Mission Sent
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Mission Sent
When Silence Speaks: A Journey of Faith and Grace
What happens when the silence of God feels deafening, leaving us questioning our faith and worthiness? We explore this profound struggle through the lens of Romans 11, as we uncover Paul's teachings on grace, the human tendency to earn divine favor, and the painful yet transformative moments of spiritual failure. From Elijah's despair to the disciples' missteps, we draw parallels between biblical narratives and our personal experiences of feeling forsaken. It's a journey into understanding that God's grace is unearned and unwavering, offering a soothing balm for our hearts even when we stumble.
In our exploration, we reflect on Elijah's unwavering faith amidst trials and the radical nature of grace offered through Jesus Christ. We confront the tension between our innate desire for justice and our capacity to extend grace, challenging ourselves to emulate Jesus' ultimate act of forgiveness. Moreover, we tackle the slippery slope of spiritual complacency, sharing personal anecdotes about the universal struggle to guard against distractions that lead us astray. Through these stories, we emphasize the urgency of nurturing a vigilant heart, ready to withstand the temptations and cycles that threaten our spiritual well-being.
I'm excited we're about to jump back into Romans, back into our series. I enjoy that so much more than I enjoy trying to come up with different things to preach about every week. So we are going to be picking up in Romans 11 before Advent. Remember, we left off in Romans 10. All right, so we're going to pick up in verse one of Romans 11. And it starts like this so we're going to pick up in verse 1 of Romans 11. And it starts like this.
Speaker 1:I ask then has God rejected his people? By no means, for I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people, whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left and they seek my life. But what is God's reply to him? I have kept for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too, at the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace, but if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works. Otherwise grace would no longer be grace. Amen, and I'm going to pray and then we will jump into that. Father, I thank you so much for your word and I ask, father, that as I preach through your word today, that it be your words. Now, father, even if it is my voice, people here, it is your words that cut us to the heart, that we may know you better and that we may look more like your son, father, when we leave here. Father, we pray this in Jesus' name Amen.
Speaker 1:All right, so as we jump into this, I'm going to start just by asking our big question, which is this Do you ever feel like God has abandoned you? Like, if you're really honest, have you ever had that feeling like God is no longer listening to you? Like your prayers really don't matter, like you're kind of just stumbling through this? Like God is just done trying because you have just failed too often? Like God is sitting here, going what's the purpose of me even listening to your prayer? Because you're just going to do whatever it is you want to do? Like, seriously, has anyone in here ever felt like God has just rejected them? Well, that is what Paul is driving at. He started by asking that simple question has God rejected his people? Now, remember, this doesn't exist in a vacuum, right?
Speaker 1:This section Romans 11, is coming right after Romans 10. And when we were looking at Romans 10, paul was like, really into that whole. Hey, this is by grace and grace alone that the Israelites couldn't earn God's favor. And it's hard because when we really listen to people talk, most of us really believe that we can earn God's favor, that if I'm just good enough, if I read my Bible enough, if I can fast well enough, see, like I get it Even with us. We are on our 21-day fast right now and don't forget, on Wednesdays it's going to be the time of prayer that goes with that fast.
Speaker 1:But again, what happens when, oops, I missed it. I gave into, like I'll tell you right now. We had a vegetable stew last night that we went very, very hard on trying to get it to taste just like beef stew. For a reason, because I'm sitting here going like my body needs something, like it's missing something, and maybe if I make it taste enough like beef stew, then it'll be all right. Now let me ask you what would have happened if I, oops, accidentally threw some beef in that? Is God looking at me now going, hey, there's no point in you, even fasting anymore. You couldn't even handle yourself for a full week. No, not at all. Think about it.
Speaker 1:When Jesus goes into the garden the night, he is betrayed to pray, he takes with him his disciples right. He takes not just his, like all his disciples, he takes his superstar disciples right. He goes, peter and John, come with me, I need you to help me pray. And so they go off into the garden and Jesus is praying so stressfully that blood is literally pouring out of his skin. Do you have any idea how stressed you have to be to force blood out of your skin? And he looks over and Peter and John, you know the disciple whom Jesus loved, and the disciple Jesus is going to build his church on. What are they doing? They're sleeping.
Speaker 1:I don't know about you, but like when JT comes outside at night to hold the flashlight for me and he can't like keep the flashlight where I need it, I get a little bit frustrated with him. How do you think Jesus is feeling right now? Like he's sitting here, going guys, you have no idea what's about to happen in just a couple of minutes. And you couldn't even stay awake long enough to pray with me. See, in most of us. That's where we find ourselves right. We sit here and we go. Man, I've done it again. I failed at it. Again, I gave up. Again, I missed what Jesus was telling me again.
Speaker 1:See, most of us, we could really relate to what david tells us in psalm 22. He says my god, my god, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me from the words of my groaning, oh, my god, I by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Now, some of that should sound familiar, because Jesus on the cross says some of that. As Jesus is hanging there, dying, he says my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? He's quoting Psalms.
Speaker 1:But anyone else in here ever feel like that, like like again, I just got nothing? I pray, I seek God, I do all the things that I think I'm supposed to be doing, and yet I come up empty. My God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you far off from me, god? Why won't you heal this? God? Why won't you come into my marriage and just make my marriage what it should be? God? Why won't you help out in my fight? God, I know you can move the world. Like I know you can do anything that you can, that that that you want, but yet, god, it seems like you just kind of leave me off by myself. Like I've talked with people who go man, how could just a hateful God do that? See his children suffering and not step in? Think about it when the Israelites are in Egypt in bondage, how long are they in slavery before God actually steps in? 400 years, that's a long time. To be praying, to be going, god, deliver me, to be going, god, save me.
Speaker 1:Some of us in this room we're in that same situation. Right, you've been praying and you've been praying and you've been praying and you're sitting here going, god, when are you gonna show up? When are you gonna do something different? When are you going to do something different? When are you going to help me walk through this? God? Why have you left me?
Speaker 1:And then we get into this mindset right, I know why God's left me, because I know what God calls wicked and sometimes I don't call that same thing wicked, wicked, and sometimes I don't call that same thing wicked. Then we start looking inward at ourselves. Then we start sitting here going oh, it must be because I can't get it right. It must be because God told me what the standard is and I went no, here's what I want, here's my standard. And I went no, here's what I want, here's my standard. See, it must be because I have sin in my life. I mean, if you read through the book of Job, that's what his friends come and tell him, right, like Job's lost everything. And his friends show up and that's the same thing. They tell him Job, it's you, you did something, job, you have some sin that you haven't confessed. Job, you got some stuff in your life that you need to change. And this is our natural tendency, because then we sit here and we go I know how sinful I can be and then here's what the enemy gets you to believe.
Speaker 1:I get why God left me, because if I was God, I would have left too. There's times I don't know. You know, me and Debbie have been married a very, very long time now Over 20 years and there are times where we've been talking and one or the other one of us has said I don't understand why you love me, because if I were you, I wouldn't love me. And some of us, if we're honest, we look at God the same way and we go. If I was God, I wouldn't love me. I would have left me too. I deserve to be left. But look at what Paul actually said here. But look at what Paul actually said here. Not only did God not reject his people, but he goes further to explain why God didn't reject his people. And this is why because truth matters Two of the most dangerous words in the English language are this I feel Terrible Anytime someone starts a sentence with me like we're talking and they go.
Speaker 1:I feel I go whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's stop real quick. I'll tell you right now nothing has caused more fights between me and Debbie than the sentence I feel. Because here's what we're doing we're basing truth on what we feel in our heart, and we always forget that our heart is wicked and deceitful, above all things. Who can understand it? Here's the problem with I feel how long does I feel last? The problem with I feel how long does I feel last? Usually not that long, because in just a little bit you're going to feel something different, and then all it takes is one little thing and then you feel something different. I'm telling you and I I've told everyone in here before, but again. If I could figure out a nice Christian way to say it that forget your feelings shirt would definitely be one I would wear almost every day, because that's what we're doing.
Speaker 1:Right, the Israelites are sitting here going did God reject his people? And Paul is going no, no, no, no. Let's start with truth. Let's start with something we can hold on to. Let's start with something that's not going to change. He goes.
Speaker 1:Remember that guy, elijah. And again, if you're an Israelite, you remember Elijah. Elijah is one of only two people in the Bible that don't die, that go to heaven without dying. Bonus question who's the other one? Enoch? Enoch walked with God. No more Elijah. On the other hand, he gets a grand exit right. He's on the mountain and literally chariots of fire and cherubim pull up and he steps on that, like that's how I want to go out and see.
Speaker 1:So if you're an Israelite, you know who Elijah is. In fact, not only do you know who Elijah is, you know the Messiah, the promised Messiah of God, is coming in the power of who Elijah? Why? Because there was this thing that happened in 1 Kings, where Elijah goes up against the 400 prophets of Baal 450, I'm sorry and he goes. Hey, we're going to see whose God is actually God. Let's build these altars. Now. You guys get a bull, put it on your altar, you have your God, call down fire and burn that thing up.
Speaker 1:And it's one of my favorite stories and by story I don't mean story like something fake, well, my favorite narratives. How's that? Because it shows us that sarcasm is a biblical principle, because, as the prophets of Baal cannot burn it up, elijah is just like egging them on. Well, maybe he's busy, maybe he's taking a nap, hey, maybe he's in the bathroom. And I go. That is amazing. Like to sit there and talk crap because you are so sure of what the truth is.
Speaker 1:And then Elijah, being as sure as he is of what God is about to do for him, completely floods his altar. I mean, there's water standing on the ground. They dug a trench around it because it's literally now going to be in like a small pond and then calls down fire and not only is the, the bull, burned up, but the altar is burned up, the water is evaporated and the ground is burned up and then Elijah, like pulls out a sword and he's like all right, kill all the prophets and chases them down. I go, guys, some of that, we need some of that in today. Two, not the killing part. Okay, I would never say we need that mentality. That's what I'm getting at, right.
Speaker 1:And you know what happens after that? He runs into a cave and hides because Jezebel, this evil, wicked queen, is going hey, I want to kill him because he just made a mockery of my God. Okay, you just called down fire from heaven. That is the biggest kamehameha you could ever do in your life. And now you're hiding because some little queen is like, oh, I'm going to kill you.
Speaker 1:And as he's sitting there talking to God, what Paul is reminding the Israelites was this, this great prophet who's sitting here, going God, it ain't worth it anymore. God, you must have rejected us, because I've been sitting here and I've been preaching, and I've been preaching and no one's repenting and no one's listening to me and no one's doing anything different, and no one's doing anything different and no one's changing anything. And now, god, these same people, they want to kill me. And he goes god, just take me, don't let them kill me. You take me.
Speaker 1:And god, in a small still voice, in other words a, goes Elijah, I ain't done with you. I've saved 7,000 of you. And you know what? I'm still gonna change the world with you, because I promised Abraham way back in Genesis that through you guys, I'm gonna bless all nations on earth. Through you guys, I am going to send a redeemer. Through you guys, the Messiah will come, and so Elijah, at that point, will get up and go do some amazing things. And go do some amazing things and, just like God told Elijah, paul is reminding us here that God's grace is bigger than man's sin. Guys, I want us to really simmer on that, because some of us have a really small understanding of what grace is. See in verses five and six.
Speaker 1:Paul wrote this. So too, at the present time. At the present time, there is a remnant, chosen by what grace? But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.
Speaker 1:Here's what this word grace means. You got something you didn't earn. That is what grace is. What did we receive? Salvation and redemption. What did we receive? Salvation and redemption? What did we earn? Death. It's jesus, literally sitting here, going father. I know, the wages of sin is death, and I will choose to die for them. To die for them, because otherwise none of us get to go, none of us get in right relationship with God.
Speaker 1:I get asked all the time how were people in the Old Testament saved before Jesus? Simple answer you want to know how, by Jesus. Simple answer. You want to know how, by Jesus, none of us without Christ get to be in right relationship with God, because all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Now, when I say all of us, that word in the Greek it's a really cool word. You know what it means. All of us, every one of us, that word in the Greek, it's a really cool word. You know what it means All of us, every one of us. It is exactly what it is translated into. It is sitting here going that none of us are righteous no, not one. And this is why that word grace should wreck every single one of us in here, because you know what.
Speaker 1:You have a hard time showing others grace. You know why? Because someone wronged me. They deserve to pay. You want justice and it doesn't matter what happens. And how do I know this? Because for a brief moment in time, I was like I'm gonna jump on this social media thing. Moment in time, I was like I'm going to jump on this social media thing and good God, almighty, it sends my soul every time I open it up, Because that's all we want, right? We just want justice. How dare you say that about me? You will pay. How dare you do this? How dare you say that? How dare you think this? How dare you not agree with? Dare you say that? How dare you think this? How dare you not agree with everything I say and do? Do you not know who I am? Think about it like I don't even give grace.
Speaker 1:When I'm driving, let someone cut me off and in my mind is going I am certified to use the pit maneuver and all I got to do is just tap that little back of that car and then we can keep on keeping on. Your day just got a lot worse. Next time you'll think before you cut someone off, right? I mean, jesus is literally being killed. Jesus is literally being killed, literally being murdered, and sits here and goes Father, forgive them. They know not what they do. Someone calls you a bad name and you're ready to kill them.
Speaker 1:Jesus is literally being killed and does the opposite. Why? Because he is grace. We can't show grace. That's why you'll fight with your spouse for three or four days Because heaven forbid you go. You know what, it's not that big of a deal. Instead of sitting here and going, I'm going to hold on to it and let that poison just continue to corrupt my heart. What happens if we just let it go and see? You want to know why we don't understand grace, because we think we work for everything. You know what. You never worked for your redemption. You never reconciled yourself to God. Jesus did you want to know what you've done?
Speaker 1:It's this really cool theological thing called the cycle of sin, and we see it over and over and over in scripture. It goes like this, and the best picture of it is found in Nehemiah, starting in Nehemiah 9, in verse 26,. It says this Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. Therefore, you gave them into the time of their suffering. They cried out to you and you heard them from heaven and, according to your great mercies, you gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies. You gave them saviors, who saved them from the hand of their enemies. But after they had rest, they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them into the hands of their enemies so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard them from heaven and many times you delivered them according to your mercies. That is the story of all of our lives. That's it right there, the same story that Israel has had since Israel had became a nation. God delivered them. God called them to himself. They got to a place where they were comfortable once they had rest and they started doing evil again and god, in his love, allowed their enemies to overtake them. Why? Because he knew it would turn them back to him. And when they cried out, god heard them, rose up saviors and saved them.
Speaker 1:That is every single one of us in this room. You get to a point where you're comfortable and you just kind of go on autopilot. Well, you know what happens when you go on autopilot and you're not guarding the most wicked thing in this room it wants to be doing all the wicked things that it shouldn't be doing. Debbie had told me the other day Josh, I really noticed a difference in you when you stopped listening to like nothing but Christian hip hop and started listening to music that you used to listen to. And yeah, I'll tell you right now, I got bored hearing the same 281 songs over and over and over again. Now I will tell you I still can't listen to today's music, because I don't even know what half of it is anymore and it all sounds the same regardless of what genre you listen to. It's terrible, but you know why? It's because I wasn't spending time guarding the most wicked thing I ever have to worry about my own heart. Because when I'm not guarding it, my heart goes ooh, look at that shiny thing over there, let's go play with that.
Speaker 1:Whatever that may be in your life, for some of us it's alcohol, for some of us it's porn. For some of us it's fishing. Yes, it can be an idol. I am well aware of that. How do I know that? Because I've got like eight texts yesterday like hey, where are you? Is everything OK? Thought you would be back by now. But what I'm saying is is we don't guard that. That's what's going to happen when we forget what God saved us from. That's what's going to happen when we forget what God saved us from. That's what's going to happen. This is the cycle we all live in. We have this high, we have this joy of our own salvation. Maybe it was hey, it's the new year, new me. Maybe it was a birthday, I don't know. Maybe, through God's grace, he allowed me to say something that actually penetrated you to your heart and you had this great service and this great moment with God saving you.
Speaker 1:And then, after X amount of time, guess what happens? The feeling fades and then we start chasing that feeling. I was talking with someone before service this morning and that's what we were talking about. Right, I'm sitting here, going. I'm having such a hard time not eating meat that I'm chasing this feeling. I'm going hey, you know what I want to eat one meal where I get done. Eating where I'm like okay, I'm full, I can now go lay down and go to sleep. Eating where I'm like okay, I'm full, I can now go lay down and go to sleep Vegetables. Don't give you that feeling. I will tell you that. No wonder rabbits spend their whole life just in anxious, like I got to find more food, you know, as lions, right, like they eat a water buffalo. What do they do they go, lay down and go to sleep? What are any herbivore? What do they do? They got to keep going and finding more food. So I'm chasing this feeling because after X amount of time, the feeling I got from the awesomeness of God faded away and I became familiar with God and no longer was I looking at him in awe, but I was looking at him because now I really believe that Jesus just wants to be my buddy. Oh, but I was looking at him because now I really believe that Jesus just wants to be my buddy. You do know that's nowhere in Scripture, right? Jesus doesn't. Yes, the term friend of sinners is in there and all that means is Jesus came to sinners. He's not really wanting to be your friend, he's wanting to be your Lord and Savior. But see, when that feeling fades, I start looking at all the shiny things. And then what happens? I go after those shiny things. Right, I'll tell you right now. I was talking to someone yesterday and they're like well, no, it was this morning, I heard it, but they were talking about yesterday and they went, I don't know what it is. I sit down at the beach or next to water and I'm like where's the cooler, I need to eat. Why? Because we have linked these two things in our head and now it's just nom, nom, nom, nom. Right, like I want this feeling, because these shiny things matter, because these are the things I want. And then I go do these shiny things and then what happens? There's another feeling that comes along. What is it? Guilt and shame. And you know what that keeps me from doing Everything? Because now I can't go be around people, because as soon as I walk into church they're going to know, they're going to see it all over me that guilt and that shame. And then I'm not going to be as good as them, and then I'm going to feel bad about myself and who I am. Here's a newsflash. All of us should feel bad about ourselves and who we are, every single one of us. You know how, and if you've been here long enough, you know the answer to this. I've one time you know how, when everybody comes in in the morning, what's the one question everyone gets asked? Hey, how are you? One time I've had someone go. I'm terrible. Can you pray for me? Because what's our answer all the time? I'm good. Hey, you know, I'm just tired. The week was long Because, heaven forbid, we come in and we go. Hey, my heart is breaking. Can you please pray with me? I had a really bad week because my eyes just wanted all the shiny things and one time I gave into it and I feel guilty and I feel ashamed of it. Can you please pray with me? Can you please remind me that God is not rejecting me, that just because I have sinned doesn't mean that God left me. Any of you in here that have kids is there anything that would separate you from your child? Like JT, has told me some things throughout his life and I've never once looked at him and went hey, that's it, we're done. You are no longer my child, go figure it out. There are times he has decided I am no longer your child and I'm going to go go figure it out. There are times he has decided I am no longer your child and I'm going to go try to figure it out. But I have never. And even when he did that and we were reunited, I went son, you will never not be my child. I want you to understand this. I don't love Kayla anymore because she went out on her paddleboard yesterday braving the elements. Am I very proud of her, absolutely. Did I love hearing her go? My fingers were blue because they were so cold. Yes, do I love the fact that she actually used a Christmas present? A hundred percent. But I do not look at her now and go. I love her so much more. I don't love Gabby less that she didn't go fish with me at all yesterday. I'm not looking at her like, hey, you're less my daughter because you didn't catch a fish, because I went. You know what? It doesn't matter, daddy can feed you, I'll catch all the fish for you, sweetheart. Why? Because you're my daughter. This is the same thing God does for each and every one of his children. He's not sitting here looking at you going, hey, now you are far from me and I reject you based off of what you do, because he doesn't love you based off of what you do. He loves you based off that grace. But yet we find ourselves in this cycle and most of us will struggle with that our entire lives. Now let me ask you do you think that's from God to lead you to repentance, or do you think that's from the devil sitting here going hey, I can hold you down at any given time with shame and guilt. Yeah, god delivered Israel into the hands of their enemies to bring them back to him. That's called repentance, and conviction is a good thing. Conviction is not a bad thing. Knowing that you were wrong is a good thing. Jt yesterday got in trouble because of an attitude he threw first thing in the morning, which, let's, I'll be honest, isn't my golden hour. I'll tell you that right now. And as we're talking, I'm like JT. I'm not even mad at what you did. I'm mad at how you reacted to it. Jt, show some kind of humility. Show that you can be taught, because that is a good thing. We should never stop learning, because the moment you go I got this, you ain't got it anymore. And so when we look at this cycle, understand this is the enemy sitting here, going. I can hold you down because I can keep you from the places, with people that love you, who will be here for you, who will talk with you through this, who will pray with you through this, who hopefully can give you good counsel to make it through that. And instead what we do is we go. I want to go, be by myself, because I'm ashamed and I'm guilty, and if you really knew the real me, you wouldn't love me because I wouldn't love you if I really knew you. So, as God rejected his people, because that's how we look at it, the same way we look at our relationship with each other. Because our love is so conditional, isn't it? Here's how you can know your love's conditional. You ready If you were sitting next to your spouse right now? What I want you to do is I want you to look at your spouse and go. If I found out, if I found out, that I wasn't your only, would I stay with you. Your love's conditional, isn't it? Because the first thing in your mind is your love's conditional, isn't it? Because the first thing in your mind is didn't Jesus say adultery is the only reason for divorce, like peace deuce? Because our love is conditional, and so we look at our relationship with God in the same condition that we look at our relationship with others. And what Paul is doing is he's sitting here trying to remind them of the truth of who Jesus is and who they are in Christ. He is sitting here going. This is all from grace and therefore it doesn't depend on you. It depended on Jesus. And if God has already promised it, then now how can he go back on that promise? Because, can God lie? No, he can't. So if he sat here and went, I will never forsake you. How now can he forsake you If you didn't earn what God has given? How can he now take it from you? Remember, it wasn't what you have done, it's what Jesus did. He came to earth, lived a perfect life and then chose to go to the cross. And what Paul is trying to drive his brothers and sisters into is this never depended on you. It always depended on Jesus. See, god will never leave or forsake us. Because of Jesus. God promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed, and that is the blessing. The hardest thing you'll ever have to do is believe it thing you'll ever have to do is believe it. That is it. The hardest thing you will ever have to do is actually believe that, because, see, belief, faith, pastusos. It isn't sitting here saying I believe this is true. It is sitting here saying because I believe this is true, I will do. Because I believe that God will never leave nor forsake me, because I believe that God will never reject me, I will lean more and more and more into God. If you're an older parent in here, you know this because my mom tells me this all the time. If I would have just listened to what she told me, my life would be better, because she never meant me harm and everything she ever did or told me was done for my good, because of her love. And everything she ever did or told me was done for my good because of her love. Do you know how true that is of Jesus? Maybe not my mom, but definitely of Jesus. Think about it. Why do we go to people older than us? For their wisdom? Because they've been through this, they know better than us. For their wisdom? Because they've been through this, they know better than us. The hardest thing you're going to have to do is stop living your life in the ups and downs of your life, in your feelings that move from here to here. When you wake up one morning, you're like it's going to be a great day and today is is going to be amazing. And then you wake up the next morning and you're like, oh God, I hate this. Stop living your life there and start living your life in the truth and strength and rest of Jesus Of going. You know what, if today is a bad day, jesus still loves me and is still sitting on the throne. And if today is a good day, jesus still loves me and is still sitting on his throne. And if I did good today, jesus still loves me and is still sitting on his throne. And if I did bad today, jesus still loves me and is still sitting on his throne. That is what Paul is trying to get them to understand that the hardest thing we'll ever have to do is swallow our pride and let Jesus pay for us and some of us. I go, we get it. I've gone out to eat with enough of you in here and paid the bill to see that you have some pride welling up, right? Because as soon as that bill comes and I go no, no, no, one check, you're like no, no, no, no, I don't want to have to owe you. Why? Because you think I'm going to come to you and go hey, remember, that was a lot of money. I better see some tithing coming in Like is that what it is? Because? Have I ever done that? Think about it. That's pride, right? No, you can't pay for me. I got this. I'm going to show you. I don't need you to pay for me. How many of us do that with Jesus and we go. I got this. You're not going to pay for me, king Jesus, here's the thing. I'm going to tell you the same thing. My mom always tells me I have more money than you. I'll pay for what I want to pay for. Jesus looks at it the same way and he will never reject you just because you don't have enough money. The hardest thing we will ever have to do is actually put our faith in Jesus, and that's hard because faith and trust is sitting here, going. I ain't got this, but I know you do, and that's what Paul is trying to remind his Israelite brothers and sisters. He's trying to sit here and go. There's a remnant saved by grace, and grace alone. There's a reason why, when I started my five sola tattoos, that I started with faith alone, through grace alone, because that's all I got. Then I figured I was going to get the other three, but tattoos are really expensive and we could finish it off. It is through faith alone, by grace alone, through Christ alone, according to Scripture, alone for God's glory alone I'm going to do. What is it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, as we close today, ask yourself did God forsake you? Are you somewhere on that cycle of sin, tiring yourself out, running this race? Anyone in here ever feel like a hamster that you're just powering away on that little wheel but you ain't actually getting anywhere? If that's you, I'm going to tell you go ahead and step off the wheel, because you can run that race all day long. And guess what? You're just going to die tired. In fact, my dad used to never wear a life jacket when we went on the boat and when I went through my boater safety course. That's what they preach, right Wear a life jacket, wear a life jacket, wear a life jacket. So I'd asked him one day. I was like, dad, why don't you ever wear a life jacket? And he goes can you swim 20 miles with a life jacket on? I was like, probably not. I'd probably have a hard time walking 20 miles. Right, he goes. So the only difference between me and you is you're going to die tired. And I was like but that's how we live our lives, right? See, some of us are just going to die more tired than others Because we've spent our life in this hamster wheel of life trying to earn what God has already given. So as we close this morning, has God forsaken you. If you need someone to talk with or pray with. I'm always here, as is other people, but this year, as we start, start putting our faith in Jesus and not in ourselves. So, father, as we wrap this up, I ask and I pray God, that God you penetrate deep into our hearts, that Father you restore the joy of our salvation. That Father, if we are somewhere stuck on this wheel of sitting here going, god has rejected me because I couldn't add up. That, father, you get us out of that mindset and out of that performance-driven, works-based, deadly religion. And, father, we see you for who you are and that, by your grace, father, we have been saved. Father, I ask and I pray for rest for those in here who need it. I ask, father and I pray that you hold them, that you comfort them, that you go hey, I got you. I ask Father, that their pride just be squashed. They come to you, father, going. Hey, I know I bring nothing to this, but thank you, thank you so much for my payment, jesus. So, father, I pray all of this in Jesus' name, amen.