1 00:00:15,458 --> 00:00:16,750 Howdy Mars Hill Church. 2 00:00:16,833 --> 00:00:19,833 Pastor Sutton Turner here and I'm in Ethiopia. 3 00:00:19,875 --> 00:00:21,667 And I just want to thank Jesus 4 00:00:21,708 --> 00:00:25,000 for continuing to use Mars Hill Church 5 00:00:25,042 --> 00:00:28,583 to make disciples and plant churches. 6 00:00:29,167 --> 00:00:34,292 Mars Hill Global is the arm of Mars Hill Church 7 00:00:34,333 --> 00:00:35,917 that makes disciples 8 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,833 and plant churches all over the world. 9 00:00:38,917 --> 00:00:40,375 We not only do church planting, 10 00:00:40,458 --> 00:00:43,333 but we help better equip church planters. 11 00:00:43,417 --> 00:00:47,042 Most recently we shipped and now distributed 12 00:00:47,125 --> 00:00:49,500 1,000 bibles into Amharic, 13 00:00:49,542 --> 00:00:52,125 which is the language here in Ethiopia. 14 00:00:52,167 --> 00:00:54,042 And we launched a project 15 00:00:54,125 --> 00:00:59,250 to translate Pastor Mark Driscoll's doctrine book into Spanish. 16 00:00:59,333 --> 00:01:02,583 We have people from over 29 different countries 17 00:01:02,667 --> 00:01:06,167 that are giving on a monthly basis to Mars Hill Global. 18 00:01:06,208 --> 00:01:08,125 So whether you're a member 19 00:01:08,167 --> 00:01:11,083 of one of our Mars Hill church locations 20 00:01:11,167 --> 00:01:12,542 in the United States, 21 00:01:12,625 --> 00:01:18,208 or you're 1 of 100,000 podcasters every single week, 22 00:01:18,292 --> 00:01:19,667 we encourage you to pray 23 00:01:19,750 --> 00:01:23,083 about giving above and beyond your tithe 24 00:01:23,167 --> 00:01:24,625 to Mars Hill Global. 25 00:01:24,667 --> 00:01:28,958 Thank you and let's see more materials translated, 26 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,167 more pastors sent out, more churches planted, 27 00:01:32,250 --> 00:01:34,500 and more people saved by Jesus Christ. 28 00:02:13,167 --> 00:02:16,583 All right, Pastor Mark here in Phoenix with Pastor Ryan. 29 00:02:16,667 --> 00:02:18,083 Congratulations, buddy. 30 00:02:18,167 --> 00:02:20,167 You recently launched our 15th church. 31 00:02:20,208 --> 00:02:22,500 It was our biggest out-of-state launch ever. 32 00:02:22,542 --> 00:02:25,292 Tell us a little bit about where we're at geographically 33 00:02:25,333 --> 00:02:27,042 and how things are going practically. 34 00:02:27,125 --> 00:02:28,792 Sure, we are standing in downtown Phoenix, 35 00:02:28,833 --> 00:02:30,667 a really large metropolitan area-- 36 00:02:30,708 --> 00:02:32,042 about 4 million people. 37 00:02:32,125 --> 00:02:33,458 Four million people 38 00:02:33,500 --> 00:02:34,958 primarily in the cities encircling us. 39 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:36,333 That's right. 40 00:02:36,417 --> 00:02:38,042 Not a lot of people live downtown, 41 00:02:38,125 --> 00:02:39,792 but it's kind of up and coming. 42 00:02:39,833 --> 00:02:41,750 A lot of people are coming here now. 43 00:02:41,833 --> 00:02:43,667 Yeah, and we're right next to Chase Field. 44 00:02:43,750 --> 00:02:45,083 Diamondbacks play right here, 45 00:02:45,167 --> 00:02:46,792 so we're in the heart of downtown. 46 00:02:46,833 --> 00:02:48,500 You launched just a couple weeks ago. 47 00:02:48,583 --> 00:02:50,917 How did opening Sunday go? How's it been since then? 48 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:52,333 It was great. 49 00:02:52,375 --> 00:02:53,833 We had about 750 people come. 50 00:02:53,875 --> 00:02:55,333 That's our biggest out-of-state launch ever. 51 00:02:55,375 --> 00:02:57,333 Yeah, it was big. It was really unexpected. 52 00:02:57,375 --> 00:02:59,208 I felt like a doubter after that week. 53 00:02:59,292 --> 00:03:00,667 I wasn't expecting that. 54 00:03:00,750 --> 00:03:02,875 Then we had ten baptisms, and six were spontaneous. 55 00:03:02,958 --> 00:03:04,583 We were praising Jesus. It was awesome. 56 00:03:04,667 --> 00:03:07,000 Which one was your favorite baptism story in the beginning 57 00:03:07,042 --> 00:03:08,375 of the new church launch? 58 00:03:08,458 --> 00:03:09,875 Favorite one was, we had a screener, 59 00:03:09,958 --> 00:03:11,292 a baptism screener, named Kendra 60 00:03:11,333 --> 00:03:13,292 who used to go to Mars Hill Ballard 61 00:03:13,333 --> 00:03:14,792 back in the day, served Communion, 62 00:03:14,833 --> 00:03:16,167 she serves us now. 63 00:03:16,250 --> 00:03:18,167 She was screening people, and she didn't know, 64 00:03:18,208 --> 00:03:21,042 and all of a sudden her mom came up to get baptized. 65 00:03:21,125 --> 00:03:24,167 So, she got to help screen her mom and got to be there 66 00:03:24,250 --> 00:03:26,375 right next to her mom when she gets baptized. 67 00:03:26,458 --> 00:03:27,792 It was awesome. 68 00:03:27,833 --> 00:03:29,500 What brought her from Ballard to Phoenix? 69 00:03:29,542 --> 00:03:31,500 I don't know. Great question, I don't know. 70 00:03:31,542 --> 00:03:34,167 She just ended up here? It was about 3 years ago. 71 00:03:34,208 --> 00:03:36,625 So, she's been here for a while and been wanting 72 00:03:36,667 --> 00:03:38,333 Mars Hill to come here so bad. 73 00:03:38,375 --> 00:03:40,500 And she was the first person in the door 74 00:03:40,583 --> 00:03:41,917 when we started training leaders. 75 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:43,333 That's great. 76 00:03:43,375 --> 00:03:44,792 And today, we're having three services. 77 00:03:44,833 --> 00:03:46,500 Really excited to be here with you. 78 00:03:46,542 --> 00:03:48,667 Want to thank the folks at Mars Hill Church 79 00:03:48,708 --> 00:03:50,167 that have been praying and giving. 80 00:03:50,208 --> 00:03:51,542 It's all come to pass. 81 00:03:51,625 --> 00:03:52,958 God's answered those prayers, 82 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:54,333 and they've stewarded those resources. 83 00:03:54,417 --> 00:03:56,500 And so we're really excited to see the church 84 00:03:56,583 --> 00:03:57,917 opened and launched. 85 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,500 And ultimately, what we're going to need for you guys 86 00:04:00,542 --> 00:04:02,917 is, we're going to need to find a permanent home. 87 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:04,375 You've very quickly outgrown this one, 88 00:04:04,458 --> 00:04:05,792 as people will see today. 89 00:04:05,833 --> 00:04:07,167 We're adding the third service. 90 00:04:07,250 --> 00:04:09,625 There's not a whole lot more we can do here. 91 00:04:09,667 --> 00:04:13,292 It's a beautiful space, but things are going a little faster 92 00:04:13,333 --> 00:04:14,667 than we anticipated. 93 00:04:14,750 --> 00:04:16,083 For those across Mars Hill, 94 00:04:16,167 --> 00:04:18,125 anything you want to say to the people, 95 00:04:18,167 --> 00:04:20,792 to the leaders in the other 14 churches that have prayed 96 00:04:20,833 --> 00:04:23,000 and given to help support you on this mission? 97 00:04:23,042 --> 00:04:25,167 Yeah, I would just say thank you so much 98 00:04:25,208 --> 00:04:26,542 for praying and giving. 99 00:04:26,625 --> 00:04:29,208 We obviously can't do this without the financial support of 100 00:04:29,292 --> 00:04:30,917 our other 14 churches and the prayer, 101 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,125 the prayer too for God to bring people here 102 00:04:33,167 --> 00:04:34,500 to get trained to lead. 103 00:04:34,583 --> 00:04:36,500 And I would just ask to keep praying 104 00:04:36,583 --> 00:04:37,917 as we've grown really quickly 105 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,583 and we don't have the amount of volunteers we need yet 106 00:04:40,667 --> 00:04:42,583 to support that, so we need leaders quick. 107 00:04:42,667 --> 00:04:44,833 Yeah, you're trying to catch up. Lastly, who's coming? 108 00:04:44,875 --> 00:04:46,750 Is it a younger crowd, an older crowd, 109 00:04:46,833 --> 00:04:49,375 a single crowd, a married crowd, a little bit of everybody? 110 00:04:49,458 --> 00:04:52,125 Very, very young. So, to use Mars Hill terms 111 00:04:52,167 --> 00:04:53,625 that our other Mars Hill churches 112 00:04:53,667 --> 00:04:55,000 might understand a little better, 113 00:04:55,083 --> 00:04:57,417 it's kind of a mix between Mars Hill Downtown Seattle, 114 00:04:57,500 --> 00:04:58,833 because we're in downtown Phoenix, 115 00:04:58,875 --> 00:05:01,083 and Mars Hill U-District, a lot of college students. 116 00:05:01,167 --> 00:05:03,500 Arizona State's really close, so a lot of young people. 117 00:05:03,542 --> 00:05:06,875 Not a lot of families, not a lot of kids in our kids' ministry. 118 00:05:06,958 --> 00:05:08,292 Yeah, that's great. 119 00:05:08,333 --> 00:05:09,792 Well, I'm excited to meet everybody. 120 00:05:09,833 --> 00:05:11,792 I gotta go preach. I love you, buddy. 121 00:05:11,833 --> 00:05:13,292 Blessings, thanks for all your work. 122 00:05:13,333 --> 00:05:15,958 We'll see how it goes today. - Thanks. - You bet. 123 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:17,333 All right, thanks. 124 00:05:17,417 --> 00:05:18,917 Blessings bro, have a good day. 125 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,625 Thank you for getting up early. Good to see you again. 126 00:05:21,667 --> 00:05:23,833 Good to see you, buddy. Good to see you. 127 00:05:23,875 --> 00:05:25,833 All right, you guys can take a seat. 128 00:05:25,917 --> 00:05:27,417 Well, welcome, welcome, welcome. 129 00:05:27,500 --> 00:05:30,125 We are so glad to have you joining us today. 130 00:05:30,167 --> 00:05:33,000 If you're new, this church is just a few weeks old, 131 00:05:33,083 --> 00:05:34,958 but we're off to a great start, amen? 132 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:38,167 And I bring you greetings from the other 14 Mars Hill churches. 133 00:05:38,250 --> 00:05:41,875 You are our 15th church, our largest out-of-state launch, 134 00:05:41,958 --> 00:05:43,292 and we love you. 135 00:05:43,333 --> 00:05:46,542 For the last 40 days, actually, leading up 136 00:05:46,625 --> 00:05:48,500 and into the launch of your church, 137 00:05:48,542 --> 00:05:50,292 the other Mars Hill churches 138 00:05:50,333 --> 00:05:53,000 were praying and we were fasting. 139 00:05:53,042 --> 00:05:55,333 And the church was praying for you. 140 00:05:55,417 --> 00:05:57,833 We love you very, very much, and we see you 141 00:05:57,917 --> 00:05:59,833 as part of a great extended family. 142 00:05:59,917 --> 00:06:02,125 And we asked the people of Mars Hill Church 143 00:06:02,167 --> 00:06:04,458 and those who are online, Mars Hill Global, 144 00:06:04,500 --> 00:06:06,458 to give generously to help launch 145 00:06:06,500 --> 00:06:07,833 this new church. 146 00:06:07,917 --> 00:06:11,333 We in fact asked people to give $2 million over and above 147 00:06:11,417 --> 00:06:14,250 our budget to relocate 4 of our other churches 148 00:06:14,333 --> 00:06:16,042 and to open this church, 149 00:06:16,125 --> 00:06:18,542 and they actually gave almost $3 million. 150 00:06:18,625 --> 00:06:24,875 Our people have proven to be very generous. 151 00:06:24,958 --> 00:06:26,375 They love you very much. 152 00:06:26,458 --> 00:06:28,167 They're very excited about what is happening 153 00:06:28,250 --> 00:06:30,167 across the entire church, 154 00:06:30,250 --> 00:06:32,667 and we are thrilled to be here with you today. 155 00:06:32,708 --> 00:06:35,875 And what we did is we prayed for those 40 days, 156 00:06:35,958 --> 00:06:38,167 and then we fasted for 5. 157 00:06:38,250 --> 00:06:41,375 You know that Jesus prayed for 40 days and then fasted for 40, 158 00:06:41,458 --> 00:06:44,583 but we knew that most of us wouldn't make a 40-day fast, 159 00:06:44,667 --> 00:06:47,000 and so we went for a 5-day fast. 160 00:06:47,042 --> 00:06:50,375 And we broke that fast with the launching of Mars Hill Phoenix, 161 00:06:50,458 --> 00:06:54,375 and so what I wanted to do is I wanted to go back to the text 162 00:06:54,458 --> 00:06:57,792 that explains the 40 days of preparation that Jesus had 163 00:06:57,833 --> 00:07:01,500 before he launched his ministry as we have just culminated with 164 00:07:01,583 --> 00:07:04,500 40 days in preparation for the launch of this ministry. 165 00:07:04,583 --> 00:07:07,708 And if you're new, we love to go through books of the Bible. 166 00:07:07,792 --> 00:07:11,500 And we find ourselves in the book of James 1:12-15, 167 00:07:11,583 --> 00:07:15,625 and we're dealing with Jesus' temptation and your temptation. 168 00:07:15,667 --> 00:07:18,958 And the big idea is this, that every time God opens 169 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,167 an opportunity, Satan brings opposition. 170 00:07:22,250 --> 00:07:26,875 So, opportunity from God is met by opposition from Satan. 171 00:07:26,958 --> 00:07:31,083 And Jesus here is beginning his public ministry just as you 172 00:07:31,167 --> 00:07:33,458 are beginning your public ministry. 173 00:07:33,500 --> 00:07:35,375 Jesus here is going public 174 00:07:35,458 --> 00:07:38,042 just as you have recently gone public. 175 00:07:38,125 --> 00:07:41,083 And he is going to prepare himself with 40 days of prayer 176 00:07:41,167 --> 00:07:42,500 as we did. 177 00:07:42,542 --> 00:07:45,667 And I want you to see what happened to him will in fact 178 00:07:45,750 --> 00:07:47,667 happen to you and happen to us. 179 00:07:47,750 --> 00:07:50,750 So, we'll jump first into Luke 4:1-13, 180 00:07:50,833 --> 00:07:52,333 and I'll read it to you. 181 00:07:52,417 --> 00:07:54,833 And it says, "And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit." 182 00:07:54,917 --> 00:07:57,583 What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? 183 00:07:57,667 --> 00:08:00,333 What does it mean to be led by the Holy Spirit? 184 00:08:00,375 --> 00:08:02,333 It means to be like Jesus, who God, 185 00:08:02,417 --> 00:08:06,333 becoming a man, was empowered by the Holy Spirit to live his life 186 00:08:06,417 --> 00:08:08,833 and do his ministry on the earth. 187 00:08:08,917 --> 00:08:10,333 And the good news is, ultimately, 188 00:08:10,417 --> 00:08:12,333 that Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit 189 00:08:12,417 --> 00:08:15,417 so that we can live by the same power that he did. 190 00:08:15,500 --> 00:08:17,917 So, it's not just the life we live for God. 191 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,875 Christianity is the life of God lived through us. 192 00:08:20,958 --> 00:08:23,583 "He returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit 193 00:08:23,667 --> 00:08:26,542 in the wilderness for forty days." 194 00:08:26,625 --> 00:08:28,792 So here is Jesus' 40 days of prayer. 195 00:08:28,833 --> 00:08:32,292 In hindsight, we're looking back at our 40 days of prayer 196 00:08:32,333 --> 00:08:36,458 and seeing what he experienced, and to anticipate that, 197 00:08:36,500 --> 00:08:38,583 that is what we might experience. 198 00:08:38,667 --> 00:08:40,542 "Being tempted by the devil." 199 00:08:40,625 --> 00:08:41,958 Being tempted by the devil. 200 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,750 You can be a godly person and opposed by the devil. 201 00:08:44,833 --> 00:08:47,000 In fact, the godliest people are the most opposed. 202 00:08:47,042 --> 00:08:49,583 God himself was opposed by the devil. 203 00:08:49,667 --> 00:08:51,583 "And he ate nothing during those days." 204 00:08:51,667 --> 00:08:53,000 Forty-day fast. 205 00:08:53,042 --> 00:08:54,375 How many of you, 206 00:08:54,458 --> 00:08:57,000 a 40-minute fast seems like a real stretch? 207 00:08:57,042 --> 00:08:59,583 A 40-hour stretch, I don't know if I'd make it. 208 00:08:59,667 --> 00:09:02,542 Forty-day fast, and he's out in the wilderness. 209 00:09:02,625 --> 00:09:04,667 He's isolated, he's alone, he's hungry, 210 00:09:04,708 --> 00:09:06,250 he's tired. 211 00:09:06,333 --> 00:09:08,542 "He ate nothing during those days. 212 00:09:08,625 --> 00:09:10,000 And when they were ended," 213 00:09:10,083 --> 00:09:13,208 one of the most obvious things in the Bible, "he was hungry. 214 00:09:13,292 --> 00:09:16,458 The devil said to him, 'If you are the Son of God.'" 215 00:09:16,500 --> 00:09:18,917 So, Satan shows up to tempt, and to test, 216 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:20,667 and to try the Lord Jesus. 217 00:09:20,708 --> 00:09:23,167 "'If you are the Son of God, command this stone 218 00:09:23,208 --> 00:09:24,542 to become bread.'" 219 00:09:24,625 --> 00:09:26,250 How many of you, at that point, 220 00:09:26,333 --> 00:09:27,708 would be glad to make bread? 221 00:09:27,792 --> 00:09:29,083 I would. 222 00:09:29,167 --> 00:09:32,083 At this point, Jesus is being tempted by Satan to meet his 223 00:09:32,167 --> 00:09:36,875 own desires rather than serving the Father's purposes. 224 00:09:36,958 --> 00:09:38,583 There's nothing wrong with eating, 225 00:09:38,667 --> 00:09:41,083 but there is something wrong eating with Satan, 226 00:09:41,167 --> 00:09:44,292 that our first parents got into a lot of trouble eating a meal 227 00:09:44,333 --> 00:09:46,792 that they weren't supposed to eat with someone they were 228 00:09:46,833 --> 00:09:49,292 not supposed to eat it with, and here Satan comes. 229 00:09:49,333 --> 00:09:51,750 Though it's a new day, it's an old trick. 230 00:09:51,833 --> 00:09:53,167 "And Jesus answered him." 231 00:09:53,208 --> 00:09:55,167 Jesus is going to quote the Bible over, 232 00:09:55,208 --> 00:09:56,542 and over, and over. 233 00:09:56,625 --> 00:09:58,042 If you don't know the Bible, 234 00:09:58,125 --> 00:10:00,042 we would encourage you to study the Bible. 235 00:10:00,125 --> 00:10:03,250 Maybe even make it a goal at the beginning of this new year 236 00:10:03,333 --> 00:10:05,750 to read the Bible all the way through for yourself. 237 00:10:05,833 --> 00:10:07,667 And Satan comes to tempt, and to test, 238 00:10:07,750 --> 00:10:10,167 and to try Jesus, and he's going to quote repeatedly 239 00:10:10,208 --> 00:10:11,542 from the book of Deuteronomy. 240 00:10:11,625 --> 00:10:13,042 Now, how many of us, honestly, 241 00:10:13,125 --> 00:10:15,542 if our fate hinged on our ability to quote Deuteronomy 242 00:10:15,625 --> 00:10:18,042 from memory in the desert after 40 days of fasting, 243 00:10:18,125 --> 00:10:19,417 it would not go well? 244 00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:21,708 Jesus knows his Bible. 245 00:10:21,792 --> 00:10:23,208 "Jesus answered him, 'It is written, 246 00:10:23,292 --> 00:10:25,208 "Man shall not live by bread alone."' 247 00:10:25,292 --> 00:10:26,708 "And the devil took him up 248 00:10:26,792 --> 00:10:28,917 "and showed him all the kingdoms of the world 249 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:30,333 "in a moment in time, 250 00:10:30,375 --> 00:10:32,500 "and said to him, 'To you I will give 251 00:10:32,583 --> 00:10:34,000 "'all this authority and glory, 252 00:10:34,083 --> 00:10:35,708 "'for it has been delivered to me, 253 00:10:35,792 --> 00:10:37,708 "'and I give it to whom I will. 254 00:10:37,792 --> 00:10:40,375 If then, you will worship me, it will all be yours.'" 255 00:10:40,458 --> 00:10:41,792 He takes him up, 256 00:10:41,833 --> 00:10:44,292 he shows him all of the pleasure that the world 257 00:10:44,333 --> 00:10:46,792 has to offer: sex, money, fame, power, all of it. 258 00:10:46,833 --> 00:10:49,792 And Satan says, "I can give you a kingdom without a cross. 259 00:10:49,833 --> 00:10:52,000 "I can give you a victory without a defeat. 260 00:10:52,042 --> 00:10:54,000 I can give you provision without any pain." 261 00:10:54,042 --> 00:10:55,708 He's looking to give Jesus a shortcut, 262 00:10:55,792 --> 00:10:57,917 and one of the ways that Satan will tempt, 263 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,667 and test, and try us as a church and you individually, 264 00:11:00,750 --> 00:11:03,875 as well as your family, is to try and give you a shortcut, 265 00:11:03,958 --> 00:11:05,375 something that God intends for you, 266 00:11:05,458 --> 00:11:07,875 but it'll be hard, and Satan wants to offer you 267 00:11:07,958 --> 00:11:10,083 that same thing if you will simply worship him. 268 00:11:10,167 --> 00:11:12,375 And here, all of eternity hangs in the balance 269 00:11:12,458 --> 00:11:15,667 as Satan is offering to Jesus 270 00:11:15,750 --> 00:11:19,292 a crown that doesn't require first a cross. 271 00:11:19,333 --> 00:11:21,292 And he just needs to worship Satan, 272 00:11:21,333 --> 00:11:22,792 and by worshiping Satan, 273 00:11:22,833 --> 00:11:24,833 it means that he will submit to Satan, 274 00:11:24,917 --> 00:11:27,333 that he will trust Satan, that he will follow Satan. 275 00:11:27,417 --> 00:11:30,292 Here, in fact, the two kingdoms are in great collision. 276 00:11:30,333 --> 00:11:32,042 "And Jesus answered him, 'It is written, 277 00:11:32,125 --> 00:11:33,792 "'"You shall worship the Lord your God, 278 00:11:33,833 --> 00:11:36,000 "and him only shall you serve."' 279 00:11:36,042 --> 00:11:37,792 "And then he took him to Jerusalem 280 00:11:37,833 --> 00:11:40,083 and set him on the pinnacle of the temple." 281 00:11:40,167 --> 00:11:42,583 He showed him all of the worldly pleasures and power, 282 00:11:42,667 --> 00:11:45,583 and now he's going to give him a religious opportunity to gain 283 00:11:45,667 --> 00:11:47,875 prestige, and prominence, and power 284 00:11:47,958 --> 00:11:50,167 without any humiliation or suffering. 285 00:11:50,250 --> 00:11:53,375 "And set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, 286 00:11:53,458 --> 00:11:56,667 "'If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 287 00:11:56,708 --> 00:11:59,167 "'for it is written, "He will command his angels 288 00:11:59,208 --> 00:12:00,625 "'"concerning you, to guard you," 289 00:12:00,667 --> 00:12:02,625 "'and "On their hands they will bear you 290 00:12:02,667 --> 00:12:04,833 up, lest you strike your foot against a stone."'" 291 00:12:04,875 --> 00:12:06,542 Again, he's quoting the Old Testament, 292 00:12:06,625 --> 00:12:07,958 but he's quoting it wrongly. 293 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:09,667 "And Jesus answered him, 'It is said, 294 00:12:09,708 --> 00:12:11,667 "'"You shall not put the Lord your God 295 00:12:11,708 --> 00:12:13,042 "'"to the test. 296 00:12:13,125 --> 00:12:15,042 "And when the devil had ended every temptation," 297 00:12:15,125 --> 00:12:16,458 and there it is. 298 00:12:16,500 --> 00:12:18,458 It's a what? It's a temptation. 299 00:12:18,500 --> 00:12:20,083 "He departed from him." 300 00:12:20,167 --> 00:12:21,750 Does it say "forever"? 301 00:12:21,833 --> 00:12:23,792 No, for an opportune time. 302 00:12:23,833 --> 00:12:25,375 That Satan will come against you, 303 00:12:25,458 --> 00:12:26,875 the demons will come against you, 304 00:12:26,958 --> 00:12:29,042 the temptation will come against you, 305 00:12:29,125 --> 00:12:32,667 and even if you hold your ground and are steadfast and resistant, 306 00:12:32,750 --> 00:12:36,042 it is not that you will live the rest of your life without 307 00:12:36,125 --> 00:12:38,875 temptation, trial, and trouble, that, in fact, Satan will seek 308 00:12:38,958 --> 00:12:41,000 another opportunity where you are vulnerable. 309 00:12:41,042 --> 00:12:43,167 And what we see here is that Jesus was 310 00:12:43,208 --> 00:12:45,292 in a vulnerable situation. 311 00:12:45,333 --> 00:12:48,958 He was alone, he was hungry, he was weary, 312 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,958 and he was at the beginning of his ministry. 313 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,583 What this means for us collectively and what I want you 314 00:12:54,667 --> 00:12:57,958 to understand personally out of this example of Jesus is 315 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,125 three temptation truths, and here they are: 316 00:13:00,167 --> 00:13:02,833 Number one, a life with Jesus is war. 317 00:13:02,917 --> 00:13:04,667 Some of you have wrongly been told, 318 00:13:04,708 --> 00:13:06,833 "Give your life to Jesus and it gets better." 319 00:13:06,917 --> 00:13:10,042 How many of you were told that, you gave your life to Jesus, 320 00:13:10,125 --> 00:13:11,708 and realized it didn't get better-- 321 00:13:11,792 --> 00:13:13,125 it got harder? 322 00:13:13,167 --> 00:13:16,458 Satan hates Jesus, and if you are with Jesus, 323 00:13:16,500 --> 00:13:17,833 he hates you. 324 00:13:17,917 --> 00:13:21,250 The war that Satan has declared on Jesus, 325 00:13:21,333 --> 00:13:24,375 if you are walking with Jesus, he sees you as, 326 00:13:24,458 --> 00:13:28,375 in every way, complicit with Jesus and an enemy of his. 327 00:13:28,458 --> 00:13:31,375 And this war, this battle, this cosmic conflict, 328 00:13:31,458 --> 00:13:35,292 it started in the heavens before you and I even existed. 329 00:13:35,333 --> 00:13:37,667 The Bible tells us that Satan was an angel, 330 00:13:37,750 --> 00:13:40,083 that he was made to be a messenger of 331 00:13:40,167 --> 00:13:42,000 and a minister to the Lord, 332 00:13:42,042 --> 00:13:44,375 that he became proud and arrogant in his heart. 333 00:13:44,458 --> 00:13:46,375 And the root of all sin is pride, 334 00:13:46,458 --> 00:13:48,583 and he wanted to live not under God's sovereignty, 335 00:13:48,667 --> 00:13:51,083 but he wanted to live out of his own autonomy. 336 00:13:51,167 --> 00:13:53,292 He wanted to live his life separate from God 337 00:13:53,333 --> 00:13:54,792 and to be his own authority, 338 00:13:54,833 --> 00:13:56,292 and he had his own opinions, 339 00:13:56,333 --> 00:13:58,292 and his own preferences, and his own direction. 340 00:13:58,333 --> 00:14:00,333 And he chose to live his life independent 341 00:14:00,417 --> 00:14:01,750 and in defiance of God. 342 00:14:01,833 --> 00:14:03,833 The Bible says that 1/3 of the angels, 343 00:14:03,917 --> 00:14:06,000 the heavenly hosts, they joined him in his rebellion, 344 00:14:06,083 --> 00:14:08,000 and there was a great conflict in heaven 345 00:14:08,083 --> 00:14:09,833 between God the Creator and Satan, 346 00:14:09,875 --> 00:14:11,458 a created angel, 347 00:14:11,500 --> 00:14:14,833 between the angels who worshiped the Lord and the fallen angels 348 00:14:14,917 --> 00:14:17,042 who rebelled against the Lord. 349 00:14:17,125 --> 00:14:19,500 They were cast down to the earth, and they brought 350 00:14:19,542 --> 00:14:22,292 their first temptation to our first parents. 351 00:14:22,333 --> 00:14:25,250 And much like the Lord Jesus, they were isolated, and they 352 00:14:25,333 --> 00:14:28,000 were given an opportunity to partake of a meal 353 00:14:28,042 --> 00:14:30,083 that they should not partake of. 354 00:14:30,167 --> 00:14:31,583 And tragically, 355 00:14:31,667 --> 00:14:33,458 our first parents sinned against the Lord, 356 00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:35,875 and they turned and they joined Satan and demons 357 00:14:35,958 --> 00:14:37,333 in their rebellion against God, 358 00:14:37,417 --> 00:14:39,833 and the result is that every single one of us 359 00:14:39,917 --> 00:14:41,583 is born with a nature of sin, 360 00:14:41,667 --> 00:14:43,542 and folly, and rebellion against God. 361 00:14:43,625 --> 00:14:46,292 This alone is one of the unique claims of Christianity 362 00:14:46,333 --> 00:14:48,833 that sets us apart from all other religions. 363 00:14:48,917 --> 00:14:52,250 Most every other religion says we are essentially 364 00:14:52,333 --> 00:14:55,333 a good person, not flawed and broken, 365 00:14:55,417 --> 00:14:56,958 and that through good works, 366 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:59,667 and religion, and effort, we can improve ourselves. 367 00:14:59,708 --> 00:15:02,167 The Bible says that our condition is such that we 368 00:15:02,208 --> 00:15:05,333 cannot fix ourselves, we cannot serve ourselves, 369 00:15:05,417 --> 00:15:06,833 we cannot save ourselves. 370 00:15:06,917 --> 00:15:09,833 We need someone to come on a rescue mission to save us 371 00:15:09,875 --> 00:15:11,833 from who we are and what we've done. 372 00:15:11,917 --> 00:15:15,042 And one of the great things that the enemy does is he proclaims 373 00:15:15,125 --> 00:15:18,333 a myth of religion, and the myth of religion 374 00:15:18,417 --> 00:15:20,583 is that there is a way to grow 375 00:15:20,667 --> 00:15:23,083 without coming to the Lord Jesus. 376 00:15:23,167 --> 00:15:25,833 Well, the Lord Jesus comes, and as we saw here, 377 00:15:25,917 --> 00:15:27,667 he too is tempted, and tested, 378 00:15:27,750 --> 00:15:29,667 and tried as our first parents were. 379 00:15:29,750 --> 00:15:32,333 But unlike them, he does not give in to the temptation. 380 00:15:32,417 --> 00:15:35,292 He remains victorious and he, in every way, 381 00:15:35,333 --> 00:15:37,083 avoids sin. 382 00:15:37,167 --> 00:15:41,667 Jesus is worthy of following, he is worthy of imitating, 383 00:15:41,750 --> 00:15:44,750 he is worthy of emulating, 384 00:15:44,833 --> 00:15:47,583 and my first point is that this war against Jesus 385 00:15:47,667 --> 00:15:51,000 includes anyone who is walking alongside of Jesus. 386 00:15:51,042 --> 00:15:54,000 The second point is that temptation is not sin. 387 00:15:54,042 --> 00:15:55,958 OK, the Bible says two things, 388 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,958 that Jesus never sinned, but that Jesus was tempted. 389 00:16:00,083 --> 00:16:02,208 Some of you have been lied to, 390 00:16:02,292 --> 00:16:03,833 and when you're tempted by Satan, 391 00:16:03,917 --> 00:16:06,250 demons, the world, the flesh internally, 392 00:16:06,333 --> 00:16:09,250 you will assume that you've already lost. 393 00:16:09,333 --> 00:16:11,667 How many of you, in a moment, have felt, 394 00:16:11,708 --> 00:16:15,042 "I am so tempted right now, I might as well follow this 395 00:16:15,125 --> 00:16:17,458 through because I've already given in to it"? 396 00:16:17,500 --> 00:16:20,792 Let me tell you, that's a lie. 397 00:16:20,833 --> 00:16:24,042 Just because you're tempted doesn't mean you're ungodly. 398 00:16:24,125 --> 00:16:26,833 God was tempted in this instance. 399 00:16:26,917 --> 00:16:30,750 Just because you are struggling does not mean that you 400 00:16:30,833 --> 00:16:33,083 are necessarily spiritually weak. 401 00:16:33,167 --> 00:16:36,833 We see here that Jesus has a struggle on his hands. 402 00:16:36,917 --> 00:16:39,333 Some of you, the enemy has lied to you 403 00:16:39,417 --> 00:16:41,667 and said sin and temptation are the same 404 00:16:41,750 --> 00:16:43,167 so that if you're being tempted, 405 00:16:43,250 --> 00:16:45,042 you feel defeated. 406 00:16:45,125 --> 00:16:46,583 Here's good news: 407 00:16:46,667 --> 00:16:49,542 Being tempted is not equal to being defeated. 408 00:16:49,625 --> 00:16:51,875 Being tempted is an opportunity for victory; 409 00:16:51,958 --> 00:16:54,292 it is not an indication of defeat. 410 00:16:54,333 --> 00:16:58,083 You might not be someone who has yet given in 411 00:16:58,167 --> 00:16:59,667 to a particular temptation, 412 00:16:59,750 --> 00:17:01,417 and you're in the same position 413 00:17:01,500 --> 00:17:02,833 that the Lord Jesus was. 414 00:17:02,917 --> 00:17:05,000 Temptation and sin are different. 415 00:17:05,083 --> 00:17:06,708 Temptation is an opportunity to sin, 416 00:17:06,792 --> 00:17:10,125 but temptation is not, in and of itself, sin. 417 00:17:10,167 --> 00:17:12,333 And thirdly, you're going to get hit, 418 00:17:12,417 --> 00:17:14,333 and what this is is, when you're hungry, 419 00:17:14,417 --> 00:17:17,333 and isolated, and tired, and we see this with the Lord Jesus. 420 00:17:17,417 --> 00:17:19,000 He is literally hungry. 421 00:17:19,083 --> 00:17:22,500 There will be times when your physical energy levels are low. 422 00:17:22,542 --> 00:17:24,458 You've been working too much, you're stressed, 423 00:17:24,500 --> 00:17:26,292 it's finals week, you're on the road, 424 00:17:26,333 --> 00:17:29,375 you've been sick, you've got an illness. 425 00:17:29,458 --> 00:17:33,167 Your body life energy is depleted. 426 00:17:33,208 --> 00:17:34,542 You're hungry. 427 00:17:34,625 --> 00:17:36,042 You'll get hit when you're isolated. 428 00:17:36,125 --> 00:17:38,250 This is the kid who's away from their parents 429 00:17:38,333 --> 00:17:40,000 having an overnight at a friend's house, 430 00:17:40,042 --> 00:17:41,667 or they're traveling with a sports team, 431 00:17:41,750 --> 00:17:43,667 or they're off at school and the parents 432 00:17:43,750 --> 00:17:45,333 are not available to oversee them. 433 00:17:45,417 --> 00:17:47,167 This is the college student who leaves 434 00:17:47,250 --> 00:17:49,000 their mother and father's house 435 00:17:49,042 --> 00:17:50,375 and moves to a university, 436 00:17:50,458 --> 00:17:52,583 and all of a sudden, they've got new freedom. 437 00:17:52,667 --> 00:17:55,583 This is a young professional who goes and gets their first condo, 438 00:17:55,667 --> 00:17:57,083 and moves to a new city, 439 00:17:57,167 --> 00:17:59,083 and is away from their mom and dad, 440 00:17:59,167 --> 00:18:00,833 and they get to reinvent their identity, 441 00:18:00,917 --> 00:18:02,250 and they enjoy some anonymity. 442 00:18:02,333 --> 00:18:04,458 This is a married person who's a business leader 443 00:18:04,500 --> 00:18:06,667 and hits the road, and is in the bar, 444 00:18:06,708 --> 00:18:08,833 and then in their hotel room all alone, 445 00:18:08,917 --> 00:18:10,833 meeting people, and watching whatever they like. 446 00:18:10,917 --> 00:18:14,917 Isolation is an opportunity for temptation. 447 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,542 And you'll be hit particularly when you are hungry, 448 00:18:17,625 --> 00:18:19,875 when you're isolated, and when you're tired. 449 00:18:19,958 --> 00:18:21,875 Jesus here is physically exhausted. 450 00:18:21,958 --> 00:18:24,167 He is absolutely worn down. 451 00:18:24,208 --> 00:18:27,292 I did, along with the rest of Mars Hill Church, 452 00:18:27,333 --> 00:18:29,167 the 5 days of fasting. 453 00:18:29,208 --> 00:18:32,000 And what you will find is that as fasting continues, 454 00:18:32,042 --> 00:18:34,167 your energy levels will ebb and flow, 455 00:18:34,250 --> 00:18:38,083 but by 40 days, I assure you that you would be tired, 456 00:18:38,167 --> 00:18:41,542 that your body is just struggling to sustain itself 457 00:18:41,625 --> 00:18:44,292 with enough nourishment to preserve your life. 458 00:18:44,333 --> 00:18:46,583 There'll be times in your life when you're tired, 459 00:18:46,667 --> 00:18:49,583 and let me say this, that Satan will hit you sometimes after 460 00:18:49,667 --> 00:18:53,292 a great victory because what goes up must come down. 461 00:18:53,333 --> 00:18:55,792 It's oftentimes after God has done something wonderful 462 00:18:55,833 --> 00:18:58,583 in your life, that then your energy levels are depleted, 463 00:18:58,667 --> 00:19:00,833 you're exhausted, you're tired, you're worn down, 464 00:19:00,917 --> 00:19:02,333 you're worn out. 465 00:19:02,417 --> 00:19:04,833 These are the times I find in my own life. 466 00:19:04,917 --> 00:19:07,042 Your adrenal glands are firing, and then they're dumping, 467 00:19:07,125 --> 00:19:09,417 and then you're grumpy, and you're tired, 468 00:19:09,500 --> 00:19:11,250 and you're depleted, and you're frustrated, 469 00:19:11,333 --> 00:19:14,833 and you're short-term and short-sighted in your thinking, 470 00:19:14,875 --> 00:19:17,333 and this is when you're open and vulnerable to temptation. 471 00:19:17,375 --> 00:19:18,708 Do I make sense? 472 00:19:18,792 --> 00:19:20,667 You're going to get hit when you're hungry, 473 00:19:20,750 --> 00:19:22,833 all right, you're physically just not doing well; 474 00:19:22,917 --> 00:19:25,833 isolated, you're alone; and when you're tired, 475 00:19:25,917 --> 00:19:27,875 your life energy is just running out, 476 00:19:27,958 --> 00:19:31,250 and you've sort of poured yourself out into something. 477 00:19:31,333 --> 00:19:33,458 Satan is going to hit you in these times, 478 00:19:33,500 --> 00:19:35,792 so going into them, you need to know that 479 00:19:35,833 --> 00:19:38,500 "I am at this moment more vulnerable." 480 00:19:38,542 --> 00:19:41,333 Now, this transitions us to the book of James, 481 00:19:41,417 --> 00:19:43,167 and here's the correlation: 482 00:19:43,250 --> 00:19:49,167 Jesus was tempted, and the one who saw him tempted the most 483 00:19:49,208 --> 00:19:51,167 was a guy named James. 484 00:19:51,208 --> 00:19:53,375 James was Jesus' brother. 485 00:19:53,458 --> 00:19:56,667 James not only declares that Jesus is without sin, 486 00:19:56,750 --> 00:19:59,292 but James was there to see the entire life 487 00:19:59,333 --> 00:20:00,833 and ministry of Jesus. 488 00:20:00,917 --> 00:20:03,833 And so the story of the Bible is that Mary and Joseph, 489 00:20:03,917 --> 00:20:06,875 they conceived Jesus by a miracle of the Holy Spirit, 490 00:20:06,958 --> 00:20:09,042 and then they went on to have other children-- 491 00:20:09,125 --> 00:20:10,833 brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus-- 492 00:20:10,917 --> 00:20:14,250 and they had them in the natural way as you and I were born. 493 00:20:14,333 --> 00:20:16,667 And so James was Jesus' half brother. 494 00:20:16,750 --> 00:20:18,792 It was Jesus' little brother. 495 00:20:18,833 --> 00:20:22,500 And so James was there before everyone else was there. 496 00:20:22,583 --> 00:20:26,083 All we get in the Bible is snapshots when Jesus was a baby, 497 00:20:26,167 --> 00:20:29,833 a few portraits of when he was a young boy, 498 00:20:29,875 --> 00:20:31,833 and then we don't see anything else 499 00:20:31,875 --> 00:20:33,792 until he's around the age of 30. 500 00:20:33,833 --> 00:20:37,500 And here, in Luke 4, he's about 30 years of age-- 501 00:20:37,583 --> 00:20:38,917 the Lord Jesus is. 502 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:42,000 Well, in all of those years, who was there? 503 00:20:42,042 --> 00:20:43,708 James was. 504 00:20:43,792 --> 00:20:45,875 He grew up watching Jesus as a little boy, 505 00:20:45,958 --> 00:20:48,333 facing the temptations that children face. 506 00:20:48,375 --> 00:20:50,875 James was there during the adolescent years, 507 00:20:50,958 --> 00:20:54,417 and no one else was there except for Jesus' family. 508 00:20:54,500 --> 00:20:56,417 He wasn't yet public with his ministry. 509 00:20:56,500 --> 00:20:59,333 He saw the kind of temptations that junior high kids 510 00:20:59,375 --> 00:21:01,583 and high school students face. 511 00:21:01,667 --> 00:21:04,375 As he saw Jesus entering into manhood, 512 00:21:04,458 --> 00:21:06,792 he saw the temptations that come against those 513 00:21:06,833 --> 00:21:09,500 who are entering into their adult years. 514 00:21:09,542 --> 00:21:12,167 He saw Jesus through his 20s as a single man 515 00:21:12,208 --> 00:21:14,375 without a girlfriend, 516 00:21:14,458 --> 00:21:17,250 relationships that were appropriate with women, 517 00:21:17,333 --> 00:21:22,167 the kinds of temptations that come to us all: alcohol, 518 00:21:22,208 --> 00:21:27,000 sex, financial misappropriation, whatever the case may be. 519 00:21:27,042 --> 00:21:31,167 Jesus would have been tempted as you and I have been tempted. 520 00:21:31,208 --> 00:21:32,542 Here's what's amazing about God, 521 00:21:32,625 --> 00:21:34,583 that he doesn't just stay far away 522 00:21:34,667 --> 00:21:36,792 but that he comes near, that he can't relate, 523 00:21:36,833 --> 00:21:38,167 that he absolutely can relate. 524 00:21:38,250 --> 00:21:40,375 He can relate to us when we are children, 525 00:21:40,458 --> 00:21:42,083 when we are in our teen years, 526 00:21:42,167 --> 00:21:43,583 when we are entering into adulthood, 527 00:21:43,667 --> 00:21:45,000 when we are adults. 528 00:21:45,042 --> 00:21:47,750 He understands all of the life stages that we've been through 529 00:21:47,833 --> 00:21:49,750 because the Lord Jesus himself has been through 530 00:21:49,833 --> 00:21:51,167 those life stages. 531 00:21:51,208 --> 00:21:54,333 And so I want you to know that every time we go to 532 00:21:54,417 --> 00:21:56,333 the book of James and we study James, 533 00:21:56,417 --> 00:21:58,542 we have to begin with the assumption that much, 534 00:21:58,625 --> 00:22:00,833 if not all of what James' learned came from 535 00:22:00,875 --> 00:22:02,833 his big brother, Jesus, from their conversations together, 536 00:22:02,875 --> 00:22:04,542 their meals together, their holidays together, 537 00:22:04,625 --> 00:22:05,958 their growing up together. 538 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,458 You get the idea that they're out fishing as kids 539 00:22:08,500 --> 00:22:10,167 on the weekend, and throwing the ball, 540 00:22:10,208 --> 00:22:13,833 and maybe sharing a bunk bed at Mary and Joseph's house. 541 00:22:13,917 --> 00:22:17,042 And so much of what James is teaching us are things that he 542 00:22:17,125 --> 00:22:19,583 has heard from his big brother Jesus and he's seen 543 00:22:19,667 --> 00:22:21,583 in his big brother Jesus. 544 00:22:21,667 --> 00:22:23,083 And let me submit to you, 545 00:22:23,167 --> 00:22:25,292 for those of you who are not yet Christian, 546 00:22:25,333 --> 00:22:27,458 you've not crossed that line of faith into belief, 547 00:22:27,500 --> 00:22:31,250 if Jesus was a sinner, the person who would know it 548 00:22:31,333 --> 00:22:34,083 most easily would be his little brother, amen? 549 00:22:34,167 --> 00:22:38,083 How many of you know the sins of your brother or your sister? 550 00:22:38,167 --> 00:22:39,875 You would never stand up and say, 551 00:22:39,958 --> 00:22:41,292 "They are without sin. 552 00:22:41,333 --> 00:22:43,000 "I have been there my whole life. 553 00:22:43,042 --> 00:22:44,750 "They have never said or done evil, 554 00:22:44,833 --> 00:22:46,167 even to me." 555 00:22:46,208 --> 00:22:47,542 I have two brothers. 556 00:22:47,625 --> 00:22:50,792 They would say not that, OK? 557 00:22:50,833 --> 00:22:55,042 The fact that Jesus' devoted Jewish brother, 558 00:22:55,125 --> 00:22:57,667 who knows that a declaration that anyone other than 559 00:22:57,750 --> 00:22:59,167 the real God is God 560 00:22:59,208 --> 00:23:01,208 is blasphemy that sends you to hell, 561 00:23:01,292 --> 00:23:04,167 for him to stand up and say, "My brother is without sin. 562 00:23:04,208 --> 00:23:05,917 "My brother is God, 563 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:09,958 and I was an eyewitness to his sinless life," 564 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:13,417 it's strong evidence that everything that James' claims 565 00:23:13,500 --> 00:23:16,750 is true and that Jesus Christ is, in fact, sinless and Savior. 566 00:23:16,833 --> 00:23:20,083 And so what James is going to do is, he's going to talk 567 00:23:20,167 --> 00:23:23,500 to us--he's going to talk to you about temptation, 568 00:23:23,542 --> 00:23:26,458 and as he does, I'm assuming in the back of his mind 569 00:23:26,500 --> 00:23:29,167 is his brother and the kind of temptation 570 00:23:29,250 --> 00:23:31,250 that his brother went through. 571 00:23:31,333 --> 00:23:33,042 And he would be asking questions like, 572 00:23:33,125 --> 00:23:35,792 "What did my brother teach me about temptation? 573 00:23:35,833 --> 00:23:38,250 "What did my brother teach me about temptation 574 00:23:38,333 --> 00:23:41,000 through his own life example?" 575 00:23:41,042 --> 00:23:45,000 And he's going to give us some great analogies: 576 00:23:45,042 --> 00:23:49,042 athletes, and fishermen, and moms. 577 00:23:49,125 --> 00:23:51,750 So, three timeless examples for everybody. 578 00:23:51,833 --> 00:23:53,375 So, regarding temptation, 579 00:23:53,458 --> 00:23:55,500 the first thing that James gives us 580 00:23:55,542 --> 00:23:58,167 is lessons from victorious athletes. 581 00:23:58,250 --> 00:24:01,042 Any of you athletes? Any of you athletes? 582 00:24:01,125 --> 00:24:03,333 Any of you former athletes like me? 583 00:24:03,417 --> 00:24:07,708 OK, any of you sports fans, just sports fans, OK? 584 00:24:07,792 --> 00:24:09,333 That's a lot easier isn't it? 585 00:24:09,417 --> 00:24:10,833 OK, that's a lot easier. 586 00:24:10,917 --> 00:24:13,042 Here's what he says: 587 00:24:13,125 --> 00:24:14,708 James 1:12, "Blessed is the man"-- 588 00:24:14,792 --> 00:24:19,042 or the woman—"who remains steadfast under trial, 589 00:24:19,125 --> 00:24:20,792 "for when he has stood the test 590 00:24:20,833 --> 00:24:22,792 "he will receive the crown of life, 591 00:24:22,833 --> 00:24:25,167 which God has promised to those who love him." 592 00:24:25,250 --> 00:24:27,875 So, he's saying, "OK, let's think of the world of athletics. 593 00:24:27,958 --> 00:24:29,750 Let's think of sport and competition." 594 00:24:29,833 --> 00:24:31,750 And let me give you a little test. 595 00:24:31,833 --> 00:24:33,792 If you're the best hockey team on earth, 596 00:24:33,833 --> 00:24:35,542 what do you get as a prize? 597 00:24:35,625 --> 00:24:37,667 The Stanley Cup, OK? 598 00:24:37,750 --> 00:24:40,667 If you're the best college football player, 599 00:24:40,750 --> 00:24:42,500 what do you get as a prize? 600 00:24:42,542 --> 00:24:43,875 The Heisman Trophy. 601 00:24:43,958 --> 00:24:45,292 We all know that. 602 00:24:45,333 --> 00:24:49,042 If you are the best baseball team on the earth, 603 00:24:49,125 --> 00:24:52,583 you get a World Series ring, OK? 604 00:24:52,667 --> 00:24:55,000 In Seattle we have no idea what that is, 605 00:24:55,042 --> 00:24:58,833 but we've read about it on the Internet. 606 00:24:58,917 --> 00:25:03,750 Let's say you're competing in the Olympics and you win. 607 00:25:03,833 --> 00:25:07,042 You win a medal, a gold medal. 608 00:25:07,125 --> 00:25:10,917 Let's say you are the best NFL team. 609 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,667 (Lord Jesus, please, OK?) 610 00:25:13,708 --> 00:25:16,458 Let's say you are the best NFL team on the earth. 611 00:25:16,500 --> 00:25:17,958 You win the... 612 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,042 You win the Superbowl, and what do you get as a prize? 613 00:25:21,125 --> 00:25:23,083 The Lombardi Trophy. 614 00:25:23,167 --> 00:25:25,750 (Lord, please, anything in Seattle. 615 00:25:25,833 --> 00:25:27,750 Please, Lord.) 616 00:25:27,833 --> 00:25:29,958 How about you? How many of you growing up, 617 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,167 when you played sports, they gave you a certificate, 618 00:25:32,208 --> 00:25:33,875 or a medal, or a trophy? 619 00:25:33,958 --> 00:25:35,667 Did you ever get one of those? 620 00:25:35,708 --> 00:25:37,667 OK, how many of you were just participants? 621 00:25:37,708 --> 00:25:41,792 But at least you got a certificate, right? 622 00:25:41,833 --> 00:25:46,792 When I was a kid, I played soccer--not very well, 623 00:25:46,833 --> 00:25:48,167 so I stopped playing. 624 00:25:48,250 --> 00:25:49,750 I played basketball for a while. 625 00:25:49,833 --> 00:25:52,083 I have a 2-inch vertical, and I can't shoot. 626 00:25:52,167 --> 00:25:55,250 Like, this is as far as I can jump and I can't shoot, 627 00:25:55,333 --> 00:25:58,875 but if you need a pick set, call me because I can set a pick. 628 00:25:58,958 --> 00:26:01,458 Other than that, I had nothing to contribute to basketball. 629 00:26:01,500 --> 00:26:02,958 Played a little bit of football. 630 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,458 The only thing I was really good at was baseball, 631 00:26:05,500 --> 00:26:07,458 so I played baseball a lot growing up, 632 00:26:07,500 --> 00:26:09,167 and our teams would oftentimes get trophies. 633 00:26:09,208 --> 00:26:11,167 How many of you kids were like me? 634 00:26:11,208 --> 00:26:13,667 If you got a trophy and you brought it home, 635 00:26:13,708 --> 00:26:15,042 where did you put it? 636 00:26:15,125 --> 00:26:17,542 Right out on the mantel so everybody could see you 637 00:26:17,625 --> 00:26:18,958 in all your glory. 638 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:22,167 It's like a little shrine to you, is what you're trying to do 639 00:26:22,208 --> 00:26:23,542 as a kid. 640 00:26:23,625 --> 00:26:24,958 People come in, "What's that?" 641 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:26,333 "That's my trophy. I'm victorious." 642 00:26:26,417 --> 00:26:27,833 And then eventually, after a while, 643 00:26:27,875 --> 00:26:30,000 your mom makes you put it in your room, 644 00:26:30,083 --> 00:26:31,333 but you still display it, 645 00:26:31,417 --> 00:26:33,333 and every night before you go to bed, 646 00:26:33,417 --> 00:26:35,542 you have a little moment where you worship yourself 647 00:26:35,625 --> 00:26:36,958 and look at your trophy. 648 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:38,458 At least that's what I did. 649 00:26:38,500 --> 00:26:40,667 OK, I'll let you in on a little story. 650 00:26:40,708 --> 00:26:43,667 I still have all my trophies. I found them in the garage. 651 00:26:43,708 --> 00:26:45,042 They're actually in a crate. 652 00:26:45,125 --> 00:26:47,792 I have all of my trophies, that's how sick I am. 653 00:26:47,833 --> 00:26:50,000 So--but it's amazing because when you have a victory, 654 00:26:50,042 --> 00:26:51,958 there's something to mark that in your life. 655 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,667 There's something that you're given or you do that sort of 656 00:26:54,708 --> 00:26:56,375 commemorates and celebrates that was a victory. 657 00:26:56,458 --> 00:26:58,583 What he's saying is this: when temptation comes, 658 00:26:58,667 --> 00:27:01,417 it's like a sporting event, it's like a game, 659 00:27:01,500 --> 00:27:03,625 it's like a match, it's an opportunity. 660 00:27:03,667 --> 00:27:06,833 It's where you take the field, and maybe it's Satan, 661 00:27:06,917 --> 00:27:08,667 or demons, or whoever's involved, 662 00:27:08,708 --> 00:27:11,000 they take the field, and it's a temptation, 663 00:27:11,083 --> 00:27:13,333 it's a collision, it's a conflict. 664 00:27:13,375 --> 00:27:15,333 Right, just because you're being tempted doesn't mean 665 00:27:15,375 --> 00:27:16,708 that you've lost. 666 00:27:16,792 --> 00:27:19,875 That just means that the ball's on the tee and it's kickoff. 667 00:27:19,958 --> 00:27:22,875 Now, you've got to decide, "What am I going to do now? 668 00:27:22,958 --> 00:27:24,667 What am I going to do now?" 669 00:27:24,708 --> 00:27:27,583 And what he says is, "Blessed is the one who remains steadfast 670 00:27:27,667 --> 00:27:31,042 through trial," that this is a trial, 671 00:27:31,125 --> 00:27:33,542 that this is a temptation, that this is an opportunity. 672 00:27:33,625 --> 00:27:37,000 And he says, "Blessed is the one who doesn't quit." 673 00:27:37,042 --> 00:27:38,667 That's what he's saying. 674 00:27:38,750 --> 00:27:42,667 They never give a prize to the person who quits. 675 00:27:42,750 --> 00:27:46,292 All right, let's say you're in an MMA match and you tap out. 676 00:27:46,333 --> 00:27:48,667 Afterward, they don't hand you a prize. 677 00:27:48,750 --> 00:27:51,000 Right, if a team's losing the Superbowl at halftime 678 00:27:51,042 --> 00:27:52,583 and they decide, "You know what? 679 00:27:52,667 --> 00:27:55,083 "We're not going to come out of the locker room. 680 00:27:55,167 --> 00:27:57,583 We're done," they don't get a prize. 681 00:27:57,667 --> 00:27:59,167 They just--they don't get a prize. 682 00:27:59,250 --> 00:28:04,417 If you don't persevere, if you're not steadfast, 683 00:28:04,500 --> 00:28:07,750 if you don't plant your feet and hang in there, 684 00:28:07,833 --> 00:28:10,250 there's no prize, there's no reward, 685 00:28:10,333 --> 00:28:11,958 there's no award. 686 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,750 And that's exactly what he's saying here when he uses this 687 00:28:14,833 --> 00:28:18,458 language of "crown of life." 688 00:28:18,500 --> 00:28:21,042 All right, that was their version of the Stanley Cup, 689 00:28:21,125 --> 00:28:23,000 the Heisman Trophy, the World Series ring, 690 00:28:23,042 --> 00:28:25,667 the Olympic Medal, the Vince Lombardi Trophy. 691 00:28:25,750 --> 00:28:27,958 That's their version of it. 692 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:30,000 If you were an athlete who competed, 693 00:28:30,042 --> 00:28:32,583 that's what you got if you hung in there, 694 00:28:32,667 --> 00:28:35,333 if you persevered, if you endured, 695 00:28:35,417 --> 00:28:37,500 and as a result emerged victorious. 696 00:28:37,542 --> 00:28:39,875 So, here's what he's saying: 697 00:28:39,958 --> 00:28:43,333 When temptation comes, you can win. 698 00:28:43,417 --> 00:28:45,833 You can defeat your temptation. 699 00:28:45,917 --> 00:28:47,833 You can remain steadfast. 700 00:28:47,917 --> 00:28:50,292 And all of this is by the grace of God 701 00:28:50,333 --> 00:28:52,042 through the power of the Holy Spirit. 702 00:28:52,125 --> 00:28:54,292 Again, back to Jesus' temptation in Luke 4, 703 00:28:54,333 --> 00:28:56,167 it says, "Full of the Holy Spirit 704 00:28:56,250 --> 00:28:57,667 and led by the Holy Spirit," 705 00:28:57,750 --> 00:29:00,250 at the beginning, and then it says he was tempted 706 00:29:00,333 --> 00:29:01,667 and he emerged victorious. 707 00:29:01,708 --> 00:29:03,042 How did he emerge victorious? 708 00:29:03,125 --> 00:29:06,667 By living under the power of the Holy Spirit. 709 00:29:06,708 --> 00:29:10,333 You and I do not have the power innate within us to say 710 00:29:10,417 --> 00:29:12,542 no to temptation and to overcome it in victory. 711 00:29:12,625 --> 00:29:14,333 But the power of the Holy Spirit, 712 00:29:14,417 --> 00:29:16,833 the power of God that empowered the life of Jesus, 713 00:29:16,917 --> 00:29:21,000 lives in the Christian so that we have access to the same power 714 00:29:21,042 --> 00:29:24,375 that Jesus did, so that we can say no to the same kinds of 715 00:29:24,458 --> 00:29:27,875 temptations, and trials, and tests that Jesus did. 716 00:29:27,958 --> 00:29:29,833 So Christian, I have good news for you. 717 00:29:29,917 --> 00:29:31,542 Some of you have been defeated over, 718 00:29:31,625 --> 00:29:34,042 and over, and over, and you've come to the conclusion, 719 00:29:34,125 --> 00:29:35,792 "Man, the ball gets kicked to me, 720 00:29:35,833 --> 00:29:38,292 "and I get hit, and I walk off the field, 721 00:29:38,333 --> 00:29:39,667 and I lose." 722 00:29:39,750 --> 00:29:42,667 No, by the grace of God, you can stay on the field, 723 00:29:42,750 --> 00:29:44,667 and you can fight, and you can persevere. 724 00:29:44,750 --> 00:29:47,000 You can be steadfast, and you can emerge victorious. 725 00:29:47,042 --> 00:29:50,500 One other thing I want to say on this point is, some of you 726 00:29:50,542 --> 00:29:53,375 will be discouraged because a new temptation, 727 00:29:53,458 --> 00:29:56,000 test, or trial comes into your life. 728 00:29:56,042 --> 00:29:58,792 And you'll think, "Why this? 729 00:29:58,833 --> 00:30:01,167 Why now?" 730 00:30:01,250 --> 00:30:04,542 Briefly, I'll say this from 1 Corinthians 10:13: 731 00:30:04,625 --> 00:30:09,542 Paul says, "No temptation has seized us or come upon us except 732 00:30:09,625 --> 00:30:12,500 that which is common and everybody goes through it." 733 00:30:12,542 --> 00:30:16,542 But when tempted, God always provides a way of escape. 734 00:30:16,625 --> 00:30:20,625 There's always a way to victory because he will not allow us 735 00:30:20,667 --> 00:30:23,333 to be tempted beyond what we can bear. 736 00:30:23,375 --> 00:30:25,792 Some of you are in very difficult seasons. 737 00:30:25,833 --> 00:30:29,000 Some of you are under the most pressure you've ever been under. 738 00:30:29,083 --> 00:30:31,333 Some of you are facing opposition that you 739 00:30:31,375 --> 00:30:32,833 have never faced before. 740 00:30:32,875 --> 00:30:34,625 Some of you have obstacles, and troubles, 741 00:30:34,667 --> 00:30:36,333 and trials, and tests in your life, 742 00:30:36,375 --> 00:30:39,500 you ask yourself, "How am I going to go to war here? 743 00:30:39,542 --> 00:30:43,875 "I've been through a few seasons, but this is a new foe. 744 00:30:43,958 --> 00:30:45,917 "I don't know how to beat this one. 745 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,917 I don't know how to emerge victorious from this." 746 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,417 And sometimes we can look up at God and say, 747 00:30:51,500 --> 00:30:53,875 "God, why would you allow this to happen to me? 748 00:30:53,958 --> 00:30:56,333 Why would you allow this to happen to me now?" 749 00:30:56,375 --> 00:30:57,708 Here's the good news: 750 00:30:57,792 --> 00:30:59,708 God does not allow any temptation to come 751 00:30:59,792 --> 00:31:01,167 that you can't handle. 752 00:31:01,250 --> 00:31:04,375 God never allows a team to take the field that you can't beat. 753 00:31:04,458 --> 00:31:07,583 God never allows a team to take the field that you cannot beat. 754 00:31:07,667 --> 00:31:09,333 What that means is, practically, the reason 755 00:31:09,417 --> 00:31:10,833 that you are in the circumstance 756 00:31:10,917 --> 00:31:13,292 you're in now might be that you're finally mature enough 757 00:31:13,333 --> 00:31:14,750 and strong enough to handle that. 758 00:31:14,833 --> 00:31:17,167 I don't want you to see it as a discouragement 759 00:31:17,250 --> 00:31:18,750 but an encouragement. 760 00:31:18,833 --> 00:31:21,667 You might be saying, "I have never faced anything like this." 761 00:31:21,708 --> 00:31:23,667 You know why? 762 00:31:23,750 --> 00:31:26,042 You've never been this ready. 763 00:31:26,125 --> 00:31:28,292 You've never been this ready. 764 00:31:28,333 --> 00:31:32,083 I don't want to say anything that could even be a hint that 765 00:31:32,167 --> 00:31:34,458 the Lord Jesus was anything other than perfect, 766 00:31:34,500 --> 00:31:37,458 but I think that a trial like this might have been difficult 767 00:31:37,500 --> 00:31:39,542 when he was 6 years old. 768 00:31:39,625 --> 00:31:41,542 It was certainly difficult when he was 30. 769 00:31:41,625 --> 00:31:44,167 The Bible says in Luke 2 that he grew in wisdom, 770 00:31:44,250 --> 00:31:46,250 stature, and favor with men and God, 771 00:31:46,333 --> 00:31:48,250 that Jesus humbled himself, became a man. 772 00:31:48,333 --> 00:31:50,458 He is God, but he humbled himself, 773 00:31:50,500 --> 00:31:54,292 became a man, and as he grew, he grew to be able to handle 774 00:31:54,333 --> 00:31:56,458 more temptation and trial. 775 00:31:56,500 --> 00:31:59,458 Hebrews says that he was perfected through his suffering, 776 00:31:59,500 --> 00:32:02,333 through his conflict, through his troubles. 777 00:32:02,375 --> 00:32:04,625 Here's my point for you: 778 00:32:04,667 --> 00:32:07,625 the reason you may be facing something hard today is 779 00:32:07,667 --> 00:32:10,250 because you're finally ready for it. 780 00:32:10,333 --> 00:32:13,000 And I want you to take that as a great opportunity. 781 00:32:13,083 --> 00:32:15,250 Think of it in the sports analogy. 782 00:32:15,333 --> 00:32:17,708 You play at this level when you're a kid, 783 00:32:17,792 --> 00:32:20,833 and if--and then you move on to this level as you get older, 784 00:32:20,917 --> 00:32:23,583 and eventually, if you're able to become 785 00:32:23,667 --> 00:32:25,000 a professional athlete, 786 00:32:25,042 --> 00:32:27,667 now the competition is stronger than ever, 787 00:32:27,750 --> 00:32:29,167 but it's all of that preparation, 788 00:32:29,250 --> 00:32:31,792 and all of those seasons, and all of that time 789 00:32:31,833 --> 00:32:34,500 that was invested to get you ready to take the field 790 00:32:34,542 --> 00:32:37,000 for something that you wouldn't have been able to handle 791 00:32:37,042 --> 00:32:40,500 in your first or second season. 792 00:32:40,542 --> 00:32:42,875 So, the first thing is, we learn from athletes 793 00:32:42,958 --> 00:32:45,583 that we have to persevere, we have to endure, 794 00:32:45,667 --> 00:32:47,583 we have to remain on the field. 795 00:32:47,667 --> 00:32:50,792 We need to trust that there's no foe that has come against us 796 00:32:50,833 --> 00:32:54,583 that it is beyond our ability to overcome by the powerful grace 797 00:32:54,667 --> 00:32:56,292 of the Holy Spirit. 798 00:32:56,333 --> 00:32:58,292 His second analogy's kind of a funny one. 799 00:32:58,333 --> 00:33:00,042 It's lessons from dumb fish. 800 00:33:00,125 --> 00:33:02,667 How many of you fish? How many of you fish? 801 00:33:02,708 --> 00:33:04,750 OK, I'll give you a true--I don't fish. 802 00:33:04,833 --> 00:33:06,167 Here's what fishermen tell me. 803 00:33:06,208 --> 00:33:08,333 They say you get up early in the morning. 804 00:33:08,417 --> 00:33:09,750 OK, I'm out. 805 00:33:09,833 --> 00:33:13,167 Get up early in the morning, go sit on a cold body of water. 806 00:33:13,208 --> 00:33:14,542 I'm out again. 807 00:33:14,625 --> 00:33:17,542 And wait a long time, and maybe your reward is a fish. 808 00:33:17,625 --> 00:33:20,542 And I don't really like fish, so that's--and they have them at 809 00:33:20,625 --> 00:33:23,750 the store, and you can sleep in and go there and get one. 810 00:33:23,833 --> 00:33:25,958 But anyways, for those of you that are fisherman, 811 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:27,333 here's an analogy for you: 812 00:33:27,417 --> 00:33:29,833 James 1:13-14, "Let no one say when he is tempted, 813 00:33:29,917 --> 00:33:31,333 "'I am being tempted by God,' 814 00:33:31,417 --> 00:33:33,083 "for God cannot be tempted with evil, 815 00:33:33,167 --> 00:33:34,583 "and he himself tempts no one. 816 00:33:34,667 --> 00:33:36,792 But each person is tempted when he is lured." 817 00:33:36,833 --> 00:33:38,875 That's literally a fishing word. 818 00:33:38,958 --> 00:33:41,250 "He is lured and enticed by his own desire." 819 00:33:41,333 --> 00:33:42,667 What he says is this: 820 00:33:42,750 --> 00:33:46,958 When you're being tempted, remember fishing. 821 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:50,292 The way it works--and Satan and demons are like a fisherman, 822 00:33:50,333 --> 00:33:51,958 and we're like dumb fish. 823 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:53,333 That's what he's saying. 824 00:33:53,417 --> 00:33:55,333 I know it's offensive. It's in the Bible. 825 00:33:55,417 --> 00:33:57,542 I'm just delivering the mail; I didn't write it. 826 00:33:57,625 --> 00:33:59,542 And here's what happens as I understand it: 827 00:33:59,625 --> 00:34:02,167 True or false, fishermen and fisherwomen--fisherpersons-- 828 00:34:02,208 --> 00:34:06,542 different fish prefer different bait? 829 00:34:06,625 --> 00:34:08,500 True or false? 830 00:34:08,583 --> 00:34:10,042 People are like that, OK? 831 00:34:10,125 --> 00:34:12,333 We're dumb and we each have our favorite bait. 832 00:34:12,417 --> 00:34:13,917 And what he's saying is this, 833 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:15,917 that if you want to catch a fish, 834 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:19,083 you drop your hook in the water and you need to bait it 835 00:34:19,167 --> 00:34:21,458 with whatever those particular fish like. 836 00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:23,958 And the fish are kind of stupid, so the fish, 837 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,875 "Oh, look at that. What a great day. 838 00:34:26,958 --> 00:34:29,750 There's my favorite thing right here at eye level." 839 00:34:29,833 --> 00:34:32,083 And what does the dumb fish do? 840 00:34:32,167 --> 00:34:34,292 "I'm going to bite it," and they bite it, 841 00:34:34,333 --> 00:34:38,292 and they're too dumb to notice the hook. 842 00:34:38,333 --> 00:34:40,167 And they're thinking, "I really got something." 843 00:34:40,208 --> 00:34:42,333 The fisherman said, "I was thinking the same thing." 844 00:34:42,417 --> 00:34:46,167 And then the fisherman reels in the dumb fish. 845 00:34:46,250 --> 00:34:49,000 And what he's saying is, temptation's like that. 846 00:34:49,042 --> 00:34:52,083 That temptation's like that. Here's the big idea: 847 00:34:52,167 --> 00:34:55,000 Every one of us has a different bait that we 848 00:34:55,042 --> 00:34:57,458 prefer on our hook, OK? 849 00:34:57,500 --> 00:35:00,417 And so what is a temptation for one person 850 00:35:00,500 --> 00:35:02,417 is not a temptation for another. 851 00:35:02,500 --> 00:35:04,000 OK, I'll give you an example. 852 00:35:04,083 --> 00:35:05,750 I have never--I've never done drugs. 853 00:35:05,833 --> 00:35:07,708 Drugs is not a temptation to me. 854 00:35:07,792 --> 00:35:10,708 I saw friends of mine die. I grew up near the airport. 855 00:35:10,792 --> 00:35:12,708 I saw kids die doing drugs growing up. 856 00:35:12,792 --> 00:35:14,125 Temptation, not drugs. 857 00:35:14,167 --> 00:35:16,167 Some people, temptation is gambling. 858 00:35:16,208 --> 00:35:17,667 I'm cheap; I don't gamble. 859 00:35:17,708 --> 00:35:20,375 I went to the casino, I realized how big it was, 860 00:35:20,458 --> 00:35:22,375 I figured they were going to win, 861 00:35:22,458 --> 00:35:24,458 so I don't play. 862 00:35:24,500 --> 00:35:29,167 All right, you're going to have things 863 00:35:29,208 --> 00:35:30,750 that you're not tempted by. 864 00:35:30,833 --> 00:35:32,458 I'm not tempted by smoking, just not. 865 00:35:32,500 --> 00:35:33,833 Never smoked. 866 00:35:33,917 --> 00:35:36,667 I have asthma, I get bloody noses, 867 00:35:36,708 --> 00:35:38,750 I wheeze like an obscene phone call. 868 00:35:38,833 --> 00:35:41,583 I have no interest in smoking, OK? 869 00:35:41,667 --> 00:35:43,792 There are just certain things, people are like, 870 00:35:43,833 --> 00:35:45,833 "Do you struggle?" I don't struggle with that. 871 00:35:45,917 --> 00:35:47,250 "What do you struggle with?" 872 00:35:47,333 --> 00:35:48,875 Obviously tact. I struggle with that. 873 00:35:48,958 --> 00:35:51,083 There's a lot of things I do struggle with. 874 00:35:51,167 --> 00:35:53,083 What do you struggle with? 875 00:35:53,167 --> 00:35:54,500 What's your temptation? 876 00:35:54,542 --> 00:35:55,875 What's your thing, you're like, 877 00:35:55,958 --> 00:35:57,583 "Gosh, I've got to swim around that"? 878 00:35:57,667 --> 00:36:00,167 Like, if it's over here, I've got to swim over-- 879 00:36:00,208 --> 00:36:01,542 I've got to avoid that. 880 00:36:01,625 --> 00:36:03,250 That's just such a temptation to me. 881 00:36:03,333 --> 00:36:06,000 For some of you, it's--let's say alcohol as an example. 882 00:36:06,083 --> 00:36:08,000 Some of you are not tempted by alcohol. 883 00:36:08,083 --> 00:36:09,500 It's not a problem for you. 884 00:36:09,583 --> 00:36:10,917 Others of you, you're like, 885 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:12,917 "I can't even go to a friend's house, 886 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:15,917 "and if they pour a drink, I've just got to leave because, 887 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:17,667 "man, the bait hanging on the hook. 888 00:36:17,708 --> 00:36:19,042 "I'm a dumb fish. 889 00:36:19,125 --> 00:36:20,458 "I start swimming over there, 890 00:36:20,500 --> 00:36:22,667 and I get myself into trouble very, very fast." 891 00:36:22,708 --> 00:36:24,167 We each need to be humble. 892 00:36:24,208 --> 00:36:26,000 We need to be self-conscious and aware. 893 00:36:26,042 --> 00:36:28,167 Say, "You know what? That's bait on my hook. 894 00:36:28,250 --> 00:36:30,167 "It may not be a temptation for them, 895 00:36:30,250 --> 00:36:31,667 "but it's a temptation for me. 896 00:36:31,750 --> 00:36:33,375 "It may not cause trouble for them, 897 00:36:33,458 --> 00:36:34,875 "but it's going to destroy me. 898 00:36:34,958 --> 00:36:36,583 I need to stay away from it." 899 00:36:36,667 --> 00:36:39,292 And this is where God gives us a conscience to know 900 00:36:39,333 --> 00:36:41,542 where our weak spots are. 901 00:36:41,625 --> 00:36:45,000 But what he's saying is this, that so oftentimes we act like 902 00:36:45,042 --> 00:36:48,375 dumb fish--all we get obsessed with is the bait, 903 00:36:48,458 --> 00:36:50,667 and we ignore the hook. 904 00:36:50,750 --> 00:36:53,500 And he's saying, "Know that there's always a hook." 905 00:36:53,542 --> 00:36:57,083 So, I would ask you, what's your thing? 906 00:36:57,167 --> 00:36:59,792 Know that there's always a hook, right, ladies? 907 00:36:59,833 --> 00:37:01,333 You meet a guy, you're like, 908 00:37:01,417 --> 00:37:02,750 "Oh, he's nice." 909 00:37:02,833 --> 00:37:06,708 You're a single lady, I hope, right? 910 00:37:06,792 --> 00:37:10,167 Otherwise we've got a whole 'nother--we've got a whole fleet 911 00:37:10,208 --> 00:37:14,500 of fishing going on in your life. 912 00:37:14,583 --> 00:37:17,000 Let's say you're a single guy, and you're like, 913 00:37:17,083 --> 00:37:18,958 "Oh, he's nice, and he's nice to me, 914 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:20,458 but he's not a Christian." 915 00:37:20,500 --> 00:37:23,167 Right, there's a hook. 916 00:37:23,250 --> 00:37:24,667 You're going to get reeled in. 917 00:37:24,708 --> 00:37:26,375 You're going to get hurt. 918 00:37:26,458 --> 00:37:27,875 It's not going to go well. 919 00:37:27,958 --> 00:37:30,333 Some of you are with people you shouldn't be with, 920 00:37:30,417 --> 00:37:32,292 you're at places you shouldn't be going. 921 00:37:32,333 --> 00:37:34,292 Some of you say, "It's not a sin." 922 00:37:34,333 --> 00:37:38,292 No, but it's a baited hook for you. 923 00:37:38,333 --> 00:37:41,000 You need to be honest and humble about that and say, 924 00:37:41,042 --> 00:37:45,500 "I just--I'm not ready to take that field. 925 00:37:45,542 --> 00:37:49,583 "That's one that I don't think I can emerge victorious over, 926 00:37:49,667 --> 00:37:53,792 so I need to steer clear of." 927 00:37:53,833 --> 00:37:56,000 And then he raises an issue that I'll address 928 00:37:56,042 --> 00:37:58,250 briefly regarding God and temptation. 929 00:37:58,333 --> 00:38:00,333 First he says, "God does not tempt anyone," 930 00:38:00,417 --> 00:38:01,833 OK? 931 00:38:01,875 --> 00:38:04,833 We are a church that holds to--if you don't know this, 932 00:38:04,875 --> 00:38:06,333 it's fine, but we're more Reformed, 933 00:38:06,375 --> 00:38:08,833 and that means that we believe that God is sovereign 934 00:38:08,875 --> 00:38:10,542 and he rules over everyone and everything. 935 00:38:10,625 --> 00:38:12,750 Well, what that can lead to is, some people 936 00:38:12,833 --> 00:38:14,333 blaming God for temptation. 937 00:38:14,375 --> 00:38:16,500 "Well, if God's in charge, then everything that happens 938 00:38:16,583 --> 00:38:18,250 must be what God wants." 939 00:38:18,333 --> 00:38:19,875 No, there's sin, rebellion, and folly. 940 00:38:19,958 --> 00:38:22,375 There's a lot of things that are happening that God 941 00:38:22,458 --> 00:38:24,375 isn't excited about-- he's actually grieved by. 942 00:38:24,458 --> 00:38:27,750 But we can blame God for our temptation. 943 00:38:27,833 --> 00:38:29,875 In fact, when Adam and Eve first sinned, 944 00:38:29,958 --> 00:38:34,000 Adam blamed God. 945 00:38:34,042 --> 00:38:38,458 Adam and Eve sinned, God comes, and Adam says, 946 00:38:38,500 --> 00:38:42,583 "The woman you gave me, she's a real problem." 947 00:38:42,667 --> 00:38:45,292 See? 948 00:38:45,333 --> 00:38:48,375 OK, now you laugh because men 949 00:38:48,458 --> 00:38:50,833 are still trying to get away with this, right? 950 00:38:50,917 --> 00:38:56,167 Like, "I was doing fine, and then you made a woman, 951 00:38:56,250 --> 00:38:58,583 "and then everything went wrong. 952 00:38:58,667 --> 00:39:01,167 "I feel like the real issue here is this woman, 953 00:39:01,208 --> 00:39:04,667 "and since you made her, the two of you should go have a meeting 954 00:39:04,708 --> 00:39:06,625 "to figure out what's defective in this woman, 955 00:39:06,667 --> 00:39:08,167 OK?" 956 00:39:08,208 --> 00:39:10,833 A lot of guys get married and feel that way, right? 957 00:39:10,917 --> 00:39:13,250 "I have a defective woman." 958 00:39:13,333 --> 00:39:15,750 Well, she has a defective man, so you're equally yoked. 959 00:39:15,833 --> 00:39:18,542 It's not an issue, all right, OK? 960 00:39:18,625 --> 00:39:21,083 So, what Adam is doing is, he's blaming his wife, 961 00:39:21,167 --> 00:39:23,167 but ultimately, he's blaming God. 962 00:39:23,250 --> 00:39:25,958 And ever since that time, we all have this proclivity 963 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:28,292 and propensity to blame God when we're tempted. 964 00:39:28,333 --> 00:39:31,375 And I find we do it primarily in two ways: 965 00:39:31,458 --> 00:39:33,375 ordination and orientation. 966 00:39:33,458 --> 00:39:34,792 I'll use those words. 967 00:39:34,833 --> 00:39:37,083 Ordination is, "Well, God's in charge and he allowed 968 00:39:37,167 --> 00:39:38,833 "the circumstances to come, right? 969 00:39:38,917 --> 00:39:41,083 "He allowed the hook to go in the water 970 00:39:41,167 --> 00:39:45,792 and I'm just a dumb fish," and we'll blame God. 971 00:39:45,833 --> 00:39:47,292 And sometimes you'll--some of you, 972 00:39:47,333 --> 00:39:48,792 you're kind of spiritual about it. 973 00:39:48,833 --> 00:39:50,500 You'll be like, "Well, you know, God-- 974 00:39:50,542 --> 00:39:52,000 "I see God working, you know? 975 00:39:52,042 --> 00:39:55,083 "He brought the non-Christian girl into my life, and he allowed 976 00:39:55,167 --> 00:39:57,792 "her to return my phone call and find me interesting. 977 00:39:57,833 --> 00:39:59,750 "I mean, look at all these miraculous events 978 00:39:59,833 --> 00:40:01,167 "working in succession. 979 00:40:01,208 --> 00:40:03,667 It must be the Lord." 980 00:40:03,708 --> 00:40:08,375 No, no, no, dumb fish. Baited hook. 981 00:40:08,458 --> 00:40:10,375 God doesn't tempt you. 982 00:40:10,458 --> 00:40:13,375 God will use the temptation as a trial to test 983 00:40:13,458 --> 00:40:16,083 and grow you, but God doesn't tempt you. 984 00:40:16,167 --> 00:40:18,083 God's not trying to get you into trouble. 985 00:40:18,167 --> 00:40:20,125 God's not trying to get you into sin. 986 00:40:20,167 --> 00:40:22,208 And so just because circumstances are lined up 987 00:40:22,292 --> 00:40:24,833 doesn't mean through that ordination it was the Lord. 988 00:40:24,875 --> 00:40:26,333 It might be the enemy. 989 00:40:26,375 --> 00:40:30,208 Secondly, there's orientation, and this is where a lot of us 990 00:40:30,292 --> 00:40:33,333 who go to college, we get very fancy with our blaming God. 991 00:40:33,375 --> 00:40:36,125 We say, "Well, this is the way I am. 992 00:40:36,167 --> 00:40:38,000 "This is the way I was made. 993 00:40:38,083 --> 00:40:39,833 "I have these orientations. 994 00:40:39,875 --> 00:40:41,625 "I have these proclivities, these desires, 995 00:40:41,667 --> 00:40:44,917 "these appetites, and if the Lord made me this way, 996 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:47,917 "who am I to deny myself certain pleasures 997 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:49,833 because this is my orientation?" 998 00:40:49,875 --> 00:40:52,917 And you may have heard this, some people do this sexually. 999 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:54,708 This is what they say. 1000 00:40:54,792 --> 00:40:58,125 God didn't orient you with an appetite toward sin. 1001 00:40:58,167 --> 00:41:01,792 God didn't make you as a fish who desires bad bait. 1002 00:41:01,833 --> 00:41:03,792 Because of sin, folly, rebellion, 1003 00:41:03,833 --> 00:41:08,750 our desires, our appetites, even our orientations tend to 1004 00:41:08,833 --> 00:41:13,250 gravitate toward sin, and folly, and rebellion, 1005 00:41:13,333 --> 00:41:16,500 and death, toward desiring the wrong bait 1006 00:41:16,542 --> 00:41:19,583 and toward biting down on the hook. 1007 00:41:19,667 --> 00:41:22,000 The way we are is not the way we were, 1008 00:41:22,042 --> 00:41:23,750 it's not the way we will be, 1009 00:41:23,833 --> 00:41:25,750 it's not the way we're supposed to be. 1010 00:41:25,833 --> 00:41:27,750 Something has gone tragically wrong in human history, 1011 00:41:27,833 --> 00:41:29,667 and even our orientation, our nature, 1012 00:41:29,750 --> 00:41:32,833 our desires, they are corrupted. 1013 00:41:32,917 --> 00:41:35,000 So, you can't blame God through ordination-- 1014 00:41:35,042 --> 00:41:37,000 circumstances must be his will--or orientation-- 1015 00:41:37,042 --> 00:41:38,833 "This is the way he made me, 1016 00:41:38,917 --> 00:41:40,792 and I need to be true to myself." 1017 00:41:40,833 --> 00:41:42,167 No, you don't. 1018 00:41:42,250 --> 00:41:44,875 You need to repent of yourself and be true to Jesus, 1019 00:41:44,958 --> 00:41:47,083 and that's the essence of Christian faith. 1020 00:41:47,167 --> 00:41:48,667 This leads to the next point. 1021 00:41:48,708 --> 00:41:52,958 He says God doesn't tempt anyone, and God is not tempted by evil. 1022 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:59,292 There is no thing that God desires to have, 1023 00:41:59,333 --> 00:42:01,750 to know, to be, to do. 1024 00:42:01,833 --> 00:42:04,667 God is not lacking anything. 1025 00:42:04,708 --> 00:42:06,667 God is self-sufficient. 1026 00:42:06,708 --> 00:42:09,667 Well, this leads to the question that I want to briefly answer: 1027 00:42:09,708 --> 00:42:11,958 was Jesus really tempted? 1028 00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:14,667 Because usually what happens is the part that I read you 1029 00:42:14,708 --> 00:42:17,042 in Luke 4, Jesus was tempted, 1030 00:42:17,125 --> 00:42:19,167 is then pitted against James 1, 1031 00:42:19,208 --> 00:42:23,167 written by his brother, so they can't be in opposition. 1032 00:42:23,250 --> 00:42:27,167 Some would ask, "Well, how do you reconcile these texts?" 1033 00:42:27,250 --> 00:42:29,250 and Charles Haddon Spurgeon, one of my favorites, 1034 00:42:29,333 --> 00:42:33,167 he said, "There's never a need to reconcile friends." 1035 00:42:33,208 --> 00:42:35,833 James and Jesus, they're friends. 1036 00:42:35,917 --> 00:42:38,375 The book of Luke and the book of James, 1037 00:42:38,458 --> 00:42:39,792 they're friends. 1038 00:42:39,833 --> 00:42:42,500 We don't need to reconcile them because they're not at odds, 1039 00:42:42,542 --> 00:42:46,167 but we do need to consider how is it that Luke 4 can say Jesus 1040 00:42:46,250 --> 00:42:50,583 was tempted and then James 1 says that God is not tempted. 1041 00:42:50,667 --> 00:42:52,083 Isn't Jesus God? 1042 00:42:52,167 --> 00:42:53,667 Wasn't Jesus tempted? 1043 00:42:53,708 --> 00:42:56,292 Doesn't that mean that God was tempted? 1044 00:42:56,333 --> 00:43:00,833 And what happened in the life of Jesus is that God became a man, 1045 00:43:00,917 --> 00:43:03,750 that God entered into human history, 1046 00:43:03,833 --> 00:43:06,458 that God retained all of his divine attributes, 1047 00:43:06,500 --> 00:43:10,000 but he humbly set them aside, that he had to learn 1048 00:43:10,083 --> 00:43:13,625 as we learn, that he grew as we grew physically, 1049 00:43:13,667 --> 00:43:16,625 that he had to endure temptation spiritually as we endure 1050 00:43:16,667 --> 00:43:21,500 temptation spiritually, that he came to live like us, 1051 00:43:21,542 --> 00:43:26,042 to live without sin for us, to die and to rise to give us 1052 00:43:26,125 --> 00:43:28,292 a new nature and new desires 1053 00:43:28,333 --> 00:43:30,875 to live a new life as a new person. 1054 00:43:30,958 --> 00:43:32,333 He came to save us. 1055 00:43:32,417 --> 00:43:35,167 So, in the Lord Jesus' earthly life, 1056 00:43:35,250 --> 00:43:37,875 something unique in human history happened, and that's God 1057 00:43:37,958 --> 00:43:40,292 in his humble state coming to be with us 1058 00:43:40,333 --> 00:43:42,667 and to be tempted like us. 1059 00:43:42,708 --> 00:43:44,792 Here's how he says it in Hebrews 2:17: 1060 00:43:44,833 --> 00:43:47,375 "He had to be made like his brothers." 1061 00:43:47,458 --> 00:43:50,167 And that's you and me, and that includes James, 1062 00:43:50,208 --> 00:43:54,167 "in every respect, so that he might become a merciful 1063 00:43:54,250 --> 00:43:57,583 "and faithful high priest in the service of God, 1064 00:43:57,667 --> 00:44:00,667 to make propitiation for the sins of his people." 1065 00:44:00,708 --> 00:44:02,458 There's the cross, that he would come, 1066 00:44:02,500 --> 00:44:04,167 and he would go to the cross, 1067 00:44:04,208 --> 00:44:06,000 and that the sinless Jesus would die 1068 00:44:06,083 --> 00:44:07,625 for a sinful people, 1069 00:44:07,667 --> 00:44:10,000 that the Jesus who overcame every temptation 1070 00:44:10,083 --> 00:44:11,458 would pay the price 1071 00:44:11,500 --> 00:44:14,042 for those who have given into temptation. 1072 00:44:14,125 --> 00:44:16,958 "For because he himself has suffered when tempted, 1073 00:44:17,000 --> 00:44:20,542 he is now able to help those who are being tempted." 1074 00:44:20,625 --> 00:44:23,000 Here's the good news: 1075 00:44:23,042 --> 00:44:27,583 when you are tempted, you can run to Jesus. 1076 00:44:27,667 --> 00:44:32,667 And for a brief period in the history of eternity, 1077 00:44:32,708 --> 00:44:36,500 God humbled himself and he was like you and me. 1078 00:44:36,542 --> 00:44:41,667 Fully God, fully man, but he was tempted as we are tempted. 1079 00:44:41,750 --> 00:44:44,042 He suffered as we suffer. 1080 00:44:44,125 --> 00:44:45,833 He is a God who is sympathetic. 1081 00:44:45,917 --> 00:44:48,000 He is a God who relates to us. 1082 00:44:48,042 --> 00:44:50,292 He is a God who is merciful. 1083 00:44:50,333 --> 00:44:51,667 That's what it says. 1084 00:44:51,750 --> 00:44:53,458 God doesn't just stand back and say, 1085 00:44:53,500 --> 00:44:55,375 "Why are you the way you are? 1086 00:44:55,458 --> 00:44:57,375 "Why do you desire what you desire? 1087 00:44:57,458 --> 00:45:00,042 I do not understand that." 1088 00:45:00,125 --> 00:45:01,458 God says, "I've been there." 1089 00:45:01,500 --> 00:45:02,958 Jesus says, "I've been there. 1090 00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:04,958 "I know what it's like to be hungry. 1091 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:06,958 "I know what it's like to be isolated. 1092 00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:08,958 "I know what it's like to be tired. 1093 00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:10,958 "I know what it's like to be tempted, 1094 00:45:11,000 --> 00:45:12,333 "and tested, and tried. 1095 00:45:12,417 --> 00:45:14,833 "I know what it's like to have to be steadfast, 1096 00:45:14,917 --> 00:45:16,667 and endure, and to hang in there." 1097 00:45:16,708 --> 00:45:18,833 And so we can run to the Lord Jesus 1098 00:45:18,917 --> 00:45:20,583 in our time of need and say, 1099 00:45:20,667 --> 00:45:23,583 "Teach me, and help me, and empower me by the Holy Spirit 1100 00:45:23,667 --> 00:45:25,000 to follow in your example." 1101 00:45:25,042 --> 00:45:28,333 And so God is not tempted, but God allowed himself 1102 00:45:28,417 --> 00:45:31,375 for a brief season, as the God-man Jesus Christ, 1103 00:45:31,458 --> 00:45:34,292 to endure temptation so that he could save us 1104 00:45:34,333 --> 00:45:37,667 and sympathize with us, and God is that good. 1105 00:45:37,708 --> 00:45:42,667 And then his third analogy is from pregnant moms. 1106 00:45:42,708 --> 00:45:46,292 This is kind of a negative one, 1107 00:45:46,333 --> 00:45:50,375 so let me just start by deploying the airbag, OK? 1108 00:45:50,458 --> 00:45:55,167 So, being a mom is a good thing, right? 1109 00:45:55,208 --> 00:45:58,500 My wife's got five kids. Me, too. 1110 00:45:58,542 --> 00:46:00,917 Being a mom is a very good thing, 1111 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:04,542 but ladies, it's not a good idea to sleep around 1112 00:46:04,625 --> 00:46:06,167 with a bunch of bad guys 1113 00:46:06,208 --> 00:46:09,042 and get pregnant that way, right? 1114 00:46:09,125 --> 00:46:12,917 So, this is sort of a bad example of how to have a child. 1115 00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:19,875 James 1:15, "Then desire when it has conceived gives birth 1116 00:46:19,958 --> 00:46:25,875 to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." 1117 00:46:25,958 --> 00:46:27,500 OK, so single ladies, 1118 00:46:27,542 --> 00:46:31,042 let's walk through a little process, OK? 1119 00:46:31,125 --> 00:46:32,750 Here's how not to do it, OK? 1120 00:46:32,833 --> 00:46:35,667 Pastor Mark, who's the father of two daughters will tell you, 1121 00:46:35,750 --> 00:46:37,083 don't do it like this. 1122 00:46:37,167 --> 00:46:39,375 Whatever you do, don't go do it and say, 1123 00:46:39,458 --> 00:46:41,167 "Well, I heard it in a sermon." 1124 00:46:41,208 --> 00:46:43,667 Hear clearly, I said, "Don't do it" in the sermon, 1125 00:46:43,708 --> 00:46:45,042 OK? 1126 00:46:45,125 --> 00:46:50,167 Step one, you meet a bad guy, really bad, 1127 00:46:50,250 --> 00:46:52,167 but he's interesting, OK? 1128 00:46:52,250 --> 00:46:54,958 They are, right? 1129 00:46:55,000 --> 00:46:56,792 The bad guy's always interesting, right? 1130 00:46:56,833 --> 00:46:59,292 The guy in Bible college, not very interesting. 1131 00:46:59,333 --> 00:47:03,458 But the guy who does his own tattoos-- 1132 00:47:03,500 --> 00:47:04,833 very interesting, OK? 1133 00:47:04,917 --> 00:47:06,417 That guy's interesting. 1134 00:47:06,500 --> 00:47:08,417 So step one, you meet a bad guy. 1135 00:47:08,500 --> 00:47:10,417 Step two, you go out on a date. 1136 00:47:10,500 --> 00:47:12,417 You're like, "We're not doing anything. 1137 00:47:12,500 --> 00:47:14,250 We're just--you know, we're just gonna--" 1138 00:47:14,333 --> 00:47:17,500 Now the hook is in the bait, 1139 00:47:17,583 --> 00:47:19,500 and the bait is in the water. 1140 00:47:19,542 --> 00:47:21,500 Step three, you mess around. 1141 00:47:21,542 --> 00:47:22,875 You mess around. 1142 00:47:22,958 --> 00:47:24,375 Step four, what happens? 1143 00:47:24,458 --> 00:47:25,792 You conceive. 1144 00:47:25,833 --> 00:47:30,167 You're like, "Uh oh, I have a baby, 1145 00:47:30,208 --> 00:47:33,042 "and no husband, and he's a bad guy. 1146 00:47:33,125 --> 00:47:34,458 "I can't depend on him. 1147 00:47:34,500 --> 00:47:36,875 This is a difficult place." 1148 00:47:36,958 --> 00:47:40,583 Step five, you give birth. 1149 00:47:40,667 --> 00:47:43,292 And step six, you raise the child. 1150 00:47:43,333 --> 00:47:47,000 What he's saying is that sin is like that, 1151 00:47:47,042 --> 00:47:48,583 OK? 1152 00:47:48,667 --> 00:47:50,583 So, temptation is going to come along, 1153 00:47:50,667 --> 00:47:52,583 a bad desire, evil desire, sinful desire, 1154 00:47:52,667 --> 00:47:54,083 and you're going to meet it. 1155 00:47:54,167 --> 00:47:57,500 "Hi, I'm drugs, alcohol, porn, whatever," right? 1156 00:47:57,542 --> 00:47:58,875 "Katie." 1157 00:47:58,958 --> 00:48:00,958 Whatever, OK? 1158 00:48:01,000 --> 00:48:02,500 "Johnny." Whatever. 1159 00:48:02,583 --> 00:48:05,333 Temptation comes along, "Hi," OK? 1160 00:48:05,417 --> 00:48:08,750 And what you do, you introduce yourself to the temptation. 1161 00:48:08,833 --> 00:48:11,042 Next thing you know, you're out on a date. 1162 00:48:11,125 --> 00:48:13,250 You're like, "It's not going to go too far. 1163 00:48:13,333 --> 00:48:15,333 "We're just--we're going to have a little fun, 1164 00:48:15,417 --> 00:48:17,833 but we're going to keep this under control." 1165 00:48:17,917 --> 00:48:19,542 Next thing you know, you are--step three-- 1166 00:48:19,625 --> 00:48:21,542 you're messing around with your temptation. 1167 00:48:21,625 --> 00:48:23,167 All of a sudden, you're like, 1168 00:48:23,250 --> 00:48:26,375 "Oh, I didn't mean to go this far, but it's kind of fun." 1169 00:48:26,458 --> 00:48:29,750 Uh oh, step four, you conceive. 1170 00:48:29,833 --> 00:48:31,667 Now you've got your sin pregnant. 1171 00:48:31,750 --> 00:48:34,250 Now it's got a life of its own. 1172 00:48:34,333 --> 00:48:36,167 And then you give birth. 1173 00:48:36,250 --> 00:48:38,667 Now all of a sudden, your sin is alive, 1174 00:48:38,750 --> 00:48:42,667 and it's out of control, and it's growing. 1175 00:48:42,750 --> 00:48:46,333 It's getting stronger, it's maturing. 1176 00:48:46,417 --> 00:48:49,167 It's out of control. 1177 00:48:49,208 --> 00:48:52,833 And he says, step six, you've given birth to what? 1178 00:48:52,917 --> 00:48:55,333 Death. 1179 00:48:55,417 --> 00:48:57,875 And the lie that Satan tells is, 1180 00:48:57,958 --> 00:49:00,042 "If you will do this, you'll enjoy it. 1181 00:49:00,125 --> 00:49:02,625 It'll make your life fun." 1182 00:49:02,667 --> 00:49:06,333 And James says, "No, it'll make your life death." 1183 00:49:06,375 --> 00:49:09,333 Satan never comes along at the beginning of the temptation 1184 00:49:09,375 --> 00:49:11,833 when he drops the hook in the water and says, 1185 00:49:11,875 --> 00:49:13,500 "Do you want to kill your life?" 1186 00:49:13,583 --> 00:49:14,917 You're like, "No." 1187 00:49:15,000 --> 00:49:16,833 Even a dumb fish will swim by. 1188 00:49:16,917 --> 00:49:18,250 "No," OK? 1189 00:49:18,333 --> 00:49:21,458 See, this is where a fisherman never--they never drop a sign 1190 00:49:21,500 --> 00:49:24,458 alongside of the bait, "Would you like to be reeled into my 1191 00:49:24,500 --> 00:49:26,667 boat, clubbed over the head, and gutted today?" 1192 00:49:26,750 --> 00:49:29,375 "Uh, no, but thanks for asking," right? 1193 00:49:29,458 --> 00:49:30,875 Swim on by. 1194 00:49:30,958 --> 00:49:35,583 Temptation never reveals its ultimate goal, 1195 00:49:35,667 --> 00:49:39,292 but God reveals the ultimate goal of temptation 1196 00:49:39,333 --> 00:49:41,292 because he loves us and he warns us. 1197 00:49:41,333 --> 00:49:43,792 How many of you have found yourself in a situation 1198 00:49:43,833 --> 00:49:45,167 like this? 1199 00:49:45,250 --> 00:49:48,167 You're like, "Man, I didn't mean to get into that much trouble. 1200 00:49:48,250 --> 00:49:51,375 "I didn't mean to make that big of a mistake, 1201 00:49:51,458 --> 00:49:54,375 "but it really moved quickly on me, 1202 00:49:54,458 --> 00:49:58,375 and all of a sudden, I birthed death in my own life." 1203 00:49:58,458 --> 00:50:00,167 This is the death of your health, 1204 00:50:00,250 --> 00:50:02,000 this is the death of your joy, 1205 00:50:02,042 --> 00:50:04,083 this is the death of your relationships, 1206 00:50:04,167 --> 00:50:06,542 this is the death of your future. 1207 00:50:06,625 --> 00:50:08,500 You're giving birth to death. 1208 00:50:08,542 --> 00:50:11,375 Sin only leads to death. 1209 00:50:11,458 --> 00:50:15,500 Now, how about those of you who you've already gotten your sin 1210 00:50:15,542 --> 00:50:19,417 pregnant and it's birthed death? 1211 00:50:19,500 --> 00:50:22,708 Well, that's why Jesus was born to die. 1212 00:50:22,792 --> 00:50:27,875 See, we give birth to sin, and then sin brings us death. 1213 00:50:27,958 --> 00:50:32,125 Jesus is born to live without sin to die for our sin 1214 00:50:32,167 --> 00:50:35,625 so that through his death is birthed our life. 1215 00:50:35,667 --> 00:50:38,667 See, through our sin, we birth death. 1216 00:50:38,750 --> 00:50:42,167 Through Jesus' death, he births our life. 1217 00:50:42,250 --> 00:50:45,167 And so for those of you that have already crossed that line, 1218 00:50:45,250 --> 00:50:47,708 you're like the athlete who's quit, 1219 00:50:47,792 --> 00:50:50,083 you're like the dumb fish 1220 00:50:50,167 --> 00:50:52,500 who's already bit down without paying attention 1221 00:50:52,583 --> 00:50:55,500 to the hook and been reeled in. 1222 00:50:55,583 --> 00:50:58,000 For those of you who are--ones who have already been 1223 00:50:58,083 --> 00:51:00,292 messing around with your sin and got it pregnant, 1224 00:51:00,333 --> 00:51:02,792 you say, "What do I do? Is it too late?" 1225 00:51:02,833 --> 00:51:04,167 No. 1226 00:51:04,250 --> 00:51:06,667 No, Jesus lived without sin and died so that those 1227 00:51:06,750 --> 00:51:09,250 who live with sin can put their sin to death. 1228 00:51:09,333 --> 00:51:11,250 And this is where we all need Jesus, 1229 00:51:11,333 --> 00:51:14,458 and this is where we run to Jesus and we come to Jesus. 1230 00:51:14,500 --> 00:51:16,958 And if you're here and you're trying to be moral, 1231 00:51:17,000 --> 00:51:18,333 spiritual, good, or religious, 1232 00:51:18,417 --> 00:51:20,833 this is the decision point of the day for you. 1233 00:51:20,917 --> 00:51:24,500 You say, "Am I going to try to fix my life or am I giving 1234 00:51:24,542 --> 00:51:27,500 my life to Jesus and let him give me a new life?" 1235 00:51:27,542 --> 00:51:30,167 Jesus is the only one who can cause you to endure, 1236 00:51:30,250 --> 00:51:31,875 and persevere, and stay on the field. 1237 00:51:31,958 --> 00:51:33,875 Jesus is the only one who can get 1238 00:51:33,958 --> 00:51:35,583 the hook out of your mouth, right? 1239 00:51:35,667 --> 00:51:38,083 Jesus is the only one who can take your death 1240 00:51:38,167 --> 00:51:39,500 and bring it to life. 1241 00:51:39,542 --> 00:51:40,875 He does that. 1242 00:51:40,958 --> 00:51:43,875 Now, how about for the rest of you that are facing temptation 1243 00:51:43,958 --> 00:51:45,875 or it comes upon you in the future? 1244 00:51:45,958 --> 00:51:49,083 It says that Jesus was tempted in Luke 4 and that the devil 1245 00:51:49,167 --> 00:51:50,583 avoided him until an opportune time, 1246 00:51:50,667 --> 00:51:52,083 meaning he's going to come back. 1247 00:51:52,167 --> 00:51:54,083 Some of you are in a temptation, trial, 1248 00:51:54,167 --> 00:51:55,500 testing season. 1249 00:51:55,542 --> 00:51:57,167 Some of you, it's on the horizon. 1250 00:51:57,250 --> 00:51:58,583 What do we do? 1251 00:51:58,667 --> 00:52:00,167 We remember, "I just should not-- 1252 00:52:00,208 --> 00:52:01,667 "I should not meet my temptation. 1253 00:52:01,708 --> 00:52:03,167 "I should not date my temptation. 1254 00:52:03,208 --> 00:52:05,333 "I should not mess around with my temptation. 1255 00:52:05,417 --> 00:52:07,208 "I should not sleep with my temptation. 1256 00:52:07,292 --> 00:52:08,958 "I should not impregnate my temptation. 1257 00:52:09,000 --> 00:52:10,958 It only leads to death." 1258 00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:12,458 And some of you, right now, 1259 00:52:12,500 --> 00:52:14,500 you're trying to control your temptation. 1260 00:52:14,583 --> 00:52:16,958 What you need to do is kill your temptation. 1261 00:52:17,000 --> 00:52:21,583 Since Jesus died for your sin, you can put your sin to death. 1262 00:52:21,667 --> 00:52:23,292 And that's what we want for you. 1263 00:52:23,333 --> 00:52:25,667 That's what Jesus wants for you. 1264 00:52:25,750 --> 00:52:28,500 And here's the big idea: 1265 00:52:28,542 --> 00:52:32,292 All the way back to Luke 1:12, to start this whole section, 1266 00:52:32,333 --> 00:52:33,792 what was the first word? 1267 00:52:33,833 --> 00:52:35,500 Do you remember? 1268 00:52:35,542 --> 00:52:37,000 "Blessed." 1269 00:52:37,042 --> 00:52:39,000 How many of you want to be blessed? 1270 00:52:39,042 --> 00:52:41,667 I want to be blessed. I want you to be blessed. 1271 00:52:41,750 --> 00:52:43,375 I want us all to be blessed. 1272 00:52:43,458 --> 00:52:46,042 And what he's given us here is the key to blessing, 1273 00:52:46,125 --> 00:52:48,542 so there's a lot of hope and incentive in this. 1274 00:52:48,625 --> 00:52:49,958 He says, "You know what? 1275 00:52:50,000 --> 00:52:52,083 "There is a reward. There is an award. 1276 00:52:52,167 --> 00:52:55,750 "There is an opportunity for blessing if we will learn what 1277 00:52:55,833 --> 00:52:59,500 "God is trying to do in us through temptation, 1278 00:52:59,542 --> 00:53:03,250 what God is trying to do through us in temptation." 1279 00:53:03,333 --> 00:53:06,250 And so for those of you that come here today and say, 1280 00:53:06,333 --> 00:53:08,417 "I wish God would bless me," James says, 1281 00:53:08,500 --> 00:53:09,958 "Here's how he does it." 1282 00:53:10,000 --> 00:53:12,625 God allows temptation to come. 1283 00:53:12,667 --> 00:53:14,458 God is not the author of sin. 1284 00:53:14,500 --> 00:53:16,458 God does not cause us to be tempted, 1285 00:53:16,500 --> 00:53:19,583 but God will allow us to be tempted as Jesus was tempted. 1286 00:53:19,667 --> 00:53:23,375 And it's an opportunity for us to prove that God is real, 1287 00:53:23,458 --> 00:53:25,875 that Jesus is true, that the Holy Spirit is powerful, 1288 00:53:25,958 --> 00:53:29,375 that we belong to God, that God has done a work in our life, 1289 00:53:29,458 --> 00:53:32,167 that we are changed and changing by the grace of God, 1290 00:53:32,250 --> 00:53:34,542 and there's a great blessing in that. 1291 00:53:34,625 --> 00:53:37,042 There's an internal blessing where we have a clear conscience 1292 00:53:37,125 --> 00:53:39,250 and we realize, "I really do belong to Jesus, 1293 00:53:39,333 --> 00:53:41,667 and I have changed, and I am changing." 1294 00:53:41,708 --> 00:53:44,167 There's an external blessing where our life starts to go 1295 00:53:44,208 --> 00:53:47,000 better because of the choices we make out of the relationship 1296 00:53:47,042 --> 00:53:49,083 that we have with Jesus. 1297 00:53:49,167 --> 00:53:51,042 And ultimately, not only is there an internal 1298 00:53:51,125 --> 00:53:54,458 and an external blessing, there's an eternal blessing, 1299 00:53:54,500 --> 00:53:57,167 that Jesus is in heaven and he's got our award, 1300 00:53:57,250 --> 00:53:59,875 he's got our reward, he's got our trophy, 1301 00:53:59,958 --> 00:54:01,333 he's got our medal. 1302 00:54:01,417 --> 00:54:03,833 And he's saying, "I want you to hang in there. 1303 00:54:03,917 --> 00:54:06,833 "I want you to persevere. I want you to lean on me. 1304 00:54:06,917 --> 00:54:10,333 "I want you to look to me. I want you to run to me. 1305 00:54:10,417 --> 00:54:12,125 "I want you to learn from me. 1306 00:54:12,167 --> 00:54:15,125 "I want you to follow me so that I can tell you, 1307 00:54:15,167 --> 00:54:16,625 "'Well done, good and faithful servant,' 1308 00:54:16,667 --> 00:54:20,292 "and I can reward and award you in the end when the game is over, 1309 00:54:20,333 --> 00:54:23,000 "and all there is is a victory parade at the end 1310 00:54:23,042 --> 00:54:24,375 for the children of God." 1311 00:54:24,458 --> 00:54:26,375 We now get to respond to this Jesus, 1312 00:54:26,458 --> 00:54:28,167 and that's my great invitation today. 1313 00:54:28,208 --> 00:54:30,250 For those of you who don't know Jesus, 1314 00:54:30,333 --> 00:54:32,500 you don't need to fix your life. 1315 00:54:32,542 --> 00:54:36,167 You need to give it to Jesus and let him give you a new life. 1316 00:54:36,250 --> 00:54:38,875 For those of you who are here and you're being tempted, 1317 00:54:38,958 --> 00:54:41,875 and tested, and tried, I want you to no longer be conformed 1318 00:54:41,958 --> 00:54:44,375 to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by 1319 00:54:44,458 --> 00:54:46,375 the renewing of your mind, to think differently. 1320 00:54:46,458 --> 00:54:48,083 "What is Jesus trying to teach me? 1321 00:54:48,167 --> 00:54:51,292 "What is he trying to show me? How has he made me ready? 1322 00:54:51,333 --> 00:54:53,500 "Where is the bait that is in my life? 1323 00:54:53,542 --> 00:54:55,167 "Where am I prone to quit? 1324 00:54:55,208 --> 00:54:57,792 "What sin am I messing around with 1325 00:54:57,833 --> 00:55:00,333 that I need to break up with today?" 1326 00:55:00,417 --> 00:55:02,458 And we're going to respond in many ways. 1327 00:55:02,500 --> 00:55:04,500 One is by collecting our tithes and offerings. 1328 00:55:04,583 --> 00:55:06,833 This is where we give our stuff to Jesus. 1329 00:55:06,917 --> 00:55:08,333 And I want you to know, 1330 00:55:08,375 --> 00:55:10,042 as we collect our tithes and offerings, 1331 00:55:10,125 --> 00:55:12,542 that all of Mars Hill Church has been giving generously 1332 00:55:12,625 --> 00:55:14,000 to make this possible, 1333 00:55:14,083 --> 00:55:16,458 to allow the staff to come into being, 1334 00:55:16,500 --> 00:55:18,750 to allow the building to be opened, 1335 00:55:18,833 --> 00:55:20,833 to allow the technology to be purchased. 1336 00:55:20,917 --> 00:55:22,250 We love you. 1337 00:55:22,333 --> 00:55:24,458 And so as you're giving your tithes and offerings, 1338 00:55:24,500 --> 00:55:26,958 all of Mars Hill Church has been giving to you, 1339 00:55:27,000 --> 00:55:28,958 and now you're part of this great family. 1340 00:55:29,000 --> 00:55:31,667 And our goal for you is to reach maturity so that, 1341 00:55:31,750 --> 00:55:34,667 at some point, you can help fund and bless other church plants 1342 00:55:34,750 --> 00:55:36,083 for us as well. 1343 00:55:36,167 --> 00:55:37,792 The second way that we will respond 1344 00:55:37,833 --> 00:55:39,667 in addition to our tithes and offerings 1345 00:55:39,750 --> 00:55:41,875 where we give God our stuff is we give 1346 00:55:41,958 --> 00:55:45,042 God our sin and we partake of Communion every week 1347 00:55:45,125 --> 00:55:46,792 at Mars Hill Church. 1348 00:55:46,833 --> 00:55:49,500 And it's where we remember the person and work of Jesus, 1349 00:55:49,542 --> 00:55:52,500 that God became a man, that he lived in flesh and blood 1350 00:55:52,542 --> 00:55:54,167 on the earth, that he was tempted 1351 00:55:54,250 --> 00:55:55,667 flesh and blood on the earth, 1352 00:55:55,750 --> 00:55:57,458 and that he went to the cross, 1353 00:55:57,500 --> 00:55:59,667 and he died flesh and blood on the earth. 1354 00:55:59,708 --> 00:56:01,458 And as we partake of Communion, 1355 00:56:01,500 --> 00:56:03,208 remember that Jesus had a broken body 1356 00:56:03,292 --> 00:56:06,708 and shed blood to make payment for our sin, 1357 00:56:06,792 --> 00:56:10,250 to get us off the hook, to keep us on the field, 1358 00:56:10,333 --> 00:56:13,333 to bring death and to use it for life. 1359 00:56:13,417 --> 00:56:15,333 And that's all that we celebrate in Communion. 1360 00:56:15,417 --> 00:56:18,000 So, as you partake today, it's only for those who are 1361 00:56:18,083 --> 00:56:19,833 Christians or become a Christian today, 1362 00:56:19,917 --> 00:56:22,667 but we want you to remember the temptation of Jesus. 1363 00:56:22,750 --> 00:56:25,250 We want you to remember the crucifixion of Jesus. 1364 00:56:25,333 --> 00:56:27,750 We want you to remember to resurrection of Jesus. 1365 00:56:27,833 --> 00:56:30,000 And we want you to talk to Jesus today, 1366 00:56:30,042 --> 00:56:31,375 before you take Communion, 1367 00:56:31,458 --> 00:56:33,042 about the temptation in your life. 1368 00:56:33,125 --> 00:56:36,750 This is where you do business with the Lord Jesus. 1369 00:56:36,833 --> 00:56:39,875 And then thirdly, we not only give Jesus our stuff 1370 00:56:39,958 --> 00:56:42,500 and our sin, we give him our song. 1371 00:56:42,542 --> 00:56:44,958 We're celebrating that God has given us, 1372 00:56:45,000 --> 00:56:47,875 in the temptation, an opportunity to be blessed, 1373 00:56:47,958 --> 00:56:51,167 to learn more about Jesus, to become more like Jesus, 1374 00:56:51,250 --> 00:56:54,167 and ultimately, to give glory to Jesus. 1375 00:56:54,250 --> 00:56:55,875 So, we're going to respond with singing. 1376 00:56:55,958 --> 00:56:57,958 And people who are this loved by God, 1377 00:56:58,000 --> 00:57:00,958 this served by God, this sought by God, 1378 00:57:01,000 --> 00:57:03,750 this saved by God, this blessed by God, 1379 00:57:03,833 --> 00:57:06,542 we have an opportunity to respond joyfully. 1380 00:57:06,625 --> 00:57:09,708 And here's the good news: other people are suffering, 1381 00:57:09,792 --> 00:57:11,458 other people are struggling, 1382 00:57:11,500 --> 00:57:14,125 and they don't know what to do with it. 1383 00:57:14,167 --> 00:57:19,458 They don't know who to talk to about it and we, 1384 00:57:19,500 --> 00:57:22,458 by the grace of God, do. 1385 00:57:22,500 --> 00:57:25,458 We know to talk to Jesus, we know to look to Jesus, 1386 00:57:25,500 --> 00:57:27,167 we know to learn from Jesus, 1387 00:57:27,208 --> 00:57:30,250 and that gives us a reason to rejoice. 1388 00:57:30,333 --> 00:57:33,042 Everyone is going to be tempted and the Christian 1389 00:57:33,125 --> 00:57:35,083 knows why they're tempted, 1390 00:57:35,167 --> 00:57:36,667 the Christian knows how they're tempted, 1391 00:57:36,750 --> 00:57:39,167 the Christian knows what God is doing through their temptation 1392 00:57:39,250 --> 00:57:40,875 and the blessing that awaits them. 1393 00:57:40,958 --> 00:57:43,875 So Father God, we come to you now and I thank you 1394 00:57:43,958 --> 00:57:45,292 for Mars Hill Phoenix. 1395 00:57:45,333 --> 00:57:47,292 I thank you, God, for the miracle that 1396 00:57:47,333 --> 00:57:49,875 you've done here to launch this glorious new church. 1397 00:57:49,958 --> 00:57:51,500 Lord Jesus, 1398 00:57:51,542 --> 00:57:54,000 I thank you so much that you humbled yourself, 1399 00:57:54,042 --> 00:57:56,667 that you came into human history, 1400 00:57:56,750 --> 00:57:59,667 God becoming a man, that you endured temptation, 1401 00:57:59,750 --> 00:58:02,458 and tests, and trials as we do, 1402 00:58:02,500 --> 00:58:06,333 that you said no every time to every trial. 1403 00:58:06,417 --> 00:58:09,250 Lord Jesus, when we sin and fall short, 1404 00:58:09,333 --> 00:58:12,667 we thank you that you give us your righteousness, 1405 00:58:12,708 --> 00:58:17,042 you give us your forgiveness, you give us your perfection. 1406 00:58:17,125 --> 00:58:19,292 Lord Jesus, I thank you for the opportunity 1407 00:58:19,333 --> 00:58:21,167 to teach the Bible today. 1408 00:58:21,208 --> 00:58:23,333 There are people who are hearing this 1409 00:58:23,417 --> 00:58:27,042 and they're in a season of great temptation, 1410 00:58:27,125 --> 00:58:29,000 but it's not bigger than them, 1411 00:58:29,042 --> 00:58:31,000 and it's not bigger than you. 1412 00:58:31,042 --> 00:58:34,583 And I thank you for now sending us the Holy Spirit to give us 1413 00:58:34,667 --> 00:58:37,083 hope, to give us a blessing, to give us joy, 1414 00:58:37,167 --> 00:58:40,042 to give us the mind of Christ so that we might follow 1415 00:58:40,125 --> 00:58:42,292 in the steps of Christ, the good Lord Jesus 1416 00:58:42,333 --> 00:58:44,333 in whose name we pray, amen. 1417 00:58:45,667 --> 00:58:47,042 Pastor Sutton here, 1418 00:58:47,125 --> 00:58:50,083 we've just finished our services here in the Bellevue church 1419 00:58:50,167 --> 00:58:55,917 and really excited today to tell the extended family of Mars Hill Global 1420 00:58:56,000 --> 00:58:57,583 about Text to Give. 1421 00:58:57,667 --> 00:59:00,375 Just came out and many of you know my story: 1422 00:59:00,458 --> 00:59:04,542 2007 heard Pastor Mark at a pastor's conference 1423 00:59:04,625 --> 00:59:06,833 went there, started podcasting. 1424 00:59:06,917 --> 00:59:09,792 I still gave my tithe to my local church, 1425 00:59:09,833 --> 00:59:13,167 however, gave a contribution amount to Mars Hill Church. 1426 00:59:13,250 --> 00:59:17,833 So this Text to Give, the video that we have produced for you, 1427 00:59:17,917 --> 00:59:20,083 you're going to love, so check this out. 1428 00:59:22,250 --> 00:59:24,958 Hey Mars Hill, my name is Rene and I work here 1429 00:59:25,000 --> 00:59:27,500 at the Media and Communications team at Mars Hill Church. 1430 00:59:27,542 --> 00:59:29,250 If you're a mobile user like me, 1431 00:59:29,333 --> 00:59:31,417 I've got some exciting news to share with you. 1432 00:59:31,500 --> 00:59:33,875 There's a new way to give at Mars Hill Church 1433 00:59:33,958 --> 00:59:36,167 and it's just as easy as sending a text. 1434 00:59:36,208 --> 00:59:38,917 Now, many of you take advantage of our online giving options, 1435 00:59:39,000 --> 00:59:41,667 which is a great way to set up recurring gifts, 1436 00:59:41,708 --> 00:59:44,875 but until now, we haven't had a way to set up mobile, 1437 00:59:44,958 --> 00:59:47,792 where you can give on the spot during our services. 1438 00:59:47,833 --> 00:59:49,833 If you're like me, you don't carry cash 1439 00:59:49,875 --> 00:59:53,417 you don't carry a checkbook, so Text to Give is the way to go. 1440 00:59:53,500 --> 00:59:57,833 It's fun, it's simple, and best of all, it's secure. 1441 00:59:57,917 --> 00:59:59,833 I want you to do something with me. 1442 00:59:59,875 --> 01:00:01,750 Take out your smart phone right now; 1443 01:00:01,833 --> 01:00:03,583 we're going to do something together. 1444 01:00:03,667 --> 01:00:05,500 Don't worry, you're not obligated to give, 1445 01:00:05,583 --> 01:00:07,500 but try this out. 1446 01:00:07,583 --> 01:00:10,375 Simply send the amount you want to give 1447 01:00:10,458 --> 01:00:16,417 and the word "Mars Hill" at the end to the following number: 45777. 1448 01:00:17,625 --> 01:00:19,292 The first time you give via text, 1449 01:00:19,333 --> 01:00:21,958 you will be asked to fill out a one-time form, 1450 01:00:22,000 --> 01:00:25,042 which will safely link your card to your smart phone. 1451 01:00:25,125 --> 01:00:28,500 Now, this new way of giving doesn't go into your phone bill, 1452 01:00:28,542 --> 01:00:30,375 and in case you make a mistake, 1453 01:00:30,458 --> 01:00:34,125 you can always get a refund for the gift that you've given. 1454 01:00:34,167 --> 01:00:36,167 And that's it; you're done. 1455 01:00:36,208 --> 01:00:38,333 You'll receive a text back confirming your gift 1456 01:00:38,375 --> 01:00:40,833 and from this moment forward, you'll be able to give 1457 01:00:40,917 --> 01:00:43,583 anywhere, anytime with just a single text. 1458 01:00:43,667 --> 01:00:46,333 Don't forget to save the number in your contact list. 1459 01:00:46,417 --> 01:00:49,500 I've saved it as "Mars Hill Text to Give." 1460 01:00:49,542 --> 01:00:51,333 For more information about our giving options 1461 01:00:51,417 --> 01:00:54,625 you can visit marshill.com/give. 1462 01:00:59,167 --> 01:01:02,167 Each year, over 10 million Mars Hill church sermons 1463 01:01:02,208 --> 01:01:05,250 are downloaded worldwide for free. 1464 01:01:05,333 --> 01:01:07,833 This ministry is generously supported 1465 01:01:07,917 --> 01:01:10,500 by Mars Hill church members and listeners like you. 1466 01:01:10,542 --> 01:01:14,042 If you'd like to support our efforts to preach Jesus to the world, 1467 01:01:14,125 --> 01:01:17,042 Please consider making a tax-deductible donation 1468 01:01:17,125 --> 01:01:19,958 by visiting marshill.com/give.