1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:05,680 Oh, crossing family, it is so good to be with you. 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:07,680 I want to welcome those of you joining at our different 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,840 locations, those of you watching online, and those of you who are 4 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:14,360 part of the crossing inside. You guys have been wonderful as 5 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,080 we've been going through this sermon series on politics. 6 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,920 This is the last one that's kind of like one we got to get 7 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,000 through. And then I really do hope that 8 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:26,040 you'll see next week's sermon as a great gift to your soul 9 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:28,320 because I'm going to, I've been kind of teaching through this 10 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:29,520 series. I'm going to preach next 11 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:31,960 weekend. I think you're going to enjoy 12 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:33,320 it. But before we get into it, we 13 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,280 need to celebrate something as a church. 14 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:37,520 We are getting ready for our camp season. 15 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,240 In fact, camp is starting this upcoming week as a church. 16 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:45,560 And yeah, it's great. And at the writing of this 17 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:51,520 sermon, which was yesterday, because I got way behind, we had 18 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:59,120 13198 campers set up or signed up, which is an all time record 19 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,120 for the crossing. Now let me show you what this 20 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,080 looks like in a graph. So we track stuff. 21 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,480 We are big into numbers here at the crossing and figuring out 22 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:11,040 stuff. This red line right here is 2024 23 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:15,000 and we actually moved our entire camp season into the month of 24 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:16,880 June. So we're not going to get some 25 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,040 of the bumps we've had in the past and we were a little 26 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,520 nervous about that. But God came through. 27 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,000 You came through. And we have set another all time 28 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,040 record. Campers are still coming in. 29 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,200 So I want to say a special thank you to those of you who 30 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,440 participated or sponsored at any of our different golf outings 31 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:35,280 that we did this year to help raise money for kids to go to 32 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:36,640 camp. God bless you. 33 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,440 I'm playing in the Macomb one tomorrow and then my back needs 34 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,040 a rest. And then the second thing is, to 35 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,720 those of you who joined Jennifer and I and wrote a generous check 36 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,120 to help sponsor kids to go to camp, I want you to know that 37 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,840 God saw your efforts. He took the seed that you sowed 38 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,120 and He used it to produce a harvest in kids lives because 39 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:58,360 more kids are going at our church than have ever gone 40 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:02,320 before. In fact, we are sending more 41 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:07,840 kids to camp this year than the size of 99% of churches in 42 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,120 America. Like we are sending a mega 43 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:13,600 Church of kids to camp. And I absolutely love it. 44 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:15,800 Let me tell you another reason why this matters to me. 45 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:18,200 I pulled up some stats this week. 46 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:24,560 These are share of those by demographic. believe in God 47 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:26,120 without a doubt. Like they're going, yeah, for 48 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:27,880 sure there's a God. All right. 49 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,880 Now you've got 60%. This is on decline. 50 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:35,600 You've got 60% of Boomers right here, this little red line right 51 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,800 here, Boomers, 60% of boomers believe that God exists. 52 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:41,440 A God exists, right? Which was great. 53 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,720 And millennials, you, you know, we've, we've, we've, we've, 54 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:47,560 we've struggled. This Is Us. 55 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,240 OK? We're on a pretty significant 56 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:51,360 decline. Gen. 57 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,160 XI should throw this at you guys. 58 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,720 You guys are winning. You guys have overtaken the 59 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,520 Boomers and you're on a slight D increase. 60 00:02:58,520 --> 00:02:59,840 Nobody ever pays attention to Gen. 61 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:02,120 X, but if you're a Gen. Xer, God bless you. 62 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,240 I married one. I'm a millennial. 63 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,160 She was my babysitter. That's how we met, and that's a 64 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,320 joke. She wasn't my babysitter, but 65 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,200 Boyada loved it if she was. OK, and then. 66 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:14,760 But I want you to look right here. 67 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:15,840 This is Gen. Z. 68 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,520 They're in free fall. Only 28% of Gen. 69 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:26,160 Z ers have a belief in God. These are the kids who were born 70 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:30,320 from 1997 to 2012. They're between the age of 12 71 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,840 and 27 today, and half of that demographic is going to be 72 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,640 participating in our camp. And so while we are setting all 73 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,800 time records, we are setting all time records with the generation 74 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,800 that need Jesus the most. So when I say things like our 75 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:50,040 church is downwardly focused, I need you to know that's what I 76 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:53,000 mean. At no point in time do I not 77 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,400 like older people. That is not me. 78 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,160 We just like them more. And let me explain this to you. 79 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:05,000 If I were to put me next to your kid and I were to ask you who do 80 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,600 you love more, you would say you love your kid more than you love 81 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:10,560 me. Now, I have no doubt that you 82 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:16,640 love me, but you love them more. And as a church, we have 83 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,920 intentionally decided that we want to love this group of 84 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:26,000 people more. And in 10 years, I'll be looking 85 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,400 at Gen. Z and saying, I want you to know 86 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,680 that we love Gen. Alpha more. 87 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,840 And I don't know what's going to come after Jen Alpha, but we 88 00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:37,680 will figure out a way to reach them too. 89 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:40,120 Deal. All right, let me pray for a 90 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,840 camp, would you, Heavenly Father? 91 00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:45,320 They're going to be kids who are going to come to camp who have 92 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,400 come out of a horrific school year. 93 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,280 There are kids who are going to show up at camp who are having 94 00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:52,400 horrible battles with their parents. 95 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,920 There are kids who are going to be at camp who are completely 96 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:57,920 lost. They have no direction, no sense 97 00:04:57,920 --> 00:04:59,840 of purpose. They're going to be kids who are 98 00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:02,600 going to show up for camp and it'll be the only week of peace 99 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:04,760 that they will experience all year long. 100 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:09,800 There are kids who are going to be showing up at camp who have 101 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,680 no relationship with you, no concept of you. 102 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:15,160 They're going to be kids that are going to show up at camp 103 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,160 that are going to make a decision for you, get saved by 104 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:20,360 you, dedicate their lives to you. 105 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:24,000 And God, I pray that you would equip all the speakers, all the 106 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,400 people who are going to serve, all the camp staff, all the 107 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,040 difference makers who are going to volunteer their time and take 108 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:32,360 off work. God, I pray that the moment that 109 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:36,200 they leave one of our locations and drive to the camp that your 110 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:40,080 presence invades their spirit, that something special begins to 111 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:41,840 happen. God, I pray that through the 112 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:45,040 worship and through the sermons and the small group times, I 113 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,560 pray that during the times in the pool and on the lake and on 114 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:52,000 the ball field that they sense that there is a community that 115 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,200 cares for them, a church that loves them, and a God who's 116 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:57,160 willing to send His Son to die on the cross for him. 117 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:58,600 In your name I pray. Amen. 118 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:04,600 Now we are in a sermon series called Don't Take the Bait and 119 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:08,800 it is a sermon series on faith and politics. 120 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,600 And week one we learned that we as Christians have a better 121 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,880 citizenship, a better Kingdom, and that this is not our forever 122 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:22,040 home and we have an even greater allegiance to God than we do to 123 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,560 any political candidate or political party. 124 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:30,480 Week two, we learned that we have a godly responsibility to 125 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:35,800 bring our faith into our politics and that our right to 126 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:41,520 do so is secured by our founding documents and our Constitution 127 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:46,400 as a nation. And even if it were not, we 128 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:51,040 would still do so. Even if they made Christianity 129 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,800 illegal, we would still bring our Christianity into the voting 130 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,080 booth because we are not going to separate ourselves from the 131 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,880 one who saved us. And our target on the wall for 132 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,320 this series has been First Peter chapter 2. 133 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,360 Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse 134 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:11,320 you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God 135 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:16,200 on the day he visits us. Today I want to talk to you 136 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:21,440 about how to be bold, how to behave, and how to be friendly. 137 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:26,720 Behold, behave, be bold. Behold, be bold, behave and be 138 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:28,600 friendly. That's Southern Baptist right 139 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:29,600 there. Did you see that? 140 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,520 For those of you who came from a Baptist Church, you appreciate 141 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:33,800 what I just did with that sermon. 142 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:39,440 Now, what I want to do is I want to zoom out on the first Peter 143 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,440 chunk of scripture that we've been looking at and help you to 144 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,160 see the context that it's sitting in the middle of. 145 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:46,440 I think it's going to surprise you. 146 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:48,880 There's some words in there you're not going to like. 147 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,160 How do I know? Because I didn't like him 148 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:52,480 either. We ready. 149 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:57,200 Here we go, verse 11. Dear friends, I urge you that 150 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,560 you and me, as foreigners and exiles, we have a better 151 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,200 citizenship. We have a different Kingdom. 152 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:05,760 You and I are aliens and strangers in this world. 153 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:10,200 This is not our home. We're simply passing through to 154 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:15,440 abstain from sinful desires which wage war against your 155 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,320 soul. OK, let's keep going. 156 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:21,360 Live such good lives among the pagans. 157 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,080 You know this part, that though they accuse you of doing wrong, 158 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,000 that they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day 159 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:30,840 that he visits us. Live such good lives that people 160 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:35,320 take notice. This is Jesus's city on a hill 161 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:38,760 speech, a light on a stand. There should be something 162 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:40,159 different. People should take notice. 163 00:08:40,159 --> 00:08:44,640 They should see, man, Christians really do operate differently. 164 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,520 I'm going through this political season and everything around me 165 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,240 is falling apart, but that guy's got it together. 166 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:53,480 I'm going through this political season. 167 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,040 I'm dealing with all kinds of stress and anxiety and worry, 168 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:00,040 but this guy's going through the exact same political season and 169 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:01,480 it looks like he's walking on water. 170 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,120 Christians navigate it differently. 171 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,200 And if someone were to follow you, you're living such good 172 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,880 lives among the pagans that if somebody were to follow you more 173 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,040 than you making them a Republican, more than you making 174 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:18,400 them a Democrat, more than you making them a better American, 175 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:21,800 following you would make them a better Jesus follower. 176 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:25,480 Following you would make you make them a better Christian, 177 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:31,040 live such good lives that they end up glorifying God. 178 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:34,280 You ready for the next part? This is where we really take a 179 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:36,240 nosedive. So far, everybody's smiling. 180 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:37,760 Like, I think I'm going to like this sermon. 181 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,320 Now watch this submit. Oh, OK. 182 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:43,680 All right. We got to find a different 183 00:09:43,680 --> 00:09:45,520 church. This one does the whole Bible. 184 00:09:45,560 --> 00:09:48,720 OK. Submit yourself for the Lord's 185 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,160 sake. For whose sake? 186 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:56,160 Yeah. To who? 187 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:05,000 Every human authority, whether to the emperor as to the supreme 188 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:09,080 authority, or to the governors who are sent by him to punish 189 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:15,480 those who do wrong and commend those who do right, submit to 190 00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:23,760 every human authority. And I know what you're thinking. 191 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:26,240 You're going. You know what? 192 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,360 I'll do it when it's my president. 193 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:38,240 But when it's not the one I voted for, I won't. 194 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:42,440 And I want you to know that you would be wrong. 195 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:51,040 I know what you're thinking. I'll do it when we have a good, 196 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,400 godly president. And if you were to wait to do 197 00:10:54,400 --> 00:11:00,240 that, you would be wrong. That was my chicken dance, I 198 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:01,240 think. I don't know where that came 199 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,920 from. Flirting with chickens all over. 200 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:05,600 All you chickens watching online. 201 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:13,480 OK, now, who would they have been talking to when Peter wrote 202 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:18,160 this? He was writing this. 203 00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:24,400 And the emperor was Nero. Not for those of you who didn't 204 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:29,080 take church history in your public school, which is probably 205 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:34,960 all of you. Nero is about as bad of a person 206 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:40,880 as you could ever meet. The persecutions that came upon 207 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:45,920 the early church came at the request of Nero. 208 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:51,280 Nero would take Christians alive, sew them inside the 209 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:54,800 carcasses of an animal, throw them into the stadium and 210 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,160 release wild beasts to eat them for the crowd. 211 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,600 He would take people who professed to be Christians and 212 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:06,000 he would impale them on a stake, light them on fire so that they 213 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,640 would be the the lights for his garden parties. 214 00:12:12,680 --> 00:12:20,360 And Paul and Peter both write to Christians saying, submit 215 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:27,000 yourself for the Lord's sake to every human authority. 216 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:31,040 Let me show you what Paul says. Romans 13, one through 7. 217 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,280 I hit a little bit on this in a Roman Series A while back. 218 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:38,840 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there 219 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:42,160 is no authority except that which God has established. 220 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:47,400 The authorities that exist have been established by God. 221 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,800 Let's keep going. Consequently, whoever rebels 222 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,960 against the authority is rebelling against what God has 223 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:59,560 instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on 224 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,200 themselves. Let's keep going for rulers, 225 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:06,880 hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do 226 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:08,440 wrong. We'll pause for just a second. 227 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,840 How many of you have ever been driving and you saw a police 228 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:17,520 officer? Those of you who were not 229 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:22,600 speeding did not immediately slow down because when you see a 230 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,440 police officer and you are a law abiding citizen and your seat 231 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,520 belt is on, you just see the police officer and you know what 232 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:39,400 you do? Because a police officer holds 233 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:43,640 no terror for those who are doing what is right. 234 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:49,440 But if you've been known to speed, you're not wearing your 235 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,560 seat belt and you're smuggling stuff, you're going. 236 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,160 You're finding your Christian music. 237 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:00,760 I was just worshiping too loud, Officer. 238 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,040 I apologize. Holy Spirit got a hold of me 239 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,600 right? That's you only fear authority 240 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:07,960 when you've been doing something wrong. 241 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,080 Then do what is right and you will be commended. 242 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,840 Let's keep going. For the one in authority is 243 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:20,360 God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid. 244 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,760 For rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. 245 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:26,440 Every law that we have is backed up with a gun. 246 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,720 Do this or you will. If you don't pay the ticket, 247 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,160 you'll get arrested. If you resist arrest, you'll get 248 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,280 put in handcuffs. If you, then it just keeps 249 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:36,240 getting worse. Eventually. 250 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:41,040 There is a gun behind every law. They are God's servants, agents 251 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:45,000 of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 252 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:51,240 Therefore, if it is necessary, it is necessary to submit to the 253 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:55,520 authorities, not only because of possible punishment, but also as 254 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,080 a matter of conscience. Let's keep going. 255 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:03,040 This is also why you I know I'm just winning people right and 256 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:04,400 left. All over the region, people are 257 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:08,600 getting saved. Pay taxes for the authorities 258 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:12,000 are God's servants who give their full time to governing. 259 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,400 Let's keep going. Give to everyone what you owe 260 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:19,160 them. If you owe taxes, pay taxes. 261 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:23,720 If revenue, revenue. If respect, then respect. 262 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:31,360 If honor, then honor. Government was actually God's 263 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:36,880 idea. It is a legitimate God ordained 264 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,960 institution created for the good of humanity. 265 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:46,840 When government is done right, it brings order, justice, 266 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:54,480 virtue, prosperity, safety. You can chase this all the way 267 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,200 back to the Garden of Eden, to Genesis. 268 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:02,560 The first command that God gives us, the marching orders, is 269 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:05,680 government. I mean right after sex, it's 270 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,680 government. Watch Genesis 1. 271 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,520 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God. 272 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:13,320 He created them, male and female. 273 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,680 He created them. God blessed them and said to 274 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:18,720 them, be fruitful and increase the number. 275 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:28,240 Fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea 276 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,640 and the birds of the sky and over every living creature that 277 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:34,920 moves on the ground. Subdue, rule. 278 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,640 Those are government words. In fact, depending on the 279 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,240 translation of the Bible that you use, the word they actually 280 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:48,880 use is govern. Now some of you might be going, 281 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:51,280 OK, so God instituted government. 282 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:55,040 Great. Did God choose Donald Trump? 283 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:01,520 And I mean of all weeks to be doing a sermon series and some 284 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,200 of you might be going, Did God choose Joe Biden? 285 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,319 Here is what I genuinely believe and I believe scripture backs 286 00:17:08,319 --> 00:17:10,280 this up. The answer is no. 287 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:17,680 God instituted government that it is used for people. 288 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:21,680 For instance, if somebody wrongs you, if you go and wrong them 289 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:26,200 back or you seek your own justice, the Bible calls that a 290 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,400 sin. But if you bring the what they 291 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:33,880 did to you to the public court and they punish them, the Bible 292 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,360 says that that is right. That's one of the ways that God 293 00:17:37,360 --> 00:17:40,480 gets vengeance. So that way you don't 294 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:43,120 participate in it. Other people have to be a 295 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:45,000 participant in it through our court system. 296 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:49,360 Here's what Paul and Peter are saying is that you and I should 297 00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:56,200 be good, law abiding, taxpaying, respect giving citizens. 298 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,800 They are not saying that every government is good. 299 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:10,760 They are not saying obey them on every issue because as long as 300 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:15,120 you are being obedient to God first and foremost, if a 301 00:18:15,120 --> 00:18:19,720 government put something on you that is in violation to God's 302 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:23,880 will, you are obligated by God to disobey it. 303 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:29,120 But if the thing that they are asking you to do is not 304 00:18:29,120 --> 00:18:35,160 prohibited in Scripture, you are scripturally obligated to obey 305 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:39,360 it. And a lot of times the areas 306 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:42,840 where we want to disobey our government have nothing to do 307 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,080 with anything that's in the Bible. 308 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,320 That you and I should be preeminent. 309 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:51,920 We're early in lying to pay our taxes. 310 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:56,000 We're early in lying to give honor and be thankful for the 311 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:59,680 service that they provide. We might like the president. 312 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,000 We have good news is God's still on his throne? 313 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:04,040 And you might get a president you don't like. 314 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,680 Good news, God is on his throne. I'm going to get into that next 315 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:08,960 week. But that you and I as part of 316 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:13,160 our worship to God are to be obedient, subservient to 317 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,480 government. But you didn't see that one 318 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:19,760 coming because government is God ordained. 319 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:25,800 Both Paul and Peter were killed by these governments. 320 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:32,280 They were both put to death by the very people that they told 321 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:37,400 us to submit to. They said, Paul, you better stop 322 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:43,120 talking about Jesus. And he said, I can't, Peter, you 323 00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:46,720 better stop talking about Jesus. I won't. 324 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:52,000 I'll pay my taxes. I'll give you the honor you 325 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,480 deserve. But if you're asking me to stop 326 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:58,880 talking about Jesus, I refuse. Well, we're going to have to 327 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:00,840 shut you up. Then you better shut me up 328 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:05,600 because I can't shut myself up. I can't stop talking about 329 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:07,760 Jesus. And so they killed him. 330 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:12,080 They refused to stop talking. And they were eventually killed 331 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:15,200 for it. What makes this so challenging 332 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:20,200 for you and I is unlike the writers of the of scripture, 333 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:24,840 unlike the 1st century Christians, we get to pick our 334 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:29,240 president. We get to pick our Senate, we 335 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,240 get to pick our representatives. Can you imagine being a 1st 336 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:36,160 century Christian? They had emperors. 337 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:38,640 Either you kissed the ring or you didn't. 338 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:46,360 But you and I, we get a, we get a voice, we get an opportunity 339 00:20:46,360 --> 00:20:49,080 to go, hey, if I have a choice here, I think I'm going to go 340 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:54,680 for this guy. So how do you and I be bold in 341 00:20:54,680 --> 00:21:00,680 our faith, behave with our faith and be friendly with our faith? 342 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:06,520 First thing we do is we prioritize our faith over our 343 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:10,960 politics. I bet you already know this to 344 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:13,920 be true. And some of you wish I would do 345 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,240 it. I could preach a really 346 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:22,280 convincing sermon on Jesus would be a Democrat. 347 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,200 Some of you would never come back. 348 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:32,360 And just so you know, I could write a really good sermon on 349 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:37,320 Jesus would be a Republican and some of you would invite your 350 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:42,400 friends to church. Billy Graham, kind of a big deal 351 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:46,720 in the Christian circles, was actually a spiritual advisor to 352 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:48,840 both Republican and Democratic presidents. 353 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:52,040 And this is what he would tell people. 354 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:57,040 I'm not right wing or left wing. I'm for the whole bird. 355 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:02,760 And I think that's probably the right line of thinking that we 356 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:07,160 need to put our faith filter ahead of our political filter. 357 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:14,440 Jesus is better and bigger than any party platform, and that 358 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:20,240 means that our love for people should be bigger and better than 359 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:26,120 any party platform. The problem is, you and I get 360 00:22:26,120 --> 00:22:35,760 sucked into a war all the time. For instance, the place where we 361 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:41,960 are supposed to get our information, the news is being 362 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:48,480 designed to create outrage, fear, echo chambers. 363 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,600 If you were to talk to somebody typically, well, I'm not. 364 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:55,640 If you were to talk to somebody for a long period of time, 365 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:59,000 chances are you can find out in about 5 minutes where they get 366 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,760 their news and wherever they get their news. 367 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:04,160 This is what they have been convinced of, that they are 368 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:09,400 right and everybody else is a sheep now. 369 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:11,720 So let me show you something and I've told you like I'm a 370 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:13,520 recovering addict when it comes to politics. 371 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:17,880 So I'm speaking to my people. If you're look at Fox News, this 372 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:19,320 is how they kind of rate on the meter. 373 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:23,360 So if you got, you got far left, lean left, center, lean right, 374 00:23:23,360 --> 00:23:25,440 right. If you're a Fox News consumer, 375 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:30,000 they scale at 3.2 on the right. They're beyond leaning right. 376 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:34,880 They are right wing news. And if you are a right wing 377 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,680 Christian, you're so thankful there's a news program that's 378 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:43,480 standing for the truth. OK, and let's say you're a left 379 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:44,440 wing Christian. Guess what? 380 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,600 They've got a news program for you all the way over here. 381 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:50,440 They've got MSNBC and they lean left. 382 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:52,840 And I know some of you who watch Fox News are going, but see, 383 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:56,440 they're further on the left than we are on the right, that that's 384 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:58,360 what you're doing. You're already doing the math. 385 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:04,120 So I had somebody on our staff, us at the same time every day 386 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:07,520 for the last 14 days, hop on the news and pull down the 387 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:11,040 screenshots from the websites of both Fox News and CNN and a 388 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:12,320 bunch of others. But I don't want to make this 389 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,960 sermon 30 minutes long. And I just want to show you what 390 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:19,200 they've been feeding you same day, same time, only one slide. 391 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:21,520 Here we go. Here is Fox News. 392 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,880 Key witness in the process. Obviously, I wrote this sermon 393 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,960 before today. Key witness in the prosecution's 394 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:31,920 case against Trump is a ghost in the courtroom. 395 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:36,920 Obviously they weren't now silent treatment. 396 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:40,520 We talk about the butcher's dead from Israel, talk about the Pope 397 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,840 Francis correct CBS anchor over Catholic Church's stance on same 398 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:46,960 sex couples and then definitely something for all the the 399 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:51,920 conservatives homemaker scorches liberal backlash with reality 400 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,320 check over chiefs kicker's speech. 401 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,800 OK, now let's just at the exact same time, let's go to MSNBC. 402 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,800 Trump's possible hush money testimony could be a nightmare 403 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:07,840 come true for his case. Same facts. 404 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,160 One is they're a ghost. And the other one, it's a 405 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:15,280 nightmare come true. And they're, you know, they're. 406 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,920 Fox News's Trump trial coverage proves it's no longer Rupert 407 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:22,360 Murdoch's network. New ad taunts Trump over his 408 00:25:22,360 --> 00:25:25,640 apparent reluctance to testify. And then they've got live 409 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:30,320 updates on the hush money trial. Both of them are feeding you 410 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:35,360 what you already want to hear and I was going. 411 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:39,080 I'm tired of this. So I came today to give you a 412 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:42,080 gift. I decided to stop getting my 413 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:46,880 news from those places and I didn't want to get sucked in and 414 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,520 find myself 90 minutes later stressed out and ticked off. 415 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:53,840 Which has what happens to me when I watch regular news. 416 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:56,960 So I get my news from 2 separate places now and I'm actually 417 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,880 going to tell you where I get my news and I love it. 418 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,400 OK, First one is called 1440 News. 419 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:07,040 They are designed to give insight, not outrage. 420 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,440 It's for people who want unbiased content. 421 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,920 They send it in your e-mail. It's made for knowledge, not 422 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,680 clicks. Their whole goal is it gives you 423 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:17,440 everything that's happening. So I know what's happening with 424 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,680 the elections in South Africa because I got it sent to my 425 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:21,720 inbox. I know that baseball has just 426 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:24,080 integrated leaderboards to talk about the Negro League and 427 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:26,360 they're going to incorporate them into their leaderboards, 428 00:26:26,360 --> 00:26:29,360 which is fantastic. I also found out what's going on 429 00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:32,400 with AI and how Vox has actually spent money. 430 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,120 And there's a whole bunch of other places are, which I 431 00:26:34,120 --> 00:26:35,480 thought was actually kind of scary. 432 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,400 And then over here it says aging starts earlier than you think, 433 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:42,000 which, you know, forget them. But that was their 434 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:43,440 advertisement. There was no pictures. 435 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,000 It was just, hey, I've got stuff on sports, I've got stuff on 436 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:47,960 Harvey Weinstein. I've got stuff about new science 437 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:50,080 and technology. They've got another little 438 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:52,280 partner, a little ad that they want me to know, which, you 439 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:54,040 know, it's about aging. But I got stuff about the 440 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:55,400 business markets. I know what's going on with 441 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:57,120 Conoco Phillips. If I want to get an update on 442 00:26:57,120 --> 00:26:59,920 that, I can just read through this thing and in about four 443 00:26:59,920 --> 00:27:02,440 minutes I get all of the important news that I need. 444 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:05,240 And if I want something, I can click on it to get a little bit 445 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,960 more information. And in 7 minutes, I can be 446 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:13,480 briefed on what's happening in the world without getting a 447 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:17,640 crazy hyper slant. You know what that helps me do? 448 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,240 Have a little bit of peace. It brings my emotions down. 449 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:23,960 I don't think the liberals are coming for America. 450 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:26,520 I don't think that the conservatives are trying to 451 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:27,440 destroy it. I don't. 452 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,840 I just, I just got my news. Here's another place I go. 453 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:32,560 This one is more spiritual. So if you're wanting spiritual 454 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:34,680 news, this one's called the Pour over. 455 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,880 This one takes 6 minutes to read, and this exists to give 456 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:42,520 you trustworthy news but point people towards spiritual hope. 457 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:45,320 So they have a chunk of news, This Is Us news. 458 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:47,720 And at the end of every chunk of news, they have a Christian 459 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:51,440 perspective and they have a Bible verse and you just get 460 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,440 kind of hopped up on Jesus in the middle of your news, which 461 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:56,520 that doesn't happen on any of our other networks. 462 00:27:57,160 --> 00:27:59,840 It also has a sponsored thing about lacking daily food, which 463 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,720 that's me, OK? It's got stuff about what's 464 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:05,680 happening with the weather, with all the crazy tornadoes that 465 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:08,800 have been happening all over the Midwest in other brews. 466 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:10,440 Oh, they're so cool and hip, aren't they? 467 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:13,280 Instead of other news, Elon Musk, a lot of the country's 468 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:15,840 looking for a bit more. It's talking about T-Mobile and 469 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:17,480 how they're trying to buy US Cellular, which would be 470 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:19,120 interesting for those of us here in the Midwest. 471 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:20,920 How did you spend Memorial Weekend? 472 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:22,320 Here's what's happening at the movies. 473 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:25,800 Here's what's going on with Uncle Sam's non allies talks 474 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,040 about Bill Walton dying. It also talks about the things 475 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:29,320 that they're paying attention to. 476 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:33,360 I get all of my news in like 12 minutes and I can read it and if 477 00:28:33,360 --> 00:28:35,000 I want more information, I can click on it. 478 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:38,440 No drama, no real advertisements. 479 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:40,880 I can just digest it and move on. 480 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:43,800 And you know what that does? It calms me. 481 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:46,760 I want to be informed because I want to be a good citizen. 482 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:49,320 I want to be informed because I want to know how to navigate 483 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:50,600 things and take advantage of things. 484 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:52,920 But I don't have to buy into the outrage. 485 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:56,000 Why is this matter to me is if I'm constantly consuming 486 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,800 information that is amping me up, it's going to be really hard 487 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,040 for me to treat people the way that Jesus called me to treat 488 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:02,640 people. And that's who we are supposed 489 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:04,360 to be. Christians are supposed to treat 490 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:07,120 people the way Jesus would treat people. 491 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,440 In the past, we used to be able to respectfully disagree with 492 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:12,040 somebody. Do you guys remember that? 493 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:15,600 Do you, like, remember when we were like, yeah, I think you're 494 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,560 wrong, You know, like, I think you're wrong, but do you still 495 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:22,640 want to get pizza? And I think part of it was 496 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,880 because we both kind of wanted the same thing. 497 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:27,080 We were just trying to figure out different ways to get there. 498 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:29,080 It's like young couples when they're getting married. 499 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:31,600 You've heard me talk about this. Jennifer and I's marriage barely 500 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:35,360 survived folding towels because we both wanted the towels 501 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:39,720 folded. But she's a dictator and like me 502 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,200 folding it the way that I wanted to, which is the way that made 503 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,120 sense. She wanted me to fold the towels 504 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:48,760 the way she wanted to. But today in politics, it's not 505 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:50,680 about how to fold the towel, it's whether or not we're going 506 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,880 to have towels or not. And whichever party you're on is 507 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:55,640 the party of towels. And the other people are the 508 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:58,800 savages who are just walking out of the shower, air drying while 509 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:01,240 they pull their pants on. Like, you got wet underwear. 510 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:04,280 And I'm not living with somebody with wet underwear, right? 511 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:07,760 Well, that's what's happening. And when we start getting to our 512 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:11,360 conversations, we're no longer attacking their argument, we're 513 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:15,560 attacking their character. And so ideas don't ever get 514 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:18,720 tested because characters get assassinated. 515 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:23,160 And so the information in the dialogue is reduced. 516 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:26,800 And when we attack people's character, we are stepping into 517 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:29,880 dangerous territory because then we're judging people. 518 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:33,800 And you and I don't know the hearts and thoughts of a person. 519 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,680 That's why James, who's Jesus's brother, gives us some helpful 520 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:41,040 information on this James chapter one, my dear brothers 521 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:44,400 and sisters, take note of this. Everyone should be quick to 522 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:50,240 listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry because human 523 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:53,960 anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 524 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:59,240 When you are in conflict, when you are talking politics, when 525 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:03,200 you're having an argument in your house, try James's method. 526 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:10,320 Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry. 527 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:15,200 When you are in conflict, our ears stop listening, our minds 528 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:19,000 start shutting down, and our hearts get hard. 529 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:22,040 And so we never end up in a place that we were supposed to 530 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:24,880 end up. If we want to be Jesus, people 531 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:28,720 sitting on a hill, people light on a stand, people, we need to 532 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:33,760 become quick to listen. Most of us get this backwards. 533 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:37,320 We are quick to speak and we are slow to listen. 534 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:41,000 But when you listen, you know what happens. 535 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:46,680 You gain understanding when you are slow to speak. 536 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:50,560 Literally late when you are late to speak. 537 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:54,920 Ladies, just imagine with me, if you will, you being late 538 00:31:54,920 --> 00:32:05,840 somewhere. Try to do that with your mouth. 539 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,760 Yeah, I got you, boys. Hey, OK. 540 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:18,360 It's literally saying be slow. Like don't be the first one to 541 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,240 show up talking. Like, arrive late. 542 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,680 You're late to church, you're late to the game, you're late 543 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:26,680 everywhere else. Be late with your mouth, fellas. 544 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:35,720 You're always on time. Slow it down, shut it down. 545 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:44,680 Because the moment you stop talking, you Start learning. 546 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:50,280 Have you ever said, I don't know how anybody could behave that 547 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:52,400 way? Have you ever heard yourself 548 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:56,480 say, I don't know how anybody could vote for a person like 549 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,720 that? I don't know why anybody would 550 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:01,800 do that. You know what you're saying? 551 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,320 You're saying you don't understand them. 552 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:08,480 You're not saying something about them. 553 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:16,480 You're saying something about you you don't understand. 554 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:24,080 Do you know how you understand? Slow to speak, quick to listen. 555 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:30,640 Let me give you an example. How many of you have ever been 556 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:33,280 frustrated with the public school system because they 557 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,760 didn't cancel snow or cancel school on a snow day? 558 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:44,320 I can't believe they're making us go out in a snowstorm with my 559 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:48,320 2 little specials who I love dearly and it's dangerous out 560 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:51,800 there and they're wanting us to go to school in this snowstorm. 561 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:57,320 Crazy. Now let me pause for a second. 562 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:01,840 That's me. Wait, wait, now you know what's 563 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:04,400 also me? You guys want to go to Dairy 564 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:06,800 Queen? It's cold out here. 565 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:10,080 We should get some chicken, those chicken strips with those 566 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:11,199 tech. You guys want to go? 567 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:13,040 Hey, you guys want to go sledding? 568 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:16,719 Hey, everybody in town's on their way to the grocery store. 569 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:21,199 We better get the milk fast because that is like the Midwest 570 00:34:21,199 --> 00:34:22,960 potluck. Hey, it's snowing outside. 571 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:27,440 We better get to the store. We better get there quick. 572 00:34:27,639 --> 00:34:32,920 The Amish are coming. We what is like, we don't have 573 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:36,520 enough in the pantry. We've never missed a meal. 574 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:41,960 But as soon as it's we're never getting out of here, we can do 575 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:44,199 all of those things. You know what we can't do? 576 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:48,679 Send our kids to school. You know what you could do? 577 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:53,480 Keep them home. Just call the school like you're 578 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:55,320 the parent. Yeah, they're not coming in. 579 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:57,880 What are you doing? We're tearing stuff up all day. 580 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:01,400 We're starting in the neighbor's yard with the car hood and the 581 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:02,880 four Wheeler. Don't know what's going to 582 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:04,080 happen, but it's going to be epic. 583 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:09,600 He might be back tomorrow if there's any food at Hy Vee right 584 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:13,120 now. So I used to be this guy. 585 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:16,000 Why won't they close school? Do you know why they don't close 586 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:19,720 school? Because there's kids that don't 587 00:35:19,720 --> 00:35:25,920 get fed on schools, that on days that schools get closed, oh, 588 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:29,240 they're not as worried about how many inches are falling on the 589 00:35:29,240 --> 00:35:31,360 ground as they are about the kids that don't get fed. 590 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:37,160 So keep your kid at home. Go to Hy Vee and feed them if 591 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:39,760 you don't want to go to school. You know what that did? 592 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:46,720 It brought me back a little bit. Find someone who you admire in 593 00:35:46,720 --> 00:35:50,440 their faith who doesn't agree with you politically. 594 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:54,960 Sit down and shut up and let them talk to you. 595 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:01,520 There is a subset of Christianity who votes primarily 596 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:05,720 Democratic, and if you are primarily a Republican and you 597 00:36:05,720 --> 00:36:08,520 were to sit across the table from them, who is a believer, a 598 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:12,240 follower of Jesus in ways that would impress you and amaze you, 599 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:15,120 you would find out that a person can love Jesus and vote for 600 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:17,320 somebody different than you. Now listen, I can sit across 601 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:19,400 from somebody who votes differently than me and I can 602 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:21,720 believe that I'm right. And listen, if you want to know, 603 00:36:21,720 --> 00:36:24,720 do I have political ideas and political leanings, you better 604 00:36:24,720 --> 00:36:27,440 believe it. But there are people that I 605 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:31,600 respect and admire who have a deep abiding faith, who see the 606 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:35,880 world differently, but they still see it through a Christian 607 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:39,560 lens. Sit down and instead of trying 608 00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:46,280 to convert them, learn from them and then become slow to become 609 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:49,960 angry. How many of you your life has 610 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:54,360 turned out fantastic since you started getting angrier? 611 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:00,240 Man my marriage was really just kind of going downhill and then 612 00:37:00,240 --> 00:37:04,000 I just elevated the amount of anger I had and it just started 613 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:08,360 becoming smooth sailing. I was really struggling at work 614 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:12,480 relating with my Co workers and I just started screaming a lot. 615 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:16,960 I keep getting promoted. Has that ever happened? 616 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:21,840 Have you ever met an angry person and been like he's got it 617 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:25,800 figured out? Now let me ask you this 618 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:28,800 question. When it comes to your politics, 619 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:35,480 how angry are you? Is it working? 620 00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:44,280 Have you noticed that the people who get angry last usually win? 621 00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:48,640 The ones who keep control of their emotions? 622 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:54,480 The ones who can sit and listen and are slow to start talking? 623 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:57,840 Because the more you start talking, the more amped up you 624 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:04,600 get. Your spouse, your job, your 625 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:10,240 parenting, your faith, your politics all get better when you 626 00:38:10,240 --> 00:38:16,000 are less angry. Why does this matter? 627 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:20,480 Because you and I are supposed to be a light for the people 628 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:22,240 around you. Last thing is this. 629 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:30,680 Christians pray for people like we believe prayer works. 630 00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:37,080 Can I read a verse? It's going to frustrate you. 631 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:40,800 Frustrated me. First Timothy, chapter 2. 632 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:45,120 I urge then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, 633 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:48,880 intercession, and Thanksgiving be made for all people. 634 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:50,600 We're like we're praying for everybody. 635 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:58,360 Verse 2 for kings and all those in authority. 636 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:04,960 Don't raise your hand, probably because there won't be any hands 637 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:11,800 raised. How many of you only pray for 638 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:15,120 your family but not your president? 639 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:19,600 How many of you only pray for the president that you voted 640 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:22,520 for? How many of you only pray for 641 00:39:22,520 --> 00:39:24,280 the president you didn't vote for? 642 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:29,440 I was, I wrote this part and realized I don't, it's been a 643 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:31,240 while since I've prayed for President Biden. 644 00:39:31,240 --> 00:39:37,080 I was like, that's kind of a fail that we may live peaceful 645 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:39,520 and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 646 00:39:40,720 --> 00:39:46,400 This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to 647 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:49,240 be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. 648 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:55,360 What's his heart's desire? Keep going, for there was one 649 00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:59,680 God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Jesus 650 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:03,480 Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 651 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:06,720 Please, the one who died for you, How? 652 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:11,200 By praying for who? For all people, especially your 653 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:15,960 president, especially your governor, especially your 654 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:18,760 senator, especially your police chief. 655 00:40:18,920 --> 00:40:29,560 Pray for those in authority, because when you pray you are 656 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:38,320 putting your faith in Jesus, and faith pleases God, and faith 657 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:45,520 works because prayer works. Second Corinthians chapter 10 658 00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:48,400 says this. For though we live in the world, 659 00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:50,880 we do not wage war as the world does. 660 00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:53,000 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. 661 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,400 On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish 662 00:40:56,400 --> 00:41:00,280 strongholds. We demolish arguments and every 663 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:03,600 pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, 664 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:06,480 and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to 665 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:09,760 Christ. And if we are, and we will be 666 00:41:09,760 --> 00:41:13,160 ready to punish every act of disobedience once your obedience 667 00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:15,520 is complete. Here's what I want to unpack in 668 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:17,160 there. When you start praying, you're 669 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:19,680 using godly weapons in godly ways. 670 00:41:20,920 --> 00:41:24,800 When you're praying, you're demolishing, you're winning in 671 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:26,720 prayer. And the Paul finishes. 672 00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:29,120 We're going to show up and we're going to discipline some people. 673 00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:32,440 But just so you know, when Paul shows up in this letter, he's 674 00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:34,720 not showing up to discipline all the politicians. 675 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:36,440 He says. We're going to discipline all 676 00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:39,440 the Christians who haven't been acting like Christians, who've 677 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:41,040 been calling themselves Christians. 678 00:41:43,040 --> 00:41:46,200 If you're going to swing hard this political season, don't 679 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:49,440 swing hard for your political party. 680 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:55,000 Swing hard for Jesus. Swing hard at the person who 681 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:58,560 calls himself a Christian who isn't acting like a Christian. 682 00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:03,960 But before you do that, the Bible would tell you, be careful 683 00:42:03,960 --> 00:42:05,960 pointing out the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye 684 00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:09,040 and ignoring the plank in your own. 685 00:42:11,720 --> 00:42:16,440 What Paul is trying to do, what Peter is trying to do, what 686 00:42:16,440 --> 00:42:20,400 James are trying to do, is get you and I to live by a higher 687 00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:23,680 standard. James chapter one, verse 22 says 688 00:42:23,680 --> 00:42:26,160 this. Do not merely listen to the Word 689 00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:31,800 and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 690 00:42:32,920 --> 00:42:37,160 Too often you and I have beliefs but have no action to accompany 691 00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:39,760 them. To those of you who are pro 692 00:42:39,760 --> 00:42:44,480 lifers, are you stingy when it comes to supporting adoption in 693 00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:47,800 foster care agencies? Or do you just want other people 694 00:42:47,800 --> 00:42:52,880 to keep the baby alive? If you're pro immigration, are 695 00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:56,160 you just for other people to be able to come in and other people 696 00:42:56,160 --> 00:42:59,040 foot the bill, or are you putting your house on the market 697 00:42:59,320 --> 00:43:01,720 so they can and saying, hey, you can live with me? 698 00:43:01,720 --> 00:43:05,040 You know what? Christians would be both of 699 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:08,040 those. They'd be looking for somebody 700 00:43:08,040 --> 00:43:09,960 who doesn't have what they need and to be trying to figure out a 701 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:11,000 way to make sure that they have it. 702 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:13,080 But they wouldn't be asking the other people to use their money 703 00:43:13,080 --> 00:43:15,200 to make it happen. They'd be using their money 704 00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:17,840 first. We vote for the things we 705 00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:20,040 believe, but we want other people to pay for. 706 00:43:21,080 --> 00:43:25,080 Christians are different. Our actions speak louder than 707 00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:29,120 our words. Every single one of us. 708 00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:32,560 We know the right Bible verses to back up our position. 709 00:43:33,240 --> 00:43:36,320 The problem is we haven't lived out enough Bible verses in our 710 00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:38,120 communities to make a difference. 711 00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:41,280 Think about that as we move to this time of decision. 712 00:43:46,200 --> 00:43:49,280 To those of you who are here or watching online that don't have 713 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:51,680 a relationship with Jesus Christ, I want you to know Jesus 714 00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:54,480 offers a better way to live, and I hope you got to see a little 715 00:43:54,480 --> 00:43:57,840 bit of that today. I really hope you're paying 716 00:43:57,840 --> 00:43:59,920 attention when I read that passage out of Timothy where it 717 00:43:59,920 --> 00:44:06,320 says God wants all people to be saved because that includes you. 718 00:44:08,080 --> 00:44:11,360 In fact, He wanted you to be saved so much that He sent His 719 00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:13,840 Son to die on the cross on your behalf. 720 00:44:14,480 --> 00:44:17,480 And I know for some of you that sounds a little bit crazy and a 721 00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:20,600 little bit weird, but if you have questions about what that 722 00:44:20,600 --> 00:44:23,640 is or what that looks like, it'll be one of the best 723 00:44:23,640 --> 00:44:26,080 decisions you've ever made. And it's just a few moments. 724 00:44:26,080 --> 00:44:28,400 The people around you are going to stand and sing, and some are 725 00:44:28,400 --> 00:44:29,480 going to come to the steps and pray. 726 00:44:29,480 --> 00:44:32,360 What I want to encourage you to do is to walk right over there 727 00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:35,200 by that baptistry underneath that screen, and they'll be a 728 00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:38,000 couple there who would love to talk to you about what that is 729 00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:42,800 and what that looks like. Because you can have a better 730 00:44:42,800 --> 00:44:47,280 king, a better citizenship, and your citizenship would be in 731 00:44:47,280 --> 00:44:50,480 heaven means that when you die, you don't have to worry about 732 00:44:50,480 --> 00:44:51,480 death. You don't have to worry about 733 00:44:51,480 --> 00:44:54,920 life after death because your life will be forever held in the 734 00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:57,040 hands of Jesus. And that makes all the 735 00:44:57,040 --> 00:45:00,160 difference, not just for your future and makes all the 736 00:45:00,160 --> 00:45:04,760 difference today to the rest of you in the room, to those of you 737 00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:08,040 who would call yourself a Christian, here's what I want to 738 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:13,400 encourage you to do. Would you spend some time 739 00:45:14,440 --> 00:45:22,280 praying for your president or somebody in authority in your 740 00:45:22,280 --> 00:45:27,200 life? And don't just pray for them to 741 00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:30,640 think like you think. Believe what you believe, but 742 00:45:30,640 --> 00:45:34,800 pray for them. Try to look at them the way you 743 00:45:34,800 --> 00:45:38,600 would look at your child. Because when you are praying to 744 00:45:38,600 --> 00:45:42,160 your Heavenly Father, you are also praying to their Heavenly 745 00:45:42,160 --> 00:45:45,840 Father. Maybe spend a little bit of time 746 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:50,000 repenting for the huge gap between your beliefs and your 747 00:45:50,000 --> 00:45:54,880 activity. Pray for the areas of your life 748 00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:59,600 where you have not exemplified the way of Christ. 749 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:04,640 Not your typical weekend, not your typical service, not your 750 00:46:04,640 --> 00:46:07,960 typical invitation time. But I think it's one we could 751 00:46:07,960 --> 00:46:10,160 use. I think it's one we need. 752 00:46:10,520 --> 00:46:17,040 Would you stand with me, God? We stand before you right now, 753 00:46:17,040 --> 00:46:20,200 and there's not a single thing we can hide from you. 754 00:46:20,200 --> 00:46:23,280 You know it all. So you know what we need, You 755 00:46:23,280 --> 00:46:26,000 know what we need to do, and you know what we need from you. 756 00:46:27,240 --> 00:46:29,080 And so, Heavenly Father, would you please meet us here? 757 00:46:29,080 --> 00:46:32,960 Would you please meet us in this moment and take the ground that 758 00:46:32,960 --> 00:46:34,840 only you can take? Your name, I pray. 759 00:46:35,120 --> 00:46:35,480 Amen.