back to indexBerean Community Church Sunday Service June 13, 2021
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He will hold me fast till our faith is satisfied. 00:01:20.500 |
When He comes at night, He will hold me fast. 00:01:31.480 |
He will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so. 00:01:49.440 |
He will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so. 00:01:59.420 |
He will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so. 00:03:38.180 |
And darkness tries to hide and trembles at His voice, 00:05:03.060 |
And all will see how great, how great is our God. 00:11:51.020 |
It is with great joy that we can gather together again 00:11:54.440 |
to sing of His steadfast love that never ceases, 00:11:59.720 |
So we will begin with a song, "As We Gather." 00:12:08.120 |
As we gather, may your spirit work within us. 00:12:34.920 |
knowing well that as our hearts begin to worship, 00:12:57.920 |
As we gather, may your spirit work within us. 00:13:14.880 |
knowing well that as our hearts begin to worship, 00:14:03.800 |
They are new every morning, new every morning. 00:14:25.760 |
They are new every morning, new every morning. 00:15:00.200 |
Welcome to Breen Community Church, those of you 00:15:02.200 |
who are here physically and those of you who are online with us. 00:15:05.720 |
First of all, I want to thank Rachel and Andy 00:15:11.720 |
They told me that they were able to raise, I think, $17,500. 00:15:17.200 |
So there was a lot of people who were very generous. 00:15:20.720 |
Even those who donated their time and their talents 00:15:27.200 |
And so that's why we're able to raise all that. 00:15:30.920 |
be used for the work that is happening out in India. 00:15:35.920 |
And then if we get an updated number, we'll let you know. 00:15:38.680 |
But that's the tentative number that we have right now. 00:15:46.800 |
planning to become a father within the next nine months, 00:15:51.160 |
or you have to-- your wife has to be pregnant. 00:15:58.520 |
Or if you're bringing a father that doesn't normally attend, 00:16:03.760 |
if you can sign up for that also online so that we can have-- 00:16:08.680 |
And so that will be taking place after the second service-- 00:16:16.920 |
if you're sticking around and you need lunch, 00:16:18.880 |
when you're signing up for that, please let them know 00:16:21.120 |
so that they can have pizza and various things ready for you 00:16:31.840 |
And again, this is specifically for the purpose 00:16:41.240 |
Go through the app or just ask one of the Welcome Team members 00:17:06.360 |
So if you're a fifth grade and you're heading into sixth 00:17:11.720 |
there's going to be stuff for the youth group for you. 00:17:22.680 |
So you have basically one month to potty train your child. 00:17:26.400 |
If he's not potty trained yet, if you want him 00:17:30.440 |
So along with that, they're still asking for volunteers 00:17:39.680 |
if you are directly serving with the children, 00:17:42.000 |
you need to be at least a member of the church for at least 00:17:52.800 |
where you're decorating or you're just doing prep work, 00:17:57.600 |
again, those requirements are not there for that. 00:18:00.240 |
So if you want to help out along with that, again, 00:18:04.480 |
you don't need to be a member for a year for that purpose. 00:18:09.040 |
And then again, the evangelism outing that's happening, 00:18:11.400 |
you can just continue to watch online for those announcements 00:18:14.640 |
for the cafe outreach that's happening in July 31. 00:18:31.440 |
And this is just the beginning of the tsunami that's coming. 00:18:36.240 |
So the pandemic has been very good to our family members. 00:19:01.640 |
And then they're going to be introducing their children 00:19:04.880 |
from, I think, from my right to the left, right? 00:19:14.640 |
OK, I hope you guys are in order that you received the email. 00:19:18.480 |
So they're going to give you a brief presentation 00:19:21.840 |
of their children and then any prayer requests they have. 00:19:24.640 |
And then we'll take a minute to pray for them 00:19:30.240 |
So my name is Alex, and this is my wife, Jen. 00:19:32.920 |
And we'd like to introduce you to August, Valor, Jangwon, 00:19:48.840 |
all of our kids have names after heroes of the faith. 00:20:01.920 |
And we just felt it was appropriate for the season 00:20:06.840 |
trying to be finding our foundation in Christ 00:20:09.280 |
in the midst of all of these changes and transitions 00:20:36.760 |
The meaning comes from a Latin word, which means 00:20:41.620 |
And today, he's actually six months old, exactly. 00:20:48.400 |
hoped that he would be born on 12/12, December 12, 2020, 00:21:05.520 |
But as is often the case, God had other plans. 00:21:14.440 |
So no beautiful symmetry or order in his name, 00:21:21.760 |
The first is that Bennett would grow up and know 00:21:25.600 |
the truth of the gospel and accept Christ as Lord 00:21:38.160 |
know that God is always with him and cling to Christ, 00:21:50.000 |
My name's Eugene, and this is my wife, Joanna. 00:21:52.720 |
And we have two girls, and this is our second. 00:22:04.880 |
is that she would live out the significance of her name 00:22:14.640 |
to a delightful, full life, the rich life, the abundant life 00:22:19.480 |
And so if you guys could join us in praying for that, 00:22:37.240 |
with another son, another arrow in our quiver. 00:22:41.000 |
Would you guys please pray for our sons, both Oliver and Ethan, 00:22:47.320 |
but of course, in knowledge of our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ. 00:22:55.560 |
and God would grace both Oliver and Ethan with saving faith. 00:23:02.520 |
She feeds our sons, cleans them, clothes them, 00:23:04.920 |
teaches them, prays for them, and overall nurtures 00:23:08.360 |
She's really a remarkable reminder in my life 00:23:16.720 |
that our God would faithfully lead us to confession, 00:23:18.680 |
repentance, and growing reliance on our Lord, 00:23:37.640 |
We named him after Jacob in the Bible for three reasons. 00:23:56.440 |
So some convictions we learned as becoming first-time parents 00:24:02.440 |
is, despite not knowing what to do a lot of times, 00:24:15.960 |
and he's willing to give wisdom to those who ask. 00:24:31.880 |
ears to hear and eyes to see, that God would reveal himself 00:24:35.000 |
to Jacob so that he may meet and know Christ, who is holy God, 00:24:42.000 |
and know his kindness of God that leads him to repentance, 00:24:45.360 |
and that God would use Joyce and I to give us wisdom 00:25:01.360 |
And we would like to introduce our son, Boaz Hajoon Lee. 00:25:10.720 |
He's now the youngest of five, and he was adopted from Korea 00:25:32.480 |
and what a man of character he was in the Bible. 00:25:36.320 |
And traditionally, my father named all our children's 00:25:47.400 |
we decided to name him the name that my father always loved, 00:25:52.200 |
His middle name is Hajoon because his birth mother loved 00:25:58.400 |
and loved him enough to put him up for adoption for a home. 00:26:16.920 |
First, obviously, his growth for the love of the Lord, 00:26:36.440 |
that we continually be a student of our children, 00:26:40.120 |
especially Boaz, as he grows so we can study and understand 00:26:44.280 |
where his strengths are and where his talents are. 00:26:59.200 |
This is our wild and rambunctious little boy, Ethan. 00:27:05.880 |
I think we were going through the year of the Bible, 00:27:08.040 |
and I looked up the meaning one day and saw that it said 00:27:18.120 |
especially because of the times that we're in. 00:27:25.400 |
We kept the original name that the biological mom gave him 00:27:33.080 |
One, that he would come to a saving faith in early age, 00:27:58.440 |
Before we pray for the children and the family, 00:28:05.240 |
is we want our church, no matter what size it gets, 00:28:09.040 |
that we would view these children as an extension 00:28:12.400 |
of our personal families, that we don't watch these families 00:28:18.960 |
But that we would participate in raising these children. 00:28:22.000 |
And so I know that a lot of our church members 00:28:24.000 |
are already volunteering in Sunday schools and other things. 00:28:28.280 |
But we're hoping and praying that our church would truly 00:28:37.600 |
that our church would be a place where these children come 00:28:40.640 |
and realize visually, not just within their families, 00:28:43.440 |
but collectively, what God desires of his community. 00:28:47.040 |
That we would really be able to build a church where 00:28:49.640 |
they are being raised in a Christian community. 00:28:56.000 |
Just like they said, it requires a village to raise children. 00:29:00.560 |
And so we're asking not only for the parents, but every member, 00:29:11.080 |
So when you see children running on the streets, 00:29:18.640 |
But have a heart of parent for every child in our church 00:29:23.280 |
And so that just as every single parent is praying that they 00:29:30.120 |
Maybe one of these days, you'll have them at a table. 00:29:38.440 |
And so sometimes it could be a random situation 00:29:44.480 |
And so my children heard the gospel that way as well, 00:29:48.920 |
And they would just randomly have conversation 00:29:56.220 |
were so encouraged that our church was looking out 00:30:02.440 |
something that we can continue to build together 00:30:07.480 |
so that you'd be aware of who they are, who the parents are. 00:30:11.800 |
And then as I pray for them, I will also pray for the offering. 00:30:14.880 |
And then we'll dismiss the families after that. 00:30:17.840 |
Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the blessing 00:30:23.040 |
that you've given each one of these families. 00:30:25.960 |
And we know with all the ups and downs and the challenges that 00:30:28.960 |
come from raising a child, Lord God, in this fallen world, 00:30:32.720 |
I pray for parents, the fathers, to teach them, 00:30:36.760 |
Lord God, what it means to lead, even with all the flaws 00:30:41.920 |
I pray, Father, that your love and your grace 00:30:45.480 |
And allow them to lead their homes in a way, Father God, 00:30:49.680 |
I pray for the mothers in the time of exhaustion 00:30:52.160 |
and tiredness, Lord God, that their fuel would come from you. 00:30:56.200 |
I pray that these homes would be a place where 00:30:58.400 |
the gospel is shared and that they practice their faith, 00:31:05.800 |
when to be gracious, what to teach, Lord God, 00:31:10.960 |
that they may see the love of Christ overflowing 00:31:15.840 |
that the eternal things are much more valuable than the things, 00:31:22.440 |
that the gospel may come into these homes early 00:31:25.280 |
and that these children would come to faith early in faith 00:31:37.440 |
and that it may be multiplied 30, 60, 100-fold, 00:31:44.760 |
that salvation is in Christ and Christ alone. 00:31:59.920 |
OK, why don't we all stand up for the praise? 00:33:26.080 |
You came down to find us, let us out of debt. 00:33:44.520 |
You o Lord have made a way the great divine unity. 00:33:56.000 |
For when our hearts-- for when our hearts were far away, 00:34:29.400 |
You came down to find us, let us out of debt. 00:35:36.200 |
You came down to find us, let us out of debt. 00:36:02.640 |
You came down to find us, let us out of debt. 00:38:15.760 |
Christ the great and sure fulfillment of the law. 00:38:42.160 |
In the stead of ruined sinners, He's the lamb in victory. 00:38:50.640 |
See the price, see the price of our retention. 00:38:56.640 |
See the Father's plan unfold, bringing many sons to pour in. 00:39:56.880 |
Christ in power, resurrected, as we will be when He comes. 00:40:16.320 |
Christ in power, resurrected, as we will be when He comes. 00:40:52.200 |
"Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak 00:41:00.320 |
so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, 00:41:11.840 |
I pray that our hearts may be molded, Lord God, 00:41:19.720 |
Lord, we know that the preaching is just words, Lord God, 00:41:25.280 |
unless you ordain it and illuminate us and cause us, 00:41:31.760 |
We pray, Lord, that your grace would allow us, Lord, 00:41:41.800 |
Yesterday, myself, Elder James, and Pastor Mark, 00:41:45.560 |
we did a podcast together on the subject of deconstructionism. 00:41:51.880 |
So some of you guys who may have heard the term 00:41:56.760 |
and basically what's going on, again, the latest trend 00:42:03.880 |
and possibly even questioning the fundamentals of what 00:42:13.480 |
And this was sparked by a few well-known pastors who 00:42:17.840 |
basically denied their faith and walked away from Christianity, 00:42:24.040 |
that they belonged to and they participated in, and even led. 00:42:35.120 |
just almost encouraging people to go back and re-examine 00:42:40.960 |
I think re-examining our faith is always necessary, 00:42:44.200 |
because we do live in a somewhat Christian culture, at least 00:42:49.400 |
And you sometimes feel pressure to become a Christian 00:42:54.560 |
And then you make a bunch of Christian friends. 00:43:07.920 |
But in that process, the danger that we are seeing now 00:43:11.600 |
is that it's almost encouraged, that it's almost normal 00:43:16.640 |
that we go back and revisit, is the Bible even real? 00:43:42.800 |
maybe you looked up to and you ran the race with, 00:43:49.120 |
Maybe a professor, maybe your Sunday school teacher, 00:43:52.920 |
maybe your youth pastor, maybe a good friend of yours, 00:43:59.080 |
And by all definitions of what the Bible teaches, 00:44:02.320 |
what a Christian is, they are no longer walking with God. 00:44:13.480 |
going on in our generation, that all of a sudden, 00:44:15.640 |
2,000 years later, after the death and resurrection 00:44:18.360 |
of Christ, this new thing of deconstructionism is going on. 00:44:21.800 |
This has happened from the very first century, 00:44:26.880 |
He said that some seeds are going to fall on certain soils 00:44:32.760 |
But then, because they don't have any foundation, 00:44:40.320 |
And then there are some soils where the seed falls 00:44:43.800 |
And in the beginning, it looks like they're bearing fruit. 00:44:46.240 |
But because of the worries and concern and deceitfulness 00:45:05.160 |
And so people who are going through this process 00:45:07.560 |
are only coming to realize that maybe they never really 00:45:15.800 |
to examine and make sure that we are truly anchored in Christ, 00:45:23.720 |
that our dependency is not our support group and our family, 00:45:32.800 |
That even if everybody that I know falls away, 00:45:37.640 |
Even if the biggest waves come, I am anchored in Christ. 00:45:50.760 |
the readers to continue to take their faith seriously and not 00:45:59.200 |
They weren't guilty of waking up one morning and say, 00:46:06.160 |
The constant warning is do not drift, do not neglect, 00:46:11.120 |
Because most people who experience deconstructionism 00:46:14.760 |
or backsliding usually happens way before they're 00:46:32.840 |
And instead of realizing that maybe something in them 00:46:36.520 |
was flawed, they turned that table around and began 00:46:39.680 |
to point to the church or the pastors or to the Bible 00:46:42.920 |
itself, saying maybe they're wrong and I'm not the cause. 00:46:50.480 |
been going through Christology chapter after chapter 00:46:52.640 |
after chapter that we do not drift from this. 00:46:57.800 |
We're saying, considering all of this, therefore-- 00:47:04.760 |
every encumbrance and sin which so easily entangles us so 00:47:10.560 |
And then in verse 12 that we're looking at where it says, 00:47:12.960 |
"Therefore, considering what Christ has done for us, 00:47:27.920 |
That's what he means in verse 4 when he said, 00:47:30.920 |
"You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood 00:47:42.320 |
So a genuine Christian has no reason to quit, 00:47:46.560 |
no matter what struggle, no matter what trial, 00:47:52.080 |
Christ knowing our struggle has shed his blood for us. 00:47:56.400 |
So the only Christian that truly fails in the kingdom of God 00:48:04.880 |
the church to persevere because it is for that reason 00:48:15.480 |
who does not make mistakes, there's no reason to quit. 00:48:21.480 |
and that even in the most difficult circumstances, 00:48:29.120 |
Since we have a God that even in our most difficult 00:48:31.720 |
circumstances are orchestrating things for our own good 00:48:39.560 |
And that was the point that we were trying to make last week 00:48:48.680 |
believe in a sovereign God who loved us, died for us. 00:48:52.480 |
Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak 00:48:57.880 |
Let me stop right here because this is a passage. 00:49:00.240 |
Verse 12 and 13 is a passage that we know well. 00:49:03.040 |
This is kind of like, let's get going type of passage. 00:49:06.520 |
If you're struggling, find out what your weaknesses are 00:49:10.480 |
and make a list of things that you need to correct. 00:49:13.280 |
And then get things right, and then let's do it. 00:49:17.480 |
But before we even get to that, we need to first understand-- 00:49:26.200 |
of the meaning and the imagery that is given in the text 00:49:30.320 |
is actually what we are getting out of the text. 00:49:43.240 |
that we can have the gist of what the meaning is. 00:49:45.920 |
But if you look at the King James Version, where they 00:49:49.000 |
didn't care at all whether you understood it or not. 00:49:51.440 |
They just kind of translated it exactly the way 00:49:55.000 |
In the King James Translation, the meaning behind it 00:50:11.600 |
is an individual where the hands are drooped. 00:50:18.840 |
that there's no strength in their knees that are shaking. 00:50:37.200 |
This looks like somebody who's in the middle of a marathon, 00:50:54.320 |
And so when an individual gets to that point, 00:51:13.320 |
has lost their vigor and have no energy, is slooped down, 00:51:20.880 |
thinking that I don't know if I can continue on. 00:51:27.080 |
He's addressing an individual or a group of people 00:51:34.520 |
And they say, oh my gosh, how am I going to make it? 00:51:54.520 |
Maybe the reason why I feel this way and I'm exhausted 00:52:03.200 |
And we have a tendency to either change our theology, 00:52:06.720 |
change our circumstance, change various things, 00:52:12.480 |
This is the place where the thoughts of deconstruction 00:52:22.520 |
So instead of saying, I couldn't finish this race, 00:52:26.040 |
they say, maybe the race wasn't the right race to begin with. 00:52:40.440 |
that the whole book of Hebrews is written to, 00:52:43.040 |
who have their hands drooped, their knees are beginning 00:52:45.640 |
to buckle, they're out of breath, they're tired, 00:52:49.720 |
and the race seems like it's still so far away. 00:52:57.120 |
In the world, when you see an individual at that state, 00:53:08.560 |
Or maybe if you grew up in the church, you'll quote Philippians. 00:53:25.560 |
Whatever you put your mind to, you can achieve. 00:53:28.120 |
And you get motivation speakers, you listen to tape or meditation, 00:53:33.320 |
And that's the answer that the world is giving. 00:53:35.440 |
This is a Christian version of saying, hey, keep your chin up. 00:53:42.600 |
But he's not simply saying, hey, believe in yourself. 00:53:46.280 |
Just suck it up and find the strength within. 00:53:50.160 |
And if you just discipline harder, if you just work harder, 00:53:59.200 |
The point that he's been making is you took your eyes off of Christ. 00:54:04.120 |
And that's why he says he's the author and the perfecter of our faith. 00:54:08.000 |
You started with Christ, but at some point in your walk with Christ, 00:54:12.040 |
you began to just do things yourself, and you ran out of energy. 00:54:17.000 |
So the answer is not to go back and try it again and do it harder this time. 00:54:21.400 |
He says, no, the reason why you became this to begin with 00:54:29.240 |
That's exactly the point that Paul was trying to make in Philippians 3, 3-7, 00:54:34.040 |
where Paul says he is dealing with the Judaizers who are saying 00:54:43.800 |
Yes, we believe in Jesus, but there's a part that we need to play. 00:54:46.920 |
And so you still need to be circumcised, and you still need to respect 00:54:51.600 |
And Paul is writing to them, and he says, "For we are the true circumcision, 00:54:56.120 |
who worship in the Spirit of God in glory in Christ Jesus, 00:55:09.400 |
You know, he says, "I put no confidence in the flesh, 00:55:11.600 |
although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. 00:55:14.640 |
If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more." 00:55:20.360 |
You know, people may say that and not be true, but Apostle Paul, 00:55:25.040 |
there's nobody who is going to go toe-to-toe with law-keeping 00:55:33.560 |
If you think that that's the path of righteousness, and you think the reason 00:55:36.400 |
why I'm preaching salvation by grace alone is because somehow I failed 00:55:45.040 |
Circumcised on the eighth day, meaning that he's a true Israelite. 00:55:49.720 |
He has a covenant symbol on him of the nation of Israel and of the tribe 00:55:56.480 |
In the nation of Israel, they were, you know, there's a pecking order as to which 00:56:05.080 |
Tribe of Judah, because that was the kingly line. 00:56:07.440 |
But next to the tribe of Judah, the Benjamites were known for two things. 00:56:11.280 |
One, if you remember the Book of Judges, the Benjamites were known 00:56:20.200 |
And then two, they were known to be the ones who remained faithful to Judah 00:56:24.640 |
when the kingdom split, where the 10 tribes went with one group, 00:56:29.240 |
and the Judah and Benjamites were the only ones who stayed on the side 00:56:36.280 |
And so to say that he's a Benjamite right off the bat, right? 00:56:40.880 |
You want to go toe-to-toe, what tribe are you from? 00:56:56.600 |
Pharisees were the ones who took the law and they were OCD about the law, right? 00:57:02.240 |
They took the Sabbath and they said, "Well, we want to make sure that we never 00:57:07.760 |
They added all these other laws, like, "If you do this, 00:57:10.720 |
if you touch this, if you walk this many, you know, steps and you go one step further, 00:57:15.560 |
These were the Pharisees who took the law seriously. 00:57:20.800 |
And he says, "You're accusing me that maybe I couldn't find righteousness and that's why 00:57:30.040 |
But Astezeel, are you questioning my passion? 00:57:39.360 |
You know, when he said he was a persecutor of the church, you have to remember that during 00:57:43.080 |
that period, the Israelites didn't have authority to carry out capital punishment. 00:57:49.080 |
So when Stephen was being stoned and they put all their cloaks, 00:57:52.360 |
everybody who stoned Stephen to put their cloak at the feet of Apostle Paul, 00:57:56.920 |
who was Saul at that time, basically means that he's going to be responsible for this. 00:58:01.560 |
And Apostle Paul basically said, "Yeah, if I go to jail and I die for this, I'm willing. 00:58:10.040 |
As to righteousness, which is in the law, found blameless." 00:58:15.400 |
Now, that's got to be an exaggeration, right? 00:58:19.240 |
Yeah, maybe in the eyes of God, but to other Jews, Apostle Paul, 00:58:22.800 |
not only was he a Pharisee, he was a direct disciple of Gamaliel, 00:58:32.000 |
And there's rumors that he was already a member of the Sanhedrin. 00:58:35.960 |
So it was assumed that he was blameless in the law. 00:58:39.520 |
But whatever thing were gained to me, those things I have counted as loss 00:58:46.160 |
If my righteousness is based upon me being zealous and my background and keeping the law 00:58:54.040 |
perfectly and said, "You want to go toe to toe, I'll beat all of you." 00:58:58.400 |
But the message of the cross actually makes all of that rubbish. 00:59:04.280 |
It's not because we simply need to work harder. 00:59:07.200 |
It's not simply because we need to be more disciplined. 00:59:10.160 |
All of these things are things that we ought to do, but the primary reason why they got 00:59:14.560 |
to the point where they were about to quit is because they took their eyes off of Christ. 00:59:20.160 |
They thought at some point that they can do it by their own strength. 00:59:25.440 |
You and I all know the story where Jesus tells that you have a tax collector and a Pharisee 00:59:30.160 |
who goes up to pray, and the tax collector is praying. 00:59:37.480 |
And then the tax collector is beating his chest. 00:59:45.800 |
He said, "The tax collector, because he received forgiveness." 00:59:51.760 |
So in the beginning and justification, we know that we have to be like a tax collector, 00:59:57.800 |
beating our chest, recognizing our sin, asking for forgiveness, and remaining humble. 01:00:02.320 |
But at some point, after the justification, we come to sanctification, we become right 01:00:11.000 |
To be justified, I need to be like a tax collector. 01:00:13.440 |
But to be sanctified, I need to be like a Pharisee. 01:00:16.920 |
I need to get all my ducks in order, and I need to check off all the boxes. 01:00:22.520 |
I need to have all my theology, and I need to witness to so many people, and I need to 01:00:27.960 |
And then we start to measure everybody else based upon these checkoff lists that we have. 01:00:33.960 |
And at some point, we forget that we're always the tax collector before Christ. 01:00:41.160 |
We're always beating our chest in need of His mercy. 01:00:46.640 |
It is not by our own righteousness we are justified. 01:00:50.960 |
It is not simply by our own righteousness that we will be sanctified. 01:00:55.400 |
And it is not by our own righteousness that we will be glorified. 01:00:59.320 |
You know, one of my favorite passages in the New Testament, I think one of the most beautiful 01:01:03.400 |
things that Jesus quoted is in Matthew chapter 12, verse 20. 01:01:08.360 |
As He is healing the sick, the Pharisees and the scribes are offended that Jesus is performing 01:01:17.680 |
And instead of forgetting, instead of seeing the miracles, like, "Oh my gosh, this guy, 01:01:25.160 |
Instead of seeing the miracle and glorifying God, how can you be healing on the Sabbath? 01:01:33.280 |
Jesus in knowing what's in their heart, He says in verse 20, "A battered reed He will 01:01:39.240 |
not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not put out until He leads justice to victory." 01:01:47.760 |
A battered reed basically is a reed that has been broken. 01:01:52.640 |
A smoldering wick is kind of at the end of the candle. 01:01:56.080 |
You know, that's what you light in order for the oil to burn. 01:01:59.120 |
A smoldering wick is basically used, it's burned. 01:02:07.600 |
In any other, any definition, it would be trash. 01:02:11.960 |
We wouldn't look at a smoldering wick and say, "Let's salvage that. 01:02:24.520 |
And so He's using that imagery, saying that He's having compassion. 01:02:29.000 |
A lost sinner, really in rebellion against God, He's worse than a smoldering wick and 01:02:43.920 |
But He's saying that even if that is the case, He says, "I will not put it out." 01:02:50.880 |
I think it's one of the most beautiful scenes, beautiful things that Jesus has ever said. 01:02:55.480 |
And it's His way of saying that, "I will not turn away, ever turn away a repentant 01:03:01.920 |
I will never turn away a genuinely repentant sinner." 01:03:07.760 |
And that's what He means when He says, Hebrews chapter 12, verse 3, "For consider Him who 01:03:11.880 |
has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and 01:03:20.760 |
You look at that and say, He endured hostility so that we will not grow weary. 01:03:28.000 |
Does He mean that He set an example for us of persevering? 01:03:33.400 |
And even though He was being attacked, He endured, so therefore He set an example. 01:03:37.200 |
And so we need to follow that example that in the midst of persecution that we need to 01:03:50.000 |
I believe the main thrust of what He's saying here is that in the context of being weary 01:03:57.000 |
and losing heart and arms drooping and knees buckling, He says, "Jesus has accomplished 01:04:07.760 |
He endured hostility against sinners against Himself. 01:04:15.800 |
Despite the suffering, despite the rejection, despite the pain, He said He went to the cross 01:04:22.560 |
so that when we are weary, that we do not need to quit. 01:04:27.920 |
Because God's not placing that on our shoulder that you better get your act straight. 01:04:36.880 |
He knew there are times that we're going to be drooping arms. 01:04:42.200 |
He says He endured for us so that you would not lose heart. 01:04:50.280 |
That when those situations happen, that we do not look to people, we do not look to leaders, 01:04:55.360 |
we do not look to circumstances or community or finance or politics. 01:05:01.840 |
To fix your eyes upon Christ, the beginner and the finisher of our faith. 01:05:11.040 |
Romans chapter 8, 26 to 28 says, in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness. 01:05:15.840 |
For we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with 01:05:22.680 |
Man, this passage is always so encouraging to me because even in our prayers, He says 01:05:30.620 |
when you can't pray, I know I commanded you to pray. 01:05:36.320 |
But even when you can't pray and you don't know what to pray for, He provided for us. 01:05:43.440 |
The Spirit inside of us interceding and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind 01:05:47.680 |
of the Spirit is because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 01:05:51.880 |
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, 01:05:56.840 |
to those who are called according to His purpose. 01:06:01.440 |
He even provided knowing that there are times where we're going to have a hard time praying. 01:06:15.880 |
That even in that context, He says, I made it so that the Holy Spirit will groan with 01:06:26.300 |
So that there the Holy Spirit is interceding on our behalf even when we are struggling. 01:06:34.960 |
He didn't just justify us and then said, you better get to work. 01:06:41.120 |
He didn't just justify us and say, now everything, I've done everything I could, now you just 01:06:47.720 |
He who started a good work in you, He will carry it onto completion. 01:06:51.440 |
And He says, all things work together for good. 01:06:55.940 |
For those who are the most disciplined, for those who have the best theology, for those 01:07:01.400 |
No, He said, for those who have been called and for those who love Him. 01:07:12.120 |
So the most important question that a Christian should be continually asking is, do I love 01:07:23.040 |
And that's the measuring stick that God uses. 01:07:25.800 |
And He says, if you are justified and if you love Him, all things will work together for 01:07:41.360 |
And it's proof that maybe we haven't really truly even died yet. 01:07:46.880 |
We have a tendency to live up to the expectations of people rather than the calling of the gospel. 01:07:53.660 |
So we jump through hoops and do what we need to do because that's expected of us from our 01:07:59.800 |
Maybe our leaders, our friends, our family members. 01:08:03.380 |
You know who is under that pressure more than anybody else? 01:08:23.060 |
So we live up to the expectations of what other people think we ought to be rather than 01:08:30.600 |
living up to the calling that God has given us as His children. 01:08:35.980 |
So what ends up happening is we become experts in presenting ourselves. 01:08:40.300 |
The longer you've been a Christian, you know the knee-jerk answer. 01:08:52.240 |
We have these generic things that deep inside is like, "Man, I'm about to die." 01:09:11.780 |
And so when that begins to break down and we start the hypocrisy of a double life that 01:09:18.820 |
we're living and all of a sudden either that causes us to repent and get right with God 01:09:25.220 |
or we go through deconstruction saying maybe it's their fault. 01:09:29.420 |
Maybe I'm in this situation because they were the ones who put that pressure on me and then 01:09:33.260 |
I try to live up to their standard because they started judging me. 01:09:37.740 |
Not realizing maybe from the get-go we were founded upon the wrong foundation. 01:09:48.340 |
I don't think she is famous anymore but she was at one point and has a song called "Warrior 01:09:57.860 |
It says, "Lately I've been winning battles left and right but even winners can get wounded 01:10:04.420 |
People say that I'm amazing, I'm strong beyond my years but they don't see inside of me I'm 01:10:11.260 |
I don't know that I come, they don't know that I come running home when I fall down. 01:10:15.620 |
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around. 01:10:19.020 |
I drop my sword and cry for just a while because deep inside this armor the warrior is a child. 01:10:25.220 |
Unafraid because his armor is the best but even soldiers need a quiet place to rest. 01:10:30.020 |
People say that I'm amazing, I never face retreat but they don't see the enemies that 01:10:37.160 |
They don't know that I come running home when I fall down. 01:10:39.520 |
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around. 01:10:42.320 |
I drop my sword and cry for just a while because deep inside this armor the warrior is a child." 01:10:55.440 |
We try so hard to present ourselves a certain way because we think that this is what we 01:11:05.220 |
And so you do that for a year, two years, four years, five years and then the pressure 01:11:11.780 |
begins to buckle because we're not standing on Christ. 01:11:17.700 |
So when he says if your arms are drooping and your knees are buckling, that's what he's 01:11:23.660 |
been trying to do, to fix your eyes upon Christ. 01:11:29.220 |
The reason why the Hebrews were in the position they were isn't simply because they weren't 01:11:40.080 |
They forgot what brought them to Christ to begin with. 01:11:53.860 |
And it isn't until you and I recognize from beginning to the middle to the end that we 01:12:00.980 |
will always be a burnt out wick that is desperately in need of his grace. 01:12:07.760 |
We are always tax collectors beating our chest in need of his mercy. 01:12:15.720 |
We've been justified so we don't need Christ. 01:12:18.480 |
My ticket's in heaven already so we don't need Christ. 01:12:26.780 |
And so since I'm justified, I'm just going to be better. 01:12:31.720 |
It's probably that very reason why they started to drift back to begin with. 01:12:40.760 |
He says, "And make straight paths for your feet so that the limb which is lame may not 01:12:47.720 |
So you see this imagery of the race that he uses again. 01:12:51.840 |
Here's that man who's running and he's about to quit and he says, "Here's the solution. 01:12:58.640 |
And then he says, "Here's what you need to do. 01:13:01.120 |
Make the straight path straight for your feet." 01:13:05.960 |
If you're going to run this path, you need to make sure that you're on the right path. 01:13:11.160 |
But again, you have to understand that a first century Jew, when you talked about a straight 01:13:15.400 |
path, there's an immediate understanding of what they were referring to. 01:13:21.000 |
Like today, if I asked you, "What are the best streets in this area?" 01:13:27.800 |
What are the streets that you feel like you can take a car and just go as fast as you 01:13:35.720 |
What are the streets that they pay the most attention to, to make sure that there's no 01:13:40.600 |
potholes, there's no quick turns, that you can get on that street and go straight and 01:13:46.720 |
step on it and you're going to be able to be safe going on that street? 01:14:02.160 |
And there's certain cities you have a pot, you know, like a, what do you call it, hole 01:14:14.320 |
You just drive slow and then you just have to be careful. 01:14:17.960 |
But you will never see a pothole on the freeway. 01:14:21.640 |
Because if you have a pothole on the freeway, people can die. 01:14:26.440 |
And you won't see the freeway turning real quick. 01:14:33.240 |
And they, if any, even an object is on the highway, somebody will come, the CHP officers 01:14:38.920 |
will come and they'll clear that out because it's dangerous. 01:14:42.340 |
So the best roads around us are always the highways. 01:14:45.960 |
They're the biggest roads, they're the safest, they're the flattest, and they pay the most 01:14:54.440 |
All the best roads in Israel were the roads that led to the cities of refuge. 01:15:00.720 |
The cities of refuge, if you didn't know, were six cities that were commanded by God 01:15:05.160 |
that as they entered into the promised land, and they were spread out in Israel in the 01:15:09.640 |
six places so that any part of Israel you couldn't look up because they were built on 01:15:14.520 |
hills and you were able to visually see where they were. 01:15:18.720 |
And you knew that if anything happened, you needed to run there, you knew exactly which 01:15:25.000 |
So the reason why he did that, he said that if somebody is like plowing or farming and 01:15:34.240 |
accidentally he kills his neighbor, and so the neighbor's family member who becomes angry 01:15:43.160 |
that their brother or sister or father was killed, even though it was accidentally, that 01:15:49.880 |
And so they call that individual avenger of blood. 01:15:53.480 |
And so when that avenger of blood wants to take vengeance on that individual who killed 01:15:57.000 |
accidentally, that he would pack up his stuff and run to the city of refuge as soon as he 01:16:01.800 |
can and then when he gets to the gate, they would have a trial to see if it was accidental, 01:16:08.280 |
if he is innocent, that he didn't deliberately murder this person. 01:16:11.640 |
And if that's found to be true, they would open the door and the one who was fleeing, 01:16:17.080 |
would enter into the city and the city was run by the priests. 01:16:22.400 |
And the leader of these cities were the high priest. 01:16:25.120 |
So under the protection of the high priest, the avenger of blood could not get to him 01:16:29.040 |
and that's where he would live out the rest of his life in order so that the avenger of 01:16:37.140 |
How often do you think this happened in Israel? 01:16:45.440 |
How often does accidental killing happen in our community? 01:16:52.160 |
Car accidents, but they didn't ride cars back then. 01:16:54.280 |
So typically if they killed somebody by accident, it was probably they're, you know, throwing 01:16:58.360 |
the whole back and then they hit somebody in the back of the head or something. 01:17:02.960 |
Or they were getting carried away with their cows and they ran over somebody. 01:17:09.800 |
That he would, and it's mentioned in Deuteronomy, it's mentioned in the book of Numbers, it's 01:17:14.640 |
mentioned in Joshua and Exodus, it's mentioned in all these. 01:17:19.360 |
This was significant enough that he has six cities, all this money dedicated just so that 01:17:29.520 |
And my guess is it was pretty rare that that even happened. 01:17:35.360 |
Why was so much attention given to these six cities of refuge? 01:17:41.680 |
Every one of these cities was a visual reminder of the coming of Christ. 01:17:48.040 |
Next time you read the New Testament, see how often the word refuge is related to God. 01:17:54.680 |
How often you see the term refuge as Christ being our refuge. 01:17:59.800 |
All of this was an example as Christ, as our high priest, protects us from the avenger 01:18:06.800 |
All of this to point to that when Christ comes, that he will be our refuge. 01:18:14.200 |
And so the Bible says in the book of Deuteronomy that all the roads have to be paved well so 01:18:21.680 |
that if this happened, the best roads in Israel would always lead to the cities of refuge. 01:18:26.520 |
In fact, in the rabbinical tradition written by Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, 01:18:34.340 |
he says it was well known that the best roads in Israel all led to the cities of refuge. 01:18:42.920 |
In fact, every year it was part of their law to clear out these roads in case it got damaged, 01:18:51.120 |
in case there were potholes, in case there were, you know, like they had a flood and 01:18:56.920 |
Every year they had to go revisit, make sure that these roads were clear and it was flat. 01:19:04.280 |
Even on the roads that are rarely traveled, they would build bridges to make sure that 01:19:07.600 |
just in case if that happened, that an individual was running would have the clearest and the 01:19:14.400 |
And then on top of that, to make sure that the people who are on this path would not 01:19:18.640 |
get lost, they put signposts every so often so that as they are running, they are reminded 01:19:26.440 |
So on these signs, it would say, "Refuge, refuge, refuge, refuge." 01:19:32.840 |
So first century Jew, when he reads this, "And make straight path for your feet," the 01:19:39.120 |
first imagery that he has is the cities of refuge that leads to Christ. 01:19:45.980 |
And it is in this backdrop that Christ comes to fulfill what he's been preparing, that 01:19:57.220 |
The refuge means when you are at that point where you're about to quit, that you don't 01:20:01.540 |
have any strength to lift up your arms and your knees are beginning to buckle. 01:20:07.140 |
The only refuge that can truly protect us, where we can find life, is in Christ. 01:20:16.100 |
That's why in Isaiah chapter 40, verse 3 to 4, in the prophecy about the coming Christ, 01:20:21.300 |
he says, "A voice is calling, 'Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness. 01:20:26.620 |
Make smooth path in the desert a highway for our God. 01:20:29.420 |
Let every valley be lifted up and every mountain and hill be made low and let the rough ground 01:20:34.520 |
become a plain and the rugged terrain a broad valley." 01:20:38.220 |
This was a prophecy about the Messiah coming. 01:20:43.020 |
And this is exactly how John the Baptist's ministry is described in Mark chapter 2, verse 01:20:48.220 |
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you who will 01:20:53.540 |
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord. 01:21:00.940 |
So the primary ministry of John the Baptist was to pave the road so that the access to 01:21:06.780 |
the Messiah would be the fastest and the best. 01:21:10.700 |
You know, that's the ministry of every minister. 01:21:15.400 |
My calling in ministry is not so that I can know what the latest trend is in our culture 01:21:21.860 |
and tap into that and find all the business ideas that we can implement in the church 01:21:27.800 |
that will be the best organized and get the best money to do the best things. 01:21:32.860 |
And I remember early on in ministry just being burned out by all of that because it was just 01:21:37.540 |
And it dawned on me, God never called me to do that. 01:21:42.420 |
That was the expectation of maybe the church. 01:21:44.940 |
That was an expectation from the Christian culture. 01:21:51.260 |
He deliberately picked fishermen who knew nothing. 01:21:56.740 |
I mean, if he wanted wise, smart people to build his first church, he picked the wrong 01:22:03.340 |
In fact, when the Corinthians began to divide one another because they were so smart, he 01:22:09.420 |
reminds them, "God chose you because you were dumb." 01:22:18.380 |
And now you're trying to be one up on another, and that's what's causing this division, all 01:22:22.620 |
As I was reading through Scripture, I was like, "Oh, I don't need to be that smart. 01:22:31.220 |
The primary thing that he called me to do is to make the path straight, to make the 01:22:37.720 |
access to God as easy as possible, and to constantly remind people where the city of 01:23:00.820 |
And this is the same message I give every single Sunday, right? 01:23:06.100 |
Different highlights, different passage, but it's the same message. 01:23:15.020 |
And I've made it very plain to you that I don't trust you. 01:23:21.140 |
And I've asked you, "Don't trust me," because you're a sinner like me, and I'm a sinner 01:23:28.280 |
Everything you struggle with, I struggle with. 01:23:31.060 |
But the only reason why I'm here is to show you, to highlight. 01:23:37.300 |
It's kind of like God has given me a high beam to shed light on this road. 01:24:00.080 |
But that does not change who Christ is in your life. 01:24:04.040 |
In Psalm 46, 1 to 3, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 01:24:10.400 |
Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip 01:24:14.940 |
into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake 01:24:20.180 |
at its swelling pride, though your arms are drooping, though your knees are buckling, 01:24:30.280 |
Not only are we to run this race with perseverance, He says, "Help one another," Hebrews 10, 01:24:39.400 |
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 01:24:45.020 |
Let us consider how to stimulate one another unto our love and good deeds, not forsaking 01:24:48.240 |
our own assembly together as it is the habit of some, but encouraging one another all the 01:24:55.240 |
Not only are we called to be on this path, the purpose of the church, we gather together 01:25:02.840 |
It's kind of like if you signed up on a marathon where you are running together as a team. 01:25:13.860 |
Some of you are like me, don't run at all, right? 01:25:18.360 |
But you signed up and you want to get, we all want to get to the cities of refuge. 01:25:26.520 |
So in this process, the calling in the church is that some of those who are faster to encourage 01:25:33.720 |
those who are slower to keep up, to strengthen them. 01:25:38.680 |
Maybe slow down a little bit so they can catch up. 01:25:41.480 |
Maybe right now he's the one who needs the water, right? 01:25:44.520 |
Maybe we need to take a water break and to make sure that we are running this together, 01:25:49.920 |
And those who are a little bit slower to be challenged by those who are a bit faster. 01:25:54.920 |
But imagine if we're running together and the guy in the front is like, "What the heck 01:26:02.760 |
We're running at this speed and you're not coming along. 01:26:08.600 |
Imagine what kind of a team we would be in, what kind of a church we would be if the fastest 01:26:14.520 |
runners are always yelling at the slow runners that they're not keeping up. 01:26:21.720 |
The slow runners are so discouraged that, "I can't keep up. 01:26:26.680 |
I'm ruining this team, so I'm just not going to run." 01:26:31.480 |
And the fastest runners are so frustrated that they're not running fast enough and there's 01:26:38.040 |
no way that he could possibly win on this team, so he ends up quitting. 01:26:43.440 |
And then the ones who are running at the medium speed, keeping up with everybody, now that 01:26:47.480 |
the fastest runners are gone and the slowest runners have quit, they're disqualified. 01:27:04.840 |
Those who are weak, be challenged by those who are stronger and make sure that we're 01:27:09.680 |
That's what Hebrews 10, 23 to 25 is, for people who are frustrated and ready to go their own 01:27:15.760 |
That's why the primary greetings in the early church was "Maranatha." 01:27:26.120 |
That's what they kept on reminding each other because Maranatha is where we find the greatest 01:27:33.160 |
Maranatha is where we find our greatest strength. 01:27:35.280 |
Maranatha is where we find our greatest fuel so that those who are with drooping hands, 01:27:43.120 |
those who have buckling knees, would find strength, refuge, and comfort needed to persevere 01:27:52.160 |
I know you're tired, but Maranatha, he's coming. 01:28:03.840 |
I know you have past pains that you just can't erase from your head. 01:28:11.200 |
Some of you are in situations where you've been trying to shake bad memories from your 01:28:14.760 |
past for years and sometimes you feel like you're making progress, sometimes you're digressing. 01:28:26.960 |
No matter how hard this gets, no matter how discouraged we get, no Christian has a reason 01:28:45.680 |
Let's take a few minutes to come before the Lord in prayer. 01:28:57.880 |
I've been working and running so hard and I'm tired. 01:29:14.160 |
Effective prayer is not flowery words or many words or even the intensity, but just the 01:29:22.080 |
Come before the Lord and take some time to pray as our worship team leads us. 01:31:12.880 |
- Church family, would you please stand with us 01:35:28.680 |
encourage the exhausted and strengthen the feeble. 01:35:41.740 |
Lord, we pray that you would help us to fix our eyes 01:35:56.640 |
and that your children would have heard His voice 01:36:04.040 |
I pray that you would renew our affection for Christ, 01:36:06.780 |
that as we sing our praises, as we declare your glory, 01:36:11.240 |
that the work that you are doing in us mightily, Lord God, 01:36:14.820 |
would overflow in us, that we may be the aroma of Christ 01:37:45.420 |
And if we can have this side of the room go out that way