1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,600 Man, it is good to be with each and every single one of you. 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:07,300 I'm so glad you guys are hanging out with us today and I just 3 00:00:07,300 --> 00:00:10,500 want to say this, I hope you know, God loves you, this church 4 00:00:10,500 --> 00:00:14,600 loves you, and I love you in a big Happy Father's Day to all 5 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,100 you fellas out there. I know that there's an awful lot 6 00:00:17,100 --> 00:00:21,200 of grills and blackstone's, steaks and burgers and back rubs 7 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:23,900 happening today. So I'm glad you made your time 8 00:00:23,900 --> 00:00:27,200 to come to get some church on. I also want to just thank you so 9 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,500 much for all the encouraging emails and texts that I've been. 10 00:00:30,700 --> 00:00:33,000 Over this sermon series. This sermon series kind of 11 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,700 caught me by surprise too. You know, preaching through a 12 00:00:35,700 --> 00:00:38,200 book of the Bible is one thing preaching through a book of the 13 00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:40,600 Bible, that's in the Old Testament is another thing. 14 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,200 Preaching through the Book of Ecclesiastes, is another thing 15 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,800 altogether, but I shouldn't be surprised. 16 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,400 The Bible tells us that all scripture is god-breathed, and 17 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,700 it's useful and that the word of God is living and active. 18 00:00:52,700 --> 00:00:55,900 And so I shouldn't be surprised that it's taking up residence in 19 00:00:55,900 --> 00:00:58,600 our lives and then it's doing a mighty work. 20 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:00,200 I want to tell you a couple things. 21 00:01:00,900 --> 00:01:04,599 We got two more weeks of this sermon series this week and next 22 00:01:04,599 --> 00:01:05,700 week. And then we're going to start a 23 00:01:05,700 --> 00:01:08,300 3-week sermon series. The first week we're going to 24 00:01:08,300 --> 00:01:10,400 talk about heaven the second week, we're going to talk about 25 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:11,400 hell. And the third week, we're going 26 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,600 to talk about the Judgment. Here's why this is important. 27 00:01:14,700 --> 00:01:16,900 I feel like it'll be a good opportunity for us to kind of 28 00:01:16,900 --> 00:01:20,100 just recalibrate for us to understand. 29 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:23,900 And not only what the full impact of what Jesus did on our 30 00:01:23,900 --> 00:01:26,800 behalf that will stir our affections towards him and the 31 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,800 sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But it's also going to help us 32 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:33,600 to really To Think Through how we want to spend our lives in 33 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,300 light of the impact that they can have for the sake of 34 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:38,500 Eternity. And then after that, if you're 35 00:01:38,500 --> 00:01:41,600 the kind of person who prays for people, I would just encourage 36 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:43,200 you guys. If you, if you're up for it to 37 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,200 just pray for Jerry and I, we're going to be starting a sermon 38 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,200 series. Excuse me, starting a sermon 39 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:50,700 series. It's going to be 12 weeks long. 40 00:01:51,300 --> 00:01:54,000 It's probably I believe it's going to be the most important, 41 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:55,700 sermon series. We're going to do all year. 42 00:01:56,300 --> 00:01:59,600 And but in order for to pull off this sermon series in a way that 43 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:04,500 is, Useful and palatable. I'm going to be spending a lot 44 00:02:04,500 --> 00:02:08,500 of time in content creation over the next month and then we'll be 45 00:02:08,500 --> 00:02:10,400 debuting it early. So that way you guys can be a 46 00:02:10,408 --> 00:02:13,600 part of it, but I really believe that God could use this sermon 47 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:18,300 series to bring about big time. Change, not just in your life, 48 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,800 but in the life of the people that you care about your friends 49 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,800 and family and specifically the change I'm talking about is 50 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:30,100 healing and hope and it's feel a compulsion to go through that 51 00:02:30,100 --> 00:02:31,900 sermons. Is I was nervous about it, but I 52 00:02:31,900 --> 00:02:33,400 feel like I've worked my way through it. 53 00:02:33,700 --> 00:02:35,500 And so, if you just want to be praying over the next month, I 54 00:02:35,508 --> 00:02:37,500 won't be taking some extended time and study. 55 00:02:37,900 --> 00:02:41,800 And hopefully when we get back together for that series, you'll 56 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:43,900 be like I'm glad we prayed for him because this would have been 57 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:45,300 a disaster. Okay. 58 00:02:46,300 --> 00:02:50,300 That being said, what I want to do today is I want to jump into 59 00:02:50,300 --> 00:02:53,500 Ecclesiastes chapter 5 and Ecclesiastes chapter 6. 60 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:58,600 If I were to put these two chapters of scripture into two 61 00:02:58,700 --> 00:03:04,400 words, they would be worship and wealth worship. 62 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,400 And wealth will start off Ecclesiastes chapter 5 1 through 63 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,500 7, guard your steps. When you go to the house of God, 64 00:03:10,900 --> 00:03:14,800 go near to listen, rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, 65 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,400 who do not know that they do wrong. 66 00:03:18,500 --> 00:03:21,400 Do not be quick with your mouth. Do not be Hasty in your heart to 67 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,700 utter anything before God, God is in heaven, and you are on 68 00:03:24,700 --> 00:03:30,000 earth. So let your Words Be Few, a 69 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,900 dream comes when there are many cares. 70 00:03:31,900 --> 00:03:34,900 And many words, Mark the speech of a fool. 71 00:03:35,900 --> 00:03:39,200 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. 72 00:03:39,500 --> 00:03:43,400 He has no pleasure in fools fulfill your vow. 73 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,100 It is better not to make a vow then to make one and not Fulfill 74 00:03:48,100 --> 00:03:52,400 it do not let your mouth lead you into sin and do not protest 75 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,800 to the temple messenger. My Vow was a mistake. 76 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:00,500 Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of 77 00:04:00,500 --> 00:04:04,500 your hands? Much dreaming and many words are 78 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:07,500 meaningless. Therefore fear God. 79 00:04:08,100 --> 00:04:12,200 Now, kind of a complicated text to let me, you know, if you go 80 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,500 to the grocery store, they put the Oreos at the bottom. 81 00:04:14,500 --> 00:04:17,300 I'm going to do as much as I can to just put the cookies on the 82 00:04:17,300 --> 00:04:18,899 bottom shelf, for everybody this weekend. 83 00:04:18,899 --> 00:04:21,100 So here's a couple things out of this text that. 84 00:04:21,100 --> 00:04:23,700 I like to easy takeaways. When you gather together 85 00:04:23,700 --> 00:04:26,800 worship, when you gather together with people to worship 86 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,600 God be careful guard. Your steps means pay attention 87 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,900 to your lifestyle. Take a good look and evaluate 88 00:04:33,900 --> 00:04:37,000 your lifestyle and take responsibility for the areas of 89 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,000 your life that are in Disobedience to God. 90 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,800 He says, listen is more listening, is more important 91 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:47,100 than the sacrifice of fools. He's saying, don't fake the 92 00:04:47,100 --> 00:04:49,700 funk. Don't show up for church, trying 93 00:04:49,700 --> 00:04:54,000 to act all spiritual and seem like you've got it all together 94 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,700 listening to God. Implies living in obedience to 95 00:04:58,700 --> 00:05:01,600 God. It's hearing What God Says, 96 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,700 reading What God Says and then doing what God's word says. 97 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,100 He says when you don't, you're offering a sacrifice. 98 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:15,200 Fools what that means is you could show up for church and you 99 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:19,500 could sing the loudest in your row, raise your hand, the 100 00:05:19,500 --> 00:05:26,500 highest in your section, pray, the longest at the steps, but if 101 00:05:26,500 --> 00:05:30,700 you're not living in obedience to God, you're offering a 102 00:05:30,700 --> 00:05:35,400 sacrifice of fools. He would much rather you instead 103 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:39,300 of offering a sacrifice of Fools and pretending to be incredibly 104 00:05:39,300 --> 00:05:42,800 spiritual he'd much, rather you be real and obedient than 105 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,600 disobedient and fake. He doesn't want you to offer a 106 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,600 sacrifice of Fools and he says fools, don't even realize what 107 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,900 they're doing. They're too busy trying to be 108 00:05:51,900 --> 00:05:57,300 spiritual than to do the spiritual work of obedience and 109 00:05:57,300 --> 00:06:00,600 then he says, be careful with the promises that you make to 110 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,200 God. Quick show of hands. 111 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,600 How many of you have ever made a promise to God? 112 00:06:06,700 --> 00:06:08,100 Oh yeah. Me too. 113 00:06:08,700 --> 00:06:09,900 I'm not going to make you do this. 114 00:06:12,500 --> 00:06:16,100 But if I were the kind of guy who were to ask you and how many 115 00:06:16,100 --> 00:06:19,400 of you didn't keep it, I'm guessing I'm guessing there'd be 116 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,100 some hands up. Right. 117 00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:26,500 He says don't do that. It's better for you. 118 00:06:26,500 --> 00:06:30,300 Not to make a commitment to God, then to make a commitment to God 119 00:06:31,100 --> 00:06:34,900 and not keep it. For some of us, the we we get 120 00:06:34,900 --> 00:06:37,300 excited, we see something. We have this stirring in, our 121 00:06:37,300 --> 00:06:40,100 heart, makes total sense, and we're going to start making 122 00:06:40,100 --> 00:06:41,600 moves. But if you make a commitment to 123 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:46,600 God, you need to keep it. Don't just say meaningless 124 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,400 things. And you guys know this, because 125 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,300 in your own relationships, what does it do to your Earthly 126 00:06:51,300 --> 00:06:53,800 relationships when you make a commitment to somebody and you 127 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:58,700 don't keep it Right and your marriage, you made a commitment 128 00:06:58,700 --> 00:07:00,200 to them. What happens when you don't? 129 00:07:01,300 --> 00:07:02,300 When it comes to your relationship. 130 00:07:02,300 --> 00:07:04,600 God with you does this mean that God doesn't have grace? 131 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:06,400 And mercy, of course, he has grace and mercy. 132 00:07:06,700 --> 00:07:08,800 He's just saying he would rather you just be honest. 133 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,100 Then try to pretend like you're completely sold out and 134 00:07:12,100 --> 00:07:15,300 committed. When you're not, then Solomon 135 00:07:15,300 --> 00:07:20,600 turns his attention to the accumulation and The Emptiness 136 00:07:21,100 --> 00:07:26,200 of wealth. Now, it's my family hates on me. 137 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,100 They call it, fads I call it Seasons. 138 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:32,000 Okay. There are certain Seasons that I 139 00:07:32,008 --> 00:07:35,200 go through, like, during the winter season. 140 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:39,800 My go-to snack is oftentimes, graham crackers and icing and 141 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:43,900 all man, I don't know if we just grew up super poor or what, but 142 00:07:43,900 --> 00:07:47,400 like I that's like I talked about that and people like, what 143 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,800 like when you put them in the freezer on a paper plate, you 144 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,700 pull them out. Anyhow, I have Trip. 145 00:07:53,700 --> 00:07:55,800 I have road trip food. How many you guys have? 146 00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:00,800 Like a go to road trip snack. Yeah, mine is the trolley sour 147 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:02,800 gummy worms. Yeah. 148 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:04,800 Put them in my lip like Copenhagen or something, and I 149 00:08:04,808 --> 00:08:08,500 just go until all, I just do it so I don't know where I picked 150 00:08:08,500 --> 00:08:10,600 that up from my mom's family is from Missouri's. 151 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:14,300 That might explain some of it and Mountain Dew and if you 152 00:08:14,300 --> 00:08:17,100 drink enough Mountain Dew and eat enough gummy worms, you get 153 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:19,800 heartburn, which keeps you awake because you can't fall asleep. 154 00:08:21,100 --> 00:08:25,200 Top five all-time favorite. Snacks is peanut M&Ms. How many 155 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:26,900 of you would put? Peanut M&Ms and the top. 156 00:08:26,900 --> 00:08:28,300 Oh yeah. Praise God. 157 00:08:28,300 --> 00:08:31,900 For those and if you go to Sam's buying in bulk, you can get sick 158 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,799 now. My favorite article are my 159 00:08:36,799 --> 00:08:38,500 favorite article. My favorite, my favorite 160 00:08:38,500 --> 00:08:40,700 clothing piece to eat. I got to be honest with you, 161 00:08:40,900 --> 00:08:45,900 it's Gotta Be, You know, my favorite sports snack, like if 162 00:08:45,900 --> 00:08:49,700 I'm watching football, is spicy spicy Doritos. 163 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:52,500 With and this place is in Quincy. 164 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,800 How cool is this with the Red Cactus medium salsa? 165 00:08:56,100 --> 00:08:59,500 If you know you know and if you don't know when you get done 166 00:08:59,500 --> 00:09:01,000 with church you know where to go. 167 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,000 Okay. It is so stinking good. 168 00:09:04,100 --> 00:09:08,600 Did you know that Doritos have been scientifically engineered 169 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:16,200 to leave you feeling empty? You never get full on a bag on a 170 00:09:16,300 --> 00:09:17,700 well. How many of you've accidentally 171 00:09:17,700 --> 00:09:20,000 in a bag of Doritos? Ha, ha ha. 172 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:22,500 Now, you know? Yeah, he's signing. 173 00:09:22,500 --> 00:09:24,800 No, let me, let me walk you through this. 174 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,600 They have a powerful Savory flavor known as Umami. 175 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,000 Say you Mommy, that's a good word. 176 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,400 You want to keep that one? Like, that'll be my word for the 177 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:38,400 day. Mommy, I mean Savory, it means 178 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,500 Savory as well as. So the Savory flavor known as 179 00:09:42,500 --> 00:09:45,400 you mommy as well as what food scientist. 180 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:50,300 Stephen, we literally calls long Hang Time flavors which 181 00:09:50,300 --> 00:09:54,400 stimulate memories Which is probably why, when I get ready 182 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:56,800 to watch a football game, I automatically go. 183 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:03,400 I need some Doritos, the flavors are balanced so carefully that 184 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:08,800 no one flavor overpowers, any of the other flavors, because when 185 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:13,200 your body gets an overload of a particular flavor, it starts to 186 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:17,800 feel full, but it fits perfectly balanced. 187 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:19,500 Where one doesn't overpower the other. 188 00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:27,200 You can just keep eating. Then the two primary acids in 189 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:31,000 the Dorito chip is designed to turn your saliva, glands into 190 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,700 waterfalls to wash the Dorito down. 191 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,800 Gets even further than to maximize the pleasure of the 192 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:42,600 calories coming from the Dorito, half of the calories, come from 193 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,800 fat, which is what allows you to take a bite and get a good 194 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,000 crunch. And then if you notice that the 195 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:56,300 Dorito almost dissolves or melts in your mouth, Yeah, some of you 196 00:10:56,300 --> 00:11:02,900 are like I love this church because I love to read us, but 197 00:11:02,900 --> 00:11:05,200 here's the deal. When the chip vanishes in your 198 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:07,800 mouth, it makes your brain think that the calories have 199 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,900 disappeared as well. So you can just keep eating. 200 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,000 It's the same science behind cotton candy. 201 00:11:17,100 --> 00:11:21,100 The flight are the colors of the Dorito are the three colors that 202 00:11:21,100 --> 00:11:27,300 consumers are the most attracted to And then they grind them. 203 00:11:27,300 --> 00:11:31,700 So, finally that after it you take a bite and it starts to 204 00:11:31,700 --> 00:11:33,900 dissolve. It turns into a powder that 205 00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:38,400 fills every crevice and crack in your mouth, helping dentist to 206 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:42,300 get their third homes across the country, right? 207 00:11:42,700 --> 00:11:46,700 Okay. And it leaves you defenseless 208 00:11:47,900 --> 00:11:51,700 And you end up taking another bite. 209 00:11:52,900 --> 00:11:57,600 Then you find yourself eating a full family size bag of spicy, 210 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:02,400 nacho Doritos, and a couple jars of salsa and it's halftime. 211 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:09,000 Doritos are designed to leave you feeling empty. 212 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,700 And so is wealth Ecclesiastes 5839. 213 00:12:15,300 --> 00:12:18,400 If you see the poor oppressed in the district and Justice and 214 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:21,500 rights denied do not be surprised at such things. 215 00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:24,900 For one official is I buy a Higher One and over them? 216 00:12:24,900 --> 00:12:29,300 Both are others higher. Still, the increase from the 217 00:12:29,300 --> 00:12:33,900 land is taken by all the king himself profits from the fields. 218 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:37,600 He's saying in, this Fallen World, don't be surprised when 219 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:41,500 greed remains unchecked. Everyone is going to try and get 220 00:12:41,500 --> 00:12:44,900 into everybody else's pocket. He keeps saying remember the 221 00:12:44,900 --> 00:12:47,800 phrase Under the Sun that everything under the sun is 222 00:12:48,100 --> 00:12:52,000 meaningless. It's all lower story and people 223 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:55,800 who are only aware of the lower story and only operate and only 224 00:12:55,800 --> 00:13:00,900 follow the lower story are going to be lacking in morals and in 225 00:13:00,900 --> 00:13:05,700 Mercy He says don't be surprised and if you're going to be an 226 00:13:05,700 --> 00:13:10,000 upper story person living in a lower Storey World, be careful 227 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,800 who you marry, who you date, who you do business with, because 228 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:17,600 the upper story values, and the lower Storey values compete with 229 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,200 one another, they're at war with one another. 230 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,400 They're not compatible with one another. 231 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,900 All of us, see the Brokenness in the systems around us and until 232 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:32,100 you, and I aim our lives at the upper story, it's only going to 233 00:13:32,108 --> 00:13:36,200 get worse here and the lower Storey. 5 verse 10. 234 00:13:37,300 --> 00:13:41,400 Whoever loves money, never has enough, whoever loves wealth is, 235 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:43,300 never satisfied with their income. 236 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:47,700 This too is meaningless and one sentence, he doubles down twice. 237 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:52,100 He says, loving money and loving wealth will not satisfy it will 238 00:13:52,100 --> 00:13:56,500 leave you. Feeling empty, the more we have 239 00:13:56,500 --> 00:13:59,700 the more we want. You, probably heard another 240 00:13:59,700 --> 00:14:02,200 Pastor say this, every Pastor I've ever heard talks about 241 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:06,000 this, because it's true and they always make this clarification. 242 00:14:06,100 --> 00:14:12,400 Money's not the problem. It's not money is not good or 243 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:16,800 bad, it can be used for good and it can be used for bad money's. 244 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,000 Not the problem. It's our affection for it. 245 00:14:19,100 --> 00:14:23,800 Our worship of it are sacrifices for our addiction to it that 246 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:29,900 caused the problem. Money is a tool to be used, not 247 00:14:29,900 --> 00:14:37,500 a God to be worshipped. Please ask he's 511 as Goods 248 00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:40,900 increase. So do those who consume them and 249 00:14:40,900 --> 00:14:44,800 what benefit are they to the owners except to Feast their 250 00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:48,700 eyes on them? The more we have the more we end 251 00:14:48,700 --> 00:14:54,800 up spending how many of you remember being in your 20s and 252 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:59,500 you're going if I only made X my life would be so much better and 253 00:14:59,500 --> 00:15:02,400 then in your 30s, you found yourself making X and you 254 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,600 thought to yourself, fine. Made why my life would be so 255 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:08,800 much better and then you found yourself in your 40s. 256 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,200 Making why? And you thought, if only I made 257 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:15,500 easy, then my life would be so much better than you. 258 00:15:15,500 --> 00:15:21,000 Find yourself making Z. and you're going, we are spending 259 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:26,300 all we're making no matter how much we make. 260 00:15:28,100 --> 00:15:33,500 And it leaves you feeling empty. He says the more you have the 261 00:15:33,500 --> 00:15:37,900 more people show up, wanting what you have, the nicer, the 262 00:15:37,900 --> 00:15:41,200 house, the better, the security system, the message actually 263 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:43,700 says if you go home and read this verse in your message trans 264 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,700 I wouldn't call it translation but in the message it says the 265 00:15:46,700 --> 00:15:50,100 more loot you get the more looters show up that there's 266 00:15:50,100 --> 00:15:52,600 always people trying to put their hands in your pocket. 267 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,500 You know what he says the very best thing that you can do with 268 00:15:55,500 --> 00:16:00,000 your stuff Look at it, use it. Enjoy it. 269 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,700 And point it to Heaven. That's what you do with your 270 00:16:02,700 --> 00:16:05,400 stuff. Don't try to find your purpose, 271 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:09,100 your meaning, or significance in them, because it's not there. 272 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:12,400 The car you have the house, you have the property, the RV. 273 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:16,700 Don't make you cool. Or friendly. 274 00:16:18,100 --> 00:16:21,300 Or attractive. If you. 275 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:26,500 Get a really nice car and you're a mean person. 276 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,500 Guess what? You're just a mean person with a 277 00:16:30,508 --> 00:16:33,300 nice car cars, don't make you nice. 278 00:16:34,300 --> 00:16:39,400 If you're an ugly person, You get a really nice house. 279 00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:43,200 You're just an ugly person with a house. 280 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:50,400 It doesn't change who you are. Only Jesus can change people. 281 00:16:51,900 --> 00:16:54,100 Stuff. Just magnifies people. 282 00:16:55,300 --> 00:16:59,100 Jesus is the one who changes people and if you think by 283 00:16:59,100 --> 00:17:02,500 getting the nice stuff that you'll end up getting people to 284 00:17:02,500 --> 00:17:06,500 hang out with you, you'll be attracting the wrong people to 285 00:17:06,500 --> 00:17:11,000 you, because they'll be just as shallow as you are. 286 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,099 Because if they weren't your friend before the car, if they 287 00:17:14,099 --> 00:17:15,900 weren't your friend before the house. 288 00:17:15,900 --> 00:17:18,800 What happens when you lose the car, what happens when you lose 289 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:22,000 the house? Because if you had to have it to 290 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:25,700 get them, You'll lose it when you don't. 291 00:17:27,099 --> 00:17:29,400 Buy your stuff. Enjoy it. 292 00:17:29,900 --> 00:17:33,200 Take pleasure in it but don't worship it. 293 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,000 Leverage it. Please ask these 512. 294 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:42,800 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, 295 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,400 but as for the rich, their abundance permits them, no 296 00:17:46,500 --> 00:17:50,200 sleep, a laborer sleeps, good at night, they go in the work. 297 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,500 They punch in. They punch out, they go home, 298 00:17:52,700 --> 00:17:56,000 hang out with their family, not stressed just doing their thing. 299 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,300 But a wealthy person is always worried and wondering about how 300 00:18:00,300 --> 00:18:03,200 do I handle my finances and what do I do with all of my wealth? 301 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:04,700 They're worried about, do I have enough. 302 00:18:04,700 --> 00:18:07,500 Put aside the markets, the interest rates The geopolitical 303 00:18:07,500 --> 00:18:10,000 factors. I knew a veterinarian, not my 304 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,900 dad who was in you shared with me. 305 00:18:12,900 --> 00:18:16,800 Once he was in surgery on an animal, he had seen him BC on 306 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,100 and it had the ticker that showed the stock market. 307 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:24,200 He had played pretty heavily in the commodity market, and while 308 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:27,700 he was in surgery, he was losing tens of thousands of dollars. 309 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:31,000 By the minute, he couldn't get out of the surgery, to hedge the 310 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,600 market to make a call. And by the time the surgery was 311 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:39,200 over he'd lost hundreds. I read a story about John D 312 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:43,200 Rockefeller, his life was almost ruined by money at age, 53. 313 00:18:43,300 --> 00:18:45,500 He was the world's only billionaire earning about a 314 00:18:45,508 --> 00:18:49,000 million dollars a week, but he was a sick man who lived on milk 315 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:52,500 and crackers, and couldn't sleep because he was always worried 316 00:18:52,500 --> 00:18:57,600 about his wealth, but then he started giving his money away 317 00:18:57,700 --> 00:19:00,500 and his health changed dramatically and he lived to 318 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:06,200 celebrate his 98th, birthday. Saying, leverage your wealth, 319 00:19:06,500 --> 00:19:09,800 don't worship it Ecclesiastes 513. 320 00:19:10,900 --> 00:19:15,200 I've seen a grievous Evil Under the Sun, wealth hoarded to the 321 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:19,100 harm of its owners. Now, he's not saying don't save, 322 00:19:19,300 --> 00:19:22,300 have an emergency fund, have a retirement account, try and 323 00:19:22,300 --> 00:19:23,700 leave something behind for your kids. 324 00:19:23,700 --> 00:19:25,500 He's not saying there's anything wrong with that. 325 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:28,900 He's saying there are people who are always saving for a rainy 326 00:19:28,900 --> 00:19:30,800 day, but they never enjoy the sunshine. 327 00:19:32,700 --> 00:19:36,900 When you may know people like that, it's never enough and 328 00:19:36,900 --> 00:19:40,600 they're hoarding distance them from relationship and distance 329 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:43,900 them from making memories. And their hoarding comes from 330 00:19:43,900 --> 00:19:47,600 one of two places, either greed, or a lack of faith in God's 331 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,600 provision. It's nothing, he says, 332 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:55,800 Ecclesiastes chapter 4 or 4 verse 14 for wealth, lost 333 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:59,100 through some Misfortune. So that when they have children, 334 00:19:59,100 --> 00:20:01,400 there is nothing left for them to inherit. 335 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,500 Everyone comes naked from their mother's womb and as everyone 336 00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:08,900 comes so they depart they take nothing from their toil that 337 00:20:08,900 --> 00:20:14,500 they can carry in their hands. This too is a grievous evil as 338 00:20:14,500 --> 00:20:17,800 everyone comes. So they depart and what do they 339 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:21,900 gain? Since they toil for the wind all 340 00:20:21,900 --> 00:20:24,000 their days. They eat and darkness with great 341 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,800 frustration Affliction and anger. 342 00:20:27,900 --> 00:20:30,900 The more you have, the more you can lose. 343 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:34,300 You can have it one moment and you can lose it. 344 00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:37,100 The next there are no U-Hauls in heaven. 345 00:20:37,100 --> 00:20:40,400 You cannot take it with, you wealth can be an absolute Vapor, 346 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:43,600 you can try and hold on to it, but Slip through your fingers 347 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:50,000 and when it's gone, then what? If that was your God, if that 348 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,700 was what you worshipped, when it disappears. 349 00:20:52,700 --> 00:20:57,200 Now, you have nothing and their lives are lived in anguish, and 350 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,800 affliction, and anger. You struggle to keep it from 351 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:02,500 slipping, through your fingers, only to find yourself, depressed 352 00:21:02,500 --> 00:21:05,400 and struggling mentally, and emotionally with the loss of 353 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:10,500 your wealth, because your God died, your God disappeared. 354 00:21:10,500 --> 00:21:15,300 That's why Jesus says, do not store Treasures on Earth where 355 00:21:15,300 --> 00:21:19,500 moth and rust destroy and where thieves Break in and steal. 356 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,800 Instead start for yourself, Treasures in Heaven, where there 357 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,300 is no math, there is no rust and there are no Thieves for where 358 00:21:26,300 --> 00:21:30,600 your treasure. Is there your heart will be 359 00:21:30,900 --> 00:21:34,500 also, you can't live in the lower story. 360 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:37,700 And find everything you need here. 361 00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:39,900 There's no meaning there's no significance. 362 00:21:39,900 --> 00:21:44,100 And if you leave your treasure on Earth, it will be destroyed. 363 00:21:44,100 --> 00:21:47,400 And if your treasure is here on Earth, that means your heart is 364 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:52,600 here on Earth too. Jesus saying take what you have 365 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:56,600 and aim it out of the lower story and in to the upper Story. 366 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:58,000 Look at what it says in verse 18. 367 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:01,400 This is what I have observed to be good. 368 00:22:01,700 --> 00:22:05,900 That it is appropriate for a person to eat to drink and find 369 00:22:05,900 --> 00:22:09,300 satisfaction in their toilsome labor Under the Sun during the 370 00:22:09,300 --> 00:22:13,400 few days of life, God has given them for this is there why 371 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,100 moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions and the 372 00:22:18,100 --> 00:22:22,000 ability to enjoy Them to accept their lot and be happy in their 373 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:27,000 toil. This is a gift of God, they 374 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,600 seldom reflect on the days of their life because God keeps 375 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,800 them occupied with gladness of heart. 376 00:22:34,100 --> 00:22:36,800 This what he's saying? Get a job. 377 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:42,000 Earn a wage and use it to care for those around. 378 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:47,600 You enjoy its benefits and Advance the kingdom of God, take 379 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,700 the blessings that God has given you take the blessings that are 380 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,100 coming to you and use it to bless those around you. 381 00:22:55,200 --> 00:23:00,600 And those who will come after you here Solomon is summarizing. 382 00:23:00,700 --> 00:23:03,200 He's saying don't spend your life trying to acquire more. 383 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:05,200 Don't spend your life trying to hoard more. 384 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:07,300 Don't just spend your life enjoy. 385 00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:10,500 Saying what you've been given these people don't spend their 386 00:23:10,500 --> 00:23:13,200 time thinking about how to how short life is or about all the 387 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:15,500 challenges of the past are all the challenges ahead. 388 00:23:15,700 --> 00:23:19,600 Instead, they just enjoy, what God has given them. 389 00:23:20,500 --> 00:23:24,300 They're just thankful than look what happens here. 390 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:29,900 This is verse or chapter 6, I have seen another Evil Under the 391 00:23:29,900 --> 00:23:33,200 Sun and it weighs heavily on mankind. 392 00:23:33,900 --> 00:23:38,700 God gives some people wealth possessions and honor so that 393 00:23:38,700 --> 00:23:41,300 they lack nothing, their hearts desire. 394 00:23:42,500 --> 00:23:46,100 But God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them. 395 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:52,400 And strangers enjoy them. Instead, this is meaningless a 396 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:56,500 grievous evil. Who's Solomon talking about 397 00:23:56,500 --> 00:24:01,000 here? I think he's talking about 398 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,600 himself. Here's a man who had absolutely 399 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:10,100 everything he could ever need and he found no satisfaction in 400 00:24:10,100 --> 00:24:14,200 it. He called it meaningless. 401 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:17,100 Remember Solomon is the wealthiest man who ever lived 402 00:24:17,100 --> 00:24:21,200 and he's saying it's meaningless, we know this to be 403 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:24,300 true, right? It's when you go to a developing 404 00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:29,700 country and you find nothing but smiles and joy and then you come 405 00:24:29,700 --> 00:24:34,300 back here to your life in comparative Paradise. 406 00:24:38,100 --> 00:24:43,100 There's not a lot of joy. And not a lot of smiles. 407 00:24:45,700 --> 00:24:48,800 Maybe Solomon wasn't just talking about himself. 408 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:55,000 Maybe there are some of us who are wealthy and we can't even 409 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:58,200 enjoy it. He's saying wealth does not 410 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:02,600 equal satisfaction enjoyment, purpose, meaning or 411 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:06,000 significance. Here's what I need you to hear 412 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:07,100 me. Say this is the tough part of 413 00:25:07,108 --> 00:25:10,500 the message. This sermon is for us. 414 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:17,100 I know, I know, I know, I know. You are hoping it was for 415 00:25:17,100 --> 00:25:20,400 somebody else. I sure wish. 416 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,400 So where is sewing? So today by the way, is there a 417 00:25:23,408 --> 00:25:25,900 special text hotline that you know what Clayton's talking 418 00:25:25,900 --> 00:25:28,200 about beforehand? So you don't have to come for 419 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:32,100 the ones, you don't want. Because so, and shows you the 420 00:25:32,100 --> 00:25:36,600 definitely been here. Because we are always thinking 421 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:38,800 that the wealthy people are other people. 422 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:45,800 Right. I mean, some of us, we like to 423 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:49,200 show off our cars and we like to show off our houses and we like 424 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:52,000 to have our second homes and we like to have our RVs and we like 425 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,800 to have our recreational land and we like to have our cool 426 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:56,400 hobbies. And we like to take pictures on 427 00:25:56,400 --> 00:26:00,100 really nice vacations and we like to be wealthy all the rest 428 00:26:00,100 --> 00:26:02,600 of the time. Except for, when God calls us 429 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:06,300 wealthy, then we're like a boy, Not us. 430 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,400 So and so should a really hurt this? 431 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,500 Because for us wealth is always comparative as long as you and I 432 00:26:14,500 --> 00:26:18,400 can identify somebody who has more than us, we are able to 433 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,700 rationalize that we are not the wealthy people. 434 00:26:20,700 --> 00:26:23,100 There are some of you today as you were getting ready for 435 00:26:23,100 --> 00:26:28,700 church, you walked into a house just for clothes called a closet 436 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:34,800 and it was full and you came out and you said this out loud. 437 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:39,600 I have nothing to do. Yeah. 438 00:26:41,300 --> 00:26:45,400 There's some of you got out, you're going to leave church 439 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:47,200 today and you're going to pull into your house. 440 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:49,600 And before you pull into your house, you're going to press a 441 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:54,900 button and your car house door is going to go up and you're 442 00:26:54,900 --> 00:26:57,300 going to park your car and its own house. 443 00:27:02,300 --> 00:27:06,500 And we're not the wealthy ones. Remember the Bible was written 444 00:27:06,500 --> 00:27:10,900 for all people for all time. For all geographic regions we 445 00:27:10,900 --> 00:27:15,900 are the 1 percenters. And if a gathering of one 446 00:27:15,900 --> 00:27:18,900 percenters can get together, and come to the conclusion that we 447 00:27:18,900 --> 00:27:21,700 are, not the wealthy ones because of the zero point, one 448 00:27:21,700 --> 00:27:28,100 percenters. Satan is so crafty that he can 449 00:27:28,100 --> 00:27:30,900 get people that look just like you and me together and convince 450 00:27:30,900 --> 00:27:37,100 us that we are not wealthy. He's coming to us from the 451 00:27:37,108 --> 00:27:38,900 future with all the money you could ever want. 452 00:27:38,900 --> 00:27:45,100 And he's saying It's meaningless Under the Sun, and if he sang, 453 00:27:45,100 --> 00:27:47,100 It's meaningless. Then what are you? 454 00:27:47,100 --> 00:27:50,500 And I supposed to do with our wealth. 455 00:27:51,300 --> 00:27:55,800 I'll tell you. Don't keep it under the sun, 456 00:27:56,100 --> 00:27:59,500 send it to heaven. When we take our wealth and we 457 00:27:59,900 --> 00:28:03,300 send it towards heaven, we get to enjoy it twice. 458 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:07,400 We get to enjoy it here and we get to enjoy it again in heaven. 459 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:11,500 There's a guy here on our staff at our Church's name is Bill. 460 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,800 He worked at Western Illinois for many years as the chaplain, 461 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:17,500 and then eventually he came on staff here at our church. 462 00:28:17,500 --> 00:28:20,800 As we were trying to expand the crossing inside. 463 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,600 He's been working and keeping track of all the people who are 464 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,500 getting baptized and this past weekend at Western Illinois, 465 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:33,700 correctional center. They passed 1000 baptisms and 466 00:28:33,700 --> 00:28:38,000 that amazing. And if you are the kind of 467 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:42,700 person who invests your Wealth Beyond the Sun, and into 468 00:28:42,700 --> 00:28:47,400 eternity, you were a participant in over 600 of those baptisms 469 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:52,600 through your giving. Now, You're just going to get to 470 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:55,900 see the video here on Earth that says, this past weekend, or this 471 00:28:55,900 --> 00:28:57,600 past month. We had six baptisms. 472 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,600 And all of our campuses will probably be awesome to be super 473 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:04,300 cool. But, but but but but You'll get 474 00:29:04,300 --> 00:29:09,700 to enjoy it again. Because those prisoners are 475 00:29:09,700 --> 00:29:11,600 going to get transferred to other prisons and they're going 476 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,800 to start Bible studies in there. Other prison, they may never get 477 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:17,600 out and you meet him here, but they'll be there. 478 00:29:18,100 --> 00:29:22,400 Now, the cool part is is, it'll take all of eternity for you to 479 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:26,100 hear all of the stories about how God took just that one area 480 00:29:26,100 --> 00:29:30,800 of obedience and that one step of faith and used it in amazing 481 00:29:31,100 --> 00:29:34,600 and miraculous ways. There is a couple who's a part 482 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:38,000 of our church and their contagiously generous like, you 483 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,600 can't talk Tomb, without them trying to do something there. 484 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:45,900 You always have to walk away and they ran into a couple who were 485 00:29:45,900 --> 00:29:49,000 who had just moved here. And they had all they had was a 486 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,000 suitcase of clothes and so they help them. 487 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,600 Make sure they got a washer and dryer, and then they took them 488 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:55,800 Furniture shopping and then they were like, you know what, we're 489 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:57,500 going to take them out for a really nice meal. 490 00:29:57,500 --> 00:29:59,900 So that way they can have, you know, like a nice date night. 491 00:29:59,900 --> 00:30:03,800 And then they knew of this young, these young girls who 492 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,000 went through a really hard time and so they just made the 493 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:07,800 commitment that they're going to pay for their Camp. 494 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:10,200 Every All year. And so, for the last four years, 495 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:12,000 they been paying for them to go to camp. 496 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,600 But then the girls moved and so then they decided okay, well, I 497 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:16,700 guess we'll just drive to wherever they live now and we'll 498 00:30:16,700 --> 00:30:18,400 pick him up and we'll buy him all the clothes they need and 499 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:20,600 all the sleeping bags they need, and they will drive them back up 500 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:22,700 to camp and we'll drop them off. And you know what, when they're 501 00:30:22,700 --> 00:30:24,700 at Camp we're going to at least come and spend one night with 502 00:30:24,700 --> 00:30:27,900 them and eat a meal with them. And so for four years, This 503 00:30:27,900 --> 00:30:31,100 Woman's been doing that and she was doing it two weeks ago, a 504 00:30:31,108 --> 00:30:34,600 high school camp. For four years. 505 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:38,000 And on Friday night, she sat down with her and had whatever 506 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:40,200 that we were eating on that Friday night, with all the kids 507 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:42,500 and then on Sunday, she gets the text message. 508 00:30:42,500 --> 00:30:45,400 From that girl that says, will you baptize me? 509 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,000 And so on Sundays, she hopped back in her car and she drove 510 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,600 all the way back up to our camp and she got to see it here. 511 00:30:53,100 --> 00:30:55,200 But she's going to get to see it again in heaven. 512 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:58,500 As that girl finds a Christian man and marries him and raises 513 00:30:58,500 --> 00:31:01,600 are housed in a way that honors, the Lord and leads Bible 514 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:05,000 studies, its gets to enjoy it there. 515 00:31:06,300 --> 00:31:09,600 You get to enjoy it twice. It's when you pay for kids 516 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,400 scholarship at camp and you get an opportunity to see them 517 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:15,200 except Jesus here, and then having no clue how God is going 518 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,500 to use them to mentor and disciple people in the future, 519 00:31:18,500 --> 00:31:21,200 and they can trace their relationship to God. 520 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,300 When you get to heaven to back to you and your faithfulness and 521 00:31:24,300 --> 00:31:26,900 your obedience, and you'll get to meet all the people who can 522 00:31:26,900 --> 00:31:29,300 trace their faith back to that person. 523 00:31:29,500 --> 00:31:32,400 We honor God, when we bless a young couple with a date night 524 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:34,100 to focus on strengthening their marriage. 525 00:31:34,100 --> 00:31:37,800 We honor God, when we enjoy. Wealth and we use it to help 526 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:41,200 people have a getaway at our second home or borrow the RV for 527 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:43,100 a weekend. We enjoy it when We Gather 528 00:31:43,100 --> 00:31:46,600 people together, we pay for the meal and we just go around the 529 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:50,000 table saying, let's celebrate the goodness of. 530 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:53,800 Our God hear me. We can either worship our wealth 531 00:31:54,300 --> 00:32:01,000 or we can worship with it. and the decision makes all the 532 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:06,100 difference not just in the lower story, but in the upper story, 533 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:09,900 And I hope you'll make the right one. 534 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:11,700 We're moving to a time of decision. 535 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:19,900 There are let me just there's some people in this room and 536 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:24,500 Over time. Your wealth is kind of got a 537 00:32:24,500 --> 00:32:27,700 hold on you and if you try to hold on to your wealth, that's 538 00:32:27,700 --> 00:32:31,100 exactly what will happen is. It will it will hold on to you. 539 00:32:31,300 --> 00:32:34,200 And then when you want to let go, it'll be incredibly hard. 540 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:38,000 And when the music stops on your life, you don't want to be 541 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:41,600 holding on to your wealth. You want to be holding on to 542 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:45,600 Jesus. That's where you want to be. 543 00:32:46,300 --> 00:32:49,700 You want to hold on to him because he's the only one who 544 00:32:49,700 --> 00:32:53,700 will never let you down. And there's some of you in here 545 00:32:53,700 --> 00:32:56,300 today, you're going man, you know, it's a good thing. 546 00:32:56,300 --> 00:32:59,000 I'm a rich person, because how much does it cost to start an 547 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:00,300 intimate? Personal relationship with 548 00:33:00,300 --> 00:33:02,600 Jesus? I got bad news for you. 549 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:06,700 You can't afford it. Now, you can, there's some, 550 00:33:06,700 --> 00:33:08,700 you're like, well that's kind of depressing because I'm poor. 551 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:12,900 What about me? Well, the good news is, it 552 00:33:12,900 --> 00:33:16,900 doesn't matter how much you have because it's free. it's the free 553 00:33:16,900 --> 00:33:23,700 gift of God's grace, that he gave to us to you and to me, And 554 00:33:23,700 --> 00:33:25,600 every single week here at the Crossing, we talked about, 555 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:29,500 people starting an intimate personal relationship with Jesus 556 00:33:29,500 --> 00:33:31,200 Christ. And I need you to hear me say 557 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:37,400 this, you can have it as well. You can start that relationship. 558 00:33:38,700 --> 00:33:42,400 And I need you to know something everything I've ever wanted in 559 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:47,000 this life, and everything I've ever had has eventually let me 560 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:50,900 down. When I was about 10 years old, 561 00:33:50,900 --> 00:33:54,400 maybe a little bit younger, I wanted a huffy 10-speed bike, I 562 00:33:54,408 --> 00:33:56,500 don't want to brag. But I mean I mean I wanted it 563 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:59,400 and I hope you guys won't find me to wealthy, but I mean I 564 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:04,100 bought one and I bought it because I did a bunch of chores 565 00:34:04,100 --> 00:34:08,600 around my house for $1 bills. And when I'd saved up $110, we 566 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:11,699 went to Jackson Fort Madison Iowa and I walked in there, like 567 00:34:11,699 --> 00:34:14,100 a stripper with a bunch of singles, and I bought that Huffy 568 00:34:16,300 --> 00:34:20,400 And all that thing did was get flat tires. 569 00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:26,500 I wanted a four-wheeler and I eventually bought one because 570 00:34:26,500 --> 00:34:28,699 all the cool kids when I was growing up at four-wheelers and 571 00:34:28,699 --> 00:34:35,199 I didn't, I had a horse and four wheelers are faster than horses 572 00:34:35,199 --> 00:34:40,500 and four wheelers don't poop. And I wanted one and that 573 00:34:40,500 --> 00:34:43,699 thing's been rolled and beat up so many times that when you just 574 00:34:43,699 --> 00:34:46,100 look at it you're like is everything okay Clayton like 575 00:34:46,100 --> 00:34:48,300 your marriage? All right, it just looks like 576 00:34:48,300 --> 00:34:52,600 nobody loves it. I wanted the Chevy Avalanche 577 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:56,000 came out and I thought that was, like, the coolest thing ever, 578 00:34:56,800 --> 00:34:58,900 and I wanted one, and I'll be honest with you guys. 579 00:34:58,900 --> 00:35:00,300 I bought it. I bought one. 580 00:35:02,500 --> 00:35:06,500 And nobody ever was like, when I was at a stop sign, roll your 581 00:35:06,500 --> 00:35:09,700 window down. Then I'll roll it down. 582 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:13,600 Can we be friends? Because you look so cool in that 583 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:17,200 car never happened. It just got horrible, gas 584 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:20,100 mileage. I wanted a hot tub. 585 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:23,800 And I bought one didn't fit in it. 586 00:35:25,100 --> 00:35:27,800 I got it. Most of the water came out. 587 00:35:27,900 --> 00:35:30,200 I couldn't get Jennifer to get in it with me ever because there 588 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:34,200 was no room. So, I had to get rid of it. 589 00:35:34,700 --> 00:35:39,000 Listen. All of this is gonna sound dumb. 590 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:43,800 I just listed off all the things that 21 year old. 591 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:46,500 Clayton fought was like a home run, like you're killing it, 592 00:35:46,500 --> 00:35:48,400 man. Those are all the things. 593 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:51,500 Like, if I was the guy who had an avalanche and a hot tub and a 594 00:35:51,500 --> 00:35:58,000 four-wheeler look out, And they all. 595 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:00,600 Let me down. Hot tub, wasn't big enough. 596 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:04,300 Huffy got flat tires. The Avalanche got bad gas 597 00:36:04,300 --> 00:36:08,400 mileage. There's only one thing that I've 598 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:12,600 ever laid my hands on that has never ever let me down. 599 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:16,500 There's only one thing that I've ever laid my hands on that just 600 00:36:16,500 --> 00:36:20,600 keeps getting better and sweeter that every time I worship him, 601 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:23,000 he gets better. Every time I read my Bible, he 602 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:25,400 gets better. Every time I pray, he gets 603 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:28,500 better. There is only one thing that has 604 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:31,300 never, let me down. In fact, there's only one thing 605 00:36:31,300 --> 00:36:34,200 that is not only not ever. Let me down, but continually 606 00:36:34,300 --> 00:36:38,500 holds me. Up and that is Jesus Christ and 607 00:36:38,500 --> 00:36:42,600 he will never fail. He will never let you down his 608 00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:46,500 stock. Price is always up and to the 609 00:36:46,500 --> 00:36:50,400 right and until you have a hold on him. 610 00:36:52,900 --> 00:36:58,700 You'll never know. but those of you who know, You know. 611 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:03,700 So, you can go back to worshipping your stuff. 612 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:07,200 But your stuff will let you down. 613 00:37:08,300 --> 00:37:15,500 But you can worship him with your stuff. there's some of you 614 00:37:15,500 --> 00:37:19,800 in here today, The first thing you got to do is actually step 615 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:22,800 into that intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 616 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,900 That's where it's got to be. If your father in here, I'm 617 00:37:26,900 --> 00:37:28,300 going to just tell you. If you've never start a 618 00:37:28,308 --> 00:37:31,200 relationship with Jesus Christ, one of the best things you can 619 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:36,100 give your family is an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus 620 00:37:36,100 --> 00:37:38,000 Christ. The knowledge of where you will 621 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:41,400 spend eternity. The stats are in that this 622 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:47,200 family are this world needs Godly father's Godly husbands 623 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:51,800 and where you go, your family will follow. 624 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:54,400 And if you've never started that, there's gonna be somebody 625 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:57,100 over there by the bastard who did Love a chance to talk to you 626 00:37:57,100 --> 00:38:00,200 about it. Hear me your wealth can buy you 627 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:02,700 sex but not a soul mate. It can buy you a house, not a 628 00:38:02,707 --> 00:38:04,400 home. It could buy you clothes but not 629 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:06,200 character. It can buy you popularity but 630 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:08,500 not purpose. It can buy you a vehicle but not 631 00:38:08,500 --> 00:38:10,200 values. It can buy you a boat but not 632 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:11,800 blessings. It's Father's Day weekend. 633 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:13,800 It can buy you a smoker but not salvation. 634 00:38:13,900 --> 00:38:16,700 It can buy you a grill, but not Grace and can buy you Farmland, 635 00:38:16,700 --> 00:38:19,000 but not fulfillment. There's only one thing that can 636 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:22,200 do that, and that's Jesus. And if you don't have him, you 637 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:28,700 don't have what it takes. To those of you who already have 638 00:38:28,700 --> 00:38:30,700 a relationship with Jesus Christ, I'm just going to 639 00:38:30,707 --> 00:38:33,700 encourage you to just get down on your knees and say God thank 640 00:38:33,700 --> 00:38:36,700 you for everything you've done. Thank you for all the blessings 641 00:38:36,700 --> 00:38:40,800 that you've given me and God help me to be a great Steward of 642 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:44,900 my wealth. The last thing, I'm encourage 643 00:38:44,900 --> 00:38:47,600 you guys to do, if you want, is we're doing a kind of a refit 644 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:50,500 here at 48th Street for broadcast purposes, for the 645 00:38:50,500 --> 00:38:52,000 other location. So we kind of changed up the 646 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:55,000 stage a bit, we're in the middle of getting new stairs and these 647 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:56,900 stairs, the ones we have for this weekend and they don't have 648 00:38:56,900 --> 00:38:59,400 carpet on them yet. And if you guys have been around 649 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:03,400 here a long time, it's kind of like a thing we do here until we 650 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:06,500 covered up with carpet, we covered up with prayers and 651 00:39:06,700 --> 00:39:09,300 there have been prayers that have been prayed and answered on 652 00:39:09,300 --> 00:39:12,700 the steps of the past and these steps, we don't know how long 653 00:39:12,700 --> 00:39:14,700 they're going to be here. But there's going to be people 654 00:39:14,700 --> 00:39:16,000 who are going to come up and they're going to put their 655 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:18,700 elbows. These steps and they're going to 656 00:39:18,700 --> 00:39:21,100 put their wrists on these steps and they're going to put their 657 00:39:21,100 --> 00:39:24,300 heads on these steps and they're going to cry out to God and I 658 00:39:24,300 --> 00:39:28,300 would love the foundation of their prayers to be your 659 00:39:28,300 --> 00:39:30,500 prayers. And if you'd be willing to pray 660 00:39:30,500 --> 00:39:33,100 for them or write down a prayer for them, we would there 661 00:39:33,100 --> 00:39:35,000 Sharpies up here and we'd love for you guys to do that. 662 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:39,100 Would you stand with me? God, do a mighty work right now. 663 00:39:39,100 --> 00:39:43,300 In this group of people bring about a change in every life got 664 00:39:43,300 --> 00:39:46,500 another All kinds of confusion and frustration at times, but we 665 00:39:46,500 --> 00:39:48,800 know that your power can supersede it all. 666 00:39:49,100 --> 00:39:50,800 And so, I'm asking you to do that. 667 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:55,000 Work in us right now. Give us Clarity on how we're 668 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:58,000 supposed to respond, and then give us the courage to walk it 669 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:00,600 out and your name, I pray. Amen.