1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,071 2 00:00:00,071 --> 00:00:05,008 "And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. 3 00:00:05,008 --> 00:00:07,025 "And the people sought him and came to him, 4 00:00:07,025 --> 00:00:10,042 and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, 5 00:00:10,042 --> 00:00:13,096 "'I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God 6 00:00:13,096 --> 00:00:18,033 "to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.' 7 00:00:18,033 --> 00:00:22,029 "And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. 8 00:00:22,029 --> 00:00:25,079 "On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear 9 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:30,038 "the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 10 00:00:30,038 --> 00:00:34,017 "and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out 11 00:00:34,017 --> 00:00:36,054 "of them and were washing their nets. 12 00:00:36,054 --> 00:00:39,054 "Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him 13 00:00:39,054 --> 00:00:42,012 "to put out a little from the land. 14 00:00:42,012 --> 00:00:44,088 "And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 15 00:00:44,088 --> 00:00:48,038 "And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, 16 00:00:48,038 --> 00:00:52,079 "'Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.' 17 00:00:52,079 --> 00:00:57,054 "And Simon answered, 'Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! 18 00:00:57,054 --> 00:01:00,050 "But at your word I will let down the nets.' 19 00:01:00,050 --> 00:01:02,029 "And when they had done this, 20 00:01:02,029 --> 00:01:07,004 "they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 21 00:01:07,004 --> 00:01:10,096 "They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. 22 00:01:10,096 --> 00:01:13,021 "And they came and filled both boats, 23 00:01:13,021 --> 00:01:15,071 "so that they began to sink. 24 00:01:15,071 --> 00:01:19,004 "But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, 25 00:01:19,004 --> 00:01:23,067 "saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.' 26 00:01:23,067 --> 00:01:27,046 "For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch 27 00:01:27,046 --> 00:01:29,054 "of fish that they had taken, 28 00:01:29,054 --> 00:01:33,004 "and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, 29 00:01:33,004 --> 00:01:34,092 "who were partners with Simon. 30 00:01:34,092 --> 00:01:37,079 "And Jesus said to Simon, 'Do not be afraid; 31 00:01:37,079 --> 00:01:40,062 "from now on you will be catching men.' 32 00:01:40,062 --> 00:01:42,058 "And when they had brought their boats to land, 33 00:01:42,058 --> 00:01:45,033 they left everything and followed him." 34 00:01:53,058 --> 00:02:01,054 [music] 35 00:02:11,008 --> 00:02:13,083 All right, Mars Hill, we continue in Luke's Gospel, 36 00:02:13,083 --> 00:02:15,033 investigating the man who is God. 37 00:02:15,033 --> 00:02:20,029 If you've got a Bible today, we start in Luke 4:42-5:11. 38 00:02:20,029 --> 00:02:22,012 You get a twofer today. 39 00:02:22,012 --> 00:02:24,088 To catch up on the week that I went to Haiti, we're gonna slam 40 00:02:24,088 --> 00:02:28,062 two sermons together, so you're welcome. 41 00:02:28,062 --> 00:02:32,083 And here's the big idea: I'm gonna try 42 00:02:32,083 --> 00:02:36,000 and make you do anything, right, for Jesus. 43 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:37,042 That's my big goal. 44 00:02:37,042 --> 00:02:42,000 Christianity is a belief system and a lifestyle. 45 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,017 And for some of you, it's just a belief system. 46 00:02:45,017 --> 00:02:48,038 "Yeah, Jesus is God, loves me, all my sins are forgiven. 47 00:02:48,038 --> 00:02:50,088 I'll be home checking my Facebook status." 48 00:02:50,088 --> 00:02:55,067 It's also getting up out of the chair, turning off the TV, 49 00:02:55,067 --> 00:03:01,058 reordering your budget and doing some things for Jesus with Jesus 50 00:03:01,058 --> 00:03:03,079 because he loves you. 51 00:03:03,079 --> 00:03:05,008 And so that's what we're gonna look at today; 52 00:03:05,008 --> 00:03:07,046 we're gonna look at the lifestyle of Jesus: 53 00:03:07,046 --> 00:03:10,092 How did he live, what did he give himself to, what did he do, 54 00:03:10,092 --> 00:03:13,000 what does that mean for you. 55 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:14,062 So here's where we're gonna start. 56 00:03:14,062 --> 00:03:18,038 I'll tell ya how everything begins in Luke 4. 57 00:03:18,038 --> 00:03:23,054 A little before our text, Jesus has a really big ministry day. 58 00:03:23,054 --> 00:03:29,004 And so point number one is: Pour yourself out in ministry. 59 00:03:29,004 --> 00:03:34,025 This is a sick, dead, decaying, dying world. 60 00:03:34,025 --> 00:03:39,071 Everything in this world is to encourage you to love, worship, 61 00:03:39,071 --> 00:03:44,062 adore, idolize, serve yourself. 62 00:03:44,062 --> 00:03:48,050 Church is every morning looking at the god in the mirror and 63 00:03:48,050 --> 00:03:52,075 making sure that that god gets everything it desires, 64 00:03:52,075 --> 00:03:59,075 and if not, you go into depression, anxiety, grief, sadness, narcissism. 65 00:03:59,075 --> 00:04:01,075 I'm telling you the way out. 66 00:04:01,075 --> 00:04:06,050 The way out is love of God, service of others. 67 00:04:06,050 --> 00:04:09,083 If your life is about you, you should be depressed 68 00:04:09,083 --> 00:04:12,088 'cause you're wasting your whole life. 69 00:04:12,088 --> 00:04:15,054 You should be having anxiety 70 00:04:15,054 --> 00:04:18,092 because you are wasting your whole life. 71 00:04:18,092 --> 00:04:23,067 You need to give your life to what Jesus gave his life to: 72 00:04:23,067 --> 00:04:25,092 The glory of God and the good of others. 73 00:04:25,092 --> 00:04:30,050 And Jesus pours himself out in ministry. 74 00:04:30,050 --> 00:04:35,042 Early in Luke 4 we look at Jesus gets kicked out of Nazareth, 75 00:04:35,042 --> 00:04:37,062 and he ends up in Capernaum, Simon Peter's hometown. 76 00:04:37,062 --> 00:04:41,067 He goes to the synagogue, and he preaches, he preaches. 77 00:04:41,067 --> 00:04:44,067 That alone is exhausting. 78 00:04:44,067 --> 00:04:46,083 Some have said that preaching an hour is equal 79 00:04:46,083 --> 00:04:50,038 to 1 hour's work at a typical job. 80 00:04:50,038 --> 00:04:54,079 And I'll tell ya, preaching is exhausting if you do it 81 00:04:54,079 --> 00:04:58,054 with any sort of enthusiasm, right? 82 00:04:58,054 --> 00:05:01,017 Yesterday I preached all day in L.A. 83 00:05:01,017 --> 00:05:03,029 I'll preach all day here today. 84 00:05:03,029 --> 00:05:05,038 Tonight I will sleep like a Calvinist. 85 00:05:05,038 --> 00:05:08,083 It is real work. It is real work. 86 00:05:08,083 --> 00:05:12,046 So Jesus preaches, and if that's not exhausting enough, 87 00:05:12,046 --> 00:05:16,012 the crowd comes to hear him, they all have questions and prayer requests, 88 00:05:16,012 --> 00:05:17,088 and they have needs and discussions. 89 00:05:17,088 --> 00:05:20,008 So like every preacher, he's gotta meet with people, 90 00:05:20,008 --> 00:05:22,058 pray for them, encourage them, serve them, 91 00:05:22,058 --> 00:05:25,012 and then a demonized guy comes up. 92 00:05:25,012 --> 00:05:27,050 I don't know if you've ever cast a demon out of someone, 93 00:05:27,050 --> 00:05:32,004 but it's complicated and a big deal and can be exhausting. 94 00:05:32,004 --> 00:05:34,046 So then Jesus casts a demon out of a guy. 95 00:05:34,046 --> 00:05:36,071 Well, now people got a lot of questions, 96 00:05:36,071 --> 00:05:39,004 'cause this was a public event. 97 00:05:39,004 --> 00:05:41,054 So now more people are surrounding Jesus, 98 00:05:41,054 --> 00:05:47,008 and he's already a bit of a rock star on tour, and he's in Capernaum. 99 00:05:47,008 --> 00:05:50,008 Well, to get a break then he goes to Simon Peter's house. 100 00:05:50,008 --> 00:05:51,042 Does he get a break? 101 00:05:51,042 --> 00:05:53,083 No, because Simon Peter's mother-in-law has a high fever, 102 00:05:53,083 --> 00:05:56,025 she's sick, perhaps even near death. 103 00:05:56,025 --> 00:06:00,067 So Jesus heals her, more exhausting ministry. 104 00:06:00,067 --> 00:06:02,042 Word gets out, "Hey, this guy preaches, 105 00:06:02,042 --> 00:06:06,004 casts out demon and heals people without a co-pay." 106 00:06:06,004 --> 00:06:11,000 Next thing you know, there's a real crowd surrounding 107 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,058 Peter's home, lots of people are coming. 108 00:06:14,058 --> 00:06:16,017 "Pray for me, teach me that. 109 00:06:16,017 --> 00:06:17,062 I got a hangnail." 110 00:06:17,062 --> 00:06:19,050 You know, "Fix this. 111 00:06:19,050 --> 00:06:20,075 "They've got a demon. 112 00:06:20,075 --> 00:06:22,042 Help, help, help." 113 00:06:22,042 --> 00:06:23,096 Jesus doesn't get time for a nap. 114 00:06:23,096 --> 00:06:25,058 Jesus doesn't get time for a meal. 115 00:06:25,058 --> 00:06:30,058 Everybody's coming, this is exhausting. 116 00:06:30,058 --> 00:06:32,029 It's exhausting. 117 00:06:32,029 --> 00:06:37,088 Absolutely--just the devastation as a preacher and a minister 118 00:06:37,088 --> 00:06:41,088 of just the absolute pain in people's lives is, 119 00:06:41,088 --> 00:06:44,021 in and of itself, exhausting. 120 00:06:44,021 --> 00:06:48,000 Yesterday, I preach, I'm in downtown L.A. at the Orpheum Theater, 121 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:52,008 preaching, and then it's meet people and then preach and then meet people 122 00:06:52,008 --> 00:06:53,042 and preach and meet people. 123 00:06:53,042 --> 00:06:54,050 And it's this long line and it's: 124 00:06:54,050 --> 00:06:57,038 "I was raped." "I was molested." "I was abused." 125 00:06:57,038 --> 00:06:59,029 "I'm addicted to pornography." 126 00:06:59,029 --> 00:07:01,075 "My wife's in the bathroom, she doesn't know that I also have 127 00:07:01,075 --> 00:07:03,050 a girlfriend, what do I do?" 128 00:07:03,050 --> 00:07:07,017 It's "I'm a newly-converted Christian, 129 00:07:07,017 --> 00:07:11,021 what do I do with my gay boyfriend who doesn't know Jesus?" 130 00:07:11,021 --> 00:07:14,046 "I cheated on my wife, and my girlfriend is pregnant." 131 00:07:14,046 --> 00:07:19,017 And "I have gonorrhea, syphilis, and I want to get married and have kids, 132 00:07:19,017 --> 00:07:20,033 "is that okay? 133 00:07:20,033 --> 00:07:24,017 Do I need to tell my fiance that this is what I'm dealing with?" 134 00:07:24,017 --> 00:07:26,096 It's like, "Seriously, really?" 135 00:07:26,096 --> 00:07:28,088 Like, "This is happening." 136 00:07:28,088 --> 00:07:31,025 And it's like, "Okay, we'll just deal with this, 137 00:07:31,025 --> 00:07:34,000 "and then I'll go preach and then we'll meet and preach and meet, 138 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:35,038 "and I'll tell Jesus you said 'Hi,' 139 00:07:35,038 --> 00:07:39,017 'cause I'm gonna be there quickly at this pace." 140 00:07:41,029 --> 00:07:43,012 But that's ministry, right? 141 00:07:43,012 --> 00:07:45,067 That you preach, you teach, you pour yourself out, people come. 142 00:07:45,067 --> 00:07:47,004 That's where Jesus is at. 143 00:07:47,004 --> 00:07:49,008 I mean he is exhausted. 144 00:07:49,008 --> 00:07:50,067 He has worked really hard. 145 00:07:50,067 --> 00:07:53,092 He has poured himself out. 146 00:07:53,092 --> 00:07:55,088 So then what does he do? 147 00:07:55,088 --> 00:07:59,058 Number two: Rest and recover in solitude. 148 00:07:59,058 --> 00:08:02,025 I'm gonna do this tomorrow with the Driscoll nation. 149 00:08:02,025 --> 00:08:05,025 Luke 4:42, "And when it was day, he departed 150 00:08:05,025 --> 00:08:06,088 and went into a desolate place." 151 00:08:06,088 --> 00:08:11,046 So Jesus gets up early, like before everybody else gets up. 152 00:08:11,046 --> 00:08:13,008 "I'm gone. I'm leaving." 153 00:08:13,008 --> 00:08:14,050 And some people there, I'm sure they're like 154 00:08:14,050 --> 00:08:16,029 "He seems very rude. 155 00:08:16,029 --> 00:08:20,025 Now that he's got a megachurch, he's just not very accessible." 156 00:08:20,025 --> 00:08:22,083 And I'm so glad that they didn't have iPhones 157 00:08:22,083 --> 00:08:24,083 'cause they would have had a Jesus iPhone app like, 158 00:08:24,083 --> 00:08:27,067 "Where is he? Where? There he is, we're gonna find him." 159 00:08:27,067 --> 00:08:28,071 Right? 160 00:08:28,071 --> 00:08:31,042 You know somebody would have invented that thing. 161 00:08:31,042 --> 00:08:33,008 So Jesus is like, "I gotta get out of here. 162 00:08:33,008 --> 00:08:35,033 I gotta get a break. I need to go somewhere else." 163 00:08:35,033 --> 00:08:37,038 And it's not that he doesn't love people, and it's not that 164 00:08:37,038 --> 00:08:40,083 they don't have needs; it's just that, as God become a man, 165 00:08:40,083 --> 00:08:43,029 he can only be in one place at one time. 166 00:08:43,029 --> 00:08:45,088 He's gotta get something to eat, he needs to find a bathroom, 167 00:08:45,088 --> 00:08:49,092 and at some point, he needs to get a little bit of rest. 168 00:08:49,092 --> 00:08:54,000 So ministry is you pour yourself out, and then the tank is empty 169 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:55,062 and you go to be with God to fill it. 170 00:08:55,062 --> 00:08:59,033 That is rest and recovery in solitude. 171 00:08:59,033 --> 00:09:01,046 So let me hammer solitude. 172 00:09:01,046 --> 00:09:05,092 Let me say this: You have no business enjoying restful 173 00:09:05,092 --> 00:09:10,058 solitude unless you've poured yourself out in ministry. 174 00:09:10,058 --> 00:09:14,017 Rest in solitude is a gift that God gives to those 175 00:09:14,017 --> 00:09:17,025 who have poured themselves out in ministry. 176 00:09:17,025 --> 00:09:18,079 That's the way that it works. 177 00:09:18,079 --> 00:09:20,042 Now let me tell you a little bit about solitude. 178 00:09:20,042 --> 00:09:26,092 It is fasting from people, crowds, hurry, worry, busy, noise, activity; 179 00:09:26,092 --> 00:09:28,033 that's what it is. 180 00:09:28,033 --> 00:09:32,071 Another thing about solitude: It is a routine, not a lifestyle. 181 00:09:32,071 --> 00:09:35,046 If your whole life is into silence and solitude and Sabbath 182 00:09:35,046 --> 00:09:39,021 and resting and refreshing, you're lazy, you're a bum, 183 00:09:39,021 --> 00:09:40,096 you're worthless. 184 00:09:40,096 --> 00:09:44,054 Jesus loves you, but the rest of us are struggling, right? 185 00:09:44,054 --> 00:09:48,025 You're not doing it--and see the whole American myth is: 186 00:09:48,025 --> 00:09:51,092 "I want to make enough money to just not have to work and retire and then 187 00:09:51,092 --> 00:09:55,042 "just stand before Jesus and take a beating, because I am supposed 188 00:09:55,042 --> 00:10:00,046 to serve passionately," give your life away until the end. 189 00:10:00,046 --> 00:10:03,029 The great dream of "Well, I just want to get to the point 190 00:10:03,029 --> 00:10:04,058 where I don't have to do anything." 191 00:10:04,058 --> 00:10:07,058 There is nothing in the Bible that encourages 192 00:10:07,058 --> 00:10:10,062 the American dream/nightmare. 193 00:10:10,062 --> 00:10:14,075 You give yourself away, and then Sabbath and solitude 194 00:10:14,075 --> 00:10:17,042 and rest and refreshment, that's a gift 195 00:10:17,042 --> 00:10:19,025 for those who pour themselves out. 196 00:10:19,025 --> 00:10:22,012 It's not a lifestyle. 197 00:10:22,012 --> 00:10:25,042 It's you empty your bucket, you go to get with God, 198 00:10:25,042 --> 00:10:28,075 so that he can fill your bucket, so you can go empty it out again. 199 00:10:28,075 --> 00:10:31,046 That's life, that's the way it works. 200 00:10:31,046 --> 00:10:34,017 And this is true whether you're in paid or unpaid ministry, 201 00:10:34,017 --> 00:10:35,083 that's life. 202 00:10:35,083 --> 00:10:38,038 Now additionally, this will be easier for those of you 203 00:10:38,038 --> 00:10:40,062 who are contemplatives than activists. 204 00:10:40,062 --> 00:10:43,092 There's basically two kinds of people when it comes to the spiritual disciplines. 205 00:10:43,092 --> 00:10:47,046 The contemplatives are thinkers and feelers and ponderers 206 00:10:47,046 --> 00:10:48,092 and considerers. 207 00:10:48,092 --> 00:10:52,075 Silence, solitude, prayer, fasting, journaling; 208 00:10:52,075 --> 00:10:54,004 they love that. 209 00:10:54,004 --> 00:10:57,017 Now the activists are doers, right? 210 00:10:57,017 --> 00:11:00,017 The contemplatives, they live in their heart and in their head. 211 00:11:00,017 --> 00:11:03,008 The activists, they're all about the hands and the feet. 212 00:11:03,008 --> 00:11:05,029 "Get it done. Get up. Go. People are going to hell. 213 00:11:05,029 --> 00:11:07,000 "Move, move, move, move, move! 214 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,008 "Evangelism, missions, serve. 215 00:11:09,008 --> 00:11:13,083 Go rebuild that house, pray for that person, go get that done." 216 00:11:13,083 --> 00:11:16,038 And what happens is if you're an activist, 217 00:11:16,038 --> 00:11:20,042 then being a contemplative is hard, because you're like, 218 00:11:20,042 --> 00:11:22,054 "There's people to see, there's things to do. 219 00:11:22,054 --> 00:11:24,096 People are going to hell, there's work to get done." 220 00:11:24,096 --> 00:11:26,012 But like Jesus you gotta say, 221 00:11:26,012 --> 00:11:30,000 "And I gotta go get my bucket refilled, otherwise I'm no good to them at all." 222 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,092 And you gotta schedule that and you gotta plan that 223 00:11:31,092 --> 00:11:33,062 and you gotta protect that and you gotta make that happen. 224 00:11:33,062 --> 00:11:36,096 Some of you are doer, doer, doer types. 225 00:11:36,096 --> 00:11:38,075 You're gonna burn out, you're gonna get frustrated, 226 00:11:38,075 --> 00:11:42,058 you're gonna be ineffective, unless you, literally, just block out 227 00:11:42,058 --> 00:11:45,017 your time, go to the woods, turn off your laptop, 228 00:11:45,017 --> 00:11:46,058 turn off your cell phone. 229 00:11:46,058 --> 00:11:50,058 Get your break, get with Jesus, pray, get your bucket refilled, 230 00:11:50,058 --> 00:11:52,058 get your Bible open, sing some songs. 231 00:11:52,058 --> 00:11:56,050 And some of are contemplatives and you do that too much. 232 00:11:56,050 --> 00:11:58,008 You're always thinking about things that could be done, 233 00:11:58,008 --> 00:12:00,004 but you don't do anything. 234 00:12:00,004 --> 00:12:03,083 You write nice blogs about things that other people should do, 235 00:12:03,083 --> 00:12:05,050 and you tweet things thinking that somehow 236 00:12:05,050 --> 00:12:08,017 in "Twitterland" others will just obey you and do it, 237 00:12:08,017 --> 00:12:11,033 because you added a verse to it or you said, "Thou shalt." 238 00:12:11,033 --> 00:12:14,058 All right, and it's the issue that some of you contemplatives, 239 00:12:14,058 --> 00:12:17,075 you gotta get up, man, put the book down, because you can't see 240 00:12:17,075 --> 00:12:20,071 a lost and hurt, dying world through that book. 241 00:12:20,071 --> 00:12:23,050 It's time to put it down, get your boots on, get in the game, 242 00:12:23,050 --> 00:12:25,021 get something done. 243 00:12:25,021 --> 00:12:29,067 That's the way that it works: Action and then rest 244 00:12:29,067 --> 00:12:32,050 to replenish you to go back to action. 245 00:12:32,050 --> 00:12:34,058 For those of you who are contemplatives, you do too much 246 00:12:34,058 --> 00:12:37,067 resting, chilling, Jesus time. 247 00:12:37,067 --> 00:12:39,079 those of you who are active, you need to schedule it, 248 00:12:39,079 --> 00:12:42,029 you need to make it happen. 249 00:12:42,029 --> 00:12:45,025 Now, this is different than isolation. 250 00:12:45,025 --> 00:12:49,008 Solitude is a good thing, isolation is a bad thing. 251 00:12:49,008 --> 00:12:52,062 Isolation is where you don't want a roommate if you're single. 252 00:12:52,062 --> 00:12:54,054 If you're married, you don't want to really go to heart 253 00:12:54,054 --> 00:12:57,029 and have deep-level conversations with your spouse and kids. 254 00:12:57,029 --> 00:12:58,079 It's where you don't want to go to community group, 255 00:12:58,079 --> 00:13:00,004 you don't want to be a member of the church, 256 00:13:00,004 --> 00:13:01,050 you don't want anybody in your business. 257 00:13:01,050 --> 00:13:03,062 Isolation equals danger. 258 00:13:03,062 --> 00:13:06,033 Solitude is: You're in your community group, you're in your church, 259 00:13:06,033 --> 00:13:09,042 you're serving, you're doing your job, working, 260 00:13:09,042 --> 00:13:12,096 going to school, pouring your life out and occasionally you withdraw 261 00:13:12,096 --> 00:13:16,092 to enjoy the other disciplines; rest, prayer, Bible study, 262 00:13:16,092 --> 00:13:21,092 worship, journaling, more of the contemplative side of life. 263 00:13:21,092 --> 00:13:24,017 Now let me say this: There are three main things 264 00:13:24,017 --> 00:13:30,033 in my experience that don't allow the kind of solitude that Jesus enjoyed. 265 00:13:30,033 --> 00:13:34,042 Okay, number one are those people. 266 00:13:34,042 --> 00:13:36,038 Jesus has those people. 267 00:13:36,038 --> 00:13:37,054 That's what Luke just told us. 268 00:13:37,054 --> 00:13:39,058 The crowds came around him, they kept following them, 269 00:13:39,058 --> 00:13:41,021 they were following him everywhere. 270 00:13:41,021 --> 00:13:43,042 They wouldn't leave him alone, they just had to be with him. 271 00:13:43,042 --> 00:13:45,092 They were those people. 272 00:13:45,092 --> 00:13:47,092 Have you seen that old movie "What About Bob?" 273 00:13:47,092 --> 00:13:49,062 Okay, it's like that. 274 00:13:49,062 --> 00:13:51,058 Now let me tell you about those people. 275 00:13:51,058 --> 00:13:54,000 Those people are always needy, always demanding, always 276 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,042 hurting, everything's a crisis, it's always urgent. 277 00:13:56,042 --> 00:13:57,042 "You're the only one. 278 00:13:57,042 --> 00:13:59,042 I can't do it without you, please save me." 279 00:13:59,042 --> 00:14:04,029 You're like, "That's not my job. I'm not savior, I'm servant." 280 00:14:04,029 --> 00:14:06,038 And these people they call and they text and they e-mail, 281 00:14:06,038 --> 00:14:09,025 and sometimes in the same minute they call. 282 00:14:09,025 --> 00:14:12,033 You're seeing it and you're like, "I cannot answer that. 283 00:14:12,033 --> 00:14:16,079 "It's them. They are gonna take my life. 284 00:14:16,079 --> 00:14:18,025 I'll let it go to voice mail." 285 00:14:18,025 --> 00:14:20,062 And then they text, "Did you get my voice mail?" 286 00:14:20,062 --> 00:14:22,083 And then they e-mail, "Did you get my text about the voice mail?" 287 00:14:22,083 --> 00:14:25,046 Those people. And then they show up at your house. 288 00:14:25,046 --> 00:14:28,029 Right, in every social network, group of people, 289 00:14:28,029 --> 00:14:33,088 every community group, every circle of friends has that person, that person. 290 00:14:33,088 --> 00:14:36,008 Some of you say, "We don't." 291 00:14:36,008 --> 00:14:39,017 Well, then you're it. 292 00:14:39,017 --> 00:14:40,067 You are. 293 00:14:40,067 --> 00:14:44,083 I hate to break it to ya, you're that person. 294 00:14:45,029 --> 00:14:47,058 Ha, ha. 295 00:14:49,012 --> 00:14:52,071 Everyone in your community group now likes me more. 296 00:14:52,071 --> 00:14:54,062 Yes, true story. 297 00:14:54,062 --> 00:14:57,088 There's those people-- another thing that kills solitude, 298 00:14:57,088 --> 00:15:01,029 number two, is that it is not planned for. 299 00:15:01,029 --> 00:15:04,083 All right, I mean if you just go, go, go, go, go, go, go, 300 00:15:04,083 --> 00:15:08,033 and you don't plan for a bit of a break, it never does come. 301 00:15:08,033 --> 00:15:10,021 So this is where you put it on your calendar. 302 00:15:10,021 --> 00:15:13,017 To be honest with you I've been on a--it's been crazy-- 303 00:15:13,017 --> 00:15:15,017 it's been a 6-week sprint. 304 00:15:15,017 --> 00:15:19,029 Preached in a lot of states, I've been to another country, 305 00:15:19,029 --> 00:15:20,075 it's a little goofy. 306 00:15:20,075 --> 00:15:25,033 And I'm coming up on that time where I really need that day, 307 00:15:25,033 --> 00:15:27,096 so I've got it scheduled and I'm gonna mark it out. 308 00:15:27,096 --> 00:15:29,071 But if I don't mark it out, it never happens. 309 00:15:29,071 --> 00:15:31,058 Some of you know it, you've got a job, you lead 310 00:15:31,058 --> 00:15:34,025 a community group, you're serving in ministry, you're married, 311 00:15:34,025 --> 00:15:35,021 you got kids. 312 00:15:35,021 --> 00:15:38,029 You got little league's comin', soccer's already here. 313 00:15:38,029 --> 00:15:41,021 You know and unless you say, "I gotta take a few hours this day, 314 00:15:41,021 --> 00:15:43,071 "I gotta take a half a day or a day this day, 315 00:15:43,071 --> 00:15:46,042 "I need to go out to the mountains, I need to get with Jesus, 316 00:15:46,042 --> 00:15:49,079 I need to have my bucket refilled," it will never happen. 317 00:15:49,079 --> 00:15:52,042 And if you don't know what to do on those days, there is a series 318 00:15:52,042 --> 00:15:55,025 of blogs on how to get a day of silence and solitude 319 00:15:55,025 --> 00:15:57,038 that they actually put at marshillchurch.org. 320 00:15:57,038 --> 00:16:00,050 It's all free, kind of lays out the theology of a day 321 00:16:00,050 --> 00:16:03,054 of solitude to get with God and also gives you a journaling 322 00:16:03,054 --> 00:16:07,017 template that may be of help and service to you. 323 00:16:07,017 --> 00:16:13,008 Those people, not planning it, and number three: technology. 324 00:16:13,008 --> 00:16:15,083 Technology is gonna kill solitude. 325 00:16:15,083 --> 00:16:18,083 You can go the rest of your life, and through technology, 326 00:16:18,083 --> 00:16:21,000 never be alone again. 327 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:22,092 Never be alone again. 328 00:16:22,092 --> 00:16:30,075 Cell phone, laptop, Wi-Fi, car radio, TV at home, 329 00:16:30,075 --> 00:16:33,004 Twitter, Facebook. 330 00:16:33,004 --> 00:16:35,083 I mean if everybody was honest they're Twitter account would always say, 331 00:16:35,083 --> 00:16:39,050 "I'm Twittering," 'cause that's really what you're doing, all right. 332 00:16:39,050 --> 00:16:41,071 You live in this world where you can be connected, 333 00:16:41,071 --> 00:16:45,000 plugged in, communicating with others 334 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:49,017 to the neglect of God continually. 335 00:16:49,017 --> 00:16:51,062 You could go the rest of your life without ever hearing 336 00:16:51,062 --> 00:16:55,058 the voice of God because there's too much noise or talking to God 337 00:16:55,058 --> 00:17:00,012 because you're too busy talking to everyone else. 338 00:17:00,012 --> 00:17:02,088 And so it is turning off the phone, it is shutting down 339 00:17:02,088 --> 00:17:08,088 the technology, it is actually going out to be alone with God, 340 00:17:08,088 --> 00:17:12,067 to read your Bible, pray, repent of sin, journal, worship, 341 00:17:12,067 --> 00:17:17,088 go for a walk, enjoy his creation, get some time with the Father. 342 00:17:17,088 --> 00:17:20,038 Now to do this is gonna be a discipline. 343 00:17:20,038 --> 00:17:24,046 I'll give you two things that I think might be of help to you. 344 00:17:24,046 --> 00:17:27,042 One: Jesus did it. 345 00:17:27,042 --> 00:17:30,083 Two: You will die without it. 346 00:17:30,083 --> 00:17:33,079 I don't know how to motivate you more than that. 347 00:17:33,079 --> 00:17:35,079 One: Jesus did it. 348 00:17:35,079 --> 00:17:38,092 Two: You'll die without it. 349 00:17:38,092 --> 00:17:43,021 So number one: Pour yourself out in ministry, like Jesus did, 350 00:17:43,021 --> 00:17:44,062 to the glory of God and the good of others. 351 00:17:44,062 --> 00:17:51,029 Number two: When your bucket's empty, pull back, get a break. 352 00:17:51,062 --> 00:17:52,088 Pull back, get a break. 353 00:17:52,088 --> 00:17:55,088 I was not very good at this. 354 00:17:55,088 --> 00:17:57,067 I blew out my adrenal glands. 355 00:17:57,067 --> 00:17:59,046 I had massive health complications. 356 00:17:59,046 --> 00:18:03,000 I absolutely hit the wall a few years ago, and I've had 357 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,042 to really put in a rhythm of silence, solitude, 358 00:18:06,042 --> 00:18:09,058 getting some time with God. 359 00:18:09,058 --> 00:18:13,042 I've had to change my diet, 42 vitamins a day. 360 00:18:14,050 --> 00:18:21,033 It's a lifestyle orientation, because so many of you have found that 361 00:18:21,033 --> 00:18:28,017 really you don't have a job, whether it's ministry or not ministry, it's a lifestyle. 362 00:18:28,017 --> 00:18:33,021 It's an all-consuming, ever-present, continually-demanding lifestyle. 363 00:18:34,021 --> 00:18:36,079 And the myth is it will get better in the next season 364 00:18:36,079 --> 00:18:39,025 and the next season never comes. 365 00:18:39,025 --> 00:18:40,083 So for me, it was a decade of just 366 00:18:40,083 --> 00:18:46,054 go, go, go, go, go, go, go, until I broke. 367 00:18:46,054 --> 00:18:47,092 And I would have said, "I did it for Jesus." 368 00:18:47,092 --> 00:18:50,042 No, I did it foolishly, I did it selfishly, 369 00:18:50,042 --> 00:18:52,050 I did it arrogantly, I did it proudly. 370 00:18:52,050 --> 00:18:55,067 Today I get more done, but I sleep better and my health is 371 00:18:55,067 --> 00:18:58,058 in a better condition and part of it is that silence and solitude, 372 00:18:58,058 --> 00:19:01,054 because you get busy working in your life, 373 00:19:01,054 --> 00:19:04,046 but you don't get time to work on your life. 374 00:19:04,046 --> 00:19:06,092 Pull back, take a look at it. 375 00:19:06,092 --> 00:19:10,025 "Jesus, where am I at? Where are we? How am I doing?" 376 00:19:10,025 --> 00:19:12,071 And then reengage back into it. 377 00:19:12,071 --> 00:19:16,012 And so it is, in every way, working in your life, 378 00:19:16,012 --> 00:19:19,042 and then working on your life, pouring yourself out in ministry 379 00:19:19,042 --> 00:19:21,067 and then getting some time with God to clear your head 380 00:19:21,067 --> 00:19:23,096 and get your bucket refilled. 381 00:19:23,096 --> 00:19:27,021 Number three, here's what Jesus does: 382 00:19:27,021 --> 00:19:29,008 Pursue your calling, not your potential. 383 00:19:29,008 --> 00:19:30,038 That's the big idea. 384 00:19:30,038 --> 00:19:33,021 Luke 4:42, the second half of the verse through 44. 385 00:19:33,021 --> 00:19:35,038 "And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept 386 00:19:35,038 --> 00:19:39,021 "him from leaving them, but he said to them, 'I must preach 387 00:19:39,021 --> 00:19:41,092 "'the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; 388 00:19:41,092 --> 00:19:44,033 for I was sent for this purpose.'" 389 00:19:44,033 --> 00:19:47,008 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea." 390 00:19:47,008 --> 00:19:53,025 So Jesus comes out of his silence and solitude time, his desolation day, 391 00:19:53,025 --> 00:19:54,050 and what happens is everybody says, 392 00:19:54,050 --> 00:19:57,008 "Glad you're back, here's the to-do list. 393 00:19:57,008 --> 00:19:59,012 "We saw ya heal people. 394 00:19:59,012 --> 00:20:00,088 "We started this little healing ministry. 395 00:20:00,088 --> 00:20:02,058 "We saw you cast demons out. 396 00:20:02,058 --> 00:20:04,075 "We got a line of people who have demons. 397 00:20:04,075 --> 00:20:06,033 "You preached a good sermon. 398 00:20:06,033 --> 00:20:07,054 "We're renting a stadium. 399 00:20:07,054 --> 00:20:09,071 "This thing is ready to roll, all plugged in. 400 00:20:09,071 --> 00:20:11,012 "Here's your job description. 401 00:20:11,012 --> 00:20:13,033 "Set up shop here in Capernaum. 402 00:20:13,033 --> 00:20:15,050 We're ready to go." 403 00:20:16,017 --> 00:20:21,017 Jesus says, "No, no." 404 00:20:21,017 --> 00:20:23,004 You say, "Why? 'Cause those are bad things?" 405 00:20:23,004 --> 00:20:26,062 No, those are perfectly good things, 406 00:20:26,062 --> 00:20:28,088 but they're not the things that Jesus was called to 407 00:20:28,088 --> 00:20:32,062 by the Father and he clarifies his call. 408 00:20:32,062 --> 00:20:33,058 He says, 409 00:20:33,058 --> 00:20:37,038 "I must preach. I was sent." 410 00:20:37,038 --> 00:20:39,025 So he's a preaching missionary, 411 00:20:39,025 --> 00:20:43,029 that's his call, that's his thing. 412 00:20:43,029 --> 00:20:45,033 What he's saying is, "I'm not against healing, 413 00:20:45,033 --> 00:20:47,033 "but I'm not starting a hospital. 414 00:20:47,033 --> 00:20:48,071 "I'll heal some people along the way. 415 00:20:48,071 --> 00:20:50,054 "I'm not against casting out demons, 416 00:20:50,054 --> 00:20:56,029 "but I'm not gonna set up the weekly exorcism show under the big tent. 417 00:20:56,029 --> 00:20:58,079 "I don't mind praying for people, but it's not gonna be me doing, 418 00:20:58,079 --> 00:21:02,017 "you know, 60, 80 hours a week of praying for people. 419 00:21:02,017 --> 00:21:03,058 "I'll pray for people along the way. 420 00:21:03,058 --> 00:21:04,067 "I'm gonna heal some people along the way. 421 00:21:04,067 --> 00:21:06,079 "I'm gonna cast out some demons along the day, but here's 422 00:21:06,079 --> 00:21:10,083 "the big idea: I can't set up shop here in Capernaum. 423 00:21:10,083 --> 00:21:13,038 "I gotta go. I gotta go to this town and this town and this town. 424 00:21:13,038 --> 00:21:16,004 "I gotta preach in this place and this place and this place. 425 00:21:16,004 --> 00:21:17,054 "I gotta open the Word of God. 426 00:21:17,054 --> 00:21:19,058 "I gotta proclaim the grace of God. 427 00:21:19,058 --> 00:21:21,079 "I gotta call sinners to repentance 428 00:21:21,079 --> 00:21:22,096 "and I gotta get on the road. 429 00:21:22,096 --> 00:21:26,046 "I gotta go introduce people to the truth. 430 00:21:26,046 --> 00:21:28,004 That's what I need to do." 431 00:21:28,004 --> 00:21:29,079 And what can happen is, and this is true whether 432 00:21:29,079 --> 00:21:32,025 you're in business or ministry, you pursue your potential 433 00:21:32,025 --> 00:21:34,004 instead of your calling. 434 00:21:34,004 --> 00:21:36,008 I was reading even a "Harvard Business Review" article 435 00:21:36,008 --> 00:21:38,012 recently, I love that magazine. 436 00:21:38,012 --> 00:21:41,025 And they said that what companies do is, they get arrogant. 437 00:21:41,025 --> 00:21:43,088 They'll succeed at one thing and then think they can do anything 438 00:21:43,088 --> 00:21:45,062 so then they take something on that is out 439 00:21:45,062 --> 00:21:50,000 of their specialization and they fail miserably. 440 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,038 Why? Because they're pursuing their potential, not their calling. 441 00:21:52,038 --> 00:21:54,075 They're chasing all the opportunities rather 442 00:21:54,075 --> 00:21:56,054 than the handful that they should. 443 00:21:56,054 --> 00:21:59,012 What is true of organizations is true of individuals. 444 00:21:59,012 --> 00:22:05,075 You have more things you can do than things you should do. 445 00:22:05,075 --> 00:22:10,058 If Satan can't make you sin, he will keep you busy, 446 00:22:10,058 --> 00:22:14,004 not doing bad things, but neglecting first things. 447 00:22:14,004 --> 00:22:19,004 That's a tactic, that's a trick, that's the way that he works. 448 00:22:19,004 --> 00:22:20,075 And so they come to Jesus with a list 449 00:22:20,075 --> 00:22:22,088 of actually decent things to do. 450 00:22:22,088 --> 00:22:25,088 And Jesus says, "No, that's not my calling. 451 00:22:25,088 --> 00:22:28,004 "I'm a preaching missionary. 452 00:22:28,004 --> 00:22:29,083 "I gotta go. 453 00:22:29,083 --> 00:22:32,017 I gotta go preach to some new people." 454 00:22:32,017 --> 00:22:35,096 Now, here's how you get a sense of your calling, 455 00:22:35,096 --> 00:22:38,092 it has to come in silence and solitude. 456 00:22:38,092 --> 00:22:42,050 I don't think if Jesus hadn't had that day-- 457 00:22:42,050 --> 00:22:47,079 or however long it was--of silence and solitude with God the Father to pray, 458 00:22:47,079 --> 00:22:50,092 to go back to Scripture, to journal, to listen, 459 00:22:50,092 --> 00:22:54,008 to clarify his call, I don't know if walking back into Capernaum, 460 00:22:54,008 --> 00:22:56,029 he would have had as much clear focus. 461 00:22:56,029 --> 00:22:58,008 "I can't do this and I can't do this, 462 00:22:58,008 --> 00:22:59,075 "because God told me to do that. 463 00:22:59,075 --> 00:23:03,033 God the Father told me to do that." 464 00:23:03,033 --> 00:23:04,075 And see, that's you. 465 00:23:04,075 --> 00:23:06,033 That's you. 466 00:23:06,033 --> 00:23:08,017 People always come up to leaders in the church, 467 00:23:08,017 --> 00:23:10,075 "I don't know what to do, I don't know what--" You know what? 468 00:23:10,075 --> 00:23:13,017 You gotta go get with God. 469 00:23:13,017 --> 00:23:14,038 And you gotta look in the Bible and say, 470 00:23:14,038 --> 00:23:15,075 "Well, who am I like in the Bible? 471 00:23:15,075 --> 00:23:17,075 Maybe that will help indicate some of my skills. 472 00:23:17,075 --> 00:23:18,088 Where are my passions? 473 00:23:18,088 --> 00:23:20,017 What am I interested about? 474 00:23:20,017 --> 00:23:20,088 What am I good at? 475 00:23:20,088 --> 00:23:23,012 What things has God already used me for? 476 00:23:23,012 --> 00:23:24,046 Where do I see a need? 477 00:23:24,046 --> 00:23:28,004 Lord Jesus, what is it is that I need to be doing? 478 00:23:28,004 --> 00:23:32,042 All right, where are the niches and corners of your kingdom 479 00:23:32,042 --> 00:23:36,025 where my involvement could be most effectively utilized, 480 00:23:36,025 --> 00:23:39,012 that I could really be a help to others and the forward progress 481 00:23:39,012 --> 00:23:42,083 of the Gospel and the betterment of my church?" 482 00:23:42,083 --> 00:23:44,088 And that comes from getting time with God, and I tell you 483 00:23:44,088 --> 00:23:48,042 that as a guy that my whole life comes out of this. 484 00:23:48,042 --> 00:23:52,038 I mean this is down at the roots for me. 485 00:23:52,038 --> 00:23:54,025 God saved me at the age of 19. 486 00:23:54,025 --> 00:23:56,083 I was a sinful guy like everybody else 487 00:23:56,083 --> 00:23:58,058 and Jesus saved me. 488 00:23:58,058 --> 00:23:59,071 I was reading the Bible. 489 00:23:59,071 --> 00:24:00,071 I was convicted of my sin. 490 00:24:00,071 --> 00:24:02,083 And Jesus is God and he died on the cross 491 00:24:02,083 --> 00:24:07,000 and he rose for my salvation, and I belong to him now. 492 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:11,038 And I remember reading Romans 1, I wrote it down verse 6 493 00:24:11,038 --> 00:24:15,050 where it says "And you also are called to belong to Jesus Christ." 494 00:24:15,050 --> 00:24:18,083 And God called me to himself in that verse. 495 00:24:18,083 --> 00:24:20,029 And after that I was wondering, okay God, 496 00:24:20,029 --> 00:24:21,038 my whole life's changed now. 497 00:24:21,038 --> 00:24:23,000 I belong to Jesus, these aren't my hands, 498 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:24,079 these are Jesus' hands. 499 00:24:24,079 --> 00:24:26,083 All right, this is Jesus' body, this is Jesus' life. 500 00:24:26,083 --> 00:24:28,092 Whatever I make, that's Jesus' money. 501 00:24:28,092 --> 00:24:31,058 These days, those are Jesus' days. 502 00:24:31,058 --> 00:24:33,029 Jesus, what do you want me to do? 503 00:24:33,029 --> 00:24:35,046 I'm yours now, I belong to you. 504 00:24:35,046 --> 00:24:37,008 I remember being at a men's retreat praying, 505 00:24:37,008 --> 00:24:40,000 "God, just tell me what you want me to do." 506 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:41,092 And God actually audibly spoke to me. 507 00:24:41,092 --> 00:24:43,054 And no, this doesn't happen all the time, 508 00:24:43,054 --> 00:24:46,004 and I'm not gonna give you a double-back money guarantee 509 00:24:46,004 --> 00:24:48,029 that if you take a day, God's gonna show up and talk to ya. 510 00:24:48,029 --> 00:24:51,046 I can't make God do anything, but here's what he did for me. 511 00:24:51,046 --> 00:24:55,029 He said, "Preach the Bible, marry Grace, train men, and plant churches." 512 00:24:55,029 --> 00:24:58,029 Four things, clear as day. 513 00:24:58,029 --> 00:25:00,025 Some have asked, "What did it sound like?" 514 00:25:00,025 --> 00:25:03,021 Authoritative, that's what it sounded like. 515 00:25:06,004 --> 00:25:07,071 I've had people say, "How do you know that was God?" 516 00:25:07,071 --> 00:25:12,025 That seems like something God would say, right? 517 00:25:12,025 --> 00:25:16,042 Preach the Bible, marry the pastor's daughter, plant churches, and train men. 518 00:25:16,042 --> 00:25:22,012 I think, yeah, that was the red line, that was a direct call. 519 00:25:22,012 --> 00:25:23,083 So that's what I've been doing ever since. 520 00:25:23,083 --> 00:25:26,033 So when opportunities come or things come, 521 00:25:26,033 --> 00:25:29,029 it's like, "That's not bad, but that's not me. 522 00:25:29,029 --> 00:25:30,067 "That's not bad, that's not me. 523 00:25:30,067 --> 00:25:33,029 "This is what I need to do. 524 00:25:33,029 --> 00:25:34,042 "I preach the Bible. 525 00:25:34,042 --> 00:25:35,029 "I train men. 526 00:25:35,029 --> 00:25:37,096 I plant churches, and I still like Grace." 527 00:25:37,096 --> 00:25:40,038 That's what I'm doing. 528 00:25:40,088 --> 00:25:43,071 And for you, you need that kind of clarity, and this might come 529 00:25:43,071 --> 00:25:46,000 over time, this might come out of study, this might come out 530 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:49,054 of experience, but it's retreating from your life to focus on 531 00:25:49,054 --> 00:25:52,071 your life to get clarity to reengage in your life 532 00:25:52,071 --> 00:25:54,096 and pour yourself out in ministry. 533 00:25:54,096 --> 00:25:57,029 But here's what happens for those who don't have a sense 534 00:25:57,029 --> 00:26:01,042 of calling: They exchange busyness for fruitfulness. 535 00:26:01,042 --> 00:26:02,092 Christians do it all the time. 536 00:26:02,092 --> 00:26:06,075 "I'm busy, I'm so busy. I'm stressed out. I'm always going." 537 00:26:06,075 --> 00:26:10,050 Yeah, but you're not fruitful, you're like a crazy person. 538 00:26:10,050 --> 00:26:14,021 Oh yeah, you're frantic and frazzled and busy and sweating 539 00:26:14,021 --> 00:26:16,050 and active and stressed and accomplishing 540 00:26:16,050 --> 00:26:19,046 two heaping handfuls of jack squat. 541 00:26:19,046 --> 00:26:22,062 You know, you're not getting anything done or you're doing 542 00:26:22,062 --> 00:26:26,054 ten things poorly rather than two things well. 543 00:26:26,054 --> 00:26:29,096 And the key is to be fruitful, not just busy. 544 00:26:29,096 --> 00:26:32,058 Too many people exchange busyness for fruitfulness. 545 00:26:32,058 --> 00:26:36,021 Jesus had that absolutely set before him. 546 00:26:36,021 --> 00:26:38,004 "Jesus, we'll keep you busy." 547 00:26:38,004 --> 00:26:40,021 He pulls back, and says, "No, that's not my calling. 548 00:26:40,021 --> 00:26:41,046 "I need to be fruitful. 549 00:26:41,046 --> 00:26:42,096 "I'm a preaching missionary. 550 00:26:42,096 --> 00:26:48,025 That's who I am. That's why the Father has sent me." 551 00:26:48,025 --> 00:26:51,038 Now, here I'll show something to you from Wayne Cordeiro, 552 00:26:51,038 --> 00:26:52,071 he's a Foursquare pastor. 553 00:26:52,071 --> 00:26:56,038 He's got this little chart in a book called "Leading on Empty." 554 00:26:56,038 --> 00:26:58,000 And it's a good little book for those 555 00:26:58,000 --> 00:26:59,067 who are burnt out in ministry. 556 00:26:59,067 --> 00:27:02,000 I read it every day. 557 00:27:02,071 --> 00:27:04,092 Just kidding. 558 00:27:04,092 --> 00:27:05,096 But I've read it a lot. 559 00:27:05,096 --> 00:27:07,058 It's very good. 560 00:27:07,058 --> 00:27:10,075 He says there's four ways to live your life. 561 00:27:10,075 --> 00:27:12,088 Number one, he says is, reaction. 562 00:27:12,088 --> 00:27:16,021 Reaction is this: There's a need, you jump. 563 00:27:16,021 --> 00:27:18,083 Someone's hurting, you help. 564 00:27:18,083 --> 00:27:21,079 Someone pushes, you submit. 565 00:27:21,079 --> 00:27:24,096 Someone demands, and you obey. 566 00:27:24,096 --> 00:27:28,096 All right, you're just-- you're just always in reaction mode. 567 00:27:28,096 --> 00:27:31,021 It's go, go, go, go, go, it's not be, be, be, be, be. 568 00:27:31,021 --> 00:27:34,004 It's not pulling back to get that time with Jesus. 569 00:27:34,004 --> 00:27:36,000 It's letting everybody else tell you who you are, 570 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,029 letting everybody else-- it's just reaction. 571 00:27:38,029 --> 00:27:41,092 It's always chaos, crisis, urgency, no plan, 572 00:27:41,092 --> 00:27:45,092 total insanity, life is out of control, that's reaction. 573 00:27:45,092 --> 00:27:48,075 Conformity is: Fear of man, people pleasing. 574 00:27:48,075 --> 00:27:52,054 "I want everybody to like me, say nice things about me, 575 00:27:52,054 --> 00:27:55,021 "so I function more like a concierge at a hotel. 576 00:27:55,021 --> 00:27:57,058 "I just sit there with a smile, anybody comes and tells me 577 00:27:57,058 --> 00:28:01,033 to do something, I say yes, and I go do it." 578 00:28:01,033 --> 00:28:04,046 Obedient, moral, compliant, really nice, super sweet, 579 00:28:04,046 --> 00:28:07,075 totally ineffective, getting pushed around by pushy people, 580 00:28:07,075 --> 00:28:09,062 demanding people. 581 00:28:09,062 --> 00:28:12,004 All right, you're kind of like a golden retriever, right, 582 00:28:12,004 --> 00:28:14,033 somebody throws a Frisbee, you're gonna go get it. 583 00:28:14,033 --> 00:28:16,054 That's just how it is. 584 00:28:16,054 --> 00:28:18,029 "I need you to do this. I need you to do that. 585 00:28:18,029 --> 00:28:20,017 "I need you to this about this. I need you to meet with me. 586 00:28:20,017 --> 00:28:22,004 I need you to give me that." "Okay great." 587 00:28:22,004 --> 00:28:24,021 You're just chasing everybody's Frisbee. 588 00:28:24,021 --> 00:28:26,071 And sometimes in church it's like, "Oh, they're so nice. 589 00:28:26,071 --> 00:28:27,088 They're is so helpful. They're so serving." 590 00:28:27,088 --> 00:28:30,096 No, they have fear of man issues, they're people-pleasers, 591 00:28:30,096 --> 00:28:31,092 they're co-dependent. 592 00:28:31,092 --> 00:28:32,088 They're enablers. 593 00:28:32,088 --> 00:28:37,021 They just want everybody to like them. 594 00:28:37,021 --> 00:28:39,062 And as a result, they don't pursue God's calling, 595 00:28:39,062 --> 00:28:44,058 because they're allowing everyone else to define their calling. 596 00:28:44,058 --> 00:28:46,071 Number three: There are those who are independent. 597 00:28:46,071 --> 00:28:49,012 These are Mars Hillians. 598 00:28:49,012 --> 00:28:51,038 These are people like, "That's right. 599 00:28:51,038 --> 00:28:52,067 "So I don't submit to authority. 600 00:28:52,067 --> 00:28:53,092 "I'm not gonna be a member of the church. 601 00:28:53,092 --> 00:28:56,042 "I'm not gonna do what a pastor or a leader tells me to do. 602 00:28:56,042 --> 00:28:57,050 "I'm not gonna get in a community group 603 00:28:57,050 --> 00:29:01,000 "and have people speak into my life. No way. 604 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,029 "I'm gonna come in anonymously, I'm gonna go out anonymously. 605 00:29:03,029 --> 00:29:05,033 "If I don't like something, I'll complain about it 606 00:29:05,033 --> 00:29:06,079 "but I'm certainly not gonna fix it. 607 00:29:06,079 --> 00:29:08,054 "I'm independent. 608 00:29:08,054 --> 00:29:10,046 "And yeah, I read the Bible sometimes, but if God tells me 609 00:29:10,046 --> 00:29:13,046 to do something I don't like, well, then maybe not." 610 00:29:13,046 --> 00:29:17,012 Fiercely independent, intuitively rebellious, 611 00:29:17,012 --> 00:29:19,096 too-cool-for-school Mars Hillian. 612 00:29:19,096 --> 00:29:21,054 That's us, number three. 613 00:29:21,054 --> 00:29:24,058 There's a few of you that aren't, all right, 614 00:29:24,058 --> 00:29:26,046 but you guys can have a conference in a phone booth. 615 00:29:26,046 --> 00:29:30,000 The rest are almost all in category three. 616 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:32,079 So we could just hammer you and the whole time you're like, 617 00:29:32,079 --> 00:29:35,008 "I don't believe in authority." 618 00:29:35,008 --> 00:29:36,021 Yes, you do. 619 00:29:36,021 --> 00:29:39,083 Your're god, that's your authority, that's independence. 620 00:29:39,083 --> 00:29:41,042 "I do what I want. I do what I think. 621 00:29:41,042 --> 00:29:43,008 "I do what I need. I'm in control. 622 00:29:43,008 --> 00:29:45,083 "I'm in charge. I'm very smart. 623 00:29:45,083 --> 00:29:48,058 "I'm connected to God. I have my own opinions. 624 00:29:48,058 --> 00:29:51,021 "No one has a right to intrude on my life or to exercise 625 00:29:51,021 --> 00:29:52,083 any spiritual authority over me." 626 00:29:52,083 --> 00:29:55,029 That's independence. 627 00:29:55,029 --> 00:29:57,025 Number four is intentionality. 628 00:29:57,025 --> 00:29:59,012 Jesus was tempted with the first three. 629 00:29:59,012 --> 00:30:03,075 Reaction: Massive need but he didn't chase all the Frisbees. 630 00:30:03,075 --> 00:30:07,017 Conformity: Everybody wanted to write his job description 631 00:30:07,017 --> 00:30:09,021 but he wouldn't sign the contact. 632 00:30:09,021 --> 00:30:13,021 Independence, he could have said, "I'm sick of you people. 633 00:30:13,021 --> 00:30:18,058 "You know, I cast demons out and you guys don't even let me get lunch. 634 00:30:18,058 --> 00:30:22,058 "That's not very nice. I went to Peter's house and I had to heal someone. 635 00:30:22,058 --> 00:30:25,058 "I didn't even get to use the restroom. You know, I'm just sick of it. 636 00:30:25,058 --> 00:30:28,038 I don't feel like anybody loves me, anybody cares about me. Everybody's using me." 637 00:30:28,038 --> 00:30:30,058 He didn't, he didn't rebel. 638 00:30:30,058 --> 00:30:32,050 He didn't go independent. 639 00:30:32,050 --> 00:30:35,042 He didn't become jaded like one of those people who hates 640 00:30:35,042 --> 00:30:39,012 ministry and hates God's people and is always talking smack. 641 00:30:39,012 --> 00:30:41,083 He went with number four, which is intentionality. 642 00:30:41,083 --> 00:30:45,079 Retreat from your life to focus on your life and organize 643 00:30:45,079 --> 00:30:48,025 your life and then reengage your life. 644 00:30:48,025 --> 00:30:52,088 Pour yourself out in ministry, go to silence and solitude, 645 00:30:52,088 --> 00:30:54,046 get some time with God. 646 00:30:54,046 --> 00:30:56,075 Think about your calling and your gifts and your convictions 647 00:30:56,075 --> 00:30:59,000 and your compassions and needs, 648 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,054 and then live your life intentionally. 649 00:31:02,054 --> 00:31:05,046 You say, "I can't do this, 'cause God told me to do this. 650 00:31:05,046 --> 00:31:07,083 "I can't do that, 'cause I'm actually not any good at it, 651 00:31:07,083 --> 00:31:10,008 "but these are the gifts that God has given me. 652 00:31:10,008 --> 00:31:11,050 "I'm sorry, I can't do that now. 653 00:31:11,050 --> 00:31:14,050 "That's not the season of life that that's gonna work for me. 654 00:31:14,050 --> 00:31:16,062 Maybe the day will come." 655 00:31:16,062 --> 00:31:19,096 Intentionally living your life to pursue the things 656 00:31:19,096 --> 00:31:25,088 that God has gifted and called you to, that's how Jesus lived his life. 657 00:31:25,088 --> 00:31:27,083 Number one: Pour yourself out in ministry. 658 00:31:27,083 --> 00:31:31,096 Number two: Refreshment, recovering in solitude. 659 00:31:31,096 --> 00:31:35,042 Number three: Pursue your calling, not your potential. 660 00:31:35,042 --> 00:31:36,075 Don't do everything you can do, 661 00:31:36,075 --> 00:31:39,054 do the things that God wants you to you to do. 662 00:31:39,054 --> 00:31:41,058 And now what Jesus is gonna do, number four, 663 00:31:41,058 --> 00:31:45,046 he's gonna add new leaders, 'cause once you're overwhelmed in ministry 664 00:31:45,046 --> 00:31:48,062 and everything's growing, as it is at Mars Hill Church, 665 00:31:48,062 --> 00:31:50,058 and it is that way at Mars Hill Church. 666 00:31:50,058 --> 00:31:53,021 We grew by almost 2,000 people last year. 667 00:31:53,021 --> 00:31:55,038 We baptized over 800 people. 668 00:31:55,038 --> 00:31:58,058 We saw, I don't know, maybe a thousand people make professions of faith. 669 00:31:58,058 --> 00:32:00,088 I don't even know how many campuses we started. 670 00:32:00,088 --> 00:32:01,088 I don't even know. 671 00:32:01,088 --> 00:32:04,050 I had somebody this week, I was down in California doing some events. 672 00:32:04,050 --> 00:32:06,017 They say, "How many pastors do you have?" 673 00:32:06,017 --> 00:32:10,004 I don't know, somewhere between a Miata and a stadium, 674 00:32:10,004 --> 00:32:11,062 I don't know, it's in the middle. 675 00:32:11,062 --> 00:32:14,088 I don't know, we have a lot, and there's more in the pipeline. 676 00:32:14,088 --> 00:32:17,058 And we're looking at starting new campuses and we're planting churches 677 00:32:17,058 --> 00:32:20,050 and people are getting saved and hundreds are in redemption groups 678 00:32:20,050 --> 00:32:22,033 and thousands are in community groups 679 00:32:22,033 --> 00:32:26,033 and yeah, we're a kite in hurricane. 680 00:32:26,033 --> 00:32:31,000 The needs are unbelievable. 681 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,088 And when you hit that point, it's then recruiting and 682 00:32:33,088 --> 00:32:37,058 gathering and training new leaders to share the load 683 00:32:37,058 --> 00:32:40,088 so that more work can be done, and that's exactly what Jesus is 684 00:32:40,088 --> 00:32:42,088 going to do next with the calling of Peter, 685 00:32:42,088 --> 00:32:43,088 James and John. 686 00:32:43,088 --> 00:32:45,046 He does it at the Sea of Galilee, 687 00:32:45,046 --> 00:32:48,067 so before we get to the story, let me take you to the geography. 688 00:32:48,067 --> 00:32:52,050 Here it is, that is the Sea of Galilee. 689 00:32:52,050 --> 00:32:53,096 Okay, I know I look really little. 690 00:32:53,096 --> 00:32:56,050 That's the point. 691 00:32:56,050 --> 00:32:58,088 The point is that the Sea of Galilee is huge. 692 00:32:58,088 --> 00:33:00,062 I don't know about you but when I read about the Bible 693 00:33:00,062 --> 00:33:02,000 and I thought about the Sea of Galilee, I thought well, 694 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:03,021 I got a pretty good arm. 695 00:33:03,021 --> 00:33:04,033 Give me a baseball, I could probably throw 696 00:33:04,033 --> 00:33:07,012 a baseball across that thing. 697 00:33:07,012 --> 00:33:09,075 No way. You get there, it's like 13 miles by 8 miles. 698 00:33:09,075 --> 00:33:13,029 It's huge, huge lake, Sea of Galilee. 699 00:33:13,029 --> 00:33:15,071 You're gonna hear a lot about the Sea of Galilee 700 00:33:15,071 --> 00:33:19,008 in the Book of Luke, so I want you to see how big it is. 701 00:33:19,008 --> 00:33:20,029 I'll show you the next one. 702 00:33:20,029 --> 00:33:25,062 You're gonna hear about a boat, a fishing boat that Jesus got in to preach from, in a moment, 703 00:33:25,062 --> 00:33:28,054 and that Peter, James and John left to follow Jesus. 704 00:33:28,054 --> 00:33:31,029 That is actually on display in Israel. 705 00:33:31,029 --> 00:33:33,062 We were there this summer. 706 00:33:33,062 --> 00:33:38,017 It is the remains of a 2,000-year-old fishing boat. 707 00:33:38,017 --> 00:33:40,004 So that's from the era of Jesus, 708 00:33:40,004 --> 00:33:43,079 it's like the boat that he was in. 709 00:33:43,079 --> 00:33:46,096 And what's interesting today, if you continue, 710 00:33:46,096 --> 00:33:49,033 that area is still fertile with fish. 711 00:33:49,033 --> 00:33:50,079 There's a lot of fish still in the lake. 712 00:33:50,079 --> 00:33:52,038 People are still fishing there. 713 00:33:52,038 --> 00:33:55,058 And this is a modern-day boat and what is interesting, 714 00:33:55,058 --> 00:33:58,033 it's about the same shape and about the same size 715 00:33:58,033 --> 00:34:01,042 as the archaeological find from the days of Jesus. 716 00:34:01,042 --> 00:34:03,096 I show that to you so that visually you'll get an 717 00:34:03,096 --> 00:34:06,012 understanding of it but here's the big idea as well: 718 00:34:06,012 --> 00:34:10,038 Anytime I get an opportunity, I want to reinforce that the Bible is 719 00:34:10,038 --> 00:34:15,012 not philosophy, it's history, that these people, places, 720 00:34:15,012 --> 00:34:20,008 and things are real, that the Bible is true. 721 00:34:20,008 --> 00:34:21,079 So there really is a Sea of Galilee, 722 00:34:21,079 --> 00:34:24,079 there really were a lot of fishermen, they really did have a boat, 723 00:34:24,079 --> 00:34:28,004 and this is all really verifiable, okay? 724 00:34:28,004 --> 00:34:30,083 That being said, we'll go to chapter 5 and we're gonna read 725 00:34:30,083 --> 00:34:34,021 about Jesus recruiting his first official leaders 726 00:34:34,021 --> 00:34:36,096 to partner in his ministry. 727 00:34:36,096 --> 00:34:40,050 "On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him--" 728 00:34:40,050 --> 00:34:44,096 Crowds around Jesus, lots of people. 729 00:34:44,096 --> 00:34:46,004 Why were they there? 730 00:34:46,004 --> 00:34:47,042 "To hear the word of God." 731 00:34:47,042 --> 00:34:48,096 Let me just stop right there. 732 00:34:48,096 --> 00:34:54,000 The basis, the essence, the center, the authority of ministry 733 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:56,067 is the preaching of God's Word. 734 00:34:56,067 --> 00:34:59,096 People don't come to Mars Hill 'cause the parking is great, 735 00:34:59,096 --> 00:35:01,083 that's for sure. 736 00:35:01,083 --> 00:35:03,025 People don't come to Mars Hill 737 00:35:03,025 --> 00:35:07,062 because we're the most organized organization that's ever organized, 738 00:35:07,062 --> 00:35:08,096 that's for sure. 739 00:35:08,096 --> 00:35:13,075 They don't come because of my winsome disposition, that is for sure. 740 00:35:13,075 --> 00:35:19,042 But people come because the power and the authority is in the Word of God, 741 00:35:19,042 --> 00:35:23,083 that the Bible is true, that the same Holy Spirit who wrote the Scriptures 742 00:35:23,083 --> 00:35:29,021 through human authors, works through human teachers to change human lives. 743 00:35:29,021 --> 00:35:35,004 That's what our God does and so people are coming around Jesus, 744 00:35:35,004 --> 00:35:37,062 because he was preaching the Word of God. 745 00:35:37,062 --> 00:35:42,067 And when properly taught, the Word of God is always about Jesus. 746 00:35:42,067 --> 00:35:48,000 And I just need you to know that why we're a Bible-teaching, preaching, 747 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:53,096 studying, praying, memorizing, discussing church is because the truth 748 00:35:53,096 --> 00:35:58,071 is in the Bible and the power's in the truth, and people are drawn to Jesus 749 00:35:58,071 --> 00:36:03,008 and their lives are changed by the power of the Word of God. 750 00:36:03,008 --> 00:36:07,058 And at the essence of Mars Hill, we fundamentally believe that, 751 00:36:07,058 --> 00:36:13,012 and we base everything on the expectation that God blesses his Word. 752 00:36:13,012 --> 00:36:15,071 That's absolutely essential for us. 753 00:36:15,071 --> 00:36:19,067 And if you're new, I love preaching to you, I love yelling at you. 754 00:36:19,067 --> 00:36:24,025 I will yell at you anytime, I enjoy it so much, but you need to be in the 755 00:36:24,025 --> 00:36:29,033 Scriptures for yourself; reading, studying, in community group, 756 00:36:29,033 --> 00:36:36,025 considering, pondering, meditating on Scripture, memorizing Scripture; 757 00:36:36,025 --> 00:36:39,021 that life comes from hearing the Word of God. 758 00:36:39,021 --> 00:36:42,033 So the crowds come around Jesus. 759 00:36:42,033 --> 00:36:45,017 See, I still think there are crowds to be had around the Bible. 760 00:36:45,017 --> 00:36:49,012 I think where the Bible is taught, people show up, lives get changed. 761 00:36:49,012 --> 00:36:52,042 And there's a massive crowd, it says, around Jesus. 762 00:36:52,042 --> 00:36:56,017 "And he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret," this is also the Sea of Galilee. 763 00:36:56,017 --> 00:37:00,071 The way that it works is that the sea is so big, the lake is so big 764 00:37:00,071 --> 00:37:03,058 that different towns have different names for it. 765 00:37:03,058 --> 00:37:06,050 So if you live over on this town on this side of the lake, 766 00:37:06,050 --> 00:37:08,004 you call it the Sea of Gennesaret. 767 00:37:08,004 --> 00:37:12,017 If you live over on this side of the lake, you live in Galilee, you call it the Sea of Galilee. 768 00:37:12,017 --> 00:37:15,029 So these are all just different towns, names for the same lake, 769 00:37:15,029 --> 00:37:17,075 but they live on a different shore. 770 00:37:17,075 --> 00:37:21,050 "And Jesus saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out 771 00:37:21,050 --> 00:37:23,000 of them and were washing their nets." 772 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:24,038 What does that mean? 773 00:37:24,038 --> 00:37:26,029 It means the day's work is done, they've given up. 774 00:37:26,029 --> 00:37:29,033 They've pulled their nets in, they've rode into shore. 775 00:37:29,033 --> 00:37:32,025 They've gotten their nets out, they're cleaning their nets 776 00:37:32,025 --> 00:37:34,067 so that they don't get damaged. 777 00:37:34,067 --> 00:37:37,008 This is the end of the day, right? 778 00:37:37,008 --> 00:37:40,012 It's your business, this is where we're locking up, we're shutting down 779 00:37:40,012 --> 00:37:43,067 the lights, we're totaling out the till, we're shutting everything down, 780 00:37:43,067 --> 00:37:45,050 the day's work is done. 781 00:37:45,050 --> 00:37:49,050 "Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's" or Peter's, 782 00:37:49,050 --> 00:37:51,038 he's the first leader that's called. 783 00:37:51,038 --> 00:37:54,038 He becomes the leader of the disciples. 784 00:37:54,038 --> 00:37:56,021 "He asked them to put out a little from the land." 785 00:37:56,021 --> 00:37:58,046 So here's what Jesus does, "And he sat down and taught 786 00:37:58,046 --> 00:37:59,083 the people from the boat." 787 00:37:59,083 --> 00:38:04,042 Jesus didn't have the benefit of amplification and sound system, right? 788 00:38:04,042 --> 00:38:06,046 And he's got a crowd pressing around him. 789 00:38:06,046 --> 00:38:09,021 It's very hard to preach when everyone's pressed in on you, 790 00:38:09,021 --> 00:38:11,058 because the acoustics don't travel. 791 00:38:11,058 --> 00:38:14,021 All right, the first few rows of people that are pressed in around you, 792 00:38:14,021 --> 00:38:17,017 they can hear, but nobody else can hear. 793 00:38:17,017 --> 00:38:21,092 God has given some people, historically, Bible preachers, amazing voices 794 00:38:21,092 --> 00:38:26,058 like George Whitefield was a great Reformed evangelist, and it is recorded 795 00:38:26,058 --> 00:38:31,096 that he would preach to crowds upwards of 15,000, 20,000 people in open air 796 00:38:31,096 --> 00:38:38,000 without an amplification system, and then he would cough up blood, 797 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:41,017 but that's the cost on the vocal cords. 798 00:38:41,017 --> 00:38:45,012 Well, Jesus needed to preach to this large crowd, 799 00:38:45,012 --> 00:38:47,029 so what we did was he grabbed Peter's boat. 800 00:38:47,029 --> 00:38:48,075 He already knew Peter. 801 00:38:48,075 --> 00:38:51,092 And he said let's push offshore a little bit. 802 00:38:51,092 --> 00:38:55,004 One, that gives Jesus some space between people. 803 00:38:55,004 --> 00:38:59,050 And two, it allows the water to serve as a natural acoustic. 804 00:38:59,050 --> 00:39:03,046 Jesus is into the technology of his day. 805 00:39:03,046 --> 00:39:06,008 All right, here's his Internet, right? 806 00:39:06,008 --> 00:39:11,029 This allows him to magnify his message, so it reverberates over the water. 807 00:39:11,029 --> 00:39:13,025 Have any of you been out on the water? 808 00:39:13,025 --> 00:39:16,042 You're boating or something or swimming and somebody talks all the way 809 00:39:16,042 --> 00:39:18,079 on the other side of the lake and you can hear them? 810 00:39:18,079 --> 00:39:21,042 It's amazing how sound travels over water in a way 811 00:39:21,042 --> 00:39:23,046 that it doesn't over land. 812 00:39:23,046 --> 00:39:26,054 Jesus is aware of all this and he wants message to go out to 813 00:39:26,054 --> 00:39:31,096 as many people as possible, that's why we use technology for that same reason. 814 00:39:31,096 --> 00:39:34,062 So he goes out on the boat, so that he can preach to the people 815 00:39:34,062 --> 00:39:36,079 and they could all hear him. 816 00:39:36,079 --> 00:39:39,029 "And when he had finished to speaking to them," verse 4, "he said to Simon, 817 00:39:39,029 --> 00:39:43,042 "'Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.' 818 00:39:43,042 --> 00:39:47,067 And Simon answered him, 'Master, we have toiled all night and took nothing!'" 819 00:39:47,067 --> 00:39:48,096 How long have they been working? 820 00:39:48,096 --> 00:39:50,062 All night. 821 00:39:50,062 --> 00:39:51,075 How tired are they? 822 00:39:51,075 --> 00:39:53,071 Very tired. 823 00:39:53,071 --> 00:39:55,000 What did they make? 824 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:56,025 Nothing. 825 00:39:56,025 --> 00:39:59,079 And Jesus says, "I got an idea, let's go fishing." 826 00:39:59,079 --> 00:40:01,054 Now, is Jesus is fisherman? 827 00:40:01,054 --> 00:40:03,058 No, he's a carpenter. 828 00:40:03,058 --> 00:40:04,088 Is Simon a fisherman? 829 00:40:04,088 --> 00:40:05,088 Yeah. 830 00:40:05,088 --> 00:40:07,038 Maybe generations of fishermen. 831 00:40:07,038 --> 00:40:10,062 It wasn't uncommon in this area that if you were a fisherman, 832 00:40:10,062 --> 00:40:13,071 it's 'cause your dad and your grandpa and your great-grandpa were all fisherman. 833 00:40:13,071 --> 00:40:17,004 They passed down the boats, they passed down the nets, you'd live 834 00:40:17,004 --> 00:40:20,062 in the same place and you'd carry on the family business. 835 00:40:20,062 --> 00:40:23,046 There are certain places in the lake that the fishermen know that's 836 00:40:23,046 --> 00:40:27,050 where the fish generally are, particularly at a certain time of day. 837 00:40:27,050 --> 00:40:32,033 Jesus comes along, carpenter, tells Peter, "Let's go fishing." 838 00:40:32,033 --> 00:40:38,046 "Come on, Jesus. We fished all night. We've rode in. 839 00:40:38,046 --> 00:40:43,046 "We've cleaned the nets. The guys are tired. We didn't get any fish. 840 00:40:43,046 --> 00:40:46,062 "I'm a fisherman, you're a carpenter. 841 00:40:46,062 --> 00:40:50,096 If this involved wood, I would defer to you." 842 00:40:53,004 --> 00:40:56,008 Now how many of you, it really is hard, though, to take advice 843 00:40:56,008 --> 00:41:00,088 or even trust God in your area of expertise? 844 00:41:00,088 --> 00:41:04,050 See, there are things that you're an expert at, you're good at, and sometimes 845 00:41:04,050 --> 00:41:09,079 God will ask you to trust him in an area of your expertise, and it's hard 846 00:41:09,079 --> 00:41:14,042 'cause you're like "Look, I know you're God, but I'm really good at this." 847 00:41:15,021 --> 00:41:16,062 And sometimes God asks you to do something 848 00:41:16,062 --> 00:41:21,075 that doesn't make any sense just to show you that he's God. 849 00:41:21,075 --> 00:41:24,071 So what's Peter gonna do? 850 00:41:25,033 --> 00:41:28,038 "But at your word I will let down the nets." 851 00:41:28,038 --> 00:41:31,042 Verse 6, "When they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, 852 00:41:31,042 --> 00:41:33,012 and their nets were," what? 853 00:41:33,012 --> 00:41:35,054 "Breaking." 854 00:41:35,088 --> 00:41:40,092 Jesus is like, "I told you we should go fishing, and you need bigger nets." 855 00:41:41,017 --> 00:41:43,038 "They signaled to their partners in the other boat." 856 00:41:43,038 --> 00:41:46,017 So he's got a fleet of boats; this is his company. 857 00:41:46,017 --> 00:41:49,054 "To come and help them." And they were both filled. 858 00:41:49,054 --> 00:41:52,062 And the boats were so filled "that they began to sink." 859 00:41:52,062 --> 00:41:55,008 That is a good day of fishing. 860 00:41:55,008 --> 00:41:58,017 This is the biggest load, payday, Peter's ever had. 861 00:41:58,017 --> 00:42:03,092 He fills up his nets, and they're sinking the boats. 862 00:42:03,092 --> 00:42:05,058 What does that show you? 863 00:42:05,058 --> 00:42:09,071 Shows you that our God can provide, our God does provide, 864 00:42:09,071 --> 00:42:14,042 and rather than arguing with him, sometimes we just need to obey. 865 00:42:14,096 --> 00:42:17,046 So what's Peter gonna do? 866 00:42:17,046 --> 00:42:20,071 He's already told Jesus what do. 867 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:24,067 "But when Simon Peter saw it," verse 8, "he fell down at Jesus' knees 868 00:42:24,067 --> 00:42:29,038 and said, 'Depart from me, I'm a sinful man, O Lord.'" 869 00:42:29,038 --> 00:42:31,004 Here's what I love about Peter. 870 00:42:31,004 --> 00:42:36,012 He is a guy who fails all the time. 871 00:42:36,050 --> 00:42:38,046 He is Charlie Brown of the Bible. 872 00:42:38,046 --> 00:42:40,083 He never gets his foot on the ball. 873 00:42:40,083 --> 00:42:46,000 He is always running, slipping, right on his back, that's Peter. 874 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:49,025 And he always gets up and he's like "Jesus, I'm sorry again." 875 00:42:49,025 --> 00:42:51,000 Jesus is like, "I know Peter, I love ya." 876 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:52,029 "Jesus, I'm sorry again." 877 00:42:52,029 --> 00:42:54,029 "Yeah, Peter, I know, I still love ya." 878 00:42:54,029 --> 00:42:55,054 "Jesus, I'm really sorry." 879 00:42:55,054 --> 00:42:58,067 "Yeah, I know, we've sort of done this a lot." 880 00:42:58,067 --> 00:43:01,058 And what I love about Peter is if you were gonna pick the leader 881 00:43:01,058 --> 00:43:04,075 of the disciples, name him first in the list of the disciples, make him 882 00:43:04,075 --> 00:43:09,046 the spiritual authority, earthly speaking, of the early church, 883 00:43:09,046 --> 00:43:10,088 let him write books of the Bible, 884 00:43:10,088 --> 00:43:16,058 I'm so glad that he's a regular guy, who's not perfect at all. 885 00:43:16,058 --> 00:43:18,058 He's gonna boss Jesus around. 886 00:43:18,058 --> 00:43:19,067 I mean, you're gonna see it later. 887 00:43:19,067 --> 00:43:21,050 He's gonna tell Jesus what to do. 888 00:43:21,050 --> 00:43:22,062 Jesus says, "Who am I?" 889 00:43:22,062 --> 00:43:23,067 Peter says, "God. 890 00:43:23,067 --> 00:43:25,075 Oh, and by the way, Jesus, you need to do this." 891 00:43:25,075 --> 00:43:30,000 Wait a minute, you're God and now I'm gonna tell you what to do? 892 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:32,062 Like, that's a weird conversation. 893 00:43:32,062 --> 00:43:36,058 He's gonna deny Jesus later. 894 00:43:37,058 --> 00:43:41,054 He's gonna fail Jesus later. He's gonna fall asleep when Jesus needs him to pray for him. 895 00:43:41,054 --> 00:43:42,062 Do you know what? 896 00:43:42,062 --> 00:43:46,062 Peter is a guy who falls down, but by the grace of God, gets up. 897 00:43:46,062 --> 00:43:51,058 He's a guy who blows it, but by the goodness of God, he tries again. 898 00:43:51,058 --> 00:43:54,017 That's why I love Peter. 899 00:43:54,017 --> 00:43:58,046 All right, he goes from this guy who doesn't even trust Jesus for fish 900 00:43:58,046 --> 00:44:02,062 to when it's all said and done, after Jesus dies for sin and rises for salvation 901 00:44:02,062 --> 00:44:06,046 and ascends into heaven, he becomes the leader of the early church, writes two books 902 00:44:06,046 --> 00:44:12,088 of the Bible and they go to crucify him and he says, "Crucify me upside down." 903 00:44:13,079 --> 00:44:15,012 I mean, he changes. 904 00:44:15,012 --> 00:44:18,079 We call this progressive sanctification, all right. 905 00:44:18,079 --> 00:44:25,000 He's not incredibly spiritually mature and trusting at the beginning, 906 00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:28,021 but he's teachable and he's repentant and when he blows it, he owns it. 907 00:44:28,021 --> 00:44:31,079 And he keeps coming back to Jesus saying, "I'm sorry. 908 00:44:31,079 --> 00:44:33,062 Please keep working on me." 909 00:44:33,062 --> 00:44:35,088 I want that for you. 910 00:44:35,088 --> 00:44:40,058 Be that person, even when you blow it, go to Jesus, "I did it again, 911 00:44:40,058 --> 00:44:45,067 "and I am sorry and I need your help and please don't give up on me. 912 00:44:45,067 --> 00:44:48,017 I know I'm a piece of work." 913 00:44:48,017 --> 00:44:51,017 That's Peter. 914 00:44:51,042 --> 00:44:54,017 He goes on, verse 9, "For he and all who were with him were astonished 915 00:44:54,017 --> 00:44:57,092 "at the catch of fish they had taken, and so also were James and John, 916 00:44:57,092 --> 00:45:00,096 sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon." 917 00:45:01,033 --> 00:45:03,096 So here's the big deal, who become the early core 918 00:45:03,096 --> 00:45:09,012 of disciples? Peter, James, John. 919 00:45:09,012 --> 00:45:13,017 They become some of the senior leaders among the disciples, and God works 920 00:45:13,017 --> 00:45:17,008 providentially through their preexisting business relationship and friendship. 921 00:45:17,008 --> 00:45:24,075 Here's the big idea: Some of you really need to get involved in ministry, 922 00:45:24,075 --> 00:45:27,004 start serving, get stuff done. 923 00:45:27,004 --> 00:45:30,033 Statistically, about two-thirds of you, all right? 924 00:45:30,033 --> 00:45:34,050 You think Christianity is all about sitting in the bleachers rather than taking the field. 925 00:45:34,050 --> 00:45:36,008 And some of you will struggle 'cause you'll say, 926 00:45:36,008 --> 00:45:38,017 "Well, I don't know where to begin or who to start with or what to do." 927 00:45:38,017 --> 00:45:41,046 God, in his providence often puts people in front of you 928 00:45:41,046 --> 00:45:45,079 for the express purpose of bringing you together for kingdom reasons. 929 00:45:45,079 --> 00:45:48,050 Peter, James and John, they've got a relationship, a friendship, 930 00:45:48,050 --> 00:45:49,042 they work together. 931 00:45:49,042 --> 00:45:50,071 They have chain of command. 932 00:45:50,071 --> 00:45:52,071 They understand how to resolve things. 933 00:45:52,071 --> 00:45:53,096 They run a business. 934 00:45:53,096 --> 00:45:56,058 They know how to get things done, and as a result, 935 00:45:56,058 --> 00:45:59,083 they become a very effective ministry team. 936 00:45:59,083 --> 00:46:04,021 If you're married, you and your spouse gotta figure out what your ministry is. 937 00:46:04,021 --> 00:46:08,075 If you're a parent, you and your kids gotta figure out what your ministry is. 938 00:46:08,075 --> 00:46:10,083 If you're a single person with roommates, 939 00:46:10,083 --> 00:46:13,042 you gotta figure out what your ministry is. 940 00:46:13,042 --> 00:46:16,038 If you're in business and there's some other Christians in your business, 941 00:46:16,038 --> 00:46:20,017 you gotta start thinking about, "Does God want us to work together to, in addition 942 00:46:20,017 --> 00:46:24,017 "to business, also do ministry or how could we combine our efforts, 943 00:46:24,017 --> 00:46:27,046 "since we're already growing in our skill set of working together, 944 00:46:27,046 --> 00:46:31,033 to really go out and do something important for Jesus." 945 00:46:31,033 --> 00:46:35,012 Providentially, God puts in front of you people to work with. 946 00:46:35,012 --> 00:46:38,004 That's exactly what he does with Peter, James, and John. 947 00:46:38,004 --> 00:46:41,029 "And Jesus said to Simon, 'Do not be afraid, for now on you'll be catching men.'" 948 00:46:41,029 --> 00:46:44,021 It's all about evangelism. 949 00:46:44,021 --> 00:46:47,017 Okay, here's the drum I'm gonna beat. 950 00:46:47,017 --> 00:46:49,088 One of the most devastating things of being your pastor, 951 00:46:49,088 --> 00:46:51,088 and hear this from my heart, all right? 952 00:46:51,088 --> 00:46:53,083 I love this church. 953 00:46:53,083 --> 00:46:57,067 I am totally excited about what God is doing here, and like Jesus, sometimes 954 00:46:57,067 --> 00:46:59,058 I gotta go elsewhere and yell at other people, 955 00:46:59,058 --> 00:47:01,075 and then I come back and yell at you too. 956 00:47:01,075 --> 00:47:05,042 And I love what I do and I love what God is doing and we got good elders, 957 00:47:05,042 --> 00:47:06,038 we got good deacons. 958 00:47:06,038 --> 00:47:10,000 We just pulled up the giving, two-thirds of the church is giving nothing 959 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:15,088 or near nothing, but all the elders and deacons are giving generously. 960 00:47:15,088 --> 00:47:18,021 It was awesome. 961 00:47:18,021 --> 00:47:22,000 The most generous people in the church are your leaders. 962 00:47:22,000 --> 00:47:27,096 Those who are serving are also giving, everybody's either in or not in, 963 00:47:27,096 --> 00:47:29,025 that's the way it works. 964 00:47:29,025 --> 00:47:31,029 It's always that way. 965 00:47:31,029 --> 00:47:35,088 And at the end of the day, it's all about evangelism. 966 00:47:35,088 --> 00:47:41,096 Jesus looks at Peter and says, "You catch fish, what about people? 967 00:47:41,096 --> 00:47:43,004 "What about people? 968 00:47:43,004 --> 00:47:44,033 "What about my image bearers? 969 00:47:44,033 --> 00:47:46,021 "What about the fact that they're sinners? 970 00:47:46,021 --> 00:47:48,038 "What about the fact that there really is a hell? 971 00:47:48,038 --> 00:47:51,075 "What about the fact that they really are going? 972 00:47:51,075 --> 00:47:54,008 "Peter, could you take everything that you've learned in business; 973 00:47:54,008 --> 00:47:58,012 "could you take everything you've learned in life, and utilize it, harness it, 974 00:47:58,012 --> 00:48:02,038 "unleash it, so that non-Christians meet the God of the Bible; 975 00:48:02,038 --> 00:48:05,038 "that their sins are forgiven, that their life is changed, 976 00:48:05,038 --> 00:48:07,029 that their destiny is altered?" 977 00:48:07,029 --> 00:48:12,083 And this, Mars Hill, is what absolutely troubles me to my core. 978 00:48:12,083 --> 00:48:14,092 We enjoy so much of God's grace. 979 00:48:14,092 --> 00:48:18,033 We are a miracle. 980 00:48:18,033 --> 00:48:19,054 We are a miracle. 981 00:48:19,054 --> 00:48:24,025 What we enjoy is miraculous, miraculous. 982 00:48:24,025 --> 00:48:27,058 We grew by almost 2,000 people last year, baptized 800. 983 00:48:27,058 --> 00:48:29,067 It's insanity. 984 00:48:29,067 --> 00:48:34,054 Hundreds of people married, hundreds of children born. 985 00:48:34,054 --> 00:48:37,092 And at the end of the day, it seems like it takes about 20 minutes 986 00:48:37,092 --> 00:48:45,033 for someone to meet Jesus, get baptized, get in a community group, and retire. 987 00:48:45,033 --> 00:48:48,004 Done. 988 00:48:48,004 --> 00:48:52,058 If they even get to a community group, retire. 989 00:48:52,058 --> 00:48:54,050 "Great, my sins are forgiven, I met Jesus. 990 00:48:54,050 --> 00:48:56,083 "I got some Christian friends, the church is there for me. 991 00:48:56,083 --> 00:48:59,042 I'm done." 992 00:48:59,042 --> 00:49:01,042 "What about all those other people?" 993 00:49:01,042 --> 00:49:03,042 "Tough." 994 00:49:03,042 --> 00:49:07,012 Some of you would say, "I would never say that I don't care about lost people." 995 00:49:07,012 --> 00:49:10,071 You vote with your wallet, you vote with your schedule. 996 00:49:10,071 --> 00:49:14,075 Don't tell me what you believe, show me how you behave. 997 00:49:14,075 --> 00:49:21,008 Don't tell me that Christianity is a belief system, it's also a lifestyle. 998 00:49:22,088 --> 00:49:26,008 Mars Hill, there are tens of thousands of people that Jesus 999 00:49:26,008 --> 00:49:29,033 has appointed for us to introduce to him. 1000 00:49:29,033 --> 00:49:35,038 Only God saves, we're just messengers and ministers, that's all we are. 1001 00:49:35,038 --> 00:49:38,096 We are not done. 1002 00:49:38,096 --> 00:49:42,042 See, 'cause what happens is you can get to a certain point, 1003 00:49:42,042 --> 00:49:45,058 all of a sudden it's like, "I think we've done a good job." 1004 00:49:45,058 --> 00:49:47,021 No. 1005 00:49:47,021 --> 00:49:52,042 Every dollar, every day, every gift, every resource, every opportunity is 1006 00:49:52,042 --> 00:49:59,042 so that someone else would meet Jesus and enjoy a changed life through him. 1007 00:49:59,042 --> 00:50:03,067 This is my heart, I wouldn't have said years ago that I'm an evangelist, 1008 00:50:03,067 --> 00:50:06,017 more and more, I am. 1009 00:50:06,017 --> 00:50:07,050 I love non-Christians. 1010 00:50:07,050 --> 00:50:09,062 If you're not a Christian, welcome to Mars Hill. 1011 00:50:09,062 --> 00:50:11,058 We love you, we built this for you. 1012 00:50:11,058 --> 00:50:14,012 We pray for you, we want to serve you. 1013 00:50:14,012 --> 00:50:16,033 We're not asking for money from you. 1014 00:50:16,033 --> 00:50:21,004 You're going to hell, and we're really worried about you. 1015 00:50:21,033 --> 00:50:24,054 Jesus loves you. Jesus died for you. 1016 00:50:24,054 --> 00:50:28,088 Jesus rose for you. Jesus will hear your prayer. 1017 00:50:28,088 --> 00:50:31,017 Jesus will forgive your sin. 1018 00:50:31,017 --> 00:50:35,008 Jesus will change your heart and your mind and your life. 1019 00:50:35,008 --> 00:50:39,083 Jesus will impact generations of your legacy. 1020 00:50:39,083 --> 00:50:41,058 Jesus is amazing. 1021 00:50:41,058 --> 00:50:43,012 Jesus is good. 1022 00:50:43,012 --> 00:50:44,079 Jesus is God. 1023 00:50:44,079 --> 00:50:46,079 Jesus is alive. 1024 00:50:46,079 --> 00:50:50,067 And the non-Christians that don't know that, that's why we're here. 1025 00:50:50,067 --> 00:50:52,096 That's why we're here. 1026 00:50:52,096 --> 00:50:54,083 And some of you would say, "Well, what about this program 1027 00:50:54,083 --> 00:50:56,083 and what about this need and what about my feelings?" 1028 00:50:56,083 --> 00:50:59,050 Get on mission. You know what? 1029 00:50:59,050 --> 00:51:06,050 Everything seems important 'til you have the kind of meetings that your pastors do. 1030 00:51:07,058 --> 00:51:10,038 I mean, last week, it was a young gal, comes up to me. 1031 00:51:10,038 --> 00:51:12,033 "I'm not a Christian, I'm cutting myself. 1032 00:51:12,033 --> 00:51:15,008 My dad took my virginity." 1033 00:51:15,008 --> 00:51:16,058 I don't care if you don't like the band. 1034 00:51:16,058 --> 00:51:22,038 That is not as big an issue as this gal's situation. 1035 00:51:22,038 --> 00:51:24,096 "Well, I had a hard time finding things on the web site." 1036 00:51:24,096 --> 00:51:27,062 Whatever, whatever. 1037 00:51:27,062 --> 00:51:30,012 "The coffee's bad." Of course it's bad, you guys are cheap. 1038 00:51:30,012 --> 00:51:32,075 We can't afford the good stuff, you know? 1039 00:51:36,000 --> 00:51:39,067 And I want you to be excited about what God's excited about, 1040 00:51:39,067 --> 00:51:45,025 and that is fishers of men, non-Christians, people meeting Jesus. 1041 00:51:45,025 --> 00:51:48,096 It's the most wonderful thing in the world to see people meet Jesus. 1042 00:51:48,096 --> 00:51:51,092 I never get tired of it. 1043 00:51:51,092 --> 00:51:55,025 At Mars Hill, this is the joy. 1044 00:51:55,025 --> 00:51:58,062 It's for the glory of God and the good of others; that's what it's about. 1045 00:51:58,062 --> 00:52:04,079 And Jesus looks at Peter, he's like, "Peter, let's change your life course. 1046 00:52:04,079 --> 00:52:08,033 "It's not about how many more boats you can get and how many more nets 1047 00:52:08,033 --> 00:52:12,017 "you can buy and how many more fish you can bring in. 1048 00:52:12,017 --> 00:52:16,033 "It's about people, it's about people who need me. 1049 00:52:16,033 --> 00:52:20,067 Help me, help me get to them." 1050 00:52:20,071 --> 00:52:24,096 That's the invitation to Peter. That's the invitation to all of us. 1051 00:52:25,083 --> 00:52:28,000 The question is, what's it gonna cost? 1052 00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:31,071 Verse 11, "And when they had brought their boats to land, they left," 1053 00:52:31,071 --> 00:52:33,079 what, Mars Hill, they left what? 1054 00:52:33,079 --> 00:52:37,096 "Everything and followed him." 1055 00:52:37,096 --> 00:52:43,033 They walked away, not just from the fish, the biggest catch they'd ever had. 1056 00:52:43,033 --> 00:52:46,046 They also walked away from the nets, which were very valuable 1057 00:52:46,046 --> 00:52:49,071 and the fleet of boats. 1058 00:52:49,071 --> 00:52:52,054 They walked away from their business. 1059 00:52:52,054 --> 00:52:56,012 Now, see some of you, you say, "I will follow Jesus providing 1060 00:52:56,012 --> 00:52:59,008 it doesn't cost anything." 1061 00:52:59,008 --> 00:53:02,017 And because we're such a grace-centered, grace-oriented, 1062 00:53:02,017 --> 00:53:05,083 God's a generous God, he's a giver, salvation's a gift; 1063 00:53:05,083 --> 00:53:08,088 some of you can fall into something called "cheap grace." 1064 00:53:08,088 --> 00:53:13,033 "Oh, so life and ministry and people and church, it's all cheap." 1065 00:53:13,033 --> 00:53:16,042 No, it's priceless. 1066 00:53:17,067 --> 00:53:22,062 See, the reason God gives grace is not because his love is cheap, 1067 00:53:22,062 --> 00:53:26,038 but because it's priceless. 1068 00:53:26,038 --> 00:53:29,071 To be involved in ministry is priceless. 1069 00:53:29,071 --> 00:53:32,000 The perpetuating of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 1070 00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:35,058 and the Church of Jesus Christ is priceless. 1071 00:53:35,058 --> 00:53:37,021 And Peter leaves everything. 1072 00:53:37,021 --> 00:53:41,021 What I love is he doesn't say, "Okay, Jesus, I'll be there in 3 months. 1073 00:53:41,021 --> 00:53:44,033 "First, we gotta take these fish in and collect this money, 1074 00:53:44,033 --> 00:53:46,058 "'cause this is a lot of loot. 1075 00:53:46,058 --> 00:53:48,088 "And then, we gotta sell the nets, so we gotta put that on eBay. 1076 00:53:48,088 --> 00:53:51,050 "That could be a few weeks, we gotta knock that out. 1077 00:53:51,050 --> 00:53:54,092 "But then we gotta sell the boats, 'cause the boats are worth a lot. 1078 00:53:54,092 --> 00:53:57,075 "And once I get all that squared up and I get money in the bank 1079 00:53:57,075 --> 00:54:00,021 "and I get my affairs in order and everything's secure, 1080 00:54:00,021 --> 00:54:01,092 then Jesus, I'm ready to roll." 1081 00:54:01,092 --> 00:54:07,067 What he does, he just..."That's it, I'm following Jesus. I'm following Jesus." 1082 00:54:09,042 --> 00:54:11,033 Am I saying every one of you should quit your job? No. 1083 00:54:11,033 --> 00:54:15,058 Should some of you? Yeah, if God tells you to do that. 1084 00:54:19,021 --> 00:54:21,071 It's amazing. 1085 00:54:22,029 --> 00:54:24,017 They left everything. 1086 00:54:24,017 --> 00:54:30,004 I mean, we're in a day when following Jesus and seeing people get saved, 1087 00:54:30,004 --> 00:54:34,062 for the average Christian, is not even in the--literally if you kept a journal-- 1088 00:54:34,062 --> 00:54:39,096 in the top 100 priorities, if you actually followed the dollars 1089 00:54:39,096 --> 00:54:44,012 and the hours and how they were spent. 1090 00:54:44,012 --> 00:54:46,012 Some of you don't even know your non-Christian neighbors. 1091 00:54:46,012 --> 00:54:48,004 Some of you don't even care about non-Christians. 1092 00:54:48,004 --> 00:54:50,046 Some of you don't even talk to them. 1093 00:54:52,096 --> 00:54:56,075 And man, I just don't get it. 1094 00:54:57,058 --> 00:55:00,054 Now, my heart is like a dad's, so whether you're good kids or bad kids, 1095 00:55:00,054 --> 00:55:02,050 I'm still your dad, okay? 1096 00:55:02,050 --> 00:55:04,058 I'm here no matter what. 1097 00:55:04,058 --> 00:55:06,067 The elders feel the same way. 1098 00:55:06,067 --> 00:55:11,071 We're here, but Mars Hill is an immature church. 1099 00:55:11,071 --> 00:55:16,092 And here's the mark of immaturity, "It's about me, not them. 1100 00:55:16,092 --> 00:55:19,092 "It's about what I get, not what I give. 1101 00:55:19,092 --> 00:55:24,033 "It's about how I'm served, not how I serve. 1102 00:55:25,071 --> 00:55:29,021 It's about what I want, not about what the city needs." 1103 00:55:29,021 --> 00:55:30,067 It's the mark of immaturity. 1104 00:55:30,067 --> 00:55:32,000 What does a baby think about? 1105 00:55:32,000 --> 00:55:33,017 Themselves. 1106 00:55:33,017 --> 00:55:37,092 What does an adult think about? Someone else. 1107 00:55:37,092 --> 00:55:39,092 Some of you say, "Yeah, but we're a young church. 1108 00:55:39,092 --> 00:55:42,075 We're single. We're new. We just started our campus. We just started coming." 1109 00:55:42,075 --> 00:55:45,071 I know, but guess what? 1110 00:55:47,025 --> 00:55:53,033 There's still a need, and if God has saved you, you're it. 1111 00:55:54,012 --> 00:55:56,012 You're it. 1112 00:55:57,025 --> 00:55:59,075 You're it. 1113 00:56:02,062 --> 00:56:07,004 They left everything, left everything. 1114 00:56:08,017 --> 00:56:14,071 What are you willing to pay so that people would meet Jesus? 1115 00:56:15,096 --> 00:56:20,050 I mean it really, man, there are days I just I bang my head against 1116 00:56:20,050 --> 00:56:26,033 the wall, 'cause as we look at the statistics there are a faithful core of people 1117 00:56:26,033 --> 00:56:31,025 who are serving and giving and praying and making it happen, 1118 00:56:31,025 --> 00:56:34,092 and so much of what we enjoy is the fruit of their labor. 1119 00:56:34,092 --> 00:56:38,058 And then there are so many people that are doing nothing. 1120 00:56:38,058 --> 00:56:42,033 I mean statistically about a third of our people are giving 1121 00:56:42,033 --> 00:56:44,050 or serving to any degree. 1122 00:56:44,050 --> 00:56:47,092 Like if you give a buck a year and you do anything once, 1123 00:56:47,092 --> 00:56:50,046 you're in the one-third majority. 1124 00:56:50,046 --> 00:56:53,012 The other two-thirds are doing nothing or next to nothing 1125 00:56:53,012 --> 00:56:55,071 when it comes to giving and serving. 1126 00:56:55,071 --> 00:56:59,017 Imagine that, imagine if after service I said, 1127 00:56:59,017 --> 00:57:04,083 "Okay, three of you jump on one person's back and they'll carry you." 1128 00:57:04,083 --> 00:57:08,050 You would say, "That's cruel," but that's what you're doing. 1129 00:57:08,050 --> 00:57:13,067 Three of you are climbing on someone, "Pay my bills, serve me, 1130 00:57:13,067 --> 00:57:15,088 take care of my needs." 1131 00:57:15,088 --> 00:57:19,012 And what happens is then those faithful leaders, they get tired, 1132 00:57:19,012 --> 00:57:20,083 they get burned out, they get exhausted. 1133 00:57:20,083 --> 00:57:24,029 They don't get the day of solitude, like Jesus enjoyed. 1134 00:57:24,029 --> 00:57:28,071 And then what even happens is then greedy, selfish consumers, life suckers, 1135 00:57:28,071 --> 00:57:31,046 they come in and they say things like, "Oh, I didn't get my needs met 1136 00:57:31,046 --> 00:57:34,083 or somebody didn't return my call or I don't feel like I was served very well." 1137 00:57:34,083 --> 00:57:38,075 It's like, well, it's because there's a pig pile on one volunteer 1138 00:57:38,075 --> 00:57:43,021 and they can only carry so many people until their legs buckle under them, 1139 00:57:43,021 --> 00:57:50,029 and then to complain because you didn't like the free piggyback ride is not very loving. 1140 00:57:51,029 --> 00:57:55,050 This is the same drum we've been beating now for 14 years since we started 1141 00:57:55,050 --> 00:58:00,071 the core group of Mars Hill Church about this time 14 years ago. 1142 00:58:00,071 --> 00:58:04,042 We have the same issues, just more zeros. 1143 00:58:04,042 --> 00:58:07,042 I'm gonna close with more questions for you to ponder and to discuss 1144 00:58:07,042 --> 00:58:09,092 with your community group, and if you're not in one, get in one. 1145 00:58:09,092 --> 00:58:12,062 Number one: Are you pouring yourself out in ministry? 1146 00:58:12,062 --> 00:58:14,029 What are you doing? 1147 00:58:14,029 --> 00:58:16,021 What are you doing? You say, "Well, I'm thinking about." 1148 00:58:16,021 --> 00:58:18,000 No, what are you doing? "I'm praying about it." 1149 00:58:18,000 --> 00:58:23,058 No, what are you doing? "Well, I've been--" What are you doing? 1150 00:58:23,058 --> 00:58:27,075 I talked to a guy recently, he said, "I've been coming for 7 years 1151 00:58:27,075 --> 00:58:29,088 and I think God's calling me to do something." 1152 00:58:29,088 --> 00:58:37,062 "Yeah, you think? 7 years, 7 years, 7 years." 1153 00:58:38,004 --> 00:58:41,029 Did I say that? 1154 00:58:42,062 --> 00:58:44,062 You gotta be kidding me. 1155 00:58:45,008 --> 00:58:49,025 I said, "Well, what's your background?" He said, "I went to seminary." 1156 00:58:49,025 --> 00:58:56,046 "So you know the Bible. Do you know any of the parts where it says to do stuff? 1157 00:58:57,021 --> 00:59:00,071 I mean, I had someone recently, had been coming for 3 years, they said, 1158 00:59:00,071 --> 00:59:03,062 "You know what, I think it's time I do something." "Yeah, I think so. 1159 00:59:03,062 --> 00:59:09,008 "Do anything. Do the wrong thing, just get started. 1160 00:59:09,008 --> 00:59:14,029 Least we can course correct. Do anything." 1161 00:59:14,062 --> 00:59:15,058 Some of you say, "I don't know what to do." 1162 00:59:15,058 --> 00:59:18,017 Look, here's what you do, you want to be an usher? Great. 1163 00:59:18,017 --> 00:59:19,021 You want to be a greeter? Great. 1164 00:59:19,021 --> 00:59:21,000 You want to be in a band? Great. 1165 00:59:21,000 --> 00:59:22,038 You want to work with kids? Great. 1166 00:59:22,038 --> 00:59:23,058 Junior high, high school? Great. 1167 00:59:23,058 --> 00:59:24,062 Little kids? Great. 1168 00:59:24,062 --> 00:59:25,096 Lead a community group? Great. 1169 00:59:25,096 --> 00:59:27,058 Host a community group? Great. 1170 00:59:27,058 --> 00:59:30,029 You say, "Well, I'm shy." Great, you can write code on the computer. 1171 00:59:30,029 --> 00:59:32,004 You can come count money at the office. 1172 00:59:32,004 --> 00:59:33,088 You can serve in janitorial. 1173 00:59:33,088 --> 00:59:36,083 You're a construction guy? You can help with the building. 1174 00:59:36,083 --> 00:59:38,033 Right? You know how to organize things. 1175 00:59:38,033 --> 00:59:39,079 We're very disorganized. 1176 00:59:39,079 --> 00:59:41,079 You'd be a great help to us. 1177 00:59:41,079 --> 00:59:43,025 You say, "Well, I'm a graphic artist." 1178 00:59:43,025 --> 00:59:46,071 Great, 'cause we could use you, film, video, whatever, we got all kinds of 1179 00:59:46,071 --> 00:59:51,042 needs, everywhere, whatever you got, we probably need it. 1180 00:59:51,042 --> 00:59:52,075 Say, "I don't know how to get plugged in." 1181 00:59:52,075 --> 00:59:53,079 Fill out that card. 1182 00:59:53,079 --> 00:59:54,079 There's a little piece of paper. 1183 00:59:54,079 --> 00:59:58,058 A tree gave its life, right? 1184 00:59:58,058 --> 01:00:01,054 Make it count. 1185 01:00:01,054 --> 01:00:04,096 "Hi, my name's so and so and I'll do whatever it is." 1186 01:00:04,096 --> 01:00:10,000 Stop by the information desk, "Hi, I need to do anything. 1187 01:00:10,000 --> 01:00:12,017 Give me anything to do." 1188 01:00:12,017 --> 01:00:15,058 And like Jesus, you go do some stuff and then you pull back and figure out 1189 01:00:15,058 --> 01:00:17,012 what you need to focus on. 1190 01:00:17,012 --> 01:00:19,079 You don't find your perfect thing out of the shoot. 1191 01:00:19,079 --> 01:00:23,079 You go do a few things and then you focus in on what you're really good at. 1192 01:00:23,079 --> 01:00:26,017 Or you can go to The City, which is our online social networking tool. 1193 01:00:26,017 --> 01:00:28,079 Under your campus, you can click on service, 1194 01:00:28,079 --> 01:00:33,067 and just actually send in a request and they'll help plug you in. 1195 01:00:33,067 --> 01:00:35,004 All right, it's time to get into membership. 1196 01:00:35,004 --> 01:00:36,058 It's time to get into a community group. 1197 01:00:36,058 --> 01:00:39,012 If your community group's full, you walk up to your community group leader. 1198 01:00:39,012 --> 01:00:42,067 The best way to get something done at Mars Hill is just walk up to the leader. 1199 01:00:42,067 --> 01:00:44,075 You're a musician, walk up to the worship leader. 1200 01:00:44,075 --> 01:00:48,071 "Hi, I play an instrument, how do I need to audition?" 1201 01:00:48,071 --> 01:00:50,008 You're in a community group. 1202 01:00:50,008 --> 01:00:52,050 Walk up to the community group leader, "I want to be a community group leader. 1203 01:00:52,050 --> 01:00:54,025 I want to be a community group host." 1204 01:00:54,025 --> 01:00:56,096 You're in a redemption group, walk up to the leader, say, "You know what? 1205 01:00:56,096 --> 01:00:59,029 I'm here. I want to help those who are addicted and abused. 1206 01:00:59,029 --> 01:01:02,029 How do I get started, how do I get trained?" 1207 01:01:02,029 --> 01:01:04,079 You want to plant a church? We plant 'em. 1208 01:01:04,079 --> 01:01:07,067 Let Acts 29 know, we'll assess ya. 1209 01:01:07,067 --> 01:01:09,017 You want to get more theological training? 1210 01:01:09,017 --> 01:01:12,017 We have a master's in missional leadership. 1211 01:01:12,017 --> 01:01:17,038 If you prove yourself faithful as a member, we have a full formal coaching system 1212 01:01:17,038 --> 01:01:21,021 that lasts a year to help you get your whole life teed up 1213 01:01:21,021 --> 01:01:23,008 to be fruitful for Jesus. 1214 01:01:23,008 --> 01:01:28,033 There are training mechanisms for anything you can imagine. 1215 01:01:28,033 --> 01:01:29,058 You let us know who you are. 1216 01:01:29,058 --> 01:01:33,050 And here's the deal, some people say, "Well, I sent in an e-mail in 1998 1217 01:01:33,050 --> 01:01:35,096 and nobody got back to me, so I quit." 1218 01:01:35,096 --> 01:01:38,062 Really, that's the threshold of pain? 1219 01:01:38,062 --> 01:01:41,033 "I would die for Christ, but I didn't get an e-mail." 1220 01:01:41,033 --> 01:01:45,071 You know, then here's what you do, you keep sending the e-mail, 1221 01:01:45,071 --> 01:01:47,008 you keep calling. 1222 01:01:47,008 --> 01:01:50,021 Maybe you volunteer for the team that answers the e-mail 1223 01:01:50,021 --> 01:01:54,054 'cause obviously there's a hole, right? 1224 01:01:57,021 --> 01:02:01,046 Here's what I'm gonna do. I didn't plan on doing this but I'm just sort of freaked out. 1225 01:02:01,046 --> 01:02:09,083 All right, so if you are an unpaid volunteer in the church serving, please stand. 1226 01:02:09,083 --> 01:02:12,088 And I know this will be weird at the campuses, but that's okay. 1227 01:02:12,088 --> 01:02:15,033 If you're a volunteer, please stand, please stand. 1228 01:02:15,033 --> 01:02:18,088 Look around, look around. 1229 01:02:19,004 --> 01:02:21,029 Nice. 1230 01:02:22,038 --> 01:02:25,017 Okay, now stay standing. Stay standing. 1231 01:02:25,017 --> 01:02:27,067 Some of you shy people want to sit down. 1232 01:02:27,067 --> 01:02:30,075 You're killing these people. 1233 01:02:30,075 --> 01:02:33,083 You say, "What do you mean by that?" I mean you're killing them. 1234 01:02:33,083 --> 01:02:37,008 Now you look around, there's way more of you then there are of them. 1235 01:02:37,008 --> 01:02:41,008 These are ushers, greeters, worship team leaders, redemption group leaders. 1236 01:02:41,008 --> 01:02:43,004 These are people doing biblical counseling. 1237 01:02:43,004 --> 01:02:44,096 These are people leading community groups. 1238 01:02:44,096 --> 01:02:46,083 These are people who are tired. 1239 01:02:46,083 --> 01:02:48,071 You know what they don't need? More guilt. 1240 01:02:48,071 --> 01:02:50,071 You know what they don't need to do? Give more money. 1241 01:02:50,071 --> 01:02:53,004 You know what they don't need to do? Give more hours. 1242 01:02:53,004 --> 01:02:54,092 You know what they're gonna do hearing this sermon? 1243 01:02:54,092 --> 01:02:58,004 Kill themselves, because they're gonna do more, 1244 01:02:58,004 --> 01:03:01,008 and you know what they need to do? Less. 1245 01:03:01,008 --> 01:03:02,088 They need to get a day with God. 1246 01:03:02,088 --> 01:03:04,075 They need to get their silence and solitude. 1247 01:03:04,075 --> 01:03:07,021 They need to take a nap. 1248 01:03:07,021 --> 01:03:09,029 They need a break. 1249 01:03:09,029 --> 01:03:10,058 Okay, that's you. 1250 01:03:10,058 --> 01:03:12,029 Okay, you guys can sit down. 1251 01:03:12,029 --> 01:03:16,092 You guys are our heroes, the rest are our zeros, okay. True. 1252 01:03:16,092 --> 01:03:18,079 Some of you are like, "I can't believe he said that." 1253 01:03:18,079 --> 01:03:23,038 Well, I'll say it again, some of you are zeros on the Richter scale 1254 01:03:23,038 --> 01:03:26,071 of fruitfulness, zeros. 1255 01:03:26,071 --> 01:03:30,012 Put the book down, go do something. 1256 01:03:30,012 --> 01:03:35,046 Okay, so number one: Are you pouring yourself out in ministry? 1257 01:03:35,046 --> 01:03:37,012 Some of you aren't. 1258 01:03:37,012 --> 01:03:40,058 These people are, most of you aren't. 1259 01:03:40,058 --> 01:03:44,008 Number two, for those of you who are pouring yourself out in ministry, 1260 01:03:44,008 --> 01:03:45,062 rest and recovery and solitude. 1261 01:03:45,062 --> 01:03:46,083 What's that look like? 1262 01:03:46,083 --> 01:03:50,062 Are you getting your time with God? Are you getting your break? 1263 01:03:50,062 --> 01:03:54,083 Maybe the silence and solitude template on your blog would be helpful. 1264 01:03:54,083 --> 01:03:55,067 Get your break. 1265 01:03:55,067 --> 01:03:58,058 Here's what I don't want, every time I hammer, hammer, hammer, 1266 01:03:58,058 --> 01:04:03,008 the faithful people do more and the unfaithful people continue to do nothing. 1267 01:04:03,008 --> 01:04:04,079 That's not what I'm going for. 1268 01:04:04,079 --> 01:04:07,062 I want to honor those who are doing things and I want to assault 1269 01:04:07,062 --> 01:04:12,025 those who are not, with the love of Jesus deep down in my heart. 1270 01:04:12,075 --> 01:04:15,017 Number three: What value do you place on ministry? 1271 01:04:15,017 --> 01:04:18,071 Have you ever asked yourself this, "What does Mars Hill mean to me?" 1272 01:04:18,071 --> 01:04:23,021 I know we love Jesus, but I love the Church, I love this church. 1273 01:04:23,021 --> 01:04:27,042 Jesus gave his life for the Church, we need to give our lives for the Church. 1274 01:04:27,042 --> 01:04:29,004 What does ministry mean to you? 1275 01:04:29,004 --> 01:04:32,058 For Peter, James, and John, it meant everything. 1276 01:04:32,058 --> 01:04:35,058 They walked away from everything. 1277 01:04:35,058 --> 01:04:39,008 I mean, if you showed up today at Mars Hill and we were shut down, 1278 01:04:39,008 --> 01:04:41,092 would that even trouble you? 1279 01:04:41,092 --> 01:04:46,079 If your campus doesn't make it, is that gonna bother you? 1280 01:04:46,079 --> 01:04:49,088 Or it is just like, "Well, you know, look, I'm a consumer. 1281 01:04:49,088 --> 01:04:53,025 "It's just like Burger King, if it shuts down, I go to Wendy's. 1282 01:04:53,025 --> 01:04:56,017 It doesn't bother me." 1283 01:04:56,017 --> 01:04:59,004 Number four: Are you getting trained and training others? 1284 01:04:59,004 --> 01:05:02,004 Okay, are you getting trained and training others? 1285 01:05:02,004 --> 01:05:05,067 See, Jesus reached the point, he needed help, so Peter, James, and John, 1286 01:05:05,067 --> 01:05:07,067 and then they're gonna add more. 1287 01:05:07,067 --> 01:05:11,046 Are you getting trained through the community groups or the redemption 1288 01:05:11,046 --> 01:05:14,088 groups or whatever it is that you want to serve, security, kids? 1289 01:05:14,088 --> 01:05:17,092 Like I said, all these opportunities, have you made yourself known, 1290 01:05:17,092 --> 01:05:20,088 and have you been working on getting trained? 1291 01:05:20,088 --> 01:05:22,042 For those of you who are leading things, 1292 01:05:22,042 --> 01:05:26,017 I think maybe you need to do less and train more. 1293 01:05:26,017 --> 01:05:30,025 You need to identify those people, like Jesus did, to invest in them. 1294 01:05:30,083 --> 01:05:34,088 Now, here's what I'm gonna close with. 1295 01:05:34,088 --> 01:05:38,067 Christianity is not just about accepting Jesus, his death, burial, resurrection, 1296 01:05:38,067 --> 01:05:42,029 in your place for your sins so you can go to heaven when you die. 1297 01:05:42,029 --> 01:05:46,088 That's true, but it's also so that you can live passionately for him 1298 01:05:46,088 --> 01:05:52,038 in this life making it count, not blowing your dollars, not blowing your days 1299 01:05:52,038 --> 01:05:55,017 but giving your life to the glory of God, the good of others 1300 01:05:55,017 --> 01:05:57,033 and getting some good stuff done. 1301 01:05:57,033 --> 01:05:59,004 That's what life's all about. 1302 01:05:59,004 --> 01:06:04,000 And too many of you have believed an incomplete, half-hearted Gospel 1303 01:06:04,000 --> 01:06:06,033 that is "Accept Jesus and go to heaven." 1304 01:06:06,033 --> 01:06:09,054 So in the middle, you're on vacation. 1305 01:06:09,054 --> 01:06:11,096 You're just sort of hanging out, depressed. 1306 01:06:11,096 --> 01:06:13,033 "I don't have meaning in my life. 1307 01:06:13,033 --> 01:06:16,050 "I think I need yet another flat screen TV. 1308 01:06:16,050 --> 01:06:19,054 "You know what I need to do, I need to go to see 'Avatar' 1309 01:06:19,054 --> 01:06:21,083 "'cause I got nothing else to do with 20 bucks. 1310 01:06:21,083 --> 01:06:23,008 "Or you know what I need? 1311 01:06:23,008 --> 01:06:27,008 "I need to increase the number of Facebook friends that I have or I need to tweet more. 1312 01:06:27,008 --> 01:06:29,071 "I'm depressed or I need a hobby or a pet." 1313 01:06:29,071 --> 01:06:32,029 People are dying and going to hell. 1314 01:06:32,029 --> 01:06:39,046 Feel free to see the movie, Twitter, and pet the dog after first thing's first. 1315 01:06:39,046 --> 01:06:41,058 I had this conversation with Gideon, he's 4. 1316 01:06:41,058 --> 01:06:45,096 It wasn't exactly like this, but I had this conversation with him, my son. 1317 01:06:45,096 --> 01:06:48,058 And we're always talking to him about Jesus, God, 1318 01:06:48,058 --> 01:06:51,000 Jesus is alive and Jesus is good. 1319 01:06:51,000 --> 01:06:53,067 And his brothers kept trying to close him. 1320 01:06:53,067 --> 01:06:57,033 All right, they're like, "Giddy, you want to become a Christian?" He's like, "No." 1321 01:06:57,033 --> 01:07:01,008 I appreciated the stone-cold honesty, but I was concerned. 1322 01:07:01,008 --> 01:07:03,050 And Gideon is like, "No, I don't want to be a Christian." 1323 01:07:03,050 --> 01:07:04,096 So finally his brothers talked to him. 1324 01:07:04,096 --> 01:07:09,033 They're like "Giddy, you want to give your life to Jesus?" He's like, "Not now." 1325 01:07:09,033 --> 01:07:13,029 "Well, when?" "It's gonna be a long time." 1326 01:07:13,029 --> 01:07:19,058 Pastor dad's having his own little earthquake. "Really?" 1327 01:07:20,008 --> 01:07:23,033 So we kept talking to Gideon, trying not to pressure him or cajole him. 1328 01:07:23,033 --> 01:07:26,092 Here's what he said, he said, "Daddy, I love Jesus, but I don't want 1329 01:07:26,092 --> 01:07:30,004 to be a Christian 'cause I'm not ready to go to heaven." 1330 01:07:30,004 --> 01:07:33,008 Somehow in his little 4-year-old mind he thought if you give your life to Jesus, 1331 01:07:33,008 --> 01:07:36,071 immediately, zing, you go to heaven. 1332 01:07:36,071 --> 01:07:41,000 And he said, "I still got, I got T-ball and I want to go to school 1333 01:07:41,000 --> 01:07:44,042 and someday I'm gonna get married, and I'm gonna have kids and be a dad." 1334 01:07:44,042 --> 01:07:47,058 Like he's got a to-do list of stuff he wants to get done, at 4. 1335 01:07:47,058 --> 01:07:49,000 Actually a good list. 1336 01:07:49,000 --> 01:07:52,033 Like "I want to hit a ball, marry a girl, make some babies. 1337 01:07:52,033 --> 01:07:55,092 I got stuff to do, all right?" 1338 01:07:56,004 --> 01:07:59,054 So I said "Buddy Gideon, here's the deal, man, if you accept Jesus, you don't 1339 01:07:59,054 --> 01:08:02,000 immediately go to heaven, that's later." 1340 01:08:02,000 --> 01:08:04,067 He's like "I'm in. 1341 01:08:05,042 --> 01:08:06,067 I'm in." 1342 01:08:06,067 --> 01:08:09,079 So Gideon repented of his sin, gave his life to Jesus. 1343 01:08:09,079 --> 01:08:13,096 But it was so weird 'cause Christians say Christianity that way so much. 1344 01:08:13,096 --> 01:08:17,017 "Give your life to Jesus and then when you die you go to heaven." 1345 01:08:17,017 --> 01:08:19,008 We miss the whole middle. 1346 01:08:19,008 --> 01:08:21,021 The middle's huge. 1347 01:08:21,021 --> 01:08:24,004 The middle matters, the middle counts. 1348 01:08:24,004 --> 01:08:28,025 The middle's now, the middle's you, the middle's us. 1349 01:08:28,025 --> 01:08:30,071 Pour yourself out in ministry. 1350 01:08:30,071 --> 01:08:33,038 Get your solitude with God. 1351 01:08:33,038 --> 01:08:37,092 Pursue your calling, not your potential. 1352 01:08:40,096 --> 01:08:42,025 We need ya. 1353 01:08:42,025 --> 01:08:43,046 God bless ya. 1354 01:08:43,046 --> 01:08:44,042 I'll pray. 1355 01:08:44,042 --> 01:08:47,096 Father God, I pray against the enemy and his servants, their works, and effects. 1356 01:08:47,096 --> 01:08:53,058 I pray, Lord Jesus, for the Holy Spirit to motivate us to be a people 1357 01:08:53,058 --> 01:08:58,017 who are trained for ministry and train others for ministry. 1358 01:08:58,017 --> 01:09:02,042 I pray for this church, God, you've been so good to us, 1359 01:09:02,042 --> 01:09:05,033 and we have been so unfaithful to you. 1360 01:09:05,033 --> 01:09:09,088 Not all of us, God, there are some amazing people in this church. 1361 01:09:09,088 --> 01:09:13,025 There are people who have given their life, 1362 01:09:13,025 --> 01:09:18,021 they have made enormous personal sacrifice and, God, 1363 01:09:18,021 --> 01:09:22,000 they are, in the right sense, heroes. 1364 01:09:22,000 --> 01:09:24,033 And God, there's a lot of people that are zeros. 1365 01:09:24,033 --> 01:09:28,092 They've done nothing, given nothing, complained about anything. 1366 01:09:28,092 --> 01:09:31,096 Lord God, for those that hear this message, those who are not Christians, 1367 01:09:31,096 --> 01:09:36,042 I pray that they would see that Christianity is not just about dying 1368 01:09:36,042 --> 01:09:38,062 and going to heaven, though that's true and wonderful. 1369 01:09:38,062 --> 01:09:41,092 It's about meeting Jesus and making your life count here too. 1370 01:09:41,092 --> 01:09:47,033 Widows, orphans, those who are sick, dying, those who are stuck in sin, those who 1371 01:09:47,033 --> 01:09:51,054 are depressed and without hope, those who are harassed by the enemy, God, 1372 01:09:51,054 --> 01:09:55,058 they need, they need Jesus. 1373 01:09:55,058 --> 01:09:59,000 I pray, God, for those of us who are Christian. 1374 01:09:59,000 --> 01:10:03,046 I pray God, for those who are pouring themselves out and they're frustrated. 1375 01:10:03,046 --> 01:10:05,083 They're sick of it. They're tired. 1376 01:10:05,083 --> 01:10:09,062 They're giving up their days off. Their phone's ringing off the hook. 1377 01:10:09,062 --> 01:10:11,046 They're overwhelmed with needs. 1378 01:10:11,046 --> 01:10:15,071 They probably got family and jobs and a bunch of people 1379 01:10:15,071 --> 01:10:19,021 that are just climbing on board and exhausting them. 1380 01:10:19,021 --> 01:10:21,054 I pray, Lord God, that they would get their time with you 1381 01:10:21,054 --> 01:10:23,071 and that you would clarify their call to them. 1382 01:10:23,071 --> 01:10:27,042 And God, I pray for those who aren't doing what they ought to do, 1383 01:10:27,042 --> 01:10:34,017 that they would do, they would do much for the glory of God 1384 01:10:34,017 --> 01:10:36,017 and the good of others. Amen.