WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.560 And this has been this has been a really good day so far. 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:04.240 It really has. 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:10.560 Well, right now I would say that we're like waist deep in a series called People. 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:14.080 We've been spending our entire summer talking about people. 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:17.600 And if you're here for the first time, this is not us taking a break from talking about God. 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:21.199 This is not us going, man, I'm so sick of talking about God. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:22.559 Let's change the subject. 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:23.359 Not at all. 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:24.719 No, quite the opposite. 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:30.719 In fact, us talking about people is so connected to us talking about God. 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:37.520 The way we we feel about people, what we believe about people, reveals what it is we actually believe about God. 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:42.000 And Jesus always, always joined together the idea of loving God and loving people. 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:43.600 To Jesus, those were one and the same. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:51.359 And so it's actually by becoming really clear on where we stand with people that we let the world know and we reinforce for ourselves what we actually believe about God. 00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:52.960 This is very, very important. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:55.119 The two are closely linked. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:01:03.759 I mean, God becoming a person, Jesus, that's that's a big part of the story, shows us how intimately linked God and people are in God's mind. 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:06.400 And so we've talked about what we believe about people. 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:08.079 We think very highly of people. 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:14.319 We believe that people are unique and powerful and inventive and creative and intelligent. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:15.359 People are awesome. 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:17.120 We're very pro-people. 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:23.280 And last week we started talking about what we think people need, because as awesome as we are, we are not without our opportunities, right? 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:25.200 I have many. 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:27.920 And so last week we talked about how people need help. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:30.480 And today we're gonna continue down that train of thought. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:31.760 What do people need? 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:37.840 What do we as a church, as a family, what do we believe that people, us included, really need? 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:39.599 And I'm about to say something right now. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:49.040 This is our kind of focus for the morning, that is gonna sound like such a duh thing to say in church on a Sunday morning that I actually won't even be offended if you just go, well duh, out loud. 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:50.000 It won't bother me at all. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:51.120 So you have my permission. 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:51.599 Okay? 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:54.319 Not that you need it, but but you have it. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:58.959 But it's a statement that if you make outside of a church on a Sunday morning, you get a different response. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:04.239 And it's simply this we believe that people need Jesus. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:08.639 First service didn't take the bait at all. 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:09.840 You guys are awesome, thank you. 00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:11.120 I was hoping that would happen. 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:13.360 We believe people need Jesus. 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:14.960 In fact, I'll go a step further. 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:17.919 We believe that the primary need in our lives is Jesus. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:20.240 That there is nothing we need more than Him. 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:32.560 And so everything we do together is really focused in on that belief that we believe at the end of the day that no matter what's going on in your life, no matter where you come from, no matter where you are, what you need more than anything else is Him. 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:34.000 You need Jesus. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:42.159 When it comes to my decision-making process in life, which is sometimes good, sometimes not, I tend to think in terms of filters. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:44.879 You know, in life I've been given some filters. 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:48.960 Some filters I got the hard way, I did something stupid, and I learned never do that again. 00:02:49.120 --> 00:03:00.639 That became a filter for my decision making, and some filters I've been blessed enough and lucky enough to have given to me by really wise people, people who have invested in me and they've said, hey, look, take this filter, apply it to your life, it's worked for me. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:02.879 Don't learn this one the hard way, like I had to. 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:05.360 And I'm so grateful for some of those filters. 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:13.120 And one that I was given years ago that has actually become this guiding principle for how I think about life and the decisions that I make is this. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:15.599 Who, not what. 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:19.039 Who not what. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:23.439 So often we get fixated on what? 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:25.840 What's gonna happen? 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:27.360 What's the right decision? 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:28.719 What should I do? 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:31.039 What needs to take place? 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:42.719 We get so fixated on all the what's in our lives, all the things that we think need to happen or or need to change, but in reality, if you get the right who, the what's have a way of taking care of themselves. 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:48.240 If you have the right person in place, all that other stuff tends to get taken care of. 00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:53.039 But if you have the wrong person, if you have the wrong who, things can go off the rails very, very quickly. 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:56.159 And I know this because I'm the wrong who for all kinds of things. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:57.599 Like for so many things. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:00.639 I'm the absolute last person you should trust. 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:02.319 I have a very limited skill set. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:03.919 I'm good at having awkward conversations. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:04.479 I'll say that. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:08.000 If you need someone to have a really awkward conversation, I'm your man. 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:08.800 I'm your man. 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:09.759 I don't mind that at all. 00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:12.719 But so many other things, I'm like the worst person for, I'm the wrong who. 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:13.599 I'll give you an example. 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:17.600 A few years ago, we had a red couch here at the church that broke. 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:20.720 A red couch in the coffee shop, and we needed to replace the red couch. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:22.079 And I was working on the message. 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:31.279 You know, I speak almost every Sunday, and for me, that speaking process actually begins with brainstorming, which leads to writing, and so every week I write pages and pages and pages. 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:33.360 Last week I wrote three messages. 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:34.959 The first two were bad. 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:38.000 Um, this the third one, that's up to you to decide, I guess. 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:43.600 But like, but I wrote three, so it's just pages and pages of words, and sometimes I get writer's block. 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:53.600 If you've ever had to write or do something you know creative like that, you get you get blocked sometimes, and you can either just force it, never really goes well, or you try to figure out a way out of the writer's block. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:59.040 And usually for me, that means walking away from what I'm doing, just doing something something simple, something cathartic. 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:04.959 And so that day, I hear that we need a red couch, I'm having writer's block, and I said, I will go get the couch. 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:06.399 I can do this. 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:07.839 I can do this. 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:21.439 And so I went to a furniture store, grabbed a friend of mine, had a truck, went to a furniture store, thought that was a good start, walked in the door, saw a red couch, sat on it, said, This'll do. 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:30.720 Went up to the salesperson and said, I would like this red couch, bought it, brought it back to the church, felt like a champion, felt like a victor, like I had been productive and accomplished something. 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:35.439 The only problem is that according to everyone else, the couch wasn't red. 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:42.879 It looked red to me, but I was told that is not a red, we sent you to get a red couch. 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:44.480 That will not go in the space that we need. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:45.680 It's not it's not red. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:46.639 And I actually have the couch. 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:47.920 I'm gonna show you the couch, okay? 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:48.639 Because we still have this. 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:51.920 Guys, if you want to bring out uh the couch, where are you guys at with the couch? 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:52.560 Here we go. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:56.079 Here comes here comes Alex as they walk. 00:05:56.240 --> 00:05:56.639 Let's see. 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:58.079 Alex, and who else is with you? 00:05:58.160 --> 00:05:59.120 Is that Jeremy? 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:00.800 Yeah. 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:04.000 Okay, all right. 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:06.160 All you go and it's Burgundy, okay? 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:08.000 Let me tell you a few things. 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:14.000 Number one, if you'd like to buy the couch, it's not for sale, but you make a strong enough offer, we'll give it to you. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:20.959 Um like I was that kid in school that had the box of crowns that was eight colors. 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:25.360 I didn't have the 64-color box with a sharpener in the back. 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:29.680 And so my understanding of colors is very broad strokes. 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:35.759 Just red-ish, blue, green, and like all these other colors, like burgundy, sharp. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:37.759 I didn't have that crown as a kid, so I don't know. 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:39.040 Okay, it's not my fault. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:40.399 It's not my blame my parents. 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:47.040 And if you are getting school supplies for one of the foster kids in our community, get the 64 bucks of crowns so that they're not the person that buys this couch. 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:52.480 Now, I will say, I will say, it's a super comfortable couch. 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:54.879 It's like a corduroy material, it's awesome. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:07:09.759 And I will also say that when I told the salesperson, I'll take that red one, I was not corrected, you know, and I realized that this person works off commission and they're like, look, you're gonna buy it, you can call whatever color you want, go ahead and take it. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:11.120 So, you know. 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:18.000 Now, is is there anyone in the room, those of you who aren't, you know, all high and mighty and going, it's burgundy, is there anyone who says, that looks red enough to me? 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:19.120 Thank you. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:21.600 Thank you. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:27.439 Now, uh, I'm like fighting a war with the Burgundy people. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:28.079 I apologize. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:31.120 Um, we actually have another red piece of furniture, and I want to bring this one out. 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:32.879 Guys, if you'll you'll do this again. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:36.079 This is the red I was sent to replace, okay? 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:39.920 So just understand that when I came back and they said, no, no, this is red. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:43.120 This is this is the color of the furniture you were coming out to replace. 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:48.720 Um, seeing the two side by side, I do agree that there is a slight difference. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:49.279 Okay? 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:55.120 I do understand that, like, yeah, that's not the same. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:00.000 But it's not, it's okay, it's not like it's that far off. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:00.959 That's what I'm trying to say. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:02.720 It's not like it's that awful. 00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:03.199 Whatever. 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:04.480 You guys can take the furniture away. 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:04.800 Take it. 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:05.680 I don't even want to see it. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:08.079 I don't want to see that couch ever again in my entire life. 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:08.959 I want it gone. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:10.079 Someone's like, I'll take it. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:10.879 Is that Katie? 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:12.319 That's cool. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:16.639 I did see, you know, Stacy Walls, I did. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:22.399 I did see the chair, and in my mind, I was like, that's red. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:24.079 I don't know what happened, okay? 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:24.959 My point is this. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:25.759 This is the point. 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:26.720 We gotta get back to a point. 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:27.680 There is one. 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:30.079 We got the wrong what. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:32.159 Because we sent the wrong who. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:33.279 Okay? 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:34.879 That's the point. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:42.320 When you have the wrong who, the what's the those those they don't tend to work out. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:45.360 And you know, that's just the way it is with life. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:49.600 You know, there's so many, there's so many things in our life that seem out of place. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:53.360 There's so many things in our life that seem off. 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:56.480 We feel this lack so often. 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:58.960 We feel like we we lack something, something's missing. 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:04.879 There's a peace that we don't have, there's a love and a joy that we're not experiencing. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:07.600 We feel like something's something's off. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:13.600 We lack direction, we lack clarity, we lack understanding, and it just seems like something is missing. 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:21.759 And when we have that feeling, what we often do, what we're taught to do by our culture is to look for that thing that will fill the void. 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:26.399 But we don't need something, we need someone. 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:28.240 We need Jesus. 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:30.960 He he is the right, the right who. 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:33.600 He's the right one. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:35.840 And you know, it's funny, I talked about having writer's block. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:42.399 This last week I was having a similar experience, and I had sat down and I prayed, and I have a whiteboard, and I, and God had given me a few things. 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:44.080 Number one, you know, people need Jesus. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:46.000 That's a real revolutionary thought in church. 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:47.679 So I'm like, thank you, Lord, for that one. 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:49.679 Um, people need Jesus. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:52.480 And then I sat and I thought through that, and I'm like, okay, what else, guy? 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:54.240 Like, like, what do you what do you want to say? 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:59.039 And and I even had written out, people don't need something, they need someone. 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:04.080 But then I was struggling to know where to take it from there, and and I even started experiencing some doubt. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:05.120 Is this what we should talk about? 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:09.039 Is this even like what we need to focus on this Sunday? 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:10.720 And so I reached out to a friend of mine. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:13.840 I have so many good friends, so many wise people in my life that just helped me out. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:22.080 And so I reached out, I sent him a text and said, Hey, here's here's what the message is this week, here's what I'm stuck on, just help me understand if this is right or where to go from here. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:25.519 And and he responded, he said, Oh, I already talked to you about this a few months ago. 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:28.399 And I was like, I'm a terrible listener. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:29.840 So he's right. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:32.720 I'm like, yeah, I totally remember that conversation. 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:33.759 Could you refresh me? 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:35.519 Could you give me just a slight refresher? 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:40.399 He's like, Yeah, you sent me a text and you asked me about something, and I responded, and it's totally what you're talking about. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:43.759 And I literally have no idea, had no idea at the time what he was saying. 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:50.159 I mean, I remember sending the text because we're starting a new series in August, and just a little teaser, it's called Breakthrough. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:53.200 The idea is how do you have a breakthrough without having to have a breakdown? 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:53.759 Right? 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:59.679 Because you can have a breakdown and that will lead to a breakthrough often, but it'd be nice to have a breakthrough without the breakdown. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:04.720 And so I reached out to some of my friends and I said, Hey, what in your life has led to a breakdown? 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:11.440 And I specifically said, tell me something that has caused a breakthrough in your life. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:21.360 And so, this was in April that I had sent this, and here it is this week, and I'm looking at a whiteboard that says, People need Jesus, and we need something, not, or we need someone, not something. 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:28.240 And my friend who I reached out to to help me from there responds, and he sent me what he had sent me two months before. 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:29.519 And this is what he wrote. 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:30.559 This is so awesome. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:34.720 This is the Holy Spirit just confirming that okay, this is what we need to talk about today. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:39.279 He wrote, in my experience, breakthroughs are rarely, if ever, about something. 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:42.000 Instead, they are almost always about someone. 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:45.600 I don't typically learn a new concept, and then that changes everything. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:53.840 I meet someone new, or I'm thrust into a new relationship, or I come back into the presence of someone I've known for years, and I'm reminded again that I'm not alone. 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:59.200 They model in their words and actions how life can be different, and suddenly I have the courage to change. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:01.600 My breakthroughs are caught, not taught. 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:06.960 And obviously, Jesus is the ultimate someone whose presence changes everything. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:09.120 I know, right? 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:18.639 Even as thick as I am, I'm like, all right, God, I guess we'll keep going down this path. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:21.519 It's not about what, it's about who. 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:27.919 And if you feel that lack in your life, if you feel like something's missing, it's a person. 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:31.120 And it's the presence of a person. 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:32.879 And his name is Jesus. 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:41.679 And one of the interesting things about Jesus is that Jesus pointed to himself as the answer for life. 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:44.159 In John, for example. 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:52.960 John is the book of the Bible that was written by John, who happened to be Jesus' best friend, and he gives us a very unique perspective on Jesus that only the best friend of Jesus could give us. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:56.000 And in the book of John, Jesus makes several I am statements. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:13:00.559 There's several statements he makes, eight in fact, where he says, I am, followed by something else. 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:02.559 And we all make I am statements all the time. 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:06.720 You've probably said, I am hungry, I am tired, I am over it, I am sick of it. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:08.720 We all say I am things all the time. 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:11.679 Jesus' I am statements, they were a little bit different. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:22.639 For example, in John chapter 14, verse 6, Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:25.840 No one can come to the Father except through me. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:33.279 Sometimes people in the world get really upset with Jesus followers when they make this statement, when they say that Jesus is the way, not just a way. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:36.159 And you should never get mad at a Jesus follower for saying that. 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:38.240 You should get mad at Jesus for saying that. 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:38.799 Okay? 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:40.639 Because he's the one who said it. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:43.759 He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:48.399 In John 6.35, Jesus replied, I am the bread of life. 00:13:48.720 --> 00:13:50.960 Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:53.279 Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:58.159 In John 8.12, Jesus spoke to the people once more and he said, I am the light of the world. 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:05.279 If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:09.759 In John 10, verse 9, Jesus said, Yes, I am the gate. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:12.159 Those who come in through me will be saved. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:15.679 They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:21.120 Jesus is always saying, I am the answer, I am the solution, I'm the one. 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:24.639 That's a pretty bold thing to say. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:33.840 You know, it's really interesting because to say something like that, you either have to be right, correct, or you're nuts. 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:36.799 Like those are the only real options, right? 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:39.679 I mean, like, who would go, like, seriously, who does that? 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:48.320 Who goes around saying things like, I am the light of the world, I am the bread of life, I am the way, the truth, and the life, I'm the gate, I'm your entry point into the kingdom of God. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:53.519 Like, you're either God or you're an insane person to say those things. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:15:00.320 Those are really the only options, and it's so interesting because you don't hear a lot of people say that Jesus is nuts. 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:02.159 You don't hear that a lot. 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:11.919 It would be really convenient for the world just to say, oh, we don't believe in Jesus because he's clearly nuts, but that doesn't really hold water because so many of the other things that Jesus says are so revolutionary and groundbreaking and profound. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:16.879 He has this way to speak into the human condition like no one else who has ever existed or ever will exist. 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:21.360 And the rantings and ravings of lunatics do not tend to hold water 2,000 years later. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:26.080 And so the world can't really look at Jesus and say he's nuts, because that just doesn't work. 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:30.799 He's too profound, he's he's too powerful, it's he's he's too right. 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:33.279 And so the world tries to define middle ground, right? 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:38.639 And so you hear a lot of things like, I think Jesus is a great teacher, and I think he's a great man, and just an amazing person. 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:42.080 I just think he's wrong about the whole you know being God thing. 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:53.679 But the thing is, when someone says, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and I am the light of the world, and I'm the bread of life, and I'm the gate that you enter through, when someone says things like that, they are not leaving you middle ground at all. 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:56.720 Like there's no there's no fence. 00:15:58.080 --> 00:15:59.279 Is he or isn't he? 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:02.799 When someone says something like that, you have to respond. 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:09.200 You have to either accept it or reject it, because there's no middle ground when someone says things like that. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:17.200 And and I look at Jesus and and clearly he's not he's not insane. 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:19.679 Unless he was selectively insane. 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:20.960 And I don't think that's a thing. 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:24.879 Like I don't think there's someone who's like, I'm crazy on Thursdays between 2 and 5 p.m. 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:29.120 But other than that, totally sane and really no, that's not how it works. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:31.519 No, Jesus, he's not he's not crazy. 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:32.879 I think Jesus is absolutely right. 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:35.440 I think Jesus knows exactly what he's talking about. 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:38.320 Because I've experienced this. 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:53.279 That when Jesus speaks to me either through his word or when Jesus speaks to my heart, when I'm in his presence, there's something inside of me that stirs that I can't even explain. 00:16:53.600 --> 00:17:02.080 And there's parts of me that begin to come to life that I don't even really understand or know how to describe. 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:06.559 Jesus knows me better than I know myself. 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:11.519 Jesus knows me so intimately that the only thing that makes sense to me is that he must be the one who created me. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:16.240 He understands me like only the creator understands his creation. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:23.359 And Jesus knows, knows, that I don't need something to make me happy. 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:29.440 I need someone to fill my life with joy, and he is making it very clear that he is the one. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:33.200 That Jesus is the one. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:35.759 He is the who. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:39.599 He is the someone, not something that we need. 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:42.000 Our world needs Jesus. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:52.720 I mean, you just look at the world, and look, if you're here and you're new, we're not a church that puts the world down, we're not a church that sits here and acts like we're all great and the world's going, you know, to hell in a handbasket or whatever. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:54.720 That's not that's not our culture. 00:17:55.039 --> 00:18:00.640 We we love the world, we root for the world, we we believe in people because Jesus believes in people. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:06.160 But we still have the ability to look at the world and recognize that that things need to change. 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:10.240 Things have to change because our world desperately needs Jesus. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:12.240 Our world is confused. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:15.359 Jesus is the light of the world. 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:17.440 When you have light, you're not confused. 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:21.119 Every night I turn the lights off on my way to bed. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:23.680 And if I had no children, this would be a very simple process. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:26.880 I'd turn the lights off, I'd walk to where the bed is, no issues. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:33.200 But because I have three children, when I turn the lights off, I forget about the minefield that's been laid in front of my feet. 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:36.400 You know, and like, why haven't they invented squishy Legos yet? 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.359 That's all I want to know. 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:38.079 Why? 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:44.240 Can that be that hard to invent a Lego that when you step on it doesn't feel like a knife in the bottom of your foot? 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:48.640 I just think if you work for Lego, I'm just billions of dollars right there. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:50.079 Just do it, okay? 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:54.480 I turn the lights off and I'm trying to navigate this minefield and I'm confused. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:57.920 I'm stumbling around in the dark, and that leads to like injuries and pain. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:01.519 But if the lights are on, I can go through anything because I can see clearly. 00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:03.359 Light makes confusion go away. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:06.319 And when I look at the world, there's just so much confusion. 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:09.759 And the world needs the light of Jesus to clear it up. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:15.920 I don't often talk about political subjects on Sunday mornings. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:23.599 Um I don't believe in being politically correct at all because racism was politically correct 50 years ago, and I don't think that was good. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:36.960 And there's just things that I see in the world, and my heart breaks because it's so clearly the result of a confusion that exists because of a lack of light. 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:42.880 Because of people who have shut themselves off to the light of Jesus and have just chosen to walk around in darkness. 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:52.400 And before I talk about this example, I just want to say as a church, I know that you know we don't all agree on certain issues, and as a church, we're really passionate about the fact that we don't all have to agree to get along. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:54.480 We don't all have to agree to belong together. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:55.359 Okay? 00:19:56.160 --> 00:20:04.720 And so if what I talk about, if this is an issue that you're on a particular side of that's different from me or from our church as a whole, then you know I'm okay with that. 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:09.519 But like one of the organizations that we support is the Hope Center. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:10.400 I love so much. 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:12.240 The Hope Center is a crisis pregnancy center. 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:17.039 We're on track this year to give them, I think,$50,000 to help save the lives of unborn children. 00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:18.480 That's awesome. 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:34.079 And and they exist to take young young women and young men in crisis pregnancy situations, pregnancies that they didn't they didn't plan for, and to encourage and empower these young people to do the right thing and to bring these children into the world and to give these children a chance. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:36.960 Because no one gets to ask the child, hey, do you want to live? 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:44.160 And whether it's them raising those children or adoption, they encourage and empower these young men and women to do that. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:49.279 And they also do amazing other things like post-abortion counseling, because some people need that. 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:50.720 It's an amazing organization. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:52.079 I'm honored to be part of them. 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:55.519 You know, it's a subject that we're pretty passionate about as a church. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:58.000 Because it reveals the confusion in our world. 00:20:58.079 --> 00:20:59.279 It's crazy, right? 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:07.839 This is crazy because our world will look at an unborn child in the womb and say that's not a life. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:10.559 There's no scientific basis for that, by the way. 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:18.240 There's absolutely zero science that supports the idea that because that child is still in the womb, developing and growing, that it's not a life. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:21.519 Science is not what the argument is based on, it's philosophy. 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:28.240 And the philosophy that's often used is it's not a life because you know he or she is dependent on the mother for life. 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:32.000 And until that child can exist independently, we're not going to count that as a life. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:36.799 But let me ask a question: who in this room can actually live independently of other people? 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:37.920 Anyone? 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:41.359 Like any of us actually live independently of other people? 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:44.079 What happens if you become dependent on a machine to be alive? 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:47.599 If you have to become dependent on a pacemaker or dependent on medication? 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:52.559 There's no such thing as a human being that is not dependent on someone for life. 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:59.680 And what's even more baffling to me is that is that our culture will look at an unborn child in the womb and say, that's not a life. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:06.880 Tomorrow, if a germ is discovered on planet Mars, the front page of every newspaper will say life on Mars. 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:10.480 And that's messed up, right? 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:12.880 Like that's that's messed up. 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:23.440 That we're gonna count, we're gonna count some like amoeba on Mars as life, but but look at an unborn child in the womb and say, that's not life. 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:29.200 See, it's thinking like that that's so messed up and so confused because it's missing light. 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:32.559 Jesus is the light. 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:37.119 And when you have the light in your life, the things that are confusing become clear. 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:41.039 Jesus tells us, I'm the light of the world. 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:43.440 Walk with me and you won't walk in darkness anymore. 00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:48.160 You won't have to stumble around and try to feel your way into the right situations in life. 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:49.519 Jesus says, I'm the bread of life. 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:51.920 He says, I'm the sustenance that you need. 00:22:52.160 --> 00:23:00.720 If you have me in your life, you will have sustenance for your soul because you can have a full belly and an empty soul, and that's a miserable way to live. 00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:06.240 And you don't really know what it's like to be full, to be filled, until your soul has sustenance. 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:09.119 And Jesus is the bread of our soul. 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:11.119 And Jesus says, I'm the gate. 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:15.680 When you come to me, you get entry into the presence of God Himself. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:30.079 And our world has come up with so many crazy ways to have access to God, so many religions that have this laundry list of rules and rituals and all this insane stuff you've got to do and you've got to adhere to just to have a chance to be in the presence of God. 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:34.160 But Jesus comes and he says, I am the presence of God, and you have me in your life. 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:38.079 You have entry into the very presence of God Himself. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:43.279 I mean, Jesus, He's the one, He's the answer for our world. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:47.440 And He's the answer for us right now. 00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:55.839 One of the challenges that I deal with, and I know I'm not alone, is I'm a Jesus follower. 00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:00.160 In fact, I usually don't say that I'm a Christian. 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:00.960 I'm not against saying that. 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:03.680 It's just that when people hear the word Christian, they often don't think of Jesus. 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:10.000 And I want to make people very clear that they should, but they don't, but I want to make people very clear that I followed Jesus Christ. 00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:11.200 Jesus. 00:24:11.920 --> 00:24:20.559 I became a Jesus follower when I was 12, and the day I was 10 actually, I got baptized when I was 12, the day that I started following Jesus is not the day my problems went away. 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:21.599 Right? 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:24.960 Because I've had a blessed life. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:27.440 My problems at 10 were pretty minor. 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:28.640 Like I had a few. 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:31.839 I was really I was really mad at 10 years old that my parents didn't let me watch R-rated movies. 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:32.799 That really bothered me. 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:36.960 Because I, like looking back now that I have kids, I'm like, you're never gonna watch one. 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:44.480 But like but at 10, I had some friends whose parents let them watch R-rated movies, and I was just like, your parents are amazing. 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:45.839 My parents are dumb. 00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:53.200 And uh that was that was like that was probably one of the biggest problems that I felt in my life at age 10 was R-rated movies, can't watch them. 00:24:53.920 --> 00:24:55.839 My problems are bigger now. 00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:02.799 And so it's funny because I could say that the day I gave my life to Jesus is the day that my problems began to intensify. 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:06.960 Because following Jesus does not mean the problems, the problems go away. 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:13.279 And so sometimes I sit and I have this confusion and I get all off in my thinking and I get focused on the things, the what's. 00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:16.880 I start looking at all the what's in my life, and I start going, that's not how it should be. 00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:18.400 That's that's definitely not how it should be. 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:19.599 That's off, that's not good. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:21.519 This is what when is all this stuff? 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:24.000 When are all the things gonna be right? 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:32.720 And I forget sometimes that even as a Jesus follower, I need Jesus. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:36.400 I need Jesus every day, I need Jesus every minute of every day. 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:40.000 Jesus is not a box that I checked off once in my life and then I moved on. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:43.279 Jesus is not a box that we check off on Sundays. 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:48.079 Jesus isn't even a box that you check off every day and say, I've had my prayer time, I read my Bible, I'm good. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:53.680 Jesus is sustenance, life itself. 00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:54.720 Jesus is what we need. 00:25:54.799 --> 00:26:04.079 Every minute of the day, we we are meant to live in the presence of God, to literally breathe in and have his presence be like oxygen for our souls. 00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:06.319 And so I need Jesus. 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:08.559 I've been following Jesus for 20 years. 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:11.920 I need him today every bit as much as I needed him 20 years ago. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:16.319