1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,000 May God bless us that as we are washed in His name, marked by what He has done for us on the cross, 2 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:21,000 and called to be His own by His Spirit, may we continue to grow in that faith, in that trust, in that sure hope, 3 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:35,000 but especially to grow in that love. Amen. Howdy. All right. Well, apparently we've got some background music going on over there. 4 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:44,000 So the raindrops are not currently falling on my head. So let's just continue to hope for that because I know that that's sometimes a possibility. 5 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:58,000 With it though, as I wanted to check to make sure that I let you know that occasionally whatever you read on the Internet is not always true. 6 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:04,000 I know, I know, it'll be okay. Just, you know, sit for a moment with that. 7 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:14,000 One of the things, and this even goes beyond what we may already be thinking about the typical news outlets one way or the other. 8 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:24,000 But there is also a newspaper that is deliberately just trying to make fun of anything and everything, and it is called The Onion. 9 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:37,000 Now, if you ever see The Onion, it's going to look exactly like a regular newspaper. However, here are a few of the headlines for some of the articles that they post. 10 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:45,000 These are the nicer ones. CIA realizes it's been using black highlighters all these years. 11 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:55,000 Area man passionately defends what he imagines the Constitution to be. 12 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:06,000 Archaeological city is discovered and the dig has found an ancient race of skeleton people. 13 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:15,000 And finally, and the one that stood out to me, kitten thinks of nothing but murder all day. 14 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:24,000 And that's the thing with this, is that all these articles is like if you're just like, if you're not really catching it, and you're looking at it, you're like, oh my word. 15 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:31,000 The difficulty is that in today's world, you really don't actually know for sure if something's too ridiculous to be real anymore. 16 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:40,000 I don't even try. But I also have to tell you though, is that there is a Christian version called the Babylon V. 17 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:46,000 And it does the same thing except it spends a lot more time making fun of Christians. 18 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,000 So when I say Christian, I don't mean you're going to grow in your faith whatsoever. 19 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:56,000 I just mean they like to make fun of Christians because I'm pretty sure I think he's a Lutheran. 20 00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:10,000 So with it though, is that we are in a world where we are constantly struggling to decide whether something is even real or not. 21 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:19,000 And even today is that oftentimes instead of spending our time focusing on the people that we directly know, 22 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:30,000 whether we do or don't trust them or let them into our lives, instead we're spending our time debating whether somebody on an Instagram roll 23 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:37,000 or a YouTube channel or apparently the TV is still a thing, I think. 24 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:44,000 Apparently we're trying to decide if they're the ones that we're supposed to trust and whether or not we truly know their heart. 25 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:50,000 Even if everything they say and do is completely offensive. 26 00:03:50,000 --> 00:04:00,000 With this is that what we're realizing is that in our world we're constantly wishing to find whom we can trust. 27 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:06,000 And yet how can we find anyone that we can trust? 28 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:14,000 And that's one of the things that we end up looking at when we are seeing 1 John 4 today. 29 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:22,000 See today we're going to be confirming a few of our youth and one of the things that we do leading up to it is that we're making sure that we teach them 30 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:26,000 basics of Christian teaching and doctrine. 31 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:39,000 And while it oftentimes comes across a little bit dry, the difficulty is that without having some sort of base or foundation, 32 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:46,000 it is amazing what people may come up with about what they think about God. 33 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:57,000 So for example, one of the assumptions is about what we think God would or wouldn't say or what God would or wouldn't want from us. 34 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:05,000 Now we may say, well we can go to the Bible, but where do people oftentimes actually go for their beliefs on God? 35 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:16,000 They will go to memes, they may go to people's videos, or some random sayings that they may discover that sounds good. 36 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:20,000 And since that sounds good, then that's probably what God would say. 37 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:27,000 How many times have we heard the proverb, God helps those who help themselves. 38 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:33,000 Now just to make sure that we're clear, this is not actually in the Bible. 39 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:37,000 That actually does not show up in the Bible whatsoever. 40 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:46,000 Now if you were to trace it back, you might even go back to poor Richard's almanac being written by Ben Franklin. 41 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:56,000 Now this is not actually someone who is a, what we would necessarily consider a born again believer as much as somebody who was more of a deist. 42 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:08,000 But even more than that is that his proverb didn't even start with him. It actually could be traced back to ancient Greece with Asop's fables. 43 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:15,000 Where it actually started off with the gods help those who help themselves. 44 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:24,000 Our perspective on what we think God would want is actually based on a polytheistic pagan culture. 45 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:31,000 Or what about the ways in which we might go back and look at who Jesus actually is? 46 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:40,000 See the thing is that John's letter is being written at a time where the church he was speaking to actually had a rift. 47 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:49,000 Because people refused to see that there could be a divine God who actually was also fully human. 48 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:56,000 And yet that was exactly who Jesus had shown himself to be after the resurrection. 49 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:03,000 Eating, speaking, hanging out, had to sleep, had to walk, still had a human body. 50 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:13,000 But even more than that, even asking questions of how is it that we are truly more and more like Jesus? 51 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:22,000 Because oftentimes what will happen is we may see it as well, I've gone through whatever motions I'm supposed to go through. 52 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:32,000 So now I can call myself a Christian without pausing to say yes, but how much are you learning and growing to be like Jesus? 53 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:37,000 Or even looking at what the Holy Spirit might say. 54 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:48,000 See, what we see in 1 John is that it keeps talking about that our faith is being demonstrated by the love that abides within us. 55 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:54,000 The fact that we are being changed to love others the way that God has loved us. 56 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:59,000 Is that necessarily something that we ever call each other out on? 57 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:05,000 We can be upset with each other for some of the more overt things. 58 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:09,000 I don't like the way that this was said during church. 59 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:13,000 I think that this could be better said for us Lutherans. 60 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:20,000 Or, you know what, here's something overtly obvious that is also part of my political beliefs. 61 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:23,000 This should be something that we focus on. 62 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:32,000 But how often is it, hey, you know, yes, you had a point, but could you have been kinder in making it? 63 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:41,000 How often do we actually slow down, not only to say that to each other, but even for others to be able to say it to us? 64 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:48,000 In this is that we're not meant to be done with baptism and confirmation. 65 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:51,000 We're supposed to keep growing. 66 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:56,000 We're supposed to continue to struggle because, let's be honest, 67 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:05,000 how many people had some level of confirming of their faith back in middle school or high school or whatever it was? 68 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:14,000 And was that the last time that you had an epiphany of pausing and saying, I want to grow in my faith because I want to follow Jesus? 69 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:21,000 And if it really was the last time that we had a moment of pausing and saying, I really want to follow Jesus, 70 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,000 are you sure that that's really where you want to be? 71 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:33,000 I was teaching for a year at a Baptist school. Please don't hold that against me. 72 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:36,000 Sorry, little joke. 73 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:49,000 With it though, is that while I was there, is that I was struggling because of some very strong differences in what they saw as faith. 74 00:09:49,000 --> 00:10:01,000 See, we went on a retreat at this one point in time and some of the high school boys took these large super soaker water guns 75 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:05,000 and they filled them with this weird vinegar mayonnaise mixture. 76 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,000 Yeah, it's disgusting. 77 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:16,000 And they went around shooting each other with it, but also shooting the cabins that they were staying in with it as well. 78 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:20,000 So imagine how lovely that smells by the next day. 79 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:24,000 Well, the thing is, is that it was dumb. 80 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,000 It was something that they needed to apologize for and go clean up. 81 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:32,000 No, no, no, no, no. It went further than that. 82 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:40,000 They were sat down and forced to question whether they truly were saved. 83 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:49,000 They were actually pushed to say, did you ever really accept Jesus as your savior if you were willing to go and do something like this? 84 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:55,000 And I'm sitting there like, I'm sorry, I don't remember this in the Ten Commandments. 85 00:10:55,000 --> 00:11:00,000 Thou shalt not shoot the cabins with super soakers filled with vinegar and mayo. 86 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:07,000 But even more than that is, how many of them felt that they had to go get rebaptized? 87 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:12,000 Because well, I guess apparently I must not really believe in Jesus. 88 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:18,000 The thing is, is that we are supposed to continually be growing in our faith. 89 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:25,000 This isn't something where, oh wait, I had a difficulty and I'm struggling with what that means. 90 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,000 Therefore, maybe I'm not really baptized. 91 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:32,000 Maybe I'm not really truly saved. 92 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:40,000 But the whole life that we live in Christ is supposed to be continually growing throughout the rest of our lives. 93 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:47,000 We're supposed to continue to have these times of realizing what God is trying to convict us of. 94 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:54,000 For some time, and I'm going to be emphasizing this again next week as well, 95 00:11:54,000 --> 00:12:03,000 is that we're trying to make sure that we tap in on what the Christian life is that we need to be emphasizing at Christ Memorial. 96 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:10,000 More than just worship service, but rather how are we growing and being discipled in caring for one another 97 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,000 and how to reach out to our community. 98 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:23,000 And somebody asked me this last week, why is it that white churches have to deal with categorizing everything so much, which was fair? 99 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:34,000 And to the point is because we have a temptation to pick certain things that we just want to do because we think that they're fun 100 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:37,000 or somehow they fit what we like. 101 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,000 But we're supposed to be growing in all of these aspects. 102 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:49,000 And the reason for pausing and pointing them out is because maybe we've been spending so much time in one area 103 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:53,000 that we're not growing in others. 104 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:57,000 Because maybe we're uncomfortable with the other parts of it. 105 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,000 Maybe we want to be reading our Bible. 106 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:03,000 We just don't really want to have to deal with people that are different from us. 107 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:09,000 Or we like being out in the world around us, but we don't want to actually have to deal with looking on the inside. 108 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:13,000 Or more than that, boy, we really like being busy. 109 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:20,000 But are we willing to slow down to spend time one-on-one with someone who is genuinely in need? 110 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,000 And that's the thing with this. 111 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:26,000 Is that all of these things are a part of our life of faith. 112 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:35,000 Now, does this mean that, oh, wait, you know what, I haven't been to my small group or my class in a little while. 113 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:39,000 Oh, man, am I really saved? 114 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:42,000 No, that's not where we're going with this. 115 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:46,000 This is not like a, okay, now everybody, you've got to prove whether or not you're saved. 116 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:50,000 Do you want to follow Jesus because you want Him to save you and all this? 117 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,000 Yes, great. Keep going. 118 00:13:53,000 --> 00:14:03,000 But rather is to pause and to say, what is it about our lives that is reflecting who God is 119 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:11,000 and being willing to pause long enough to say, have I been in Christ the way that I need to be? 120 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:17,000 Because maybe that's the thing about this, is maybe that there are things that we need to be willing to see. 121 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:27,000 I always love when I get a chance to go over to Eagle's Trace and talking with people who are in their 70s and their 80s 122 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:33,000 and I'm like, look, y'all, I don't care if you have a walker, get out there and go tell people about Jesus. 123 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:36,000 Which apparently they think is kind of funny. 124 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:43,000 With it though, is to be able to realize that there is no pause, there is no end. 125 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:46,000 Is that this is supposed to be continual. 126 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:51,000 And the moment that we think that we're done and that we haven't figured it out, that we haven't all figured out, 127 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:58,000 that's the moment that we've snipped ourselves from the vine. 128 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:02,000 And that's what it is that I'm challenging you all with. 129 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:09,000 Is to be able to slow down and to be able to say, maybe there are some areas where our relationship with God 130 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:17,000 needs to continue to grow because something in my love for others is missing right now. 131 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:22,000 Or maybe we don't even realize what it is that's missing. 132 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:27,000 But I do have to make sure that I mention this before we close. 133 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:33,000 Is that there are going to be some growing pains. 134 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,000 No, not the sitcom version. 135 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:46,000 But rather, is that when we are doing things as a community, it is going to be uncomfortable. 136 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:52,000 That's the thing about having a community just like having a family. 137 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:55,000 Is that you're supposed to be pushed. 138 00:15:55,000 --> 00:16:00,000 There are times whenever you don't get to say what it is that you're wanting 139 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,000 or to have things the way that you want. 140 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,000 And frankly, neither do I. 141 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:11,000 Because as a community, we're meant to be pushing one another to learn and to grow. 142 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,000 And that's the thing about this. 143 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:17,000 Is that we do have some adjustments that we need to make. 144 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:21,000 There are some things that we need to be pushed on a bit. 145 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:25,000 But at the same time, this is the place to do it. 146 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,000 This is the community for it. 147 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:33,000 Because this community is rooted where it needs to be. 148 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:40,000 This community has its branches connected to the vine of Christ Jesus. 149 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:45,000 So even as Christ Jesus was willing to give of himself for us, 150 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,000 are we willing to take that time to wrestle with and to say, 151 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:56,000 God, what do you need to have in me so I can be like you? 152 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,000 Maybe just maybe. 153 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:02,000 Even if we butt heads a little bit from time to time, 154 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:08,000 maybe we're going to be able to find our way further along that path together. 155 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:11,000 Maybe so. 156 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:21,000 With that, thanks be to God.