WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.480 We've spent our entire summer in a series we've called the most important conversation in history. 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:08.080 And so we've only got a couple weeks left in this, but better late than never. 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:09.039 It's all good. 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:14.480 We're talking about this conversation that Jesus had late one night in the city of Jerusalem with a man named Nicodemus. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:19.359 It happened in some back alley late at night because Nicodemus wasn't sure if he wanted to be seen with Jesus. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:23.280 Jesus was, and really still is, a very controversial person. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:25.359 But Nicodemus was compelled. 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:39.679 He wanted to understand what it was that Jesus was doing because Nicodemus would have been considered an expert on God, and yet everything Jesus was doing and saying was pulling the carpet out from under him in terms of what he thought God was all about. 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:51.600 And so the result of Nicodemus coming to Jesus is this conversation we have in John chapter 3, where Jesus lays out for us who he is and why he's come and what God values and what God really cares about. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:56.399 This one conversation has changed the way that all of humanity sees God. 00:00:56.640 --> 00:01:01.600 There has never been a conversation that has so profoundly affected our view of God like this one. 00:01:01.759 --> 00:01:05.359 That's why it's the most important conversation in history. 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:18.480 And if we want to understand God, if we want to be people who feel like we we kind of get God, like we're on the same page with him, and we understand what he values and what he cares about so that our lives can line up with what he values and what he cares about. 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:20.159 This conversation is crucial. 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:21.920 This conversation is key. 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:34.560 We spent the last few weeks in John 3.16, which is like the Bible verse of all Bible verses, right? 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:38.319 It's probably the most famous statement that anyone has ever spoken. 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:44.560 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:49.280 And pretty much everyone who's ever been to a football game or watched one on TV knows that verse. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:53.280 It's not a verse, it's a statement. 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:58.400 And we see it in this sort of religious context, and so we see it as verses, and it's written down for us. 00:01:58.480 --> 00:01:59.359 It's thousands of years old. 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:12.479 There's little numbers by it when we read it in the Bible, and so it just kind of puts it in this category that we tend to read and just read it like it's all monotonous and it's all very breathy and airy and deep, you know, like Jesus is saying, For God so loved the world. 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:15.520 That he gave, no, no, Jesus was speaking with passion. 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:18.719 He's pouring his heart out to Nicodemus, and he's saying, Look, you don't understand. 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:29.919 God loves this world so much that he gave everything, that he gives, he gives me, he gives his one and only son, so that everyone can have real life, eternal life. 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:31.520 We have to see it as it is. 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:34.400 This is Jesus speaking with passion. 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:39.759 And what he has just said, what we've just covered for the last two weeks, it's it's pretty epic. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:41.919 And I'll be honest, it's kind of a tough act to follow. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:43.759 So I wish Jesus had just stopped there. 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:46.000 Because sometimes you gotta know when when to quit, right? 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:48.800 Sometimes you have to you have to know when to stop. 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:50.560 You have to know when you're ahead and just leave it there. 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:55.039 I kind of wish Jesus had said, you know, the whole John 3.16 thing, he spoke that and just went there. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:57.680 Chew on that for a few thousand years, I'm out. 00:02:57.840 --> 00:02:58.560 And he just left. 00:02:58.639 --> 00:03:04.639 And they died on the cross, and we're all good, and we can contemplate that, but Jesus didn't stop talking, he he decided to keep going. 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:10.000 And so today we get to talk about what Jesus decided to follow that statement up with. 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:12.960 And we're gonna look at two verses, John 3.17 and 3.18. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:13.919 They're connected. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:15.520 Here's what he said. 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:21.680 God sent his son into the world, not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:32.319 There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him, but anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:38.719 This is one of those statements that Jesus makes, and he makes a lot of these, by the way, where I I love, I love part of it. 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:42.479 I love, I love half of what Jesus said. 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:50.240 The first part, I'm like, yes, yes, he didn't send Jesus to judge the world, to save the world, that's why he came. 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:55.439 And and if you have put your trust in Jesus, if you believe in Jesus, there is no judgment, no judgment. 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:58.800 I like the ring of that, but then then that second part comes in. 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:01.280 I like it a little bit less. 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:04.000 I kind of wish Jesus had left that one off. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:06.240 And we can look at verse 18. 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:12.560 It says, but anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only son. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:14.000 That's a big butt. 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:16.560 That's a very big butt. 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:19.439 I know that sounds, but it really is. 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:22.800 I I kind of wish I wish that one wasn't there. 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:24.959 I wish I wish that but did not exist. 00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:30.879 Because then we could just we could just end it there and we're like, man, we're all on a positive frame of mind, everything's good, right? 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:37.759 There's there's no judgment, yes, this is good, and then that that whole judgment thing comes back in. 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:40.079 And maybe maybe the translation is the problem. 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:41.120 Let's look at a different translation. 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:42.959 The NIV, that's always a solid choice. 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:48.480 Here's what it says for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:56.079 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one only Son. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:58.639 Still a big butt in that one, too. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:03.120 And and there's only like a few words in the English language that are worse than judgment. 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:04.639 One of those is condemnation. 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:07.199 That's like one of the worst words you could possibly use. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:08.240 So this isn't any better. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:10.000 This is still just as bad. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:15.279 And it's frustrating sometimes to have to deal with stuff like this. 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:22.560 It really is, because it'd be a lot easier just to cut it off at the whole no judgment thing and celebrate that. 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:24.399 This is challenging. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:29.439 But see, we we want to be people, and I do believe this, I believe this about everyone here. 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:33.199 We want to be people who are who are mature in our faith. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:42.319 We want to be people who can handle the challenging aspects of what it means to know God and to follow God. 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:44.000 We can't be like children who only want dessert. 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:45.839 I have three of those, right? 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:51.040 I gotta I gotta work that out of them because man, there's only so much chocolate a human being can have. 00:05:52.720 --> 00:06:11.920 We need to be people who can look at the things that that are challenging, who can maybe look at some of the stuff that Jesus says that that don't line up perfectly with maybe our culture, maybe the the way we wish things were, and wrestle with that and handle that and come to terms with that, because that's actually how we get to know God. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:13.279 That's how you get to know anyone, by the way. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:26.800 If you have a real relationship with someone, eventually they've said something, they've done something that you didn't expect, maybe something you would prefer they not do, and you have a choice, either cut and run, pretend like it doesn't exist, or deal with it. 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:30.399 And actually learn who they are and understand them. 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:49.199 And it's just kind of a sad part of church culture, is that so often there's this desire, and I get it, I mean I'm in this role, I understand, there's this desire by churches and church leaders to make sure Jesus is presented to be relevant to the world that we're part of, and the approach that's taken is let's just cut out all the stuff he said that wouldn't be popular with the world that we're part of. 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:50.480 Let's just cut all that out. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:56.160 That way, you know, no one no one gets offended, that way no one ever like leaves because Jesus said that. 00:06:56.399 --> 00:07:02.000 Let's just remove all that stuff, and then we have this Jesus that lines up with the world we're part of, and everyone's gonna be like, all right, I'm cool with Jesus. 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:03.120 But here's the problem with that. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:07.759 What makes Jesus relevant to the world we're part of is that he's completely different. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:09.839 He's the solution. 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:15.040 And if he looks just like the world we're part of, he can't change the world we're part of. 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:19.600 And let's be honest, we don't have to look very hard right now to realize that the world needs to change. 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:23.680 And change does not happen without a challenge. 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:24.959 It doesn't. 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:28.079 Real change in our world will not happen without a challenge. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:33.360 Real change in us, real change in me, it's not gonna happen unless I'm challenged. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:38.879 And so I want to be a Jesus follower who's up for a challenge. 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:46.720 I don't want to be someone that uh skips the hard parts because if I skip the hard parts, I don't really know God. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:50.879 If I skip the hard parts in my marriage, I wouldn't really know my wife. 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:54.959 If I skip the hard parts as a father, I just would never be there. 00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:58.160 Because it's it's hard. 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:01.519 But but I wanna I want to know what's real. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:04.800 I wanna I want to have a real relationship with God, I want a real understanding of Him. 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:08.319 So let's let's be okay with the challenging stuff, okay? 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:15.600 See, the truth is, this is one of those verses that gets misunderstood a lot because God is the most misunderstood person in history. 00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:16.319 There's no doubt. 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:18.639 No one's been misunderstood more than Jesus. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:25.519 And sometimes we'll look at verses like this, we'll look at statements like this, and we'll see, we'll see that the glaring word like judgment. 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:27.279 That's what we get fixated on. 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:30.319 And we think that Jesus is talking about judgment in this verse. 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:33.360 Jesus is talking about condemnation, he's talking about judgment, right? 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:36.320 Those aren't words that we tend to like to talk about much. 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:45.120 But in reality, we've got to see past what's in the forefront, we've got to realize what Jesus is really talking about here, because he's not talking about judgment. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:46.799 He's not talking about condemnation. 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:51.039 Jesus ultimately at his at his core is talking about choice. 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:56.000 He's talking about the power that God has given us to choose. 00:08:56.159 --> 00:09:01.120 He says, anyone who chooses to believe will not be judged. 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:04.639 There's no judgment for those who believe, who choose to believe in Jesus. 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:14.559 And then he says, but anyone who who does not believe, in other words, anyone who has chosen to reject me, chosen not to follow me, not to follow God, well, they've made their choice. 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:22.159 At the core of what he's talking about here is is this idea that God has given us the power to choose. 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:27.200 He's given us the power to choose him, he's given us the power to choose something other than him. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:31.039 See, that's that's a beautiful part of God's personality. 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:38.399 It's very important that we understand this about God because it's absolutely ingrained in who he is and how he interacts with us. 00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:41.840 God loves us enough to give us a choice. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:45.200 God values choices. 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:50.320 He values you and I having a decision to make. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:54.960 He could have created us in a way that we we didn't choose. 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:58.960 He could have created you and I in a way that we would only choose the things that he would choose for us. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:02.159 But if he had done it that way, we wouldn't be people, we'd be puppets. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:05.279 And he wants a real relationship with you. 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:06.159 I mean, think about that. 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:11.039 God, the God of the universe, the God who created everything, he wants a real relationship with you. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:17.440 And if you don't have the ability to choose him or the ability to reject him, that's not a real relationship. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:20.240 Like I love my wife. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:22.799 We are so close, we're best friends. 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:25.440 And and I trust her. 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:26.320 I trust her. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:27.840 I trust that she's gonna keep her vows. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:29.440 I trust that she's gonna stand by my side. 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:35.600 But if I if I didn't trust her, if I said, hey, I love you, honey, I'm leaving, I'm going to work, um, you know, I hope you're here when I get back. 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:39.039 I'm sure you will be, but just in case I've locked all the doors so you can't leave. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:41.840 Um, that would not be a marriage. 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:43.200 That'd be a crime, actually. 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:45.919 That'd be something like, I could go to jail for that, and I should. 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:48.320 Because that would basically say, I don't really trust you. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:50.639 I know if you have the chance, you'll run. 00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:52.960 But here's what's crazy. 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:56.960 When God created you and I, he knew that that we might run from him. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:00.080 And many have. 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:01.120 Most have. 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:05.600 So God created a world that he knew would reject him. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:08.720 No one's dealt with rejection like God. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:11.840 No one's felt the hurt of rejection like God has. 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:14.320 But still, he gives us choice. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:21.840 I mean, if you go back to the very first stories in the Bible, if you're not familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, just open up a Bible to the first few pages, it's pretty quick. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:26.879 God creates Adam and Eve, he puts them in this garden, it's beautiful, it's wonderful, it's picturesque, weather's perfect. 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:29.840 There's all these trees, like thousands of trees they can eat from. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:34.080 And he tells them, just eat freely, whatever you see, eat it, except except for this one tree. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:37.120 This one tree in the middle of the garden called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:37.840 Don't eat from that tree. 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:40.159 If you eat from that tree, just bad things will happen. 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:41.919 And guess what happens? 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:42.879 They do it. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:44.480 And like that's not a shocker. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:50.240 I don't want to be one that advises God and like tells God how to do things, although a lot of my prayers fall into that category. 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:52.559 But I don't, I don't want to tell God how to do his job. 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:55.279 But I'm a dad and I haven't even been a dad for very long. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:12:01.279 And I know that if I put my kids in the basement and I say, hey, all these toys in here, it's all yours, you can play with all of it, it's all good. 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.840 Um, except there's this one box in the middle of the room, don't open that box. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:04.879 And then I leave. 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:07.039 They're gonna open the box. 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:13.679 They're gonna, if I'd put the box in the room and just not talked about it, they'd probably be less likely to open the box than if I told them not to. 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:19.759 And so again, I don't want to tell God how to do things, but sometimes I think about that story and I'm like, hey, God, just an idea. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.080 What if you just didn't put that tree in the garden? 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:26.720 What if you put the tree like way up high on a mountain or or you locked it up or something like that? 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:31.360 I mean, why put it in the garden if it was so important that they not eat it? 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:33.840 And God could have done it that way. 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:36.080 He absolutely could have. 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:40.720 He could have created a world where we could not choose anything other than what he wanted, but he didn't do it that way. 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:41.120 Why? 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:43.600 He values decisions and choices. 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:46.639 He created us for relationship. 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:50.960 And he trusts us and he gives us a choice. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:53.600 And that's really what Jesus is echoing here in this statement. 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:55.200 He's like, look, you have a choice. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:58.639 You can choose to believe, you can choose not to believe, but that's up to you. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:02.639 Your choice has consequences, but you still have the choice. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:08.559 God's not gonna take that away from you because, see, not only does God value choices, he honors choices. 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:13.039 God he honors the decisions that we make. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:16.080 And that shows that he's given us a great amount of respect. 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:24.559 Because it would not be a God who respects us if he said, Hey, I'm giving you the choice, but whatever we choose, he said, Nah, I'm just gonna make it what I want it anyway. 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:35.440 The fact that he lets us make decisions and then actually honors those decisions and lets those decisions play out, that that shows that he has a tremendous amount of love and respect for you and I. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:38.559 But it's also hard because we don't always make the right choices. 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:42.240 And we live in this world that loves the freedom to make decisions. 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:43.519 We all love our freedom. 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:49.519 No one wants to give away the freedom to choose, but not many people want to live with their choices at the same time. 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:53.919 And so we both want the freedom to choose, but we don't want to deal with the consequences of our choices. 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:56.320 It's a dynamic that we face every day. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:58.399 We see it in all different aspects of life. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:02.480 When I was in college, like 15, 16 years ago, I waited tables. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:04.159 And I loved, I loved being a waiter. 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:17.360 I tell I tell a lot of stories from when I waited tables because you just you learn a lot about human nature when you have a meal with someone, and when you have a meal with someone and they kind of forget that you're there, you learn a lot about human nature. 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:18.799 And that's what it's kind of like to be a waiter. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:29.600 And so one of the things I would deal with a lot as a waiter were people making decisions, choosing something that they wanted to eat, and then regretting their choice and saying, Hey, I I know I chose this, but I actually don't want this. 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:31.279 Please bring me something else. 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:36.960 And that may not seem like it's a big deal if you've never worked at a restaurant, but like the cooks, they're busy. 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:47.679 And so if you go back to the cook and you're like, hey, I know that you made exactly what I asked you to make, but they don't want it, and then they say words to you, certain words. 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:52.639 And because you it's not your fault, but it's not their fault either. 00:14:52.960 --> 00:15:00.399 I mean, and sometimes it would be so it would be so frustrating, like this this one woman ordered a burger and I brought it to her, and she said, Oh, um, there's a problem. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:02.159 Like, oh, do we not do we not cook it to the right temperature? 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:03.200 I'm so sorry to get your order wrong. 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:04.080 She's like, No, no, no. 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:06.000 I didn't realize this had mushrooms. 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:09.600 I'm like, it's the portobello Swiss burger. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:14.159 And she's like, Yeah, I thought portobello was a kind of cheese. 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:17.039 Like, Swiss is a kind of cheese. 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:20.159 And she said, I thought it was a kind of Swiss cheese. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:23.519 And I was like, all right, okay, fine. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.399 You know, you don't say like, well, that's not my fault. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:27.840 Just take the mushroom off. 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:29.120 Just take it off and eat it, okay? 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:29.840 You can't do that. 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:32.159 You say, not a problem, totally understandable. 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:34.240 And you walk back and you mumble things under your breath. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:35.120 That's what you do. 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:38.799 I worked at this Mexican restaurant called Abuelos, the closest one is in Chattanooga. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:40.159 I've recommended you guys go and eat there. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:41.360 It's worth the hour and a half drive. 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:41.919 It's amazing. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:45.120 If you do go, by the way, there is one thing I recommend you not get. 00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:50.639 It's the only thing on the menu I didn't like, and this is like 13, 14 years ago, probably not even on the menu anymore. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:53.519 But they have this one dish called the quesadilla aorno. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:59.679 Now, ayorno, I'm probably mispronouncing that, but it was spelled A-L-H-O-R-N-O, Al Horno. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:01.600 And that's what most people called it when they ordered it. 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:05.200 But when you hear quesadilla, you think you think like an American quesadilla, right? 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:08.960 Like a tortilla, it's grilled, it's kind of crispy, it's got cheese, it's got other stuff in the middle of it. 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:10.320 That is not what this was. 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:24.399 This was some like really traditional dish, and it was it was this giant tortilla, it was baked in an oven, so it wasn't crispy at all, and it was just huge, it was like a it was like a pie, really, and and it was super cheesy, and I love cheese, but this was like way too much cheese. 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:29.360 And this was just, it was, it was, it was like gooey, and that's a gross word. 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:34.399 And and if you describe food as gooey, no one will eat it, you would think. 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:41.679 But one day I had this dude, and he sat down at my table, and he said, I'm gonna get this quesadilla alhorno, and I just let that go. 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:44.639 And uh, I didn't correct his pronunciation or anything like that. 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:45.200 That's rude. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:46.639 I didn't know until I worked there anyway. 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:52.399 And so I said, Well, sir, excuse me, um, I just want I just want you to understand that it's probably not what you're expecting. 00:16:52.480 --> 00:17:00.320 It's probably not what you have in mind, because when we hear quesadilla, and I went through the whole spiel, and I described it to him, I said, here's what it's like, and I even used the word gooey. 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:07.519 I used that word, in fact, I know that because my manager heard me and he said, Never use that word again when describing our food. 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:10.079 I said, Okay, loud and clear. 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:13.519 And so, you know, I put the order in, he ignores me, I said gooey. 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:14.720 He's like, nah, I'm good. 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:15.680 I this is what I want. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:20.960 I'm like, okay, and I put the order in, I bring it back to him, and guess who didn't like his food after like one or two bites? 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:21.680 That guy. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:25.920 And he came up to me, he said, Oh, hey, um, yeah, this isn't really doing it for me. 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:26.880 Can I get something else? 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:32.960 And part of me wanted to be like, oh no, no, oh no, no, no, no, mister, I know better than you. 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:36.720 You're gonna eat the quesadilla al horno, you're gonna eat this, okay? 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:37.759 You're gonna like it. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:40.000 You have made your decision, you're gonna live with it. 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:43.920 But no, I just said, Absolutely, no problem, what would you like? 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:46.480 And he said, What was that one thing you suggested to me? 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:50.880 And I'm just like, oh, it's so frustrating. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:52.720 But that's the world we live in, right? 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:57.200 We all love the decisions that we have to make, we just we just don't like living with those decisions. 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:03.279 And so we we live in a world where people make decisions and then try to figure out a way that they shouldn't be held responsible for those same decisions. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:07.440 But see, God, he he honors our choices. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:10.640 He values giving us a choice. 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:15.599 He loves us enough to do that, then he actually honors the choices that he gives us. 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:22.400 And if you read the Bible and you read certain stories through the wrong lens, you get this idea of God that's very harsh. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:26.799 God is very angry, he's upset, he's always given people consequences. 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:35.039 You know, if you only saw me interact with my children when they're they're not being well behaved, you would have a very different picture of me as a father than if you saw me 24-7. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:43.119 So sometimes we can pick up on certain stories in the Bible and we see God in this improper way, and we we sort of miss what's really going on. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:51.759 But if we could see God as a loving father, who loves his children and his people enough to give them the ability to choose. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:56.960 And then beyond that, he he gives them the information they need to make the right decision. 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:02.400 He tells them, look, this is what you need to know, this is what you need to do, this will work, this won't work, do this. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:06.319 And then he not only does that, but he empowers them and encourages them to make the right decision. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:11.200 But at the end of the day, he still gives them that choice and he lets them know that he will honor the choices they make. 00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:17.279 If we could see him in that context, it totally changes the perspective we have of God. 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:21.440 So we can take a story from the Old Testament, like we get in 2 Chronicles 7. 00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:27.920 It's this story where Solomon, who's the son of David, who's the king of Israel, Solomon's the new king, he's he's built this awesome temple. 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:30.559 And he's praying that God will bless the temple. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:32.400 He's built it, now he's praying that God will bless it. 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:34.559 That's kind of the order we usually go in, by the way. 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:37.839 Like I did something, and then I prayed God would bless it. 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:40.880 Probably should have just prayed beforehand. 00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:42.319 Like when we eat food, right? 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:42.720 We do that. 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:44.960 We pray that God blesses our food after we've ordered it. 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:52.640 And I realize sometimes, like, man, maybe before I ordered the double cheeseburger with french fries, I should have prayed when I ordered, like, God give me the strength to order something smart. 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:56.000 Instead of praying, God magically transformed this into salad after I eat it. 00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:59.920 I should have prayed on the front end, not the back end, but whatever. 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:02.640 God loves us, and Solomon's praying on the back end, it's okay. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:04.720 So here's what here's what God says to Solomon. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:10.240 He says, I have heard your prayer, and I have chosen this temple as the place for making sacrifices. 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:12.640 And this part, this part reads pretty, pretty crazy. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:14.559 But just think about it again as a loving dad. 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:20.559 You know, at times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or, you know, send plagues among you. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:23.680 Normal dad giving consequences stuff. 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:32.319 And then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I'll hear from heaven and I'll forgive their sins and restore the land. 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:36.799 Really, what he's saying is, look, if you guys get way off track, I'm gonna give you consequences. 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:45.599 I'm not gonna kill you, I'm not gonna break you, but I'm I'm gonna get your attention because I want you to change your way so that you're back on track, so that you're where you need to be. 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:47.920 This is this is called being a good dad. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:57.759 He said, My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place, for I've chosen this temple and set it apart to be holy, a place where my name will be honored forever. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:01.119 I will always watch over it, for it's dear to my heart. 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:11.039 As for you, he's talking to Solomon here, if you faithfully follow me as David your father did, obeying all my commands and decrees and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty. 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:17.680 For I made this covenant with your father David when I said, One of your descendants will always rule over Israel. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:27.359 But if your descendants or you disobey and abandon me, if you disobey the decrees and the commands I've given you, if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot the people from this land that I've given them. 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:30.400 I will reject this temple that I have made holy to honor my name. 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:33.519 I'll make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. 00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:37.359 And though this temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled. 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:42.079 They will ask, Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land, to this temple? 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:49.599 And the answer will be because his people abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshipped other gods instead, and they bowed down to them. 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:52.960 That is why he has brought all these disasters on them. 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:58.400 And again, we read that, and if we get fixated on the whole judgment part, we miss it. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:21:59.759 Just like with these verses, Jesus says. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.119 Spoke. 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:04.240 The whole no judgment and judgment thing. 00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:06.079 If we focus on the judgment, we miss it. 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:08.000 What we should see is the choice. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:12.400 This is God saying to Solomon, like he says to all of us, you choose. 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:17.440 I'm giving you information, I'm even telling you how it will play out, depending on the choices you make. 00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.720 Because I love you. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:20.720 But you choose. 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:23.680 You choose. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:28.319 You see, we might hear this and we might kind of go, oh no, God honors choices. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:29.920 That's not good news for me. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:33.200 Because I've made some terrible choices. 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:35.599 I've made some selfish choices. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:37.200 I've made some sinful choices. 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:39.759 I've made some stupid choices. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:41.519 Selfish, sinful, and stupid. 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:45.119 All of us have fallen into one of those categories at some point in time, right? 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:47.920 You might hear this and go, no, no, God honors our choices. 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:54.400 This is this is bad news because I'm making some decisions right now that I know are not the best, and I kind of wish God wouldn't honor my choice. 00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:56.480 I kind of wish He'd just ignore it. 00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:59.119 I know how you feel. 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:01.200 I feel the same way. 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:03.759 I feel the same way so often. 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:08.640 But we have to understand this is this is extremely good news. 00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:17.599 The fact that God values you having a choice, the fact that he honors the choices you make, this is the best news possible for every single one of us in our lives. 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:21.599 Because you know what that means when it comes to our relationship with God and how close we are to him? 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:26.720 It means that every single one of us, we're only one choice away from God at all times. 00:23:27.039 --> 00:23:28.079 That's it. 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:31.039 You ever feel far away from God? 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:35.200 I'm a pastor, so I never do, because um that's just the way it works. 00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:38.640 When you work at a church, you just never, you never struggle. 00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:43.200 You never, you I mean, when I go to when I go home, all I want to do is read the Bible. 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:43.920 That's it. 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:46.160 My wife's like, you want to watch Netflix? 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.519 No, I don't. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:49.039 I just want to watch sports? 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:51.440 No, I just I just want to read the Bible, I want to pray. 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:52.480 That's all I want to do. 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:57.200 Um actually, the last month I have felt really far from God all month long. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:00.240 And and here's the thing, I learned a long time ago that God is much more than a feeling. 00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:06.079 And so I've learned to not let those feelings carry too much weight in my life. 00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:09.759 But at the same time, I still don't like feeling far from God. 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:11.680 I have just felt that way. 00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:14.240 I have not I have not felt like reading the Bible for the last month. 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:16.720 I know that's a horrible thing to say to you. 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:19.759 I've done it, but I haven't enjoyed it. 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:22.880 I uh I haven't felt like praying a whole lot, even. 00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:24.799 I I wake up in the morning and I'm like, I want to pray. 00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:25.599 I'm I'm up to pray. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:26.720 I get up early. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:28.079 Let's pray, let's do this. 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:30.559 And then I do it and I'm I'm doing it, but I'm my heart hasn't been in it. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:32.720 The last month I have just felt like in a funk. 00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:34.720 And I have felt really far from God. 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:36.319 I even got to go to this amazing concert. 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:39.200 I got to see Hillsong United in concert, they're an amazing worship band. 00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:42.559 And the whole time I'm like, this is this is I should feel amazing right now. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:44.079 I should just be like, wow. 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:48.079 And I was kind of like, wow, this is come on, Justin, what's wrong with you? 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:50.079 This whole month I've just felt like that. 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:51.519 And here's the thing, God's so good. 00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:54.559 I pray, and He's still He still shows me things every week. 00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:57.359 I pray, God, give me something to speak on Sunday, show me something. 00:24:57.519 --> 00:24:58.640 He's faithful. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:03.200 He's faithful through my feelings, but I want to feel close to him. 00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:06.480 And I haven't for the last month or so. 00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:12.079 And sometimes, whenever I'm in that that mindset, I I go, oh man, I must be so far from you. 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:12.799 What do I need to do? 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:15.200 God, do I need to fast for three days? 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:17.440 Would that would that make me feel close to you? 00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:19.200 Do I need to sacrifice something big in my life? 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:23.119 Do I just need to like lock myself in a room and pray for seven hours or something like that? 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:24.559 Do I need to do something crazy? 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:30.640 I feel far from you, so I must need to do something huge to you know prove to you and show to you that I want to be close to you again. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:32.799 And and it's never that complicated. 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:34.160 That's not how it is. 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.920 It's just it's just choosing him. 00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:40.559 He is never more than one choice away, ever, no matter where you're at in life. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:42.880 You feel far from him now, you're not. 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:44.960 You're not, you're one choice away. 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:47.599 Because in reality, you you can't be far from God. 00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:49.119 Like it's impossible. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:57.039 When my son was two years old, we only had him at the time, and so I'd bring him up to this building quite a bit when I'd be working, maybe on a weekend or something like that. 00:25:57.119 --> 00:26:01.839 And there's something about these big giant hallways here that just communicate to a child, run. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.039