1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:16,100 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. 2 00:00:16,100 --> 00:00:22,720 To get connected or to give online, go to hcv.church or give.htv.church. 3 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:26,960 If at any point during this message you feel called to make a change in your life, text 4 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,400 change me to 970-00. 5 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,320 Thank you and enjoy the message. 6 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:37,360 So we're continuing our series for the month of January when life throws a curve and what 7 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:42,280 we're doing for the month is we're looking back to look forward, meaning we're looking 8 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:47,800 back at 2020, what many people wrote off as a year to be forgotten, a dumpster fire, whatever 9 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,040 it is that you wanted to call it. 10 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:53,800 Yes, there was a lot of bad, a lot of change that happened in that year. 11 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:55,560 However, we want to learn from it. 12 00:00:55,560 --> 00:01:00,520 I believe that there's many things that we can learn from those bad times, those events, 13 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:07,420 whatever came our way that ultimately God wants to use in us to make us better people. 14 00:01:07,420 --> 00:01:12,120 Because here is the reality, difficulty is coming again. 15 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:16,640 It's not going to be a one bad year and then suddenly everything's going to be perfect. 16 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:21,360 Stress is going to come at us, unexpected things are going to happen and the question 17 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:27,400 that all of us have to answer is how do you navigate tough times? 18 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:32,720 In other words, when life throws a curve, how do you respond? 19 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:38,200 Well last year we learned in the midst of a pandemic for many Americans, coping mechanisms 20 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,280 became the forefront for how they survived. 21 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:46,300 Comfort foods were evident in everywhere, lots of ice cream, lots of dessert. 22 00:01:46,300 --> 00:01:53,040 Do I say mac and cheese, anything that makes us feel better and to forget about what is 23 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,840 happening all around us. 24 00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:01,520 To take our focus off the problem and to indulge in what is sitting in front of us. 25 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:08,400 Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, we now have the ability to binge watch shows in a 26 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:09,600 day. 27 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:15,080 What used to be a year worth of programming can now be watched in a day or a week. 28 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:16,160 What does that mean? 29 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,960 We can escape reality real easy. 30 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:21,360 Social media, right? 31 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:28,240 Endless swiping on Facebook, Instagram, constant reading of the news, what's next, reports 32 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,040 that are happening by the very second. 33 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,400 It's just common that people plug in and make that a part of their lives. 34 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,560 Again, it allows us to escape. 35 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:43,620 Now those are just the common everyday mindless routines that allow us to cope when life throws 36 00:02:43,620 --> 00:02:50,400 us a curve, but in the last year alone it was reported that alcohol sales in 2020, are 37 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:55,400 you ready for this, were up 300%. 38 00:02:55,400 --> 00:03:01,560 After all, liquor stores were vital and had to remain open. 39 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:09,200 Pornography consumption has increased by 20% in the United States alone. 40 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:14,440 So the question for all of us this morning is, where do you run when the next crisis 41 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:15,440 hits? 42 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:16,440 Right? 43 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:21,720 Do you simply work harder trying to control the uncontrollable and just allow yourself 44 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:23,480 to be consumed by work? 45 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:28,880 Do you distract yourself, right, with the changes and the difficulty by overeating, 46 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:32,960 binge watching shows or indulging in pornography? 47 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:38,260 As followers of Jesus, we are supposed to be content in every situation. 48 00:03:38,260 --> 00:03:44,200 After all, the Bible tells us we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. 49 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,600 We are supposed to be filled with the fruit of the spirit, experiencing joy, love, peace, 50 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,440 patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. 51 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:56,440 So if all that is true, why do all of us still struggle to cope with the changes that happen 52 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,360 in our lives? 53 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:03,320 You know as I reflected on my own response to the crisis this past week, I came to this 54 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:05,320 conclusion. 55 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:12,400 Coping mechanisms are keeping me from finding strength and contentment in Jesus. 56 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,920 Jesus said this, I'm the vine, you are the branches. 57 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:20,920 If you remain in me, I in you, you will bear much fruit, but apart from me you can do nothing. 58 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:27,000 Friends, instead of running to Jesus to be strengthened by Him, we run to our coping 59 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,680 mechanisms to escape. 60 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:35,680 But the problem is we can't be strengthened by our coping mechanisms and Jesus at the 61 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:37,560 same time. 62 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,000 Which leads us to our first thought this morning. 63 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,680 You see, God is strong. 64 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:45,600 Look at Proverbs 18.10. 65 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,880 The name of the Lord is a strong tower. 66 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,240 The godly run to Him and are safe. 67 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:59,420 See, in biblical times the tower pointed the people to the fortress of safety during 68 00:04:59,420 --> 00:05:05,720 war times or when their land was being invaded by attacking marauders. 69 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:09,620 Here is what we all learn from the challenges of 2020. 70 00:05:09,620 --> 00:05:14,140 We all have towers that we run to in times of trouble. 71 00:05:14,140 --> 00:05:20,560 We all have something, whether it be an app or an addiction or for some dare I say politics 72 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:25,400 that allow us to get off or out of a difficult situation. 73 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:31,280 The question we have to ask is what are your towers doing for you? 74 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:34,320 What are your towers or what have they done for you lately? 75 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,400 You see, today I want to challenge you. 76 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,920 There's a name above every other name. 77 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:45,480 There's a name above every coping mechanism and that name is Jesus. 78 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:50,900 Psalm 37.39 says the Lord, Jesus, rescues the godly. 79 00:05:50,900 --> 00:05:55,000 He is their strength in times of trouble. 80 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,400 And this morning what I want to do is I want to take a look at a man in the New Testament 81 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:02,120 named Paul and he faced so much adversity. 82 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:07,200 He endured and lived through trial after trial yet he persevered. 83 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:14,880 Friends, Paul embodies what it means to persevere in the faith which leads us to our next talk. 84 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,880 Life is full of difficulties. 85 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:24,580 John 16.33 from the message paraphrased, in this godless world you will continue. 86 00:06:24,580 --> 00:06:29,080 And say continue to experience difficulties. 87 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:35,520 Now wouldn't it be nice if that verse said in this world life would be a party. 88 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:36,520 Life would be perfect. 89 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:37,520 There would be no pain. 90 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:39,220 There would be no suffering. 91 00:06:39,220 --> 00:06:41,620 There would be no problems. 92 00:06:41,620 --> 00:06:46,940 And dare I say we would all be friends. 93 00:06:46,940 --> 00:06:51,040 But no, Jesus speaks to us and tells us that life on this earth is going to be full of 94 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:52,040 what? 95 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:53,040 Pandemics. 96 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,280 Political upheaval. 97 00:06:56,280 --> 00:07:01,040 Systematic life change for every single person in the United States. 98 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,380 And see the crazy thing is we think we have it bad. 99 00:07:05,380 --> 00:07:07,280 We think our life is full of trouble. 100 00:07:07,280 --> 00:07:13,840 Well let's just take a look at Paul here in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 23 to 27. 101 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:20,240 I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number and 102 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,240 faced death again and again. 103 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:28,840 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me 39 lashes. 104 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:31,440 Now let me put this into perspective for you. 105 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:33,880 39 lashes. 106 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:40,880 That is the same beating that Jesus experienced before he carried his cross. 107 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:48,120 The Romans believed that if they lashed a person 40 times they would die. 108 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:55,800 So in other words Paul was lashed 39 times brought to the edge of death five different 109 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,000 occasions. 110 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:04,520 And we think that lockdown is bad. 111 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:06,300 Let's continue. 112 00:08:06,300 --> 00:08:08,840 Three times I was beaten with rods. 113 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:10,320 Once I was stoned. 114 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:12,200 Three times I was shipwrecked. 115 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:14,780 Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 116 00:08:14,780 --> 00:08:16,800 I have traveled on many long journeys. 117 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,640 I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. 118 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:25,320 I have faced dangers from my own people, the Jews as well as from the Gentiles. 119 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:29,600 I have faced dangers in the cities, in the deserts and on the seas. 120 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,800 I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 121 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:37,840 I have worked hard and long and during many sleepless nights. 122 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,400 I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. 123 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:47,840 I have shivered in the cold without enough clothing to keep me warm. 124 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,520 Put yourself in Paul's shoes. 125 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:57,560 See Paul was writing these letters to the church that he planted or launched in Corinth. 126 00:08:57,560 --> 00:09:03,460 In his first letter, 1 Corinthians, Paul challenges the church to change. 127 00:09:03,460 --> 00:09:08,440 He began to address a number of issues or problems that were happening within the church 128 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:13,420 that he started and then of course the people revolted basically. 129 00:09:13,420 --> 00:09:15,020 They began to call out Paul. 130 00:09:15,020 --> 00:09:16,600 He doesn't know what he is talking about. 131 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:18,380 He is not a good leader. 132 00:09:18,380 --> 00:09:20,040 We don't have to listen to him. 133 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:24,040 In other words, the letter was not received well. 134 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:31,480 Now many scholars believe that Paul actually wrote a second letter that is not recorded 135 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:36,480 in the Bible after he visited the church in person. 136 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:39,360 So in other words, the church wasn't listening to him. 137 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:40,960 He made a visit in person. 138 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:42,740 It didn't go very well. 139 00:09:42,740 --> 00:09:46,960 He writes a second letter that challenges them once again. 140 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:49,640 That is not recorded in the Bible. 141 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:55,480 What we have recorded in the Bible, 2 Corinthians, is actually the third letter that he wrote 142 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:57,960 to the church. 143 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:04,600 And what we discover in this letter is Paul is writing to the church once again, reconciling 144 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:09,120 with the church as the church acknowledged that they had made mistakes and that they 145 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,040 were living in fact in sin. 146 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:16,560 So he begins to reconcile with the church that he started through the first seven chapters 147 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:18,880 of 2 Corinthians. 148 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:24,640 In verses 8 and 9, Paul then challenges the church, be generous. 149 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:28,600 See many of the people in the church at Corinth were successful. 150 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:29,880 They were well off. 151 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,160 They had made it in life. 152 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:38,480 And instead of being givers, they were boasting about their success. 153 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:42,880 You know as I was reading through 1 and 2 Corinthians this week, I began to realize 154 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:48,400 how just close knit these two letters are to the American culture. 155 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,000 I mean let's be honest. 156 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:56,360 The United States is the most successful country in the world. 157 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,640 Many of us living right now just as we are, it doesn't matter what we're going through. 158 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:02,840 It doesn't matter what our income bracket is. 159 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:06,680 It doesn't matter what challenge we have in our life compared to the rest of the world. 160 00:11:06,680 --> 00:11:09,640 We're successful and we're rich. 161 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:16,480 In other words, we are successful. 162 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:21,440 Paul is saying to the people in the church, be givers. 163 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:22,440 Don't be takers. 164 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:23,760 Don't be boastful. 165 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:25,760 Be givers. 166 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:32,520 And in chapter 12, he supports his case by sharing with the Corinthians that one time 167 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:35,200 God actually took him up to heaven. 168 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:39,800 And he begins to explain to the church that he had this encounter with God where he was 169 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:45,520 literally in heaven and God began to reveal many truths to him. 170 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:50,600 But you don't see, then Paul goes on to say, you don't see me boasting about this experience, 171 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:51,600 do you? 172 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:59,960 Rather, leading us to our third thought, see, difficulties can last a lifetime. 173 00:11:59,960 --> 00:12:01,200 Difficulties can last a lifetime. 174 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:07,400 So, the first six verses, Paul's sharing about this encounter he has and then in 2 Corinthians 175 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:09,120 12, 7 to 80, he writes this. 176 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:16,640 So, to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from 177 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:21,360 Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. 178 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:25,000 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 179 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:29,720 So, see, Paul, he shares with the church that he is being tormented. 180 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:38,160 Now, that word torment in the Greek was the word buffet, which meant a constant punch 181 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:39,160 in the gut. 182 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:45,040 So, just remember that and just think about that, a constant punch in the gut. 183 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:52,440 Now, scholars have debated for centuries what the thorn was that Paul was writing about. 184 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:57,280 Some say that it had something to do with his eyesight, that he couldn't see real clear, 185 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:01,640 he couldn't see far enough, he wasn't sure who he was interacting with. 186 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:06,160 Other scholars have said it was epilepsy, that Paul was so elegant in his writing and 187 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:09,680 his speeches, it was a means to keep him humble. 188 00:13:09,680 --> 00:13:12,060 Here's the truth, no one knows. 189 00:13:12,060 --> 00:13:20,880 No one really knows what the thorn was, but listen to how Paul felt about this thorn. 190 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:24,880 Paul says it was a messenger of Satan. 191 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:30,360 So, this issue or this thorn, dare I say it could be a person. 192 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:38,960 Now, I know some of you have some people in your life that you can point at and say, yes, 193 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,040 they're a messenger of Satan. 194 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:44,320 Now I know none of you would be judging that person. 195 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,720 If some of you say, well, I don't have anybody like that, Chris, in my life, come pastor 196 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:55,080 a church and I'll introduce you to a few. 197 00:13:55,080 --> 00:14:01,200 Now the most important thing that you have to realize is Paul was consistently being 198 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:02,200 tormented. 199 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,760 That's what it says. 200 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:11,360 So he was consistently receiving punches in the gut for a lifetime. 201 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,560 And you say, well, Chris, what do you mean for a lifetime? 202 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:20,520 Well, notice three times Paul pleaded with God, take it away. 203 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:21,520 Remove this thorn. 204 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:29,080 Now, the most amazing thing that I've kind of realized this past week is think about 205 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:32,160 what he wrote in chapter 11. 206 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:40,560 He was imprisoned repeatedly, flogged, exposed to death time and time again, received 39 207 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:46,720 lashes near death five times, beaten with rods, pelted with stones, shipwrecked three 208 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:48,560 times. 209 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:54,600 But Paul didn't take any of those difficulties to God. 210 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:56,360 He didn't take that to God three times. 211 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,240 Say, God intervene, get me off this ship. 212 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:03,040 Hey God, help them to stop stoning me. 213 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:11,800 But whatever this struggle was, it was with him for the rest of his life. 214 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:14,760 And he is pleading with God. 215 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:16,480 Remove it. 216 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:25,000 Yet for so many of us, we struggle with temporary things that pull us away from God when yet 217 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:32,960 Jesus' words in John 16 33, in the Skyless World, you will continue to experience difficulties. 218 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:33,960 Continue. 219 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:41,600 So the next time we face a struggle or a difficulty or a curve ball, if you will, we just need 220 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:48,000 to remember what Paul went through and that he persevered, which leads us to our next 221 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:49,000 thought. 222 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:53,560 You see, strength comes in asking God for help. 223 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,680 Now, notice what Paul goes on to say. 224 00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:04,520 2 Corinthians 12 9 through 10, each time God said, my grace is all you need. 225 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:08,280 My power works best in weakness. 226 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:14,600 So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through 227 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:15,680 me. 228 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:21,440 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in my insults, hardships, persecutions, 229 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:24,560 and troubles that I suffer for Christ. 230 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:28,680 For when I am weak, I am strong. 231 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:33,920 See Paul again pleads three times, set me free. 232 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:34,920 Now think about this. 233 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:39,920 Each time God says, nope. 234 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:46,080 Now if we're honest, when God says no, that's when we get mad at God. 235 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:50,180 That's when suddenly we get an attitude with God. 236 00:16:50,180 --> 00:16:52,480 When in reality, what was God trying to do? 237 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:58,320 God wanted Paul to rely on him for the strength to make it through. 238 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:02,360 His grace is sufficient for you this morning. 239 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:03,360 That's what you need to hear. 240 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:04,840 It doesn't matter what you're going through. 241 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:07,720 It doesn't matter what you walked in here with. 242 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:09,600 His grace is sufficient for you. 243 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:16,800 See, our worst days is the greatest opportunity to experience God's power, His presence, and 244 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:17,800 His grace. 245 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:19,080 Does everyone hear that? 246 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:20,760 Our worst days. 247 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:24,040 Here's the problem with Americans. 248 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:27,160 Nobody wants to have a bad day. 249 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:28,920 Right? 250 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,840 Whenever we're having a bad day, we're like, God set me free. 251 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:33,200 Get me out of it. 252 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:36,700 Kill this person. 253 00:17:36,700 --> 00:17:41,640 You know the messenger of Satan? 254 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:45,920 Nobody wants to go through anything to experience God's power. 255 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,840 We all just want the easy life. 256 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:52,600 There's a lot of our prayers, if we're honest, let's be honest here. 257 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,320 God remove all of my difficulties. 258 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,120 Remove my financial struggle. 259 00:17:58,120 --> 00:17:59,120 Remove my addiction. 260 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:01,880 Get rid of it. 261 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:08,240 When in reality, it's in the problems, the difficulties, and the curve balls that we 262 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,640 experience God's grace and become a better person. 263 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:16,680 That's how God helps us to change. 264 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:18,640 This is truth. 265 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,920 Listen to Jesus' words in Matthew 6. 266 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:27,400 So when you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners 267 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,840 and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. 268 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:34,760 I tell you the truth, that is all the rural they ever get. 269 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:39,320 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your father 270 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:40,800 in private. 271 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,200 Then your father who sees everything will reward you. 272 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:47,280 When you pray, don't babble on and on as the Gentiles do. 273 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:52,180 They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 274 00:18:52,180 --> 00:18:57,600 Don't be like them, for your father knows exactly what you need even before you ask. 275 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:01,280 So Jesus, this is what was happening. 276 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:06,200 He was addressing his disciples and he says, hey guys, everything you ever learned about 277 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,620 prayer, get rid of it. 278 00:19:08,620 --> 00:19:12,760 Everything that you've ever been trained to do when guarding prayer, forget about it. 279 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:14,600 It doesn't work. 280 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:20,480 The prayer before this statement was made by Jesus was memorized words that were spoken 281 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:23,160 to God time and time again. 282 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,720 Same words recited over and over again. 283 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:29,440 I'm familiar with that, I grew up Episcopalian. 284 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:35,760 All memorized prayers, time and time and time again. 285 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,280 People would recite lines to God. 286 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:43,360 Religious leaders, he's addressing them, would use those recited lines, those memorized lines 287 00:19:43,360 --> 00:19:46,520 as a way of showing I'm better than you. 288 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,200 Your common folk get lost. 289 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:51,120 You're not welcome in the synagogue. 290 00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:53,720 You don't understand God. 291 00:19:53,720 --> 00:20:00,680 Now, not only is Jesus saying get rid of everything you learned about prayer, he makes a revolutionary 292 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:07,760 statement that's never been made before when it comes to God and he says address your God 293 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:09,320 as a father. 294 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:16,400 And he's challenging his disciples to speak to their father or their dad. 295 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:21,120 The word that Jesus actually used is the word Abba, right? 296 00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:25,240 And it's not some 80s rock band that gets you excited. 297 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:29,600 We're talking about Abba as in translated daddy. 298 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,800 For example, I have six kids. 299 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,280 My kids address me as dad. 300 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:42,880 My kids don't say, father, can I have a snow come? 301 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:43,880 No? 302 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,560 And again, if you address your dad that way, I'm not saying it's wrong. 303 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,700 I'm just saying my kids don't. 304 00:20:49,700 --> 00:20:54,560 They use the word dad or daddy or Phoenix is not quite there yet. 305 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:58,000 He's just da, da. 306 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,200 So he's getting close. 307 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:04,840 Now why is it that my kids use the word dad? 308 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:06,680 Because it's approachable, right? 309 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:11,400 When father is like a formal statement, almost like you've got to get it all put together 310 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:16,000 before you come and talk to him, whereas dad is approachable. 311 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:20,920 And what Jesus is trying to say is it speaks of a closeness, a connection if you will, 312 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:27,520 that Jesus wanted for his disciples to relate to God in that way as a dad, as a daddy. 313 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:33,560 Now Matthew 6 is when Jesus goes on to share with the disciples the Lord's prayer. 314 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:39,280 The same prayer is also recorded in Luke's gospel and this is what we read in Luke 11 315 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:41,080 1 through 4. 316 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:46,600 Lord teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples. 317 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:47,880 Now I want to stop there for a second. 318 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:53,720 I really found it interesting that I was breaking down the Lord's prayer that the disciples 319 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:58,960 asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. 320 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:01,560 Now think about all the things they could have asked. 321 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:05,120 Hey Jesus, will you teach us how to heal people? 322 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:08,080 Hey Jesus, teach us to perform miracles. 323 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:12,560 After all, I mean you calmed the waves and the wind and we are freaked out. 324 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:14,680 Can you teach me how to do that? 325 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,120 Can you teach us Jesus how to be a better leader? 326 00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:24,240 After all, you started the most transformational, life changing organization or community of 327 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:26,920 believers that's ever been throughout the world. 328 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:28,880 No, what do they ask? 329 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:33,320 They say hey Jesus, will you teach us how to pray? 330 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,560 Jesus says sure. 331 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:40,040 He says this, this is how you should pray. 332 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:41,600 Father may your name be kept holy. 333 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,080 May your kingdom come soon. 334 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:48,720 Give us each day the food we need and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against 335 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:53,200 us and don't let us yield to temptation. 336 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:57,840 Now hear me out, this prayer that he shared with them was just an outline. 337 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:03,200 It wasn't designed or a scripted prayer for people to memorize and share and recite time 338 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:04,200 and time and time again. 339 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,960 Though we've done that and a lot of people in different churches have done that. 340 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:12,280 I'm not saying it's wrong, but basically the Lord's Prayer if you will was a guide on the 341 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:17,440 issues and attitudes that we should be addressing when we talk to God. 342 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:21,920 When we're having a conversation with our daddy in heaven. 343 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:28,320 Jesus is saying we need to be honest about our need for his strength and guidance in 344 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,200 our life. 345 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:35,440 Friends prayer is asking God for help in our daily lives. 346 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:41,200 It's the connection, the commitment, the practical examples of relating to a father in heaven 347 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:46,400 and a daddy in heaven that just wants us to run to him and be honest. 348 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:51,640 So this morning I want to look at two different steps that allow us to find strength in God 349 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:54,360 when we are weak. 350 00:23:54,360 --> 00:24:00,800 And the first is this, friends we got to fight against the I got this mentality. 351 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:02,440 We got to just fight against it. 352 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,760 We have to stop trying to figure it out on our own. 353 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:09,440 I mean there's so many opportunities and so many people now that sit around and watch 354 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:16,280 podcasts, read a book, download an app and they feel like they made it. 355 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:18,520 You know I got this. 356 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:19,520 We get it. 357 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:20,520 I get it. 358 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:22,760 We can fight with the click of a button, the swipe of a finger. 359 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:29,800 We can call out to Alexa or Google and we can have our questions answered in a second. 360 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:35,680 But are they really the answers that we're looking for? 361 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:39,280 Proverbs 3, 5 through 6. 362 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:43,000 Trust in the Lord with all your heart. 363 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,520 Do not depend on your own understanding. 364 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:53,240 Take His will in all you do and He will show you which path to take. 365 00:24:53,240 --> 00:25:00,480 See with all the modern day advances and swipes and clicks and Alexis, we don't sit and wait 366 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:04,760 long enough to simply invite God to speak to us. 367 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:12,080 We don't pause and slow down to invite Him to have the opportunity to give us direction. 368 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:18,440 We have to stop making decisions on our own especially in times of crisis, in times of 369 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:23,640 trouble, in times of stress because you know where those decisions are going to lead us 370 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:31,680 to our coping mechanisms, to binge eating, to drinking, to lying, to stealing, whatever, 371 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:33,360 whatever you're indulging in. 372 00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:41,200 But the point is they're unhealthy and Jesus is inviting us to partner with Him. 373 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:43,880 In Corinthians 12, 9 through 10. 374 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,680 Each time God said, my grace is all you need. 375 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,120 My power works best in weakness. 376 00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:56,280 So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through 377 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:57,360 me. 378 00:25:57,360 --> 00:25:59,640 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses. 379 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:01,720 Think about that, pleasure. 380 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:06,240 And in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ for 381 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,840 when I'm weak, then I am strong. 382 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:15,560 I want to say to all you this morning, God's grace is all you need. 383 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:21,400 And you were here in this place and joining us online to hear those words. 384 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:27,240 His grace is all you need, which leads us to our second and final step. 385 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:29,960 You just got to invite God's Spirit to come. 386 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,360 And you say, Chris, that's just a cliche that you share every week. 387 00:26:33,360 --> 00:26:34,840 No, it's not. 388 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:39,060 It's a simple prayer that Jesus is challenging us to live by. 389 00:26:39,060 --> 00:26:40,060 Like at Romans 8. 390 00:26:40,060 --> 00:26:44,120 So you have not received a Spirit that makes you fearful slaves. 391 00:26:44,120 --> 00:26:49,380 Instead, you've received God's Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. 392 00:26:49,380 --> 00:26:52,140 Now we call Him Abba Father. 393 00:26:52,140 --> 00:26:53,440 Now we call Him Daddy. 394 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:57,740 See, friends, we are adopted into His family. 395 00:26:57,740 --> 00:27:01,320 We can share our intimate secrets, fears, and doubts. 396 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:04,700 You don't have to be a spiritual orphan. 397 00:27:04,700 --> 00:27:10,160 We can share our struggles, our cares, our concerns, our doubts, even—now listen to 398 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:16,600 this—even when we see nothing changing, when we have no words to speak, we can still 399 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:17,600 pray. 400 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:18,680 Look at Romans 8.26. 401 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,760 The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. 402 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:26,320 For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray, but the Holy Spirit prays for 403 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:31,920 us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 404 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:34,560 This is my challenge to you this morning. 405 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:38,820 Our prayers need to go from. 406 00:27:38,820 --> 00:27:44,440 Our prayers need to change from statements like, God, deliver me from this. 407 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:46,840 God, save me from this. 408 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:50,000 God, help me escape this. 409 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:52,520 Our prayers need to become. 410 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,200 God, meet me in this. 411 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,840 God, give me strength in this. 412 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:02,720 God, make me better through this. 413 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:10,160 Dear friends, when Paul understood about these difficulties, he knew that God was going to 414 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:11,160 meet him in the middle. 415 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:14,680 Just think about what he went through. 416 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:24,120 Flogged, death, 39 lashes, five times, beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked. 417 00:28:24,120 --> 00:28:25,440 He didn't call out to God in that. 418 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:26,800 He knew God was with him. 419 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:32,200 And even when he called out to God and God said no, he said, no, my grace. 420 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:33,600 It's all I need. 421 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:37,520 His grace is all I need. 422 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:41,640 And listen to the comforting words that Jesus shared with us in Luke 11. 423 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:46,760 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will 424 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:53,560 your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? 425 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:57,720 Now that defines come Holy Spirit. 426 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:01,120 That is the challenge that all of us need to walk in. 427 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:06,600 Will you invite the Holy Spirit into the midst of your struggle, your coping mechanisms, 428 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:08,760 your sin, your habit, your addiction? 429 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:10,640 I don't care what it is. 430 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:15,480 Because I believe that God wants to reveal His grace to all of us in the middle of what 431 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:18,720 you're going to right now. 432 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:19,720 Right now. 433 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:23,120 Will you stand with me? 434 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:32,240 If you're joining us online, I want to challenge you to take a posture of openness. 435 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:33,680 Just stick your hands open. 436 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:34,680 You don't have to stand. 437 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:36,120 I know it's kind of weird. 438 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:38,320 But just open your hands. 439 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:42,560 Because I believe the Holy Spirit wants to just invade your place, your room, your bedroom, 440 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,320 wherever you are this morning. 441 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:46,320 Come Holy Spirit. 442 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:54,640 You can have me, oh you can have me, oh you can have me. 443 00:29:54,640 --> 00:30:05,600 I surrender everything without you.