back to indexBerean Community Church Sunday Service 5/9/2021
00:22:02.000 |
All right, good morning, Bryn Community Church. 00:22:06.000 |
Let me get to a few announcements before we get started. 00:22:14.000 |
So some of you guys who remember doing that during the pandemic, 00:22:17.000 |
our sister Rachel and Andy put on this great auction 00:22:22.000 |
and was able to raise actually quite a few dollars 00:22:25.000 |
to be able to support the work that's being done overseas. 00:22:28.000 |
This one is going to be specifically targeting our Indian pastors. 00:22:31.000 |
As I've shared, we've been getting information 00:22:45.000 |
to support the work that's happening over there. 00:22:52.000 |
if you have things you want to donate for the auction 00:22:56.000 |
it was kind of like whether it was cooking or cleaning 00:22:59.000 |
or going, you know, what do you call it, camping, 00:23:02.000 |
or whatever it is, whatever service that you would offer, 00:23:11.000 |
And along with that, there's another fundraiser 00:23:13.000 |
that's taking place on Saturday, May 29th at 1.30 p.m. 00:23:16.000 |
It's our first annual Bering Golf Tournament fundraiser, 00:23:19.000 |
and this is going to be going to support our IMB missionaries. 00:23:27.000 |
and it is the international mission board of our denomination. 00:23:32.000 |
to support the ministry that they're doing there. 00:23:34.000 |
So if you play golf, even if you don't play golf, 00:23:37.000 |
and you just want to come and fellowship with the people there, 00:23:44.000 |
so if you want to sign up for that, you can sign up with him. 00:23:47.000 |
Again, this is taking place on May 29th at 1.30 p.m. 00:23:53.000 |
we have a Mother's Day lunch that's taking place, 00:23:55.000 |
and so again, if you are a mother or soon to be a mother 00:24:03.000 |
so right after service, if you go into the cafe area, 00:24:06.000 |
so we started calling that side of the building North Campus 00:24:15.000 |
because for whatever the reason, our street is divided, 00:24:18.000 |
and this is South Mitchell and that's North Mitchell. 00:24:21.000 |
So if you go into that side, the tables are already set up. 00:24:25.000 |
If I can ask you to let the dads go pick up the kids, 00:24:33.000 |
and then go get your kids so that the moms can go there 00:24:39.000 |
and then the dads will have separate lunch prepared. 00:24:49.000 |
So that's going to be set up so you can go there 00:24:52.000 |
so that the moms can just go there immediately, 00:24:56.000 |
it takes like 20, 30 minutes to gather all the moms together 00:24:58.000 |
because usually they're busy taking care of their kids, 00:25:03.000 |
the father is fed, the kids aren't hurting themselves, 00:25:08.000 |
So if we can ask the dads to take that role today 00:25:13.000 |
So we're going to try to start that as soon as possible, 00:25:18.000 |
and we'll get that started as soon as possible, okay? 00:25:34.000 |
And so you probably don't know how to get there. 00:25:38.000 |
and then I don't know if we have signs over there, 00:25:43.000 |
so actually that's the closest you can come to this building. 00:25:46.000 |
It's actually even closer than parking across the street. 00:25:49.000 |
So if you have it, if you parked way down there, 00:25:52.000 |
just get in the habit of using this site first 00:25:55.000 |
so you don't have to walk that distance, okay? 00:26:07.000 |
and then our physical offering box is in the back. 00:26:09.000 |
This morning, David Hyun is going to give his testimony, 00:26:16.000 |
Gracious and loving Father, we thank you so much, 00:26:25.000 |
and all the labor that they've poured into all our lives, Lord God, 00:26:30.000 |
that we may have an example of what it means to love sacrificially. 00:26:37.000 |
I pray that you would help us to acknowledge them, 00:26:43.000 |
to continue to do what you've called them to do. 00:26:48.000 |
that through their love that we would see a greater picture 00:26:53.000 |
Help us, Lord, that our hearts may lean towards you, 00:27:00.000 |
that it would be out of abundance of appreciation 00:27:55.000 |
- Church family, let's all go ahead and rise together 00:31:17.000 |
♪ You shatter death and free us from our fears 00:33:22.000 |
♪ Oh my soul praise him for he is thy health and salvation 00:34:43.000 |
♪ Order the prosper thy work and defend thee ♪ 00:35:37.700 |
♪ Praise to the Lord O let all that is in me adore Him ♪ 00:37:02.180 |
I'm a post-grad in band ministry, and this is my testimony. 00:37:06.340 |
Growing in faith has been a lifelong journey. 00:37:08.860 |
During my childhood, I was blessed to be raised 00:37:10.940 |
in a Christian household and have the opportunity 00:37:15.920 |
My parents were active in church and served in many roles. 00:37:23.780 |
I volunteered, served, and was involved in church 00:37:36.380 |
and wasn't pursuing His kingdom with all my heart. 00:37:43.980 |
In my mind, I thought I was walking and living for God, 00:37:48.500 |
and that God was helping me carry out my plan. 00:37:54.860 |
and mistakenly believing that I could glorify God 00:38:05.120 |
At best, I was obeying only some of God's commands. 00:38:16.980 |
who were driven and willing to sacrifice every moment 00:38:20.140 |
to advance their careers, lives, and their own names. 00:38:36.140 |
I was still attending church and serving in various roles, 00:38:39.580 |
but was really wandering away from the presence of God. 00:38:42.720 |
At best, I was obeying most of God's commands. 00:38:46.300 |
While wandering away from the presence of God, 00:38:48.620 |
my soul became troubled because I knew the example 00:38:57.900 |
After grad school and coming home to California, 00:39:02.380 |
and recognized I did not have a genuine relationship with Him. 00:39:09.100 |
and attended church, I couldn't enter His presence 00:39:18.500 |
that all the things I had placed my hope and trust in 00:39:22.700 |
Only after I became sick and tired of living for my own life 00:39:31.420 |
By grace, He allowed me to begin to understand 00:39:34.300 |
when He said, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 00:39:45.020 |
"and to heed is better than the fat of rams." 00:39:48.780 |
By grace, He showed me that He is Almighty God 00:40:04.780 |
and gave me the privilege of possibly comprehending 00:40:15.860 |
He called me to build my life upon the foundation of faith 00:40:20.660 |
I've learned that for me, there is no prioritizing God 00:40:24.860 |
and that there is only God's truth and nothing else. 00:40:28.080 |
Through Christ's sacrifice, I'm able to be with God, 00:40:39.420 |
and walk by faith, believing that slowly but surely, 00:40:43.000 |
I'm becoming the man God has called me to be. 00:40:45.740 |
Thanks to Jesus' sacrifice, I can live a life 00:40:48.260 |
where my joy, peace, and rest is in His word and presence, 00:40:55.860 |
perseverance, belief in the power of Christ's sacrifice, 00:40:59.900 |
making God king, and giving my very best to obey, 00:41:03.700 |
not some, not most, but all of God's commands. 00:41:52.120 |
- All right, thank you, David, for that testimony. 00:42:01.280 |
If you can turn your Bibles with me to Hebrews 12, 00:42:08.080 |
and we're gonna be here for a few more weeks. 00:42:17.160 |
there's some stuff that I just didn't wanna skim through. 00:42:19.600 |
I wanted to take some time, and we don't have a timeline 00:42:22.480 |
where we have to finish this by a certain date, 00:42:24.280 |
so we're just gonna go as the word of God is being revealed, 00:42:29.280 |
and I didn't even get through the whole sermon for service, 00:42:34.080 |
so we'll see how long this takes, verse one, two, and three, 00:42:51.180 |
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, 00:42:53.660 |
who for the joy set before him endured the cross, 00:43:01.140 |
For consider him who has endured such hostility 00:43:05.300 |
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 00:43:14.540 |
Asking for a clear understanding of your word, 00:43:44.060 |
or Africa, you know, there are some countries 00:43:53.980 |
And one of the things, signs that you see developing 00:43:55.900 |
is you see more and more of the Western stuff coming in. 00:44:01.220 |
what, 20, 30 years ago, when we would go overseas, 00:44:06.820 |
of Western influence by looking at McDonald's, right? 00:44:12.220 |
it's like, oh, there's a Western influence coming in, 00:44:14.740 |
you know, and now, I think in the last 15 years, 00:44:19.860 |
You can tell the progress or the economy getting better 00:44:29.220 |
Each time we go, there's more and more Starbucks, 00:44:31.340 |
just like here, you can run into it everywhere you go. 00:44:34.180 |
I remember when Starbucks was first coming in. 00:44:38.940 |
remember, you know, that period when it was coming in, 00:44:41.660 |
I was thinking, like, how is this business gonna take off? 00:44:50.260 |
they've added, like, donuts and all this other stuff, 00:44:55.980 |
They're gonna do a business just selling coffee, 00:45:01.540 |
at least in the restaurant markets and coffee business. 00:45:07.980 |
part of the reason why coffee, not just Starbucks, 00:45:10.340 |
but coffee has taken off is because we become addicted, 00:45:23.740 |
until I was probably about 31 or 32 years old, 00:45:26.500 |
and the reason why was because I started to teach ESL 00:45:30.500 |
to Korean grandparents, and if I wasn't on my game, 00:45:40.820 |
I had to speak to them in English and Korean, 00:45:45.780 |
and so, you know, the best way to describe it 00:45:47.940 |
is kind of giving five-hour sermons five times a week. 00:45:52.220 |
That's how it felt, like standing there just draining. 00:45:58.240 |
What's the next lesson, and who's paying attention? 00:46:05.740 |
and this is what the teachers must go through 00:46:26.060 |
I mean, it's just, obviously, it's not just me. 00:46:29.060 |
caffeine is kind of what's keeping people going, right? 00:46:47.100 |
put caffeine in, do something so that you can be alert 00:46:52.340 |
but what do you do when you're spiritually fatigued? 00:46:58.180 |
has been sapped down and you don't have the energy 00:47:03.540 |
Because caffeine might be able to give you a little perk 00:47:06.540 |
and get you alert to be able to do what you need to do, 00:47:11.700 |
and you don't have the energy to persevere and continue, 00:47:17.920 |
So the text that we're looking at in verse one, 00:47:20.740 |
in conclusion, the transition that's being made 00:47:25.660 |
Everything that's been presented is a therefore, 00:47:41.020 |
He's not simply saying just dig deep within yourself. 00:48:00.660 |
we're just gonna be more disciplined than I was before. 00:48:06.700 |
I'm gonna evangelize more than any other person. 00:48:14.180 |
and then if you keep living this cycle over and over again, 00:48:17.380 |
that's what, and then we use the term being burnt out. 00:48:20.620 |
He's not simply calling us to be more determined, 00:48:25.100 |
to be more disciplined, to be more sacrificial. 00:48:27.500 |
He says, we talked about, he says that the imperative is 00:48:37.420 |
first and foremost, are we committed to this race? 00:48:45.540 |
And then to look behind the cloud of witnesses 00:48:52.420 |
And then last week, we looked at to look within. 00:49:16.020 |
and then the part that we're at this morning is finally, 00:49:18.320 |
and this really is the main point, the crux of the issue. 00:49:42.500 |
If we don't get this, if we don't practice this, 00:49:49.540 |
church can easily become a place where week after week, 00:50:01.600 |
I mean, probably the most tired people in the world 00:50:04.920 |
are mothers with small children at home, right? 00:50:14.120 |
and then you come to church, you need to be more involved. 00:50:19.920 |
You need to be more sacrificial, pick up your cross. 00:50:25.840 |
So no matter how nicely and graciously I say it, 00:50:31.040 |
and then just, you know, life is hard enough as it is, 00:50:33.280 |
but you end up just piling up week after week 00:50:36.280 |
this burden of what I should be doing that I'm not doing, 00:50:54.880 |
although those are things that he does call us to do. 00:51:01.060 |
the ultimate fuel, he says, to fix our eyes on Jesus. 00:51:04.300 |
Some of your translations simply says look to Jesus. 00:51:07.740 |
The word there in Greek is much more intense. 00:51:11.500 |
He's not simply saying just to casually look, 00:51:20.860 |
it uses the word fix is because it has a meaning 00:51:31.180 |
This word for looking or to fix our eyes on Jesus, 00:51:38.120 |
because he's the author, and he's the finisher of the rate, 00:51:43.580 |
Not only is he the one that we are justified by, 00:51:49.800 |
Again, if we're not careful, we get justified by Christ, 00:51:53.580 |
and then the sanctification is just discipleship. 00:51:56.940 |
Just hook them up with somebody who's more mature, 00:51:59.580 |
and then just kind of through learning and telling 00:52:15.180 |
and he, Jesus Christ, is also the perfecter of our faith, 00:52:19.860 |
That's what Paul says when he says Philippians 1:6. 00:52:23.940 |
he will carry it onto completion, onto the day of Christ. 00:52:28.460 |
Now, that does not mean that human effort is not there. 00:52:34.940 |
but in the end, the fuel that causes us to continue 00:52:53.900 |
has the idea of gawking at something, to behold something. 00:52:57.480 |
You ever experience something where something is so great, 00:53:03.640 |
whether you travel somewhere or maybe you see movies, 00:53:08.460 |
just they can't take their eyes off of Grand Canyon? 00:53:20.820 |
and I probably was about 10 or 11 years old at that time, 00:53:23.980 |
and I remember so vividly standing in front of Niagara Falls 00:53:31.940 |
Just the waterfall, it just looked so amazing. 00:53:43.060 |
we went back to look at it and it just didn't look as high. 00:53:46.320 |
You know, the things that you look at when you're a child 00:53:53.940 |
obviously I'm older, but the other part of it is, 00:53:59.460 |
and this remote part of Kenya, we were at a waterfall. 00:54:03.340 |
We drove probably about four hours to get there, 00:54:06.640 |
that probably was about three times that height. 00:54:10.700 |
it's like, wow, this makes Niagara Falls look tiny. 00:54:17.940 |
that just by the sheer magnitude of what you're seeing, 00:54:22.940 |
causes you to gaze at something, to gawk at something. 00:54:33.500 |
that it causes you to look at it and gaze at it. 00:54:38.720 |
everything I say may be a little bit outdated, 00:54:49.300 |
I remember the first time hearing Whitney Houston 00:54:54.420 |
Remember, at the movie, I have to look it up, 00:54:58.600 |
I don't know, I don't remember what year this was, right? 00:55:03.140 |
And I wasn't that old, but I remember listening to that song 00:55:16.800 |
This idea of gawking and looking and beholding 00:55:19.160 |
is something beyond you, is so beyond you, so magnificent. 00:55:35.700 |
And in 1 John 3, verse one, in the NASB, it says, 00:55:39.920 |
"See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us." 00:55:42.640 |
In the King James, the literal understanding, 00:55:46.760 |
Look intently how great a love the Father has bestowed 00:55:52.640 |
on us that we would be called children of God 00:55:56.360 |
That sinners like us, rebellious sinners like us, 00:56:09.880 |
So that's the idea behind fixing your eyes upon Christ, 00:56:13.240 |
not just to casually look, not just to consider, 00:56:16.440 |
but to think deeply about what it is that we have. 00:56:19.240 |
Part of the reason why there is such superficiality 00:56:24.920 |
is because we have such superficial understanding 00:56:37.800 |
Jesus, I'm a sinner, Jesus came, died for us, 00:56:40.040 |
and he was crucified, resurrected on my behalf, 00:56:44.200 |
But then we've never seriously asked that question. 00:57:01.200 |
So you never ask the question, oh, Jesus loved me, 00:57:05.400 |
this I know for the Bible tells me so, the end. 00:57:08.240 |
And then somebody say, why does he have to die? 00:57:14.380 |
All the mothers in this room, future mothers, 00:57:23.280 |
and that's why we have Mother's Day, Father's Day. 00:57:26.080 |
But you don't tell your kids, I loved you so much, 00:57:32.680 |
In fact, I loved you so much, I'm gonna bleed for you now. 00:57:47.480 |
what that sounds like, not truly understanding 00:57:53.520 |
Why does he have to die and then resurrect again? 00:57:58.560 |
But we just heard it, and we have a superficial 00:58:03.400 |
of what we sing about and learn about, and even share. 00:58:08.000 |
But because we haven't gazed, we haven't beheld 00:58:21.280 |
I'm gonna go make disciples of all the nations. 00:58:23.760 |
And so we're given to work, we work hard, we sacrifice, 00:58:30.080 |
And as a result of that, we labor, we strive, 00:58:37.400 |
And then we labor, we strive, we get burnt out, 00:58:40.720 |
and then something else happens, we get encouraged, 00:58:43.400 |
and we get back up in this cycle over and over again. 00:59:07.640 |
The problem wasn't that we didn't work hard enough. 00:59:16.520 |
to cause all these things to happen wasn't happening. 00:59:22.960 |
First, we need to run this race with endurance, 00:59:26.000 |
and he says to behold, fix your eyes on Jesus. 00:59:32.120 |
Paul's prayer after laying about how he predestined us, 00:59:43.560 |
And then he says, after telling them this, he says, 00:59:48.240 |
God would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, 00:59:50.680 |
to be strengthened with power through the Spirit 00:59:57.400 |
and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 01:00:00.520 |
may be able to comprehend with all the saints. 01:00:04.360 |
There is a difference between revelation and illumination. 01:00:27.420 |
because revelation was already given to them. 01:00:35.600 |
he's not simply talking about having a better or higher IQ 01:00:49.160 |
with all the saints, the breadth, the length, 01:00:57.760 |
that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 01:01:05.120 |
that God, through the Holy Spirit, would illuminate you, 01:01:08.760 |
that you would begin to behold what it is that you have. 01:01:31.520 |
I know we have a generation where you have five stars, 01:01:38.500 |
I've gone to some of these five-star coffee shops, 01:01:43.940 |
and I can't think of a single time where I came back, 01:01:53.180 |
And part of the reason why it doesn't live up to the hype 01:01:58.280 |
you know, it may have been that one person that was there. 01:02:00.280 |
Maybe the person was making that particular sandwich, 01:02:05.420 |
And maybe you have a different kind of taste bud than I do, 01:02:11.880 |
It may have been you were with a group of friends, 01:02:21.040 |
So when I go there, and I specifically eat that, 01:02:24.840 |
And part of the reason is I'm not a good person, right? 01:02:33.280 |
And I tasted, part of the reason why is because 01:02:35.480 |
I've traveled a lot, and I've eaten a lot of things. 01:02:44.480 |
And even Niagara Falls, I told you, I was so awed by it. 01:02:49.320 |
it's like, man, we're gonna go see Niagara Falls. 01:03:12.760 |
So, you know, when I read biographies of people, 01:03:18.680 |
I know this is what they're saying about him, 01:03:52.960 |
It is far wider than what I remembered when I first met him. 01:03:58.760 |
It is far higher than I could possibly explain. 01:04:14.960 |
that I remember so much, and I know I shared it before, 01:04:22.680 |
she's the author of the book "The Hiding Place," 01:04:25.160 |
and it's her testimony about how her whole family 01:04:46.040 |
And the reason why was that it would bother her conscience 01:04:54.000 |
it's not gonna let you down, and so she sold it, 01:05:06.060 |
and she began to share the testimony about Jesus Christ, 01:05:16.640 |
no matter how much she would share about Jesus, 01:05:30.960 |
that if we gawk at it long enough, does not fade. 01:05:38.280 |
there's no human being that you will put on a pedestal 01:05:50.320 |
Nothing in creation lives up to that kind of scrutiny, 01:05:56.760 |
That's why when he says to behold, to look, to gawk at, 01:06:07.800 |
is knowing the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ. 01:06:40.080 |
C.S. Lewis says this in his book, "The Weight of Glory." 01:06:46.000 |
"It would seem that our Lord finds our desires 01:06:53.600 |
"fooling about with drink and sex and ambition 01:07:23.920 |
constantly distracted, and we're so easily pleased. 01:07:28.560 |
Easily pleased with food, easily pleased with travel, 01:07:41.720 |
You know, we think of Christianity as a pick up your cross, 01:07:45.720 |
Jesus loved you so much, how could you not do that for him? 01:07:58.580 |
You know what it says in Matthew 13 to 44 to 46? 01:08:02.600 |
It says, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure 01:08:05.040 |
"hidden in the field, which a man found and hid, 01:08:09.080 |
"and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has 01:08:24.960 |
And so when he sacrifices, he's given up everything, 01:08:33.120 |
"I gotta give up all of this so I can have that?" 01:08:43.920 |
And so everything that he had was worth selling, 01:08:47.320 |
and in joy sold everything so that he can have this. 01:08:54.760 |
who is struggling to sacrifice and discipline 01:09:15.360 |
How can you when everybody around you is going after that? 01:09:18.700 |
It's so nice, especially where you and I live. 01:09:27.600 |
30 minutes, 40 minutes if you drive fast, to the mountains. 01:09:37.200 |
Movie theaters, all the food, you know one thing, 01:09:47.880 |
Here, everything, we have access to pretty much everything. 01:09:55.240 |
Everything that I fleshly desire is in Irvine. 01:10:01.640 |
How are you going to win over that temptation? 01:10:20.080 |
He says because he saw the treasure of what he had, 01:10:30.120 |
he was willing to sell everything to get that. 01:10:37.360 |
and do not understand the breadth, length, height, 01:10:51.720 |
That's why he says to fix your eyes on Jesus. 01:11:00.520 |
He says to fix, don't take your eyes off of him. 01:11:08.360 |
we easily get entangled and fall into temptation. 01:11:22.680 |
This is beyond anything that the world can offer you. 01:11:24.920 |
Surpassing knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ. 01:11:29.240 |
Roman citizen, wealthy family, highest education, 01:11:53.220 |
in comparison to the treasure he found in Christ, 01:12:27.160 |
Right, because that was my first love, baseball. 01:12:38.480 |
So we spent every single minute that we had, right? 01:12:44.440 |
'cause we were getting into a lot of trouble prior to that, 01:12:48.120 |
every opportunity we had, we went on the baseball field, 01:12:51.040 |
and we had a guy who wanted to play shortstop, 01:13:05.120 |
"so let me see how much distance I can cover, 01:13:10.240 |
We did that every day, every opportunity we had, 01:13:36.000 |
and trying to get on this team that we want so much, 01:13:47.000 |
I don't even remember wrestling about this decision, 01:13:53.480 |
and all the games were happening Friday night, 01:13:55.800 |
all the practices were happening Friday night. 01:14:03.400 |
because what would be better than this God that I met? 01:14:11.120 |
and pick me up right after school at 3.30 or 4 o'clock, 01:14:14.280 |
be in LA, Bible study starts at seven, finishes at nine. 01:14:20.120 |
or two in the morning, we'd have overnight prayer, 01:14:30.600 |
'cause that's the only way they would let us stay there. 01:14:33.960 |
And then waking up, just passing out pamphlets, 01:14:36.840 |
and I would come home sometimes like late Saturday, 01:14:47.560 |
was 'cause I was getting into so much trouble prior to that. 01:14:52.840 |
is gonna be much better than me not doing that. 01:15:17.240 |
And then this is the Bible study that I need to attend 01:15:23.260 |
versus I get to throw this white ball around with these guys? 01:15:36.460 |
I wasn't more disciplined than the next person, 01:15:52.060 |
he says, "Remember the height from which you had fallen. 01:15:58.460 |
"Remember when the gospel first came into you. 01:16:01.060 |
"Remember how excited you were about singing, 01:16:11.140 |
versus somebody who's been a Christian for a while? 01:16:20.560 |
So we say, "Hey, we're gonna have a meeting." 01:16:55.520 |
is that the young Christian's eyes beheld Christ, 01:17:09.940 |
The privilege to be a part of a community of people 01:17:13.940 |
versus somebody who's been a Christian for a while, 01:17:39.780 |
You know how you can tell somebody's beholding Christ? 01:17:57.660 |
Sit down and ask them, what did you do today? 01:18:03.780 |
Somebody who's beholding Christ, fixated on Christ, 01:18:10.920 |
We're gonna have, next Wednesday at three o'clock, 01:18:13.560 |
you know, I'm gonna be, I'm gonna say these things, 01:18:17.940 |
Somebody who's beholding Christ, just ask them. 01:18:31.700 |
Just comes out because, just like if you watched a movie 01:18:34.900 |
that you were just enamored, wow, that was great! 01:18:52.020 |
That's why he's saying, behold, fix your eyes upon Christ, 01:19:10.200 |
The second meaning behind this is not simply to behold, 01:19:15.760 |
Kind of like the way we use the word when we say, 01:19:20.580 |
Who do you look to when you have financial problems? 01:19:30.600 |
Who do you look to, right, when you feel lost or lonely? 01:19:37.840 |
So we use that word look to look at something for help. 01:19:42.400 |
Your friends, church leaders, government, money. 01:19:48.960 |
to the mountains, from where shall my help come? 01:19:52.920 |
My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. 01:19:57.360 |
In other words, the person that I'm beholding, 01:20:04.960 |
That's why the Bible always, when the Bible introduces us 01:20:30.400 |
The God that you are looking to doesn't have a limit 01:20:33.320 |
in their bank account, doesn't have limit in resources. 01:20:49.860 |
the closest thing that you and I can relate to, 01:20:52.360 |
to agape love, is the love that you and I receive 01:20:56.000 |
And even if they're not the best, they're sinners too, 01:21:00.820 |
but probably the closest to somebody who is willing 01:21:04.760 |
to sacrifice their well-being in order that you and I 01:21:11.040 |
most of us will probably say it's our mothers. 01:21:21.840 |
I mean, you can't be selfish when you have kids around. 01:21:27.340 |
Because if a mother is selfish, children die. 01:21:37.440 |
If the mother is selfish, they're not protected. 01:21:41.300 |
They're gonna run around naked, starve to death. 01:21:43.660 |
That's what's gonna happen if the mother is selfish. 01:21:45.380 |
So the closest thing that you and I can experience, 01:21:59.300 |
Even the best of mothers are human and sinners themselves. 01:22:10.740 |
he keeps Israel and we'll neither slumber nor sleep. 01:22:17.540 |
The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. 01:22:24.180 |
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in 01:22:35.140 |
Anything else that we are beholding for our strength, 01:22:42.480 |
My guess is you've probably experienced that already. 01:22:47.640 |
Whether it's an institution, whether it's your circumstance, 01:22:51.420 |
whether it was the government, or maybe it was a leader, 01:23:05.380 |
'Cause nothing lives up to that scrutiny, nothing. 01:23:08.720 |
Not your husband, not your wife, not your children, 01:23:15.620 |
Nothing lives up to that scrutiny but God himself. 01:23:20.980 |
That's why in order to run this race with perseverance, 01:23:23.500 |
we need to fix our eyes on Jesus who started the race, 01:23:27.300 |
and he's going to be the one who finishes the race, 01:23:32.980 |
and growing in beholding, will persevere in their race. 01:23:52.580 |
oh, the elephant is like this, it's long and slinky. 01:23:58.140 |
and end up on the trunk, he's like, oh, I was wrong. 01:24:10.900 |
he recognizes a different part of the elephant. 01:24:16.980 |
that's trying to describe something gigantic. 01:24:33.880 |
But for all eternity, we're gonna be gawking at him, 01:24:38.280 |
and every time we turn around, we see a different aspect. 01:24:41.500 |
That God's love is much deeper than I thought. 01:24:49.800 |
God was much holier than I possibly imagined. 01:24:52.820 |
God is more worthy than I could have possibly told. 01:24:56.700 |
And for all eternity, he is completely eternal, 01:25:01.300 |
always immutable, is going to inspire worship. 01:25:11.580 |
that in order to run this race, to finish this race, 01:25:14.300 |
to fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author, the beginner, 01:25:23.840 |
Let me finish with this in Isaiah 40, 28 to 31. 01:25:48.840 |
yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. 01:25:59.280 |
For parents, especially for moms on Mother's Day, 01:26:08.300 |
And I know, especially whether you are a veteran mom 01:26:22.380 |
But along with that, I wanna make this very clear. 01:26:31.720 |
No matter how much you pour into your children, 01:26:55.960 |
that his identity is changed as a child of God for eternity, 01:27:00.680 |
is when they also behold this love for themselves. 01:27:08.500 |
the best that a mother can do, is help them see that. 01:27:17.160 |
is for yourself to behold that, to be a witness of that. 01:27:31.240 |
My preaching, organization skills, sacrifice is not enough. 01:28:05.200 |
would you also pick up your cross and follow him, 01:28:14.800 |
we are not strong enough, we're not disciplined enough, 01:28:20.040 |
he has called us to be his witness, to be his witness. 01:28:25.440 |
So let's witness this glory, let's witness this love, 01:28:55.240 |
and you just say, yeah, I know Jesus died for me, 01:29:08.540 |
you don't understand the word of God that's being opened. 01:29:21.760 |
in honest confession, Lord, I don't think I know you. 01:29:24.480 |
Open my eyes, Lord, that I may behold your glory as well. 01:29:28.520 |
If you happen to be somebody who grew up in the church, 01:29:45.760 |
You're laboring for Jesus, you're sacrificing for Jesus, 01:29:48.480 |
you are working for Jesus, but do you love this Jesus? 01:29:56.300 |
and fix our eyes upon what it is that we worship, 01:30:08.180 |
that with all knowledge, that we would have the strength, 01:30:10.960 |
with all the saints, to comprehend the width, 01:30:14.480 |
the length, the height, and the depth of the love of Christ. 01:33:40.320 |
♪ And the things of earth will grow straight ♪ 01:34:57.620 |
♪ And the things of earth will grow straight ♪ 01:35:42.920 |
♪ And the things of earth will grow straight ♪ 01:36:17.800 |
My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. 01:36:33.800 |
The sun will not smite you by day nor the moon by night. 01:36:43.640 |
your coming in from the time forth and forever.