00:00 Introduction to Zion Williamson

00:34 Zion's Struggles and Resources

01:55 Transition to Spiritual Resources

02:46 God's Desire for Your Salvation

03:17 The Path to Eternal Life

04:29 The Power of Persistent Prayer

05:34 God's Promise to Answer Prayers

08:21 God's Goodness in Answering Prayers

10:06 Trusting God's Plan

11:41 The Importance of Persistent Asking

15:58 God's Goodness and Our Desires

24:24 God's Resources and Our Actions

24:54 The Golden Rule Explained

25:28 God's Support in Loving Others

26:52 The Essence of the Bible: Loving Others

27:50 God's Wisdom and Our Obedience

31:45 The Golden Rule vs. The Platinum Rule

36:47 Loving God to Love Others

41:54 The Narrow Path to Eternal Life

51:46 Trusting Jesus: The Narrow Gate

I love basketball.

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And one basketball player that I

made the mistake of drafting to my

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fantasy basketball team a few years

ago, and I will never ever draft him

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again, his name is Zion Williamson.

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Zion Williamson.

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And the reason I will never

draft this man, even though

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he looks, he looks amazing.

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Doesn't he look like a superhero?

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The reason I will never draft this

guy again is because he never plays.

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He never plays and the reason

he never plays he's always

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injured or he's out of shape.

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Now, can you imagine this

guy being out of shape?

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Well, see the problem with this guy is

he has all these resources available.

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He's a professional athlete.

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He's got dietitians.

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He's got millions of dollars.

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He's got coaches.

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He has other players.

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He has maybe retired players he could talk

to and and hear from to help him learn

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how to take care of his body and head in.

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Do his job, which is to play

basketball to the best of ability.

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He has all the resources in

the world, but he can't do it.

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This is a stat from 2022.

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He only played in 38 percent of

the games he could have played it.

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So almost a third of the games he

should have been able to be at.

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He only played in 38 percent 85, 226.

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And guess what?

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This year.

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He's only played in 14 games, and

it's been more than half the season.

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So once again, he's hurt.

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Last year, he finally played a

lot of games, and then they got

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to the playoffs, and guess what

happened to his first playoff game?

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He got injured, left the game,

couldn't finish the game.

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So he has all these

resources available, right?

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He has millions of dollars, he's a

professional athlete, he has, the whole

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New Orleans team, the whole organization

wants him to be healthy, to stay in shape.

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And he can't do it.

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Sometimes he'll show up to training camp

and he'll be 300 plus pounds, professional

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athlete, all the resources in the world.

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And see what I want you guys to

realize is that just like Mr.

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Williamson has all these resources

available to him to help him

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be a good basketball player,

but he can't stay on the court.

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You have so many resources available

to you to get eternal life with God.

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It's an obvious, clear way to heaven.

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You have so many resources available,

but so many people still miss it.

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So many people still end up missing out on

eternal life with God and instead go down

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the path to eternal destruction away from

Him, despite all the resources you have.

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So today we're going to look in Matthew 7.

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We're going to see that God

offers you as much as He can, as

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much help as He can to get you.

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To heaven.

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And so, the title of this sermon

is, God wants you to get to heaven.

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God wants you there.

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He's done everything he can to

get you there, but some people,

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as we'll see in this passage, many

people still miss out on heaven.

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Not many people will go

to heaven, which is sad.

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Not many people will go to heaven.

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That's what Jesus will tell us.

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But God wants to help you get there.

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Not many people will get to heaven,

but God wants to help you get there.

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See, in our passage, Jesus is

presenting your life as a pathway.

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Your life is a path, and it's

leading to one of two places.

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It's either gonna lead in the

direction towards eternal life, or

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it's gonna lead in the direction

towards eternal destruction.

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There's only two options.

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You either follow Jesus, or

you turn away from Jesus.

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You either live for yourself,

or you live for God.

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You And see, the path to life might be

unpopular or it might seem restrictive,

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but really it's the happiest, the fullest,

the best way to live, and that path to

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life is fueled by all of God's resources.

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I'll try not to smack

you in the face, Lucas.

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I almost did.

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I'm sorry.

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I'll back up a little bit.

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The path to life, God is giving

you all of his resources.

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God has way more resources

than millions of dollars.

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of professional athlete resources.

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God has way more available

at his disposal, and he wants

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to help you get to heaven.

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God's power, God's goodness, they're

all at your disposal if you will

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reach out and grab God's hand in

faith and say, God, I need your help.

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I want you to lead me

down the path to life.

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So in this passage, we'll see four ways

that God helps Christians get to heaven.

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Amen.

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It.

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So Matthew seven, right?

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We're continuing on this

sermon on the Mount.

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Jesus is teaching.

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We're almost at the end, by the way.

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So the first thing we're gonna

see in verses seven and eight.

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So Jesus here in, in Matthew

seven, he says, ask, I should

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just read this from here.

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That would be helpful.

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He says, ask and it will be given to you.

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Seek and you'll find, knock

and it will be open to you.

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For everyone who asks, receives,

and the one who seeks, finds, and to

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the one who knocks, it will be open.

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So God is talking, or Jesus

here, is talking about prayer.

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He's talking about how to pray,

what it's like when you pray.

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And what he's, he's giving

you three commands, right?

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Ask, seek, knock.

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You've probably heard about this before.

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The reality here in this passage

is that if you ask, you'll get it.

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If you knock It'll open, and

if you seek, you'll find.

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So the, what Jesus is saying is, God

is available to answer your prayers.

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God's ready.

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He's ready to help.

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He wants to help you.

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So, you have the resource

of prayer to access God.

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You can access God.

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Sure thing.

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That's what Jesus is saying.

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You 100 percent have access to God.

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So the first way that God helps

Christians get to Heaven is He says,

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God promises to be available for you.

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, God promises to be available for you.

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And now all my points are gonna

have two sections tonight.

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And that's because I want you to see

that there's two ways you can go.

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You can go on the path to life.

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You can see that God is available,

he's ready, he's willing to help me.

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Or you can ignore God's availability.

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You can say, God, I know you want

to help me, but I don't care.

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You can stiff arm God and say,

God, I, I know I want you.

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Or I, I know you want me.

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I know you want me to, to

come to you and ask for help.

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But I'm gonna ignore that.

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I'm not gonna pray.

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And that path leads to destruction.

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See, Satan would love

for you to ignore God.

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To turn down everything he's given

you to help you get to heaven.

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Now there's one thing I

want you to understand.

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The point's still up there, by the

way, if you're still writing it.

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There's one thing I want you to understand

with this sermon is it's massively

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important that I want you to get, okay?

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Christians fail at prayer.

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This point, right?

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You can be a Christian and

sometimes not feel like praying.

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You can be a Christian and

sometimes not take advantage of

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all of God's resources for you.

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I'm not saying you have to be

perfect at this to go to heaven.

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That's not what I'm saying, okay?

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I'm not saying you have to

be perfect to go to heaven.

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Are we good?

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All right, cool.

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But if the constant theme of your life.

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is ignoring God, not even considering the

fact that you need to pray, neglecting

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your need for God's help, then you are

heading down a path towards destruction.

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If you are trying to pray and having

trouble focusing, that's very different.

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Right?

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You're not going to go to hell for

trying to pray and needing help focusing.

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That's not what I'm saying.

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What I am saying is that if you

are constantly ignoring God and

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Putting him at arm's length and

saying, God, I don't need you.

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Rejecting him, saying, God,

I don't want your help.

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That's a dangerous spot to be in.

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So, look back at our passage.

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The first thing Jesus wants us

to do is He wants us to ask.

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Now, what, what do we mean by ask?

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Well, I think there's two things

that we learn about God from

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looking at when Jesus says ask.

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He says, one, that God wants

to answer your prayers, right?

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Ask, and it will be given to you.

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Jesus isn't saying, you know, if

you ask, God might answer your

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prayers if he's in a good mood.

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Maybe, you know, maybe you can argue

God into answering your prayers.

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Maybe.

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No!

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Jesus is saying God wants

to answer your prayers.

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He's willing to.

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He's ready to.

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He's happy to.

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He's not saying you have to bother

God into answering your prayers.

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The second thing is that

he's saying God promises.

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This is a command and a promise.

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Amen.

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Ask and it will be given to you.

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That's not a suggestion.

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That's not a, well, if you ask in

this special way with the right words,

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then God will answer your prayer.

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No, ask and it'll be given to you.

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There's, there's a promise there.

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So God wants to answer your prayers and

God promises to answer your prayers.

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And these are things you need to know

when you're having trouble praying, right?

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I think back to when I, you

know, I'd always been school.

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I would often try to talk my

teachers into putting an extra

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credit question on the test, right?

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Oh, can we have extra

credit on this assignment?

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Oh, is there extra credit in this class?

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And sometimes they're like, no, right?

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So I try to talk them into it.

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I'm like, oh, you know, well,

what if we did, you know, on

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this project, what if I did this?

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Could I get extra credit?

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Like, no, okay.

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I would be much more bold in asking

them for extra credit if I knew

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they wanted to give me extra credit.

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If they were like, I love

giving out extra credit.

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It's like my favorite thing.

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The highlight of my school year is

giving my students extra credit.

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Then I'd be like, Hey, you

should do extra credit.

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Hey, can you add this on this assignment?

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Hey, can you do this over here?

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Because I know that they want it.

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I know that they want to give it.

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When you pray, know that

God wants to answer.

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God's disposition is, I want to

answer the prayers of my people.

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I want to give them things

that are good for them.

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And not only that, he

said, he's promised you.

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Imagine if your teacher said,

I promise if you ask for extra

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credit, I'll give it to you.

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You'd ask every day, you'd ask every

minute, you'd raise your hand every,

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like, in and out of them all the time.

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Can you have extra credit?

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Can I have extra credit?

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You'd do it.

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Because you, you know

what your teacher's like.

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You know what they want to do.

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You know if they, what

they've said they'll do.

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And you have here, in God's word, a

promise that he wants to answer your

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prayers and he promises to do it.

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So, that's the first motivation to pray.

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That shows that God is available.

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Next, that word seek.

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Right, ask, seek.

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There's a progression.

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There's three things.

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This is the second one.

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Seek.

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Well, that means that God wants to

be asked, even if he seems distant.

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Alright, think of the imagery here.

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You ask someone, but now you're seeking.

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You're looking for them.

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You're trying to find them.

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God, where are you?

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I don't know where you are.

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Well, let me go look for you.

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Right?

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Think of a kid.

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When you're a kid, you're

looking for your parents.

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You want something from them.

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If you see them, you know where

they are, you say, Hey, hey mom,

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hey dad, can I please have this?

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Hopefully you're a polite

child and you say please.

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But, if you don't know where

they are, what do you do?

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You go look for them, right?

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You go upstairs, you go to their

room, you say, where are my parents?

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I need to ask them.

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I want ice cream.

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So I'm gonna go ask them.

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I'm gonna go find them.

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Mom, can I get ice cream, please?

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God is saying, if you

seek me, I'm available.

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I'm ready.

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You can come look for me and find me.

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If you don't know where I'm

at, you can come find me.

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So, God is saying, look, I

want you to keep on praying.

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If you don't feel like I'm answering

your prayers, if I don't feel

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like, if you don't feel like I'm

available, I want you to keep going.

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Don't just pray once and stop.

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So I'm sure we've all had that experience.

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You prayed for something, you're

like, Oh, it didn't happen.

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God's not saying give up.

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He's saying, no, I want

you to keep asking.

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And that's the second part.

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He wants you to be persistent.

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He even expects you to be persistent.

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See, all these verbs, the way that

they're written in Jesus original

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language, is they're all ongoing verbs.

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So you could read it as, keep

on asking, keep on seeking.

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They're present, ongoing verbs.

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So God expects you to be persistent.

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So if you have to keep praying for

something over and over, that's normal.

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That's okay.

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God's not failing you.

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God's not ignoring you.

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That's normal.

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You should expect to have to

pray for something over and over.

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And that shows you that, hey, God

still wants to answer my prayer.

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He's still available.

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He's still ready.

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That third word in the passage,

we've got knock, right?

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Ask, seek, knock.

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Well, what knocking implies,

think of, you know, you're in

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your house, you're a little kid,

you're looking for your parents.

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So first you got, you know where

they are, so you can ask them.

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And then maybe later in the day,

you don't know where they are.

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So now you got to go find them.

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Well, now knock, you go, you

know, they are, you know, they're

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in their room, the doors closed.

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What do you do?

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Jesus says, knock, right?

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Keep knocking on the

door, bang on that door.

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Even if God seems unavailable, he's ready.

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He's a, he's actually ready

to answer your prayers.

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That's what Jesus is saying about God.

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He's saying, even if God seems

distant, you can find him.

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Even if God seems.

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Unavailable or like he's ignoring

you like your prayers are bouncing

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off the ceiling and coming back down

God is ready and willing and able

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to answer your prayers And also he's

saying that God is still good and he

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still wants to answer your prayers

even when you don't see him, right?

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little kids Really little kids they

get scared when they can't see their

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parents Right mom left the room mom's

around the corner They start crying.

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They freak out.

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Why?

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Because they think mom disappeared.

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They think mom doesn't exist anymore.

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We do that with God, don't we?

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Oh God, I don't see

you working in my life.

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Oh God, I'm not really getting

a lot out of my Bible read.

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God, my life's not going

the way I thought it would.

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And then we're like, oh God doesn't exist.

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God's abandoned me.

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Maybe God's not real.

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Maybe the Bible's not true.

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We start freaking out.

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Jesus is saying, look, you can knock.

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You can knock on God's door.

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You can keep bothering him

and he wants to answer.

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He wants to open the door.

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He wants you to come in.

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So don't feel like God is

far away, disappeared around

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the corner, out of your life.

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Even if you have to keep praying for

something over and over and over.

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If you keep going in the passage,

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you can see that all of

this shows dependence.

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It shows reliance.

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It shows trust.

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It's not the amount of praying

you do that gets you to heaven.

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Right?

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We're talking about our two paths, right?

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The, the amount of prayers you do,

the frequency, the regularity, you

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know, I use prayer mate, I do this,

that doesn't get you to heaven.

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But the dependence on God

is what gets you to heaven.

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It shows that you trust Him, you rely on

Him, that you recognize that you need Him.

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Praying before your meals every day.

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It doesn't matter if you're not relying

on God to give you those meals, if you're

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taking them for granted and ignoring God.

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It expresses your helplessness.

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See, if you're praying like this,

if you're praying over and over and

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over, and you're desperate and you're

constantly, actively taking God at his

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word and saying, God, I know you're there.

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I trust you.

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I know you're good.

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I want you to answer my prayers.

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I know you're ready and available.

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Then that expresses your

reliance on him, your trust.

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And that's where Jesus goes next.

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But what if you ask for something bad?

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A lot of us, we read this passage

and we're like, great, I'm going

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to pray for five million dollars.

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I'm going to pray that I'm six foot four.

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I'm going to pray that I'm the

prettiest girl in the world.

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I'm going to pray that whatever,

what if you ask for something

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and God doesn't give it?

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What do I do?

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Does Jesus lie?

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He said, God's going to answer prayers.

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What if I ask for something

that's bad for me?

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Well, Jesus thought ahead of you.

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So look now at Matthew 7, 9 through 11.

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So Jesus says, Or which one of

you, if his son asks him for

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bread, will give him a stone?

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Alright, that would be me.

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Or, if he asks for a fish,

will give him a serpent?

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If you then, who are evil, which

that's just a passing, you know,

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you heard the phrase, catching

strays, Jesus Just, just caught all

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of humanity on a stray right there.

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If you, who are evil people, by

the way, so all humans, Jesus

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is saying, are evil people.

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If you, who are evil, know how to give

good gifts to your children, how much

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more will your Father, who is in heaven,

give good things to those who ask Him?

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So what kind of things does God give?

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Good things.

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God only gives good things.

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Things that are good for you.

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Things that help you.

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Things that grow you.

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Things that shape you into more

like Jesus if you're a Christian.

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So if you ask for something bad,

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is God gonna give it to you?

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Well this passage says no, because that

would be like a father giving his son

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a snake if he asked for a fish to eat.

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That would be like a son giving

it, or a father giving his son a

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rock if he asked for some bread.

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That's what God would be doing if he

gave you something that was bad for you.

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Right?

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What if the son asked for a rock?

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What if he says, Dad, I want to

eat rocks for breakfast every day.

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What's the dad going to do?

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He's going to say, No, no

son, that's not good for you.

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I love you too much to

give you what you want.

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I, I give you good things for you.

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So the second thing, The second way

that God helps you get to heaven is

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He only wants what's good for you.

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God only gives what's good for you.

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That's why when you pray,

sometimes you don't get what you

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prayed for, because you asked for

something that wasn't good for you.

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And God only gives things

that are good for you.

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So the alternate, right, of God

only wants what's good for you,

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I shouldn't doubt God's goodness.

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If you doubt God's God's goodness.

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It's an easy way to distrust God.

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To turn away from him and his commands.

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Because you say, oh God, you don't

have my best interest at heart.

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Your commands aren't good for

me, so I'm not going to do them.

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I'm not going to listen to, to your word.

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I'm not going to listen to my parents

or my small group leader because

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I know that, I know better than

them, so I'm not going to listen.

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That's an easy way to end up in hell.

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Distrusting God's goodness.

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Saying, God, I know better than you.

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I know it's better, what's best for me.

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I don't think you have my

best interests at heart.

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God, your commands are for lame people.

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Your commands are boring.

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Your commands aren't good for me.

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That's an easy way to end up in hell

because you end up distrusting God,

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distancing yourself from him and going

further down the path towards destruction.

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So God only wants what's good for you.

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He only has your best interests at heart.

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So don't doubt God's goodness.

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And of course, As I said before, if

you occasionally doubt God's goodness,

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and you struggle with it, and you

have a battle with your doubt, it

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doesn't mean you're going to hell.

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Okay, make that very clear.

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You are not going to hell if

you occasionally doubt God.

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Yes, we're all good on that?

429

Special PJ would say north south.

430

All right.

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So, occasional doubts.

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does not mean you're going to hell.

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But if your life is characterized

by rejection of God's word,

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saying, God, that's, I don't,

I don't want your commands.

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They're not good for me.

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God, I don't want what you have to say.

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I don't want your desire for my life.

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I don't want your worldview.

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I don't want to believe

what, what you say.

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I don't take you at your word.

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Well, then that character and that

pattern of thought will lead you away

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from God and to eternal destruction.

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So, God only wants good things for us,

so he never gives us anything bad for us.

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And that's when you need to remind

yourself, when you feel like you

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got something bad from God, right?

446

So a lot of kids, when their

dad gives them bread, they're

447

like, No, dad, I want sugar.

448

Right?

449

You feel like, man, my dad's

not giving me what I want.

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Well, your dad's giving

you something good for you.

451

Because he loves you.

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And even if it's not what you want,

it's Better for you than what you want.

453

We talked about this two weeks

ago when we talked about anxiety.

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James 4

455

Has an interesting take on prayer.

456

He says you don't have because you don't

ask so if you're like man I wish I had

457

this but James is like hey pray for it.

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That's your fault.

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You don't have that's convicting, right?

460

You don't have it because

you didn't pray for it.

461

If you still don't have it, even

though you've asked well, guess what?

462

It's because you asked it wrongly

Because you were being selfish.

463

See that?

464

Your passions, your desires, your kingdom.

465

That's why you asked and did that.

466

That's why your prayer didn't work.

467

Because it wasn't for God, it was for you.

468

That's what James is saying.

469

When God doesn't answer the, the prayers

the way you, you want them to be answered,

470

you should ask that, that question of why.

471

Is this, is this for me?

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Or is this for God?

473

You should also ask the question, when God

doesn't answer the prayer I want the way I

474

want, Is it maybe because he has something

better in mind than what I'm asking for?

475

Raise your hand if you're smarter than God

476

So if you didn't get what you wanted from

God Maybe it's because God's smarter than

477

you and God's like, hey, you know what?

478

I know that if I give them that

that would be bad for them or maybe

479

he just is like, you know what?

480

That's not bad, but I have

something even better.

481

I Have something way better for you Right?

482

I don't want you to eat the snacks at 3 p.

483

m.

484

because we're going to Hutchins at 5 p.

485

m.

486

Right?

487

Maybe that's what God has in

mind, but you're like, it's 3 p.

488

m.

489

God, and I'm hungry.

490

I want my snacks.

491

God's like, you're gonna ruin the

amazing thing I have for you later.

492

That also could be the case.

493

So maybe it would be better for

you not to give you what you want.

494

So when you're praying for something,

you're like, no, it's not happening.

495

Well, maybe God's like, hey, I

got something better for you.

496

So.

497

Chill out.

498

It's okay.

499

Trust me.

500

Right?

501

Or maybe, here's a thought, it would

be better for you to keep on asking.

502

Maybe it would be better for you to keep

asking because you'll be a better person

503

by the end of the time you're done asking.

504

You'll be more patient.

505

You'll be more kind.

506

You'll be more loving.

507

You'll trust God more.

508

You'll have a better story

of God's faithfulness.

509

Maybe that's why God lets you keep asking.

510

Because you asking changes you.

511

It shapes you.

512

It grows your dependence on God.

513

It grows you into a more content person.

514

And those things are even more

valuable, maybe, than the thing

515

you're asking for in the first place.

516

So, sometimes the period of asking

shapes you and it makes you better.

517

So now you get the thing you

want later, and you're a more

518

Christ like person as a result.

519

You're a more joyful person, you're

a more peaceful person, you're a

520

more kind person, a gentle person.

521

And that lasts forever.

522

So.

523

So, don't doubt God's goodness

because you remember that God

524

only wants what's good for you.

525

So, if I have all of God's

resources at my disposal, right,

526

God's available, I can ask Him.

527

I can look for Him, and I can

bother Him when I can't find Him.

528

And He, so I'll have all His

resources at my disposal.

529

He's intensely committed to my good.

530

God is a loving Father.

531

He wants what's best for Can't I just

then be selfish and do whatever I want?

532

God's my, you know, I can be a spoiled

kid, rich dad, do whatever I want, right?

533

Well, look where Jesus goes next.

534

Matthew 7, 12.

535

Jesus is so smart.

536

He's put all of these things

together, right, as we're asking them.

537

So, verse 12.

538

I'll put it on the

screen so you can see it.

539

That'll help.

540

So, that whatever you wish that others

would do to you, do also to them,

541

for this is the law and the prophets.

542

Now see that word, so, at the beginning?

543

That's the most important

word in this sentence.

544

That word, so, connects this to

what we were just talking about.

545

Means therefore.

546

So you can pray, you have

unhindered access to God.

547

You can pray, you can ask, you

can seek, you can knock, and you

548

know that God's a loving Father.

549

He gives you what's good for you.

550

Therefore, whatever you wish

others would do to you, do to them.

551

So because you know, God's

going to take care of you and

552

God's going to be good to you.

553

Now, you don't have to worry

about yourself anymore.

554

God has freed you up to go follow him,

to go love others, to give yourself away

555

for the good of other people, because

you can trust him to take care of you.

556

You see that God wants

to help you obey him.

557

You see that God's not like, all right,

I really need you to love others.

558

So do your best.

559

Have fun.

560

Ready, set, go.

561

That's not what God's doing.

562

God's saying, look, I'll take

care of all the stuff so you

563

can go out and love others.

564

But when you, when, when you're

loving others, I'll take care of you.

565

I'll supply you.

566

I'll be good to you.

567

I'm available to help you love others.

568

I'll give you everything you

need while you're doing that.

569

But that's where you're, that's

where I want your focus to be.

570

But God wants to help you.

571

God's not sitting there being

like, Oh, do my, do my commands.

572

You're on your own.

573

And see, this is all the, this

is the law and the prophets.

574

Jesus is saying the whole

Bible is about loving others.

575

Isn't that crazy?

576

If someone asked you what's

the whole Bible about, you'd

577

probably say loving God.

578

Jesus is saying it's about loving others.

579

We're going to look at what

in the world that means.

580

But our, I should have had this,

this would have helped so much

581

to explain what I just explained.

582

Wouldn't that have been so helpful?

583

I'll That's why they have the thing

where like you can see the next

584

slide, you know, but rookie move.

585

Okay, point three, God

equips you to follow Him.

586

So, don't disregard God's wisdom.

587

God equips you to follow Him.

588

God is saying, look, I

will take care of you.

589

I will supply all your needs so

that you can go love other people.

590

I want you to do the law and the prophets.

591

I want you to love people, which is

actually what my whole Bible's been about.

592

So, trust God.

593

God knows what's best for you.

594

You know, if the whole Bible

comes down to loving other

595

people, maybe that's a good idea.

596

Maybe I should do that.

597

That's, that's what we're saying here.

598

Don't disregard God's wisdom.

599

God is saying, my law

is the best way to live.

600

See, looking down on law, on God, and

not taking what he says seriously, and

601

thinking you know a better way to live,

that's another easy way to go to hell.

602

If you're saying, you know what God, I

know you want me to love other people,

603

but I think I should do life this way.

604

If you're saying, God, I know that, you

know, all of history has kind of like,

605

you know, you've orchestrated it and you

made me and you know how I work and you

606

know what's good for me, but I don't know.

607

I don't feel like loving other people.

608

That's disregarding God's wisdom.

609

That's what you're doing when you're

saying, God, I know better than you.

610

I don't want to do your commands.

611

Not thinking that you know a

better way to live than God.

612

It's also not very unique.

613

I'm sure millions of people have done

that and they would all tell you They were

614

wrong So god equips you to follow him.

615

So don't disregard his wisdom Well

first thing we can learn from verse 12

616

here is that god thinks other centered

living is essential to following him

617

Remember, this is all the law and the

prophets If you're not loving other

618

people if you're not focused on loving

other people then You're disobeying

619

Everything That's what Jesus is saying.

620

You're breaking all the law.

621

You're disregarding the whole bible

if you're not loving other people.

622

And see this, this idea, it's looking

for what's best for others, right?

623

It's not just, oh, I won't bother you.

624

It's, oh, I'm looking

for what's best for you.

625

I'm actively engaged in loving you

and thinking about how I can do this.

626

Now, one more thing, pause.

627

You don't love other people

to gain favor with God.

628

Or to gain good standing with God, right?

629

If you're loving other people, it

doesn't make you more acceptable to God.

630

If you're really good at caring

for people, it doesn't make you

631

more acceptable to God, okay?

632

Or if you're having a hard time

loving someone, does that mean

633

you're going to go to hell?

634

No, right?

635

Struggling to obey God, but

pushing through, persevering,

636

trying, is very different than

saying, God, your law is stupid.

637

I don't want that.

638

That's a, there's two

very different things.

639

So,

640

this passage here also assumes that

God knows the best way to love others.

641

That God, because think

about what we just read.

642

All the law and the prophets

mean, like, loving other people.

643

So that means that God's word is how

you, shows you how to love other people.

644

Did you catch that?

645

This is all a law in the prophets.

646

What is?

647

Do unto others as you'd

have them do unto you.

648

Right?

649

So, God made up how to love other people.

650

That's God's idea.

651

God explains how to do that in his word.

652

So God shows us how to love other people.

653

Not us.

654

We don't get to say, You know what God,

I think we should love other people

655

by not sharing the gospel with them.

656

We should never tell them

That, that they need Jesus.

657

That would be way more loving, God.

658

God's like, no, that's, that's not loving.

659

That's actually really hateful.

660

To withhold salvation from someone because

you're scared to share the gospel, right?

661

So, here's the thing.

662

You might have heard about

something called the Platinum Rule.

663

We just talked about,

right, the Golden Rule.

664

Do unto others as you would

have them do unto you.

665

You might have heard something

called the Platinum Rule.

666

So the Golden Rule, treat others

as you would want to be treated.

667

The Platinum Rule, which is really

cool and trendy now, Is treat

668

others as they want to be treated.

669

Isn't that better?

670

Isn't that more focused on them?

671

It's not treat others how

you want to be treated.

672

It's focused, it's focused on them.

673

It's how do they want to treat?

674

What do they want?

675

I want to do that, right?

676

Because if you're treating others how

you want to be treated, and you really

677

like chocolate, but they're allergic

to chocolate, and you get them a

678

chocolate dessert, that's not loving.

679

Because you weren't considerate,

and you weren't kind, right?

680

You're like, okay, that's got a point.

681

We got a point there.

682

I need to know other people

and do what they want, okay?

683

There's a point to that, but here's the

problem with, with the Platinum Rule.

684

So, See, I can even come up with

a fancy heading and everything.

685

Jesus is smarter than everybody.

686

Whoa, breaking news.

687

So the Golden Rule is better than

the Platinum Rule because what's

688

the Platinum Rule really saying?

689

Look at number one.

690

Before you start writing, just look, okay?

691

Pause the writing and just look.

692

The Platinum Rule is really just

saying give people whatever they

693

want, even if it's bad for them.

694

Because, what if you applied

the Platinum Rule to parenting?

695

Treat others how they want to be treated.

696

I don't think any kids would survive.

697

Like, at all.

698

Treat the kids how they

want to be treated.

699

That's not happening.

700

Right?

701

Remember two weeks ago we talked about

Levi and Angelo and Levi's jacket.

702

Levi didn't want his jacket.

703

But Levi didn't know that if he didn't

have a jacket he was going to die of

704

pneumonia because he's going to get cold,

705

right?

706

So the Platinum Rule is really

just saying, give people what they

707

want, even if it's bad for them.

708

Just affirm whatever desires they have.

709

That's really bad.

710

Because what if I want

something that's bad for me?

711

See, aren't you glad that God doesn't

always give you what you want?

712

Because we're all broken.

713

We all want sin sometimes.

714

We all want poison.

715

It looks good on the outside, and

then we drink it and die, right?

716

That's sin.

717

So, the Platinum Rule really isn't loving.

718

The Golden Rule asks you to put

yourself in their shoes, because

719

you would want them to put them

in your shoes, wouldn't you?

720

Right?

721

If, it would, our chocolate illustration,

right, you have to go, I really like

722

chocolate, and you're allergic to

chocolate, but I'm like, I love chocolate,

723

I bet Pastrata would love chocolate

for his birthday next Wednesday.

724

So I would be like, Oh, I'll get

Pastor Rod a bunch of chocolate.

725

And let's say Pastor Rod is very

unfortunate and has a very large cross

726

to bear and he's allergic to chocolate.

727

And he can't taste chocolate until he gets

to heaven, when everything's chocolate.

728

Just kidding.

729

Um, but it would be unloving for

me to get Pastor Rod chocolate if

730

he's allergic to chocolate, right?

731

Yes, because that would be torture.

732

But, if I really thought about it,

if I really treated Pastor Rod how I

733

would want to be treated, I wouldn't.

734

If I was Pasterado and I was allergic

to chocolate, I would want Lewis

735

to find out that Pasterado was

allergic to chocolate and get him

736

something not chocolate, right?

737

So see how the Golden Rule

still is actually better?

738

Because if you treat them how you

want to be treated, you're going

739

to treat them with everything that

the Platinum Rule says is better

740

than the Golden Rule, right?

741

Look here at Philippians 2, 3.

742

Do nothing from selfish ambition or

conceit, that means to seem better

743

than you are, but in humility, this

will say count, like, count, like,

744

um, the Sesame Street guy, right?

745

One.

746

Ah, ah.

747

Okay.

748

Um, but in humility, count others

more significant than yourself.

749

And then it goes on to say, don't

look out for your own interests, but

750

look out for the interests of others.

751

So really the golden rule is still more

other centered than the platinum rule.

752

Because you're saying, okay,

how would I want to be treated?

753

I would want that, I would

want someone to be thoughtful.

754

I'd want them to think about my desires.

755

I'd want them to give me something that's

good for me, even if I don't like it.

756

I would want them to help me.

757

I wouldn't want them to just

put up a facade and say that

758

everything in my life is okay.

759

Pastor Rod told me something

once when I was in high school.

760

He said, A good friend

stabs you in the front.

761

There's something wrong with you.

762

You want your friend to tell you.

763

You want your friend to be like, Oh,

well, I don't want to offend them.

764

So I'm not going to tell him.

765

That, you know, they're

a really unkind person.

766

Would you want your friend to tell you

that and and help and help you grow with?

767

Yeah, you would.

768

So the golden rule is actually way

more loving than the platinum rule,

769

and Jesus is a genius even if people

are trying not to believe that.

770

So God knows the best way to love others.

771

Right?

772

The Golden Rule is better

than the Platinum Rule.

773

The Platinum Rule is just catering

to whatever people desire.

774

So, the next thing, number three

down there, God must be loved

775

first in order to love others well.

776

Because, right, loving others

is the law and the promise.

777

Well, if you ask someone, what's the whole

Bible about, they would say, loving God.

778

Yes, that is true.

779

It is about loving God.

780

That means that loving God, right?

781

What did Jesus say?

782

What's the best commandment?

783

What's the greatest commandment?

784

Love God with everything you've got.

785

Right?

786

Well, that's the best way to love others.

787

Because if the whole Bible is about, like,

the greatest commandment is about love

788

God with everything you've got, and the

whole Bible is also about loving others

789

as you would want to be loved, well, then

that means that loving God with everything

790

you've got is the best way to love others.

791

See that?

792

Because it's the same thing.

793

The Bible can't be, the main point of

the Bible can't be two things, right?

794

So that means loving God with everything

you've got is the best way to love others.

795

So you love others best

when you love God most.

796

When I got married, the first vow

I promised my wife was that I would

797

pursue Jesus more than I pursued her.

798

I would love Jesus more than I loved her.

799

Because if I love her more than I

love Jesus, guess what she's is?

800

She's an idol.

801

And she's not supposed to be an

idol because that's bad for her.

802

If my life's about her,

that's bad for her.

803

But if my life's about

Jesus, that's good for her.

804

So you love other people

best when you love God most.

805

And, this is the genius of what Jesus

is saying, the deeper your relationship

806

with God, the more like God you become.

807

And then you become more like

a loving father from verses

808

Verses 8, 9, or 9, 10, and 11.

809

I haven't taken math in like 6 years.

810

Um, verses 9, 10, 11.

811

The loving father who gives good things.

812

Because you have a closer

relationship with God.

813

So now you love other people

more like God loves them.

814

So now you're even better for them.

815

So you see how loving God more makes

you more like God, which actually makes

816

you better at loving other people.

817

So the best way to love God, Or the

best way to love others is to love

818

God, because then you become more

like the loving Father that God is.

819

Fourthly, God thinks other centered

living is essential for your happiness.

820

God thinks other centered

living is essential.

821

You won't be happy unless you love

other people and count their interests

822

as more significant than yourselves.

823

You will not be happy, unless you

love other people more than yourself.

824

That's what Jesus is saying.

825

How did we get there?

826

Well, remember what Jesus has

said this whole sermon is about.

827

Remember how Jesus started this sermon?

828

He started with blessing, right?

829

Sermon on the Mount.

830

He's the new Moses coming down

the mountain with, instead of Ten

831

Commandments, he's got Beatitudes.

832

He has blessing.

833

And so he's saying that, and then he

goes on, he talks about the law, right?

834

He says, You've heard it

said, but I say to you.

835

So he's got a better law.

836

The true intention of the law.

837

Of God's law and prophets.

838

He's saying, Here it is,

and it brings blessing.

839

Because it's from the heart.

840

Amen.

841

And so the blessed life that Jesus

has been describing, this whole

842

sermon, about being pure, about

not being angry, about laying up

843

treasures in heaven, about not being

anxious, that's part of loving others.

844

So loving others is

essential for your happiness.

845

Now, again, if you're struggling to

love others, but you're trying, Does

846

that mean you're gonna go to hell?

847

No, right?

848

But, loving others is an extension

of your reliance on the Lord.

849

You aren't obeying to get to heaven.

850

Obeying doesn't get you

closer to, to heaven.

851

You're obeying out of trust.

852

That your good loving father

has your best interest in mind.

853

Because remember, the reason

we love is because we know

854

that God is providing for us.

855

And so that overflows

into a love for others.

856

So when Jesus says, The whole

law and prophets is summed up in

857

love your neighbor as yourself.

858

He's saying that living for the good

of others is the best way to live.

859

So he's presenting his disciples

with the heart of God's law.

860

Which, as we've seen, is the path to

life, to joy, to peace, to security.

861

So the law, loving others,

is the path to life.

862

Now the last two verses in this

passage start a new section

863

in the Sermon on the Mount.

864

The final section.

865

In this section, Jesus is

going to give you two choices.

866

He gives, in these two verses,

you'll see he gives two paths.

867

And then next week we'll see

that he gives you two prophets.

868

Or two kinds of, of tree, if you will.

869

Different kinds of fruit.

870

And then he'll give you two

foundations to build your life on.

871

Jesus is giving you a choice.

872

Look with me at Matthew 7, 13 and 14.

873

Enter by the narrow gate.

874

For the gate is wide and the way

is easy that leads to destruction.

875

And those who enter by it are many.

876

Amen.

877

For the gate is narrow, and the

way is hard, that leads to life,

878

and those who find it are few.

879

So there's two options here, right?

880

You see that?

881

Verse 13.

882

There's a wide, easy way, and

there's a narrow, hard way.

883

The difference is where they go.

884

Now I want you to see, not just the

seriousness of this, I do want you to

885

see that, but I also want you to see that

God is helping you pick the right one.

886

Cause he's making it really

obvious which one you should pick.

887

One of them, destruction.

888

One of them, life.

889

So God is offering you life.

890

He's offering you joy and peace and

security and, and embraced by him.

891

So he's helping you get to heaven

by offering you the reward.

892

He's saying, look, if you live

this way, this will happen.

893

If you live this way, this will happen.

894

So point four.

895

That should be a plural offers.

896

God offers the path to eternal life.

897

So don't reject God's salvation.

898

God offers the path to eternal life.

899

So don't reject God's salvation.

900

See, God is helping you get to heaven by

offering you a choice and he's making it

901

really obvious which way you should go.

902

Something that this passage makes

really clear is that it's really easy

903

and it's really common to go to hell.

904

Like the way is, the gate is wide and

the way is easy that leads to destruction

905

and those who enter by it are many.

906

A lot of people go to hell.

907

It's not uncommon to go to hell.

908

And that's because living

for anything but Jesus.

909

We'll send you to hell.

910

Remember, three weeks ago, we talked

about your master and your treasure.

911

If those things are anything but God,

if you're the most important thing in

912

your life, the most precious thing to

you, and the one you build your life

913

around, the one you're, the direction

you're pursuing with your life, your

914

master, are anything but Jesus, that

definitely will send you to hell.

915

Now, if you are tempted to value other

things but Jesus, and you value other

916

things a lot, or you serve things, and you

love things, and you're devoted to other

917

things, and maybe they're competing with

Jesus, but at the end of the day, maybe

918

it's hard, maybe you give in sometimes,

but you choose Jesus, Jesus is your

919

treasure, does that send you to hell?

920

No, right?

921

So struggling does not send you to hell.

922

Rejecting sends you to hell.

923

Turning away, saying, God, I

don't, I don't find you appealing.

924

I don't want to be with you.

925

I don't love you.

926

You're not important.

927

You're not valuable.

928

That's rejecting God.

929

And that's what sends you to hell.

930

And so when you're tempted,

when you are tempted, you're

931

wavering between the two paths.

932

When you're struggling,

God wants to help you.

933

He doesn't want to say, Oh, figure it out.

934

Deal with it.

935

No, he wants to help you.

936

So what does he do?

937

He, he gives you the reward.

938

He says, you can have eternal life.

939

It's easy to get distracted

by the world or to give your

940

heart to, to other treasures.

941

But when you're tempted to be

distracted, remember your reward.

942

Remember where this will take me, right?

943

Take a step back and think about,

man, if I click on these things,

944

where are they going to take me?

945

If I say those words,

where does that lead me?

946

If I look at those things,

where will that lead me?

947

If I treat this person that

way, what is that, what is

948

that pulling my heart towards?

949

Remember the reward.

950

Take a step back and ask

yourself, Where does this lead?

951

Where does this go?

952

See, God, He motivates us.

953

He motivates our exclusive

allegiance with eternal life.

954

Because And maybe you've never thought

about it this way, but following

955

Jesus leads to the greatest amount of

joy for the longest amount of time.

956

Psalm 1611 says, At God's right

hand are pleasures forevermore.

957

The greatest amount of joy for

the longest amount of time.

958

That's a good enough reason to follow God.

959

I hope.

960

Following Jesus is about, it's

about trusting Him to be your

961

only hope, your only treasure.

962

Your only Savior.

963

And you're motivated to do

that by God's offer of life.

964

This is going to be

best for you in the end.

965

So walk the narrow path.

966

Enter the narrow gate.

967

See, this sermon, it puts

two paths in front of you.

968

One of them is easy and common,

and many people are going down it.

969

It doesn't take much work.

970

I heard one pastor talk about it like

the lazy river at the water You just

971

float on down, following everyone else.

972

But see, there's actually a bunch of

different ways you can go down this path.

973

It's wide.

974

There's a bunch of different

ways you can do it.

975

You can make it a big party.

976

You can say, Oh, I, I love disobeying God.

977

It's so fun.

978

It's so much better than being a boring

church person and be proud, right?

979

That I'm those lame

people who read the Bible.

980

You can do it spitefully because

you feel like the other path is

981

restrictive and legalistic and boring.

982

Right?

983

You can say, oh, I don't

like parents rules.

984

I don't like God's rules.

985

He's so, so mean.

986

He's so hateful.

987

He does that.

988

He says that.

989

Or you can do it because

you think God lets you down.

990

God, He didn't answer my prayers.

991

He burned me.

992

You know, my family's a mess.

993

It's God's fault.

994

You can do that.

995

That's one way down this wide path.

996

You can also go down this path

morally, nicely, religiously, even.

997

You can do it serving at church,

reading the Bible to make yourself

998

feel good enough to go to heaven.

999

You can be a Pharisee and rely

on your churchianity to save you.

00:49:07,245 --> 00:49:10,815

You can even go down this path without

really noticing that you're on it.

00:49:11,335 --> 00:49:14,425

And just float your way down and

fill your life with distractions and

00:49:14,425 --> 00:49:19,195

games and fun and VR headsets and

TikTok reels and float your way down.

00:49:22,005 --> 00:49:23,325

This path will kill you.

00:49:26,790 --> 00:49:32,250

It will leave you unsatisfied,

empty, bitter, hurt, and regretting

00:49:32,250 --> 00:49:35,440

that you wasted your life

and you turned away from God.

00:49:37,170 --> 00:49:40,070

It will bring you under the

wrath of God, burning forever

00:49:40,070 --> 00:49:41,859

in hell, that's destruction.

00:49:44,259 --> 00:49:48,450

Because nothing good you did, or

religious you did, or fun you did,

00:49:48,860 --> 00:49:50,230

could cleanse you of your sin.

00:49:52,425 --> 00:49:53,735

It isn't hard to go down this path.

00:49:53,745 --> 00:49:57,295

All you have to do is ignore God, doubt

God, look down on God, and reject God.

00:49:57,505 --> 00:50:00,275

And if you keep doing those

things the rest of your life,

00:50:00,445 --> 00:50:01,735

that's the path you're down.

00:50:02,085 --> 00:50:06,694

The more persistently you do that,

the further down this path you'll go.

00:50:08,534 --> 00:50:11,995

And see, the other path, the narrow

path, it's not much to look at.

00:50:12,025 --> 00:50:13,535

There's only one way to go down it.

00:50:13,815 --> 00:50:15,735

It's very counterintuitive, right?

00:50:15,735 --> 00:50:19,884

It's forgetting yourself, taking up your

cross, being unpopular, taking Jesus at

00:50:19,885 --> 00:50:21,119

His word even when you don't really care.

00:50:21,130 --> 00:50:26,600

I don't get it, but as you

go down the path, you'll

00:50:26,600 --> 00:50:30,369

realize how much better it is.

00:50:31,290 --> 00:50:34,010

Even before you reach the end of

it, you'll see why other people,

00:50:35,010 --> 00:50:37,899

like your parents and your leaders,

took this choice so seriously.

00:50:38,950 --> 00:50:43,600

Because as you learn to trust Jesus,

to live for the good of others,

00:50:43,600 --> 00:50:48,140

to depend on God, to keep seeking

His wisdom, you realize that this

00:50:48,150 --> 00:50:49,890

path is the best way to live.

00:50:49,890 --> 00:50:49,904

Amen.

00:50:50,195 --> 00:50:54,635

Because you have a good and loving

wise father leading you down.

00:50:55,115 --> 00:50:58,705

It brings comfort, it brings peace,

security, even in hard seasons.

00:50:59,815 --> 00:51:05,625

It gives you joy and love that lasts way

longer than anything on the other path.

00:51:08,194 --> 00:51:14,715

And that's because this path fills you

up, even though you're emptying yourself.

00:51:14,715 --> 00:51:17,305

You're giving yourself away,

but you're coming back full.

00:51:18,400 --> 00:51:22,000

And that's because as you walk the

narrow road, you realize that this path

00:51:22,010 --> 00:51:26,580

isn't as much about the path, and it's

more about who you're walking with.

00:51:29,109 --> 00:51:35,000

You understand that the person you

get to know on this path is Jesus.

00:51:35,539 --> 00:51:40,260

And the longer you're with Jesus, the

more convinced you are that being with

00:51:40,260 --> 00:51:43,380

him is the best place that you can be.

00:51:46,950 --> 00:51:50,130

What I would hate for you to walk

away from this sermon thinking.

00:51:52,015 --> 00:51:56,095

is that the narrow way is a lifestyle

to earn you a spot in heaven.

00:51:58,165 --> 00:51:59,365

Please don't believe this.

00:52:00,415 --> 00:52:01,265

This will kill you.

00:52:03,755 --> 00:52:09,694

The narrow way, the narrow road

is not being religious enough to

00:52:09,694 --> 00:52:13,835

go to heaven or doing what God

says and following the rules good

00:52:13,835 --> 00:52:15,985

enough so you can make it to heaven.

00:52:18,305 --> 00:52:21,895

That's not what I want you to believe.

00:52:24,345 --> 00:52:28,755

See, the way you live on the path,

the lifestyle of the path, is

00:52:28,795 --> 00:52:34,035

only an expression of your trust

in Jesus to get you to heaven.

00:52:35,684 --> 00:52:37,724

Jesus is the one who gets you to heaven.

00:52:37,724 --> 00:52:43,375

The things you do on the way are

an expression of your dependence

00:52:43,415 --> 00:52:45,275

on him to get you there.

00:52:47,925 --> 00:52:51,615

See, the narrow way is trusting

Jesus to get you to heaven.

00:52:51,654 --> 00:52:52,385

That's what it is.

00:52:52,395 --> 00:52:53,534

It's not doing things.

00:52:53,980 --> 00:53:00,140

It's not obeying God, it's not listening

to your small group leader and all that.

00:53:00,960 --> 00:53:03,400

The narrow way is trusting

Jesus, depending on Him.

00:53:04,760 --> 00:53:06,400

Jesus is the narrow gate.

00:53:06,880 --> 00:53:07,779

Enter by the narrow gate.

00:53:07,780 --> 00:53:08,229

What is it?

00:53:08,240 --> 00:53:09,050

It's Jesus!

00:53:09,470 --> 00:53:12,339

He says, I am the way,

the truth, and the life.

00:53:12,429 --> 00:53:13,850

Trust me, depend on me.

00:53:15,730 --> 00:53:18,450

You can never be Christian enough,

religious enough, loving enough,

00:53:19,200 --> 00:53:21,180

anything enough to get to heaven.

00:53:21,180 --> 00:53:21,550

Amen.

00:53:21,825 --> 00:53:25,175

God wants to bring you there,

and He's the one who'll do it,

00:53:25,285 --> 00:53:29,785

and He does it by trust in Jesus.

00:53:30,045 --> 00:53:31,125

Dependence on Him.

00:53:31,895 --> 00:53:35,954

Saying, Jesus, your

righteousness qualifies me

00:53:35,954 --> 00:53:38,655

for heaven, not anything I do.

00:53:41,425 --> 00:53:42,944

That's the narrow way.

00:53:44,634 --> 00:53:45,054

Let's pray.

00:53:47,994 --> 00:53:51,875

Father, thank you that you want us

to be in heaven, that you love us

00:53:51,875 --> 00:53:57,680

so much that That you do everything

you can to make sure that we know

00:53:59,890 --> 00:54:01,260

that we have two options.

00:54:02,320 --> 00:54:07,450

We can either reject you and turn

away from you and go to our own

00:54:07,450 --> 00:54:13,740

destruction, or we can turn to you and

rely on you and follow you to life.

00:54:15,220 --> 00:54:20,280

So I pray tonight that you

help us all to trust you more.

00:54:20,369 --> 00:54:21,720

Maybe some of us for the first time.

00:54:21,720 --> 00:54:22,529

I pray that you help you.

00:54:23,710 --> 00:54:27,990

These students to realize that you

want them to be in heaven, and you've

00:54:28,150 --> 00:54:32,669

given them everything they need to

get there because ultimately, yes,

00:54:32,669 --> 00:54:36,920

you've given them so many good things,

but you've given them yourself.

00:54:36,959 --> 00:54:41,960

You've made yourself available

for us if we call on you in faith.

00:54:42,690 --> 00:54:47,200

So I pray tonight that you hope our

small group time to be about you.

00:54:47,250 --> 00:54:50,069

Help us to focus, help us to be

respectful and kind and thoughtful.

00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:54,180

And I pray that we walk away trusting

Jesus more than we walked in.

00:54:54,180 --> 00:54:55,310

I pray this in Jesus name.

00:54:55,590 --> 00:54:55,990

Amen.