1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,200 Good morning, church. 2 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:02,200 Good morning. 3 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,800 Good morning to those of you on our online family. 4 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:06,200 We're so glad that you're with us. 5 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,000 Jennifer, that's you in Buckeye this morning. 6 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:11,200 We have Thomas in Denver visiting his family, 7 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:12,400 so welcome to you as well. 8 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:14,000 And then all of you, wherever you 9 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,200 happen to be on the online family, just welcome. 10 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:18,200 We're glad you're doing this with us. 11 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,000 Paulden, I hear Sue's in charge today. 12 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,000 So Mike had something he had to do, so Sue is hosting. 13 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:25,400 So welcome to you. 14 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:26,800 You're in great hands. 15 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:27,800 Sue is the best. 16 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:28,600 So there you go. 17 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:30,800 And Baghdad, welcome to you. 18 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,200 If you're new in the room and you're like, what is this? 19 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:34,200 Where are we? 20 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,200 You have joined us in the middle, the middle 21 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:38,800 of what we call Global Month. 22 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,200 And so you just got to meet JJ, who is amazing. 23 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:44,200 And if you were here a couple of years ago, 24 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,200 you remember JJ was here a couple of years ago. 25 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,600 And so it's fun to, one of the things 26 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,000 we get to do in October is slow down and go, OK, 27 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,800 what global partners can we spend time with 28 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,000 and what can we kind of see what God's doing around the world? 29 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,800 But one of the important things with global partners 30 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:03,200 is it's exactly that. 31 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,200 It's a partnership. 32 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,800 This isn't we just have these people who are connected 33 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,600 to heights, that are out there doing mission stuff 34 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,800 or they're out there kind of doing their own thing. 35 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,200 But the idea is taken from scripture 36 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,600 where it says that we are partners in the gospel, 37 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,800 that we are to link arms together 38 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,200 to see the good news of Jesus not only stay together, 39 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,400 not only stay in Prescott, but go around the world. 40 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:32,000 And so we have opportunities with people like JJ. 41 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,400 If you were here a couple of weeks ago, 42 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,000 you got to see the DR team. 43 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,800 And that was drastically different from who JJ is. 44 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,000 And then last week, you got to see J from Japan, J Greer. 45 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,200 And so it's kind of this beautiful expression 46 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,000 of all these partners are so different, 47 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,400 but they're all doing the same mission. 48 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,800 They're all living out the same purpose. 49 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:57,600 It's to see Jesus and see this gospel go global, 50 00:01:57,600 --> 00:01:59,000 which you know this, right? 51 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,600 Like the gospel was never supposed to stay here. 52 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:06,400 The gospel was never supposed to just be for Prescott. 53 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,600 The gospel is global and should be global 54 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:10,800 and we should be a part of that. 55 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,600 So all we get to do is we get to celebrate that. 56 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,800 And so meeting people like JJ, I hope that you're encouraged. 57 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,800 I hope that you get to chat with him after. 58 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,600 He's got some amazing stories 59 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,200 and I hope that you just get to hear more 60 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:24,000 about what God's doing. 61 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,200 But I would hope this, that if you're sitting here 62 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,200 and you're beginning to feel like God 63 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,000 is stirring something in you, like I don't know what this is 64 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,000 and I just need some discernment, 65 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,200 JJ can help you with that, right? 66 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:37,800 JJ, that's what he does. 67 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,000 And so I would encourage you to partner with him 68 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,000 and kind of bring him in on what God's up to. 69 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,600 Along with that, where we're heading today 70 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,600 has kind of been modeled over the last weeks. 71 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:49,600 Here's what I mean. 72 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,600 The DR team here, the Dominican Republic team was here 73 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,900 and you got to see all different kind of ages, 74 00:02:55,900 --> 00:02:58,200 stages of life within that team. 75 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,400 And they are at a point where they are going, 76 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,400 I want to put Jesus center of my life. 77 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,800 And so within the collection of talks that we've been about, 78 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,400 that Jesus is the center of all things, 79 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,200 we've kind of had these models where we've seen people go, 80 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,200 hey, I want Jesus at the center 81 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,900 and here's what it looks like in the local context where I am, 82 00:03:17,900 --> 00:03:20,300 which for us is a global context. 83 00:03:20,300 --> 00:03:23,900 And so then with JJ, we got to see it, right? 84 00:03:23,900 --> 00:03:25,100 I don't know how you felt, 85 00:03:25,100 --> 00:03:29,500 but like to hear the story again of JJ shows up and he's like, 86 00:03:29,500 --> 00:03:30,500 hey, we're just going to trust 87 00:03:30,500 --> 00:03:32,500 that the gospel actually saves people. 88 00:03:32,500 --> 00:03:34,200 And so we're going to sit down and talk to people 89 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,100 and that's grown into all these churches now throughout Japan. 90 00:03:38,100 --> 00:03:40,400 It's this beautiful expression of what God's doing. 91 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,000 But it's JJ going, JJ and his family 92 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,600 and the people that are gathered around him and his team going, 93 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,400 hey, we're going to put Jesus at the center. 94 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,200 And then you got to see it with JJ today, right? 95 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:52,700 And another person that's going, 96 00:03:52,700 --> 00:03:55,900 hey, I'm going to step out by faith and even write a book. 97 00:03:55,900 --> 00:03:59,500 I'm hoping to have this impact that's much larger than me, 98 00:03:59,500 --> 00:04:00,600 by what? 99 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,300 By just putting Jesus at the center. 100 00:04:02,300 --> 00:04:05,800 And so today we're going to lean into this idea 101 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,700 that there is a me-centric life 102 00:04:08,700 --> 00:04:12,000 and there is a Jesus-centric life. 103 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,200 And within that, right, 104 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,600 there are many opportunities to live it out. 105 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,000 If you were here last week, you got to hear us talk about, 106 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,400 we're in the election season, right? 107 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,800 And so all the election season is an opportunity. 108 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,100 And as elders, we just wanted to encourage you. 109 00:04:29,100 --> 00:04:32,100 We started last week, we're continuing this week with, 110 00:04:32,100 --> 00:04:35,500 hey, we've been given an opportunity of freedom. 111 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:39,800 But in that freedom goes, hey, your voice matters. 112 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,600 And so we're just saying, would you use your voice? 113 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,300 Right, use your freedom that God's given you. 114 00:04:45,300 --> 00:04:48,700 But within that, kind of tying into today, 115 00:04:48,700 --> 00:04:50,400 as elders, we're encouraging you, 116 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:54,200 please make your voice Jesus-centric, right? 117 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,300 Because there's way too many people that are me-centric 118 00:04:57,300 --> 00:04:59,600 with a whole bunch of opinions. 119 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:01,400 But for us as believers, it's okay, 120 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:05,900 how do we keep Jesus at the center even in our voting? 121 00:05:06,900 --> 00:05:10,900 And that carries on to multiple other opportunities, right? 122 00:05:10,900 --> 00:05:15,200 Where every single day we get to live me-centric, 123 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:16,300 or Jesus-centric. 124 00:05:16,300 --> 00:05:17,900 And so here's what I wanna do. 125 00:05:18,900 --> 00:05:19,800 I brought a mirror. 126 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,500 Now this mirror has significance in my life, right? 127 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:27,300 Because this mirror belongs to my 13-year-old, okay? 128 00:05:27,300 --> 00:05:31,000 And if you are 13, your mirror matters. 129 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:32,600 I'm just gonna throw it, you're nodding. 130 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,100 Your mirror matters, I'm gonna throw it out there. 131 00:05:35,100 --> 00:05:36,200 Now here's what's interesting. 132 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,700 If you're 13, why does the mirror need to be this size? 133 00:05:41,100 --> 00:05:42,800 Because you need to see how much? 134 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:44,900 All of it, right? 135 00:05:44,900 --> 00:05:46,900 If you're gonna know if the fit is good, 136 00:05:46,900 --> 00:05:49,500 you gotta be able to see all of it. 137 00:05:49,500 --> 00:05:51,100 And so as a 13-year-old, like, 138 00:05:51,100 --> 00:05:56,200 I gotta make sure my look is good because it matters, right? 139 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:58,500 But here's what's interesting about mirrors. 140 00:05:58,500 --> 00:06:03,100 Mirrors reveal that when you stand in front of a mirror, 141 00:06:03,100 --> 00:06:06,200 what happens is the mirror reveals what's in front of it. 142 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,500 And so the mirror is telling you something. 143 00:06:09,500 --> 00:06:11,300 It's teaching you something. 144 00:06:11,300 --> 00:06:12,700 It's showing you something. 145 00:06:12,700 --> 00:06:15,100 It's revealing something. 146 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:18,100 Like sometimes, I don't know how you feel, 147 00:06:18,100 --> 00:06:19,600 but when I get in front of a mirror like this, 148 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:20,500 the older I get, I'm like, 149 00:06:20,500 --> 00:06:22,900 I don't need to see that much anymore, right? 150 00:06:22,900 --> 00:06:24,700 Like I'm just fine, I'm just fine. 151 00:06:24,700 --> 00:06:26,700 We can make a smaller mirror, right? 152 00:06:27,900 --> 00:06:29,000 Or you ever had that moment, 153 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:30,400 the older you get, you get in front of it 154 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:32,700 and you're like, why is hair growing there? 155 00:06:32,700 --> 00:06:34,500 I don't understand. 156 00:06:34,500 --> 00:06:36,000 And when did this start? 157 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:41,100 And so with a mirror, what it does is it engages us. 158 00:06:41,100 --> 00:06:46,100 What I wanna do today is I wanna create a maturity mirror. 159 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:47,600 And here's what I mean by that. 160 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,400 That by the end of today, as we walk together, 161 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:52,800 we can stand in front of the mirror 162 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:57,600 and have the maturity mirror reflect and reveal 163 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,800 something about the maturity of who I am 164 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,800 in this whole journey of me-centric and Jesus-centric. 165 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,000 We're gonna be in the book of Philippians 166 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,400 and here's what's interesting. 167 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:12,200 The stage we're at in our journey 168 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,400 of the center of all things, 169 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:16,400 Paul, if you were with us a couple of weeks ago, 170 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,800 the apostle Paul, he wanted to go to Jerusalem. 171 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,200 They're like, don't go to Jerusalem, 172 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,200 he's leaving the elders and he ends up going to Jerusalem 173 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,200 and he gets arrested and then he gets put on a boat 174 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:29,200 and that boat ends up shipwrecked 175 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:31,000 and they end up on an island. 176 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,200 And so if it's not bad enough that you're in jail 177 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:35,600 and now you're shipwrecked, he's now on the island 178 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:36,800 and he gets bit and he's like, 179 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,200 on the island and he gets bit by a viper 180 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:40,800 and you can read this all in Acts, 181 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:41,800 it's quite the journey, right? 182 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,400 He gets bit by a viper and the natives to this island go, 183 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,800 wait a minute, wait a minute, why is he not dying? 184 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:50,600 And so they're stunned that he's not dying, 185 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:52,600 that the snake has no effect on him 186 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,200 and then a whole bunch of healings break out, 187 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:56,800 whole bunch of people are cured, 188 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,400 they put him back on a boat, they haul him off, 189 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,800 continue their journey to Rome where he ends up a prisoner. 190 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:05,800 And the prison looks a lot like house arrest, 191 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,400 like he's allowed to have a house that he rents, 192 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,400 that he pays for, but a soldier is put there 193 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:15,400 in charge of him, so he's not free to go as he chooses, 194 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:17,400 he's under arrest. 195 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,200 And Paul's at the stage of his life 196 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,800 where he's lived a whole bunch of walking with Jesus, 197 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,000 the person who was zealous over here 198 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,400 is still zealous over here. 199 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:31,000 But the person that maybe would do things differently here, 200 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:34,000 over here is now matured. 201 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,100 And so what you get is you get Paul 202 00:08:36,100 --> 00:08:39,100 sitting in essentially prison, 203 00:08:39,100 --> 00:08:42,400 and he's got nothing but time and paper and pens. 204 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,100 And he starts to write, and sometimes it's to an individual, 205 00:08:46,100 --> 00:08:47,800 and we covered that a couple of weeks ago, 206 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:49,400 he wrote a letter to Timothy, and he said, 207 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,600 hey Timothy, here's some stuff you should know. 208 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:56,600 And then this one, the letter to the church in Philippi, 209 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,300 he writes to an entire group of people. 210 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:02,400 But what I hope to do is as we walk through this 211 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,400 is to grab some of the things out of this 212 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,800 that help create this maturity mirror for us. 213 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,800 So he starts in verse 20. 214 00:09:11,700 --> 00:09:14,600 Paul says, I eagerly expect and hope 215 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:18,300 that I will in no way be ashamed, 216 00:09:18,300 --> 00:09:20,100 but will have sufficient courage 217 00:09:20,100 --> 00:09:24,800 so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, 218 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,400 whether by life or by death, 219 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,500 for me to live as Christ and to die as gain. 220 00:09:30,500 --> 00:09:33,000 If I am to go on living in this body, 221 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,900 it will mean fruitful labor for me. 222 00:09:35,900 --> 00:09:37,500 Yet what shall I choose? 223 00:09:37,500 --> 00:09:38,400 I do not know. 224 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:39,500 I am torn between the two. 225 00:09:39,500 --> 00:09:41,300 I desire to depart and be with Christ, 226 00:09:41,300 --> 00:09:43,400 which is better by far, 227 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,100 but it is more necessary for you 228 00:09:45,100 --> 00:09:47,200 that I remain in the body convinced of this. 229 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:51,300 I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you 230 00:09:51,300 --> 00:09:54,200 for your progress and joy in the faith. 231 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,200 So that through my being with you again, 232 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:02,200 your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. 233 00:10:03,700 --> 00:10:08,100 So I mean, you got the highlight reel, right? 234 00:10:08,100 --> 00:10:09,900 Where he's like, man, I wanna live by courage 235 00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:12,900 that Jesus would be exalted in my body, 236 00:10:12,900 --> 00:10:14,600 that this life would be about exalting him. 237 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:18,500 Then you have the home run hit of like to live as Christ 238 00:10:18,500 --> 00:10:20,500 and to die as gain. 239 00:10:20,500 --> 00:10:23,200 And then he ends out with like that my life would be 240 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,700 and results in more boasting about Jesus. 241 00:10:25,700 --> 00:10:28,400 And it doesn't take long to read that and go, man, 242 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:32,200 that sounds really Jesus centric. 243 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:33,600 That if you were to define a life, 244 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:34,900 you go, that sounds Jesus centric. 245 00:10:34,900 --> 00:10:36,300 So I got to wondering, 246 00:10:36,300 --> 00:10:41,300 what would it sound like to write, 247 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:46,500 rewrite this passage through a me centric lens? 248 00:10:48,100 --> 00:10:49,600 Which just may sound like heresy. 249 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:53,200 So you can do with that what you will. 250 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:56,300 So I sat down and I just took it and just started writing. 251 00:10:56,300 --> 00:11:01,300 It says this, I expect my shame to keep me in hiding, 252 00:11:04,300 --> 00:11:06,800 my embarrassment to overwhelm me. 253 00:11:08,300 --> 00:11:12,300 I don't have the courage needed to live by faith. 254 00:11:12,300 --> 00:11:16,300 So this means I can't let others see Jesus 255 00:11:16,300 --> 00:11:19,300 because it may cost me too much. 256 00:11:19,300 --> 00:11:22,300 For me to live is good for me. 257 00:11:22,300 --> 00:11:26,300 And to die at this point in my life is loss and waste. 258 00:11:27,300 --> 00:11:29,800 If I can keep on living, 259 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:34,800 it may mean that I create the life I have been hoping for 260 00:11:35,300 --> 00:11:38,300 that my efforts will get me what I want. 261 00:11:39,300 --> 00:11:41,000 I know that heaven is on the other side, 262 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,000 but I am not ready. 263 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,000 Even though I know Jesus is there, 264 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,300 that feels lesser than what I have been. 265 00:11:47,300 --> 00:11:52,300 In this life, and so I must hold on. 266 00:11:53,300 --> 00:11:54,300 If I get to stay here, 267 00:11:54,300 --> 00:11:57,300 I'm putting all my effort into getting what I want. 268 00:11:57,300 --> 00:12:01,300 It will also benefit you too, maybe, 269 00:12:01,300 --> 00:12:03,300 when my life has everything. 270 00:12:03,300 --> 00:12:06,300 I know I'm going to remain here. 271 00:12:06,300 --> 00:12:08,300 So I'm going to work hard, 272 00:12:08,300 --> 00:12:12,300 take this second chance and not end up in jail again, 273 00:12:12,300 --> 00:12:16,300 but pursue everything that brings me here. 274 00:12:16,300 --> 00:12:20,300 I'm going to pursue everything that brings me progress 275 00:12:20,300 --> 00:12:23,300 in this life and faith. 276 00:12:23,300 --> 00:12:28,300 Hopefully, that may bring good for you by being around me. 277 00:12:28,300 --> 00:12:33,300 And if it happens, then just maybe Jesus will benefit too. 278 00:12:36,300 --> 00:12:39,300 I don't know how you feel hearing that, 279 00:12:41,300 --> 00:12:43,300 but that's hard to write. 280 00:12:43,300 --> 00:12:45,300 Because there are parts of it that as I write it 281 00:12:45,300 --> 00:12:48,300 and read it now for the third time live, 282 00:12:49,300 --> 00:12:51,300 that hit way too close to home. 283 00:12:53,300 --> 00:12:55,300 That I would love to go, man, 284 00:12:55,300 --> 00:12:58,300 I don't resonate with that at all. 285 00:13:00,300 --> 00:13:02,300 And yet what we find is we find this comparison 286 00:13:02,300 --> 00:13:07,300 that when me is at the center versus Jesus at the center, 287 00:13:07,300 --> 00:13:12,300 there are drastic comparisons. 288 00:13:12,300 --> 00:13:15,300 And so with Paul then, what I want to do is go through this 289 00:13:15,300 --> 00:13:17,300 and just pull words out. 290 00:13:17,300 --> 00:13:19,300 So in verse 20, he says this, 291 00:13:19,300 --> 00:13:24,300 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed. 292 00:13:24,300 --> 00:13:27,300 So maybe the first word that we'll just kind of put up here 293 00:13:27,300 --> 00:13:29,300 is ashamed. 294 00:13:30,300 --> 00:13:33,300 And some of you are like, I can't read it. 295 00:13:33,300 --> 00:13:34,300 It's okay. 296 00:13:34,300 --> 00:13:35,300 The point isn't that you can read it. 297 00:13:35,300 --> 00:13:39,300 It's that we journey it together and we create a mirror. 298 00:13:39,300 --> 00:13:41,300 But the idea is that Paul goes, 299 00:13:41,300 --> 00:13:43,300 hey, I don't want to be in any way ashamed. 300 00:13:43,300 --> 00:13:47,300 Now, why would Paul have any inkling of being ashamed? 301 00:13:47,300 --> 00:13:50,300 Why would shame be a part of his struggle? 302 00:13:50,300 --> 00:13:52,300 Well, remember he's in jail 303 00:13:52,300 --> 00:13:56,300 and part of being in jail meant that rumors 304 00:13:56,300 --> 00:14:01,300 and conversations and going, excuse me, 305 00:14:01,300 --> 00:14:04,300 going out into the churches, 306 00:14:04,300 --> 00:14:07,300 people were beginning to doubt who Paul was. 307 00:14:07,300 --> 00:14:09,300 People were beginning to look at him and go, 308 00:14:09,300 --> 00:14:10,300 well, how could you end up in jail 309 00:14:10,300 --> 00:14:12,300 if you were following the Lord? 310 00:14:12,300 --> 00:14:15,300 How could you end up in jail if your message was really 311 00:14:15,300 --> 00:14:16,300 what you said it was? 312 00:14:16,300 --> 00:14:18,300 You must have done something else. 313 00:14:18,300 --> 00:14:20,300 And so the credibility of Paul is in question. 314 00:14:20,300 --> 00:14:23,300 So for Paul, that's a natural space to what? 315 00:14:23,300 --> 00:14:28,300 To shrink back and become ashamed of where he is in life 316 00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:30,300 and what the circumstances have brought. 317 00:14:30,300 --> 00:14:34,300 I wonder how many of us today sit here 318 00:14:34,300 --> 00:14:37,300 and shame is having a louder voice in your head 319 00:14:37,300 --> 00:14:39,300 because you know where you've been, 320 00:14:39,300 --> 00:14:43,300 you know what you've done, you know who you are. 321 00:14:43,300 --> 00:14:46,300 And so what happens is you begin to go, 322 00:14:46,300 --> 00:14:48,300 hey, I can't step out. 323 00:14:48,300 --> 00:14:51,300 I can't live Jesus-centric because I know who I am. 324 00:14:51,300 --> 00:14:53,300 I'm not worthy. 325 00:14:53,300 --> 00:14:54,300 I'm not enough. 326 00:14:54,300 --> 00:14:57,300 And so what happens is shame begins to speak louder. 327 00:14:57,300 --> 00:15:01,300 So which is why then Paul then says, and the next part he says, 328 00:15:01,300 --> 00:15:05,300 but we'll have sufficient courage, sufficient courage. 329 00:15:05,300 --> 00:15:09,300 So the next word is courage. 330 00:15:09,300 --> 00:15:12,300 Why courage? 331 00:15:12,300 --> 00:15:18,300 Well, if you and me and Paul are ever going to live beyond shame 332 00:15:18,300 --> 00:15:21,300 and shame having the last word, it's going to require courage. 333 00:15:21,300 --> 00:15:23,300 What is courage about? Courage is about faith. 334 00:15:23,300 --> 00:15:28,300 You can't live by faith if you don't have courage. 335 00:15:28,300 --> 00:15:31,300 And so Paul goes, I want to have sufficient courage. 336 00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:35,300 Then a mature view of this is that I would walk by courage. 337 00:15:35,300 --> 00:15:39,300 A mature view of having Jesus at the center is that by faith, 338 00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:42,300 I will do the things that I'm supposed to do, 339 00:15:42,300 --> 00:15:45,300 that by faith, I will take Jesus at his word, 340 00:15:45,300 --> 00:15:49,300 that by faith, I will step in to what God's calling me to. 341 00:15:49,300 --> 00:15:52,300 And so what Paul's saying is for him to not be ashamed, 342 00:15:52,300 --> 00:15:57,300 requires that he has the courage to take the step of faith that's needed. 343 00:15:57,300 --> 00:16:03,300 I wonder today in your shame, what step of faith, 344 00:16:03,300 --> 00:16:07,300 what courage is God asking you to take? 345 00:16:07,300 --> 00:16:10,300 And so he carries on then. Why does he need courage? 346 00:16:10,300 --> 00:16:14,300 What's it for? Because he goes, so that now as always, 347 00:16:14,300 --> 00:16:17,300 Christ will be exalted in my body. 348 00:16:17,300 --> 00:16:22,300 So Jesus exalted. 349 00:16:27,300 --> 00:16:29,300 What does Paul know? 350 00:16:29,300 --> 00:16:32,300 Paul knows that the purpose of this life 351 00:16:32,300 --> 00:16:37,300 is that Jesus would be exalted in your life. 352 00:16:37,300 --> 00:16:40,300 What's the reason for existence? 353 00:16:40,300 --> 00:16:44,300 If you want to get down to, hey, John, why am I here? 354 00:16:44,300 --> 00:16:46,300 Why are you here? 355 00:16:46,300 --> 00:16:50,300 There is one reason you are here. 356 00:16:50,300 --> 00:16:53,300 And it's that your life, your life, 357 00:16:53,300 --> 00:16:57,300 would actually live to something bigger, 358 00:16:57,300 --> 00:17:00,300 that your life would point to something bigger, 359 00:17:00,300 --> 00:17:05,300 that any interaction with you would mean that people see Jesus in you. 360 00:17:05,300 --> 00:17:08,300 Right? It's kind of like my kids. 361 00:17:08,300 --> 00:17:11,300 Okay, so it used to be that when I would introduce myself, 362 00:17:11,300 --> 00:17:14,300 I'd use my name and then I had kids. 363 00:17:14,300 --> 00:17:18,300 And then when you get introduced, it's no longer your name that's introduced anymore. 364 00:17:18,300 --> 00:17:20,300 It's their name. Right? 365 00:17:20,300 --> 00:17:23,300 All I'm here for is a billboard to promote you. Right? 366 00:17:23,300 --> 00:17:26,300 And now you show up and you go, oh, you're Rylan's dad. 367 00:17:26,300 --> 00:17:28,300 Oh, you're Sierra's dad. 368 00:17:28,300 --> 00:17:31,300 Oh, you're Bailey's dad. Nice to meet you. 369 00:17:31,300 --> 00:17:35,300 Right? And all of a sudden, you're just a billboard for your kids. 370 00:17:35,300 --> 00:17:39,300 And what happens is in our Christian life, what Paul's saying is, 371 00:17:39,300 --> 00:17:42,300 hey, your life, when you step out by faith, 372 00:17:42,300 --> 00:17:46,300 he goes, the reason I want to have the courage to not live under shame, 373 00:17:46,300 --> 00:17:49,300 but live by faith is this, that Jesus, 374 00:17:49,300 --> 00:17:56,300 Jesus would be exalted, that Jesus's name would be seen before mine. 375 00:17:56,300 --> 00:18:00,300 I mean, church, this is monumental. 376 00:18:00,300 --> 00:18:02,300 You know why this is such a big deal? 377 00:18:02,300 --> 00:18:08,300 Because when it comes to why we exist, why High Church exists, 378 00:18:08,300 --> 00:18:13,300 we exist that Jesus would be exalted, but we don't like that. 379 00:18:13,300 --> 00:18:15,300 You know why? 380 00:18:15,300 --> 00:18:19,300 I learned when we did Park Collective in Prescott Valley. 381 00:18:19,300 --> 00:18:21,300 You know how I learned? 382 00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:25,300 Some of you are still mad that Heights Church isn't on the wall. 383 00:18:25,300 --> 00:18:30,300 Some of you are still frustrated that the Heights Church name isn't on the building. 384 00:18:30,300 --> 00:18:33,300 But here's the thing. It's not about Heights Church. 385 00:18:33,300 --> 00:18:34,300 What's it about? 386 00:18:34,300 --> 00:18:37,300 It's about the person of Jesus being exalted. 387 00:18:37,300 --> 00:18:41,300 So you know, my favorite stories about Park Collective is when people come in 388 00:18:41,300 --> 00:18:43,300 and they're like, who would do this? 389 00:18:43,300 --> 00:18:45,300 How did this get here? 390 00:18:45,300 --> 00:18:48,300 And somebody starts to tell them, there's this group of people, they love Jesus. 391 00:18:48,300 --> 00:18:52,300 They started to band together and go, hey, the community really needs this. 392 00:18:52,300 --> 00:18:53,300 And now you see it. 393 00:18:53,300 --> 00:18:56,300 And they start to go, wait, they did this because they follow Jesus. 394 00:18:56,300 --> 00:18:58,300 Yes, because they follow Jesus. 395 00:18:58,300 --> 00:19:01,300 And what happens is whose names left higher? 396 00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:03,300 Jesus's name. 397 00:19:03,300 --> 00:19:10,300 You realize that anything we do as a church, anything we do as a church, 398 00:19:10,300 --> 00:19:15,300 so on an individual level, but also on a grand level, anything we do, 399 00:19:15,300 --> 00:19:20,300 if they are left with, wow, look at Heights, we have missed the point. 400 00:19:20,300 --> 00:19:26,300 If they are left with, wow, look at fill in the blank with a name, 401 00:19:26,300 --> 00:19:30,300 we've missed the point, unless fill in the blank is, wow, look at Jesus 402 00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:33,300 and look what he's done. 403 00:19:33,300 --> 00:19:34,300 And so Paul gets it. 404 00:19:34,300 --> 00:19:35,300 He goes, I don't want to be ashamed. 405 00:19:35,300 --> 00:19:36,300 I want to live by courage. 406 00:19:36,300 --> 00:19:37,300 Why? 407 00:19:37,300 --> 00:19:46,300 Because for me to live, for me to live, it equals Jesus. 408 00:19:46,300 --> 00:19:49,300 The idea is this, what Paul's getting at is he goes, 409 00:19:49,300 --> 00:19:53,300 hey, if I have any more breath in my body, if I have any more breath in my body, 410 00:19:53,300 --> 00:19:55,300 it's for Jesus. 411 00:19:55,300 --> 00:19:56,300 So he knows his existence. 412 00:19:56,300 --> 00:19:57,300 His existence is what? 413 00:19:57,300 --> 00:20:00,300 That God would be, that Jesus would be exalted. 414 00:20:00,300 --> 00:20:03,300 And then he goes, hey, so if I have any breath in this body, 415 00:20:03,300 --> 00:20:08,300 there is one reason for the breath and it's for Jesus to be known, 416 00:20:08,300 --> 00:20:11,300 which here's how it shakes down to our day, right? 417 00:20:11,300 --> 00:20:16,300 You ever have that day where you're like, I need to go to the grocery store. 418 00:20:16,300 --> 00:20:18,300 I don't feel like getting changed. 419 00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:20,300 So I'm going to go in my sweats. 420 00:20:20,300 --> 00:20:25,300 I'm going to wear that old sweatshirt with a stain on it. 421 00:20:25,300 --> 00:20:29,300 My hair's not done and I don't really care who sees it. 422 00:20:29,300 --> 00:20:30,300 Or maybe you're the beanie person. 423 00:20:30,300 --> 00:20:31,300 You know what I mean? 424 00:20:31,300 --> 00:20:34,300 Like you put your beanie on because it at least covers it all. 425 00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:38,300 And then you go to the store and you're literally there just going, 426 00:20:38,300 --> 00:20:41,300 hey, I just want to sneak in and sneak out. 427 00:20:41,300 --> 00:20:47,300 What Paul's getting at is that moment because you're still breathing is about Jesus. 428 00:20:47,300 --> 00:20:54,300 So when that person sees you and you're dressed in your favorite sweats 429 00:20:54,300 --> 00:20:57,300 and your old baggy whatever, and you're just having a day, 430 00:20:57,300 --> 00:21:00,300 that that moment is actually in Paul's language. 431 00:21:00,300 --> 00:21:06,300 He goes that to live, to live any moment of this life, it is for Jesus. 432 00:21:06,300 --> 00:21:09,300 He goes, that's how the mature view this. 433 00:21:09,300 --> 00:21:13,300 That's how somebody who takes their faith and puts Jesus at the center, 434 00:21:13,300 --> 00:21:17,300 they go every single breath is for him. 435 00:21:17,300 --> 00:21:18,300 How do I live it that way? 436 00:21:18,300 --> 00:21:20,300 And then he also goes a step further. 437 00:21:20,300 --> 00:21:31,300 He goes to die, oh, to die equals gain. 438 00:21:31,300 --> 00:21:34,300 To die equals gain. 439 00:21:34,300 --> 00:21:36,300 Thanks. 440 00:21:36,300 --> 00:21:48,300 You ever been around somebody who is one, one step or half a step into heaven? 441 00:21:48,300 --> 00:21:50,300 Like they've lived a great life. 442 00:21:50,300 --> 00:21:57,300 They're older and they know, they know anytime, anytime God's going to take them. 443 00:21:57,300 --> 00:22:02,300 And they got one foot, one foot in heaven, one foot on earth. 444 00:22:02,300 --> 00:22:06,300 You ever sit with them? 445 00:22:06,300 --> 00:22:12,300 You ever have a moment with them where they go, I can't wait for the streets of gold. 446 00:22:12,300 --> 00:22:16,300 Said nobody ever. 447 00:22:16,300 --> 00:22:18,300 Where, where you sit with them and they go, oh, I can't wait. 448 00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:21,300 I'm going to get a mansion. 449 00:22:21,300 --> 00:22:23,300 I can't wait to see how big it is. 450 00:22:23,300 --> 00:22:25,300 That's incorrect theology. 451 00:22:25,300 --> 00:22:28,300 And we'll talk about that another day. 452 00:22:28,300 --> 00:22:29,300 They don't talk about that. 453 00:22:29,300 --> 00:22:34,300 You ever meet somebody who is in love with Jesus that is one step in heaven? 454 00:22:34,300 --> 00:22:35,300 What do they talk about? 455 00:22:35,300 --> 00:22:39,300 I can't wait to be in the presence of Jesus. 456 00:22:39,300 --> 00:22:44,300 I can't wait to be with Jesus in face to face in person. 457 00:22:44,300 --> 00:22:55,300 I can't wait to be in the relationship that I was always intended to be where sin and brokenness and shame is no more. 458 00:22:55,300 --> 00:22:58,300 I can't wait to be with him. 459 00:22:58,300 --> 00:23:12,300 And what Paul's saying is the mature, when we mature in our faith, what we start to go is this life is not worth holding onto because to die in this life is actually gained because I will be with Jesus who is my savior, 460 00:23:12,300 --> 00:23:16,300 the way it was intended to be all the way from the beginning. 461 00:23:16,300 --> 00:23:20,300 And all this stuff will be gone. 462 00:23:20,300 --> 00:23:30,300 And so the mature, the mature create, the mature create a mirror that when you look at it, you start to go, I start to challenge myself. 463 00:23:30,300 --> 00:23:36,300 Hey, John, are you starting to hold on to this life more than you should? 464 00:23:36,300 --> 00:23:42,300 Are you starting to make this life about more things than it should be? 465 00:23:42,300 --> 00:23:46,300 Am I starting to, I'm not ready to leave yet. 466 00:23:46,300 --> 00:23:49,300 It's so good. 467 00:23:49,300 --> 00:23:58,300 Because according to Paul, he goes, Hey, those, those that are Jesus centric have learned to let it go. 468 00:23:58,300 --> 00:24:06,300 He carries on to say, if I'm going living in this life in this body, this will mean verse 22, this will mean fruitful labor for me. 469 00:24:06,300 --> 00:24:11,300 So the idea of fruitful, 470 00:24:11,300 --> 00:24:16,300 you know, you know, 471 00:24:16,300 --> 00:24:24,300 that God packed you, God packed you with gifts and abilities for the kingdom of God. 472 00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:32,300 You are so special. Do not miss how special you are in the kingdom of God. 473 00:24:32,300 --> 00:24:37,300 The God has put into you and your life, things that he needs you to do. 474 00:24:37,300 --> 00:24:45,300 This is so true that JJ is giving his whole life to what help people bring out and help steer and push forward. 475 00:24:45,300 --> 00:24:50,300 What the gifts that have been put inside of them that they would live for the kingdom. 476 00:24:50,300 --> 00:24:56,300 And here's the thing you today sitting here, God has packed you 477 00:24:56,300 --> 00:25:00,300 full with things that he wants to get through you. 478 00:25:00,300 --> 00:25:04,300 And Paul calls those fruit, right? You ever thought about a fruit tree? Fruit trees are interesting. 479 00:25:04,300 --> 00:25:13,300 You ever see an apple tree stand next to one? And as you stand next to it, it goes, I will make an apple. 480 00:25:13,300 --> 00:25:16,300 Never happened ever. 481 00:25:16,300 --> 00:25:20,300 You know what an apple tree does? 482 00:25:20,300 --> 00:25:23,300 It just bees an apple tree. 483 00:25:23,300 --> 00:25:30,300 Have you ever been around an orange tree and the orange tree is like, apricot, wrong one. 484 00:25:30,300 --> 00:25:33,300 Never happened. 485 00:25:33,300 --> 00:25:37,300 Why? Because what does an orange tree do? 486 00:25:37,300 --> 00:25:43,300 It just bees an orange tree and it produces fruit. 487 00:25:43,300 --> 00:25:49,300 You by Almighty God have been packed full of gifts and abilities for the kingdom of God. 488 00:25:49,300 --> 00:25:53,300 And what does he want? He wants you to have a fruitful life. 489 00:25:53,300 --> 00:25:58,300 He wants you to produce fruit. But here's the thing that Paul connects to it. 490 00:25:58,300 --> 00:26:01,300 Right? He says, yeah, what shall I choose? I do not know. 491 00:26:01,300 --> 00:26:07,300 Verse 23, I'm torn between the true two. I desired it apart and be with Christ, which is by far better, 492 00:26:07,300 --> 00:26:12,300 but it is more necessary. It is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 493 00:26:12,300 --> 00:26:18,300 Here's the key about a fruitful life. It's about you, not me. 494 00:26:18,300 --> 00:26:21,300 It's about you, not me. 495 00:26:21,300 --> 00:26:26,300 Here's the thing about gifts. Every gift that God has given you, every ability that God has given you, 496 00:26:26,300 --> 00:26:29,300 everything that he has in you for the kingdom of God. 497 00:26:29,300 --> 00:26:32,300 Guess who it's not for? You. Right? 498 00:26:32,300 --> 00:26:36,300 Think about fruit. You ever seen an apple tree eat an apple? 499 00:26:36,300 --> 00:26:39,300 Nope. Because it's not for them. 500 00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:42,300 It's for everybody else. So Paul's getting at it. 501 00:26:42,300 --> 00:26:47,300 He goes, Hey, if my life is going to be fruitful, if I stay in it's fruitful, 502 00:26:47,300 --> 00:26:50,300 here's who it's got to be fruitful for. You. 503 00:26:50,300 --> 00:26:54,300 It has to be fruitful for you. What does it mean that it would be fruitful for you? 504 00:26:54,300 --> 00:26:59,300 He carries on in verse 25. It says, convinced of this, I know that I will remain 505 00:26:59,300 --> 00:27:03,300 and I will continue with you all for your progress and your joy. 506 00:27:03,300 --> 00:27:06,300 What is it about? It is about your progress. 507 00:27:06,300 --> 00:27:12,300 And your joy in the faith. 508 00:27:12,300 --> 00:27:19,300 What is he saying? That his life to be fruitful, to use all those gifts and abilities, 509 00:27:19,300 --> 00:27:23,300 it is for you. And what is the end goal of that? 510 00:27:23,300 --> 00:27:29,300 That you, you would progress. You would have progress in your faith 511 00:27:29,300 --> 00:27:33,300 and that you would have joy in your faith. 512 00:27:33,300 --> 00:27:40,300 What is joy? To know that God, to know that God, his face shines towards you today. 513 00:27:40,300 --> 00:27:44,300 And he is completely happy with you today. 514 00:27:44,300 --> 00:27:47,300 He goes, I want you to know that. 515 00:27:47,300 --> 00:27:52,300 And so my life is going to be given why so that you would progress in your faith 516 00:27:52,300 --> 00:27:55,300 and in the joy. And here's how it works. Right? 517 00:27:55,300 --> 00:28:00,300 That we all have this. This is why we're all needed. And it's so important. 518 00:28:00,300 --> 00:28:07,300 Because if I'm the only one that uses gifts and abilities, right? 519 00:28:07,300 --> 00:28:14,300 Then you may be progressing your faith and have joy, but it will be limited. 520 00:28:14,300 --> 00:28:18,300 But the goal is that I use mine for you. And what do you do with yours? 521 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:24,300 Use yours because for me to progress in the faith and enjoy. 522 00:28:24,300 --> 00:28:28,300 What does it need? It needs you to take your life and go, I will be Jesus centric 523 00:28:28,300 --> 00:28:31,300 and make it fruitful for you. 524 00:28:31,300 --> 00:28:34,300 I mean, think about it. You get, you ever been in a life group 525 00:28:34,300 --> 00:28:36,300 and you got people in there and you know they're me centric 526 00:28:36,300 --> 00:28:41,300 and they're just sucking the life out of the life group. You ever had that? 527 00:28:41,300 --> 00:28:45,300 Versus a life group where you sit in it and everybody goes, Hey, I'm here for you. 528 00:28:45,300 --> 00:28:49,300 And you're here for me. I'm going to pour everything I have out towards you. 529 00:28:49,300 --> 00:28:51,300 And you do the same for me. And it's life giving. 530 00:28:51,300 --> 00:28:55,300 And there's this, there's this growth in the faith together. 531 00:28:55,300 --> 00:28:59,300 And Paul goes, that's what this is about. That's what the mature get is that my life isn't about me. 532 00:28:59,300 --> 00:29:05,300 It's about you. And I will give it away. Why? Because every life, every breath that I have, 533 00:29:05,300 --> 00:29:12,300 every moment I'm alive is what so that Jesus would be seen. Jesus would be seen to who? To you. 534 00:29:12,300 --> 00:29:15,300 And then he has one more thing that he adds to it. 535 00:29:15,300 --> 00:29:20,300 Verse 26, so that through my being with you again, 536 00:29:20,300 --> 00:29:27,300 your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound that the end result of this is that we would. 537 00:29:27,300 --> 00:29:30,300 Boast Jesus. 538 00:29:32,300 --> 00:29:36,300 That's the end. What's the end? That as you progress in your faith and joy, 539 00:29:36,300 --> 00:29:41,300 as you grow to be more like Jesus, what happens? You boast more about him. 540 00:29:41,300 --> 00:29:46,300 And that I progress in my faith and my joy. What happens? I boast more about Jesus. 541 00:29:46,300 --> 00:29:51,300 So, so the end result is what? That Jesus would be known more. Why? 542 00:29:51,300 --> 00:29:58,300 Because we chose to set me aside and to live in a spot where Jesus is center. 543 00:29:58,300 --> 00:30:02,300 But I told you it's a mirror that reflects maturity. 544 00:30:02,300 --> 00:30:06,300 And here's how this maturity mirror works. 545 00:30:06,300 --> 00:30:09,300 Is that when you stand in front of it, 546 00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:14,300 it forces me to ask a question. 547 00:30:14,300 --> 00:30:17,300 Am I ashamed today? 548 00:30:19,300 --> 00:30:24,300 Am I living from a me centered space where my shame is too much 549 00:30:25,300 --> 00:30:28,300 that I can't get past? 550 00:30:29,300 --> 00:30:33,300 Because according to Paul, he goes, Hey, I'm not going to be ashamed. 551 00:30:33,300 --> 00:30:36,300 How am I not going to be ashamed? I'm going to live by courage. 552 00:30:36,300 --> 00:30:38,300 Am I struggling today to live by faith? 553 00:30:38,300 --> 00:30:44,300 Because I don't have the courage to believe the gospel that Jesus really sets us free. 554 00:30:44,300 --> 00:30:49,300 That Jesus really is bigger than my shame or is what you did last night bigger than the cross? 555 00:30:49,300 --> 00:30:53,300 Because it's by faith that I accept that Jesus has set me free. 556 00:30:53,300 --> 00:30:59,300 It's by faith that I accept that I'm no longer a slave to who I was. 557 00:31:01,300 --> 00:31:05,300 And so he says, are you going to have courage? Why? That Jesus would be exalted. 558 00:31:05,300 --> 00:31:09,300 So when you live, it's going to equal Jesus. 559 00:31:09,300 --> 00:31:13,300 Does my life, every moment of my life, does it equal Jesus? 560 00:31:13,300 --> 00:31:18,300 Does my marriage, does my relationships, do my kids, do my friendships, 561 00:31:18,300 --> 00:31:24,300 do the way I handle my finances, do the way I steward the things that God's entrusted to me. 562 00:31:24,300 --> 00:31:27,300 Do they speak Jesus? 563 00:31:28,300 --> 00:31:32,300 And do I really believe that to die is gain? 564 00:31:32,300 --> 00:31:36,300 Because being with Jesus matters that much. 565 00:31:38,300 --> 00:31:42,300 If I stay in this life, is it fruitful? 566 00:31:42,300 --> 00:31:45,300 Not for me. 567 00:31:45,300 --> 00:31:50,300 Are you just taking every ounce of what God has given you and using it for you? 568 00:31:55,300 --> 00:32:00,300 Am I progressing in my faith in joy or think I am because I'm just focused on me? 569 00:32:00,300 --> 00:32:06,300 And at the end of that, guess what you get? A me-centered life ends up boasting me. 570 00:32:07,300 --> 00:32:12,300 Who does your life boast more about? Jesus or you? 571 00:32:13,300 --> 00:32:17,300 Because according to Paul, here's how the mature live. 572 00:32:17,300 --> 00:32:22,300 That I will not be ashamed because I will have courage to live by faith. 573 00:32:22,300 --> 00:32:25,300 And as I live by faith, Jesus will be exalted. 574 00:32:25,300 --> 00:32:29,300 And so this life will equal Jesus for me and die is gain. 575 00:32:29,300 --> 00:32:32,300 The mature go, I will live a fruitful life. 576 00:32:32,300 --> 00:32:37,300 Why? For you, for you so that you progress in the joy and the faith. 577 00:32:37,300 --> 00:32:41,300 Why? That we would all boast Jesus. 578 00:32:42,300 --> 00:32:48,300 That every single one of us, all of our life, you could not be around us. 579 00:32:48,300 --> 00:32:55,300 The Jesus-centric life means you cannot be around you and not get that Jesus has changed you. 580 00:32:55,300 --> 00:32:59,300 That Jesus has completely moved you forward. 581 00:33:00,300 --> 00:33:04,300 And so here's the thing. I love, I love that we're doing communion today. 582 00:33:04,300 --> 00:33:07,300 Because I love that we, we come to a table. 583 00:33:08,300 --> 00:33:15,300 Yeah. You ever notice, depending on your context, how you eat dinner, or if you go out for a meal with somebody. 584 00:33:16,300 --> 00:33:19,300 That when you go to a meal, you bring everything with you. 585 00:33:19,300 --> 00:33:21,300 That was that day. You ever notice that? 586 00:33:21,300 --> 00:33:24,300 That if you've had a rough day, the rough day goes to the table with you. 587 00:33:25,300 --> 00:33:28,300 If you've had the best day, the best day goes to the dinner table. 588 00:33:30,300 --> 00:33:37,300 And I love that, that today we get to go to a table that reminds us of the person of Jesus. 589 00:33:38,300 --> 00:33:40,300 This centers us on the person of Jesus. 590 00:33:43,300 --> 00:33:49,300 That pulls us back to this is why, this is why we are different and we can live a different life. 591 00:33:49,300 --> 00:34:00,300 As you look in the maturity mirror, is it with a twinge of pain? 592 00:34:01,300 --> 00:34:04,300 Where you go, man, I'm not where I'm supposed to be. 593 00:34:05,300 --> 00:34:08,300 I see so many areas where I'm putting me before Jesus. 594 00:34:11,300 --> 00:34:14,300 And if that's you, I just encourage you, bring that to the table. 595 00:34:14,300 --> 00:34:21,300 Where there is grace and there is forgiveness and there is mercy and re-center yourself back on God. 596 00:34:22,300 --> 00:34:28,300 I want to lay down where I've been and I want to pick up anew the gospel. 597 00:34:29,300 --> 00:34:33,300 For some of you, you may see this maturity mirror and you're like, I'm encouraged, John. 598 00:34:33,300 --> 00:34:36,300 I see growth. I see steps forward. 599 00:34:36,300 --> 00:34:39,300 Then celebrate those as you go forward. 600 00:34:39,300 --> 00:34:43,300 But what I would also say at the table, remind yourself who it's for. 601 00:34:44,300 --> 00:34:49,300 Remind yourself that as you mature and now it's outward and you're giving it away, who is it for? 602 00:34:50,300 --> 00:34:53,300 Who does Jesus have you to carry to the table? 603 00:34:53,300 --> 00:35:08,300 So the next moments are yours for a conversation with God and then we'll take it all together. 604 00:36:23,300 --> 00:36:28,300 I love what Paul makes when he's writing to the church at Corinth and he's talking about communion. 605 00:36:29,300 --> 00:36:40,300 And I love that what he tells them is this, that when you partake, so when you take the bread and you take the wine, 606 00:36:42,300 --> 00:36:50,300 in our context, the cracker and juice, and you are reminded of who Jesus is and what he has done, 607 00:36:50,300 --> 00:37:02,300 that your physical action of taking it declares, it boasts that the story is true, that Jesus came, that he died, that he rose again, 608 00:37:03,300 --> 00:37:09,300 that he has conquered death and sin, that life has come and it's come more abundant. 609 00:37:10,300 --> 00:37:14,300 You declare that when? Until he comes. 610 00:37:14,300 --> 00:37:17,300 And so you also declare that he's coming back. 611 00:37:17,300 --> 00:37:24,300 And that's all that happens when you take, partake in the meal at the table. 612 00:37:25,300 --> 00:37:30,300 And so Jesus gathered his friends around the table and he took ordinary bread and he broke it. 613 00:37:31,300 --> 00:37:38,300 And he said, this is my body and it is given for you. 614 00:37:38,300 --> 00:37:46,300 You take, eat, do this in remembrance of me. 615 00:37:50,300 --> 00:37:58,300 Jesus took a glass of wine and he compared or he connected the reality that his blood was going to be shed 616 00:37:59,300 --> 00:38:04,300 and the wine represented his blood and what was in his blood, it was a new covenant and new covenant was by grace. 617 00:38:04,300 --> 00:38:08,300 It was him doing for you what you could not do for yourself. 618 00:38:09,300 --> 00:38:16,300 And in that there would be forgiveness, that there would be freedom, that there would be wholeness. 619 00:38:17,300 --> 00:38:21,300 And so he handed him a cup and he said, take drink, do this in remembrance of me. 620 00:38:26,300 --> 00:38:29,300 God, we thank you this morning. 621 00:38:30,300 --> 00:38:32,300 We thank you for who you are. 622 00:38:32,300 --> 00:38:36,300 God, thank you for being good to us. 623 00:38:37,300 --> 00:38:47,300 Thank you for being so good that you crossed space and time to show up. 624 00:38:51,300 --> 00:38:55,300 God, that you would take our sin and our brokenness. 625 00:38:56,300 --> 00:39:00,300 God, that you would take the very things that are tearing us apart. 626 00:39:00,300 --> 00:39:07,300 And you would put them to death on a cross so that we can have life today. 627 00:39:08,300 --> 00:39:10,300 And so God, we say thank you for that life. 628 00:39:11,300 --> 00:39:20,300 Thank you that we have a choice that we do not have to live me centric, but God, we have a choice to put you at the center of our lives. 629 00:39:21,300 --> 00:39:27,300 And so God, would you help us to let go of shame, to live by faith and have courage to live by faith. 630 00:39:27,300 --> 00:39:43,300 And Jesus, would you be exalted that as we stand and we sing and we declare again that you are worthy of it all may be a prayer from our hearts, a declaration of boasting that you and you alone are worthy. 631 00:39:44,300 --> 00:39:45,300 Thank you for loving us first. 632 00:39:45,300 --> 00:40:00,300 And everybody said, Amen.