1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,240 elders for proper and right preaching. 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:05,700 Psalm 15 is where we continue now, 3 00:00:05,700 --> 00:00:08,120 God's faithfulness to us, 4 00:00:08,120 --> 00:00:10,620 living in the light of God's faithfulness. 5 00:00:10,620 --> 00:00:13,040 And like I said last week as we started, 6 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:15,480 I'm looking at our three forms of unity, 7 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:17,520 which is again, the Belgic Confession, 8 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:19,840 the Heideberg Canachism, and the Canons of Dort, 9 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,200 of how those confessions 10 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,320 help us understand the words of the Psalms. 11 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:28,760 The Psalms can sit on their own, absolutely. 12 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:30,880 And again, all of our confessions are based on 13 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:33,920 the word of God, the infallible word of God. 14 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,240 And so, though in the Reformed tradition, 15 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,040 we lean on our confessions to help us understand, 16 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:42,080 it's all based on scripture. 17 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,120 And so, it is a right understanding. 18 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,200 By reading both, that is fantastic. 19 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,040 And so, each point is gonna be tied 20 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,240 to one of our confessions this summer, 21 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,960 or at least I'm going to try and do that in my study. 22 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,400 And so, one of the things that Psalm 15, 23 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:00,280 in talking about a God who is faithful, 24 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,840 is a God that reveals himself to us. 25 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:06,840 So, I'm gonna use an example from my life, 26 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:08,000 just because it's the easiest, 27 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,520 but I'm sure a lot of you can point to that. 28 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:12,640 For all of those that are married here, 29 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,760 or have been married, or looking forward to get married, 30 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,520 is the idea of communication. 31 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:22,720 One of the things that I talk about a lot 32 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,320 in premarital counseling is communication. 33 00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:27,440 Because when there isn't communication, 34 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:28,680 Kyle and Maddie, what happens 35 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,040 when there's no communication in your marriage? 36 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:34,760 It doesn't go well, i.e. conflict. 37 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,840 All right, that communicating is a big deal. 38 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:39,680 And we're just gonna keep embarrassing you guys, 39 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:41,240 I'm just gonna use you as this, 40 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:42,320 since it's your wedding week. 41 00:01:42,320 --> 00:01:46,240 So, is it a good thing to have your spouse to be, 42 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:47,240 just read your mind, 43 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,040 and you never communicate your thoughts and feelings? 44 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:51,880 No, right, that's a softball. 45 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:53,680 That part of it is communicating, 46 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:55,240 that if I get to a point with Carrie, 47 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,680 even though we've been together married 16 years, 48 00:01:57,680 --> 00:01:59,880 been together 21, 49 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:03,240 and though we understand kind of how each other works 50 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:04,960 in life, we still need to communicate. 51 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,320 I don't care if you've been married longer than that. 52 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,480 Zichtermans, how many years have you been married? 53 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,880 71 years, do you still communicate? 54 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:18,800 Every day. 55 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,600 That is like gospel truth from the back. 56 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:23,400 It's when we don't communicate 57 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:28,120 that things are based on assumption or emotional reaction. 58 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,840 And that's never a good basis for communication. 59 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:31,680 Guess what? 60 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:33,480 We didn't come up with that on our own. 61 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,800 God shows us, God communicates His will to us. 62 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:43,720 And God is faithful in revealing His will for our lives. 63 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,480 And yes, that goes into communicating our deep dark secrets 64 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,240 or the inevitable question, 65 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,440 babe, what do you wanna do for dinner? 66 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,440 I know the answer I'm going to get, 67 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,280 but I still ask it anyway, 68 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:58,040 because I know ultimately I'll be ending up 69 00:02:58,040 --> 00:02:58,960 making that decision. 70 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,400 But understanding that communicating, 71 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,040 seeking information from each other is a good thing. 72 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:06,840 Take it to the council room. 73 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,480 The new guys who just got their lot pulled, 74 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:11,800 they're gonna hopefully ask a lot of questions 75 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,280 because the best question is the one asked. 76 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:16,760 That when we don't know something, 77 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:18,880 we need to ask questions. 78 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,640 God operates the same way. 79 00:03:21,640 --> 00:03:24,600 Psalm 15, verses one and two says, 80 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,480 "'O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent, 81 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,080 "'who shall dwell on your holy hill, 82 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,240 "'he who walks blameless and does what is right 83 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,880 "'and speak truth in his heart.'" 84 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,640 So God revealing to us not only His will, 85 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:44,040 but what His desire is for our lives, we ask Him. 86 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:48,280 The Psalmist starts by asking these questions. 87 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,200 Who are you bringing in to the fellowship 88 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,960 that is Christ followers or believers in God? 89 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,120 Who may live on that holy mountain? 90 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,240 The one whose walk is blameless, 91 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,080 who does what is righteous, 92 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,640 who speaks the truth from the heart. 93 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,960 So understanding that when we ask questions, 94 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:12,720 guess what, God answers. 95 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:14,840 God doesn't dangle carrots. 96 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,720 If you feel that way about your relationship with God, 97 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,800 that's not a God issue, that's a you issue. 98 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:22,760 That if you think God is just dangling 99 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:26,800 some kind of blessing or promise on the horizon, 100 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,320 you're not understanding the relationship 101 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,480 and intimacy with the Creator. 102 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:32,600 We talk about it all the time, 103 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,880 that one day we will see face to face 104 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:35,720 when we're in heaven. 105 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,720 One day we will see what that relation 106 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,240 with God fulfilled will be. 107 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,120 But on this side of the earth, 108 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,480 or on this side of eternity, we take it on faith. 109 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,120 We have faith that God is good 110 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,600 and will work all things for our good, 111 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:54,280 yet we don't like that because we want our good 112 00:04:54,280 --> 00:04:56,120 defined by us, we don't get to do that. 113 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,880 That's defined by God himself. 114 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:00,880 And so we ask questions. 115 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,560 The Belgian Confession talks about this in Article Three. 116 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:08,880 The written word of God, we confess 117 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:12,320 that this word of God was not sent nor delivered 118 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:14,920 by human will, but that men and women 119 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,880 moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God, as Peter says. 120 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:21,880 Afterward, our God with special care for us 121 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,840 and our salvation commanded his servants, 122 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:27,760 the prophets, the apostles, you, 123 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,840 to commit this revealed word to writing. 124 00:05:31,840 --> 00:05:34,880 God with his own finger wrote the two tablets of the law, 125 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:39,880 therefore we call such writings holy and divine scriptures. 126 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:41,960 So understanding that God's faithfulness 127 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:46,960 is evident in his revelation of himself and his will. 128 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:53,880 Go back on Mount Sinai and put yourself in Moses's shoes. 129 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,000 You've just led these people out of Egypt 130 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:03,000 through some crazy, awesome miracles and wonders. 131 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,080 You were pursued, right? 132 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:09,320 You had the fiery column come down, 133 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,960 and then to me, one of the greatest acts 134 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,200 in the Old Testament we see is the parting of the Red Sea. 135 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,200 And God is calling these people out for a reason. 136 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:28,080 And Moses goes up there to receive from the law. 137 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,200 Now put yourself in Moses's positions. 138 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:31,840 You have these tablets, 139 00:06:31,840 --> 00:06:35,920 and on them are written 10 commandments. 140 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:38,280 If you're Moses and you're asking 141 00:06:38,280 --> 00:06:42,320 to receive from the law, and you get 10 rules, 142 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:47,320 think about it, if you're Moses, how are you taking that? 143 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:49,560 Think about everything Moses had just done, 144 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,240 the self-doubt in the beginning, 145 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,320 Lord, I'm not a good speaker, I don't wanna go, 146 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,080 I'll bring you Aaron so he can help you, all of these things. 147 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,920 God has showed up time and time and time again, 148 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:03,880 and you ask God to speak to you, and he gives you 10 rules. 149 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:06,880 How are you thinking, or what are you thinking, 150 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,560 or how are you reacting to that if you're Moses? 151 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:17,280 It's a difficult question, 152 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,960 but God has showed up in some amazing ways. 153 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:25,440 I think for me, I'd be looking for something grand, right? 154 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:27,920 That maybe, I don't know, Mount Sinai would develop a mouth 155 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:29,400 and would speak or something, 156 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:31,320 that God would do something crazy, 157 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:34,800 but he's given 10 rules. 158 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,000 Think about it in your household, 159 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,160 maybe you have kids that can comprehend right and wrong 160 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:41,240 for the most part, 161 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:46,000 that isn't part of what you give them every day are rules. 162 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,880 If not, your house is probably chaotic, 163 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,560 or go backwards to what if God didn't give that? 164 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,080 What if God didn't give his people this kind of definition 165 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:00,600 of how you're supposed to live? 166 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,800 Understand, this was a people enslaved in Egypt. 167 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:08,280 They didn't know, they knew a little bit of their ancestors, 168 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:12,280 the verbal genealogy passed down in the history, 169 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,960 but understand, your life was a slave. 170 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:16,680 You didn't have your own free will. 171 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,040 You were told what to do, when to do it, 172 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,120 and when you didn't do it, you were punished 173 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,200 by the way that the Egyptians would punish you, 174 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:24,640 sometimes to death. 175 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,680 So doesn't it make sense that God would come in? 176 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:33,000 He's already defeated the 10 major gods of the Egyptians 177 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:34,760 with all of the 10 plagues, 178 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:38,000 and so God is already proving he is everything, 179 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,000 he is the source of everything, 180 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,920 he's revealed that time and time again, 181 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:46,960 that he's even lured over death, the final plague. 182 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,040 So doesn't it make sense that God gives us his law? 183 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,960 That he reveals who he is, why he is, what he is, 184 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,080 and who he is in those 10 commandments? 185 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,320 And I think what we can draw from that, 186 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:02,560 and you can bring it down to even an elementary level 187 00:09:02,560 --> 00:09:07,560 for a kid, that God does not want us to hurt one another. 188 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:11,360 God does not want us to hurt ourselves. 189 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,640 You can't read those 10 commandments 190 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,640 and not have a good understanding of who God is. 191 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,280 Let's just go practically, okay? 192 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:27,240 Let me find someone to pick on, Speelman's, okay? 193 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,240 So when your kids were younger, 194 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:32,200 did you teach your kids to look both ways 195 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:33,680 before they crossed the street? 196 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:36,840 Good, okay, you've passed. 197 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:38,440 Why did you do that, Mary? 198 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:42,160 So they what? 199 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:44,000 By what? 200 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,480 A car, it's pretty elementary. 201 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:49,400 Look both ways, because if a car's coming, 202 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:50,520 don't step in front of it, 203 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:54,440 because you lose that battle 10 times out of 10, okay? 204 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,920 Let's go to Paul and Lois, right? 205 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,920 Let's just go Lois, you're the cook in the house, right? 206 00:09:59,920 --> 00:10:02,520 And so when you're boiling water, 207 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:04,520 and young Steven would go up 208 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:06,320 and just wanna put his hand in it, 209 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:08,640 we'll just say he was 14, 210 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:11,320 understand, did you tell him not to do that? 211 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,040 I mean at 14 you might have just let him do it 212 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,280 and say, duh, no, but you would tell them not to do that, 213 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:17,120 right, why? 214 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:20,760 You didn't want him to get burned. 215 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:24,760 Is that not exactly what God did with the 10 commandments? 216 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:29,760 Hey, your desire, if you're Tom or Emily, 217 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:31,760 you're gonna wanna cross the street 218 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,880 without any awareness of cars. 219 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:37,680 So look both ways before you cross the street. 220 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:40,560 We go, well duh, pastor, what are you getting at? 221 00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:42,760 We'll go to Steven, right? 222 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:45,520 Don't stick your hand in boiling water, 223 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:46,760 because it's gonna burn. 224 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:50,000 But there's an understanding as kids, 225 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:55,000 as we're developing, we don't know some of that stuff. 226 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,040 Now you may be able to tell me 227 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:58,920 you were endowed with all knowledge by three, 228 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:00,280 and I'm gonna call you a liar, 229 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,120 but understand that we have to learn these things 230 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,560 either from commands of our parents, 231 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:08,080 or by what? 232 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,000 Trial and error. 233 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:14,140 Now there are some things that as parents, 234 00:11:14,140 --> 00:11:17,920 you allow your kids to learn that by trial and error. 235 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,320 Hopefully it's not crossing the street 236 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:21,760 or putting hand in boiling water. 237 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:23,320 Hopefully you got ahead of that, right, 238 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:24,760 and let them know that that's not the case. 239 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:25,800 Mom, you did a good job. 240 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:27,720 I was never hit by a car. 241 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,000 But it's not that I wanted to get hit by a car, 242 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,200 but in my understanding of what was, 243 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:37,760 I didn't understand at a young age 244 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,400 that a car hitting me would kill me, 245 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,520 or that me putting my hand in boiling water, 246 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:44,280 I would suffer greatly. 247 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,880 Because part of God's will for our lives 248 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,840 is to let us know who we really are. 249 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,640 And what do the 10 Commandments show us? 250 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,040 That we have active sin in our lives, 251 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,240 and we want to bend or break the rules. 252 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:04,280 You shall have no other gods. 253 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:05,520 Why is that? 254 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,360 Because we're gonna be prone to make gods 255 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:09,360 of everything in our life. 256 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:11,800 We're gonna be prone to worship and wander things 257 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,960 of the world because they give us instant gratification. 258 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:17,200 They give us carnal pleasure. 259 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:20,400 Don't carve for yourself anything. 260 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:21,600 Don't worship anything. 261 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:22,840 Why did God give that? 262 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,400 Because he knew we were prone to worship other things. 263 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,400 It's in our DNA to worship. 264 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:33,040 And he's talking to the Israelites who were in Egypt 265 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,000 who worshiped everything. 266 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:36,840 Everything had their own God. 267 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,360 And he's saying, no, it is me. 268 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:42,000 Worship me only. 269 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:43,920 I am a jealous God. 270 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:50,200 And some of you go, well, that's a bad quality for God. 271 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:52,600 Because we put a 2024 understanding of jealousy 272 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,160 on a timeless and everlasting God. 273 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:56,480 Eh, wrong. 274 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:00,760 Think about if you're in a relationship 275 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:03,120 and your significant other starts pining 276 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:05,200 or desiring somebody else. 277 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:08,920 If there's any part of you that goes, sure, all right, 278 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:10,480 you have a problem. 279 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:13,760 That's the beginning of adultery, 280 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:15,840 which is also a commandment not to do. 281 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,200 So part of God revealing himself to us 282 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,360 and his faithfulness to us is letting us know, 283 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:27,240 hey, you're gonna prone to worship other things. 284 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:29,760 You're gonna be prone to not rest in life 285 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,160 and go, go, go, rat race, rat race, rat race, 286 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:36,640 to earn the money or the prestige or the whatever. 287 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:39,320 You're gonna be prone to that, so don't do it. 288 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:45,240 You're gonna be prone to hate on your neighbor. 289 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:46,920 You're gonna be prone to murder. 290 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:48,760 You're gonna be prone to steal. 291 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:50,320 You're gonna be prone to covet. 292 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:53,160 You're gonna be prone to lie. 293 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,560 Reading the Ten Commandments, if we're really honest, 294 00:13:55,560 --> 00:13:57,400 isn't a good look for us. 295 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,440 It's not a good look for the Christians. 296 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,520 Because the Ten Commandments was, keep on not doing this. 297 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:04,600 You're doing a great job, no. 298 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,520 It was, you shall not do this. 299 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:12,240 Oh, thank you God, right, big brother. 300 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:14,640 Tell me what to do in life. 301 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,320 The creator and sustainer of all things 302 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,560 has every right to tell us how to live our life. 303 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:21,400 Why? 304 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:25,080 Because he is our creator. 305 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,600 We are his creation. 306 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,600 And if any of you have any problem with that, 307 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,240 yes, yet you have given us the right to do this. 308 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:37,400 If you have given an instruction to a child, 309 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:41,320 a grandchild, a niece, a nephew, a kid in the nursery, 310 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,520 I don't care, then you've bought into that 311 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:45,200 and you're a hypocrite if you don't like God 312 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,560 doing that for you. 313 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:52,560 Because the commandments reveal to us what our nature is. 314 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,560 Wow, but Jim, I'm just exhausted by that. 315 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:58,760 Why is our nature so bad? 316 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:00,840 It's because sin is so bad. 317 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:02,920 Sin doesn't want a relationship with you, 318 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:06,720 sin just wants you to worship it and let it take over. 319 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,440 And that is revealed to us in the scriptures. 320 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,360 That's revealed to us in why God had us 321 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:19,360 read and learn the things in the good book. 322 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,160 So how can we apply this truth to our life? 323 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,040 How can we move into a deeper understanding 324 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:28,760 of what that is? 325 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:31,360 That we commit a regular time of reading 326 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:33,520 and meditating on scripture. 327 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,280 Wow, pastor, I tried to do the whole, 328 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:40,120 let's just read from Genesis to Revelation in a year, 329 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,800 and I make it about two months, 330 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:44,480 because then I get into Deuteronomy, 331 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,760 I get into Leviticus, and I get bored. 332 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:49,920 Well then, don't do it that way. 333 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:52,960 Go on the interwebs, there are many different ways 334 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,200 you can read the Bible that ties certain things 335 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,920 in the days, certain things in the law, 336 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:00,880 to the certain things in the historical books, 337 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:02,520 into the certain things in the Psalms. 338 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:04,720 Watch it all tie together and tell me 339 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:06,240 your mind doesn't get blown. 340 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,120 But sometimes meditating on scripture, 341 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:12,360 the word meditation is ingesting, 342 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:14,080 consuming God's word. 343 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:14,920 What do I mean? 344 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:15,760 Memorizing. 345 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:20,280 Memorizing God's word will add so much to your life, 346 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,400 I guarantee it. 347 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:24,440 Memorizing, and you don't have to memorize 348 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,480 the whole book of Genesis, right? 349 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:28,920 But memorize a certain set of scripture 350 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:31,160 that are go-tos for you when life gets tough. 351 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:33,160 When the anxiety monster creeps in, 352 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:34,960 when fear tries to take over, 353 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:36,440 when that sin, that lullaby goes, 354 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:38,200 hey, go do this, go do this, 355 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:39,360 you're not supposed to, but do it. 356 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:42,640 Have something to fight the spirit with. 357 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,280 We're taught to do that. 358 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:48,160 So commit regularly to reading 359 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,440 and to meditating on the scriptures. 360 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:53,520 So once we understand God's faithfulness 361 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:55,320 in revealing himself to us, 362 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:57,080 we have to understand God's faithfulness 363 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,120 of what that does to our hearts. 364 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:01,800 It transforms our heart, verses three and four. 365 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:05,120 Whose tongue utters no slander with his tongue, 366 00:17:05,120 --> 00:17:07,560 or who does not slander with his tongue, 367 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:09,720 or does no evil to his neighbor, 368 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,200 nor takes up a reproach against a friend 369 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:15,600 in whose eyes a vile person is despised, 370 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:17,520 but who honors those who fear the Lord, 371 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:23,840 who swears to his own hurt and does not change. 372 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,280 So this is what happens when the word of God comes in 373 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:29,840 and starts to do a work in someone's heart. 374 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:33,320 It's one of the greatest aspects of being an elder, 375 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:35,720 is having either an adult or a child come 376 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:37,560 and profess their faith. 377 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,120 Whether it's a fifth grader to a 55 year old, 378 00:17:40,120 --> 00:17:42,160 they're coming to faith in different ways. 379 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,480 God is doing a work in their heart. 380 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:48,240 He's setting up camp as John 1.1 tells us, 381 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:50,160 and he is changing things. 382 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,480 We call this in Reform lingo, 383 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:57,600 this is the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. 384 00:17:57,600 --> 00:17:59,760 Right, that the Holy Spirit is now doing a new work 385 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:01,920 in your heart, giving you new eyes to see, 386 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,160 a new brain to think, a new heart to beat, 387 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:06,640 and hopefully hands and feet to go out. 388 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:12,720 The regeneration of the Spirit does a magnificent thing in us. 389 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:16,400 It makes you a Christian. 390 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,560 Even if you've grown up in the church all your life, 391 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:24,480 when you make it your own, in this church you become a member, 392 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,520 but you've taken that step of faith. 393 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:29,120 It's no longer about mom and dad, 394 00:18:29,120 --> 00:18:31,200 though that's important and we stand on that. 395 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,000 You walk out as a believer. 396 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:37,920 Heideberg Catechism, Lord's Day 12, question answer 32. 397 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,560 Why are you called a Christian then? 398 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,200 Because by faith I am a member of Christ, 399 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:45,680 and so I share in this anointing, 400 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:48,480 or this regeneration, or this sanctification. 401 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:51,040 I am anointed to confess his name, 402 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:56,000 to present myself to him as a living sacrifice of thanks, 403 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,880 to strive with a free conscience against sin 404 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,200 and the devil in this life, 405 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,080 and afterward to reign with Christ 406 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,360 over all creation and eternity. 407 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:10,720 Word Christian, little Christ, Heideberg Catechism, 408 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,560 what this teaches us is that because of faith 409 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:16,720 you are a member of Christ. 410 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,520 Therefore, how you live your life 411 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,800 will be an extension of what you believe. 412 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:26,080 If you think about someone in your life, 413 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:29,280 or maybe you're here today, and you have not done that, 414 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:31,680 the idea of becoming a Christian is 415 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:34,160 tainted with so much other junk that you're like, 416 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:35,280 I don't want to be a part of that, 417 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:37,360 because I see how the church works. 418 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:38,960 I see what the church has done in history. 419 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,200 I see what the church is doing now. 420 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:44,400 And I don't want any part of that. 421 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,960 I'm just gonna ask you to pause and understand 422 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:49,680 that you are following the world's definition 423 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:51,840 of what the church is. 424 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:53,280 You need to find that for yourself 425 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,880 as far as who God has called you to be. 426 00:19:57,760 --> 00:19:59,760 Part of that is gifting. 427 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:01,360 Part of that is leadership. 428 00:20:01,360 --> 00:20:03,040 Part of that is getting involved. 429 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:04,720 Part of that is being decisive. 430 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:06,080 Being discipled. 431 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:07,920 That for new believers, they go, 432 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:09,680 the reason why they don't get called to leadership 433 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:11,880 right away is because they don't understand it. 434 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,240 They need to grow deeper in it. 435 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,880 They need to be discipled by older believers 436 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:18,960 that have walked through things. 437 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:21,320 That's why new believers will never be on the slate 438 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:22,560 for elders and deacons. 439 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:23,400 Why? 440 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:24,760 Because the Bible tells us not to. 441 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:28,000 And if we believe that, we need to follow that. 442 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,040 But understanding that these, 443 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:34,160 what this kind of answer to the question really emphasizes 444 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,360 is that as God is doing a work in our life, 445 00:20:36,360 --> 00:20:40,120 that we should be showing lives of gratitude, 446 00:20:40,120 --> 00:20:43,280 showing our faith through good works. 447 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:44,440 The book of James. 448 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:47,280 It's exactly what we learned about 449 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:49,120 over the last couple months. 450 00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:52,280 That God's faithfulness in our life is evident 451 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:56,840 by the transformative work of your heart and my heart. 452 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,840 That if you confess Jesus is Lord 453 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,640 and you believe that God raised him from the dead, 454 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,400 you are saved, but you can't say, 455 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,800 I also believe in this world religion. 456 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:11,480 Can't happen. 457 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,160 You can't serve two masters. 458 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,480 I can't say that I love God, 459 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:19,600 but I will do whatever I can to make a buck. 460 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:21,720 Remember, money isn't the root of all evil. 461 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,760 The love of money is the root of all evil. 462 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:25,600 Why? 463 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:26,720 Because that means you're putting money 464 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:28,880 on the throne of your life. 465 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:31,720 Money has become your God. 466 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:35,720 Education or intelligence or whatever can become God's. 467 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:36,680 Let's go back. 468 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:41,120 Why does God say don't worship anything else but me? 469 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:42,200 Because at the end of the day, 470 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:44,960 can money buy you eternity with God? 471 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:45,780 No. 472 00:21:45,780 --> 00:21:50,080 Can fame or intellect or anything kind of get you there? 473 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:51,960 No, it can't. 474 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:55,400 It will oversell and under deliver every time. 475 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:00,920 God's faithfulness in transforming our hearts 476 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:03,360 means that we should be thankful. 477 00:22:03,360 --> 00:22:05,560 And I know some of you don't like to be thankful 478 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:06,960 for anything because you wanna say 479 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,280 it's because of me that I do it. 480 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:10,720 I stand on my own ground. 481 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:12,220 I've made my own name. 482 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:15,600 And friend, I love you and I'm glad 483 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:17,760 that you're hardworking and tenacious 484 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:19,020 and all of those things, 485 00:22:19,020 --> 00:22:22,240 but when it comes to eternity and salvation, 486 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:26,120 this might hurt, your name means nothing. 487 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,640 Christ's name over you means everything. 488 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:32,240 A life of submission. 489 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:34,320 Ooh, but we don't like that word. 490 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:37,080 We don't like that word because we liken it 491 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:39,400 to our little dumb dog Archie, 492 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:41,360 who doesn't seem to submit to anybody. 493 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,120 And I thought giving him the name after Archie designed, 494 00:22:45,120 --> 00:22:46,600 this would be a lot easier. 495 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:48,640 But I think Archie's getting his laugh up in heaven 496 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,240 going you should not have named him that 497 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:52,920 because I held him on a pedestal 498 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:54,740 and he is a constant disappointment. 499 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:59,340 But understand that as dogs, right, 500 00:22:59,340 --> 00:23:02,160 we want our dogs to submit to us. 501 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:03,880 And right now when I get all excited, 502 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,520 Archie, come on, come here, he runs into traffic. 503 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,760 So not only is he not submitting, he's an idiot 504 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:16,400 and understanding that we want that for those. 505 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:18,480 I won't go so far as to say we want that kind of relationship 506 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,720 with our kids, but we want our kids to obey us, right? 507 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:23,160 I want to be able to say to Teddy, 508 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:24,400 Teddy, let's go play outside 509 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:26,480 and not have him dart into traffic. 510 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,400 But what Christ is asking is that we submit our life 511 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:33,400 to his because he knows what's best. 512 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,840 I know at some point Teddy will grow up 513 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,640 and he will profess his faith and God will be there 514 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:42,720 and I will need to let go, though I will always be there 515 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:44,200 for as long as I'm on the earth. 516 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,640 And I know one day that car is gonna win 517 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:49,960 and Archie's gonna be gone, but understand that 518 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:54,280 Teddy has a road to play with Jesus. 519 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:56,960 That he's on a faith journey with Christ. 520 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:00,080 I have to wash my hands of the dog, 521 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,040 but I can watch this happen in my son's life. 522 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:07,680 That at some point he will submit his life to Jesus. 523 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,000 And that's exactly how God's faithfulness is shown 524 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,120 to generation to generation to generation. 525 00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:18,440 I take my grandma Judy up in Kalamazoo. 526 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,760 When her and I sit together and talk, 527 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:24,440 she, the blessing of her life, and I know Pa, her husband, 528 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,440 who passed a couple years ago, they look back and says, 529 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:31,640 all of my kids are with the Lord as far as in life. 530 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:32,800 They all profess. 531 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,280 That is the biggest blessing of her life. 532 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,120 Though teaching for however many years 533 00:24:37,120 --> 00:24:40,080 and following after my Pa in Christian education 534 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:43,360 for many years and being a wonderful member of society 535 00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:45,520 in Kalamazoo, that's all great. 536 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:47,400 But when she looks back at her life 537 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:49,600 and the general understanding of her life, 538 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:52,120 and the generations of faith that follow her, 539 00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:55,400 she rests in that, and that brings her joy. 540 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:57,840 And I know by me saying that, 541 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,960 there are some of you that just got really uncomfortable. 542 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:02,600 Because that might not be the definition 543 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:03,960 of your family right now. 544 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:08,480 So what are we gonna do to shine the light of Jesus, 545 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:10,440 brighter and better? 546 00:25:11,360 --> 00:25:14,240 What are we going to do to walk alongside family members 547 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:18,440 and reveal, hey, this is who I was, this is who I am now? 548 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,520 But that first takes examination of your heart 549 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,520 because people may go, that's who you are as a believer? 550 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:25,040 I want nothing to do with that. 551 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,240 First we need to examine ourselves. 552 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:31,120 Create in me a clean heart, oh God, 553 00:25:31,120 --> 00:25:34,280 renew a right spirit within us. 554 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:36,520 Cast me not away from your transgressions, 555 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:38,840 but uphold me by your spirit. 556 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,800 Finally, God has revealed to us in his word who he is, 557 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:49,800 in our hearts why he is, and he preserves his people, 558 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,320 the church, Psalm 15, five. 559 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:54,400 Who lends money to the poor, 560 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:57,440 or who does not put out his money at interest, 561 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,160 who does not take a bribe against the innocent, 562 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:04,240 he who does these things shall never be moved. 563 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:07,000 I was reading a different translation in my notes. 564 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:10,000 That the people of God come alongside, 565 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,840 and when you have the church, people growing in the Lord, 566 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:18,160 that movement, we should be reflecting the will of God. 567 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:21,800 The faithfulness, and why do we do that? 568 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,360 Article 12 of the Canons of Dort lets us know. 569 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:28,280 This assurance as an incentive to godliness, 570 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,560 this assurance of perseverance of the faith, however, 571 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:33,880 so far in making true believers proud 572 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:37,080 and carnally self-assured is rather the good root 573 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:41,560 of humanity, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, 574 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:45,080 of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, 575 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:47,480 of steadfastness in cross-bearing, 576 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:52,080 and confessing the truth, and of the well-founded joy in God. 577 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:55,240 Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive 578 00:26:55,240 --> 00:27:00,240 to serious and continual practice of thanksgiving 579 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,440 and good works, as is evident in the testimonies 580 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:07,840 of the scriptures and the examples of the saints. 581 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:10,040 Can you go back to the first slide of that, Molly? 582 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:13,360 So if people are seeing Munster Church, 583 00:27:13,360 --> 00:27:14,960 or they're seeing the Holland owners, 584 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,840 or they're seeing the Smedbergs, or the Holdermans, 585 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:21,960 or whoever, that if we are saying we're believers, 586 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:24,760 if we're shining our light all around the neighborhood, 587 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,080 not putting a bowl under it, not telling Satan 588 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,640 to poof it out or blow it out or whatever you say, 589 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:33,120 then what they should see is believers proud 590 00:27:33,120 --> 00:27:37,680 and carnally self-assured, not cocky and arrogant, 591 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:40,880 is rather they should see the true root of humanity, 592 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:45,280 a childlike respect for others, respect for authority, 593 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:49,320 a respect for the church, of genuine godliness, 594 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:53,600 of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, 595 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:56,080 of steadfastness in cross-bearing, 596 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:58,880 and in confessing the truth, 597 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:03,080 and of the well-founded joy in God. 598 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:04,400 Leave that up there. 599 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:07,000 Leave that up there. 600 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:08,880 Wow, that's a lot. 601 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:11,720 I have to live that? 602 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:15,560 Again, no one's gonna expect you to live it perfectly. 603 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:19,240 But just like I tell you, 604 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:21,040 if you're gonna wear the Munster Church, 605 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,300 or you're gonna put the Munster Church magnet 606 00:28:23,300 --> 00:28:25,320 on the back of your car, 607 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:28,200 then how you drive people will say, 608 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:32,600 ooh, got some crazy drivers at Munster Church. 609 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:34,920 We got some road rage at Munster Church. 610 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:38,840 We have people that think stop signs are stoptional 611 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:40,160 at Munster Church. 612 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:43,920 That's just a small, dumb example. 613 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:45,780 But this is the real example. 614 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:50,720 That this is what we need to be showing the world? 615 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:55,480 Real quick, 10 seconds, do a gut check on this. 616 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:59,160 Two of these absolutely wrecked me this morning. 617 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:01,000 A childlike respect. 618 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,240 I look out in the world and I don't wanna respect a thing. 619 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:07,600 This is worthy of my respect? 620 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:12,160 God reminds me, Jim, they have air in their lungs 621 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:13,320 and a heart that beats. 622 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:15,840 I love them, ergo, you need to love them. 623 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:21,480 But God, they get on my nerves. 624 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,800 They do things that I just look and go, oh, 625 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,680 just face and hands emoji. 626 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:31,080 Then God turns that and goes, Jim, 627 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:33,880 how many people look at you and do the same thing? 628 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:35,920 Man. 629 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:38,960 So not only is that difficult, 630 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:43,320 but the bottom part of steadfast and cross bearing, 631 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:48,320 confessing the truth and a well-founded joy in God. 632 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:52,320 What does that remind me of? 633 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:54,720 I know probably half of you. 634 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:58,720 I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy. 635 00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:00,760 Where? 636 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:03,040 Where? 637 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:08,880 I've got the, we got a worship committee, 638 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:10,800 we need to do this song. 639 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:12,960 We need to do this, and we don't need to do it today, 640 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:14,680 but put it in the rotation. 641 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:17,280 Down in my heart to stay. 642 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:22,000 I've got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus. 643 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,640 And we better be showing that to a world around us. 644 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,640 We better be showing the fact that we are defined 645 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:30,560 by the one who defines. 646 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:33,480 He is the only one that gets to define your life. 647 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:39,120 And he does that by communicating who he is. 648 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:43,480 He does that by telling us how he's changing our hearts. 649 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:46,800 And he does that by the faithfulness he has in the church. 650 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:52,920 So this week I want you to reflect 651 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:56,720 on your past experiences where God has kept you steadfast 652 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:00,720 in your faith and integrity in light of hardship. 653 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:02,840 Please stand if you are able, 654 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:05,040 and we're gonna close with prayer together. 655 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:09,600 Band, you can come on up at this time. 656 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,560 Let us pray this prayer as we close together. 657 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:16,160 Heavenly Father, we thank you for your faithfulness 658 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:19,760 revealed in your word, your transformative power 659 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:23,360 in our lives, in your preserving grace. 660 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:26,200 Help us to live lives that honor you 661 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:28,280 and reflect your faithfulness. 662 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:32,040 Strengthen our faith and guide us in righteousness. 663 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:51,040 In Jesus' name we pray.