International teacher and evangelist, Robert Carrillo, helps us see how we can be better equipped to see and hear God's will in our lives during trials and tribulations.

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OC Church of Christ

Good morning, church.

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It's great to be here with all of you.

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Uh, it's a treat.

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I want to thank the Stephensons, the

whole staff, the Willis's for inviting

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Michelle and I to be here with you guys.

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Um, I love this ministry.

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I've only been here really a few times

and back when I had the hope hat on and,

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uh, and, and, and preaching for the poor.

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Um, so many people in this

ministry have been so generous.

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To hope worldwide and to helping the

poor and have signed up and gone all

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over the world serving and I'm so

grateful for that, but I love you guys.

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Great to be here this morning.

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Let me see if my slide thingy works.

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I don't know if that's the official name.

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Okay, slide thingy.

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All right.

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So first of all, greetings from Metro.

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All right.

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It's the Metro region.

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For those of you who don't know,

Metro Uh, my wife and I moved up

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here, uh, up here being the L.

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A.

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area, uh, about four years

ago, almost four years ago.

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And, uh, uh, to really jump

in and help out in Metro.

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Metro was going through

a very difficult time.

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Um, they had gone through a very painful

split, division in leadership, uh,

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difficult times, a lot of dysfunction.

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And, like any church, filled

with wonderful, amazing people.

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And, uh, we, we were called, as Steve was

talking about being called, we were called

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to come here and be part of that family.

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And we've had such a great time at Metro.

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We have, we have recovered.

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We have rehealed.

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And we've still got a long ways to

go, but we're on our way to being

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a healthy, happy, Growing dynamic

church that God has called us to be.

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So please keep us in your prayers,

but I also see that we've contributed

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here to Sumoge and Sanchez

Padillas , and oh, we got some people

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here that, uh, uh, you guys have

kidnapped and taken away from us.

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And I know you want the Keys but

you can't have 'em all right.

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You can't have 'em.

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But no, we, we, we obviously share a bond.

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We are all family.

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Uh, it's great to be here.

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Um, I also bring you

greetings from the Carrillos.

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This is Michelle and I's crew.

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Um, our little, uh, our

little growing clan.

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Our little growing tribe.

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We're trying to have kids and, and

they're trying to have grandkids.

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And, or kids for them

and grandkids for us.

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And, you know, our, our little,

our little tribe is growing.

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You know, that's the

Mexican retirement plan.

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Have lots of kids.

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And then they can take care of you, right?

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That's the plan.

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So we're like, come on,

have some more babies.

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Let's go.

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Let's keep going here.

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Uh, well, you know, part of us

coming here was really, uh, God's

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design, uh, because, uh, I was

able to enroll at Fuller Seminary.

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And, uh, Michelle and I just completed,

we just had spiritual birthdays this year.

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Michelle turned 42 and I

turned 40 as Christians.

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Okay, spiritual birthday, right?

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Not, not, not years of life.

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But, um...

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And, you know, I've been on a journey,

we've been on a journey together

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of trying to figure things out.

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How to be a healthy church.

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How to be a healthy disciple.

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How to be a strong Christian.

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How to, how to do it right.

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How to learn from our mistakes.

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How to grow through the

things we've messed up in.

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How to change as we get, how to

be the best leaders we can be.

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Just, how to keep growing and build the

church that reflects the kingdom of God.

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And that's, that's a great

challenge and that's a great, uh,

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learning curve, let me tell you.

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Um, and I'm, I'm just about to finish

my doctorate, Lord willing, I'll be

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graduating in March with a doctorate

in spirituality and spiritual health.

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Um, but you know, we've

been at this a long time.

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I mean, probably, you know, a

good chunk of this room wasn't

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even alive 40 years ago, you know.

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Probably most of this room.

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Um, uh, Steve was just talking about

how that song, uh, Men Who Dream,

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how many of you were there in Boston?

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I said, I'm looking around, most of

the people weren't even alive when this

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song came out in Boston back in 1989.

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Whoa.

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Um, you know, I was at, I so

appreciate people who've endured

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through the decades, who keep serving.

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The other day, uh, last week I was

in, uh, New York, actually New Jersey.

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For the I still see teachers conference

and I was sitting there waiting for my

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plane to board and of course, you know

how they called for those in active

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military to please come on board and

You saw some soldiers get up there and

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I noticed I was sitting right by the

gate That when they would check in they

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would say thank you for your service to

everybody And I thought you know, that's

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that's good and right Because these are

men and women who put their lives on

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the line for us, who serve, who give.

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And you know, that's just, God likes that.

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That's, God wants us to give

honor and respect where it's due.

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He calls us to this.

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He calls us to this.

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And I was thinking, you know, I, because

of our role now in the MLC and helping

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out here, I've been talking to a lot

of veterans here, spiritual veterans,

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a lot of people who've been here for

a very long time, serving and giving.

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I'd like everybody who's more than

20 years old in the, let's say

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more than 15 years old, stand up.

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More than 15 spiritually.

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Thank you for your service.

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I need to look at everybody else

look at these people and tell

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them thank you for your service.

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I know that sometimes Satan likes to play

with our minds and likes to discourage us.

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But I want to remind you something.

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God is not unjust.

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God is not unjust.

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He will not forget your work.

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And the love you have shown

him as you've helped his people

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and continue to help them.

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We want each of you to show this same

diligence to the very end, so that what

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you hope for may be fully realized.

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We don't want you to become lazy, but

to imitate those who through faith and

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patience inherit what has been promised.

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I think sometimes Satan likes to, you

know, make us feel bad about our lives.

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I think he specializes in that.

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You know, I think about if you've been

here 15, 20, 30 years, 40 years plus like

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us, that's a lot of missions collections.

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That's a lot of special contributions.

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That is a lot of sacrificing.

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That is a lot of times you chose

not to buy a bigger TV or a

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newer car or a new furniture set.

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And you gave the money to the church.

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Or you gave the money to hope, to

help somebody that you will never

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meet, you will maybe never see.

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And maybe never get to

hear a thank you from them.

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But you gave anyways.

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And you didn't do it once.

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You did it again, and again, and again.

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And still you continue doing it.

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God is watching.

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God sees that.

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God acknowledges that.

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Satan likes to feel

terrible about ourselves.

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Man, you realize how much money you get.

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By now you could have a

bigger, more beautiful house.

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By now you could have

a 150 square inch TV.

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By now you could do this and that.

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But let me tell you something.

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As somebody who's traveled all over

the world and seen many many of our

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churches And seeing how grateful

all those disciples are for your

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sacrifice, for your faithfulness, for

your continued giving again and again.

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How many lives have been saved?

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How many families have been saved?

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How many marriages have been saved?

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How many people have food to eat,

clothes to wear, and a school to go

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to because of your faithful service?

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So thank you for your service.

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Thank you for your faithfulness.

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And I just wanted to recognize that

because I think it's really important.

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We gotta be at least as good

as Delta Airlines, right?

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In giving thanks.

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So we're gonna jump in

to the scriptures here.

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Um, let's go to God and pray.

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Father God, we are so

grateful to you, God.

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You have blessed us.

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In so many ways, God, you've blessed us

with the health that we enjoy with the

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family that we have with the opportunities

living in this country in this part of

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the world with so many blessings, God.

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And we thank you, God.

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We know that we have everything

we have is because of your

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love and your generosity, God.

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Help us now.

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To focus our minds and our hearts

on you to set aside the worries

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and the distractions of life.

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And to just be with you for the next 30

minutes and listen to your scriptures.

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To be with you and give

you our full attention.

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Help us to focus our

minds and not multitask.

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But to think about you and to think

about the words that you've written

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down that we're going to read.

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And to hear you and to see what you

would have us see and to understand

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what you want us to understand.

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Please bless our time together now.

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Bless our Bible study as we study

your word in Jesus name we pray.

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Amen.

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Amen.

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Um, some of you know, uh, that

Michelle and I are involved here as

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well as a number of other leaders

basically to help the region.

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To help OC.

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We were invited and asked

by a number of members.

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We were invited and asked by the staff.

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To come and help you guys

through some difficulties.

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Through some challenges that

your church is facing right now.

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And they're pretty significant challenges.

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They're pretty intense things.

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And I understand and I'm very

aware that even this morning

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I'm speaking to a wide range.

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There's some people that are,

Man, everything's awesome.

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The church is awesome.

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The leaders are awesome.

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Everything's awesome.

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What's the problem?

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And then there are some who are

working through hurt, who are

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working through anger, who are

working through frustration.

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There are some who feel hopeless

and are trying to hang on,

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trying to grab on to something.

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And there are some that feel very

hopeful and are excited about the future.

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And so we're a mixed crowd.

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And so what do you do when you've

got a whole bunch of different

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people in different places, but you

focus on Jesus and you focus on God

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because God will provide the answer

for all of us, wherever we are.

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So this message, and I, I've been

thinking, I'm praying about this

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for a while, and I've got about 12

messages, but we'll only do one.

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Don't worry.

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We'll only do one today.

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God loves his people.

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God loves us all warts and all.

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And He knows us.

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He knows our strengths.

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He knows our weaknesses.

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The title of the sermon today

is, uh, what is the title?

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It didn't come out there.

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Eyes and Ears.

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That's the title.

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That's the title of the sermon.

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Eyes and Ears.

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And you'll see what I

mean and you'll see why.

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So Mark chapter 8.

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The disciples have

forgotten to bring bread.

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They just fed the 5, 000.

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Remember that scene?

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The disciples had forgotten to

bring bread except for one loaf

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they had with them in the boat.

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Be careful, Jesus warned them.

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Watch out for the yeast of the

Pharisees and that of Herod.

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They discussed this with one another

and said, It's because we have no bread.

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Aware of their discussion,

Jesus asked them, Why are you

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talking about having no bread?

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Do you still not see or understand?

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Are your hearts hardened?

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Do you have eyes but fail to

see and ears but fail to hear?

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This is one of those classic

scenes in the scriptures.

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And this is, this, and this is

quintessential example of Mark's gospel.

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Mark's is the raw gospel.

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And Mark, yeah, it's,

it's, it's the real gospel.

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If you like raw and real and authentic,

Mark is probably your favorite gospel.

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And I remember I was sitting in a

class at Pepperdine when I was getting

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my, my master's divinity there.

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And one of the professors was

saying, Mark is the idiots gospel.

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And I was like, Whoa, can you say that?

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You know?

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And he says, because the apostles were

idiots and Mark doesn't hide it at all.

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I was sitting there thinking,

dude, you're going to get

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struck by lightning, you know.

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But as I read, as I read through

Mark, I'm like, man, he's right

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there, just blown it left and right.

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I mean, here, Jesus sent by God to

establish the kingdom of God, to help

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us learn, to help the people of God.

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He wasn't going to a

bunch of non Christians.

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He was going to God's people, and

it's really important that God's

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people understand God's will.

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And so he was trying to teach God's people

what they needed to understand about God.

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He was trying to help them get God.

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Trying to help them get good

religion versus bad religion.

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Trying to help them get

love versus legalism.

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Trying to help them get faith

versus worry and doubt and fear.

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And so he tells them, be

careful, Jesus warned them.

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Watch out for the yeast of the

Pharisees and that of Herod.

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So we all know what the yeast

of the Pharisees, hypocrisy.

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Making a religion about

what's on the outside.

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About really understanding.

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The nature of God.

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About understanding the importance

of justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

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All those things that Jesus taught.

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Understanding God's heart.

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It was a heart lesson.

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But where were they?

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Well, oh no, we forgot the bread.

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That's why he's talking to us about this.

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Were they getting it?

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No, they weren't getting it.

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They didn't understand

what he was talking about.

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They discussed one another and

said, It's because we have no bread.

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Aware of their discussion,

Jesus asked them, Why are you

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talking about having no bread?

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And, and, and notice

the way I'm reading it.

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Why are you talking about having no bread?

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Because I think that's

probably the way he said it.

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He's like, Come on, guys.

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Wake up.

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Get it.

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Understand what's happening here.

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Understand the lesson I'm trying to teach.

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I'm trying to get you to see.

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He says, Are your hearts hardened?

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Do you have eyes but fail to see and ears

but fail to see, to hear and understand?

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And this is a big theme in the scriptures.

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Eyes and ears.

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Seeing and understanding what God

is doing and how He's working.

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Huge theme in the scriptures.

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I mean, He just lays it out.

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Do you have eyes but fail to see and ears?

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But fail to hear.

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Sometimes, Jesus would teach them, and

then he'd put them through a situation.

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And this is actually right in

the middle of what's called a

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pericope, a set of teachings.

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They're all over the Gospel of Mark.

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It's when he teaches something,

then he does something, and then

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they talk about it, and it's like

a little set to, to learn a lesson.

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So he teaches, and he talks

a lot about eyes and ears.

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And then he goes off and he heals

people and then he challenges

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them about, do you get it?

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Do you understand what's happening here?

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'cause it's a big deal.

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So we keep reading Mark chapter eight,

and he tells him, he says, don't you

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remember when I broke the five loaves?

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Of the 5,000?

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How many basketfuls of

pieces did you pick up?

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12.

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They replied, And when I broke the seven

loaves for the four thousand, how many

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basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?

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They answered, seven.

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He said to them, do you

still not understand?

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Do you still not get this?

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Do you still not understand

what's happening?

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And it wasn't because they were dumb.

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It's because sometimes

it's hard to understand.

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Sometimes it's hard to get it.

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Wait, what is God doing?

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, why is this happening?

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What is he saying?

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What does he mean by that?

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And he had tested them.

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You remember the test?

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Well, we only got a couple piece

of fish and a couple of loaves.

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We, we need to go down to

Rubio's or Baja Fish tacos.

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We gotta get a lot more than this.

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And he said, you feed them.

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Wait a second, Jesus, come on.

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What do you, what do you?

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And I love the fact that he made them go

and pick up the leftovers and there were.

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How many baskets?

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Twelve baskets of leftovers.

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So everybody had to pick

up a basket of leftovers.

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The lesson of faith.

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But they still didn't get it.

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They still didn't get it.

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Because sometimes, it really

is hard to understand.

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Why is this happening?

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And you need to remember, if you're,

you know, if you're If you're in

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that state, if you're in the group

of everything's awesome, it's great,

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love the church, love the leader, I

love everything, what's the problem?

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Just remember that lesson.

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Cause it'll happen.

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It'll come around.

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And the question is always, do you get it?

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Do you understand what's happening?

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What about when we're suffering?

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When we have to carry our cross?

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When we're going through hardship?

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When we're being

disciplined, do we get it?

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When we're in a challenging time, when

things are tough, when we're in need,

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when we're hungry, when we're thirsty,

when we feel challenged, when people get

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angry, when people are angry at us, when

our wife is angry at us, do we get it?

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I remember I was talking to a

brother and he said, he said,

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why is she always crying?

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I said, you know, that's

a really good question.

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Maybe we should think about that one.

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Why is she crying?

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Hey, maybe we learned something there.

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Do we get it?

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When I'm hurt, when I hurt

somebody, do I get it?

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When my son tells me

he's hurt, do I get it?

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What that means.

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When I'm feeling discouraged,

or people are discouraged.

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Or I see tears.

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Do I take the time to make sure I get it?

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That I learn what I need to learn here?

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When there's sadness, when there's

frustration, when we're going

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through times of testing, which

is all over scripture, right?

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I mean, if there's anything you see

in scriptures, lots of tests, lots of

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failures, lots of blow its and lots of

grace and lots of mercy and lots of love.

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And I can't.

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Make other people get it.

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I gotta make sure I get it.

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I gotta make sure I get what

God is trying to show me.

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What Jesus is trying to teach me.

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I'm a leader.

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I'm, I'm held double accountability.

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Because what I don't get hurts people.

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And I gotta get it.

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And there's changes that

leaders have to be able to get.

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So pray for your leaders.

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You gotta pray for the staff to get it.

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You gotta pray for the MLC to get it.

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The MLC is sending in a

team to help the region.

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We better get it.

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I better get it.

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God's gonna hold me

accountable to getting it.

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To seeing and understanding.

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To hearing, listening,

perceiving, and understanding.

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We all have to get it,

because you know what?

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Here's the crazy thing.

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We're all in some position of leadership.

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Some of us at work, we're leaders.

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Some of us at home, we're the leader.

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Some of us, you know, those little people

running around, eating all your food.

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You're their leader.

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And are you getting it?

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Do you understand how to

do things the right way?

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And when you mess up and blow it,

do you, are you humble enough?

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To stop questioning yourself

and get it as leaders, right?

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But all of us, you know, as

husbands, husbands, do you get it?

411

Do you get it?

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I don't know why she's so grouchy.

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Maybe you ought to find out.

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Do you get it?

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As parents, it's easy to

get it when they're little.

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You just pick them up and take them.

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But when they start becoming as big

as you, And they start questioning

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you and challenging your authority

and questioning your philosophy of

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life and your philosophy of family.

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Oh, then we get really challenged.

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Do we get it?

422

Yeah, we, we had three kids.

423

They're adults now.

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Thankfully, we're at a pretty cool stage

where we just enjoy being together.

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But boy, we had some rough years.

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And you know who had to grow the most?

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Me.

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Me.

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People say, oh, we're going to do a class

on how to help you deal with teenagers.

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We're going to do a class on how

to help you deal with your parents.

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How to help parents get it.

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Child.

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Child.

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Does the child get it?

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Usually not when they're children.

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Not when they're teens.

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Definitely not.

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And they begin to get it in their

twenties and then they have kids and

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then their kids start challenging

them and then they start to get it.

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They're like, Oh, I guess dad

wasn't as stupid as we thought.

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We're, we're, we're moving into that

stage where our parents, our kids

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are, are appreciating us more and

more and we're just enjoying it.

443

But we went through rough times.

444

Let me tell you.

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Rough times.

446

And we had the full spectrum.

447

We're not one of those families

where every kid leads a church that

448

baptized a thousand people last week.

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No, we, we had our ups and downs.

450

We had one kid that became

very difficult as a teen.

451

Extremely difficult.

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I was ready to buy a one way ticket to

Mexico and send her to my family's ranch.

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Say, hey, I'm gonna work it out of her.

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And that kid got it.

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She's, she's, she's leading a church now.

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But boy, was she hard for a while.

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We had another one that

was the compliant kid.

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Yeah, okay, great.

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Do this, do that.

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Yeah, okay, I'll go.

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Go to that country?

462

Okay, yeah.

463

Sign up for that?

464

Yeah, I'll go.

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And then she hit a wall.

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And said, Dad, Mom, I'm out.

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I don't want to go to church.

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I don't want to do any of this.

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But she had to work through it.

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We had to learn.

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Michelle and I had to learn what love is.

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And she got it.

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Still working on her

dream, but she got it.

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She came back to God.

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And then right after that, our son,

who was the superstar in the church,

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baptizing everybody, organizing

everything, inspiring everybody,

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offered internships everywhere.

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And he hit a wall.

479

He said, Dad, I'm out.

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I don't, I don't like this group.

481

You guys are weird.

482

And you know what?

483

We have a fantastic

relationship with all our kids.

484

And he's still on his journey,

which, by the way, we're all

485

still on our journey, right?

486

Not him, not just him, all of us.

487

And he's working it out.

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But you know, in every one of those

situations, Michelle and I had to get it.

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We had to learn.

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And they had to get it, too.

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They had to come to

understand some things.

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Disciples of Jesus, boy,

there's a lot to get.

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There's a lot to learn.

494

There's a lot to discover.

495

There's a lot to challenge.

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There's a lot of challenges to face.

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Okay, what, where am I at?

498

How am I dealing with that verse?

499

It's easy to get it when

everything's hunky dory going great.

500

What happens when you have

a conflict with a leader?

501

What happens when your

roommate really hurts you?

502

What happens when somebody

blows the confidence you had

503

in sharing things with them?

504

And you get deeply here.

505

Yeah, I've been Christian 40 years.

506

I got more wounds in the

church than outside the church.

507

So, questions do I get?

508

I mean, I've had times where I've

said, God, what were you thinking?

509

Creating a church and

putting people to run it.

510

I mean, are you serious?

511

You know us.

512

Why not just send angels

to run the church?

513

Then if somebody's really bad and

being in trouble, they, bam, zap

514

them, that's it, they're done.

515

And yet, he still established the church.

516

And you think, well, but the church is

not supposed to have these problems.

517

Look at your Bible, read

the, read the letters.

518

Every church was full of problems.

519

So there must be some lesson in there.

520

Well, how do I deal with sinful

people, which by the way, I'm

521

one of them, but it's, it's,

I'm telling you, it's not easy.

522

It's hard.

523

I have a lot of compassion who

people feel when people feel fed up.

524

I get it.

525

I have a lot of compassion.

526

Even when people, some people

are like, I need to take a break.

527

I just, all right, dude, you go do that.

528

Just don't leave the Lord.

529

Okay.

530

Just go spend some time with

God and rebuild your faith.

531

And do whatever you got to

do to thrive spiritually.

532

But meanwhile, I'm going to do everything

I can to help the church get it.

533

And make the changes

that it needs to make.

534

So we keep reading.

535

Let's keep reading.

536

They came to Bethsaida, and

some people brought a blind man

537

and begged Jesus to touch him.

538

He took the blind man by the hand

and led him outside the village.

539

When he had spit on the man's

eyes and put his hands on him,

540

Jesus asks, Do you see anything?

541

Normally he never asks

this, but he did this time.

542

Do you see anything?

543

He looked up and said, I see people,

but they look like trees walking around.

544

Once more Jesus put his

hand on the man's eyes.

545

Then his eyes were opened, his sight was

restored, and he saw everything clearly.

546

I, for years, I was like,

what happened there?

547

Was Jesus having a bad day?

548

Was he, was he like running on low

or running on empty and he didn't

549

recharge his battery that morning?

550

Maybe he didn't have a quiet time that

morning, you know, what, what, what

551

happened that it took a second touch?

552

But as I've gotten older in the faith,

I realized, you know, sometimes you

553

just don't see it the first time.

554

Sometimes it takes a little more Jesus.

555

Sometimes it takes a second touch.

556

Maybe a third, maybe a

fourth, maybe a fifth.

557

Before we begin to see things clearly.

558

Clearly.

559

It's hard at first.

560

It's not easy.

561

Obviously, it wasn't that

Jesus was weak that day.

562

Or running low on power.

563

Jesus had the power, and you, and

you just, even the fact that he asked

564

him, what do you see, says that Jesus

knew exactly what was happening.

565

He knew we're not all going

to get it the first time.

566

It's going to take a while.

567

It's, it's going to take some second,

maybe third touches, maybe fourth touches.

568

And some of us will get

it quicker than others.

569

And some of us won't get

it to the last minute.

570

And it's hard because when we get it

quickly, we want everybody else to get it.

571

Hey you, get it.

572

I got it.

573

What's your problem?

574

That's how we are, right?

575

That's how we are.

576

Let's keep reading.

577

Jesus and his disciples went on to

the villages around Caesarea Philippi.

578

On the way, he asked them,

who do people say I am?

579

And they replied, some say John

the Baptist, others say Elijah, and

580

still others, one of the prophets.

581

But what about you?

582

He asked.

583

Who do you say I am?

584

And Peter answered, You are the Messiah.

585

This is one of those

very powerful moments.

586

Very powerful moment.

587

And the interesting thing is, Mark

only tells us a little bit of it.

588

If you want to know more about what

happened, you got to go to Matthew.

589

He's got more details.

590

Matthew generally puts

more details in there.

591

Some really important details here.

592

So they go to Caesarea Philippi.

593

He says, who do they say I am?

594

And he says, what about you?

595

Who do you say I am?

596

Simon Peter.

597

We're talking about Peter.

598

You guys know Peter, right?

599

You saw The Chosen.

600

You know who Peter is.

601

He's, he's not always the first to get it.

602

He's not necessarily the

sharpest tool in the shed.

603

But this time, he got it.

604

He says, you're the Messiah.

605

The Son of the Living God.

606

I bet Jesus took a double take.

607

He probably like, Peter?

608

Whoa, you had a good

quiet time this morning.

609

He replied, Blessed are

you, Simon son of Jonah.

610

For this was, And I love even that

he doesn't call him Peter this time.

611

He, he, he calls him Simon again.

612

For this was not revealed

to you by my flesh.

613

He's about to give him the name

but, So he says, This was not

614

revealed to you by flesh and blood.

615

It wasn't your human effort.

616

But by my Father in Heaven.

617

And I tell you that you are Peter.

618

And on this rock, I will build

my church and the gates of

619

Hades will not overcome it.

620

This is your Peter and you're

going to be the first Pope.

621

No, he didn't say that.

622

He said on this rock.

623

What rock?

624

That Jesus is the Messiah.

625

That He is the Savior.

626

But, hey, it was a very

encouraging moment for Peter.

627

It was a very encouraging moment.

628

He says, you know what?

629

You got this from God.

630

You got it from God.

631

And that's where we all get it from.

632

From God.

633

If we take the time to listen.

634

If we take the time to look and to

perceive, if we put our effort into

635

understanding, and don't assume we

got it already, and don't assume

636

we understand everything, and don't

assume we're, we're, we're okay,

637

but keep that open, hungry heart, no

matter what we may think is going on.

638

He got it.

639

Yay, Peter.

640

Yay, Peter.

641

This is you, the Messiah, Jesus replied.

642

It wasn't by human flesh you

figured this out, God told you this.

643

And you were listening.

644

Verse 21, From that time on, Jesus began

to explain to his disciples that he must

645

go to Jerusalem and suffer many things.

646

He's trying to get them to understand

how this is all going to work.

647

He says, You must suffer many things

at the hands of the elders, the chief

648

priests, and the teachers of the law,

and then he must be killed, and on

649

the third day he'd be raised to life.

650

He's explaining the whole plan.

651

We always want to know, what's the plan?

652

And Jesus is explaining the plan.

653

But Peter took him aside

and began to rebuke him.

654

Never, Lord, he said.

655

This shall never happen to you.

656

Uh oh.

657

Very dangerous trying to disciple Jesus.

658

Then Jesus turned and said to

Peter, get behind me, Satan.

659

You are a stumbling block to me, and

you do not have in mind the concerns

660

of God, but merely human concerns.

661

Whoa.

662

I don't know how you would

feel if Jesus told you that.

663

I think I would just

drop dead right there.

664

If Jesus called me Satan.

665

I mean, man, he just got

the biggest compliment.

666

He just got held up in front of everybody.

667

What a great job.

668

What a great victory.

669

And then he blows it.

670

But it's an understandable blow it.

671

He loves Jesus.

672

He's like, Jesus, that

can't happen to you.

673

I'm not gonna let that happen to you.

674

And, and, you know, Peter's

a fairly emotional guy.

675

No way we'll fight to the end.

676

You remember, Peter's the one

that cut the guy's ear off, right?

677

Instead of thinking, Is this God's will?

678

And what is God doing here?

679

What is God showing me?

680

That's a very important question.

681

And he says, You do not have in

mind the things of God, But merely

682

Human concerns, you're thinking like

a human, which is natural, right?

683

Why aren't we humans?

684

But we're called to think like God

to see things from his perspective.

685

That's what getting it is.

686

That's the challenge for every one of us.

687

I'm not preaching at a group

or at a person or a few people.

688

I'm preaching all of us because

this is all of our challenge.

689

To not give in to our human emotion.

690

To not act like humans.

691

Act like godly people.

692

Handle things the way

God would handle them.

693

I mean, they...

694

It was hard, guys.

695

It was hard.

696

Poor Peter.

697

It was tough.

698

Walking around with Jesus and

699

getting it.

700

Remember when he was washing

feet and Peter was like, No,

701

Lord, don't wash my feet.

702

And Jesus said, then I

have no part with you.

703

Oh, in that case, wash

me, the whole thing.

704

Give me a full car wash.

705

And it's, it's just,

sometimes it's hard to get it.

706

And I don't think Peter had a bad heart.

707

I think Peter was like, oh, I don't

deserve to have you wash my feet, Jesus.

708

So you can't do that.

709

And Peter's like, there you go,

and Jesus was like, there you

710

go again, thinking like a human.

711

Think like God.

712

Dying with Jesus.

713

Oh, you're not going to die, Jesus.

714

We're going to all die with you.

715

And then he denies him three times.

716

So I don't know the guy.

717

Never met that dude.

718

Three times.

719

And Peter, he doesn't have a bad heart.

720

He's, he's pretty ashamed.

721

And Jesus has to come and restore him.

722

Bring him back in because

Peter was feeling pretty lousy.

723

Because it takes him so long.

724

Sometimes it's frustrating not getting it.

725

And you know, Peter, bless his

heart, he gets to stand up and

726

do the Acts 2 sermon, right?

727

In the last days, quoting Joel,

and my spirit will be poured

728

out on all people, all nations.

729

In other words, not just Jews.

730

Men and women, not just males.

731

Young and old, not just

male Jews, over 30.

732

Everybody!

733

Everybody!

734

He opens the door, the universal gospel,

the, the talk about, um, diversity.

735

I mean, this is, this is, Jesus

was the original diversity guy.

736

Just bringing everybody, unleashing

the Holy spirit on everybody.

737

You don't have to be a male Jew over 30.

738

You can be from any background.

739

And Oh, what an incredible message.

740

Gee, Peter preached that message and then

wouldn't go in the house of a Gentile.

741

Jesus told them, you

will preach the gospel.

742

In Jerusalem, in Judea, in

Samaria, to the ends of the earth.

743

Go take this gospel and

make disciples of what?

744

All nations.

745

Panta ta ethne.

746

Where we get the word ethnicity.

747

To all people from every

race and background.

748

What did the apostles do?

749

They all hung out in Jerusalem.

750

It took God sending a persecution

to get them out of Jerusalem.

751

And then even then it says

everybody went except the leaders.

752

Like what the?

753

Still not getting it.

754

And God had to send visions.

755

You know, the whole thing with the animals

coming down on the sheet and all that.

756

Just to get Peter to get it.

757

To understand, Dude,

this is for everybody.

758

And, and Peter is not a bad guy.

759

He's a good guy.

760

Just took him a while.

761

All of us.

762

It takes us a while.

763

And some things we get really fast.

764

It takes us a while and the whole world

is waiting for us all to get it, to be

765

the church that Jesus died for, right?

766

Getting it is very serious.

767

It's not, I mean, I say some

jokes about it because sometimes

768

we got to laugh at ourselves.

769

But.

770

Jesus said, whoever has will be given

more and they will have an abundance.

771

Whoever does not have, even what

they have will be taken from them.

772

This is why I speak to them in parables.

773

Though seeing, they do not see.

774

Though hearing, they do

not hear or understand.

775

In them is fulfilled

the prophecy of Isaiah.

776

You will be ever hearing,

but never understanding.

777

You will be ever seeing,

but never perceiving.

778

For this, people's hearts

has become calloused.

779

They hardly hear with their ears

and they've closed their eyes.

780

Otherwise...

781

They might see with their ears,

hear with their ears, see with

782

their eyes, hear with their ears,

and understand with their hearts.

783

God heal them.

784

This is his promise.

785

This is his promise, but Jesus

quoted this because he knew a lot

786

of people are not going to get it.

787

And you know, you know how many disciples

he had at the end of three year ministry?

788

120.

789

120.

790

It's difficult to get it.

791

It's challenging to get it.

792

It's easy to miss it.

793

A key to this is listening.

794

Paying close attention.

795

What is God saying?

796

What is the scripture telling me?

797

How different am I?

798

I mean, 46 times in the book of

Revelation, He talks about hearing.

799

Listening.

800

75 times in the Gospels,

Jesus talks about listening.

801

Listen up!

802

The classic prayer.

803

Shema Yisrael Adonai

Eloheinu Adonai Echad.

804

It's the prayer that every

Orthodox Jew prays every day.

805

Jews probably pray it every day.

806

What's it say?

807

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our

God is God and He is One.

808

It's the command.

809

Listen up, people!

810

That's the command.

811

We gotta pay attention.

812

492 times in the New Testament.

813

References.

814

Okay, just footnote, I

didn't check them all.

815

I saw this on a Bible study

website, so I'll check them.

816

When I get time, I'll check them,

make sure they're all really there.

817

But the point is, there's a lot.

818

But we keep reading in that very

same scripture, Matthew 13, 16.

819

But blessed are your eyes because they

see, and your ears because they hear.

820

For truly I tell you, many prophets

and righteous people long to see

821

what you see, but did not see it.

822

And to hear what you

hear, but did not hear it.

823

We have the Gospels.

824

We have Jesus.

825

To listen to.

826

To read.

827

And we, among the millions of

disciples of Jesus, that have lived

828

throughout history, are so blessed.

829

You know, people have only had

Bibles for about the last 150 years.

830

Maybe, maybe 200 years.

831

They had to memorize scriptures.

832

They had to look at the pictures

on the church walls to figure

833

out what the message was.

834

And we're so blessed.

835

We have it, nice little leather

on or fake leather on books.

836

Audio, video.

837

We got series to watch, chosen.

838

We have many ways to hear and see, but the

question is, are we hearing and seeing?

839

You know somebody sat at Kodak.

840

How many of you guys remember Kodak?

841

Kodak company.

842

All the old people.

843

We all remember Kodak.

844

Man, there was a time that anything

you want to do with pictures was Kodak.

845

You had to go to a Kodak place to

get it printed, to get it developed.

846

You had to, there were Kodak pictures.

847

Your pictures in the back

said Kodak all over it.

848

And the, you know,

people had Kodak camera.

849

I mean, they were, they were

talking about a monopoly.

850

They just, they controlled everything.

851

But one day at some meeting and I'm

surmising here, but at some meeting,

852

somebody said, you know, there's

this new thing called digital medias.

853

I think we should get involved in that.

854

And some leaders said, nah,

it'll never take ground.

855

It'll never take hold.

856

And they lost, they lost out.

857

They pretty much disappeared

because they didn't get it.

858

They didn't get it.

859

Remember Blockbuster?

860

If you wanted to see a movie,

you had to go to Blockbuster.

861

And at some point, somebody in a

meeting said, Hey, there's this

862

little group called Netflix, and

they're putting these red boxes out.

863

Do you think we should do that?

864

And somebody said, Nah,

it'll never take hold.

865

Netflix is a blip on the

screen, they'll be gone.

866

How many of us have Netflix?

867

Yeah, how many of us have been to a

blockbuster in the last five years?

868

Yeah, no, you all went, nope.

869

Because they didn't get it.

870

They didn't get it, they didn't

understand, they didn't realize.

871

And let me tell you something.

872

I actually started out, before I started

spirituality, I was working on a PhD in,

873

in, in, uh, organizational leadership.

874

And as I was studying this, I, I,

I came across this one article that

875

talked about how the worst groups to

change, guess what groups they are?

876

Churches.

877

Churches.

878

Other organ, I mean, corporate world,

they get it because, look, if we

879

don't change in time, then we lose

out, we, we, we lose everything.

880

And everybody likes to laugh about

Blockbuster and Kodak, and nobody wants

881

to be the next Blockbuster or Kodak.

882

And they're trying to keep up and

trying to make changes as needed.

883

For churches, it's really hard.

884

They're the worst at making

changes that need to happen.

885

But there's good reasons.

886

There's the fact that we don't

want to make the wrong changes.

887

In other words, we don't want

to give in to social pressure.

888

We want to make sure

we're following scripture.

889

We want to make sure we're doing

what the Bible says, not what people

890

are telling us we should be doing.

891

And that's a good instinct.

892

That's a right instinct.

893

Plenty of scriptures about that.

894

In the last days, there'll be terrible

times and on describes basically what's

895

happening in our world right now.

896

And that's a good instinct.

897

You gotta be careful.

898

Because the second one is we

confuse doctrine and culture.

899

And we don't know the difference between.

900

What is right because the scripture

says it, and what is right because

901

that's how we've always done it.

902

And it worked in the past.

903

Why wouldn't it work now?

904

And learning to get it

905

with God.

906

With the Holy Spirit.

907

Eyes fixed on Jesus.

908

Mind on things of above.

909

That's how we're gonna get it.

910

That's how we can get it.

911

That's how we can navigate.

912

All these challenges of influences and

teachings and every wind of teaching and

913

yet respond appropriately to the wrongs

in the world, the wrongs in the church.

914

Deal with those wrongs the way

Jesus would deal with them.

915

I'm not saying put our heads in the

sand and pretend there's no problems.

916

No, deal with it.

917

Because we live in the light, right?

918

Because we live, at least we're

trying to live, honest lives.

919

Churches don't get it

all the time, Ephesus.

920

Jesus said whoever has ears, let him hear

what the spirit says with the churches.

921

Smyrna, whoever has ears, let him hear

what the spirit says to the churches,

922

Pergamum, whoever has ears, let him,

let him hear what the spirit says

923

in the churches, Tiritrea, whoever

has ears, let them hear what the

924

spirit says to the churches, and

Sardis and Philadelphia and Laodicea.

925

With all of these churches, oh, the spirit

warned them, and you know the scary.

926

The scary thing in there is

if you don't get it, I'm gonna

927

take your lampstand away.

928

And that represented the spirit of God.

929

We gotta make sure we all get it.

930

This is why I went to Pepperdine

for seven years, driving up

931

for seven years from San Diego.

932

To try to learn, to try to get it.

933

That's why I met Fuller.

934

That's why a lot of us are digging

in, reading our scriptures and praying

935

about this and trying to figure out

what does the church need to change.

936

Let me tell you something, all

churches of all denominations

937

are going through it right now.

938

Going through very challenging times.

939

Some of the Barna and different groups

that have studied what's happening in

940

the religious world, in the Christian

world, So 30 percent of church members

941

stopped going during the pandemic.

942

And a lot of those people

aren't coming back.

943

And many, many, many churches

are shrinking dramatically.

944

It's not just us.

945

We like to think we're so special,

but we are special because Jesus loves

946

us, but we're not special because

we're better than anybody else.

947

So when we got the right doctrine on

baptism, Amen, let's share about baptism,

948

but There are other people out there that

have incredible faith and love God deeply.

949

Let's learn from them.

950

I like Jesus definition.

951

Whoever does my Father's will is

my mother, brother, and sister.

952

And we gotta pray for each other.

953

Because everybody's struggling.

954

Christianity is struggling right now.

955

And I think it's great.

956

Because it's making us question ourselves.

957

You know, the Hollywood paints us as

being this legalistic, self righteous,

958

condemning, judgmental people.

959

Stephen King has really got

something against Christianity.

960

Every bad guy in his

movie is some Christian.

961

I know that's not who I am.

962

But I do know I have that in me.

963

And I gotta watch it.

964

And I gotta crucify it.

965

Because I know I can be judgmental.

966

My kids showed me that.

967

They're like, Dad, it's in your eyes.

968

Dad, it's in your voice.

969

You're judging me.

970

And I have to learn to not be that guy.

971

But entire churches

have to figure that out.

972

And guess what?

973

You guys are in a challenge as a church.

974

You gotta figure out some things.

975

You gotta grow.

976

But Jesus is here.

977

It's hard.

978

Jesus said, Enter through the narrow

gate, for wide is the gate and broad

979

is the road that leads to destruction.

980

And many enter through it, but

small is the gate, and narrow the

981

road that leads to life and only...

982

How many?

983

A few find it.

984

That's a scary scripture.

985

That's a scary one.

986

I mean, I'm dying to ask Jesus,

Okay, Jesus, what do you mean by few?

987

Are we talking a handful?

988

Are we talking a couple of million?

989

Are we talking about one

billion out of eight billion?

990

What is a few exactly?

991

And you know, I know what Jesus said.

992

You don't need to worry about it.

993

You need to make sure that you are

doing what you need to be doing.

994

You don't need to be judging

other people's faith.

995

You don't need to be

judging the Lord's servants.

996

Check your own heart.

997

Work out your salvation

with fear and trembling.

998

Not your neighbor's.

999

Love your neighbor.

00:51:55,160 --> 00:51:57,050

Be an example of God to your neighbor.

00:51:58,470 --> 00:51:59,200

Well, who's my neighbor?

00:51:59,620 --> 00:52:01,220

Well, in case there's any

doubt, how about your enemies?

00:52:01,220 --> 00:52:02,040

Love your neighbors, too.

00:52:02,070 --> 00:52:03,030

You love your enemies, too.

00:52:04,230 --> 00:52:05,570

Oh, do I really have to love him?

00:52:05,680 --> 00:52:06,500

That guy's a jerk.

00:52:08,130 --> 00:52:09,160

Yeah, you really gotta love him.

00:52:10,560 --> 00:52:11,920

That brother doesn't get it!

00:52:13,680 --> 00:52:14,890

Probably gonna need some more love.

00:52:17,260 --> 00:52:19,520

Probably gonna have to be

like Jesus to help him get it.

00:52:20,860 --> 00:52:21,940

Leaders must get it.

00:52:22,040 --> 00:52:23,080

Pray for your leaders.

00:52:23,740 --> 00:52:24,630

Pray for the MLC.

00:52:24,910 --> 00:52:25,770

Pray for your staff.

00:52:26,150 --> 00:52:27,090

Pray for the elders.

00:52:27,500 --> 00:52:28,840

Pray for your Bible talk leaders.

00:52:31,000 --> 00:52:31,870

They have to get it.

00:52:31,880 --> 00:52:35,030

If they don't get it, people get hurt.

00:52:36,250 --> 00:52:37,460

So pray for us.

00:52:38,850 --> 00:52:40,070

And remember, you're a leader too.

00:52:41,410 --> 00:52:42,270

You're a leader at home.

00:52:43,280 --> 00:52:44,390

You're a leader with your family.

00:52:45,520 --> 00:52:47,880

And some, many of you have

other leadership roles.

00:52:48,450 --> 00:52:49,610

Spouses must get it.

00:52:49,920 --> 00:52:50,770

Parents must get it.

00:52:50,800 --> 00:52:51,820

Disciples must get it.

00:52:51,820 --> 00:52:54,290

Followers must get it.

00:52:54,915 --> 00:53:01,245

And everyone is a leader and

everyone is a follower as well.

00:53:01,965 --> 00:53:02,915

What do we gotta get?

00:53:04,025 --> 00:53:05,045

We gotta get humility.

00:53:06,345 --> 00:53:07,295

Real humility.

00:53:08,985 --> 00:53:11,205

Be able to face where we blow it.

00:53:12,445 --> 00:53:14,335

Be able to understand our blind spots.

00:53:14,975 --> 00:53:16,385

Allow that to humble us.

00:53:17,025 --> 00:53:18,345

Realize how much we need each other.

00:53:18,345 --> 00:53:19,965

How much, first of all,

how much we need God.

00:53:21,465 --> 00:53:22,645

How much we need each other.

00:53:23,290 --> 00:53:24,500

How much we all need help.

00:53:25,510 --> 00:53:27,440

We need radical honesty.

00:53:28,280 --> 00:53:30,750

I won't see my issues if I'm not honest.

00:53:31,500 --> 00:53:34,460

I won't recognize where I

need help if I'm not honest.

00:53:35,700 --> 00:53:36,710

Gotta be honest.

00:53:36,990 --> 00:53:37,630

Forgiveness.

00:53:37,630 --> 00:53:39,910

Oh man, does this require

a lot of forgiveness.

00:53:40,560 --> 00:53:42,560

God does not treat us

according to our sins.

00:53:43,290 --> 00:53:44,140

Thank God.

00:53:45,860 --> 00:53:47,030

He continually forgives.

00:53:47,030 --> 00:53:48,150

He's very gracious.

00:53:48,550 --> 00:53:49,650

He's very merciful.

00:53:50,750 --> 00:53:52,210

And he always gives people...

00:53:52,795 --> 00:53:53,875

time to change.

00:53:54,065 --> 00:53:56,615

And in my opinion, oftentimes

I feel like it's too much time.

00:53:58,195 --> 00:53:59,495

That brother should have got it by now.

00:54:00,855 --> 00:54:03,185

That's just your, it's

overdue for getting it.

00:54:04,885 --> 00:54:07,775

But it's usually, that's very subjective.

00:54:08,385 --> 00:54:09,755

God knows hearts.

00:54:11,125 --> 00:54:11,815

God knows.

00:54:12,995 --> 00:54:15,805

And we have to practice compassion.

00:54:16,035 --> 00:54:17,215

It's the only way we're gonna get there.

00:54:18,475 --> 00:54:22,970

You know, in any organization, an

organizational truism, Any group

00:54:22,970 --> 00:54:26,900

you join, join a car club, join

a, a crew team, join, whatever.

00:54:27,050 --> 00:54:31,100

It's always starts out wonder, woo,

awesome, everything's great, and then

00:54:31,100 --> 00:54:34,370

you start having conflicts, and then

you see problems with people and then

00:54:34,370 --> 00:54:35,780

you don't like the way this happens.

00:54:36,320 --> 00:54:41,990

And then that's the real test of

love and faith Then, then it kicks

00:54:41,990 --> 00:54:47,300

in, man, I thought everybody walked

on water when I joined the church,

00:54:48,800 --> 00:54:49,970

and then I saw people sinking.

00:54:51,710 --> 00:54:55,060

And then I saw people

sinful, even leaders sinful.

00:54:56,760 --> 00:55:00,900

And it's like, whoa, wait, this

isn't what I thought I was joining.

00:55:01,810 --> 00:55:02,890

Actually, it is.

00:55:03,470 --> 00:55:04,630

It's the real church.

00:55:05,130 --> 00:55:06,920

Again, look at our Bibles, right?

00:55:07,990 --> 00:55:11,750

It's, the only way this works is

with a lot of love and compassion.

00:55:12,870 --> 00:55:14,750

A lot of mercy and forgiveness.

00:55:15,510 --> 00:55:17,840

It takes a lot of authentic spirituality.

00:55:18,525 --> 00:55:21,625

To be able to discover the kingdom of God.

00:55:22,435 --> 00:55:23,445

And to live in that.

00:55:24,045 --> 00:55:25,075

No rock throwing.

00:55:26,805 --> 00:55:27,895

So tempting, isn't it?

00:55:28,395 --> 00:55:30,335

Especially when somebody throws a

rock at you, you just want to pick

00:55:30,335 --> 00:55:31,275

one up and throw it right back.

00:55:32,505 --> 00:55:34,265

I remember me and my friends,

whenever we got in this big

00:55:34,275 --> 00:55:35,595

field, we'd have rock fights.

00:55:35,975 --> 00:55:37,925

It's the kind of stupid

thing boys do, you know?

00:55:39,155 --> 00:55:42,955

And then somebody would get hit, and

have to go get stitches, and our parents

00:55:42,955 --> 00:55:44,595

were like, What were you thinking?

00:55:45,995 --> 00:55:46,815

But we do that.

00:55:48,070 --> 00:55:50,590

When people attack us and hurt

us, we want to pick up a rock

00:55:50,590 --> 00:55:51,530

and throw it right at them.

00:55:52,790 --> 00:55:55,360

Jesus said, let him who's

without sin throw the first rock.

00:55:58,270 --> 00:55:59,680

That's the upside down kingdom.

00:56:00,770 --> 00:56:01,600

No judging.

00:56:03,350 --> 00:56:04,180

No judging.

00:56:05,090 --> 00:56:06,350

Whoa, that's a really hard one.

00:56:06,680 --> 00:56:09,380

Guys, we have judgmentalism

deep in our DNA.

00:56:11,800 --> 00:56:13,950

And we're not going to

detox that in one decision.

00:56:14,660 --> 00:56:16,450

But by practicing and practicing.

00:56:17,625 --> 00:56:20,855

I remember one of my kids when he

was, well I gave away who it is,

00:56:21,135 --> 00:56:24,315

he, he, he said I hate that region.

00:56:24,315 --> 00:56:25,285

It was another region.

00:56:25,855 --> 00:56:27,195

I was like, dude, why?

00:56:27,845 --> 00:56:30,535

He goes, because they're so

judgmental and self righteous.

00:56:31,675 --> 00:56:32,615

And I said, wow.

00:56:33,005 --> 00:56:37,895

So you just decided everybody in that

region is judgmental and self righteous,

00:56:38,075 --> 00:56:39,585

that's quite a judgment you got there.

00:56:41,645 --> 00:56:44,115

And he was like, all right, dad.

00:56:46,585 --> 00:56:47,315

But we do that.

00:56:48,695 --> 00:56:49,255

We do that.

00:56:50,285 --> 00:56:51,505

I would never do that.

00:56:51,515 --> 00:56:52,445

How do you know?

00:56:53,585 --> 00:56:55,365

Have you walked a mile in his moccasins?

00:56:56,465 --> 00:56:57,915

Have you lived in her house?

00:56:59,585 --> 00:57:01,945

And, and, and the worst is

when leaders are judgmental.

00:57:02,645 --> 00:57:07,165

Because their judgment

is accepted as the truth.

00:57:08,705 --> 00:57:11,085

We gotta be really careful.

00:57:12,015 --> 00:57:13,195

No defensiveness.

00:57:13,975 --> 00:57:15,165

No defensiveness.

00:57:15,655 --> 00:57:17,225

Oh, that's a hard one.

00:57:17,930 --> 00:57:21,450

Boy, I have, I have wrestled and

riled on the floor like a demon

00:57:21,450 --> 00:57:22,680

possessed dude with that one.

00:57:24,080 --> 00:57:26,170

Wanting to defend myself.

00:57:27,610 --> 00:57:30,830

But you don't understand, I

serve, I sacrifice, I give.

00:57:30,870 --> 00:57:32,540

You know how much I've

done for the church?

00:57:33,190 --> 00:57:36,080

Because I've made one little

mistake, now you're crucifying me.

00:57:38,340 --> 00:57:39,860

And that's all perspective, right?

00:57:42,390 --> 00:57:43,840

Instead of just trusting God.

00:57:47,580 --> 00:57:48,150

What does he say?

00:57:48,330 --> 00:57:49,680

Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord.

00:57:50,120 --> 00:57:51,900

And He will lift you up.

00:57:52,580 --> 00:57:53,150

What does it say?

00:57:53,160 --> 00:57:55,450

He will make your righteousness

shine like the noonday sun.

00:57:55,870 --> 00:57:57,760

Even though you're not really

righteous, but you're trying.

00:57:59,560 --> 00:58:00,440

He'll make you shine.

00:58:01,290 --> 00:58:01,900

He'll help you out.

00:58:01,920 --> 00:58:03,450

No self righteousness.

00:58:03,850 --> 00:58:07,190

Those people, that leader, that

Bible talk, that brother, that

00:58:07,210 --> 00:58:09,420

sister, you see how sinful she is?

00:58:11,010 --> 00:58:11,990

Yeah, but so does God.

00:58:13,240 --> 00:58:14,660

And Jesus died on a cross for her.

00:58:16,810 --> 00:58:18,240

So I take the warning serious.

00:58:18,480 --> 00:58:19,310

Who are you to judge?

00:58:19,815 --> 00:58:20,535

Lord's servant.

00:58:22,035 --> 00:58:23,705

So, well, so what's the answer?

00:58:23,705 --> 00:58:25,525

Well, we got to really love each other.

00:58:25,525 --> 00:58:29,785

Jesus turned to Peter and said, Get

behind me, Satan, because you don't

00:58:29,785 --> 00:58:31,125

have the things of God in mind.

00:58:31,165 --> 00:58:31,935

So what do we got to do?

00:58:32,195 --> 00:58:33,705

Have the things of God in mind.

00:58:34,285 --> 00:58:35,755

God can get us through this.

00:58:36,975 --> 00:58:39,445

God can help anybody change.

00:58:39,755 --> 00:58:40,635

And here's my experience.

00:58:40,635 --> 00:58:42,035

If they don't change, God takes them out.

00:58:43,115 --> 00:58:43,635

I've seen it.

00:58:44,435 --> 00:58:45,105

Again and again.

00:58:46,855 --> 00:58:48,865

Have in mind the concerns of God.

00:58:49,635 --> 00:58:52,015

Merely human concerns,

not merely human concerns.

00:58:52,795 --> 00:58:57,605

And have the prayer, May your

kingdom come, and your will be

00:58:57,605 --> 00:58:59,545

done on earth as it is in heaven.

00:59:00,175 --> 00:59:02,385

So many times I want to

say, No, I want it this way.

00:59:03,515 --> 00:59:04,985

I think it should be like this.

00:59:06,135 --> 00:59:07,625

I think the church should do this.

00:59:07,645 --> 00:59:08,495

Why do we sing that?

00:59:08,585 --> 00:59:09,885

Why did they change that song?

00:59:09,905 --> 00:59:11,225

I love that song the way it was.

00:59:13,115 --> 00:59:15,515

And we have sometimes too many opinions.

00:59:17,025 --> 00:59:22,065

We have to remember to pray, your

kingdom come, your will be done.

00:59:23,085 --> 00:59:25,445

And we're going to have to keep

seeking the kingdom of God.

00:59:26,255 --> 00:59:28,505

First, priority.

00:59:29,705 --> 00:59:33,725

And there are many important, there are

serious things we've got to deal with.

00:59:33,725 --> 00:59:35,015

I'm not trying to lighten those up.

00:59:36,365 --> 00:59:38,855

There are serious things,

there are hearts involved.

00:59:40,185 --> 00:59:42,765

But we must do it spiritually.

00:59:43,760 --> 00:59:46,470

Not all churches survive

these kind of changes.

00:59:46,990 --> 00:59:48,510

Some of them self destruct.

00:59:49,640 --> 00:59:52,220

It depends on how many godly

people are in the room.

00:59:53,240 --> 00:59:56,580

It depends on how many people

love God more than themselves.

00:59:57,405 --> 01:00:00,825

Who are willing to do things

God's way, even when it hurts.

01:00:01,825 --> 01:00:03,745

Even when it's so difficult.

01:00:03,745 --> 01:00:06,065

But to do it the way Jesus would do it.

01:00:07,295 --> 01:00:08,815

And keep our eyes fixed on Him.

01:00:08,825 --> 01:00:10,715

In this world, He said,

you will have trouble.

01:00:11,335 --> 01:00:12,085

But take heart.

01:00:13,395 --> 01:00:14,425

I've overcome the world.

01:00:15,495 --> 01:00:17,795

He did it.

01:00:17,795 --> 01:00:18,445

He overcame.

01:00:20,435 --> 01:00:23,735

Sometimes, you know, I remember one

time I thought, This is not fair.

01:00:24,415 --> 01:00:26,055

Jesus never came to church.

01:00:27,185 --> 01:00:30,265

You realize he ascended into heaven

before the church even started?

01:00:32,295 --> 01:00:33,415

Like, why didn't he come to church?

01:00:33,445 --> 01:00:35,805

Why couldn't we watch how

he handled the church?

01:00:36,865 --> 01:00:38,495

Oh no, he had to leave.

01:00:42,645 --> 01:00:43,955

Actually, he answered that question.

01:00:44,925 --> 01:00:48,245

He said, it's better for me to leave

so I can send you the Holy Spirit.

01:00:49,125 --> 01:00:51,855

Because I can only be in one place

at one time with a few people.

01:00:52,295 --> 01:00:55,675

But the Holy Spirit can be with

everybody, all the time, everywhere.

01:00:56,245 --> 01:00:57,315

He can be with you.

01:00:59,835 --> 01:01:01,345

So did Jesus have a solution?

01:01:01,395 --> 01:01:02,155

Absolutely.

01:01:03,645 --> 01:01:05,115

But we need to hear the spirit.

01:01:05,875 --> 01:01:07,855

We need to see what the

spirit is telling us.

01:01:07,925 --> 01:01:11,365

We need to listen and see, hear

and understand, seek first God's

01:01:11,365 --> 01:01:13,225

kingdom, and do God's will.

01:01:13,225 --> 01:01:15,565

We need to get Jesus.

01:01:15,605 --> 01:01:16,725

I want to close out with this.

01:01:16,725 --> 01:01:21,465

You know, in Metro, we went

through a really difficult time.

01:01:21,895 --> 01:01:23,035

Really painful time.

01:01:23,045 --> 01:01:27,685

A lot of division, a lot of dysfunction,

a lot of hurt, a lot of anger.

01:01:28,875 --> 01:01:31,695

It was, it was rough and these, these

guys would know they were there.

01:01:31,695 --> 01:01:33,175

They were just kids, but

they were watching it.

01:01:36,485 --> 01:01:37,295

It was tough.

01:01:38,915 --> 01:01:41,825

So we had to deal with all that stuff.

01:01:42,685 --> 01:01:43,305

We had to get real.

01:01:43,305 --> 01:01:44,005

We had to get honest.

01:01:44,005 --> 01:01:44,705

We had to face things.

01:01:44,705 --> 01:01:45,375

We had to work through it.

01:01:45,415 --> 01:01:47,335

We had to do it in a godly way.

01:01:49,065 --> 01:01:55,905

And as we dealt with the elephants in the

room, went after the sacred cows, restored

01:01:55,915 --> 01:01:57,995

relationships, reconciled conflicts.

01:01:59,360 --> 01:02:02,890

We sat down we wrote a vision for who

we want to be and this was our vision of

01:02:02,890 --> 01:02:07,360

who the Metro Church will be We're not

there yet, but who we're gonna be a church

01:02:07,370 --> 01:02:12,600

in love with God led by Jesus empowered

by the Holy Spirit where leadership is

01:02:12,610 --> 01:02:17,750

humble spiritual and strong a Church

with great worship where the members all

01:02:17,760 --> 01:02:22,920

walk with God and are driven by faith and

unified by purpose Where mutual respect

01:02:22,950 --> 01:02:28,080

permeates the fellowship as we help each

other get to heaven Where love is supreme

01:02:28,100 --> 01:02:30,980

and easily seen, felt, and experienced.

01:02:31,310 --> 01:02:35,150

A church where personal conviction

is high and grace is abundant.

01:02:35,690 --> 01:02:39,930

Where renewal and formation is constant

and conflicts are resolved spiritually.

01:02:40,400 --> 01:02:43,820

A church where everyone serves,

gives generously, and is fruitful.

01:02:44,100 --> 01:02:47,940

A church that has a great Kingdom Kids

ministry, giving all children hope.

01:02:48,200 --> 01:02:51,040

A church where there's great

dating, great, great teens,

01:02:51,050 --> 01:02:52,540

great Kingdom Kids ministry.

01:02:52,935 --> 01:02:55,875

Great campus, great singles