1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:04,800 Welcome to the Islands Christian Church podcast. 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,480 Subscribe to hear a new episode every week. 3 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:11,680 Thanks for joining us. I'm going to pray for us, and 4 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,280 then we're going to jump into this talk today as we wrap up 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:25,560 our series Make Room. Can you pray with me, Lord? 6 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:27,800 I just settle my heart here for a moment. 7 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,240 I thank you for everyone in this room and everyone attending 8 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:34,920 online. Everyone listening to this 9 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:48,320 podcast later, I'm humbled and I ask that you would just be the 10 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:53,000 teacher today. That whatever you're doing at 11 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,680 the hearts of each person who hears these words would be your 12 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,720 business. You love each of them so much. 13 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:09,360 I make myself available to you for whatever purposes you deem 14 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:15,080 good and right. May you draw all of our hearts 15 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,640 into deeper trust in you and a more reliance on you. 16 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,760 We're so confident of your goodness, but the world is so 17 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:32,000 dark. We pray for peace in our world. 18 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:35,200 We pray for things to be put right. 19 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:39,160 We pray for those who are grieving. 20 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:46,960 Pray for those who are broken. Please, Lord Jesus, come 21 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:50,320 quickly. In Christ's name we pray, Amen. 22 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,600 So we have been in this series called Make room and this series 23 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,920 has been about sanctification. And that's a Bible word. 24 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:58,400 And if you're new today, you're like, I haven't heard that 25 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:00,000 before. We've been talking about this 26 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:01,880 word every week. And so we've been saying it 27 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,640 together. I'll say 123 and you will all 28 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:06,200 we'll all say sanctification together. 29 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,639 You ready? 123 sanctification, right? 30 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,720 We're learning this Bible, this biblical word, this, this 31 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:13,480 theological word called sanctification. 32 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:18,440 The sanctification is simply the process, the lifelong process of 33 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,160 the Holy Spirit transforming you into the likeness of Christ. 34 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:23,320 And if you're a believer in Jesus, the Holy Spirit is 35 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,120 transforming you into the likeness of Christ. 36 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:27,760 And that's what we've been talking about and what we've 37 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:29,360 been saying in this series of things like this. 38 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,880 When a person comes to know Jesus Christ and they get saved, 39 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,240 they just do not have their sins simply forgiven, which is great. 40 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,240 You know, God does not hold their sins against them. 41 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,680 We said that in week 1. But in addition, God makes you a 42 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:45,200 new creation when if anyone is in Christ, new creation has 43 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:46,920 come. And so the old is gone. 44 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,640 The new has come. The Spirit is making us new. 45 00:02:50,640 --> 00:02:51,680 This is what we've been learning. 46 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,680 And what we said was that we, our task, our role in the 47 00:02:55,680 --> 00:03:00,320 sanctification process is to set our mind on the things of God, 48 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,080 to set our mind on what God is doing. 49 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:07,840 And sorry, I take my watch off because I think it's making 50 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,800 noise and I don't want to like distract me. 51 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,800 So what we've said is we set our mind on the things that that God 52 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:16,760 has done in our lives, right? God has adopted you. 53 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:18,760 He's, he's called you to himself. 54 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,480 He's made you one of his children. 55 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,320 He's done this work. Your identity is 1 of chosen. 56 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,200 And so the process in sanctification is you setting 57 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:28,320 your mind on that truth. And we said, it's not that we 58 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:30,560 need to try harder, it's that we need to remember better. 59 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:32,920 We need to remember who we are. And then the process of 60 00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:36,080 remembering who we are that renews our mind. 61 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,400 And the Holy Spirit works through that remembering through 62 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,440 our upsetting our mind. And we also said last week that 63 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,480 this transformation that's taking place does not happen in 64 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:46,520 isolation. It does not happen in isolation. 65 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,480 It happens inside of community. We said this last week, we said 66 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,520 the Spirit changes us personally, but he forms us 67 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:54,560 collectively. In other words, there's he's 68 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,120 doing something in my heart personally, but he's also doing 69 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,440 something in US collectively at the same time. 70 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,800 And it's in community that we see change take place. 71 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,960 It's a people, other brothers and sisters, Christian friends 72 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,720 that help shape our lives as Christ followers. 73 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,360 In other words, if it's it's hard to be a Christian serious 74 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:17,160 about your faith and not have any close friends who also share 75 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,000 that faith, it's really difficult to do that. 76 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:24,640 And So what we've been saying is a sanctification is the life on 77 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:28,080 process of God transforming you slowly into the likeness of 78 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,320 Christ. And your role in that is to set 79 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,400 your mind on what's true about you, that you are loved, you are 80 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:36,280 chosen, you are adopted. And as you set your mind on that 81 00:04:36,280 --> 00:04:39,000 truth, the Holy Spirit is renewing you and changing you. 82 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:40,880 And that it this all takes place. 83 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,400 The Holy Spirit's assuming inside the context of community 84 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,160 with brothers and sisters who are supporting you, encouraging 85 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,040 you, holding us accountable, right, That this is where this 86 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,560 takes place. But this leads us to a question. 87 00:04:55,040 --> 00:05:00,400 All right, all this change, all this sanctification, why does it 88 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,320 feel so slow? Anybody want to say Amen to 89 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,080 that? Why does it feel so slow? 90 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,880 At some point, we all begin to ask this question. 91 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,720 Shouldn't I be further along than this? 92 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,240 Right. Should not be further along than 93 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:20,040 this. So what do you do when the life 94 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,080 that you believe Jesus has given you a renewed life, a new 95 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,560 creation, you believe that Jesus has given you that, but the same 96 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:31,520 time your actions and your attitude and your words are not 97 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,560 always lining up with that new life. 98 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,680 The changes that you hoped would happen are not happening as 99 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,800 quick as you thought they would. That's what we're going to talk 100 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,720 about today. The slow change. 101 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,880 The I thought I'd be further along tension that we all feel. 102 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,320 So there's our question for today. 103 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:52,840 Why does change feel so slow? Because if we don't answer that 104 00:05:52,840 --> 00:05:56,680 question honestly and thoroughly, we're going to be 105 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:01,240 tempted to go one of two ways. So if we don't, if we don't get, 106 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,560 we don't look at that question honestly in the face and say, 107 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:07,040 OK, why does this feel so slow? Why is it that I'm changing? 108 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:09,640 Maybe I'm changing, maybe I'm not changing, but it feels so 109 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,160 slow. Why is this? 110 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,600 We have to look at that question honestly because if we don't, 111 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,280 one of two things will happen. Either one, we will get 112 00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:18,160 discouraged. In other words, we'll just 113 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:22,400 think, well, I'm never going to change or we'll start 114 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:24,600 pretending. Have you ever been a Christian 115 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,440 who pretends? They don't have to raise your 116 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,880 hand? We all have been there, right? 117 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,040 We've all been there. And this, this is what happens 118 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:35,560 when we don't, when we don't get honest about this question, why 119 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,880 is this taking so slow? Why is this taking so slow? 120 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,720 We'll either get discouraged or we'll start pretending. 121 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:43,040 So we got to answer this question. 122 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,760 Why is this so slow? So that's our first idea this 123 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:47,840 morning. This is the tension we all feel 124 00:06:47,840 --> 00:06:51,960 #1 the tension we all feel. This is it #1 the tension we all 125 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,600 feel. I thought I'd be further along 126 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,280 by now. I mean, I want to be different. 127 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:00,520 And if you've been following Jesus for any length of time, 128 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:02,960 you've probably felt this. You look at your life and you 129 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,560 think, I really thought this would be different by now. 130 00:07:05,840 --> 00:07:09,360 I thought I'd be more patient. I thought I'd be less reactive. 131 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:14,320 I thought that that habit, that habit would be gone by now. 132 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:21,600 And it's confusing because something clearly has changed. 133 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:25,720 I mean, you love Jesus, you, you, you, you read your Bible, 134 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:31,040 you talk to other people about your faith, you go to church. 135 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:35,760 You, you want to follow Jesus. You love the things of God, you 136 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,520 love the word of God. And yet there are still these 137 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:43,840 parts of your life that don't seem to line up with all those 138 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:47,080 things you desire. Anybody. 139 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,120 Is it just me? Yeah. 140 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:57,000 And that creates tension because on the one hand, the Bible says 141 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,320 you are a new creation. The old has gone, the new has 142 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,840 come. But on the other hand, there are 143 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:07,400 still moments when the old you shows up strong. 144 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,200 Anybody. Yeah. 145 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:12,640 I'm a new person. I'm a new creation. 146 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:14,360 I'm a new man in Christ. I'm a new woman in Christ. 147 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:16,840 But then somebody cuts you off in traffic, then that same 148 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,640 person at work does that thing. And then, you know, the your kid 149 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:25,680 won't stop. That's the tension I'm talking 150 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:27,520 about. And I told you, we all feel it. 151 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,400 We all feel that tension. I thought I would be further 152 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:36,559 along. And what happens is you think, 153 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:40,000 where did that come from? I thought that was in the past. 154 00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:45,560 And here's the danger. You begin to draw a conclusion, 155 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,600 and every Christian does this. You begin to draw the wrong 156 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:54,520 conclusion. When we feel like change is so 157 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,440 slow, when we see the old man or the old woman rear their head so 158 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,160 strong, we draw the wrong conclusion. 159 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,240 We assume something must be wrong with me. 160 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:11,920 Maybe I'm not growing. Maybe I'm not serious enough 161 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:15,480 about this Christian stuff. Maybe some of you have said 162 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,280 this. Maybe Christianity just doesn't 163 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:23,640 work for me. That's a wrong conclusion. 164 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:29,320 The other side of that, though, is we can draw the wrong 165 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,840 conclusion and do this. We can just lower the standard. 166 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,320 We can just say, you know what? This is just who I am. 167 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:41,680 I'm a jerk. I'm a liar, I'm a deceiver, I'm 168 00:09:41,680 --> 00:09:44,160 a luster. This is just I'm never going to 169 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,360 change. This is probably I just need to 170 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,680 lean into who I am and just just this is what it is now. 171 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:51,600 This is this is the problem, right? 172 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,000 Do you understand the problem of this tension is we'd either draw 173 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,680 the wrong conclusion and say something's wrong with me. 174 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,240 I'm never going to change. Something's wrong with me. 175 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:01,600 Christianity doesn't work for me. 176 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,280 I'm I'm just too broke and I'm not serious enough and we just 177 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:06,320 walk around in shame and guilt all the time, right? 178 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,040 That's one wrong conclusion. The other wrong conclusion is 179 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,000 I'm also lean into it bro. I'm never going to change. 180 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,480 This is just who I am. That's also the wrong conclusion 181 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,480 as well. Here's what I want you to see 182 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:22,440 this morning about the tension you feel. 183 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:28,720 The tension that you feel is not a sign that something is wrong. 184 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:32,000 It's not a sign that something is wrong. 185 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:36,520 The tension you feel is actually a sign that something is 186 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:40,840 happening inside of you. The fact that you feel that 187 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:46,280 tension means you care. It means this matters because 188 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,520 when the Spirit of God begins to work in your life and in my 189 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:52,680 life, two things happen at the same time. 190 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:54,800 Two things happen at the same time. 191 00:10:55,960 --> 00:11:00,080 Number one, you begin to see Jesus a lot more clearly. 192 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:02,600 That's enough. That's the first thing that 193 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:04,520 happens in your life. You begin to see Jesus a lot 194 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:06,320 more clearly. And the second thing that 195 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:10,480 happens is you begin to see who you are a lot more clearly. 196 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:14,000 This is what the Spirit of God does in us. 197 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,160 He shows us the beauty and the goodness and the grace and the 198 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:22,560 loveliness of Jesus. And he shows us the gap between 199 00:11:22,560 --> 00:11:28,120 who He is and who we really are. And that, friend, That gap can 200 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:32,640 be quite discouraging. But listen to me, This is 201 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:34,800 actually evidence that God is at work in you. 202 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:37,080 If you feel that tension that I thought I would be further 203 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:39,120 along, I don't understand why this is this way. 204 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,640 That's actually evidence that God is at work in you. 205 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,160 So if you've ever felt that, and I want to be further along, I 206 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,240 should be further along. You are not alone. 207 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:51,400 And more importantly, believe it or not, you're not stuck. 208 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,320 God is working in your life. That's why you feel that 209 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:57,360 tension. That's why you sense it. 210 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:01,200 All right, so we feel the tension. 211 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:03,080 We should be further along by now. 212 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:05,520 What does the Bible say about this tension? 213 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:08,840 All right, and this is idea #2 this morning. 214 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:11,800 All right, Idea number 2 is God uses imperfect people. 215 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:15,680 So if number one is the tension we all feel, I wish I could be 216 00:12:15,680 --> 00:12:19,520 further along than this. Number 2 is God uses imperfect 217 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:22,480 people. Now we're going to see that God 218 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,760 uses imperfect people by looking at first Timothy in just a 219 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:27,160 second. So if you have your Bibles, go 220 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:28,840 there. But before we do that, I'm going 221 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,800 to ask my friend and part time staff member at our church if 222 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:33,720 you would hand me these two Staffs here. 223 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,200 Thank you for being there, John. That's awesome. 224 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:38,480 I totally forgot to bring these up with me. 225 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:44,840 All right, so I brought these here with me today. 226 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:52,920 This here is a a trekking pole if you go on hike. 227 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:54,400 Anybody ever use one of these on a hike? 228 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,160 I've never used one of these, but it's pretty cool. 229 00:12:57,680 --> 00:12:59,640 I got this from a dear friend who used to attend our churches. 230 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:04,560 Passed on. Now this trekking pole was 231 00:13:04,560 --> 00:13:07,840 manufactured, right? It's straight and it's aluminum. 232 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:12,080 It's got a nice little rubber foot on the bottom of it. 233 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:14,000 Oh, it's got a little doggy paw on the bottom. 234 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:15,440 Look at that. So when I didn't know, I've 235 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,440 never knew that before. So when you're walking and you 236 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:20,160 put it in the dirt, it looks like a dog is walking. 237 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:29,320 That's weird. Anyway, this is this is what 238 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,840 most of us would pick as our walking stick. 239 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:35,120 If you're going on a long hike and you needed a walking stick, 240 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:36,560 this is what most of you would pick. 241 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:46,200 This is also a walking stick. It'll do the same thing, right? 242 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:58,360 It's it's, it's uneven, it's crooked, and you know, it's 243 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:07,720 shaped over time. Most of us in this room, when we 244 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:12,960 think about being used by God, we think we need to be this. 245 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,400 We think, well, God, if you're going to use me, I need to have 246 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:22,920 it together. I need to have a nice 247 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:28,320 comfortable handle, nice wood, decorative knob on the top, the 248 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,560 wrist strap. I need to be perfectly straight. 249 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,840 I need to have the foot here with a paw. 250 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:39,520 I need to be just right. And when I get things right like 251 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:43,720 this, God, you can use me because I'll have it together. 252 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:49,560 The reality is, is nobody's this. 253 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,760 Nobody is this. I have to say it twice because 254 00:14:55,760 --> 00:15:05,440 you don't believe me. Nobody is this everybody is this 255 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:10,320 everybody? You ready? 256 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:17,240 It's crooked. I know you're like I'm I don't. 257 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,720 Everybody's crooked. Now, are some of us more crooked 258 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,240 than others? Yes. 259 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:28,440 But once you're crooked, you're crooked. 260 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:30,840 That's all there is to it. You're not that. 261 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:32,640 You're not perfectly straight. You're crooked. 262 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:39,320 You see, there are no straight, perfect people. 263 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:43,920 Every single one of us are a little crooked. 264 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,240 Now listen to what the apostle Paul says. 265 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,640 The Apostle Paul says first Timothy chapter 1 verses 15 and 266 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,320 16. He says there is a trustworthy 267 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,760 saying that deserves full acceptance. 268 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:02,400 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am 269 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:06,720 the worst. But for that very reason I was 270 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,600 shown mercy, so that in me the worst of sinners. 271 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:14,000 Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example 272 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,520 for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life. 273 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:20,400 Think about these words. Christ Jesus came into the world 274 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:24,800 to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. 275 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:27,280 Now think about who's writing that. 276 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,800 This is the apostle Paul, a man who planted churches, wrote much 277 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,520 of the New Testament, and followed Jesus for years. 278 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:37,840 And he says I am the worst of sinners, not I was the worst of 279 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:40,440 you got to catch this. He didn't say I was the worst of 280 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:42,000 sinners. And now I've got it together. 281 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:44,280 He says I am the worst of sinners. 282 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:44,880 Now stop. Stop. 283 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,320 OK, Well, how is that possible, Steven? 284 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:50,400 I mean, like, he's like the Apostle Paul. 285 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,200 He's met Jesus on the road to Damascus. 286 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,840 He had, he wrote most of the New Testament like he's a kind of a 287 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:56,680 big deal. Did he become a Christian and 288 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:00,520 then just get worse? No, he did not become a 289 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:02,080 Christian and then just get worse. 290 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:04,599 Not at all. He actually became a Christian, 291 00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:09,240 met Jesus, and he began to see things more clearly, including 292 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:11,880 himself. You see, the closer you get to a 293 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,920 light, the more clearly you can see what is around that light 294 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:18,200 and what was always around that light. 295 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,240 In other words, when you get to the light, what's there was 296 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,680 always there. You just couldn't see it because 297 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:26,240 you were further away. But as you get near the light, 298 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:31,000 you can see it clearly. You see, as Paul grows in his 299 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:35,920 understanding of God's great, as Paul grows in his understanding 300 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:39,800 of God's holiness and God's goodness, God's perfection. 301 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,120 In other words, as he has more revelation of who God is and 302 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:46,920 sees more clearly of who God is, he also has better clarity of 303 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:51,480 who he is and he sees his deep need for God's grace. 304 00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:55,040 So it's not that Paul became a Christian and became a worse 305 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:56,400 Sinner. It's that Paul became a 306 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,040 Christian and began to see just how deep his sin ran. 307 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:03,960 He began to see just how deep his sin ran. 308 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:09,320 You see, there's an old saying, the beauty of the gospel is I am 309 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:13,240 a worst Sinner that I ever dreamed I could be, but I'm also 310 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,360 more loved than I ever dared possible. 311 00:18:16,360 --> 00:18:18,760 Those both of those things are true at the same time. 312 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:20,920 And this is what Paul is saying has happened to him. 313 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:26,880 So Paul shows us now in verse 16 that there's a reason that God 314 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,160 uses him even though he's the worst of sinners. 315 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:33,040 Let me just reread part of verse 16 that says, but for that very 316 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:35,560 reason, in other words, the reason that I'm the worst 317 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:41,400 Sinner, for that very reason, I was shown mercy so that Christ 318 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:46,120 Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those 319 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:48,720 who would believe in him. In other words, Paul is 320 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:50,680 basically saying, hey, I'm not perfect. 321 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,840 I'm crooked deep down, but God uses me anyway. 322 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:57,240 What does he use you, you for Paul, He uses me to put on 323 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:01,040 display his mercy and his patience with all people. 324 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,560 And so Paul is saying, hey, if you're feeling like you're too 325 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,000 broken and you're too sinful and you're too dark and you're too 326 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,960 crooked to be used by God, Paul says no, no, no, I'm the worst 327 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:13,280 that can happen. And I'm living proof that God is 328 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:17,720 merciful and patient with all of us because I'm the worst. 329 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:22,520 I was used by God for this is the reason that God was merciful 330 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:28,000 to me, to show you that you all, all of you are the objects of 331 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:33,040 his mercy and patience. You see, God has never ever used 332 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:35,440 perfect people. Do you know why? 333 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:43,320 Why there aren't any? There are none. 334 00:19:45,120 --> 00:19:46,320 I tell people who are guests are at church. 335 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:48,040 Sometimes I'll say, hey, welcome to islands. 336 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:49,880 I'm glad you're here. We don't allow any perfect 337 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:54,080 people. It's just a kind of a way to 338 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:57,960 kind of let them know like, hey, if you're feeling nervous in 339 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:00,160 this moment, they're like, I don't know, churches. 340 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,120 I feel weird because, you know, if you're a guest at church, it 341 00:20:02,120 --> 00:20:04,240 feels weird, right? You guys who come here every 342 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:06,080 Sunday should just pick a Sunday and go somewhere else and you'll 343 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:11,720 feel it like it's like there aren't there are no, there are 344 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:13,960 none of these. None of these these don't exist. 345 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:19,000 The reason God uses broken, crooked people, it's because 346 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,280 that's all there is. This is all there is. 347 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:24,360 If he said I'm only going to use perfect, straight, got it 348 00:20:24,360 --> 00:20:26,160 together people, what would he get done? 349 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:29,320 Nothing. You were plan A, there is no 350 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:31,200 Plan B and everybody's like this. 351 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:32,880 Everybody's crooked. Some are more crooked than 352 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:37,040 others, but everybody's crooked. Now, I like this saying you 353 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:41,560 should write this down. If you take notes, God has 354 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:47,400 always drawn straight lines with crooked sticks because that's 355 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:50,240 all there is. Now think about that. 356 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,120 Isn't that beautiful? All throughout scripture you see 357 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:55,760 it. Abraham was used by God. 358 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:58,160 He had faith and yet he was a liar. 359 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:02,400 He was a deceiver twice lied to put his wife in jeopardy. 360 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:05,920 Bro that's a whole nother level of lying whole. 361 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:07,680 Like Can you imagine when I got back home? 362 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,000 You don't know the story. You should go read it. 363 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:13,760 I can't believe you told him I was your sister. 364 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:16,840 Well, he might have killed me. You know. 365 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:18,680 I don't care. Could you? 366 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:23,160 That was a bad day. But here's Abraham had great 367 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:24,760 faith and walked away from his family. 368 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,840 All these amazing things. Liar, deceiver. 369 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:34,400 Crooked Moses. Moses led the people out of 370 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:39,520 slavery, saw God in a Bush. The murderer. 371 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:48,120 The murderer David. David worshipped. 372 00:21:49,120 --> 00:21:50,720 I mean, he wrote so many of the Psalms. 373 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:52,920 We sing his words in our churches today. 374 00:21:53,080 --> 00:22:02,040 David worshipped and he led, but he raped and he murdered. 375 00:22:09,140 --> 00:22:20,160 Peter led the church. So many look to him and yet he 376 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:24,040 denied Jesus his most needful hour. 377 00:22:29,930 --> 00:22:35,410 You see, Paul says all these broken, crooked people that God 378 00:22:35,410 --> 00:22:41,530 has used. Paul says I'm the worst and the 379 00:22:41,530 --> 00:22:46,650 fact that he used me the worst is evidence that He will use 380 00:22:47,970 --> 00:22:49,530 you, that He has a plan for your life. 381 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:53,960 So if you're sitting here thinking today I should be 382 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:58,440 better, I should be further along. 383 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:03,920 What Scripture shows us is that, friend, God is not waiting for 384 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:08,000 you to get polished or to get together or to become a finished 385 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,120 product before He works in your life. 386 00:23:10,120 --> 00:23:14,200 No, he's not. He will work in you and through 387 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,720 you while you are still in process, while he's still 388 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:22,760 straightening out the crooks. He will use you even while you 389 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:25,480 are crooked and crooked deep down. 390 00:23:26,360 --> 00:23:30,040 This is the goodness of our God, and this is what Paul shows us, 391 00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:32,280 and this is what all of Scripture shows us. 392 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:40,240 And so you though, and me, both of us, all of us though crooked, 393 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:42,960 God uses us. He uses imperfect people. 394 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,360 Now, this raises one important last question. 395 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:51,280 If God works through imperfect people, if He is patient with us 396 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:57,600 in the process, why do we feel like it's so slow? 397 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:03,880 Why does change take so long? And this is the last idea this 398 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:08,280 morning. It's a process, not a moment. 399 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:12,520 It's a process, not a moment. And that's our third and final 400 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:14,760 idea. Your sanctification and my 401 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,240 sanctification is a process and not a moment. 402 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:21,440 I was a child when microwaves became popular. 403 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:25,840 Do you guys remember those? We had a an Amana microwave that 404 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:28,920 had two turning knobs on it and you could spin it real fast to 405 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:30,320 get to like 3 minutes or 4 minutes. 406 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:31,680 You spin it. You know, it was the coolest 407 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:32,680 thing. We didn't have a push button 408 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:34,840 when we had a spinning when it was really cool. 409 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:41,240 And I remember as a child getting microwave bag popcorn. 410 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:43,200 You guys remember that when that first get me, I guess I'm 411 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,520 showing my age and you some of you are like younger than 30 or 412 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:49,800 like this guy's ancient. Yes, but that was because prior 413 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:51,960 to that, you know, popcorn was this machine you took out of the 414 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:54,160 cabin you plugged in. It was like you put the seed in 415 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:58,160 the oil and it's like, is the popcorn ready? 416 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,040 No, come back in 30 minutes. You know what I mean? 417 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,400 Is this ever going to happen? Like I'm over it now. 418 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:05,840 I don't movies over like I don't watch this popcorn. 419 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:09,360 So microwave popcorn. You guys remember that? 420 00:25:09,360 --> 00:25:10,880 You pop it in, make sure this side is up. 421 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,200 What is it minute and 1/2? You know, I am surprised it 422 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:15,800 hasn't gotten faster. I'm a little disappointed in 423 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:18,160 that like technology feel like feel like it should be quicker 424 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:22,720 by now, but but but but like it's so it's so like it's so 425 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:26,520 microwavable and what happens is is we're kind of programmed for 426 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:30,680 instantaneous and things just happening quick that we kind of 427 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:32,560 see our faith that way. We want our faith to be 428 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:34,480 microwavable, white microwavable. 429 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:38,920 We want things to happen in an instant, but that isn't the way 430 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:42,560 God works in us. He works in US overtime, through 431 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:44,800 our lifetime, through our circumstances, through our 432 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:46,480 challenges, and through our celebrations. 433 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,000 And the changes in your life, and this is hard to believe, but 434 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,040 the changes in your life are oftentimes, to you, 435 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,280 imperceptible. You don't necessarily perceive 436 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:57,360 them. Others might perceive them, but 437 00:25:57,360 --> 00:26:00,440 you don't necessarily perceive them as you follow Jesus. 438 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:04,400 They just happen overtime in small incremental ways and you 439 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:08,560 have to accept that in faith. Philippians 16 Paul says being 440 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,240 confident of this that he who began a good work in you will 441 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:16,000 carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus, right. 442 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:18,200 God is faithful. He started something in you he's 443 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:20,360 doing it now. Most of us realize if you're a 444 00:26:20,360 --> 00:26:22,440 Christian that God has begun a good work in your life. 445 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:24,640 You're like, yeah, I get that we remember your conversion. 446 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,600 You remember your baptism you're like, yeah, I'm in and and and 447 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:31,440 we we we remember that we decided that the gospel message 448 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:33,480 was true. We committed our life to Christ 449 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,000 and most of us can be confident about the future. 450 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,520 We we believe that there is a new heaven and a new earth. 451 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,080 We believe that God is going to make everything new again one 452 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:42,560 day. And so we're confident about the 453 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,120 future. Where most of us struggle is in 454 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:49,040 the part of that verse that says we'll carry it on. 455 00:26:49,120 --> 00:26:52,520 We'll carry it on. That is the process of your 456 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:55,440 sanctification. This is how God has decided to 457 00:26:55,440 --> 00:27:00,920 work with us in the process of carrying it on day after day, 458 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:05,120 Set back after, set back, get back up, take a step forward, 459 00:27:05,120 --> 00:27:07,680 take a step back, 2 steps forward, one step back. 460 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,400 It's all part of the process of Him carrying it on. 461 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:14,560 It's slow. And here's the hardest part of 462 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:15,160 it. You ready. 463 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:19,320 You and I are not in charge of our own sanctification and we 464 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:22,560 wish we were. That's really what is at the 465 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:24,640 base of this. We want to be in control. 466 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,200 We want to say, I want to be different and I want to be 467 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,720 different yesterday. And God says, no, I'm working 468 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:32,680 this out in your life. I am working out a process in 469 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:34,480 your life and I'm carrying it on. 470 00:27:35,120 --> 00:27:37,160 One more passage of Scripture, Second Corinth what? 471 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:40,880 Two more actually, before we leave 2nd Corinthians 318, it 472 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:46,160 says this and we all with unveiled faces, contemplate the 473 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:48,640 Lord's glory, are being transformed. 474 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:50,800 You see that we're transformed. If you have your Bible underline 475 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,560 that we're being transformed into His image with ever 476 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,800 increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit, 477 00:27:58,080 --> 00:27:59,160 and those are the key lines there. 478 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,440 We're being transformed into His image with ever increasing 479 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:06,000 glory. IN2021I planted an oak tree. 480 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:09,480 I bought it at Lowe's. It was in a pot. 481 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:12,760 When I took the tree out of the pot and put it in the ground, 482 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:15,000 the tree was about 6 inches shorter than me. 483 00:28:16,120 --> 00:28:19,960 It's I've been watering it. I fertilize it from time to 484 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:21,440 time. I'm not an arborist. 485 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:25,240 I'm not like, you know, I don't go talk to it or anything, but I 486 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:27,840 water it from time to time. I really shouldn't say I do much 487 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:29,120 at all because I don't do much at all. 488 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:32,240 But every now and then I'll, you know, if I'm washing up. 489 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:37,320 I don't wash cars. I mean, just when you drive a 490 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:40,280 little junk, you don't wash it. The dirt might be holding that 491 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:43,960 thing together. So, but here's the thing about 492 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:49,880 my oak tree. I just let it grow And today 493 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:53,640 it's like a foot or so, maybe 2 feet taller than me. 494 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,680 It's a bit taller than me big. I'm never going to sit in its 495 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,400 shade. I'm I'm never going to like see 496 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,920 it big and all its glory and it'll live to be 7-8 hundred 497 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:08,520 years, 1200 years old. Who knows what I'll never see 498 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:12,000 it. I'll never sit in the shade, but 499 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,640 it's growing. And here's what's interesting. 500 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,240 It started out about 6 inches shorter than me and today it's 501 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,240 like a foot or two taller than me. 502 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:26,080 I've never actually witnessed it grow. 503 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:30,080 In other words, I've never gotten out the car. 504 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:33,320 I'm oh, caught you. I saw that itch. 505 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:39,120 Way to go buddy. 700 more of those. 506 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:42,760 I'm going to get in the shade. I've I've never witnessed it and 507 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:46,720 yet it has happened. I can see the evidence of it. 508 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:50,640 Friend, this is true of you. The changes that God is ring 509 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:52,880 bringing about in your life. They're imperceptible to you, 510 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:56,000 you, you. You don't necessarily see them 511 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:57,640 happening. Now. 512 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,600 There are moments where you get glimpses of it, but for the most 513 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,160 part it's imperceptible. It's just happening. 514 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:07,040 God is growing you overtime, slowly, steadily into the 515 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:10,680 reflection of Him. What's that verse say with ever 516 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:12,640 increasing glory? Isn't that beautiful? 517 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:17,160 You are receiving an ever increasing glory of His image. 518 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:21,560 You don't see it day-to-day, but overtime it becomes undeniable. 519 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:24,600 Now some of you are thinking, Steven, I hear you, it's a 520 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:27,400 process, yadda yadda, yadda. But I don't like the process. 521 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:30,400 I want this to go faster. I want to see change sooner. 522 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:33,960 Let me give you one last passage before we leave today that I 523 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:39,320 hope will give you some hope and patience for yourself and maybe 524 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:42,840 grace for yourself. First Thessalonians, another 525 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:44,680 Paul passage. I love how the Bible is just so 526 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:46,280 agreeable across all these letters. 527 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:48,760 First Thessalonians 514, it says. 528 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:52,920 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn of those who are 529 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:56,720 idle and disruptive. That's a whole sermon there, by 530 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:00,640 the way. Encourage the disheartened, help 531 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:04,800 the weak. Be patient with everyone. 532 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:09,920 Isn't that good? Be patient with everyone. 533 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:11,280 Now don't miss this. Don't miss this. 534 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:12,280 Don't miss this. Don't miss this. 535 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:14,800 What is God? What is the last line there that 536 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:18,200 God's commanding all of us to do that laugh To be, to be what? 537 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,600 With everyone? To be patient with everyone. 538 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:27,120 OK, Any leader who calls you to do something or commands you to 539 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:30,600 do something. He himself or he or she herself 540 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:32,320 must be willing to do that thing, right? 541 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:36,440 If God has called you and commanded you to be patient with 542 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:39,160 each other, then what is God's disposition towards you? 543 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:44,200 Patience. He would not call you to be 544 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:47,920 patient with one another if He himself were not patient with 545 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:49,680 you. And so as you feel the 546 00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:52,080 frustration of I just, I just wish this were happening. 547 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:54,520 God is not surprised by your struggle. 548 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:59,680 He is not frustrated with you, He is patient with you. 549 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:03,440 So you don't need to live frustrated either. 550 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:08,200 Be patient. God's grace is sufficient. 551 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:12,480 His power is made perfect in weakness. 552 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:17,320 He is working even when you can't see it. 553 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,400 He is growing you even when it feels slow. 554 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:26,800 It's happening, so be patient. So as we close today, and really 555 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:29,640 as we close this whole series, here's what I hope you will take 556 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:34,400 with you. God works through a process, not 557 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:40,360 all at once, not overnight, but steadily and faithfully overtime 558 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:43,880 over your lifetime. And that means that this 559 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:47,840 morning, if you are following Jesus Christ and you feel this, 560 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:51,240 I'm not there yet or I still have work to do, that does not 561 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:55,400 mean something is wrong. That means something is right. 562 00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:59,480 That means you're in it. That means God is working. 563 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:02,360 You're in a process. And the invitation of this 564 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:06,120 series has been simple. Hey, make room in your life, 565 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:09,800 Createspace in your life, not just for a moment of change, but 566 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:13,520 for a lifetime of formation. Make room for God to keep 567 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:15,640 working for his Spirit to keep shaping you. 568 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:20,120 Stay in the process, even when it feels slow. 569 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:23,360 Stay connected to the community of believers, even when you feel 570 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:25,480 discouraged. Stay in the process. 571 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:28,040 Keep making room. Because God. 572 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:32,200 God is more committed to your transformation into His likeness 573 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:38,080 than you are. He is more committed to your 574 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:42,160 sanctification than you are. He is dedicated to it. 575 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:49,280 And He's not in a hurry. He's not idle, but he's not in a 576 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:51,840 hurry. So you don't rush it. 577 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:57,440 Don't quit, don't settle. Stay with God, stay connected. 578 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:02,400 Because the same God who began a good work in you will carry it 579 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:07,160 on to completion. He will. 580 00:34:08,679 --> 00:34:10,320 And you may feel like this today. 581 00:34:11,159 --> 00:34:13,600 I'm not ready, is what most people tell me when I asked Him 582 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,040 to start serving. I'm not ready. 583 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:21,600 You may feel crooked, not quite where you wish you were. 584 00:34:23,639 --> 00:34:28,040 But friend, this is exactly who God uses. 585 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:35,920 He draws straight lines with crooked sticks because that's 586 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:40,800 all there is. Your sanctification is 587 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:45,920 happening. It may be slow, but friend, it 588 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:51,199 is undeniable. Will you stand with me as we 589 00:34:51,199 --> 00:35:01,910 pray together? Father, on this stage right now, 590 00:35:01,910 --> 00:35:07,430 there are two crooked sticks. There's the one I dug out of the 591 00:35:07,430 --> 00:35:12,550 ground that I've had for a number of years, and there's the 592 00:35:12,550 --> 00:35:16,110 one you dug out of the ground and I've had for a few years. 593 00:35:19,830 --> 00:35:24,000 Thank you that you use crooked sticks to draw straight lines. 594 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:32,920 How faithful you are. Thank you that you're preparing 595 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:35,920 us for what you have prepared for us. 596 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:41,160 You're shaping us and changing us and forming us. 597 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:50,160 And to the women and the men and who reflect you with ever 598 00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:55,040 increasing glory, in Christ name Amen. 599 00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:56,920 Thank you friends, have a blessed week. 600 00:35:56,920 --> 00:35:58,480 We'll see you back here next Sunday. 601 00:35:58,480 --> 00:35:59,360 Next Sunday.