WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:01.120 Well, good morning. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:04.000 My name is Jonathan Ben Gilson. 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:05.759 I'm on staff here at Redeemer. 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:10.640 And we are continuing on in our series Friends of Redeemer. 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:16.879 And today we get to hear from the uh pretty cool and its team Pastor Paul Cross. 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:19.039 So very excited about that. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:24.719 So Paul has a rich history here at Redeemer. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:31.600 And in the first service, I said I was like, hey, Paul was an intern here back in 1987. 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:33.520 I was born in 1986. 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:36.000 So he has a lot of history. 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:38.000 So he's an intern here. 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:42.399 He served through all sorts of varying capacities at Redeemer. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:53.119 And um two years ago, he was also our interim pastor, which was uh firstly a wonderful time to get to know him, uh be able to benefit from his wisdom. 00:00:53.679 --> 00:01:01.759 And uh Paul, if you uh want to get him going, just start talking about uh Ford Mustangs or National Parks. 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:03.119 He loves those, by the way. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:08.879 So uh but with that, we're so thankful to have him here with us today. 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:18.400 Uh bottom line, Paul loved for people to experience the word, and that is so evident in the way that he digs into God's word. 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:21.760 And so with that, thank you, Paul Cross, for joining us today. 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:23.519 Thanks for the intro, yeah. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:30.959 I don't know that I've ever been called cool, though. 00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:32.159 That's uh that's terrible. 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:39.200 Uh uh and and and and and and the tech team was was sort of mocking me, wondering where my sweater was uh uh today. 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:41.359 But nevertheless, it is it's green. 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:45.439 See, it's green, it's it's for the season of Pentecost, so we're we're still on board. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:49.920 See, I have been uh uh crazy busy since uh we've last uh encountered. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:55.760 Uh uh I you know last year I got a chance to do uh the the inaugural series of this. 00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:59.840 That was a real blessing, and I'm so grateful to Pastor Ben for inviting me back. 00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:02.400 I truly am blessed by that, so thanks for that. 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:04.079 I really do appreciate it. 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:09.039 Um but since then I've been hitting the throttle doing the national park thing quite a bit. 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:12.960 Uh all kinds of different trips that I've taken. 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:15.360 But this year I did uh an insane trip. 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:28.479 I I went from um from April to June, uh 12,675 miles, uh mostly out east, mostly doing semi-quincentennial stuff. 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:32.800 Aren't you impressed that I know what the word semi-quintennial? 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:33.520 You shouldn't be. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:40.159 It's been a it's the two 250th anniversary of uh signing a Declaration of Independence. 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:41.840 That's that was really cool for me. 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:43.120 I really enjoyed doing that. 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:49.520 When a lot of the parks related to uh the American Revolution and the founding of our country, really cool, had a great time doing that. 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:50.800 So I've been busy doing that. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:03:07.439 The other thing I've been doing that's been busy for me is that I've been promoting another celebration of this year, and that is this year is the 500th anniversary of the printing of the New Testament in English, and I've been teaching on that in a lot of places, and so I've really been grateful for that. 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:13.919 Just got back from two weeks, back to back at family camps, teaching on a teaching called a biography of the Bible. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:17.199 Uh not the Bible as biography, but a biography of the Bible. 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:19.919 And some of the stuff we're gonna be talking about today was was in that. 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:27.599 But uh nevertheless, I'm just again, 500 years since William Tyndale first printed the Bible into English. 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:30.319 Uh amazing year to be talking about that. 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:32.000 But uh, I'm glad to be here. 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:33.120 I'm delighted to see you all. 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:38.639 And I see in the back, Brian, I I saw you sneak in, you kind of slip by, and I didn't think I'd see you back there. 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:44.639 But uh at the early service, I saw a whole bunch of folks that I'd not seen in 35, 36 years. 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:45.680 It's just been crazy. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:46.719 So it was great. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:47.840 So it's good to be here. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:50.479 But before we go any further, let's pray. 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:56.639 Come, Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in us the fire of your love. 00:03:56.960 --> 00:04:01.840 Send forth your spirit, and we shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:06.240 O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:14.159 Grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy his consolations through Christ Jesus our Lord, and all God's saints said. 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:14.960 Amen. 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:21.680 Gather friends, may grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God who is our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus, who is the Christ. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:22.399 Amen. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:27.279 As I said, it's the 500th anniversary of printing the New Testament into English. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:28.160 Pretty cool story. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:30.079 Got too much stuff to go into. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:32.560 We won't uh go into all of that right now. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:39.360 But it's interesting because I started out by talking about that uh where I'm from, this is called the good book. 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:40.319 The good book. 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:45.759 And it's generally, there are five things, real quickly, that people fit into the category of the good book. 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:48.720 Um, number one, people think it's good for nothing. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:54.959 You got friends that think that because you think it's just crazy, all kinds of stories in there, and they think it's mythological. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:05:04.800 Uh I don't happen to fall in that category, but you got friends, and maybe you are one of those people, you got drugged here by somebody, and you just think this is just it's crazy stuff. 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:06.800 It's it's it's good it's good for nothing. 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:07.839 It's crazy. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:15.920 Uh others might think, well, you know, you don't think that about it, but you avoid it because you see it as a good guilt trip. 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:18.480 Yeah, it's a good whipping. 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:22.399 I know we don't whip people anymore much, like as I said when I was growing up. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:26.240 I I had I had to go to the principal's office for corporal punishment. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:27.920 Seriously, a true story. 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:28.879 Imagine that. 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:30.240 I mean, that's how crazy. 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:31.439 But a true story. 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:39.120 Uh but it's some people think it's a good whipping, you know, it makes you feel guilty and all that sort of stuff, and there's just nothing but you know you how you don't measure up. 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:46.000 I don't know, maybe you're one of those people that's just uh built for guilt, but uh I'm not, but so that's why I went to the principal's office so much. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:52.959 But um nevertheless, uh uh uh not just uh uh good for nothing, but some people think it's a good whipping. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:06:07.120 But then other people who have a little bit more urbane attitude towards the Bible, they don't necessarily believe in it, but but they appreciate all the the stories and the stuff that is found a that's a foundation for our culture, and they think it's good literature. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:08.319 It's a good read. 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:16.160 And yeah, there's some really great stories in there, and there's uh some absolutely fabulous literature, but that's all some people think it is. 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:19.040 It's a lot more than that. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:24.399 And then there's the place that I think most people sort of light. 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:33.759 People, and maybe you're some of those people, but whether consciously or unconsciously, some people think that it's good advice. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:39.680 And maybe you're one of those people that looks to the Bible as good advice to how you lead your life. 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:44.560 And there is a lot of good advice in there, and it is, and the advice that it has is good. 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:51.120 But um I'm here to tell you it's a lot more than good advice. 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:57.519 See, the gospel is not good advice. 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:02.959 The gospel is good news, it's good news. 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:04.480 The gospel is good news. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:14.319 And we're gonna what we're gonna talk about this morning, briefly, is the whole idea of how God transforms good advice into good news. 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:16.319 And God's amazing at this. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:19.839 Uh, good advice is is good advice and it will help you out in life. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:24.079 And my dad, uh my dad was amazing at dispensing good advice. 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:28.560 His children were not amazing at receiving it, but uh he was amazing at dispensing it. 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:32.480 And I want to tell I can still tell you the good advice that my dad gave. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:43.120 My dad was a sergeant, uh, uh career, uh 20 years active duty, uh, 16 uh as a civilian for the Department of Defense and 10 years in the reserves. 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:47.120 You should go into my parents' house, shout attention, and every stick of furniture snap too. 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:50.240 But as a sergeant, my dad knew how to give good advice. 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:57.519 And and these are some of the things that I learned about the good advice, and also I want you to see the good advice, but how God transforms that good advice. 00:07:57.680 --> 00:07:59.199 Good advice number one. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:03.920 Half of life is showing up. 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:08.000 The other half is showing up on time. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:12.319 Half of life is showing up, and the other half is showing up on time. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:19.839 Uh, I I would strongly encourage each and every one of you, particularly if you're looking, if you're if you're young, and I see lots of young faces here. 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:26.399 If you're young, my advice to you is you know, as you're out looking and considering your field, one of the most important things you can do is show up. 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:32.080 There's so many employers that are desperate for employees, but they're really cheering. 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:37.360 I mean, they'll take you whether if you're alive and breathing, but they will cheer if you show up. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:39.519 They will think this is the greatest thing in the world. 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:44.240 And if you show up on time, they won't know, they'll give you a raise for crying out loud. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:49.360 I mean, if you show up on time, they'll give you a raise and you'll give them a heart attack. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:53.200 I mean, they won't know what to do with you if you show up on time. 00:08:54.000 --> 00:09:02.559 But needless to say, you know, I've I've I've done this long enough to know that there's no magic in that. 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:13.279 And besides, also, uh it's it's kind of harder and harder to show up on time, and people have their little idiosyncrasies about, you know, this is kind of my schedule and not yours and whatever. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:17.360 So showing up is uh uh a big challenge. 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:25.600 But it's really good advice, believe me, as someone who has been a supervisor, as someone who's been an employer. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:28.480 I know that sounds kind of funny as a pastor, but I've had to employ people. 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:34.639 I mean, I cannot tell you how great it is to have employees that show up and show up on time. 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:37.120 Fantastic stuff. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:38.399 I love it. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:40.799 But it's only good advice. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:48.480 God, on the other hand, has transformed that to the gospel. 00:09:49.840 --> 00:10:21.039 Uh, if you were to get your Bibles out, you don't need to do this right now, but if you were to a familiar passage in Scripture is the passage of uh uh uh right where the New Testament starts, Matthew chapter 1, verse 23, uh the angel has visited Joseph showed up and um just in the right time, because goodness gracious, he was about ready to divorce his wife, um, or his fiance, I should say. 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:33.279 Uh so just in the nick of time, the angel of the Lord shows up and kind of gives Joseph a pep talk, but it's not just a pep talk, not just good advice. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:34.159 It's good news. 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:46.240 He says uh the child that your betrothed is going to bear, his name will be Emmanuel, which means God with us. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:58.320 You see, the whole story of the gospel, I mean, not just the Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but the whole story of the good news of the gospel is that God showed up. 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:04.559 He didn't stay distant, he's not far off, God showed up, and that's good news for us. 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:16.720 That is good news for those of us who are in who are suffering from the condition of sin and death and coming under the influence of the power of the devil in our lives. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:21.279 And it's so good that God shows up to bring us victory over that. 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:24.159 And God showed up in at the right time. 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:26.879 It's not just God shows up, but God shows up on time. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:35.039 Uh uh, Paul in Galatians chapter 4, verse 4, says, in the fullness of time, God shows up. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:43.600 Just at the right time, God showed up to do what was necessary for us. 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:46.639 That's good news. 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:48.720 Not good advice. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:58.240 You can't replicate that, but you can manifest that in your lives by thanking God, saying, God, thank you that you have shown up. 00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:01.120 And thank you that you show up on time. 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:03.679 And that's one thing you can count on about God. 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:06.000 God will show up, and God will show up on time. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:11.120 Not necessarily the time that you think, but the time that he knows which is the right time. 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:14.799 But it is good news, and that's the gospel. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:22.559 My dad would say showing up and showing up what time is good advice, but God takes that through the gospel and transforms it into good news. 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:25.440 Second thing. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:30.480 Remember who's writing the check. 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:40.480 The next uh the next bit of good advice, and I think this is remarkably good advice, is it's always a good idea to remember who's actually the writing the check. 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:45.759 I don't know about you, but uh I I I've been known to be, in my youth, I was known to be pretty Malvi. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:48.639 Now there are people that I said that say I talk a lot, that's true. 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:49.679 I mean that part is true. 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:52.240 I I I do I have that affliction. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:55.360 I think I share with you the 12-step group I go to. 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:56.960 I have, I I do. 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:58.879 I have this 12-step group uh that I go to. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:00.799 It's for people who talk too much. 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:02.960 It's called On and On and On. 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:07.759 Just saying, just saying. 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:19.039 Um but um I used to run my mouth off and and I used to work in a in a in a Buick shop many years ago before the uh continent separated and and so forth. 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:22.480 And and uh it is just a fact. 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:24.480 Uh uh I was there when it happened. 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:26.240 I can tell you, I can testify to that. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:31.120 But nevertheless, uh you know, I I thought I was all that and the bag of chips. 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:31.919 I mean, I really did. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:33.519 I thought I was pretty special. 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:44.720 And uh, you know, I would let people one day I took my boss aside and told him just how special I was and how much this company relied upon me. 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:46.240 Do you know what he told me? 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:54.320 He said, you know, Paul, stick your hand in a bucket of water, pull your hand out, and see what happens to where your hand used to be. 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:57.279 It fills in pretty quickly. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:13:59.679 I was running my mouth. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:07.840 I was I was running my mouth to the guy that essentially was telling his boss, sign a check to this guy, because there was a transaction going for forth there. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:10.639 The check was this, it's called a paycheck. 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:17.360 And in this paycheck, I I'm supposed to do this, and they do this, and they'll write the paycheck, and it's great. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:29.120 So it's good advice to keep your yap shut, accept the check, and remember who wrote the check. 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:36.000 There's another story in the gospel that that pertains to that, that transforms that piece of good advice. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:38.879 It's the story of the workers in the vineyard. 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:42.399 The workers in the vineyard, uh, you may have heard it's in Matthew chapter 20. 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:45.200 Uh, those of you who are paying attention, you might want to write that down. 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:46.639 That's good advice, by the way. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:49.679 Um, not the gospel, that's good advice. 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:58.639 Uh, Matthew chapter 20, one of my favorites, it's it's about the people that go out, and uh guy's got a uh a field and he's he he wants people to get the harvest in. 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:02.399 So he hires a bunch of folks and and then not enough people, he says, I need more people. 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:06.000 Sees people standing around and says, Uh, why don't you come on and I'll pay you a day's wage? 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:10.799 And he pays a day's wage and uh sees more people standing around and says, I'll pay you a day's wage. 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:12.480 And still we don't have enough. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:15.200 And and time goes on, even to the like the 11th hour. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:22.159 There's 12 hours in a working day back then, and and and all of a sudden he sees people standing around and says, I still got work to be done. 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:28.080 I'll give you a day's wage for an hour's work. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:29.440 Great deal. 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:30.399 Great deal. 00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:43.679 Now, when it comes time to pay everybody, the the the steward, the foreman, is paying everybody, and finally the the people who are working the full day see that the people who work just a part of the day, even a fraction of the day, are getting the same thing. 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:45.200 And they get real mouthy. 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:46.720 Imagine that. 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:48.639 Nothing's changed. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:52.159 People start getting mouthy and saying, you know, hey, that's not fair. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:55.759 You know, I I worked so hard and I'm only getting this. 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:57.360 What's up with that? 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:06.240 Well, didn't we agree to a day's wage, no matter how when you work? 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:14.960 Or, and I love the line, I remember it from my youth, remembering reading it in the revised standard version of this book. 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:19.279 Or do you beg begrudge my generosity? 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:24.799 See, here's here's here's the truth, friends, and here's the good news. 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:31.200 The good news is that God causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:37.759 The malvi and the obedient, the good and the bad. 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:45.519 God is a God of abundance, and God is a God of generosity, and we should thank God for his abundance and generosity. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.240 And we shouldn't be whining about fairness. 00:16:48.320 --> 00:17:00.559 You know, when at the labor and delivery ward where you were born, there was no extra person standing there employed by the hospital telling you and your parents that life would be fair. 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:07.599 But life is filled with all kinds of challenges and so forth that are not fair. 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:13.599 Even so, God chooses to be a God of abundance and blesses. 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:19.759 I believe that if you're in the sound of my voice in this room, you have been blessed abundantly by God. 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:23.519 And I don't need to have to talk you into it, but I could if you want to. 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:27.920 God has blessed you abundantly, and that's good news. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:31.279 That God is the one writing the check. 00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:34.559 And so it's good to remember that. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:37.279 That's not just good advice, that's good news. 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:44.640 Because what we remember then is how generous, how abundant God's blessings are in our lives, and why? 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:51.839 Because of his undying love for you and his creation and his desire to see you blessed. 00:17:53.599 --> 00:18:02.559 That's uh the second thing that God has transformed to the gospel in terms of good advice. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:07.039 So it's first uh uh show up and show up on time. 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:11.519 Number two, remember who wrote the check. 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:12.799 Next. 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:16.160 And I remember my dad saying this to me all the time. 00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:22.240 He said, Paul, it'll always be a hard act to follow. 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:24.960 Always be a hard act to follow. 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:34.400 There's a certain blessing that comes with being industrious. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:49.119 Working hard, doing your best, there there really is, no matter what the circumstances, that no matter what the vocation is, no matter what you're calling it, uh being a hard act to follow. 00:18:51.279 --> 00:19:03.519 One of the prouder moments of my life as a father is is that how often my one of my sons would come home uh and and very casually mention that he was employee of the month. 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:06.480 And that was at several different places that he would do that. 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:11.839 And it was that was pretty cool as a as a dad to hear that your son's employee of the month. 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:14.960 I mean, that that shows that you're being a hard act to follow. 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:22.720 That somebody's recognizing the industry that goes in to what you're doing, to showing that you are that. 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:28.720 I I remember uh when I was teaching Sunday school, I mentioned the sixth grade over there, but that wasn't sixth grade. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:29.759 Actually, it was the high school. 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:38.079 When I was 25 years old, I was teaching uh high school, uh Sunday school uh because no one else would, and uh and I didn't know any better. 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:40.079 Uh and uh but I did. 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:41.839 Uh and uh but we had Mr. 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:52.160 Gibbs come in and he uh was teaching about um how the uh uh the the the third commandment about remembering the Sabbath day to keep it holy isn't just that. 00:19:52.240 --> 00:20:01.279 And if you read Exodus chapter 20, you'll see that it's not just that, it is also about six days you shall work hard. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:03.200 Get out there and get it done, man. 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:04.319 There's work to be done. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:05.759 Go out and be industrious. 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:06.400 And he was right. 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:09.359 I looked it up, and sure enough, it's in there, it's in the book. 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:11.119 I didn't write that. 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:14.400 Moses wrote that down at God's dictation. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:17.119 That is good advice. 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:23.039 But God, again, imagine this, it's the theme. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:26.240 You're gonna catch on, you're gonna figure this out as I keep going forward. 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:29.680 It's it's the gospel that transforms that. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:38.000 You see, also in Matthew's gospel, in Matthew chapter 16, uh, Jesus uh tells uh his his crew to come in and take any. 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:42.720 Come on, we're we're gonna have some, we're gonna have a conversation, we're gonna get this done, we got some stuff to talk about. 00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:46.960 And uh Jesus asks him, um, uh, who do people say that I am? 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:48.400 You know that one, don't you? 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:52.000 If you don't, Matthew 16, 13 through whenever. 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:57.200 Um, and um they all uh want to show, uh pick me, teacher. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:58.799 I think I don't know the answer, pick me. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:09.279 And uh they say some people say that you're uh John the Baptist, some people say that you're uh uh Jeremiah, some people say you're one of the prophets, some people say a lot of things, you know. 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:12.400 Um but then Jesus says, I love this. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:15.359 He sort of breaks the fourth plane here of the gospel. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:19.519 The evangelist pretty much says, you know, okay, but who do you say that I am? 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:25.119 And then Peter says, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:28.880 Now that is true, and it's exciting, and it's also good news that Jesus is the Christ. 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:29.440 Guess what? 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:33.440 God did show up, and God showed up on time, and somebody recognized it. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:46.720 But he's kind of a hard act to follow because just shortly after this in chapter 16 of Matthew's gospel, Jesus will explain them what being the Christ means. 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:52.240 It means that he's going to uh serve, not be served. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:59.599 He's going to give his life as a ransom for many, and he's going to s suffer unjustly. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:02.640 In making the great exchange. 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:09.200 Your sins for his righteousness. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:12.720 Your sins for his righteousness. 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:14.880 And friends, that is the gospel. 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:22.799 That is good news because the fact of the matter is, we don't have to pay the penalty that God has put a substitute there for us. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:29.440 Our goal is not to keep saying, I need to follow that good advice, so one day I won't have to worry. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:31.039 That's not it at all. 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:37.200 The good news is that Christ has done this for us. 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:43.279 And that He's done this for us is indeed good news. 00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:47.599 And sometimes we have to think, well, well, how do I appropriate that? 00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:49.759 It's by faith, but God's done it for you. 00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:52.400 And I want you to know that God has done that for you. 00:22:52.640 --> 00:23:07.039 He has transformed all the effort, all the things that you know, your in, your whatever might be holding you back from recognizing the blessing of God in your life, he's already transformed that in Christ. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:23.279 Not only is he Emmanuel, not only is he that um that householder that is a master that pours out abundance, but he is the Christ. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:29.759 The one that is anointed by God to take our place on the cross. 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:37.599 So show up, show up on time. 00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:40.319 Remember who's writing the check. 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:42.480 And being a hard act to follow. 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:44.079 And Jesus is a hard act to follow. 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:44.640 Once you're done. 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:46.240 He does tell us, though. 00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:49.920 Again, he says, take up your cross and follow me. 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:52.079 But why does he tell us that? 00:23:52.400 --> 00:24:01.440 He tells us to take up our cross, and part of taking up our cross, and a big part of that, is to tell others. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:06.079 To tell others of what God has done for us and God for them. 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:07.359 To bring the good news. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:12.160 That a lot of the that, well, he's going to tell another parable in Matthew's gospel. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.359 He also tells it in Mark. 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:14.880 It's the parable of the sower of the seed. 00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:17.519 And it's not about what type of soil are you. 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:20.319 I mean, how many sermons have I ever heard preached? 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:25.680 And I maybe have sinned by preaching one that way, that it's you need to tend to the soil and you need to fix the soil that you're in. 00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:26.640 That's not what it's about. 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:33.839 It's about taking that word, the seed of, the word of God, which is the seed, and broadcasting it in the world, letting people know the good news. 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:37.039 And that's what it is to be that follower of Jesus. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:44.640 Is to, in every part of your life, in every way, conscious or unconscious, be letting people know of that good news. 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:49.119 That's what it is to follow, and that's what it is to be a hard act to follow. 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:51.519 To share and spread that good news. 00:24:52.400 --> 00:25:06.720 Um another thing that my dad would say, my dad would say, uh, not only be a hard act to follow, is uh uh leave them wanting more. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:10.640 I I've I've left places before. 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:12.240 I mean, I've I've been a lot of different places. 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:22.319 I've moved around a lot, I've been to different places, worked for different situations, and every time I've left, I've been reminded of that advice of my dad, leave them wanting more. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:26.160 And that's a hard thing for me to think about, you know. 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:28.960 What have I left out? 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:31.279 What have I left undone? 00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:34.480 Uh what do I need to do that? 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:47.200 And again, I could beat myself up to oblivion, but uh uh as my wife has told, will tell you, that God forgot to put a guilt trip and a guilt chip in my mind, and so I it doesn't seem to work that way. 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:48.400 But I still think about it. 00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:51.039 I'm I'm more duty bound than guilt-bound. 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:58.960 And uh, what is it that needs left to be done? 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:01.440 Well, again, God has transformed this. 00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:06.559 In in I love you guys, I want you to know that I really do love you. 00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:07.519 I love the service. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:16.559 I I was pretty much handed by my boss uh at the time, Gene Hermeyer, he said, Here, we're gonna have a contemporary service, and guess what, Paul? 00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:17.359 You get to start it. 00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:19.279 And that was in 1991. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:22.079 And it was in this building, in this place. 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:28.960 And so uh, you know, I I I know what what needs to be done and what needed to be done in a place like this. 00:26:29.119 --> 00:26:32.000 But one thing is we don't have liturgy in here much. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:33.920 Much. 00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:54.960 One of the great things I love about liturgy is that when we read the gospel lesson in liturgical services, there's a passage from John's gospel, John chapter 6, verses uh 68 through 69, and Jesus looks at Peter and says, Are you gonna leave too? 00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:57.680 And then Peter responds, Lord, to whom shall we go? 00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:59.920 You have the words of eternal life. 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:03.440 That's the part I love about the liturgical service. 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:07.119 It's just as we're reading the gospel, Lord, to whom shall we go? 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:08.559 You have the words of eternal life. 00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:22.319 There is the expectation that there's something more that's gonna happen, that God isn't finished with us, that there's something more that the word of God can teach us, there's something more that the word of God can bless us with, there's more abundance yet to come. 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:26.400 There's more abundance. 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:29.200 Indeed, leave them wanting more. 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:35.279 And Jesus certainly has left that in our lives. 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:41.119 And sometimes we don't necessarily want it, but God gives it to us. 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:44.079 There's so much more to this life in Christ. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:46.480 I I promise you, that's the one thing. 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:50.960 I I've been been doing this for a few years, a long time. 00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:54.480 I I've been reading the Bible since I was 14. 00:27:55.039 --> 00:28:03.279 And one of the cool, this morning, when I was reading my daily devotions this morning, uh, a passage I've seen many times, God taught me something new there. 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:04.720 There's so much more. 00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:11.759 There's a passage in Lamentations that says, the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:14.559 They're new every morning, great is your faithfulness. 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:16.960 I think that's true about reading God's word, too. 00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:25.039 Not only is the steadfast love, but the steadfast grace of God that comes through the scriptures are new every morning. 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:28.640 And I cannot tell you how many times I've read the Bible. 00:28:28.720 --> 00:28:34.720 And I cannot tell you I've read the Psalms many, many times, and yet there was something new that morning for me. 00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:36.640 And I thought, wow, that's cool. 00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:39.440 Leave them wanting more. 00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:41.440 And last. 00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:55.200 So not only show up on time, not only uh remember who's writing the check, not only be a hard act to follow, not only leave them wanting more. 00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:59.279 But a good boss makes all a difference. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:08.000 I've had a lot of bosses in my life, a lot of bosses in my life, and uh uh many of them good, some of them not so good, and some of them pretty awful. 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:19.200 But my dad used to tell me that uh, Paul, you know, uh, you can work for the devil and make$2,500 a week, or you can work for God making$50 a week. 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:21.920 But a good boss makes all the difference. 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:24.799 And maybe some of you have experienced that. 00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:30.960 That somehow some of you might think, well, you know, there there's a lot that I can endure for that much money. 00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:32.000 No. 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:47.440 You become bitter, you'll become disillusioned, you'll become cynical if you have that attitude, thinking somehow you're gonna endure this. 00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:57.359 Um friends, a good boss makes all the difference, and that's true. 00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:05.039 In um 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 25. 00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:20.720 Peter, this guy that you know he was face to face with Jesus, reminds the church that we have returned to the shepherd and guardian of our souls. 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:22.559 The shepherd and the guardian. 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:24.640 That's the kind of boss I want to have. 00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:33.599 I want to have a boss like that, that is that will shepherd me and and and care for me and direct me and guard my soul. 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:34.559 Oh my soul. 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:37.200 Because like like sheep, I I wander, I go astray. 00:30:37.359 --> 00:30:49.519 And I need a boss like that who will be merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, compassionate, gracious, understanding. 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:55.039 Understanding because he showed up in the flesh. 00:30:57.119 --> 00:30:58.799 I need a boss like that. 00:30:59.039 --> 00:31:03.119 And the good news is I have a boss like that. 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:06.240 I have a boss who is the shepherd. 00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:08.880 I have a boss who is the guardian of my soul. 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:12.960 And friends, that's not simply good advice. 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:15.039 That's good news. 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:25.440 Heavenly Father, I thank you so much that you have put people in our lives, whoever they might be, to offer us good advice on how to go through life. 00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:30.319 I thank you for the people that have told me to show up and show up on time. 00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:38.559 I thank you for the people that have told me to uh uh to recognize who's writing the check. 00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:47.680 I thank you for the people who have uh uh who have pointed to me that um be a hard act to follow and to leave them wanting more. 00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:56.799 And I thank you for the people that have pointed me to the truth of that good boss. 00:31:57.039 --> 00:32:00.480 And I thank you that you've fulfilled all those things in your gospel. 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:04.559 That in Christ Jesus I can have the truth of all of that. 00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:14.000 And I pray that for these my friends that have gathered together today, that these simple words that they probably heard as good advice would be transformed into good news. 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:15.759 Pray, ask it in Jesus' name. 00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:18.319 And all God Saints said, Amen.