WEBVTT 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:07.280 Good morning. 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:09.199 How is everybody? 00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:10.000 We good? 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:11.839 Wonderful, wonderful. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:13.919 Well, hey, thank you so much for being here this morning. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:17.280 If it is your very first time at his hands, we want to start by saying welcome. 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:18.559 We're so glad you're here. 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:21.280 If you want more information about who we are, just ask someone. 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:30.800 Or you can go to the info desk and grab a first-time visitor packet and we'll have some some information in there that might be relevant to you as you're sort of figuring things out, whether or not this is a place that you want to be part of. 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:41.439 Man, if you experience anything like I have over the last several years, this is a place that you want to be part of because God is doing some amazing, some incredible, and some really important things in this church through all of you. 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:42.799 It's so exciting to be part of it. 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:47.200 I've got I've got a few really quick announcements before we jump into what we're gonna talk about today. 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:48.960 Number one, give a kid a chance. 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:50.880 Or as we've called it for years, gakik. 00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:52.640 That's you know, can you see that? 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:57.039 Um it's an amazing ministry that we've been part of for probably seven or eight years. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:00:58.320 What they do is really simple. 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:02.640 They make sure that needy kids in our area start school with all the supplies they need. 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:07.519 Because a lot of families can't afford a new backpack and all the school supplies that go along with the school year. 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:09.280 And so how we help is really simple. 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:15.200 Uh anyone that wants to can go to the info desk, grab a supply list, and it'll tell you what to go to the store and buy. 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:24.480 You buy a backpack, you buy some school supplies, you bring it back here to the church by next Sunday, and then give a kid a chance, we'll come and pick it up, and they will take that to the kids in need. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:26.000 Uh do that today if you'd like. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:27.519 We appreciate you doing that. 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:30.480 It makes a big difference in a lot of families' lives. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:35.200 Something else that I'm really excited about coming up soon on July 10th is an event called Canvas. 00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:39.359 And this is something we've done a few times, but we've never actually announced it on a Sunday. 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:41.760 Many of you know that we love art here at His Hands. 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:43.200 We have a lot of art on the walls. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:49.120 Uh Marlon Yoder leads our art group, and Marlon is the one that has painted all the Tree of Life paintings that you'll see everywhere. 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:51.280 The trees that look like they're exploding with life. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:52.719 They're pretty aptly named. 00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:54.640 And Marlon leads that group on Wednesday nights. 00:01:54.799 --> 00:02:08.960 Incredible artists, incredibly gifted people, and then a lot of us who just sort of wish we were gifted, but were there and we're enjoying it, we're having a good time, as Marlon and the other master artists do their Bob Ross impressions and teach us how to paint trees and things like that. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:13.039 Well, this group not only exists to create art, but they want to help people. 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:17.039 And so they put this event on a few times a year, and it's really simple. 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:18.560 You you buy a ticket to it. 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:20.319 There are, I think the tickets are$30. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:23.280 You can get one today at the desk out by the source. 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:34.719 And you come, you're gonna get a canvas, you're gonna get to paint whatever you want on it, but they'll be there to sort of show you how, and Marlon will even teach you how to do one of his Tree of Life paintings if you want to do your best uh impression of that. 00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:36.400 You get to take that home with you. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:40.400 There's refreshments, there's some some snacks, there's some foods that you can have there as well. 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:41.919 It's a really good time. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:46.639 Marlon actually is gonna provide one of his Tree of Life paintings that there will be a dollar raffle for. 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:52.479 So if you've ever been someone that uh can afford real art, good for you. 00:02:52.639 --> 00:02:53.199 Great job. 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:54.479 You have done so well in life. 00:02:54.560 --> 00:03:00.400 I'm not where you are right now, so a dollar raffle is the only chance I have of buying a true piece of art. 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:03.919 But there will be one of those paintings that you can you can put a ticket in. 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:12.400 The cool thing about all this though is that all the proceeds, all of it, goes to a situation, to a family that that has a need. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:21.919 And we have these families in our church that pop up from time to time that have something happen in their lives, and we want to come alongside them, we want to help, and so we do these events to raise funds to help them. 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:23.599 That's a really exciting thing to do. 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:28.719 The family that we're helping out right now, many of you know, Dale and Linda Morris, they are unbelievable people. 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:29.759 Clap for them. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:32.319 Clap for them, because I'll tell you why. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:39.520 So if you've ever noticed, one of the things, it's a small thing, but when you're part of a place for a long time, there's little things that you start to notice. 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:41.199 I love our floors here. 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:48.719 Like the floors in the lobby and down that hallway, there's just something about looking at that giant hallway that brings up the four-year-old child inside of me. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:52.479 And I want to run, but I hold back, you know, I try to keep myself contained. 00:03:52.639 --> 00:04:00.879 Well, Dale, for years, I want to say six, seven years, Dale has volunteered his time, and he comes here and he he buffs all the floors. 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:02.639 He waxes all the floors. 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:09.919 And frequently we'll have events where the floors will get really scratched up, and we call Dale and we say, Hey, we're so sorry, but can you come and fix it? 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:11.360 And Dale's like, Yeah, I'll be there. 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:13.759 He does so much, the whole family does so much. 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:15.680 They they all come together and do it. 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:22.480 Well, on January 2nd, Linda, Dale's wife, who's a big part of our family here as well, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:26.000 And so I want to read this God story that Dale wrote this morning, actually. 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:28.560 He said, It all started on January 2nd. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:31.360 He said, The wife, I love that's so Dale, if you know Dale Morris. 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:33.680 The wife was having a pain in her side. 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:37.839 The doctor couldn't see her, so we had to go to the ER, and the ER went crazy. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:41.600 They said her oxygen levels were really low in the low 80s, which is really bad. 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:43.759 Things were a little bit bleak. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:46.879 So uh they sent us and gave us a diagnosis. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:51.120 Bottom line is she was diagnosed with single-cell lung cancer stage four. 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:54.879 And she had a mass the size of an apple on the outside of her lung. 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:56.240 It was inoperable. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:05:00.000 And so she was given 90 days to live, if not addressed aggressively. 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:02.160 So the hospital pushed things extremely fast. 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:07.199 We went to the hospital, uh, we were in there for 15 days before she had a complete round of chemo. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:13.439 The people here at his hands were wonderfully fantastic and supportive between the visits, the prayers, the laying on of hands. 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:16.319 I can't I can't thank everyone enough. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:20.879 Less than five months later, all of her tests for cancer are negative. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:23.839 She is completely healed and cancer-free. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:38.079 So we uh we we have a very, very big God, and they are so excited for what God has done, for that healing that's taken place in their lives. 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:40.480 But as you can imagine, it hasn't been easy. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:47.759 Chemotherapy and all the doctor visits and the disruption of life, and so we just want to come alongside them and we want to help them. 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:50.319 So this event, Canvas, it's for the Morrises. 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:51.199 Uh, buy a ticket. 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:55.439 I think there's only like 60 tickets available because we only have so much space in the art studio. 00:05:55.600 --> 00:06:00.800 But uh, but buy a ticket, be there, you'll have a blast, and it's all gonna go to them as a big thank you. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:02.639 Um, and I think they they deserve that. 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:05.519 So we love you guys, and we're excited about that on the 10th. 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:08.399 Um, July 4th is right around the corner as well. 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:09.120 It is Saturday. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:09.839 How crazy is that? 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:11.360 That Saturday is July 4th. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:16.000 And if you've never been here on the 4th of July, you need to be because this is the place to be in Woodstock. 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:19.199 The city of Woodstock shoots off their official fireworks right above our building. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:22.079 We have a front row seat, and we just take advantage of it. 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:22.879 We have a lot of fun. 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:28.879 We'll have music, we'll have inflatables and games for kids all inside, air conditioned, that kind of thing. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:32.800 Um, Elon said last week we don't believe in porta potties, and that's true. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:36.000 We believe they exist, they are real. 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:37.519 We just don't want to use them. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:43.519 So uh so we will we will open up our building, you know, the restrooms will be open, we'll have food. 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:48.319 The Salisbury's are gonna be there uh cooking their barbecue, their stuff like always. 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:50.240 They're gonna have redneck tacos. 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:52.639 And um, has anyone had the redneck tacos? 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:53.600 Does anyone know what this is? 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:57.279 Okay, we need to I need to proselytize some people to redneck tacos. 00:06:57.439 --> 00:06:58.879 That's a word I've never used before. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:01.680 Um so this is this is what a redneck taco is. 00:07:01.759 --> 00:07:02.639 They invented this, okay? 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:04.160 It is pulled barbecue, right? 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:08.879 Pulled pork in a in a tortilla with sriracha coleslaw on top. 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:15.040 And guys, there are emotions you've never felt before, okay? 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:18.560 Until you taste the redneck tacos. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:22.639 I I actually have it on my to-do list to eat 10 of them this year. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:24.000 Uh, that's gonna be exciting. 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:28.399 If that's not your thing, hot dog heaven will be here, they'll have their food truck here, Kona Ice will be here. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:30.879 So we'll have a lot of great stuff happening in the parking lot. 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:31.839 It's just gonna be a party. 00:07:31.920 --> 00:07:33.040 So be here on the fourth. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:35.759 Doors open at five o'clock, the fireworks start at dusk. 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:40.560 But if you want to set up a tent or lawn chairs or anything like that, feel free to come as early as you'd like. 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:45.439 If you want a spot on the walkway, I don't even know how early to tell you to get here, because you guys are crazy. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:48.079 You keep getting here earlier every single year. 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:50.079 It will not shock me if there's someone there tomorrow. 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:50.959 It really won't. 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:54.959 Um it'll be awkward, but it won't shock me. 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:57.120 So just be here for that. 00:07:57.199 --> 00:07:58.879 We'll set up a huge section of the parking lot, though. 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:01.120 We'll reserve it for people that want to bring lawn chairs and stuff. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:04.160 You'll have a spot for sure, but it's gonna be a blast, so be here for that. 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:07.759 Final thing I want to say is a big thank you to everyone who helps out financially. 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:09.600 You were so generous. 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:17.360 You know, as a church, if you're new, we don't believe in peer pressure, we do not believe in manipulation, we don't use those things to generate anything like that at all. 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:19.120 We believe in generosity. 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:23.680 So we don't pass a plate, we don't do big giving campaigns and things like that. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:24.879 What we ask is really simple. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:33.200 We ask that if this is your church, that you pray and ask God to tell you how much he wants you to give, to commit to a percentage. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:35.279 That could be 2%, it could be 5%, it could be more. 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:36.559 It's up to you and God. 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:38.799 That's between, that's between you. 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:42.159 But to commit to whatever he puts on your heart and just commit to it every month. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:44.080 And if we do that, it's so simple. 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:47.840 If we do that, number one, God promises to bless us, but number two, we have enough. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:49.759 We have enough as a church to do what we do. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:51.279 We have enough to give to the community. 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:56.879 Those of you who are new, we give 10% of everything that comes here back to the community, no strings attached. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:58.080 It's exciting to do it. 00:08:58.159 --> 00:08:59.919 So thank you for your generosity. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:00.639 Keep it up. 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:05.919 Uh, there are four columns at the back of the room where you can give or you can give online at hishandschurch.com. 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:08.639 Okay, pray with me and then we'll we'll talk for a little bit. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:14.000 Jesus, thank you so much for for your love, for your grace, for your patience, for everything that you give us. 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:17.759 Holy Spirit, we ask that right now you would you would work in our hearts. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:24.320 We're all in different places, we're all coming from different spots in life, but we want you to make us open to your truth. 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:32.320 We are open to you challenging us, but we are we're in desperate need of your encouragement, of the hope that you have for us today. 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:33.440 So we just ask for that. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:36.480 Lord, we ask that you give that to us with abundance. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:40.000 We're your people, and we want to follow you, we want to grow. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:41.600 We love you, Jesus. 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:42.480 Amen. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:47.759 Well, for the last several weeks, we've been talking about prayer as part of our series, How to. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:49.759 We want to know how to grow. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:53.120 We want to know how to advance in life, and God wants that for us. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:10:02.399 He is so good to us that not only, not only does God tell us what to do, not only does he call us to live a certain life, but he actually tells us how to do it. 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:07.519 And so specifically, we're looking at Matthew chapter 6, at Jesus' how-to teachings. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:09.039 He tells us how to give. 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:10.639 We covered that for a few weeks. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:11.679 He tells us how to pray. 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:14.720 We're still gonna talk about prayer for a while because prayer is a big deal. 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:16.000 And he tells us how to fast. 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:22.399 He basically says, here's how to be generous, here's how to communicate with God, and here's how to have self-control. 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:26.799 Those are three things that, when applied to our lives, produce incredible results. 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:29.600 And so I'm excited to talk more about prayer this morning. 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:36.000 I do want to take a few minutes, though, and talk about the Supreme Court decision that happened this last week. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:37.759 And here's why I want to talk about it. 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:38.559 It's really simple. 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:40.960 Because I believe very much in transparency. 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:44.000 And I believe that if there's an elephant in the room, you need to talk about it. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:47.039 If there was a physical elephant in this room right now, I would tell you. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:50.879 If it was behind you, I would be like, back row, careful, there's an elephant back there. 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:51.519 You have to do that. 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:52.639 That's just kindness, right? 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:53.919 That's decency. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:57.679 But see, right now, I it's an amazing moment in our history as a nation. 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:03.279 It's an amazing moment for the church because all eyes right now are on the church in America. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:06.000 How is the church going to respond? 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:09.759 How is the church going to react? 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:23.120 And I think we can be very honest and open as followers of God to say that the church has not always done a great job responding and reacting to our culture in the past. 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:26.080 I don't mean this church, I don't mean his hands, but I mean the church in general. 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:31.200 See, there was a time when when the church stopped looking like Jesus. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:36.559 Because Jesus tells us in his word that the world will know that we belong to him because of our love. 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:37.279 That's what he said. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:38.639 Those are his words. 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:43.440 But for whole generations, the church was not characterized by love. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:47.759 The church was characterized by judgment. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:57.279 And it makes sense, it happens when you believe you have a majority, when you believe you have power, you stop caring so much that other people really know God, you just start caring that they act like they know God. 00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:05.759 And the message that the church started to send to our culture was, hey, we really don't care if you know Jesus, we just want you to behave like you do, because if you don't, it offends us. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:09.279 And see, Jesus was impossible to offend. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:11.279 It took a lot to offend Jesus. 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:15.759 In fact, the only people that really offended Jesus were the hyper-religious people that kept others from God. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:23.279 But Jesus was not someone that walked around saying, Hey, your sin, your behavior, it really bothers me. 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:33.840 So the church stopped caring about the love that Jesus modeled and started making it its job to judge the world. 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:36.480 But see, there's a problem with that, is we're not the judge. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:39.200 We're not called to be the moral police of this world. 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:39.840 We're not. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:41.759 I'll tell you, this is scripture. 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:47.120 Paul wrote this in Romans chapter 2. 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:50.000 He said, You may think you can condemn such people, but you're just as bad. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:55.120 And you have no excuse because when you say they are wicked and they should be punished, you're condemning yourself. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:13:01.039 For you who judge others do the very same thing, and we know that God in his justice will punish anyone who does such things. 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:06.399 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God's judgment when you do the same? 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:09.919 Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:11.679 Does this mean nothing to you? 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:15.039 Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from sin? 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:16.960 In other words, it's really simple. 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:18.960 God is the judge. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:21.679 And he makes no apologies for that. 00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:22.879 God is a judge. 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:25.519 He will judge this world, he judges our lives. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:27.759 He has the right to, he is God. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:31.200 But we are not the judge. 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:34.799 And when we try when we try to do God's job for him, it never works out. 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:36.480 It just doesn't. 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:44.720 When we try to do what God is the only one to do it, when we try to take over God's job, it doesn't work out. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:57.360 And see, as a result of people doing that, as a result of us failing to look past the issues in other people, we forget that God has looked past the issues in us. 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:04.799 He has kindness toward us, he has forgiven us, and so we should be quick to forgive. 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:11.679 We should be quick to look past whatever issues we see and see who people really are, and that is the children of God. 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:15.360 So, how do we respond as a church? 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:17.600 Now, I want to be I want to be really clear. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:25.360 Loving people does not mean that we have to agree with everything. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:31.840 Loving people, the way that Jesus loves people, does not mean that we set our convictions aside. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:34.799 Not in the slightest. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:39.600 Because the truth is to follow Jesus means to submit our lives to Jesus. 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:42.240 It means to submit our lives to the Word of God. 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:46.639 I have to do that in my life, and it's very inconvenient. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:55.600 It just is, because the standard that God has for me, it's higher than the standard I would choose for myself, and it's much higher than the standard that our culture sets for us. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:56.639 It just is. 00:14:57.440 --> 00:14:59.519 I've shared this many times with you before. 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:03.200 I I had a 10-year-long plus addiction to pornography. 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:08.480 And here's the thing my government did not tell me that I was wrong. 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:10.320 I broke no laws. 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:14.720 But I'm not called to live my life based on the standard of what is legal. 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:18.000 Our culture did not condemn me. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:20.000 In fact, our culture would say, ah, it's not a big deal. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:26.080 You're not you're not hurting anyone, you're not having an affair with your wife, you're you're just being a boy, right? 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:27.360 Boys will be boys. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:32.399 That's what culture said, but but I was compelled to change. 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:36.320 I was compelled to move away from that behavior. 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:46.720 Not because the government said I should, and not because our culture compelled me to, but because I knew the word of God did not support my behavior. 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:52.639 And I know that as a follower of Jesus, the very word follower means I will submit to you and I will follow you. 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:56.240 And if you lead me to a place that I wouldn't go otherwise, so be it. 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:03.039 And so loving people and staying with the standard of God's word, it's totally possible. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:12.559 The church has not done a very good job of it in the past, but I believe, personally and proudly, that this church is uniquely equipped to do just that. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:14.000 I really do. 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:34.960 And so when there are moments in church culture, when there are moments in our culture that we have the opportunity to be like Jesus and to show this world who Jesus really is, to say to the world, hey, if the church has wounded you, I'm really sorry because the church was never meant to be an instrument of harm, but an instrument of healing. 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:37.759 We have to take that chance. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:39.759 So how do we do that? 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:49.600 How do we walk the line where we hold on to love but also stay true to the standards that God gives us? 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:58.159 Because I promise you that right now in this country, there are conversations happening in churches all over the place that are taking many different shapes, many different forms. 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:04.400 Some churches are abandoning love for people in the name of the standards that we're gonna live by. 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:08.640 Some churches are abandoning standards from Scripture in the name of love. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:11.279 But Jesus calls us to both. 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:13.599 Jesus lived both. 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:17.279 And we can be like Jesus. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:21.200 I believe it boils down to four words. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:24.319 Four words that we can all use to have some agreement. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:29.920 And I want to say this as a disclaimer: if you have any questions about any of this, feel free to ask me. 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:34.559 We are very accessible here, we are open books, and you can talk to me after we're done today. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:45.920 I do have a meeting, so I won't be available for long, but send me an email, call me, I'll call you, I'll have as many conversations as we can because I want us as a church to have clarity, because it is hard to be aggressive if you're confused. 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:53.839 Four words love, acceptance, agreement, and endorsement. 00:17:55.599 --> 00:18:03.759 Our culture has this message that it sends to us all the time right now, and the message is this anything short of endorsement is hate. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:08.880 Anything short of endorsement is judgment, and that's simply not true. 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:12.240 In fact, it's a really childish idea because I'm married. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:18.559 And so there are so many things my wife does not agree with me about. 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:22.720 There are so many things within me that my wife would love to change. 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:29.759 She does not endorse all my behavior, not in the slightest, but we have love and acceptance. 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:35.440 The question is: can we have love and acceptance, even if we don't have complete agreement and endorsement? 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:37.680 And the answer is absolutely yes. 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:40.160 We love everyone. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:41.359 We love everyone. 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:44.400 You know that saying, love the sinner, hate the sin? 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:46.559 Jesus never said that. 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:48.240 That is not in the Bible. 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:54.000 I believe that God hates sin, but I believe he hates it for very different reasons than most Christians tend to. 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:59.039 We hate sin because it it annoys us, it makes us feel uncomfortable, it offends us. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:03.680 God hates sin because it separates the people he created to be loved by him from him. 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:05.039 That's why God hates it. 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:08.960 Because it stands in his way to a relationship with them. 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:15.920 The love of Jesus is complete, it is for everyone, and he does not hold back love. 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:19.039 Jesus did not discriminate when it came to love. 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:20.319 So we love everyone. 00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:21.440 We love people. 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:22.799 Period. 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:24.319 People. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:26.240 Absolutely. 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:32.559 The next word is acceptance. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:34.240 We accept virtually anyone here. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:35.200 I say virtually. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:37.839 Uh, if you're new here, we don't have an official membership or anything like that. 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:39.359 If you're family, you're family. 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:46.319 I say virtually because I can't imagine a few scenarios in which we wouldn't, and we've actually had some of these play out a few years ago, for example. 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:55.359 Someone that I actually knew pretty well was here, and they were obviously under the influence of drugs, and they were acting very erratically, making a lot of people nervous. 00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:59.200 And so we have an amazing safety team that came and grabbed me for some unknown reason. 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:03.279 Um and uh and so I had a conversation with them and I said, Look, I love you. 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:05.920 I mean, I knew this person, you know, first name basis. 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:08.799 I love you, but you can't be here today. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:10.799 Because we have kids here. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:13.359 And this this has to be a safe place. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:15.839 And your behavior right now is not making it a safe place. 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:18.160 So you're gonna have to, you're gonna have to go. 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:25.759 But we love you, we support you, we want to help you, we want to help you heal from this, we want to help you get the treatment you need, but today you you can't be here. 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:32.079 There are situations like that, but they're so few and far between that they might as well be like a tenth of a percentage. 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:37.359 We love everyone, 100% of people, no matter the issue, past, present, or future. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:39.759 We accept virtually everyone. 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:42.480 And that brings us to the word agreement. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:46.640 Do we have to agree to get along? 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:52.799 Do we have to agree with everything to worship alongside one another? 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:57.519 To come alongside people in our community, to serve this community the way that Jesus calls us to? 00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:58.559 And the answer is no. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:04.480 Even if other people believe that, that oh, if you don't have perfect agreement with me, you can't love and accept me. 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:05.119 That's not true. 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:06.160 I don't live my life that way. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:09.200 I have so many people that I love and accept. 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:11.920 And they do not agree with me. 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:20.079 They don't agree with my convictions, they don't agree with my faith, but I do not require agreement for love and acceptance. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:22.640 And we should never do the same. 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:36.720 You know, when it comes to the issue of same-sex marriage, we agree, as a church, that all people, regardless of anything, should be treated with decency and with fairness, because people are people. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:40.799 We are all made in God's image, not some of us. 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:43.440 We are all made in his image. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:48.160 We do not, as a church, agree that that is the lifestyle God wants us to live. 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:50.000 We don't agree with that. 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:51.680 And that's okay. 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:56.480 Because we don't have to have agreement for love and acceptance. 00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:57.519 We really don't. 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.759 Endorsement is a whole other category. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.799 I can only endorse things in my own life. 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:06.559 I can only endorse things in my life that Scripture supports. 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:10.000 1 Corinthians chapter 6. 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:12.400 It's a really stupid verse because it's. 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:13.839 You'll see why. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:16.640 I have the right to do anything, you say. 00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:18.559 But not everything is beneficial. 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:22.640 I have the right to do anything, but I will not be mastered by anything. 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:24.640 This is one of those verses that I love and I hate. 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:26.079 I hate it because it's inconvenient. 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:28.480 Because this is God saying, yes, you're covered by grace. 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:30.880 You can live how you want to, technically. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:37.759 But at the same time, I have called you to live a certain way, and I want you to live that way. 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:42.480 And I can only endorse the behaviors in my own life that Scripture supports. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:44.319 And that means that I have to look in the mirror a lot. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:48.480 There are a lot of things inside of me that I know God does not endorse. 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:52.480 Scripture is the standard that my life has to be under. 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:55.599 That's the standard that God has called me to. 00:22:57.519 --> 00:23:01.039 And so as a church, do we endorse same-sex marriage? 00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:02.319 We don't. 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:04.720 Because Scripture doesn't support it. 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:06.640 And that may not be popular. 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:14.400 It may not be, but here's the thing I believe we're called to live with a higher standard than popular. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:26.880 But I also believe, at my core, that love and acceptance are not optional. 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:41.920 And the concept of the church looking at people that we disagree with and saying, I'm sorry, because we don't have agreement, we don't accept, and our love is not for you, that couldn't be further from the person of Jesus. 00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:46.880 Our mission as a church is to love people to Jesus. 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:48.960 We will continue doing that. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:51.599 Everyone is welcome here. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:53.519 Everyone is welcome to worship here. 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:57.920 Everyone belongs here because this place was built for people. 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:18.160 And as a church, if we're able, even even those of us that may have different opinions than than me, as a church, if we're able to say, hey, I don't require agreement for love and acceptance, then we'll be able to handle pretty much any situation that our culture presents us with in a way that would make God proud. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:20.319 So that's what we're going to do. 00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:22.640 Does that make sense to everyone? 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:23.599 Does that work? 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:24.480 Okay. 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:33.920 Again, if you have questions, because I know that this is a very divisive topic. 00:24:34.079 --> 00:24:38.480 The only reason I wanted to talk about it, I use wanted in and uh I don't really want to talk about it. 00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:46.319 Um I had a friend one time that said, leaders have to have hard conversations, and that's like the biggest undersell that I've ever been given in life. 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:50.640 But I want us as a church to have to have unity. 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:57.759 I want us to be able to move forward in this world, to make an impact on this world, and we can only do that. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:02.799 We can only do that with love and with acceptance and with understanding. 00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:07.440 And so if you have any questions, if you need anything else, explain, let me know. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:10.079 I will talk to you as long as we need to. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:13.839 I talk really fast though, so if it's okay, it'll probably be pretty short. 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:15.599 Um I love you guys so much. 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:16.799 Can we pray one more time? 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:18.480 Who's gonna say no? 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:22.640 Okay, Jesus, thank you so much for this place. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:29.359 God, I I love this church. 00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:34.240 I love the hearts of the people here. 00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:46.640 And Lord, it is it is our it is our privilege to be a church that reshapes what the word church means to people in this country. 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:59.039 To be a church that is willing to lay aside differences for the sake of love, but a church that is not going to lay aside the life that you have called us to. 00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:08.640 So, Lord Jesus, make us people who have a heart for anyone that needs you. 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:13.839 Make us people who are compassionate, who understand. 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:17.119 Make us people who look like you, Jesus. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:18.240 We ask all this in your name. 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:19.039 Amen. 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:19.680 Amen. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:21.200 Well, hey, thank you for that few minutes. 00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:22.640 Um, now we can talk about prayer. 00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:23.200