back to indexBerean Community Church Sunday 05.19.24
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that we know that God causes all things to work together 00:02:36.580 |
to those who are called according to his purpose. 00:02:43.500 |
that in any season we might be going through, 00:02:48.220 |
he is working in us to yield the fruit of righteousness 00:03:26.380 |
♪ Where I want to offer my soul, my mind and strength ♪ 00:03:42.820 |
♪ To live a life worthy of the one who called my name ♪ 00:05:49.500 |
♪ I choose to lose my life, Lord, and find it in you ♪ 00:06:07.260 |
♪ I choose to lose my life, Lord, and find it in you ♪ 00:06:16.220 |
♪ I choose to lose my life, Lord, and find it in you ♪ 00:06:21.220 |
♪ I choose to lose my life, Lord, and find it in you ♪ 00:07:32.380 |
Let me get to a few announcements before we get started. 00:07:34.780 |
First of all, a family ministry picnic is happening today 00:07:40.220 |
So after this service at the Bill Barber Memorial Park, 00:07:44.420 |
it's informal, so you grab your lunch and then go, 00:07:49.860 |
and married couples, they're gonna be there till 3.30. 00:07:52.740 |
So that's happening today from 11.30 to 3.30 p.m. 00:08:03.980 |
So if you are a part of that ministry, they're having that. 00:08:10.140 |
If you are praying or you wanna help out with that, 00:08:17.580 |
to support our Indian pastors to be able to do the work 00:08:32.380 |
Early registration is happening until June 2nd, okay? 00:08:38.980 |
you might have seen a table stationed outside. 00:09:07.300 |
in one of the most liberal states in the country. 00:09:12.460 |
that the schools require to contact the parents 00:09:20.220 |
like counseling for gender identity type of stuff. 00:09:28.020 |
who are saying that they're females cannot compete. 00:09:34.540 |
they would prevent sterilization of children, 00:09:38.020 |
prohibiting the state from using puberty blockers 00:09:42.400 |
and hormones and mastectomies to minors, to young children. 00:09:57.420 |
I mean, it's pretty crazy, the era that we're living in. 00:10:02.380 |
But as you're exiting, there will be a table set up out there 00:10:09.540 |
and just sign your name and petition on there. 00:10:19.740 |
So all this stuff was passed through California Congress 00:10:23.860 |
without notification, they just made a decision. 00:10:32.300 |
Okay, so that's why the table's set up out there 00:10:36.100 |
after the second service and also the third service, okay? 00:10:44.420 |
and give his testimony and be baptized this morning. 00:10:47.980 |
Gracious Father, we pray that you would bless this time 00:10:56.860 |
that we have been entangled with before we came to worship, 00:11:00.300 |
that you would help us to lift our eyes to Christ, 00:11:17.340 |
May it be multiplied for the sake of your kingdom. 00:11:54.480 |
Let us all rise and before we continue on with our service, 00:12:17.420 |
let's spend a few moments to greet the neighbors around us. 00:22:44.860 |
- Hey everyone, my name is Josh and this is my testimony. 00:23:11.140 |
where I followed my parents to church from a young age. 00:23:13.560 |
I was your typical Sunday Christian who kept everything, 00:23:16.340 |
needed to be a true believer in the back burner. 00:23:28.440 |
a close friend invited me to go to this church. 00:23:30.760 |
Because I could finally make my own decision, 00:23:36.320 |
until I was asked if I wanted to take a Bible study 00:23:38.520 |
that would eventually lead me to making the choice 00:23:42.680 |
At this time, I still thought of myself to be a believer 00:23:52.680 |
and affirmed my faith in Christ as a believer. 00:24:17.520 |
from the church community until I transferred 00:24:21.840 |
I was away from my home church and from Christian friends. 00:24:24.840 |
My closest group of friends were those who left the church 00:24:31.320 |
and growing as a Christian by finding a fellowship 00:24:33.840 |
in a new church to attend to during the time I was there. 00:24:37.320 |
However, I began to feel and grow more isolated 00:24:39.320 |
from other Christians, especially in a new church 00:24:41.440 |
I knew I was only gonna stay in for the next two years. 00:24:44.920 |
After facing some discouragement from one of the churches, 00:24:47.360 |
I came to a conclusion that I did not need a church 00:24:57.240 |
as well as a number of other factors, my pride grew. 00:25:06.640 |
And during this time, prayer and reading the Bible 00:25:12.960 |
my priorities had shifted to becoming more career-focused. 00:25:16.560 |
Around the summer of 2021, my mom was diagnosed with cancer 00:25:22.320 |
as I started a new job, which I had high hopes for. 00:25:38.920 |
was experienced faith built up over a long period of time, 00:25:51.120 |
became distant friends I didn't want to rely on, 00:25:53.720 |
and a church I attended but felt I didn't belong to. 00:26:01.880 |
My physical, mental, and emotional health were a mess. 00:26:04.780 |
For the first time in my life I felt completely lost, 00:26:07.560 |
and I mentally gave up on everything in my life, 00:26:10.520 |
on myself and others and ideals and material things. 00:26:23.800 |
to an absolute realization if my belief was real or not. 00:26:26.640 |
At my lowest point, I very deeply wanted my life 00:26:39.200 |
I believed in God, but still questioned his love. 00:26:45.560 |
and was eventually overwhelmed and overpowered. 00:26:48.200 |
I could no longer push back God's love for me. 00:26:50.500 |
I could not reject the goodness and greatness 00:26:55.720 |
and I knew I wasn't the one to dictate my own life or death. 00:26:59.240 |
I was his servant, and I should abide by his will, 00:27:04.440 |
For the first time, I was faced with many ups and downs, 00:27:08.120 |
as I struggled with the hope in Christ I believed, 00:27:14.800 |
in opening up to people and committing to churches, 00:27:18.760 |
In Ecclesiastes 1, I was reminded of the futility 00:27:21.360 |
and waste of my efforts on earth that were not for God, 00:27:27.300 |
There began the slow process of giving up my pride 00:27:41.640 |
even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 00:27:43.880 |
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 00:27:55.960 |
God also provided me with much to rest them of. 00:28:02.380 |
As God healed me to a new normal through his word, 00:28:06.120 |
praise, and prayers, sermons, and people around me, 00:28:09.840 |
I started to gain a strong desire to want to serve more 00:28:12.000 |
and to be a deeper part of a community of believers. 00:28:17.000 |
I felt that it was an appropriate time to start anew 00:28:21.560 |
and recontinue a life to thank, serve, and glorify God. 00:28:31.500 |
- Joshua, do you understand when you go into the water, 00:28:49.320 |
you're being your eyes to his resurrected life. 00:28:51.800 |
I baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:29:12.960 |
If you could turn your Bibles with me to Luke chapter eight, 00:29:17.860 |
and I'll be reading from verse 11 through 15. 00:29:37.700 |
"Those besides the road are those who have heard. 00:29:40.660 |
"Then the devil comes and takes away the word 00:29:42.960 |
"from their heart so that they will not believe and be saved. 00:29:46.260 |
"Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, 00:29:49.520 |
"receive the word with joy, and these have no firm root. 00:30:12.500 |
"and hold it fast and bear fruit with perseverance." 00:30:20.480 |
Help us, Lord God, to give our full attention 00:30:27.800 |
illuminate us, guide us, and lead us this morning. 00:30:36.240 |
to Jonah chapter three, I wanna give you an example 00:30:54.820 |
again, an illustration of what true repentance looks like. 00:31:03.180 |
oftentimes you hear the preaching of the Book of Jonah, 00:31:06.140 |
and they completely take it out of the context, 00:31:08.860 |
'cause I've heard people say, "Don't mess with God, 00:31:13.940 |
So you can't run from God, God's gonna chase after you, 00:31:16.620 |
so don't run from God, and all of these things 00:31:28.580 |
They were created so that they may bring glory to God, 00:31:33.460 |
to the rest of the world, and during this period of time, 00:31:43.900 |
was not their priority, so that's why this book ends 00:31:46.220 |
with God basically telling Jonah and rebuking Jonah, 00:32:00.580 |
These were brutal people, and they were hated, 00:32:05.380 |
because when they repent, instead of celebrating, 00:32:09.980 |
I knew this is who you are, that you're slow in anger, 00:32:14.900 |
and this is exactly the reason why I didn't wanna go, 00:32:18.460 |
and yet God chose Jonah, knowing that he would be 00:32:22.940 |
a horrible messenger of what God has called him to do, 00:32:27.560 |
"Jonah began to go through the city one day's walk, 00:32:32.080 |
"Yet 40 days and then about will be overthrown." 00:32:40.020 |
"Repent, for God wants to forgive you of your sins," 00:32:47.260 |
Because he actually wanted them to be judged. 00:32:50.420 |
He was just crying out, "Condemnation, right? 00:33:02.460 |
"You're being judged because you're a horrible nation." 00:33:08.060 |
But what's interesting is, despite the context, 00:33:16.680 |
"and they called it fast and put on sackcloth 00:33:22.300 |
I mean, can you imagine if evangelism was like that? 00:33:25.740 |
We just went out and say, "God is angry with you," 00:33:28.380 |
and it's like, "Okay, I'm gonna repent," right? 00:33:36.020 |
this is a prophet from a nation that they've conquered 00:33:47.220 |
during this period, before Jonah even shows up, 00:33:54.380 |
there was a tremendous earthquake that shook up this city, 00:34:00.540 |
and so there was a lot of turmoil in the city, 00:34:02.660 |
which caused an upheaval, and there was infighting, 00:34:14.420 |
so that when he said, "These things are happening 00:34:25.540 |
and so that's why they relented and they repented. 00:34:28.840 |
Now, I don't know if you've been paying attention, 00:34:35.700 |
that the pandemic has created an atmosphere of evangelism 00:34:49.780 |
I've seen more people interested and concerned 00:35:07.920 |
you'll notice that there has been a stirring of people, 00:35:16.700 |
Jonah went in because there was already concern and fear 00:35:31.500 |
that even the king, even the king makes a decree 00:35:42.500 |
God may turn and relent and withdraw his burning anger 00:35:47.760 |
That is an attitude of a true repentant, right? 00:35:52.820 |
The way that the gospel has been presented today, 00:36:01.280 |
who offended this holy God to give him a chance. 00:36:12.820 |
If I just say the right things, God's gonna forgive me. 00:36:25.700 |
I thought he said he's gonna answer my prayer. 00:36:42.980 |
And I think the reason why is because of the way 00:36:47.420 |
We didn't represent a holy God who was offended. 00:36:51.780 |
We were more concerned about those who offended God, 00:37:12.620 |
who recognizes, who recognizes he's the creator, not me. 00:37:17.620 |
If he wanted, he could just snap his finger, and we're gone. 00:37:30.100 |
When God saw their deeds, they turned from their wicked way, 00:37:35.960 |
which he had declared he would bring upon them, 00:37:41.580 |
Their profession, raising of hand, coming down the aisle, 00:37:55.440 |
So every instance where the gospel is presented, 00:38:06.260 |
and turn away from the world, and turn to God. 00:38:09.320 |
That's the gospel that we see in the scripture. 00:38:15.120 |
is sinners who have been offended by religiosity of God, 00:38:22.240 |
they're doing God a favor by entering the church. 00:38:39.480 |
Man-centered worship is your being worshiped. 00:39:00.760 |
that these guys are all not coming for the right reason. 00:39:03.100 |
They're coming because they were fed, they saw miracles. 00:39:06.280 |
But as soon as I don't do what they want me to do, 00:39:17.360 |
and because Jesus doesn't live up to their expectation. 00:39:22.320 |
Because they never died, they never repented. 00:39:26.040 |
All they did was add something better to their old life. 00:39:54.400 |
First soil will leave because they don't believe. 00:40:00.120 |
And then the third soil because of the concerns of life 00:40:09.680 |
the quality, we talked about two of them last week, 00:40:14.820 |
Good and honest heart meaning that they heard, 00:40:24.740 |
They didn't say, I am the way I am because of this, 00:40:30.960 |
And they were convicted and they accepted it. 00:40:35.240 |
And then thirdly, Luke says that they held it fast. 00:40:50.700 |
considering this analogy that Jesus is giving, 00:41:01.300 |
began to take root in that ground and it became one. 00:41:09.820 |
instead of just hearing it and not the other, 00:41:18.180 |
In contrast, we see that in Hebrews chapter six, 00:41:26.400 |
so if I say Paul, that's because that's my view. 00:41:35.040 |
and he's describing people who are part of the third soil. 00:41:40.480 |
They were in the church, they had every opportunity, 00:41:50.980 |
They've seen everything that a Christian could possibly, 00:41:53.140 |
they had every opportunity to come to repentance 00:42:01.580 |
enlightened meaning that they heard the gospel 00:42:06.860 |
They didn't eat it and digest it, they just tasted it. 00:42:10.380 |
They have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit. 00:42:19.180 |
He said, and that they have tasted the good word of God. 00:42:21.820 |
The word of God did not convict them and change them 00:42:24.100 |
and bring them to repentance, they just like hearing it, 00:42:27.820 |
'cause it makes them feel good, they're encouraged by it. 00:42:39.560 |
to come to repentance, they've been exposed to. 00:42:51.600 |
and then they say, well, I'm not sure if I'm interested. 00:42:57.760 |
meaning every opportunity that they had to repentance, 00:43:04.940 |
We have a tendency to think that if we preach 00:43:07.180 |
the word of God and people are not responding, 00:43:14.420 |
Let's try, you know, let's try some other thing. 00:43:26.700 |
He says to preach it in season and out of season. 00:43:32.140 |
So he says the person, part of the soil that receives it 00:43:40.940 |
Just like it says in Psalm chapter one, two, and three, 00:43:43.940 |
it says he's like a, but his delight is in the law 00:43:46.580 |
of the Lord, and in this law he meditates day and night. 00:43:49.020 |
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water 00:43:57.940 |
He's not somebody that is constantly dependent 00:44:02.100 |
Somebody who hears the word of God superficially 00:44:09.860 |
So if they happen to be around, very encouraging, 00:44:17.780 |
And if you're not constantly being pursued, you wither. 00:44:24.300 |
or 10 years, or 20 years, because you're not planted. 00:44:32.860 |
So you're just enjoying the fruit of other people. 00:44:41.580 |
And as soon as that person, or that circumstance, 00:44:49.740 |
but all the bushes on the side of this building, 00:44:56.700 |
'cause we got so tired of our pipes breaking, 00:45:01.940 |
our water bill is like four times what it should be. 00:45:08.780 |
and we're just gonna put fake stuff in, right? 00:45:13.860 |
to eventually wither, and then we're gonna pull it out, 00:45:33.180 |
Somewhere underground, it has attached itself 00:45:36.260 |
to living water, and so even though we don't do it, 00:46:01.300 |
Because the true feeding is coming from Christ and his word. 00:46:06.620 |
And they can't, nobody, no matter what circumstance, 00:46:12.980 |
Fourthly, which is the only one that I'm gonna go through, 00:46:17.840 |
and then the perseverance we're gonna go through next week. 00:46:46.300 |
In John 15, eight, it says my father is glorified by this, 00:47:13.700 |
to Thessalonica or Corinth or somewhere else, 00:47:30.640 |
because they signed this doctrinal statement? 00:47:52.280 |
If the fall of mankind is described in the Book of Romans 00:47:59.780 |
that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 00:48:02.540 |
what brings the greatest glory when we are restored? 00:48:12.420 |
That may be as a result of what's happening inside of you, 00:48:35.280 |
Like, you come to church and you're raising your hands 00:48:41.260 |
they don't see any difference between you and the world. 00:48:45.020 |
And the people who notice that more than anybody else 00:48:54.820 |
and then you're telling me that I need to repent? 00:49:01.280 |
He says, "Bearing fruit is the evidence," right? 00:49:08.500 |
But let me say a couple things about this bearing fruit 00:49:11.020 |
that we need to, that I wanted to take some time in, 00:49:15.820 |
from the last point, because I don't wanna rush through this. 00:49:24.300 |
at least not spiritual fruit, if you're a goat. 00:49:30.120 |
You cannot disciple a goat to be a sheep, right? 00:49:36.260 |
And the confusion that we made in the church is, 00:49:42.860 |
the tares, the goats, and the sheep to come in, 00:49:45.340 |
and then we're asking the church, as soon as they say, 00:49:47.580 |
you know, I'm a member of this church, to act like sheep. 00:49:55.820 |
The church membership was open to anybody and everybody. 00:49:59.760 |
Who are we to judge anybody if they say they're a Christian? 00:50:02.020 |
And so all kinds of people kept coming to the church, 00:50:04.540 |
and then now we're expecting you to act like a sheep, 00:50:13.860 |
Well, you're telling goats to act like sheep. 00:50:25.980 |
You can't disciple people who've never truly repented. 00:50:49.380 |
So the first step when you come to the church, 00:51:13.580 |
You cannot disciple a bad tree to bear good fruit. 00:51:27.320 |
That's why the clear preaching of the gospel, 00:51:40.180 |
You cannot, you cannot love the world and love God. 00:51:45.180 |
That's not a principle of brain community church. 00:51:59.960 |
You cannot be a bad tree and expect to bear good fruit. 00:52:19.940 |
So the first question we need to ask ourselves, 00:52:23.880 |
I'm not asking did you become a member of the church. 00:52:27.180 |
I'm not asking if you ever served the church. 00:52:39.700 |
When I was young, I used to do this and I used to do that, 00:52:43.020 |
He was repenting about who he is, his core nature, 00:52:52.840 |
That your old way of thinking, that your pursuit, 00:52:57.380 |
realized that you are in sin and rebellion against God, 00:53:07.600 |
Secondly, to bear fruit, you must have the Holy Spirit. 00:53:24.560 |
did everything that a good Christian was supposed to do. 00:53:40.300 |
He was born of the Spirit, is from the Spirit. 00:53:45.840 |
He says, you must be born again of the Spirit. 00:53:49.060 |
The difference between a Christian and a non-Christian 00:53:55.500 |
The difference between a Christian and a non-Christian 00:54:13.680 |
almost always ends in bitterness and burnout. 00:54:38.440 |
you literally have to burn yourself out to move. 00:54:45.440 |
And so many people who have come into the church 00:54:50.960 |
and does not have the power of the Holy Spirit, 00:55:01.080 |
Isn't it hard paying your bills and taking care of kids? 00:55:07.080 |
And then you come to church and you gotta serve. 00:55:20.800 |
Because you don't feel life in righteousness. 00:55:29.600 |
Because you don't have the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:55:32.320 |
When the disciples were ready to do the work, 00:55:34.080 |
Jesus said, "Don't go yet because you will receive power 00:55:45.280 |
"Judea, Samaria, to the remotest part of the world." 00:55:47.660 |
So somebody who is trying to be righteous and good 00:55:52.720 |
eventually gets burned out and become bitter. 00:55:57.640 |
But the difference when the Holy Spirit is upon you, 00:56:08.640 |
You get to go to heaven at the end of all of this. 00:56:15.240 |
"But the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead 00:56:24.280 |
That same power, that resurrected Christ dwells in us. 00:56:38.140 |
You have things that you love to do you can't do 00:56:44.880 |
Or you're gonna do it, but then you feel judged. 00:56:48.280 |
There is a huge difference of what kind of fruit 00:57:05.880 |
serving the Lord, but bitter and angry and tired 00:57:22.080 |
who have been burned out because they are laboring 00:57:32.720 |
our first instinct may be that we're gonna see 00:57:42.680 |
But first and foremost, the fruit of the Spirit, 00:57:45.600 |
evidence of the fruit of the Spirit is internal. 00:58:15.800 |
are a worshiper of Christ is because of his love. 00:58:25.800 |
people who've been affected by the love of Christ, 00:58:30.500 |
People who have been recipients of the greatest love 00:58:35.560 |
are the ones who will be able to practice that love. 00:58:39.640 |
that the Holy Spirit has made an indwelling in you, 00:58:47.540 |
And then, you ever see people who are in love 00:58:56.780 |
but most people that I know who fell in love are happy. 00:59:02.240 |
Even as I preach here, who just started dating, 00:59:07.960 |
You have a silly smile that you can't get rid of, right? 00:59:13.320 |
by the love of Christ tends to be the most joyful, right? 00:59:17.280 |
You ever see people who are laboring for God, 00:59:18.960 |
but they're laboring so much, but they're so miserable. 00:59:29.740 |
but every time you have a conversation with them, 00:59:31.480 |
they're like, I don't like this, I don't like that, 00:59:32.780 |
what's wrong with them, what's wrong with this? 00:59:50.240 |
the works-based righteousness in life is over, right? 01:00:00.000 |
You know, many of us, most of us are old enough, 01:00:04.240 |
if you were to think back, like, oh, I wish I was a child. 01:00:10.280 |
all you have to do is just wake up, have fun, you know? 01:00:18.840 |
and when they tell you to go to sleep, go to sleep, 01:00:20.240 |
and then you wake up and you get to do it again. 01:00:22.200 |
And every day, the only concern that you have is like, 01:00:38.920 |
At some point in our life, we become independent, 01:00:44.600 |
and the responsibilities come on our shoulders. 01:00:55.280 |
because all the things that you sacrifice in labor, 01:00:58.240 |
you're measuring when you're in midlife crisis. 01:01:02.600 |
And so, people get into this depression because of that. 01:01:16.060 |
All you need to do is do what he tells you to do. 01:01:29.000 |
You don't have to worry about what this is going to lead to, 01:01:34.480 |
Like, well, if I eat this, is it really good for my health? 01:01:37.560 |
Am I gonna gain weight if I eat this, you know? 01:01:40.920 |
Is this gonna cause future problems if I do this? 01:01:55.080 |
That's exactly what the Bible tells us to do. 01:01:57.280 |
The Holy Spirit has been given to us as a deposit, 01:02:02.480 |
So, everything that God tells us to do is good for us, 01:02:11.760 |
So, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace. 01:02:14.920 |
And then, when you have that peace, you can be patient, 01:02:25.280 |
So, if you've let go, and God is the one who's in control, 01:02:29.180 |
I can be patient because I can't control this anyway. 01:02:53.920 |
when the Holy Spirit is making an indwelling in you. 01:03:09.320 |
that the fruit you will bear will be 30, 60, or 100-fold. 01:03:21.560 |
and some periods of life, you will bear 30 or 100. 01:03:24.640 |
I remember early on at church, it was not in season. 01:03:39.000 |
saying I'm not gonna grow my hair until revival comes. 01:03:45.560 |
Revival didn't come, and I fasted, and I prayed. 01:03:49.480 |
It's in season, bring revival, bring revival. 01:03:52.280 |
Early on in church, I was so burnt out from ministry, 01:03:56.860 |
and I said, well, if we're gonna start this church, 01:04:02.880 |
which is what I should've done to begin with. 01:04:10.240 |
this is what we're gonna do our best to practice. 01:04:14.440 |
People are here, it's like, ah, it's so boring. 01:04:16.720 |
Just always like, it's going over their head. 01:04:18.880 |
It's just always, he was talking about the Bible, 01:04:22.480 |
and seeker-friendly movements were blowing up, 01:04:30.040 |
You believe in the sovereignty of God and predestination? 01:04:34.200 |
But all of a sudden, six, seven years into it, 01:04:41.960 |
If you've been at our church for 20-plus years, 01:04:50.400 |
and what didn't bear fruit in the early part of ministry? 01:05:21.440 |
So even though they're not interested in Christ, 01:05:24.560 |
we need to somehow get them interested in the church. 01:05:37.600 |
If the preaching of the word of God does not bear fruit, 01:05:50.680 |
I've eaten more strawberries in the last month 01:06:04.040 |
but it looks, it tastes like it's strawberry season. 01:06:09.560 |
And then there's a season for something else, right? 01:06:12.200 |
So fruit doesn't look the same every season in life. 01:06:18.400 |
Some of you will bear a lot of fruit during college time, 01:06:21.160 |
and then you'll go through some dry periods in your life, 01:06:33.160 |
there are seasons and in seasons even in your life. 01:06:38.720 |
especially young parents with small children at home. 01:06:44.960 |
But the size of the fruit will depend on the season. 01:06:51.920 |
Secondly, how you cultivate the fruit matters. 01:07:00.080 |
You know, Calvinists and Reformed people have a tendency 01:07:13.440 |
and say, ah, you don't trust the sovereignty of God, 01:07:25.200 |
He's the one who teaches about predestination and election, 01:07:33.640 |
between those who pray hard and those who don't? 01:07:47.040 |
You will bear fruit if you are a genuine Christian, 01:07:50.600 |
but the quality of the fruit, the amount of fruit, 01:08:07.280 |
If you invest in the things that are spiritual, 01:08:14.000 |
If you give in to the things that are fleshly, 01:08:26.480 |
you probably notice grumbling around you a lot more. 01:08:29.120 |
You say, "Why are these people always so negative?" 01:08:33.800 |
And you don't realize that that's a fruit coming from you. 01:08:49.640 |
You don't realize that that's the fruit that you're bearing 01:08:55.440 |
'cause they see that in you, and they're just reciprocating. 01:08:58.440 |
So much of the fruit, our circumstance, is created by you. 01:09:08.400 |
It's weird when other people complain to them. 01:09:15.720 |
Joyful people tend to bear fruit everywhere they go. 01:09:27.760 |
the circumstances of people, how you get treated, 01:09:31.000 |
is a fruit, fruit of you cultivating your flesh. 01:09:36.000 |
You're giving in to certain thoughts and certain emotions. 01:09:51.800 |
It says, "I know how to get along with humble means. 01:10:02.760 |
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." 01:10:15.320 |
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." 01:10:17.400 |
And then it got shortened to, "I can do all things." 01:10:21.560 |
'Cause at the end of the day, that's what it really was. 01:10:39.280 |
It didn't come to him, he'd just wake up one day 01:10:42.280 |
He learned the secret of being content, right? 01:10:51.520 |
it's like, "Man, only if circumstances change, 01:10:54.160 |
"Only if circumstances change, I can praise God." 01:10:56.520 |
He says, "No, I learned the secret even in poverty." 01:11:10.360 |
What was the secret about being content when you have a lot? 01:11:13.640 |
Because his contentment wasn't from the riches. 01:11:26.480 |
He said the temptation of thinking that we are abundant 01:11:33.480 |
is a trap and a temptation that will take you away from God. 01:11:36.400 |
His secret of being content is learning to find Christ 01:11:39.320 |
whether you are rich or whether you are poor. 01:11:42.860 |
Your contentment does not come from your circumstance 01:11:48.800 |
but your deep-rooted relationship with Christ. 01:12:04.240 |
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses 01:12:08.280 |
"every encumbrance and sin which so easily entangles us." 01:12:12.840 |
If you're in the habit of giving into your flesh, 01:12:21.280 |
And we have a tendency, especially in our culture, 01:12:24.000 |
anything that's difficult, we just change our theology. 01:12:50.720 |
but the Bible also says they will know them by their fruit, 01:13:03.760 |
"let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. 01:13:06.320 |
"You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood 01:13:18.760 |
with other people and they say, "Yeah, me too." 01:13:21.000 |
And then after a while, you start to think like, 01:13:29.040 |
And when they say struggle, you're not struggling. 01:13:41.840 |
You've accepted a sinful life, a rebellious life, 01:13:54.120 |
He said, "Against sin, you have not shed your blood." 01:13:57.740 |
there will never be a time when a holy, holy, holy God 01:14:43.300 |
Investing in the work of the Holy Spirit matters. 01:14:58.760 |
"For indeed, he was crucified because of our weakness, yet." 01:15:10.200 |
For we also are weak in him, yet we will live with him 01:15:14.980 |
because of the power of God directed toward you. 01:15:17.540 |
We tend to embrace our weakness, our fallenness, 01:15:22.800 |
and that's why Christ died for us, and he said, "Yet." 01:15:51.120 |
but God desires and expects us to pursue righteousness 01:15:55.260 |
with all our heart because much fruit comes from 01:16:03.660 |
We have made it too comfortable to be in sin in church. 01:16:08.420 |
We have made it too easy to give up in the church 01:16:12.340 |
because nobody wants to be labeled a legalist, 01:16:16.760 |
and that's one of the worst things you wanna hear, legalist. 01:16:19.400 |
Legalist in the church is like calling somebody racist 01:16:22.620 |
They bend in over backwards to prove they're not racist, 01:16:47.260 |
for a life of godliness in the knowledge of his son, 01:16:53.420 |
Thirdly, and next two points, let me make it quick. 01:17:19.180 |
I think everybody I talk to I think is in agreement 01:17:23.060 |
that the fruit that we taste today is not as good 01:17:25.340 |
as 40 years ago or 50 years ago when we were younger, 01:17:28.580 |
and I don't think it's because our taste buds are dying. 01:17:37.060 |
and that's why when Israel refused to observe the Sabbath, 01:18:00.820 |
And so the church is really good at creating Marthas. 01:18:04.020 |
Because you get praise if you're a Martha in the church. 01:18:11.340 |
and so if you're working hard, more work, right? 01:18:18.420 |
more work on you, and if more work's coming in, 01:18:26.180 |
So the working people tend to be worked to the ground, 01:19:00.060 |
there are periods when we need to learn to rest 01:19:06.300 |
I'm just gonna do whatever he tells me to do. 01:19:27.980 |
"not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, 01:19:32.540 |
"as God has allowed it to each measure of faith." 01:19:38.260 |
Even faith was given to us in different measures 01:19:47.900 |
but he says he has given different measures of faith. 01:19:57.460 |
especially if you're like a type A personality like me, 01:20:15.180 |
And one of the people that wasn't running at my pace 01:20:21.740 |
Because I was gonna have homeless people in my house. 01:20:25.680 |
I was gonna go to the hardest place in the world, 01:20:29.680 |
and if God calls me to die early, I'm gonna die early. 01:20:37.180 |
it's like, "It's 'cause you don't love Jesus. 01:20:41.340 |
And every time I would share my frustration with my wife, 01:20:56.500 |
the beauty of the church is he's filled the church 01:20:59.000 |
with different gifts, people running at different pace. 01:21:06.000 |
I wanted a church filled with Navy SEALs, right? 01:21:10.080 |
And if you're a Navy SEAL or green beret, right? 01:21:14.500 |
But as time went by, I realized how much of that 01:21:19.280 |
was in my youth, and how much of that was my pride. 01:21:25.600 |
If you're a green beret pursuer like me, right? 01:21:28.640 |
And it's like, "Yeah, what's wrong with that?" 01:21:34.080 |
and I'm going in for a very specific task, right? 01:21:43.000 |
they might not be the people that you want, right? 01:21:45.440 |
Imagine running your family with that mentality. 01:21:50.840 |
This son got straight A's, this one got a B minus. 01:21:55.900 |
If you have one son who's running 100 miles per hour, 01:22:04.300 |
'Cause you gotta teach the ones that's running faster 01:22:11.900 |
And so there are things that that guy needs to learn. 01:22:20.560 |
the person who tends to move a little bit slower, 01:22:31.040 |
If I'm gonna go somewhere, I can't rest in the process. 01:22:36.120 |
It's like, "Yeah, I'll enjoy the process after I'm done." 01:22:40.440 |
And then I'll look back and enjoy the process, 01:22:42.160 |
but I'm not gonna enjoy it while I'm getting there. 01:22:50.480 |
and do some Christians struggle with certain things? 01:22:59.800 |
Are there periods of time when it seems harder 01:23:05.060 |
That's why sometimes it's hard to distinguish 01:23:11.200 |
But the people who are running 100 miles per hour 01:23:13.360 |
learn to humble themselves and be gracious and be patient. 01:23:25.200 |
need to benefit from the people who are running faster. 01:23:30.960 |
and to benefit from the work that they're doing. 01:23:37.000 |
we're all just pointing fingers at each other 01:23:50.300 |
has some weakness that they need to learn and to grow. 01:24:38.760 |
to bear much fruit for the sake of your kingdom 01:24:42.800 |
Guide us and lead us for the sake of your name. 01:28:41.960 |
that we may bring the much glory to your name