The clash with Ultimate Authority
Series: Jesus' Authority
Speaker: Sam Low
Date: 15th April 2012
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 It is good to be back with you guys in church.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 It feels like a long time.
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 I was here for Easter weekend, but before that have been away for a few weeks,
00:00:08 --> 00:00:12 welcoming the new addition to our family, who I think just left the building making a lot of noise.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 But I'm glad that he's here making a lot of noise,
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 because hopefully that means he won't make as much later on tonight.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 But it is good to be back in church with you tonight,
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 and I'm excited to be able to open the Bible with you.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:28 And I'm going to pray, and I'm going to ask God to give us ears to hear what it is that he's saying tonight,
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 because that's the most important thing.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:30 So let's pray.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 Father God, we thank and praise you for the gift of your word.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:40 We thank and praise you for this opportunity to meet freely and to sit under it.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:44 Lord, keep us from pride that would prevent us from hearing you speak.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:48 Give us the humility to recognize things in us that are not in line with your will.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 Lord, and give us eyes to see Jesus clearly.
00:00:51 --> 00:00:56 Give us eyes that see him as you have made him, exalted and on the throne.
00:00:56 --> 00:01:00 And Lord, may we be moved to obey him and to treat him as king.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:01 Amen.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 Well, we all like the feeling of having power in our lives.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 Whatever power that might be.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 It might be the power over the remote control in your lounge room.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 I thought I had the power in my home,
00:01:15 --> 00:01:20 and something that you don't enjoy is feeling that power slipping away.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 Fatherhood has been fantastic in a whole bunch of ways.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 Actually, I should just put a preface here.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:29 I'm a new dad, so you're going to expect a lot of dad stories for the next little while.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 It's not an apology, it's just a warning.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 My world exists around a little man who's standing at the back.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 So, lots of baby stories.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:44 So, it's a strange feeling as a new dad to feel yourself losing the power in your own house.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 Suddenly, I have almost no say in anything.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 If he doesn't like the show that I'm watching, I'm sure he can't actually tell,
00:01:50 --> 00:01:54 but if he starts crying, you'll start flicking channels just to see if you can find one that will settle him down.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 It doesn't matter if I want to sleep.
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 If he wants to be awake, then I'm awake.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 And that means when he wants to sleep, I'm going to sleep,
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 because that's the only time that I can sleep.
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 And suddenly, all the power that I thought I had is gone.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:12 And when we feel somebody else having power over us,
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 it's fair enough that we ask the question,
00:02:15 --> 00:02:16 what gives you the right?
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 Now, Bailey is not quite at the point of being able to answer,
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 but I'm sure he will have some answers prepared later on in life
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 as to why he can tell me what I can do.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:32 But you know that feeling when something that you used to be in control of is taken away.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:37 You want to know why someone else has the right to have power and have influence in your life.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:42 Whether it's the boss who tells you to do your job their way instead of your way.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:47 Whether it's the backseat driver who tells you to drive their way instead of your way.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:52 Whatever it is that is telling you that you have to do something not the way that you want,
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 your immediate reaction is,
00:02:54 --> 00:02:58 what authority do you have to tell me that I'm supposed to do it this way?
00:02:58 --> 00:03:02 What right do you have to tell me how I'm supposed to live?
00:03:02 --> 00:03:07 And that is the question that we come to in the passage tonight in Mark 11 and 12 that we're looking at.
00:03:07 --> 00:03:11 Over the next couple of weeks we're going to look at the authority that Jesus has
00:03:11 --> 00:03:15 and it's appropriate that we start with this question here in verse 28.
00:03:16 --> 00:03:20 Jesus has just arrived in Jerusalem and he's walking in the temple courts with the chief priests,
00:03:20 --> 00:03:24 the teachers of the law and the elders come to him and they ask, verse 28,
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 by what authority do you do these things?
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 Now the these things is really, really important there.
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 There's a bit of baggage that we need to drag into this chapter.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:39 So if you just turn back one page, we're going to do a skim version of what's gone on just a little bit before.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 Basically there's a whole bunch of miracles that have been happening,
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 but a couple of really important ones.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:48 Beginning of chapter 11, Jesus rocks up in Jerusalem for Palm Sunday.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 You know the story, people are laying down branches and their jackets.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 Jesus is riding on a donkey and people are shouting out,
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 Hosanna to the king.
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 This is a royal procession.
00:03:57 --> 00:04:02 So Jesus arrives in Jerusalem in the eyes of some as a relative nobody,
00:04:02 --> 00:04:07 but in his eyes and in the eyes of those at the parade, this is the king arriving.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 He shows up and says, I'm the king.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:11 I'm in charge.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:13 You need to listen to me.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:14 You need to submit to me.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 And just to make it clear, in the next story,
00:04:16 --> 00:04:20 Jesus turns up to the temple and drives out the people who are there selling
00:04:20 --> 00:04:25 and who have abused the temple and they're turning it into a market
00:04:25 --> 00:04:26 and he gets very aggressive.
00:04:26 --> 00:04:32 And there's one little sandwich story in around the temple about a fig tree that Jesus curses.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 He gets angry with this fig tree because it doesn't have fruit.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:35 He curses it.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 It shrivels up.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 And when they come back, they discover that it's dead.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:43 And what's going on there in those couple of stories is Jesus has rocked up.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:45 He said, I'm the king.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:46 He's arrived.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:50 And then he's shown what it looks like to obey the king.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 The fig tree is an image throughout the Old Testament of Israel.
00:04:54 --> 00:04:58 So even though he does curse a fig tree and it withers and dies,
00:04:58 --> 00:05:02 it's actually like he's acting out a drama for everyone who's there to see.
00:05:02 --> 00:05:06 And it's his way of saying, see how this fig tree didn't do what it was supposed to do?
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 I get to judge that.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:14 It's my authority to say that's not good enough and to curse that fig tree.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:23 When Jesus rocks up to the temple and the Jews have turned it into a marketplace instead of a place where the nations could come and pray,
00:05:23 --> 00:05:28 Jesus comes and turns over tables, makes a whip, starts shouting, has a commotion because he says,
00:05:29 --> 00:05:29 I'm the king.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:31 I get to judge that.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 I get to say that's not okay.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 I get to tell you that God's not happy with that.
00:05:37 --> 00:05:44 In fact, what Jesus is saying is, as king, I have authority to tell you what God wants.
00:05:45 --> 00:05:50 He says, as king, I have authority to tell you God's not happy with you.
00:05:50 --> 00:06:02 And so it's understandable that the leaders of Israel, the leaders of God's nation Israel would say,
00:06:02 --> 00:06:07 hang on a sec, we're God's people and we're the leaders of God's people.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 We're the ones who say what God wants.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 We're the ones with authority.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:17 And so who are you to turn up and start passing judgment?
00:06:17 --> 00:06:23 Who are you to turn up and act like everybody has to listen to you?
00:06:23 --> 00:06:27 Jesus is saying, I am king, I am judge, and you must submit to me.
00:06:27 --> 00:06:32 He's saying, I'm the only judge, and you must listen to my words.
00:06:33 --> 00:06:39 Now, before we get any further, it's worth acknowledging, which came out pretty quickly in our little sharing time before,
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 we don't do submission as an idea very well.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 I got permission to tell this story.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:50 I want to preface this story by saying that my wife is amazing and that she is a very submissive wife
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 and that she honors me very, very much.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:59 But I remember when we came to get married and I'd proposed, she said yes, and we met with our minister.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:06 And you may or may not know that in the green prayer book that was once upon a time what we always did in church,
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 there is two different services for weddings.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 They're very, very similar.
00:07:11 --> 00:07:18 There is one very significant word that is different in the vows that the husband and wife say.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:22 In the first service, it says, better, worse, rich, or poor, etc., etc.,
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 and the husband says, to love and to cherish.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:30 The wife says all the same things except, she says, to love and obey.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:35 In the second service, that obey word is changed back to cherish,
00:07:35 --> 00:07:39 just to make sure that there's no submission going on in this marriage because we would not want that.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:45 So me and Sal sat down, we pulled out the vows and we thought, which one should we do?
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 And Sal said, obey?
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 Don't want to say that, that's a bit weird.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 People will think you're going to rule over me and all that sort of stuff.
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 And sure enough, we opted for the second option.
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 And I have to say, I've only done three weddings,
00:08:00 --> 00:08:04 but those three weddings and a whole bunch of weddings that I've been to,
00:08:05 --> 00:08:09 I don't think I've ever heard anyone do the obey option.
00:08:10 --> 00:08:14 Because we get really nervous about the idea of submission.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:20 We get nervous about the idea of saying, I'm going to be under your authority.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 I'm actually going to put you in control.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 I'm going to give you the authority and the power.
00:08:27 --> 00:08:33 And we get nervous because we're not so sure that anyone else is going to look after us
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 as well as we're going to look after us.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 I mean, that's the heart of it.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:41 I mean, hopefully me and Sal are at the point now where she's getting a little bit more confident
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 that I'm going to look after her.
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 And she might be more confident to say now, I obey.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:52 But the reality is, any kind of submission is hard because we are nervous that we're going to get burned.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 Or maybe we're just nervous or not nervous.
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 Maybe we're just convinced that we're doing a better job than this other person.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 If I put this person in control, it's going to go badly,
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 not because they're going to try and not look after me,
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 just because they're not as good at looking after me as I am.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 They're not as powerful as me.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 They don't know me as well as I do.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:17 And so the issue with submission is fear and pride.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 And ultimately, that's the heart of every sin that we do.
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 It's the heart of sin through the whole of scriptures.
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 It's the non-submission because of fear and because of pride.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 It starts in Genesis 1 with Adam.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 Do you remember Satan's temptation of Adam?
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 She goes, did God really say?
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 Is God really being good to you?
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 Do you actually think he's giving you all this good stuff?
00:09:40 --> 00:09:45 Just this question, this seed of doubt and fear that God's not going to look after him.
00:09:46 --> 00:09:51 And ultimately, the sin comes when Adam decides that, hey, I want to be like God.
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 Satan says, you eat this fruit, you won't die.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 You'll become like God.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 You can have just as much power as him.
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 Then you won't be under anyone.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 You'll be in control.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 And Adam thinks, great.
00:10:01 --> 00:10:06 And he grabs the fruit and everything goes wrong because he refuses to submit.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 It continues on when we get to the Tower of Babel.
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 People don't want to listen to God and his plans anymore.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:15 They figure if we get together and we build a big tower, we'll be as big and impressive as anyone.
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 So we can just do our own thing.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:22 And non-submission results in the judgment and scattering of people.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 It's happening here again in Mark 11 and Mark 12.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:29 The chief priests hear what Jesus is saying.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 They hear him saying, I'm the king.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 They hear him saying, you need to listen to me.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:38 They hear him saying, some of the stuff you're doing is not okay and you need to obey me and listen to what I'm saying.
00:10:38 --> 00:10:43 But they are nervous that if they do, they might not be so powerful anymore.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:47 They might not be the popular guys in Israel anymore.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:51 And so out of fear and out of pride, they don't submit.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:55 And it still happens for you and me today.
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 Think of a little example like giving.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:05 Like being generous in our offertory at church, in the money that we give to the work of ministry.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 We know that God calls us to give generously.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:12 We know that he calls us to give our best and our first.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:22 But we just have this moment every time of thinking, if I give this, will God look after me?
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 I mean, I kind of need it.
00:11:24 --> 00:11:28 Or maybe if I give this, the church isn't going to use it very well.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:34 So maybe it's better if I hold on to it and make my own decisions about who gets it and when they get it.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 We just don't like to submit.
00:11:37 --> 00:11:43 We don't like anyone, including God, to have authority over our lives.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:48 And often our trick as Christians is that we say, yes, God, you're in charge.
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 But then we just ignore what we've said in all the little decisions that we're making,
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 which basically equals one big decision of God, no, you're not in charge.
00:11:56 --> 00:12:03 And the picture here in Mark 12 is very similar because this is more than just fear and pride for them.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:08 This is more than just a non-submission because they think they've got a better deal.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 Have a look at it with me.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 It says, Jesus replies to them, I'll ask you one question.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 Answer me and I'll tell you by what authority I'm doing these things.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 John's baptism, was it from heaven or from men?
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 Tell me.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 Simple enough question.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:27 And so these men who are smart, learned men, disgusted among themselves,
00:12:27 --> 00:12:31 and they realize that if they say that John's baptism is from heaven,
00:12:32 --> 00:12:37 then they'll get in trouble because they didn't listen to John either
00:12:37 --> 00:12:40 when John said the king is coming and you're doing the wrong thing.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 So they can't say that.
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 But they also realize if they say from men,
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 they'll get in trouble because the people that they're trying to have authority over
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 think that John was important and so they'll lose their power.
00:12:50 --> 00:12:53 So the fear is there, but it gets worse.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 They answer Jesus, we don't know.
00:12:57 --> 00:13:00 They do know, but they don't want to know.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 It's not an issue of fear or pride here anymore.
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 It becomes an issue of hard-heartedness.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 The answer is right in front of their eyes,
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 but it's something that they don't want to hear.
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 It's not like they're asking Jesus if he's over 18
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 and all he's got to do is show a license and then they'll say,
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 okay, you're king, we're on board.
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 It doesn't matter what he does.
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 It doesn't matter how he answers.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 They're not interested in his authority.
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 They're just trying to find a way out.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 They're just trying to find a loophole.
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 They're trying to justify the position that they already have.
00:13:35 --> 00:13:39 It's not a genuine question and it's not an answer that they're willing to hear.
00:13:39 --> 00:13:43 And so we get to Jesus' response here in chapter 12, the parable.
00:13:43 --> 00:13:47 Now, this is a parable from the Old Testament,
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 which was in the Isaiah passage,
00:13:48 --> 00:13:52 which Jesus grabs and kind of revamps for this modern context.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 So in Isaiah 5, in the passage that Joe read out,
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 it's a parable about a vineyard.
00:13:57 --> 00:14:00 And in that passage, that vineyard is representative of Israel
00:14:00 --> 00:14:03 and God is the one who plants the vineyard and looks after it
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 and does everything that could possibly be done
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 and yet still it doesn't produce fruit.
00:14:08 --> 00:14:12 But here, the story is not so much against the vineyard,
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 but against the people looking after the vineyard.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:18 Jesus kind of aims his focus in on these chief priests,
00:14:18 --> 00:14:21 these hard-hearted leaders of Israel
00:14:21 --> 00:14:25 who have rejected the king that God has sent.
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 And so the story unfolds.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 The man plants the vineyard.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 He puts the watchtower in.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 He puts the pit around it for the wine press
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 and then he rents it out to some farmers and goes on a journey.
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 Eventually, he knows it's time to come and collect
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 some of the fruit of the vineyard.
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 He sends some of his servants to get it.
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 They beat them and throw them out.
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 And then he sends more and some they kill,
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 others they beat.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 And he sends more and more and more.
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 And then finally in verse 6,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 he had one left to send a son whom he loved.
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 He sent him last of all saying,
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 they'll respect my son.
00:14:58 --> 00:15:01 They'll give my son the respect that they would give to me
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 as the owner of the vineyard.
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 But the tenants said to one another,
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 this is the heir.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 Let's kill him and the inheritance will be ours.
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 So they took him, killed him,
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 and threw him out of the vineyard.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 Jesus tells this story,
00:15:16 --> 00:15:18 which is not at all subtle,
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 to explain to these chief priests
00:15:22 --> 00:15:25 what they are doing in God's eyes.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:30 God has given them as a nation his law.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 He has been with them.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 He has protected them.
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 He has provided for them.
00:15:35 --> 00:15:37 He has made promises to them.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 And yet with everything he has given them,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:46 they have mistreated him.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 With everything that he has given them,
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 they have abused it.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 They have taken it for granted.
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 And they are not content with all the stuff
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 that he's given him.
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 They want more.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:59 They don't just want to work in a great vineyard
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 that's been set up for them,
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 that they didn't invest in.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 They want the vineyard for themselves.
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 They don't want to have a boss.
00:16:05 --> 00:16:07 They don't want to be accountable to anyone.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 They don't want to submit to anyone.
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 See, the hard thing I think here
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 is that there's almost a good desire
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 in these chief priests.
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 I think we're overly harsh
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 if we read this passage and think
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 these guys just set out at the beginning
00:16:21 --> 00:16:24 to be evil, to be sinful, to be rebellious.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 These are the leaders of God's people.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 Somewhere in there,
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 they desired to lead God's people
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 towards God's design.
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 Somewhere in there,
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 they desired that Israel
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 would become a great nation again,
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 that God's name would get heard
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 all over the world
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 because of this great nation.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 And they wanted to be
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 at the front of the pack,
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 leading, making that happen.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 But progressively,
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 that good intention
00:16:50 --> 00:16:53 got derailed by a sinful agenda.
00:16:54 --> 00:16:57 That desire for God's will to be done
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 got derailed by a desire
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 for their own power,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 for their own position,
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 for their own prestige,
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 for their own freedom
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 to do whatever they want,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 for their own lack of accountability
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 to anyone else.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 And I want to warn you
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 that we are in the same danger
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 here at church now.
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 I don't know how long
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 you've been a Christian
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 and ultimately it doesn't matter.
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 We can start out
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 in our journey as Christians
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 with this amazing desire
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 to be Christ-like,
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 with this awareness of sin
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 and this awareness
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 that we need to change
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 and this awareness
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 that it's going to be
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 a whole life journey
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 and then suddenly
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 we find ourselves
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 derailed by a desire
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 to be a little bit comfortable.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 Suddenly derailed
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 by a desire
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 to at least feel at peace
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 with the person that I am.
00:17:41 --> 00:17:44 We don't like that sense
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 of I'm not doing okay
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 and there's things in me
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 that make God angry
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 and I need to confess
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 and feel forgiven
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 and so that good intention
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 to be more Christ-like
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 gets dragged away
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 by a desire
00:17:56 --> 00:17:56 to be comfortable
00:17:56 --> 00:17:59 and church is an easy place
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 to do that.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 We're in danger
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 as a community.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 We may begin
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 as a 5pm congregation,
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 we're a young congregation
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 and we did begin
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 with a desire
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 that more people
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 would join this community,
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 that this would be open,
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 that others would be welcome
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 but it's really easy
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 for that to get derailed.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 For us to start
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 to feel kind of comfortable
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 with the group that's here.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 I've got a few good friends,
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 some people I enjoy sitting with,
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 I like the way we do music,
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 if there was more people
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 it'd be hard to park,
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 I might not get to sit
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 where I want to sit,
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 maybe I'd have to talk
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 to a stranger
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 at church on Sunday.
00:18:34 --> 00:18:37 And so good intentions
00:18:37 --> 00:18:40 can become very easily derailed
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 and ultimately
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 that reflects
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 that we don't want to listen
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46 to Jesus anymore.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 Ultimately that reflects
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 that we're ignoring
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 his agenda
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 and we're listening
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 to our agenda.
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 That like the chief priest
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 when Jesus says
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 get uncomfortable,
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 go and speak to people
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 about Jesus,
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 we want to know
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 what right have you got
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 to make me uncomfortable.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 We want to know
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 what right have you got
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 to tell me
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 how to live my life
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 because I think
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 I'm doing an alright job.
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 We need to be very careful
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 that we don't get
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 too comfortable
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 because the best
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 of intentions
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 can be derailed
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 because we are sinful
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 to the core.
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 And we live in a world
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 that is at war
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 with God's design
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 and desire.
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 And as soon as we
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 stop fighting
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 we will lose ground.
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 Be warned,
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 this is a danger
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 for us as well.
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 And so God
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 speaks this parable
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 against these chief priests
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 and the elders
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 and the teachers
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 of the law
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 and ultimately
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 he says
00:19:42 --> 00:19:45 you are refusing
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 to submit
00:19:45 --> 00:19:47 to the owner's authority.
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 See the danger
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 is that it's a progressive
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 slope for us
00:19:53 --> 00:19:56 because we start
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 by becoming
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 a Christian
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 and being eager
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 for the word
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02 and then we make
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 this shift
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 where we feel
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 like we're doing okay
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 and we're still eager
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 for the word
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 but we're kind of eager
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 just to hear it.
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 You know,
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 if I open it
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 and read a passage
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 out loud
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 or maybe in my head
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 or if I'm near church
00:20:13 --> 00:20:15 if I'm sitting in church
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 but not really paying attention
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 the word's still
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 kind of floating around
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 and then we just get
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 further and further away.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 We stop listening
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 to what it says
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 and then ultimately
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 we stop looking at it
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 for any kind of guidance
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 or direction
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 because it's just easier
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 because we figure
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 I'm in charge
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 I know how to do this now.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 Jesus,
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 you were helpful
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 at the beginning
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 but it's easier
00:20:38 --> 00:20:40 just to submit to me
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 than to submit to you.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:42 It's easier
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 to not hear
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 that I wasn't perfect today
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 and I need to confess
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 some stuff.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 It's easier
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 to be the only one
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 who has to decide
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 whether or not
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 you get to heaven
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 because it's much easier
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 to tell yourself
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 that you're a good person.
00:20:57 --> 00:21:01 I was reading
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 an article recently
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04 that my mum sent me.
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 She's wrestling
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 with Christianity
00:21:06 --> 00:21:08 possibly a new Christian
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 and she sent me
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 an article
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 written by
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 a homosexual guy
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 a practicing
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 homosexual guy
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 basically
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 unpacking
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 what the Bible
00:21:17 --> 00:21:19 says about homosexuality
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 and it was
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 a fairly
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 straightforward article
00:21:21 --> 00:21:23 he pretty much said
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 look all those people
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 who have read
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 in the Bible
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 that homosexuality
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 is wrong
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 they're reading
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 the Bible wrong.
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 He said these verses
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 and listed off a bunch
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 if you read them
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 in context
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 then actually
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 it says something
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 different
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 and
00:21:36 --> 00:21:38 leaving aside
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 the fact
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 that I'm not sure
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 that he's reading
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 those verses
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 correctly
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 it was amazing
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 how he was still
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 looking to the Bible
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 for guidance
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 but he'd actually
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 stopped listening
00:21:46 --> 00:21:48 to what it was saying.
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 He claimed
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 that he was submitting
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 to the authority
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 of God
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 but what he was doing
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 was finding the bits
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 of God's authority
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 that he didn't like
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 and then making them
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 say what he wanted
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 them to say.
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 He was claiming
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 to submit to someone else
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 but ultimately
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 he had decided
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 I'm in charge
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 what suits me
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 and what is comfortable
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 for me
00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 that is what I'm going
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 to do.
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 Now I know
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 that that is a
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 controversial issue
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 but it is true
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 of so many areas
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 of our life.
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 Christianity
00:22:17 --> 00:22:19 will be uncomfortable
00:22:19 --> 00:22:21 transformation
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 is uncomfortable
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 the Bible
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 the Bible describes
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 the Christian life
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 as one of pruning
00:22:26 --> 00:22:28 of one of being
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 refined by fire
00:22:29 --> 00:22:31 expect to open
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 the Bible
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 and be made
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 uncomfortable
00:22:33 --> 00:22:35 because you are
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 not perfect
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 and God is in the
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 business of
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 transforming you
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 from one degree
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 of glory
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 to another
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 and it is
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 his authority
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 that matters
00:22:43 --> 00:22:45 and when we
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 refuse to submit
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 to his authority
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 we reject him
00:22:48 --> 00:22:50 and we presume
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 the role of king
00:22:50 --> 00:22:53 we presume
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 the role of judge
00:22:54 --> 00:22:56 and if you don't
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 think you do it
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 just think in the
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 past week
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 how many times
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 you have looked
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 at someone else
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 and thought
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 wow
00:23:01 --> 00:23:03 that is sinful
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 wow
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 that is not okay
00:23:06 --> 00:23:12 but the good news
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 in this passage
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 is significant
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 there is a
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 significant warning
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 in verse 9
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 when it says
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 the owner of the vineyard
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 will come and kill
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 those tenants
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 but he's the
00:23:22 --> 00:23:22 encouragement
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 he will give
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 the vineyard
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 to others
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 have you not read
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 the scripture
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 the stone the builders
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 rejected
00:23:28 --> 00:23:30 the stone the chief
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 priest rejected
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 the stone that we
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 often reject
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 has become
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 the capstone
00:23:34 --> 00:23:36 the son
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 the last
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 messenger
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 that God
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 has sent
00:23:40 --> 00:23:43 who was rejected
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 and sacrificed
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 and crucified
00:23:45 --> 00:23:47 by us
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 on the cross
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 has been raised
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 by God
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 and has been
00:23:51 --> 00:23:53 made the capstone
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 the centerpiece
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 the foundation
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 the everything
00:23:56 --> 00:23:59 for the kingdom
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 of God
00:23:59 --> 00:24:02 he has been made
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 the only way in
00:24:03 --> 00:24:06 no amount of good
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 effort
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 no amount of
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 anything else
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 counts now
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11 all that matters
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 for God's
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 kingdom
00:24:12 --> 00:24:14 all that matters
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 for entry
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 into God's
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 kingdom
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 is
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 the verdict
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 of the king
00:24:18 --> 00:24:21 we were looking
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 at this in
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 our young adults
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 bible study group
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 during the week
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 when God
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 raises Jesus
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 from the dead
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 it's at that point
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 that he defers
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 all authority
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 onto Jesus
00:24:30 --> 00:24:32 at the end of
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 Matthew
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 in chapter 28
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 the risen Jesus
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 as he's about to
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 return to the throne
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 in heaven
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 says
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 all authority
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 on heaven
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 and on earth
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 has been given
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 to me
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 he's saying
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 I'm the king
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 I'm the judge
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 I'm the one
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 who decides
00:24:44 --> 00:24:46 who goes to heaven
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 and who doesn't
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 I am the only way
00:24:48 --> 00:24:50 by trusting in me alone
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 in Philippians 2
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 we know
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 that Jesus
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 humbles himself
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 to death
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 on the cross
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 and that God
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 raises him up
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 and exalts him
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 to the highest place
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 and gives him
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 the name
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 that is above
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 every name
00:25:01 --> 00:25:03 that every knee
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 shall bow
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 and every tongue
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 confess that Jesus
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 Christ is Lord
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 he's given
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 absolute authority
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 to judge
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 I shared this
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 with our youth
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 ministry a little
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 while ago
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 when we were
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 looking at this
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 passage
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16 but so often
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 the barrier
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 for people
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 when it comes
00:25:18 --> 00:25:18 to following God
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 is how can
00:25:19 --> 00:25:21 God be loving
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 and send people
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 to hell
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 how is that fair
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 but this passage
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 makes it really
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 clear for us
00:25:27 --> 00:25:30 if you reject
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 the king
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 you reject
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 the kingdom
00:25:32 --> 00:25:34 it is right
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 that the one
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 who sits
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 enthroned
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 with all
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 authority
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 over his
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 kingdom
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 will not
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 include those
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 who do not
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 submit to his
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 authority
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 there is nothing
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 wrong with that
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 and Jesus
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 has that authority
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 in this passage
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 but he also
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 has the authority
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 to forgive
00:25:50 --> 00:25:52 it's just a little
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 hint in there
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 in verse 9
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 he'll come
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 and kill those
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 tenants
00:25:57 --> 00:25:59 and give
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 the vineyard
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 to others
00:26:01 --> 00:26:04 that authority
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 has been given
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 to Jesus
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 as the risen
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 ascended Lord
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 that he alone
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 will decide
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 those who will
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 enter into his
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 kingdom
00:26:12 --> 00:26:14 and who will it
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 be?
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 those who submit
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 to his authority
00:26:18 --> 00:26:20 that doesn't mean
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 those who are good
00:26:21 --> 00:26:23 that doesn't mean
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 those who try hard
00:26:24 --> 00:26:26 it means those
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 who submit to him
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 as the king
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 who died to take
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 their place
00:26:29 --> 00:26:31 and rose again
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 those who put
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 their hand up
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 and say
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 I'm not good
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 enough
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 I need you
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 and you're in charge
00:26:35 --> 00:26:37 those who recognize
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 that they need
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 his input
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 and his guidance
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 those who recognize
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 that his agenda
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 is the one
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 who matters
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 his authority
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 is not negotiable
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 his authority
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 is absolute
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 the vineyard
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 in this parable
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 belongs to the owner
00:26:50 --> 00:26:53 the son of the owner
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 carries the authority
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 of the owner
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 God is the owner
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 of everything
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 God is the creator
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 of everything
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 Jesus is the son
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 of God
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 and he carries
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 the authority
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 of the creator
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 father
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 who made
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 every single one
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 of us
00:27:06 --> 00:27:08 it doesn't matter
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 whether you acknowledge
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 it or not
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 ultimately
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 one day
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 every knee
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 shall bow
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 and every tongue
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 confess that
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 Jesus is
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 Lord
00:27:18 --> 00:27:23 I remember
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 in year 8
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 at school
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 we had the
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 strange tradition
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 of going on
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 a maths excursion
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 to Wonderland
00:27:30 --> 00:27:32 I'm not sure why
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 usually you had
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 a worksheet
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 that lasted
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 about 10 minutes
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 of the day
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 and the teachers
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 gave up
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 and let you run
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 riot
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 but I remember
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 my year 8
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 excursion
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 quite distinctly
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 because I never
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 made it to Wonderland
00:27:42 --> 00:27:44 we were all waiting
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 fairly excited
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 to get on the buses
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 at school
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 there was a bit
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 of a crush
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 with our whole year group
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 trying to get on the bus
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 first
00:27:50 --> 00:27:52 giddy with excitement
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 and as we were
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 trying to get
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 onto the bus
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 one of the teachers
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 was standing
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 at the bus door
00:27:57 --> 00:27:59 making sure
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 we wouldn't get
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 on the bus
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 and I was at the front
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 of a group of my friends
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 and we were all pushing
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 and then kind of
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 being pushed back
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 and it was kind of
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 a little bit strange
00:28:06 --> 00:28:08 but we all got
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 pushed forward
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 and at that point
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 as several of us
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 got pushed forward
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 this teacher thought
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 it would be appropriate
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 to push me
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 to make sure
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 we all went back
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17 I then thought
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 it would be appropriate
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 to push him
00:28:18 --> 00:28:20 seeing as he had
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 pushed me
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 he then thought
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 it would be appropriate
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 to send me to the principal
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 and not let me go
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 on this excursion
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 I then dropped my bundle
00:28:28 --> 00:28:30 and said a list of expletives
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 that won't be repeated
00:28:31 --> 00:28:33 and the situation descended
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 but I remember
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 getting down
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 to the principal's office
00:28:36 --> 00:28:38 feeling very angry
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 and very defiant
00:28:39 --> 00:28:41 I remember walking
00:28:41 --> 00:28:41 into his office
00:28:41 --> 00:28:43 and not sitting in the chair
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 that he offered me
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 but standing
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 and eyeballing him
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 and demanding
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 an apology
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49 for the fact
00:28:49 --> 00:28:51 that I had been
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 robbed of the opportunity
00:28:52 --> 00:28:54 to spend the day
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 at Wonderland
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 with my year 8 friends
00:28:55 --> 00:28:58 and I demanded
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 and I demanded
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 and he
00:29:00 --> 00:29:02 just kind of stood
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 letting me
00:29:02 --> 00:29:04 yell and complain
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 and do whatever
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 and eventually
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 at the
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 sort of point
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 where
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 we weren't making
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 any progress
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 my parents were called in
00:29:11 --> 00:29:13 and as we were sitting
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 in the room
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 with me
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 and my parents
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 and this principal
00:29:15 --> 00:29:18 I realised
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 that it didn't matter
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 how much I didn't want
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 to submit to him
00:29:20 --> 00:29:22 ultimately
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 I had the choice
00:29:23 --> 00:29:23 to submit
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 to stay a part
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 of his school
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 or to not submit
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 and leave
00:29:27 --> 00:29:30 it didn't work
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 that I could not
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 submit and stay
00:29:31 --> 00:29:31 because
00:29:31 --> 00:29:33 he had absolute
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 authority
00:29:33 --> 00:29:35 in that particular
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 sphere
00:29:36 --> 00:29:38 and see
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 what we need
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 to understand
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 is that
00:29:39 --> 00:29:41 if we consider
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 ourselves part
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 of the kingdom
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 of God
00:29:42 --> 00:29:44 if we want
00:29:44 --> 00:29:44 to be part
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 of his agenda
00:29:45 --> 00:29:47 part of his will
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 part of his plan
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 to bring all things
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 under the headship
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 of Christ
00:29:50 --> 00:29:53 it's not okay
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 for us
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 to just keep
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 not submitting
00:29:55 --> 00:29:58 it's not okay
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 for us to pretend
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 like his authority
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 doesn't matter
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 it's not okay
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 for us to act
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 like we're in charge
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 and we're the one
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 who makes the decisions
00:30:05 --> 00:30:07 it's not okay
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 for us to think
00:30:08 --> 00:30:08 we can find
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 some other way
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 of being a part
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 of the kingdom
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 some other way
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 of making God happy
00:30:12 --> 00:30:14 according to this parable
00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 the thing
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 that matters
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 is the way
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 you treat the son
00:30:17 --> 00:30:20 the thing
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 that is the difference
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 is the way
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 you acknowledge
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 the son
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 as king
00:30:24 --> 00:30:26 the point
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 is this
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 the son
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 matters
00:30:28 --> 00:30:30 the king
00:30:30 --> 00:30:30 matters
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 it's his authority
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 that matters
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 it's his agenda
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 that matters
00:30:34 --> 00:30:36 and the son
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 and the son's agenda
00:30:36 --> 00:30:38 is the father's agenda
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 and hopefully
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 after six weeks
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 of looking at the kingdom
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 of God
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 here as a congregation
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 you will have learnt
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 that God's agenda
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 is God's kingdom
00:30:46 --> 00:30:48 what he is about
00:30:48 --> 00:30:50 is exalting
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 Jesus as king
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 so that every knee
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 will bow
00:30:53 --> 00:30:55 and every tongue
00:30:55 --> 00:30:55 confess
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 that Jesus
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 is Lord
00:30:57 --> 00:30:59 that is God's agenda
00:30:59 --> 00:31:01 that is the agenda
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 that matters
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 that is what
00:31:03 --> 00:31:05 Jesus demands
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 of us
00:31:05 --> 00:31:08 and anything
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 less
00:31:09 --> 00:31:12 will bring
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 judgment
00:31:12 --> 00:31:17 the chief priests
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 have lost focus
00:31:18 --> 00:31:20 the chief priests
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 have got distracted
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 from the purpose
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 that God
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 has given Israel
00:31:23 --> 00:31:25 and they have
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 rejected the son
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 and they have
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 killed the son
00:31:28 --> 00:31:30 but the question
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 we've got to ask
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 ourselves is
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 have we lost focus
00:31:33 --> 00:31:35 I don't know
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 what point it was
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 when you came
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 to know the forgiveness
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 that God offered you
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 in Jesus
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 I don't know
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 if you don't even
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 know that feeling yet
00:31:42 --> 00:31:44 but if you do
00:31:44 --> 00:31:47 when God gave you
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 new life
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 and called you
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 to be a part
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 of his kingdom
00:31:50 --> 00:31:52 called you to follow
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 his king
00:31:53 --> 00:31:56 have you lost focus
00:31:56 --> 00:31:58 have you compromised
00:31:58 --> 00:32:01 the chief priests
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 even after hearing
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 this story
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 where Jesus says
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 you are too proud
00:32:05 --> 00:32:08 to call on me
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 to save you
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 their reaction
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 is not
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 please help us
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 their reaction
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 is how can we
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 kill him
00:32:14 --> 00:32:17 do you come
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 to church
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 and hear the bible
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 say you need
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 to love your
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 neighbour
00:32:21 --> 00:32:23 do you come
00:32:23 --> 00:32:23 to church
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 and say the truth
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 matters to God
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 don't lie
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 do you come
00:32:27 --> 00:32:27 to church
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 and hear the bible
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 make demands
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 on the way
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 that we live
00:32:30 --> 00:32:32 and instead
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 of falling
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 on your knees
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 and asking God
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 to do that work
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 in you by his
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 holy spirit
00:32:37 --> 00:32:39 you just kind
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 of dismiss it
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 you just kind
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 of ignore it
00:32:42 --> 00:32:44 you just kind
00:32:44 --> 00:32:44 of write it off
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 as out of context
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 or out of date
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 or unimportant
00:32:47 --> 00:32:49 or maybe even worse
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 you don't even
00:32:50 --> 00:32:50 look at yourself
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 to see if there's
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 any possibility
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 that something
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 might need
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 to change
00:32:54 --> 00:32:59 have we lost
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 focus
00:32:59 --> 00:33:02 submitting
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 to the authority
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 of Christ
00:33:04 --> 00:33:06 is about
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 humble
00:33:06 --> 00:33:08 dependent
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 submission
00:33:09 --> 00:33:12 it is about
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 an eager desire
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 that we would
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 be transformed
00:33:15 --> 00:33:17 more and more
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 to be like Jesus
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 because that's
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 what the kingdom
00:33:19 --> 00:33:19 is
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 it's us
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 becoming more
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 and more
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 Christ-like
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 so that his
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 name is
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 exalted
00:33:24 --> 00:33:28 have we lost
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 God's desire
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 that every knee
00:33:30 --> 00:33:32 would bow
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 and every tongue
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 confess
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 are we more
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 about just enjoying
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 the relationships
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 we've got here
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 are we more
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 about just enjoying
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 the cozy community
00:33:40 --> 00:33:42 that is 5pm
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 that is the
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 after party
00:33:43 --> 00:33:45 or are we
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 burdened
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 every week
00:33:47 --> 00:33:47 we sit in
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 here and
00:33:48 --> 00:33:48 there is
00:33:48 --> 00:33:48 space on
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 the seat
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 next to
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 us
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 for somebody
00:33:50 --> 00:33:50 who right
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 now sits
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 under the
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 judgment
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 of God
00:33:52 --> 00:33:55 because that
00:33:55 --> 00:33:57 is God's
00:33:57 --> 00:33:57 agenda
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 that is
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 what Jesus
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 in his
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 authority
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 as king
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 of the
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 kingdom
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 demands
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 of his
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 people
00:34:03 --> 00:34:07 Jesus'
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 authority
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 is marvelous
00:34:09 --> 00:34:09 in our
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 eyes
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 verse 10
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 the stone
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 the builders
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 rejected
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 has become
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 the capstone
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 the Lord
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 has done
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 this
00:34:15 --> 00:34:15 and it
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 is marvelous
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 in our
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 eyes
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 because God
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 raised Jesus
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 from the
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 dead
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 and gave
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 him the
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 name
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 above
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 every name
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 so that
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 we might
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 submit
00:34:22 --> 00:34:25 so that
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 we might
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 rejoice
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 so that
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 we might
00:34:27 --> 00:34:27 have certain
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 hope
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 that even
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 though we
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 don't deserve
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 it
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 even though
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 we're not
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 good enough
00:34:31 --> 00:34:33 the king
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 welcomes us
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 with open
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 arms
00:34:34 --> 00:34:38 I want to
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 pray for us
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 but just
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 before I do
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 I want you
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 to take a
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 minute right
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 now to ask
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 yourself the
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 question
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 however long
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 you've been
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 following Jesus
00:34:45 --> 00:34:48 remembering the
00:34:48 --> 00:34:48 call that he
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 made on your
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 life when he
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 forgave you
00:34:50 --> 00:34:51 and gave you
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 life and
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 called you to
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 follow him
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 until he
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 returns
00:34:54 --> 00:34:59 have you
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 lost focus
00:35:00 --> 00:35:03 have you
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 stopped
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 listening to
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 the bible
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 like it's
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 got something
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 to say
00:35:05 --> 00:35:06 to you
00:35:06 --> 00:35:08 have you
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 stopped
00:35:09 --> 00:35:09 looking at
00:35:09 --> 00:35:09 the world
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 around you
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 like God
00:35:11 --> 00:35:11 has something
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 he wants
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 you to do
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 in it
00:35:12 --> 00:35:17 have you
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 stopped
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 treating
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 Jesus like
00:35:19 --> 00:35:19 he has
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 absolute
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 authority
00:35:20 --> 00:35:41 let's pray
00:35:41 --> 00:35:48 father
00:35:48 --> 00:35:48 god
00:35:48 --> 00:35:49 we want
00:35:49 --> 00:35:49 to
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 acknowledge
00:35:50 --> 00:35:50 that we
00:35:50 --> 00:35:51 fall so
00:35:51 --> 00:35:52 far short
00:35:52 --> 00:35:52 of the
00:35:52 --> 00:35:52 life that
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 you call
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 us to
00:35:53 --> 00:35:55 we want
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 to thank
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 and praise
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 you that
00:35:57 --> 00:35:57 even after
00:35:57 --> 00:35:58 we had
00:35:58 --> 00:35:58 kicked out
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 messenger
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 after messenger
00:36:00 --> 00:36:00 even after
00:36:00 --> 00:36:01 we have
00:36:01 --> 00:36:01 ignored you
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 time after
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 time
00:36:02 --> 00:36:03 you were
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 willing to
00:36:03 --> 00:36:04 send your
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 son to
00:36:05 --> 00:36:05 pay the
00:36:05 --> 00:36:05 debt that
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 we owed
00:36:06 --> 00:36:08 father we
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 want to
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 thank you
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 that you
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 have raised
00:36:10 --> 00:36:10 Jesus up
00:36:10 --> 00:36:11 and that
00:36:11 --> 00:36:11 we have
00:36:11 --> 00:36:11 a hope
00:36:11 --> 00:36:12 that is
00:36:12 --> 00:36:12 certain
00:36:12 --> 00:36:13 and unshakable
00:36:13 --> 00:36:16 lord we
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 ask that
00:36:17 --> 00:36:17 you would
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 not allow
00:36:18 --> 00:36:18 us to
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 use that
00:36:19 --> 00:36:19 hope as
00:36:19 --> 00:36:20 a license
00:36:20 --> 00:36:20 to stop
00:36:20 --> 00:36:21 listening to
00:36:21 --> 00:36:21 you
00:36:21 --> 00:36:23 but that
00:36:23 --> 00:36:23 you might
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 fill us
00:36:24 --> 00:36:24 with a
00:36:24 --> 00:36:25 deep desire
00:36:25 --> 00:36:25 that you
00:36:25 --> 00:36:25 would be
00:36:25 --> 00:36:26 lord of
00:36:26 --> 00:36:27 absolutely
00:36:27 --> 00:36:27 every part
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 of our
00:36:28 --> 00:36:28 life
00:36:28 --> 00:36:30 god please
00:36:30 --> 00:36:31 give us
00:36:31 --> 00:36:31 eyes to
00:36:31 --> 00:36:32 see where
00:36:32 --> 00:36:32 we fall
00:36:32 --> 00:36:33 short
00:36:33 --> 00:36:34 give us
00:36:34 --> 00:36:35 hearts that
00:36:35 --> 00:36:35 want more
00:36:35 --> 00:36:36 than anything
00:36:36 --> 00:36:37 not comfort
00:36:37 --> 00:36:38 but christ
00:36:38 --> 00:36:38 likeness
00:36:38 --> 00:36:40 give us
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 hearts that
00:36:41 --> 00:36:41 desire what
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 you desire
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 that jesus
00:36:43 --> 00:36:43 would be
00:36:43 --> 00:36:43 exalted
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 that his
00:36:44 --> 00:36:44 name would
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 be known
00:36:45 --> 00:36:45 in us
00:36:45 --> 00:36:46 and through
00:36:46 --> 00:36:46 us
00:36:46 --> 00:36:48 that others
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 might come
00:36:49 --> 00:36:49 to know the
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 joy that is
00:36:50 --> 00:36:50 only found
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 in him
00:36:51 --> 00:36:54 god if there
00:36:54 --> 00:36:55 is people
00:36:55 --> 00:36:55 sitting here
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 tonight who
00:36:56 --> 00:36:56 don't yet
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 know the
00:36:57 --> 00:36:57 forgiveness
00:36:57 --> 00:36:58 that you
00:36:58 --> 00:36:58 offer
00:36:58 --> 00:37:00 who are
00:37:00 --> 00:37:01 still hoping
00:37:01 --> 00:37:01 out of their
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 own wisdom
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 or their
00:37:03 --> 00:37:03 own power
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 or their
00:37:04 --> 00:37:04 own effort
00:37:04 --> 00:37:04 that they
00:37:04 --> 00:37:05 might please
00:37:05 --> 00:37:05 you
00:37:05 --> 00:37:07 may they
00:37:07 --> 00:37:07 hear your
00:37:07 --> 00:37:08 word tonight
00:37:08 --> 00:37:08 that what
00:37:08 --> 00:37:09 matters is
00:37:09 --> 00:37:10 the son
00:37:10 --> 00:37:12 what matters
00:37:12 --> 00:37:13 is jesus
00:37:13 --> 00:37:15 lord for
00:37:15 --> 00:37:15 those of us
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 who have been
00:37:16 --> 00:37:16 following you
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 and known you
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 for most of
00:37:17 --> 00:37:18 our lives
00:37:18 --> 00:37:20 don't let us
00:37:20 --> 00:37:20 ever forget
00:37:20 --> 00:37:22 don't let us
00:37:22 --> 00:37:22 ever become
00:37:22 --> 00:37:24 familiar with
00:37:24 --> 00:37:24 that gospel
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 message
00:37:25 --> 00:37:28 daily may
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 we wake
00:37:28 --> 00:37:30 deeply
00:37:30 --> 00:37:31 desiring
00:37:31 --> 00:37:31 that we
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 would submit
00:37:32 --> 00:37:33 every minute
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 of every day
00:37:34 --> 00:37:34 to the lordship
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 of christ
00:37:35 --> 00:37:39 father thank
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 you for your
00:37:39 --> 00:37:40 incredible grace
00:37:40 --> 00:37:41 to unworthy
00:37:41 --> 00:37:41 sinners like
00:37:41 --> 00:37:42 us
00:37:42 --> 00:37:45 please transform
00:37:45 --> 00:37:46 us that others
00:37:46 --> 00:37:46 might come to
00:37:46 --> 00:37:47 know that grace
00:37:47 --> 00:37:47 as well
00:37:47 --> 00:37:49 amen