WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:04.000 I want to talk to you a little bit about reconciliation. 2 00:00:04.919 --> 00:00:08.519 So God was in Christ reconciling the world. And I'm 3 00:00:08.919 --> 00:00:12.080 on this theme of love becoming love. We're still becoming love. 4 00:00:12.119 --> 00:00:16.519 Anybody's still becoming low. Okay, So I want to draw 5 00:00:16.600 --> 00:00:21.440 the cornerstone of your house. This is this is just 6 00:00:23.079 --> 00:00:27.719 a personal revelation. I believe the Lord showed me. If 7 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:29.760 you like it, great, if you don't throw it away. 8 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:34.640 But this is your house. And the Bible says Jesus 9 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:37.600 has become the chief cornerstone. 10 00:00:39.159 --> 00:00:39.479 Right. 11 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:46.840 So there's four cornerstones to building your life. Four cornerstones 12 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:49.759 to building your life. One is the position cornerstone. I 13 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:53.119 call this the position cornerstone. If you've been through restored life, 14 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:55.359 you've heard me talk about this stuff. This is the 15 00:00:55.399 --> 00:01:03.600 purpose cornerstone. And this is the partnership cornerstone, because we're 16 00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:08.480 not meant to build our lives alone. And this is 17 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:11.719 the power cornerstone, because we were meant to have all 18 00:01:12.280 --> 00:01:18.719 power and authority over all things. So in the beginning, 19 00:01:18.920 --> 00:01:22.680 we know that when Adam fell, that there was an 20 00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:26.879 assault on hang on, for those of you that are 21 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:29.560 up front, when Adam fell, we know there was an 22 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:35.519 assault on the position cornerstone. So we went from sons 23 00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:41.560 and daughters to slaves, right, So there was a there 24 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:46.000 was an assault on the position cornerstone. But every cornerstone 25 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:53.439 was inverted when Adam fell. Every cornerstone, the cornerstones that 26 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:58.840 that's required to build a profitable life, So these cornerstones 27 00:01:58.840 --> 00:02:02.480 were inverted. Instead of having partnership with one another, we 28 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:07.400 were immediately at war with one another. So through the 29 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:14.400 fall there was enmity warfare introduced into humanity. So there 30 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:17.919 was violence, there was hatred, there was jealousy. Think about 31 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:21.960 all the things that are really pretty much common to 32 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:29.919 us experiencing every single day in relationships didn't even exist 33 00:02:30.199 --> 00:02:34.879 until the fall. Those didn't even exist. Jealousy didn't exist, 34 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:39.039 Envy didn't exist, Animosity one to another didn't exist. 35 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:41.360 So you know, all of that. 36 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:45.000 Was introduced with the fall. And over here, what was 37 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:49.599 introduced with the fall was inferiority. So what would have 38 00:02:49.639 --> 00:02:55.280 existed before the fall would have been the confidence, the 39 00:02:55.319 --> 00:02:59.639 confidence of who we are and our identity. So our 40 00:02:59.639 --> 00:03:06.599 position released us into confidence, it released us into purpose wherever, 41 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:13.080 and what was loosed into this period was inferiority. Remember 42 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:19.159 that inferiority, shame, and condemnation. Right, So those were the 43 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:26.039 big three of Genesis three fifteen through seventeen, shame and condemnation. 44 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:34.719 So those were introduced into the fall. So in other words, 45 00:03:34.759 --> 00:03:41.919 we related to ourself with doubt, We related to ourself 46 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:44.159 with fear. 47 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:46.840 So not only were we relating to. 48 00:03:47.199 --> 00:03:51.599 God with fear, we were relating to our self with fear, 49 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:58.280 and inferiority was introduced. So self doubt, regret, self hatred, 50 00:03:58.439 --> 00:04:03.240 self loathing, self condemnation, all of these attributes were common, 51 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:08.280 uh to first Adam. After the fall, then here, as 52 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:11.919 you know, what happened is we came under Satan's authority 53 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:19.720 and so here we uh, we were subverted. We became 54 00:04:19.879 --> 00:04:31.399 subordinate to Satan's influence. Right, So when we're restored, when 55 00:04:31.480 --> 00:04:35.639 we're restored as a son or a daughter, then simultaneously 56 00:04:35.720 --> 00:04:41.680 these are also restored at the same time, and and 57 00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:49.240 we become and because because so positionally even think about this, positionally, 58 00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:57.399 you're restored in harmony with every other person. Yeah, the 59 00:04:57.480 --> 00:05:00.680 moment you're born of the spirit, you are stored in 60 00:05:00.759 --> 00:05:02.519 harmony with every other person. 61 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:05.160 You become a carrier. 62 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:11.399 You are now infected with harmony. You're infected with shalom, 63 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:17.600 you're infected with reconciliation. So let's go to Second Corinthia, 64 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:22.279 chapter five, real quick, Second Corinthyon chapter five, seventeen through nineteen, 65 00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:25.839 if we could go there. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 66 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:29.360 the new Creation has come. The new Creation is not coming. 67 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:32.279 The new Creation has come. Now that doesn't mean you're 68 00:05:32.279 --> 00:05:36.680 not working it out. You are working it out, but 69 00:05:36.759 --> 00:05:39.319 it has come. If it hadn't come, you couldn't work 70 00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:40.800 it out. You can only work it out because it 71 00:05:40.839 --> 00:05:44.600 has come. So you're working your way into the maturity 72 00:05:44.600 --> 00:05:48.399 of who you are. So he starts with the end 73 00:05:48.519 --> 00:05:52.079 from the beginning. That's Isaiah forty six. He starts with 74 00:05:52.199 --> 00:05:56.360 the end. He sees you perfect before you are. He 75 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:59.839 covers you with perfect blood and righteousness before you are, 76 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:03.959 and that enables you to work it out and to 77 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:07.480 bring your flesh under subjection, and to bring your soul 78 00:06:07.639 --> 00:06:11.759 under subjection, and to bring demons who had a claim 79 00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:14.759 on first atom, they had a claim on you, to 80 00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:17.560 bring them under subjection. Put them under your feet. If 81 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:21.160 you tread upon them, they obey you. You don't obey them. 82 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:24.360 If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come, 83 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:25.600 the old has gone. 84 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:26.240 Then it is here. 85 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:30.639 All of this is from God, who reconciled us to 86 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:36.360 himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 87 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:39.959 So he reconciled us to himself. But when he did that, 88 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:44.759 because he broke down Ephesian Seu says, he broke down 89 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:48.680 the dividing wall dividing between us one to another, the 90 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:53.879 dividing wall of animosity. He broke that down and made 91 00:06:54.000 --> 00:07:05.000 peace through his blood. He broke down animosity between us, tribes, races, tongues, kindred. 92 00:07:05.399 --> 00:07:09.839 Remember at Babble, they were scattered. The scattering was the 93 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:16.560 overflow of rebellion that empowered even more, the animosity, the tribalism, 94 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:19.639 the warfare, the contention. This is why, as we near 95 00:07:19.720 --> 00:07:24.920 the end, everybody beats their swords in the plowshares. I'm 96 00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:28.480 trading my gun in for a harvester, right. So that's 97 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:34.560 because what's happening as peace is growing, reconciliation is winning, 98 00:07:35.639 --> 00:07:40.959 love is triumphing. So he gave us and so he 99 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:44.920 gave us the ministry of reconciliation. So not only did 100 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:51.199 he reconcile you, but he gave you the ministry of reconciliation. 101 00:07:53.600 --> 00:08:00.480 So you're a reconciler. That's the end of person him. 102 00:08:01.319 --> 00:08:05.639 Thank you, pastor what were you thinking God? And God 103 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:09.040 was reconciling the world. Oh there's verse ieteen that God 104 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:14.000 was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting 105 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:19.120 people's sins against them, and he is committed to us 106 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:23.279 that ministry of reconciliation. Let's just say that again. Maybe 107 00:08:23.399 --> 00:08:30.199 let's just meditate on that, not counting their sins against them. 108 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:34.399 How do we reconcile with people? Well, you just need 109 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:37.200 them to repent. I need them to change, I need 110 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:39.960 them to shape up, I need them to acknowledge, I 111 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:40.399 need them. 112 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:42.360 Oh really, God didn't need that. 113 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:52.080 God sent God sent his love to us in Christ 114 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:58.200 to reconcile us in Christ, not counting their sins against them, 115 00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:02.840 meaning that the blood of Jesus, the sacrifice of Jesus, 116 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:08.360 the victory of Jesus on the cross, the payment, the propitiation, 117 00:09:08.600 --> 00:09:15.519 the sacrifice, fast official payment of Jesus was sufficient for 118 00:09:15.639 --> 00:09:19.919 the judgment we deserve. So if it's sufficient for the 119 00:09:20.039 --> 00:09:23.919 judgment we deserve, then he doesn't need to talk to 120 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:31.879 us about judgment. Hello, some money I'm just messing with 121 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:34.039 us a little bit. I'm just trying to lead us 122 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:36.799 into this a little bit. Uh and uh, And I 123 00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:39.360 want you to I want you to see that this 124 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:42.600 is this is when I say this is already, this 125 00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:43.600 is already yours. 126 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:45.840 Uh, it's because you're in Christ. 127 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:52.039 And so Christ didn't Christ isn't recognizing Christ isn't reconciling 128 00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:54.120 part of the world to himself. 129 00:09:55.279 --> 00:09:56.120 What he did. 130 00:09:57.480 --> 00:10:02.360 His love is flying up here at an altitude that 131 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:11.080 is above circumstances, and it's above situations, And it's above 132 00:10:12.200 --> 00:10:16.519 whether you've burned it or not. And it's even above 133 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:18.120 whether you reject. 134 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:18.279 Him or not. 135 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:24.399 His love is hovering at an altitude that. 136 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:28.320 Is above all of that, his love for. 137 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:32.240 Us, so that every one of us can be reconciled 138 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:36.120 to God, every person can be reconciled to God. And 139 00:10:36.279 --> 00:10:39.360 that is the love that now abides in you and 140 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:46.399 abides in me. And this love abides in us with 141 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:55.240 regard to our spouse. This love abides in us with 142 00:10:55.360 --> 00:11:02.720 regard to relatives and friends and homeworkers. This love abides 143 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:07.519 in us with regard to unbelievers and believers alike. This 144 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:11.759 love abides so there's a love. There's a love that 145 00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:14.200 abides in us. Can I make it bigger? I'll make 146 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:19.080 it bigger. It's more impressive, this love that abides in 147 00:11:19.159 --> 00:11:25.639 us at this altitude, above every situation, above all rejection, 148 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:31.120 above all attitudinal fits, above all falling short, above all circumstances, 149 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:36.279 above all performance of earning. That love is constant, It 150 00:11:36.360 --> 00:11:42.799 is sacrificial, It is unconditional, and it is flowing to us, 151 00:11:43.159 --> 00:11:47.200 whether we're having a fit or not. It is flowing 152 00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:51.200 to us, whether even if we're rejecting him. Here's this love, 153 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:57.000 This love is just still being poured out, a fire hose. 154 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:58.480 Of love over your life. 155 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:04.279 Now, here's what God, here's what the Bible says. That 156 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:10.679 love is so powerful that love will draw people to you. 157 00:12:10.919 --> 00:12:15.559 It'll draw people to God. It'll draw And Jesus said, 158 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:21.639 if I am lifted up, if I am lifted up, Now, 159 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:24.960 why would the lifting up part be important? The fulfillment was. 160 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:27.320 The fulfillment was the picture of Him on the cross. 161 00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:31.240 If I be lifted up, I will draw all men 162 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:32.720 unto myself. 163 00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:36.039 How does that work? 164 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:45.279 Because love demonstrated through sacrifice is reconcilatory, It is powerful. 165 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:47.159 It draws people to you. 166 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:52.519 Whenever you behave in a manner that is beyond and 167 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:57.879 above what people deserve. That grace and mercy that you're 168 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:02.440 demonstrating draws people to you instead of pushes people away 169 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:07.360 from you. Are you hearing what I'm saying? First, John 170 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:09.600 four eight and nine. Let's go there. First, John four 171 00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:14.600 eight and nine. This is where John quotes a problem. 172 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:18.919 John quotes a problem here. Whoever does not love does 173 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:26.240 not know God, because God is love. Oh, that's not 174 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:28.879 the one I wanted. Well, it's verse nine? Is there 175 00:13:28.919 --> 00:13:34.399 a verse nine? No, I didn't load verse nine. Hmmm, 176 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:37.679 I don't think that's the one I wanted. 177 00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:40.000 Lord, help my brain. 178 00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:48.559 The one I wanted, the one I wanted you to see? 179 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:54.080 It says, what is it? What is it? Oh? First Peter? Sorry? 180 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:57.200 Sorry, sorry, first Peter. Four First Peter four eight nine. 181 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:05.399 I had a address verb. Above all love each other deeply, 182 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:08.360 because love covers. This is where he's quoting a proverb, 183 00:14:08.679 --> 00:14:16.000 because love covers over a multitude of sins. Above all 184 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:19.320 love each other deeply. This is a gope. So he's 185 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:21.759 talking about a gope. Love the goape is not the 186 00:14:21.799 --> 00:14:26.840 fhileo love fileleio. Love is brotherly kindness and brotherly kindness 187 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:31.200 is a conditional love. Eros is the third word for 188 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:34.279 love in the Greek. Eros is erotic. It's where we 189 00:14:34.279 --> 00:14:38.480 get erotic love from. So it's more of a sexual love. 190 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:38.879 Right. 191 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:42.279 So, but this is a gope love above all, a 192 00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:48.919 gope each other deeply, because a gope love covers over 193 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:51.240 a multitude of sins. So I want you to I 194 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:53.399 want you to see this is part. This is part 195 00:14:53.399 --> 00:15:03.200 of reconciliation. Is that that I'm reconciled in Christ to humanity. 196 00:15:03.799 --> 00:15:08.120 But I'm gonna work that out as a minister of reconciliation. 197 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:13.559 I'm gonna work that out as a minister of reconciliation. 198 00:15:14.200 --> 00:15:18.720 As people are drawn to me, they'll be in the 199 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:22.960 process drawn to who I receive. 200 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:27.679 My love from. Does that make sense? 201 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:33.399 So this is why, this is why the Cross broke 202 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:38.519 down the animosity between me and one another. And the 203 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:43.799 Cross shows me, for one, is that because I'm restored 204 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:49.960 in Christ, you don't have my stuff. You can't get 205 00:15:50.039 --> 00:15:55.759 my stuff. There's nothing you can do to me that 206 00:15:55.799 --> 00:16:02.279 will surpass God's blessings that He already preordained toward me. 207 00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:07.279 So you're no longer my enemy or my competitor. You're 208 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:11.679 my completion. So in Christ we complete one another. We 209 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:17.240 don't compete with one another. In Christ, we become partners. 210 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:21.080 And we see that in Christ that I can't fulfill 211 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:26.159 my purpose without you, I'm actually meant. I'm actually meant 212 00:16:27.080 --> 00:16:32.240 for purpose fulfillment. To see that manifested with you and 213 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:39.720 not alone. That makes sense. So let's talk about the 214 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:43.840 covering part, because that's what the blood does. The Old 215 00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:50.399 Testament talks about the covering of the shed blood, and 216 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:54.679 the covering of the shed blood of a sacrifice is 217 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:58.759 so that mercy would be shown to a person, so 218 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:02.559 that a person wouldn't rea see what they deserve. So 219 00:17:02.679 --> 00:17:07.640 wherever there is this word covering, as in the Old Testament, 220 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:11.960 and then here Peter's quoting it, wherever there's this word covering, 221 00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:19.160 then what's happening is that where you've got a chasm 222 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:23.759 in a relationship, love is going to build a bridge 223 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:27.640 over that chasm. And it's going to build a bridge 224 00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:35.720 over that chasm because love is the sacrifice love, and 225 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:39.400 love is costly, as if you were shedding your blood. 226 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:48.400 The love that we show to one another. 227 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:54.599 When there is separation, where there's animosity, where there's rebellion, 228 00:17:54.640 --> 00:18:00.640 where there's rejection, where there's failure, where there's contempt, where 229 00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:05.599 there's difficulty, where there's disagreement. The love is at a 230 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:12.279 high altitude. That love doesn't need somebody to be perfect 231 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:17.440 for it to be demonstrated, and that love isn't pointing 232 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:20.359 out the chasm. That love is building a bridge over 233 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:22.799 the chasm. 234 00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:24.039 But that's costly. 235 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:28.680 It's costly to love when things are tough, when things 236 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:32.039 are challenging, when things are negative, where things are of 237 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:36.680 a bad report, when things it's it's costly, it's hard 238 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:44.440 to do. It's going to mean, it's sacrificial. You felt 239 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:48.279 what I'm saying. It's sacrificial to love that way. That 240 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:53.359 sacrifice is as if there's the shedding of blood. You're 241 00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:56.759 giving up yourself. I'm going to love you at my 242 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:59.920 own cost, at the cost of me. I'm going to 243 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:03.480 love you. Why am I gonna do that? Because I'm loved, 244 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:08.079 Because I'm loved, and because I'm loved and have received love, 245 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:13.359 and I'm no longer functioning in a need to be loved. 246 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:20.599 This love doesn't even need to be loved. You know 247 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:22.680 what's wrong with mom and dads today? And their kids. 248 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:26.400 They need their kids to love them. You know why 249 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:29.440 they need their kids to love them, because they aren't 250 00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:33.480 secure in God's love. If you aren't secure in God's love, 251 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:35.559 you need your kids to love you. If you need 252 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:38.759 your kids to love you, You've got an inverse relationship with 253 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:41.920 your family, your children. I'm talking about raising kids. I'm 254 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:46.960 not talking about adult kids, well even adult kids, even 255 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:47.680 adult kids. 256 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:49.039 I don't need them to love me. 257 00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:53.079 I need to love them. 258 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:55.359 I live to love them. I don't live for them 259 00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:59.000 to love me. I live to love them. Are you 260 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:01.319 with me? Let me? 261 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:03.319 I want to give you an example of how this 262 00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:09.119 kind of works. Last week I talked to you about 263 00:20:09.720 --> 00:20:15.480 and part of what I'm talking about is like living 264 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:22.200 in an atmosphere of forgiveness, creating within you, creating within 265 00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:25.640 you an atmosphere of forgiveness, Like this is what you 266 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:34.039 walk in. So instead of walking with an inner atmosphere 267 00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:39.799 of offense, looking for people to fail you and looking 268 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:43.519 for how they're failing you and looking to point that out, 269 00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:52.119 you're walking in an inner atmosphere of forgiveness, you know 270 00:20:52.119 --> 00:20:56.680 what I'm saying, So that you're constantly looking for opportunities 271 00:20:56.960 --> 00:21:00.559 to pour out mercy and grace. That have to pour 272 00:21:00.599 --> 00:21:07.000 out judgment. Where are our opportunities? Because when you pour 273 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:11.200 out mercy and grace, it draws people to you. When 274 00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:14.599 you pour out judgment, it pushes people away from you. 275 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:16.960 This is how God got all of us in this room. 276 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:20.240 He got all of us in this room because Jesus 277 00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:25.519 was lifted up in love. He was the demonstration of 278 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:29.799 the fullness of God's wilful a godad choice toward us 279 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:33.359 when we didn't deserve a thing, when we were unworthy 280 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:36.240 as can be, when there was no way for us 281 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:41.799 to earn ourselves into a place with God. God sent 282 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:47.119 the sun as a demonstration of love, and that's how 283 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:49.519 he got us in this room. We are drawn to 284 00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:53.680 him not because of judgment. We are drawn to him 285 00:21:53.920 --> 00:22:01.160 because of mercy, because we deserved so much more judgment. 286 00:22:01.720 --> 00:22:04.440 We deserve judgment, but we're not getting it. I'll give 287 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:08.119 you just a couple examples, a practical one. I talked 288 00:22:08.119 --> 00:22:10.640 to you last week about Airbnb when we went to 289 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:12.920 Pasadena two weeks ago. 290 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:20.440 And I'm a netpicker. What's the nitpicker? I don't know. 291 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:26.039 Will that fly on the television? Nitpicker? I find everything 292 00:22:26.039 --> 00:22:32.279 wrong with everything, you know, potentially probably sometimes you might 293 00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:34.400 be better at that than me, because. 294 00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:36.839 I overlook a lot, I cover a. 295 00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:41.200 Lot, but I have airbnbs, so when I go to, say, 296 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:45.920 in an airbb, I catch stuff right, and and the 297 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:47.599 others in the house with us, you know, we had 298 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:50.400 others from staff and elders with us, and they catch stuff. 299 00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:53.240 So on the thread, I started sending him some notes 300 00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:56.680 him or her, you know, sending some notes. You know, hey, 301 00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:59.400 we found this wrong. The master bedroom lights don't work, 302 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:03.319 and and you know we only you know, he left 303 00:23:03.400 --> 00:23:05.319 us six coffee pods, so I think we could use 304 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:07.880 some more than you know. And I just shot him 305 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:10.640 a bunch of notes about the airbnb. Well, you know 306 00:23:11.240 --> 00:23:17.920 that I was building a chasm. Now Ephesians four fifteen says, 307 00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:21.680 speak to truth and love. Well, it's hard for him 308 00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:23.759 to pick up any love in a thread on a 309 00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:27.559 text message. Most people read a text message with negativity, 310 00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:33.359 with fear. So I'm building this good chasm. So he's expecting, 311 00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:40.400 he's expecting a one or a two star, but instead I. 312 00:23:40.359 --> 00:23:41.319 Gave him a five star. 313 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:45.559 Because as we're talking through the thread, he's like, oh 314 00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:47.559 thank you, oh thank you, for letting me know about that. 315 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:50.119 Oh that's good. I didn't know that. We'll jump on that. 316 00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:53.000 I'm not figuring this guy gave me a shack on purpose. 317 00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:57.960 He posted his airbnb. He's just a scoundrel. It's just 318 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:00.519 a shack. He just posted his shack on purpose. He's 319 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:02.359 just ripping me off on burpose. No, no, no, I'm 320 00:24:02.359 --> 00:24:05.960 not thinking that. Because love a gope that floods your 321 00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:06.960 heart and my heart. 322 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:07.480 Firs. 323 00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:12.519 Corinthians thirteen defines it, and it says that love thinks 324 00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:18.279 the best of all things. Love believes the best. Love 325 00:24:18.359 --> 00:24:21.440 thinks the best. And so I'm not thinking the worst. 326 00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:25.119 I'm thinking the best. And so he's texting me back. Okay, 327 00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:27.920 we'll jump right on that one. But he knows there's 328 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:30.440 a big chasm because I've sent him for these big messages. 329 00:24:32.599 --> 00:24:34.799 But when it's all done, I gave him a five star. 330 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:39.599 See the truth. The truth. 331 00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:46.480 Set the stage for a chasm, but love built a bridge. 332 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:50.240 So he immediately sent me fifty dollars. He's like, Wow, 333 00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:53.000 I can't believe you did this. This is amazing. Thank 334 00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:57.599 you so much for not docking me's you know, like 335 00:24:57.640 --> 00:25:01.359 you had every right to dock me and thank you 336 00:25:01.400 --> 00:25:04.160 for not docking me. We're gonna jump right on this stuff. 337 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:06.559 And here's fifty dollars off of you know, here's fifty 338 00:25:06.599 --> 00:25:13.319 dollars off. So that's just a little practical thing. Thursday night, 339 00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:16.680 I asked if I could tell him, Elder Jeff, he's 340 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:21.000 not here to defend himself now. The first service he was, 341 00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:24.640 and so I asked him graciously if I could shame 342 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:27.000 him in front of the whole congregation. He said yes, 343 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:32.519 that'd be fine. So but Thursday night we had Restored Life, 344 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:34.720 I had to be in a different meeting in the building. 345 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:37.759 So I'm back in this other meeting. 346 00:25:38.119 --> 00:25:41.079 So I reached out to Elder Jeff, who's familiar with 347 00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:43.039 the Restored Life in the class. I reach out to 348 00:25:43.079 --> 00:25:50.960 Elder Jeff ahead of time, many days ahead of him, 349 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:53.359 and I said, could you cover, you know, be the 350 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:56.400 MC for Restored Life. We're going to show a video 351 00:25:56.599 --> 00:25:58.400 and then I want you to open this way. I 352 00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:00.240 want you to close this way, and then you know, 353 00:26:00.319 --> 00:26:02.559 get some reflections and thoughts and we could put people 354 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:04.759 in small groups and you know, prayer over people and 355 00:26:05.319 --> 00:26:07.359 that kind of thing, and we'll just have a great night. 356 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:10.720 And oh, yeah, I'd love to do that. When I 357 00:26:10.759 --> 00:26:12.880 came out of my When I came out of my 358 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:15.920 meeting at seven twenty one, in the back of the building, 359 00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:20.279 Adriana was up here, our restort life assistant was up 360 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:24.559 here on the microphone leading the meeting, and they weren't 361 00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:28.200 sure in the video yet, and I'm like, you know, 362 00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:30.400 so I came in the back and I gave her 363 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:36.480 that deer in the headlight look, you know, and she's like, 364 00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:40.039 oh yeah, And so, you know, she gets us to 365 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:42.160 a place where she could, you know, break us into 366 00:26:42.200 --> 00:26:44.480 the video, and then she comes and she's like, I 367 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:46.359 don't know who this older Jeff guy is, but he 368 00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:57.319 never showed up. So so I, uh, I texted him, 369 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:00.880 you know, I texted him as point in the night, 370 00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:03.880 not at that moment. By the way, what a lot 371 00:27:03.880 --> 00:27:06.759 of us do is we react to things before we 372 00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:12.039 think a lot of us what we're what we're doing 373 00:27:12.200 --> 00:27:15.279 is we're not thinking how can I how. 374 00:27:15.119 --> 00:27:16.240 Can I build a bridge? 375 00:27:17.079 --> 00:27:20.880 We're thinking how can I dig a chasm? And so 376 00:27:21.079 --> 00:27:27.519 when things go sideways, we pull out a shovel. We 377 00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:30.200 pull out a shovel, and we start pondering how we're 378 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:33.440 gonna dig that chasm. I'm gonna tell them a thing 379 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:35.960 or two. Wait till I get them on the phone. 380 00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:38.440 Can I don't do. I have to wait till the 381 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:41.480 end of the meeting. I can't believe how they made me. 382 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:45.759 Look look at this now, everybody thanks restored. Life is stupid. 383 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:49.240 The leadership is stupid. You're gonna blame the whole thing 384 00:27:49.240 --> 00:27:53.079 on pastor Dwayne. He's stupid too. And we're just digging 385 00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:54.759 this big shovel. I'm gonna give them a piece of 386 00:27:54.759 --> 00:27:57.680 my mind. Right, And this is what happened. We don't realize. 387 00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:59.920 We gotta we gotta stay over here? Is it? 388 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:04.759 No matter what, nothing can steal who? Uh? 389 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:07.279 You know what this is? By the way, this is 390 00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:15.559 this is uh. This is self love. Self love, self 391 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:25.440 love abides in. I am loved. The proper Romans says, 392 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:37.400 nothing can steal God's love from you. Nothing, tribulation, hardship, hunger, famine, difficulty, 393 00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:43.240 nothing can steal God's love from you, Nor can someone 394 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:49.839 failing you. Right, So that means we can stay up 395 00:28:49.880 --> 00:28:52.000 here in this realm. I can only love you. This 396 00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:55.200 is my partnership. This is loving others. I can only 397 00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:58.319 love you to the degree that I love myself. I 398 00:28:58.359 --> 00:29:01.240 can only love myself to the degree that I receive love. 399 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:07.319 But there's another factor, because many times we don't get 400 00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:20.920 delivered from those voices that belong to first atom. So 401 00:29:21.160 --> 00:29:26.039