1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,440 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. 2 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:23,060 To get connected or to give online, go to connect.hcv.church or give.hcv.church. 3 00:00:23,060 --> 00:00:27,360 If at any point during this message you feel called to make a change in your life, text 4 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,840 change me to 970-00. 5 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:31,840 Thank you and enjoy the message. 6 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,840 All right, so I'm going to invite Stephen to come out. 7 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:35,840 There he is. 8 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,160 For those of you that don't know him. 9 00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:42,520 This is our youth pastor, Stephen Dunn. 10 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:44,480 It is youth takeover. 11 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:48,000 So he will be sharing with you this morning. 12 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:53,400 Hi, everybody. 13 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,400 I don't know about you, but I'm sweating. 14 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:00,760 Where the AC at? 15 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:01,760 My name is Stephen Dunn. 16 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:03,600 I'm the youth pastor here. 17 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:08,140 I don't have a, I'm not ordained. 18 00:01:08,140 --> 00:01:11,360 I don't have a college degree in Bible. 19 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:17,040 I have a bachelor's in special education, K through 12. 20 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:21,200 That's what I did for a while. 21 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:27,160 You're clapping because you know that I've been through some stuff. 22 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:35,640 And this, I say that to say that this week as I was preparing for this message, I was 23 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:40,560 like, man, I just don't think that what I have to say is going to change anybody's life. 24 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:48,480 Then I was reminded in Genesis 1 where it talks about how God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, 25 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:53,240 and the Trinity were there and they created and spoke and then created all things. 26 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:59,600 And then I'm often reminded how the same spirit that created the heavens and the earth is 27 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:04,000 the same spirit that dwells inside of us. 28 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,400 So I'm going to say stupid things. 29 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,520 I'm going to say things that Chris probably won't like. 30 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:17,680 But I'm also through the glory of God, hopefully I can say things that can create life in your 31 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:18,880 soul today. 32 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:23,280 Does that make sense? 33 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:31,440 So if the Holy Spirit is speaking through me and creates life, that would make you the 34 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,460 void, right? 35 00:02:34,460 --> 00:02:40,440 What did the void do that allowed life to be created? 36 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:41,880 It received. 37 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:49,000 So your job today is to sit there, look pretty, and receive. 38 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:50,640 Can you do that for me? 39 00:02:50,640 --> 00:02:51,640 Can you lock in? 40 00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:55,240 So here's what I'm going to do. 41 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:59,000 This is Youth Takeover and the whole point of this is to show you that we have a growing 42 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,400 and thriving youth ministry at Hub City Vineyard. 43 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,920 I don't care about attendance because numbers don't matter. 44 00:03:03,920 --> 00:03:06,400 Quality over quantity. 45 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:13,400 And I'll tell you what, we have lives that are being changed from sixth to twelfth grade. 46 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,800 And one of those students, his name is Drew, he's an eighth grader, I'm super proud of 47 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:24,160 him, and I asked him if he could come out and pray for you guys to get ready to receive. 48 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:25,160 Is that cool? 49 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:29,520 Can an eighth grade young man pray over you today? 50 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:39,480 Because not to be offensive, but some of you old people can learn a thing or two about 51 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:43,320 the reckless faith that some of these youth have. 52 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:44,320 You know what I'm saying? 53 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,200 All right, Drew, you there? 54 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:47,200 Yeah, I'm right here. 55 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:48,200 Everyone say, what's up, Drew? 56 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:49,200 All right. 57 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:50,200 Do your thing. 58 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:51,200 How's everyone doing? 59 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:52,200 Hey, that's good to hear. 60 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:53,200 That's good to hear. 61 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:54,200 So, is that okay? 62 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:59,920 Can you just pray? 63 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:00,920 All right. 64 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:05,360 Everyone bow your heads up. 65 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,360 You know, I just thank you, Lord. 66 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:12,640 Thank you for being so good that you've just done so many great things and you just empower 67 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:14,680 us to show your glory, Lord. 68 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,880 I just give all glory to you, all praise to you. 69 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:22,040 And you know, I just pray that Stephen can have a good sermon here and that we can all 70 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:27,600 just learn many things and that we can just hopefully learn how to give glory to God. 71 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:33,400 And I just pray that we can all be protected by God's shield and that his glory can just 72 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:34,920 shine on us, Lord. 73 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:36,840 I just thank you so much. 74 00:04:36,840 --> 00:04:41,800 I just pray that many of us that may be dealing with injuries may be healed and that they 75 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:47,040 could just be protected by God's spirit and that your love can just shine down on us. 76 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:49,640 Heavenly Father, I just thank you. 77 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:54,640 With that being said, I pray that we have a good day and that we just give thanks to 78 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:55,640 you. 79 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,640 In the person's holy name, amen. 80 00:04:57,640 --> 00:04:58,640 Amen. 81 00:04:58,640 --> 00:04:59,640 Amen. 82 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:00,640 Good prayer, Drew. 83 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:01,640 Good prayer. 84 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,640 Thank you. 85 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:08,840 All right. 86 00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:11,760 Questions Jesus asked. 87 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,600 Guess what this series is about. 88 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:20,600 It's about questions that Jesus. 89 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:25,680 Wow. 90 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:31,040 All of the ones that remain silent probably went to Smithsburg. 91 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:38,360 All right. 92 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:40,560 Here's what I need you to do. 93 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,320 Can you take your phones out for me? 94 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,080 For real. 95 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:53,840 I need you to set a timer on your phone for anywhere in between 15 and 25 minutes. 96 00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:57,000 Can you do that? 97 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:00,040 Which means some of you will set it for 15, some of you set it for 20, some of you set 98 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:04,900 it for 25, some of you will set it for 18 and 30 seconds. 99 00:06:04,900 --> 00:06:09,000 And I want your phone to audibly ring when the timer is over. 100 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,320 Does that make sense? 101 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:20,720 Every time that I get the opportunity to speak, my goal is to say something that you've never 102 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,640 heard before. 103 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:28,840 To teach something that you've never heard before and to show you something that you've 104 00:06:28,840 --> 00:06:29,840 never heard before. 105 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:34,540 And that can be challenging because some of you old heads have heard everything in this 106 00:06:34,540 --> 00:06:38,720 Bible preached five times. 107 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,440 So does everybody have their timer set? 108 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,200 Do you guys actually have your timer set? 109 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:44,200 Okay. 110 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,440 So here's what we're going to do. 111 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:53,440 Now either you can follow the Sky Bible or you can get your own Bibles out and we are 112 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,040 going to be in Matthew 13. 113 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,880 Matthew 13. 114 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,540 Smithsburg people. 115 00:07:03,540 --> 00:07:07,040 Who do you think wrote Matthew? 116 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,680 Yes. 117 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:11,760 Matthew. 118 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,120 Wow. 119 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:21,360 Matthew wrote Matthew and this is an historical eyewitness account of the life and ministry 120 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,880 of Jesus Christ. 121 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:29,680 Whether you're a Christian or an atheist, we all agree or we should agree that this 122 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:33,040 is a historical writing. 123 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:39,560 The key difference is, is this a Hebrew man that's off his rocker? 124 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:44,000 Or is this actually the Messiah and the Son of God? 125 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,720 Whenever you look at it this way, it changes how you read the scripture. 126 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,200 Does this make sense? 127 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:57,200 So whether you're struggling with your faith or you are a follower of Jesus, all of us 128 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,200 can respect that this actually happened. 129 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:04,960 Does that make sense? 130 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:05,960 Matthew 13. 131 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,920 I'm going to get my Bible out. 132 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:15,360 It's large print. 133 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:16,360 So let's read. 134 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,040 I'm going to sum up some of the beginning. 135 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,720 Matthew 13 starts off with the parable of the sower. 136 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:26,160 Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 137 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:30,200 So as you can see, and this isn't exactly what I have yet. 138 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:35,040 By the way, real quick, just so everybody knows, we have a ninth grader running pro 139 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:36,400 here. 140 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:38,000 Look back here. 141 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:39,000 Look back here. 142 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,000 Come on now. 143 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:43,440 Come on now. 144 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:49,840 So Jesus is preaching to such a big crowd that he has to go onto a boat that's docked 145 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:50,840 by shore. 146 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:56,400 He gets on the boat, most likely with his disciples, and he starts to preach to the 147 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:58,080 crowd. 148 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:02,640 This must have been one of the best days of Jesus' life. 149 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:10,080 My dad always told me the two best days of a boat owner's life, the day you buy it and 150 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:12,560 the day you sell it. 151 00:09:12,560 --> 00:09:15,840 Am I right? 152 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:22,080 So Jesus goes on to tell the parable of the sower. 153 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:23,440 And I'm not going to go into it. 154 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:25,400 You can read that on your own time. 155 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:32,000 But what I want to take in to advice is that verse 10, you see Jesus preaching on the boat 156 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,880 and the disciples cut Jesus off. 157 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:35,880 They cut him off. 158 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,280 Can you imagine? 159 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:47,320 And they say, Jesus, why do you speak to the people in parables? 160 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:51,600 Why do you speak to the people in parables? 161 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,280 I think we oftentimes ask that question as well. 162 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:59,260 Parables is this fancy word that has become Christianese, and we almost think that it's 163 00:09:59,260 --> 00:10:01,320 more fancier than what it actually is. 164 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:05,200 Am I right? 165 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:09,440 So the first thing that I did when you don't understand what a word is, is you look it 166 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,600 up on the internet. 167 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:23,020 The dictionary definition of a parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral 168 00:10:23,020 --> 00:10:28,160 or spiritual lesson as told by Jesus in the gospels. 169 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,800 Does that make sense? 170 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:42,600 In the original Greek language, parable actually means to come alongside, meaning that Jesus, 171 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:49,040 through these teachings, is coming alongside his followers to help them learn and understand 172 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:50,040 the things of God. 173 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,160 Does this make sense? 174 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:59,360 For my Smithsburg people out there, I'm sorry Smithsburg, I don't know why I'm hating on 175 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:03,840 you. 176 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:09,360 Parables are simply biblical allegories. 177 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:16,200 The definition of an allegory is a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to 178 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:20,880 reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. 179 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,500 Does this make sense? 180 00:11:23,500 --> 00:11:32,720 Most common allegories that you've probably heard in your life is animal farm, the tortoise 181 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:43,920 and the hare, the little engine that could, and Dr. Seuss's Yertle the turtle, the book. 182 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:50,440 That's why the title of this message is Yertle the parable. 183 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:52,940 Come on, that's funnier than what you give me credit for. 184 00:11:52,940 --> 00:11:57,480 Come on guys. 185 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:09,160 So a parable is simply a story or a metaphorical thing that teaches invisible things. 186 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,320 Why does Jesus tell parables? 187 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:16,280 That leads us to our first point. 188 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:26,240 Jesus used visible things to teach invisible truths. 189 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:34,960 Jesus used visible things to teach invisible truths. 190 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:42,560 All right. 191 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:44,280 I don't know about y'all. 192 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:50,680 I kind of need y'all to like participate with me. 193 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:52,600 You know what I'm saying? 194 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:58,680 Right now I would rate the awkwardness level in here at about a homecoming. 195 00:12:58,680 --> 00:13:00,600 Okay. 196 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,380 I hear some of y'all doing worship. 197 00:13:03,380 --> 00:13:06,920 Can you like give me a little amen or something like that please? 198 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:09,480 Because like, you know what I'm saying? 199 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:11,040 Let's try that again. 200 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:23,560 Jesus used visible things to tell invisible truths. 201 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:31,340 Now let's look real quick at Jesus's answer to the disciples' questions. 202 00:13:31,340 --> 00:13:37,160 Back in Matthew 13, you see the disciples came to Jesus and asked, Jesus, why do you 203 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:40,920 speak to the people in parables? 204 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:46,560 Jesus replied, because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been 205 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:49,760 given to you, but not to them. 206 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:55,440 Skipping down to verse 13, this is why I speak to them in parables. 207 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:58,880 Though seeing, they do not see. 208 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:03,720 Though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 209 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:05,720 This is Jesus' response. 210 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:11,880 Wives, Jesus must be talking about your husband. 211 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,240 You say it. 212 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,760 You say it. 213 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:23,680 You ask him to do it, and he doesn't hear it. 214 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:28,360 If you absolutely don't understand what a parable is, if you absolutely don't understand 215 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:34,920 what a metaphor is or what an allegory is, Jesus is simply mansplaining to the crowd 216 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:36,240 about the things of God. 217 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:39,160 Does that make sense? 218 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,560 So why does Jesus speak in parables? 219 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:45,100 To mansplain. 220 00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:47,840 Now that'll preach. 221 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:53,480 So in Matthew 13, after the disciples have this conversation with Jesus, Jesus goes on 222 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:58,880 to tell three more parables, and then they get off the boat, they check back into their 223 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:04,660 Airbnb, and then they have a private conversation, the disciples and Jesus. 224 00:15:04,660 --> 00:15:10,120 Are you tracking? 225 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:23,240 While they are in the Airbnb having a conversation, Jesus asks a question, wow. 226 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:28,760 And this question, I would argue, is the most important question that Jesus has asked. 227 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:29,760 Seriously. 228 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:40,160 They go on and they have a conversation, and in verse 51, Jesus asks them, have you understood 229 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:45,160 all these things? 230 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,060 Don't let the weight of that question fool you. 231 00:15:48,060 --> 00:15:52,920 As I said at the beginning, I'm a certified teacher in the state of Maryland, and this 232 00:15:52,920 --> 00:16:01,040 is what's called a structuring question, meaning this is also called a knowledge check. 233 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:08,680 Jesus is genuinely asking his disciples if they understand. 234 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:15,200 What this does is this shows care and compassion on behalf of the teacher. 235 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:19,760 Jesus could laugh and gawk at how idiotic these disciples are. 236 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:24,520 But rather, he takes the time to carefully walk them through and explain to them the 237 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:27,280 invisible truths of the kingdom of heaven. 238 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,400 This makes sense? 239 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:33,540 So that picture that you might have of God sitting up in his throne room laughing down 240 00:16:33,540 --> 00:16:39,880 at you for being an idiot is simply not true. 241 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:44,800 You might think like God is trying to play a game of clue with you. 242 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:50,080 He's looking for him and he's hidden. 243 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:55,800 The questions you're asking God might not be answered because it's above our level of 244 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:57,420 understanding. 245 00:16:57,420 --> 00:17:06,280 If you can understand the truths of everything, God isn't that great. 246 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:09,220 Right? 247 00:17:09,220 --> 00:17:17,920 I can barely calculate taxes when I'm checking out, let alone understand the deep and dark 248 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:22,840 invisible truths of the things of God. 249 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:26,320 Nice. 250 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:27,320 We're going somewhere with that. 251 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,960 But do you see what I'm saying though? 252 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:42,680 And I think the reason why this question is so important, main point number two, Jesus 253 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:47,640 wants his followers to understand the things of God. 254 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:54,400 Jesus wants you to understand, but he only wants you to understand the things that are 255 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,900 the foundational truths of your faith. 256 00:17:57,900 --> 00:18:02,440 Jesus wants you to understand the basics of salvation. 257 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:08,800 Jesus wants you to understand the basics of what he means by Jesus' blood covers a multitude 258 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:09,800 of things. 259 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:12,200 Does this make sense? 260 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:17,400 Jesus wants us to understand these things and this is why he speaks to his disciples 261 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:23,560 in parables because he genuinely cares about their understanding. 262 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:31,640 The God that cares about you is the God that cares about you and he wants you both to know 263 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:33,780 what you're talking about. 264 00:18:33,780 --> 00:18:37,000 He doesn't want to trick you into salvation. 265 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:41,080 He wants you to have a genuine understanding of what salvation is. 266 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:47,240 Does this make sense? 267 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:51,960 Now let's keep reading in Matthew 13 at what Jesus follows up with. 268 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:58,720 Of course, knowing Jesus, he asks the question and then he follows up with another parable. 269 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:05,240 So we read in verse 51, Jesus says, have you understood all these things? 270 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,000 He checks for understanding. 271 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,120 The disciples say, yes, we do. 272 00:19:10,120 --> 00:19:14,720 Once Jesus sees that they understand, then he moves on and challenges them. 273 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:18,040 Are you following? 274 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:20,200 Here's what Jesus says. 275 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:28,520 For every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like 276 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:40,720 the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old. 277 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:47,280 Jesus is equating disciples, followers of Jesus, to the owners of a house that like 278 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:54,760 to display and show off new items as well as old. 279 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:59,640 Let me explain this to you. 280 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:04,040 Anybody know what Pokemon is? 281 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:10,520 And if you're like, oh my gosh, it's of the devil. 282 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:14,960 Show me the Charizard cards. 283 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:22,720 This card on the left is the original holographic foil printed in 1999. 284 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,480 That's when I was born. 285 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:33,600 On the right is the reprinted version of the same card with minor changes. 286 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:35,360 Make sense? 287 00:20:35,360 --> 00:20:41,900 How much do you think the reprinted card is worth? 288 00:20:41,900 --> 00:20:48,200 It can be sold and bought for anywhere in between $40 to $400. 289 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,160 Just the one card. 290 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:58,960 Now how much do you think the original 1999 version is? 291 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:11,720 It has been sold at auction for $420,000. 292 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,760 So here's the thing. 293 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:21,160 The reason why it sells for so much is because it's old and it's the original. 294 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:29,600 It is the original copy of the Charizard card and we must hold it to a high standard. 295 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:36,640 But we must understand that for some people, unless you have $420,000, the card is simply 296 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:37,640 inaccessible. 297 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:42,960 You can't get your hands on it. 298 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:51,800 So we reprinted and we understand that the new card is more accessible to the younger 299 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,120 generation. 300 00:21:54,120 --> 00:21:56,840 This makes sense? 301 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:00,320 The old card is inaccessible but we must hold it to a high standard. 302 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:05,760 The new card is accessible and we still must appreciate it for what it is. 303 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:07,600 This is what Jesus is saying here. 304 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:15,680 We must hold the standards and the teachings in the Bible as holy, high, and priceless. 305 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:21,360 But we also must be willing to create and understand new ways of teaching that will 306 00:22:21,360 --> 00:22:28,520 make sense to the younger generations. 307 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:31,220 Does that make sense? 308 00:22:31,220 --> 00:22:34,220 Does it actually? 309 00:22:34,220 --> 00:22:46,680 So my goal for the rest of this message, we've got about 23 minutes, is to give you five 310 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:58,120 modern day parables or metaphors that either I stole or that I came up with for two reasons. 311 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:04,680 One, for some of you to help you understand the invisible truths of God in a new way of 312 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,000 explaining things. 313 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:13,880 For others of you, I want to give you tools and equipment that you can use to share your 314 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:15,160 faith with other people. 315 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:17,120 Does that make sense? 316 00:23:17,120 --> 00:23:22,080 Because let's be honest, I'm a pastor and it's still awkward for me to say, do you believe 317 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:25,080 in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? 318 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:27,200 Come on. 319 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:30,280 But if you go up and you say to them, you know what? 320 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:34,640 God is like a, it's an easy conversation to start with. 321 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:36,720 Does this make sense? 322 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:41,080 And I'm mirroring the principles that Jesus taught in Matthew 13. 323 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:45,520 As far as I'm aware, the only full length sermon that Jesus preached was the Sermon 324 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:47,440 on the Mount. 325 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:55,320 Every other time that he taught was either in a list of many parables or conversation. 326 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,480 Right? 327 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:02,480 So for the rest of this message, I just want to give you five quick parables. 328 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:06,000 And I'm going to preach it to the best of my ability. 329 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,000 And I ask, let's have fun. 330 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,240 Let's hype it up. 331 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:14,000 Make sense? 332 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:19,800 Whenever I was 16 and I first started being in my faith thing, I had one question that 333 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,240 was burning on me. 334 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,680 Is there any sins that are worse than other sins? 335 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:30,680 It's hard to understand questions. 336 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:35,120 Because I couldn't understand how sexual immorality was the same as murder. 337 00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:36,720 I couldn't understand it. 338 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:38,600 It made no sense. 339 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:39,600 I read commentaries. 340 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:40,600 I watched YouTube videos. 341 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,440 I talked with pastors and nothing made sense. 342 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:45,640 So one day I talked to one of my youth pastors. 343 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:47,200 I had two youth pastors growing up. 344 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:50,200 That's how much Jesus I knew. 345 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:57,680 His name is Fees and he explained it to me like this. 346 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:10,960 He said, Stephen, sin is like dog turds in brownie mix. 347 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:11,960 Anybody like brownies? 348 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,960 I love them. 349 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:21,160 And then Fees went on to tell me, what if I told you that I put a dog turd in this brownie 350 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:22,160 mix? 351 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:25,160 Would you still eat it? 352 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:26,160 No. 353 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:29,160 Maybe Smith's Bird. 354 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:34,720 I'm sorry. 355 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:42,720 And then what we find out is it doesn't matter how little or how big the dog turd is. 356 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:45,080 I can't believe I'm talking about this. 357 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:53,000 The turd has gone all throughout the brownie mix and the entire mix is contaminated. 358 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:59,800 This is why sin is the same no matter how big or small because it contaminates the whole 359 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:02,800 being of a person. 360 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:05,360 Make sense? 361 00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:06,360 Make sense? 362 00:26:06,360 --> 00:26:10,920 And then he was saying in the same way that you wouldn't even touch the brownie because 363 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:14,840 it's contaminated, God doesn't even want to touch you because you're contaminated by little 364 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:16,960 or large. 365 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:21,640 You see what I'm saying by the metaphors, the modern day new reprints? 366 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,880 It's the same message reprinted in a way that you understand. 367 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:32,960 I don't know but none of you are 3,000 year old Hebrews. 368 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:38,720 Whose alarm was that? 369 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:44,640 So can we go ahead, focus in, and can I just give you these five metaphors? 370 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:48,400 Is everybody tracking with what's going on? 371 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:55,040 Okay. 372 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:59,280 One of the foundational pillars of our youth ministry is everyone's a pastor. 373 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:04,360 And it's the belief that whenever you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit 374 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:10,040 lives inside of you which, like I said at the beginning, allows you to then have the 375 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:13,560 ability through the Holy Spirit to speak life into people. 376 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:15,840 Does this make sense? 377 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:19,800 I believe that everybody is a pastor and a teacher in their own capacity. 378 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:23,160 We encourage all of our youth students to share during group because it's again under 379 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:27,680 the faith belief that it doesn't matter who you are or what background you have, God can 380 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:29,920 use you. 381 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:32,320 So that's why even if you're like, I'm not going to listen because I'm never going to 382 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:33,320 tell anybody about Jesus. 383 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:37,600 Shut up. 384 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:42,440 You are more than capable. 385 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:44,440 Someone has to take their medicine. 386 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:47,280 All right. 387 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:50,040 You ready for this? 388 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:55,760 All of us start life off, not like this. 389 00:27:55,760 --> 00:28:00,760 All of us start life off with a clean slate. 390 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:02,760 Does this make sense? 391 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:14,840 If you read in Genesis, the book of Genesis, God gives Adam the power. 392 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:17,600 Camera team, I'm going down here. 393 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:25,480 God gives Adam the power to name the animals that God had created. 394 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:28,120 This makes sense? 395 00:28:28,120 --> 00:28:39,200 But if you notice, God never gave Adam the permission to name Eve. 396 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:47,040 We like to take our original calling of naming things and we like to label things that don't 397 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:49,240 belong to us. 398 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,040 Does this make sense? 399 00:28:52,040 --> 00:29:03,480 We like to say things like, you'll never be good enough. 400 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:08,200 Then we like to label it and we like to put it on people. 401 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:11,800 We say, I have the right and ability to name you. 402 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:13,800 This makes sense? 403 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:20,560 Then every person goes around and we like to label and we say things like, you can't 404 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:26,120 be used in old age. 405 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,120 It's the truth. 406 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:31,120 I'm sure some of you have heard this. 407 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:41,800 And then we go around and we label things just as we do. 408 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:44,120 Are you tracking with this? 409 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:48,880 And we write our temporary labels onto these things. 410 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:54,680 We'll say things like, you're not smart enough. 411 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:56,520 You're not good enough. 412 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:00,000 God can't use you. 413 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:02,560 And we'll just give out these labels. 414 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:05,080 Are you tracking with this? 415 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:08,400 And we like to just give our labels out. 416 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:15,640 But as we go through the Bible and as we read about who we really are, we see things like 417 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:27,080 in Romans, Eli, I'm going to need the scripture up here, where God says, who are you? 418 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:30,720 A human being to talk back to God? 419 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,520 Will what is form say to the one who formed it? 420 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:36,840 Why did you make me like this? 421 00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:43,860 Does the potter not have right over the pottery? 422 00:30:43,860 --> 00:30:49,840 We write in pencil because we do not have the right to permanently identify the things 423 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:52,560 of God. 424 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:56,560 But God, the creator, writes in permanent marker. 425 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,520 You see what I'm saying? 426 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:03,720 So as we start to read things like Ephesians 2 10, we start to understand that our labels 427 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:10,720 and our identity is found in things like Ephesians 2 10. 428 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:18,840 We're a masterpiece and it covers over the scars of the pencil is still present. 429 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:26,040 And no matter how many times you write more pencil on my label, the fact that God said 430 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:30,640 that I'm a masterpiece is who I really am. 431 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,480 Does that make sense? 432 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:40,440 We the next time that you're talking with somebody that struggles with identity or bullying, 433 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:46,800 all you have to say to them is remember, we write in pencil. 434 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:50,280 But God writes in permanent marker. 435 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:53,280 Does that make sense? 436 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:54,800 And then you can start filling them in. 437 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:57,720 Well, here's what Jesus says about you. 438 00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:02,920 Does that metaphor make sense? 439 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:07,340 Can I tell you about a label that I put on certain foods? 440 00:32:07,340 --> 00:32:12,000 I absolutely hate baked macaroni and cheese. 441 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:13,640 I do. 442 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:15,640 I do. 443 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:20,080 Baked macaroni and cheese and baked spaghetti are absolutely disgusting. 444 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:25,480 They dry out the best part and that's the ooey gooey cheese. 445 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:31,800 You put baked macaroni and cheese in my mouth and I'm spitting it out. 446 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:41,800 And by golly, if you put ketchup on that baby. 447 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:47,360 It's almost like my brain forgets how evil and disgusting the baked macaroni and cheese 448 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:49,400 is. 449 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:56,440 And all that I can taste is the goodness of the ketchup. 450 00:32:56,440 --> 00:33:04,160 Don't you know that in Revelation 3.16 God says he's going to spit out lukewarm Christians? 451 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:10,440 No matter how well you're prepped, no matter how hard you try, you'll always never be good 452 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:11,440 enough. 453 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:15,560 It's called sin nature. 454 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:22,080 But whenever we allow for the ketchup to be poured on our plate, whenever we allow for 455 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:32,240 the blood of Jesus Christ to cover us, the goodness of Christ's blood covers over the 456 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:40,320 horribleness of our sins and we become good in the taste buds of the Father. 457 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:43,560 Make sense? 458 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:45,760 Does it actually make sense? 459 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:51,360 That was a structuring question. 460 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:56,120 One of my favorite songs of all time, nobody really knows this about me. 461 00:33:56,120 --> 00:34:03,040 One of my favorite songs of all time is, what can wash away my sin? 462 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:07,680 Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 463 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:12,560 What can make me whole again? 464 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:22,520 Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 465 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:30,960 Rhett I'm coming for you. 466 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:39,000 My worship might have been off key, off tone and off rhythm, but what if I told you that 467 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:44,280 to God it sounded beautiful? 468 00:34:44,280 --> 00:34:50,080 You see whenever we worship from our most honest and most desperate, genuine places, 469 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:56,600 it is a sweet smelling fragrance to the Lord. 470 00:34:56,600 --> 00:35:05,200 Some of my middle school boys need to understand what this is. 471 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:07,480 Deodorant. 472 00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:16,360 And the truth of the matter is, whenever you sweat like I am right now, it produces odor 473 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:21,320 causing bacteria in your armpit. 474 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:28,240 And when you have deodorant on, it uses and kills the odor creating bacteria and creates 475 00:35:28,240 --> 00:35:32,920 a sweet fragrance. 476 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:40,520 Whenever we go through things, it creates hurts, shame and sinful bacteria. 477 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:50,600 And whenever we worship from our most honest transparent places, God can use the most dirtiest 478 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:56,600 parts to create the most beautiful smelling praise. 479 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:59,880 Does this make sense? 480 00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:04,400 The stink activates the fragrance. 481 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:14,480 Your shame, your genuine worship activates the best and most beautiful praise. 482 00:36:14,480 --> 00:36:18,720 Stop caring how you sound. 483 00:36:18,720 --> 00:36:21,600 You heard me sing? 484 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:25,520 If I can be a pastor and sing like that, God is good. 485 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:26,520 Right? 486 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:29,000 So let's sing again and it's going to be beautiful. 487 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:30,520 All right? 488 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:36,960 My favorite song is, what can wash away my sin? 489 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:42,480 Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 490 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:47,640 What can make me whole again? 491 00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:53,120 Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 492 00:36:53,120 --> 00:37:03,080 And then it's like, oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. 493 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:08,520 Oh, other fount I know. 494 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:11,160 But it's beautiful to God. 495 00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:12,160 Make sense? 496 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:13,160 All right. 497 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:14,160 All right. 498 00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:19,400 Two more metaphors for you. 499 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:21,800 You tracking along? 500 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:26,480 This next one isn't a metaphor really whatsoever, but it's my favorite part. 501 00:37:26,480 --> 00:37:31,200 I'm going to share with you, it's my absolute favorite part in the Bible. 502 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:34,560 All of you soon as though my favorite book of the Bible is Job. 503 00:37:34,560 --> 00:37:35,960 I love it. 504 00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:42,400 A man who had everything and then lost it in a matter of days. 505 00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:43,840 It's Job. 506 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:50,560 And Job goes on to have some of the most boring conversation in 30 chapters with his friends. 507 00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:54,400 He calls them windbags. 508 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:57,080 And then he gets on his knees and he yells at God. 509 00:37:57,080 --> 00:37:59,960 Says, God, why? 510 00:37:59,960 --> 00:38:03,640 If I'm a good man, then why do bad things happen to me? 511 00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:04,640 Why? 512 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:07,000 It makes no sense. 513 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:11,440 I have no understanding. 514 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:18,960 God is so, or Job has become so wise, he has surpassed the understanding of the basic principles 515 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:19,960 of faith. 516 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:23,280 And now he's trying to understand the things that are in God's realm. 517 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:26,480 Does that make sense? 518 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:32,520 God does not answer Job exactly. 519 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:38,640 God answers by taking him on a virtual trip, not actually virtual, on a trip showing him 520 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:44,760 different animals, different beings, space and time. 521 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:50,480 And in the King James Version, here's what God says to Job. 522 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:53,200 Are you ready for this? 523 00:38:53,200 --> 00:39:01,840 This is my favorite part in all the Bible. 524 00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:14,360 God says, canst thou, can you bind the sweet influence of the Pleiades or loosen the bands 525 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:16,700 of Orion? 526 00:39:16,700 --> 00:39:22,160 Can thou bring forth Maseroth in its seasons? 527 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:28,080 Or can thou guide Arcturus with his sons? 528 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:32,160 Do you know the ordinance of heaven? 529 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:37,160 Can you set the dominion of the earth? 530 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:38,160 My middle name is Kirk. 531 00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:45,440 And I'd like to introduce you to the most handsome man on the planet, the one who I'm 532 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:52,560 named after, Captain Tobias, James Tobias Kirk. 533 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:55,280 Wow. 534 00:39:55,280 --> 00:40:02,960 Now that is a specimen of human. 535 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:03,960 I love the stars. 536 00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:04,960 I love sci-fi. 537 00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:09,560 I love Star Trek. 538 00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:15,840 And what we need to understand here is God is talking about star constellation. 539 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:18,560 You following me? 540 00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:27,200 If you scientifically look at how the stars are acting, God says, can thou bind the sweet 541 00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:30,880 influences of Pleiades? 542 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:35,400 Pleiades is actually a star cluster, often called the seven sisters, that are all bound 543 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:37,640 together by mutual attraction. 544 00:40:37,640 --> 00:40:42,840 So Pleiades, what God is talking about, can you bind them? 545 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:45,320 They're scientifically bound together. 546 00:40:45,320 --> 00:40:48,560 Isn't that cool? 547 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:54,480 And remember, Bible scholars believe that Job was created before the book of Genesis. 548 00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:56,240 And that Moses wrote it. 549 00:40:56,240 --> 00:40:58,560 Moses wouldn't have known these things. 550 00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:00,560 Job wouldn't have either. 551 00:41:00,560 --> 00:41:03,720 Does this make sense? 552 00:41:03,720 --> 00:41:07,240 God goes on to say, can you loosen the bands of Orion? 553 00:41:07,240 --> 00:41:13,960 Eli, can you show me the picture of the Pleiades real quick? 554 00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:20,680 So if you look here, the Pleiades, the seven sisters is up there, and those are the ones 555 00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:22,600 that God is saying are permanently bound together. 556 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:24,240 Does this make sense? 557 00:41:24,240 --> 00:41:25,240 Okay. 558 00:41:25,240 --> 00:41:31,080 Can you see Orion's belt, Eli? 559 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:34,560 I'm sure all of you have seen Orion's belt in the star constellation. 560 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:36,560 Does this make sense? 561 00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:39,600 If you look at Orion's belt, it's the three right there. 562 00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:45,720 Scientifically, the two stars on the outside are permanently traveling away from the middle 563 00:41:45,720 --> 00:41:47,920 star. 564 00:41:47,920 --> 00:41:52,480 And scientists believe that in a few thousand years to millions of years, the Orion's belt 565 00:41:52,480 --> 00:42:00,000 star constellation will no longer be visible, almost as if God has loosened the belt. 566 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:04,000 You see where I'm going with this? 567 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:06,720 God goes on to say, can you bring out Maseroth in its seasons? 568 00:42:06,720 --> 00:42:11,360 We're unsure exactly what he's referring to, but some think it's the Northern Lights. 569 00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:20,040 But then we go on, and God says, can you guide Arcturus and his sons? 570 00:42:20,040 --> 00:42:26,320 And Eli, if you show me the picture of Arcturus, Arcturus is this giant bright star. 571 00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:29,920 It'll probably be one of the giant brightest stars in the night sky. 572 00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:36,520 And if you look at the Big Dipper, you just follow the end of the Dipper over to Arcturus. 573 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:44,320 And what if I told you Arcturus has 52 other stars that are constantly following behind? 574 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:46,040 It's called the Arcturus Stream. 575 00:42:46,040 --> 00:42:48,580 Does this make sense? 576 00:42:48,580 --> 00:43:00,120 So whenever God says, can you guide Arcturus with his sons, it's literally a thing. 577 00:43:00,120 --> 00:43:08,000 He's literally, Arcturus the star is guiding 52 other stars behind it. 578 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:11,800 The Arcturus Stream! 579 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:14,720 You see why that's cool? 580 00:43:14,720 --> 00:43:22,080 And the reason why this is so important, and the reason why I love this so much, if God 581 00:43:22,080 --> 00:43:33,880 is in control of the universe, why can't I trust him with my little life? 582 00:43:33,880 --> 00:43:43,680 If God is in control of all things, if he formed the Pleiades and he keeps Arcturus 583 00:43:43,680 --> 00:43:52,400 on track with its sons, and he knows every detail of how they work, of course he's going 584 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:58,480 to love you when he knows every detail of how you work. 585 00:43:58,480 --> 00:44:06,200 Action step number four, let the stars remind you of your size. 586 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:11,360 The next time it's night out, I challenge you to look at the stars, even if you don't 587 00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:13,400 understand them. 588 00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:19,520 Look at them and remind yourself that the problems that you think are so big are nothing 589 00:44:19,520 --> 00:44:21,520 compared to God. 590 00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:26,280 Oh, I know cancer seems like the end. 591 00:44:26,280 --> 00:44:34,280 But the God that promises that he's in control of all things is in control. 592 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:40,200 If he can watch over the stars, he can watch you as you sleep. 593 00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:44,360 Make sense? 594 00:44:44,360 --> 00:44:49,560 So anytime that somebody is struggling with the loss of a loved one or something that 595 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:55,120 doesn't make sense, sometimes you can say, hey, I heard this in Job. 596 00:44:55,120 --> 00:44:57,840 Stephen said it. 597 00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:02,480 I can't say anything to you while you're grieving, but I can remind you our job isn't to know 598 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:08,920 everything, but it's to know the person that knows everything. 599 00:45:08,920 --> 00:45:12,880 Make sense? 600 00:45:12,880 --> 00:45:21,040 For the last metaphor, and then we'll close out, I've been having you set timers, right? 601 00:45:21,040 --> 00:45:24,080 Which have been a fun experience. 602 00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:27,080 Please bear with me as I try to sit down. 603 00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:30,080 Oh my gosh. 604 00:45:30,080 --> 00:45:33,480 Oh my gosh. 605 00:45:33,480 --> 00:45:34,760 Oh yeah, baby. 606 00:45:34,760 --> 00:45:41,080 The reason why the medieval church, okay, I'm talking like the medieval times. 607 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:46,200 The reason why the medieval church was so powerful and grew at such an amazing rate 608 00:45:46,200 --> 00:45:49,440 is because it was for the creation of modern medicine. 609 00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:52,640 Does this make sense? 610 00:45:52,640 --> 00:45:59,480 The medieval church would have been a church and a hospital. 611 00:45:59,480 --> 00:46:01,240 Make sense? 612 00:46:01,240 --> 00:46:06,080 And the reason why people came to their faith at such tremendous rates then is because you 613 00:46:06,080 --> 00:46:12,440 can only talk about eternity when you understand how fragile life is. 614 00:46:12,440 --> 00:46:16,200 Does this make sense? 615 00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:21,040 I wanted every timer to represent the fact that you'll never know when the person around 616 00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:28,040 you will die. 617 00:46:28,040 --> 00:46:33,800 It's a dream. 618 00:46:33,800 --> 00:46:34,800 You just never know. 619 00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:35,800 It could be your dad. 620 00:46:35,800 --> 00:46:36,800 It could be your neighbor. 621 00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:37,800 It could be your kid. 622 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:57,520 But that's why it's so important that you have the faith to talk about what happens 623 00:46:57,520 --> 00:46:58,520 after. 624 00:46:58,520 --> 00:46:59,520 Stop hesitating. 625 00:46:59,520 --> 00:47:07,280 Does this make sense? 626 00:47:07,280 --> 00:47:10,240 When you set your timer, you know when it goes off. 627 00:47:10,240 --> 00:47:15,080 But yet you get so distracted with what's going on around you that many of you got surprised 628 00:47:15,080 --> 00:47:20,240 by your own timers. 629 00:47:20,240 --> 00:47:24,680 Don't get surprised when your time is up. 630 00:47:24,680 --> 00:47:33,880 Think that death is a real thing and do everything you can today. 631 00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:37,880 Drew was over thinking. 632 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:43,640 It was so hard. 633 00:47:43,640 --> 00:47:47,360 And I said to him, just be genuine. 634 00:47:47,360 --> 00:47:50,200 Tomorrow is never promised. 635 00:47:50,200 --> 00:47:54,960 Try your best today and worry about tomorrow when it comes. 636 00:47:54,960 --> 00:47:57,520 Make sense? 637 00:47:57,520 --> 00:48:06,240 So the last thing that I wanted to share with you is in Romans. 638 00:48:06,240 --> 00:48:09,240 How does a person get saved? 639 00:48:09,240 --> 00:48:12,240 It's easy. 640 00:48:12,240 --> 00:48:14,960 Easy. 641 00:48:14,960 --> 00:48:22,440 Paul says if you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and you confess with your mouth 642 00:48:22,440 --> 00:48:31,960 that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 643 00:48:31,960 --> 00:48:39,880 I think oftentimes growing up I watched the Passion of the Christ with my grandma and 644 00:48:39,880 --> 00:48:40,880 my mom. 645 00:48:40,880 --> 00:48:41,880 Get with me. 646 00:48:41,880 --> 00:48:42,880 Intense. 647 00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:49,240 But what if I told you that the reality of how bloody the end scene is, is actually still 648 00:48:49,240 --> 00:48:51,960 nerfed down? 649 00:48:51,960 --> 00:48:56,960 In our youth group we read an article of the scientific feelings or that what it actually 650 00:48:56,960 --> 00:49:00,040 would have felt like on the cross. 651 00:49:00,040 --> 00:49:03,480 While Jesus was hanging on the cross, all of his weight would have been down on his 652 00:49:03,480 --> 00:49:09,640 diaphragm, meaning he would have been unable to breathe. 653 00:49:09,640 --> 00:49:18,200 So the only way that Jesus Christ could have breathed is if he lifted up on his nailed 654 00:49:18,200 --> 00:49:24,240 feet, inhaled and then let himself go. 655 00:49:24,240 --> 00:49:27,240 Does this make sense? 656 00:49:27,240 --> 00:49:31,120 Gosh how painful that would be. 657 00:49:31,120 --> 00:49:43,600 And what's crazy to me is how God did that and he still looked at me and said you will 658 00:49:43,600 --> 00:49:46,600 be with me in paradise. 659 00:49:46,600 --> 00:49:49,600 It's crazy. 660 00:49:49,600 --> 00:49:52,600 It's crazy. 661 00:49:52,600 --> 00:49:59,240 My final challenge and then we'll praise no matter what you've been labeled, God writes 662 00:49:59,240 --> 00:50:02,040 in permanent marker that you're safe. 663 00:50:02,040 --> 00:50:08,960 No matter how bad you are, what you've done or what your past is, Jesus' blood can cover. 664 00:50:08,960 --> 00:50:14,880 No matter how dirty you are, it smells good to God. 665 00:50:14,880 --> 00:50:17,880 God is in control. 666 00:50:17,880 --> 00:50:18,880 He knows you. 667 00:50:18,880 --> 00:50:19,880 He knows everything you've done. 668 00:50:19,880 --> 00:50:23,880 He still says that he loves you. 669 00:50:23,880 --> 00:50:27,400 Does that make sense? 670 00:50:27,400 --> 00:50:30,320 Listen to this Miss Berg people. 671 00:50:30,320 --> 00:50:44,000 Can we just pray? 672 00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:50,040 And if you've never accepted Jesus before, it's easy. 673 00:50:50,040 --> 00:50:52,840 We always pray this prayer and you can repeat it after me. 674 00:50:52,840 --> 00:50:56,840 God, I'm broken. 675 00:50:56,840 --> 00:51:00,560 I don't deserve your love. 676 00:51:00,560 --> 00:51:01,560 I've been labeled. 677 00:51:01,560 --> 00:51:02,560 I've been beat down. 678 00:51:02,560 --> 00:51:07,560 Truthfully, I'm not good enough. 679 00:51:07,560 --> 00:51:18,920 But you love me and I accept you that you died on the cross for me. 680 00:51:18,920 --> 00:51:27,240 I may not know when my time is up, but at least I know where I'm going. 681 00:51:27,240 --> 00:51:39,560 God, I might not be right. 682 00:51:39,560 --> 00:51:56,840 But I do love you. 683 00:51:56,840 --> 00:52:09,720 I believe that you are working now to pour it out.