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Your Move with Andy Stanley | Andy Stanley - Investigating Jesus (Part 2) | November 8, 2025
- Andy stanley: hi everybody.
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- Welcome to "your move," where we help you make better decisions
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- And live with fewer regrets.
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- I'm andy stanley, and i'll be your guide, and i have a
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- Question for you.
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- If you think about your life as a commercial, what are you
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- Advertising, or better yet, what do you hope you're advertising?
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- That's what we're talking about today on "your move," so
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- Stick around.
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- ♪♪♪
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- Andy: today we are in part two of our series "investigating
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- Jesus," how we know and why we follow.
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- How we know there's anything to the life of jesus and the claims
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- Of jesus, and if there is, why in the world do we choose to
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- Follow, and these are extremely important questions because the
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- Christian faith, as we talked extensively about last time--and
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- I don't want to redo all of last, but last week we talked
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- About the fact that the christian faith--not all faith
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- Systems, and not even theism, but christianity specifically
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- Rises and falls on the identity of a single individual, jesus
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- Of nazareth.
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- So when it comes to the veracity of christianity specifically,
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- The question to wrestle to the ground is this question.
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- Is matthew, mark, luke, or john, even one of these--is matthew,
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- Mark, luke, or john a reliable account of actual events?
- 00:01:13.958 --> 00:01:17.662
- And here's why this is the question we have to wrestle to
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- The ground when it comes to christianity because in the
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- Bible, these four books of the bible, they're really just
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- Ancient documents that we call books, or we call these the
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- Gospels because these are the four accounts of the life
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- Of jesus.
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- If any one of these, much less all four of these, are
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- Actual--are reliable accounts of actual events, then it means
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- That what jesus said about himself is true and what jesus
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- Did are things that really happened, and if what if
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- The--and if what these gospels or these ancient documents say
- 00:01:46.591 --> 00:01:49.861
- About jesus is true, regardless of your background and
- 00:01:49.861 --> 00:01:53.231
- Regardless of what you've thought before, you should sit
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- Up straight and pay attention.
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- We should all sit up straight and pay attention, regardless of
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- What you think about religion, the existence of god, or even
- 00:02:01.172 --> 00:02:03.441
- The bible.
- 00:02:03.441 --> 00:02:04.809
- If any one of these is a reliable account of actual
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- Events, game on.
- 00:02:07.812 --> 00:02:10.114
- So what we're doing in this series, we are exploring one of
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- These accounts, the gospel or the book of luke, matthew, mark,
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- Luke, the third gospel in the new testament.
- 00:02:17.455 --> 00:02:20.158
- It's named for its author, and right up front, as we saw last
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- Time, luke, the author of luke, tells us exactly what his
- 00:02:23.628 --> 00:02:27.031
- Agenda is.
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- He tells us that he--he tells us exactly what he's doing, and he
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- Tells us why he's doing it.
- 00:02:31.069 --> 00:02:32.403
- He tell--explains to us why he took the time, this is amazing,
- 00:02:32.403 --> 00:02:36.107
- To document the life of a first century day laborer from galilee
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- That started a movement that was considered a cult, and who was
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- Crucified by rome and rejected by his own people.
- 00:02:45.483 --> 00:02:48.019
- Why would you do that?
- 00:02:48.019 --> 00:02:49.687
- That's a good question.
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- That's a question we don't think about because of the way the
- 00:02:51.055 --> 00:02:52.924
- Bible is presented to us, but he tells us, and here's how he
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- Begins this gospel.
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- I'll read this quick because we spent a lot of time with this
- 00:02:57.462 --> 00:02:59.197
- Last time, and i wanna move on.
- 00:02:59.197 --> 00:03:00.531
- Here's how he begins his account of the life of jesus.
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- Many--i'm not the only one.
- 00:03:03.901 --> 00:03:06.537
- "many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that
- 00:03:06.537 --> 00:03:08.873
- Have," happened, "been fulfilled right here among us," this
- 00:03:08.873 --> 00:03:11.676
- Happened in his lifetime, "just as they were handed down to us
- 00:03:11.676 --> 00:03:15.546
- By those who were from the first eyewitnesses."
- 00:03:15.546 --> 00:03:18.516
- In other words, this isn't something i read about that
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- I'm regurgitating.
- 00:03:20.184 --> 00:03:21.552
- I've talked to the eyewitnesses.
- 00:03:21.552 --> 00:03:23.354
- "and servants of the word," and this is code word in the new
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- Testament for jesus.
- 00:03:26.124 --> 00:03:28.259
- "with this in mind," he says, "with this in mind, i myself
- 00:03:28.259 --> 00:03:31.195
- Have carefully investigated."
- 00:03:31.195 --> 00:03:33.364
- I'm not passing along information i just got randomly
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- From other people.
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- "i have carefully investigated everything from the beginning,"
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- From the beginning of jesus's life as we discover, and, "i too
- 00:03:40.271 --> 00:03:43.975
- Decided to write," along with a lot of other people, "i too
- 00:03:43.975 --> 00:03:47.245
- Decided to write an orderly account," that is a sequential,
- 00:03:47.245 --> 00:03:49.914
- Chronological account, "for you, most excellent theophilus," and
- 00:03:49.914 --> 00:03:54.085
- Theophilus was probably, best we can tell, an--a first century
- 00:03:54.085 --> 00:03:57.722
- Christian who had become a jesus follower and had heard the
- 00:03:57.722 --> 00:04:01.459
- Stories and claims of jesus, but apparently he, like many other
- 00:04:01.459 --> 00:04:05.063
- People in the first century--and jesus followers were like, would
- 00:04:05.063 --> 00:04:08.099
- Somebody please put the whole story together for us?
- 00:04:08.099 --> 00:04:10.835
- We believe, but, i mean, an orderly account would be so
- 00:04:10.835 --> 00:04:14.739
- Helpful, especially when we think about passing this along
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- To the next generation.
- 00:04:18.476 --> 00:04:20.812
- So luke wants to provide theophilus with
- 00:04:20.812 --> 00:04:23.014
- Reliable answers.
- 00:04:23.014 --> 00:04:24.415
- Now, here's what you discover when you begin reading the
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- Gospel of luke.
- 00:04:26.918 --> 00:04:28.820
- Luke is not writing religious literature.
- 00:04:28.820 --> 00:04:31.723
- Luke has no idea there's ever gonna be a the bible.
- 00:04:31.723 --> 00:04:35.360
- So he's not writing religious literature.
- 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:36.961
- He's certainly not writing the bible.
- 00:04:36.961 --> 00:04:38.296
- You know what he's doing?
- 00:04:38.296 --> 00:04:39.664
- He's documenting someone's life.
- 00:04:39.664 --> 00:04:42.400
- He's telling someone's story, a story that took place in his
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- Lifetime, and here's what you discover when you read the
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- Gospel of luke and you read his second ancient document he
- 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:52.844
- Wrote, it's called the book of acts that follows the gospels.
- 00:04:52.844 --> 00:04:56.013
- You discover that luke knew personally peter, jesus's most
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- Famous disciple, he knew james, the brother of jesus, and he
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- Knew and traveled all around the mediterranean basin with the
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- Apostle paul, who wrote about half the new testament, and he
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- Knew other of the disciples as well.
- 00:05:10.428 --> 00:05:12.864
- So he thoroughly investigated eyewitness accounts, he's
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- Friends with the main players, the key players in the story of
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- The life of jesus, and then he adds this in his introduction,
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- Then we're gonna jump into the story.
- 00:05:22.673 --> 00:05:24.275
- So that--he says, the reason i put all this together, he says,
- 00:05:24.275 --> 00:05:27.178
- Theophilus, is, "so that you may know the certainty of the things
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- That you have been taught," and suddenly we are invited into
- 00:05:31.816 --> 00:05:36.888
- The story.
- 00:05:36.888 --> 00:05:38.256
- We're invited into the story because many of you have been
- 00:05:38.256 --> 00:05:41.459
- Taught to follow jesus as a child or even a young adult
- 00:05:41.459 --> 00:05:44.929
- Or--and maybe you're a new christian, and so, like
- 00:05:44.929 --> 00:05:48.199
- Theophilus, it's like, okay, i believe, and it's impacted my
- 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:51.469
- Life, but i would love for somebody to put the whole thing
- 00:05:51.469 --> 00:05:54.205
- Together for me, so i know with certainty--i can have certainty
- 00:05:54.205 --> 00:05:57.608
- In terms of what i actually believe, so that we could be
- 00:05:57.608 --> 00:06:00.344
- Assured that what we believe is anchored to something, anchored
- 00:06:00.344 --> 00:06:05.950
- To history, actually anchored to what happened.
- 00:06:05.950 --> 00:06:10.154
- Andy: hey, thanks so much for watching this episode, but
- 00:06:10.221 --> 00:06:12.490
- Before we continue, i wanna take just a moment to share something
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- Special with you.
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- At "your move," we're committed to reaching people with the
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- Teaching of jesus right where they are and when they least
- 00:06:18.930 --> 00:06:22.767
- Expect it, and this is possible because of generous viewers like
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- You, and right now, for a gift of $20 or more, we will send you
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- A 14-day gratitude guide as a way of showing our gratitude
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- To you.
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- Our gratitude guide is filled with inspiration, practical
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- Steps, and reflection questions to help you practice gratitude.
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- To make your donation and to claim your copy, simply visit
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- The website or call the number on your screen.
- 00:06:44.021 --> 00:06:46.524
- And now, back to today's episode.
- 00:06:46.524 --> 00:06:48.659
- Andy: so, we're jumping in.
- 00:06:49.594 --> 00:06:50.962
- Three chapters in to the gospel of luke, luke--and i'm gonna ask
- 00:06:50.962 --> 00:06:53.965
- You a question.
- 00:06:53.965 --> 00:06:55.299
- You can answer this one out loud.
- 00:06:55.299 --> 00:06:56.634
- Luke actually introduces us to jesus's pregame show, the warm
- 00:06:56.634 --> 00:07:02.039
- Up act, and who was the warm-up act for jesus?
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- Anybody know?
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- John the baptist, that's right.
- 00:07:06.911 --> 00:07:08.746
- Literally, it's john the baptizer, but i want you to
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- Listen--once again, i'm gonna go slow through this text.
- 00:07:12.984 --> 00:07:15.052
- I want you to listen to how luke introduces john the baptist.
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- It's not once upon a time or once upon a time during the time
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- Of the romans.
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- He speaks as if he's giving us history because he is.
- 00:07:25.596 --> 00:07:30.334
- In fact, in these next few verses, this is what luke's
- 00:07:30.334 --> 00:07:32.904
- Actually doing to his readers.
- 00:07:32.904 --> 00:07:34.305
- He's saying, "fact check me.
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- Fact check me.
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- I dare you."
- 00:07:38.576 --> 00:07:39.911
- Here's how it begins.
- 00:07:39.911 --> 00:07:41.479
- "in the fifteenth year of the reign of tiberius caesar."
- 00:07:41.479 --> 00:07:46.117
- Not, during the time of the romans, not even, during the
- 00:07:46.117 --> 00:07:48.653
- Time of tiberius caesar--tiberius caesar is
- 00:07:48.653 --> 00:07:51.289
- Caesar augustus's adopted son.
- 00:07:51.289 --> 00:07:53.758
- He says, "no, i want you to know exact--i'm gonna--i wanna put a
- 00:07:53.758 --> 00:07:56.227
- Pin right on the timeline."
- 00:07:56.227 --> 00:07:58.362
- In the fifteenth year of tiberius caesar, and let me just
- 00:07:58.362 --> 00:08:01.933
- Say this.
- 00:08:01.933 --> 00:08:03.267
- When you are writing a fiction that you're going to try to pass
- 00:08:03.267 --> 00:08:05.803
- Off as true, you never, ever, ever pinpoint the events to a
- 00:08:05.803 --> 00:08:10.975
- Specific period of time.
- 00:08:10.975 --> 00:08:12.343
- It's too easy to check and debunk, but look at the detail
- 00:08:12.343 --> 00:08:16.113
- He gives us.
- 00:08:16.113 --> 00:08:17.481
- "in the fifteenth year of the reign of tiberius caesar," you
- 00:08:17.481 --> 00:08:19.483
- Know, "when pontius pilate was governor of judea," i just want
- 00:08:19.483 --> 00:08:22.219
- You all to know i know what's going on, he says, "herod
- 00:08:22.219 --> 00:08:24.855
- Tetratrarch of galilee and his brother philip," his brother
- 00:08:24.855 --> 00:08:28.526
- Philip was the tetrarch of iturea and traconitis, "and
- 00:08:28.526 --> 00:08:31.128
- Lysanias was the tetrarch of abilene."
- 00:08:31.128 --> 00:08:33.064
- Are you following me?
- 00:08:33.064 --> 00:08:34.398
- He's like, "okay, i just want you to know exactly what we're
- 00:08:34.398 --> 00:08:36.867
- Talking about."
- 00:08:36.867 --> 00:08:38.202
- Look, you don't do that when you're making stuff up.
- 00:08:38.202 --> 00:08:42.406
- This reads like history, because it's history.
- 00:08:42.406 --> 00:08:46.243
- He's telling us what happened.
- 00:08:46.243 --> 00:08:48.012
- Then he says this, in that time period, right then, "the word of
- 00:08:48.012 --> 00:08:51.916
- God came to john son of zechariah in the wilderness."
- 00:08:51.916 --> 00:08:56.988
- This is the famous john the baptist.
- 00:08:56.988 --> 00:08:58.522
- Now, i wish we could spend more time on this.
- 00:08:58.522 --> 00:09:00.591
- The reason he has to tell us which john he's talking about is
- 00:09:00.591 --> 00:09:03.995
- Because when you read the new testament, there are johns all
- 00:09:03.995 --> 00:09:07.231
- Over the place.
- 00:09:07.231 --> 00:09:08.566
- So he has to tell us, "this is john, but i gotta tell you which
- 00:09:08.566 --> 00:09:10.701
- John it is.
- 00:09:10.701 --> 00:09:12.069
- It's john, the son of zechariah, who was actually a priest at
- 00:09:12.069 --> 00:09:15.072
- The temple."
- 00:09:15.072 --> 00:09:16.407
- Now, john the baptist is not a bible character.
- 00:09:16.407 --> 00:09:20.344
- John the baptist is a historical character that shows up in
- 00:09:20.344 --> 00:09:23.748
- The--in this gospel, and in fact, in the other gospels as
- 00:09:23.748 --> 00:09:26.784
- Well, because he had a specific role to play when it came to
- 00:09:26.784 --> 00:09:29.620
- Jesus, but john the baptist is known of outside of
- 00:09:29.620 --> 00:09:32.923
- Biblical literature.
- 00:09:32.923 --> 00:09:34.291
- Josephus wrote three big pieces of literature and tells the
- 00:09:34.291 --> 00:09:38.562
- Whole history of the jews, and he writes--and he's writing in
- 00:09:38.562 --> 00:09:41.532
- About 90 ad, about 60 years after john the baptist has died,
- 00:09:41.532 --> 00:09:46.237
- And when he gets to the piece of history that overlaps with the
- 00:09:46.237 --> 00:09:49.640
- Life of john the baptist, guess who josephus talks about?
- 00:09:49.640 --> 00:09:53.411
- John the baptist.
- 00:09:53.411 --> 00:09:54.779
- Why, because john the baptist was such a leading character in
- 00:09:54.779 --> 00:09:58.282
- That piece of jewish history, he couldn't tell the story without
- 00:09:58.282 --> 00:10:02.186
- Referring to john the baptist.
- 00:10:02.186 --> 00:10:04.555
- So when luke introduces us to john the baptist, you just gotta
- 00:10:04.555 --> 00:10:07.525
- Know he's not making this stuff up.
- 00:10:07.525 --> 00:10:09.727
- This was a historical figure that played such a role and
- 00:10:09.727 --> 00:10:13.030
- Caused such a ripple in culture during his time that he could
- 00:10:13.030 --> 00:10:16.567
- Not be ignored.
- 00:10:16.567 --> 00:10:17.902
- Okay, so back to luke.
- 00:10:17.902 --> 00:10:19.270
- Here's what luke says.
- 00:10:19.270 --> 00:10:20.604
- Luke writes, "the word of god came to john son of zechariah in
- 00:10:20.604 --> 00:10:24.875
- The wilderness," and then he talks about what john the
- 00:10:24.875 --> 00:10:27.144
- Baptist did, and john, "went into all the country around the
- 00:10:27.144 --> 00:10:31.482
- Jordan river," specifically, "preaching," and this was his
- 00:10:31.482 --> 00:10:35.019
- Message, "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness
- 00:10:35.019 --> 00:10:38.689
- Of sins."
- 00:10:38.689 --> 00:10:40.024
- Now, one of the reasons john the baptist caused such a stir, this
- 00:10:40.024 --> 00:10:42.860
- Is a problem, because the jewish people had an entire system
- 00:10:42.860 --> 00:10:46.764
- Built around how to get forgiven of your sin, and it happened
- 00:10:46.764 --> 00:10:50.134
- Jerusalem at the temple, and lo and behold, this crazy man comes
- 00:10:50.134 --> 00:10:54.171
- Out of the desert saying, "you don't need to go there.
- 00:10:54.171 --> 00:10:56.574
- The whole thing is corrupt.
- 00:10:56.574 --> 00:10:57.942
- You need to come to me, and i'm gonna baptize you, and i'm gonna
- 00:10:57.942 --> 00:11:01.178
- Call you to repentance of your sin so you can begin to live out
- 00:11:01.178 --> 00:11:05.116
- What you're supposed to live out," and his message was
- 00:11:05.116 --> 00:11:09.620
- Designed to get people ready for the coming of the messiah,
- 00:11:09.620 --> 00:11:13.290
- Of jesus.
- 00:11:13.290 --> 00:11:14.658
- That's why we call him the warm up act, and here's what he would
- 00:11:14.658 --> 00:11:16.527
- Say, "something new is coming.
- 00:11:16.527 --> 00:11:18.329
- Something new is on the horizon.
- 00:11:18.329 --> 00:11:20.131
- Someone new is coming.
- 00:11:20.131 --> 00:11:21.665
- Someone new is on the horizon, and you don't wanna miss it.
- 00:11:21.665 --> 00:11:25.035
- So update your firmware or you're gonna miss it, and the
- 00:11:25.035 --> 00:11:28.706
- Way you update your firmware is you gotta start living out your
- 00:11:28.706 --> 00:11:33.744
- Faith," and he was very direct.
- 00:11:33.744 --> 00:11:35.479
- One day--you may have heard this story before, he caused such a
- 00:11:35.479 --> 00:11:38.482
- Disturbance--in fact, the gospels tell us that all of
- 00:11:38.482 --> 00:11:41.118
- Judea went to hear john preach.
- 00:11:41.118 --> 00:11:42.853
- That has to be hyperbole, but if only 10% of judea went to hear
- 00:11:42.853 --> 00:11:47.858
- Him preach, it was hundreds of thousands of people in
- 00:11:47.858 --> 00:11:50.795
- That region.
- 00:11:50.795 --> 00:11:52.129
- So word gets back to the temple and to jerusalem, "hey, there's
- 00:11:52.129 --> 00:11:54.932
- This crazy preacher down there.
- 00:11:54.932 --> 00:11:56.300
- He's kind of undermining everything we've believed and
- 00:11:56.300 --> 00:11:58.736
- Done as jews for hundreds of years."
- 00:11:58.736 --> 00:12:00.437
- So the temple leaders, the pharisees, sadducees, they take
- 00:12:00.437 --> 00:12:04.508
- This trip.
- 00:12:04.508 --> 00:12:05.843
- It takes them over a day just to get to where john is baptizing.
- 00:12:05.843 --> 00:12:08.512
- John sees them coming, and he's so excited that they're there.
- 00:12:08.512 --> 00:12:12.817
- He looks up and he welcomes them, he says, "welcome, you
- 00:12:12.817 --> 00:12:15.452
- Brood of vipers."
- 00:12:15.452 --> 00:12:17.588
- This is so offensive.
- 00:12:17.588 --> 00:12:19.256
- These are the most respected people in, you know, in judea at
- 00:12:19.256 --> 00:12:22.660
- The time.
- 00:12:22.660 --> 00:12:24.028
- "'you brood of vipers!
- 00:12:24.028 --> 00:12:25.362
- Who warned you to flee from the,'" it's coming, get ready,
- 00:12:25.362 --> 00:12:27.298
- Get ready, get ready, get ready, '"the coming wrath,"' the coming
- 00:12:27.298 --> 00:12:31.035
- Change of god, and then he looks at them, and these are my words,
- 00:12:31.035 --> 00:12:34.638
- Not his.
- 00:12:34.638 --> 00:12:35.973
- He says, basically--look at me.
- 00:12:35.973 --> 00:12:37.474
- If you wanna be right with god, if you wanna be prepared for
- 00:12:37.474 --> 00:12:41.178
- What god is about to do, you have to produce fruit in keeping
- 00:12:41.178 --> 00:12:45.382
- With repentance.
- 00:12:45.382 --> 00:12:46.750
- That is, you gotta change your evil ways and you gotta walk
- 00:12:46.750 --> 00:12:49.587
- Your talk.
- 00:12:49.587 --> 00:12:50.955
- You gotta put some wheels on it.
- 00:12:50.955 --> 00:12:52.289
- You gotta be doers of the torah, not just believers in and
- 00:12:52.289 --> 00:12:55.593
- Teachers of the torah, because the day of reducing religion to
- 00:12:55.593 --> 00:12:59.997
- Tradition are over.
- 00:12:59.997 --> 00:13:02.733
- The days of a personalized, internalized only religion,
- 00:13:02.733 --> 00:13:06.604
- They're over, and if you don't repent of that kind of approach,
- 00:13:06.604 --> 00:13:10.140
- And if you don't repent of your lack of compassion, your lack of
- 00:13:10.140 --> 00:13:13.444
- Generosity, your lack of others first--if you don't repent, when
- 00:13:13.444 --> 00:13:16.814
- The new that god does shows up, you're gonna miss it because you
- 00:13:16.814 --> 00:13:20.551
- Won't see it because you won't be living in sync with it.
- 00:13:20.551 --> 00:13:26.323
- And then he says--this is so offensive.
- 00:13:26.323 --> 00:13:28.893
- "'and do not begin to say'"--he knows exactly the excuses
- 00:13:28.893 --> 00:13:32.663
- They're gonna raise.
- 00:13:32.663 --> 00:13:33.998
- "'and do not begin to say to yourself,'" in other words,
- 00:13:33.998 --> 00:13:35.499
- Don't comfort yourself with or don't try to hide behind, and do
- 00:13:35.499 --> 00:13:38.802
- Not say, "oh, we're good, we have abraham."
- 00:13:38.802 --> 00:13:41.205
- "'"we have abraham as our father."'"
- 00:13:41.205 --> 00:13:42.940
- "we're safe, we're sons and daughters of abraham.
- 00:13:42.940 --> 00:13:45.476
- We're in, that's enough, right?"
- 00:13:45.476 --> 00:13:47.444
- And he says, "no, that's not right."
- 00:13:47.444 --> 00:13:49.513
- '"for i tell you'"--so offensive, "'for i tell you out
- 00:13:49.513 --> 00:13:53.784
- Of these stones god can raise up children of abraham.'"
- 00:13:53.784 --> 00:13:59.456
- Now, when i'm reading this, and, you know, preparing, and
- 00:13:59.456 --> 00:14:02.526
- So--it's so powerful.
- 00:14:02.526 --> 00:14:03.861
- I'm just trying to put myself in that context.
- 00:14:03.861 --> 00:14:06.864
- He--it got me to thinking, if john the baptist were to show up
- 00:14:06.864 --> 00:14:10.334
- Here, what would he say to us?
- 00:14:10.334 --> 00:14:11.669
- What the context?
- 00:14:11.669 --> 00:14:13.037
- What's the crossover?
- 00:14:13.037 --> 00:14:14.371
- You know, where's the cultural bridge to us?
- 00:14:14.371 --> 00:14:17.408
- What might he say, and i'm not picking on anybody.
- 00:14:17.408 --> 00:14:20.277
- We all, you know, different stuff going on, but what would
- 00:14:20.277 --> 00:14:23.547
- He say to those of us who are, if we're honest, we're just kind
- 00:14:23.547 --> 00:14:25.816
- Of comfortable, consumer oriented christians?
- 00:14:25.816 --> 00:14:29.954
- You know, what's in it for me?
- 00:14:29.954 --> 00:14:31.455
- I don't like this church.
- 00:14:31.455 --> 00:14:32.823
- I don't like that song.
- 00:14:32.823 --> 00:14:34.158
- I don't like that music.
- 00:14:34.158 --> 00:14:35.526
- I don't have time.
- 00:14:35.526 --> 00:14:36.860
- You know, what's in it for me, marginally committed believers.
- 00:14:36.860 --> 00:14:38.195
- What would he say to me?
- 00:14:38.195 --> 00:14:39.563
- What would he say to you?
- 00:14:39.563 --> 00:14:40.898
- He'd say something like, "and do not say to yourselves, 'but i'm
- 00:14:40.898 --> 00:14:44.034
- A christian.
- 00:14:44.034 --> 00:14:46.270
- I prayed the sinner's prayer.
- 00:14:46.270 --> 00:14:47.638
- I've asked jesus to be my savior!
- 00:14:47.638 --> 00:14:49.139
- I've asked jesus into my heart.
- 00:14:49.139 --> 00:14:50.541
- I mean, i'm good to go, right?'"
- 00:14:50.541 --> 00:14:53.210
- And john the baptist would rear back and say, "i tell you, out
- 00:14:53.210 --> 00:14:56.146
- Of these stones god can raise up christians."
- 00:14:56.146 --> 00:15:01.952
- It's disturbing.
- 00:15:01.952 --> 00:15:03.587
- If it's disturbing, you understand john the baptist.
- 00:15:03.587 --> 00:15:06.924
- John disturbed people.
- 00:15:06.924 --> 00:15:08.759
- He was trying to disturb them out of their apathy and their
- 00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:11.428
- Self-made religion that was so off-sync with what god was about
- 00:15:11.428 --> 00:15:15.432
- To do, that they were--if they weren't careful--rushing to the
- 00:15:15.432 --> 00:15:18.402
- End of the story, if they weren't careful, even though
- 00:15:18.402 --> 00:15:21.071
- They were god-fearers and god-believers, they would miss
- 00:15:21.071 --> 00:15:23.540
- What god is doing and become enemies of god.
- 00:15:23.540 --> 00:15:27.978
- Do you know what he was really doing for them, and what he's
- 00:15:27.978 --> 00:15:29.980
- Doing for us if we listen?
- 00:15:29.980 --> 00:15:32.383
- He's reminding us of what our lives are supposed to
- 00:15:32.383 --> 00:15:36.086
- Be advertising.
- 00:15:36.086 --> 00:15:38.288
- He's reminding them, torah followers, of what their lives
- 00:15:38.288 --> 00:15:41.191
- Were supposed to be advertising.
- 00:15:41.191 --> 00:15:46.630
- "'produce fruit,'" he said.
- 00:15:46.630 --> 00:15:49.066
- Fruit, not belief, fruit.
- 00:15:49.066 --> 00:15:51.201
- Not, you know, you got it all worked out theologically,
- 00:15:51.201 --> 00:15:53.771
- "'fruit in keeping with repentance.'"
- 00:15:53.771 --> 00:15:55.939
- Here's our version.
- 00:15:55.939 --> 00:15:57.708
- Produce fruit in keeping with what you say you believe and who
- 00:15:57.708 --> 00:16:02.079
- You claim to believe in.
- 00:16:02.079 --> 00:16:05.249
- Again, if this is disturbing, it's like, but what about, then
- 00:16:05.249 --> 00:16:07.418
- You get it.
- 00:16:07.418 --> 00:16:08.752
- You get the emotion he's trying to stir in all of us, and if
- 00:16:08.752 --> 00:16:10.721
- This makes you wanna find a kinder, gentler preacher than
- 00:16:10.721 --> 00:16:13.357
- John the baptist, or you wish i would not talk about this and
- 00:16:13.357 --> 00:16:16.527
- Talk about prayer, or how to get your prayers answered, how to be
- 00:16:16.527 --> 00:16:18.929
- Comforted in times of sorrow and grief, then you get john
- 00:16:18.929 --> 00:16:22.433
- The baptist.
- 00:16:22.433 --> 00:16:23.801
- If you want more comfort than requirement, you get john
- 00:16:23.801 --> 00:16:27.771
- The baptist.
- 00:16:27.771 --> 00:16:29.473
- You get jesus.
- 00:16:29.473 --> 00:16:31.442
- You get what luke is about to unleash on us because it
- 00:16:31.442 --> 00:16:35.245
- Reflects what god unleashed through christ in the world.
- 00:16:35.245 --> 00:16:39.116
- And here's the thing, john wasn't discounting being related
- 00:16:39.116 --> 00:16:43.287
- To abraham.
- 00:16:43.287 --> 00:16:44.888
- His point was that's not the point.
- 00:16:44.888 --> 00:16:47.558
- That being related to abraham, that's not the finish line,
- 00:16:47.558 --> 00:16:52.663
- That's actually just the starting line, and what he would
- 00:16:52.663 --> 00:16:55.399
- Say to us is, "hey, i'm so glad you put your faith in christ,
- 00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:58.335
- And i'm so glad jesus is your savior, way to go, but that's
- 00:16:58.335 --> 00:17:01.505
- Not the finish line.
- 00:17:01.505 --> 00:17:03.140
- That's just the starting line," and his point to his audience
- 00:17:03.140 --> 00:17:08.979
- Was what's coming is gonna change everything, and if you
- 00:17:08.979 --> 00:17:12.382
- Aren't ready, you're gonna miss it, and you may find yourself at
- 00:17:12.382 --> 00:17:15.953
- Odds with god, because the new that was coming, the new that
- 00:17:15.953 --> 00:17:20.824
- Was about to be unleashed on the world, would be fueled by and
- 00:17:20.824 --> 00:17:24.461
- Animated by and characterized by doing for others.
- 00:17:24.461 --> 00:17:31.201
- The internalized, vertical only religion was out, and here's
- 00:17:31.201 --> 00:17:35.339
- The thing.
- 00:17:35.339 --> 00:17:36.673
- John's audience, they got the message.
- 00:17:36.673 --> 00:17:38.575
- In fact, we know they got the message because of the question
- 00:17:38.575 --> 00:17:40.944
- They ask.
- 00:17:40.944 --> 00:17:42.312
- It's a question that we should all ask.
- 00:17:42.312 --> 00:17:43.647
- In fact, at the end of today's time together, i'm gonna
- 00:17:43.647 --> 00:17:45.682
- Challenge you to begin asking this question personally.
- 00:17:45.682 --> 00:17:48.519
- It's a question, honestly, that if we were to ask this question
- 00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:51.288
- Corporately, if we were to ask this question as families, if we
- 00:17:51.288 --> 00:17:54.691
- Were to ask this question as teachers and community leaders,
- 00:17:54.691 --> 00:17:57.728
- If we were to, you know, all together begin to ask and answer
- 00:17:57.728 --> 00:18:00.531
- And act on this question, it would change things, and the
- 00:18:00.531 --> 00:18:04.101
- Reason i believe it would change things is because once upon a
- 00:18:04.101 --> 00:18:06.670
- Time it changed things.
- 00:18:06.670 --> 00:18:09.806
- It's why we're here.
- 00:18:09.806 --> 00:18:11.775
- Before i show you the question, i just wanna say something to
- 00:18:11.775 --> 00:18:14.278
- Those of you who are maybe unwinding your faith,
- 00:18:14.278 --> 00:18:17.514
- Deconstructing your faith, you're reaching for the door
- 00:18:17.514 --> 00:18:19.516
- About to walk out, or maybe you already have.
- 00:18:19.516 --> 00:18:22.319
- My hunch is this, and i don't know your story, and i'm not
- 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:24.154
- Being critical because if i had experienced what you
- 00:18:24.154 --> 00:18:26.156
- Experienced, i'd probably leave faith too, so i'm not being
- 00:18:26.156 --> 00:18:28.225
- Critical, but i just want to challenge you with something if
- 00:18:28.225 --> 00:18:30.394
- You'll listen to the end of this message.
- 00:18:30.394 --> 00:18:32.696
- It could be that one of the reasons it was so easy for you
- 00:18:32.696 --> 00:18:34.965
- To discount faith and walk away from faith is you were never
- 00:18:34.965 --> 00:18:38.001
- Challenged to ask the question that john's audience asked him.
- 00:18:38.001 --> 00:18:43.840
- Here's what they said.
- 00:18:43.840 --> 00:18:45.776
- "'what should we do then?'"
- 00:18:45.776 --> 00:18:49.913
- Not, what should we believe?
- 00:18:49.913 --> 00:18:52.015
- "'what should we do then?'
- 00:18:52.015 --> 00:18:53.917
- The crowd asked."
- 00:18:53.917 --> 00:18:55.652
- What should we do to prepare for what god is about to do
- 00:18:55.652 --> 00:18:59.957
- Among us?
- 00:18:59.957 --> 00:19:01.325
- What should we do so that when it happens, we recognize it?
- 00:19:01.325 --> 00:19:03.894
- What should we do, that when we see it, we understand this is
- 00:19:03.894 --> 00:19:06.830
- God's work in the world.
- 00:19:06.830 --> 00:19:08.398
- We don't wanna miss it.
- 00:19:08.398 --> 00:19:09.733
- If god's about to do something new, how can we best prepare
- 00:19:09.733 --> 00:19:12.736
- Ourselves, and they were, of course, waiting for some
- 00:19:12.736 --> 00:19:14.805
- Religious answer.
- 00:19:14.805 --> 00:19:16.273
- If you're--you know, if you're gonna prepare, if you're gonna
- 00:19:16.273 --> 00:19:18.041
- Get ready for what god's about to do, you know, you gotta do
- 00:19:18.041 --> 00:19:20.377
- Something difficult, you gotta do something unusual, you gotta
- 00:19:20.377 --> 00:19:22.646
- Do something religious, and john's answer surprised them,
- 00:19:22.646 --> 00:19:27.284
- And it will surprise us as well.
- 00:19:27.284 --> 00:19:29.353
- They're ready, like, "what should we do?"
- 00:19:29.353 --> 00:19:32.522
- John's like, "all right, you're ready?"
- 00:19:32.522 --> 00:19:33.857
- They're, "we're ready."
- 00:19:33.857 --> 00:19:35.559
- All right, "john answered, 'anyone who has two shirts
- 00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:39.263
- Should share with the one who has none.'"
- 00:19:39.263 --> 00:19:42.766
- Like, what?
- 00:19:42.766 --> 00:19:44.101
- Yeah, anybody's got two something, and somebody needs
- 00:19:44.101 --> 00:19:46.670
- One, you should share.
- 00:19:46.670 --> 00:19:49.706
- Okay, you had us all worked up.
- 00:19:49.706 --> 00:19:51.074
- I mean, you've just--you know, you just dissed the entire
- 00:19:51.074 --> 00:19:53.310
- Temple establishment, you've criticized everybody, you've
- 00:19:53.310 --> 00:19:55.779
- Baptized everybody, and you're saying to get ready, all we
- 00:19:55.779 --> 00:19:59.549
- Gotta do is share.
- 00:19:59.549 --> 00:20:01.818
- I mean, that's not very religious.
- 00:20:01.818 --> 00:20:04.121
- You can do that anywhere.
- 00:20:04.121 --> 00:20:06.723
- John's like, "exactly."
- 00:20:06.723 --> 00:20:08.792
- See, you've gotten yourself all wound up in something that isn't
- 00:20:08.792 --> 00:20:12.462
- Even all that important to god, and you've missed the
- 00:20:12.462 --> 00:20:14.898
- Fundamental because when god does what he's about to do in
- 00:20:14.898 --> 00:20:19.603
- The world, you're gonna discover that he is sharing with the
- 00:20:19.603 --> 00:20:22.005
- World what is most important.
- 00:20:22.005 --> 00:20:23.373
- He said--and, while we're talking about sharing, "'and
- 00:20:23.373 --> 00:20:25.442
- Anyone,'" he goes a little deeper, "'anyone who has food
- 00:20:25.442 --> 00:20:28.512
- Should do the same.'"
- 00:20:28.512 --> 00:20:29.880
- Food sometimes was scarce.
- 00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:31.214
- Food sometimes was expensive.
- 00:20:31.214 --> 00:20:32.582
- Food didn't keep.
- 00:20:32.582 --> 00:20:33.917
- It was hard to transport.
- 00:20:33.917 --> 00:20:35.285
- And again, they're looking at each other like, "so we just
- 00:20:35.285 --> 00:20:39.056
- Need to share?"
- 00:20:39.056 --> 00:20:41.191
- John's like, "yes, if you see a need you can meet, meet it.
- 00:20:41.191 --> 00:20:45.595
- When you see a need you can meet and it costs you, meet it.
- 00:20:45.595 --> 00:20:48.598
- When you have more of what you have--when you have more of what
- 00:20:48.598 --> 00:20:51.435
- Somebody else has and they need it, then you step in, whether
- 00:20:51.435 --> 00:20:54.871
- They're judean, galilean, samaritan, it doesn't matter.
- 00:20:54.871 --> 00:20:58.709
- When you see a need, you step in and you mean it, because the
- 00:20:58.709 --> 00:21:01.778
- Thing that god is about to do is exactly that.
- 00:21:01.778 --> 00:21:05.015
- He is about to meet the need of the entire world, a need they
- 00:21:05.015 --> 00:21:09.853
- Can't meet on their own, and if you're not living that out,
- 00:21:09.853 --> 00:21:13.623
- You're gonna miss it when it comes," wow, to the tax
- 00:21:13.623 --> 00:21:18.895
- Collectors, which is amazing that they're there, 'cause
- 00:21:18.895 --> 00:21:20.931
- Everybody hates these guys, and one of them raises their hand,
- 00:21:20.931 --> 00:21:24.267
- Says, "what about us?
- 00:21:24.267 --> 00:21:26.403
- What should we do?"
- 00:21:26.403 --> 00:21:29.406
- John looks over the crowd, and he says, "it's simple."
- 00:21:29.406 --> 00:21:33.009
- "'don't collect any more than you're required to.'"
- 00:21:33.009 --> 00:21:36.446
- That's it. that's it.
- 00:21:36.446 --> 00:21:39.449
- Stop stealing.
- 00:21:39.449 --> 00:21:40.784
- This is basic stuff.
- 00:21:40.784 --> 00:21:42.285
- Stop stealing.
- 00:21:42.285 --> 00:21:43.620
- If you see a need, meet it.
- 00:21:43.620 --> 00:21:44.988
- Stop stealing.
- 00:21:44.988 --> 00:21:46.323
- Quit--and look, tax gatherers, don't settle for what's legal
- 00:21:46.323 --> 00:21:49.559
- And permissible.
- 00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:50.894
- We know that's the way it's done, the way it's always done.
- 00:21:50.894 --> 00:21:52.562
- That's how you guys enrich yourself.
- 00:21:52.562 --> 00:21:53.997
- Nobody's gonna arrest you, and you're never gonna get
- 00:21:53.997 --> 00:21:55.665
- In trouble.
- 00:21:55.665 --> 00:21:57.033
- Everybody's come to expect it.
- 00:21:57.033 --> 00:21:58.368
- Stop being so normal.
- 00:21:58.368 --> 00:22:00.070
- Stop being so predictable.
- 00:22:00.070 --> 00:22:01.605
- Do something extraordinary.
- 00:22:01.605 --> 00:22:03.240
- Don't settle for standard operating procedure.
- 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:06.476
- Do something noteworthy and notable.
- 00:22:06.476 --> 00:22:08.945
- Stop and stare.
- 00:22:08.945 --> 00:22:10.313
- Oh my goodness, that's brand new.
- 00:22:10.313 --> 00:22:11.915
- Do what is just, not what you can justify because there is one
- 00:22:11.915 --> 00:22:17.287
- Coming into this world who is going to choose not to exact
- 00:22:17.287 --> 00:22:22.325
- Justice, but to grant mercy, and to allow his father in heaven to
- 00:22:22.325 --> 00:22:28.632
- Take out on him what he could justify taking out on you.
- 00:22:28.632 --> 00:22:34.137
- So prepare the way.
- 00:22:34.137 --> 00:22:36.573
- Now, this teaching of john the baptist--i know, it's
- 00:22:36.573 --> 00:22:38.975
- Like, phew.
- 00:22:38.975 --> 00:22:40.343
- It was so good they thought he was the messiah.
- 00:22:40.343 --> 00:22:43.580
- They're like, "i think we think the messiah's come."
- 00:22:43.580 --> 00:22:45.615
- John's like, "no, no, don't get excited, not even close.
- 00:22:45.615 --> 00:22:48.985
- We are just getting started, okay?
- 00:22:48.985 --> 00:22:51.388
- I baptize with water, and you think my words are powerful.
- 00:22:51.388 --> 00:22:55.258
- There's one who's gonna be more powerful than me who will come.
- 00:22:55.258 --> 00:22:58.628
- The straps of whose sandals i'm not worthy to untie," which
- 00:22:58.628 --> 00:23:01.765
- Meant to them, i'm not even worthy to be his slave, much
- 00:23:01.765 --> 00:23:05.502
- Less his follower or his disciple.
- 00:23:05.502 --> 00:23:09.473
- So get ready.
- 00:23:09.473 --> 00:23:10.807
- Get ready.
- 00:23:10.807 --> 00:23:13.510
- How do we get ready?
- 00:23:12.142 --> 00:23:14.845
- Go do something noticeable, notable, noteworthy.
- 00:23:14.845 --> 00:23:19.816
- Stop and stare.
- 00:23:19.816 --> 00:23:21.284
- So if you're a christian, you believe jesus is son of god,
- 00:23:21.284 --> 00:23:25.388
- Messiah, and you've accepted him as your savior, if your life is
- 00:23:25.388 --> 00:23:30.227
- A commercial--and by the way, read the new testament.
- 00:23:30.227 --> 00:23:33.563
- Your life is a commercial.
- 00:23:33.563 --> 00:23:36.433
- Jesus said, "let me just brand you."
- 00:23:36.433 --> 00:23:38.301
- He said, "you're the salt of the earth, you are the light of
- 00:23:38.301 --> 00:23:41.371
- The world.
- 00:23:41.371 --> 00:23:42.706
- You are to let your light shine in such a way that people see
- 00:23:42.706 --> 00:23:44.808
- Your," wait for it, "good deeds, and glorify your father
- 00:23:44.808 --> 00:23:49.846
- In heaven."
- 00:23:49.846 --> 00:23:52.015
- We don't even get to decide if we're gonna be a commercial.
- 00:23:52.015 --> 00:23:54.618
- The only thing we get to decide is what are we advertising.
- 00:23:54.618 --> 00:23:57.954
- If your life is a commercial, what are you advertising?
- 00:23:57.954 --> 00:24:00.790
- What version of faith are you advertising?
- 00:24:00.790 --> 00:24:05.362
- The internal, vertical, what's in it for me, comforting, and
- 00:24:05.362 --> 00:24:09.866
- Comfortable version that requires very little of you,
- 00:24:09.866 --> 00:24:12.269
- 'cause you're gonna go to heaven when you die, you know, or is my
- 00:24:12.269 --> 00:24:15.939
- Life, is your life, are collectively our lives
- 00:24:15.939 --> 00:24:21.745
- Advertising the john the baptist version, or what we're about to
- 00:24:21.745 --> 00:24:25.649
- Discover, beginning next week, the jesus version, the one
- 00:24:25.649 --> 00:24:28.885
- Another version, the do for others version, the do for one
- 00:24:28.885 --> 00:24:33.123
- Version, the version of christianity that does stuff?
- 00:24:33.123 --> 00:24:38.395
- So i want to challenge you to begin asking the question that
- 00:24:38.395 --> 00:24:41.898
- They asked john.
- 00:24:41.898 --> 00:24:43.667
- It's the right question.
- 00:24:43.667 --> 00:24:45.001
- It prepared them for what and who was coming.
- 00:24:45.001 --> 00:24:46.770
- It ensured that their eyes were wide open and they wouldn't miss
- 00:24:46.770 --> 00:24:49.272
- The king.
- 00:24:49.272 --> 00:24:50.607
- And here was their question.
- 00:24:50.607 --> 00:24:51.975
- "'what should we do?'"
- 00:24:51.975 --> 00:24:54.644
- Wherever god calls you out to do something, it's gonna cost you,
- 00:24:54.644 --> 00:24:58.915
- And it's gonna infuse--you're--there's gonna be
- 00:24:58.915 --> 00:25:00.951
- So much joy, and you're gonna feel like, and most of us can
- 00:25:00.951 --> 00:25:03.153
- Point to a season in our life where this was true, you're
- 00:25:03.153 --> 00:25:05.355
- Gonna feel as if you're walking in tandem with god and the work
- 00:25:05.355 --> 00:25:09.826
- Of god in the world, but if you continue to be a hearer only and
- 00:25:09.826 --> 00:25:15.031
- A consumer only, as i said earlier, you're in the danger
- 00:25:15.031 --> 00:25:18.535
- Zone, because whether you recognize it or not, your faith
- 00:25:18.535 --> 00:25:21.204
- Is wilting and it is dying, and you'll eventually become so
- 00:25:21.204 --> 00:25:25.642
- Consumed by yourself, for yourself, that you may lose
- 00:25:25.642 --> 00:25:30.013
- Your faith.
- 00:25:30.013 --> 00:25:32.582
- It's why you lost your faith.
- 00:25:32.582 --> 00:25:34.584
- You were introduced to, surrounded with, what's in it
- 00:25:34.584 --> 00:25:37.954
- For me christianity.
- 00:25:37.954 --> 00:25:39.723
- It's not even the real version.
- 00:25:39.723 --> 00:25:41.057
- Listen to what jesus said, and i'm gonna close.
- 00:25:41.057 --> 00:25:42.392
- This is what he said--i'm jumping way ahead.
- 00:25:42.392 --> 00:25:44.027
- This is an amazing statement.
- 00:25:44.027 --> 00:25:46.096
- Whoever does the will of my father in heaven.
- 00:25:46.096 --> 00:25:52.068
- "whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother
- 00:25:52.068 --> 00:25:57.741
- And my sister."
- 00:25:57.741 --> 00:25:59.676
- Whoever does the will of my father--this is why that was the
- 00:25:59.676 --> 00:26:03.580
- Perfect question, '"what should we do,"' and john says, "i want
- 00:26:03.580 --> 00:26:06.449
- You to do in your world what god is about to do for the world,
- 00:26:06.449 --> 00:26:13.089
- And if you do, you'll recognize god when he does it."
- 00:26:13.089 --> 00:26:16.493
- John knew that if the people listening to him would do
- 00:26:19.696 --> 00:26:22.265
- Compassion and do generosity and do others first and do two for
- 00:26:22.265 --> 00:26:26.569
- One, they would recognize god's work in the world.
- 00:26:26.569 --> 00:26:30.206
- They would recognize the selfless other first lamb of god
- 00:26:30.206 --> 00:26:33.109
- That was about to step onto the pages of history.
- 00:26:33.109 --> 00:26:37.113
- Believers didn't change the world.
- 00:26:37.113 --> 00:26:40.016
- Doers changed the world.
- 00:26:40.016 --> 00:26:42.185
- Followers changed the world.
- 00:26:42.185 --> 00:26:44.754
- The men and women whose lives advertise the kingdom of god,
- 00:26:44.754 --> 00:26:51.828
- The men and women whose lives advertise thy kingdom come, thy
- 00:26:51.828 --> 00:26:55.265
- Will be done, right here, right now in my world.
- 00:26:55.265 --> 00:26:59.602
- So will you ask it, "heavenly father, what should i do?"
- 00:26:59.602 --> 00:27:03.339
- If you do, your eyes and your heart will be open to what god
- 00:27:03.339 --> 00:27:08.578
- Has next for you and what god has now for your world, and we
- 00:27:08.578 --> 00:27:15.852
- Will pick the storyline up right there next time, in part three,
- 00:27:15.852 --> 00:27:19.956
- "investigating jesus," how we know and why we follow.
- 00:27:19.956 --> 00:27:25.695
- Andy: hey, thanks so much for watching today.
- 00:27:26.930 --> 00:27:28.898
- Before you go, i want to tell you about a special offer.
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- When you support "your move" with a gift of $20 or more,
- 00:27:31.434 --> 00:27:34.771
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- 00:27:36.673 --> 00:27:39.943
- Reflect on what you already have to be grateful for, and it's our
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- Realize that jesus is actually the answer.
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- To make a donation and to claim your copy of the gratitude
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- Guide, just visit the website or call the number at the bottom of
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- ♪♪♪
- 00:28:07.871 --> 00:28:22.018
- ...
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