WEBVTT 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:08.320 This podcast is a ministry of Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:13.279 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:16.960 Well, this will be a little bit different kind of service, um, as Neil's already said. 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:22.879 Um, and I hope that it's uh it's uh sweet and good time for you and for your soul. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:36.719 I've been here for two services already today, and it's been so good for me just to be with people who are so kind and gracious and and receiving me and so don't mess that up, I g I guess is what I'm saying. 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:39.840 Just kidding. 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:42.880 I um I I really feel honored, you know. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:48.399 You guys have a fantastic preacher in Neil, and for me to have this spot for a few minutes is a real honor. 00:00:49.520 --> 00:01:03.920 I um so so a a big part of my story at this this point in my my life, you know, is this thing that happened with my dad and and and my family, and it's just kind of taken over, you know, when you when you when you lose someone close to you, um it just sort of takes over. 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:15.840 And and I don't know how how many of you have been through those kinds of things and how you responded, but it's it's funny how how much um I thought I I understood those kinds of things when I was uh outside looking in. 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:28.400 I would see people uh hurting uh from something and and I I don't think I consciously thought this all the time, but I occasionally thought things like, hey, that happened a while ago, it's so it should be you should be fine now. 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:29.120 You know what I mean? 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:30.959 And it's just weird how it's not necessarily like that. 00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:33.040 And everyone handles these things differently. 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:35.840 And it isn't about how strong you are or any of that. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:42.640 But I just I just haven't been able to shake it, you know, uh as quickly as I would like, that that that my dad uh died in this accident. 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:59.519 He he went uh fishing with my brother and some friends and he was out at the coast and he drowned, and it was this really sort of sudden thing where uh you know we get this call late at night, you know, and the calls the calls that happen l late at night are always kind of scary, and this one ended up being just as scary as you thought, you know. 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:04.640 So anyway, it just sort of set our family on this path, you know, and and uh taking care of my mom now. 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:10.240 I live in the same town where she lives, so that wasn't what I was planning on doing with these years of my life, you know. 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:11.680 Um I had other plans. 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:24.319 I got my four kids, I wanted to take care of them and do chase career dreams and those kinds of things, and so it it just kind of, you know, in addition to losing my dad, there was a bunch of selfish little things I don't even want you to know about that that got me a bit upset, you know. 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:27.439 Life as I knew it, life as I wanted it ended. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:36.719 And and I I've told people it's like someone had a plan to ruin my sort of weak, shaky faith in the Lord, and they did everything right. 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:46.000 And then somehow, uh I don't know, it's like that shake weaky faith actually did get ruined, and it was like it was like resurrected as something more. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:49.280 And I just believe in God more than than I did. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:52.400 And that's not to say that that's that's that's how you all should feel. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:54.400 I'm not saying that. 00:02:54.800 --> 00:02:57.520 I hope you do, and I hope I continue to believe in God more. 00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:03.680 But as of as of now, it's like all these efforts were taken to ruin me, and somehow they didn't work. 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:05.680 Um praise the Lord. 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:08.479 So anyway, I want to play a song for you that kind of came out of that stuff. 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:09.599 It's called More Now. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:26.960 I remember when I was young, so carefree and una free. 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:34.000 Every doubt could be overcome with a childlike fate. 00:03:37.599 --> 00:04:03.280 But the day of my trial would come like an earthquake in my belief, and the doubts I could not outrun brought me to my knees, and I thought I was done, and I almost gave up, but you kept me from going down. 00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:08.080 Now I can't streak this truth after all. 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:10.719 I've been through somehow. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:14.639 Oh, I believe in you more now. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:26.399 So I don't need to understand if you pushed me or let me fall. 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:51.120 The illusion of my control is chattered and been replaced with a hunger deep in my soul and a childlike place. 00:04:54.079 --> 00:05:02.399 Oh, cause I thought I was done, and I almost gave up, but you kept me from going down. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.199 Now I can't check this truth after all. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:09.600 I've been through somehow. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:13.519 Oh, I believe in you more now. 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:18.399 Oh, I believe in you. 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:30.480 Oh I believe there are questions and may not get answers, no matter the prayers that we pray. 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:39.839 I believe when it feels like the whole world is breaking, and somehow your hope still remains. 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:48.800 Oh, I believe though we're dying, still you are healing and raising us up from the grave. 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:53.120 No even death cannot steal us away. 00:05:54.319 --> 00:06:08.560 Cause I thought I was done, and I almost gave up, but you kept me from going down, and now I can't shake this truth after all I've been through some. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:22.160 Oh I believe in you, I thought I was done, and I almost gave up, but you kept me from going down now. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:26.800 After all I've been through some. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:30.800 Oh, I believe in you, Mo. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:39.920 Oh, I believe in you, Mo. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:49.839 Thanks. 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:53.920 Um well I noticed there weren't a lot of Christian songs about depression. 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:56.319 And uh Yeah, right. 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:00.319 Um it's not uh safe for the whole family, as they say. 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:04.319 Um that's a little that's a little jab, sorry, I was like a little jab at the Christian station. 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:05.199 I I'm not gonna do that. 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:12.720 Um no, it just it's not something we talk about in church all that much, and not certainly not on on Christian radio radio stations. 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:20.000 And I had gone I was going through some stuff that I had never gone through, you know, and I found out that that was they were calling it depression. 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:27.680 And my whole life people would say this person's depressed, and I'd say, Oh, okay, I guess they're sad, you know, and I'm sorry they're sad, and I'll pray for them to not be sad. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:31.279 And there's sadness associated with with depression. 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:36.240 I and I'm no psychologist, so I won't try to get into all the specifics, but there's something different happening. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:40.959 At least at least at least for me, I just kind of had a lack of feeling, really. 00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:52.079 You know, it wasn't like I felt sad, I just didn't feel anything, and I didn't want anyone talking to me, and I would avoid your phone calls, you know, and and uh I felt pressure all the time to be someone. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:57.680 It was like a weird thing, you know, it was like a cloud or or a heavy, heavy blanket over me. 00:07:58.240 --> 00:07:59.600 And I just didn't know what to do with it. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:17.839 And then I felt shame because I couldn't quit feeling it, you know, and I had this job of I'm a big elder and a part-time pastor at my church, so I had this job I'm supposed to be available to people, and I didn't really want to be available, and and uh I d when they had a problem, I just thought somewhere in my darkness of my heart, I thought, ah, they have a problem. 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:19.920 Now I have to not think about my problem, you know. 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:20.720 That's how I felt. 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:23.360 And so it was just a weird, hardened time. 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:28.560 And and and I and I was too ashamed to even really talk about it, really, you know, all that much. 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:32.320 And when I did talk about it, I felt like people were getting sick of me talking about it, you know. 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:35.360 Just get better, Ross, is what I figured they were all saying. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:38.000 Still, you're still feeling this way? 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:39.279 That's how I felt. 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:56.720 So I just started, I don't know, thinking about that a lot and writing about it, and I was thinking about my music and how I sometimes I'm I feel ashamed of my music for some reason, you know, like I feel ashamed that my songs aren't good enough, or that these over here were really good and I'll never be that good again, or something. 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:15.919 So anyway, I was reading reading reading in the Bible and and uh it's just a fantastic story uh in in Mark where this um Jairus is this guy who is uh who's a religious leader and he goes to Jesus and he basically says, My daughter's uh sick and not doing well, will you come heal her? 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:18.559 And so Jesus rushes with him over to the to their house. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:25.679 But on the way there, this woman who apparently been sick her for her whole life, she sneaks through the crowd and touches Jesus' clothes. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:28.240 And and Jesus notices something's different, you know. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:34.799 Because he's I mean, come on, you know, someone touches clothes and he says things like power left me, you know? 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:38.960 It's like it's like Hogwarts except cooler, you know, and just so cool. 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:46.399 And so anyway, he um he he goes and and he and he realizes the woman's been healed by touching him, you know. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:49.279 She didn't even she didn't even get to talk to him, but she just or she did later. 00:09:49.440 --> 00:10:10.399 I'm saying, like in the moment she touched him and just touching him got I got got some power and she and I saw this uh uh Zacchaeus is this little guy, you know, who was ashamed because of what he'd done with the taxes and all that, and he was cheating people, and so he hides up in his tree and just hopes Jesus will walk by that he can see him, and he's like, you know, and the last thing he wanted probably wasn't Jesus to say, Hey, I'm gonna come over. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:16.000 You know, he didn't he just wanted to be up there hidden in this woman, she just wanted to touch his clothes and then sneak away. 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:18.000 That's how I realize that's how I was feeling. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:26.639 You know, I just want a little bit of interaction with Jesus, but I don't want to look him in the eye, I don't want to get into some big conversation, I just want some healing and let's let's both go about our business. 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:29.039 I felt so much shame. 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:34.399 And uh anyway, some of you have been there or are there, so I want to sing this for you. 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:36.639 This is called Love is is a hammer. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:45.440 There's something in me. 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:51.919 I've been dragging it around behind me. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:11:12.159 Step in a movement, it reminds me that I cannot escape, and I wanna give up giving pretend this till I'm in this freedom. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:21.840 Or keep my head down, don't give you reason to look my way. 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:28.480 Cause I'm too ashamed to meet your eyes to speak your name. 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:42.799 Scared that I'll be held in chains, bound in lies forever, and I long to hear a sound like something metal being shattered. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:47.759 Oh, shame is a chain, love is a hammer. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:12:00.720 Some days I want to find you in a crowd and sneak up a ride behind you. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:10.399 Maybe touch your clothes and steal some power from you and sneak away again. 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:19.679 Some days I'd rather hide out in a tree that you were walking under. 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:26.159 Oh, I'm praying you don't say you're coming over. 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:50.879 You're kicking down my door with violent mercy, and completely taking over, and I swear I hear a sound like something metal being shattered. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:56.000 Oh, shame is a chain, love is a hammer. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:12.399 Oh, please be careful. 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:25.919 The man beneath these chains is frail and fragile, and I've worn them for so long that they feel natural. 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:49.840 The truth is I'm afraid, but if anyone can understand, it's you it's on your feet and hands the proof of what you did and how you suffer when the nails went in, the sound of sin forever being shattered. 00:13:50.080 --> 00:14:01.360 Oh shame, here's a chain, love is a hammer, oh shame, is a chain, love is a hammer. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:24.159 Thanks. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:28.639 Uh I'm trying to do something a little different at every one of the service services and then I'll play you guys something. 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:30.960 I didn't play for either of the uh other ones. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:37.200 Um you know, if you read a lot of news, man, it's hard to be hopeful. 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:46.799 And I won't get into all that, but I mean, if I'm honest, I there's not a lot about politics that gets me happy or or hopeful. 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:59.440 And that isn't to say that some of that can't, you know, some some of our solutions can't can't come there, but man, it's hard to get hopeful looking at all that's happening with all the just, you know, all the clamoring for power that's that's going on, you know. 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:12.320 And and um anyway, I I um was thinking about how just hope it's hard to find it in looking around, you know, and hearing people talk and all that, and social media is a terrible place to to try to find hope. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:16.399 Um probably the terrible place to find anything, to be honest. 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:20.480 Um except maybe videos about animals doing funny stuff or something. 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:29.120 Um But I I just I I wanted to write something that that said, hope will survive, hope's going to last, it's gonna outlast all this stuff, you know? 00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:34.399 And then I then I started thinking, yes, and there'll be a time when there's no more hope. 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:38.960 See, in the end, see see hope is is when you're wanting something that hasn't come yet. 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:43.039 There'll be a time in the end when all that we've wanted is has come. 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:54.559 So hope will actually die at some point on this glorious day when all the things that we have desired and longed for are uh are alive and real, you know. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:56.159 So this song's about all that. 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:57.919 It's called Hope Dies Last. 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:11.600 I have heard some people say Hope has died, we have lost our way. 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:16.960 And I admit things look bad. 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:22.080 We're all broken, can't do nothing about that. 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:28.960 But I've seen some in a dance that goes against our common sense. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:32.240 I know that hope is still alive and well. 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:38.720 I've seen rainbows that come at the end of the storm and the numbers lay down their weapons. 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:46.879 Whoa! So I know that's more than some fight in the forever home. 00:16:47.200 --> 00:17:00.639 Richman I'm giving up all the So I know All these broken things come past last. 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:13.359 So I refuse to believe this is all I'm ever gonna be. 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:24.000 And I deny the lie that's in my mind, whisperin', claiming I've already seen the best days of my life. 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:40.400 I hear those points that's running through my head that telling me there's nothing left, no reason for my ho I've seen rainbows that come at the end of the storm and the numbers lay down their weapons. 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:47.759 Whoa! So I'm known as one in the for. 00:17:48.799 --> 00:18:26.160 Richman Summon All these broken things come past Yeah And in the end when we get home, there will be no need for hope, cause every longing will be satisfied in you, and every sad and broken thing will come untrue. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:35.039 Yeah, I have seen the proof in rainbows that come at the end of the storm when enemies lay down their weapons and whoa. 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:14.079 All these broken things shall pass. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:45.519 Oh does last Yeah Oh does last Thanks Um So I um I mean I love the Bible and I'm not a scholar or any of that, but I love reading it and and rediscovering things that I've been seeing, you know, off and on for a lot a lot of my life. 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:52.559 I was raised in the church, so a lot of times the Bible stories are so familiar that I kind of forget to care or kind of forget to look and see what's there. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:20:00.400 And I don't know, a couple years ago I was just looking at some different stories over the course of some time and realized, man, we just kept messing up. 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:03.039 We just keep messing up and God still comes after us. 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:05.839 We just keep blowing it so bad and he still comes after us. 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:17.279 And that that's not to like heap shame on us at all, but just to say, man, what a great news that as we continue to like sort this out and try to get better at it, God's still just patient and he's for us, and what a what a miracle. 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:32.799 So I just wanted to write a write a song uh as if I was kind of the soul of man, you know, f from the beginning, and just sort of going through all the ways that we've blown it, or a lot of the ways, and saying thanks, Lord, thank you, that even though I'm just terrible at this, you still you're still for me. 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:34.240 So this is called what kind of person? 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:43.680 I gave my heart away for a single bite of fruit. 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:48.400 I was only trying to prove I knew better. 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:55.759 Then there was the day that I saw Uriah's wife. 00:20:56.000 --> 00:21:01.119 I had to take Uriah's life so I could get her. 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:09.680 This is the story of the one you loved enough to rescue. 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:24.400 So I have to ask you what kind of person would die and rise again to save the kind of person that I have always been. 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:40.799 You told me I would live if I gave it all away, but it was more than I could take, cause I loved money. 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:47.599 So I took thirty silver coins and gave you a kiss upon your cheek. 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:53.200 Cause you weren't who I thought you'd be, and I was angry. 00:21:55.200 --> 00:22:16.799 This is the sordid tale of how I tried and Fail to follow, and I still don't know what kind of person would die and rise again to save the kind of person that I have always been. 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:24.400 It's crazy, it's scandalous, and maybe I will never understand it. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:28.400 I'll just open up my hands and let it in. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:37.279 You freed me, though we both know I'm guilty, like for rabbit's on its technicality. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:23:16.720 You took the blame that should have been on me, and what kind of person would die and rise again to be my friend to be my friend, oh what kind of person would die and rise again to see the kind of person that I have always been, only God in person could be that kind of man. 00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:49.839 We we've been fairly serious, and I just want to give you a little give you a little break. 00:23:50.000 --> 00:24:05.920 And also just sort of uh remind you that I'm not a super serious, uh depressing guy, and also remind you that uh imagination and belief, uh outlandish kind of b belief is is a part of who who we are, and we lose that, right? 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:27.599 So I want to play you uh a song I wrote for my kids, um just about imagination and about believing stuff that's uh that's nuts and just it's just sort of a b uh a fantasy, you know, but it but it um but but I wrote this particular song just wanting to to remind my kids to always believe, you know, and always just sort of uh be silly, you know, and to have an imagination and and uh and to laugh. 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:42.079 Um the the the longer story, uh brief brief is that um briefly is that uh my kids I have four kids and they're all fairly young and they they um you know kids' music uh is really uh mostly really terrible. 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:50.640 I don't know if you if you listen to kids' music, but it's it's uh it's and the thing about kids is you know they they are for something um and they're for it like all the way. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.200 You know? 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:54.480 So like if they if they love a song, they love it to death. 00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:55.839 You know, sort of. 00:24:56.240 --> 00:25:02.400 Uh you know, I was laughing, you know, just the they they'll they'll watch a movie for the first time and they'll be like, Can we watch it again? 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:03.920 Right then, you know, the next day. 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:06.000 And I'm thinking, I if I watch the movie, I'm like, that's really good. 00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:08.240 We'll see that in a year, or never, you know. 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:10.799 I mean that right, but they just watch it again, you know. 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:18.319 So so so if you if your kids find music that they love that you hate, you will have to hate it a lot for a long time. 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:38.480 So my kids were listening to a lot of music uh a couple years ago, a few years ago, and I just was like, oh, this is terrible, you know, and and because I'm so like overconfident, which is you know an issue I have occasionally, I was like, Oh, I can write better songs than that, you know, which is terrible, terribly arrogant of me, but but I mean I did write some pretty good songs. 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:39.519 Anyway, no. 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:41.359 See, this is the problem. 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:45.759 You you you you you you're you're already in here in the room and it's almost done, but this is the kind of person I am. 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:56.640 Uh I'm I'm so I I wrote these songs, you know, um and one of them was this one, and it's just a song about you know uh believing and being silly. 00:25:56.880 --> 00:26:00.640 It's called it's called Lion, Monkey, Bacon Donkey. 00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:09.039 They'll just think they messed up. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:10.960 So here here we go. 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:17.680 Oh how I wish I had a lion that was nice enough to ride on. 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:21.759 He'd only roar at people who were mean to me. 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:29.279 And if I had a lion that was nice enough to ride on, no one would be mean to me. 00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:33.119 If I had a lion someone just walked in. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.079 How you doing? 00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:36.400 Hey, this is a song about kids. 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:38.720 Sorry, so just everyone say hi to her. 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:39.440 Mm-mm. 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:41.279 Neil does that right? 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:42.319 He does that kind of stuff. 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:50.880 If I had a lion, I'd ride on, I would ride him all the time to make sure he got lots of exercise. 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:58.319 If I had a lion, I could ride on, I would ride him every Thursday to the grocery store. 00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:15.519 And there I'd buy five pounds of bacon, feed it to the lion, cause everyone likes bacon, and besides, I've heard lions aren't that picky, so he'd probably eat whatever food I gave him. 00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:26.000 Lion won't you be my friend. 00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:34.400 I wish I had a lion, I could ride on. 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:41.839 Oh how I wish I had a monkey that knew how to ride a donkey. 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:46.559 I teach them both karate, cause you never know. 00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:54.160 If my monkey and my donkey both had black belts in karate, no one would be mean to me. 00:27:55.759 --> 00:28:03.759 If I had a monkey that knew how to ride a donkey, I'd warn him not to round the house, kick my lion friend. 00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:11.279 If I had a monkey on a donkey, they'd go with me and my lion to the grocery store. 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:44.319 And there I'd buy twenty-two bananas, and the monkey would eat fifteen, and the donkey would eat seven, and the lion he would not get any, but don't worry, cause he'd still be pulled all that way, and we had earlier And sing mommy, monkey want to be my friend. 00:28:49.759 --> 00:29:01.119 I wish I had a monkey on the monkey lion want to be my friend. 00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:09.759 I wish I had a lion I could ride on. 00:29:10.480 --> 00:29:15.680 I wish I had a monkey on a donkey, that new karate. 00:29:16.880 --> 00:29:20.400 Then no one would be mean to me. 00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:30.880 If you're just joining us, this is the Captain Cuckoo show. 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:35.440 We're taping uh children's no longer doing no longer no longer doing church here. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:42.160 Okay, well I'll do a couple more and then and then I'll um I will be done. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:45.359 Uh really appreciate you guys lett letting me um join you. 00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:48.400 See, here's here's here's the thing. 00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:59.839 Um I I'm not a Jesus follower because I'm good at it or because um it always makes sense to me. 00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:05.839 I feel like Peter who uh when Jesus you know said these hard hard, hard things. 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:18.079 He he fed all these people with a sacchilage, and it had to be like the shining moment where the disciples had to think finally everyone is seeing that we're not crazy to follow this guy, right? 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:20.079 That's what had to be happening in that moment. 00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:24.000 And then he starts talking about cannibalism. 00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:25.839 That's what they hear with the people. 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:29.200 He says, You people are coming and getting food that's gonna spoil. 00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:31.920 You uh you should eat my flesh and drink my blood. 00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:37.359 That's what he said next after he'd gotten them all in there, right? 00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:43.759 No one wants to talk about this to you, but that was a terrible move for evangelism. 00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:55.440 I don't mean that insulting, I'm saying to you on our modern scale, of let's make sure everyone gets in here comfortably and has a comfortable seat for their rear and make sure they don't leave. 00:30:55.680 --> 00:31:10.799 You know, there's a really popular multi-site church where where uh and I'm not picking on these people, I don't know them, okay, but there's a there's they they where that where the the main guy who's like a bodybuilder, uh, you know, he's all over everyone's TVs, okay? 00:31:10.880 --> 00:31:16.079 He's all over they put them all over the country, and on their wall says something like, Don't give anyone a reason to ever leave. 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:16.960 Okay? 00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:18.799 And I don't I think that's a good thing. 00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:23.039 But Jesus said to a guy, Oh, you've done a bunch of good stuff? 00:31:23.279 --> 00:31:26.079 Well, have you sold all you have and given money to the poor? 00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:27.519 All right. 00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:33.680 And he said to an uh another person, let the dead uh bury the dead. 00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:34.480 I don't think he was mean. 00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:37.279 I just think something else was going on higher than what we understand. 00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:46.480 And we're so concerned that we're gonna hurt someone or we should love people like crazy and not try to offend them or or be odd for God or any of those things. 00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:47.039 Alright? 00:31:47.680 --> 00:31:52.559 But we're but I don't follow Jesus because I'm good at it or because it makes sense all the time. 00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:58.240 I've got to follow it because after those folks left, when he said the thing about cannibalism, a bunch of people left. 00:31:58.640 --> 00:31:59.839 Thanks for the lunch. 00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:04.160 And he turned to his disciples and said, You guys going too? 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:09.279 And Peter, oh, my hero, says, Where else am I gonna go? 00:32:11.599 --> 00:32:12.799 Don't you ever feel like that? 00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:15.200 I mean, isn't that you know? 00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:16.160 Isn't that beautiful? 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:17.599 Where else am I gonna go, Lord? 00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:21.359 And he said something really cool after that, something some good doctrine. 00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:23.599 He said, You have the words of life. 00:32:24.079 --> 00:32:24.400 You know? 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:33.680 And man, I come to you today hoping that we can share in the words of life, and not that we're all great at this, but we can say, Lord, where else am I gonna go? 00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:34.880 Right? 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:38.240 I'll play a couple more and then I'm gonna be done. 00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:47.839 Y y years ago I was um realizing that I was kind of becoming a person who was kind of preaching cannibalism probably a little bit too much and kind of liking it, right? 00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:50.240 I kind of liked being in that finger-poking guy. 00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:54.079 And I had lost some of the just the simple, where else am I gonna go, Lord? 00:32:54.720 --> 00:33:02.319 Um and so I I just said, Lord, I want to write something like I used to write, you know, just because I love you and just because you're great. 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:06.720 Not because, you know, I want to be clever or impress people with my big words. 00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:14.720 So I wrote this, and this is just something about um how great God is, and he's how how how wonderful it is to follow him and live for him and die for him. 00:33:14.880 --> 00:33:44.720 It's called You Can You Can speak the private language of my soul, you can hear the whispers of my heart, you can navigate the deepest, darkest holes of my inner part. 00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:59.839 You can take the selfish things we pray to you, and somehow let your tender heart be stirred. 00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:09.679 You can hear the things our songs would say to you if we could find the words. 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:23.519 You are the finest thing that I could live for, and I pray you are the thing for which I die. 00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:32.559 You're hard to know, but so easy to approach, and after all, what else is it ali? 00:34:35.280 --> 00:35:18.239 Cause you can ride the clouds or ride a donkey's cold, and you can walk on waves or walk on sod, balancing the great irreconcilable, fully man and fully God, and you can squeeze a rich man through a needle's eye, but squeezing is a painful thing for sure, and we rich folks don't like pain, so maybe that is why you say, Blessed are the poor. 00:35:23.599 --> 00:35:33.199 You are the finest thing that I could live for, and I pray you are the thing for which I die. 00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:40.079 You're hard to know, it's so easy to approach, and after all. 00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:43.039 What else is there to lie? 00:35:58.079 --> 00:36:07.599 You are the finest thing that I can live for, and I pray you are the thing for which I die. 00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:18.559 You're hard to know, it's so easy to approach, and after all, what else is it alive? 00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:42.079 Cause you can spin the earth and hold the sun in place, and you nudge every autumn leaf to fall, and you can swim in every tear on every face, cause you create it all. 00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:47.679 Oh, you create it all. 00:37:05.119 --> 00:37:08.320 Sing together and just kinda in our time we we stand with me. 00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:27.440 There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins and sinners plunge be need, yes, amen. 00:37:28.079 --> 00:38:23.280 Lose all their guilty stinks, lose all their guilty stinks, lose all their guilty states, and sinners plunge beneath that food, lose all their guilty state The dying thief rejoice to see that fountain in yes, I'm just as vile as him, and there may I though vile as he was all my sins away, yes, thank you, Lord. 00:38:23.599 --> 00:39:23.760 Wash all my sins of away wash all my sins away and may I over my sins away ever since by faith I saw this dream that I flowing redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die, and shall be till I die, and shall be till I die. 00:39:25.679 --> 00:39:43.840 Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be I just encourage you to take a moment, just kind of think about what you walk away with. 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:49.519 A lot of times Marcy and I oh will go to a restaurant. 00:39:49.679 --> 00:40:01.840 Sometimes it's a nice restaurant, sometimes it's just ordinary, and sometimes something's so good, I'm hungry enough to eat the whole thing, but I make a deliberate choice not to eat it all so I can enjoy it later. 00:40:02.239 --> 00:40:05.679 And uh that doesn't make sense as a man because we're like, oh, I'm supposed to eat a lot. 00:40:05.760 --> 00:40:07.280 Uh I eat plenty. 00:40:07.360 --> 00:40:12.400 Uh but sometimes some things are so good that I just want to savor it a couple days later. 00:40:12.480 --> 00:40:23.440 So I get a to-go box and I put it in there and I take it home, and I'll be reading or studying or get just get done with the counseling session, and I think, I have some of that Perry's pork chop in my refrigerator at home. 00:40:24.719 --> 00:40:29.599 So I want you to just take a moment and just ask yourself, what do you put in the little take to-go box and take with you? 00:40:29.760 --> 00:40:33.440 And you say, I want to think about that on Tuesday. 00:40:33.920 --> 00:40:37.360 Because not a lot of people in Christian music write songs about depression. 00:40:40.239 --> 00:40:52.800 And Ross's Ross's craft, and that's the word, his craft that he works hard at songwriting, is very provocative and it invites you to think about things, and but it also reminds you, hey, you're not crazy. 00:40:54.000 --> 00:40:55.599 You're not you're not crazy. 00:40:55.920 --> 00:41:00.239 Uh so just what do you walk away with this morning? 00:41:01.119 --> 00:41:03.119 You may be thinking, well, there wasn't a sermon. 00:41:03.280 --> 00:41:04.159 Yeah, there was. 00:41:04.880 --> 00:41:07.440 There was about 17 little sermons. 00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:11.599 And some of them were set to music, and some of them happened between the songs. 00:41:12.800 --> 00:41:16.880 It's more than anything Jesus said and repeated, he said and repeated this phrase. 00:41:17.039 --> 00:41:19.679 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:23.039 And one of the things I love about Ross is he has a really unique ear. 00:41:23.119 --> 00:41:25.039 He hears things in a funny way. 00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:28.079 Like lion, monkey, bacon, donkey. 00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:35.519 But those kind of people invite us to hear and see God in a different way. 00:41:36.400 --> 00:41:38.320 So just what do you walk away with? 00:41:50.480 --> 00:41:51.920 Let me say a prayer of thanks. 00:41:52.079 --> 00:42:00.320 God, thank you that you made Ross and you wired him up uniquely to look at the world through his gifts and his personality and through his circumstance. 00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:17.280 Whether that's meeting Stacey, whether that's losing his dad, whether that's doing what they're fixing to do as a family, uh, that you've just wired him up to do these things and say these things and write things and hear things in a way that the rest of us are listening for.