199 It was unreal. 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:38.560 And it's so cool as a dad when you have a seven-year-old who's making other seven-year-olds cry and like give up, that's great, right? 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:39.680 That's the coolest thing as a dad. 00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:41.600 You're like, oh, I'm so proud of my son. 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:42.720 Oh, whatever. 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:54.399 Um, but in the middle of this game, Liam was wearing yellow shoes, and in the middle of this game, this mom on the other team just screams out in a very quiet moment someone stop the kid in the yellow shoes, which is my kid. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:56.720 And I was like, Oh, there's my kid in the yellow shoes. 00:07:56.879 --> 00:07:59.439 And just try, just try, you know? 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:03.759 Um, because he literally plays like three hours a day every day, so just try. 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:04.800 And so it was awesome. 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:07.439 When the game was over, Liam said, Dad, did you hear what that mom yelled? 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:11.199 And I said, The thing about the yellow shoes, he's like, Yeah, I'm gonna wear yellow shoes all the time now. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:12.240 Like, that's my thing. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:15.680 And I was like, Oh, I'm I am I am committed to this with you. 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:16.639 Let's make this happen. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:18.560 So these are the shoes he's wearing this year. 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:19.439 They're really cool. 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:23.120 If you can't see them, you know, because I'm holding them, here's a picture of them, right? 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:24.160 I found them online. 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:25.920 And then check out the back of these. 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:27.279 They say school bus. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:32.000 Somebody asked me why they say school bus, and I'm like, because my kid will take your kid to school. 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:33.360 That's how this works. 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:34.000 Okay? 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:39.759 He's the bus driver. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:40.320 That's what he does. 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:41.279 He takes him to school. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:52.639 Um, the funny thing, or not so funny thing, about these shoes, depending on how you look at it, is that I actually bought these for him a long time ago, way before he was able to wear them. 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:55.840 Like, as soon as he said, I'm gonna wear yellow shoes, I was like, Yes. 00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:59.279 And I started looking online for yellow basketball shoes, and like I found these. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:01.759 I was like, those are incredible, they're amazing. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:05.360 They just don't fit them, they're like a couple sizes too big. 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:08.559 And so a logical person would go, oh well, look for another pair. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:11.519 But I was like, you know, he's he's a kid, he's gonna grow. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:14.799 So I can buy him shoes that he doesn't fit into yet. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:15.919 He'll grow into them. 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:16.720 It's gonna happen. 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:18.159 And so I bought these. 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:22.960 But once I crossed that bridge in my mind, I kind of live there for a while. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:26.000 And so every couple months, I would see another pair of shoes. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:30.159 I was like, oh, look at those, those are super cool, and and and and ooh, limited edition. 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:31.039 That means they're gonna run out. 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:32.559 I better, I better, you know, buy those. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:34.080 You know how you can talk yourself at anything? 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:37.840 Like, really, if you think about it, I'm saving money by we've all done that. 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:39.440 So I bought another pair. 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:43.279 And then this happened a few more times, and I wasn't really keeping track in my mind. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:49.120 It actually got so bad that I was like, well, he's he's already stocked with shoes that are the next size up and the next size up. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:53.919 So then I'd see shoes and I would buy them for like three sizes up, four sizes up. 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:54.399 Okay? 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:56.240 Anyone think that's weird? 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:56.960 Anyone? 00:09:57.200 --> 00:09:58.159 A little bit cool? 00:09:58.320 --> 00:09:58.879 I I agree. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:00.639 My wife would really agree with you. 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:03.440 Um, she found out what was happening. 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:07.519 I say found out because I was having the shoes delivered to the church, not to my house. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:18.480 Um, but uh, you know, happy wife, happy life, and secrets. 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:18.879 I don't know. 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:23.360 I was, I knew I was like, she's gonna have, I was trying to think of how I was gonna frame it, and I'm just being honest, guys. 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:24.879 Don't do that, don't do that, okay? 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:31.679 So she she figures it out, and I I came clean and I said, Look, I I have I've been doing this, I've been buying him shoes that don't fit him yet. 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:33.600 Um, I have a problem. 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:34.639 Help me. 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:37.039 And she's like, Well, how many pairs have you bought? 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:38.159 And I'm like, I really don't know. 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:50.320 And so I went into this closet at home where I've I've I've been sneaking them in, and uh, and I counted ten pairs, ten pairs of shoes that he can't even wear yet. 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:56.159 And my wife looked at me and she's like, Justin, you're a pastor! Like, what? 00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:57.440 How do you? 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:04.080 But they're not all yellow. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:08.320 No, there's a few that are like not yellow for him to wear at other times, you know, like to practice and stuff. 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:17.279 Which is that's a very but here's what I will here's what popped in my head, and this is totally just BS and me rationalizing it. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:18.720 But it sounded good. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:24.399 I said, you know, honey, sometimes God has blessings for us that he prepares ahead of time. 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:27.919 And we're just not ready to receive them yet. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:37.600 Like we have to grow, and once we grow, we can step into those blessings, much like my son will be able to step into his shoes once he grows and is ready for them. 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:41.759 And and she was not swayed or moved by that argument whatsoever. 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:43.440 She said, Can we take them back? 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:45.360 I said, No, they're from eBay. 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:47.039 That's not how that works. 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.600 And we're still married, so it's good. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:51.759 And I'm done, I'm done, no more new shoes. 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:54.000 It's like, it's it's I realize I have a problem. 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:55.919 Um, but that's that's that, okay? 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:57.360 Here's why I talk about this. 00:11:57.600 --> 00:12:08.960 He he grew into those shoes, and even though my rationale is crazy, and even though, yes, I was trying to talk myself into a bad decision, and yes, it is ridiculous to have bought 10 pairs of shoes that a child of yours cannot even wear yet. 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:11.679 That is silly, and I I acknowledge that. 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:14.159 The reality is he will grow into them. 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:19.759 There will be a day that he will wear all of those shoes because he's going to grow, because he's a kid, and kids just grow. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.480 There is some growth that happens automatically. 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:27.039 There is some growth, there's some types of growth that we don't even have to work for. 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:29.120 It just it just comes. 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:32.960 He does he's not gonna have to try to go up a shoe size in the next year. 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:34.000 It'll happen. 00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:36.000 It's automatic. 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:44.639 The growth that Paul's talking about here in Ephesians, this this spiritual growth, this spiritual maturity, it's not that kind of growth. 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:47.600 It's not growth that just happens automatically with no effort. 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:49.679 It's not the kind of growth that just happens by accident. 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:52.320 It's it's actually growth that requires faith. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:56.799 It's growth that requires commitment, it's growth that requires a lot. 00:12:57.440 --> 00:12:58.639 Sacrifice sometimes. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.679 It's growth that requires effort and selflessness. 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:08.720 The growth, the maturity that he's talking about, it's not a kid's foot growing a size, it's it's something that takes a lot. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:33.840 If we want to be people, Christians, followers of Jesus, a church that is like the church described here, if we want to be full of maturity when it comes to our faith, growing together, and like it said at the end there, each part, each member doing what God has called them to do, aware of what God wants us to do and doing it so that the whole body can grow and be healthy, that's growth that's gonna take effort. 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:35.919 That's growth that'll take commitment. 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:36.879 I want to read real quick. 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:40.720 This is a section from Acts chapter 2, it's verses 42 through 47. 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:43.759 And guys in the back, I apologize, I think I'm springing this on you. 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:46.639 This is describing the early church. 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:56.639 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship and to sharing in meals, including the Lord's Supper, and to prayer. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:59.279 A deep sense of awe came over all of them. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:05.519 And the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders, and all the believers met together in one place and they shared everything they had. 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:09.120 They sold their property and possessions and they shared the money with those in need. 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:11.679 They worshiped together in the temple each day. 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:13.840 They met in homes for the Lord's Supper. 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:20.080 They shared their meals with great joy and generosity, all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:23.600 And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:26.240 That's a description of the early church. 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:31.120 It's no wonder that it exploded into a movement that has changed the course of history. 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:37.360 That's a description of what it looks like to be a church that is mature in the Lord. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:45.519 And as I read that this week, as I'm preparing for this and I'm having to ask some hard questions, are we a mature church? 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:49.120 And I don't just mean his hands, I mean the church in America. 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:52.000 I want to ask your permission for something. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:55.519 I don't technically need that permission, but I would love to have it if it's okay with you. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:15:00.320 Sometimes to really grow, you have to be okay to be made uncomfortable. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:02.240 Sometimes to really grow, you have to be challenged. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:05.679 Like some of you have decided at some point in the past that you were gonna get fit physically. 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:10.559 You wanted to grow in terms of your physical health, and that definitely meant physical discomfort, right? 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:19.039 Some of you have gone to counseling to become emotionally healthy, and if you've ever done that, which I have many different times, like it's it's uncomfortable because you have to deal with things. 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:28.000 If we're gonna become spiritually healthy, spiritually mature, if we're gonna grow in this way, we have to be okay with a little discomfort from time to time. 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:35.039 So as I explore this and as we really look at, are we, ask this question, are we really mature in the Lord? 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:36.080 Amen. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:38.720 That was a infant amen. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:48.320 Um as we ask that question, are we okay being challenged a little bit? 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:52.159 Are we okay being stretched, being made a little uncomfortable? 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:53.600 Are you guys okay with that? 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:54.480 A little bit? 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:56.399 Anyone not okay with that? 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:59.279 Of course you're not gonna raise your hand because that would make you uncomfortable. 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:00.320 Um, right? 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:09.039 I want you to know, as I as I go through this, none of this is intended to offend, but there's also no way to talk about certain things without offending. 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:11.679 But a sign of maturity is that we can handle it. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:20.559 A sign of maturity, or at least being open to maturity, is that is that we don't need people just to tell us that we're amazing and we're awesome, we're doing everything wonderful and good, but we can say, Can I grow? 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:26.080 And maybe the question I should ask before I say, Do you do you mind being made uncomfortable is do you want to grow? 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:28.080 Do we want to grow and mature? 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:32.720 Are we happy with where we're at individually and corporately, or do we want to go places we've never been before? 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:35.679 Do we want to have experiences with God we've never had before? 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:40.879 You know, what if there's a spiritual shoe, so to speak, out there that God has prepared for us and we just need to grow into it? 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:42.399 Do we want to grow into it and wear it? 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:43.200 I do. 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:45.440 Yes, I just connected that metaphor to this. 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:48.639 I'm sorry, but but I want to grow. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:51.840 And if growth requires discomfort, so be it. 00:16:52.080 --> 00:17:00.240 When I look at the description of this church in Acts, ooh, all the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:02.320 Let's talk about that for a second. 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:06.559 Devoted to teaching, devoted to learning. 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:15.599 Is the church in America known for its devotion to learning, devotion to knowledge, devotion, for example, to knowing the Word of God? 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:19.200 You know, as a church, if you're here and you're relatively new, we teach scripture. 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:22.720 There's a big push in modern American church not to focus on scripture too much. 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:25.519 In fact, you can you can hear really well-known pastors talk about it. 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:29.519 Don't don't use too much scripture, it's gonna push people away. 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:33.519 Well, if I don't use scripture, that means I'm gonna rely on my own observations. 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:34.960 I'm 35 years old. 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:37.680 I've bought 10 pairs of shoes that don't even fit my son. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:41.839 Do you really want to rely on my observational powers for wisdom in your life? 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:43.039 Is that what you want? 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:43.839 You know? 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:51.599 Like observation has its place, and you can observe really good things, and that's fine, but revelation is greater than observation. 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:53.680 And I believe that the word of God is revelation. 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:58.240 I believe there are things in God's word that we would never be able to discern for ourselves through observation alone. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:01.359 And if we're really going to grow and mature in our faith, we need to know his word. 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:05.920 Is the church in America known for its passion for the word of God? 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:07.200 It's not. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:09.039 It's not. 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:11.920 It's amazing. 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:18.480 We might be part of, and by the way, this is not me just saying, hey, church stinks, it's all going down the tubes, whatever. 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:19.200 There's people who say that. 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:20.160 I don't believe that. 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:21.680 I don't believe that. 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:31.119 I believe there's great opportunity in our nation for the church to change and the church to be what it's meant to be, but it's gonna have to be because we as a church and other churches like us decide to do this. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:36.400 But the church right now in America is one of the most biblically illiterate churches that has ever existed in our nation. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:39.119 And it's not because we don't have access. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:46.400 I mean, we have we have bookstores filled with Bibles, every translation you could imagine. 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:48.640 We have we have tools at our disposal. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:50.720 We we have Bibles on our phones now. 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:52.799 I've got two or three different apps on my phone. 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:58.400 I have an app that can translate whatever's in the original Greek or Hebrew language into English and give me all kinds of illustrations about that. 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:02.480 I've got an app that has videos for every book of the Bible and describes the history behind them. 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:08.880 I have I have the Bible app, I have the Read Scripture app, I have the Connect Bible app, I have all these apps, right? 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:13.279 But how much time when I'm on my phone am I am I in the Word? 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:24.240 The average American today watches between five and six hours of television a day, and the average Christian doesn't open their Bible maybe once a week. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:28.480 One in five Christians polled say they never read scripture, ever. 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:30.480 Never read the Bible. 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:32.079 Don't ever do it. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:35.519 And the vast majority of those who do, it's a verse here, it's a verse there. 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:37.200 I want to show you guys a video. 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:40.240 Um, this is something that I saw years ago, it really hit me hard. 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:42.559 The quality is not awesome. 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:44.799 It was captured from a phone. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:48.079 Uh it's a it's a group of Christians in China. 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:57.599 They're not allowed to worship publicly in China, so they they they're part of what's called an underground church, meaning they meet in homes secretly because it can't be known that they're actually there to worship Jesus. 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:07.359 In China, you can't have a Bible, Bibles are outlawed, and and you can be you can get in a lot of trouble for owning one, and if you bring one into the country, you can get in serious, serious trouble. 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:10.240 But missionaries will smuggle Bibles into the country. 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:14.640 And this is a video of a group of Chinese Christians receiving Bibles for the very first time. 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:17.359 It's the very first time they've ever had the Word of God in their hands. 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:18.799 I want you to watch this for just a second. 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:20.880 It's very short, but it's really powerful. 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:21.839 Guys, go ahead and play that. 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:41.440 And you can tell you can tell the reverence, and the joy and the excitement that they have just to have scripture in hand. 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:45.359 And you don't even have to wonder if any of them went home and read it that night. 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:46.720 You know? 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:59.599 And yet here we are as the church in America, and we have more access to scripture and tools for it than ever before, and and most of the time, in most of our lives, I know not all of us, but in most of our lives. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:04.240 Scripture doesn't even really ping on the radar for something we're going to spend time doing. 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:09.119 If we're going to become mature in the Lord, we got to know Scripture. 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:16.960 Because it says that those who are mature in the Lord, we read this, will speak the truth in love. 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:18.960 How can you speak the truth if you don't know the truth? 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:28.240 It says those who are mature in the Lord will no longer be easily swayed, easily led astray by every false teaching that comes their way. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:30.400 We live in a culture full of false teaching. 00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:34.799 We live in a culture full of these ideas that are so contrary to what Scripture teaches. 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:35.839 It's not even funny. 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:38.640 And yet, yet, we don't even recognize it half the time. 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:45.519 We hear the same things said to us, and we nod our heads in agreement, even though what's being said is so completely contrary to the truth of God. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:51.680 For example, our culture, and I've used this before, it's kind of an easy example, but our culture says, follow your heart, do what's right for you. 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:54.559 Do what's right for you. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:55.519 Do what feels good. 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:58.240 What do you feel like your heart is telling you? 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:01.599 I call that Disney theology because that's like Disney song stuff. 00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:02.960 You know, be true to your heart. 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:09.680 There's a Disney song in a movie, I think it's Mulan, where it says, be true to your heart, open your eyes, your heart can tell you no lies. 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:10.240 Right? 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:13.839 Yet scripture says the human heart is wicked and deceitful above all things. 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:19.599 But if we don't know that, we hear that in our culture, yeah, follow your heart, do what you want. 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:20.799 Do whatever you want. 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:26.319 By the way, anytime you see Satan tempt people in scripture, he's almost always telling them to do what they want to do. 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:31.599 You know, he says to Eve in the Garden of Eden, as she's looking at the tree, he says, Well, what do you want? 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:35.680 And it says, and the woman looked at the fruit and it looked good to her. 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:39.839 You know, Satan doesn't really ask us to worship him, sing songs to him. 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:41.440 He just says, Worship yourself. 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:46.000 The elevation of self is always, always what Satan desires. 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:50.880 And our culture sings about it, writes children's songs about it. 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:53.759 Do what you feel is right, do what you want to do. 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:54.480 What do you want? 00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:55.599 What do you feel is right? 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:57.599 Those are the lies of our culture. 00:23:57.680 --> 00:24:02.240 But we hear that and we incorporate that so much into our thinking because we don't know the truth of Scripture. 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:04.079 So we're not guarded against it. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:06.880 Listen to what Jesus says in Luke chapter 9. 00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:10.400 Once I find it, it's good, here we go. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:14.880 Then he said to the crowd, if any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way. 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:17.279 Take up your cross daily and follow me. 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:19.920 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:23.200 But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:27.920 Does that sound like, hey, if you want to be my follower, just kick back, you be you, do your thing? 00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:31.039 How can I make you more comfortable? 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:38.880 Now here's the thing I'm not saying this to like get in our grills and make us feel bad. 00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:42.960 But the question is, are are we known for our maturity in the church today? 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:44.880 In the American church, are we mature? 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:50.079 The early church was mature in that they were devoted to the apostles' teaching. 00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:53.359 By the way, we we call the apostles' teaching the New Testament. 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:56.319 That's what the apostles' teaching became. 00:24:57.359 --> 00:25:04.319 Are we devoted to Scripture, to learning it, to knowing it, so that we can recognize the truth, so that we can guard against the lies in our world? 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:07.920 Because, guys, I'm telling you, we live in a culture right now that is running a certain direction. 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:10.319 It is not toward Jesus. 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:14.400 And by the way, that's pretty much been every culture ever. 00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:18.799 But we don't want to get swept up with that. 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:19.680 We've got to know the truth. 00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:24.319 And there are these issues at play, and there are politically incorrect issues to talk about. 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:31.920 But there are these issues at play in our culture, and it's amazing if you study the statistics of the number of people who are part of the church that have the same opinions as the rest of the world. 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:33.279 Things like abortion, for example. 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:35.920 By the way, I have very good friends who've had abortions. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:39.519