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Your Move with Andy Stanley

Andy Stanley - Paper Walls (Part 2)

September 13, 2025 | 30:10

Andy Stanley - Paper Walls (Part 2)
Your Move with Andy Stanley — to help people make better decisions and live with fewer regrets.
#WalkwithGod #Pastors #Salvation #Redemption

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Your Move with Andy Stanley | Andy Stanley - Paper Walls (Part 2) | September 13, 2025
  • ...
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  • 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.
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  • And today, we're talking about excuses and what to do
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  • About them.
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  • Now, it's possible, think about it, it's possible that some of
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  • Your becauses are actually the causes for why you're
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  • Missing out on the life you should be living, and you don't
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  • Want to live that way, and i don't want you to live
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  • That way either.
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  • So, stick around and we will figure this out together right
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  • Here on "your move."
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  • Cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.aberdeen.io
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Andy: so, if you grew up in any kind of religious environment,
  • 00:00:50.068 --> 00:00:51.136
  • Regardless of what kind of religious environment it was,
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  • You probably heard something that went something like this,
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  • "god loves you just the way you are."
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  • And regardless of where you are on the religious spectrum, if
  • 00:01:01.913 --> 00:01:05.250
  • There is a god, we all certainly hope this is the case, right?
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  • That god loves you just the way you are.
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  • And christians have always believed this.
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  • And the reason christians have always believed this is because
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  • In the new testament, jesus modeled this and essentially
  • 00:01:14.826 --> 00:01:17.228
  • Said this, and of course, the most famous perhaps verse in the
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  • Bible is john 3:16, which says, "for god so loved the world,"
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  • And the implication is that for god so loved the world just the
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  • Way the world was and that god loved the people in the world
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  • The way the people in the world were before they made any change
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  • Or knew anything about god.
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  • So, this is true.
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  • And again, christians have always believed that.
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  • But this is only half the equation, because god, who
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  • Invites us to refer to him as heavenly father or the perfect
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  • Parent, like any good parent, god does love you as his child
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  • Just the way you are, but god loves you too much to leave you
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  • The way that you are.
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  • And as we're gonna discover today, if necessary, god, like a
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  • Good parent, is willing to hurt your feelings to get you to move
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  • On from the way you are so that you can become everything you
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  • Could be and everything you should be and everything god
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  • Knows that you have the potential to be.
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  • And that is a good thing.
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  • Today we're in part two of our series "paper walls, moving
  • 00:02:14.152 --> 00:02:17.555
  • Beyond the excuses that hold you back."
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  • As we said last time, there are things that we should carry
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  • Forward season to season, year to year, and then there are some
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  • Things that we should leave behind.
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  • And this series is about one of those things that we should all
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  • Leave behind, specifically our excuses.
  • 00:02:30.235 --> 00:02:34.539
  • Excuses are strange things.
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  • Excuses, we've said, are kind of like paper walls.
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  • From a distance, they seem like actual obstacles that keep us
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  • From doing things, that keep us from moving forward, that cause
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  • Us, you know, to lose all kinds of opportunities, but they seem
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  • So real, they seem so intimidating that, again, we
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  • Just don't go charging through those paper walls that are
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  • Actually excuses.
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  • From a distance again, they seem like actual obstacles.
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  • From a distance, they actually sound like and we refer to them
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  • As actual reasons.
  • 00:03:03.901 --> 00:03:06.004
  • Now, if you think about it, there's a very fine line between
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  • An excuse and a reason.
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  • One disguises itself as the other.
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  • And then over time, in our conversation and in our
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  • Responses to people, our excuses that sound like reasons, they
  • 00:03:17.015 --> 00:03:21.319
  • Become our becauses.
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  • And all of us, every single one of us, have a short list or
  • 00:03:23.588 --> 00:03:26.257
  • Maybe a long list of becauses that we retreat to or we
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  • Actually hide behind.
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  • You know, "why don't you exercise?"
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  • "because," you know.
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  • "why don't you eat better?" "you know, because--"
  • 00:03:35.667 --> 00:03:37.035
  • "you know, why haven't you? why do you always?
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  • Why don't you start? why don't you finish?
  • 00:03:40.271 --> 00:03:42.540
  • You know, why did you quit?
  • 00:03:42.540 --> 00:03:44.208
  • Why did you begin that, you know, to start with?
  • 00:03:44.208 --> 00:03:46.077
  • You know, why don't you stay? why did you leave?"
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  • You know, "why, why, why?"
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  • "why don't you just tell her? why don't you just tell him?
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  • Why don't you just forgive them?"
  • 00:03:53.551 --> 00:03:55.253
  • And whenever these questions come up, we don't--we never say,
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  • "well, i don't know," you know, because we're rational people.
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  • We have a reason and our reason always begins with because.
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  • We have a list of becauses.
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  • But the truth is, and this is what we're gonna talk about for
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  • The next few minutes, our becauses aren't always the
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  • Causes, right?
  • 00:04:14.072 --> 00:04:15.406
  • There's a difference between a because and the actual cause.
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  • It's an excuse oftentimes that's masquerading as a cause.
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  • It's actually just a...paper wall, a manufactured cause.
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  • And our language with this tips us off as we said last time.
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  • And when we catch somebody else, you know, trying to masquerade
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  • An excuse as a reason, what do we say?
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  • We say, "you're just making stuff up."
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  • We say, "you're actually just making excuses."
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  • You have manufactured a reason and it's not really a reason,
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  • It's a paper wall that you're hiding behind, cowering behind,
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  • But you're trying to pass it off as something that is real,
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  • That's an actual obstacle.
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  • And the truth is, and this is kind of where we landed last
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  • Time, the truth is, and this is difficult to admit, that our
  • 00:05:02.153 --> 00:05:05.289
  • Excuses are really just lies that we tell ourselves
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  • About ourselves.
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  • And then and here's the strange thing about, you know,
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  • Human beings.
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  • There are lies that we tell ourselves about ourselves and
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  • Then we believe them.
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  • We believe those lies and we are so convinced, that we can
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  • Be convincing.
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  • Andy: hey, i wanted to take just a minute to address a growing
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  • Crisis in america.
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  • Did you know that nearly 75 million americans have no
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  • Religious affiliation, none whatsoever?
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  • Most of us know some of these people.
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  • Many of us are related to some of these people.
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  • So for us, they aren't statistics, they're people we
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  • Love and would love to see returned to faith in jesus.
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  • So, at "your move," we are committed to reaching people
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  • With the teaching of jesus right where they are and when they
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  • Least expect it.
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  • We use a research-backed digital strategy that's already making
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  • A difference.
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  • So, if you'll stick around after today's message, we would love
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  • To tell you more about it or visit the website or call the
  • 00:06:00.711 --> 00:06:04.015
  • Number on your screen to learn how you can be a part of this
  • 00:06:04.015 --> 00:06:06.918
  • Revolutionary approach to introducing and reintroducing
  • 00:06:06.918 --> 00:06:10.354
  • People to jesus.
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  • Andy: last time we were together, i asked this pesky
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  • Question that we're gonna come back to throughout this series
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  • And the question is this, is it possible, would you be willing
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  • To consider, is it possible that some of, not all of, that some
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  • Of your well rehearsed reasons, your becauses are actually
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  • Just excuses,
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  • That some of your go-to becauses are actually just paper walls,
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  • Paper walls constructed of things that people told you,
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  • Perhaps of things that people called you, things that people
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  • Labeled you?
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  • Is it possible that you've actually invented reasons to
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  • Defend certain behaviors, certain reactions,
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  • Certain overreactions?
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  • You know, why do you always react that way?
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  • Why do you always say that?
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  • Why do you always respond that way?
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  • Because, because, because.
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  • Is it possible these are paper walls that you have created?
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  • And the reason you should answer that question, the reason we
  • 00:07:08.846 --> 00:07:10.681
  • Should all answer this question is because we need to know.
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  • And there's several reasons we need to know.
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  • If for no other reason, we need to know because other
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  • People know.
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  • Other people know when we're trying to pass an excuse off as
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  • A reason.
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  • I mean, they see through that and the reason you know they see
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  • Through it and the reason we should assume they see through
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  • It is because we see through it when other people are doing that
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  • As well, right?
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  • I mean, other people can tell when you're manufacturing
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  • A reason.
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  • The other reason to know is that people who make excuses, and you
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  • Know this, you've seen this, people who make excuses rarely
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  • Make much of a difference.
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  • And you don't want to get to the end of your life and have missed
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  • An opportunity to make a difference because you cowered
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  • Behind and live behind something you manufactured and considered
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  • An actual obstacle.
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  • People who make excuses about anything in life, generally
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  • Speaking, they rarely make much of a difference.
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  • And this is harsh to say, but at the root of a lot of our excuses
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  • That we pass off as reasons is a bit of selfishness.
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  • And if you live for yourself, you only have yourself to show
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  • For yourself in the end.
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  • And then there's another reason why we should face up to the
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  • Fact that we're creating these imaginary obstacles.
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  • If you're a jesus follower, there's a really big reason
  • 00:08:18.282 --> 00:08:21.085
  • Because there's a relationship between your ability, between my
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  • Ability, not our willingness.
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  • There's actually a relationship between our ability to follow
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  • Jesus and our willingness to acknowledge our excuses, our
  • 00:08:29.293 --> 00:08:33.798
  • Paper walls because over time, excuses become bosses.
  • 00:08:33.798 --> 00:08:39.537
  • Excuses become bosses.
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  • They tell us what we can do, what we can't do, you know, what
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  • We can try, what we shouldn't try, who we should approach, who
  • 00:08:43.908 --> 00:08:46.577
  • We shouldn't approach, the opportunities we should take
  • 00:08:46.577 --> 00:08:48.379
  • Advantage of, the opportunities that we shouldn't take
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  • Advantage of.
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  • We become--our excuses become little kings, little tyrants,
  • 00:08:52.483 --> 00:08:56.020
  • Little lords that we can't actually follow jesus.
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  • Even if we're willing to, we can't actually follow jesus if
  • 00:08:59.290 --> 00:09:02.393
  • We're living behind paper walls, if we're allowing our excuses to
  • 00:09:02.393 --> 00:09:06.297
  • Be the lords of our lives.
  • 00:09:06.297 --> 00:09:08.966
  • So, of course it would make sense that our heavenly father
  • 00:09:08.966 --> 00:09:11.435
  • Would say, "hey, stop making excuses.
  • 00:09:11.435 --> 00:09:15.573
  • Stop making excuses.
  • 00:09:15.573 --> 00:09:16.907
  • Not because i'm angry with you, stop making excuses because i
  • 00:09:16.907 --> 00:09:20.444
  • Know what you have the potential to do and i know what you have
  • 00:09:20.444 --> 00:09:23.080
  • The potential to accomplish.
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  • I know what's on the other side of this if you will stop living
  • 00:09:24.548 --> 00:09:29.754
  • Behind your paper walls and running to your
  • 00:09:29.754 --> 00:09:33.324
  • Well-rehearsed becauses."
  • 00:09:33.324 --> 00:09:35.826
  • Now here's something that may take you by surprise or maybe a
  • 00:09:35.826 --> 00:09:38.462
  • Little bit shocking.
  • 00:09:38.462 --> 00:09:39.797
  • If you take this idea and follow jesus through the gospels, you
  • 00:09:39.797 --> 00:09:44.435
  • Will be shocked at how many times he calls people out in
  • 00:09:44.435 --> 00:09:48.706
  • This regard.
  • 00:09:48.706 --> 00:09:50.041
  • And he rarely calls them out gently.
  • 00:09:50.041 --> 00:09:52.677
  • As strange as it sounds, sometimes christ comes across
  • 00:09:52.677 --> 00:09:56.614
  • Very unchristlike, but that's what someone who cares, who
  • 00:09:56.614 --> 00:10:02.253
  • Genuinely cares about a person actually does.
  • 00:10:02.253 --> 00:10:05.456
  • A couple of quick examples.
  • 00:10:05.456 --> 00:10:06.791
  • One day, jesus is going along and he either recognizes someone
  • 00:10:06.791 --> 00:10:11.595
  • Or sees someone, but for whatever reason, he actually
  • 00:10:11.595 --> 00:10:14.031
  • Invites this man to be his follower.
  • 00:10:14.031 --> 00:10:17.101
  • Now, when we read that we think, "oh, that's cool.
  • 00:10:17.101 --> 00:10:19.336
  • That's an interesting thing."
  • 00:10:19.336 --> 00:10:20.705
  • You know, "hey, come be my follower."
  • 00:10:20.705 --> 00:10:22.106
  • But now imagine, you know, this is the first century, this is
  • 00:10:22.106 --> 00:10:24.675
  • Actual physical jesus with actual physical followers.
  • 00:10:24.675 --> 00:10:27.745
  • So, when he would say, "follow me," he didn't mean, you know,
  • 00:10:27.745 --> 00:10:29.947
  • "commit your life to me."
  • 00:10:29.947 --> 00:10:31.315
  • He meant like, "when i leave this town, i want you to get
  • 00:10:31.315 --> 00:10:34.351
  • Your stuff and leave this town and follow me."
  • 00:10:34.351 --> 00:10:36.620
  • So, he is inviting this person to become like one of his
  • 00:10:36.620 --> 00:10:40.224
  • Core people.
  • 00:10:40.224 --> 00:10:41.559
  • It's the opportunity of a lifetime, and i don't know if
  • 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:43.027
  • You remember how this gentleman replied.
  • 00:10:43.027 --> 00:10:45.229
  • He says--the text says, "but he replied, "i would love to, great
  • 00:10:45.229 --> 00:10:49.433
  • Idea, but lord, first let me go and bury my father," which
  • 00:10:49.433 --> 00:10:55.306
  • Sounds so reasonable.
  • 00:10:55.306 --> 00:10:56.640
  • And the way we think is this, "oh, okay.
  • 00:10:56.640 --> 00:10:58.008
  • You need to bury your father.
  • 00:10:58.008 --> 00:10:59.343
  • So, today is tuesday, so is the funeral thursday, is the
  • 00:10:59.343 --> 00:11:02.146
  • Funeral friday?
  • 00:11:02.146 --> 00:11:03.514
  • Is the funeral monday?"
  • 00:11:03.514 --> 00:11:04.849
  • But that's not what's going because in this culture in
  • 00:11:04.849 --> 00:11:07.384
  • Ancient times, when someone died, you buried
  • 00:11:07.384 --> 00:11:09.320
  • Them immediately.
  • 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:11.222
  • So, this gentleman's father had not passed away.
  • 00:11:11.222 --> 00:11:13.991
  • In other words, he's not on the dining room table at home, you
  • 00:11:13.991 --> 00:11:17.027
  • Know, waiting to be buried while this guy's out wandering around
  • 00:11:17.027 --> 00:11:19.630
  • Listening to somebody give speeches, you know, ted talks
  • 00:11:19.630 --> 00:11:22.333
  • And, you know, giving these presentations.
  • 00:11:22.333 --> 00:11:24.101
  • If this guy is out in the community listening to jesus,
  • 00:11:24.101 --> 00:11:27.138
  • His father isn't dead, his father is still alive, but he
  • 00:11:27.138 --> 00:11:31.475
  • Wants to delay until his father passes away.
  • 00:11:31.475 --> 00:11:34.745
  • And then he's like, "and then once my father passes away," it
  • 00:11:34.745 --> 00:11:37.314
  • Could be a year, it could be five years, "jesus, i'm gonna
  • 00:11:37.314 --> 00:11:39.884
  • Track you down, hey, and i'll catch up and i'll be
  • 00:11:39.884 --> 00:11:42.720
  • Your follower."
  • 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:44.922
  • And clearly jesus sees through this.
  • 00:11:44.922 --> 00:11:46.557
  • This is an excuse.
  • 00:11:46.557 --> 00:11:47.992
  • But what jesus says is, "hey, i'm asking you to follow me now.
  • 00:11:47.992 --> 00:11:50.961
  • I'm not asking you not to come home when your father dies.
  • 00:11:50.961 --> 00:11:53.297
  • I'm not asking you to abandon your family or be irresponsible.
  • 00:11:53.297 --> 00:11:56.600
  • I'm asking you to do something now, and you're using your
  • 00:11:56.600 --> 00:11:59.870
  • Father as an excuse," because jesus knew that later would be
  • 00:11:59.870 --> 00:12:05.576
  • Too late.
  • 00:12:05.576 --> 00:12:06.911
  • Isn't it true that opportunities come and opportunities go and
  • 00:12:06.911 --> 00:12:10.314
  • Jesus would be gone?
  • 00:12:10.314 --> 00:12:12.583
  • Now, if you grew up in church, you might remember jesus
  • 00:12:12.583 --> 00:12:15.419
  • Replied--do you remember how jesus responds?
  • 00:12:15.419 --> 00:12:17.321
  • It's so unchristlike.
  • 00:12:17.321 --> 00:12:20.524
  • He says, "let the dead bury their," i mean, can you imagine
  • 00:12:20.524 --> 00:12:26.330
  • Anything more harsh?
  • 00:12:26.330 --> 00:12:27.765
  • "let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim
  • 00:12:27.765 --> 00:12:31.402
  • The kingdom of god."
  • 00:12:31.402 --> 00:12:33.204
  • It's like he just calls this guy out right in front of everybody,
  • 00:12:33.204 --> 00:12:36.006
  • "you're making excuses.
  • 00:12:36.006 --> 00:12:37.541
  • I'm inviting you to something big.
  • 00:12:37.541 --> 00:12:39.977
  • I'm inviting you to your name in lights.
  • 00:12:39.977 --> 00:12:43.514
  • And your fear of missing out is robbing you of something on the
  • 00:12:43.514 --> 00:12:47.818
  • Other side of this excuse, and you're gonna look back and
  • 00:12:47.818 --> 00:12:50.621
  • Regret this for the rest of your life.
  • 00:12:50.621 --> 00:12:52.389
  • So yeah, i'm gonna be harsh.
  • 00:12:52.389 --> 00:12:53.724
  • I'm calling you out because i don't want you to miss out
  • 00:12:53.724 --> 00:12:56.827
  • Because this opportunity is gonna come and this opportunity
  • 00:12:56.827 --> 00:12:59.663
  • Is gonna go, and this opportunity is gonna go when
  • 00:12:59.663 --> 00:13:02.867
  • I go."
  • 00:13:02.867 --> 00:13:05.035
  • Now here's something kind of interesting.
  • 00:13:05.035 --> 00:13:07.304
  • There are people, as you probably know, who made their
  • 00:13:07.304 --> 00:13:10.608
  • Career out of going through the gospels and trying to decide
  • 00:13:10.608 --> 00:13:12.943
  • What did jesus actually say and what was made up.
  • 00:13:12.943 --> 00:13:16.046
  • Now we believe the gospels are reliable accounts of actual
  • 00:13:16.046 --> 00:13:19.116
  • Events and the sayings of jesus, but there are people who are
  • 00:13:19.116 --> 00:13:21.018
  • Like, "well, we think he said some of this, but we don't think
  • 00:13:21.018 --> 00:13:23.454
  • He said all of this."
  • 00:13:23.454 --> 00:13:25.155
  • Almost 100% of all scholars of, you know, all stripes, you know,
  • 00:13:25.155 --> 00:13:29.760
  • All theological persuasions agree that jesus actually made
  • 00:13:29.760 --> 00:13:34.698
  • These statements because, and here's their reasoning, no one
  • 00:13:34.698 --> 00:13:38.335
  • Would make this stuff up and put it in the mouth of jesus.
  • 00:13:38.335 --> 00:13:41.972
  • It is so harsh.
  • 00:13:41.972 --> 00:13:45.109
  • No one would just fabricate these statements and say, "jesus
  • 00:13:45.109 --> 00:13:48.646
  • Said this."
  • 00:13:48.646 --> 00:13:50.114
  • But isn't this what love does?
  • 00:13:50.114 --> 00:13:53.918
  • Isn't this what a good parent does?
  • 00:13:53.918 --> 00:13:56.086
  • If you genuinely care about somebody, don't you call
  • 00:13:56.086 --> 00:13:59.490
  • Them out?
  • 00:13:59.490 --> 00:14:00.824
  • You don't just pat them on the head.
  • 00:14:00.824 --> 00:14:02.192
  • You're not condescending, you don't just ignore them.
  • 00:14:02.192 --> 00:14:03.961
  • You come back around later privately.
  • 00:14:03.961 --> 00:14:05.629
  • I mean, jesus didn't do it privately.
  • 00:14:05.629 --> 00:14:07.431
  • You come back privately and say, "you know, every time this comes
  • 00:14:07.431 --> 00:14:09.967
  • Up, you give us a because, and i just gotta say, i'm not sure if
  • 00:14:09.967 --> 00:14:14.104
  • Your because is the cause.
  • 00:14:14.104 --> 00:14:17.007
  • I think there may be something else going on."
  • 00:14:17.007 --> 00:14:21.211
  • He names it for what it is.
  • 00:14:21.211 --> 00:14:23.647
  • And when you love someone, you say to them, "i think it's just
  • 00:14:23.647 --> 00:14:29.386
  • A paper wall.
  • 00:14:29.386 --> 00:14:30.754
  • You're just making excuses."
  • 00:14:30.754 --> 00:14:34.291
  • Now, here's something to consider.
  • 00:14:34.291 --> 00:14:36.593
  • And when i was preparing for this series and this message in
  • 00:14:36.593 --> 00:14:39.563
  • Particular, i bumped into this terrible question that honestly,
  • 00:14:39.563 --> 00:14:44.101
  • Personally i had to wrestle with because i thought before i get
  • 00:14:44.101 --> 00:14:46.437
  • Up and talk about this, this is something i've got to
  • 00:14:46.437 --> 00:14:48.238
  • Internalize which i always try to do, but, you know, there's a
  • 00:14:48.238 --> 00:14:52.643
  • Lot to internalize, especially with a series like this.
  • 00:14:52.643 --> 00:14:54.645
  • So, here's the question i found myself wrestling with and i got
  • 00:14:54.645 --> 00:14:57.381
  • Tired of wrestling with it, so i decided to let you wrestle with
  • 00:14:57.381 --> 00:14:59.683
  • It as well.
  • 00:14:59.683 --> 00:15:01.051
  • So, i'm gonna direct this at you, okay?
  • 00:15:01.051 --> 00:15:02.486
  • And again, you're gonna have to use your imagination.
  • 00:15:02.486 --> 00:15:04.221
  • And depending on, you know, your religious background or if you
  • 00:15:04.221 --> 00:15:06.657
  • Even have a religious background, but you probably
  • 00:15:06.657 --> 00:15:09.326
  • Have some respect for jesus, you know, somewhere in the continuum
  • 00:15:09.326 --> 00:15:12.663
  • Of belief or disbelief.
  • 00:15:12.663 --> 00:15:14.465
  • So, just use your imagination and just consider this question.
  • 00:15:14.465 --> 00:15:19.203
  • How, based on what we've just said, how would jesus, who knows
  • 00:15:19.203 --> 00:15:23.774
  • Your heart, who knows your fears, who knows your
  • 00:15:23.774 --> 00:15:27.244
  • Insecurities, and who knows your entire story and can take all of
  • 00:15:27.244 --> 00:15:30.781
  • That into account, but who also understands your potential on
  • 00:15:30.781 --> 00:15:35.753
  • The other side of the excuses and the becauses and the reasons
  • 00:15:35.753 --> 00:15:39.323
  • That aren't really reasons, how do you think jesus--how would
  • 00:15:39.323 --> 00:15:43.494
  • Jesus respond to your reasons?
  • 00:15:43.494 --> 00:15:49.199
  • How do you think--when you think about the go-to reasons, the
  • 00:15:49.199 --> 00:15:51.568
  • Hide-behind reasons that, you know, the the things that are
  • 00:15:51.568 --> 00:15:53.904
  • Just so comfortable, they just, as soon as the question comes
  • 00:15:53.904 --> 00:15:55.873
  • Up, you just give the same answer over and over and over,
  • 00:15:55.873 --> 00:15:58.075
  • How do you think jesus would respond to your paper walls?
  • 00:15:58.075 --> 00:16:04.915
  • In an effort to get you to stop hurting yourself, he may be
  • 00:16:04.915 --> 00:16:09.620
  • Willing to hurt your feelings.
  • 00:16:09.620 --> 00:16:13.590
  • What if there really is a god who invites us to call him
  • 00:16:13.590 --> 00:16:15.759
  • Heavenly father and jesus really is his son and in some kind of
  • 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:19.730
  • Mystical, you know, intangible, i can't explain it way, what if
  • 00:16:19.730 --> 00:16:23.333
  • God really can see what's on the other side of this for you and
  • 00:16:23.333 --> 00:16:28.605
  • He loves you?
  • 00:16:28.605 --> 00:16:30.641
  • How does a good god, how does a good savior respond to your
  • 00:16:30.641 --> 00:16:35.345
  • Becauses, your reasons, your excuses, your paper walls?
  • 00:16:35.345 --> 00:16:41.718
  • Jesus may actually tell you a parable.
  • 00:16:41.718 --> 00:16:45.122
  • He would do that from time to time when people ask difficult
  • 00:16:45.122 --> 00:16:47.291
  • Questions that he wanted to give a complicated answer to and
  • 00:16:47.291 --> 00:16:50.394
  • Leave them thinking.
  • 00:16:50.394 --> 00:16:52.196
  • A parable, of course, is a made up story.
  • 00:16:52.196 --> 00:16:53.530
  • There aren't true stories.
  • 00:16:53.530 --> 00:16:54.865
  • Jesus would make up these stories.
  • 00:16:54.865 --> 00:16:56.200
  • Jesus wrote fiction. think about that.
  • 00:16:56.200 --> 00:16:57.534
  • He was a fiction author.
  • 00:16:57.534 --> 00:16:58.869
  • Jesus would make up stories and a parable is a made up story in
  • 00:16:58.869 --> 00:17:01.305
  • Order to make a very specific point to a very specific group
  • 00:17:01.305 --> 00:17:05.209
  • Of people.
  • 00:17:05.209 --> 00:17:06.577
  • So perhaps when jesus heard your reasons that aren't really
  • 00:17:06.577 --> 00:17:10.214
  • Reasons, your becauses that aren't the causes, perhaps he
  • 00:17:10.214 --> 00:17:12.516
  • Would tell you a parable and perhaps he would tell you
  • 00:17:12.516 --> 00:17:15.919
  • This parable.
  • 00:17:15.919 --> 00:17:17.287
  • And when he began this parable, if he were to tell you this
  • 00:17:17.287 --> 00:17:19.256
  • Parable, you would say, "jesus, i've heard this before," and
  • 00:17:19.256 --> 00:17:21.158
  • Jesus would probably say, "well, i want you to listen to it
  • 00:17:21.158 --> 00:17:23.260
  • Again, but now i want you to listen to this, you know, pretty
  • 00:17:23.260 --> 00:17:26.363
  • Famous parable through the filter of your becauses, your
  • 00:17:26.363 --> 00:17:29.600
  • Reasons, your excuses, and your paper walls."
  • 00:17:29.600 --> 00:17:33.103
  • And jesus would say this, "once upon a time," because it's a
  • 00:17:33.103 --> 00:17:35.939
  • Made up story, "once upon a time, there was a very, very
  • 00:17:35.939 --> 00:17:37.941
  • Wealthy man, and he was gonna go on a very, very long trip and he
  • 00:17:37.941 --> 00:17:41.044
  • Called in three of his servants and he said to his servants,
  • 00:17:41.044 --> 00:17:43.113
  • 'while i'm gone, i'm gonna give each of you a measure of my
  • 00:17:43.113 --> 00:17:45.415
  • Money, it's not your money, my money to invest for my benefit.
  • 00:17:45.415 --> 00:17:48.952
  • And then when i get back, i'm gonna let you come in and tell
  • 00:17:48.952 --> 00:17:51.822
  • Me what you did with my money that you invested while i
  • 00:17:51.822 --> 00:17:55.292
  • Was gone.'
  • 00:17:55.292 --> 00:17:56.627
  • And he gave each of these three servants different amounts, each
  • 00:17:56.627 --> 00:18:00.464
  • According to their ability.
  • 00:18:00.464 --> 00:18:03.200
  • And then he leaves town and he's gone for a very long time.
  • 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:06.336
  • And eventually," you may have heard this before, "he comes
  • 00:18:06.336 --> 00:18:08.805
  • Back and he asks the three servants to come in and to
  • 00:18:08.805 --> 00:18:11.341
  • Report about what they've done with the money that he left them
  • 00:18:11.341 --> 00:18:14.411
  • To invest, and he was very intentional before he left.
  • 00:18:14.411 --> 00:18:16.346
  • He said, 'i want you to invest this money so that when i
  • 00:18:16.346 --> 00:18:18.815
  • Return, i'll have a return on my money.'
  • 00:18:18.815 --> 00:18:21.485
  • Well, the first two servants come in," if you've heard this
  • 00:18:21.485 --> 00:18:23.453
  • Before, "there are excited because they invested well.
  • 00:18:23.453 --> 00:18:25.989
  • In fact, the first two servants actually doubled their
  • 00:18:25.989 --> 00:18:28.725
  • Master's money.
  • 00:18:28.725 --> 00:18:30.194
  • And when the master hears this, of course he is delighted, and
  • 00:18:30.194 --> 00:18:32.729
  • He says to them, 'well done.
  • 00:18:32.729 --> 00:18:35.032
  • Well done, good and faithful servant!
  • 00:18:35.032 --> 00:18:36.567
  • You have been faithful with a few things, you did exactly what
  • 00:18:36.567 --> 00:18:39.369
  • I asked you to do.
  • 00:18:39.369 --> 00:18:40.871
  • You've been faithful with a few things; i'm gonna put you in
  • 00:18:40.871 --> 00:18:43.774
  • Charge of many things," to which they must have thought, "well, i
  • 00:18:43.774 --> 00:18:46.944
  • Don't feel like this amount of money you gave us was a
  • 00:18:46.944 --> 00:18:49.346
  • Few things."
  • 00:18:49.346 --> 00:18:50.681
  • He's like, "oh, we're just getting started.
  • 00:18:50.681 --> 00:18:52.049
  • Now that i know that you know what to do with my money and how
  • 00:18:52.049 --> 00:18:54.751
  • To invest my money, hey, we're just getting started."
  • 00:18:54.751 --> 00:18:57.120
  • "and come," he says, "come and share in my happiness.
  • 00:18:57.120 --> 00:19:00.557
  • Come and share in your master's happiness.
  • 00:19:00.557 --> 00:19:01.959
  • This is a win-win.
  • 00:19:01.959 --> 00:19:03.293
  • It's a win for me and it's a win for you."
  • 00:19:03.293 --> 00:19:06.096
  • And then the third servant who had been given the least amount
  • 00:19:06.096 --> 00:19:09.900
  • To invest, which means he had the least amount to lose, he
  • 00:19:09.900 --> 00:19:13.070
  • Comes in to give his not-so-stellar report.
  • 00:19:13.070 --> 00:19:16.440
  • And you know what he brings with him to give his report?
  • 00:19:16.440 --> 00:19:19.409
  • He brings an excuse.
  • 00:19:19.409 --> 00:19:21.912
  • Now, it's important to know that in every parable that jesus
  • 00:19:21.912 --> 00:19:24.514
  • Taught, there was someone in the parable that represented god,
  • 00:19:24.514 --> 00:19:27.784
  • And then there was someone in the parable that represented
  • 00:19:27.784 --> 00:19:30.354
  • Jesus's audience.
  • 00:19:30.354 --> 00:19:31.722
  • In our case, the people in the audience is us, and the god
  • 00:19:31.722 --> 00:19:35.392
  • Figure, as you probably would guess, is the rich man and the
  • 00:19:35.392 --> 00:19:39.162
  • People in the audience, which is us, are the servants.
  • 00:19:39.162 --> 00:19:43.100
  • "master," the servant said, so this is the third servant giving
  • 00:19:43.100 --> 00:19:45.636
  • His report.
  • 00:19:45.636 --> 00:19:47.004
  • "'master,' the servant said, 'before i tell you what happened
  • 00:19:47.004 --> 00:19:49.539
  • To your money,'" a couple of introductory statements, "'i
  • 00:19:49.539 --> 00:19:52.509
  • Knew that you are a hard man, you inve--you harvest where you
  • 00:19:52.509 --> 00:19:56.413
  • Have not sown,'" that is, you don't leave anything on the
  • 00:19:56.413 --> 00:19:59.683
  • Table as a business person.
  • 00:19:59.683 --> 00:20:01.118
  • "'you harvest where you have not sown and you gather where you
  • 00:20:01.118 --> 00:20:03.687
  • Have not even scattered seed.'"
  • 00:20:03.687 --> 00:20:05.255
  • In other words, you don't just take advantage of your own
  • 00:20:05.255 --> 00:20:07.691
  • Investments, you have figured out how to profit off of other
  • 00:20:07.691 --> 00:20:10.761
  • People's investments.
  • 00:20:10.761 --> 00:20:12.696
  • Now, let me back up and sort of give you the implication of what
  • 00:20:12.696 --> 00:20:15.899
  • He's saying to his master.
  • 00:20:15.899 --> 00:20:17.968
  • The implication is this, "master, before i tell you what
  • 00:20:17.968 --> 00:20:22.139
  • I did with your money, you need to know it's not my fault.
  • 00:20:22.139 --> 00:20:27.644
  • In fact, it's your fault.
  • 00:20:27.644 --> 00:20:31.181
  • If you weren't the way you are, i would not have done what
  • 00:20:31.181 --> 00:20:36.186
  • I did.
  • 00:20:36.186 --> 00:20:37.554
  • I mean, this whole thing was completely out of my control."
  • 00:20:37.554 --> 00:20:42.159
  • It's all an excuse.
  • 00:20:42.159 --> 00:20:43.593
  • Back to what he actually said, "'master,' the servant said, 'i
  • 00:20:43.593 --> 00:20:47.030
  • Knew that you're a hard man, harvesting where you have not
  • 00:20:47.030 --> 00:20:48.832
  • Sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
  • 00:20:48.832 --> 00:20:51.234
  • So i was afraid.
  • 00:20:51.234 --> 00:20:55.539
  • I was afraid.'"
  • 00:20:55.539 --> 00:20:56.873
  • Now, i wanna hit pause here for just a moment because this is so
  • 00:20:56.873 --> 00:20:59.009
  • Important for all of us.
  • 00:20:59.009 --> 00:21:01.044
  • At the root of just about every single excuse, even the ones
  • 00:21:01.044 --> 00:21:07.384
  • That have the becauses attached to them, even the ones
  • 00:21:07.384 --> 00:21:09.920
  • That we've done such a good job disguising as actual reasons, at
  • 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:13.190
  • The root of every single, or just about every single excuse
  • 00:21:13.190 --> 00:21:16.326
  • Is a fear, something we fear.
  • 00:21:16.326 --> 00:21:19.763
  • The fear of embarrassment, the fear of failure, in some cases,
  • 00:21:19.763 --> 00:21:23.133
  • The fear of success, the fear of change, the fear of loss, the
  • 00:21:23.133 --> 00:21:27.571
  • Fear of admission.
  • 00:21:27.571 --> 00:21:28.905
  • "master," he said, "i'm afraid."
  • 00:21:28.905 --> 00:21:32.542
  • And you know what's so interesting is none of us think
  • 00:21:32.542 --> 00:21:34.511
  • We're cowards and none of us think we're afraid of anything,
  • 00:21:34.511 --> 00:21:36.380
  • And if i were to say to you, "are you afraid?"
  • 00:21:36.380 --> 00:21:38.181
  • We immediately think of people, "i'm not afraid of anybody, i'm
  • 00:21:38.181 --> 00:21:41.084
  • Not afraid of anything," but is it possible that disguised in
  • 00:21:41.084 --> 00:21:48.525
  • Our excuses is a fear we've never reckoned with, we've never
  • 00:21:48.525 --> 00:21:53.063
  • Been willing to acknowledge?
  • 00:21:53.063 --> 00:21:55.532
  • And that fear animates and fuels our excuses.
  • 00:21:55.532 --> 00:22:00.637
  • And if you're a jesus follower, it's even more important because
  • 00:22:00.637 --> 00:22:03.740
  • Jesus's most oft-repeated command was, "fear not."
  • 00:22:03.740 --> 00:22:10.747
  • "i'm afraid," he said.
  • 00:22:10.747 --> 00:22:12.115
  • "i was afraid, so i went out and because i was afraid of losing
  • 00:22:12.115 --> 00:22:16.753
  • What you asked me to invest, i hid your gold in the ground.
  • 00:22:16.753 --> 00:22:20.624
  • See, here is what belongs to you.
  • 00:22:20.624 --> 00:22:24.928
  • But don't be mad with me because, ultimately,
  • 00:22:24.928 --> 00:22:28.465
  • It's not my fault.
  • 00:22:28.465 --> 00:22:29.933
  • It's not my fault."
  • 00:22:29.933 --> 00:22:31.568
  • And his master replied, "i understand.
  • 00:22:31.568 --> 00:22:35.572
  • No worries.
  • 00:22:35.572 --> 00:22:37.040
  • Here's a gift card.
  • 00:22:37.040 --> 00:22:38.842
  • Get yourself a venti mocha with sprinkles," and he patted him on
  • 00:22:38.842 --> 00:22:42.946
  • The head and he went his way.
  • 00:22:42.946 --> 00:22:45.782
  • No, that's not what love does.
  • 00:22:45.782 --> 00:22:48.852
  • Are you ready though?
  • 00:22:48.852 --> 00:22:50.220
  • Are we all buckled in?
  • 00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:51.555
  • Remember, it's a parable.
  • 00:22:51.555 --> 00:22:53.056
  • "you wicked, lazy servant!"
  • 00:22:53.056 --> 00:22:57.027
  • I mean, jesus wasn't messing around.
  • 00:22:57.027 --> 00:22:58.395
  • I mean, everybody's on the edge of their stone or whatever
  • 00:22:58.395 --> 00:23:00.230
  • They're sitting on, like, "what?"
  • 00:23:00.230 --> 00:23:01.565
  • You know, "you wicked lazy servant.
  • 00:23:01.565 --> 00:23:03.667
  • So you knew?
  • 00:23:03.667 --> 00:23:05.368
  • I mean, you just admitted it.
  • 00:23:05.368 --> 00:23:06.736
  • So you knew that i harvest where i've not sown?"
  • 00:23:06.736 --> 00:23:08.705
  • In other words, "you know i don't leave anything on the
  • 00:23:08.705 --> 00:23:10.340
  • Table, then i gather where i've not scattered seed?
  • 00:23:10.340 --> 00:23:13.910
  • So, well then, well, come on, so since you knew that, why didn't
  • 00:23:13.910 --> 00:23:17.013
  • You put my money on deposit with the bankers at least so that
  • 00:23:17.013 --> 00:23:19.749
  • What when i returned, i would at least have received it back
  • 00:23:19.749 --> 00:23:23.920
  • With interest?"
  • 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:25.255
  • In other words, "there is no excuse for this.
  • 00:23:25.255 --> 00:23:27.424
  • You allowed your fear to blind you to opportunity.
  • 00:23:27.424 --> 00:23:34.464
  • You allowed your fear to create an obstacle that was--it wasn't
  • 00:23:34.464 --> 00:23:38.702
  • Even an obstacle.
  • 00:23:38.702 --> 00:23:40.036
  • It was it--your fear, it blinded you to the simplest thing you
  • 00:23:40.036 --> 00:23:42.939
  • Could have done, so that when i returned, at least you would
  • 00:23:42.939 --> 00:23:45.408
  • Have something to show for the money i loaned you to invest on
  • 00:23:45.408 --> 00:23:50.881
  • My behalf.
  • 00:23:50.881 --> 00:23:53.817
  • You had an opportunity, but now that opportunity is gone."
  • 00:23:53.817 --> 00:23:56.520
  • And then here's the punchline.
  • 00:23:56.520 --> 00:23:58.822
  • I gotta remind you one more time, it's a parable.
  • 00:23:58.822 --> 00:24:00.991
  • It's not a true story, but it is jesus telling it.
  • 00:24:00.991 --> 00:24:04.861
  • So in the parable, the rich, you know, master turns to his
  • 00:24:04.861 --> 00:24:08.465
  • Bodyguards and he says, "throw that worthless servant outside,
  • 00:24:08.465 --> 00:24:16.172
  • Into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing
  • 00:24:16.172 --> 00:24:19.843
  • Of teeth."
  • 00:24:19.843 --> 00:24:21.945
  • Again, this is so harsh.
  • 00:24:21.945 --> 00:24:23.446
  • I mean, you could have heard a pin drop if they had had
  • 00:24:23.446 --> 00:24:26.316
  • Pins, right?
  • 00:24:26.316 --> 00:24:27.684
  • Here's--it's intense because jesus is meaning to be intense.
  • 00:24:27.684 --> 00:24:33.189
  • It's extreme because he's making an extreme point.
  • 00:24:33.189 --> 00:24:35.926
  • And behind all of that is his love for the world and the
  • 00:24:35.926 --> 00:24:39.162
  • People in his audience and for you and you and me.
  • 00:24:39.162 --> 00:24:42.132
  • Now, what he's getting at here: weeping and gnashing of teeth is
  • 00:24:42.132 --> 00:24:46.369
  • Not an indication of pain and suffering.
  • 00:24:46.369 --> 00:24:49.039
  • Weeping and gnashing of teeth is an indication of intense
  • 00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:53.209
  • Frustration, intense disappointment, intense regret.
  • 00:24:53.209 --> 00:24:58.214
  • You're telling me i could have moved through this and instead,
  • 00:24:58.214 --> 00:25:04.888
  • Because of my fear, i hung back?
  • 00:25:04.888 --> 00:25:06.856
  • You're telling me there was an opportunity i missed?
  • 00:25:06.856 --> 00:25:09.426
  • You're telling me there's something i could have
  • 00:25:09.426 --> 00:25:10.794
  • Accomplished, something i could have done for the world, for my
  • 00:25:10.794 --> 00:25:12.796
  • Family, for my health, and i didn't do it?
  • 00:25:12.796 --> 00:25:15.365
  • And now the opportunity has come and it's gone?
  • 00:25:15.365 --> 00:25:18.134
  • ...
  • 00:25:18.134 --> 00:25:19.970
  • And i realized it's only my fault?
  • 00:25:19.970 --> 00:25:22.606
  • And for years and years and years, for seasons of my life, i
  • 00:25:22.606 --> 00:25:24.941
  • Blamed and blamed and blamed and pointed fingers, and now it
  • 00:25:24.941 --> 00:25:28.211
  • Finally has dawned on me.
  • 00:25:28.211 --> 00:25:30.113
  • I could have done something about this, but i hid behind my
  • 00:25:30.113 --> 00:25:34.451
  • Reasons that weren't reasons, my becauses that weren't
  • 00:25:34.451 --> 00:25:37.187
  • The causes.
  • 00:25:37.187 --> 00:25:39.055
  • But now the season has come and the season has gone and there's
  • 00:25:39.055 --> 00:25:42.392
  • Nothing i can do about it.
  • 00:25:42.392 --> 00:25:44.995
  • Going back to the parable.
  • 00:25:44.995 --> 00:25:46.930
  • When that happens, you recognize that you have been left out.
  • 00:25:46.930 --> 00:25:51.801
  • This is jesus's point, that you have been left outside something
  • 00:25:51.801 --> 00:25:57.440
  • That you could have participated in.
  • 00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:59.976
  • So, in the parable, and everybody in jesus's culture
  • 00:25:59.976 --> 00:26:02.379
  • Understood this, the wicked--not wicked, but the irresponsible
  • 00:26:02.379 --> 00:26:05.615
  • Excuse-making servant is outside the house.
  • 00:26:05.615 --> 00:26:08.518
  • He's outside the party and inside.
  • 00:26:08.518 --> 00:26:10.920
  • Jesus is--i mean, the master is celebrating with the
  • 00:26:10.920 --> 00:26:14.024
  • Faithful stewards.
  • 00:26:14.024 --> 00:26:15.358
  • On the outside, he's not being punished, he recognizes, "i
  • 00:26:15.358 --> 00:26:20.230
  • Could have gotten this right.
  • 00:26:20.230 --> 00:26:21.631
  • I could have done something about this, but i was afraid and
  • 00:26:21.631 --> 00:26:24.334
  • I have missed out and now i am outside."
  • 00:26:24.334 --> 00:26:30.340
  • Jesus is disturbingly intense because he loves you and he
  • 00:26:30.340 --> 00:26:36.946
  • Loves me and he loves us intensely.
  • 00:26:36.946 --> 00:26:41.084
  • And he knows what you are missing out on.
  • 00:26:41.084 --> 00:26:46.423
  • He knows what's on the other side of my fear, my hesitance,
  • 00:26:46.423 --> 00:26:52.562
  • My unwillingness to press through, my inability or
  • 00:26:52.562 --> 00:26:56.733
  • Unwillingness to acknowledge that these aren't reasons andy,
  • 00:26:56.733 --> 00:27:00.103
  • These are just excuses you're disguising as a reason.
  • 00:27:00.103 --> 00:27:04.507
  • Andy: hey, thanks so much for watching.
  • 00:27:05.408 --> 00:27:07.043
  • You may find it hard to believe that 75 million americans claim
  • 00:27:07.043 --> 00:27:10.447
  • No religious affiliation.
  • 00:27:10.447 --> 00:27:12.582
  • On a personal note, perhaps you found it nearly impossible to
  • 00:27:12.582 --> 00:27:15.685
  • Believe that your son or your daughter or perhaps a grandchild
  • 00:27:15.685 --> 00:27:18.555
  • Drifted away from faith is part of that number.
  • 00:27:18.555 --> 00:27:21.391
  • This is a crisis culturally and perhaps for you it's a
  • 00:27:21.391 --> 00:27:24.394
  • Crisis personally.
  • 00:27:24.394 --> 00:27:25.762
  • At "your move," we are committed to addressing that crisis.
  • 00:27:25.762 --> 00:27:29.699
  • We actually have a plan to solve it, but we need your help.
  • 00:27:29.699 --> 00:27:32.569
  • We've developed a digital online tool that invites people to take
  • 00:27:32.569 --> 00:27:35.972
  • A personal assessment that launches them on a journey that
  • 00:27:35.972 --> 00:27:39.375
  • Eventually intersects their questions with the teaching of
  • 00:27:39.375 --> 00:27:42.679
  • Jesus and ultimately with a bible teaching church in
  • 00:27:42.679 --> 00:27:46.449
  • Their community.
  • 00:27:46.449 --> 00:27:47.784
  • Tens of thousands of people are currently engaged in this
  • 00:27:47.784 --> 00:27:50.220
  • Process, but we need your help to continue creating the bread
  • 00:27:50.220 --> 00:27:53.857
  • Crumbs, the content that keeps them moving forward on their
  • 00:27:53.857 --> 00:27:57.360
  • Faith journey.
  • 00:27:57.360 --> 00:27:58.762
  • We're attempting something that no one has ever attempted before
  • 00:27:58.762 --> 00:28:01.931
  • And it is already working.
  • 00:28:01.931 --> 00:28:03.733
  • To find out more, go to the website or call the number at
  • 00:28:03.733 --> 00:28:06.569
  • The bottom of the screen, and as always, thank you so much for
  • 00:28:06.569 --> 00:28:09.739
  • Watching and now it's your move.
  • 00:28:09.739 --> 00:28:12.408
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:28:12.408 --> 00:28:22.352
  • ...
  • 00:28:25.588 --> 00:28:25.588