WEBVTT 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:06.959 Welcome to the MetaCurch Podcast. 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:08.080 My name's Clayton. 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:10.240 I'm the pastor here at MetaCurch. 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:17.920 And my hope is that today's podcast finds you at the perfect time in your life that God uses it to inspire and enlighten you. 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:20.559 I hope that you enjoy today's message. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:29.199 Well, it is so good to be here with you, wrapping up our MetaVision series today. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:33.200 You guys know last August we started a series called MetaVision. 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:36.240 The tagline was see what the future holds. 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:47.439 We use that vision to lay out how God has inspired us over the next five, 10, and 15 years to do what Jesus called us, his movement, his church, to do. 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:52.880 Now we're back in Metavision, but over the last three weeks, our tagline has been step into the future. 00:00:52.960 --> 00:01:00.479 And last week we asked you to do just that, to take a step towards following Jesus into the adventure that he has for your life. 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:16.799 Specifically, at the end of today's service, once again, we will be calling for a launch team to start our second location in Helotus and for people to step up and backfill volunteer positions here at our Richland Hills venue. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:23.920 Now, if you missed any of this series, you can get caught up really easily online at youtube.com slash metachurch. 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:30.480 We're rooting this series and our vision out of Jesus' last instructions to us before he ascended back to heaven. 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:32.799 We find this in Acts chapter 1, verse 8. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:42.480 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:46.159 Now, biblically, the church is the ecclesia. 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:50.719 That's the Greek word that Jesus used, and it means the called out people. 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:58.400 This is why we always say that you are the church, you are the movement, and the movement was made to move. 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:00.799 Jesus said, You will be my witnesses. 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:12.879 And we learned in week one, a witness spreads the message of Jesus, even at great cost to themselves, even at the cost of their comfort, convenience, security, or resources. 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:16.560 And this is what will have to happen for us to take the first step in our vision. 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:17.759 Here's what we believe. 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:26.400 In the next five years, we will have a meta church venue, just like the one here at Richland Hills, within 20 minutes of every person in San Antonio. 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:31.039 What God has done right here on the west side of town is simply incredible. 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:33.520 So far, we've baptized 68 people here. 00:02:33.599 --> 00:02:40.560 We continue to grow, and that movement of the Holy Spirit through his people, through his church, needs to continue. 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:46.960 We're not just expanding to new locations because we're we're growing and have had to add services here. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:50.800 We're expanding because that's what Jesus has asked us to do. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:56.479 He expected his church to not stand still but to spread to the ends of the earth. 00:02:56.639 --> 00:02:58.879 My message today is net worth. 00:02:59.120 --> 00:02:59.919 Net worth. 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:00.960 Would you pray with me? 00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:02.080 Jesus, we love you. 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:04.000 We thank you for your great love for us. 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:06.000 I thank you for Metachurch. 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:10.879 A place that shouldn't be unique, but is. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:19.439 And it's unique because anyone can come and be loved here and belong here, even if they don't believe what we believe. 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:29.680 This is the movement that you set up: a movement of radical love, of people who are on mission and who are willing to spread your message, even at cost to ourselves. 00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:39.280 I pray we would take that seriously and that you would continue to stir in the hearts of your people exactly the next steps that you are calling them to take, and they would be willing to follow you. 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:39.840 We love you. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:41.680 We pray these things in Jesus' name. 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:43.599 And everyone who's ready say, Amen. 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:44.639 Amen. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:46.800 I hope I'm not alone here. 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:54.639 I need you to not like uh leave me out on front street because I do something and I feel a little weird about doing it, but I know other people do it. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:57.199 I know some other people in this room have done this. 00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:01.840 Do you ever get curious and Google a celebrity's net worth? 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:03.360 Yes, right? 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:11.120 And I know you do this because there are entire websites dedicated to trying to guess how much a celebrity's net worth is. 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:15.599 Now, for whatever reason, I'm not too interested in the huge celebrities. 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:17.759 Like Taylor Swift, don't really care. 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:21.279 LeBron James, it's just a billion, you know, I don't really care. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:26.800 I get interested, and who I end up Googling are really obscure celebrities. 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:33.759 Like I will be cooking and I'll start thinking about Chef Emiral Legossi, and I'll be like, what's that fool's net worth, you know? 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:34.959 So I'll Google it up. 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:38.399 If you're wondering, 70 million, right? 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:40.720 Yeah, so that's pretty obscure. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:55.680 Or I'll be at like a barbecue and I'll be minding my own business, and all of a sudden I'll start thinking about Joey Chestnut, who's become famous for gorging himself by stuffing hot dogs in his face, and I'll be like, what is this disgusting man's net worth, you know? 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:58.879 Four million dollars. 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:00.480 I know. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:06.079 Some of you are like, I went into IT, I should have just been chugging hot dogs this whole time. 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:08.319 Four million dollars. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:21.279 Now, just to make sure we're all on the same page here, your net worth is the total of your assets minus your liabilities, which means it's just how much you're actually worth. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:31.680 If you have$10,000 in purses but$20,000 in credit card debt, then you have a negative$10,000 net worth in that area. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:37.920 Now, I know many people get curious about this, but the the question below the question is why? 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:39.759 Why do we think about this? 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:48.079 Why are there almost countless websites dedicated to trying to guess the net worth of all of these celebrities? 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:55.600 I think that net worth gets straight to the heart of two factors that every person needs at a deep psychological level. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:57.199 I'm not guessing this, I know this. 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:01.839 We all need significance and we all need security. 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:07.040 And a large net worth represents both of those things in our society. 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:08.720 It represents security. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:15.759 If you have an extra million dollars lying around, you are pretty sheltered from a lot of negative things that can happen in life. 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:24.560 You can buy what you need, you can put your kids in the best schools, you can take someone on a terrific date or plan a great getaway for you and your spouse. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:30.720 Really big emergencies can come up and you'll be fine because you have that net worth in reserve. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:38.560 Not only does the net worth point us to security, it's also a major way that our culture assesses significance. 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:47.600 For example, some of you thought Joey Chestnut was just a disgusting hot dog chugging weirdo until three minutes ago when you learned he was worth four million dollars. 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:50.240 All of a sudden, he's a genius, right? 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:55.279 It's undeniable that our world equates wealth and significance. 00:06:55.519 --> 00:07:01.759 I don't know if you have ever hung around someone who's a very high net worth individual. 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:04.000 People treat them differently. 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:07.120 There's like weight to having a high net worth. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:11.279 There's this gravitas that our culture assigns to it. 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:18.720 Whether you like it or not, you will look for significance and security for your life. 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:23.519 And if you don't find it, you will keep looking and looking and looking. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:26.800 Everyone has to find security and significance. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:47.839 You'll try new methods, you'll seek approval from new sources, you'll knock on new doors, you will sign up for new trends, you'll adopt new habits, you'll start new businesses, you'll cycle through new fads, you will not stop until you find security and significance, or literally, you'll go your whole life and you will die trying. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:52.720 And so let me ask you, what's your net worth? 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:54.560 We'll just go right to left. 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:59.120 So if you would share first, we're not doing that, we're not, we're not that kind of church. 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:05.439 Uh the truth is, if most people, like we're a very we are not a wealthy church. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:10.000 We don't just have people, you know, flying their jets in to go to metachurch on Sunday morning. 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:15.360 Um, most of us probably have somewhere near neutral or maybe even a negative net worth. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:24.959 We've got a lot of student loans and we bought our cars on credit, and and hopefully as we get more and more spiritually healthy, we also get more and more financially healthy and steward our things well. 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:31.839 Uh, for most of us, we don't have one, and even if we do, it's not big enough to get published on a website somewhere. 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:49.279 And so some people find their significance and their security in money, and you're out there on your grind trying to establish your net worth, and you're convinced that you'll finally feel secure, and you'll finally feel significance when you have enough money in the bank. 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:55.759 You have no idea how much the search for these two things influences our decisions every day. 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:00.000 For you, money may not be where you find your significance or security. 00:09:00.159 --> 00:09:03.679 For you, maybe it's just how the people around you view you. 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:08.159 There are some people who like to be seen as dangerous or maybe even scary. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:11.440 You like people to be a little bit on edge around you. 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:13.360 That's where you find your significance. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:19.759 So many people in our society find their significance and their security in sex and sexuality. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:26.080 So many men have been convinced by the culture that the more women that they can get into bed, the more significant of a man they are. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:34.639 And so many women have been convinced that the more men who are willing to sleep with them, the more secure they are in their value and their worth. 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:42.559 Perhaps your identity is tied up in your career or the business that you started or your physical appearance or your abilities in the gym. 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:48.799 If those things were taken away from you, your significance and your security would go with them. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:55.039 Everyone has a net, and it may not be a net worth like dollars and cents. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:09.519 It may just be a safety net, a social or psychological net that you hold on to and you try to build and you try to make strong enough where you can feel secure and you can feel significant. 00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:17.919 The problem is all of our nets are established and determined by things that are in this world. 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:26.399 Every single thing that we have mentioned exists here in the temporal plane, which means, like all things in this life, they are very inconsistent. 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:38.240 They waver and fluctuate and change, and sometimes the very things we have rooted our significance and our security in completely collapse and leave us reeling. 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:48.720 Which means your significance or insignificance is always wavering, and your security or insecurity is always up for question. 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:53.600 And so, what if there was a way for you to bulletproof your significance and security? 00:10:53.840 --> 00:11:04.159 Meaning that everything around you could change, everything could fall apart, but you would still have your significance and you would still feel perfectly secure. 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:17.679 We're gonna look at one of the most famous men in scripture and see how he ultimately found that reality in his own life, but to understand it, we first have to understand what his worth was in before he met Jesus. 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:19.440 We're gonna be in Luke chapter 5. 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:29.440 It says in verse 1, as the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear God's word, he was standing by Lake Gneseret, and he saw two boats at the edge of the lake. 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:34.000 The fishermen had left them there and were washing their nets. 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:43.120 Now, this story centers around four fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James, and John, but it's really gonna highlight Peter. 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:57.440 And what's interesting in the context of our conversation is to be a fisherman in the ancient world, your net worth was largely determined by how much your net was worth. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:02.000 There were primarily two tools that you needed to be a fisherman in the ancient world. 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:04.399 You needed a boat and you needed a net. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:10.399 Now the boat basically just had to float, it had to be able to carry however many fish you pulled in. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:13.200 It did not have to be fancy at all. 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:18.639 But the net, the net literally determined your worth. 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:21.679 You'll notice that the fishermen weren't washing their boats. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:23.440 They were washing their nets. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:26.000 They would take time mending their nets. 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:28.720 They took careful care of their nets. 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:30.720 That is what you would actually invest in. 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:33.840 You see, the larger your net, the more fish you could catch. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:37.360 The sturdier your net, the bigger the fish you could catch. 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:42.159 The more versatile your net, the larger variety of fish that you could catch. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:47.600 And here's how your entire life operated: the more fish you catch, the more fish you bring to market. 00:12:47.759 --> 00:13:00.480 The more fish you bring to market, the more money you bring home, which is why, for a fisherman in the ancient world, your net worth was determined by how much your net was worth. 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:15.919 In verse 3, Jesus got into one of the boats which belonged to Simon, who we also call Peter, and Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land, and then he sat down and was teaching the crowds from the boat. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:19.519 All of a sudden, Jesus is in Peter's boat. 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:21.440 Now, we know Peter. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:24.240 If you've read scripture at all, you know Peter. 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:26.960 But this is not Peter the disciple yet. 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:29.679 This is not Peter the apostle yet. 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:35.759 This is not Peter, the man who orchestrated and started the movement that we call church. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.720 This is Peter the fisherman. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:41.919 Now, to be a fisherman was your identity. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:53.679 Your significance came from your job and the skill sets that you acquired, and your security came from how good you were at that job and how you could provide for yourself and for your family. 00:13:53.919 --> 00:14:00.240 And part of what you need to know is that every fisherman had a similar story in Israel. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:04.879 In Israel, school works quite differently than how it works for us today in the modern world. 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:20.159 Every young Jewish boy would go to school as a little kid, and they would go to school until about 12 years old, and they would learn the Torah, specifically the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Jewish scriptures, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:23.600 Now, at 12 years old, there was a dividing line. 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:38.240 And what happened is only the boys who were both smart enough, they had demonstrated their intelligence in primary school, and who were resourced enough, which meant they came from a wealthy enough family. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:41.600 Only those boys went into secondary school. 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:50.879 And those who went into secondary school ended up in the most prestigious, high-powered, influential positions in all of Israel. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:58.799 Everyone else at 12 years old would be done with school, their education was over, and they would go and apprentice. 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:14.320 That means everyone who is a fisherman, like the four disciples, Peter, Andrew, James, and John, either were not intelligent enough, or they were not wealthy enough, or both. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:17.440 There was a clear dividing line. 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:18.960 Think about that. 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:31.679 At 12 years old, all of a sudden you weren't enough to have significance, or you didn't have enough security. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:34.559 Talk about developing a chip on your shoulder. 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:38.639 That's actually not unique to Peter. 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.360 That's how all of our lives work. 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:46.159 You see, we're all living out the results of our story. 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:55.840 And all of us are in a desperate search for significance and security because of pain and trauma and hardship in our past. 00:15:56.159 --> 00:16:05.279 And maybe you had a very difficult life, and it's easy for you to pinpoint when you were seven years old and everything went to hell and you've been searching for security ever since. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:10.799 And maybe you had a very blessed life, and your parents stayed together and you had all the resources that you need. 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:14.960 We say here all the time at MetaCurch, your suffering is scalable. 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:40.879 And so whether it was your parents getting thrown in prison and you going into the foster system and developing a drug habit early, whether it is one of those like lifetime 60-minute stories, or whether it was somebody at nine years old pointing out a physical flaw in your body and you living the rest of your life trying to convince the opposite sex that you have enough significance for them to accept you, suffering is scalable. 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:55.039 And everyone spends their entire life trying to prove to their six-year-old self or their 10-year-old self or their 11-year-old self when their parents got divorced that they can still find security in this life. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:17:11.119 Everyone spends their life trying to prove to the world that they're significant, trying to prove to their father who told them that they weren't good enough, that they in fact are good enough, which is why every time you get a new promotion, you can never enjoy it because you're not doing it out of love and purpose. 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:15.519 You're doing it out of fear and insecurity from pain in your past. 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:18.000 This is how life works. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:20.640 And Peter's an obvious example. 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:32.960 And so he's fishing for resource that brings security and he's fishing for pride to prove that he is significant, he's got skill sets, he matters to society. 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:35.680 And we all do this. 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:43.359 What do we call it when we're going out of our way to try and get someone to acknowledge that we've done good at something? 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:47.039 We're fishing for compliments. 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:57.279 What do we do when we try desperately to get our spouses to affirm the smallest things that we've done while we're fishing for security? 00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:58.720 We all do this. 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:05.039 We're all looking for it, but we're looking for it from the things in this world. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:11.920 And if there's one thing you can count on, it's that the things in this world will let you down. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:29.920 Peter is fishing and he's fishing for a lot of things, and like all of us, he's fishing for significance and he's fishing for security, and all of a sudden, he doesn't know it yet, but God in human flesh walks onto his boat. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:40.160 In verse 4, when Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon Peter, put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch. 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:45.680 Now, remember what they were doing when Jesus found them, they were cleaning their nets. 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:48.960 That means we're done, you know? 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:51.200 Like we're done fishing. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:55.519 We're so done, we've docked the boats and cleaned up the nets. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:06.240 And if we go back out and throw the nets back out, the nets are where we derive our worth from, which means we gotta bring them back out to the shore and wash them all over again. 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:14.960 Not to mention, Peter says, Master, we've worked hard all night, and we have caught nothing. 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:18.000 Now, at this point, he doesn't know Jesus is God. 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:23.200 All anyone really knows about Jesus is that he's a carpenter from Nazareth. 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:26.960 And I don't know, Peter, you know, he's got a lot of pride. 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:28.720 We see that all throughout scripture. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:33.599 I can imagine his inner narrative being like, How about this, Jesus? 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:36.720 I don't tell you how to swing a hammer and you don't tell me how to fish, you know? 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:39.839 Like, how about we do it that way and my nets are clean? 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:41.279 But what does he say? 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:45.920 If you say so, I'll let down the nets. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:48.480 I'll do it all over again. 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:52.319 Jesus insists, and Peter obeys. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:59.440 In verse 6, when they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear. 00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:02.559 And so they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:08.000 They came and they filled both boats so much that they began to sing. 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:14.160 What are the two things we said you need in the ancient world to be a fisherman? 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:16.480 You need boats? 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.720 You need nets. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:22.400 One interaction with Jesus. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:24.160 A miracle occurs. 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:25.440 Everyone knows it's a miracle. 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:28.400 They have never seen this many fish caught ever in their lifetime. 00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:30.079 They didn't even know it was possible. 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:31.359 One interaction. 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:37.680 And they catch so many fish, it is tearing their nets and sinking their boats. 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:43.359 These men have spent their entire lives, they've never seen anything like this. 00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:46.079 It's obvious to them that it's a miracle. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:48.720 What is Jesus showing them? 00:20:50.400 --> 00:21:13.440 Jesus is showing that he can provide for their security and their significance, which they found with their boats and with their nets, Jesus, by his very presence, by his very word, can provide security and significance in ways so extraordinary that the nets that they're relying on cannot even contain the miracle. 00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:22.480 Whatever it is that you turn to for your security and your significance, maybe it is your job, it's your career. 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:26.640 Like if your business burned to the ground tomorrow, you would not know who you are. 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:32.799 Maybe it's just your money, it's your bank account, maybe it's your looks, maybe it's your friend group, maybe it's your spouse. 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:40.319 You see, we we we get married with the wrong pretense, thinking that we will find security and significance in your spouse when your spouse was never meant to give you those things. 00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:51.440 A codependent marriage is where both are looking to each other for their security and significance, and all of a sudden you hold the one thing that they need more than anything, which means you can leverage it against them to get your way. 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:58.960 A great marriage is two people who find their significance and security both in Christ, loving each other and serving each other to God's glory. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:09.680 Our culture finds their significance and security through sex and sexuality and how many people they can get into bed with, and that's what makes you a real man. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:37.759 Even though actually you're giving away one of God's greatest gifts and cheapening it with every experience, and women think that they'll finally feel secure in their worth and their value and their looks and all of the ways that the pain has infused their life ever since they were young, and ever since that first person cheated on you in high school, and you finally realize that maybe I'm not everything I'm supposed to be, and maybe I'm not sexual enough, and maybe I'm not beautiful enough, and so now you're trying to prove it with every sexual encounter, and you think it will bring security and worth, but it just leaves you emptier every time. 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:52.960 All the things that we tried to build a net to keep us significant and keep us secure, when they are finally put in the light of the glory of God, we realize they are worth nothing. 00:22:55.359 --> 00:23:08.160 Peter has spent his life with his net worth and how much his net is worth in one experience with Jesus, he realizes that his net is worthless. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:11.039 Here's how he reacts. 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:19.200 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, Go away from me. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:22.799 Because I'm a sinful man, Lord. 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:35.599 Something very interesting happens throughout Scripture anytime someone experiences the presence of God, their first reaction is almost always to fall down in terror. 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:47.680 It's like the fullness of God's power definitively shows us just how insignificant and just how insecure we actually are. 00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:55.839 In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah was given a vision of heaven, and here's how he reacted to the presence of God. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:24:07.119 In Isaiah 6, 5, Isaiah said, Woe is me, for I am ruined, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips. 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:12.799 And because my eyes have seen the king, the Lord of armies, a very similar reaction. 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:15.359 I am ruined. 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:17.920 Go away from me, Lord. 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:19.759 I'm a sinful man. 00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:28.480 You see, we desperately try to prove based on the world's standards that we have significance, that we do matter, and that we are important. 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:38.000 We desperately seek things to validate our security, but in the presence of God, it becomes so apparent that it's all worthless. 00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:47.519 Peter has spent his whole life building his identity on catching fish, one moment with Jesus, and the boat is sinking, and the nets are ripping. 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:49.359 It's all worthless. 00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:53.680 And so, where is the good news in this message? 00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:58.160 The good news is in how Jesus responds to Peter. 00:24:58.640 --> 00:25:03.759 In verse 10, Jesus told Simon Peter, don't be afraid. 00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:07.200 From now on. 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:10.640 Three very powerful words. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:28.400 You see, it's this very interesting paradox where in the presence of God we realize that we don't have anything within ourselves or in this world around us that can actually provide significance and security. 00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:44.319 And yet, the love of Jesus, when he meets us, at that place where we realize our desperate need for something outside of this world, he reaches a hand to us and offers us the very thing we're needing from now on. 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:58.160 This is a statement of a change of direction, a change of identity, a change of purpose, a change of no longer looking for significance and security in the things of this world, but finding them rooted in Jesus Himself. 00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:04.000 From now on, you will not be a fisherman, you will be a fisher of men. 00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:06.480 From now on, you will be catching people. 00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:08.160 Peter is at his lowest. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:12.400 He's literally begging Jesus to just leave him because of how sinful he is. 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:17.279 But he's given a new purpose, a new identity, and a new path forward. 00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:21.839 See, Jesus was clear on his purpose and what he was calling people to. 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:26.559 If we go back a few verses, we end up at the end of Luke chapter 4. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:38.240 Here's what Jesus said it is necessary for me to proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to other towns because I was sent for this purpose. 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:45.119 Jesus tells us straight up, this is why I'm here, to spread the gospel, to spread the good news. 00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:48.160 Peter, you will now be fishing for people. 00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:55.920 Jesus is inviting him to come build the kingdom of God, to believe in, and to follow after Jesus. 00:26:56.960 --> 00:27:02.480 You see, Isaiah, right after he says, Woe is me, I am ruined. 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:06.079 In the presence of God, I realize it's all nothing. 00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:08.000 It's all worthless. 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:09.599 I have nowhere to turn. 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:11.599 I have nothing to give. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:17.359 God says, Who will go forth for me? 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:20.880 And who will I send? 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:24.880 And Isaiah says, Here am I. 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:27.039 Send me. 00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:38.880 Peter, from now on, you will no longer be finding your significance and security, your purpose and identity, and how many fish you can catch. 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:45.599 You will now join with me and you will go on a mission, the rescue and redemption of all humanity. 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:58.960 You will now find your significance and your security, not on how build you big you can build your business, not on how strong you are, not on the connections you can make, not on your bank account, not on your earthly relationships. 00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:26.799 No longer would it be about how many fish you can catch or what the other kids who went on to secondary school are doing with their life and how you compare to them, or the mean things people said about you in your past, or your parents who you can never make actually proud of you, or the insecurity from being seven years old and your parents splitting up and you living your entire life believing that somehow that was your fault, even though now you're grown and have your own seven-year-old. 00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:30.960 You know that's alive from the pit of hell, but you still let it drive your insecurities. 00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:34.240 And Jesus is saying, let down your net. 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:41.440 Come and follow me, and I will show you significance, and I will give you security that you will never find in the things of this world. 00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:51.359 Sometimes we only share half of the gospel. 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:59.759 And we do it like this, and maybe you grew up in, you know, the hellfire brimstone, and it's like, you're going to hell. 00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:07.200 You know, it's like, okay, so believe in Jesus, and then you won't burn forever. 00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:08.000 You know? 00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:13.920 That is good news, and that's all true, and we teach that here, but it's just half. 00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:24.079 Because when you only teach that, then it feels like the gospel is a solution for a problem in your future. 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:30.240 And you're still alive right here and right now today. 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:33.519 And Jesus doesn't just say, believe in me. 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:36.079 That's important, that's completely free. 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:39.759 He also says, follow me. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:49.680 And following Jesus is your solution to your pain, insecurity, and insignificance right here and right now. 00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:53.839 And believing in Jesus costs you nothing. 00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:55.519 Jesus paid it all. 00:29:57.119 --> 00:29:59.599 Following Jesus might cost you everything. 00:29:59.839 --> 00:30:08.319 Following Jesus is living as a witness, spreading the gospel, even at great cost to yourself. 00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:13.359 Everyone will spend their life searching for significance and security. 00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:14.880 Everyone will do it. 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:26.720 And when you make your safety net, when you find your net worth rooted in the things of this world, you're building the foundation of your life on sand. 00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:34.720 Because the world is always changing and it's always shifting, and the foundation will crumble and it will let you down. 00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:39.920 And it's why we waver, secure and secure, significant insignificant. 00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:56.000 And the opportunity to follow Jesus, although it may cost you, is the opportunity to build your life on the rock, to build your life on a foundation that is the same yesterday and today and forever. 00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:59.039 And Jesus never changes. 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:02.559 And his mission always wins. 00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:05.279 And you can play a part in that. 00:31:05.599 --> 00:31:10.480 And even when you're losing, you're winning if your life is built on Jesus. 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:15.200 And even when people leave you, you're not alone when you have Jesus. 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:20.720 And even when the money is gone, you have resource because the bread of life is in you. 00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:24.640 You have everything that you need when you build your life on Jesus. 00:31:24.720 --> 00:31:31.759 And you can live your life almost with reckless abandon, pursuing the gospel and building the kingdom of God. 00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:37.519 But first, you have to drop your nets. 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:53.200 Peter was standing there in Acts chapter 1 when Jesus said, You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:57.920 And so here's the question: Will you join him? 00:31:59.839 --> 00:32:02.400 Will you join with Peter and the apostles? 00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:13.519 Will you step in to your lineage, your rightful lineage as children of God and be the heralds on the mountaintops, proclaiming salvation to those living under the captivity of sin? 00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:17.839 Will you follow Jesus even at great cost to yourself? 00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:22.319 Jesus told Simon, Peter, don't be afraid, from now on, you will be catching people. 00:32:22.480 --> 00:32:23.440 Follow me. 00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:33.039 And the reason that Peter the fisherman became Peter the disciple who became Peter the apostle is because in verse 11 they brought the boats to land. 00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:36.240 And they left everything. 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:37.759 And they followed him. 00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:41.680 Peter dropped his net. 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:46.480 And he followed Jesus into one of the most impactful lives in human history. 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:49.839 And so let me ask you again, let me be really clear. 00:32:50.160 --> 00:32:54.160 What's your net worth? 00:32:57.359 --> 00:33:02.960 All the things you have gone to for your significance and security, what's it worth to you? 00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:07.039 Your sexual conquests, what are they worth to you? 00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:11.519 The lies that you have built your status on, what are they worth to you? 00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:20.240 Your greed, your lust, your pride, your career, what are they worth to you? 00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:27.440 Because if Peter's nets were worth too much, he wouldn't have dropped them. 00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:28.960 He would have cleaned them. 00:33:31.759 --> 00:33:36.720 Woke up the next morning and went fishing for fish. 00:33:38.799 --> 00:33:46.799 Instead, he realized that what he found his worth in today was incomparable to the offer that Jesus had given them. 00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:49.920 And so he dropped his net. 00:33:52.160 --> 00:34:04.160 In order to fully follow Jesus, you will have to drop what you're currently serving, what you're currently finding your security in, what you currently look to for your hope. 00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:14.320 Here's what Jesus said during his Sermon on the Mount no one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. 00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:17.679 You cannot serve both God and your net worth. 00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:22.400 You cannot serve both God and your safety net. 00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:25.360 One will hold you back from the other. 00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:28.239 What decides your significance and security today? 00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:29.519 What are they rooted in? 00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:31.280 How are they determined? 00:34:31.599 --> 00:34:37.119 You cannot find them in both this world and in Jesus. 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:41.280 So how much is your net worth? 00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:57.039 This is the last week of our Metavision series, the last Sunday, that will call you to action in our movement, living and leading as witnesses who are willing to push the gospel forward at cost to yourself, to drop your nets and follow Jesus. 00:34:57.280 --> 00:34:59.119 We've told you that we are expanding. 00:34:59.199 --> 00:35:02.480 We're gonna be obedient to Jesus' call to take his message to the ends of the earth. 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:11.119 And on October 20th of this year, we're gonna be opening our second venue, and it will really reorganize the way that we are structured as a movement. 00:35:11.280 --> 00:35:19.679 We will become a multi-location model, which means what we did here at Richmond Hills, we're gonna try to replicate all over our city. 00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:27.360 And once we figure that out, we'll go to other cities and someday other states because everywhere there's people, the gospel needs to go. 00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:30.239 And we're gonna start in Helotus on October 20th. 00:35:30.320 --> 00:35:37.039 We are gonna be one vision with multiple venues, and there will be a live team there, welcome team, live band. 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:40.320 However, every location will get the same sermon. 00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:47.119 Whoever preaches will be broadcast to all our locations to keep us on the same page and to keep our mission intact. 00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:52.000 And what we're calling for are people to step up and help us launch that venue. 00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:58.400 People who are willing to give 18 to 24 months to do what needs to be done to make that venue successful. 00:35:58.559 --> 00:36:07.039 And we're asking for about 50 to 100 people to step up and backfill their volunteer roles right here at Richland Hills. 00:36:07.199 --> 00:36:15.039 You have no idea the adventure you could be stepping into if you get off the sideline, drop your nets, and start serving the kingdom of God. 00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:30.559 The main objective of this vision is to get Jesus to as many people as possible, to create new spaces for more and more people to meet Jesus, discover their purpose, drop their nets, and live the lives they were created to live, just like my friend Jesus. 00:36:34.239 --> 00:36:41.920 What I've been going through, what's led me to where I am right now, really started when I was probably about seven years old. 00:36:42.559 --> 00:36:44.239 And I didn't grow up with a father. 00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:56.239 So it was a lot of hard times that I had during my life where I really felt this hole that I had for not having a father, seeing people interact with their dads. 00:36:56.880 --> 00:37:05.920 I got married in 1997 and uh had my first daughter, and I knew instantly what I had to do, but I had no idea how to be a father. 00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:08.719 I had no idea, I'd never even seen what a father does. 00:37:17.280 --> 00:37:18.880 July 4th, 2018. 00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:23.599 Um that date is burned inside of my head. 00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:28.079 That's probably the day that I've hit complete rock bottom. 00:37:28.880 --> 00:37:30.800 My entire marriage fell apart. 00:37:31.920 --> 00:37:38.480 I ended up um over the course of a couple of years just completely turning my life around. 00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:44.079 And it was really getting in touch with my faith and getting closer to God. 00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:56.239 I just always felt this calling for fathers, and and I didn't know what it was, and I didn't understand it. 00:37:56.639 --> 00:38:02.880 One Sunday I came in, I I saw Nori and I said, Hey, I want to start a group for fathers. 00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:10.320 And the look on her face, uh smile from ear to ear, like she didn't know what to do. 00:38:10.639 --> 00:38:13.199 And she said, Okay, I'm gonna get with Clayton. 00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:14.559 We're gonna figure something out. 00:38:15.440 --> 00:38:41.760 And I'll be back in touch with week out come with heavy hearts and heavy weights, and in a matter of months, just see the release and see the change and see them step up to be the leaders of their homes and their families. 00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:48.960 Again, I go back to seeing God and how he works and what he does. 00:38:49.519 --> 00:38:51.679 I've never experienced anything like that before. 00:38:53.199 --> 00:39:01.119 I never understood how my faith would work in my life or or how getting close to God would affect my life. 00:39:02.480 --> 00:39:07.840 The first baptisms that I saw here at Metachurch, I was at the 11:30 service. 00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:18.079 When I saw Noel put his guitar down and go down to the tub and baptize his son. 00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:22.159 It's one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. 00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:32.880 I don't know where this is taking me, but I hope to one day be able to baptize one of my kids. 00:39:34.719 --> 00:39:38.800 Last year, I got to baptize my son. 00:39:41.199 --> 00:39:54.800 When we talk about how God serves us, I think about all of the times that I had to be obedient, and I never thought what that would reap until I put my son under the water. 00:39:56.000 --> 00:40:02.639 In that moment, I realized how powerful, exactly how powerful he is. 00:40:04.239 --> 00:40:09.840 None of that would have been possible if I hadn't taken the step to follow his calling. 00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:19.360 If I would have just kept listening to those voices in my head that told me that I wasn't good enough, that I was a liar, that I was a terrible person. 00:40:20.719 --> 00:40:29.360 All the years that I spent hating myself, for my son to hug me when he came out of the water, that wasn't amazing. 00:40:31.199 --> 00:40:35.199 And I can't thank God enough for all that he's done in my life. 00:41:01.119 --> 00:41:03.599 A lot of work to set up one of these venues. 00:41:03.840 --> 00:41:09.920 Uh it could feel self-serving because I help lead our church. 00:41:10.960 --> 00:41:27.360 And the reason I unapologetically ask you to get on a team is because I know that God created your life on purpose, and God instilled your life with purpose, and often what it takes is a step of faith. 00:41:28.079 --> 00:41:30.320 What it takes is a sacrifice. 00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:44.639 And everything inside of you, and maybe many things around you, and distractions in your pockets, they're gonna try to keep you from taking a step and joining that welcome team, getting on that Medikids team, joining the Holotus Launch team. 00:41:46.800 --> 00:41:51.760 Jesus had lived his life dealing with pain, trauma from his past. 00:41:52.880 --> 00:42:03.199 When he finally hit rock bottom, he had no choice but to drop his nets and finally look to the one thing that could organize his life into what it was meant to be. 00:42:03.840 --> 00:42:10.320 That same God loves you, and that same God has chosen you, and that same God is calling you to build his church. 00:42:10.880 --> 00:42:15.039 And I'm hoping that today you will take a step of faith. 00:42:15.760 --> 00:42:23.440 Our uh way that we've organized ourselves is out under our driveway, we have all of our teams for our Richland Hills venue. 00:42:23.599 --> 00:42:26.800 The majority of you will be staying here at Richland Hills, and that's great. 00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:28.000 We need your help. 00:42:28.079 --> 00:42:33.840 Uh, number one, we've got, you know, 50 to 100 people who are heading out to Helotus, praise God. 00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:35.280 And many of them are volunteers. 00:42:35.440 --> 00:42:37.039