1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:17,360 So follow. 2 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,800 So we're just so thankful that you're here. 3 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:23,680 If you're joining us from home, thank you for welcoming us into your space. 4 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:25,600 Shout out to our friends at HHC. 5 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:30,000 We love you guys and appreciate you watching along with us. 6 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:37,680 So this morning we continue our December series Ghosts of Christmas by discussing the person 7 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,940 of Jesus, who he is and what he has come to do. 8 00:00:41,940 --> 00:00:46,680 As we navigate this Christmas season every year, isn't it true that it just kind of shows 9 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,720 up and it permeates our very existence? 10 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:56,880 It completely intrudes upon our everyday lives, including our music, what we watch, the decorations 11 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:01,440 in our homes and the different trips of course that we have to take. 12 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:06,280 As this happens, for some it's the most wonderful time of the year. 13 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,160 While for others it's not. 14 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,680 But for all of us, it's a time for reflection. 15 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:18,080 See, it's a unique season where we pause to look at our lives uniquely. 16 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:23,880 It's not necessarily that new problems or challenges arise, although sometimes they do. 17 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:31,000 What really happens is that Christmas puts us face to face with us, with you and me. 18 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:37,080 The Christmas season functions as a magnifying glass to our lives. 19 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:43,440 All of us, regardless of what we believe about Jesus and the Bible, when we get into Christmas 20 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:49,360 with all his decorations and planning and parties, we get face to face with the good 21 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,320 and the bad in our lives. 22 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:56,520 We begin to reflect on the relationships in our lives, those that we love, those that 23 00:01:56,520 --> 00:02:01,120 annoy us, and those who are no longer with us. 24 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:08,760 And as we look, we begin to ask, am I living from a place of plenty or a place of scarcity? 25 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:12,320 Do I like where my life is currently? 26 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,720 Am I living on purpose at work or at school? 27 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:22,280 Or am I currently kind of hopeless and wondering, second guessing my current direction? 28 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:26,760 Then ultimately we begin to reflect on faith, religion, and what we believe about Jesus, 29 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:32,680 the Bible, and the kingdom of God, life and death, and all those things invade our minds 30 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:38,720 when we hear someone say, Jesus is the reason for the season. 31 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:43,440 And as we navigate all of this, we realize that our lives are broken down into three 32 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:49,220 simple components, the past, the present, and the future. 33 00:02:49,220 --> 00:02:54,640 And depending on how you're wired and where you currently are in life, these different 34 00:02:54,640 --> 00:03:01,200 aspects of the past, the present, and the future realities, they can haunt us, almost 35 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:07,600 like ghosts that chase us down and talk to us about what we're dealing with, where we 36 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,920 are processing life, and where we're headed. 37 00:03:10,920 --> 00:03:15,800 And for those of us that are followers of Jesus, self-reflection is very important because 38 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:22,400 there's too much at stake to be haunted by the ghosts of past, present, and future. 39 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:28,920 And last week we discussed that life is too short and your calling is too great to allow 40 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:34,040 these ghosts to paralyze you with fear, fear that ultimately steals our joy, steals our 41 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,580 hope and our purpose. 42 00:03:36,580 --> 00:03:39,840 So we have to deal with these ghosts when they appear. 43 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,040 We have to hit them head on. 44 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:47,020 The ghosts of the past that haunts us from who we once were, what we did, the choices 45 00:03:47,020 --> 00:03:52,200 we made, who we became after, and what is going on presently in our life because of 46 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:53,920 those actions. 47 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:59,800 In the same way that Ebenezer Scrooge had to visit with and look upon those ghosts to 48 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:07,600 process where he was in life this holiday season at HCV, we want to do the same. 49 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:12,480 Now last Sunday we were visited by the ghosts of Christmas past. 50 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:18,400 And we work through the truth that we have to believe what is true about being new. 51 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:19,400 We have to believe it. 52 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:21,200 We have to receive it. 53 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:25,200 And if you're a follower of Jesus, here's the reality. 54 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,720 Something has changed since you believed. 55 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:30,240 You are a new person. 56 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,680 You are a new creation. 57 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,000 And because of that, we have to live like we are forgiven. 58 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,200 We have to begin to think differently with discernment. 59 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:44,880 We have to recognize that we are resourced by God, filled with the Holy Spirit, to finish 60 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:49,000 the work that he has called us to do. 61 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,920 Now if you missed that talk, I want to encourage you to go back and listen in. 62 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:57,240 It was an incredible move of God and lives were changed. 63 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,760 Just subscribe to our YouTube channel and listen in. 64 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:06,280 This morning we will be dealing with the ghosts of Christmas present. 65 00:05:06,280 --> 00:05:11,080 We will be thinking about the realities of our current reality. 66 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:15,120 The realities that we all face day in and day out. 67 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:21,040 And I am very confident that as we get into this conversation, follower of Jesus or not, 68 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,840 you will identify with what we are talking about. 69 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:27,200 So let's open in prayer this morning. 70 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,120 Holy Spirit come. 71 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,920 God we just invite your presence here. 72 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:39,160 May your peace, your love, your joy invade our lives this morning. 73 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:44,840 God open our ears, open our eyes, and more importantly, open our hearts to receive your 74 00:05:44,840 --> 00:05:49,040 fullness, your kingdom. 75 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:53,960 Invade us in a special way this morning in Jesus' name. 76 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:55,900 Amen. 77 00:05:55,900 --> 00:06:01,720 So Christmas shows up and it tells us that we have to do certain things. 78 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:03,260 We decorate the house. 79 00:06:03,260 --> 00:06:05,340 We go out and we purchase the tree. 80 00:06:05,340 --> 00:06:07,640 We make plans to bake cookies. 81 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:11,640 Then we begin to figure out what we are going to purchase for the different people that 82 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:12,940 are important in our lives. 83 00:06:12,940 --> 00:06:16,000 Our kids, our spouse, and our friends. 84 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,240 Some of us will be traveling this season. 85 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,000 So we have to plan for that. 86 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:24,560 Then we attend different Christmas parties throughout the month at work, at church, with 87 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:26,160 the family. 88 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:27,700 Christmas Day comes. 89 00:06:27,700 --> 00:06:28,700 We open gifts. 90 00:06:28,700 --> 00:06:32,080 We go to HCV in our PJs. 91 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,800 We visit the different houses of our immediate family. 92 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,920 It's a day full of love. 93 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:43,600 Then with the end of the year, less than a week away, we plan New Year's. 94 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:48,860 We discuss resolutions, processing what we want for our lives in 2025. 95 00:06:48,860 --> 00:06:54,580 In that same week, we take all the presents back that we were given. 96 00:06:54,580 --> 00:06:59,280 We wait in line surrounded by rude and grumpy people that don't want to be there as much 97 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:02,200 as we don't want to be there. 98 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:03,600 Add in the traffic. 99 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:05,560 Dinners that need to be prepared. 100 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:09,040 Decorations that then have to be taken down. 101 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,760 Kids home from school, right on break. 102 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:19,440 When you find yourself overwhelmed and wondering, why do we do this every year? 103 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,480 We have all of this on top of our normal lives. 104 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,880 Whether it be homework, taking care of the home, going to work every day, getting the 105 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:31,920 kids ready for practice and dance and whatever it is. 106 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:38,880 I mean, if your life is anything like mine, what we find during the holidays can be summed 107 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,360 up in one word. 108 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:45,080 And that word is busy. 109 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:49,680 Chances are the last time you ask someone how they are doing during this season, ask 110 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:53,240 people today, their response is going to be, oh, I'm busy. 111 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:54,240 I'm busy. 112 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,480 I got a lot of things to do. 113 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:03,040 So if our present reality is summarized by one word, busy, that then leads us to our 114 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:04,440 first thought. 115 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:08,480 Unfortunately, busyness produces worry. 116 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:15,400 See, busyness brings with it stress, anxiety, frustration and worry. 117 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:21,560 A feeling like everything in life is caving in on us because we can't accomplish everything 118 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:23,360 on the to do list. 119 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:30,480 It leaves us feeling like life is being lived beyond the limits. 120 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:35,160 We're living life at the limits already in our everyday lives and then the holidays push 121 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:38,720 us to the end of our boundaries. 122 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:40,440 And listen, it doesn't matter who you are. 123 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:43,040 We all have limits. 124 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:44,360 It doesn't matter how old you are. 125 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,200 It doesn't matter how young you are. 126 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:52,960 It doesn't matter how much Pilates you do or how many CrossFit workouts you can accomplish. 127 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,580 It doesn't even matter if all you eat is green beans. 128 00:08:56,580 --> 00:09:00,600 We all have limits. 129 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,340 It doesn't matter how much you sleep or how little you sleep. 130 00:09:04,340 --> 00:09:06,080 You have limits. 131 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:11,240 And when we come to the end of those limits, we find ourselves dancing on the edge, tiptoeing 132 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:17,480 on the edge of a waterfall, feeling like we're going to rush over and crash. 133 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:19,480 You know what our culture says? 134 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,640 Our culture says, it's Christmas. 135 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:24,440 Go ahead and have another Red Bull. 136 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,680 Grab another energy drink and just keep pushing on. 137 00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:32,080 It's the most wonderful time of the year. 138 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:37,400 See, we live in a culture that says work more, sleep less, and just keep pushing on. 139 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:38,400 Now listen to this. 140 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:43,720 On average, human beings in North America sleep two and a half hours less than they 141 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,800 did just 100 years ago. 142 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:52,060 And unfortunately, we work drastically more. 143 00:09:52,060 --> 00:09:54,440 What does God say about this lifestyle? 144 00:09:54,440 --> 00:10:01,160 Well, Psalm 127 verse two says, it is useless for you to work so hard from early morning 145 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:08,360 until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat, for God gives rest to his loved 146 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:09,360 ones. 147 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:14,440 See, if we're honest with ourselves, being that the ghost of Christmas present is here 148 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:22,640 with us today, many of us find ourselves pushing our limits emotionally, relationally, spiritually, 149 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,080 physically, financially. 150 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,000 Maybe it's with our schedules. 151 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:28,240 And that takes a toll on us. 152 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,320 We literally feel it. 153 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:35,120 And if you're here this morning, you say, I don't feel any of that, Chris, not being 154 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:41,400 mean, but chances are you're lazy. 155 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:45,360 And there's a different talk that needs to be addressed when it comes to you. 156 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:52,240 Now listen, I'm in no way saying that you should not feel tired, that you should not 157 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:53,640 work hard. 158 00:10:53,640 --> 00:11:02,480 I believe that we should go to bed tired and spent, poured out for all the right reasons. 159 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:08,120 And those reasons are living a life in pursuit of Jesus and his kingdom. 160 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:13,600 And that is why we read in 1 Peter 5, 7 through 8, give all your worries and cares to God, 161 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,040 for he cares about you. 162 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:20,160 We are invited to take all these worries and this feeling of being overwhelmed and throw 163 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,880 them on God, hand them to God. 164 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:27,280 And if we don't, now notice this verse that follows, right? 165 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:33,400 Verse 8 is quite often taken out of context in sermons, in teachings, referring to the 166 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:34,400 devil. 167 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:35,400 Stay alert. 168 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:37,160 Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. 169 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,380 He prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 170 00:11:40,380 --> 00:11:47,740 He's looking for someone to devour that is stressed out, worried, and overwhelmed. 171 00:11:47,740 --> 00:11:55,480 And we're at the end of our limits, which leads us to our next thought. 172 00:11:55,480 --> 00:12:01,120 Pushing the limits leaves us with no margin and no peace. 173 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:09,600 Margin, simply put, is the space between the load of our life and the limits of our life. 174 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:15,080 Or if you want to say it differently, it's the pace that you and I are living, the limits 175 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:17,120 of our lives. 176 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:23,080 And if we're honest, it's very hard to keep driving a car at 200 miles per hour and be 177 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:24,080 safe. 178 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,040 It's difficult. 179 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:32,440 Many of us are throttled down now that it's the holidays and we're feeling it because 180 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:38,880 we have no margin and our bodies and our minds and our spirits can get overwhelmed. 181 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:46,480 And listen, truth is, small margins will always lead to big messes. 182 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:52,920 Small margins, where we push the limits and just keep driving, will always lead to big 183 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,320 messes. 184 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:59,880 For some of you, for example, you're always late because you have no margin. 185 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:02,640 You just keep pushing the envelope. 186 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:07,760 We're always finding ourselves at the end of our limits, whether it be finances or relationships 187 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:12,120 or our service here at HCV, you have nothing to give. 188 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:14,400 Nothing, you're spent. 189 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:23,000 And now that the holidays are here and they're magnifying glass upon our lives, suddenly 190 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:24,440 you realize, it's just how I'm living. 191 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,080 It's just where I live every single day. 192 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:27,280 I have no margin, Chris. 193 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,120 I have nothing to give. 194 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,600 I have constantly being poured out. 195 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,280 And when I'm constantly being poured out, I have no peace. 196 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:36,840 Yet here, think about this. 197 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:42,160 Peace is what Jesus brought to the world during this season. 198 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:47,000 From the age of two, 13 to 14, suddenly the angel was joined by a vast host of others, 199 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:52,640 armies of heaven, praising God, they're worshiping God and saying, glory to God in the highest 200 00:13:52,640 --> 00:14:00,080 heaven and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased. 201 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,760 Jesus came to bring us peace and all the while our culture is telling us on social media 202 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:10,360 to push and push and push, to chase, to pursue the perfect life with the perfect house and 203 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:14,320 the perfect career and the perfect family, the perfect car, the perfect phone. 204 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,520 Oh, you can get a TV for $78 now. 205 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:26,600 And there's Christmas gifts to purchase, leaving all of us feeling tired, worn out and weary. 206 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,080 Why? 207 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:33,640 Because we're so consumed as a society about shaping our brand, our own uniqueness, whether 208 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:38,880 it be our clothes or our living rooms, about shaping the reservoir of our children and 209 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:44,360 our grandchildren, making sure all of our social media feeds look impressive so we're 210 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:48,200 well respected using the right filter. 211 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:52,800 Our culture is afraid of missing out. 212 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:59,440 And we find ourselves on this hamster wheel of life, this performance, and we just drag 213 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:03,600 our kids along for the ride. 214 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:07,280 Because of this constant comparison, we have no peace. 215 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:12,520 We can't even celebrate when anyone else is winning at life because guess what? 216 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:18,240 If they're winning, society says you're losing and you're not good enough. 217 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:24,640 To which I pose the question, if you're a follower of Jesus and you're here this morning, 218 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,360 why? 219 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:31,200 Why do we keep doing this? 220 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:37,520 Why are we chasing our life that our society tells us we should live? 221 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:44,100 But see, unfortunately, for so many Jesus followers in the US, we often believe the 222 00:15:44,100 --> 00:15:48,920 life we want for ourselves is the life God wants for us. 223 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:52,360 So we chase that version of life. 224 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:58,920 There's this constant bombardment on social media, and we have become convinced that the 225 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:04,000 life we want is the exact same life that God wants for us in church. 226 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:06,960 It's just simply not true. 227 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,640 It's a lie. 228 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:15,800 Listen to the life that God wants for us and Jesus promises for those that are filled with 229 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:19,320 the Spirit, John 14, 27. 230 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,200 I'm leaving you with a gift. 231 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,880 Think about that gift under the tree on Christmas morning. 232 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,320 Peace of mind and heart. 233 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:31,120 I want it. 234 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:34,160 And the peace I give is a gift. 235 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,800 Notice the world cannot give. 236 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:41,520 So don't be troubled or afraid. 237 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:46,320 Listen, God created us to do so much more in this life. 238 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:51,520 And as we reflect on the ghost of Christmas present, I want us to realize the difference 239 00:16:51,520 --> 00:17:00,700 between the life we want for ourselves and the life God wants for you and me. 240 00:17:00,700 --> 00:17:07,520 Maybe we are busy, stressed out, worried and experiencing no peace because God is inviting 241 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:12,780 us to change and pursue a life committed to Him. 242 00:17:12,780 --> 00:17:18,600 Maybe this is the Sunday that we say no more. 243 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,760 And friends, I want to challenge you. 244 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:29,320 Don't hear this invitation from the Holy Spirit this morning and then ignore it. 245 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:35,800 Embrace it and live a life that is full, which leads us to our next dolly. 246 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:42,680 You see, Jesus, He tells us, He commands us, focus on the kingdom. 247 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:48,080 Jesus preaching the Sermon on the Mount is the most famous sermon that encompasses all 248 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:50,440 aspects of our lives. 249 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:55,280 The section we're going to jump into comes right after Jesus telling the people gathered, 250 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:58,300 you can't serve two masters. 251 00:17:58,300 --> 00:18:00,760 You can't serve God and stuff. 252 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:02,240 You can't serve God and money. 253 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:04,620 You can't serve God and your possessions. 254 00:18:04,620 --> 00:18:06,460 You can't serve God in your career. 255 00:18:06,460 --> 00:18:08,160 You can't serve two gods. 256 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,300 You can only serve one. 257 00:18:11,300 --> 00:18:13,760 One will win, one will lose. 258 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,320 You can't have two masters. 259 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:23,520 And then right after that, He continues on and He says, if you're chasing after two masters, 260 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:26,520 something is going to happen deep within your spirit. 261 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:31,140 And this is what He says, Matthew 6, 25 to 27. 262 00:18:31,140 --> 00:18:36,240 That is why I tell you not to worry about your everyday life. 263 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:40,520 Jesus is just brilliant. 264 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:46,200 Think about this, He says this on a hillside to people who have never thought about or 265 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:52,680 considered the idea of a car, the internet, social media, an airplane. 266 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,840 They haven't heard of any of those things. 267 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:01,200 And He says, stop worrying. 268 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,060 And He would say the same thing to you and me. 269 00:19:04,060 --> 00:19:05,320 Stop worrying about your life. 270 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,520 Yet here's the reality, we all do it. 271 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:14,280 And Jesus is so smart that He points out those different areas. 272 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:15,280 Let's continue. 273 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:20,360 Whether you have enough food and drink or enough clothes to wear, isn't life more than 274 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:25,640 food in your body more than clothing? 275 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:33,180 Some of you just this week were stressed out about what you were going to wear. 276 00:19:33,180 --> 00:19:37,240 Some of you look around, maybe not enough. 277 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:48,080 I mean, it's 2000 years later, 2000 plus years later, and it's just like He spoke those words 278 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:49,260 to us. 279 00:19:49,260 --> 00:19:54,200 He could walk onto any college campus in the United States and say these words. 280 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,720 He could walk into any corporation, any living room. 281 00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,720 Don't worry about your life. 282 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:03,120 Stop stressing about what you're going to eat or what your drink, what your body looks 283 00:20:03,120 --> 00:20:04,120 like. 284 00:20:04,120 --> 00:20:07,120 About how popular you are, about how many followers you have. 285 00:20:07,120 --> 00:20:11,200 Stop caring about that stuff. 286 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:15,320 Jesus is saying, what is your priority? 287 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:20,400 What is getting the best and most of your emotions? 288 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,880 And then He continues, look at the birds. 289 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:28,600 They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns for your heavenly Father feeds them. 290 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:33,500 Man, I don't know about you, but I've never seen two birds in their nest wondering and 291 00:20:33,500 --> 00:20:36,080 worrying about how many worms they're going to eat. 292 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,480 They're not comparing the size of the worms in their mouths. 293 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:43,600 They're not talking about a blackbird and an oriole and which is more beautiful. 294 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:47,440 Like they just don't do it. 295 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,280 And then Jesus continues, and aren't you? 296 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:56,100 Now remember, you are made in the image of God. 297 00:20:56,100 --> 00:20:58,880 We are created in the image of God. 298 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:02,160 Aren't you far more valuable to Him than they are? 299 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:09,480 And all your worries at a single moment to your life. 300 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:14,180 Can any one of us, no matter how stressed we get, how anxious we are, actually make 301 00:21:14,180 --> 00:21:15,680 our lives better? 302 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:19,200 It doesn't matter what we do. 303 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:26,520 Even if we stopped everything and become that lazy person playing video games all day, you're 304 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:28,800 not going to add more time to your life. 305 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:29,800 You can't. 306 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:35,280 And then He continues. 307 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,480 And why worry about your clothing? 308 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:40,400 Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. 309 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:48,680 They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon, now remember, Solomon had everything. 310 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:53,840 He was the richest man in the world. 311 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:59,560 Finest fabrics, nicest clothes, anything he wanted. 312 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:03,600 And all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 313 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:07,240 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire 314 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:11,720 tomorrow who certainly care for you, why do you have so little faith? 315 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,600 He's crazy. 316 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:19,280 Then Jesus pivots and He gives us an alternative to all this. 317 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:24,880 He looks right at you and me as we're reflecting on these issues of worry and anxiety during 318 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:25,880 the holiday season. 319 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:31,280 He says this in Matthew 6, 31 to 33, so don't worry about these things. 320 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:32,280 Saying what will we eat? 321 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:33,280 What will we drink? 322 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:34,280 What will we wear? 323 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:38,400 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers. 324 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,840 I just want to pause there just for a second. 325 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:46,520 In this culture, an unbeliever was one of two people. 326 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:52,880 Those who didn't believe in any God, a complete atheist, or people who believed in gods that 327 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:57,040 were idols or made of wood. 328 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:01,800 And he is saying people who don't believe in the truth, this is how they live. 329 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:07,900 They worry, they stress, they chase after a life that is not from God. 330 00:23:07,900 --> 00:23:14,360 And he's telling his church, he's telling his people, you're different. 331 00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:18,520 He continues, but your heavenly father already knows all your needs. 332 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:21,160 Now think about this. 333 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:29,520 Your heavenly father knows what you need, not what you want, what you need. 334 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:33,520 Not what our culture tells us we should have, but what we need. 335 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:37,760 Your heavenly father who takes care of the birds and the grass and the flowers knows 336 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:41,240 what we need. 337 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:45,200 And then Jesus says instead of all the worry and stress and anxiety, he says this, he says 338 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:55,520 seek, which is defined as search, chase, pursue, intentionally go after the kingdom of God. 339 00:23:55,520 --> 00:24:03,800 Above all else, live righteously and he will give you everything you need. 340 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:09,200 Now some of you are sitting there and you're like, but Chris, if I do that, will I get 341 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:10,200 the scholarship? 342 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:17,280 But Chris, if I do that, will I get that new house? 343 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:21,360 But Chris, if I do that, will I ever have that family that I want? 344 00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:26,680 And see this morning, God is challenging us to get the order right. 345 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:32,400 If we're going to deal with the ghost of Christmas present that haunts so many people in our 346 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:41,920 society, we have to practice, leading to our final thought, we have to practice the discipline 347 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,760 of ordering life. 348 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:49,680 We have to practice the discipline of ordering our order. 349 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:56,600 Ordering like bossing around or telling our life, this is what you're going to do. 350 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:58,040 This is what matters. 351 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:00,000 This is what is most important. 352 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:01,480 And what is it? 353 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:05,040 Seek the kingdom of God above all else, live righteously, he'll give you everything you 354 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:06,040 need. 355 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:12,120 See, it's a practice that those in a relationship with Jesus read the Bible. 356 00:25:12,120 --> 00:25:13,400 It's a practice that we pray. 357 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,040 It's a practice that we attend Sunday gatherings. 358 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,560 It's a practice that we share our stories. 359 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,520 It's a practice that we give. 360 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:25,440 But Jesus says it's more than that, it's also a posture. 361 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:35,520 We can have a posture at work or at school that we are seeking first the kingdom of God. 362 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:41,860 We can have a posture while we're coaching kids that we seek first the kingdom of God. 363 00:25:41,860 --> 00:25:47,480 We can have a posture of seeking God's kingdom when we're buying presents. 364 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:49,200 Everywhere we go, it's a mindset. 365 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:53,680 It's an understanding that no, we're seeking the kingdom of God. 366 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:56,600 Let's get real this morning. 367 00:25:56,600 --> 00:26:00,200 Yes, we have limits. 368 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:07,800 And we are constantly pushing those limits, but no one determines your schedule but you. 369 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:12,400 No one determines your spending but you. 370 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,160 No one forces us to do it. 371 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:22,280 Listen, I've never met a man or a woman that wanted to watch a Steelers or Ravens game that 372 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:25,480 doesn't have time. 373 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:26,960 Never met them. 374 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:32,480 I've never met a mom who doesn't get their daughter to dance or gymnastics when they 375 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,480 want their daughter at dance or gymnastics. 376 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:40,320 I've never met a man or a woman who doesn't have time for their career, their workplace 377 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:43,560 when they want their careers to go forward. 378 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:46,360 How about leisure time? 379 00:26:46,360 --> 00:26:52,280 I've never met a man or a woman who wants to golf who doesn't find time to golf. 380 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:54,320 True or false? 381 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:56,920 That was terrible, church. 382 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:57,920 True or false? 383 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:02,580 Darn right it's true. 384 00:27:02,580 --> 00:27:10,240 And I wanted you to say true because every single time life gets short and margins begin 385 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:19,960 to bombard us and we feel like we're losing it, the first thing to go is God. 386 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:27,240 We stop praying, we stop attending, we stop giving, we stop investing, we stop sharing, 387 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:31,540 we stop serving. 388 00:27:31,540 --> 00:27:38,520 Why is it that $100 looks like nothing to buy a Christmas present this season, but it 389 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:43,240 looks like the world's gonna end because I'm giving it to the church? 390 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:50,560 Oh we laugh but it's true. 391 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:56,300 The truth is we have not sought the kingdom of God first. 392 00:27:56,300 --> 00:28:01,400 We have not ordered our order and we end up giving in to what our culture and everyone 393 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:02,920 else says we should do. 394 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:07,320 And Jesus says you're gonna worry about your life. 395 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:12,360 You're gonna be stressed out, overwhelmed, and full of anxiety until you make him a priority. 396 00:28:12,360 --> 00:28:20,240 He says don't worry, instead seek first the kingdom of God. 397 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:24,760 Don't listen to the commercials, don't watch social media because listen to what? 398 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:28,880 They're not gonna tell you to order your order around Jesus. 399 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:32,020 They're gonna tell you what to buy, where to go, and how to think. 400 00:28:32,020 --> 00:28:36,280 They're gonna tell you to put your head down and press on, have more stuff and a beautiful 401 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:40,240 dinner and a Christmas tree that is just epic. 402 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:46,720 And then we just throw it away. 403 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:51,000 And to get the order right we have to die to ourselves. 404 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:56,440 And listen if you're anything like me, when I have no margin and I have no peace it's 405 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:01,820 because Jesus has become a lesser priority of my life. 406 00:29:01,820 --> 00:29:06,960 Because here's the reality, when we put Jesus first and we seek his kingdom our regrets 407 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:09,960 will shrink and God grows. 408 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:14,200 And I don't know about you, but I don't like regrets. 409 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:16,720 I want them to shrink. 410 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:20,760 But there's so many people, oh I need another present for our kids. 411 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:22,200 I gotta get them to practice. 412 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:24,080 I gotta get them home. 413 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:29,960 All the hours spent eating out, in the car, driving your kids to this practice and that 414 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:34,520 practice, you sit in your car, you wonder does it all matter? 415 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:38,320 You miss Sunday gatherings, you disconnect from people at church. 416 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:46,040 Yes their performance is improving on the athletic field, but does it really matter? 417 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:54,880 To which I say, I don't know, have a discussion with your children. 418 00:29:54,880 --> 00:30:01,480 My kids all play travel sports, but they're all held accountable if it's what they want 419 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:03,920 to do they gotta be committed to it. 420 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:07,920 They gotta be all in. 421 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:15,240 Too many people live their unmet childhood goals through their kids and they're just 422 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:17,480 wasting their time. 423 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:23,480 And it just leaves them full of regret and it leaves them questioning why they didn't 424 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,520 prioritize God. 425 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:31,200 Think about this, we walk past people all the time during the holiday season, ringing 426 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:33,680 bells, asking for money. 427 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:38,640 They're poor, they're broke, give to this cause, give to that cause and you really want 428 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:43,200 to but you wanted the larger house, you wanted the swimming pool and you have no margin to 429 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,560 give and be generous. 430 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:51,360 So many people just live that way, but when we put God first, we quickly learn that when 431 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:59,200 we give to others, when we bless them, God blesses us. 432 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:05,360 When God gets bigger, our regrets get smaller. 433 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:10,480 But when we chase the things that never refresh our spirit, you're going to find yourself 434 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:17,880 worried, stressed out and full of anxiety, which leads us to three questions to ponder. 435 00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:23,960 Number one, how are you currently ordering your life? 436 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:27,760 Jesus said this in Matthew 633, seek the kingdom of God above all else, live righteously, he'll 437 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:30,260 give you everything you need. 438 00:31:30,260 --> 00:31:34,560 And this morning and this week, I want you to be ruthlessly honest with yourself, how 439 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:38,320 are you currently ordering your life? 440 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:40,600 What are you prioritizing? 441 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:45,120 Be honest with yourself and do an audit or a check on your life. 442 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:51,200 For example, if we were to audit your prayer life, what would it tell us? 443 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:56,040 Because if it's in your heart, it's in our prayers, what do you pray about if you pray 444 00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:58,440 at all? 445 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:04,640 Or is your worry meter so high that you can't even pray? 446 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:08,600 What if we all did your bank account? 447 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:11,100 What if we looked into your finances? 448 00:32:11,100 --> 00:32:18,520 Do you give way more money to Disney and Best Buy than you do the kingdom of God? 449 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:22,960 Just truth, because it's going to spell it all out. 450 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,480 What if we all did your calendar? 451 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:30,360 What if you honestly looked at and said, how are you ordering your life? 452 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:33,720 What is your calendar going to tell us about how much screen time you have? 453 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:35,200 How much Netflix you watch? 454 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,000 How many video games you play? 455 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:44,960 How much time you're spending just vegging out on some football game that means nothing? 456 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:48,840 What would you find if you audited your schedule? 457 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:51,040 What if we all did your relationships? 458 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:54,120 We sit down with your kids, your spouse, your friends. 459 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:58,440 What would they say about the level of intimacy in your relationships? 460 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:07,320 See, no peace, no margin means we're out of order when it comes to our relationship with 461 00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:08,320 Jesus. 462 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:14,640 We have to quit doing or focusing on those things that actually do nothing for us or 463 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,000 our relationship with Jesus. 464 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:20,720 Which leads us to question number two. 465 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:24,720 Do you trust God with your life? 466 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:25,720 Do you? 467 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:31,560 Matthew 6, 31, 32 says, so don't worry about these things saying what we eat, what we drink, 468 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:32,880 what we wear. 469 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,320 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers. 470 00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:41,200 But notice this part, your heavenly father already knows all your needs. 471 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:42,400 So here's the crazy thing. 472 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:48,880 When you talk to God about what you need, what is going on in your life, he already 473 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:49,880 knows. 474 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:53,120 I mean, that just blows my mind. 475 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:56,080 He's already aware of everything that we're praying about. 476 00:33:56,080 --> 00:33:57,680 He knows what we need. 477 00:33:57,680 --> 00:33:59,360 He knows what is going on. 478 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:05,440 He even knows what we are chasing. 479 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:07,440 Do you trust God? 480 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:13,880 See, so many people trust God with their death, but they don't trust Him with their life. 481 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:19,040 See, they trust God will raise them from the dead when they die. 482 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:25,320 They don't trust Him with their money or their parenting or their time or their calendar. 483 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:26,880 Do you trust God? 484 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:31,720 It's crazy, there's this famous story of a tightrope walking family and one of the family 485 00:34:31,720 --> 00:34:36,040 members was tightrope walking across Niagara Falls. 486 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:40,040 Waves crashing underneath as he went back and forth over the falls. 487 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:44,240 One time he even carried a small grill while going back and forth and cooked an omelet 488 00:34:44,240 --> 00:34:46,160 while walking on the road. 489 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:48,280 Just crazy. 490 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:52,240 One time he pushed a wheelbarrow back and forth multiple times and then he took it a 491 00:34:52,240 --> 00:34:55,720 step further and blindfolded himself. 492 00:34:55,720 --> 00:34:59,840 He went over and back and when he got back to the other side, took the blindfold off, 493 00:34:59,840 --> 00:35:06,080 looked down at the crowd saying, do you believe that you could sit in this wheelbarrow while 494 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:08,120 I push it over and back? 495 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:09,120 Check it out. 496 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:10,120 Would you get in it? 497 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:12,720 Would you get in that wheelbarrow? 498 00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:20,880 The crowd in the excitement said yes. 499 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:26,240 Then he said, who wants in? 500 00:35:26,240 --> 00:35:28,680 Nobody moved. 501 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:29,680 Everybody was silent. 502 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:35,460 And see, that's the difference between faith and belief. 503 00:35:35,460 --> 00:35:43,320 You can believe God knows what you need, but do you trust God to walk it out? 504 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:48,880 To the point that every day you wake up, you will say, I seek first the kingdom of God 505 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:52,400 in everything I do before your feet even hit the floor. 506 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:57,000 I will order my order around God and trust that he will provide for me. 507 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:01,360 I will trust God even when it doesn't work out. 508 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:02,360 I didn't get the job. 509 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:04,120 I didn't get the scholarship. 510 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:05,880 I didn't get the promotion. 511 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:08,960 I'm not that popular. 512 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:14,080 Either I didn't need it or I don't need it right now. 513 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:19,080 See God knows what we need and we can trust him in purpose and meaning because God knows 514 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:21,280 every hair on our heads. 515 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:24,920 He knows everything about me, knows everything about you, and that's why he sent his son 516 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:29,600 to die for us. 517 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:36,520 Check yourself, do I trust God with every fabric of my life? 518 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:39,240 Leading us to our final question. 519 00:36:39,240 --> 00:36:44,480 How are you defining everything you need? 520 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:48,480 See Jesus says it this way in Matthew 6 33, seek the kingdom of God above all else, live 521 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:54,480 righteously and he will give you everything you need. 522 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:57,680 And when you hear those words, everything you need, what are you importing into that 523 00:36:57,680 --> 00:37:01,000 verse when it comes to everything you need? 524 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:02,000 Is it wealth? 525 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:03,000 Is it stuff? 526 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,040 Is it a new TV, a new car, a new house? 527 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:06,280 Is it recognition? 528 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:08,600 Is it fame? 529 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:13,800 See we almost realize when Jesus was speaking and saying these words, he was saying, I will 530 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:18,000 take care of your basic needs. 531 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:19,460 You'll be fine. 532 00:37:19,460 --> 00:37:26,160 You have a shelter, you'll have food, you'll have water, I'll give you a toga. 533 00:37:26,160 --> 00:37:28,000 You'll have all the things you need. 534 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:31,200 It'll be great. 535 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:33,760 You will have what you need to do life. 536 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:44,800 But see I wonder if some of us have made definitions about our wants and align them with God's 537 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:48,200 wants for us. 538 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:52,400 And quite often in the American church, that's what we do. 539 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:58,600 It's called the prosperity gospel. 540 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:06,000 A simple tool to use that will change your entire outlook. 541 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,080 How do you import everything you need? 542 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:09,720 Well here's the reality. 543 00:38:09,720 --> 00:38:15,800 If the Bible is true, it has to be true everywhere. 544 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:20,800 If the Bible is true for you in Hagerstown, Maryland and false for the person living in 545 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:24,880 a village in Kenya, someone's got it wrong. 546 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:25,880 Make sense? 547 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:31,360 If the Bible is true and we believe to be the living word of God that's alive, inactive, 548 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:36,400 it changes our life, it's true for us as it is true for the person living in Kenya in 549 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,800 a village and one meal a day. 550 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:43,480 It has to be true everywhere. 551 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:47,640 So what Jesus is saying is if you seek me first and make the kingdom of God a priority, 552 00:38:47,640 --> 00:38:49,560 I'll take care of your basic needs. 553 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:51,160 You'll be fine. 554 00:38:51,160 --> 00:38:54,400 Dude, stop worrying. 555 00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:59,560 Get over yourself and prioritize the kingdom of God in your life. 556 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:05,360 What do we do with the ghost of Christmas present and keep it from haunting us? 557 00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:11,840 Church, we need to make God the starting point, not the afterthought. 558 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:12,840 That's good, isn't it? 559 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:18,840 I think I'm going to say it again. 560 00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:24,880 We need to make God the starting point, not an afterthought. 561 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:32,400 Every day we wake up, we have to say God in every decision, in every word spoken, in every 562 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:36,240 thought, you will be my starting point. 563 00:39:36,240 --> 00:39:40,160 In this moment, I will seek you and your kingdom. 564 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:44,200 That is my starting point, God, in everything I do. 565 00:39:44,200 --> 00:39:46,200 It's not what we want. 566 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:49,120 What we want stresses us out. 567 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:56,640 But when we want what God wants, it leaves us living in abundance. 568 00:39:56,640 --> 00:40:04,220 And then we become an example of Jesus to the world, which leads us to our action step. 569 00:40:04,220 --> 00:40:05,440 And this is going to change your life. 570 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:07,600 Are you ready? 571 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:09,760 If you walk this out, it will change your life. 572 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,440 We need to commit. 573 00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:17,040 That's it. 574 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:20,200 It's not rocket science here. 575 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:22,760 Seek the kingdom of God above all else, live righteously, he'll give you everything you 576 00:40:22,760 --> 00:40:23,760 need. 577 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:28,440 And here's what I'm going to challenge you to, church. 578 00:40:28,440 --> 00:40:33,080 I want to ask you and invite you to commit to some things this month. 579 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:39,160 Let's commit to attending our Sunday gatherings for the rest of the month. 580 00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:41,800 You're not going to miss. 581 00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:43,080 You're not going to make an excuse. 582 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:46,240 Some of you are already thinking, oh, man, I got a trip next week. 583 00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:47,240 Damn. 584 00:40:47,240 --> 00:40:48,240 Darn. 585 00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:49,240 All upset. 586 00:40:49,240 --> 00:40:50,240 I've already failed. 587 00:40:50,240 --> 00:40:51,240 It's all right. 588 00:40:51,240 --> 00:40:52,240 We'll judge you. 589 00:40:52,240 --> 00:40:53,240 Don't worry. 590 00:40:53,240 --> 00:40:54,240 Just kidding. 591 00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:55,240 Just kidding. 592 00:40:55,240 --> 00:41:01,480 But commit to it. 593 00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:02,480 Don't make excuses. 594 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:04,360 Prioritize our Sunday gatherings. 595 00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:06,560 You know why you say, Chris, well, that's selfish. 596 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:08,000 No, it's not. 597 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:12,800 It's a reminder to all of us that we're not the center of the universe, God is. 598 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:15,720 That's why we gather together. 599 00:41:15,720 --> 00:41:21,480 I mean, this year, December is the easiest month to commit to attending all of our Sunday 600 00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:22,480 gatherings. 601 00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:23,480 You know why? 602 00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:25,280 I'm giving you the 29th off. 603 00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:27,640 We're not even meeting. 604 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:30,120 I'm giving you a Sunday off this year. 605 00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:32,120 And you're like, Chris, why are you doing that? 606 00:41:32,120 --> 00:41:37,300 Well, we're declaring the weekend of the 29th as the weekend of rest. 607 00:41:37,300 --> 00:41:40,320 For you and your family. 608 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:50,540 And we're encouraging you to spend time resting and with one another and praying for one another. 609 00:41:50,540 --> 00:41:53,080 But it's not just about attending our Sunday gatherings. 610 00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:56,800 Listen, I want to challenge you. 611 00:41:56,800 --> 00:41:59,520 Commit to give to our community of faith. 612 00:41:59,520 --> 00:42:01,520 There's some of you that don't give to HTV. 613 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:03,880 You don't give financially to HTV. 614 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:08,280 And you'll have every excuse why you can't or if the basket gets passed, you'll throw 615 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:09,680 five bucks in. 616 00:42:09,680 --> 00:42:10,680 Here's your tip, God. 617 00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:13,800 I want to challenge you. 618 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:15,800 Change. 619 00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:18,280 Commit to tithing the rest of the month. 620 00:42:18,280 --> 00:42:21,280 You're like, whoa, that's a big step. 621 00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:22,280 I know. 622 00:42:22,280 --> 00:42:26,440 It's what God wants for us. 623 00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:27,440 So what God wants for us. 624 00:42:27,440 --> 00:42:28,840 Well, what's the tithe? 625 00:42:28,840 --> 00:42:30,840 10% off the top. 626 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:32,960 10%. 627 00:42:32,960 --> 00:42:35,800 Off the top, back to God, back to our church. 628 00:42:35,800 --> 00:42:36,800 Well, Chris, you're being selfish. 629 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:37,800 No, I'm not. 630 00:42:37,800 --> 00:42:41,480 It's what the Bible tells us to do. 631 00:42:41,480 --> 00:42:43,920 And here's the reality. 632 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:45,760 You know why I'm telling you to do it? 633 00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:51,440 Because if you start this Sunday and do it the next three Sundays, take the 29 off, I 634 00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:55,280 believe your finances are going to be better when you started right now. 635 00:42:55,280 --> 00:42:58,000 They're going to be better at the end of the month. 636 00:42:58,000 --> 00:43:00,000 And you say, well, how do you know that? 637 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:01,600 Because God tells us to test them. 638 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:04,640 He's not going to let you down. 639 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:06,280 He's going to blow your mind away. 640 00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:08,400 It's not me being selfish. 641 00:43:08,400 --> 00:43:15,400 It's me challenging you to commit, to change, to prioritize the kingdom of God. 642 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:17,400 And then give a little more. 643 00:43:17,400 --> 00:43:21,360 Every year we give away a Christmas gift, not to church. 644 00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:23,560 We don't collect money to give it to HCV. 645 00:43:23,560 --> 00:43:24,560 We give it away. 646 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:29,080 Last year we gave over $60,000 in one check. 647 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:30,080 We wrote it. 648 00:43:30,080 --> 00:43:31,080 And I wrote that check. 649 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:32,080 I didn't write the check. 650 00:43:32,080 --> 00:43:33,080 Someone wrote the check. 651 00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:34,080 And they sent it away. 652 00:43:34,080 --> 00:43:41,280 And I was just like, oh God, $60,000 is a lot of money. 653 00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:44,880 And I'm like, are you sure, God? 654 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:49,040 And it went and it built five wells in Africa. 655 00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:55,040 And it's changing communities, communities, not people. 656 00:43:55,040 --> 00:44:00,720 It's changing entire communities because they have clean drinking water, something that 657 00:44:00,720 --> 00:44:05,720 we just turn on and turn off. 658 00:44:05,720 --> 00:44:11,940 And this year we're giving our Christmas gift to the women and children caught in the horrors 659 00:44:11,940 --> 00:44:15,080 of human trafficking. 660 00:44:15,080 --> 00:44:18,640 All the money we're giving away that we collect to our Christmas gift. 661 00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:20,160 And you can give to it. 662 00:44:20,160 --> 00:44:21,160 You can give online. 663 00:44:21,160 --> 00:44:22,160 You can write it. 664 00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:23,160 Put it in your envelope. 665 00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:27,860 We're giving it away to women and children caught in the horrors of human trafficking. 666 00:44:27,860 --> 00:44:34,720 Did you know that there's more active slaves today in 2024 than there were at the height 667 00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:35,720 of the Civil War? 668 00:44:35,720 --> 00:44:39,040 You know, no, there's not. 669 00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:40,280 Google it. 670 00:44:40,280 --> 00:44:43,020 Yes, there are. 671 00:44:43,020 --> 00:44:52,400 There's more human slaves today than there was at the height of our Civil War. 672 00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:55,200 And you know what God tells us to do? 673 00:44:55,200 --> 00:44:56,640 Change that. 674 00:44:56,640 --> 00:44:59,760 Help them. 675 00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:00,760 Give them hope. 676 00:45:00,760 --> 00:45:04,720 But it's not just that. 677 00:45:04,720 --> 00:45:09,400 So you commit to attending Sunday gatherings or commit to giving. 678 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:12,800 Start plugging in people. 679 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:17,280 Don't just show up and sit down and high five and say it was great and leave. 680 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:18,880 Yes, our worship is great. 681 00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:20,660 We have an incredible, talented team. 682 00:45:20,660 --> 00:45:21,920 We love to worship. 683 00:45:21,920 --> 00:45:23,560 We love to get close to God. 684 00:45:23,560 --> 00:45:27,520 But listen, if you just come to sing to get close to God, you don't want to give back. 685 00:45:27,520 --> 00:45:29,920 That's not the church. 686 00:45:29,920 --> 00:45:33,960 The church is serving one another. 687 00:45:33,960 --> 00:45:38,320 And the beautiful thing about our worship team is they want to serve you. 688 00:45:38,320 --> 00:45:40,120 They want to put you into God's presence. 689 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:41,760 You say, well, Chris, I can't sing. 690 00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:43,720 Good, I can't either. 691 00:45:43,720 --> 00:45:50,200 I don't want you up here singing if you can't sing because then people will just be leaving. 692 00:45:50,200 --> 00:45:54,480 But I want you giving out coffee and holding front doors and smiling at people. 693 00:45:54,480 --> 00:45:58,960 Somebody who got a high five from me on the second layer of greeting this morning? 694 00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:00,720 Put your hands up real high. 695 00:46:00,720 --> 00:46:01,720 See that? 696 00:46:01,720 --> 00:46:03,280 Look, see these hands. 697 00:46:03,280 --> 00:46:05,200 I was the second level greeter. 698 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:07,480 And you say, well, what's that mean? 699 00:46:07,480 --> 00:46:12,040 I just stood back from the door and high five more people as they're coming in and everyone 700 00:46:12,040 --> 00:46:14,080 smiled. 701 00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:18,840 You can do that for me because I got to talk to all those people and I got to talk to you 702 00:46:18,840 --> 00:46:22,000 and guess what, my voice can only go so far. 703 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:25,520 My point is show up, meet Jess, get on a team. 704 00:46:25,520 --> 00:46:27,600 Stop just being a face that I high five when you leave. 705 00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:28,600 I don't know your name. 706 00:46:28,600 --> 00:46:29,600 I don't know your kids. 707 00:46:29,600 --> 00:46:30,600 I don't even know who you are. 708 00:46:30,600 --> 00:46:31,920 Plug into the church. 709 00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:34,160 Be known. 710 00:46:34,160 --> 00:46:35,940 Be known. 711 00:46:35,940 --> 00:46:43,080 Do something because it's going to relieve and take stress and anxiety away from you. 712 00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:45,960 For example, we're wrapping angel tree gifts after our third gathering. 713 00:46:45,960 --> 00:46:47,160 Go get something to bite to eat. 714 00:46:47,160 --> 00:46:49,360 Come back, spend an hour wrapping gifts. 715 00:46:49,360 --> 00:46:50,840 Next Sunday is our angel tree party. 716 00:46:50,840 --> 00:46:51,840 Show up, serve. 717 00:46:51,840 --> 00:46:52,840 Guess what? 718 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:55,000 You're going to be crying watching all these kids open gifts. 719 00:46:55,000 --> 00:46:58,080 New Year's Eve, we're giving away hot chocolate at the doughnut drop. 720 00:46:58,080 --> 00:46:59,080 Why? 721 00:46:59,080 --> 00:47:00,440 Because we want to serve our community. 722 00:47:00,440 --> 00:47:01,440 We want to smile. 723 00:47:01,440 --> 00:47:04,160 We want to be the face of Jesus to our community. 724 00:47:04,160 --> 00:47:05,680 Show up. 725 00:47:05,680 --> 00:47:19,440 Stop being a consumer and plug in. 726 00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:26,320 People say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again 727 00:47:26,320 --> 00:47:28,920 and expecting a different result. 728 00:47:28,920 --> 00:47:34,740 And there's too many followers of Jesus by that definition that are simply insane. 729 00:47:34,740 --> 00:47:38,360 You're wondering why you're not living in abundance, why you're not experiencing all 730 00:47:38,360 --> 00:47:40,100 that God has for you. 731 00:47:40,100 --> 00:47:47,640 You want this peace and this joy and you want this abundance that God promises, but you 732 00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:53,640 ignore and forget that he's saying, well then prioritize the kingdom of God. 733 00:47:53,640 --> 00:47:58,040 You've got to prioritize the kingdom of God and put him first. 734 00:47:58,040 --> 00:47:59,040 Amen? 735 00:47:59,040 --> 00:48:02,040 Will you stand with me? 736 00:48:02,040 --> 00:48:09,640 So I'm going to invite you, listen, real simple call this morning. 737 00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:13,280 I'm not going to invite you to come forward so everyone take a deep sigh of relief. 738 00:48:13,280 --> 00:48:16,520 So you're like, I'm not going up there again. 739 00:48:16,520 --> 00:48:18,440 Whoa, that was crazy. 740 00:48:18,440 --> 00:48:21,920 I can't believe he asked me to come forward. 741 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:22,920 Whoa. 742 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:26,320 That guy's a Jesus freak. 743 00:48:26,320 --> 00:48:27,320 Geez. 744 00:48:27,320 --> 00:48:36,280 But listen, this is what the Holy Spirit whispered to me this week to close our gathering. 745 00:48:36,280 --> 00:48:39,440 If you're here this morning, I want you to be honest, if you're here this morning and 746 00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:43,440 you walked in here and you're stressed, worried and full of anxiety, put your hand up real 747 00:48:43,440 --> 00:48:44,440 high right now. 748 00:48:44,440 --> 00:48:47,480 I mean as high as you can put it, way up. 749 00:48:47,480 --> 00:48:49,320 I mean stretch it out, right Chris? 750 00:48:49,320 --> 00:48:51,360 Chris, you're going to pray for someone, right? 751 00:48:51,360 --> 00:48:52,360 All right? 752 00:48:52,360 --> 00:48:54,360 Yeah, I'm talking to you. 753 00:48:54,360 --> 00:48:56,720 And listen, listen, everyone see these hands up. 754 00:48:56,720 --> 00:48:58,080 Oh she's got two hands up. 755 00:48:58,080 --> 00:49:00,040 You can wave them in the air like you did. 756 00:49:00,040 --> 00:49:01,040 There you go. 757 00:49:01,040 --> 00:49:03,320 All right, you keep it up. 758 00:49:03,320 --> 00:49:09,280 Now church, those of you without your hands up, those of you like this, or like this, 759 00:49:09,280 --> 00:49:11,520 or like this, or like this. 760 00:49:11,520 --> 00:49:12,520 He's not looking at me. 761 00:49:12,520 --> 00:49:14,200 He's not looking at me. 762 00:49:14,200 --> 00:49:20,820 If you don't have your hand up and you're a man, go pray for a man right now. 763 00:49:20,820 --> 00:49:25,680 If you don't have your hand up and you're a woman, go pray for a woman right now. 764 00:49:25,680 --> 00:49:27,060 Go. 765 00:49:27,060 --> 00:49:30,640 And if you, when you pray for someone, when you get someone praying for you, put your 766 00:49:30,640 --> 00:49:32,280 hand down. 767 00:49:32,280 --> 00:49:33,960 And I will not move forward. 768 00:49:33,960 --> 00:49:39,400 You will not leave here until every hand goes down. 769 00:49:39,400 --> 00:49:40,880 You got to put your hand down now. 770 00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:59,600 Go pray for a man.