1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,800 Well good morning, welcome to the house. Thanks for being with us today. 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:10,600 If my name is Greg Hampton, if I've never met you before, I would love to meet you, get to know you, buy you a coffee, 3 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,640 especially once I'm over all the congestion. 4 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:18,240 For the last couple weeks we've been in a series 5 00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:22,560 called Fully because we believe that Jesus wants us to be full, 6 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,480 to fill us to the full, to overflowing, that we might live 7 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:31,040 life to the full. I'm sorry that I missed you all last week. I was in Colorado 8 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,720 the week prior for a prayer retreat 9 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,400 where I developed what I call a Colorado cough. 10 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:43,520 That is when you go from zero feet above sea level to 9,000 square 11 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,680 feet above sea level and your body's like, oh I like this 12 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:52,720 but you're gonna cough now. And so that's what I did but by the time I got home 13 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,560 I tested on Saturday night or on Sunday night and turned out 14 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:00,080 that I did have COVID. It's good that I didn't come here last Sunday morning 15 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,560 because I just was super tired. And I don't know, I was a 16 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,520 chaplain in the hospitals for two and a half years 17 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,120 during COVID and somehow managed to never get COVID 18 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,560 and then I go to a prayer retreat in the mountains and bam I get it. 19 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:19,840 So I don't know, it took five years. I'm on day 11 so I'm well past the point of 20 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:23,760 being contagious. I've never had a fever. All I've had is this congestion and a 21 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:27,440 runny nose and a cough. So I'm just wearing a mask when I'm close 22 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,760 to people just to help people feel more comfortable about that. Now while I 23 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:36,480 was in Colorado I was at a Salvation Army camp called 24 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,920 High Peak Camp and I thought I would just show you a couple 25 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:44,080 pictures of where I was. I promise it's not so you'll be jealous and really 26 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:47,760 there's a point to this okay. All right so this first picture, these 27 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:53,440 are called the Twin Sisters Peaks. I'm standing at about 9,000 feet. 28 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,120 I'm looking up past these trees that have begun changing colors, all the 29 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,080 aspens. And I really love this photo because 30 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,840 it's catching all the greens and the yellows against the blues and the brown 31 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:09,040 of the Mountain Peak but that's that's about 11,400 feet those 32 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:14,400 those peaks are. Now if you back up to this next photo you'll see this is 33 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,480 this is where I would sit for a lot of my time. 34 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:23,840 Those are the same peaks that that pond's to my left. Yes it was full of 35 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,400 trout. It was they were beautiful. They would 36 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,320 come up right next to where I was sitting. I sometimes I felt like I could 37 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:32,640 probably just reach in and grab some if I wanted but 38 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:37,760 that wasn't why we were there. And so but then if you stand on that bridge 39 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:42,880 this is what you see if you stand on that bridge. 40 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:49,600 That pond like most mountain ponds flows from a stream into a pond and to a 41 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:55,120 stream into another pond into a stream into another pond and if you 42 00:02:55,120 --> 00:03:00,160 follow that down and then turn around this is what you 43 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,480 would see. 44 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,880 Now you couldn't see that from where I was sitting before. 45 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:11,760 You had to travel down. You had to follow the ponds one 46 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:17,280 to the other and that that might be the best photo I've ever taken in my life. 47 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:21,200 It's gorgeous. It's beautiful because it's not just beautiful because of Long's 48 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:26,560 Peak. That's called Long's Peak. It's a fort what's called a 14-er 14,000 49 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:32,800 plus feet. It's the 15th tallest peak in Colorado. It's not just because that's 50 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,000 because of everything that's reflecting off the water right. 51 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,520 It's because of the trees. Because of the clouds. Because the way that the aspen 52 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,800 leaves are breaking up the surface of the water almost making it look like 53 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,400 there's stars there during the day. 54 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,880 There's something beautiful about what you get to see when you look back at 55 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,600 what God has done. 56 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,440 When you look back at the source 57 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,760 and then you see what's reflecting on all of the water. 58 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:06,800 Psalm 36 5 says your steadfast love oh lord extends to the heavens 59 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:11,680 your faithfulness to the clouds. Can you put that picture up one more 60 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,680 time for me? This picture to me looks a lot like God's 61 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,240 faithfulness. 62 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:28,240 Because you don't get to see any of this until you've been through all of it. 63 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:35,440 You can't see any of that if you're standing too close to any of it. 64 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:44,240 Thanks Kathy. When we are filled what overflows from pond to stream 65 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:48,800 continues to flow to other ponds reflecting the beauty 66 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:56,240 off the surface from the source which is the faithfulness of God. 67 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:01,040 So with that let's open up our Bibles. I'm going to read from two different 68 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:06,160 places from Matthew 7 and Galatians 5. You can open to 69 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,520 either one of those. It goes Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. 70 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,240 If you see any of those you're in the right neighborhood for Matthew. It goes 71 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,840 Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians. 72 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,440 If you don't have a Bible we have Bibles on the tables and there's also Bibles 73 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,960 on the shelf. On the lobby you can take one of those home with you. Those are 74 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,640 free or you can download a Bible from any of the digital app 75 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,000 stores. We have a tradition around here of just 76 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,240 standing while we read the scriptures during 77 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:38,240 this part of the service just to give it our full attention. You can do that 78 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,840 while seated if you'd like or you can stand with me as I read. 79 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:48,400 Matthew 7, Matthew 7 and then Galatians 5, Matthew 7 80 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:54,080 starting in verse 15 says this, Beware of false prophets who come to 81 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:57,760 you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 82 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:02,720 You will know them by their fruits, are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from 83 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:07,040 thistles. In the same way every good tree bears 84 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,720 good fruit but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 85 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:16,480 Galatians 5 starting in verse 22, by contrast the fruit of the spirit is 86 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:20,960 love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, 87 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:26,800 faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against such things. 88 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,400 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and 89 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,840 desires. If we live by the spirit let us also be 90 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:37,840 guided by the spirit. Let us not become 91 00:06:37,840 --> 00:06:42,560 conceited competing against one another, envying 92 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:48,960 one another. Let us pray. God of every tribe, every tongue, 93 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,960 every color, every nation, we thank you for the scriptures that 94 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:56,160 they have persisted throughout the millennia. Thank you that we 95 00:06:56,160 --> 00:07:02,080 have them to consider and to learn from. I pray that today whatever you have for 96 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:06,240 us to learn that it would stick, that it would become a part of the 97 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:10,880 framework of our faith, that our faith would become stronger 98 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:18,960 as we become more like your son Jesus. Amen. You may be seated. 99 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:30,400 Now in the verses from Matthew, Jesus is talking about false teachers. 100 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,600 He's talking about them in the same way that he was talking about false teachers 101 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,480 in John chapter 10 from the sermon I gave a couple weeks 102 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,920 ago. John, he was saying that the sheep will 103 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,800 know the good shepherd's voice. You all remember that? 104 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,920 Today he's saying the same thing but instead of talking about sheep and 105 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:50,000 voices he's talking about trees and fruit. You're going to know 106 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,080 that it's a good teacher by their fruit. Now 107 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:58,160 most of us probably haven't eaten our lunch from a random fruit tree or bush 108 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:02,240 lately. Probably, probably not. But back then, 109 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:05,760 2,000 years ago in the Middle East, you're living in Israel, you're living in one of 110 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,960 these towns, you are probably walking most of the day 111 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:13,760 from one town to the next. Maybe on this particular 112 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:17,520 occasion you didn't bring enough food. You thought you did but 113 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:19,840 then your friend wanted half your granola bar. 114 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:24,720 Now suddenly you need something from somewhere and from a distance you spot 115 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:30,400 a bush and you think that you're in luck. 116 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:35,600 Jesus is most likely talking about what's called a buckthorn bush. 117 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:39,680 There is a version, a variety of buckthorn bush that's actually really 118 00:08:39,680 --> 00:08:44,000 good for you. They have orange berries, they're really nutritious, 119 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,680 there'll be no negative side effects whatsoever but the common variety of 120 00:08:47,680 --> 00:08:52,000 buckthorn berries are small and dark and from a distance they look a 121 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,960 lot like grapes. 122 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:00,080 If you've been on a long journey, if you're tired, 123 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:04,160 if you're worn out, if you're hungry, maybe you grab a bunch of berries 124 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:09,920 thinking you're going to be okay but they make you sick. Especially in 125 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,760 large quantities, these particular berries, they have a negative 126 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:18,720 side effect of nausea, of vomiting, of diarrhea and it's not just 127 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:23,920 the berries. This tree, the leaves are toxic too. 128 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:30,400 The bark is toxic. Jesus is trying to make a point. 129 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:36,800 We have to avoid being filled by spiritually toxic sources, 130 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:41,840 especially ones that look good from afar. 131 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:46,880 But in the end will only make us nauseous. 132 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:55,840 One common response to phrases or rhetoric like this is to just 133 00:09:55,840 --> 00:10:02,160 reject following anyone at all. We all have friends that have 134 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:05,200 decided that their church is to stay home. 135 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:10,240 There's value sometimes in staying home, watching online. There's value sometimes 136 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,480 in finding some friends and developing what might be considered a micro church 137 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:19,040 or a small church but the sentiment is what's wrong. 138 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:23,040 The sentiment of rejecting the idea that we should be a part of each other at all 139 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,920 anymore because of the toxicity that we have 140 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:30,160 experienced somewhere, that's what doesn't lead to the best 141 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,440 place at all times. 142 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:38,240 Because we're also not meant to only be self-directed 143 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:44,560 as Christians. Toxic leaders steal and kill and destroy 144 00:10:44,560 --> 00:10:50,960 but our own flesh can produce plenty of ugly fruit as well. 145 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,480 If you back up a few verses in that passage in Galatians, 146 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:58,160 Paul actually gives us a list of some pretty ugly fruit 147 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:03,520 that we produce when we're living from our own flesh. 148 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:07,760 Things like jealousy and idolatry, witchcraft, envy, 149 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:10,960 hatred. This is why he tells them, but therefore please 150 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:16,080 do not develop something that causes you to bite against each other. 151 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:21,280 The hope is for us to live full of good fruit, full of the fruit of the spirit of 152 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:26,320 love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, 153 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:31,360 faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And today 154 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:34,560 what I want to do is the rest of my sermon, I just want to focus on one of 155 00:11:34,560 --> 00:11:39,760 those fruit, the fruit of faithfulness. 156 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:44,720 Because faithfulness can be split into five, at least five different words when 157 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,440 you look up its meaning and its background. 158 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,960 It's faithfulness, it is honesty, it is integrity, 159 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:57,120 it is confidence, and it is trust. In other words, faithfulness is 160 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:03,520 multi-dimensional. Faithfulness is multi-dimensional and it 161 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:07,760 is often a word that we have flattened. 162 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,440 Think about it. If we ask someone if they've been faithful in their marriage, 163 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:16,560 that usually means one thing, right? It's only one thing. We have 164 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:21,040 flattened it. You've been faithful in your marriage? 165 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:24,560 We're only talking about one thing. 166 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:31,600 Faithfulness is broader, it is a broader question than did you cheat. 167 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:39,120 It's about honesty and integrity and confidence and trust. 168 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:43,440 And so first, in biblical terms, honesty is about fairness. 169 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:52,080 It's about accurate measures. You cannot be faithful without being fair. 170 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:55,440 I'm reminded of when Jesus flipped the tables 171 00:12:55,440 --> 00:13:01,200 in the temple courts. He did this because back then if you were going to make an 172 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:06,320 offering at the temple, you most likely would buy that offering, 173 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:11,520 that pigeon or that turtle dove, at the courts that were around 174 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:18,560 the temple. But the temple only accepted one kind of money. 175 00:13:18,560 --> 00:13:21,920 Y'all ever been on a plane to another country and you had to exchange your 176 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,560 money? That's what you had to do when you went 177 00:13:24,560 --> 00:13:29,440 to the temple. The religious law only accepted one kind of 178 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:33,440 currency. And so you would bring your currency 179 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:36,480 to the temple courts and you would exchange 180 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:40,240 for the kind of money that they would accept. 181 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:44,720 And so the temptation was always there to cheat people. 182 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:48,000 Not only on the exchange rate to give them 183 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:52,400 less back than what was fair, but then to price gouge, 184 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:56,320 to raise the price of the turtle dove because they knew it was the only place 185 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:58,960 you could now get it because this money you just exchanged for 186 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,160 isn't good anywhere else either. 187 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:08,320 That's not fair. Those aren't accurate measures. This is why 188 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:13,280 Jesus is flipping tables. Not just because his temple, his house 189 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:17,840 was meant to be full of prayer, not sales, but because 190 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:22,000 it was the poor looking to worship that could only 191 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:27,600 afford a turtle dove that were being ripped off. 192 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:36,160 Jesus, full of the faithfulness of God, the fairness of God, 193 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:42,720 the accurate measures of God, could not allow his people to be 194 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:47,760 ripped off and treated unfairly. The Spirit, 195 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:52,240 that same Spirit is meant to fill us. 196 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:58,160 To care about if what we see happening is fair. 197 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:06,560 To care if what we see happening is an accurate measure. 198 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:14,000 When the Spirit fills us with that kind of faithfulness, 199 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:19,920 it elevates an honesty that is honorable and fair. 200 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:24,080 And then that faithfulness is full of integrity. 201 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:28,720 This reminds me of when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. 202 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:33,280 So Jesus is in the wilderness. He's fasting for 40 days and it says that the 203 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:37,520 Satan, the enemy, comes to tempt him. Tempts him in a 204 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:40,080 number of different ways. One of the ways it says, if you just 205 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:43,600 bow to me, I will give you everything that you see. 206 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:48,400 You want to be great? You can skip all that. I'll make you great right now. 207 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:53,120 I will give you the power of gray skull. 208 00:15:53,120 --> 00:16:00,960 Right here, right now. But Jesus doesn't let that into his heart. 209 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:06,480 Yeah? Because it's not the water outside of a boat that sinks it, right? 210 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:13,200 It's the water that gets inside. Integrity is about what gets in. 211 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:19,040 Because what you let in will motivate what then comes out. 212 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:24,240 Lots of politicians start out with great intentions. 213 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:28,880 And then somewhere along the way, external powers become their internal 214 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:31,840 motivations. 215 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,960 Maybe we've all known someone. I knew a guy. 216 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:38,160 Just was a regular old local business owner. 217 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:43,120 And then they became a politician and it seemed like they changed quite a bit. 218 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:48,960 Maybe you know someone. Maybe it's been you. 219 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:52,080 That you started out with good intentions and then 220 00:16:52,080 --> 00:17:00,080 the power that could be replaced the good that you were seeking. 221 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:03,840 Faithfulness is full of the kind of integrity that doesn't sell out for the 222 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:09,040 power and position of the world. Faithfulness is looking to serve, not be 223 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,440 served. 224 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:16,480 That's what Jesus told his disciples. He said, you know that the rulers of the 225 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:22,640 Gentiles lorded over them. He says, it will not be so among you. 226 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:27,360 Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant. 227 00:17:27,360 --> 00:17:32,400 And whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave to all. 228 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:36,560 Faithfulness is full of the kind of integrity 229 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:42,000 that does not sell out for power and position. Because faithfulness is looking 230 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,840 to serve, not be served. 231 00:17:47,120 --> 00:17:51,600 And then this honesty and integrity inspires confidence. 232 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,720 I'm not talking about the kind of confidence that makes us puff out our 233 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:59,120 chest. It's not the kind of confidence that you walk up to home plate with. 234 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:03,280 You know Carlos. So what's his what's his name? Carlos Stinn? 235 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,480 So what's the guy's name that plays for the Yankees right now? 236 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:11,120 He's only ever had 36 at-bats in the playoffs and 16 of them have been home 237 00:18:11,120 --> 00:18:16,480 runs. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He did it last 238 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,120 night to beat the Cleveland Guardians to send the 239 00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:24,800 Yankees back to the World Series again. Can you imagine the level, the kind of 240 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:30,240 confidence that that would put in you? 16 out of 36 times I've had a home run 241 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,920 in the playoffs. I'm not just talking about the kind of 242 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:38,240 confidence where you walk with a swagger. 243 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,520 I'm talking about the kind of confidence where you look at a cloudy sky believing 244 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,640 the sun will shine again. 245 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,840 Talking about the confidence that you know 246 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:53,840 you will feel the warmth of the sun again. 247 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:59,200 I'm reminded of when Jesus told his disciples, look at the bird of the air. 248 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,120 They don't sow or reap. They don't store away in barns. 249 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:11,760 And yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 250 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:19,280 Do you not have confidence in what the Lord will do? 251 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,720 And if that is how God clothes the grass of the fields 252 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:26,480 or feeds the birds of the air, will he not 253 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:31,360 much more clothe you or feed you? 254 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:36,240 Being full of faithfulness means that we are full of confidence 255 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:42,160 in what God will do. You can look at a picture like the 256 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:45,520 mountains and if it was covered with clouds you'd have confidence that you 257 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:48,880 would see those mountains again. 258 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,680 And if we feel overwhelmed, 259 00:19:53,680 --> 00:20:00,160 I think that when we feel overwhelmed, one of the things that we can do is we 260 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:07,360 can stop, we can turn around, we can look back 261 00:20:07,360 --> 00:20:13,120 where we came from, and this is what we should see. 262 00:20:13,120 --> 00:20:21,040 You know, maybe some of us are just on the trail right now. 263 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:28,080 Maybe some of us are sitting further up behind all those trees 264 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:32,720 next to a pond meditating and praying, not knowing that this is the view that's 265 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,360 still to come. 266 00:20:35,360 --> 00:20:44,400 God's faithfulness is full of honesty and integrity 267 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:51,120 and confidence, but the faithfulness of God will reflect off of everything that 268 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:53,680 he's done. 269 00:20:53,760 --> 00:21:00,080 Give you the confidence to walk into the next day. 270 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:07,040 All right, so I didn't talk about trust yet and I saved it for last 271 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,680 because I 272 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:14,960 I think that trust is a pretty rare commodity these days. 273 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:20,240 I don't know if you can relate. Trust is a pretty rare 274 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:26,560 commodity these days. Maybe some of us don't have any left. 275 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:33,680 Maybe some of us have plenty, but we've locked it away like Fort Knox. 276 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:43,280 Jesus knows all the ways you've been betrayed. 277 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,720 Jesus knows all the ways you've been hurt. 278 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:49,840 Jesus knows all the ways you've been pushed down a trail you didn't know you 279 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:58,640 were meant to be walking. It's precisely why he warns us about 280 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:03,040 who to follow. It's precisely why Paul talks about what the spirit can 281 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:08,240 create within us, but in all of that, 282 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:12,400 whatever it is that you're experiencing, whatever it is that you're finding 283 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:15,680 difficulty experiencing trust or expressing 284 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:22,000 trust about that doesn't mean that we're all supposed to just go our own ways. 285 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:27,120 That we're all supposed to just do this on our own. 286 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:32,000 If you go to Galatians, the passage that we read, I said if you back up a few 287 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,000 verses, you're going to see the verses of things 288 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:38,560 that we create on our own. If you push forward a couple verses, 289 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:43,200 you're going to read where Paul says right, right after he lists the fruit, 290 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,880 right after he tells us what the spirit will do within us, 291 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:52,720 immediately after he says, and so therefore, 292 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:58,000 bear one another's burdens. 293 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,920 Because faithfulness, it doesn't just lead us to be someone 294 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:14,720 that people can trust, it leads us to know how to trust the people around us. 295 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:18,720 In this kingdom, in the kingdom of God, as followers 296 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:23,040 of Jesus, y'all we need each other. 297 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:28,400 We cannot walk through the world being willing to help others and be fair 298 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:32,640 for others without trusting that God will not also give someone to us 299 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:35,280 to trust in. 300 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:42,560 It's hard, I know. I've been through it, 301 00:23:43,120 --> 00:23:47,440 but the Lord is working by the spirit through the people around you to 302 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:54,720 produce the kind of trust that is worthy of you opening your heart to. 303 00:23:54,720 --> 00:24:03,120 Because in the kingdom of God, as followers of Jesus, 304 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:07,200 we need each other because this isn't just for us, 305 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:12,800 this isn't just for you, it isn't just for me. 306 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,400 It is for all of us together. 307 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:23,440 It is for our neighbors. It is for the sake of our city, 308 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:30,160 and it is for the sake of our world. So maybe you don't feel like your life 309 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:34,800 looks like a mountain range reflecting off of a mountain pond. 310 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:41,120 I understand, but you can trust that God's faithfulness will continue 311 00:24:41,120 --> 00:24:46,320 beyond the point that you are standing right now. 312 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:52,320 In a few moments, we're going to come to the table. 313 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:58,080 I want to encourage some of us to plan to take some time today 314 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:02,560 to meditate on and think about the faithfulness 315 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:06,560 that God is reflecting off of our hearts. 316 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:11,200 Consider whether it is the kind of faithfulness that has been walled in or 317 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:16,640 if it is yet able to reflect out onto others. Are we opening our hearts 318 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:20,240 to the work of the Spirit to grow the kind of faithfulness 319 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:26,320 that he has for us that is also for others? 320 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:31,200 And consider, do you need to lean on someone? 321 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:37,280 Or have you learned maybe to stand on your own two feet a little too often? 322 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:41,920 There's something that we did last year that we're going to get to do again 323 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,360 this year, and it's something that we're going to do 324 00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:48,640 once communion, once we finish communion and done the connection 325 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,840 card. But this is going to be an opportunity 326 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:55,360 for you all to stick around just for at least a few minutes after this service 327 00:25:55,360 --> 00:25:58,880 is over to reflect the faithfulness of God to 328 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:03,680 some people that really need to know that there still is more 329 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:09,280 trail ahead of them. I want to invite Andy up to tell us what that's going to 330 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:12,560 be because this is a really special thing that we did last year 331 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:20,720 and that we're going to get to do again this year. 332 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:26,400 Thanks, thanks Greg. So just as you're thinking about what Greg has 333 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:29,440 talked about today and reflecting on the the places you've been and where you're 334 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:35,360 going and stuff, share something from inside 335 00:26:35,360 --> 00:26:38,640 that would encourage the person that's walking the path behind you. 336 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:43,680 What we do, a friend of mine a few years ago introduced me to this. 337 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:48,800 It's a Just Detention International Words of Hope campaign, and so every 338 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:54,560 holiday season we give out cards to those who are 339 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:58,560 in jail or in prison and who are victims of abuse. 340 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:02,240 And we try to give them encouragement and share something with them 341 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:06,320 to just light their world up a little bit, see that path ahead of them going up 342 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:11,440 the mountain. So I would just give you a couple of 343 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:15,120 little, you know, guidelines or whatever. Just keep in mind that not everybody 344 00:27:15,120 --> 00:27:18,320 that gets one of these cards is going to be a Christian. 345 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:23,520 Keep in mind that these people may not know when they're going to get out. 346 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,640 So please don't reference a specific date or time, 347 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:31,040 but just give them hope and encouragement. 348 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:35,360 I'll give you an example and you can draw pictures, you can whatever, and 349 00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:37,600 please just write your first name on the card. 350 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:42,320 I'll make it a little bit special. These are a couple that I wrote 351 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:46,560 a few days ago. Hello, I hope this note brings a little light into your world. 352 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,320 Please remember that you bring something unique to the world that no one else can. 353 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:54,160 You are special. Knowing this time that people care about you. 354 00:27:54,160 --> 00:28:00,560 Best wishes. So after Communion I would like we can pass out cards. There's 355 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:03,840 pens and pencils on the table. It just asks you to write something, like 356 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:07,360 I said, for the person walking on the path up the mountain behind you. 357 00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:11,200 Just give them a little hope and encouragement. Bring some light into 358 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:14,800 their world. We have about 75 of those, is that right? 359 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:17,600 Just shy of 75 because I did a couple already. So 360 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,920 we're going to put all those on this table and grab a pencil or colored pencil 361 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,880 from one of your things. Grab as many as you think that you can 362 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:29,040 fill out, but we've got 75 letters to write to people that need to 363 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:32,560 have a little encouragement. The need to hear a little bit about some 364 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:36,320 faithfulness that there is a path that's still continuing for them, okay? 365 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:40,400 Let me go ahead and pray. Thank the Lord for this message and then 366 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:44,800 Marisa will come up and lead us in Communion. 367 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:47,520 Jesus, we thank you for the work that you've done. All the ways that you taught 368 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:50,320 your disciples. 369 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:55,520 Show us the times that we need to flip some tables or that we need to reject 370 00:28:55,520 --> 00:29:00,640 the powers of this world trying to motivate us internally. 371 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:05,120 Give us the confidence by your spirit that 372 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:11,520 you are good and you are still working. Teach us to trust, not only you but 373 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:14,080 each other. 374 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:20,160 I pray that you would take these words, 375 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:27,120 that you would sift away whatever needs to fall, 376 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:31,360 but I pray that our hearts would hold on to 377 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:58,160 whatever will shape us for your glory. Amen.