1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,500 Man crossing family, it is so good to be with each and every 2 00:00:06,500 --> 00:00:08,300 single. One of you this week, before I 3 00:00:08,300 --> 00:00:11,400 get in the message, I have an unimportant announcement. 4 00:00:13,300 --> 00:00:19,500 At 39 years and a half of age 285 pounds, six foot six father 5 00:00:19,500 --> 00:00:24,700 of three husband of one. I dunked it. 10 feet this week. 6 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,000 Yeah, I don't do basketball on a 10 for your RAM in the fact. 7 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:28,900 There you go. Thank you. 8 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,900 Thank you. You've never had a senior pastor 9 00:00:33,900 --> 00:00:36,300 who could dunk. So this is a big moment for all 10 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:40,200 of us. Anyhow, it really what? 11 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:41,800 It's a. It's an issue. 12 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:46,100 How excited I am about that because my kids saw it, which 13 00:00:46,100 --> 00:00:48,600 means they'll remember it. And then I went back out after I 14 00:00:48,900 --> 00:00:53,500 ate like a two pieces of KFC, chicken, and dunk, It's like you 15 00:00:53,500 --> 00:00:55,800 get it on video so I can remind them that their dads cooler than 16 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:58,900 them. That being said, I want to 17 00:00:58,900 --> 00:01:04,000 welcome you all to our brand new sermon series to Week. 1 of 18 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,100 weeds in my garden, a sermon series, about being honest, 19 00:01:08,500 --> 00:01:12,700 about mental health, and I want to welcome you joining from all 20 00:01:12,700 --> 00:01:15,600 of our different locations. Those of you watching online and 21 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:20,000 inside, I am so glad that you are with us today. 22 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,200 I want you to know that God loves you and this church loves 23 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:24,900 you. And if you are new to the 24 00:01:24,900 --> 00:01:27,700 crossing right on the front end this mess, Feel free to take out 25 00:01:27,700 --> 00:01:31,200 your phone and scan that QR code, on the seat in front of 26 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,200 you and raise your hand. Just said, hey, I'm here. 27 00:01:34,700 --> 00:01:36,800 There's different ways for you to connect to our church or if 28 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,400 you want, before you leave connect with one of our campus 29 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,600 pastors staff, members, or incredible difference makers. 30 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:47,600 During the pandemic, I was regularly on a zoom call with 31 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,200 pastors across the country. And one of the zoom calls that I 32 00:01:51,208 --> 00:01:54,500 was in, was hosted by the Solomon Foundation, our dear 33 00:01:54,500 --> 00:02:00,500 Partners in Ministry and And the president are the CEO of tsf 34 00:02:00,500 --> 00:02:04,300 Doug Crozier, when the pandemic started the very first thing he 35 00:02:04,300 --> 00:02:09,900 did was he put on retainer a counselor by the name of dr. 36 00:02:09,900 --> 00:02:13,800 Wes Beavis. And during the pandemic every 37 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,400 single week, when we would have those Zoom calls at the end of 38 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,000 the zoom call. Dr. West would give everybody on 39 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,100 the call some mental health tips. 40 00:02:21,500 --> 00:02:24,800 He would give everybody on the call a little bit of Hope, and a 41 00:02:24,808 --> 00:02:28,900 little bit of help. And then I began reading reports 42 00:02:28,900 --> 00:02:33,400 on mental health issues that were on the rise, in pastors 43 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,300 across the country. And then I came across this 44 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:40,400 statistic that in the last 12 months 38% of pastors had 45 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:44,200 contemplated quitting the ministry, citing mental health 46 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:49,100 issues, and I was going, if pastors, I'm not saying were the 47 00:02:49,100 --> 00:02:52,600 most spiritual people But if pastors, who should have a 48 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,700 pretty decent relationship with Jesus probably have a pretty 49 00:02:55,700 --> 00:02:59,700 decent amount of faith. If pastors are struggling with 50 00:02:59,700 --> 00:03:03,600 mental health issues at an alarming rate, what is it like 51 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,600 for other people? Recently Ben kuchera is the lead 52 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:09,900 minister of Mountain. Christian Church wrote in the 53 00:03:09,900 --> 00:03:15,200 Christian standard. These words, we have a problem. 54 00:03:16,300 --> 00:03:21,200 Emotional well-being is in serious decline, it is a 55 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:25,500 palpable crisis, that was bad before the pandemic, the 56 00:03:25,500 --> 00:03:30,800 isolation, the social upheaval polarization and massive changes 57 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:35,500 with work school and life have exacerbated the crisis creating 58 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,000 Extended ambiguity and heightened stress. 59 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:44,400 That is a perfect cocktail for Burnout and emotional struggle. 60 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,100 No wonder the World Health organization's. 61 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:52,700 Recent scientific a brief states that the global prevalence of 62 00:03:52,700 --> 00:03:59,000 anxiety and depression has increased 25% since the 63 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:05,100 pandemics early arrival in 2020. Recent surveys reveal a radical 64 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:11,200 downturn in attitudes and soaring levels of anxiety. 65 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:21,899 And worry on all fronts, hear me anxiety is now the number one 66 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:29,200 issue for women. And it's number 2 for men. 67 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:36,600 Behind alcohol and drugs for men which may be because they are 68 00:04:36,608 --> 00:04:38,200 men are going to say that they're anxious. 69 00:04:39,300 --> 00:04:42,400 They're just going to Simply hide it or mask it behind we'd 70 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,100 booze or something. Worse. 71 00:04:45,100 --> 00:04:50,400 Mental disorders are now the leading cause of disability 72 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,700 worldwide. According to a 2014 article in 73 00:04:54,700 --> 00:04:58,700 the international Journal of epidemiology there such 74 00:04:58,700 --> 00:05:00,600 disorders. Now Effect one. 75 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,600 In five adults and the percentage is growing. 76 00:05:06,100 --> 00:05:14,500 Generation Z those born between 1999 and 2015, raise your hand, 77 00:05:14,500 --> 00:05:20,200 if you have a kid or grandkid in that age bracket Is the most 78 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:26,500 stressed out generation ever. In recent years, the share of 79 00:05:26,500 --> 00:05:28,400 high school students. Who say they experience 80 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:35,000 persistent feelings of sadness, and hopelessness Rose from 26% 81 00:05:35,100 --> 00:05:39,700 to 44 percent. The highest level of sadness, 82 00:05:39,900 --> 00:05:49,000 ever recorded. so, almost half of our kids feel hopeless, And 83 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,700 fifty percent of parents of teens, raise your hand. 84 00:05:52,700 --> 00:05:56,900 If you're a parent of a teen report worsened or new mental 85 00:05:56,900 --> 00:05:59,500 health problems in their teens, since the beginning of the 86 00:05:59,500 --> 00:06:04,500 pandemic most times, it's depression and anxiety, many 87 00:06:04,500 --> 00:06:09,400 children, and young adults are fearful sad and struggling with 88 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:17,800 life. As a result suicide has become 89 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:22,500 an epidemic. It is now, the second leading 90 00:06:22,500 --> 00:06:28,100 cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24. 91 00:06:31,900 --> 00:06:36,300 Eventually I got to the point where I was compelled for us as 92 00:06:36,300 --> 00:06:40,800 a church to speak about this growing issue and I start to put 93 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,700 the weeks together then I realized that we'd be looking at 94 00:06:43,700 --> 00:06:49,300 like 12 weeks of sermons. And I got pretty uneasy. 95 00:06:50,500 --> 00:06:54,400 It's a big commitment on an incredibly touchy subject matter 96 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,100 and I did not have a sense of Peace about it at all. 97 00:06:57,100 --> 00:07:01,500 In fact, I was extremely nervous, would people leave this 98 00:07:01,500 --> 00:07:04,100 church during the sermon series? Because they're like, this is 99 00:07:04,100 --> 00:07:08,000 not my jam, would people get frustrated because they felt 100 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,400 like we were just giving lip service to real issues that they 101 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:15,700 were navigating. Can Gerry and I talked about 102 00:07:15,700 --> 00:07:18,400 these things and actually provide hope. 103 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:22,100 When we're not counselors or therapists. 104 00:07:24,100 --> 00:07:26,900 What is it going to do to the influx of ministry at our 105 00:07:26,900 --> 00:07:28,500 church? And we're not even necessarily 106 00:07:28,500 --> 00:07:32,300 prepared to handle it. Say the least I was becoming a 107 00:07:32,308 --> 00:07:34,800 bit of a head case, about a sermon series, about mental 108 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,100 health, and that's not necessarily a good thing. 109 00:07:38,500 --> 00:07:42,400 So, I went away on a conference with Jennifer and Jerry and 110 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,500 Allison, and we hung out on the beach for a couple of days while 111 00:07:45,500 --> 00:07:48,800 we were there at the conference, and I just kind of let myself 112 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,300 forget about it. And then I came back and you 113 00:07:51,300 --> 00:07:53,700 know how it is when you get back from a trip, you start to feel 114 00:07:53,700 --> 00:07:55,600 the weight of everything that you left behind. 115 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,300 And so my kids are in bed, I get into my office late at night, 116 00:07:59,300 --> 00:08:03,300 and I just start cranking on this sermon series and I get 117 00:08:03,300 --> 00:08:07,000 more and more agitated and more and more frustrated. 118 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:10,400 And so I just get up, turn off the lights and I with a, you 119 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,600 know, angry Clayton version of myself. 120 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:15,200 I go into bed, are going to my bedroom. 121 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:17,300 I get ready for bed. I pull the covers up and I do 122 00:08:17,300 --> 00:08:19,600 something. I almost never do. 123 00:08:21,100 --> 00:08:23,800 I hopped on Instagram and started just scrolling through, 124 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:25,600 you know stupid bill. You guys have done that but I 125 00:08:25,608 --> 00:08:30,500 almost never do it and like three Scrolls in. 126 00:08:31,300 --> 00:08:35,600 I found this video. And I watched it. 127 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:41,700 And I watched it again, and I watched it again and I watched 128 00:08:41,700 --> 00:08:44,400 it again. And I said, Jennifer put down. 129 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,800 You're crocheting, needles. Needles, and watch this. 130 00:08:47,900 --> 00:08:52,300 I know she's super cool. And I'm like, you have to watch 131 00:08:52,300 --> 00:08:55,500 this and then she watched it and then I watched it again. 132 00:08:56,700 --> 00:09:02,600 By the time I was done watching this video, my my frustration 133 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:07,000 was replaced with excitement. And my fear was replaced with 134 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,300 peace, and that is how this sermon series was born. 135 00:09:12,100 --> 00:09:16,800 Here is the video. It's called being honest. 136 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,600 I tell you that I'm happy but I'm grieving that I was a 137 00:09:24,600 --> 00:10:02,700 fighter I went. 138 00:10:04,100 --> 00:10:06,500 I'm not one to preach that sermon to wanted to preach that 139 00:10:06,500 --> 00:10:10,300 sermon that night. And I was all in. 140 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:13,200 I was sharing this with our media team and they actually 141 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,700 tracked her down. We brought her up to our church, 142 00:10:15,700 --> 00:10:17,600 a couple of weeks ago. How to spend the weekend with 143 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,900 us. She did some songwriting with 144 00:10:19,900 --> 00:10:22,200 our with our, with our worship team. 145 00:10:22,300 --> 00:10:25,300 We got to go out for dinner and hear a little bit more of her 146 00:10:25,300 --> 00:10:29,500 story found out that she was actually on the 17th season of 147 00:10:29,500 --> 00:10:33,500 NBC's, The Voice and was on team Gwen Gwen Stefani. 148 00:10:34,300 --> 00:10:39,000 And then on Sunday while I was preaching about help, she was 149 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,900 actually at a multi-site offices recording. 150 00:10:41,900 --> 00:10:46,000 A testimony video about what God had been doing in her life and 151 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,900 what actually was the events that were surrounding her life 152 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:51,400 on the day that she wrote this song. 153 00:10:52,100 --> 00:10:54,400 And I want to take a little bit of time and give you a chance to 154 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,200 hear her story. It's condolence. 155 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:02,800 Keep um, I live in Nashville Tennessee and I'm a 156 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,600 singer-songwriter for, for example, and crying music. 157 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,800 There's a lot of hurt. There's a lot of pain that is 158 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:16,800 deep rooted in my story, ended up kind of rebelling when I was 159 00:11:17,700 --> 00:11:18,700 late. Teenager. 160 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,400 I was so angry. At God, I knew he was there but 161 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:25,200 I had never had a relationship with him. 162 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:31,100 I was at the Point in my life, where I did not want to be here 163 00:11:31,100 --> 00:11:35,500 anymore, my family, I hadn't talked to them and probably a 164 00:11:35,508 --> 00:11:38,900 year, they're like, okay, you need help. 165 00:11:38,900 --> 00:11:44,400 So, I went to a facility for two months and I started journaling 166 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:48,600 to Jesus and I had read this journal entry to one of my 167 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:50,700 friends and I read her this journal entry. 168 00:11:50,700 --> 00:11:54,600 We prayed about it. We asked Jesus to just remove 169 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:58,700 this from Kindle, then I felt this Overwhelming, peace and 170 00:11:58,700 --> 00:12:00,900 joy. That is the day that Jesus met 171 00:12:00,900 --> 00:12:03,300 me. Where I was song house. 172 00:12:03,300 --> 00:12:07,700 Is this collaborative workshop for Tick-Tock Instagram? 173 00:12:07,700 --> 00:12:12,700 Social media platforms. The founder is Tyler word. 174 00:12:12,700 --> 00:12:15,800 We all go into this Loft on Wednesdays and Saturdays. 175 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:20,000 We repaired into random groups and we have 30 minutes to write 176 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:25,400 a pre-chorus and chorus. So the day we wrote honest, I 177 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:29,100 was just getting out. Other really bad Funk and my 178 00:12:29,100 --> 00:12:35,000 passions and my desire to do the things that I love just kind of 179 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,600 we're just depleted, I felt defeated. 180 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:41,000 And so I called Tyler that day and I was like, I'm not coming 181 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,700 in I'm I'm not going to write anything good. 182 00:12:43,700 --> 00:12:46,200 Just totally line the enemy to get to me. 183 00:12:46,300 --> 00:12:49,800 He's like, Kendall, you're going to put two feet on the ground, 184 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,500 you're gonna get your butt up and you're going to come into 185 00:12:52,500 --> 00:12:54,400 song house today. So I get there. 186 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:59,200 We have around or whatever. I asked him to leave again. 187 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,700 Like I'm crying every 10 second like I'm just like a mess. 188 00:13:03,900 --> 00:13:06,800 But mess has become messages, you know, he's like, no, you're 189 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,100 staying. And then we get into the room 190 00:13:09,500 --> 00:13:14,300 and we're all going through, the same thing in different ways. 191 00:13:14,700 --> 00:13:19,300 And the concept was honesty. And we're like, What? 192 00:13:19,300 --> 00:13:23,500 If we're being honest, about not being honest with ourselves. 193 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:28,800 And it was like, boom. And we wrote this song in. 194 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:32,200 Like, I'm not even kidding, probably 15 minutes that raw 195 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,200 emotion that you might see in the video. 196 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:40,000 That was Exactly how I was feeling that day. 197 00:13:40,300 --> 00:13:42,500 Turns out a lot of other people were feeling. 198 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:48,400 I think, you know, one of the ones that everybody tends to go 199 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:52,600 to is the I'll give you roses, just hoping you don't see the 200 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:56,000 weeds in my garden, it made me stop in my tracks because it was 201 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,400 like, if you can't even be honest with yourself, how are 202 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,900 you being honest with the Lord. So that's not very authentic to 203 00:14:01,900 --> 00:14:04,900 our relationship. And how are you going to be able 204 00:14:04,900 --> 00:14:08,700 to fix me if I don't? And give you those pieces. 205 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:12,300 And so it was a moment of surrender to anybody going 206 00:14:12,300 --> 00:14:18,500 through a season of defeat allow yourself to feel it, but do not 207 00:14:18,500 --> 00:14:25,800 allow you allow that specific pain or suffering to determine 208 00:14:26,100 --> 00:14:31,300 your future. Your pain will be turned into 209 00:14:31,300 --> 00:14:35,600 something beautiful. Your weeds will be turned into 210 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:37,400 roses at some point. Point. 211 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:42,900 So keep faith in that and know that, because she or he, who 212 00:14:42,900 --> 00:14:47,100 believes that, the Lord will fulfill his promises, his 213 00:14:47,100 --> 00:14:53,300 blessed. That's incredible story. 214 00:14:56,000 --> 00:15:00,300 So here's one of the things I've been wondering, if we as a 215 00:15:00,300 --> 00:15:04,200 church, could relate to the lyrics that were written that 216 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:06,900 night. We're running through them. 217 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,900 I tell you that I'm whole but I'm still healing. 218 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:17,000 I tell you that I'm happy. But I'm grieving I thought I was 219 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:20,500 a fighter who's still in the fire, wonder? 220 00:15:20,500 --> 00:15:25,500 How many people in our church but if I'm being honest, I'm not 221 00:15:25,700 --> 00:15:29,100 being honest. I'll give you roses. 222 00:15:29,100 --> 00:15:33,100 Just hoping you don't see the weeds in my garden. 223 00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:37,800 If I'm being honest, I'm at my darkest. 224 00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:44,500 I'm sitting here waiting and praying for someone to show me 225 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:49,000 what love is. I'm just being honest. 226 00:15:51,900 --> 00:15:56,800 Hundreds perhaps thousands of people who call The Crossing 227 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:01,400 home and watch online. Could identify with the lyrics 228 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,900 of that song If you were being honest. 229 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:11,500 You're not being honest. So we did a survey and almost 230 00:16:11,500 --> 00:16:18,400 2000 of you responded. 24 percent were male and 76 percent 231 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,400 were female. This didn't bother me or 232 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:27,600 surprise me. Men don't tap out on this sermon 233 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,500 series. Don't you dare? 234 00:16:31,500 --> 00:16:37,000 because if you like women, And I'm a huge fan. 235 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:43,900 Chances are a woman birth. You married, you or you will 236 00:16:43,900 --> 00:16:47,300 hope will marry you one day. Listen to me. 237 00:16:48,100 --> 00:16:53,100 You have a Biblical obligation. To love your wife, the way 238 00:16:53,100 --> 00:16:54,300 Christ. Loved the church. 239 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:01,700 And you need to be prepared to provide hope to provide help. 240 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:08,000 Hear me means that your daughter or granddaughter or sister may 241 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:12,900 very well be struggling. Probably some of you who are 242 00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:16,800 going Clayton. This is a sermon series just for 243 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:22,099 younger people. You could be right if we hadn't 244 00:17:22,099 --> 00:17:25,500 done a survey because this is how you guys answered. 245 00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:34,300 Ten to nineteen eight percent. If you're in your 20s 18%, in 246 00:17:34,300 --> 00:17:42,200 your 30s, 26% 40s, 20% 50s, 15% 60s. 10%, Fisk gets a little 247 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:45,300 skewed because, you know, the whole thing was online and I 248 00:17:45,308 --> 00:17:48,800 don't know how much to trust you 70 and olders, but God love you. 249 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:50,500 And we're so thankful. You're part of the church? 250 00:17:51,500 --> 00:17:55,500 I mean, it listen, we had an eight year old and an 80 year 251 00:17:55,500 --> 00:18:00,500 old fill out this survey. Three crazy average age 40. 252 00:18:02,300 --> 00:18:03,800 So what is our church struggling with? 253 00:18:04,900 --> 00:18:08,600 How did you guys answer? What's going on in the hearts? 254 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:13,400 And the minds of people that you serve with are in life group, 255 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:19,900 with sing next to sit next to at church greet, as they're walking 256 00:18:19,900 --> 00:18:22,300 in, and you say, how are you doing? 257 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,800 And they say, fine and they hand you roses. 258 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,200 Because if they are being honest, they're not being 259 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,100 honest. Because this is what's going on 260 00:18:34,100 --> 00:18:39,000 in our church. Only six percent of the people 261 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,600 filled out, the survey said none, none of these things are 262 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:43,800 affecting them. They're hunky-dory. 263 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,300 Eighty-two percent of us are dealing with anxiety and worry. 264 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:53,900 71% of us are burnt out and stressed out, 48 percent of us 265 00:18:53,900 --> 00:18:56,300 are dealing with depression. That number would have gone 266 00:18:56,300 --> 00:18:58,100 higher. If we do use keywords, like 267 00:18:58,100 --> 00:19:03,400 you're experiencing seasons of sadness, self-esteem issues 51%. 268 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:08,800 Suicide and self-harm is it nine percent? 269 00:19:10,300 --> 00:19:14,500 Trauma. This numbers artificially low is 270 00:19:14,500 --> 00:19:20,600 that 19 percent? At your campus. 271 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:24,000 Chances are there are 10 people in your row. 272 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,000 One of them is struggling with suicide and self-harm. 273 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:32,900 And you ask them, how are you doing? 274 00:19:35,900 --> 00:19:42,100 And they gave you roses. I showed the video of Kendall to 275 00:19:42,100 --> 00:19:46,400 the worship team and Amanda will bring car our worship leader at 276 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:49,800 our 9:29 campus, and she serves in our preschool here, at our 277 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:53,500 48th Street campus. She said, I am amazed at. 278 00:19:53,500 --> 00:19:56,600 How much are people are able to keep hidden? 279 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:04,200 If our church was being honest, we are not being honest. 280 00:20:05,300 --> 00:20:08,200 We're giving each other roses just hoping you don't see the 281 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:14,200 weeds in our garden. This sermon series is going to 282 00:20:14,208 --> 00:20:20,900 be similar to a 11 chapter book. This is I guess technically 283 00:20:20,900 --> 00:20:24,500 chapter 1, this is the intro and you're going to have to go on 284 00:20:24,500 --> 00:20:29,000 this entire Journey for the series or the book to make 285 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:32,000 sense. And you're going to need each 286 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:36,000 chapter because the chapters are going to build on one another, 287 00:20:36,300 --> 00:20:39,000 the next three weeks we are going to attack and address, 288 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,100 three lies that we tend to believe. 289 00:20:41,100 --> 00:20:44,700 And three truths that God wants to speak into every heart. 290 00:20:44,900 --> 00:20:47,700 Once we have built that platform, we are going to spend 291 00:20:47,700 --> 00:20:52,700 five weeks talking about very specific issues. 292 00:20:53,300 --> 00:20:56,500 And every single one of you will need to be a part of it, because 293 00:20:56,500 --> 00:20:59,900 there are people that you love that are going through a very 294 00:20:59,900 --> 00:21:02,900 specific. Shoe and I want you as a Jesus 295 00:21:02,900 --> 00:21:06,700 follower to be there to provide help and Hope. 296 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:11,100 And some of you, you are dealing with that specific issue. 297 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:15,300 And I want you here, experiencing The Hope and able 298 00:21:15,300 --> 00:21:18,500 to receive that help. Then we are going to bring in 299 00:21:18,500 --> 00:21:22,000 for two weeks, dr. Wes Beavis, and he is going to 300 00:21:22,008 --> 00:21:25,900 be on our stage and I can tell you he is going to be an 301 00:21:25,900 --> 00:21:30,000 absolute Delight for absolutely. Every single person that comes 302 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,500 and every single person that you bring for those two weekends, he 303 00:21:33,500 --> 00:21:36,800 is an unbelievably gifted communicator and is able to take 304 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,900 complex These and make them simple and actionable. 305 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,200 And then we're going to finish up the sermon series with hope 306 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,500 weekend. Now, as we're getting ready to 307 00:21:45,500 --> 00:21:48,500 start this sermon series, there are some principles that I want 308 00:21:48,500 --> 00:21:52,500 to guide us. And this first principle is for 309 00:21:52,500 --> 00:21:56,900 those of you who deal with mental illnesses, or if you are 310 00:21:56,908 --> 00:21:58,900 a person who loves somebody, who's dealing with mental 311 00:21:58,900 --> 00:22:04,800 illnesses, is I want you to avoid being narrow-minded, in 312 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:09,700 your view, about mental health issues, We need to destigmatize 313 00:22:09,700 --> 00:22:14,400 mental health because people will never start being honest if 314 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,300 the worried about being judged. And being ashamed. 315 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:24,100 When we talk about mental health issues, we can become incredibly 316 00:22:24,100 --> 00:22:27,100 narrow minded, and perhaps the most narrow-minded group of 317 00:22:27,100 --> 00:22:33,800 people are Christians. because mental health issues flow from 318 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:38,800 for buckets, Imagine, there are four big buckets. 319 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:43,100 The first one is situational, it's just life, you're going 320 00:22:43,100 --> 00:22:46,500 through and stuff, just happens and that can have an impact on 321 00:22:46,500 --> 00:22:50,800 you. Some of it is biological, it's 322 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:53,800 how you're hardwired. It's how you were put together 323 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:57,800 by God and in a fallen world. There's some of you 324 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:02,200 biologically, you have a really great metabolism. 325 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,400 God loves you. But I don't. 326 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:12,400 And so you are able to navigate a cheeseburger drastically 327 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:16,700 different. Than people who don't have that 328 00:23:16,700 --> 00:23:20,700 kind of metabolism. You were hardwired built 329 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,000 differently. And so there are going to be 330 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:29,500 biological issues at play at times in your wrestling, through 331 00:23:29,500 --> 00:23:35,600 mental health issues. Some of them Some of them are 332 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,400 going to be clinical. Medical. 333 00:23:41,500 --> 00:23:45,900 You're gonna need someone to help you process and sift and 334 00:23:45,900 --> 00:23:53,200 navigate, and treat, and diagnose and prescribe, And some 335 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:56,500 of them. Our spiritual. 336 00:23:58,300 --> 00:24:02,200 And what can happen? Is, you can go, man. 337 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:06,200 I'm feeling this way and you can come to a really well-meaning 338 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:11,700 person, like me, and which bucket do you think I'm trained 339 00:24:11,700 --> 00:24:14,500 to navigate. The spiritual one. 340 00:24:15,700 --> 00:24:20,300 And so you come in. And you know what's going on and 341 00:24:20,300 --> 00:24:22,700 what do you think all of my advice is going to center 342 00:24:22,700 --> 00:24:25,600 around? Spiritual issues. 343 00:24:28,700 --> 00:24:36,800 What if it's not spiritual? You come into my office and I go 344 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:38,400 well you should just need to pray more. 345 00:24:38,900 --> 00:24:43,400 You seem to have more faith. And well-meaning, good 346 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:47,700 Christians can give absolutely horrible advice. 347 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:55,000 Cuz you've never run me up. Said, Clayton, I woke up this 348 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:58,700 morning with a rash. What do you think I should do? 349 00:25:00,300 --> 00:25:04,200 Never got that call. Pray more. 350 00:25:06,100 --> 00:25:09,000 Rashy. How come? 351 00:25:11,900 --> 00:25:17,200 Nobody calls up the church. Hey, Having issues. 352 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:26,200 With my kidneys. Should I come to your office and 353 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:33,100 should I go get dialysis? and you notice that nobody gets 354 00:25:33,100 --> 00:25:37,100 frustrating when a person is going to get dialysis And going. 355 00:25:37,100 --> 00:25:39,800 Where's your faith? Are you reading your Bible 356 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,300 enough? Nobody says that. 357 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:45,000 But a different organ in your body. 358 00:25:46,700 --> 00:25:49,300 Is giving you a run for your money. 359 00:25:57,100 --> 00:25:58,900 And instead of going, maybe it's situational. 360 00:26:00,500 --> 00:26:04,400 Instead of going, maybe it's biological and maybe it's 361 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:09,800 clinical or medical. We go, it's spiritual. 362 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:16,500 And accidentally as well. Meaning good Christian people we 363 00:26:16,500 --> 00:26:19,600 can start driving a wedge in their relationship with God. 364 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:22,100 When they are going to need to cling to him the hardest. 365 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:26,200 They're not just dealing with mental shame. 366 00:26:26,300 --> 00:26:31,700 Now they're dealing with spiritual chain. and at the same 367 00:26:31,700 --> 00:26:36,100 time, There are perhaps some of you listening to this message 368 00:26:37,100 --> 00:26:40,200 and you are trying to medically treat an issue that you need to 369 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:46,400 repent of. That there is actually a sin 370 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:48,600 that is driving your, your challenges. 371 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:54,000 And no counselor and the world and no medicine is going to 372 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:55,700 undo. The fact that there is an area 373 00:26:55,700 --> 00:26:58,200 of your life where you are wrestling with either a lack of 374 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:03,300 faith or an unrepented sin. So how do you navigate it? 375 00:27:04,300 --> 00:27:07,400 I like to think of it as going to the Lake of the Ozarks and 376 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:10,300 being out on the lake. Hopefully most of you have been 377 00:27:10,300 --> 00:27:14,300 in the water before. That's not a pool and you decide 378 00:27:14,300 --> 00:27:16,800 to go out and you decide to sit in the water and just have a 379 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:21,000 blast and all of a sudden these waves start hitting you and some 380 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,500 of the waves are because boats are driving way too close in 381 00:27:23,500 --> 00:27:26,700 your brothers on the jet ski in he keeps trying to Splash you 382 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,000 and that is trauma. That is happening to you. 383 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,700 Others of you you're getting hit by waves and the waves that are 384 00:27:32,708 --> 00:27:34,700 hitting. You are not from other people. 385 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:42,600 It's just life the wind blows. And some of us are picking up 386 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,300 really big rocks and throwing them into the water right next 387 00:27:45,300 --> 00:27:47,000 to us. And going where are these waves 388 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:51,800 coming from? And then some of us grew up on 389 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:55,500 different parts of the lake. Some of us grew up in the no 390 00:27:55,500 --> 00:27:58,800 wake zone and some of us grew up on the point. 391 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:06,900 If you grew up on the point, all you've ever known his ways, you 392 00:28:06,900 --> 00:28:09,800 don't go out for a swim. You don't put out one of those 393 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:12,900 really nice expensive, mats where you can just lay on the 394 00:28:12,900 --> 00:28:17,600 water but not get in the water. You can't it's there's too many 395 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,800 ways. And some of you, if you grew up 396 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,200 on the point and all you've ever known as the waves inside of 397 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,400 you, it built up some incredible resilience. 398 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,000 You can navigate a lot of what life throws at you because 399 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,300 you've been navigating life your whole life. 400 00:28:33,500 --> 00:28:37,100 But in some people, it's created an entire life where they have 401 00:28:37,100 --> 00:28:41,600 not experienced peace. Don't even know what calm waters 402 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:45,600 are like. And then you go over and you 403 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:48,400 hang out with somebody who's grown up in the no wake zone. 404 00:28:51,300 --> 00:28:55,000 And they're experiencing waves for the first time and they're 405 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,800 not necessarily sure how to handle it. 406 00:29:00,900 --> 00:29:04,200 Think of it this way. Some of us as parents, we grew 407 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:08,700 up on the point and then we have that desire inside of us to give 408 00:29:08,700 --> 00:29:10,300 our kids, the better life than we have. 409 00:29:10,300 --> 00:29:13,800 How many of you guys have that desire and you will be talking 410 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:15,800 to your kids and they'll be complaining about how bad their 411 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:18,500 life is. And then you're like, oh, shut 412 00:29:18,500 --> 00:29:22,100 up kid. If what you what you call it 413 00:29:22,100 --> 00:29:25,100 Tuesday, I called vacation, right? 414 00:29:26,100 --> 00:29:28,900 Because inside of us, all of us as parents have decided that we 415 00:29:28,900 --> 00:29:32,100 want to move our kids from the point into the no wake zone. 416 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,400 Which could impact on some level, how they navigate the 417 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:41,700 challenges of life. And I know the older generation 418 00:29:41,700 --> 00:29:42,900 likes to talk about how, you know. 419 00:29:42,900 --> 00:29:45,700 Well, it's just it's it was never there Generations. 420 00:29:45,700 --> 00:29:47,200 Always been the younger generation. 421 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:49,300 Yeah. Be careful about that because I 422 00:29:49,300 --> 00:29:51,600 also hear a lot of the older generation talked about the fact 423 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:56,000 that Dad was distant and lacked emotion and drunk all the time. 424 00:29:58,700 --> 00:30:00,600 You might have struggled the exact same stuff that you're 425 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,600 struggling with, he just wasn't going to talk about it, he was 426 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:09,500 just going to drink about it. The Privileges that we've given 427 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:12,900 could impact our level of resilience, or the level of 428 00:30:12,900 --> 00:30:15,900 resilience in our kids. Second thing I want to talk to 429 00:30:15,900 --> 00:30:20,000 you guys about do not underestimate the value of 430 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:25,600 community, we have become so busy that we don't have time for 431 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:30,100 the very things that could have a massive effect on our Mental 432 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:33,900 Health. For instance, studies show that 433 00:30:33,900 --> 00:30:37,500 people who attend church regularly have a decrease in 434 00:30:37,500 --> 00:30:42,800 mental health concerns. I've said this before as a 435 00:30:42,808 --> 00:30:48,700 staff, we want good things for you, not from you, we exist to 436 00:30:48,700 --> 00:30:52,700 serve God and serve others and we say it is good for you to 437 00:30:52,700 --> 00:30:56,200 come to church and be around other people and worship God, 438 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:59,700 and that it has a positive effect on you at a chemical and 439 00:30:59,700 --> 00:31:02,300 spiritual and psychological level. 440 00:31:02,300 --> 00:31:05,700 We mean it. And those of you watching 441 00:31:05,700 --> 00:31:08,900 online, you do not share the same benefits. 442 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:13,500 In fact, Satan can dupe you into thinking that you're getting the 443 00:31:13,500 --> 00:31:15,600 help you need. When he's actually keeping you 444 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:18,900 isolated. Furthermore, we can become so 445 00:31:18,900 --> 00:31:23,100 busy in our relationships that we are no longer in meaningful 446 00:31:23,100 --> 00:31:26,800 relationships. When you were put together by 447 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:30,600 God, you were made for Community for people to come alongside of 448 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:34,000 you Journey with you through challenging Seasons, give you 449 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,600 perspective and provide you with care. 450 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:41,700 The problem is is we can end up in Shallow online relationships 451 00:31:41,900 --> 00:31:45,000 and become too busy to invest in the people that used to care 452 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:47,200 about us. That when we fall down, there is 453 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:51,500 no one to pick us up. We talked about this a couple 454 00:31:51,500 --> 00:31:55,200 weeks ago, Ecclesiastes for two are better than one because they 455 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:56,900 have a good return for their labor. 456 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:00,400 If either one of them falls down, one can help the other up, 457 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:04,600 but pity anyone, who falls and has no one to help them. 458 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:09,000 The Bible has this command in Galatians to carry one another's 459 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:11,800 burdens. The problem is, if you are not 460 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:19,500 invested in relationships, when Satan strikes or mental 461 00:32:19,500 --> 00:32:24,900 illnesses strike, you can find yourself alone and isolated. 462 00:32:26,900 --> 00:32:31,700 Invulnerable. And then you're going to try and 463 00:32:31,700 --> 00:32:35,500 start your relationships. And if you ever noticed, it's 464 00:32:35,500 --> 00:32:38,500 really hard to start your relationships with an I want 465 00:32:38,500 --> 00:32:43,000 list. The biblical command is not to 466 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:44,800 pass off your burdens to other people. 467 00:32:45,500 --> 00:32:49,300 The biblical command is to carry one another's burdens that you 468 00:32:49,300 --> 00:32:52,800 enter into a relationship. Not with an I want list but with 469 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:56,900 an I'll take list you come alongside people and say how can 470 00:32:56,900 --> 00:32:59,600 I help I care about you? I value you. 471 00:32:59,700 --> 00:33:03,200 I want to serve you and in that Community relationships is built 472 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:06,800 up, an internal spiritual safety, net for you. 473 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,700 When mental illness illness or Satan strike? 474 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:20,400 Next thing, hear me, watch your intake, fill your hearts and 475 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:23,800 your minds with what Paul would say in Philippians are 476 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:26,900 praiseworthy and excellent things. 477 00:33:28,300 --> 00:33:31,100 Make sure you are spending time in your word and be careful 478 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:33,900 about your social media intake. Hear me. 479 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:36,800 Everything in life is spiritual on some level. 480 00:33:37,500 --> 00:33:40,800 And if you're not allowing the word of God and the truth of God 481 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:45,300 to fill your life up, you are building your life on a Sandy 482 00:33:45,300 --> 00:33:47,800 foundation. And when the Winds of mental 483 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:52,000 illness, blow and the waves come crashing. 484 00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:58,400 I preached about this a while back. 485 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:08,100 The facts are in social. Media does not improve your 486 00:34:08,100 --> 00:34:12,300 mental health. It makes it worse period. 487 00:34:14,100 --> 00:34:17,000 If you're going, I'm addicted. And I have to be on there. 488 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:22,100 Be very careful about how long you are on and who you follow. 489 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:27,400 Because social media is excellent at two things. 490 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:36,500 Depression and anxiety. You might be going to Clayton, 491 00:34:36,500 --> 00:34:38,800 how come your church is always posting stuff on social media 492 00:34:39,699 --> 00:34:41,800 because we're trying to reach people who are on social media, 493 00:34:42,100 --> 00:34:44,400 which is everybody. But if you're asking me to wave 494 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:48,000 my magic, Harry Potter wand here is what I would wish for people 495 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:49,800 to find our church online and get off. 496 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:54,000 And that's it. In a nutshell. 497 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:56,300 I want you to find our church online, find a sermon series 498 00:34:56,300 --> 00:34:57,600 online. Get invited online. 499 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,300 Show up for church and then eventually peel yourself off. 500 00:35:00,500 --> 00:35:06,000 I mean, it, I mean, it it's like having a pet bear, like it's 501 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:10,200 cute and eventually it eats you? Do you like I do want to have a 502 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:12,500 tough conversation to my kid about how big the Bears getting? 503 00:35:12,500 --> 00:35:14,500 Because, I mean, she loves the bear, like, you on the bears 504 00:35:14,500 --> 00:35:17,500 looking Pretty stinking hungry. Got to be honest with you, it's 505 00:35:17,500 --> 00:35:20,800 going to eat somebody. I might be a little bit too 506 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:23,500 redneck for you but it's honest, okay? 507 00:35:24,900 --> 00:35:30,800 listen to me, next one here at the Crossing It is okay to not 508 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:35,700 be okay. The thrust of the Gospel message 509 00:35:35,700 --> 00:35:39,400 is that Jesus came to a broken and Fallen World. 510 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:43,900 Jesus came to heal and save and that means that people that look 511 00:35:43,900 --> 00:35:48,400 just like us are broken. And in Peril, it is the sick 512 00:35:48,500 --> 00:35:53,000 that need a doctor and that is why the doctor came. 513 00:35:53,700 --> 00:35:58,000 Jesus came for all of the areas of your life that you are not 514 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:02,900 being honest about He sees it and he cares about it. 515 00:36:04,300 --> 00:36:08,400 And what we as a church need to do is we need to create a safe 516 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:14,000 space for people to be honest. How many of you have been in the 517 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:16,700 situation, where you wish somebody would have been honest 518 00:36:16,700 --> 00:36:18,100 with you? Oh, my goodness. 519 00:36:18,100 --> 00:36:20,400 I hear this all the time. Well, I just wish you just call 520 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:23,600 me up and tell me. I wish you would just tell me 521 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:26,500 what's on her mind. I can't believe she's going 522 00:36:26,500 --> 00:36:28,000 through that. Why didn't she call? 523 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:32,000 And let me know, I wish that they would just be honest with 524 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:33,700 me about what they're going through. 525 00:36:34,100 --> 00:36:36,900 We have this incredibly high standard of honesty for 526 00:36:36,900 --> 00:36:46,600 everybody else but ourself You want everybody else to tell you 527 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:48,700 what they're wrestling with? But when was the last time you 528 00:36:48,700 --> 00:36:50,700 popped off about what you were wrestling with? 529 00:36:54,400 --> 00:36:58,700 Sometimes the very best way to give people hope is to say me 530 00:36:58,700 --> 00:37:01,600 too. I wrestle two. 531 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:05,900 I struggle to weird verse in the Bible. 532 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:09,700 Jesus calls it. The second greatest commandment 533 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:17,300 The second is this. Love your neighbor as yourself. 534 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:22,300 There's no commandment greater than these you and I have a 535 00:37:22,300 --> 00:37:25,800 god-ordained mission to love people. 536 00:37:26,100 --> 00:37:31,000 The way we wish we were loved. If you were wrestling with a 537 00:37:31,008 --> 00:37:33,800 mental health issue, how would you want people to come along 538 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:37,600 side of you? That's your marching order. 539 00:37:39,300 --> 00:37:46,300 Listening loving caring, encouraging gently coaching 540 00:37:46,300 --> 00:37:50,700 prodding going with you as you try to figure out how to 541 00:37:50,700 --> 00:37:53,200 navigate these things. And one of the lies that Satan 542 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:55,600 will try to tell you in the middle of all this is that the 543 00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:58,400 church is not a safe place. And what I want to tell you is 544 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:02,000 there may have been church people that have not been a safe 545 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:05,300 space for you, but the church has never let you down because 546 00:38:05,300 --> 00:38:07,200 the church is the bride of Christ. 547 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:10,600 It is not a building. It is a People who believe that 548 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:14,300 God can change anything and you should be able to go to any 549 00:38:14,300 --> 00:38:17,800 God-fearing serious Christian and be honest about what you're 550 00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:21,000 going through and they should be prepared to go through it with 551 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:23,300 you. Now hear me, you might be 552 00:38:23,300 --> 00:38:28,400 tempted to say, but Jesus can't even figure out what I'm going 553 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:31,200 through. And I love it when people say 554 00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:36,800 well meaning wrong things. Because it makes the truth. 555 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:38,100 So beautiful. Look what it says in Hebrews 556 00:38:38,100 --> 00:38:41,000 4:15. For we do not have a high priest 557 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:45,300 who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses but we have one 558 00:38:45,300 --> 00:38:47,600 who has been tempted in every way. 559 00:38:47,900 --> 00:38:51,800 Just as we are yet, he did not sin and you're going no way 560 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:54,100 Clayton. There's no way Jesus is going 561 00:38:54,100 --> 00:38:56,500 through what I'm going through. All right. 562 00:38:56,700 --> 00:38:59,300 Eric Raymond says it this way. Jesus was homeless. 563 00:38:59,300 --> 00:39:02,200 Matthew chapter 8, his family thought he was crazy. 564 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:04,100 How many of your parents have ever thought you were crazy? 565 00:39:05,500 --> 00:39:07,400 Jesus been there? That's Matthew. 566 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:10,800 Chapter 12 Mark, 3 in John 7, his best friends, turn their 567 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:12,700 back on him. That's Matthew 26. 568 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:15,500 His closest friends, sold him to be killed for money. 569 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:17,100 You haven't even been through that. 570 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:19,900 That's Matthew 26. He stood face-to-face with the 571 00:39:19,900 --> 00:39:22,200 devil and endured all of his demonic tricks. 572 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:25,200 That's look for you might be going, but Satan's really taking 573 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:27,100 it out on me, not harder than Jesus. 574 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:31,500 He dealt with death John chapter 11 he endured gossip and 575 00:39:31,500 --> 00:39:32,800 slander. How many of you ever get 576 00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:34,200 frustrated? What people are saying about 577 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:35,600 you? How many of you the reason 578 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:37,200 you're not being honest? Because you don't want people to 579 00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:41,100 talk about you, Jesus went through that Matthew chapter 4, 580 00:39:41,100 --> 00:39:44,000 John chapter 8, he endured suffering for righteousness. 581 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:48,400 Sake, John 15, he was shamed publicly Mark 14. 582 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:51,300 The reason I'm not being honest is because the last time I was 583 00:39:51,300 --> 00:39:55,500 honest, people made a mockery of Me, Jesus, like I get it. 584 00:39:56,500 --> 00:40:00,000 We always there. He endured periods of hunger. 585 00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:03,500 Mark chapter 11, he received criticism of his ministry. 586 00:40:03,500 --> 00:40:06,800 Couldn't do anything, right? That's John 5, Matthew 12. 587 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:09,600 We've been there. His theology was mocked pick a 588 00:40:09,607 --> 00:40:12,200 verse. His message was rejected, pick a 589 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:15,400 verse. His preaching was critiqued, his 590 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:18,600 preaching. I mean, you think mines bad? 591 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:23,300 Mine gets critique. Can you imagine critiquing his 592 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:27,700 touch Luke 4. And his disciples didn't get 593 00:40:27,700 --> 00:40:31,100 him. His closest friends didn't 594 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:33,900 understand. I'm not going to make you raise 595 00:40:33,900 --> 00:40:36,200 your hand. But how many you're going out? 596 00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:40,900 Yeah, that's me to look what it says in Hebrews 2:17 for this 597 00:40:40,900 --> 00:40:48,600 reason, he had to be made, like them fully human in every way, 598 00:40:49,300 --> 00:40:52,600 in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high 599 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:56,500 priest in service to God. And that he might make For the 600 00:40:56,500 --> 00:41:03,100 sins of the people because he himself suffered when he was 601 00:41:03,100 --> 00:41:08,900 tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted, 602 00:41:11,100 --> 00:41:13,300 Crossing family at all of our locations. 603 00:41:14,500 --> 00:41:19,200 We want to be the hands and feet of Jesus and go through whatever 604 00:41:19,200 --> 00:41:25,700 you are going through with you but it'll never happen. if we're 605 00:41:25,700 --> 00:41:29,000 not going to be honest, About being honest. 606 00:41:30,100 --> 00:41:38,900 Remember the time of decision? So, this doesn't always happen, 607 00:41:38,900 --> 00:41:41,800 but it happened. It's happening this weekend as I 608 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:44,300 get the privilege of Landing, the plane at all of our 609 00:41:44,300 --> 00:41:47,700 locations and so wherever you are watching from. 610 00:41:47,700 --> 00:41:50,300 I am so glad that I get this moment with you for just a 611 00:41:50,308 --> 00:41:53,000 second at the beginning of the year. 612 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:56,300 When I was casting vision for our church, I preached a sermon 613 00:41:56,300 --> 00:41:58,500 series called there has to be a place. 614 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:03,700 And if I was going to pick my biggest regret so far this year, 615 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:07,500 is that one of my sermons? Wasn't there has to be a place 616 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:12,300 where it's okay to not be okay. So, stay tuned. 617 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:16,700 But what I want you to hear me say is if you are at one of our 618 00:42:16,700 --> 00:42:20,300 locations, and if you were being honest, you're not okay. 619 00:42:20,300 --> 00:42:23,600 I want you to know that this place is for you. 620 00:42:24,300 --> 00:42:28,900 It is filled with some of the very best people I know on 621 00:42:28,900 --> 00:42:33,000 planet Earth. I want you to know that you are 622 00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:38,100 not alone. You saw the statistics people 623 00:42:38,100 --> 00:42:41,400 who are sitting next to, you are wrestling with the very same 624 00:42:41,400 --> 00:42:43,600 thing that you're wrestling with. 625 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:48,200 And you have already made a fantastic decision by being a 626 00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:50,700 part of a church service this weekend. 627 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:54,900 And what I want to tell you is that while Jesus may not fix 628 00:42:54,900 --> 00:42:58,700 every issue you face here on Earth, he will eventually fix 629 00:42:58,700 --> 00:43:01,500 it. All if you are in an intimate 630 00:43:01,500 --> 00:43:05,800 personal relationship with him. And if you have never started 631 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:08,800 that intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ, 632 00:43:09,500 --> 00:43:15,200 if you haven't turned over the lordship of your life, You don't 633 00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:18,700 stand a chance. You don't stand a chance when it 634 00:43:18,700 --> 00:43:21,400 comes to pay for your sins and you don't stand a chance when it 635 00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:24,100 comes to fight Satan and his demons and you don't stand a 636 00:43:24,100 --> 00:43:27,900 chance when it comes to fight the war that is taking place in 637 00:43:27,900 --> 00:43:31,000 your mind. It also means that you don't 638 00:43:31,000 --> 00:43:35,300 stand a chance. To love the people in your life 639 00:43:36,100 --> 00:43:41,000 that are hurting and broken and depressed and anxious and 640 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:45,800 worried because the help and the hope that they need, and the 641 00:43:45,808 --> 00:43:49,100 strength that you are going to need to walk through those 642 00:43:49,100 --> 00:43:52,400 moments, you will not have unless you are in that 643 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:56,000 relationship with Jesus Christ. And he gives you the power of 644 00:43:56,008 --> 00:43:59,600 His Holy Spirit. So if you have questions about 645 00:43:59,600 --> 00:44:02,400 what it means to start an intimate, personal relationship 646 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:04,800 with Jesus Christ. There is a campus Pastor or 647 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:07,800 staff member or difference-maker at all of our locations. 648 00:44:07,800 --> 00:44:10,600 And when the people around you, stay in and start singing, you 649 00:44:10,600 --> 00:44:14,000 can go by where the baptistery is at your location, and you can 650 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:16,800 have that conversation and I want to tell you don't put it 651 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:24,600 off. and to those of you at all of our different locations, Who 652 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:28,400 are struggling? And you have your faith. 653 00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:33,500 Are you trying to figure out? How are you going to navigate 654 00:44:33,500 --> 00:44:36,000 tomorrow? And if you were being honest, 655 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,200 you don't have the energy to take care of dinner tonight and 656 00:44:39,200 --> 00:44:42,100 you don't have enough energy to get up for work tomorrow. 657 00:44:42,300 --> 00:44:47,000 And if you are just being honest, you're just hanging on I 658 00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:48,700 want to let you know, you can let go. 659 00:44:50,600 --> 00:44:56,800 Because Jesus never will he will hold you when you can't. 660 00:44:56,900 --> 00:45:00,100 Hold yourself. Just don't quit on him. 661 00:45:01,200 --> 00:45:03,900 Don't stop, don't walk away from him. 662 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:08,500 If some church people said some stuff that Twisted you up that 663 00:45:08,500 --> 00:45:11,600 she's dumb church people. One of these days you'll be a 664 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:15,500 dumb Church person to and you'll want some Grace people may have 665 00:45:15,500 --> 00:45:17,800 let you down but Jesus never has. 666 00:45:19,100 --> 00:45:22,800 And while it's not, the only solution, it is a great solution 667 00:45:23,100 --> 00:45:26,400 to regularly, get down on your knees and pray to God and beg 668 00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:29,600 him for help in the Bible says that he is a good gift giver. 669 00:45:30,200 --> 00:45:35,200 And if a kid asks for a fish, he does a good father Doesn't give 670 00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:38,400 them a snake. If you come to your heavenly 671 00:45:38,400 --> 00:45:42,100 father and say I'm wrestling and I'm sad and I'm hurting and I'm 672 00:45:42,100 --> 00:45:44,500 broken and I can't even articulate all that. 673 00:45:44,500 --> 00:45:46,400 I'm going through the Holy Spirit. 674 00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:50,200 Intercedes on your behalf with words and groans, that no one 675 00:45:50,200 --> 00:45:53,700 can understand. And he intercedes directly to 676 00:45:53,700 --> 00:45:55,800 the father. And if you're going, you know 677 00:45:55,800 --> 00:45:56,700 what? I just need to get down on my 678 00:45:56,707 --> 00:46:00,300 knees and just kind of recenter myself around Jesus and his 679 00:46:00,300 --> 00:46:02,200 cross. And his love, I want to 680 00:46:02,200 --> 00:46:05,500 encourage you to do that. And if you're a person, our 681 00:46:05,500 --> 00:46:09,100 church who loves people who are going through something, I want 682 00:46:09,100 --> 00:46:11,400 to challenge you to spend some time whether you do it in the 683 00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:14,100 back of the auditorium at the front, whether you do it over by 684 00:46:14,100 --> 00:46:16,900 the baptistery and put your hand in the water or you you get down 685 00:46:16,900 --> 00:46:19,700 on your knee right, where you're at and whatever row you're in. 686 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:24,200 I want you to get down on your knees and say, God used me to 687 00:46:24,200 --> 00:46:27,600 love the people that are hurting around me. 688 00:46:28,400 --> 00:46:31,000 God, help me to be the kind of person who creates space where 689 00:46:31,000 --> 00:46:35,800 people can be open and honest and God give me Words and wisdom 690 00:46:36,200 --> 00:46:39,100 to love them and care for them the way you would have me too. 691 00:46:40,500 --> 00:46:42,500 Because this world needs a place like that. 692 00:46:43,500 --> 00:46:46,300 And this church could be it would you join with me in 693 00:46:46,300 --> 00:46:47,500 prayer? Would you stand up? 694 00:46:48,700 --> 00:46:52,200 God used this time right now at all of our locations to do a 695 00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:54,700 mighty and miraculous work started. 696 00:46:56,500 --> 00:46:58,300 God, I'm not asking you to take all the ground. 697 00:46:58,300 --> 00:47:02,600 Just take some of it. Got to leave. 698 00:47:02,600 --> 00:47:06,800 No doubt in every mind in every heart, all across this region. 699 00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:11,700 Sure alive. That you're real. 700 00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:17,500 But you have hope and help to offer your name. 701 00:47:17,500 --> 00:47:19,000 I pray. Amen.