WEBVTT 00:00:01.439 --> 00:00:08.960 This podcast is a ministry of Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:13.839 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:16.559 Let's pray together. 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:20.480 Father, we confess today that we are the loved by God, people of God. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:29.120 We also confess that the gospel is going to cause us to think thoughts that are so big and better and beyond us that we can rest ourselves in them. 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:36.000 That's why when we sing that great old hymn, This is my father's world, in the next line we say, I rest me in the thought. 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:38.399 That thought is bigger and better and beyond. 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:40.960 And it's like a little kid crawling up in a bunk bed. 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:48.240 We just crawl up in there and we go to sleep in that reality, knowing that somebody else is in charge of and responsible for the world. 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:50.399 I am not the general manager of the universe. 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:52.159 This all doesn't depend on me. 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:54.000 And so I can stop acting like that. 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:55.359 Well, that's our confession. 00:00:55.439 --> 00:01:11.040 We begin with that, and that's a great place to be because the gospel this morning, when we open the Bible, the good news of Christianity is gonna uh put up in our heads and in our hearts some truths and some realities that are so big that we can just get up in them and rest in them. 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:13.680 So that's what I want for these people that I love, God. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:25.280 And just say something to them today that is so big and better and beyond them that they can just get up in it and rest in it and be sustained by something they had nothing to do with, and yet we get to experience. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:28.799 Lord, we pray this for your glory and yet for our pleasure. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:32.000 And we pray it in Jesus' name, and everyone said, Amen. 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:35.519 If you've got a Bible, I invite you to take it and open it up to John chapter 6. 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:39.920 John chapter 6, we're going through the Gospel of John, and today we're at John chapter 6. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:45.359 I'm gonna read the first 15 verses, and I'll talk to you about this topic, the sufficiency of not much. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:47.439 The sufficiency of not much. 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:48.560 And what do you mean by that? 00:01:48.719 --> 00:02:10.719 What I mean by that is that you're gonna find yourself in circumstances and situations in life where you do not feel like you have what you need, and you're gonna feel overwhelmed, and you're gonna be tempted to come up with a plan that's not God's plan, or tempted to do something, or what's worse, is you're gonna be tempted to think about God in ways that you shouldn't think about God because they're not right, helpful, or true. 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:11.120 Okay? 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:17.759 Now let me pause right here because one of you smart electric, one of my smart golfing buddies said to me when he walked, I walked by and he saw my shirt. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:20.400 He said, Oh, Jimmy Buffett's preaching today. 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:25.039 Let me give you, yes, I hear you, I feel your disrespect, losers. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:28.400 Uh let me give you a minute to let your eyes adjust to my wardrobe. 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:30.879 Uh The Grateful Dead had a garage sale, okay? 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:32.319 Uh, and I couldn't resist. 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:33.680 Relax, okay? 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:40.319 Uh and so I I just want you to know that you're gonna get in circumstances and situations where you're just gonna feel overwhelmed. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:41.599 That's what happens here. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:42.400 But look at me. 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:43.280 You know this, right? 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:45.039 God is never overwhelmed. 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:47.599 God is never like, hey, what am I gonna do here? 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:49.520 Uh-uh, whoa, this caught me off guard. 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:51.360 No, not at all. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:55.759 Now, just by way of introduction, let me just tell you a couple things about this story we're gonna read. 00:02:55.919 --> 00:02:58.240 It's referred to as the feeding of the 5,000. 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:01.280 Uh, but actually, that's an incorrect statement, and we'll say why. 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:02.159 Here's a couple of things. 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:07.039 I want you to put these on like a pair of sunglasses and let them kind of tint the way you look at the text. 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:11.520 The first thing by way of introduction I want to say to you is this is the most experienced miracle of Jesus. 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:13.919 This is the most experienced miracle of Jesus. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:15.599 Now, he said, What do you mean? 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:17.360 Uh the Bible says there's 5,000. 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:18.479 That was just the men. 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:25.280 There was also women and children there because this was not like some kind of moose lodge or elk lodge where just men got to be a part of it. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:31.280 Women and children, matter of fact, no one did more uh to bestow dignity upon women than Jesus Christ. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:36.000 He changed the way men treated women by the way he treated women. 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:43.199 And so, best we could tell, it wasn't just 5,000, it could have been as high as 15 to 20,000 people experienced this miracle. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:50.639 Uh, the second thing I want to say to you by way of introduction, this is the only miracle it's mentioned in all four gospels besides the resurrection. 00:03:50.879 --> 00:04:05.280 And so the Bible's telling us something there when all four gospels, the four gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, first four books of the New Testament, all of those guys, when they when they sit down to record under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, hey, this is this is how it all shook out. 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:08.479 All four of them included this feeding of the 5,000. 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:10.879 Last thing I want to tell you, there's three kinds of miracles. 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:14.639 There's creative, there's transformative, and then there's restorative. 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:16.399 This is what's called a creative miracle. 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:17.279 What's the difference? 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:20.560 Uh a creative miracle, God creates out of nothing. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:21.680 Ex ni hilo. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:24.319 He takes something that's not there and makes something. 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:27.360 Transformative, he takes what's there and he makes it better. 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:30.800 Restorative, he takes what's missing and gives it back. 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:35.199 Now, by the way, God has the capacity to do that in all of your lives today. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:36.240 You know that, right? 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:40.000 Let me back up and try that again. 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:42.000 Spring break is over. 00:04:42.879 --> 00:04:47.199 You're going to work tomorrow, and better yet, your kids are going back to school. 00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:49.519 Can I get two claps in a Ric Flair? 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:52.000 Woo! No? 00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:54.560 Y'all watch Wrestling growing up? 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:57.120 Yes, I was white trash in the trailer. 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:59.279 Ric Flair was my hero growing up. 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:00.879 Love me some Ric Flair. 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:02.160 Anyway, I'll go back to the Bible. 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:04.240 Y'all are like, we're a little slow here. 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:05.360 Back it down, okay? 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:08.319 When you read the Bible, here's what because there's all kinds of people in this room. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:11.519 There's people in this room that are Christian, there's people that are not Christian. 00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:13.199 There's people like, I'd be open to this. 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:15.120 There's some of you that are like, I don't believe this. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:17.279 I'm just here because someone made me come. 00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:18.000 Relax. 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:23.199 If you ever get in a point where you read the Bible, ask yourself this one question: what do I see in the Bible? 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:27.600 Don't listen to the internet, don't listen to talk radio and then bring that to the Bible. 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:29.600 Let the Bible speak for itself. 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:34.560 Because when I read these first 15 verses, I asked myself, hey, what do I see in the text? 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:36.480 And that's what I want to talk to you about this morning. 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:37.600 Let's read together. 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:39.759 John chapter 6, verse 1. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:48.800 After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias, and a large crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:51.839 Jesus went up to the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:54.800 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:06:02.639 Lifting up his eyes then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat? 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:06.079 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:11.360 Philip answered him, Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little. 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:18.399 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:20.720 But I mean, what are they for so many? 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:23.360 Jesus said, Have the people sit down. 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:27.680 There was much grass in the place, so the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:31.759 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:34.560 So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:36.160 And they had eaten their fill. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:40.079 He told his disciples, Gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:46.319 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:51.759 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, This is indeed the prophet who is coming to the world. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:57.680 Perceiving then that they were about to take him, they were about to come and take him by force to make him king. 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:01.199 Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:02.879 What do we see in the text? 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:09.920 See, the way your eyes, the way the way your mind is oriented towards the truth, determines how you see the world. 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:14.000 And so you need to let the Bible kind of inform the way you see the world. 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:15.439 Four things we see in the text. 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:17.360 Number one, I see motivation. 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:18.560 I see motivation. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:20.720 Starting in verse two, there's two kinds of motivation. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:23.120 There's curiosity and there's religious tradition. 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:25.439 There's curiosity and there's religious tradition. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.720 By the way, those same two motivations are in this room right now. 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:29.680 Do you realize that? 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:30.800 Some of you are curious. 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:34.079 Some of you are kind of like, hey, I've heard about this God and Jesus thing. 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:35.920 Or some of you are like, hey, I've heard about this church. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:38.240 I want to experience this church, see what it's about. 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:39.839 Curiosity is a great thing. 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:42.399 Unless you're a cat, but it's a great thing, okay? 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:44.560 The second thing is religious tradition. 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:45.680 You say, what do you mean? 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:46.800 Here's where curiosity is. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:47.680 Look at verse 2. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:52.560 And a large crowd was following him because they had seen the signs that he was doing on the sick. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:53.519 Now you hear that? 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:55.360 A large crowd was following Jesus. 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:58.639 Not because they believed in Jesus, they probably were not even Christians. 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:02.800 They didn't put their faith in Christ like our friend Bentley did this morning. 00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:06.079 She came to testify this morning that she's already done that. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:08.560 They came, the large crowd was following him. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:13.040 Here's the motivation, because they had seen the signs that he did on the sick. 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:17.839 They saw, hey, Jesus has power, and I want to kind of be around this. 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:21.839 I want to be in the realm in which this kind of stuff is kind of happening. 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:26.319 It's kind of like I mean, it's like a just throbbing mass of humanity. 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:34.320 And the longer Jesus does ministry, and the longer Jesus does what only Jesus can do, the crowds got bigger and bigger and bigger. 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:42.399 So much so that in Mark's gospel in chapter 5, it it's like a concert, like the Who concert in Cincinnati in 1979. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:47.759 Someone yelled, the doors are open, and the crowd pushed forward and it compressed people so hard. 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:51.039 It picked them up off their feet and moved them 40 feet. 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:53.519 People died because the doors weren't open. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:58.799 People were around Jesus and they were just packed all around him. 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:01.679 So much so that the disciples were like, hey, Jesus stopped the whole thing. 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:03.440 He said, Hey, somebody touched me. 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:05.279 And the disciples were like, Everyone's touching you, dude. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:06.000 What is a big deal? 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:09.759 And he goes, No, somebody touched me because I felt power come out from me. 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:10.960 Now, why do I tell you that? 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:14.480 You're like, you're in Mark, you're in John, drink decaf, okay? 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:15.600 Look at me. 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:21.919 The people, the crowd came because they saw in Jesus something they saw in nobody else. 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:27.600 And if you would just put yourself under the teaching of the Bible, you would have the same experience. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:31.519 You wouldn't see Jesus as some moral example or teacher or prophet. 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:35.600 You would come to realize that Jesus is the Son of God and He is God. 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:37.279 Now they're curious. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:39.440 The second thing is a religious tradition. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:40.480 You say, What do you mean? 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:41.519 Keep reading verse 3. 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:44.399 Jesus went up on the mountain and there he sat down with his disciples. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:47.440 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews was at hand. 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:50.799 The Bible just kind of gives that little, it sounds like a throwaway sentence. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:53.759 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:59.919 The Passover was a major Jewish holiday which commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:04.320 It's a celebration of freedom which lasts seven or eight days, and it takes place in the spring. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:05.840 Now, why are you telling us this? 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:08.480 Because what John is doing is he's kind of grounding this. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:09.919 This actually happened. 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:11.600 The Bible's not allegorical. 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:14.159 It's not a book that people sit down and wrote a bunch of stuff. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:18.720 Because down there in verse 10, when Jesus tells them to sit down, here's another little simple phrase. 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:21.120 But John's not just saying, hey, this happened. 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:25.200 He's saying he's grounding this in a specific time, a season of the year. 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:32.000 He's saying, because the Passover took place in the spring, when John says in verse 10, hey, sit down, they said there was much grass in that place. 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:33.840 Kind of like your kids' high school. 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:35.759 There's much grass in that place. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:37.679 No. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:39.440 No. 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:41.360 Oh, your kids go to private school. 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:43.360 There's better grass in that place. 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:45.840 Those kids got more money. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:46.240 No. 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:46.879 So there's much. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:48.080 So look at me. 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:52.399 Everything in the Bible happens in real time, in a real place. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:53.759 It's not a fairy tale. 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:55.919 It's not something people just kind of thought this up. 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:57.679 And so there's motivation going on. 00:10:57.840 --> 00:10:58.720 Some people are curious. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:00.240 Some people have religious tradition. 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:01.600 Some of you here are curious. 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:03.679 Some of you, this is what you do on Sundays. 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:08.080 If you're not, be careful that this sudden just kind of erode into socialization. 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:09.120 Hey, it's what I do. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:15.440 I see my friends, I drink coffee, I hear a sermon, I leave, I go eat, I go home, I take a nap, blah, blah, blah. 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:16.000 Be careful. 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:17.919 Don't let it get on autopilot for you. 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:19.360 First thing we see is motivation. 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:21.440 Second thing we see is testing. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:22.240 It's testing. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:23.039 Look at verse 5. 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:26.799 Lifting up his eyes then and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him. 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:29.279 Jesus said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread? 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:31.120 So look, these people may eat. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:36.000 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:37.919 Mark that in your Bibles, beloved. 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:42.080 He said this to test Philip because Jesus himself knew what he would do. 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:46.000 Let's be careful to not miss the fact that God always knows what he's going to do. 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:47.519 You realize that today, right? 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:52.080 There's not a situation where God kind of goes, oh my what now? 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:53.840 He doesn't post anything on Facebook. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:56.480 Hey, does anybody know how to blah, blah, blah, blah, blah? 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:56.960 No. 00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:57.600 No. 00:11:57.759 --> 00:11:58.960 There's not a situation. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:00.879 Now, I'm not just talking in the Bible. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:01.840 Look at me. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:07.440 In your life and my life, there's not a situation that you get in that God does not know what he's going to do. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:08.960 Now, why am I harping on that? 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:09.600 Here's why. 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:22.080 Because if you're not careful, if you don't believe that, you don't get that in head and heart and how you think and how you feel, you'll get it flipped and twisted and you'll start making God, you'll start testing God and insisting that God prove himself to you. 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:26.000 And the Bible puts a big, big no-no on that. 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:27.200 You say, What do you mean? 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:28.080 Remember this. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:32.320 It is never your prerogative, my prerogative to test God. 00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:34.879 Let me give you just a little history on testing. 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:37.200 And the New Testament was originally written in Greek. 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:42.799 And the Greek word, when it says there, verse 5, it says, He said this to test him, talking about Jesus testing Philip. 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:50.399 It's a Greek word pyrazo, and it means for the purpose of ascertaining his quality of what he thinks and how he will behave himself. 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:51.679 Hear that again. 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:57.360 It's for the purpose of ascertaining his quality of what he thinks and how he will behave himself. 00:12:57.519 --> 00:12:59.039 Let me look at me. 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:01.519 Good parents test their kids. 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:03.200 You test your kids. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:04.960 You see it on TV every once in a while. 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:07.360 They'll have a hidden camera at a playground. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:09.200 This is the one I can't stand when they do it. 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:12.720 They'll have like a playground, and the parents go, Oh, we've talked to our kids about safety. 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:16.879 And some guy will walk up with a dog leash and say to a little kid, Hey, have you seen my puppy? 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:18.399 My puppy's name is Rudy. 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:19.440 I can't find Rudy. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:20.559 Can you help me look for Rudy? 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:24.480 And the mom's behind the hit in the van with the hidden camera, going, No, no, no. 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.480 And the kid goes, sure, let's go find Rudy and walks off with a total stranger. 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:30.159 Epic fail. 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:34.080 Now we see that and we're kind of like, yes, I understand you test your kid. 00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:35.440 God's the same way. 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:44.960 He tests, not to disqualify you, but it's like the word says, hey, to know, hey, what to ascertain how you're going to behave yourself. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:47.440 By the way, he's been doing this all along. 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:53.679 Don't turn there, but way back in Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 2, Deuteronomy is way back in the start of the Old Testament. 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:55.440 This is long before John. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:57.519 Jesus hasn't even come on the scene yet. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:01.919 And this is the way God describes the way he relates to his people, Deuteronomy 8.2. 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:13.360 He says, And you shall remember the whole way the Lord your God has led you these 40 years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commands or not. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:15.360 Now, however, here's the deal. 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:19.679 As long as God's been testing his people, he's been warning us against testing him. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:21.039 Let me say that again. 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:26.080 For as long as God has been testing his people, he's been warning us against testing him. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:28.720 This is Deuteronomy chapter 6, verse 16. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:32.879 You shall not put the Lord your God to the test as you tested him at Massa. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:37.840 Now, that word for test used there is the Hebrew word, Old Testament written in Hebrew. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:43.759 It's the Hebrew word nasa, and it means to attempt adventure, to prove or try. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:45.840 Now, there's a reason I'm telling you this. 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:49.519 If you're visiting today, you're like nerd alert, nerd alert, I don't get that. 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:50.159 Stay with me. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:52.320 I'll bring it down and put it right in your lap, okay? 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:58.000 When the Bible says nasa, it's this word, and it means to attempt adventure or prove it to try. 00:14:58.080 --> 00:14:58.720 Look at me. 00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:06.240 There's going to be times the longer you're a Christian, the more tempted you're going to be to get bored with how simple and clear the Bible is. 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:11.679 And you start getting this sense of, and you don't use these words, but but it's exact words that are used here. 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:13.440 You you begin to attempt adventure. 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:14.879 You begin to prove or try. 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:16.720 You begin to relate to God, like, you know what? 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:17.279 Just go in. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:18.159 It sounds like this. 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:20.799 Hey, this church thing's not working for me anymore, you know. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:23.759 Uh I'm gonna have church and just stay home and watch TV. 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:25.039 I've heard this. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:29.039 The church has, you know, the church has podcasts and they have videos online. 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:30.240 What's the difference in that? 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:32.240 And me just watching my favorite TV preacher. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:36.159 And I say all the time, hey, great, stay home, watch your favorite TV preacher. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:37.039 That's wonderful. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:42.559 It's not what the Bible says you were called and created for, but if you think that works, knock yourself out. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:44.720 Because this is not an individual thing. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:48.720 And the person's like, months later, when their life falls apart, they don't call the TV preacher. 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:49.919 Guess who they call? 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:53.279 And I say, What, was Joel Osteen busy today? 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:57.440 And they say back to me, Oh, it's not funny, preacher. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:03.200 No, it's not funny because you want to pimp the church, you want to be lazy your entire selfish, self-centered life. 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:07.919 And when your wife says, I'm leaving you because you're a weasel, then you want to use the church. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:10.720 And I'm the bad guy for that. 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.639 Because I'm like, don't use us. 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:16.240 We're here for you, but this is not the way God created it to be. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:17.440 Here's what I'm saying. 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:25.360 That's one expression of testing, and and and and God's kind of saying, Hey, you you you don't want to do this. 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:28.879 You don't want to attempt some new adventure or try something new. 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:31.120 It happens when you go see the movie The Shack. 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:34.639 And all of a sudden, God's not who the Bible says he is. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:37.200 That God, that God, He hates sin. 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:39.360 That God tells you no. 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:41.759 The God of the Shack tells you yes to everything. 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:48.159 Just a big warm, fuzzy hug, and let's all walk in the snow and catch snowflakes on our tongue. 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:58.399 The God of the Bible says crazy stuff like, hey, forgive your enemies and pray for people that despitefully use you. 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:03.279 And there's something in your head that switch gets flipped, and you're kind of like, you know what? 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:06.319 I want to go just walk with God in the snow. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:10.079 That's what I mean when he says, hey, you don't want to, you don't want to test. 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:14.720 You say, now, uh, what do you mean when he says, hey, uh, don't do this. 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:18.720 He says in Deuteronomy 6, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test. 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:24.319 What God is saying is this we've been at this far too long for you to not know what I'm about. 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:28.000 And when he says at Masah, he's referring to a specific place and time. 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:28.640 Hear this. 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:32.400 I want to bring this this little train of thought all together here, hopefully. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:37.759 Uh, when he says, do not put the Lord to the test as you did at Masah, that's a place, that's a little part of the country. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:41.759 Now the Bible talks about it in Exodus chapter 17, verses 1 to 7. 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:57.039 What had happened was God had brought the Israelites out of bondage uh in Egypt, and he parted the Red Sea and then miraculously went through, and Pharaoh and his army came after him, and he drowned all of them, and God provides manna for them and all this stuff, and they get to Exodus chapter 17. 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:03.920 They're in the wilderness out in the desert and they don't have water and they're thirsty, and they turn on Moses and they start saying, Why'd you bring us out here? 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.200 You're a bad leader. 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:07.200 I'm telling you what, this is horrible. 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:08.400 Well, I can't believe this. 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:13.359 And they grumble, and God goes to Moses and says, I mean, Moses goes to God and says, God, what am I gonna do? 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:16.960 There's about to be an insurrection here, about to have a mutiny on the bounty. 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:20.799 And God says, Hey, that staff, by the way, God's so subtle. 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:24.640 God says, That staff with which you parted the Red Sea, remember that? 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:30.559 But God didn't, he just says, Hey, take that staff with which you parted the sea, and you go over to this rock and you strike this rock. 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:32.240 And God, he didn't tell them what's gonna happen. 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:33.440 He just said, strike the rock. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:36.720 And Moses hit the rock and water gushes out of the rock. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:44.400 Here's why God was so bothered by that, because God looking at them kind of saying, Hey, who do you think you are having seen everything I've done for you? 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:49.279 That you now on this day you act like I forgot how to be God, and you're gonna talk to me this way. 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:56.160 That's why the Bible says, Do not, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him with Massah. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:58.799 Here's what what the Bible is saying. 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:01.599 The problem for the children of Israel wasn't their past. 00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:05.680 They believed God had delivered them and forgave them and all that stuff. 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:06.799 It wasn't their future. 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:10.079 They believed in the promised land, they kept walking for 40 years. 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:15.759 The problem for the children of Israel and the problem for many Christians in America today is the present. 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:16.880 It's today. 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:27.680 It's this mindset that says, you know what, God, I'm 23 and I'm not married to a six foot five chiseled Greek guy with a lot of money, and and so I gotta take matters into my own hands. 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:30.480 It's today. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:32.000 It's today. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:35.279 It's like people that relate to God with this short-term memory. 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:39.599 Every time something went wrong, they related to God like it totally caught him off guard. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:43.839 He didn't know what he's gonna do, but he better get an idea quick, or else I'm just gonna walk away. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:45.440 You better hurry up and do something. 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:47.200 Remind you of anybody? 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:50.079 I'll go first. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:52.240 Here's my confession. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:54.079 I am like Israel. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:55.519 I am like Israel. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:58.880 I remember, oh, God's been so good in the past. 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:08.880 I I got great eschatology, I believe, about the future, but every once in a while, I know none of you are this way, but every once in a while, in the moment, I forget who's in charge of the world. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:14.480 Like a couple weeks ago in staff meeting, I talked to the staff about hey, balance versus passion. 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:18.640 And I said in ministry, there's there's not that many balanced days or weeks or months. 00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:20.000 Sometimes it gets crazy. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:22.640 Don't try to live in balance, live out of your passion. 00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:25.920 And I use this past week as an example because I was looking forward. 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.119 I'm great with the future. 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:49.839 I was looking forward, and I said, hey, uh in a couple weeks, we're gonna go to Florida to see my in-laws, and we'll get back on Tuesday, then Wednesday I'm gonna drive to Waco and see my oldest daughter, spend the day with her, take her out to dinner, and then I'm gonna drive back, and then this is gonna happen on this day, and then Friday I got a wedding rehearsal, and then Saturday I got a funeral here at 11 o'clock, and then Saturday night, I've got that the wedding down in Wharton, this beautiful outdoor venue. 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:51.039 So it's just a crazy week. 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:54.559 And so if I'm thinking balance, I'm gonna keep score and get overwhelmed. 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:56.400 Instead, I'm thinking passion. 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:01.759 I got passion for all of that, and then it because in the future, it sounds great. 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:04.720 But when it gets here, not so great. 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:05.599 And it was great. 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:07.440 Went to see my in-laws, great. 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:09.839 Went to hung out with my 20-year-old daughter, great. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:11.359 I'm now broke, by the way. 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:17.279 Uh uh and Thursday, I was supposed to be on vacation all week, had to come in, take care of some stuff. 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:20.720 Friday, I drive down to the orchard at Caney Creek. 00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:24.960 It's a working pecan uh uh orchard and they have a wedding venue there. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:28.000 It's beautiful, it's scenic, it's wonderful. 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:29.119 They have the rehearsal. 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:29.759 I love this. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:37.920 All the all the groupsmen pull up and they get out, they all got Yeti coolers in the back of their truck, and they all walk in with a koozie with a can in it, and they walk down the aisle with a can in their hand. 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:39.440 And my wife said, What are they doing? 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:41.200 I said, They're just thirsty. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:43.200 It's hot out here. 00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:47.119 In my mind, I'm thinking this is gonna get off the rails and lickety split. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:50.720 And so we're sitting there, great rehearsal, great rehearsal dinner. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:52.000 I said, Hey, we're gonna get out of here. 00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:52.559 We're gonna go. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:55.200 We're driving back on 59 from Wharton back to Sugarland. 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:59.279 By the way, they're working on 59 from here to Mexico, just in case you're wondering. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:21:59.599 I 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.440 I never go south. 00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:02.160 I'm driving back. 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:02.720 I'm like, what? 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:04.079 You're weaving all around. 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:07.039 People follow the cracks in the concrete, not the reflectors. 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:08.960 And I'm like honking, get in your lane. 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:11.440 And my wife's like, babe, babe, don't babe me. 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:12.960 I don't need you to bathe me. 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:14.480 People are goofballs. 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:15.440