WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.640 This podcast is the Ministry of Grand Parkway Baptist Church. 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:05.839 For more information on our church, please visit grandparkway.org. 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:09.359 If you've got a Bible, I invite you to take it and open up to Mark chapter two. 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:10.880 Mark chapter two. 00:00:11.199 --> 00:00:23.839 And as I said earlier, we just want to spend the next couple weeks kind of unpacking what is for us a mission statement of our church, that we exist to help people, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:24.960 That's what we're about. 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:26.320 We're helping people. 00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:30.960 I was in the lobby talking to my friend Dave Morris, who's knows more about stuff than I do. 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:36.079 And I said, Hey, we've got a uh one of our families in our church, they got some stuff at their house that needs to be fixed. 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:38.320 And first thing he said out of his mouth was, let's go. 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:38.880 Let's go. 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:42.000 And I said, All right, well, I got to go to Kansas City and da-da-da-da-da. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:48.960 And so when we talk about helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God, what do we mean by that? 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:54.799 I want to begin this morning by unpacking and talking to you about this statement, helping people to know God. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:58.000 The Bible gives us a great picture of this in Mark chapter 2. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:00:59.840 I'll start reading in verse 1. 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:09.200 It says that when he returned to Capernaum, after some days, it was reported that he was at home, and many were gathered together, so there was no room, not even at the door. 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:11.120 And he was preaching the word to them. 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:14.799 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four of them. 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:25.359 And when they could not get him, they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:30.640 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, My son, your sins are forgiven. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:36.400 Now some of the scribes were sitting there questioning in their hearts, why does this man speak like that? 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:38.000 He is blaspheming. 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:40.159 Who can forgive sins but God alone? 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:52.879 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, Now, by the way, sometimes the Bible uses big words and puts words next to each other that doesn't always make sense. 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:56.239 But basically what they said is Jesus read their mail. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.560 Jesus knew what they were thinking. 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:03.040 And so what he said was based on the fact that he knew what they were thinking. 00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:04.640 Did you follow that? 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:10.000 And by implication, let's bring it down in this room, he knows what you're thinking right now. 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:16.800 Well, I was with you on that first part, but I didn't like that second part so much. 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:19.520 I'm still mad at Johnny Manzel because they lost. 00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:20.400 Anyway. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:22.159 Whoopsie. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:23.360 Did I say that out loud? 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:24.319 Come back with me. 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:32.800 Anyway, and immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, and he said to them, Why do you question these things in your hearts? 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:40.639 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, your sins are forgiven, or to say, Rise, take up your bed and walk. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:48.719 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralytic, I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:58.960 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, We never saw anything like this. 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:11.439 Now I want us to come at this passage, kind of looking at it through that the lens of that last sentence we read, where all the people said, We never saw anything like this. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:17.520 If you have an NIV, a new international version of the Bible, it says, We have never seen anything like this before. 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:23.360 And just by way of introduction, just ask yourself, when's the last time those words came out of your mouth? 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:34.319 When's the last time you just said you just spontaneously combusted and said, I've never seen anything like that in my entire life. 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:36.639 Much less at church. 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:43.439 See, there's some phrases that are getting away from us that should be coming out of our vocabulary more often. 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:47.680 I just not I just didn't want to go past that and and and not just point it out. 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:56.000 By the way, stuff happened uh that people did not have a frame of reference for, so they had to say, I ain't never seen anything like that before in my life. 00:03:56.159 --> 00:03:58.080 Uh I how how do we get at this? 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:04.319 Well, there's three things that the three major points that the text makes this morning that I want to kind of point us to. 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:07.199 And the first one is, what does it mean helping people to know God? 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:07.919 How do we do that? 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:10.240 Well, number one, you experience God for yourself. 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:13.759 You experience God for yourself, and you're like, I don't know what you mean. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:15.439 Look at verse 1 and 2 again. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:28.319 It says, and when he, Jesus, returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home and many were gathered together, so that there was no room, not even at the door, and he was preaching the word to them. 00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:33.519 Now, what the Bible says, you say, I I don't know how you get experience God for yourself. 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:42.720 In biblical days, when people would have an encounter with God and they'd experienced God and their hearts were changed and they gave their lives to Christ, they said, I I I believe. 00:04:42.879 --> 00:04:43.680 I believe Jesus. 00:04:43.759 --> 00:04:45.920 I believe you're the Son of God, I believe what you say. 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:48.959 It was one of those things that they just couldn't keep to themselves. 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:51.199 And so the text is really subtle. 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:54.319 It says, when it was it was reported that he had come home. 00:04:54.480 --> 00:05:02.959 Now, basically, when it says it was reported, word got around that Jesus had done some stuff and he couldn't go anywhere. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:09.279 And so he was at home, and people were like talking about him, and they were like, oh no, by the way, he's in that house right down there. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:14.079 And I mean, all of a sudden, a throng of people just showed up. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:16.800 So many that you couldn't get any room. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:22.959 I mean, it was packed up, and then the Bible says, even at the door, now that's a subtle reference to something else. 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:29.040 When you had a guest of honor in your home, people would want to come, it was like the ticket to have, everyone wants to be at this event. 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:30.879 They would leave the doors open. 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:37.439 And the poor in this city couldn't come inside, but they could stand at the door so they could listen to what was going on inside. 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:43.279 And basically they were saying, not only was the event sold out, the standing room only section was sold out. 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:45.920 There were so many people there. 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:47.279 And just get this. 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:49.360 You say, I don't know what you mean. 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:51.360 What do you mean when you say experience God? 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:54.160 But look at the look up right above chapter two where we started reading. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:56.720 Look at the end of chapter one, starting in verse 40. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:05:58.079 This is what I'm talking about. 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:03.839 And a leper came to him, imploring him and kneeling, said to him, If you will, you can make me clean. 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:09.439 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, I will be clean. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:24.639 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean, and Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once and said to him, See that you say nothing to anyone, but go show yourselves to the priests and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded for a proof to them. 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:27.279 But he went out and began to talk freely about it. 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:28.480 Now stop right there. 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:33.519 You would think that if the Son of God told you to keep your mouth shut, you could keep your mouth shut. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:35.360 Are you kidding me? 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:37.360 Is that not what Jesus just said? 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:38.959 Let me just look at it again and see. 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:39.759 Well, there it is. 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:40.240 Yeah. 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:50.720 And he says, even it says, and hey, by the way, and Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, see to it that you say nothing to anyone. 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:52.000 Look at verse 45. 00:06:52.160 --> 00:07:01.040 But he went out and he began to talk freely about it and to spread the news so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the desolate places. 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:03.439 People were coming to him from every quarter. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:10.079 I mean, this guy, see, here's the thing, when I say experience God for yourself, what's this got to do with helping people? 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:17.600 Because when you and I experience God, the way God set this up, now the church wastes a lot of energy trying to get you to open your mouth and say something. 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:20.639 In the biblical times, people couldn't keep their mouth shut. 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:25.519 I mean, when Jesus sternly told them, hey, shut your cake hole, okay? 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:26.560 Zip it. 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:29.519 Don't be just just knock it off. 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:33.600 The Bible says he walked out and he just freely, he just couldn't help himself. 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:36.480 It's that great scene when Alabama was playing. 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:41.439 Can I say Alabama in here this morning and you're not going, whoo, ha, all that stuff? 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:44.160 Because some of you'd like, roll dud. 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:47.680 Oh, yeah, it it it's it's it's just a game. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:49.360 Gonna be fine. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:51.120 It's okay. 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:52.720 Breathe. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:56.000 Wade Collier was in a bad mood this morning. 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:58.480 I was like, well, man, it just put me in a bad mood. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:00.000 Get a life, loser. 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:00.639 Anyway. 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:03.759 There's a great scene in Alabama. 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:05.519 Uh I think it's Alabama. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:06.879 There's a rice player. 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:08.639 This is back in the 40s or 50s somewhere. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:10.399 The guy was running for a touchdown. 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:16.160 I mean, he was running down the sideline, and a guy on the Alabama on the Bama team just couldn't take it. 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:18.319 He came off the bench and tackled him. 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:19.279 Remember that? 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:21.040 The guy's just streaking free. 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:23.360 I mean, he's running, I think he's running a kickoff back. 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:24.160 He's just going. 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:27.680 And they asked the kid after the game, they said, What were you thinking? 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:31.759 He said, and I quote, I just had too much Bama in me. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:36.879 Hold your calls, we have a winner. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:44.240 That's what this guy, the leper, who got healed, and Jesus sternly told him, Shut your yapper. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:45.759 Don't tell anybody. 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:49.279 And the guy's like, I just had too much Bama in me, Jesus. 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:50.480 I couldn't help it. 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:51.759 I had to freely. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:53.440 See, we've got it backwards. 00:08:53.679 --> 00:08:56.399 People couldn't keep their mouth shut back then. 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:58.960 Now we can't get you to open your mouth. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:02.879 One of these things is not like the other. 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:08.720 See, because when you experience it for yourself, because see, if not, you can't really help people. 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:13.120 You can advise people, you can say, Well, that church over there, there's a lot of cars in the parking lot. 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:15.919 Well, that church over there, they got this and they got that. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:18.480 But let me just say, just think back. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:24.399 Was there ever a time where this was so fresh in your life that you just couldn't keep your mouth shut? 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:29.759 You just, you, you, you didn't get in business environments and kind of go, well, yeah, I don't want to lose the bid here. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:31.919 I better tamp down the God and Jesus talk. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:36.480 And by the way, I'm not saying take a family Bible to work tomorrow and put it on your desk. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:38.559 When people come in, you look at it. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:42.960 I'm just saying. 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:44.000 I'm just saying. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:45.360 Do you see what I got there? 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.559 BAM! How about this? 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:50.960 How about be the best in your industry? 00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:58.399 And when people ask you why you why you have so much integrity and why your people work so hard, say, because we work to the glory of God. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:04.480 Stop putting fishes on the back of your truck because it's kind of crazy. 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:09.120 It's kind of, you know, uh that that that ain't getting it done. 00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:12.720 Just just hey, just experiencing for yourself. 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:13.759 This was fresh. 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:16.320 He couldn't keep, and that's the way God set it up. 00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:18.720 God set it up where we're so freshly connected to him. 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:20.159 We can't keep our mouth shut. 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:23.200 It's winsome and free and just comes right out. 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:26.320 It's not, well, I guess I better say something. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:29.279 It's, hey, I cannot help but say something. 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:32.000 Second thing, helping people to know God. 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:32.720 What does that mean? 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:36.080 The text says, secondly, know what it means to help someone. 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:37.039 What do you mean? 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:38.320 Look at verse 3. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:45.039 The Bible says this in Mark chapter 2, and they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four of them. 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:49.360 And when they could not get him near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him. 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:53.279 And when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:55.840 Wouldn't you like to be at church and that happened one day? 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:57.519 Something interesting happens here. 00:10:57.600 --> 00:11:01.919 We have a metal roof on our building, and when it rains, it just sounds like they're herding cats up there. 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:05.759 And people always come up and say, Hey, could you hear the rain today? 00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:06.639 That was really loud. 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:08.240 Can you do something about that? 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:10.320 And I always think to myself, what are you like? 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:10.960 A midiot? 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:12.159 I mean, are you kidding me? 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:15.679 By the way, a midiate is a moron wrapped in an idiot. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:18.559 And I think this because I'm like, what? 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:20.399 Yeah, I heard, of course I heard. 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:20.879 Are you? 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:37.039 And they're like, well, it was kind of, and I always think, what would it be like if one Sunday somebody just fired up like one of them round circulars and started just cutting a big hole, and all of a sudden they lowered a guy tied to like I I wanted to duck take Lance to a cot and lower him down today. 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:44.080 Just have him up there in the rafters in the dark where you never look up there, and all of a sudden I pull like a chain and boom, he drops down. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:46.159 That's what happened. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:47.360 Jesus is talking. 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:49.120 Now you gotta envision this again. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:58.720 Jesus is talking, and all of a sudden stuff starts falling down, and people are looking, and then and little kids are like, look, look, look, look. 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:01.360 I'm so glad my parents made me come today. 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:05.840 Look, there's a man that's paralyzed hanging from the ceiling. 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:07.519 Jesus has not missed a beat. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:08.240 He's just talking. 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:10.240 The Bible says he was preaching the word to them. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:12.559 Which, by the way, was the Old Testament. 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:18.159 Jesus is just shucking the corn, and there's a guy, ee, ee. 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:20.399 And people are like, uh, is he distracted? 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:21.840 Men are like, he's not distracted. 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:22.559 He's a carpenter. 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:25.279 He's gonna bid on this roof repair as soon as he's done. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:28.080 He doesn't miss a beat. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:29.039 See, no, what do you mean? 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:30.799 Know what it means to help someone. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:31.679 Three things. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:37.039 Because see, you think you're helping people, and you're not really helping people, you're just making yourself feel better. 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:39.279 So, so three things about helping someone. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:41.279 Number one, start with the obvious. 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:42.639 Start with the obvious. 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:45.600 Most people look at the paralyzed guy and think he needs to walk. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:49.840 If we get him to Jesus, Jesus can heal him and it'll all be good. 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:53.279 Jesus looks at him and thinks, he needs to be forgiven. 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:58.960 Because when the Bible says, and then they lower him down, and Jesus looks at him. 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:03.919 He says, Hey, by the way, the Bible says, when he saw their faith, we'll talk about that in just a minute. 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:07.279 He said to the paralytic, My son, your sins are forgiven. 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:10.240 Start with what is obvious. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:13.840 Humanity's greatest need is for a relationship with God. 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:17.279 You can help a lot of people and really not help them. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:20.559 You're just making them more comfortable on their way to hell. 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:25.519 You feel better and they feel helped, and I'm not saying don't do stuff to help people. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:29.120 This church is all about helping people, but we don't want to just help you. 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:30.559 We want to help you to know God. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:33.440 And the reason we help you is because we know God. 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:38.799 We're not a bunch of non-discerning oofs down here, kind of going, hey, we don't know what kind of goes on around. 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:39.840 No, no, we know. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:41.519 There's con men show up. 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:42.720 Somebody showed up not long ago. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:44.559 Hey, I need$25 for gas. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:45.519 Where are you going? 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:47.039 What business is it of yours? 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:52.080 If you want$25 of my church's dollars or my dollars, it's gonna be my business. 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:56.080 Let me see your gas gauge. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:58.480 Why you gotta see my gas gauge? 00:13:58.559 --> 00:13:59.759 Because you might be a con man. 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:02.799 You might be a liar rolled up here looking for drug money. 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:06.000 What makes you think I'm a drug addict? 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:13.360 Because your eyes are dilated like little BBs and you're tweaking like this, like a little monkey on speed. 00:14:14.639 --> 00:14:17.120 You want$25 or you just want to lie? 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:18.240 I want$25. 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:23.039 I tell you what, I'll give you$25 of my own dollars if you'll just tell the truth. 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:26.080 I don't need you to pay me to tell the truth. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:28.399 Then why'd you lie when you pulled up here? 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:31.360 What kind of portion are you? 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:32.639 I'm just a janitor. 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:34.320 I'm just here cleaning up today. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:37.279 Well, give me$25. 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:38.639 No. 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:40.799 I don't think so. 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:43.120 Because you're not both enough. 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:44.399 I can look at your gas cage. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:45.919 You gotta get gas gauge. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:48.320 Maybe. 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:54.720 And I ain't judging you, I'm not hating on you, but the church needs to be discerned. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:59.600 Because you can help people, quote unquote, and never meet their deepest need. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:01.759 You hear what I'm saying? 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:04.720 And by the way, this is a very generous church. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:06.080 Wildly generous. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:09.840 We help so many people, but we can't just undiscerningly, oh, you want money? 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:11.039 Here you go. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:13.759 That's bad gospel. 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:16.320 And I said to the guy, can I pray for you? 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:18.320 Well, I wish you'd give me$25. 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:21.919 I love people that are that honest. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:28.159 I said, I tell you what, I'm gonna pray, and when I'm done praying, I'll give you however much you think you need. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:30.000 He said, All right. 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:33.360 So I pray and he goes, How about five? 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:36.720 I got it burning a hole in my pocket right here. 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:38.159 He said, What? 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:39.840 I think people want the truth. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:45.840 Even the con man wants to know, hey, somebody knows that I'm a pathological liar. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:49.440 And I said, by the way, you got a pastor because you you're you're welcome here. 00:15:49.679 --> 00:15:50.799 Well, you're the janitor. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:51.840 How do you know I'd be welcome? 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:54.000 Well, I'll put a good word into the pastor. 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:58.399 See, start with the obvious. 00:15:58.559 --> 00:16:01.120 Humanity's deepest need is not gas money. 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:03.360 It's not to borrow a truck to move something. 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:07.279 It's, hey, their deepest need is for a faith relationship with Jesus. 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:08.960 Secondly, change the lens. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:09.919 Change the lens. 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:10.879 You say, what do you mean? 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:13.600 You ever go to the eye doctor and they go, one or two? 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:14.879 One or two. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:15.919 One or two. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:18.799 I think it was the second one and the fourth two. 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:20.000 Can we get those together? 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:22.320 By the way, they don't think that's funny. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:24.639 We're running a business here. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:27.440 Okay, I thought you were just shaking me down for insurance money. 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.080 Go ahead. 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:29.519 Uh, but change the lens. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:30.320 And what do I mean? 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:32.080 Here's what I mean when I say change the lens. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:32.879 Look at me, beloved. 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:36.960 Change the lens from your expectations to your responsibilities. 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:48.720 Your life would get markedly different and better and a whole lot more spiritual if you just change the lens and stop looking at the world through the lens of your expectation, which is in you, for you, and by you. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:51.279 You ever wonder why your life is pretty much the same? 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:54.720 It's always been, regardless of how many churches you've been to. 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:55.919 And I love you, okay? 00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:56.960 Do you know I love you? 00:16:57.120 --> 00:16:57.519 Hello? 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:02.080 Some of you have been to six or eight churches, and that's all you complain about, is all the churches you've been to. 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:06.640 I'm gonna say, beloved, the issue is not the churches you've been to, it's you. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:09.440 Aren't you glad you came for this? 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:11.759 It's you. 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:13.839 Because you got the same expectations. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:16.000 Oh, we sing that song. 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:17.039 That's an old song. 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:18.240 Don't we know the new song? 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:19.200 Well, that was a new song. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:20.799 We're always learning the new song. 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:23.440 Good Lord, every time I come, we're learning the new song. 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:25.359 It's cold in the sanctuary. 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:27.119 What are we doing in here? 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:31.039 We hear you. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:33.200 I just don't care. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:38.640 I mean, it's a litany of stuff. 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:40.000 I hear you. 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:41.039 I hear you. 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:42.400 Bring a sweater. 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:43.279 I don't know. 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:45.920 Is that really the cross you want to die on? 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:48.240 I mean, I'm just like this paralyzed. 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:49.759 And by the way, I'm okay. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:52.559 Some of y'all called me last night after I sent the tomorrow email. 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.920 Hey man, you okay? 00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:56.319 Kind of got after us in that email. 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:58.880 No, I just don't want to die from your small. 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:00.319 I just love you. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:01.519 We love you. 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:04.799 But sometimes you drive us crazy. 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:08.160 How's that? 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:13.039 Love you, but full of love. 00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:13.680 And here's the deal. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:15.279 You just gotta change the lens. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:17.759 You say, I don't know what you mean. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:27.279 You see, when you live in your expectations, what we want is we want others to create for us a feeling that can only be had through obedience. 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:28.960 Let me say that again. 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:38.799 When you live from your expectation, what you really want and expect is all of us to give you a feeling that can only be had because of obedience. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:44.160 When you move from expectation to responsibility, all of a sudden it's game on. 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:50.640 And every day is pregnant with the possibility that something bizarrely inexplainable could happen. 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:58.799 You come home from work, men, and you walk in, you got this kind of wild look on your eye on your face, and your kids are like, Dad, what happened? 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:03.680 You just start off dinner by saying, instead of, I hold school today, did you have any homework? 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:04.799 How are your friends? 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:05.920 Blah, blah, blah. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:10.559 You just start off by saying, I saw something today I've never seen before. 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:14.240 Your kids, you don't have to beg your kids to listen to you then. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:17.839 They're like, rock and roll with your bad self. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:19.200 Go ahead, dad. 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:21.200 What do you mean? 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:22.240 Change the lens. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:24.160 I I I give you a great example. 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:26.400 You ever heard the story of David and Goliath? 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:29.680 You're kind of like, are you kidding? 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.599 We live in Texas. 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:34.720 You know how all that got started? 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:37.920 Because one little kid embraced his responsibility. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:42.880 Don't turn there, but just write down 1 Samuel chapter 17, verses 17 and 18. 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:43.920 We all know the story. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:47.680 Oh, David killed Goliath and cut his head off and blah, blah, blah. 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:48.880 This is how it got started. 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:52.960 In 1 Samuel chapter 17, verse 17 sets the stage with these words. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:20:03.440 And Jesse, David's dad, said to David, his son, Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp of your brothers. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:07.759 Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:12.400 See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them. 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:14.799 That's sexy right there, isn't it? 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:16.559 Didn't that stir you in your heart? 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:19.920 You read that and thought, oh, that's a rhema right there. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:22.319 Oh, I'm gonna journal about that. 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:24.880 Right now y'all are gone, what's a rhema? 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:26.799 That's a right there. 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:27.920 It's a word from the Lord. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:37.680 It's a let me draw your attention to this last sentence where the father said to the son, see if your brothers are well and bring some token from them. 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:40.240 And bring some token from them. 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:45.519 And because this kid saw life through a lens of his responsibility, my dad said, take bread and cheese. 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:46.319 Can you imagine? 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:47.920 This is like at seven in the morning. 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:56.880 Later that night, he comes home, opens a back screen door, and walks in, and his dad's watching TV, and he says, Uh, Dad, remember what you said about bring some token from them? 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.240 Well, uh, I brought a token. 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:04.079 And he turns around, he's holding the head of Goliath in his hand. 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:05.759 And he just drops it. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:13.440 Bam! And by the way, I was thinking about a few things while I was walking home with the head of this big rascal, and I got a couple of things. 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:24.240 I'm gonna need a bigger bedroom and a later curfew and a new car, and I'm gonna need some more allowance because I done set it off up in there, and they want me to be king, okay? 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:28.400 You got me ferrying bread and cheese like I'm some errand boy. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:29.920 Here's your token. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:30.640 Bam. 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:37.759 He didn't get up that day and say, Today I will kill a giant. 00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:40.000 No. 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:44.559 He got up that day and embraced his responsibility of, I gotta do what my dad says. 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:48.000 And by the way, boys and girls, so do you. 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:51.359 Oh, that's sexy, isn't it? 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:57.519 Hey, students, the reason some of you aren't spiritually significant is because you're disobedient. 00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.759 You got a wayward little rebellious. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.400 Hard. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:04.240 You spend too much time listening to music and not enough time listening to your parents. 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:05.759 Oh. 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:09.920 Y'all are going, Oh, I wish my kid was in here. 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:14.400 I love my I got two kids. 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:15.599 Love my kids. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:17.440 I have to, I make my kid. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:22.240 Every time my 15-year-old is like, Dad, this new artist, I play her Johnny Cash song. 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:27.279 I say, hey, your little boy bands are like scarecrows coming to the bonfire. 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:29.119 They're gonna get burned down. 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:31.680