WEBVTT 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:04.620 So how many of you are familiar at all with the 00:00:04.620 --> 00:00:09.660 Marvel movies Most of you how many of you have 00:00:09.660 --> 00:00:12.199 a favorite character within all of the Marvel 00:00:12.199 --> 00:00:16.440 movies So how many of you actually just go ahead 00:00:16.440 --> 00:00:18.980 and tell me who was your favorite Marvel character? 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:25.120 Iron Man or a couple Iron Man's what was Elizabeth's 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:31.260 Who what was Elizabeth's Loki oh, yeah. Yeah. 00:00:31.260 --> 00:00:39.859 Yeah, okay I do, I do know who that one is. That's 00:00:39.859 --> 00:00:43.539 not my favorite part of the entire series, but 00:00:43.539 --> 00:00:47.380 anyways, so mine's Captain America, and I heard 00:00:47.380 --> 00:00:52.200 some boos earlier for that. Who was that? Was 00:00:52.200 --> 00:00:58.439 that you, Kaylin? Were you booing? No? So anyways, 00:00:58.659 --> 00:01:01.320 my favorite is Captain America, and I could tell 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:03.579 you about why Captain America is my favorite. 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:06.379 but it doesn't really matter. And my second favorite, 00:01:06.439 --> 00:01:10.079 right up there with Captain America, but in the 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.079 number two spot is this character that I think 00:01:13.079 --> 00:01:16.420 is only really in one major movie, and then there's 00:01:16.420 --> 00:01:18.420 a little bit of... Do I still need to see this 00:01:18.420 --> 00:01:21.500 part of it? I need to see this part? So it comes 00:01:21.500 --> 00:01:23.799 back. But anyways, Guardians of the Galaxy, there's 00:01:23.799 --> 00:01:27.079 this character by the name of Groot. And Groot 00:01:27.079 --> 00:01:30.319 is this tree -like creature. So if you look up 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:32.340 Groot, if you're not familiar at all with Groot, 00:01:32.459 --> 00:01:34.859 Kind of like this tree -like character. And throughout 00:01:34.859 --> 00:01:37.000 the entire movie, no matter what the circumstance 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:42.859 is, he says one thing, I am Groot. And he says 00:01:42.859 --> 00:01:44.719 it in a bunch of different ways. Sometimes it's 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:49.719 angry, I am Groot. And sometimes it's more kind, 00:01:49.939 --> 00:01:52.799 I am Groot. But that's the only thing he says 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:55.359 throughout the entire movie. Regardless of the 00:01:55.359 --> 00:02:00.099 circumstance, I am Groot. Kind of reminds me 00:02:00.099 --> 00:02:04.659 of somebody that I know. Perhaps you've met them 00:02:04.659 --> 00:02:09.159 too. Have you ever met somebody that they only 00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:12.900 seem to talk about themselves? And they seem 00:02:12.900 --> 00:02:18.520 to only consider themselves? So I am Groot and 00:02:18.520 --> 00:02:21.099 there's this pivotal moment in the movie where 00:02:21.099 --> 00:02:23.780 they're kind of falling through the sky and everything 00:02:23.780 --> 00:02:27.460 changes. As Groot and his friends are falling 00:02:27.460 --> 00:02:30.120 from the sky, Groot begins to wrap himself around 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:33.360 his friends until they become one cohesive unit. 00:02:33.560 --> 00:02:36.659 kind of all protected and intertwined with Groot. 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:39.740 And Rocket Raccoon, which I have to admit Rocket 00:02:39.740 --> 00:02:42.819 Raccoon is pretty cute, but Rocket Raccoon asks 00:02:42.819 --> 00:02:46.800 Groot, why are you doing this? You're going to 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:51.219 die. And the only time in the movie that Groot 00:02:51.219 --> 00:02:55.639 says anything other than, I am Groot, he says, 00:02:57.020 --> 00:03:01.969 we are Groot. And in... If you're familiar at 00:03:01.969 --> 00:03:04.110 all with the movie, Groot does end up giving 00:03:04.110 --> 00:03:07.750 himself up. He sacrifices himself to save his 00:03:07.750 --> 00:03:13.129 friends. And I think that that change from I 00:03:13.129 --> 00:03:15.610 am Groot to we are Groot is a beautiful picture 00:03:15.610 --> 00:03:18.689 of love and unity and sacrifice. And it really 00:03:18.689 --> 00:03:21.310 does capture a core truth of the Christian faith. 00:03:21.590 --> 00:03:24.889 And it's that we're not meant to live our lives 00:03:24.889 --> 00:03:27.990 alone. We're part of something bigger, a body, 00:03:28.169 --> 00:03:31.080 a family, a community united in Christ. So today 00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:33.060 we're going to explore what scripture says about 00:03:33.060 --> 00:03:35.960 this kind of unity and what it means to be willing 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:39.520 to make sacrifices for the sake of others. So 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:42.759 I think there are five points I think maybe which 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:44.840 isn't anyways they're all going to be on the 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:46.460 screen so you can follow along anyways this little 00:03:46.460 --> 00:03:48.979 guy right over there is Groot and hopefully by 00:03:48.979 --> 00:03:50.620 the time it's all said and done today you'll 00:03:50.620 --> 00:03:53.879 go home saying we we we all the way home. That's 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:55.979 the goal. That's what we're going for today. 00:03:56.039 --> 00:03:57.800 So the first point that I want to talk with you 00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:00.020 about is that we are one body. Everyone say we 00:04:00.020 --> 00:04:03.360 are one body. And really the point that I want 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:05.979 to make in that is I want to talk about the power 00:04:05.979 --> 00:04:09.319 of unity in Christ. None of us will ever forget 00:04:09.319 --> 00:04:12.400 being forced into isolation at the onset of the 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:15.379 pandemic. It's something that we'll remember 00:04:15.379 --> 00:04:20.839 forever, most, if many, if not most. probably 00:04:20.839 --> 00:04:23.319 enjoyed the break from the routine at least initially. 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:27.579 So how many of you thought, at least initially, 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:32.480 this ain't so bad. I get to stay home. It ain't 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:34.620 so bad. So I think most kind of probably fell 00:04:34.620 --> 00:04:37.439 into that, but it proved what we already knew, 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:41.360 and that is that isolation is not good for us. 00:04:41.660 --> 00:04:43.480 We are created for community. If you agree with 00:04:43.480 --> 00:04:46.660 that, say, oh yeah. We're created for community. 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:49.990 One of the things that concerns me at times is 00:04:49.990 --> 00:04:53.730 how painstakingly slow some are at coming back 00:04:53.730 --> 00:04:57.610 out of isolation. And what has resulted is, according 00:04:57.610 --> 00:05:01.089 to the World Health Organization, WHO, the World 00:05:01.089 --> 00:05:03.949 Health Organization, that since the pandemic, 00:05:04.050 --> 00:05:06.370 which was a worldwide event, it wasn't just something 00:05:06.370 --> 00:05:08.990 that affected only the United States, but affected 00:05:08.990 --> 00:05:12.189 the world, that worldwide, since the pandemic, 00:05:12.569 --> 00:05:15.750 there's been an increase of 25 % in anxiety and 00:05:15.750 --> 00:05:20.480 depression. So there's this I have a picture 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:22.540 that I want you to see here. I probably have 00:05:22.540 --> 00:05:24.439 it in the wrong order Elizabeth In fact, I know 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:25.920 that I do I'm gonna take this one that you have. 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:29.259 That's good So it really is a vicious cycle and 00:05:29.259 --> 00:05:31.180 I want to kind of break down the cycle a little 00:05:31.180 --> 00:05:33.860 bit So here's what ends up happening isolation 00:05:33.860 --> 00:05:36.500 leads to anxiety and depression if that makes 00:05:36.500 --> 00:05:40.420 sense say oh, yeah So isolation leads to anxiety 00:05:40.420 --> 00:05:42.360 and depression. I'm gonna pop down here for a 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:45.259 second. So Here are some specific things that 00:05:45.259 --> 00:05:48.699 I mean by that So as we isolate, here's how it 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:50.660 leads to anxiety and depression. The first thing 00:05:50.660 --> 00:05:53.199 is a lack of social support. And what I mean 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:56.639 by that is we're human, as human beings, we're 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:00.980 social beings. We need social interaction. And 00:06:00.980 --> 00:06:03.220 when people are cut off from meaningful relationships, 00:06:03.300 --> 00:06:06.279 they lose access to emotional support, encouragement, 00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:09.939 and validation, all of which are put in place 00:06:09.939 --> 00:06:14.240 by God to help us to fight off stress. Did you 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:18.569 know that? So one of the best ways that you can 00:06:18.569 --> 00:06:20.750 cope with stress is actually being in relationship 00:06:20.750 --> 00:06:24.230 with somebody else. Even small children do this. 00:06:24.310 --> 00:06:26.790 When things aren't going well for a small child, 00:06:27.149 --> 00:06:31.149 it's called proximity seeking. So they'll look 00:06:31.149 --> 00:06:33.050 for people that they know they can trust and 00:06:33.050 --> 00:06:35.089 they'll try to make sure that they make eye contact 00:06:35.089 --> 00:06:38.610 with them and that helps soothe them, specifically 00:06:38.610 --> 00:06:41.589 mothers. So when a child's upset, they'll look 00:06:41.589 --> 00:06:43.430 for the face of their mother and if their mother's 00:06:43.430 --> 00:06:46.740 not freaking out, They can automatically start 00:06:46.740 --> 00:06:49.819 to find some comfort in that because we're created 00:06:49.819 --> 00:06:52.139 for community. We're created for relationships. 00:06:52.660 --> 00:06:55.439 When we don't have that, it can lead to anxiety 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:58.120 and stress. The second thing is about negative 00:06:58.120 --> 00:07:01.259 self -perception. Isolation often increases feelings 00:07:01.259 --> 00:07:05.139 of worthlessness and rejection which fuels depressive 00:07:05.139 --> 00:07:08.819 thoughts. That makes sense, right? So if we're 00:07:08.819 --> 00:07:11.279 not around other people and we're not being validated, 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:14.750 we start to... We start to feel like something's 00:07:14.750 --> 00:07:18.129 wrong with us. Also what ends up happening is 00:07:18.129 --> 00:07:20.470 without external interaction, individuals are 00:07:20.470 --> 00:07:23.110 more likely to get stuck in cycles of negative 00:07:23.110 --> 00:07:25.829 thinking, which can heighten both anxiety and 00:07:25.829 --> 00:07:28.790 depression. That makes sense, right? So how many 00:07:28.790 --> 00:07:32.569 of you know anything about cortisol? C -O -R 00:07:32.569 --> 00:07:36.269 -T -I -S -O -L, cortisol. Are you familiar at 00:07:36.269 --> 00:07:40.149 all with cortisol? So cortisol is a stress hormone 00:07:40.149 --> 00:07:45.850 and Everybody has this stress hormone. So when 00:07:45.850 --> 00:07:49.009 we experience stress, this cortisol, this stress 00:07:49.009 --> 00:07:52.430 hormone gets released into our system. So one 00:07:52.430 --> 00:07:54.509 of the things that's true about cortisol, do 00:07:54.509 --> 00:07:56.649 you know how you can tell if somebody has high 00:07:56.649 --> 00:08:00.430 levels of cortisol? This is probably too much. 00:08:00.449 --> 00:08:01.870 You probably don't need all this information. 00:08:02.449 --> 00:08:04.529 One of the fastest ways to see people who are 00:08:04.529 --> 00:08:09.269 under chronic stress is belly fat. Did you know 00:08:09.269 --> 00:08:11.660 that? It's one of the first places that cortisol 00:08:11.660 --> 00:08:14.079 levels will start to show up. So what happens 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:17.680 is, as this stress hormone gets released, it 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:20.240 causes, there's a link between that and stress 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:23.600 and anxiety. So the stress hormone gets in, so 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:25.540 not only do we have all the emotional stuff going 00:08:25.540 --> 00:08:27.860 on, but there's literally a physical component 00:08:27.860 --> 00:08:30.980 to it that causes us to have more stress and 00:08:30.980 --> 00:08:33.419 anxiety. So here's the point to all of that. 00:08:33.940 --> 00:08:36.080 Isolation can lead to anxiety and depression. 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:38.399 If that makes sense, just go like this. That 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:41.279 makes sense, right? So here's where it gets to 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:44.980 be a nasty thing. So isolation leads to anxiety 00:08:44.980 --> 00:08:48.580 and depression, but guess what? Anxiety and depression 00:08:48.580 --> 00:08:52.100 lead to isolation. So it becomes this vicious 00:08:52.100 --> 00:08:55.620 cycle. So here's how anxiety and depression can 00:08:55.620 --> 00:08:58.399 lead to isolation. So we start to experience 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:01.340 withdrawal. So people with anxiety might avoid 00:09:01.340 --> 00:09:03.940 social interactions because of fear of judgment 00:09:03.940 --> 00:09:06.960 or overstimulation. Those with depression may 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:09.730 lack the energy or the motivation to connect 00:09:09.730 --> 00:09:14.490 with others. How many of you have known somebody 00:09:14.490 --> 00:09:18.529 who has struggled with depression? If you do, 00:09:18.610 --> 00:09:20.750 then you've probably heard things like this. 00:09:20.769 --> 00:09:23.490 They'll say, I just don't want to be around other 00:09:23.490 --> 00:09:25.990 people. I'll choose to isolate because I don't 00:09:25.990 --> 00:09:29.950 want to drag others down. Have you ever heard 00:09:29.950 --> 00:09:33.029 somebody use an expression like that? I don't 00:09:33.029 --> 00:09:35.070 want to be a burden on them, so it'd be better 00:09:35.070 --> 00:09:37.500 if I just stay away from them. You also have 00:09:37.500 --> 00:09:43.519 this thing about cognitive distortions. So depression 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:46.960 and anxiety often twist thoughts and you'll end 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:48.639 up hearing things, and sometimes I don't even 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:50.860 talk about it, but this really becomes what they 00:09:50.860 --> 00:09:54.679 believe. Nobody wants to be around me. I'll just 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:57.000 embarrass myself, so I'll just avoid all of that 00:09:57.000 --> 00:09:59.340 together. So here's the point to all of that. 00:09:59.620 --> 00:10:02.700 Anxiety and depression lead to isolation. So 00:10:02.700 --> 00:10:04.759 I think I have a picture up here that will show 00:10:04.759 --> 00:10:07.460 you all of this. And here's the bummer about 00:10:07.460 --> 00:10:10.279 all of it. So it doesn't matter which came first, 00:10:10.419 --> 00:10:12.179 the chicken or the egg. It doesn't really matter. 00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:14.860 And in this conversation, it doesn't matter if 00:10:14.860 --> 00:10:18.100 we talk about isolation or we talk about anxiety 00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:20.620 and depression. One feeds into the other, which 00:10:20.620 --> 00:10:22.679 feeds back into itself, which feeds into the 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:26.899 other, which feeds back into itself. So it doesn't 00:10:26.899 --> 00:10:29.120 take us very long before we're in a world of 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:34.159 hurt. And we're isolated, we're anxious, we're 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:36.519 depressed, and that just keeps feeding the entire 00:10:36.519 --> 00:10:38.720 thing. And there has to be a way to break the 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:42.620 cycle. Well, of course there is. And God has 00:10:42.620 --> 00:10:44.659 an answer to break the cycle once and for all. 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:46.299 And do you know what His answer to break the 00:10:46.299 --> 00:10:53.759 cycle once and for all is? Community. You say, 00:10:53.860 --> 00:10:56.759 well, that's hard. I'm struggling with anxiety 00:10:56.759 --> 00:10:59.039 and depression, and I just want to isolate, and 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:01.179 I just want to do my own thing, because That 00:11:01.179 --> 00:11:03.440 feels like it's safer to me. I understand that. 00:11:03.500 --> 00:11:06.279 I get all of it. But the only way out of the 00:11:06.279 --> 00:11:09.500 cycle is to say, I'm going to choose to be part 00:11:09.500 --> 00:11:14.059 of community. I want to give you a couple of 00:11:14.059 --> 00:11:16.519 things. Group really is a great example of that. 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:19.059 This change in language from I to we marks a 00:11:19.059 --> 00:11:21.840 shift from isolation to community. Similarly, 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:25.000 the Bible teaches us that when we come into relationship 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:27.639 with Jesus, that we're joined into something 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:31.049 much larger than ourselves. the moment that I 00:11:31.049 --> 00:11:33.149 come into relationship with Jesus and I understand 00:11:33.149 --> 00:11:35.830 it won't be it's not all or nothing it's not 00:11:35.830 --> 00:11:39.090 like a switch that gets thrown on or off so it's 00:11:39.090 --> 00:11:41.009 not like we come to Jesus and all of a sudden 00:11:41.009 --> 00:11:43.370 we're like okay I can't think about myself anymore 00:11:43.370 --> 00:11:46.070 I understand it doesn't work like that but that 00:11:46.070 --> 00:11:49.470 is the goal so that when I come to Jesus I'm 00:11:49.470 --> 00:11:51.570 connected to something much larger than myself 00:11:51.570 --> 00:11:54.690 and I have to begin to think that way and act 00:11:54.690 --> 00:11:57.029 that way and believe that way and respond that 00:11:57.029 --> 00:11:59.860 way Because it's not just about me and Jesus. 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:05.019 It's about us. Yesterday, Joel and I, we stopped 00:12:05.019 --> 00:12:07.179 at Target. He wanted to get a case for his phone. 00:12:08.779 --> 00:12:11.279 I have to be careful because I use too much information. 00:12:11.720 --> 00:12:14.580 I have to pay him 20 bucks. So I have to be very 00:12:14.580 --> 00:12:16.340 careful here. But we're at Target. He wanted 00:12:16.340 --> 00:12:18.980 to get a case for his phone. And I wanted to 00:12:18.980 --> 00:12:21.820 pick up some other things, namely some ice cream. 00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:24.840 I was looking for like some top shelf ice cream. 00:12:25.019 --> 00:12:28.580 I found some by the way. I found a coffee affogato 00:12:28.580 --> 00:12:31.139 ice cream at Target. Oh my goodness, was it good? 00:12:31.620 --> 00:12:34.340 I enjoyed every bit of it. So as we're getting 00:12:34.340 --> 00:12:37.200 ready to get my coffee affogato ice cream, it's 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:39.960 amazing by the way. So if you like coffee and 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:41.899 you like ice cream, you've got to try this stuff. 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:44.580 It was fantastic. So as we're on our way to get 00:12:44.580 --> 00:12:47.659 the ice cream, there's a lady older than me. 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:49.940 I don't know how old. I wasn't going to ask her. 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:52.559 That's kind of rude. But there's some distilled 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:55.019 water bottles on the very back of the shelf. 00:12:56.360 --> 00:13:00.940 And I could tell that she needed help. And she's 00:13:00.940 --> 00:13:02.519 kind of standing there looking up at the shelf, 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:05.179 and she looks at us, and very timidly she said, 00:13:05.940 --> 00:13:09.320 guys, would you mind helping me? And I immediately 00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:12.539 said, thank you so much for asking. I'd be glad 00:13:12.539 --> 00:13:15.259 to help you. What can I help you with? And she 00:13:15.259 --> 00:13:16.779 points at the back of the shelf. She's like, 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:19.759 I need three of those bottles of distilled water. 00:13:19.950 --> 00:13:22.009 And I didn't say it out loud, but I'm like, I'm 00:13:22.009 --> 00:13:25.450 not sure I can get to them. But I'm going to 00:13:25.450 --> 00:13:29.429 die trying. So I moved some of the stuff off 00:13:29.429 --> 00:13:31.470 the lower shelf so I could climb up on top of 00:13:31.470 --> 00:13:35.330 it. And with the tip of my finger, I could barely 00:13:35.330 --> 00:13:37.389 get the little plastic thing, so I could move 00:13:37.389 --> 00:13:39.210 it just a little bit. And I eventually get one, 00:13:39.250 --> 00:13:41.309 and dad's like, just get out of the way. I'm 00:13:41.309 --> 00:13:43.629 taller than you, old man. So he stands up there, 00:13:43.690 --> 00:13:45.169 grabs them, and pulls them off. And I'm like, 00:13:45.250 --> 00:13:47.370 hey, listen. Why, you're up there, boy. Pull 00:13:47.370 --> 00:13:48.889 the rest of them up to the front of the shelf. 00:13:48.950 --> 00:13:52.210 Front the shelf. So that somebody who comes behind, 00:13:52.649 --> 00:13:55.590 they have the opportunity to do that. And so 00:13:55.590 --> 00:13:59.070 she thanks us both for it. And she makes a comment 00:13:59.070 --> 00:14:00.570 about basically it's good to know that there's 00:14:00.570 --> 00:14:02.970 still people like you in the world. And here's 00:14:02.970 --> 00:14:04.549 the point to the entire thing. This is why I'm 00:14:04.549 --> 00:14:08.090 telling you this. So I caught her. She just turns 00:14:08.090 --> 00:14:10.250 her back. She's just getting ready to walk down 00:14:10.250 --> 00:14:12.110 by the ice cream where I'm going to get my coffee 00:14:12.110 --> 00:14:16.419 off of Gatto Ice Cream. And I said, Hey listen, 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:22.100 we're all in this together. And it's the only 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:26.419 way we're going to make it. And it resonated 00:14:26.419 --> 00:14:30.600 with her. So she turns back around at me with 00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:35.740 a tear in her eye. And she said, Lord willing, 00:14:36.620 --> 00:14:41.080 I suppose that's true. We really are all in this 00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:44.669 together. And we have to think about the people 00:14:44.669 --> 00:14:47.570 around us. And when they give us the opportunity 00:14:47.570 --> 00:14:49.450 to serve them, even if it's something as simple 00:14:49.450 --> 00:14:53.269 as pulling down a bottle of water for them, we 00:14:53.269 --> 00:14:56.289 want to do that. Because the only way we're going 00:14:56.289 --> 00:15:00.710 to make it is together. Here's a few things the 00:15:00.710 --> 00:15:02.570 Bible has to say about all of it. First Corinthians 00:15:02.570 --> 00:15:06.309 12, 12 through 14 says, just as a body, though 00:15:06.309 --> 00:15:08.610 one has many parts, but all of its many parts 00:15:08.610 --> 00:15:11.629 form one body, so it is with Christ. What's the 00:15:11.629 --> 00:15:15.740 point? Hey, we all are different, and we should 00:15:15.740 --> 00:15:18.580 probably say thank God for that, right? Can you 00:15:18.580 --> 00:15:22.600 imagine two pastor fills in the world? I mean, 00:15:22.820 --> 00:15:25.039 the world can barely handle one, right? So, I 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:27.000 mean, two would be a terrible thing, but we're 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:29.120 all radically different. We look different, we 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:31.659 think different, we have different experiences, 00:15:31.940 --> 00:15:34.399 but when you put all of that together, it makes 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:38.429 something pretty amazing. Ephesians 4, 3 through 00:15:38.429 --> 00:15:41.009 6 says this, make every effort to keep the unity 00:15:41.009 --> 00:15:44.549 of the spirit through the bond of peace. Galatians 00:15:44.549 --> 00:15:47.789 3, 28, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave 00:15:47.789 --> 00:15:50.529 nor free, male nor female, for all are one in 00:15:50.529 --> 00:15:53.429 Christ Jesus. If I could get on a soapbox and 00:15:53.429 --> 00:15:56.669 just be like, hey, this would probably be the 00:15:56.669 --> 00:15:58.710 verse today that I would get on a soapbox and 00:15:58.710 --> 00:16:05.509 say, hey, listen, this is so important. So important. 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:10.740 Do you know that still to this day the church 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:12.879 needs to hear what Paul wrote to the church in 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:18.279 Galatia? This is as relevant today as it was 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:23.840 when he wrote it. I'm a male. That might be a 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:27.120 newsflash to some, right? I'm a guy. I'm a guy. 00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:31.899 And I pastor in the church of the Nazarene. It's 00:16:31.899 --> 00:16:35.720 where the Lord has me. and I want to be faithful 00:16:35.720 --> 00:16:42.879 to serve there. My daughter Aubrey is a pastor 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:47.980 in the church of Nazarene and she wants to serve 00:16:47.980 --> 00:16:51.679 well. But you know there's still an argument 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:55.679 still to this day about whether there's male 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:59.419 or female. This is so important for us because 00:16:59.419 --> 00:17:03.179 Paul's making this point. All of those distinctions 00:17:03.179 --> 00:17:06.599 that we have to say, okay, you're gentile, you're 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:10.180 a Jew, you're male, you're female, you're this, 00:17:10.339 --> 00:17:12.660 you're that, you're that side of the tracks, 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:15.400 you're on this side of the tracks. Every distinction 00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:18.220 that we make has to go out the window when we're 00:17:18.220 --> 00:17:23.099 in Christ. We no longer have the right to say, 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:25.640 I'm this, you're that. There can be no us in 00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:35.430 them that we're all in this together. No longer 00:17:35.430 --> 00:17:40.150 I, but we. Unity in the body of Christ does not 00:17:40.150 --> 00:17:44.430 mean uniformity. And I'm glad for that. I'm really 00:17:44.430 --> 00:17:46.869 glad for that. It means harmony. Just like the 00:17:46.869 --> 00:17:49.609 guardians of the galaxy each had different strengths, 00:17:50.230 --> 00:17:52.329 backgrounds and roles, but together we reflect 00:17:52.329 --> 00:17:55.049 the fullness of God's design. I can't do that 00:17:55.049 --> 00:18:00.349 by myself. You can't do that by yourself. But 00:18:00.349 --> 00:18:04.160 together we get pretty close. Second point is 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:06.480 about sacrificial love or putting others before 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:09.759 ourself. Groot's ultimate act of love was laying 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:13.779 down his life for his friends. Obviously, that's 00:18:13.779 --> 00:18:16.779 a pretty close mirror to what Jesus has done 00:18:16.779 --> 00:18:20.660 for us, right? So he laid down his life for us. 00:18:20.680 --> 00:18:24.299 In fact, that's a key, it's a key core component 00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:27.579 to the gospel is that Jesus laid down his life 00:18:27.579 --> 00:18:31.700 for us. Let me give you a couple of verses about 00:18:31.700 --> 00:18:35.640 that. John chapter 15 verse 13 greater love has 00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:37.720 no one than this that he lay down his life for 00:18:37.720 --> 00:18:43.180 his friends Philippians 2 3 through 4 in humility 00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:47.579 value others above yourself. How many think that's 00:18:47.579 --> 00:18:52.140 hard? In humility value others above yourself. 00:18:54.700 --> 00:18:58.660 I Can't I can't afford to be like I am Groot 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:05.539 I can't afford to be like that anymore. I have 00:19:05.539 --> 00:19:11.119 to begin to think about, we are Groot. And I 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:13.720 have to look out for the people around me. Mark 00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:17.059 10, 45, even the son of man, talking about himself, 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:19.900 Jesus, even the son of man did not come to be 00:19:19.900 --> 00:19:22.960 served, but to serve and to give his life as 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:25.599 a ransom for many. What's the point of that? 00:19:25.779 --> 00:19:30.180 Here's the point. If Jesus, who's God, Did not 00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:31.819 come to say you know what I want you to wait 00:19:31.819 --> 00:19:35.119 on me hand and foot you just serve me Jesus did 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:37.380 not do that. He came to serve and if he came 00:19:37.380 --> 00:19:41.039 to serve How much more should we say I'm just 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:44.140 here to serve? And I don't really care what that 00:19:44.140 --> 00:19:46.039 looks like if that means I scrub toilets I'll 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:48.839 scrub toilets if that means that I Stand up front 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:50.539 and I try to teach something from the Word of 00:19:50.539 --> 00:19:52.859 God I'll do that if that means that I'm never 00:19:52.859 --> 00:19:55.000 in the spotlight and no one ever has a clue who 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:58.619 I am That's absolutely okay Janine and I direct 00:19:58.619 --> 00:20:01.640 clergy kids retreat. So Kevin and I were at blast. 00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:03.380 There were some others who were there too, but 00:20:03.380 --> 00:20:06.059 Kevin and I, we officiate basketball, and I don't 00:20:06.059 --> 00:20:08.279 know about you brother, but I've paid for it. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:10.660 I've heard in places I didn't even know that 00:20:10.660 --> 00:20:13.839 I had. So, man, I've been pretty sore, but man, 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:16.779 I had a blast doing it. No pun intended. We were 00:20:16.779 --> 00:20:20.059 at blast. I'm sorry. It was bad. So this kid 00:20:20.059 --> 00:20:22.819 comes up to me, and I know who he is. He's one 00:20:22.819 --> 00:20:26.279 of our clergy kids. He's from East Ohio. So he 00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:28.299 comes up to me and he says, your name's Kyle 00:20:28.299 --> 00:20:32.559 Jackson. And I said, no sir, it is not. And he 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:34.700 said, Kyle Jackson's one of the other guys who 00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:37.920 does clergy kids retreat with us. He's a dentist. 00:20:38.059 --> 00:20:42.079 He's also a pastor in the Dayton area. So I'm 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:44.839 like, no sir, I am not. I do know Kyle Jackson. 00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:47.339 And I know where you think that I'm Kyle Jackson. 00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:50.880 Because Kyle and the entire clergy kids leadership 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:53.759 team, I said, I got the biggest compliment today. 00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:56.839 And I said, they thought I was Kyle Jackson. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:59.359 And Kyle Jackson said, I'm just surprised that 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:06.200 they know our name. And here's the point. That's 00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:13.740 good leadership. Years ago, this isn't even in 00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:16.660 the notes, this is a freebie. A friend of mine 00:21:16.660 --> 00:21:19.519 said, hey, would you come and speak at this high 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:22.299 school and young adult conference that they were 00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:24.440 doing? We want you to be the speaker." I said, 00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:27.640 I'd love to. I love those opportunities. If I 00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:30.559 can accept them, I want to accept them. So I 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:32.599 said, yes. It just happened to be a water park, 00:21:32.660 --> 00:21:35.619 so we're having tons of fun. The very first night, 00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:40.299 the leader who asked me to come, her brother 00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:43.099 was straight back from combat. He was a combat 00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:46.799 veteran. And I mean straight back. He'd been 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:51.369 back, I think, three days when I saw him. She 00:21:51.369 --> 00:21:53.150 said, hey, would you mind praying for my brother? 00:21:54.349 --> 00:21:57.769 I said, I'd love to pray for your brother So 00:21:57.769 --> 00:22:00.529 everyone else is gone. It's just a couple of 00:22:00.529 --> 00:22:03.309 the adult leaders and I'm gonna pray for him 00:22:03.309 --> 00:22:05.950 And I'm gonna be real honest with you. I don't 00:22:05.950 --> 00:22:07.890 have a whole lot to say to somebody who's straight 00:22:07.890 --> 00:22:15.029 back from combat But I'm gonna pray for him So 00:22:15.029 --> 00:22:17.549 up to that point he's I think it was three days 00:22:17.549 --> 00:22:19.269 that he had been back he hadn't slept at all 00:22:19.269 --> 00:22:22.180 in three days The entire time he's just having 00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:24.960 nightmares, he's having flashbacks, the entire 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:29.859 deal. So I prayed that that would stop. I can't 00:22:29.859 --> 00:22:35.180 do anything about that, but I know a guy. So 00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:39.740 I pray for him and I do the best. I felt absolutely 00:22:39.740 --> 00:22:42.079 clumsy doing it. I'm like, I don't know what 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:44.380 to say. I don't really have any good answers 00:22:44.380 --> 00:22:47.180 here, but I'm just gonna be faithful to do what 00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:49.839 I feel like the Lord's called me to do. So I 00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:53.599 pray for him. I don't see him for two, three 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:57.460 years after that. He has no idea that it's me. 00:22:58.680 --> 00:23:02.299 And he bumps into me because of our mutual friend. 00:23:02.740 --> 00:23:06.180 And he starts talking to me. He said, hey, it 00:23:06.180 --> 00:23:09.400 was the craziest thing. He said, I was straight 00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:13.720 back from combat two or three years ago. And 00:23:13.720 --> 00:23:16.920 there was this guy who was there. I couldn't 00:23:16.920 --> 00:23:20.599 tell you the first thing that he said. But when 00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:23.599 it was all said and done, my sister asked if 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:29.460 he would pray for me. And he prayed for me. And 00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:33.180 from the moment he prayed for me, I've not had 00:23:33.180 --> 00:23:39.119 one flashback. I've not had one nightmare. And 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:42.980 I don't know what happened. And I wish that someday 00:23:42.980 --> 00:23:46.619 I could find who that guy was so that I could 00:23:46.619 --> 00:23:53.450 thank him. what I said I hope that one day you 00:23:53.450 --> 00:24:00.190 do too and walked away he had no idea it was 00:24:00.190 --> 00:24:07.470 me that's what I'm talking about even if they 00:24:07.470 --> 00:24:12.410 have no idea that's you that we just serve and 00:24:12.410 --> 00:24:14.730 we're grateful for the opportunity to do it we 00:24:14.730 --> 00:24:23.230 place others above ourself Did I give you guys 00:24:23.230 --> 00:24:25.069 practical applications? I didn't. I'm going to 00:24:25.069 --> 00:24:28.190 go back just for a second. Elizabeth, I'm so 00:24:28.190 --> 00:24:32.529 sorry. I'm so sorry. Let me give you, for the 00:24:32.529 --> 00:24:34.509 first point, I want to give some practical application 00:24:34.509 --> 00:24:36.430 along the way. So practical application from 00:24:36.430 --> 00:24:38.329 the first point, then we'll come back to the 00:24:38.329 --> 00:24:40.809 second point. Practical applications. Be intentional 00:24:40.809 --> 00:24:43.130 in your relationships. Do not isolate. Join a 00:24:43.130 --> 00:24:45.769 small group, a ministry team, or at least find 00:24:45.769 --> 00:24:50.670 a prayer partner. The second one. If somebody 00:24:50.670 --> 00:24:55.579 in your church is hurting, That's us. Show up. 00:24:57.259 --> 00:25:03.099 Be there. If somebody's rejoicing, celebrate 00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:06.920 with them. Ask yourself this week, how am I contributing 00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:12.140 to unity in my church family? So even the Son 00:25:12.140 --> 00:25:14.220 of Man did not come to serve, but to be served. 00:25:14.279 --> 00:25:16.579 Most of us will never be called to die for anybody 00:25:16.579 --> 00:25:19.599 else. You realize that, right? So it's one of 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:24.900 those things that it's kind of It's a theory. 00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:28.359 Most of us will never be called upon to do that, 00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:33.200 but every day we're given the option, the quiet, 00:25:33.500 --> 00:25:35.720 sacred opportunity to lay down our pride, our 00:25:35.720 --> 00:25:38.359 comfort, our preferences for the sake of others. 00:25:38.920 --> 00:25:41.619 True sacrifice isn't always loud and heroic. 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:44.480 Sometimes it looks like choosing kindness over 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:48.400 being right. There are times you're going to 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:49.720 have to choose. Are you going to be kind or are 00:25:49.720 --> 00:25:56.289 you going to be right? Sometimes it looks like 00:25:56.289 --> 00:25:59.789 putting somebody else's needs before our own. 00:26:00.450 --> 00:26:03.750 This is the unseen heroism of love. Christian 00:26:03.750 --> 00:26:06.950 love is not theoretical, it's tangible, active, 00:26:07.150 --> 00:26:10.470 and often inconvenient. Jesus calls us to embrace 00:26:10.470 --> 00:26:13.910 a lifestyle of service above self. Groot gave 00:26:13.910 --> 00:26:16.289 himself fully, Christ gave himself completely, 00:26:16.750 --> 00:26:18.609 so the question for us is what are you willing 00:26:18.609 --> 00:26:22.700 to give? Here's something that dawned on me this 00:26:22.700 --> 00:26:26.240 morning Old Testament the sacrifice required 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:29.000 was a pure and spotless animal sometimes a lamb 00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:31.519 not always a lamb Sometimes it was a dove there 00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:33.180 were other times that other things were called 00:26:33.180 --> 00:26:35.599 for but here's the bottom line Old Testament 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:37.940 what was required was a pure spotless animal 00:26:37.940 --> 00:26:41.759 sacrifice Jesus shows up and changes everything 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:45.259 and Jesus shows us a more excellent way Part 00:26:45.259 --> 00:26:47.740 of our board meeting this week. We had this conversation 00:26:47.740 --> 00:26:51.319 so sometimes we get it in our head that that 00:26:51.319 --> 00:26:53.740 Jesus abolished the Old Testament. Like the Old 00:26:53.740 --> 00:26:55.440 Testament doesn't matter to us at all anymore. 00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:59.519 That's simply not true. Jesus said, I came to 00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:03.599 fulfill the Old Testament law. We're not abolishing 00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:06.500 that. We still hold on to that. But there are 00:27:06.500 --> 00:27:09.079 some things that he sheds new light on, right? 00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:12.140 So he shows us a more excellent way. It's not 00:27:12.140 --> 00:27:14.500 that it abolishes the Old Testament, but there's 00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:16.829 a better way of doing it. And the better way 00:27:16.829 --> 00:27:19.369 of doing it is Jesus becomes the spotless lamb 00:27:19.369 --> 00:27:22.529 of God who takes away the sin of the world. But 00:27:22.529 --> 00:27:26.150 then he says to us things like this, he's like, 00:27:27.109 --> 00:27:29.970 now, because this is what Jesus has done, we're 00:27:29.970 --> 00:27:32.230 encouraged to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, 00:27:32.490 --> 00:27:34.730 holy and acceptable to God, because this is our 00:27:34.730 --> 00:27:37.190 spiritual act of worship. This is how we worship, 00:27:37.230 --> 00:27:42.119 by offering who we are as a sacrifice. Jesus 00:27:42.119 --> 00:27:44.599 didn't save us so that we could live for ourselves 00:27:44.599 --> 00:27:47.200 Jesus saved us so that we'll offer him everything 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:51.500 and often that means for the sake of others Some 00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:53.619 practical applications ask God to show you one 00:27:53.619 --> 00:27:55.920 person you can serve this week without expecting 00:27:55.920 --> 00:28:01.819 anything in return That's fair, right? I Will 00:28:01.819 --> 00:28:04.099 warn you if you ask God to show you one person 00:28:04.099 --> 00:28:05.960 that you can serve without expecting anything 00:28:05.960 --> 00:28:08.900 in return You know what's going to happen? You're 00:28:08.900 --> 00:28:10.740 gonna have an opportunity to serve somebody and 00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:14.200 get nothing in return. I Promise if you're like 00:28:14.200 --> 00:28:16.440 go ahead Jesus. I go ahead show me somebody I 00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:19.440 can serve I get nothing out of it Go ahead. Show 00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:23.000 me one. I promise he will So ask him that consider 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:25.660 where you can where you need to surrender pride 00:28:25.660 --> 00:28:29.680 over comfort To love somebody better parents 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:33.000 spouses co -workers neighbors put yours put somebody 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:37.450 else's needs ahead of your own this week Number 00:28:37.450 --> 00:28:40.470 three, living on through another, the legacy 00:28:40.470 --> 00:28:43.609 of faith. So when Groot says, we are Groot, he 00:28:43.609 --> 00:28:45.910 passed on his spirit, values, and love. I was 00:28:45.910 --> 00:28:47.809 really glad that that wasn't the end for Groot, 00:28:47.849 --> 00:28:49.529 but that's another story. Maybe some other time 00:28:49.529 --> 00:28:51.970 I'll talk about it. He just comes back in a different 00:28:51.970 --> 00:28:55.769 form. Because I'm like, that's really sad if 00:28:55.769 --> 00:28:58.500 that's the absolute end of Groot. He just comes 00:28:58.500 --> 00:29:00.200 back in a different form. He lives on through 00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:02.460 his friends. Though he was gone, his influence 00:29:02.460 --> 00:29:04.279 lived on. As Christians, we're called to live 00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:06.460 in a way that our faith continues on even after 00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:09.880 we're gone. Let me give you a couple of examples 00:29:09.880 --> 00:29:13.619 from the Bible. 2 Timothy 2 verse 2, so it's 00:29:13.619 --> 00:29:17.240 2, 2, 2. It's easy to remember. It trusts reliable 00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:19.920 people who will also be qualified to teach others. 00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:25.079 What's the point? So, he's talking to... Timothy, 00:29:25.220 --> 00:29:27.140 who's a young pastor, and he's saying to this 00:29:27.140 --> 00:29:29.779 young pastor, hey, don't let it be a one -man 00:29:29.779 --> 00:29:33.940 show, but equip other people so that the work 00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:36.140 continues to go on, so that that's how we have 00:29:36.140 --> 00:29:39.440 a lasting legacy. If when I'm gone from here, 00:29:39.640 --> 00:29:42.839 if everything that I've done immediately stops 00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:45.519 and is over, then I've been a terrible leader. 00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:49.519 But if it continues to go on because other people 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:51.660 have been invested in and they're able to move 00:29:51.660 --> 00:29:54.039 the... the work of the kingdom forward. That's 00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:58.099 what good leadership looks like. Proverbs 13 00:29:58.099 --> 00:30:00.779 -12, a good person leaves an inheritance to their 00:30:00.779 --> 00:30:04.099 children's children. Hebrews 11 -4, by faith 00:30:04.099 --> 00:30:06.900 Abel still speaks even though he's dead. I'm 00:30:06.900 --> 00:30:10.319 talking about having a lasting legacy that even 00:30:10.319 --> 00:30:14.299 after you're gone, it continues to live on. That 00:30:14.299 --> 00:30:18.160 was true of Abel. Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:20.220 through 16. Let your light shine before others 00:30:20.220 --> 00:30:22.579 that they may see your good deeds and glorify 00:30:22.579 --> 00:30:25.059 your Father in heaven. Here's the point. Every 00:30:25.059 --> 00:30:27.059 time you show grace, every time you forgive, 00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:30.160 every time you serve, you plant seeds that outlast 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:33.359 you. Your legacy is not your resume. It's the 00:30:33.359 --> 00:30:35.839 people that you've invested in. It's the people 00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:37.880 that you've discipled, the lives that you've 00:30:37.880 --> 00:30:40.180 touched. Here are some practical applications. 00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:45.680 Who are you pouring into? So consider mentoring 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:49.819 somebody younger in faith. I Will tell you this 00:30:49.819 --> 00:30:51.880 that if that's something that the Lord puts on 00:30:51.880 --> 00:30:54.019 your heart I think that we all should do it. 00:30:54.019 --> 00:30:57.160 I can't twist your arm I can I could say hey, 00:30:57.299 --> 00:30:59.980 you should consider this I can't make you do 00:30:59.980 --> 00:31:02.480 it if you decide that's something that the Lord 00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:05.299 wants for me. We have resources I'll make it 00:31:05.299 --> 00:31:07.839 easy for you I'll literally give you a packet 00:31:07.839 --> 00:31:10.500 of stuff and say just sit down with them over 00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:13.279 coffee and begin to work through these things 00:31:13.180 --> 00:31:16.400 A week later, go get coffee again. If you have 00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:18.819 to, pay for their coffee. It'll cost you two 00:31:18.819 --> 00:31:22.359 bucks. But that investment's worth it. So get 00:31:22.359 --> 00:31:24.599 with them every week, get them a cup of coffee, 00:31:24.839 --> 00:31:26.940 and work through this stuff. I'll give you everything 00:31:26.940 --> 00:31:31.039 you need to do it. But I'll tell you something. 00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:36.500 You'll get hooked. And you'll be like, this is 00:31:36.500 --> 00:31:41.170 pretty fun. And I don't know. For me, when I 00:31:41.170 --> 00:31:43.529 watch people come to faith in Jesus and when 00:31:43.529 --> 00:31:46.430 I watch people grow in that, I think I enjoy 00:31:46.430 --> 00:31:48.369 it even more than the day I came to faith in 00:31:48.369 --> 00:31:55.069 Jesus. It's just fun. Second one is, think long 00:31:55.069 --> 00:31:57.750 term. Ask yourself, what spiritual legacy am 00:31:57.750 --> 00:32:01.309 I building? The last one, write a letter or send 00:32:01.309 --> 00:32:03.450 a message of encouragement to somebody who has 00:32:03.450 --> 00:32:05.809 done that for you, who has shaped your faith 00:32:05.809 --> 00:32:07.970 journey. Do you know what that would mean to 00:32:07.970 --> 00:32:16.019 them? I won't give you a name. I had a kid. I've 00:32:16.019 --> 00:32:21.039 been literally everything. At one point, and 00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:23.680 I'm not making this up, but on my resume, I was 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:26.279 a camel's rear end. I mean, literally, it's on 00:32:26.279 --> 00:32:29.279 my resume. So what did you do to serve? I was 00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:31.180 a camel's rear end. And like some of you, that 00:32:31.180 --> 00:32:33.519 is not a shock, right? You're like, we knew that. 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:36.460 That explains a lot. That explains a lot. But 00:32:36.460 --> 00:32:38.420 I mean, I've done it all. I was a youth pastor 00:32:38.420 --> 00:32:40.160 for a while. I was a children's pastor for a 00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:43.220 while. I've done outreach and evangelism. I've 00:32:43.220 --> 00:32:46.859 been all over the place. When I was a youth pastor, 00:32:46.880 --> 00:32:48.960 I had a kid who was just a natural born leader. 00:32:50.339 --> 00:32:53.339 And we won't talk about names. It was not the 00:32:53.339 --> 00:32:54.779 church you're thinking of. It was a different 00:32:54.779 --> 00:32:57.920 one. But this kid was a natural born leader. 00:32:58.400 --> 00:33:01.619 And the only problem was he was a leader for 00:33:01.619 --> 00:33:06.319 all the wrong things. So like I would have all 00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:09.420 these great plans in place and this one kid would 00:33:09.420 --> 00:33:12.640 say that is the Stupidest thing I've ever heard 00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:15.779 and no one would want to do it And I would be 00:33:15.779 --> 00:33:18.519 like we just did this because this kid wasn't 00:33:18.519 --> 00:33:21.319 here. You had a blast You brought your friends. 00:33:21.319 --> 00:33:24.160 You thought this was amazing. You said as much 00:33:24.160 --> 00:33:27.200 but because he says it's stupid now you're like 00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:30.200 it's stupid and kids just a natural -born leader 00:33:30.200 --> 00:33:36.640 and we were doing a a leadership weekend. So 00:33:36.640 --> 00:33:39.539 like our core group of leaders, we brought them 00:33:39.539 --> 00:33:41.440 all in. We're just investing in them and talking 00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:44.400 to them. And this particular kid, he's doing 00:33:44.400 --> 00:33:47.599 his rant thing again. And I probably shouldn't 00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:50.599 have done it. But I called him out in front of 00:33:50.599 --> 00:33:52.400 the rest of the entire group of leaders, just 00:33:52.400 --> 00:33:55.579 probably 40 people at this retreat. And I called 00:33:55.579 --> 00:33:57.900 him out by name. He was sitting back over here. 00:33:58.160 --> 00:34:07.029 And I said, hey, listen, I love you. In this 00:34:07.029 --> 00:34:11.769 moment, you're being an absolute jerk. And you're 00:34:11.769 --> 00:34:13.889 a natural born leader and because you're being 00:34:13.889 --> 00:34:17.190 a jerk, you're making it impossible for everyone 00:34:17.190 --> 00:34:21.090 in this room to hear what's happening. And if 00:34:21.090 --> 00:34:23.710 you would allow God to use that leadership quality, 00:34:23.769 --> 00:34:27.590 you would change the world. But right now, all 00:34:27.590 --> 00:34:32.170 you're willing to do is cause problems. And you 00:34:32.170 --> 00:34:39.510 got offended by that. I would be offended too. 00:34:41.489 --> 00:34:44.750 So three weeks later, he sends me a five page 00:34:44.750 --> 00:34:46.969 letter I still have in my office to this day. 00:34:47.630 --> 00:34:51.909 And he said, at first I was very angry with you 00:34:51.909 --> 00:34:56.909 for calling me out like that. But you were right. 00:34:59.349 --> 00:35:03.389 I am a natural born leader and I have used it 00:35:03.389 --> 00:35:07.920 for all the wrong things. but I give you my permission 00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:11.099 to hold me accountable, that I'll use it for 00:35:11.099 --> 00:35:15.079 good stuff from here on out. And that was years 00:35:15.079 --> 00:35:18.719 ago. And you know what he's done ever since? 00:35:19.960 --> 00:35:27.920 He's used it for good. And that's what I'm talking 00:35:27.920 --> 00:35:30.239 about, about having a lasting legacy and investing 00:35:30.239 --> 00:35:34.420 in others. If your gift is leadership, then do 00:35:34.420 --> 00:35:36.320 it, but use it in a way that other people are 00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:39.019 going to benefit from it. Don't use a gift of 00:35:39.019 --> 00:35:40.840 leadership and just be a jerk so that nobody 00:35:40.840 --> 00:35:44.119 wants to follow. Use it for something that's 00:35:44.119 --> 00:35:51.940 going to be good. Let me give you a couple examples. 00:35:55.360 --> 00:35:58.480 Nope, four. Number four. We are a group living 00:35:58.480 --> 00:36:01.460 in community and purpose. The guardians of the 00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:03.500 galaxy each had different strengths, but they 00:36:03.500 --> 00:36:05.900 found their purpose together. The same is true 00:36:05.900 --> 00:36:07.539 in the church here. A couple things that the 00:36:07.539 --> 00:36:11.500 Bible says about that. Romans chapter 12, verses 00:36:11.500 --> 00:36:14.699 four and five. In Christ we, though many, form 00:36:14.699 --> 00:36:17.719 one body. Ecclesiastes four, nine through 12 00:36:17.719 --> 00:36:19.900 is probably my favorite one on the entire list 00:36:19.900 --> 00:36:22.719 today. Adele will tease me, but it is. It's my 00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:25.360 favorite. This one's just so good. And I don't 00:36:25.360 --> 00:36:27.360 know, maybe it's... because it's a word picture 00:36:27.360 --> 00:36:29.679 and I like word pictures, but this is what Ecclesiastes 00:36:29.679 --> 00:36:33.539 says. Two are better than one. A cord of three 00:36:33.539 --> 00:36:37.000 strands is not quickly broken. First Peter 4 00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:39.199 10, each of you should use whatever gift you 00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:42.880 have received to serve others. Acts 2 44 through 00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:45.639 47. All the believers were together and they 00:36:45.639 --> 00:36:50.639 had everything in common. Here's the point. We're 00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:54.480 not called to attend church. We're called to 00:36:54.480 --> 00:36:59.579 be the church. When we each use our gifts serve 00:36:59.579 --> 00:37:02.059 in love and live in unity the church becomes 00:37:02.059 --> 00:37:05.639 a powerful force for good in the world There 00:37:05.639 --> 00:37:08.679 was this guy. Maybe you've heard of him His name 00:37:08.679 --> 00:37:11.980 was dr. Martin Luther King jr. Anybody heard 00:37:11.980 --> 00:37:19.460 of him? He said this I wish I came up with stuff 00:37:19.460 --> 00:37:24.239 like this. I'm just not that smart Doctor Martin 00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:26.699 Luther King Jr. said this, life's most pressing 00:37:26.699 --> 00:37:30.960 and urgent question is this, what are you doing 00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:39.400 for others? What you do for others may not make 00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:43.219 headlines, but it echoes through all of eternity. 00:37:46.429 --> 00:37:49.369 So a couple practical applications. Identify 00:37:49.369 --> 00:37:51.570 your spiritual gifts. If you haven't done that 00:37:51.570 --> 00:37:53.349 and you don't know where to begin, ask me. I'll 00:37:53.349 --> 00:37:55.449 give you a tool. It'll help you to identify your 00:37:55.449 --> 00:37:57.590 spiritual gifts. Once you know what your spiritual 00:37:57.590 --> 00:37:59.150 gift is, you know what I want you to do with 00:37:59.150 --> 00:38:01.289 it? I just want you to brag on it. You know what? 00:38:01.289 --> 00:38:03.190 The Lord's given me the gift of administration. 00:38:03.289 --> 00:38:06.250 That's not mine. I'm not bad at administration, 00:38:06.289 --> 00:38:08.309 but that's not mine. But I just want you to brag 00:38:08.309 --> 00:38:09.949 on it, right? It's like that's what the Lord's 00:38:09.949 --> 00:38:11.710 done. I don't want you to use it in any way. 00:38:11.969 --> 00:38:13.909 I just want you to talk about it, make yourself 00:38:13.909 --> 00:38:16.150 feel really good. No, I'm kidding. I don't want 00:38:16.150 --> 00:38:18.250 you to do that. If your gift is administration, 00:38:18.590 --> 00:38:21.610 I want you to find ways to use that, to serve 00:38:21.610 --> 00:38:24.349 other people around you. If your gift is hospitality, 00:38:25.030 --> 00:38:28.329 then find ways to show hospitality to people. 00:38:28.710 --> 00:38:31.150 If your gift is showing mercy, then show mercy. 00:38:31.550 --> 00:38:35.389 If your gift is compassion, then have compassion. 00:38:35.909 --> 00:38:39.750 Do something with it. Find your spiritual gift, 00:38:39.849 --> 00:38:42.530 then go use it in service. This is my favorite 00:38:42.530 --> 00:38:45.059 slide of the day. Did we already get to that 00:38:45.059 --> 00:38:49.820 one? Has this one come up yet? I think it's back 00:38:49.820 --> 00:38:53.599 one. Don't be this guy. Now you probably can't 00:38:53.599 --> 00:38:55.460 read what it says down there, right? Do you see 00:38:55.460 --> 00:39:02.480 him? He's a spectator. It's a potato. Don't be 00:39:02.480 --> 00:39:08.380 this guy. Don't be a spectator. Don't be a bystander. 00:39:08.440 --> 00:39:12.309 Here's what I mean by that. Everybody needs to 00:39:12.309 --> 00:39:16.250 be an active participant. Every last one of us 00:39:16.250 --> 00:39:19.650 needs to roll up our sleeves and get in there. 00:39:21.750 --> 00:39:29.469 It should be a crime to be a spectator. Reach 00:39:29.469 --> 00:39:31.050 out to somebody you haven't seen in a while, 00:39:31.150 --> 00:39:33.150 invite them back into the community. Wouldn't 00:39:33.150 --> 00:39:38.340 that be something? Sometimes people will say 00:39:38.340 --> 00:39:40.079 this to me. They'll be like hey pastor. I haven't 00:39:40.079 --> 00:39:42.219 seen so -and -so in a couple weeks. You know 00:39:42.219 --> 00:39:46.159 what's going on with them and What I want to 00:39:46.159 --> 00:39:48.219 say I'm just gonna be real honest for a second 00:39:48.219 --> 00:39:51.760 be transparent Why don't you pick up the phone 00:39:51.760 --> 00:39:58.800 and call them? I Mean why do we think why do 00:39:58.800 --> 00:40:00.860 you think that I need to be the one who knows 00:40:00.860 --> 00:40:03.940 all of that stuff? And and I'm not saying that 00:40:03.940 --> 00:40:06.460 I shouldn't reach out to them. I absolutely should 00:40:06.619 --> 00:40:08.519 But there's also nothing wrong with you picking 00:40:08.519 --> 00:40:10.539 up the phone and saying, hey, what's going on? 00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:13.679 I haven't seen you for a while. I've missed seeing 00:40:13.679 --> 00:40:16.679 you. I like seeing your face. I like hearing 00:40:16.679 --> 00:40:22.199 your terrible jokes. And I want you to know that 00:40:22.199 --> 00:40:24.719 you matter to me. Do you know how much it means 00:40:24.719 --> 00:40:27.860 to them? So if I call them, do you know what 00:40:27.860 --> 00:40:29.880 happens? If I call them and say, hey, I haven't 00:40:29.880 --> 00:40:31.579 seen you in a while, they think this. They're 00:40:31.579 --> 00:40:35.909 like, that's his job. But when you call them 00:40:35.909 --> 00:40:37.610 and say, I haven't seen you in a while, I miss 00:40:37.610 --> 00:40:39.630 you, you know what it means to them? It means 00:40:39.630 --> 00:40:43.809 the world to them. So just, if you know somebody 00:40:43.809 --> 00:40:47.429 hasn't been here, I suppose you can still ask 00:40:47.429 --> 00:40:49.969 me, but just pick up the phone and talk to them. 00:40:51.010 --> 00:40:52.590 All right, I've gone from preaching to meddling, 00:40:52.610 --> 00:41:00.070 I'm sorry. Everyone say we love you faster. Yeah. 00:41:01.630 --> 00:41:07.440 We are Groot. So that powerful moment in the 00:41:07.440 --> 00:41:10.079 Guardians of the Galaxy teaches us a deep spiritual 00:41:10.079 --> 00:41:14.000 truth. And I'm not gonna ask you to go out of 00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:16.219 here and be like, we are Groot. Because then 00:41:16.219 --> 00:41:18.559 people already think we're a cult anyway, so 00:41:18.559 --> 00:41:23.380 let's not give them for ammunition. Let's not, 00:41:23.400 --> 00:41:26.619 we don't need to feel that. But I do want us 00:41:26.619 --> 00:41:32.780 to leave here saying, we are the church. We are 00:41:32.780 --> 00:41:39.730 the body of Christ. And we're not individuals 00:41:39.730 --> 00:41:42.329 living disconnected lives, but in Christ we're 00:41:42.329 --> 00:41:45.550 one body. We're called to live sacrificially, 00:41:45.610 --> 00:41:49.650 to show that love through sacrificial love. We're 00:41:49.650 --> 00:41:52.269 part of a legacy that lives on through others. 00:41:52.429 --> 00:41:55.349 We're a community on mission and purpose. So 00:41:55.349 --> 00:41:58.090 we need to stop thinking I and start thinking 00:41:58.090 --> 00:42:02.429 we. Let's live deeply serve selflessly and build 00:42:02.429 --> 00:42:05.210 lasting community and as we do may the world 00:42:05.210 --> 00:42:13.289 see Jesus in us We are the body of Christ and 00:42:13.289 --> 00:42:13.570 together