1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:04,960 Morning, how we doing? My name is Daniel. 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,360 I'm one of the lead pastors here at Resurrection Church. 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:11,320 I have a privilege today to introduce someone to you. 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:14,440 So the first time someone preaches at our church, we take 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,800 a moment to introduce them to you in case you don't know them 6 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:18,800 yet. And so I'm going to, in just a 7 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,320 second, get to introduce and then pray over somebody who's 8 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,000 going to preach here for the first time. 9 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,640 Let me say this. We believe at this church that 10 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:32,320 every single person who's called to this church, regardless of of 11 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,160 what you think of yourself or your own talents or your own 12 00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:39,960 spiritual gifts, has a calling in ministry for the Lord. 13 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,000 It's the only reason that God saved you and left you here and 14 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,080 didn't take you home. And so you may not know what 15 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,640 that is right now. You may not feel like you know 16 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,200 what that is, but we believe that God has a call on your life 17 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,760 and that there is a place to serve in the context of this 18 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,440 church and in this city. And, and maybe who, who knows 19 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,240 what's after that as you are sensitive to the work of the 20 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,520 Holy Spirit. And I'm telling you this one 21 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,480 because man, it is my heart that you, you get engaged and 22 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:07,920 beginning to use your gifts, your talents, your energy, your 23 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,600 money and the, and the spiritual gifts that God gave you for the 24 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:13,920 glory of God. And I'm, and I'm telling you 25 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,560 that secondly, because 2 1/2 years ago, nobody in their right 26 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:19,760 mind would have believed that Sean was going to preach today, 27 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:32,120 nobody but God, because this is who our God is. 28 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:36,960 This is at at the very center of the character of God is that he 29 00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:41,000 takes those of us that do not deserve it, they could not earn 30 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:42,920 it, that are not qualified for it. 31 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,720 And he does magnificent things through that. 32 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,840 And so will you put your hands together and welcome my good 33 00:01:50,840 --> 00:02:00,400 friend Sean Stevens. We're going to pray. 34 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,080 Will you lift your hands? If you if you would? 35 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:04,800 And we're going to pray over Sean today for the guy. 36 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:06,880 We thank you for Sean. I thank you for JCI. 37 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:08,600 Thank you for their their children and their extended 38 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,840 family and all the people you've impacted through the testimony 39 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:15,160 of the Stevens and Father. God, I thank you for the 40 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:17,000 redemptive work that you do in each of our lives. 41 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,440 But particularly I thank you for the privilege of us getting to 42 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:25,120 walk with and watch and witness your work in Sean's life. 43 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,600 So we lift before you, Sean, as he brings your word today. 44 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,080 God, will your spirit fall mightily in this place? 45 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:35,840 Will you give us active ears to hear? 46 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,320 And will you give us soft hearts to receive in Jesus name, Amen. 47 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,480 Amen. Morning. 48 00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:46,280 I mean, I didn't think I was going to cry before I got up 49 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,240 here. Hey, my name is Shawn Stevens. 50 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,920 I'm a small group leader also on the teaching team here at res 51 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:56,160 Man, it is a it is a pleasure to be up here Resurrection Church. 52 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,720 This location has meant so much to me even before it was rez 53 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,680 when it was Calvary Bible. I've got a lot of roots where 54 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:05,440 the Lord has done a lot of good work in my life here. 55 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:07,960 So it really is an honor to be up here with you. 56 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,800 If you have your Bible, we're going to be in John chapter 10, 57 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,320 verses 22 through 30, John 1022 through 30. 58 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:18,600 We're going to continue in the God is Good series and we're 59 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:20,800 going to be looking at Jesus, the Good Shepherd. 60 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,040 So as you turn there, I'll give you a little backdrop on who I 61 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:28,040 am. I've known the the Lord for 62 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:32,600 about 13 years, 1213 years. I gave my life to Jesus in 2013. 63 00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:36,800 And what I believe about Jesus in this moment that he is he's 64 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:41,320 good, He's for me, that I can be satisfied in him, that he has a 65 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,840 plan and a hope and a future for my life has not been something 66 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:50,080 that I have always believed. It may surprise you, but I am an 67 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,760 addict. Hi, my name is Sean and I'm an 68 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:58,480 addict. I was, I was addicted to pain 69 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,360 pills at 16 years old. I found heroin. 70 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:08,080 I think 18 or 19, 22 years old I was breaking into homes to 71 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,880 support my addiction. Full blown alcoholic at that 72 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,320 time as well. I had been jumping from house to 73 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,040 house, living with different friends in different 74 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,320 communities, homeless in my car for a little bit, then back to 75 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,800 my parents and back to from back to my parents in this cycle 76 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,080 perpetuated itself for about a decade. 77 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,640 And then I'm back at my parents house when I'm 26 years old and 78 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:32,440 in 2013 living in a shed in their backyard. 79 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,560 What a blessing. And wouldn't you know, there 80 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:39,040 came a a knock at my parents front door and I don't know who 81 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,320 answered it, whether it was my mom or my dad, but it was a Teen 82 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:43,960 Challenge fundraiser. And I don't know if you know 83 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,080 anything about Teen Challenge, but I see a couple of hands 84 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,200 going Teen Challenge. Teen Challenge is a Christian 85 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,680 ministry that that focuses on liberating people from addiction 86 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:54,680 and having them to get to know Jesus. 87 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,560 I knew exactly who they were. I was not a believer. 88 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,440 I didn't know who Jesus was. I didn't know really anything 89 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:03,560 about Christianity. But I went out there and talked 90 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,640 to this guy and this moment in my life was foundational for me. 91 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,880 Just to let you know about addicts is they're not easy to 92 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:16,160 talk to. May sound surprising, but an 93 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,720 addict really has to be in a place of utter brokenness to 94 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:21,680 kind of accept wisdom in their life. 95 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,280 But I went out there and I talked to this guy and his name 96 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:28,400 was James, and he leaned into my life. 97 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,120 He didn't look down at me or through me, but he just left me 98 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,480 with a little bit of hope. I mean, I had track marks on my 99 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:37,440 arms, I had alcohol on my breath. 100 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:40,720 I had a cigarette in my hand. I was suicidal, I was depressed. 101 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,240 I had given up on life. I had so much potential when I 102 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,680 was younger, so much hope for my future, and all of it was gone. 103 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:52,480 So I go out there thinking, man, I will do anything to change. 104 00:05:52,840 --> 00:05:55,800 I will do anything. And he just says, brother, 105 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,120 there's a place that you can go, you can get sober, you can find 106 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,760 God in your life. We had a little conversation and 107 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:03,360 he left and he said, hey, Jesus loves you. 108 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:08,000 I love you. I hope that I can see you out at 109 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,040 Teen Challenge one day. So I go in and tell my parents 110 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,240 like, hey, listen, I'm going to go to Shafter to get sober. 111 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:19,000 I'm living in a shed in their backyard. 112 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,400 They could have been like, dude, if you got to go to Milwaukee, 113 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:26,360 go, just go. So that's what I did is I left a 114 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,840 Teen Challenge and once again, no idea of who Jesus was. 115 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:33,400 The only thing that I believed was true about Christians is 116 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,120 that when you become a Christian, life gets really 117 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,800 easy. Is that not true? 118 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:44,040 Life gets real life. You got some money in the bank, 119 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:49,360 you got a house, you got a car. All of your problems go away. 120 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,480 And to my surprise, this didn't happen. 121 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,520 I continue to struggle with worry, with doubt, with fear, 122 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,640 with insecurity about my future. I mean all of these feelings of 123 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,440 shame and guilt. I found myself in this place 124 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:07,000 going God. Why aren't things different? 125 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:11,120 The problem was that my expectation of who Jesus was 126 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:15,720 wasn't the real Jesus that I had crafted for myself. 127 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:20,120 A God that would change my circumstances but not change me. 128 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,280 And that's the big idea, if you're taking notes today, is 129 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:28,160 that Jesus cannot change my life while I'm busy creating him. 130 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:37,520 John 10, verses 22 through 30. It says at the time the feast of 131 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,200 dedication took place in Jerusalem, it was winter and 132 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,960 Jesus was walking in the temple in the colonnade of Solomon. 133 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:47,000 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, How long will 134 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:50,200 you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us 135 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,160 plainly. And Jesus answered them, I told 136 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,960 you. And you do not believe the works 137 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,640 that I do in my Father's name. They bear witness about me, but 138 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:00,520 you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. 139 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:03,120 My sheep hear my voice. I know them. 140 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,720 They follow me. I give them eternal life. 141 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:08,240 They will never perish. No one will snatch them out of 142 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,400 my hand. The Father who has given them to 143 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,600 me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them 144 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:17,600 out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one. 145 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:19,440 So here we find Jesus. He's in the colonnade of 146 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,280 Solomon. So at the Feast of Dedication, 147 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,000 in Hebrew, the word dedication literally means Hanukkah. 148 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,440 So it is the celebration of Hanukkah for the Jewish people. 149 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,920 And they're celebrating when the temple was rededicated 200 years 150 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:33,480 earlier. So what they're doing is they're 151 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,559 looking at God's covenantal faithfulness, that God is the 152 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:38,640 Redeemer, that God is the Savior. 153 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:42,760 But mainly what they're looking for is a Messiah to come is that 154 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,880 at this time the Jewish people were not living in a Free State. 155 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:51,360 It was controlled by the Roman government, heavy Roman 156 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:54,080 taxation. There was military control, 157 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,920 there was political presence. And the expectations of the 158 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:02,720 Messiah at that time would be a military Messiah king that would 159 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:06,040 come and liberate the Jewish people is that, hey, there are 160 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,200 four foreign oppressors in our land. 161 00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:11,800 Jewish sovereignty is not here. We need to cleanse that. 162 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:13,720 It was Rambo. They were looking for Rambo 163 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:18,400 Jesus to roll in headband, Bowie knife, blood of the I don't know 164 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,960 why, but I have this like vision that it's like a buff lamb. 165 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:25,120 He's riding on and the lamb has a Bowie knife and a headband on 166 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,480 and he's coming in to like crush the Romans. 167 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:31,640 But that was their anticipation as they said, hey, we need 168 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,600 someone to come in and free us from our situation. 169 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,960 And earlier in John chapter 10, before we get to where we're at 170 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,040 right now in 22, what we're seeing is Jesus was doing what 171 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,200 Jesus does. He goes in and he starts to 172 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:49,080 rebuke the religious elite, the Pharisees, the scribes. 173 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:54,200 And he's saying you had one job to do, which is to tend to the 174 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:59,120 flock of God, to the people of God, and to lead them into a 175 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:04,000 relationship with the Father. But instead they were expecting 176 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:08,080 Jesus to give them more. It was more authority, it was 177 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:13,320 more power, it was more status. They took this holy and selfless 178 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,880 calling that God had on their life, and they made it into a 179 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:20,120 means of gathering wealth and power. 180 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,320 Listen to what Jesus says in John 1013 and 14. 181 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,840 He says he who is a hired hand, Speaking of the Pharisees and 182 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,960 not a shepherd who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming 183 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:37,120 and leaves the sheep and flees. The wolf snatches them and 184 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,200 scatters them. He flees because he has a hired 185 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,440 hand and he cares nothing for the sheep. 186 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:47,000 Once again embracing selfish, selfish ambition in their life 187 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:48,520 and not caring for the flock of God. 188 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:50,800 And then we pick up in John 10/24. 189 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:54,080 This is what Jesus says that they are responding to Jesus. 190 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:59,120 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, how long will 191 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:04,000 you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us 192 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:08,240 plainly, Jesus, we've seen you, you're you're going around, 193 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:10,640 you're doing miracles. Everyone's talking about that. 194 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:12,520 You might be the Messiah. I heard that you're doing some 195 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:16,440 cool things, but are you the guy that we're looking for? 196 00:11:17,680 --> 00:11:20,520 This is The thing is that's not a question at all. 197 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,400 That word gathered here that we see that they gathered around 198 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:25,400 him. It's not the gathering that 199 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:26,680 we're going to do. Some of you are going to be 200 00:11:26,680 --> 00:11:28,960 gathering at the sugar mill after this. 201 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,200 It's not the way that the youth gather for pizza before they go 202 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:35,840 into the youth youth youth service. 203 00:11:36,560 --> 00:11:42,320 The word gathered here literally means to him and to surround, to 204 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:44,880 enclose. So this isn't a friendly 205 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,960 gathering. They are circling in on Jesus. 206 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:53,560 In this moment they felt threatened, they felt like their 207 00:11:53,560 --> 00:11:56,000 expectations of the Messiah were not being met. 208 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,840 They were looking for what Jesus could offer them. 209 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:04,320 They had invented a Jesus that had come to give them more and 210 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,920 they were not seeing the true reason why he was there. 211 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:11,040 And this is the thing, we do the same, same thing all the time. 212 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:14,720 We fall into the same exact or is it just me? 213 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,600 Am I the only one? I got these lights in my eyes 214 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:22,520 right now, but we fall into the same position that Jesus I will 215 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:29,160 believe that you are the Messiah if you finally restore my health 216 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:32,240 or Jesus all believe that you are the Messiah. 217 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:36,000 If this promotion that I have been waiting for forever. 218 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,120 I can barely ends make ends meet. 219 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:43,160 If you meet this need then you will be the Messiah or something 220 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:44,400 I've struggled with for a long time. 221 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:46,000 Jesus all believe that you're the Messiah. 222 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:50,120 If I don't have to give up control in my life, can I just 223 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,600 hold on to this one thing? I'll call you Lord. 224 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:54,200 I'll go to church, I'll check the boxes. 225 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:58,480 But submission, that's hard to do. 226 00:12:58,680 --> 00:13:04,000 We fall into the same position. I found myself in Teen Challenge 227 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:06,360 in 2013 and things were getting better. 228 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:08,280 I mean, it was looking good for me. 229 00:13:08,680 --> 00:13:10,640 I mean, I had clear eyes for the first time. 230 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:15,000 Track marks are gone. I had sobriety for three or four 231 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:16,800 months. That's the That's the first time 232 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,600 in a decade that I could pass a drug test. 233 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:25,200 It was exciting. But with all of that came these 234 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:29,480 emotions. 10 full years of suppressed emotions. 235 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:34,800 The shame, the guilt, the overwhelming feeling of 236 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:39,000 uncertainty about my future. And now the frustration was I'm 237 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:43,000 26 years old and I'm living in a community room with a bunch of 238 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:44,760 strangers. These two guys haven't showered 239 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,720 in four days. I can smell their feet right 240 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:49,320 now. I still, it's like a trauma 241 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:51,000 response. I can still smell their feet. 242 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:55,880 I'm like, oh God, I find myself in this position where I'm like, 243 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:00,280 Jesus, I'm a believer now I'm three months sober. 244 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:03,280 Why aren't my parents telling me to to come back? 245 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:06,080 Why can't I find the the perfect job? 246 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,440 I'm 26. Don't you want me to be able to 247 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,040 provide for myself to have these good things, all of this guilt? 248 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,960 Aren't you supposed to get rid of all of this stuff? 249 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:20,120 I wanted to know what Jesus could do for me. 250 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:24,520 And if I truly understood what Jesus desired to do in my life 251 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:27,040 today, I would be 12 years sober. 252 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:34,920 But I'm not today. I'm two years sober because I 253 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:35,840 wasn't. Praise God. 254 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:43,160 But the issue is that I wasn't addressing. 255 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:45,880 The real need is that my situation didn't need to change. 256 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:50,840 I needed to change that. We need to allow the Lord to 257 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:55,160 change us. But I can't have Jesus change my 258 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,360 life while I'm busy creating him. 259 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:05,240 But here's the wonderful news. Jesus knows us, family. 260 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,880 He knows you. You know how you feel like you 261 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:09,280 know your wife. Sometimes you're like, I know 262 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:14,480 it, like Jesus knows her more. Jesus knows your kids, Jesus 263 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,800 knows where you're at. Jesus knows that we're selfish 264 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:22,160 little creatures that have misguided prayers and an agenda 265 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:25,240 when we come to him. But as a father with his 266 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,520 children, he still, I mean, I've got a, a four year old daughter, 267 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:33,800 junior, 4-4 years old, and she the last couple of days just 268 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:37,600 been walking around the house talking about popsicles and it's 269 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:39,680 like really ambiguous too. Like there's no kind of like 270 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:41,640 point. She just like no popsicle, no 271 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:44,800 popsicle. So finally I go, what's up with 272 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:46,400 the popsicle? Listen to how this girl 273 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,520 responds. She says that's a great idea. 274 00:15:54,400 --> 00:16:01,600 That's a great, that's a dad, dad, that's a great idea. 275 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:04,920 We should definitely go get a popsicle. 276 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:12,360 I'm like bro, a PhD in gaslighting this girl. 277 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,560 Like get into politics immediately, you're going to 278 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:21,720 kill it. But as her father, I love her 279 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:24,440 through it. I know she comes with an agenda. 280 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:28,480 I know she wants to to get her way at any cost. 281 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:31,240 And I still have a plan for her life. 282 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,720 And Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the good news is that he still 283 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,120 desires to tend to your actual needs. 284 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:44,800 So what are the needs that Jesus intends to meet in our lives? 285 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:54,800 One, Jesus offers us security. About six months ago, I got 286 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,720 offered AI got offered a position with a company that I 287 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:00,480 was working for to move to Texas. 288 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:02,880 I mean, it was like a, it was a cool offer. 289 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:05,400 I mean, I have been poor most of my life and in and out of 290 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:07,920 addiction and I'm, I'm doing really well in this job. 291 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,359 And this company says, hey, Sean, this is what we want to do 292 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:11,800 for you. We want to move you and your 293 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:13,480 family out. We're going to pay for plane 294 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,200 tickets. We're going to literally get a 295 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,400 truck for you and, and move all your stuff, drive it over to to 296 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:22,359 Texas. And by the way, here is your 297 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:28,040 sign on bonus and that number. I've been poor my whole life 298 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:30,720 that it could have been $1,000,000 on the page. 299 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,600 It was life changing money, absolutely life changing. 300 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,880 So me, I start to scheme. I'm like, clearly this is from 301 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:42,320 the Lord. Obviously you see how many zeros 302 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:44,200 are behind that number. Wow. 303 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:46,360 And I got some friends over there too. 304 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:47,840 And they, they love Jesus a little bit. 305 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:49,200 And there's this one big church there. 306 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,120 And definitely it has to be from God. 307 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:54,000 I've made so many impulsive decisions in my life. 308 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:57,120 I knew better to do that. So what did I do is I, I took it 309 00:17:57,120 --> 00:17:59,440 to my men's group. We meet every Friday morning 310 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,920 totally willingly, by the way, No reluctantly, I did not want 311 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,080 to do it, but I brought it to them and I bring it to them and 312 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:09,960 I'm, and I'm trying to explain how it's a good thing. 313 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,480 And I think like this is from the Lord and, and in their 314 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:15,120 wisdom, they love Jesus so much. They're so wise. 315 00:18:15,120 --> 00:18:18,320 They love me so well. They go, hey, let's, let's put a 316 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:19,800 pin in this and let's wait a week. 317 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,960 Let's pray about it. So a week later we go back and 318 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:25,440 I'm sitting in the room and I'm like, this is it. 319 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:28,080 I'm moving to Texas. I'm ready. 320 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:34,880 I'm going to have money. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. 321 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:40,160 Resounding no in the room. I received it and it was great. 322 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:42,080 Hooray. I left the room clapping and 323 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:46,840 jumping in joy. Now I was frustrated, beyond 324 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:51,520 frustrated. I had worked so hard in my life. 325 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:55,720 I was 18 months sober. I'm a good husband, I am a good 326 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:57,920 father. I'm serving my community. 327 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,160 I am doing everything that I am supposed to do. 328 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:05,320 Can I get any kind of semblance of financial freedom in my life? 329 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:12,080 God, everything is how it is supposed to be and I feel like I 330 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:19,080 am not getting blessed. Have you been there, Lord? 331 00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:22,560 Can I be able to pay for my kids to go to Res Mania without a 332 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:27,560 scholarship from the church? Have you been there where 333 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:32,480 everything is going right in your life and Jesus doesn't move 334 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,920 to where you begin to think God owes you something or God is 335 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:41,880 wrong in the situation? You know, that morning when we 336 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:44,640 made that decision, one of the guys asked me a question. 337 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:49,960 He said, Sean, what would you say to a guy who's 18 months 338 00:19:49,960 --> 00:20:00,680 sober, who the Lord is? The the Lord is freshly 339 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:07,760 restoring his marriage, that God is blessing their family in ways 340 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:11,200 that are incomprehendible and they were going to uproot 341 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:13,720 everything and move to Texas. What would you say to that 342 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:24,600 person? Well, well, Daniel, Dave, I'm 343 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:26,280 outing my men's group. They're like, don't do it. 344 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:30,520 That's silly. I'd say that's an unwise 345 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:34,240 decision. Fast forward now, the company 346 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:38,160 that I would have went to Texas and worked for is not doing 347 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:41,080 well. The industry has completely 348 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:45,000 changed and I'm realizing that what I demanded of God then was 349 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:51,120 a blessing and what I see now He gave me was protection. 350 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:56,560 God knows what's best for us family. 351 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:00,440 He knows where you're at, where you got to look at the Chase app 352 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:05,200 every day and go, well, Nope, still not in there, dear Lord. 353 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,880 Or that the car issues that just never stop. 354 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,240 You're saving up money back in the shop, back in the shop. 355 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:16,520 God knows where we're at. He knows what we need. 356 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:19,480 Security is a good thing to desire. 357 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:22,000 It is good to be wise. It's good to work hard. 358 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,320 It's good. It's good to desire nice things. 359 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,240 But things can change in a moment. 360 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:33,880 Your health 1 diagnosis and the security of that health is gone. 361 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:37,160 The job that you've worked at for 30 years and all of a sudden 362 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,960 you're laid off. It can happen in an instant. 363 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,920 Everything can change. What cannot change is the 364 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:48,760 security that we find in Jesus the Good Shepherd is that he 365 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:53,960 promises to be with us no matter what is happening in our life. 366 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,000 Listen to what it says in John 1027. 367 00:21:56,360 --> 00:22:02,080 It says my sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. 368 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,240 We follow Jesus. We're walking with Jesus. 369 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:09,800 He promises to be with us. Psalm 23 Four. 370 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:16,200 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death 371 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:22,920 and adversity and confusion and weariness and depression, 372 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:26,480 feeling isolated, I will fear no evil. 373 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,720 For you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they 374 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:34,080 comfort me. The Good Shepherd promises that 375 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:38,640 he will be with us and He will comfort us no matter what we are 376 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:44,840 going through in our life. Jesus offers US security number 377 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:49,000 2. Jesus offers us satisfaction. 378 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,280 Needless to say, satisfaction has been a constant battle in my 379 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:01,640 life. Remaining satisfied, like I 380 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:03,840 said, I am. I'm actually two years, two 381 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:06,040 months, and two days sober today. 382 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:08,760 Praise God. Yep. 383 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:13,960 Listen, family, it ain't me. By the grace of God, I stand 384 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:17,520 here today. But two years, three months ago, 385 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:21,000 2 1/2 years ago, as Daniel was saying, the bottom fell out of 386 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:26,520 everything where I was at. 2 1/2 years ago I was was a heroin 387 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:30,120 addict, then 2 two years three months ago fully addicted to 388 00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:33,120 meth, only drinking vodka all day long, little bit of water. 389 00:23:33,120 --> 00:23:36,200 When I felt my body shutting down I quit a career job paying 390 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,400 me $80,000 a year. I had a 2 year old daughter. 391 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:41,600 We were about to get evicted from our apartment. 392 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:46,120 My wife is 7 months pregnant. She's divorcing me and there are 393 00:23:46,120 --> 00:23:48,760 two plane tickets to move to South Carolina with her father 394 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:53,360 in her e-mail. That's my situation by the grace 395 00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:56,040 of God. Mariana Morgan realizes, man, I 396 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:58,040 haven't seen JC in a while. I'm going to give her a call, 397 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,320 Calls JC. JC explains the situation that's 398 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:03,360 going on. And then I get the call that 399 00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:05,880 everybody wants to get. Your head pastor is calling you 400 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:12,240 as I'm homeless in my car. Daniel just says, hey, we need 401 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:14,320 to meet up. Let's meet at the church office. 402 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:15,640 We need to talk about some things. 403 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:18,800 I sat there with the elders, some other people who had 404 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:22,360 battled addiction and and found recovery and sobriety, and I'm 405 00:24:22,360 --> 00:24:26,800 talking with them and it's that moment that I had to ask myself, 406 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:31,360 what satisfies you? You tried to find the 407 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:34,920 satisfaction 10 years ago doing the same exact thing. 408 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:40,600 Is it more alcohol? I know some of you in this room 409 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,680 struggle with alcohol, and I just want to let you know that 410 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:45,640 Jesus has so much more for your life. 411 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:49,000 This isn't in the sermon, by the way. 412 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:51,840 I just feel God loves you so much. 413 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:54,080 God had to speak to me in that moment. 414 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,600 Sean, is it more alcohol? Is it more drugs? 415 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:01,200 Is it more porn? Is it more immorality? 416 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:02,600 Is it more debauchery? What? 417 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:07,960 What do you need? There's a verse in Psalm 23 that 418 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:12,520 says he makes me lie down in green pastures. 419 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:16,240 Sounds amazing. So I get to lay down in green 420 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:18,760 pastures. It ain't an invitation. 421 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:21,960 Jesus didn't ask me. Hey, Sean, if you're willing, 422 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:25,520 maybe would you consider there's a a nice shade tree and there's 423 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:28,520 this fluffy grass under there and I think you need to take a 424 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:30,440 break. Can you please go lay down? 425 00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:36,520 The Lord made me lie down. I was running off a Cliff. 426 00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:39,240 And he said, all right, time to take a break. 427 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:41,800 And that's what the Good Shepherd does in our life, is 428 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:46,720 that he wants to ask us where we find our satisfaction. 429 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:50,600 I get that most of you guys ain't hanging out with homeless 430 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:55,920 people behind Walmart, but the Lord is asking you in this 431 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,600 moment, where does your treasure lie? 432 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:01,880 Where does your treasure lie today? 433 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:09,320 Is it in possessions? Is it the cars? 434 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:12,760 Is it the toys? Is it the big house? 435 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,760 Is it the vacation? Is that where you are trying to 436 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:19,320 find your fulfillment? Is it in your position? 437 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:23,320 I think of a lot of youth. They go, man, I'm only in junior 438 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:28,360 high, I'm only in high school. I can serve the Lord later. 439 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:33,520 Or what about time? There is a lot of seasoned 440 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:36,880 Saints in this room, a lot of people that are in the latter 441 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:41,120 stages of their life. You've worked hard, you've 442 00:26:41,120 --> 00:26:45,520 sacrificed a lot, and you may be holding time as your treasure 443 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:48,760 that you want to control it. This is mine now. 444 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:54,200 I don't want to give this up. The problem always lies in that 445 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:57,960 when we put our treasure in created things, they are going 446 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:02,720 to continue to let us down over and over and over, even if 447 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,760 things are going well. Have you been in a position like 448 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:08,200 that where like all is good, yet you just still not content? 449 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:12,720 You're like, why? I mean, look at my 2025 Denali 450 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:17,080 HDAT 4 Super X, whatever triple Z truck that you have. 451 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:19,560 Why am I not finding satisfaction? 452 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,720 We go to Lake Tahoe every every July in our family. 453 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:25,480 And it is it's a fun trip. It's it's super relaxing. 454 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:26,760 It's great. We love to do it. 455 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:29,040 And I know that we get ready for this trip. 456 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:32,760 It's it's June, it's starting to get hot in Bakersfield. 457 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,680 We're like, hey, we're leaving in six weeks and then it's two 458 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,160 weeks and then it's like, hey, it's right around the corner. 459 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:40,560 It's tomorrow. We're leaving and we pack the 460 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:44,000 kids up and you know all of their snacks and we get their 461 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:45,680 drinks and then our snacks and our drinks. 462 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,160 Then we take the kids pee 20 times before we leave, yet they 463 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:49,880 still have to pee 10 minutes after we leave. 464 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:53,360 And then you're leaving Bakersfield and you're looking 465 00:27:53,360 --> 00:27:57,600 at the weather app. You're like, it's 157° in 466 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:01,480 Bakersfield right now and you're going up the five. 467 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:05,040 You get to Tahoe, 72°. It's, it's so beautiful. 468 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:08,080 Unpack the stuff in the hotel, you just, you're, you're just 469 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:09,920 chilling. You get the kids to the beach, 470 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:13,120 the sunscreen, the umbrella, you get your drinks and then you sit 471 00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:20,880 there and after about two minutes you go. 472 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:27,800 It's nice. I mean, it's it's good, but it 473 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:33,000 doesn't completely fulfill when we try to look to these things 474 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:37,360 for fulfilment, the eternal weight of our fulfilment and we 475 00:28:37,360 --> 00:28:40,880 try to have created things fill that it's going to let us down 476 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:47,040 over and over and over. So what do we do? 477 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,920 Do we continue to look to these moments, to these things, or 478 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:53,600 could there be something more to satisfy our soul? 479 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:57,240 Look at Matthew 621. It says for where your treasure 480 00:28:57,240 --> 00:28:58,800 is, there your heart will also be. 481 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:02,200 Jesus always comes for the heart. 482 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:04,680 Jesus wants our heart. He wants us. 483 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:08,480 He wants us to to be made into the person that he has created. 484 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:15,240 And he ultimately wants to offer us satisfaction and #3 Jesus 485 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:22,440 offers us salvation down to John 1028. 486 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:24,760 It says I give them eternal life. 487 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,320 They will never perish. No one will snatch them out of 488 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,840 my hand. The Father has given them to me 489 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:32,240 is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch 490 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:36,400 them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one the 491 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,200 ultimate gift of God in our lives. 492 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:43,080 The ultimate need of humanity is not merely the ability to feel 493 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:48,720 secure or satisfied. It is God himself is that Jesus 494 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:51,760 wants to have a relationship with you. 495 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,760 That is the ultimate need that we have. 496 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,880 And that is the claim that Jesus is making in John chapter 10. 497 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:00,640 It's the claim he's making in this room to your hearts right 498 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:04,480 now is yes, I'm Messiah, yes, you can trust me, yes, I'm 499 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:09,680 Saviour and yes, I am God. And I want to shepherd your 500 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:15,320 soul. And that's what we need to ask 501 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:19,760 ourselves today is that do we want to allow Jesus to shepherd 502 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:21,320 our soul? Because there's other people in 503 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:24,560 John chapter 10 who had witnessed the miracles of God, 504 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:28,960 the withered hands healed, the demons exercised, the leprosy 505 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:32,000 gone in an instant, the 5000 people fed. 506 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:35,720 Yet some of them were still saying Jesus, But what about my 507 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:38,560 Kingdom? But what about me? 508 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:42,840 What about my pleasures, my preferences, my desires? 509 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:47,320 If you don't meet those, then you are not Messiah. 510 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:53,280 Jesus would ask, what other proof do you need in your life? 511 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:58,920 Is it the historical evidence that Christianity is real, that 512 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:02,320 the resurrection happened, that there's countless miracles that 513 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:04,480 were performed? Is it that lives have been 514 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:07,640 radically changed? Is it that all of the apostles 515 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:11,400 died a brutal death and had nothing to gain from it? 516 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:16,000 Jesus asks us today, what other proof do you need? 517 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:21,080 So how will we respond? Will we respond like religious 518 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:25,320 leaders saying, Jesus, how long are you going to keep us in 519 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:29,000 suspense? Or will we respond like sheep 520 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:34,800 who merely hear and follow and that Jesus is offering us 521 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:40,840 security and satisfaction. So how do we experience these 522 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:42,480 things? Security and satisfaction, 523 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:50,160 Little application points #1 allow the Lord to minister to 524 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:53,840 you. Allow him to minister to you. 525 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:58,320 I use Jesus as a bungee cord in my life family. 526 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:00,640 I'm I'm two, 2 1/2 years sober ish. 527 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,960 Sometimes I still see a Cliff in my mind and I'm like time to run 528 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:07,360 off that Cliff. And sometimes I do. 529 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:10,040 And as I'm falling in these intrusive thoughts and 530 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:13,720 everything is hopeless and why even try as I'm falling, I look 531 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:20,640 back up and I go Jesus, I'm secure in Jesus. 532 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:28,440 I'm satisfied in Jesus. My identity is founded in Jesus 533 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:31,840 and then I bungee back up and I land next to Jesus and he's like 534 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:33,560 you going to keep doing this over and over and over again. 535 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:38,520 Why are we doing this over the last month? 536 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:42,720 We live at the Manor where my Manor people at right now and we 537 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:47,360 go my wife and I live at the Manor, the church apart 538 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:49,320 apartments right over here. And over the last month, we've 539 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:52,360 had some very unfortunate circumstances that have happened 540 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:56,400 to our car. So about 3-4 weeks ago, we had 541 00:32:56,400 --> 00:33:01,560 two tires slashed on one car and we had one tire slashed on 542 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,480 another car. And then on Thursday, I wake up 543 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:09,080 and my driver side window is busted out of the car. 544 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:11,880 And we're trying to save up money, we're trying to be 545 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:14,280 responsible. And these things continue to 546 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:16,760 happen. I'm like, Lord, can we get a 547 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,360 break? So I'm driving to Chase to pull 548 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:24,120 money out to pay for this window and I sit in the car and my eyes 549 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:28,080 are just filled with tears and I'm furious and I'm so confused 550 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:34,600 and I just don't understand. So I stop and I just allow the 551 00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:38,600 Lord to minister to my heart in that moment. 552 00:33:39,760 --> 00:33:41,920 And it may look different for each one of us. 553 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:45,640 I know mine is prayer and a lot of times it's angry prayer. 554 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,680 Family, can I tell you that God is big enough for you to get 555 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,400 angry with them? Get angry. 556 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:54,280 It's OK. My daughter yells at me every 557 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:58,320 day. Seriously, she's something else. 558 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:01,320 That girl, the popsicles, like what? 559 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:06,800 But I love her and I want her to bring those prayers to me. 560 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:11,120 I want her to talk to me. Our Father wants us to talk to 561 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:13,560 him. Is it prayer on how the Lord 562 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:15,159 ministers to you? Is it worship? 563 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:19,280 Is it just blaring A Hillsong song and just, I mean letting 564 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:23,280 the Lord minister? Is it calling that friend who is 565 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:25,960 the superhero of affirmation in your life? 566 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:28,440 We all need that person. They just show up and they're 567 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:30,199 like, you're blessed, you're doing great. 568 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:32,199 You actually keep up the good work. 569 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:35,840 Who do you have in your life that can speak that security 570 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,000 over you? They can look at you and say, 571 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:41,920 hey, you're a child of God. Guess what? 572 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:44,320 A window might get busted out next week. 573 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:48,400 You're a child of God. Everything might fall apart. 574 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:51,679 You're a child of God. You might be taking the GET bus 575 00:34:51,679 --> 00:34:54,000 coming up soon. You're a child of God. 576 00:34:54,159 --> 00:34:57,800 You are secure in him. Allow the Lord to minister to 577 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:06,880 you #2 recount the blessings. I have to recount the blessings 578 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:13,280 every day. Lord, speak these truths over my 579 00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:16,560 life on how you've showed up in miraculous ways. 580 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:22,040 Recount the blessings, America, the land of prosperity, the land 581 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:24,560 of wealth, and we're not satisfied. 582 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:29,680 I have to let the Lord speak satisfaction into my heart. 583 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:33,720 And I would ask you today is that if nothing were to change 584 00:35:33,720 --> 00:35:38,360 in your life, if everything stayed the same, the hardship 585 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:43,320 that you're in right now, if it all just stayed, would you still 586 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:51,640 be satisfied in Jesus? And if no, ask the Lord to find 587 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:53,960 your satisfaction in Him, and He will give it to you. 588 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:56,440 But I have to repeat these things all day. 589 00:35:56,920 --> 00:35:59,640 I have acted like a child most of my life, yet the Lord has 590 00:35:59,640 --> 00:36:04,160 blessed me with children that I get to steward these beautiful 591 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:07,640 little babies. I can't even look at my wife 592 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:12,040 right now. I have a beautiful wife. 593 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:24,080 She should be in South Carolina. I should be homeless, but God 594 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:32,240 being rich in mercy with the love that He has for us, He sent 595 00:36:32,240 --> 00:36:38,240 his Son to die on a cross that I find satisfaction in Him. 596 00:36:38,240 --> 00:36:44,360 Recount the blessings in your life and salvation. 597 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:48,320 There's only one step practical application to salvation and 598 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:54,680 it's this. Jesus loves you so much and you 599 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:58,480 know how I know is because if unlovable was a category to 600 00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:02,320 Jesus. I've checked all the boxes and I 601 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:06,200 am so loved by him today and so are you. 602 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:09,720 He wants to be in a relationship with you. 603 00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:16,520 He lived a perfect life for you. He died a brutal death for you. 604 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:21,120 He rose on the third day so we can embrace forgiveness and 605 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:24,880 redemption. He loves us and I want to give 606 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:27,240 you that opportunity today. I know that there are people in 607 00:37:27,240 --> 00:37:31,040 this room that you have maybe never been in a church before 608 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:34,840 and this concept and idea of Jesus doesn't even make sense. 609 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:37,920 It didn't for me 12 years ago. But I know that the Good 610 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:41,960 Shepherd of all of heaven and all of earth has his eyes locked 611 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:46,360 on you in this moment. And he is saying, son or 612 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:51,920 daughter, let today be the day. Let today be the day where you 613 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:54,520 embrace me. He wants to love you. 614 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:57,440 So if you would, we're going to bow our heads. 615 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:05,040 This is what the Bible would tell us. 616 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:11,720 The Bible would tell us that God designed us to live in a 617 00:38:11,720 --> 00:38:15,640 relationship with Him, but our sin has broken that connection 618 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:20,640 and that through Jesus life, death and resurrection that we 619 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:24,800 can have new life when we believe in Him. 620 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:29,600 If you feel that pressing on your heart in this moment, that 621 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:34,120 invitation, we want to give you the opportunity to accept Jesus. 622 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:40,080 So if you would just repeat after me, Father, I know that I 623 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:42,320 was created to be in a relationship with you. 624 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:46,920 I know I cannot do this on my own. 625 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:51,640 Today I look to your son Jesus, his perfect life, his death and 626 00:38:51,640 --> 00:38:54,320 his resurrection for the forgiveness of my sins. 627 00:38:55,560 --> 00:38:58,360 Today, God, I embrace new life with Jesus. 628 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:05,160 I thank you for giving me the faith to believe in Jesus name, 629 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:07,360 Amen. And with every head bowed, every 630 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:10,200 eye closed, still, if you prayed that prayer for the first time, 631 00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:14,080 can you be courageous in Jesus and raise your hand for me? 632 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:21,440 Thank you Lord, thank you. In Jesus name, Amen. 633 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:26,200 If you prayed that prayer for the first time, welcome to the 634 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:34,390 family of God. Family, would you please stand 635 00:39:34,390 --> 00:39:36,750 with me? We're going to enter into a time 636 00:39:36,750 --> 00:39:38,790 of worship and prayer. Our prayer team is actually 637 00:39:38,790 --> 00:39:42,510 going to be coming up right now. We want to pray for you. 638 00:39:43,150 --> 00:39:46,070 We want you to encounter the love of Jesus in your life. 639 00:39:46,070 --> 00:39:49,670 We know that we bring burdens, we bring hardships, we bring 640 00:39:49,670 --> 00:39:52,750 troubles into church every single day, and God wants to 641 00:39:52,750 --> 00:39:56,160 speak to those troubles. So if you feel called, please 642 00:39:56,160 --> 00:39:59,160 come up for prayer. You move as the Lord leads.