1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,333 2 00:00:01,417 --> 00:00:06,417 [music] 3 00:00:19,458 --> 00:00:21,958 All righty, Mars Hill, we continue today in Luke's gospel, 4 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:23,500 Redeeming Greatness. 5 00:00:23,583 --> 00:00:25,792 Luke 9:46-50. 6 00:00:25,833 --> 00:00:29,333 As you're finding your place, let me I ask you a question: 7 00:00:29,375 --> 00:00:31,042 Whose greatness, other than Jesus', 8 00:00:31,125 --> 00:00:33,167 that's the obvious answer, 9 00:00:33,208 --> 00:00:34,958 whose greatness, other than Jesus', 10 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,750 do you really, truly, sincerely admire? 11 00:00:38,833 --> 00:00:42,542 Who is it that really interests you, intrigues you? 12 00:00:42,625 --> 00:00:44,708 Do you have your favorite Iron Chef? 13 00:00:44,792 --> 00:00:48,042 Do you have your favorite musicians that you follow their 14 00:00:48,125 --> 00:00:50,542 tweets and have their T-shirt? 15 00:00:50,625 --> 00:00:53,750 Is there an athlete that is your particular favorite, 16 00:00:53,833 --> 00:00:58,083 and, you won't tell anyone, but their jersey is your jammie? 17 00:00:58,167 --> 00:01:01,875 Is there someone that you really admire, 18 00:01:01,958 --> 00:01:04,167 somebody in your field of business, study, 19 00:01:04,250 --> 00:01:08,833 your favorite film maker, author, whatever it might be? 20 00:01:08,875 --> 00:01:12,167 What about their greatness intrigues you? 21 00:01:12,208 --> 00:01:15,333 What, in your own life, are you pursuing greatness in? 22 00:01:15,375 --> 00:01:19,417 Who are you trying to become? What are you trying to do? 23 00:01:19,500 --> 00:01:21,333 What are you working on right now? 24 00:01:21,375 --> 00:01:23,875 What kind of conversations are you having with your friends 25 00:01:23,958 --> 00:01:27,917 about what it is you aspire to do, who you aspire to be, 26 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,375 the greatness that you long for? 27 00:01:31,458 --> 00:01:35,333 It leads us to the curious text today, 28 00:01:35,375 --> 00:01:39,083 I'll say it that way, in Luke where one of the most 29 00:01:39,167 --> 00:01:43,417 interesting conversations is had among Jesus' disciples. 30 00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:45,958 And they're asking the question, "Well, what is greatness, 31 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,833 "and who is great, and how can we become great, 32 00:01:48,917 --> 00:01:51,583 and which one of us will be the greatest of all?" 33 00:01:51,667 --> 00:01:54,333 And for your own personal study and your community group 34 00:01:54,375 --> 00:01:57,417 discussion, you'll also find summaries of this account 35 00:01:57,500 --> 00:01:59,833 in Mark 9 and Matthew 18, 36 00:01:59,917 --> 00:02:03,583 and here's how we find it in Luke 9:46-48. 37 00:02:03,667 --> 00:02:07,083 "An argument arose among them," this is the 12 disciples, 38 00:02:07,167 --> 00:02:09,083 "as to which of them was the greatest. 39 00:02:09,167 --> 00:02:11,500 But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts," 40 00:02:11,583 --> 00:02:14,667 he could read their minds, "took a child and put him 41 00:02:14,708 --> 00:02:17,417 "by his side and said to them, 'Whoever receives this child 42 00:02:17,500 --> 00:02:19,292 "'in my name receives me, 43 00:02:19,333 --> 00:02:21,708 "'and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 44 00:02:21,792 --> 00:02:25,375 "'For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.'" 45 00:02:25,458 --> 00:02:28,125 This is one of two things: number one, 46 00:02:28,167 --> 00:02:30,625 it is possibly the dumbest conversation in the history of 47 00:02:30,667 --> 00:02:34,333 the world, and most commentators seem to believe that that's 48 00:02:34,375 --> 00:02:38,167 exactly what's going on, because the context is that Jesus is God 49 00:02:38,250 --> 00:02:39,708 come into human history. 50 00:02:39,792 --> 00:02:41,667 He's just been transfigured in glory 51 00:02:41,750 --> 00:02:43,208 on the Mount of Transfiguration. 52 00:02:43,292 --> 00:02:45,708 Moses and Elijah have come out to hang with him, 53 00:02:45,792 --> 00:02:47,542 and then he comes down the mountain. 54 00:02:47,625 --> 00:02:50,042 He casts a demon out of a guy, quotes Daniel, 55 00:02:50,125 --> 00:02:51,708 and says he's the Son of Man. 56 00:02:51,792 --> 00:02:53,375 And then the disciples, 57 00:02:53,458 --> 00:02:55,375 you know, as sharp as a butter knife, 58 00:02:55,458 --> 00:02:57,875 are sitting around asking, "I wonder which one of us 59 00:02:57,958 --> 00:02:59,208 is the greatest?" 60 00:02:59,292 --> 00:03:00,625 Well, probably him. 61 00:03:00,667 --> 00:03:02,458 That could be what is happening. 62 00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:04,583 In some ways, if that's the case, 63 00:03:04,667 --> 00:03:06,917 this is like a whole bunch of jockeys who 64 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,750 happen to have a 27-foot friend, and they're all talking about 65 00:03:09,833 --> 00:03:11,750 which one is going to be the tallest, 66 00:03:11,833 --> 00:03:13,750 as if that wasn't already decided, pretty obvious, 67 00:03:13,833 --> 00:03:15,250 to everyone else. 68 00:03:15,333 --> 00:03:17,917 And most of the commentators read the text that way, 69 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,250 like, what a dumb conversation to have with Jesus, 70 00:03:20,333 --> 00:03:22,250 "Which one of us is the greatest?" 71 00:03:22,333 --> 00:03:23,750 Obviously, it's Jesus. 72 00:03:23,833 --> 00:03:26,083 This may be the dumbest conversation in the history 73 00:03:26,167 --> 00:03:28,750 of the world, most of the commentators think it is. 74 00:03:28,833 --> 00:03:30,750 I disagree with them, so I'm probably wrong. 75 00:03:30,833 --> 00:03:34,250 Just so you know, I'm gonna put that out there at the beginning, 76 00:03:34,333 --> 00:03:37,583 but I'm gonna now preach a whole sermon on what I think is 77 00:03:37,667 --> 00:03:40,417 really going on, and I could be wrong, which may mean, 78 00:03:40,500 --> 00:03:42,000 I'm having the second dumbest conversation 79 00:03:42,083 --> 00:03:43,625 in the history of the world. 80 00:03:43,667 --> 00:03:46,458 But here's what I think is going on in Luke 9. 81 00:03:46,500 --> 00:03:48,125 I'm so excited my voice cracked. 82 00:03:48,167 --> 00:03:52,542 So I think what is going on is that Jesus is great, 83 00:03:52,625 --> 00:03:57,542 and he is revealed in greatness, and being aware 84 00:03:57,625 --> 00:04:01,458 and present to the greatness of Jesus inspires, 85 00:04:01,500 --> 00:04:04,500 in the disciples, a longing for greatness. 86 00:04:04,583 --> 00:04:06,000 Is that not true? 87 00:04:06,042 --> 00:04:08,125 How many of you, you see greatness 88 00:04:08,167 --> 00:04:09,958 and you respond to it? 89 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,458 You're a musician, and then you go to a concert or a show, 90 00:04:13,500 --> 00:04:15,958 or you download an album and all of a sudden, you're like, 91 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:17,292 "I've gotta practice some more. 92 00:04:17,333 --> 00:04:19,292 "I've gotta get better. That was amazing. 93 00:04:19,333 --> 00:04:22,792 I don't know if I could ever do that, but I want to try." 94 00:04:22,833 --> 00:04:25,125 Or you're an athlete, or kind of an athlete, 95 00:04:25,167 --> 00:04:26,958 or you used to be an athlete. 96 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,292 You see something on TV and think, "That's amazing. 97 00:04:29,333 --> 00:04:30,792 I gotta try that." 98 00:04:30,833 --> 00:04:33,792 You try it once, and then they do surgery, and you recover, 99 00:04:33,833 --> 00:04:36,625 but it inspires you for a moment to try something great. 100 00:04:36,667 --> 00:04:38,958 How many of you have watched a cooking show 101 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,167 on the Food Network, and all of a sudden, 102 00:04:41,250 --> 00:04:42,667 you're in the kitchen trying? 103 00:04:42,750 --> 00:04:45,500 Just like, "How can I make this mac and cheese awesome?" 104 00:04:45,583 --> 00:04:48,500 You're inspired by it, so you try to up your game, 105 00:04:48,583 --> 00:04:50,667 you try to improve your behavior. 106 00:04:50,750 --> 00:04:52,167 You try and do better. 107 00:04:52,250 --> 00:04:54,167 I think that's what's going on here. 108 00:04:54,250 --> 00:04:56,667 Jesus is revealed in greatness, and the disciples realize, 109 00:04:56,750 --> 00:05:01,083 "Man, there's so much more that we could be, and do, and know. 110 00:05:01,167 --> 00:05:02,667 "We've gotta up our game. 111 00:05:02,708 --> 00:05:04,500 "What does greatness look like for us? 112 00:05:04,542 --> 00:05:06,000 How can we pursue greatness?" 113 00:05:06,042 --> 00:05:08,667 And the reason I don't think it's a stupid conversation 114 00:05:08,708 --> 00:05:10,167 is 'cause Jesus doesn't rebuke them, 115 00:05:10,250 --> 00:05:12,500 and he rebukes them a lot, because these guys, 116 00:05:12,542 --> 00:05:15,833 they have a lot of work that needs to be done on them, 117 00:05:15,875 --> 00:05:17,667 and they're oftentimes, like you and I, 118 00:05:17,708 --> 00:05:19,167 making some serious mistakes. 119 00:05:19,208 --> 00:05:21,500 And Jesus will come, and correct, and rebuke them, 120 00:05:21,542 --> 00:05:23,000 but here he doesn't. 121 00:05:23,042 --> 00:05:25,667 He doesn't come and say, "What a dumb idea that you 122 00:05:25,708 --> 00:05:27,167 want to be great." 123 00:05:27,208 --> 00:05:30,708 Instead he comes and says, "Let me tell you how to do that." 124 00:05:30,792 --> 00:05:32,458 He doesn't rebuke them, he instructs them. 125 00:05:32,500 --> 00:05:34,417 So what are we to make of greatness, 126 00:05:34,500 --> 00:05:36,167 what are we to do with greatness? 127 00:05:36,208 --> 00:05:38,833 Is greatness a good thing, is it a bad thing, 128 00:05:38,875 --> 00:05:40,667 is it something we should aspire to? 129 00:05:40,708 --> 00:05:42,333 Is it something we should avoid? 130 00:05:42,375 --> 00:05:45,708 What do we do with this human longing for greatness? 131 00:05:45,792 --> 00:05:48,875 And this issue, like all others, fits into a taxonomy 132 00:05:48,958 --> 00:05:51,500 of three options that I've been laying out for years, 133 00:05:51,583 --> 00:05:54,333 but it's receive, reject, redeem. 134 00:05:54,375 --> 00:05:56,167 Now, there are certain things, as Christians, 135 00:05:56,250 --> 00:05:59,875 we can just receive, even if non-Christians do them, or think they're a good idea, 136 00:05:59,958 --> 00:06:02,875 they're part of general revelation, common grace, good idea. 137 00:06:02,958 --> 00:06:05,750 You go to your non-Christian doctor, they say, "Exercise, 138 00:06:05,833 --> 00:06:08,000 drink water, and eat good food." 139 00:06:08,083 --> 00:06:09,417 I'll receive that. 140 00:06:09,500 --> 00:06:11,500 That's just good counsel. 141 00:06:11,542 --> 00:06:13,750 There are other things that we need to reject. 142 00:06:13,833 --> 00:06:18,625 As Christians, we don't have Christian crack, or porn stars, 143 00:06:18,667 --> 00:06:20,125 or terrorists, we just don't. 144 00:06:20,167 --> 00:06:22,667 All right, there's no verses on our pipes. 145 00:06:22,708 --> 00:06:24,167 We just don't do that. 146 00:06:24,208 --> 00:06:26,167 That's just not-- we can't do that. 147 00:06:26,208 --> 00:06:29,500 We're like, "No, I love Jesus, the answer's no." Right? 148 00:06:29,583 --> 00:06:32,667 I mean, Jesus, not Jihad, that's how we do it. 149 00:06:32,750 --> 00:06:34,667 I vote no, I can't do that. 150 00:06:34,750 --> 00:06:36,833 There are other things that you can redeem, 151 00:06:36,917 --> 00:06:39,500 meaning they're good or maybe even God created them and gave 152 00:06:39,583 --> 00:06:42,500 them to us as a gift, but they've been really corrupted 153 00:06:42,583 --> 00:06:45,292 and polluted, and there's a redeemed way to enjoy, 154 00:06:45,333 --> 00:06:46,917 use, and steward them. 155 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,250 At Mars Hill, we use this as an example, oftentimes, sexuality. 156 00:06:50,333 --> 00:06:53,750 God made it, gave it to us as a gift within the context of 157 00:06:53,833 --> 00:06:56,750 heterosexual covenant marriage, and a lot of people do a lot of 158 00:06:56,833 --> 00:07:00,375 nasty things, but that doesn't mean that it is in and of itself 159 00:07:00,458 --> 00:07:02,542 wrong, it just needs to be redeemed, 160 00:07:02,625 --> 00:07:05,208 and it needs to be something that is enjoyed within 161 00:07:05,292 --> 00:07:07,208 the confines of Scripture and God's will. 162 00:07:07,292 --> 00:07:10,125 Back to my point, they're arguing about greatness. 163 00:07:10,167 --> 00:07:12,792 Should we just receive it, should we reject it, 164 00:07:12,833 --> 00:07:14,292 or should we redeem it? 165 00:07:14,333 --> 00:07:16,958 We'll, look at the three options in succession. 166 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,792 Number one, first option is just receiving greatness, 167 00:07:20,833 --> 00:07:22,333 just receiving greatness. 168 00:07:22,375 --> 00:07:24,000 You look out in the world, 169 00:07:24,042 --> 00:07:26,583 there's a great value on greatness. 170 00:07:26,667 --> 00:07:30,833 And if we allow the world, the culture, to define greatness, 171 00:07:30,875 --> 00:07:34,833 and we just receive it, it's going to be very devastating 172 00:07:34,875 --> 00:07:37,333 for us in our relationship with Jesus. 173 00:07:37,417 --> 00:07:41,958 This is a picture of a guy named, anyone know? 174 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:43,542 Narcissus. 175 00:07:43,625 --> 00:07:48,208 Narcissus was a story in ancient Greek myth, 176 00:07:48,292 --> 00:07:50,542 and folklore, and legend, 177 00:07:50,625 --> 00:07:53,708 and it told a story that there was a young man who 178 00:07:53,792 --> 00:07:57,833 was walking along, and he saw his face reflected in water. 179 00:07:57,875 --> 00:08:00,333 And he couldn't believe it how magnificent, and beautiful, 180 00:08:00,417 --> 00:08:04,000 and glorious, and intriguing, and fascinating this person was, 181 00:08:04,042 --> 00:08:07,250 and he became so addicted to, and enamored with himself that 182 00:08:07,333 --> 00:08:13,458 he just gazed upon himself continually until he died. 183 00:08:13,500 --> 00:08:18,458 Now, clinically, out of this, there has come something called 184 00:08:18,500 --> 00:08:22,833 narcissism based on the myth of Narcissus, 185 00:08:22,917 --> 00:08:26,625 and that is that some people have themselves, I would say, 186 00:08:26,667 --> 00:08:29,500 virtually everyone except for when they're in the process of 187 00:08:29,583 --> 00:08:34,000 repentance, has themselves as the center of their life. 188 00:08:34,083 --> 00:08:37,583 "The most important person is me. 189 00:08:37,667 --> 00:08:40,167 "I'm the center of my universe. 190 00:08:40,250 --> 00:08:43,292 I'm addicted to, enamored with myself." 191 00:08:43,333 --> 00:08:46,083 We have a whole culture that promulgates self-love, 192 00:08:46,167 --> 00:08:52,583 self-esteem, self-help, self-actualization so that I can 193 00:08:52,667 --> 00:08:56,333 get all I can get, be all I can be, do all I can do, 194 00:08:56,375 --> 00:08:58,958 feel all I can feel, have all I can have, 195 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:04,833 to use the language of worship, "I want my glory." 196 00:09:04,917 --> 00:09:07,875 And the truth is, we were made in the image and likeness 197 00:09:07,958 --> 00:09:09,500 of God to image God. 198 00:09:09,583 --> 00:09:12,708 The Bible says we are to be imaging God. 199 00:09:12,792 --> 00:09:15,292 That means we are to mirror, we're to reflect God. 200 00:09:15,333 --> 00:09:17,958 The God who made us is loving, and gracious, and kind, 201 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,792 and good, and just, and truthful, and we are to image, 202 00:09:20,833 --> 00:09:24,750 to mirror, to reflect God, to show something of the character 203 00:09:24,833 --> 00:09:28,833 and nature of the invisible God to the visible world. 204 00:09:28,917 --> 00:09:32,750 And what happens in narcissism is that we remain worshipers, 205 00:09:32,833 --> 00:09:35,458 but we worship ourselves. 206 00:09:35,500 --> 00:09:39,375 We're absolutely consumed with ourselves to the degree that we 207 00:09:39,458 --> 00:09:44,333 don't really have much regard for God or other people, 208 00:09:44,375 --> 00:09:46,708 unless we feel they can benefit us. 209 00:09:46,792 --> 00:09:49,542 So if God will bless me, and people will serve me, 210 00:09:49,625 --> 00:09:51,542 then I will pay attention to them, 211 00:09:51,625 --> 00:09:55,958 but I'm really not loving them, I'm just using them. 212 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,208 And so we were made to be mirrors for God, 213 00:09:59,292 --> 00:10:02,500 but we end up being addicted to mirrors, 214 00:10:02,583 --> 00:10:04,833 and gazing upon ourselves. 215 00:10:04,875 --> 00:10:09,167 Now, what's curious is this culturally is synonymous 216 00:10:09,250 --> 00:10:12,833 with greatness 'cause in our day, to be great, 217 00:10:12,875 --> 00:10:17,125 and to pursue greatness means becoming famous. 218 00:10:17,167 --> 00:10:20,625 There was a day you'd become famous by doing something. 219 00:10:20,667 --> 00:10:23,708 "I went to the moon," right, "I created software." 220 00:10:23,792 --> 00:10:29,000 Today, tell me anything any Kardashian has ever done, okay, 221 00:10:29,042 --> 00:10:32,917 and I'll give you the rest of your life to try. Nothing. 222 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,000 You say, "Well, Paris Hilton." 223 00:10:35,083 --> 00:10:37,417 Yeah, nothing. 224 00:10:37,500 --> 00:10:42,333 On the Richter scale of contribution, flatline, nothing. 225 00:10:42,375 --> 00:10:46,292 People are famous by virtue of just being famous. 226 00:10:46,333 --> 00:10:51,167 They're known for being known, not for doing anything. 227 00:10:51,250 --> 00:10:54,583 And so if you accept a cultural definition of greatness, 228 00:10:54,667 --> 00:10:56,833 the whole goal will be narcissism. 229 00:10:56,875 --> 00:10:59,792 "I just want to be famous. I want everybody to know me." 230 00:10:59,833 --> 00:11:02,000 And some of you right now, you're smart. 231 00:11:02,083 --> 00:11:05,333 And you're like, "You're on a stage in front of us all, 232 00:11:05,417 --> 00:11:08,292 Twittering and Facebooking, seems like you're a narcissist." 233 00:11:08,333 --> 00:11:11,708 And the truth is it's something that is convicting me, 234 00:11:11,792 --> 00:11:14,833 something I'm praying through, something I'm looking back 235 00:11:14,875 --> 00:11:18,083 and asking, "Have I said or done--" "Have I," ha-- 236 00:11:18,167 --> 00:11:22,583 "When have I said and done--" 237 00:11:22,667 --> 00:11:25,792 "Hypothetically, I know this guy, he's about this tall 238 00:11:25,833 --> 00:11:29,792 and says things that he shouldn't." 239 00:11:29,833 --> 00:11:32,417 I know looking back there have been times I've said 240 00:11:32,500 --> 00:11:35,500 and done things in such a way to get a bigger audience, 241 00:11:35,542 --> 00:11:37,875 and a bigger splash, and a bigger crowd, 242 00:11:37,958 --> 00:11:41,167 to get more attention, and it can detract attention 243 00:11:41,208 --> 00:11:43,792 from Jesus and the needs of others. 244 00:11:43,833 --> 00:11:45,500 That's narcissism. 245 00:11:45,583 --> 00:11:47,625 It's something I'm thinking and praying about, 246 00:11:47,667 --> 00:11:49,583 and it kind of was triggered, interestingly enough, 247 00:11:49,667 --> 00:11:51,250 by Dr. Drew. 248 00:11:51,333 --> 00:11:53,375 Some of you say, "Oh, he's a Christian?" 249 00:11:53,458 --> 00:11:54,917 No. 250 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:56,333 He's a nice enough guy. 251 00:11:56,417 --> 00:11:59,583 I did the Loveline Radio Show with Dr. Drew a few months back, 252 00:11:59,667 --> 00:12:02,250 and we're taking calls from addicted and abused people 253 00:12:02,333 --> 00:12:03,917 for the duration of the show. 254 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,750 And we were talking in between callers, and he said, "Boy, 255 00:12:07,833 --> 00:12:10,833 "we don't, you know, we don't agree on a lot of things, 256 00:12:10,917 --> 00:12:13,500 but we do agree on why these people have these issues." 257 00:12:13,583 --> 00:12:16,542 We didn't agree on the solution, so I have no indication that 258 00:12:16,625 --> 00:12:19,917 he's a Christian, but he's since gone on to become sort of 259 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:21,417 a cultural, celebrity expert. 260 00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:23,667 When Mel Gibson had his total meltdown, 261 00:12:23,750 --> 00:12:26,875 they brought him out on various shows to give his perspective. 262 00:12:26,958 --> 00:12:31,000 He's written a book actually called "The Mirror Effect." 263 00:12:31,042 --> 00:12:33,167 "The Mirror Effect," which is interesting 'cause it's 264 00:12:33,208 --> 00:12:35,000 the language of the Bible ("imaging God"), 265 00:12:35,042 --> 00:12:36,833 and it's the language that John Calvin 266 00:12:36,875 --> 00:12:38,667 and other Reformers used to talk about, 267 00:12:38,708 --> 00:12:41,708 "We're supposed to image God," and what he said is that 268 00:12:41,792 --> 00:12:43,250 narcissistic people become celebrities, 269 00:12:43,333 --> 00:12:45,083 their whole goal is to be famous. 270 00:12:45,167 --> 00:12:46,833 They'll do anything to become famous, 271 00:12:46,917 --> 00:12:50,958 and then normal people become abnormal by imitating, 272 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,042 mirroring, mimicking the behavior of those who are 273 00:12:54,125 --> 00:12:57,917 celebrities, and it leads to the train wreck that we call 274 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,750 pop culture. 275 00:13:00,833 --> 00:13:03,167 And so in his book, "The Mirror Effect," 276 00:13:03,250 --> 00:13:05,000 I've taken a few of his principles, 277 00:13:05,083 --> 00:13:07,833 and I'll describe this as godless greatness. 278 00:13:07,917 --> 00:13:10,333 If you just say, "I want to be great," 279 00:13:10,375 --> 00:13:12,125 which means, "I want to be famous," 280 00:13:12,167 --> 00:13:15,167 and you just walk into this world with the aspiration 281 00:13:15,250 --> 00:13:17,167 of fame, here's what's gonna happen, number one, 282 00:13:17,250 --> 00:13:19,750 narcissists become celebrities. 283 00:13:19,833 --> 00:13:22,542 You're self-absorbed, you're self-addicted, 284 00:13:22,625 --> 00:13:24,958 you're the drama queen, you need all the attention 285 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:26,833 and everyone to pay attention to you. 286 00:13:26,875 --> 00:13:30,000 For some of you, you sort of have this in a minor regard 287 00:13:30,042 --> 00:13:32,708 where in your circle of friends, everybody needs to pay attention 288 00:13:32,792 --> 00:13:34,542 to you, nobody else gets to talk, 289 00:13:34,625 --> 00:13:36,042 nobody else gets to decide anything, 290 00:13:36,125 --> 00:13:38,125 and everybody better be following your Twitter feed 291 00:13:38,167 --> 00:13:39,625 otherwise they're gonna hear about it. 292 00:13:39,667 --> 00:13:41,708 You have to have attention. 293 00:13:41,792 --> 00:13:45,333 And it escalates all the way up to celebrities, where they want 294 00:13:45,375 --> 00:13:47,750 the whole world to pay attention to them, 295 00:13:47,833 --> 00:13:50,542 not because they're helping, or serving, or praying, or caring, 296 00:13:50,625 --> 00:13:54,250 or teaching, but just so that they can get attention. 297 00:13:54,333 --> 00:13:57,917 And this starts, parents, when kids are young. 298 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,833 I saw this at a Mariners game recently. 299 00:14:00,917 --> 00:14:03,833 There were, they said, 20,000 people at the game, 300 00:14:03,917 --> 00:14:07,750 and it didn't look that way, but in front of Gracie and I, 301 00:14:07,833 --> 00:14:09,667 there was a family, a mom, a dad, 302 00:14:09,750 --> 00:14:12,833 and a boy who was maybe 4 or 5, 6 years of age, 303 00:14:12,917 --> 00:14:17,250 and this kid is going to be trouble because he didn't know 304 00:14:17,333 --> 00:14:19,667 that the 20,000 people who were there were there 305 00:14:19,708 --> 00:14:21,000 to watch the game. 306 00:14:21,042 --> 00:14:24,167 He thought the 20,000 people were there to watch him. 307 00:14:24,208 --> 00:14:27,958 He had no concept that there was a universe beyond himself, 308 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,333 and that anyone would be interested in anything 309 00:14:30,375 --> 00:14:32,333 other than him. 310 00:14:32,375 --> 00:14:36,333 And to make matters worse, his mother completely indulged him. 311 00:14:36,417 --> 00:14:39,667 She had a camera, and must have been taken ten bajillion photos 312 00:14:39,750 --> 00:14:41,417 of everything he did. 313 00:14:41,500 --> 00:14:43,333 "Oh, it's so cute. It's so cute." 314 00:14:43,417 --> 00:14:46,000 And this boy, for the entirety of the game, 315 00:14:46,042 --> 00:14:48,875 is standing on his chair doing things, trying to be cute, 316 00:14:48,958 --> 00:14:51,917 messing around, hoping to get 20,000 people 317 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,458 to care more about him than Ichiro, 318 00:14:54,500 --> 00:14:57,708 and the whole time his mother is taking his photo, which is just 319 00:14:57,792 --> 00:15:00,542 practicing for him to be on "TMZ" some day. 320 00:15:00,625 --> 00:15:02,250 That's how I saw it. 321 00:15:02,333 --> 00:15:04,917 It reached about the eighth inning, and all of a sudden, 322 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,458 he ran out of things to do, and he ran out of people paying 323 00:15:08,500 --> 00:15:10,958 attention to him, so he started taking his pants off 324 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:12,583 while standing up on the chair. 325 00:15:12,667 --> 00:15:17,917 Again, you know, just, he's just practicing for "TMZ." 326 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,000 That's the culture we live in. 327 00:15:20,083 --> 00:15:24,167 Narcissists become celebrities, and it starts when you're young. 328 00:15:24,208 --> 00:15:26,792 I'm not saying you ignore children, but you tell them, 329 00:15:26,833 --> 00:15:28,667 "God is the center of the universe. 330 00:15:28,750 --> 00:15:30,667 "There's some other people on the planet. 331 00:15:30,708 --> 00:15:33,417 You may not always get all the attention, deal with it." 332 00:15:33,500 --> 00:15:35,875 Number two, what happens then, extreme, dangerous, 333 00:15:35,958 --> 00:15:39,042 and self-destructive behavior is how you become famous. 334 00:15:39,125 --> 00:15:41,833 You can't become famous by being normal. 335 00:15:41,875 --> 00:15:46,417 Like, you're not gonna go home, and turn on like "The Soup" 336 00:15:46,500 --> 00:15:48,792 or "Tosh.0" and out comes, 337 00:15:48,833 --> 00:15:50,583 "Oh, today we followed Hank around. 338 00:15:50,667 --> 00:15:52,375 "He woke up early. He read Proverbs. 339 00:15:52,458 --> 00:15:53,875 "He drank decaf. 340 00:15:53,958 --> 00:15:56,708 "He took the bus to work to reduce his carbon footprint. 341 00:15:56,792 --> 00:15:59,375 "He did a really good job. He didn't steal any money. 342 00:15:59,458 --> 00:16:01,625 "He stayed late 'cause he loves his employer. 343 00:16:01,667 --> 00:16:04,500 "Came home, kissed his wife, read Proverbs with his kids, 344 00:16:04,583 --> 00:16:06,125 and then went to bed." 345 00:16:06,167 --> 00:16:08,000 Nobody's gonna watch that, unless, 346 00:16:08,083 --> 00:16:09,583 "And then he ate someone." 347 00:16:09,667 --> 00:16:12,250 You're like, "Oh, well yeah, there we go. 348 00:16:12,333 --> 00:16:15,167 Okay, that's interesting." 349 00:16:15,208 --> 00:16:20,167 You have to do something crazy, right? 350 00:16:20,208 --> 00:16:23,042 And what this leads to is-- I'll give you some examples-- 351 00:16:23,125 --> 00:16:28,000 bizarre addictions to body image, so, eating disorders, 352 00:16:28,083 --> 00:16:33,167 bulimia, anorexia, extreme surgeries, procedures; 353 00:16:33,250 --> 00:16:36,417 hypersexuality, all kinds of deviant sexuality; 354 00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:41,000 extreme addiction to substances and alcohol; 355 00:16:41,083 --> 00:16:43,500 dangerous and violent behavior. 356 00:16:43,583 --> 00:16:46,042 Right, so Johnny Knoxville's got his 3D movie coming out, 357 00:16:46,125 --> 00:16:49,167 and "Bully Beatdown" is out, and it's just, "I'm gonna become 358 00:16:49,208 --> 00:16:53,292 famous through taking risks with my own life and safety." 359 00:16:53,333 --> 00:16:56,083 Self-harm, which can include cutting, 360 00:16:56,167 --> 00:16:58,917 all kinds of disorders like hoarding. 361 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,000 We find people that have the most eccentric, troubled, 362 00:17:02,083 --> 00:17:08,250 broken, harmed lives, and we don't have the ability to just 363 00:17:08,333 --> 00:17:11,333 pray for them or serve them, we're intrigued by them. 364 00:17:11,375 --> 00:17:14,500 And what promulgates this is reality television, 365 00:17:14,583 --> 00:17:15,958 which isn't that realistic, 366 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,958 but reality television is this explosive phenomenon, 367 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:21,875 where in an effort to get a show, 368 00:17:21,958 --> 00:17:24,333 you have to do more and more extreme behavior, 369 00:17:24,375 --> 00:17:28,833 so that you can be more famous to increase your greatness. 370 00:17:28,917 --> 00:17:31,708 In the year 2000, how many reality television shows 371 00:17:31,792 --> 00:17:33,542 do you think there were? 372 00:17:33,625 --> 00:17:35,042 Four. 373 00:17:35,125 --> 00:17:37,833 Today, 320. 374 00:17:37,917 --> 00:17:41,208 All right, now, we've gotten offered two. 375 00:17:41,292 --> 00:17:43,292 Two times we've been offered, "Do you Driscolls," 376 00:17:43,333 --> 00:17:45,000 me and the kids and Grace, 377 00:17:45,083 --> 00:17:47,250 "You guys want to be an extreme television family?" 378 00:17:47,333 --> 00:17:49,125 No, we don't, 'cause first of all, 379 00:17:49,167 --> 00:17:50,833 my whole goal is a boring testimony. 380 00:17:50,917 --> 00:17:53,667 It'd be like, "Hey, Alexie can color and Mark's still reading." 381 00:17:53,750 --> 00:17:56,833 Right, it should be boring. 382 00:17:56,875 --> 00:17:59,417 Look at the reality television, "The Hogans," bad. 383 00:17:59,500 --> 00:18:02,250 Osbourne's kid in rehab, shocker. 384 00:18:02,333 --> 00:18:04,375 Who could have seen that coming? 385 00:18:04,458 --> 00:18:07,167 You know, now it's "Kate Plus 8" 386 00:18:07,250 --> 00:18:09,625 'cause John, well, didn't go so well. 387 00:18:09,667 --> 00:18:16,083 You have to continually increase your extreme, bizarre, 388 00:18:16,167 --> 00:18:21,958 ridiculous, nonsensical behavior to keep attracting an audience, 389 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:27,083 and what it leads to is a culture of death. 390 00:18:27,167 --> 00:18:29,333 Now, what happens then, people in culture think, 391 00:18:29,375 --> 00:18:32,667 "Well, I see it all the time, it must be normal." 392 00:18:32,708 --> 00:18:35,167 So you got junior high girls sending out naked photos of 393 00:18:35,208 --> 00:18:38,042 themselves on their phones, 394 00:18:38,125 --> 00:18:40,875 and you got kids trying to reproduce "Jackass" stunts, 395 00:18:40,958 --> 00:18:44,167 and, you know, they're 12. 396 00:18:44,250 --> 00:18:47,167 They don't understand gravity or deductibles. 397 00:18:47,208 --> 00:18:51,125 They don't understand what they're doing. 398 00:18:51,167 --> 00:18:53,833 And people, you know, they just mimic this behavior, 399 00:18:53,917 --> 00:18:56,500 and then what happens is they use social media 400 00:18:56,583 --> 00:18:58,667 thinking, "Well, I want to become famous. 401 00:18:58,750 --> 00:19:01,250 "I want to put it on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube. 402 00:19:01,333 --> 00:19:03,750 "I'm gonna put it out there on my blog. 403 00:19:03,833 --> 00:19:05,250 "I'm gonna become famous 404 00:19:05,333 --> 00:19:06,833 by saying and doing something nuts." 405 00:19:06,917 --> 00:19:08,333 And everybody talks about them. 406 00:19:08,417 --> 00:19:09,833 "Well, it works, I'm famous. 407 00:19:09,917 --> 00:19:13,583 I guess if I want to be more famous, I gotta get more nutty." 408 00:19:13,667 --> 00:19:16,000 And this ultimately, because it's an identity founded on 409 00:19:16,083 --> 00:19:19,417 someone and something other than Jesus, and it's glory for me, 410 00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:21,167 and not glory for God, it's sin. 411 00:19:21,250 --> 00:19:22,667 It ultimately leads to death. 412 00:19:22,708 --> 00:19:26,083 You can go all the way back from Marilyn Monroe to Belushi, 413 00:19:26,167 --> 00:19:31,333 to Farley, to Elvis, to Cobain, to Layne Staley. 414 00:19:31,417 --> 00:19:34,500 I mean, you can just look at the train wrecks, 415 00:19:34,542 --> 00:19:37,125 and you can look at those that are in process. 416 00:19:37,167 --> 00:19:42,292 Number one personality on Twitter today, Britney Spears. 417 00:19:42,333 --> 00:19:48,667 Lindsay Lohan, you go from a Mouseketeer to jail and rehab. 418 00:19:49,375 --> 00:19:50,833 That's the world we live in. 419 00:19:50,917 --> 00:19:52,833 Robert Downey Jr. has said openly 420 00:19:52,917 --> 00:19:56,167 and publicly that he's a narcissist. 421 00:19:56,250 --> 00:19:58,583 You wonder why guys like Mel Gibson freak out. 422 00:19:58,667 --> 00:20:01,542 It's because they think they're God and when someone tells them 423 00:20:01,625 --> 00:20:03,500 no, wrath comes down. 424 00:20:03,542 --> 00:20:05,042 Say, "What is going on?" 425 00:20:05,125 --> 00:20:08,042 That's the world we live in, and then if the average person 426 00:20:08,125 --> 00:20:10,542 thinks, well, that's normal or that's how you become famous 427 00:20:10,625 --> 00:20:12,500 or that's the price you pay. 428 00:20:12,542 --> 00:20:15,000 You want to be great, you want to be famous, 429 00:20:15,042 --> 00:20:18,000 you want everybody to know you, you want to have the most 430 00:20:18,042 --> 00:20:20,500 Twitter followers, you want to have the biggest fans 431 00:20:20,542 --> 00:20:23,708 on Facebook, you want everybody to click "like," 432 00:20:23,792 --> 00:20:25,917 which is interesting. 433 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:27,667 It's a worship act. 434 00:20:27,708 --> 00:20:29,792 "I like." 435 00:20:29,833 --> 00:20:33,792 Now, Dr. Drew comes along, and he has this interesting quote, 436 00:20:33,833 --> 00:20:36,292 "Celebrities--like all narcissists-- ... 437 00:20:36,333 --> 00:20:38,333 rely on the world as a mirror," Calvin's language. 438 00:20:38,417 --> 00:20:39,833 It's amazing. 439 00:20:39,917 --> 00:20:42,208 A non-Christian has got some insights here that are helpful. 440 00:20:42,292 --> 00:20:44,208 "Constantly gazing outward in search of gratification or 441 00:20:44,292 --> 00:20:47,500 "affirmation, in order to stave off their unbearable feelings 442 00:20:47,583 --> 00:20:50,583 of internal emptiness." 443 00:20:50,667 --> 00:20:54,208 Celebrities are not healthy people. 444 00:20:54,292 --> 00:20:58,000 They're not--famous people are not doing well. 445 00:20:58,083 --> 00:21:01,542 I mean, if you listen to Eminem's latest album, 446 00:21:01,625 --> 00:21:04,292 he basically says, "I ruined my whole life, 447 00:21:04,333 --> 00:21:05,833 "but I'm trying to fix it. 448 00:21:05,875 --> 00:21:08,667 "I want to do better, and be a good dad. 449 00:21:08,750 --> 00:21:10,500 "I have no idea what I'm doing. 450 00:21:10,583 --> 00:21:13,667 "I have no idea what I'm doing, so let's do it together, 451 00:21:13,750 --> 00:21:16,833 follow me." 452 00:21:16,917 --> 00:21:18,542 Really? 453 00:21:18,625 --> 00:21:20,792 Maybe you should follow somebody else. 454 00:21:20,833 --> 00:21:23,500 I know this guy who rose from death, maybe that guy. 455 00:21:23,583 --> 00:21:26,333 Now, in addition, how about this? 456 00:21:26,375 --> 00:21:29,083 For those of you who are young, and by young, 457 00:21:29,167 --> 00:21:31,833 I mean under 40 'cause I'm almost 40. 458 00:21:31,875 --> 00:21:34,958 "51% of 18- to 25-year-olds said that becoming 459 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:38,833 "famous was their generation's most important, 460 00:21:38,875 --> 00:21:41,667 or second most important, life goal." 461 00:21:41,708 --> 00:21:45,000 The very neutral Pew Research Center. 462 00:21:45,042 --> 00:21:48,083 Now, a lot of people in Mars Hill are in that age, 463 00:21:48,167 --> 00:21:49,583 some you are. 464 00:21:49,667 --> 00:21:52,750 Some of you are parents, your kids are at or near that age. 465 00:21:52,833 --> 00:21:55,917 Some of you are grandparents, your grandkids are at or near that age. 466 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:57,750 You ask the average young person today, 467 00:21:57,833 --> 00:22:00,167 "What do you think the most important thing is 468 00:22:00,208 --> 00:22:01,500 "for your generation? 469 00:22:01,542 --> 00:22:03,333 You guys want to be holy?" "Nope." 470 00:22:03,375 --> 00:22:04,833 "Want to be loving?" "No." 471 00:22:04,875 --> 00:22:06,333 "Compassionate, generous?" 472 00:22:06,375 --> 00:22:07,833 "Nope. Famous!" 473 00:22:07,875 --> 00:22:09,417 "Really? How you gonna do that?" 474 00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:12,000 "I'm gonna do something crazy." 475 00:22:12,083 --> 00:22:16,667 And then the self-destructive cycle of death kicks in, 476 00:22:16,708 --> 00:22:19,667 it just does. 477 00:22:19,750 --> 00:22:22,792 This is why we get juiced athletes trying to cheat. 478 00:22:22,833 --> 00:22:25,542 Lying politicians, crooked business leaders. 479 00:22:25,625 --> 00:22:27,125 Everybody's using everybody. 480 00:22:27,167 --> 00:22:29,000 Everybody wants to be somebody. 481 00:22:29,042 --> 00:22:32,208 Nobody's loving anybody. 482 00:22:32,292 --> 00:22:35,667 Now, I'll give you one tragic, horrendous, 483 00:22:35,750 --> 00:22:38,000 devastating recent example. 484 00:22:38,083 --> 00:22:39,833 How many of you know Laurence Fishburne? 485 00:22:39,917 --> 00:22:42,542 He was an actor, became quite famous with "The Matrix," 486 00:22:42,625 --> 00:22:43,958 pretty good actor. 487 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:45,833 He's got a teenage daughter. 488 00:22:45,875 --> 00:22:48,458 She recently made her first porn film on her own, 489 00:22:48,500 --> 00:22:51,458 distributed it herself to make herself famous. 490 00:22:51,500 --> 00:22:55,542 Her dad is obviously distraught and devastated by this. 491 00:22:55,625 --> 00:23:00,583 He has tried to purchase the rights to it, but it's too late, it's been distributed. 492 00:23:00,667 --> 00:23:02,167 He, according to certain reports, 493 00:23:02,250 --> 00:23:05,125 has, along with his friends, has tried to buy all the copies, 494 00:23:05,167 --> 00:23:07,000 but can't track them all down. 495 00:23:07,042 --> 00:23:10,000 It's led to a conflict between he and his teenage daughter who 496 00:23:10,042 --> 00:23:14,875 says this, "I view making this adult movie as an important 497 00:23:14,958 --> 00:23:17,542 "first step in my career... 498 00:23:17,625 --> 00:23:19,833 I've watched how successful Kim Kardashian--" 499 00:23:19,917 --> 00:23:23,167 You could add Paris Hilton, you could add Pamela Anderson-- 500 00:23:23,250 --> 00:23:26,333 "became and I think a lot of it was due to the release 501 00:23:26,417 --> 00:23:28,292 "of her sex tape by Vivid. 502 00:23:28,333 --> 00:23:30,583 "I'm hoping the same magic will work for me. 503 00:23:30,667 --> 00:23:33,417 I'm impatient about getting," what? 504 00:23:33,500 --> 00:23:34,958 "Well-known." 505 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:36,708 I want to become famous quick. 506 00:23:36,792 --> 00:23:39,542 "And having more opportunities and this seemed like a great way 507 00:23:39,625 --> 00:23:44,125 to get started on it." 508 00:23:44,167 --> 00:23:45,500 Do you feel it? 509 00:23:45,583 --> 00:23:47,708 Just changed the temperature in the room. 510 00:23:47,792 --> 00:23:50,375 If you say, "I just want to be great. 511 00:23:50,458 --> 00:23:53,375 "I'm gonna walk out in the world, and I just want to-- 512 00:23:53,458 --> 00:23:54,875 "my greatness means fame. 513 00:23:54,958 --> 00:23:57,833 I want to be known." 514 00:23:57,917 --> 00:24:00,708 It ends up with reckless, dangerous, 515 00:24:00,792 --> 00:24:05,333 unhealthy behavior mimicking the least healthy among us, 516 00:24:05,417 --> 00:24:09,875 trying to outdo others to gain a bigger fan base. 517 00:24:13,708 --> 00:24:17,458 Now, some will come along, and try and Christianize this 518 00:24:17,500 --> 00:24:22,667 with fantastically nonsensical theology. 519 00:24:22,708 --> 00:24:29,667 They will say, "Oh yes, but God exists to give us greatness. 520 00:24:29,708 --> 00:24:31,833 "Yes, we don't want the world's definition of greatness, 521 00:24:31,917 --> 00:24:34,792 "what we want to have is a vision for our own greatness 522 00:24:34,833 --> 00:24:37,292 "where we're healthy, and successful, and overachievers, 523 00:24:37,333 --> 00:24:40,333 "and overcomers, and victors. 524 00:24:40,375 --> 00:24:43,417 "And so we still want to pursue greatness as the world defines 525 00:24:43,500 --> 00:24:47,125 "it by health, and beauty, and status, and success, 526 00:24:47,167 --> 00:24:51,000 "and possessions. 527 00:24:51,083 --> 00:24:52,958 "And God exists for my glory. 528 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:54,667 "God exists to worship me. 529 00:24:54,708 --> 00:24:57,250 "God exists that I would have all I could have, 530 00:24:57,333 --> 00:25:00,167 be all I could be, do all I could do." 531 00:25:00,208 --> 00:25:03,250 It's all the way back to the first lie in Genesis, 532 00:25:03,333 --> 00:25:06,167 "You could be great like God." 533 00:25:06,208 --> 00:25:08,458 And then false teachers come along, and say, 534 00:25:08,500 --> 00:25:11,667 "And God will help you by worshiping you." 535 00:25:11,750 --> 00:25:14,500 No, we don't exist to be worshiped by God. 536 00:25:14,542 --> 00:25:17,833 We exist to worship God. 537 00:25:17,875 --> 00:25:21,667 So we must, and I would just implore you from both 538 00:25:21,708 --> 00:25:23,625 the theological and the practical level, 539 00:25:23,667 --> 00:25:27,708 we must reject the cultural definition 540 00:25:27,792 --> 00:25:30,875 in pursuit of greatness. 541 00:25:30,958 --> 00:25:35,042 We must, and we must also reject a false theological system 542 00:25:35,125 --> 00:25:39,917 that says, "Well, Jesus will give you worldly greatness." 543 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:41,375 No. We have to reject that. 544 00:25:41,458 --> 00:25:44,792 So then certain Christians will react to 545 00:25:44,833 --> 00:25:49,583 that, or overreact to it, and they'll reject greatness 546 00:25:49,667 --> 00:25:53,583 altogether, not just the worldly form, 547 00:25:53,667 --> 00:25:56,125 not just the cultural form of greatness, 548 00:25:56,167 --> 00:25:58,667 but reject greatness altogether. 549 00:25:58,750 --> 00:26:00,833 They'll say, "Yeah, the world is messed up. 550 00:26:00,875 --> 00:26:02,667 "I don't want to be like that. 551 00:26:02,708 --> 00:26:04,833 "I don't want to be that addictive, destructive, 552 00:26:04,875 --> 00:26:07,833 "narcissistic, self-consumed, self-absorbed, 553 00:26:07,917 --> 00:26:11,833 don't love people, use them kind of person." 554 00:26:11,917 --> 00:26:14,250 And they'll go to places like James 3 and say, 555 00:26:14,333 --> 00:26:16,833 "Yeah, the Bible really condemns jealousy, 556 00:26:16,875 --> 00:26:18,833 "which is coveting other people, 557 00:26:18,875 --> 00:26:21,667 "and what they have, and what they wear, and where they live, 558 00:26:21,708 --> 00:26:24,250 "and what they drive, and who they sleep with, 559 00:26:24,333 --> 00:26:26,458 and what they look like." 560 00:26:26,500 --> 00:26:30,333 That kind of selfish ambition that James rebukes. 561 00:26:30,375 --> 00:26:33,625 Don't want to be selfish, don't want to pursue ambition. 562 00:26:33,667 --> 00:26:36,500 So there could be this overreaction where there's 563 00:26:36,583 --> 00:26:39,167 not just the rejection of worldly greatness, 564 00:26:39,250 --> 00:26:42,208 but of greatness altogether, and it oftentimes, 565 00:26:42,292 --> 00:26:47,625 in Christian circles, is in the false name of humility. 566 00:26:47,667 --> 00:26:49,208 "I don't want to pursue greatness, 567 00:26:49,292 --> 00:26:51,667 I just want to be humble." 568 00:26:51,708 --> 00:26:56,583 And it's this spiritual answer for the cowards, 569 00:26:56,667 --> 00:26:59,083 and the lazy, 570 00:26:59,167 --> 00:27:05,583 and the unmotivated to appear holy while being unholy. 571 00:27:05,667 --> 00:27:08,875 See, some of you say, "Well, I don't want to make much money. 572 00:27:08,958 --> 00:27:11,208 "I don't want to, you know, get great grades. 573 00:27:11,292 --> 00:27:13,083 "I don't want to push myself academically. 574 00:27:13,167 --> 00:27:16,042 "You know, I don't want to lead my company because, you know, 575 00:27:16,125 --> 00:27:19,000 I'm just trying to be humble." 576 00:27:19,042 --> 00:27:21,000 Really? 577 00:27:21,042 --> 00:27:23,000 Is that true? 578 00:27:23,083 --> 00:27:28,792 I meet a lot of young people that talk a lot about the needy, 579 00:27:28,833 --> 00:27:31,458 and the poor, and the hurting, and the suffering, 580 00:27:31,500 --> 00:27:34,792 therefore, "I'm not going to be very ambitious. 581 00:27:34,833 --> 00:27:36,542 I'm not going to pursue greatness." 582 00:27:36,625 --> 00:27:42,833 Well, why don't you try and do something, like making money 583 00:27:42,917 --> 00:27:47,042 and giving it away or innovating solutions so that people 584 00:27:47,125 --> 00:27:51,333 can live a better life? 585 00:27:51,375 --> 00:27:54,833 It's very important that we learn 586 00:27:54,875 --> 00:27:58,667 to rightly perceive ambition. 587 00:27:58,750 --> 00:28:01,667 Ambition and pride are not always the same thing, 588 00:28:01,708 --> 00:28:04,333 though they can be synonymous to be sure. 589 00:28:04,375 --> 00:28:07,583 And those who reject greatness in any form-- 590 00:28:07,667 --> 00:28:09,500 there's a book called, "Rescuing Ambition," 591 00:28:09,542 --> 00:28:12,000 and he talks about six different ways that people 592 00:28:12,083 --> 00:28:15,875 try and excuse their lack of ambition, 593 00:28:15,958 --> 00:28:19,833 and their rejection of all pursuit of greatness. 594 00:28:19,875 --> 00:28:23,125 Number one, there are people who say, at least in their own mind, 595 00:28:23,167 --> 00:28:24,833 you wouldn't put this on your blog. 596 00:28:24,917 --> 00:28:26,208 "I think I'm great already." 597 00:28:26,292 --> 00:28:30,125 Why pursue greatness if you're already pretty great? 598 00:28:30,167 --> 00:28:32,250 And some of you think you're pretty great. 599 00:28:32,333 --> 00:28:34,750 You're not really motivated, ambitious, hard-working, 600 00:28:34,833 --> 00:28:40,125 studious, because you feel like, "I'm kind of there. 601 00:28:40,167 --> 00:28:42,125 I'm doing pretty good." 602 00:28:42,167 --> 00:28:44,958 Number two, "I think I have great potential." 603 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:48,042 Now, you 20-year-old guys, this is you, okay, 604 00:28:48,125 --> 00:28:50,333 and that is, "I have potential to be great," 605 00:28:50,375 --> 00:28:52,833 which means, "If I want to, I can be great, 606 00:28:52,875 --> 00:28:55,833 "and if I don't become great, it's just 'cause I didn't want 607 00:28:55,875 --> 00:28:57,667 to be, but I could have been," 608 00:28:57,708 --> 00:29:00,542 which means "I'm not great, but I'm pretty great for not 609 00:29:00,625 --> 00:29:02,292 being great 'cause I have great potential." 610 00:29:02,333 --> 00:29:05,708 Let me tell you this, when you're in your teens, great potential is intriguing. 611 00:29:05,792 --> 00:29:07,667 When you're in your 20s, it's a little disappointing. 612 00:29:07,750 --> 00:29:09,417 When you're in your 30s, it's embarrassing. 613 00:29:09,500 --> 00:29:11,375 When you're in your 40s, it's not potential. 614 00:29:11,458 --> 00:29:14,667 It's a wasted life. 615 00:29:14,750 --> 00:29:16,875 And some people just keep talking about their potential, 616 00:29:16,958 --> 00:29:18,375 but they don't do anything. 617 00:29:18,458 --> 00:29:21,875 What they have is potential, but not results. 618 00:29:21,958 --> 00:29:24,500 Not results. Okay, I'm a baseball fan. 619 00:29:24,583 --> 00:29:26,667 I'm tired of drafting guys with potential. 620 00:29:26,750 --> 00:29:28,750 You know what I like? Results. 621 00:29:28,833 --> 00:29:30,500 "Someday he might hit a ball." 622 00:29:30,583 --> 00:29:33,750 Today's a good day. Today's a really good day. 623 00:29:33,833 --> 00:29:37,500 Potential is always, "Maybe someday, perhaps, perchance, 624 00:29:37,542 --> 00:29:41,500 they can become blank, or do blank, or achieve blank, or accomplish blank." 625 00:29:41,542 --> 00:29:45,583 You know what matters? Not just potential, but potential that is disciplined to 626 00:29:45,667 --> 00:29:49,833 be a disciple of Jesus; it is to be disciplined toward 627 00:29:49,917 --> 00:29:51,833 accomplishing the potential that you have. 628 00:29:51,875 --> 00:29:54,958 Number three, "I used to be great." 629 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:58,167 You ever you have your back-in-the-day friend? 630 00:29:58,250 --> 00:30:00,750 Everybody's got their "back in the day," 631 00:30:00,833 --> 00:30:03,208 I don't know when the day was. 632 00:30:03,292 --> 00:30:06,750 This is usually like the broken ex-jock, right? 633 00:30:06,833 --> 00:30:09,167 "Back in the day when I could see my feet, 634 00:30:09,208 --> 00:30:14,792 "I was so fast back in the day. 635 00:30:14,833 --> 00:30:18,500 "Back in the day, I was so--back in the day, 636 00:30:18,542 --> 00:30:20,667 "everybody wanted to date me. 637 00:30:20,708 --> 00:30:24,667 Back in the day, everybody liked me, back in the day." 638 00:30:24,708 --> 00:30:28,250 And you're hanging out with him for a while and after a while, 639 00:30:28,333 --> 00:30:30,750 you're like, "I have heard all of these stories before, 640 00:30:30,833 --> 00:30:34,667 and every time, they get a little less likely." 641 00:30:34,750 --> 00:30:37,000 Like, you were a little cooler, and cuter, 642 00:30:37,083 --> 00:30:41,000 and faster than you could possibly be even 643 00:30:41,042 --> 00:30:45,708 in a resurrected body, all right, back in the day. 644 00:30:45,792 --> 00:30:47,458 And these are people, who--they're not working 645 00:30:47,500 --> 00:30:48,875 for their present. 646 00:30:48,958 --> 00:30:50,833 They're not anticipating their future, 647 00:30:50,875 --> 00:30:52,667 just talking about their past. 648 00:30:52,708 --> 00:30:54,333 "Remember when I did blank?" 649 00:30:54,417 --> 00:30:55,958 Yeah, that was awesome. 650 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:58,083 "Remember when I said--" Yeah, yeah, I know. 651 00:30:58,167 --> 00:30:59,708 I know, we all know. 652 00:30:59,792 --> 00:31:02,417 You've done three things, and you keep talking about them. 653 00:31:02,500 --> 00:31:06,000 Do a fourth eventually, just give us some new material. 654 00:31:06,083 --> 00:31:09,375 How about this one--you guys aren't laughing, that's 'cause it's you. 655 00:31:09,458 --> 00:31:10,917 I apologize. 656 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:12,708 Number four-- "That is not funny." 657 00:31:12,792 --> 00:31:14,875 It is, yeah. 658 00:31:14,958 --> 00:31:18,167 Back in the day, I used to not make fun of people. 659 00:31:18,250 --> 00:31:21,875 Now, number four, it is, "I'm comparatively great. 660 00:31:21,958 --> 00:31:24,500 "I'm not great, but compared to the loser friends that 661 00:31:24,583 --> 00:31:28,000 "I've chosen to surround myself with, I'm pretty great. 662 00:31:28,042 --> 00:31:31,125 "Look, look, I have pants on. 663 00:31:31,167 --> 00:31:33,167 I'm great." 664 00:31:33,250 --> 00:31:36,792 And some of you intentionally, you intentionally just compare 665 00:31:36,833 --> 00:31:39,500 yourself to people who, you know--and I always get this, 666 00:31:39,583 --> 00:31:41,167 this is everyone's favorite in counseling. 667 00:31:41,250 --> 00:31:42,792 "At least I'm not Hitler." 668 00:31:42,833 --> 00:31:45,333 Oh, good point. Yeah, good for you. 669 00:31:45,417 --> 00:31:46,958 That's a big deal right there. 670 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:48,458 That's a big deal. 671 00:31:48,500 --> 00:31:51,833 You haven't murdered millions of people. 672 00:31:51,917 --> 00:31:53,167 Now I'm impressed. 673 00:31:53,250 --> 00:31:56,167 See, I was disappointed, but now that you put yourself on that 674 00:31:56,250 --> 00:31:58,375 chart, you and Hitler, you're killing it. 675 00:31:58,458 --> 00:32:00,500 You're fantastic. 676 00:32:00,542 --> 00:32:03,167 But see, that's what we tend to do, we compare. 677 00:32:03,250 --> 00:32:05,708 That's why some of you, you'll watch the news looking 678 00:32:05,792 --> 00:32:08,042 for the worst person that did the worst thing, 679 00:32:08,125 --> 00:32:10,167 and the next day you'll talk about it 680 00:32:10,208 --> 00:32:12,000 'cause you look pretty good. 681 00:32:12,083 --> 00:32:16,625 Number five, "Tomorrow, I'll be great." 682 00:32:16,667 --> 00:32:18,000 This is the businessman. 683 00:32:18,083 --> 00:32:19,500 "I'm closing a big deal. 684 00:32:19,542 --> 00:32:21,417 "Wait, wait, wait till I close this deal. 685 00:32:21,500 --> 00:32:23,167 "Wait, you wait. 686 00:32:23,208 --> 00:32:24,583 "I'm gonna nail that paper. 687 00:32:24,667 --> 00:32:26,125 "I'm gonna finish that class. 688 00:32:26,167 --> 00:32:28,000 "I'm gonna get that--wait, wait, wait, tomorrow. 689 00:32:28,042 --> 00:32:29,667 "Tomorrow I'm gonna do that thing. 690 00:32:29,708 --> 00:32:32,500 "I'm gonna start that ministry. I'm gonna pay off my debt. 691 00:32:32,542 --> 00:32:34,000 "I'm gonna read that book. 692 00:32:34,042 --> 00:32:35,875 "I'm gonna go to that community--tomorrow, tomorrow. 693 00:32:35,958 --> 00:32:38,708 It's coming, baby. Tomorrow!" 694 00:32:38,792 --> 00:32:41,167 Then after a while you're like, you know tomorrow, 695 00:32:41,208 --> 00:32:43,667 tomorrow never happens. 696 00:32:43,750 --> 00:32:45,708 You just, you live for the future, 697 00:32:45,792 --> 00:32:48,500 but you don't ever achieve anything. 698 00:32:48,583 --> 00:32:51,000 Greatness is just beyond your reach, 699 00:32:51,083 --> 00:32:53,667 which is also the case with number six. 700 00:32:53,708 --> 00:32:56,417 "If only blank, I would be great." 701 00:32:56,500 --> 00:32:59,583 "Man, if I would have made that investment when I knew that 702 00:32:59,667 --> 00:33:03,083 "stock was gonna go up, man, that would be great. 703 00:33:03,167 --> 00:33:06,917 "If I would have had the courage to ask that girl out, ah man, 704 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,625 "she would have married me 'cause I'm compelling. 705 00:33:09,667 --> 00:33:11,500 "That would have been great. 706 00:33:11,583 --> 00:33:14,500 "Oh, man, if I would have read that book before I ruined 707 00:33:14,542 --> 00:33:17,292 "my life, that would have been great. 708 00:33:17,333 --> 00:33:20,667 "Oh, if I wouldn't have got hurt, I would have got drafted. 709 00:33:20,750 --> 00:33:23,333 "I would have went pro, but I got hurt. 710 00:33:23,417 --> 00:33:26,458 "If only this had happened or not happened, 711 00:33:26,500 --> 00:33:30,167 "I would have been great," which is, "I'm a victim, not my fault. 712 00:33:30,250 --> 00:33:34,083 I was destined for greatness, and I got sideswiped." 713 00:33:34,167 --> 00:33:37,792 And what happens is some people reject greatness altogether, 714 00:33:37,833 --> 00:33:40,500 or they even come up with excuses, 715 00:33:40,542 --> 00:33:44,250 and seemingly holy ways, or maybe even religious ways of 716 00:33:44,333 --> 00:33:47,667 rejecting any sort of ambition, or courage, 717 00:33:47,708 --> 00:33:51,167 or risk, or effort. 718 00:33:52,125 --> 00:33:53,667 "I'm just humble." 719 00:33:53,708 --> 00:33:56,333 Okay, now let's unpack this. 720 00:33:56,375 --> 00:34:00,583 Do you think that if you drive around in second gear, 721 00:34:00,667 --> 00:34:03,500 and you don't maximize the gifts, talents, dollars, 722 00:34:03,542 --> 00:34:06,000 and opportunities that God gives you, 723 00:34:06,083 --> 00:34:09,375 do you think that's humble or sinful? 724 00:34:09,458 --> 00:34:14,917 Do you think it glorifies God to kind of live a half-hearted, 725 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:20,625 dispassionate, disorganized, somewhat lazy routine, 726 00:34:20,667 --> 00:34:24,667 predictable, ultimately safe life? 727 00:34:24,708 --> 00:34:27,417 Do you think you're a being a good steward under those 728 00:34:27,500 --> 00:34:30,833 conditions, investing and maximizing who you are in what 729 00:34:30,917 --> 00:34:33,000 God has entrusted for you to accomplish? No. 730 00:34:33,042 --> 00:34:37,208 Do you think it's very loving toward other people? 731 00:34:37,292 --> 00:34:39,667 I mean, if they're in need, and you can help, 732 00:34:39,750 --> 00:34:42,125 and you're not doing what you can or should, 733 00:34:42,167 --> 00:34:43,625 is that very loving? 734 00:34:43,667 --> 00:34:46,292 No, it's selfish. 735 00:34:46,333 --> 00:34:50,833 Sometimes it's cowardice, it's poor stewardship, it's laziness, 736 00:34:50,917 --> 00:34:52,167 it's disorganization. 737 00:34:52,250 --> 00:34:54,958 Let me ask you this, 'cause it sounds good in theory, 738 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:58,125 and a lot of young Christians, they're just in theory, 739 00:34:58,167 --> 00:35:00,500 like not being ambitious, not being aggressive, 740 00:35:00,542 --> 00:35:03,125 not trying your best, not doing your best. 741 00:35:03,167 --> 00:35:04,958 It's kind of this counterreaction to 742 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:07,958 the Tony Robbins, your best life now, 743 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:10,292 if you can think it, you could be it. 744 00:35:10,333 --> 00:35:12,083 Smile and just dream it. 745 00:35:12,167 --> 00:35:16,833 You know, that kind of a garbage-tastic, suburban, 746 00:35:16,875 --> 00:35:20,750 syrupy sweet, ridiculous nonsense, 747 00:35:20,833 --> 00:35:24,833 happiness view of life apart from sin, and the fall, 748 00:35:24,875 --> 00:35:27,000 and the curse, and there could be a generational 749 00:35:27,083 --> 00:35:29,917 overreaction to that. 750 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:35,875 But when you apply that, that kind of half-hearted, lazy, 751 00:35:35,958 --> 00:35:38,875 disorganized, self-righteous, cowardly, 752 00:35:38,958 --> 00:35:41,792 poor stewardship view of reality where you say, 753 00:35:41,833 --> 00:35:43,667 "I just don't want to pursue greatness," 754 00:35:43,708 --> 00:35:47,917 and you apply it to particular roles in your life, 755 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:49,375 does it make any sense? 756 00:35:49,458 --> 00:35:53,000 Do you not want to have a great marriage? 757 00:35:53,042 --> 00:35:55,333 Do you not want to be a great parent? 758 00:35:55,375 --> 00:35:57,667 Do you not want to be a great spouse? 759 00:35:57,708 --> 00:36:00,167 Do you not want to have a great prayer life? 760 00:36:00,250 --> 00:36:02,167 Do you not want to have great theology? 761 00:36:02,250 --> 00:36:05,000 Do you not want to be part of a great church? 762 00:36:05,083 --> 00:36:07,292 Do you not want to have a great ministry? 763 00:36:07,333 --> 00:36:10,875 Do you not want to have a great impact on the needs of those 764 00:36:10,958 --> 00:36:12,667 who are suffering and hurting? 765 00:36:12,708 --> 00:36:15,667 When you die, do you not want to leave anything for anyone? 766 00:36:15,708 --> 00:36:20,875 How many of you right now are not looking for a good surgeon? 767 00:36:20,958 --> 00:36:23,375 Like, "I don't want a good surgeon, I want a Christian. 768 00:36:23,458 --> 00:36:26,750 "I want someone who is humble and went to class half the time, 769 00:36:26,833 --> 00:36:29,667 "and sometimes kills people because what I don't want is an 770 00:36:29,708 --> 00:36:34,292 "arrogant surgeon who's aspiring to greatness to cut me open. 771 00:36:34,333 --> 00:36:36,792 I'm looking for a mediocre one." 772 00:36:36,833 --> 00:36:40,708 No, see we don't, you don't want--you want your pilot to 773 00:36:40,792 --> 00:36:43,042 aspire for greatness, right? 774 00:36:43,125 --> 00:36:46,042 You want your brake mechanic to aspire for greatness. 775 00:36:46,125 --> 00:36:48,792 You want your heart surgeon to aspire for greatness. 776 00:36:48,833 --> 00:36:51,250 You would like your spouse to aspire for greatness, 777 00:36:51,333 --> 00:36:53,708 at least at being nice or helpful. 778 00:36:53,792 --> 00:36:57,708 See, the truth is we should desire greatness. 779 00:36:57,792 --> 00:36:59,333 We're built for greatness. 780 00:36:59,375 --> 00:37:01,000 We long for greatness. 781 00:37:01,083 --> 00:37:02,875 We can't just openly 782 00:37:02,958 --> 00:37:06,667 and wholeheartedly just reject greatness. 783 00:37:06,708 --> 00:37:09,917 Be a bad spouse, be a bad Christian, be a bad friend, 784 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,708 be a bad parent, be a bad student, be a bad employee, 785 00:37:13,792 --> 00:37:17,208 be a bad steward, be a bad church member. 786 00:37:17,292 --> 00:37:19,833 "Humble like Jesus." No. 787 00:37:19,875 --> 00:37:24,625 Because it too is narcissism. 788 00:37:24,667 --> 00:37:30,917 This is the case, there are the category one narcissists 789 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:33,750 who want everybody to pay attention to them all the time, 790 00:37:33,833 --> 00:37:35,542 and they're addicted to all the applause. 791 00:37:35,625 --> 00:37:38,500 And the category two narcissist says, "I just want to be humble. 792 00:37:38,583 --> 00:37:41,250 "I want to be cool. I want to be simple. 793 00:37:41,333 --> 00:37:43,792 "I want to be minimal because I care about 794 00:37:43,833 --> 00:37:45,375 what people think about me." 795 00:37:45,458 --> 00:37:48,042 They still suffer from the same dilemma, 796 00:37:48,125 --> 00:37:51,208 it is seeking the approval of someone other than God, 797 00:37:51,292 --> 00:37:55,417 and living for the praise of people other than the maker, 798 00:37:55,500 --> 00:37:57,667 and there's just two ways of going about it. 799 00:37:57,750 --> 00:37:59,667 "I have rims." "I don't have rims." 800 00:37:59,750 --> 00:38:02,417 "I have a big house." "I live in a tent." 801 00:38:02,500 --> 00:38:04,917 "I drive an S.U.V." "I ride a bike to work." 802 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:10,500 Both are just saying, "I'm good, holy, righteous, pious, 803 00:38:10,583 --> 00:38:14,000 esteem me, praise me, love me, give me my glory." 804 00:38:14,042 --> 00:38:18,083 They're both narcissists, one's just got more junk than 805 00:38:18,167 --> 00:38:21,667 the other one, as a general rule. 806 00:38:21,708 --> 00:38:24,208 So that pushes us to the third option. 807 00:38:24,292 --> 00:38:27,167 Again, back to the story, we're gonna do a lot of cultural 808 00:38:27,208 --> 00:38:29,583 analysis today because the Bible says to watch our 809 00:38:29,667 --> 00:38:32,792 life and doctrine, and to look at your life in culture, 810 00:38:32,833 --> 00:38:36,042 and back it up and say, what does our doctrine have to do 811 00:38:36,125 --> 00:38:38,333 with our life in culture? 812 00:38:38,375 --> 00:38:41,417 I hope it's clear that if you just pursue greatness as 813 00:38:41,500 --> 00:38:45,000 the world defines it, you will not be a faithful Christian. 814 00:38:45,042 --> 00:38:48,458 You cannot live a healthy, holy, happy life. 815 00:38:48,500 --> 00:38:51,333 Furthermore, if you reject all forms of greatness, 816 00:38:51,417 --> 00:38:53,708 you will live a simple, pathetic, 817 00:38:53,792 --> 00:38:58,083 unimpressive, minimal life that is not what God intends for you, 818 00:38:58,167 --> 00:39:02,125 and you will not be giving glory to him or stewarding life well. 819 00:39:02,167 --> 00:39:04,208 And you can call it humility, it's not. 820 00:39:04,292 --> 00:39:07,208 It's cowardice, and laziness, and foolishness. 821 00:39:07,292 --> 00:39:11,042 And it pushes us into the third category, which is redeeming 822 00:39:11,125 --> 00:39:13,208 greatness, and we go back to the story. 823 00:39:13,292 --> 00:39:15,667 "An argument arose among them as to which of them 824 00:39:15,750 --> 00:39:17,250 was the greatest." 825 00:39:17,333 --> 00:39:20,000 Luke 9:46-48, "But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their 826 00:39:20,042 --> 00:39:22,250 "hearts, took a child and put him by his side 827 00:39:22,333 --> 00:39:23,750 and said to them, 828 00:39:23,833 --> 00:39:26,000 "'Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, 829 00:39:26,083 --> 00:39:28,417 "'and whoever receives me receives him who sent me,'" 830 00:39:28,500 --> 00:39:30,000 God the Father. 831 00:39:30,042 --> 00:39:33,333 "'For he who is least among you is the one who is great.'" 832 00:39:33,375 --> 00:39:36,167 He adds in Mark 9, "he who is willing to serve," 833 00:39:36,208 --> 00:39:39,042 he who's willing to take the slave, lowly, servant position. 834 00:39:39,125 --> 00:39:40,625 He's the greatest of all. 835 00:39:40,667 --> 00:39:44,292 That's what he is alluding to here. 836 00:39:44,333 --> 00:39:47,042 So they come to Jesus, say, "We want to be great." 837 00:39:47,125 --> 00:39:49,542 He doesn't say, "Well, be great like the world." 838 00:39:49,625 --> 00:39:52,208 He doesn't say, "Oh, no, no, no don't aspire to greatness, 839 00:39:52,292 --> 00:39:54,333 that's really dangerous." 840 00:39:54,417 --> 00:39:57,500 He says, "Okay, let me tell you how to be great." 841 00:39:57,583 --> 00:40:01,083 "That's a decent motivation and ambition. 842 00:40:01,167 --> 00:40:03,083 "Let me tell you how to do that. 843 00:40:03,167 --> 00:40:06,583 Let me tell you how to achieve that," and he pulls up a child. 844 00:40:06,667 --> 00:40:08,333 Now, this was very unusual. 845 00:40:08,375 --> 00:40:11,333 In that day, children were not taught the Torah till they were 846 00:40:11,375 --> 00:40:12,833 12 years of age. 847 00:40:12,875 --> 00:40:16,125 They were considered a total waste of time. 848 00:40:16,167 --> 00:40:19,042 One rabbi in the Talmud says, quote, "Morning sleep, 849 00:40:19,125 --> 00:40:21,417 "midday wine, and chattering with children, 850 00:40:21,500 --> 00:40:24,000 "and tarrying in places where men of the common people 851 00:40:24,042 --> 00:40:26,208 assembled destroy a man." 852 00:40:26,292 --> 00:40:28,917 See, their day, like ours, you want to be a winner, 853 00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:30,667 run with the winners. 854 00:40:30,750 --> 00:40:34,333 You want to ruin your life and be a loser, get up and drink, 855 00:40:34,375 --> 00:40:38,667 sleep in, hang out with losers, and spend time with children. 856 00:40:38,708 --> 00:40:42,000 That's all a waste 'cause you can't climb the cultural, 857 00:40:42,083 --> 00:40:45,583 or economic, or political, or social ladder, 858 00:40:45,667 --> 00:40:49,083 whichever wall you're leaning on, if you're just hanging out 859 00:40:49,167 --> 00:40:54,542 with simpletons, and poor people, and kids. 860 00:40:54,625 --> 00:40:57,250 Jesus brings up the child. 861 00:40:57,333 --> 00:40:59,167 A little kid. 862 00:40:59,208 --> 00:41:01,583 I see a little boy with a Fudgesicle, 863 00:41:01,667 --> 00:41:04,167 and, you know, one pant up, and one pant down, 864 00:41:04,208 --> 00:41:06,167 and a booger in his nose, and bedhead. 865 00:41:06,208 --> 00:41:09,167 And he's probably got this look like, "Huh, I'm teaching rabbis, 866 00:41:09,208 --> 00:41:10,542 okey-dokey." 867 00:41:10,625 --> 00:41:13,375 I mean, it's probably an interesting moment for this kid, 868 00:41:13,458 --> 00:41:15,750 and Jesus does something totally unexpected because people 869 00:41:15,833 --> 00:41:18,333 in that day, like our day, in large part, 870 00:41:18,417 --> 00:41:20,667 did not receive children well. 871 00:41:20,708 --> 00:41:22,708 See, in our day, "Children are a burden. 872 00:41:22,792 --> 00:41:25,292 "They cost money, so let's have sex, but not marriage. 873 00:41:25,333 --> 00:41:28,667 Let's use birth control," which isn't always a sin if you are married. 874 00:41:28,750 --> 00:41:30,917 "If we do get pregnant, let's abort the child, 875 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:32,667 "and if we do have the child, 876 00:41:32,708 --> 00:41:34,375 "it's the worst thing that ever happened 877 00:41:34,458 --> 00:41:36,625 "because it disrupts our ability to pursue our greatness, 878 00:41:36,667 --> 00:41:40,458 and the kid takes time and money, and what about me?" 879 00:41:40,500 --> 00:41:43,167 And it was kind of that issue in that day. 880 00:41:43,250 --> 00:41:47,375 Grown men don't hang out with children, 881 00:41:47,458 --> 00:41:51,167 and Jesus is a grown man, a single man, 882 00:41:51,250 --> 00:41:55,042 a childless man who loves children, and children love him. 883 00:41:55,125 --> 00:41:58,833 And Jesus sets this cultural paradigm that is shocking. 884 00:41:58,917 --> 00:42:02,542 He's telling the disciples, "You guys need to hang out with kids more." 885 00:42:02,625 --> 00:42:06,458 Not that kids are innocent and pure and they are our future, 886 00:42:06,500 --> 00:42:11,958 and lead them well, and they'll show us the way and, you know-- 887 00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:13,958 gosh, I hate that song. 888 00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:17,125 I heard it recently in the grocery store, and I was like, 889 00:42:17,167 --> 00:42:19,625 "I'm so glad I'm not on the knife aisle. 890 00:42:19,667 --> 00:42:25,917 I would just kill myself, geez." 891 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:29,250 It's not that children are sinless, and naive, and perfect, 892 00:42:29,333 --> 00:42:31,083 and we should learn from them, 893 00:42:31,167 --> 00:42:33,125 and they're apart from the fall. 894 00:42:33,167 --> 00:42:35,125 No, it's not that at all. 895 00:42:35,167 --> 00:42:37,042 Jesus is saying, "You know what? 896 00:42:37,125 --> 00:42:39,000 "Until you humble yourself, you're willing to have 897 00:42:39,083 --> 00:42:41,333 a child-like," not a childish. 898 00:42:41,417 --> 00:42:43,833 Again in Matthew 18 and Mark 9, the corollary texts 899 00:42:43,875 --> 00:42:48,833 where he gives us, through his servants, here this summary; 900 00:42:48,875 --> 00:42:52,250 he talks about a child-like faith, not a childish faith. 901 00:42:52,333 --> 00:42:54,708 He's talking about hanging out with those who would otherwise 902 00:42:54,792 --> 00:42:58,375 not be your first choice for friends, learning some humility, 903 00:42:58,458 --> 00:43:01,250 and service, and love of others. 904 00:43:01,333 --> 00:43:04,792 What Jesus is doing here, he's using an unlikely illustration 905 00:43:04,833 --> 00:43:08,292 from a little boy to say, "Let me tell ya how to be great." 906 00:43:08,333 --> 00:43:10,500 And so I put it together for you. 907 00:43:10,542 --> 00:43:14,167 Here's what Jesus says about redeeming greatness, okay? 908 00:43:14,250 --> 00:43:17,292 Five things in an acronym. 909 00:43:17,333 --> 00:43:20,667 I thought you would like that, and since I'm a narcissist, 910 00:43:20,708 --> 00:43:22,625 I wanted to share that with you. 911 00:43:22,667 --> 00:43:24,542 So redeeming greatness in five points. 912 00:43:24,625 --> 00:43:27,208 Number one is you live for the glory of God alone. 913 00:43:27,292 --> 00:43:28,750 Now, you know what? 914 00:43:28,833 --> 00:43:30,750 The truth is none of us are perfectly, 915 00:43:30,833 --> 00:43:32,083 continually always gonna do this. 916 00:43:32,167 --> 00:43:34,583 We'll always need to check our heart, check our intentions, 917 00:43:34,667 --> 00:43:36,750 check our motives, and repent of our sin. 918 00:43:36,833 --> 00:43:39,417 But to glorify God is not to not submit to authority. 919 00:43:39,500 --> 00:43:42,083 It's not that you're unwilling to listen to other people. 920 00:43:42,167 --> 00:43:43,917 It's not that you're unteachable, but ultimately, 921 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:47,125 you're living your life in such a way this you will hear 922 00:43:47,167 --> 00:43:49,292 God say, "Well done, good and faithful servant," 923 00:43:49,333 --> 00:43:52,667 whether or not other people along the way agree with you, 924 00:43:52,708 --> 00:43:56,000 whether or not other people agree with you along the way. 925 00:43:56,042 --> 00:43:58,333 Okay, and I've talked to a lot of people. 926 00:43:58,417 --> 00:44:00,417 I could give you a lot of simple examples. 927 00:44:00,500 --> 00:44:02,167 A gal became a Christian. 928 00:44:02,208 --> 00:44:04,833 She really liked her boyfriend, but he was not a Christian, 929 00:44:04,875 --> 00:44:06,333 had no interest in Jesus. 930 00:44:06,375 --> 00:44:08,167 She realized they could not, you know, 931 00:44:08,208 --> 00:44:11,125 end up being married unless he changes his heart by God's grace 932 00:44:11,167 --> 00:44:14,167 in the future, so she said, "You know, this relationship is off." 933 00:44:14,250 --> 00:44:16,667 Well, now her family and her friends are pressuring her. 934 00:44:16,750 --> 00:44:18,000 "Can't you just marry him?" 935 00:44:18,083 --> 00:44:19,833 "No, because that would not glorify God. 936 00:44:19,917 --> 00:44:21,333 "I do care for him. 937 00:44:21,417 --> 00:44:23,792 "I do appreciate him, but we're not equally yoked. 938 00:44:23,833 --> 00:44:28,083 That's not God's will for me, not God's will for me." 939 00:44:28,167 --> 00:44:30,500 I met someone recently that became a Christian, 940 00:44:30,542 --> 00:44:32,500 their family's rejected and disowned them. 941 00:44:32,583 --> 00:44:34,083 Their family's like, 942 00:44:34,167 --> 00:44:36,250 "Can't you just keep your faith to yourself? 943 00:44:36,333 --> 00:44:39,083 Why do you gotta let people know you're a Christian?" 944 00:44:39,167 --> 00:44:42,917 "I am a Christian, and I do love Jesus, and that is who I am, 945 00:44:43,000 --> 00:44:46,583 and I'm not trying to be mean or rude, but that's just who I am." 946 00:44:46,667 --> 00:44:48,083 "Well, don't talk about it." 947 00:44:48,167 --> 00:44:51,083 "Well, I need to talk about the one who's changed my life, 948 00:44:51,167 --> 00:44:53,083 "'cause I want other lives to be changed. 949 00:44:53,167 --> 00:44:54,458 I need to glorify God." 950 00:44:54,500 --> 00:44:56,625 I know people that have lost jobs recently, 951 00:44:56,667 --> 00:44:59,292 'cause they love Jesus, not 'cause they were sinning on 952 00:44:59,333 --> 00:45:01,667 the job or doing anything wrong. 953 00:45:01,750 --> 00:45:03,750 But it's glorifying God. And you know what? 954 00:45:03,833 --> 00:45:06,250 Sometimes when you live to the glory of God alone, 955 00:45:06,333 --> 00:45:09,583 you may not make the most money, you may not get the promotion. 956 00:45:09,667 --> 00:45:12,250 You may not get everyone's approval, right, 957 00:45:12,333 --> 00:45:15,917 you may not get the largest following of friends and fans. 958 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:19,250 You may actually pick up a few foes. 959 00:45:19,333 --> 00:45:21,333 You're not trying to be self-righteous, or proud, 960 00:45:21,375 --> 00:45:23,833 or haughty, you're just saying, "God, I love ya. 961 00:45:23,875 --> 00:45:27,625 "I'm reading the Bible. I'm trying to obey ya, 'cause I do love ya, 962 00:45:27,667 --> 00:45:30,458 "'cause you do love me, and I'm just trying to live 963 00:45:30,500 --> 00:45:31,792 for the glory of God." 964 00:45:31,833 --> 00:45:33,958 What that means is how we spend our money, 965 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:36,292 how we spend our time, our talent, our treasure, 966 00:45:36,333 --> 00:45:38,792 how we invest our days, how we organize our life, 967 00:45:38,833 --> 00:45:41,125 our sexuality, our friends, our family, our work ethic, 968 00:45:41,167 --> 00:45:43,458 all of it is to the glory of God. 969 00:45:43,500 --> 00:45:46,125 It may not be the way everybody thinks it should go, 970 00:45:46,167 --> 00:45:49,292 but it's what God says in his word, and it's what honors him. 971 00:45:49,333 --> 00:45:52,625 Now, some of you say, "Boy, but that sounds tough." 972 00:45:52,667 --> 00:45:55,667 You know what it does? It liberates you to stop using people, 973 00:45:55,750 --> 00:45:58,333 and start loving them because if you're living for everyone's 974 00:45:58,417 --> 00:46:00,792 approval, applause, and praise, you're not loving them, 975 00:46:00,833 --> 00:46:02,667 you're using them. 976 00:46:02,750 --> 00:46:06,083 It's when you live for the glory of God alone that you can stop 977 00:46:06,167 --> 00:46:07,792 using people, and just love them. 978 00:46:07,833 --> 00:46:10,792 Whether or not they agree, whether or not they approve, 979 00:46:10,833 --> 00:46:12,708 whether or not they applaud. 980 00:46:12,792 --> 00:46:14,833 Number two--and that's ultimately Jesus. 981 00:46:14,875 --> 00:46:16,792 Let me say this, that's Jesus. 982 00:46:16,833 --> 00:46:20,292 Jesus perfectly, continually, unceasingly lived to the glory 983 00:46:20,333 --> 00:46:22,292 of God the Father alone. 984 00:46:22,333 --> 00:46:25,500 Number two, reject unhealthy comparisons to others. 985 00:46:25,583 --> 00:46:27,833 This is part of the issue with the disciples. 986 00:46:27,875 --> 00:46:30,833 They're all arguing, "Which of us is gonna be the greatest?" 987 00:46:30,917 --> 00:46:34,500 No. That's not healthy behavior. 988 00:46:34,583 --> 00:46:36,917 The truth is you should learn from other people, 989 00:46:37,000 --> 00:46:40,167 but not compare yourself to them in an unhealthy way. 990 00:46:40,250 --> 00:46:42,833 I was talking to a young lady recently, newly married, 991 00:46:42,917 --> 00:46:44,750 fresh out of college, got college debt, 992 00:46:44,833 --> 00:46:48,250 she and her husband are trying to figure out how to pay it off. 993 00:46:48,333 --> 00:46:50,750 She's trying to figure out how to live with him. 994 00:46:50,833 --> 00:46:53,583 They're trying to figure out how to get a ministry started 995 00:46:53,667 --> 00:46:55,083 in their home and community group. 996 00:46:55,167 --> 00:46:56,417 You know what? 997 00:46:56,500 --> 00:46:58,750 She's trying to figure a lot of things out, 998 00:46:58,833 --> 00:47:00,333 life's had a lot of change. 999 00:47:00,375 --> 00:47:02,000 You know what she needs? 1000 00:47:02,042 --> 00:47:05,208 Wisdom, counsel from people who are a little older, 1001 00:47:05,292 --> 00:47:07,208 been through this season, can help her learn. 1002 00:47:07,292 --> 00:47:09,042 So you should learn from other people, 1003 00:47:09,125 --> 00:47:10,875 but don't compare yourself to other people. 1004 00:47:10,958 --> 00:47:13,708 Unhealthy comparison of yourself to other people leads to one of 1005 00:47:13,792 --> 00:47:15,208 two things, pride or despair. 1006 00:47:15,292 --> 00:47:17,708 Pride: "I'm cuter than they are, smarter than they are, 1007 00:47:17,792 --> 00:47:19,875 funnier than they are, more successful than they are, 1008 00:47:19,958 --> 00:47:21,208 wiser than they are. 1009 00:47:21,292 --> 00:47:22,792 I'm just better than they are." 1010 00:47:22,833 --> 00:47:25,583 This sense of smug superiority. 1011 00:47:25,667 --> 00:47:27,917 Or despair: "I'm not as cute as they are. 1012 00:47:28,000 --> 00:47:31,417 "I'm not as smart as they are. I'm not as rich as they are. 1013 00:47:31,500 --> 00:47:33,292 "I'm not as funny as they are. 1014 00:47:33,333 --> 00:47:36,833 I just kind of feel like the loser." 1015 00:47:36,917 --> 00:47:40,833 Don't practice unhealthy comparison of yourself to 1016 00:47:40,917 --> 00:47:46,375 others, because when there is that kind of competition, 1017 00:47:46,458 --> 00:47:49,292 it really kills community. 1018 00:47:49,333 --> 00:47:51,292 Community is where we serve one another, 1019 00:47:51,333 --> 00:47:55,542 competition is where we do battle with one another, 1020 00:47:55,625 --> 00:47:59,583 and that doesn't lead to peace, and service, and love, and help. 1021 00:47:59,667 --> 00:48:02,667 Number three, enjoy humbly serving the outcasts, 1022 00:48:02,708 --> 00:48:04,167 that's what Jesus is saying. 1023 00:48:04,208 --> 00:48:05,667 He brings up the little boy. 1024 00:48:05,708 --> 00:48:07,167 Says, "You know what? 1025 00:48:07,208 --> 00:48:10,000 "You guys are all arguing about how to be the greatest. 1026 00:48:10,042 --> 00:48:13,125 "Charlie here needs somebody to play with. 1027 00:48:13,167 --> 00:48:16,708 "Charlie here needs to go to the restroom. 1028 00:48:16,792 --> 00:48:20,000 "Charlie here can't find his truck 'cause there's a big crowd 1029 00:48:20,083 --> 00:48:22,000 "of people, and he dropped it somewhere. 1030 00:48:22,083 --> 00:48:25,042 "You know what? Instead of arguing about who's the greatest, 1031 00:48:25,125 --> 00:48:28,000 "why don't one of you guys help Charlie? 1032 00:48:28,042 --> 00:48:31,833 "Just stop arguing about which one of you has the most true 1033 00:48:31,917 --> 00:48:35,625 "Facebook fans, and which posts get the highest rating, 1034 00:48:35,667 --> 00:48:38,667 "and somebody go get Charlie a Fudgesicle, all right, 1035 00:48:38,750 --> 00:48:40,333 make yourself useful." 1036 00:48:40,417 --> 00:48:42,875 This is my interpretation of how it's going. 1037 00:48:42,958 --> 00:48:45,500 And what Jesus is saying here, "You're thinking about yourself, 1038 00:48:45,542 --> 00:48:47,583 "you're not thinking about somebody in need. 1039 00:48:47,667 --> 00:48:50,333 "You're overlooking people. You should be serving them. 1040 00:48:50,375 --> 00:48:52,167 "Get your eyes off yourself, love others," 1041 00:48:52,250 --> 00:48:53,667 'cause here's the deal, 1042 00:48:53,750 --> 00:48:57,000 if you live to the glory God, and the good of others, 1043 00:48:57,083 --> 00:48:59,417 that helps combat against our selfish, narcissistic, 1044 00:48:59,500 --> 00:49:02,083 self-consumed, navel-gazing, 1045 00:49:02,167 --> 00:49:06,083 "I love that person in the mirror," me-ism. 1046 00:49:06,167 --> 00:49:09,000 So all of a sudden, you're like, "Man, God loves them, 1047 00:49:09,083 --> 00:49:12,167 "and I can help, and God loves me, and he's helping me. 1048 00:49:12,208 --> 00:49:15,000 "And I need to do what Jesus said, love God, love 1049 00:49:15,042 --> 00:49:19,667 "my neighbor, and stop being absolutely addicted with myself, 1050 00:49:19,750 --> 00:49:21,167 humbly serving those in need." 1051 00:49:21,250 --> 00:49:25,250 And it's oftentimes humbly serving those in need quietly, 1052 00:49:25,333 --> 00:49:30,042 not 'cause the camera's on, not so that you get all kinds of 1053 00:49:30,125 --> 00:49:34,333 applause, just 'cause it's the right thing to do. 1054 00:49:34,417 --> 00:49:37,208 That's what he's telling them. 1055 00:49:37,292 --> 00:49:40,125 Why don't you guys stop arguing and help some kids? 1056 00:49:40,167 --> 00:49:42,875 And you know what? That's true in our day. 1057 00:49:42,958 --> 00:49:45,875 Very rarely do you see good, strong, courageous, 1058 00:49:45,958 --> 00:49:50,000 competent young men investing in children. 1059 00:49:50,083 --> 00:49:54,042 You just don't. You just don't. 1060 00:49:54,125 --> 00:49:57,417 Forty percent of kids tonight go to bed without a father. 1061 00:49:57,500 --> 00:49:59,542 They don't have a dad. 1062 00:49:59,625 --> 00:50:02,625 Jesus' words ring as true as ever. 1063 00:50:02,667 --> 00:50:05,375 You want to be great? Why don't you help some kids? 1064 00:50:05,458 --> 00:50:07,625 That would be great, they could use some help. 1065 00:50:07,667 --> 00:50:10,000 Many of them don't even have a dad. 1066 00:50:10,042 --> 00:50:12,958 See, in their day like ours, if you saw a single man 1067 00:50:13,000 --> 00:50:16,667 with children, it often meant he was a predator. 1068 00:50:16,708 --> 00:50:18,625 Jesus is no predator. 1069 00:50:18,667 --> 00:50:20,583 He's got a father's heart and he loves kids, 1070 00:50:20,667 --> 00:50:23,125 even as a single man. 1071 00:50:23,167 --> 00:50:25,917 This includes widows, and orphans, and the poor, 1072 00:50:26,000 --> 00:50:27,917 and those with disability, and the shut-ins, 1073 00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:30,708 and the incarcerated, those who are overlooked, 1074 00:50:30,792 --> 00:50:33,375 those who are neglected, those who aren't gonna kick up your 1075 00:50:33,458 --> 00:50:39,333 social status, your economic status, your cultural status. 1076 00:50:39,375 --> 00:50:43,167 And it's a gospel issue because our God loves us, 1077 00:50:43,250 --> 00:50:47,167 and his reputation has not improved hanging out with us. 1078 00:50:47,250 --> 00:50:51,750 We bring to him nothing that he doesn't already own, 1079 00:50:51,833 --> 00:50:55,667 and God comes as Jesus to hang out with us, and love us, 1080 00:50:55,708 --> 00:50:58,167 and be with us, and serve us because he's good. 1081 00:50:58,208 --> 00:51:02,167 What he says is, "If you belong to me, why don't you do that? 1082 00:51:02,208 --> 00:51:03,583 Show people what I'm like." 1083 00:51:03,667 --> 00:51:05,833 How many of you, you only pick your friends, 1084 00:51:05,917 --> 00:51:08,333 you only pick those who you hang out with 1085 00:51:08,375 --> 00:51:11,042 because they can help you? 1086 00:51:11,125 --> 00:51:13,333 They're attractive. They're smart. 1087 00:51:13,417 --> 00:51:14,833 They're rich. 1088 00:51:14,917 --> 00:51:17,125 They're going somewhere, and you're using them. 1089 00:51:17,167 --> 00:51:20,583 Jesus says, "That's not how we do community." 1090 00:51:20,667 --> 00:51:23,583 Number four, accept your life and do your best. 1091 00:51:23,667 --> 00:51:28,000 Your life, now here--I'm trying to thread a needle here. 1092 00:51:28,042 --> 00:51:32,000 The false Christian theology on greatness is start with a vision 1093 00:51:32,042 --> 00:51:34,167 for your life, have enough faith, 1094 00:51:34,250 --> 00:51:38,333 sow a seed of faith, and God will bless you, 1095 00:51:38,417 --> 00:51:43,833 and you will become great! [blows raspberry] 1096 00:51:43,917 --> 00:51:46,333 The vision for your life doesn't begin with you, 1097 00:51:46,417 --> 00:51:48,333 it begins with God. 1098 00:51:48,417 --> 00:51:53,833 Right, how we got from, "I worship a single homeless guy 1099 00:51:53,917 --> 00:51:59,542 "who got murdered so I could be rich, and famous, 1100 00:51:59,625 --> 00:52:02,000 and healthy, and awesome," like, I don't get that. 1101 00:52:02,083 --> 00:52:04,167 That makes no sense at all. 1102 00:52:04,250 --> 00:52:06,458 That's like, "I punched myself in the head 1103 00:52:06,500 --> 00:52:08,333 to get a jellybean." 1104 00:52:08,417 --> 00:52:09,833 That doesn't make any sense, 1105 00:52:09,917 --> 00:52:12,792 that just doesn't make any sense. 1106 00:52:12,833 --> 00:52:14,792 And you say, "That doesn't make any sense." 1107 00:52:14,833 --> 00:52:16,125 That's my point. 1108 00:52:16,167 --> 00:52:17,833 It just doesn't make any sense. 1109 00:52:17,917 --> 00:52:24,833 We worship a broke, homeless, virgin murder victim thinking 1110 00:52:24,917 --> 00:52:28,792 all our dreams will come true, and we'll all be rich, 1111 00:52:28,833 --> 00:52:33,125 and happy, and successful, and fulfilled. 1112 00:52:33,167 --> 00:52:38,292 No. God doesn't exist to read the lines that you and I 1113 00:52:38,333 --> 00:52:41,500 write for our life. 1114 00:52:41,542 --> 00:52:47,875 God, in his sovereignty, he has good works for us to walk in, 1115 00:52:47,958 --> 00:52:51,875 Ephesians says, and you've gotta except your life. 1116 00:52:51,958 --> 00:52:53,333 You know what? 1117 00:52:53,417 --> 00:52:57,917 Maybe you wanted to be married, and you're single, okay? 1118 00:52:58,000 --> 00:53:00,917 Because no one's married you, or your spouse died, 1119 00:53:01,000 --> 00:53:02,500 or you're divorced. 1120 00:53:02,583 --> 00:53:07,333 Or maybe you're married, and you want to be single, all right? 1121 00:53:07,375 --> 00:53:10,333 Can't laugh real loud 'cause you spouse is next to you, 1122 00:53:10,375 --> 00:53:15,333 but you know what I'm talking about. 1123 00:53:15,417 --> 00:53:18,000 Maybe you wanted kids, but you're infertile, 1124 00:53:18,083 --> 00:53:20,000 or you miscarried. 1125 00:53:20,083 --> 00:53:22,542 Maybe you wanted to be healthy, but you're sick. 1126 00:53:22,625 --> 00:53:24,708 Maybe you wanted to be rich, but you're poor. 1127 00:53:24,792 --> 00:53:30,958 Maybe you wanted to be funny, and you're just weird. 1128 00:53:31,000 --> 00:53:36,250 It happens. 1129 00:53:36,333 --> 00:53:41,833 Accept the life that God has given you, and do your best. Do your best. 1130 00:53:41,917 --> 00:53:45,375 Paul tells a guy in the New Testament, Timothy, he says, "Do your best." 1131 00:53:45,458 --> 00:53:47,875 I love that line. I mention it all the time. 1132 00:53:47,958 --> 00:53:49,375 Do your best. 1133 00:53:49,458 --> 00:53:50,875 Some of you say, "I'm broke." 1134 00:53:50,958 --> 00:53:54,875 Then be the best broke you you can be, to the glory of God 1135 00:53:54,958 --> 00:53:57,500 and the good of others by the grace of God. 1136 00:53:57,542 --> 00:54:00,708 Some of you say, "I'm sick, and I'm suffering, and I'm dying." 1137 00:54:00,792 --> 00:54:04,458 Well, then be sick, suffering, and dying in an awesome, 1138 00:54:04,500 --> 00:54:07,417 God-glorifying, use-it-for-something, 1139 00:54:07,500 --> 00:54:10,958 help-somebody-else kind of way. 1140 00:54:11,000 --> 00:54:12,958 "Well, my spouse died, and I'm lonely." 1141 00:54:13,000 --> 00:54:15,417 Well, use it to the glory of God 1142 00:54:15,500 --> 00:54:17,833 and the good of others by the grace of God. 1143 00:54:17,917 --> 00:54:19,167 Make something out of it. 1144 00:54:19,250 --> 00:54:21,333 Do your best. 1145 00:54:21,375 --> 00:54:25,708 You may be weird, broke, eccentric, single, childless, 1146 00:54:25,792 --> 00:54:29,208 have cancer, and you know what? 1147 00:54:29,292 --> 00:54:32,708 Take the life God has given you, use it to glorify God, 1148 00:54:32,792 --> 00:54:36,542 help others by the grace of God, and it's a great life. 1149 00:54:36,625 --> 00:54:40,458 Now, it may not be, it may not be great online, like, 1150 00:54:40,500 --> 00:54:44,167 "Hey, all of you people with eccentric humor, and, you know, 1151 00:54:44,250 --> 00:54:46,708 "weird cowlick in your hair who've been divorced 1152 00:54:46,792 --> 00:54:50,042 "and, you know, can't get a job, and have cancer, 1153 00:54:50,125 --> 00:54:53,542 you guys want to be like me?" No. 1154 00:54:53,625 --> 00:55:00,542 You'll have two fans, one's your mom, right? 1155 00:55:00,625 --> 00:55:05,167 So in this world, you're not gonna get a lot of kudos for 1156 00:55:05,208 --> 00:55:08,583 that, but it's a great life. 1157 00:55:08,667 --> 00:55:10,458 It's a life that honors God. 1158 00:55:10,500 --> 00:55:12,375 It's a life that serves God. 1159 00:55:12,458 --> 00:55:14,167 It's a life that inspires others. 1160 00:55:14,208 --> 00:55:16,583 It's a life that's invested. 1161 00:55:16,667 --> 00:55:19,083 It's a life like Jesus. 1162 00:55:19,167 --> 00:55:21,083 Now, some of you are gonna be rich. 1163 00:55:21,167 --> 00:55:23,250 Some of you are gonna be poor. 1164 00:55:23,333 --> 00:55:25,083 Some of you are gonna be beautiful. 1165 00:55:25,167 --> 00:55:26,417 Some, not gonna happen. 1166 00:55:26,500 --> 00:55:29,083 All right, some of you are gonna live a long time, 1167 00:55:29,167 --> 00:55:31,083 some of you are gonna live a short time. 1168 00:55:31,167 --> 00:55:33,083 Some of you are gonna be totally healthy, 1169 00:55:33,167 --> 00:55:35,083 some of you are gonna be really sick. 1170 00:55:35,167 --> 00:55:37,583 Some of you are gonna grow old with your spouse. 1171 00:55:37,667 --> 00:55:39,583 Some of you are gonna get divorced prematurely. 1172 00:55:39,667 --> 00:55:41,583 Do your best with the life you have. 1173 00:55:41,667 --> 00:55:44,250 Have a godly, holy, redeemed ambition to live for the glory 1174 00:55:44,333 --> 00:55:47,250 of God and the good of others by the grace of God, 1175 00:55:47,333 --> 00:55:48,750 and that's a great life. 1176 00:55:48,833 --> 00:55:50,792 That's a great life. 1177 00:55:50,833 --> 00:55:54,625 Number five, take opportunities to redeem your ambitions. 1178 00:55:54,667 --> 00:55:57,333 The truth is you could start off with really good ambitions, 1179 00:55:57,417 --> 00:56:00,042 and then your selfishness and your pride, 1180 00:56:00,125 --> 00:56:05,167 it can absolutely corrupt the good start that you have. 1181 00:56:05,250 --> 00:56:08,000 And God here is giving, to the disciples, 1182 00:56:08,083 --> 00:56:10,375 an opportunity to redeem their ambitions. 1183 00:56:10,458 --> 00:56:11,833 You want to be great? 1184 00:56:11,875 --> 00:56:15,375 Let's talk about how to do that. 1185 00:56:15,458 --> 00:56:16,917 See, Judas wants to be great, 1186 00:56:17,000 --> 00:56:19,500 and he's got a totally different plan. 1187 00:56:19,583 --> 00:56:22,542 "I'm gonna steal from Jesus, and put myself in charge." 1188 00:56:22,625 --> 00:56:24,750 That's one way to be great. 1189 00:56:24,833 --> 00:56:27,250 Jesus here is giving the disciples an opportunity 1190 00:56:27,333 --> 00:56:30,208 to redeem their ambitions for greatness. 1191 00:56:30,292 --> 00:56:34,917 Apparently, eventually 11 of the 12 take him up on that offer and one doesn't. 1192 00:56:35,000 --> 00:56:38,458 You and I are in that same position today, Jesus is giving us 1193 00:56:38,500 --> 00:56:40,292 an opportunity to redeem our ambitions. 1194 00:56:40,333 --> 00:56:42,792 What are you ambitious for? What are you desirous of? 1195 00:56:42,833 --> 00:56:45,625 Who do you want to be? What do you want to do? 1196 00:56:45,667 --> 00:56:47,042 Is that God-glorifying, others-helping 1197 00:56:47,125 --> 00:56:48,750 by the grace of God? 1198 00:56:48,833 --> 00:56:50,125 If not, redeem your motives, 1199 00:56:50,167 --> 00:56:52,833 but it doesn't mean that you don't do anything. 1200 00:56:52,917 --> 00:56:55,708 It means that you correct your motives in the things 1201 00:56:55,792 --> 00:56:57,083 that you do. 1202 00:56:57,167 --> 00:57:00,125 I'll give you an example, a guy got saved not long ago. 1203 00:57:00,167 --> 00:57:02,833 He's really good at making money, really good at making money. 1204 00:57:02,875 --> 00:57:05,542 Came to me said, "Man, I made a lot of money. 1205 00:57:05,625 --> 00:57:08,542 "I acquire companies. I do a great job with this. 1206 00:57:08,625 --> 00:57:11,708 "God's given me a skill to make a lot of money, but man, 1207 00:57:11,792 --> 00:57:14,000 "I've used people, I've been cutthroat, I've been greedy, 1208 00:57:14,042 --> 00:57:15,833 "I've wasted money. I've not stewarded well. 1209 00:57:15,875 --> 00:57:17,667 "I've not been generous with the poor. 1210 00:57:17,708 --> 00:57:20,667 "I've not given to church or ministry, and now I met Jesus, 1211 00:57:20,708 --> 00:57:22,667 "and I'm really convicted that I worship money, 1212 00:57:22,708 --> 00:57:24,375 and my whole life is upside down." 1213 00:57:24,458 --> 00:57:26,208 I said, "So what are you thinking?" 1214 00:57:26,292 --> 00:57:29,375 He said, "I think I'm gonna quit business, and go plant a church. 1215 00:57:29,458 --> 00:57:31,667 I'm just gonna be broke and a pastor." 1216 00:57:31,708 --> 00:57:34,500 I said, "We don't need another one of those broke pastor." 1217 00:57:34,583 --> 00:57:36,750 Like, that's like right-handed people. 1218 00:57:36,833 --> 00:57:40,500 They're everywhere, right, there's no shortage of them. 1219 00:57:40,583 --> 00:57:44,292 You know what we don't have is people who know how to make 1220 00:57:44,333 --> 00:57:45,833 money, and are generous with it. 1221 00:57:45,875 --> 00:57:48,833 I said, "Do you think you could not change your career 1222 00:57:48,917 --> 00:57:52,667 "or your skill set, but redeem your ambitions? 1223 00:57:52,750 --> 00:57:54,125 "Say, I'm gonna work humbly. 1224 00:57:54,167 --> 00:57:56,833 "I'm gonna work in a holy way, a God-glorifying way. 1225 00:57:56,875 --> 00:57:58,750 "I'm gonna take good care of my employees. 1226 00:57:58,833 --> 00:58:01,500 "They're gonna be able to take care of their families. 1227 00:58:01,542 --> 00:58:04,625 "I'm gonna live simply, not gonna go buy 27 houses and, 1228 00:58:04,667 --> 00:58:06,750 "you know, have rims on my rims. 1229 00:58:06,833 --> 00:58:10,250 "I'm gonna live, you know, a decent life, 1230 00:58:10,333 --> 00:58:11,750 and then I'm gonna give generously." 1231 00:58:11,833 --> 00:58:13,333 He said, "I can do that." 1232 00:58:13,375 --> 00:58:14,833 I said, "How many church planters 1233 00:58:14,875 --> 00:58:16,333 do you think you could fund?" 1234 00:58:16,375 --> 00:58:17,833 He said, "I don't know, hundreds." 1235 00:58:17,875 --> 00:58:19,333 "That's more than one. 1236 00:58:19,375 --> 00:58:21,542 "Let's do that. Let's do that. 1237 00:58:21,625 --> 00:58:24,667 "Let's not change what God has given you the skills to do, 1238 00:58:24,708 --> 00:58:28,333 "let's redeem the motivation and the outcome. 1239 00:58:28,375 --> 00:58:30,708 Let's use it for something good." 1240 00:58:30,792 --> 00:58:33,708 He's like, "Really, so I can go make a lot of money?" 1241 00:58:33,792 --> 00:58:36,458 "Yes, just don't keep it all. Be generous, give it away." 1242 00:58:36,500 --> 00:58:37,917 "Okay." 1243 00:58:38,000 --> 00:58:40,667 That's his plan. 1244 00:58:40,708 --> 00:58:42,333 I want you to redeem your greatness, 1245 00:58:42,417 --> 00:58:45,208 and God gives us all an opportunity today to check our 1246 00:58:45,292 --> 00:58:47,667 hearts, to check our motives, to check our ambitions, 1247 00:58:47,750 --> 00:58:49,042 to check our intentions. 1248 00:58:49,125 --> 00:58:52,542 And some of you, you just have a worldly view of greatness 1249 00:58:52,625 --> 00:58:54,583 that you just need to reject. 1250 00:58:54,667 --> 00:58:56,750 Who cares if people think you're cool? 1251 00:58:56,833 --> 00:59:00,833 Who cares who's singing your praises and applause 1252 00:59:00,875 --> 00:59:02,250 for your conduct? 1253 00:59:02,333 --> 00:59:04,458 I mean, who cares? 1254 00:59:04,500 --> 00:59:06,625 You need to just let that fear of man go. 1255 00:59:06,667 --> 00:59:08,500 Some of you, though, you're not ambitious. 1256 00:59:08,542 --> 00:59:11,167 You're not disciplined. You're not aggressive. 1257 00:59:11,208 --> 00:59:13,167 You're just lazy, or you're cowards, 1258 00:59:13,250 --> 00:59:16,333 or you're just disorganized, or you just lack ambition 1259 00:59:16,417 --> 00:59:17,875 in the name of humility. 1260 00:59:17,958 --> 00:59:22,792 You need to also reject that kind of behavior, 1261 00:59:22,833 --> 00:59:25,375 and I invite you all today to this is opportunity to redeem 1262 00:59:25,458 --> 00:59:27,167 our ambitions, to redeem our desires, 1263 00:59:27,250 --> 00:59:34,042 to redeem our yearnings and longings for greatness. 1264 00:59:34,125 --> 00:59:36,125 Then he closes with this. 1265 00:59:36,167 --> 00:59:38,917 You know that you've made some progress when you can rejoice 1266 00:59:39,000 --> 00:59:40,500 in others' greatness. 1267 00:59:40,542 --> 00:59:42,625 Luke 9:49-50, "John answered, 'Master, 1268 00:59:42,667 --> 00:59:45,042 "'we saw someone casting out demons in your name, 1269 00:59:45,125 --> 00:59:46,542 and we tried to stop him,'" 1270 00:59:46,625 --> 00:59:49,042 I wish I could have been there to see that. 1271 00:59:49,125 --> 00:59:51,458 That just had to be interesting. 1272 00:59:51,500 --> 00:59:53,417 "'Because he does not follow with us.' 1273 00:59:53,500 --> 00:59:55,833 "But Jesus said to him, 'Do not stop him, 1274 00:59:55,875 --> 00:59:58,333 for the one who is not against you is for you.'" 1275 00:59:58,375 --> 01:00:01,000 They come and say, "Jesus, this other guy's doing great things. 1276 01:00:01,042 --> 01:00:02,500 "He's got a great ministry. 1277 01:00:02,542 --> 01:00:04,000 "He's casting demons out of people. 1278 01:00:04,042 --> 01:00:05,833 We told him to stop, he won't." 1279 01:00:05,875 --> 01:00:07,833 Jesus is like, "Well, does he love me? 1280 01:00:07,875 --> 01:00:10,500 "Is he a good guy? Is he doing a good job?" 1281 01:00:10,542 --> 01:00:12,333 "Yeah, he's casting demons out of people." 1282 01:00:12,375 --> 01:00:14,667 Well, that's a good thing. Like, who's against that? 1283 01:00:14,708 --> 01:00:16,667 "People have demons, I get rid of them." 1284 01:00:16,708 --> 01:00:18,000 "No!" 1285 01:00:18,042 --> 01:00:19,500 Like, what? Demons are bad. 1286 01:00:19,542 --> 01:00:22,208 We all agree on that and if they leave, that's good. 1287 01:00:22,292 --> 01:00:25,167 But the disciples are like, "Well, he didn't go to our seminary. 1288 01:00:25,250 --> 01:00:26,917 "He didn't go to our Bible college. 1289 01:00:27,000 --> 01:00:28,375 "He's not part of our denomination. 1290 01:00:28,458 --> 01:00:30,125 "He didn't go through the deacon process. 1291 01:00:30,167 --> 01:00:33,083 "He didn't check the box. He didn't fill out the visitor card. 1292 01:00:33,167 --> 01:00:34,833 "He didn't--he just kind of did it. 1293 01:00:34,875 --> 01:00:36,292 "He just kind of did it. 1294 01:00:36,333 --> 01:00:39,000 "We had a chart and he's like, I don't do charts. 1295 01:00:39,083 --> 01:00:40,333 He just does ministry." 1296 01:00:40,417 --> 01:00:43,333 Jesus is like, "Well, is it working?" "Yeah." 1297 01:00:43,417 --> 01:00:44,833 "Does he love me?" "Yeah." 1298 01:00:44,917 --> 01:00:46,333 "Are demons leaving?" "Yeah." 1299 01:00:46,417 --> 01:00:49,167 "Good," 'cause the kingdom of God is advancing so rejoice 1300 01:00:49,250 --> 01:00:50,667 wherever it is, 'cause you know what? 1301 01:00:50,750 --> 01:00:53,167 If it has to be part of your team, 1302 01:00:53,250 --> 01:00:55,167 it has to be part of your theology, 1303 01:00:55,250 --> 01:00:59,167 it has to be part our tradition, it has to be part of our church 1304 01:00:59,250 --> 01:01:02,250 or our network of churches, then we can't rejoice when other 1305 01:01:02,333 --> 01:01:04,750 people are going good things, and God's gracious to them, 1306 01:01:04,833 --> 01:01:06,250 and greatness is among them. 1307 01:01:06,333 --> 01:01:08,083 We get suspicious, or envious, or jealous, 1308 01:01:08,167 --> 01:01:09,917 or critical instead of saying, "Praise God. 1309 01:01:10,000 --> 01:01:12,917 You're helping people and you love Jesus. That's great." 1310 01:01:13,000 --> 01:01:16,417 We're not talking about people here with character defects or false doctrine. 1311 01:01:16,500 --> 01:01:19,083 There may be churches that we disagree with some things on, 1312 01:01:19,167 --> 01:01:21,583 and some Christians that we disagree with things on. 1313 01:01:21,667 --> 01:01:22,917 But you know what? 1314 01:01:23,000 --> 01:01:25,125 If they love Jesus, and they have holy ambition, 1315 01:01:25,167 --> 01:01:26,833 and they're pursuing greatness that glorifies God, 1316 01:01:26,875 --> 01:01:29,000 and helps others humbly, and God is using them, 1317 01:01:29,083 --> 01:01:30,708 and things are happening, cheer, cheer, cheer. 1318 01:01:30,792 --> 01:01:33,167 Be a friend, be a fan, be a prayer warrior, 1319 01:01:33,208 --> 01:01:36,458 be an intercessor, be an encourager. 1320 01:01:36,500 --> 01:01:38,875 Praise God, wherever the kingdom of God is advancing, 1321 01:01:38,958 --> 01:01:40,333 praise be to God. 1322 01:01:40,417 --> 01:01:42,625 The church is part of the kingdom of God. 1323 01:01:42,667 --> 01:01:44,792 Our church is part of the kingdom of God, 1324 01:01:44,833 --> 01:01:47,458 but the kingdom of God is really what it's all about. 1325 01:01:47,500 --> 01:01:48,958 So he's telling his disciples, 1326 01:01:49,000 --> 01:01:51,583 "Look, don't be jealous of someone else's greatness, 1327 01:01:51,667 --> 01:01:54,167 rejoice in it and learn from it." 1328 01:01:54,250 --> 01:01:58,583 Now, let me say this, Jesus is not only our example of 1329 01:01:58,667 --> 01:02:02,500 greatness, and not only our inspiration of greatness, 1330 01:02:02,583 --> 01:02:06,875 he is the means by which we receive greatness. 1331 01:02:06,958 --> 01:02:09,000 He is our God and Savior. 1332 01:02:09,083 --> 01:02:11,875 The next verse, Luke 9:51 will transition 1333 01:02:11,958 --> 01:02:13,458 the whole storyline of Luke. 1334 01:02:13,500 --> 01:02:16,042 It says that Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem. 1335 01:02:16,125 --> 01:02:19,042 He begins his march toward the cross. 1336 01:02:19,125 --> 01:02:22,500 The whole book here hinges toward the cross. 1337 01:02:22,583 --> 01:02:25,000 Everything is moving in the storyline of Luke toward 1338 01:02:25,042 --> 01:02:29,083 the cross of Jesus, where God is going to substitute himself, 1339 01:02:29,167 --> 01:02:33,000 and he's gonna go to the cross, and he's gonna take our sin, 1340 01:02:33,042 --> 01:02:35,167 and he's gonna give us his righteousness 1341 01:02:35,250 --> 01:02:36,875 through his son Jesus. 1342 01:02:36,958 --> 01:02:39,917 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "God made him who knew no sin 1343 01:02:40,000 --> 01:02:42,625 "to become sin so that in him, we might become 1344 01:02:42,667 --> 01:02:44,208 the righteousness of God." 1345 01:02:44,292 --> 01:02:46,750 If you've been around awhile, you've heard me say this, 1346 01:02:46,833 --> 01:02:48,500 Luther calls it the great exchange. 1347 01:02:48,542 --> 01:02:52,958 All of our sin, idolatry, narcissism, pride, jealousy, 1348 01:02:53,000 --> 01:02:59,417 envy, me-ism, all of it, which is sin, goes to Jesus, 1349 01:02:59,500 --> 01:03:03,208 and he dies paying the penalty for our sin. 1350 01:03:03,292 --> 01:03:07,167 And he gives us, in addition, reckons to us, 1351 01:03:07,250 --> 01:03:11,167 imputes to us his righteousness. 1352 01:03:11,250 --> 01:03:16,333 This means that you and I now possess through faith if we are 1353 01:03:16,375 --> 01:03:19,375 the children of God, the righteousness of Jesus, 1354 01:03:19,458 --> 01:03:24,750 the perfect, sinless, obedient, selfless, worshipful, 1355 01:03:24,833 --> 01:03:27,708 imaging life of Jesus. 1356 01:03:27,792 --> 01:03:31,583 It's reckoned, credited to our account. 1357 01:03:31,667 --> 01:03:38,583 So now we want to pursue greatness, not for an identity, 1358 01:03:38,667 --> 01:03:41,625 but from our identity in Christ. 1359 01:03:41,667 --> 01:03:46,042 We want to pursue greatness, not for our righteousness, 1360 01:03:46,125 --> 01:03:50,083 but from the righteousness that is given us by Jesus. 1361 01:03:50,167 --> 01:03:55,500 Not for our glory, but from the glory of God. 1362 01:03:55,542 --> 01:04:01,250 Not for God's approval, from God's approval in Christ. 1363 01:04:01,333 --> 01:04:06,000 Not for the love of God, but from the love of God. 1364 01:04:06,083 --> 01:04:09,125 Greatness is pursued by the children of God, 1365 01:04:09,167 --> 01:04:12,917 by the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells them in newness 1366 01:04:13,000 --> 01:04:18,000 of life, greatness of life, rich or poor, living or dying, 1367 01:04:18,042 --> 01:04:22,917 healthy or sick, succeeding or failing to the glory of God 1368 01:04:23,000 --> 01:04:26,875 and the good of others by the grace of God through the power 1369 01:04:26,958 --> 01:04:32,000 of the Holy Spirit, which is our joy, which is our joy. 1370 01:04:34,708 --> 01:04:39,000 That's what greatness is. 1371 01:04:39,042 --> 01:04:42,583 I don't know if I'm the only one excited about this, 1372 01:04:42,667 --> 01:04:45,167 but I am very excited about this. 1373 01:04:45,250 --> 01:04:51,250 It means a passionate, free life that glorifies God, 1374 01:04:51,333 --> 01:04:54,833 helps others, and gives me joy. 1375 01:04:54,917 --> 01:04:59,583 What a gift. What a gift. 1376 01:04:59,667 --> 01:05:02,417 Father God, I pray for us all. 1377 01:05:02,500 --> 01:05:07,500 God, some of us have received a worldly definition of culture, 1378 01:05:07,583 --> 01:05:09,750 and it is not good for us. 1379 01:05:09,833 --> 01:05:12,833 And God, I know in various times and ways, I have, 1380 01:05:12,917 --> 01:05:15,667 so I want to confess my own sin publicly, 1381 01:05:15,750 --> 01:05:18,208 and how convicting this is for me, 1382 01:05:18,292 --> 01:05:21,875 and causing me to really rethink how I message everything. 1383 01:05:21,958 --> 01:05:24,208 Thank you for serving me in your Word. 1384 01:05:24,292 --> 01:05:28,042 God, I pray for those of us who, in the name of false humility, 1385 01:05:28,125 --> 01:05:30,833 have rejected any pursuit of greatness. 1386 01:05:30,875 --> 01:05:33,417 We're really not doing what we should. 1387 01:05:33,500 --> 01:05:35,625 We're not caring for people as we ought. 1388 01:05:35,667 --> 01:05:39,208 We're not giving what is required. 1389 01:05:39,292 --> 01:05:46,208 May we repent of that lack of holy ambition and God, 1390 01:05:46,292 --> 01:05:49,042 help us to take this opportunity as you gave the disciples, 1391 01:05:49,125 --> 01:05:53,208 Lord Jesus, to redeem our definition of greatness, 1392 01:05:53,292 --> 01:05:56,167 to redeem the means by which we pursue it. 1393 01:05:56,208 --> 01:06:01,167 God, we want to be great worshipers by your grace. 1394 01:06:01,250 --> 01:06:04,458 We want to be great friends, and spouses, and parents, 1395 01:06:04,500 --> 01:06:09,292 and employees, and servants, and helpers, and ministers. 1396 01:06:09,333 --> 01:06:11,125 God, we want to love well. 1397 01:06:11,167 --> 01:06:16,375 We want to give much because that's how you are, 1398 01:06:16,458 --> 01:06:19,833 and we just want people to see you and talk about you. 1399 01:06:19,917 --> 01:06:22,583 In Jesus' name, Amen.