1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,760 The new sermon series is entitled Apocalypse Now. 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:05,080 That's the new sermon series. 3 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:06,800 It starts next week and you're gonna see 4 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,400 that it's actually a sequel to this sermon series 5 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,200 and it comes right in right after the next verse 6 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:14,720 that we're gonna be studying today. 7 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:16,120 But for those who have been here for a while, 8 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,920 you know right now we are in the final sermon 9 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,440 of a four week sermon series entitled Religion. 10 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:22,840 It's not what he wanted. 11 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,680 Where Jesus has interactions, conversations, arguments 12 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:28,440 with the religious leaders of his day. 13 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,240 And as he has these interactions and arguments, 14 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,240 Jesus addresses the aspect of religion 15 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:36,320 versus a relationship with God 16 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,000 through the one and only Son, Jesus Christ. 17 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,640 And today's sermon is entitled The Scribes. 18 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:44,200 The Scribes. 19 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:48,600 What is religion itself? 20 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,000 If we're gonna be talking so negatively about religion, 21 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,200 as I opened up the entire sermon series 22 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,880 by giving a clear definition of what religion is, 23 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,600 I wanna summarize it and I wanna specify it. 24 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,960 I wanna get very, very intricate as it relates to 25 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,120 what I mean by religion in common vernacular. 26 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:07,720 And here's what we mean. 27 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:08,560 Religion. 28 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,160 My way to happiness, 29 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:16,520 my way to heaven. 30 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:19,120 Religion. 31 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,400 My way to happiness, my way to heaven. 32 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,120 God says I am the way, the truth and the life. 33 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:26,640 No man goes to the Father but by me. 34 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,000 But mankind says thank you very much Jesus 35 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,680 but I'm gonna determine my own way to heaven 36 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,200 and my own way to happiness. 37 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,720 Anybody here ever heard of the name Michael Bloomberg? 38 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,160 Anybody here of Michael Bloomberg? 39 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:41,320 If you raise your hand, how many of you? 40 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:42,720 All right, Michael Bloomberg, he's a, 41 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:44,760 oh, lots of opinions about, 42 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:48,040 seems like some of you are very opinionated about my, 43 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:48,960 are you from New York? 44 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:49,960 Somebody, no? 45 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:51,800 All right, Michael Bloomberg was the mayor 46 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,320 of New York City for many, many years. 47 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,520 I think he's still around, I'm not sure. 48 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,160 But Michael Bloomberg was one day asked 49 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,000 about all of the political accomplishments 50 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,920 that he's been working on. 51 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,000 And I guess that he was able to pass a lot of laws 52 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:07,560 that he believed were really good 53 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,480 for the people of New York City. 54 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:10,560 And I thought it was interesting 55 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:12,360 because he was asked specifically 56 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,240 about his political accomplishments 57 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,600 and this was his quote, he said this. 58 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:22,960 I am telling you, if there is a God when I get to heaven, 59 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,280 I am not stopping to be interviewed. 60 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:30,000 I am heading straight in because I have earned my place 61 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,960 in heaven, it's not even close. 62 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:36,960 That is a big statement. 63 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:45,200 That is very bold. 64 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,560 I've heard politicians say some weird stuff. 65 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,680 But let me say it again so you understand. 66 00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:58,680 I am telling you, if there is a God when I get to heaven, 67 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,120 I am not stopping to be interviewed. 68 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:02,840 I am heading straight in. 69 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,200 I have earned my place in heaven. 70 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:06,560 It's not even close. 71 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,280 That is, that's religion. 72 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:16,200 That is the essence of religion. 73 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:17,800 Now you might say, well, Michael Bloomberg 74 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:19,000 is not a very religious person. 75 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:21,440 Oh friend, that's the big misunderstanding 76 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:23,280 that many people have about the world. 77 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,160 Just because he doesn't go to a religious ceremony 78 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:27,680 doesn't make him not religious. 79 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:32,680 He is deeply invested in the religion of my way to heaven 80 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:34,600 and my way to happiness. 81 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,640 Every single person you know is religious. 82 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,160 They just follow different religions. 83 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,640 Some of it's hedonism, some of it's secularism, 84 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:46,120 some of it's materialism, 85 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,040 some of it's Democrat party, 86 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:49,280 some of it's Republican party. 87 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,640 By the way, I find both of the parties interesting 88 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:53,720 because if you were to interview the politicians 89 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,880 from both sides, I guarantee there would be very famous 90 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,000 politicians from both sides who would make the same argument. 91 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,080 I have made incredible laws and God is so impressed 92 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:05,680 with the laws I've made. 93 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,520 I don't need to stop at the gate to be interviewed by Peter. 94 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:09,520 I'm going straight in. 95 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:14,240 I have earned my place in heaven because of what I've done. 96 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,600 And it's interesting because many of their laws 97 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:19,720 contradict the other side's laws. 98 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:22,600 But this is humanity. 99 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,760 And so you have a choice when it comes to religion. 100 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,280 You actually can create your own religion for yourself. 101 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:32,360 A lot of people have done so throughout history. 102 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:33,760 You can create your own religion 103 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:35,240 and if you're a really good salesman, 104 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,800 you can actually convince people to follow your religion 105 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,480 or you can pick one of the pre-selected many hundreds 106 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:41,680 of religions that are out there 107 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:42,960 and you can follow one of them 108 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,360 but they all are doing exactly the same thing. 109 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,440 They're saying it's my way to heaven 110 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:51,440 and my way to happiness. 111 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:52,800 That's what religion does. 112 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:56,120 And it's corrupt because Jesus, 113 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:57,440 when he was asked about God, 114 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,840 he said there is only one way. 115 00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:01,400 I am the way, the truth and the life. 116 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:03,200 No man goes to the Father by me. 117 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:09,160 See the antidote to religion is a relationship with God 118 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,040 through his son, Jesus Christ. 119 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,280 Religion is not what he wanted. 120 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:17,120 What he wants a relationship with you 121 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,200 and the only way he can have that is through Jesus Christ. 122 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,360 And in this passage, he ends his conversations 123 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:24,360 with the religious leaders, 124 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,120 never to talk with them again throughout his life 125 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,020 and explains what is wrong with religion. 126 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:34,760 So what is wrong with the religion 127 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,520 in three words according to this passage? 128 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,560 We're gonna see three words that help describe 129 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:42,520 the rest of this interaction Jesus had 130 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:43,600 with the religious leaders. 131 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:45,440 Here's what's wrong with religion. 132 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,760 Number one, religion is irrational. 133 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:54,080 Religion number two is ridiculous. 134 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,460 And religion number three is harmful. 135 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:03,000 Religion is irrational, ridiculous and harmful. 136 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:04,800 All from the teachings of Jesus. 137 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:05,820 Let's go ahead and see. 138 00:06:05,820 --> 00:06:09,280 First and foremost, I would claim that religion is, 139 00:06:09,280 --> 00:06:12,960 as I've defined it, my way to God, my way to happiness. 140 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,320 It's absolutely irrational. 141 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,520 After three rational logical conversations 142 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,380 that Jesus had with the religious leaders of his day, 143 00:06:21,380 --> 00:06:24,000 they had nothing that they could say to Jesus. 144 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:25,320 They had no argument left. 145 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:26,880 Look at what he says in verse 39. 146 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,040 We pick up where we left off last week, 147 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:30,480 Luke 20 verse 39. 148 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,600 And some of the scribes, the religious leaders of the day, 149 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,240 answered Jesus and said, 150 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,460 teacher, you have spoken well. 151 00:06:37,460 --> 00:06:38,800 Rabbi, you did well. 152 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,000 You said exactly, there's nothing else we can say. 153 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,120 But after they had dared not question him anymore, 154 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,280 Jesus asked them a question. 155 00:06:47,280 --> 00:06:50,600 Jesus says in verse 41, so Jesus says to them, 156 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:52,280 here's a question I have for you. 157 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,200 How can they say that Christ is the son of David? 158 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,280 Now Jesus is the Christ. 159 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:01,440 He is the Messiah. 160 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:03,240 And he's saying of himself, 161 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,200 how is it that the Old Testament writers 162 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,040 could say that the son of David, 163 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,200 or that the Christ would be the son of David? 164 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,320 He's giving them a riddle. 165 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,960 Now David himself said in the book of Psalms, 166 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,560 the Lord said to my Lord, 167 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:21,640 sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. 168 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:25,680 Therefore, David calls him Lord. 169 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,960 How is he then his son? 170 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,600 Now that riddle may not mean as much to you, 171 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,280 living in the United States of America 2,000 years later, 172 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:39,320 but this was a heavy riddle for them. 173 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,240 And the reason it was because of the society 174 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:42,320 in which they were raised, 175 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,000 not just knowing about the Messiah, 176 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,240 not just memorizing the song that Jesus is quoting, 177 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:51,600 but because they lived in Palestine 2,000 years ago 178 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,760 in what we would refer to as an honor, shame society. 179 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,120 A society that was focused upon not shaming yourself, 180 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,080 not shaming your family, not shaming your community, 181 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:05,720 and giving honor to the people who deserve honor most. 182 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:07,840 It was a very big value to them. 183 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,480 And for a man in the days of antiquity 184 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:17,480 to call his son Lord made no sense at all. 185 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:22,240 It was taking honor and flipping it on its head. 186 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,880 It would have been one of the highly irreverent things 187 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:26,240 you could possibly do. 188 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:30,240 And so Jesus asked the question, here's a question. 189 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:34,320 How is it that David, who is the father of Christ, 190 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:36,680 calls Christ his Lord? 191 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:44,040 Now, two questions come to mind 192 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:45,880 when I look at this riddle from Jesus. 193 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:49,360 The first question is, why is he bringing up this point? 194 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:51,640 The conversation is already over. 195 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:53,440 Why does Jesus care? 196 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:54,720 Like literally, why doesn't Jesus, 197 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:58,040 these people have already proven they hate Jesus, 198 00:08:58,040 --> 00:08:59,800 they don't trust Jesus. 199 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:01,600 We've read argument after argument 200 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,120 from the Herodians and the Sadducees and the Pharisees. 201 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:05,240 You remember the Sadducees, right? 202 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:06,400 They didn't believe in the afterlife. 203 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:07,760 That's why they were... 204 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:09,120 Sadducees. 205 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:10,800 See, I told you you'd remember something. 206 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,720 I knew you, I knew you'd remember something. 207 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:16,560 And all these religious leaders have proven 208 00:09:16,560 --> 00:09:20,040 they hate Jesus, they want nothing to do with Jesus. 209 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,520 So why is Jesus bringing up this point? 210 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:28,520 The answer to that question is found 211 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,440 in the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Matthew. 212 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,560 You see, there are three, there's four gospels, 213 00:09:35,560 --> 00:09:39,320 that's the stories of Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 214 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,440 And three of those gospel accounts, 215 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:43,720 the stories of Jesus, Matthew, Mark and Luke 216 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,520 are called the synoptic gospels, meaning they rhyme, 217 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:49,560 they go along with each other. 218 00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:51,280 A lot of the same stories are found, 219 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:53,280 but they have different views of each story. 220 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:56,080 And so you can actually find extra content, 221 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:57,960 extra understanding, a different viewpoint 222 00:09:57,960 --> 00:09:59,760 of every story or most of the stories. 223 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:01,800 It's like extra DVD content 224 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,480 to understand how the scene plays out. 225 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:06,480 And when you look at this story in Luke, 226 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,360 it doesn't include specifically what Mark says 227 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,200 about the story and it tells us Jesus' motivation 228 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:13,640 for asking this question. 229 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,360 Mark chapter 12 and verse four, I'll put it on the screen. 230 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,080 It's verse 34, it says, 231 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:22,120 now when Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, 232 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:23,880 Jesus asked them a question. 233 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,720 Or Jesus said to him, you are not far 234 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:31,360 from the kingdom of God. 235 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,600 Why does Jesus ask this riddle? 236 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:40,520 Here's why, because he knew that there were some listening 237 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,680 that were this close to getting saved. 238 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:48,600 Yeah, it could be true that the majority 239 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:51,240 of those self-righteous religious leaders 240 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,080 were gonna die and go to hell, but not all of them. 241 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,680 And Jesus doesn't just care about the sinner, 242 00:10:56,680 --> 00:10:59,480 he cares about the self-righteous. 243 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:00,680 Let me ask you this question. 244 00:11:00,680 --> 00:11:03,240 Does Jesus love the sinner, yes or no? 245 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:04,080 Yes. 246 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,960 Does Jesus love the self-righteous religious leader 247 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:08,600 who thinks they're better than everybody else? 248 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:10,400 Does he, yes or no? 249 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:14,240 And so what Jesus does is he addresses one last question. 250 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:16,960 Maybe he could win over one last individual. 251 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:17,960 Why is this true? 252 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:19,800 Why is this important to understand? 253 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,200 Because he was holding out hope for the scribes. 254 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,080 See, among the people Jesus was talking to 255 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,320 in the temple that day, there were men 256 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:33,080 who were ready to get saved, perhaps in the group, 257 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:34,760 you know, who may have been in the group. 258 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:36,800 Maybe Nicodemus was there. 259 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:38,520 Remember Nicodemus? 260 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:40,280 Nicodemus, all the way back at the beginning 261 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,320 of Jesus' ministry, was a very important Pharisee, 262 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,920 a very important man, and he came to Jesus by night 263 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:47,880 and he talked with Jesus, and we're gonna find out 264 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:49,880 a few days later after Jesus does die 265 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:52,040 and is buried and rises from the grave, 266 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:54,200 Nicodemus is one of the ones who helped take Jesus 267 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:55,920 down from the cross. 268 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:58,320 It could be that Jesus keeps interacting with him 269 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,200 because he wants Nicodemus to get saved. 270 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,640 It could be, it could be not just Nicodemus, 271 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:04,440 there could be a man in the crowd called 272 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:07,680 Joseph of Arimathea, who's he? 273 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:13,920 Joseph of Arimathea was a very powerful religious leader 274 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,800 who was a member of the Sanhedrin. 275 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:19,720 Remember that court I talked about last week? 276 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,640 He was so powerful and so wealthy and so connected 277 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,880 and so religious, and maybe what Jesus was trying to do 278 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:27,920 is win him over. 279 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:31,080 It was Joseph of Arimathea who later on 280 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,120 would help take the body of Jesus down 281 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:38,120 and would take Jesus and bury him in his own tomb, 282 00:12:38,560 --> 00:12:40,040 the tomb of a wealthy man. 283 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,200 So maybe Jesus was interacting because of this. 284 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,640 It could be, it could be that Jesus was interacting 285 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:48,960 because there was a young Pharisee 286 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,640 that was listening to every word 287 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:54,480 that had been trained in the temple. 288 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:57,040 He was like the next generation of the Pharisees 289 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:58,240 that would lead the temple. 290 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:00,100 A young man who we would not meet 291 00:13:00,100 --> 00:13:02,120 for many, many years to come. 292 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,520 Does anybody know who this young Pharisee 293 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:06,280 who could have been right there in the crowd 294 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:07,400 listening to Jesus? 295 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:09,160 As Jesus said, I have a riddle for you, 296 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:10,360 a logical young man. 297 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:12,280 Anybody can think of who might have been in the crowd 298 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:13,920 in that moment, who was it? 299 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:16,520 Saul of Tarsus. 300 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:18,400 Who eventually becomes the apostle Paul 301 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,240 who writes much of the New Testament. 302 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,320 So the question is, why does Jesus interact 303 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:23,320 with these people who hate him? 304 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:24,960 And the answer is because some of them 305 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:26,080 might still get saved. 306 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,880 Jesus doesn't give up on people easily. 307 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:38,400 Neither should we. 308 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:44,920 Who is it in your life that has rejected Jesus Christ? 309 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:46,720 And you think, man, they're hopeless. 310 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:50,480 Maybe they're following their own religious way 311 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:52,720 to happiness, their own religious way to heaven. 312 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:54,520 And you think, man, they're never gonna be a believer. 313 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:55,600 Can I tell you this? 314 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,480 God says in Ezekiel chapter 33 in verse 11, 315 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:00,680 I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, 316 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:04,300 but that the wicked would turn from his way and live. 317 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:06,600 Maybe you're here today and you think, 318 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,800 well, if God hates me then let him damn me, friend. 319 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:11,240 God doesn't hate you. 320 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:12,200 He loves you. 321 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:16,040 And he has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. 322 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:19,160 There may be those who desire your harm. 323 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:20,880 God is not among them. 324 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,680 There may be those who desire your hurt. 325 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:25,080 God is not one of them. 326 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:26,200 God loves you. 327 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:27,240 He created you. 328 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,640 And he's wanting the best for you. 329 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,440 But what you must do in order to get from God his best 330 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,760 is you must give up your own way. 331 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,840 Way. 332 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:43,920 And for some of you, your own way is your way to heaven. 333 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:45,520 For some of you, you're already Christian, 334 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:46,760 but you don't wanna give up your own way. 335 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,760 Your religion is my own way to happiness. 336 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:55,480 I will not be happy unless I do it my way. 337 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,400 And God says, no, that door's closed, we're moving on. 338 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:03,200 And the question is, will you follow God's way, 339 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:07,720 or are you gonna backslide into your way? 340 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,520 2 Peter chapter three, verse nine says, 341 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:17,680 the Lord is long-suffering. 342 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:20,280 Long-suffering. 343 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:21,640 Say it with me. 344 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:22,960 Long-suffering. 345 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:25,560 Do you know what the word long-suffering means? 346 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:26,400 Does anybody know? 347 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:28,240 If you know, say it out loud. 348 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:29,240 I knew you'd say patience. 349 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:31,200 It means no to suffer long. 350 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:36,200 Long-suffering means that you suffer for a very long time 351 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:41,480 with somebody. 352 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:44,640 How many of you are married? 353 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:48,240 Can I, I'm just, I'm just, let me make my segue. 354 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:49,600 Let me make my segue. 355 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:52,960 You've put up with, they've put up with you 356 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:54,760 for a very long time, right? 357 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:56,640 Long-suffering. 358 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,440 It, you said patience, that's exactly what it means. 359 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,520 It means that God is patient with you. 360 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:04,880 I know what some of you are thinking, 361 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:07,520 man, God is just like at any moment ready to damn me. 362 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:09,320 I love this about God. 363 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,000 God is patient. 364 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:13,880 And whether he's patient with your sin 365 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,200 that you won't give up, or your own self-righteousness 366 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:18,360 that you're better than everybody else and you're a victim. 367 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:20,920 Look, your sin or self-righteousness, 368 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:23,440 God is sitting back saying, it's okay, I understand. 369 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:24,560 You're hurt right now. 370 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:25,880 I love you. 371 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,640 And he's not willing that any should perish. 372 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,360 He doesn't want your life to die and go to hell 373 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,480 or spiral out of control. 374 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:35,480 The Lord is not willing that any should perish, 375 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,840 but that all should come to repentance. 376 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:38,920 What is repentance? 377 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:42,680 He wants you to repent of your way 378 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:44,760 and say, God, your way is what I want. 379 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:46,920 That's what he wants. 380 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:48,920 So why is Jesus bringing up this point? 381 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:50,800 That's a good question, which we've addressed. 382 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:52,960 Number two, here's another question. 383 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:54,240 Who is Jesus? 384 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:57,440 That's the essence of what Jesus was getting at 385 00:16:57,440 --> 00:16:58,280 with this riddle. 386 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,960 To really get the Pharisees, the scribes, 387 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,080 the Sadducees, the Herodians to recognize him, 388 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:07,680 he needed them to understand who he was. 389 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:09,400 So the question is, who is Jesus? 390 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:10,240 Say it with me. 391 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:12,360 Who is Jesus? 392 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:15,480 The religious leaders believed that the Messiah 393 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:17,240 was the son of David. 394 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:18,080 They knew that. 395 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:19,120 Everybody knew that. 396 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,120 They believed him to be merely a man. 397 00:17:23,120 --> 00:17:24,120 The Messiah would be mere, 398 00:17:24,120 --> 00:17:26,080 they did not believe Messiah would be God. 399 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:29,440 They believed that Messiah would be merely a man, 400 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,720 a good man, the best of men, but still just a man. 401 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:36,600 And that's why the riddle is so fascinating 402 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:37,960 because in the book of Matthew, 403 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:39,640 the other account of this story, 404 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:41,760 Jesus sets up the question by saying, 405 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:43,280 while the Pharisees were gathered together, 406 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:44,720 Jesus asked the question saying, 407 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:46,400 what do you think about Christ? 408 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:47,840 What do you think about the Messiah? 409 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,000 Whose son is he? 410 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,360 And they said, oh, everybody knows that. 411 00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:57,280 The Messiah is gonna be the son of David. 412 00:17:57,280 --> 00:17:59,200 And so then Jesus quote took Psalm 413 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:01,680 that was written by David. 414 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:03,520 Psalm 110 verse one. 415 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,120 The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, 416 00:18:06,120 --> 00:18:09,360 that I make thy enemies thy footstool. 417 00:18:09,360 --> 00:18:13,560 So here is the riddle that Jesus gives them. 418 00:18:15,120 --> 00:18:19,640 David said about the Messiah, his own son, 419 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:20,640 you are my Lord. 420 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:22,760 You are my savior. 421 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:24,920 You are my king. 422 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:29,640 You are my God. 423 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,040 See, David believed that his own son would be Messiah, 424 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:37,240 king, Lord and God. 425 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:39,880 And that's the riddle. 426 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:43,040 That's why in Matthew, Jesus said it this way to them. 427 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:47,200 He said, if David then calls him Lord, 428 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:49,440 how is he only his son? 429 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,160 And no one was able to answer the question. 430 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:59,160 Jesus proved in that moment logically and rationally, 431 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:04,160 I am the Messiah, I am God, I am your Lord 432 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:06,160 and I am your king. 433 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:08,080 Nobody could argue with it. 434 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:11,000 So some of you might say, so they believed? 435 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:13,120 No. 436 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:16,520 Do you know why they did not believe? 437 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,520 Why they did not believe? 438 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:21,880 Because religion is irrational. 439 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:28,960 At this point, some of you are thinking, 440 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,480 if I just had all the rational reasons 441 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:33,760 to explain to my mother, my friend, my coworker, 442 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,120 my neighbor, if I had all the right answers 443 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:39,960 to just answer them back and I practice on social media 444 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,120 and make everybody know Christians are idiots, 445 00:19:42,120 --> 00:19:43,720 like this is what I do. 446 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:46,760 If I got all the right answers to argue the point, 447 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:50,160 then they will rationally and logically follow Jesus. 448 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,160 No, they won't because their religion is irrational. 449 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:57,120 Friend, listen, listen to me. 450 00:19:57,120 --> 00:20:02,120 Your way to happiness, your way to God, 451 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,240 it makes no sense for you to try to find your own way 452 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,240 and here's why, because you're not God. 453 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:10,640 And we could give all the rational and logical reasons 454 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,280 in the world to help you follow Christ 455 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,880 and get to God through Christ, 456 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:18,560 but the rationale and logic doesn't need to happen for you 457 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:19,880 because it's irrational. 458 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:21,440 See, the problem with these people 459 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:24,840 that Jesus was talking about was not rational, logical talk. 460 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,920 It was the fact that they would have to give up 461 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,680 everything to follow Jesus 462 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,120 and they were not willing to do it. 463 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:41,400 Think about it, think about Nicodemus. 464 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,160 You remember Nicodemus in the middle of the night? 465 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:45,520 Sitting over a candle talking to Jesus? 466 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:50,080 Jesus is explaining to him how to be born again, 467 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:52,960 yet Nicodemus is not a believer yet. 468 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,240 It takes him years of watching following Jesus 469 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:00,640 to become a believer and follower of Jesus. 470 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:01,680 Why? 471 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:04,320 Because when Nicodemus becomes a follower of Jesus, 472 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,440 he has to give up his job, he has to give up his home, 473 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:10,280 he has to give up his family, he has to give up his children, 474 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:12,880 he has to give up his wife, he has to give up, 475 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,120 everything to follow Jesus. 476 00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:18,200 Think about Joseph of Arimathea, 477 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,760 one of the most powerful men in the city. 478 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:23,240 Joseph, to actually believe in Jesus, 479 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:26,000 means that he has to turn his back on everything. 480 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:29,040 So it's not about give me a logical reason, 481 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:33,720 it's about the fact that I have to give up everything I am. 482 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,200 And that's exactly what Jesus wants you to give up. 483 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,880 He wants, for some of you, you have to give up your job 484 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:43,160 to follow Jesus. 485 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:45,640 For some of you, you have to give up your identity 486 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:47,880 to follow Jesus. 487 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,320 For some of you, you have to give up your friends 488 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:52,560 to follow Jesus. 489 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,920 Here's what Jesus is doing, he's offering you heaven 490 00:21:59,920 --> 00:22:03,360 if you haven't been saved, or if you have been saved, 491 00:22:03,360 --> 00:22:05,160 he's offering you happiness, 492 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:10,160 but to get it, you have to let go of all your way. 493 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:15,040 And say, okay, I don't have a way, what do you got? 494 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:18,400 And then he's gonna send you down a path 495 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:20,160 that you were not expecting, why? 496 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,400 Here's why, because rationally and logically, 497 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:24,960 you don't know where you're going. 498 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:29,400 Real quick question, when I ask the question, 499 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,040 you say, what do you mean I don't know where I'm going? 500 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:32,360 You're not God, he is. 501 00:22:32,360 --> 00:22:34,400 Now I'm assuming that you're not God, 502 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:36,840 now I'm assuming, I'm gonna ask the question, 503 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,360 and it's a dangerous question for me to ask in Las Vegas. 504 00:22:39,360 --> 00:22:41,480 Is there anybody here that claims to be 505 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:43,640 the God of heaven who created all things? 506 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:45,000 Anybody here is like, that's me, 507 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:46,720 I'm the God of heaven who created all things, 508 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:47,800 usher's be ready. 509 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:55,520 Anybody here who is God, omnipotent, omniscient, 510 00:22:55,520 --> 00:23:00,320 omnipresent, okay, so you're not God, he is, that's the point. 511 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:04,720 It is totally irrational for you to create your own way 512 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:06,600 to happiness and your own way to heaven, 513 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:10,680 when God says, how about I send my son to save your soul 514 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:13,840 and give you a new path, his way. 515 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:16,680 Religion is irrational, friend. 516 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:19,880 Whether you create your own or you find one of the old ones, 517 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:22,920 with the eight-fold path of enlightenment 518 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:25,440 or the five pillars or the 10 commandments 519 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:30,440 or whatever religion you wanna create, it's irrational. 520 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:34,120 Number two, what's wrong with religion 521 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:37,120 as the story continues, is religion is not only irrational. 522 00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:39,440 Number two, we're gonna see it's ridiculous. 523 00:23:40,360 --> 00:23:41,360 It's ridiculous. 524 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:44,360 Religion in and of itself is really funny 525 00:23:44,360 --> 00:23:47,240 and it's interesting whenever, well, look at what it says 526 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:50,400 in verse 45, then in the hearing of all the people, 527 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:52,600 Jesus said to his disciples, okay, now picture it, 528 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:54,720 remember Jesus is still there in the temple, 529 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:56,320 all of the people are surrounding him, 530 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,440 he's been arguing all day with the Pharisees, 531 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:01,560 the Sadducees, the Herodians, he's talking to the scribes, 532 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:03,360 and now they're done asking questions 533 00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:05,520 and Jesus is done talking to them. 534 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,920 So now he says out loud in front of them, 535 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:13,200 he says to his disciples, beware of those people, 536 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,440 beware of the scribes who desire, 537 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,800 who desire to go around in long robes. 538 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:23,760 They love the greetings in the marketplace, 539 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,960 hello rabbi, rabbi, hello rabbi, rabbi, hello pastor, 540 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,960 hello pastor, hello father. 541 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:34,280 There's people that's what excites them. 542 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:37,680 That's the religious hypocrite, the leader. 543 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,400 They love to go around in long robes, 544 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:43,920 they love the greetings in the marketplace, 545 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:48,920 they love the best seats at the synagogues or the churches, 546 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:51,000 they love the best places at the feasts, 547 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:54,480 however, they devour widow's houses, 548 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:56,480 more on that in a moment. 549 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,680 And for a pretense, they make long prayers. 550 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,640 Have you ever known somebody to pray, 551 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:07,520 but they were not really talking to God, 552 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:09,160 they were talking about God to you 553 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:10,120 in front of a group of people? 554 00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:10,960 Have you ever heard somebody pray, 555 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:14,360 oh, Father, we're talking about the name. 556 00:25:14,360 --> 00:25:17,200 God who created the heavens and the earth 557 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:22,200 and all that is in there in me and in thine heart 558 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:25,200 and soul and mind. 559 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,280 Super color fraudulistic, expilator. 560 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:32,120 Yeah. 561 00:25:34,120 --> 00:25:35,320 They don't know what they're saying. 562 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:36,320 They're not talking to God. 563 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:37,720 Do you know what it is to pray? 564 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:39,080 To pray you go to God and say, 565 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:40,920 Father, I got a problem. 566 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:41,760 I got a problem. 567 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,560 I need your help. 568 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:46,560 But for a pretense, they make long prayers 569 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,400 and then it says they will receive the greater damnation. 570 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:53,960 They do all this and they're gonna go to hell 571 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:55,600 worse than you're going to hell. 572 00:25:58,400 --> 00:25:59,760 More on that soon. 573 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:07,200 Special perks, silly rules and suitable damnation. 574 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:09,040 That's what religion is. 575 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:11,920 Special perks, silly rules, suitable. 576 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:12,760 It is ridiculous. 577 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:14,160 You say, what do you mean long robes? 578 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:15,000 Are you kidding me? 579 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:16,360 This is what religion does. 580 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:22,880 Let's get a bigger hat than the next guy. 581 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:23,880 Let's get a longer robe. 582 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:25,640 Let's look more holy. 583 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:26,880 Let's look more religious. 584 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:28,640 Now some of you are just catching up. 585 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:29,760 Some of you are like, wait a second. 586 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:33,480 He's making, I think he's making fun of religion. 587 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:34,320 Correct. 588 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,240 Well, I think I'm offended. 589 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:38,240 Perfect, perfect. 590 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:40,640 Because now what we're doing is we are reflecting 591 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:42,640 exactly what happened in the text. 592 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:44,840 The religious people are offended 593 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,160 because Jesus is pointing out the ridiculous nature 594 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:48,000 of what they do. 595 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:50,000 It's ridiculous. 596 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:54,360 The rules are silly. 597 00:26:54,360 --> 00:26:56,840 By the way, humans are great at creating silly rules, 598 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:57,680 aren't we? 599 00:26:57,680 --> 00:26:58,520 We're not. 600 00:26:58,520 --> 00:26:59,360 We're not. 601 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:00,200 We're not. 602 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:01,040 We're not. 603 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:01,880 We're not. 604 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:02,720 We're not. 605 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,160 We're not creating silly rules, aren't we? 606 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:08,160 Not only for religion, but for local. 607 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:09,760 Here's the thing that humans love to do. 608 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:12,080 We love to create rules for other humans. 609 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:14,960 Don't we love to do that? 610 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:16,480 For example, in Alabama, did you know 611 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:20,280 bear matches are prohibited by law? 612 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:21,280 Bear wrestling. 613 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,080 You're not allowed to wrestle a bear in Alabama. 614 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,440 Hey, if I want to wrestle a bear, 615 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:28,600 I certainly probably am from Alabama. 616 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:31,880 It's a joke. 617 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:35,080 And it's one that's gonna give me a whole night 618 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:35,920 in the garage. 619 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:37,240 I'll tell you that right now. 620 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:41,400 Did you know in South Dakota, 621 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:44,040 they tell legal to fall asleep in a cheese factory? 622 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:48,640 Now, of all the rules I'm gonna share with you, 623 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:50,000 I'm probably for that one. 624 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:51,160 I'm not sure why. 625 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:57,240 In Arkansas, it's against the law to honk a car horn 626 00:27:57,240 --> 00:28:02,240 at a sandwich shop after 9 p.m. I wanna know the story 627 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:04,480 behind that. 628 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:09,160 There's a sandwich owner shop, shop owner. 629 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,800 This is like four years of his life to get that done. 630 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:14,520 You know what I mean? 631 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:15,920 This is dead before God. 632 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:17,640 You know about the law and the thing? 633 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:18,640 I did that too. 634 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:20,880 I love this. 635 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:21,720 Do you know Alaska? 636 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:24,240 Flamingo owners, if you own a flamingo, 637 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:27,320 you are prohibited from bringing that into a barbershop. 638 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:32,320 Don't, don't, you keep that flamingo out of here. 639 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:37,760 I gotta be honest, I go to a barbershop 640 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:39,120 at least once a month. 641 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:40,240 If I'm sitting in a barbershop 642 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:41,680 and somebody wants to bring a flamingo, 643 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:42,840 totally cool with it. 644 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:45,320 I would love that moment. 645 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:46,400 I would love that. 646 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:47,720 Did you know in Fairbanks, Alaska, 647 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:50,200 it's illegal to serve alcohol to a moose? 648 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:52,560 It's true. 649 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:53,400 It's true. 650 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:54,560 I'm not gonna be on either side of this. 651 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:56,440 I'm more of a libertarian naturally. 652 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:57,880 Like I'm like, whatever you wanna do, 653 00:28:57,880 --> 00:28:59,400 you do you, let me do me. 654 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:01,080 I'm a freedom guy, right? 655 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:02,800 So I'm interested in this room. 656 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,400 How many of you, let's just split the church over this issue. 657 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:08,320 How many of you are pro-moose and alcohol like I am? 658 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:09,520 I'm like, if you got a moose, 659 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:10,960 I wanna give him a beer, totally fine. 660 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,240 How many of you are like fine with that? 661 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:15,680 Give your moose a beer, what do I care? 662 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:16,920 It's your moose. 663 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:19,240 You know? 664 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:20,080 Now I get it. 665 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:21,600 Like if you're gonna give my moose a beer, 666 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:23,720 we have to talk. 667 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:25,320 That's my moose. 668 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:28,640 But how many of you are like, not me, man, not me. 669 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:33,080 I am like totally against mooses and bear, beer. 670 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:35,760 Like this is not a good, like this is something, 671 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:37,440 this is a problem for you. 672 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:39,440 No beer for mooses. 673 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:41,280 How many of you are no beer for mooses people? 674 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,280 Raise your hand, all right, yeah, I know. 675 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:44,640 It's a serious issue. 676 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:49,080 Did you know in Minnesota, a woman is arrested 677 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,720 if they just a Santa Claus? 678 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:56,720 There are some things that are sacred, my friend. 679 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:01,800 This one's great. 680 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:02,680 Go to the next one. 681 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:03,600 This one's fantastic. 682 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:05,240 Did you know in Nicholas County, West Virginia, 683 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,800 a preacher is not allowed to tell jokes from the pulpit? 684 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,280 So I've never told you about my first pastorate. 685 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:18,280 No, no, no, no, no, no. 686 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,320 That's just a joke, not a good one. 687 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:25,800 So Jesus is sitting there. 688 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,320 Now get the imagery because it's very funny. 689 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,600 Jesus is sitting there in the temple 690 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:32,960 talking to these religious leaders 691 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:36,480 in their long robes with their pompous attitudes, 692 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:38,000 they're better than everybody else, 693 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:39,920 and Jesus points them out and says, 694 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:43,040 don't be like these people, they're ridiculous. 695 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:45,800 Do you know the ridiculous laws 696 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:47,480 that they were passing? 697 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:49,920 Like in the religion of their day. 698 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:56,720 In their day, you could not spit on the Sabbath day 699 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,560 because if you did, it would disturb the dirt 700 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:02,040 and you would be guilty of plowing a field. 701 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:09,040 This was the law that Jesus was under. 702 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:15,080 During this time, you could not swat a fly 703 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:18,080 on the Sabbath day because you would be guilty of hunting. 704 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:23,680 A woman was not allowed to look in the mirror 705 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:28,000 at her reflection because she might see a gray hair, 706 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,440 pluck it out, which would be doing work. 707 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:35,560 How many of you are like me? 708 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:37,360 You're okay with a woman looking in a mirror 709 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:39,120 seven days a week, totally fine with that. 710 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:40,040 How many of you are right? 711 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:41,680 How many of you thinks there's some men around 712 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:43,680 that should look in the mirror at least once a week? 713 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:45,600 That's what I'm saying. 714 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,080 That should be the law, that should be the law. 715 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:52,560 This was all part of the ancient Judaism. 716 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:55,880 If your house was burning down on the Sabbath, 717 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:58,240 if you're in your house, the house is burning down. 718 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,760 You were not allowed to carry clothes out. 719 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:05,120 But there are loopholes. 720 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:06,480 That's what we do with religions. 721 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:08,800 We not only create weird rules, silly rules, 722 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:10,480 but then we have loopholes for the rules 723 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:12,440 so that we can get away with stuff. 724 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:13,920 You weren't allowed to carry your clothes out. 725 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:18,920 However, whatever you were wearing, you could save. 726 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,200 So you could put on as much clothes as you wanted 727 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:23,040 while the fire was burning the house down 728 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:25,440 and then run out with that and you were fine. 729 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:31,320 You could not walk more than three-fifths of a mile 730 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:37,920 from your house because if you did so, it was too much work. 731 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:42,920 But if you made a meal the night, the day before, 732 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,920 and put that meal three-fifths of a mile away from you, 733 00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:50,680 then you could walk from your one abode 734 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:53,640 to your second abode where your food is 735 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:55,640 and then you could walk another three-fifths of a mile 736 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:56,480 from there. 737 00:32:57,720 --> 00:32:58,560 Loopholes. 738 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:05,280 This is how man totally screws up 739 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:09,120 who our relationship with God is supposed to be like. 740 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:15,560 Through ridiculous rules, through silly dress codes, 741 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:20,880 and Jesus says they will receive the greater damnation. 742 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:23,480 Why? 743 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:25,920 Because they're keeping people from God. 744 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:32,440 You say, well, how do I get to God? 745 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:34,480 Jesus said there's only one way to the Father. 746 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:36,320 I am the way, the truth and the life. 747 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:38,320 No man gets to the Father by through me. 748 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:43,600 And what religion does, it's wrong in so many, 749 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:44,920 well, what's wrong with religion? 750 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:47,400 Religion is number one, it's irrational. 751 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,760 Number two, it's ridiculous. 752 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:55,200 And then number three, it's harmful. 753 00:33:57,960 --> 00:33:59,920 It hurts people. 754 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:04,920 The next story picks up in chapter 21 verses one through four. 755 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:08,600 You have to see it and it's connected in context. 756 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:10,920 Remember, back in the early days, 757 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:13,080 there were no chapter markings in your Bible. 758 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:14,680 It would just come in one big scroll. 759 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:16,760 So the book of Luke would have been one big scroll. 760 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:20,240 The next story would have not said story number 21. 761 00:34:20,240 --> 00:34:23,880 It would have just been the next story. 762 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:25,120 Remember where Jesus is? 763 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:26,880 Where is Jesus physically in this moment? 764 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:27,720 Where is he? 765 00:34:27,720 --> 00:34:28,760 Where is Jesus standing teaching? 766 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:30,840 You say it to me, where is he? 767 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:33,280 He's in the temple, he's in the big temple in Jerusalem. 768 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:36,720 Now as he's there, the Bible says Jesus now in verse one 769 00:34:36,720 --> 00:34:38,920 moves from the temple where he's teaching 770 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:40,640 over to the treasury that's in the temple. 771 00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:43,240 And look what it says, look what it says. 772 00:34:43,240 --> 00:34:44,920 And he looked up and he saw a rich 773 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:46,940 putting their gifts into the treasury. 774 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:53,840 And he saw also certain poor widow putting in two mites. 775 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:54,880 You ever heard this story before, 776 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:56,240 the two mites of the widow? 777 00:34:56,240 --> 00:34:58,520 So the rich were doing what the rich do. 778 00:34:58,520 --> 00:34:59,680 They were coming into the church 779 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:01,440 or the temple at the time. 780 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:02,680 They're putting all their money in. 781 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:04,440 Everybody was giving their tithes and offerings. 782 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:05,680 And Jesus was watching. 783 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:06,960 Remember there's a big celebration. 784 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:08,160 The Passover was coming. 785 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:09,520 So people were traveling from all over 786 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:11,320 and part of their worship was to come worship God 787 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:12,640 by giving tithes and offerings. 788 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:15,960 And then he noticed a woman, a poor widow, 789 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:17,800 who the Bible says had two mites. 790 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:21,880 And later on we're gonna find out these are her last two mites. 791 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:24,960 This was not a tithe, a 10% of what somebody had. 792 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:27,200 This was everything that she had. 793 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:32,920 And she gave her two mites in verse three. 794 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:35,720 And so he said, truly I say to you 795 00:35:35,720 --> 00:35:40,720 that this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 796 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:44,680 For all of these have given out of their abundance. 797 00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:46,520 They have put in offerings for God. 798 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:49,400 But she, out of her poverty, 799 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:54,400 put in even her livelihood all that she had. 800 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:00,840 Okay. 801 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:06,080 Yes, certainly she is to be admired. 802 00:36:06,080 --> 00:36:07,840 And I believe Jesus admires her. 803 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:12,480 He says, it's amazing that she's willing 804 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:13,960 to give everything to God. 805 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:18,960 But the point of the passage is not to ring more pennies 806 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:22,200 out of poor people. 807 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:25,560 And that's how this passage is often used in religion. 808 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:28,280 You don't have much? 809 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:30,760 Give it all to God like this wonderful. 810 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:35,680 In context, it's used as an illustration by Jesus 811 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:38,720 to show what the corrupt religious leaders 812 00:36:38,720 --> 00:36:45,720 are doing to the poor. Of course they can tip God 813 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:48,120 and give God and sacrifice to God. 814 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:50,760 They've got lots, but now you've got this poor widow 815 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:53,800 with two mites and she puts those in and he says, 816 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:59,000 this is the ultimate ending of what religion does. 817 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:00,080 I see it all the time. 818 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:01,280 I see it all the time. 819 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:06,280 Old women who are stuck at home and they watch on the television 820 00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:11,600 and there's some religious scheister, some shamster 821 00:37:13,880 --> 00:37:17,880 selling God at little bottles of oil and little, 822 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:21,080 I want God, I want God and living on a fixed income 823 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:22,680 and send us a check and all you gotta do 824 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:25,480 is deposit with us and God's gonna give you more. 825 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:29,480 Some use the name of God, some use the name of their own God, 826 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:31,880 money, riches, all you have to do is, 827 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:34,880 and they'll scam you with phone calls and emails 828 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:37,280 and it's not just that modern religion 829 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:38,480 of you can have more money if you, 830 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:39,480 and what are they doing? 831 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:41,480 They're taking advantage of the poor. 832 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:45,480 Happens in places all the time. 833 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:48,480 Friend, can I just be very honest? 834 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:49,480 I'm not sure if you can. 835 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:50,480 I'm not sure. 836 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:51,480 I'm not sure. 837 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:52,480 I'm not sure. 838 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:53,480 I'm not sure. 839 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:56,480 Friend, can I just be very clear with you? 840 00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:57,480 Very clear. 841 00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:02,480 If you have and God has blessed you 842 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:04,480 and you say, yeah, God has blessed me, 843 00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:06,480 I wanna give a portion back to God, awesome. 844 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:08,480 That's what Heather and I do. 845 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:13,480 But if you don't have finances to eat and take care of yourself, 846 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:15,480 take care of yourself. 847 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:20,480 Take care of yourself. 848 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:22,480 Don't let some religious con artist 849 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:25,480 con you out of your last two mites 850 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:28,480 to harm you. 851 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,480 Religious scammers are constantly doing this. 852 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:36,480 We see this throughout history and it happens to this day. 853 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:39,480 This is what's wrong with religion. 854 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:40,480 Now, hear me. 855 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:46,480 Jesus is done interacting with these religious leaders. 856 00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:51,480 He ends by saying, don't you see how irrational your religion is? 857 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:53,480 I proved my point and you still don't wanna believe 858 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:55,480 because you don't wanna give up your own God. 859 00:38:57,480 --> 00:38:59,480 How ridiculous religion is, don't follow them. 860 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:01,480 Look how ridiculous they are 861 00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:03,480 and how harmful religious is. 862 00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:07,480 And at that very moment, it must have been awkward for the disciples 863 00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:10,480 because one of the disciples comes to Jesus and says, 864 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,480 Jesus, have you seen the Lord? 865 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:18,480 Jesus, have you seen how beautiful the temple is? 866 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:22,480 Come on, let's take a tour. 867 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:24,480 And so they do, they take Jesus on a tour of the temple 868 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:26,480 like he'd never been there. 869 00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:29,480 Look at this beautiful thing, this beautiful thing, 870 00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:32,480 and then Jesus says something in the next verses. 871 00:39:32,480 --> 00:39:35,480 He says, I promise you something that nobody knows. 872 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:40,480 Very soon, there will not be one stone left on another. 873 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:42,480 And after he said that, it got quiet. 874 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:45,480 He took his disciples out of Mount Zion, 875 00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:48,480 across the Kidron Valley, up on the Mount of Olives, 876 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:53,480 and there he shares with them the story of the apocalypse. 877 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:56,480 And that's where we're gonna pick up next week. 878 00:39:57,480 --> 00:39:59,480 We're gonna find out next week how Jesus saw 879 00:39:59,480 --> 00:40:04,480 all of this corruption was destroying their society 880 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:08,480 and how the same corruption is destroying ours. 881 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:10,480 You do not wanna miss next week, let's pray. 882 00:40:10,480 --> 00:40:15,480 Father, thank you for the beauty of this passage 883 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:18,480 and my prayers that you would help us to be 884 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:22,480 willing to give up our way for your way. 885 00:40:24,480 --> 00:40:26,480 With your heads bowed and eyes closed, 886 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:28,480 before we go today, I wanna give you a moment. 887 00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:31,480 For some of you, I believe right now, 888 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:36,480 God is calling you away from your own way to heaven. 889 00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:41,480 By rejecting your religion and receiving Jesus Christ to savior. 890 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:42,480 If you're here today and you say, 891 00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:44,480 Pastor Josh, pray for me, I'm not sure 892 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:47,480 that I've ever been saved, but I need to turn my back 893 00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:50,480 and follow his way to heaven, not my own way to heaven. 894 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:53,480 At the end of the sermon, would you come forward 895 00:40:53,480 --> 00:40:56,480 and talk with me and say, let's go to coffee 896 00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:59,480 and talk about how I can be saved, how I can give Jesus my life, 897 00:40:59,480 --> 00:41:01,480 how I can follow his way? 898 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:04,480 For some of you, you need to be ready 899 00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:06,480 for your own way to happiness. 900 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:09,480 For some of you, you need to let go of your religion 901 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:12,480 that's leading you to, you think it's leading you to heaven. 902 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:16,480 For the Christian in the room, maybe right now, 903 00:41:16,480 --> 00:41:18,480 what God is doing is God is saying, 904 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:20,480 let go of your own way to happiness. 905 00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:25,480 Your way to happiness is only leading to your own misery. 906 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:28,480 Follow his way. 907 00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:34,480 Let go and give it to God.