WEBVTT 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:12.800 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:35.359 There is this uh virulent infection that is increasing, it's spreading, and it goes throughout the world, and it's hitting well, I'm getting a lot of echo here. 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:39.840 I feel like I'm in a football stadium here. 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:41.280 Okay, that's better. 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:42.880 Thank you, Andrew. 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:45.520 Let me begin. 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:48.479 Again, there is a virulent infection. 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:51.359 It's increasing, it's spreading, it's all over the world. 00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:54.560 It's hitting communities very hard. 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:59.439 The infection is called prideful self-love. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:06.719 Prideful self-love is growing, it's manifesting, it's increasing, and it's infecting even churches. 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:20.480 Unfortunately, if left untreated will turn people into monstrous golems who will act only in self-interest. 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:28.799 In fact, this pathogen is so dangerous that it poses great risk even to our own church here today. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:36.959 Every person in the local church is a potential carrier and a spreader of this pathogen. 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:43.200 And there is currently no vaccine to this thing called prideful self-love. 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:50.319 Yet there's an antidote that we can administer to ourselves daily, and it's called agape love. 00:01:50.879 --> 00:01:52.239 Agape love. 00:01:52.480 --> 00:02:03.280 And that we find in Romans chapter 12, and the title of this message this morning is Agape Love, the Antidote to Prideful Self-Love. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:16.400 Romans chapter 12, verse 9 reads as follows Let love, which is agape love, be without hypocrisy, abore what is evil, cling to what is good. 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:22.319 And then he says, Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:26.400 Give preference to one another in honor. 00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:31.680 You see, we dear brothers and sisters, pride is so ingrained in us. 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:35.120 It is at the very core of our being. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:44.960 And yet it is so contrary to this thing called agape, because agape is a love for others, not a love for self. 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:56.080 Now, pride is at the very core of this self-love movement that has been going on for the past few decades. 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:05.039 Very few people stop to think that Jesus never said we have to love ourselves more. 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:18.400 But according to Matthew 5.43, Jesus says there that if we only love our neighbors the way we love ourselves, we would be living in a way pleasing to the Lord. 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:24.719 You see, the Bible never makes any recommendation to love ourselves more. 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:38.000 In fact, the Bible does assert that no one ever hates him or herself, but we always cherish and nourish ourselves, according to Ephesians 5.29. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:52.240 I was reading this editorial on self-love, and this person uh wrote something which I found astounding. 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:56.879 The person said, Self-love is important to living well. 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:00.080 Explaining it. 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:04.080 Self-love is not simply a state of feeling good. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:09.039 It is a state of appreciating oneself. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:14.719 It is a state of appreciating oneself. 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:20.079 So this morning I have to wake up and say, Anton, I appreciate you for who you are. 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:33.360 And the person says here, uh if that's evident in our actions, it will support our physical, psychological, and spiritual growth. 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:37.680 Which is absolutely contrary to the gospel. 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:41.439 The gospel has a contrary mindset. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:54.480 The Bible does not, the gospel does not advocate for appreciating the self, but rather to show agape appreciation of another person. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:05.680 Our passage here this morning will give us a bit of a deeper understanding in this agape love of verse 9. 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:14.000 We understand that agape love is to be sincere and genuine, never with hypocrisy, never with ulterior motives. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:23.360 If it is to be boring what is evil and clinging to what is good, it must be what it is in verse 10. 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:27.360 A familial, fraternal love. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:32.079 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:44.480 It is a agape love, is a concern for the well-being of the church as a whole, the family of God's people. 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:58.240 And as we look at this passage, we will see that it goes against the cultural grain, which is all about self-love, self-appreciation, and indeed self-honour. 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:00.639 Well, the honoring of oneself. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:16.480 It's a family type of love. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:20.560 It is a love that prefers others above self. 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:27.040 And certainly it is a love that honors other people rather than self. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:32.560 Let's begin your with the first orientation of agape love. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:35.839 Agape love is a family-oriented love. 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:44.800 We've grown so accustomed, even in churches of today, to this thing called rugged individualism. 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:46.000 It's so prevalent. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:48.319 It's all about individualism. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:54.800 The Lazisphere of the day is all about independence, autonomy, and self-determination. 00:06:56.480 --> 00:07:12.079 We live in a culture that is enamored with self, but it's so caustic and erosive to this familial, congenial, fraternal, kindred-spirited bond within the church. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:18.639 You see, the church is to love and function like a family. 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:30.480 It needs to look like a home, a family homestead, rather than looking like a gymnasium or an airport, which is all about the individual. 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:40.399 Speaking of airports, I got a little glimpse about airports and what people are about. 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:49.600 We came here in January in the midst of that colossal storm, and one flight after another was canceled. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:56.480 I never had the sense that I'm part of a family there at the airport because everybody was there for themselves. 00:07:56.639 --> 00:07:59.759 Everybody was like, I need to get on the next flight. 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:09.600 People were just hurting like wildebeest to get to one place or another. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:14.959 Nobody was like, hey, come on, guys, let's just stand together here. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:17.199 Let's just take care of each other. 00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:19.759 Let's just cover each other's backs. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:26.160 But unfortunately, more and more churches look like airports rather than family homes. 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:28.879 Faith, even free. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.600 Is it an airport or is it a family home? 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:43.759 Well, that will depend how well we grasp this thing of agape love and how we are to be devoted to one another in brotherly love. 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:51.440 Depending on your translation, the first command there is be devoted. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:54.879 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. 00:08:55.039 --> 00:09:00.559 There are two phrases there in the Greek that connects with the word love. 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:08.720 The one is a friendship type of love, and the other is a family type of love, a fraternal type of love. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:14.320 And probably the best way of looking at that verse is to take Dr. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:16.159 Ken Kughes' translation. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:17.039 It's very helpful. 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:24.320 He says there, be devoted with warm family affection to one another in brotherly love. 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:25.200 I like that. 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:36.000 Be devoted to one another with warm family affection in brotherly love, just in case we don't get this family thing. 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:46.559 Now, a lot of people think about church as family and friendships, but often or too often it's about the individual family or the individual friendship. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:52.879 And that only results in clicks and circles and little private communities. 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:54.960 That's all about self. 00:09:56.720 --> 00:10:03.919 You see, the type of love here is a love that is committed to the family as a whole. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:17.440 We don't operate that way in a family where people would say, well, you see, mom and dad, we all about ourselves, and you kids, you you kind of do your own thing. 00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:20.159 No, we're all about the family. 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:30.399 And so God calls us here to a commitment to this family and the type of love that is stimulated in a family. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:40.240 In fact, 1 Corinthians 12, 26 says, if one member suffers, all members suffer with it, because we are members of one body. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:50.159 And so as we think of this being committed to one another, we got to think the body of Christ. 00:10:50.720 --> 00:11:07.039 And within this body of Christ, there needs to be this type of affection and endearment and love for one another that is very reminiscent of a family. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:19.360 A family where members in the family prefer the other person above oneself. 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:38.320 Two hours later, you open up the fridge and you go, What happened here? 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:39.600 Right? 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:42.639 Okay, I'm not the only one. 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:46.480 What happened to prefer the other person? 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:55.360 If I put that little slab of chocolate in the fridge, you know, and I just kind of tuck it away there, it means you don't eat it. 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:58.879 At least share it before you consume it. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:03.840 But imagine this. 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:06.320 This is our culture. 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:10.399 This is how we've been trained to operate. 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:21.039 Imagine you uh caught somewhere in a snowstorm, and there's one flight out, and there's a limited amount of seats on the flight. 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:30.000 And there's a long line of people, and you're the first in line because you stabbed somebody in the eye to get in front. 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:41.279 I can't imagine that somebody would say, you know what, I'm being a little bit absorbed with myself here. 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:43.039 Let's just step away here. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:46.480 You you you can stand here in front of the line. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:13:00.399 You see, the sagape love says, when it comes to God's family, my people here, I would say, you stand in front of me. 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:07.840 I prefer you being served here than me being served first. 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:15.519 Agape has this orientation of preferring others above self. 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:18.080 It puts others first. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:24.720 In fact, if you have the English Standard Version, it says outdo one another. 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:26.799 Outdo one another. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:36.559 Doesn't mean out push one another or it means that you you let the other person go first. 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:42.080 You see, we in a culture that says me first. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:44.639 Right? 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:51.759 You stand at a at a counter and there's a lot of people, and the person says, Who's next? 00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:54.320 Fifty people. 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:57.759 No, no, they can only be one who's next here, right? 00:13:58.480 --> 00:14:09.360 Same for us as God's people, we need to have this orientation that says, I I'm gonna have this person go first. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:14.080 I'm gonna have this person have first dips on this. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:23.759 How can we call ourselves a family that is committed to the family if it's every man for himself? 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:32.000 Church, unfortunately, has become of a bit of a Starbucks where everyone wants it their way. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:37.440 Me first, my own needs, I wanted my way. 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:54.480 We come to church often saying we have a genuine affection for another brother or sister, but all we have in mind is that our preferences, our needs, and our interests are being met. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:03.120 But thinking of Philippians 2, 4, Paul says we ought to have the mind of Christ. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:04.879 And what is that? 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:13.039 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:25.039 We as human beings are naturally lovers of ourselves, we appreciate ourselves, we value ourselves, and we will serve ourselves. 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:31.519 And we will make sure that we love and care for the people who take care of our interests. 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:35.679 That was not the way with Jesus Christ. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:43.840 Did Christ not say, Take this cup away from me? 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:50.879 But did He not also say, Not my will be done, but your will be done? 00:15:53.039 --> 00:16:05.519 You see, every human being in some ways or another prefer their ideas above another, their preferences above another, and their values always ranks at the top. 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:12.559 And that is what we've grown accustomed to, because our culture has shaped us that way. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:21.120 You see, dear brothers and sisters, Satan has exploited this thing called pride. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:27.519 You see, pride will inevitably lead to a love for self. 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:31.200 Satan knows how to exploit that. 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:38.399 You see, people who love themselves will typically think that they are very important. 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:39.279 Why? 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:46.000 Because I love myself so much, and I want you to adore me in the same way I adore myself. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:56.480 Did Satan not promise Eve importance and honor? 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:05.039 Because after all, Eve, you ought to know what God knows, and you had to have the same glory as God has. 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:11.200 Foolishly Satan tried to exploit this thing with Jesus. 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:16.559 He used that old trick called the boastful pride of life. 00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:18.400 What did he say to Jesus? 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:31.920 He said, Jesus, if you would just fall down and worship me, I will make you the most important person in the whole wide world. 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:38.720 Foolishly he thought Jesus would fall for that. 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:46.720 Romans 12 says, agape love is not about receiving honor or craving honor. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:49.039 It is about showing honor. 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:55.519 How do we show honor if we don't think the other person is important? 00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:00.640 Who is the most important person in the room? 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:03.039 Me, of course. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:11.359 At least when it comes to uh flights and when the airlines messed up my booking. 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:16.400 I will always insist then that I get an upgrade. 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:17.119 Right? 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:18.640 Don't you feel that way? 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:22.240 You they mess up your stuff, they lose your luggage. 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:26.880 Well, you've stepped on the wrong person's toes here today. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:32.079 I need an upgrade, business class, and I want all the snacks free of charge. 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:42.400 And in all honesty, we think ourselves very important. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:47.599 I mean you step on an airplane. 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:49.279 What do you see first? 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:54.799 It's like diamond class or first class or business class. 00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:58.880 Here I come in, unclean, unclean, unclean. 00:18:59.039 --> 00:18:59.599 All right. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:13.039 But never have I had anybody who walked up to me and say, Anton, you all crammed up there like a like a giraffe in a mini cooper. 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:17.119 Let's just put you in business class. 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:19.279 And in fact, I'm gonna sit here in the back. 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:20.640 I want to honor you. 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:23.200 Anybody had that experience? 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.720 Nope. 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:26.480 Why? 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:30.160 We all think we deserving a business class. 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:32.799 They should just make one class on airplane. 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:34.559 Business class. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:36.400 We're all important. 00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:41.759 And that's at least how we have been shaped by culture. 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:45.279 But look at what Romans 12, 2 says. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:49.839 Do not be conformed to this culture. 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:56.079 Stop thinking like culture things. 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:04.319 The fact is not that we might be conformed to culture. 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:08.720 It is not that we've been shaped to think like culture. 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:15.759 We have already been shaped and formed by culture. 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:20.559 And we need to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:23.359 And how do we renew our minds? 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:28.559 And it begins with a daily dose of agape. 00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:37.920 Agape has this orientation that honors other people. 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:44.160 Now you would ask me, Anton, how do I honor another person here in church? 00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:46.480 Let's not get weird here. 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:49.359 Let's not get strange and awkward and stuff. 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:54.720 Just tell me simply, how do I honor the person around me? 00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:58.559 And how do we outdo one another in this honoring? 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:02.160 I'm like, I don't know. 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:09.119 But then I thought, if I come here and say I don't know, you're gonna think I'm not important. 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:11.440 So I'm gonna give you the answer. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:16.240 It's actually really simple. 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:20.160 Stop thinking about yourself. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:22.559 That's how simple it is. 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:28.720 You see, I am so uh often thinking about myself. 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:29.839 Am I comfortable? 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:31.359 Am I being treated well? 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:33.359 Are they thinking a lot good of me? 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:34.480 Are they thinking bad of me? 00:21:34.640 --> 00:21:35.920 Are they thinking I'm stupid? 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:38.000 Are they thinking I'm smart? 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:48.880 We gotta renew our minds and not be conformed to the way that culture thinks. 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:55.279 We gotta begin by thinking about ourselves less. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:10.240 See how culture has forced us in some way or another to have this sickly obsession about our own importance. 00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:21.039 In fact, for many years we've been told that if you don't think you're important, if you think you're unimportant, that's going to be awful. 00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:24.400 That's going to make you an unhappy person. 00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:26.720 That's going to make you a sad person. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:35.599 Society will be a terrible place if people think they're not very important, but I can tell you the very opposite has taken place. 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:40.079 Now you might say to me, that's not me. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:41.920 I don't think I'm very important. 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:45.119 I don't suffer of that. 00:22:46.480 --> 00:23:00.240 Well, imagine yourself as one of Jesus' disciples, and you spent two and a half, three years with Jesus, and there Jesus overhears your conversation. 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:06.880 And the conversation is about between the 12, who's the most important here? 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:11.440 I mean, you would think, really, guys, it happened. 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:12.799 Mark 9, 34. 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:14.559 You can go read it up. 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:23.039 And I thought, well, if they did that, I'm more likely to do the same. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:33.200 And Jesus tempers the self-esteem of his disciples. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:40.960 And he says in Mark 10, 44, whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant. 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:45.200 And whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:47.440 Oh no, no, no, I'm no slave. 00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:50.400 I'm the main Mac here. 00:23:51.039 --> 00:24:02.640 Well, this is what Jesus says, for the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve others and give his life as a ransom for many. 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:13.279 Why is it that the Bible often has to remind us about our overinflated self-esteem? 00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:33.759 The Bible actually doesn't call for a greater self-esteem, and it says your self-esteem needs a little deflation, because Philippians 2.3, very well translated in the King James, says, let each esteem other better than themselves. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:39.440 Esteem others better than oneself. 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:56.240 It becomes very evident that as we work through Scripture, the call is not that people lack self-esteem, but they're obsessed with esteeming themselves better than the next. 00:24:57.039 --> 00:25:00.319 Go look there in Romans 3 12, 3. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:19.759 It says, Therefore, by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but think so as to have sound judgment. 00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:35.200 And what is Jesus saying there is Jesus or Jesus saying through the Apostle Paul, he says, you see, you will have the tendency to think too much of yourself. 00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:50.880 If you are invited to a wedding or a banquet, and there are seats that say VIPs, then you would go, and I would go and say, they made a spot for me. 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:52.799 I'm so honored. 00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:59.440 But Jesus said, lo and behold, there's something and someone more important than you. 00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:23.279 You see how society has been brainwashed and it's been drinking this Kool-Aid that it believes that it's vital for relationships to have people thinking much of themselves, to think of themselves as important, but but it's erosive to relationships. 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:28.400 Relationships are destroyed. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:42.799 We first thought that if we could just boost people's esteem of themselves, if they feel more important and look more important, they will be happy and they will be fulfilled. 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:44.880 But the contrary has shown. 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:48.720 People are more unfold, more unhappier than ever before. 00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:53.759 It's hard to satisfy a very, very important person. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:02.880 If you take a look in 2 Timothy 3, I will give you a bit of a glimpse. 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:09.839 And somebody in the previous service said to me, Anton, this is today. 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:12.799 This is our times. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:22.000 2 Timothy 3 says there in verse 1, but realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:25.279 And I go, more difficult times? 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:27.680 I mean, it's really difficult up to now. 00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:29.599 I mean, there's a lot of things happening. 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:35.039 But then in verse 2, it says for men will be lovers of self. 00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:40.720 Philatos is the Greek word. 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:46.240 It's a combination of the word love and autos, which is self. 00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:47.680 It's a love for self. 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:52.720 It is a it is somebody who is enamored with himself. 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:56.640 It says there that they will be what? 00:27:57.440 --> 00:28:01.759 They will be marked for their obsession with wealth. 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:03.599 They will boast. 00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:06.319 They will be arrogant. 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:08.799 They will be abusive. 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:12.960 They will disregard their parents. 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:15.359 They will be very ungrateful. 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:17.920 They will be unforgiving. 00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:19.680 They will be slanderous. 00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:21.119 They will gossip. 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:23.119 They lack self-control. 00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:24.799 They brutal. 00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:33.039 They're not lovers of good, but they're rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure. 00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:40.400 Tell me, does this not reflect our cultural norms? 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:42.799 And what is the root of these? 00:28:44.160 --> 00:28:47.680 People love themselves. 00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:56.000 You see, a person that brags is a boastful person. 00:28:57.920 --> 00:29:05.440 That person wants to parade all the gifts and abilities and accomplishments to the entire society. 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:10.799 And they want recognition for that. 00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:12.079 They want to be honored. 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:13.680 People do silly things. 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:19.039 I mean, uh you just go on social media and you go, you know, you didn't do that. 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:21.440 I mean, that was not very smart. 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:34.319 And then it's incumbent on us to like it, to put a little heart there, two thumbs up, smiley face. 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:37.920 There's no longer this thumbs down thing. 00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:39.119 You can't do that. 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:43.119 You can't put like an idiot emoji there. 00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:46.000 You can't say, like, that was stupid. 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:49.759 I'm gonna invent the nitwit emoji. 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:52.960 It says, you were not very smart doing that. 00:29:53.200 --> 00:30:07.279 But because you love yourself, you're gonna be, as this verse says, you're gonna lack self-control, you're gonna be impulsive, you're gonna be rash, and you're gonna do everything to draw attention to yourself so that people can lord your praises. 00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:11.119 You're a lover of yourself, you're not a lover of God. 00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:21.279 How many churches do you enter and you see people competing for each other against each other? 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:28.880 And you say to yourself, are these lovers of God or are these lovers of themselves? 00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:36.559 This is not new, dear brothers and sisters. 00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:48.720 You can take some time and read the story of Mordecai the Jew and Haman the Chaldean in Esther chapter 5. 00:30:49.920 --> 00:30:54.000 I mean, Haman thought himself a very important person. 00:30:55.039 --> 00:31:00.799 And he thought that Mordecai the Jew was not honoring him. 00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:20.559 He was so prideful that he was so disgusted that this Jew, Mordecai, was not more fearful and scared of him and more respectful and like, whoa, here comes the mighty Haman, and nothing of that. 00:31:20.640 --> 00:31:22.319 And so you know what he does? 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:27.680 He goes to his friends and he goes, like, guys, you know I'm a very important guy. 00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:30.799 I've done this, I've done this, I own this, I did this. 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:33.440 You know, I'm somebody significant. 00:31:34.880 --> 00:31:40.319 And in the end of the meeting, they decided we gotta have this guy execute it. 00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:44.880 And you see the silly things that pride does? 00:31:46.559 --> 00:31:50.079 Pride is a nasty thing. 00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:56.640 Pride will make people brutal and abusive. 00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:09.119 What is an abusive and brutal person other than somebody who says, I'm gonna force you to recognize that I'm more important and more superior than you. 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:19.440 And I will use violence and use force to impress that on you, just in the very same way as Amon did with Mordecai. 00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:28.559 My dear brothers and sisters, we infect it. 00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:36.160 Ever since the fall, we infect it with this thing called prideful self-love. 00:32:38.720 --> 00:32:40.559 We gotta watch for it. 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:45.680 It takes over and it turns us into me monsters. 00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:54.720 Ever thought when somebody gives you a dainty little morsel of gossip, what are they trying to do? 00:32:55.359 --> 00:33:06.000 They are trying to make the other person look as bad as possible so that the person telling the story can look as good as possible. 00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:14.799 In fact, what they are saying is choose me, hate them, choose me, hate them, honor me, dishonor them. 00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:21.519 That is at the root of gossip is this prideful self-love. 00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:42.480 The gossiper and the slanderer, when they feel they're not honored and respected and regarded as important, or their views are not regarded as important, they don't use their fists to beat or their feet to kick, but they use their tongue and lips like poisoned arrows. 00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:56.799 Dear brothers and sisters, Agape calls for this thing to say, I gotta think less about my own importance here. 00:33:56.960 --> 00:33:59.200 I'm not that important. 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:09.280 Anyone who's been in a church for any time frame would probably have heard this little phrase. 00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:14.400 Oh, around here we have too many chiefs and too few Indians. 00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:20.400 I'm not sure if that's even politically correct to say that, but that's what I've heard. 00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:31.519 Where I grew up, people would say, well, there are too many chefs here and too few bottle washers, or 90% of the work around here is done by 10% of the congregants. 00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:35.039 What is that a symptom of? 00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:40.880 That's a symptom of people who say, I'm more important. 00:34:41.599 --> 00:34:42.800 I'm more important. 00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:47.519 I'm not here to serve, but to be served. 00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:52.239 I'm not like Christ who is willing to sacrifice. 00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:54.320 I'm here to gain. 00:34:56.800 --> 00:35:03.440 Outdo one another in showing honor is not easy. 00:35:03.760 --> 00:35:05.920 But it's simpler than you think. 00:35:08.079 --> 00:35:13.760 We gotta think less often of ourselves. 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:16.719 This is what Tim Keller says. 00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:19.119 And I like his advice here. 00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:28.559 He says it is not thinking less of ourselves, but actually thinking of ourselves less. 00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:30.639 Did you catch it? 00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:36.079 I mean, I I had to read it like five times, and I'm like, ha, he's smart, this guy. 00:35:36.239 --> 00:35:43.679 What he is saying, he says, you don't need to think of yourself as this low life, worthless person. 00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:51.280 Just stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about other people and how they are doing. 00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:56.880 Keller calls this a healthy form of self-forgetfulness. 00:35:58.559 --> 00:36:00.800 A wonderful word of advice to you. 00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:06.079 Walk into the church and forget about yourself for a moment. 00:36:07.840 --> 00:36:12.559 Dear brothers and sisters, I've been infected too. 00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:18.079 I've been infected too with this thing called prideful self-love. 00:36:18.400 --> 00:36:28.639 I need a good daily dose of agape reminders that I gotta focus less on myself and more on others. 00:36:30.239 --> 00:36:36.960 I'm so inclined to think, are they appreciating me? 00:36:37.199 --> 00:36:38.800 Are they liking me? 00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:41.199 Are they thinking I'm cool? 00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:49.280 When I should rather be saying, how can I appreciate somebody? 00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:51.840 How can I truly value that person? 00:36:52.079 --> 00:36:57.920 How can I truly show that I'm thankful for that person? 00:36:59.119 --> 00:37:09.039 As a pastor, in former times, unfortunately, I've welcomed many people in my church, and I'm like, welcome, welcome, so glad. 00:37:09.119 --> 00:37:09.920 Where did you come from? 00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:11.440 Oh, we came from that church. 00:37:11.599 --> 00:37:12.960 Oh, why did you leave there? 00:37:13.199 --> 00:37:23.920 Oh, we were not feeling like we were appreciated there, and uh we weren't really valued over there, and people didn't really thank us all too often. 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:26.960 And I'm like, okay, well, come here. 00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:29.039 We'll do that for you. 00:37:31.360 --> 00:37:42.800 But lo and behold, you can never value them enough, you cannot ever appreciate them enough, you can never thank them enough to their satisfaction. 00:37:42.960 --> 00:37:52.480 You see, selfish, prideful, self-love will say, You can never satisfy me because I am so important. 00:37:54.719 --> 00:38:02.239 Instead, the mindset of Romans 12 10 is that of how can I value you? 00:38:02.559 --> 00:38:04.639 How can I appreciate you? 00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:10.800 How can I thank you rather than pointing to myself? 00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:17.599 So let's get some practical practical pointers here. 00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:27.519 Number one, here's some practical pointers, and I'm gonna just go quick. 00:38:29.920 --> 00:38:35.519 Have a gospel orientation, have a gospel mindset. 00:38:36.639 --> 00:38:39.760 Think of Christ and his gospel. 00:38:40.559 --> 00:38:44.079 Christ was not egocentric but theocentric. 00:38:44.239 --> 00:39:12.880 Christ was not a lover of himself, but one who had a noticeable and practical self-forgetfulness that motivated him to take up the cross and walk the road to Calvary, not to benefit himself, not acting in his own interest, but to benefit and bless the undeserved, so that by that he can bring honor and glory to his Father in heaven. 00:39:13.199 --> 00:39:16.480 We gotta think more often what Christ did. 00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:24.639 The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to be a servant. 00:39:26.320 --> 00:39:30.639 Number two, you take the initiative. 00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:36.639 You see, agape love is not a reactive love. 00:39:36.719 --> 00:39:41.360 It's not a responsive love that says, okay, if you do this, I will do this. 00:39:41.519 --> 00:39:48.079 In fact, agape is known for its initiative, it's its proactiveness. 00:39:48.159 --> 00:39:50.239 It always acts first. 00:39:52.559 --> 00:39:58.400 Romans 5.8 says, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. 00:39:58.639 --> 00:40:03.760 You see, while we were yet sinners, God took the initiative. 00:40:04.079 --> 00:40:08.960 God takes the first step because he loves us with agape love. 00:40:09.280 --> 00:40:11.840 We are to take the first step. 00:40:24.800 --> 00:40:25.920 Number three. 00:40:26.719 --> 00:40:28.079 This is a difficult one. 00:40:28.159 --> 00:40:29.440 It's very complex. 00:40:31.440 --> 00:40:32.400 Greet people. 00:40:34.400 --> 00:40:35.119 Greet people. 00:40:36.159 --> 00:40:39.119 And you think of me, uh Anton, that's so dumb. 00:40:39.280 --> 00:40:40.079 That's so dumb. 00:40:41.199 --> 00:40:53.679 Well, but Paul in his epistles uses greetings and encouraging people to greet one another no less than forty-four times. 00:40:54.639 --> 00:40:55.760 Forty-four times. 00:40:56.239 --> 00:40:57.840 What is a greeting? 00:40:58.480 --> 00:41:07.760 A greeting is the most rudimentary way of acknowledging and honoring and recognizing a person. 00:41:10.159 --> 00:41:13.039 I mean, you've probably experienced uh this. 00:41:13.199 --> 00:41:16.480 You can walk into a room and you stand there. 00:41:20.079 --> 00:41:20.880 Am I here? 00:41:21.360 --> 00:41:22.480 Can you see me? 00:41:23.119 --> 00:41:26.719 Do do I need to do something so you can see me? 00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:33.920 Dear brothers and sisters, you take the initiative, you greet. 00:41:36.239 --> 00:41:48.880 You tell me in the army, does the general greet the corporal first, or the corporal greets the general first? 00:41:50.960 --> 00:41:56.559 The corporal greets and salutes the general first, not the other way around. 00:41:56.719 --> 00:42:03.760 But if the corporal thinks he's the general, there's a problem. 00:42:04.559 --> 00:42:06.960 He will not salute the general. 00:42:07.519 --> 00:42:17.119 You see, we gotta see all ourselves as plain old servicemen here and greet each other with a greet of grace. 00:42:18.960 --> 00:42:20.559 How am I doing for time here? 00:42:20.639 --> 00:42:22.880