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 --> 00:00:35,760 Anyway, it's so good to see you and it's so hard to follow up with those two. 7 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:37,640 They're so good at Mike and Mike. 8 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:38,840 Good job Mike and Mike. 9 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:39,840 Such good announcements. 10 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:47,000 If you're joining us from home, thank you for welcoming us into your space. 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,680 Just a couple of updates that I want to throw your way. 12 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:54,840 Many of you know we collected gently used shoes and new shoes for Souls for Souls for 13 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:56,840 the month of September. 14 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:03,640 Jess and Erin just this past week dropped off 1067 pairs of shoes. 15 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:07,280 Isn't that amazing? 16 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:12,280 Simple things that we can do like old shoes sitting in our closets that will change someone's 17 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,720 life all around the world. 18 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:19,880 Now I need to go to another issue that I just want to challenge you on real quick. 19 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:24,840 Doesn't so much impact our second gathering as does our first, but some of you attend 20 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:29,720 both our first and our second or maybe you'll be at our first gathering next week. 21 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:35,500 So after you leave our first gathering, we are asking that people turned right when they 22 00:01:35,500 --> 00:01:37,360 leave the parking lot. 23 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:42,920 We ask people to do that kindly so that we can have space for the people coming in for 24 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:48,080 our other gatherings throughout the morning because many of you know our parking lot can 25 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,120 be a little chaotic and it's kind of full. 26 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:55,320 So we're trying to open an empty spaces so people can get in and out. 27 00:01:55,320 --> 00:02:00,640 We ask you to turn right to protect you one because halfway Boulevard is a little dangerous 28 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:05,720 and it only takes you three additional minutes to turn right and get back to halfway Boulevard 29 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:07,240 at that stop sign. 30 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:12,960 So please if you turn right, just do it kindly. 31 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:17,400 Please don't try to turn left and run over one of my parking lot attendance. 32 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:23,040 Because last week that happened and church that just hurts my heart because if you can't 33 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:28,160 be kind to our parking lot people that are trying to love you and high five you and smile 34 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:33,000 at you when you arrive, how are you going to be kind to anybody out there? 35 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:34,540 Obviously you're not. 36 00:02:34,540 --> 00:02:37,040 So please just just turn right. 37 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:38,040 Okay. 38 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:39,040 Turn right. 39 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,860 I promise you it'll take you three additional minutes to get to your destination wherever 40 00:02:43,860 --> 00:02:46,840 you want to go. 41 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:52,380 So just like I've been doing all series long for the month of September, I want to begin 42 00:02:52,380 --> 00:02:55,240 with another question this morning. 43 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:59,640 Did I welcome our YouTube channel to our Sunday gathering? 44 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:01,000 I didn't. 45 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,960 I am so sorry I forgot you, but we do love you. 46 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:05,960 Okay. 47 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,560 And we and we're so thankful you're joining us online. 48 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:09,560 Hi Trinity. 49 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:11,680 If you're watching from Florida, we love you. 50 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:13,280 So just throw that in there. 51 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:14,640 You know, why not? 52 00:03:14,640 --> 00:03:26,640 To our question this morning, how many moments in this life have you missed? 53 00:03:26,640 --> 00:03:33,480 How many moments in this one life that we are given have you missed? 54 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:34,480 Because here's the reality. 55 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:43,840 When we're young, time seems to move so slow, but as we get older, it moves way, way, way 56 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,000 too fast. 57 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,400 And all of us are passing through time in minutes. 58 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:57,600 And how many minutes of our lives have we missed out on being fully present? 59 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:02,640 You know, maybe it's the way we are designed as human beings, but we tend to think in chunks, 60 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:04,120 large chunks. 61 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,480 We celebrate years, birthdays. 62 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,480 Sometimes we celebrate decades with anniversaries. 63 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:17,200 If we happen to be alive at the right moment, we celebrate centuries, but we rarely celebrate 64 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:24,240 months or weeks or days, unless of course you're dating. 65 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,880 You know, it's always funny to be around a couple that is dating because after a couple 66 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,240 weeks we hear, oh, we're celebrating. 67 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:32,820 It's our anniversary. 68 00:04:32,820 --> 00:04:35,680 We've been dating two months. 69 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,040 And immediately in the back of our heads, all of us are thinking, that's not going to 70 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,760 last. 71 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:48,040 Because if you're celebrating two months together, that's way too low of standards. 72 00:04:48,040 --> 00:05:00,080 I mean, I've been married 27 years and listen, you learn to count differently over time. 73 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:07,440 Now imagine we were to monitor our progress in life, not year to year or month to month 74 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:13,000 or week to week or even day to day, but we try to monitor the progress of our very life 75 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,480 minute to minute. 76 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:19,640 I mean, for many of us, you think that would be absolutely insane, Chris. 77 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:23,080 It would drive us crazy. 78 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:28,120 In fact, exactly how many minutes do we actually live? 79 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:36,280 Well, there are 525,600 minutes in a year. 80 00:05:36,280 --> 00:05:42,000 That means this year we will live 525,600 minutes and about a third of those minutes 81 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,040 we will be asleep. 82 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,960 And in another third, we are going to be basically unconscious. 83 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,680 That means awake, but not quite. 84 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:55,080 So a third of those minutes, we have the opportunity to be fully present. 85 00:05:55,080 --> 00:06:07,180 Now if we live 70 years, we will have 3,679,200 minutes that we could count. 86 00:06:07,180 --> 00:06:10,560 Now that's way too many minutes to pay attention to. 87 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,360 I mean, that's more than the grains in the sand. 88 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:14,360 It's in on a beach. 89 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,840 It's more than the stars in the sky that we could count. 90 00:06:17,840 --> 00:06:23,320 So how in the world can we be responsible for maximizing all the minutes in our life? 91 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:29,960 Well, inside of those minutes, there is something much more significant and they're called moments. 92 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:35,560 And I'm convinced that what really matters in this life is not minutes, but the moments 93 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:37,240 in our lives. 94 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:41,320 We know that all the minutes, they don't have the same weight. 95 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:46,340 All the minutes don't have the same impact on our lives, on our future, or on the world. 96 00:06:46,340 --> 00:06:54,000 But in the middle of those minutes are moments that change everything. 97 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:59,440 In fact, what we discover as we go through life is there are five or six defining moments 98 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,640 in our lives that we can attach all our other minutes to. 99 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:10,320 And behind those defining moments is divine moments when God gives us opportunities to 100 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:14,240 unleash a future that is waiting for us. 101 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:19,680 The question this morning is, will we miss it? 102 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,200 Or will we capture it? 103 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:27,880 Because I believe if you look closely at Jesus's life, we would quickly realize that Jesus 104 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:33,800 lived in minutes, looking for the moments that would define who he was and what the 105 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,060 kingdom of God was all about. 106 00:07:36,060 --> 00:07:37,060 And how do I know this? 107 00:07:37,060 --> 00:07:44,280 Well, at the end of John's gospel, the very last verse we read in John chapter 21 verse 108 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:49,400 25, Jesus also did many other things. 109 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:54,400 If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that 110 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,120 would be written. 111 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,880 A verse that many people don't even know exists. 112 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:06,000 And I read that as there would be more books than all those we currently have written in 113 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:07,280 this world. 114 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:17,840 And at this point in history, there have been 129,864,880 books written since 1440 when 115 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:21,060 the printing press was created. 116 00:08:21,060 --> 00:08:27,440 If that many books would contain all of the things or moments in Jesus's life, that means 117 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:34,240 he was focused on his calling and on what God wanted him to do. 118 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:40,200 And for so many of us, we miss out on minutes and moments in our lives because we're so 119 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,680 distracted with the everyday. 120 00:08:42,680 --> 00:08:44,760 We're not focused on what is important. 121 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:52,720 And we literally can miss out on moments that could define our very lives because where 122 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,960 we give our attention is the person we will become. 123 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,700 The question is not, are you being discipled? 124 00:08:59,700 --> 00:09:04,000 The question is, who is discipling you? 125 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:09,440 Who or what is getting our attention? 126 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:15,060 John Mark Comer says it this way, your life is no more than the sum of what you gave your 127 00:09:15,060 --> 00:09:17,520 attention to. 128 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:23,440 How many moments did we miss just this past week because we are so distracted from being 129 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:25,660 present? 130 00:09:25,660 --> 00:09:29,080 How many open doors over the last decade did we miss? 131 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:33,240 How many opportunities from God did we miss? 132 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:38,040 Opportunities to love more, opportunities to succeed more, opportunities to become more, 133 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:41,200 opportunities to grow more, opportunities to experience more. 134 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:48,000 But we miss them because of less important things in our life. 135 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,720 I wonder about the presence of God. 136 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:52,920 It's here right now. 137 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:55,520 And you say, well, Chris, how do you know it's here? 138 00:09:55,520 --> 00:10:00,400 Because I literally physically saw people weeping during the worship set. 139 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,320 How do I know his presence is here? 140 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:04,960 Because I can tangibly feel it. 141 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:12,120 The presence that is no longer hidden from humanity, but available for all to experience. 142 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:19,120 That presence, which includes his love, his peace, his joy, his fullness is right here, 143 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:22,720 right now in this room. 144 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:27,200 But how many of us know that we can be here, but not really be here? 145 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:33,480 I mean, you can just simply think about the phones in your front pockets, the frigid neighbor 146 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:39,840 that's right beside you, the person that's talking in the back. 147 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:45,160 We get pulled in all these different directions. 148 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:52,480 And the fullness, the abundance that Jesus promised for us in John 10, 10 is right here 149 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:58,760 for the taking, and we miss it because we allow the enemy to distract us. 150 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:02,840 Now we've been in this series called Get Real with God for the month of September. 151 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:07,120 We've been focusing on Micah 6, 8, which I'm going to read to you from Eugene Peterson's 152 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:08,120 message paraphrased. 153 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:13,080 It says, but he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for 154 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:14,600 in men and women. 155 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:16,040 It's quite simple. 156 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:17,600 Do what is fair and just to your neighbor. 157 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:22,440 Be compassionate and loyal in your love and don't take yourself too seriously. 158 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,120 Take God seriously. 159 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:33,080 We have broken down these verses week to week to week and been challenged to be a people 160 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:37,600 to live out what God desires for us in this one single verse. 161 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,320 We created a complete series from one single verse. 162 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:45,320 That's how deep God goes. 163 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:50,420 And I felt God led me to challenge all of us this morning that we can be destroyed by 164 00:11:50,420 --> 00:11:53,200 distractions in this life. 165 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:59,740 And those distractions can keep us from living out these words that we've been challenged 166 00:11:59,740 --> 00:12:03,720 to be about for an entire month. 167 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:07,720 Let's open in prayer and invite the Holy Spirit to change us this morning. 168 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:09,920 Holy Spirit come. 169 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:14,480 God I'm just thankful for each and every person that's here today. 170 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:21,920 In Jesus name we silence any distractions of the enemy. 171 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,320 Quiet our minds. 172 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,880 Slow down our hearts. 173 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:34,720 Open our ears to receive the fullness, the love, the grace, the mercy that you have for 174 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,840 us this morning. 175 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:41,360 Change us God and make us more like you. 176 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:43,360 In Jesus name. 177 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:44,800 Amen. 178 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,360 Now all that leads us to our first thought this morning. 179 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:52,000 You see humanity is constantly distracted. 180 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:53,640 Constantly. 181 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:59,200 Two thousand years ago Jesus told a parable about the seed and the soil. 182 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:04,720 And when Jesus speaks in parables he tells a story but the story actually has nothing 183 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:06,960 to do with the story. 184 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:13,240 It's a deeper spiritual meaning that goes way beyond the story and Jesus will say whoever 185 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,260 has ears. 186 00:13:16,260 --> 00:13:23,920 In other words whoever is focused let them hear life changing truth. 187 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:31,040 Jesus speaks a parable to us that is going to be helpful to us who are learning to navigate 188 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:35,840 this cultural moment of constant distractions. 189 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:40,120 Let's read together Matthew 13 verses 3 through 9. 190 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,800 He told many stories in the form of parables such as this one. 191 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:48,960 Listen a farmer went out to plant some seeds as he scattered them across his field some 192 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:53,200 seeds fell on a footpath and the birds came and ate them. 193 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,660 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. 194 00:13:56,660 --> 00:14:01,760 The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow but the plants soon wilted under 195 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:06,260 the hot sun and since they didn't have deep roots they all died. 196 00:14:06,260 --> 00:14:10,880 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 197 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:16,120 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil and they produced a crop that was 30, 60 even 198 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,920 a hundred times as much as been planted. 199 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:25,600 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. 200 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:31,160 So I want to show you a photo that was taken of Lebron James taking a jump shot that he 201 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:41,000 made which broke the all time scoring record in the NBA when he scored 38,388 points. 202 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:48,200 The record was previously held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and many people assumed that record would 203 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:52,680 never be broken because it stood for over 40 years. 204 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:59,280 Now when he made that shot the entire arena erupted in a spirit of celebration as they 205 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:04,960 saw one of the greatest moments in the history of basketball. 206 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:08,880 But did they really see it? 207 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:10,560 Let's look at this photo. 208 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:14,200 So you see here, here's Lebron James, right? 209 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:22,000 Lebron James is taking the shot and there's one person, one person in this photo that's 210 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:26,800 not distracted by their phone. 211 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:36,200 Every other person in that photo has phones up being taken but one gentleman in the very 212 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:47,360 front row, Mr. Phil Knight, the creator of Nike is sitting and watching and taking in 213 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:53,960 the moment that Lebron James just made history. 214 00:15:53,960 --> 00:16:01,060 The picture, this picture went viral on social media with captions like Phil is a legend, 215 00:16:01,060 --> 00:16:04,780 the only person truly living in the moment, right? 216 00:16:04,780 --> 00:16:12,960 The only person to really witness history was Phil Knight and I believe so many people 217 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:19,440 are drawn to this photo because deep down inside all of us is this feeling that life 218 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:23,840 is happening but we're missing it. 219 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:28,080 It's just passing us by. 220 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:34,440 Now 1 Corinthians 735 says this, I'm saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions 221 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:35,440 on you. 222 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:44,920 I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord the best with as few distractions 223 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:49,280 as possible, with as few distractions as possible. 224 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:53,640 Now Jess and I, we enjoy watching different TV and series on Netflix. 225 00:16:53,640 --> 00:17:00,780 We happen to be watching this series on Vikings and we learned that one of their torture methods 226 00:17:00,780 --> 00:17:07,760 involved taking a person, tying each of their limbs to four different horses with a rope 227 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:15,080 and when the signal is given, said horses ride away in different directions dismembering 228 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:16,520 that person. 229 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,760 Now I know that is graphic and I know in your minds right now you're seeing that happen 230 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:29,120 and picturing the pain that would be involved but if we're honest about our lives that's 231 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:38,720 how we can daily feel and what's interesting is when we really break down that word distracted, 232 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:45,400 that's the very word they use to describe that form of torture, pulled in different 233 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:48,440 directions. 234 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:52,800 Now after Jesus preaches us the parable of the seed and the soil to a large crowd, He 235 00:17:52,800 --> 00:18:01,440 sends them home and in the evening the disciples, they come to Him and they ask why He speaks 236 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:03,200 in parables. 237 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:07,560 You know you can almost picture Peter coming to Him, the same man that Jesus told to get 238 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:11,880 behind Him, Satan, right, literally calls this man Satan, he's like, hey Jesus what's 239 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:12,880 up? 240 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:19,400 You know could you explain to us what this seed and soil meant? 241 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:23,760 You know could you break it down on an elementary level for us? 242 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:28,040 Which I believe we all need so Jesus does that for us and He says these words in Matthew 243 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:31,440 13, 18 to 23. 244 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:35,760 Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds. 245 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:39,920 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the kingdom 246 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:41,700 and don't understand it. 247 00:18:41,700 --> 00:18:46,680 Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 248 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:51,080 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive 249 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:56,880 it with joy, but since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. 250 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:02,080 They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word. 251 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:07,000 The seed that fell among the thorns represent those who hear God's word, but all too quickly 252 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:11,560 the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth so no 253 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:13,760 fruit is produced. 254 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:19,120 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's 255 00:19:19,120 --> 00:19:25,560 word and produce a harvest of 30, 60, even 100 times as much as been planted. 256 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:33,000 Now if you've been in church for any amount of time and in said time you heard this parable, 257 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:37,400 I believe all of us want to be the good soil kind of people. 258 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:38,400 True or false? 259 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:43,240 I don't see you putting your hand up, yeah I love the rocky. 260 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,560 I want to be the good soil. 261 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:50,040 I want to be the 30, 60, 100 type of follower. 262 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:55,960 But this morning I want to ask you a few questions. 263 00:19:55,960 --> 00:20:03,280 Is the parable of the sower depicting four different types of people or does it actually 264 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:11,320 describe the four different conditions of all of our hearts at any given time? 265 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:18,100 In other words, is it possible that in the first hour or so of our day when we wake up 266 00:20:18,100 --> 00:20:24,680 and get close to God, we pray, we have devotions, we're on the same frequency as Jesus, we're 267 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:29,240 connected, we're close, we pour a cup of coffee for ourselves, a cup of coffee for Jesus and 268 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:34,120 we are best friends, we're prepared for the day, that is fertile soil. 269 00:20:34,120 --> 00:20:35,120 Amen? 270 00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:38,080 But, everyone say but. 271 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:46,920 As soon as the kids get up, as soon as I reach for my phone, as soon as the first email or 272 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:54,480 text message comes in, all of a sudden I have shallow soil syndrome. 273 00:20:54,480 --> 00:21:01,880 All of a sudden, those minutes, those moments are being snatched away and suddenly I find 274 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:07,120 myself at lunchtime, one, two in the afternoon wondering what happened? 275 00:21:07,120 --> 00:21:14,300 I'm being suffocated with the worries of the world and my daily to-do list. 276 00:21:14,300 --> 00:21:19,280 So I want to break down this parable and look at it differently and look at three different 277 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:23,240 ways we're being destroyed by distractions. 278 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:30,680 Friends, the abundant life that all of us want, all of us are searching for every single 279 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:38,240 day is actually right here, available for us right now in the presence of God. 280 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:40,520 Which leads us to our next thought. 281 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:43,960 We are distracted by the devil. 282 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:48,340 Matthew 13, 18 through 19, now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer 283 00:21:48,340 --> 00:21:49,560 planting seeds. 284 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:53,760 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the kingdom 285 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:55,480 of God and don't understand it. 286 00:21:55,480 --> 00:22:00,820 Then the evil one comes, snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 287 00:22:00,820 --> 00:22:04,800 So what I want you all to do is I want you to close your eyes and I want you to picture 288 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:10,080 yourself on a beach and you're sitting on said beach, you're relaxing, you're enjoying 289 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:14,360 your time away, the waves are crashing, but you get a little hungry. 290 00:22:14,360 --> 00:22:19,960 So you reach into the cooler that's right beside you and you grab out your lunch that 291 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:24,520 you had packed because you didn't want to wander all the way back to your house or condo. 292 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:31,840 So you get that food out of the cooler and then suddenly out of nowhere, flying around 293 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:39,880 your head and walking around your feet are a flock of seagulls. 294 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:48,480 And as you're eating your lunch, they're just looking at you going, mine, mine, mine, mine. 295 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:57,880 And you think, where did these dirty birds come from? 296 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:06,200 This is a picture of what's the enemy wants to do in our lives. 297 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:12,480 For example, right now you have positioned yourself, you've showed up to receive good 298 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:19,760 seed and God has been scattering all kinds of good seed in this place this morning since 299 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:23,800 worship started life changing truth. 300 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:31,480 And the enemy wants to snatch that seed away from you while it's still a seed before it 301 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:34,120 becomes something more. 302 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:39,080 We gather at church, we receive life changing truth straight from heaven. 303 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:44,600 But before we even get to lunch today to talk about worship, to talk about the message of 304 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:49,000 frustrating text comes on the phone. 305 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:55,500 As you're leaving today, you get a look across the lobby at someone that you feel is judging 306 00:23:55,500 --> 00:23:58,200 you and you leave angry. 307 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,320 You're on your way to lunch and someone cuts you off. 308 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:08,200 Only you're at lunch and an unhealed memory from three months ago will surface before 309 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:13,200 you even get to see the fruit that that seed could grow into your life. 310 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:17,360 It gets snatched away and it's gone. 311 00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:21,540 The devil doesn't want us to discuss what God is doing in our lives after we gather 312 00:24:21,540 --> 00:24:23,120 on Sundays. 313 00:24:23,120 --> 00:24:27,200 God doesn't or excuse me, the devil doesn't want us to be honest, right? 314 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:33,480 He doesn't want us to look at our children and on the way home ask our kids, hey kids, 315 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:37,800 what did you learn from evil Mr. John today? 316 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:42,200 And some of you are like, evil Mr. John? 317 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:43,200 Isn't he the kids past? 318 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,480 Why is he evil Mr. E? 319 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:48,860 You got to find out. 320 00:24:48,860 --> 00:24:55,680 It's just so much easier to put on a song on your way home and just veg out or plan 321 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:59,480 and talk about all the things we need to accomplish today. 322 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:04,680 The devil will do anything to snatch a good seed away from your life so it doesn't become 323 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:08,160 the fruit that he can no longer steal from your life. 324 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:09,320 You see that? 325 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:15,520 Once roots are planted and fruit is grown, he can't steal it anymore. 326 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:21,560 See the devil, he's smart and he knows if he can get that dream while it's still a seed, 327 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:28,240 if he can get that good plan that God gave you while it's still a seed, if he can get 328 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:35,980 that one phrase that God wanted you here this morning and snatch it from you, fruit will 329 00:25:35,980 --> 00:25:42,640 never be produced because I know in my own life I have been changed by phrases and statements 330 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:47,920 that I heard at a conference at a Sunday gathering in a conversation through a sermon that God 331 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:56,920 used and went from seed to root and good soil and it changed my life as the fruit was produced. 332 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:03,360 These are the moments we all desire but the devil knows if he can snatch it from us with 333 00:26:03,360 --> 00:26:06,840 distractions, he wins. 334 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:13,240 John 10 10, the thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy and so many people they 335 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:18,760 read that and they think that's the enemy wanted to take us out and literally physically 336 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,360 kill us but it's not that. 337 00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:26,960 He wants to steal, kill and destroy our dreams, our hopes, our abundant life. 338 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:32,400 He wants to put distractions in our life so that we go in different directions and we 339 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:39,120 miss the moments that define our life. 340 00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:44,420 C.S. Lewis writes this about the devil, there are two equal and opposite errors into which 341 00:26:44,420 --> 00:26:47,760 our race can fall about the devil. 342 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:51,580 One is to disbelieve in their existence. 343 00:26:51,580 --> 00:26:57,400 The other is to believe and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. 344 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:02,900 In other words, thinking about him way too much, thinking about him way too little or 345 00:27:02,900 --> 00:27:05,920 not at all. 346 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:11,440 See sometimes church, it wasn't the devil, you just said the wrong words because you 347 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:14,480 were hangry and frustrated. 348 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:21,000 Hey church, it wasn't the devil that put a nail in your tire, you just happened to drive 349 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:24,280 through a construction zone. 350 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:34,340 There's not a devil under every rock but at the same time, the other danger is thinking 351 00:27:34,340 --> 00:27:36,880 about him way too little or not at all. 352 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:40,480 Just disbelieving and pushing it off his make believe. 353 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:47,760 Yes, we have to acknowledge him but we don't have to elevate him and give him power because 354 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:53,040 when we elevate him and give him power, that's when he steals away those seeds that define 355 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:54,940 the moments of our lives. 356 00:27:54,940 --> 00:28:00,620 We acknowledge him, yes, but we don't give him power. 357 00:28:00,620 --> 00:28:06,920 Now John Mark Comer wrote these words in his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. 358 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:12,080 And I'm going to say that again because I highly recommend this book but let me paraphrase 359 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:17,600 it by saying, read it with caution, it will wreck your life. 360 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,880 Read it with caution, it will wreck your life. 361 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:29,540 John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, writes this, Satan doesn't show up 362 00:28:29,540 --> 00:28:35,240 as a demon with a pitchfork and a gravely smoker voice or as Will Ferrell with an electric 363 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:39,320 guitar and fire on Saturday Night Live. 364 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:42,920 Satan is far more intelligent than we give him credit for. 365 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:48,000 Today, you're far more likely to run into him in the form of an alert on your phone 366 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:55,720 while you're reading the Bible or a multi-day Netflix binge or a full on dopamine addiction 367 00:28:55,720 --> 00:29:02,080 on Instagram or a Saturday morning at the office or another soccer game on a Sunday 368 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:11,400 or another commitment after commitment after commitment in a life full of speed. 369 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:17,160 We have five to 10 it's this week. 370 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:22,800 We have five to 10 it moments this week that God is destined for us to walk in, whether 371 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:27,960 it be with our families, our kids, our friends, our community of faith or people we don't 372 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:32,120 even know yet that don't know Jesus. 373 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:37,920 Don't let the enemy snatch the siege away from you that could become moments that define 374 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:40,840 your life. 375 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:44,880 We can be distracted by the devil. 376 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:50,800 The next is the rocky ground which leads us to our next thought, distracted by the doing. 377 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:56,160 Matthew 13 20 to 21 the seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message 378 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:58,640 and immediately receive it with joy. 379 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:02,400 But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. 380 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:07,240 They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word. 381 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:08,240 This is hurry. 382 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:12,960 We are way too busy and too hurried to put down roots. 383 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,160 I mean who has time for roots? 384 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:19,040 Roots are painfully slow. 385 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:24,720 Do you know what else is painfully slow? 386 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:26,560 Love. 387 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:34,160 Ask any parent, ask anyone in a thriving relationship or marriage, love is painfully slow. 388 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:38,360 That life, the freedom that all of us long for, right? 389 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:40,240 It's not over the next horizon. 390 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:41,760 It's not around the next turn. 391 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:45,880 It's not in the next relationship or the next marriage or the next job. 392 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,800 It's not in the next city or town. 393 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:51,840 It's in the ground beneath our feet. 394 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:58,120 Do we have the patience, the time, the commitment to put down roots and tap into that abundant 395 00:30:58,120 --> 00:30:59,120 life? 396 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:08,400 Again, the presence of God is right here available to us today and every day. 397 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:14,800 If you're in a relationship with Jesus, God's spirit lives inside of those who believe. 398 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:20,460 And Paul writes it this way in 1 Corinthians 13, 4 that you'll hear it every marriage celebration 399 00:31:20,460 --> 00:31:21,460 and ceremony. 400 00:31:21,460 --> 00:31:26,600 Love is patient and kind. 401 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:30,240 Patient and kind. 402 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:32,720 John Ortberg writes it this way. 403 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:36,640 For many of us, the great danger is not that we will renounce our faith. 404 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:42,760 It is that we will become so distracted and rushed and preoccupied that we will settle 405 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,340 for a mediocre version of it. 406 00:31:45,340 --> 00:31:50,880 We will just skim our lives instead of actually living them. 407 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:54,640 Shallow soil, surface way of living. 408 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:57,920 We don't tap into all that God has for us. 409 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:01,480 We don't put down roots. 410 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:05,280 And do you know what changed all of this within our culture? 411 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:08,480 June 29th, 2007. 412 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:14,760 Does anybody know what happened on that date in history? 413 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:20,560 Steve Jobs set the iPhone free into the world. 414 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:25,160 Now fast forward to 2024. 415 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:31,920 All of us are highly addicted or dependent on smartphones to lead and control our life. 416 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,160 Again, I'm not throwing them under the bus. 417 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:37,160 I'm not saying they're not useful. 418 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:42,240 But what I am saying is, do they control you? 419 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:50,320 Now when it comes to addiction, if a person wakes up in the morning and the first thing 420 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:59,540 they feel or think about is the need for a drink, that is a sign of an addict. 421 00:32:59,540 --> 00:33:06,920 If we wake up every single morning and the first thing we feel like we need to reach 422 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:19,160 for is our phones, we have to honestly answer the question, do I just have a phone or does 423 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:25,440 my phone have a human? 424 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:31,120 Busyness is the biggest badge of honor in our culture today. 425 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:36,120 Now with our phones, we have an opportunity to never not be busy. 426 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:38,840 And hear me out, busyness is not necessarily bad. 427 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:41,700 Jesus was busy, right? 428 00:33:41,700 --> 00:33:47,680 Busyness can be a sign of a full life, but it's our chronic over busyness that begins 429 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:54,360 to create an internal state of hurry in our spirits. 430 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:57,880 See busyness is an external schedule. 431 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:02,680 Being hurried is an internal condition of the spirit. 432 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:08,640 Psychology today now has defined something called hurried sickness. 433 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:14,280 And before I define it, I want you to take a minute and reflect on your life and see 434 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:17,440 if you have this sickness. 435 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:22,880 Hurried sickness, a behavior pattern in which a person feels chronically short of time and 436 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:29,020 so tends to perform every task faster and to get flustered when encountering any kind 437 00:34:29,020 --> 00:34:31,020 of delay. 438 00:34:31,020 --> 00:34:33,840 It's a chronic sense of rushing. 439 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:40,840 For example, you're on your way to lunch today, you turn right and get to halfway boulevard 440 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:45,600 and as you pull up, you see the light is turning red. 441 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:51,080 Quickly your mind goes to which lane has the less cars so I can get in said lane so I can 442 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:56,000 get through the light faster and go get my lunch. 443 00:34:56,000 --> 00:35:04,600 Or you're at Walmart or Martins or Sam's or Foodline, wherever you shop. 444 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:10,240 And as you're going to the self checkout lines, because we all know that the employee checkout 445 00:35:10,240 --> 00:35:16,040 lines are way too long, you're looking for a self checkout line that is empty so you 446 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:21,960 can get everything done quicker and get home and do what you need to get done. 447 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:26,560 Feeling irritable and frustrated at things that shouldn't be frustrating you because 448 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:29,960 our minds won't slow down. 449 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:39,400 When we're with loved ones, we miss out on moments because we are looking down at our 450 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:40,400 phones. 451 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:46,320 Exercise, Chris, healthy eating, who has time for that? 452 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:51,000 Basic spiritual needs like prayer, meditation and reading the Bible, they're the first things 453 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:54,000 that go. 454 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:55,960 And therein lies the problem with hurry. 455 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:59,120 I don't have time for it. 456 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:03,880 You don't make time for it. 457 00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:08,840 Because it's in those basic spiritual needs is where we connect to our source, John 15 458 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:12,920 or remain in me, and I'll remain in you. 459 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:16,600 For a branch cannot produce fruit is severed from the vine and you cannot be fruitful unless 460 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:20,760 you remain in me. 461 00:36:20,760 --> 00:36:24,920 Now Jesus, we all know this walked everywhere and the average human being walks three miles 462 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:26,520 an hour. 463 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:34,320 Therefore, love moves about three miles an hour, because God is love. 464 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:38,640 And he walks three miles an hour. 465 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:45,040 Are we willing to slow our lives down and be open to the moments that God presents for 466 00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:47,360 us? 467 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:57,960 Not this month, not this year, this week, today, in the next three hours. 468 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:04,900 Corey Den Boom writes, if the devil can't make you sin, he will make you busy because 469 00:37:04,900 --> 00:37:08,760 sin and hurry have the same impact on your spirit. 470 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:12,800 They both cut off your connection with God. 471 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:19,720 Are you willing to put down roots and grow your relationship with Jesus that will then 472 00:37:19,720 --> 00:37:23,760 produce life changing moments that all of us are searching for? 473 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:27,640 See life, and we all know this is in the roots. 474 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:31,440 It's in the presence of God that is available where? 475 00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:33,480 Right here. 476 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:35,160 Right now. 477 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:37,000 Which leads us to our final thought. 478 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:40,640 Distracted by deceit. 479 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:45,200 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly 480 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:51,200 the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, so no fruit 481 00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:52,720 is produced. 482 00:37:52,720 --> 00:37:56,820 Worries and wealth. 483 00:37:56,820 --> 00:37:58,560 Something begins to grow. 484 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:07,040 There's so much potential, but it's the worries and the wealth that have so much in common. 485 00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:09,820 Both distract us. 486 00:38:09,820 --> 00:38:12,600 Both deceive us. 487 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:18,480 Both have a way of controlling our minds and the devil can suffocate the next season of 488 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:23,920 our lives by simply making us believe something is true. 489 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:33,520 Here I say conspiracy theories. 490 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:38,160 The fears, the worries of this world. 491 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:42,640 I know my husband is going to cheat on me, my dad cheated on my mom, even though my husband 492 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:46,920 is not my dad. 493 00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:49,240 Just saying. 494 00:38:49,240 --> 00:38:53,920 The devil can literally suffocate a beautiful season that God wants to write in your life 495 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:56,480 just with worry and doubt. 496 00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:59,160 Phrases like the best is behind me. 497 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:01,720 The world would be better if I wasn't here. 498 00:39:01,720 --> 00:39:04,100 Nothing good happens to me anyway. 499 00:39:04,100 --> 00:39:08,920 So why even try? 500 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:15,240 For so many Jesus followers, they don't know how to discern the voice of our enemy from 501 00:39:15,240 --> 00:39:16,240 the voice of God. 502 00:39:16,240 --> 00:39:21,120 And let me give you a few pointers. 503 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:25,200 God's voice will always direct and protect. 504 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:31,400 The enemy's voice will doom, distract and destroy. 505 00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:40,320 God uses conviction to push us forward while the enemy uses condemnation to pull us down. 506 00:39:40,320 --> 00:39:42,000 God will sometimes speak warning. 507 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:44,260 Everyone say warning. 508 00:39:44,260 --> 00:39:46,080 To us. 509 00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:49,800 But he will never create worry in us. 510 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:53,560 Warning yes, worry no. 511 00:39:53,560 --> 00:39:57,560 He speaks his promises to strengthen our faith. 512 00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:59,240 But what does the enemy use? 513 00:39:59,240 --> 00:40:02,480 Lies to paralyze us. 514 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:07,040 The worries of this world, the wealth of this world distracts us from the very moments that 515 00:40:07,040 --> 00:40:09,100 God promises. 516 00:40:09,100 --> 00:40:10,640 And we miss out on the fruit. 517 00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:12,320 And you say, Chris, what's the fruit? 518 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:14,440 Well, Galatians five. 519 00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:19,000 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives. 520 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:28,160 Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 521 00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:37,080 Wouldn't life be so much better if we were eating that fruit every single day? 522 00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:40,160 This is what our spirits long for. 523 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:44,600 But yet within our culture, people want to buy their happiness. 524 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:45,800 I need a new pair of shoes. 525 00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:46,800 I need a new purse. 526 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:49,820 I need a new hairstyle. 527 00:40:49,820 --> 00:40:56,720 But in that happiness, you won't find the fruit of the Spirit. 528 00:40:56,720 --> 00:41:05,320 But when we fix our focus on forever and begin to live and give with a focus on eternity, 529 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:12,720 that's when we begin to store up for ourselves 30, 60, 100 times the treasure that God promises 530 00:41:12,720 --> 00:41:15,580 for us in heaven. 531 00:41:15,580 --> 00:41:18,960 This is when we take hold of the kingdom fortune. 532 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:23,280 We walk in the promises that God gives us each and every day. 533 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:28,860 God, he's scattering good seed right now in our lives. 534 00:41:28,860 --> 00:41:33,640 But if that seed gets choked out by the worries and cares or riches of this world, we're not 535 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:40,280 going to walk in all that God has for us today or this week. 536 00:41:40,280 --> 00:41:42,760 Don't stop a seed. 537 00:41:42,760 --> 00:41:45,560 Grab ahold of it. 538 00:41:45,560 --> 00:41:46,600 Allow it to grow. 539 00:41:46,600 --> 00:41:48,200 Get it in the soil. 540 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:49,720 Allow it to take root. 541 00:41:49,720 --> 00:41:51,840 And what's it going to produce in our lives? 542 00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:52,840 Fruit. 543 00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:56,100 It's going to produce abundance. 544 00:41:56,100 --> 00:42:01,960 We will walk in that fertile soil that all of us want to walk in, which leads us to our 545 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:06,400 action steps, producing a bountiful harvest. 546 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:08,760 Listen to Matthew 13, 23. 547 00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:14,080 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's 548 00:42:14,080 --> 00:42:21,320 word and produce a harvest of 30, 60, or even 100 times as much has been planted. 549 00:42:21,320 --> 00:42:23,400 Four simple steps in walking out these truths. 550 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:27,800 Number one, resist the seed that fell among the thorns represent those who hear God's 551 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:29,640 word like today. 552 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:35,360 But all too quickly, the message is crowded out by the social media, Instagram worries 553 00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:36,360 of this life. 554 00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:39,680 The lure of wealth to no fruit is produced. 555 00:42:39,680 --> 00:42:41,040 What are the worries? 556 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:45,680 The anxiety, simple anxieties that we find in life over how are the bills going to get 557 00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:46,680 paid? 558 00:42:46,680 --> 00:42:49,680 There's no sun. 559 00:42:49,680 --> 00:42:54,400 Chris, where did the sun go? 560 00:42:54,400 --> 00:43:00,120 It's been raining for a week and it's going to rain another week. 561 00:43:00,120 --> 00:43:04,480 Hey, the sun's still there. 562 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:09,000 I promise it's still there. 563 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:15,240 And if you look hard enough, you'll see it and you'll experience it. 564 00:43:15,240 --> 00:43:18,640 Well, Chris, I need a new pair of shoes. 565 00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:24,080 Well, Chris, you know, what about that vacation that's promised to me on my newsfeed because 566 00:43:24,080 --> 00:43:28,840 I'm on social media and they heard me talking about my frustration of never having a break 567 00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:38,240 and suddenly Carnival Cruise Lines are on my phone and I want to go. 568 00:43:38,240 --> 00:43:42,040 They listen to you. 569 00:43:42,040 --> 00:43:46,160 That's not a conspiracy theory. 570 00:43:46,160 --> 00:43:52,440 Your microphone's always on. 571 00:43:52,440 --> 00:44:01,160 The direction, excuse me, the distractions that pull us away from abundance like this. 572 00:44:01,160 --> 00:44:05,640 I saw this just a few weeks ago. 573 00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:11,080 Choosing to respond to a text or surfing on social media while your son or daughter is 574 00:44:11,080 --> 00:44:15,860 swinging his or her bat during a t ball practice. 575 00:44:15,860 --> 00:44:18,360 They connect for the first time. 576 00:44:18,360 --> 00:44:19,360 They're excited. 577 00:44:19,360 --> 00:44:22,200 Chris is yelling, run, run. 578 00:44:22,200 --> 00:44:27,600 And they take off running down first base line and they get to the first base and they're 579 00:44:27,600 --> 00:44:35,840 happy and they look up to see mom or dad's eyes. 580 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:40,220 Only to see the top of their head. 581 00:44:40,220 --> 00:44:43,200 How would that make you feel? 582 00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:53,240 I know it broke my heart because I know that kid may never play t ball again because they 583 00:44:53,240 --> 00:44:55,960 feel like they're not important. 584 00:44:55,960 --> 00:45:04,760 They're forgotten and now fear has entered their life. 585 00:45:04,760 --> 00:45:12,960 The anxiety becomes overwhelming those of you that struggle in our attempts to live 586 00:45:12,960 --> 00:45:15,380 life in our own strength. 587 00:45:15,380 --> 00:45:17,120 You're not in control. 588 00:45:17,120 --> 00:45:19,420 We're not in control. 589 00:45:19,420 --> 00:45:24,280 And when we try to be in control, we miss the opportunities presented to us, those God 590 00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:30,580 given moments for our own family, for others. 591 00:45:30,580 --> 00:45:32,560 They're available. 592 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:35,680 But we've got to eliminate the distractions. 593 00:45:35,680 --> 00:45:41,680 And when it comes to wealth, I thought back this week, it was probably 2007. 594 00:45:41,680 --> 00:45:45,000 We've been planting a church for about 18 months now. 595 00:45:45,000 --> 00:45:50,440 In 2007, for those of you who don't know, we were at E. Russell Hicks Middle School. 596 00:45:50,440 --> 00:45:53,840 And we had a little white trailer that we still use. 597 00:45:53,840 --> 00:45:57,920 And Chris was the only one that could unload it and load it because I played Tetris every 598 00:45:57,920 --> 00:45:59,600 single Sunday. 599 00:45:59,600 --> 00:46:04,400 I was the only person that could fit all the equipment in every nook and cranny because 600 00:46:04,400 --> 00:46:08,960 if I didn't do it, it wouldn't fit because this trailer was literally packed and we would 601 00:46:08,960 --> 00:46:12,820 show up at seven in the morning and we would set up sound equipment and we would practice 602 00:46:12,820 --> 00:46:17,720 and we would set up kids rooms and we would pick up dirty old smelly French fries and 603 00:46:17,720 --> 00:46:19,760 we would serve and serve and serve. 604 00:46:19,760 --> 00:46:22,640 And then at 10 o'clock we'd have church. 605 00:46:22,640 --> 00:46:25,400 And then about 1130, we'd pray for a bunch of people. 606 00:46:25,400 --> 00:46:27,160 And then guess what we had to do? 607 00:46:27,160 --> 00:46:28,160 Tear it all down. 608 00:46:28,160 --> 00:46:33,880 And it was about two or two thirty in the afternoon that we were finally heading back 609 00:46:33,880 --> 00:46:36,060 home. 610 00:46:36,060 --> 00:46:39,920 And it was in that season that someone invited me to lunch. 611 00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:44,000 A wealthy individual from our community. 612 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:49,900 He sat down across from me and looked me in the eyes and he said, what if I had the ability 613 00:46:49,900 --> 00:46:52,400 to give you your own church building? 614 00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:56,520 I said, oh, tell me more. 615 00:46:56,520 --> 00:47:02,360 I have the ability to give you your own church building. 616 00:47:02,360 --> 00:47:04,440 You can come and pastor our church. 617 00:47:04,440 --> 00:47:05,720 I love your energy. 618 00:47:05,720 --> 00:47:12,800 I love all that you bring and and your service this past Sunday was impactful to me. 619 00:47:12,800 --> 00:47:16,880 And just think we can grow this church and it will flourish and prosper. 620 00:47:16,880 --> 00:47:22,140 I said, oh, tell me more. 621 00:47:22,140 --> 00:47:29,120 You can't be a vineyard if you're going to come pastor this church. 622 00:47:29,120 --> 00:47:35,560 You bring your church to us and you become a church of Christ, to which I kindly slid 623 00:47:35,560 --> 00:47:40,680 a very significant check back across the table and said, no, thank you. 624 00:47:40,680 --> 00:47:44,540 God has called us to reach people that typically don't go to church. 625 00:47:44,540 --> 00:47:50,760 And you know what's going to happen within a year? 626 00:47:50,760 --> 00:47:58,680 Within a year, I'm going to step on your toes and you're going to fire me because you don't 627 00:47:58,680 --> 00:48:01,280 like what I'm teaching. 628 00:48:01,280 --> 00:48:03,820 And I walked away. 629 00:48:03,820 --> 00:48:05,760 And as I walked away, please understand. 630 00:48:05,760 --> 00:48:08,800 He said, hey, the offers on the table anytime you want to call. 631 00:48:08,800 --> 00:48:15,120 I thought about that for a few weeks because it would have been real easy. 632 00:48:15,120 --> 00:48:19,400 But God said, no, we have to resist. 633 00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:23,960 The seed that fell on Goodsoul, Matthew 13 23 represents those who truly hear and understand 634 00:48:23,960 --> 00:48:25,840 God's word. 635 00:48:25,840 --> 00:48:28,080 Don't be distracted. 636 00:48:28,080 --> 00:48:30,360 Don't be pulled in different directions. 637 00:48:30,360 --> 00:48:34,040 Think horses. 638 00:48:34,040 --> 00:48:37,300 Think horses. 639 00:48:37,300 --> 00:48:40,700 Which leads us to our next step. 640 00:48:40,700 --> 00:48:44,880 Not only do we resist, but we endure the seed that fell on Goodsoul represents those who 641 00:48:44,880 --> 00:48:47,320 truly hear and understand God's word. 642 00:48:47,320 --> 00:48:50,280 See those who receive and respond to the good news are changed forever. 643 00:48:50,280 --> 00:48:54,200 I've seen it and been experiencing it for the past 19 years. 644 00:48:54,200 --> 00:48:57,960 And then suddenly in your excitement, you're giving out invite cards, you're welcoming 645 00:48:57,960 --> 00:49:00,740 people, you're telling people about Sunday morning matinee. 646 00:49:00,740 --> 00:49:02,240 You got to come see these movies, man. 647 00:49:02,240 --> 00:49:05,240 It will blow your mind. 648 00:49:05,240 --> 00:49:09,880 And life change happens and people are giving their lives to Jesus and families are being 649 00:49:09,880 --> 00:49:10,880 transformed. 650 00:49:10,880 --> 00:49:19,080 And it's in those times of sharing those seasons of growth that we experience difficulties 651 00:49:19,080 --> 00:49:20,780 in persecution. 652 00:49:20,780 --> 00:49:23,400 Because when we go in the offensive against the enemy, guess what? 653 00:49:23,400 --> 00:49:24,920 He's going to fight back. 654 00:49:24,920 --> 00:49:29,720 And I'm thankful to lead a church that invites people and thankful to lead a church that 655 00:49:29,720 --> 00:49:36,800 we see hundreds, everyone say hundreds of people baptized every single year. 656 00:49:36,800 --> 00:49:43,160 So, yes, we're going on the offensive, but you got to endure because Romans five tells 657 00:49:43,160 --> 00:49:45,040 us we can rejoice too. 658 00:49:45,040 --> 00:49:51,100 When we run into problems and trials, we know that they help us develop endurance and endurance 659 00:49:51,100 --> 00:49:56,660 develops strength of character and character strengthens a confident hope of salvation. 660 00:49:56,660 --> 00:50:01,640 So the next time you're struggling, the next time you're overwhelmed and you feel like 661 00:50:01,640 --> 00:50:10,160 the enemy is just coming at you with all his force, be joyful, be joyful, because if you're 662 00:50:10,160 --> 00:50:15,200 joyful, it defeats the power he has over you. 663 00:50:15,200 --> 00:50:21,640 And you're walking in what a fruit of the spirit, which leads us to our third step church. 664 00:50:21,640 --> 00:50:23,100 You got to take risks. 665 00:50:23,100 --> 00:50:24,100 The seed that fell on good. 666 00:50:24,100 --> 00:50:28,200 So I'll represent those who truly hear and understand God's word and produce arms of 667 00:50:28,200 --> 00:50:32,680 30 60 even a hundred times as much as been planted. 668 00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:40,600 Now listen to the definition of the word produced cause to cause a particular result or situation 669 00:50:40,600 --> 00:50:43,680 to happen or come into existence. 670 00:50:43,680 --> 00:50:48,620 Jesus approached life every single day by taking risks. 671 00:50:48,620 --> 00:50:52,400 He was constantly interrupted by the needs of others. 672 00:50:52,400 --> 00:50:53,400 How do I know this? 673 00:50:53,400 --> 00:50:54,520 Read the gospels. 674 00:50:54,520 --> 00:50:59,960 In John chapter five, Jesus freely allows his Sabbath to be interrupted by a man who 675 00:50:59,960 --> 00:51:01,800 needs healing. 676 00:51:01,800 --> 00:51:07,260 And then when he's asked the question, why didn't you live out or walk out your Sabbath? 677 00:51:07,260 --> 00:51:11,040 He says this in verse 17, my father is always working. 678 00:51:11,040 --> 00:51:13,260 And so am I. 679 00:51:13,260 --> 00:51:14,920 My father is always working. 680 00:51:14,920 --> 00:51:15,920 And so am I. 681 00:51:15,920 --> 00:51:21,120 In other words, Jesus recognizes that his father is always at work around him. 682 00:51:21,120 --> 00:51:26,040 And sometimes the father will invite him into be doing something special. 683 00:51:26,040 --> 00:51:29,000 And Jesus was ready to respond just this past Friday. 684 00:51:29,000 --> 00:51:30,000 Right? 685 00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:31,440 My kids wanted to go football game. 686 00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:34,920 We took him to a football game and they were at the football game and just says, let's 687 00:51:34,920 --> 00:51:35,920 go on a date. 688 00:51:35,920 --> 00:51:36,920 So we went out to eat. 689 00:51:36,920 --> 00:51:37,920 Right? 690 00:51:37,920 --> 00:51:44,480 We went out to eat everywhere we went, everywhere we went from eating to picking up Crumpies 691 00:51:44,480 --> 00:51:46,920 Doughnuts to the next stop. 692 00:51:46,920 --> 00:51:49,920 Someone knew us. 693 00:51:49,920 --> 00:51:57,520 It was a date, Harun. 694 00:51:57,520 --> 00:52:02,160 And she's celebrating that everybody knew us. 695 00:52:02,160 --> 00:52:07,640 So now I know I got to leave the state to go on a date. 696 00:52:07,640 --> 00:52:10,320 Chances are that if I go leave and leave the state, someone's going to know me. 697 00:52:10,320 --> 00:52:14,800 Heck, I went to an Orioles game and ran into three people from church a couple Thursdays 698 00:52:14,800 --> 00:52:15,800 ago. 699 00:52:15,800 --> 00:52:18,040 Everywhere I go, someone knows me. 700 00:52:18,040 --> 00:52:19,040 Right? 701 00:52:19,040 --> 00:52:20,760 I'm just his friend started dating someone. 702 00:52:20,760 --> 00:52:24,960 Oh, I know him. 703 00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:25,960 Suddenly you get on YouTube. 704 00:52:25,960 --> 00:52:26,960 Everybody knows you. 705 00:52:26,960 --> 00:52:32,040 I don't even want to be known. 706 00:52:32,040 --> 00:52:35,520 My point is I was driving home from said date. 707 00:52:35,520 --> 00:52:40,840 I looked at Jess and I said, I thought we were going on a date and we ended up working 708 00:52:40,840 --> 00:52:42,880 all night. 709 00:52:42,880 --> 00:52:46,360 But that's just a part of living for God's kingdom. 710 00:52:46,360 --> 00:52:51,840 When opportunities arise, you got to be willing to serve. 711 00:52:51,840 --> 00:52:53,080 You got to be willing to pray for you. 712 00:52:53,080 --> 00:52:56,700 You got to be willing to walk out of the restaurant and make a phone call and encourage someone 713 00:52:56,700 --> 00:52:58,620 that was struggling. 714 00:52:58,620 --> 00:53:03,560 It's just a part of being in relationship with him. 715 00:53:03,560 --> 00:53:06,880 We've got to take risks. 716 00:53:06,880 --> 00:53:13,520 Who have you invited to our community of faith that needs to hear the good news about Jesus? 717 00:53:13,520 --> 00:53:14,880 Which leads us to our final step. 718 00:53:14,880 --> 00:53:18,800 When they do come, we celebrate the seed that fell on goods. 719 00:53:18,800 --> 00:53:23,000 So represents those who truly hear and understand God's word and produce the harvest of 36 or 720 00:53:23,000 --> 00:53:27,040 even a hundred times as much as been planted. 721 00:53:27,040 --> 00:53:34,120 God produces a harvest in our very lives because the lives of others are changed. 722 00:53:34,120 --> 00:53:40,920 Church God is calling us to live in the moment to put down our phones, to not be so distracted 723 00:53:40,920 --> 00:53:47,360 so that we are creating those defining moments for our lives and that other people are being 724 00:53:47,360 --> 00:53:49,160 impacted through us. 725 00:53:49,160 --> 00:54:18,600 Eliminate the distractions and be used by the Holy Spirit.