1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,060 Everybody welcome back to church. 2 00:00:01,060 --> 00:00:01,900 You're glad to be here. 3 00:00:01,900 --> 00:00:03,400 If all are, let's praise God together. 4 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:05,660 We are glad you're here as well. 5 00:00:05,660 --> 00:00:06,500 Okay. 6 00:00:06,500 --> 00:00:08,500 Part two of the sermon series, Tools of a Carpenter. 7 00:00:08,500 --> 00:00:10,940 Before we get started, I wanna ask this question. 8 00:00:10,940 --> 00:00:13,980 I need a volunteer, actually two volunteers 9 00:00:13,980 --> 00:00:16,980 for this sermon, but I gotta begin by saying, 10 00:00:16,980 --> 00:00:18,420 I'm not gonna pick you out, I'm not gonna point you out. 11 00:00:18,420 --> 00:00:20,140 I just wanted somebody to volunteer, 12 00:00:20,140 --> 00:00:25,140 but for the first one, you have to be taller than six feet, 13 00:00:27,020 --> 00:00:28,900 which I would know nothing about. 14 00:00:28,900 --> 00:00:32,940 How many of you in this room are taller than six feet? 15 00:00:32,940 --> 00:00:34,620 Raise your hand, raise your hand taller than six feet, 16 00:00:34,620 --> 00:00:35,660 raise your hand real high. 17 00:00:35,660 --> 00:00:37,140 Man, those are some big hands too. 18 00:00:37,140 --> 00:00:38,460 That's it. 19 00:00:38,460 --> 00:00:39,300 Raise your hand real high. 20 00:00:39,300 --> 00:00:41,140 How many of you are taller than six feet 21 00:00:41,140 --> 00:00:43,580 and don't mind me picking on you a little bit? 22 00:00:43,580 --> 00:00:44,740 Raise your hand, all right? 23 00:00:44,740 --> 00:00:46,860 Okay, four people, okay, very good. 24 00:00:46,860 --> 00:00:48,620 This is a short church. 25 00:00:48,620 --> 00:00:52,420 Vertically challenged, we'll say. 26 00:00:52,420 --> 00:00:56,340 Let's be nice to the shorties, all right? 27 00:00:56,340 --> 00:00:57,940 Six feet tall, don't mind me picking on you. 28 00:00:57,940 --> 00:00:58,780 Raise your hand real high. 29 00:00:58,780 --> 00:01:01,140 Let me see, okay, all right, okay, okay. 30 00:01:01,140 --> 00:01:03,620 How many of you are bigger than six foot three? 31 00:01:03,620 --> 00:01:05,540 Six, three and above, raise your hand. 32 00:01:05,540 --> 00:01:08,340 All right, keep, oh, wow, all right. 33 00:01:08,340 --> 00:01:11,180 Six, five and above, raise, keep your hands up. 34 00:01:11,180 --> 00:01:13,940 Six, five and above, oh, wow, okay. 35 00:01:13,940 --> 00:01:16,620 Well, yeah, forget what I said about shorties. 36 00:01:16,620 --> 00:01:19,020 I mean, small, small people here. 37 00:01:19,020 --> 00:01:22,060 We've got no Michael Jordan's in the room, huh? 38 00:01:22,060 --> 00:01:24,340 Okay, so six, four, raise your hand, six, four. 39 00:01:24,340 --> 00:01:26,140 Six, four, six, four, okay. 40 00:01:26,140 --> 00:01:28,300 All right, do you mind me picking on you a little later? 41 00:01:28,300 --> 00:01:30,100 All right, give him a round of applause, ladies and gentlemen. 42 00:01:30,100 --> 00:01:31,940 This is my friend. 43 00:01:31,940 --> 00:01:34,380 We're just hanging out on, yeah, just the other night. 44 00:01:34,380 --> 00:01:36,580 That was fun, all right, very good. 45 00:01:36,580 --> 00:01:38,940 Now, we have our tall guy. 46 00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:45,380 We need the other side of the spectrum. 47 00:01:46,300 --> 00:01:50,620 Volunteer, somebody that is not as tall as six foot five. 48 00:01:50,620 --> 00:01:53,220 Somebody shouted out, Sarail, my mind goes there. 49 00:01:55,740 --> 00:01:57,380 Buddy, I'm telling you, man. 50 00:01:57,380 --> 00:01:59,460 Sarail, how tall are you? 51 00:01:59,460 --> 00:02:00,300 Five four. 52 00:02:00,300 --> 00:02:01,940 Five four, and he's a powerful five four. 53 00:02:01,940 --> 00:02:04,020 Give him a round of applause, five four. 54 00:02:04,020 --> 00:02:07,220 Come on, a lot of power in that five four. 55 00:02:07,220 --> 00:02:10,060 Anybody smaller than five four that's an adult 56 00:02:10,060 --> 00:02:12,220 that would not mind me picking on them later today? 57 00:02:12,220 --> 00:02:14,660 Raise your hand, okay. 58 00:02:14,660 --> 00:02:15,820 No, please raise your hand. 59 00:02:15,820 --> 00:02:20,220 I'm kidding, my friend, Doc, Doc, how tall are you? 60 00:02:21,060 --> 00:02:24,140 Five foot, even, wow, give this man a round of applause. 61 00:02:24,140 --> 00:02:25,660 I love that, wow. 62 00:02:25,660 --> 00:02:28,020 Okay, so we're gonna pick on you guys a little bit later 63 00:02:28,020 --> 00:02:29,180 in the sermon today. 64 00:02:29,180 --> 00:02:31,620 Luke chapter number 18, go ahead and turn there. 65 00:02:31,620 --> 00:02:34,420 Luke chapter number 18 and verse number nine. 66 00:02:34,420 --> 00:02:35,940 If you're new here, my name is Josh. 67 00:02:35,940 --> 00:02:38,940 I'm the teaching pastor, senior pastor here at the church, 68 00:02:38,940 --> 00:02:41,100 and we're gonna be studying from Luke chapter 18, 69 00:02:41,100 --> 00:02:42,620 which is what we've been doing. 70 00:02:42,620 --> 00:02:45,420 It's a four week sermon series in the book of Luke 71 00:02:45,420 --> 00:02:48,780 chapter number 18 called Tools of a Carpenter, 72 00:02:48,780 --> 00:02:52,460 where Jesus interacts with disciples, with followers, 73 00:02:52,460 --> 00:02:54,780 with Pharisees, with the community around him, 74 00:02:54,780 --> 00:02:57,380 and he's teaching them truth. 75 00:02:57,380 --> 00:03:00,260 And in Luke chapter 18, we've noticed that these four 76 00:03:00,260 --> 00:03:03,740 stories that deal with Jesus actually can be symbolized 77 00:03:03,740 --> 00:03:08,740 by four different carpentry tools that Jesus would have used 78 00:03:09,260 --> 00:03:12,180 in his early job. 79 00:03:12,180 --> 00:03:14,220 In the first sermon, we talked about chisel. 80 00:03:14,220 --> 00:03:18,700 We talked about how Jesus Christ chisels away in our lives 81 00:03:18,700 --> 00:03:20,980 by removing the things that are not helping us. 82 00:03:20,980 --> 00:03:23,940 And in this sermon, it's called the measure. 83 00:03:23,940 --> 00:03:27,100 And throughout history, all carpenters have used 84 00:03:27,100 --> 00:03:30,260 different measuring tools to help us understand the length 85 00:03:30,260 --> 00:03:34,900 of what needs to be compared to the length of what should be. 86 00:03:34,900 --> 00:03:37,940 And so today we're gonna talk about that main concept 87 00:03:37,940 --> 00:03:42,540 by asking the question, not do you measure up, 88 00:03:42,540 --> 00:03:49,540 but to what are you measuring yourself? 89 00:03:56,740 --> 00:03:57,580 Let's pray. 90 00:03:57,580 --> 00:04:02,580 Father, today's sermon is gonna be so good 91 00:04:04,980 --> 00:04:07,140 because it comes from your teaching. 92 00:04:08,780 --> 00:04:11,820 But even though it's gonna be so good, 93 00:04:11,820 --> 00:04:16,580 it's gonna be hurtful 94 00:04:18,540 --> 00:04:20,860 because what you deal with in this passage 95 00:04:20,860 --> 00:04:23,660 is very personal and pointed. 96 00:04:25,540 --> 00:04:28,900 It hit me hard as I've studied it. 97 00:04:28,900 --> 00:04:31,980 And as I tell a story even in my youth, 98 00:04:31,980 --> 00:04:34,860 how this passage and others pointed out my pride 99 00:04:34,860 --> 00:04:37,820 and arrogance, I pray, Father, 100 00:04:37,820 --> 00:04:42,300 that you would do the same thing for my friends in the room. 101 00:04:42,300 --> 00:04:45,580 You would point out our pride and arrogance 102 00:04:45,580 --> 00:04:50,420 so that we can maintain humility 103 00:04:50,420 --> 00:04:52,260 so that we can become the masterpiece 104 00:04:52,260 --> 00:04:55,460 that you're carving us into. 105 00:04:55,460 --> 00:04:59,180 God help me because I cannot help my friends without you. 106 00:04:59,180 --> 00:05:01,660 Help me explain this passage and apply it 107 00:05:01,660 --> 00:05:04,140 to their lives and mine. 108 00:05:04,140 --> 00:05:06,580 In Jesus' name we pray. 109 00:05:06,580 --> 00:05:07,420 Amen. 110 00:05:09,220 --> 00:05:10,620 In Luke chapter 18 and verse nine, 111 00:05:10,620 --> 00:05:13,540 it says, then Jesus told this story 112 00:05:14,540 --> 00:05:18,060 to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness 113 00:05:18,060 --> 00:05:20,380 and scorned everyone else. 114 00:05:20,380 --> 00:05:22,540 If you'll notice in Luke chapter 18, 115 00:05:22,540 --> 00:05:26,060 it's story after story that Jesus is telling. 116 00:05:26,060 --> 00:05:29,300 And in verse one, it says, here's a story from Jesus 117 00:05:29,300 --> 00:05:31,660 so that the people could learn to always pray 118 00:05:31,660 --> 00:05:32,740 and never give up. 119 00:05:32,740 --> 00:05:35,460 That was last week's story, and then he told the story. 120 00:05:35,460 --> 00:05:37,420 This week it opens up very similarly. 121 00:05:37,420 --> 00:05:39,500 Jesus told a story and he told it 122 00:05:39,500 --> 00:05:41,500 to a specific group of people. 123 00:05:41,500 --> 00:05:44,020 Look at the people that Jesus tells the story to. 124 00:05:44,020 --> 00:05:45,900 They had great confidence. 125 00:05:45,900 --> 00:05:48,500 How many of you believe you should have confidence, amen? 126 00:05:48,500 --> 00:05:49,940 Don't you believe young men and young women 127 00:05:49,940 --> 00:05:51,860 should have confidence, amen? 128 00:05:51,860 --> 00:05:54,300 We should have confidence, but notice this. 129 00:05:54,300 --> 00:05:59,300 They had great confidence in their own righteousness. 130 00:05:59,300 --> 00:06:04,300 It's called pride. 131 00:06:05,900 --> 00:06:07,940 It's wonderful to be confident, 132 00:06:07,940 --> 00:06:12,780 but confident in God and confident in the people around us. 133 00:06:12,780 --> 00:06:15,340 But this person had, these people had confidence 134 00:06:15,340 --> 00:06:17,940 in their own righteousness, 135 00:06:17,940 --> 00:06:21,980 and they despised or scorned everyone else. 136 00:06:21,980 --> 00:06:26,220 This story, Jesus says, is a story for arrogant people. 137 00:06:26,220 --> 00:06:29,060 Now, if your first thought is good, 138 00:06:29,060 --> 00:06:31,060 I need to share this with somebody I know 139 00:06:31,060 --> 00:06:32,260 who's an arrogant person. 140 00:06:33,260 --> 00:06:35,860 Then mark it down, this sermon is for you. 141 00:06:35,860 --> 00:06:37,500 Can I get an amen? 142 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:39,140 If you're like, ah, there's a lot of prideful people 143 00:06:39,140 --> 00:06:40,700 I know who need this, I'm gonna share this 144 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:42,620 on social media immediately, because everybody that follows 145 00:06:42,620 --> 00:06:44,740 me, boy, they are sure prideful and arrogant. 146 00:06:44,740 --> 00:06:45,980 Woo! 147 00:06:45,980 --> 00:06:47,260 I'm gonna send this to my dad. 148 00:06:47,260 --> 00:06:48,540 I'm gonna send this to my friend. 149 00:06:48,540 --> 00:06:50,140 I'm gonna send this to my son. 150 00:06:50,140 --> 00:06:53,540 If you feel like this sermon about pride 151 00:06:53,540 --> 00:06:55,940 is for somebody else, guess what? 152 00:06:55,940 --> 00:07:00,940 This sermon is God's gift to you. 153 00:07:01,820 --> 00:07:03,500 And to me, now let me be honest, 154 00:07:03,500 --> 00:07:05,100 as some of you honestly, genuinely, 155 00:07:05,100 --> 00:07:07,300 you don't need this sermon as much as you need another. 156 00:07:07,300 --> 00:07:09,700 And this is true, this is why Jesus told some stories 157 00:07:09,700 --> 00:07:11,340 to some and some stories to others. 158 00:07:11,340 --> 00:07:13,460 And you could be at a point in your life 159 00:07:13,460 --> 00:07:16,020 where this sermon is not the sermon you need. 160 00:07:16,020 --> 00:07:17,860 What you might be needing is a sermon 161 00:07:17,860 --> 00:07:19,900 where you already think of yourself 162 00:07:19,900 --> 00:07:21,180 as the lowest of the low. 163 00:07:22,180 --> 00:07:24,420 You have been beat down by the world. 164 00:07:24,420 --> 00:07:25,820 You've been beat down by your flesh. 165 00:07:25,820 --> 00:07:28,740 You've been beat down by the devil. 166 00:07:28,740 --> 00:07:31,540 And you need somebody to remind you that God loves you 167 00:07:31,540 --> 00:07:34,900 and he likes you and he wants to bring you to himself. 168 00:07:34,900 --> 00:07:36,380 Some of you need that sermon and I preach 169 00:07:36,380 --> 00:07:38,020 that sermon quite often. 170 00:07:38,020 --> 00:07:39,580 That is not this sermon. 171 00:07:40,660 --> 00:07:43,140 This sermon is for the individual who knows 172 00:07:43,140 --> 00:07:46,140 that God likes them and loves them and isn't surprised. 173 00:07:46,140 --> 00:07:47,700 Not surprised at all. 174 00:07:49,700 --> 00:07:54,700 Because they clearly deserve all of that love. 175 00:07:54,700 --> 00:07:57,140 And you say, well pastor, who needs a sermon like this? 176 00:07:57,140 --> 00:07:58,220 We all need a sermon like this, 177 00:07:58,220 --> 00:08:01,700 but I gotta tell you some people that are especially like me. 178 00:08:01,700 --> 00:08:06,700 You see, I can really fight the sin of pride. 179 00:08:08,220 --> 00:08:09,820 Pride is a big sin. 180 00:08:11,100 --> 00:08:12,620 Have you noticed in our society today, 181 00:08:12,620 --> 00:08:17,340 we actually celebrate pride. 182 00:08:18,420 --> 00:08:20,020 Now I know in your mind that immediately goes 183 00:08:20,020 --> 00:08:21,420 to a certain segment of society, 184 00:08:21,420 --> 00:08:24,860 but in reality it seems like our entire society 185 00:08:24,860 --> 00:08:26,140 celebrates pride. 186 00:08:27,540 --> 00:08:30,460 This is who I am and this is who I will be 187 00:08:30,460 --> 00:08:32,220 and nobody can tell me different. 188 00:08:32,220 --> 00:08:35,380 I am proud of my sin. 189 00:08:36,740 --> 00:08:40,620 And so though that is true in our society as a whole, 190 00:08:40,620 --> 00:08:43,180 we as the church love to point at the society and say, 191 00:08:43,180 --> 00:08:46,420 look how prideful they are, not like us. 192 00:08:46,420 --> 00:08:50,260 And society then points their finger at the church 193 00:08:50,260 --> 00:08:54,220 and says, look how prideful they are, not like us. 194 00:08:54,220 --> 00:08:56,540 And so now you have a group of people in a society 195 00:08:56,540 --> 00:08:58,700 that's split down the middle where everybody likes 196 00:08:58,700 --> 00:09:01,340 to point at the other person and point out how wicked 197 00:09:01,340 --> 00:09:03,540 they are, but how prideful they are, 198 00:09:03,540 --> 00:09:05,460 we are about who we are. 199 00:09:06,900 --> 00:09:09,780 And God puts it all away and says, no, 200 00:09:09,780 --> 00:09:13,780 all of your pride is sin. 201 00:09:13,780 --> 00:09:16,780 It's arrogance, it's wickedness. 202 00:09:16,780 --> 00:09:18,780 And again, I probably struggle with pride 203 00:09:18,780 --> 00:09:20,580 far more than you do. 204 00:09:20,580 --> 00:09:22,460 You say, oh that's a nice thing to say for a pastor 205 00:09:22,460 --> 00:09:25,300 to say, no, no, genuinely those who knew me early on 206 00:09:25,300 --> 00:09:27,620 knew that I was an arrogant little fella. 207 00:09:28,900 --> 00:09:30,780 You say, I don't believe it, let me show you a picture of me. 208 00:09:30,780 --> 00:09:33,980 Here I am, this is Josh Thais ready to save the world. 209 00:09:35,980 --> 00:09:39,340 Just about to graduate from my seminary, 210 00:09:39,340 --> 00:09:41,500 I was preparing to be a pastor. 211 00:09:41,500 --> 00:09:45,060 Look at how good I dressed, do you see how nice I look? 212 00:09:45,060 --> 00:09:49,060 Do you see the contemplative stare off into the distance? 213 00:09:49,060 --> 00:09:50,940 Ask yourself this question, 214 00:09:50,940 --> 00:09:53,900 who has a picture of himself taken like this? 215 00:09:55,900 --> 00:09:58,500 Not only was I extremely good looking, 216 00:09:58,500 --> 00:10:00,580 but I also was studious. 217 00:10:01,500 --> 00:10:04,780 Now remind you, this is before iPhones and selfies. 218 00:10:04,780 --> 00:10:07,220 How did we set up this photograph? 219 00:10:07,220 --> 00:10:11,660 At what point did we say let's put out all of my seminary books 220 00:10:11,660 --> 00:10:15,500 and show me contemplatively studying the Bible? 221 00:10:16,900 --> 00:10:17,740 This is me. 222 00:10:18,940 --> 00:10:21,500 This is me when I was about 21, 22 years old, 223 00:10:21,500 --> 00:10:23,500 ready to save the world. 224 00:10:23,500 --> 00:10:25,420 And I came to Las Vegas and we worked at a church 225 00:10:25,420 --> 00:10:27,100 for a few years and after that we were ready 226 00:10:27,100 --> 00:10:29,380 to start our own church because I didn't need a pastor 227 00:10:29,380 --> 00:10:31,020 telling me what to do, I'm the pastor. 228 00:10:31,020 --> 00:10:33,020 And so we started our own church, 229 00:10:33,020 --> 00:10:34,420 and we started our own church, 230 00:10:34,420 --> 00:10:36,420 and we started our own church, 231 00:10:36,420 --> 00:10:38,580 our own church, my wife and I, 232 00:10:38,580 --> 00:10:41,300 and two things can be true at the same time, two things. 233 00:10:41,300 --> 00:10:42,500 I don't wanna paint myself as somebody 234 00:10:42,500 --> 00:10:43,700 who wasn't walking with God. 235 00:10:43,700 --> 00:10:45,020 Two things can be true at the same time. 236 00:10:45,020 --> 00:10:49,180 I totally 100% loved Jesus and wanted to serve God. 237 00:10:49,180 --> 00:10:53,700 I also truthfully was an arrogant little jerk. 238 00:10:55,140 --> 00:10:56,700 I was. 239 00:10:56,700 --> 00:10:58,340 Both things were true. 240 00:10:58,340 --> 00:11:01,140 And for God to truly use me, 241 00:11:01,140 --> 00:11:03,660 he had to sand me down. 242 00:11:03,660 --> 00:11:05,460 He had to change me. 243 00:11:05,460 --> 00:11:08,380 And he did so one day by, I was at the gym 244 00:11:08,380 --> 00:11:10,540 and I had a man approach me at the gym 245 00:11:10,540 --> 00:11:11,860 and he came up and he said, excuse me. 246 00:11:11,860 --> 00:11:12,700 And I said, yes. 247 00:11:12,700 --> 00:11:14,980 And he said, are you the new pastor 248 00:11:14,980 --> 00:11:18,820 of the new church plant on La Costa Canyon Court? 249 00:11:18,820 --> 00:11:20,260 I said, yes I am. 250 00:11:21,260 --> 00:11:23,660 I said, would you like to come and hear from the Bible? 251 00:11:23,660 --> 00:11:26,500 And he said, no, no, I'm actually also a pastor in town. 252 00:11:26,500 --> 00:11:28,100 And as soon as he said he was a pastor, 253 00:11:28,100 --> 00:11:30,620 I immediately, all of my defenses went up. 254 00:11:30,620 --> 00:11:32,780 Really? 255 00:11:32,780 --> 00:11:34,780 He said, yeah, I know you're new to the community. 256 00:11:34,780 --> 00:11:36,780 I wanted to know, would you like to go to coffee 257 00:11:36,780 --> 00:11:40,060 with myself and a few other community pastors? 258 00:11:40,060 --> 00:11:41,740 We get together once a month at Starbucks 259 00:11:41,740 --> 00:11:44,100 and we pray for each other and for our churches. 260 00:11:45,100 --> 00:11:49,340 And immediately I thought to myself, yes, 261 00:11:49,340 --> 00:11:51,900 what an incredible opportunity. 262 00:11:51,900 --> 00:11:55,260 Because of all these other pastors in the community, 263 00:11:55,260 --> 00:11:58,060 I have an opportunity to demonstrate 264 00:11:58,060 --> 00:12:00,820 what a true pastor is supposed to be. 265 00:12:00,820 --> 00:12:04,820 This is God's opportunity for them to learn. 266 00:12:08,820 --> 00:12:10,820 I know some of you are like, that's funny. 267 00:12:10,820 --> 00:12:13,820 Those who know me, that's exactly how I thought. 268 00:12:13,820 --> 00:12:15,660 Is that true, Derek? 269 00:12:15,660 --> 00:12:18,060 That's exactly what I thought. 270 00:12:18,060 --> 00:12:19,460 And I'm like, absolutely, I'll come. 271 00:12:19,460 --> 00:12:21,460 Where are we meeting at Starbucks at this location 272 00:12:21,460 --> 00:12:22,820 at this time and I remember thinking of Starbucks. 273 00:12:22,820 --> 00:12:24,300 That's literally what I thought. 274 00:12:24,300 --> 00:12:25,740 And I'm like, absolutely, I'll come. 275 00:12:25,740 --> 00:12:27,580 Where are we meeting at Starbucks at this location 276 00:12:27,580 --> 00:12:29,820 at Starbucks, that's liberal, but whatever, you know. 277 00:12:29,820 --> 00:12:34,820 Like some of you have, whenever I've invited you. 278 00:12:36,820 --> 00:12:37,820 So we did. 279 00:12:37,820 --> 00:12:40,100 So I remember showing up and I remember getting up that day. 280 00:12:40,100 --> 00:12:43,220 Now back in the day, I genuinely, I thought to myself, 281 00:12:43,220 --> 00:12:46,620 okay, I've noticed how pastors like to dress when they preach. 282 00:12:46,620 --> 00:12:49,020 They don't wear suits and ties anymore 283 00:12:49,020 --> 00:12:51,380 and they don't use the King James Bible anymore 284 00:12:51,380 --> 00:12:56,140 and they don't act with a serious decorum like you should. 285 00:12:56,140 --> 00:12:58,580 And I can remember thinking to myself, 286 00:12:58,580 --> 00:13:00,260 when I go into that Starbucks, 287 00:13:00,260 --> 00:13:01,820 I'm going to wear my suit and tie. 288 00:13:01,820 --> 00:13:04,180 I wore it every day of the week, except for Monday. 289 00:13:04,180 --> 00:13:06,540 Tuesday through Sunday, I wore my suit in the community. 290 00:13:06,540 --> 00:13:08,780 When I went to Albertsons, I wore my suit and tie 291 00:13:10,140 --> 00:13:11,620 because I was a community leader. 292 00:13:11,620 --> 00:13:14,020 I was a pastor and I was better than you. 293 00:13:15,100 --> 00:13:17,060 Now, let me be very clear about this. 294 00:13:17,060 --> 00:13:18,660 Some people like to dress up 295 00:13:18,660 --> 00:13:20,380 because they just like to dress up. 296 00:13:20,380 --> 00:13:21,500 That's awesome. 297 00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:22,740 Some people like to dress up 298 00:13:22,740 --> 00:13:24,140 because they like to make people look, 299 00:13:24,140 --> 00:13:26,060 they think of themselves as better. 300 00:13:26,060 --> 00:13:29,260 I was in the latter category, for sure. 301 00:13:29,260 --> 00:13:31,100 And I remember I got to that Starbucks meeting, 302 00:13:31,100 --> 00:13:33,220 I walked in, I opened it up and I remember, 303 00:13:33,220 --> 00:13:36,620 well, before I got in, I remember getting in my car. 304 00:13:36,620 --> 00:13:38,140 I was dressed in my three-piece suit, 305 00:13:38,140 --> 00:13:40,300 had my King James Bible and I prayed, 306 00:13:40,300 --> 00:13:43,940 this is 100% true, Emmanuel, I prayed, 307 00:13:43,940 --> 00:13:48,940 God, give me a chance to demonstrate to these pastors 308 00:13:51,180 --> 00:13:53,180 what a true Christian actually is. 309 00:13:53,180 --> 00:13:54,980 And if I have the opportunity, 310 00:13:56,180 --> 00:13:59,860 let me save them so they don't go to hell. 311 00:14:01,860 --> 00:14:05,260 Because in my mind, I genuinely questioned 312 00:14:05,260 --> 00:14:07,020 whether or not they really knew Jesus. 313 00:14:10,060 --> 00:14:14,060 You see, the pastor, that part of the story is not so funny, 314 00:14:16,060 --> 00:14:17,980 but it's what I honestly thought. 315 00:14:17,980 --> 00:14:18,820 Why? 316 00:14:20,460 --> 00:14:22,380 Because I really did love Jesus. 317 00:14:22,380 --> 00:14:24,620 But I also really, really loved myself. 318 00:14:27,580 --> 00:14:31,660 This type of passage is written to people like me. 319 00:14:31,660 --> 00:14:34,180 Jesus told a story to some who had great confidence 320 00:14:34,180 --> 00:14:39,180 in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else. 321 00:14:40,420 --> 00:14:41,980 You know, I've noticed about pride, 322 00:14:41,980 --> 00:14:45,380 that pride completely blinds you to reality. 323 00:14:46,380 --> 00:14:51,380 It makes you delusional, living in a fabricated reality 324 00:14:51,380 --> 00:14:55,060 where you are the hero better than everybody else. 325 00:14:55,060 --> 00:14:57,300 And when everybody finally gets to the place 326 00:14:57,300 --> 00:15:00,420 of understanding and enlightenment like you've gotten to, 327 00:15:00,420 --> 00:15:02,460 then the world would be a better place 328 00:15:02,460 --> 00:15:06,220 if everybody was like you. 329 00:15:08,900 --> 00:15:09,900 But God loves you. 330 00:15:11,500 --> 00:15:15,260 And God does not want you to live in this fantasy world 331 00:15:15,260 --> 00:15:18,100 of pride and self-righteousness. 332 00:15:18,100 --> 00:15:23,100 So, to change you, He measures you. 333 00:15:25,380 --> 00:15:28,700 And instead of allowing you to pick the standard 334 00:15:28,700 --> 00:15:33,700 by which you are measured, He picks the standard for you. 335 00:15:36,300 --> 00:15:39,740 All of that is set up to say this point, to craft you, 336 00:15:39,740 --> 00:15:42,420 to mold you to make you, to chip away and sand you, 337 00:15:42,420 --> 00:15:44,260 to craft you and create you. 338 00:15:44,260 --> 00:15:47,820 Jesus points out the reality of your size 339 00:15:47,820 --> 00:15:48,660 and strength. 340 00:15:48,660 --> 00:15:49,940 Again, look at verse nine. 341 00:15:49,940 --> 00:15:53,460 Jesus told the story to some who had great confidence 342 00:15:53,460 --> 00:15:56,500 in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else. 343 00:15:56,500 --> 00:15:57,660 Here's the question. 344 00:15:57,660 --> 00:15:59,980 Are you ready for the carpenter to measure you? 345 00:15:59,980 --> 00:16:02,820 Are you ready to become his masterpiece? 346 00:16:02,820 --> 00:16:05,740 How is it that Jesus the carpenter 347 00:16:05,740 --> 00:16:08,380 will sand away your pride and arrogance? 348 00:16:08,380 --> 00:16:11,740 How does it happen in your life like it happened in my life? 349 00:16:11,740 --> 00:16:14,260 Well, the way I've noticed him doing so in my life 350 00:16:14,260 --> 00:16:17,580 and in the passage is that Jesus will sand away 351 00:16:17,580 --> 00:16:19,660 your pride and arrogance by number one, 352 00:16:19,660 --> 00:16:22,900 by pointing out the source of pride 353 00:16:24,140 --> 00:16:27,380 and by pointing out the root of humility. 354 00:16:27,380 --> 00:16:28,820 That's the sermon. 355 00:16:28,820 --> 00:16:32,740 This is how pride and arrogance gets sanded away. 356 00:16:32,740 --> 00:16:35,780 He points out the source of pride 357 00:16:35,780 --> 00:16:38,740 and then He points out the root of humility. 358 00:16:38,740 --> 00:16:41,700 If you're ready to learn these two truths, give me an amen. 359 00:16:41,700 --> 00:16:44,500 Let's talk about the source of pride. 360 00:16:44,500 --> 00:16:48,060 The source of pride, very simply stated, 361 00:16:48,060 --> 00:16:52,580 is flattering comparisons. 362 00:16:56,700 --> 00:16:58,900 I'm not saying get rid of your pride. 363 00:16:58,900 --> 00:17:02,220 What I am saying is ask yourself 364 00:17:02,220 --> 00:17:04,020 to whom are you comparing yourself? 365 00:17:06,340 --> 00:17:08,980 Because where pride comes in 366 00:17:08,980 --> 00:17:11,580 is you're comparing yourself in a flattering way. 367 00:17:11,580 --> 00:17:13,820 Look what it says in verses 10 and 12. 368 00:17:13,820 --> 00:17:15,140 What did Jesus do? 369 00:17:15,140 --> 00:17:17,140 He's telling a story about two individuals. 370 00:17:17,140 --> 00:17:18,940 He's gonna tell a story for arrogant people. 371 00:17:18,940 --> 00:17:20,180 He says in verse 10, 372 00:17:20,180 --> 00:17:22,220 two men went up to the temple to pray. 373 00:17:22,220 --> 00:17:23,740 How many men went to pray? 374 00:17:23,740 --> 00:17:26,180 How many men went to pray? 375 00:17:26,180 --> 00:17:28,300 Two men went up to the temple to pray. 376 00:17:28,300 --> 00:17:29,780 One was a Pharisee. 377 00:17:29,780 --> 00:17:32,140 The other was a despised tax collector. 378 00:17:32,140 --> 00:17:34,820 When I say Pharisee, you say boo, Pharisee. 379 00:17:34,820 --> 00:17:36,620 Tax collector. 380 00:17:36,620 --> 00:17:38,740 Yeah, both, right? 381 00:17:38,740 --> 00:17:41,340 The Pharisee, for those who don't know Bible background, 382 00:17:41,340 --> 00:17:43,940 the Pharisee was a religious leader in the community, 383 00:17:43,940 --> 00:17:46,140 and they were extremely holy. 384 00:17:46,140 --> 00:17:48,140 I mean, they were holy and they knew it, 385 00:17:48,140 --> 00:17:50,540 and they let everybody else know how holy they were. 386 00:17:50,540 --> 00:17:54,540 They had incredibly rigid standards of righteousness, 387 00:17:54,540 --> 00:17:59,540 and they looked down upon everyone else. 388 00:18:03,140 --> 00:18:07,140 Yet inside, Jesus says, they were like dead men. 389 00:18:07,140 --> 00:18:10,340 Jesus says they were like dead men's bones 390 00:18:10,340 --> 00:18:12,740 on the outside, a whited sepulcher, 391 00:18:12,740 --> 00:18:16,140 but inside they were filthy and rotten. 392 00:18:16,140 --> 00:18:17,340 So two men went up to pray. 393 00:18:17,340 --> 00:18:18,340 One was a Pharisee. 394 00:18:18,340 --> 00:18:19,740 The other was a despised tax collector. 395 00:18:19,740 --> 00:18:23,540 The tax collector was just a guy who wanted to earn a living. 396 00:18:23,540 --> 00:18:24,940 Say it doesn't sound so bad. 397 00:18:24,940 --> 00:18:27,940 So the way he earned a living is he would turn in 398 00:18:27,940 --> 00:18:30,940 his neighbors and friends and family to the government 399 00:18:30,940 --> 00:18:33,940 to get money from them and the government. 400 00:18:33,940 --> 00:18:38,940 So you have a tax collector who is hated 401 00:18:38,940 --> 00:18:40,940 because of their outward wicked sin, 402 00:18:40,940 --> 00:18:44,940 and you've got a Pharisee who is often privately hated 403 00:18:44,940 --> 00:18:46,940 because of their arrogance. 404 00:18:46,940 --> 00:18:48,940 And Jesus says both of them go up to pray. 405 00:18:48,940 --> 00:18:49,940 Now let me ask you a question. 406 00:18:49,940 --> 00:18:51,940 These two men couldn't seem to be so different 407 00:18:51,940 --> 00:18:54,940 from one another, but notice they have something in common. 408 00:18:54,940 --> 00:18:56,940 Do you see it in the first verse there? 409 00:18:56,940 --> 00:18:57,940 Verse 10. 410 00:18:57,940 --> 00:18:59,940 What is it that these two men have in common? 411 00:18:59,940 --> 00:19:01,940 If you found it, I want you to shout it out. 412 00:19:01,940 --> 00:19:04,940 What is it that these two men have in common? 413 00:19:04,940 --> 00:19:05,940 Pray. 414 00:19:05,940 --> 00:19:06,940 Pray. 415 00:19:06,940 --> 00:19:09,940 They both go up to pray. 416 00:19:09,940 --> 00:19:10,940 Hey, that's a good start. 417 00:19:10,940 --> 00:19:11,940 Can I get an amen? 418 00:19:11,940 --> 00:19:14,940 No matter how bad off you are, it's a good thing. 419 00:19:14,940 --> 00:19:15,940 And by the way, you might say, 420 00:19:15,940 --> 00:19:17,940 well, not everybody prays. 421 00:19:17,940 --> 00:19:20,940 Oh, my dear friend, I have a secret for you. 422 00:19:20,940 --> 00:19:22,940 Everybody does pray. 423 00:19:22,940 --> 00:19:24,940 Even if you say, I don't believe in God, 424 00:19:24,940 --> 00:19:26,940 I never believed in God. 425 00:19:26,940 --> 00:19:29,940 We know in the deepest, darkest moments of your life, 426 00:19:29,940 --> 00:19:33,940 you call out to the God who made you just like the rest of us. 427 00:19:33,940 --> 00:19:36,940 You cry to him, you ask him, and you pray. 428 00:19:36,940 --> 00:19:37,940 And I am not mocking you. 429 00:19:37,940 --> 00:19:41,940 I'm celebrating the fact that you're going to your God. 430 00:19:41,940 --> 00:19:42,940 Go to him. 431 00:19:42,940 --> 00:19:44,940 Both these men go up to pray. 432 00:19:44,940 --> 00:19:47,940 One was a Pharisee, the other was a despised tax collector. 433 00:19:47,940 --> 00:19:48,940 They went to the temple to pray, 434 00:19:48,940 --> 00:19:50,940 and this is what the Pharisee prayed. 435 00:19:50,940 --> 00:19:53,940 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer. 436 00:19:53,940 --> 00:19:56,940 Now, we understand not from this passage, 437 00:19:56,940 --> 00:19:57,940 but from another story of Jesus, 438 00:19:57,940 --> 00:19:59,940 that the Pharisees like to pray, 439 00:19:59,940 --> 00:20:01,940 they like to pray publicly. 440 00:20:01,940 --> 00:20:03,940 They like to pray out loud. 441 00:20:03,940 --> 00:20:04,940 And when they prayed publicly, 442 00:20:04,940 --> 00:20:06,940 they like to stand in the place, 443 00:20:06,940 --> 00:20:10,940 in the marketplace, or in the synagogue, or in the temple, 444 00:20:10,940 --> 00:20:12,940 in a place that could echo their voice 445 00:20:12,940 --> 00:20:14,940 as big as it possibly could. 446 00:20:14,940 --> 00:20:16,940 They didn't like to go privately and pray. 447 00:20:16,940 --> 00:20:18,940 They like to pray where everybody could see them 448 00:20:18,940 --> 00:20:20,940 and hear their prayer. 449 00:20:20,940 --> 00:20:22,940 So imagine he's standing in the temple, 450 00:20:22,940 --> 00:20:23,940 and he's ready to pray, 451 00:20:23,940 --> 00:20:26,940 and as he prays publicly and out loud, 452 00:20:26,940 --> 00:20:28,940 this is his prayer. 453 00:20:28,940 --> 00:20:32,940 I thank you, God, 454 00:20:32,940 --> 00:20:36,940 that I am not like other people. 455 00:20:36,940 --> 00:20:38,940 Now, stop. 456 00:20:38,940 --> 00:20:40,940 If your prayer begins by thanking God 457 00:20:40,940 --> 00:20:42,940 that you're better than other people, 458 00:20:42,940 --> 00:20:44,940 you're doing it wrong. 459 00:20:44,940 --> 00:20:50,940 Dear God, do you see these people? 460 00:20:50,940 --> 00:20:52,940 You ever scroll through social media, 461 00:20:52,940 --> 00:20:53,940 and you're like, dear God, 462 00:20:53,940 --> 00:21:00,940 I thank you, I'm not like them. 463 00:21:00,940 --> 00:21:01,940 That is not the heart of Christ, 464 00:21:01,940 --> 00:21:06,940 that's the heart of the Pharisee. 465 00:21:06,940 --> 00:21:08,940 I thank you that I'm not like other people. 466 00:21:08,940 --> 00:21:14,940 Cheaters, sinners, adulterers. 467 00:21:14,940 --> 00:21:16,940 Here this man is, and he's praying out loud. 468 00:21:16,940 --> 00:21:21,940 Now imagine you're like, just like at church that day. 469 00:21:21,940 --> 00:21:24,940 And you're like, oh, jeez, this guy again. 470 00:21:24,940 --> 00:21:25,940 And he gets up and he's praying, 471 00:21:25,940 --> 00:21:27,940 and he's like, dear God, I thank you that I'm... 472 00:21:27,940 --> 00:21:29,940 And as he's praying, we're about to find out 473 00:21:29,940 --> 00:21:30,940 that the tax collector is in the corner, 474 00:21:30,940 --> 00:21:31,940 and he's praying. 475 00:21:31,940 --> 00:21:33,940 And so he's praying, dear God, I thank you, 476 00:21:33,940 --> 00:21:36,940 I'm not like other people. 477 00:21:36,940 --> 00:21:38,940 Cheaters, well, tax collectors, 478 00:21:38,940 --> 00:21:41,940 cheated people for their living. 479 00:21:41,940 --> 00:21:45,940 Sinners, well, of course they were a sinner. 480 00:21:45,940 --> 00:21:48,940 Adulterers, what they often spent their money on 481 00:21:48,940 --> 00:21:51,940 was sexually explicit things. 482 00:21:51,940 --> 00:21:53,940 I'm not like other people, cheaters, 483 00:21:53,940 --> 00:21:55,940 and sinners, and adulterers. 484 00:21:55,940 --> 00:21:57,940 And listen to the rest of his prayer. 485 00:21:57,940 --> 00:21:58,940 How arrogant. 486 00:21:58,940 --> 00:22:02,940 I am certainly not like that tax collector. 487 00:22:02,940 --> 00:22:06,940 He calls him out publicly in the prayer. 488 00:22:06,940 --> 00:22:11,940 Dear God, I want to thank you, I'm not like him. 489 00:22:11,940 --> 00:22:15,940 Wow. 490 00:22:15,940 --> 00:22:21,940 And then he begins to list off all of his accomplishments. 491 00:22:21,940 --> 00:22:23,940 I fast twice a week. 492 00:22:23,940 --> 00:22:26,940 I give you a tenth of my income. 493 00:22:26,940 --> 00:22:28,940 Can I just stop and say that if you have to 494 00:22:28,940 --> 00:22:30,940 constantly list off your accomplishments 495 00:22:30,940 --> 00:22:37,940 to God, yourself, or others, you might have a problem. 496 00:22:37,940 --> 00:22:42,940 An arrogant, prideful issue. 497 00:22:42,940 --> 00:22:45,940 By the way, is it good to fast? 498 00:22:45,940 --> 00:22:46,940 Yeah, it's in the Bible. 499 00:22:46,940 --> 00:22:48,940 Is it good to give a tithe? 500 00:22:48,940 --> 00:22:49,940 Sure, it's in the Bible. 501 00:22:49,940 --> 00:22:55,940 But what is this man doing? 502 00:22:55,940 --> 00:22:58,940 He's measuring himself. 503 00:22:58,940 --> 00:23:00,940 And he feels pretty good. 504 00:23:00,940 --> 00:23:03,940 Hey, I began the sermon by asking for two volunteers. 505 00:23:03,940 --> 00:23:04,940 All right? 506 00:23:04,940 --> 00:23:05,940 I'm going to have those two volunteers 507 00:23:05,940 --> 00:23:06,940 come to the platform at this time. 508 00:23:06,940 --> 00:23:07,940 Give them a round of applause. 509 00:23:07,940 --> 00:23:09,940 Both of our volunteers are on their way 510 00:23:09,940 --> 00:23:12,940 to the platform at this time. 511 00:23:12,940 --> 00:23:15,940 Fantastic, great, good, awesome, wonderful. 512 00:23:15,940 --> 00:23:16,940 All right, very good. 513 00:23:16,940 --> 00:23:18,940 Yeah, there we go. 514 00:23:18,940 --> 00:23:20,940 Hey, can we go ahead and use the blue mic here? 515 00:23:20,940 --> 00:23:21,940 Can we get that on? 516 00:23:21,940 --> 00:23:22,940 Thanks, guys. 517 00:23:22,940 --> 00:23:24,940 All right, come on over. 518 00:23:24,940 --> 00:23:26,940 I want you to begin by introducing yourself. 519 00:23:26,940 --> 00:23:27,940 Come on over. 520 00:23:27,940 --> 00:23:28,940 Here we go. 521 00:23:28,940 --> 00:23:30,940 You are a tall drink of water, as they say. 522 00:23:30,940 --> 00:23:31,940 Stand back over here. 523 00:23:31,940 --> 00:23:32,940 Not so close. 524 00:23:32,940 --> 00:23:33,940 All right. 525 00:23:33,940 --> 00:23:34,940 Hey, buddy, good to see you, buddy. 526 00:23:34,940 --> 00:23:35,940 Stand over here. 527 00:23:35,940 --> 00:23:36,940 All right, yeah, stand right here. 528 00:23:36,940 --> 00:23:37,940 Yeah, please stand up. 529 00:23:37,940 --> 00:23:38,940 All right. 530 00:23:38,940 --> 00:23:39,940 All right, stand over here. 531 00:23:39,940 --> 00:23:40,940 Stand over here. 532 00:23:40,940 --> 00:23:41,940 All right, very good. 533 00:23:41,940 --> 00:23:42,940 It's been pasteurized. 534 00:23:42,940 --> 00:23:43,940 Okay. 535 00:23:43,940 --> 00:23:45,940 I knew this was the right decision. 536 00:23:45,940 --> 00:23:48,940 He just said he's been pasteurized. 537 00:23:48,940 --> 00:23:53,940 No, you're not for that. 538 00:23:53,940 --> 00:23:54,940 It wasn't good. 539 00:23:54,940 --> 00:23:55,940 You don't even have a mic yet. 540 00:23:55,940 --> 00:23:56,940 Hold on. 541 00:23:56,940 --> 00:23:58,940 This is going to be fun. 542 00:23:58,940 --> 00:23:59,940 Okay, introduce yourself. 543 00:23:59,940 --> 00:24:01,940 My name is Frank. 544 00:24:01,940 --> 00:24:03,940 I'm from Las Vegas. 545 00:24:03,940 --> 00:24:04,940 There we go. 546 00:24:04,940 --> 00:24:05,940 There we go. 547 00:24:05,940 --> 00:24:08,940 And how tall are you? 548 00:24:08,940 --> 00:24:09,940 6'4", 6'5". 549 00:24:09,940 --> 00:24:13,940 6'4", 6'5", somewhere in between. 550 00:24:13,940 --> 00:24:17,940 Very good. 551 00:24:17,940 --> 00:24:18,940 Introduce yourself. 552 00:24:18,940 --> 00:24:19,940 It takes two hands to... 553 00:24:19,940 --> 00:24:20,940 Whatever you got to... 554 00:24:20,940 --> 00:24:21,940 I'm from Dock. 555 00:24:21,940 --> 00:24:24,940 I'm from Cali, but now I'm a Nevadian. 556 00:24:24,940 --> 00:24:25,940 California, ladies and gentlemen. 557 00:24:25,940 --> 00:24:26,940 Give them a round of applause. 558 00:24:26,940 --> 00:24:27,940 No, no, boo. 559 00:24:27,940 --> 00:24:28,940 Not to mention... 560 00:24:28,940 --> 00:24:29,940 But you converted to Nevada. 561 00:24:29,940 --> 00:24:30,940 I'm from Bassist, California. 562 00:24:30,940 --> 00:24:31,940 What's Calibassist? 563 00:24:31,940 --> 00:24:32,940 Oh, my God. 564 00:24:32,940 --> 00:24:36,940 There are Dashians living there. 565 00:24:36,940 --> 00:24:37,940 Oh, do they? 566 00:24:37,940 --> 00:24:38,940 Yeah. 567 00:24:38,940 --> 00:24:39,940 I didn't even know. 568 00:24:39,940 --> 00:24:40,940 My name is David Will Smith. 569 00:24:40,940 --> 00:24:41,940 You're next to David Will Smith. 570 00:24:41,940 --> 00:24:42,940 I'm not going to brag. 571 00:24:42,940 --> 00:24:43,940 Yeah, well, good. 572 00:24:43,940 --> 00:24:44,940 It's a sermon about pride. 573 00:24:44,940 --> 00:24:45,940 Yeah, there you go. 574 00:24:45,940 --> 00:24:46,940 So I'm not pride. 575 00:24:46,940 --> 00:24:47,940 It is what it is. 576 00:24:47,940 --> 00:24:48,940 Okay, head to God. 577 00:24:48,940 --> 00:24:49,940 Head to God. 578 00:24:49,940 --> 00:24:50,940 I'm sharp and not stupid. 579 00:24:50,940 --> 00:25:01,940 As I wrote this sermon, I literally thought to myself, I sure hope Doc volunteers. 580 00:25:01,940 --> 00:25:02,940 I really do. 581 00:25:02,940 --> 00:25:04,940 It would be so fun. 582 00:25:04,940 --> 00:25:05,940 Doc. 583 00:25:05,940 --> 00:25:06,940 Not Doc. 584 00:25:06,940 --> 00:25:07,940 Doc. 585 00:25:07,940 --> 00:25:08,940 I said Doc. 586 00:25:08,940 --> 00:25:09,940 Give me the mic. 587 00:25:09,940 --> 00:25:10,940 It's my word. 588 00:25:10,940 --> 00:25:11,940 All right. 589 00:25:11,940 --> 00:25:12,940 Okay. 590 00:25:12,940 --> 00:25:13,940 Now. 591 00:25:13,940 --> 00:25:14,940 Now. 592 00:25:14,940 --> 00:25:21,940 I want to just obviously say how much I love standing beside Doc. 593 00:25:21,940 --> 00:25:25,460 I look up to him. 594 00:25:25,460 --> 00:25:26,540 It's one of my favorite things. 595 00:25:26,540 --> 00:25:27,540 Every Sunday he'll come up. 596 00:25:27,540 --> 00:25:28,540 He'll give me a hug. 597 00:25:28,540 --> 00:25:29,540 We'll high five. 598 00:25:29,540 --> 00:25:34,540 You know, it's not, it's not, it's not time. 599 00:25:34,540 --> 00:25:38,940 Swear to you. 600 00:25:38,940 --> 00:25:39,940 Frank over here. 601 00:25:39,940 --> 00:25:40,940 My goodness. 602 00:25:40,940 --> 00:25:44,740 Don't you get enough attention? 603 00:25:44,740 --> 00:25:46,340 I mean, seriously, what's it like up there? 604 00:25:46,340 --> 00:25:47,540 Do you have better air? 605 00:25:47,540 --> 00:25:49,940 Yeah, it's two degrees cooler. 606 00:25:49,940 --> 00:25:52,540 I hate that man. 607 00:25:52,540 --> 00:25:55,740 Can't trust tall people. 608 00:25:55,740 --> 00:26:08,260 As much as I like standing beside Doc. 609 00:26:08,260 --> 00:26:11,020 This is not nearly as fun. 610 00:26:11,020 --> 00:26:16,740 I feel like a child about to be taken on a Disneyland ride with his dad. 611 00:26:16,740 --> 00:26:24,540 Give him a round of applause, ladies and gentlemen. 612 00:26:24,540 --> 00:26:27,340 They say, what's the issue, pastor? 613 00:26:27,340 --> 00:26:30,700 The past, the, the issue is this. 614 00:26:30,700 --> 00:26:38,540 Your pride and arrogance might be directly related to the individual you're comparing 615 00:26:38,540 --> 00:26:41,900 yourself to. 616 00:26:41,900 --> 00:26:45,180 The reason why you struggle with pride is because when you look around the world, you're 617 00:26:45,180 --> 00:26:51,020 like, I'm pretty good compared to them. 618 00:26:51,020 --> 00:26:52,860 I mean, look at what I've done. 619 00:26:52,860 --> 00:26:54,380 Look at what they've done. 620 00:26:54,380 --> 00:27:00,060 And so as you compare yourself and measure yourself to the wrong individual, your pride, 621 00:27:00,060 --> 00:27:07,140 the source of pride is this flattering comparison that you allow yourself to indulge when in 622 00:27:07,140 --> 00:27:15,580 reality who you should be comparing yourself to is not the lowest, but the highest who 623 00:27:15,580 --> 00:27:20,500 you should be comparing yourself is not the center, but the savior. 624 00:27:20,500 --> 00:27:25,740 When a Christian gets to a place where they start lining themselves up and comparing themselves 625 00:27:25,740 --> 00:27:31,420 to God, their entire world changes. 626 00:27:31,420 --> 00:27:33,620 Notice what happens in the second point. 627 00:27:33,620 --> 00:27:37,900 In the first point, how does God sand away this arrogance and pride? 628 00:27:37,900 --> 00:27:43,420 Well, he points out to us the source of our pride is flattering comparisons. 629 00:27:43,420 --> 00:27:48,220 Then he says the second thing he points out is the root of humility. 630 00:27:48,220 --> 00:27:59,220 And the root of humility is seeing God. 631 00:27:59,220 --> 00:28:04,420 Look at what happens here to the tax collector, verse 13. 632 00:28:04,420 --> 00:28:08,380 Of course, the Pharisee prayed, I'm so glad I'm not like one of these people. 633 00:28:08,380 --> 00:28:13,100 And then the tax collector prayed, and it says, the tax collector stood at a distance 634 00:28:13,100 --> 00:28:18,380 and he dared not even lift his eyes toward heaven as he prayed. 635 00:28:18,380 --> 00:28:24,660 Instead, he beat on his chest. 636 00:28:24,660 --> 00:28:36,740 And in sorrow he said, oh God, be merciful to me for I am a sinner. 637 00:28:36,740 --> 00:28:41,140 When was the last time that you got on your knees before God and you could not even look 638 00:28:41,140 --> 00:28:43,940 up into heaven? 639 00:28:43,940 --> 00:28:48,780 When was the last time out of a great sense of who he is and a great awareness of who 640 00:28:48,780 --> 00:28:56,220 you are that you only could cry out, holy, holy, holy is God, and I am a sinner who needs 641 00:28:56,220 --> 00:29:01,220 mercy and forgiveness? 642 00:29:01,220 --> 00:29:08,540 The source of your pride might be flattering comparisons, and the root of future humility 643 00:29:08,540 --> 00:29:14,340 might be seeing God in your life. 644 00:29:14,340 --> 00:29:16,300 I'm not saying get humble today. 645 00:29:16,300 --> 00:29:23,500 I'm saying spend time with God and you will be humbled. 646 00:29:23,500 --> 00:29:29,820 Look at what Jesus says, I tell you this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified 647 00:29:29,820 --> 00:29:36,220 before God, for those who have exalted themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves 648 00:29:36,220 --> 00:29:41,940 will be exalted. 649 00:29:41,940 --> 00:29:46,180 Don't you understand what I want for you? 650 00:29:46,180 --> 00:29:52,740 What I want for you is for your prayers to be answered. 651 00:29:52,740 --> 00:30:00,260 And the Bible says that God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. 652 00:30:00,260 --> 00:30:03,420 Could it be possible that you've been seeking God and you've been praying for this and you've 653 00:30:03,420 --> 00:30:04,420 been praying? 654 00:30:04,420 --> 00:30:07,140 I just feel like my prayers just don't go before God. 655 00:30:07,140 --> 00:30:13,900 They might not, because if you're filled with arrogance and pride, God is actively resisting 656 00:30:13,900 --> 00:30:17,020 you. 657 00:30:17,020 --> 00:30:23,940 But if you humble yourself by seeing who God is and who you are and you bow before him 658 00:30:23,940 --> 00:30:26,940 in prayer, God gives grace to the humble. 659 00:30:26,940 --> 00:30:31,580 You see, when somebody stands before God and says, I'll do what I want, you get nothing. 660 00:30:31,580 --> 00:30:36,100 But when you get on your knees before God and say, I want to do what you want, he lifts 661 00:30:36,100 --> 00:30:38,940 you up and gives you what you need. 662 00:30:38,940 --> 00:30:44,460 Arrogance, pride, versus humility, and answered prayer. 663 00:30:44,460 --> 00:30:47,580 See he clearly, this man, what was the difference? 664 00:30:47,580 --> 00:30:49,220 Here's what I believe happened. 665 00:30:49,220 --> 00:30:56,300 I believe this tax collector clearly had an interaction with God. 666 00:30:56,300 --> 00:30:59,780 Offscreen, it's not told in the story. 667 00:30:59,780 --> 00:31:01,280 How did he get so humble? 668 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:06,580 It was probably the same way that Isaiah felt when Isaiah stood before God. 669 00:31:06,580 --> 00:31:09,780 The prophet Isaiah was a good man, but then he stood before God and Isaiah got on his 670 00:31:09,780 --> 00:31:11,180 knees and said, well, it was me. 671 00:31:11,180 --> 00:31:15,220 I am a man that is unclean with unclean lips. 672 00:31:15,220 --> 00:31:19,180 Ezekiel, Ezekiel chapter one, Ezekiel, the prophet stands before God. 673 00:31:19,180 --> 00:31:24,300 And the first thing that happens is he falls on his face and he says, you're holy, I'm 674 00:31:24,300 --> 00:31:25,300 not. 675 00:31:25,300 --> 00:31:29,900 All of Israel did this when they arrived at Mount Sinai and the voice of God came out. 676 00:31:29,900 --> 00:31:33,060 And they saw God, they bowed before him. 677 00:31:33,060 --> 00:31:38,180 The same thing happens in the book of Revelation when the apostle John finally sees God in his 678 00:31:38,180 --> 00:31:39,820 glory in the throne room. 679 00:31:39,820 --> 00:31:45,620 He falls on his face and says, you are God, I am not. 680 00:31:45,620 --> 00:31:55,740 This is how humility is obtained, not by trying harder, but by seeing God. 681 00:31:55,740 --> 00:32:02,220 Once you've seen God, once you've seen God, this is what happens. 682 00:32:02,220 --> 00:32:06,340 You'll despise no one. 683 00:32:06,340 --> 00:32:08,380 You remember how the story begins? 684 00:32:08,380 --> 00:32:12,860 Jesus was going to tell a story to those, oh, hey, thank you, does it sound like I need 685 00:32:12,860 --> 00:32:13,860 water? 686 00:32:13,860 --> 00:32:16,740 Give this man a round of applause up here helping out. 687 00:32:16,740 --> 00:32:19,140 Wow, thank you. 688 00:32:19,140 --> 00:32:22,700 Do you remember how the story begins in verse nine? 689 00:32:22,700 --> 00:32:27,900 This was going to tell a story to those who had confidence in themselves and despised 690 00:32:27,900 --> 00:32:29,380 everybody else. 691 00:32:29,380 --> 00:32:32,740 Do you know what happens when you see God? 692 00:32:32,740 --> 00:32:36,020 You see God for who he is, you see you for who you are. 693 00:32:36,020 --> 00:32:40,140 You don't have time to despise everybody else. 694 00:32:40,140 --> 00:32:41,940 You know what else happens? 695 00:32:41,940 --> 00:32:47,140 You'll start valuing mercy more than accomplishment. 696 00:32:47,140 --> 00:32:50,900 Instead of you constantly saying about how great you are, you'll just be like, man, I'm 697 00:32:50,900 --> 00:32:54,500 sure God, glad God's been merciful to me. 698 00:32:54,500 --> 00:32:57,500 I'm sure glad God's been good to me. 699 00:32:57,500 --> 00:33:05,180 And when you see God, you'll start to be crafted into his masterpiece. 700 00:33:05,180 --> 00:33:06,300 He's chipping away. 701 00:33:06,300 --> 00:33:07,620 He's cutting you down. 702 00:33:07,620 --> 00:33:13,620 He's sanding you and making you into what God wanted you to be. 703 00:33:13,620 --> 00:33:21,660 So I arrived at the coffee shop in my suit and tie, white pressed shirt, beautifully 704 00:33:21,660 --> 00:33:24,300 dimpled tie, perfect. 705 00:33:24,300 --> 00:33:27,860 The whole time I'm thinking God helped me to be an example to these men who might not 706 00:33:27,860 --> 00:33:31,540 know you, pastors of other churches. 707 00:33:31,540 --> 00:33:36,420 I opened up the door with my briefcase because at that point I thought pastors should use 708 00:33:36,420 --> 00:33:40,100 briefcases like attorneys. 709 00:33:40,100 --> 00:33:44,420 I walked inside, sat down with those pastors. 710 00:33:44,420 --> 00:33:48,260 Now I got to tell you, if you're a funny person, I'm sure if you're one of those pastors, 711 00:33:48,260 --> 00:33:53,380 you could think of a thousand different jokes to give at that moment. 712 00:33:53,380 --> 00:33:57,700 And for me telling the story, putting in a joke right now would be a perfect moment, 713 00:33:57,700 --> 00:34:00,420 but they didn't joke with me. 714 00:34:00,420 --> 00:34:04,300 They just said, hey, Josh, we are so glad you're here. 715 00:34:04,300 --> 00:34:06,860 Thank you for spending time with us and honoring us with your presence. 716 00:34:06,860 --> 00:34:10,140 I'll never forget, and it hit me. 717 00:34:10,140 --> 00:34:13,460 It struck me. 718 00:34:13,460 --> 00:34:15,220 We sat down and we read a Bible verse. 719 00:34:15,220 --> 00:34:17,420 They opened their Bibles. 720 00:34:17,420 --> 00:34:21,420 This is before everybody had Bibles on the app, you know. 721 00:34:21,420 --> 00:34:24,500 And I opened mine, my big King James. 722 00:34:24,500 --> 00:34:25,500 I interrupted. 723 00:34:25,500 --> 00:34:28,500 I said, could we read out of the King James, do you mind? 724 00:34:28,500 --> 00:34:35,380 Because I wanted them to know what a real Bible was. 725 00:34:35,380 --> 00:34:40,980 When we spent time in prayer, I can remember specifically looking around and thinking about 726 00:34:40,980 --> 00:34:44,740 what they were actually wearing. 727 00:34:44,740 --> 00:34:47,620 I remember looking around thinking, I cannot believe a pastor in the community is wearing 728 00:34:47,620 --> 00:34:52,380 a t-shirt and shorts. 729 00:34:52,380 --> 00:34:58,020 While they were talking to God about my problems, I was thinking about what they were wearing 730 00:34:58,020 --> 00:35:03,380 on the outside. 731 00:35:03,380 --> 00:35:08,620 If you come from very pharisaical background, it's really hard for you to stop thinking 732 00:35:08,620 --> 00:35:13,820 about what everybody else is doing. 733 00:35:13,820 --> 00:35:18,620 I remember even as they prayed, I remember thinking, you hear they pray, God, you hear 734 00:35:18,620 --> 00:35:19,620 that? 735 00:35:19,620 --> 00:35:22,260 I mean, it's just so emotive and so much emotion. 736 00:35:22,260 --> 00:35:25,100 And like, who are they trying to impress here? 737 00:35:25,100 --> 00:35:29,980 I'm literally judging their prayers. 738 00:35:29,980 --> 00:35:36,340 When I left burdened, God helped me to save these men. 739 00:35:36,340 --> 00:35:40,620 And I genuinely thought if I could save one of the men, I could actually save an entire 740 00:35:40,620 --> 00:35:41,620 church. 741 00:35:41,620 --> 00:35:43,780 I mean, that's a big catch for Jesus. 742 00:35:43,780 --> 00:35:45,820 You think I'm joking? 743 00:35:45,820 --> 00:35:49,280 That's exactly what I thought. 744 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:56,780 And it took about six months of patience and kindness and grace on their behalf that I 745 00:35:56,780 --> 00:36:00,740 was in my own personal devotion spending time with Jesus because I did love Jesus even though 746 00:36:00,740 --> 00:36:02,820 I was an arrogant jerk. 747 00:36:02,820 --> 00:36:04,260 And I was reading the Gospels. 748 00:36:04,260 --> 00:36:07,320 I'm not sure if it was Luke 18, but somewhere in the Gospels. 749 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:11,020 And for the very first time, the God of the Holy Spirit said to me this. 750 00:36:11,020 --> 00:36:14,620 He said, you are not one of the disciples. 751 00:36:14,620 --> 00:36:18,540 You're one of the Pharisees. 752 00:36:18,540 --> 00:36:23,540 It was as clear in my soul as anything I'd ever heard. 753 00:36:23,540 --> 00:36:26,740 And for years, I'd always read the Gospels thinking, look at how I'm one of the disciples. 754 00:36:26,740 --> 00:36:30,020 And God was like, nope, you're a Pharisee. 755 00:36:30,020 --> 00:36:31,580 And it broke my heart. 756 00:36:31,580 --> 00:36:34,420 And I began to cry and I began to call out to God. 757 00:36:34,420 --> 00:36:41,660 And I began to allow God to humble me because for the first time I had seen God for who 758 00:36:41,660 --> 00:36:43,580 He was. 759 00:36:43,580 --> 00:36:46,220 And I began to see me for who I really was. 760 00:36:46,220 --> 00:36:49,940 Does this make sense? 761 00:36:49,940 --> 00:36:52,780 That was so helpful for my life. 762 00:36:52,780 --> 00:37:00,300 And maybe this sermon is one of those moments in your life to help you see God and bring 763 00:37:00,300 --> 00:37:09,980 about a sense of genuine humility by asking, if I'm so great, to whom am I measuring myself 764 00:37:09,980 --> 00:37:10,980 against? 765 00:37:10,980 --> 00:37:13,820 Thank you for watching the Southern Hills YouTube channel. 766 00:37:13,820 --> 00:37:18,940 Make sure you subscribe and hit the bell icon to be notified every time we make a new video. 767 00:37:18,940 --> 00:37:22,420 And remember, we exist to make disciples for Jesus Christ. 768 00:37:22,420 --> 00:37:23,420 Have a great week. 769 00:37:23,420 --> 00:37:52,420 Peace.