WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.040 Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of Crash Course. 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:04.799 I'm here with my good friend. 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:06.719 I said my good friend, like my good. 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:08.960 My good friend Ben Sykes. 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:09.439 Okay. 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:11.679 I don't know what dialect that would be. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:13.119 Is it a dialect? 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:14.480 Or is it just lit? 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:14.880 I don't know. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:18.640 My my good friend Ben Sykes, the one and only. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:19.600 He's sipping coffee. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:22.079 He's uh he's warming up for this topic. 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:27.760 And warming up is good right now because it's like we're like we're in Georgia, and it is not Georgia typical weather. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:29.280 It was 17 this morning. 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:29.920 That's nuts. 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:30.480 That's nuts. 00:00:30.640 --> 00:00:35.600 I told Liam, my seven-year-old, that this is probably the coldest it's ever been since he's been alive in Georgia. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:36.159 Oh, really? 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:42.000 I don't I mean, I don't at least consistently for the last week or so to have wind chills and the negatives and all that. 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:48.640 It's like I doubt he's ever so he's wanted to go outside and play because there's a little bit of snow on the ground, and I'm like, you don't want to go outside. 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:49.679 You'll be miserable. 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:50.560 You don't understand. 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:50.880 Yeah. 00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:52.799 This is not this is not good. 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:59.359 Um well, you know, someone's probably gonna listen to this 10 years from now and be like, I don't care what the weather was like in Georgia. 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:00.479 Tell me more about the weather. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:03.200 Tell me more about the weather in 2018. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:04.640 Uh now, here we go. 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:07.200 Let's uh let's go ahead and jump into our topic. 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:19.840 Uh, every single podcast, we try to cover a topic, and what's funny is usually as we're doing an episode, because we try to keep these pretty pretty short, I'll be like, we don't have time to get into all this, and another let's roll this into another topic. 00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:21.040 And so that's how it goes. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:23.200 And last time we were talking about the church. 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:24.959 What ultimately, what is the church? 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:28.719 Um, because I think it's so easy for us to think of churches as a building. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:49.920 We think of churches as a denomination, we think of churches as as something like as an institution, but ultimately the church is the body of Jesus, which means an analogy that's an analogy in scripture, by the way, yeah, to the people who have decided to follow Jesus, put their faith in Jesus, and have committed themselves to the work of Jesus in this world. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:50.640 That's the church. 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:51.519 So we're the church. 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:55.920 But it's such a huge concept, and we didn't really intend this to be a multi-parter. 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:58.079 So we're gonna break it into it this way. 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:06.640 Um, we talked last time about what is the church, and I I want to get into at some point like why should why should I actually go to church? 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:13.120 You know, like what's what's the point of because I can listen to messages online, I can, you know, I can do it all on my own. 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:17.199 Why do I actually need to like wake up on a morning and go somewhere and be part of that? 00:02:17.280 --> 00:02:18.240 Well, we'll get into that. 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:24.960 But you really, I think, hit the nail on the head as we were talking in between in between episodes that we should really talk about the mission of the church. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:25.439 Yeah. 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:29.759 And I would argue if you understand the mission and inspired by that, you'll want to go. 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:31.280 Well, I don't know why you're arguing in the first place. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:32.560 Why is this an argument? 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:33.919 Well, because I like to win. 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:34.560 Oh, okay. 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:35.199 Fine then. 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:37.280 Um so Ben, here's Ben arguing. 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:37.919 No, no. 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:48.080 Um, yeah, so if you I that's a great way to put it, because the truth is if you're confused about the mission of the church, then why you aren't gonna want to be involved. 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:59.120 Um and I do think it's really important for us to have clarity there because if it's like anything else in life, if you lose sight of your mission, yeah, we we have we have some phrases we use. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:01.439 It's why, how, and what, and that's not something we invented. 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:04.560 It comes from a actually comes from a book by a guy named Simon Sinek called Start with Why. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:04.800 Okay. 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:07.919 Really basic concept of know why you do what you do. 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:11.759 Don't get so fixated on what you do and how you do it that you forget why. 00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:13.199 And the why is the mission. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:19.199 If you lose sight of the mission, the the how and the what they they become the point, and it just loses its. 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:21.280 So let's talk about the why of the church. 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:26.159 What is what is the mission of the church in this world? 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:29.039 Not his hands church, not a church, like the church. 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:30.479 What's the mission of the church? 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:34.719 Well, the quintessential verse you'd have to go back to is the Great Commission. 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:36.400 So, like at the end of Matthew, Jesus. 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:37.759 I think Matthew 28, is that right? 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:38.879 Matthew 28, yeah. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:44.560 Is Jesus is ascending into heaven, and he's appeared to what was it, 400 people or something like that. 00:03:44.719 --> 00:04:03.680 He's been teaching them, and he's about to go into heaven, and the last thing he says, uh, he tells his followers, Go therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all these things that I've commanded you and know I'm always with you. 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:10.080 So that's like that's been the wireframe kind of mission that the church goes back to, I think, wisely. 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:12.960 So there's a lot in there, like Jesus jam packs. 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:13.280 Yeah. 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:15.520 So that's that's a very loaded last yeah. 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:18.000 Hey, before I go, do this. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:20.560 Like Jesus knows what he's talking about. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:20.879 Right. 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:24.399 I mean, you can go through that, and that's every part of that is super important. 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:26.240 So go into all nations. 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:30.160 So this is not just uh like one nation kind of thing, like this is for everybody. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:36.240 Which at that time, you know, the the so obviously Jesus comes out of the Jewish culture, out of Judaism. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:42.319 Um that's kind of how how God's, you know, he if you know the story of the Bible in the Old Testament, God picks this one group of people. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:50.240 Well, he really makes this a group of people because it starts with a man who has no children, they become a nation, and he's like, I'm gonna reveal myself to you guys. 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:50.879 Yeah. 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:54.879 I want you to know who I am, and through you, I'm gonna reveal myself to you. 00:04:55.199 --> 00:05:02.000 Yeah, this is the nation in which I'm going to be born and live and preach my message and then send people out. 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:08.959 And so if you if you're a new Christian or you're you know just diving into the Bible for the first time, you're like, man, this is so much of this is about the nation of Israel, especially in the Old Testament. 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:14.480 It's because yeah, that was that's the group of people that God really worked through. 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:16.160 His intention, though, was always the whole world. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:17.680 You see that, by the way, early in Genesis. 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:24.240 He tells Abraham, who is the man that became the father of the Israelite people, I will bless all nations through you. 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:32.639 But he he decided to start by really going heavy with this one group of people, showing them his power, his wisdom, his love. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:38.399 All these he's like revealing that, and ultimately that that comes through Jesus, who's born out of the nation of Israel. 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:45.120 And the reason I say that, when you say go into all nations, you know, the nation of Israel and the Jewish people were pretty like secluded, they didn't. 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:46.240 It's not a big deal. 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:50.879 Like little did they know, like Jesus was being really literal there. 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:55.519 Like in the next few years, you will go into all the nations and yeah. 00:05:55.920 --> 00:06:04.240 And and to give someone a global mission 2,000 years ago, you know, like when we say the phrase going global now, it's like, okay, send an email, build a website. 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:09.920 But to tell people in 2,000 years ago, you know, your your your area of focus is the world. 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:13.839 Yeah, and that's kind of like that's always our life plan. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:28.480 I mean, to make it to bring it into modern terms, like my defensive, fearful plan is always to just surround my myself with the people I know work, and I don't have to like who's safe, and then everybody else, I don't know about you. 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:28.879 Right. 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:35.839 And Jesus is always gonna push against that and say, No, my good news is for everybody, and you don't have to live out of fear anymore. 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:37.120 So that's the first part. 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:38.319 So go go. 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:40.000 That's the first part of the mission. 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:47.680 Yeah, the second part, teach all nations, observe them to observe it, teach them to observe all these things that I've commanded. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:52.000 So the next element that always is gonna be a part of the church is teaching. 00:06:52.319 --> 00:07:01.439 So you teach week week in and week out, but you don't just teach anything, like Jesus says, teach them to observe all these things that I've commanded. 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:01.759 Right. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:14.079 So we we capitalize on the things that Jesus said and the things that he taught, and everything then that points to Jesus also, and that gives us the Bible, and that's that's where all that is. 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:18.399 And so, like the words of Jesus, who Jesus is, is really important. 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:19.439 And we teach that. 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:22.720 That's why we would do a podcast like this, and that's right. 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:25.040 And actually, that that is a big part of the reason. 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:40.560 I mean, it's the main reason we do this podcast, is because you know, there's only so much we can cover in 30 minutes every Sunday, and especially the fact that we live in a world right now where if you you know if you want information, you you're in the times that we live in, your first inclination is not, let me go see if there's a class somewhere that I can sign up for. 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:41.839 You're gonna go find it. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:48.800 And we want to create readily accessible information for whenever you're ready to learn any of this, you know what I mean? 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:49.920 So this is this is teaching. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:50.240 Yeah. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:50.560 Okay. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:52.319 So I don't know if it's good teaching, but it's teaching. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:59.040 Yeah, so the message of or the the message of the church is to teach others to observe all the things that Jesus has commanded. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:07:59.199 Okay. 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:00.879 Because we're really excited about that. 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:04.480 We've seen in our own lives, everything Jesus says is true. 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:12.560 Like, oh my goodness, if Jesus tells you to do this and this is a fruit of the Spirit or something that you can engage in, guys, you gotta do that. 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:16.639 And so that's that's where we can keep going back to as the church. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:22.000 Um baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit. 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:34.320 So that's part of the church that we continually do that, we offer that and encourage people as they've made that decision in their life to declare that before other people and know we're gonna be with you there as a church. 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:36.639 And yeah, we're in this together. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:50.240 Yeah, and baptism is one of those words that again it gets so kind of muddied with you know, we have all these mental pictures that come to mind, and you know, baptism ultimately is a surrender and it's an identification completely with who Jesus is. 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:56.159 You know, when I get when I got baptized, I was 12, so I don't think I thought about it in these terms, but I've now I've baptized a lot of people. 00:08:56.320 --> 00:09:01.759 Yeah, so almost every time I do one, it's like it's almost God teaching me more and more about what I've already done. 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:03.279 That's how He works. 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:17.120 But baptism is essentially it is the moment where you are all in to the point where you're public about it too, or you're saying, I now I I see myself not just as myself anymore. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:23.039 I see myself completely and totally intertwined with the life that Jesus has given me. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:33.360 I mean, I I know it's a silly analogy, it's not perfect because no analogy is, but yeah, you know, when when people finally pick a team that they're gonna root for in sports and they put that jersey on, they maybe go buy the jersey for their team. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:56.240 They put that jersey on, they walk around in public and they're like, you know, and it's funny, like you know, we live in Georgia, so as we clearly establish talking about the weather, um, and and you know, there's a lot of rivalries in this area sports-wise, especially um, you know, with Alabama and other teams, and you know, if you put a certain team's jersey on and walk around, you're gonna get some people that are gonna be like, heck yeah, and they're gonna high five you. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:02.399 You're gonna be some people that you know, yeah, ah, you know, but but you're willing to you don't care, you you're all in. 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:04.399 You've you you're willing to identify with that. 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:08.399 And there's something really powerful in saying it out loud. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:10.320 Like that's that's a human thing. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:21.759 Like, like you and I are being blessed right now, just saying these things out loud that we've said so many times, but just making a declaration of something, it clarifies it even more in your mind. 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:27.919 Like even when you said when you baptize people, like you just go deeper and deeper into how awesome this experience is. 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:30.080 And so we invite people into that. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:35.039 So it's not just in your mind, hey, do you believe Jesus and he saved you and he died for your sins? 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:37.840 And you it's not like something just clicks in your head. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:43.919 It does, but then when you say it out loud, oh man, like then it gets really it gets real. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:44.879 Well, and you know what? 00:10:44.960 --> 00:11:00.480 That I mean, i the last episode that we recorded, we talked about what is the church, and we, you know, kind of it's the movement of Jesus in this world, and it really, when Jesus really first starts talking about the church, and I I I this is off the cuff, so I think it's the first time he ever talks about the church at all. 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:24.879 Okay, is when Peter, we mentioned in the last episode, yeah, when Peter outwardly declared, said it out loud, you are the Messiah, yeah, you are the Son of God, and Jesus is like, now I'm ready to start the church, you know, because the power of saying it and and and being you know outward about it, it is a it's a it is a powerful thing. 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:28.480 Yeah, because words are that moment when we when we share. 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:34.879 It's not just about me, it's about what I'm here to do and reflect in this world. 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:35.440 Right. 00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:41.039 And that's how God Himself creates and spoken word, and uh there's a lot to that. 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:43.279 So that's a big rabbit trail there. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:46.240 We'll we'll do another episode sometime on words, I guess. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:46.879 That's a pretty load. 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:52.320 So baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and know I am with you always. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:53.679 So that's the last part of it. 00:11:53.840 --> 00:12:00.399 The church is the place where we continually celebrate the presence of God with us in every situation. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:05.200 And that's just a really amazing the Spirit always being with us. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:08.320 That redeems every situation we're in. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:14.000 Like that gives us hope and changes, so that's that's a continual celebration for us. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:16.000 Like that's that's part of the life of the church. 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:25.440 You know, here we are 2,000 plus years after Jesus made that statement, and it's amazing to think about how true every bit of that every bit of that has been. 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:36.559 And the and the reality of there have been so many Jesus followers, so many Christians in so many situations in the world, and in so many times where it would look like common sense would say the church has run its course. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:38.639 There's no way the church could survive this. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:40.480 Yeah, some of the survival has been outward. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:49.919 There have been times where the church has been so heavily attacked from outside, you know, in the early days especially, like the Emperor Nero basically did everything he could to make sure that there would be no Christians. 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:50.320 Sure, yeah. 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:51.279 And Jesus was with him. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:55.039 There have been times where the struggle from the church has been internal. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:13:10.320 Um, whether it's been, you know, church leadership uh awry, and you know, when when the church became a powerful force in the world, you know, politically powerful, there's a lot of corruption that happened, and so it almost seems like, oh man, there's no way the church is gonna survive this scandal. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:11.679 There's no way the church is gonna be. 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:13.120 Always does. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:14.080 Why? 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:16.240 Because Jesus is with us. 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:16.559 Yeah. 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:24.480 And when you've got Jesus there, I mean, it'd almost be like if you're going on a road trip and you've got a master mechanic with all of his tools with you. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:27.759 And if your car breaks down halfway through, you're like, no big deal, he can fix this. 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:29.440 Because he's with you, you know. 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:32.720 Um Yeah, and like that's that's the declaration of Paul. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:39.039 Even when he's severely persecuted and in prison, he says, In Christ, I can do all things. 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:51.759 Like all these scenarios that are thrown at me, like when I have a lot, when I'm plenty, and a bunch of people are listening to me, or I'm alone in a prison cell and I'm being persecuted, in Jesus, like he's always with me. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:55.039 I can do, I can do any of those, the full range of those scenarios. 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:55.440 Right. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:14:01.919 And it's not he's not always it's not like I can do all things because one time I experienced who Jesus is. 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:02.320 Yeah. 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:08.639 It's because continually, moment by moment, every second of the day, the presence of God. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:09.759 I'm with you always. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:10.960 The Holy Spirit is with us. 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:21.360 So okay, so the mission of the church is to go, to teach, to baptize, and to experience the presence of God. 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:21.600 Yeah. 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:22.399 Is that how you can do that? 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:23.759 It's a great it's a great frame. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:35.440 I mean, and you know, you can go into the the rest of the Bible from there, not saying that has to be exhaustive, but Jesus starts there and gives that those categories, so that's a great place for us to to start too. 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:35.840 Okay. 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:41.039 And there's there's other passages you could go on, I'm not sure how much time we've got to frame other stuff. 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:48.080 The other the other one that I go back to the last few years, I guess Jesus has been teaching me this like another level. 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:54.879 There's a if you want to read the first half of Luke 14, I believe, uh, there's this party. 00:14:54.960 --> 00:15:00.240 And I like this because you know, we describe from the early days his hands as being like a party. 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:02.879 Yeah, Kingdom of Party Sunday is like a party. 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:04.559 That made some people mad, by the way. 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:05.440 The party on Sunday. 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:08.159 I think it was brilliant for that reason. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:12.799 Like, because it it's such a biblical concept, because especially from this Luke 14. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:13.200 Right. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:13.440 Okay. 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:18.559 That when people push back on that, it's just like, okay, have you never read Luke 14? 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:25.120 But in Luke 14, like, Jesus is invited to a party with a bunch of Pharisees, and they're the religious people of the day. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:26.720 And so they party. 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:27.440 Boy could they party? 00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:28.799 Their parties were. 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:31.600 Yeah, I'm gonna make me cough there. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:39.440 So he's invited, and they've got their own, excuse me, their own version of what it is to be religious. 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:44.799 And Jesus just goes into this party and starts immediately changing everything. 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:46.399 It's like he owns the place. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:48.080 It's so it's almost comical. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.759 Is this where he just doesn't wash his hands? 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:53.519 Is that where is that the one I'm thinking of where he like skips that or is this a different thing? 00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:54.000 I don't think so. 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:54.480 I could remember. 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:58.720 Because there's another time where he's invited over and he like skips their big and they're like, why don't you you know do that? 00:15:59.039 --> 00:15:59.759 Yeah, yeah, they freak out. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:00.240 Yeah, okay. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:01.679 So many of these situations. 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:05.600 But in this one, I think it's it's a good frame for like what the church does. 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:12.559 Because it's almost like Jesus is saying, Okay, if you guys want to be the church, let me tell you how you could modify this party right now and be the church. 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:22.799 And the first thing is there's a guy that uh needs to be healed, he has something wrong with his hand, like I forget what it was, and Jesus heals his hand and it's on a Sunday and they freak out. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:29.440 And so it's like Jesus says, the first thing you're doing wrong here is you're ignoring that they're hurting people among you. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:31.120 And like, let's not do that. 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:34.000 This guy's hurting, let's heal him. 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:42.320 And and so that's like a tell when the church is not being the church, is when you start denying that there are hurting people among you. 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:48.000 And so often we define the church as wrongly as being the place where we try to pretend like nothing's wrong. 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:53.679 I heard a similar thing, and again, I I don't have Luke 14 in front of me, so I'm I'm trusting your memory on this. 00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:55.759 Yeah, and I and I I think it's probably right. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:59.840 Um as Ben reaches for his right place. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:00.799 It's not a big deal. 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:03.120 Uh well, I guess it is, but like point is. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:13.519 So so this there's a famous story of Jesus teaching, and his the house that he's in is just jam-packed with people, and there's this guy who can't walk, he's he's paralyzed. 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:18.000 Yeah, and he's got four friends that are carrying him, and they have to go in through the roof. 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:20.960 They have to like literally climb the roof, lift this guy up there, breaks in through the roof. 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:21.680 Beginning of Mark. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:24.799 Yeah, beginning of Mark, lower the guy down, and then Jesus heals the guy. 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:27.440 And I heard a pastor talking about it, never had this perspective before. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:34.720 He's like, You ever wonder why the people who were there didn't notice the guy behind them trying to get in and like, hey everyone, clear some room. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:36.160 Yeah, this guy needs healed. 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:49.119 And he made the observation that those those people were there to learn about God, but they they were so fixated on their own learning that they they didn't pay any attention or give any value to the hurting person that was there. 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:49.599 Yes. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:18:01.359 And he talked about how that's in many ways indicative of how churches can become, how the church can become, where you're so fixated on your own personal experience with God that you're have a blind eye to to hurt. 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:03.359 And it needs to be the opposite, yeah. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:05.519 Yeah, yeah, and and so yeah, okay. 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:11.440 And then the second one is they're vying for the best seats at the table, and Jesus says, Why don't you not do that? 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:22.720 Why don't you take the the least seat, because that's where the action is, and you know, love them, and then if the person that's throwing the party calls you up to the to the front, then that's great. 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:30.559 But so often we define the church as being the place where we like we design it so that it's a place where we compare ourselves to one another. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:32.000 Like who's more spiritual? 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:34.799 And Jesus says, no, church should be the opposite of that. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:38.480 It's the place where we can finally let that down. 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:43.039 Like I don't have to worry, like, oh, you know, is Justin liking what I'm saying? 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:44.079 Am I being funny enough? 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:49.119 Like, oh my goodness, if I can't drop that around you, then that this that's what the church is. 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:53.359 So that's so Jesus immediately starts suggesting that to them. 00:18:53.440 --> 00:19:01.519 And then the other one is he says, Hey, next time you throw this party, rather than just throwing it for people that are going to probably do the same party again next week for you. 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:02.480 We're gonna reciprocate. 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:10.480 And you're just gonna pass around the same resources, why don't you serve the poor and invite them in who the people who by definition can't pay you back? 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:19.440 And so Jesus says, let's not define the church as being the place where we just guard our own resources by just out of fear. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:25.759 And so we have an entirely different relationship with our blessings and resources. 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:30.240 And we we can share them with others and just not expect to always be paid back. 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:31.680 Like that's that's no way to live. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:34.720 No, it's not and it's funny you you can connect those dots. 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:38.160 So like did you look up Luke 14 by the way? 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:38.720 Is that all right? 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:39.599 I am in the right chapter. 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:40.559 You're right there. 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:40.960 That's awesome. 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:41.519 There you go. 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:50.079 Is that so my favorite moments that we have ministry-wise here, uh, and by ministry I mean like min- the word ministry means like to help people. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:52.960 That's essentially if you want to boil ministry down, it's helping. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:59.839 Is when we have an opportunity to do to do something where there's literally no What's in it for us? 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:00.640 There's none. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:01.279 That's the idea. 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:02.480 It's like that's a good thing. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:05.359 It's just reality. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:07.759 Sometimes there is there is ministry that you can do. 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:08.960 Like you see this a lot in the world. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:15.359 You see this a lot in politics, you see a lot in Hollywood, where it's sort of like I'm writing a big check, but I'm also getting a lot of publicity. 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:15.599 Trevor Burrus, Jr. 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:20.480 But you're literally writing an eight-foot-long check and taking a publicity picture of it. 00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:20.720 Trevor Burrus, Jr. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:20.960 Right. 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:21.359 You are. 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:22.160 It's a huge chance. 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:22.799 Right. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:26.079 It's a big, it's a and and so yeah, you're giving, and that's great. 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:33.200 But you're also you're receiving a lot of you know, a lot of attaboys and a lot of personal, you know, satisfaction that comes from the. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:34.720 No. 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:37.119 So he says, hey, I mean, you just mentioned a lot of things. 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:39.119 Like it's a place the church is a place of humility. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:40.960 The mission of the church is to serve. 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:41.839 I think it's really important. 00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:43.279 Say, what is the mission of the church? 00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:46.799 The mission of the church is not to show off. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:51.200 Like we're not spiritual peacocks going like, hey, and you and you see that by the way, you see that. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:58.319 It's one of the knocks you see on a lot of stuff that you see on TV sometimes, is there's this whole like, I've been so richly blessed because God loves me so much. 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:01.119 Look at my blessings and don't you want to love me? 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:03.759 And like, I've got the best city of the table, and wouldn't it be cool? 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:04.559 Wouldn't it be cool? 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:04.799 Yeah. 00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:08.720 And no, Jesus says, hey, when you show up, who can I serve? 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:10.000 Who needs served? 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:12.160 What what needs like what needs done? 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:14.160 And and I don't care what the position is. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:28.240 I don't it's his his the church, the mission of Jesus is so opposite of this world because it is giving without receiving, you know, even though the funny thing is he he gives you we we receive from him, like he blesses us in huge ways. 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:28.559 Right. 00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:31.440 But it's not the same calculation we have among each other. 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:39.759 Where we're saying, well, if I give this to this person, one you know what, I I'm gonna I'm gonna pay for this lunch because I know this guy's probably gonna take me out to lunch anyway. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:40.240 Yeah. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:44.079 It's it's give without it's serve, yeah, not be served. 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:46.799 Um it's just yeah, it's a beautiful thing. 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:51.279 And so And don't don't deny that you're hurting or that other people around you are. 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:52.079 Like it's okay. 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:58.400 You don't have to live with this stiff arm and define being religious by having that stiff arm. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:22:04.559 Like we we define being religious like I just protect myself from all the disgusting things in life. 00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:08.559 Like, no, like I can embrace that because Jesus redeems it all. 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:17.200 So the mission of the church is to go teach, baptize, you know, and and to experience his presence. 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:28.559 And when you live like that, when you experience that, you're always serving, you're always and you're always receiving at the same time because you're experiencing the presence of God. 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:32.079 You're you're always you know teaching what you're doing has purpose. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:37.759 Everything you're doing and saying, it's it's not just for your own self, it's for the benefit of others, so that they can learn from you. 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:45.119 Um and you know, as far as baptizing goes, you're you're helping people live for something greater than themselves to experience that. 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:45.440 Yep. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:48.880 Is that and you don't have to live in denial anymore? 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.960 Like we can we can be real. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:53.200 That's kind of the cool. 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:53.839 Yep. 00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:54.480 All right. 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:58.559 Well, that's gonna wrap it up for this episode of Crash Course, the mission of the church. 00:22:58.640 --> 00:23:02.160 Um and I guess what I would say as we wrap up, like there's a lot of great churches in this world. 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:05.039 There's a lot of great churches in within five miles of where we're sitting right now. 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:09.759 And if you're someone listening to this, maybe you're not part of his hands church, you're you're somewhere else, just find a church. 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:14.960 If you're a follower of Jesus, find a church that is doing what Jesus asked people to do. 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:16.799 Find a church that looks like Jesus. 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:17.920 Yeah, that's really good. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:18.880 It's pretty simple. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:23.759 Um and and if you find that place, serve and say, How can I how can I help? 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:25.279 And you'll experience so much. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:28.559 Uh all right, thanks for listening, and we'll be back later.