1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: And I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,639 Speaker 1: Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 2: Hope it gives your perspective to see God is moving 6 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 2: in your life. 7 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: Enjoy the message. 8 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 3: So grateful to be here with you all today, apprecing 9 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 3: to what feels to me to be family, and get 10 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 3: so excited anytime I get to share space with you. 11 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:34,479 Speaker 3: And if you're not familiar with who I am, that's okay. 12 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 3: I'm just your crazy beige little nephew from Austin, Texas 13 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 3: that pulled up on you today. 14 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:45,480 Speaker 1: Just Khaki, just out here. 15 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 3: Praising God, Congratulations the Elevation Rhythm on the release Victory lab. 16 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 1: I was encouraging. 17 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 3: And depending on how you take it, encouraging or discouraging, Chris, 18 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 3: because I said, my twelve year old son was riding 19 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 3: the car with me the other day. He said, Dad, 20 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 3: why does Elevation Rhythm have more bangers in Elevation worship? 21 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 2: My? 22 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 3: How the turns of tabled? But seriously celebrating you and 23 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 3: what a testimony of this house always being about the 24 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 3: next generation building for the future, not just saying it, 25 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 3: but investing time, resources, platform, influence, and it just flows 26 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 3: from a generous house, which is the culmination of generous leadership. 27 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:54,919 Speaker 1: And I'm so grateful. 28 00:01:54,520 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 3: For your pastor, Pastor Stephen Ferdick Holly. I love you guys, 29 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 3: So grateful for your kindness, for your friendship, for your support. 30 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: Shout out to. 31 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 3: Chunks wherever he's bench pressing something today. 32 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: Just so grateful. 33 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 3: Chunks has been the secret weapon of Church of White 34 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 3: Stone and Austin. I've called him countless times and he 35 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 3: just makes room for us. And I'm so grateful, and 36 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 3: ultimately I'm grateful for you all because generosity doesn't just 37 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 3: flow to this church. 38 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 1: It flows through this church. 39 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 3: And it flowed right into Austin to White Stone to 40 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 3: help us plant our church fifteen months ago. 41 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: And I just want to let you know. 42 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 3: That God's doing something with the seed that you've sown. 43 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 3: That over the last fifteen months, we've baptized five hundred 44 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 3: and seven people. We've seen six hundred and thirty people 45 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 3: say yes to Jesus for the very first time. So 46 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 3: amazing to be a footnote in God's great story. And 47 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 3: I'm just so grateful for the ways that you have 48 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 3: partnered with us. We're gonna go quickly to the scripture. 49 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 3: Matthew five, verse one. Grab your bibles. If you don't 50 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 3: have it, this is elevation. You'll be able to read 51 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 3: it somewhere. It'll be on the screens. Matthew five, verse one. 52 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 3: When you got it, say I got it, singing church, 53 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 3: I love it. 54 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 1: Matthew five, verse one. 55 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 3: Now, when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on 56 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 3: a mountain side and sat down. His disciples came to him, 57 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 3: and he began. 58 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: To teach them. 59 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 3: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the 60 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 3: Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they 61 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 3: will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will 62 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 3: inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst 63 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 3: for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, 64 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 3: for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure 65 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:39,720 Speaker 3: in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, 66 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 3: for they will be called children of God. 67 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 1: Blessed are those. 68 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 3: Who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the 69 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:56,919 Speaker 3: Kingdom of Heaven. Today, with the help of the Holy Spirit, 70 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 3: I'll be drawing this title Joy to reintroduce himself. Allow 71 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 3: Joy to reintroduce himself. Would you pray with me? Jesus, 72 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 3: thank you so much for your word. I pray that 73 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 3: you would warm our hearts today to receive what it 74 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 3: is that you have to speak to us. 75 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 1: God. 76 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,280 Speaker 3: I pray that there would be a supernatural impartation of 77 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:31,839 Speaker 3: your joy, that it would flow from the pages of 78 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 3: these scriptures, from the heart of your presence, into the 79 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 3: lives of your people. We ask it in Jesus' name, 80 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 3: and the church said, Amen, you can go ahead and 81 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 3: take your seat. Allow Joy to reintroduce himself. I want 82 00:05:52,200 --> 00:06:00,160 Speaker 3: to ask you a question today, Who in human history 83 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 3: taught the most important message on joy? Who in human 84 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,040 Speaker 3: history taught the most important message on joy? 85 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: Now? 86 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 3: I know we got a lot of church folk up 87 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 3: in here today. I know there are a lot of 88 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 3: people who've been following Jesus for a long time in 89 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 3: the room and watching online today, and so I don't 90 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 3: just want to assume that we're all just drawing the 91 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 3: same conclusions about joy and the origins of the message 92 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 3: of joy, and who articulated. 93 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: The power of joy most perfectly. 94 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 3: Some of you may point to someone like Buddha and 95 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 3: say that Buddha taught the most important message on happiness 96 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 3: and joy. 97 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,359 Speaker 1: Seems like a pretty happy guy. 98 00:06:54,560 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 3: And he said this phrase that happiness, that there is 99 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 3: no path to happiness, happiness is the path. 100 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 1: Not bad. 101 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 3: I can tell I'm already losing the church. Were just 102 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 3: mentioning Buddha in this sacred space. What in the world 103 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 3: been in Austin And all of a sudden, You're just 104 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 3: You're gonna be all right. Maybe some of you would 105 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 3: point to a more stoic philosopher like Marcus Aurelius, an emperor. 106 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: He said that joy is the product of. 107 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 3: Self discipline, taking life as it comes to you, not 108 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 3: a bad swing at joy. Maybe more of you philosophical 109 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 3: individuals would say someone like Aristotle gave us the most 110 00:07:53,240 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 3: profound ideas that we have about joy and happiness. He 111 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 3: said that happiness depends on ourselves. None of those are 112 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 3: really bad swings at the idea. But I had to 113 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 3: go to the authority of all authorities. I had to 114 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 3: go to the resource huh, of all resources. I had 115 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 3: to go to chat GPT. Some of y'all were ready 116 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 3: to shout oh no, not ai. I just wanted to 117 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 3: test it see how it was feeling. I don't know 118 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,680 Speaker 3: if chat GPT got safe, sanctified and filled with the 119 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 3: Holy Ghost or what. But chat GPT preached back to 120 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 3: your boy, chat GPT said, Jesus Christ preach the most 121 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 3: important message on short there's the church, all right, I 122 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 3: got shock. Okay, if chat GPT said it, then now 123 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:01,319 Speaker 3: chat GPT he only has an eighty to ninety five 124 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 3: percent accuracy rate, so you got a fact check chat GPT. 125 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,680 Speaker 3: But in this case, I think that it was one 126 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 3: thousand percent right. Jesus taught the most important message on 127 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 3: joy in human history. But I wonder if we have 128 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 3: stopped long enough in our lives to analyze exactly how 129 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 3: Jesus introduced the message of joy. That's why I chose 130 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 3: this framework of Matthew five, because Jesus actually resets the 131 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 3: lens through which we identify happiness and joy in the 132 00:09:55,000 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 3: world and in our lives. Now, I'm I want to 133 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 3: test your religious reflex here. Don't at me, but the 134 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 3: next phrase that I'm about to say is going to 135 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 3: trigger you. Are you ready your happiness matters to God. 136 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: I know. 137 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 3: Maybe some of you were raised in environments adjacent to 138 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 3: the environment I was raised in, where you were taught 139 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 3: to believe God doesn't care if you're happy, do what 140 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 3: he says. Maybe some of you you don't even realize it, 141 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 3: but you have bought into the idea that the more 142 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 3: miserable you are, the more you're honoring God. I don't 143 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 3: serve him because I want to. I serve him because 144 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 3: I have to. I grew up hearing this priest and church. 145 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:04,079 Speaker 3: God doesn't care about your happiness. He cares about your holiness. 146 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: And it's so funny. 147 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 3: In church people will say stuff all the time that's 148 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 3: not in the Bible, and then they'll run out to 149 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 3: some print store and put it on a T shirt 150 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 3: and sell it out of the trunk of their car 151 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:27,719 Speaker 3: as if it was Bible truth. But this idea does 152 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 3: not exist in the scriptures. In fact, in order to 153 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:36,199 Speaker 3: understand the idea of joy, to understand the heart of God, 154 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 3: we don't go to our feelings. 155 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: We don't go to church culture, we don't go. 156 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 3: To secular culture. We go to the Word of God, 157 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 3: the scriptures. And when I look at the Word, it's 158 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 3: so important. How you look at the Word. You don't 159 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 3: just look at it, you look around it. And you 160 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 3: understanding the Word of God is so important because how 161 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 3: you you the word the scriptures determines how you view God, 162 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 3: and how you view God determines how you interpret the events. 163 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:11,839 Speaker 1: Of your life. 164 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 3: And so if I'm going to buy into a premise 165 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 3: that God only wants mean Christians and God only makes 166 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 3: miserable people, then I have gone outside of the very 167 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 3: character and nature of God that the Bible teaches. When 168 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 3: I look at Scripture, I see verses like in his 169 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 3: presence is the fullness of joy? Well, if joy is 170 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:46,319 Speaker 3: in his presence, how could he produce what he does 171 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 3: not possess? And so he must possess joy. 172 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: To produce joy. 173 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 3: I'm coming after this whole God only wants to mean 174 00:12:56,280 --> 00:13:01,680 Speaker 3: Christians thing, And if you can't in church, I hate 175 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 3: to tell you you're the problem. Can't nobody be more saved 176 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 3: and more mean looking than a Christian? 177 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 1: Wild But even when you. 178 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,719 Speaker 3: Look at God and you see that the angels are 179 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 3: gathered around his throne declaring, Holy, Holy, Holy is the 180 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 3: Lord God Almighty, and the earth is filled with his glory, 181 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 3: They're beholding His holiness. But they're not just saying Holy, Holy, Holy. 182 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 3: The scripture indicates that they're singing Holy, Holy, Holy will. 183 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: Singing is a product of joy. 184 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 3: So something that heaven is experiencing in God's presence is 185 00:13:53,600 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 3: provoking a praise from a source of worship. This is 186 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:05,439 Speaker 3: so important for you to understand today. It's because some 187 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 3: of you have been living your lives believing that God 188 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 3: is withholding a certain aspect of his nature from you, 189 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 3: that he's keeping a dimension of his character from you. 190 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 3: Because we've been convinced that our happiness is dependent on 191 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 3: something that we go into the world and get. But 192 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 3: it's not going out into the world that allows us 193 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 3: to possess happiness and joy. It's going to what Dallas 194 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 3: Willard called the great beyond within, where the character of 195 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 3: Christ is being formed in your heart. So my happiness 196 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 3: doesn't flow from my dreams, doesn't flow from my plans, 197 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 3: doesn't flow from whatever season of. 198 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: Life I'm in. 199 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 3: It flows from the character of Jesus being formed in 200 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 3: my heart. But you first have to buy into the 201 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 3: premise that God is uniquely invested in your happiness. When 202 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 3: I looked at Matthew five, I was shooketh when I 203 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 3: realized that Matthew five records. What theologians and scholars all 204 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 3: agree on is Jesus' inaugural sermon, his very first message 205 00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 3: that someone wrote down, and the first word. 206 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: That Jesus says is blessed. Have you considered. 207 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 3: That that Jesus stepped into time and space, split history 208 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 3: in half with his mere existence, and he goes with 209 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 3: his disciples, sits down on a hillside on an ordinary day, 210 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 3: and the first word that he declares that he knows 211 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 3: would be echoed throughout human history is the word blessed. 212 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 1: Wow. 213 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 3: You know, we give a lot of credence to famous 214 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 3: last words, famous last words, words that are powerful because 215 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 3: they seal a moment or a season. Famous last words 216 00:16:54,160 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 3: like ain't gonna be no rematch, Apollo Creeve Rocky four. 217 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,880 Speaker 3: Famous last words like don't let it in like this, 218 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 3: Tell them I said something, Pancho Villa. Famous last words 219 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 3: like I only regret that I have but one life 220 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:28,920 Speaker 3: to lose for my country Nathan Hale. Famous last words 221 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:34,400 Speaker 3: like you must do me this honor. Promise me you'll survive, 222 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:38,360 Speaker 3: that you won't give up no matter what happens, no 223 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:47,160 Speaker 3: matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Rose, and never let 224 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 3: go of that promise. 225 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: I'll never let go. Let's go what I have to do. 226 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 1: Leo like that, y'all. We all know there was room 227 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: on the thing. On the floaty thing, there was room. 228 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:15,680 Speaker 3: Rose, you're selfish. They stole Titanic two from us, y'all. 229 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 3: I'm not okay. Famous last words, But shouldn't there be 230 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 3: something said about famous first words, not because of their finality, 231 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 3: but because of their primacy, their priority, the fact that 232 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 3: they were spoken first. 233 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:40,440 Speaker 1: Famous first words. 234 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 3: Like four score and seven years ago, Happy Memorial Day, 235 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 3: Famous first words. I have a dream that little black 236 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,360 Speaker 3: boys and little white girls would make little. 237 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:03,199 Speaker 1: Khaki kids praise speaking tongue. 238 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 4: I'm living the dream, Marian, I'm living it. 239 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:09,679 Speaker 1: Martin Luther Game. 240 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:25,160 Speaker 3: A famous first words and a galaxy fuck oh, y'all, 241 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 3: Some nerds, y'all. Elevation got a reputation for being so 242 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 3: cool Star Wars nerds. Famous first words, last words, first words, 243 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 3: last words, first words, last words, first words. The last 244 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 3: word of the Old Testament is curse. The first word 245 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,680 Speaker 3: Jesus says in the first book of Your New Testament 246 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:02,880 Speaker 3: and his first sermon. 247 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:16,640 Speaker 1: Is blessed Jesus, the embodiment all of the law prophecies. 248 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 3: Jesus, the one who did not abolish the law but 249 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 3: fulfilled it to the finest detail, while ironically crushing the 250 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 3: spirit of religion. In one word, reverses every reality that 251 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 3: people living through that Old Testament era had experienced. 252 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:49,679 Speaker 1: All they were left with was a curse. 253 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 3: Because of the stringent rules and the traditions. 254 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 1: All that they had was the curse. Even the law. 255 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 3: The Bible says, the letter brings death, but the spirit 256 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 3: is life. 257 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: And yet the. 258 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:07,360 Speaker 3: Spirit was not given until Acts two, and so these 259 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,919 Speaker 3: people were living under the reality of the curse until 260 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 3: Grace and Truth sat down on a hillside and started 261 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:20,440 Speaker 3: to reorient the heart of humanity back to God's original 262 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 3: intention and design for humanity. Because the first interaction God 263 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 3: ever had with people was not to rebuke them, It 264 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:35,200 Speaker 3: was not to correct them. 265 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:36,640 Speaker 1: Although he does. 266 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 3: This in his loving kindness, this was not his original intention. 267 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 1: Genesis one twenty. 268 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:49,439 Speaker 3: Eight records the first action of God toward humanity, and 269 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:56,400 Speaker 3: the scripture says, and God blessed them and told them 270 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 3: to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. 271 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:01,360 Speaker 1: And so Jesus. 272 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:08,640 Speaker 3: Turns the heart of a religiously cold people, one who 273 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:14,119 Speaker 3: only knew a God from the distance back to the 274 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 3: original heart of blessing of God's people. Now, when they 275 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 3: heard the word blessed, they did not hear what we hear. 276 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 3: It was not come on twenty fourteen hashtag blessed. They 277 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 3: did not think card, They did not think house, They 278 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 3: did not think stuff. They did not think ocean side, villa. 279 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 3: They didn't think any of those things. The word in 280 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:53,600 Speaker 3: the original language means happy. This is what got me all. 281 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 3: This is why I wrote a book about this. I 282 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 3: couldn't get away from it. 283 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: You mean to tell me that the first word God said. 284 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 3: When he is speaking to people that will reverberate their generations, 285 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:20,120 Speaker 3: he chooses the word happy. It made me ask, how 286 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:24,719 Speaker 3: important must your happiness be to the heart of God 287 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 3: if it's the first thing he points us toward. God 288 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 3: wants you to be happy. 289 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: Wild. 290 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 3: I had an idea that was floated to me by 291 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 3: someone that this church has a great history with. I 292 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 3: wasn't gonna out him, but I decided to wage Joy 293 00:23:56,240 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 3: gave me this advice. He said, it'd be a great 294 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 3: idea if you do a five year trip with all 295 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 3: your kids every five years, take them on something just them. 296 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: You and Lorna. When we had two kids. 297 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 3: This was a great idea. We got four of them things. 298 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 3: But we started it and now we can't retract it. 299 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 3: So I went to my all this sun. He was 300 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 3: turning five at the time. I said, hey, bro, your 301 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 3: five year trips coming up. Where you want to go? 302 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:42,160 Speaker 3: I thought, we live in Texas, y'all. So I thought 303 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:45,640 Speaker 3: he want to go to the Alamo, you know, down 304 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 3: to the Mexico border. 305 00:24:48,040 --> 00:25:00,040 Speaker 1: That would be interesting. No, my boy said, then I 306 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 1: want to go to Disney World, the trip of all trips. 307 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:09,920 Speaker 3: Now I had a thing that I was doing for work, 308 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 3: so we actually got to make it happen and we 309 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 3: went to Disney World. But I realized I immediately sat 310 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 3: a very high precedent. And so here comes his little 311 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 3: brother lawson. He's five years old. Dad, it's time for 312 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 3: my five year trip, and I know where I want 313 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 3: to go. 314 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 1: Where we going, boss? Japan? 315 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:42,879 Speaker 3: I said, Japan? What my fault, My fault, little brother, 316 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:49,159 Speaker 3: my fault. Anywhere in the continental United States of America. 317 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: Where would you like to? 318 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:53,280 Speaker 3: Eh? 319 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: What a god in Japan? Do I Tachi bay. 320 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 3: She hey boy, you can't even speak English. What are 321 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 3: you doing? We're not going to Japan? Fine, he wipes 322 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 3: his last tear. I'll go to Disney World. Spoiled. 323 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,199 Speaker 1: We went to disney World, then Navy. 324 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 3: He was three and a half, talking about Disney word, 325 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:32,199 Speaker 3: Disney word, Disney word and if history repeats itself, we 326 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:36,120 Speaker 3: got a fifth birthday coming up. God, help you see 327 00:26:36,119 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 3: why I wrote a book. Help me help This was Wade. 328 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 1: I blame you. I'm sending you an invoice. 329 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:52,879 Speaker 3: Disney is known as the happiest place on Earth. You 330 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 3: don't have to be there more than five minutes to 331 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 3: realize what do you mean happy? You got people stomping 332 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 3: their feet, throwing fits, rolling on the ground, whining, complaining, 333 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 3: and the kids are misbehaving too. You go to Disney World, 334 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 3: you either get in a picture with Mickey Mouse or divorce. 335 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 1: It's what it's It's crazy to me, the happiest place 336 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:24,639 Speaker 1: on earth. 337 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 3: I found that Disney World isn't just the home of 338 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 3: Mickey Mouse and tinker Bell. It's the home of meltdowns, trauma. 339 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 3: What are you and counseling here today for it? Well, 340 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 3: my dad took up me on five year trips. And 341 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:50,440 Speaker 3: it's interesting that we have certain expectations connected to certain locations, 342 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:57,120 Speaker 3: certain locations in our lives. And I'm not talking about 343 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 3: Disney World. Obviously. Some of you you're graduating, Yeah, let's 344 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 3: go congratulations. But if you're honest, you're like, thank God, 345 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 3: I'm done with high school. Being done with high school 346 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 3: will be the happiest place on Earth. 347 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 1: Then you go to college. 348 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:32,160 Speaker 3: Once I get this degree, I'm gonna be in the 349 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 3: happiest place on Earth. 350 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: But once you leave college, guess where you get to 351 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 1: go to work? 352 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 3: And you're not gonna make enough money to pay for 353 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 3: the college. 354 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 1: The happiest place on earth. 355 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 3: If he would just purpose to me, don't you want 356 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:00,120 Speaker 3: me to be happy? 357 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: This is not gonna work. I need a ring in 358 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 1: three weeks. Happiest place on Earth. And then we keep 359 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 1: pushing it off. 360 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 3: Well, once we have a kid, and once we move 361 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 3: from this apartment into the house, and once I redesign 362 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 3: the kitchen, and once I do this, and then finally, 363 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 3: always pushing our happiness up ahead somewhere, robbing ourselves of 364 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:22,719 Speaker 3: what God wants to do. 365 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: Right here. 366 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:28,719 Speaker 3: I promise you these two words will rob you of 367 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 3: more joy in your life than any other. Two words 368 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 3: you can put together, and those two words are what's next. 369 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: What's next will cripple your life. 370 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 3: What's next will shipwreck your faith. What's next will destroy 371 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 3: your sense of contentment and fulfillment. We have to ask 372 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 3: a better question if we want to get better answers. 373 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:55,840 Speaker 3: The better question is not what's next. The better question 374 00:29:56,040 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 3: is what's here? What's here, what's in these kids, what's 375 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 3: in this marriage, what's in this job, what's in this season, 376 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 3: what's in this church? I think this is why Jesus 377 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 3: chose the location from which he delivered his message very intentionally, 378 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 3: because he didn't go to Mount Sinai to give a 379 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 3: master class on joy. 380 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 1: He didn't go to Mount Zion, with. 381 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 3: All of the prestige that it carries in scripture, to 382 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 3: deliver a master class on joy. 383 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 1: No, he went to what we believe to be is 384 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 1: a mountain. 385 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:46,560 Speaker 3: But when you write a book, you actually have to 386 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 3: do research to make sure it's kind of true. 387 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:52,360 Speaker 1: And so I looked it up. It's not a mountain, 388 00:30:54,000 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 1: it's a hill. You got Sinai seven. 389 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:05,440 Speaker 3: Thousand, five hundred feet in elevation, you got Zion two thousand, 390 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 3: five hundred feet in elevation. You got this hill that 391 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 3: you want to know the name of. Except I'm gonna 392 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 3: tell you right now. The Bible doesn't record it. It's 393 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:14,800 Speaker 3: not even a footnote in the scripture. 394 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: Four hundred feet in elevation. It's a hill. And Jesus 395 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:25,360 Speaker 1: doesn't stand. 396 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 4: In declass some great teaching, blest all the poemspir for 397 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 4: that's the kingdom of heaven. 398 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 1: No, he just sits down. 399 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:54,520 Speaker 3: On an ordinary day, in an ordinary place, and he 400 00:31:54,640 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 3: uses the topography to illustrate the theology of joy. Because 401 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 3: the name of that hill is Aramis, and Aramis means desolate. 402 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: And isolated. And so Jesus chooses. 403 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:25,440 Speaker 3: A desolate, isolated place to teach us about joy. If 404 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 3: I'm running this show, we're pulling up somewhere, sweet, we 405 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 3: going to Disney World. 406 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:43,880 Speaker 1: But Jesus is in this space that looks like nothing 407 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 1: and communicates the heart of joy. 408 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:55,720 Speaker 3: Why because a lot of life is not lived on Sinai. 409 00:32:57,240 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 1: Or Zion. 410 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 3: Most of life has lived in Aramis. You will spend 411 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:11,960 Speaker 3: more time in traffic than on vacation. You will spend 412 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:14,880 Speaker 3: more time getting crushed by life than crushing it. 413 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 1: And Jesus wanted to show us joy works here, joy 414 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 1: lives here. 415 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 3: There was nothing to be seen. Those people seated on 416 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:40,479 Speaker 3: that hillside. All they could see was Jesus. And maybe 417 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 3: the reason why we cannot experience joy in our lives 418 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:59,520 Speaker 3: is because we're constantly looking around Jesus, not Adam. An 419 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 3: author and pastor named David Murray gave us. 420 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:04,800 Speaker 1: Seven categories for happiness. 421 00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:16,839 Speaker 3: Social happiness, vocational happiness, intellectual happiness, physical happiness like through 422 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:24,040 Speaker 3: exercise and things like that, humor happiness, creation happiness for 423 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:27,120 Speaker 3: all of you outdoors people, it's so weird to be 424 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 3: but why be outside when there's a perfectly air conditioned 425 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:38,839 Speaker 3: room somewhere close running water and everything. And the last 426 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:42,879 Speaker 3: one is spiritual happiness. Now, because God is so good 427 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:46,440 Speaker 3: in his common grace, he allows all people to experience 428 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:51,960 Speaker 3: six of those seven categories. You can be outside of 429 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:58,920 Speaker 3: relationship with Jesus and still experience a partial fulfillment that 430 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:04,720 Speaker 3: friendship brings, that work brings, that things bring into your life. 431 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:08,720 Speaker 3: But what we do so we try to take all 432 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 3: six of those categories and use them to fill the 433 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:17,240 Speaker 3: void that is created when we don't have the seventh 434 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:26,560 Speaker 3: spiritual happiness. Spiritual happiness is a seal around the human soul. 435 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:31,440 Speaker 3: If you don't have spiritual happiness, you can swallow the 436 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:36,280 Speaker 3: world whole and still be empty because your soul is leaking. 437 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:44,839 Speaker 3: But if you allow the presence of God, the ways 438 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:49,320 Speaker 3: of God, the will of God to seal your heart, 439 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:54,880 Speaker 3: it amplifies the joy and happiness you receive from every 440 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:58,759 Speaker 3: other category. So I get more joy out of my 441 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:02,799 Speaker 3: friendships because I'm not there to always air my problems 442 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:06,120 Speaker 3: to them. I'm there to take the way of Jesus 443 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,160 Speaker 3: and listen more than I speak. 444 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:15,680 Speaker 1: What a thought. 445 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:20,160 Speaker 3: When I have the spiritual seal of happiness around my soul, 446 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:26,040 Speaker 3: I go to work, and although the environment is toxic, 447 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 3: it doesn't influence me. I influence it because even though 448 00:36:32,200 --> 00:36:36,320 Speaker 3: my boss is hard to work with, I'm not working 449 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:37,640 Speaker 3: for him. 450 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 1: I'm working unto the Lord, and so. 451 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:45,080 Speaker 3: Every menial task that I perform is done in service 452 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:49,160 Speaker 3: of the King, not in an effort to be promoted. 453 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:51,440 Speaker 1: And when I take my eyes. 454 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 3: Off of everyone having to have their eyes on me, 455 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 3: and I put my eyes on other people, I am 456 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:04,000 Speaker 3: greatly fulfilled than other areas of my life. The joy 457 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:08,360 Speaker 3: is amplified when Jesus is the center and the seal. 458 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:16,279 Speaker 3: This is what Jesus was communicating through these words. Now, 459 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:18,840 Speaker 3: obviously I could literally sit here and talk to you 460 00:37:18,920 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 3: guys for hours about this. That's why I had to 461 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:28,720 Speaker 3: write about it, because we cannot even withhold the beatitudes 462 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:32,359 Speaker 3: have become like wallpaper in Christian gatherings. We know them, 463 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:35,360 Speaker 3: but we don't even understand them. 464 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:37,000 Speaker 1: Isn't that crazy, guys? 465 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:43,600 Speaker 3: This is the first thing Jesus talked about. How important 466 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:47,719 Speaker 3: must it be? And yeah, he gets to your holiness 467 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 3: and he gets to the ways of your life, but 468 00:37:52,239 --> 00:37:55,359 Speaker 3: not before he introduces us to these ideas. But this 469 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:55,680 Speaker 3: is this. 470 00:37:57,120 --> 00:37:59,920 Speaker 1: It hasn't let me go yet, y'all. 471 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:05,960 Speaker 3: When Jesus is speaking through these Blessed are the poor 472 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:11,279 Speaker 3: and spirit, Blessed are those who mourn. He's not just 473 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:16,839 Speaker 3: giving us good ideas. He's not just showing us ideals 474 00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 3: to live up to. He's revealing himself. He was the 475 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:32,960 Speaker 3: one who became poor in spirit. He had the treasures 476 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:38,600 Speaker 3: of glory in his hands, and he traded it in 477 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:43,760 Speaker 3: for the dust of the earth. Although he was equal 478 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:46,680 Speaker 3: with God, he didn't see his equality with God as 479 00:38:46,719 --> 00:38:51,560 Speaker 3: something to be grasped. But he emptied himself, came to 480 00:38:51,640 --> 00:38:54,799 Speaker 3: the lowest form a human, a servant, obedient to death, 481 00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 3: even death on the cross. 482 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:01,839 Speaker 1: He knows what it's like to be virtually bankrupt. 483 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:09,640 Speaker 3: He knows what it's like to ask God why. Hanging 484 00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:14,799 Speaker 3: on the cross was the first time he felt a 485 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 3: total depravity, our depravity, our sin, and he asked God, 486 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:24,960 Speaker 3: why have you forsaken me? If he asked God, why 487 00:39:25,320 --> 00:39:31,359 Speaker 3: stop beating yourself up? Because you have wow, you get 488 00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:37,880 Speaker 3: to ask God questions. He was the one who mourned, 489 00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:47,239 Speaker 3: can you hold the implications that God cried? Why do 490 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:49,600 Speaker 3: you have to show up so strong all the time, 491 00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:55,880 Speaker 3: never a crack in the armor, got all these churchy 492 00:39:55,920 --> 00:39:57,239 Speaker 3: phrases that don't mean nothing. 493 00:39:57,280 --> 00:39:57,920 Speaker 1: How you doing. 494 00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:05,600 Speaker 3: Blessed in highly favored, breaking on the inside, How you 495 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:07,879 Speaker 3: doing well? He's been better than me that I've been 496 00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:09,200 Speaker 3: to myself, Praise God. 497 00:40:12,400 --> 00:40:14,440 Speaker 1: If I was any better, I'd be dead. 498 00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:26,040 Speaker 3: What No, My boy's favorite Bible verse to quote right now? 499 00:40:26,120 --> 00:40:31,280 Speaker 3: They feel so studious, Dad, I memorized part of the Bible, really, 500 00:40:31,320 --> 00:40:35,680 Speaker 3: but I didn't know you had a Bible. What did 501 00:40:35,719 --> 00:40:36,440 Speaker 3: you memorize? 502 00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:39,640 Speaker 1: Jesus wept? 503 00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:48,239 Speaker 3: But we cannot really understand the weight of the implications 504 00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:50,040 Speaker 3: that those two words hold. 505 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:55,400 Speaker 1: If Jesus cried, if Jesus felt, you have. 506 00:40:55,480 --> 00:41:01,200 Speaker 3: Permission to feel, I love something that your pastor said. 507 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:03,560 Speaker 3: The presence of God is not the place that you 508 00:41:03,640 --> 00:41:08,319 Speaker 3: go to bypass your emotions. The presence of God is 509 00:41:08,360 --> 00:41:13,160 Speaker 3: the place that you go to process them. You have 510 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 3: permission to feel however you feel, and then allow the 511 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:27,600 Speaker 3: Gospel into those feelings to transform them. God does not 512 00:41:27,719 --> 00:41:32,360 Speaker 3: want you burying your feelings. The problem with buried feelings 513 00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:38,480 Speaker 3: is we bury them alive, and then at some point, 514 00:41:38,680 --> 00:41:43,879 Speaker 3: unprocessed pain finds its way into our lives and symptoms 515 00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:46,880 Speaker 3: we feel like we have no control over because we 516 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:52,240 Speaker 3: never gave ourselves permission to come into a room and feel. 517 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:56,800 Speaker 3: Do you know that's why you cry in God's presence? 518 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:03,959 Speaker 3: That it is a physical response to a spiritual transformation 519 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:08,440 Speaker 3: taking place when you're in worship and listening to music 520 00:42:08,920 --> 00:42:12,799 Speaker 3: the disintegrated part of your brain when you cry, your 521 00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:21,680 Speaker 3: brain is reintegrated. So there is a literal, biological, neurological 522 00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:26,360 Speaker 3: aspect to worship. That's why we say you're not wasting 523 00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:31,080 Speaker 3: time when you're praising God. You're literally allowing him to 524 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:37,680 Speaker 3: heal your heart, your mind, your will. 525 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:39,560 Speaker 1: Your emotions. 526 00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:43,080 Speaker 3: And if you don't allow God to heal you there, 527 00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:57,920 Speaker 3: you won't ever be happy. He was the one crown 528 00:42:58,000 --> 00:43:05,120 Speaker 3: with meekness. He was the one, Oh my Goodness, who 529 00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:10,399 Speaker 3: hungered and thirsted after righteousness, so much so that when 530 00:43:10,440 --> 00:43:13,080 Speaker 3: they tried to quench his thirst on the cross, he 531 00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:16,400 Speaker 3: refused to drink because the only thing that would satisfy 532 00:43:16,480 --> 00:43:19,319 Speaker 3: him was your righteousness being fulfilled. 533 00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:25,279 Speaker 1: In order to reintroduce you to. 534 00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:32,120 Speaker 3: Joy, I have to allow Joy to reintroduce himself. 535 00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:41,800 Speaker 1: Because joy is not a thing. It's not a feeling, 536 00:43:43,719 --> 00:43:54,640 Speaker 1: it's not an emotion, it's a person. You spell joy 537 00:43:56,200 --> 00:44:02,040 Speaker 1: jay E s U s. 538 00:44:02,920 --> 00:44:05,640 Speaker 3: And I know it's the simplest thing in the world. 539 00:44:07,239 --> 00:44:10,040 Speaker 3: But the hardest thing for us to wrestle down in 540 00:44:10,040 --> 00:44:16,120 Speaker 3: our spirit is that there's only one doorway into the 541 00:44:16,239 --> 00:44:22,960 Speaker 3: joy of the Lord, and it's Jesus himself. And I 542 00:44:23,040 --> 00:44:25,319 Speaker 3: know we like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, all. 543 00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:27,000 Speaker 1: Right, now tell me something that actually helps me. 544 00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:39,160 Speaker 3: We believe that, but we also expect Joy to walk 545 00:44:39,200 --> 00:44:39,719 Speaker 3: through the door. 546 00:44:39,760 --> 00:44:42,399 Speaker 1: With our kids. 547 00:44:43,320 --> 00:44:45,319 Speaker 3: If you did a little bit better in school, I 548 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:50,200 Speaker 3: would feel a little less like a failure. My Joy 549 00:44:50,239 --> 00:44:57,640 Speaker 3: is connected to your achievement, so go achieve. We expect 550 00:44:57,760 --> 00:45:01,560 Speaker 3: joy to walk through the door with our spouse, and 551 00:45:01,760 --> 00:45:04,839 Speaker 3: unless her name is Joy, that's not happening. Miss. 552 00:45:10,000 --> 00:45:24,080 Speaker 1: We see our spouse as an access point to joy empty. 553 00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:27,120 Speaker 3: The most beautiful thing about this scripture is in the 554 00:45:27,120 --> 00:45:31,280 Speaker 3: first line, Jesus. 555 00:45:33,560 --> 00:45:39,440 Speaker 1: Went and sat down on a hillside. 556 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:43,200 Speaker 3: It tells me, you canna have joy and a posture 557 00:45:43,239 --> 00:45:48,320 Speaker 3: of rest. We think we gotta work for joy, work 558 00:45:48,400 --> 00:45:50,680 Speaker 3: for I gotta work for joy, and yeah, you have 559 00:45:50,719 --> 00:45:57,640 Speaker 3: to participate. But he's seated, and then it says, the 560 00:45:57,760 --> 00:45:59,640 Speaker 3: crowd gathers. 561 00:46:00,960 --> 00:46:06,560 Speaker 1: Him. If we're honest, we need to evaluate our lives. 562 00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:13,080 Speaker 3: What are we really gathering around? I know for me, 563 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:17,480 Speaker 3: I love to gather around work. Work doesn't feel like 564 00:46:17,560 --> 00:46:20,840 Speaker 3: work to me. I love to work. It's a problem. 565 00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:29,239 Speaker 3: I'm in counseling talking to my therapist. Like, brother, you 566 00:46:29,320 --> 00:46:31,920 Speaker 3: gotta help me. He said, what your prayer life look like? 567 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:33,960 Speaker 3: I described it to him. He said, that sounds like 568 00:46:34,040 --> 00:46:38,120 Speaker 3: work too, He said, have you just thought about delighting 569 00:46:38,120 --> 00:46:40,160 Speaker 3: in the Lord? I said, that sounds great. How do 570 00:46:40,200 --> 00:46:43,360 Speaker 3: you do that? He said, well, what if you just 571 00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:45,839 Speaker 3: showed up and just sat down? With the Lord. I said, 572 00:46:45,840 --> 00:46:48,040 Speaker 3: that's perfect. When I was writing my book, I rented 573 00:46:48,040 --> 00:46:50,439 Speaker 3: an airbnb. It's twenty five minutes from my house. I'll 574 00:46:50,520 --> 00:46:52,520 Speaker 3: just go be with the Lord, delight in the Lord 575 00:46:52,800 --> 00:46:54,240 Speaker 3: three to four hours. 576 00:46:54,320 --> 00:46:56,520 Speaker 1: Once a week. I'll just go up and do that. 577 00:46:56,600 --> 00:47:04,320 Speaker 3: And he just smirked at me, like, or you could 578 00:47:04,400 --> 00:47:07,440 Speaker 3: close the door to the room you're sitting and shut 579 00:47:07,480 --> 00:47:12,319 Speaker 3: off your phone, put your Bible aside because you cannot 580 00:47:12,360 --> 00:47:16,399 Speaker 3: help but writing some message down, and just close your 581 00:47:16,440 --> 00:47:22,280 Speaker 3: eyes and be with God for ten minutes. I just laughed. 582 00:47:22,280 --> 00:47:24,320 Speaker 3: I went into the living room. I said, Lorna, babe, 583 00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:28,560 Speaker 3: why am I like this? Why when someone says you 584 00:47:28,600 --> 00:47:36,399 Speaker 3: need to spend time with God do I immediately think zion, Airbnb, 585 00:47:36,880 --> 00:47:38,000 Speaker 3: three four hours. 586 00:47:40,080 --> 00:47:45,240 Speaker 1: God's an aramis God's in the simple. 587 00:47:47,360 --> 00:47:50,080 Speaker 3: And when I sat there and I just thought about God, 588 00:47:52,520 --> 00:47:53,719 Speaker 3: something filled. 589 00:47:53,400 --> 00:48:00,280 Speaker 1: My soul, an energy of vitality. 590 00:48:00,960 --> 00:48:04,520 Speaker 3: And when I went back and talked to my counselor again, 591 00:48:04,560 --> 00:48:06,839 Speaker 3: he said, how did it go? I said, it was amazing, 592 00:48:08,280 --> 00:48:11,279 Speaker 3: it was so easy. He said, how did you see 593 00:48:11,400 --> 00:48:15,640 Speaker 3: God in that moment? I was like, well, I've got 594 00:48:15,640 --> 00:48:20,839 Speaker 3: two answers. I've got what I experienced and then how 595 00:48:20,880 --> 00:48:25,600 Speaker 3: I relabeled what I experienced. What I experienced was like 596 00:48:25,640 --> 00:48:28,040 Speaker 3: when I'm sitting across the table from one of my boys, 597 00:48:30,120 --> 00:48:35,040 Speaker 3: just looking into their eyes. Creepy Dad, I know, I 598 00:48:35,120 --> 00:48:39,760 Speaker 3: just love you. I just love you. I love everything 599 00:48:40,000 --> 00:48:42,600 Speaker 3: about you. I love those freckles on your face. I 600 00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:47,240 Speaker 3: love those curls on your head. I love the dreams 601 00:48:47,280 --> 00:48:50,320 Speaker 3: I see in your eyes. I love that you're my son. 602 00:48:52,640 --> 00:48:54,520 Speaker 1: I said. I felt like God was looking at me 603 00:48:54,640 --> 00:49:01,919 Speaker 1: like that. And then when I went and. 604 00:49:01,840 --> 00:49:03,839 Speaker 3: I thought about it again, I was like, well, there's 605 00:49:03,880 --> 00:49:08,799 Speaker 3: another version of this story in my mind too. It 606 00:49:08,920 --> 00:49:11,120 Speaker 3: was like God had his sleep rolled up and he 607 00:49:11,200 --> 00:49:14,280 Speaker 3: was just pacing back and forth with his hand tucked 608 00:49:14,360 --> 00:49:16,640 Speaker 3: under his chin in a furrow brow, like he was 609 00:49:16,680 --> 00:49:21,520 Speaker 3: solving a problem. And when he recognized I was there, 610 00:49:21,600 --> 00:49:24,000 Speaker 3: he kind of sighed eyed, glanced at me, and said, 611 00:49:24,280 --> 00:49:31,400 Speaker 3: glad you're finally here, Because. 612 00:49:31,040 --> 00:49:33,400 Speaker 1: All that I've known is a God who wanted to 613 00:49:33,719 --> 00:49:37,640 Speaker 1: use me to accomplish something. 614 00:49:41,640 --> 00:49:44,680 Speaker 3: I thought that was the greatest touch of God. 615 00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:48,040 Speaker 1: Was to be used by him. 616 00:49:50,680 --> 00:49:53,200 Speaker 3: I've realized it's a far greater treasure. 617 00:49:54,320 --> 00:49:58,000 Speaker 1: To be loved by him. 618 00:49:58,040 --> 00:50:03,160 Speaker 3: And when you receive the love of God, he pours 619 00:50:03,280 --> 00:50:08,719 Speaker 3: his joy into your heart, and it's produced from His 620 00:50:08,840 --> 00:50:13,960 Speaker 3: spirit in you. When you filled with the spirit, you 621 00:50:14,000 --> 00:50:17,719 Speaker 3: get the features of the spirit. The evidence of God 622 00:50:17,800 --> 00:50:26,240 Speaker 3: and a person is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 623 00:50:26,280 --> 00:50:32,120 Speaker 3: meekness of control. But I wonder if what you've been 624 00:50:32,160 --> 00:50:37,320 Speaker 3: searching the world for has been inside of the universe 625 00:50:37,400 --> 00:50:42,040 Speaker 3: in you all along, but you got to come through 626 00:50:42,080 --> 00:50:45,400 Speaker 3: the doorway of Jesus to get to it. If you 627 00:50:45,400 --> 00:50:48,400 Speaker 3: would stand today, thank you for letting me share my 628 00:50:48,440 --> 00:50:59,040 Speaker 3: heart today. I was disappointed Pastor Stephen wasn't here too, 629 00:50:59,160 --> 00:51:01,840 Speaker 3: So we're all in that boat together. 630 00:51:01,920 --> 00:51:03,319 Speaker 1: He'll be back kits his church. 631 00:51:07,000 --> 00:51:12,520 Speaker 3: But I want to invite you today to experience the 632 00:51:12,760 --> 00:51:19,160 Speaker 3: joy of the Lord. Hebrews says of the Son of God, 633 00:51:19,239 --> 00:51:24,600 Speaker 3: that God poured the oil of joy on him so 634 00:51:24,640 --> 00:51:30,680 Speaker 3: that he would have more joy than anyone else. This 635 00:51:30,719 --> 00:51:35,719 Speaker 3: is available to you, but it comes through a relationship 636 00:51:35,840 --> 00:51:40,520 Speaker 3: with Jesus. Some of you today need to take the 637 00:51:40,600 --> 00:51:45,800 Speaker 3: first step toward allowing Joy to reintroduce himself by putting 638 00:51:45,880 --> 00:51:47,040 Speaker 3: your faith. 639 00:51:46,920 --> 00:51:49,080 Speaker 1: In Jesus once and for all. 640 00:51:50,920 --> 00:51:53,480 Speaker 3: Would you pray with me, Lord, I pray that you 641 00:51:53,520 --> 00:52:00,680 Speaker 3: would open our hearts to receive your joy, the joy 642 00:52:00,920 --> 00:52:01,680 Speaker 3: of salvation. 643 00:52:04,920 --> 00:52:05,120 Speaker 1: Lord. 644 00:52:05,239 --> 00:52:09,520 Speaker 3: We turn our eyes away from everything else in this world, 645 00:52:11,719 --> 00:52:18,560 Speaker 3: and for just a moment, we want to capture Heaven's gaze. 646 00:52:18,840 --> 00:52:19,080 Speaker 1: Lord. 647 00:52:19,120 --> 00:52:28,359 Speaker 3: There are so many deep wounds, traumas, difficulties, struggles that 648 00:52:28,400 --> 00:52:32,400 Speaker 3: we have felt are in opposition to us experiencing your joy. 649 00:52:33,120 --> 00:52:37,000 Speaker 3: But you actually use the mechanism of mourning to deliver 650 00:52:37,160 --> 00:52:41,560 Speaker 3: us from the grip of grief. That happiness is not 651 00:52:41,640 --> 00:52:44,120 Speaker 3: waiting on the other side of something for us, It's 652 00:52:44,160 --> 00:52:48,400 Speaker 3: happening inside. 653 00:52:48,680 --> 00:52:49,840 Speaker 1: I pray that we would. 654 00:52:49,560 --> 00:52:55,560 Speaker 3: Allow you in today, come into our lives, come into 655 00:52:55,600 --> 00:53:01,279 Speaker 3: our hearts, come into our dreams. If you're in this 656 00:53:01,400 --> 00:53:04,480 Speaker 3: room today and you've never put your faith in Jesus Christ. 657 00:53:05,560 --> 00:53:07,520 Speaker 3: On the count of three, I want you to raise 658 00:53:07,680 --> 00:53:10,640 Speaker 3: your hand. I'm gonna lead you in a prayer that 659 00:53:10,680 --> 00:53:16,560 Speaker 3: will change the trajectory of not only your life, but eternity. 660 00:53:17,160 --> 00:53:20,960 Speaker 3: If God's pulling on your heart right now to follow him. 661 00:53:21,280 --> 00:53:22,000 Speaker 1: On the count of. 662 00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:26,000 Speaker 3: Three, I want you to raise your hand. One, two, three, 663 00:53:26,239 --> 00:53:35,359 Speaker 3: don't hesitate. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Now listen, We're gonna pray 664 00:53:35,400 --> 00:53:38,040 Speaker 3: a prayer. You have to pray this prayer for yourself, 665 00:53:38,280 --> 00:53:42,000 Speaker 3: but you don't pray this prayer by yourself. This whole 666 00:53:42,080 --> 00:53:43,880 Speaker 3: church family's gonna pray with you today. 667 00:53:43,880 --> 00:53:47,160 Speaker 1: Would you just say this with me? Jesus, come into 668 00:53:47,200 --> 00:53:49,439 Speaker 1: my life, make me new. 669 00:53:50,280 --> 00:53:55,680 Speaker 3: I realize I'm lost without you. Thank you that you 670 00:53:55,800 --> 00:54:00,920 Speaker 3: have more grace than I have sin. I believe you 671 00:54:01,000 --> 00:54:05,279 Speaker 3: are the Son of God, the resurrected King, and you're 672 00:54:05,360 --> 00:54:08,160 Speaker 3: resurrecting me in Jesus' name. 673 00:54:08,920 --> 00:54:09,280 Speaker 1: Amen. 674 00:54:09,400 --> 00:54:13,560 Speaker 3: Can you put your hands together for what God is 675 00:54:13,600 --> 00:54:15,840 Speaker 3: doing in this church, Elevation. 676 00:54:16,000 --> 00:54:18,799 Speaker 1: I love you so much. God bless you. We'll see 677 00:54:18,800 --> 00:54:23,719 Speaker 1: you next time. Thank you for joining us. 678 00:54:24,000 --> 00:54:26,480 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 679 00:54:26,520 --> 00:54:27,280 Speaker 2: this ministry. 680 00:54:27,600 --> 00:54:30,040 Speaker 1: Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 681 00:54:30,480 --> 00:54:32,680 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give 682 00:54:32,760 --> 00:54:36,920 Speaker 2: now or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more 683 00:54:36,920 --> 00:54:40,760 Speaker 2: information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 684 00:54:41,000 --> 00:54:42,320 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 685 00:54:42,640 --> 00:54:44,920 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 686 00:54:44,960 --> 00:54:47,080 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 687 00:54:47,080 --> 00:54:49,640 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.