Who is in charge of your house? James Barnett

Speaker: Steve Jeffrey

Date: 18th January 2014

00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 I'd like to say that it's me that's in charge of my house.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 My wife would probably say that she's in charge.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:07 She might be, who knows.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:12 But I think actually my son, Isaac, I think he's in charge.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 If any of you have children, you'd probably agree.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:22 Sure, he's only a two-year-old, but when he wakes up, he gets mum and dad out of bed.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:27 When he's hungry, his parents get him food.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 When he's tired, he gets put to bed.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 We know who's boss in his family.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 Our lives are structured around his sleep patterns.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:43 And when we go outside of those, beware, he can be a bit scary.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:48 He's pretty flexible, but if he hasn't had his sleep, he can be scary.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 So who's in charge?
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 If you're a Christian, you may well have answered God.
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 And I'm really hoping that a couple of you did.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:04 But this should be the answer, because if you're a Christian, you would believe that God is the king.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:05 He's the God almighty.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:11 But what does it actually mean when we use a term like king?
00:01:12 --> 00:01:16 What does it actually mean that God is in charge?
00:01:17 --> 00:01:22 Is God like my son, who sets a very specific routine for us every day?
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 And if we go outside of that, we're in trouble?
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 Does he even care what we do?
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 Today we're looking at the book of Daniel.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 We're just going to take a brief look at Daniel chapter 5.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:42 And we're going to see the king of Babylon, Belshazzar, who thinks he's in charge of his kingdom and his house.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:46 So please open your Bibles with me.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 If you've got them open, please keep them open at Daniel chapter 5.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 And let me just read from the first couple of verses.
00:01:53 --> 00:02:01 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:07 While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets
00:02:07 --> 00:02:11 that Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem,
00:02:12 --> 00:02:16 so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.
00:02:16 --> 00:02:21 So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem.
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 And the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:34 As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 It seems like a drunken party gotten out of hand.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:43 You know, there's Belshazzar and he's been drinking a lot of wine.
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 And he has this great idea.
00:02:45 --> 00:02:52 Ah, remember those goblets that my dad, Nebuchadnezzar, got from the kingdom in Jerusalem?
00:02:52 --> 00:02:56 Why don't we go get them and we'll drink wine out of them?
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 Yes, it sounds like a great idea.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:10 Now this act alone by Belshazzar, it's a declaration that he thinks he's more powerful than the God of Israel.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:15 Now you might be wondering, what's so important about these goblets?
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 They're just gold and silver.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:20 Is God materialistic?
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 What's the deal with these?
00:03:24 --> 00:03:32 Well, does anybody here have any old china glasses or, you know, sorry, a china teacup or a crystal bowl?
00:03:32 --> 00:03:33 Anything like that?
00:03:34 --> 00:03:34 Anyone?
00:03:35 --> 00:03:36 Has it been passed down for generations?
00:03:36 --> 00:03:40 Maybe you've got something that survived both World War I and World War II.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:50 Now imagine you came home one day and you found your child or your grandchild playing in the backyard.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:52 And at first glance you think, oh, that's cute.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:53 They're just playing in the backyard.
00:03:54 --> 00:04:00 And then you notice they've got your one crystal glass that has survived four generations,
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 being passed down through the women.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:06 And your child is out there making a mud castle out of it.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 And they're using it to see if they can break rocks.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:11 What would your response be?
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 That's the kind of idea here.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:20 It's using something precious for a very wrong purpose.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:28 These goblets that Belshazzar used to drink wine out of, they would have been used in God's temple.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 Maybe they had blood, maybe they had oil.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:33 It's not specified.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:39 But everything that was used in the temple was used to worship God.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:40 They were holy.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:49 They may have had the blood of an animal sprinkled on them to set them apart, to make them holy for worship of God alone.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:57 So when Belshazzar takes these goblets and drinks out of them, praising foreign gods,
00:04:59 --> 00:05:06 he's spitting in the face of God, declaring how great he is and that the God of Israel is nothing.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:10 He believed that the God of Israel had no power.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:13 And it's a direct challenge to God.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:19 He picks up the gauntlet and he throws it down in a direct challenge to God.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:25 So we're left to think, is God in charge of the whole world?
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 Is God in charge of just Israel?
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 Does he have any power in Babylon?
00:05:31 --> 00:05:36 Is he going to do anything about this little upstart and his sacrilegious deed?
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 Will God do anything?
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 Can he even do anything?
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 And then we see the writing on the wall.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:44 Have a look at verse 5.
00:05:45 --> 00:05:53 Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall near the lampstand in the royal palace.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 The king watched the hand as it wrote.
00:05:56 --> 00:06:02 His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 God responds immediately to this challenge.
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 He picks up the gauntlet that was thrown down.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 The challenge has been accepted.
00:06:12 --> 00:06:21 Now, before we have a look at how God responds, it's just important to stop and note that God does respond.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:24 He does respond to this act.
00:06:24 --> 00:06:30 He's not going to let his name be dragged through the mud by some drunken upstart.
00:06:31 --> 00:06:39 He does value these gold and silver goblets, not because of what they're made out of, but because they were holy.
00:06:39 --> 00:06:44 They were set apart for worshipping God alone.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 Any other use is sacrilegious.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 It deserves death.
00:06:49 --> 00:06:56 How much more, then, do you think that God cares about you?
00:06:57 --> 00:07:01 You who God has made holy through his son's blood.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:12 If you're a Christian, then Hebrews 10 says that we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus once for all.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:20 Jesus' own blood has been poured out to make you holy, to set you apart for God.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:27 How much more does God care for you than these goblets of gold and silver?
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 So what does it mean for you that God loves you?
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 What does it mean that he cares about you?
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 What does it mean that God wants to protect you?
00:07:38 --> 00:07:44 Surely, if the God of heaven loves you enough to set you apart through his son's blood,
00:07:44 --> 00:07:51 then he will continue to love you, regardless of the mistakes you make, regardless of the trouble you get into.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 And if we believe this, then it should impact on our life.
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 It should impact on something like our self-esteem.
00:07:59 --> 00:08:03 If I have the love and eternal protection of the God of heaven,
00:08:05 --> 00:08:10 isn't this more important than some petty things that we get caught up about?
00:08:10 --> 00:08:15 About how popular we are at work or college or school?
00:08:16 --> 00:08:24 About the things in our life, whether we get caught up because our boss doesn't do everything we say?
00:08:25 --> 00:08:31 Maybe if you're the boss, maybe you get caught up because the people at work don't listen to every word you say.
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 Surely, if we have the love of God,
00:08:35 --> 00:08:40 then we shouldn't get caught up worrying about where our self-esteem comes from.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 It should come from God because he loves us.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 Even though we have nothing desirable of ourselves,
00:08:49 --> 00:08:54 we're not lovely people, just like the dog, the sheep and the chicken before.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 They were not lovely of themselves,
00:08:57 --> 00:09:01 but God chose them and God chose us to make us holy.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 That is why God responds to Belshazzar's challenge.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 That's why he picks up this gauntlet,
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 because he protects those things that are holy to him,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 that are set apart for him.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 So God accepts this challenge.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 Have a look again at verse 5.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared
00:09:20 --> 00:09:25 and wrote on the plaster of the wall near the lampstand in the royal palace.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 The king watched the hand as it wrote.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 His face turned pale and he was so frightened
00:09:30 --> 00:09:34 that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:40 Belshazzar, who only moments ago had been gloating to everybody,
00:09:40 --> 00:09:44 declaring how great he is in front of his big drunken party,
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 he is humiliated by the God of Israel.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:52 When it says that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way,
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 it literally means that he lost control of his bladder.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:59 He literally wets himself in fear of God.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 This toilet humour, we don't see a lot of it.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 Some people don't like it.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:09 But this toilet humour really shows up that Belshazzar is nothing.
00:10:10 --> 00:10:14 He wets himself at the sight of just the hand of God.
00:10:14 --> 00:10:20 While God is powerful and mighty,
00:10:20 --> 00:10:24 he's in control of not just Israel, but the whole world.
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 So have a look at...
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 Belshazzar's got no idea what's going to happen now,
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 so he calls in his experts.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:33 Have a look at verse 8.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:50 It's just like in the previous chapters of Daniel, if you've read them.
00:10:50 --> 00:10:54 You'll remember that King Nebuchadnezzar would ask for his experts to come in
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 and they would have no idea what his dreams meant.
00:10:57 --> 00:11:01 Again, these people have no idea what God is communicating.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:05 He's stumped, he's confused, he's terrified,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 but thankfully Belshazzar has a wife.
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 Like any good wife, she helps him out.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:18 And so we see the queen come into focus
00:11:18 --> 00:11:21 and she gives Belshazzar some advice.
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 Have a look at verse 12.
00:11:25 --> 00:11:29 This man Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar,
00:11:29 --> 00:11:32 was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 and also the ability to interpret dreams,
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 explain riddles and solve difficult problems.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:42 Call for Daniel and he will tell you what the writing means.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 So Daniel is brought in
00:11:43 --> 00:11:46 and Daniel explains to Belshazzar
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 that while his father Nebuchadnezzar was in charge,
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 it was really God that was in charge.
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 Have a look at verse 18.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:58 O king, the most high God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar
00:11:58 --> 00:12:02 sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 Then down to verse 20.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride,
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 he was deposed from his royal throne
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 and stripped of his glory.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 God has always been in control of these kingdoms,
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 even though it appears that these kings are.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:24 And when they get arrogant, God brings them low.
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 Daniel continues in verse 22.
00:12:27 --> 00:12:30 But you, his son, O Belshazzar,
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:38 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 You had the goblets from his temple brought to you
00:12:40 --> 00:12:43 and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines,
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 drank wine from them.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 You praise the gods of silver and gold,
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 of bronze, iron and wooden stone,
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 which cannot see or hear or understand.
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 But you did not honour the God
00:12:54 --> 00:12:58 who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02 Therefore, he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 Then Daniel explains what the words mean.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 That his life has had his days numbered.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 His reign has been brought to an end.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 He's been weighed on the scales, found wanting,
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 and that his kingdom is going to be taken away.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:24 Belshazzar set himself up in opposition to God.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:29 He paraded around, showing what he thought was all his power and glory,
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 thinking that God was powerless.
00:13:33 --> 00:13:37 But God has judged him and he has judged his kingdom,
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 bringing to an end the kingdom of Babylon.
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43 And it happens immediately.
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 Have a look at verse 30.
00:13:44 --> 00:13:50 That very night, Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 Belshazzar thought he was in charge of the kingdom.
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 He acted like he had total control.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 But it's only God who is in charge.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 He is the one responsible, not only for the kingdom of Israel,
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 but the whole world.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:14 This is the heart of our sin.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:18 Humans setting themselves up against God.
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 Thinking that God either doesn't care
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 or that he can't do anything about it.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 Humans fool themselves into thinking
00:14:26 --> 00:14:30 that they are their own little kings in control of their world.
00:14:30 --> 00:14:36 And this is the reason that God had to send Jesus.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:40 To reveal that while we think we are in control,
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 while we think we're in control of our homes, our jobs, our future,
00:14:45 --> 00:14:48 it is only God who is in charge.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:53 And when it appeared that God was least in control,
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 while his son was hanging on a tree,
00:14:56 --> 00:15:00 which ironically had the title above it,
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 King of the Jews,
00:15:02 --> 00:15:05 this is when God triumphed.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 Philippians 2 says,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:12 Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus,
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 who being in very nature God,
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 but made himself nothing,
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 taking the very nature of a servant,
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 being made in human likeness,
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 and being found in appearance as a man,
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 he humbled himself
00:15:28 --> 00:15:31 and became obedient to death,
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 even death on a cross.
00:15:34 --> 00:15:37 Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place
00:15:37 --> 00:15:41 and gave him the name that is above every name,
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 that at the name of Jesus,
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 every knee should bow
00:15:45 --> 00:15:48 in heaven and on earth and under the earth
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 and every tongue confess
00:15:49 --> 00:15:52 that Jesus Christ is Lord
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 to the glory of God the Father.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 Jesus did not grasp for control
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 of his own little world.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04 He obeyed God's desire for him
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 for our benefit.
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 And he has been exalted to the rule
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 over all creation.
00:16:13 --> 00:16:16 Life is only found under the rule of this king,
00:16:17 --> 00:16:19 which is what Belshazzar found out,
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 but it was too late.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:25 My story is somewhat like Belshazzar's.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 I'm not royalty, don't worry.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:31 I haven't committed any sacrilegious deeds
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 like Belshazzar,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 but I still thought of myself
00:16:34 --> 00:16:37 as king over my own little world.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 I even had an invisible friend
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 when I was young called King.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 I wanted to be king so much.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 I actually ended up marrying a king.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 That's Alyssa's maiden name,
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 just for some trivia.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 I didn't want to have to face
00:16:50 --> 00:16:53 the consequences of my own sin.
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 I remember when I was about eight.
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 Don't tell my mum this.
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 I remember when I was about eight,
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 my mum had this precious wooden cabinet.
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 It was very beautiful,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 highly polished.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 It was precious to her.
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 She didn't have a lot when she was growing up,
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 but she hung on to that.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 And my older brother's name is Luke.
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 And for some reason,
00:17:15 --> 00:17:18 I scratched the word Luke into that.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 And my brother is convinced to this day
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 that he did it
00:17:23 --> 00:17:26 because it's got the word Luke there.
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 Why would I write Luke?
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 Because I knew that I would get away with it.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 I knew I could just say,
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 I know mum, I didn't do that.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 It says Luke.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 And so I've actually gotten away with it
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 for about 20 years.
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 I really should call her later and confess.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 I didn't want to have to face
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 the consequences of my own sin.
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 Also like Belshazzar,
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 he had a father, Nebuchadnezzar,
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 who he should have learnt of.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 He was a model
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 who he should have learnt the ways of God.
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 And my dad, he's an Anglican minister.
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 I grew up in the church.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 I've heard him preach about Jesus.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 I've seen him model Christ.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 And yet it didn't sink in.
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 Until I was in youth group.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 Praise Jesus for youth group.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:15 I, you know, preacher's kid, I'm sorry.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 I was one of those who just knew all the answers.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 If you're a Sunday school teacher,
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 you would understand and I'm sorry about that.
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 And this question was asked,
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 who's in charge?
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 Who's in charge?
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 Am I in charge of my own little life
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 with a crown on my head
00:18:32 --> 00:18:36 convinced that I'm ruling my life?
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 Or is God's king,
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 Jesus,
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 who has been given all power,
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 reigning at God's right hand?
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 Is he in charge?
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 It was this gospel presentation
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 in two ways to live.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 Have any of you heard of the
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 two ways to live presentation?
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 It's a great presentation.
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 I was faced with a choice.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 Am I in charge of my own little life
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 facing death?
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 Or am I going to place myself
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 under God's king,
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 Jesus,
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 and to have life
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 forever?
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 It seemed like an amazing decision
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 15 years ago
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 and it still does today.
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 But that's only where
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 the Christian walk starts.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 The problem for me is
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 I keep convincing myself
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 that I should listen to me.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 And I really shouldn't.
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 I should listen to God.
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 You know,
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 when I'm driving,
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 I convince myself
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 that speed limits
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 are for other people.
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 I drive into a shopping centre
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 and I say,
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 yes,
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 I can park in the pram parking.
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 I've got a pram at home.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 That's fine.
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 And I'll park in there.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 You know,
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 I can go and spend money
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 on things
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 and not tell Alyssa
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 and just lie to her
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 and think I can get away with it.
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 Think that I am in control
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 of my life.
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 Sure,
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 I follow Jesus
00:19:53 --> 00:19:56 but I still want to hang on
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 to some control
00:19:57 --> 00:19:59 of some of those things.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 Did you decide years ago
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 like I did
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 that Jesus is your king?
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 Have things
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 gradually slipped since then?
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 Or maybe
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14 there are still some things
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 that you need to place
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 under his feet.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 Maybe you've decided
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 that Jesus can be king
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 of your finances
00:20:20 --> 00:20:22 and you'll give generously
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 to the church.
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 Maybe you'll even work
00:20:24 --> 00:20:26 for a Christian organisation.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 You know,
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 God can have your finances
00:20:29 --> 00:20:32 as long as you can have control
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 over another small part
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 of your life.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 You know,
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 God can be king over my life
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 as long as I can be known
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 as the best boss.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:42 You know,
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 God can be king
00:20:43 --> 00:20:45 as long as I can be known
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 as the best baker
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 in my street.
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 What is it
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 in your life
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 that you are wanting
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 to hang on to control over?
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 So who is in charge?
00:20:58 --> 00:21:01 Can you really say
00:21:01 --> 00:21:03 that God is king
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 of your whole life?
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 Or are you holding
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 something back?
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 We need to continue
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 to place ourselves
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 and our whole lives
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 at the foot of the cross,
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 admitting that Jesus
00:21:15 --> 00:21:17 is Lord and king
00:21:17 --> 00:21:19 who should be in charge.
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 It's not just a
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 once-off thing,
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 a conversion.
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 It's a lifelong task
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 of submitting ourselves
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 to his authority
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 and humbling ourselves
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 before you.
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 Why don't we pray?
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 Dear Heavenly Father,
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 thank you that you are
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 a God who is in control.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 Thank you that you love us,
00:21:39 --> 00:21:41 that you have made us holy,
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 that we can worship
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 and praise you.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:46 Help us to continually
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 place ourselves
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 at the foot of the cross,
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 humbling us
00:21:50 --> 00:21:52 before your Son,
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 our King, Lord.
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 In his name we pray.
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 Amen.