1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 Howdy. 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,000 Howdy. 3 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,000 Well, have you all heard the phrase, 4 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,000 snitches get stitches? 5 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,000 Yes. 6 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,000 Oh, wait, wait, wait. 7 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,000 Man, someone in the choir was like, yes. 8 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,000 It was like, man, oh, my word, okay, goodness. 9 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,000 I don't want to know who turned against you, okay. 10 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,000 But yeah, it's the idea that, you know, 11 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:22,000 like, if you squeal on somebody, 12 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,000 then, you know, you're going to get 13 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,000 even worse coming to you. 14 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,000 The thing is, you know, 15 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,000 everyone so while I tell you all about 16 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,000 elementary school and 17 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,000 how it was like the worst time 18 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,000 of my life whatsoever. 19 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,000 And with that is back in second grade, 20 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,000 there was this one day 21 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,000 where some of the kids just, 22 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,000 I don't know what it was I did that day, 23 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,000 but they just did not like me at all. 24 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,000 And the teacher noticed. 25 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,000 And that's like the worst thing 26 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,000 in the world when the teacher notices, 27 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,000 because then the teacher's going to jump in 28 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,000 and try to do something about it, 29 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,000 but it always makes it worse somehow. 30 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,000 And that's the thing, 31 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,000 is that the teacher said that all of the kids 32 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,000 that were involved in it 33 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,000 had to go and write me an apology. 34 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,000 So all of them were just sitting there 35 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,000 for like 20 minutes 36 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,000 trying to write down all this stuff. 37 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,000 And it's like, oh, 38 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,000 I'm really, really sorry. 39 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,000 And oh, let's be really, really good friends. 40 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,000 And yeah, it was a whole bunch of lies. 41 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,000 But the thing was with it 42 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,000 that it became super awkward. 43 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,000 And it also ended up 44 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,000 costing me one of my actual friends. 45 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,000 And with it though, 46 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,000 is it also reinforced 47 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,000 something in my mind. 48 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,000 Is that you can't force 49 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,000 goodwill. 50 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,000 You can't force 51 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,000 friendship. 52 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,000 You can't force 53 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,000 people to actually like you. 54 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,000 And with it is 55 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,000 when we come to our 56 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,000 epistle lesson today 57 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,000 and Paul is telling them, 58 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,000 you'll need to just stop 59 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,000 bickering and get along. 60 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,000 And that's the thing with this, 61 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,000 is that it makes me wonder, 62 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,000 was Paul ever a second grade teacher? 63 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,000 I don't think that he was. 64 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,000 Maybe he should go back and, you know, 65 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,000 he'll get his certification somewhere 66 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,000 along the way. 67 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,000 But the thing is, is that oftentimes 68 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,000 is that picking a fight 69 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,000 is just so easy. 70 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,000 It is just so easy 71 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,000 to be able, whenever you're upset 72 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,000 with someone, to try to look at ways 73 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,000 to not only pick a fight, 74 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,000 but also maybe to keep it going. 75 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,000 You know, it's like there's that one 76 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,000 person that just like, 77 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,000 they just get on your nerves 78 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,000 all the time. 79 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,000 And you're just like, you know, 80 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,000 man, if only I could 81 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,000 just get back at them. 82 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,000 And you catch yourself saying 83 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,000 little snide remarks from time to time. 84 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,000 Little comments 85 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,000 or, you know, as soon as 86 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,000 their back is turned and you're like, 87 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,000 yeah, of course I'm going to do that, 88 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,000 whatever. 89 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,000 And the thing is, is that we can't help ourselves. 90 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,000 It's this desire 91 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,000 that when someone has really 92 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,000 just gotten to us, 93 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,000 we really want to make 94 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:08,000 sure that they know 95 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,000 we haven't forgotten. 96 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,000 The thing with this is that 97 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,000 we always feel like we're 98 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,000 justified in doing it. 99 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:18,000 But in so doing it, 100 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,000 it's sort of like 101 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,000 as much as we read 102 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,000 the passage in Philippians 103 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,000 and we think, well, of course 104 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,000 people shouldn't be, you know, 105 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,000 propagating arguments 106 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,000 and bickering and hurting each other. 107 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,000 But somehow we always 108 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,000 think that it's a good idea 109 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,000 when we do it. 110 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,000 Somehow it is that 111 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,000 we are trying to make a point. 112 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,000 I need to make a point to this person. 113 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,000 They don't realize what they've done. 114 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,000 I need to take a stand 115 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,000 because I'm defending people. 116 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,000 Or maybe I need to take a stand 117 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,000 because I'm defending God. 118 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,000 Or even more than that 119 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,000 is just making sure 120 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,000 that someone knows that they've been 121 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,000 put in their place. 122 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,000 And that's the thing 123 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,000 that we see in here 124 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,000 is that in Philippians 2 125 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,000 Paul comes in here saying 126 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,000 if there's any encouragement in Christ 127 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,000 any comfort from love 128 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,000 any participation in the Spirit 129 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,000 any affection and sympathy 130 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,000 there is any part of you 131 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,000 that has the Holy Spirit 132 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,000 in any part of you that cares 133 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,000 at all. 134 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,000 Complete my joy 135 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,000 make me happy by being of the same mind 136 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,000 having the same love 137 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,000 being in full accord 138 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,000 and of one mind 139 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,000 and do nothing from rivalry or conceit. 140 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,000 If you cared all about me 141 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,000 could y'all just 142 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,000 find a way to get along 143 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,000 and agree on something. 144 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,000 And the thing with this 145 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,000 is that in many ways 146 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,000 we hate that. 147 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,000 We hate the idea 148 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,000 that we have to find 149 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,000 ways to agree with 150 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,000 or get along with 151 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,000 the very people that hurt us the most. 152 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,000 It's almost like we think 153 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,000 that if we can make peace 154 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,000 with someone that has hurt us 155 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,000 or annoyed us or frustrated us 156 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,000 that somehow 157 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,000 that means that we are weak. 158 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,000 It's almost like 159 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,000 some sort of weird evolutionary 160 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,000 development sort of a thing. 161 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,000 I read a little piece 162 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,000 that was in 163 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,000 one of Richard Dawkins 164 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,000 writings and 165 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,000 I can't stand the guy but 166 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,000 you know it's like you gotta at least know a little bit 167 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,000 of what it is that a person is 168 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,000 teaching and learning 169 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,000 and it's this whole idea that somehow 170 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,000 we can only look after other people 171 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,000 if we somehow feel like it's 172 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,000 benefiting ourselves. 173 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,000 And so what I wanted to do 174 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,000 is I wanted to 175 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,000 teach you all a big work. 176 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,000 It's five syllables. 177 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,000 I want you to repeat this after me. 178 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,000 My yes, 179 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,000 taught to come. 180 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,000 Let's try it. 181 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,000 My yes, taught to come. 182 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,000 It is a nice big word. 183 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,000 They made us learn it at the seminary. 184 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,000 And the idea behind this 185 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,000 is that Jesus 186 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,000 being both God and man 187 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,000 that every time 188 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,000 Jesus was doing 189 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:26,000 something divine, 190 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,000 miraculous, amazing. 191 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,000 His human side 192 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,000 was also doing it too. 193 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,000 So the idea is that 194 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,000 his human side was glorified 195 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,000 because he's also God. 196 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,000 So there's another side to that though. 197 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,000 And it was a teaching 198 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,000 that wasn't always 199 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,000 necessarily embraced. 200 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,000 And I don't want you to repeat this part 201 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,000 after me because it's a controversial one 202 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,000 and I'll explain why. 203 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,000 They called it the tupping not a con. 204 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,000 And the reason why 205 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,000 it was controversial 206 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,000 was the idea that, well, 207 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,000 what about the other way around? 208 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,000 Doesn't that also mean that 209 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,000 being God, God 210 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,000 is participating 211 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,000 in human things. 212 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,000 Suffering, frailty, 213 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,000 struggles, 214 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:20,000 temptation. 215 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,000 And the reason why it was 216 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,000 so controversial 217 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,000 is because some people 218 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,000 thought that that meant that Jesus 219 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,000 was emptying 220 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,000 himself 221 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,000 of his godliness, 222 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,000 of his divinity. 223 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,000 They called it kinosas. 224 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,000 And they thought that if that were the case, 225 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,000 then does that mean 226 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,000 that Jesus somehow 227 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,000 let go 228 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:48,000 of being God 229 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,000 while he was a human? 230 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,000 Now I'm going to ask you, 231 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,000 does that sound right? 232 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,000 No. And that's 233 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,000 the trouble with it, is that 234 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,000 leading toward this idea 235 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,000 that somehow 236 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,000 allowing people 237 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,000 to make him suffer that way 238 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,000 was somehow losing his divine side. 239 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,000 The trouble is 240 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,000 is that we do 241 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,000 the same thing 242 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,000 in our own lives. 243 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,000 We somehow think 244 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,000 that if we allow ourselves 245 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,000 to seem weak, 246 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,000 or somehow 247 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,000 that we have to deal with 248 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,000 the ones that we don't like as much, 249 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,000 if somehow we are showing 250 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,000 that maybe we're giving in, 251 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,000 does that mean that now 252 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,000 I've lost 253 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,000 a piece of myself? 254 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,000 Does that now mean that I'm no longer 255 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,000 as strong? Or for us guys, 256 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,000 does that mean we're no longer manly 257 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,000 because we had to apologize? 258 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,000 And I don't mean the whole, 259 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,000 yes honey, you're right, I'm sorry 260 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,000 that you're supposed to memorize when you first get married. 261 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,000 It doesn't always work. 262 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,000 But the idea that somehow 263 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,000 if we acknowledge that 264 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,000 maybe we don't have it all figured out, 265 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,000 and maybe we do want 266 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:06,000 to restore things with this person 267 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,000 that we've been frustrated with, 268 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,000 that somehow 269 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,000 it takes away from us. 270 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,000 And that's the problem 271 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:16,000 with this teaching about Jesus, 272 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,000 is that we keep seeing 273 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,000 the same thing ourselves. 274 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,000 There was an episode of 275 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,000 Friends, 276 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,000 okay? 277 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,000 For the kids, 278 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:30,000 that was a TV show. 279 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,000 Your parents will probably 280 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,000 quote it from time to time. 281 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,000 If they ever say pivot, 282 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,000 just go with it. 283 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,000 But in it, one of the characters, 284 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:42,000 Ross, 285 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,000 was trying to find a nanny 286 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,000 for his daughter, 287 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,000 his and Rachel's daughter. 288 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,000 It's been like two decades, 289 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,000 three decades. If you haven't seen it by now, 290 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,000 I'm not really spoiling anything. 291 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,000 But with it though, 292 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,000 is then they had a guy come in 293 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,000 who was the perfect nanny. 294 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,000 Would play on a flute 295 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,000 to get their daughter to fall asleep, 296 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,000 baked the perfect 297 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,000 Madeleines, 298 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,000 always knew exactly 299 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,000 what to say and how 300 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,000 to care for a child 301 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,000 in any situation, 302 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,000 making Joey feel better 303 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,000 about himself as well. 304 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,000 But Ross could not 305 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:24,000 stand the idea 306 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:26,000 of a man being a nanny. 307 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,000 Back in the days, 308 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,000 I'm sorry, 309 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,000 you just can't be the nanny. 310 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,000 And he said, is it because I'm a man? 311 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,000 He was like, well yeah. 312 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,000 And then ends up finishing 313 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,000 the episode by showing 314 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,000 that Ross himself was afraid 315 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,000 of being weak. 316 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,000 And that that's why he was so afraid 317 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,000 of a man being the nanny. 318 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,000 And Ross ends up crying somewhere 319 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,000 in there and everybody 320 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,000 laughs. 321 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,000 But the truth is, is that we do that also. 322 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,000 We somehow think 323 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,000 that if we do not stand up 324 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,000 against anybody and everybody 325 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,000 that has ever harmed us, 326 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,000 that somehow it takes away 327 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,000 from our strength. 328 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,000 And that's the thing about this, 329 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,000 is to pause and say 330 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,000 what is God 331 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,000 working in you? 332 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,000 See the truth is, is that 333 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,000 I could come up here 334 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,000 and just tell you, you know what? 335 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,000 If there's some sort of a 336 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,000 conflict happening, get over it. 337 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,000 God demands you to get over it. 338 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,000 You've got to get over it. 339 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:34,000 Yeah, that's only going to go so far. 340 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,000 But the scary part 341 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,000 is the fact that God does want that. 342 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,000 And every moment 343 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,000 that we continue to say, 344 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,000 no, I can't let myself 345 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,000 be weak is another moment 346 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,000 of telling the Holy Spirit 347 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,000 I don't want to listen to you. 348 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,000 That's kind of scary. 349 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,000 Is that this isn't just 350 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:04,000 a matter of ego or pride. 351 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,000 It's actually even getting 352 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,000 to a moment of saying 353 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,000 God is saying this to you. 354 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,000 And you don't want to hear 355 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,000 the Holy Spirit. 356 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:18,000 And that's the hard part about this, 357 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,000 is that Paul 358 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,000 is here 359 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:24,000 not as somebody just 360 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,000 lecturing them, but as somebody 361 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,000 who is willing to be 362 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,000 imprisoned. 363 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,000 Paul is not the person 364 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,000 to sit there and then 365 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,000 basically say, okay, now I need you all 366 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,000 to come in and bring some money 367 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,000 and bribe these guards to get me out. 368 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,000 I need you to come with a hacksaw 369 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:46,000 and get the back window open 370 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,000 for me so we can run out. 371 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,000 This isn't, oh my goodness, 372 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,000 could you believe what Timothy 373 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,000 and Epaphroditus said 374 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:56,000 and blah blah blah and they got me arrested 375 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,000 over here if they could have just played 376 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,000 it cool for a little while. 377 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,000 No. 378 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,000 This is Paul 379 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,000 in prison 380 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,000 now 381 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,000 talking up Timothy 382 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,000 and Epaphroditus who are 383 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:14,000 on the outside. 384 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,000 Two people who are not 385 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,000 having to sit with him in prison, 386 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,000 Epaphroditus coming from 387 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,000 Philippi, Timothy 388 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,000 over there having been with him throughout 389 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,000 all of this and what does he end up spending 390 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,000 verses 19 through 30 doing? 391 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,000 The man who is in prison 392 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,000 who has any and every reason 393 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,000 to complain 394 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,000 is spending it all talking 395 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,000 up his companions. 396 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:42,000 Because at that moment in time 397 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:44,000 what was most important to him 398 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,000 was everybody else. 399 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,000 And that's the thing with this passage 400 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:54,000 is to come back 401 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,000 to this idea is 402 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,000 are you looking only to your own 403 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,000 interests 404 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,000 or do you care about the interests 405 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,000 of others? 406 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,000 You see that's the 407 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,000 piece with this. 408 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:12,000 When 409 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,000 all of these other issues are coming up 410 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:18,000 is that instead of looking 411 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,000 to something that makes us great 412 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,000 is instead 413 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,000 we're looking to 414 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,000 what makes others great. 415 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,000 And the truth 416 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,000 be told is that 417 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,000 we also are called to do that 418 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,000 for the ones that 419 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,000 have hurt us. 420 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,000 We're also called 421 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:42,000 to do that for the ones 422 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,000 that bother us the most. 423 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,000 You see that's the hard part 424 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,000 is that 425 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,000 we as a church 426 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:52,000 we're still 427 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,000 not too far out of COVID 428 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,000 and we're still 429 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,000 making sure that we can bring back 430 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,000 the people who had been here previously 431 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,000 but also bringing in new people 432 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,000 and truth be told is that 433 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,000 it is scary 434 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,000 as a church 435 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,000 to not seem strong 436 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:12,000 and confident and bold 437 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,000 because what is the rest of the world 438 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,000 going to think of us? 439 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,000 But the problem is 440 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,000 is that a church that spends 441 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,000 so long trying to be strong 442 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,000 and confident and bold in themselves 443 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,000 is no church at all. 444 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,000 See that's the thing about this 445 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:34,000 is that rather 446 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,000 being strong in weakness 447 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:38,000 being empathetic 448 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:40,000 being loving 449 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,000 being compassionate 450 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,000 being able to acknowledge that the very person 451 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,000 who may have harmed us the most 452 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:48,000 or maybe didn't even harm us 453 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,000 as much as just didn't even care enough 454 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,000 the one who 455 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,000 just maybe wasn't even emotionally 456 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,000 invested in us in the first place 457 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,000 but also by being willing 458 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,000 to love them 459 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,000 and to go the extra mile 460 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:06,000 and that if they ask us 461 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,000 for a cloak to give them a second 462 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,000 and if they ask us to walk a mile 463 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,000 we walk a second 464 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:14,000 is that it ends up allowing 465 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,000 the spirit to do work through us 466 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:18,000 that God can't do 467 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,000 if all we're doing is looking at ourselves 468 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,000 you see in the midst of empathy 469 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,000 we 470 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,000 are called 471 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,000 to be like Christ 472 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,000 two weeks ago we talked about Cory Ten Boom 473 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:38,000 and the truth is this is that at that moment 474 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,000 the very person who had come 475 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,000 and harmed her and her family 476 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,000 she could have 477 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,000 marked him 478 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,000 for the rest of his life 479 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,000 and made sure that everybody in that room 480 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:54,000 knew who he was 481 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,000 and gotten her revenge 482 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,000 but what did she do 483 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,000 the thing is is that this isn't easy 484 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,000 we're not going to get it right 485 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:10,000 on the first try 486 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,000 but we are called to try 487 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,000 you see with this is that 488 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,000 these examples of empathy 489 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:20,000 and compassion 490 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,000 are actually the only things 491 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,000 that are going to make a difference 492 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,000 and the thing is is that as I'm bringing 493 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,000 this idea 494 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,000 to a head 495 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,000 I want to bring to you three examples 496 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,000 one 497 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,000 is Samson 498 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,000 see in the Old Testament 499 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,000 Samson was a strong man 500 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:46,000 and you read most of his story 501 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,000 and most of his story is him doing things 502 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,000 where he's making sure everybody 503 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,000 realizes 504 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,000 he wins and they do not 505 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,000 whenever he is being taken advantage of 506 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:00,000 by a future father-in-law 507 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,000 and he ends up destroying crops 508 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,000 with fire 509 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,000 tied to fox's tails 510 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,000 whenever he is able to go in 511 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,000 and prove that 512 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,000 he can kill a lion 513 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,000 but then come in 514 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,000 and have a riddle 515 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,000 and stump everybody 516 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,000 whenever he wants 517 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,000 to end up showing that he can get any woman 518 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,000 that he wants 519 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,000 but one's ends up happening to him 520 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:30,000 is that all that pride ends up leading 521 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,000 to a downfall 522 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,000 where he loses his hair 523 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:36,000 and he loses his strength 524 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,000 but in the midst of being blind 525 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,000 and weak 526 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,000 that is when God 527 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,000 is able to use him 528 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,000 to bring down 529 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,000 the Philistines 530 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,000 or even looking to Luther 531 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,000 Luther's kind of a pain in the butt sometimes 532 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:56,000 let's just be honest 533 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,000 but at the same time 534 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,000 he was also a man called by God 535 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,000 and being in Germany 536 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,000 Germans, whether you know it or not 537 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,000 sometimes 538 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,000 pick fights with each other 539 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,000 I know there are always a peaceable 540 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,000 group of people but 541 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,000 sometimes Germans can be a little bit 542 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,000 stubborn 543 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,000 rumor has it 544 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,000 but with that is that 545 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,000 Luther would have back and forth arguments 546 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:28,000 with a man named Carlstadt 547 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,000 and the two of them disagreed time and time again 548 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,000 but when the peasant war 549 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:34,000 came up 550 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,000 and Carlstadt was being accused 551 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,000 as inciting violence 552 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,000 Luther took his 553 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:42,000 adversary 554 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,000 and hid him in his home for eight weeks 555 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,000 and gave him a chance 556 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,000 to write an apology 557 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,000 and when I say apology it's more of an explanation 558 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,000 but 559 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,000 letting people know that he had 560 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,000 nothing to do with inciting the violence 561 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,000 and so Luther gave his enemy 562 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,000 a chance to speak for himself 563 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,000 so that he wouldn't be killed 564 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,000 by the authorities 565 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,000 and more than that is the third example 566 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,000 hopefully is the obvious 567 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,000 how many times did Peter 568 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,000 want Jesus to assert himself 569 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,000 but at the moment 570 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,000 whenever Jesus could 571 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,000 have let his disciples take on 572 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,000 the guards 573 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,000 and he told Peter to put away his sword 574 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,000 is that that was the very time 575 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,000 when his weakness 576 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,000 was used to bring about 577 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,000 salvation for us all 578 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,000 so the truth is that as much as we're 579 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,000 often times afraid of looking weak 580 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,000 by making nice with the people 581 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:48,000 that cause difficulty in our lives 582 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,000 is that the truth is that that is the very 583 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,000 time when God does 584 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,000 his greatest work 585 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,000 but more than that 586 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,000 it also means 587 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,000 that we get restored with another person 588 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,000 and just like a brother 589 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,000 and his sibling 590 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,000 sometimes 591 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,000 even though they may still be annoyed 592 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,000 with their sister 593 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,000 which I have absolutely no idea 594 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,000 what that's like 595 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,000 is that sometimes by the end of the day 596 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,000 you just gotta let it go 597 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,000 because that's your playmate 598 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,000 and who really wants to sit alone 599 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,000 in their room with nobody 600 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,000 to play with 601 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,000 so in your life 602 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,000 may you find 603 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,000 the strength 604 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,000 to be weak 605 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:40,000 and to have compassion 606 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,000 not on an enemy 607 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,000 but on a future friend 608 00:21:44,000 --> 00:22:12,000 thanks be to God.