WEBVTT 00:00:01.220 --> 00:00:03.980 I'm going to invite you to turn to Luke chapter 17. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:04.910 That's where we're going to be this morning. 00:00:06.040 --> 00:00:07.760 And I'm going to just let you know ahead of time. 00:00:09.120 --> 00:00:11.150 If I just pass out, just let me lay there. 00:00:12.660 --> 00:00:14.460 I do not feel the best. 00:00:14.460 --> 00:00:15.970 You're getting about 30% of me today. 00:00:17.240 --> 00:00:19.830 If it were not baptism Sunday, I would not be here. 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:28.560 But because it's baptism Sunday and this is a special day for us as a church family, I just want to be here to celebrate people in 00:00:28.560 --> 00:00:35.680 their lives as they may continue to make their journey in Christ and what it means to follow after Jesus and surrendering their lives to 00:00:35.680 --> 00:00:35.960 him. 00:00:37.120 --> 00:00:42.580 And so if you're visiting with us the first time, if I sound like I'm going crazy, it's probably because I am. 00:00:42.760 --> 00:00:49.780 I just got off a plane last a little over 24 hours ago, and when I left, my heart was messing up and get 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:51.720 back and just getting over something now. 00:00:52.180 --> 00:00:54.570 And I feel a little an outer space today. 00:00:54.620 --> 00:00:55.770 So I apologize for that. 00:00:56.240 --> 00:01:03.340 But we're going to study from Luke chapter 17 and beginning in verses one down to 00:01:03.400 --> 00:01:10.600 verse ten and just give a little backdrop into this text for us as we look at this together in Luke chapter 17, I'm going to have to just go ahead and stand 00:01:10.600 --> 00:01:10.800 up. 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:18.160 I think Luke 17 is a beautiful passage of Scripture and what it lays into leading into this section of the Bible. 00:01:18.880 --> 00:01:26.040 And the reason is I think Luke chapter 15 is such a beautiful background to the attitude of the Lord 00:01:26.040 --> 00:01:29.010 towards people in general. 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:32.620 This is the famous lost chapters of the Bible. 00:01:33.300 --> 00:01:40.880 The lost sheep, the lost Coin, The Lost Son, or what we call sometimes is the prodigal son carries with it the attitude of 00:01:40.880 --> 00:01:42.960 Christ towards this world. 00:01:44.860 --> 00:01:48.780 It paints for us a picture of what God's desire is for people around him. 00:01:49.700 --> 00:01:56.860 Not to reject them, but to love them, to care for them, to minister to them, to save them, to rescue 00:01:56.860 --> 00:01:57.460 us. 00:01:57.980 --> 00:01:58.660 That's Luke. 00:01:58.700 --> 00:01:59.300 Chapter 15. 00:02:00.300 --> 00:02:01.060 Luke 16. 00:02:01.060 --> 00:02:03.200 Jesus talks about the religious leaders of the world. 00:02:03.980 --> 00:02:08.460 He comes against the Pharisees and very dogmatic in his stand against them. 00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:12.870 And then in Luke chapter 17, he then begins his story with the disciples. 00:02:12.980 --> 00:02:13.520 They begin to ask questions. 00:02:13.860 --> 00:02:15.260 He begins to share with them. 00:02:15.260 --> 00:02:21.550 So 15 shares the heart of the Lord, 16 shares the heart of religion. 00:02:22.020 --> 00:02:24.000 And it's kind of like, So now what? 00:02:25.340 --> 00:02:28.960 What's your response to that in Luke chapter 17? 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:36.080 As a follower of Jesus, how would you respond to what Jesus just presented in the first two chapters? 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:44.760 When you study Christianity around the world today, if I'm just being blunt and frank with the where 00:02:44.760 --> 00:02:51.840 Christianity came from in Europe, how it traveled across to North America, if you study European nations today, Great Britain, they actually put 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:52.640 a timetable table. 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:59.840 The death of Christianity in Great Britain Missiologists are saying now by the year of 2067, Christianity, if it continues 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:05.820 on the rate of its decline in the Great Britain region, it will it will experience its death. 00:03:05.880 --> 00:03:07.840 That is its death date 2067. 00:03:08.660 --> 00:03:11.680 Christianity in America today, a similar thing is on the decline. 00:03:13.980 --> 00:03:21.100 They studying the millennial generation between the ages of 20 to 35, that age demographic, about 20% of 00:03:21.100 --> 00:03:24.480 that age demographic are involved in a local church. 00:03:24.640 --> 00:03:27.330 A third of that generation hates church altogether. 00:03:28.820 --> 00:03:35.900 And how you choose to respond to Christ in your life right now, I think is more important today than it's ever been for 00:03:35.900 --> 00:03:37.860 the state of the American church, for the state of Christianity. 00:03:38.860 --> 00:03:45.960 And what Jesus means to us is what makes Baptism Sunday so important for us as a church family as well, because it's a demonstration 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:51.140 of our desire to want to walk with Jesus regardless of the circumstances around us. 00:03:51.620 --> 00:03:58.640 And when Jesus begins to share in Luke 17, he on that backdrop of his heart for the world, 00:03:58.640 --> 00:04:04.510 his love for people, his desire to rescue people, have a relationship for eternity with mankind. 00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:07.860 It's portrayed in Luke 15, Luke 16. 00:04:07.860 --> 00:04:10.280 This discussion of the religious leaders. 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:14.360 Then he gets into Luke 17 and it says, Now he's talking to his disciples, his followers. 00:04:14.360 --> 00:04:18.260 He says to his disciples, It is inevitable. 00:04:19.660 --> 00:04:21.100 That stumbling blocks come. 00:04:22.820 --> 00:04:24.520 But woe to him through whom they come. 00:04:26.200 --> 00:04:31.020 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 00:04:31.200 --> 00:04:34.020 And then he would cause one of these little ones to stumble. 00:04:35.500 --> 00:04:38.280 And you see, that's a pretty shocking statement for Jesus, right? 00:04:38.280 --> 00:04:42.020 I mean, hang something around your neck, throw in the bottom of the sea, then to distract someone from Christ. 00:04:42.500 --> 00:04:49.540 And when he's talking about one of these little ones, there is actually a debate among commentaries as to what exactly he's referencing 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:51.130 to these little ones. 00:04:51.720 --> 00:04:54.030 Luke 716 He's just talked about the Pharisees. 00:04:55.260 --> 00:05:02.560 Oftentimes, though, when Jesus is speaking, the little ones are referring to the children around him in either either regards whether 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:06.310 Jesus is talking about the Pharisees in reference to being the little ones or the children. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:08.520 I'll tell you why he's debating that in just a moment. 00:05:08.600 --> 00:05:15.640 But either way, in regards to who these little ones are, Jesus approached desire for us is to serve 00:05:15.640 --> 00:05:18.680 and to use our opportunity to encourage them closer to him. 00:05:19.880 --> 00:05:26.920 In Jesus's time, children were not given names until they were later in life because the mortality rate of children was 00:05:26.920 --> 00:05:34.540 so large that parents didn't want to name their kids until they knew that their kids were going to make it through early childhood and 00:05:34.540 --> 00:05:36.460 beyond that. 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:43.960 And so kids often were looked at as property as less than as the importance as the 00:05:43.960 --> 00:05:44.680 adults. 00:05:44.700 --> 00:05:49.820 And so they were treated as lower or least than those around them. 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:55.560 And oftentimes when you see Jesus interacting with children, he'll he'll tell the disciples, don't hinder the kids from coming to me. 00:05:56.120 --> 00:05:59.870 The kingdom of heaven is as such that faith of a child is the way that you are to receive me. 00:06:00.880 --> 00:06:08.040 And while humanity during this time didn't see the value of children to the degree that Jesus did or the degree that we should, Jesus is saying 00:06:08.040 --> 00:06:15.120 the least of these, it could be in reference to kids or it could be saying to the to the religious leaders at the time they need 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:17.760 encouragement towards Christ. 00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:20.020 And so don't think that you're better than them. 00:06:21.860 --> 00:06:22.580 Don't hinder them. 00:06:23.880 --> 00:06:25.500 But instead continue to encourage them to me. 00:06:25.500 --> 00:06:28.060 And so he says in verse three, Be on your guard. 00:06:28.960 --> 00:06:31.460 If your brother sins rebuke him and if he repents, forgive him. 00:06:31.460 --> 00:06:36.520 And if he sins against you seven times a day and returns to you seven times saying I repent. 00:06:37.240 --> 00:06:37.480 Forgive him. 00:06:39.500 --> 00:06:43.550 And Jesus in these opening lines just shares with the disciples. 00:06:44.180 --> 00:06:51.360 If you want to have the attitude that sees this world can conform to Christ or transformed in 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:55.560 Christ, this is the approach I want you to take to the environment around you. 00:06:56.700 --> 00:07:04.880 Not religious, but the attitude Jesus has in Chapter 15, where he's seeking after the lost, he's loving. 00:07:04.880 --> 00:07:09.700 Even in the illustration of chapter 15, even a penny that's lost under the couch. 00:07:10.060 --> 00:07:12.200 Jesus sees the worth of a penny and pursues. 00:07:12.320 --> 00:07:13.980 He cleans the whole home just looking for. 00:07:18.020 --> 00:07:20.240 And so he says to us the attitude and approach here. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:23.440 Forgive. 00:07:25.280 --> 00:07:25.720 And serve. 00:07:29.020 --> 00:07:36.020 Be willing to use your opportunity in Jesus to get beneath those in need of Christ and serve. 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:38.560 Forgive. 00:07:41.180 --> 00:07:48.360 I think for us in our culture, this sometimes meets us counterintuitive to the way that we tend to 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:48.660 think. 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:56.460 Like the way that we think is if we've been wronged or something bad has happened to us, we give ourselves permission to respond and behave however 00:07:56.460 --> 00:08:01.880 we would choose until things are meet restitution and things are good again. 00:08:01.880 --> 00:08:04.240 And when things are good again, then that's the place where I love and serve. 00:08:05.060 --> 00:08:12.160 But what Jesus is actually saying in this position for us is in regardless of circumstance, the place that God has called you to 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:16.460 in him and making a difference for him is to serve the least of these. 00:08:18.540 --> 00:08:19.160 They'd be willing to forgive. 00:08:23.660 --> 00:08:26.380 We like saying this as a church family. 00:08:28.880 --> 00:08:31.060 Make it hard for people to hate you. 00:08:34.220 --> 00:08:40.340 Make it hard for people to hate you, especially if they disagree with you. 00:08:41.700 --> 00:08:42.940 Your love for them. 00:08:43.020 --> 00:08:50.040 So unconditional because of Jesus's love for you has been so unconditional that God has called us 00:08:50.040 --> 00:08:54.380 in his love towards us to then demonstrate that love towards others. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:04.440 Can say, next week we're going to do our annual message called the State of the Church, where we just give the vision of what we're going to be focusing on for 00:09:04.440 --> 00:09:07.820 the next year and beyond for us as a church family. 00:09:07.920 --> 00:09:11.890 But we also lay out what our DNA is and how we're structured as a as a church. 00:09:12.160 --> 00:09:20.180 But can I tell you, just big picture what we're about here on Sunday, every time that we gather, we 00:09:20.180 --> 00:09:26.940 understand the importance of what it means to have a church in Lehi, Utah. 00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:29.480 To be alive. 00:09:32.100 --> 00:09:36.230 Let's not focus on religion, but focus on relationship in Christ. 00:09:38.280 --> 00:09:41.020 To realize outward conformity is not what is after. 00:09:41.140 --> 00:09:42.770 What God's after is our heart's. 00:09:44.520 --> 00:09:48.740 And to let Jesus have his way in us to transform our lives from the inside out. 00:09:49.100 --> 00:09:53.720 And so we say this We want everyone to experience a transforming relationship in Christ. 00:09:55.800 --> 00:09:57.900 That transforms their relationship with others. 00:09:59.180 --> 00:10:04.110 Because the whole purpose of life is found in relationship and loving God and loving others. 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:12.280 And so every time that we have our doors open, we have an opportunity to make an impact and an impact, quite frankly, that can 00:10:12.460 --> 00:10:13.700 endure for eternity. 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:23.160 And so everyone that you see on a Sunday morning is our opportunity to love and to share the truth 00:10:23.240 --> 00:10:28.880 of who God is, to serve as Jesus says, to serve in this passage and to forgive, as Jesus says, to forgive. 00:10:28.980 --> 00:10:34.600 He's saying to the disciples, You want to make a difference and you want to be what I'm about and you want to see a kingdom thrive. 00:10:34.940 --> 00:10:36.600 Here's what it takes. 00:10:36.940 --> 00:10:39.180 And I love the response of the disciples in verse five. 00:10:41.540 --> 00:10:46.800 Because they say in this next verse they recognize that it's not it's not possible. 00:10:49.220 --> 00:10:50.580 Or at least in their present condition. 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:51.220 Right? 00:10:52.560 --> 00:10:55.740 The apostles or the disciples said to the Lord, increase our faith. 00:10:59.180 --> 00:11:06.300 Jesus, if what you're calling us to is to love the Pharisees or to love the least of these, or to love the children and to elevate them above us and to forgive when it's hard 00:11:06.300 --> 00:11:08.320 to forgive if that's what you're calling us to. 00:11:08.920 --> 00:11:11.320 I do not have the ability within myself to do this. 00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:11.740 And so. 00:11:14.780 --> 00:11:15.300 Increase our faith. 00:11:21.160 --> 00:11:21.570 Let me think. 00:11:21.980 --> 00:11:31.220 Apart from the supernatural working of God, how ridiculous it is to assume that anywhere the gospel goes, that is in a place of darkness, that it should thrive. 00:11:31.520 --> 00:11:32.900 Apart from the grace of God, is an impossibility. 00:11:35.920 --> 00:11:36.560 And Jesus. 00:11:36.620 --> 00:11:39.620 They say in this verse, Increase our faith if this is what you've called us to. 00:11:39.620 --> 00:11:42.130 And so Jesus in verse six, I love the way he responds. 00:11:42.660 --> 00:11:49.930 Out of all the translations of Scripture, I would tell you, I think the one that gets this the best what Jesus is communicating here is actually the message. 00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:53.800 But this is Jesus's response to the disciples. 00:11:54.080 --> 00:12:01.160 And the Lord said, If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to the mulberry tree, Be uprooted and be planted in the sea and it would obey 00:12:01.160 --> 00:12:01.320 you. 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:11.640 We have a tendency when we discuss faith to make it about us, right? 00:12:11.660 --> 00:12:13.450 I mean, we do that in American culture today. 00:12:13.680 --> 00:12:17.720 We say things like it's not what you believe in, but really how much you believe it. 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:21.130 As long as you have faith, that's all that matters. 00:12:22.260 --> 00:12:26.680 When I was in college, I used to lead these college groups to inner city Baltimore, and we would do these work. 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:31.220 Works in these streets of inner city Baltimore, helping out kids in need. 00:12:31.280 --> 00:12:38.440 And for some reason, at one point during my time there, they decided the city decided to devote money to put these stickers out 00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:39.940 to encourage people towards hope. 00:12:40.940 --> 00:12:43.990 And maybe it did, but all it said was believe. 00:12:45.460 --> 00:12:48.680 Like just that word believe is black with white letters. 00:12:48.780 --> 00:12:51.400 Black background white letters believe like in what? 00:12:52.760 --> 00:12:53.120 Believe in. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:54.600 Believe and believe like. 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:58.240 Believe in what mean Having faith. 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:00.340 Faith is a wonderful gift from God. 00:13:00.440 --> 00:13:00.540 But. 00:13:01.040 --> 00:13:06.740 But if what you believe in can't sustain is not dependable, it's not worth believing in. 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:12.520 It doesn't matter how much you choose to believe if what you're believing isn't true. 00:13:14.500 --> 00:13:15.060 It doesn't serve. 00:13:17.220 --> 00:13:19.200 Any good. 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:27.500 The idea of believing and believing, and the idea of making faith just about us is secondary to what Jesus is saying 00:13:27.500 --> 00:13:28.600 to the disciples in this passage. 00:13:28.820 --> 00:13:32.080 Because they say in verse five, Lord, increase our faith. 00:13:33.540 --> 00:13:35.620 In verse six what Jesus is saying to them. 00:13:35.620 --> 00:13:39.180 It's not about it's not about the depth of your faith. 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:43.940 But the object of your faith. 00:13:47.280 --> 00:13:48.280 It's what you're believing in. 00:13:50.880 --> 00:13:51.160 In the past. 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:53.460 We've compared it to this. 00:13:53.940 --> 00:13:56.010 If we were to take a journey together on ice. 00:13:57.620 --> 00:14:00.280 And you were to walk on two inches of ice with all the faith in the world. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:03.350 And you were to walk another journey. 00:14:03.640 --> 00:14:05.530 20in of ice with just a little bit of faith. 00:14:06.760 --> 00:14:07.760 On two inches of ice. 00:14:07.760 --> 00:14:11.460 When you're taking that journey, once you hear the ice crack, this is what happens to your faith. 00:14:11.680 --> 00:14:12.330 It just diminishes. 00:14:12.540 --> 00:14:13.510 It falls to the floor. 00:14:15.900 --> 00:14:21.780 But if you take that journey on 20in of ice, as you are taking those steps of faith, this is what happens within you. 00:14:21.800 --> 00:14:25.000 Your faith continues to grow not because of anything within you. 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:28.590 But the object through which you have put your faith upon. 00:14:30.280 --> 00:14:31.440 It's not about you. 00:14:33.640 --> 00:14:36.880 And that's exactly what the disciples are learning in Christ here in these moments. 00:14:39.980 --> 00:14:47.480 Look, some of us come to the positions of Scripture because we are at odds ends and we're in a place of desperation and we're thinking, crying out and God, how 00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:48.620 are you going to do this? 00:14:48.620 --> 00:14:49.600 How can you fix this? 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:51.680 How can you give me the strength to endure this? 00:14:51.680 --> 00:14:53.120 God, where is this going to take place? 00:14:54.940 --> 00:14:59.140 Increase my faith. 00:14:59.140 --> 00:15:06.260 And Jesus's response to the disciples and looking at the adversity in front of them and the challenges they might face, he's saying, Listen, it's not about the depth 00:15:06.260 --> 00:15:06.880 of your faith. 00:15:09.940 --> 00:15:11.660 But the object of your faith. 00:15:13.980 --> 00:15:20.420 You know, sometimes when I preach here on Sunday, I like to boldly proclaim the certainty that we have in Jesus. 00:15:20.460 --> 00:15:24.760 And I don't want to mistake my confidence in Christ for arrogance. 00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:28.780 But if there's something you could ever be confident in. 00:15:31.860 --> 00:15:34.290 It's the security of who Christ is. 00:15:36.700 --> 00:15:39.160 It doesn't take a superhero. 00:15:41.560 --> 00:15:43.000 But rather super God. 00:15:45.920 --> 00:15:47.460 You know, when you read within Scripture. 00:15:47.740 --> 00:15:52.680 I love how Jesus prepares people for the journeys in which he calls them to. 00:15:52.680 --> 00:15:55.650 It's kind of like a trial by fire in a lot of ways. 00:15:55.740 --> 00:16:02.880 But for me, when I when I when I came out to Utah or let me just back up, when I first became a 00:16:02.880 --> 00:16:07.770 Christian, there was a lot of hesitancy in my life to want to follow after Jesus. 00:16:09.460 --> 00:16:10.340 Because I knew what it meant. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:13.980 And then I began to read through the Old Testament. 00:16:14.040 --> 00:16:17.660 I got this desire just to I wanted to just blast through the whole Bible. 00:16:17.660 --> 00:16:19.460 I'd never I'd never done that before. 00:16:19.920 --> 00:16:21.520 And the Bible is pretty foreign to me. 00:16:21.540 --> 00:16:24.380 And so I decided to just read through all of the Bible. 00:16:24.380 --> 00:16:31.380 I get to the story of Moses, and I realize as I'm reading the story of Moses, when he has the burning Bush experience before he goes into Egypt 00:16:31.380 --> 00:16:39.640 to tell Pharaoh, let the Egyptian let let the Israelites go, that when he comes to this burning bush, it's 00:16:39.680 --> 00:16:41.580 this place of recognizing his God. 00:16:41.580 --> 00:16:43.140 Is that 20in of ice? 00:16:44.740 --> 00:16:50.140 And he's so hesitant to want to go after what God has called him to, that he even says, okay, God, can my brother do it? 00:16:50.260 --> 00:16:51.640 Can Aaron jump on board? 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:52.700 Can they help me out? 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:55.060 Can you send someone else other than me? 00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:58.140 And then God brings that experience. 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:03.700 The burning bush for Moses calls him out to Egypt and then carries the Israelites through. 00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:05.740 When Moses dies. 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:09.339 The same thing happens with Joshua. 00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:14.980 Joshua Chapter one God encourages him to read the Word of God. 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:16.599 And he says this to Joshua. 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:20.760 Joshua is shaking in his boots in the sense he's afraid to follow after the Lord. 00:17:20.780 --> 00:17:23.119 And he says in Joshua one nine, Have I not commanded you? 00:17:23.260 --> 00:17:24.460 Be strong and of good courage. 00:17:25.020 --> 00:17:25.339 Be not afraid. 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:27.440 Don't be dismayed for the Lord. 00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:29.320 Your God is with you wherever you go. 00:17:31.820 --> 00:17:38.540 And it was after that verse that then Joshua calls the people of Israel together to declare what God desires for them to do. 00:17:40.260 --> 00:17:48.080 Even Jesus himself, when Jesus is beginning his public ministry, Jesus 00:17:48.080 --> 00:17:53.560 gets baptized and is anointed for the work of the ministry. 00:17:53.560 --> 00:17:55.440 That baptism, I think, symbolizes for us. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:18:00.860 He's laying down the carpenter tools and he's picking up his ministry as rabbi to the nation of Israel, savior to the world. 00:18:01.620 --> 00:18:04.820 And so he's baptized and his anointing and to identify himself. 00:18:04.980 --> 00:18:09.020 And the father comes down and affirms who Jesus is or he declares and the spirit descends on him. 00:18:09.520 --> 00:18:11.880 This is my this is my son, in whom I'm well pleased. 00:18:11.900 --> 00:18:14.320 This is my beloved son, in whom I'm well pleased. 00:18:15.460 --> 00:18:18.720 And then after that, Jesus is carried into the wilderness for His temptation. 00:18:18.820 --> 00:18:25.840 But in that God is affirming, affirming His position before him in Joshua and Moses and Jesus. 00:18:29.820 --> 00:18:31.960 So the most important point about faith. 00:18:34.380 --> 00:18:36.540 Listen how wishfully desire for something to be true. 00:18:38.780 --> 00:18:40.340 But rather how true something is. 00:18:41.560 --> 00:18:43.180 No matter how little your faith may be. 00:18:45.450 --> 00:18:47.270 It's not how great your faith is. 00:18:48.520 --> 00:18:49.830 It's how great your God is. 00:18:51.160 --> 00:18:52.180 It's not the depth of your faith. 00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:55.240 It's the object of your faith. 00:18:55.860 --> 00:18:57.280 It doesn't take a superhero. 00:18:58.340 --> 00:18:59.440 It takes a super God. 00:19:06.260 --> 00:19:07.300 Or how do we continue on? 00:19:10.460 --> 00:19:13.980 We're going to think about declaring you to the world. 00:19:16.080 --> 00:19:16.540 How does it happen? 00:19:19.820 --> 00:19:20.960 It's the God you believe in. 00:19:22.840 --> 00:19:23.960 It's not the belief itself. 00:19:28.760 --> 00:19:33.880 Our tendency in trying to highlight our faith above the depth of the God that we trust in. 00:19:35.800 --> 00:19:39.780 Our tendency is to make it all about moralism in a sense. 00:19:42.280 --> 00:19:43.910 As long as you're good, that's all that matters. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:50.840 And what Jesus is saying in this passage is counterintuitive to that. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:52.840 It's not about whether or not you're good. 00:19:55.470 --> 00:19:57.240 It's about your God. 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:06.130 Jesus goes on from this passage and he shares a little further in his illustration. 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:17.280 He says, Which of you having a slave plowing or tending sheep will say to him when he has come in from the field, come 00:20:17.280 --> 00:20:19.090 immediately and sit down to eat. 00:20:20.360 --> 00:20:26.940 But will he not say to him, Prepare something for me to eat and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink? 00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:28.280 And afterward you may eat and drink. 00:20:30.040 --> 00:20:32.940 He does not think the slave because he did the things which were commanded. 00:20:33.120 --> 00:20:34.140 Does he? 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:35.400 So, you two. 00:20:36.760 --> 00:20:40.280 When you do all the things which are commanded, you say, we are unworthy slaves. 00:20:40.380 --> 00:20:42.680 We have done only that which we ought to have done. 00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:46.400 What's Jesus saying here? 00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:51.320 Jesus. 00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:56.120 And a summary statement is saying, this is a slave and this is what a slave does. 00:20:58.500 --> 00:21:00.790 This is a servant and this is what a servant does. 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:08.140 And he's describing that to us or ascribing that to us or prescribing that to us. 00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:09.450 All of it. 00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:13.860 A servant should do what a servant does. 00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:22.240 Now, why would Jesus be saying this on the backdrop of a statement in verse six, The reason Jesus is saying this in the backdrop, lest the disciples get to 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:26.760 a place where they're saying, Oh, well, it's all dependent upon Jesus, I'm just going to kick back. 00:21:26.820 --> 00:21:31.300 Then in Jesus, you just do your thing. 00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:38.700 What Jesus is saying to the disciples in this place, the way, the way in which God desires to express his faith and to move by his power 00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:41.340 is through his people that reflect His glory in the world. 00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:46.700 Servants do what servants are made to do. 00:21:49.040 --> 00:21:50.600 Related to us. 00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:53.230 We've said this in the series together. 00:21:53.280 --> 00:21:58.040 Let me tie the dots to this passage and the series that we just left in and believe. 00:22:00.660 --> 00:22:04.220 God is the only being that finds the purpose for his existence in himself. 00:22:04.860 --> 00:22:12.000 Everything else finds the purpose for his existence outside of itself, which means everything that's been created outside of God is purpose for 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:14.020 existence is to give glory to God. 00:22:14.340 --> 00:22:18.740 And we being created in God's image, aspire, worship to Him. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:22.440 Were created for worship. 00:22:25.360 --> 00:22:27.180 To reflect the goodness of who? 00:22:29.060 --> 00:22:29.700 God is. 00:22:31.660 --> 00:22:32.600 And to display that. 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:37.660 As creatures. 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:40.600 It is impossible for us not to worship something. 00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:47.920 Whether it be yourself, something made in this world, you will worship something. 00:22:49.600 --> 00:22:56.940 But what God has ultimately created us for is to recognize that every good thing in this world that we sometimes sub subject from creator 00:22:57.600 --> 00:23:02.120 creator to creature and worship the creature rather than creator. 00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:07.940 What God has called us to is to recognize all good things as coming from His hand and give him glory and praise for it. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:12.090 That is our design. 00:23:15.540 --> 00:23:16.660 In a practical way. 00:23:18.040 --> 00:23:22.440 Related to this passage, Our Lives. 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:25.880 I mean, let's not let's not beat around the bush here. 00:23:26.060 --> 00:23:28.220 Sports season is about to start again, right? 00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:34.760 I mean, football is some of you got it marked on your calendar kick off day, right. 00:23:34.840 --> 00:23:36.510 How does this look for us? 00:23:36.520 --> 00:23:39.240 Well, when you relate it to the idea of a sports fan. 00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:41.260 Right. 00:23:41.300 --> 00:23:45.140 How ridiculous would it be for you to say, you've got a favorite team? 00:23:47.880 --> 00:23:49.000 But you don't like to share that. 00:23:49.060 --> 00:23:50.470 You just want to keep it private, right? 00:23:52.180 --> 00:23:53.990 You would celebrate that team. 00:23:54.100 --> 00:24:01.190 But any, any any jersey you bought, any shirt that you have any you just you only wear it in your bedroom because you don't want to make that public. 00:24:01.360 --> 00:24:02.880 It's very personal to you. 00:24:03.620 --> 00:24:05.220 Right. 00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:07.420 I mean, that's kind of what we do with faith today. 00:24:07.480 --> 00:24:10.620 Faith is a very it's a it's a personal it is personal. 00:24:12.060 --> 00:24:13.990 But rather than public, we tend to think it's private. 00:24:14.260 --> 00:24:21.240 And so it's something that we just hide to ourselves and we just associate that with anything else in this world that we give worship to or aspire praise to. 00:24:21.400 --> 00:24:23.920 It would just seem ridiculous for that to transpose, right? 00:24:23.980 --> 00:24:27.880 If you've got a favorite sports team, people know. 00:24:29.540 --> 00:24:30.320 You cheer. 00:24:30.320 --> 00:24:32.300 You even talk to the TV when it can't hear you. 00:24:36.180 --> 00:24:38.380 You aspire worth to it. 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:43.490 You aspire praise to it, and to suggest that should ever be private to you as a foreign concept. 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:47.740 But because you're your passion for it needs to be public. 00:24:49.800 --> 00:24:51.840 And that's what Jesus is saying in these verses. 00:24:53.600 --> 00:24:55.750 Listen, faith in me is what matters. 00:24:55.840 --> 00:24:58.010 I am the one that makes it secure. 00:24:58.500 --> 00:25:01.320 It's not about the depth of your faith, but the object of your faith. 00:25:01.320 --> 00:25:03.520 And listen, it is a personal thing. 00:25:05.320 --> 00:25:06.660 But it's not private. 00:25:08.840 --> 00:25:09.780 It's public. 00:25:12.320 --> 00:25:13.620 Servants are made to serve. 00:25:15.520 --> 00:25:17.280 Worshippers are made to worship. 00:25:19.340 --> 00:25:19.920 Display. 00:25:22.840 --> 00:25:28.300 So here's what's so good about this church family when it comes to praise and worship and aspiring that worth to God. 00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:30.740 We don't care where you come from in life. 00:25:33.080 --> 00:25:35.330 But we know what God has called you to is greater. 00:25:37.280 --> 00:25:44.400 And so we want to encourage everyone on that journey, no matter where you are in that relationship with God, because it's worth it and you've been created 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:45.080 for that. 00:25:45.780 --> 00:25:50.580 I mean, we're so gracious in that we even let Raiders fans in to worship with us, right? 00:25:55.400 --> 00:25:55.900 For fun. 00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:57.430 I just want to say Broncos fans to. 00:25:59.240 --> 00:25:59.240 Yes. 00:25:59.760 --> 00:26:04.620 Look at that passion. 00:26:07.620 --> 00:26:10.020 The point of what Jesus is saying in this passage is this. 00:26:13.760 --> 00:26:13.860 Faithful. 00:26:19.560 --> 00:26:23.840 To those that are baptized today. 00:26:26.860 --> 00:26:29.300 Can I just encourage you in one way? 00:26:33.060 --> 00:26:33.810 You know what Jesus wants. 00:26:38.060 --> 00:26:38.300 You. 00:26:42.540 --> 00:26:43.200 He just wants you to be faithful. 00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:52.280 If you flip in your Bible for just a moment, I want to turn over to John 13. 00:26:55.560 --> 00:26:56.540 I think I'm going to end with this. 00:27:04.300 --> 00:27:05.520 This isn't going to be up on the screen. 00:27:12.260 --> 00:27:16.920 I love John. 00:27:17.300 --> 00:27:18.340 13 to John, 17. 00:27:18.340 --> 00:27:25.460 In the Bible, Jesus has just spent three and a half years of ministry on this 00:27:25.460 --> 00:27:25.560 earth. 00:27:27.300 --> 00:27:32.400 With his disciples and in the last six hours of his life on Earth. 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:36.880 Starting in John 13, he brings his disciples in. 00:27:39.140 --> 00:27:41.740 And he just shares with them some of the most intimate, important lessons. 00:27:41.740 --> 00:27:43.980 I think that a disciple or follower of Jesus should know. 00:27:45.280 --> 00:27:49.080 What I love is that this is personal. 00:27:52.120 --> 00:27:52.850 But it's not private. 00:27:55.260 --> 00:28:00.720 It's become public because it was written in scripture for us to see to. 00:28:02.760 --> 00:28:07.100 And this is a moment where we can dive in and worship with the disciples on what's happening here. 00:28:07.980 --> 00:28:09.360 When. 00:28:09.480 --> 00:28:09.920 Jesus. 00:28:12.320 --> 00:28:14.830 In chapter 13 comes with the disciples. 00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:17.140 They celebrate what's the what's called the Last Supper. 00:28:20.420 --> 00:28:27.740 And this last supper, he then, after they eat, partake of the supper together they have communion which 00:28:27.740 --> 00:28:31.140 the church continues to celebrate from this point forward in history. 00:28:32.380 --> 00:28:35.280 He then washes the feet of the disciples. 00:28:37.780 --> 00:28:42.580 One of the disciples feet that he washes is also Judas, the one who's about to betray him. 00:28:44.540 --> 00:28:51.170 Jesus is willing to even lay his life down for his enemies, taking the lowest form of a servant to wash their feet. 00:28:53.180 --> 00:28:58.020 And then in chapter 14, Jesus gives an important statement. 00:28:58.940 --> 00:29:05.710 And I just want to rest in this For those that are getting baptized today for you, maybe you've been baptized in the past. 00:29:05.880 --> 00:29:07.400 Something just to reflect on. 00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:13.180 Jesus is about to pay what we call a dowry for your life. 00:29:13.640 --> 00:29:15.000 And this is this is what it says. 00:29:15.020 --> 00:29:16.060 Let me read the context of this verse. 00:29:17.020 --> 00:29:18.140 Do not let your heart be troubled. 00:29:19.380 --> 00:29:20.080 Believe in God. 00:29:20.080 --> 00:29:23.650 Believe also in me and my father's house are many dwelling places. 00:29:23.820 --> 00:29:25.220 If it were not so, I would have told you. 00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:27.180 For I go to prepare a place for you. 00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:31.360 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself. 00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:32.930 That where I am there you may be also. 00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:36.700 And you know that the way where I am going. 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:45.640 Well, Jesus is saying here, we may not always get completely in our language today because we removed so far from the culture at the time. 00:29:46.320 --> 00:29:46.720 But when? 00:29:47.880 --> 00:29:50.500 Two people were married during Jesus's time. 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:56.960 The son would meet with the father of the bride and he would agree to a dowry that he would pay for her. 00:29:59.060 --> 00:30:03.750 When he would make that payment, the bride and the groom would partake of communion. 00:30:04.180 --> 00:30:05.680 Together, they would establish a covenant. 00:30:05.760 --> 00:30:09.600 Together they would drink from the same cup to honor that connection that they now had. 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:12.420 And legally in Jewish culture, they were considered married. 00:30:13.280 --> 00:30:20.300 The marriage had not been consummated yet, but they were legally considered married to the point that if the husband at that particular moment that was betrothed to 00:30:20.300 --> 00:30:27.660 this lady had died, she would have been considered a widow during that time in which that dowry was agreed upon, 00:30:28.280 --> 00:30:31.840 the husband would go prepare a place for his bride, come back, receive him to himself. 00:30:31.840 --> 00:30:34.600 They would consummate the marriage and they would celebrate that union together. 00:30:37.800 --> 00:30:41.120 Jesus in this passage is demonstrating his faithfulness to us. 00:30:42.320 --> 00:30:43.900 He's looking to his bride and saying. 00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:47.180 Don't let your heart be troubled. 00:30:49.800 --> 00:30:51.340 Don't let your heart be troubled. 00:30:53.060 --> 00:30:57.860 He's going to prepare a place for you that where you are or that where he is, you may be also. 00:31:00.040 --> 00:31:05.460 Jesus is going back to John 13 and he's referencing the dowry that he just paid for your for you. 00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:09.340 That dowry was his life. 00:31:12.920 --> 00:31:14.140 Within Christianity. 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:16.100 Today we have two what we call ordinances. 00:31:16.560 --> 00:31:23.720 And I don't want to make them sound like it's some sort of institutionalized statement because for us it's an artistic expression of celebration of what Jesus has done. 00:31:24.500 --> 00:31:31.780 It's deeper than just artistry, but it's not this rigid system of thought that Jesus has established 00:31:31.780 --> 00:31:35.250 for us two ways to express our faith in him together. 00:31:35.480 --> 00:31:43.400 And I love those the expressions he set up for us because it involves really, in most most cases, the five senses, all 00:31:43.400 --> 00:31:45.700 five senses of us when we take communion. 00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:54.880 It's a reminder of the groom who gave his life for us, paid for a dowry for us that we may enjoy his presence for all of eternity. 00:31:55.420 --> 00:31:57.220 It's not because of us, but because of him. 00:31:57.560 --> 00:32:04.620 But what he desires and expressing his faith towards us or his love towards us is for us and that expression to be faithful back to 00:32:04.620 --> 00:32:05.170 him. 00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:08.310 To be a worshipper that worships. 00:32:10.560 --> 00:32:13.420 And in the same way, baptism represents the same thing. 00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:21.300 I often refer to it as the Christian wedding day because Jesus is the one that in betrothal to us gave his life. 00:32:21.300 --> 00:32:24.060 Communion represents everything that Jesus gave to us. 00:32:24.180 --> 00:32:24.900 But baptism. 00:32:25.340 --> 00:32:32.400 Baptism is our response in saying that we want to follow after Jesus with our lives, and Jesus compares our relationship 00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:34.830 to that of marriage and everything. 00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:37.860 Dealing with baptism rests in the confidence of who God is. 00:32:37.960 --> 00:32:39.040 Being that 20in of ice. 00:32:41.180 --> 00:32:47.520 It's saying we go into the water, the old man, we are buried in the old man, but we're raised to a new man because of what Jesus has done. 00:32:47.800 --> 00:32:52.840 We take the old self that was marred in sin and were buried and cleansed. 00:32:52.840 --> 00:32:57.380 And the beauty of who Christ is, all of it symbolic of the salvation which Jesus has brought us. 00:32:58.480 --> 00:33:01.080 All of it demonstrating his love that he has given to us. 00:33:01.580 --> 00:33:02.720 We partake of those things. 00:33:06.100 --> 00:33:07.740 It's not because we're worthy. 00:33:11.320 --> 00:33:12.240 But because he's worthy. 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:17.480 We do nothing to avail ourselves of that. 00:33:18.600 --> 00:33:22.480 But Christ himself has done everything by paying for our dowry with his life. 00:33:24.780 --> 00:33:31.280 And so when Jesus shares with his disciples on Luke chapter 17, God, how can we make a difference? 00:33:32.700 --> 00:33:34.580 God, how can we stand in this world? 00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:42.820 Jesus's command to them or statement to them is found in forgiveness and serving one another. 00:33:42.820 --> 00:33:45.220 Not not because of your super strength. 00:33:47.800 --> 00:33:48.640 Because of his. 00:33:50.340 --> 00:33:51.900 And while Jesus's desire for you. 00:33:54.180 --> 00:33:55.590 Is to be a worshipper that worships. 00:33:57.260 --> 00:33:58.060 To be faithful. 00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:02.160 And to those that are baptized today. 00:34:04.040 --> 00:34:08.150 I just want to say, as a part of your church family, we are thankful for you. 00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:10.540 Thankful that you put your faith in Christ. 00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:17.860 Thankful that you want to demonstrate that with your life and thankful that we get to be a part of your desire to want to walk with Jesus as we desire to walk 00:34:17.860 --> 00:34:18.780 with Jesus with you.