WEBVTT 00:00:00.810 --> 00:00:04.589 Good morning, everyone. Good to see you all. 00:00:06.950 --> 00:00:13.730 Well, I'll just start with this. One of my earliest 00:00:13.730 --> 00:00:16.170 memories, so I moved here in 2001, and one of 00:00:16.170 --> 00:00:19.910 my earliest memories of my young adulthood, so 00:00:19.910 --> 00:00:24.489 I was 24 when I moved here, was my friend and 00:00:24.489 --> 00:00:27.109 I would go to Borders pretty regularly. If anybody 00:00:27.109 --> 00:00:30.039 knows what Borders is, it's a bookstore. And 00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:33.479 it was up where, actually, is BAM still up there 00:00:33.479 --> 00:00:36.840 right now? Okay, it was up where that is. So 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:40.700 we would go to Borders, and we would order coffee 00:00:40.700 --> 00:00:44.259 and pull out, like, a ridiculous amount of magazines. 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:47.479 And we would just sit and read magazines for 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:52.840 a really long time. And one night, in real time, 00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:57.060 we observed this situation. We were poor. We 00:00:57.060 --> 00:00:59.799 were poor and we did not have a good practice 00:00:59.799 --> 00:01:03.140 of consistently paying our bills and we had limited 00:01:03.140 --> 00:01:08.299 income and so we were sitting in the cafe drinking 00:01:08.299 --> 00:01:10.560 our coffee paid for with money that should have 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:13.180 been going to our electric bill and we noted 00:01:13.180 --> 00:01:15.739 that that's exactly what was happening and we 00:01:15.739 --> 00:01:18.379 laughed about it because we're like one day when 00:01:18.379 --> 00:01:22.879 we thought we would be financially strong stable 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:25.500 we would look back at this incident as a part 00:01:25.500 --> 00:01:27.840 of those formative memories that people have 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:29.439 for their young adulthood lives when they're 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:32.859 like forging their gritty way through young adulthood 00:01:32.859 --> 00:01:36.099 and then we went back to our coffee and magazines 00:01:36.099 --> 00:01:39.079 delighting in the fact that that was the truth 00:01:39.079 --> 00:01:41.340 of the matter and the electric bill still wasn't 00:01:41.340 --> 00:01:44.000 paid but we In that moment, we're escaping the 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:46.400 reality and enjoying our coffee and magazines. 00:01:46.739 --> 00:01:49.459 And truly, as far as finding cheap activities 00:01:49.459 --> 00:01:52.840 to do, that's a decent one. If you're looking 00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:55.260 for something to do, you can look at magazines 00:01:55.260 --> 00:01:59.579 and buy a coffee. But our observations of the 00:01:59.579 --> 00:02:03.400 situation were notable, and the pattern was regular. 00:02:03.659 --> 00:02:06.000 It wasn't like we were just observing a one -time 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:09.319 incident. This was recurring. So you make it 00:02:09.319 --> 00:02:14.770 into young adulthood. bumpy years of learning 00:02:14.770 --> 00:02:18.770 money management. And you may level up in your 00:02:18.770 --> 00:02:21.389 work so that it becomes less critical for you 00:02:21.389 --> 00:02:25.030 to figure out the intricacies of that because 00:02:25.030 --> 00:02:30.569 you've got a good pad in there. Or like some 00:02:30.569 --> 00:02:35.240 of the rest of us, we work in ministry. You don't 00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:37.180 necessarily level up. You just enjoy your work 00:02:37.180 --> 00:02:40.699 for life. Or for that matter, those who went 00:02:40.699 --> 00:02:43.439 into teaching or nursing or social work, there 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:47.680 wasn't really a level up of, oh, now, now the 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:52.840 money is rolling in. This morning's message is 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:56.759 a part of our Desire Paths series. Desire Paths 00:02:56.759 --> 00:03:01.020 are these. paths that can become ruts that we 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:04.719 have made where we most walk, where we spend 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:08.879 most of our time forging forward. And not just 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:11.120 us, but societies as well. These desire paths 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:15.159 are socially made, and there's a reason for that. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:20.000 So today's focus is on... Those non -essential 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:22.780 spending points as well as entertainment. They 00:03:22.780 --> 00:03:24.860 are not the same thing, but there is crossover 00:03:24.860 --> 00:03:27.560 and there is connection. So that's where we're 00:03:27.560 --> 00:03:30.560 going to spend our time. That's what we're going 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:32.780 to be looking at today. So non -essential spending, 00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:34.639 that's the things that fall outside of your bills. 00:03:34.699 --> 00:03:36.180 That's the coffee that you're buying when you 00:03:36.180 --> 00:03:40.039 should be paying your electric bill. It's your 00:03:40.039 --> 00:03:43.479 regular fees to keep the lights on, outside of 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:45.099 your regular fees to keep the lights on or the 00:03:45.099 --> 00:03:46.780 food on the table, the car running, the people 00:03:46.780 --> 00:03:49.759 healthy. It's the extras that you absolutely 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:53.460 could live without, but you enjoy them. And then 00:03:53.460 --> 00:03:56.259 this can often be linked to entertainment of 00:03:56.259 --> 00:03:58.680 various kinds. Entertainment doesn't always cost 00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:01.199 money, but when it does, it falls under the non 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.280 -essential category. Whether a cost is attached 00:04:04.280 --> 00:04:07.319 or it isn't. entertainment is typically understood 00:04:07.319 --> 00:04:10.539 to be something that provides amusement or enjoyment. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:15.840 And it comes in a variety, a myriad of forms. 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:19.720 A variety is a word that you say when you mean 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:24.399 variety and myriad. And so because it is the 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:26.800 season of Lent, each week we've discussed things 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:30.439 that when the relationship with them gains an 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:34.019 unbalanced priority in our lives, it requires 00:04:34.019 --> 00:04:37.959 examination. So Lent is the 40 days leading up 00:04:37.959 --> 00:04:41.660 to Easter where we re -enter the story of Christ's 00:04:41.660 --> 00:04:46.100 life, willingly sacrificed for ours. It is, by 00:04:46.100 --> 00:04:49.529 nature, meant to be a heavy event. There is nothing 00:04:49.529 --> 00:04:52.970 lighthearted or explicitly uplifting in the narrative. 00:04:53.750 --> 00:04:58.810 It is meant to be difficult, heartbreaking, dark, 00:04:58.970 --> 00:05:03.449 and confronting. It is meant to be all the things 00:05:03.449 --> 00:05:06.689 that we typically want to avoid, the things that 00:05:06.689 --> 00:05:10.470 we want to escape. And we've become very good 00:05:10.470 --> 00:05:14.170 at chasing and working hard to maintain a level 00:05:14.170 --> 00:05:17.629 of happiness and lightness in our lives, or at 00:05:17.629 --> 00:05:20.839 the very least, numb or disassociate ourselves 00:05:20.839 --> 00:05:23.220 to the point that we no longer feel tied to the 00:05:23.220 --> 00:05:26.959 things that I just mentioned a moment ago. Because 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:32.100 we've become very discomfort phobic. We don't 00:05:32.100 --> 00:05:34.740 know how to deal with difficult things, with 00:05:34.740 --> 00:05:38.519 hard things. And listen, I'm not saying that 00:05:38.519 --> 00:05:41.639 we should like those things. They are a very 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:46.600 real part of life. But because we have gained... 00:05:47.079 --> 00:05:50.480 A lot of things that help us walk away from our 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:53.000 discomfort or turn away from our discomfort, 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:59.120 our ability to engage with it has become small. 00:06:01.420 --> 00:06:04.899 So the items we are talking about today, entertainment, 00:06:05.060 --> 00:06:08.139 non -essential spending, they are overwhelmingly 00:06:08.139 --> 00:06:12.540 the conduits through which we work to maintain 00:06:12.540 --> 00:06:16.199 this distance from discomfort in our lives. Now, 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:18.639 there is a level at which entertainment is a 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:22.540 gift. And if you have income that can bring things 00:06:22.540 --> 00:06:26.819 that are enjoyable to you, praise God, and that's 00:06:26.819 --> 00:06:33.579 great. I'm not saying these things are bad. Comedy 00:06:33.579 --> 00:06:37.800 relief during a hard time, it's wonderful. The 00:06:37.800 --> 00:06:40.720 joy of looking forward to the Super Bowl party 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:45.000 with friends? That's a fun thing. The super fun 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:47.199 video you saw on social media that you want to 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:49.279 share with everyone because it's that good and 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:52.600 made you laugh that hard, wonderful. The new 00:06:52.600 --> 00:06:55.040 shoes that you got that look so good, listen, 00:06:55.220 --> 00:06:57.759 when I bought my green Adidas last year, two 00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:00.660 years ago, I was doing something for my 12 -year 00:07:00.660 --> 00:07:04.879 -old self when I bought those. And that is okay. 00:07:06.029 --> 00:07:09.149 But as with anything that makes us feel good, 00:07:09.209 --> 00:07:13.029 it doesn't take a whole lot to want us to twist 00:07:13.029 --> 00:07:15.449 it and use it in a way that it does some major 00:07:15.449 --> 00:07:18.490 heavy lifting in our lives for things we should 00:07:18.490 --> 00:07:21.990 be dealing with ourselves and with God. We love 00:07:21.990 --> 00:07:26.670 a good distraction. And so this is a moment to 00:07:26.670 --> 00:07:29.470 add a full disclaimer. Entertainment is not bad. 00:07:29.610 --> 00:07:32.269 Like I said, it can be joyful and fun, meaningful 00:07:32.269 --> 00:07:36.029 and uniting. Listen, a few weeks ago, I made 00:07:36.029 --> 00:07:39.670 a flash decision to see Billy Joel in Indianapolis, 00:07:39.930 --> 00:07:42.910 which is five hours away. And that's not a problem 00:07:42.910 --> 00:07:45.629 unless you try to do it in less than 20 hours. 00:07:46.790 --> 00:07:49.670 So I drove five hours to Indianapolis, saw the 00:07:49.670 --> 00:07:52.810 concert. Kathleen, where'd you go? Are you around? 00:07:52.870 --> 00:07:54.189 Oh, there you are. I was actually working in 00:07:54.189 --> 00:07:55.970 Indianapolis, so I got to pop over and see the 00:07:55.970 --> 00:07:57.509 event that she was working with, which was super 00:07:57.509 --> 00:08:00.519 fun. So we got to visit, and then I hopped in 00:08:00.519 --> 00:08:03.120 the car, and I crawled my way back to the Quad 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:06.199 Cities. And I got here at 9 .15 and rolled right 00:08:06.199 --> 00:08:09.399 up to the church. But listen, it was worth it. 00:08:11.660 --> 00:08:15.879 And entertainment has uniting features to it, 00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:19.500 right? I did not know. Guys, I didn't know. I 00:08:19.500 --> 00:08:23.040 didn't know that singing Piano Man with 50 ,000 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:25.660 of my closest friends in a starlit room was on 00:08:25.660 --> 00:08:28.500 my bucket list. I didn't know until it was happening. 00:08:28.540 --> 00:08:32.259 And then I'm like, oh my gosh. Why didn't anybody 00:08:32.259 --> 00:08:37.059 tell me? This is amazing. And none of us that 00:08:37.059 --> 00:08:40.000 were in that room are going to forget that. And 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:42.779 so I spent some non -essential money to go see 00:08:42.779 --> 00:08:45.759 that show because Billy Joel is 75. And I know 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:47.740 that I regretted not seeing Ray Charles when 00:08:47.740 --> 00:08:49.990 he came through. And I didn't want to do that 00:08:49.990 --> 00:08:55.129 again. So I went to go see him. And I do spend 00:08:55.129 --> 00:08:58.029 money on concerts sometimes to go to be entertained. 00:08:59.190 --> 00:09:02.009 It's a joy. And of course, I love music. And 00:09:02.009 --> 00:09:05.769 so that's a joyful way for me to spend some time 00:09:05.769 --> 00:09:09.210 and money. And so listen, this is not just me 00:09:09.210 --> 00:09:12.269 justifying. The concert that I went to to be 00:09:12.269 --> 00:09:14.950 like, so because I went to a concert, it's fine. 00:09:15.470 --> 00:09:19.350 Everybody, it's fine. I do mean it. The things 00:09:19.350 --> 00:09:21.009 that we're talking about in this series are not 00:09:21.009 --> 00:09:24.029 bad things. However, they are things that can 00:09:24.029 --> 00:09:29.110 easily become poorly and unhealthily prioritized 00:09:29.110 --> 00:09:31.590 in our lives. And so it's easy for them to become 00:09:31.590 --> 00:09:34.870 that because they make us feel a certain way. 00:09:36.429 --> 00:09:41.120 And we like it. So they require examination and 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:47.820 perhaps a season away in order to find ourselves 00:09:47.820 --> 00:09:52.620 realigned with them in our lives in a more sustainable, 00:09:52.700 --> 00:09:57.740 happy way and realigned in a more purposeful 00:09:57.740 --> 00:09:59.759 way to the things that have real meaning to us. 00:10:00.860 --> 00:10:03.919 So Lent is a gift of the historic church that 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:08.700 teaches us to take some time to be quiet. truthful, 00:10:08.700 --> 00:10:13.220 and reflective, uncomfortable even, in order 00:10:13.220 --> 00:10:17.139 to reorient ourselves towards the story of Christ 00:10:17.139 --> 00:10:22.200 in our lives. So let's pray together that this, 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:24.059 from here on out, that we would hear what God 00:10:24.059 --> 00:10:27.820 has to say to us. Jesus, thank you so much for 00:10:27.820 --> 00:10:30.500 the church historic and these points within the 00:10:30.500 --> 00:10:35.159 church year that remind us of what we are a part 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:39.379 of. I'm grateful for the creativity of the seasons 00:10:39.379 --> 00:10:43.360 of Lent and Advent and Ordinary Time and Pentecost 00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:47.539 and Holy Week. And they are remarkable moments 00:10:47.539 --> 00:10:51.179 that we get to relive year after year. Again, 00:10:51.340 --> 00:10:55.220 to reorient ourselves honestly and truthfully 00:10:55.220 --> 00:10:59.299 to the kingdom story and to your story, Christ. 00:10:59.960 --> 00:11:07.039 And so with our time today. The topic here, for 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:10.679 those of us that it is an issue for, help us. 00:11:10.860 --> 00:11:14.360 Lord, help us. Societally speaking, God, this 00:11:14.360 --> 00:11:17.879 is a big issue in society. So God, help us in 00:11:17.879 --> 00:11:22.320 our world, in our society. And just help us realign 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:26.240 ourselves with you. Open our hearts and search 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:31.000 them. We pray this in your name. Amen. So living 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:34.620 in America, we know that we love our entertainment. 00:11:35.340 --> 00:11:38.279 We know it. And getting ourselves a little treat. 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:41.759 Who loves a little treat? Yeah, there we go. 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:43.820 I just want a little treat. I deserve a little 00:11:43.820 --> 00:11:47.820 treat. Just a little treat. Every day. Five times 00:11:47.820 --> 00:11:50.980 a day. I deserve it. I deserve a little treat. 00:11:52.860 --> 00:11:57.440 A number of sources report that in 2022 and 2023, 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:00.389 the average American spent roughly... $3 ,500 00:12:00.389 --> 00:12:03.850 to $3 ,700 on entertainment each year on average 00:12:03.850 --> 00:12:09.049 at base level, which is just over $290 to $300 00:12:09.049 --> 00:12:12.309 per month. Did we know that we had extra $300 00:12:12.309 --> 00:12:15.929 a month in our pockets? I did not know. That 00:12:15.929 --> 00:12:21.879 was news. I did not know. Entertainment may include 00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:25.059 any number of things, such as going to the movies 00:12:25.059 --> 00:12:26.960 as a family or seeing a concert. It can also 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:29.320 include less costly items, such as the money 00:12:29.320 --> 00:12:31.519 you spend on your favorite game or app on your 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:33.600 device, the coffee you got while out running 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:35.820 errands or taking kids to activities. But it 00:12:35.820 --> 00:12:39.259 certainly adds up a lot, a lot. And most Americans, 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:43.700 by contrast, do not have savings accounts or 00:12:43.700 --> 00:12:47.700 emergency funds. But most Americans do spend 00:12:47.700 --> 00:12:52.259 $3 ,500 a year. And they often do so while thinking 00:12:52.259 --> 00:12:55.840 they don't have enough money. That's real. And 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:57.539 that's not a judgment. I'm saying that's the 00:12:57.539 --> 00:13:02.360 truth of it. This is generally just the reality 00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:06.460 of what we experience. Now, non -essential spending 00:13:06.460 --> 00:13:08.559 and entertainment, like I said, aren't exclusively 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:10.639 linked. There's a lot of entertainment available 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:12.779 to us that is free. And you don't even need to 00:13:12.779 --> 00:13:15.539 leave your house. Once upon a time, there's a... 00:13:15.820 --> 00:13:19.019 a comedian content creator named Rashonda Elias 00:13:19.019 --> 00:13:22.720 that she goes to the board to bring some truth. 00:13:22.940 --> 00:13:25.919 And one of her things was, now, what we want 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:29.120 us all to know that has a chokehold on us is 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:33.000 outside. If you go outside, you are spending 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:36.519 money. Money is outside. And she wants to remind 00:13:36.519 --> 00:13:40.700 us that outside is closed. Don't go outside. 00:13:40.940 --> 00:13:44.500 Except that outsiders come in. And it is on my 00:13:44.500 --> 00:13:50.110 phone. And I can push a button. So, yeah, you 00:13:50.110 --> 00:13:51.549 don't even need to leave your house. You just 00:13:51.549 --> 00:13:53.570 pick up that device and down the wormhole you 00:13:53.570 --> 00:13:56.690 go, watching videos about a topic you did not 00:13:56.690 --> 00:13:58.470 have an interest in five minutes ago, but now 00:13:58.470 --> 00:14:00.129 it's the only thing you've ever cared about. 00:14:00.230 --> 00:14:02.250 Please respect my life choices. I will be taking 00:14:02.250 --> 00:14:06.570 no further questions. And so what we end up spending 00:14:06.570 --> 00:14:10.210 often is not just our money, but it is our time. 00:14:11.309 --> 00:14:16.279 We spend so much time. And we expend so much 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:20.159 energy. When we think we're going to entertainment 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:24.200 because we're tired, we don't realize how much 00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:28.679 our entertainment is sucking from us. Time and 00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:32.220 energy. And I get it, sometimes we need a portal 00:14:32.220 --> 00:14:35.519 out. We are in something that is difficult at 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:37.399 a very real level, and we just need a window 00:14:37.399 --> 00:14:40.779 out. Entertainment provides that. I haven't been 00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:44.429 diagnosed with ADHD, but my life makes... No 00:14:44.429 --> 00:14:49.669 sense if I don't have it. So a quiet mind is 00:14:49.669 --> 00:14:54.149 not something I understand. I wake up with 10 00:14:54.149 --> 00:14:59.470 raging thoughts in my head at minimum. And about 00:14:59.470 --> 00:15:02.409 five require further research for the questions 00:15:02.409 --> 00:15:06.370 they are bringing up. Entertainment, specifically, 00:15:06.669 --> 00:15:10.190 I end up on social media because it quiets my 00:15:10.190 --> 00:15:16.240 brain. And it puts my busy mind on hold. And 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:18.539 if you live a life where your resources are always, 00:15:18.740 --> 00:15:21.120 in another scenario, if you live a life where 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:23.500 your resources are always going out towards others' 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:25.620 needs, buying something just for yourself or 00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:28.700 a night out with a partner feels vital. There 00:15:28.700 --> 00:15:32.179 are reasons that we find our ways to these places, 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:34.639 but at their very core, whether or not they can 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:37.899 provide momentary care and relief and even something 00:15:37.899 --> 00:15:40.279 good, they are ultimately pathways of distraction, 00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:44.529 escape. or disassociation. And it's okay to be 00:15:44.529 --> 00:15:47.970 truthful about that. It's okay to say, I'm actually 00:15:47.970 --> 00:15:50.889 escaping right now. I'm actually looking for 00:15:50.889 --> 00:15:54.049 a little relief. I think where we will benefit 00:15:54.049 --> 00:15:56.610 is if we just say it. Because that is exactly 00:15:56.610 --> 00:15:58.929 what's happening. And again, not all escape in 00:15:58.929 --> 00:16:01.269 those moments is bad. Sometimes you do need a 00:16:01.269 --> 00:16:03.450 window out. Sometimes you need a moment out. 00:16:03.870 --> 00:16:07.309 But again, we need to be honest about that stuff. 00:16:09.190 --> 00:16:12.799 So at their very core, That is what is happening. 00:16:12.980 --> 00:16:14.919 They are pathways of distraction, escape, or 00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:19.539 disassociation. And the society we live in, y 00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:23.620 'all, the society we live in is structured in 00:16:23.620 --> 00:16:27.299 a way that lives are being built on these things. 00:16:29.639 --> 00:16:32.259 We have to rage against it if you want to live 00:16:32.259 --> 00:16:36.480 another way. You want to not be on social media? 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:41.399 People don't understand. You want to not give 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:43.559 your kids cell phones until they're older teens? 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:47.679 People do not understand. You want to not do 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.580 something, see something, engage in something 00:16:49.580 --> 00:16:51.539 that is highly popular in the world of pedal 00:16:51.539 --> 00:16:55.200 distraction? People do not understand. The thing 00:16:55.200 --> 00:17:00.620 is, we all know that this tension exists. We 00:17:00.620 --> 00:17:04.480 all know where those tension points lie. We all 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:08.720 know. what is being desired of us by an entertainment 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:12.599 -based and easy -spending society. And we all 00:17:12.599 --> 00:17:15.480 know what it feels like to either say no to it 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:18.099 or not engage in it to the degree others do. 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:21.440 So not only is the distraction there and easy, 00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:24.480 but if you try to pull away from it, there's 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:29.140 a tension on the other side. Because when we 00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:34.240 do that, when we do say no, it disrupts the status 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:38.519 quo. And that means something harder. That we 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:41.519 may not have the time or energy to engage in 00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:48.180 because we've already spent it. We disrupt a 00:17:48.180 --> 00:17:50.240 status quo and we know that the others around 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:54.460 us then feel judged. We've experienced that. 00:17:55.140 --> 00:17:57.839 We know that when the outside boundaries of this 00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:00.220 structure, or we know where the outside boundaries 00:18:00.220 --> 00:18:05.259 of this structure are. We do. We all know. We 00:18:05.259 --> 00:18:10.700 all know. And when we choose to pull away from 00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:13.740 it. So what has happened when somebody has said, 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:15.559 oh, I saw this thing on Facebook, and you say, 00:18:15.660 --> 00:18:23.460 I don't have Facebook. We all know. Somebody 00:18:23.460 --> 00:18:25.240 on that other side of that conversation is like, 00:18:25.339 --> 00:18:29.180 oh, you don't have Facebook? You're great. There's 00:18:29.180 --> 00:18:33.500 this perceived judgment that exists. Oh, you 00:18:33.500 --> 00:18:41.900 don't do that? Okay. Fine. Nice for you. If you're 00:18:41.900 --> 00:18:43.940 telling me about something you saw, well, I was 00:18:43.940 --> 00:18:46.160 going to say on X, right? Like that used to be 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:48.400 like the universal neutral symbol of something 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:50.759 that you could say, someone's X or whatever. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:52.660 But now I can't say if you saw something on X, 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:54.480 meaning like a neutral social media platform 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:58.960 because X is a real thing. Yeah. If I say, did 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:00.960 you see this? And you say, I don't have that. 00:19:02.019 --> 00:19:06.740 Like we feel that tension. Because we all know 00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:11.799 our society is structured on this stuff. And 00:19:11.799 --> 00:19:14.579 because our society is structured on it, our 00:19:14.579 --> 00:19:16.880 brains and our lives and our time are all being 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:21.839 restructured around it. Our attention spans and 00:19:21.839 --> 00:19:25.039 addictions to dopamine and serotonin boosts require 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:29.480 that even tools meant to be instructional or 00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:33.279 informative have had to become entertaining. 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:41.000 Who uses Duolingo? Raise your hands. I know you're 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:44.779 doing it. And great, like I love it. You're trying 00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:48.400 to learn something new. That's cool. What a great 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:51.200 thing to do, to learn something new. But Duolingo 00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:54.920 had to make their app entertaining. It had to 00:19:54.920 --> 00:20:00.079 input in it dopamine boosts, the little ding. 00:20:00.779 --> 00:20:08.359 When you get something right. Even our news has 00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:14.119 had to become entertaining. Because it is how 00:20:14.119 --> 00:20:24.079 people will watch it. We are being altered. Are 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:27.460 we being altered towards something better? I 00:20:27.460 --> 00:20:31.200 think we all agree, no. I don't even have to 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:38.460 ask hypothetically. So Lent is saying no. Lent 00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:44.400 is resistance. So my advice when it comes to 00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:46.900 non -essential spending is always books, which 00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:50.720 can sound very academic and, oh, that's fine. 00:20:50.839 --> 00:20:52.900 There's always a way to justify getting a book. 00:20:54.119 --> 00:20:56.140 Unless you don't have the money for the book 00:20:56.140 --> 00:20:58.599 or the coffee, because you've got to pay your 00:20:58.599 --> 00:21:02.009 electric bill. But I, man, so I was walking through 00:21:02.009 --> 00:21:05.369 the airport a few weeks ago, and I saw a book. 00:21:05.450 --> 00:21:08.950 Because, guys, airport bookstores. Do you know 00:21:08.950 --> 00:21:12.589 what I'm talking about? Thank you. It's so good. 00:21:13.089 --> 00:21:15.569 Anyway, this book, because it's very bright, 00:21:15.710 --> 00:21:17.990 stood out to me. It was in the front. But I'm 00:21:17.990 --> 00:21:20.190 thrilled I bought it. It is an excellent book. 00:21:22.779 --> 00:21:26.339 Omar Al -Akkad has something to say about resistance 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:28.380 in this book, and I'll leave it up here so you 00:21:28.380 --> 00:21:32.039 can take a look. He has a chapter on leave -taking, 00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:37.880 simply saying no. He talks about negative resistance. 00:21:38.420 --> 00:21:41.259 So positive resistance is when you go to something. 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:43.759 Negative resistance is when you pull away from 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:47.099 something. We all know the power of a boycott. 00:21:48.579 --> 00:21:51.220 So structures and marketing in society is set 00:21:51.220 --> 00:21:54.059 up. On the understood social experience that 00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:56.599 people, when you feed them enough of the same 00:21:56.599 --> 00:21:59.880 thing over and over, will cave and say yes to 00:21:59.880 --> 00:22:03.460 it. Enough targeted ads based on your algorithm 00:22:03.460 --> 00:22:06.900 will undoubtedly result in your inevitable purchase 00:22:06.900 --> 00:22:09.940 of the thing or the subscription or the download 00:22:09.940 --> 00:22:15.200 or the ticket purchased or, or, or, or. In a 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:18.779 capitalist society, neutrally stated, we need 00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:21.160 to understand that we are simply entities of 00:22:21.160 --> 00:22:24.980 consumption and are treated as such in order 00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:28.519 to keep the structure going. You need consumers. 00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:33.380 So what happens when the consumer says, I opt 00:22:33.380 --> 00:22:36.839 out. No, thank you. I choose not to participate. 00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:43.799 Disengagement, reflection, reorientation. Lent 00:22:43.799 --> 00:22:48.180 helps us return to a pace and a self that we 00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:51.880 were designed to be. Because the world is not 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:59.000 that. We belong, though, to a kingdom where things 00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:02.420 are very different. Our world has many things 00:23:02.420 --> 00:23:04.559 that leave us overwhelmed. It can be a very noisy 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:07.380 place. And if your brain is always noisy and 00:23:07.380 --> 00:23:11.299 the world is always noisy, you want to run away 00:23:11.299 --> 00:23:16.410 from that. I hate how reachable we all are. I 00:23:16.410 --> 00:23:19.569 hate that you can text me and message me and 00:23:19.569 --> 00:23:22.190 this and this and this and this and this and 00:23:22.190 --> 00:23:26.349 this. And we're all expected to respond at all 00:23:26.349 --> 00:23:29.970 points of time. That is 100 % unsustainable. 00:23:33.529 --> 00:23:36.450 We utilize entertainment and spending as a way 00:23:36.450 --> 00:23:39.869 to escape. But where are we, if we're escaping 00:23:39.869 --> 00:23:44.289 from, where are we going to? And that's the part 00:23:44.289 --> 00:23:47.650 we don't think about. We just think about, I 00:23:47.650 --> 00:23:50.069 just need to get away. But what are we moving 00:23:50.069 --> 00:23:55.410 towards? Joshua Johnson is a comedian and social 00:23:55.410 --> 00:24:00.250 commentary who's really funny and really sharp. 00:24:00.650 --> 00:24:04.009 He said as a part of a broader, like this really 00:24:04.009 --> 00:24:06.549 good segment he did, one of his stand -up routines, 00:24:06.990 --> 00:24:09.230 as a part of a broader segment, entertainment 00:24:09.230 --> 00:24:12.549 will never be your salvation. Entertainment, 00:24:12.549 --> 00:24:15.950 by and large, is escapism. And no one has ever 00:24:15.950 --> 00:24:18.349 escaped their chains by forgetting they were 00:24:18.349 --> 00:24:23.309 there. No one has ever escaped their chains by 00:24:23.309 --> 00:24:26.410 forgetting that they were there. You will not 00:24:26.410 --> 00:24:30.210 be saved through entertainment. At the core of 00:24:30.210 --> 00:24:33.569 the word translated as repentance in scripture 00:24:33.569 --> 00:24:38.210 is the idea of a turning away. But in a turning 00:24:38.210 --> 00:24:40.410 away from, it indicates that there must be a 00:24:40.410 --> 00:24:45.250 turning. So in reorientation, in turning away, 00:24:45.309 --> 00:24:49.190 we see that, in fact, there is a place we can 00:24:49.190 --> 00:24:53.150 turn to. Because there has been an invitation 00:24:53.150 --> 00:24:59.329 offered. We've been invited to something. We 00:24:59.329 --> 00:25:03.710 are being invited to the kingdom. We are being 00:25:03.710 --> 00:25:14.059 invited to full life in Christ. Amazing. So I 00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:18.059 want to read from Luke 14, chapters, not chapters, 00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:22.759 chapter 14, verses 15 through 24, although I'm 00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:24.779 going to read a little bit at the start of it 00:25:24.779 --> 00:25:27.700 too. So if you want to join me in this, you have 00:25:27.700 --> 00:25:30.140 Bibles on your table, they are on your phone. 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:35.509 I think this is the NIV version. I will invite 00:25:35.509 --> 00:25:38.690 us to stand as we are able to take a posture 00:25:38.690 --> 00:25:42.809 of attention with the scriptures. And so I'm 00:25:42.809 --> 00:25:45.369 going to read Luke 14. I'm going to start, I'm 00:25:45.369 --> 00:25:48.009 going to read verse 1 to give context, and then 00:25:48.009 --> 00:25:51.170 actually I will start at 12 from there. So one 00:25:51.170 --> 00:25:54.029 Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house 00:25:54.029 --> 00:25:56.190 of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully 00:25:56.190 --> 00:26:00.759 watched. Verse 12, then Jesus said to his host, 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:03.000 when you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:04.720 your friends, your brothers or your sisters, 00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:06.539 your relatives or your rich neighbors. If you 00:26:06.539 --> 00:26:09.259 do, they may invite you back and so you will 00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:12.220 be repaid. So the idea is don't do something 00:26:12.220 --> 00:26:14.819 because you know it's coming back to you. But 00:26:14.819 --> 00:26:16.819 when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the 00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:19.019 crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be 00:26:19.019 --> 00:26:21.799 blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you 00:26:21.799 --> 00:26:23.799 will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. 00:26:25.099 --> 00:26:27.839 Verse 15, when one of those at the table with 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:30.559 him heard this, he said to Jesus, blessed is 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:32.579 the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom 00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:37.160 of God. And Jesus replied, a certain man was 00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:39.240 preparing a great banquet, invited many guests. 00:26:39.380 --> 00:26:41.140 At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant 00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:44.440 to tell those who had been invited, come, for 00:26:44.440 --> 00:26:47.920 everything is now ready. But they all alike began 00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:49.960 to make excuses. The first said, I have just 00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:52.019 bought a field and I must go and see it. Please 00:26:52.019 --> 00:26:54.690 excuse me. And another said, I have just bought 00:26:54.690 --> 00:26:57.329 five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them 00:26:57.329 --> 00:26:59.509 out. Please excuse me. And still another said, 00:26:59.569 --> 00:27:02.670 I just got married, so I cannot come. And the 00:27:02.670 --> 00:27:05.130 servant came back and reported this to his master, 00:27:05.210 --> 00:27:07.390 and then the owner of the house became very angry 00:27:07.390 --> 00:27:09.190 and ordered his servant go out quickly into the 00:27:09.190 --> 00:27:11.509 streets and alleys of the town and bring in the 00:27:11.509 --> 00:27:13.089 poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. 00:27:13.829 --> 00:27:16.410 Sir, the servant said, what you ordered has been 00:27:16.410 --> 00:27:19.470 done, but there is still room. And then the master 00:27:19.470 --> 00:27:21.269 told his servant, go out to the roads and the 00:27:21.269 --> 00:27:23.210 country lanes and compel them to come so that 00:27:23.210 --> 00:27:27.789 my house will be full. I tell you, not one of 00:27:27.789 --> 00:27:29.609 those who were invited will get a taste of my 00:27:29.609 --> 00:27:31.089 banquet. He's talking about the previous people 00:27:31.089 --> 00:27:33.950 that said no. And he wasn't being petty. He was 00:27:33.950 --> 00:27:36.970 just saying they said no to the invitation. They 00:27:36.970 --> 00:27:40.309 don't know what they're missing. You may be seated. 00:27:43.390 --> 00:27:46.089 If I were to recontextualize this a little bit. 00:27:47.630 --> 00:27:50.130 I might say Jesus replied, a certain man was 00:27:50.130 --> 00:27:52.309 preparing a great banquet and invited many guests, 00:27:52.410 --> 00:27:54.269 and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant 00:27:54.269 --> 00:27:56.250 to tell those who had been invited, come, for 00:27:56.250 --> 00:27:59.029 everything is now ready. But they all alike began 00:27:59.029 --> 00:28:01.049 to make excuses, and the first said, I have to 00:28:01.049 --> 00:28:04.329 scroll social media for a while. And another 00:28:04.329 --> 00:28:07.329 said, I have to go to the store. I have people 00:28:07.329 --> 00:28:10.230 coming over. And still another said, I've got 00:28:10.230 --> 00:28:13.670 a concert to go to. I have a football game to 00:28:13.670 --> 00:28:19.369 watch. I have a thing. I have a thing. And so 00:28:19.369 --> 00:28:21.049 the servant came back and reported this to the 00:28:21.049 --> 00:28:24.890 master. And the things that these invited guests 00:28:24.890 --> 00:28:30.250 were doing were not bad. In fact, they felt important 00:28:30.250 --> 00:28:34.009 to those people, but in light of the invitation, 00:28:34.329 --> 00:28:42.430 they chose the wrong priority. Not seeing the 00:28:42.430 --> 00:28:46.509 invitation for what it was. Not knowing that 00:28:46.509 --> 00:28:50.450 they had been invited to something amazing. And 00:28:50.450 --> 00:28:53.589 they couldn't recognize it. And so they missed 00:28:53.589 --> 00:29:00.730 out. I asked God for some guiding scriptures 00:29:00.730 --> 00:29:03.470 for me during Lent while preparing this message. 00:29:04.670 --> 00:29:07.410 Social media is absolutely where I spend too 00:29:07.410 --> 00:29:11.150 much time. It is too easy. Like I said, it quiets 00:29:11.150 --> 00:29:14.619 my brain down. And that's a terrible reason to 00:29:14.619 --> 00:29:19.180 use it. So I get sucked in very easily. And that's 00:29:19.180 --> 00:29:20.920 what it's designed to do, right? It's designed 00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:23.700 to pull you in. Anything that is entertainment 00:29:23.700 --> 00:29:28.180 -based is designed to get you coming back. You 00:29:28.180 --> 00:29:33.259 are simply the consumer. And you prop up the 00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:38.400 system by consuming. So I have a few weeks left. 00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:41.059 I can knock off of social media. I don't want 00:29:41.059 --> 00:29:45.250 to, which is an indication. That I should. I 00:29:45.250 --> 00:29:48.109 don't need it to live. It's not essential. And 00:29:48.109 --> 00:29:50.690 I absolutely know I will have a clearer mind 00:29:50.690 --> 00:29:54.529 when I go back if I choose to. It will be better 00:29:54.529 --> 00:29:59.710 for me if I say no to it. But again, a moment 00:29:59.710 --> 00:30:03.509 to pause and reflect and to be truthful about 00:30:03.509 --> 00:30:08.700 it tells me all I need to know. So I asked God 00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:10.440 to give me some places to direct my thoughts, 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:15.359 places to recognize I was being invited to. Reminders, 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:18.400 and these came to mind the quickest. God said, 00:30:18.460 --> 00:30:21.920 be still. Psalm 46 .10, be still and know that 00:30:21.920 --> 00:30:26.359 I am God. I am invited to be still, and I believe 00:30:26.359 --> 00:30:29.059 that if God has invited me to be still and to 00:30:29.059 --> 00:30:32.920 know that he is God, this busy mind of mine is 00:30:32.920 --> 00:30:38.819 able to be cared for. The phrase, think on these 00:30:38.819 --> 00:30:41.680 things, came to mind, which is from Philippians 00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:46.460 4, 4 through 9. Rejoice in the Lord always. I 00:30:46.460 --> 00:30:48.259 will say it again. Rejoice. Let your gentleness 00:30:48.259 --> 00:30:51.200 be evident to all. The Lord is near. Don't be 00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:53.220 anxious about anything, but in every situation, 00:30:53.220 --> 00:30:55.000 by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present 00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:57.720 your request to God, and the peace of God, which 00:30:57.720 --> 00:30:59.920 transcends all understanding, will guard your 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:02.869 hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And finally, 00:31:02.890 --> 00:31:04.789 brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever 00:31:04.789 --> 00:31:07.970 is noble, whatever is right and pure, whatever 00:31:07.970 --> 00:31:10.809 is lovely and admirable, if anything is excellent 00:31:10.809 --> 00:31:13.789 or praiseworthy, think about these things. Whatever 00:31:13.789 --> 00:31:15.730 you have learned or received or heard from me 00:31:15.730 --> 00:31:17.569 or seen in me, put it into practice and the God 00:31:17.569 --> 00:31:19.430 of peace will be with you. I've been invited 00:31:19.430 --> 00:31:22.809 to this. I've been invited to set my mind on 00:31:22.809 --> 00:31:26.049 things above. Colossians 3, 1 and 2 says, Since 00:31:26.049 --> 00:31:28.950 then you have been raised with Christ. Set your 00:31:28.950 --> 00:31:31.589 hearts on things above where Christ is, seated 00:31:31.589 --> 00:31:34.190 at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the 00:31:34.190 --> 00:31:37.650 things above, not on the earthly things. And 00:31:37.650 --> 00:31:40.869 I was reminded that I'm invited to do all things 00:31:40.869 --> 00:31:43.859 for the glory of God, so whatever you do. Whether 00:31:43.859 --> 00:31:46.380 you eat or whether you drink or whatever you 00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:48.660 do, do it all for the glory of God. Listen, it's 00:31:48.660 --> 00:31:50.859 hard to sit and scroll for hours and feel like 00:31:50.859 --> 00:31:52.640 you're really dedicating your time to the kingdom 00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:59.079 and seeing it as good, that you're doing it for 00:31:59.079 --> 00:32:01.680 the glory of God. It's a good delusion, though, 00:32:01.799 --> 00:32:05.640 if that's what you're looking for. But it's really 00:32:05.640 --> 00:32:08.539 hard to justify that. And so these were things 00:32:08.539 --> 00:32:11.000 that I was glad that I was thankful that God 00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:15.289 reminded me of. Reminded me that I'm invited 00:32:15.289 --> 00:32:19.029 to. And I know that there are things that I love 00:32:19.029 --> 00:32:22.190 outside of these, outside of these moments of 00:32:22.190 --> 00:32:26.349 my own escapism. And so it just got me thinking 00:32:26.349 --> 00:32:29.089 about some good practices to keep in mind. I'm 00:32:29.089 --> 00:32:31.650 going to put out a few of them, and some of them 00:32:31.650 --> 00:32:34.069 may resonate with you, and for some of you, you 00:32:34.069 --> 00:32:36.970 may jump off and think of some others. But the 00:32:36.970 --> 00:32:40.130 first one that I thought of was... Related to 00:32:40.130 --> 00:32:42.750 Psalm 139, ask God to search your heart. It's 00:32:42.750 --> 00:32:46.849 a good place to start. Psalm 139, 23 and 24 says, 00:32:46.950 --> 00:32:50.470 search me, God, and know my heart. And test me 00:32:50.470 --> 00:32:52.529 and know my anxious thoughts. See if there's 00:32:52.529 --> 00:32:54.670 any offensive way in me and lead me in the way 00:32:54.670 --> 00:32:57.829 everlasting. Gosh, that's a better place to be. 00:32:58.049 --> 00:33:00.690 It's a place that's sustainable and everlasting. 00:33:01.490 --> 00:33:04.390 That's good. That's a place I want to be. So 00:33:04.390 --> 00:33:07.450 God, search my heart and help me see things clearly 00:33:07.450 --> 00:33:11.740 and truthfully. Help me reorient myself towards 00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:16.640 the kingdom. In general, we're talking about 00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:20.079 fasting from, you know, non -essential spending 00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:24.299 and entertainment. I mean, just in general, whether 00:33:24.299 --> 00:33:26.880 it's Lent or not, that's a good fast to practice. 00:33:27.240 --> 00:33:30.539 Just stepping away. We all know what it does 00:33:30.539 --> 00:33:33.619 to us. It's not good. It's not making any of 00:33:33.619 --> 00:33:39.470 us better, right, as a whole. Again. You can 00:33:39.470 --> 00:33:41.869 use it informatively, but just be aware of what 00:33:41.869 --> 00:33:44.450 it's doing to you. We know that it's changing 00:33:44.450 --> 00:33:47.130 young people. We know that now. That's not a 00:33:47.130 --> 00:33:52.490 theory. It's proven. And so on top of that, adults, 00:33:52.509 --> 00:33:56.549 it's also changing us. Take a look at your bank 00:33:56.549 --> 00:33:58.069 account and see how much you spend on certain 00:33:58.069 --> 00:34:02.519 things. That's useful. You probably all... have 00:34:02.519 --> 00:34:04.480 seen on your online banking, there's a little 00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:07.180 pie chart available that shows you your percentage 00:34:07.180 --> 00:34:10.679 of spending. That's a useful thing to just take 00:34:10.679 --> 00:34:15.420 a look at because money is pretty abstract to 00:34:15.420 --> 00:34:19.860 us now. We don't do a lot of cash in hand. And 00:34:19.860 --> 00:34:24.420 so money has taken on a very abstract existence 00:34:24.420 --> 00:34:28.940 to us. And we don't see the money diminishing. 00:34:29.840 --> 00:34:34.289 And so... Keeping an eye on that might lead you 00:34:34.289 --> 00:34:36.670 to a budget, which could be really helpful. Because 00:34:36.670 --> 00:34:39.030 then you, again, the nonessential spending, it's 00:34:39.030 --> 00:34:41.269 not a bad thing to do, but at least know where 00:34:41.269 --> 00:34:45.889 it's going and how you're using it. And reorient 00:34:45.889 --> 00:34:48.570 it. Reorient your money spending towards the 00:34:48.570 --> 00:34:52.250 kingdom, towards God, towards the glory of God. 00:34:54.090 --> 00:34:56.570 Again, in an Amazon world, it's very easy just 00:34:56.570 --> 00:34:58.809 to hit and click and see something show up at 00:34:58.809 --> 00:35:02.759 your door. It's a dopamine boost, isn't it? Try 00:35:02.759 --> 00:35:09.760 boredom, everyone. Try boredom. Boredom is a 00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:12.460 gift, and I haven't experienced real boredom 00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:16.679 in a long time. I have a lot of jobs, so that's 00:35:16.679 --> 00:35:19.440 one reason, but I can stop boredom anytime I 00:35:19.440 --> 00:35:23.059 want by picking this up. So boredom is really 00:35:23.059 --> 00:35:26.349 good, and we've forgotten. Or we didn't learn 00:35:26.349 --> 00:35:30.309 how to be bored. It is noted that Gen X is the 00:35:30.309 --> 00:35:32.710 last generation to know what true boredom is. 00:35:33.389 --> 00:35:37.710 Raise your hand if you're Gen X or older. We 00:35:37.710 --> 00:35:41.889 are the last of it. Yeah, the last of the feral 00:35:41.889 --> 00:35:44.989 children, that's right. What did your parents 00:35:44.989 --> 00:35:47.630 say when you inevitably whined this sentence 00:35:47.630 --> 00:35:55.920 out? I'm bored. Read a book? What? I'm dad. Go 00:35:55.920 --> 00:36:00.840 outside. Go outside. Go play. Find something 00:36:00.840 --> 00:36:04.039 to play with. Or they would say, how many toys 00:36:04.039 --> 00:36:10.219 do you have upstairs? Did you forget? No parent. 00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:14.460 No parent of our generation said, let me play 00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:17.579 with you kids. That sounds terrible. But it's 00:36:17.579 --> 00:36:21.360 really true. They were like, go outside. Find 00:36:21.360 --> 00:36:28.260 your friends. I'm not your solution. Yes. And 00:36:28.260 --> 00:36:32.639 so be bored. Boredom is such a good thing to 00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:36.519 cultivate and to figure out how to respond to. 00:36:36.679 --> 00:36:41.219 It creates opportunities for thinking and creativity 00:36:41.219 --> 00:36:47.619 and self -confrontation and reflection. The best 00:36:47.619 --> 00:36:52.820 things come out of boredom. And then don't do 00:36:52.820 --> 00:36:56.960 something as a reaction or don't do things as 00:36:56.960 --> 00:36:59.840 a reaction and, like, you know, I talked about, 00:36:59.880 --> 00:37:02.679 like, the turning away from, okay, I'm not going 00:37:02.679 --> 00:37:04.260 to do this anymore, but what are you going to? 00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:08.000 Know what you're going to. We talked about the 00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:11.760 kingdom, and the kingdom is... full of life and 00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:15.139 it is a different way of living. And I also know 00:37:15.139 --> 00:37:17.159 that in terms of resistance, there are other 00:37:17.159 --> 00:37:19.719 life -giving things that we can engage in that 00:37:19.719 --> 00:37:23.780 are in alignment with the kingdom. I'm reminded 00:37:23.780 --> 00:37:27.780 of this quite often when I travel. I work overseas 00:37:27.780 --> 00:37:30.900 quite a bit and it gives me an opportunity to 00:37:30.900 --> 00:37:34.579 leave the American structure, which I'm grateful 00:37:34.579 --> 00:37:39.539 to get to learn from other places. So I was in 00:37:39.539 --> 00:37:43.559 Spain a week ago, and I was reminded of the importance 00:37:43.559 --> 00:37:47.159 to many places in the world of the daily walk. 00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:51.199 America is very fitness -focused, and so if we 00:37:51.199 --> 00:37:53.739 see people walking, they're doing it for fitness. 00:37:53.840 --> 00:37:58.360 It's objective. Whereas other places aren't thinking 00:37:58.360 --> 00:38:01.159 that objectively about things like a walk. They 00:38:01.159 --> 00:38:03.519 just have it as an integrated part of the day. 00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:06.679 You get outside, touch grass, feel the sun, or 00:38:06.679 --> 00:38:09.239 in our case, in the Midwest winter, feel the 00:38:09.239 --> 00:38:12.320 blisteringly cold Arctic wind on your face. Be 00:38:12.320 --> 00:38:15.800 refreshed. But do something intentional. Go to 00:38:15.800 --> 00:38:18.920 an art gallery. Go to a library. Go to a public 00:38:18.920 --> 00:38:22.059 speaking event. Go to your friends. Go to the 00:38:22.059 --> 00:38:25.179 park. Go to camping. Go to something versus trying 00:38:25.179 --> 00:38:28.059 to escape something else. Be really intentional 00:38:28.059 --> 00:38:32.780 about that. Big or small. And it is a good idea 00:38:32.780 --> 00:38:36.599 to have a list of those things because when you 00:38:36.599 --> 00:38:39.260 are bored and feeling like you want to escape, 00:38:39.420 --> 00:38:41.539 you will just escape unless you have a plan. 00:38:42.409 --> 00:38:45.289 And so make a plan. Make a thing that you do. 00:38:45.510 --> 00:38:47.849 Once you did something and you enjoyed it, write 00:38:47.849 --> 00:38:50.909 it down. And remember, I liked doing that. I 00:38:50.909 --> 00:38:53.269 want to do it again. I want to build a practice 00:38:53.269 --> 00:38:56.289 of this. So you got to make a plan for it because 00:38:56.289 --> 00:38:59.349 otherwise we will just find the entertainment 00:38:59.349 --> 00:39:01.869 that we always find. We will just go do the thing 00:39:01.869 --> 00:39:05.170 that we always did because when we feel overwhelmed 00:39:05.170 --> 00:39:08.650 or like we need to escape or step away, we will 00:39:08.650 --> 00:39:12.329 do the thing we always did. So make a plan. And 00:39:12.329 --> 00:39:15.690 then along with the boredom thought, stay with 00:39:15.690 --> 00:39:18.429 your thoughts longer than it's comfortable. This 00:39:18.429 --> 00:39:21.630 is where we discover the ability to change. This 00:39:21.630 --> 00:39:23.409 is where change occurs. Stay with your thoughts 00:39:23.409 --> 00:39:25.469 longer than it is comfortable staying with them. 00:39:26.630 --> 00:39:30.030 I want to be aware. Sometimes our thoughts get 00:39:30.030 --> 00:39:33.989 really dark. And I want to actually acknowledge 00:39:33.989 --> 00:39:38.610 that there are real places that that is not helpful 00:39:38.610 --> 00:39:42.289 for us, to stay with them too long. then I encourage 00:39:42.289 --> 00:39:46.150 you to go to something that will help you. Again, 00:39:46.230 --> 00:39:48.550 find the friends. If you are finding your thoughts 00:39:48.550 --> 00:39:50.610 are very dark and you need professional help, 00:39:50.710 --> 00:39:54.670 go to that. Or go to the friends that can help 00:39:54.670 --> 00:39:57.570 you get to that stuff. But again, be purposeful 00:39:57.570 --> 00:40:01.769 about what you go to. So anyway, these are the 00:40:01.769 --> 00:40:04.750 thoughts on the non -essentials, on the entertainment. 00:40:06.530 --> 00:40:09.150 It might be helpful just to make a list of where 00:40:09.150 --> 00:40:11.460 you... Where you find your entertainment. Much 00:40:11.460 --> 00:40:13.239 like your bank account has the pie chart of the 00:40:13.239 --> 00:40:16.219 money that you spent. It's useful to make a pie 00:40:16.219 --> 00:40:19.940 chart of the time that you spent, too. To be 00:40:19.940 --> 00:40:23.099 able to honestly reflect on it. And then as you're 00:40:23.099 --> 00:40:24.820 thinking about what you're escaping from and 00:40:24.820 --> 00:40:27.280 how you are using tools to escape, what are you 00:40:27.280 --> 00:40:33.679 going to as you turn away? So let's pray. Thank 00:40:33.679 --> 00:40:36.360 you, God, for your... Truth, thank you, God, 00:40:36.360 --> 00:40:38.659 for your reminders. Thank you for bringing those 00:40:38.659 --> 00:40:41.380 scriptures to mind when I asked you for words 00:40:41.380 --> 00:40:43.860 of encouragement and things to move towards. 00:40:44.099 --> 00:40:46.579 And I would ask that you would do that for all 00:40:46.579 --> 00:40:49.840 of us here today. And we take some time to ask 00:40:49.840 --> 00:40:52.880 God what I can move towards, good reminders of 00:40:52.880 --> 00:40:55.699 things to reflect on as this season of Lent is 00:40:55.699 --> 00:40:58.519 here. And if there's anything in these last few 00:40:58.519 --> 00:41:00.699 weeks as we lead up to Easter, if there's anything 00:41:00.699 --> 00:41:06.340 that we should turn away from, So that we can 00:41:06.340 --> 00:41:10.739 reorient ourselves towards you in this story 00:41:10.739 --> 00:41:14.820 of Easter and the truth of Easter. Would you 00:41:14.820 --> 00:41:16.840 put that on our hearts and make that clear to 00:41:16.840 --> 00:41:21.500 us so that we can respond to that? We want to 00:41:21.500 --> 00:41:23.139 be a church that looks towards your kingdom. 00:41:23.659 --> 00:41:25.679 We want to be a church that looks towards you. 00:41:27.519 --> 00:41:31.420 And we want to be a people that resist. We want 00:41:31.420 --> 00:41:33.659 to be a people that resist and say no thank you 00:41:33.659 --> 00:41:35.880 to the things that are demanding our attention 00:41:35.880 --> 00:41:40.159 and pulling us in other ways. We want to be people 00:41:40.159 --> 00:41:45.760 that resist the common and the status quo so 00:41:45.760 --> 00:41:51.460 that your kingdom may be alive in us fully. We 00:41:51.460 --> 00:41:53.079 want to be a people that when somebody says, 00:41:53.199 --> 00:41:55.500 oh, you don't do that, we say, no, but I have 00:41:55.500 --> 00:41:57.639 other things. I'd like to invite you to it, too. 00:41:59.820 --> 00:42:02.239 We become invitational about the kingdom as well 00:42:02.239 --> 00:42:04.679 to help others know that they can turn away from 00:42:04.679 --> 00:42:07.780 the things that bind them, the chains that they 00:42:07.780 --> 00:42:11.739 don't see because they're overlooking them. We 00:42:11.739 --> 00:42:14.519 pray that you free us from everything that holds 00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:19.579 us and that as we are in this season of Lent, 00:42:19.639 --> 00:42:22.679 we continue to look towards the freedom that 00:42:22.679 --> 00:42:27.019 is ahead of us because of your sacrifice for 00:42:27.019 --> 00:42:30.650 us, God. I pray this in your name. Amen.