1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,167 2 00:00:00,250 --> 00:00:03,500 Hi, Pastor Mark Driscoll here in Ephesus, Turkey, 3 00:00:03,542 --> 00:00:07,167 at what is purported to be the burial place of Luke. 4 00:00:07,250 --> 00:00:11,500 It was either here or Antioch, but Christian tradition tells us 5 00:00:11,542 --> 00:00:14,667 that Luke was buried actually just behind me. 6 00:00:14,750 --> 00:00:18,083 And then a mausoleum of sorts, a worship place, 7 00:00:18,167 --> 00:00:21,167 was built over his grave to honor Luke. 8 00:00:21,250 --> 00:00:24,667 And you can see the inscription to my left is of a cross, 9 00:00:24,708 --> 00:00:28,292 and then beneath that is a bull with a cross on its back. 10 00:00:28,333 --> 00:00:30,125 That comes from the book of Revelation, 11 00:00:30,167 --> 00:00:33,917 where four beasts are named and some early Christian theologians 12 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:35,833 started attributing each of those 13 00:00:35,917 --> 00:00:38,167 to one of the four gospel writers. 14 00:00:38,208 --> 00:00:40,167 And Luke was chosen as the bull. 15 00:00:40,208 --> 00:00:42,500 And he is carrying the cross on his back, 16 00:00:42,542 --> 00:00:46,000 showing him to be the bearer of the gospel and one who carried 17 00:00:46,042 --> 00:00:49,667 the ministry of Jesus forward with great might and strength. 18 00:00:49,708 --> 00:00:53,167 In light of that, we felt it would be a good place to read 19 00:00:53,208 --> 00:00:56,333 to you a teaching of Jesus about the cost of discipleship 20 00:00:56,417 --> 00:01:01,500 written by Luke in Luke 14:25-35. 21 00:01:01,583 --> 00:01:04,917 "Now great crowds accompanied him," meaning Jesus, 22 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,833 "and he turned and said to them, 'If anyone comes to me 23 00:01:07,917 --> 00:01:10,792 "'and does not hate his own father and mother and wife 24 00:01:10,833 --> 00:01:12,917 "'and children and brothers and sisters, 25 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,833 "'yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 26 00:01:16,875 --> 00:01:19,500 Whoever does not bear his own cross,'" 27 00:01:19,583 --> 00:01:22,167 meaning willing to die for the cause of the gospel, 28 00:01:22,250 --> 00:01:25,167 "'and come after me cannot be my disciple. 29 00:01:25,250 --> 00:01:27,583 "'For which of you, desiring to build a tower, 30 00:01:27,667 --> 00:01:29,917 "'does not first sit down and count the cost, 31 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,333 "'whether he has enough money to complete it? 32 00:01:32,417 --> 00:01:35,333 "'Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not 33 00:01:35,375 --> 00:01:38,833 "'able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 34 00:01:38,875 --> 00:01:42,417 "'"This man began to build and was not able to finish." 35 00:01:42,500 --> 00:01:45,458 "'Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, 36 00:01:45,500 --> 00:01:48,667 "'will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able 37 00:01:48,750 --> 00:01:50,917 "'with ten thousand to meet him 38 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,458 "'who comes against him with twenty thousand? 39 00:01:53,500 --> 00:01:56,917 "'And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, 40 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,333 "'he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 41 00:02:00,417 --> 00:02:04,625 "'So, therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that 42 00:02:04,667 --> 00:02:07,792 "'he has cannot be my disciple. 43 00:02:07,833 --> 00:02:11,500 "'Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, 44 00:02:11,583 --> 00:02:14,333 "'how shall its saltiness be restored? 45 00:02:14,417 --> 00:02:18,667 "'It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. 46 00:02:18,708 --> 00:02:20,500 "'It is thrown away. 47 00:02:20,583 --> 00:02:23,667 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.'" 48 00:02:28,375 --> 00:02:33,375 [music] 49 00:02:54,708 --> 00:02:58,292 Salvation costs you nothing, 50 00:02:58,333 --> 00:03:03,000 but discipleship will cost you everything. 51 00:03:03,083 --> 00:03:05,083 Salvation occurs in a moment. 52 00:03:05,167 --> 00:03:08,167 Discipleship takes a lifetime. 53 00:03:08,250 --> 00:03:12,292 Salvation is something that God does for you. 54 00:03:12,333 --> 00:03:16,833 Discipleship is something you do with God. 55 00:03:16,875 --> 00:03:23,500 Sadly, many only preach a life of decision, 56 00:03:23,542 --> 00:03:26,958 not a life of discipleship. 57 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,167 The result is then people hit hard times, 58 00:03:30,208 --> 00:03:34,583 life doesn't seem to be working, and they become disillusioned 59 00:03:34,667 --> 00:03:38,833 with Jesus rather than devoted to Jesus. 60 00:03:40,208 --> 00:03:43,167 Jesus is not a salesman. 61 00:03:43,250 --> 00:03:47,500 He's not trying to market anyone, sell anyone, 62 00:03:47,583 --> 00:03:51,458 con anyone in any way. 63 00:03:51,500 --> 00:03:56,917 In Luke 14:25-35, he's going to talk about 64 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,667 the cost of discipleship with some of the strongest, 65 00:04:00,750 --> 00:04:04,500 starkest language that he uses at any point 66 00:04:04,583 --> 00:04:07,083 during his ministry on earth. 67 00:04:07,167 --> 00:04:11,500 And he wants to be absolutely, brutally honest with us 68 00:04:11,583 --> 00:04:16,167 about what it means to truly be his disciple. 69 00:04:16,208 --> 00:04:20,500 A disciple is one who believes in Jesus, worships Jesus, 70 00:04:20,583 --> 00:04:25,958 serves Jesus, follows Jesus, obeys Jesus. 71 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:30,750 Yes, believes in Jesus, but doesn't just believe in Jesus, 72 00:04:30,833 --> 00:04:35,208 lives a life in light of that belief. 73 00:04:36,667 --> 00:04:41,500 So Jesus is going to ask you whether or not you truly want 74 00:04:41,583 --> 00:04:45,167 to live a life of discipleship. 75 00:04:45,250 --> 00:04:51,625 And he's going to essentially say the same thing four ways. 76 00:04:51,667 --> 00:04:55,167 And he's going to continue to pound the same nail 77 00:04:55,250 --> 00:04:59,583 over and over and over and over, and here it is. 78 00:04:59,667 --> 00:05:01,458 That nail is this: 79 00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:05,625 If you are a disciple, do not quit. 80 00:05:05,667 --> 00:05:08,333 Do not quit. 81 00:05:08,375 --> 00:05:11,500 We live in a world filled with quitters. 82 00:05:11,542 --> 00:05:13,333 If it gets hard, quit. 83 00:05:13,375 --> 00:05:16,000 If it gets hard, it must not be God's will. 84 00:05:16,042 --> 00:05:20,833 If it costs you something, then quitting is acceptable. 85 00:05:20,917 --> 00:05:23,458 People quit on God, they quit on their marriages, 86 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:25,583 they quit on their children. 87 00:05:25,667 --> 00:05:29,750 Some of you continually look for the path of least resistance. 88 00:05:29,833 --> 00:05:31,917 “It's hard, I need to find another way.” 89 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,333 Everything that matters is hard. 90 00:05:34,417 --> 00:05:36,667 Everything that matters is costly. 91 00:05:36,750 --> 00:05:39,917 Everything that matters will hurt. 92 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,667 And Jesus says, "Do not quit." 93 00:05:43,708 --> 00:05:45,417 Here's how he says it. 94 00:05:45,500 --> 00:05:50,083 We read in Luke 14:25-27, "Now great crowds accompanied him, 95 00:05:50,167 --> 00:05:52,167 "and he turned and said to them, 96 00:05:52,208 --> 00:05:54,500 "'If anyone comes to me and does not hate 97 00:05:54,583 --> 00:06:01,333 "'his own father and mother and wife and children 98 00:06:01,375 --> 00:06:06,583 "'and brothers and sisters, yes, and, even his own life, 99 00:06:06,667 --> 00:06:09,167 "'he cannot be my disciple. 100 00:06:09,208 --> 00:06:12,750 "'Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me 101 00:06:12,833 --> 00:06:15,625 cannot be my disciple.'" 102 00:06:15,667 --> 00:06:21,792 No one teaches about love as much and as well as Jesus. 103 00:06:21,833 --> 00:06:25,667 No one demonstrates love like Jesus. 104 00:06:25,750 --> 00:06:29,167 And here Jesus uses the word "hate." 105 00:06:29,250 --> 00:06:32,917 And he tells us that to be devoted to him means we must 106 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,167 hate our mother, our father, our brothers, our sisters, 107 00:06:36,208 --> 00:06:40,583 our own children, and our own life. 108 00:06:40,667 --> 00:06:44,458 What in the world is Jesus talking about? 109 00:06:44,500 --> 00:06:48,667 What is Jesus saying? 110 00:06:48,708 --> 00:06:51,583 He's saying that a relationship with him needs to be in 111 00:06:51,667 --> 00:06:55,917 an altogether different category far above and beyond 112 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,083 every other relational commitment we have. 113 00:07:01,750 --> 00:07:06,167 Jesus is worthy of full allegiance and devotion. 114 00:07:06,250 --> 00:07:12,542 No one can be as significant to us as him, no one. 115 00:07:15,250 --> 00:07:19,167 Darrell Bock, who wrote the gold standard commentary on Luke, 116 00:07:19,250 --> 00:07:20,917 he says it this way: 117 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,833 "The call to hate simply means to love less. 118 00:07:23,875 --> 00:07:27,083 "The image is strong, but it is not a call to be insensitive 119 00:07:27,167 --> 00:07:28,833 "or to leave all feeling behind. 120 00:07:28,875 --> 00:07:32,083 "Following Jesus is to be the disciple's first love. 121 00:07:32,167 --> 00:07:34,792 "This pursuit is to have priority over family members 122 00:07:34,833 --> 00:07:37,917 "and one's own life, which means that other concerns 123 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,625 are to take second place to following Jesus." 124 00:07:41,667 --> 00:07:44,458 Jesus is here using the language of the Bible, 125 00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:46,833 where in the Old Testament, there were two brothers, 126 00:07:46,917 --> 00:07:48,250 Jacob and Esau. 127 00:07:48,333 --> 00:07:51,250 In Romans 9, God reveals to us that Jacob I loved 128 00:07:51,333 --> 00:07:52,750 and Esau I hated. 129 00:07:52,833 --> 00:07:54,333 God was good to both, 130 00:07:54,417 --> 00:07:58,167 but he chose to work through the family line of Jacob 131 00:07:58,250 --> 00:08:01,292 and put him in first position of priority. 132 00:08:01,333 --> 00:08:05,667 That's exactly what Jesus is talking about here. 133 00:08:05,750 --> 00:08:08,667 The Bible does tell us to honor our mother and father. 134 00:08:08,708 --> 00:08:10,958 It's one of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. 135 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,250 It's something that Jesus says as well. 136 00:08:13,333 --> 00:08:16,833 Ephesians 5 says that husbands must love their wives. 137 00:08:16,875 --> 00:08:21,167 Titus 2 says that wives should love their husbands. 138 00:08:21,208 --> 00:08:24,833 The Bible assumes that we're, as image bearers of God, 139 00:08:24,875 --> 00:08:28,125 to gravitate toward loving affection of our children. 140 00:08:28,167 --> 00:08:30,500 But Jesus says that a devotion to him is 141 00:08:30,583 --> 00:08:33,667 in an altogether different category. 142 00:08:33,750 --> 00:08:37,083 Practically, what this means is that you will face 143 00:08:37,167 --> 00:08:41,000 relational pressure as a disciple of Jesus 144 00:08:41,042 --> 00:08:45,083 to quit being his fully devoted follower 145 00:08:45,167 --> 00:08:48,083 from those that you love. 146 00:08:48,167 --> 00:08:50,000 This could be your parents telling you, 147 00:08:50,042 --> 00:08:52,000 "We don't want you to be a Christian. 148 00:08:52,042 --> 00:08:54,000 "We don't want you to read your Bible. 149 00:08:54,042 --> 00:08:56,000 "We don't want you to go to church. 150 00:08:56,042 --> 00:08:58,250 We don't want you to pray." 151 00:08:58,333 --> 00:09:01,167 And in light of that, you have a decision to make: 152 00:09:01,208 --> 00:09:04,625 Which relationship is most important to me? 153 00:09:04,667 --> 00:09:07,458 Is it a devotion to Jesus or to my parents? 154 00:09:07,500 --> 00:09:09,750 The same can come from your own siblings, 155 00:09:09,833 --> 00:09:12,458 and family members have a way of making you feel 156 00:09:12,500 --> 00:09:16,083 particularly guilty, like you've betrayed the family. 157 00:09:16,167 --> 00:09:18,833 They turn their back on you, they ostracize you, 158 00:09:18,875 --> 00:09:21,833 the holidays are awkward, everyone's uncomfortable, 159 00:09:21,875 --> 00:09:26,292 and you've created the problem because of your love for him. 160 00:09:26,333 --> 00:09:28,417 And some of you feel this. 161 00:09:28,500 --> 00:09:30,792 And this is your life. 162 00:09:30,833 --> 00:09:33,333 In certain countries and cultures, 163 00:09:33,417 --> 00:09:37,625 this is actually a death sentence. 164 00:09:37,667 --> 00:09:40,000 If you decide to be a disciple of Jesus, 165 00:09:40,083 --> 00:09:44,583 you are committing social and familial suicide. 166 00:09:44,667 --> 00:09:46,833 Certain hardcore Muslim countries, 167 00:09:46,917 --> 00:09:49,000 as well as certain other cultures, 168 00:09:49,083 --> 00:09:53,000 as soon as someone in the family raises their hand to be 169 00:09:53,083 --> 00:09:57,000 a fully devoted disciple of Jesus, the family has a funeral 170 00:09:57,042 --> 00:10:01,333 and considers them dead, though they remain alive. 171 00:10:01,417 --> 00:10:03,583 And sometimes they will even kill them. 172 00:10:03,667 --> 00:10:06,833 They'll call it an honor killing. 173 00:10:06,875 --> 00:10:09,667 And Jesus is saying if you're really going to follow him, 174 00:10:09,708 --> 00:10:14,583 expect opposition, expect ostracism. 175 00:10:14,667 --> 00:10:19,750 Not everyone will approve of a life that is devoted to him. 176 00:10:19,833 --> 00:10:23,458 And he says that this can even include your own children, 177 00:10:23,500 --> 00:10:26,667 who want you to bless their sin, pay for their folly, 178 00:10:26,750 --> 00:10:31,667 endorse their behavior, and you cannot because of love for him. 179 00:10:31,750 --> 00:10:33,833 This as well can include even a spouse. 180 00:10:33,917 --> 00:10:35,792 Some of you married as non-Christians. 181 00:10:35,833 --> 00:10:39,667 One of you has become a Christian, the other is not. 182 00:10:39,708 --> 00:10:41,667 And the unbeliever may be saying things like, 183 00:10:41,708 --> 00:10:45,083 "Do you have to go to church? Do you have to read your Bible? 184 00:10:45,167 --> 00:10:46,458 "Do you have to pray? 185 00:10:46,500 --> 00:10:48,792 "Do you have to share Jesus with our children? 186 00:10:48,833 --> 00:10:50,500 If you continue, I will divorce you." 187 00:10:50,583 --> 00:10:53,083 And the answer must be, "I don't want a divorce. 188 00:10:53,167 --> 00:10:54,667 "I do love you. 189 00:10:54,750 --> 00:10:56,417 "I'm not trying to be divisive, 190 00:10:56,500 --> 00:10:59,833 "but you're not the most important relationship I have. 191 00:10:59,917 --> 00:11:03,000 "You are not God. You are not Lord. 192 00:11:03,042 --> 00:11:07,583 And if you make me choose, you will lose." 193 00:11:07,667 --> 00:11:10,083 Who is it that you would choose over Jesus? 194 00:11:10,167 --> 00:11:13,500 Who is it you have chosen over Jesus? 195 00:11:13,583 --> 00:11:15,000 You're dating a non-Christian? 196 00:11:15,083 --> 00:11:18,583 Already made your choice. 197 00:11:18,667 --> 00:11:22,625 You've caved in to fear of man issues, gone quiet, secret, 198 00:11:22,667 --> 00:11:26,125 and dark with your faith so that no one would speak ill of you 199 00:11:26,167 --> 00:11:27,500 or oppose you? 200 00:11:27,583 --> 00:11:31,417 You've already made your decision. 201 00:11:31,500 --> 00:11:36,833 By all accounts, committing yourself to Jesus includes 202 00:11:36,875 --> 00:11:40,292 committing yourself to the kind of opposition that he endured. 203 00:11:40,333 --> 00:11:43,167 You think of Jesus, he's no hypocrite when he asks this-- 204 00:11:43,250 --> 00:11:44,667 and let me say this. 205 00:11:44,750 --> 00:11:47,000 No other religious leader or teacher can make this request 206 00:11:47,083 --> 00:11:48,833 at all without being a cult leader. 207 00:11:48,875 --> 00:11:52,917 Jesus is the only one who can make this request. 208 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,167 But his own family thought he was crazy, 209 00:11:55,250 --> 00:11:59,000 and at certain points in his ministry, came to take him home. 210 00:11:59,083 --> 00:12:01,667 His friends turned their back on him. 211 00:12:01,750 --> 00:12:03,917 Judas betrayed him. 212 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:08,167 Thomas, Peter, others denied him. 213 00:12:08,208 --> 00:12:12,667 Jesus' hardest days were lonely. 214 00:12:12,750 --> 00:12:17,000 Family, friends turned their back on him. 215 00:12:17,042 --> 00:12:19,250 And you can't say, "I'll follow Jesus 216 00:12:19,333 --> 00:12:22,667 unless I get treated like him." 217 00:12:22,750 --> 00:12:27,333 To be a disciple is to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. 218 00:12:27,375 --> 00:12:31,583 And this includes all the way to your own death. 219 00:12:31,667 --> 00:12:34,750 Jesus says, "If need be, you have to pick up your cross 220 00:12:34,833 --> 00:12:36,167 and follow me." 221 00:12:36,250 --> 00:12:39,167 And it's very disrespectful when people use this as 222 00:12:39,250 --> 00:12:43,417 a cultural euphemism for minor inconvenience, right? 223 00:12:43,500 --> 00:12:46,417 Your car breaks down, you got to take the bus to work. 224 00:12:46,500 --> 00:12:48,417 "Oh, I guess it's my cross to bear." 225 00:12:48,500 --> 00:12:50,667 That's not what he's talking about. 226 00:12:52,917 --> 00:12:55,667 Carrying a cross was literally a dead man walking, 227 00:12:55,750 --> 00:12:58,500 somebody who was convicted, condemned, 228 00:12:58,542 --> 00:13:01,417 on their way to death. 229 00:13:01,500 --> 00:13:05,667 You would carry your cross through town to be humiliated, 230 00:13:05,750 --> 00:13:08,667 shamed, scorned. 231 00:13:08,750 --> 00:13:11,167 You would carry it to your place of crucifixion, 232 00:13:11,250 --> 00:13:14,625 they would strip you naked or nearly naked, 233 00:13:14,667 --> 00:13:17,000 they would nail you to the cross. 234 00:13:17,083 --> 00:13:18,500 They would hang you up. 235 00:13:18,583 --> 00:13:20,750 Everyone would gather around, make fun, 236 00:13:20,833 --> 00:13:22,500 sport, and light of you. 237 00:13:22,542 --> 00:13:25,167 Your mother would bawl her eyes out. 238 00:13:25,208 --> 00:13:27,333 They considered you cursed of God 'cause that's 239 00:13:27,375 --> 00:13:30,000 what the Bible said. 240 00:13:30,083 --> 00:13:35,333 And you could hang there for days, sweating, bleeding, 241 00:13:35,417 --> 00:13:41,417 urinating, incontinent, weeping, with a pool of your own tears 242 00:13:41,500 --> 00:13:45,417 and blood and feces and urine dripping off your body 243 00:13:45,500 --> 00:13:48,333 into a pool beneath you. 244 00:13:48,375 --> 00:13:50,625 And Jesus says, "If that's what it takes, 245 00:13:50,667 --> 00:13:54,167 that's what I'm asking you to be willing to commit to." 246 00:13:54,208 --> 00:13:59,167 And so many give so little for the one who gave so much. 247 00:13:59,250 --> 00:14:01,917 We live in this day of easy believism. 248 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,917 If you want to go to heaven, raise your hand for Jesus, 249 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:09,083 do whatever you want, and he'll say, "Well done," at the end. 250 00:14:09,167 --> 00:14:11,667 Between your conversion and your resurrection 251 00:14:11,708 --> 00:14:14,083 is your discipleship. 252 00:14:14,167 --> 00:14:16,792 It's growing, maturing in love, devotion, 253 00:14:16,833 --> 00:14:19,917 and commitment to Christ. 254 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,500 Jesus isn't trying to sell you. 255 00:14:22,583 --> 00:14:25,833 Jesus isn't like a salesman who gets you to commit 256 00:14:25,875 --> 00:14:28,583 to all the benefits and conveniently overlooks 257 00:14:28,667 --> 00:14:31,500 all the fine print of obligations. 258 00:14:31,542 --> 00:14:33,583 He shows up, he says, "I'm God. 259 00:14:33,667 --> 00:14:36,417 "If you want to follow me, people are gonna hate you 260 00:14:36,500 --> 00:14:39,458 and you might die." 261 00:14:39,500 --> 00:14:42,833 That's the cost of discipleship. 262 00:14:42,875 --> 00:14:48,333 And there was a day that people understood this, 263 00:14:50,083 --> 00:14:53,750 perhaps a little more intently than we do today, 264 00:14:53,833 --> 00:14:55,750 because today it's a consumer culture. 265 00:14:55,833 --> 00:14:58,333 You don't like this church, you go to that church. 266 00:14:58,375 --> 00:15:00,917 You don't like this preacher, you go to that preacher. 267 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,167 You find someone to give you what you want, 268 00:15:03,250 --> 00:15:05,250 not what you need. 269 00:15:05,333 --> 00:15:08,833 How many churches have you been to? 270 00:15:08,875 --> 00:15:11,333 How many decisions have you made? 271 00:15:11,375 --> 00:15:15,333 How many paths of least resistance have you chosen? 272 00:15:15,375 --> 00:15:17,625 How many times have you already quit? 273 00:15:17,667 --> 00:15:21,625 How many ways have you already quit? 274 00:15:21,667 --> 00:15:25,208 How many people have you blamed for your quitting? 275 00:15:27,667 --> 00:15:32,792 There's one missions organization that, when they 276 00:15:32,833 --> 00:15:35,167 would ship missionaries out around the world, 277 00:15:35,250 --> 00:15:40,167 they would pack all of their belongings in a coffin. 278 00:15:40,250 --> 00:15:45,000 And it was a very clear way of saying, "I'm gonna die. 279 00:15:45,083 --> 00:15:48,333 "I'm gonna go talk about Jesus until I die. 280 00:15:48,417 --> 00:15:51,333 "That might be a short while, that might be a long while, 281 00:15:51,417 --> 00:15:55,500 but it will happen." 282 00:15:55,583 --> 00:15:58,958 And they would write a final farewell letter and leave it 283 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,417 to someone they loved, leave it with the missions organization. 284 00:16:02,500 --> 00:16:04,833 And upon their death, it would be delivered 285 00:16:04,917 --> 00:16:08,917 and read by that person. 286 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,458 I sometimes wonder if that wouldn't be a good exercise 287 00:16:11,500 --> 00:16:14,000 for us all. 288 00:16:15,750 --> 00:16:17,917 You're going to die. 289 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,125 You are going to die. 290 00:16:20,167 --> 00:16:22,792 It may be soon, it may be a while, 291 00:16:22,833 --> 00:16:24,833 but you're gonna end up in a box. 292 00:16:24,917 --> 00:16:27,000 It's inevitable. 293 00:16:27,042 --> 00:16:28,917 So don't waste your life. 294 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:31,167 Make your death count. 295 00:16:31,208 --> 00:16:32,833 Don't quit! 296 00:16:32,875 --> 00:16:34,417 Don't quit on Jesus. 297 00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:36,000 Don't quit on your spouse. 298 00:16:36,083 --> 00:16:37,500 Don't quit on your kids. 299 00:16:37,583 --> 00:16:39,167 Don't quit on our church. 300 00:16:39,208 --> 00:16:41,333 Don't quit on the opportunity God sets before us. 301 00:16:41,417 --> 00:16:43,667 Do not quit. 302 00:16:43,750 --> 00:16:47,792 Live your life in such a way that, when you do die, 303 00:16:47,833 --> 00:16:49,667 at least your children are proud 304 00:16:49,750 --> 00:16:53,500 and your grandchildren have something to talk about. 305 00:16:53,542 --> 00:16:58,917 There's something worse than dying, and that's a wasted life. 306 00:17:01,042 --> 00:17:04,625 There's one particular young gal, she filled her coffin, 307 00:17:04,667 --> 00:17:06,458 went on her mission trip. 308 00:17:06,500 --> 00:17:08,125 She was 20 years old. 309 00:17:08,167 --> 00:17:11,583 Here's the letter that she left for her pastor to read 310 00:17:11,667 --> 00:17:14,667 to the congregation that she was a part of. 311 00:17:14,708 --> 00:17:17,583 "Dear Pastor, you should only be opening this letter 312 00:17:17,667 --> 00:17:20,833 "in the event of my death. 313 00:17:20,917 --> 00:17:24,333 "When God calls, there are no regrets. 314 00:17:24,375 --> 00:17:27,167 "I've tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, 315 00:17:27,250 --> 00:17:29,500 "my heart for the nations. 316 00:17:29,542 --> 00:17:31,417 "I wasn't called to a place. 317 00:17:31,500 --> 00:17:34,000 "I was called to him. 318 00:17:34,042 --> 00:17:36,250 "To obey was my objective. 319 00:17:36,333 --> 00:17:38,833 "To suffer was expected. 320 00:17:38,875 --> 00:17:43,667 "His glory, my reward. His glory, my reward. 321 00:17:43,708 --> 00:17:46,958 "The missionary heart cares more than some think is wise, 322 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:49,667 "risks more than some think is safe, 323 00:17:49,708 --> 00:17:52,458 "dreams more than some think is practical, 324 00:17:52,500 --> 00:17:55,667 "expects more than some think is possible. 325 00:17:55,708 --> 00:18:00,417 "I was not called to comfort or to success, but to obedience. 326 00:18:00,500 --> 00:18:04,958 "There is no joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving him. 327 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,958 "I love you and my church family. 328 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,750 In his care, Karen, age 20." 329 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:13,583 You're gonna die. 330 00:18:13,667 --> 00:18:16,125 Don't quit. 331 00:18:16,167 --> 00:18:19,167 Do not quit. 332 00:18:19,250 --> 00:18:21,000 This is a brutal day for me. 333 00:18:21,083 --> 00:18:23,792 I keep thinking of all the people in my 15 years 334 00:18:23,833 --> 00:18:27,333 of ministry at this church who just quit. 335 00:18:27,417 --> 00:18:29,167 They just quit. 336 00:18:29,208 --> 00:18:31,250 They quit reading their Bible, they quit praying, 337 00:18:31,333 --> 00:18:34,500 they quit repenting, they quit serving, they quit giving, 338 00:18:34,583 --> 00:18:36,500 they quit community. 339 00:18:36,583 --> 00:18:39,333 Eventually, they quit Christ, they quit their marriage, 340 00:18:39,417 --> 00:18:41,083 they quit their kids. 341 00:18:41,167 --> 00:18:44,625 And I'll tell you, not one of 'em is happy. 342 00:18:44,667 --> 00:18:47,667 Not one of 'em is pleased. 343 00:18:47,750 --> 00:18:54,583 And not one of 'em is going to leave a legacy that's admirable. 344 00:18:54,667 --> 00:18:59,333 Jesus' second point: do not quit! 345 00:19:03,667 --> 00:19:07,500 You'll see a theme develop here very quickly. 346 00:19:07,583 --> 00:19:11,917 Luke 14:28-30, "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, 347 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,167 "does not first sit down and count the cost, 348 00:19:14,250 --> 00:19:16,083 "whether he has enough to complete it? 349 00:19:16,167 --> 00:19:18,583 "Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not 350 00:19:18,667 --> 00:19:21,583 "able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 351 00:19:21,667 --> 00:19:24,417 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'" 352 00:19:24,500 --> 00:19:28,583 Jesus says, "Before you commit to something, do your homework, 353 00:19:28,667 --> 00:19:30,333 make a plan." 354 00:19:30,417 --> 00:19:34,917 Some of you have committed to far too much. 355 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:37,625 We're not talking about seeing through to completion 356 00:19:37,667 --> 00:19:40,625 everything you volunteer for. 357 00:19:40,667 --> 00:19:43,125 Some of you have got to learn to say no. 358 00:19:43,167 --> 00:19:45,333 You've got to get over your fear of man. 359 00:19:45,375 --> 00:19:48,292 It's better to do one or two things to completion than 360 00:19:48,333 --> 00:19:52,917 seven things to incompletion. 361 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:56,958 Jesus says, "Before you start something, do your homework. 362 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,167 "Make sure you got a plan. 363 00:19:59,250 --> 00:20:01,000 "Otherwise, you'll be like someone who says, 364 00:20:01,083 --> 00:20:04,000 "'I'm gonna build a building or put an addition on my home. 365 00:20:04,083 --> 00:20:06,333 "'Halfway through, lo and behold, we're out of money. 366 00:20:06,417 --> 00:20:07,750 "'We didn't make a budget. 367 00:20:07,833 --> 00:20:10,667 "'We didn't consult an architect and now we're fools who are 368 00:20:10,750 --> 00:20:13,833 "'embarrassed 'cause we can't get a return on that investment, 369 00:20:13,875 --> 00:20:16,917 "'we can't occupy that property, and now it just serves 370 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,167 as a monument to our folly.'" 371 00:20:20,250 --> 00:20:24,667 The landscape in all major American cities is now littered 372 00:20:24,750 --> 00:20:26,833 with this kind of monument. 373 00:20:26,875 --> 00:20:30,417 Ran out of money. 374 00:20:30,500 --> 00:20:33,667 Do not raise your hand unless you're ready to see it through 375 00:20:33,750 --> 00:20:36,000 to the end. 376 00:20:36,083 --> 00:20:39,000 Do not raise your hand unless you're ready to see it through 377 00:20:39,083 --> 00:20:41,500 to the end. 378 00:20:41,583 --> 00:20:46,750 Some of you need to say yes less. 379 00:20:46,833 --> 00:20:49,958 And all of us need to do our homework. 380 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:51,792 We need to evaluate our life. 381 00:20:51,833 --> 00:20:54,125 "What am I capable of? What can I afford? 382 00:20:54,167 --> 00:20:56,250 "What can I do? What are my priorities? 383 00:20:56,333 --> 00:20:59,583 If I raise my hand, I need to see it through to completion." 384 00:20:59,667 --> 00:21:03,500 Do not quit. Do not quit. 385 00:21:06,417 --> 00:21:11,167 Otherwise, you're like a woman who is all about a wedding, 386 00:21:11,250 --> 00:21:15,292 but not about a marriage. 387 00:21:15,333 --> 00:21:20,333 You're like a woman who really enjoys her wedding day, 388 00:21:20,375 --> 00:21:23,250 and then once it’s completed, tells her groom, 389 00:21:23,333 --> 00:21:28,583 "We're getting a divorce today." 390 00:21:28,667 --> 00:21:30,125 The groom's bewildered. 391 00:21:30,167 --> 00:21:31,583 "What do you mean?" 392 00:21:31,667 --> 00:21:34,083 "Well, I look good in white, I really enjoy getting 393 00:21:34,167 --> 00:21:36,292 "my photo taken, I have an affinity for cake, 394 00:21:36,333 --> 00:21:38,125 "and it was nice to see everyone, 395 00:21:38,167 --> 00:21:41,583 but 50 years seems like a long time." 396 00:21:41,667 --> 00:21:44,250 And see, the metaphor of the Bible continually is that 397 00:21:44,333 --> 00:21:46,958 we're like a bride and Jesus is like our groom, 398 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,458 and some of us just want to have a wedding, 399 00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:51,458 but we don't want to have a marriage. 400 00:21:51,500 --> 00:21:52,833 Getting married is easy. 401 00:21:52,917 --> 00:21:55,833 Fifty years is hard. 402 00:21:55,917 --> 00:21:57,333 Right? 403 00:21:57,417 --> 00:22:00,417 You raised your hand for Jesus at youth camp, you came forward, 404 00:22:00,500 --> 00:22:02,917 got baptized at Mars Hill, you prayed the sinner's prayer. 405 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:04,333 Great, you got married. 406 00:22:04,375 --> 00:22:07,500 Now it's 50 years of working it out. 407 00:22:07,583 --> 00:22:09,917 Otherwise, you're like a soldier, you sign up, 408 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:11,958 you get your gun, you get your uniform, 409 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:13,792 you go to the battlefield, you realize, 410 00:22:13,833 --> 00:22:17,625 "Oh, people could get hurt," and you go home. 411 00:22:17,667 --> 00:22:20,167 And all the guys are looking at--"What are you doing?" 412 00:22:20,250 --> 00:22:22,417 "Well, I look good in green and, you know, 413 00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:25,083 "I thought it'd be good to hang out with the guys, 414 00:22:25,167 --> 00:22:26,458 "but, you know, combat? 415 00:22:26,500 --> 00:22:28,000 I wasn't signing up for that." 416 00:22:28,042 --> 00:22:29,417 Yes, you were. 417 00:22:29,500 --> 00:22:32,167 When you put on the uniform, you were going to war. 418 00:22:32,250 --> 00:22:33,917 That's the agreement. 419 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,833 And Jesus is making this clear up front. 420 00:22:36,917 --> 00:22:38,958 It's about the rest of your life. 421 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,167 Jesus doesn't want a percentage of your time, 422 00:22:41,208 --> 00:22:43,792 a percentage of your money, a percentage of your devotion. 423 00:22:43,833 --> 00:22:48,667 He wants all of you, all of you, all the time. 424 00:22:48,750 --> 00:22:53,417 No one makes the kind of request that Jesus does 425 00:22:53,500 --> 00:22:56,833 and no one has the right to. 426 00:22:56,917 --> 00:22:59,458 Jesus says if we do not count the costs, 427 00:22:59,500 --> 00:23:02,667 we will be those people who get halfway into our ministry, 428 00:23:02,708 --> 00:23:05,625 halfway into our business, halfway into our marriage, 429 00:23:05,667 --> 00:23:10,000 halfway into our family, and quit. 430 00:23:10,042 --> 00:23:13,000 And it's an embarrassment. 431 00:23:13,083 --> 00:23:15,958 And don't blame everyone else. 432 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,417 Don't make excuses. 433 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:23,667 Own it and do not quit. 434 00:23:23,750 --> 00:23:26,917 Do not quit. 435 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:31,792 And don't quit on Jesus and don't quit as a Christian. 436 00:23:31,833 --> 00:23:33,667 'Cause, see, as we fight, friends, 437 00:23:33,708 --> 00:23:39,333 we fight for one who loves us and we fight to share his love. 438 00:23:41,833 --> 00:23:47,167 Jesus' next point: do not quit! 439 00:23:47,208 --> 00:23:51,500 Luke 14:31-33, "Or what king, going out to encounter 440 00:23:51,583 --> 00:23:54,583 "another king in war, will not sit down first 441 00:23:54,667 --> 00:23:57,292 "and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand 442 00:23:57,333 --> 00:24:00,333 "to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 443 00:24:00,417 --> 00:24:03,292 "And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, 444 00:24:03,333 --> 00:24:05,958 "he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 445 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,458 "So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce 446 00:24:08,500 --> 00:24:12,583 all that he has cannot be my disciple." 447 00:24:12,667 --> 00:24:15,583 Jesus uses another analogy, a parable. 448 00:24:15,667 --> 00:24:18,792 It's like a king who gets mad at another king and another nation, 449 00:24:18,833 --> 00:24:20,167 and declares war. 450 00:24:20,250 --> 00:24:22,000 Says, "That's it, we're going to war." 451 00:24:22,083 --> 00:24:23,917 Brings together all of his generals, says, 452 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:25,417 "Okay, what's the battle plan?" 453 00:24:25,500 --> 00:24:28,667 They say, "The plan is to surrender." 454 00:24:28,750 --> 00:24:30,167 "Why would we surrender?" 455 00:24:30,208 --> 00:24:32,667 "Well, king, you should have called us first. 456 00:24:32,750 --> 00:24:36,667 "They have 20,000 soldiers, we have 10,000. 457 00:24:36,750 --> 00:24:39,375 That means we're going to lose." 458 00:24:41,833 --> 00:24:43,792 And it's an embarrassment. 459 00:24:43,833 --> 00:24:45,292 It's a shame. 460 00:24:45,333 --> 00:24:47,458 It's a humiliation. 461 00:24:47,500 --> 00:24:50,417 Some of you have raised your hand, "I'm going to do this. 462 00:24:50,500 --> 00:24:51,917 "I'm going to lead that. 463 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:53,333 "I'm going to serve here. 464 00:24:53,375 --> 00:24:55,833 I'm going to see this through to completion." 465 00:24:55,917 --> 00:24:59,667 You didn't really do your homework and you're gonna quit. 466 00:24:59,750 --> 00:25:01,167 Some of you already have. 467 00:25:01,208 --> 00:25:03,125 What have you already quit on? 468 00:25:03,167 --> 00:25:05,125 All right, it's that time of year. 469 00:25:05,167 --> 00:25:07,833 How's that gym membership going? 470 00:25:07,917 --> 00:25:10,667 How's that New Year's resolution rolling? 471 00:25:10,750 --> 00:25:12,917 What have you already quit? 472 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:18,292 Is your life a series of motivated moments and quitting? 473 00:25:18,333 --> 00:25:20,500 Disciples don't quit. 474 00:25:20,583 --> 00:25:22,750 One of the root words for “disciple” 475 00:25:22,833 --> 00:25:24,917 is the same root for “discipline.” 476 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:28,833 A disciple is disciplined. 477 00:25:28,875 --> 00:25:31,083 Getting married is easy. 478 00:25:31,167 --> 00:25:32,833 Staying married is hard. 479 00:25:32,875 --> 00:25:34,167 Gettin' saved is easy. 480 00:25:34,250 --> 00:25:35,750 Being sanctified is hard. 481 00:25:35,833 --> 00:25:37,167 Makin' babies is fun. 482 00:25:37,250 --> 00:25:40,667 Raising 'em is work. 483 00:25:40,750 --> 00:25:43,292 And that's life. 484 00:25:43,333 --> 00:25:44,958 That's the way it is. 485 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,625 And Jesus isn't gonna lie to any of us and say, 486 00:25:47,667 --> 00:25:49,625 "Come to me and it'll be easy." 487 00:25:49,667 --> 00:25:52,333 I heard the dumbest testimony I've ever heard recently 488 00:25:52,375 --> 00:25:56,333 on the radio, and I've heard a lot of dumb testimonies. 489 00:25:56,417 --> 00:25:58,917 It was so bad, I almost vomited so hard 490 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,875 that I almost triggered my airbag. 491 00:26:05,500 --> 00:26:07,000 It was literally this: 492 00:26:07,083 --> 00:26:09,250 "My life was horrible and painful, 493 00:26:09,333 --> 00:26:13,792 and then I met Jesus and now everything's perfect." 494 00:26:13,833 --> 00:26:16,292 That's not true. 495 00:26:16,333 --> 00:26:17,792 You didn't meet Jesus. 496 00:26:17,833 --> 00:26:23,000 You met Jack Daniel’s and you are not paying attention to reality. 497 00:26:23,083 --> 00:26:24,625 A true testimony is this: 498 00:26:24,667 --> 00:26:27,667 "My life was pretty hard and I met Jesus. 499 00:26:27,750 --> 00:26:31,917 "It's gotten a lot worse, but he's worth it and one day 500 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,625 I'll be with him." 501 00:26:34,667 --> 00:26:37,667 That's a good testimony. 502 00:26:37,708 --> 00:26:40,792 Jesus doesn't fix everything. 503 00:26:40,833 --> 00:26:44,292 Jesus just makes the death purposeful. 504 00:26:44,333 --> 00:26:47,167 He makes the suffering and the pain and the hardship 505 00:26:47,250 --> 00:26:51,042 and the sacrifice meaningful. 506 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:55,333 It's a lot like a battle, Jesus says. 507 00:26:55,417 --> 00:26:59,333 We have a real enemy, there's a real war, there's real conflict, 508 00:26:59,417 --> 00:27:03,167 there are real casualties, there are real quitters. 509 00:27:03,250 --> 00:27:06,333 Don't be one of them. 510 00:27:06,417 --> 00:27:10,292 I was in Turkey last year and was studying the topography 511 00:27:10,333 --> 00:27:14,333 and geography and history of the region in preparation for a trip 512 00:27:14,417 --> 00:27:17,167 we're doing and some books of the Bible we'll get into 513 00:27:17,208 --> 00:27:18,792 in the ensuing years. 514 00:27:18,833 --> 00:27:21,500 And I got captivated with one area. 515 00:27:21,542 --> 00:27:22,833 It's in the Bible. 516 00:27:22,875 --> 00:27:25,333 It's actually called Galatians. 517 00:27:25,375 --> 00:27:28,167 I wanted to know, how did the Galatians hold their ground 518 00:27:28,208 --> 00:27:30,792 for so many generations? 519 00:27:30,833 --> 00:27:33,250 They were in an indefensible plain. 520 00:27:33,333 --> 00:27:36,083 They have no natural fortification, 521 00:27:36,167 --> 00:27:37,750 but they held their ground. 522 00:27:37,833 --> 00:27:40,333 How did they do it? 523 00:27:40,375 --> 00:27:43,625 And the archaeologist and the historian and professor who was 524 00:27:43,667 --> 00:27:47,792 with us, he said, "Well, they fought differently than most." 525 00:27:47,833 --> 00:27:49,958 He said, "When they would go to battle, 526 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:54,167 "they would bring their wives and children with them. 527 00:27:54,250 --> 00:27:57,583 "And the soldiers would kiss their wife and kiss their sons 528 00:27:57,667 --> 00:27:59,167 "and kiss their daughters and say, 529 00:27:59,250 --> 00:28:02,250 "'Okay, Daddy's going to go to war with those guys. 530 00:28:02,333 --> 00:28:07,125 "'And if Daddy loses, they're gonna change your last name. 531 00:28:07,167 --> 00:28:09,917 "'You girls are gonna be marrying their sons, and wife, 532 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,292 I fear what they're going to do to you.'" 533 00:28:12,333 --> 00:28:14,500 And then he would go to war. 534 00:28:14,583 --> 00:28:17,333 And if he won, he got to take his family home. 535 00:28:17,417 --> 00:28:19,958 And if he lost, somebody else took his family home 536 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,333 and did whatever they wanted. 537 00:28:22,375 --> 00:28:25,625 And those guys didn't lose a battle for hundreds of years 538 00:28:25,667 --> 00:28:29,292 because you fight differently when you fight for someone 539 00:28:29,333 --> 00:28:32,083 you love and a kingdom you belong to. 540 00:28:32,167 --> 00:28:35,583 You just fight differently. 541 00:28:35,667 --> 00:28:41,625 And our stupid replacement of this is really video games. 542 00:28:41,667 --> 00:28:45,000 And I was thinking about it today since I'm in that mood. 543 00:28:45,042 --> 00:28:50,167 Video games are not sinful, they're just stupid. 544 00:28:50,250 --> 00:28:53,458 And they're stupid in this way. 545 00:28:53,500 --> 00:28:57,250 They're--young, particularly men, 546 00:28:57,333 --> 00:29:01,500 and now women are joining it, they want to get on a team, 547 00:29:01,583 --> 00:29:04,833 be part of a kingdom, conquer a foe, 548 00:29:04,875 --> 00:29:07,917 and win a great, epic battle. 549 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:12,667 So they do it with their thumbs and it doesn't even count. 550 00:29:12,750 --> 00:29:14,583 Nobody's really liberated. 551 00:29:14,667 --> 00:29:16,917 The Taliban is not really conquered. 552 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:20,333 Women are not really freed from oppression. 553 00:29:20,375 --> 00:29:22,458 Generations are not really changed. 554 00:29:22,500 --> 00:29:24,792 It's all fake. 555 00:29:24,833 --> 00:29:27,500 It doesn't count. 556 00:29:27,542 --> 00:29:29,083 You want to do something? 557 00:29:29,167 --> 00:29:31,750 Get off the couch, unplug the electronics, 558 00:29:31,833 --> 00:29:35,292 give your life to Jesus, find some other guys, 559 00:29:35,333 --> 00:29:38,667 and do something that actually matters. 560 00:29:38,708 --> 00:29:42,792 Leave a legacy for women, children, generations, 561 00:29:42,833 --> 00:29:47,333 not just the high score on some stupid game. 562 00:29:47,375 --> 00:29:51,042 [applauding] 563 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:58,500 It's amazing. 564 00:29:58,583 --> 00:30:02,583 A whole world filled with guys who want to be on a team, 565 00:30:02,667 --> 00:30:06,500 go to a war, defeat an enemy, and save a princess. 566 00:30:06,583 --> 00:30:10,333 That's the story of this book. 567 00:30:10,375 --> 00:30:13,167 And if you want to be part of that kingdom, 568 00:30:13,250 --> 00:30:16,917 you got to get off the couch and follow that king. 569 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:20,000 And you do not quit. 570 00:30:20,083 --> 00:30:22,958 You fight differently when you fight for ones you love, 571 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,792 a kingdom, and a king. 572 00:30:26,833 --> 00:30:31,750 Some great battle leaders, they would historically have their 573 00:30:31,833 --> 00:30:36,500 men row to the shore of a place they wanted to investigate 574 00:30:36,583 --> 00:30:39,083 and conquer, and then the good generals 575 00:30:39,167 --> 00:30:43,417 would light the boats on fire. 576 00:30:43,500 --> 00:30:47,917 "There's two options, men, forward or death." 577 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,583 That has to be the attitude that we have. 578 00:30:51,667 --> 00:30:55,750 That has to be the attitude we have 'cause the default mode of 579 00:30:55,833 --> 00:31:02,458 the human heart is selfishness, laziness, quitting. 580 00:31:02,500 --> 00:31:05,917 And some of you are here and you've already quit. 581 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,917 Don't. 582 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,667 And some of you would want to say you're a Christian 583 00:31:11,750 --> 00:31:14,083 and not see it through to completion. 584 00:31:14,167 --> 00:31:16,000 And let me just say this. 585 00:31:16,083 --> 00:31:20,500 All of the slots for hypocrite are already filled. 586 00:31:20,583 --> 00:31:23,083 All of those positions are filled. 587 00:31:23,167 --> 00:31:25,167 We're not lacking hypocrites. 588 00:31:25,208 --> 00:31:28,042 We're lacking disciples. 589 00:31:30,167 --> 00:31:36,333 Jesus' next point: do not quit! 590 00:31:36,375 --> 00:31:42,958 Luke 14:34-35, "Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, 591 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:45,917 "how shall its saltiness be restored? 592 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,750 "It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. 593 00:31:49,833 --> 00:31:51,292 "It is thrown away. 594 00:31:51,333 --> 00:31:54,917 He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 595 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:58,667 Now, in that day, their salt was a bit different than ours. 596 00:31:58,750 --> 00:32:01,292 Their salt came from a place called the Dead Sea. 597 00:32:01,333 --> 00:32:02,667 I'll show it to you. 598 00:32:02,750 --> 00:32:04,333 And there the salt was commingled-- 599 00:32:04,375 --> 00:32:06,500 I believe it's the lowest point on earth. 600 00:32:06,542 --> 00:32:08,250 It was commingled with other elements, 601 00:32:08,333 --> 00:32:11,083 so they didn't actually have pure salt. 602 00:32:11,167 --> 00:32:16,667 Over time, the salt could remove itself from the other compounds 603 00:32:16,708 --> 00:32:20,417 and then you're left with salt that was not salty. 604 00:32:20,500 --> 00:32:22,833 Jesus says, "Well, what good is that?" 605 00:32:22,875 --> 00:32:24,583 'Cause, see, salt is to preserve, 606 00:32:24,667 --> 00:32:26,917 salt is to enhance flavor. 607 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:29,917 And if salt lost its saltiness, you'd throw it on the manure 608 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:35,667 pile and it would help to instigate a good fertilizer. 609 00:32:35,750 --> 00:32:39,583 Jesus says we're supposed to be like salt. 610 00:32:39,667 --> 00:32:44,167 We're supposed to be preserving for his kingdom. 611 00:32:44,250 --> 00:32:48,958 We're supposed to enhance life for others. 612 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:51,833 If nothing else, he'll throw us on the manure pile 613 00:32:51,875 --> 00:32:55,167 and use us for fertilizer to do something good. 614 00:32:55,250 --> 00:32:58,333 And that some of us are just worthless. 615 00:32:58,375 --> 00:33:01,250 Some of us are worthless. 616 00:33:01,333 --> 00:33:04,792 And I know you'll immediately respond to that negatively. 617 00:33:04,833 --> 00:33:07,000 "No, no, no, I'm like a snowflake. 618 00:33:07,042 --> 00:33:08,583 "I'm one of a kind. 619 00:33:08,667 --> 00:33:11,167 "I'm special in God's eyes. 620 00:33:11,250 --> 00:33:13,583 He loves me." 621 00:33:13,667 --> 00:33:17,417 He does love you and you're worthless. 622 00:33:17,500 --> 00:33:21,167 "No, but I'm made in his image and likeness, so I have value." 623 00:33:21,208 --> 00:33:24,417 You are made in his image and likeness, and you do have value, 624 00:33:24,500 --> 00:33:28,750 which makes it even worse that you're worthless. 625 00:33:28,833 --> 00:33:32,292 Jesus gives you his image and likeness. 626 00:33:32,333 --> 00:33:37,583 Worthwhile living is something you have to commit yourself to. 627 00:33:37,667 --> 00:33:39,500 So how's it going? 628 00:33:39,583 --> 00:33:41,125 Does your life make a difference? 629 00:33:41,167 --> 00:33:43,083 Does it count? 630 00:33:43,167 --> 00:33:45,333 Who are you serving? 631 00:33:45,375 --> 00:33:46,833 What are you giving? 632 00:33:46,875 --> 00:33:49,000 Where are you pouring yourself out? 633 00:33:49,042 --> 00:33:54,333 What kind of legacy will you leave? 634 00:33:54,417 --> 00:33:58,333 It really does matter how you live your life. 635 00:33:58,417 --> 00:34:01,583 It's not just accept Jesus and go to heaven when you die. 636 00:34:01,667 --> 00:34:04,750 It's being a disciple along the way. 637 00:34:04,833 --> 00:34:07,917 That's really important. 638 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:10,792 And so many Christians do so little for the one 639 00:34:10,833 --> 00:34:13,958 who gave so much. 640 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:16,167 How about you? 641 00:34:17,042 --> 00:34:19,083 How about you? 642 00:34:19,167 --> 00:34:21,125 How's it going? 643 00:34:21,167 --> 00:34:22,583 How's your Bible reading? 644 00:34:22,667 --> 00:34:24,167 How's your prayer life? 645 00:34:24,250 --> 00:34:26,667 How's your repentance of sin? 646 00:34:26,750 --> 00:34:30,167 How's your Spirit-filled zeal and devotion? 647 00:34:30,250 --> 00:34:32,292 How's your financial giving? 648 00:34:32,333 --> 00:34:34,125 Where are you serving? 649 00:34:34,167 --> 00:34:35,833 Who are you helping? 650 00:34:35,875 --> 00:34:37,917 What are you accomplishing? 651 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:42,833 What are you completing? 652 00:34:42,875 --> 00:34:45,833 Or have you already quit? 653 00:34:45,875 --> 00:34:48,667 And the truth is you're not going to make it alone. 654 00:34:48,708 --> 00:34:51,333 You need to be in community. 655 00:34:51,375 --> 00:34:56,292 The truth is you and I will not make it to the end. 656 00:34:56,333 --> 00:34:59,167 We'll not see this life of opportunity and obligation 657 00:34:59,250 --> 00:35:01,958 to completion all by ourselves. 658 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:04,417 We just won't. 659 00:35:04,500 --> 00:35:07,958 This is where community and God's people and the occasional 660 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:12,500 stinging rebuke of God's Word helps to purify our motives 661 00:35:12,542 --> 00:35:17,292 and to point us in the right direction. 662 00:35:17,333 --> 00:35:20,500 I've seen it over and over and over and over and over 663 00:35:20,542 --> 00:35:22,917 and over and over. 664 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:25,083 Where did they go? They're not coming anymore. 665 00:35:25,167 --> 00:35:27,500 Oh, now they're not even walking with Jesus. 666 00:35:27,542 --> 00:35:29,917 Oh, now their life is falling apart. 667 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:32,167 Oh, now their marriage is falling apart. 668 00:35:32,208 --> 00:35:34,417 Oh, now their children are paying the price. 669 00:35:34,500 --> 00:35:38,167 Eventually, their grandchildren will as well. 670 00:35:40,667 --> 00:35:42,583 Don't quit. 671 00:35:42,667 --> 00:35:47,583 Do not quit. 672 00:35:47,667 --> 00:35:50,000 And Jesus is no hypocrite. 673 00:35:50,083 --> 00:35:54,417 Jesus did not quit. 674 00:35:54,500 --> 00:35:58,667 Jesus accepted that his family did not understand him. 675 00:35:58,750 --> 00:36:01,667 Now, they came around and I pray your family would too 676 00:36:01,750 --> 00:36:03,500 if that's your story. 677 00:36:03,583 --> 00:36:08,500 Jesus accepted the opposition, ostracism, criticism. 678 00:36:08,583 --> 00:36:11,833 Jesus shed his blood and died to accomplish something. 679 00:36:11,917 --> 00:36:15,292 His death mattered. 680 00:36:15,333 --> 00:36:18,333 It was for our salvation. 681 00:36:18,417 --> 00:36:21,250 Jesus knew the price he would have to pay. 682 00:36:21,333 --> 00:36:24,458 He counted the cost and he paid it. 683 00:36:24,500 --> 00:36:26,917 He's in Gethsemane, sweating drops of blood, 684 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:29,833 knowing the price that he will pay. 685 00:36:29,917 --> 00:36:32,792 And he goes to the cross nonetheless. 686 00:36:32,833 --> 00:36:35,917 And he keeps his saltiness all the way to the end. 687 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:37,333 He doesn't give up. 688 00:36:37,375 --> 00:36:38,958 He doesn't give in. 689 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:44,417 He dies, he rises, he loves, he saves, he heals, he forgives. 690 00:36:44,500 --> 00:36:46,917 And he says, "If you want to be my disciple, 691 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:51,167 "you need to follow me and be willing to endure a measure 692 00:36:51,250 --> 00:36:54,167 of what I've endured." 693 00:36:54,250 --> 00:36:56,167 And some of you have never heard this, 694 00:36:56,250 --> 00:36:58,417 and many of you have never seen this. 695 00:36:58,500 --> 00:37:00,500 All you were told was, "God loves you, 696 00:37:00,583 --> 00:37:02,000 "do you want a better life? 697 00:37:02,083 --> 00:37:04,250 Say yes to Jesus." 698 00:37:04,333 --> 00:37:07,083 You weren't really told the truth. 699 00:37:07,167 --> 00:37:10,167 So don't get disappointed and frustrated with Jesus. 700 00:37:10,208 --> 00:37:13,000 Get disappointed and frustrated with the person 701 00:37:13,042 --> 00:37:16,583 who didn't tell you the whole truth about Jesus. 702 00:37:16,667 --> 00:37:20,667 And don't quit, but continue. 703 00:37:20,750 --> 00:37:26,542 There's dignity, honor, legacy for the disciples of Jesus. 704 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:31,417 You're gonna die. 705 00:37:31,500 --> 00:37:32,917 I'm gonna die. 706 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:34,667 We're gonna die. 707 00:37:34,750 --> 00:37:41,833 I'm not looking to die, but if it comes, I want it to count. 708 00:37:47,333 --> 00:37:49,833 I want your life to count. 709 00:37:49,917 --> 00:37:52,000 I want your death to count. 710 00:37:52,042 --> 00:37:55,500 I want your legacy to matter. 711 00:38:00,208 --> 00:38:04,167 And what I love about Jesus' words 712 00:38:04,208 --> 00:38:07,583 is that they are brutally honest. 713 00:38:07,667 --> 00:38:13,417 It seems unconscionable or perhaps just miraculous that 714 00:38:13,500 --> 00:38:19,000 this man, with this message, would gather billions of people. 715 00:38:19,083 --> 00:38:22,292 And that's what he's done. 716 00:38:22,333 --> 00:38:26,792 And this, I believe, prophetic word comes to us from the Bible, 717 00:38:26,833 --> 00:38:32,708 from Jesus, and he is saying to continue, 718 00:38:34,500 --> 00:38:37,583 to not quit, but to continue. 719 00:38:37,667 --> 00:38:43,083 And he gives us this word today at the best point 720 00:38:43,167 --> 00:38:45,667 in the history of our church. 721 00:38:45,750 --> 00:38:48,583 Fifteen years ago, a little Bible study met at my house. 722 00:38:48,667 --> 00:38:51,250 It's now called Mars Hill. 723 00:38:51,333 --> 00:38:52,667 You know what? 724 00:38:52,750 --> 00:38:54,083 We're not behind on budget. 725 00:38:54,167 --> 00:38:55,500 We beat budget. 726 00:38:55,542 --> 00:38:56,917 We didn't shrink last year. 727 00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:58,417 We grew. 728 00:38:58,500 --> 00:39:00,500 We didn't have less community groups, redemption groups, 729 00:39:00,542 --> 00:39:02,833 baptisms, weddings, children. 730 00:39:02,917 --> 00:39:04,500 We had more. 731 00:39:04,583 --> 00:39:06,958 Every single campus is growing. 732 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:10,000 There is unity across the entire leadership. 733 00:39:10,042 --> 00:39:11,917 It's actually fantastic. 734 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:15,167 The annual report that is now available in print or online, 735 00:39:15,250 --> 00:39:18,833 you can read it, it's unbelievable. 736 00:39:18,917 --> 00:39:22,417 It's just a miracle after a miracle after a miracle 737 00:39:22,500 --> 00:39:25,083 after a miracle. 738 00:39:25,167 --> 00:39:27,083 And what can happen is we can think 739 00:39:27,167 --> 00:39:29,167 that we've accomplished something. 740 00:39:29,250 --> 00:39:32,667 Momentum is either forward or backward. 741 00:39:32,750 --> 00:39:36,333 You're either growing in faith and Christ, 742 00:39:36,417 --> 00:39:41,333 or regressing away from faith and Christ. 743 00:39:41,417 --> 00:39:43,417 And what could kill us at this point, 744 00:39:43,500 --> 00:39:47,000 this window of opportunity, most of you don't know it because 745 00:39:47,083 --> 00:39:51,167 this is the only church you've ever really known, 746 00:39:51,208 --> 00:39:54,000 but we have a window of opportunity that God has opened 747 00:39:54,042 --> 00:39:57,833 up for us to see the kind of grace that one day 748 00:39:57,917 --> 00:40:00,583 they write a book about. 749 00:40:00,667 --> 00:40:03,333 They write a book about showing how Jesus showed up 750 00:40:03,417 --> 00:40:06,500 at an unlikely place, among an unlikely people, 751 00:40:06,583 --> 00:40:11,083 and did an unlikely thing, and that we got to be a part of it. 752 00:40:11,167 --> 00:40:15,667 This is--this is it for me. 753 00:40:15,750 --> 00:40:19,167 This is the window of opportunity that I see God 754 00:40:19,250 --> 00:40:21,667 has opened for us as a people. 755 00:40:21,708 --> 00:40:27,000 I'm more motivated, excited than I've ever been. 756 00:40:27,042 --> 00:40:29,667 And what could kill it is this: 757 00:40:29,750 --> 00:40:34,833 If you have disciples and if you have non-Christians, 758 00:40:34,875 --> 00:40:37,667 everything will be fine, but what kills it are 759 00:40:37,708 --> 00:40:42,583 all the Christian consumers, all the people who don't go 760 00:40:42,667 --> 00:40:46,333 to community group, don't serve, don't give, 761 00:40:46,375 --> 00:40:50,583 don't become members because the bar is set too high. 762 00:40:50,667 --> 00:40:52,917 We intentionally set the bar high. 763 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:55,167 You want to be a member of this church? 764 00:40:55,250 --> 00:40:58,167 You got to read a huge book with 1,000 footnotes. 765 00:40:58,250 --> 00:41:00,792 Some of you say, "I'm not gonna read that book." 766 00:41:00,833 --> 00:41:03,292 Well, then you're not gonna be a good church member. 767 00:41:03,333 --> 00:41:07,083 If all it takes is footnotes to scare you away, 768 00:41:07,167 --> 00:41:09,917 you're not ready for war. 769 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:11,583 You want to get married? 770 00:41:11,667 --> 00:41:13,917 You're gonna have to go through a premarital process, 771 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:15,667 declare all your sexual sin and history, 772 00:41:15,750 --> 00:41:21,458 submit to spiritual authority, and someone may tell you no. 773 00:41:21,500 --> 00:41:24,583 And you have to be okay with that because getting married's 774 00:41:24,667 --> 00:41:28,375 easy and 50 years of joy is hard. 775 00:41:31,167 --> 00:41:32,792 You want to do something here? 776 00:41:32,833 --> 00:41:38,792 The bar is set high because this is a kingdom operation, 777 00:41:38,833 --> 00:41:41,667 this is a kingdom mission. 778 00:41:41,750 --> 00:41:45,000 And Jesus says if you really want to raise your hand, 779 00:41:45,083 --> 00:41:48,417 make sure you're good to the end. 780 00:41:48,500 --> 00:41:51,833 It's wonderful that we have hundreds of weddings a year. 781 00:41:51,917 --> 00:41:55,667 I hope the day doesn't come when we have hundreds of divorces. 782 00:41:55,708 --> 00:41:58,833 It's wonderful that we have over 1500 children. 783 00:41:58,875 --> 00:42:02,417 I pray that they don't grow up to hate Jesus because of the way 784 00:42:02,500 --> 00:42:04,333 we conduct ourselves. 785 00:42:04,375 --> 00:42:06,917 I hope we don't create just another generation 786 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:10,750 of Christian consumers who can sing Christian songs 787 00:42:10,833 --> 00:42:12,500 and give Christian answers, 788 00:42:12,583 --> 00:42:16,917 but don't live Christian lives. 789 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:19,125 And it's Christian consumers that kill a church 790 00:42:19,167 --> 00:42:22,167 that's in a position like ours. 791 00:42:22,208 --> 00:42:25,625 There's only roughly 40 churches in America 792 00:42:25,667 --> 00:42:28,083 out of 400,000 that are as big as we are. 793 00:42:28,167 --> 00:42:29,750 It's not all about the numbers, 794 00:42:29,833 --> 00:42:31,833 but it is about counting the cost. 795 00:42:31,875 --> 00:42:36,250 And there are some fantastic, amazing disciples of Jesus here. 796 00:42:36,333 --> 00:42:38,500 They give, pray, serve, care, 797 00:42:38,542 --> 00:42:41,333 and they are part of the miracle of God's grace. 798 00:42:41,375 --> 00:42:44,000 There are non-Christians who have met Jesus or are meeting Jesus 799 00:42:44,083 --> 00:42:46,167 somewhere in process, and in the middle, 800 00:42:46,250 --> 00:42:49,500 what can happen is the Christian consumers take all the resources 801 00:42:49,583 --> 00:42:52,333 from the disciples and there's nothing left 802 00:42:52,417 --> 00:42:54,958 for the lost people. 803 00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:59,167 I have been saying this for 15 years. 804 00:43:01,333 --> 00:43:05,583 And now we're at the point that you have to make a decision: 805 00:43:05,667 --> 00:43:11,083 consumer or producer, disciple or disappointment, 806 00:43:11,167 --> 00:43:15,125 contributor or consumer. 807 00:43:15,167 --> 00:43:18,417 Are you in or are you out? 808 00:43:18,500 --> 00:43:22,417 And it's not just getting an emotional hoo-rah right now. 809 00:43:22,500 --> 00:43:24,667 You'll answer that question in 60 years 810 00:43:24,750 --> 00:43:28,458 with the fruit of your life. 811 00:43:28,500 --> 00:43:34,167 And Jesus says you've got to pick your team, 812 00:43:34,208 --> 00:43:37,500 you've got to serve your God, 813 00:43:37,542 --> 00:43:40,250 you've got to determine your life, 814 00:43:40,333 --> 00:43:42,167 you've got to select your fate, 815 00:43:42,250 --> 00:43:47,000 you've got to pick up your cross, and it's all about dying. 816 00:43:47,042 --> 00:43:50,917 It's all about dying. 817 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:52,500 Father God, I pray for us 818 00:43:52,583 --> 00:43:55,417 individually and corporately as a people. 819 00:43:55,500 --> 00:43:58,417 Jesus, we know that hard words produce soft people 820 00:43:58,500 --> 00:44:01,625 and that soft words produce hard people. 821 00:44:01,667 --> 00:44:04,667 And in a day when there's just a lot of soft words, 822 00:44:04,708 --> 00:44:08,333 “We're all deep down good in our hearts and we tried our best 823 00:44:08,375 --> 00:44:11,458 “and there are no failures and God works it all out 824 00:44:11,500 --> 00:44:13,167 and it's gonna be okay.” 825 00:44:13,208 --> 00:44:16,083 Jesus, what a bunch of garbage. 826 00:44:16,167 --> 00:44:19,333 What a bunch of religious nonsense. 827 00:44:19,375 --> 00:44:22,667 What a bunch of proof- texting and idol-pleasing 828 00:44:22,750 --> 00:44:25,625 and self-glorifying. 829 00:44:25,667 --> 00:44:32,167 Jesus, please help us to really consider and count the cost, 830 00:44:32,250 --> 00:44:34,417 to not take the path of least resistance, 831 00:44:34,500 --> 00:44:37,750 but to take the path of most opportunity, 832 00:44:37,833 --> 00:44:40,250 to not raise our hand for everything, 833 00:44:40,333 --> 00:44:43,000 but raise our hand for the only things 834 00:44:43,042 --> 00:44:44,958 that you would call us to. 835 00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:47,417 I pray for those quitters among us, God. 836 00:44:47,500 --> 00:44:50,458 They're cowards, they're lazy. 837 00:44:50,500 --> 00:44:55,917 They don't like to hear those words, but they fit so well. 838 00:44:56,000 --> 00:45:00,083 God, through repentance, we don't need to be cowards. 839 00:45:00,167 --> 00:45:02,667 We don't need to be lazy. 840 00:45:02,750 --> 00:45:06,625 God, for those that we're just another church on their journey 841 00:45:06,667 --> 00:45:09,500 to find a place to criticize, God, 842 00:45:09,542 --> 00:45:12,250 I pray right now that in Jesus' name you would capture 843 00:45:12,333 --> 00:45:16,083 their hearts, you would show them their religious pride, 844 00:45:16,167 --> 00:45:19,750 that you would devastate their independence and judgmentalism, 845 00:45:19,833 --> 00:45:21,833 and that you would show them 846 00:45:21,875 --> 00:45:24,917 that they're criticizing disciples who are serving them 847 00:45:25,000 --> 00:45:28,417 rather than being among their number. 848 00:45:28,500 --> 00:45:30,833 God, thank you for the grace that you've poured out 849 00:45:30,917 --> 00:45:32,667 on this place. 850 00:45:32,750 --> 00:45:36,917 Mars Hill is a miracle and it's an opportunity. 851 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:39,625 We have not finished anything. 852 00:45:39,667 --> 00:45:42,583 To use Jesus' language, the war is not won, 853 00:45:42,667 --> 00:45:45,458 the tower is not built. 854 00:45:45,500 --> 00:45:49,500 We're on our way, but we're not there. 855 00:45:49,583 --> 00:45:54,917 And so, God, we pray for a sobriety, steel in our spine, 856 00:45:55,000 --> 00:45:59,667 love in our heart, courage in our voice to continue, 857 00:45:59,750 --> 00:46:03,750 to continue being about you, by the grace that you give. 858 00:46:03,833 --> 00:46:06,667 God, I pray for those who have already made up their decision 859 00:46:06,750 --> 00:46:09,125 to quit, those who will hear these words 860 00:46:09,167 --> 00:46:11,458 and just tap out and walk away. 861 00:46:11,500 --> 00:46:15,083 God, I pray you would convict them that Jesus' words 862 00:46:15,167 --> 00:46:18,500 are words of life, and if they would just die, 863 00:46:18,583 --> 00:46:21,583 they could experience a whole new life. 864 00:46:21,667 --> 00:46:24,250 In Jesus' name, amen.